Small Talk: So You Think You Can Talk

[radishcake]

Here's your spot for small talk, introductions, & off-topic discussion!

[ABTJess218]

Hey all, Chiming in here to say that I just came over from TWOP. I've been taking a break for the last few seasons and haven't posted in yearssss, but going to be back in action (and hopefully with spoilers) for the new upcoming season. Was ABTJess218 over on TWOP too, so hoping that a friendly wave ::waves hi to everyone:: will bring old and new friends out over here! 

[ajay]

Hi, Jess! I remember you. Much the same with not posting for years, though I did restart watching the show last summer.

[romantic idiot]

I'm the obnoxious woman always criticising NDM's choreography. Hey y'all!!

[MizArk]

I used to be very active on TWoP but not so much the past few seasons (I was Ms Imaginary there, but I decided to just be me here). I've stayed in touch with several of my old SYTYCD TWoP friends on Facebook, but it will be nice to have a new home to discuss our show! Can't wait until it starts again.

[Iseut]

Hi all,

I was late to the game for this show, and somehow just started watching it in the last couple years, but I'm obsessed with it now and am bouncing in my seat just waiting for the new season to start!

Also, Jasmine was ROBBED! If you're wondering where I stand on that issue.

[kechara]

Does anyone know when the show will be on this year? Summer I guess.  I'm still Kechara. It's my go to name.

[Bella]

It looks like it's starting with a 2-hour premiere on May 28. I don't love, love, love this show as much as I did at first, but it's still a favorite.

[ramble]

Hi y'all. This show is still a favorite of mine too. I may gripe about it, but I still love it. I was ramble on TwoP as well.

[Carrie Ann]

I've watched the show since Season 2 (I think S2-4 were the height of the show), but since Season 5, I always seem to check out halfway through the season, and then catch up again after the finale. But I do still love it. I thought this past season was strong, and they seem to have found the best balance for integrating the All-Stars and having only one episode per week. Can't wait to see you all here in May!

[ToxicUnicorn]

Hi everyone, so glad to see a lot of familiar names from way back.

I've been lurking at TWoP for years, thought I'd de-lurk here.  I've watched the show since it started.  I used to be obsessed.  I agree that the height of the show was S2-4; I loved S1, too.  The seasons since have blurred together and I feel a lot older because most of the dancers look incredibly young to me now.  The show is not appointment tv the way it used to be.  But, I will keep track of it, one way or another, until the end.  

My all-time favorites are Allison Holker and Billy Bell.  I wish Billy would come back as an All-Star.

[Keekski]

I've been watching since I caught the season finale from the season that Neil was on. I was on a business trip and drank too much wine. Ha. I've been addicted ever since. Clearly, Neil is one of my favorites. And Twitch. Although I hate that he stylized his name and married Allison. There have to be some audition spoilers out there, right? I love when AI is over because that means it's SYTYCD time! 

[Carrie Ann]

Why do you hate that Twitch married Allison? I'm so happy for them!

[Keekski]

I just don't care for Allison. I know that's an unpopular opinion, but I'm so very meh on her. 

[eli]

Aw, I love the Allison and Twitch are married now, and the wedding looked like the happiest event ever.

 

Haven't seen any spoilers for the new season. Did see from Tara Lipinski's instagram the other week that the Top 20 has been chosen and she's been one of the audition judges, but that's it. If folks do find actual spoilers, we should create a separate thread for those.

 

And I don't know if anyone else watches any of the international versions of SYTYCD (those that still exist, anyway), but the Australian version came back this year. I'm still catching up (only watched the Top 20 showcase, so far, while they just had Top 6 week), and this solo has been making the rounds from one of the guys.

[Bella]

Haven't seen any spoilers for the new season. Did see from Tara Lipinski's instagram the other week that the Top 20 has been chosen and she's been one of the audition judges, but that's it. If folks do find actual spoilers, we should create a separate thread for those.

 

And I don't know if anyone else watches any of the international versions of SYTYCD (those that still exist, anyway), but the Australian version came back this year. I'm still catching up (only watched the Top 20 showcase, so far, while they just had Top 6 week), and this solo has been making the rounds from one of the guys.

 

I fell madly in love with Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir during the Olympics. I'm self-employed and had a work gap then, so I stayed home and binge-watched. They were so much fun. At this point, I think I'd watch the two of them reading telephone numbers. So I'm delighted that she's on SYTTCD and would be thrilled if he were also on the show. And I say this as someone who wasn't overly fond of her as a skater.

 

A spoiler thread would be great if we get any. I thought there was a spoiler site devoted to this show, but I just did a 6-minute (exhaustive!) search online and found nothing. 

 

And that Australian dancer was amazing. Great video, Eli, thanks for sharing.

[AllAboutMBTV]

Thanks for the intel on the premiere date, Bella. I'd been wondering when The Cat Deeley Show would be back. I've been watching since S2, and while I wish they'd shake up the rather calcified format somehow* I really wouldn't miss it. It's a perfect summer show.

 

*For one, I'd get rid of those rehearsal, "Gee, look how clumsy we are/this choreo is hard" video bits before each performance. Or at least do them differently.

[Bella]

I totally agree about the "name as many animals as you can in 10 seconds" and "wow, Sue and Stu really are best buddies - but no romance!" clips. They could compile all that additional time and figure out a way to extend the routines a bit, add another group number, bring in an alum, or do something more interesting.

[eli]

I want to say that the season we had a final six instead of four (for a reason I totally do not remember other than thinking it was bogus) they had to rush though the show and we didn't get any rehersal packages. It was kind of weird, just because you are in fact used to them. But it was also nice. I particularly liked being able to take the dance as I saw it, instead of coming in with the super special message/meaning stuffed into my head.

 

I actually like the rehersal bits for seeing how the dancers learn a different style, especially when it's in one half's genre and they're helping the other half. But the producers have definitely gotten worse and worse about editing them into "oh noes, will they get it in time?!?" bits.

[SnarkyTart]

Really looking forward to the return of SYTYCD.  For me, I enjoyed it most when:

There was only one winner, rather than a male winner and a female winner

There were no guest judges, especially ones who have little or no dance expertise

Wade Robson was one of the choreographers before moving on to other things

Shane Sparks was one of the choreographers/judges before he went to jail

Before there were so many hip-hop/B-Boy contestants put through who were unable to master other genres (granted a few of them did become awesome dancers)

 

The one format change I have enjoyed the most is the addition of the All Stars.  It brings out the best in the contestants, and there can never be too much Alex Wong or Mark Kanemura.  Would love to see Danny Tidwell return as an All Star.

 

[NextIteration]

Hi Jess and Kechara.  I haven't watched in "real time" or posted much in years either - but watched DWTS in real time this year so I thought I'd do the same for SYTYCD this year.  Sad that there aren't really many spoilers around yet, last season and this are the years that I'd hoped to see many of the kids that my daughter competed with over the years.

[Rick Kitchen]

I dropped out early in last season because I hated Fik-Shun and it was so obvious that he was going to win it.  I hope there's no clearcut favorite like that this year.

[Jynnan tonnix]

I've watched the show on and off since probably the second or third season...Not really sure, as the episodes I originally saw were part of a SYTYCD marathon gearing up for a new season, and then, once the season started, I always seemed to forget to watch. Guess I watch so little TV to begin with, and never have learned how to work a DVR, it just kept going by the wayside. However, that being said, when I DO manage to watch, it's always been one of my favorite things. I can't dance my way out of a paper bag, so just seeing them learn the choreography to multiple dances every week is pretty much sorcery as far as I am concerned. I'm also really excited about the new season beginning since for the first time in years, we are living in the same general vicinity as my daughter, who was my watching buddy back in the early seasons, so she is planning on coming over weekly for a SYTYCD evening while it's on. Good times :)

[Bella]

That's great about your daughter watching with you, Jynnan. My mom and SIL live 6 states away from each other but often do a chat during DWTS, which is a great bonding activity. Sadly, I can't get either of them interested in this show.

[ramble]

I wish I could watch something with my sister who is across the country but she doesn't watch tv. I'm surprised we're related. She doesn't go to movies either. Sigh. My mom just recently discovered NCIS reruns so we discuss those & that's kind of fun. My kiddos have gotten old enough that I'll allow them to watch shows that I watch. It's so enjoyable & we end up talking about all kinds of things along the way. My youngest says she's in for SYTYCD & hopefully my oldest will join us. I get dorkily excited when we all sit on the couch together & turn on the DVR.

[ToxicUnicorn]

I like your list, SnarkyTart.  I am another All Stars fan. There are dancers I've been able to appreciate much more because they come back.  Comfort, Jakob, and Kathryn come to mind.

 

I also think the show has lost a lot of its punch by crowning two winners.  On the other hand, I haven't been that excited about a winner since Season 5's Jeanine Mason, so maybe the show's winner category was on its way down (for me) before that.  (By the way, when I looked up the winners on wikipedia, I was skimming the top contestants really fast and read Jamile's category as "pooper".)

 

The entire family used to watch SYTYCD together but now I'm the only one left who has any interest.  The rest don't like all the contemporary.  The dance styles need an injection of something to give more variety.  Even though I didn't particularly like Mark K.'s piece with Jenna all that much, I was thoroughly engrossed because it was DIFFERENT.  More of that, please.   

[Sharpie66]

Waving "hi" to everyone...

 

I'm another former TWOP-er (same name here) who has been watching SYTYCD for a while. In my case, I started watching the last few episodes of S4 when a blogger I read posted the Bollywood dance and raved about it. I've seen every episode since! I even keep all of the episodes for each season on my dvr to make a Best Of dvd at the end of the summer before deleting them all.

 

I like some of the benefits of the All-Stars format, but I do miss seeing the dancers pair up with each other in the second half of the season. IMO, S5's champion Jeanine didn't start to shine until the Top 10 started and she was paired up with all the remaining five men, who had much better chemistry with her than Chbeeb did. I also loved S6's pairings with Jakob and Molly and Legacy and Ellenore, which never would have happened in the All-Star format.

 

I might have issues with the show and think that the judges have got to get some fresh blood because they're in a major rut (IMO), but I wouldn't miss this show for anything!

[luvthepros]

Not sure why but I think a thread I started earlier today has been deleted. The title was about an interview Nigel gave about season 11. I included a link to the article. Are links not allowed? I don't want to do anything wrong.

[Bella]

Not sure why but I think a thread I started earlier today has been deleted. The title was about an interview Nigel gave about season 11. I included a link to the article. Are links not allowed? I don't want to do anything wrong.

 

I changed the title - it's now the media thread.

 

You're allowed to start threads and add links to your heart's content here. But that was rather micro, and we do need a media thread anyway, so I "fixed" it. Sorry for not being clearer about it. Good interview, btw.

[Kromm]

If you need suggestions for the title for this thread, I'd suggest "So You Think You Can Talk".

 

Also, I don't care WHICH thread, but something has to be subtitled "Shoobie Doobie Dance" (just because that's one of the most ridiculous TV theme lyrics ever)!

[luvthepros]

What about a "Grassy Knoll" thread (like there was on the TWoP forum)? Will we have individual contestant fan threads on this forum?

[Bella]

What about a "Grassy Knoll" thread (like there was on the TWoP forum)? Will we have individual contestant fan threads on this forum?

 

If you want a Grassy Knoll thread, go ahead and start one - you don't need mod permission here. (But please, if anyone starts an episode thread, check to make sure there isn't one yet.)

 

As for individual contestant threads, what we're doing at PTV is seeing what generates conversation. For example, we're not going to set up 20 individual contestant threads if 90% of the conversation is about 3 people and there are only 30 posts about the remaining 17. Those three, however, could get their own threads.

 

We'll see what happens. We tend to follow "thread drift" in determining what needs to be broken out. Contestant discussions will amp up after the Green Mile episode, so that's when we can start more threads.

[OnceSane]

Another transplant from TWoP here, I've watched every season save the first.  Actually, my boyfriend watched that season & got me hooked.

 

 

I just don't care for Allison. I know that's an unpopular opinion, but I'm so very meh on her.

 

I'm gonna sit next to you.  I have never cared much about Allison or her dancing.

[NextIteration]

Bella - I like that idea, so many dancer threads sat empty at the other place, made me almost feel sorry for the dancers if they were looking around on teh interwebz.

[AncientNewbie]

I hated that I used my real name when I set up my TWoP account and then felt limited in what I could say over the next nine years, but never wanted to start the post count over again at zero. So now on a new site where the count is already zero...I used my real name again. I'll be the one in the dunce cap. 

 

Longtime SYTYCD watcher and harsh critic of Nigel, Mary's laugh and nonsense judges. Delightfully love NappyTabs hamhanded overly literal choreo but rage against Mia's skilled yet overwrought choreo. Still contend someone could flop around the stage in a seizure and Nigel would rave about how such contemporary is the epitome of Western dance. 

 

So...hi everyone. 

[GeorgieNY]

I hated that I used my real name when I set up my TWoP account and then felt limited in what I could say over the next nine years, but never wanted to start the post count over again at zero. So now on a new site where the count is already zero...I used my real name again. I'll be the one in the dunce cap. 

 

So...hi everyone.

You can change your username that is displayed without changing your login info, so if you really want to be less know-able and more uninhibited, you can! :-)

[pally]

After listening to Abby Lee Miller crow about her credentials after her judging stint on DWTS, I was wondering if anyone from her company has ever made any impact on SYTYCD?  Have any of them tried out, made it to Vegas or not Vegas, etc?

[Alison]

After listening to Abby Lee Miller crow about her credentials after her judging stint on DWTS, I was wondering if anyone from her company has ever made any impact on SYTYCD?  Have any of them tried out, made it to Vegas or not Vegas, etc?

Miranda Maleski (curly reddish hair from season 8) was trained at Abby Lee's studio. As far as I know, she's the only Abby Lee success story on SYTYCD.

[Bella]

Just as an FYI, I'm going to edit a couple of thread titles to have initial caps.

 

This isn't a PTV rule, though it's the preferred format. In this case, however, it's me being nitpicky because I'm an editor IRL.

[auntlada]

From another editor IRL, thanks.

[Bella]

Mod note: I'm going to be away for a few days. Two totally awesome mods, @Athena and @Mya Stone, will be checking in. So if you need to flag down a mod between now and the 18th, feel free to PM them. (And if you need to report something - which hasn't been needed here because you are all on my equivalent of Mary's hot tamale train - please use the report button.)

 

Have a great week!

[truthaboutluv]

Wasn't sure in which thread to post this since it is more a general observation on the show rather than a specific episode/season. Like many others who've posted above, I was a dedicated viewer for a number of seasons but have found my interest waning in the later years, particularly once the show went to one night a week. But it's still programmed into my DVR and I spent a few hours catching up on the season and I pinpointed something that really bothers me - ENOUGH with the damn "relationship" stories, particularly with the contemporary dances. 

 

Yes contemporary has a lot of flailing, legs spread eagle all over the place, but I swear in past seasons, they used to involve more stories and themes than just "it's about a couple breaking up, it's about a couple fighting to stay together, it's about a couple who can't let go, etc. etc." Say what you will about Mia Michaels, as annoying and bitchy as she could be, she at least came up with different and interesting concepts for her contemporary dances - how can anyone forget Evan and Brandy's dog/butt dance, Kayla and Kupono's Addiction dance, Mark and Chelsie's Tim Burton Wedding dance, Billy/Ade/Alex's Time piece, etc. And the same could be said about Wade. 

 

Now I feel like it's all a one-trick pony with all the dances and it's unfortunate for the dancers who many times are dancing brilliantly and simply doing what is asked for them but I swear, the second I hear "this piece is about a couple…" in a rehearsal package, I just check out. Because I just feel like no matter how well danced, choreographed, I'll just come away feeling like I've seen it all before. 

[OnceSane]

I think the problem is that the choreographers are trying to get Emmys & they think "guy-girl blah blah love blah blah struggle blah triumph (or not)" will win them one.  & the ones not worried, or not entirely worried, about Emmys seem to be pandering to the audience (& what they'll vote for) and/or the judges.

[angelita100]

So Marcquete is gone this week and with him goes my interest in the rest of the season. I have always loved SYTYCD but it too suffers from the same thing as all reality shows.  It's just that it's been so entertaining I didn't care.  

 

Showcasing some folks in the audition stage gives them a leg up on those with no coverage.  And the judges critique's don't seem honest. If they like a person they couch their words carefully to keep them in the competition.

 

Their continued lack of black female dancers just bugs the hell out of me.  How many have there been in all of these seasons - 5, 6?  I see them passing through the night in the audition rounds.  They look pretty good to me but they never get focus.  Or if they do get some audition focus they have disappeared by the vegas/la round.  Black guys have done better but this season (and someone will correct me if I'm wrong because I missed an audition show - the two that made the show were virtual unknowns.  Did they get any major focus before the top 20?  

 

You know it's bad when I'm turning mid show to Extant.

[ToxicUnicorn]

Don't know about site policy around here, but do you think you might put spoiler tags around that first sentence, angelita100?  I wasn't expecting to see results when I opened this thread.  :(

 

From the first season, SYTYCD has featured black female and male dancers, and many through the years have been phenomenally popular.  See: Twitch (arguably the most popular and most associated with the show) and Donyelle and last year's Jasmine.  And - there are others (DfT, and last year's winner, anyone?).  I guess I've had the opposite impression - that there hasn't been a particular racial bias on this show.  It's the first place I'd ever seen Asian and Latino/a dancers featured, as well.  But, that's just me.

 

There used to be a race thread and a statistics thread over at TWoP.  I wonder if anyone from those feels like starting new ones over here?

[Bella]

Just FYI, our spoiler policy is that once an episode has aired in its original country, there is no need to use spoiler tags within that forum. (Keep that in mind if you watch Downton Abbey!)

 

We do have a race and ethnicity thread for all TV. I think that's probably sufficient, but if it isn't, let me know and we can start one here.

[ToxicUnicorn]

Thanks for the clarification, Bella!  Sorry, angelita100 - my fault, entirely.

[tricksterson]

Is it me or is there too much contemporary this season?

 

RANT WARNING!  DANGER WILL ROBINSON!

 

Or maybe it's just that I am so done with contemporay.  All it is is jazz on muscle relaxants with the pretentiousness dial turned to ten and the knob snapped off.  And now it's gone and infected my other dance show DWTS!  Where does the madness, the oh so boring, slow motion madness stop!?!?

 

END RANT

[angelita100]

ToxicUnicorn..sorry forspoiling it for you.

I don't have a major racial beef with SYTYCD especially about black male dancers.  And I love that they show other ethnic groups.   But in more than one season there just aren't any black female dancers.  Maybe I've gone blank but in so many seasons there's like 5 that I can think of. I personally don't think that's good ... donyelle, sabra, comfort, jasmine.. and the runner up from that season I couldn't stand to watch because of the annointed one. I think there are just a few more.  I'm probably just mad that I love the show so much and have no rooting interest from those remaining. They all just seem so blah.  No Alex Wong. No  Katee, No Ellenore.  No Twitch. Nobody that makes me anticipate Wednesday nights.

[crossover]

Emotional contemporaries (or contemporaries done to emotional songs) are the routines that get the most votes.  That's why you will see the TPTB favorites get these routines.  There are a lot of them during the first half because TPTB are trying to firm up the fanbases of their chosen ones before they branch out.  And sometimes, they need to give them 2 or 3 to save them for the top 10.  If it weren't for that, I am sure there would be more of a variety, even within contemporary.