I recently tuned into an episode of “So You Think You Can Dance,” a popular dance show, and was quickly reminded why, as a ballet dancer, I tend to avoid these kinds of competitions. My frustration mounted as I watched audition after audition, observing the judges’ seemingly shallow understanding of “technique” and “talent.” Their criteria appeared to revolve around tricks, excessive turns, and extreme flexibility. It felt less like a genuine dance competition and more akin to a contortionist showcase. This experience led me to reflect on other similar programs like “World of Dance” and “America’s Got Talent,” and their portrayal of various dance genres.
While I appreciate the platform these Dance Shows offer to a diverse range of dance forms, from dynamic hip hop to expressive contemporary and rhythmic tap, there’s a noticeable absence, or rather, a marginalization of classical ballet. By largely excluding ballet dancers and prioritizing fleeting moments of shock value like tricks and hyper-flexibility, these shows fail to accord ballet the respect it deserves, unlike other dance genres they feature. This observation sparked a connection in my mind to a broader trend in American culture, where I believe the arts, in general, are often not valued as essential avenues for profound communication and meaning.
Towards the end of one particular episode, something caught my eye. I recognized a familiar face – Danielle Dreis, a fellow dancer and student from the University of Utah. She was auditioning with the technically demanding “Gamzatti Variation” from Marius Petipa’s iconic classical ballet, La Bayadère. Her segment was brief, no more than 30 seconds, yet even in those short excerpts, her performance displayed clean, precise ballet technique and exquisite upper body artistry. Despite this evident skill, she didn’t advance beyond the initial round. Intrigued, I decided to interview Danielle to gain deeper insights into this apparent bias against ballet within these popular dance shows.
Dreis recounted that early in the audition process, the producers of “So You Think You Can Dance” (SYTYCD) expressed a desire for “something new and something different.” She believed ballet, with its rigorous technique and refined aesthetic, would indeed offer a fresh perspective to the show. “I was sure ballet would be new to the show. I don’t recall many ballerinas on SYTYCD even though Nigel [Lythgoe, one of the judges] mentioned some participating previously.” She revealed that she was the sole classical ballet dancer among the thousands auditioning in Los Angeles. From an initial pool of 6,000 hopefuls at the LA auditions, the judges selected approximately 30 participants – 15 males and 15 females – none of whom were ballet dancers. Dreis further noted that many of her highly accomplished ballet peers, some already dancing professionally, faced similar first-round eliminations at the New York auditions.
Indeed, in the history of SYTYCD, only one dancer explicitly identified as a “ballerina” has ever clinched the winning title: Eliana Girard in Season 9. While Girard’s performances occasionally leaned towards classical ballet, her choreography was often adapted to align with the show’s emphasis on spectacle. For instance, in her rendition of the Sugarplum Fairy Pas de Deux, both the choreography and musical arrangement were truncated to feature primarily the lifts, turns, and jumps – the “tricks.” While the full Pas de Deux is rich with moments of delicate beauty and emotional depth, these nuances were largely overshadowed by the flashier, more easily digestible elements that propelled Girard forward in the competition.
When I probed Dreis about the judges’ criteria for “technique,” she admitted, “I don’t know…but that most definitely wasn’t a quality they were only looking for, because I demonstrated pure technique in my audition.” The judges on these dance shows consistently seem to prioritize performances laden with acrobatic tricks: high leg extensions (where a dancer stands on one leg and raises the other to a 180-degree angle), aerial cartwheels (executed without hand contact with the ground), and rapid, consecutive turns in various positions. Any display of extreme bodily contortion appears to captivate their attention and garner praise.
While ballet may not primarily aim to showcase overt “tricks,” it cultivates a different kind of virtuosity and offers unique advantages to dancers. Ballet training instills a sense of refinement and poise, evident in the graceful carriage of the upper body and the seemingly effortless technical execution. Ballet technique emphasizes groundedness and confidence in movement, fostering a disciplined approach that proves invaluable across diverse dance styles.
It’s important to acknowledge that ballet, too, possesses its own demanding repertoire of technically challenging steps that could even be considered “contortions.” For example, the notoriously difficult 32 fouettés en tournant involves a dancer executing 32 consecutive turns on one leg while rhythmically whipping the other leg in and out, the toe meeting the knee with each turn. “Penché,” another striking ballet movement, resembles a contortion as the dancer extends one leg vertically behind the body, achieving a 180-degree split while maintaining an upright head and back.
Despite the years of rigorous training and dedicated practice required to master these balletic feats, they often seem to pale in comparison to the perceived “wow” factor of aerials, walkovers, and hyperflexibility on dance competition shows. Dreis offered a possible explanation for this disparity: “For some reason, [the judges] think the tricks are more impressive and bring in more viewers than the difficulty and beauty of highly defined technique. Maybe audience members don’t know the value of classical technique.” This suggests a potential disconnect between the values celebrated by these dance shows and the deeper artistic merit of classical dance forms.
Consequently, judges on these dance shows often exhibit hesitation when evaluating ballet dancers. In Eliana Girard’s initial audition for SYTYCD, Mary Murphy, a long-standing judge, commented that Girard was one of the rare ballet dancers who possessed “soul.” However, even in Girard’s case, the judges’ commentary frequently fixated on her physical attributes, such as her elongated limbs and the impressive height of her leg extensions. It appeared their definition of “soul” was intrinsically linked to the dancer’s capacity to execute visually striking tricks.
I questioned Dreis if she believed her choice of a classical ballet piece might have contributed to the judges’ apparent lack of engagement. She responded, “I did feel like I received less of an interview prior to performing, and less attention with my classical solo than those with contemporary, tap, or even hip hop solos. If I had auditioned with a contemporary solo, I am almost positive I would have made it farther in the competition… If I go back next year with a contemporary solo, and succeed farther, it is proof that ballet is disregarded in comparison to other commercial dance genres.” This suggests a systemic bias within these dance shows that favors commercially popular genres over the perceived “less accessible” art of ballet.
Similarly, “World of Dance,” another prominent dance show, also heavily emphasizes flashy tricks, spectacular jumps, and extreme flexibility. The judges’ feedback on a particular audition by Madison Brown, a 12-year-old contestant in the “Juniors” division, particularly struck me. Derek Hough, one of the judges, praised her as “mature” because she executed a backbend deemed “anatomically impossible.” Another judge, Ne-Yo, stated his constant search for dancers who could make the “leg lift” more captivating. Jennifer Lopez, the third judge, even instructed Brown to point her foot so she could express her admiration for how it resembled “a hook.” Lopez also lauded Brown’s “womanly quality” in her movement, considering it beyond her years. Clearly captivated by these superficial aspects of dance, the judges advanced Brown to the next round.
Dreis offered further insight into such judging decisions, suggesting that some judges on these dance shows might lack the necessary qualifications to assess the nuances of various dance genres, particularly ballet. Dreis elaborated, “[The] majority of the judges on [her] panel had no idea how difficult the execution of many of the steps were, especially on freshly waxed plastic flooring, without properly warming up, after sitting and filming for hours prior in pointe shoes. They were NOT qualified…There are many negative comments towards Vanessa Hudgens even having any dance knowledge or background at all.” This raises questions about the expertise and credibility of the judging panels on these influential dance shows.
Of the 15 qualifier videos I reviewed from the second season of “World of Dance,” not a single one featured classical ballet. By consistently marginalizing ballet, SYTYCD and World of Dance implicitly convey to their vast audiences that ballet dancers somehow lack the “soul” or emotional expressiveness supposedly inherent in contemporary, hip hop, tap, and ballroom dancers. This implicit message, reinforced through the shows’ structure and judging criteria, ultimately disrespects ballet as a vital and expressive art form.
“America’s Got Talent” takes this marginalization a step further, not only excluding ballet from its competition but, in Season 11, actively degrading it through a farcical comedy segment. My extensive search for ballet performances on the show yielded nothing but a brief comedic act called “Les Bunheads.” This segment blatantly mocked ballet, devolving into an on-stage catfight. It was a deeply unprofessional portrayal that reinforced negative stereotypes of ballet as childish and irrelevant. Unsurprisingly, the judges swiftly dismissed “Les Bunheads” before they could even complete their routine.
Ultimately, these competitive television dance shows fail to represent ballet, or indeed dance as a whole, in a positive or accurate light. By excessively emphasizing tricks and superficial displays, the judges prioritize gimmicks over genuine artistry, diminishing the subtleties and expressive potential of dance. Ballet, as a genre, inherently emphasizes nuanced expression, deep emotion, and artistic “soul.” Dreis recounted that while the judges offered her positive feedback during her live audition, the show selectively aired only their negative comments, exemplified by Vanessa Hudgens’ remark, “I just didn’t see that passion, that fire.” Such reductive statements completely disregard the immense dedication, rigorous discipline, and intellectual engagement demanded of ballet dancers. As a genre of television programming, SYTYCD, World of Dance, and America’s Got Talent collectively devalue dance as a profound art form, transforming it into a mere sporting spectacle.
In the United States, artistic pursuits, in general, are often not accorded the same level of respect and cultural value as they are in many other parts of the world. Dance occupies a unique position within the arts, representing a powerful intersection of athleticism and artistry. Yet, these popular dance shows persistently focus on easily digestible tricks and flashy contortions, reducing dance to a superficial display and overlooking its inherent nuance and depth. Instead of fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the spontaneity and expressive range of dance, these television programs are highly orchestrated and premeditated. They disproportionately reward the most sensationalized and obvious acts. Dreis even revealed how audience reactions are pre-recorded and artificially inserted into the shows post-audition to amplify the perceived excitement around certain “stunts”: “The film crew had the audience make reactions prior to any of the audition solos, when nothing was occurring on stage.” Witnessing these dance shows serves as a stark reminder of the irreplaceable experience of being in a theater, where one can truly witness a movement unfold organically and perceive dancers authentically embodying the emotions embedded within their steps. Television dance shows, in their current format, fundamentally fail to honor the genuine passion and profound soul of ballet and, arguably, dance itself.
