ACK! I'm late! I almost didn't make it! I mean, it was my mother's birthday celebration and all, but come on - it's RESULTS NIGHT! This show is taking over my life. And I love every minute of it.
Got here as soon as I could, and thanks to the wonders of digital recording, I actually caught up such that I was barely over the end time when I finished. Normally, I skip through the musical acts when I’m in this situation, but no way was I missing either of tonight’s performance – LXD is the epitome of incredible dance crew-ness, and even I wanted to see Gaga return to the scene of her first TV appearance. Personally, I thought LXD gave the better show, but I wouldn’t say Gaga was exactly a waste of time, and I enjoyed watching SYTYCD alum Mark in her backup crew.
As for the results:
The Bottom Half
Well, are we really surprised? If either Melanie or Sasha had ended up in the bottom, I think America would’ve just just turned off its collective television set. It is right that Jordan and Caitlynn made it this far, but it’s also fair that Melanie and Sasha are on top. I hate seeing either one of these lovely ladies go, but only one dancer is going all the way to number one, and that choice is going to be hard enough with those that remain. As for the fellas, I think the only sure thing was that Marko would go on. I kinda had a feeling that Ricky might pull off the coup; Nigel and Mary both did the kiss-of-death commentary, suggesting that Ricky would be in trouble and Tadd would be in the finale. In fact, there was even a moment last night when, after realizing how out of the way Nigel had gone to say that, that I wondered if Nigel hadn’t planted his comment specifically to help Ricky garner votes. Only Nigel knows, but here Ricky is in the Top 6, regardless.
The Solos
I had to agree with Nigel that neither girl really gave her all, and I think a coin toss would’ve been a perfectly acceptable way to determine this week’s winner. Individually:
Jordan – a lot of the same that we’ve seen before, but still love watching those legs.
Jess – Now that boy just danced for his goshdarn life! Might not be enough to keep him over Tadd, but he showed us his best stuff.
Caitlynn – You know, it was kind of a shame she had to go after Jess, because it looked lackluster by comparison, but I’m not sure it was really all that mediocre, move by move. I just don’t think it was outstanding either.
Tadd – I don’t know…he may have had the better night last night (at least in the judges’ eyes), but I’m not sure his solo was up to the caliber of Jess’s. Great tricks, but not exactly dancing. Still, Mary kinda backed herself into a corner last night, so you know she's gonna go to bat for him.
The Sad Goodbyes
Jordan & Jess leave us this week, and while I can’t say I’m happy in either case, there isn’t anyone I’d have rather seen go either. Okay, maybe I personally would’ve rather seen Jess go on another week and let Tadd go home, but I agree with the logic of keeping Tadd. I think it’s a farther stretch for him to accomplish the things he has, and it merits seeing what else he can surprise us with. I will just focus my attention on someday seeing Jess on Broadway, because I totally expect to find him there one day. Until then, I'll just have to make do with the show...
Five more to go 'til we crown Number One!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Top 8 Perform
I’m not particularly gaga over Gaga as a general rule, but having heard the early buzz on her feedback as a guest judge, I found I was actually looking forward to her turn as a guest judge tonight. (Found myself wondering how she could see with one eye covered by that blue-green waterfall too, but whatever.) I was even more excited though when I realized her co-guest-judge this evening was Rob Marshall, who is a pretty stellar catch for the show himself, if not quite as well-known by the average viewer.
Well, the show didn't waste any time getting to it, so I won't either. Here's the rundown:
Sasha – Jonathan Roberts quickstep with Pasha: a very likable quick-step routine. I’d like to take a moment to say that I am increasingly impressed with Sasha. The judges clearly saw something in her way back in the auditions that I wasn’t sure I saw, but each week, I get a little more wowed by what she’s capable of doing on that dance floor. I don’t know that she nailed it technically, but I thought Jonathan did a brilliant job of giving her a showcase for her style and personality in an otherwise confining genre. I definitely see this woman in the finale, in a close race with Melanie to win it all.
Caitlynn - Marty Kudelka hip-hop with Ivan (YAY, Ivan! I’ve missed you!! And now that you have a few more years under your belt, that doesn’t feel so criminal…): I loved this one. Just an abundance of cute, from both dancers, and nothing but entertainment all around. I also echo everything Mary said about Ivan – and Caitlynn too, just in that it wasn’t a particularly brilliant routine or performance, but it was just impossible not to love it anyway. Did Caitlynn have Ivan’s swag? Maybe not, but she didn’t botch it either. Granted, at this point, every little move is going to have to be rock solid to stay in the game, but I loved it anyway. She’s just so doggone darling!
Jordan – Tyce Diorio jazz with Adé: Hm. This started off a little “meh” for me, but then definitely picked up as it went along. Still, while I was impressed with the strength and wow-factor of some of the moves, I wanted it to have some kind of string running through it to give it a little coherence. Nonetheless, between Adé’s incredible athleticism and Jordan’s legs-to-forever, I just kinda forget anything but the “wowness.” I’m not sure it’ll hold up to the overall caliber of other dances and keep Jordan out of the bottom, but it won’t be for lack of her killin’ it in this number.
Melanie – Mandy Moore contemporary with Neil: *Sigh* Really. Just... *sigh.* Um, Neil is just so… pretty, and Melanie, my GOD woman, but you can dance!! She just makes a face and I want to cry – forget the dancing. It was absolutely chilling. Mandy Moore said in the intro that they would have to make the transitions look flawless. Did she know who she was talking about? What transitions? They went from one thing to the next to the next as if they didn’t just fling themselves across the stage or land hard. There just are not words to adequately capture Melanie’s talent. We saw it in her first audition, and it hasn’t wavered one bit since then. I will be keeping this show in the DVR and watching it over and over and over again.
Ricky – Jason Gilkinson jive with Anya: WELL. Well, I didn’t love the song (and it wasn’t just my anti-Celine bias); I felt like it was a little awkward rhythmically at some points with the choreography, but the dance itself was pretty good, as jives go. I think Ricky’s only real flaw is that there just isn’t body weight there to get down into a dance with. He IS tall, and although he might’ve been able to sit down in it a little more, there’s kinda no getting around his height and lankiness. Still, he could probably do some things to mitigate that impression. I don’t think this number did him any favors, but I thought he gave it a pretty good effort. Pretty good isn’t really good enough at this point though, is it?
Jess – Nappytabs hip-hop with Lauren Gottlieb: Yyyyyyyyeeeeeeeesssssss. I thought Jess slaughtered that routine. I’m torn between this and the one he did with Clarice in terms of which hip-hop he rocked harder, but DAYUM, he does this stuff justice in a big way! I thought he absolutely kept up with Lauren, and like Mary, I felt like he was there more, in the moment, emotionally. I’ve always liked Jess but thought many of the criticisms were fair; tonight, I think he proved he’s paid attention to every one of them and made the most of it. I especially appreciated Rob Marshall vouching for Jess’s growth not just over this competition, but since his early days as a child showman. I hope that serves Jess well come voting time.
Tadd – Mandy Moore jazz with Lauren Froederman: Um, can jazz have swag? ‘cause that felt about as much like hip-hop swag as it could have without actually being hip-hop. And I was cursing that durn hat for falling off because I felt like it was an otherwise PERFECT routine! I loved the music (who doesn’t?), the dancers (STILL LOVE LO-FRO!!), and the choreography. This whole routine had a feel of ultimate cool, and it just oozed from every pore. Funnily enough, there was really nothing that special about it – it was a common classic song, the choreography was great but nothing spectacular - and yet it just rocked. Let’s hope Nigel and Mary didn’t curse poor Tadd with their predictions for his going through to the finale, but I sure am rooting for him after that routine!
Marko – Sonya Tayeh contemporary with Allison: I knew I was gonna love that one before they even moved. It’s almost unfair having Allison dance something like that, because she’s such a ringer - but Marko’s no slouch, especially in the genre. It was brilliant, Emmy-worthy, and almost physically painful with the power of its emotion. That Lady Gaga was moved to tears and was nearly speechless was just frosting on the cake. I wish I had more to say, but I’m sorry, I need to go get another Kleenex…*sniff*
Caitlynn & Tadd – Jonathan Roberts, foxtrot: I don’t know that either one of them did the style justice technically, but I really enjoyed the very classy, elegant, classically foxtrot-ness of it. It felt like a ballroom dance—which these don’t always anymore, with choreographers going out of their way to make their ballroom numbers likable by a broader audience—and it was luscious. So pretty, so smooth. Mary’s right that it wasn’t terribly memorable, but it was terribly sweet.
Marko & Ricky – Nappytabs hip-hop: How do they do it? How do Tabitha and Napoleon manage to make even the janitors look BUCC?? Now, I didn’t love the song until it picked up pace, but darn if they weren’t the coolest dancin’ janitors I’ve ever seen. To nitpick, I do think there were a few minutes when Marko looked a smidge tired or like he cut a few corners on a few snaps, but he got down in it well, and I thought Ricky did too (sorry, Nigel, I think you carried that bias over from the other dance!). In fact, I thought Ricky looked like he had more swag and swagger than I’ve seen from him just about all season. Another routine that maybe wasn’t total genius, but it was just perfectly entertaining.
Jordan & Jess – Jason Gilkinson rumba: YOWZA. That was a rumba?? Well damn, whatever it was, it was HOT. Nigel, you’re full of hooey. What routine were you watching? Seriously? There was PLENTY of chemistry. And who the dickens WAS that man on the dance floor? Because I didn’t see Jess at all (in a good way). I can see Gaga’s point about interpreting the music differently, but as she said, the dancers don’t pick the music or choreography. I can’t tell you whether Mary has a point technically or not, but I thought there was MUCH more chemistry than most of them were seeing. Thank goodness for Rob Marshall, who was apparently tuned in to the same dance I was. Unfortunately for the two of them, he was the only one (seeing as how my two cents don’t count for anything), because I thought they smoldered quite nicely.
Melanie & Sasha – Sonya Tayeh jazz: Sonya must’ve been in hog heaven getting to choreograph those two, because they are the very epitome of a Sonya Tayeh jazz number - strength, grace, courage, POWER. I’m not a fan of the style on the whole, but even I had to recognize the genius of that routine. The previous Sonya dance made me cry (bawl like a baby, actually), but this one just made me say, “Yeah! YEAH!!!” I felt empowered just sitting here on my couch. Terrific ending to the show.
Who’ll be in trouble tomorrow? Well, half the field doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room. I would guess Jordan, Ricky, and Caitlynn, and it’ll be a toss-up between Jess and Tadd. Because really, we’re not going to see Melanie, Marko, or Sasha there. Right? Tune in tomorrow…
Well, the show didn't waste any time getting to it, so I won't either. Here's the rundown:
Sasha – Jonathan Roberts quickstep with Pasha: a very likable quick-step routine. I’d like to take a moment to say that I am increasingly impressed with Sasha. The judges clearly saw something in her way back in the auditions that I wasn’t sure I saw, but each week, I get a little more wowed by what she’s capable of doing on that dance floor. I don’t know that she nailed it technically, but I thought Jonathan did a brilliant job of giving her a showcase for her style and personality in an otherwise confining genre. I definitely see this woman in the finale, in a close race with Melanie to win it all.
Caitlynn - Marty Kudelka hip-hop with Ivan (YAY, Ivan! I’ve missed you!! And now that you have a few more years under your belt, that doesn’t feel so criminal…): I loved this one. Just an abundance of cute, from both dancers, and nothing but entertainment all around. I also echo everything Mary said about Ivan – and Caitlynn too, just in that it wasn’t a particularly brilliant routine or performance, but it was just impossible not to love it anyway. Did Caitlynn have Ivan’s swag? Maybe not, but she didn’t botch it either. Granted, at this point, every little move is going to have to be rock solid to stay in the game, but I loved it anyway. She’s just so doggone darling!
Jordan – Tyce Diorio jazz with Adé: Hm. This started off a little “meh” for me, but then definitely picked up as it went along. Still, while I was impressed with the strength and wow-factor of some of the moves, I wanted it to have some kind of string running through it to give it a little coherence. Nonetheless, between Adé’s incredible athleticism and Jordan’s legs-to-forever, I just kinda forget anything but the “wowness.” I’m not sure it’ll hold up to the overall caliber of other dances and keep Jordan out of the bottom, but it won’t be for lack of her killin’ it in this number.
Melanie – Mandy Moore contemporary with Neil: *Sigh* Really. Just... *sigh.* Um, Neil is just so… pretty, and Melanie, my GOD woman, but you can dance!! She just makes a face and I want to cry – forget the dancing. It was absolutely chilling. Mandy Moore said in the intro that they would have to make the transitions look flawless. Did she know who she was talking about? What transitions? They went from one thing to the next to the next as if they didn’t just fling themselves across the stage or land hard. There just are not words to adequately capture Melanie’s talent. We saw it in her first audition, and it hasn’t wavered one bit since then. I will be keeping this show in the DVR and watching it over and over and over again.
Ricky – Jason Gilkinson jive with Anya: WELL. Well, I didn’t love the song (and it wasn’t just my anti-Celine bias); I felt like it was a little awkward rhythmically at some points with the choreography, but the dance itself was pretty good, as jives go. I think Ricky’s only real flaw is that there just isn’t body weight there to get down into a dance with. He IS tall, and although he might’ve been able to sit down in it a little more, there’s kinda no getting around his height and lankiness. Still, he could probably do some things to mitigate that impression. I don’t think this number did him any favors, but I thought he gave it a pretty good effort. Pretty good isn’t really good enough at this point though, is it?
Jess – Nappytabs hip-hop with Lauren Gottlieb: Yyyyyyyyeeeeeeeesssssss. I thought Jess slaughtered that routine. I’m torn between this and the one he did with Clarice in terms of which hip-hop he rocked harder, but DAYUM, he does this stuff justice in a big way! I thought he absolutely kept up with Lauren, and like Mary, I felt like he was there more, in the moment, emotionally. I’ve always liked Jess but thought many of the criticisms were fair; tonight, I think he proved he’s paid attention to every one of them and made the most of it. I especially appreciated Rob Marshall vouching for Jess’s growth not just over this competition, but since his early days as a child showman. I hope that serves Jess well come voting time.
Tadd – Mandy Moore jazz with Lauren Froederman: Um, can jazz have swag? ‘cause that felt about as much like hip-hop swag as it could have without actually being hip-hop. And I was cursing that durn hat for falling off because I felt like it was an otherwise PERFECT routine! I loved the music (who doesn’t?), the dancers (STILL LOVE LO-FRO!!), and the choreography. This whole routine had a feel of ultimate cool, and it just oozed from every pore. Funnily enough, there was really nothing that special about it – it was a common classic song, the choreography was great but nothing spectacular - and yet it just rocked. Let’s hope Nigel and Mary didn’t curse poor Tadd with their predictions for his going through to the finale, but I sure am rooting for him after that routine!
Marko – Sonya Tayeh contemporary with Allison: I knew I was gonna love that one before they even moved. It’s almost unfair having Allison dance something like that, because she’s such a ringer - but Marko’s no slouch, especially in the genre. It was brilliant, Emmy-worthy, and almost physically painful with the power of its emotion. That Lady Gaga was moved to tears and was nearly speechless was just frosting on the cake. I wish I had more to say, but I’m sorry, I need to go get another Kleenex…*sniff*
Caitlynn & Tadd – Jonathan Roberts, foxtrot: I don’t know that either one of them did the style justice technically, but I really enjoyed the very classy, elegant, classically foxtrot-ness of it. It felt like a ballroom dance—which these don’t always anymore, with choreographers going out of their way to make their ballroom numbers likable by a broader audience—and it was luscious. So pretty, so smooth. Mary’s right that it wasn’t terribly memorable, but it was terribly sweet.
Marko & Ricky – Nappytabs hip-hop: How do they do it? How do Tabitha and Napoleon manage to make even the janitors look BUCC?? Now, I didn’t love the song until it picked up pace, but darn if they weren’t the coolest dancin’ janitors I’ve ever seen. To nitpick, I do think there were a few minutes when Marko looked a smidge tired or like he cut a few corners on a few snaps, but he got down in it well, and I thought Ricky did too (sorry, Nigel, I think you carried that bias over from the other dance!). In fact, I thought Ricky looked like he had more swag and swagger than I’ve seen from him just about all season. Another routine that maybe wasn’t total genius, but it was just perfectly entertaining.
Jordan & Jess – Jason Gilkinson rumba: YOWZA. That was a rumba?? Well damn, whatever it was, it was HOT. Nigel, you’re full of hooey. What routine were you watching? Seriously? There was PLENTY of chemistry. And who the dickens WAS that man on the dance floor? Because I didn’t see Jess at all (in a good way). I can see Gaga’s point about interpreting the music differently, but as she said, the dancers don’t pick the music or choreography. I can’t tell you whether Mary has a point technically or not, but I thought there was MUCH more chemistry than most of them were seeing. Thank goodness for Rob Marshall, who was apparently tuned in to the same dance I was. Unfortunately for the two of them, he was the only one (seeing as how my two cents don’t count for anything), because I thought they smoldered quite nicely.
Melanie & Sasha – Sonya Tayeh jazz: Sonya must’ve been in hog heaven getting to choreograph those two, because they are the very epitome of a Sonya Tayeh jazz number - strength, grace, courage, POWER. I’m not a fan of the style on the whole, but even I had to recognize the genius of that routine. The previous Sonya dance made me cry (bawl like a baby, actually), but this one just made me say, “Yeah! YEAH!!!” I felt empowered just sitting here on my couch. Terrific ending to the show.
Who’ll be in trouble tomorrow? Well, half the field doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room. I would guess Jordan, Ricky, and Caitlynn, and it’ll be a toss-up between Jess and Tadd. Because really, we’re not going to see Melanie, Marko, or Sasha there. Right? Tune in tomorrow…
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Top 10 Results (SPOILER ALERT!!!)
A quick note to right a wrong: last night, I somehow totally forgot to mention Neil Patrick Harris, whom I love, and whose turn as a judge has not disappointed. He’s actually provided some of the most honest and useful criticism for the dancers, and it’s terrific to have him join the panel this week. Now for the results of last night's shootout:
Opening Number: Broadway – very entertaining, in a very Broadway way. Kinda like watching the final number of A Chorus Line, but cuter.
The Bottom Four (and yes, I realized only after posting last night that there would be four instead of three, and that TWO would be going home):
- Number one was no surprise. I doubt there is anyone who didn’t think Mitchell would end up in the bottom after last night’s performance. Unfortunately, another case of choreography that kinda let him down on a week when he really finally put in the effort, but there have been enough weeks of “meh” performances that it seems fair in the end.
- Clarice was also the girl I thought most likely to find herself in the bottom, in spite of a rousing Bollywood number. I just think she’s failed to connect with the audience the way other dancers have.
- Now, with Sasha, Melanie, Tadd, and Marko safely through, there were no good answers with the four that remained to choose from, but I have to admit being a little surprised that the boy in danger was Ricky. In fact, I had just been saying that he’s so active on Twitter and has fans out the wazoo, when Cat announced him as being in danger. I’m not suggesting it should’ve been Jess; I thought his duet last night was exceptional. But Ricky’s been an audience favorite, and up to now we’ve kind of been assuming that his being in the bottom couple was more attributable to Ryan – apparently not.
- As for the girls, either Caitlynn or Jordan in the bottom was going to horrify me, so I couldn’t be surprised either way. I think both danced superbly last night, and yet I could argue that either has struggled to connect with the audience the way Sasha and Melanie have. I’m sorry it turned out to be Jordan in the bottom, but I would’ve been equally disappointed to see Caitlynn there. Honestly, at this point, anybody is going to have trouble outearning Melanie and Sasha in vote-getting, so it’s just a matter of time for the rest of the girls.
Solos:
- Clarice – a much better solo than last night, in my opinion. Rich with choreography, and a lot more passion in her face.
- Mitchell – he, on the other hand, faded a little from last night, and I think the choice to use the prop worked against him. It didn’t really add anything, and instead sort of seemed like he was relying on it to give him the little extra something that he himself needed to be giving.
- Jordan – a little too similar to solos past, I fear.
- Ricky – that solo more than made up for whatever landed him in the bottom in the first place. Outstanding performance – the best of the night.
Saying Goodbye to…Mitchell and Clarice.
I’m afraid I agree with the judges tonight. What Nigel didn’t say is that to make it to that top spot—which, let’s remember, is America’s Favorite dancer—any dancer is going to have to connect with the audience. You can’t get votes without it, and you can’t represent adequately if you don’t have it. Neither of these two have really managed to do that in a way that the others in the top 10 have.
Every week’s getting harder. Now that Mitchell and Clarice are gone—the last two that I could really argue weren’t up to the caliber of some of the others—I truly don’t know where we’ll go next. Melanie and Marko were a favorite couple, but will they hold up on their own? Is Sasha going to make a meteoric rise now that Alexander’s not here to hold her back? I don’t relish losing anyone at this point. How about you?
Opening Number: Broadway – very entertaining, in a very Broadway way. Kinda like watching the final number of A Chorus Line, but cuter.
The Bottom Four (and yes, I realized only after posting last night that there would be four instead of three, and that TWO would be going home):
- Number one was no surprise. I doubt there is anyone who didn’t think Mitchell would end up in the bottom after last night’s performance. Unfortunately, another case of choreography that kinda let him down on a week when he really finally put in the effort, but there have been enough weeks of “meh” performances that it seems fair in the end.
- Clarice was also the girl I thought most likely to find herself in the bottom, in spite of a rousing Bollywood number. I just think she’s failed to connect with the audience the way other dancers have.
- Now, with Sasha, Melanie, Tadd, and Marko safely through, there were no good answers with the four that remained to choose from, but I have to admit being a little surprised that the boy in danger was Ricky. In fact, I had just been saying that he’s so active on Twitter and has fans out the wazoo, when Cat announced him as being in danger. I’m not suggesting it should’ve been Jess; I thought his duet last night was exceptional. But Ricky’s been an audience favorite, and up to now we’ve kind of been assuming that his being in the bottom couple was more attributable to Ryan – apparently not.
- As for the girls, either Caitlynn or Jordan in the bottom was going to horrify me, so I couldn’t be surprised either way. I think both danced superbly last night, and yet I could argue that either has struggled to connect with the audience the way Sasha and Melanie have. I’m sorry it turned out to be Jordan in the bottom, but I would’ve been equally disappointed to see Caitlynn there. Honestly, at this point, anybody is going to have trouble outearning Melanie and Sasha in vote-getting, so it’s just a matter of time for the rest of the girls.
Solos:
- Clarice – a much better solo than last night, in my opinion. Rich with choreography, and a lot more passion in her face.
- Mitchell – he, on the other hand, faded a little from last night, and I think the choice to use the prop worked against him. It didn’t really add anything, and instead sort of seemed like he was relying on it to give him the little extra something that he himself needed to be giving.
- Jordan – a little too similar to solos past, I fear.
- Ricky – that solo more than made up for whatever landed him in the bottom in the first place. Outstanding performance – the best of the night.
Saying Goodbye to…Mitchell and Clarice.
I’m afraid I agree with the judges tonight. What Nigel didn’t say is that to make it to that top spot—which, let’s remember, is America’s Favorite dancer—any dancer is going to have to connect with the audience. You can’t get votes without it, and you can’t represent adequately if you don’t have it. Neither of these two have really managed to do that in a way that the others in the top 10 have.
Every week’s getting harder. Now that Mitchell and Clarice are gone—the last two that I could really argue weren’t up to the caliber of some of the others—I truly don’t know where we’ll go next. Melanie and Marko were a favorite couple, but will they hold up on their own? Is Sasha going to make a meteoric rise now that Alexander’s not here to hold her back? I don’t relish losing anyone at this point. How about you?
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Top 10 Perform
Well here we are at the Top 10, ladies and gentlemen, and it’s every dancer for him or herself! As if it wasn’t hard enough weeding out the pretty fantastic from the super fantastic thus far, now we have to figure out which of these 10 ridiculously talented hoofers is hoofin’ it home this week. At this point, I’m glad I’m just a fan judge and not on the hook for making these agonizing decisions.
First up, Marko in a Jason Gilkinson samba with Chelsie: Let me preface this by saying that Marko is probably my favorite guy this season (with Jess running a close second). Now: I love Marko, I really liked the dance, and I thought the choreography was interesting (in a good, changed-it-up kind of way)…but I kinda thought Marko dragged a little. I couldn’t quite decide if he just wasn’t quite comfortable with the dance or was a little overwhelmed by its ever-shifting focus, but as much as I loved the dance overall, I wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as Mary and Nigel about Marko’s performance specifically. I realize the hips are more an issue for the women, but I entirely disagree with Mary that his were moving adequately. My reality check was that about halfway through, I tried to imagine Pasha doing this dance; while I realize that may sound like an unfair standard, we are now at the top 10 in a season of phenomenal dancers – the standard is already pretty darn high - and Marko was no Pasha. Do I think this will affect his vote-getting tonight? Nope, not one iota. But I have to call ‘em as I see ‘em, and that’s how I saw it. Scale of 1 to 10: I give the dance a 9, and Marko… an 8. Really more like a 7.5, but I’ll give him extra credit for nailing those lifts.
Sasha solo – Okay. I think it was not as spectacular as what some of the other ladies do, but that’s not really her style. She’s more about musicality and movement and emotion than tricks and stage usage, but that’s not a bad thing. I do think she’s going to need to put a little more energy into her solos to compete at this point though, because every move will count with the judges, in and out of the duets.
Jordan – Dwight Rhoden & Desmond Richardson, contemporary with Brandon – WELCOME BACK, BRANDON! He is one of my all-time faves, and I’m thrilled to see him here as an all-star this season – love to watch the way that body moves. As for the dance: brilliant. I would expect nothing less from Desmond Richardson. Or Brandon. Or Jordan. True, it is her style, but at this point, to get high marks in your own style still requires a pretty outstanding performance, and she delivered. It was a well-coordinated effort of music, choreography, and dancers, and one I’d happily watch again and again.
Jess solo – I think it was an excellent demonstration of his unique talents, but again, I think it’s going to need to be stronger and a little more “WOW!” to stand up against the others at this stage of the game.
Tadd, Chuck Maldonado hip-hop with Comfort – It was well-danced, and I think he outdid Comfort (which is hard in this genre), but my husband had an excellent point: he needed to stop smiling. It was a little too hard to say he had swag with those dimples shining through. He needed to be more bucc and less cute – but that said, he sailed through a very intricate and super-speed set of moves almost flawlessly (almost), and for that I give him serious props. I wasn’t quite as high on it as the judges considering its lack of gravitas in the swag department, but it certainly was better than good.
Melanie solo – Beautiful. Just the right balance of control and power, and positively lovely to watch.
Mitchell – Tyce DiOrio Broadway/jazz with Melody – This was the best I’ve seen Mitchell perform in a long time. He was there emotionally and visibly, and danced it well. I’m not sure I necessarily agree with Nigel and Mary that he overdid it, but I can see why they would say that. But I’m definitely with Neil Patrick Harris – this dance didn’t really hang together for me either. We all know I’m up and down about Tyce’s routines, and this one was a valley rather than a peak. I didn’t get the theme in coordination with the music and the choreography, and I didn’t get what was supposed to be going on between Mitchell and Melody (who, incidentally, must be from a season I didn’t watch in its entirety, because I don’t remember her at all, and I’m kinda wondering now that I've seen her dance how exactly she beat out some of the other possibilities to be an all-star).
Ricky solo – Not his best dance in the sense of being a well thought-out, cohesive number (in my opinion), but it was pleasant to watch. I think his past solos, perhaps because they’ve been in the mode of “dance for your life” have been more incredible, which may be why this one didn’t stand out as much to me. Not bad, but not his best effort.
Clarice solo – I liked the song choice, but I felt a little underwhelmed by the dance itself. I think about Clarice’s audition pieces and even her previous dance-for-your-life solos, and this was just kinda okay by comparison.
Caitlynn – Miriam Larici & Leonardo Barrionuevo tango with Pasha – Watching Pasha definitely confirmed my suspicions that Marko was a little more “meh” in his samba than the judges thought... but I digress. Caitlynn: WOW!! I hardly recognized her in this dance. She looked mature and sexy and sensual and mysterious and intense, and although the choreography didn’t look especially difficult, in an Argentine tango control is the key, and she was tremendous. Absolutely incredible dance.
Mitchell solo – One of Mitchell’s best solos, and one of the best solos so far tonight. Showed off his skill and his emotional availability. Nicely done - but will it be enough to balance out that duet?
Sasha – Christopher Scott hip-hop with Twitch – *Sigh* It is so nice to see Sasha dance with someone who is up to the challenge! That was one of THE best routines not just of the night but of this already incredible season, and it is due to the contributions of everyone who participated – Christopher Scott’s excellent choreography and well-constructed concept, props and all; Twitch’s TRULY. ALL. STAR. TURN; and Sasha’s extraordinary performance. For once, I think Sasha got a partner and a routine worthy of her talent, and the voting her posse will be drumming up will be entirely deserved. ROCK SOLID.
Jordan solo – It was nice to see something a little different from her, a little less leg and a little more dance. I’m not sure if it’s what the judges were looking for, but I liked it.
Jess – Stacey Tookey contemporary with Kathryn – What’s not to love about this dance? My favorite female all-star, Stacey Tookey choreography, and Jess. Yep. Pretty much LOVED IT. Let me also take a minute to compliment the choice of putting Kathryn in a muted blue outfit rather than the bright red she wore last season when she completely outshone her partner (so much so that I don’t even remember who it was). It made it a lot easier to see Jess, and great thing, because he was worth seeing in this number. I’m with all three judges: best work to date, Jess – well done!
Tadd solo – Um, WOW. And: OW. THAT was what a solo in your own style should be – full of awesomeness and joy. WOW.
Melanie – Jason Gilkinson Viennese waltz with Pasha – This show just keeps getting better and better! Yet another dreamy routine that leaves you breathless and starry-eyed. What a subtle but important touch to have a gentle breeze blowing across the stage, giving the impression of flowing and movement in their clothes even when there was stillness in their bodies. It just enhanced the already fluid, rich, air-like quality of the dance. I could watch those two dance all night. *Sigh*
Caitlynn solo – She carried the maturity of her tango right into her solo, which beautifully complemented her dance, which this week was much more settled and cohesive. Lovely.
Ricky – Tyce DiOrio jazz with Allison – Aaaand we are back up to the top of the Tyce DiOrio roller coaster! WOW. That put me in the mind of Mia Michaels’ “Addiction” number with Kayla and Kupono. Oh, and when I said Kathryn was my favorite female all-star, I meant “along with Allison,” because she is just thrilling to watch. But I’m with Nigel: just when I was starting to think “Oh no, Allison’s going to overpower him,” Ricky kicked it in, and all of a sudden I was taken aback – just the way I should’ve been with his character. Outstanding.
Marko solo - *Sigh* I know, I know, I’m doing it again, but REALLY? How could you not? That was probably my favorite solo of the night - although Tadd was right up there too.
Clarice - Nakul dev Mahajan Bollywood with Robert – I am not quite the fan of Bollywood that my husband is, but I do think it’s generally pretty darn entertaining. This was fun, Clarice did it well, and I find that I enjoy Robert much more now as an all-star. Although I’ve liked other pieces she’s done this season, I agree with Neil that something had been missing with Clarice – my husband says she’s too monotone in her expression, always smiling, even-keeled – and this was a little bit of a departure for her in a good way. I’m not sure if it will hold up to some of the other routines this week, but it was a good showing.
* * * * *
So who’s in trouble? Well, considering they screwed up the numbers at the end of the show, I suppose it could end up being anybody, but unfortunately, I think the clear answer is Mitchell. It’s possible that voters will see the Big Red Flags and come out to support the underdog, but if not, I’ve got a bad feeling this is his week to say sayonara. It’s going to be hard to find anyone else who clearly goes in the bottom with him, but I would suspect Clarice might still find herself there. The third I wouldn’t dare to predict, so we’ll just have to stay tuned. I’ll be watching comfortably from my couch tomorrow night while the judges squirm in their chairs to try to figure out how to cull the cream of the crop from the creamier.
What did you think, America?
First up, Marko in a Jason Gilkinson samba with Chelsie: Let me preface this by saying that Marko is probably my favorite guy this season (with Jess running a close second). Now: I love Marko, I really liked the dance, and I thought the choreography was interesting (in a good, changed-it-up kind of way)…but I kinda thought Marko dragged a little. I couldn’t quite decide if he just wasn’t quite comfortable with the dance or was a little overwhelmed by its ever-shifting focus, but as much as I loved the dance overall, I wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as Mary and Nigel about Marko’s performance specifically. I realize the hips are more an issue for the women, but I entirely disagree with Mary that his were moving adequately. My reality check was that about halfway through, I tried to imagine Pasha doing this dance; while I realize that may sound like an unfair standard, we are now at the top 10 in a season of phenomenal dancers – the standard is already pretty darn high - and Marko was no Pasha. Do I think this will affect his vote-getting tonight? Nope, not one iota. But I have to call ‘em as I see ‘em, and that’s how I saw it. Scale of 1 to 10: I give the dance a 9, and Marko… an 8. Really more like a 7.5, but I’ll give him extra credit for nailing those lifts.
Sasha solo – Okay. I think it was not as spectacular as what some of the other ladies do, but that’s not really her style. She’s more about musicality and movement and emotion than tricks and stage usage, but that’s not a bad thing. I do think she’s going to need to put a little more energy into her solos to compete at this point though, because every move will count with the judges, in and out of the duets.
Jordan – Dwight Rhoden & Desmond Richardson, contemporary with Brandon – WELCOME BACK, BRANDON! He is one of my all-time faves, and I’m thrilled to see him here as an all-star this season – love to watch the way that body moves. As for the dance: brilliant. I would expect nothing less from Desmond Richardson. Or Brandon. Or Jordan. True, it is her style, but at this point, to get high marks in your own style still requires a pretty outstanding performance, and she delivered. It was a well-coordinated effort of music, choreography, and dancers, and one I’d happily watch again and again.
Jess solo – I think it was an excellent demonstration of his unique talents, but again, I think it’s going to need to be stronger and a little more “WOW!” to stand up against the others at this stage of the game.
Tadd, Chuck Maldonado hip-hop with Comfort – It was well-danced, and I think he outdid Comfort (which is hard in this genre), but my husband had an excellent point: he needed to stop smiling. It was a little too hard to say he had swag with those dimples shining through. He needed to be more bucc and less cute – but that said, he sailed through a very intricate and super-speed set of moves almost flawlessly (almost), and for that I give him serious props. I wasn’t quite as high on it as the judges considering its lack of gravitas in the swag department, but it certainly was better than good.
Melanie solo – Beautiful. Just the right balance of control and power, and positively lovely to watch.
Mitchell – Tyce DiOrio Broadway/jazz with Melody – This was the best I’ve seen Mitchell perform in a long time. He was there emotionally and visibly, and danced it well. I’m not sure I necessarily agree with Nigel and Mary that he overdid it, but I can see why they would say that. But I’m definitely with Neil Patrick Harris – this dance didn’t really hang together for me either. We all know I’m up and down about Tyce’s routines, and this one was a valley rather than a peak. I didn’t get the theme in coordination with the music and the choreography, and I didn’t get what was supposed to be going on between Mitchell and Melody (who, incidentally, must be from a season I didn’t watch in its entirety, because I don’t remember her at all, and I’m kinda wondering now that I've seen her dance how exactly she beat out some of the other possibilities to be an all-star).
Ricky solo – Not his best dance in the sense of being a well thought-out, cohesive number (in my opinion), but it was pleasant to watch. I think his past solos, perhaps because they’ve been in the mode of “dance for your life” have been more incredible, which may be why this one didn’t stand out as much to me. Not bad, but not his best effort.
Clarice solo – I liked the song choice, but I felt a little underwhelmed by the dance itself. I think about Clarice’s audition pieces and even her previous dance-for-your-life solos, and this was just kinda okay by comparison.
Caitlynn – Miriam Larici & Leonardo Barrionuevo tango with Pasha – Watching Pasha definitely confirmed my suspicions that Marko was a little more “meh” in his samba than the judges thought... but I digress. Caitlynn: WOW!! I hardly recognized her in this dance. She looked mature and sexy and sensual and mysterious and intense, and although the choreography didn’t look especially difficult, in an Argentine tango control is the key, and she was tremendous. Absolutely incredible dance.
Mitchell solo – One of Mitchell’s best solos, and one of the best solos so far tonight. Showed off his skill and his emotional availability. Nicely done - but will it be enough to balance out that duet?
Sasha – Christopher Scott hip-hop with Twitch – *Sigh* It is so nice to see Sasha dance with someone who is up to the challenge! That was one of THE best routines not just of the night but of this already incredible season, and it is due to the contributions of everyone who participated – Christopher Scott’s excellent choreography and well-constructed concept, props and all; Twitch’s TRULY. ALL. STAR. TURN; and Sasha’s extraordinary performance. For once, I think Sasha got a partner and a routine worthy of her talent, and the voting her posse will be drumming up will be entirely deserved. ROCK SOLID.
Jordan solo – It was nice to see something a little different from her, a little less leg and a little more dance. I’m not sure if it’s what the judges were looking for, but I liked it.
Jess – Stacey Tookey contemporary with Kathryn – What’s not to love about this dance? My favorite female all-star, Stacey Tookey choreography, and Jess. Yep. Pretty much LOVED IT. Let me also take a minute to compliment the choice of putting Kathryn in a muted blue outfit rather than the bright red she wore last season when she completely outshone her partner (so much so that I don’t even remember who it was). It made it a lot easier to see Jess, and great thing, because he was worth seeing in this number. I’m with all three judges: best work to date, Jess – well done!
Tadd solo – Um, WOW. And: OW. THAT was what a solo in your own style should be – full of awesomeness and joy. WOW.
Melanie – Jason Gilkinson Viennese waltz with Pasha – This show just keeps getting better and better! Yet another dreamy routine that leaves you breathless and starry-eyed. What a subtle but important touch to have a gentle breeze blowing across the stage, giving the impression of flowing and movement in their clothes even when there was stillness in their bodies. It just enhanced the already fluid, rich, air-like quality of the dance. I could watch those two dance all night. *Sigh*
Caitlynn solo – She carried the maturity of her tango right into her solo, which beautifully complemented her dance, which this week was much more settled and cohesive. Lovely.
Ricky – Tyce DiOrio jazz with Allison – Aaaand we are back up to the top of the Tyce DiOrio roller coaster! WOW. That put me in the mind of Mia Michaels’ “Addiction” number with Kayla and Kupono. Oh, and when I said Kathryn was my favorite female all-star, I meant “along with Allison,” because she is just thrilling to watch. But I’m with Nigel: just when I was starting to think “Oh no, Allison’s going to overpower him,” Ricky kicked it in, and all of a sudden I was taken aback – just the way I should’ve been with his character. Outstanding.
Marko solo - *Sigh* I know, I know, I’m doing it again, but REALLY? How could you not? That was probably my favorite solo of the night - although Tadd was right up there too.
Clarice - Nakul dev Mahajan Bollywood with Robert – I am not quite the fan of Bollywood that my husband is, but I do think it’s generally pretty darn entertaining. This was fun, Clarice did it well, and I find that I enjoy Robert much more now as an all-star. Although I’ve liked other pieces she’s done this season, I agree with Neil that something had been missing with Clarice – my husband says she’s too monotone in her expression, always smiling, even-keeled – and this was a little bit of a departure for her in a good way. I’m not sure if it will hold up to some of the other routines this week, but it was a good showing.
* * * * *
So who’s in trouble? Well, considering they screwed up the numbers at the end of the show, I suppose it could end up being anybody, but unfortunately, I think the clear answer is Mitchell. It’s possible that voters will see the Big Red Flags and come out to support the underdog, but if not, I’ve got a bad feeling this is his week to say sayonara. It’s going to be hard to find anyone else who clearly goes in the bottom with him, but I would suspect Clarice might still find herself there. The third I wouldn’t dare to predict, so we’ll just have to stay tuned. I’ll be watching comfortably from my couch tomorrow night while the judges squirm in their chairs to try to figure out how to cull the cream of the crop from the creamier.
What did you think, America?
Twitter Insights
A word on the judging, as a result of spending a little time on Twitter. I’ve had an important epiphany about the notes as the judges deliver them on the show:
You know how I’m often saying, “What dance were they watching?” because listening to their notes, it seems like I saw an entirely different performance than they did? Well, it turns out I may not be altogether wrong. What I’ve never really realized before this season is that the judges all sit through the dress rehearsal a few hours before showtime. You’ve heard Nigel say at least once this season (last week’s comment to Melanie & Marko about their tango, for one) that the performance was a complete turnaround from the dress rehearsal. Well, what I suspect is happening is that the judges, probably fearing they’ll miss or forget something important or run out of time when the “real” performance comes along, are making notes during the dress rehearsal that they then include in their critiques on the show. Many times, that’s probably useful, because it would allow them to watch at least one of the performances completely without missing a few steps while they’re making notes. And it’s no problem – as long as the performances are either very similar (such that we wouldn’t notice any discrepancy between our own perception and their notes), or radically different (such that they acknowledge the change, as Nigel did last week). But I suspect that there are quite a few other times where there are differences between the two performances, and while they may be subtle differences to the judges, it’s just enough that the performance we see doesn’t leave quite the same impression with us as the one they critiqued. I could be wrong, but I’m really convinced this explains at least some of what can’t be explained by camera angles or the difference between their vast dance experience and my armchair evaluation. And with that, we return to our regularly-scheduled programming…
You know how I’m often saying, “What dance were they watching?” because listening to their notes, it seems like I saw an entirely different performance than they did? Well, it turns out I may not be altogether wrong. What I’ve never really realized before this season is that the judges all sit through the dress rehearsal a few hours before showtime. You’ve heard Nigel say at least once this season (last week’s comment to Melanie & Marko about their tango, for one) that the performance was a complete turnaround from the dress rehearsal. Well, what I suspect is happening is that the judges, probably fearing they’ll miss or forget something important or run out of time when the “real” performance comes along, are making notes during the dress rehearsal that they then include in their critiques on the show. Many times, that’s probably useful, because it would allow them to watch at least one of the performances completely without missing a few steps while they’re making notes. And it’s no problem – as long as the performances are either very similar (such that we wouldn’t notice any discrepancy between our own perception and their notes), or radically different (such that they acknowledge the change, as Nigel did last week). But I suspect that there are quite a few other times where there are differences between the two performances, and while they may be subtle differences to the judges, it’s just enough that the performance we see doesn’t leave quite the same impression with us as the one they critiqued. I could be wrong, but I’m really convinced this explains at least some of what can’t be explained by camera angles or the difference between their vast dance experience and my armchair evaluation. And with that, we return to our regularly-scheduled programming…
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Oops - almost forgot:
A HUGE congratulations to the Emmy-nominated Cat Deeley, Travis Wall, Stacey Tookey, Mia Michaels, Mandy Moore, and Nappytabs! (Also thrilled for the lighting guy and whatever the other nom was, but those're the names I knew.) In particular, I agree with Nigel: Cat's acknowledgement is LONG overdue, and I for one think she's the best host on TV, period. She's poised, beautiful, and well-spoken, and yet she seems completely normal, humble, and genuine. (And my husband is absolutely in love with her "crooked" nose. Seriously.) YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY, Cat!
Top 12 Results – Down to the Top 10…!
I’m short on both time and energy tonight, so let’s get right to it:
All-stars have been announced, and we'll see them starting next week:
Melody - S1
Allison – S2
Pasha – S3
Twitch – S4
Comfort – S4
Chelsie – S4
Brandon - S5
Kathryn – S6
Robert – S7
That’s the list, minus an injured Alex Wong, sadly (don’t remember him tweeting about an injury, so either I wasn’t paying attention, or he kept it very quiet to help the show’s suspense). REALLY sorry to hear that he’s injured again, but if they asked him once, they’ll ask him again, so I’ll just look forward to next season! Meanwhile, thrilled to see this crew and looking forward to their contributions. Now on to the results...
The Bottom Three
Caitlynn & Mitchell – While I absolutely hate seeing Caitlynn here, and while I was a big Mitchell fan back in the audition rounds, I think this is the right place for Mitchell this week. I’ve just felt like he’s a little vacant lately, and at this point, and with this competition, he can’t afford it. Fingers crossed for Caitlynn’s solo!
Ryan & Ricky – Unfortunately, I think it was the right call in light of last night’s dances, but I think it’s utterly unfair that one of those dances was a lackluster Spencer Liff routine. (Okay, done complaining about him - for now.) I have rooted for Ryan since last season, so it pains me to see her here, but with such stiff female competition this year, it’s probably appropriate at this point. (BIG SAD FACE) Ricky probably doesn’t *quite* deserve it, but at this point, there aren’t a lot of obvious choices for guys who do.
Sasha & Alexander – First, let me say that while I am positively relieved to find Alexander here, I am a fan of Sasha, and I am truly hoping she pulls through with an amazing solo. As for Alexander, I think he has certain talents to be sure, but just isn’t as versatile a performer or nearly strong enough to compete with some of the other folks still here at this point.
The Solos, in short:
Caitlynn – Lovely, but incoherent.
Mitchell – Frantic, but impressive.
Ryan – Strong, but sloppy; a little desperate.
Ricky – The best so far, and the only one that actually looked planned and cohesive.
Sasha – True to her style, with exceptional musicality, if not a lot of fancy-ness.
Alexander – A beautiful performance, but in his own style, which isn’t the problem.
The Send-off:
Ryan - I knew the answer was Ryan before anyone spoke a word. She’s gotten a pass before because the judges knew she had more to offer, but this week did not give any evidence of her additional capability. It kills me because I desperately wanted her to make the Top 10, but at least she made it on the show this year, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of watching her.
Alexander – While I was mostly relieved, I admitted a twinge of guilt because I thought his performance last night was one of his best, and I didn’t see the same problems in his ballet that Nigel did. Still, even if his ballet had been brilliant, it isn’t excelling in your own style that counts at this point in the competition, and he’s way behind most of the other guys. It was his time.
So, although it’s heartbreaking for me to see Ryan go, I can’t argue with either call this week. I do hope we’ll see her again in other things in the future, because she is wonderful to watch.
Here’s your Top 10 America – hang on to your hats, ‘cause HERE WE GO!!!
Caitlynn
Clarice
Jess
Jordan
Marko
Melanie
Mitchell
Ricky
Sasha
Tadd
All-stars have been announced, and we'll see them starting next week:
Melody - S1
Allison – S2
Pasha – S3
Twitch – S4
Comfort – S4
Chelsie – S4
Brandon - S5
Kathryn – S6
Robert – S7
That’s the list, minus an injured Alex Wong, sadly (don’t remember him tweeting about an injury, so either I wasn’t paying attention, or he kept it very quiet to help the show’s suspense). REALLY sorry to hear that he’s injured again, but if they asked him once, they’ll ask him again, so I’ll just look forward to next season! Meanwhile, thrilled to see this crew and looking forward to their contributions. Now on to the results...
The Bottom Three
Caitlynn & Mitchell – While I absolutely hate seeing Caitlynn here, and while I was a big Mitchell fan back in the audition rounds, I think this is the right place for Mitchell this week. I’ve just felt like he’s a little vacant lately, and at this point, and with this competition, he can’t afford it. Fingers crossed for Caitlynn’s solo!
Ryan & Ricky – Unfortunately, I think it was the right call in light of last night’s dances, but I think it’s utterly unfair that one of those dances was a lackluster Spencer Liff routine. (Okay, done complaining about him - for now.) I have rooted for Ryan since last season, so it pains me to see her here, but with such stiff female competition this year, it’s probably appropriate at this point. (BIG SAD FACE) Ricky probably doesn’t *quite* deserve it, but at this point, there aren’t a lot of obvious choices for guys who do.
Sasha & Alexander – First, let me say that while I am positively relieved to find Alexander here, I am a fan of Sasha, and I am truly hoping she pulls through with an amazing solo. As for Alexander, I think he has certain talents to be sure, but just isn’t as versatile a performer or nearly strong enough to compete with some of the other folks still here at this point.
The Solos, in short:
Caitlynn – Lovely, but incoherent.
Mitchell – Frantic, but impressive.
Ryan – Strong, but sloppy; a little desperate.
Ricky – The best so far, and the only one that actually looked planned and cohesive.
Sasha – True to her style, with exceptional musicality, if not a lot of fancy-ness.
Alexander – A beautiful performance, but in his own style, which isn’t the problem.
The Send-off:
Ryan - I knew the answer was Ryan before anyone spoke a word. She’s gotten a pass before because the judges knew she had more to offer, but this week did not give any evidence of her additional capability. It kills me because I desperately wanted her to make the Top 10, but at least she made it on the show this year, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of watching her.
Alexander – While I was mostly relieved, I admitted a twinge of guilt because I thought his performance last night was one of his best, and I didn’t see the same problems in his ballet that Nigel did. Still, even if his ballet had been brilliant, it isn’t excelling in your own style that counts at this point in the competition, and he’s way behind most of the other guys. It was his time.
So, although it’s heartbreaking for me to see Ryan go, I can’t argue with either call this week. I do hope we’ll see her again in other things in the future, because she is wonderful to watch.
Here’s your Top 10 America – hang on to your hats, ‘cause HERE WE GO!!!
Caitlynn
Clarice
Jess
Jordan
Marko
Melanie
Mitchell
Ricky
Sasha
Tadd
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Top 12 Perform
The good news is, each couple got two opportunities to impress us. The bad news is, even that wasn’t enough to help some of them. With 12 dances to review, let’s cut right to the chase:
1. Sasha & Alexander – paso doble, Tony & Melanie – WELL. I am not sure, even after listening to the judges, that I have entirely decided what I think about this dance. Pluses: Sasha was FIERCE. It definitely demonstrated her strength. Cons: It made Alexander look a little…less strong. The absence of any femininity in this made it look almost like two men dancing, which is fine, except that that fact then made the choreography look a little weird to me. They missed a few little things here and there, and yet it was well danced, all in all. I’m not sure Alexander had quite enough character coming through, but next to Sasha Fierce (yes, I know that one’s already been claimed by Beyonce, but I’m sorry, it fits) he just wasn’t all that convincing as a badass. I’m a little more “meh” than the judges, but maybe they figured that dissing these two only increased the votes last week, so they may as well talk them up this week as an alternative strategy to get rid of Alexander. Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part.
2. Jordan & Tadd – jazz, Travis Wall – Um, it’s Travis, so DUH, of course I liked the routine. And it was well done by these two too. Tadd continues to impress with his well-beyond-the-B-boy skills, and thank you Travis for giving Jordan all of those [whatever the French ballet term is for vertical splits], which I never get tired of seeing (even though I agree that she’ll need to do other stuff in her solos if she’s to stay). It was compelling and interesting, and well “acted” as well as danced. Thank you, Travis, Jordan, and Tadd!
3. Ryan & Ricky – Broadway, Spencer Liff – I’m sorry to have to say it again, I really am, but I am not Spencer Liff’s biggest fan. Now, while I didn’t hate this number, I also didn’t think it gave the dancers a lot to work with. I think Ryan & Ricky did well with what they were given, but unfortunately, I don’t think they were given much. I am not with Jessie and Sonya; I don’t think it was that they didn’t try or execute it well. Nigel might have something in that they didn’t quite get the style, but again, when you don’t really have a lot of great choreography to work with, it’s hard to get in the groove. I think Ricky may have tried a little too hard to bring himself down to a cool-cat from a cheerleader, and Ryan was in a character that I think restrained her a little too much. Maybe I just really want to blame Spencer, but while I agree that the number failed to impress, I don’t think it was the dancers’ fault. Unfortunately, I don’t think that fact is going to help them coming voting time.
4. Caitlynn & Mitchell – hip-hop, Chris Scott - Two things: 1) I was totally distracted by Caitlynn’s hair, dunno why; and 2) Mitchell needed to clean that up a LOT to be effective. That’s part of what Sonya was seeing in the “lack of unison,” but overall, he just didn’t snap into place the way a hip-hop should; he wasn’t down in it, he wasn’t clean with it, and he didn’t feel like he was there emotionally. I thought Caitlynn made a better-than-average effort, but she couldn’t carry it alone. Had Mitchell been better, I think it would in turn have made her look better, but he didn’t. It just didn’t quite work, and I’m gonna hang this one on Mitchell.
5. Melanie & Marko – tango, Louie van Amstel – I think this was very understated choreography that ultimately made for a really good tango. I was initially afraid that it was going to be dull and unchallenging, but it picked up speed—and interest—as it went. Started to love it at the point Melanie’s foot went off the stage, and had a jaw-drop moment with that final flip. I thought this looked like a professional ballroom routine, and they nailed it, in my opinion. Do I understand Mary’s critiques? Yes (inasmuch as I understood any of the terms she was tossing around). Do I agree? Well, I’m not really a judge of that stuff, but for me, it was awesome. I’m with Nigel, Jessie, and Sonya here – even though they were clearly challenged by the routine, I thought they did a terrific job with it.
6. Clarice & Jess – lyrical hip-hop, Chris Scott - Finally, I thought Clarice lived up to Jess’s performance (and I don’t just mean dance, I mean character and all). Jess nailed the character, but that isn’t really surprising; what was surprising to me, was how convincingly he did the hip-hop, Bboy moves. He looked “street” and that made the charisma of the routine. Clarice, meanwhile, managed to beautifully balance her broad smile and the shyness of the character, and the dancing was terrific. I thought Nigel had a great point – it was simple, in a good way. I sure hope America agrees, because that was one of my favorite of their duets.
7. Sasha & Alexander – jazz, Tyce DiOrio – A little sloppy - that’s kinda what I walked away with. Which is unfortunate, because I think the routine had some great elements, and some great dancing - and I LOVED the song for this dance. BUT, there were some misses, and not just the big one at the end. There were a few little things – he bonked her on the head at the beginning, there were some slightly missed connections…and yet, it was great choreography (like I said, Tyce is up or down for me, and this was two thumbs up and then some), and for once, I actually thought Alexander gave it his all, enough to keep up with Sasha. Mary was right that they (not just Alexander) just kind of let go, which was what this dance required. And yet although I think there was a lot to like about this dance, I’m somehow left with the sense that something was just a little off. We’ll see what America thinks, but if last week’s Natalia-driven vote campaign is any indicator, it won’t matter one iota how this dance was perceived.
8. Jordan & Tadd - jazz, Spencer Liff – I won’t even bother to say it. I’m just sorry Jordan and Tadd had to suffer through it. The choreography stank, it didn’t show off either of their talents (that’s "either of the two people," not an implication that they only have two talents), and the choice to use the Broadway version of that song rather than the movie version was just the final nail in the coffin - it's slower, louder, and less polished - which was sort of how it made the whole number feel. Again, I don’t blame the couple. No, they didn’t really lift it up out of the doldrums, but some deadbeats can be resurrected. I hope Jessie’s right that this will be balanced by the hungry vulture dance, but who knows. It was pretty awful (sorry you two, because I looooove you as dancers, and thought you were dealt a complete injustice!).
Let me pause for this public service plea: PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE, Nigel, stop having Spencer Liff choreograph for this show! At least for the competitive numbers (I don’t care who does the group numbers, when nothing is at stake but two minutes of my attention), please stop the madness. It’s not fair to the couples who get stuck with him, and it’s painful for the viewing audience to watch. I have yet to be impressed by a single routine this guy has done – in EIGHT SEASONS – so let’s call this an experiment that didn’t work, and put it to rest. Thank you.
9. Ryan & Ricky – cha-cha, Louie van Amstel – I liked it. But I don’t think it’s going to redeem them from their first dance, unfortunately. I think Nigel was right that it was a little lacking as it went on, and I think my husband was right that Ryan’s hips weren’t kickin’ it the way they needed to be. I’m not sure I was quite in love with Ricky’s performance though. Maybe it’s knowing he’s a tall, skinny, cheerleader, but no matter how well he moves, I have a little trouble picking him up as fiery hotness. I liked it better than the judges, but it wasn’t a life-saver, and unfortunately, it needed to be. I am SO bummed about that, because I really wanted to see Ryan in the top 10, but it’s going to take a voting miracle to keep her this week, I fear.
10. Caitlynn & Mitchell – contemporary, Travis Wall – Okay, let me start by saying that I wanted to like this one more than I think I did. Now it was good, don’t get me wrong; it was good choreography, it was good character acting (mostly), and it was enjoyable to watch. While I think the song evoked the right spirit, I think it was also a smidge slow for the yowza effect they were seeking. And I am 100% with Sonya and Nigel that Mitchell was just…missing something. I do think there was some wow to it, and yet I think maybe Nigel hit what I couldn’t quite finger when he said that they should’ve focused only on each other and not included the audience. While that was technically a note for Travis, there was some value in it for me understanding why I didn’t buy into it quite as wholly as I wanted.
11. Melanie & Marko – contemporary, Dee Kaspary – That was an emotionally complex piece, at least for me. It wasn’t quite tear-inducing, but it definitely evoked strong emotions. I was frustrated for Melanie (the character), and that Marko (the character) wouldn’t get with the program. I was angry and sad and irritated and confused, all in the way the dance was supposed to make me, I think. It was a great dance, and yet not in the conventional way. Oh sure, the choreography was good and the music appropriate and the dancing great, but…it was still different. Like Nigel said, it was a story that was told that almost didn’t feel danced. I truly loved it, and not in an over-the-top fan way so much as in a really-connected-with-it way.
12. Clarice & Jess – jive, Tony & Melanie – Okay first: I loved the dance. Second: I don’t know what dance Mary watched, but I thought Jess danced it 200% better than Clarice, so much so that there was a point early in the dance where I actually thought to myself, “What’s wrong with Clarice?” So after that I focused on Clarice’s moves, and I can’t actually say that she missed anything, but I just had the impression that she looked…I dunno…tired? My husband disagreed, and after all the judges' commentary, I went back and watched it again. I still think it looked slow, but maybe Nigel's point about discomfort with the lifts is what's behind what I was seeing - maybe Clarice is projecting a little uncertainty about the lifts and Jess' ability to pull them off. Not really sure. Funnily enough, Nigel and Mary saw a lack of energy too, but they blame Jess, while I saw it as Clarice. I thought Jess was in it – he was down, his kicks were smooth, and unlike Mary, I thought he had the animation. Clarice, on the other hand, looked like a moving mannequin to me, smile glued on, all moves executed, but with zero flair. Guess some things are in the interpretation.
So who ends up in the bottom? Unfortunately, I think Ryan & Ricky are this week’s no-brainer, and I hate that. As for who joins them…frankly, I don’t think any single couple had two perfectly stellar routines tonight, although Melanie & Marko came pretty darn close (and they are sweethearts of the show, so I’d be really surprised to find them in Bottomland). Anything is possible this week, and that’s interesting considering it matters more tonight than ever since this elimination gives us our magic Top 10. Who are you voting for, America?
1. Sasha & Alexander – paso doble, Tony & Melanie – WELL. I am not sure, even after listening to the judges, that I have entirely decided what I think about this dance. Pluses: Sasha was FIERCE. It definitely demonstrated her strength. Cons: It made Alexander look a little…less strong. The absence of any femininity in this made it look almost like two men dancing, which is fine, except that that fact then made the choreography look a little weird to me. They missed a few little things here and there, and yet it was well danced, all in all. I’m not sure Alexander had quite enough character coming through, but next to Sasha Fierce (yes, I know that one’s already been claimed by Beyonce, but I’m sorry, it fits) he just wasn’t all that convincing as a badass. I’m a little more “meh” than the judges, but maybe they figured that dissing these two only increased the votes last week, so they may as well talk them up this week as an alternative strategy to get rid of Alexander. Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part.
2. Jordan & Tadd – jazz, Travis Wall – Um, it’s Travis, so DUH, of course I liked the routine. And it was well done by these two too. Tadd continues to impress with his well-beyond-the-B-boy skills, and thank you Travis for giving Jordan all of those [whatever the French ballet term is for vertical splits], which I never get tired of seeing (even though I agree that she’ll need to do other stuff in her solos if she’s to stay). It was compelling and interesting, and well “acted” as well as danced. Thank you, Travis, Jordan, and Tadd!
3. Ryan & Ricky – Broadway, Spencer Liff – I’m sorry to have to say it again, I really am, but I am not Spencer Liff’s biggest fan. Now, while I didn’t hate this number, I also didn’t think it gave the dancers a lot to work with. I think Ryan & Ricky did well with what they were given, but unfortunately, I don’t think they were given much. I am not with Jessie and Sonya; I don’t think it was that they didn’t try or execute it well. Nigel might have something in that they didn’t quite get the style, but again, when you don’t really have a lot of great choreography to work with, it’s hard to get in the groove. I think Ricky may have tried a little too hard to bring himself down to a cool-cat from a cheerleader, and Ryan was in a character that I think restrained her a little too much. Maybe I just really want to blame Spencer, but while I agree that the number failed to impress, I don’t think it was the dancers’ fault. Unfortunately, I don’t think that fact is going to help them coming voting time.
4. Caitlynn & Mitchell – hip-hop, Chris Scott - Two things: 1) I was totally distracted by Caitlynn’s hair, dunno why; and 2) Mitchell needed to clean that up a LOT to be effective. That’s part of what Sonya was seeing in the “lack of unison,” but overall, he just didn’t snap into place the way a hip-hop should; he wasn’t down in it, he wasn’t clean with it, and he didn’t feel like he was there emotionally. I thought Caitlynn made a better-than-average effort, but she couldn’t carry it alone. Had Mitchell been better, I think it would in turn have made her look better, but he didn’t. It just didn’t quite work, and I’m gonna hang this one on Mitchell.
5. Melanie & Marko – tango, Louie van Amstel – I think this was very understated choreography that ultimately made for a really good tango. I was initially afraid that it was going to be dull and unchallenging, but it picked up speed—and interest—as it went. Started to love it at the point Melanie’s foot went off the stage, and had a jaw-drop moment with that final flip. I thought this looked like a professional ballroom routine, and they nailed it, in my opinion. Do I understand Mary’s critiques? Yes (inasmuch as I understood any of the terms she was tossing around). Do I agree? Well, I’m not really a judge of that stuff, but for me, it was awesome. I’m with Nigel, Jessie, and Sonya here – even though they were clearly challenged by the routine, I thought they did a terrific job with it.
6. Clarice & Jess – lyrical hip-hop, Chris Scott - Finally, I thought Clarice lived up to Jess’s performance (and I don’t just mean dance, I mean character and all). Jess nailed the character, but that isn’t really surprising; what was surprising to me, was how convincingly he did the hip-hop, Bboy moves. He looked “street” and that made the charisma of the routine. Clarice, meanwhile, managed to beautifully balance her broad smile and the shyness of the character, and the dancing was terrific. I thought Nigel had a great point – it was simple, in a good way. I sure hope America agrees, because that was one of my favorite of their duets.
7. Sasha & Alexander – jazz, Tyce DiOrio – A little sloppy - that’s kinda what I walked away with. Which is unfortunate, because I think the routine had some great elements, and some great dancing - and I LOVED the song for this dance. BUT, there were some misses, and not just the big one at the end. There were a few little things – he bonked her on the head at the beginning, there were some slightly missed connections…and yet, it was great choreography (like I said, Tyce is up or down for me, and this was two thumbs up and then some), and for once, I actually thought Alexander gave it his all, enough to keep up with Sasha. Mary was right that they (not just Alexander) just kind of let go, which was what this dance required. And yet although I think there was a lot to like about this dance, I’m somehow left with the sense that something was just a little off. We’ll see what America thinks, but if last week’s Natalia-driven vote campaign is any indicator, it won’t matter one iota how this dance was perceived.
8. Jordan & Tadd - jazz, Spencer Liff – I won’t even bother to say it. I’m just sorry Jordan and Tadd had to suffer through it. The choreography stank, it didn’t show off either of their talents (that’s "either of the two people," not an implication that they only have two talents), and the choice to use the Broadway version of that song rather than the movie version was just the final nail in the coffin - it's slower, louder, and less polished - which was sort of how it made the whole number feel. Again, I don’t blame the couple. No, they didn’t really lift it up out of the doldrums, but some deadbeats can be resurrected. I hope Jessie’s right that this will be balanced by the hungry vulture dance, but who knows. It was pretty awful (sorry you two, because I looooove you as dancers, and thought you were dealt a complete injustice!).
Let me pause for this public service plea: PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE, Nigel, stop having Spencer Liff choreograph for this show! At least for the competitive numbers (I don’t care who does the group numbers, when nothing is at stake but two minutes of my attention), please stop the madness. It’s not fair to the couples who get stuck with him, and it’s painful for the viewing audience to watch. I have yet to be impressed by a single routine this guy has done – in EIGHT SEASONS – so let’s call this an experiment that didn’t work, and put it to rest. Thank you.
9. Ryan & Ricky – cha-cha, Louie van Amstel – I liked it. But I don’t think it’s going to redeem them from their first dance, unfortunately. I think Nigel was right that it was a little lacking as it went on, and I think my husband was right that Ryan’s hips weren’t kickin’ it the way they needed to be. I’m not sure I was quite in love with Ricky’s performance though. Maybe it’s knowing he’s a tall, skinny, cheerleader, but no matter how well he moves, I have a little trouble picking him up as fiery hotness. I liked it better than the judges, but it wasn’t a life-saver, and unfortunately, it needed to be. I am SO bummed about that, because I really wanted to see Ryan in the top 10, but it’s going to take a voting miracle to keep her this week, I fear.
10. Caitlynn & Mitchell – contemporary, Travis Wall – Okay, let me start by saying that I wanted to like this one more than I think I did. Now it was good, don’t get me wrong; it was good choreography, it was good character acting (mostly), and it was enjoyable to watch. While I think the song evoked the right spirit, I think it was also a smidge slow for the yowza effect they were seeking. And I am 100% with Sonya and Nigel that Mitchell was just…missing something. I do think there was some wow to it, and yet I think maybe Nigel hit what I couldn’t quite finger when he said that they should’ve focused only on each other and not included the audience. While that was technically a note for Travis, there was some value in it for me understanding why I didn’t buy into it quite as wholly as I wanted.
11. Melanie & Marko – contemporary, Dee Kaspary – That was an emotionally complex piece, at least for me. It wasn’t quite tear-inducing, but it definitely evoked strong emotions. I was frustrated for Melanie (the character), and that Marko (the character) wouldn’t get with the program. I was angry and sad and irritated and confused, all in the way the dance was supposed to make me, I think. It was a great dance, and yet not in the conventional way. Oh sure, the choreography was good and the music appropriate and the dancing great, but…it was still different. Like Nigel said, it was a story that was told that almost didn’t feel danced. I truly loved it, and not in an over-the-top fan way so much as in a really-connected-with-it way.
12. Clarice & Jess – jive, Tony & Melanie – Okay first: I loved the dance. Second: I don’t know what dance Mary watched, but I thought Jess danced it 200% better than Clarice, so much so that there was a point early in the dance where I actually thought to myself, “What’s wrong with Clarice?” So after that I focused on Clarice’s moves, and I can’t actually say that she missed anything, but I just had the impression that she looked…I dunno…tired? My husband disagreed, and after all the judges' commentary, I went back and watched it again. I still think it looked slow, but maybe Nigel's point about discomfort with the lifts is what's behind what I was seeing - maybe Clarice is projecting a little uncertainty about the lifts and Jess' ability to pull them off. Not really sure. Funnily enough, Nigel and Mary saw a lack of energy too, but they blame Jess, while I saw it as Clarice. I thought Jess was in it – he was down, his kicks were smooth, and unlike Mary, I thought he had the animation. Clarice, on the other hand, looked like a moving mannequin to me, smile glued on, all moves executed, but with zero flair. Guess some things are in the interpretation.
So who ends up in the bottom? Unfortunately, I think Ryan & Ricky are this week’s no-brainer, and I hate that. As for who joins them…frankly, I don’t think any single couple had two perfectly stellar routines tonight, although Melanie & Marko came pretty darn close (and they are sweethearts of the show, so I’d be really surprised to find them in Bottomland). Anything is possible this week, and that’s interesting considering it matters more tonight than ever since this elimination gives us our magic Top 10. Who are you voting for, America?
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Top 14 Results - SPOILER ALERT!!!
Well, it's getting tougher to let people go, but I'll cop to being relieved that tonight's outcome was what it was. In one case, it was definitively the right call; in the other, it was the least of three terrible evils. Let's break it down:
Opening routine – Bollywood, Nakul Dev Mahajan
Bollywood! My husband is completely enamored of Bollywood dances, so he was in heaven. Other than questioning the rather American facial expressions (I just don’t see the same kinds of “Yeah, baby!” faces on actual Indian Bollywood dancers), I really enjoyed it as well.
By the way: Hmm…no return appearance from Carmen Electra? And no explanation? Huh…SHOCKER.
The Bottom Three couples:
I was more than a little nervous when the first two couples called onstage were Caitlynn & Mitchell and Melanie & Marko. Surely they were just teasing us, right? YES, thank God, but that’s just SO not funny!!! <*angry face*> But even though those two couples were definitely the reigning favorites to get through, it doesn’t exactly leave a boatload of good choices for who WOULD be in the bottom.
Now, Ashley & Chris were no surprise. Unfortunately, their dance just wasn’t near the caliber of the others. Again. And there you go - not much else to say.
I was not happy though to realize that either Jordan & Tadd or Clarice & Jess would have to be there with them (otherwise the remaining two couples would necessarily have been, and then there would’ve been no point in talking to them…). Neither deserved it, but again, somebody had to be there. I admit I was a little surprised it was Jordan & Tadd, but maybe people felt Clarice & Jess needed their support more...? Or, for all we know, they were separated by a minimal number of votes. In any case, it sucked to find them there, and all I could do was hope their solos would save them.
Then it came to the last two couples – Sasha & Alexander and Ryan & Ricky. Based on the judges’ comments last night, Sasha & Alexander were the no-brainer to be in the bottom, right? Yeah, well, that’s what I thought until I saw the outpouring of support for them, just in the Twitterverse alone. I really went into tonight not sure at all, and sure enough, people came out for the underdogs. At least I wasn’t completely dumbfounded when it turned out to be Ryan & Ricky in the bottom. Horrified, yes, but not surprised.
Solos:
Ashley - she needed to bring it tonight. I’m still not sure how she survived over Miranda last week, but it would've had to have been exceptional tonight to beat Jordan & Ryan. Did she do it? Not in my opinion. Too much voguing, not enough strength or emotion.
Chris – I think he was incredible in his style. Was it enough to beat Ricky and Tadd? Yes - if solos were the only determinant.
Jordan – Um yeah, can I have those leg extensions of hers? Just for like, 5 minutes, so I can know how it feels? *sigh*
Tadd – a lot of impressive tricks, and good musicality, but was it enough? Tough call between him and Chris. It’s possible that Chris’ solo could beat Tadd’s, but it’s also possible Chris’ partner dance last night could be the death knell.
Ryan – There may not have been a lot of difficult moves (at least until the last five seconds), but she danced with more passion than all of Ashley’s dances put together.
Ricky – Oh, the control, the flexibility, the spins! Is he my favorite guy dancer? Frankly, no. Did his solo outdo the other guys’? I don’t know that it did. But do I enjoy watching him dance? Heck yeah. Will that be enough for him to make it through? Tonight, I honestly don’t know.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Girls: Ashley - Absolutely the right call, and I think Ashley knew it. She's a great dancer, but she isn't the greatest among that particular lineup of strong women dancers. Meanwhile, I appreciated Nigel’s note to Jordan: while I could watch her do those (however you spell that French term for those vertical splits she does) all night long, it isn’t enough to just whip those out every time she finds herself dancing a solo. And she needs to keep in mind that she has had to dance a solo more than once so far – eventually, that’ll bite her on the butt, so her solos had better rock the house.
Guys: Chris - There was no right answer here, even tonight, in my opinion, but I can’t argue with the logic of why it was ultimately Chris. While I think his solo was arguably the best tonight, his duets have not always been – and you can’t really say that about Tadd and Ricky. I would’ve hated to see their seasons come down to a single solo, and so with that in mind, I think it was a good call – if totally sucky from the perspective that none of those guys really deserved to be there. (Alexander, I’m giving you the evil eye here: step up your game! You got an 11th hour reprieve tonight, and Sasha's dancing and her sister’s internet campaign cannot carry you forever. You better make us glad you stayed and not Chris!)
So, I breathe a sigh of relief that this week is over, and focus on THE TOP 12!
Opening routine – Bollywood, Nakul Dev Mahajan
Bollywood! My husband is completely enamored of Bollywood dances, so he was in heaven. Other than questioning the rather American facial expressions (I just don’t see the same kinds of “Yeah, baby!” faces on actual Indian Bollywood dancers), I really enjoyed it as well.
By the way: Hmm…no return appearance from Carmen Electra? And no explanation? Huh…SHOCKER.
The Bottom Three couples:
I was more than a little nervous when the first two couples called onstage were Caitlynn & Mitchell and Melanie & Marko. Surely they were just teasing us, right? YES, thank God, but that’s just SO not funny!!! <*angry face*> But even though those two couples were definitely the reigning favorites to get through, it doesn’t exactly leave a boatload of good choices for who WOULD be in the bottom.
Now, Ashley & Chris were no surprise. Unfortunately, their dance just wasn’t near the caliber of the others. Again. And there you go - not much else to say.
I was not happy though to realize that either Jordan & Tadd or Clarice & Jess would have to be there with them (otherwise the remaining two couples would necessarily have been, and then there would’ve been no point in talking to them…). Neither deserved it, but again, somebody had to be there. I admit I was a little surprised it was Jordan & Tadd, but maybe people felt Clarice & Jess needed their support more...? Or, for all we know, they were separated by a minimal number of votes. In any case, it sucked to find them there, and all I could do was hope their solos would save them.
Then it came to the last two couples – Sasha & Alexander and Ryan & Ricky. Based on the judges’ comments last night, Sasha & Alexander were the no-brainer to be in the bottom, right? Yeah, well, that’s what I thought until I saw the outpouring of support for them, just in the Twitterverse alone. I really went into tonight not sure at all, and sure enough, people came out for the underdogs. At least I wasn’t completely dumbfounded when it turned out to be Ryan & Ricky in the bottom. Horrified, yes, but not surprised.
Solos:
Ashley - she needed to bring it tonight. I’m still not sure how she survived over Miranda last week, but it would've had to have been exceptional tonight to beat Jordan & Ryan. Did she do it? Not in my opinion. Too much voguing, not enough strength or emotion.
Chris – I think he was incredible in his style. Was it enough to beat Ricky and Tadd? Yes - if solos were the only determinant.
Jordan – Um yeah, can I have those leg extensions of hers? Just for like, 5 minutes, so I can know how it feels? *sigh*
Tadd – a lot of impressive tricks, and good musicality, but was it enough? Tough call between him and Chris. It’s possible that Chris’ solo could beat Tadd’s, but it’s also possible Chris’ partner dance last night could be the death knell.
Ryan – There may not have been a lot of difficult moves (at least until the last five seconds), but she danced with more passion than all of Ashley’s dances put together.
Ricky – Oh, the control, the flexibility, the spins! Is he my favorite guy dancer? Frankly, no. Did his solo outdo the other guys’? I don’t know that it did. But do I enjoy watching him dance? Heck yeah. Will that be enough for him to make it through? Tonight, I honestly don’t know.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Girls: Ashley - Absolutely the right call, and I think Ashley knew it. She's a great dancer, but she isn't the greatest among that particular lineup of strong women dancers. Meanwhile, I appreciated Nigel’s note to Jordan: while I could watch her do those (however you spell that French term for those vertical splits she does) all night long, it isn’t enough to just whip those out every time she finds herself dancing a solo. And she needs to keep in mind that she has had to dance a solo more than once so far – eventually, that’ll bite her on the butt, so her solos had better rock the house.
Guys: Chris - There was no right answer here, even tonight, in my opinion, but I can’t argue with the logic of why it was ultimately Chris. While I think his solo was arguably the best tonight, his duets have not always been – and you can’t really say that about Tadd and Ricky. I would’ve hated to see their seasons come down to a single solo, and so with that in mind, I think it was a good call – if totally sucky from the perspective that none of those guys really deserved to be there. (Alexander, I’m giving you the evil eye here: step up your game! You got an 11th hour reprieve tonight, and Sasha's dancing and her sister’s internet campaign cannot carry you forever. You better make us glad you stayed and not Chris!)
So, I breathe a sigh of relief that this week is over, and focus on THE TOP 12!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Top 14 Perform
I absolutely have to start with this: I LOVE TRAVIS WALL! His tweet upon hearing the news that he would be a guest judge was downright hilarious, and I was tickled that he was just as excited as we were to see him judge. Way to make good, Trav! Meanwhile: who slipped the extra Xanax into Carmen Electra’s water? Helllloooo…are you in there? I understand being caught a little off guard or not having all the technical language of the other judges, but holy vapidness, Batman. The best comment I saw on Facebook about Travis v. Carmen as judge was, "could someone please blow in Carmen's ear...she needs a refill." But let's get on to the dancing...
First group dance: Justin Giles, contemporary – Top 7 guys
I can’t remember who was which stage of grief, but I know I liked the dance. Poor Chris had to fight that darn uber-hoodie, but otherwise, it was great!
Melanie & Marko – Ray Leeper, jazz
One word: Awesome. It’s great to see them do different things each week, and yet as different as this was, it was almost like the dark flipside of last week’s routine. Although he was wound tight as a top, I more or less agreed with everything Travis said--right down to the [kiss of death] favoriteness of Melanie. Meanwhile, my husband was practically chanting “Characters! Characters!” because he was so impressed by how well they portrayed the characters they were given. Nigel summed that aspect up well – “technique matches [their] performance.” Well done, M&M - again.
A pause for our Quote of the Night, courtesy of Hostess with the Mostest, Cat Deeley:
“He didn’t inhale, Nigel!” (Explaining how Marko's dress-up-as-a-woman initiation to the cruise ship drag show was not, in fact, in conflict with his insistence that he was not, in fact, the drag queen. Maybe you had to be there.)
Sasha & Alexander – Shaun Evaristo, hip-hop
First of all: 40 lashes with a wet noodle for Alexander not knowing the shows his dad was on – Barney Miller, TJ Hooker, Hill Street Blues. REALLY??? I know I’m a mite bit older than these kids, but SHEESH. Anyway, back to the dance: I liked it. It wasn't the most brilliant choreography, but it was a good dance. I wasn’t as down on it as the judges, but then again, I can’t wholeheartedly disagree with them either. I think Alexander moved like a ballet dancer doing hip-hop, which in a way fit the almost swag-less character, but ultimately is what I think did him in with the judges. I was a little surprised Mary was harsh on both of them, because I thought Sasha did well, but…I will grant that there wasn’t a lot of depth to the characters, even from her. I think Travis did it the most justice, picking out the very specific technical things, and diplomatically “liking” it, with a smile.
Jordan & Tadd – Toni Redpath, waltz
I don’t know about the technical aspects of the dance, but I was completely in another world watching Jordan, convincing me wholeheartedly that she was a sea siren sucking Tadd into his death. She was positively bewitching! I was a little less convinced by Tadd, but about halfway through I saw it coming out a little better in him. Was he a little too concentrated on his steps? Maybe. But on the whole, since I was pretty much riveted to Jordan anyway, I was totally sold. Actually, the more I think about it, I frankly don’t care a hoot how they did technically, because I loved this dance, and for me to say that about a waltz is really saying something.
Clarice & Jess – Justin Giles, contemporary
I liked this! It was almost a blend of contemporary and hip-hop, in its hard-hitting-ness. I agree with Travis that this was their best routine of the season, and that their chemistry tonight was very real and noticeable. I was able to forget Jess’ goofiness, and see something other than Clarice’s legs. I was totally impressed by them, and I’m glad the judges agreed.
Ashley & Chris – Liz Lira, salsa
Well, they did better than I thought they would, and I liked it better than I thought I would…but those bars were set pretty low. I honestly waited for a little judge feedback on this one, because I knew what I thought, but I wasn’t entirely sold on whether or not I was right. Unfortunately for A&C, I was apparently right. Lifts? Good. Sexy? Meh. Chemistry? Meh. Technical proficiency? Needed some work. It wasn’t YOWZA, which a great salsa should be. They didn’t sell it, and that’s half the battle – we’ve certainly seen our share of dances that were mediocre at best but got great reviews because the dancers performed it well. This was not one of those dances.
Ryan & Ricky – Chucky Klapow, jazz
Well, while that wasn’t necessarily my thing (and as a sidenote, come on choreographers, we’ve been there, done that on the zombie thing!), they ROCKED it. I loved watching Ryan’s face because she was so invested in her character, and watching Ricky’s body move – those spins, that backbend…DAYUM. I agree with Mary: although I’m over the zombie thing, Ryan really threw herself into it heart and soul, and it worked. I did have a moment where I thought Ricky’s fringes were overwhelming him, but it was a flash, and then it passed. Did it put me in the mind of Rama Lama? Yes. As awesome as Rama Lama—which is my very favorite routine EVER from this show? Well, let’s just say it was really good, and leave it at that. ;)
Caitlynn & Mitchell – Mandy Moore, contemporary
That. Was. Beautiful. That dance was joyful and exuberant, and I actually believed for a few minutes that Mitchell was not a total goofball! (It was also the first time this season I loved a Mandy Moore number - thank you, Mandy!) Caitlynn positively flies through the air, with all the certainty in the world that Mitchell will catch her, and it’s just breathtaking to watch. It was hard not to be swept up in that, even though it really wasn’t that technically spectacular until the last part of the routine. Caitlynn's perfectly straight, white-toothed smile could melt an igloo, and it fueled the whole feel of the number.
Second group routine - Ray Leeper, jazz – Top 7 girls
Loved the song, liked the routine, but I was a little surprised and admittedly, disappointed, that there was not perfect unison there. These seven women are amazing dancers, every one of them. How they could manage to be out of synch – more than once – kinda baffles me, but then again, I’m not the one that has to do it, so what do I know? It was still fun to watch.
The Bottom Line:
So who ends up in the bottom? Well, I think Ashley & Chris are no-brainers after that sub-standard salsa, which is on the heels of a few other borderline routines this season. Unfortunately, I think Sasha & Alexander will be there as well, but I would be amazed if Sasha found herself in real trouble with the judges. As for the third couple…that’s gonna be a toughie. Nobody else really deserves to be there, but remember, this isn’t about anyone being voted off, it’s about getting the most votes to stay, and the third couple in “danger” will be whoever comes in fifth out of five terrific routines in the vote-getting department. If it were anyone but Melanie & Marko, I’d say the first routine is in jeopardy because it’s the proven Death Spot. But really, Melanie & Marko? I would be surprised if anything, even the Death Spot, could put them in danger. Although I hate to say it, I have a sneaking suspicion the third couple could be Clarice & Jess, if for no other reason than that of the other five, it was probably the least spectacular or memorable, but considering how high the bar that was set, it’s a little unfair. Still, someone has to come last, and I fear it may be them. And as much as I hope I'm wrong, there's really no one else I want to see there either. I think Ashley & Chris should rightfully go home this week, so hopefully it won't matter who else is in the bottom with them. Where we go from here? Well, I'm glad I'm not on the real judging panel this season.
What did you think?
First group dance: Justin Giles, contemporary – Top 7 guys
I can’t remember who was which stage of grief, but I know I liked the dance. Poor Chris had to fight that darn uber-hoodie, but otherwise, it was great!
Melanie & Marko – Ray Leeper, jazz
One word: Awesome. It’s great to see them do different things each week, and yet as different as this was, it was almost like the dark flipside of last week’s routine. Although he was wound tight as a top, I more or less agreed with everything Travis said--right down to the [kiss of death] favoriteness of Melanie. Meanwhile, my husband was practically chanting “Characters! Characters!” because he was so impressed by how well they portrayed the characters they were given. Nigel summed that aspect up well – “technique matches [their] performance.” Well done, M&M - again.
A pause for our Quote of the Night, courtesy of Hostess with the Mostest, Cat Deeley:
“He didn’t inhale, Nigel!” (Explaining how Marko's dress-up-as-a-woman initiation to the cruise ship drag show was not, in fact, in conflict with his insistence that he was not, in fact, the drag queen. Maybe you had to be there.)
Sasha & Alexander – Shaun Evaristo, hip-hop
First of all: 40 lashes with a wet noodle for Alexander not knowing the shows his dad was on – Barney Miller, TJ Hooker, Hill Street Blues. REALLY??? I know I’m a mite bit older than these kids, but SHEESH. Anyway, back to the dance: I liked it. It wasn't the most brilliant choreography, but it was a good dance. I wasn’t as down on it as the judges, but then again, I can’t wholeheartedly disagree with them either. I think Alexander moved like a ballet dancer doing hip-hop, which in a way fit the almost swag-less character, but ultimately is what I think did him in with the judges. I was a little surprised Mary was harsh on both of them, because I thought Sasha did well, but…I will grant that there wasn’t a lot of depth to the characters, even from her. I think Travis did it the most justice, picking out the very specific technical things, and diplomatically “liking” it, with a smile.
Jordan & Tadd – Toni Redpath, waltz
I don’t know about the technical aspects of the dance, but I was completely in another world watching Jordan, convincing me wholeheartedly that she was a sea siren sucking Tadd into his death. She was positively bewitching! I was a little less convinced by Tadd, but about halfway through I saw it coming out a little better in him. Was he a little too concentrated on his steps? Maybe. But on the whole, since I was pretty much riveted to Jordan anyway, I was totally sold. Actually, the more I think about it, I frankly don’t care a hoot how they did technically, because I loved this dance, and for me to say that about a waltz is really saying something.
Clarice & Jess – Justin Giles, contemporary
I liked this! It was almost a blend of contemporary and hip-hop, in its hard-hitting-ness. I agree with Travis that this was their best routine of the season, and that their chemistry tonight was very real and noticeable. I was able to forget Jess’ goofiness, and see something other than Clarice’s legs. I was totally impressed by them, and I’m glad the judges agreed.
Ashley & Chris – Liz Lira, salsa
Well, they did better than I thought they would, and I liked it better than I thought I would…but those bars were set pretty low. I honestly waited for a little judge feedback on this one, because I knew what I thought, but I wasn’t entirely sold on whether or not I was right. Unfortunately for A&C, I was apparently right. Lifts? Good. Sexy? Meh. Chemistry? Meh. Technical proficiency? Needed some work. It wasn’t YOWZA, which a great salsa should be. They didn’t sell it, and that’s half the battle – we’ve certainly seen our share of dances that were mediocre at best but got great reviews because the dancers performed it well. This was not one of those dances.
Ryan & Ricky – Chucky Klapow, jazz
Well, while that wasn’t necessarily my thing (and as a sidenote, come on choreographers, we’ve been there, done that on the zombie thing!), they ROCKED it. I loved watching Ryan’s face because she was so invested in her character, and watching Ricky’s body move – those spins, that backbend…DAYUM. I agree with Mary: although I’m over the zombie thing, Ryan really threw herself into it heart and soul, and it worked. I did have a moment where I thought Ricky’s fringes were overwhelming him, but it was a flash, and then it passed. Did it put me in the mind of Rama Lama? Yes. As awesome as Rama Lama—which is my very favorite routine EVER from this show? Well, let’s just say it was really good, and leave it at that. ;)
Caitlynn & Mitchell – Mandy Moore, contemporary
That. Was. Beautiful. That dance was joyful and exuberant, and I actually believed for a few minutes that Mitchell was not a total goofball! (It was also the first time this season I loved a Mandy Moore number - thank you, Mandy!) Caitlynn positively flies through the air, with all the certainty in the world that Mitchell will catch her, and it’s just breathtaking to watch. It was hard not to be swept up in that, even though it really wasn’t that technically spectacular until the last part of the routine. Caitlynn's perfectly straight, white-toothed smile could melt an igloo, and it fueled the whole feel of the number.
Second group routine - Ray Leeper, jazz – Top 7 girls
Loved the song, liked the routine, but I was a little surprised and admittedly, disappointed, that there was not perfect unison there. These seven women are amazing dancers, every one of them. How they could manage to be out of synch – more than once – kinda baffles me, but then again, I’m not the one that has to do it, so what do I know? It was still fun to watch.
The Bottom Line:
So who ends up in the bottom? Well, I think Ashley & Chris are no-brainers after that sub-standard salsa, which is on the heels of a few other borderline routines this season. Unfortunately, I think Sasha & Alexander will be there as well, but I would be amazed if Sasha found herself in real trouble with the judges. As for the third couple…that’s gonna be a toughie. Nobody else really deserves to be there, but remember, this isn’t about anyone being voted off, it’s about getting the most votes to stay, and the third couple in “danger” will be whoever comes in fifth out of five terrific routines in the vote-getting department. If it were anyone but Melanie & Marko, I’d say the first routine is in jeopardy because it’s the proven Death Spot. But really, Melanie & Marko? I would be surprised if anything, even the Death Spot, could put them in danger. Although I hate to say it, I have a sneaking suspicion the third couple could be Clarice & Jess, if for no other reason than that of the other five, it was probably the least spectacular or memorable, but considering how high the bar that was set, it’s a little unfair. Still, someone has to come last, and I fear it may be them. And as much as I hope I'm wrong, there's really no one else I want to see there either. I think Ashley & Chris should rightfully go home this week, so hopefully it won't matter who else is in the bottom with them. Where we go from here? Well, I'm glad I'm not on the real judging panel this season.
What did you think?
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