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'Step It Up & Dance' takes it to the streets
It was inevitable. Step It Up & Dance has finally reached its hip hop week and with it comes some of the most awkward breakdancing ever.
Spoilers
Host Elizabeth Berkley stops in with breakfast the morning after last week's elimination. She tells the dancers that she understands what they're going through and gets a bit emotional. They hug it out before she leaves.
Dave Scott is this week's guest choreographer. He's done You Got Served and Stomp The Yard among others so when Jerry tells the dancers they'll be battling each other for their challenge, I can't say that I'm surprised. To help show them what battling is like, Rob Hoffman (lead in Step Up 2: The Streets and head lackey in You Got Served) comes out and he and Dave do a little show and tell.
Dave will teach them steps for an hour and then, when they Audition, they'll get two 8-counts to freestyle. Many of the dancers have difficulty picking up the routine because of the speed at which it's taught and because it's outside their realm of expertise. At the end of the alloted time, Jerry says that the girls will go first, then the boys, and then the freestyle. Dave will pick his favorite three as team captains for the Callback Challenge. There were a few stand-outs during the Audition but what I noticed was Tovah. She said she couldn't do hip hop but did quite well. Cody was the biggest surprise because he did some breaking and it was actually solid. Oscar was having some issues though and caught a break that he has immunity this week. Jessica also struggled but was going for it, performing one of the oddest worms I've ever seen. Big-ups to her for even being able to do the motion but...there was something off about it.
Dave's favorite three were Cody, Janelle and Miguel. As the crew captains, they'll each pick two members for their group based on drawn numbers - Janelle first, then Cody, and Miguel last. Janelle picks Mike, Cody picks Mochi (Michelle), and Miguel picks Nick. The three that are left are predictably the ones least suited for hip hop - Janelle picks Tovah, Cody picks Jessica and Miguel gets Oscar since he was left but he may have picked him anyway. As a change up, there's no winning team or elimination team to start out - they'll be battling each other that night for the win.
Each crew gets 30 minutes in the studio to rehearse. Dave lets them know that they each have to come up with two 20-second routines and freestyles, stating the more they step out of the box the better.
Jenelle's group gets the first 30 minutes. While they're rehearsing, the other two groups are gathering and coming up with the names based on their team colors. Cody's group rehearses next. Where Jenelle's team really had their stuff together at the end of their time, Cody's was a mess. Miguel's team rehearses next. They're strategy was to have as much fun as possible. I liked what they came up with.
Afterwards, they're taken to the special location where they'll be dancing. It's a warehouse with graffiti and a dance floor and...an audience. Dave Scott and Rob Hoffman are the guest judges and Elizabeth breaks the news that there'll be two losing teams, meaning 6 dancers will be on the chopping block.
Dave picks Red Everest (Jenelle's team) and BT Slam (Miguel's team) to battle first. They do one 20-count and some freestyling. Both groups did really well but for some reason the crowd liked Red Everest better so they win. I liked BT Slam's choreography better I think but it was edited funky so I couldn't really see what each team did clearly.
BT Slam gets another chance though and will battle Breakin' Blue (Cody's team). Man, that was awkward. Cody's team was freestyle challenged and Mochi and Jessica got straight up booed (especially when Jessica pulled out The Worm again). But, again, BT Slam didn't win. Sure, they were a little sloppy but...eh. Whatever.
So it's Red Everest vs. Breakin' Blue for the win. They both did great but Janelle's team was really working it. Cody was very impressive (which, he revealed, was because his mom was a dancer and had him taking classes in a little of everything including hip hop) as was Jenelle and Michael. Based on crowd reaction yet again, Red Everest wins.
Everyone comes back to the stage and the judges address the winning team first. All three get positive marks but Jenelle manages to pull out the win for immunity. It was close between her and Michael but she got the nod for excelling as a team captain and winning over the crowd.
Now the rest of the dancers are brought out. Miguel got all positive marks, Nick was told that he was holding back, they were disappointed in Mochi because they expected much more from her, Jessica was commended for going for it even though it just wasn't there, and Oscar was criticized for being too technical and not going out of his comfort zone. After a brief deliberation, Oscar, Miguel and Cody are all saved with Elizabeth letting Oscar know that if it wasn't for his immunity, he'd have been in "real trouble."
Nick, Jessica and Mochi are left on the chopping block. Mochi is saved first. Judge Vincent tells Nick that, based on just this dance, the only memorable move he did was doing a faux magic trick to produce his middle finger (which was funny). Dave tells Jessica that, yes, she went outside the box but the technical skill wasn't up to par.
As it's a bigger sin to be bad technically then to be bland, Jessica is sent home.
Next Week: We get to see which dancers have a true sense of rhythm as they take on some moves from Stomp.
If Oscar hadn't had immunity, do you think he would have been sent home instead of Jessica or was her time up regardless? Is there a front runner to win it all? I'd have to say it's between Cody and Jenelle at this point, though I wish Nick would have a break-through week.
Oscar would have totally went home tonight if he didn't have immunity. He was even worse than Jessica!
Stacy | Apr 18, 2008 8:42:55 AM | #Oscar would have totally went home tonight if he didn't have immunity. He was even worse than Jessica!
Stacy | Apr 18, 2008 8:44:19 AM | #Not so sure I'd consider Janelle a front-runner at this point. As the judges pointed out she's been wildly inconsistent, going literally from first to worst and back again. Hip-hop is in her wheelhouse, but I think she may continue to struggle with other styles.
Beth | Apr 18, 2008 9:56:35 AM | #Doesn anybody know the music that was played on the "Battle Zone" episode? I can't seem to find any information and I checked the credits at the end of the show and it didn't say. Their website doesn't say either.
Sylvia | Apr 19, 2008 9:26:31 AM | #I'm rooting for Cody, I mean come on good eye candy, but I'm so glad Nick didn't get voted off. I was scared he was when the judge said they were basing their decision solely off of the days work. I like Nick and you're right, he does need a break through week.
T | Apr 19, 2008 9:20:51 PM | #I think Michael should have definitely won this challenge. I agree with the judges that Janelle's moves were more showy tricks than actual spontaneous 'battle moves'. I think Michael showed a lot more diversity and strength in his dancing.
Topher | Apr 20, 2008 10:50:22 AM | #I want the battle music too...Who knows where its from?
Still waiting for Nick to break out that personality he exhibits in his interviews, so I was glad he didn't get the boot.
Jessica's worm was the funniest thing ever! Loved it that she did it in the real battle.
Cody ought to make it to finals, but I'd like someone else suddenly discover crossover talent. So far, Nick and Tovah have potential for me. I can't even judge Miguel b/c he annoys me so much, but I guess he has some technical skills. Oscar needs to leave, and Michael is a snore (but I did like the urination move). Janelle seems somewhat limited. If it's not hip-hop, how is she going to fare? Mochi? Eh.
Hanh (fellow Zap2it blogger) | Apr 20, 2008 3:00:50 PM | #My husband found one of the songs: "Move Shake Drop" by DJ Laz. Haven't had luck with the other one though. :)
Sylvia | May 18, 2008 1:50:00 PM | #
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