Hoof In Mouth Disease: So You Think You Can Dance 2’s Ben Susak

Honesty. It is defined as truthfulness, sincerity. Archaically it could even mean chastity. Billy Joel once sang “honesty is hardly ever heard, and mostly what I need from you.” Mostly. Sometimes, honesty is not the best thing. It can get you in more trouble than lying would.

That was the case for Ben Susak of So You Think You Can Dance 2.

Before we even knew his name, Nigel was scolding Ben for complaining about being sick. This is a chance of a lifetime, said Nigel, no one cares if you have the sniffles. Suck it up, he said plainly. Perhaps Ben was being honest, but as Ben was being given these kernels of wisdom, you could see in his eyes… he wasn’t getting it. Like a teenager who’s not buying in, the lights were dim behind those eyes.

Yet, he made the Top 20 – but his female buddy did not, and he was quite vocal (honest) in his disappointment. He even went so far as to bluntly say that some people were getting through on things besides dancing (welcome to television, Ben). So his “honesty” prompted him to slam his contestants. Nice.

Yes, Ben certainly seemed naïve to the ways of television – or just naïve in general. That in itself is not so horrible. But add to that a teenaged sort of mind, the kind that doesn’t listen to advice when it’s given to him. So not only did he ignore council, Ben had a way of being flippant and sarcastic as he spouted from his fount of misinformation. If you don’t know, just ask Ben. He knows everything. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, took it back.

Ben was headed for trouble with a capital T. There is a certain wisdom that comes with maturity. “Do I look fat in these pants?” All of us men know to lie, if necessary, when that question comes along. Because there are certain times when the truth will get you creamed. When your parents ask, “Do I look stupid to you?” They just might, but you don’t say that.

On the June 29, 2006, episode of So You Think You Can Dance, Ben had maneuvered his way through a hip hop routine, no small chore for the contemporary dancer, and got some kudos from the judges. Not all of them – Nigel thought his “street” dancing was more like “Rodeo Drive” – no, he wasn’t funky in the least bit, but he was credible. Despite this, he and his partner, Ashlee, were in the bottom three couples once America had a chance to vote.

If you are unfamiliar with the show, this is how it works: all of the dancing couples randomly draw a style of dance to perform that week. They are then assigned a choreographer to teach them a routine. The couples then go out and perform that routine for America. America votes for the couples, and three lowest-ranking couples must then “dance for their lives” as six individuals. Based on the 20-second solo performances of the six dancers and, more so this year, the body of work they amass from week to week, one male and one female dancer are eliminated.

Hearing that, you are probably thinking, “I would make sure my 20-second solo is sizzling hot, so if I ever get in the bottom three, I can show the judges what I can do and stay on the show.” Of course you would think that! Somehow, Ben did not think this. Maybe, he did not think at all, as you will witness.

Ben did a solo of perfect turns and leaps. There was no question Ben is a talented dancer. It was not a bad solo at all. Host Cat Deeley innocently (or maybe not) asked Ben if he knew what he was going to do when he hit the stage for his solo. Ben, oddly, said no. And offered nothing more. Cat smoothly changed the subject, but Ben had already started placing nails in his coffin with that flip response.

At this point in the show, the judges offer no comments. They simply watch and deliberate. So would it have been wise for Ben to take this moment with Cat to state his case for his retention (as most of the dancers did that night)? Yes, it would have. Did he? No.

When the judges returned, Nigel couldn’t wait to pounce on Ben. Actually, he went to Ben’s partner, Ashlee first. He asked pointedly how much work Ashlee thought Ben put into their routine. Ashlee, unaware of where Nigel was going, thought Nigel was taking a side road to criticizing Ben’s performance of their routine and offered excuses that the hip hop routine was not Ben’s forte, but he’s a great partner. Nigel politely waved this off, and set the crosshairs at Ben.

He gave Ben a chance to explain himself. “Ben, how much preparation did you put into your solo?”

“Zero!” he started, then half a beat later, he added, “But--”

“Thank you, that’s what I wanted to know.” Nigel cut him off. Taps.

He didn’t say none, he didn’t a little, he didn’t say he didn’t get a chance to, he didn’t say he chose to let the music move him, he didn’t say anything that would have suggested that he at least understood that he should have put some work into it. He said, “Zero.” Flippant. Smarty pants. Disinterested. Who cares? Why should I? With one word, Ben conveyed all of those things.

The audience gave a sympathetic “aww.” But, Nigel, suddenly red in the face, scolded the audience too, “No, no, it’s not ‘aww.’ Is it ‘aww’ that a dancer is dancing for their lives and they put ‘zero’ preparation into the solo that will keep them on this show?”

No, it isn’t. It was an incomprehensibly dumb thing to say. How else is Nigel, or for that matter, the rest of America, to feel? If Ben doesn’t care enough to have a solo ready, what does that say about him? What does that say about the respect he has for the show? The gratitude he has for the opportunity he was given? Why should he stay?

Maybe he was just being honest. I received some emails that criticized my own scolding of Ben for this incident. But, as I mentioned before, it was stupid to be honest in this case. Ben had two occasions to clean up his mess. Two. And he failed to do so either time. Maybe that half a beat is what it took for the light bulb to turn on, but it was half a beat too late.

Why didn’t he have a solo prepared? Ben, an accomplished dancer, could have taken a snippet of a routine he’d performed before the show and none of us would have been the wiser. He would have been within the rules! Then, couple that with virtually boasting that he was unprepared, and you now know why Ben is shameful.

All of the dancers in the top twenty know what So You Think You Can Dance is about. It is my understanding that they were given tapes of last season so they knew what to expect. So Ben knew that at some point, he was going to have to solo. He chose not to prepare one. Or he chose not to do the one he prepared. Or he just decided to wing it. Who knows what could have been rolling through Ben’s mind, but whatever it was, it added up to shameful behavior and a shameful end to his So You Think You Can Dance campaign.

It all comes down to immaturity, Ben. No matter how you slice it. So, while you can dance, and dance very well, you are also shameful. You, being you, will let this slide off, but in a few years, you’ll understand. Here’s hoping you don’t burn too many bridges before the lesson comes clear.

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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