So You Think You Can Dance - Top 9!

I'm finally back after a two week hiatus for my sister's high school graduation immediately followed by the family coming to town.  It was a crazy couple of weeks and I'm glad to be getting back to my routine.  I'm all caught up on SYTYCD and ready for the top 9!

I'm enjoying watching the contestants with the all stars this season.  1. It gives me a chance to compare the contestant to someone who knows the style and 2. there are less contestants to get to know.

Here are my thoughts, feelings, interpretations of Wednesday's performances...as they happen.

Adechicke & Lauren - I like hip hop.  It's fun and energetic.

Ashley & Ade - A new contemporary choreographer, Dee Caspary...I wonder what he's going to bring?  It's almost like Ashley's flying.  I love the movement, but overall I'm not crazy about the work as a whole.

Robert & Courtney - What's the difference between Jazz & Contemporary?  This layman can't tell, other than knowing a Sonya Tayeh jazz routine will be quirky.  Quirky delivered.

Melinda & Pasha - The fiery Salsa!  Next to Pasha, Melinda looks loose and not as tight, plus Pasha is much more sexy!

Lauren & Neil - Broadway...don't have anything to say about this one.

Billy & Kathrine - Contemporary - This should be amazing!  I was wrong...it was BRILLIANT!  A great dance piece starts with an emotive song.

Jose & Anya - A breaker doing the Samba...this should be interesting.  It's not really feeling like ballroom to me.  Just two kids dancing around their bedroom.  Jose's charisma takes over and wins us all over anyway.

Kent & Allison - Can Kent become a man for a Jazz piece?  He's quirky, funny...and a boy.  Kent, I don't think you'll ever bee a sexy dancer...I'm seeing a high school boy's fantasy. :)  Great feedback from the judges for Kent...ditch the "hungry jazz face."

Alex & Twitch - The ballet dancer steps away from the barre... and get's down.  He nailed it!  Get out of your mind!  Alex is a hot one this season...he had an outstanding contemporary routine a couple weeks ago and now this amazing NappyTabs Hip Hop routine.

On to results night.  I loved the grandiose group routine.  It reminded me a bit of a ballet number...minus the toes.  Powerful.

The disadvantage of starting with 11 instead of 20 dancers is that they're all good, but yet 3 still have to be in the bottom 3.  I have my bottom 2, but I'm not sure who I want to join them.

This weeks bottom 3: Billy, Robert & Melinda.  Billy you're brilliant, but your performance has been lacking.  I hope you dance for your life and get to stay!  Robert & Melinda...your good, but it's time for one of you to go home.

All star flash backs each Thursday...love it.  Courtney & Mark...performing again!  Extra love it!  The Garden...this was not one of my favorite pieces when I first saw it, but I enjoy it now that I've gotten to experience more of Sonya Tayeh's work over the past few years.

Now for the elimination.
The girls are dropping like flies this season!  Melinda leaves us tonight...6 guys and 2 girls left.

I'll be back next week for more disjointed comments about the show. :)

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.

So You Think You Can Dance - Miami Auditions

It's getting hot in here!  It's time for the Miami auditions!!

Here's my recap.
Up first...a Czech ballroom dancer inspired by Dirty Dancing and is on his way to Vegas...start the "Now I've Had The Time Of My Life" montage.


From the other side of the tracks comes Tyrell Rolle who studied contemporary dancing as his way out of the projects.  And he is well on his way...at least to Vegas!


Daria, Daria, Daria...there are appropriate dances to dance with your father.  That was not one of them.  Awkward!  


Bring in the token cute kid...it's always guaranteed to help your chances at getting through.  Ami Aguiar-Riley brought her adorable son with her and made it through to choreography and eventually to Vegas.


I'm running out of dancers worth talking about.


In the words of Cat Deeley (aka SYTYCD writers) "Miami continued to suck! And the crimes against dancing are getting more and more serious!"

The best contestant feed back quote of the night goes to Nigel Lythgoe for, "Dancing should be a social time for you."  He also had a winner with, "We should try to find something positive to say about Miami."  Crickets.

Can Jose Ruiz save the day?  Now this b-boy has some moves.  He's on to choreography to see if he can tackle more than break dancing and despite struggling a bit, the judges take a chance and send him to Vegas.

Thankfully Miami is over.  Next week LA & Chicago.

So You Think You Can Dance - New York Auditions

Are you ready for...So You Think You Can Dance dance dance dance !!!!!

It's summer and So You Think You Can Dance is back with a few changes.  Mia Michaels is back as a permanent judge (although I'd rather see her choreograph, then judge), only 10 make it to the live stage, and many of our favorite past contestants will be back as partners for the live show.  But back to the auditions...yes I know I'm a few days late, but I'm a busy young professional. :)

Thursday night's episode found us in NY for auditions.  After a fun opening montage that made you want to get up and dance, we met Sarah Brinson, the "big" dancer who has learned to look past the opinions of others and focus on being her best.  After Sarah's beautiful dance, Nigel asks Sarah if her parents are dancers.  While not dancers, they are in fact athletes...golfers to be exact.  In a case of "insert foot in mouth," Nigel follows up with, "Has your mom played with Tiger Woods?"  Really Nigel??  To recover, they gave Sarah a well deserved ticket to Vegas!

Up next it was time to shake your bon-bon with Giselle Peacock and Henry Byalikov...I was waiting for a wardrobe malfunction.  Seriously!  I though her top was going to slide off and show us more than we wanted to see!  Thankfully her shirt stayed on and they were both off to Vegas.

No SYTYCD audition is complete without the "what was that?" dancers.  Up first for public embarrassment was Mike Perlman aka "1 2 3 Party!" who describes his style as "dance-tastic furious footwork from the 80's."  You know this is going to be good!  Complete with neon green shirts, layered shorts, knee high tube socks and problems with the Boston PD, Mike showed us how to get down...80's style!  If you're having an 80's party and want some crazy dancing, call 1 2 3 Party!

After a few more passionate clips of dancers who according to Adam "love dancing more than dancing loves them" we get to see the return of Teddy Tedholm who made it to Vegas last year and is back hoping to go all the way.  With the first brilliant performance of the auditions and by far my favorite of the night, Teddy moved Mia and Adam to tears.  Dancers like Teddy is why I love this show.

One of the best things about SYTYCD auditions is that all dance styles are allowed, even country line dancing...Scott Vogel country line dancing.  Scott's fun personality makes it easy to look past his job (which he's passionate about) as a cleaner of crime scenes.  Unfortunately for Scott, he did not make it to the next round.

OMG!  Here comes Jamie Grecco who creates cult horror movies.  He/She shows up on stage dressed in a skirt and performs a bit of a gross (or humorous-depending on your mood) strip tease, but here's the kicker...he's wearing a fruit hat!  The judges loved it, but not enough for Vegas.  I could have done without seeing it...ever!

There is something about contemporary and jazz pieces that captivate my attention and make me wish I could dance!  When those boys (and girls) leap across the stage, like a deer running through a field, I am in awe!!  The strength, the agility, the flexibility, the beauty.  I'm in love!

Megan Carter, a self-proclaimed "thick" dancer, closes out NY and "schools" us all on stereotypes.  You don't have to be skinny and petite to be a great dancer.  Megan made it to choreography, but unfortunately was cut at the end of the day.

Up next...Miami.

(To be continued..)