Thursday, August 6, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
At the risk of another rant about SYTYCD
Tonight i have decided to blog as I go along........watching So You Think You Can Dance Finale show. I was really hoping that this year's finale would be different. But, I'm afraid things are quite the same.........
Pausing at this point to watch the two girls dance together, and then I will provide my reactions to both homosex pairings........
Ahhhh, Mia Michaels - I love you. Your work is inspiring, moving, passionate, and it always makes me feel.....something. However, yes, however.
The two homosex (same sex paired) pieces tonight are, yet again, following the same pattern of gender stereotypes that almost every other season of SYTYCD has followed (the exception here being Travis and Benji, which is an entirely different blog entry). The "boys" compete in a testosterone driven competitive dance that inevitably pits them against one another while the "girls" once again are part of a dance that either celebrates "femininity" or demonstrates a comforting/supportive relationship among women.
Neil and Danny in the Throne Dance
Joshua and Twitch in the Russian Dance
compared to
Sabra and Lacey in The Foxes (weirdness)
Katee and Courtney in Clang Clang Clang Went the Trolley
The dances themselves are enough to demonstrate my point (you can find them all on YouTube). But, especially poignant are the "pre-dance rehearsal moments" when the choreographer and the dancers talk about the dances themselves - referring to the male dance as a testosterone-fest or as gritty, masculine, etc......while the female dance is commented on as "girly" and "feminine" or "soft" and "emotional."
This year is no exception - the women make an emotional journey together, not battling against one another to make their way in the world, but dancing along side one another. While the men once again battle and compete against each other (their own words) to Janet Jackson's "Nasty Boys."
Please don't interpret my critique as a desire to see these two women "duking it out" on stage. But, I wonder why this show, so innovative and so culturally aware, is still buying into the gender stereotypes that can keep dance so stagnant in today's world.
I ask again (as I have in papers and conversations of the past).....and perhaps more specifically....why couldn't the boys have danced the Mia Michaels number and the girls dance Laurieann's choreography?
One other problem I would like to address is the unfair advantage it seems to me has been given to Brandon this evening within the homosex pairing......why hasn't he ever been "forced" to dance in Evan's style? Why is Evan always having to work out of his comfort zone when competing against the other dancers, especially male dancers, but Brandon hasn't been asked to dance in the smooth, sauve, and debonair dance style of Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire? I would like to see Brandon stand out in the same way on the stage, paired against Evan in this style of dance. Instead we see Evan placed in a "Nasty Boys" situation where the judges continue to point out his inability to be "nasty" over and over and over and over again......why would you do that to a dancer in the finale?
It also does not help when Nigel and Mary discuss Evan in an infantilizing manner, pointing out his "choochee face" (reminding me of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). How can one expect him to excel in this competition when he is constantly being treated like a child. My point is especially made as Nigel make his comments about Evan's solo (as I am typing). I feel like I'm watching an episode of Al Alberts Showcase (a nod to those from the Philadelphia area).
But, Evan's fans will persist. As is evidenced in the current audience reaction to his line dancing number with Kayla. Reacting in response to negative critiques, once again, from the judges.
This season would also be remiss if it didn't continue to feed into the sexual inuendo and commentary provided by not only Nigel, but Cat Deely, as well. Tonight "takes the cake" in many ways......first, shockingly, Adam Shankman comments about Jeanine's body, and then Nigel discusses his disappointment that Mia Michael's "layer-shedding" dance didn't go on long enough for him. I would have to go back and look at the show clips to point out the hundreds of inappropriate comments that have been made throughout this season......I thought comments in season 2 about Danyelle's "size" were bold, but it seems to have gotten worse season after season. I was especially shocked the week that Mia Michaels went on her diatribe about Kayla being the epitomy of "girl," continuing to feed into that sense of what a real "girl" should or should not be. If we simply looked at the women's costumes to decide what a "girl" should be one would have to think that her goal in life should be to be sexy, half-dressed, and sparkly :)
I also have a suggestion for the show's producers:
Why not bring homosex pairings into the competition earlier on in the season? If you can do it in the finale, why can't it be done throughout the season? Any dance style that is not traditional ballroom could surely be done in homosex pairs instead of heterosexual pairings.....even some of the ballroom dances could feasibly be done this way.
Also, I question the fact that voting is always done to eliminate one "boy" and one "girl" each week. Are we really keeping America's favorites or the best dancers by voting that way? Why couldn't two boys be eliminated if they are the ones with the lowest votes overall? Why should a girl who has more votes be sent home? I think the last two seasons have really demonstrated the fact that good dancers are going home before their time for this reason alone. It also makes me wonder why last year a new prize was instituted, so there would be a top "boy" and a top "girl." Isn't there just America's Favorite Dancer, regardless of gender? Continuing to reward the top person in each category does not make sense if the two females are actually the top-two vote-getters! Does it?
Now, I must say that I love So You Think You Can Dance. I will not stop watching this show. I will always love the dancing on this show. I just wish that they would recognize their continued reliance on gender norms AND heteronormative relationships in order to "sell" their message. Some of the most amazing pieces have been, admittedly, heterosex pairings. But, some of my favorite dances have also been the group numbers where gender didn't seem to make a difference. Or heterosex pairings that did not rely on heteronormative relationships (like Sara and Jesus' vaudeville-style number with the newspaper rattlings) or Neil and Lacey's Mia Michael's routine with all of the flowers on the floor.
I have written a paper and presented at conferences on this topic, and I hope that those who were present are seeing the repeat in certain trends once again this season.
An Amazing Paso Doble between Brandon and Jeanine finishes off the evening - truly stunning and absolutely well-danced. These two are the two top contenders for this season's winning position. Their solos were beyond amazing......Jeanine's especially controlled and stunning. And of course Nigel has to ruin it with another sexual inuendo ("I wanted to do it to her too?????").
I would like to go on record as saying that I believe Jeanine will win because Evan will be successful in capturing enough of the female votes to keep Brandon from winning entirely. Ia lso believe that she should win, as she is My Favorite Dancer, and has been from the start :)
Until we meet again for Season Six this Fall.
Pausing at this point to watch the two girls dance together, and then I will provide my reactions to both homosex pairings........
Ahhhh, Mia Michaels - I love you. Your work is inspiring, moving, passionate, and it always makes me feel.....something. However, yes, however.
The two homosex (same sex paired) pieces tonight are, yet again, following the same pattern of gender stereotypes that almost every other season of SYTYCD has followed (the exception here being Travis and Benji, which is an entirely different blog entry). The "boys" compete in a testosterone driven competitive dance that inevitably pits them against one another while the "girls" once again are part of a dance that either celebrates "femininity" or demonstrates a comforting/supportive relationship among women.
Neil and Danny in the Throne Dance
Joshua and Twitch in the Russian Dance
compared to
Sabra and Lacey in The Foxes (weirdness)
Katee and Courtney in Clang Clang Clang Went the Trolley
The dances themselves are enough to demonstrate my point (you can find them all on YouTube). But, especially poignant are the "pre-dance rehearsal moments" when the choreographer and the dancers talk about the dances themselves - referring to the male dance as a testosterone-fest or as gritty, masculine, etc......while the female dance is commented on as "girly" and "feminine" or "soft" and "emotional."
This year is no exception - the women make an emotional journey together, not battling against one another to make their way in the world, but dancing along side one another. While the men once again battle and compete against each other (their own words) to Janet Jackson's "Nasty Boys."
Please don't interpret my critique as a desire to see these two women "duking it out" on stage. But, I wonder why this show, so innovative and so culturally aware, is still buying into the gender stereotypes that can keep dance so stagnant in today's world.
I ask again (as I have in papers and conversations of the past).....and perhaps more specifically....why couldn't the boys have danced the Mia Michaels number and the girls dance Laurieann's choreography?
One other problem I would like to address is the unfair advantage it seems to me has been given to Brandon this evening within the homosex pairing......why hasn't he ever been "forced" to dance in Evan's style? Why is Evan always having to work out of his comfort zone when competing against the other dancers, especially male dancers, but Brandon hasn't been asked to dance in the smooth, sauve, and debonair dance style of Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire? I would like to see Brandon stand out in the same way on the stage, paired against Evan in this style of dance. Instead we see Evan placed in a "Nasty Boys" situation where the judges continue to point out his inability to be "nasty" over and over and over and over again......why would you do that to a dancer in the finale?
It also does not help when Nigel and Mary discuss Evan in an infantilizing manner, pointing out his "choochee face" (reminding me of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). How can one expect him to excel in this competition when he is constantly being treated like a child. My point is especially made as Nigel make his comments about Evan's solo (as I am typing). I feel like I'm watching an episode of Al Alberts Showcase (a nod to those from the Philadelphia area).
But, Evan's fans will persist. As is evidenced in the current audience reaction to his line dancing number with Kayla. Reacting in response to negative critiques, once again, from the judges.
This season would also be remiss if it didn't continue to feed into the sexual inuendo and commentary provided by not only Nigel, but Cat Deely, as well. Tonight "takes the cake" in many ways......first, shockingly, Adam Shankman comments about Jeanine's body, and then Nigel discusses his disappointment that Mia Michael's "layer-shedding" dance didn't go on long enough for him. I would have to go back and look at the show clips to point out the hundreds of inappropriate comments that have been made throughout this season......I thought comments in season 2 about Danyelle's "size" were bold, but it seems to have gotten worse season after season. I was especially shocked the week that Mia Michaels went on her diatribe about Kayla being the epitomy of "girl," continuing to feed into that sense of what a real "girl" should or should not be. If we simply looked at the women's costumes to decide what a "girl" should be one would have to think that her goal in life should be to be sexy, half-dressed, and sparkly :)
I also have a suggestion for the show's producers:
Why not bring homosex pairings into the competition earlier on in the season? If you can do it in the finale, why can't it be done throughout the season? Any dance style that is not traditional ballroom could surely be done in homosex pairs instead of heterosexual pairings.....even some of the ballroom dances could feasibly be done this way.
Also, I question the fact that voting is always done to eliminate one "boy" and one "girl" each week. Are we really keeping America's favorites or the best dancers by voting that way? Why couldn't two boys be eliminated if they are the ones with the lowest votes overall? Why should a girl who has more votes be sent home? I think the last two seasons have really demonstrated the fact that good dancers are going home before their time for this reason alone. It also makes me wonder why last year a new prize was instituted, so there would be a top "boy" and a top "girl." Isn't there just America's Favorite Dancer, regardless of gender? Continuing to reward the top person in each category does not make sense if the two females are actually the top-two vote-getters! Does it?
Now, I must say that I love So You Think You Can Dance. I will not stop watching this show. I will always love the dancing on this show. I just wish that they would recognize their continued reliance on gender norms AND heteronormative relationships in order to "sell" their message. Some of the most amazing pieces have been, admittedly, heterosex pairings. But, some of my favorite dances have also been the group numbers where gender didn't seem to make a difference. Or heterosex pairings that did not rely on heteronormative relationships (like Sara and Jesus' vaudeville-style number with the newspaper rattlings) or Neil and Lacey's Mia Michael's routine with all of the flowers on the floor.
I have written a paper and presented at conferences on this topic, and I hope that those who were present are seeing the repeat in certain trends once again this season.
An Amazing Paso Doble between Brandon and Jeanine finishes off the evening - truly stunning and absolutely well-danced. These two are the two top contenders for this season's winning position. Their solos were beyond amazing......Jeanine's especially controlled and stunning. And of course Nigel has to ruin it with another sexual inuendo ("I wanted to do it to her too?????").
I would like to go on record as saying that I believe Jeanine will win because Evan will be successful in capturing enough of the female votes to keep Brandon from winning entirely. Ia lso believe that she should win, as she is My Favorite Dancer, and has been from the start :)
Until we meet again for Season Six this Fall.
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