"So You Think You Can Dance" is a dance competition show where you audition to get to Vegas, and then spend a week there learning different numbers to present to the judges in order to narrow the dancers down to the top dancers to put on the show. The top normally ranges anywhere from 10 to 20 dancers, depending on the season. These top dancers have many different talents and range in dance styles. There are some that are tap, hip hop, ballroom, contemporary, etc.
Contemporary, among all other styles, seems to be more popular among the top dancers, but also one of the hardest styles on the show for the other dancers who aren't a trained contemporary dancer.
I have truly fallen in love with most of the contemporary dances on the show, and have used some of the music for dances at my hometown studio. Throughout the many seasons of "So You Think You Can Dance," there has been a lot of amazing songs used with contemporary dances that I am positive all of you contemporary dancers out there will fall in love with.
1. In The Embers -- Sleeping at Last
Sleeping at Last has a bunch of songs that every contemporary dancer will love. They are light, have some gusto behind them, and make a perfect story.
2. Old Skin--Olafur Arnalds
I have done this song for one of my old solos. If you do the full song, there’s a perfect mixture of slow and flowy parts and fast and sharp parts to make a beautiful dance.
3. Skin and Bones--David J. Roch
This song is perfect. When this song was used for a contemporary dance, they used a light bulb on stage to portray a story of finding happiness and being pulled away from the darkness. This was the “moth dance” and it will forever be in my mind.
4. Wicked Game--James Vincent McMorrow
James Vincent McMorrow has a lot of great music for dancers. I would also recommend looking up “Ghost” by him.
5. Turning To Stone--Ingrid Michaelson
This song was used to portray two statues in love, and if that isn’t a beautiful story on its own, this music makes it 20 times better.
6. The Meadow -- Alexandre Desplat
Melanie Moore, winner of season nine, used this as her audition piece, where she left the judges speechless. “If for some reason you haven’t trained in other areas and things don’t work out, I will hunt you down.”--Nigel Lythgoe
7. You’re The One That I Want -- Angus and Julia Stone
I can see this as an emotional representation of a musical theatre piece, but it works nonetheless.
8. My Love--Sia
We all know Sia makes amazing music, but this song is a pure masterpiece.
9. Cracks (Flex Pavilion Remix) -- Freestylers(ft. Belle Humble)
This is something I see a lot of jazz dancers playing with, but Melanie Moore used it for one of her solos and it was the best one I have seen so far on the show.
10. Song For Viola -- Peter Bradley Adams
This is for all of my ballerinas out there. I see you. Work with this. You will love it.
11. Elsa -- The Valerie Project
I am one of those contemporary dancers that loves to dance to darker music, music that makes you think about its story. This was a dance that a contemporary and hip hop dancer did and they showed that sometimes you can’t run away from your problems.
12. Ashes -- The Bengsons
Again, like I said, I love dark pieces of music. This dance on season 10, and chilled all of my bones. It was the perfect amount of creepy, but technically beautiful.
13. Hangin’ By A Thread -- Jann Arden
I feel like this would be a great solo piece for many of you. It’s something you can turn to, something you can leap to, and something you can show off your amazing extensions with.
14. No Day But Today (Live From Soundstage) -- Indina Menzel
Alright "Wicked" lovers, get ready, because this is your piece. Use it wisely.
15. Can’t Make You Love Me -- Mark Masri
This song was used at the Vegas week auditions, but also on live television. It is probably one of my most favorites.
So basically what I am trying to tell you all and show you all is that if you haven't invested some time on YouTube looking at some dances or watching the show when it airs, you need to. This show helps you look past the technique and style; it helps you find who you are as a dancer and a story teller. Enjoy these songs and happy dancing!
