So You Think You Can Dance

This weekend I went to Sydney to audtion for so you think you can dance. It was quite the experience. When you watch it on tv it just all looks so real but I'm sorry to say it, but it is very staged. I got to Sydney Harbour at around 7:30 to register. We all waited in line outside. There were about I would say 300 people tops. I was kindof suprised I thought there would be so many more people. They gave us wristbands and we all had to fill out consent forms, which basicly take away all of your rights. you sign your life away to let this people put whatever they want on their show.

As we were waiting in line for forever camera men walked up and down the line interviewing people and trying to get people to do all sorts of entertaining things for them. If they saw anyone practicing that they thought would be interesting they would make them dance for them. After waiting for people to show up they started to film the opening shot for the Sydney Auditions. A nice car full of the judges drove down the street and stopped at the building that we were trying out in. We had to scream and yell and act all excited and then run after the car and cheer while the judges walked out waved all that little bit walked up the stairs, which lead to nothing by the way. It was all just for looks and then when that was over, "okay guess that was great but we are going to do two more takes." I could not stop laughing I knew it was a show but I just didn't realize how staged it actually was. It was just so interesting to take part in.

Once we all got through all the staged filming of the introduction we got to go inside and wait in the holding room where people warmed up and they told us what was going to happen. They continued to go around interviewing people. They told us how important it was to really sell yourself and became a personality the more you did that they better chance you would have to make it on the show. Then they got everyone together and made a circle for people to dance in the middle. All for filming purposes but it was still really fun.

Finally I got to go try out we went in groups of 10 and they took us down to a warehouse where they had put down a floor and some judges sat behind the table, but these weren't the real judges on the show they were just producers of the show who picked people based on their dancing abilities, if they had interesting life stories, would be entertaining, and so forth. I got to watch two groups in front of me audition and it was funny to see who they chose to send to the next round with the judges because they weren't always the best ones. There was one very unfortunate man that was probably in his late 30s that tried out and he was absolutely awful and I knew that he only made it because it would make entertaining television, but he was just so happy. It was kindof heartbreaking to watch.

Each group was given a song and one by one you were to free style. Then they chose who would stay and who would go. I did not get chosen to stay, but that is quite alright with me. I was really there for the experience and it was quite an interesting one to say the least. It was a once in a lifetime thing and I'm really glad I went through with it. I was very nervous and definitely did not do my best but it was so much fun.

So hopefully I will get a chance to see the show before I go home and maybe see some of the people I met and tried out with.