So You Think You Can Dance Recap: The Top 8 Perform!

I was exceptionally opinionated in the moment last night during SYTYCD so I decided I'd write up a recap today after I had time to sort out my thoughts more clearly.

Sasha & Pasha (Quickstep): This was a routine I may have judged too harshly. I commented that Sasha was too stiff, but according to the judges that was a "character choice" based on direction by the choreographer so I can't fault her for doing in what was asked of her.

Caitlynn & Ivan (Hip-Hop): After looking at this piece again, I think I praised Caitlynn a little too much. I think I was so surprised that she hit all the choreography that I failed to pay attention to style. She really did need to sit lower in the pocket like Ivan and her movements were too choppy for this smooth style of Hip-Hop.

Jordan & Ade (Jazz): All I can remember about this routine was that Jordan's legs were working. The fact that I saw it less that 12 hours ago and I can't remember anything else about it means that it wasn't a particularly great routine. I actually feel sorry for Jordan that she never gets any other praises or constructive criticism because the judges are so enamored by her legs.

Melanie & Neil (Contemporary): Another 80s-tastic routine from Many Moore. This was so gorgeous because these dancers can do anything but in terms of choreography, the only thing I will walk away remembering about it was that huge catch lift...and that's probably because Cat had them do it a second

Anya & Ricky (Jive): I love Ricky so I'll admit I had blinders on when I watched this piece. Though he did have incredibly energy and he always shows his love for dance, the Jive was not up to par. He was too upright and needed to get more into his knees.

Jess & Lauren (Hip Hop): Lauren is one of the most versatile dancers this show has ever had and Hip-Hop isn't even truly her style but she makes it look like it is. All the movements were there for these two, but there just was no chemistry as a couple. They looked more like a brother and sister competing a junior duet at Starpower Nationals.

Tadd & Lauren (Jazz): This was straight up a competition routine. It would have done really well at Starquest Nationals circa 2001 but for this level of competition, it simply didn't look professional enough. They did well with what they were given, which wasn't much.

Marko & Allison (Contemporary): This Sonya routine was far and away the routine of the night for me! The choreography was thoughtful and layered and dancers attacked it with a fierce intensity. It was so memorable and it held my interest so intently that I think I could perform half of the choreography right now. The two of them truly danced as one.

Caitlynn & Tadd (Foxtrot): This was very old Hollywood glam and I am repeatedly amazed by how easy a b-boy can transition to ballroom. Caitlynn was gorgeous, but I think she will be in the bottom tonight. She is wonderful, but she just is not a star.

Marko & Ricky (Hip-Hop): I think this guy-guy piece was mean to emulate "Tranji" from season 2, but the two just weren't on same level. Marko was flawless, but Ricky needed to get deeper into his knees and the two just didn't gel together.

Jordan & Jess (Rumba): This piece was boring boring boring because there was absolutely no heat between them. And that heinous costume made Jordan look twice her size. That is never good in such an aesthetic thing as dancing.

Sasha & Melanie (Jazz): I loved this choreography but I found the execution to be awkward because in my opinion, Sasha was light years beyond Melanie. I've been getting a lot of criticism for this opinion but then again it is just that...my opinion.

Final wrap ups: Caitlynn & Jess should go home tonight, Gaga should shut up, and this show should actually be about dancing for once instead of the "Guest Judge Side Show" its been the past two or three weeks.

So You Think You Can Dance Recap: The Top 20 Results Show (again)!

I loved the opening number, it was very unique and I loved the simplicity of it. This is weird but I love when they truly dance as one and you can't pick out who is who. Dave Scott is great and I really want to see his work on the show more this season. Debbie Reynolds has loved the experience even though she "is used to being on the stage and has never been off the stage".

First 3 couples are: Missy/Wadi, Caitlynn/Mitchell, and Sasha/Alexander. Could Caitlynn be wearing any less clothes? Come on now let's keep it clean. Missy/Wadi are in the bottom 3 (we knew that) after that heinous Cha Cha. Caitlynn/Mitchell are safe (we knew that too) after that Stacey Tookey dullsville contemporary routine that was sure to be a crowd pleaser. Sasha/Alexander did the best routine of the night and if they are in the bottom 3 I'm not watching this show anymore. And they are safe too...which means I can keep blogging for y'all!

Gatorade is helping the dancers work on a nutrition programs which is a phenomenal idea. After the injuries last season, we need to keep these dancers as safe and healthy as possible.

Next 2 couples: Melanie/Marko and Miranda/Robert. Both sets are safe which was pretty much expected.

Next 2 couples: Jordan/Tadd and Iveta/Nick. Jordan/Tadd are safe so thank goodness America got it right and voted for a strong couple even though it wasn't necessarily a crowd-pleasing routine. Iveta/Nick are in the bottom 3 and Cat says she can't wait to see their solos. How weird is it that Iveta is nearly as tall as Cat?

Final 3 couples: Ashley/Chris, Ryan/Robert, and Clarice/Jess. This was the big surprise of the night because I really expected Clarice/Jess to be in the bottom after that mediocre contemporary number, but hey, whatcha gonna do. Ryan & Ricky will kill it in  the solos.

I always fast forward through the fluff on the results show...aka the dance crews and the musical "artists" that nobody has ever heard of.

Wadi didn't dance for his life like he meant it. He did what I've seen anybody do in the clubs, plus a lot of flares. Missy looked incredibly spastic and and whip her hair. Nick looked and sounded great just as expected. Goodness I hope they keep him! He's so cute and so good! It is so hard to do solos when you are a ballroom dancer. Iveta tried  but it looked like all she was really doing was shaking her ass. Ricky started out with a huge turn sequence and into a lot of other tricks, but he had some really interesting connecting movements and showed off some really spectacular ways of moving his body. He was truly dancing for his life. Ryan showed a ton of emotion in her solo but she was a little wild in her movements and lacked control.

I always hate how the judges bring each dancer forward and tell them how wonderful they are, blah, blah, blah. And the judges kept Ryan. She was so genuinely emotional. I think they picked her because she is such a diamond in the rough  and she hash so much potential for the rest of the season. Ricky's reaction was just as emotional and genuine as Ryan's! I'm genuinely sad to see Nick go, and even Wadi too! I'm pissed at Iveta for sucking in that Bollywood routine and putting Nick in the bottom 3.

Well that's it for me guys. Next week's guest judge is my girl Kristin Chenoweth! Until next Wednesday's live-blog, Peace Out!

So You Think You Can Dance Recap: The Top 20 Perform (again)!

Because Nigel was feeling nice last week and didn't cut any dancers, the top 20 performed once again. Maybe it was because most of the dancers had to step out of their style or maybe because the choreography was bland, but overall I was unimpressed with last night's episode. Here is my live play-by-play of the episode in case you missed it http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2011/06/so-you-think-you-can-dance-top-20.html

Here are my favorite routines in order...

1) Sasha & Alexander Lyrical Hip Hop: Thank the Lord, Napoleon & Tabitha have returned! They are masters of this style and nobody does it like them, in my opinion. This piece about a soldier returning home from war to his emotionally tormented wife was poignant, particularly after the President's announcement before the the show about withdrawing troops in 2012. Many thought Sasha was too aggressive and too hard-hitting, but I really think that was a character choice and it showed that her husband's absence left her feeling tortured from the inside-out. Alex looked a little dead-faced like he did last week and he really needs to up his performance level to meet Sasha's. They should be 100% safe tonight.

2) Jordan & Tadd Viennese Waltz: I cannot even believe I'm picking a ballroom style as my 2nd favorite but it was just a huge surprise for me how well they did. I mean Tadd is a b-boy, all he does is freestyle, and I was shocked to see how incredible his posture and body carriage was. He looked so elegant and he was there for his partner. He even had the proper rise and fall. Jordan was fine, but Tadd definitely pulled focus. She had a little too much sass and not quite enough polish in my opinion. Wardrobe also did a poor job with her, putting her in a costume that made her look stocky when in fact she is not. They should be safe tonight.

3) Miranda & Robert Hip Hop: I was just so excited for the return of Tabitha & Napoleon last night! I love their choreography, but even more, I love that they are constantly coming up with new concepts. I could be wrong, but it always seems like they come up with their themes and then find music to fit, rather than letting the music and lyrics dictate the movement. I mean a daddy and a baby woodpecker? You can't get much more out of the box than that. This is Robert's style, but Miranda did her best to keep up and showed her grit when she got back up after eating it on a flip. I'd have them as safe, but they could potentially be in danger.

4) Caitlynn & Mitchell Conemporary: I hate that Stacey Tookey can't come up with anything but love stories or love stories gone wrong for her contemporary routines, but I'm ranking this routine high simply for its  movement quality. I've decided that I'm no longer going to expect great concepts from Stacey. I'm going to look at her routines strictly as movement for movement's sake. Caitlynn & Mitchell are a fantastic pair and it was great to see them dance together. They have great lines, extension and lift in jumps and leaps. The movement was gorgeous and flowed well with the music but the concept was tacky and so was that stupid lamp on stage. The chairs would have sufficed.

5) Melanie & Marko Jazz: This routine should have been great on paper but in no way shape or form should Sing Sing Sing ever be updated. Mandy Moore could have played with putting contemporary movement to a classic song  without actually choosing a techno version. Melanie & Marko did a great job with the intricate choreography and they looked quite polished. I didn't even see the moment when Marko dropped the hat. The one thing that bugged me about the piece was that we could tell right away when a jump or lift was coming because of the big preparation. I think they should be safe tonight, not only because it was a solid routine, but also because of the huge response to their statue routine last week.

6) Ryan & Ricky Jazz: I love these two and it was hard for me to be critical of the routine but it just was not good enough. There were issues in ever way possible from the stale choreography and 80s-tacular song choice to the costume malfunctions. One thing I also noticed last night is that Ryan & Ricky are nearly the same height which can be awkward visually. We'll see how that works when they draw their first ballroom routine. Another thing I noticed is that Ryan, though she makes up for it in heart, lacks a bit of polish. She is a little clunky and heavy in her movements and hasn't yet mastered how to use her long limbs to her advantage. I hate to admit it but they may be in danger tonight

7) Iveta & Nick Bollywood: I grew to love Nick even more in this routine because of his dedication and commitment. He was 150% into the routine and his energy made us all believe that he actually knew what he was doing. He keeps tweeting that his dream is to dance with Allison Holker and he seems dead set on making the top 10. Iveta on the other hand, brought the routine down with her lack of energy and commitment. She was half a beat behind Nick the entire routine and never finished her movements or extended her limbs. Mary proclaimed her the Queen of the ballroom, which may be true, but in something outside of her own style she just looked uninterested. I give Nick an A for effort but I don't know that my goodwill alone can keep them safe tonight.

8) Ashley & Chris Broadway: I get where  Spencer Liff was going with this and I do praise him for creativity, but it was much much too literal. I think this may have worked as a jazz or contemporary piece with a song about longing or being kept apart, but using Cry Baby's "please Mr Jailer" took away all the suspense and drama. It was danced well enough but the bars limited the choreography. It was more posing and doing tricks on the bars than actual full-bodied movement. I think that it was sassy and flashy enough that they'll probably be safe tonight.

9) Clarice & Jess Contemporary: This piece was blah blah blah for me. I'll give Stacey Tookey credit for coming up with a stronger theme (Prince & Princess) in this piece but if they hadn't been in those costumes, I would have had no idea that was the concept because nothing in the music or movement backed it up. They really struggled with the lifts, which surprises me because Jess has been on Broadway 3 times and he should know how to partner. I think a lot of it may be his ego and Clarice is suffering because of it. As Nigel said, they did a phenomenal routine last week that put them in the bottom 3 so after this mediocre showing, I assume they'll be there again.

10) Missy & Wadi Cha Cha: This routine was just all kinds of wrong. A) Jean-Marc said upfront that this was the hardest routine he's ever done for the show. Why then would he use it for week 2 and with  non-ballroom dancers? B) The song was annoying and obnoxious. C) Wadi tried but his upper body was so weak and he seemed to be behind Missy the whole time. D) Missy's "come hither" faces were so unnecessary. You can do that if the routine is flawless but when its not, well then that's just tacky. I'm not picking on them but if they don't end up in the bottom 3, then something is wrong.

So You Think You Can Dance Recap: Top 20 Results Show

So the opening number was bondage themed. What is Fox trying to sell anyway? The movement was very unique and all I could think about was how amazing Mark Kanemura would look in that movement. Sonya Tayeh is the it girl of contemporary and jazz right now and her movement is always interesting and she never recycles her work.

I just love Megan as a judge on the show and I wish they'd keep her around. Hopefully we'll see her again soon! Nigel spoke a lot about national dance die, Cat went on and on about the special performance, blah blah blah. Let's get to the results!

First up were Melanie & Marko and duh they were safe. Missy & Wadi did the Sean Cheeseman Pandora's box jazz routine that I hated...and before we give them their results we had to review Iveta & Nick's quickstep. Both were safe. I disagree because I would've put Missy & Wadi in the bottom, but then again what do I know? I've only been in this business for 20 years.

The next group included Ashley & Chris who had the misfortune of doing that heinous Chris Scott hip hop routine that had no originality and no difficult. We also saw Jordan & Tadd  who did the better of the two Sean Cheeseman routines last night, the afro jazz. And Jordan & Tadd go to the bottom 3 while Ashley & Chris are safe? What was America thinking?? Then poor Caitlynn had to stand there along onstage as her "partner" Mitchell already has to dance for his life. She is safe. And then Clarice & Jess fell to the bottom 3? They did that stunning nuanced Broadway piece but all that did was prove that America likes tricks rather than legit dancing.

Then because of the beauty of tivo I could fast forward through that heinous Kerry Hillson routine.

Ryan & Ricky were up next. Ryan is my girl and they were safe!! Sasha & Alexander were also in this group along with Miranda & Robert. Miranda & Robert to to the bottom 3 while Sasha & Alexander were safe.

Russian dancers have springs in their feet. The Gopak number proved that indeed white men can jump!

Its solo time so get prepared for the tricks! First up we have Mitchell who was injured last night. Doing such an overdone song as Say by John Mayer is not a good idea. Doing such a long devellope was not a good use of his time to dance for his life.

Jordan knows how to work it and show everything she needs to in that short period. That is how you dance for your life and she brought her signature sex appeal.

Tadd comes out breaking to Jump Jive and Wail  which is such a quirky combo and shows his personality and sense of humor in addition to his technical skills. The judges loved it.

Clarice is all about the legs and the hair but she doesn't really who much in the solo other that grande battements and whipping her hair back and forth. She also botched her a la seconde turns which is a huge no no on this show.

Jess came out in a bowler hat and showed of his technical prowess with a very controlled pirouette. He stays true to his style and shows us a great mixture of personality, showmanship and technique.

Miranda comes out swinging and I loved her pirouette arch into layback. She definitely could be more controlled and she showed signs of nerves. She wasn't as clean as some other girls but I think she showed a lot of fight.

Robert didn't show much actually training for me. Everything he did was something I've seen in clubs.

If it were up to me, I would send Robert and Clarice home but who knows what these judges will do.

I loved how Cat thought she was "breaking" the news of Gaga guest judging when I actually heard that a few days ago.

And after deliberations and feelings from the judges.....they asked two of the boys to dance again. Why is this necessary? Oh yeah, its not.

Oh lord and we kept everyone. I am all for giving people second chances, but the name of the game is choosing America's favorite dancer so how are we going to get down to one if we keep them all? So to wrap it up, we didn't eliminate anybody in the elimination show but we are cutting two couples next week. That's it for me guys. Until next Wednesday, Peace Out!

So You Think You Can Dance Recap: The Top 20 Perform!

For my live play-by-play of last night's episode you can click this link http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2011/06/so-you-think-you-can-dance-june-15th.html
Here are my favorite performance from last night in order.

1) Melanie & Marko Contemporary: I am very critical of Travis Wall's choreography normally but I have to give credit where credit is due and this was an extraordinary piece of art. The statue theme will be memorable for seasons to come and it was beautifully danced to boot.

2) Clarice & Jess Broadway: I've always loved Tyce Diorio's Broadway pieces and this Me & My Baby number was another great one. Jess has three Broadway credits and he was darn near perfect. Clarice didn't quite rise to his level and missed some of the nuances and precision that Jess nailed, but it was a solid and entertaining routine nonetheless. They should be safe tonight.

3) Ryan & Ricky Lyrial Hip Hop: I love this style, though Chris Scott doesn't hold a candle to NappyTabs. I have loved Ryan since last season when she was cut last minute and these two had amazing chemistry. The judges criticized her for smiling too much but when she explained the concept to the judges they understood her motives. If the dancer has to explain a concept to the judges then that is a discredit to the choreographer. These are all-star choreographers and they should be able to clearly communicate their message through their dancers. I think these two will be audience favorites and shouldn't be in any danger tonight.

4) Iveta & Nick Quickstep: I cannot believe I'm putting a Quickstep in my top four routines but this was great. Iveta is a world champion in this dance so I wasn't worried about her but Nick truly rose to her level. Though he had to learn the ballroom posture, he is a tapper so the footwork came pretty naturally to him. They were well suited as partners and choreographer Jason Gilkerson chose a great song, Ballroom Blitz, to make it as exciting as possible. Though I thought it was a solid routine, I predict America will put it in the bottom 3 but as long as they don't blow their solos, I'm almost positive the judges will save these two. 

5) Sasha & Alexander Contemporary: This was one of those Travis Wall pieces I didn't like because it was about a broken relationship like most of his work. This piece showed Sasha off beautifully and she is just so strong....like a dancing Xena. Her emotion was spot on but Alexander looked vacant, though her body lines were stunning. His dancing is great, but he needs to work more on connecting his body and his face. This routine should leave them safe after the results are read.

6) Jordan & Tadd Afro Jazz: I like this piece because it was aggressive and it gave the dancers a chance to show just how much they want to be there because they had to truly commit to the movement to do it properly. This proved that Jordan & Tadd are tough dancers and you can throw anything at them. This high-energy piece was likely an audience pleaser and they should be safe.

7) Melissa & Wadi Jazz: I did not like the choreography of this Sean Cheeseman jazz piece because there wasn't any choreography. It was a lot of leg tricks from Melissa & b-boy stunts from Wadi masquerading as a dance. Sean's "pandora's box of sexy demons" theme was just tacky and much too elaborate to develop properly in such a short routine. I would personally put this in the bottom 3 but I'm assuming that it probably got a lot of votes from America because it was flashy and showy.

8) Caitlynn & Mitchell (Robert): Mitchell was unfortunately injured this week and last season's Robert had to stand in for him. This was rather unfortunate for Caitlynn as she seemed to struggle next to Robert, especially because he does Sonya's work so well. She doesn't yet have his polish or precision but she had great energy and performance. Mitchell is automatically in the bottom 3 so it will be interesting to see what happens to Caitlynn.

9) Miranda & Robert Jive: These dancers were victims of situation because they were one of the few pairs who didnt' draw their own style. They did their best and the energy was good but they struggled with unison and with the intricacies of the footwork and leg placement. I suspect this will put them in the bottom 3.

10) Ashley & Chris Hip Hop: I do not like what I've seen so far of Christopher Scott's work and I think his concepts are trite & underdeveloped. This piece explored the overused theme of "cheating" and the comedic aspect made it seem silly. The choreography was so elementary and did not show off what the dancers are capable of. This piece should be in the bottom 3, though it is not the fault of the dancers. They were victims of poor material.