S11.E10: Top 14 Perform, 4 Eliminated

[luvthepros]

I'm surprised I haven't seen any outrage anywhere on the internet that that Fosse number was...a Fosse number. Like it wasn't Fosse-style, it was almost exactly the choreography from the movie. How is that okay? I mean, I'd actually LOVE to see the dancers do classic choreography from the Broadway, ballet, or modern repertoires, but, you know, with proper credit given!

Yes, the choreography was similar, right down to the entrance onto to stage by Teddy.  I guess it is too much to ask of any dancer on this show to have the Fosse style down pat. The mold was broken when Fosse was created.

 

I recall the severe criticism Jess LeProtto received when the judges felt he didn't get the Fosse style with his Rich Man's Frug number from "Sweet Charity" with Clarice. That choreo was also lifted from Fosse and very similar to choreo used in the movie.

Edited August 1, 2014 by luvthepros

[dcalley]

Does anyone know if Jacque has reciprocated Rudy's crush?  God, that girl is the best looking one in the show, she doesn't need Rudy.

I think so, and there was Cat pointing out Jacque's brothers to Rudy, who were "warning" him that he'd better behave. I'm really tired of it all.

 

 

I was listening to the Afterbuzz podcast this morning and they had Mandy Moore as a guest...

 

- Serge is probably the hardest-working dancer they have ever seen on the show;

 

Some more highlights (Afterbuzz podcast with guest Mandy Moore):

 

- Choreographers aren't asked to provide feedback on the dancers this year. 

Jenna's work ethic was hugely important to the judges last year, when they were doing choreographer feedback. I thought the same path was in store for Serge this year. I wonder why they stopped asking for feedback.

 

Casey was elated when he reacted to finding out Kathryn is his All Star. I don't know for sure when he finally realized, heard, saw her picture or what not but his delayed reaction certainly said it all to me. He reacted as soon as he realized who his partner was going to be.

See, I read his reaction as being to Jessica getting Twitch. Frankly, that interpretation made him much more interesting to me.

 

It's 2014. Can we get rid of this tomboy bullshit, please? (What Ricky said Valerie would bring to the top 10) Valerie enjoys tree climbing, basketball, and bike rides. Is this remarkable and deserving of a special label because she's a woman? Gah, just say she has limitless energy or always wants to be outside in her free time or something.

[Bosman]

Thanks for tuning in to The Ricky show! Be sure to come back next week to watch more of Ricky. Did I mention that RICKY will be dancing?!?!?!? Some other people will be there, too. PLUS Uncle Nigel will explain why the Ricky show is such a gift to mankind. Don't miss it!! And don't forget, Ricky!!!!!

[beeble]

Is the Ryan who will be partnering with Tanisha the ballroom dancer who was married to Ashley (who was Jacob's partner)? Or is there another Ryan out there?

 

Yes to both your questions! Tanisha is being paired with Ryan Di Lello, the ballroom dancer who is married to Ashleigh Di Lello. There was another Ryan in S1 who was a breakdancer. He dances with Quest Crew (which Hok and Dominic from S3 are also part of).

 

 

Thanks. If I recall correctly, Ryan was not a recipient of much, if any, judge-love. In fact, towards the end they seemed sort of baffled as to why he was still there. (They warmed to Ashleigh eventually but that was the Kathryn/Jacob love-fest season, as it probably should have been.)  I'm surprised he's an all-star, unless they were desperate for a male ballroom dancer. I guess Pasha and Dmitri are disqualified after choreographing this season. That's the only thing I can think of.

 

I wish Mark K were returning as an all-star. He makes things so much fun.

[luvthepros]

 

See, I read his reaction as being to Jessica getting Twitch. Frankly, that interpretation made him much more interesting to me.

 

Now I'm confused about this. Hmmm.

[Woodrose]

Poor Serge.  Not only was he eliminated from SYTYCD, turns out he was chewed up and spit out by Kirstie Alley.

 

Interesting, odd, creepy article about Kirstie, Leah Remini, Scientology, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, and Serge:  http://tonyortega.org/2014/08/01/kirstie-alley-disconnects-from-not-one-but-two-men-over-their-friendship-with-leah-remini/

Edited August 2, 2014 by Woodrose

[dcalley]

Was there a sale on wind machines recently? I noticed it in a couple of dances and think maybe it should be toned down a bit.

Edited August 2, 2014 by dcalley

[1TrackMind]

I wish Mandy had picked ANY other Evanescence song! I automatically associate that one with the Exorcist guy from the auditions. >.< Made it harder to appreciate the dance, which in the end for me was, sadly, just pretty.

[Terrafamilia]

Bridget & Emilio - The number itself wasn't too memorable, but...Prediction: It'll be Emilio and Zack competing with each other to get into the top 4 with Ricky.

 

Tanisha & Rudy - As much as I'd like to see him go I have to admit that I liked him in this. Mainly because he got out of himself and wasn't "Rudy" while he was dancing.

 

Jacque & Zack - Not sure if I really liked the number but Zack continues to impress.

 

Emily & Teddy - The criticisms were fair. If they had killed it they just might have lasted another week.

 

Jessica & Casey - Kudos for the lighting and thanks for the dialing back of the manic camera-work. Jessica still needs some more seasoning but this was lovely.

 

Carly & Serge - There was some quick-step but not enough and not done well enough to really stand out.

 

Valerie & Ricky - I have to express just how much I hate this music. That being said the choreographers did Valerie a great big favor in having her be a rag doll so as to cover up any deficiencies in hitting it hard in the hip hop.

 

Glistening Girl Power and Waves of Boys - Enjoyed both but liked the latter a bit more.

[vibeology]

I wish Mandy had picked ANY other Evanescence song!

 

 

From Mandy's comments on Afterbuzz TV this week, it sounds like she wished she could have picked any other song too. 

[ToxicUnicorn]

The group routines were the strength of tonight's show. The girls were surprisingly strong but the boys were remarkable.

Definitely feel the same way about this week.  I loved the boys' routine.  Damn.  Travis has been making me like his choreography this season.  Really.  He has almost turned my opinion on him all around since the (incredibly cheesy, imo) Jeanine & Jason routine.  It was so refreshing to see the boys move in an ensemble that way.  And, for once, I thought Nigel's comment was interesting: that it was sort of like being underwater and watching the reefs move.  I'd like to watch that one again.

 

Actually, I didn't like the girls' routine all that much.  Mandy would probably be disappointed that I only thought it was "pretty".

 

Tanisha has worked her way into being my favorite on the show.  I absolutely loved her movement in the contemporary Mandy Moore.  It impressed me despite being so jaded about seeing so many contemporaries.  I feel like she has gained confidence and is dancing with more and more commitment.  She's glorious.  And ... I like Rudy.  *ducks rotten fruit*  I thought he was visibly a lot better this week.  I'm a sucker for watching "growth".  It's one reason Melanie Moore's season left me so cold. The performance level of all the dancers seemed so static - nothing to get excited about.

 

I still love Ricky.  But, I also loved Jessica and Casey.  Another weakness of mine are dancers who can turn.  Their synchonized turns were so lovely.  Their entire Travis contemporary was lovely, to be honest.  I feel like Casey is another dancer who has grown a lot on this show.  And I felt that they were very connected, which was so nice compared to their previous weeks.  I loved it and was glad that they were saved.  Although, before they danced, I inwardly groaned a bit because I thought there might have been some shenanigans since they both got contemporary this week.  Oh, well, I think it will pay off.

 

When I first saw the Bottom 6, I thought Carly should have been saved and thought this board would probably want Teddy to be saved.  (Although I like Casey better.)  I admit Carly is a strong dancer and has impressed me at times.  But, ultimately, I find her forgettable, whereas Jessica has left something of an (uneven) impression on me.  I was sorry to see her fighting tears, though.  Emily took it better.  Glad to see her go.  I would have been much happier had Jacquie gone in Carly's stead.  I don't see the big deal about Jacquie AT ALL.

 

Teddy sort of sealed his fate with the Broadway.  Dancing - sloppy, but I would give him a 10 for showmanship.  I would think that his personality and looks will open doors for him, and if he is given the opportunity to hone his dancing, he would be great to see on stage.  I wasn't impressed by his solo, but I can see how that would be a taste thing.

 

That leaves Serge, who has not stood out too much to me.  Overall, I'm happy with the Top 10 (except Jacquie).  My only other negative comment is that Bridget seemed to have swallowed a lemon sour for the night.  She just didn't look like she was feeling very cordial to anyone or about anything.  She barely cracked a smile at her All Star, even though getting Brandon should be awesome.  (Although maybe that means she will get stuck with disco.  If that's the case, I guess I wouldn't be happy, either.)

 

Next choices to go: Jacque and maybe either Emilio or Rudy.  To me, the two guys both occupy the personality/growth slot.  Zach stood out to me this week (I thought his paso vampire character was pretty great - he gave it everything he had).  I'd alse ok with Valerie going.  I know she is very popular, but I feel like getting to make the tour is a pretty big accomplishment for her.

 

I'm so glad the pairs will be split up next week.  Oh, and I still love Christina Appelgate.  To me, she blends love of dance and constructive (kind) performance critiques so well.  I'm biased, though.  I just love her.

 

ETA: Oh, interesting to hear Bridget was sick and all the Mandy comments, thanks.  Also, about Serge's solo - it was very cleverly constructed.  He showed off parts of all the Latin dances, if I remember correctly.  I enjoyed it.  Well done.

Edited August 2, 2014 by ToxicUnicorn

[Sharpie66]

I loved almost all of the numbers this week, with the Broadway and opening group number being the only two I'll skip when I rewatch.

I just have to add, though, that I am really horrified to hear the judges have to recommend Classic Hollywood dancers such as Cyd Charisse, Ann Miller, and Tommy Rall to these kids. If you are planning on studying dance, then you should be doing your research, especially since so many choreographers are drawing on classic routines from the movies as inspiration. They should be steeped in watching these movies, even if they skip through the non-dance scenes. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers alone should be required viewing for any little boy in dance class!

[paramitch]

Like many, I loved the two final routines, but I hated the women's costumes and felt that they really distracted from the performances -- I think it would have been terrific if they had been in stark, sharp almost masculine costumes, as a greater contrast to the men's gorgeous costumes, which I thought worked beautifully in Travis's "wave" piece.

 

I'm so bummed to see Serge go -- I really liked him and thought he showed incredible growth, and that he totally committed to every performance. I cannot understand how constant, mugging, sweating, cringing, grinning Rudy is still there instead. The mind reels. I mean, bless his heart, every week the judges basically tell him he's really endearing and they can't believe he didn't fall on his face. This week was the first they even seemed to give him technical props at all, and even then, for me that routine was all about Tanisha, not Rudy. (I just can't handle that much blatant need pouring out all over the stage.)

 

- Tanisha/Rudy:  Tanisha was absolutely stunning - probably the best dance she has done so far. Unfortunately, not so much for her partner...  Rudy was very, very bad for me: sloppy technique, wobbly on the holds (I was afraid he would drop her on that one that Mary praised).  This could have been a great dance with a strong male partner whose technique and physical presence matches Tanisha's.  She should shine with the All-Stars.  Rudy's technique is so poor every week that I can't even tell what style he is supposed to be an expert in.

 

I totally agree with you on this. Ryan DiLello is one of my all-time favorite dancers from SYTYCD, and I'm really excited to see him dance with Tanisha, because she's such a powerhouse and he's a fantastic partner and does everything really well. Tanisha is so striking that I also think they'll look very compatible as well -- she dances with such maturity that visually, they'll be a cool couple, I think. So I'm psyched.

 

Beeble: If I recall correctly, Ryan was not a recipient of much, if any, judge-love. In fact, towards the end they seemed sort of baffled as to why he was still there. (They warmed to Ashleigh eventually but that was the Kathryn/Jacob love-fest season, as it probably should have been.)  I'm surprised he's an all-star, unless they were desperate for a male ballroom dancer.

My understanding is that Ryan was really well-liked in his season (and adored by castmates because he was tireless, and one of those people who would jump in and help anyone, anytime, with their routines). The judges didn't sour on him until he gave Ashleigh's number instead of his own (she had dislocated her shoulder and was not allowed to perform -- I think it was Top 10 night before the final 8, somewhere around there) -- and she was voted in successfully. Nigel was visibly furious and ever since has shown palpable dislike. Even when they brought Ryan back a few years ago as an All-Star, the judges never said a word to or about Ryan at all; he was utterly invisible.

 

Which is a shame, because as with Aaron last season, it's great to see a man interpret routines (not a boy) -- it adds a whole other dimension. And to this day, he had one of my favorite pairings -- he and Ellenore were a real power couple, both were terrific actors as well as dancers, and they had a whole array of fantastic routines (I especially loved their "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" and "Razzle Dazzle," and also adored his Cha-cha with Kathryn). So I'm psyched to see him paired with Tanisha -- I'm guessing they'll get a ballroom piece, which I'm hoping they'll completely shred.

 

I'm psyched at the All-Stars, although I'll miss Mark K like many others here. I'm really interested to see Valerie with Ade -- I think he's going to help her get the lightness that was sometimes difficult in her pairing with Ricky. I'm also psyched to see all the others -- I think most are going to really elevate the dancers (I remember being pleased at every single one they announced).  I don't know how Jessica will do with Twitch -- she doesn't strike me as being strong enough to pull focus but we'll see how it goes. (I admit I did find it endearing tonight to learn that she's awkward -- so much more likeable than her forced intro of "I'm sexy and I love it, people say I'm really sexy, watch me flip my hair -- I dance sexy, everyone says so, sexy sexy sexy!" Ugh.).

[Bella]

Poor Serge.  Not only was he eliminated from SYTYCD, turns out he was chewed up and spit out by Kirstie Alley.

 

Interesting, odd, creepy article about Kirstie, Leah Remini, Scientology, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, and Serge:  http://tonyortega.org/2014/08/01/kirstie-alley-disconnects-from-not-one-but-two-men-over-their-friendship-with-leah-remini/

 

Kirstie Alley is barking mad, but she's got enough connections to occasionally make things more difficult than they ought to be. Poor Serge indeed.

[kechara]

Ricky and Valerie were like a basket of puppies.  Really cute together. Dancing?  Not so much.  I will be interested to see how they do apart.  Ricky is a fabulous dancer...seems like a nice wee guy but not personality plus.  Valerie isn't that great as an all round dancer it seems (not that I'd really know) but she is so joyful and that's really appealing. I liked that routine, although creepy dolls generally put me off - a lot. They're like clowns. shudder.

[Lara Morgana]

Thanks for tuning in to The Ricky show! Be sure to come back next week to watch more of Ricky. Did I mention that RICKY will be dancing?!?!?!? Some other people will be there, too. PLUS Uncle Nigel will explain why the Ricky show is such a gift to mankind. Don't miss it!! And don't forget, Ricky!!!!!

You got it.  This is definitely the "I Love Ricky"   Show.  Initially, he was one of my favs but he's been pimped so much that I am over him.  I find myself shouting at the TB "For God's sake, Nigel - just go on and give the prize to Ricky and Jessica.  Get it over with."   I think Ricky is an a great dancer but the judges have turned me off with him.  It's like living the Sabra-pimping nightmare of Season 2 all over  again.  

 

My favs are Emilo and Taneisha.   No matter what style they get they give 110%. 

[crowceilidh]

The thing I find amazing about Tanisha is her physical transformation when dancing.  In my eyes, she goes from being quite awkward looking and plain to being sure and graceful and stunningly gorgeous (esp in the girls' group routine this week).  Everyone goes on about Valerie's clear enjoyment of dancing, but to my mind Tanisha's mature enlivened joy outshines Valerie's ingenue self-satisfaction look every time.

[Limabean]

Am I enjoying Ricky immensely.  As someone who has spent many years rooting for those that were definitely not TCO, this is an absolute treat for me this year.  I love the feeling I have while watching the show and my stress level is much lower over a tv show, lol :)  I also agree with you, crowceilidh, regarding Tanisha.  Her transformation is actually quite intriguing to witness.  So with those statements, I have determined my top 2, with Ricky being my most favourite across all seasons.

[preex]

I think Ricky is an a great dancer but the judges have turned me off with him.

 

The judges' familiarity and lax critique for certain contestants in S4 made me less enthusiastic about S5 and S6.  Then I got over it and just tuned out the judges and enjoyed the dances/dancers.  I think Ricky was stunning in the first week and performed well in all the other duets, but none of those pieces really stood out to me.  I thought the Bollywood was too busy and lacked the 'tease' and the hip hop was more mad scientist fun than creepy witch doctor/voodoo doll.  But he is amazing in his own style and I can see why the judges are excited to have an exceptional dancer on the show.  

 

I mean look at Twitch, loved by everyone, great performer and amazing at his own style, but made it to top 4 through technique light contemporary and messy ballroom (barefeet waltz, frantic paso).

 

Oh, in one of Stacey's interview, she mentioned the concept of the group piece was someone who got to dance in heaven and then returned back to earth.  I guess the gold paint is a remnant of heaven.

[chocolatine]

Oh, in one of Stacey's interview, she mentioned the concept of the group piece was someone who got to dance in heaven and then returned back to earth.  I guess the gold paint is a remnant of heaven.

 

 

The "gold paint" looked like baby poo on my HD TV. And is it supposed to be common knowledge that heaven is replete with gold paint? As an atheist, I'm not up to date on the happenings in heaven.

[bosawks]

The "gold paint" looked like baby poo on my HD TV. And is it supposed to be common knowledge that heaven is replete with gold paint? As an atheist, I'm not up to date on the happenings in heaven.

 

I'm agnostic but if heaven is like the finale in A Chorus Line with all the shiny gold and high leg kicks I'm in!

Edited August 2, 2014 by bosawks

[joylove]

In an afterbuzztv show, Mindy Arnold, the owner of the studio where Tanisha trained, said that Tanisha is more a contemporary dancer who can do ballroom well.  I am wondering if it is the reverse for Rudy because he doesn't seem quite polished in his contemporary.

 

I had a feeling this was true about Tanisha, but last week another poster said she had more Latin ballroom training than anything else. It never looked like that to me at all. Not that she isn't competent in ballroom, but she looks like a contemporary dancer who can sell a ballroom dance pretty well.

 

On to the show...

 

My favorite dance of the night actually was the Academy of Villans crew dance. I thought it was fabulous.

 

Faviorite duet of the night: Valerie/Ricky hip hop. I'm so surprised at how well they danced it, especially Ricky. I enjoyed the choreo as well. IMO the concept didn't take over; there was some real, honest to goodness hip-hop content in there, including the nae nae! 

 

I also enjoyed Emilio/Bridget's jazz (mostly Emilio), and Zach in the paso.

 

Next week's pairings are very interesting. I predict six will be good to great and four will be mediocre to bad.

 

Good to great:

• Zack and Amy
• Ricky and Lauren
• Tanisha and Ryan, althought I'm a little nervous about this one. So far, the only dance of hers I didn't love was her cha-cha the first week.
• Casey and Kathryn
• Jacque and Chehon
• Emilio and Jasmine- I hope this is hip hop, because isn't she several inches taller than he is?

 

Mediocre to bad:

• Rudy and Jenna- I hope they get Latin ballroom, and I'm very curious to see how he does. I didn't know until I read upthread that he specializes in that.
• Bridget and Brandon, especially if they have disco. Her performance in this week's jazz doesn't give me confidence that she can handle it.
• Valerie and Ade
• Jessica and Twitch. I'm  curious about this one. At first I thought they were ready to put Jessica out to pasture, but then someone mentioned Melanie Moore. Then I remember her and tWitch's hip-hop, which was awful yet inexplicably praised.

   

I liked that Christina Applegate gave a concrete comment to Emilio about facial expressions, and her analogy with acting and having the right intent was interesting, I disagree that the right facial expression just happens when you're dancing with the right intent though - I know dancers who have total bitchface when they're dancing which is not always appropriate for the routine. I also know dancers whose natural expression while dancing is totally happy which again is not always appropriate for the dance they are doing. That's why it is important to know what your face is doing and to make sure that is part of your rehearsal/performance.

  

Totally agree, and I speak from experience. I need to always know what my face is doing when I dance, or else I either look petrified or have a emotionless permasmile plastered on my face. Plus I agree with the poster upthread who said it felt like Christina was trying to discredit Misty, which I didn't like.

 

I know what Christina meant when she said that being touched and moved and electrified is what makes dance so amazing, but I didn't feel that with this routine. Maybe it was different to be in the theater watching this live though. I have been moved to tears while watching dance so I feel left out because I didn't feel whatever it was that all the judges felt that deserved a standing ovation.

 

I'm right there with you. I thought it was nice, but nothing outstanding.

 

I kinda checked out on Season 9, so tonight was the first time I noticed how fine Cyrus is. He's gorgeous!

[Zuleikha]

I had a feeling this was true about Tanisha, but last week another poster said she had more Latin ballroom training than anything else.

 

I said she has a lengthy history with ballroom, based on her age when she's recorded as competing, her partnership with Mark Ballas (including performances), and things he's quoted as saying about her. Basically, she's not a contemporary dancer who took some classes in ballroom so that she could come on the show as a ballroom specialist. She's trained, competed, and performed in it, so she's not pretending to be a Latin dancer.

 

I did also speculate that she had the longest history of training with Latin, and it sounds like I may have been wrong about that. Unless she says, we don't know if she picked to come on as a Latin specialist strategically or because it's the style that she loves the most and identifies with the most strongly. 

Edited August 3, 2014 by Zuleikha

[phoenix780]

Thanks for recapping the AfterBuzz with Mandy Moore.  I generally refuse to devote additional time to tv shows like that (I like my tv shows on tv, dammit), but reading that...it's much, much more interesting than the stuff they actually air in terms of behind-the-scenes.  

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I have mixed feelings about behind the scenes stuff because I feel on many reality shows, the drama in the house ends up spilling over or completely overshadowing the actual competition (see: Top Model, Top Chef, etc). I really enjoy shows like Face Off or The Great British Sewing Bee where all you see is what happens in the workroom and the judging. But in the case of SYTYCD, I would be glad to hear more stuff like what Mandy Moore talked about and less of the stupid "getting to know you" intro segments or the usually pointless rehearsal footage. I would find it much more interesting to find out that they had to change the music on short notice than those stupid "tell us what this other dancer will bring to the top 10" interviews.

 

On a side note, I find it ridiculous that they can't get musical clearances. First of all, there aren't a lot of songs that are impossible to get clearance for. It's just a matter of the show not wanting to pay as much as the artist wants. Secondly, there is no reason not to know this well in advance. When they hire choreographers to create a routine, the first thing they should get from the choreographer is the name of the song the choreographer wants to use so that they can get clearances BEFORE the choreographer actually choreographs the routine. In the case of Travis's routine, this is someone who they know will choreograph several routines throughout the season. All they need to do is say, "We would like 20 routines from you this season so please submit a list of 30 potential songs you might like to use. Once we have received clearances, we will let you know if any songs can't be used." It's not rocket science.

[StupidSexyFlanders]

Glad to see so many others on this forum have warmed to Tanisha. To my eyes, she's the strongest female dancer this season (by a lot). Not only is she technically strong, but I've been more and more impressed with her performance over the past couple weeks. She's subtle and confident, and can really sell a story without pantomiming or overacting.

I'm also a definite Ricky fan, ever since his "skin and bones" solo during notVegas week. He has so much control and flexibility in his movements. I thought he was great in this week's hip hop, and was a little annoyed at how much the judges focused on Valerie's ONE impressive move during the whole piece (the leg wave), when she was otherwise pretty forgettable. Maybe this is why I'm not really getting the complaint about this season being the "I Love Ricky" show. I mean, he gets featured often in the group numbers, and he gets praise, but at least the attention and praise is deserved. I don't see it as being overbearing, and the judges seem to focus more on Valerie in their critiques.

[Aethera]

Is it just me, or did the opening number just scream "hey look how white we all are!"? That was my immediate reaction to the all-white costumes, and it totally distracted me.

 

I'm thrilled Jasmine is back as an All-Star.  I'm only sorry we don't get Aaron back.  Really, I think it's a good panel, though like everyone else I'll miss Mark, and I don't really need Jenna. I am a fan of Tanisha, but the rest of the girls, meh.  Valerie is full of joy but I don't think her dancing is good enough, and I am getting tired of that same face all the time.  Clearly it's all about Jessica, which annoys me.  I want to see her challenged.  Jacque and Bridget, super forgettable.  The boys, I'm also being bugged by the Ricky Show, but I think Zach is great, Emilio is fine, Casey is whatever, and Rudy needs to go away, pronto.

 

I too was distracted on the female group number by how bad the dresses looked.  If David's Bridal had a nightgown line, there it would be.  The male group number was much better.

 

At the beginning of this season a lot of posters were talking about how they were pushing a ballroom winner this year.  Feels like not so much, now.  Contemporary again, blah.

[Bella]

 

At the beginning of this season a lot of posters were talking about how they were pushing a ballroom winner this year.  Feels like not so much, now.

 

This.

 

Nigel may have thought he wanted a ballroom winner, but his "system," such as it is, favors contemporary.

[realdancemom]

This.

 

Nigel may have thought he wanted a ballroom winner, but his "system," such as it is, favors contemporary.

I agree.  With six ballroom dancers, they should have more than two ballroom dances a week.  Most of the dances are contemporary or jazz.  We also haven't had a ballroom group routine in a long time.

[marriedaniac]

Married with Children fans like myself will find it interesting that Jessica's solo was to "Fever", and in 1989 judge Christina Applegate did this:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J51-zGEiFw

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Man, I didn't even have to click on the link because I still remember that dance she did at the talent show in the red dress!

[marriedaniac]

Man, I didn't even have to click on the link because I still remember that dance she did at the talent show in the red dress!

 

Very memorable dance! And think the guy she's dancing with was in the TV version of Fame.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Yes, it was Jesse, Nicole's boyfriend on Fame!

[dusang]

Married with Children fans like myself will find it interesting that Jessica's solo was to "Fever", and in 1989 judge Christina Applegate did this:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J51-zGEiFw

 

Was that really Christina for all of it?  Also, did everyone notice the woman in the backrow get on her knees??  Damn that show was risque ahead of its time!!

[StupidSexyFlanders]

Was that really Christina for all of it? Also, did everyone notice the woman in the backrow get on her knees?? Damn that show was risque ahead of its time!!

I saw that, too! Ah, the early years of Fox.

[Toaster Strudel]

Rudy and Valerie made it to top 20?  If I were to name two dancetestants that I never want to see dance again, it would have to be this pair.

 

Carly was robbed.  She was fantastic.

[marriedaniac]

Was that really Christina for all of it?  Also, did everyone notice the woman in the backrow get on her knees??  Damn that show was risque ahead of its time!!

 

Yep it was - she's been dancing since she was a young'un. 

 

Haha yes! Risque indeed. ;) "Take me, tapmaster!" 

[SpectreH]

So late to this episode :/.  I didn't have time to watch it until tonight and I have purposely not spoiled myself.  I agree with someone upstream, the first half was very meh to me but it picked up later especially with the group routines.

 

Really the only 2 pair routines that I liked were the Voodoo hip hop and Jessica and Casey's routine.  I didn't really like anything else.  I was initially a little annoyed at Valerie wasn't in the bottom, but I take it back after the Voodoo routine.  My favorite pair routine of the night. 

 

The paso...I thought it was terrible.  The devil routine was just ok.  The broadway was wobbly, the quickstep was ok, the Rudy and Tanisha routine was just ok, though Tanisha did stand out to me in it.

 

The highlight of this episode was in the group routines.  I did not like the opening number but I quite enjoyed the female routine and while the male routine started slow to me, I really liked it by the end.  I'm surprised that no one has really discussed the Academy of Villains routine though, I thought it was fantastic and I actually liked it the most of everything I saw in this episode.  The visuals, the musicality, the dancing, it was awesome and way better than the opening routine.  Man they have set a high standard for those other crews!

 

As for the eliminations, I think Jessica or Carly would have both been good calls to save.  I thought both of them stood out in the female routine.  In my ideal world, I think I'd sent Jacque home and keep both Carly and Jessica but Jacque wasn't in the bottom.  As for the men, I didn't really have a strong opinion, though I felt Serge was the underdog and was slightly rooting for him.  I'm gonna try to watch the next episode tonight as well if I don't fall asleep :)

Edited August 9, 2014 by SpectreH