So... You Think You Can Dance?

Years ago, I was a dancer. I guess I still am a dancer, as I love to shake my butt to any music that comes on the radio. I don’t think I’ll ever wrestle the term “dancer” from my description of myself… Anyway, I danced from the age of 3 to the age of 20, and for many years, I was part of the competition team and was an instructor. Of course, life interfered, and when you are as unflexible as I am, dancing isn’t a viable career move, and if you want a stable family life, teaching dance isn’t a viable career choice. Sadly, dancing also isn’t an adult hobby. Most dance studios are comprised of school-age children, and the “adult” classes are generally just college-age people who stay in the same studio since they were born. Moving away for college didn’t leave me with many dance opportunities, and aerobics and Zumba just aren’t the same as pulling on a leotard and learning intricate dances.


Me, in my “Butterfly Kisses” costume.

Long story short, I miss dancing terribly, but I look forward to the day when I can force my little girl into a tutu and teach her how to jete. It will happen, folks. (Apologies to my future children.)

Obviously, So You Think You can Dance (SYTYCD) is one of my favorite shows on TV. I think it does a great job of showcasing real dancers who are spectacular and showcasing fantastic choreographers. In short, this show is a dancer’s ideal. There’s no reality drama. It’s strictly about the dancing.

Last night, my friend Simone and I went to New Orleans to watch the SYTYCD tour. And it was phenomenal. They showcased dances from Season 10 of SYTYCD, as well as new dances that were created for the tour. They had choreographers that gave little video intros to the dances (and all of my favorites were featured: Travis Wall! Sonya Tayeh! Nappy Tabs!), and the top 10 dancers from the season did solos.

Even better, it was in the Saenger Theatre, which is where I saw my first Broadway play (Phantom of the Opera!), and which has been recently restored to its previous beauty. The entire production was awesome, and now my throat is sore from cheering on the dancers!