Benji, one of the top 8 finalists on So You Think You Can Dance, is a Mormon. He didn't say this explicitly on the show, but mentioned a 2 year mission in Mexico and made a comment once about not having "experience" because he wasn't married, so I did a quick Google search and sure enough he is LDS. He also, unlike most of the male dancers, doesn't have an open shirt half the time (thankfully).
On the other hand, some of the dancing he has done has been very sexually suggestive... I was just wondering what the LDS folk here (if any watch the show) thought about that. Is it consistent with LDS teachings on sexual purity to be on tv dancing with a half-dressed girl pretending to smack her rear end and so on? (Of course maybe the folks who wouldn't support that also wouldn't watch it and so they'll be no replies. But I am curious.)
Posted by socal_chic (Member # 7803) on :
I am LDS and have also been following this show pretty obsessively since it started. Benji has got to be one of my very favorites. On one of the first episodes, a judge asked him if his church was watching him dance (as he did all the booty shaking and such). His response was "I hope not". That's really the only thing that doesn't seem entirely consistent with his beliefs. It seemed like a strange response. Other than that, I love watching him and I think that they are all amazing dancers.
Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
Unfortunately, in the world of dance today you pretty much have to do that stuff to succeed. What's really cool is that Ron Montez (one of the guys who taught the contestants and choreographed routines) did all the end of semester judging for BYU-Idaho's ballroom classes. I don't know if he's LDS or not, but he has a pretty high opinion of the school here He's a dang good teacher, too.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
Benji's one of my favourites. He's so cute. And he can dance! But the shirtless thing is a bit disapointing as I rather like shirtless men or men with open shirts. Posted by Seatarsprayan (Member # 7634) on :
I was glad to see Dimitry go after his latest dance had him (finally!) with a mostly clothed shirt -- only to rip it open at the end in a blatant display. That has nothing to do with dance and is just using sexuality to try and win a dance contest.
The judges (Nigel at least) gave him lip for all the shirtless antics, but to be fair they also told Natalie that she didn't have to act like a sex kitten in every dance.
I guess the judges don't mind at all when someone is wearing extremely revealing clothing but when they are so blatant about it, and it's clear it's a device and not just part of the package, it detracts from the dancing.
Benji hasn't worn clothing like that, and neither has Donyelle (although her reasons are most likely different; she's a big girl and not as likely to bare lots of flesh) and yet they are two of the best and most popular dancers.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
Well, since I am the mother of two dancers, we do watch this show. And I love both Benji and Donyelle. Great dancers, and real people. I think Donyelle is beautiful and love that the show is showing people that you don't have to be rail thin and tiny to be a good dancer.
While I detest hip-hop, and think there's too much of it in the show, I do like how the show is exposing people to ballroom and other dance styles, and I must admit I look forward to the contemporary routines every week, some of those have been stunning.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
He's a dang good teacher, too.