[originally published August 21 2012.]

The last episode of So You Think You Can Dance [SYTYCD] featured Mia Michaels’ Emmy-award winning choreography for the show. Mia’s website states: From stage to screen, Mia has turned dance into inspired and unique works of passion and beauty. She has rendered her unique style and vision of the craft, which is sought after by other innovators, from celebrities and recording artists to dance companies and educational institutions.

2011 Emmy Winner – “So You Think You Can Dance” FOX
2010 Emmy Winner – “So You Think You Can Dance” FOX
2008 Emmy Nominee – “So You Think You Can Dance” - “Mercy” FOX
2007 Emmy Winner – “So You Think You Can Dance” - “Calling You” FOX
2004 Emmy Nominee – Celine in Las Vegas: Opening Night Live CBS
2003 & 2004 American Choreography Award Nominee

Yes, she is phenomenal. The thing about her routines is that no two are alike. Other dancers in other seasons have danced these routines but repeating this choreography with new dancers is bold and fresh in my book. Cole Horibe is my favorite dancer this year. In Mia’s routine ‘Addiction’ he was so psychotic and scary.

He is like a ninja who can dance.

Obviously, the show is spinning its current Emmy nominations. SYTYCD is nominated for an Emmy in several categories this year including; Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Reality – Competition Program, Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality – Competition Program, Outstanding Choreography, and Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety Series.

I watched the Olympics this year and I am absolutely convinced that the dancers on this show are graceful athletes. The Emmys are on ABC, September 23rd.

addendum – Cole said this on Facebook:

When I received the “Addiction” challenge, I wasn’t sure how to approach the character, addiction, as it isn’t really a character–it’s a proliferation of neuropeptides (artificially-induced, in the worst cases), which the body then craves more of. It’s a thing. As an actor, I’m accustomed to portraying people. People have emotions, psychology, history, etc., all attributes that a thing–addiction–does not have.

I began investigating different possibilities, experimenting first with a highly sadistic approach, then shifting to a more maleficent approach. But I realized addiction per se is devoid of emotion; it doesn’t take pleasure in the harm of others–it doesn’t care. It just does. So that became my job: to just do and destroy uncaringly.The next challenge that then manifested within this challenge was not becoming a completely “dead” and lifeless performer, as it would translate poorly on stage and especially in a dance performance. I would have zero stage presence and completely disappear as a performer.

The approach that I found satisfactory at the time was in keeping my objective running strongly through my mind, but disallowing it to percolate to the surface, so to speak–to not allow it to register on my face. When I dance (usually during performances exclusively), I like to keep an inner monologue running in my mind–a mindalogue, if you will. In this instance, my primary thought was, disturbingly, “I’m going to kill you.” But with little emotional motivation and mostly instinctual impulses. If you watched it, I hope you could see not merely a completely empty, lifeless shell, but rather a hollow, non-human vessel–neither good nor evil per se–but with a maleficent intent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc_LaKEsTxs

Lindsay & Cole – Mia Addiction Routine – SYTYCD S9 (Top 14)