Just Pure Talent (Video)

TV Dance News

BuddyTV has the So You Think You Can Dance early season schedule. We'll know the top 20 on June 5th.



Big congrats to choreographer Dave Scott. He was just named winner of the 2007-08 Fred & Adele Astaire Award for Best Choreography in Film for his work in the Step up 2: The Streets.




Tyce Diorio will be one of the judges on Master Of Dance, TLC's entry in the dance reality genre.



Shimmy interviews Ivan Koumaev.




Tamara Brooks at Zap2It recaps Step It Up & Dance. Welcome back Oscar.

This interview with Step It Up's Miguel Zarate adds some depth to what we know about him. Well, except for the part where he wants to be the next male Madonna.




The Pasadena Star-News catches up with ABDC finalists Kaba Modern.


I was unaware of this America's Best Dance Crew drama at the time:

The theory goes that, because a Kaba-Jabba finale would have resulted in a hip-hop dance showdown featuring almost exclusively Asian faces, dial-in totals were given a, uh, "Florida tweak" to provide Boston's Status Quo crew with a protected berth for the final round.

I wouldn't put it past MTV to tweak the totals, but if you buy into the identity-politics voting theory, isn't it very possible that Kaba-Jabba split the Asian vote?




Our friend Selly remembers Dr. Jimmy Slyde.




The CTV website is doing an outstanding job covering all the events leading to the first season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada.

Saturday Marathon Open Thread

Another lost weekend.

During the season 3 auditions shows, let's hear who you hope to see back for season 4.

Drinking game: take a shot each time Mary screams, Nigel says something creepy/awkward, or any time an MTV promo gives you the sense the end of civilization is near. Go ahead and call in sick for Monday now.

Neil In Altar Boyz

Regular readers are aware that Neil Haskell is currently appearing in the off-broadway show Altar Boyz. Joe X is a big fan of Neil's. He attended the show recently and was kind enough to send us this report.

It was great! The stage is set up basically like they are a group and doing a show. There are people on instruments- two keyboards, guitar and drums- that don't interact. It is just on the boys. Neil plays Luke who is a kind of an airhead hip hop poser. The story was that he has just come out of rehab where he was being treated for 'exhaustion.' It was hard to remember that it was Neil because he made you believe that he was the real character. He had great facial expressions and acting. One song I found funny because it had the word 'kneel' in it which was funny because Neil was singing it. All of the boys have a song that they mostly sing. Neil was very good. I do not know if the choreography was altered but one time Neil and another guy did what looked to be part of the paso doble- at least it kind of looked like what he and Sabra did- then he jumped off the stage. He also showed his gymnastic ability. The show lasts 90 minutes with no intermission. It went by very fast- too fast. All of the boys were very good, but Neil and the guys who played Abraham and I think it was Matthew were the best. It was like Neil had been there for a long time. It turns out his mother was in the audience.

After the show, he came out and gave her flowers. There was a girl there who seemed to know his mother. It may have been his girlfriend. I asked him what advice he had (for s4 sytycd contestants), he said to practice and to listen to the judges. He was nice to sign autographs. He shook my hand. The restaurant Neil said was his favorite is really nice. There were many people eating outside around the fountain. I do not remember the name but it had a sock monkey on the menu. The prices are great and you get free chips and salsa [it is Mexican]. The food came out very fast. There were many pigeons around the place. The theater has around six other shows playing on different stages. There is a bar associated with Time Out NY magazine. Refreshments were also sold before the show started. Two of the cast members were played by understudies when I saw it at 2PM. It is cheaper to go on Saturday afternoon because all seats cost $79 in the evening. I plan to go there every month Neil plays.

Thanks for a great report Joe.

Attention: Southern California Readers UPDATED

Bravo TV has kindly provided BSYTYCD with 2 tickets to the Step It Up & Dance finale tomorrow in LA. Unfortunately, I'm on the other side of the country, so we'll be giving them to the first reader who emails the blog (top of sidebar) with a promise that the tickets will be used. I will update with time and location when I receive it.

UPDATE:The finale taping is currently scheduled for tomorrow, 12:30 in the afternoon at the Variety Arts Center and attendees are requested to be available for 6 hours.


Also, don't forget the big So You Think You Can Dance Dance-off is Monday at the Nokia Theater. If anyone is able to go, please send us a report.
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One Year Old

BSYTYCD's first post was one hear ago today, a video of Musa Cooper's season 2 audition. Since the first year has been so successful, we want to start year 2 the same way.

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Musa fans will want to see him act and dance in this not-safe-for-work short film.

I bring this up because I'm sensing a great deal more anticipation around the web for season 4 than I did for season 3. No longer is So You Think You Can Dance just a fill-in for American Idol watchers.

I also want to thank our friend and frequent commenter, Sue Brody, who has agreed to become a contributor to BSYTYCD, and will be recapping season 4 for us. Thanks Sue!

New Choreographers, Part 1: Napoleon & Tabitha

You may remember, they gave the go-ahead for the 9 crews on America's Best Dance Crew. Napoleon & Tabitha D'Umo (official site) have choreographed for many top music tours and are directors of Monsters of HipHop.


They've worked with the JabbaWockeeZ. This is from 2005.

Step It Up & Dance Preview (Video)

This week, the challenge is latin dancing… Cody, after winning two challenges, has to beat Miguel out in his preferred genre. Can he do it? Mochi, after being sent to the hospital for previously hurting her knee, is asked to perform a dance that requires deep lunges. Will this injury be enough to send her home?



Videos courtesy of BravoTV

TV Dance News

Cancel your weekend plans and stock up on snacks. SYTYCD season 3 marathon on MTV begins at 8:30 Saturday morning and goes till Sunday night. Plan your bathroom runs to coincide with the Tila Tequila commercials. We'll have an open comment thread here at BSYTYCD.


Speaking of BSYTYCD, you can now reach us by pointing your browser at BSYTYCD.com. No more typing blogspot, though that will still work too.



For those who weren't around when we broke the news, it's unlikely we'll see Wade Robson on So You Think You Can Dance season 4, certainly not in the regular rotation of choreographers. That's not to say Wade won't be on TV this summer. He's heavily involved in Criss Angel's Mindfreak on A&E.

Also from Wade's Myspace:

You can now download the
18 MINUTE BEHIND THE SCENES video for Wade Robson's short film WITHIN.
Go to waderobson.com and click on "WITHIN-A SHORT FILM"

Here's fair warning to parents of season 4 contestants. Don't try Nigel's patience.



TVSquad has a preview of MTV's Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods. Watch Step It Up & Dance's Jerry Mitchell pick the new star of his current Broadway show.

American Idol Open Thread

It's crunch time.

SYTYCD News Roundup

DanceMedia.com gets a quick salsa lesson from Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin.




CTV has pics from the Halifax auditions for So You Think You Can Dance Canada, along with a video blog from Blake McGrath.



Jack Chambers made a surprise visit to the primary school he attended.

TV Dance News

Sorry for lack of posts over the last few days. There just hasn't been much to report.

John and Colin at NewNowNext video blog the most recent episode of Step It Up & Dance with a guest. There's also an interview with the offed Michael.


She almost made it to the So You Think You Can Dance top 20 in previous seasons. DubCNN talks to Deja Riley. I don't know if she auditioned this year, but we may see her on TV anyway.

Dubcnn: You’ve done a presentation pilot, right?

Yes! They don’t know what the show is going to become, but I shot it last week and I’m shooting the remainder of the episode this week.


Dubcnn: Tell us a little bit about that.

It’s entitled “Prom Night”, which is teenage show, that could very well turn into a reality show. It’s basically a show about high school prom nights where it shows kids getting ready, going to the proms, or it could turn into something where it would be a sitcom or a recurring show. We don’t really know what it’s going to become, but it’s been a great experience for me.

Another previous auditionee, Anthony Bryant, has released a video for the purpose of thanking his fans. Anthony doesn't lack self esteem, but that's ok in my book. Dancing is a tough life.



SYTYCD's Doriana Sanchez and Wade Robson, along with Step It Up's Vincent Paterson, are involved with projects in Las Vegas.



Australia's Favorite Dancer, Jack Chambers, has commitments to fulfill in Brisbane before heading to Broadway in August.



Dan Karaty and Blake McGrath judged auditions for So You Think You Can Dance Canada in Halifax.