I’m Calling You Out: Editors and Lighting People of So You Think You Can Dance

Ok, listen editors and lighting people from So You Think You Can Dance, we’ve gotta talk. CALM DOWN. Seriously, you’re starting to ruin some of the dances this season. And that’s really not a good thing for a show that showcases, well, dancing. So you’ve gotta chill out. I’m gonna break this down into two sections.

Lighting People: So, my gripe with you is nowhere near as big. I know that you’ve always been a little over the top in terms of lighting the numbers, but this season, you’re really starting to go overboard. I’m trying to focus on the dancing, and its really hard to do when you’re strobing what seems like 10 different colored lights all at once. Maybe I’m exaggerating a little bit, but you’re still overdoing the lighting. Just tone it down. I get that you’re trying to further the themes of the dances, but, for a program about dance, shouldn’t you let the dances speak for themselves?

Editors: Ok, you’re the ones who are really grinding my gears this season. Because, frankly, you’re hacking the show to death. If I’m watching a show called “So You Think You Can Dance”, chances are I’m watching to, you know, see people dance. So why, editors, must you cut the numbers to within an inch of their life. I’m not talking about duration here, I’m talking about the fact that there doesn’t seem to be a shot that lasts longer than two seconds this year. Dance is all about movement, flow, rhythm. So why are you cutting it so that I can’t observe any of those things in the dances? My other big gripe with you guys is that, well, these are partner dances. And I get that what one dancer is doing is probably more interesting than the other at times, but there’s still two dancers on stage. So why do you seem content to only show one a lot of the time? So many times this season, you’ve cut to show only one dancer’s movements. Unless the other dancer is standing absolutely still, this is kind of unacceptable. The choreographers have made these routines for two people. Both dancers have moves. So show both of them for gods sake.

If you don’t believe me, watch the freaking show. So far this season, there have been a total of 3 dances that truly stuck out to me: Katee and Joshua’s week one hip-hop, Courtney and Gev’s week two contemporary, and Kherington and Twitch’s week two Viennese Waltz (see youtube links below). And you know what’s interesting? All three are probably the most minimalist dances you’ve presented. While Katee and Joshua’s piece was overedited, the lighting was absolutely subdued. While Kherington and Twitch’s piece was overlit, the piece was presented simply, with very few cuts. Courtney and Gev’s was neither overlit nor overcut. And those are by far, in my opinion, the three best things I’ve seen this season.

But the proof isn’t just in the good pudding, it’s in the bad pudding too. No matter how bizarre he is, Wade Robson always turns in interesting choreography. Which is why I was super pumped that he was doing the top 20 group number (also see youtube link below). But then, you had to go and make it virtually unwatchable. Because I think there was about 15 seconds of actual dancing shown, versus like a minute of rapidly cut close-ups of Nigel overacting (If you didn’t see it, he was a part of the number). To me, this is completely inexcusable. I’m watching this show to see the dance, not to see Nigel Lythgoe ham it up. But you had a different agenda, and thus ruined what looked to be a very cool number.

So, seriously, tone it down. I’m starting to have major problems focusing on the dances. Especially in terms of my recapping, it’s hard to critique a dance when we can’t see the whole thing. Stop focusing on one dancer, stop cutting too much, stop overlighting, just stop. Present the dances without overdoing them. I’m watching for the dances, not for the editing.

Katee and Joshua’s Hip-Hop
Courtney and Gev’s Contemporary
Kherington and Twitch’s Viennese Waltz
Top 20 Group Routine