--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'So You Think You Can Dance' comes on as…" description: "\"'So You Think You Can Dance' comes on as a high-minded leap up the evolutionary ladder from other reality shows - on this one, you're supposed to learn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/rob-sheffield-1368_dance_so-you-think-you-can-dance-comes-on-as-a_351629.png" --- # 'So You Think You Can Dance' comes on as a high-minded… ![“'So You Think You Can Dance' comes on as a high-minded leap up the evolutionary ladder from other reality shows - on this one, you're supposed to learn something, and the guest judges are fellow dance professionals rather than actual celebrities.” quote by Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/rob-sheffield-1368_dance_so-you-think-you-can-dance-comes-on-as-a_351629.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/rob-sheffield-1368_dance_so-you-think-you-can-dance-comes-on-as-a_351629.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/rob-sheffield-1368_dance_so-you-think-you-can-dance-comes-on-as-a_351629.png) > “'So You Think You Can Dance' comes on as a high-minded leap up the evolutionary ladder from other reality shows - on this one, you're supposed to learn something, and the guest judges are fellow dance professionals rather than actual celebrities.” [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The show is positioned as a higher‑brow alternative to typical reality TV, focusing on learning and professional critique rather than celebrity spectacle. **In simple terms:** A dance competition that values skill over fame. Key Takeaway Appreciate expertise in entertainment. Themes culture media arts competition learning Mood thoughtful critical Type analytical observational When to use this quote - watching dance shows - studying choreography - hosting talent contests Key Concepts television reality format performance evaluation Questions to Reflect On - How does professional critique affect participants? - What defines “high‑minded” in reality TV? A Different Perspective May still prioritize drama over genuine education. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Dance Professionals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance-professionals-3246284/) [Fellow Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fellow-dance-3246285/) [Guest Judges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guest-judges-3246286/) [Guests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guests/) [Judging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging/) [Ladders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ladders/) [Leap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leap/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Reality shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality-shows/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Strictly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strictly/) [Think Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-dance-277438/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Like most fans of 'So You Think You Can Dance,' I wouldn't know a pasodoble if it beat me with a rake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/like-most-fans-of-so-you-think-you-can-dance-i-wouldn-t-know-a/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [I really want to emphasise this - 'Strictly' is a positive show. It's interesting that it gets cast into this, understandably, the ordinary net…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rinder/i-really-want-to-emphasise-this-strictly-is-a-positive-show-it-s/) [Robert Rinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rinder/) > [All music is dance music. But when people think of dance music, they think of techno or just house. Anything you can dance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/all-music-is-dance-music-but-when-people-think-of-dance-music-they/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [“We think to dance, and dance in thought. But to hibernate in the mind, is to bring upon us an apocalypse of the Soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilyas-kassam/we-think-to-dance-and-dance-in-thought-but-to-hibernate-in-the-mind/) [Ilyas Kassam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilyas-kassam/) > [I think when dance is mediocre, it's painful. But when dance is really impressive, it destroys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/i-think-when-dance-is-mediocre-it-s-painful-but-when-dance-is-really/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [I don't understand choreographers who say they don't care about the audience or that they would be happy to present their works non-publicly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-tai-soon-burgess/i-don-t-understand-choreographers-who-say-they-don-t-care-about-the/) [Dana Tai Soon Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-tai-soon-burgess/) > [To have a platform like So You Think You Can Dance, where you're reaching this audience that's been created over the 10 years that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/to-have-a-platform-like-so-you-think-you-can-dance-where-you-re/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [It's like an emotional dance party: Some dances will be your favorites -- others more awkward or difficult to learn. Some will be boring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sark/it-s-like-an-emotional-dance-party-some-dances-will-be-your-favorites/) [Sark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sark/) > [When people think of dance films, they don't really think of good stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marques-houston/when-people-think-of-dance-films-they-don-t-really-think-of-good/) [Marques Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marques-houston/) > [When I'm dancing, I don't know where the confidence comes from, but I just pretend I'm someone else, I think, and then I go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maisie-williams/when-i-m-dancing-i-don-t-know-where-the-confidence-comes-from-but-i/) [Maisie Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maisie-williams/) > [I think dance is my extension. There is nothing that I can imagine without dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prabhu-deva/i-think-dance-is-my-extension-there-is-nothing-that-i-can-imagine/) [Prabhu Deva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prabhu-deva/) > [I'd get sent home from the first audition of So You Think You Can Dance. My dancing is sort of controlled spasms. I fully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-martin/i-d-get-sent-home-from-the-first-audition-of-so-you-think-you-can/) [Chris Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-martin/) > [If you think you can't dance apparently you haven't thought much about your life. You have made some moves; from side to side, up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammi-post/if-you-think-you-can-t-dance-apparently-you-haven-t-thought-much/) [Tammi Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammi-post/) > [I've never seen a single episode of 'So You Think You Can Dance.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-g-sevani/i-ve-never-seen-a-single-episode-of-so-you-think-you-can-dance/) [Adam G. Sevani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-g-sevani/) > [I came to think of myself, not as a dance and chaos of molecules, but as a brief and minute portion of that majestic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/i-came-to-think-of-myself-not-as-a-dance-and-chaos-of-molecules-but/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) ## More by Rob Sheffield > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [“I suck at fighting. I have never really learned how to talk and be mad at the same time. If I have angry words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/i-suck-at-fighting-i-have-never-really-learned-how-to-talk-and-be-mad/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [Morrissey was my Mrs. Garrett, the house mother from the Facts of Life, a soothing adult figure giving me words of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/morrissey-was-my-mrs-garrett-the-house-mother-from-the-facts-of-life/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [“I had never gotten the hang of dating — I was always going to be somebody who either had a girlfriend or didn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/i-had-never-gotten-the-hang-of-dating-i-was-always-going-to-be/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [The hottest trash-disco star in the world: Ke$ha! She has a lot in common with Kiss, actually, even spelling her name with a dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/the-hottest-trash-disco-star-in-the-world-ke-ha-she-has-a-lot-in/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [“on the 11th of every month my friend elizabeth would say, "well we made it through another month. so do we get her back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/on-the-11th-of-every-month-my-friend-elizabeth-would-say-well-we-made/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [“What doesn't kill you maims you, cripples you, leaves you weak, makes you whiny and full of yourself at the same time. The more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/what-doesn-t-kill-you-maims-you-cripples-you-leaves-you-weak-makes/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [“But when you're a teenage boy, you can be narrow-minded about things that are girlie, things that are frivolous, things that are pop. Boys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/but-when-you-re-a-teenage-boy-you-can-be-narrow-minded-about-things/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [“I've never heard of anybody getting rid of their prized Exile postcards, much less actually writing on them and sending them through the mail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/i-ve-never-heard-of-anybody-getting-rid-of-their-prized-exile/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's always that one song that gets to you. You can hide, but the song comes to find you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/it-s-always-that-one-song-that-gets-to-you-you-can-hide-but-the-song/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [There are all kinds of mix tapes. there is always a reason to make one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/there-are-all-kinds-of-mix-tapes-there-is-always-a-reason-to-make-one/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [“By the time you're an adult, you're used to seeing your friends disappear into their five-year plans. They drop out to get married, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/by-the-time-you-re-an-adult-you-re-used-to-seeing-your-friends/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [“Last fall, I was sitting at the kitchen table of two friends who have been together since 1972. They tell me a story about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/last-fall-i-was-sitting-at-the-kitchen-table-of-two-friends-who-have/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [Tonight, I feel like my whole body is made out of memories. I'm a mix-tape, a cassette that's been rewound so many times you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/tonight-i-feel-like-my-whole-body-is-made-out-of-memories-i-m-a-mix/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [“You're in a physical landscape you share with this bizarre and fundamentally alien creature, not alien because she's female but alien because you're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/you-re-in-a-physical-landscape-you-share-with-this-bizarre-and/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) [Explore all 249 Rob Sheffield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) ## More Dance quotes > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I make dance music because I love to dance. But I want to think at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-make-dance-music-because-i-love-to-dance-but-i-want-to-think-at-the/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [I studied all kinds of dance, all types of music. I got good grades. I started hitting the recording studio around 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-derulo/i-studied-all-kinds-of-dance-all-types-of-music-i-got-good-grades-i/) [Jason Derulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-derulo/) > [I like Sam Smith and Taylor Swift. I love pop music, but I also like Sam Smith's slow songs. That would be more to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-ziegler/i-like-sam-smith-and-taylor-swift-i-love-pop-music-but-i-also-like/) [Maddie Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-ziegler/) > [I think it's useful to experience other types of dance and other cultures, and the life of a classical dancer these days is certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/i-think-it-s-useful-to-experience-other-types-of-dance-and-other/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [Everything in dancing is style, allusion, the essence of many thoughts and feelings. The abstraction of many moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-ailey/everything-in-dancing-is-style-allusion-the-essence-of-many-thoughts/) [Alvin Ailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-ailey/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) > [“dances with mine as if we’ve been doing this our whole”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-michaels/dances-with-mine-as-if-we-ve-been-doing-this-our-whole/) [Corinne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-michaels/) > [My body was so instrumental to how I took pictures: it was practically a dance. I used to use my legs a lot; now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-leibovitz/my-body-was-so-instrumental-to-how-i-took-pictures-it-was-practically/) [Annie Leibovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-leibovitz/) > [I would rather learn from one bird how to sing than to teach 10,000 stars how not to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings/i-would-rather-learn-from-one-bird-how-to-sing-than-to-teach-10-000/) [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) > [If you dance, you dance because you have to. Every dancer hurts, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunham/if-you-dance-you-dance-because-you-have-to-every-dancer-hurts-you-know/) [Katherine Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunham/) > [I'm not a dancer. Never took a dance class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/i-m-not-a-dancer-never-took-a-dance-class/) [Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/) > [Being fit is the easiest part of being a dance professional. I used to just throw on a backpack full of rocks and run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-du-beke/being-fit-is-the-easiest-part-of-being-a-dance-professional-i-used-to/) [Anton du Beke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-du-beke/) > [I'm a horrible dancer, but I wanted to record songs that made me want to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lane/i-m-a-horrible-dancer-but-i-wanted-to-record-songs-that-made-me-want/) [Chris Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lane/) [Browse all 9,682 Dance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "'So You Think You Can Dance' comes on as a high-minded leap up the evolutionary ladder from other reality shows - on this one, you're supposed to learn something, and the guest judges are fellow dance professionals rather than actual celebrities.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rob Sheffield" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/so-you-think-you-can-dance-comes-on-as-a-high-minded-leap-up-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/so-you-think-you-can-dance-comes-on-as-a-high-minded-leap-up-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/rob-sheffield-1368_dance_so-you-think-you-can-dance-comes-on-as-a_351629.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/rob-sheffield-1368_dance_so-you-think-you-can-dance-comes-on-as-a_351629.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/053/rob-sheffield-1368_dance_so-you-think-you-can-dance-comes-on-as-a_351629.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“'So You Think You Can Dance' comes on as a high-minded leap up the evolutionary ladder from other reality…” — Rob Sheffield", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rob Sheffield", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "'So You Think You Can Dance'...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/so-you-think-you-can-dance-comes-on-as-a-high-minded-leap-up-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/so-you-think-you-can-dance-comes-on-as-a-high-minded-leap-up-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```