If you’re anything like me, dance shows have an inexplicable place in your heart. I was never much of a dancer. I stopped taking ballet around age 6 and the only dance I took for longer was Israeli dancing, which everyone in my neighborhood took so they could get through bar and bat mitzvahs in seventh and eighth grade. I don’t even like dancing at clubs. For some reason, I find myself drawn to watching incredibly talented people dance.
So, whether you are a dancer or just love to watch dance, here’s a list of shows for you:
Reality Competition
Dancing with the Stars– Celebrities pair of with professional dancers and compete each week. This is my least favorite of the competition shows, primarily because the talent level is not that high. This is simply the reality of the competition. Most of the celebrities are not trained dancers (or even rhythmical) and so the choreographers are limited in what they can do. The celebrities are meant to be the draw for the show, but I started watching this season primarily because Alison Holker from So You Think You Can Dance was recently added to the list of pros. She has always been one of my favorite dancers on the show and I am always excited to see what she can do.
So You Think You Can Dance- SYTYCD showcases probably the highest caliber of dance on TV as dancers must compete in all styles of dance. The choreographers are impressive and incomparable (there is a reason the show has had 37 Emmy nominations, 11 of which they won) and the dances they create can sometimes move you to tears. If you aren’t watching this show already, you should be. The dance world is a small one and the dancers from SYTYCD are a big part of that world.
America’s Best Dance Crew- Sadly this show is no longer on TV, but it, like SYTYCD, featured many talented dancers. The biggest difference was that rather than compete as individuals, the dancers competed as crews and choreographed their own routines. What was particularly fun about this show was the way it challenged the dance crews to incorporate different elements into each week’s show. Themes can often hinder a competition series, but in the case of ABDC, it only enhanced the competition.
Non-Competition Reality
All the Right Moves– Starring SYTYCD dancers Travis Wall and Nick Lazzarini as they try to start their own dance company with a friend. Many other SYTYCD dancers appeared on the show as well. As I have come to expect from Travis, the choreography was impressive and the drama was never-ending. The series may not have lasted long, but it definitely made me want to go to one of their performances. (I haven’t had a chance yet since they do not often come to New York, but one of these days…)
Breaking Pointe- This behind the scenes show about a ballet company didn’t offer anything particularly unique or dynamic about the ballet world, yet I could not stop watching. Ballet is not my favorite type of dance but there was a lot of drama to keep me engrossed.
Dance Moms– Watching this season’s Dancing with the Stars brought me to Dance Moms because Alison Holker performed with a young girl named Maddie Ziegler, who stars on the series. This show is fun to watching because despite their young age, the girls are talented. The moms and the dance teacher, Abby Lee Miller, are frustratingly confusing. At any given moment you will agree with one of them, only to question them the next moment. The moms often try to speak to Abby when they disagree with her decisions, yet they constantly do it in front of the girls and without concern for their feelings. Abby often yells at the moms and punishes kids for their parents’ behavior, but there is no denying her success. Maybe that’s part of the fun?
Scripted
Bunheads- I can’t think of the last time I was so upset about a series being canceled. The series followed a Vegas showgirl and aspiring dancer as she becomes a dance teacher in a small town. The show was surprisingly moving and funny and not only did it feature talented dancers, but it showed that dancers do not have to have a single body-type to be successful. Plus, Amy Sherman-Palladino of Gilmore Girls awesomeness was the creator. Not to mention the series guest starred Jeanine Mason.
Dance Academy- I stumbled across this Australian series while surfing Netflix. The dancing is not particularly complex (nothing to laugh at just not SYTYCD caliber), but the story lines are engrossing. It deals with eating disorders, injuries, death, and more. While I found Tara, the main character frustrating (literately everything goes her way 95% of the time despite her not deserving it and being annoying), I enjoyed just about everyone else and there was a great deal to be excited about.
Shake It Up- Disney channel’s dance show follows two best friends who are cast on a dance show. Despite featuring characters the same age as those from Dance Academy, these two could not be any more different. The issues are the typical issues seen on Disney shows with hi-jinks and goof-ups. The tone is loud and bright. These aren’t necessarily bad things. The series is fun and frequently guests excellent dancers, but if you were hoping for a serious dance series, this isn’t for you.
The Next Step– Canadian dance series The Next Step is a teen series about a competitive dance team on the road to national competition. The greatest weakness of the series is that the acting is pretty weak. The entire cast is made up of dancers, not actors, so this is to be expected. The show compensates for this by being shot reality-style, so the not quite natural behavior makes sense. The show is full of over-the-top drama but somehow it is still enjoyable. There’s a mix of Mean Girls, Make It or Break It, and every single Disney Channel show. Somehow though, it manages to have some real heart. You can’t help but root for the different characters as they try to figure out their feelings for each other and have a dance revolution.
Are there any shows I missed?
Which ones have you seen?
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