(S04E07) I'm not going to be so quick as some of the commenters to say that this crop of dancers isn't up to the level of talent we saw last season. You have to remember that this is the first week for these partnerships so many of these dancers have only begun to find their rhythm and the necessary chemistry with their partner to pull of some of these difficult routines. I am so glad to see that the choreographers are keeping things tough, and was more than impressed that there were at least five routines that I was absolutely impressed with.
Two of them genuinely moved me emotionally, which is a testament to choreographer and dancers alike. I'll agree with my Dance partner, Kristin that Katee and Joshua pretty well stole the show with their hip-hop routine, and will second Nigel's enthusiasm for the inclusion of Tabitha & Napoleon to the ranks of show choreographers. I will, however, also agree that their first number wasn't nearly as good. The other outstanding piece for me was Mia Michaels "Tim Burton wedding" as danced beautifully by Chelsea H. and Mark. And I think the overwhelming wedding dress fit the quirkiness of the choreography just wonderfully. It worked so well that she was practically lost in it, but when you could see her limbs her linework was exquisite.
Going into the show tonight, my bottom three routines of the night were Courtney G. & Gev, Rayven & Jamie (ironic isn't it) and Comfort & Chris. I know Comfort oozes personality, but her footwork and body posturing throughout that jive was a mess. I don't figure she'll be in the bottom three, but if we were to judge based solely on the dancing I saw, I'd put her there and then save her based on her inevitably amazing solo.
Top 20 Group Number - Wade Robson, Choreographer ("Cobrastyle," Robyn)
The show opened with an incredibly fun number. I loved how Robson incorporated elements from the show itself, and specifically judge and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe into the choreography, even if he was only trussed up on a rolling chair throughout. As for the dancing, it was tight and fierce. I honestly expected a twenty dancer routine to be a bit of a nightmare, but if there were any weak points, the whole thing was just too much fun to even notice it. That said, it seemed more designed for the television, as there was also some tricky camera work as an integral part of the storytelling, than for a live theater, but what the hell. This is a television program, after all.
Guest Performances
Popping Pete and something incomprehensible that might be 'Shonee' followed by Cat biting her tongue came out and did a popping routine to "I Can Make You Dance" by Zapp. I thought there were some really dry spots during it, and would have liked the choreography to incorporate the pair together better. But I'll give them props for being part of the group that originated the style. And as they were the innovators, as with many things, others have come along and done more dynamic things with their creation.
Later, The Pussycat Dolls performed "When I Grow Up." Let's face it, this group is about how hot Nicole Scherzinger is and about the rest of the girls being half naked but still not quite as hot. For a group founded by a choreographer (Robin Antin) that started as a dance troupe performing on a dance show, I would have liked to see much better choreography out of them. Or if not that, some good singing, maybe? But I'll give credit to Scherzinger for finding a black acrylic paint to plaster on her body where most people wear pants.
Building Your Bottom Three Couples
In the end, it came down to Matt & Kourtni L, which I have to say wasn't a surprise because Matt was clearly out of his element. Rayven & Jamie did a fun hip-hop number that didn't really pop in any way, or resonate with enough voters. Or did it offend them?
And then we got to the final two couples. Jessica & Will were declared the team to beat last night, while Courtney G & Gev just weren't that good. So what happened and how did Jessica & Will wind up in the bottom three? Point blank: America got it wrong.
Solo Performances
- Kourtni L ("I Wanna Dance With Somebody," The Side Project) - I thought Kourtni showed a lot of graceful, fluid motions and emotion in her solo.
- Matt ("Baby's Romance," Chris Garneau) - Matt also did everything technically we could have asked for but I would have liked a bit more energy and passion in his movement.
- Rayven ("As I Am (Intro)," Alicia Keys) - Ballet is really hard to sell in a solo to non-professionals, and even though I saw some really nice footwork and ballet movements from her, it all seemed a bit safe and simple. The dance style offers a lot more to showcase her abilities than a developpé, a few jumps and walking around as if on point, but not on point shoes, around the stage.
- Jamie ("Mas Que Nada," Sergio Mendes feat. The Black Eyed Peas) - Ballroom is also difficult to do in solo format, but Jamie made the best of it and gave us a lot of fancy footwork and really showed what a ballroom male should be.
- Jessica ("Misery Business," Paramore) - Jessica gave the most acrobatic performance; but there may not have been enough actual dancing.
- Will ("More Than Anyone (Stripped Version)," Gavin DeGraw) - What I want out of a contemporary dancer is what Will gave us: passion, emotion and powerful movements across the stage.
As Kristin said in her review last night, I'll be reviewing the performance episodes starting next week, with her covering these results escapades. So if you loved her there, I'm sorry but you'll still get to love her in this slot starting next week. As for me, I'll see you guys Wednesday for the Top 18 performances. I think we're off to a great start on what should be an outstanding season.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-13-2008 @ 12:31AM
bsgfan2003 said...
What is really offending is some of the "dance moves" performed by the Pussycat Dolls. Some of those poses were more appropriate for a trip to the OB/GYN.
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6-13-2008 @ 12:56AM
hessian said...
I thought the show had a horrendous number of technical issues tonight.
Cat's mic, Mary's mic, and at least three cameras pointed at who knows what.
It was hard to understand Cat for most of the first half of the show.
I vote we send the director home and keep the dancers.
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6-13-2008 @ 8:28AM
Danielle said...
I agree w/ previous post...even the camera was out of whack! DH and I were watching and he was wondering whats so great about the Pussycat Dolls newest album. I think they are popular for their dressing attire, then their singing. That song was horrible.
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6-13-2008 @ 8:58AM
Philip said...
I don't think America got it wrong by putting Jessica and Will in the bottom three. I can't understand the praise they received from the judges on Wednesday - that they were the "team to beat" and they had great chemistry. I thought they were like a couple of dancing robots; and as for their chemistry, they never even looked at each other once! I thought Jessica's solo was the weakest and I would have liked to see her go home. It seems as if they're setting Will up to go far in this contest (because he's Debi Allen's protege?) so even if the voters put him in the bottom three consistently, the judges aren't going to send him anywhere.
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6-13-2008 @ 9:34AM
Erin said...
I really like Courtney G. and Gev, but I have no idea how they weren't in the bottom 3. I was so unimpressed and bored with that disco. I thought it was awful.
I love the emotion Katee puts in her dancing.
And, jeez, how gorgeous is Will? Seriously.
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6-13-2008 @ 9:48AM
ladytex said...
I, too, thought Jessica should have gone home instead of Rayven. I thought she was bad Wednesday night, I saw plenty of bobbles from her, and her solo was the worst. I loved Will's solo, but the judges are jinxing him and ticking off the voting public with their comments. If they keep mentioning his mentor and that they are the team to beat, which I don't agree with, then they will be in the bottom every week.
I can't even type what my sister and I call the PCD. They are worthless ...
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6-13-2008 @ 9:52AM
fowak said...
I'm pretty disappointed that they only male NON-contemporary or hip-hop dancer is gone. I love both those styles, but it's pretty annoying that that is all there is.
I also thought Rayven's was the best solo and that Kourtni's was the worst. I couldn't believe they praised hers so much. And I'm a Kourtni fan - I just didn't see what they saw in her performance at all.
BOO.
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6-13-2008 @ 10:29AM
I miss my stars! said...
The drawers dropping wasn't as offputting as the crotch grabbing for me. It was just too déclassé for me.
I was surprised the slow waltz couple made it through. Usually that dance is the kiss of death.
Katee and Joshua made me all misty. Being a Navy Wife makes me sensitive to that kind of stuff and I loved it.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the season!
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6-13-2008 @ 10:43AM
Orangecrush said...
I thought Jessica should have gone home. Her performance Wednesday was not good and her solo was meh. I was not happy to see Rayven go.
But I think that the judges want to give the couples a chance to gel before they start breaking them up. It's much more dramatic that way. And Will is amazing and not leaving yet, so his partner stays.
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6-13-2008 @ 12:05PM
ChezLounge said...
America got it wrong, huh? NO. Jessica was sliding all over the place and Will, no matter how competent, comes off as arrogant (no help from the judges, constantly slathering praise on him). I knew that the judges wouldn't break up the couple but I think its was a good wakeup call to Jessica and Will that no matter what the judges might say, viewers might be thinking something else. Humility above all else is key.
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6-13-2008 @ 12:15PM
L Dubs said...
I wonder if the judges go home and watch the performances so they can focus on the dance without the "stimulation" of being there live. If so, it certainly explains the turn around on Jessica and Will. They seemed overly praised after the live performance.
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6-13-2008 @ 11:01PM
a said...
You got it right on point!
6-13-2008 @ 3:52PM
nattyff said...
the sound was a mess, and the pussycats dolls aren't the most vocal group out there, but they clearly had sound issues.
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6-14-2008 @ 2:23PM
Adrian said...
First of all, Popping Pete is not the creator of the popping style , both his brothers are. They are part of the same company called Electric Boogaloos. The kid he was pairing with is his son I believe, Shonn Boog. You can check their webpage http://www.electricboogaloos.com/.
I think their performance was just full of details that the cameras missed out. All the finger and hand popping was missed through wide angles instead of focusing in what was being danced. I've the chance to watch a master class by Poppin Pete and he is all in the details.
Anyways, on regards of the solo performances, Kourtni did in her solo the same as in her audition, even the movement when she seems to lose equilibrium so I guess she does it on purpose, she was on point, feeling the music but these solos are too short to get a proper notice of how the dancers are. Unless for Will the others weren't remarkable at all. Will made that high jump showing great elevation that would save him anytime.
Those two gone were pretty basic and boring in their performance and Jessica and Matt might be the next two out so there is no problem with that.
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6-18-2008 @ 9:46PM
opin said...
I don't think that there could be anybody who wouldn't agree that the technical side of this show has been totally unprofessional, though I would add that the wardrobe designer must have been asleep and/or not been hired at all; at least i hope that that was the reason there were fethers all over the stage.
this show cannot demand the best from it's dnacers if they are not prepared to give their best in return.
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6-18-2008 @ 9:53PM
opin said...
mia needs to quit being so fake-ass-full-of-herself
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