SYTYCD (So You Think You Can Dance)

My former roommate Hayley Thompson (shout out!) and I stumbled upon SYTYCD one night on the TV about 3 years ago. Never have I been happier watching TV. For me it is the most entertaining show on television. It is a gem amidst all the other seasons re-runs and quite honestly the only TV I claim to watch. I can even say I learn something each time I watch it—not bad a for a reality show! June marks the beginning of a summer long competition that bides for my attention and ALWAYS wins…because no matter what if I can’t watch it live- I tape it. Yes, I said tape it…no DVR for me, but a VCR works just as well for this purpose. What makes SYTYCD so amazing? The skill—the dancers are simply brilliant, as are the choreographers. Each week is a genre smorgasbord of dance, music and costumes. The participants are randomly paired and then draw from a hat a genre of dance they are required to learn and then perform within a week. Then the viewers can cast a vote for their favorite through a text. I never vote. But I do enjoy watching the results show the following evening where the bottom three couples have to dance solos and dance for their lives! Then, and this part I love, the judges decide—a real critique, not just a popularity vote!

This year my friends from work, Sara and Kari and I rotate hosting the SYTYCD ‘party’. We carpool to work so it makes it really convenient and whoever is hosting makes a nice meal in the crock pot so we even have a warm meal to celebrate the night.

If you haven’t ever tuned in to this show, this needs to change and …here are some tips for your first view:

1) Take Mary with a grain of salt—she is one of the judges, and likes to use high voice pitches. (Can’t say I didn’t warn you…but she has grown on me.)

2) Respect Nigel. Listen to his every word.

3) Cat Deely is really tall and has a great wardrobe.

4) Keep in mind most of the dancers and viewers are teens.

5) Dance is art—there is a story told by each dance and sometimes it is weird.

Let me know what you think!