The Reality TV Show Mentality

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It looks like we're not seeing the end of reality TV dance shows in 2011. Paula Abdul has a new show on CBS. MTV is premiering a sixth season of America's Best Dance Crew in April. And Fox juggernaut So You Think You Can Dance will likely chug on. Advertisers and networks must be under the impression that the niche audience for these dance shows are still viable. Or they're fresh out of any new ideas. Reality TV has been a double-edged sword for street dance culture. It has exposed many new faces to mainstream America. But at the same time, it has created something like a television ghetto for dancers. Before this TV wave, street dancers would fight for the rare opportunity to appear in a commercial, music video, or national tour spot. Now, it's getting on a reality show and hoping that it becomes the springboard for more opportunities.
The strategy has worked for some. If we look at the graduating classes from ABDC, the JabbaWocKeeZ moved on to their current show in Las Vegas. Quest Crew and the Beat Freaks appeared in multiple commercials and film cameos. And Poreotics continues their wave of success performing and teaching outside Los Angeles where they've found new fanbases around the U.S. and the world. But it's been three years since ABDC first premiered. It's been close to six years since SYTYCD debuted in our home screens. And there haven't been significant strides in how dancers are seen as commercial performers by the mainstream public. It can be argued that dancers are not seen as storytellers. People may pay to see some "amazing dancing" in a live show, but they aren't expecting us to make them laugh or cry with a story.
Does reality TV have something to do with this? On these shows, dancers are portrayed as artists and colorful personalities. But they're not given an opportunity to shape their own stories. A reality TV show is a game, after all. You get on the show and you play by the pre-established rules in order to advance. You're only able to show aspects of yourself that the producers will allow. So because of reality TV, dancers of all genres are only valued for what they can do in a prescribed format. We seem to exist only to perform on a stage with music, doing a routine. It's unfortunate to see a whole generation of new talent being taken advantage of by studios and networks. They'll have to work so much harder in order to break out of that box even with the recent opportunities they're getting.