When Did So You Think You Can Dance Start
Okay, let's talk So You Think You Can Dance. When did that glorious, sequin-filled explosion of talent first grace our screens?
Some might say it started in 2005. Wikipedia confirms. And, you know, Wikipedia is never wrong...right?
The Official Answer (And My Doubt)
Officially, July 20, 2005 is the day. That's when the first episode aired in the good old U.S. of A. Seems simple enough.
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But hold on. Let's consider something. Doesn’t it feel like it's been around forever? Like, since the dawn of television itself?
My Hot Take (Prepare Yourselves)
Here's my controversial opinion: So You Think You Can Dance actually started way earlier. In our hearts.
Think about it. Haven't you always dreamed of busting a move? Of flawlessly executing a pirouette (or at least, attempting one after a few wines)?
Didn't you secretly judge people based on their dance floor abilities? Let's be honest. We all do.
SYTYCD simply tapped into that pre-existing, deeply ingrained human desire to dance. Or at least, watch other people do it well.
The Pre-SYTYCD Era: Evidence!
Consider the evidence! Remember those old dance movies? Dirty Dancing? Footloose? They were practically auditions for SYTYCD, just disguised as dramas.
And what about talent shows before 2005? They always had someone doing a jig or a jazz square. The seeds were planted!
Let's also not forget the disco era. I rest my case. That era was basically just one big, glittery So You Think You Can Dance episode, set to a Bee Gees soundtrack.
These movies, talent shows, and dance crazes prove my point. We were ready for SYTYCD long before Nigel Lythgoe and Simon Fuller brought it to life.
The Chicken or the Egg? Or the Dancer?
So, which came first, the show or our inherent love of watching people dance? It’s a classic philosophical question, like the chicken and the egg.
But my answer is: our love of dance. SYTYCD was just the well-choreographed, perfectly-lit, and wonderfully judged manifestation of that love.
Therefore, in my humble (and possibly slightly delusional) opinion, So You Think You Can Dance began whenever the first human felt the urge to move rhythmically. Maybe even cavemen dancing around fire! Okay, maybe I'm going too far.
So, Officially...
Yes, technically, So You Think You Can Dance premiered in 2005. The history books are written, and Mary Murphy's Hot Tamale Train whistle blows on that date.
But let's not forget the deeper truth. The show was just waiting to happen. It was inevitable. The world needed more Pasha and less awkward wedding dancing.
So next time you're watching a perfectly executed contemporary routine, remember. It's been a long time coming. Longer than 2005.
It's a dance legacy stretching back through time!
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an urge to learn the Jive. Wish me luck! (I'll probably need it.)
