'Angry' Mia Michaels Says Claims of 'Dance' Racism Are Ridiculous

By Stacy Jenel Smith Posted Aug 10th 2010 01:05PM

Mia Michaels and AdéChiké Torbert from So You Think You Can Dance

'So You Think You Can Dance' judge Mia Michaels has been stung by some of the criticism of her criticism that's broken out in blogs and comment areas since last week's elimination of AdéChiké Torbert (right) on the show -- specifically, remarks to the effect that she has it in for black male dancers.

"It's just ridiculous, honestly. I actually Twittered because there was so much negativity coming at me, because they think I was coming at him for really stupid reasons," she tells PopEater. "I had to make clear that I as a judge, as a person, don't care what somebody looks like. I could care less what color their skin is, or how big they are, what their weight is. I look at their performance. I look at their integrity as an artist. I look at their technicality. I look strictly at that. People are trying to find something that isn't there. They're digging into the wrong areas."

Michaels admits that such comments have made her feel "kind of angry because like, I want to tell them, 'You don't know me. You don't know me at all.' I mean, without getting, you know -- it's just, my friends, my boyfriends, my dancers. Some of the finest dancers that have worked for me are black men and my assistants are black men. People are trying to grab at anything to make a reason why I'm critiquing him as harsh as I do and, it's -- I keep getting this rap, I don't like black male dancers, and anybody who knows me knows that's just hilarious. We crack up."

She mentioned boyfriends. So Michaels has dated black men?

"Yes, I mean, years ago I was engaged to an African American, actually, a Cuban guy," she replies. "I'm open to people. I'm looking for the spirit. I'm looking for the art. I don't care if they're purple green with polka dots. I'm so much deeper than that."

The Emmy-winning choreographer, who has worked with such stars as Madonna, Prince, Celine Dion and Ricky Martin, says of herself, Nigel Lithgoe and Adam Shankman, "As judges, clearly -- clearly -- we've been doing this so long. I started dancing when I was three, started choreographing when I was 15. I've been doing this my entire life and I know what I'm looking at. And what I say, it's an opinion; people can take it or leave it. It's not the bible of dance. For me, AdéChiké was not one of the stronger dancers from the get-go. I honestly don't think he would have been around as long as he was if we hadn't had all the injuries we had this season."

Nevertheless, she stresses that she believes he's a good dancer "and a great young man. He's very strong, an athlete, but he needs a lot of work in the fluidity department and style. He needs to tap into the artistry and the style of dancing."
Michaels, who wants to continue in her role as judge on the hugely-popular Fox show -- which has its season finale episodes Wednesday and Thursday this week -- says, "I've learned a lot, too.

"I've learned that words are very, very important and you have to choose wisely. That's something I've learned this season -- I need to be careful how I deliver my thoughts on a performance and a person. I would by no means ever want to hurt somebody just for the sake of hurting somebody. I would never, ever want that. So when I had come across very harsh on AdéChiké one week, I really took a step back. That was a real learning curve for me and I needed to apologize to him, and I did. I said, 'I'm really sorry if I hurt you or offended you in any way. That was not my intention.'"

Michaels also spoke to AdéChiké after his elimination, she says, and, as anyone would expect, he was disappointed not to make the finale. "But I also told him that he should be very happy, that he should be celebrating that he had gone so far. He's going to do great."

And now the attention turns to the three finalists -- Kent Boyd, Lauren Froderman and Robert Roldan -- one of whom is soon to be named this season's winner.

"You're going to see them at top form for the finale. You know, everybody at the end is just going to go for broke, like really bust a move," Michaels predicts. "They each bring something different. Robert is this humble sweetheart. Kent is the farm boy. And Luaren is this little girl who is like the diva, because she's the only girl standing. I think it's just a personal preference at this point. For me, I would be happy if any one of them won."

Tags: so you think you can dance

Comments

(533)

Wednesday 11 August

By Mina

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Who R they?

By eric

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hey CINDY - okay. here we go. as a white man in america,I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY THAT ENDED LEGALLY 150+ YEARS AGO. there. are we done ? can black people like you finally stop that B.S.? no , of course you can't . because you are a slave to black victim mentality syndrome. you are the real rascist here.

By Pam

Why should the "whites" take responsibility for slavery!! When clearly the "blacks" very own race are the ones who sold them into slavery in the first place. So if you want to put blame on someone then blame your own family of "black" ancestors!

By sjay

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Walt, obviously, you are ignorant of TRUE and CORRECT history. Take responsibility for white supremacy. NO, we don't take responsibility for psychotic behavior, thank you. READ and STUDY DANCE in AMERICA and you will see how Black people were denigrated for our dancing, our soul, our style. But, when a white person imitated our style, our steps, (because you psychotics will never have a SOUL) then, they were geniuses, take Fred Astaire, who I love as one of the great American dancers, but he himself said he did not hold a candle to Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Robinson taught Astaire and Shirley Temple his TECHNIQUE. Yet, he did not reach the magnitude of acclaim that they did during that time, WHY? BECAUSE OF RACISM!!!!!! FOOLISH ONE! Why are you so tired of hearing about racism, because most whites HATE TRUTH! LYING IS APART OF YOUR CULTURE, YOUR HERITAGE, YOUR LEADERSHIP, MONARCHIES, YOUR WESTERN CULTURE. So, chin-up this is the AGE of TRUTH, grin and bear it.

By om

Hey Cindy:

I'm a white American male and I feel 0% responsible for slavery. My family came to America in the 1920's. If you read history, you will see that not only blacks were forced into slavery but so were Irish, my "people." Do blacks take responsiblity for selling their "brothas and sistas" into slavery? Of course not! They would loose their crutch!

By frank665

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I agree with you 1,000,000%

By Buzz

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Would you rather have grown up in Africa? Living in a dung hut and hunting lions with spears? No running water, no toilets, no grocery stores and a whole lot of malaria infested mosquitos. That would have been your life if you werent born a decendent of slaves. You should be thankful you had the opportunity to be born here.

By gchad2003

Cindy - were you EVER a slave? How about owning up to what? The fact that you - who were never a slave - would like to make those of us white people - who never owned a slave - your slaves now?? Get over yourself.

By karenione

To cindy: Don't forget their own people sold them into slavery. Chances are that there were many waring factions in Africa who bought and sold each other. Don't just blame the white trader, blame your own people!!!!

By Aukake

This is for Cindy...you post How about your race taking responsibility for slavery....Umm would htat be slavery from the start of it way way back in history or slavery in the Americas? Sweety pie, suggest that you do some research and find out who it was that sold their people and enemies to the white slavers in the first part. There is enough blame to spread around on all races.

By Lt

Hey Cindy.......do you realize that African Kings were the reason for slavery starting upon their own people??? But I think its ironic how its always about black slaves or racism against blacks. No one ever looks back at the mutiplt cultures and races that also endured slavery and ill treatment through out the years!

By ryan

cindy, they should be happy they even came over on the boat,they are really nothing but problems here.

By bb

Hey Walt, who are "THEY"?

By CDARRELLRYZ

@eric. I agree with your statement. You said "a slave to black mentality syndrone". It's true! I mean, EVERYBODY, take a look around. What do you see? What color is our president? How many high schools, colleges, and professional black athletes are there in this country? Tens, hundreds of thousands. Literaly!This, by the way, does NOT pertain to all blacks. I know some black people, and they laugh at these cry-babies who have a chip on their shoulder, that cry racism when things don't go their way.

By Bridget

cindy... you have absolutely got to be kidding us all with that crap about us taking responsiblity for slavery, WE didn't do it, and no african american that is alive today was around in the slavery days, so we don't owe you anything, and you don't have anything to cry about, GET OVER IT, actually if you really want to break things down let me see, there are all black schools and that is all good right, but if an all white school wanted to open, then it would be racist, where is the equalness in that

By Teri Thomas

THANK YOU WALT!!!! you took the words out of my mouth,

By Carl

There you go. It is not always the race card. Youseem to want it to be to give yourself adoration. And all of you white people who say this is a new America and racism does not exist anymore, get a grip. I see and experience it on a daily basis and the sad part is, the majority of you don't even think that you are being racist especially against black males. I am a black male who is in charge of 37 people, all white, I have three degrees and yet these white people who are my subordinates think I don't deserve to have my position, therefore their respect for me is marginal at best. I get up go to work five days a weeks, on time, never late, stay late most days to ensure everyone has done what they were supposed to do. I have a brother who is going through the same issues. Contrary to popluar belief, we have to walk on egg shells even though we are being disrespected daily to ensure our bosses that we are not prejudiced in any way. So your statement is unrealistic and probably bias to say the least.

By Julie

Cindy, you jerk, just my being white doesn't make me responsible for ANYTHING done many generations past. I have never owned, killed or mistreated any person of any color. There is no reason I should hang my head in shame and/or apologize for what someone else, who I'm not even related to, did in the past. I'm extremely sorry that such things happened, but it is not logical for me to take personal responsibility for them.

Tuesday 10 August

By Leah

I watch the show every week, and Mia can be really mean. I don't think it's necessarily a race thing, though. Every season she seems to pick a dancer or two to be mean to. It seems as if whatever that/those dancer(s) do, she's not gonna like it.

By Jessie

I agree. I don't think Mia is racist, but she can be unnecessarily mean. I'm glad she recognized it and has apologised to AdéChiké. I respect her opinion because she is an amazing choreographer and hopefully next year she can be more careful to not be so harsh with her criticism. Constructive criticism is more helpful than dismissive criticism.

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