I find "Dance Your Ass Off" at once fascinating and exploitative. Let's discuss.
I've never actually watched a dance competition show before, nor have I ever seen the Biggest Loser. I started watching this show by accident, but it turned out to be really compelling, so I'm going to watch it this season to see how it is. With all of those caveats, I want to comment on several aspects of this show that I think are weird but that might be a normal part of shows like these. You'll have to let me know.
On the one hand, and I think you'll have to agree with me on this: some of those contestants are AWESOME dancers, man. I think it's great that they have the guts to get up on that stage and dance some really hard choreography. Some of them are professional dancers who have just gained weight for whatever reason, and you can just really tell that they're happy to be doing it again. I am happy that they have a venue that can show off their considerable talents, because you know in this weight-obsessed culture (and especially the entertainment industry), they would never have been given that chance. I'm serious– I bet at least one of them gets a job as a professional dancer (like on a tour) based just on this show. Some of them are just that good.
I think the problem I have with this show is their method of production, which seems to be hell-bent on exploiting these people, even though they are already doing something so hard. The first example of this is the skin-tight outfits that are so obviously designed to accentuate the contestant's physical flaws so that you never forget for one minute "This is a fat person dancing!". This bugs me, because like I said, some of the contestants are damned talented dancers– WAY better than I could ever be, and I'm thin. So, why take me out of the enjoyment of just watching them be kick-ass dancers by putting them in an outfit that is designed to be unflattering and to call my attention back to the fat? It just seems mean, and like overkill to me. I feel like, for once just let them do what they're good at, man. They're trying, ok?
Why the see-through spandex?
The second problem I have with this show is also related to production value. I know that times are tough and that this is the first season of this show, but the people they have singing the pop songs (like the rendition of "My Humps" in this clip, but let's be honest, this song already makes me want to hit) are just not that good, and they are trying to sound like the actual artists, but they are just different enough to again, distract you from the awesome dancing and make you go "Is that Fergie? I don't think that's Fergie…". I'm sure this convention was chosen because it's cheaper to license the rights to the lyrics rather than the actual songs, but there must be a way to do it better, like to just show the singer as part of a house band or something.
My final issue (aside from the weigh-ins in tiny clothes, which again, is total overkill) is the strange and wooden delivery of diminutive Broadway superstar Marisa Jaret Winokur. I'm surprised that she's not a better host, given all of her obvious talents, but she's awkward, and she needs to work on it. I never thought I'd say this combination of words, but she really would benefit from being a little more like Ryan Seacrest.
So, overall I'm going to give the show itself a 5 so far, but the dancers a 7. Oh, and I love love LOVE Mayte Garcia, who in case you don't know is a phenomenal dancer who used to be married to Prince in the 90's, and is really cool and compassionate as a judge.