Tag Archives: “so you think you can dance”

LXD: Legion of Extraordinary Dancers

Last month Hulu premieredthe online miniseries “LXD: Legion of Extraordinary Dancers” created by Jon M. Chu also director of movies “Step Up 2 & 3D”.  Volume 1 of this 10 chapter miniseries showcases many elements of dance/sport movement on never-before-seen small screen, 360° slow motion cinematography. If you ever thought those accomplished aerial/gravity defying stunts in dance movement were impossible, this series gives you a birds-eye view of this ability. The “dancer” as “superhero” performs Ninja-type choreography, eloquently filmed and slowed so the viewer may marvel at the dancing abilities of these artists in their respective techniques. From B-boying, Popping and Locking, Krumping, contemporary Modern, Tap and Ballet, 10 chapters in total convey 10-13 minute storylines creatively displaying technical feats of various movement vocabulary, through stories of passion, desire, intrigue and revenge. Chu has created dance themes in everyday settings like the high school prom, the hospital, the office, the street, all as backdrops and reasons to display contagious dance episodes. Chu has definitely created a new genre in cinematic dance, making the dancing element the primary focus of entertainment.  

SYTYCan…Criticize?

AdeChicke Torbert - solo

I had to refrain from blogging about SYTYCD season 7, which turned out to be quite a bore with a few exceptions. Let’s begin with the audition elimination. When judges failed to choose two superb male dancers that auditioned in NY, the injured Anthony Burrell and D.J. Smart (who later featured his amazing audition choreography in episode 21), I asked myself “o.k. now where is this program going?” Anthony, D.J and slated season 7 winner Alex Wong, would have offered a highly polished performance quality, perhaps as an unfair advantage to the other contestants. But why was the later injured and  eliminated Alex chosen over the other two? Was this a deliberate casting angle?

National Day of Dance: Saturday July 31st

Artscape Baltimore

Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe of So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD), started a grassroots initiative declaring July 31st as National Dance Day. Encouraging individuals, communities and organizations to dance! This initiative has reached the interests of the politician Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes introducing a resolution to promote dance education as well as physical fitness.
The idea is to get individuals off the sofa and into a lifestyle of physical activity. SYTYCD is encouraging national dance parties to be filmed and submitted to the network (Click here to upload your video)

Miss Denise Jefferson……never forgotten

Denise Jefferson/Director Alvin Ailey School

S.Y.T.Y.C.D. ABDC?

ABDC

MY PREDICTION…..

Brandon Bryant courtesy of TV Guide

Brandon Bryant courtesy of TV Guide

This season’s final four performances on S.Y.T.Y.C.D. were nothing less than amazing. Each contestant honed such a level of technique, strength and stamina far surpassing any stage presentation I have seen as yet. As many students claim to “want it” (dance for their passion), this group has certainly possessed a dance for their life/livelihood mentality. This speaks a lot to the 21st Century dancer. The cycled history of visible pure form has resurfaced. My prediction is for the dancing concept academia to take a back seat to the practicing technicians, as the view of the dancing body resorts back to pure form, technique and performance. Not at all to say that dance will not evolve, but just that the practice will require perfection in dance, sport, martial art and performance, not solely entertainment.

S.Y.T.Y.C.D.ance Y.our A.ss O.ff? LMAO

fatdancea

Oxygen Networks’ new dance competition “Dance Your Ass Off” premiered Monday night at 10. The premise of the show: a combination of “The Biggest Loser” and “America’s Got Talent” in a “So You Think You Can Dance”-type format. Twelve contestants paired with professional dancers/choreographers, fitness trainers, and physicians, get to be pampered as professional dance performers while taking inventory of weekly weight loss, challenged week to week in different dance genres.

And The Winner is……..

photo credit: FOX TV

 

Hooray for Bollywood!

Rangoli Dancers

Rangoli Dancers

Well I guess if it’s good enough for “So You Think You Can Dance” it’s good enough for America? The not too recent depiction of Bollywood dance by contestants Joshua and Katee have been a glorious display of art through culture. Nakul Dev Mahajan has delicately prescribed an intricate choreography in a short time span that was visually stunning and quite challenging for contemporary American audiences and dancers alike. This movie genre, in more recent years condensed to television video; include dance infusions of South India’s own Bharata Natyam, West-African, Folkloric Russian and Hip-Hop styles. 

Mantras of the “Old School”

    

A week ago  Wednesday evening, the Pas de Deux created by Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden of “Complexions” dance company (NYC), placed on contestants Will and Katee of “So You Think You Can Dance”, was nothing less than spectacular. I am not privy to the selection process of choreographer to dancing couple; however, Will and Katee are clearly the most technically trained of the remaining contestants. In the dancers’ comments, the choreography left no room for error, and the technical abilities of the dancers were pushed to the limits.

Richardson and Rhoden clearly leaders of the “new school” of performance, came from the “old school” mentality in conservatory training, There are no shortcuts..Learn by doing! It is in this display of precision, technical ability and integrity that a clear conservation of “art” in dance is maintained. The purity of the movement and the choice of choreographic vocabulary lend itself to concise storytelling, (the responsibility and integrity of the artist). Technical merit and performance, however quirky, is the foundation adding the finishing touches to the dancing body.

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