Dear Emmy Awards:

Thank you very much for choosing Neil Patrick Harris to host. I will love you forever if you let him sing. If he does anything close to his closing number for the Tony's, the night will start off a success. Also, while he's singing, why not have him sing a song from something he sung in a nominated show like....Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.

I know, I know it's highly unlikely I will see a number from Dr. Horrible at the Emmys. That wonderful web-cast show is nominated in the "technical" awards category of Outstanding Special Class Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program. (Which, honestly, just sounds like some kind of fake, catch-all category that you just made up to please the masses....but, on the other hand, hurray for you adapting to new media!). And I know that Outstanding Special Class and other "technical" awards are categories that are traditionally too unfamiliar and too boring to be worth keeping a flighty network audeince's attention on a Sunday night. But the key word in that last sentence is "traditionally." I have no problem with "technical" Emmys or Oscars being awarded at a separate, non-televised event. I am one of those flighty audience members who changes the channel if forced to sit through a series of acceptance speeches for Outstanding Lighting, Make-up, Sound Mixing, etc. And in years past I probably wouldn't have cared about the catch-all category of Outstanding Special Class Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program or even Outstanding Choreography. But, this year, I care. And my humble suggestion to you, Emmy Awards, is that if you are smart, you should take note of the fact that I and other fellow TV watchers care.

Now, I realize I probably will not get my fondest wish of seeing a live performance of a song from Dr. Horrible on the Emmy stage (but I am holding out hope that host Neil Patrick Harris does give the web show a shout-out somehow). On the other hand, when it comes to the "technical" Emmy of Outstanding Choreography, I think a live performance is an outstanding idea.

As I understand it, the "technical" awards are shoved to the side because they are boring and don't make for good TV. But my suggestion is that when the technical awards, as they do this year, happen to include nominations in Choreography from popular TV shows Dancing With the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance, I say go ahead and move that award, temporarily, to the Big Leauges. It'll give the audience something to look at between all those acceptance speeches. It'll bring in the So You Think You Can Dance (younger demographic) and Dancing With the Stars (super HUGE demographic) audiences and even, maybe, get Hugh Jackman to show up (people obsessed with movie stars demographic). You won't have to find a choreogropher, costumes, dancers or camera angles because it's already been done. And, did I mention, IT WILL BE ENTERTAINING.

Thank you for listening, Emmy Awards. To refresh your memory, I'll post clips of the 2009 Prime Time Emmy Outstanding Choreography Emmy Nominees after the jump.


81st Annual Academy Awards: "Musicals are Back"
Rob Ashford, Choreographer
Considering the scope and star power of this number, it would be near impossible to reproduce at the Emmy Awards. Also, for the same reasons, it's likely to win, although it's my least favorite because it's more about the stars performing than the dancing.


Dancing With The Stars: Jive/"Great Balls of Fire"
Derek Hough, Choreographer
Julianne Hough, Choreographer
Derek is one of my favorite choreographers on Dancing With the Stars. This routine is fun and entertaining and makes me want to dance. Also, props to the siblings for working so well together. My brother has the same name as Mr. Hough and all we can choreograph is how to set the dinner table when we are home for Christmas holidays.


So You Think You Can Dance: "Bleeding Love"
Tabitha D'umo, Choreographer
Napoleon D'umo, Choreographer
This choreography duo goes by the name "Nappy-Tabs" on the show. Their specialty is "lyrical hip-hop," which I usually don't like too much. But I really loved this routine when I first saw it. It made the dancers, Mark and Chelsie, stand out to me. I really liked the story and expressions in the piece. (And I would love to see them dance it at the Emmys)


So You Think You Can Dance: "Mercy" a.k.a. The Door Dance
Mia Michaels, Choreographer
I didn't see this dance when it first aired, but I heard about it so I checked it out on youtube. Unfortunately, the first clip I watched told the story behind the dance and my latent feminist came out and ruined the dance for me.

Short clip. Poor quality, but you can view it without the intro that tainted my view of the dance.


Full clip that I originally saw, that explains the story behind the dance: obsessed, "crazy" girlfriend won't leave ex-boyfriend alone and he has to throw her out the door but she still hangs around so he can have sexual benefits whenever he wants but can still exert his power and throw her away whenever he wants and it's all justified because she's "crazy." The girl is a mess. And the guy wears a wife-beater. The dancing is good. But I just hate the message.


So You Think You Can Dance: "Adam and Eve/Silence"
Tyce Diorio, Choreographer
Not a personal favorite of mine, but a very powerful and beautiful performance.



So You Think You Can Dance: "A Los Amigos" Argentine Tango
Dmitry Chaplin, Choreographer
Dmitry was a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance, so I feel a little like I've watched him grow. He's on Dancing With The Stars now with Chelsie whom he choreographed in this Tango. (The ballroom dancing world...it's smaller than you think). Also, this is my favorite of the bunch. It brings a real story and theatrics to a ballroom dance. I hope it wins.