So You Think You Can Dance Australia

infobox television
show_name = So You Think You Can Dance (Australia)


caption = "So You Think You Can Dance Australia" logo
genre = Interactive reality game show
creator = Simon Fuller
Nigel Lythgoe
presenter = Natalie Bassingthwaighte
judges = Jason Coleman
Matt Lee
Bonnie Lythgoe
producer = FremantleMedia Australia
executive_producer =
developer =
country = AUS
filmed = Flagicon|AUS Sydney, Australia
network = Network Ten
picture_format = HDTV 1080i
audio_format = Surround
first_aired = 3 February 2008 - present
last_aired =
num_episodes =
website = http://ten.com.au/dance/
imdb_id =
tv_com_id = 74813

"So You Think You Can Dance Australia" is the Australian version of the American reality dance-off series "So You Think You Can Dance". [ [http://ten.com.au/dance/home.htm So You Think You Can Dance Australia Official Website on Ten - So You Think You Can Dance ] ] The show is hosted by Rogue Traders vocalist Natalie Bassingthwaighte, with Jason Coleman, Matt Lee and Bonnie Lythgoe acting as the judges. The series began airing on Sunday 3 February 2008 at 7.30pm and continued on Sundays and Mondays until the final on 27 April 2008. [ [http://ten.com.au/dance/about.htm About the TV Show - So You Think You Can Dance Australia - So You Think You Can Dance ] ] Jack Chambers was the inaugural winner of "So You Think You Can Dance Australia" 2008.

Overview

Auditions for the first season were held from October to November 2007 in Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. After being selected, through either an impressive initial audition or after a choreography workshop, the top 100 finalists spent a week in Sydney for more auditions, ultimately forming a group of 20. A 600 seat arena was constructed in Sydney for the finals.

Several finalists later performed during the 2007 "Australian Idol" grand final, as well as Ten's New Year's Eve broadcast. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MUR7mVJwMA Australian Idol Final - So You Think You Can Dance] ]

The song played after each female and male elimination differs each week.

Comparison with US version

* In the US version, two main judges (Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy) and a guest judge appear each week on Performance and Results night. Australia has three main judges who usually appear in each episode, with the odd exception when a fourth judge (such as Mary Murphy from the American version and Australian choreographer Kelly Aykers) joined the panel for one week.
* Each dance couple has to pick their genre from a bucket at a warehouse or backstage, instead of a hat on the stage.
* At certain stages in the top 20, "Surprise Challenges" are given out as well as their normal dances. Surprise challenges include the couple making their own dance choreography to a selected song and having all the females or males dancing together.
* Jason Coleman does all the talking when eliminating one contestant from both the bottom three males and females.

Ratings

The 3 February 2008 premiere of "So You Think You Can Dance Australia" attracted a peak audience of 2.15 million viewers. The show was the night’s top-rating program, averaging 1.83 million viewers over its timeslot. [ [http://www.ebroadcast.com.au/enews/ten/Dance-Up-A-Ratings-Storm-040208.html Dance Up A Ratings Storm] ] The following two audition episodes also put up respectable figures, peaking at 2.04 million and 1.94 million viewers respectively. The Sunday night Top 100 show averaged 1.6 million viewers to become the most watched program of the night. [ [http://www.ebroadcast.com.au/enews/ten/TEN---Dance-Tops-The-Night-050208.html TEN - Dance Tops The Night ] ] [ [http://www.ebroadcast.com.au/enews/ten/TEN---Dance-rocks-the-block-070208.html TEN - Dance rocks the block ] ]

After its debut, the weekly performance show averaged around 1.5 million viewers. The series one finale averaged 1.8 million viewers, peaking at 2.2 million viewers nationwide. Over 50% of Ten's key 18-49 age demographic had tuned into the show. [ [http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/04/dance-ten-ratings-18m.html Dance TEN, Ratings 1.8m] ]

Controversy

Jason Coleman has been questioned over his position as judge on the show, with members of the dance community accusing him of being under qualified, and using incorrect jargon on the show, calling a pivot a promenade. Eliminated contestant Marko Panzic also accused Coleman of playing favorites. [ [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23343022-2902,00.html TV judge Jason Coleman rocks dancers] ] Critics also cite a possible conflict of interest due to Coleman's external business relationship with choreographer Kelly Aykers. Some critise "So You Think You Can Dance, Australia" exhibits the worst dancers of any series.Coleman has responded to these criticisms, saying: "Mate, this is just nit-picking. With this show a pivot is the same thing as a promenade. In my world it's called a promenade, in the ballroom dancing world it's called a pivot. I'm aware of the differences but I don't have time in my minute-and-a-half speech to explain that." In response to the Aykers issue, he said: "Kelly Aykers has delivered three great routines. I would never put myself in a position where I would compliment a person's work because they are my friend. If the work deserves a compliment it will receive it, if it does not, it will not." [ [http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23342955-5001026,00.html Dance judge branded 'amateur'] ]

The show has also received criticism from the Australian dance community and mainstream media over the representation of the art of dance on the show. In one example, commentator Valerie Lawson observes that "So You Think You Can Dance Australia" goes further. Its very success ... is compromising dance as a performance art. The audience is led to believe that the most obvious effort, the most athletic of tricks, and the most vulgar of moves, represent dance at its best. As hips swivel, the studio audience cheers. When a guy lifts a girl with as much finesse as a forklift truck the audience roars its approval." [ [http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/opinion/australia-you-cant-dance-like-that/2008/03/02/1204402265772.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1 Valerie Lawson - Australia, you can't dance like that" Review] ]

On two occasions the show has accidentally broadcast profanities during the PG-rated live show. On the first occasion, Ten issued an apology for a "indistinct and muffled" profanity uttered during the first elimination show, and promised that "efforts [have been] redoubled to prevent such an incident happening again." [ [http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23241603-5006014,00.html Cursing catches Ten on the hop] ] Nonetheless, when Sermsah Bin Saad was making his speech after being eliminated, he accidentally swore on national television, saying, "You guys are so fucking awesome!". At that time, Sermsah didn't realize that it was on live and apologised after finding out his mistake. In this case the profane word was censored during broadcast. [ [http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/03/on-high-dancer-drops-f-word.html On a high, dancer drops the F word] ]

Finalists

From over 3000 contestants, 20 dancers (10 males and 10 females) were chosen to compete in the elimination series, which began on 17 February 2008.

Men

Women

References

External links

* [http://ten.com.au/dance/ So You Think You Can Dance Australia official website]
* [http://ten.com.au/ten/dance-auditions-Hosts-and-judges.html So You Think You Can Dance Australia official information on the host and judges]
* [http://www.ebroadcast.com.au/e-news/uploads/1/SYTYCD_Top_20.pdf So You Think You Can Dance Australia Top 20 Finalist biographies]