I fell in love with “So You Think You Can Dance” the second I laid eyes on it. I still remember the moment. I was coming home exhausted after teaching a kickboxing class. As I entered the family room, ready to collapse on the couch, my eyes were drawn to the couple waltzing on TV. They looked ethereal, beautiful, magical. I paused, transfixed. I was like, “What’s this?” to DH, not bothering to look at him. “It some dance show,” he said, equally mesmerized.
And the rest, as they say, is history. I’ve watched and rewatched every episode since Season 2, which was when the show really took off (Season 1 was kind of meh). As far as I’m concerned, it’s the best show on TV bar none, and I will be forever grateful to creator Nigel Lythgoe for convincing Fox to pick it up. Together with “Dancing With the Stars” and “America’s Best Dance Crew,” it leads the pack of shows that are heralding the resurgence of dance on TV. Even Bravo’s Project Runwayized dance show, “Step It Up and Dance,” is wonderful in the way it focuses on the dancers and the dancing.
Last season, SYTYCD introduced Bollywood to the American TV-viewing audience and it was a certified hit. After that, I’m pretty sure Lythgoe, who has genuine dance cred in his resumé, was brainstorming of ways to bring more international styles of dance to American mainstream TV. Well, I think he’s done it.
This January, NBC will be airing a new reality show called “Superstar Dancers of the World” where professional dancers from eight countries will be competing against each other in an Olympics-style dance-off. I can’t wait!!! I am absolutely giddy, GIDDY I tell you, with anticipation. I’m sure it’ll be entertaining as hell, plus I’m looking forward to all the ethnic dancing that are sure to be showcased.
So everyone set their DVRs for this show already. Here’s the schedule:
WHAT: Superstar Dancers of the World
WHEN: January 4, 2009, Time TBD
WHERE: NBC, baby!
I leave you now with the dazzling image that was Heidi and Ryan’s Viennese Waltz from Season 2 of “So You Think You Can Dance” which was the first routine I saw and the one that put that spell on me.
