Open Mouth, Insert Dancing Feet: Blake McGrath from 'So You Think You Can Dance'

Blake McGrath was trouble from the start – trouble for the other dancers auditioning for a spot on So You Think You Can Dance. Blake was good. He was damn good. And he knew it. So did the other dancers. His dance was so expressive, powerful, commanding, and vulnerable all at the same time.

You just couldn’t take your eyes off him. The judges knew that too. Nigel Lythgoe, a former dancer himself, even said Blake is a better dancer than Nigel ever was! Getting that kind of praise, you couldn’t blame Blake for getting a swelled head. Or maybe you could.

Coincidentally, during the week of the Hollywood rounds of auditions, a magazine article was published on guess who? Blake McGrath. It seems Blake had already made a living as a professional dancer. He’d even toured with Britney Spears. The squawks of indignation were as prevalent as the beat during the dance auditions. More dancers insisted that he be disqualified. But he apparently broke no rules, so that wasn’t going to happen.

Blake beamed in the attention and certainly didn’t ingratiate himself to the other dancers when he had the opportunity. In fact, he went into diva mode. Down to the dog. Yes, Blake smuggled his dog into the hotel the contestants were staying in. That was against the rules. To make matters worse, he didn’t even tell his roommate, Allen Frias, about it. Allen found out when he step in a pile of poo. Literally.

Allen’s protests were poo-pooed, if you will, by Blake, because if Blake wants it, it must be so. And America was beginning to realize they didn’t really like Blake so much. During the audition process, the dancers were split into groups of ten and were given to a different choreographer each day. Blake sailed through Ballroom, Lyrical, Salsa, in fact he usually ranked at the top of the class… until Dan Garaty’s Hip Hop class.

Dan is known for his intricate choreography. The body takes a real pounding with Dan at the helm! Blake was clearly not giving himself to the process in Dan’s class and Dan had no problem calling him on it. Instead of taking the criticism like a professional, Blake decided to take the offensive. He all but snatched the microphone from Lauren’s hand when she asked about his tough day with Dan, and proceeded to insult Dan, his class, and Dan’s abilities as a dancer. “Personally, I think he’s just jealous of me,” Blake concluded. Now, there was no question that America didn’t like Blake.

When it was time to choose the top 16, Nigel Lythgoe knew he had to include Blake. Blake’s skill demanded it. However, Blake was rightfully scolded for his comments. “Do you have any idea how dumb that was?” choreographer Dan Friedman asked him, not at all rhetorically. Sheepishly, Blake said he did, but we would soon have ample reason to wonder if he really learned anything at all. Dan Garaty said all was forgiven, but something about the crooked smile and the daggers in his eyes said that it wasn’t. It’s like Dan knew what was coming.

As the show began its live audience phase, Blake at least appeared to have learned his lesson. His dance partners had nothing but praise for him. His dancing was as crisp as it ever was, and his ability to go from genre to genre with the same level of brilliance was impressive.

The judging at this point dictated that the judges chose the dancers who underperformed and America voted for their favorites among them. Then, the inevitable happened. Blake and Ashle’ were less than fantastic with the Argentinean Tango and, on a night when the judges were not unanimous, Blake and Ashle’ were placed in the bottom two couples. Blake smiled confidently as the credits rolled. Surely, there was no way he was going home. It would come down to him and Nick Lazzarini in a final dance-off. Surely.

For the first time, America was going to be able to have an impact on Blake’s fate. Had America forgiven Blake for his earlier transgressions? With only six dancers left, all of the dancers represented the bottom three of their gender. When it was decision time for the males, Jamile was quickly told he was safe. Blake’s mouth dropped open. This was not how things were supposed to be. For the first time, we saw an expression on Blake’s face that we hadn’t seen in any of his dancing or any of his interviews.

Fear.

He was standing next to his biggest rival and one of them would be going home. And, yes it was Blake. When his name was called, he gulped, blushed, and managed a smile that looked a bit like a rictus of pain. Lauren wished him good luck and he was gone.

How did it come to this?

Here’s Blake’s take on it: "It came down to a personality contest more so than about the dancing. I did as well I could and I felt it was good enough. I guess America didn't agree, but we also have Bush as president so we know Americans aren't that smart." It should be noted that Nigel told the dancers at the very start of the Top 16 phase that America would be judging based on their personalities as much as their dancing. Does someone have to explain to Blake that people are not apt to vote for someone they don’t like?

As he recently told the Calgary Sun, "I never regret speaking my mind. I don't think he (Karaty) is that talented, I don't really respect him as a choreographer and I really did think he was jealous," McGrath told The Sun. "I didn't think it was that awful – I was just speaking the truth."

There is a saying that divas are only useful in an opera. Blake went diva before our eyes. In his time with So You Think You Can Dance, Blake brought a level or arrogance and cockiness that we have never before seen on reality television. It would be laughable if he weren’t so immensely gifted. Perhaps, a year later, if Blake had decided to try out for the show, he might have been more mature and handled himself in a way that honored his talent.

But that is an “if.” Blake McGrath should have won So You Think You Can Dance, and it wouldn’t have even been close. He didn’t win. It’s his own fault. He blew it! In his heart of hearts, Blake just can’t grasp that if he could have shown some humility, America would likely have embraced him with a fervor we haven’t seen since Kelly Clarkson. Instead, he became a water cooler talk of a different variety.

It’s not a crime to be cocky, but it is shameful in this context. And, that’s why Blake, as talented as he is, can do those dazzling leaps in the echoing rooms of the Hall of Shame. Congratulations.

Sting7 has been a respected published writer for many years, as a music editor, entertainment critic, columnist, and interviewer. He also has a curious love for pro-wrestling! You can email Stinger at stingseven@yahoo.com.

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