One of the most important things for aspiring dancers to keep in mind is to know who came before you. Knowing dance history will make you a better dancer and better yet, it will inspire you to create and take your dance to a whole new level. It's just plain fun to research sometimes too.
Even if you're just someone who enjoys dance, it's important to pay respect to those who pioneered the way. Here's a little article on a very special choreographer who's INSPIRING for this reason: He never settled for the status quo. He was creative and didn't hesitate to ask, "Who cares if we've never done this before, what if we did it this way?"
On top of that, he continued dancing well into his 90s. I hope I do the same!!
Thank You, Merce.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
The judges hold their own?
I've heard people say, "Mary and Nigel are too harsh on these kids, they couldn't do these dances if they tried."
Well truth be told or not...I give Mary Murphy props for having the guts to strut her stuff! I'd say she can dance! I'll give Mary one of her own screams and a ticket for her and Dimitry on the *HOT TAMALE TRAIN* Glad she can still shake it after all these years.
Check out this fun clip from Season 4! Scroll down to see the video.
Well truth be told or not...I give Mary Murphy props for having the guts to strut her stuff! I'd say she can dance! I'll give Mary one of her own screams and a ticket for her and Dimitry on the *HOT TAMALE TRAIN* Glad she can still shake it after all these years.
Check out this fun clip from Season 4! Scroll down to see the video.
Congratulaions!
Congratulations to Mia Michaels, Tyce Diorio, Dimitry Chaplin and Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo for their Emmy nominated choreography!
See it here!
I'm especially proud that Dimitry went from being a SYTYCD contestant to a SYTYCD choreographer to a SYTYCD emmy nomintated choreographer!
Also seems as if SYTYCD didn't get all of the nominations they deserved:
I certainly can't STAND the hosts of Dancing with the Stars (cheeeesy)! Cat Deely is the best reality show host out there!
If you want to see more Emmy nominees click here.
See it here!
I'm especially proud that Dimitry went from being a SYTYCD contestant to a SYTYCD choreographer to a SYTYCD emmy nomintated choreographer!
Also seems as if SYTYCD didn't get all of the nominations they deserved:
I certainly can't STAND the hosts of Dancing with the Stars (cheeeesy)! Cat Deely is the best reality show host out there!
If you want to see more Emmy nominees click here.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Top 10: RESULTS
Ok, I'm behind and haven't posted about the Top 10 performance but wanted to write quickly about my predictions (the show's about to start)!
With a heavy heart I feel like Randi is going home. For guys, Kupono better go home (I'm sorry Kupono you're a really cool guy by if anyone goes instead of you, I'll be pretty upset).
I think Melissa might be behind Randi. I'd love to see Randi stick around for a while but I think Melissa's unique ballet style and strong partnering is going to carry her through to the next round.
Bottom guys?
Kupono & Jason?
Bottom girls?
Randi and Melissa?
Happy watching! Just remember that you'll get to see them if you go see the TOUR and you SHOULD! I went last year. I'll try to post pictures later.
With a heavy heart I feel like Randi is going home. For guys, Kupono better go home (I'm sorry Kupono you're a really cool guy by if anyone goes instead of you, I'll be pretty upset).
I think Melissa might be behind Randi. I'd love to see Randi stick around for a while but I think Melissa's unique ballet style and strong partnering is going to carry her through to the next round.
Bottom guys?
Kupono & Jason?
Bottom girls?
Randi and Melissa?
Happy watching! Just remember that you'll get to see them if you go see the TOUR and you SHOULD! I went last year. I'll try to post pictures later.
Top 12: RESULTS
Group Dance: Hip Hop
"Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes
Choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon
So Tabitha and Napoleon took a not very hip hop song and choreographed a hip hop routine to it. That's pretty baller. I'd heard via Twitter that they were a little upset with the timing of the music, which is about half a beat off on some of the TVs they watched. Pretty disappointing for them but I don't think many people I watched with noticed. Really stellar choreography once again. Hard hitting and pardon the language but there's no other way to say it, it was pretty bad ass.
BOTTOM THREE GUYS
Jason:
"Calm Touching" by Evaline
I was a little scared it would be busy and desperate when I heard the fast music but I think it worked. Good musicality, passion and energy. It could have been a tad bit cleaner perhaps but when you're dancing for your life you can trade precision for passion. A step in the right direction for Jason!
Phillip:
"The Diva Dance" by The Fifth Element (Soundtrack)
Phillip is pretty much BALLER for choosing this song. My good friend Billy is obsessed with the Diva scene from The 5th Element so I pretty much went crazy when I saw the song title. Great song to pop too. Great musicality. Much more clean than his first solo but I thought it was maybe a little rushed. So far his audition pieces have been some of his best solos. I'm pretty sad to see Phillip go. There's a specific reason why and I'll expound upon that in an upcoming blog. However, considering that Kupono was not in the bottom 3, and Jason and Ade were, I'm ok with this outcome; especially since (and probably only because) Phillip still gets to go on the tour. I'm excited to see more from Jason and I think Ade's just starting to bloom.
Ade:
"WindowDipper" by Jib Kidder
YES! Finally get to see Ade dance in his style. So glad too. This was an excellent and extremely entertaining solo! Finally someone gets it! Be creative! Be different! Be original! Dance fo' yo life! Grab the judges attention! This is what it's about!
Whew. Watch it again and check out the flip at 1:39.
BOTTOME THREE GIRLS
Caitlin:
"Stand By Me" by Playing For Change
I'm also very pleased that Caitlin will be on tour. I think she's one of the most talented dancers in terms of technical training; especially of the girls. Something just didn't click for her. I'm not sure if it was luck or if she didn't show enough of her personality. I noticed that during a lot of the judges' critiques, she'd just smile and nod. I think her compeition was superb so considering that fact, Caitlin did a pretty awesome job. I thought her solo was really fun, a very upbeat style from her former solos. She seemed a lot more free-spirited and loosened up. Maybe she knew she might be headed home. Maybe this was her attempt to connect to the audience and stand out a little more. It was a strong solo but I think the judges already had their minds made up on which gals they were keeping. Part of me would have liked to see Caitlin stay about Melissa go (sorry Hannah!) but I'm still trying to be optimistic about Melissa.
Jeanine:
"Baby's Romance" by Chris Garneau
I was expecting a lot out of this solo because I think Jeanine is fantastic. I found myself really distracted by her outfit though. Minor detail. She might? want to be careful not to alienate some viewers with showing lots of skin. It doesnt bother me a LOT but I didn't like the choice of the gold and lack of material for a solo to a sweeter song. There's a way to still be sexy in a more classy outfit. RANT OVER. I really enjoyed her solo, emotion and her ability to have complete control over her movement.
Melissa:
"Kashira" by Kodo
Well, hmm. Melissa has technique. She is a ballerina. This solo wasn't bad. I was left feeling like I wanted it to be a little more explosive. You can be explosive in ballet, trust me. Then again, she's doing all this on pointe and that is pretty spectacular. The song was kinda cool, quirky; the weird bass sound was a little distracting though. I wish she'd dolled up a little more. She just looked like she was wearing a workout outfit. We'll see how she does in the top 10.
"Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes
Choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon
So Tabitha and Napoleon took a not very hip hop song and choreographed a hip hop routine to it. That's pretty baller. I'd heard via Twitter that they were a little upset with the timing of the music, which is about half a beat off on some of the TVs they watched. Pretty disappointing for them but I don't think many people I watched with noticed. Really stellar choreography once again. Hard hitting and pardon the language but there's no other way to say it, it was pretty bad ass.
BOTTOM THREE GUYS
Jason:
"Calm Touching" by Evaline
I was a little scared it would be busy and desperate when I heard the fast music but I think it worked. Good musicality, passion and energy. It could have been a tad bit cleaner perhaps but when you're dancing for your life you can trade precision for passion. A step in the right direction for Jason!
Phillip:
"The Diva Dance" by The Fifth Element (Soundtrack)
Phillip is pretty much BALLER for choosing this song. My good friend Billy is obsessed with the Diva scene from The 5th Element so I pretty much went crazy when I saw the song title. Great song to pop too. Great musicality. Much more clean than his first solo but I thought it was maybe a little rushed. So far his audition pieces have been some of his best solos. I'm pretty sad to see Phillip go. There's a specific reason why and I'll expound upon that in an upcoming blog. However, considering that Kupono was not in the bottom 3, and Jason and Ade were, I'm ok with this outcome; especially since (and probably only because) Phillip still gets to go on the tour. I'm excited to see more from Jason and I think Ade's just starting to bloom.
Ade:
"WindowDipper" by Jib Kidder
YES! Finally get to see Ade dance in his style. So glad too. This was an excellent and extremely entertaining solo! Finally someone gets it! Be creative! Be different! Be original! Dance fo' yo life! Grab the judges attention! This is what it's about!
Whew. Watch it again and check out the flip at 1:39.
BOTTOME THREE GIRLS
Caitlin:
"Stand By Me" by Playing For Change
I'm also very pleased that Caitlin will be on tour. I think she's one of the most talented dancers in terms of technical training; especially of the girls. Something just didn't click for her. I'm not sure if it was luck or if she didn't show enough of her personality. I noticed that during a lot of the judges' critiques, she'd just smile and nod. I think her compeition was superb so considering that fact, Caitlin did a pretty awesome job. I thought her solo was really fun, a very upbeat style from her former solos. She seemed a lot more free-spirited and loosened up. Maybe she knew she might be headed home. Maybe this was her attempt to connect to the audience and stand out a little more. It was a strong solo but I think the judges already had their minds made up on which gals they were keeping. Part of me would have liked to see Caitlin stay about Melissa go (sorry Hannah!) but I'm still trying to be optimistic about Melissa.
Jeanine:
"Baby's Romance" by Chris Garneau
I was expecting a lot out of this solo because I think Jeanine is fantastic. I found myself really distracted by her outfit though. Minor detail. She might? want to be careful not to alienate some viewers with showing lots of skin. It doesnt bother me a LOT but I didn't like the choice of the gold and lack of material for a solo to a sweeter song. There's a way to still be sexy in a more classy outfit. RANT OVER. I really enjoyed her solo, emotion and her ability to have complete control over her movement.
Melissa:
"Kashira" by Kodo
Well, hmm. Melissa has technique. She is a ballerina. This solo wasn't bad. I was left feeling like I wanted it to be a little more explosive. You can be explosive in ballet, trust me. Then again, she's doing all this on pointe and that is pretty spectacular. The song was kinda cool, quirky; the weird bass sound was a little distracting though. I wish she'd dolled up a little more. She just looked like she was wearing a workout outfit. We'll see how she does in the top 10.
TOP 12: Performance
This one's gonna be short because I'm behind and each couple danced twice!
BUT FIRST:
(WARNING: RANT IMMINENT)
I thought bad news was only on Thursday nights. Nigel informed us that it will not be possible for them to do a Michael Jackson tribute night. The plan was to have each couple dance their styles to a Michael Jackson song but SYTYCD was unable to clear rights for the music. SHAME on whoever wouldn't clear that. Would have been a great opportunity for a very fitting homage. I mean, Michael Jackson is a dancer. Pretty sad that they have so much control. Power hungry, money grubbing jerks. Haven't your hoarded enough for yourself? At least let the people enjoy the spirit of dance. Had that MJ episode happened, I might have been able to confirm Season 5 as better than Season 4. My thought is that SYTYCD could have gotten the rights at quite a pretty penny, but then not had enough money left over to turn the power on next week. Eh, what do I know?
Where were we? Ah, the last week before the partner switch...so bittersweet!
Melissa and Ade, Song: “Move On Up” by Destination
Dance 1: Disco
Choreographer: Doriana Sanchez
Ya know, never been a big disco fan but the routines this season have been pretty fun. (Just don't take it too seriously and you'll be all right). Great energy, crazy outfits. Something seemed a little off to me though. Melissa seems to be able to ditch the stiff ballerina frame when she needs to. Not bad. Ade kept the energy flowin but I think Melissa lost it a bit toward the end. The fall? Eh, it happens. It was more her shoes than anything she did. No biggie.
Dance 2: Waltz
Song: “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” by Mary J. Blige
Aw, Melissa's sweet when she talks about switching partners. I can tell the two got along well and had a good time.
Choreographer: Ron Montez
One of my friend's despises this song. I really liked it for a Waltz! I don't think this dance will be very memorable but Melissa and Ade did a good job with it. It was entertaining and had some really nice lifts! Ade has complete control of a BEAUTIFUL turn combo at 2:34.
Kayla and Kupono
Dance 1: Contemporary, Song: "Gravity" by Sara Barellis
FINALLY! Someone uses this song! I've been saying it would be a stunning background for a contemporary piece for years! Thank you MIA! HOLY SMOKES GUYS. I ALWAYS say "this dance is my favorite, wait, no this one, their all favorites." Well I'll always have a ton of favorites but I can safely say this is the MOST POWERFUL dance I've ever seen on this show. Props to Kupono for having the courage to face it and get through it. Kayla shines. They both had an amazing mix of spot on dancing and spot on acting. SO much to say, not enough time. Mia should be nominated for an Emmy next year for this one. I love how Kupono's costume had a little red strand from Kayla's costume attached to it as if the addiction had stolen a part of her. :32 gave me chills, and not in a good way. Testimony to the depth of the piece. Other brilliant parts: :46 when the addiction just throws her away and comes chasing back after her; 1:05, OUCH. 1:07, Tears. Kupono's sinister look is some of the best acting I've seen. Kayla's desperation is too. 1:30, Kayla tries to walk on her own but is slightly held up by the addiction.
Dance 2: Broadway
Choreographer: Joey Dowling
Song: "The Dance at the Gym" from West Side Story
Ah, if only they'd had danced this first. It was lacking something. Kupono's movements were not big enough for Broadway, the couple fell out of sync a lot, etc.
:08-:12 is cute. Kupono, why don't you show that fun side more often? This was rough but I feel like their contemporary piece will keep them from the bottom 3.
Caitlin and Jason
Dance 1: Foxtrot, Song: "Minnie the Moocher" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Choreographer: Tony Meredith & Melanie LePatin
Hmmm. Elegant but completely forgettable. They both looked stunning but their dance seemed to lack some energy. They looked pretty good in the rehersal. I don't know if they got nervous or tangled up mentally with the steps. They pulled it off but it may not be enough to get them in the top 10. The foxtrot is a tough dance for voters to relate to and it didn't really show of their strengths. I'm rooting for them though!
Dance 2: Lyrical Jazz, Song: "Show Me Heaven" by Maria McKee
Choreographer: Mandy Moore
I liked this dance! It's about time we saw Caitlin and Jason in contemporary too! I was watching this with a group of girls and one poor fellow. When they saw Jason dancing sans shirt a wave of SWOON swept over my apartment. (I was also diggin his, "Smile, God loves you" t-shirt. I kinda didn't go with the judges on this one. Maybe I was blinded by my hopeless romantic side. I thought it was beautifully danced and I'd argue that they had chemistry! I do agree that it wasn't quite the knock me out of the part I expected from them in their own style though. Something hasn't clicked for this couple though (not as a couple but as competitors), I don't know whats going on. I'm not sure if this good performance will be enough to pull them out of the threat of the bottom 3.
Jeanine and Phillip, Song: "Kalinka" by Barynya
Dance 1: Russian Folk Dance
Choreographer: Youri Nelzine & Lilla Babenko
Really? REALLY?! No offense to Russian dancers. I mean, I think Jeanine and Phillip pulled it off quite well but I'm pretty sure the only Russian dancing I'll ever want to see (if I want to see any after this), is Russian dancing done by Russians! It's just too much of a cultural and different dance for contestants to master in that short amount of time. I feel REALLY bad for those choreographers, they must have been so insulted at all the Russian dance bashing. It also would have helped if they had used more contemporary, less cheesy music. To echo Ryan Kasprzak's sentiments, they'll take a chance on Russian dancing on SYTYCD but never a tap routine or a tap dancer?! This was completely unfair to Jeanine and Phillip and in my opinion, will undoubtedly land them in the bottom three.
Dance 2: The Jive, Song: "Stuff Like That There" by Bette Midler
Choreographer: Tony Meredith & Melanie LePatin
Phillip finally shows a little versatility. I think that will be vital in him sticking around. He looked pretty dapper in his blue pants and shirt and tie. HOWEVER, he really could have used a lot more energy. Some of his moves just felt like he was going through the motions. He had a couple good moments though and really a pretty good go at it. Jeanine was a little firecracker and brought it once again; she's starting to soar! Good thing they danced this one second.
Randi Evans and Evan Kasprzak
Dance 1: Hip Hop, Song: "Halo" by Beyonce
Choreographer: Tabitha & Napoleon
GASP =) Had it not been for the "addiction" dance and the "bank robber dance," this would have probably taken the top spot for me. In the romance category, one of the sweetest dances ever. I cannot get enough of this song now too. Tabitha and Napoleon's musicality is simply UNPARALLELED. Evan and Randi may not be your most powerful, hard hitting hip hop dancers, but their "adorable-ness" conquered any technical issues. I was pleasantly surprised by their effort as I was preparing myself for a train wreck before they danced. Evan's faces are stinkin' melt my face off adorable; great acting! (1:38, 2:31). Randi did so much better than I was expecting! She out danced Evan and was givin it all she had. Check her gettin it at 2:52! There was a moment of choreography she did well too that I think was missed because of the bad camera angle. At 1:53 there's a violin part in the music and both Evan and Randi mimic the movements of playing a violin. Loved that. At 2:33 EVERY girl in my apartment squealed.
Dance 2: Samba, Song: "Ritmo De Bom Bom" by Jubaba
Choreographer: Pasha Kovalev & Anya Garnis
It's great to see two former contestants choreographing for the show! Pasha and Anya did a great job. This could have been a lot worse (though they were pretty cute, rehearsals scared me a bit), but I think Evan and Randi started off strong. The dance began to fade a bit though as they got into it. The sexy costumes helped but I was screaming at Evan to move his hips more. Randi was pretty strong to me, though not the best Samba dancer by any stretch. I think they might make it to the top 10 by the skin of their teeth. One of my friends made a comment that this song is a hard one to dance to but this is some of the best stuff to dance Samba to if you know how to shake it! Props to Evan for those knee spins at 2:53, that's not easy.
Janette and Brandon Bryant
Dance 1: Argentine Tango, Song: "Libertango” from Forever Tango
Choreographer: Leonardo Barrionuevo & Mariam Larci
Man. Those two looked like professionals who'd been doing this for years. There's not much else to say after a standing ovation from the judges! Brandon maintained excellent and intense eye contact with Janette. Janette was sultry, sexy and stunning! As far as technicality, I do think this was flawless but if I'm totally honest the first time I saw it, it left me wanting just a little more passion. I don't know what they could have done to make it more passionate. I think they had the intensity but I think they (Brandon?) could have added a little more sultry. Maybe it's because I'm comparing his sexy with Mark's sexy? Maybe it was the lighting? (See 1:15, 1:38, 1:10) Maybe I'm totally off, or totally biased. Maybe I should go back and watch it again. I'm not arguing that this was a better tango but I think Brandon could have had a smidgen of room for more "scandalous sexy"........I'm bad.
Dance 2: Jazz, Song: "Ruby Blue" by Roisin Murphy
Choreographer: Wade Robson
Also another arguable best dance of the night. Certainly the most fun. Great song! Fit the theme and dance so well. LOVED the costumes with the red gloves and shades. Brandon and Janette nailed it. Again. Wade Robson, thank you for keeping the dance world creative and quirky. I LOVE IT. LOVE. LAHV! Janette is so fun! I love her spunk and it was perfect for this piece! I'm really going to miss these two as a couple. I'd love to see them both in finals. There, I said it. I'd like to see them there with a couple more peeps but I'll let you guess those.
BUT FIRST:
(WARNING: RANT IMMINENT)
I thought bad news was only on Thursday nights. Nigel informed us that it will not be possible for them to do a Michael Jackson tribute night. The plan was to have each couple dance their styles to a Michael Jackson song but SYTYCD was unable to clear rights for the music. SHAME on whoever wouldn't clear that. Would have been a great opportunity for a very fitting homage. I mean, Michael Jackson is a dancer. Pretty sad that they have so much control. Power hungry, money grubbing jerks. Haven't your hoarded enough for yourself? At least let the people enjoy the spirit of dance. Had that MJ episode happened, I might have been able to confirm Season 5 as better than Season 4. My thought is that SYTYCD could have gotten the rights at quite a pretty penny, but then not had enough money left over to turn the power on next week. Eh, what do I know?
Where were we? Ah, the last week before the partner switch...so bittersweet!
Melissa and Ade, Song: “Move On Up” by Destination
Dance 1: Disco
Choreographer: Doriana Sanchez
Ya know, never been a big disco fan but the routines this season have been pretty fun. (Just don't take it too seriously and you'll be all right). Great energy, crazy outfits. Something seemed a little off to me though. Melissa seems to be able to ditch the stiff ballerina frame when she needs to. Not bad. Ade kept the energy flowin but I think Melissa lost it a bit toward the end. The fall? Eh, it happens. It was more her shoes than anything she did. No biggie.
Dance 2: Waltz
Song: “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” by Mary J. Blige
Aw, Melissa's sweet when she talks about switching partners. I can tell the two got along well and had a good time.
Choreographer: Ron Montez
One of my friend's despises this song. I really liked it for a Waltz! I don't think this dance will be very memorable but Melissa and Ade did a good job with it. It was entertaining and had some really nice lifts! Ade has complete control of a BEAUTIFUL turn combo at 2:34.
Kayla and Kupono
Dance 1: Contemporary, Song: "Gravity" by Sara Barellis
FINALLY! Someone uses this song! I've been saying it would be a stunning background for a contemporary piece for years! Thank you MIA! HOLY SMOKES GUYS. I ALWAYS say "this dance is my favorite, wait, no this one, their all favorites." Well I'll always have a ton of favorites but I can safely say this is the MOST POWERFUL dance I've ever seen on this show. Props to Kupono for having the courage to face it and get through it. Kayla shines. They both had an amazing mix of spot on dancing and spot on acting. SO much to say, not enough time. Mia should be nominated for an Emmy next year for this one. I love how Kupono's costume had a little red strand from Kayla's costume attached to it as if the addiction had stolen a part of her. :32 gave me chills, and not in a good way. Testimony to the depth of the piece. Other brilliant parts: :46 when the addiction just throws her away and comes chasing back after her; 1:05, OUCH. 1:07, Tears. Kupono's sinister look is some of the best acting I've seen. Kayla's desperation is too. 1:30, Kayla tries to walk on her own but is slightly held up by the addiction.
Dance 2: Broadway
Choreographer: Joey Dowling
Song: "The Dance at the Gym" from West Side Story
Ah, if only they'd had danced this first. It was lacking something. Kupono's movements were not big enough for Broadway, the couple fell out of sync a lot, etc.
:08-:12 is cute. Kupono, why don't you show that fun side more often? This was rough but I feel like their contemporary piece will keep them from the bottom 3.
Caitlin and Jason
Dance 1: Foxtrot, Song: "Minnie the Moocher" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Choreographer: Tony Meredith & Melanie LePatin
Hmmm. Elegant but completely forgettable. They both looked stunning but their dance seemed to lack some energy. They looked pretty good in the rehersal. I don't know if they got nervous or tangled up mentally with the steps. They pulled it off but it may not be enough to get them in the top 10. The foxtrot is a tough dance for voters to relate to and it didn't really show of their strengths. I'm rooting for them though!
Dance 2: Lyrical Jazz, Song: "Show Me Heaven" by Maria McKee
Choreographer: Mandy Moore
I liked this dance! It's about time we saw Caitlin and Jason in contemporary too! I was watching this with a group of girls and one poor fellow. When they saw Jason dancing sans shirt a wave of SWOON swept over my apartment. (I was also diggin his, "Smile, God loves you" t-shirt. I kinda didn't go with the judges on this one. Maybe I was blinded by my hopeless romantic side. I thought it was beautifully danced and I'd argue that they had chemistry! I do agree that it wasn't quite the knock me out of the part I expected from them in their own style though. Something hasn't clicked for this couple though (not as a couple but as competitors), I don't know whats going on. I'm not sure if this good performance will be enough to pull them out of the threat of the bottom 3.
Jeanine and Phillip, Song: "Kalinka" by Barynya
Dance 1: Russian Folk Dance
Choreographer: Youri Nelzine & Lilla Babenko
Really? REALLY?! No offense to Russian dancers. I mean, I think Jeanine and Phillip pulled it off quite well but I'm pretty sure the only Russian dancing I'll ever want to see (if I want to see any after this), is Russian dancing done by Russians! It's just too much of a cultural and different dance for contestants to master in that short amount of time. I feel REALLY bad for those choreographers, they must have been so insulted at all the Russian dance bashing. It also would have helped if they had used more contemporary, less cheesy music. To echo Ryan Kasprzak's sentiments, they'll take a chance on Russian dancing on SYTYCD but never a tap routine or a tap dancer?! This was completely unfair to Jeanine and Phillip and in my opinion, will undoubtedly land them in the bottom three.
Dance 2: The Jive, Song: "Stuff Like That There" by Bette Midler
Choreographer: Tony Meredith & Melanie LePatin
Phillip finally shows a little versatility. I think that will be vital in him sticking around. He looked pretty dapper in his blue pants and shirt and tie. HOWEVER, he really could have used a lot more energy. Some of his moves just felt like he was going through the motions. He had a couple good moments though and really a pretty good go at it. Jeanine was a little firecracker and brought it once again; she's starting to soar! Good thing they danced this one second.
Randi Evans and Evan Kasprzak
Dance 1: Hip Hop, Song: "Halo" by Beyonce
Choreographer: Tabitha & Napoleon
GASP =) Had it not been for the "addiction" dance and the "bank robber dance," this would have probably taken the top spot for me. In the romance category, one of the sweetest dances ever. I cannot get enough of this song now too. Tabitha and Napoleon's musicality is simply UNPARALLELED. Evan and Randi may not be your most powerful, hard hitting hip hop dancers, but their "adorable-ness" conquered any technical issues. I was pleasantly surprised by their effort as I was preparing myself for a train wreck before they danced. Evan's faces are stinkin' melt my face off adorable; great acting! (1:38, 2:31). Randi did so much better than I was expecting! She out danced Evan and was givin it all she had. Check her gettin it at 2:52! There was a moment of choreography she did well too that I think was missed because of the bad camera angle. At 1:53 there's a violin part in the music and both Evan and Randi mimic the movements of playing a violin. Loved that. At 2:33 EVERY girl in my apartment squealed.
Dance 2: Samba, Song: "Ritmo De Bom Bom" by Jubaba
Choreographer: Pasha Kovalev & Anya Garnis
It's great to see two former contestants choreographing for the show! Pasha and Anya did a great job. This could have been a lot worse (though they were pretty cute, rehearsals scared me a bit), but I think Evan and Randi started off strong. The dance began to fade a bit though as they got into it. The sexy costumes helped but I was screaming at Evan to move his hips more. Randi was pretty strong to me, though not the best Samba dancer by any stretch. I think they might make it to the top 10 by the skin of their teeth. One of my friends made a comment that this song is a hard one to dance to but this is some of the best stuff to dance Samba to if you know how to shake it! Props to Evan for those knee spins at 2:53, that's not easy.
Janette and Brandon Bryant
Dance 1: Argentine Tango, Song: "Libertango” from Forever Tango
Choreographer: Leonardo Barrionuevo & Mariam Larci
Man. Those two looked like professionals who'd been doing this for years. There's not much else to say after a standing ovation from the judges! Brandon maintained excellent and intense eye contact with Janette. Janette was sultry, sexy and stunning! As far as technicality, I do think this was flawless but if I'm totally honest the first time I saw it, it left me wanting just a little more passion. I don't know what they could have done to make it more passionate. I think they had the intensity but I think they (Brandon?) could have added a little more sultry. Maybe it's because I'm comparing his sexy with Mark's sexy? Maybe it was the lighting? (See 1:15, 1:38, 1:10) Maybe I'm totally off, or totally biased. Maybe I should go back and watch it again. I'm not arguing that this was a better tango but I think Brandon could have had a smidgen of room for more "scandalous sexy"........I'm bad.
Dance 2: Jazz, Song: "Ruby Blue" by Roisin Murphy
Choreographer: Wade Robson
Also another arguable best dance of the night. Certainly the most fun. Great song! Fit the theme and dance so well. LOVED the costumes with the red gloves and shades. Brandon and Janette nailed it. Again. Wade Robson, thank you for keeping the dance world creative and quirky. I LOVE IT. LOVE. LAHV! Janette is so fun! I love her spunk and it was perfect for this piece! I'm really going to miss these two as a couple. I'd love to see them both in finals. There, I said it. I'd like to see them there with a couple more peeps but I'll let you guess those.
TOP 14: RESULTS
GROUP DANCE
Song: "Brand New Day" from The Wiz (Original Soundtrack)
Choreographed by Tyce Diorio
This was so joyous! Very energetic and animated movement! I loved when they slid the giant golden picture frame across the floor and dancers jumped through it.
I was really sad to see Phillip and Jeanine in the bottom but not that surprising with the competition from some of the stronger dances (and because I know that Evan's voting contingency is really strong).
I really hoped Vitolio and Karla were not going to be in the bottom but the strong quickstep just wasn't enough apparently. I'm INCREDIBLY shocked that Kupono and Kayla were in the bottom over Jason and Caitlin but relieved to know that some people liked the alien dance and that the voters are more open-minded than I gave them credit for! Not sure what happened with Kupono and Kayla's voters. It must be because they're a new couple and a lot of the other couples have bigger fan bases. Having your partner sent home really can be a setback.
BOTTOM THREE GUYS
Vitolio:
"Here Comes Goodbye" by Rascal Flatts
I hope he picked that song because he likes it; the title is a bit ironic.
I can see why Mia would say that he needs more training (said this in a recent interview) but I would have prefrered seeing him week to week over Kupono! I'm pretty ticked he got sent home.
Kupono:
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwoole
Good song choice but again, I just don't understand. Vitolio's solo, while it could have been a bit less cluttered, was so much better than Kupono's. All he did was flit around the stage a little bit. I think he's got the right idea, he's just not as good at executing it as Mark. Oh, and Kupono, I'm pretty sure Hawaiian's are hospitable people. Next time, be a little more considerate to the dancer going home. No offense, but I hope it's you next week.
Phillip:
"You'll Find A Way" (Switch and Sindin Remix)
Santogold
I think Phillip understands "dancing for your life," but the beginning was a wee bit sloppy and perhaps a little desperate. The latter half was more clean, and I liked the "swagger" at the end. It was fun to watch because of Phillip's unique style.
BOTTOM THREE GIRLS
Karla
"Blackbird" by Dionne Farris
Sidenote: THIS IS THE SONG Kayla auditioned to! I've been trying to find out who sings it! (Dionne Farris who sang the 1995 hit, "I Know"). Thanks Karla! Too bad it's not on itunes yet. I have to give it to Karla, she rocked it. I really enjoyed this solo but it wasn't quite enough to save her. (The judges minds had clearly already been made up as to who they want to keep). I'm ok with this one because Karla has already been on tour with Wicked and has a lot of dance experience. She'll be fine and she had a good run on the show.
Kayla
"Stupid" by Sarah Mclachlan
Kayla, girl, I know you can have a good solo! So far though, haven't seen it! This solo was better than the first, but she really needs to work on her choreography; we all know she's got the technique. Another crowded and slightly desperate solo with too many kicks. She can't keep doing this if she lands in the bottom three again.
Jeanine
"Moonlight Sonata" done by Smart Sleep With Classical
BEST SOLO OF THE NIGHT. Hands down. Kayla was my favorite in the auditions process but Jeanine is starting to take that top spot. She's genuine and original and this is the first time we've seen her to her own style, am I right? Musicality, completed movement,precision, emotion and technique. Great song choice too! Check out the way she comes out of the turn at 1:33!
Song: "Brand New Day" from The Wiz (Original Soundtrack)
Choreographed by Tyce Diorio
This was so joyous! Very energetic and animated movement! I loved when they slid the giant golden picture frame across the floor and dancers jumped through it.
I was really sad to see Phillip and Jeanine in the bottom but not that surprising with the competition from some of the stronger dances (and because I know that Evan's voting contingency is really strong).
I really hoped Vitolio and Karla were not going to be in the bottom but the strong quickstep just wasn't enough apparently. I'm INCREDIBLY shocked that Kupono and Kayla were in the bottom over Jason and Caitlin but relieved to know that some people liked the alien dance and that the voters are more open-minded than I gave them credit for! Not sure what happened with Kupono and Kayla's voters. It must be because they're a new couple and a lot of the other couples have bigger fan bases. Having your partner sent home really can be a setback.
BOTTOM THREE GUYS
Vitolio:
"Here Comes Goodbye" by Rascal Flatts
I hope he picked that song because he likes it; the title is a bit ironic.
I can see why Mia would say that he needs more training (said this in a recent interview) but I would have prefrered seeing him week to week over Kupono! I'm pretty ticked he got sent home.
Kupono:
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwoole
Good song choice but again, I just don't understand. Vitolio's solo, while it could have been a bit less cluttered, was so much better than Kupono's. All he did was flit around the stage a little bit. I think he's got the right idea, he's just not as good at executing it as Mark. Oh, and Kupono, I'm pretty sure Hawaiian's are hospitable people. Next time, be a little more considerate to the dancer going home. No offense, but I hope it's you next week.
Phillip:
"You'll Find A Way" (Switch and Sindin Remix)
Santogold
I think Phillip understands "dancing for your life," but the beginning was a wee bit sloppy and perhaps a little desperate. The latter half was more clean, and I liked the "swagger" at the end. It was fun to watch because of Phillip's unique style.
BOTTOM THREE GIRLS
Karla
"Blackbird" by Dionne Farris
Sidenote: THIS IS THE SONG Kayla auditioned to! I've been trying to find out who sings it! (Dionne Farris who sang the 1995 hit, "I Know"). Thanks Karla! Too bad it's not on itunes yet. I have to give it to Karla, she rocked it. I really enjoyed this solo but it wasn't quite enough to save her. (The judges minds had clearly already been made up as to who they want to keep). I'm ok with this one because Karla has already been on tour with Wicked and has a lot of dance experience. She'll be fine and she had a good run on the show.
Kayla
"Stupid" by Sarah Mclachlan
Kayla, girl, I know you can have a good solo! So far though, haven't seen it! This solo was better than the first, but she really needs to work on her choreography; we all know she's got the technique. Another crowded and slightly desperate solo with too many kicks. She can't keep doing this if she lands in the bottom three again.
Jeanine
"Moonlight Sonata" done by Smart Sleep With Classical
BEST SOLO OF THE NIGHT. Hands down. Kayla was my favorite in the auditions process but Jeanine is starting to take that top spot. She's genuine and original and this is the first time we've seen her to her own style, am I right? Musicality, completed movement,precision, emotion and technique. Great song choice too! Check out the way she comes out of the turn at 1:33!
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