So You Think You Can Dance – Changes at the start

Before you get pissed off a bit later down the post, let me tell you something: I know what you’re thinking.  Really … I do:

“Can’t we just get on with it and nix these So You Think You Can Dance audition rounds?”

You feel as if you’re stuck in front of your television set and you can’t get out of first gear. Why, oh why do they have to torture us with quick clips of idiocy? You’ve seen enough hair-brained comedic fluff to last the rest of the year … so why can’t we just get on with it already … ?!?

You see … the audition rounds are exploratory. Complete with goofiness and tragic performances — if you can call them that. Back in January, I gave you some pretty valid reasons why you should be watching auditions during the opening weeks of American Idol. Well guess what? The same holds true for SYTYCD. Therein lie the “diamonds in the rough.” You see: They’re out there. That one kid who can wow you like there’s no tomorrow. That one gal who is able to move like it’s nobody’s business. That one freaky-lookin’ dude who seems like nothing can stop him from reaching the top.

And all along the way, throughout not only the auditions but the competition as well, you get the opportunity to see someone you can latch onto as a favorite shine … maybe stumble a bit … maybe get lucky … possibly do something you never saw coming.  Want some examples? Head to time stamp 4:28 in this segment and take a gander at Adrian Lee. This big, goofy, lanky dude is what watching the audition rounds is all about. Additionally, take a spin with Kent Boyd, below:

(By the way … Kent made it through to Vegas.)

On to Dallas and more auditions. Where there are the likes of Ida Saki from Iran, an 18 year-old way beyond her years. (We’ll see drama about her next week.) And Jordan Johnson, a five-years-clean addict who can move. Really move. There are plenty more — some we see segments on … some we don’t.

Then, all of a sudden, there are 120 some-odd potentials headed to Las Vegas where the scrutiny really begins.

Hokay: So … are you ready to get pissed off now?

It has been announced there will not be twenty contestants this season on SYTYCD. There will only be ten – 5 guys, 5 girls. A Whopping 8% of the people who made it to Vegas will go on to the nitty-gritty of the competition. It seems The Powers That Be at SYTYCD have decided to pair up those contestants with past personalities who were on the show previously. This gives the contestants who advance a bit more performance individuality.

What a load of crap.

What this means is that ten (count’em: ten!) outstanding dancers — dancers who should be in the main competition — are getting the shaft. You won’t see them perform. You won’t be dazzled by anything they could do. You won’t get that privilege. We, the audience, is getting short-changed.

That’s monumentally crappy, in my opinion. And disappointing. To us … to the contestants. All I know is that the drama of the season has already begun with that simple announcement. And I’m not happy about it. How ’bout you?

One of the judges, Tyce Diorio, commented to Nicole Knudson, a really spiffy contestant: “You’re everything and a bag of chips.”

Well, so are the SYTYCD Powers That Be.  But not in a good way.

Clacked by Michael Noble
on Jun 04, 2010 @ 12:19 EST5EDT