We Have A Winner!

Well, folks - it's official!  Last night produced a winner of So You Think You Can Dance Season 8, and I couldn't have been happier about America's selection!

A huge CONGRATULATIONS to Season 8 Winner Melanie Moore - she was deemed the original "beast" of this season, and she showcased insane talent in pretty much every number she danced in.  She not only is a brilliant technician, but she also brings a high level of performance and character awareness to her dancing, and that is a difficult skill to master - especially when you're only nineteen years old.

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This post is a tribute to her greatness, so I figured it would only be right to bring some of the numbers of hers that I loved best to all of you.  Dance fans, enjoy!

Melanie & partner Marko - "I Got You" - hiphop routine by Tabitha & Napoleon


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Melanie & partner Sasha - "Girl Power" - lyrical jazz routine by Sonya Tayeh


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Melanie & partner Neil - "Total Eclipse of the Heart" - contemporary routine by Mandy Moore


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And what would my blog be if I didn't give a tip of my hat to choreographer (and SYTYCD Season Two Runner Up) Travis Wall for this absolutely breathtaking concept piece?

Melanie & partner Marko - "Turn To Stone" - contemporary (WEEK ONE!!!) routine by Travis Wall


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Congratulations again to Melanie Moore on the big win - but also to all of the other Season 8 contestants - this is not the end of the road for you.  All of you possess something so magical and so special and it's now your time to share your light with the world!

And as a closing note, I must express my deepest thanks to Executive Producer, Nigel Lythgoe, and his team of dance soldiers for continuing this amazing program for eight seasons now. As someone who was enrolled in dance classes for fifteen years of her life, I know exactly what dance can do - the joy it can bring, the focus it cultivates, the athleticism and exercise that come as part of the process - dance NEEDS to be a constant in the world today. Kids and adults alike need to be able to get up and DANCE and make the world a better place, and I am so happy to see dance get the credit and attention it deserves.

From showcasing the world's most talented choreographers, to having judges on the panel who actually know how to properly critique a dancer (and consequently prepare them for the real world - professional dance is nothing if not cutthroat), and also creating a national holiday centered around dance (National Dance Day = July 31st, y'all!),  So You Think You Can Dance is a trailblazer in the industry! The show has proven results - contestants on this program book jobs, and as a dancer - that is always the goal.

Hats off to all of you!

Until next time,