Tuesday, March 31, 2009

American Idol Ignites the Itch

Teachers love summer, and believe me, I am counting down days as they roll by slowly. Working this summer, I am a bit concerned about where I will schedule in the Offensive and Defensive MVPs of America-voting-reality-talent shows -- So You Think You Can Dance and Big Brother respectively! While one does not find himself (herself, I must add for Ms. Steinem who I saw live and in person Thursday, but that's another post) frequently dialing after a Big Brother episode as we have no power over who stays and goes, the lure of So You Think You Can Dance drives me through summer nights as Tom Brady led the Patriots downfield in his hayday. Thus, the offensive MVP.

Big Brother, on the other hand, with its arguing, backstabbing, manipulation, lies, and coined phrases such as "under the bus" and "it is what is it," defends CBS several nights a week successfully from my partaking in other, higher quality television experiences. Yet, I love it.

I do. I love both--no shame included.

The world of sports, a sort of playground of emotion, is a clear portrayal of passion and endurance of spirit, love and comradery, loyalty to self and team and mission, anger and disappointment in loss.
It's this world I have grown up in as a child. It's this world that shaped me.
Secretly, though, and in the comfort, privacy, and safety in the vulnerability of my own home, I want to be of the galaxy spinning with worlds of song and dance. Here lies magic--magic shown through the effervescent emotion the dancers and dances of So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) shine with every summer. Sports portray emotion; dance done well generously gives it to one's soul.

Watching American Idol contestants come into their own this season, I find myself itching for SYTYCD. Whether with the hip hop genius and strength of Joshua or the poetic movement of Katee, these dancers take my soul on an escape with the programmed motions they make appear so instinctual.

Thinking about my favorite season, my favorite dancers, dance, choreographers, I have difficulty limiting myself to just one to lure you in with here, so what I'll post below is one of my favorites, and one that reminds me to feel life fully. Chelsea and Mark were top 14 and danced this "Bleeding Love" number to a choreographed hip hop routine by Napoleon and Tabitha, two top programmers behind what these dancers make the natural.


Turns out, I have more than one favorite. Check out these links to other darlings of dance that inspire turns, twists, leaps, and sways throughout the hallways of my home.
Travis and Benji hip-hop it up.
Kherington and Twitch perfect a Mia Michaels' stud.
Katee and Joshua contempory.
Neil and Lauren (This guy can add some character.)
One more time for Neil.

Could I add more? Absolutely. Will I go through and re-watch the dances I just posted? Without a doubt.
Now please excuse me, I am off to convince my husband to work on lifts.

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