SYTYCD for 7/28: Top 8 Results July 29, 2011
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Boy, it’s getting tight. Tonight, half of the dancers will be in the bottom. With the divide growing between the top and the bottom, it’s getting pretty clear what the future holds for the contestants.
In the bottom:
Jordan
Caitlynn
Jess
Tadd
As it turned out, Ricky has bigger support than Tadd after all. I’m not sure why this is going the way it is, the two dancers seem well matched with Ricky excelling in technique and Tadd excelling in style flexibility and character portrayal. I wonder if Lady Gaga has anymore openings. All other choices were obvious once Sasha, Melanie, and Marko were considered safe.
For the guys, things played out as I expected, and Jess went home. That choice really came down to who the judges want to see competing head to head next week, and they do want to see Ricky and Tadd vie for that last male slot for the final episode.
For the girls, things happened as I’d hoped but not expected and Jordan went home. This was apparently a tough choice for the judges and they finally decided to just follow the votes. That made sense, since neither girl was going to make it to the final show (Sasha and Melanie locked that up weeks ago). This was just about who’d dance next week. While it seemed to me that Nigel at least favored Jordan, I was happy to see that the voters prefer to give Caitlynn another week. I won’t go into this whole thing again, since I’m even annoying myself by repeating Jordan’s shortcomings (which seemed to be missed by the judges until this week). Instead, let me just say that it would be great to see Caitlynn return in a couple of years as an All Star.
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Next week, it’s all about Caitlynn’s swan song, and the battle between Ricky and Tadd. And, of course, more exquisite performances from our three stars, Sasha, Melanie, and Marko.
Finally, a big shout out to Mark Kanemura, an ex-contestant and one of last season’s All Stars. He was there dancing with Lady Gaga last night, looking like a million bucks.
SYTYCD for 7/27: Top 8 Perform July 28, 2011
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The list of contestants has gotten small enough now that this week, we’ll get two dances from each, one with an All Star and one with another contestant. In the latter case, there’s going to be a few twists. Of course, I have to mention one of the guest judges this week: Lady Gaga. As I expected from her, she turned out to be the best of the guest judges to date.
All Star Couples:
Sasha & Pasha (Quickstep by Jonathan Roberts, danced to Puttin’ On the Ritz by Terry Snyder) There’s so much to say about this performance. First of all: Sasha and Pasha? Really? The name based cuteness factor was off the scale. I’ve said this before, the Quickstep is my favorite ballroom dance. When done well, it’s a marvel to watch. Unfortunately, even on SYTYCD, it’s not often done well. This was an exception. Both dancers looked marvelous moving across the floor in that distinctive Quickstep style. As is often the case, the straight Quickstep was interspersed with other styles, to provide some interest to the audience and, to be honest, to give some relief to the dancers. Still, Sasha looked marvelous here (much better than her dubious Paso Doble). This was a winning performance.
Caitlynn & Ivan (Hip Hop by Marty Kudelka, danced to let Me Love You by Mario). A quick note about Ivan: He was from season 2, so this was the first time I’d seen him dance. The man is amazing; he has a professional’s style and presence when dancing that only the best show. But, this is about Caitlynn. I thought that she was a star in this performance. This was a softer, more “lyrical” performance, that can make the dancers look weak and unprepared. This wasn’t the case with Caitlynn; her performance actually legitimated the style. The judges had negatives to say, but they seemed to be mainly around the fact that Ivan was a better performer than Caitlynn. It’s hard to argue with that, Ivan was amazing to see. Still, I’m getting the feeling that Caitlynn’s getting a raw deal from the judges.
Jordan & Ade (Jazz by Tyce DiOrio, danced to Nutbush City Limits by Tina Turner) Wow, this was one athletic number. Tyce really pulled out the stops here. Once again, Jordan succeeded in dancing the piece well while simultaneously treating her partner as a coat rack. It is amazing that she does such a good job while dismissing her partner so thoroughly.
Melanie & Neil (Contemporary by Mandy Moore, danced to Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler) Melanie showed once again that, among this season’s crop, she’s the best at portraying emotion through dance. It was amazing watching her dance. And, just when I thought that I’d seen her best, she kicked it up another notch; she brought that same “single mind” synergy that she’d shown dancing with Marko to her partnership with Neil: they both made the other look even better.
Ricky & Anya (Jive by Jason Gilkison, danced to River Deep Mountain High by Celine Dione) This was a fun dance to watch, and Ricky did a commendable job, keeping his footwork going. The Jive is almost as difficult as the Quickstep (and another of my favorite ballroom styles as a result) and Ricky did a great job with it. I did want more exuberance in his movement, but he did keep up with Anya which is no small feat. The judges also pointed out that Ricky was dancing too high, and needed to get down into the floor more; I agree, this would have improved his performance a lot.
Jess & Lauren Gottlieb (Hip Hop by Tabitha & Napoleon, danced to Take a Bow by Rihanna) It seemed that Jess’ Broadway sensibilities were in charge of this one. His Hip Hop just didn’t have the right sensibility to it. He seemed to be hitting hard enough, but somehow it came across as more of a Broadway stage performance than a Hip Hop performance. He especially paled in comparison to his partner, Lauren, who was fantastic. I’d like to see Lauren and tWitch do something sometime.
Tadd & Lauren Froderman (Jazz by Mandy Moore, danced to Another One Bites the Dust by Queen) This was a Michael Jackson inspired routine, and Tadd looked like he was actually channeling Michael during the performance, but doing it better than Michael ever did. Losing his hat was unfortunate, as it distracted from what should have been a great routine for him.
Marko & Allison (Contemporary by Sonya Tayeh, danced to I Know it’s Over by Jeff Buckley) In this case, the choreography was not Marko’s friend. Too much of the routine gave the spotlight to Allison, who was certainly up to the challenge and gave a superb performance. Still Marko handled himself well, and in the end, the routine was enough to bring tears to the judges’ eyes.
Contestant Couples:
Caitlynn & Tadd (Foxtrot by Jonathan Roberts, danced to Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails by Ella Fitzgerald) This was an exquisite performance by both contestants (though I especially enjoyed Caitlynn here). The whole thing was marvelous, with the right level of style and grace. the whole thing looked like a dance number out of a 50′s musical (as it should have). As I expected, Nigel picked a bit at Caitlynn. Nigel seems to have some sort of problem with Caitlynn, due to her perceived youth.
Marko & Ricky (Hip Hop by Tabitha & Napoleon, danced to Bad Boy for Life by Diddy featuring Rob & Mark Curry) This was the first twist of the night, partnering up to of the male contestants. The ramification of this was pretty clear: it meant that two girls would also be partnered. Ricky really killed it here. His styling looked great, where Marko, for the first time, showed a bit of weakness. Marko didn’t hit hard enough and didn’t show enough swagger. Nigel did point out that Ricky is still dancing too high again.
Jordan & Jess (Rumba by Jason Gilkison, danced to Set Fire to the Rain by Adele) Jordan did her usual thing, looking fabulous while not caring one whit about Jess. Still Jess gave it his all, doing a great job as a partner. Jordan was finally called on the lack of chemistry by the judges, though they did act as if this was the first time it happened. Hey, Nigel, this has been going on all through the season.
Sasha & Melanie (Jazz by Sonya Tayeh, danced to Game On by District 78) When I saw Marko & Tadd dance together, this was what I was hoping would be the outcome: the two best dancers of the season partnered. Well, here we were! This was one of Sonya’s avant-garde pieces that left me cold, however the judges ate it up. Sasha, of course, has already shown herself to be a particularly fierce dancer. This was Melanie’s opportunity to show the same. Both dancers met the challenge of the dance, and gave us a suitable ending for the night.
What this all means:
Heh. I forgot this part earlier.
Who’s Safe: Sasha and Melanie (of course), and Marko.
These should be self evident by now. Marko didn’t have as good a night as Sasha and Melanie, but he was better than the other guys by a wide margin, and he has a very strong following after his stint as Melanie’s “second half”.
Who’s On The Fence: Tadd, Ricky
Tadd had a very good night, and is probably the fourth of the top four, but someone needs to end up in the bottom with the other three. It’ll be one of these guys, probably Ricky.
Who’s At Risk: Caitlynn, Jordan, Jess
Caitlynn and Jordan end up here because they’re the other half of the two girls who are going to be in the final. It’s a bit of a rough call for Caitlynn (whom I really like), but she’s not going to be higher than third among the girls anyway. Hopefully, this will be Jordan’s time to leave and we’ll at least get one more opportunity to what makes Caitlynn such a magical dancer.
Jess just can’t help to be in the bottom. Unlike Tadd, who’s sucked up just about every style thrown at him, Jess continues to pull toward his Broadway roots. As Rob Marshall said, he’s going to do fine on Broadway, but he’s really not competing with the other guys. If Ricky ends up joining him in the bottom, there is a chance that Ricky still hasn’t recovered sufficiently from being Ryan’s partner to hang around. Still, it should be Jess’ time to go.
SYTYCD for 7/22: Top 10 Results July 22, 2011
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Things are getting tough. Nigel summed it up well, saying that no one is leaving because they didn’t dance well. Still, someone has to go so we can pick a winner. Now that we’ve hit the top 10, it’s all individuals and we have a bottom four rather than six.
In the bottom:
Mitchell
Clarice
Ricky
Jordan
Ricky was the biggest surprise here. He rocked his performance this week. I guess he hasn’t built up enough of a following to keep him out of the bottom. Hopefully, his solo during the results plus his performance next week will change that. I do think he’s in the top two or three guys this season.
I was both happy and surprised that Caitlynn dodged the bullet and Jordan ended up in the bottom. They both had great performances this week, but Caitlynn’s Argentine Tango must have really resonated. Or, as I’d like to believe, the voters are with me in seeing Jordan’s detachment from her partner while she dances.
In the end, Mitchell and Clarice went home (as expected).
Mitchell has been an uneven dancer since the beginning, having great nights and not so great nights. This week was a particularly bad one for him. While he was dancing with Caitlynn, he could fall back on supporting her, which was easy for him. Now that he was dancing with an All-Star, there was nowhere to hide.
Clarice has been on the edge for a while. Among the current crop of contestants, she’s definitely the trailing girl. That made her leaving a no-brainer.
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Things are going to be tough now. The girls fall into two groups, with Melanie & Sasha way ahead and Caitlynn & Jordan trailing. Even then, the difference is so small that any mistakes in performance could be fatal. The guys are a bit different. I’d say that Marko is the definite front runner, with Ricky & Tadd trailing him, and Jess bringing up the rear. The three bottom guys have all had voting issues, and it’s difficult to see how Jess could keep up in anything other than Broadway.
SYTYCD for 7/20: Top 10 Perform July 21, 2011
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At last, we’re up to All Stars dancing. This should be fun. Of course, my big problem is the All Stars upstaging the contestants. Still, that’s a problem I’m going to enjoy having. In addition to the dance with an All Star, each contestant would also be performing a solo. I have mixed feelings about these. On the one hand, it really highlights those dancers who know how to put on a performance without an outside choreographer. On the other hand, those contestants are few and far between.
Marko & Chelsea (Samba by Jason Gilkison, danced to Cinema Italiano (The Ron Fair Remix) by Kate Hudson) This was hot, hot, hot. Marko showed that he didn’t need Melanie in order to give a top notch performance. I wanted a bit more hip action from him, but he was otherwise superb.
Sasha’s Solo (danced to Syrup & Honey by Duffy) This solo was full of Sasha’s signature style. It could have used more thought toward musicality, but it showed her uniqueness and talent.
Jordan & Brandon (Contemporary by Dwight Rodin & Desmond Richardson) I was interested to see what kind of chemistry Jordan and Brandon would have, after weeks of seeing little to none between Jordan and Tadd. In the end, I was foiled by the choreographers. They have us a routine that built around Jordan not interacting with Brandon. The conspiracy theorist in my wants to believe that they played to Jordan’s lack of connectedness with her partner, but I’m going to need more evidence for this. Ultimately, Jordan showed that she is a top notch dancer regardless of how she connects with her partner.
Jess’ Solo (danced to Come By Me by Harry Connick, Jr.) Now, Jess had tons of musicality in his solo. There were a couple of slow places, but overall, it was a very entertaining solo.
Tadd & Comfort (Hip Hop by Chuck Maldonado, danced to Look At Me Now by Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes) I was looking forward to this, since Tadd’s B Boy sensibilities should play well with Hip Hop and Comfort’s talents. I was disappointed. I didn’t think that Tadd was hitting hard enough. Nigel made some comments about it being a fast routine, but it really wasn’t (though the music was). I think Tadd’s B Boying has made him more suited for Contemporary styles than Hip Hop.
Melanie’s Solo (danced to You’re the One That I Want by Angus & Julia Stone) As much as I’m a big fan of Melanie (The Princess), I actually liked the music more than the dance. Like so many other great dancers on the show, Melanie can’t seem to put a decent solo performance together for herself.
Mitchell & Melody (Broadway/Jazz by Tyce DiOrio, danced to Take Off With Us from All That Jazz (soundtrack)) This was not good. Fosse inspired choreography has a certain style to it, and Michell didn’t get it; he wasn’t making those staccato moves that the routine called for. He was also missing those small emphasis points that make Fosse’s style so popular.
Ricky’s Solo (danced to Daylight Breaks by Cassidy Haley) Ricky put some thought into his solo. It could have used more, but he did show some great technique anyway.
Clarice’s Solo (danced to Royal T by Crookers featuring Roison Murphy) Clarice showed a lot of musicality in her solo (which could help her out with votes for the week), however it fell apart toward the end, as if she ran out of ideas on how to interpret the music.
Caitlynn & Pasha (Argentine Tango by Miriam & Leonardo, danced to Maljunta by Orquesta Color Tango) I wanted Caitlynn’s kicks to be sharper, but it was otherwise a beautiful performance. This time, Caitlynn focused her intensity on Pasha, which made for an extremely romantic dance.
Mitchell’s Solo (danced to This Time by John Legend) Mitchell showed no musicality at all, but did show great technique.
Sasha & tWitch (Hip Hop by Christopher Scott, danced to Misty Blue by Dorothy Moore) This was a fabulous routine, with Sasha finally freed up to give it her all. The combination of Sasha and tWitch was a marvel to see. More than anything before, this performance showed that Sasha could go all the way to win the season.
Jordan’s Solo (danced to Tonight by Lykke Li) I was expecting great things from Jordan, and she didn’t disappoint. I’ve given her a hard time about her paired performances, but she can really shine in her solos.
Jess & Kathryn (Contemporary by Stacey Tookey, danced to The Lonely by Christina Perri) Jess did a good job here. I’m usually mesmerized by Kathryn’s dancing (and it was once again fabulous here), but Jess’ performance kept pulling me back to him. He really have this performance his all; it was his best to date. Like some other dancers, I think Jess is being helped by getting a higher caliber of partner now.
Tadd’s Solo (danced to Everything I Can’t Have by Robin Thicke) This solo was amazing. There was more musicality in this B Boy’s solo than in most of the other, more formally trained dancers’, solos. This is why Tadd is so popular, he understands ultimately what makes a performance good.
Melanie & Pasha (Viennese Waltz by Jason Gilkison, danced to Everybody Hurts by Tina Arena) I was very curious to see how Melanie would do with a partner other than Marko. Well, it was magical. It wasn’t the “Two Bodies, One Mind” we’ve seen before; now Melanie shined in her own right. Of course, a lot of this was due to Pasha’s superb partnering, but this was Melanie up front, surpassing all other dancers.
Caitlynn’s Solo (danced to Cosmic Love by Florence & The Machine) This was a so so performance, not what I wanted to see from a real firebrand like Caitlynn. I need more, more, more from her.
Ricky & Allison (Jazz by Tyce DiOrio, danced to Precious Things by Tori Amos) This was Ricky’s best work to date. His technique merged with the stark emotion of the piece to create both a memorable routine and character. Ricky’s now ready to fly as a performer.
Marko’s Solo (danced to More than Antonella (stripped version) by Gavin DeGraw) This had strong athleticism from Marko, but not much musicality.
Clarice & Robert (Bollywood by Nakul dev Mahajan, danced to Aila Re Aila by Khatta Meetha (soundtrack) This was a strong routine and very fast. That meant that there was less emphasis on technique, but the Bollywood essence still shined through in Clarice’s performance. It was a lot of fun.
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Overall, this was a great week, with the All Stars allowing dancers that have been shackled to reach their full potential and raising up other dancers to greater heights. Selecting the bottom four will be harder still.
Safe:
Guys: Marko, Ricky
Girls: Sasha, Melanie
These four either had amazing routines, have solid fans, or both. Ricky, with a weak fan base, is the most likely to slip from this group, but I don’t think that will happen; his performance with Allison was too powerful for that.
On the fence:
Guys: Jess, Tadd
Girls: Jordan, Caitlynn
None of these four had bad routines, but they all suffer from a weak or picky fan base. I’d say that Jess and Caitlynn are the most at risk, though I think that Caitlynn deserves better.
At risk:
Guys: Mitchell
Girls: Clarice
Mitchell had a singularly bad performance, and Clarice has weak support with an unusual dance style for the week (Bollywood).
SYTYCD for 7/14: Top 12 Results July 15, 2011
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This is it, the selection of the Top 10, and the end of “team” dancing. Next week, we get random couples plus (Yay!) All Stars. So, who won’t be there?
In the Bottom
Caitlynn & Mitchell
Ryan & Ricky
Sasha & Alexander
I was surprised by Caitlynn & Mitchell (even though I did say they were on the fence). I expected their last performance would carry them over the top. Apparently, the voting audience liked Clarice & Jess’ performances better than I had. Still, there’s no way the judges would send Caitlynn home; she’s the fiercest dancer this year. Mitchell could be in trouble; his best is very good, but his worst is so-so and way too common.
Ryan & Ricky were pretty obvious. They’ve had problems connecting since the beginning, and it’s been pretty obvious that Ryan was pulling Ricky down with her.
Sasha & Alexander were another surprise. I have two thoughts about their position in the bottom. First, how do Jordan & Tadd keep avoiding the bottom?? I’m so glad that they’re no longer a couple and am going to be very interested to see how Jordan interacts with other dancers. Second, I was relieved that Tadd wouldn’t have to compete with Mitchell and Ricky to stay in the competition. I really want to see Tadd dance with other dancers too, but for more positive reasons. Based upon past performance, it seemed obvious to me that Alexander would be the guy to leave; as good as he was in this week’s performances, he hasn’t been in Ricky and Mitchell’s league.
Sure enough, Ryan and Alexander are heading home. For the first time this season, the bottom two contestants weren’t a dancing couple, but (of course) this no longer matters.
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The big news, though, is who’s coming back as All Stars.
First, the sad news: Alex Wong has once again managed to injure himself. While he was set to be an All Star, he’s now going to spend another year in rehab after tearing his other tendon! The guy is going to end up killing himself; talk about having more talent than your body can handle. I’ll keep up a fading hope that we’ll get to see him dance next year.
So, who will be All Stars?
Melody (Season 1)
Allison (Season 2)
Pasha (Season 3)
Chelsie (Season 4)
Comfort (Season 4)
tWitch (Season 4)
Brandon (Season 5)
Kathryn (Season 6)
Robert (Season 7)
I don’t know anything about Melody at all (other than she was the runner up), since I didn’t really watch seasons 1-2.
Allison was one of the All Stars last season, and showed that she’s a magnificent dancer. She’s one of the two female dancers I’m most excited to see again.
Pasha is a force of his own. The guy kills at ballroom. Since he’s an All Star, we can expect to see him whenever a female contestant ends up with a ballroom number, and it’ll be a treat to watch him: he’s every woman’s perfect dance partner.
Chelsie was Mark’s partner in season 4, and made her first mark with him (Mark’s now dancing with Lady Gaga by the way). She’s gone on to be one of the pros on Dancing with the Stars. Frankly, Mark outshone her when she was a contestant. I’ll be interested to see how she’s developed since then (since I don’t watch Dancing with the Stars, don’t get me started).
Comfort was an All Star last year, and a world class female Hip Hop dancer. I can’t wait to see what happens when/if she and Jess get partnered up for some Hip Hop (maybe not). Then again, her and Tadd could do some real damage.
tWitch has made a name for himself lately as both a dancer and an actor, appearing in scripted TV and movies. He was also an All Star last year. His Hip Hop number with Alex Wong has to be seen, it’s magnificent. tWitch has surpassed his Hip Hop Freestyle roots and is an excellent all around dancer.
Brandon is a powerhouse. He was the favorite during his season, and ended up the runner up (the winner, Jeanine, is one of my favorite all time dancers). I’m looking forward to seeing him dance with Melanie, Caitlynn, and Sasha; he has the power to match these very powerful women.
Kathryn. Okay, I’m just going to stop and enjoy the thought of another summer of Kathryn’s dancing. She was a huge distraction for me last year; I kept watching her dance instead of the contestant. I’m looking forward to more of that.
We saw Robert in the first week’s competition, filling in for Mitchell. That made it apparent that he’d be in the All Stars. Robert’s a great all around dancer, though I wonder how he’ll compare with some of the other high power All Stars coming in. I suspect that he’s filling in for Alex.
There it is. Next week, the real fun starts!
SYTYCD for 7/13: Top 12 Perform July 14, 2011
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This is the last week of the original couples. Next week Ricky will be free of Ryan and Tadd will be free of Jordan. Of course, they’ll have to survive this week’s results to have that opportunity.
This week, there was enough time to get two dances per couple.
Round 1 starts now.
Sasha & Alexander (Paso Doble by Tony Meredith & Melanie LaPatin, danced to Alley Dash/March of the Trolls) Among the ballroom dances, Paso Doble is one of my favorites (along with Quickstep and Jive). I love the dramatic interplay between the two dancers. Tony & Melanie did something unusual this time around, they put Sasha in pants, rather than the typical full skirted dress. It reminded me of Jose and Adechike’s performance in season 7. While an interesting twist, I think the dance loses something when both the male and female roles aren’t performed. Also, Sasha & Alexander kept missing their connections. This may have been because it was their first ballroom performance. In any case, it was not their best performance by a long shot.
Jordan & Tadd (Contemporary by Travis Wall, dance to Brotsior by Olafur Arnalds) Jordan was starting to connect with Tadd a bit, but there’s still almost no chemistry between them. It’s a strange situation since their individual performances are so strong, but there’s little or no connection between them. Tadd continues to amaze me. He doesn’t look like a B Boy at all.
Ryan & Ricky (Broadway by Spencer Liff, danced to All I Need is the Girl by Frank Sinatra) They started out well, but Ricky’s hat is too big and keeps making him look more goofy than jazzy. Toward the end, things fall apart further and the whole performance starts to sink into goofiness instead of the stylish jazziness it should have had. I have to say, this time around it wasn’t Ryan’s fault alone. This was Ricky’s weakest performance.
Caitlynn & Mitchell (Hip Hop by Christopher Scott, danced to Break the Chain by Lupe Fiasco featuring Eric Turner & Sway) As usual, with Caitlynn, there was a ton of emotion portrayed through the dance. However, the technique was a mess. The dancers were out of sync for most of the routine, and they did not hit hard enough to properly emphasize their emotional portrayal.
Melanie & Marko (Tango by Louie Van Amstel, danced to Triptico by Gotan Project) Once again, this was two bodies with one mind. I don’t know how these two do this, but it was another poetic performance from them. The ending flip had to be seen to be believed. I don’t think any other couple this season could have pulled it off.
Clarice & Jess (Lyrical Hip Hop by Christopher Scott, danced to Just the Way You Are by Boyce Avenue) I really wanted to like this piece, the choreography was amazing and heartfelt. However, something was missing from the dancers’ performances. I don’t know what it was, but the whole thing felt a bit off. Granted, adding a lyrical twist to hip hop is not easy; the dance can slide into more a more contemporary feel and lose that raw quality that hip hop brings. That may have been the problem here.
Round 2
Sasha & Alexander (Broadway by Tyce DiOrio, danced to That’s Life by Aretha Franklin) Now, this was the Sasha I’ve grown to love. Her strong performance was back, with Alexander struggling to keep up. To his credit, there were several parts geared to highlight him, and he did those expertly. I thoroughly enjoyed this piece, and it was Alexander’s best work.
Jordan & Tadd (Broadway by Spencer Liff, danced to Out Tonight from Rent (Original Broadway Cast)) This was Jordan & Tadd’s best work, though they continue to have chemistry problems. Frankly, I’ve given up on them as a couple. They’re both excellent dancers, but something just keeps them from meshing on the dance floor.
Ryan & Ricky (Cha Cha by Louie Van Amstel, danced to Tonight (I’m Loving You) by Enrique Iglesias featuring DJ Frank E) This was not my favorite Cha Cha. I thought that Ricky needed to use more hip. Ryan looked more like someone trying to dance a Cha Cha than actually doing it.
Caitlynn & Mitchell (Jazz by Travis Wall, danced to Piece of my Heart by Janice Joplin) Now, this was more of what I expected from these two. Caitlynn was back to dancing full bore, with no hesitation. Mitchell provided his usual solid partnering, a requirement for dealing with Caitlynn’s fearlessness. However, I thought that Mitchell’s performance suffered; he really didn’t come up to Caitlynn’s level this time around.
Melanie & Marko (Contemporary by Dee Caspary, danced to Skin & Bones by David J. Roch) I wasn’t too happy with this routine, it seemed to miss their usual single-mindedness, but the judges loved it. One sad thing that Nigel pointed out: this would be the last time Melanie & Marko would be dancing together. It’s a shame to lose such a fantastic couple, but I’m very interested to see what they do with other partners, especially All Stars.
Clarice & Jess (Jive by Tony & Melanie, danced to Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That by Robert Randolph & The Family Band) This was a great performance; I was highly entertained. I though that Jess especially looked good, though there were points where it looked more like something from a Jive contest rather than simply two dancers performing a Jive. Jess has had problems with his expressions at times, and this problem seemed to reassert itself here.
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This week, I think that only Melanie & Marko are absolutely safe. Everyone else had some problem in at least one of their two performances.
On the fence: Sasha & Alexander, Jordan & Tadd, Caitlynn & Mitchell.
While they’re on the fence, I think that Sasha & Alexander and Caitlynn & Mitchell are most likely safe too; Sasha and Caitlynn are just too strong and each had at least one solid routine. As I keep saying (even I’m getting tired of hearing this), Jordan & Tadd’s lack of chemistry continues to dog them. Of the three couples on the fence, they’re most likely to be in the bottom.
At risk: Clarice & Jess, Ryan & Ricky
Clarice & Jess had the poorest showing of the night; the judges even had things to say about their Jive. For the first time, the judges weren’t happy with Ryan & Ricky, though it’s probably as Nigel said, they just don’t connect with the audience.
SYTYCD for 7/7: Top 14 Results July 8, 2011
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Things are getting tight, with only seven couples remaining. Top 10 is right around the corner, and I’m getting anxious to see who’ll be coming back from previous seasons as an All-Star.
Before we get to results, congratulations to Kathryn McCormick for landing a starring role in Step Up 4. After last season’s all-stars, she’s become one of my favorite all time SYTYCD dancers; it’s great seeing her career grow beyond the show. Adam Shankman, you sure know how to pick ‘em!
Back to business…
In the bottom:
Ashley & Chris
Jordan & Tadd
Ryan & Ricky
Ashley & Chris was no surprise; they had probably the poorest performance of the night. While I’ve been grumbling about Jordan & Tad’s lack of chemistry since the beginning, the judges didn’t seem to notice, so I was a bit surprised to see them here, though I certainly agreed with the voters. Also, I’m beginning to think that the problem is Jordan, not Tadd.
Regarding Ryan & Ricky, I’ve been reading a lot of negative comments about Ryan’s association with Mia Michaels lately. This could be affecting the couple’s votes. It would certainly explain why the couple with one of the best performances of the night ended up in the bottom three.
Girls’ Solos:
Ashley’s and Jordan’s solos were pretty lackluster. Ashley’s looked more like an audition than a solo performance, and Jordan’s showed the same things we’ve seen from her before. Neither really provided any reason to keep them around. Ryan had the best solo, but she was probably already safe, due to the judges’ love for her as a dancer and the fact that she had one of the best performances of the week.
As expected, Ashley went home. Once again, the judges seem to have some sort of blind spot where it comes to Jordan’s weaknesses, so I wasn’t surprised when Ashley got the nod this week.
Guys’ Solos:
I was disappointed by Ricky’s solo; not only is he capable of better, he’s actually done better. Still, as one of the top three guys (along with Marko and Mitchell), he’d be safe.
That brought it down to Tadd and Chris, B-boy vs. Hip Hopper. While Chris had the stronger solo, Tadd’s been showing strong growth as a dancer while Chris hasn’t. In the end, that was what did Chris in, and he was sent home.
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Once again, for the fourth time, a complete couple was sent home. I can’t help thinking that Chris’ issues affected Ashley’s selection.
SYTYCD for 7/6: Top 14 Perform July 7, 2011
Posted by Bill in TV.Tags: SYTYCD
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Once again, we’re getting two group numbers. This week, it’ll be the guys vs. the girls (seems like a theme this season).
The Guys (Contemporary by Justin Giles, danced to Prague by Damien Rice) There weren’t any weak spots in this performance. If this was a sample of Justin Giles’ work, he’s going to be a great addition to the stable of SYTYCD choreographers. Marko, Jess, and Ricky all had mini-solos during the piece that allowed them to stand out. Marko, especially, looked great. It seems that there’s more to him than just chemistry with Melanie.
Melanie & Marko (Jazz by Ray Leeper, danced to Americano by Lady Gaga) Speaking of Melanie & Marko, I thought that this was a step down from their previous performances, but I blame the choreography. Melanie & Marko continued to show the great chemistry between them and they both completely threw themselves into their performances. Melanie especially chewed up the stage, squeezing every bit of entertainment from the routine. These two continue to be golden.
Sasha & Alexander (Hip Hop by Shaun Evaristo, danced to To the Moon by Miguel) This was a lower key number, and Sasha seemed to hold back instead of leaving Alexander in the dust as she’d done last week. She still looked good, but seemed to be taking it easy. It was unclear to me if this was for the choreography or for her partner. The judges were disappointed by the performance, expecting more from both contestants.
Jordan & Tadd (Waltz by Toni Redpath, danced to Nocturne by Secret Garden) This was a beautiful number from Toni, and both contestants performed it well, but they continue to show no real chemistry. I’m, frankly, disappointed that the judges haven’t commented on this. I swear that this time, Jordan didn’t ever really look at Tadd once during the performance.
Clarice & Jess (Contemporary by Justin Giles, danced to Light Through the Branches by Celeste Lear) This was an interesting number. The style was perfect for Clarice, and she looked better than she’s had before. Still, as good as she was, Jess was better: there was more emotion to his dance that Clarice showed.
Ashley & Chris (Salsa by Liz Lira, danced to Mambo Beat by Tito Puente) Chris did much better than I expected him to. He was still very tight, but did manage some hip action. I thought that Ashley was fabulous. The judges were once again disappointed with both dancers.
Ryan & Ricky (Jazz by Chucky Clapow, danced to Fashion by David Bowie) I loved this choreography; it reminded me of Rocky Horror. As usual, Ricky looked fantastic. The big change for me was Ryan: this time around, she looked great with no inappropriate facial expressions. It seems like she’s settling down a bit more now.
Caitlynn & Mitchell (Contemporary by Mandy Moore, danced to Love You More by Celine Dion) Wow, this was a very aggressive routine. Caitlynn & Mitchell are probably one of only two couples that could pull this performance off (the other being Melanie and Marko). This was fabulous, a huge celebration of love, and easily the best performance of the night.
The Girls (Jazz by Ray Leeper, danced to My Discarded Men by Eartha Kitt with Bronski Beat) This was a really hot number. All of the girls looked great, with Ashley especially shining here.
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Overall, I’d say that Melanie & Marko, Caitlynn & Mitchell, and Ryan & Ricky are safe this week.
At risk are Sasha & Alexander and Ashley & Chris.
On the fence are Jordan & Tadd and Clarice & Jess.
Sasha & Alexander and Ashley & Chris had the poorest performances, and both couples received less than glowing comments from the judges.
While Clarice & Jess had a pretty good night, and praises from the judges, I think Clarice is still not performing at the same level as Melanie or Caitlynn. Given that they’ve been in the bottom before, they could easily find themselves there again.
Regarding Jordan & Tadd, I remain unconvinced that they’re that good of a couple. Like Clarice & Jess, they were in the bottom three the first week. While their technical ability may save them this week, their obvious lack of chemistry is a big vulnerability.
SYTYCD for 6/30: Top 16 Results July 1, 2011
Posted by Bill in TV.Tags: SYTYCD
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Ah, normality. Who would have thought that we’d be thankful that only two contestants were going home?
In the bottom:
Ashley & Chris
Miranda & Robert
Caitlynn & Mitchell
I was shocked to see Caitlynn and Mitchell in the bottom. Caitlynn is one of the powerhouse female dancers that the judges like to talk about this season, and Mitchell is easily the best male dancer on the show. To top it off, that Salsa was fantastic. This is not a good sign for their long term viability; they need to build a voting block.
Of the female solos, I thought that Miranda was the only one to show any real creativity. Both Ashley’s and Caitlynn’s solos were run of the mill, audition quality solos and not what they should be doing to stay in the competition. So, as it were, the girl with the weakest couples performance had the strongest solo. In the end, Miranda’s solo didn’t save her; she’d be going home this week.
Of the male solos, all three were very strong, each emphasizing the particular talents of the contestants. Unlike Caitlynn and Ashley, the guys seemed to all treat their solos as real performances, putting thought into the choreography. Way to make it hard on the judges, guys.
In the end, I thought that Nigel’s comments summed up the three contestants well: Mitchell is amazing in his solos, but hasn’t connected with the voting audience. Chris is showing great growth as a dancer, but he needs to improve faster to stay out of the bottom. Robert, like Mitchell, shows great ability but still ends up in the bottom way too often. In the end, this was what did Robert in: you can only be in the bottom for so long before you simply fall off the edge.
As a side note, I don’t think it helped Robert’s cause that Miranda, his partner, was also sent home. This is the third time that a complete couple was sent home instead of orphaning dancers.
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Now that there are three performances under our belts, I’m starting to get a feel for the dancers; the good and the bad.
I’d say that Melanie & Marko are the strongest couple; we’ve rarely seen to partners who dance so well together. And, Melanie is definitely one of the strongest girls. I find that I can easily pick her out of group numbers because of the quality of her dance.
Sasha is another to watch. She has a unique style that combines African dance with Contemporary and dominates the stage with her enthusiasm and power.
Mitchell really does seem to be the strongest of the guys. His contemporary dance is a joy to watch, and he easily picks up new styles, looking like a pro when he dances them. Somehow, he hasn’t connected with the audience yet. That first missed week may have hurt him. Hopefully, he can recover.
Ricky‘s solo showed that he has some real talent. I continue to think that Ryan is holding him back. However, he should be able to weather the storm until the half where the couples are broken up. That will be his opportunity to really shine.
Ryan continues to be a problem for me. She has technical ability, but continues to show a high level of immaturity in her performances. I don’t expect her to make it very far unless she starts showing some growth.
Jordan & Tadd continue to show chemistry problems, which is unfortunate since both are excellent dancers and should each be among the top group in their gender. They need to show that they can dance with each other and not simply be on the stage at the same time.
Chris is one of the dark horses. He’s an athletic dancer who’s building up his more mainstream dance skills as he goes. Only time will tell if he turns out to be a Legacy Perez or a Russell Ferguson.
Clarice is the other dark horse. She got off to a rocky start with her first week’s Broadway performance, but she showed what she’s capable of with this week’s Foxtrot. While she’s currently not in the same league as Melanie or Sasha, she’s starting to show the potential to grow to their level.
