Also Productions

When I sit down to watch So You Think You Can Dance the last thing that goes through my mind is what the dancers had to go through to learn the dances for that evening. I simply sit there and watch a great or sometimes not so great performance and then critique it as if I know what I am talking about. The last thing that crosses my mind is the amount of hours, sweat and tears that go into making a masterpiece for our enjoyment, not to mention the lack of sleep and demanding expectations.

In just about every season, a contestant has had to make trips to the ER or have medical attention on the show, even during the auditioning phase of Hollywood week. Whether it be for dehydration, sprained ankles or even broken toes, they are beating themselves up. These committed dancers are willingly subjecting themselves to injury for not only their careers, but also for the love of performing and entertainment. Not only are they getting injured in the process, but they are being paired up with another dancer, usually with a completely different background and have to learn SYTYCD routines they have never done, nonetheless ever heard of before. So as an audience, I think we should keep in mind the personal sacrifice they are going through and that they are pushing themselves farther than we could probably push ourselves when we watch their performances and start to evaluate their work.

Not only are they constantly working on their dances, they are hanging out with all the same people the entire time. Even for the best of friends, that would get old pretty quickly and would definitely test your patience and productivity.

Once the finale has aired you would think, “alright, it’s over”, but not for the dancers, they have to get a move on for the tour that starts almost back to back from the show. For several months, the top 10 dancers from the show are chauffeured around the country for a tour. Hmm, hotel rooms, cramped cars, constantly eating take-out and training and learning new dances to fill in for absentees, that’s a lot of work. When I think of all the behind the scenes that is involved for the contestants, I really am more appreciative of what they do and how they get by every day. And to think when they get kicked off the show they say, “This has been the best part of my life”. That is someone who really loves their job and what they do!