S17.E05: The Dancers Dozen

[EyesGlazed]

I am so happy this show is back!  The dancers and the choreography move me.  I love Cat and tWitch always.  The audition episodes were fine, but IMHO it's the 5th episode where we see the contestants dance real choreography that it is getting really good.

My only complaint is: Where is Alex Fucking Wong????  Bring him back as a judge please!

[realdancemom]

19 hours ago, displayname said:

I am going to guess that Virginia is just fodder, though. As you pointed out, she danced like a studio girl doing hip hop, which doesn't bode well to me when it comes to her own genre either. And I didn't enjoy this performance (in terms of character) at all from her.

I think Virginia is fodder too since they showed Juicy more than her.  These dancers are smart and I'm sure they know when they are chosen as fodder.  It can't feel good.  But as somebody mentioned above, look at Ariana's career or Jennifer Hudson on AI.  Getting TV exposure and putting that you're in the top 12 of SYTYCD on your resume doesn't hurt.

10 hours ago, EyesGlazed said:

I am so happy this show is back!  The dancers and the choreography move me.  I love Cat and tWitch always.  The audition episodes were fine, but IMHO it's the 5th episode where we see the contestants dance real choreography that it is getting really good.

My only complaint is: Where is Alex Fucking Wong????  Bring him back as a judge please!

I see Alex Wong all the time as a background dancer in the live TV musicals.  It would be fun if he was a guest judge.  I know Jim just retired from his ballet career.  It would be nice to see him too as well as a bunch of other alumni as rotating 4th judges.

[Allison1]

On 6/15/2022 at 10:09 PM, desertflower said:

Just give the trophy to Keaton already. Love him. He and Alexis had the best routine of the night.

It seemed kind of rushed but maybe it’s because they only had an hour. But no behind the scenes of them learning the routine, and no talking to the choreographer! That felt weird. It just seems like they’ve changed the formula of the show so much.  

I really missed seeing them work with the choreographer.  

[Tikichick]

16 hours ago, sharifa70 said:

I completely agree with this. While I watched the episode I thought about how nice it was to see a variety of body types (and I remember the concerns about Donyelle, who was by no means a large woman but she didn’t fit that stereotypical lean figure either). 

I love that someone remembers Donyelle!!!!!   She was incredible IMO.    I asked my daughters if they've ever had another very full figured female since and they said yes but couldn't remember who.   I don't think they have.

Sadly Essence was truly dreadful in this contemporary routine.   I truly hope it was a fluke, but judging by the absolute, total and complete absence of technique she showed I am quite doubtful.  She was great in her audition and I was truly looking forward to her, but you've got to be able to rise to all genres for this show.    I know there have been a lot of comments about Tessandra's choreo lacking but I truly didn't see it that way at all.   I genuinely could have outperformed Essence despite my having zero dance training, zero dance ability and more than double her age.   The quick cut to Tessandra after the performance showed her extreme disappointment and displeasure.   IMO the only way Essence survives another week is if they put her in a hip hop routine and she can shine again.

Please let them use the extra minutes eaten in this episode by revealing the top 12 and celebrity videos about the 300th episode to go back to showing us working with the choreographers and quick snippets to allow us to see the contestants as individuals.   

Never in a million years would I have guessed Leah Rimini.   Only thing that made sense to me was J. Lo's BFF and therefore possibly a Tabitha and Napoleon connection.

The Tavia choreo was some of the best I've seen on the show in years and a promising return to the glory days -- especially that entrance.  Some of the staging, lighting and costuming harkened back to the good stuff as well.   A relief to not see WOD touches.  I have my fingers crossed, but I am prepared to get my heartbroken because it's obvious the show is mostly a shell of its former self.  

[RomanKat]

1 hour ago, Tikichick said:

IMO the only way Essence survives another week is if they put her in a hip hop routine and she can shine again.

She'll get hip hop. Each couple will perform the female partner's specialty style this week. (They did the male partner styles last week.)

They might have had time to show rehearsal video packages with only 5 couples and 10 finalists. Presumably, they'll bring back video packages as the field narrows. Personally, I prefer 12 couples. Just wish they would credit the choreographers more explicitly during the show.

[luvthepros]

23 hours ago, bourbon said:

I do like that they've opened this show up as far as body-diversity. There are certainly dancers that Nigel NEVER would have accepted. It's just more interesting, and I like that having a larger or smaller dancer forces the choreographers to open up the storytelling, particularly with the contemporary dances. I feel like there are only so many times we can watch variations on someone is dead/dying/addicted/abused/estranged. 

Beau can sell the hell out of a dance. The technique isn't there, but the same can be said for a lot of dancers that have passed thru the SYTYCD family. I also liked Keaton, and I think that's another instance of the choreographers maybe being creative in their choreography with someone who isn't your traditional lithe male dancer. They've had bigger guys before -- I'm thinking of Will from S9 -- but I think it was largely done as a sight gag when paired with petite, pixieish Amelia. I'm interested to see how/if they use his size, as compared to someone like Waver

I find it difficult to warm to Thiago. And I don't know what it is about many ballroom boys like Carter. There's sort of a bland slickness that seems to be trained into them. Lots of teeth, nice hair, meh. I don't think he's long for this show. 

I watched some of Thiago's work on YouTube. He is in a league of his own but one has to appreciate his movement. He is quirky, intense, technically superb and just plain out fabulous as a dancer. I'm not a dancer but I can surely see a huge difference in his movement to any other contestant this season or any other season for that matter.

Not sure Thiago will connect with the audience on a personal level though. He certainly doesn't project warm fuzzies.

Edited June 20, 2022 by luvthepros

[luvthepros]

21 hours ago, sharifa70 said:

I completely agree with this. While I watched the episode I thought about how nice it was to see a variety of body types (and I remember the concerns about Donyelle, who was by no means a large woman but she didn’t fit that stereotypical lean figure either). 

Donyelle had some heft to her. She was larger than Benji and it was very noticeable that she did not have the typical body type of a dancer. Nigel was on the judge's panel and he put her through.

[sharifa70]

5 hours ago, Tikichick said:

I love that someone remembers Donyelle!!!!!   She was incredible IMO.   

Donyelle and Benji is still one of my favorite partnerships. They were so fun together!

Leah’s comments were exactly what I expected. “I loved it/I loved it/I loved it” yawn.

[mojoween]

I’m sorry I just cannot with Beau.

Thiago and Essence’s choreography was just so underwhelming.  It was frustrating watching that dance go nowhere and do nothing for either of them.  However, in a contest for America’s Favorite Smiler, Thiago will win all day every day.  Have mercy.

Keaton and Alexis danced beautifully, but some of that choreo was problematic to me.  It was a little aggressive on Keaton’s part.  Doesn’t take away how amazingly they both did, I just didn’t like some of what they were made to do.

I know this is all old news but the DVR recording got messed up and I remembered to finish watching this morning, heh.

Edited June 22, 2022 by mojoween

[AZChristian]

50 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Keaton and Alexis danced beautifully, but some of that choreo was problematic to me.  It was a little aggressive on Keaton’s part.  Doesn’t take away how amazingly they both did, I just didn’t like some of what they were made to do.

I'm glad you wrote this.  I felt the same way.

[katisha]

Adding another to the list of Keaton's doppelgangers.... to me he is the spitting image of actor Mark Blucas.

[peachmangosteen]

I thought that actually was Keaton at first lol.