Brandon's Top 20 Controversy

Well, it's no secret that I'm a So You Think You Can Dance fan. My personal thoughts on how the show elevates the popular interest in dance and stands out as one of the only ways to get people excited about dance in a dismal landscape of undervalued arts can be saved for another post, as can my thoughts on whether these positive effects are negated by the tendency to pigeon-hole and insist on personality rather than artistry. That having been said, I do have some thoughts on Mr. Brandon Bryant.

Brandon has been the talk of the SYTYCD-followers for quite some time now. He was heralded as a shoo-in for the Top 20 after his audition in Miami, bringing Mary Murphy to tears. Yet, in Vegas he failed to impress judges Mia Michaels and Lil C. He did end up making the Top 20, but not without some controversy between the judges. Mia Michaels went so far as to say that she couldn't stand what Brandon brought to the floor as an artist and accused him of arrogance.

Brandon caught my eye right from his audition. However, it wasn't his dancing that got my attention (more on the dancing later), it was his music selection. I distinctly remember the first time that I was told that my performance was entirely forgettable because I didn't live up to my music, which in that instance was Claire de Lune. Brandon is only 19 years old, but he apparently never got the memo that you should never use music of a certain caliber. The music that he chose to dance to was O Fortuna from Carmina Burana. This particular piece of music has been so overused in popular culture to depict everything from drug addiction to the animal force of football that it is cliche when used outside of the concert hall. Furthermore, the power and drama of the music cannot be done justice by only one person. The sight of Brandon dancing to this highly revered classic by himself on a stage was, frankly, comical. But more than comedy, Brandon's choice does reveal a certain amount of arrogance in his belief that his dancing is a deserving accompaniment to this musical selection (because in this case he was definitely accompanying the music and not the other way around). I can't say that I've witnessed any other evidence of an attitude coming from Brandon, but Mia's accusation of a swelled-ego has at least some support in his audition.

Frankly, I'm surprised that no one has pointed out to Brandon that he made a huge mistake in his music. Perhaps my teachers were the odd men out in impressing on me the importance of carefully considering the impact that music will have on an audience. It seems to me, however, to be common sense to steer clear of music of legendary fame. How can someone focus on your dancing when they are swept up in the passion of the music? Especially since very few dancers as young as Brandon can capture the artistry of such selections and fully embody them.

Which brings me to my issue with Brandon's dancing. For starters, the choreography does not match the music. It is at times animalistic and powerful, suddenly bound and, briefly, humourous. This may or may not be Brandon's doing. But his execution of the movement is neither fully connected to the music nor the floor nor the audience. Does Brandon exhibit good coordination, balance, and technique? Yes. But in order for Brandon to truly be something to make us sit up and pay attention, he would have to show some suspension and reach, a sense of bringing himself into the movement. He does not lose himself in his dancing, rather he relies on his power to impress. He certainly has potential and we must not forget that he is very young and will probably grow into his artistry given the time. However, I must agree with Mia and Lil C when they say that they are not impressed. Nor do I believe that he deserves his spot in the Top 20. I would rather have seen it go to someone slightly more mature in their artistry. Brandon needs a few more years to grow. Although I will say that most of the dancers on SYTYCD fit into this category and I was slightly surprised to find such harsh criticism being directed to a dancer that is, as far as I can tell, a carbon copy of every other contemporary dancer the show seeks out.