After the success of American Idol’s Canadian cousin, it’s no surprise that the wildly successful So You Think You Can Dance has two-stepped its way north of the border.

 

So You Think You Can Dance Canada has become a ratings smash on both CTV and MuchMusic. In fact, according to BBM Nielsen’s, it’s Canada’s top-rated home-grown show.  

 

Hosted by Etobicoke’s blonde beauty and MuchMusic VJ Leah Miller, the show features awe-inspiring dance performances by competitors followed by feedback from a panel of four judges.

 

Miller’s passion for the show was evident the minute she found out she would be hosting. “I started crying when I found out I got the job - I’m so excited to be a part of this show!” she told CTV.ca. “I have such respect for what dancers are capable of and I am a huge fan of the format. Hosting the homegrown edition of So You Think You Can Dance is such a privilege for me.”

 

The show features two permanent judges: Tre Armstrong, a talented dancer, actress and choreographer who can always be counted on for an honest opinion, and the always enthusiastic Jean Marc Genereux, a winner of over 200 ballroom dance competitions who currently choreographs when he’s not bubbling over the performances he’s seeing. A number of guest judges alternate weekly to keep the show fresh.

 

The premise of the competition is simple. Twenty dancers (10 male, 10 female) were chosen from thousands at auditions across the country. Each dancer has different skills, from Miles Faber’s popping to Allie Bertram’s ballet. After being paired up, each dance couple gets to perform a different style of dancing each week – the style being decided on a pick from a hat. The routine is choreographed by a professional of the genre they pick, which could be anything from hip-hop, krump and pop-and-lock to salsa, quickstep, ballroom and jive.

 

The randomness forces each contestant to perform outside their comfort zone and prove who is truly a well-rounded dancer. After each Wednesday’s performances, fans call in or text message specific numbers to support their favourites. Every Thursday, the three couples who received the least votes are revealed, and each must dance individually in an effort to impress the judges, who make the final decision of who will be eliminated.

 

“I look forward to Thursday being over with before it even starts so we can keep everybody,” Tre admits on her blog. “Every single Thursday gets harder and harder, but I have to remember that we’re looking for Canada’s favourite dancer. We’re looking for the best of the best and Thursdays are part of that process.”

 

Only one winner will be named Canada’s first favourite dancer. He

or she will win $100,000 and a 2009 Mercedes C230.

 

The show maintains a fluid pace with great music and total entertainment for the entire two hours. Especially interesting are the pre-dance recaps and interviews with the contestants outlining the challenges each couple faces as they try to quickly learn new routines they’re not very comfortable with. These couples have not been dancing together for years. The instant chemistry they have to form and their abilities to perform an entirely different style than they’re used to makes what they do impossibly astonishing.

 

If you’d like to catch up on the first season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, visit  www.ctv.ca to watch recaps or check your local listings.