Summer is here and with it rolls in my favorite anytime of year dance competition show, So You Think You Can Dance. However, never before this year has SYTYCD had such a dishy judge on the panel (with the exception of guest judge Twitch, but that is for another week). Jason Derulo joined the show as a permanent judge this season and, honey, he can talk dirty to me (and more) all he likes. I know, it’s an obvious joke, but still true.
I had never really paid him much mind because “Talk Dirty to Me” is the only song of his that I know, but I perked up a bit when they brought him on the show. And THEN, I perked up a lot when he sang and dance with a group of kids on this week’s premiere. Maybe if he is a really poor judge on SYTYCD I will lose interest, but for now I’m all in.
We are well into summer which can only mean one thing: we are well into So You Think You Can Dance. Well, we are at least past the auditions (thank goodness) and are now onto the good stuff! I love me some SYTYCD so I, of course, have my favorite dances. You will notice that I am partial to certain styles and certain choreographers. Sorry ballroom and Mandy Moore (the choreogrpaher and not the pop star/”actress”). What can I say, I know what I like.
10. “If It Kills Me”- Jeanine and Jason – Season 5 Contemporary – Choreographed by Travis Wall
Travis Wall has some great dances but I have always loved this one featuring the locket. It also introduced me the acoustic version of this Jason Mraz song which I proceeded to play on loop for the rest of that summer.
9. “I Am the Best” – Jenna and Mark – Season 10 Jazz – Choreographed by Mark Kanemura
Mark’s first run at choreo on the show totally won me. It is weird and awesome which is always a winning combo for me on this show. Definitely best use of a ponytail on this show. Possibly ever.
8. “Gravity”- Kayla and Kupono – Season 5 Contemporary – Choreographed by Mia Michaels
I was biased going into this dance because I love the song, but Mia’s depiction of the turmoil of addiction was beautiful and haunting. Something always brings me back to this dance.
7. “Bleeding Love”- Chelsie and Mark – Season 4 Hip-Hop – Choreographed by Nappy Tabs
Season 4 was my first season that I watched so I have always been partial but this was the first dance that I remember watching over and over. Also, just Nappy Tabs. I love them infinity.
6. “The Garden”- Courtney and Mark – Season 4 Jazz – Choreographed by Sonya Tayeh
Oh, Sonya. You can spot one of her dances from a mile away and this has always been the epitome for me. It is her patented blend of creepy/spastic/sexy/weird.
5. “Mercy”- Twitch and Katee – Season 4 Contemporary – Choreographed by Mia Michaels
Whoa, three season 4 dances in a row! Not intentional but like I said, I’m partial to season 4. Another thing I am partial to? Twitch. He is just my favorite dancer ever from this show. This one goes down as best use of a prop for me.
4.”Circle of Life”- Group Routine – Season 9 Hip-Hop – Choreographed by Nappy Tabs
I must have watched this dance at least 10 times the night it debuted. The super cool remix is just a bonus on top of an awesome dance. I never know where to look during it because there is just so much going on!
3. “Ramalama Bang Bang”- Group Routine – Season 2 Jazz – Choreographed by Wade Robson
Another weirdo dance that I really love. What does this say about me. I cannot listen to this song without doing that “unzip my body take my heart out” move. And I listed to this song a lot.
2. “Bang Bang”- Eliana and Alex – Season 9 Contemporary – Choreographed by Stacey Tookey
The quiet simmer of this dance is utterly enthralling. I can never look away.
1. “Outta Your Mind”- Twitch and Alex – Season 7 Hip-Hop – Choreographed by Nappy Tabs
Look, I love the hip hop on the show. Especially when it is Nappy Tabs and ESPECIALLY when it is Twitch. Also, Alex freaking Wong. He is just too good in this dance to be a ballerina.
What is your favorite SYTYCD? I still have a lot of favs that I had to leave off, so I’m sorry if it was yours.
Every summer begins the same way. May rolls around, all of my shows have just finished rolling out their season finales, and I am left with a hole in my heart. How will I get through this? Then, like a beacon of light shining through the grey clouds within the depths of my soul, So You Think You Can Dance premieres and I know that everything is going to be okay.
SYTYCD (as the cool kids abbrev it) is the best show of the summer, every summer and I am going to list the reasons why:
1) Dancing! – I will start this one off with a disclaimer. I. Love. Dancing movies. That being a said, a show that takes the only redeemable quality from dancing movies (no, not the acting) and gives it to me on a weekly basis is always going to be a-OK in my book. Whether the dancers are launching themselves at each other in a contemporary piece, throwing it down in a hip-hop piece, or getting down in a jazz piece, I am loving every minute. Is every dance number on SYTYCD amazing? No, but when it delivers, it delivers a beautifully wrapped package containing a bomb that I am to then insert into my ear. So that it can blow my MIND!
2) Low investment– You can get as involved in SYTYCD as you want. I have had seasons where I only care about the dancing, so I only watch the dancing. I have had seasons where I want to know every bit of back story on the contestant, every caterwauling critique from Mary Murphy, every quip from Cat Deeley, so I watch the whole episode. Now, with the new format and no results show, it has become even less high maintenance.
3) Judges – Stay with me on this one. I like the judges on this show. Is Mary a bit crazy? Yes. Is Nigel a bit pervy? Yes. Despite all that, though, they know what they are talking about and it shows. On occasion, there will be a dance that leaves me feeling less than enthusiastic, but I am not always able to pinpoint why. That’s where the judges come in. Plus, the addition of a new guest judge every week mixes it up nicely and gives a different voice to the panel, whether I like that voice (ADAM!) or not (Tyce).
4) The lovely Cat Deeley– If this woman doesn’t win the Emmy for Best Reality Host, I will lose all faith in the Academy (like that hasn’t already happened). She really is the best out there, though. She is charming, funny, and shows a genuine interest in the dancers and the choreography. Girlfriend throws an annual 4th of July BBQ at her house for all of the dancers!
5) Summer tunage – Perhaps the most important reason of all (after dancing, because, c’mon), SYTYCD always supplies me with a solid summer playlist. Whether they be songs that I have never heard or songs that I have loved my whole life, there is something about setting choreography to song that makes it really stick with you. For example, I can never hear “Ramalama Bang Bang” without “unzip[ping] my body, take my heart out” like in that Wade Robson piece.
There you have it. Did I miss something? What has been your favorite dance of the season so far? (“Bang Bang” or “The Lovecats”, see below) Who is your favorite choreographer? (NappyTabs, Wall, Tookey, or Sonya) Let us know in the comments below!
Summer is here and with it rolls in my favorite anytime of year dance competition show, So You Think You Can Dance. However, never before this year has SYTYCD had such a dishy judge on the panel (with the exception of guest judge Twitch, but that is for another week). Jason Derulo joined the show as a permanent judge this season and, honey, he can talk dirty to me (and more) all he likes. I know, it’s an obvious joke, but still true.
Fangirly 