It’s official. I have my Sunday and Monday nights blocked out for the next three to four months. So, don’t bother calling me because my eyeballs will be glued to the television set, and sticking a telephone to my ear as well could just get messy.
Last night, I cried on and off for ninety minutes, and I loved it! Why? Because SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE has finally quick stepped its way to Australia, and it has everything that makes great television. Tears. Tantrums. Passion. Commitment. Divided loyalties. Fear. Unexpected success and bitter disappointments. This is life with all the highs and lows and no boring bits in between. Pure inspiration on tap, and in digital.
In a world where so many of us hide our true selves behind protective masks, and deny our deepest desires, it is refreshing and heartening to see such passion and open vulnerability on screen. These young men and women, a mixture of trained and untrained dancers, are on that stage ripping out their still beating heart and throwing it to the judges. They don’t know what the result will be, and some will leave disappointed. But, I hope they realize that they are ALL WINNERS because they had the COURAGE TO PURSUE A DREAM.
For me, great dance is as powerful as a great film or book. Dance tells a story with the body, and an impassioned performance touches us because we see the truth in it. The vulnerability, hope and universal spirit that connects us all. A great dancer is pure fire; pure heart. And this is why the judges on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE are always parroting on about connecting with the audience. You can’t be a great dancer unless your body becomes an instrument of human truth.
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE is not only the best of reality television; it contains a valuable life lesson for everyone. Time does not stand still. We don’t know how long we have on this earth, so if you’re not pushing outside your comfort zone, asking the big questions and moving towards your dreams, then you’re not really living. You’re killing time.
If your life ended tomorrow, would you have any regrets? Or would you know that you’d given it your all and died trying? I know which way I’d rather go out.
To all you Aussies out there, watch SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE - AUSTRALIA. It’s compelling television and an inspiring end to the weekend. And you never know, maybe you’ll realize you wouldn’t mind learning some new moves yourself.
Photo by -Noot-
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