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SYTYCD - general thoughts
This isn't about last night's show.
I feel like we're seeing a lot more contemporary and hip/hop type routines than we ever have before. I feel like when I first started watching (I think it was Season 4), there was more variety in the different types of dances we see. Am I off base on this?
I haven't seen last nights show, actually, so I'm not familiar w/ whacking, but as it's being compared to the Russian dance... I can only imagine.
I feel like there needs to be a more even playing field. Instead of the dance styles being (supposedly) picked at random, I wish they would actually lay out the sequence of different styles that each dancer has to perform. And if Russian dancing is going to be introduced, then it be done in a way that at some point, everyone (if you make it far enough!) has to do it at some point.
Or, just make it easy and don't introduce horrid new styles! 
I'd like to say that I wish we could see everyone do the same kind of dance in the same week, but I realize that could also end up being boring for the audience, so obviously that won't happen. But I just think it would be much easier to compare dancers if they were all doing tangos in one week (even if different styles).
Or at a minimum, I wish there was a week where there would be no contemporary pieces. Those are the pieces that always tell a story, often one that tugs at the heart strings, and it gets the judges crying, and the standing ovations, etc....
If you get the luck of the draw that week and get "that" piece, you're golden. I'd love to see them sometimes not offer up that option at all.
Or another option - assign the dances so that a dancer doesn't get "their" style. Then the next week, they get their style. Let's compare them when they are all out of their element, then compare them when they are all in their element!
Regardless, I still feel like we're seeing less of the challenging dances! The tango's, fox trots, etc.
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
Re: SYTYCD - general thoughts
I think the producers see contemporary and hip hop as the money makers. They're the ones that bring in young fans, get the most YouTube hits and so on. The problem for me this season is that my list of truly amazing routines is extremely short. Some of the routines are good, but I'll probably forget about them before next season rolls around. I still remember the 'Bleeding Love,' 'Mercy' and even the 'No Air' routines from season 4 because they were, IMO, amazing.
I do think there used to be more variation in styles. I think they did a ballet of some sort in season 4 with Katie, and I'd love to see more paso doubles (sp?), bollywood, jazz, tap, and broadway from someone other than Tyce. Maybe they should make it that once you get into the Top 10 you can't do your style, contemporary or hip hop two weeks in a row. Try to get a majority of the contestants doing "kiss of death" routines so that the audience has to focus on something other than the overwhelming emotion of a piece.
Actually, I think another problem for this season might be that even if they're bringing in some broadway and latin-styles, they've all been so terrible I've just blocked it from memory.
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
My suggestions
1. Replace Nigel.
2. Replace Mary.
3. Get rid of celebrity judges.
4. Create a professional standard of judging that doesn't involve whooping it up or tongue bathing dancers. Travis can provide tips.
5. Broaden the hip hop choreo - include several styles - not just that lyrical garbage.
6. Do random selection for all partners. Switch every week.
7. Allow same-sex pairs from day 1. The only thing they can't do is ballroom.
8. Get new choreographers.
9. Get new director. No more crappy filming of the dancing.
One thing that they've done right is muting the wooooooing of the audience. Well done, show.
I used to just FF through the judges comments but now I find myself FF'ing through the dances too. This used to be one of my favorite shows... I agree with almost everything that's already been said but want to add:
Bring back the original smaller stage.
Bring in new choreographers more often and don't overuse the good ones. 4 seasons of Sonya dances? Let's be honest, her routines all start to look the same.
Stop casting "types". I look at some of the people that have been on the show lately and think that they can not be the best of the best out of the thousands of dancers that auditioned.