Why I am the only one in America who DIDN'T vote for Jeanine

So let me try to explain why I'm not on the Jeanine-Love Train right now.  Most of my reasons don't even have anything to do with her as a person; she's just the unfortunate one in this reality TV position.

It's no secret that the producers wanted another girl to win, just like they wanted a hip hopper to win last season.  So ultimately, even if the guys were superior, the race wasn't about them this year.  

1> Sabra Johnson - Season 3 Winner

• Sabra was NEVER shown in the audition process.  The first time we saw her was when she was named Top 20. 
  
• She was partnered with Dominic Sandoval (D-Trix).  He had a HUGE personality and was an amazing BBoy.  She got carried along with Dom-Fever and flew through to Top 10 without question.  That whole time, we really didn't know too much about her except we liked her with Dom. 
  
• Top 10...she started dancing with other partners and you realized she was a solid performer.  She's was very consistent.
• Every week, the judges start "noticing" her and the hype grew.  She became the "dark horse" no one saw coming and eventually took the crown.

2> Danny Tidwell - Season 3 Runner Up

• Sabra beat the exemplary Danny Tidwell. 
  
• Danny was featured from the beginning because he was Travis Wall's brother (Travis = Season 2's Runner Up), he had a rough upbringing, he had a reputation in the dance world for excellence, and he had an "attitude" (or so the judges said).
• His story arc was to prove that he wasn't "arrogant".  He had to prove to Mia Michaels that he was a great dancer and could let go of his chip on shoulder.  When he did, we all were so happy for Danny and finally embraced him...or did we?
• All that controversy clouded the fact that he was the best dancer ever to grace the SYTYCD stage.  It also left holes allowing Sabra to come in and take the prize.
  

3> Jeanine Mason - Season 5 Final 4 and Favored to Win

• Let's just call her Sabra 2.0.  She's was an unknown until Top 20.  She was paired with Phillip Chbeeb who had a built in fan base from Season 2 and 3's auditions and a lively personality as one of two hip hoppers in the competition.  She was given critiques that she "kept up with Phillip". 
  
• She was kept from doing anything remotely in her style until she ended up in the Bottom 3 Top 12.  Then as if the heavens opened up, we saw Jeanine do Contemporary for the first time and it was an AAAAAAWWWWWWWW moment where we heard trumpets and saw angels.  Viewers start going..."Woah, where did SHE come from...she's amazing!"
• The judges started praising her big time and said things like "you've grown so much, you are hitting your peak, we never saw you coming."  People like the underdog (even if she was only in the bottom 3 once and that was because of Phillip). 
  

4> Brandon Bryant - Season 5 Final 4 and Possibly Favored to Win

• Let's call him Danny 2.0.
• Knew him from the Season 4 auditions where he was cut creating a fan base favorite for Season 5, but the judges threw a wrench in his popularity when Mia and Lil C hated him.  This only increased his support.
  
• Create drama over is he good enough?!?!?  Then vindicate him with an apology from Mia...again a YES moment for the audience who wants drama to stay interested.
  
• But then say things like, "you're soooo good that we expect MORE," versus Jeanine getting, "You continue to improve and surpass expectations", even though Jeanine was good to begin with and should have received the same critiques as Brandon.
  
• This created doubt and made us wonder if Mia and Lil C were right to begin with. Plus, if Mia says she has doubts, he may have lost fans from the beginning that he never recovered.  Mia's word means a lot to people, even though she is just one opinion.
  

5> Kayla Radomski & Janette Manrara - Season 5

• Both featured from the auditions.  Both excellent in their genres.  Kayla was young and new and has family values and cute grandparents.  Janette was a returning contestant who almost made Season 4. 
  
• Both dominated all season and got star reviews every week.  They seemed like could do no wrong. 
  
• BUT, Kayla ended up in the bottom multiple times.  And Janette was kicked off Top 10...she got kicked off before Melissa the ballerina.  How was this possible?  Kayla gets rave reviews, but judges love to say she has no personality or down play her consistency sometimes.
• Could it be they were used to sweeten the pot and make Jeanine seem like she grew beyond them?  Sure looks like that when Janette got sent home because I thought she was an excellent contestant and easily could have won over Jeanine.  If Janette was sent home, people started buying that Jeanine must be superior.  I also think the judges couldn't "hide" Kayla away like they did with Jeanine because she was too good and would have stood out too much.  All they could do was break her down and make people like her less...Kayla was not the winner they wanted because she's a performer, not a personality.  Jeanine had the goods in her personality that Kayla did not which in the end brings ratings.  Great dancing alone won't do that. 
  

6> Weekly Style Choices - Are they really as random as the show would like us to believe? NO!  We all saw in Season 3 when the camera caught the wrong angle in the hat and there was only one card inside.  Nothing is random.  Everything is planned. That means certain styles are given to some to make them shine or to make them fall.  Melissa never got hip hop and therefore seemed to be a wonderfully versatile even though she "randomly" received the only traditional pas de deux which is done en pointe.  And because viewers vote for people they like in a specific routine unless they really love a constestant, this producer driven style choice becomes very important to outcomes. 

So what am I trying to say in all this?  I don't really know except to say that as a lover of dance, I don't love the Reality TV's false promise that this is real life.  Nothing is as it seems and even though this is a competition, there are many variables that can alter the outcome. 

I feel like the best dancers aren't always spotlighted they way the should be because the producers want good TV.  Jeanine is a great dancer.  This isn't about that.  I just don't buy what the producers are forcing down my throat because I feel violated and manipulated to believe that Jeanine is a surprise talent when she's always possessed her talent and should have been recognized for it earlier.  I am fighting because I am a pragmatic person who lives in a realistic world where your merits equal success and you will be rewarded for that behavior.  I know my version of the world is narrow and not followed, but I could wish and hope, right?  Plus, I hate authority implying they know better than I and I should follow their lead just because they tell me to.  I usually will refuse in all cases. 

In the end, while I am so against producer manipulation of feelings and loyalty, there is one that has power as a true "fan favorite".  That one is Evan.  The judges have done everything in their power to break him with harsh critiques, but the fans speak louder by keeping him.  He is the true message this show promotes for America's Favorite Dancer.  However, he is not America's Best Dancer at all.

So, Jeanine is the front runner this season as ordained and planned by the judges based on their carbon copy of the Sabra Formula to win.  And Brandon would be destined for Runner Up-ville based on his story arc imitation of Danny Tidwell.  Kayla may be the best dancer on the show this season, but the producers made sure people didn't like her personally; therefore wouldn't vote for her.  The only wild card is the power of Evan.  He is the one the judges cannot control and he may just walk away the victor this year.

We'll see in a few hours...