Welcome to Pure So You Think You Can Dance

This came from the same site as my previous post. Bianca was too upset to do an interview.

Again my heart goes out to him and his family.

I don’t know about y’all, but I’m going through SYTYCD withdrawal a little bit. I don’t like not having a second episode this week!

This past weekend, I rented this flick called “Love N’ Dancing” and was surprised to see bitty cameos by Season 2’s Benji and Heidi and that tided me over a bit till last night’s Season 6 episode. I remember that Seasons 3’s Neil had a cute and memorable role in “American Mall” that amused me when I saw it. Maybe you can still catch Kherington in “Fame” theaters somewhere in the country.

Still, we’ll have to wait till next year to see Season 4’s Joshua, Katee and Twitch in Adam Shankman’s “Step Up 3-D” (and Season 2’s Ivan, too). 2010 will also bring the movie that Paula van Oppen turned down a place in Season 6’s Top 20 for – “Burlesque.” It sounds a bit like “Coyote Ugly,” but with a burlesque club instead of bar. Season 4’s Chelsea Traille will play a character named Coco.

Our friends at SYTYCDism mention that Katee, Kherington and Season 4’s Comfort will be on upcoming episode(s) of “Glee,” as well.

Do you know of any SYTYCD alumni movie roles I might’ve missed? Planning on seeing any of these movies? Already seen them? Lemme know what you think.

You know what I’d love best at moments like this, when I’m craving some SYTYCD? DVDs of past seasons!

Sometimes the can be so many misconceptions on what some of the dancers can or cannot do. I know that they are classified into one category which for some of these dancers it’s completely unfair. Contemporary dancers are some of the most well rounded dancers. They typically have studied every style of dance (with the exception of ballroom and maybe a few other styles). If they grew up in a dance studio chances are they took jazz, tap, ballet and lyrical/contemporary classes. That being said they have most likely chosen their favorite style to classify themselves. Fun fact in the tour program Evan said that he always has his TAP shoes with him. Kathryn can tap as well…I took at the same studio she did…that’s how I know.

I also think tap dancers are also misunderstood. I don’t think anyone who hasn’t danced know what it takes to be a tap dancer. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about tap dance and its technique:

“Tap dancers make frequent use of syncopation. Choreography typically starts on the eighth or first beatcount. Another aspect of tap dancing is improvisation. This can either be done with music and follow the beats provided or without musical accompaniment, otherwise known as a cappella dancing. Hoofers are tap dancers who dance primarily with their legs, making a louder, more grounded sound. This kind of tap dancing, also called “rhythm tap”, came primarily from cities or poor areas. Today this is not the case, especially with such a wide variety of styles spreading throughout the world. Steve Condos rose out of his humble beginnings in Pittsburgh, PA to become a master in rhythmic tap. His innovative style influenced the work of Gregory Hines, Savion Glover and Marshall Davis, Jr. The majority of hoofers, such as Sammy Davis Jr., Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, and LaVaughn Robinson are African American men, although today the art form transcends racial and gender stereotypes. Savion Glover is the best-known living hoofer, who helped bring tap dance into mainstream media by choreographing and dancing for the major motion picture Happy Feet, a film about a tap dancing penguin. Another well-known tap film is 1989’s Tap, starring the late Gregory Hines and many of the old-time hoofers. Early dancers like Fred Astaire provided a more ballroom look to tap dancing, while Gene Kelly used his extensive ballet training to make tap dancing incorporate all the parts of the ballet. This style of tap led to what is today known as “Broadway style,” which is more mainstream in American culture. It often involves high heeled tap shoes and show music, and is usually the type of tap first taught to beginners. The best examples of this style are found in Broadway musicals such as 42nd Street. Common tap steps include the shuffle, shuffle ball change, flap, flap heel, cramproll, buffalo, Maxi Ford, single and double pullbacks, wings, Cincinnati, the shim sham shimmy (also called the Lindy), Irish, Waltz Clog, the paddle and roll, stomp, brushes, scuffs, and single and double toe punches, hot steps, heel clicks, single, double and triple time steps, riffs, over-the-tops, military time step, new yorkers, and chugs. In advanced tap dancing, basic steps are often combined together to create new steps.”

Tap is the first dance class I ever took and I have loved it ever since. That is why I’m excited about the tap dancers to be on the show. On the meet the top 20 we saw more of a Broadway style of tap dance. They have little time to learn a routine so sometimes they have to go with the more simplistic choreography. They not only have to dance the same but they also have to sound the same…which isn’t always easy. Plus for the show their taps have microphones attached to them so we can hear them at home. Each of the tap dancers represents a different from of tap. Phillip for me reminds me of a mix of Gene Kelly and Gregory Hines. He is more Broadway to me, very light on his feet, though he is able to transition into the rhythm tap. Bianca and Peter are the Rhythm tappers. They stay low to the ground. I have to admit I was kind of hoping that they wouldn’t be choreographed just to let them improvise and work together to create something. Nigel is right they look cool calm and collected from the waist up and their feet moving really fast. I could go on and on but I won’t I thought Wikipedia explains tap better than I could but if you guys have anymore questions, I will try to answer them the best I can.

I had a feeling, from the buzz around Jakob Karr, that he was no newbie to the (from what I hear) relatively small word of dancers. It’d be hard to find someone with his level of talent who hadn’t been in competitions and such before, yes?

Well here is one of our Season 6 Top 20, Jakob Karr, dancing with Season 5’s Favorite Dancer, Jeanine Mason. Enjoy.

I’m so excited to see the new Top 20. Who will excite me as much as Jeanine and Evan and Phillip and Janette and Ade and Randi and Jason and Kayla and Kupono  Brandon and Caitlin and Melissa? Also, I can’t wait to see how accurate Margaret’s spoilers turn out…

I have a feeling I’ll need LOTS of help with the music today, though.

“no montage”: “Battle” -Colbie Caillat

David’s audition: “Touched” -VAST

Billy’s audition and progress: “To Build a Home” -Cinematic Orchestra

Peter’s journey in Vegas: “Walking on Air” -Kerli

“no montage”: “The End Where I Begin” -The Script

Mollee and Noelle are both through: “You’re My Best Friend” -Queen

There wasn’t many new songs in this episode – guess they must’ve taken pieces of songs and used them all over, cause there were just a few.

As tonight’s Season 6 Vegas Week episode was wrapping up, I received my media alert about the SYTYCD Season 5 tour date in Atlanta. Amanda and I are scheduled to attend and once we receive our credentials, we’ll be able to meet with the Top 10 dancers and ask them a few (quick, no doubt) questions.

There are a million things I could ask. But I worry that if I don’t prepare in advance, I’ll end up just asking Evan if he’ll marry me. Or bashfully telling Jeanine how much she rocks.

And I’m *really* interested in what you’d like me to ask. When I got to interview the judges (Mary, Adam and Lil C) earlier this year in New Orleans, it was my mom who actually gave me the best question. She wanted me to ask Mary where the whole “tamale train” thing started. I waited till the other press had moved on to the other judges before asking Mary and I got a really interesting answer.

So, help Amanda and me out. If you could ask any of the Season 5 Top 10 dancers one question, what would it be?? Don’t forget – Caitlin and Jason will be there, too. They’re billed as “special guests” as they’re not technically part of the Top 10.

Enjoy this picture that came with the media alert.

As we get closer and closer to Top 20, I get more excited. I can’t wait to see who emerges as Vegas week progresses. And how many more Dave Tweedie tunes pop up. Lol. Let’s see how all those favorites we discussed do tonight. Everybody cross your fingers for your favorite dancers.

The music might be crazy tonight – and I think it will be. Hope y’all are ready to help me out with whatever I miss. ;”)

Opening montage: “Escape” -Craig Armstrong

montage: “Ultimate Contest” -James Dooley

Laurie Ann Gibson routine: “Green Light” -John Legend ft. Andre 3000

Matt Hauer cut: “All Broken Hearts” -Tyron Wells

Russell Ferguson’s small group: “I’m a Brass Band” -from Sweet Charity

montage between groups: “Crank It Up” -Ashley Tisdale

Mollee Gray’s group: “Beautiful” -Akon ft. Colby O’Donis & Kardinal Offshall

scared of Mia Michaels: “Halloween Theme” -John Carpenter

Mia Michael’s contemporary routine: “Walking on Air” -Kerli

montage after Mia’s, over Legacy’s “better dancer” arc: “Sideways” -Citizen Cope, not “A Falling Through” -Ray LaMontagne like I thought – good call Andrea!!

Tyce Diorio’s girls’  Broadway routine: “There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This” -from Sweet Charity

clip from Ashley & Ryan’s first audition: “Poker Face” -Lady Gaga

17 girls going through having fun montage: “Good Girls Gone Bad” -Cobra Starship ft. Leighteon Meester

Tyce Diorio’s boys’ Broadway routine: “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” -Billy Joel

montage (boys getting cut): “Made for Glory” -Landon Pigg

Billy Bell solo: “To Build a Home” -The Cinematic Orchestra

last solos montage: “Shooting Star (Party Rock Mix)” -David Rush ft. LMFAO, Pitbull & Kevin Rudolf

Can’t wait to see who makes Top 20 next week!

Many will be very happy to know that the letter Emilie wrote to Dave Tweedie on behalf of SYTYCD music fans WORKED!! In response to the letter and a little bit of outreach to Dave Tweedie and Oona we got the following letter from Dave Tweedie about his music on So You Think You Can Dance:

Hello all, thanks for the interest in my music.

I am a composer for Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance – providing background music, and writing songs for the audition process. Here’s how that works: dancers audition with a piece of music of their choosing. The producers decide which dances will be aired on television, and then it is up to the Music Supervisor to get what is called “clearance” for the songs used. There are a number of reasons a song may not clear a license. Perhaps the song uses a sample from another song, an artist may want huge amounts of money, or perhaps the artist doesn’t want their music edited out of sequence – a necessity for the audition process.

So they call me, and I write music to fit the dance. Sometimes these songs take on a life of their own, and I will go ahead and write a full-length version, but often times I will only write the 45 seconds to be used on the show. I am a music lover first and foremost, and I love my job: I get to write all different kinds of music, and although I typically work on these tracks alone, the collaboration lies with the dance itself. I always do my best to capture the sentiment of the dance, and of the song they originally danced to. It is always a challenge.

If you are interested in hearing my full-length, “real” songs, you’ll have to check out my bands! We all work really hard and we love what we do – I promise you will not be disappointed

OONA –
www.myspace.com/oonamusic
www.facebook.com/oonamusic

JET STREAM –
www.myspace.com/OfficialJetStream

Sincerely,
Dave Tweedie
Oakland, CA
PS – We’re working on posting the short songs used in the auditions… I’ll keep you posted!

Also, they were kind of enough to make available a free MP3 download of “The Weight of the World” (right click and choose “Save target as” to download the MP3) featuring Steve Bradley (Jet Stream) on vocals.

Mystery solved!! Thanks Dave Tweedie and Oona for sharing your story and the free download. We’ll be looking forward to hearing more of your music and getting access to your short songs as well. I think we might have to set up an interview with Dave Tweedie at some point as well.

Nigel had recently tweeted about a new idea for this season of SYTYCD, a show that introduces the top 20 to America. He had said that it will be just a performance show, no competition just allowing the dancers to dance without pressure; the idea came from SYTYCD Australia. He also mentioned they most like will perform in groups based on their strength. I think he also hinted that maybe some tappers made the top 20…okay I have to admit this makes me excited to know that we may see some tap this season.

I actually like this idea. Giving all the dancers a chance to show America what they can really do and why they are in the top 20. Also it gives viewers a chance to see some of the dancers we didn’t see much during the audition process. Just something that I found interesting and would love to know what you think about this new idea…because I have a feeling it just might happen.

Dear Mr. Dave Tweedie,

It’s really cool that SYTYCD used six of your awesome songs in the first six episodes. Except it’s really driving SYTYCD fans CRAZY that we can’t find any of them to download! We’re digging that tune “Tore My Heart” you did with Oona Garthwaite that you made available for download on this site, but we really need these other songs too for our re-listening pleasure:

She’s a Star
Gravity
Majesty
Louder w/Bijou
Something Sweet Now w/Oona
Weight of the World w/Stephen Bradley

Please, please…won’t you tell us where we can get a download or c.d. of these songs?  Sacrificing my own personal dignity, I’m begging on behalf of all of the SYTYCD fans who’ve written in (and who’ll write in here…hint, hint readers) to say how much they want access to your music. Seriously dude, put us out of our collective misery and give us a download of the songs listed above. Um, please.

We at Pure SYTYCD would be honored to host downloads here on the site, as we did for “Tore My Heart.” (UPDATE: Full version Now available on iTunes ) You can contact us here.

Oh and, p.s. – you rock. Can’t wait to hear more.

Sincerely,

Emilie

Dear SYTYCD Music Fans,

Write in below and tell Mr. Dave Tweedie you want his music!! If you’ve been frantically searching for these songs, let Dave Tweedie know in the comments!

Love,

Emilie