'So You Think You Can Dance': Almost halfway there
Two familiar faces and a totally new dance style highlight tonight's So You Think You Can Dance. We're just one set of eliminations away from the Top 10. Some dancers excel while others...well...sadly, not so much.
Spoilers
Following last week's triumphant pieces, Mia Michaels joins Mary and Nigel on the judging panel. And, as we're down to so few couples, we continue with two numbers a week.
1. Chelsie & Mark
Style/Choreographer/Song: Salsa/Alex Da Silva/"Fuego" by Joe Bataan
Chelsie is hot. I think this may be the first routine by Alex that hasn't gone down in flames. The lift and dismount at the end was quite impressive. I dug it overall. I think it helped immensely that Chelsie is a Ballroom dancer. Good character work from Mark, as always. Nigel commented that Mark was a little too tense but did well overall, which Mary agreed with. Mia adds that Mark didn't quite connect with his character as much as he usually does but they all thought it was danced well.
2. Comfort & Thayne
Style/Choreographer/Song: Hip Hop/Tabitha & Napoleon/"Can We Chill" by Ne-Yo
Thayne did a surprisingly good job. Contemporary dancers always have a hard time adapting but I think he did a really good job. I liked the story to it and Comfort really hit it hard. The judges thought it lacked overall chemistry but was danced well, Mia liked it the most though.
3. Jessica & Will
Style/Choreographer/Song: Contemporary/Tyce DiOrio/"Silence" from the Unfaithful soundtrack
The week off did Tyce good, though it helps that this wasn't a Broadway number. It was a very engaging piece and both danced it well (great lines). Looks like Jessica's finally got her breakthrough number and was appropriately congratulated for it. All the judges loved it and Nigel said a lot of creepy things.
4. Courtney & Gev
Style/Choreographer/Song: Cha Cha/Anya & Pasha/"Don't Stop The Music [The Wildeboys Club Mix]" by Rihanna
Gev is really good at Ballroom. The only thing he needs to do is carry his arm movements all the way through to his fingertips. Courtney did well too, I'm sure thanks in part to Gev's stellar partner skills. It was a really fun number to watch for sure. Though the technique wasn't fantastic, mostly on Gev's part, the judges were really into it and complimented them on their chemistry. And big ups to Anya & Pasha for their great choreography.
5. Kherington & Twitch
Style/Choreographer/Song: Krumping/Lil' C/"2 Buck 4 TV" by The J-Squad
I have to give it up to Kherington, she did a lot better than I thought she was going to. She hit the moves hard and popped her chest well. She was still a little too Contemporary at times and seemed to run out of steam at the end, but solid overall. Twitch was really good, as expected, though I sometimes think he was downplaying it to match his partner (especially at the end). I agree with Mary, to a degree, that this was one of the few, if not the first, to be done so successfully.
6. Katee & Joshua
Style/Choreographer/Song: Viennese Waltz/Jean-Marc Genereux/"Iris" by The Goo Goo Dolls
I liked it, it was very pretty. Joshua's technique wasn't 100-percent but he did a great job with the lifts. Katee was super good (Mia called her "a gift to dance"). The judges all agree that Joshua was a little too "bouncy" for the style but Katee was superb.
7. Chelsie & Mark
Style/Choreographer/Song: Broadway/Tyce DiOrio/"I'm A Woman" from the Original Cast Recording of Smokey Joe's Cafe
Tyce totally stole that one pin balling-Mark's-head move from Janet Jackson's "If." The choreography was better than usual and they danced the hell out of it. Mostly happy thoughts from the judges, though Mia pointed out that Mark needs to solidify/work on his technique overall.
8. Comfort & Thayne
Style/Choreographer/Song: Contemporary/Mandy Moore/"A Differnt Corner" by George Michael
It was good but not great. I think Thayne was giving more than Comfort, who's technique wasn't consistent but still made some great lines. It was good choreography and they danced it fine, there just wasn't the level of emoting that I'd have wanted from them both. Mia was the only one who gave Thayne good marks but they all felt the same as I did.
9. Jessica & Will
Style/Choreographer/Song: Quickstep/Tony Meredith & Melanie LaPatin/"Bandstand Boogie" by Barry Manilow
Tony & Melanie put a great concept on the floor. It had personality but it wasn't great execution, which we've all come to expect from the Quickstep. Mary hates Will's jacket in terms of the dancing (the way it bunched up ruined some of his lines) and said something about the Fashion Police, ironic considering the lacy, bejeweled Dynasty dress she's wearing. No love from the judges with Mia straight-up saying Will needs a new partner.
10. Courtney & Gev
Style/Choreographer/Song: Jazz/Mandy Moore/"Standing There" by The Creatures
The theme is two people trying to find their way around a jungle. It was fun, had a lot of energy, and was full of really interesting little moments. They danced it really well. Nigel thought it was cotton candy, fluffy not much substance, but Mia and Mary disagreed and really liked it.
11. Kherington & Twitch
Style/Choreographer/Song: Smooth Tango/Jean-Marc Genereux/"Assassin's Tango" from the Mr. & Mrs. Smith soundtrack
This fell a little flat, especially in comparison to the Krumping number. It wasn't awful, it just wasn't great. The steps were there but there wasn't nearly enough emoting. A general feeling of blah from the judges.
12. Katee & Joshua
Style/Choreographer/Song: Bollywood/Nakul Dev Mahajan/ "Dhoom Taana" from the Om Shanti Om soundtrack
This...was so cool. I've always loved this style because the dancing is so full of life and light (I hope this is the group dance style tomorrow). I think they did a fantastic job and so did the judges.
Favorite Numbers: Absolutely Katee & Joshua's Bollywood number, surprisingly Jessica & Will's Contemporary, and Courtney & Gev's Jazz piece.
Stand-out Individuals: Kherington for Krumping so hard, Thayne for being as good at the Hip Hop number as he was, and Jessica for finally delivering during the Contemporary piece.
Disappointments: Oh, Comfort. I like you so much and you're falling flat. After doing so good in the first number, the Quickstep brought Jessica back down like an anchor.
What were your favorites? I think they should always have a World Dance number. Did you dig it as much as I did? Any other thoughts/comments/questions? Also, can someone please hose down Nigel?
I absolutely loved the Bollywood number, and I really think they should keep adding world dances.
The biggest disappointment for me was Mia's comment to Jessica, who I think isn't the best dancer but I don't think she's anywhere near as bad as they say she is. I don't think the comment that Will was "tired" from "carrying Jessica" since he's "carried her all the way through the competition" and that he needs a new partner was called for. Nor do I think it was constructive in any way. I think it was out of line.
As always, I loved Katee & Joshua--esp their Bollywood dance--it was off hook!! Just crazy good!! Two bad two can't win--they both deserve it--esp as a couple!! Still love Courtney & Gev, & Chelsie & Mark--they also are talented--& so cute together!! Still love Twitch, & Will is ok too!! The guys are so much stronger than the girls this year!! There are alot of good dancers this year though!! I normally have atleast one or two faves, this year I have quite a few!! Comfort really needs to go!! Just my opinion!! Wouldn't hate to see Jessica to go either!! Guys I guess only Thayne to go--tho I like him--I really really really like all the other guys--as I said this is really a great year--esp for the guys!!
I'll be really interested to see if Twitchington are in the bottom 3 tomorrow b/c they deserve to be.
I think the bottom 3 will be: Thayne/Comfort; Will/Jessica; and Courtney/Gev but I think Twitchington should be there instead of Courtney/Gev.
I'm worried that Mia might push Gev off the show should that end up being the bottom 3 rather than Thayne. We all know that Will isn't going home tomorrow regardless of who else is in the bottom 3 with him.
For the girls I think Comfort should go home but I could easily see Jessica going home especially considering the comments she gets from the judges week after week.
I beleive that Will be going home next week unless someone practically falls on their face and then it will be very interesting to see/hear the judges comments.
I like that the show tries new things and doesn't just stay in it's comfort zone. The Bollywood routine was a big success both in terms of execution and more importantly audience reaction. I also like that the show continues to give its past performers an opportunity to choreograph - this week Pasha and Anya and they've had Benji do a couple of routines in the past as well. Now if they could only find a way to get Wade Robson and Shane Sparks to do a couple of routines :)
argh, that was supposed to be 'believe' not 'beleive'.
It's people dancing, not Timmy trapped in a burning well that has an asteroid coming at it. Nothing on TV deserves that many exclamation points.
I know nothing about dance but really liked the Bollywood number.
Also, I'm getting annoyed that the judges spend at least half of their comments on the choreographers. I realize that it's really important, but the show is about the DANCING of the choreography, not the steps themselves.
Is it just me or do Lil' C. and Twitch look just alike?
The 'pin balling-Mark's-head move' that Tyce used totally made me think of Tina Landon's work on the "If" video as well. I looovved the Bollywood number too. It put a huge Thayne-like creepy grin on my face for the entire duration :-)
I think Nigel's leering and innundo-laced comments to the ladies are an attempt to hide the fact that he plays for the other team. It reminds me of the old Captain Kangaroo show where the hippo would try to hide behind the twig-like tree.
It would have been great if Jessica walked over and slapped the crap out of that lard *** Mia Michaels.
I agree with arggie. I think Jessica does a fine job especially in the contemporary last night. No one should be called out that way and Jessica should be given credit for keeping her composure while Mia slams her.
My other gripe had to do with Kherington and Twitch's routines. The Krumping was not that great and she totally ran out of steam trying to hit the moves so hard, and yet the judges said they would disregard the routine from the point where she started doing poorly. Hello! Are they going to do the same for everyone else? That seemed totally unfair and I am a Twitchington fan!