Round 1 is here! Who is making it to Round 2?

Matthew Neff | Aug 29, 2008 | there are 7 comments 7

Round 1 is close to the end. It's the last few moments before the TOP 25 become the Top 20.

Round 1 consisted of the 25 semifinalists learning a combo choreographed by Emily Shock. She posted her video that explained the movement on YouTube. The 25 then recorded a video of themselves doing the combo. The general public on YouTube then has to cast a vote. Voting ends Monday at midnight (Central Time). The voting public can vote for as many of the contestants as they wanted but they can only vote once for each video.

In the rest of this blog you will find the video of each contestant's entry in the order of when then entered it.

Here is the video of Emily teaching the video to the TOP 25:

The TOP 25 had to learn the one phrase and improv. The phrase was then to be repeated after their improv.

The first dancer to post a response was Sara Kruse. She should get bonus points for getting the video in so fast. Sara is 20 years old and dances at Dance Etc. in Norfolk, NE. I asked Sarah what the experience has been like for her. Her response  was:

"I think a good word that works is "thrilling" because it's kinda scary to put yourself out there... yet it's exciting to learn new things and get others opinions and views. You really do learn a lot, even from just watching 1 person do the same combo you did.. but totally different. (and it's just started!) It's awesome. We obviously all love to dance, this is just a fun way to show and tell. : )"

SARA:

From Italy came Francesco Cara. It is a small world on YouTube.
FRANCESCO:

He was the first to post a video response for this round that was not in a studio. As the videos came more and more of them were in unique places. It's interesting to watch each kid interpret the task at hand to do the movement phrase twice with an improv section. Even though the bulk of the movement is identical, the dancer's each put their own personality into the process.

Bethany Long brought it back to the studio setting. It is clear she has beautiful technical training. She seems a bit reserved in this video and I expressed that to her. She admitted that she would love to enter another version of the dance. I personally don't think that this video will get her eliminated. I would have loved to see her perform a little bit more. I have no doubt that she is going to step up to the plate for the next round.

BETHANY:

17 year old Brittany Bean is a student from Dance Continuum in Texas. She hopes to get into a great college program for dance. What's her 1st choice? Juillard. You can't deny that she has good taste.

BRITTANY:

Some of Emily Shock's own students made it into the TOP 25. The judges actually didn't know who was from what studio when they made their decisions for who to keep. (I kinda knew since most of them filmed their videos in the same studio-- It's not rocket science.) None of her students are being favored in the competition. Emily is open to help any of the contestants. Her students are not getting any special advantages in the competition.

Now that the disclaimer has been mentioned we can go forward with the videos

Up next is Taylor, 11, from Applause Studios in Oklahoma. Emily is her teacher and Taylor decided that she was going to add a prop to her video. I love the fan. It was so "Mariah Carey" of her. She will definitely need to use those creative instincts she has to complete her goal. She wants to one day become a famous dancer and choreographer.

TAYLOR:

This competition has brought all types of dancers from around the world. We even have sisters in the TOP 25. The older sister is Monica Hogan, 18. She is at that transition as she embarks on her first year of College at Duke University in North Carolina. She began her training at Centre Stage School of Dance in Marietta, GA. She then spent three years at the Georgia Ballet, while also dancing as a member of the Blessed Trinity Dance Company and Blessed Trinity Dance Team at her high school. I asked her who her favorite dance teacher was and what her goals were as a dancer. She responded:
"Personally, my favorite teachers have been Mr. David Norwood and Mrs. Joy Clift.I greatly admire both of them because they brought me out of my comfort zone asa dancer and helped me to truly discover the beauty of dance. Without them I probably would not have the same passion for dance that I possess today. Thank you so much to both of you! I am so grateful for all that you have taught me in these years past. I have always followed the classic â€oecarpe diem” adage; I will seek out any opportunity that comes my way! Dance has become such an integral part of my life, that I hope to always be performing or teaching in some capacity. In particular, I personally hope to someday become an accomplished choreographer."

MONICA:

Miles Yeung, 16, from Victory School of the Arts (VSA) in Oklahoma had the best description about his video entry.
He wrote;
"things i learned from this video:

  1. its hard to dance in the grass. to turn and pivot and stuff. BUT it's easy to do figure-8's in the grass.
  2. 100 degree oklahoma weather is not fun to dance in
  3. i think my neighbors enjoy watching me.
  4. that pot in the middle has a lot of worms and stuff in it...i would know, seeing as how i tried to move it, but then discovered a plethora of insects"

I am jealous of the view this kid has. I don't have a yard like that in NYC. Here is his video without any visual "works and stuff".
MILES:

Kali Matthews,16, is another student of Emily's from Applause Studios. I asked her who her favorite teacher was. She said:

"aw, no favorites. no can do. but definately inspirers, inspitations, ect. DESTINI ROGERS. oh my gosh. this is so cliche, but i seriously would not be the dancer that i am if it weren't for her. i always feel like she believes in me. always has, ever since she first became my instructor at 10 years old. she grieves to be inspired, and her teaching and just who she is pushes me to be the inspirer. heres her shout out. ILOVEYOU!"

In case you don't recognize the name Destini Rogers was a contestant on the first season of So You Think You Can Dance. Kali decided to be the first contestant to make her film with some production. I told her that it was a great idea but the overall dance impact was hindered by the editing process. It's still a great entry and you should enjoy watching it.

KALI:

Andrew Tran is a 17 year old dancer. He began taking dance classes  at his public high school, Independence High in San Jose, CA. On the description for his entry he said the following; "Forgive me I've never had real contemporary training." I left him the following comment:

"Hey! Don't worry about not taking a "contemporary" class. It's kind of a made up thing since the TV version of SYTYCD. Stay focussed on taking ballet technique, modern techniques and jazz classes for style. You have a natural ability for movement and that is exciting to see. You need some refinement in the articulation of your feet. Really work through the action of a tendu isolating your focus on metatarsal movement. Also be aware of your weight pushing down into the ground. You want to stand like a tall tree with its roots planted firmly into the ground. Every time I see your feet adjusting while you are performing a movement I know that you are not actively holding your center. Thanks you for your entry. Keep working and you are going to do very well."

ANDREW:

Dear teachers:
Please (please please please) do not get tricked into adding Contemporary classes into your curriculum. It is not a technique. These kids need basic technique classes. Once they have mastered technique classes they will be 80 years old. You do not have time as an educator to waste time incorporating this fad into your schedule. Contemporary is choreography. Teach them technique first.

Thanks,
Matthew

So that was my plea so that kids like Andrew aren't searching for this invented myth class. It's similar to the Lyrical movement that was happening in the 90's. Have you ever heard of an audition notice asking for "Lyrical Dancers". Nope. The same thing is going to happen to all these kids wanting to learn Contemporary. They aren't going to be able to make a living as a Contemporary dancer.

Anywhooo

The next entry came from Meredith. Fast forward to 2:18 to see a better version of her entry. The first half is too dark.
MEREDITH:

Tommy is 17 years old and is from TKO Dance Academy in Queens, NY. He says, "As a dancer my goals are definitely to go somewhere with my dancing, which basically includes anything that's has to do with performing, and I also would love to be on So You Think You Can Dance some day, and I think Show YouTube You Can Dance is kind of like the first step."

TOMMY:

Teddy, 17, is from East Coast Movement in New Jersey. He wants to "change the way people look at dance but still stay true to myself." Teddy has a few different locations in his video. I really wanted him to jump in at the end of the video. I won't give away what I mean. You are going to have to watch for yourself.

TEDDY:

Here is Kelsey Self. We have all put on music and jammed out in our living rooms. I know I have even broken a couple of toes doing it. (Improving in a small NYC apt is dangerous). Kelsey has more room than I did. Enjoy her video!

KELSEY:

Arlie is 15 and dances at Artstic Dance Concepts in Tyler, TX. She says, "Hi, i'm Arlin. but you can call me Arlie because most people would mistake Arlin for arlene and i dont really like that. it makes it sound even more filipino and i am but i like Arlie better. i love dancing and eating taco bell." I also love Taco Bell but I don't think I could dance and eat it. Her entry kinda reminds me of the sepia sections in THE WIZARD OF OZ.

ARLIE:

Mary-Elizabeth Fenn entered her video. She is dancing in her Aunt's backyard. I think Arlie should pick up some Taco Bell for me and I am going to go relax in this yard. I grew up in an area that is full of trees and views. I guess you don't appreciate it until you leave. I think this entry is one of the best for this round. Enjoy!

MARY-ELIZABETH:

Up next is 16 year old Holly Peterson. Holly is from Kim's School of Dance in Illinois. She says of her experience so far in this competition that, "So far it's really good. I've never done a "real" contemporary dance before, so it's definitely a challenge, which I like. I like being exposed to new styles. I want to break out of my shell and open up to more styles throughout this competition. Also, I love watching the other contestants dance. It has allowed me to become a better dancer by watching others and learning."

HOLLY:

Jacqueline Swigert is 13 and dances at 360 Dance in Louisville, KY. She says, "My experience has been brilliant! I love seeing different people's styles, and getting new ideas by watching their video responses that they post. I think Show You Tube You Can Dance was a wonderful idea. This has also been a wonderful opportunity to learn from different choreographers."

JACQUELINE:

Emily Hogan, Monica's sister, is 15 years old. She said, "For 9 years, I received my dance training at Centre Stage School of Dance. I have now been attending The Georgia Ballet for 3 years going on 4, and I am also a member of the Blessed Trinity Dance Company and Blessed Trinity Dance Team. One of my goals as a dancer is to broaden my creative perspectives. I want to achieve this by continually learning from new choreographers and different styles of dance. I never want to settle in my dancing; rather, I desire to expand outside of my comfort zone in my dancing. Dance is like a language to me, and I would like to develop different approaches of expressing it. This way, I can grow in my own choreography, as well. Another goal that I strive to reach through my dancing is to bring the joy and awareness of dance to others." This girl is amazing for 15. She has legs for days.

EMILY:

Amelia Lowe's entry is a fun little journey through her yard. I think she would fit in pretty well at Jacob's Pillow.

AMELIA:

Princeton Roseborough is 20. He is a hip hop dancer who is holding his own so far in this competition. He brings a different vibe to the improv sections. He is a great example of how movement is relatable throughout any genre. I do have one note for Princeton though. He totally needs to get closer to the camera.

PRINCETON:

Erin Love is 21 years old and loves in Hawaii.  Here is what she had to say:
"Well, the studio I trained and grew up at was Honolulu Dance Theatre in Hawaii. Unfortunately, they recently had to close so I am currently bouncing around a few different studios. For a while I wasn't sure how I felt about dance and I thought I could do without it. it didn't take me long to realize that I love dancing and that I really do need it in my life. Basically my goals are to just keep growing and learning as a dancer."

ERIN:

Shaye Gunter is 15 years old from Applause Studio. Another student of Emily's, Shaye hopes to one day become a Rockette. I think she will do much more than just be a Rockette.
SHAYE:

Charlie Fournier is....... well I don't know a thing about him because he never returned my email. He's rocking a headband. That's all the intro he gets.

CHARLIE:

Karissa Miles is 17 years old. She is also an Applause Studios dancer. Her video is inspired by the fact that she will soon be leaving home to go to college. "I will do just what the song says to be brave and have intent. I'm going to be excited about my future even though I'm leaving so much behind."

KARISSA:

Courtney Drew is 15 years old and attends Danceology in California. Before she posted her video she had this funny story to share: "I cant wait to lean more of the dances. I am still learning the first one and its kind of funny because I never learned a dance via YouTube. So my mom will come into the room and like see me dancing in front of the computer. "

COURTNEY:

So there you have it folks. If you want to vote for any or all of these contestants all you have to do is login in to YouTube and leave a comment that says, "you have my vote." Here is a link to all the videos on one page:
http://www.youtube.com/video_response_view_all?v=ZQC_QnWCUhY

Have fun voting! I will keep you updated on what happens in the next round.

Blog ya Later!

Matthew

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tags Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Modern, Broadway, Teacher, Enthusiast, Studio, Competitions & Conventions, Performance, show you tube you can dance (all tags)


Round 1 is here! Who is making it to Round 2? | 7 Comments | Post a Comment
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contemporary training

Hi Matthew.  I had to comment on your strong view of contemporary training.  "contemporary" just means what? It means... what is now. or new. or current. right? So in some ways, calling it a fad is absolutely correct.  But.. as the world of dance widens and evolves, so does contemporary dance. I started offering a one hour contemporary class at my studio about 2 years ago. it is a supplemental and totally optional class offered on "free night" which means you are free to come to the studio or not on this night. The class focus is on musicality, improv, quick retention of material and exploring new movement.  I have found that the kids who choose to take this class emerge as the more confident kids at the studio.  I find that they are more aggressive in their technical training.  For some of those kids, that one hour per week inspires them to stay focused.  They fall in love with the emotional expression which leads them to want to perfect their technique.  It has done wonders for us as a studio... and for me as a teacher.  It is my time to do whatever I feel like doing that week... forget about the rules for an hour and let my body dance how it naturally dances.  But... I do wish there were more jobs for contemporary dancers. What can I, as a very passionate contemporary choreographer, do about that?  

user icon Emily Shock | Sep 01, 2008 | rated none by 0 others

Hey Emily!


So to jump right in. Here is why I think "Contemporary" is a fad and I hate when people use this word. By today's standards the dance community would equate Martha Graham's movement as modern. Back in the day when she was putting together her school she named it "MARTHA GRAHAM CENTER OF CONTEMPORARY DANCE". Is Mia teaching at this school? No. Are kids at competitions entering contemporary pieces with rep from Kilian, Graham, Wheeldon, Forsythe or Duato? No. Using this term is to describe a new wave of movement is like calling an orange an apple. You can't rename the wheel if you want to call something else a wheel. Contemporary has already been established as a genre thanks to modern ballet companies in Europe.

Somewhere along the last few years the word "jazz" became dirty. Jazz is a genre of dance that is free for the choreographer/teacher to interpret the music. Jazz is a very broad term. Somewhere in the late 80's or early 90's jazz dancers began creating sub-categories. These would include Broadway jazz, lyrical, street jazz, etc. There was the fad where some teachers were exclusively teaching "lyrical". I can't remember a time when I thought lyrical was a real genre. It was invented for competitions in my opinion. Kids wanted to do more solos and competitions answered the call by putting lyrical as a separate category from Jazz. Now competitions are starting to do the same thing with this new fad called contemporary.  I had started the hear the "contemporary" genre a few years ago. It didn't take off until Mia started saying she was choreographing contemporary routines.

Here is a video from the first season of SYTYCD. In this video you will see that Mia is choreographing under the "lyrical jazz" genre. The whole first season she was a lyrical jazz choreographer.

Then all of a sudden she was a contemporary choreographer because that was the cool term for the week. This term for some reason has stuck. Here are other video examples of Mia's work under the "contemporary" genre.

These pieces are very strong examples of choreography but they are all of the same ideology. I would love for someone explain to me why now she is now considered contemporary when a few years ago she was lyrical jazz. I saw her first company's performance at Playhouse 91 in 1998 or 99. During this time her work was being labeled at modern jazz. So is there going to be another new term in the next couple of years? It's getting a little silly in my opinion. It should just be considered jazz.

I have written about the use of this word before. Here is the link: http://blog.danceruniverse.com/blog/story/2007/12/7/03336/1310

Katie Langan also wrote about contemporary ballet in last month's issue of Dancer. It's a good read.

http://danceruniverse.com/stories/issues/200808/the_spectrum_of_contemporary-Au1/

So back to your comments Emily---I think the fact that you are only offering an hour class where your students get to "forget about the rules for an hour" and allow the body to dance organically is great. Not many studios offer a class in how to improv. It's a great ability to pick up and will be a great tool for them to draw upon later in auditions. The fact that you offer a "free night" is also amazing. That's not something I hear of regularly.

I have been hearing about studios offering contemporary classes because "it is in demand" by their students. There are even teachers in NYC that claim to offer contemporary classes when they have no real experience in Europe. I know of one teacher that is trying to pass off a technique with contemporary by labeling positions as 1, 2, 3, or 4. There is one studio that a friend of mine was offered a teaching gig. He turned it down because of the way this studio was about to restructure. This studio was going to offer 6 contemporary classes to all age categories. I couldn't believe when I heard this. It's so absurd that teachers are beginning to offer this as training in their Dolly Dinkle studios. There are exceptions to everything in regards to how studios are handling this "fad". However,  I see a new generation of kids moving to L.A. or NYC with a misguided perception of this business. Most dancers start training because they fall in love with moving. Teachers should be embracing these students passion and  training their students with the mindset that this is a business.

The commercial world is heavily fueled by hip-hop. The concert world is more established market. To break in with a new style in the concert world would actually take years for the choreographer to establish credibility. Forsythe is completely embraced now but that took years of work to achieve the level of respect he has. There will never be more contemporary jobs except for inside the competition world. As the mislabeled contemporary genre expands there will be more of a demand for teachers, judges and choreographers. It probably will be very similar to life of "Lyrical". Kids trained for years in this genre and then when they went to find jobs they were stuck in the small limited lyrical circuit of teaching and choreographing in competitions. To train in one genre is like shooting yourself in the foot. For example, dancers who only specialize in ballet are probably not going to get hired in the commercial world of dance. The same thing will happen for the new batch of contemporary kids. In a few more years there will be a new fad name for jazz and they will seem archaic . It will be a never ending cycle until studios just stick to the basics and teach a well rounded program. Ballet should be a major part of the students schedule. I see more schools cutting out an additional ballet class in favor of other genres that are fads. Lyrical, contemporary, and jazz are actually all the same ideology. They all rely on a loose interpretation of a body's reaction to music. Kids are not aware of Jack Cole usage of Indian movements in his jazz choreography. Most student dancer's don't know how to Fox-trot, Ragtime, Charleston, or other steps from the early days of jazz dance in America. That's like not knowing the five basic ballet positions. After the birth of jazz came Fosse, Robbins, and Mattax. There was Luigi, Giordano and list goes on until present day. Before students embark on the road to "contemporary" they should really be aware of how the dance as evolved before going to the next step.

Those my two cents. :)

Matthew

user icon Matthew Neff | Sep 02, 2008 | rated none by 0 others

Contemporary

Matthew, I have learned a lot based on your strong view on the term contemporary dance. My dance teacher who specializes in the modern techniques of Graham and such also shares your opinions. Taking class from my high school, we were required to do a lot of research on choreographers and history and evolution of dance, so I understand your frustration with the tossing of the term contemporary. A private studio I go to sometimes offers a contemporary class but it is more like what Emily described, a class where you let go of things you learned and try and dance as organically as possible. So now, leaving the European history behind, contemporary -- in my opinion -- is loosely thrown with the genre of organic dancing. Sure, it incorporates many other styles of dance, but then again it all comes down to dance is universal. I think with SYTYCD, they threw in contemporary to the season two line up because the general public became confused with all the different styles. How many normal people could differentiate between street jazz, lyrical jazz, pop jazz, and such? In my opinion, I believe it was just easier to throw out contemporary as a term for the public. Obviously I don't have the same long list of dance experience as others, so my opinions might be less credible than others but that's my spiel. Thanks for the clear up on the term. This situation is all to familiar like modern (Graham, Limon, etc) vs. modern as in hip hop. So many students at school enroll in modern thinking it is a hip hop class. Hahahaha, if only it was easy to universally clear up all dance genres.

user icon trandrew | Sep 02, 2008 | rated none by 0 others

Just a Thought

Contemporary dance is such a hot term right now.  Companies have named themselves in honor of it, and many dancers aspire to become a contemporary dancer.  To me, like some of you have expressed, it is a complete fusion of dance forms because in reality what is it? In most cases it is ballet with modern undertones, a little jazzy, etc.  There are too many combinations to mention, and they have been well discussed in the comments above.  It can be danced in point shoes, ballet slippers, or barefoot.  Most companies that consider themselves contemporary ballet companies still perform in point shoes, but trade traditional ballet steps for those with a twist of more modern movements. "Pointe Magazine" recently even dedicated a whole issue to Contemporary Ballet.

In the mid 1900's George Balanchine choreographed works which came to be tagged as neoclassical ballet.  This came under some criticism for its departure from the traditional ballet shapes.  He included more angular arms, parallel feet positions, and twists of the body. Those who have seen his "black and white/leotard ballets" know what I'm talking about.  All of these shapes were derived from traditional ballet steps. Under his direction of New York City Ballet he did not give a "contemporary" class, it was a full ballet class in the Russian style.  I was told by a former dancer with the New York City Ballet that he believed with this solid foundation a dancer could move and shape their body in any way that was desired.

This makes complete sense, and the development of contemporary classes is truly new wave.  If a dancer has a firm base of training, it is the job of the choreographer to mold them.  It is my opinion, and I think the opinion of many, that they should not need to be trained and conditioned in the particular style of the steps.

However, I think new movement and choreography is always necessary to dance as it moves through the ages. I'm not sure contemporary is really a genre as much as it is just choreography.

user icon Meryl Cates | Sep 03, 2008 | rated none by 0 others

amen!

"It is my opinion, and I think the opinion of many, that they should not need to be trained and conditioned in the particular style of the steps.

However, I think new movement and choreography is always necessary to dance as it moves through the ages. I'm not sure contemporary is really a genre as much as it is just choreography."

I couldn't agree more with you!

user icon Matthew Neff | Sep 04, 2008 | rated none by 0 others

[ Parent ]

so matthew....

If you don't want it to be labeled contemporary... what should it be called? Don't make your answer too long because it overwhelms me. (slightly kidding)

I was wondering as I was teaching last night, as I was teaching my contemporary class, "if this isn't important... I'm really confused".  Like, what is important here in this classroom?  Is it the main goal that I am training these students to work in commercials, music videos and stuff like that?  Or is it important that I am speaking to them about all of their possibilities... choreographing, decision making, expression, finding their voice with dance and in life, venturing out, creating challenges never before imagined, reaching those goals and ruling the world.  I want my students to have a general knowledge of things that have come before but to have an intense focus on the sky... on all the possibilities.

I have to say that I think that sometimes the dance is trained right out of kids.  It really is. They learn the limits of it before they can explore it and grasp its endlessness.  its enormity.  its all-encompassing beauty. its artful expression.  

So anyways, please don't discount the importance of what I am teaching by getting caught up in what people name it.  I think this class is important.  I know that it is because I feel it and it doesn't feel like a fad. It doesn't feel cool.  It just feels like dancing. Maybe I should just call it "dancing class".

user icon Emily Shock | Sep 04, 2008 | rated none by 0 others

[ Parent ]

Dear Emily,

I don't want to make you feel like I am putting down the work you are doing with your students. It's a great thing to inspire imagination. It's not the actual movement that I am against. I am against the label of it.

I think this statement you made is exactly what all teachers should be thinking:
"Like, what is important here in this classroom?  Is it the main goal that I am training these students to work in commercials, music videos and stuff like that?  Or is it important that I am speaking to them about all of their possibilities... choreographing, decision making, expression, finding their voice with dance and in life, venturing out, creating challenges never before imagined, reaching those goals and ruling the world.  I want my students to have a general knowledge of things that have come before but to have an intense focus on the sky... on all the possibilities."

There are too many teachers who limit their students. There are too many teachers that lead their students down a road of false possibilities. You have had success as a teacher, choreographer, and as a mentor to your students. Your students have had a wide spectrum of success. Even with all those achievements there is still a need to evolve with the ever changing demographic of the dance community. Now some in the dance community have created this false genre that is in fact just choreography with the wrong label.

So will you be a leader that stands up against the use of the title or a follower? In my opinion to teach kids today that they are learning this thing called "contemporary"  is only pushing them down the road of false possibilities.

What should it be called? That's not for me to decide but it belongs in the jazz vernacular. I would just call in jazz. I wouldn't even call it contemporary jazz because contemporary still conjures the use of modern and ballet techniques as the base of the movement.

I hope the length didn't overwhelm you. (slightly kidding)

user icon Matthew Neff | Sep 04, 2008 | rated none by 0 others

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