Kelsey McNeal/FOXHey, guys, Jen here. Wanted to give you guys a report from the panel for So You Think You Can Dance, which I adore and may just be the best summer reality show short of Project Runway.
We were treated to Danny Tidwell spinning and shirtless, as well as Sara VonGillern and Pasha Kovalev performing their famed West Coast swing. The whole gang was there, including all of the top 10 dancers, plus Nigel, Dan, Shane, Mia, Mary and Cat.
Here are a few highlights:
Tap On, Tap Off: According to Nigel, the show is open to showcasing any dance style that could reasonably be taught and/or learned in five and a half hours. He says that gives them a world of options with just a couple of exceptions: “The things that are really difficult to do are tap, because it just takes so long to get the ankles right...[and] the heavily classical stuff, because we’re just not going to get the technique.”
YouTube Boogie: According to competitor Dominic “D-Trix” Sandoval, the dancers have been known to prepare for unfamiliar dances by checking out existing routines on YouTube. He and partner Sabra Johnson watch the clips and study up and then “I kind of just throw my heart on the floor and do the best I can.”
Sibling Revelry: Someone asked Lacey Schwimmer about reigning champ and big bro Benji and how it might affect her place in the competition. She replied, “I’m not here to win, I’m only here to have the experience portion of it. I try not to compare myself to him, because I‘m not him. I love him dearly, and I think he‘s very talented. But you know, I‘m here to grow and find who I am.” Maybe it's just me, but after she said that I thought I saw executive producer Nigel Lythgoe and choreographer Dan Karaty give each other a look. Hmmm...
B Does Not Stand for Bad: One reporter, who defended himself with "No offense, I'm old," announced that "I always thought that [a] B-girl was a hooker." Sara set him right and defended the honor of fellow B-girls everywhere, and told him that the B stands for "Break girl or Bronx, beat. Breaking came from the Bronx."
Quote of the Moment: “I think talent is sexy.”
—Choreographer Mia Michaels, when asked what makes dance so sexy