The shocking decision by CTV to cancel So You Think You Can Dance Canada (SYTYCDC) will leaves devoted fans of the show with a big void in their lives next summer? Or will it?
Jean-Marc Généreux, the charismatic judge from STYTYCDC, was in Côte Saint-Luc Saturday to take in La Relance 2011- the Quebec Amateur Open Championship presented by DanseSport Québec. His 15 year old son Jean-Francis was among the competitors. As readers of The Suburban know, I was a loyal follower of STYTYCDC. This past season I filed weekly reports for The Suburban Magazine and in July my family and I went to Toronto to see two shows live in studio. I have had the good fortune to interview Jean-Marc regularly during the four years the show ran, at auditions and in between. He is a prince of a gentleman. Please see my video interview with him at the very end of this blog.
“After four seasons and 92 episodes, CTV has decided to pursue other program strategies,” statement reads. “This decision was made after careful consideration, including viewership and economic factors. We remain extremely proud of the legacy of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, including raising.”
Until Jean-Marc told me on Saturday, I must confess I was completely unaware that CTV pulled the plug on this show which attracted one million plus viewers a week and had a cult following. He pointed out to me that while CTV aired the show and owns the rights to the Canadian version of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, they did not produce it. Danse TV Productions did that and Jean-Marc believes that executive producer Sandra Faire might just have another reality dance show up her sleeve that could air on another network in time for next summer.
“I really hope that can happen,” Jean-Marc said. “Canada needs a dance show I have a lot of questions in my head about why a network like CTV, an independent network, who always said they were going to do the best, the best, the best, which is what we were and we’re no longer on air. At the end of the day, I don’t understand why a network would do this. Our production was responsible for the entire dance industry in Canada. (The show) was about one thing: culture and dance. I’m really, really sad, but dancing just lost its platform in Canada.”
This past season five Quebecers made it to the top 22 and it was exciting for me to follow their progress.
I am sure that the first class media relations staff at CTV is devastated as well. They were so on their game, making sure folks like me did not want for any interviews or necessary material. This is yet another blow to a team which lost Canadian Idol after the 2008 season. At the time CTV said they were simply putting that show on hiatus, but it never returned.
I sure hope that Shaw Media, which owns Global, CBC or City TV connects with Danse TV Productions and comes up with a SYTYCDC replica very soon. If something is to air next summer, auditions need to begin soon. However, there is another route they can go and that is to bring us a Canadian version of Dancing With the Stars. Jean-Marc smiled when I mentioned that option. Next week he is off to Paris for two months for France’s version of Dancing with The Stars. When he returns, he said there are some unnamed projects he will be working on right here in Quebec.
Here is my personal video interview Jean-Marc from September 24, 2011
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