So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)

common sense media says

Dance version of Idol struts its stuff.


parents & educators say
  • 29% say there are positive messages

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this series is the brainchild of Simon Cowell and bears many similarities to his mega hit American Idol. In the early auditions, some aspiring dancers are clearly looking for their 15 minutes of fame, while others are earnest but lacking in skills. And a few are physically hurt in the process. The judges can be mean-spirited in their critiques of the dancers. When the dancers are good, it's awe-inspiring, but there's too much fluff to sort through to get to the real meat of the show. Once the final 20 are selected, wannabe hoofers young and old will enjoy the competition.

Positive messages: The contestants work very hard to polish their performances, and the show clearly appreciates those with skill and dedication. But judges also make harsh comments to some competitors: "You look like the Bride of Chucky," "That was a bad car accident," etc.
Positive role models: The majority of the competitors are passionate about dancing and dedicated to working hard to achieve their goals. The judges, on the other hand, are a mixed bag, ranging from positive and supportive to negative and catty.
Violence: Some dancers fall and get hurt (blood and bruises) during auditions.
Sex: Some suggestive dance moves. Very skimpy outfits worn by some female dancers.
Language: Generally quite mild.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Competitors have talked about past experiences with alcohol addiction.

More on So You Think You Can Dance

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about the amount of hard work, patience, and strength it takes to make it as a dancer. Do you think you could do it?

  • What do you think of the judges' critiques? Which ones are constructive? How can someone bounce back from such disappointment?

  • How do you feel about the competitors who weren't serious about the audition? Do you think that impacts the show's integrity?

What's the story?

What's the story?

It'll be hard to keep your feet still while watching SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. After a series of auditions around the country, 20 dancer hopefuls tap, break, or sashay their way to Las Vegas for the formal competition, where they work with five of the nation's top choreographers. Live results determine who keeps dancing, who's going home, and who's crowned America's No. 1 dancer.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

When the heat is on, it's great fun to watch a show that combines all types of dance, including ballet, salsa, hip hop, jive, ballroom, tap, and more. But the series needs work. It doesn't have American Idol's polish or fluidity; exchanges between judges are awkward and lacking in conviction, and they give unclear advice to competitors who are turned away.

Kids who like to dance or like to watch dancing will enjoy the program. But some questionable material needs to be screened: One contestant talks about drinking problems interfering with his dancing, another calls himself "Sex" and describes himself as a male sex symbol, others get bleeped when responding to the judges, and so on. If kids (and their parents) can see past this and focus on the dancing, it's very inspiring to watch the dancers' hard work. It's contagious, too.

TV themes & details

TV Details
TV Rating: TV-PG
Network: Fox
Cast: Cat Deeley, Lauren Sanchez, Nigel Lythgoe
Genre: Reality TV
Where to watch: Fox

This review was written by Pam Gelman
 
 

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What parents & educators say

7
Based on 7 parent & educator reviews:
  • 29% say there are positive messages

Most useful reviews by all members

dancing girl
kid, 12 years old
 
Worst show I've ever seen
In my opinion, I think it's crazy that people actually like this show!! It's so boring! Dancing with the Stars is such a fun and entertaining show compared to this show. So You Think You Can Dance is very boring and there is nothing entertaining about it. I don't recommend this show at all to anyone.

Jourdy288
teen, 17 years old
 
I really recommend!
This is my absolute favorite show (it got me interested in performing arts!) that I really appreciate for it's variety. The dancers can go from classical ballroom one week to traditional African to avante-garde to Bollywood another. There are a couple salsas that could be considered a little... spicy... but nothing ever over the top.

Spex99
kid, 12 years old
 
Perfect for Children
I love this show, mostly because I'm a dancer. the worst words they say is a-s and d-n.

Abbyrae11256
kid, 13 years old
 
L-O-V-E I-T!!! =)
I love this show. I think I can dance but I can not but at least I try!! LOL

timmycuddlebea ...
kid, 12 years old
 
best tv show in the world!!!!!!!!!

Auddrey.
teen, 15 years old
 
10+ :)
i can't dance:) i love this show though. but mary murphy(judge) is the most annoying peson alive. and i don't think cat deely is a real name. go karen:) i just started watching season 8 and i love itt.

lorenaj79
parent of 5 , and 6 , 7 year old
 
Alright for 5 and up after final 20 are picked
Some dance moves are very sexual in nature (Latin ballroom) but it is just dance and it's amazing to see how far people can come with perseverance and dedication. My kids enjoy watching it but I don't let them watch it until after the final 20 are selected.

SmileyRiley2468
kid, 10 years old
 
Great Show
Once the top 20 are picked, there is much less curse words, anger, etc. Some dances are inappropriate, but that is VERY VERY VERY rare.

bulava
adult
 
A good one for Kids, gives them a good foundation.
I'm yet to get married but I thought show like this one would give a very exposure of the Dancing to the kids. Many kids could catch the spirit of Dancing from the tender age and who knows your kid may thread the path towards a Super Star Dancer in the making. But I thing is very clear to me. As a researcher I do strongly feel (in fact, observed them in many countries) that present generation kids do need to be more pro-active into such very useful activities which obviously meant that less time on TV and Video games would be much better to them in many ways. Good luck kids!

Miss Sponge ...
teen, 13 years old
 
Kewl
It's a fun family show. I watch it with my parents all the time!!

lady gaga
teen, 14 years old
 
awsome
best show ever!!!!! this is one of my favorite shows. i start to like it more as it gets to the end ( top 20 or so) because at that point all the dancing is good, no one gets hurt and the judges arn't as mean. yes some of the feelmale dancers wear some reaviling outfits, but no one mentions them so it's not anything bad. all in all wath this show

Alice_Cullen
kid, 13 years old
 
great especially 4 dancers
this show is awesome (especially 4 ppl who wanna b dancers...like me)! only thing i dont like is that the judges r 2 harsh on the contestants who r absolutley amazing!

Caylen
kid, 13 years old
 
Best Show Ever!
So you think you can dance is a GREAT movie for the whole family to watch. It is completely amazing and every season it gets better and better.

KaBAM86
teen, 14 years old
 
Good show, but I reccomend DVR'ing it and watching it yourself before showing it to your kids. They sometimes throw in the occasional "Seduction" dances. Bleh.

Spudzilla
kid, 12 years old
 
This is my FAV tv show!!!!! I luv it!!!

mumbai62
parent of 10 year old
 
perfect for teens
its really bad

 
awsome TV show
I love this show even more then idol. Its a really good shoe to watch and pretty kid friendly. If you want a shoow thats good and everyone will enjoy, then this should do you good.

colebray
parent of 12 and 13 year old
 
I love shows we can watch together
We enjoy watching how these dancers improve their talent. It is nice to be able to watch a tv show and not worry about inappropriate content. My kids love to root for their favorite dancer to win the contest.

laess113
parent of 10 and 13 year old
 
Great show!
My girls and I love this show (8 yo. & 11 yo.) we have watched it for years. My only concern is sometimes the outfits are pretty revealing and occasionally the dances can have a sexual tone to them. Other than that I think it is great and fun for the whole family!

Dragonsrox1000
kid, 13 years old
 
A great show for older kids!
If you're old enough to handle some of the dances and outfits, it's one of the best shows out there. I'm a dancer, and these people show me what some of the best look like. It's a great show for teens and above and I LOVE it!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's a great show with some of the best dancers. I hope Kent of Lauren win this season!

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
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