I have a confession: I'm not technically re-watching the audition episodes from season 1. I'm seeing them for the first time. And that is just as well, since if I'd seen these episodes back in 2005, I would have never watched the show again. The entire point of these episodes seems to be "let's look at all the people who
think they can dance and laugh at them!" In two episodes covering auditions in 3 cities, they aired approximately 12 auditions that were actually worth watching, and the majority of those were from LA.
I was surprised at just how different the first episode felt. I'm used to a show that takes aspiring professional dancers and turns them into professional dancers and stars. Episode 1 presents the show's goal as taking ordinary people who love to dance on the streets and in clubs, and finding the select few who are truly able to dance. Nigel announces time and time again that they are casting a show that isn't just about dancing ability - it's also about looks and personality, and he tells quite a few people (girls) explicitly that their dancing is weak but they are getting through because they are hot. I suppose it's always nice to be told a TV producer thinks you're good looking, but none of these girls seem to be upset that they lack as much talent as the other contestants. I'm bothered by how patronizing Nigel and the other producers are, and I can't help but wonder - are they just less open about the importance of appearance now? When was the last time we saw someone truly homely of either gender make the show? I can't think of a single contestant, although I can think of a number of auditionees. So what's the deal? Appearance is clearly part of dancing. Can you only be successful as a dancer if you're attractive? Or is the show discriminating because the producers only want to put attractive people on TV?
