So You Think You Can Dance launched season five last night with auditions from New York City and Denver. Mercifully, much of the emphasis this time around wasn’t on the sideshow attractions – contestants who try out with little or no dance experience – but on the dancers and their stories. The new approach was apparent from the very first audition and demonstrated why the show is such a guilty pleasure for so many.
Gabi Rojas of Albuquerque, New Mexico, stepped modestly onto the stage after a brief summary of her background, which included an upbringing in the circus and a battle with rheumatoid arthritis. Her audition displayed versatility, athleticism and technique and brought the judges to their feet. The camera cut to the other contestants in the audience during the applause. Sure, they were out of their seats cheering and clapping, too, but they were also exchanging nervous glances that seemed to say, “Do I have to audition after that performance?”
Nigel gushed, “If you are not in this year’s top 20, I’ll be surprised...I think it’s possibly one of the best auditions I’ve ever seen over five years. Whenever we talk about mixing technique with performance, you have just done that and shown everybody what we’re talking about.”
