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!
100th Episode!
Here's a blurb from Cat Deely's blog
"News, hot off the press!! I can now confirm, after weeks of speculation, that Katie Holmes will be performing on SYTYCD on the 23rd of July on the 100th show. She's going to be performing a number as an homage to Judy Garland in celebration of old Hollywood called "Get Happy." But more importantly, she's raising awareness of a brand new charity called the Dizzy Feet Foundation, whose aim is to support dancers from underprivileged backgrounds who otherwise would have to sacrifice their dreams due to a lack of financial support. Fundamentally, the message is everyone from any race, religion, colour, or creed should be able to enjoy dance, and not just a chosen few. Katie's performance is incredible, but there are going to be lots of other surprises and guest performers -- it's must-see TV! Don't miss it!"
I have found out that Travis Wall and Heidi Groskreutz will be performing Mia Michael's emmy award-winning "bench" routine as well!
"News, hot off the press!! I can now confirm, after weeks of speculation, that Katie Holmes will be performing on SYTYCD on the 23rd of July on the 100th show. She's going to be performing a number as an homage to Judy Garland in celebration of old Hollywood called "Get Happy." But more importantly, she's raising awareness of a brand new charity called the Dizzy Feet Foundation, whose aim is to support dancers from underprivileged backgrounds who otherwise would have to sacrifice their dreams due to a lack of financial support. Fundamentally, the message is everyone from any race, religion, colour, or creed should be able to enjoy dance, and not just a chosen few. Katie's performance is incredible, but there are going to be lots of other surprises and guest performers -- it's must-see TV! Don't miss it!"
I have found out that Travis Wall and Heidi Groskreutz will be performing Mia Michael's emmy award-winning "bench" routine as well!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Top 14: Performance
UH! Mia's on the panel and guess who's up to dance first?!
Brandon and Janette
Dance: Cha Cha, Song: "Hush Hush" by the Pussycat Dolls
Choreographer: Jean Marc & France Genereaux
Whew. Thank goodness for this dance and it's redeeming the first Cha Cha of the season (ok it wasnt that bad- but it wasnt as stellar as this one). When it started and the music was slow, and the music was... the Pussycat Dolls...I thought, "Nooooo!" SO glad I was wrong. That moment where the song went from slow to HELLO! deserved several Mary screams! The dancing followed and the episode started with a bang. I'd not heard this Pussycat dolls song before and it never fails, I write them off because of that STUPID song they had (When I Grow Up) but end up liking their songs! I REALLY liked Hush Hush! I was groovin in my living room. Anyway.
An essential part of the Cha Cha's appeal for me is its ability to get those who are not dancing pumped up about what they're watching; it pulls the audience into the dance and has a TON of energy. Brandon and Janette excelled at this because of their facial expressions precise nailing of movements. (Check out the showmanship at :33-:37. The thing that really separates Janette and Brandon from the other couples is not just their technique but their attack of that technique. Brandon and Janette ATTACK their dances. You'll see what I mean if you watch the clip at :45. Janette doesn't just fall onto Brandon's leg in a star shape. She sits down and then explodes down into the shape and pops her head all the way back! I mean I don't know how she doesn't have whip lash half the time. This dance is closer to Janette's style but you would have thought it was Brandon's too! This style is so far from contemporary but Brandon stood regal and precise in his movements without being too stiff. He had good hip movement action and some spicy looks at Janet and into the audience! He rocked it and I'm really glad he rocked it in front of Mia. (insert "I TOLD YOU SO MIA, STOP TALKING BEFORE YOU THINK WOMAN!). At 5:16 Brandon cried in response to her comments. Way to prove Mia wrong Brandon! Clearly I could keep going but this one critique is getting too long!
Kayla and Kupono
Dance: Contemporary, Song: "Eyes on Fire" by Blue Foundation
Choreographer: Sonya
A dance about vampires, a song from Twilight. Every girl's dream and every guy's nightmare =). At least my guy friends. For some reason I've been hearing mixed reviews of this dance. I'm not sure why. I thought it was fantastic! SUPERB SONG choice too! I LOVE the moments in this dance where moves started crisp and sharp and then extended out to very controlled, slow movement. There are a couple of examples at :18 and :36. Though I'm still not a huge Kupono fan (at least not him as an individual dancer), I really thought he did a good job of staying in sync with Kayla. Their movement matched and he partnered pretty well. EXCELLENT pirouette at 1:16-1:21 by Kayla because she came out of it with precision and into the crouch to meet Kupono at the same spot. As a dancer with bad knees I can't even begin to tell you how painful the move at 1:27 looked; both dancers got a lot of height and landed at the same time. I loved Sonya's idea that Kayla's character doesn't want to accept death but Kupono's character is pulling her toward it. I'm not sure if that was communicated as clearly as I would have liked, but still a wonderful dance!
Randi and Evan
Dance: Broadway, Song: "Rich Man's Frug" from Sweet Charity (2005 Broadway revival cast)
Choreographer: Joey Dowling
Can I just say that Joey Dowling scares the crap out of me. I mean I think she's nice and is an amazing choreographer but I'm the type who'd be intimidated by her teaching style. OH CREEEEAAAAAAP! I was worried about Randi and Evan but I thought this dance was awesome! I'm not sure WHAT the judges were smoking because they didn't seem to agree. (Though Nigel did say Evan was in his Top 10, yay!). Sometimes I think they catch on to who's getting votes and if they want someone else to get votes they'll critique a good dance as being sub par. Maybe it was something else but I think you're blind if you didn't think they nailed that routine. (Ok, I'm biased. There was room for improvement but on the whole, I had a great time watching it). Nigel and Mary talked about their wrist movement not being quite good enough???! Um, could you both please demonstrate how to better roll your wrists?! I mean I know you have to dance everything full out, down to your finger tips, but how much more can you roll your wrists? I mean the wrist rolls looked good to me. Maybe there were some technical weaknesses? Whatever. I didn't notice because they entertained me! This dance was entirely under-rated. Can we talk about Evan's look at :15 and :22 and :26 (HOT) AND his move at :10 (SUCH CONTROL!). And Randi! Girl's got some 'tude! I thought she held her own and kept up with Evan's entertainment level. Maybe they could have brought a litttttle more to it but I thought it was great. If you scroll through a lot of the Youtube comments, you'll notice a lot of "I liked it more than the judges did!" So there judges, take that! *Punch, Punch* =)
Jason and Caitlin
Dance: Pop jazz, Song: "Creator" by Santogold
Choreographer: Brian Friedman
This dance fueled a good amount of criticism from both fans and the judges. I was a mix of emotions and thoughts the first time I saw it and was kinda torn.
What I liked: 1st, I've LOVED this song by Santogold since the first time I heard it when Mark danced a solo (1:01) to it in Season 4. It was a great choice to execute that "funky, weird" feel of an alien. 2nd, While the actual concept is pretty "out there" the dance itself is something you'd see in more creative shows like Broadway, Cir De Soli sule, music videos, etc. I think I liked the actual dance and concept...which makes sense because I love quirky.
What I DIDN'T like: Brian Friedman using Caitlin and Jason as guinea pigs. In a show where the public votes for dancers to stay in the competition, you've got to be careful not to alienate (no pun intended, really) viewers and in essence, make them not want to vote for a certain couple. I left feeling like Brian shouldn't be asked back to choreograph. Another blogger said, "Who cares if this was good, it was a horrible mistake to give two people who need to connect with the audience such an outlandish number."
What I thought in the END: Maybe SYTYCD really is the best outlet for Brian to premier this dance. Part of the competition is being able to prove you can handle what's thrown at you. The thing is, I think Jason and Caitlin DID handle it; and very well! Jason was convincing as the last man on earth by looking scared out of his mind while an alien tries to impregnate him?! (Also an interesting concept; I guess Alien men can have babies but can a human man do so? Am I really asking that question?). Caitlin maintained her character very well and did the best with what Brian gave her. She was intense and convincing as an alien. Brian, save the experiments for dancers already in the industry.
CONCLUSION= I BLAME IT ALL ON THE WARDROBE DEPARTMENT for giving Caitlin that STUPID outfit. It might have flown if you took off the head piece but Nigel wasn't too far off when he said she looked like a dancing condom! She should have looked more like this.
Jeanine and Phillip
Dance: Hip Hop, Song: "Love Lockdown" by Kanye West
Choreographers: Tabitha and Napoleon
Ahhhhhhhhh! I cannot get enough of this dance and I think I figured out why. Tabitha and Napoleon have amazing musicality. Their movements are danced to words, drum beats, harmonies, melodies. Props to NappyTabs because their choreography always ends up being some of my favorite. Phillip and Jeanine did an amazing job. I was so afraid they were going to step on the chain and really hurt themselves. I think Phillip was nervous too because you can see his hand shaking while he holds the hat at the beginning of the dance (aw). A few of my favorite parts: Phillips chest popping at :04. It's like he vibrates his chest as he comes forward. Incredible. At :39 (the the no, no, no, no part of the song) each "no" in the lyrics has a movement. At 1:10-1:13, Phillip does his cool thing on the ground and Jeanine is mirroring him standing up behind him. There are more but I could commentate every move and that would bore you. I was so impressed with Jeanine. I'll say again that she's completely under-rated right now. She had a great, tough look and really continues to keep up with Phillip in the Hip Hop genres. Nigel said if they keep dancing this way, that maybe they should stay chained together forever. Phillip then threw away the key! And we can't forget Jeanine's "chains in our apartment" quote. 7:02 and ~8:43 for some laughs.
Melissa and Ade
Dance: Ballet (on Pointe), Song: Romeo and Juliet Prokofiev's Suite (check out video for the rest of the song details).
Choreographer: Thordal Christensen
Ok, this was a gorgeous dance. But I can't help but think they did not pull this out of the hat. I know they didn't because pointe has never been in the hat and no one could have danced pointe but Melissa. I'll side with most of my friends on this one and say that I just think they picked this for her so that they could showcase a new style of dance and promote their show as the best. Ok we all know I think it's the best but it WILL NOT continue to be if they start rigging it. We all know some things are pre-recorded (group dances, which is obvious) but it wasn't until this season that things like this started. This competition is about taking dancers out of their styles and seeing how they do with new ones.(Coincidence that Jeanine and Phillip got two Tabitha and Napoleon routines so close together? Hope so.) If you want to showcase a new dance, bring in the professionals to do so and leave the competition fair and un-biased. I also think Nigel made a huge mistake by admitting that the judges know who's going to be in the bottom three before it's revealed on the show. I've always thought this show is more genuine and less staged than American Idol. I hope Season 5 isn't tbe beginning of the integrity slip into the cookie cutter mold for SYTYCD. Rant over. Melissa was beautiful in her style and Ade was strong. Love Ade. Love his jump at 3:30. Very good partnering by both. I thought the dance was too short though, and should have kept going a little longer.
**I went back and read this post before I published it and thought that maybe Melissa and Ade really did pick the Paus De Deux and the choreographer or producers (or Melissa herself) decided to go on pointe. It's probably not unfair because eventually everyone will pick their styles and have a chance to show off their strong point. So I retract what I said about this particular dance but not about some of the other things threatening the integrity of SYTYCD.
Karla and Vitolio
Dance: Quickstep (aka kiss of death), Song: Puttin' on the Ritz (Rufus Wainwright)
Choreographer: Jean-Marc Généreux
Never would have known this was a new partnership! Hands down the best quickstep on the show. Another great song choice too-really matched the feel of the quickstep. It helped that Jean-Marc gave the dance a story. Voters connect to dances with stories because they relate to them to their own lives. Instead of getting tangled up in the close hold, the dancers had a story to focus on. I don't usually admit who I voted for (yes, I vote now), but I did for these two because I feared that even though this dance was the best it could be, I wasn't sure if voters would choose to vote for a quickstep.
One of the judges said Karla looked like she was scared while she was dancing. I think they mistook the fact that being scared was part of her character in the beginning of the routine. I mean she's at a museum where a statue has just come to life. OF COURSE SHE'S SCARED! Props to Vitolio for clearing that red rope(:12-:15). Snagging that could have been disastrous and the height and form of his jump was lovely. Both Karla and Vitolio had great spotting in their turns and really used the whole length of the stage, making their quickstep that much more impressive. The costume change was crazy fast and I kept rewinding my DVR to try to catch it in slow motion. I had no idea all that dress was up under there! Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imiKHSZ16Jw. Vitolio's reaction to it is cute too!
Brandon and Janette
Dance: Cha Cha, Song: "Hush Hush" by the Pussycat Dolls
Choreographer: Jean Marc & France Genereaux
Whew. Thank goodness for this dance and it's redeeming the first Cha Cha of the season (ok it wasnt that bad- but it wasnt as stellar as this one). When it started and the music was slow, and the music was... the Pussycat Dolls...I thought, "Nooooo!" SO glad I was wrong. That moment where the song went from slow to HELLO! deserved several Mary screams! The dancing followed and the episode started with a bang. I'd not heard this Pussycat dolls song before and it never fails, I write them off because of that STUPID song they had (When I Grow Up) but end up liking their songs! I REALLY liked Hush Hush! I was groovin in my living room. Anyway.
An essential part of the Cha Cha's appeal for me is its ability to get those who are not dancing pumped up about what they're watching; it pulls the audience into the dance and has a TON of energy. Brandon and Janette excelled at this because of their facial expressions precise nailing of movements. (Check out the showmanship at :33-:37. The thing that really separates Janette and Brandon from the other couples is not just their technique but their attack of that technique. Brandon and Janette ATTACK their dances. You'll see what I mean if you watch the clip at :45. Janette doesn't just fall onto Brandon's leg in a star shape. She sits down and then explodes down into the shape and pops her head all the way back! I mean I don't know how she doesn't have whip lash half the time. This dance is closer to Janette's style but you would have thought it was Brandon's too! This style is so far from contemporary but Brandon stood regal and precise in his movements without being too stiff. He had good hip movement action and some spicy looks at Janet and into the audience! He rocked it and I'm really glad he rocked it in front of Mia. (insert "I TOLD YOU SO MIA, STOP TALKING BEFORE YOU THINK WOMAN!). At 5:16 Brandon cried in response to her comments. Way to prove Mia wrong Brandon! Clearly I could keep going but this one critique is getting too long!
Kayla and Kupono
Dance: Contemporary, Song: "Eyes on Fire" by Blue Foundation
Choreographer: Sonya
A dance about vampires, a song from Twilight. Every girl's dream and every guy's nightmare =). At least my guy friends. For some reason I've been hearing mixed reviews of this dance. I'm not sure why. I thought it was fantastic! SUPERB SONG choice too! I LOVE the moments in this dance where moves started crisp and sharp and then extended out to very controlled, slow movement. There are a couple of examples at :18 and :36. Though I'm still not a huge Kupono fan (at least not him as an individual dancer), I really thought he did a good job of staying in sync with Kayla. Their movement matched and he partnered pretty well. EXCELLENT pirouette at 1:16-1:21 by Kayla because she came out of it with precision and into the crouch to meet Kupono at the same spot. As a dancer with bad knees I can't even begin to tell you how painful the move at 1:27 looked; both dancers got a lot of height and landed at the same time. I loved Sonya's idea that Kayla's character doesn't want to accept death but Kupono's character is pulling her toward it. I'm not sure if that was communicated as clearly as I would have liked, but still a wonderful dance!
Randi and Evan
Dance: Broadway, Song: "Rich Man's Frug" from Sweet Charity (2005 Broadway revival cast)
Choreographer: Joey Dowling
Can I just say that Joey Dowling scares the crap out of me. I mean I think she's nice and is an amazing choreographer but I'm the type who'd be intimidated by her teaching style. OH CREEEEAAAAAAP! I was worried about Randi and Evan but I thought this dance was awesome! I'm not sure WHAT the judges were smoking because they didn't seem to agree. (Though Nigel did say Evan was in his Top 10, yay!). Sometimes I think they catch on to who's getting votes and if they want someone else to get votes they'll critique a good dance as being sub par. Maybe it was something else but I think you're blind if you didn't think they nailed that routine. (Ok, I'm biased. There was room for improvement but on the whole, I had a great time watching it). Nigel and Mary talked about their wrist movement not being quite good enough???! Um, could you both please demonstrate how to better roll your wrists?! I mean I know you have to dance everything full out, down to your finger tips, but how much more can you roll your wrists? I mean the wrist rolls looked good to me. Maybe there were some technical weaknesses? Whatever. I didn't notice because they entertained me! This dance was entirely under-rated. Can we talk about Evan's look at :15 and :22 and :26 (HOT) AND his move at :10 (SUCH CONTROL!). And Randi! Girl's got some 'tude! I thought she held her own and kept up with Evan's entertainment level. Maybe they could have brought a litttttle more to it but I thought it was great. If you scroll through a lot of the Youtube comments, you'll notice a lot of "I liked it more than the judges did!" So there judges, take that! *Punch, Punch* =)
Jason and Caitlin
Dance: Pop jazz, Song: "Creator" by Santogold
Choreographer: Brian Friedman
This dance fueled a good amount of criticism from both fans and the judges. I was a mix of emotions and thoughts the first time I saw it and was kinda torn.
What I liked: 1st, I've LOVED this song by Santogold since the first time I heard it when Mark danced a solo (1:01) to it in Season 4. It was a great choice to execute that "funky, weird" feel of an alien. 2nd, While the actual concept is pretty "out there" the dance itself is something you'd see in more creative shows like Broadway, Cir De Soli sule, music videos, etc. I think I liked the actual dance and concept...which makes sense because I love quirky.
What I DIDN'T like: Brian Friedman using Caitlin and Jason as guinea pigs. In a show where the public votes for dancers to stay in the competition, you've got to be careful not to alienate (no pun intended, really) viewers and in essence, make them not want to vote for a certain couple. I left feeling like Brian shouldn't be asked back to choreograph. Another blogger said, "Who cares if this was good, it was a horrible mistake to give two people who need to connect with the audience such an outlandish number."
What I thought in the END: Maybe SYTYCD really is the best outlet for Brian to premier this dance. Part of the competition is being able to prove you can handle what's thrown at you. The thing is, I think Jason and Caitlin DID handle it; and very well! Jason was convincing as the last man on earth by looking scared out of his mind while an alien tries to impregnate him?! (Also an interesting concept; I guess Alien men can have babies but can a human man do so? Am I really asking that question?). Caitlin maintained her character very well and did the best with what Brian gave her. She was intense and convincing as an alien. Brian, save the experiments for dancers already in the industry.
CONCLUSION= I BLAME IT ALL ON THE WARDROBE DEPARTMENT for giving Caitlin that STUPID outfit. It might have flown if you took off the head piece but Nigel wasn't too far off when he said she looked like a dancing condom! She should have looked more like this.
Jeanine and Phillip
Dance: Hip Hop, Song: "Love Lockdown" by Kanye West
Choreographers: Tabitha and Napoleon
Ahhhhhhhhh! I cannot get enough of this dance and I think I figured out why. Tabitha and Napoleon have amazing musicality. Their movements are danced to words, drum beats, harmonies, melodies. Props to NappyTabs because their choreography always ends up being some of my favorite. Phillip and Jeanine did an amazing job. I was so afraid they were going to step on the chain and really hurt themselves. I think Phillip was nervous too because you can see his hand shaking while he holds the hat at the beginning of the dance (aw). A few of my favorite parts: Phillips chest popping at :04. It's like he vibrates his chest as he comes forward. Incredible. At :39 (the the no, no, no, no part of the song) each "no" in the lyrics has a movement. At 1:10-1:13, Phillip does his cool thing on the ground and Jeanine is mirroring him standing up behind him. There are more but I could commentate every move and that would bore you. I was so impressed with Jeanine. I'll say again that she's completely under-rated right now. She had a great, tough look and really continues to keep up with Phillip in the Hip Hop genres. Nigel said if they keep dancing this way, that maybe they should stay chained together forever. Phillip then threw away the key! And we can't forget Jeanine's "chains in our apartment" quote. 7:02 and ~8:43 for some laughs.
Melissa and Ade
Dance: Ballet (on Pointe), Song: Romeo and Juliet Prokofiev's Suite (check out video for the rest of the song details).
Choreographer: Thordal Christensen
Ok, this was a gorgeous dance. But I can't help but think they did not pull this out of the hat. I know they didn't because pointe has never been in the hat and no one could have danced pointe but Melissa. I'll side with most of my friends on this one and say that I just think they picked this for her so that they could showcase a new style of dance and promote their show as the best. Ok we all know I think it's the best but it WILL NOT continue to be if they start rigging it. We all know some things are pre-recorded (group dances, which is obvious) but it wasn't until this season that things like this started. This competition is about taking dancers out of their styles and seeing how they do with new ones.(Coincidence that Jeanine and Phillip got two Tabitha and Napoleon routines so close together? Hope so.) If you want to showcase a new dance, bring in the professionals to do so and leave the competition fair and un-biased. I also think Nigel made a huge mistake by admitting that the judges know who's going to be in the bottom three before it's revealed on the show. I've always thought this show is more genuine and less staged than American Idol. I hope Season 5 isn't tbe beginning of the integrity slip into the cookie cutter mold for SYTYCD. Rant over. Melissa was beautiful in her style and Ade was strong. Love Ade. Love his jump at 3:30. Very good partnering by both. I thought the dance was too short though, and should have kept going a little longer.
**I went back and read this post before I published it and thought that maybe Melissa and Ade really did pick the Paus De Deux and the choreographer or producers (or Melissa herself) decided to go on pointe. It's probably not unfair because eventually everyone will pick their styles and have a chance to show off their strong point. So I retract what I said about this particular dance but not about some of the other things threatening the integrity of SYTYCD.
Karla and Vitolio
Dance: Quickstep (aka kiss of death), Song: Puttin' on the Ritz (Rufus Wainwright)
Choreographer: Jean-Marc Généreux
Never would have known this was a new partnership! Hands down the best quickstep on the show. Another great song choice too-really matched the feel of the quickstep. It helped that Jean-Marc gave the dance a story. Voters connect to dances with stories because they relate to them to their own lives. Instead of getting tangled up in the close hold, the dancers had a story to focus on. I don't usually admit who I voted for (yes, I vote now), but I did for these two because I feared that even though this dance was the best it could be, I wasn't sure if voters would choose to vote for a quickstep.
One of the judges said Karla looked like she was scared while she was dancing. I think they mistook the fact that being scared was part of her character in the beginning of the routine. I mean she's at a museum where a statue has just come to life. OF COURSE SHE'S SCARED! Props to Vitolio for clearing that red rope(:12-:15). Snagging that could have been disastrous and the height and form of his jump was lovely. Both Karla and Vitolio had great spotting in their turns and really used the whole length of the stage, making their quickstep that much more impressive. The costume change was crazy fast and I kept rewinding my DVR to try to catch it in slow motion. I had no idea all that dress was up under there! Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imiKHSZ16Jw. Vitolio's reaction to it is cute too!
Top 16: RESULTS
Group Dance by Tabitha and Napoleon (NappyTabs) and Dimitry Chaplin (Season 1)?
Song: "I Know You Want Me", ("Calle Ocho") by Pitbull
Did anyone else feel uncomfortable at the beginning of this dance (before the song really started)? Eh, tis the nature of Latin dance I guess. Though, I don't feel uncomfortable once people are actually dancing. Here they were just kinda schmoozing around. Really hot number, I liked it a lot. I enjoyed how the girls danced, then the guys, then they combined. Great outfits, great song, great choreography. Loved this move at :56. Though some of my friends may have thought it was "too sexy," I can't pretend I didn't like the sensuality of this dance. Hot, hot hot.
This week also featured a performance by the Rage Boys, choreographed by Tiffany Burton. You HAVE to check them out!
Bottom Three Guys
Vitolio
"Viva La Vida" by Coldplay
I honestly think he's the only one who has truly "danced for his life" and knows what that means. Even though this solo was a little crowded with "stuff," Vitolio dances with more passion than anyone else who's done a solo. Good, upbeat, hopeful song choice too.
Jonathan:
"The Hunted" by Kodo
Why is Jonathan in the top 16?! He's not even good at his own style. He's dancing latin ballroom with his hands in fists?! He doesn't follow through with his movements and this solo was entirely too rushed and cluttered. He's a sweet cutie pie and I think he's got potential and could grow into a more seasoned dancer but I'm glad he was out and made room for the better guy dancers.
Jason:
"New American Classic" by Taking Back Sunday
Not as good as his first solo. A littler desperate but I still liked it, and I think Jason is slowly coming into his own in this competition. He needs to pull away a bit at this point though or he'll be in trouble.
Bottom Three Girls
Asuka:
"Don't Trust Me" by 3OH!8
As hard as it was, I think the judges made the right choice in sending her home. I love her personality and spunk though. I would have preferred her staying over Karla (only because Karla has more experience in the dance world and is in less need of a platform), but I agree that I didn't see much improvement in Asuka week to week and she was starting to get a little boring. Karla's solos and most of her performances have been really solid.
Karla:
"15 Step" by Radiohead
Very creative solo once again and BRILLIANT song choice, but it was also VERY desperate. The dancers need to find the line between desperate and showcasing as much as you can in a short amount of time. I love the quirky side of it but she was a little off balance at times too.
Caitlin:
"Que Sera Sera" by Jennifer Terran
By far the best of the night. Good combination of dancing and turning but I could have done without the tumbling at the end. More dancing please! I hate to keep seeing Caitlin in the bottom. She's a superb dancer. I'm not sure what the disconnect is right now.
Song: "I Know You Want Me", ("Calle Ocho") by Pitbull
Did anyone else feel uncomfortable at the beginning of this dance (before the song really started)? Eh, tis the nature of Latin dance I guess. Though, I don't feel uncomfortable once people are actually dancing. Here they were just kinda schmoozing around. Really hot number, I liked it a lot. I enjoyed how the girls danced, then the guys, then they combined. Great outfits, great song, great choreography. Loved this move at :56. Though some of my friends may have thought it was "too sexy," I can't pretend I didn't like the sensuality of this dance. Hot, hot hot.
This week also featured a performance by the Rage Boys, choreographed by Tiffany Burton. You HAVE to check them out!
Bottom Three Guys
Vitolio
"Viva La Vida" by Coldplay
I honestly think he's the only one who has truly "danced for his life" and knows what that means. Even though this solo was a little crowded with "stuff," Vitolio dances with more passion than anyone else who's done a solo. Good, upbeat, hopeful song choice too.
Jonathan:
"The Hunted" by Kodo
Why is Jonathan in the top 16?! He's not even good at his own style. He's dancing latin ballroom with his hands in fists?! He doesn't follow through with his movements and this solo was entirely too rushed and cluttered. He's a sweet cutie pie and I think he's got potential and could grow into a more seasoned dancer but I'm glad he was out and made room for the better guy dancers.
Jason:
"New American Classic" by Taking Back Sunday
Not as good as his first solo. A littler desperate but I still liked it, and I think Jason is slowly coming into his own in this competition. He needs to pull away a bit at this point though or he'll be in trouble.
Bottom Three Girls
Asuka:
"Don't Trust Me" by 3OH!8
As hard as it was, I think the judges made the right choice in sending her home. I love her personality and spunk though. I would have preferred her staying over Karla (only because Karla has more experience in the dance world and is in less need of a platform), but I agree that I didn't see much improvement in Asuka week to week and she was starting to get a little boring. Karla's solos and most of her performances have been really solid.
Karla:
"15 Step" by Radiohead
Very creative solo once again and BRILLIANT song choice, but it was also VERY desperate. The dancers need to find the line between desperate and showcasing as much as you can in a short amount of time. I love the quirky side of it but she was a little off balance at times too.
Caitlin:
"Que Sera Sera" by Jennifer Terran
By far the best of the night. Good combination of dancing and turning but I could have done without the tumbling at the end. More dancing please! I hate to keep seeing Caitlin in the bottom. She's a superb dancer. I'm not sure what the disconnect is right now.
Friday, July 10, 2009
TOP 16: Performance
This week's guest judge was Toni Basil (Hey Mickey!). Believe it or not, she's been very instrumental in the street styles of hip hop we see today. She's receiving a Living Legends of Hip-Hop Award!
So. This episode left me a little...not really disappointed, but not really excited. Something hasn't quite clicked yet. I'm beginning to think no Season can yet surpass Season 4.
Here are my top 16 thoughts.
Jonathan and Karla
Dance: Hip Hop, Song: "By My Side" by Jadakiss and Neyo
Choreographer: Dave Scott
They did everything BUT kick off the night with their flat and lackluster hip hop routine. I thought Karla had better showmanship and had a pretty good "ghetto fab" side, but really wasn't good enough. She had some fluid movement but lacked energy. Most of the couple's facial expressions came off as super cheesy and way too "nice" for hip hop. At 3:10 the head nods were off and very "un-gangsta." Jonathan, poor Jonathan. I think he's what kept Karla from killin this routine. He is anything but "gangsta." He was entirely too "smiley." Really the only good part of him being in the routine for me was his flip at and 3:24. I'm really not sure how/why he made it to the top 20 over some stronger guys I saw (Ryan Kasprazak!), especially since he and Max are BOTH ballroom style. I don't think Jonathan's even that good in his own style. Maybe his cute little puppy dog face is what got him there? Karla certainly out danced Jonathan but neither danced up to par. I don't think it was Dave Scott's strongest routine but I don't think anything was wrong with the choreography. The dancers left this one less than satisfying.
Asuka and Vitolio
Dance: Jazz, Song: Heartbreaker by Pat Benatar
Choreographer: Mandy Moore
I thought it was a good, but pretty forgettable routine. It had potential to be more powerful, especially with the hard hitting 80's Pat Benatar music. At times Asuka and Vitolio were off sync too. I liked the outfits and the choreography but I thought it lacked hype! I love Mandy Moore but it seems as though the steps she gave them were too simplistic. Or maybe dancers should be able to take simplistic choreography and make it look good? I did love Vitolio's leap at the end though (4:10). Though, most of their simple jumps lacked explosion. Just a little more effort and I think they could have killed it! Aside from that, I thought the two coupled well and pulled it off nicely. I just love how sweet Vitolio was with Auska when she was getting upset. (The sweetest at 2:15). If I were in this competition I'm not sure how I'd keep from feeling that way every week (regardless of whether or not I showed it). I'm pretty sure I got teary eyed. I like this couple a lot and I'm rooting for them but I think they've got a lot to prove and need to step it up if they're going to gain America's vote.
Melissa and Ade
Dance: Rumba, Song: "Emotion" by Destiny's Child
Choreographer: Tony Meredith
So in rehearsal these two played it off like they couldn't get the dance down, but when it came performance time, they delivered. It was executed well but I found myself slightly bored for a few seconds. Nonetheless, the Rumba is a very technical dance and they really executed it quite well. Ade was a great support for Melissa and I thought the two flowed well from individual to coupled movements. From the moment the dance started and we saw the back of Ade's shoulders, it was clear he'd nailed the feel of the rumba. The movement flowed right from his shoulder as he breathed, down to his waist, then hips and simultaneously through his arms. He also had a really good mix of playing to the audience and focusing on Melissa. If I were Mary I'd have given him his own first class ticket on the hot tamale train! He danced so strong and masculine and I really hope to see him around further into the competition. Even though Melissa's not my favorite, I really liked her in this dance. She was strong and graceful and her technical training really helped her pull off some beautiful extensions. I agree with Toni's comment. I think Tony Meredith's choreography really helped Melissa and Ade. He's at the top of his game! And for those of you who know his partner, Melanie Laplatin, I have a little inside scoop that she's working on a side project of her own; hopefully she'll be back soon!
Brandon and Janette:
Dance: Hip Hop, Song: What A World by Common
Choreographer: Dave Scott
Well DANG! Who knew Brandon had some gangsta in him?! He was probably my favorite part of the routine because he's so technically trained and has these lines that go on for days- but the boy can get FUNKY too! He was hittin it likes he's been a popper his whole life. I loved his attitude and Janette's too. And though her outfit was "rock eccentric", I thought it a little too much like Cher or Janet. I like the idea but would have preferred her to just have black leather pants instead of the remnants of fish net hosiery. Regardless of costumes, she really brought it with her character too! I think these two are the new power couple. Last year Josh and Katee were the power couple (never in the bottom 3). It will be interesting to see if they can maintain their top spot. I think they totally deserve it. I've been really impressed that they keep getting "kiss of death" dances and absolutely killin em! Neither of them have gotten their actual style yet. I LOVE Dave Scott's style too and he seems like a genuinely nice guy. Some of my friends have met and worked with him and I hope to see a lot more of his work on SYTYCD. I loved his concept of the rock and hip hop fusion and I think it really echoed what has happened in actual music culture! Really like the way they ended the dance with Brandon in the chair and Janette with her rock hands. I thought the little clip of Dave feelin some competition from Brandon was pretty funny/interesting too. You can see it HERE at 1:47
Kayla and Kupono
Dance: Viennese Waltz, Song: "Sweet Dreams for You" by Jewel
Choreographer: Jean-Marc Genereux
Love this choreographer. Loving the waltz more and more. Loved this one but nothing (so far) has stood up to Twitch and Kherington's waltz and Mark and Courtney's waltz. :) Season 4 bias. Anyway. I loved Kayla's dress and I was surprised at Kupono's ability to dance so masculine. (Not because he's feminine but because he himself said he has no upper body strength and that lifts were difficult for him). They matched well and their movements were very, very fluid. They certainly didn't look like a new couple but Mary put them on the hot tamale and I'm not really sure why. I mean, it was good, but there have been better dances and Mary avoided giving tickets out for some of those. You probably already know I'm not a huge fan of Kupono and though he did well it will be interesting to see if he brings Kayla down or adds to her strengths.
Randi and Evan
Dance: Contemporary, Song: Koop Island Blues by Koop feat. Ane Brun
Choreographer: Mia Michaels
Ya know, it wasn't until I saw this dance for the second time that I really appreciated it. And now, I LOVE it. I love the burlesque feel and the contrast between Randi's sophisticated tease and Evan's simple mesmerized man. This is another one of those dances where the song really brought me into the dance. I really felt like this couple was downtown in a shady area wasting the foggy night away. I thought the couple did evenly well, but Randi really stood out to me. I think this is the dance where she blossomed and really proved herself to the judges. She wasn't just dancing the steps, she really stood out to me as adding something special to the routine. She had this, "je sepa," I can't put my finger on. She danced with such poise that I would have thought her a lot taller than she is. As for Evan, I saw a still of him that made me want to go back through the video and watch his technique. Randi is hot, but check out Evan's height, extension, and arms! I think he's a dark horse in his own right, not because he's not popular (believe me I've seen his following), but because he can really bring it when he needs to-in his acting and dancing. He was pretty adorable in this role and though there wasn't a lot of technique in the choreography, there were a lot of subtle moments that were accentuated to bring the piece to life. I could write pages and pages about this dance. Loved it! Kudos to Evan and Randi!
Caitlin and Jason
Dance: Paso Doble, Song: "O'Fortuna" from Carmina Burana
Choreographer: Jean-Marc Genereux
It was fun to see this dance by Jean-Marc in contrast to his waltz! Such power and commanding of attention. I thought the judges were only a wee bit critical of the performance but just enough that I could respect it as constructive and helpful criticism. Unfortunately I don't think this will be as popular with voters, though I can't really put my finger on why. It's tough to follow pretty a waltz and dances with a more detailed storyline. Not to mention the fact that they burst onto the scene with an impressive Bollywood routine and since, have had a difficult time living up to it. I really did enjoy this dance and though I agree with Nigel that Jason should have performed more to Caitlin, I like the showmanship he was directing to the audience too. Caitlin's clean lines gave her character a commanding presence, as if she was trying to say "I can hang with this Spartan man and I'm going to keep fighting him!" I feel like both Caitlin and Jason went all out with their performance and really tried their best to deliver a powerful dance. Overall they did a great job; especially with such demanding choreography. This dance was actually a little under-rated, especially after going back and watching it a few more times.
Jeanine and Phillip
Dance: Broadway, Song: "Moses" from Singin' in the Rain
Choreographer: Tyce Diorio
Definitely my favorite Broadway routine this season (ugh, we've only had one other one that did nothing for me-if you want to know more, see the first episode review). I also think this dance was bit under-rated and that the judges were too tough on Phillip. In fact, before I went back and watched it again, I think the judges comments made me forget just how much I loved it. If technique was off, I really didn't notice because it was non-stop entertainment. I think this can be attributed to both Tyce's stellar choreography (maybe some of his best Broadway stuff-or at least the most fun!) and Jeanine and Phillip's strong effort and energy. You know, for being a popper, I was really impressed with Phillip's grasp of the Broadway tone. Even if it wasn't quite 100%, I think he got what it's about and really pushed hard through this performance. The only time I really noticed him not being totally on top of technique was after he ripped his pants (3:02). Jeanine (love her)is continuing to surprise me. I think I wrote her off in the beginning (BEFORE the show started and I'm not sure why) but she has continuously delivered stellar dancing AND stellar acting. She also seems really fun and genuine. She was pretty dang adorable in this piece and reminded me of the sassy Lucy from "I Love Lucy."
Hey judges, were you even watching this dance? Maybe you should watch it again too. I loved it! You guys should watch it again too!
So. This episode left me a little...not really disappointed, but not really excited. Something hasn't quite clicked yet. I'm beginning to think no Season can yet surpass Season 4.
Here are my top 16 thoughts.
Jonathan and Karla
Dance: Hip Hop, Song: "By My Side" by Jadakiss and Neyo
Choreographer: Dave Scott
They did everything BUT kick off the night with their flat and lackluster hip hop routine. I thought Karla had better showmanship and had a pretty good "ghetto fab" side, but really wasn't good enough. She had some fluid movement but lacked energy. Most of the couple's facial expressions came off as super cheesy and way too "nice" for hip hop. At 3:10 the head nods were off and very "un-gangsta." Jonathan, poor Jonathan. I think he's what kept Karla from killin this routine. He is anything but "gangsta." He was entirely too "smiley." Really the only good part of him being in the routine for me was his flip at and 3:24. I'm really not sure how/why he made it to the top 20 over some stronger guys I saw (Ryan Kasprazak!), especially since he and Max are BOTH ballroom style. I don't think Jonathan's even that good in his own style. Maybe his cute little puppy dog face is what got him there? Karla certainly out danced Jonathan but neither danced up to par. I don't think it was Dave Scott's strongest routine but I don't think anything was wrong with the choreography. The dancers left this one less than satisfying.
Asuka and Vitolio
Dance: Jazz, Song: Heartbreaker by Pat Benatar
Choreographer: Mandy Moore
I thought it was a good, but pretty forgettable routine. It had potential to be more powerful, especially with the hard hitting 80's Pat Benatar music. At times Asuka and Vitolio were off sync too. I liked the outfits and the choreography but I thought it lacked hype! I love Mandy Moore but it seems as though the steps she gave them were too simplistic. Or maybe dancers should be able to take simplistic choreography and make it look good? I did love Vitolio's leap at the end though (4:10). Though, most of their simple jumps lacked explosion. Just a little more effort and I think they could have killed it! Aside from that, I thought the two coupled well and pulled it off nicely. I just love how sweet Vitolio was with Auska when she was getting upset. (The sweetest at 2:15). If I were in this competition I'm not sure how I'd keep from feeling that way every week (regardless of whether or not I showed it). I'm pretty sure I got teary eyed. I like this couple a lot and I'm rooting for them but I think they've got a lot to prove and need to step it up if they're going to gain America's vote.
Melissa and Ade
Dance: Rumba, Song: "Emotion" by Destiny's Child
Choreographer: Tony Meredith
So in rehearsal these two played it off like they couldn't get the dance down, but when it came performance time, they delivered. It was executed well but I found myself slightly bored for a few seconds. Nonetheless, the Rumba is a very technical dance and they really executed it quite well. Ade was a great support for Melissa and I thought the two flowed well from individual to coupled movements. From the moment the dance started and we saw the back of Ade's shoulders, it was clear he'd nailed the feel of the rumba. The movement flowed right from his shoulder as he breathed, down to his waist, then hips and simultaneously through his arms. He also had a really good mix of playing to the audience and focusing on Melissa. If I were Mary I'd have given him his own first class ticket on the hot tamale train! He danced so strong and masculine and I really hope to see him around further into the competition. Even though Melissa's not my favorite, I really liked her in this dance. She was strong and graceful and her technical training really helped her pull off some beautiful extensions. I agree with Toni's comment. I think Tony Meredith's choreography really helped Melissa and Ade. He's at the top of his game! And for those of you who know his partner, Melanie Laplatin, I have a little inside scoop that she's working on a side project of her own; hopefully she'll be back soon!
Brandon and Janette:
Dance: Hip Hop, Song: What A World by Common
Choreographer: Dave Scott
Well DANG! Who knew Brandon had some gangsta in him?! He was probably my favorite part of the routine because he's so technically trained and has these lines that go on for days- but the boy can get FUNKY too! He was hittin it likes he's been a popper his whole life. I loved his attitude and Janette's too. And though her outfit was "rock eccentric", I thought it a little too much like Cher or Janet. I like the idea but would have preferred her to just have black leather pants instead of the remnants of fish net hosiery. Regardless of costumes, she really brought it with her character too! I think these two are the new power couple. Last year Josh and Katee were the power couple (never in the bottom 3). It will be interesting to see if they can maintain their top spot. I think they totally deserve it. I've been really impressed that they keep getting "kiss of death" dances and absolutely killin em! Neither of them have gotten their actual style yet. I LOVE Dave Scott's style too and he seems like a genuinely nice guy. Some of my friends have met and worked with him and I hope to see a lot more of his work on SYTYCD. I loved his concept of the rock and hip hop fusion and I think it really echoed what has happened in actual music culture! Really like the way they ended the dance with Brandon in the chair and Janette with her rock hands. I thought the little clip of Dave feelin some competition from Brandon was pretty funny/interesting too. You can see it HERE at 1:47
Kayla and Kupono
Dance: Viennese Waltz, Song: "Sweet Dreams for You" by Jewel
Choreographer: Jean-Marc Genereux
Love this choreographer. Loving the waltz more and more. Loved this one but nothing (so far) has stood up to Twitch and Kherington's waltz and Mark and Courtney's waltz. :) Season 4 bias. Anyway. I loved Kayla's dress and I was surprised at Kupono's ability to dance so masculine. (Not because he's feminine but because he himself said he has no upper body strength and that lifts were difficult for him). They matched well and their movements were very, very fluid. They certainly didn't look like a new couple but Mary put them on the hot tamale and I'm not really sure why. I mean, it was good, but there have been better dances and Mary avoided giving tickets out for some of those. You probably already know I'm not a huge fan of Kupono and though he did well it will be interesting to see if he brings Kayla down or adds to her strengths.
Randi and Evan
Dance: Contemporary, Song: Koop Island Blues by Koop feat. Ane Brun
Choreographer: Mia Michaels
Ya know, it wasn't until I saw this dance for the second time that I really appreciated it. And now, I LOVE it. I love the burlesque feel and the contrast between Randi's sophisticated tease and Evan's simple mesmerized man. This is another one of those dances where the song really brought me into the dance. I really felt like this couple was downtown in a shady area wasting the foggy night away. I thought the couple did evenly well, but Randi really stood out to me. I think this is the dance where she blossomed and really proved herself to the judges. She wasn't just dancing the steps, she really stood out to me as adding something special to the routine. She had this, "je sepa," I can't put my finger on. She danced with such poise that I would have thought her a lot taller than she is. As for Evan, I saw a still of him that made me want to go back through the video and watch his technique. Randi is hot, but check out Evan's height, extension, and arms! I think he's a dark horse in his own right, not because he's not popular (believe me I've seen his following), but because he can really bring it when he needs to-in his acting and dancing. He was pretty adorable in this role and though there wasn't a lot of technique in the choreography, there were a lot of subtle moments that were accentuated to bring the piece to life. I could write pages and pages about this dance. Loved it! Kudos to Evan and Randi!
Caitlin and Jason
Dance: Paso Doble, Song: "O'Fortuna" from Carmina Burana
Choreographer: Jean-Marc Genereux
It was fun to see this dance by Jean-Marc in contrast to his waltz! Such power and commanding of attention. I thought the judges were only a wee bit critical of the performance but just enough that I could respect it as constructive and helpful criticism. Unfortunately I don't think this will be as popular with voters, though I can't really put my finger on why. It's tough to follow pretty a waltz and dances with a more detailed storyline. Not to mention the fact that they burst onto the scene with an impressive Bollywood routine and since, have had a difficult time living up to it. I really did enjoy this dance and though I agree with Nigel that Jason should have performed more to Caitlin, I like the showmanship he was directing to the audience too. Caitlin's clean lines gave her character a commanding presence, as if she was trying to say "I can hang with this Spartan man and I'm going to keep fighting him!" I feel like both Caitlin and Jason went all out with their performance and really tried their best to deliver a powerful dance. Overall they did a great job; especially with such demanding choreography. This dance was actually a little under-rated, especially after going back and watching it a few more times.
Jeanine and Phillip
Dance: Broadway, Song: "Moses" from Singin' in the Rain
Choreographer: Tyce Diorio
Definitely my favorite Broadway routine this season (ugh, we've only had one other one that did nothing for me-if you want to know more, see the first episode review). I also think this dance was bit under-rated and that the judges were too tough on Phillip. In fact, before I went back and watched it again, I think the judges comments made me forget just how much I loved it. If technique was off, I really didn't notice because it was non-stop entertainment. I think this can be attributed to both Tyce's stellar choreography (maybe some of his best Broadway stuff-or at least the most fun!) and Jeanine and Phillip's strong effort and energy. You know, for being a popper, I was really impressed with Phillip's grasp of the Broadway tone. Even if it wasn't quite 100%, I think he got what it's about and really pushed hard through this performance. The only time I really noticed him not being totally on top of technique was after he ripped his pants (3:02). Jeanine (love her)is continuing to surprise me. I think I wrote her off in the beginning (BEFORE the show started and I'm not sure why) but she has continuously delivered stellar dancing AND stellar acting. She also seems really fun and genuine. She was pretty dang adorable in this piece and reminded me of the sassy Lucy from "I Love Lucy."
Hey judges, were you even watching this dance? Maybe you should watch it again too. I loved it! You guys should watch it again too!
TOP 18: RESULTS
Click to watch the TOP 18 GROUP DANCE
I was blown away by Mia Michael's choreography and musicality for this group dance. First off, I FREAKING LOVE STEVIE WONDER and had even thought about choreographing a solo to this song long before this episode aired. So if you couldn't guess already, I was pretty pumped.
I thought the lighting idea was brilliant and I like that the dancers were both inside and on the periphery of those spotlights. I thought they all showed great intensity and executed the staccato movements that some of the piece called for. The costuming was classy and "un-distracting" and I liked the makeup too.
Click here to see BOTTOM THREE GUYS
I was pretty bummed that Max went home before before Kupono. Kupono's solo (to Janelle Monae's "Many Moons") was the least strong of the bottom 3 guys. To me he's still a cheap imitation of my Mark Kanemura from Season 4. (Check out the link below for comparison). It had it's quirky/slightly creative moments but it lacked energy and the only thing impressive about the technique was the pirouette near the end.
Jason's solo (to Robin Thicke's "Superman") was by far the best of the season for me. I hate he landed in the bottom but I'm so glad he redeemed the solos for me. I hate seeing people go home but I love that solos let you see what music the contestants like as well as their heart, creativity and choreography styles.
Max's solo (Kenny Loggin's "Footloose") was not mind blowing but he at least looked as if he was "dancing for his life," unlike Kupono.
Mark Kanemura solo, watch at 1:05 and see similarity from the beginning of Kupono's solo.
Click here to see the BOTTOM THREE GIRLS
Caitlin's solo (to Adele's "Make You Feel My Love") was pretty superb. She has such long lines and powerful jumps. She showed some skill at musicality and her dance was very graceful.
I was also extremely upset to see Ashley go. I really liked her solo (to Coco Rosie's "By Your Side"), outfit and her 1920's style feel. It could have been a little stronger and I think she needed to come away from the stairs earlier. However, she didn't look desperate and her style was so unique. She may not have won SYTYCD, but I definitely think she went home too soon; before she was given time to really blossom.
I was really surprised by Kayla's solo (to Kerli's "Walking on Air). When I saw her first audition to Donnie 's "Blackbird" she became my first pick for making it to the show.(Watch it here). It was so quirky and unique. This solo was just too jam packed with stuff. She didn't focus on each move and was quickly switching from one idea to another.
I was blown away by Mia Michael's choreography and musicality for this group dance. First off, I FREAKING LOVE STEVIE WONDER and had even thought about choreographing a solo to this song long before this episode aired. So if you couldn't guess already, I was pretty pumped.
I thought the lighting idea was brilliant and I like that the dancers were both inside and on the periphery of those spotlights. I thought they all showed great intensity and executed the staccato movements that some of the piece called for. The costuming was classy and "un-distracting" and I liked the makeup too.
Click here to see BOTTOM THREE GUYS
I was pretty bummed that Max went home before before Kupono. Kupono's solo (to Janelle Monae's "Many Moons") was the least strong of the bottom 3 guys. To me he's still a cheap imitation of my Mark Kanemura from Season 4. (Check out the link below for comparison). It had it's quirky/slightly creative moments but it lacked energy and the only thing impressive about the technique was the pirouette near the end.
Jason's solo (to Robin Thicke's "Superman") was by far the best of the season for me. I hate he landed in the bottom but I'm so glad he redeemed the solos for me. I hate seeing people go home but I love that solos let you see what music the contestants like as well as their heart, creativity and choreography styles.
Max's solo (Kenny Loggin's "Footloose") was not mind blowing but he at least looked as if he was "dancing for his life," unlike Kupono.
Mark Kanemura solo, watch at 1:05 and see similarity from the beginning of Kupono's solo.
Click here to see the BOTTOM THREE GIRLS
Caitlin's solo (to Adele's "Make You Feel My Love") was pretty superb. She has such long lines and powerful jumps. She showed some skill at musicality and her dance was very graceful.
I was also extremely upset to see Ashley go. I really liked her solo (to Coco Rosie's "By Your Side"), outfit and her 1920's style feel. It could have been a little stronger and I think she needed to come away from the stairs earlier. However, she didn't look desperate and her style was so unique. She may not have won SYTYCD, but I definitely think she went home too soon; before she was given time to really blossom.
I was really surprised by Kayla's solo (to Kerli's "Walking on Air). When I saw her first audition to Donnie 's "Blackbird" she became my first pick for making it to the show.(Watch it here). It was so quirky and unique. This solo was just too jam packed with stuff. She didn't focus on each move and was quickly switching from one idea to another.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
TOP 18: Performance
Welcome to week 2! Now you know your dancers a little better and it's time to see who can hold their own each week! Let's get right into it!
Evan and Randi:
Dance: The Jive!, Song: Shake a Tail Feather by Ray Charles
Choreographer:Louis Van Amstel
This dance was so much FUN! HA! You just can't escape it. I thought Evan and Randi did an excellent job at both entertaining and maintaining the speed of the dance without screwing up technically. Their faces played to the crowd and it reminded me of people just out somewhere having fun dancing. OOPS! HA! I said FUN again- not even on purpose. The judges liked it but made it clear a lot was still missing. I'm a little more familiar with the technical side of things now and Evan particularly could have given the dance a little more of a jive feel. His jazz training may have taken over just a bit in this dance. That being said, his split jump over Randi packed a huge punch and brought the dance to life. Randi grasped the quick step feel a little better and managed to be both fun and sexy! I think this is one of those dances that the audience enjoyed enough to not catch as many little details. I think a lot of that had to do with Louis' awesome choreography and Evan and Randi's appeal.
Caitlin and Jason:
Dance: Hip Hop, Song: Missin You by Trey Songz
Choreographer: Shane Sparks (Good to have him back!)
The montage before the dance showed how much Jason loved Michael Jackson's dance moves when he was younger. When the original episode aired, we'd not yet learned of MJ's passing. I'd encourage you to go back through the video (I have it linked at the bottom) just to see baby Jason dancing as MJ (it's precious). Really shows the span of MJ's appeal over several generations.
I loved Jason's outfit. I don't know why the clothes did so much for me this time. He just looked like a combo of classy gentleman with a lil' hip hop swag. I liked the camera angle that featured him first and then brought Caitlin in from the back. Overall I think they did pretty well with it. It had its good moments. Jason's face was really sweet and portrayed his character well. I liked that Caitlin had a little solo and it was though it was cute, it was a little halfhearted, especially for hip hop. I think Jason out danced Caitlin, but that they both needed to hit their popping a little harder. Some people are saying that Shane's choreography isn't up to its full potential but I liked this choreography. Having said that, I think Shane needed to tie in Jason's angst over the girl into the
steps a little more. People think Shane will do better with faster music and hard hitting dancing, but he tailored this song to Jason and Caitlin because they're not hard hitting hip hoppers. I think they could have brought a little more to his choreography. It was a little too "cute." Sidenote: I'm always curious if a couple will ever actually become a COUPLE on this show. I get this vibe that Jason and Caitlin might have a lil' something goin on? Just little moments that I've noticed. Watch out for it:) Check out HERE how he helps her up at the end of this routine. (And flashback to Bollywood when that kiss at the end lasted a little longer than the choreography probably called for...hehe). Could be nothing, but they're pretty cute.
Asuka and Vitolio:
Dance: Waltz, Song: Dreams Are More Precious by Enya
Choreographer: Louis Van Amstel
I think these two really worked hard this week. I also think Louis realized they need votes and would do best with something the audience could connect to (especially since the Waltz may not get as many votes as a hip hop or lyrical routine). I'm glad he was able to find something for Vitolio to connect to. I think it exponentially improved Vitolio's performance quality. I've heard mixed opinions on Vitolio. A lot of people think he comes off as conceited or strange. I think he may be just a little misunderstood and there are some culture cues that people interpret incorrectly. I have been truly blessed to have amazing parents in my life and to know that he grew up with so much less makes me even more impressed with the man he is now.
I think the Enya song they danced to was a great choice too. It had an up and down flow to it that went well with Waltz steps. Asuka's dress was gorgeous and Vitolio was very handsome, and he danced very masculine and strong in his full suit. The lift in the beginning was stunning. The past two or three Waltz dances on this show have really improved and have made me enjoy and respect the Waltz. This dance was no exception. I LOVED the toss at the end where Vitolio took Asuka out of the lift and gently swung her down to the floor where she spun around on her own in a seated position. (At 3:40 in THIS video).
Melissa and Ade
Dance: Jazz, Song: 24 Hours (The Ashton Shuffle A-Bomb Remix) by Terry Poison
Choreographer: Sonya
Yeah, so. I like the style and the choreography and even the pink pants! Melissa surprised me on this one. I wasn't sure if she'd be able to break out of that ballerina niche'. Thank goodness she broke out of the NAUGHTY ballerina niche'. Anyone else think that was uber annoying? Gah. I thought the couple partnered well and had a little edge but I'm not sure if this routine/performance will be particularly memorable. I love Sonya's style and she picked a pretty baller song to put to her choreography (as always) so maybe that will help. I think (if I haven't said it already) that Ade is the dark horse in this competition. He really needs to show more personality though for him to be a front runner. Though I think they make a strong couple, and have danced well thus far, does anyone else think Melissa is holding Ade back somehow? I mean, they have chemistry, right? Or do they just execute dances well? I don't know what it is that makes me feel that way but if they make it to the top 10, it will be interesting to see how he is with a different partner. (Let me remind you we still haven't even seen him in his own style yet!) That's something to look forward too! I'm waiting for them to get a Mia piece.
Brandon and Janette:
Dance: Disco, Song: Loving Is Really My Game by Brainstorm
Choreographer: Doriana Sanchez
When the disco card is pulled it always makes me cringe slightly. I'm not a huge fan but I think if you have a good song, choreographer and dancers, it can be slightly enjoyable. Well I DID NOT cringe when Brandon and Janette pulled off Doriana Sanchez's ridiculously quick disco routine. This could have been disastrous, and I think had it been any other couple it may have been. I was pretty impressed with their showman ship too. It was so much fun! UM. Check out THIS move at about 30 seconds. Whhhhhat? I'd like to express my opinion that Janette is currently under-rated. I think it's easy for her to get overshadowed with a partner like Brandon. There was so much hype over him before the show started and now he's proving himself. BUT Janette! I'm really starting to like this girl! So far for me she's really delivering with her face and expressions. (Heh.. 57 seconds into the clip is a fun face). Much respect to her too for bouncing back and pushing through the slip at 2:52.
Props to Brandon for the lift at 1:25. That seems so difficult, especially when Janette moves her arms and legs out. One teeter too much to the side and it's FAIL for a lift like that. The lift at 1:09was really unique and looks like it could have hurt!
Kayla and Max:
Dance: Pop Jazz, Song:Hot Like Wow by Nadia Oh
I really liked the concept for this dance but for some reason, it wasn't really communicated. Kayla is supposed to be a princess and Max is coming to perform for her with an ulterior motive to steal her throne. Gonna vent on costuming again only because I thought Max's orange pants were such an ugly clash to Kayla's pink. Not so sure about the costuming departments decision there. I think something that simple and dumb can actually affect voting.
The song was a good match for the concept. I LOVE it when the song matches the dance really well. Of course I wasn't really worried about Kayla nailing the routine but I was so impressed with Max's ability to keep up. I thought he needed a little more energy though and for a while it seemed like Kayla's character was strong and it didn't seem like Max's character would steal her throne. I couldn't tell if that was Friedman's choreography or Max's need for a more demanding presence. I loved seeing Kayla's grandpa in the audience! I think he probably tears up every time she dances.
Jonathan and Karla:
Dance: Contemporary, Song: Falling Slowly by The Frames (Originally Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova)
Choreographer: Stacie Tookie (SYTYCD Canada)
This dance by far was my favorite all week. #1: I love that song. #2: I connected personally to both the song theme and the dance. Of course we know Karla is good and she did an excellent job at technically and emotionally connecting to this dance. BUT Jonathan! He came to life! I was so glad to see him execute this dance so well and with so much emotion. He let me down in his first solo and the Cha Cha. He was lacking follow through, but this time he really connected all the dots. His feet were strong and his lines stretched out to his finger tips. Maybe he should consider becoming a contemporary dancer? I probably watched this dance 4 more times before going to bed that night. My absolute favorite part occurred HERE at 3:23
2nd favorite parts, at 2:55 and 3:04
Phillip and Jeanine:
Dance: Tango, Song: Violento (Up Mix) by Bailango!
Choreographer: Tony Meriden
Can I just say that I love how nerdy (in a good way) Phillip is. You'd never have guessed this hard hitting popper was also a physics major. Anyway.
Yeaaa it was a little rough for Phillip. Jeanine. Killed it. She has got some showmanship! She really portrayed the "I'm Sexy and totally in control of this situation" that the tango needs. Phillip...ohhh Phillip. I mean I think he was trying really hard for that "tango swagger" where you're all cool and have attitude but I think he needed a little more work on the technique side. I think there is some potential there though and I appreciate his recognition of getting into character. I have to give him props though because this genre is so far from popping or anything hip hop. I hope to see him improve in the styles outside his dance. Hope he's mentally getting ready for the next ballroom routine. And less awkward moments like THIS at 1:30
Ashley and Kupono
Dance: Hip Hop, Song: Imma Be by Black Eyed Peas
Choreographer: Shane Sparks
The concept here was that Ashley was Kupono's shadow. Well for her sake I wish it had been Kupono who'd been her shadow. I thought Ashley did a great job but Kupono fell short for me. He seemed a little off beat in the beginning which threw them off sync as a couple. I thought Ashley hit her steps hard and followed through with each movement. Kupono lacked a lot of hype too. Check out THIS clip at 1:13 of this middle "breakdown" section. This is where it fell apart the most for me. I LOVE Ashley and am excited to see what she has in store. I hope Kupono doesn't bring her down. I think he needs to dance a little more masculine too. In my opinion he wasn't a strong enough dancer to make it onto the show. I like him as a person...he seems really nice but I wouldn't mind seeing him leave, at least at this point.
OK If you've actually read all this, you must be as crazed about dance as I am. Thanks for reading!
Evan and Randi:
Dance: The Jive!, Song: Shake a Tail Feather by Ray Charles
Choreographer:Louis Van Amstel
This dance was so much FUN! HA! You just can't escape it. I thought Evan and Randi did an excellent job at both entertaining and maintaining the speed of the dance without screwing up technically. Their faces played to the crowd and it reminded me of people just out somewhere having fun dancing. OOPS! HA! I said FUN again- not even on purpose. The judges liked it but made it clear a lot was still missing. I'm a little more familiar with the technical side of things now and Evan particularly could have given the dance a little more of a jive feel. His jazz training may have taken over just a bit in this dance. That being said, his split jump over Randi packed a huge punch and brought the dance to life. Randi grasped the quick step feel a little better and managed to be both fun and sexy! I think this is one of those dances that the audience enjoyed enough to not catch as many little details. I think a lot of that had to do with Louis' awesome choreography and Evan and Randi's appeal.
Caitlin and Jason:
Dance: Hip Hop, Song: Missin You by Trey Songz
Choreographer: Shane Sparks (Good to have him back!)
The montage before the dance showed how much Jason loved Michael Jackson's dance moves when he was younger. When the original episode aired, we'd not yet learned of MJ's passing. I'd encourage you to go back through the video (I have it linked at the bottom) just to see baby Jason dancing as MJ (it's precious). Really shows the span of MJ's appeal over several generations.
I loved Jason's outfit. I don't know why the clothes did so much for me this time. He just looked like a combo of classy gentleman with a lil' hip hop swag. I liked the camera angle that featured him first and then brought Caitlin in from the back. Overall I think they did pretty well with it. It had its good moments. Jason's face was really sweet and portrayed his character well. I liked that Caitlin had a little solo and it was though it was cute, it was a little halfhearted, especially for hip hop. I think Jason out danced Caitlin, but that they both needed to hit their popping a little harder. Some people are saying that Shane's choreography isn't up to its full potential but I liked this choreography. Having said that, I think Shane needed to tie in Jason's angst over the girl into the
steps a little more. People think Shane will do better with faster music and hard hitting dancing, but he tailored this song to Jason and Caitlin because they're not hard hitting hip hoppers. I think they could have brought a little more to his choreography. It was a little too "cute." Sidenote: I'm always curious if a couple will ever actually become a COUPLE on this show. I get this vibe that Jason and Caitlin might have a lil' something goin on? Just little moments that I've noticed. Watch out for it:) Check out HERE how he helps her up at the end of this routine. (And flashback to Bollywood when that kiss at the end lasted a little longer than the choreography probably called for...hehe). Could be nothing, but they're pretty cute.
Asuka and Vitolio:
Dance: Waltz, Song: Dreams Are More Precious by Enya
Choreographer: Louis Van Amstel
I think these two really worked hard this week. I also think Louis realized they need votes and would do best with something the audience could connect to (especially since the Waltz may not get as many votes as a hip hop or lyrical routine). I'm glad he was able to find something for Vitolio to connect to. I think it exponentially improved Vitolio's performance quality. I've heard mixed opinions on Vitolio. A lot of people think he comes off as conceited or strange. I think he may be just a little misunderstood and there are some culture cues that people interpret incorrectly. I have been truly blessed to have amazing parents in my life and to know that he grew up with so much less makes me even more impressed with the man he is now.
I think the Enya song they danced to was a great choice too. It had an up and down flow to it that went well with Waltz steps. Asuka's dress was gorgeous and Vitolio was very handsome, and he danced very masculine and strong in his full suit. The lift in the beginning was stunning. The past two or three Waltz dances on this show have really improved and have made me enjoy and respect the Waltz. This dance was no exception. I LOVED the toss at the end where Vitolio took Asuka out of the lift and gently swung her down to the floor where she spun around on her own in a seated position. (At 3:40 in THIS video).
Melissa and Ade
Dance: Jazz, Song: 24 Hours (The Ashton Shuffle A-Bomb Remix) by Terry Poison
Choreographer: Sonya
Yeah, so. I like the style and the choreography and even the pink pants! Melissa surprised me on this one. I wasn't sure if she'd be able to break out of that ballerina niche'. Thank goodness she broke out of the NAUGHTY ballerina niche'. Anyone else think that was uber annoying? Gah. I thought the couple partnered well and had a little edge but I'm not sure if this routine/performance will be particularly memorable. I love Sonya's style and she picked a pretty baller song to put to her choreography (as always) so maybe that will help. I think (if I haven't said it already) that Ade is the dark horse in this competition. He really needs to show more personality though for him to be a front runner. Though I think they make a strong couple, and have danced well thus far, does anyone else think Melissa is holding Ade back somehow? I mean, they have chemistry, right? Or do they just execute dances well? I don't know what it is that makes me feel that way but if they make it to the top 10, it will be interesting to see how he is with a different partner. (Let me remind you we still haven't even seen him in his own style yet!) That's something to look forward too! I'm waiting for them to get a Mia piece.
Brandon and Janette:
Dance: Disco, Song: Loving Is Really My Game by Brainstorm
Choreographer: Doriana Sanchez
When the disco card is pulled it always makes me cringe slightly. I'm not a huge fan but I think if you have a good song, choreographer and dancers, it can be slightly enjoyable. Well I DID NOT cringe when Brandon and Janette pulled off Doriana Sanchez's ridiculously quick disco routine. This could have been disastrous, and I think had it been any other couple it may have been. I was pretty impressed with their showman ship too. It was so much fun! UM. Check out THIS move at about 30 seconds. Whhhhhat? I'd like to express my opinion that Janette is currently under-rated. I think it's easy for her to get overshadowed with a partner like Brandon. There was so much hype over him before the show started and now he's proving himself. BUT Janette! I'm really starting to like this girl! So far for me she's really delivering with her face and expressions. (Heh.. 57 seconds into the clip is a fun face). Much respect to her too for bouncing back and pushing through the slip at 2:52.
Props to Brandon for the lift at 1:25. That seems so difficult, especially when Janette moves her arms and legs out. One teeter too much to the side and it's FAIL for a lift like that. The lift at 1:09was really unique and looks like it could have hurt!
Kayla and Max:
Dance: Pop Jazz, Song:Hot Like Wow by Nadia Oh
I really liked the concept for this dance but for some reason, it wasn't really communicated. Kayla is supposed to be a princess and Max is coming to perform for her with an ulterior motive to steal her throne. Gonna vent on costuming again only because I thought Max's orange pants were such an ugly clash to Kayla's pink. Not so sure about the costuming departments decision there. I think something that simple and dumb can actually affect voting.
The song was a good match for the concept. I LOVE it when the song matches the dance really well. Of course I wasn't really worried about Kayla nailing the routine but I was so impressed with Max's ability to keep up. I thought he needed a little more energy though and for a while it seemed like Kayla's character was strong and it didn't seem like Max's character would steal her throne. I couldn't tell if that was Friedman's choreography or Max's need for a more demanding presence. I loved seeing Kayla's grandpa in the audience! I think he probably tears up every time she dances.
Jonathan and Karla:
Dance: Contemporary, Song: Falling Slowly by The Frames (Originally Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova)
Choreographer: Stacie Tookie (SYTYCD Canada)
This dance by far was my favorite all week. #1: I love that song. #2: I connected personally to both the song theme and the dance. Of course we know Karla is good and she did an excellent job at technically and emotionally connecting to this dance. BUT Jonathan! He came to life! I was so glad to see him execute this dance so well and with so much emotion. He let me down in his first solo and the Cha Cha. He was lacking follow through, but this time he really connected all the dots. His feet were strong and his lines stretched out to his finger tips. Maybe he should consider becoming a contemporary dancer? I probably watched this dance 4 more times before going to bed that night. My absolute favorite part occurred HERE at 3:23
2nd favorite parts, at 2:55 and 3:04
Phillip and Jeanine:
Dance: Tango, Song: Violento (Up Mix) by Bailango!
Choreographer: Tony Meriden
Can I just say that I love how nerdy (in a good way) Phillip is. You'd never have guessed this hard hitting popper was also a physics major. Anyway.
Yeaaa it was a little rough for Phillip. Jeanine. Killed it. She has got some showmanship! She really portrayed the "I'm Sexy and totally in control of this situation" that the tango needs. Phillip...ohhh Phillip. I mean I think he was trying really hard for that "tango swagger" where you're all cool and have attitude but I think he needed a little more work on the technique side. I think there is some potential there though and I appreciate his recognition of getting into character. I have to give him props though because this genre is so far from popping or anything hip hop. I hope to see him improve in the styles outside his dance. Hope he's mentally getting ready for the next ballroom routine. And less awkward moments like THIS at 1:30
Ashley and Kupono
Dance: Hip Hop, Song: Imma Be by Black Eyed Peas
Choreographer: Shane Sparks
The concept here was that Ashley was Kupono's shadow. Well for her sake I wish it had been Kupono who'd been her shadow. I thought Ashley did a great job but Kupono fell short for me. He seemed a little off beat in the beginning which threw them off sync as a couple. I thought Ashley hit her steps hard and followed through with each movement. Kupono lacked a lot of hype too. Check out THIS clip at 1:13 of this middle "breakdown" section. This is where it fell apart the most for me. I LOVE Ashley and am excited to see what she has in store. I hope Kupono doesn't bring her down. I think he needs to dance a little more masculine too. In my opinion he wasn't a strong enough dancer to make it onto the show. I like him as a person...he seems really nice but I wouldn't mind seeing him leave, at least at this point.
OK If you've actually read all this, you must be as crazed about dance as I am. Thanks for reading!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Every week I look foward to WEDNESDAY...not so much the Thursdays.
Hi SYTYCD fans! Are you as thrilled as I am that we're now well into Season 5?! I can't even express the excitement that I feel every Wednesday morning when my head pops off the pillow and I realize what day it is. Is that weird? It's like Christmas Wednesdays and the excitement builds up all day until it culminates at the tell-tale first two beats of the show intro and the, "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN..nahhh nah nah nah." I have to apologize for my recent absence and lack of posts from the first two weeks. Sometimes life just takes over and in the past two weeks I've barely had time to breathe. Alas I am back now and plan to be for the rest of the year! I'm already excited for Season 6 and am even contemplating a trip to LA and tickets to the show- wanna join?
Let me give you a quick "recap/opinion" of the first two weeks thus far. Week 1 was so exciting with Phillip and Jeanine starting the season with a fairly epic? routine by Tabitha and Napoleon. I can say I LOVED this routine- It was one of the ones that made me really like a song that I hadn't cared for much before. Before I say what I'm about to say I have to start with saying that I really like the friendship and chemistry between Phillip and Jeannie. I have to agree that his performance brought Jeanine into the spotlight. She proved herself and for being "horrible at hip hop" as she described herself, I think she pretty much killed it. BUT (here it comes) the dance didn't necessarily surpass any of my favorite lyrical hip hop routines from Season 4. Maybe it's just me- but I feel like everyone (judges included) were so hype for the first show that perhaps they were a wee bit over-excited and over-exaggerated? When I went back and watched the routine a couple of times -though I really enjoyed it- It didn't jump out at me as much and didn't seem quite as epic as all three judges made it out to be.
That being said- I must also vent about Mary for just ONE second. Let me preface by saying that I've ALWAYS loved Mary Murhpy. From day one. Even when all my friends griped about how annoying she is and how much they wished she wouldn't yell. I stood my ground- I loved it when Mary yelled- I loved everything about her excitement. However, on this first show of Season 5, I found myself tempted to mute the TV; I caught myself rolling my eyes one time! I think she was a little over pumped and perhaps about nervous in this first episode. I'd appreciate her saving the screams and yelling for truly epic performances. When you scream for performance that's good- it kinda loses it's appeal. Ya'll with me? Still got nothin but love for you Mary!
I had two favorites from the first night. First- Evan and Randie's jazz routine to Jamie Cullum's "I Only Have Eyes For You." Woohooo! Such chemistry. Beautiful lines- loved the intimacy of this dance. So glad to see Ryan and Ian in the audience too;)
The other: Max and Kayla's SAMBA. Rivaled Josh and Katee's Samba from season 4 (Watch it here) and I have yet to conclude which one was hotter! KAYLA killed it. Great hips, great energy, great faces. Max was wonderfully supportive and kept the same amount of energy as Kayla.
I was a bit let down by Auska and Vitolo's routine but I think it had less to do with their dancing and more to do with the choreography and song choice. I usually love Tyce's style (i.e. Randie and Evan's jazz routine) but this just didn't do it for me. Not to mention the fact that they had to follow a lyrical hip hop routine.
Kayla and Jonathan's routine was my least favorite. This is surprising to me because Latin styles and Lady Ga Ga are some of my favorite things! I had high expectations and though the choreography seemed HOT- something about Jonathan and Kayla's performance fell a little short for me. It seemed to lack the straight out of the gate energy that I love from Latin styles and Jonathan's body rolls made me want to cry. Maybe I'm biased against them because I would have preferred a girl with a less established career than Karla's- to have a spot on the show. She's got a lot to prove to me.
Tony and Paris' interpretation of the Tabitha and Napoleon hip hop routine felt really bubblegum/cheesy to me. Maybe it was the headphones? Maybe it was the black eyed peas song that recycled bits of their other songs- I thought the music lacked some speed and "meatiness." I love Tab and Nap but the choreography didn't seem hard hitting enough- that or Paris and Tony didn't put enough energy into it.
Jason and Kaitlin's Bollywood Routine: BALLER. LOVED IT. They really nailed it in my opinion. Especially because, having taken dance classes, I think this style would be incredibly difficult for the mind because they had to remember each hand pose and strike it and change them within a matter of seconds! Also- LOVE that song from Slumdug (Jai Ho).
Brandon and Janette's Foxtrot: This couple has consistently, pleasantly surprised me. They both seem to be getting the dances that are typically tend to be the "kiss of death" that send dancers home or cause them to have bad weeks. Their foxtrot was beautiful and classy and I think the Michael Buble' version of the song helped viewers enjoy the dance more.
Ashley and Kopono's Wade Robson routine: I was a little concerned that the "oddity" of Wade's choreography might alienate some viewers. I knew that there would be a lot of people out there who LOVE the eccentric, quirky dances. I'm glad it seems that enough people liked it to keep the couple out of the bottom. They really brought the dance to life. I loved Ashely's expressions and Kopono's interpretation of a nervous crash test dummy. The ending was a little cheesy but I can stand a lil' bit of cheese if mixed with brilliance.
Mellisa and Ade's routine was right up there with Evan&Randie and Max&Kayla's. It may have rivaled the two. Beautiful lines and their dancing made me remember
Melissa's personality so far has weirded me out a bit but as a dancer I love her strength combined with grace and calculated stylistics. I love Ade's quiet humble nature and think he may turn out to be the "black horse" of the competition that slowly becomes a favorite and front-runner.
I'll get caught up with episode 2, adding it to this one later tonight. For now- it's off to my own studio! :) Enjoy tonight's episode everyone!
Let me give you a quick "recap/opinion" of the first two weeks thus far. Week 1 was so exciting with Phillip and Jeanine starting the season with a fairly epic? routine by Tabitha and Napoleon. I can say I LOVED this routine- It was one of the ones that made me really like a song that I hadn't cared for much before. Before I say what I'm about to say I have to start with saying that I really like the friendship and chemistry between Phillip and Jeannie. I have to agree that his performance brought Jeanine into the spotlight. She proved herself and for being "horrible at hip hop" as she described herself, I think she pretty much killed it. BUT (here it comes) the dance didn't necessarily surpass any of my favorite lyrical hip hop routines from Season 4. Maybe it's just me- but I feel like everyone (judges included) were so hype for the first show that perhaps they were a wee bit over-excited and over-exaggerated? When I went back and watched the routine a couple of times -though I really enjoyed it- It didn't jump out at me as much and didn't seem quite as epic as all three judges made it out to be.
That being said- I must also vent about Mary for just ONE second. Let me preface by saying that I've ALWAYS loved Mary Murhpy. From day one. Even when all my friends griped about how annoying she is and how much they wished she wouldn't yell. I stood my ground- I loved it when Mary yelled- I loved everything about her excitement. However, on this first show of Season 5, I found myself tempted to mute the TV; I caught myself rolling my eyes one time! I think she was a little over pumped and perhaps about nervous in this first episode. I'd appreciate her saving the screams and yelling for truly epic performances. When you scream for performance that's good- it kinda loses it's appeal. Ya'll with me? Still got nothin but love for you Mary!
I had two favorites from the first night. First- Evan and Randie's jazz routine to Jamie Cullum's "I Only Have Eyes For You." Woohooo! Such chemistry. Beautiful lines- loved the intimacy of this dance. So glad to see Ryan and Ian in the audience too;)
The other: Max and Kayla's SAMBA. Rivaled Josh and Katee's Samba from season 4 (Watch it here) and I have yet to conclude which one was hotter! KAYLA killed it. Great hips, great energy, great faces. Max was wonderfully supportive and kept the same amount of energy as Kayla.
I was a bit let down by Auska and Vitolo's routine but I think it had less to do with their dancing and more to do with the choreography and song choice. I usually love Tyce's style (i.e. Randie and Evan's jazz routine) but this just didn't do it for me. Not to mention the fact that they had to follow a lyrical hip hop routine.
Kayla and Jonathan's routine was my least favorite. This is surprising to me because Latin styles and Lady Ga Ga are some of my favorite things! I had high expectations and though the choreography seemed HOT- something about Jonathan and Kayla's performance fell a little short for me. It seemed to lack the straight out of the gate energy that I love from Latin styles and Jonathan's body rolls made me want to cry. Maybe I'm biased against them because I would have preferred a girl with a less established career than Karla's- to have a spot on the show. She's got a lot to prove to me.
Tony and Paris' interpretation of the Tabitha and Napoleon hip hop routine felt really bubblegum/cheesy to me. Maybe it was the headphones? Maybe it was the black eyed peas song that recycled bits of their other songs- I thought the music lacked some speed and "meatiness." I love Tab and Nap but the choreography didn't seem hard hitting enough- that or Paris and Tony didn't put enough energy into it.
Jason and Kaitlin's Bollywood Routine: BALLER. LOVED IT. They really nailed it in my opinion. Especially because, having taken dance classes, I think this style would be incredibly difficult for the mind because they had to remember each hand pose and strike it and change them within a matter of seconds! Also- LOVE that song from Slumdug (Jai Ho).
Brandon and Janette's Foxtrot: This couple has consistently, pleasantly surprised me. They both seem to be getting the dances that are typically tend to be the "kiss of death" that send dancers home or cause them to have bad weeks. Their foxtrot was beautiful and classy and I think the Michael Buble' version of the song helped viewers enjoy the dance more.
Ashley and Kopono's Wade Robson routine: I was a little concerned that the "oddity" of Wade's choreography might alienate some viewers. I knew that there would be a lot of people out there who LOVE the eccentric, quirky dances. I'm glad it seems that enough people liked it to keep the couple out of the bottom. They really brought the dance to life. I loved Ashely's expressions and Kopono's interpretation of a nervous crash test dummy. The ending was a little cheesy but I can stand a lil' bit of cheese if mixed with brilliance.
Mellisa and Ade's routine was right up there with Evan&Randie and Max&Kayla's. It may have rivaled the two. Beautiful lines and their dancing made me remember
Melissa's personality so far has weirded me out a bit but as a dancer I love her strength combined with grace and calculated stylistics. I love Ade's quiet humble nature and think he may turn out to be the "black horse" of the competition that slowly becomes a favorite and front-runner.
I'll get caught up with episode 2, adding it to this one later tonight. For now- it's off to my own studio! :) Enjoy tonight's episode everyone!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Interviews! Getting Hype for Wednesday!
Top 20: Thoughts on Vegas and the Results Show
Well...whew. Where to start. We're finally here. THE TOP 20! I really don't know where to start. No really, I don't. I need to get my thoughts together. I guess I'll just mention a few things about the Top 20 show itself.
Not to beat a dead horse but...well, I'm gonna. I generally think that the judges make sound decisions and in years past, though they have moments where they need to be tough, I genuinely think they are caring people who stray from the drama of typical reality shows. Perhaps I should be blaming more of the off camera producers than any of the judges...What I'm trying to get at here is...what the heck guys, Natalie?! I know the judges have gotten a lot of flack for cutting her and I'm really not going to give them too much of a break either. Most of them have defended their decisions by saying that Natalie was given as equal a chance as anyone else...maybe that got lost in the edit because I don't remember her getting to dance for her life. They said the decision to cut her was based solely on her audition. Ok, that's fair?...except, wait...I distinctly remember several contestants who actually made it to the top 20, royally screwing up their group auditions and then given a second chance, some of whom royally screwed up their solos too. I guess it seems strange to me that they took risks on so many others but cut Natalie. I also remember watching another girl do the same routine that Natalie did before she got cut and no offense to whoever it was...but it SUCKED and she made it through.
I'm not trying to add to the drama and present my in depth argument for the sake of arguing. Natalie got cut and that's that and we have a new top 20 that I'm extremely proud of and excited about. I just want to say right now for the sake of the integrity of SYTYCD, that Natalie better not have been cut just to add some "entertainment value" to a television show. She better not have been cut because they wanted to "shake things up a bit" and have all the other contestants freak out. She better not have been cut because she doesn't have the typical "commercial" face that some TV executive was looking for. So for now, I'm going to hope that what happened was just lost in the editing of so much material into a two hour show. I know that Natalie has worked her butt off all year for this one audition and to be cut in the manner that she was just doesn't feel quite right. So...all that being said, you top 10 girls better stinkin BRING IT because if you don't I'm going to be ticked that Natalie didn't get your spot. Ok, enough beating :), I'm done with that.
Ok, next...Mia. Mia, Mia, Mia, Mia, Mia. So, I really do adore and highly respect this woman. Have for many seasons. Always will. But every now and then, she'll do something that totally pisses me off. I generally agree with her on most counts but every now and she completely shocks me and makes me want to throw my shoe at the TV. i.e., Season 4 when she told Kherington that in her performance with Twitch in the Viennese Waltz (Watch it Here) - that she wasn't sure she needed to smile the whole time. She didn't get that the dance was to uplift Jean-Marx's daughter...all the more reason for exaggerated features and SMILING. Luckily, Nigel shot her down. (I love it when he calls someone out for saying something really stupid): Which is why I'm glad he essentially told her to shut up when she was giving her opinion on Brandon. In both the Vegas auditions show and the top 20 results show, I feel like the judges have been more brutal than ever. Maybe they just have to be because they're going through so many dancers, but this year it just seemed different. Sometimes they were just plain mean without much justification. Mia's critique of Brandon made me want to scream. In fact, I may have. I could feel my face getting hot. Now, a friend of mine watching Brandon's original audition with me did not like the music Brandon chose and that to him, it came off as over the top/arrogant. I could see why he said that though I don't necessarily agree. I did like Brandon's audition for Season 4 better than this year’s, but there's no denying he's an incredible athlete, artist and dancer. He's nowhere near my favorite dancer but his talent is clear and undeniable! MIA was downright out of line. How dare she. How unprofessional and pompous. I thought it ironic that she said HE had an attitude. I think we know who has the attitude. And for her to call his smile fake...um, hello? Judgmental much? I really just wish sometimes that she's think before she opened her mouth. For her to sit there all smug and say, "I understand there is talent there, but I don't think it's all cracked up what everyone's saying, I don't see it..." Um, No. You just said...I understand there's talent there...then you say, I don't see it? Mia, clearly, you don't understand or see it. And you must be blind. Glad it wasn’t up to just you. Thank God for my lovely Debbie Allen speakin up against Mia. I'm also really glad Mary interrupted both Mia and Lil' C because Brandon did not at all deserve the comments he was getting from them. Oh and Mia, next time, let go of your smug attitude and pride and clap for a contestant when they make it into the top 20, I'm pretty sure you're going to have to work with them so you might as well suck it up and get over yourself. Again, I love Mia, she's my favorite contemporary choreographer and highly I respect her but yeah...there, it's out, said, done, over. I'm so excited for him to prove those two naysayers wrong. Ok, rant over.
Just a couple more notes. I wish that BOTH Kasperzak brothers could have been on this season. I love them both but was leaning toward seeing Ryan in the top 20. His personality was a light that drew me in and made me forget anything but how much I was smiling while watching him. After hearing him say that in the business he's heard, "you're too short, too fat, too bald, we don't need a tap dancer," I wanted it even more for him. Watching his version of Mia's choreography to the Gavin Degraw song sealed my decision and I'd hoped to be able to see him dance more contemporary on the show. The judges probably have many different reasons for their decision to only take one of them (one of them being that the brothers have similar styles), and regardless of the outcome I'm super pumped about what Evan has to bring to the table. I'm looking forward to seeing Ryan on Season 6 or 7!
I'm SO bummed that Alex didn't make it due to his contract with the Miami ballet company. Initially I didn't like the fact that he was so experienced and already had a contract, but he grew on me after seeing him to different styles of dance. I know he would have brought a lot to the table. My heart went out to him when he found out he wouldn’t be able to compete this season. I also hope to see him back when he's contract is done.
Also bummed about Denna not making it. I'm glad Asuka make it (love her personality and dance style) but am wondering if I would have switched another girl to have Denna in. She was superb in all the different styles in Vegas. It was heartbreaking to see reaction to not making it.
People I'm pumped about (this list will grow as I get to know the dancers who weren’t featured much in the edits):
PHILLIP! LOVE HIM! Was holding my breath awaiting the news about him and was going to be TICKED if he didn't make it. I love his personality- he's going to bring a lot of fun to the show.
ADE- we really didn't see much of him at all but something tells me he'll BRING IT.
EVAN- KASPERZAKS!! Love his smile, charm, originality, sweet demeanor and genuine personality. Oh, and ...he CAN flippin dance. Love the classic style he'll introduce to the show. Something we've not really seen yet from past seasons.
JASON- He looks like the kind of guy who could really pull it out and dance for his life. Looks like a cool personality too.
KAYLA- LOVE her style. LOVE LOVE LOVE. She was my first favorite in the audition process.
CAITLIN KINNEY: She's a fighter and I think her solos will be very creative and expressive.
MAX- so sweet and I think he'll be one of those to surprise us and do well in other forms than just his style.
TONY- because I have no idea what to expect. He could be the dark horse because I feel he'll have to work all that much harder to make up for his lack of technical training; A real cutie and probably a crier too.
VITOLIO: He's so joyful. I think I'm the MOST excited about him because I know he's worked so hard to get where he is. I think he'll also be a "crier" like Josh and Katee:)
Not to beat a dead horse but...well, I'm gonna. I generally think that the judges make sound decisions and in years past, though they have moments where they need to be tough, I genuinely think they are caring people who stray from the drama of typical reality shows. Perhaps I should be blaming more of the off camera producers than any of the judges...What I'm trying to get at here is...what the heck guys, Natalie?! I know the judges have gotten a lot of flack for cutting her and I'm really not going to give them too much of a break either. Most of them have defended their decisions by saying that Natalie was given as equal a chance as anyone else...maybe that got lost in the edit because I don't remember her getting to dance for her life. They said the decision to cut her was based solely on her audition. Ok, that's fair?...except, wait...I distinctly remember several contestants who actually made it to the top 20, royally screwing up their group auditions and then given a second chance, some of whom royally screwed up their solos too. I guess it seems strange to me that they took risks on so many others but cut Natalie. I also remember watching another girl do the same routine that Natalie did before she got cut and no offense to whoever it was...but it SUCKED and she made it through.
I'm not trying to add to the drama and present my in depth argument for the sake of arguing. Natalie got cut and that's that and we have a new top 20 that I'm extremely proud of and excited about. I just want to say right now for the sake of the integrity of SYTYCD, that Natalie better not have been cut just to add some "entertainment value" to a television show. She better not have been cut because they wanted to "shake things up a bit" and have all the other contestants freak out. She better not have been cut because she doesn't have the typical "commercial" face that some TV executive was looking for. So for now, I'm going to hope that what happened was just lost in the editing of so much material into a two hour show. I know that Natalie has worked her butt off all year for this one audition and to be cut in the manner that she was just doesn't feel quite right. So...all that being said, you top 10 girls better stinkin BRING IT because if you don't I'm going to be ticked that Natalie didn't get your spot. Ok, enough beating :), I'm done with that.
Ok, next...Mia. Mia, Mia, Mia, Mia, Mia. So, I really do adore and highly respect this woman. Have for many seasons. Always will. But every now and then, she'll do something that totally pisses me off. I generally agree with her on most counts but every now and she completely shocks me and makes me want to throw my shoe at the TV. i.e., Season 4 when she told Kherington that in her performance with Twitch in the Viennese Waltz (Watch it Here) - that she wasn't sure she needed to smile the whole time. She didn't get that the dance was to uplift Jean-Marx's daughter...all the more reason for exaggerated features and SMILING. Luckily, Nigel shot her down. (I love it when he calls someone out for saying something really stupid): Which is why I'm glad he essentially told her to shut up when she was giving her opinion on Brandon. In both the Vegas auditions show and the top 20 results show, I feel like the judges have been more brutal than ever. Maybe they just have to be because they're going through so many dancers, but this year it just seemed different. Sometimes they were just plain mean without much justification. Mia's critique of Brandon made me want to scream. In fact, I may have. I could feel my face getting hot. Now, a friend of mine watching Brandon's original audition with me did not like the music Brandon chose and that to him, it came off as over the top/arrogant. I could see why he said that though I don't necessarily agree. I did like Brandon's audition for Season 4 better than this year’s, but there's no denying he's an incredible athlete, artist and dancer. He's nowhere near my favorite dancer but his talent is clear and undeniable! MIA was downright out of line. How dare she. How unprofessional and pompous. I thought it ironic that she said HE had an attitude. I think we know who has the attitude. And for her to call his smile fake...um, hello? Judgmental much? I really just wish sometimes that she's think before she opened her mouth. For her to sit there all smug and say, "I understand there is talent there, but I don't think it's all cracked up what everyone's saying, I don't see it..." Um, No. You just said...I understand there's talent there...then you say, I don't see it? Mia, clearly, you don't understand or see it. And you must be blind. Glad it wasn’t up to just you. Thank God for my lovely Debbie Allen speakin up against Mia. I'm also really glad Mary interrupted both Mia and Lil' C because Brandon did not at all deserve the comments he was getting from them. Oh and Mia, next time, let go of your smug attitude and pride and clap for a contestant when they make it into the top 20, I'm pretty sure you're going to have to work with them so you might as well suck it up and get over yourself. Again, I love Mia, she's my favorite contemporary choreographer and highly I respect her but yeah...there, it's out, said, done, over. I'm so excited for him to prove those two naysayers wrong. Ok, rant over.
Just a couple more notes. I wish that BOTH Kasperzak brothers could have been on this season. I love them both but was leaning toward seeing Ryan in the top 20. His personality was a light that drew me in and made me forget anything but how much I was smiling while watching him. After hearing him say that in the business he's heard, "you're too short, too fat, too bald, we don't need a tap dancer," I wanted it even more for him. Watching his version of Mia's choreography to the Gavin Degraw song sealed my decision and I'd hoped to be able to see him dance more contemporary on the show. The judges probably have many different reasons for their decision to only take one of them (one of them being that the brothers have similar styles), and regardless of the outcome I'm super pumped about what Evan has to bring to the table. I'm looking forward to seeing Ryan on Season 6 or 7!
I'm SO bummed that Alex didn't make it due to his contract with the Miami ballet company. Initially I didn't like the fact that he was so experienced and already had a contract, but he grew on me after seeing him to different styles of dance. I know he would have brought a lot to the table. My heart went out to him when he found out he wouldn’t be able to compete this season. I also hope to see him back when he's contract is done.
Also bummed about Denna not making it. I'm glad Asuka make it (love her personality and dance style) but am wondering if I would have switched another girl to have Denna in. She was superb in all the different styles in Vegas. It was heartbreaking to see reaction to not making it.
People I'm pumped about (this list will grow as I get to know the dancers who weren’t featured much in the edits):
PHILLIP! LOVE HIM! Was holding my breath awaiting the news about him and was going to be TICKED if he didn't make it. I love his personality- he's going to bring a lot of fun to the show.
ADE- we really didn't see much of him at all but something tells me he'll BRING IT.
EVAN- KASPERZAKS!! Love his smile, charm, originality, sweet demeanor and genuine personality. Oh, and ...he CAN flippin dance. Love the classic style he'll introduce to the show. Something we've not really seen yet from past seasons.
JASON- He looks like the kind of guy who could really pull it out and dance for his life. Looks like a cool personality too.
KAYLA- LOVE her style. LOVE LOVE LOVE. She was my first favorite in the audition process.
CAITLIN KINNEY: She's a fighter and I think her solos will be very creative and expressive.
MAX- so sweet and I think he'll be one of those to surprise us and do well in other forms than just his style.
TONY- because I have no idea what to expect. He could be the dark horse because I feel he'll have to work all that much harder to make up for his lack of technical training; A real cutie and probably a crier too.
VITOLIO: He's so joyful. I think I'm the MOST excited about him because I know he's worked so hard to get where he is. I think he'll also be a "crier" like Josh and Katee:)
Friday, May 29, 2009
Auditions- Bboy/Popper Love
So, I've really tried to refrain from posting about auditions just because I feel like I'd be posting entirely too much; buuuut I just got too excited. So, here we go:
Sidenote: I'm pretty sure no one reads this yet so I'll have to figure out a way to connect to the SYTYCD online community. Still new to the whole blog world if you couldn't tell.
I am SO loving Sammy Ramirez, a 19-year old from Hollister, CA. The bboys and poppers typically end up being some of my favorites to make it to the finale and from the ones I've seen, I never thought I'd be impressed again...
Dominic, Season 3 (ah, my first love)
Victor Kim (one of my fav auditions)
Ryan from Season 2 and Hok Konishi from Season 3 and all the Quest/6step guys
Robert Murane from Season 4 auditions (who can forget him?!)
Phillip (who's back this audition round, after pneumonia kept him from Vegas last year)
and GEV!
and TWTICH
(and I would have even included Josh (winner of Season 4) in here but most of his videos have been pulled).
I didn't expect to be too impressed by anyone else after these guys above, but Sammy succeeded! He has a flavor all his own. His stops are probably the most spot on that I've ever seen. But more than any of that, he's got this charisma about him that makes him so likable! He's smile is infectious! What a cutie! He's a born entertainer, for sure. Doesn't really matter how good a popper/breaker/bboy you are, you gotta have that connection to the audience and entertainer/comedic quality. I love how Sammy even uses his eyes and hair in choreography. I really hope to see him in the top 20! (Along with Phillip). You know I love the bboys and poppers!
Couldn't find Sammy's audition yet but here's some of his work to the Super Mario theme:)
Sidenote: I'm pretty sure no one reads this yet so I'll have to figure out a way to connect to the SYTYCD online community. Still new to the whole blog world if you couldn't tell.
I am SO loving Sammy Ramirez, a 19-year old from Hollister, CA. The bboys and poppers typically end up being some of my favorites to make it to the finale and from the ones I've seen, I never thought I'd be impressed again...
Dominic, Season 3 (ah, my first love)
Victor Kim (one of my fav auditions)
Ryan from Season 2 and Hok Konishi from Season 3 and all the Quest/6step guys
Robert Murane from Season 4 auditions (who can forget him?!)
Phillip (who's back this audition round, after pneumonia kept him from Vegas last year)
and GEV!
and TWTICH
(and I would have even included Josh (winner of Season 4) in here but most of his videos have been pulled).
I didn't expect to be too impressed by anyone else after these guys above, but Sammy succeeded! He has a flavor all his own. His stops are probably the most spot on that I've ever seen. But more than any of that, he's got this charisma about him that makes him so likable! He's smile is infectious! What a cutie! He's a born entertainer, for sure. Doesn't really matter how good a popper/breaker/bboy you are, you gotta have that connection to the audience and entertainer/comedic quality. I love how Sammy even uses his eyes and hair in choreography. I really hope to see him in the top 20! (Along with Phillip). You know I love the bboys and poppers!
Couldn't find Sammy's audition yet but here's some of his work to the Super Mario theme:)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
What's so great about SYTYCD?
I chose "That Was Kinda Bucc" as the title for the blog- in reference to judge Lil' C's reaction to a dance from Season 4. He explains Bucc as "when internal artistry meets physical expression." If you can create a "Bucc" performance, you can be assured a scream from Mary Murphy and votes to keep you in the competition. That "Bucc" definition is exactly why I one day want to be a choreographer. I have succeeded in dance when I can express the motivation that music and beats give me, in combination with emotion from my own experience of life.
SYTYCD is the most "genuine" of all the "reality" shows for me. I don't even like to call it a reality show because of the connotation that comes along with that title. My favorite thing about Season 4 was the fact that not only were the contestants amazing dancers, but genuine, simple, everyday people with great hearts who created lasting art, meaningful relationships, and set a great example through their humility, charisma and concern for others.
SYTYCD has truly been a gift to the world of artistry in its respect of all dance forms; introducing the world to dances that have been around for ages, but never really been given any spotlight in "popular culture." I also greatly respect the forum it has created for talented, brilliant, genius choreographers.
I think one of the main reasons I originally got sucked into the show also had to do my love of music. SYTYCD creates an amazing platform for music artists and I don't even know if they realize it. More than 50% of the music I listen to has come from finding new artists and songs that are chosen for partner and solo dances.
Musicians should be in full support of SYTYCD and be thrilled if one of their songs is chosen for a dance. I've fallen back in love with songs I'd grown tired of, I've run to my computer to search for a song I'd never heard but LOVED, I've seen countless SYTYCD web sites and blogs devoted to trying to figure out "who sang that song that Mark and Chelsea danced to, I LOVED it!"
One of my most beloved friends, Maddie(Hi Moo!) and I have had countless conversations about what songs we'd love to see a dance choreographed to and have exchanged so much new music through discussion of what was featured on SYTYCD. I think this aspect of the show is hiiiiighly under-rated. :)
So that's my first "rave" over this show that gets me oh so enthusiastic every May.
And maybe now in September too?! Speaking of which- What do you guys think about having back to back seasons now?!
SYTYCD is the most "genuine" of all the "reality" shows for me. I don't even like to call it a reality show because of the connotation that comes along with that title. My favorite thing about Season 4 was the fact that not only were the contestants amazing dancers, but genuine, simple, everyday people with great hearts who created lasting art, meaningful relationships, and set a great example through their humility, charisma and concern for others.
SYTYCD has truly been a gift to the world of artistry in its respect of all dance forms; introducing the world to dances that have been around for ages, but never really been given any spotlight in "popular culture." I also greatly respect the forum it has created for talented, brilliant, genius choreographers.
I think one of the main reasons I originally got sucked into the show also had to do my love of music. SYTYCD creates an amazing platform for music artists and I don't even know if they realize it. More than 50% of the music I listen to has come from finding new artists and songs that are chosen for partner and solo dances.
Musicians should be in full support of SYTYCD and be thrilled if one of their songs is chosen for a dance. I've fallen back in love with songs I'd grown tired of, I've run to my computer to search for a song I'd never heard but LOVED, I've seen countless SYTYCD web sites and blogs devoted to trying to figure out "who sang that song that Mark and Chelsea danced to, I LOVED it!"
One of my most beloved friends, Maddie(Hi Moo!) and I have had countless conversations about what songs we'd love to see a dance choreographed to and have exchanged so much new music through discussion of what was featured on SYTYCD. I think this aspect of the show is hiiiiighly under-rated. :)
So that's my first "rave" over this show that gets me oh so enthusiastic every May.
And maybe now in September too?! Speaking of which- What do you guys think about having back to back seasons now?!
Welcome!
Hi everyone!
Welcome to my blog! I myself am not entirely sure what to expect out of it just yet, but I needed an outlet - because I absolutely love dance and the forum So You Think You Can Dance offers for creativity, music, expression and raw emotion.
I'll admit, I hold the dearest place in my heart for the cast of Season 4...but I'm ready for a great Season 5 too!
If you've just stumbled upon this somehow, browsing through the great big Internet world, thanks for taking the time to read! I'd love for you to participate and welcome you to join in the SYTYCD fanaticism! If you're a dance fan-you must be "legit" and I'm excited about sharing our enthusiasm!
To all who already know me- (as Billy would say) "DON'T JUDGE ME!" Yes, you may think I'm crazy for starting a blog about SYTYCD and well, that's fine, I probably am crazy. Or perhaps you're just as crazy and thrilled as I am! Either way- welcome, I hope you enjoy!
WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Welcome to my blog! I myself am not entirely sure what to expect out of it just yet, but I needed an outlet - because I absolutely love dance and the forum So You Think You Can Dance offers for creativity, music, expression and raw emotion.
I'll admit, I hold the dearest place in my heart for the cast of Season 4...but I'm ready for a great Season 5 too!
If you've just stumbled upon this somehow, browsing through the great big Internet world, thanks for taking the time to read! I'd love for you to participate and welcome you to join in the SYTYCD fanaticism! If you're a dance fan-you must be "legit" and I'm excited about sharing our enthusiasm!
To all who already know me- (as Billy would say) "DON'T JUDGE ME!" Yes, you may think I'm crazy for starting a blog about SYTYCD and well, that's fine, I probably am crazy. Or perhaps you're just as crazy and thrilled as I am! Either way- welcome, I hope you enjoy!
WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
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