Ughh. Yeah right!

September 29, 2006 Friday
By ERICA DIETSCHE, STAFF WRITER, North Jersey Media Group
WHEN: 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday.

WHERE: Tuesday at NJPAC, 1 Center St., Newark; 888-466-5722 or njpac.org. Wednesday and Thursday at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, Manhattan; 212-465-6000 or thegarden.com.

HOW MUCH: $29.50 to $54.50, sold out on Ticketmaster.

Dances choreographed by Shane Sparks make up part of the routine to be performed by the top 10 finalists in the live tour of "So You Think You Can Dance."

Sparks, a hip-hop choreographer who also served as a judge on the Fox summer hit, has created numbers to go along with Ne-Yo's "Sexy Love," Bell Biv Devoe's "Poison," Cassie's "Me and U" and Soundmaster T's "2 Much Booty (In Da Pants)."

Though Sparks is not traveling with the dancers (Benji, Travis, Donyelle, Heidi, Ivan, Allison, Natalie, Martha, Dmitry and Ryan), he has heard that the tour has been well received. Dates at NJPAC and the Theater at Madison Square Garden are sold out, and Sparks has heard of fans hanging out until the wee hours, trying to get the dancers' autographs.

The live show consists of the dances that debuted on the television show; the routines are essentially the same, Sparks says, but some have been tweaked to accommodate more performers.

Perhaps to allow dancers time to catch their breath, the show offers dialogue that explains the history of certain dances and discusses legends in the dance world, such as Bob Fosse.

Sparks had little contact with the dancers outside of professional interactions with them while the show was in progress. So, like viewers at home, Sparks was unaware of any animosity among contestants during filming. But the truth began to come out at the TV show's wrap party.

"There was a lot of hatred going on; it really surprised me," he says."Musa and Natalie, their chemistry was incredible, but it was an act — they didn't like each other at all," he says. "Also, the more success Benji was getting, the more other dancers started not to like him."

Since the TV show wrapped, Sparks, who has choreographed 'N Sync and Lindsay Lohan, has been participating in workshops and designing a line of shoes for dancers who want the hip-hop look — but not the weight — of shoes like Timberlands.

Sparks might head out on another kind of "So You Think You Can Dance" tour.

"I'm not sure when it might be, but Brian, Mia, Mary, Wade and I, and maybe some of the other choreographers from the show, will conduct workshops in different cities where we teach a piece from the show or something new."

Sparks, who says the show has brought him a lot of attention, never imagined that he would have the prominence he has now.

He wants to use his platform for good. First up, he's out to get dancers a raise.

"I want to see dancers become financially successful," he says. "They make the movie or the music come alive, but they get paid a fraction of what the actors and musicians do."

He also wants to continue producing music, develop television shows and work on more movies.

Regardless of what happens, Sparks says, "I want to do something with dance that no one has ever done before."

There's a whole discussion going on about how the infamous "Circle of Trust" was nothing more than an Anti-Benji club since most of the top ten/eight were at some point bracelet wearing members except those closest to B- D&H. I don't know about Martha or Dmitry.

But cooler heads are saying that it is a competition and that people want to win and be the best and if one person is getting all the spotlight while others who are/feel that they are more/as talented as that someone they'll feel resentment towards the "pimpage". Afterall, they are human, but the tour seems to have eased all the resentment. Time will tell how long this will last.




Yeah frikkin right! I don't believe this. Ivan was in that club. Bunny was in that club. And I don't think that either one would be so cruel. I refuse to believe anything that isn't straight from the dancers. Afterall, look at how realistic the fanfics are. Any hater can easily write a fake interview.


But I still love Nony! <33 :D

-Taylor :P