Gears of Dance
Yep, we’re gearing up. Getting ready for some
dance
dance
dance
The question is, of course, do you think… you CAN…. win the SYTYCD-FDL?
Just watching the auditions, I can say this: Season 6 is gonna be SICKAWNING. Who are you hoping gets in the top 20? Russell? Yeah, me too.
Will any of the Vegas favorites get far on the show? Which ones will crumble under the pressure? Will it be another sneak attack by a lesser known talent? I mean, this is why we watch the show, right? For the drama… the war.
And there will be war.
But it’s also nice to know that with each season of the show, our eye for clean lines and technique is getting sharper. Our tolerance for emotional manipulation is evaporating (unless the dance is about a terminal illness). And our growing appreciation for abstraction, stylistic interpretation, and the avant garde is changing what we like about dance… what we consider to be great dance… especially when it’s scored to an Annie Lennox tune.
Now, several of you played last season, so you know the drill. A big part of the FDL is about luck. We make our picks early and we stick to them… before we really even know any these people. We use our instincts, our best judgment, some of us even rely on data from fan sites, or use facial recognition technology to compare past contestants to new. It’s a rapidly growing animal, the FDL, and new techniques are being pioneered almost every season that we do this.
In a way these dancers will be our own children over these months; a set of vigenuplets whose potential we will rank from their birth. A family we will commit to, nurture, and occasionally yell at. And laugh at. And roll our eyes at.
But it’s not all luck. Just like the last go around, there will be an element of weekly participation… and that participation can seriously mean the difference between victory and a dislocated, protruding ankle bone (I actually got a little light headed typing that… no joke). But here’s the thing… I’d like to refine the FDL on my end too… and in order to do that, I’m gonna need your help.
What worked for you in the last game?
What didn’t?
Were there any ideas you had/have for making it a more interesting tournament?
I’ve already decided that this time, our means of communication will not be limited to twitter. Weekly Bonus Picks or similar gaming elements will have a new method for submission. I’m doing this, because I’d like to open the FDL to those who may not have twitter accounts… or who don’t do much social networking at all. I chose twitter last time, in the hope that it would encourage twitter conversation about the FDL. And in some ways, I think it was totally successful. For example, I know a few of you newbies learned about the FDL through that chatter.
But I think we can still make it work by opening it up. I just need a system that’s not all over the place. I am, after all, the guy who recently flow-charted his life for the next year.
So what do you think? Help me here. I want to post the full rules shortly after the 20 are revealed this week. What would you suggest for changes or additions to last season’s rules?
I’m, of course, opening this up to any of you new folks too. Take a read of last season’s rules/point system and share your thoughts.
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Caryl on 19 Oct 2009 at 3:45 pm #
I can’t think of any way to improve the system from last time. I think it was pretty tight.
Maybe after reading other answers I may be able to contribute.
Video links worked great for me! When I missed a show, it was easier to catch up. I think I did a search once, and had trouble finding all the dancers. But, I know that’s asking a lot of you to always add video links. Just want to let you know I appreciated it, though!
Jules on 19 Oct 2009 at 11:41 pm #
as for the system, I agree with Caryl, it seemed to go pretty dang smoothly, in my opinion… and the video links were super helpful, and much appreciated, since I work Wednesday nights and can’t always get home in time! maybe we could all try to post links we come across, since they’re not always easy to find?
and, yeah, that guy’s pretty awesome. totally hope he makes the top 20. there’s a whole lot of amazing talent… was there this much talent in the audition stage of previous seasons?? I do not envy the judges their responsibility.
oh, look, it’s after midnight. again. g’night! xoxoxo
kelseroo on 20 Oct 2009 at 12:25 pm #
I am so excited! I am also glad that a twitter account will not be required this time (especially because I just deleted my twitter account). I agree with Caryl that the video links you posted were very helpful in case people missed the episode, but I also realize that is a lot of work for you. I thought the set up was great last time, I have no suggestions yet…
John Cabrera on 20 Oct 2009 at 9:43 pm #
I’m actually glad to hear that the links were helpful last season, mostly because that’s already an aspect of the FDL I want to enhance. I’ll explain more in my next post.
Kels, nice! You’re one of a small list of folks who inspired this change. I think there are a few other’s I know that would play if they weren’t reliant on twitter to be competitive, so I’m very happy to read your comment.
Carmen on 21 Oct 2009 at 11:33 am #
I’m looking forward to the FDL
and Caryl is right, i can’t think of any way either to improve it, everything worked fine and it was a lot of fun! ha, well, i got an idea, but right now i’m kind of not able explain it in english (in a way that it is understandable and not just confusing), my day was just too long and i can’t think straight… ^^ but i’ll definatly try to find the right words tomorrow 
it’s nothing spectacular, and you probably thought of it already!
i’ve got a question about the auditions… i haven’t watched any of them yet, and also not the ones in the season before, so are those in las vegas the most important ones to get to know the top 20? last time, i just picked them while watching the top 20 show, where the first couple got eliminated… this time I wanna know the background stories of the participants, it’s probably a bit easier to choose them then…
lizz on 21 Oct 2009 at 12:33 pm #
I’m in it for the Alcove sandwiches.
John Cabrera on 21 Oct 2009 at 3:46 pm #
Carmen, I have to say, I rarely watch the auditions. I usually wait until Vegas week. But this time I did watch them, and I’m glad I did. I think it’s going to make me an unstoppable force this time. Getting to know some of these contestants early on has been very helpful.
But if you can’t get caught up before next week when the top 20 start performing, I suggest you at least check out the last two Vegas episodes. I really do think it’ll give you an edge.
Lizz, not sure if it’ll be Alcove this time. But it’ll be something similar.
I’m excited yous! (<-yous… I'm gonna use that more. Starting right now with a tweet)
kelseroo on 21 Oct 2009 at 8:03 pm #
Ok I just watched the episode where they picked the top 20… I have one thing to say- its ABOUT TIME we got some Tap dancers representing in the top 20! So happy about that.
Jules on 21 Oct 2009 at 9:30 pm #
I’m excited, too!! but I think I’m going to be an emotional wreck every week. I’m already totally attached to pretty much all of them. *facepalm*
hey, yous… looking forward to getting to know any of you I don’t already know! John always gathers the coolest people around him, being pretty awesome himself.
xoxoxo