Wednesday, July 8, 2009

SYTYCD - Top 12 Performance Show

Cat Clothing Watch - She's sporting a sassy 30's (or 40s? I don't know.) dress and hairdo. Lovely, lovely.

Two dances from each couple tonight. I love it. Tyce is on the panel tonight. I don't know if I love that yet. Someday, I hope to talk to my friend who knows and has worked with Tyce about Tyce. Tyce confuses me.

Melissa & Ade - Disco
("Move On Up" by Destination - Doriana Sanchez choreography)
It's too bad that wasn't the first disco of the season. Lots of great energy, but I actually felt like Melissa was a little clompy with her feet. The lifts were outstanding. Too bad he dropped her at the end, but they had such fun with it. The jidges have universal love for the dance and for Melissa and Ade. And Mary is leading revivals tonight, calling for "Amens" from Tyce.

Kayla & Kupono - Contemporary ("Gravity" by Sara Barialles - Mia Michaels choreography)
Okay. I am not huge Kayla & Kupono fans. But I watched this performance twice and haven't listened to the judges yet. I really loved that piece. They were both so committed to the story and to the movement. It was moving. I got teary both times I watched it in the middle of the piece where she is trying to get away and he keeps grabbing her and holding her back. Then the part where it looked like he picked her up by the neck...amazing. Wow, wow, wow. They should be so proud of that. I may actually vote for them.

Caitlin & Jason - Foxtrot ("Minnie the Moocher by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Tony Meredith & Melanie LaPatin choreography)
Melanie's back! I like Melanie. Caitlin's got the sweeping bangs Emily taught us about last week. I'm watching with Super Kimmie tonight, and she has already pronounced this boring. I think the foxtrot is usually boring, but that's just me. It's tough to have such a structured dance following such an emotional performance. Nigel says they did some incredible things and had great footwork. Mary says it was tremendous. Tyce starts out Paula Abdul-style and tells them they look like stars tonight, then says something about being more smooth or something like that. I quit listening. I defer to Mary on all things ballroom.

Jeanine & Phillip - Russian Folk Dance ("Kalinka" - Traditional Russian folk song and some Russian people did the choreography. Sorry. I don't want to rewind.)
Ouch. Jeanine was actually pretty good. This stuff is HARD. I've been to Russia and seen the dance - and it's hard. Phillip wasn't good at all. I really didn't think he danced well. The turnover was the only part he did well. He just needs to be more grounded. Nigel hated the dance, but not the dancers. Mary was positive with them. Tyce was very positive about the way they excecuted the dance they were given.

Randi & Evan - Hip Hop ("Halo" by Beyonce - Tabitha & Napoleon choreography)
I loved Randi's face when she found out the story of the routine. That was fabulous. The routine was very fun. Very shiny and happy and fun. It really fit them. I'm really glad they didn't have to be all krumpy and urban and scary. The judges liked it too.

Brandon & Janette - Argentine Tango ("Libertango" from Forever Tango - Some tango dancers that spoke Spanish with Janette did the choreography.)
That was FANTASTIC. Super Kimmie and I just kept saying "wow" throughout when they would hit something really cool or do cool footwork. Standing ovation from the judges panel. They deserved that. That was outstanding. Brandon got the first double negative - "You're still not dissapointing me, no you're not!" And she shimmied with Tyce. That was great. And then Tyce compared them to squeezing orange juice. Not sure I followed that analogy. 1-888-TEMPO-06.

Round 2! The partner switches start next week!

Melissa & Ade - Waltz (A Natural Woman by Mary J. Blige - Ron Montez choreography)
Melissa was just lovely. Nice spins from Ade. The lifts were beautiful. Very, very nice. Mary called one of the waltz steps "twinkles." I think that's funny. Melissa got the double positive - "You are mesmerizing, young lady, yes you are." Then Nigel got an even better quote from Mary - "Pipe down, English muffin!"

Kayla & Kupono - Broadway (The Dance at the Gym from West Side Story - Joey Dowling choreography)
I've liked Joey Dowling so far. But I'm not sure how the musical theater purist nerd in me feels about that number. That music has such a strong connection to the show for me, to see this happy-in-love couple kind of bothered me. Especially since they didn't really commit to this number like they did to the first one. Tyce was right - they did need to get into the floor more. Evidently, Tyce likes a good shimmy.

Caitlin & Jason - Lyrical Jazz (Show Me Heaven by Maria McKee - Mandy Moore choreography)
That was lovely. I think Jason's costume will get them some votes, if I'm being honest. It was technically great, and really effortless and nice, but if there had been more connection between them, it would have been stunning. I'm sad they missed a bit of an opportunity to blow people away. It was great, but it could have been amazing.

New Glee commercial!!!

Phillip & Jeanine - Jive ("Stuff Like That There" by Bette Midler - Tony & Melanie choreography)
Okay, who loves Jeanine? Raise your hands. *raising hand* She's one of my favorite female dancers. She nails every performance. She's adorable. I just love her face. I don't think I watched Phillip very much. Sounds like he did well. Like I said, I really didn't watch him much. Mary puts Jeanine on the Hot Tamale Train. I love watching the screaming Botox face. Tyce encourages us to call 1-888-Fan-friggin-tastic! That CRACKED me up. I'm still laughing. What a goofball.

Randi & Evan - Samba ("Ritmo De Bom Bom" by Jubaba - Pasha & Anya choreography!!)
I would have loved to have seen Pasha & Anya dance that. The two of them would have been so amazing. Randi & Evan were really just doing steps tonight. Not so much connection between the two of them. I'm sure they were nervous. Evan looked especially nervous. Randi also gets a ticket on the Hot Tamale Train from Mary. Tyce made some weird hissing noises.

Janette & Brandon - Jazz (Ruby Blue - Roisin Murphy - Wade Robson choreography!!)
I love Wade. The coolest concepts. The BEST music. (TR! It's the same girl that sings the Ramalama Bang Bang song!) Wade is stinking amazing. What a fantastic routine. And danced so well. The judges are in love. Love that Wade and Amanda are wearing the glasses in the audience. 1-888-TEMPO-06 We'll see that dance on tour. And speaking of tour...

Tour dates here! (September 22 in Boston!)

------------------------
Loved it, yes I did:
Melissa & Ade
Janette & Brandon

Loved the first dance, Not so much on the second dance:
Kayla & Kupono
Randi & Evan

Might be in Trouble, Yes they Might:
Caitlin & Jason
Jeanine & Phillip

--------------------------
Super Kimmie kept one of the episodes from last season on her DVR. We just watched this dance from Katee and Joshua and this favorite from Mark and Chelsie. Good times.

As you may have guessed, I'm in Utah for the next couple of weeks, so the posts will be a bit delayed. Can't wait to hear what you think about tonight!

6 comments:

Molly said...

LOVED Jeanette & Brandon! I didn't love Ade & Melissa. I kept comparing their disco to Jeanette & Brandon's earlier in the season. It felt klunky to me. Phillip looked like he was in pain for the whole Russian dance, but Jeanine was great! I think she will be great with a different partner, he's holding her back. And I'm so far not a fan of Joey the choreographer. She pairs her dances with music that doesn't work very well. I was thinking that with Randi & Evan last week, but it was WAY worse this week. I liked the dances, but the music didn't work.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Wade Robson!!!
(Tyce needs to say his name correctly.)

Mrs. O said...

I worry that Janette is going to get a bad partner. Both she and Jeanine are my faves (and Kayla). Also Brandon. And what was with the OJ analogy?

Stacie said...

Jeanine has been a favorite of mine since day 1 when she busted out hip hop like nobody's business! I LOVE her.

Jeanette & Brandon rocked.

I love Randi & Evan, but that samba didn't work very well for them! Dang it! They're just so darn lovable. I loved their hip hop, and loved that it suited them so well.

scooping it up said...

ok. lots of random thoughts: I was so torn about the Mia Michaels number because it was so powerful and well done and the choreography was so full of metaphor, even their costumes were chock full of meaning so I was teary-eyed almost instantly(as was Mia) however, I still think Kupono is a weak dancer in general. It was good. But I want him in the bottom three. Randi and Evan were both a bit disappointing for me. I am nervous about Evan being partnered with someone else. Ade is great and I like his personality more and more but his feet are super lazy, no turn out, not strong, etc? Brandon is my fav hands down and I am so glad he is breaking out of his shell because he is by far and away the strongest dancer among the guys. Jeanine and Jeanette, Caitlyn and Kayla are my current top four girls.

Phillip: I was curled up in the fetal position groaning during the russian number. I cannot believe they didn't lay into him. He looked awful. I don't entirely blame choreography. Who's to say they didn't dumb it down because he couldn't handle it? I bet if they'd had a diff couple it would have been way better... And if the judges are into slamming choreographers, why not take a whack at Friedman for the alien nightmare??

Andrew has now let me know he won't watch the show with me if I don't stop complaining about the camera work. I am officially ruining it for him. Well, the cameras are ruining it for me. Drives me CRAZY.

I am anxious about tonight!

scooping it up said...

BTW, that Wade piece at the end was freaking amazing. my fav of the night by far.

scooping it up said...

last one: i am going to start shimmying more.

Blog Widget by LinkWithin