I watch this dance show called So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD). It's basically a huge solo/duet competition.
The dancers go to a city and audition (they usually do 3 different audition locations: NYC, LA, and Houston). Supposedly, the only requirement is that you must be between 18-30 years old. They audition a solo or duet in front of the three judges of the show.
If the judges like them, they give the dancer a ticket to "The Academy". Usually about 200 go to the academy. Basically, they learn combos and perform them in small groups for the judges. After all of the groups go, the judges narrow it down to 70 dancers. Then those dancers do solos. From there, the judges must narrow it down to only 20 dancers. The next week, they narrow it to a top 10; 5 boys, and 5 girls.
The girls are each paired with a boy to be their partner for most of the rest of the show. They do 2 duets with their partner, and each dancer performs a solo as well. There's also usually a group routine.
This is when "America" starts voting. They eliminate one boy and one girl for a few weeks, working down to a top six. Then, they send two more dancers home. The top four, however, isn't necessarily two boys and two girls.
But here's the catch - even though AMERICA votes, the judges still pick who goes home out of the bottom four of the top 10 and top 8. Once it's narrowed down to the top 6, it's based purely off of votes.
Hmm.
Let's backtrack. A lot of dancers come to the show who are already with professional companies, because the show usually runs during the off season for dance companies. They almost always take dancers who are already with companies into the top 10, and they're usually the best ones on the show.
But you know what's really strange? A dancer who is currently employed by a company while on the show has never made it into the top 4, let alone won. Ever.
Seems a bit odd, considering they're the best ones there and lots of people know them.
Nevertheless, they always get kicked off after the top 6 round. But why is that?
Is it because they're not popular with the voters? Nope. They're always popular with the voters.
Is it because the show's creators don't want "professionals" on their show to win because they might never come back as an All Star and make them more money? Maybe.
(The previous winners of the show are called All Stars. They usually come back to choreograph or perform with contestants in the final round.)
For example, three people in the top 10 this year are employed by professional companies. One of them, Jay Jay, is actually from my hometown. I've danced with him in convention classes and competed against him at competitions (and lost, obviously lol). And he's just. . . AMAZING.
Naturally, my whole family has been voting for him. Now multiply 60 (the amount of votes you get) byb16, the number of people in my family that vote for him. He has dance competitions supporting him, multiple companies supporting him; actually, a lot of people think he has a great chance at winning.
Tonight, they narrowed down the top 6 to the final four. And remember - no dancer employed by a company has EVER made it into the top 4.
Two dancers went home tonight. And who went home? Two of the three dancers who are part of companies. Jay Jay and the other guy.
And what about that third dancer who's with a company? Oh, yeah. The judges kicked him off two weeks ago (because remember, the judges chose who went home from the bottom four of the top 10 and top 8). Their reason for kicking off one of the best dancers in the top 10? They claimed THE PRODUCERS never gave him the chance to show his best style.
So THE PRODUCERS, who knew he was with a company, never let him showcase his best style. Why? For what reason? It's almost like they wanted him to get kicked off.
Oh, maybe they did.
Since he's with a professional company.
And now, the other two company dancers are gone, conveniently right before the final four. Hmmm, seems a little fishy to me.
And it happens that way every. single. year.
Seems suspicious to me. It's almost like the voting system is *le gasp* rigged? Could it be?
Ohhh yes it could. I have a friend who did some HEAVY research (including reaching out to former contestants) and she has found several things suggesting that your votes for your favorite dancers may not even COUNT. She's also found articles where previous contestants said that they were told that they were getting kicked off because they were with a company.
Some say it's a coincidence that a dancer with a company has never made it to the top 4 or higher, but I don't buy it.
What do you think? Do you think it's a weird coincidence, or do you think there's something more going on?
×× Isaac
