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SYTYCD Canada Cancelled

After one of the most fantastic seasons yet, the Canadian version of SYTYCD has been cancelled by CTV.

Hours after crowning Jordan Clark the Season 4 winner, the announcement was made official, this would be the last season of SYTYCD Canada.

“I can confirm that we are not ordering a fifth season of the series,” Scott Henderson, vice-president of communications for Bell Media told CityNews.ca.

“After four seasons and 92 episodes, CTV has decided to pursue other program strategies. This decision was made after careful consideration, including viewership and economic factors. We remain extremely proud of the legacy of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, including raising the profile of dance in this country,”

Fans are outraged, and they are not alone. Judges, choreographers and dancers alike are all in shocked and disappointed at this news.

Jean-Marc Genereux tweeted:

Dear Fans @SYTYCDCanada.no regrets! you were the best fans in the WORLD..SHOW is gone! But NOT your passion for DANCE,it’s a CTV decision!
You will hear all kinds of reasons!!! But you know what!!! Canada loved his DANCE SHOW and I’m sure the fans will react!!!

@TreArmstrong tweeted:

“Wow…honestly can’t believe #SYTYCDCanada has been cancelled,” Armstrong said Tuesday. “So disappointing for Canada & our amazing talent. Best season EVER! Love You.”
“Hope that #SYTYCDCanada comes back to live once more…thank you for 4 great seasons,” Armstrong wrote Tuesday. “The network, production, crew & talent, love u all.”

Luther Brown tweeted:

Its sad that the show has ended but God is good and we were all blessed to be apart of Canada’s best show! We went out with a bang!!!

Stacey Tookey tweeted:

I’m so sad to hear about the cancellation of SYTYCDC but I am so proud to know a group of people with that much talent & heart!! Love u all!

For me this is sad news. Granted I still watch SYTYCD USA, but there was something special about our Canadian SYTYCD and I am sad to see that go.

A part of me hopes that it will somehow survive, but only time will tell. There are a number of petitions and complaints going on to try and save the show. In the past, I know when a company cancels something, it is usually a done deal, but you never know!

How do you feel about this news?

[Source]

September 13, 2011 I Written By

I am a blogger and reality tv lover. I blog here for SYTYCD but mostly the Canada version, since I live in Vancouver BC. I also blog about other reality tv shows on my own blog www.mandysmind.com

SYTYCD Canada Top 18 Perform tonight – Guest Judge Nico

Tonight the Top 18 dancers will perform. We said good-bye to Rodrigo & Lauren last week after an amazing Top 20 performance show.

Tonight we can expet some more fantastic routines as well as an extra specil guest judge…. Season 1’s winner, Nico Archambault !!!

If you aren’t familiar with him, I encourage you to search him on youtube – he is so great as a dancer, choreographer and just to look at 😉 Here is a clip from him season 1 Top 4 (montage and solo dance) But check him out on youtube, he dances for pinup Saints also!

Ok and here is one more of him and Allie from season 2, choreographed by Stacey Tookey:

Also, if you are interested, CTV has an interesting article on the Top 18 Dancers Schedules which gives details on hours in studio, practice, choreo, group routines, interviews etc. etc. Sounds quite intense!

Check back later tonight for the full post on tonight’s Top 18 performance show and again tomorrow night for the results – will your favourite make it into the Top 16?

July 25, 2011 I Written By

I am a blogger and reality tv lover. I blog here for SYTYCD but mostly the Canada version, since I live in Vancouver BC. I also blog about other reality tv shows on my own blog www.mandysmind.com

New Show on CW – Hellcats features SYTYCD Alumni

I always like hearing about SYTYCD Alumni going on to great projects after the show.

Hellcats is a new show on the CW that is filming here in Vancouver. The pilot was great and including it there has only been two shows that have aired. I noticed last seasons Alex Wong’s brother Jeremy Wong right away, as well as Jeff from SYTYCD Canada.

Check out this clip and see if you can find them:

You can Follow Jeremy on Twitter @thejeremywong.

Another familiar face scheduled for the show is Allie Bertram, runner-up from SYTYCD Canada Season 1:

Cochrane Times Writes:

The 21-year-old dancer, a runner-up on the first season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, will be on TV screens on the CW Network series Hellcats, set to premiere this September.

Bertram, who hails from the Bearspaw area, will play a member of a college cheerleading squad on the show, which stars Ashley Tisdale and Alyson Michalka, and is set to be the network’s answer to Glee.

The role, as one of the members of the “evil” cheer team from the fictional Memphis Christian University, is the biggest acting role to date for Bertram, who has had a number of smaller roles in TV shows like Supernatural and Being Erica

How exciting is that?

I wouldn’t be surprised to hear of many more past SYTYCD dancers being cast. It is a great show so far and if you haven’t seen it you should check it out on the CW Wednesday evenings.

Aly Michalka plays the lead and she was also in the movie Easy A which I saw last night… oddly enough AS I was leaving Easy A I saw Aly and a few Hellcats co-stars leaving the movie too! She was very sweet and took a photo with me – she said her friends wanted to see Easy A too cute!

September 19, 2010 I Written By

I am a blogger and reality tv lover. I blog here for SYTYCD but mostly the Canada version, since I live in Vancouver BC. I also blog about other reality tv shows on my own blog www.mandysmind.com

SYTYCD Canada Alumni return to Choreograph and Assist Top 20

CTV posts:

SYTYCDC alumni returned to the Top 20 show to choreograph and work as choreographic assistants. They chatted about what it’s like being on the other side…

Season 1’s Natalli Reznik and Francis Lafrenière: Paso doblé choreographers

Natalli: Francis and I wanted to go a little dark and extreme with this routine. It’s a big battle about who is in control. Really, it’s all about passion.

Francis: I’m really proud of this piece. I love the opening, where the man paints on a frame and the woman reacts to it all.

Natalli: The piece is very passionate and we both wanted the dancers to understand the essence of the paso doblé and really embody their characters. It was tough in the beginning because they’re both ballet dancers, so they dance with their energy up, where in the paso, you need to get really grounded.

Francis: It was a challenge for us to figure out how to teach ballet dancers the paso as much as it was a challenge for them to learn it. Mostly, it was the posture that was difficult to master. The hips have to be over the balls of the feet – it’s hard to maintain over the course of a whole routine. You feel off balance the whole time.

Natalli: I loved performing the paso (in Season 1). Dancing with Francis is magical. He’s a very powerful dancer and I think we have the same intensity. He doesn’t scare me, he challenges me and I think I challenge him back.

Francis: You have to dance strong when you dance the paso. Strong and heavy.

Natalli: Even more than the technique and the steps, for me, paso doblé is a feeling. The dance is about struggle. It’s about overcoming and showing your passion.

Season 2’s Danny Lawn: Choreographic assistant for Stacey Tookey’s Top 20 contemporary duet

Danny: It’s so surreal being back here! I’ve missed everyone – the choreographers, the crew, everything about the show!

It’s such a relief being on the other side of things. I was watching the dry run and I could just sit and enjoy all of the dances.

Working with Stacey is totally a dream job. I wanted to work with her so badly on the show last year, but I didn’t. I got cut right before her group number – it was the worst! In rehearsals for the duet, she’d be giving notes and I’d be taking them all in, and then I’d have to remind myself that I wasn’t even going to be performing!

Being on the creative side with her is just so great. She’s so brilliant. The whole creation process is just so wonderful. She’d say things like, “I’m feeling something that moves this way and is circular, with this sort of intent behind it,” and we’d try things and she’d shape it until it was what she wanted. We were really part of the process.

The dancers are in a position that any little bit that can help and make it easier for them (we will try to give them). It feels so good to give back.

Season 2’s Natalie Lyons: Choreographic assistant for Lil’ C’s Top 20 krump duet

Natalie: It was such an honour that Lil’ C asked me to come from L.A. to work with him and so great to be back here, seeing everyone from last year. It’s been a great experience looking at it from a different perspective.

You don’t have to stress as much, which is nice and I just love watching the dancers in rehearsal and helping them out as much as I can. It’s easier to help them knowing how it feels to be in their shoes.

[Source]

September 5, 2010 I Written By

I am a blogger and reality tv lover. I blog here for SYTYCD but mostly the Canada version, since I live in Vancouver BC. I also blog about other reality tv shows on my own blog www.mandysmind.com

Inside the Choreographers mind…

Nico Archambault and Wynn Holmes, Danny Arbour, Mandy Moore and Melissa Williams reveal the highs and lows of their choreographic processes to CTV.

Nico Archambault and Wynn Holmes: Jazz

Nico: We both just love the song “That’s How Strong My Love Is” by Otis Redding.
Wynn: It’s a love story. It’s light. It’s sweet.
Nico: It’s about a new love, fresh love.
Wynn: It was inspired by a great picnic.

Nico: Losing Shelaina was difficult.
Wynn: But she definitely made the right decision. We were excited to work with Tara-Jean again – we just choreographed the (Season 3) promo with her and we just finished working with her. We were totally familiar with each other.
Nico: Because she wasn’t a competitor, she was really calm and supportive, totally relaxed

Mandy Moore: Contemporary

Mandy: The piece is about the power of remembering. I envisioned this man walking in a place he’d been before and everything about it was so familiar – the sights, the smells, everything – and he was able to recall being there with one of his loves, a long-lost love. The beauty of memory is that it comes and goes, and can be just so real. There are certain songs that I can hear and I can instantly remember being 16, driving around with my boyfriend, the blue sky and the wind in my hair. It’s amazing what you can conjure up!

The whole process was just a joy. I love the part in the choreography where he picks her up and I tried to get her to feel like she’s dipping her knees in river water. He picks her up and she dips her knees down and every time my heart just about bursts whenever I see that part.

Read More at CTV & See videos of the performances.

August 28, 2010 I Written By

I am a blogger and reality tv lover. I blog here for SYTYCD but mostly the Canada version, since I live in Vancouver BC. I also blog about other reality tv shows on my own blog www.mandysmind.com

How SYTYCD Canada differs

So You Think You Can Dance Canada has a similar premise as SYTYCD USA, but some glaring differences. Executive Producer, Sandra Faire says diversity and risqué routines among differences between the American and Canadian shows.

Sandra Faire, SYTYCD Canada's Executive Producer.

 

The Toronto Star posted this article:

So you think So You Think You Can Dance Canada is just about dance? Think again.

For executive producer Sandra Faire, the show represents Canada in all its multicultural glory.

“A lot of people ask me what makes the show different from the United States or Australia or Britain. And I can say the dancers are more diverse, you know, Cuban, Asian, East Indian, whatever . . . the genres are more diverse, but . . . I would flip it around and say this show represents who we are,” she said in an interview.

Take this season’s top 22, just revealed on Sunday night. They include a salsa dancer who recently emigrated from Cuba, a ballroom dancer born in Ukraine, a contemporary dancer born in Kuwait, a Spanish-Haitian-Canadian hip-hop dancer, a French Canadian ballroom dancer, and a competitor who’s part Métis and combines ballet with breakdancing.

But it’s not just about the origins of the dancers. The Canadian show has introduced styles not seen on other versions of So You Think You Can Dance, including dancehall and Afro-jazz.

“Dancehall is Jamaican and Caribbean. It’s huge in the Jane-Finch area and I wanted to show it because it’s exciting,” Faire said.

“Sometimes we get criticized because it’s very down and dirty, but it’s part of who we are and it’s very much a part of our culture, and we want those kinds of things on the show.”

Since Calgary choreographer Sean Cheesman was invited to SYTYCDC to do Afro-jazz, he’s been hired on the U.S. and Australian shows, and all over the world for that style of choreography, Faire said.

She also believes the Canadian program has two of the best hip-hop choreographers in the world on its team: Luther Brown, who is also a judge, and Sho-Tyme.

Hip hop is “more than a dance,” Faire said. “It’s the culture of the streets. It’s about sex, it’s about violence, it’s about a lot of things and you want to show that authentically in the dance.”

Brown, who grew up in Jane-Finch, and Sho-Tyme, from Queens, N.Y., “show it the way it is. It’s not rhythm and blues, it’s not nice, pretty hip hop, it’s the way it authentically is and I love that about what they do.

“And I know we get criticized, but I don’t want to water it down. And Canadian audiences are more accepting for the most part.”

Still, Faire is careful to air more risqué routines after 9 p.m.

A longtime dance fan who has studied ballet and is a vice-chair of the National Ballet of Canada, Faire believes Canadians are more passionate about dance than Americans. And she notes that the Canadian show has more men in the studio audience than its U.S. counterpart.

“I think the American show is terrific and I have such respect for Nigel (Lythgoe, U.S. executive producer), but it’s a different show here, it’s a very different show.”

For one thing, the U.S. SYTYCD turned the format on its head this past season — its seventh — with a top 11 instead of a top 20 and competitors partnered with all-stars from past seasons.

Faire says there’s enough talent from past Canadian shows to support that change, but “I don’t think we want to do it yet. Maybe Season 7 or 8 if we’re lucky enough to get that.”

Besides, with so many great dancers auditioning for Season 3, it would have been excruciating to get it down to a top 10 or 11. “We could have actually had a top 26,” Faire said. “It was really hard paring it down and we had to turn down some really good dancers.”

Faire’s not taking the Canadian show live, either, as the U.S. did last season. Though it may seem counterintuitive, pre-taping episodes allows for “total spontaneity,” she said.

“We got some stuff, for instance, tonight that I think is a lot of fun and I want to leave in, and we never would have had time for it if we were live,” said Faire, referring to the Saturday night taping of Monday’s performance show.

Mind you, all that fun stuff meant producers had 20 minutes more footage than they needed for a two-hour show (with commercials) and Faire was facing an all-nighter to edit it down, but she wasn’t complaining.

“It’s a treat to be able to do something that you love, that you have a passion for, that you feel is your destiny,” she said. “How often does that happen? Not very often.”

I am glad Canada’s version is not going live and I agree it is not yet ready for an “all-star” season. I appreciate the diversity and “pushing the envelope” that happens on the Canadian show “after 9pm”

If you aren’t familiar with SYTYCD Canada’s reputation for risqué routines here is a summary:

Controversy
So You Think You Can Dance Canada has been known to push the envelope in some dances, and has set itself apart as being known to some as the sexiest version of any SYTYCD series, particularly with Bad Boy choreographer Blake McGrath’s Jazz Funk routines. In the first season Blake choreographed a Jazz-Funk number, as Nico Archambault and Lisa Auguste danced to The Pussycat Dolls hit “When I Grow Up”; it featured the two dancers to pose in some sexual ways. In Season 2 Blake’s Jazz-Funk took the form of Emanuel Sandhu & Kim Gingras dancing to the song “Love Sex Magic” by Ciara, with the routine ending with Kim in a red bikini in a magicians cut box. The most controversial routine was Blake’s Top 14 Group Jazz-Funk number to the song “LoveGame” by Lady Gaga; it involved the Top 14 dressed in leather with whips and chains in a Dominatrix theme. The routine also involved some minor guy on guy dancing with two men lying on top of each other. Hip-Hop king Luther Brown’s routines have also caused some controversy. One such routine had Daniel Dory and Jayme Rae Dailey dancing to the song “Pucker Up” by Ciara. The routine caused the dancers to lie on the ground with Jayme Rae’s face in Daniel’s crotch area; at the end of the routine Daniel ended shirtless and with his belt unbuckled. Another Luther Brown piece, in which Emanuel and Kim danced to the song “Respect My Conglomerate” by Busta Rhymes, involved Kim lifting up Emanuel’s shirt and grabbing his crotch.Also, in Johnny Bryns jazz routine Corynne Barron and Austin De Lello danced to the song “Papparazzi” by Lady Gaga where Corynne walked over Austin wth high heels.

Again, I know many of you can’t get SYTYCD Canada so here are a few of the routines mentioned…

“WHen I Grow Up”:

Here is the “Love, Sex, Magic” routine:

Here is “Pucker Up”:

Here is “Paparazzi”:

Personally, I think sex is part of dancing, not neccessarily all dancing but it shouldn’t be cut-out or censored and I feel like Canadian telelvision is more accepting of those kihds of routines. I have lived in the USA and Canada and notice USA telelvision has more violence, where Canadian television has more nudity.

Regardless, I love seeing the routines get down and dirty from time to time… rawr!

Thoughts?

[Sources: The Star & Wikipedia]

August 26, 2010 I Written By

I am a blogger and reality tv lover. I blog here for SYTYCD but mostly the Canada version, since I live in Vancouver BC. I also blog about other reality tv shows on my own blog www.mandysmind.com

SYTYCD Canada Twitter Round Up

I know there are frequently twitter round-up’s posted but I wanted to start by sharing the SYTYCD Canada Twitter Accounts. If you know of any other’s let us know and we will update them.

Official SYTYCD Canada Twitter.

Judges & Choreographers
Muther Brown
Tre Armstrong
Blake McGrath
Mary Murphy
Stacey Tookery

Season 1
Natalli Reznik
Miles Faber
Vincent Noiseux
Kyle Mylrea

Season 2
Melanie Mah
Cody Bonnell
Nicholas Begin.
Natalie Lyons
Everett Smith
Kim Gingras
Amy Gardner
Jayme Rae
Danny Lawn
Taylor James
Daniel Dory

Other
Blue Print Cru

Who am I missing?

See all SYTYCD Twitter Accounts here.

*Thanks Nate for updates

August 15, 2010 I Written By

I am a blogger and reality tv lover. I blog here for SYTYCD but mostly the Canada version, since I live in Vancouver BC. I also blog about other reality tv shows on my own blog www.mandysmind.com

Behind the Scenes – Nico and Tara-Jean in SYTYCD Canada Season 3 commercial

We’ve all seen the new commercial for So You Think You Can Dance Canada Season 3 (I posted it here)

Here are some behind the scenes photos of Nico and Tara-Jean from CTV.

See More at CTV.

Check Regularily starting next week for updates on SYTYCD Canada Season 3.

August 4, 2010 I Written By

I am a blogger and reality tv lover. I blog here for SYTYCD but mostly the Canada version, since I live in Vancouver BC. I also blog about other reality tv shows on my own blog www.mandysmind.com

Awesome SYTYCD Canada Promo with Nico and Tara-Jean

This is amazing… I saw it on tonight’s SYTYCD commercial break and had to record it to share with everyone… I LOVE NICO!!!

So You Think You Can Dance Canada Season 3 Promo with Nico and Tara-Jean.

August 15 SYTYCD Canada starts, and I will be posting regularily here for those of you unable to watch via Much Music or CTV. (Don’t worry I fast forward through Jean-Marc too… and sometimes Leah Miller, though she is fun to make fun of…)

July 29, 2010 I Written By

I am a blogger and reality tv lover. I blog here for SYTYCD but mostly the Canada version, since I live in Vancouver BC. I also blog about other reality tv shows on my own blog www.mandysmind.com

SYTYCD Season 1 Winner Nico Archambault Marries Wynn Holmes

So You Think You Can Dance Season 1 winner, Nico Archambault married long time girlfriend Wynn Holmes.

Nico and Wynn at the 2009 Juno Awards

CTV Reports:

The 25-year-old, who won the first season of CTV’s “So You Think You Can Dance Canada,” tells The Canadian Press that the pair tied the knot July 10 in Montreal.

Archambault says he prefers to keep the details private but confirms that it was a small, outdoor ceremony and that the groomsmen included “Dance Canada” Season 1 finalist Miles Faber.

Archambault and Holmes have been dating for three years and have their own choreography company called Street Parade.

They’ve also worked together in the dance/rock group the Pinup Saints, in which she’s a lead singer and keyboardist.

Archambault says they haven’t had time for a honeymoon yet as they’ve been choreographing moves for the Quebec dance film “Sur le rythme,” in which he also stars.

He says it’s set to hit theatres in April 2011.

July 21, 2010 I Written By

I am a blogger and reality tv lover. I blog here for SYTYCD but mostly the Canada version, since I live in Vancouver BC. I also blog about other reality tv shows on my own blog www.mandysmind.com