Why You Should Be Watching "So You Think You Can Dance"

"So You Think You Can Dance" is an amazing one-of-a-kind television show. As in seasons past, this year it's bringing culture into the living room of everyone in America with a television. You can see it on Wednesdays at 8:00 and Thursdays at 9:00 PM Eastern. The show is in its fifth season and currently auditioning for its sixth.

The website is at http://www.fox.com/dance/

What's so amazing about the show? Everything. The show takes the time to showcase many different genres of dance, many of which may not be familiar to mainstream audiences. Some of the dance styles featured are contemporary, jazz, jive, ballroom, Bollywood, hip hop, Broadway, disco and so much more.

This is the type of programming that can open people up to worlds they otherwise wouldn't have ever seen or loved. The caliber of performances that are going on every week and extremely high. So you can usually not only get exposure to many different types of dance, but you are also seeing the best of those versions.

Not only that, but it can expose you to music you've never heard before as well, also from across all genres.

This show regularly brings me to tears and gets me standing up on my feet cheering in my living room. Dance can evoke such incredible emotion. The thing about dance performance also is that many people simply can't afford to go see them in real life done by professionals. So this brings them something that isn't often accessible to them. They get to see a sampler platter from the world of dance, which is an incredible opportunity.

I yell at the television while I'm watching this show the same way that my husband yells at basketball games. Any show that can inspire that type of participation from me in my living room is doing something right.

I would highly recommend that you give this show a chance, and give it a couple of episodes. Because the beauty of the show is the same thing that's the beauty of the art form as a whole. It's about what it can teach you about yourself. You could be watching for 45 minutes and not see anything that catches your interest. But there could be one style of dance that hits you where you live and captivates you, changing you and your interests forever.

That's the beauty of art in all its forms; it has the power to teach you something surprising about yourself.

It's also a gateway drug. You may not have ever suspected that you'd appreciate the art of dance. But maybe after seeing some episodes, you decide to spring for a live performance for a genre that you liked or your first Broadway musical. It can impact you like that, and it should. You never know, it may speak to you so much that you find yourself in a dance class.

In my opinion, this show is far more riveting than, "American Idol" could ever be which I know will not win me a lot of votes in any popularity contests. "AI" has its place, it does. But this show offers more diversity of programming, more genres, more guest stars, and in my opinion...more benefits from watching.

Please, give this show a chance. Check it out on the web, find some performances on YouTube, do whatever it takes to catch a glimpse of some of the most cultured, exciting, emotional television happening this summer.