Randy Jackson
"American Idol"

Jordin Sparks

Fantasia Barrino

Katharine McPhee

Benji & Heidi

Jordan & Tatiana

Cheryl Burke

Christina Aguilera

Randy Jackson coins new term to identify "Performance Excellence".

Do you have "YO FACTOR" when you perform???

On American Idol, Jordin Sparks had it.  Fantasia had it. So did Katharine McPhee.

In Swing dancing, Benji & Heidi and Jordan & Tatiana have it. A few others do, too.

So what is it?

"Yo" is that special something that captures a moment, mesmerizes an audience and makes the room explode in applause during a performance.  It's not something most people can learn.  You generally have it or you don't. 

We're not talking "charisma".  All these nationally renowned singers and dancers have that.  "Yo" is more.  "Yo" is the ability to get inside the very heart of an audience and move them to the edge of their seat by delivering a spectacular note or executing a sensational move that fits perfectly with the music or lyrics of a song.  It's way beyond having charisma.  It's "performance magic".

Simon Cowell calls it the "X" factor or the "WOW" factor.  Whatever term you use to describe it, you KNOW it immediately when you hear it or see it.

Fantasia drew us to tears with her emotional rendition of "Summertime" on American Idol.  Katharine McPhee did likewise when she sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".  And who can forget Jennifer Hudson singing "And I Am Telling You, I'm Not Going", in the movie "Dreamgirls"?

Comparable moments in Swing dance competitions include the time when Ronnie & Laureen hit the last note of "Proud Mary" in the 2003 US OPEN and when "Benji & Heidi blew us away with their stunning "Donut Drop" at the 2002 US OPEN.  "Yo" factor?  Yes, to the MAX.

Here's Randy Jackson at his best...

“Dawg, what is absolutely wonderful, absolutely great, is to see somebody at seventeen - it don’t matter what age you are .......... you got it cuz you got it. That was a YO Factor™ on BLAST. That was HOT!”

"Hey yeah dog, now that was Da Bomb, definite 'YO' Factor!"

Even the reaction by Judge Jackson helps one understand the level of emotion evoked when one witnesses a great performance.  His enthusiasm says it all.

So now, having explained the "YO", how do you put it into your dancing?  Here's some recommendations:

SONG CHOICE
Song choice is everything in a dance routine.  It's the biggest reason why some couples are able to display "YO" Factor while others are considered "NO" Factor. 

Use simple common sense.  If the song doesn't move the audience, how can your dancing possibly move them?  Ain't gonna happen.  You need to select music that generates deep emotion - whether it's energetic, artistic, comedic, or romantic.  You've got to INSPIRE an audience - otherwise, you're just dancing. 

In most competitions, only three or four couples usually have a genuine chance to win because those few have selected the kind of music that can mesmerize an audience.  The other couples generally choose mediocre music, which limits their potential to create great choreography, entertain spectators and impress judges. 

The judges on "American Idol", "Dancing with the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance" have stated repeatedly that song choice will "make you or break you".  However, even after hearing this, most singers and dancers still don't pay attention to this sage advice.  They're either stubborn, naive - or both.  That needs to change if you wanna win.  Take a tip from the judges.  Before you start working on hot moves or buying cool outfits, dig really deep to find great music to dance to.  It will make all the difference in the world.  In Randy-speak, "you can't be Da Bomb if you don't got Da Song!" 

RISK LEVEL
Take a risk.  As one media writer once said, "Risks can either pay off or blow up in your face.  That's why they're risks.  But GREATNESS is rarely achieved by playing it safe."  Benji and Heidi practiced their incomparable "donut drop" hundreds of times and failed to complete it 15 times in a row during a frenzied last rehearsal just minutes before they performed it at the US OPEN.  Despite the struggle, they still kept it as the signature move in their routine. They took a HUGE risk that night, but when crunch-time came, they delivered Big Time.  The risk paid off and they were rewarded with an enormous standing ovation that rocked the stands.  They also took 1st Place in the competition.

EXPAND YOURSELF
When you compete, be sure to pick songs and choose moves that will expand you and define you as a dancer.  Stretch the envelope.  Surprise the audience with something special.  Use "Shock & Awe!"  The great dance couples do this ALL the time.  They always try to "top" themselves so they can astound the audience. 

True artists know it's not about beating another couple, it's about being the best you can be for that special 3 minutes on the dance floor.  The rest takes care of itself.  The great Russian ballet master, Mikhail Baryshnikov, said it well...

"I do not try to dance better than anyone else.  I only try to dance better than myself."

PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS
Do an honest appraisal of yourself in the areas of artistry, athleticism, agility, expression, emotion - and age.  Then pick music and movements that showcase your strengths and highlight your personality.  In the final analysis, you still have to be yourself - you can't try to dance like someone else.  But you can maximize the impact that your dancing has on an audience if you pick great music and then deliver great moments.  It starts with the MUSIC and it ends with YOU.

BE STRATEGIC & SMART
Competitive Dancing is hard work.  If you're going to spend so much time training and rehearsing, you might as well seek the best outcome.  And that requires strategic planning.  Great dancers are great not just because they have talent and practice hard every day.  They're great because they're SMART.  They know how to pick great music and they know how to connect with an audience through their choreography and their personality.  They make wise decisions.  You should, too.

Champion Couples like Jordan Frisbee & Tatiana Mollmann and Benji Schwimmer & Heidi Groskreutz are very smart and they're very strategic thinkers.  They search for months to find special music and create specific moves that will knock the socks off an audience.  And because they've done this, they always know that they have a distinct advantage over most other couples before they even set foot on the competition floor.  By contrast, many other dancers simply just don't get it.  They never seem to figure out why they never win or why they rarely place in the Top Five.  Here's the secret...

Winning dance competitions is all about the "YO", and the MUSIC makes the "YO".

So, the next time you compete, think long and hard about what the judges keep reminding everyone.  It's the SONG, the SONG, the SONG.

"OK, dawg, we're just tryin' to keep it real here.  Peace out."

Grammy Award-winning producer Randy Jackson is a 20-year music industry veteran. He started out at the age of 13 playing bass and got his big break when he joined the band, "Journey".  He later became a Producer and spent eight years as the Vice-President of A&R at Columbia Records.  That was followed by four years as Senior Vice-President of A&R at MCA Records.

Jackson has recorded, toured and performed with the likes of Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, N' SYNC, Madonna, Elton John, Destiny's Child, and many more.

Jackson has personally worked on over 1,000 gold and multi-platinum albums. His contributions have helped sell over 200 million albums worldwide. With his musical talent and studio knowledge, combined with his performing, touring and record company experience, Jackson is one of today's most highly regarded music industry experts.

Related Feature Story:

Choreography Secrets of Jordan & Tatiana