S11.E08: Top 18 Perform, 2 Eliminated

[Mya Stone]

 

The Top 18 dancers perform, but two contestants are eliminated. Ballerina Misty Copeland is the guest judge. Also: A Great Big World perform "Say Something."

 

[OakGoblinFly]

The Top 18 dancers perform, but two contestants are eliminated. Ballerina Misty Copeland is the guest judge. Also: A Great Big World perform "Say Something."

 

 

So how many times will Misty say "fierce"?

[Rick Kitchen]

I love "Say Something", but it's time for Great Big World to move on.  And I doubt if Xtina will be with them.

[RedSoxRock]

OMG What did Mary do to her hair? It's gone from bad to worse.

[Dejajeva]

All I can do this week is see who looks like who- that one girl looks like Natasha Lyonne, the one at the end looks like a weird Carrie Underwood and the one with the button nose looks like a less pretty Nina Dobrev.

 

That's all I got.

[weightyghost]

I missed most of the episode but caught the recap - uh, what happened to variety on this show? I know it's been lacking forever, but this episode took the cake. One hip hop and a series of contemporary dances (or I'm sorry, contemp, broadway, jazz, etc, all the same). Where's the ballroom? Where is more than ONE version of hip hop? 

 

At least Jourdan went home, who I thought was terrible last week. 

[ElleryAnne]

OMG, Valerie's dress.  I would divorce my husband and remarry just if it meant I got to wear that dress.  And it wasn't even a wedding dress.  I think she and Ricky danced well - Nigel gave them a standing ovation, after all - but I don't think I even noticed because I couldn't stop noticing that dress.

 

I thought Bridget and Emilio's jive was cute.  Also liked Rudy and Tanisha's number, and Carly and Serge.

 

Jessica and Stanley's magic carpet number may have been okay, but the circling thing that the camera kept doing was distracting and annoying.  It kept me from really enjoying the number.  The umbrellas in Jourdan and Marcquet's number also distracted me.  Maybe I'm just easily distracted.

 

I thought Casey was fabulous.  I'm a bit worried that Brooklyn will be gone as soon as she ends up in the bottom three sometime in the next couple of weeks.  She's good, but the difference in energy and flexibility between the two was really noticeable.

 

The other numbers were alright but nothing outstanding.  I didn't get a Bleeding Love vibe from Jacque and Zach like Cat did, but I liked the number.

 

Did I mention I loved Valerie's dress? 'Coz I really did.

[Sharpie66]

At least there was some fresh blood with choreographers, but why Tasty Oreo had to do two is beyond me. Both of them were a bit of a mess, IMO. I liked the skeleton dance, the jive was cute, and the waltz was better than it could have been, and the Broadway was fun, but why did they have to bring up Fosse yet again with the music choice?

[Ketzel]

What on earth has Lacey Schwimmer done to herself? Her face looked like a fifty-year-old's after bad plastic surgery and the plastered-on makeup didn't help.  But her waltz choreography was lovely.

[EyewatchTV211]

I love "Say Something", but it's time for Great Big World to move on.  And I doubt if Xtina will be with them.

They actually have a new song, "Already Home," that is played on the radio near me a little bit.  It doesn't seem to have taken off, though, but I love the song.  Not sure why they didn't perform that one.  I know they have performed it on other shows.

 

Am I the only one who was reminded of Pasha and Lauren's hip hop routine with Serge and Carly tonight?

 

Despite there being 6 ballroom dancers initially, I don't think Nigel is actually pulling for one to be the winner.  The focus has been and continues to be on contemporary and its variations and how awesome the contemporary dancers are.  So far, I'm not loving this group of dancers as a whole.

[Giggly]

Mary and Nigel switched spots. My spidey senses tell me that Misty didn't think getting a shriek in the ear every two and a half minutes was fierce and demanded the seat changes.  Of course, trying to pick between the shriek and the letch is a tough call and I'm not sure if she made the right one.

 

I don't think the judges could have been more obvious about who was going home this week.  I called it right after Stanley danced.  Bus - meet Stanley and Jourdan.  I really wanted Emily and Teddy to go.  Teddy kind of gives me the creeps and Emily just bugs.  Brooklyn needs to be off my TV soon.  She is vapid.  Completely without personality.  The Pablum of dancers.  I want to like Tanisha but she looks too much like my step-monster.  I have no strong feelings one way or the other about any of the other dancers.  I'm waiting to be WOWED. 

 

I enjoyed the dancing more this week than last week.  Of course, I enjoyed my last trip to the dentist more than the dancing last week.  Yay Dee Caspery!!  Yay new choreographers will cool names that I can't remember!!!  Yay Broadway guy!!!  Yay Pasha and Anya!!!!  Double Yay for Pasha and Anya!!!  WTF did Lacey do to her face???  Maybe saying the NAME three times isn't the summoning spell but a wish and every time it is said, he does an additional number - so STOP IT!!!

[keke23]

I hate that Nigel thinks he's the hip hop expert on the panel.  I love that Misty and Mary both told him where to take his opinion on that particular number.  I can't remember names but I was connected and loved how the girl really got into the character of the skeleton.  The guy was a little stiffer, but still all in all I think people shouldn't have a problem connecting to the piece unless they just really dislike the dancers in it.

 

I just have to say SHUT UP NIGEL, as I do so many times while viewing the show.

 

I don't like the last guy's goofiness but he'll probably go far due to the "adorableness" factor like Fik-shun did last year.

[Shades of Red]

Adored the waltz!  Of course it gets the same treatment from me as any type of tango - unless you do something really shitty with it, I'm going to really like it.

 

I think Brooklyn looks like Amy Adams - just me?

 

Finally some hip hop that looks like hip hop and not something watered down or made to look like contemporary. 

 

I wondered about the seat change.  I have no idea why they changed, but you have to wonder if something fishy isn't going on?

[shortpplfedup]

Ok, so I've picked my top three girls, and the rest can go home. The guys are a bit more even, but even then I've picked a top three with little trouble.

 

Girls:

Carly - way to surprise me, but then with dance team on her resume I'm not surprised she could chew up a Luther Brown hip hop. She was a light last week as well. Dark horse.

Tanisha - I bow to the inevitable. She's far better out of genre than in it, and I wish that hip hop had been her and Carly instead of Serge and Carly. She's got chops, showmanship and presence in spades.

Jessica - is a fantastic dancer in danger of being sunk by crap choreography and bad partnerships (a la Nathan Trasoras). I'm curious to see how things work out with Marcquet.

 

Guys:

Zach - is a dark horse, and I think he could go pretty far. The Madrids' style is very specific and he did damn well. I think he could do well with something more street too.

Rudy - may not be pretty, but he's a presence. He powered right through that jazz number on charisma and raw energy. Technique isn't the strongest, but he's entertaining to watch.

Ricky - it's his to lose right now the way I see it. However, right now he's carrying the dead weight that is Valerie on his back. If they lost her and Marcquet next week and put him back together with Jessica, I wouldn't object to the obvious interfering hand.

 

 

I've decided this season I'm only talking about the good pieces. So:

 

Hip hop with Luther Brown: Carly has presence, swag, groove, funk...all the things you need for hip hop. Luther challenged them, and she blew Serge right off that stage.

 

Contemporary with Tyce Diorio: nice piece, and they tried, but the connection between these two just isn't there. There were moments, and technically it was a success, but it didn't rise to the heights it could have.

 

Broadway with the new guy: I damn near cried from the joy of getting a classical jazz number, and that was before Tanisha ate it for breakfast. Impressive stuff.

[crowceilidh]

Zack is rocking my world.   Interesting crush story between Rudy and whatsherface - if she's doing it to get remembered, it hasn't worked yet.

 

Tanisha and Rudy are possibly the most unattractive couple I ever remember seeing on the show and they're doing a great job.  Although theirs wasn't the only routine that I feel would polish up nicely with 5 more weeks of work.

 

What do we all think about the choreographers giving us moves?  

 

I think that the judging panel are saying concrete things this year.  It's quite a bit more entertaining than the hooting and hollering.

 

I thought the beautiful dress would look way better in a colour instead of beige.  Ricky's outfit was a trifle sloppy looking.

 

The chess game was a great concept.  Some of the clothes needed to be silkier and heavier - the pouf and lightness was a bit of a mistake as I had trouble seeing lines sometimes.

 

So now Jessica will be with Macquet <sp?> - Hmmmm.  I thought Stanley might be a good pick to go, unless his dance was suffering from them lighting for Jessica's skin colour instead of his -- in which case, boo.

 

I can't stand Casey, but he really danced that. 

[kechara]

I liked the jive. 

The problem with the waltz was that Ricky is so elfin and he makes Valerie look solid and heavy (not like in weight but heavy footed)  maybe leaden would be better.

Do not like Emily and did not like that dance.  Brooklyn looks tired...just worn out. It's like the killer fatigue is setting in.

Carly ...enjoyed her more than Serge in the hip hop. I liked the whole number though.  And I really liked that first number. Look at all the new choreographers...and then they brought back the Oreo...can't have everything I guess.

[shortpplfedup]

I can't stand Casey, but he really danced that.

 

He did indeed. Too bad he's a complete blank slate, and his partner is weaksauce.

[beeble]

What is happening to my favorite show?

 

The dances seemed a little duller than usual, and last week was boring as well. My favorite was the jive by Pasha/Anya, but I would have preferred watching them.  Having said that, I really like Emilio.

 

Mr. Beeble said Mary looked like a deranged Home-Ec teacher.  There's no way I can improve on that.

 

Lacey was completely unrecognizable. Does she know she's in public with this hooker look? 

 

If I had to choose, Serge and Carly would be my favorite. But there was nothing that blew my mind, similar to last week. Am I now a grumpy old lady? I don't need anything new, just more energy.  

 

Cat looked amazing. Love the 70's pant-suit look on her. 

Edited July 17, 2014 by beeble

[tpplay]

What is all this Teddy love???  I don't get it at all. I didn't even like him in his own style and tonight.  Just - uggh.  And to keep him and let Stanley go?  Double UGGH.

 

Those "here's something you don't already know about my dance partner" sequences are beyond lame.  They're forced, mostly awkward, always boring.

 

And after all these years, Cat still seems completely fake to me.  Which I'll take over Nigel's pretentiousness.  But she's so clearly "acting" to my mind.  I don't get her at all.

Edited July 17, 2014 by tpplay

[LizBug]

The dances and dancers are blending into a mishmash for me. There's not enough difference in them.

Also, what's up with the faces that Kat keeps making when the judges are critiquing the dancers? Several times the camera caught her doing strange things with her lips. Finally, they tightened the shot so she wasn't on camera.

[Misslindsey]

Nigel was driving the bus over Marcquet for next week. I like Marcquet along with Zach and Teddy, though generally my favorites never win so it probably does not bode well for them.

 

I still haven't seen a routine that wowed me yet this season. There have been routines that I liked, but nothing that I feel have been really great. Also,the guys are much more memorable for me than the girls. They are just one big blur. Most of the time I barely remember them until I see them dance each week.

 

 

What do we all think about the choreographers giving us moves?

Ha! Sonya did one last week or the week before, I forget. I was disappointed she did not teach some of the patented contemporary angsty moves. Though maybe she felt she did not have to since we basically see them every week.

[Steph01924]

I was entertained by almost every dance, with the exception of Tyce's contemporary (I was not feeling the French love). I don't think all the dancers themselves were memorable, but I was happy to see things that weren't strictly contemporary flailing.

I was super impressed with Carly in her skeleton hip hop. I couldn't even tell you what Serge did in it. Every time I looked over at him he seemed so thick and like a lump standing next to Carly who was moving every single part her body. (And yes, it did remind me of Pasha/Lauren's skeleton routine.) I was so glad the ladies smacked Nigel's ass down when he said no one would vote for them. I gave Carly more votes than anyone tonight.

I want that dress Valerie was in, too! She looked so pretty, and I loved the moment when she dropped and did the spin.

I liked Jessica and Stanley's piece, and agree with whoever said the lighting was not Stanley's favor. He practically blended in to the carpet in that bland outfit. I liked the funky moves.

So glad Jourdan left. She seemed dead inside when she danced. I'm excited to see Jessica and Marquet together.

Also really liked the first number by the new choreographers. I think Jacque is adorable and I really loved her and Zack this week and last.

Also enjoyed the Broadway. Still not feeling Rudy's "personality" but he's doing better than I expected.

All in all, I'm still not had over heels for any one dancer yet, but I was thoroughly entertained tonight.

[Toaster Strudel]

Zack/Jacque - HIP HOP JIVE LINDY HOP - This 1:18 routine spent 30 whole seconds doing nothing on the floor.  There was no meat to this routine all all.  Was it watered down?  I hope that's not all the choreographers had.  It reminded me a great deal of the 2 hour nap I took this afternoon.

 

Jordan/Marcquet - JIVE-ISH CONTEMP - Boring cookie cutter recipe book contemp.  Made me wish I was back napping.  Marcquet is so handsome and has such regal bearing.  Honk! Honk!  Is that Nigel driving the Bottom 3 Express out of Los Angilees?  Marcquet has his ticket ready, and I'm weeping while waving my handkerchief. 

 

Jessica/Stanley - TASTY OREO NOT-BROADWAY - Stanley nailed it, Jessica was good, I liked it.  Unfortunately his blackness disappeared behind Jessica's white bread.  Too bad.  I wish they could have switched colors.

 

Emilio/Bridget - JIVE - Bridget is a nerd for Renaissance Fair and liking wizards?  Isn't the correct word "childish?"  I'm a nerd.  I have a book on the fabric of space and time on my night table.  Wizards.  Pfffft.  So these guys got the sweet spot with the uber-catchy Happy tune.  Emilio really hit the spot as a dancer AND an entertainer.  A very accessible and fun routine by Pascha and Anya.  Loved the froufrou on that dress.

 

Teddy/Emily - FRENCH JIVE - I wonder whose choreo the Oreo is copying this time.  I love this Jacque Brel song, that Nigel explained by quoting Ron McEwen WTF??? This is the translation: http://quelques-poemes.blogspot.ca/2014/05/jacques-brels-ne-me-quitte-pas.html - in fact I was distracted by the song so much, I'm sure the dance was agreeable but my mind saw little of it.

 

Casey/Brooklyn - JIVE - Hey that was pretty good, Michael Bublé liked his royalty check.

 

Valerie/Ricky - JIVE WALTZ - Oh great, Valerie is a pig hoarder, so glad to know that. Very awkward footwork from Ricky.  Like a baby taking his first steps at times.  Valerie's puffy dress kept bunching up between his legs.  The costumes were borrowed from the Little House on the Prairie archives.

 

Serge/Carly - HIP HOP - This was DA BOMB. Wow, Luther.  That is dance.  It's rare that the lady is sharper than the gentleman but Carly totally wiped the floor with Serge, not that he did super bad.  She was just that good.  No one will call for this routine?  Shut up uncle Nigel.

 

Tanisha/Rudy - BROADWAY JIVE - This reminded me a lot of a dance by Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck but not as good, though the jidges were Looney Tunes over it.  Mr Strudel, who does not ever watch the show, walked in with a late night bowl of cereal to Rudy's claims of a crush on Jacque.  His terse comment on the matter: "does he realize he's gay?"  Then the first thing Misty said about him in her critique is that he was Fa-bu-lous.  Fabulous, at Broadway.  Back to serious business, Tanisha owned this routine, Rudy, not so much.

 

Stanley!!! OH NO!!! Don't go!!!  Please!  Not Stanley!

 

Oh well.  Nigel never listens to me.

[Lara Morgana]

What on earth has Lacey Schwimmer done to herself? Her face looked like a fifty-year-old's after bad plastic surgery and the plastered-on makeup didn't help.  But her waltz choreography was lovely.

 

 

Holy Cow!  I didn't recognize her.  I met Lacey when they were on tour and she was really gorgeous (as was Anya and Jamie).  She has had some seriously bad work done.  Ouch.

 

Loved the last routine with Rudy and Taneisha - to me they were the best of the night.

 

Don't know why Nigel was so over-the-moon about the Ricky-Valerie dance.  I wasn't impressed with his performance at all - I kept comparing him to Mark when he did the waltz with Courtney.  Mark was amazing - Ricky not-so-much.

 

Love Emilo.  Hope he goes far.   The girls all still blend together for me except for Jessica and Taneisha.

[keke23]

Oh well.  Nigel never listens to me.

Don't feel bad, Nigel is only capable of hearing his own voice.

[ThirteenthJuror]

I must say I liked this episode the best of the season so far.

 

Group number again is my favorite routine this week. That was sick. Loved the new blood. I thought it was Chris Scott, but was pleasantly surprised and happy to see new blood.

 

Favorite routines:

 

Carly and Serge. First girl so far this season to really dance Hip Hop and nail it. Liking her more and more each week. Serge did a good job as well, but Carly sold this.

 

Rudy and Tanisha: They are great together and I think the perfect pairing. Rudy really surprised me in this. My only problem is when he's off the dance floor and starts to talk. Less of that Rudy.

 

Emilio and Bridget: The technique wasn't great, but they sold the performance of it.

 

I didn't really outwardly hate or dislike any routine tonight, but those are the only ones  I would go back and watch again. I thought the praise for Ricky/Valerie's VW was way overblown and certainly didn't deserve a standing ovation. Laying it on thick there Nigel. It was good for two non specialists, but nothing that special to me. I also need Ricky to tone down the overly humble act at the judges table. It will start to turn people off later and have viewers saying he's disingenuous. I still love him though.

 

If i hear "Say Something," one more time I'll scream. Enough.

 

Stanley did not deserve to go home tonight. I don't get the love for Teddy.  I really don't. Not impressed with Nigel calling them (Stanley/Jourdan) out as being the lowest vote getters and that they were going to stick with the audience votes. Since when has this ever mattered to him. Just be truthful and say you were ready for them to go. 

 

Misty continues to impress with her straightforward and on the nail critiques. She made Nigel and Mary raise their bar and stop fawning and actually give these kids something they can work with, so they can grow every week.

 

Welcome back Dee Caspary with your deadpan staring into the camera describing your piece. Also, your wonderful world of props! Add Umbrellas to his list. Never change Dee. Never change.

Edited July 17, 2014 by ThirteenthJuror

[GinevradiBenci]

I'm always amazed at how much better I like this show when the judges actually comment on the dance technique and not just randomly babble. I'm always amazed at how rare it is, too. Tonight was a lot more fun than last week, and the judging was good as well - a rare double win for me. Even the people who were clearly struggling with their technique were putting it all out there. Sometimes this show can lose its sense of fun, with the dancers strapping on a game face and grimly dancing whatever shit that's been given to them, but I got the impression that everybody was pushing themselves and having a good time.

[tpplay]

 

I love this Jacque Brel song, that Nigel explained by quoting Ron McEwen WTF???

 

Seriously.

 

Pretentious + Ignorant.  A combination that makes me want to throw my television out the window.

[WhineandCheez]

First things first---P A S H A!!!!.  Okay.

 

I don't like Rickys partner Valerie.  After the waltz i was like "Ok she's going home, her entire upper body and arms were lax and she was not graceful."  And they get an O? I don't get it.  Ricky is so silly, he's funny.  If he were my Boyfriend though, that shit would get old fast.

 

Lacey ye gods looks like a Real Housewife with the plastic surgery botched.  Who gets their eyes/brows lifted at, what, 29??

 

Casey was very exciting.  I am starting to see him as a contender. Brooklyn can leave, how insipid is she?

 

The opening number made me start and think Wade had returned.

 

 

[angelita100]

I  thought this season was promising during the audition process.  but where is the damn diversity. I'm kinda over it already.

[Bosman]

Wow, I thought that the waltz with Ricky and Valerie was really ponderous, slow, and awkward. Valerie dances very "heavy" and she was not helped by that 300 lb. mess of a dress. The pimping of Ricky is reaching Cyrus proportions, and it's kind of gross because he doesn't really need it.

[Rick Kitchen]

Loved the opening number, glad they got new choreographers.

 

Why was Nigel in the middle?  It had to mean something.

 

I really liked Zack in his number.  But, um, what makes that hip hop?

 

Marcquet and Jourdan's dance did absolutely nothing for me.  And what was the point of those umbrellas?

 

Tasty Oreo's jazz piece was horrible.  And why a carpet?  Was it a real carpet, or just something projected on the floor?

 

Anya and Pasha!  OMG!!!  Ugh, "Happy".  And great job, show, of projecting a silhouette of the cameraman onto the dancers, there.  Emilio always looks like he's having a good time, but I'd like him to to do a serious piece.

 

Teddy and Emily were awesome.  Great dance.

 

Casey has great spins.  And I loved the one where he pulled his leg in.

 

Wow, the waltz was really good.  Beautiful costumes, good dancing, though I thought the death drop ran too long.  Little Ricky really partnered well.  My favorite dance of the night.

 

Serge really needs some color in his face.  His face is seriously a lot more pale than the rest of his body.  That hip hop was just strange.

 

Rudy was really good in that Broadway number, Tanisha was okay.

 

Boy, they didn't mess around with the vote offs this week.  I'm sad to see Stanley go, he was my favorite  Jourdan never recovered from that first week, I think.

 

Did Kat say Misty is back again next week?

[Electruck]

Sometimes Tanisha reminds me of Lacey, her face at certain angles. But she doesn't have Lacey's stage presence.

The first Tyce piece -- ick. I couldn't finish it. I thought Teddy and Emily did a nice job with the second one.

I ddon't mean to keep harping on Brooklyn, but it seems like while she's on beat, she doesn't take as much time to do her moves, so it seems like she has to pause between movements. She doesn't finish her moves? She doesn't do them fully? She doesn't transiton between moves well? All of the above? Seriously, sometimes I think *I* could do her routines just as well.

Pasha! Anya! Lacey! Dee! Mr Carlyle (who seemed so happy to be there!)! New choreographers!

[crossover]

Thought the group routine was the best so far. 

Probably Safe -

Tanisha/Rudy had an energetic/good routine, got the pimp spot, performed well and played up the Jacque angle.  But it wasn't a SO because there were technique issues.  Zack/Jacque had a cute routine but it was too simplistic for these dancers.  She's playing up Rudy and Zack is just good.  Ricky/Valerie were not good.  I liked the routine but if another couple had performed it like they did, Nigel'em would've been way harsh.  But they ended the comments by letting everyone know how great they are.  

 

Probably B3 -

Marcquet wasn't as bad as Nigel tried to make him out to be.  Afterall, he isn't contemporary and he had a Dee routine.  His routines need a strong accomplished contemporary dancer like Ade.  But Nigel went to great lengths to ensure he'd be in the bottom next week.  Brooklyn did her best.  Her partner really didn't try to bring her into his world.  But Nigel's "lack of maturity" comment should place her in the bottom.  Casey was good.  He looked like he was doing a solo.  I liked the routine.  They just didn't perform it well.  Plus he's been in the B3 before.  Jessica should be there because they spent loads of time on her expressions.  But the WCS didn't put her in the bottom??? 

 

IFFY -

Anya and Pasha choreographed a pleasing/easy routine for Emilio/Bridget.  Bridget was good.  The judges tried to convince us to ignore Emilio's lack of technique.  He even brought FikShun up.  They've both been in the bottom.  Surprised about Emilio.  I thought he would've had a stronger fanbase.  Emily/Teddy were good.  I guess Emily should've been since it's her genre.  But someone has to be in the B3 and she's been there before.  OTOH, Teddy must have a strong fanbase and he was surprisingly competent.  He must have a tremendous amount of training.  Carly/Serge had the "makeup" routine for the night.  It was a good routine.  Carly was getting into it but Serge just couldn't get it.  Misty reminded everyone how hard it is to go to different genres (they didn't use this for anyone else though).  Mary tried to convince us that she thought it was performed well.  I think they're afraid that Serge will hit bottom.  So they're trying to save him.

Edited July 17, 2014 by movement

[90PercentGravity]

I clearly know nothing about dance. I thought that waltz looked sloppy and Valerie's arms looked like floppy muppet arms.

 

I really liked the opening number.

[chocolatine]

Who gets their eyes/brows lifted at, what, 29??

 

According to her Wikipedia page she just turned 26. It makes me so sad when pretty, young women mess with their faces like that. 

 

I thought the VW was nothing to write home about, neither in choreography nor in execution. I'm surprised they had Lacey choreograph it, since her strengths are Latin and WCS. 

 

When Mary first started talking about Anya being the originator of the Hot Tamale Train, I was worried for a second that she would bestow that accolade on Bridget, and I was relieved when she didn't. Girl is just so, so bland. The jive choreo also seemed a bit "dumbed down" to me.

 

I too noticed the changed seating arrangements; my first thought was that Nigel wanted to sit next to Misty.

 

I liked the group number, Teddy's and Emily's contemporary, and Rudy's and Tanisha's Broadway. I would have liked Zack's and Jackie's routine much better if the show hadn't called it hip-hop. Casey is really growing on me, but Brooklyn sucked all the joy out of their routine.

 

All the other dances I already forgot about.

Edited July 17, 2014 by chocolatine

[waving feather]

I kind of have a crush on both Zack and Jacque after that performance. Yes it was a bit simple but they nailed what was given to them (especially Zack, the articulation of his hands and feet is wonderful) and the chemistry between them is lovely. These two really lucked out with being each other's partner. Not only do they look compatible looks-wise but the quality of movement is also very compatible.

My opinion of Valerie will stands. Unlike her fellow tapper, she's a sloppy and awkward dancer.

Edited July 17, 2014 by waving feather

[mertensia]

Dear lord why was Mary in Pilgrim mode?

That waltz dress was hideously ugly. But then I think a lot of costumes on the show are and that they need a new costumer.

They sent Stanley? Just like that? Did he dis Nigel somehow?

[Lonesome Rhodes]

I have about had it with two things:  1)  Hyper-praise for hip hop/street dancers who remain upright in any standard dance.  2)  Dancers suffering for horrid choreography.  Stanley was booted because the telephone routine choreo was an all-time train wreck.  The dang jidges had not one bad thing to say to either dancer other than the whole strings and phone deal was a colossal distraction.  

 

More Warren, please.  Fantastic broadway/Fosse choreo.  Great music, too.   However, Rudy and Tanisha can go, Rudy first.  How on earth could they not be in sync for anything?!   Where was the vibrancy?  Have they ever seen any Fosse?  Broadway?  These two were given a dream chance and totally blew it. 

[Haleth]

Where the heck did Casey come from and why did I never notice him before?  He was fantastic!

 

I enjoyed the jive and the Broadway.  Oh, and the opening number.  That's 3 more than I enjoyed last week.  Still, the next several weeks are all for show since Nigel has already crowned Ricky as The Greatest Dancer Ever!  

[OakGoblinFly]

I have to say that I found this episode’s dance routines more enjoyable than last week’s offerings; I wonder if it was the lack of contemporary angst that made the show feel lighter.

 

Hello Pasha, Anya, and Lacey – lovely to see you again.

 

Hated the opening routine; it felt frantic and disjointed to me.  Perhaps it looked better in person, all I know is that sitting home on my couch I was less than impressed. 

 

I forget that Tyce is a wonderful contemporary choreographer and it was nice to be reminded of that.  The routine he created for Teddy and Emily was my favorite of the evening; both dancers performed it well and I loved some of the shapes created during the lifts. 

The jive was fun and I thought Bridget looked absolutely adorable.  I appreciate the fact that there was plenty of jive content in the dance.  I was quite impressed with Bridget’s technique and I thought Emilio coped well; I’m glad the judges saved both of these dancers.

I really, really liked the Waltz and I thought Lacey choreographed a number that very nicely balanced actual waltz content with more “showy” moves.  And Valerie (who I think is as cute as can be) was stunning; her dress and shoes were to die for.  I agree with Nigel who said although the technique wasn’t great the performance/quality of the dance was fantastic.

What did the hairstylists do to Brooklyn’s hair; that style was a bit unfortunate.  My eyes were glued to Casey during that routine; he was wonderful.

There is something about Rudy’s dancing that makes me happy; Valerie too.  I think it’s because when they dance I can tell how much they love it; there’s such joy in their performance that I find highly infectious.  I’d rather watch a less than perfect technician move with joy than someone who moves perfectly yet is devoid of emotion.

I was beyond happy that the judges finally called out Marquette on his less than stellar dancing.  I never thought he was particularly strong in ballroom and he’s yet to impress me in any of his routines.  He seems very wobbly and flaily in his movements.

So Marquette and Jessica are partner killers and now they will be paired – wonder which of the two will survive.

 

I enjoyed the rest of the routines. 

[tv echo]

Liked seeing Pasha and Anya again - would've liked it more if they had danced.

 

I found all of the couples' dance routines to be kinda 'meh'.

 

Why wasn't there any dancing during the "Say Something" performance?  This is a dance show, and that song is so slow as it is.  Even Dancing With the Stars has dancing during a vocal performance.

Edited July 17, 2014 by tv echo

[crowceilidh]

I really thought that the tweet gave context to the "Say something" performance AND that Great Big World was performing that particular song in gratitude for the way the show changed their lives.  I felt that the musicians were giving it their all in gratitude, so despite the fact that the song is so-so, I was touched by the performance.

 

I'm glad to see that others felt the clunkiness of that V.Waltz - I thought perhaps I was insane, but instead I'm being gaslighted by Uncle Nige. The dropped spin (what do you call it?) felt like Ricky had one of those dance mannequins in his hands.  And I reiterate, the colour of that dress on Valerie was atrocious.  She looked chunky and Ricky looked like he was wearing his bigger cousin's clothes to a wedding.

 

I thought Emilio's jive was fascinating in that he never looked like he was jiving yet he was doing all the steps reasonably accurately.  It looked like a new dance craze to me.

 

Mary looked drunk (I wonder if she'd been crying (her eyes (left one in particular) were so squinty), so the comment about the booze in her cup enhanced that feeling.  

Edited July 17, 2014 by crowceilidh

[TVSallyS]

When Nigel announces that this week they are going to "go with America's vote", he just confuses the viewers and sets himself up for backlash later when he DOESN'T "go with America". He always makes it sound like they are doing something respectful to the voters by deferring to them, but if that is the case, why don't they just let the voters fully determine it every week? I actually do not think they need to do that - I think having the judges save people is totally valid. It help protects against really tragic flukey eliminations in the first few weeks when the audience does not really know people yet. It would stink if great dancers did not have a chance to shine/demonstrate what the judges know they can do (maybe they just got some weird choreography and in the first week do not have enough of a fan base yet to carry them through with votes). The judges saved Danny Tidwell in the early weeks many times and the audience ended up loving him later when they saw more of him - he came in second. It would have been such a shame to lose him. My point is that as long as the judges do not have the power to overrule the audience's choice of their FAVORITE and send the audience's favorite home, I think their participation for a while is totally valid (they are only choosing who to save from the audience's bottom three, so it isn't like they have any power to actually overrule the audience's choice of winner). Nigel just needs to own the validity of this system, or stop doing it! While they have an influence, he needs to act like he thinks that's valid. When he makes these weird comments that make it sound like they were trying to "respect the audience's preference" it just gets people mad on the weeks when he selfishly ignores it. He should have made it clear that the dancers going home were *their* choices as well. I.e. "Actually, this week, our choices happened to match up with the audience vote". Or, "this week we were sincerely totally evenly split between two people and with no way to resolve it we just went to the audience vote to break the tie". Anything other than making it sounds like for no reason at all they decided to randomly remove themselves from the decision making for a week because they had an arbitrary moment of respect for the audience's choice. I also don't think much is gained by mentioning that your choice matched up with the audience vote anyway, even if you make it clear it was still was your choice. It's just kicking the people while they are down (America hated you most too!) and it just makes the audience mad for "going against their choice" the weeks they don't mention it. If this is supposed to be about the judges choice, just talk about the judges' choice.

[adhoc]

Random comments:

 

1. Wasn't that opening number supposed to be hip-hop? I totally expected the judges to point out that it didn't look much like it, particularly in the too fluid movements of Jacque (or whoever it was). I was totally unimpressed. Also, Zack needs to whiten his teeth, stat.

2. I agree with Nigel that the skeleton number would not draw votes.  What I think the problem was, was that the choreography looked too much like "mimes doing mime-type things" and not enough like hip-hop. Also, again, I feel let down when I see women doing hip-hop and the moves are too fluid, rather than having the precision I expect to see.

3. Valerie looked a little heavy-footed, I agree, and her carriage wasn't the best. IMHO, she's a bit hampered by her partner's (lack of sufficient) height.  Possibly she'd have done better with a taller partner. But the choreography was lovely and clever, working beautifully with that dress.

4. Tanisha may not be the most gorgeous one there, but she always impresses me as being a really hard worker, and I always enjoy watching her.

Edited July 17, 2014 by adhoc

[crossover]

So Marquette and Jessica are partner killers and now they will be paired – wonder which of the two will survive.

I enjoyed the rest of the routines. 

Really don't consider Jessica to be a partner killer.  She was Rudy's partner when he left.  But he was in the bottom because of his partnership with Tanisha.  She was Stanley's partner when he left.  But he was in the bottom because of his partnership with Malena.  If anything, she'd be the partner of doom.  If you get her as a partner, your time is probably up. 

Marcquet is a partner killer.  A world class ballroom dancer ended in the bottom after a stellar ballroom performance.  A ballerina ended in the bottom after a jazz routine that was tailored to her movements.  But Marcquet is one of my favorite dancers this season.  But then, so was Stanley.  It just looks like they had a meeting this week and the results were to put Marcquet in the crosshairs.   Emilio, Rickey, Rudy and Serge were not good in their routines but you would never know it listening to the judges.  I didn't see their performance as being so great either.  They just had great energetic routines. 

[dusang]

It always amazes me to read these boards and see the directly opposing opinions -- even on something as simple as the waltz dress which some adored and others apparently hated (I'm in the "adored" camp).

 

Again, I wasn't terribly blown away by any of the numbers but didn't totally hate them either.  (Well except for Tasty's but ... that's just prejudice and malice overshadowing any real judgement.)  And I FFed through most of the pre- and post-dance filler (this show is actually about 25 minutes long that way).  I did see some of the "you don't know about X" bits and I have to say that I LOVE Teddy -- I love that he's ridiculously competitive about board games and I love that, unlike every other contestant, he didn't seem embarrassed about it and was just like "Well, someone's gotta win!"  Although I wasn't terribly impressed by his dancing today.

 

Also, I think someone owes random audition girl an apology for correcting her on thinking that Marquet (sp?) was a hip hop dancer instead of ballroom.  He is in a crew and his critiques seem to be partnering work, which is usually the strength of ballroom dancers.  I did love that Misty didn't just say "work on it" she said "get your weight forward and connect with the ground" -- now THAT's constructive!!

 

Also, the both Casey and Ricky were more flexible than their partners and it showed!!

Edited July 17, 2014 by dusang

[ari333]

So how many times will Misty say "fierce"?

Hee. I think she's sneaking up on former guest judge Toni Basil's record for saying the word, "street" in various usages.

 

FIERCE!

[Primetimer]

Who's ready for an awkward evening of mostly middle-of-the-road routines and judges damning with faint praise?

Read the story

[crossover]

 He is in a crew and his critiques seem to be partnering work, which is usually the strength of ballroom dancers.  

Well we know that Marcquet was the sacrificial lamb for the week.  Mary went along with the narrative until they criticized his partnering skills (this week and last).  Then she had to speak up for his partnering abilities.  So I think he must be strong in this area because Mary is a team player.  She never would've gone against them so verbally if he weren't good.

Edited July 17, 2014 by movement