Comments for University of Utah Blog: Redthread.utah.edu http://redthread.utah.edu The official blog for the University of Utah Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:05:15 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 Comment on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (SYTYCD) – Elimination round #2 with 16 left/Listen to your judges. by joan http://redthread.utah.edu/so-you-think-you-can-dance-sytycd-%e2%80%93-elimination-round-2-with-16-leftlisten-to-your-judges/2942/comment-page-1#comment-120 joan Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:05:15 +0000 http://redthread.utah.edu/?p=2942#comment-120 So, wow, I thought Mollee's do or die last night was fantastic. Really glad to see her still in the competition. She was super charged; is her youthful athleticism part of the quality that made her so exciting do you think? Almost an undefinable quality there that made her stand out fromt the rest. And I'm not saying this because I really liked her before. I was ready to see her go bye bye. So, wow, I thought Mollee’s do or die last night was fantastic. Really glad to see her still in the competition. She was super charged; is her youthful athleticism part of the quality that made her so exciting do you think? Almost an undefinable quality there that made her stand out fromt the rest. And I’m not saying this because I really liked her before. I was ready to see her go bye bye.

]]> Comment on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (SYTYCD) – Elimination round #2 with 16 left/Listen to your judges. by Stephen Koester http://redthread.utah.edu/so-you-think-you-can-dance-sytycd-%e2%80%93-elimination-round-2-with-16-leftlisten-to-your-judges/2942/comment-page-1#comment-119 Stephen Koester Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:39:44 +0000 http://redthread.utah.edu/?p=2942#comment-119 Dear Commenter on post #2942, Thank you for your great and insightful comments. Yes SYTYCD does go beyond entertainment. Certainly the level of dancing and choreography can take it there, and the care, support, honesty and depth of knowledge that these judges bring is certainly different than what we see on most reality competition shows. I'm glad Adam is a permanent judge. Some of the other judges, Mary and Nigel excluded, were not the greatest, though I miss Mia Michaels. I wonder what has happened and if we will see her choreograph this season. Steve Koester Dear Commenter on post #2942, Thank you for your great and insightful comments. Yes SYTYCD does go beyond entertainment. Certainly the level of dancing and choreography can take it there, and the care, support, honesty and depth of knowledge that these judges bring is certainly different than what we see on most reality competition shows. I’m glad Adam is a permanent judge. Some of the other judges, Mary and Nigel excluded, were not the greatest, though I miss Mia Michaels. I wonder what has happened and if we will see her choreograph this season.

Steve Koester

]]> Comment on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (SYTYCD) – Elimination round #2 with 16 left/Listen to your judges. by joan http://redthread.utah.edu/so-you-think-you-can-dance-sytycd-%e2%80%93-elimination-round-2-with-16-leftlisten-to-your-judges/2942/comment-page-1#comment-118 joan Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:22:02 +0000 http://redthread.utah.edu/?p=2942#comment-118 Yes, the judges can be wonderful. Adam is so fresh and funny and honest. He exudes credibility. Sometimes Mary's critiques are so generous and spot on they make me well up inside with happiness for the dancer. And you can feel the dancers absorbing the words--perceptive, intelligent, informed--that turn the show into something more than "entertainment." It's a gift, really, to watch someone who has worked so hard be rewarded by an austere, appreciative, and loving eye. Yes, the judges can be wonderful. Adam is so fresh and funny and honest. He exudes credibility. Sometimes Mary’s critiques are so generous and spot on they make me well up inside with happiness for the dancer. And you can feel the dancers absorbing the words–perceptive, intelligent, informed–that turn the show into something more than “entertainment.” It’s a gift, really, to watch someone who has worked so hard be rewarded by an austere, appreciative, and loving eye.

]]> Comment on Getting Ready for Turkey, Bursa, Turkey, That Is. by audemutah http://redthread.utah.edu/getting-ready-for-turkey-bursa-turkey-that-is/2933/comment-page-1#comment-116 audemutah Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:44:41 +0000 http://redthread.utah.edu/?p=2933#comment-116 Ruth and Norma arrived in Istanbul. Stand by for pictures of the Blue Mosque and other sites. Awaiting the arrival of Scott, Mary Beth, Rosie plus Lazi and Adrian from Gonzaga Ruth and Norma arrived in Istanbul. Stand by for pictures of the Blue Mosque and other sites. Awaiting the arrival of Scott, Mary Beth, Rosie plus Lazi and Adrian from Gonzaga

]]> Comment on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (SYTYCD) –Los Angles. We have the final twenty. Finally. by jpmyers http://redthread.utah.edu/so-you-think-you-can-dance-sytycd-%e2%80%93los-angles-we-have-the-final-twenty-finally/2927/comment-page-1#comment-113 jpmyers Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:15:54 +0000 http://redthread.utah.edu/?p=2927#comment-113 SPOILER ALERT (though more like BREAKING NEWS alert): ******* Looks like Billy had to drop out already because of illness: http://www.givememyremote.com/remote/breaking-sytycd-news-one-dancer-already-out-of-top-20/ Sad, because it would be amazing to see how he would do in this competition. I'm personally looking forward to seeing how the Krumper and Break Dancer do this year - especially because they both seemed to do so well in the other styles, despite having considerable training in contemporary or jazz. SPOILER ALERT (though more like BREAKING NEWS alert):
*******
Looks like Billy had to drop out already because of illness: http://www.givememyremote.com/remote/breaking-sytycd-news-one-dancer-already-out-of-top-20/

Sad, because it would be amazing to see how he would do in this competition.

I’m personally looking forward to seeing how the Krumper and Break Dancer do this year – especially because they both seemed to do so well in the other styles, despite having considerable training in contemporary or jazz.

]]> Comment on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (SYTYCD) – Las Vegas. Athletes, Doctors and Lion Tamers. by audiencemember http://redthread.utah.edu/so-you-think-you-can-dance-sytycd-%e2%80%93-las-vegas-athletes-doctors-and-lion-tamers/2921/comment-page-1#comment-111 audiencemember Sun, 25 Oct 2009 02:54:13 +0000 http://redthread.utah.edu/?p=2921#comment-111 I too wondered why the dancers were suddenly thrown into the roles of choreographer. It may add ratings- dancers in the dark, working late into the night...will they finish?- but the task has other merit as well. SYTYCD is growing up, and perhaps it is asking its dancers to grow up along side. Dancers who create dances that are an orgy of high kicks and body rolls often do not have the artistry to succeed in an increasingly versatile and adult art form. By seeing how dancers created movement to show off their own talents and at the same time understanding that dance is something emotional that should not be taken advantage of (with, say, jazz hands), the judges might be able to discern who has 'grown up' enough to join the show. So maybe the audience should be ready for even more artistically and viscerally gripping pieces in the season to come. It's time for the audience to mature too. I too wondered why the dancers were suddenly thrown into the roles of choreographer. It may add ratings- dancers in the dark, working late into the night…will they finish?- but the task has other merit as well. SYTYCD is growing up, and perhaps it is asking its dancers to grow up along side. Dancers who create dances that are an orgy of high kicks and body rolls often do not have the artistry to succeed in an increasingly versatile and adult art form. By seeing how dancers created movement to show off their own talents and at the same time understanding that dance is something emotional that should not be taken advantage of (with, say, jazz hands), the judges might be able to discern who has ‘grown up’ enough to join the show.
So maybe the audience should be ready for even more artistically and viscerally gripping pieces in the season to come. It’s time for the audience to mature too.

]]> Comment on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (SYTYCD) – Boston. Egos on Parade. by Stephen Koester http://redthread.utah.edu/so-you-think-you-can-dance-sytycd-boston-egos-on-parade/2870/comment-page-1#comment-101 Stephen Koester Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:35:45 +0000 http://redthread.utah.edu/?p=2870#comment-101 <a href="#comment-100" rel="nofollow">@joan</a> Thanks for your comments. I do think it is possible to become transcendent through technique - either that you are so brilliant at it (which very few are) or you are so invested in it that it becomes who you are in that moment. Simply showing off technique is not enough. Showing off technique is ego and doesn't allow the movement to speak for itself. Those who have great technique and who capture me usually also have something else going on. I think Mary and Nigel want both technique and an authenticity of expression, and beyond that, a full integration of the two. @joan
Thanks for your comments. I do think it is possible to become
transcendent through technique – either that you are so brilliant at
it (which very few are) or you are so invested in it that it becomes
who you are in that moment. Simply showing off technique is not
enough. Showing off technique is ego and doesn’t allow the movement
to speak for itself. Those who have great technique and who capture
me usually also have something else going on. I think Mary and Nigel
want both technique and an authenticity of expression, and beyond
that, a full integration of the two.

]]> Comment on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (SYTYCD) – Boston. Egos on Parade. by joan http://redthread.utah.edu/so-you-think-you-can-dance-sytycd-boston-egos-on-parade/2870/comment-page-1#comment-100 joan Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:40:03 +0000 http://redthread.utah.edu/?p=2870#comment-100 This gets to something that I have felt watching the show: some of the dancers put so much feeling into their movements that you start to feel a transcendent quality that just goes straight to your heart. It's really powerful stuff. I know for other arts that that is what separates the good from the great. I would assume it's the same for dance, yet I wonder if somehow in dance if being technically brilliant doesn't translate into feeling, as it were. I mean, when you think of ballet (and this is just my impression) it seems to be the technique, the perfection, that is awe-inspiring. I do like how Mary and Nigel reward those dancers who bring a certain personal quality to what they are doing that comes from a "larger place". In fact, I think that they are sometimes willing to overlook "technique" for authenticity of expression...although I might be wrong about that. This gets to something that I have felt watching the show: some of the dancers put so much feeling into their movements that you start to feel a transcendent quality that just goes straight to your heart. It’s really powerful stuff. I know for other arts that that is what separates the good from the great. I would assume it’s the same for dance, yet I wonder if somehow in dance if being technically brilliant doesn’t translate into feeling, as it were. I mean, when you think of ballet (and this is just my impression) it seems to be the technique, the perfection, that is awe-inspiring. I do like how Mary and Nigel reward those dancers who bring a certain personal quality to what they are doing that comes from a “larger place”. In fact, I think that they are sometimes willing to overlook “technique” for authenticity of expression…although I might be wrong about that.

]]> Comment on So what’s wrong with the TV show SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE by Stephen Koester http://redthread.utah.edu/so-whats-wrong-with-the-tv-show-so-you-think-you-can-dance/2688/comment-page-1#comment-97 Stephen Koester Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:19:20 +0000 http://redthread.utah.edu/?p=2688#comment-97 <a href="#comment-95" rel="nofollow">@joan </a> Dear Joan, Thank you for your comments regarding my blog. The Department has many non-majors classes all of which would develop a greater appreciation for dance. There is one class I teach in the Spring titled Demystifying Dance as an Art Form - What the Heck Does it all Mean?, which is particularly geared to provide the tools with which to better interact with dance. @joan
Dear Joan, Thank you for your comments regarding my blog. The Department has many non-majors classes all of which would develop a greater appreciation for dance. There is one class I teach in the Spring titled Demystifying Dance as an Art Form – What the Heck Does it all Mean?, which is particularly geared to provide the tools with which to better interact with dance.

]]> Comment on So what’s wrong with the TV show SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE by joan http://redthread.utah.edu/so-whats-wrong-with-the-tv-show-so-you-think-you-can-dance/2688/comment-page-1#comment-95 joan Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:14:46 +0000 http://redthread.utah.edu/?p=2688#comment-95 I love this. With this one post, I feel my appreciation has increased ten fold. Kinesthetic, metaphoric, imagistic! Wow. This reminds me of when I started taking literature classes at the U. I always really loved reading, but I just didn't have a vocabulary to express, hence, appreciate, what I was thinking/feeling. I mean try reading Ulysses on your own and then take a class and see how much more you get out of it. Interestingly, the entry into both disciplines are similar:go with your gut, write down your ideas, let what you like inform what you think. Perhaps the dance department has "appreciation" classes for your average Joan. Again, thank you. I love this. With this one post, I feel my appreciation has increased ten fold. Kinesthetic, metaphoric, imagistic! Wow. This reminds me of when I started taking literature classes at the U. I always really loved reading, but I just didn’t have a vocabulary to express, hence, appreciate, what I was thinking/feeling. I mean try reading Ulysses on your own and then take a class and see how much more you get out of it. Interestingly, the entry into both disciplines are similar:go with your gut, write down your ideas, let what you like inform what you think. Perhaps the dance department has “appreciation” classes for your average Joan. Again, thank you.

]]>