Bring It!

I discovered a new show a couple weeks ago--Bring It. Don't confuse it with the movie (and horrible television sequels), Bring It On, because this is NOT about cheerleaders.

This is about the competitive world of competitive hip-hop majorette dancing.

Confession: I did not even know this was a thing. But man, I am getting schooled fast. Because not only is this a thing, it is a BIG thing, especially in the South, where there are competitions going on almost every weekend.

Work. It. 

When I hear "majorette," I think of teen girls lined up and twirling batons alongside a marching band. But trust me, that is NOT what these girls are doing. They take the hip-hop dancing part of the description seriously, and execute routine after routine of high-energy, high-kicking, and hair-flipping awesomeness.

The dance troupe followed in the show, The Dancing Dolls, has girls aged 10 through 17...and sometimes the parents even put in an appearance during the performances. Here's a description of their coach and what they do from the Lifetime website for Bring It!

Coach Dianna Williams (aka "Miss D") and her Dancing Dolls troupe refuse to lose, pushing themselves to the limit each week in the relentless pursuit of victory. Every pump, thrust and high kick on "Bring It!" highlights the triumphs and struggles of intense competition, where errors aren't tolerated, mediocrity isn’t excused and only a win is acceptable.

The show is hella entertaining; and trust me, it isn't gross like Dance Moms. You see the work the girls have to put it in to their routines to win and how they balance their regular lives with their dance commitments. Several of the Moms get highlighted on the show as well, and while they encourage their daughters to dance, they're isn't any nastiness or obvious mental disorders like on similarly-themed reality shows. The Moms are supportive rather than pushing and aren't allowed in the studio during practices. Instead, they hang out outside, watching through the windows, and (hilariously) shooting the shit with one another.

My favorite part? The competitions themselves. Typically, The Dancing Dolls compete in two categories: the creative dance (the entire team performs a routine) and the stand battle, where two teams basically throw down in a dance-off trying to one-up and intimidate each other. It's amazing. Example (with the Dancing Dolls in the red outfits):



It makes my back hurt just watching them. But DAMN it's awesome.

Bring It! airs on Wednesdays at 9:00EST on Lifetime. Full episodes are available on Lifetime's website  or you can find it on your On Demand cable service. The current season is the show's second.