Graduation

The Day Has Finally Come!


I have been pondering how old I would feel on this day for almost 18 years!  Today is the day my baby sister graduates from high school.  And me…well I’m edging closer to 30 every day! 

This was us almost 18 years ago.

Check out those glasses!  They’re almost as big as my face.  Why were those ever in style!  We were excited to be big sisters.

Look at me…a walking, breathing fashion crime!  Huge glasses – oversized, too long shirt (you can barely tell I have shorts on) – socks with sandals – Lord why didn’t anyone try to stop me!  They probably did and I would have none of it.

Gradually, we all grew up into young women.

And today we celebrate another milestone together, our final high school graduation. 

Angelina – I am so proud of you!  Your future is bright and I look forward to celebrating many more milestones with you!

A tribute to Angelina’s journey...so far:

So You Think You Can Dance - Let the Season Begin

Here we go!!

Thursday night was our first peak at the top 11.  They opened with a great quirky number from Rob & Amanda Robson featuring the All Stars and the top 11.  Up next were dances in their style (or close to their style).

Lauren & Kent - Love them both! - w/ Mark & Kathryn
Jazz - Travis Wall
Kent is rocking the guyliner.  Loved the dance!  I loved the use of the umbrellas and it was hard to tell who were the all stars and who were the newbies.

Alexie & Melinda - w/ Allison & Lauren
Broadway - Tyce DiOrio
Persistence pays off for Alexie after auditioning for 4 years.  She's a cutie.
This dance was just OK for me.  I felt like I could see the difference between the newbies and the all stars.

Jose - w/ Twitch, Comfort, & Dominic
Hip Hop - Tabitha & Napoleon
This should be good!  Fantastic work from Nappytabs!  Fantastic work from Jose, Twitch, Comfort & Dominic!  Watch out for Jose!  Looking forward to seeing him do other styles.

Christina w/ Anya & Pasha
Latin - Jason Gilkison
My eye kept going to Anya...and of course Pasha.  Christina didn't hit the moves as hard as Anya in my eye.

Alex & Billy w/ Ade
Contemporary - Mia Michaels
Yay!  Mia's choreographing!  I was hoping she would!  Who knew playing with a fire truck could be beautiful?  Another BRILLIANT piece from Mia Michaels!

Adechike, Ashley & Robert w/ Neil & Courtney
Jazz - Sonya Tayeh
I don't always like Sonya's choreography...sometimes it's just to weird for me.  But I loved this piece!

Next week the competition begins!  I am ready!

So You Think You Can Dance: Las Vegas Call Backs Continued

I know, I know.  I'm behind.  But let's catch up.

Before the Broadway round started, we learned that one of the early favorites has decided to drop out.  After struggling in the first few Las Vegas rounds and getting tough critiques, Ida has decided to accept a college scholarship offer instead.

After a quick Broadway round, we head into the group dances.  The contestants are given a piece of music and are required to choreograph it as a group.

First up, team "white shirts."  I was not a fan, but the judges loved it and they all moved on.

Next, the "two many ideas" team - throw in 6 different personalities and dance styles and your bound for some arguments.  I was mildly entertained by the dance, but the judges disliked it.  However, the judges kept all 6.  Now I'm confused.

Team "judges favorites" - they delivered a mediocre performance and thanks to their previous strengths, the judges saved them...just barely.

Contemporary:
Is that Travis choreographing?  Love him!

Mary's first tears for the season came for Giselle, the Latin ballroom dancer who was just not strong enough in the other styles.

Kent from Wapakoneta is up.  With two contemporary judges' favorites, Kent really has to stand out...and for the right reasons.  It's a big YES!  Love him!  Not many people can turn Lil' C into a puddle of tears.

After the contemporary round, only 24 are left...it's time for their final solos.

Lauren Froderman - an early favorite delights again and receives a standing O from 4 of the 6 judges.

In a new twist, the judges visit the top 24 at home to let them know if they've made it into the top 10.  A few who didn't make it received a phone call instead.

First in: Christina, a salsa dancer.  And now she won't be able to practice with her partner Pepe.
First out: Adrian, a contemporary dancer...he was a great dancer, but at the end of the day, there were too many contemporary dancers.

Second in: Lauren Froderman, a contemporary dancer - after a call from Nigel saying he's outside, he gave her the good news.

Also Out: Anthony, a contemporary dancer who battled injury throughout Vegas week.

Third in: Ashley, a contemporary dancer...I'm sensing a theme.  Note to future contestants: If you're a contemporary dancer, the odds are stacked against you.

Forth in: Jose, the only untrained dancer left in the competition.

Fifth in: Melinda, a tap dancer.  While she has some growing to do in the other styles, there is something different about her (according to the judges).

Sixth in: Alex, a ballet dancer, who sacrificed his position in the Miami Ballet to tryout on SYTYCD.

Seventh in: Adechike, a contemporary dancer

Eighth in: Alexie - after trying out 2 years in a row, a great Vegas week, and just missing out on the top 20 last year, Alexie final gets her chance.

Nigel found himself lost in Ohio while trying to find Kent in Wapakoneta...a town he can't even pronounce.  Poor Kent...what's taking Nigel so long!  Oh yeah...a run in with the cops, for speeding.  After a final run in with a train horn and a bathroom break, Kent finally gets his news.  He's IN!  Complete with confetti poppers from the family!

We're down to two for the final spot: new comer Robert, and fan favorite Billy Blanks who made the top 20 last year, but had to withdraw before the competition started due to an illness.

Drum roll please..................The final contestant: Robert

The second final contestant??: BILLY!  I'm looking forward to watching him this season!

I think they've assembled a great top 10 and I'm excited to see them dance withe the All Stars from previous seasons!

So You Think You Can Dance - Dallas, Nashville & Vegas Call Backs

Tonight we're off to Dallas. Tyce DiOrio is judging tonight...love him!  Ida Saki opened the night with a show of strength and agility as she danced to the theme from Schindler's List.  I'm a sucker for moving orchestra pieces...add some great dancing and I'm a wreck.


Haylee Durbin lost her father to cancer.  Haylee takes her strength from her father.  Before he passed, they set 3 goals together for her: graduate, get into UT, and try out for SYTYCD!  She danced to a Shawn McDonald song.  It felt a little all over the place to me.  The judges weren't quite feeling it either, but gave her a chance at choreography.  Unfortunately she didn't make it through to Vegas.


Now for a new style...scooter style!  Conor aka "Scooter Rocket" came out "dancing" on rollerblades.  Maybe he's on to something, but I was hoping for some jumps at least.  Now for the cheesy line of the night - Tyce: "To get on wheels, you better do a wheely."  Nigel: "You wheely got to be good."  Man, I love them...wheely I do!


Meet Deroccius Harris who showed up in tight spandex pants (and I mean tight).  He danced a Britney Spears like routine to "Toxic."  His moves were more feminine then masculine.  Nigel suggested he could make the Dallas cheerleaders.


Dark secret?  The mob?  Father convicted of money laundering & tax evasion?  Now there's a story.  However, Nigel told Marcella Raneri that there was no heart & soul in her performance.  A little harsh, I thought.  She was sent on to choreography and made it to Vegas!


Jordan Johnson was just looking for some acceptance from his biological father.  When he didn't get it, he turned that fire into dance power.  And now he's on to Vegas!


Now here's what we've all been waiting for...NASHVILLE!!


Bring it!


Up first...two southern gems, dancing the flamenco.  Or their version of it anyway.


Oh no, it's and "I Can't Dance" medley.  Yikes Nashville!  I'm a bit embarrassed.


Oooh...hip hop aerobics while the kids take a nap in the house!  Ha!  I agree.


Obviously Nigel has never spent a Monday night in Nashville...boring???


Finally some relief...Brian Gaynor is back!  With a deteriorating form of scoliosis Brian brings his unique form of "robot" to the stage. Love it!  While Brian can't compete on the show, I look forward to seeing his dance crew on the show later this season.


15 minutes of air time and only 7 people from Nashville were on to Vegas!  SYTYCD will never be coming back here!


Here come's Vegas!


Solos, with no feedback, up first.  Looking forward to Billy Bell!  He did great.  I hope he makes it on the show!


Round 2 - Hip Hop with Tabitha (where's Napoleon?)
Oh no...Rachel, the rhythmic gymnast, is struggling with choreography and unfortunately is going home.  She was a little cocky at the city audition about how you didn't need to have a dance background to be a great dancer.  A few other early favorites also went home...including Teddy and Sarah.  


Round 3 - Ballroom with Toni
The ballroom round was tough on the non-experts and those who grew up on ballroom sailed through.  Nicole got a second chance to dance the ballroom routine with her hair down, literally.  Adechike was able to dance his contemporary solo for his life.  He's a great contemporary dancer, but he's going to have to bring it if he expect to make it to the show.


More Vegas next week!

So You Think You Can Dance - LA & Chicago

More auditions tonight.  Truthfully, the auditions are not my favorite part of any reality competition, but you do get to know some of the contestants that will either be soon forgotten or become some of the favorites of the season.


Up first cheerleader Laura Froderman.  Honestly I wasn't sure where this was going to go.  A cheerleader with a "sexy" dance...I was expecting mediocrity.  But, holy cow is she flexible!  And she can dance too.  Take those splits and head straight to Vegas!  For the next stage of the competition, not to be a showgirl. :)


Oh my goodness, up now is a William Hung look a like...Hella Hung (aka Hung Van Lam).  There are many times I feel sorry for Cat Deeley having to interview the weirdos.  This time, she should have pressed charges, or at least called security!  He proceeded to attempt break dancing to Jackson 5.  All the judges could say was "WOW" as he made love to the microphone.


From rhythmic gymnastics to dancing in 2 weeks or less...let's see what happens.  After missing the Olympic team due to stress fractures, Rachel Girma takes on SYTYCD and brings a fresh perspective.


You can't have an audition show without some tough stories.  Taylor Costello is adopted and always hoped to meet her birth mother some day, but unfortunately her mother was killed when she was 11.  Taylor learned that her mother loves dancing and has embraced it to keep the connection to her mom.  Taylor still has some growing to do before she's ready for Vegas.  


Our first tap dancer.  Melinda Sullivan attempts to wow us with her tap.  There's a little too many attempts at artistry & breaks and not enough tap for my liking, but I'm not expert, nor could I do what she just did.  Off to choreography to see if she can make it through.  Truthfully, there were many tappers that were far better last year.


A chance meeting with Mia Michaels, inspired Ryan Ramirez to stick with dancing despite financial hard times for her family and losing their home.  Sometimes I feel like the contestants who have worked with the SYTYCD judges/choreographers before their audition have a bit of preferential treatment, but they're always good.  Maybe I'm just jealous. :)


Both Melinda & Ryan made it to Vegas after the choreography round.


Now we're off to Chicago!


Love that the gas station in the "village" of Wapakoneta wished Kent Boyd good luck on his SYTYCD auditions!  He hasn't even made the show yet.  Where does a small town boy learn to dance like that?  Incredible!  Ticket to Vegas?  Yes Please.  Things we learn...Neil Armstrong is from Wapakoneta.  This kid is charming!  Kent is off to choreography to put some personality into his dance.


Another tough story.  Twins Andrew & Tyler Phillips.  Tyler was born with Spina Bifida.  Andrew dances for the both of them, taking inspiration from his brothers positive outlook. Andrew still has growing to do, both in his body and technique, but the judges want to see more and send him on to choreography.  


Oh Lord...that hair!  Malinda Jacobson is here to show us the art of Kick-Hop, the combination of hip hop, break dancing, line dancing, & square dancing.  She's quite good at it!  Entertaining...yes, but not right for SYTYCD.  Obviously.  


At the choreography round, charming personality Kent made it to Vegas.  Andrew Phillips surprised the judges and send him to Vegas as well!  More to come from these two boys.


If Beethoven can compose without hearing, Jarrell Robinson can dance without hearing.  I think there was another dancer with very limited hearing (technically deaf) that auditioned last year.  It's always amazing to see people overcome their challenges and succeed.  While Jarrell is not ready for the competition, he has inspired the rest of us to push beyond our limitations.


I am always surprised at the number of strong men who audition for SYTYCD.  The ones that are strong, graceful, and not afraid to be a manly man who dances.  


More tomorrow night as auditions continue.