WOW. I mean, WOW. That was, quite possibly, the first competition week of SYTYCD in history where absolutely no one sucked. The level of talent has reached a ridiculous new height, and I am positively breathless after that tear through the wonderful world of dance.
To back up, my apologies for not posting about last week's Vegas finals and Top 20 announcement. I had to watch the shows very after-the-fact, and by the time I could've finally posted about it...well anyway, suffice it to say that a) I am ECSTATIC that Ryan and Melanie made it, and b) I am in awe that so many B-boys--and a tap dancer--have not only made it, but made it look GOOD. Never have we seen such broadly capable, versatile "specialists," and that is going to make for some rockin' dancing this season.
Now back to tonight:
WOW! Just...seriously...wow. I am almost too excited to organize my thoughts here, so I'm going to go with the straight-up rundown, 1 through 10:
1. Jordan and Tadd, Afro-Jazz: What a great start to the evening. My only disappointment is that because it went first, I had pretty much forgotten it by the time the next nine showstopping numbers were done. Jordan is one of my favorite girls (although for once, I really have no least favorite), and Tadd served her well.
2. Sasha and Alexander, Contemporary: WELL. I knew Sasha was special, but I had no idea what she was really capable of until tonight. The routine was terrific, the emotion was there from both dancers, and it was just a powerful moment in the show.
3. Jess and Clarice, Broadway: Okay, yes, Jess was totally thrown a juicy fastball that he hit right out of the park, but he wasn't the only one tonight, so I don't hold that against him in any way. He is absolutely made for Broadway, and I have no doubt that this show will merely launch him higher in that universe, no matter where he finishes. Clarice? Well...she was good. I have to say that I think Mary's comment may have been one of those "famous last words" moments, because I DO think Clarice is going to find herself in jeopardy this week. She danced adequately, and she's unquestionably talented, but she paled next to Jess. Hard not to in this category, true, but it wasn't for lack of him trying to bring her along. She just kinda missed a little, especially when you view her performance in light of all the others tonight. (SIDE NOTE: For me, Tyce Diorio's choreography is kinda hit or miss. You either have The Breast Cancer Dance, or Katie Holmes' completely lackluster Broadway number. Tonight was the latter for me, in that I didn't really feel a cohesive storyline, or an opportunity for the dancers to even have a chemistry. That didn't help Clarice any, and neither did the Liza tune. I thought his Vegas audition routine was more impressive, and it just says that much more about Jess that tonight's performance wowed the audience anyway.)
4. Ryan and Ricky, Lyrical Hip-hop: Oh, oh, oh, how thrilled I am to have Ryan on this year's show, and if the judges had been PAYING ATTENTION during the intro clip, they would have understood that Ryan was playing a memory, so of course, Ricky would remember her at her best, smiling and thriving. DUH. I thought the routine was incredible in every aspect, including her smile. They both nailed it, and I loved every second of it.
5. Caitlynn and Robert/Mitchell: oooh, Mitchell, I think you need to be worried. I know in the past, the show has been generous to the injured and usually gives them a pass, but tonight was so impressive overall that there just plain might not be room for you to stay. Caitlynn rocked the house with that number, and would've done so no matter who her partner was, I think.
6. Miranda and Robert, Jive: Okay, brace yourselves: this was not one of my favorites. Don't get me wrong; it was entertaining, and I thought they danced it well. I just felt like, for a jive, it wasn't very...jivey. They absolutely made the most of the retro, 1960s vibe, from the costumes to the characters to the moves. But I felt like it was a little dumbed down, and it was kind of a cheat (albeit effective) to give Robert another Urkel-ian character to play. I'm kinda with Miranda that she doesn't exactly ooze sexy, and yet I'm also with Mary that one thing Robert did especially well was keep that jive beat going in his body throughout the number - not easy to do, and yet he did that particularly effectively. We'll see if America agrees, but I'm guessing that in the scheme of things, this doesn't fare as well as some other routines, in spite of the "Victory Lap" of woooooos.
7. Missy and Wadi, Jazz: Missy absolutely sizzled from the first second, and it was an incredible performance from her on all counts. Perhaps because of that, I actually was a little less impressed with Wadi than the judges were. As much as I like him, and as respectable a job as I think he did with the choreography, I felt like he looked a little too uncomfortable throughout the routine, like he was concentrating so hard on getting it all right and partnering well that he couldn't ever really lose himself in the character. I was surprised the judges didn't note that, so I'm wondering if something different came across from their viewing angle than what I could see from the cameras. I think that works to Wadi's advantage though, because I think we have more to see from him, and I would hate for this to be his last opportunity to show us what he can do.
8. Melanie and Marko, Contemporary: Much like the lady judges, I am just about speechless from this one. Where to start? What to say that could possibly do justice to that performance? It was spectacular, it was breathtaking, and it was perfect even in its imperfection (thank you, Nigel, for ruining the moment for me by pointing out the flaw!). Travis Wall, you are quite possibly the most brilliant contemporary choreographer EVER, and without question, my favorite. Melanie and Marko are also two of my favorite dancers (ever, not just this season), and I could not imagine a routine better suited to display them at their absolute best. LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT. Best of the night, and that is really saying something on this particular night.
9. Ashley and Chris, Hip-hop: That was DAMN fun. As in, "DAY-UM, that ballet girl can HIT it!" She ran that down like a brake-free freight train, and Chris was right behind her. Sure, there were more substantive, demanding routines tonight, but this one took the "Do it again!" award for me tonight.
10. Iveta and Nick, Quick-step: Well, the only possible combination more unfair to other competitors than Jess and Broadway was Iveta and Quick-step (or any ballroom dance in the top 10 for which she holds the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP). And yet, I barely saw her in this routine, because like the judges, I was absolutely riveted by Nick! His familiarity with fancy footwork paid off, but he also GOT IT. I mean, he understood the fundamentals of the dance, he did everything more than respectably (although I think his upper body framework was a litlte "meh"), and he made the most of both character in chemistry in a dance that does not traditionally help the dancers with either. Kudos to Jason Gilkerson or whoever chose "Ballroom Blitz" as the song, because it made an otherwise unbearable slog of a genre downright zippy, and it gave just the right touch to surprisingly thrilling number.
So, where does that leave us? My votes tonight go to Melanie & Marko and Ryan & Ricky, and are followed closely by Nick, Jess, Ashley, Missy, Sasha, and Jordan individually. Who should go home? Oh heck, I don't think there is ANYONE deserving of that this week, but I'll wager that Mitchell is going to have an awfully tough row to hoe, and he is likely to be joined by any of Clarice, Chris, and Robert in the bottom 3 for their respective genders. I also wouldn't be surprised to find Jordan and Tadd there, not because they should be but because they had the misfortune of going forgettably first on a show full of unforgettable numbers. Tune in tomorrow to see how it turns out--and be glad you're not the one that has to decide which outstanding dancers were least outstanding enough to go home!
To back up, my apologies for not posting about last week's Vegas finals and Top 20 announcement. I had to watch the shows very after-the-fact, and by the time I could've finally posted about it...well anyway, suffice it to say that a) I am ECSTATIC that Ryan and Melanie made it, and b) I am in awe that so many B-boys--and a tap dancer--have not only made it, but made it look GOOD. Never have we seen such broadly capable, versatile "specialists," and that is going to make for some rockin' dancing this season.
Now back to tonight:
WOW! Just...seriously...wow. I am almost too excited to organize my thoughts here, so I'm going to go with the straight-up rundown, 1 through 10:
1. Jordan and Tadd, Afro-Jazz: What a great start to the evening. My only disappointment is that because it went first, I had pretty much forgotten it by the time the next nine showstopping numbers were done. Jordan is one of my favorite girls (although for once, I really have no least favorite), and Tadd served her well.
2. Sasha and Alexander, Contemporary: WELL. I knew Sasha was special, but I had no idea what she was really capable of until tonight. The routine was terrific, the emotion was there from both dancers, and it was just a powerful moment in the show.
3. Jess and Clarice, Broadway: Okay, yes, Jess was totally thrown a juicy fastball that he hit right out of the park, but he wasn't the only one tonight, so I don't hold that against him in any way. He is absolutely made for Broadway, and I have no doubt that this show will merely launch him higher in that universe, no matter where he finishes. Clarice? Well...she was good. I have to say that I think Mary's comment may have been one of those "famous last words" moments, because I DO think Clarice is going to find herself in jeopardy this week. She danced adequately, and she's unquestionably talented, but she paled next to Jess. Hard not to in this category, true, but it wasn't for lack of him trying to bring her along. She just kinda missed a little, especially when you view her performance in light of all the others tonight. (SIDE NOTE: For me, Tyce Diorio's choreography is kinda hit or miss. You either have The Breast Cancer Dance, or Katie Holmes' completely lackluster Broadway number. Tonight was the latter for me, in that I didn't really feel a cohesive storyline, or an opportunity for the dancers to even have a chemistry. That didn't help Clarice any, and neither did the Liza tune. I thought his Vegas audition routine was more impressive, and it just says that much more about Jess that tonight's performance wowed the audience anyway.)
4. Ryan and Ricky, Lyrical Hip-hop: Oh, oh, oh, how thrilled I am to have Ryan on this year's show, and if the judges had been PAYING ATTENTION during the intro clip, they would have understood that Ryan was playing a memory, so of course, Ricky would remember her at her best, smiling and thriving. DUH. I thought the routine was incredible in every aspect, including her smile. They both nailed it, and I loved every second of it.
5. Caitlynn and Robert/Mitchell: oooh, Mitchell, I think you need to be worried. I know in the past, the show has been generous to the injured and usually gives them a pass, but tonight was so impressive overall that there just plain might not be room for you to stay. Caitlynn rocked the house with that number, and would've done so no matter who her partner was, I think.
6. Miranda and Robert, Jive: Okay, brace yourselves: this was not one of my favorites. Don't get me wrong; it was entertaining, and I thought they danced it well. I just felt like, for a jive, it wasn't very...jivey. They absolutely made the most of the retro, 1960s vibe, from the costumes to the characters to the moves. But I felt like it was a little dumbed down, and it was kind of a cheat (albeit effective) to give Robert another Urkel-ian character to play. I'm kinda with Miranda that she doesn't exactly ooze sexy, and yet I'm also with Mary that one thing Robert did especially well was keep that jive beat going in his body throughout the number - not easy to do, and yet he did that particularly effectively. We'll see if America agrees, but I'm guessing that in the scheme of things, this doesn't fare as well as some other routines, in spite of the "Victory Lap" of woooooos.
7. Missy and Wadi, Jazz: Missy absolutely sizzled from the first second, and it was an incredible performance from her on all counts. Perhaps because of that, I actually was a little less impressed with Wadi than the judges were. As much as I like him, and as respectable a job as I think he did with the choreography, I felt like he looked a little too uncomfortable throughout the routine, like he was concentrating so hard on getting it all right and partnering well that he couldn't ever really lose himself in the character. I was surprised the judges didn't note that, so I'm wondering if something different came across from their viewing angle than what I could see from the cameras. I think that works to Wadi's advantage though, because I think we have more to see from him, and I would hate for this to be his last opportunity to show us what he can do.
8. Melanie and Marko, Contemporary: Much like the lady judges, I am just about speechless from this one. Where to start? What to say that could possibly do justice to that performance? It was spectacular, it was breathtaking, and it was perfect even in its imperfection (thank you, Nigel, for ruining the moment for me by pointing out the flaw!). Travis Wall, you are quite possibly the most brilliant contemporary choreographer EVER, and without question, my favorite. Melanie and Marko are also two of my favorite dancers (ever, not just this season), and I could not imagine a routine better suited to display them at their absolute best. LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT. Best of the night, and that is really saying something on this particular night.
9. Ashley and Chris, Hip-hop: That was DAMN fun. As in, "DAY-UM, that ballet girl can HIT it!" She ran that down like a brake-free freight train, and Chris was right behind her. Sure, there were more substantive, demanding routines tonight, but this one took the "Do it again!" award for me tonight.
10. Iveta and Nick, Quick-step: Well, the only possible combination more unfair to other competitors than Jess and Broadway was Iveta and Quick-step (or any ballroom dance in the top 10 for which she holds the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP). And yet, I barely saw her in this routine, because like the judges, I was absolutely riveted by Nick! His familiarity with fancy footwork paid off, but he also GOT IT. I mean, he understood the fundamentals of the dance, he did everything more than respectably (although I think his upper body framework was a litlte "meh"), and he made the most of both character in chemistry in a dance that does not traditionally help the dancers with either. Kudos to Jason Gilkerson or whoever chose "Ballroom Blitz" as the song, because it made an otherwise unbearable slog of a genre downright zippy, and it gave just the right touch to surprisingly thrilling number.
So, where does that leave us? My votes tonight go to Melanie & Marko and Ryan & Ricky, and are followed closely by Nick, Jess, Ashley, Missy, Sasha, and Jordan individually. Who should go home? Oh heck, I don't think there is ANYONE deserving of that this week, but I'll wager that Mitchell is going to have an awfully tough row to hoe, and he is likely to be joined by any of Clarice, Chris, and Robert in the bottom 3 for their respective genders. I also wouldn't be surprised to find Jordan and Tadd there, not because they should be but because they had the misfortune of going forgettably first on a show full of unforgettable numbers. Tune in tomorrow to see how it turns out--and be glad you're not the one that has to decide which outstanding dancers were least outstanding enough to go home!
Yes I agree .. WOW! The best top 20 night ever! (in terms of consistent high-caliber routines) But while almost all the dancers were amazing some clearly outdanced their partners and I think the judges had a tendency to overpraise throughout the night. Oh and don't even think about telling me that the genre choices were random!!! Hello giving Broadway to Jess. quickstep to Iveta, contemporary to half the contemporary dancers!!! LOL
ReplyDeleteBut that's fine since it's top 20 and we want to see what these dancers can do. On the whole, this season's dancers are so technically superior (I mean even the hip-hop guys are better than past years), that I think this year is really about personality/stage presence/chemistry with partner. I mean having chemistry with your partner is sooooo key! Remember the great partners of years past? Nick/Melody, Ivan/Allison, Benji/Donyelle, Katee/Joshua, Mark/Chelsea, Kayla/Kupono, Brandon/Janette, just to name a few.
So let me break down my thoughts for each routine:
1. Jordan and Tadd, Afro-Jazz: It was a great routine. I agree with you that it will probably be forgotten since it was the first routine. :(
Jordan may get on my nerves a little bit but I love Tadd.
2. Sasha and Alexander, Contemporary: Sasha was amazing and with her built in fanbase she's not going anywhere anytime soon. She outdanced Alex and if he doesn't get a personality soon he's going to go home in a couple of weeks.
3. Jess and Clarice, Broadway: Jess was in his element. He's definitely a Broadway star and he definitely outdanced Clarice. He's going to annoy me though if he keeps saying things like "Oh poopy!" and think that it endears him to the audience!
4. Ryan and Ricky, Lyrical Hip-hop: I love Ryan but there is stiff competition with the girls this year. Like I said before she's going to have to step up her game to compete with Sasha and Melanie. I loved her movement during the routing but I agree with the judges he huge smile was distracting.
5. Caitlynn and Robert/Mitchell: I don't really remember this dance except that I couldn't take my eyes off Robert. I don't think she's in danger tonight though. Mitchell on the other hand .....
6. Miranda and Robert, Jive: UGH! Robert annoys me so much! Huis constant mugging and "Whoo!" is driving me crazy. I had to fastforward the dance. I don't care for these 2 at all. I think Miranda is not as good as the other girls and these 2 will hopefully go this week or next.
7. Missy and Wadi, Jazz: I think the judges overpraised this routine. It was good. They didn't miss any steps. But something was missing. I can't put my finger on it though. I like Wadi and want to see more of him.
8. Melanie and Marko, Contemporary: My favorite couple this season! High on my list for all time. I love these guys! I loved their routine! I love Travis Wall! Best contemporary choreographer next to Mia!
9. Ashley and Chris, Hip-hop: In danger Will Robinson!! In danger! They or Miranda/Robert should go home tonight.
10. Iveta and Nick, Quick-step: Definitely not the kiss of death tonight. It was probably the best (or at least most engaging) quickstep we've ever seen. Nick will carry Iveta for a couple of weeks. Nick is so charismatic and cute. He's like a more talented Ivan (S2).