(S03E20) Holy smokes. Call me crazy if you don't agree, but I'm calling this the best episode of the season. There hasn't been a standout number one performance every week, but there has always been something that didn't quite work, or didn't quite measure up to the rest. I didn't find that here. It would seem that the talk about the choreographers stepping things up wasn't just talk as all of them delivered great routines for the dancers to perform. The criticisms were few and far between this week, from me, and from the judges. That would be Nigel and Mary as usual, joined this week by Debbie Allen. After the jump, we'll get to all of the performances, and a rant about Fox scheduling.
Was I the only one surprised to see a 60 minute show this week? With all of the couples doing two performances, and everyone getting a solo, there was enough that they could have stretched it out another 30 minutes. Jamming it all into a one hour episode did make it all exciting. So, couples first, and then a bit about the solos.
Lacey and Pasha were paired up this week and kicked things off with hip hop and Dave Scott. This was a great opening number, with a lot of credit for that going to Scott. My expectations weren't that high upon hearing that Pasha and Lacey would be doing hip hop. Neither of them specialize in it, and the hip hop numbers lately have been kind of hit and miss. But Scott was very clever with his choreography. I thought the mannequin bit simplified things and was able to mask a lack of pure hip hop skills, and do it in a way that was so interesting that it wasn't immediately evident that he was doing it. Good stuff. The judges all liked it, with Debbie adding that they showed why they are still in the competition. Song - "In The Morning" by Junior Boys
For their second number they got the smooth waltz with Hunter Johnson. Like many of the other waltzes we have seen this season, this one will probably most often be described as beautiful. As it should. Pasha was great leading Lacey through the dance, and this was the first time that I really got the feeling that Lacey was in the moment of the dance, and not performing for the audience. It felt like she took those criticisms to heart last week and acted on them. The only bad thing I could say about this one was that getting into their lift was a bit wonky. But that was just a tiny little moment, and it was still a very impressive move. Again, the judges had nothing but praise with Mary calling it beautiful and dreamlike. Song - "A Daisy In December" by Mick McAuley and Winifred Horan
Lauren and Danny were the second couple and started their night with Mia Michaels and contemporary. The tin-foil hat conspiracy theorist in my head took notice at that. With Lauren being in the bottom two last week, a contemporary piece by Mia Michaels with Danny as a partner was about the best thing she could have hoped for to win over some voters. Whether or not the random draw was completely random or not doesn't take away from the performance though. And except for the last 30 seconds, this was amazing. The energy and the intricacy of the movement that Michaels designed was fascinating. I thought it all kind of went a little flat at the end when we watched them run around the stairs. It felt a bit gimmicky and I would have rather seen more of the performance on the stage. The judges didn't have a problem with the stairs as they all had nothing but the highest praise. Debbie said that Lauren and Danny were passion and perfection personified. Song - "Then You Look At Me" by Celine Dion
They followed that up with a Doriana Sanchez disco number. Where the waltz was beautiful, this disco was all kinds of fun. I got the feeling that it could have been a little smoother had Sanchez ratcheted the difficulty down a notch or two, but this is the top six we are talking about. While it makes for the occasional moment where you notice the technique, I do appreciate the challenge of what they were asked to do. It was another success. The judges were all on board with this one as well. Nigel highlighted just how impressed he was with the way they handled the difficulty of the choreography. Song - "Don't Leave Me This Way" by The Communards
Sabra and Neil were our third couple and they were off to see Mandy Moore for their opening jazz number. Hearing the idea in the rehearsal package, I thought it sounded kind of hokey. Things were much different when seeing the end result though. The table and the way that Moore used it in the choreography was so original that it was a treat to watch. It was so fast with so many little details that it really asks to be watched again. The plange, as Nigel pointed out, was a great moment in the perfect spot. More great comments from the judges with Nigel acknowledging how Neil has grown as a dancer, and the fact that Sabra dances from the heart. Song - "Sweet Dreams" by Eurythmics
The night finished up with their pasa doble, choreographed by Tony Meredith, who is making a serious play to be my favorite choreographer at this point. There have been some struggles with the pasa doble on the show, and this was the one I have been waiting for. Terrific choreography, and I thought they both did a good job with their characters in the dance. And what about that ending? You don't see that every day. It was certainly unorthodox, but it made me sit up and take notice. The judges also liked it. Nigel said that he now believes that either of them could win the whole thing. Song - "Espana Cani" by Juan and Gennaro
At this point in the competition, I've tired of the 30 second solo bits. I'd rather that they either give the dancers the time to do an entire performance, and put their full focus on it, or just do away with it. We've seen some of them a number of times now and they are starting to feel repetitive. For example, was there anything in Lauren or Neil's solos that surprised you or changed your thoughts on where you are ranking them? I could rank them, but it would have as much to do with my overall feel for the dancers as it would with what they actually did on the stage.
Taking those solos, and all of the pairs performances into account, I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite tonight. By the narrowest of margins, I'm going with Lacey and Pasha. Their hip hop number was very interesting, and the smooth waltz was my favorite of the night.
Finally, the results show won't be on until next Monday because of pre-season football. I'm not sure I get the thinking there. The House repeat they showed Tuesday couldn't be pre-empted to show the performance show, so we could have the results show on Wednesday? And if House is just too big to be moved, I say kick On The Lot around the schedule. Because when we get to summer reality season next year, one of those shows will be back, and there won't be any short movies being made.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-09-2007 @ 5:08AM
Ryan said...
And if the finale is ALSO set to air next week then the top 4 (and the rest of the top 10 at least) will be dancing A LOT of routines next week. If they follow the format of last season then the top 4 will at least perform a total 11 routines (solo, pair, and group performances) on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday with the possibility of 1-2 people dancing upwards to 12-15 routines.
Um... ouch.
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8-09-2007 @ 9:13AM
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8-09-2007 @ 8:12AM
Tori said...
I wasn't expecting 30 minutes either but this is one time where I wish it had been longer. The show went too fast for me and I felt like it was all rushed. I didn't have time to savor the dances and I felt like the judges were censoring themselves too in the interests of time. Oh well.
I was pleasantly surprised with Pasha and Lacey both because of their hip hop routine where Pasha really impressed me with a believable performance (Lacey did what she was supposed to for the routine) and because of the beauty of their waltz. I so agree about Lacey finally looking like she wasn't performing for the camera but was in the moment of the dance. It was a refreshing sign of maturity from her. Neither of their solos did it for me but a nice job all around.
I liked the technical aspects of Lauren and Danny's contemporary but it fell a little flat for me. Still it was a treat to watch them go through the motions of it. Their disco looked so difficult! I agree it suffered from some clunkiness over the moves but quite impressive. I still could do with less disco routines though. Their solos were ok. At this point, we've seen it all before and it's a matter of status quo versus dropping the ball.
Everyone's always talking about Wade, Mia and Shane but I've been very impressed with Mandy Moore this season. Her routines are unique and interesting just like the one for Sabra and Neil where it's not always some kind of love/relationship story. I absolutely loved the jazz routine. I could see a little mismatch between them because Neil is technically a bit more polished than Sabra but it was the only routine--in a show of great routines--that I wanted more, more, more. Their PD was entertaining and they put their all into a very difficult routine. They didn't have as much chemistry as with past partners but their performance made up for it in spades.
At this point, Sabra has really pulled out ahead for me. She really does dance from the heart, gives 100% and hasn't given a bad routine this season. Technically, I like Danny for a win too. I think it'll be Neil and Lauren who come up short this week though.
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8-09-2007 @ 8:59AM
David said...
I don't understand the Monday thing at all. Does that mean they have two days to practice?
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8-09-2007 @ 10:52AM
sarah said...
yeah, i would have rather they kept the extra 30 minutes, have each do a full length solo, and that way the judges could have been more thorough on their critiques.
Sabra is still #1 for me
i disagree with some of you though. i thought Lauren and Danny's contempo piece needed the running at the end. it started out running and fast, so the ending fit perfectly for me. it kept up the momentum. and i really like Pasha's solo. its very smart for him as a ballroom dancer to use a prop such as a cape and a mannequin, things that represent a partner (or lack thereof).
Lacey is getting more mature, but i am still tired of seeing her roll her asscheeks in front of the camera.
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8-09-2007 @ 7:01PM
Kara said...
I really liked the Josh Radin song Danny used for his solo, but I can't remember the name of it, does anyone know?
Sabra and Neil are my favorite dancers by far. I want Sabra to win it because it's about time a girl wins and she is absolutely amazing for only having 4 years of dance experience. I really dislike Danny because I think he is cocky and arrogant and I don't know how no one else sees this!!! He is all about himself when dancing with his partner and although the competition is about the best dancer you have to be a good partner too. I haven't seen chemistry between him and any of his partners because he refuses to give back to them.
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8-09-2007 @ 9:50AM
Vince said...
All the performers were terrific last night. It was hard to pick a favorite especially among the men.
But considering the whole season, I am going for Sabra and Danny as the best with Neil a close second in the men.
Pasha has the personality but his solos are weak w/o partners.
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8-09-2007 @ 11:02AM
Saragee said...
I thought the dances last night were all wonderful. They were entertaining, fun and quite difficult. Great show!
I wasn't as keen on Danny & Lauren's contemporary as the judges were. The dancing was excellent, but there seemed a little too much running up and down the stairs for me. Felt like a filler.
When I saw Pasha and Lacey were doing Hip Hop I groaned. I just didn't think they could pull it off, but it was great!!
One last comment, did anyone notice that Sabra and Lauren were both very warm toward their partners, but Lacey never looked at Pasha. Even when he would look at her and hug her, she only had eyes for the judges. It was like all the praise was only for her. Hello? She didn't do it alone....especially the Hip Hop. Without Pasha's warmth and personality that number would not have worked at all!
This is the first time, however, that I will be sad to see any of them go.
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8-09-2007 @ 11:41AM
Beckylooo said...
I have to disagree with you about Neil's solo. It did change my mind about him. If you go back and look at his early solos and compare it to this one, the growth is impressive. He's nurtured and grown sense of musicality from what appeared to be a complete lack. He's not my favorite, but his solo moved me.
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8-09-2007 @ 11:46AM
Will said...
Call me a conspiracy theorist, but something was awry last night. Cat started with Nigel for every routine when she usually starts with the guest judge. It seems they were looking to the producer to set the tone for comments.
I felt the over-the-top rave reviews for Mia Michael's number were undeserved. Ditto for the Paso Doble. IMO, Jesus' Paso Doble was much better, and there have certainly been better contemporary numbers this season that received less praise. Finally, Danny closed the show with his solo. It all felt a little too contrived and with Nigel being a producer (and one of Danny's fans), a little suspect.
Don't get me wrong, I thought there were some fantastic performances last night and really enjoyed the show; but I think there was a little social engineering at play last night and I found it off-putting.
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8-09-2007 @ 12:31PM
Saragee said...
Will...I thought the same thing. Why Nigel first, who always goes last, and I too thought Danny doing his solo last was little suspect.
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8-09-2007 @ 12:45PM
sarah said...
yeah, i agree with the whole "American Dreamz" theory. i felt like they were trying to shoo Lacey into the top 10 just for the sake that her brother won. i guess it doesnt hurt that she can dance just as well. but, i think they started with Nigel's comment because of the time constraints. coming off of last week when the guest judge (i forget his name... from Hairspray) took up a lot of time commenting, i think they want to drive home the point that guest judges are just that... guests.
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8-09-2007 @ 2:47PM
Elizabeth said...
I think that they started with Nigel because last time Debbie Allen talked a whole lot and the show was only an hour last night. They didn't have time for a lot of comments with 12 dances to get through.
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8-09-2007 @ 5:16PM
Tammy said...
Did you watch last year? If so you would have seen Benji and Heidi do that same lift you liked from Neil and Sabra. But there was a big difference.... it was at the start of the routine, Benji walked downstage while holding her above his head and then they danced a much more difficult routine after he dropped her... more smoothly.... down his body. That was one routine I watched a few times and I think it was the routine where he got to drive Alex's car afterward. Sure Benji and Heidi had much more latin dance background and had danced together for years but that move was amazing and made the one Neil and Sabra did pale in comparison.
Sure the solos do influence me some.... after watching the couples performances and Sabra's solo, my thought was Lacey needed a heck of a solo to beat out Lauren last night. For the first time I thought Lauren was better than Lacey. Lacey could have done so much more with her solo and not having to dance them almost the whole season has hurt her.
Neil's solo was his best ever. He really did tone it down this week and didn't go at 110% the whole time. It wasn't just a bunch of jumps and leaps thrown in where he almost too hyper. It was controlled and well planned out. I thought his solo was better than Danny's. I still think Danny is a better dancer but if I had to rank based on last night's performances.... Danny wasn't the best overall. Danny needed a more laid back, personality driven performance and having cute, smiling Lauren as a partner was perfect for him. Maybe it was his early partners but Lacey and Lauren really have helped Danny lighten up more.
This year I have hard time deciding who should win. Pasha, Neil, and Lauren have grown so much in this competition and have really adapted to various styles. Lacey started off extremely strong, hit a lull for a while and is making a slight comeback. It's just sort of a given that Lacey will give you a great performance. Danny has grown in personality but he is the best male dancer this show has ever had. Sabra is just good period. She makes it look so easy. So I guess Sabra should win but she's not my favorite..... so I don't really pull for her. Lauren has slowly won me over, week after week..... along with Neil. But since it's a dancing show... Sabra should win.
BTW.... thanks to the Eagles and Ravens, I won't see Monday's show until midnight. Like the NFL season wasn't long enough, do we really need to show the pre-season games before college football even starts? ARGH!
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8-10-2007 @ 12:49AM
hannahan said...
The Joshua Radin song was "The Fear You Won't Fall." It's an amazing song, and almost made me want to like Danny when he chose it for his solo. Almost....
I agree. I think Danny is arrogant and reserved, something a dancer can't afford to be. Neil has really won it for me for the guys - not only does he throw himself (all of himself) into his characters, he has grown quite a bit and is a really good dancer. For the women, Sabra has definitely won my vote (if i voted..). She is just good at everything! As for Lauren, I would rather Lacey be voted off next week than Lauren. Lacey seems very very focused on her own performance and reviews, rather than her and her partner's performance. Also, she's a good dancer, but I haven't seen the WOW factor that Sabra has, in solos and in partner dances. And Lacey has been using that "sex-appeal" way too much lately. It's so you think you can DANCE, not so you think you can strip.
But that's just my two cents...
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9-29-2007 @ 3:35PM
bekahtravels said...
I think that Sabra is a phenomenal dancer for many reasons, all of which were highlighted last night. Technically she is spot on and she truly feels every dance, she is the definition of consistent, and she has a personality as well. All the other contestants are wonderful dancers, but none have the full package like Sabra. I hope Lacey gets voted off just because she has an air of entitlement about her. Just because her brother won last year doesn't mean she deserves to be in the final... So I am crossing my fingers for Sabra to win the whole thing and for Lacey to get booted off. I could really care less about the guys cause it is time for a female to win the show.
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8-15-2007 @ 8:55PM
JML said...
Does anyone know the name/artist of the song that either Danny or Neil danced to for their solo...it goes something like, "It's too late to say goodbye...it's too late...."
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