One show that has been (strangely) flying under my radar is Paula Abdul's new dance competition, Live to Dance. I say "strangely" because I usually eat and breathe everything dance related. You can't tear me away from Dancing with the Stars, and I would scratch your eyes out to watch So You Think You Can Dance. And, in fact, Live to Dance was one of my most-anticipated shows of the season (right behind Off the Map, which lived up to every expectation)...but, after the first episode, I just kinda lost interest. It's not that the show is bad. Its three judges (headlined by Abdul, of course) are likable and very knowledgeable, its production values are stellar, and most of the talent is off the chain. I think my problem with it is the same problem I have with America's Got Talent: I just don't see its necessity. So You Think You Can Dance is, in my opinion, the perfect dance show. It has a great host, great judges, great new talent, and great alums who return to the show for one reason or another (either as choreographers, guest judges, or the new "all-stars"). Plus, its summer timeslot is completely uncrowded, so I have plenty of time to watch it. Live to Dance doesn't feel inspired when compared to that show (or, for that matter, America's Best Dance Crew), because it isn't working with a fresh concept. On top of that, in a season of television crowded (for me, at least) with Off the Map, American Idol, Hot in Cleveland, The Bachelor, and more, it's been hard for me to remember Live to Dance.
To be sure, I love anything that promotes dance, and so I appreciate Live to Dance. Giving a platform to dancers of all ages was a wonderful idea; otherwise, we would have missed out on such great dancers as nine-year-old Jalen, who could rival most dancers twice his age. In that respect, Live to Dance lives up to its name. This isn't a show where every contestant dreams of becoming a professional; some of them are just there to display their love of dance. It is in this aspect that Live to Dance has a spark of promise. I don't feel as though that spark has been fully realized yet; a major reason why being the judges acting extremely nit-picky with some good acts, while letting other, shall we say, less-than-perfect dancers get through because of their "passion." My problem with this is that I saw passion in almost every dancer on that stage. To me, there can be no double standard in a show like this. Either you are going for straight passion, or you are going for technical perfection. It appeared as though, at times, the judges were picking and choosing how they were judging contestants. I don't think they were doing this intentionally or maliciously; rather, they are still figuring out how to judge on this new show. It's a kink that will have to be worked out as the show moves forward. If the judges are able to find the right balance, which will just take time (be patient), then Live to Dance will be able to truly blossom.
Until then, we do have many wonderful dance acts to watch each week. So far, my favorite is, without a shadow of a doubt, the dance duo Jacob and Jill. They are the kind of dancers who would have had a hard time finding a place on a show like So You Think You Can Dance because, despite being good dancers alone, they really explode when dancing together. It's people like this that the show needs to keep championing, in order to prove their relevance. Jacob and Jill embody everything I love about dance. They are incredibly passionate, and they are also technically skillful. Plus, their we're-just-really-good-friends love story is adorably innocent, something we haven't seen much of in reality television recently. Their story plays out like the narrative of Step Up. She was a student at a dance school. He was a dancer in the street, who got a scholarship to study at the school. They met, fell in love became close friends, and now blend their two styles to form one great dance piece. Their first dance on the show brought me to tears and was a very special work of art. As long as dancers like these are in the competition, I'll be watching, regardless of its problems.
To see Jacob and Jill's beautiful dance, click here.
No comments:
Post a Comment