So You Think You Can Dance Canada: Cancelled

(Jordan Clark, the last So You Think You Can Dance Canada champion in a CTV photo.)

I had word today that So You Think You Can Dance Canada is being cancelled.

Apparently, the powers that be at CTV have decided that the show is too expensive to produce and so they have pulled the plug after the best season ever.

This makes me sad and angry all at the same time. I'm sad for all the dancers out there all across the country who will no longer have this platform to expose their talents. As I sat in the audience week after week, I'd watch some of the young kids that Josh Hellyer would bring up onstage to dance during commercial breaks and wonder if I'd see them audition in future seasons.

But nope, sorry, guess you'd better all haul your butts to L.A. and see if you can get on the American show.

I have no doubt that CTV will continue to carry the U.S. So You Think You Can Dance, along with American Idol, X Factor and so on.

And I have nothing against these show, obviously; I blog about them, too. But is it not part of a Canadian network's mandate to support made-in-Canada shows?

SYTYCD Canada has always had a special place in my heart. I love dance. I'm a bit of a frustrated dancer at heart, having started ballet lessons as a kid and dropped them months later because my parents could no longer afford the cost.

I can hardly even put into words how much I have enjoyed watching this show every season, seeing the dancers blossom, getting to talk to them and get a sneak peek at their incredible passion for their art.

Truth be told, I was afraid this might happen. The thinking when Bell Canada parent company BCE bought CTV late last year was that there'd be a house cleaning of staff and that TV shows connected to the CTV old guard would be on the chopping block. I fervently hoped this would not be the case with Dance, but looks like I was wrong.

So long So You Think You Can Dance Canada. It's been a wonderful four seasons. Thanks for the memories.

Comments

[Claudia Smith]

'I'm very disappointed to hear the news. I have been watching the last four seasons, and I'm absolutely amazed the talent we have in Canada. My daughter was so excited to dance the next auditions, now its not going to happen. I hoping CTV will reconsider and know how important this is for Canada.
How do we start a petition...dance... dance...dance...

[Not a Great idea]

I'm pretty sure the show would have had better ratings if it had started in September. Starting it at the beginning of summer when Canadians are out enjoying the good weather was a sure fire way to have the ratings drop. Maybe they did it on purpose so there would be an easy excuse to drop the show.

[kevin]

Oh but CTV has no problem in running a show by a NON Canadian Guy called X Factor... Go Simon and lets not forget his little side kick Paula....... Nice Move xlax........

[anne streit]

I think the Canadian version of SYTYCD is great and do not want to see it cancelled. In response, I have sent an email to CTV, and voted in CBC's poll. (Will you miss SYTYCD Canada?) Even if CTV doesn't reverse its decision, maybe CBC will pick it up.

[A. GORMAN]

i agree with decision. the show became nonsence in many ways. the judges
are very unproffesional. many choreografies are distasefull, cheep.
when the show started, i could not beleive that CANADA IS REPRESENTED BY THOSE JUDGES. John MARK and TRE simply have no respect from
people who dance proffesionally.

[Josh]

I'm probably in the minority here in the sense that I didn't like it. I thought the judges and host were poorly chosen (Leah constantly doting on every dancer can get really grating after a few minutes, Luther and Tré are kinda boring to listen to, and Jean-Marc, bless him, but his talents would be best utilized in choreographing and not judging). It was a little too artistic for my tastes; while I think it great that the show highlights the brilliant dancers in this country, the obvious offset of bad auditioners during the preliminary stages of the show kinda left me bored. Like American Idol, I wanna see a balance of skilled, talented dancers with sob stories with people who come on the show to make a fool of themselves.

I guess I'm the reason why only 975,000 people watched Jordan be crowned winner. If it had been edited and presented better, I would have religiously watched.

[R. Evangelista]

The show got cancelled not because of the dancers but because of the judges. Over the years the show became less about the dancers and more about the judges' vanity. I stopped watching because they just became far too annoying. Jean Marc alone would always have a speech ready that I would have to mute just to get through the show. He and the others rarely had anything constructive to say. They were there to critique and not play the celebrity. The judges blew off their paycheques and Leah's attempts at being a den mother to the kids was wholly insincere. Rather then just being themselves they all felt that they had to act!!! Too bad about the kids but the end was near when the judges started feeling like they were the show and it wasn't about dancing anymore. Pathetic and sad.

[monica]

I can't understand why they keep cancelling all the decent shows and keep these stupid reality shows on. This was one of my favorite shows and was looking forward to another season. But once again its gone.My kids love this show Please bring it back so we can have something decent to watch!!!

[Dot Rowlandson]

So You Think You Can Dance Canada highlighted the amazing talent that exists in our country. I am so disappointed with this decision that it has pretty much convinced me to drop all CTV programming. There was very little to watch until this show took over. This demonstrated how talented these Canadian dancer are, and we outshone the US. I guess we would rather watch more asinine TV. Well not this girl. I am not surprised that so many people are dropping all these channel. CTV should feel shame for this cowardly and embarassing move. We finally had a Canadian TV show that demonstrated the passion and talent that lives in this country. Shame on all who made this monumental mistake!