“Hey, We're from Canada but We're Diverse, Right?”: Neoliberalism, Multiculturalism, and Identity on So You Think You Can Dance Canada
2012; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 29; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1080/15295036.2011.637222
ISSN1529-5036
Autores Tópico(s)Music History and Culture
ResumoAbstract Attentive to the resurgence of dance mania in contemporary popular culture, this article explores multiculturalism (as a component of Canada's national narrative), neoliberalism, and authenticity through an analysis of the first season of the Canadian version of So You Think You Can Dance. As a case study, So You Think You Can Dance Canada provides an interesting juxtaposition whereby dance, commonly associated with freedom, affinity, and authenticity, is represented in the contradictory context of a popular reality television show that emphasizes individualism, hard work, and competitiveness. In addition, the Canadian version emphasizes national identity and multiculturalism against a global backdrop. Keywords: Reality televisionNeoliberalismDanceCanadaMulticulturalism Acknowledgements I would like to thank the external reviewers of CMSC for their constructive comments as well as Dr. Jane Desmond and Dr. Dara Culhane for their valuable input into my research project. This project was made possible through funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council. Notes 1. This paper draws from preliminary research conducted from 2008–2009 and a larger federally funded Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Postdoctoral study (2010–2012). 2. For example: American Bandstand, Soul Train, Fame, MTV music videos, America's Best Dance Crew, Pants-Off Dance-Off, Dancing with the Stars, Dance 360, Step It Up and Dance, Your Mama Can't Dance, Dance War, Dance Machine, Dancing Your Ass Off, Dance Fever (2003), DANCE Nation, America's Got Talent, Live to Dance, and So You Think You Can Dance. 3. America's 2008 season four winner, based on nearly 60 million audience votes, received $US250,000, the title of "America's favorite dancer," and a role in the upcoming Adam Shankman film, Step up 3D. The American show, also broadcast on Canada's City TV network, has attracted a peak of 2.1 million viewers (Channel Canada, 2006 Channel Canada 2006 August 18 , So You Think You Can Dance finale doubles rock star audience . Retrieved from http://www.channelcanada.com/Article1509.html [Google Scholar]). 4. American Idol originated in Britain where it was called Pop Idol. 5. This paper draws upon authors (Grindstaff, 2002 Grindstaff, L. 2002. The money shot: Trash, class, and the making of TV talk shows, Chicago, IL: University Chicago Press. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar], Skeggs & Wood. 2004), who note that the term "ordinariness" serves as a euphemism for working-classness. However, the term is also conceptualized differently, by other media scholars, to refer more simply to people who are not professionally trained actors or credentialed experts in reality television. 6. Tré Armstrong, who plays the character of Michelle in How She Move (2007), and Candy in Save the Last Dance 2 (2006), is a permanent judge on SYTYCDC. 7. This estimated number has been compiled using information from a number of SYTYCDC fan blogs, the internet sites of Wikipedia and CTV, and by noting audition competition numbers worn by contestants on the show. The exact number of auditioners has not been published. 8. Although concepts of gender and nationality intersect, a second article looking more closely at gender and sexuality is forthcoming. 9. The white status of the winner of each of the three seasons thus far has remained an unmarked norm in the series. Additional informationNotes on contributorsJade BoydJade Boyd, PhD, is a Social Science and Humanities Research Council Postdoctoral Research Fellow hosted by the Sociology/Anthropology Department at Simon Fraser University, Canada, and previously the International Forum for U.S. Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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