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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

Which New Choreographers Should SYTYCD Bring In?

With last week’s surprising news about the departure of longtime choreographer Mia Michaels, the door has been left open for some fresh new faces to possibly make their mark on the SYTYCD scene. I went to my trusty pal YouTube to find some choreographers I think might be good fits for SYTYCD.

Shannon Mather is a great choreographer with a surprising connection to SYTYCD. Her brother is S1 superstar Blake McGrath!! She and Blake work together often. I found this video of a piece Shannon choreographed and it’s danced by none other than Nathan Trasoras!

Speaking of Blake, he’s done some great work for SYTYCD Canada, but I’d love to see him come back to the US show to do a couple pieces, since Canada’s season is just about to end. Here is one of his pieces featuring eventual season 1 champ Nico Archambault and his partner Arassay Reyes.

This is another one of Blake’s pieces featuring S1 finalist Miles Faber and his partner Lisa Auguste. I’ve watched a lot of SYTYCD videos, and I can personally say that I’ve never been affected by a piece the way I was affected by this one. It’s artistry in motion.

Here’s Sean Cheesman, also from SYTYCD Canada. He’s a super versatile choreographer whose pieces range from afro-jazz to broadway (in Canada, they call it “musical theatre”. He also does contemporary. I’m including two of his pieces here. The afro-jazz piece is from season 1 and it features Vincent and Lisa. I think the mixing of their skin tones with their white costumes is exquisite. And the dancing is very grounded and they move with a lot of purpose.

The second piece is from this current season of SYTYCD Canada and it’s a musical theatre piece featuring finalists Tara-Jean and Everett. Everett is a tapper, and Sean was able to stick a lot of tap in there and he knew that Everett could pull it off. It has great musicality and they both ooze personality. With the possibility of as many as 3 tappers in the S6 top 20, having Sean, who has a tap background, could be a great pull.

If they’re looking for some fresh hip hop voices, Luther Brown might be a guy to consider. Here are a couple of his pieces. The first one features Nico and Arassay from SYTYCD Canada. It’s actually done to the same song that NappyTabs used for S4 with Twitch and Kherington and the “jail break” routine.

The second piece features S2 top 8 guy Cody and his partner, top 6 girl Melanie. They spent the season with the reputation much that like of US S5’s Randi and Evan, “they’re just so cute!” They both proved to be chameleons throughout their time on the show.

Gustavo Vargas is a latin ballroom choreographer from SYTYCD Canada, here are a couple of his pieces.

Salsa (Nico and Arassay)

Salsa (Nico and Natalli)

These are just a few names of people who could be a great fit on the new season of SYTYCD. Are there other people whose work you’d like to see on the show?

October 21, 2009 I Written By

So You Think You Can Dance Canada Finale

The finale of So You Think You Can Dance Canada is one of the best shows of the year since it brings back all of the top 20 dancers to perform the best dance numbers from the season. It was also really cool to see 2 group numbers from the top 20 of So You Think You Can Dance Canada. Check them out:

Don’t forget to download all the So You Think You Can Dance Canada finale music and also pickup your SYTYCDC tour tickets.

December 8, 2008 I Written By

Just call me Charlie...but where are my angels?

Music from the Finale of So You Think You Can Dance Canada

It took me a little while to go back to the So You Think You Can Dance Canada music archives and find all the songs from the finale of So You Think You Can Dance Canada. However, I think I’ve got all of the songs from the finals listed below. Let me know if something is missing or if something isn’t quite right with the music. Make sure you go back and check out all the past So You Think You Can Dance Canada music.

Luther Brown choreographed a top 20 group hip-hop routine to “Get Up” by 50 Cent
50 Cent - Get Up - Single - Get Up
Get Up – Music Video
Natalli and Nico danced to the choreography of Melissa Williams in a disco number from the Top 6 performance show to the song “Knock on Wood”—Amii Stewart
Zoom Karaoke - Disco Superhits 2 - Knock On Wood (Karaoke Version In the Style of 'Amii Stewart')
Danny and Allie danced a mambo from the Top 18 show which was choreographed by Melanie LaPatin and Tony Meredith to the song Mambo Gozon—Tito Puente
Tito Puente - The Very Best of Tito Puente - "King of Kings" - Mambo Gozón
Miles and Lisa danced Blake McGrath’s contemporary piece from the Top 6 show (Blake dedicated this dance to his grandmother and had a huge mirror set center stage) to the song “The Face”—RyanDan
RyanDan - RyanDan - The Face
Melissa Williams’ theater number was danced by Nico and Arassay during the Top 18 week to the song Somebody to Love—Queen
Queen - Queen: Greatest Hits I & II - Somebody to Love
Queen - Greatest Video Clips 1 - Somebody to Love – Music Video
On the first top 20 episode Allie and Danny danced a Melissa Williams jive to the song Rock This Town sung by Stray Cats
Stray Cats - Stray Cats: Greatest Hits - Rock This Town
Rock This Town – Music Video
From the Top 16 show Lisa and Vincent danced Sean Cheesman’s Afro-jazz number to the song Hlohonolofatsa—Soweto Gospel Choir
Soweto Gospel Choir - African Spirit - Hlohonolofatsa
From the Top 12 week Natalli and Francis danced a salsa by choreographer Gustavo Vargas to the song “Hasta Que Se Rompa el Cuero” – Sonora Carruseles
Sonora Carruseles - De Colombia Para el Mundo - Hasta Que Se Rompa el Cuero
Lisa and Vincent danced to the very first house number during the Top 12 week to the song 100% Pure Love—Crystal Waters
Crystal Waters - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Crystal Waters - 100% Pure Love
100% Pure Love – Music Video
Lil “C” ‘s Krump was danced by Miles and Lara originally performed during the Top 16 week to the song Tiny Ram Antem—Tha J-Squad

From the Top 8 show Natalli and Vincent danced choreographer Stacey Tookey’s contemporary piece to the song “Happy Ending”—Mika
MIKA - Life In Cartoon Motion - Happy Ending
Happy Ending – Music Video
Luther Brown’s hip-hop choreography was danced by Allie and Izaak from the Top 6 show to the song “Tell Me”—Diddy feat. Christina Aguilera
Diddy featuring Christina Aguilera - Press Play - Tell Me
Nico and Arassay danced Paul Becker’s jazz from the Top 12 week to the song It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World—James Brown
James Brown - 20 All Time Greatest Hits! - It's a Man's Man's Man's World
From the Top 18 week Natalli and Francis performed Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin’s paso doblé to the song España Cañí—Manhattan Pops Orchestra
Manhattan Pops Orchestra - The Glory of Spain - España Cani
Lara and Miles danced Danny Quilliam’s foxtrot the performed originally during the Top 12 performance to the song “Summer Wind”—Michael Bublé
Michael Bublé - Michael Bublé - Summer Wind
From the Top 14 week Blake McGrath choreographed a jazz-funk piece for Kaitlyn and Izaak to the song Breakin’ Dishes—Rihanna
Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded - Breakin' Dishes
From the Top 8 performance week Eric Caty choreographed a samba for Miles and Allie to the song “Aguanite”—Héctor Lavoe
Héctor Lavoe - El Cantante - The Originals - Aguanile
Natalli and Nico danced the quickstep during the Top 6 performance choreographed by Melanie LaPatin and Tony Meredith’s to the song “Swingin’ at the Savoy” – Mitch Woods & His Rocket 88’s
Mitch Woods & His Rocket 88's - Jump for Joy - Swingin' at the Savoy
Top 20 group number inspired by ‘Dirty Dancing’ to the song “Do You Love Me” by The Contours
Contours - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: Motown 1960s, Vol. 1 - Do You Love Me

Click on any of the itunes images above to download the So You Think You Can Dance Canada music on iTunes.

Remember to buy your tickets for the So You Think You Can Dance Canada Tour

I Written By

Just call me Charlie...but where are my angels?

SYTYCDC Top 6 Results Show Videos

The top 6 becomes the final 4 dancers heading to the final of So You Think You Can Dance Canada. Not to mention a Tre Armstrong group dance.

Check out all the previous So You Think You Can Dance videos.

December 3, 2008 I Written By

Just call me Charlie...but where are my angels?

Top 6 SYTYCDC Performance Show Videos

6 of the top Canadian talents dance for the So You Think You Can Dance Canada performance show

I Written By

Just call me Charlie...but where are my angels?

SYTYCDC Top 8 Performance Videos

The best dance talent in Canada dances in the top 8 of So You Think You Can Dance Canada

I Written By

Just call me Charlie...but where are my angels?

So You Think You Can Dance Canada Top 10 Results Show

Videos of the So You Think You Can Dance Canada Top 10 Results Show. I think I like how SYTYCDC only does 30 minute results show. The US might consider following this model.

I Written By

Just call me Charlie...but where are my angels?