So You Think You Can Dance -- Season Seven

Well, folks, it's just a bit more than two months before the new season starts, and even though we got a bit burned out (and burned by) two consecutive seasons last summer and fall, I thought it was time to start a thread for Season Seven.

Here's why... I was sitting here watching the 82nd Annual Academy Awards show when they had The League of Extraordinary Dancers come out to dance to a medley of all the nominated songs this year. If you remember, when that group danced on SYTYCD it was all guys, but this time it was about half female, and the first thing I did was start looking for familiar faces.

The action was too quick and there were very few close-ups, but I'm almost certain I saw at least Kathryn and Kayla up there (99.9% sure on Kayla, as that dancer DID get a sort of featured shot near the end and if it wasn't her, she has a near-double). My guess is there were more than just the two of them, which just goes to show once again what a ripe proving ground SYTYCD is for young dancers.

I can't wait to see what and who the new season brings us! And while I really enjoyed having Adam as a third, permanent judge, I think if they're going to continue that perhaps they should add a spot for a fourth guest judge.

Anybody who has advance insights (like Mac) is greatly encouraged to post here prior to the start date (use spoiler tags where appropriate).

I really have to say that ONE routine at the Oscars really got me to missing the show! I was NEVER really a big dance fan prior to SYTYCD, but something about that show and the way it brings out the best in young dancers has really moved me in ways I could have never expected.
Jeff

Well, I just got some definite confirmation on Kayla. Since I didn't watch the entire Oscars show (had other things to watch during the first half), I had clicked over to the webpage where you could see acceptance speeches to see the speeches for Mo'Nique and so forth and on the right-hand side they had some behind-the-scenes stuff, including a video short about choreography... I could recognize Kayla Radomski just from the little picture in the icon.

Sure enough, after a few seconds of dancing, the video cuts into first Travis Wall, and then Kayla introducing themselves as assistant choreographers for the Oscars (Adam Shankman being THE Choreographer, of course). They briefly flashed a name under one other person dancing as an assistant choreographer, as well, and I think that was also someone from one of the early seasons of SYTYCD (a guy), but I got the distinct impression that Travis and Kayla were taking the lead as assistants.

http://oscar.go.com/video/index?play...&clipId=252448

If the video still works like it was when I was browsing, this first clip will morph into a second (you'll probably have to watch a 30-second commercial before the first one about cervical cancer, or something), and then they'll keep going, but only the first two are on the dancing. The second clip is much longer and shows both Travis and Kayla sitting AT the table with Adam after doing a run-through with dancers auditioning for the show while he makes the cuts. He has another adult female close to his age between him and them, but I got the impression that the fact they, and few others were actually sitting AT the table with him meant he was at least asking their opinion, on occasion, as to who to keep or cut, so I think he's really taken Kayla "under his wing."

Considering she just turned 19 in January, and where she started less than a year ago, that's a pretty amazing journey, I think, and I'm now certain that was her in that medley dance. Although they didn't identify any other dancers, and although I couldn't find any official website for The League of Extraordinary Dancers, I still have the distinct impression that it was highly embellished with dancers Adam culled from both auditions and from his SYTYCD connections.

And just for those of you who think I'm "Kayla-obsessed." No, I'm not. I'm just really happy anytime I see ANY graduate of SYTYCD doing something that big that soon. Kayla's just really easy to pick out because she's so blonde, so tall, and has a sort of distinctive face.

This won't be a "Kayla" thread by any means. The fact that Travis has already choreographed many successful routines on SYTYCD means his position as an assistant choreographer on the Oscars means much less, as he's already an established choreographer, in my opinion, yet I still mentioned it because hey, he's there and he's an SYTYCD alum and that's how he got there!

My memory's not as good as some of you guys... Did he ever choreograph Kayla???
Jeff

I agree with you, Mac, that's obviously Elenore. As I elected to NOT record the awards, since both my DVRs are pretty full and I'd probably never get around to watching it all, I saw only the second half, so I can't speak to who it might have been at the opening... But considering that Adam was the choreographer (and the fact that he appears to have a real soft spot for dancers he's worked with and liked from SYTYCD), it wouldn't surprise me if he used as many of them as possible.

One thing that sort of touched me during the second video clip was where he was doing the audition cuts and he said that every time, although he knows he can't put every dancer through, having been there, himself, every single cut is hard to make because he knows how it feels. I think there are a lot of people in his position who are a lot more callous than that. He could just be saying that for the cameras, but somehow I think that's the real Adam Shankman.

I feel dance requires much more practice, work and discipline than any of the other performing arts (not to belittle any of the others), and is definitely much more punishing on the body and has a much shorter career life because of what it does to your legs and feet. Perhaps that's part of why I have so much respect for young folks who have reached such heights so young.

I really wish SYTYCD could achieve a level where the prize money was more. These kids get 1/4 what the winner of "American Idol" gets yet work way harder.
Jeff

Yep! They get to watch the assistant choreographers do it once, then maybe run through it with the assistants once, and then it's time for the "line-up." Dancers must have nerves of steel, because that truly WOULD feel like a "line-up" to me, I think -- lined up against the wall and offered "a last cigarette," lol.

Here's what I'm wondering for the moment, though. Although it's prestige for both Travis and Kayla to be choreographing, big-name dancers make more money, don't they? If they take the choreography career path, they may have a more secure career path and more steady paychecks, but then they can always do that after retiring from dancing, anyway. With their dancing talent, they have a shot at being "Stars" for at least a few years. Of course they can do both, like Paula Abdul did prior to becoming a singing star.

What to do? What to do???
Jeff

I thought it looked like it was chock full of "my babies," as Debbie Allen likes to call them.

I'm curious as to how you confirmed that, however, Mac. You seem to have inside tracks on things (or one of you does -- sorry, but I confuse my "Macs," lol -- maybe both of you do). Or did you confirm simply by having it all recorded and playing in super-slow-mo, or maybe by reading closing credits that way?
Jeff

While I totally agree with you, Cal (and just how many former contestants were dancing at the Oscars is proof), I still think the prize money should be more... Then again, come to think of it, the winner of AI also gets a recording contract, whereas the winner of SYTYCD gets the prize money and a cover story on a dance magazine, but I don't believe there's ANY guarantee of any sort of professional contract.

From what little (VERY little) I follow of AI, a fair number of the better second, third and even lesser placing contestants have still ended up with decent recording contracts and sales. With dancers, however, there's regular work in dance companies for anyone who's committed. They may not become "stars," but they'll be able to pay the bills.

Not that I'm interested to the point of any sort of obsession, but it would be interesting to see a breakdown of the percentage of finalists (people who actually make it to the competition stage) of both AI and SYTYCD, through the seasons, are making a living as dancers or singers (or related, as some of them could have cross-over talents). I'm guessing you're right, Cal, and SYTYCD probably has a higher success rate if only because all the folks involved with the show actually care more about the kids who compete on it.
Jeff

Ummmmmmmmmm, cwilson, It's been going on for 82 years now... Are you just waking up to the fact that roughly 89.739% of the Oscars every year is "filler" that "bores most people???"

They were going to play part or all of the nominated songs one way or another, so why NOT choreograph some dance to them? I guess they could have played part or all of each with clips of the movie it went with behind it (I think they've done that in the past), but perhaps that's considered passe this year. I think you have to live in the Hollywood mindset to understand why they do almost anything, such as neglecting to include Farrah Fawcett in the "in memorium" tribute, even though she had made several movies (more than Michael Jackson, actually)... Then again, the year John Candy died, they totally snubbed HIM but gave Raul Julia a sendoff like he was Sir Lawrence Olivier, or something, even though Candy had a much bigger resume and had doubtless drawn much bigger box office and was undoubtedly better known and more popular with the public... Perhaps they thought including Farrah or John wouldn't be "boring enough?"

Try figuring those folks out. You'll be richer than James Cameron is now if you can.
Jeff

Well that's another thing a lot of us who live in "Middle America" have a difficult time understanding. Where I live, you can get a decent apartment for a few hundred a month; a nice house for a thousand a month, or so. In Manhattan, or the other major metro areas where big dance companies are generally located, you may pay $1,500/month or more for a 1-room apartment with kitchen, bedroom and living room all in essentially the same space... And the other "truth" is that a good waiter or waitress working in a nice restaurant can clear hundreds of dollars a night in tips -- or more (much less, of course, if it's just a chain restaurant, or diner).

I'll take your advice and watch "The Company" as soon as I have the time. I'm sure you're right. The statistic I always hear quoted on actors and actresses in Hollywood is that 95% of them make most or all of their income from waiting tables, parking cars, etc. and the overwhelming majority of the rest make their income from doing commercials, voice-overs, and other work that seldom, if ever gets you any real name recognition. I can assume only that the stats are similar for the other "arts" professions.

As for dancing, there was one major exception to that age rule -- Fred Astaire... While most professional dancers are "washed up" at 35, his career didn't really get going until about that age and he did incredible things on film for many years past. Then again, since he was doing them ON FILM we have no way of knowing just how many TAKES he got to get them right.
Jeff

We're not at the END of the world, yet, but I could SWEAR I can see it from here!

This past Wednesday night, after watching "Human Target" (pretty good show -- I watch it live or time-shift it every week), I could find NOTHING of even "middlin" interest to watch at 9 p.m. (not being a basketball fan) and thus actually watched the AI results show (first time I've watched ANY episode of AI since the Writers' Strike season.

Ironically, the winner from that season, David ?????, was the first guest performer of the night, and I also watched partly because the promo at the end of "Human Target" said Ke$ha was going to perform, and I recently read a profile of her in Entertainment Weekly and wanted to see if she was as HOT when she peforms as she looked in EW (she is, pretty much, and not as much hype as I thought she'd be, although there was ENOUGH hype to go around).

I got to see the first of the Top 12 eliminated... Tasha, or Tanya, or whatever her name was -- all I know is that when my weekly EW came Friday, they had an article about the Top 12 with their picks of who is in WHAT order, and they had her tied for 10th place, so they picked about right. After she was the last one standing, she got to sing one last song, with the four judges having the chance to SAVE her (but they can do that ONLY ONCE during the entire Top 12, and it has to be UNANIMOUS). After ENDURING the song she picked (I assume she picked what she thought was her BEST song), I couldn't POSSIBLY IMAGINE how they'd save her, and they didn't -- in fact Nigel said it was a UNANIMOUS decision NOT to save her, lol.

All that did was REINFORCE my decision to NOT watch this show. I can't possibly imagine how someone who sings THAT BADLY -- off-key, flat, sharp, etc. got to the TOP 12 on a show THIS BIG! Freakin' Ridiculous! It would be like someone who would get cut in the first round of auditions on SYTYCD getting through to the Top 10 -- or even the Top 20 -- or even Las Vegas, in my opinion!

To me, there's just NO comparison! In a JUST WORLD, AI would be the "little" show and SYTYCD would be the BIG SHOW with the MEGA ratings!

It's JUST NOT FAIR!

By the way, I guess you all know "Dancing With the Stars" begins again Monday. It runs against other shows I watch, but I'll likely be time-shifting it, at any rate. I want to see how Evan Lysacek does, and, of course, I want to see how Chelsie Hightower and her partner do... And it should be sort of interesting what folks like Pam Anderson and Shannen Doherty do, lol... Gives us at least SOME dancing to watch until SYTYCD comes back in 2 months.
Jeff

Yeah, I think you nailed it, Archie (unfortunately).

I think "Survivor" has a lot of that same "water cooler" element to it (as evidenced by a many of the contestants who end up on that show who seem to have thought they could do it, but couldn't)... Maybe "The Amazing Race," as well, since every single season there's at least ONE tema where one or both members doesn't know how to drive straight drive, or something equally ridiculous for someone going on a competition show like that...

I have way too many health issues to even consider applying for a show like "The Amazing Race," but if I did, I'd make SURE I looked at every previous season and covered every possible base and was up on my swimming/driving/climbing -- whatever they might throw at me as much as possible -- some of the "teams" on this show seem to think they were just going on "an extended vacation," lol (like the two models this season, who just keep getting LUCKY).

As for SYTYCD I identify with the spirit and the struggle of the young people, NOT with what they're doing or "living vicariously" through them, which I guess is what most AI viewers are doing... And of course I appreciate and am wowed by the dancing and choreography.
Jeff