Welcome to Pure So You Think You Can Dance Canada

When Mia Michaels left SYTYCD USA people were in shock. The amazing and talented, Emmy Award winning choreographer made the official announcement in October 2009 and since then has made some changes to her world, inlcuding her shaved head.

CTV reports:

The Emmy Award-winning choreographer knew something wasn’t sitting right while she was working on the U.S. version of So You Think You Can Dance, yet she fought that feeling for two years before making the decision to leave the show.

Working on So You Think You Can Dance Canada’s Finale piece was Michaels’ first piece of choreography after leaving the show’s U.S. counterpart and she used all of her conflicted energy and transformed it into something dark, dramatic and beautiful.

The piece, created for Season 2’s Top 10 dancers was created in a dark and pivotal time in Michaels’ personal and professional career. “I was at a point of making massive changes to every area of my life — in my personal life, with my family, (my mom’s dealing with an illness), in my career and then my back injury changed my entire awareness of myself. I realized how much I wanted to really take it all into my own hands.”

She left SYTYCD USA, hired new management and shaved off all her hair.

“I loved my hair, but I couldn’t get it off fast enough,” she says about shaving her platinum ‘do right before appearing on the Top 8 show in Toronto. “I just needed to get it off and start fresh.”

What’s up next?

She has changed everything about her life, dealing with a back injury that led to no feeling in her leg, so intense physical therapy to try and recover. Though she lefft SYTYCD USA she has been working hard personally and professionally with 3 projects in her grasp. Besides telelvision work she is doing a project that explores her journey for a number of dances she choreographed, looking at the stories behind them, the emotion that helped create them.

“It’s totally confirmation that I made the right decision because I wouldn’t be able to do these three shows and work on the U.S. show. And,” she smiles, “it doesn’t conflict with me being part of the Canadian version, which is awesome.”

Though American audiences were devastated by the news of Michaels leaving the U.S. show, Canadians will be seeing plenty more of Michaels.

“I love Canada. I love the show up here. Everyone’s just so wonderful,” she enthuses, promising to be back for Season 3 of SYTYCDC.

“Canada is such a good place for me,” she says. “It reminds me of a time when I found the strength to continue and made difficult decisions and started rebuilding my life. It reminds me of being surrounded by people who offer nothing but love and support.”

[Source]

CTV reports:

One of Jean Marc Genereux’s dreams came true on December 8th as he joined the 12,000 torchbearers and carried the Olympic flame in his home province of Quebec.

“When you do anything at the level that these athletes do it, you need to have that fire within you. The flame I got to carry represents that fire,” he says.

“I love that I was part of this human chain,” Jean Marc enthuses. “I just love the Olympics! It is so wonderful to push the physical body and celebrate the achievements of people regardless of anything other than their skills.”

Across Canada your favourite dancers are appearing…..

Jan. 23-24
Vancouver, B.C.: iDance Convention
Sheraton Vancouver Guilford

Faculty includes: Tara-Jean Popowich, Vincent Desjardins, Kim Gingras with Brandon Bryant and Evan Kasprzak from the U.S.’s SYTYCD.

Jan. 23-24
Regina, Sask.: iDance Convention
Delta Regina

Faculty includes: Jayme Rae Dailey, Austin Di Iulio, Natalli Reznik, Cody Bonnell and Amy Gardner

Jan. 30-31
Montreal: iDance Convention
Cowne Plaza Hotel Airport

Faculty includes: Tara-Jean Popowich, Vincent Desjardins, Jayme Rae Dailey, Arassay Reyes with Alex Wong from the U.S.’s SYTYCD.

Jan. 30-31
Edmonton: iDance Convention
Radisson Edmonton South

Faculty includes: Kim Gingras, Natalli Reznik, Francis Lafrenière with Brandon Bryant and Evan Kasprzak from the U.S.’s SYTYCD.

Feb. 4
Belleville, Ont.: Habitat for Humanity PhilanthroPARTY, a fundraiser for Haiti
The Empire Theatre and Centre for the Performing Arts
Performances by Cody Bonnell and Melanie Mah

Feb. 5-7
Calgary: Calgary International Salsa Conference
Hyatt Regency Calgary

Workshop with Tara-Jean Popowich

Feb. 6-7
Montreal: Raise the Bar 6 dance convention
Faculty includes: Luther Brown and Kim Gingras (with Blueprint dance company)

Feb. 6-7
Winnipeg: iDance Convention
Faculty includes: Tara-Jean Popowich, Vincent Desjardins, Jayme Rae Dailey, Natalli Reznik and Brandon Bryant from the U.S.’s SYTYCD.

Feb. 13-14
Calgary: iDance Convention

Faculty includes: Tara-Jean Popowich, Vincent Desjardins, Jayme Rae Dailey, Miles Faber and Brandon Bryant from the U.S.’s SYTYCD.

Feb. 27-28
Barrie, Ont.: DARK Danse presents “Just the Beginning”
Faculty includes: Miles Faber and Jenna-Lynn Higgins

All events are subject to change.

Mary Murphy

The day started out slow, but things rapidly picked up and there have been some amazing dancers and guys doing things I haven’t seen before, which is very exciting because I’ve travelled the world with So You Think You Can Dance.

I’ve seen six seasons in the U.S., we’re into the third here in Canada and I’ve seen four in Australia and three in Scandinavia, so when I say there’s something new that I haven’t seen before, it’s really exciting for me!

[source]

I had glorious plans to go down early and see who I could talk to and meet at the Vancouver auditions.

Those glorious plans, however, failed. After moving December 1st, [and now a week later still living out of boxes] I just didn’t have the time or motivation to go down that early in the cold…

though I did harass Blake McGrath on twitter and follow the judges tweets to live vicariously through them while they were in my city. I don’t know if I could have been entirely nice to Leah Miller – I just want to tell her how I loathe her…

I really hope to see some Vancouverites make it onto the show… it’s always nice to have some locals to root for…

I think this may be Menina Fortunato’s (who I went to highschool with) sister Sante who auditioned last year (and I think should have made it – maybe this year?)

How many hopefuls recieved a boarding pass? Can’t wait to see the show!

And who will survive Blake Bootcamp?

CTV’s Lindsay Zier-Vogel wrote this:

She heads to the gym often and runs a 10 kilometre route along the sea wall five days a week. “I’ve done a couple of half-marathons too,” she says. “I find the cardio and endurance always helps — I don’t ever get tired on stage!”

add to del.icio.us

Blake McGrath Tweeted while he was in Vancouver and posed pretty with the Vancouver Olympic Mascots.

Also from his tweets we learn:

Tre Armstrong

So far, Vancouver has been the best city for returns — the comebacks. The dancers who are determined to make it into this season’s Top 20.

I like that because they’ve all gotten stronger, but it does make our job as judges more difficult!

And for Montreal

The energy has really picked up over the course of the day. The first couple of groups seemed really nervous, but as soon as they got going, the nervous energy floated away. The b-boys are always good for that — they’re so easy going in Montreal.

I’m really looking for uniqueness in this city — I want to see the next Dario, that totally different look.

I must say, the ballroom is out of this world!

[source]

The quality on television was not great to start the American Music Awards, I thought it was just my t.v. but seems it was everyone. Anyhow, here is a video from youtube of the opening act to the AMA’s. Janet Jackson did great but two of her dancers, who we all know and love, stood out to me most… Nico & Natalli. Lot’s of close-up’s and close-to-Janet moves… love it!

This is like my two loves uniting.

I am a huge Twilight Saga Fan. I blog frequently as Malicious Mandy about everything Twilight and the past few weeks have been amazing because it was the release of Twilight Sage New Moon, which was filmed locally here in vancouver (I actually saw live sets and met most of the cast!!)

Anyways, Mary Murphy was at the New Moon L.A. Premier and even did an interview with screenplay writer Melissa Rosenberg.

Also, from SYTYCD Canada Blake McGrath and Tre Armstrong attended a premier and CTV posted some awesome photos.

Billy Burke & Justin Chon (both star in the movie)

CTV REPORTS:

The 24th Annual Gemini Awards were presented in a glitzy event held in Calgary [ November 16th ]weekend and Leah Miller, host of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, beat out Canadian Idol’s Season 6 winner Theo Tams and 2009 Juno Award host comedian Russell Peters to receive the Gemini Award for best performance or host in a variety program.

Earlier in October, So You Think You Can Dance Canada Season 1 won a Gemini for Best Music, Variety Program or Series. In 2008, Miller received the Viewers’ Choice Gemini Award for Hottest Canadian Female.

What?

Well, this was shocking news. I am not a fan of Leah Miller and I am quite surprised she beat out Russell Peters who is hilarious and even Theo Tams, who is adorably charming.

I find Leah to be so condescending. SYTYCD Canada as a whole is a super show so in that sense it doesn’t surprise me that it’s host would win, but I can’t help but think it is more the success of the show overall than anything particular about Leah Miller.

That’s just my opinion, what do you think?