(S03E14)This week we will lose two more dancers and that will bring us to the top ten. It's not winning, but making the top ten is a bit of a feather in the cap, and it also means that you get to go on the tour. So there is a lot on the line for the dancers. In addition, beginning next week the teams will be paired up randomly each week.
Wade Robson is the guest judge this week, joining Nigel and Mary. Wade talked about what he was looking for in the dance. He thinks that given the audience for the show, the dancers have a responsibility to tell a human story. I didn't actually follow all of that, but he's Wade Robson. I give him a lot of leeway on things like that. Anyway, with the pressure as high as it has been so far this season, on with the dances after the jump.
Sabra and Dominic got the lead off spot this week with a jive by Tony Meredith. Before they got to that, they were very cute in what was my favorite of the behind the scenes bits. For all his worries over the jive, I thought Dominic handled his part of the dance pretty well. There were a few tricks, like the floor sweep, that weren't quite there, but it was very nice overall. Sabra, on the other hand, really shined. With each week of the competition she seems to come out of her shell a little more. Wade praised them for their focus and commitment. Mary said it was a great way to start the show, but had some critiques on their technique. Nigel said that they are one of the best partnerships he has seen on the show.
Song - "I Do The Jerk" by Ryan Shaw
Jaimie and Hok were up next. They talked about what they like about each other and it finally clicked for me what is so odd about Jaimie. The Jaimie that we see dancing comes across as much older and more mature than the Jaimie that we see giggling in her behind the scenes footage. Not that either of those is a bad thing. But it just strikes me as strange that we haven't really seen that goofy young girl come out in any of the performances yet. Tyce Diorio choreographed their Broadway piece, with assistance from Travis Wall. It wasn't what I was expecting from the Broadway category, but surprises are nice on occasion. It was an entertaining story and it really highlighted just how wonderful Jaimie's movement is. That is, when that awful grey sack she was wearing didn't get in the way. That really was the worst wardrobe of the night. Hok was ok in his part, but there wasn't really anything that made him stand out. Wade said that Jaimie has come alive in the last couple weeks. He didn't feel that Hok's performance of the character was right. Mary said it wasn't working for her, with Hok not making a connection, but she did say that Jaimie was great. Nigel added that Jaimie's lines were beautiful and he praised Tyce for playing to her strengths. Unfortunately, he said that it was much ado about nothing from Hok.
Song - "Mr. Bojangles" from Fosse
Sara and Pascha enter their second week together with a jazz number by Mandy Moore. When they appeared on stage I was all set to complain about the costumes, right up until the music started. Then it all kind of worked together, even the backwards suspenders. It was more of the same from Pascha. He is a strong partner with a very intriguing style. Sara held her own with some nicely detailed movement. Not my favorite of the night, but good job all around. Wade really liked it and praised Mandy's choreography. He thought both of them have improved a lot. Mary thought it was a good job, but didn't know that it would make them safe. Nigel thought it was very interesting.
Song - "Body Language" by Queen
Lauren and Neil got to work with Mia Michaels on a contemporary routine. I've said before that Wade Robson is my favorite of the choreographers, but I know there are a lot of Mia Michael's fans out there. This is why. Wade said it best, "You know I love a twisted mind." To me, it was like a crazy, alternate universe, Blues Brothers performance. It started and stopped and changed speeds again and again. Very intriguing. It's the kind of special performance that you can't look away from. And I think it came at the perfect time for Lauren. Wade said that Neil has really come alive in the competition and that the two of them had great musicality. Mary liked it although she didn't like the goggles. She summed up that it was really good, not great, but really good. Nigel said he didn't understand it. And because of that he's not sure that he enjoyed it.
Song - "Let The Drummer Kick" by Citizen Cope
Anya and Danny drew the foxtrot and headed off to see Jean-Marc Genereux. I really didn't like the opening, but once the main part of the number started I thought it was very well done. Here is where I finally put my finger on what it is about Danny. I'm not a big fan, for a couple of reasons. One, as lame as it is, is that I'm kind of throwing him under the bus for being partnered with Anya. I don't think she should be in the competition at this point, and he's losing points because of that. Silly, maybe, but I bring it up because I realize it factors in. The other thing that I finally picked up on tonight is how he has a tendency to step out of the style of dance he is doing. When he gets away for his solo bits often times Danny the (dance of the week) performer disappears for a bit as Danny the ballet dancer appears. It's somewhat jarring and hurts the performance overall. Wade said that this was the first time that he believed Danny in a dance. He thought Anya was classically beautiful. Mary, as expected, loved it. We all have our favorites, even the judges. Nigel said it was the best foxtrot he has seen on the show. And then he took a shot at Dancing With The Stars. More on that later.
Song - "It Had To Be You" by Brian Evans
Lacey and Kameron closed things up with a Dan Karaty hip hop number. This was a fun performance, and Lacey looked absolutely outstanding in her cheerleader/schoolgirl outfit. I was with it right up until the break in the middle where Lacey sat down. I think this was a mistake by Karaty. It's been pretty clear from the beginning that Lacey is the star of the show on this team. Taking her out of the equation and relying on Kameron was a risk, and I think it hurt them. His solo wasn't very impressive at all. Is this the first setback for the team? Wade thought Kameron danced "a bit heavy". Of Lacey he said that she's always a great performer, and she played the role well tonight. He added that her performance is always professional, but not personal. Mary agreed with Wade about Kameron, but said that Lacey is right on point. Nigel said that he wanted much more from Kameron. When questioned by Cat he said that he thought they should be in the bottom three.
Song - "Here I Come" by Fergie
So there we have it. This week was probably the hardest yet for me to pick a favorite performance. In the end, I'm going with Lauren and Neil. Next week we'll be watching the top ten go at it, with the added bonus of new partnerships. It should make for a great show.
Now, I don't want to get off on a rant here, but getting back to Nigel's thinly veiled shots at Dancing With The Stars for a moment, I just don't get it. The shows are chasing after two completely different goals, and they don't compete with each other for talent or viewers. The mere fact that they are both centered on dancing is no reason to pit them against each other. That fact that they are both centered on dancing should actually have them embracing each other and trying to further the cause to the benefit of both.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-19-2007 @ 6:08AM
you're an idiot said...
Wow, there is just so much wrong with this review I wouldn't know where to begin....
The complete lack of understanding about dance? the ignorance about the very basic, competetive nature of television?
Oy....
"like a crazy, alternate universe Blues Brothers"????? Why? Because they wore white shirts and dark glasses and hats? Are you insane? How about this instead:
The piece, as choreographed by Mia Michaels rendered the dancers as slightly more than props. Puppets, if you will. That is one of the observations we have made about miss Michaels choreography over the past few years; either her pieces are soooo intensely emotional or completely dehumanizing. Either way, it's difficult to connect to them on a visceral level, as they force the viewer to stay aware that they are watching Miss Michael's work and not get caught up and lost in the beauty of the dance. On the other hand, Anya and her partner's flawless rendition of the foxtrot SHOULD be enough to keep them in the competition. After all, it was, as I indicated, near perfection of a very difficult couple's dance piece. But, it seems the audience (or maybe just the blocks of teenage girls who do the voting on shows like this) cannot or will not connect with Danny and Anya, for whatever reason; he comes across smug in his performance; she is foreign; he's really tall and balletic and that throws off their gaydar since he seems masculine all the time; her eyes are a little off. For whatever reason, she is probably one of the most technically proficient dancers in the competition and will probably go this week.
You say you don't think Anya should be in the competition at this point and you give no reasons for your opinion. Nothing to back it up. I realize that TV Squad is a "blog" and maybe it's not supposed to be held to the standard of, I don't know, TV Guide "journalism". But you guys are paid.
If you are paid for your opinion, give it. If you are paid to just rehash the show, do that. But, don't give some half assed commenting, it's useless. And, unless I am mistaken, TV Squad WAS one of the pre-eminent tv blogs.
This is shabby writing at best. At worst, it's irresponsible.
Oh, wait. I almost forgot. "The mere fact that they are both centered on dancing is no reason to pit them against each other." Are you insane? This is precisely the reason.
First off, Nigel, as the producer is going to want to attack a smarmy piece of celebricrap like "DwtS" because it creates a negative connotation in the minds of the viewers of his show. Why is this important? Better yet, why does this work? Because SYTYCD is a weird little anomaly: It is culture on television. It is culture on television on FOX!! Putting smooth waltzing up against, West Coast Swing, interpretive dance and hip hop, among others, is NOT what network tv is all about. Every time Nigel points out the weakness of another dance program or how great his show is what he is really doing (rather excitedly, I might add) is saying, "look! there CAN be room on television for more than the bottom line. It isn't just about flash. You can sustain an audience for five minutes while they watch some weird semi balletic contemporary thing. TV can be more than the bottom line. It can be more than crass!"
I think he is proud of his accomplishment.
And we have been the lucky ones for it.
You realize that there are thousands, if not millions of kids out there who now know what The Lindy Hop looks like? The Fox Trot? A Waltz???? come on. You should be smarter than that comment.
Why do I even read this site anymore......
More importantly, why am I not getting paid to write for it.......
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7-19-2007 @ 7:35AM
Tori said...
Well, I've heard Nigel say complimentary things about DWTS too (which I enjoy as well for different reasons) so I don't think much of his comments which really aren't that harsh at all.
I definitely agree that Sabra and Dominic had the best behind the scenes moments. Taking that silly question they ask in the beginning with a grain of salt, I was a bit perplexed at how shallow/uncreative some people came off.
I thought Sabra and Dominic were the best of the night. It had it's technical nitpicks but it was a difficult routine that was overall entertaining and they put 110% into every element of the performance. Otherwise, I thought it was a kind of hot and cold night. I agree that Jamie/Hok were a bit boring (but they were very harsh with Hok). Sarah/Pasha were ok but the piece was a little out there and not as difficult as the others from my view. Lauren and Neil had a pretty good and interesting performance and their piece was difficult but it had some technical nitpicks too with their synchronization (it was distracting).
Danny and Anya were pretty good and they performed their piece well but they've done better in the past. I think Danny's problem slipping back into his own style is just as much the fault of the choreographers playing up to his skills as it is his. Lacey and Kameron were pretty forgettable and didn't pull their hip hop peformance off in my opinion. Kameron didn't step up to the plate in a style that should have played to his strengths. Putting some of my personality issues with Lacey aside for the moment, I dislike her more each week--I'm glad Wade said something about how inorganic and one-dimensional her performances can feel. And I think her drive to over-perform (which is a big part of the style she specializes in) really hurts her partnering skills. Kameron has his weaknesses for sure but she does nothing to compensate for the performances sake.
Going into the top 10, I think only Sabra and Lacey are solidly safe. Of the men, I'd worry for Hok or Kameron but we'll see who finds themselves in the bottom.
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7-19-2007 @ 8:10AM
Dawn said...
I'm a little confused. The judges said that Hok's performance did not suggest an old man to them.
Well, ok, but it wasn't his dancing they were criticizing. The style of dance is not of Hok's choosing. The movements are choreographed for him.
The judges do this from time to time and it always gets on my nerves. If you want to slam Hok's technique or his connection to his partner, fine. But don't suggest that its his fault that the choreography had nothing to do with the character.
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7-19-2007 @ 8:45AM
Georgia said...
Seems like it was last year when Nigel made the comment about the different dance shows on TV and how glad he was to see the resurgence of dance. I did not take his comment of DWTS as a "shot", I think it was just a "clever" play on words. Every week the judges try to say something "clever".
Interesting.... I don't think I heard the crowd boo Wade during his comments.
I think Danny is the best dancer. Never mind if you think he's arrogant, his job is to dance and entertain. He does that very well. I think his showmanship came out more this week.
Also, isn't Cat Deely doing a good job? She has really settled in and is so positive with all the dancers.
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7-19-2007 @ 8:55AM
Brett said...
Tori, you make a very good point about the choreographers being partly to blame for the perception that Danny is falling back to his more comfortable style. They certainly contribute to it, but I think it is not only the steps he is given, but also the way in which he performs them.
Georgia, I agree with you for the most part. I think where we differ is where you say that Danny's job is to entertain and he's done that very well. I think the personality and entertainment aspect is where he has been lacking, which is what has brought about the opinion that he is somehow arrogant. Contrast that with someone like Dominic, who has clearly won over the audience. That said, you are absolutely correct that this week his showmanship really came out. If he can run with that, he could win this competition. I agree with you about Cat too. She does a great job as the host.
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7-19-2007 @ 10:24AM
tricia said...
The judges big word of the night was "musicality". The first time someone used it, I was like, okay, that was interesting. But then they all used it numerous times. But hey, I'm not a judge, nor a dancer, so they can use whatever word they want, over and over and over again! I enjoyed the show, especially Sabra. She is just a live wire all over that stage. Very entertaining!
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7-19-2007 @ 10:27AM
tricia said...
I forgot my apostrophe - "the judges' " is what I meant to say.
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7-19-2007 @ 10:33AM
jessie said...
For the first time I think Danny connected with his partner - judges have pointed out that Danny seemed to be disconnected from his partner and dancing by himself. Last night was the first time I noticed he connected with Anya and it was lovely to see.
I found it interesting to that no one booed during Wade's comments. I believe that Wade comes across more competent than the other twos judges and everything he said last night just came across as just constructional criticism. Not a hit on their personalities, not on their technique, but something deeper - trying to get at that something that connects the dancers to us, the audience. Don't get me wrong, I love the other two judges, but they come across and more entertaining us than really, really judges - Wade just seemed for serious.
I am finding Lacey's sexpot personae as being trite
I love Sabra and Dominic - I will be sad they are being split up.
Danny is growing on me, especially after last night. Anya - she is OK, I want to see her partner up with someone and do what she does best - Latin American dancing - I think if I saw her doing her forte, I would feel differently about her.
Love Pascha and Sara together - too bad they wont get a chance to grow as a couple.
My favorite routine was Lauren and Neil.
Hok is a favorite - partially because of last years outcome and I do totally enjoy watching Jaimie - she moves so beautifully and her lines are truly long and graceful.
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7-19-2007 @ 10:53AM
cathy said...
Your not getting paid because you are pompous and arrogant, and you have way too much free time on your hands. Sounds to me like a wanna be who's all talk while they waste the day in front of the TV. I can hear you now as you watch the show: "I can do better than that. That was all wrong."
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7-19-2007 @ 11:09AM
Ashley said...
I think Dominic and Sabre are an amazing couple and continue to get better every week. I think Dominic has proved that he can do almost any style of dancing and do it very well. I will be sad to see the two of the split apart.
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7-19-2007 @ 11:32AM
Bas said...
I don't get the love for Lauren & Neil. They were out of synch for quite a bit of their routine. Neil is a much better dancer than she is, and it shows. Sabra & Dominic were my favorite from last night - for their personalities as much as for their dancing. Last night was the first time that I really enjoyed Danny & Anya - they were lovely to watch, and Danny actually had some expression on his face for the first time.
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7-19-2007 @ 3:54PM
misanthrope said...
Finally Cat Deeley wears a dress that doesn't make me cringe. As for Nigel, he needs to take a break from his "i'm really glad to be a part of something as wonderful as this" speeches. We get it! Its not very polite to praise your own show. Wade should be a permanent judge on the show, he really DOES make a lot of sense...unlike Mary Murphy. What do they serve in those cups anyway? They must be cutting back on the shots because she wasn't as scattered as usual.
I really like the Sabra-Dominic pairing. They dance really well together, especially considering the number of times Dominic seems to have dropped her. Sabra seems to be a really good sport about that. Their off-stage clip was the only clip that didn't seem painfully forced. For a B-boy, dominic is very versatile. I agree with the judges in that these two have grown.
Jaimie is a very lucky girl. Whatever she did to change (i.e. hair style...flirting with Hok) is really working for her. I had no idea she was on the show until last week. She's a really great dancer so I don't know why she didn't stand out before. Hok is really good at what he does...I was a big fan when he auditioned last season but he seems too cocky this season. I didn't like the routine much and haven't really liked most of their couples routines. However, I do think the judges were overly harsh with him. I don't know what Nigel was waiting for but if he didn't get it, he shouldn't be blaming Hok. All he's doing is following the choreography.With that said, his choreographed dances bores me to tears. There's no spark, no personality, no character. Its very different from his dances last season. Even his solo performances this season haven't blown me away. He needs to step it up.
I loved Sara and Pasha's dance. Everything about it was GREAT. It was my favorite routine as well.
I didn't like Neil and Lauren's routine. I may be a bit biased because I think this pair should have been sent home on the week Jesus and his partner got booted. Either way, the routine wasn't too interesting and Lauren is really really really really annoying. The only contestant more annoying than Lauren is Lacey. I bet they're the best of friends. To be fair, I'm sure most of it is for television (the whole be memorable and get the votes act) but they really bug me. By the way, is Lauren's background hip hop? Really? Because even Kameron dances better hip hop.
Anya and Danny are excellent dancers. The only reason they end up in the bottom is because they don't really connect with the audience...or each other. I was really glad to see Danny looking at Anya more during the routine and while talking to the judges because he usually seems disconnected..which comes of as arrogance. Disconnected manner + Dance movements that look easy = Appearance of arrogance = bottom 3. I think its time for them to play to the audience a little (Not as much as some of the other dancers...but a little...enough to bring in the votes) so that they can stick around until the end. Anya and Danny are great dancers.
Kameron really has been a prop since the beginning of the show. Lacey always steals the show because she's a great dancer and hams it up for the camera. I'm really glad Wade mentioned the whole 1 dimensional personality she exhibits. She's really laying it on thick with the "cute-flirty borderline slutty" girl act. She's a great dancer and doesn't need to use gimmicks. The fact that she continues to do so makes me want to vote for her less and less. I don't even want to see her in the top 10 anymore. I think the judges were really really easy on Lacey. Especially Mary Murphy. I'm beginning to think she's dating Benji Schwimmer because of all the favoritism with Lacey. She barely danced during the routine. It was all flirting. I know she has to follow the choreography but the little dancing that she did was average. Nothing to be gushing about. I wish they would be fair when judging her.
Just a side note...I think its pretty rude for the producers to practically showcase Benji Schwimmer last week and completely ignore Travis Wall this week. They mentioned that he was assisting and that was it. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big benji fan but at least act like Travis made it to the finals.
Couples that SHOULD be in the bottom 3:
Neil and Lauren: Don't know if it was the way the routine was choreographed but they seemed out of sync. Lauren isn't a great dancer...even when she does hip hop which is her specialty (Whats with that whole "I pretend to be asian" comment last week?)
Jamie and HOk: Hok wasn't treated fairly by the judges. Their issues had more to do with the routine/choreographer than the dancer. With that said, he hasn't really blown me away this season...even with the solos. What happened? Jaimie does end each sentence with a question. Very annoying but her dancing is really great.
Lacey and Kameron: Kameron...was not good. The judges were really harsh on him (once again mostly a choreography problem)but some of it was deserved. If that solo was given to anyone else (i.e. Pasha) I'm sure it would have looked a lot better than when Kameron did it. I agree with wade, Lacey is very 1 dimensional but she's a great dancer. I would rather see no personality than the fake cute-flirty-slutty one that she serves up each night.
Dancers that should go:
Kameron:May not even make it to the bottom 3 because of Lacey's huge Benji spill-over fan base
Lauren:Although I'm not a Lacey fan...she's a much better dancer than Lauren. Its time for Lauren to go
The most likely bottom 3 based on SYTYCD politics (who draws most fans for tours, dvd sales..etc), online campaigning (i.e. by the Lacey-Benji camp), clever Fox editing and misguided fans:
Danny and Anya....Neil and Lauren...Jamie and HOk
We'll probably see Lauren and Hok leave. I still can't get over the fact that Lauren spent 15 seconds of her 30 second solo a few weeks ago to walk around.
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7-20-2007 @ 11:52AM
ral said...
They showcased Benji because he was not only the previous year's winner, but also because he was the choreographer. Note that they mentioned Travis just as much as they mentioned Heidi last week.
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7-21-2007 @ 3:43AM
Jada said...
Everyone who has posted to this blog has valid and great points. I just have one thing to add concerning Danny and his "perceived" arrogance. Let's all stop and think for a minute... do we all really think Danny has issues "connecting with the audience" or were we MADE to think he has these issues? When I think back to the first episodes of the season, the auditions, I remember thinking about what a terrific and flawless dancer he is; I even recall the judges commenting as such. It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago when one of the judges suggested that he was "arrogant" that everyone jumped on that band wagon. There was post about the use of the word "musicality" and her point is exactly what I'm trying to say here. One person used it, then everyone else thought it was a great word/idea, so now it's used time and time again on each show. Soooooo, one week it's arrogant, the next week it's musicality, I can't wait to see what it will be next week.
People just don't realize how much their own opinions are infulence by the views of others. The media is notorious for this. At the end of the day we're all free thinking people who should use that gift and form our OWN opinions.
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