Performances are tricky things to do. Not only do they entail the music and the dance sequences, but lighting effects, performer placement, sequencing of events, among other things, need equal and careful deliberation. If the lighting is too dark, too bright, too much of one color, or too chaotic, it takes away from the performance. Additionally, if all conditions are correct and the music is incorrect, then the performance bombs, a la Ashlee Simpson. So when tvN announced the details of its new music variety show, “Show Show Show“, I was excited and worried at the same time…
To set the stage, SSS is a new style of music program where an idol group can create special sets where they have creative license to do what they want. They can create tribute pieces to other acts, give a new spin to their own work, etc.
Artistic freedom for all performance decisions? Do idols have enough creative know-how to put on a good show?
In the pilot episode, girl group After School created such a set, which included performances of “Let’s Step Up”, “Shampoo”, a cover of “Like A Boy” by Ciara, and a tribute piece for veteran duo, Chuli & Miae, which Kahi participated in.
Before I continue, AS has been a group that has consistently been able to put on a good performance; the two intro dance sequences for “방!”and “Shampoo” were amazing. Both were highly technical and intricate enough to wow the audience and make fellow idols jealous (f(x) copied the step idea on their “Hot Summer” MV, IMO, to distracting effect).
These routines show their commitment to the craft of performing, though it doesn’t seem to grow from there. For instance, in SSS, the “Let’s Step Up” routine is done exactly the same way we’ve seen it in every single rendition of those steps before, all the way down to the wardrobe and lighting choices. I still enjoy watching this routine, but it feels tired.
What I would have liked to see from the two ‘Virgin‘ performances (Let’s Step Up and Shampoo) was something new. Both were done the same way AS learned them at the time of their comeback. Performance-wise, they could have gone the route of Miss A when they promoted “Breathe”, where the song itself was short, but the creative team behind Miss A extended the song and the choreography to fit. Or perhaps created a remix specifically for those performances. SNSD, after performing “Genie” till our heads exploded, have created several remixes; my favorite of which is the sexy remix, a ballad/hyper dance combo that speaks to the meaning in the song and the original dance approach. I know AS had enough time to create more elaborate pieces, so it ended being a missed opportunity.
Ciara is an amazing dancer. Not a great singer, but when prompted, she can dance till the cows come home. And nowhere is that more apparent than in the MV for “Like a Boy“. In it, she plays both female and male roles, integrating choreography to fit both. The choreo is gritty and in your face, appropriate for the song. It isn’t intricate or technical, but it is physically taxing. Not a lot of people can lean as far backwards, and stay as long as she can in that way. AS, by comparison, are not street dancers. Kahi, the group’s main dancer, is trained in ballet, jazz and hip-hop, all of which do not scream Ciara dance-alike. She flows between her steps, but doesn’t pop and lock, a common feature in current hip-hop dancing. That said, “Like a Boy” may have been the wrong choice. All the girls can’t dance the same way and the end result looked sloppy. They have done similar dancing before, when dance programs were common place in 2009-10. They were enjoying themselves, that much is clear, but if it looks like a mess, then there isn’t much for the audience to enjoy.
The tribute piece was fantastic in many ways. Chuli & Miae are an electro-dance duo from the mid-90’s, much in the style of La Bouche and similar euro-trash dance music that was popular then. Music variety programs rarely go back to the 90’s (the aughties (2000-2009) are classic in this age of k-pop), so this performance showed how k-pop and pop music has changed in 15+ years. C&M performed their hit “너는왜 (Why You)”, and Kahi came on during the dance break. Seeing Miae and Kahi dance showed the evolution of popular dance styles. Miae’s has more arm-flailing while Kahi’s is flow-centric and controlled, while hip movements have remained the same. This segment also showed a change in freestyle dance in K-pop. When asked, Miae could pull of a short routine without fail, whereas Kahi could not. Maybe Kahi isn’t one to be spontaneous, but this speaks to the dance training in the newer generation of k-pop artists, where “freestyle” does not mean spur-of-the-moment. However, this performance was excellent. A throwback to freestyle club music and dance club culture of old that satisfied my eyes.
After School is an interesting group of women who can pretty much do each other’s job. They all have their strengths, and I wish this pilot of SSS played to those strengths. I would have loved to see Kahi and Bekah have a rap duet as a final tribute to Bekah before she “graduated”, an over the top pop nonsense from the AS sub-units, or even a mega mix of their hits so far. Chuli & Miae performing with Kahi was the gem in this set, with the dance and style choices (alien foil hats, anyone?). Creative license means going places people don’t expect you to go and to wow. To put on a show that will knock people’s socks off and leave them feeling breathless. Ultimately, I didn’t need resuscitation.
====
Hi! My name is Xtian, and I’m a total pop music whore. I’m from NYC and can be seen dancing in the streets with headphones permanently glued to my ears. I may not have had a musical background, but I’m a lover of all things music, so I’m excited to be bringing a new voice to the McRoth’s funhouse. Y’all can email me at paulaboy2505@aol.com, or better yet, follow me on twitter, where I do most of my social media-ing, @drowningn00b. See y’all lataz!
