Dance Review: So You Think You Can Dance Live - Page 5

One of the most exceptional aspects of the show was seeing everyone excel in one way or another. It is amazing to watch what the dancers can achieve in fairly short routines, none lasting more than a few minutes. The skill and technique that went into their work was breathtaking.

I was easily able to pick up on which routines were fan favorites from the television program. The very mention of key props that would appear in certain segments brought waves of giddy anticipation from the crowd. One of these was a doorway, which featured prominently in a contemporary routine with Twitch and Katee. To the sounds of Duffy's "Mercy," they portrayed an obviously troubled - but passionate - couple. I was impressed by the amount of acting that goes into these performances; these dancers go further than mere choreographed movement. Their high level of emotional expression electrified the Tacoma Dome and elevated the show to a new level. Chelsie Hightower and Mark Kanemura provided another example of this with their "briefcase" hip-hop routine, set to Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love." This was another noteworthy example of the storytelling within the choreography, this time depicting a doomed romance between a girl and "a jerk" (according to Kherington in her introduction to the piece).

Speaking of the emotionally charged work on display throughout this live extravaganza, a very special mention must be made of the one performance that actually brought me to tears. Choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux, Twitch and Kherington performed a Viennese Waltz to the strains of "A New Day Has Come" by Celine Dion. What made this one especially great was a taped segment from the television program in which Genereux explained that he has a severely disabled daughter afflicted by Rett Syndrome. This disorder robs its sufferers of nearly all motor skills. In the case of Genereux's daughter, the one thing that elicits an animated reaction from her is watching movement such as dance. He choreographed this piece for her, with the hopes he would see a physical reaction from her.

The elegant beauty of the dancing, when given this heartrending context, resulted in more than a few visibly moved spectators. It wasn't the closing performance of the show, nor the flashiest, but definitely a true showstopper. It was a prime example of how effective and worthwhile So You Think You Can Dance is.

Article Author: Sherry Lipp

Sherry writes mostly music and dvd reviews and on occasion she gets to do an interview. She plays the guitar, enjoys playing with her dog Pepsi and she and her husband are currently in the process of internationally adopting from Poland.

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