Back for an eighth season this summer, So You Think You Can Dance kicks off with a two-hour premiere Thursday, May 26 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). Cat Deeley, host of show, took time out to talk to PCM about the success of the show, the new talent, and even the Royal Wedding.
What do you think is about So You Think You Can Dance that’s made it so successful for so long?
Never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate the huge success of the show. I never thought that we’d be here going into Season Eight. That’s all down to the audience at home who sit and watch us. So, while they are still passionate about the show, we’ll keep giving it to them but I think that actually, the success of the show is due—of course, the dancing is amazing and of course, we want talented and passionate individuals who are prepared to work hard, but dance is the narrative that runs through the show.
I also think that’s about the human element and discovering people’s stories and trials and tribulations and their sense of humor and things that happen in their lives and I think that’s what the audience at home really identify with actually. I think dance is a narrative that runs through but I think it stands to the great characters that we find and also the casting that happens too. I think that’s what people identify with and I think that makes people kind of get up off their sofas and pick up the phone and vote.
Do you ever find it hard to say goodbye to the contestants that you have grown so close to?
Yes. I mean, it is hard. I’d be a pretty strange human being to not in some way, shape, or form become emotionally attached to certain people. As in everyday life, there are obviously people that you find it easier to make a connection with than others, but yes, it is hard. But also, we’re very good at kind of leaving the door open for people as well.
What we don’t want to do is take ordinary people and put them in this extraordinary world and then just kind of leave them floundering after the show is over. We’re very, very aware of our responsibility and the fact that we elevate these dancers to a certain position where the general public knows their names. We want them to go on and have fantastic careers. So, we very much leave the door always open so they can come and talk to us about their careers or contracts or even any personal issues that they have going on as well. So, it never really feels as though it’s goodbye forever, which is a really good way to be.
What are some of your expectations going into Season Eight of So You Think You Can Dance?
My big expectation is I want to see something different. Every single year we raise the bar and I think that what the dancers are really kind of getting a grip with is that we need to see their personalities too and we need to see something a little bit different. Whether that’s doing eight pirouettes instead of five or mixing a Samba with a little bit of Breaking—we’re looking for uniqueness. We want something that says like, “Wow! I’ve never seen that before,” or within that context. I think that the dancers have properly grasped that this year as well. We’ve seen some great people mix up all different styles and do it in a really unique and individual way and that to me is kind of the highlight every year. When somebody kind of takes your breath away and does something completely unique and individual and creative too and uses their imagination. That’s always something that I really look forward to seeing.
We know that you have a lot of upcoming projects. So, how excited and nervous are you about covering the Royal Wedding for CNN?
It’s going to be good. I mean, I am nervous because there are so many people watching. I think on CNN, there’s going to be over 750 million people and I’m hosting with Piers Morgan and Anderson Cooper. It’s going to be a big day. But, it’s definitely not the challenge I would run away from because I just think it’s going to always be one of those moments where you turn around and go, “Where were you when—?” I can’t think of two finer gentlemen to be sharing the screen with on such a kind of huge momentous day.
Now with more and more talent shows on the air, do you think it’s easier to spot true talent?
Well, the one thing I love is that it clearly shows that this format isn’t going anywhere. People always say, “Oh, is it slightly intimidating now that there are more dance shows on the air, or—?” We always turn around and go, “Absolutely not.” Because what it means is that TV networks are still really behind those formats. So, I love the fact that these formats keep coming out because it means that the audience still—there’s still a demand for them and the audience is still feels passionately about them.
The one thing that I do think we’ve now—going into Season Eight—got quite good at is spotting that star quality and it’s difficult sometimes because it’s kind of indefinable. It’s that certain something special that means that you see somebody and for whatever reason, you can’t quite take your eyes off them and they hold you. That’s what we’re always searching for. We need people like that that the audiences are going to connect with almost instantaneously. I think we’ve been pretty good at doing it—just from our track record of when people have left the show as well, and the things that they’ve gone on to do whether it’s touring or movies or even becoming a choreographer.
A brilliant example is Travis Wall. He didn’t win Season Two; he was the runner-up and yet, he has developed into this amazingly creative choreographer that literally every time he does anything for the show, he blows my mind. We’re so excited to have been a part of his journey. So, I think we do get slightly better at it every year and I also think that the dancers are much more aware now of what we need. It’s not just that you have to be the best technical dancer or—you have to bring your personality too and that’s the thing of star quality and that certain something special and I think the dancers are wise to that too now.
With that said, can you talk about how the dancers have evolved over the years as far as being prepared for the audition process?
I think the big thing that they now understand that just being amazing at their own style isn’t enough. They have to be able to pick up other styles. There are lots of people that have maybe auditioned in the past for the show, have taken away the constructive criticism and gone, “Okay, well if I’m a breaker, I’m going to put myself in a couple of ballroom classes and I’m going to investigate that and see how far I can get.” Quite often, we’ve had people take the criticism, come back and then go much further on. So, I think that they now understand exactly what the show is and the demands of the show.
The dancers that come from maybe, smaller towns as opposed to the big cities, do you see a difference in them in either skill or just their determination?
I think there is a difference. I think there’s a certain level of naivety probably, but I have to say that’s extremely charming and endearing to the audience too. We always tend to find great dancers in either in L.A. or New York and obviously that’s because dancers as a whole gravitate to either coastline, because there’s more opportunities available. But for me, it’s always really interesting when we go to different cities—places, like, I don’t know, Memphis or New Orleans or Atlanta—and there aren’t as many great dancers but there is the odd occasional one that are like diamonds in the rough a little bit. For me, that’s always a really, really interesting journey to watch—these kind of dancers that do have a certain level of naivety to them but are still incredibly passionate and have a massive talent and to watch their growth, I think is incredibly interesting.
The dancers that come from maybe, smaller towns as opposed to the big cities, do you see a difference in them in either skill or just their determination?
I think there is a difference. I think there’s a certain level of naivety probably, but I have to say that’s extremely charming and endearing to the audience too. We always tend to find great dancers in either in L.A. or New York and obviously that’s because dancers as a whole gravitate to either coastline, because there’s more opportunities available. But for me, it’s always really interesting when we go to different cities—places, like, I don’t know, Memphis or New Orleans or Atlanta—and there aren’t as many great dancers but there is the odd occasional one that are like diamonds in the rough a little bit. For me, that’s always a really, really interesting journey to watch—these kind of dancers that do have a certain level of naivety to them but are still incredibly passionate and have a massive talent and to watch their growth, I think is incredibly interesting.
Going into Season Eight, do you have any personal favorites that you’d love to see come back as All Star?
Yes, I mean, undoubtedly there are definitely—I love Dominic. I love his personality and I love how he combines—he does a brilliant thing of combining humor with breakdancing and hip-hop and I think that’s a really, really interesting combination, fusion.
I’d also like to see Alex Wong back at some point because I don’t think he’ll be able to make the show as a contestant because I think it would just be too much on his injury because he hurt his Achilles’ tendon. I don’t think he’d be able to do it without injuring himself again in some way, shape, or form, but I’d love to see him back on the show. He has this huge following. He was such great guy and so supremely talented that it would be lovely for him to come back on the show.
As far as your other projects, can you tell us a little bit about your involvement with Life’s Too Short and what’s it like to work with Ricky Gervais?
I haven’t done anything yet actually there. We’re kind of talking schedules at the moment, so I can’t really tell you anything about it yet. I love Ricky Gervais. I love his sense of humor. I think he’s incredibly smart and incredibly bright and sarcastic and ironic and he has all those traits of English humor, so fingers crossed, we manage to sort it out and get the schedule together.
