Jun
I’ve become enamored of So You Think You Can Dance, Fox’s dance competition reality show. In general, I don’t like reality shows. They’re frequently populated with manipulative people seeking fame (or infamy) whatever it takes. They want their time on camera and have little to share other than that empty goal.
I’ve been watching American Idol since the first season and it’s full of those people. I watch it for those few people who stand out for their genuine talent and lack of guile. They stand there and just shine with the thrill of singing. Watching those people find their voice and get better and better is always a joy for me to watch. I can’t stand the people who make it through week after week because of the hordes of tween fan girls dialing en masse because the guy has good hair. But despite what I want to see, I’ve noticed that the singers are almost entirely lacking in heart when they sing.
A little while ago I went to see The Swell Season in concert. This is Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, the two stars of the fabulous movie Once, which I cannot say enough good things about. I was so moved by their performance that I was in tears on a few songs. I almost couldn’t catch my breath a few times, it was just that passionate and amazing. After seeing them, going to watch American Idol was just that much more empty.
So when a friend recommended So You Think You Can Dance, I thought, “eh, another empty reality show.” But wow, was I wrong. On American Idol, anyone who was lucky enough to be born with fantastic pipes can walk into the audition and get on with a chance to win. Once on the show they get vocal coaches and stylists, but they didn’t have to put anything in to get there. Not the case on Dance. These people are all phenomenal dancers before they ever get on the show. They have to be amazing, with great training to even get past the first audition.
But even more incredible to me than their talent was their attitude. Watching the opening auditions, the auditorium was full for each performance - with other contestants I assume? The cheers and applause they gave each other were so fantastic. And watching the contestants that made it on the air, to the top 20, they constantly impress me with their extreme passion for dance, their genuine heart, and their graciousness under all circumstances. At the end of the show when the people are sent home, they’re given an opportunity to speak and they always talk about what an honor it was to be there and have that opportunity, to dance with these people. Now, that’s heart.
It’s refreshing to watch people who actually love what they’re doing and you can feel it in everything they do. I leave you with a fun number from the first week’s performances.