SYTYCD in the Media

[mishy]

Oh Boy. I'm not for or against Mary but Paula is so rambly and incoherent.

Edited December 11, 2014 by mishy

[dcalley]

Blergh. Mary doesn't always use it, but at least she's got ballroom knowledge. Paula doesn't, and she frequently doesn't make sense or add anything of value.

[OnceSane]

Please, no.

[Bella]

This show really can't get the judging panel together in any sane way. Sometimes it comes close, but it's never quite gelled for me (YMMV). I will miss Mary and hope that the Paula rumor is just a test of people's reactions.

[crossover]

Why do they put so much emphasis on WHO is judging instead of HOW they judge? 

 

I would prefer fairness (or as close to fair as possible in a subjective environment) among all the contestants instead of jamming the show's favorite down my throat from week 1.  Tell the choreographers to create routines for the assigned style instead of trying to make it easier for the favorites and harder for the fodders.  Hip hop should be hip hop  If you want a "pop hop" category, create one.  Ballroom should be ballroom.  If you want a fusion style (e.g., rumba+contemp), do like DWTS and create one.  Get rid of the 10 second or whatever interview segment for the contestants.  It tells you nothing.  Show more from the couples' practices (good or bad, but not doctored) and their behavior when not performing--sort of like Season 1.  That will tell more than that segment.  Judges and host should stay out of the contestants love life.  They are there to talk about the routines.  Have a blogger (kind of like TMZ) to get those kinds of things.  It is a reality show.  If you can't show personal drama in some kind of way, I don't think the ratings will rise.  There are no known "dancing stars" who will compete like celebs on DWTS.  So you'll have to find ways to make the general audience care.  We need a cast to have the chemistry of S4s, diverse and outstanding dancing ability in their genre like S3, snippiness of S2 and randomness of S1.  We need for the choreographers to forget about the emmy nod and just do what they do.

[LizBug]

Audition cities announced for 2015 Season ... 

 

New York, NY Saturday, Jan. 24  

Dallas, TX Saturday, Feb. 14  

Detroit, MI Sunday, Feb. 22 

Memphis, TN Sunday, March 8

Los Angeles, CA Sunday, March 15 

 

Details at http://www.fox.com/dance/article/“so-you-think-you-can-dance”-season-12-hits-the-road

[Stuffy]

Mary Murphy's option wasn't picked up, so she won't be a judge this year.

 

http://www.eonline.com/news/613942/mary-murphy-leaving-so-you-think-you-can-dance?cmpid=rss-000000-rssfeed-365-topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories

Edited January 12, 2015 by Stuffy

[Rick Kitchen]

Just so long as they don't replace her with Paula Abdul.

[KayElektra]

Mary's screeching has annoyed the hell out of me in the past, but she usually gives decent, and legit, feedback.  I seriously will have a hard time watching this season if they put in Paula Abdul.  I get embarrassed FOR her when she speaks (or rambles on incoherently in her case), and it's uncomfortable to watch.  She's also a shit judge because she "loves" everyone and doesn't want to say anything bad even when a negative critique is needed.

 

Good christ, get rid of Nigel and the ratings would probably go up. 

[Mertseger]

Bye, Auntie Scream: I'll still miss your choreography.

 

Can have moar Misty and Debbie, plz?

Edited January 13, 2015 by Mertseger

[crimsongrl]

Paula Abdul and Jason Derulo join Nigel Lythgoe as SYTYCD judges

Edited January 22, 2015 by crimsongrl

[OnceSane]

Damn it.

[rereader2]

...I may have to stop watching. I mean, why hit myself in the head with hammers?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Ugh, why? Paula Abdul is so incoherent with her "critiques." Jason only had one or two useful comments last season so I am not thrilled about him either.

[pally]

Does this mean the end of ballroom? This article seems to imply that and with Mary getting fired.....

 

ew

 

[dcalley]

"ew" indeed.

[phoenix780]

From the article: 

 

As Lythgoe explained, “Once they hit that top 20, they are going to have to be prepared to do lots of other styles and lots of other things. So we’re gonna see a lot of people fail.” Hey, that’s showbiz for you.

 

Because that's what I'm looking for as a viewer- to see talented dancers appear to get progressively worse throughout the season, by design.  That's how his comment combined with the new structure reads to me, anyway. 

 

I'm OK with Abdul, I can't imagine her being less coherent than screaming about a tamale train (will they still do that?).  Are the judges still controlling eliminations to a point, though?  I have a hard time imagining her do well with that.  Plus, for me that's been their second biggest weakness the past couple seasons (the biggest being repetitive choreography).  It'd be nice if they addressed that, in my opinion.

 

On a positive note, for some reason "stage vs. street" makes me imagine elaborate dance battles.  So I'm hopeful we'll get some of those.

Edited February 3, 2015 by phoenix780

[WarriorGirl]

The only reason I can see them bringing this show back after the poor ratings this season is for the Emmy nominations it gives the network. They really need to retool if it comes back. First suggestion is eliminating Nigel. His heavy handed influence on the show is starting to affect it, IMO

Agreed. Nigel has been manipulating the general opinion towards a particular dancer/ dancers ever since the beginning. Never was it more obvious than in season 8 with Melanie, IMHO. He needs to go.

Mary's screeching has annoyed the hell out of me in the past, but she usually gives decent, and legit, feedback.  I seriously will have a hard time watching this season if they put in Paula Abdul.  I get embarrassed FOR her when she speaks (or rambles on incoherently in her case), and it's uncomfortable to watch.  She's also a shit judge because she "loves" everyone and doesn't want to say anything bad even when a negative critique is needed.

 

Good christ, get rid of Nigel and the ratings would probably go up. 

Yep. Mary is a good and solid judge (and I never cease to be entertained by her screaming, haha.) Nigel is a manipulator. He really should go, but being the executive producer, that's probably not going to happen. Sigh.

Edited March 2, 2015 by WarriorGirl

[WarriorGirl]

I'm so happy for NappyTabs. There were individual routines that were more emotional, but their body of work was the best. Its very deserved!

I especially love their lyrical hip-hop numbers. I loved "I Got You" danced by Marko and Melanie from season 8...pure genius!

[crimsongrl]

Twitch & Travis Wall to serve as Mentors this season

Beginning in the Las Vegas callbacks round, the dancers will be divided into the best street and best stage dancers. Travis will mentor the stage dancers and tWitch will mentor the street dancers. Although they have never faced each other in competition, they will go head-to-head now, fighting for one of their dancers to be crowned America's Favorite Dancer. So You Think You Can Dance premieres Monday, June 1 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
 
The STAGE dancers will feature those trained in styles such as contemporary, ballet, jazz or tap; and the STREET dancers, hopefuls skilled in styles such as hip-hop, animation or breaking. When the competition goes “live,” the Top 20 will be challenged weekly to perform a variety of styles, working with world-renowned choreographers. One dancer from each genre will be eliminated each week leading up to the Season Finale. Who will win…a dancer from the stage or the street?

Not sure if I like all these changes but the move to Monday's is better for my DVR.

Edited March 16, 2015 by crimsongrl

[dcalley]

Travis and tWitch dance with Michelle Obama on Monday's Ellen as part of the "Let's Move" campaign. USA Today link

[WarriorGirl]

Travis and tWitch dance with Michelle Obama on Monday's Ellen as part of the "Let's Move" campaign. USA Today link

With Marko, Kathryn, Jasmine.

[WarriorGirl]

Ugh, why? Paula Abdul is so incoherent with her "critiques." Jason only had one or two useful comments last season so I am not thrilled about him either.

Exactly. How is Jason even a judge on a dance show?! Is he even a heavily cross-trained dancer with years of experience...he and his music are just plain repulsive. And Paula will definitely be going gaga over the dancers' costumes more than critiquing the dance itself. Nigel, as much as I dislike his obvious manipulations on the show, will probably be the saving grace. With Mary gone, ballroom judging will probably be hopeless.

Why do they put so much emphasis on WHO is judging instead of HOW they judge? 

 

I would prefer fairness (or as close to fair as possible in a subjective environment) among all the contestants instead of jamming the show's favorite down my throat from week 1.  Tell the choreographers to create routines for the assigned style instead of trying to make it easier for the favorites and harder for the fodders.  Hip hop should be hip hop  If you want a "pop hop" category, create one.  Ballroom should be ballroom.  If you want a fusion style (e.g., rumba+contemp), do like DWTS and create one.  Get rid of the 10 second or whatever interview segment for the contestants.  It tells you nothing.  Show more from the couples' practices (good or bad, but not doctored) and their behavior when not performing--sort of like Season 1.  That will tell more than that segment.  Judges and host should stay out of the contestants love life.  They are there to talk about the routines.  Have a blogger (kind of like TMZ) to get those kinds of things.  It is a reality show.  If you can't show personal drama in some kind of way, I don't think the ratings will rise.  There are no known "dancing stars" who will compete like celebs on DWTS.  So you'll have to find ways to make the general audience care.  We need a cast to have the chemistry of S4s, diverse and outstanding dancing ability in their genre like S3, snippiness of S2 and randomness of S1.  We need for the choreographers to forget about the emmy nod and just do what they do.

You're damn right. The amount of repetitive contemporary numbers on the show, plus the mixing of contemporary with just about everything else, is exasperating. And the 'you're my favourite dancer' thing is just annoying.

Bye, Auntie Scream: I'll still miss your choreography.

 

Can have moar Misty and Debbie, plz?

'Auntie Scream' was THE only judge whose critiques could be depended upon, IMO. Will miss her terribly.

[WarriorGirl]

I've had a day to think about the changes and I'm still not sure if its for the better. Joshua & Russell are my favorite winners and tptb gave them the 'Untrained' label when anyone with eyes could see that wasn't the case. I expect more of the same for some of the street dancers.

 

I hope the new format stops the judges from giving contemporary dancers praise for lackluster basic hip hop routines! Just because they learned the steps isn't enough! *I've always wished they'd make auditioners dance to hip hop music like they were at a party to see who can groove. :)

 

What are the odds Twitch and Allison don't show up as mentors? I want the show to expand beyond their regular favorites and I hope to see a legit hip hop judge added to the table.

The odds were pretty damn thin, apparently, because it seems Twitch is back as a mentor. TBH, I've seen enough of Twitch already. They should have brought some of the other past contestants to add a freshness to the show. Wouldn't hurt to see Alex Wong, Marko Germar, Joshua Allen, Ivan Koumaev, Jenna, Kayla, Heidi, Ellenore Scott back, would it?

[dcalley]

With Marko, Kathryn, Jasmine.

Thanks, I only just saw it. Robert's also there. Jasmine got a hug!!! The dancers come out around 3:00 in.

 

[jackiecat]

 

 

With Mary gone, ballroom judging will probably be hopeless.

 

The STAGE dancers will feature those trained in styles such as contemporary, ballet, jazz or tap; and the STREET dancers, hopefuls skilled in styles such as hip-hop, animation or breaking. When the competition goes “live,” the Top 20 will be challenged weekly to perform a variety of styles, working with world-renowned choreographers. One dancer from each genre will be eliminated each week leading up to the Season Finale. Who will win…a dancer from the stage or the street?

 

Looks like they won't be having ballroom any more.

[realdancemom]

I don't think ballroom dancers do well on this show even if they're cross-trained.  Witney, Lindsay, and Jenna were in the bottom a lot and made it to the top 10 because they were saved by the judges.  Tanisha did a little better but she was eliminated after doing an AT the week before.  She was awesome in that and shouldn't have been eliminated especially since she was great in other styles too.  In some ways, I blame Mary.  She didn't criticize the non-ballroom dancers enough.  I forgot her name (Valerie?) but the female tapper last season was terrible in the samba and Mary was acting like she was amazing.  Maybe, it wouldn't have mattered because she was heavily criticized for her Tyce jazz number and still made top 2.

[WarriorGirl]

I don't think ballroom dancers do well on this show even if they're cross-trained.  Witney, Lindsay, and Jenna were in the bottom a lot and made it to the top 10 because they were saved by the judges.  Tanisha did a little better but she was eliminated after doing an AT the week before.  She was awesome in that and shouldn't have been eliminated especially since she was great in other styles too.  In some ways, I blame Mary.  She didn't criticize the non-ballroom dancers enough.  I forgot her name (Valerie?) but the female tapper last season was terrible in the samba and Mary was acting like she was amazing.  Maybe, it wouldn't have mattered because she was heavily criticized for her Tyce jazz number and still made top 2.

Yes, Tanisha was eliminated way too early. Valerie was way below par with some of the other contestants in her routines...the only numbers I liked were her tapping dance with Zack (which is her genre anyway) and her pirate number with Ricky. It seemed the choreographers toned down their choreography just to make her look good. Obvious partiality, like in most seasons. Also in season 10, Jenna conquered all styles well, even though she was a ballroom dancer, and she was prematurely eliminated. The judges do have their favourites and probably don't like to criticize them when they need to.

Edited March 23, 2015 by WarriorGirl

[ToxicUnicorn]

Part of me is annoyed by the street vs stage split, with no room for ballroom.  On the other hand, it's the way the show has always been - it's just making it more explicit.

 

I think the new mentors format is trying to borrow from The Voice, which makes me laugh.  THere's nothing to borrow from the AI franchise, is there Nigel?
 

I have no idea who Jason Derulo is.  I've always thought the choreographers and the dancers were so much more important than the judges (and Cat, too, for that matter).  Cat, I love, because she's kept her head on her shoulders, but the judges' egos are ridiculous.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Twitch and Travis demonstrate the Gimme Five dance that will be taught alongside FLOTUS at the White House Easter Egg Roll on April 6.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wejZR4MtfVk

[dcinmb]

[dcalley]

Ack, seeing Dominic that close to the First Lady makes me a bit nervous! The kids on shoulders dancing along were super cute.

[ToxicUnicorn]

The First Lady looked great!  I thought she was dancing a whole lot better than Travis.  (I thought that about the still photograph earlier in the thread, too.)
 

 

The kids on shoulders dancing along were super cute.

 

True.  The little girl in pink is already better than I am at picking up choreography.

[Watt]

I'm always nervous about all the changes they make but I am so happy SYTYCD is almost back! It gets me through the summer for sure. Can't wait to snark about it with you guys soon!

[WelcomeStranger]

Haven't seen this posted yet, but I found a little 30-second video snippet that's a montage of Season 12 auditions. I'm missing spoilers though. Usually by now we know pretty much who made it through Vegas (or wherever) Week.

 

http://www.celebdirtylaundry.com/2015/so-you-think-you-can-dance-season-12-spoilers-promo-introduces-new-judges-paula-abdul-and-jason-derulo-video/

[Lemons]

When is the next season going to be on?  Is the next season the 12th?

oh, never mind,  I just clicked your link.  I'm glad it's coming back!  Not so happy about Paula Abdul though.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Interesting that they are including tango and salsa with the street dancers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un_jz2DBCV4

[ToxicUnicorn]

Interesting that they are including tango and salsa with the street dancers

 

What cow manure.  In addition to snubbing the ballroom/club partner dances, where are they going to put tappers?  Belly dancers?  Aerialists?  Folk dancers?

 

It reminds me of the joke: there are 2 kinds of people in the world ...

 

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2012/04/13/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-in-the-world/#.VV4T2jeVtKg

 

Clearly, the producers fall into the second category.

[Canada]

Paula Abdul?!!!?  No!!!!!  Why, show, why? 

[luvthepros]

Nigel said ballroom is included for the stage team. Problem is there is no expert in ballroom on the judge's panel.

[realdancemom]

I thought Nigel said that ballroom could be either studio or street.  He said that if somebody learned ballroom in the studio like the Vibe dancers then they are studio.    However, if somebody was a salsa dancer that dances at parties and salsa clubs, they are considered street.   I don't think they clearly thought about this.  I don't like the current set-up but I would rather have that then have the show cancelled.

[ari333]

Every time I read, "street" I immediately think Toni Basil. :)

[PhD-Purgatory15]

I wonder if the reverse would be ok....a studio trained hip hopper (like the really old one who made the top 20 three or four seasons back)....could they argue they'd fit better on Team Stage?

Regardless of how convoluted it ends up being,SYTYCD is back and that's a win in my book...

[ElectricBoogaloo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhRObIPkCI0

[Rick Kitchen]

An article about Alex Freakin' Wong in Dance Magazine

 

Travis will be blogging each episode for EW.  And here's an article he wrote about his mentoring this season.

[crowceilidh]

This is an interesting sentence in the Alex Wong article:

 

"This summer, Wong’s back on “SYTYCD” as an All-Star..."

[crowceilidh]

 

 

Nigel LythgoeVerified account

‏@dizzyfeet

RT @BrianaT83107569: will street team need to learn stage choreo and vice-versa? (Choreography in Vegas and then swap styles in the top 20)

[realdancemom]

Thanks for the article links.  I'm excited to see Alex as an All Star.  Now, he knew how to do a great solo that I haven't seen yet.  I was so bummed when he was injured.

 

An article about Alex Freakin' Wong in Dance Magazine

 

Travis will be blogging each episode for EW.  And here's an article he wrote about his mentoring this season.

[luvthepros]

Jason, Paula, Nigel and Travis explain Stage vs Street....

 

https://youtu.be/njLKwdmumkg

[crowceilidh]

Interesting that they are going to disregard gender in the eliminations.  High time, I think.  I always felt that if they didn't disregard gender in the eliminations, then they shouldn't disregard it in the prize (I really liked the year they had a female and a male winner - or was that just a dream I had?)