'So You Think You Can Dance': Do we really have to keep eliminating dancers?
It's my pleasure to fill in for Tamara tonight, since So You Think You Can Dance is my big new addiction this summer. Why on Earth didn't someone tell me that you don't have to like dance to love this show?! Nay, that this show would make me INTO a dance lover? Ah, well. At least I'm on board now. This week we're down to eight awesome dancers, again with new partners. Sigh...I guess the Katee/Will dream team couldn't last forever.
Our guest judge is...(drumroll please)...Tonyi Basil! (Sorry about the initial misspelling...I was too distracted by her facelift to get the name down correctly.) And yes, I am very embarrassed that I immediately recognized her as the one hit wonder singer of "Hey Mickey." And when I say "recognized," what I mean is that I recognized her name. All the work she's had done to her face makes her almost unrecognizable as an adult human, unfortunately.
1. Courtney & Will -- Dance/Choreographer/Song: Samba/Jean Marc & France/"I Fell in Love With The DJ" by Che' Nelle
It was great, and it looked like they were really having fun out there, which is nice. I have to admit, though, that I was extremely distracted by Will's mesh tank top throughout. Mary and Nigel love it, even though they admit that the technique wasn't always perfect, especially from Will.
Solo 1: Comfort -- Song: "I Got This Down" by Simian Mobile Disco
Before each solo tonight, we get to see a little clip of the dancer explaining how they got into dance, which is nice. Comfort's solo was good, although we've seen SO many Comfort solos that they all kind of blend together, don't they? I didn't like it as much as her solo last week, unfortunately...it was a bit too one-dimensional for me.
2. Katee & Twitch -- Contemporary/Mia Michaels/"Mercy" by Duffy
The story is that she's his crazy girlfriend, and he's ignoring her. They danced around a door prop, and it was exactly as awesome as you'd think. Is Katee capable of less than awesome? I think not. They really got into their characters, and the excellent dancing meshed seamlessly with their acting. The judges looove it.
Solo 2: Will -- Song: "Get Up Offa That Thing" by James Brown
Wow. This was an extremely surprising song choice, and Will was wearing an extremely horrifying wig, but he showed that he can be a crowd-pleaser and branch out from his typical style. To be honest, I'm not sure I agree with the standing ovation by the audience and judges, but I love that he took a risk and tried something new.
3. Comfort & Mark -- Hip Hop/Tabitha & Napoleon/"Party People" by Fergie feat. Nelly
They play students stuck in detention, and it's fast and badass. I'm not going to lie, I was worried for Mark when I saw that he was paired with Comfort, but they did a great job. There was one amazing move where he threw/rolled her up his front and down his back, plus a lot of smaller gestures, some of which Mark hit harder than others. Very positive comments from the judges.
Solo 3: Katee -- Song: "Taking Changes" by Celine Dion
Although my cable tried to ruin it by getting all choppy (can't handle a thunderstorm, Comcast?), what I saw was awesome. Of course. Because Katee is awesome.
4. Chelsie & Joshua -- Tango/Dmitri/"A Los Amigos" by Forever Tango (Original Cast)
It's a 20's-style tango. They danced around a chair and table, and it was super hot. How does she get her legs to move like that, yo? The lines were beautiful. Joshua did a great job keeping up with her, though it was clearly her show. Nigel agrees with me on Chelsie's legs, and calls Joshua out for having a big butt. O...kaaaay. Mary loves the chemistry and execution. Toni's crazy eyes are too distracting for me to pay attention to what she's saying. Sorry.
Solo 4: Mark -- Song: "Creator" by Santogold feat. Switch & Freq Nasty
Last week, something historic happened: I was actually moved to vote for a reality show contestant for the First Time Ever. That contestant was Mark, and I'm choosing to take complete credit for the fact that he's still here to entertain us with crazy solos like this one (maybe not his best work, but still awesome 'cause it's Mark). You're welcome.
5. Courtney & Will -- Hip Hop/Tabitha & Napoleon/"Like You'll Never See Me Again" by Alicia Keyes
They're doing slow hip hop tonight, and the theme is getting the chance to turn back time and spend another moment with someone you love. Yes, Will is a ghost, Swayze-style. Maybe because of the slightly cheesy theme, I didn't love it as much as I typically love T&N's routines, though parts of it did hit me (like when they were dancing in each other's arms). The judges totally disagree with me (as will, I expect, the rest of the universe). I guess you'll have to "cart me away and take me to the funny farm," as Mary puts it, because it was good but not outstanding for me.
Solo 5: Chelsie -- Song: "Damaged" by Danity Kane
It's very good technically, though her solos never really hit me on the emotional level that the contemporary, and often hip hop, dancers are able to reach. But it's her 19th birthday, so Go Chelsie!
6. Katee & Twitch -- Broadway/Tyce/"Sweet Georgia Brown" by Bubbling Brown Sugar (Original Broadway Cast)
Yaaay, Tyce Broadway routine! Broadway is totally my fave, y'all. Katee, as Georgia Brown, tries to seduce an unwilling Twitch (is that a theme for them tonight?). They were both great, but Katee's personality really carried the routine beyond great. Nigel and Mary love it, but Toni thinks Katee could've been a bit rougher to match the vocals.
Solo 6: Joshua -- Song: "Shawty Get Loose" by Lil Mama feat. T-Pain & Chris Brown
It was really good, but started off too slowly for my tastes. By the time he really built up some momentum and got exciting, it was over! But I love the dude, so he'd better be back next week.
Solo 7: Courtney -- Song: "Where I Stood" by Missy Higgins
She's just a beautiful dancer. And she really knows how to knock out a solo, unlike a few others tonight. Very nicely done.
Solo 8: Twitch -- Song: "Go To Work" by Kay L
Like Courtney, Twitch knows how to rock a solo. It's energizing, it's original, and it's just plain fun to watch.
7. Comfort & Mark -- Foxtrot/Jean Marc & France/"Lady Luck" by The Brian Setzer Orchestra
It's a jazzy foxtrot, with Mark as a guy down on his luck and Comfort playing Lady Luck. It was fine, but not great, and seemed a little awkward at times, even. Much as I'd love to blame Comfort, Mark was also disappointing. Sigh. It's the first (and only) routine the judges really criticize, which doesn't bode well for my beloved Mark. Why couldn't their hip hop routine have been second?
8. Chelsie & Joshua -- Disco/Doriana/"Everlasting Love" by Gloria Estefan
I really don't like disco. At all. I feel like more often than not, it just ends up looking like a parody of itself. The costumes don't help. That said, I guess this routine was pretty good. The airplane thing was nice, and they did their best to sell the whole package. Mad props to Joshua for being able to pull off all the lifts, especially. The judges were digging it.
Favorite Numbers: Katee & Twitch's Contemporary, Chelsie & Joshua's Tango, and Katee & Twitch's Broadway.
Stand-out Individuals: Katee for her consistent excellence, Twitch for his fun solo, Joshua for his willingness to wear disco pants (and ability to do those crazy lifts), and Courtney for another lovely solo. Oh, and Chelsie for her ridiculous legs.
Disappointments: I love you, Mark, but you need to Step. It. Up. I also thought Will could've done a much better solo dance-wise, rather than playing to the crowd. If I had to guess, I'd say Comfort and Mark will be heading home tomorrow.
How did you feel about tonight's numbers? Did anyone fall flat for you, or deliver beyond your expectations? Who will be heading home?
How's a girl supposed to watch a show with crazy rain and knocked out satellite?
Seriously. I missed Mark & Comfort's Hip Hop, and the Disco at the end. And Will's solo. Boooo.
Anyhow, I love love LOVE Mark, but I think he is in trouble tonight. If I had my druthers, it would be Will going home, because he just doesn't connect the same way. I was really hoping for Mark to pull Courtney as his partner this week. *Sigh* Hope he sticks around for another chance.
Comfort should be gone. The other girls are so outstanding, she can't hold a candle, though she can get the match lit occasionally...
All I can say is Comfort better be gone!! I guess Mark has to go also!! Still want either Katee, Joshua, or Twitch to win it!! Will is ok also, & I really like Courtney,& Chelsie too!! As long as Comfort doesn't win it, if she does something is terribly wrong!!
Liz, I think you are maybe out of the target demo for Will's solo. It was a dead-spot-on impression of a cl***ic James Brown performance, right down to the suit and hairstyle. And he just absolutely nailed it, thus the standing O from the judges who would have recognized it from the starting pose. Really, it was one of the two best things all night (the other being Twitch and Katee's contemporary dance).
My picks to go home are Comfort and Mark. I love Mark too, but the three other guys are better.
My favorite dances tonight were (in the order they were shown) Courtney & Will's Samba, Twitch & Katee's contemporary, and Chelsie & Joshua's Tango.
Least favorite's: Courtney & Will's Hip hop, Comfort & Mark's Foxtrot, and Chelsie & Joshua's Disco. (They were good, I just hate Disco.)
Solos: The best for me are (as per usual) Courtney, Katee, Twitch, and Mark. They always do something interesting or impressive. The worst for me (again, as usual) are Comfort and Chelsie. Chelsie is an amazing dancer, but like Comfort, doesn't really do anything with her solos. I guess, as a ballroom dancer, she's used to having a partner.
Oh, and I have to say that I love the segments with Jean Marc. He is so funny. And I (usually) love his choreography.
I think this reviewer is a lot like Mary Murphy. She apes whatever the judge in font of her said. Will and Courtney had two very weak routines, but there is a plan to have Will win, so they said it was terrific. Joshua actually fell, almost to the floor, in the disco, but they didn't even mention it. The whole Mia Michaels routine did not contain any dancing. The Comfort/Mark foxtrot was actually very nice.
The reality is that Will is a mediocre dancer, but is Debbie Allen's boy. She has some influence over Nigel, so he sails by. His solo was a parody, not a dance. Watch the attendance numbers for the tour. They will tell you how awful these dancers are. Imagine how Danny, or Blake, or even Neil would blow these fools out of the water. Worst season so far.
Reviewer, make an effort, at least, and try to be original.
I think the show stinks, is boring and also is FIXED. Screw you Nigel, your show sucks!
I thought Mark and Comfort's HH was the best of the show. Mark is being sabotaged by the judges and I HATE watching it. I still voted for him for two hours straight, though.
I
Will's solo tonight was fantastic for me for one reason - it proved that he has a personality. We know he has fabulous technique, probably the best of everyone on the show. We know he can move gracefully and beautifully and evocatively. Now we also know that he has a playful side and that he doesn't take himself too seriously. Good for him!
Comfort definitely headed home.
My picks for final four right now are Katie, Chelsie, Twitch and Will. Send Comfort and Johsua home this week, Courtney and Mark next week (sigh), and then let the final four battle it out.
When Cat asked Toni what she was up to lately, I was secretly hoping she would say: "I've been having a bunch of surgeries to make my face look the way it does now"
I really liked the song "I fell in love with the DJ" especially the beat which was awesome.
To me Comfort is definitely bottom 2 and should go home - but good luck picking who else will be in the bottom 2 along with her. I'm going to guess Courtney only b/c I picked Chelsie and Katee to make the finals.
For the guys I'm pretty sure that Will will join Mark in the bottom 2. I'm guessing that Mark goes home, but I'm hoping that Will does.
I thought all the girls did better in their solos this week compared to last and in fact I think Comfort had her best solo ever this week. Unfortunately, I still think Courtney (best) and Katee had better solos.
For the guys I really liked where Will was going with his solo, but unfortunately he probably needed a minute or 1.5 minutes to really do the routine he wanted to. It didn't look like he had an ending, it kindof just stopped when the music did - that is my only knock on it. I liked both Twitch and Josh's solos, but both were better last week. Josh's solo took too long to get going IMO.
I want to give Nigel and Mary (especially) credit for finally giving Will a negative comment.
I felt bad for Mark and Comfort when they decided that their hip hop routine should go first.
One thing I didn't like about Twitch and Katee's 1st routine (Mia's) was the kiss. I felt uncomfortable watching it to be honest. To me what I like about dance (and this show) is believing that there is a line that the dancers can cross - i.e. kindof like a chemistry barometer - but I don't like actually seeing them cross it. I may be the only one who feels that way though as the audience went nuts for the kiss.
I agree with Liz (blogger) that the slow hip hop routine wasn't that great. T&N don't do it for me in general as choreographers. I understand that there is a smooth aspect to hip hop dance - as exhibited in virtually every R&B video the last few years - but T&N don't do it very well to me. Even when the dancers do have good chemistry (and Will and Courtney don't so that didn't help at all) it doesn't work for me. Their smooth hip hop feels forced and not natural to me.
Lastly, does anyone believe Mary's fakeouts anymore? I'll only be shocked the next time she attempts to do a fakeout and it turns out to not be a fakeout.
How many times will Comfort get to do a hip hop routine as one of her numbers? She's pretty much a one-trick pony and has to be choreographed for that. Glad the judges pointed out her weak solos. She should have gone home last week and has to go home now.
I may be in the minority, but I wasn't crazy about the Twitch-Katee Mia Michaels routine. Like someone else said, it was as much acting as it was dancing, if not more.
Will's solo was an attempt to show he has a personality, because he knows he has to find some way to overcome Joshua and Twitch's popularity. Mark's probably a goner this week.
And can we please stop with the "4 Real" hand on the shoulder sign junk? It looks retarded and it really annoys me that it's now being incorporated into the group dance number.