5 years of SYTYCD

Last night was the finale of So You Think You Can Dance season 5. Some great stuff this year. I watched it with Amanda this week and was sad to hear that she hasn’t seen any of seasons 1-3. I sought to educate her. I decided I was qualified when I exclaimed at the TV screen “What, ANOTHER Paso Doble? That’s the third one this season!” Huh, funny how my brain tracks these things.

I was also thinking about how this show aired the summer that I got my first real job, working for the psychiatrist. Now 5 years later I’ve gone back to school and started my second real job as a dialysis nurse. Amazing how much can happen in 5 short years.

Since I went through the trouble of hunting down clips for Amanda, I’ll post a few of my favorites here for you. I’m sorry that many of these clips will be dead soon, that’s the nature of music rights. That’s why they can’t air the shows on hulu or release DVDs. Damn dirty copyright laws.

Season 1

Solo: Blake

Yes it’s totally cheesy when he takes off his shirt – but he does it during 4 back attitude turns en dehors! His crisp transitions are what get me – he’s in controlled the whole time and doesn’t waste a single second.

Season 2

Top 10/20 Group Dance by Wade Robson

This is one of their manically popular dances. Everywhere on the internet the next day. They repeated it later with the whole set of 20 dancers and then brought it back this summer with Wade dancing in it. I prefer the larger group, but sadly they have been hunted and taken down by Fox. You can only see the full cast in this poor version.

Top 4 Group Dance by Wade Robson

Utter brilliance.

Mambo by Alex De Silva: Benji (winner) and Heidi (4th place)

They are cousin ballroom dancers with a long history of partnering together, and that communication is what makes this so good.

Season 3

Top 6 Group Dance by Wade Robson (are you sensing a theme?)

Love the lights, costumes, netting, performances, and musicality. Great piece.

Top 16 Group Dance by Tyce Diorio

Tyce does most of their “broadway” genre and they generally suck hard. This is one of his rare moments of genius, unfortunately ruined by overzealous camera work.

Top 20 Group Dance by Wade Robson

Love the use of Busta, love the stark costumes, and love the blatent rip off/homage of Fosse’s Rich Man’s Frug at the end. I’m a sucker for Fosse when it’s well done.

Hip Hop by Shane Sparks: Lauren and Pasha

A strong contender for my favorite piece, this one is so creative. I love when the lights and music and costumes and movement come together so well. Pasha is a cute, gentlemanly Russian ballroom dancer, so seeing him work so hard on hip hop is an awww moment.

Season 4

Hip Hop (sort of) by Napoleon and Tabitha: Chelsie and Mark

Another “Favorite dance” contender. I could watch this over and over. It brings out the teenage girl in me.

Contemporary by Mia Michaels: Twitch (4th place) and Katee (2nd place)

Mia does some great ballad-type stuff, but I prefer her upbeat numbers like this one. Kudos for props well used.

Season 5

Solos: Brandon (2nd place)

Possibly the best dancer on this series yet. His cabriole from the floor kills me.

Contemporary by Mia Michaels: Jeanine (winner) and Kayla (4th place)

Gorgeous.

Jazz by Wade Robson: Brandon and Janette

So fun and sharp. I can’t believe this wasn’t an encore last night.

Contemporary by Mia Michaels: Kayla and Kupono

This is the encore which has worse lighting. I can’t embed the original so you should go to it here. Such a good piece on addiction, so perfectly played.

Contemporary by Tyce Diorio: Melissa and Ade (who were my favorites this season)

Yeah, this made me cry. So how about I end on a fun one?

Hip Hop by Shane Sparks: Jason and Kayla

Zombies!

I’m thrilled their bringing back season 6 in the fall, but worried that I’ll spend too much time in front of the TV. Is it worth it to buy a DVR and cable for one TV show??