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DWTS vs. SYTYCD
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Matthew Lybanon
Jun 26, 2012, 6:32:22 PM6/26/12
to
Which show is better, Dancing With the Stars or So You Think You Can
Dance? You may have a personal favorite, but the shows are so different
that it's a classical apples/oranges comparison.
I like both shows. Here's how the comparison looks to me.
Similarities:
* Both shows involve a competition based on dancing.
* Both shows have three judges, and the head judge is British.
Differences:
* DWTS--The competitors are amateurs without dance training.
SYTYCD--The competitors are professionals, or dancers who want to become
pros.
* DWTS--No tryouts (at least none are broadcasts). SYTYCD--The first
several episodes show tryouts.
* DWTS--Competitors (those who remain) progress from being non-dancers
to becoming good dancers. SYTYCD--Skilled dancers show they can cope
with a variety of dance styles.
* DWTS--Competitors dance ballroom (including Latin), many different
varieties. SYTYCD--Competitors dance a small amount of ballroom, and
also other dance styles.
* DWTS--The dances are social dances (Members of the audience might
Waltz at a wedding, or do some of the other dances at a club or a party.
Maybe not at the level of the routines on the show, but those dances.).
SYTYCD--Most of the dances are performance dances (How many audience
members will ever dance Bollywood, or Contemporary, or Krump, or
Ballet?).
* DWTS--Competitors partner with pros. SYTYCD--Competitors partner with
each other (when partnering is involved). [In recent seasons the
competitors have danced with "All Stars," some of the top competitors
from previous seasons, making it a little more like DWTS.]
* DWTS--The professional partners design the choreography.
SYTYCD--People not involved in the performances design the choreography.
* DWTS--No age limit for competitors. SYTYCD--Maximum age 30.
* The scoring systems are different. And the grand prizes are VERY
different.
Dance? You may have a personal favorite, but the shows are so different
that it's a classical apples/oranges comparison.
I like both shows. Here's how the comparison looks to me.
Similarities:
* Both shows involve a competition based on dancing.
* Both shows have three judges, and the head judge is British.
Differences:
* DWTS--The competitors are amateurs without dance training.
SYTYCD--The competitors are professionals, or dancers who want to become
pros.
* DWTS--No tryouts (at least none are broadcasts). SYTYCD--The first
several episodes show tryouts.
* DWTS--Competitors (those who remain) progress from being non-dancers
to becoming good dancers. SYTYCD--Skilled dancers show they can cope
with a variety of dance styles.
* DWTS--Competitors dance ballroom (including Latin), many different
varieties. SYTYCD--Competitors dance a small amount of ballroom, and
also other dance styles.
* DWTS--The dances are social dances (Members of the audience might
Waltz at a wedding, or do some of the other dances at a club or a party.
Maybe not at the level of the routines on the show, but those dances.).
SYTYCD--Most of the dances are performance dances (How many audience
members will ever dance Bollywood, or Contemporary, or Krump, or
Ballet?).
* DWTS--Competitors partner with pros. SYTYCD--Competitors partner with
each other (when partnering is involved). [In recent seasons the
competitors have danced with "All Stars," some of the top competitors
from previous seasons, making it a little more like DWTS.]
* DWTS--The professional partners design the choreography.
SYTYCD--People not involved in the performances design the choreography.
* DWTS--No age limit for competitors. SYTYCD--Maximum age 30.
* The scoring systems are different. And the grand prizes are VERY
different.
Ron Capik
Jun 27, 2012, 10:24:42 PM6/27/12
to
quibble with any of what you've said.
I'd tend to think DWTS appeals more to celeb followers,
and SYTYCD appeals more to the technical competition
minded folks. Put another way, fun vs serious.
I'm biased in the technical/serious side.
==
Later...
Ron C
--
Matthew Lybanon
Jun 28, 2012, 9:20:08 AM6/28/12
to
In article
<lybanon-402288...@70-3-168-216.pools.spcsdns.net>,
I forgot to mention:
* DWTS--Live music. SYTYCD--Recorded music.
<lybanon-402288...@70-3-168-216.pools.spcsdns.net>,
* DWTS--Live music. SYTYCD--Recorded music.
Matthew Lybanon
Jun 28, 2012, 9:24:12 AM6/28/12
to
In article <7qidndw7D7blXXbS...@giganews.com>,
Have you noticed that, on SYTYCD, many of the outstanding dancers get
their harshest criticism from the judges when they dance ballroom?
There are a number of possible reasons (example: There are
well-established guidelines for judging ballroom competitions, less so
for other genres), but my guess is different. Ballroom dancing involves
leading and following--even when dancing a choreographed routine--which
is foreign to dancers trained in other styles. Just my opinion.
their harshest criticism from the judges when they dance ballroom?
There are a number of possible reasons (example: There are
well-established guidelines for judging ballroom competitions, less so
for other genres), but my guess is different. Ballroom dancing involves
leading and following--even when dancing a choreographed routine--which
is foreign to dancers trained in other styles. Just my opinion.
Message has been deleted
Nancy2
Jun 29, 2012, 12:29:01 PM6/29/12
to
On Jun 28, 4:04 pm, Zob <zobva1 @ gmail.com> wrote:
> On Tue, 26 Jun 2012 17:32:22 -0500, Matthew Lybanon
> reality show competition on television today be it dance, singing, or
> whatever. The production values, the camera work, the direction, the
> highest level of the talent, and the absolutely professional unbiased,
> pointed and yet kind judging cannot be matched. DWTS is "fluff"
> compared to SYTYCD IMO.
IMO, they shouldn't even be compared. One is a competition based on
skill, and one is a popularity contest just for fun. They each have
their place and they each have their fans. I do not "appreciate"
modern dance, jazz, the hip-hop/street styles, or lyrical dance. I
love classical ballet and I love folk dance (Ballet Folklorico, for
example). I also love DWTS, just because of the pros and the
host(s). But they are apples and oranges.
N.
> On Tue, 26 Jun 2012 17:32:22 -0500, Matthew Lybanon
>
> <lyba...@earthlink.net> wrote:
> >Which show is better, Dancing With the Stars or So You Think You Can
> >Dance?
>
> No contest AFAIC. I think that SYTYCD is far and away the best
> <lyba...@earthlink.net> wrote:
> >Which show is better, Dancing With the Stars or So You Think You Can
> >Dance?
>
> reality show competition on television today be it dance, singing, or
> whatever. The production values, the camera work, the direction, the
> highest level of the talent, and the absolutely professional unbiased,
> pointed and yet kind judging cannot be matched. DWTS is "fluff"
> compared to SYTYCD IMO.
IMO, they shouldn't even be compared. One is a competition based on
skill, and one is a popularity contest just for fun. They each have
their place and they each have their fans. I do not "appreciate"
modern dance, jazz, the hip-hop/street styles, or lyrical dance. I
love classical ballet and I love folk dance (Ballet Folklorico, for
example). I also love DWTS, just because of the pros and the
host(s). But they are apples and oranges.
N.
Matthew Lybanon
Jun 30, 2012, 6:19:15 PM6/30/12
to
In article
<ede75467-de79-4814...@a8g2000vbk.googlegroups.com>,
that they really can't be compared. I think you can enjoy DWTS watching
(some of) the (amateur) contestants improve their dance skills from zero
to a fairly high level, and you can enjoy SYTYCD watching the
(professional) dancers cope with styles they have never attempted before.
SYTYCD has a slightly better scoring system. The DWTS scoring system
encouraged abuse (that discussion is out of the scope of this
discussion), though in the latest season they did some things to improve
it. But the SYTYCD scoring system gets input from the public, made up
of people who in many cases go for the flashy stuff rather than the best
dancing. And remember, the show claims to choose America's FAVORITE
dancer, not America's best dancer.
<ede75467-de79-4814...@a8g2000vbk.googlegroups.com>,
Nancy2 <ellor...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jun 28, 4:04 pm, Zob <zobva1 @ gmail.com> wrote:
> > On Tue, 26 Jun 2012 17:32:22 -0500, Matthew Lybanon
> >
> > <lyba...@earthlink.net> wrote:
> > >Which show is better, Dancing With the Stars or So You Think You Can
> > >Dance?
> >
> > No contest AFAIC. I think that SYTYCD is far and away the best
> > reality show competition on television today be it dance, singing, or
> > whatever. The production values, the camera work, the direction, the
> > highest level of the talent, and the absolutely professional unbiased,
> > pointed and yet kind judging cannot be matched. DWTS is "fluff"
> > compared to SYTYCD IMO.
>
> IMO, they shouldn't even be compared.
That was the point of the original post. The two shows are so different
> On Jun 28, 4:04 pm, Zob <zobva1 @ gmail.com> wrote:
> > On Tue, 26 Jun 2012 17:32:22 -0500, Matthew Lybanon
> >
> > <lyba...@earthlink.net> wrote:
> > >Which show is better, Dancing With the Stars or So You Think You Can
> > >Dance?
> >
> > No contest AFAIC. I think that SYTYCD is far and away the best
> > reality show competition on television today be it dance, singing, or
> > whatever. The production values, the camera work, the direction, the
> > highest level of the talent, and the absolutely professional unbiased,
> > pointed and yet kind judging cannot be matched. DWTS is "fluff"
> > compared to SYTYCD IMO.
>
> IMO, they shouldn't even be compared.
that they really can't be compared. I think you can enjoy DWTS watching
(some of) the (amateur) contestants improve their dance skills from zero
to a fairly high level, and you can enjoy SYTYCD watching the
(professional) dancers cope with styles they have never attempted before.
SYTYCD has a slightly better scoring system. The DWTS scoring system
encouraged abuse (that discussion is out of the scope of this
discussion), though in the latest season they did some things to improve
it. But the SYTYCD scoring system gets input from the public, made up
of people who in many cases go for the flashy stuff rather than the best
dancing. And remember, the show claims to choose America's FAVORITE
dancer, not America's best dancer.
Message has been deleted
Matthew Lybanon
Jul 1, 2012, 10:22:56 AM7/1/12
to
In article <dnhvu7l43tvj4jrlu...@4ax.com>,
> on SYTYCD have a dance-off and the dancer who is eliminated is chosen
> by the expert judges. That tends to keep the most talented dancers
> in to the end rather than it being as much of a sheer popularity
> contest as is the case with several other reality competition shows,
> both dancing and singing.
>
> By contrast, on DWTS more often than not a football player or other
> sports figure ends up in the finals -- or even winning -- because they
> have a huge fan base who will vote for them regardless of how good or
> bad they may be. Last season is a prime example. I know it's just my
> opinion, but for me it was a jaw-dropping travesty that the relatively
> unknown (in America) Katherine Jenkins, a much better dancer, should
> have taken second place to Donald Driver, who happened to be a
> well-known sports figure. His win had little to do with dancing.
>
> OTOH, I do enjoy both shows, each for different reasons as Nancy said.
> One for the fun, entertainment value; the other for the mind-blowing
> skill of the contestants and choreographers.
If the SYTYCD traveling show makes it to a location anywhere near where
you live, go see it. We saw the most recent touring show, and it was
wonderful. Very interesting: Seeing the dancers "live," we got a
different impression than we got watching the show. On TV you can only
see what the cameras show (unfortunately, sometimes it's audience
reaction when we would rather be watching the dancers). Watching the
live show we saw what the judges saw. And of course the dancers were
the best of the best.
> On Sat, 30 Jun 2012 17:19:15 -0500, Matthew Lybanon
> <lyb...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> >But the SYTYCD scoring system gets input from the public, made up
> >of people who in many cases go for the flashy stuff rather than the best
> >dancing.
>
> True... but that's offset by the fact that the two lowest vote getters
> <lyb...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> >But the SYTYCD scoring system gets input from the public, made up
> >of people who in many cases go for the flashy stuff rather than the best
> >dancing.
>
> on SYTYCD have a dance-off and the dancer who is eliminated is chosen
> by the expert judges. That tends to keep the most talented dancers
> in to the end rather than it being as much of a sheer popularity
> contest as is the case with several other reality competition shows,
> both dancing and singing.
>
> By contrast, on DWTS more often than not a football player or other
> sports figure ends up in the finals -- or even winning -- because they
> have a huge fan base who will vote for them regardless of how good or
> bad they may be. Last season is a prime example. I know it's just my
> opinion, but for me it was a jaw-dropping travesty that the relatively
> unknown (in America) Katherine Jenkins, a much better dancer, should
> have taken second place to Donald Driver, who happened to be a
> well-known sports figure. His win had little to do with dancing.
>
> OTOH, I do enjoy both shows, each for different reasons as Nancy said.
> One for the fun, entertainment value; the other for the mind-blowing
> skill of the contestants and choreographers.
If the SYTYCD traveling show makes it to a location anywhere near where
you live, go see it. We saw the most recent touring show, and it was
wonderful. Very interesting: Seeing the dancers "live," we got a
different impression than we got watching the show. On TV you can only
see what the cameras show (unfortunately, sometimes it's audience
reaction when we would rather be watching the dancers). Watching the
live show we saw what the judges saw. And of course the dancers were
the best of the best.
Ron Capik
Jul 1, 2012, 11:13:02 AM7/1/12
to
crazy in all these shows. How the heck can one vote properly if
they never see the performance from the judge/audience perspective?
Dance choreographed for the stage is quite different from dance
choreographed for the camera(s).
==
Later....
Ron C
--
Moni
Jul 13, 2012, 12:03:13 PM7/13/12
to
"Matthew Lybanon" <lyb...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:lybanon-402288...@70-3-168-216.pools.spcsdns.net...
> Which show is better, Dancing With the Stars or So You Think You Can
> Dance? You may have a personal favorite, but the shows are so different
> that it's a classical apples/oranges comparison.
>
> I like both shows. Here's how the comparison looks to me.
No question. SYTYCD. DWTS is a joke, 99% of the time, in my opinion.
> Dance? You may have a personal favorite, but the shows are so different
> that it's a classical apples/oranges comparison.
>
> I like both shows. Here's how the comparison looks to me.
--
Moni
If the horse is dead...dismount.
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