S17.E12: The Season 17 Finale

[Court]

I had no issue with either of them winning. I really hope they don't do the studio vote again and that they bring back dance for your life. I'm still bitter that they sent James home before Beau and Waverly. 

[displayname]

12 hours ago, Melonie77 said:

I think the show made a mistake sending Anna home so soon. A talented dancer with a quirky style would have added more interest to the season.

If I remember correctly I got the impression that someone else (I don't remember who) was picked over Anna to stay due to their dance style and perhaps height... the choice made at the time so that they still had couples left that paired well and were NOT the same style. It seems a shame to send someone home for those reasons.

Here's Anna performing her SYTYCD audition piece "50 Ways to Leave a Lover" in 2021. I'm not a dancer but I think I see a great mix of other types of dance in this contemporary piece including jazz, hip hop, animation, and funk. It also makes me think of miming!

She's already such a mature performer, wow. I remember at one point during the season I'd forgotten her age, and was shocked to see she was only 18, because I thought she must have been in her early 20s. Probably one of the better contemporary/jazz dancers who've been on the show.

Edited August 14, 2022 by displayname

[P2C2E]

I think that was the best that Carter has danced on the show 😂

I have to remind myself that the show is edited down to fit the timeframe. I hope the judges are making better comments that are just getting cut. (I hope)

I've been watching old seasons, and the judges absolutely had favorites and tailored their comments appropriately. Someone dancing outside their style might get "the steps weren't really there but you sold it and I loved it you were amazing you should be so proud" or "I know it's not your style but you have to do better and this is just unacceptable". I'm admittedly not a dancer, but I couldn't see reasons for the different standards of judging, other than wanting some dancers to continue over others.

They also occasionally kept less technical dancers over others, but often they rose to the occasion and proved their abilities.

That said, an absolute crime that Anna and Thiago were sent home when they were. They were my favorite auditions. And getting to see Anna dance with Keaton broke my heart for all the routines we should have seen her dance.

[realdancemom]

1 hour ago, P2C2E said:

I think that was the best that Carter has danced on the show 😂

I have to remind myself that the show is edited down to fit the timeframe. I hope the judges are making better comments that are just getting cut. (I hope)

I've been watching old seasons, and the judges absolutely had favorites and tailored their comments appropriately. Someone dancing outside their style might get "the steps weren't really there but you sold it and I loved it you were amazing you should be so proud" or "I know it's not your style but you have to do better and this is just unacceptable". I'm admittedly not a dancer, but I couldn't see reasons for the different standards of judging, other than wanting some dancers to continue over others.

They also occasionally kept less technical dancers over others, but often they rose to the occasion and proved their abilities.

That said, an absolute crime that Anna and Thiago were sent home when they were. They were my favorite auditions. And getting to see Anna dance with Keaton broke my heart for all the routines we should have seen her dance.

Anna and Thiago were two of my favorite auditions too.  The show edits so much.  Even though, I loved her audition, the only time that they showed Anna during choreography week was the judges telling her that she disappeared in the group number.  So I thought she wouldn't make it and was pleasantly surprised when she did.

She and Beau did a good job in their first Broadway number because it was his style and both can be funny.  Previously I mentioned that Anna was outstanding in their contemporary number but this week having a partner like Keaton gave her a chance to show more of her talent.  It would have been great if she stayed longer and had an All Star like Lex as a partner for contemporary.  She was eliminated the week where I said I wished two guys were eliminated instead of one girl and one guy.  Raylyn was kept over her.  Beau was kept over Waverly.

Watching Alexis/Carter and Anna/Keaton made me wish that the first performance show would have been where the top 12 are grouped in their specialties so that they can really show what they can do.  I loved the seasons where they did that.  Alexis and Anna couldn't show their full talent until the finale. Would have loved to see Thiago partnered with somebody else instead of Essence for contemporary.  James (Lord Finn) and Essence would have been better than Lord Finn and Virginia in hip hop.

[Melonie77]

12 hours ago, displayname said:

She's already such a mature performer, wow. I remember at one point during the season I'd forgotten her age, and was shocked to see she was only 18, because I thought she must have been in her early 20s. Probably one of the better contemporary/jazz dancers who've been on the show.

Wow, I did not realize she is only 18! That truly does make her performance even more amazing! Can someone who was in the top group return to compete on another season? I'd love to see Anna and Thiago back again.

[Melonie77]

4 hours ago, realdancemom said:

Anna and Thiago were two of my favorite auditions too.  The show edits so much.  Even though, I loved her audition, the only time that they showed Anna during choreography week was the judges telling her that she disappeared in the group number.  So I thought she wouldn't make it and was pleasantly surprised when she did.

She and Beau did a good job in their first Broadway number because it was his style and both can be funny.  Previously I mentioned that Anna was outstanding in their contemporary number but this week having a partner like Keaton gave her a chance to show more of her talent.  It would have been great if she stayed longer and had an All Star like Lex as a partner for contemporary.  She was eliminated the week where I said I wished two guys were eliminated instead of one girl and one guy.  Raylyn was kept over her.  Beau was kept over Waverly.

Watching Alexis/Carter and Anna/Keaton made me wish that the first performance show would have been where the top 12 are grouped in their specialties so that they can really show what they can do.  I loved the seasons where they did that.  Alexis and Anna couldn't show their full talent until the finale. Would have loved to see Thiago partnered with somebody else instead of Essence for contemporary.  James (Lord Finn) and Essence would have been better than Lord Finn and Virginia in hip hop.

I'm especially enjoying the commentary from those of you who are so knowledgeable about dance. Although I've watched this show for a number of years this is the first year I've recorded it to make sure to catch every episode. With all the format changes they've made over the seasons I'm not really clear on all the parameters of the show. 

Since I enjoyed Anna's audition so much I was surprised to not see her featured during choreography week other than Twitch telling her she wasn't standing out. I thought that very odd and wondered at the editing. And I also noticed that Essence was someone that WAS excessively featured during choreography week. We saw Essence frequently dancing and just present milling around within the group of dancers - but yet no Anna.

Smaller sized Anna was sent into a back row while taller Essence was front row in the large group routine. No wonder she didn't stand out - she was physically blocked from doing so.
IMO Anna was a better dancer yet Essence was favored for whatever reason. I don't know if it was because they needed more hip hop girls?
Does anyone have any theories about this? I enjoyed Essence too but not nearly as much as other dancers.

I don't mind if the judges push certain dancers if they are better than others but not if it's for another purpose like the apparent reason Beau was pushed through.

[realdancemom]

18 hours ago, Melonie77 said:

Wow, I did not realize she is only 18! That truly does make her performance even more amazing! Can someone who was in the top group return to compete on another season? I'd love to see Anna and Thiago back again.

No, Anna and Thiago can't be contestants anymore.  The other people that auditioned but didn't make top 12 can.  Also, if somebody made it but then gets injured/sick before the first "live" show, they can audition again.

Based on choreography week, I guessed that Thiago and Essence were shoe ins because they were shown so much.  They like variety and Essence was the last remaining hip hop girl that they showed.  So that's another reason why she was heavily featured.

[Melonie77]

On 8/15/2022 at 1:24 PM, realdancemom said:

No, Anna and Thiago can't be contestants anymore.  The other people that auditioned but didn't make top 12 can.  Also, if somebody made it but then gets injured/sick before the first "live" show, they can audition again.

Based on choreography week, I guessed that Thiago and Essence were shoe ins because they were shown so much.  They like variety and Essence was the last remaining hip hop girl that they showed.  So that's another reason why she was heavily featured.

Thanks for the response. Too bad they do not allow contestants who make top 12 to audition again. Perhaps we will see Anna and Thiago as all-stars.😁

[realdancemom]

11 hours ago, Melonie77 said:

Thanks for the response. Too bad they do not allow contestants who make top 12 to audition again. Perhaps we will see Anna and Thiago as all-stars.😁

Yes, they can be All Stars.  I can see why they don't allow it.  Since people get to vote, alumni do have an advantage.  They also have already gained the experience of being on the show.  I think this show is a good way to network and establish connections with other dancers, choreographers, judges, etc.  For those that come from small towns or don't have a lot of formal training, it's a great way to learn from experienced choreographers.  Dancers need to go into this as just another step towards their career.  They gain experience and contacts just by auditioning.