S11.E14: Top 4 Perform

[iameatingaburrito]

Jesse is a funny guy.  I enjoy his quick wit.  Did he "out" Ricky with his, "If you were older, we could date!"  ??

 

Ricky is already out, he has pictures of his boyfriend all over his instagram.

 

And if anybody would have outed him it would have been Jessica in this interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYjoJ83xrwA

Edited August 28, 2014 by iameatingaburrito

[picklesprite]

I really enjoyed this ep, more than any other this season, at least partly because I ff'ed through the judges and all of the solos except for Zack's.

 

I LOVED Zach's solo and his number with Aaron. I think his time on SYTYCD has moved him from "good" tapper to "great" tapper. That was a cool, sophisticated number, imo. I've always loved tap, and have longed for the tappers on this show, and the choreos, to do more with it by blending it in with more contemporary styles of dance. There's no reason it has to stay stuck in the first half of the 20th century. Blend it in cool ways with hip hop, contemporary, whatever, but bring it up to date.

 

Jesse, stop with the age-inappropriate flirting, please.. If you were a straight guy saying stuff like that to, say, Jessica, you'd come across as a skeeve.

 

Valerie always makes me think they've brought up somebody from the audience--a really cute, really good sport, really energetic girl--to dance. She seems to be a sweetheart, and she *has* grown some, but she still looks like an endearing gallumph to me. As I would look, only leagues worse, if they pulled me up from the audience. (The "gallumph part!)

 

Loved the opening number, especially the way the girls looked into each others' eyes with such open, affectionate glances. They appeared to love dancing with each other and to really like each other.

 

That lighting of Ricky with Katharine was the worst I've ever seen on this show. Maybe they *don't* want him to win.

 

Like several of you, I'd like Zack to win but could understand Ricky winning, instead.

Edited August 28, 2014 by picklesprite

[TrudyC]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Zack was sent to choreography after his first audition. I didn't know that before last night. 

 

 

[crowceilidh]

 

I really liked the opening group routine too.  I loved how they were same sex partnering through most of it.  It was unexpected, and beautiful (and I am sick of Travis's routines, so I was surprised when he was the choreographer)

Given the music choice, I thought it was going to be Mandy Moore, but then there were moves that didn't quite fit her style, so I was confused.

 

I think Jessica is one of the most boring, least emotive dancers I have ever seen.  She didn't even look sexy in her Broadway (Zack, on the other hand...).  The only time I've seen her look sexy was in her audition and even that was momentary.  When she emotes it all seems like sophomoric acting.

[Primetimer]

The top four get to have just one show where they dance their hearts out together and nobody gets eliminated.

Read the story

[Lila82]

Ricky is guaranteed a win by dancing a contemporary number with Kathryn to a song from "The Fault in our Stars."  Teen girls really do control the world.

 

I think Zach would have a better chance if his face wasn't so unfortunate.  

[MachuPichu]

Really? I sure couldn't. I feel a massive need to defend this kid who just loves to dance and is trying to make a go of it. She auditioned, made the show, has surprised me NUMEROUS times and clearly loves to dance. I don't see all this "clomping and stomping" that alot of you guys see. I enjoy watching someone who loves what they do. I do NOT understand the venom that gets heaped on Valerie. She's been voted through every week. Deal with it.

Don't bother defending her as she clearly doesn't need it. Having said that, yes, I see someone who's very endearing with the smile that lights up the stage AND, at the same time, so painful for me to watch. You like her dancing, as do plenty of people, but plenty do not and say so on the forum, which is meant for people to share their opinions. Deal with it.

It's the same thing with Jessica. Many people here find her to be "boring", "no chemistry", etc and I see her very differently. I thought she was sexy as hell in Spencer's number, which was one of my favorite of the night. So was Zach, by the way. I also really enjoyed her last piece with Robert, also one of my favorites, where I thought the partner connection and acting was brilliant.

I thought the finale was a head and shoulders above the rest of the season that I, too, found lackluster overall. I love Zach but I love Ricky just as much. I really like Jessica too so I'll be ok with either of the 3 to win. Valerie, as adorable as she is, is way out of her league compared to the other three and, even though it's America's favorite dancer, not best, I still don't think she's deserving of the title next to the rest of the finalists.

I usually don't let Nijel's comments register with me but his word diarrhea about suicide was all sorts of offensive. Having lost your friends to suicide doesn't give you the right to disrespect others who experienced the same and the memory of the ones they lost on the national tv. They may not share your opinion. So bone headed.

As much as I found JTF hilarious, he was extra pervy with all the flirting. Must be taking pages out of Nijel's "Old pervy gizzard" book.

Edited August 28, 2014 by MachuPichu

[vibeology]

I think what bothers me about Valerie is that she looks exactly the same in every dance that she does.  Whether it's tap, contemporary, ballroom, or hip hop, she just looks exactly the same.  Same facial expression, same movements.  There's absolutely no change or variety.

 

This is how I feel too. I don't think she's clompy or anything but last night every other dancer was able to create moments and Valerie doesn't have the range to pull that off. Even tapping, which she got to do twice, she just didn't create something special. Her closest things all year were the floor slide in the waltz and the leg wave in the hip hop. In a few years when someone mentions Valerie that's what I'll think of and on the performance finale night you need a moment.

[LadyMustang65]

Aaron was back!  Twice!!  I loved last night's episode!!!

 

I actually really did love last night's episode - except for Nigel.  I can usually take him, but he was really insufferable last night.  Maybe he figures this will their last season, so he wants to make sure we all know how important dance is??  I loved the opening number - that was really beautiful, and I loved the mix of same-sex and opposite-sex dancing.  I loved everything Zach did.  I thought he was great in the Broadway, contemporary and hiphop, but I absolutely loved the tap with Aaron.  That was just wonderful.  He has grown on me so much, and I think he has grown so much as a dancer, and he seems far more mature now than when the show first started.  I'm not sure what they've done with him, but he's become quite a handsome young man over the last 10 weeks or so. 

 

I liked the Bollywood, but my eye kept getting drawn to Valerie.  My dh said the same thing.  We kept trying to watch Jessica, but she just disappeared next to Valerie.  Valerie is another one that I think has really improved as a dancer over the length of the show.  I found her very "stompy" in the beginning, but I thought she was wonderful in all her dances last night.  Her solo was miles ahead of where she started, and her dance with Aaron was terrific. 

 

Rick was Ricky - I've never seen him be bad - just great and really great. 

 

The only weak link of the night, I thought, was Jessica.  She was competent in all of her dances except her solo, which I thought was just awful.  But she didn't really stand out in anything. 

 

I gave most of my votes to Zach with a few to Ricky and Valerie.  I'd really love to see Zach take it all, but I can't begrudge a Ricky win either.  He's a gorgeous dancer.  I'd even be okay with a Valerie win because I really do think she has grown a lot over the season, and I think she's just a much better dancer now than she was at the beginning, and I remember her.  Jessica would be the only disappointing win, since I find her generally competent, occasionally brilliant, but always forgettable. 

Edited August 28, 2014 by LadyMustang65

[rlc]

If Jessica wins, I hope she remembers to thank her hair for pulling her through this competition.

[Pattycake2]

I've enjoyed this season so, so much!  It's been fun to watch basically babies study and absorb and become ready to strike out in a career of such painfully limited duration. I'm in for Ricky.  Everything he does is just a little easier, a little more fluid, a little more extended.  He is massively talented. Love Zach, too.  He's obviously studied other genres of dance and is very well rounded.   Yeah, Tyce is a douche.

[Mertseger]

2) this is the worst group of dancers the show has ever had.

Worst final four, conceivably, but Season 1 set a bar that's hard to get under for the group making it to the performance episodes.

 

The Ricky/Kathryn joint was pretty much ruined for me by our vaunted lighting and costume departments: almost a perfect example of camouflage protecting the young Ricky from the predations of the elder Jesse, and, you know, the observation of anyone else who might actually want to see him dance.

 

I cast a single ballot for Ricky, but I would be fine with anyone except Valerie.

[Alison]

When Nigel referred to suicide as "stupidity" I turned over to the Strudel teens and said, sarcastically: "he didn't mean to say stupidity, he meant to say TRAGEDY!"

 

Then he called suicide "stupidity" a second time.

He's continually putting his foot in his mouth on Twitter this morning, attempting to defend himself. STFU, Uncle Nigel.

[phoenix780]

I've enjoyed this season so, so much!  It's been fun to watch basically babies study and absorb and become ready to strike out in a career of such painfully limited duration.

 

Y'know...thank you for describing the season that way.  It doesn't make me like it, but it makes me a little less annoyed by it to conceive of it as watching little kids in a school production.

 

I managed to get through the final hour or so of the show.  There was some OK stuff, but to me it felt like the dancers were a bit tired.  I wish they'd cut it down a bit somehow, maybe the routines would have been more if they had to dance less.  I didn't feel anyone really had a moment, but I was probably comparing it to past seasons more than I should.

[Haleth]

It may not have been a stellar season, but I was entertained enough and looked forward to each week.  We would have heard by now if the show had been renewed, right?  So this will be the end?

[Day2Day]

I wonder if Ricky wins, he will have some T-shirts like this made (with his face, of course!) for distribution.  UGH !!!     Zach for the win !!!

[tvloserlife]

Overall I'd say this was a decent episode for a lacklustre season.  Would be happy with any of the boys winning, but Zack really killed it tonight.  The hip hop was my favourite (they were both really good but I liked Zack slightly better in it), and the broadway worked really well.  I think Jessica might actually be quite good at broadway since her facial expressions would fit right in.

 

So when Nigel was commenting on how good the broadway has been this year, I said of course, because a certain choreographer has not been here, and my husband was like, oh, who, Tyce?  And I immediately reacted with, oh no you can't say his name, it might summon him!  And sure enough, the next dance was Tyce.  My husband apologized profusely but the damage was done.

 

And no I was not a fan of the Tyce piece.

 

The night was far too contemporary heavy for my taste and I was not pleased with the complete lack of ballroom and only one hip hop.

 

I will say that the Travis Wall group number was so lovely.  I thought for sure it was Mandy Moore with the music but was so confused because the choreography didn't seem like hers.

[Sandman]

"... Jason Mraz played slow music I don't care about."

I'll take Careers In A Nutshell for $400, Alex.

[kermitmissesjim]

I have thrown all my votes to Valerie this entire season, except one time Zach was in the bottom so I sent ten his way. I know nothing about dance technique but I know what I love to watch, and I love to watch Valerie love dancing. I love to watch Zach love dancing. I love to watch Ricky extend his body beyond what seems capable, and I hate watching Jessica love her body as it's dancing. That's the difference I see; "one of these things is not like the others," and while I would prefer a Valerie or Zach win, I am happy with ANYONE but Jessica.

[panthergirl13]

Yeah, Tyce is a douche.

There's a really wonderful documentary about the audition process for the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line... also wonderful because Tyce auditions and spoiler-alert...doesn't get the part! So fun to watch now that we all know and hate him.

 

Re SYTYCD, I have officially stopped watching (the Michael Jackson ep was the last straw for me). Now I just read the recaps and that's pretty much enough. 

[BensBritches]

They sure crowned Ricky the winner tonight, didn't they?

 

Boy, I sure didn't feel that way.  Zach got all the "pimp" spots and he got the growth arc.  I didn't see Ricky getting a winner's edit (nor a loser's edit), and while I can't recall the details at the moment, I think Nigel directly mentioned the Broadway prize when talking with Zach, but he never did when talking with Ricky.  I personally felt like Ricky never got credit for being able to take on all the different genres in the same way other dancers did.  It was almost like, "You're great, we knew you'd be great., now bring on the interesting ones."  My opinion, of course.

 

Frankly, I like both Ricky and Zach and have no preference over which one wins (assuming one will win), but I think Nigel is frothing at the mouth to crown a tapper.  As I said in a post last week, if a tapper wins, then the show has achieved a winner in basically every genre/category they cast for, except maybe Latin/ballroom (Benji was West Coast Swing, right? What does that classify as?).  Another contemporary winner in not what this show wants.  So I'll be shocked if Ricky actually wins. Plus, again in my opinion, I feel the prize or the Broadway part is better suited to Zach then Ricky... so to me it all is lining up for a Zach win.  Because I'm praying to every possible God/deity that it ain't gonna be Valerie.

 

A personal rant: I was horrified and disgusted by Nigel and his comments about suicide last night.  It made me sick to my stomach and really impacted my ability to watch the show with any level of fun or excitement. See, I'm a child psychologist and just that very day, a client came in to tell me her aunt had committed suicide by shooting herself.  If only I had Nigel's level of training and understanding of mental health issues I could have just told the client her aunt was "stupid" and we could have moved on.  But guess what?  That  is not the reality of the situation in most cases.  This woman had struggled for years and years with severe mental illness and she just couldn't cope any more.  My client was trying so hard to come to grips with dual emotions.  Extreme sadness for her aunt and her family (particularly her grandmother who was devastated) and a sort of relief feeling that her aunt had finally stopped suffering.  Stupidity never entered into our conversation.

 

I kept thinking, "what if my client had gone home and thought 'I'll just watch a bit of dancing to bring some joy into my day'" only to hear Nigel basically say her aunt was stupid for what she did.  Discussion of suicide and the reasons behind it and labeling people who commit suicide with any label has absolutely no place on SYTYCD.  I am still so peeved...

 

I will watch next week to see who wins, but I just don't know if I'll be back.  

 

[hula-la]

I missed Nigel's comment about the African Jazz number, and am glad that I didn't. I don't know how much is the choreographer, and how much is TPTB, but it bothers me that whenever they do an "African" piece, they always have to use similar African choir-style music, and dress the dancers in the most primitive, tribal-looking costumes. It just reinforces the stereotype that Africa is some rural, jungle place that doesn't even have roads or electricity.

 

One I got over that, I was so excited to see Arron twice! I really enjoyed both tap pieces. I am one of those who isn't a fan of Valerie's style of tap, but in this one, she looked really good.  

 

I haven't been a huge fan of this season, but will keep watching, as there's dance on TV, and that's always a great thing.

[rlc]

Based on everything I'm reading here, I am particularly glad that I skipped through all of the commentary last night (and this entire season).

[kechara]

I generally don't love Travis's routines although they do seem to help out whichever contestant gets one. I do, however, like his smaller group stuff.  I don't think there's been one that I haven't enjoyed this year.

 

I just start to tolerate Nigel and then he opens his mouth Damn.  I have loved this show from the get go and even though it's sliding down , down ,down, I like it better than most reruns on Wed. in the summer.  But this took the cake. Worse than most things like his creepy sexist comments, etc.  I have a number of thoughts and opinions on suicide - stupid isn't one of them. Stupid might be someone letting a kid use an uzi on full auto.  Maybe next week Nigel could comment on that.

[Cuatro1234]

 

Jesse, stop with the age-inappropriate flirting, please.. If you were a straight guy saying stuff like that to, say, Jessica, you'd come across as a skeeve.

 

 

 

Actually I think a season or two ago, he told one of the female contestants that he loved her so much he wanted to marry her, but it would make his boyfriend mad (or something along those lines).  So I think that's just his schtick.

 

My (non-dancer) take on Valerie is that she is really great in anything happy, but if she has to be serious, she has a hard time pulling it off.  She was really awful in that Sonja piece where she was supposed to be "ugly."  I love to watch her in the happy pieces, though.

 

So I'm not the only one who thought the opener was Mandy Moore due to the music!  Then with the movement I thought it could be Stacy Tookey.  Whoops.  I really liked it.  I did wonder, though, if Tanisha were still in Top 4, would she/her Mormon family have been OK with that dance?  Would there be a dancer who would say "sorry, I just can't"?

 

I thought overall it was a great show and we finally saw more dancing than filler!!

 

I hated how they kept calling it "the finale" but really it's not the finale, right??

[Gardencrown]

 

So when Nigel was commenting on how good the broadway has been this year, I said of course, because a certain choreographer has not been here, and my husband was like, oh, who, Tyce?  And I immediately reacted with, oh no you can't say his name, it might summon him!  And sure enough, the next dance was Tyce.  My husband apologized profusely but the damage was done.

Tell your husband that I forgive him. I didn't hate that dance, and I confess that I summoned him last time.I didn't mean to, but I did. If we can summon him, can we similarly dismiss him?

[kechara]

Tyce - bad genie

[ari333]

Welp, I'm team "ABJ" -- Anyone But Jessica.

 

And bonus points to Kat for clocking Nigel in the teeth.

I can't recall now, but to whom did JTF say, "WHEN you win this.... urm... if you win...."

[Mertseger]

Tell your husband that I forgive him. I didn't hate that dance, and I confess that I summoned him last time.I didn't mean to, but I did. If we can summon him, can we similarly dismiss him?

Well, doing so would require a blood sacrifice on a Marley floor at 8:00 am (the time when no Broadway dancers are awake), and might well result in the destruction of the entire show as well. 

[Pattycake2]

QUOTE

I've enjoyed this season so, so much!  It's been fun to watch basically babies study and absorb and become ready to strike out in a career of such painfully limited duration.

 

Y'know...thank you for describing the season that way.  It doesn't make me like it, but it makes me a little less annoyed by it to conceive of it as watching little kids in a school production.

 

 

 

This is why I like this show so much.  It's not like American Idol where the singers try to perform and often fail in front of real crowds, or they ignore the advice of the mentors in an attempt to "make it their own", or they whine about their treatment from the judges.   These dancers are grateful - for the opportunity to train under first class choreographers, to partner with amazing dancers, to sharpen their performance skills, to be pushed to dance in different genres. "A dancer dances" and this is an incredible opportunity.    

[iameatingaburrito]

It may not have been a stellar season, but I was entertained enough and looked forward to each week.  We would have heard by now if the show had been renewed, right?  So this will be the end?

 

Lol why does everyone assume this!

 

No, we wouldn't necessarily have heard by now and I'm pretty sure they announced it was renewed at the finale last year.

[ari333]

I was confused, too, by Mary et all referring to last night's show as the "Finale." I was all ("all" - as the kids say) :) So who won? heh

 

Did the opening seem to feature Jessica? Or is it me?

[tarotx]

It was the performance Finale.

[English Teacher]

My feeling on all this is that Ricky needs to win...because he is the least marketable of the group. He is too small and slight to be a leading man...and he is too cute to be sexy. Add to that his weakness with lifts. Unless he is a featured dancer in a company or show, I don't see him getting as much work as the others although this boy is inSANEly talented. But I can see him staying as an all star or a future choreographer. The other 3 will have no problems finding work. They are all so good with great looks as well.

[mojoween]

I do zone out a lot during non-dance parts and I have to say that Nigel's comments about suicide just came out of left field. Was the dance even about suicide? I thought it was about loss?

And seriously, his attempt to "make good" on Twitter today just make me hate him more. I mean, I suppose it's not always a bad thing to stick with your opinion, but to keep hammering it? On a topic like this? Shut up, ass.

[Blueeyedgirl]

Just my opinion, as a fan of this show from the first year (when yes, I was rooting for Nick):

 

-  Ricky is the "best dancer", most technically amazing, and should have a long career in a contemporary dance company.  He maybe short & slight, but he is young and could still get stronger (as men do), and some company will be delighted to have him.  He can be an all-star, etc, if the show continues, but this seems to be his future. But I would pay money to go see the company that he joins perform.  (But I cannot picture him in the chorus of On The Town.)

 

-  Zach could easily be the "favorite dancer".  My mom (a 73 year old woman) thinks he is much better looking than Ricky and that teenagers will vote for him.  I also think he is the is an incredibly appealing dancer. Loved his tap number with Aaron -- I was watching his arms in particular (see my comment below about Valerie), and he moves in a very appealing way that makes me want to watch more. I think he is probably a likely winner - -and frankly, with the first prize being a part in On The Town, it seems like a really good fit for him. I could totally see him doing that. 

 

-  Jessica -- I got nothing here. The best female dancer left, but I don't notice her too much.

 

- Valerie -- Now, I like Valerie.  And I often enjoy watching her dance, and her joy bubbles up.  But, she is, to me, a very sloppy dancer.  Her arms are often a bit awkward, and don't fully extend to where they are supposed to go.  When she tap dances, her arms look awkward to me.  I know tap dancing upper body isn't about grace per se -- although, look at Fred Astaire.  Smooth.  And look at Zach, whose arms are beautifully placed.  Valerie -- in every style -- doesn't seem to finish the movement with her arms, and so looks awkward or haphazard or like she is in rehearsals not hte real show.  I like her, but when I watch her dance, I think, "This is as far as she'll go in the world of dance."

 

All of this, of course, is in my humble opinion.  :)

[Calamity Jane]

It really seemed to me that Zach was the only one who was not out-danced by the All-Star.  I loved Aaron, too, but just was amazed at Zach's ease and fluidity.  I think he's completely ready for the big stage.  Really not sure about any of the others.  

[Turkish]

 

My feeling on all this is that Ricky needs to win...because he is the least marketable of the group. He is too small and slight to be a leading man...and he is too cute to be sexy. Add to that his weakness with lifts. Unless he is a featured dancer in a company or show, I don't see him getting as much work as the others although this boy is inSANEly talented. But I can see him staying as an all star or a future choreographer. The other 3 will have no problems finding work. They are all so good with great looks as well.

Ricky should be fine. I think it will all depend on his networking and that goes for all of the dancers. That's really what it's about more than anything. All of these kids can dance. It's about what you do after the show that matters. Plenty of dancers on this go on to do quite well for themselves regardless of where they place. many doing even better than the winners. Getting in with Travis and Sonya helps since they choreograph A LOT of things and are notorious for hiring the same groups of dancers. For example, I credit Travis for keeping Alexa Anderson in continual employment and she got eliminated during the first voting week on her season. 

Edited August 29, 2014 by Turkish

[Irritable]

I have worshipped this show for many years, and normally have almost nothing but high praise for several of the pieces.  Even the episodes that were a bit lackluster compared to others, I could always find several good routines in it, but this one?  I got nuthin'.  In fact, I hated it, and feel cheated out of so much precious time.  This is supposed to be the best show of the entire season!  And it was terrible!  I actually laughed out loud at the Dance of the Blind Girl.  Too bad it wasn't supposed to be comedy.  What a waste of 3 really talented dancers.  Valerie was clunky, flailing and lumbering all night, but that's nothing new, I learned weeks ago to just watch her partner, or FF past her solos.  This is the first season I honestly don't give a crap who wins, not because I don't like (most of) the dancers, but because they saved all the shittiest routines for the end when we should be blown away the most.  I can't get excited about any of this lame dreck.

[calipiano81]

No one has mentioned...THERE WASN'T A SINGLE BALLROOM ROUTINE in the performance finale!!!!!  :(

 

So the show wants to make it THAT obvious that it's no longer about versatility anymore? I enjoyed all of the dancing, but really, Ricky gets to do Afro-Jazz, Jazz, and Contemporary and Jessica gets to do Broadway, Jazz, Contemporary? And while it's nice to have tap routines for a change and for Zack and Valerie to get to show off their style (since they don't get to all season), do tap dancers tapping well prove anything?

Edited August 29, 2014 by calipiano81

[tarotx]

Yes Tap proves they can tap dance and the others didn't get to dance that style. Tap and ballet are only used for the Tappers and Ballet dancers. Zack and Ricky will have a ballroom dance count for them in the final votes since both danced one last week. And Jessica did a Disco last week. This is the first season where there is two weeks of voting to determine the winner. 

[Sandman]

I watch this show so rarely that perhaps my opinion ought to be taken with a bag of rocksalt, but I thought the African Jazz number had a pleasing athleticism, in spite of the weird cultural-appropriation collywobbles it gave me. The "Fernando's Hideaway" number charmed me -- a poster upthread mentioned Zach's fluidity (in another context) and I think that's a good description. The stairs were -- well, they were there, but having missed the routine on the broadcast, I heard the judges' comments about the difficulty of dancing on stairs and I think I was expecting something more extreme.

 

I thought the dance to "Wind Beneath My Wings" was lovely -- physical grace and emotional meaning balancing each other.

[Diane Mars]

So... One left and this season will be over...

I'm in love with Ricky since his 1st audition. A part of his lines, control and flexibility, I'm totally fascinated by his ability to "distort" the time... How can I explain that ? Well, it's like if he has the capacity to slow down the first half/third of a move and then to accelerate it, in order to be always "on time" (which means with a 1'' of second in advance for me) in order to be well placed to start the next move... Does it makes sense to anyone ? So difficult to explain ! Even in French -my mother tongue- it will be a hassle, lol !

 

If Zach wins, I'll be happy too. He's an amazing "sponge" ! I'm totally amazed by his ability to catch up any style or any move in a blink and give it back to us  !

 

Jessica : Bleh :/ Boring

 

Valerie : She's cute, she seems nice, but... I think the problem is that she has a kind of "closed" shoulders, and it's not nice to watch, because it's the same problem and position for every style she danced. For instance, I'm 99% sure that she can't have "that" open back shoulder position requested for the latin dances. I re-watched some of her dances, and yes, it's really that which disturbs me the most and makes her a kind of "next door" dancer (And sorry, Valerie, if you read that :'( I really think that you're an amazing girl, but I really dislike your shoulders.)

[traboule]

Though I agree that this hasn't been the strongest season, I still found a lot to enjoy in it - numbers like "Good Kisser" , the "Happy" jive, a lot of the group and mini-group pieces. I try to tune out the judges and just focus on the contestants - who usually seem delightful - and their dances.

 

Of the dancers left, Zack is my definitive favorite. I've liked him since Vegas week, and though I haven't liked every dance he's been in this season, I've liked the level of performance he's given to each.

 

I mostly liked Travis' Wall opening number, mainly for the same-sex of pairing the guys and girls. I like just how aesthetically different that is for the show, which is constantly putting guy/girl pairings at the forefront. Someone earlier in the thread mentioned the open and affectionate expressions on Valerie and Jessica's faces and I noticed that too. I hate that song though - too overwrought for my tastes no matter who sings it.

 

Loved Zack and Jessica's Broadway. It was cool to see them paired up and I thought they meshed well. Maybe because Zack is my favorite, my eye was drawn to him, despite Jessica's sparkly red dress and his dark suit. They talked up the stairs a lot which was weird considering we saw Zack and Valerie have to quickly ascend and descend stairs early in the season in their tap number, and what Jessica had to do seemed like nothing compared to that. That's not a slight on Jessica, but I just found it an odd thing to emphasize in the pre-package and the judges' comments. That aside, I thought their quick side-by-sides were fun and the choreography matched the music well in those parts especially. So yay to Spencer Liff (who revealed in last week's Afterbuzz that Zack is his favorite.)

 

Zack / Valerie Contemporary - Saw it was a Tyce contemporary number. Cringed. Didn't like the concept, didn't like the choreography. Still felt that residual cringe throughout the number and felt bad for the dancers.

 

Ricky / Zack - I really liked their hip-hop number. Dave Scott in this week's Afterbuzz episode said of this dance that both guys went all in. They may not be great hip-hop dancers, but they definitely entertained and looked pretty cool. To reference Scott's comments again, he said that the commitment of the dancers kept the crotch part from being awkward, and made it more of a huh? moment. I feel similarly - I'm not sure what I think about that part of the choreography, but I liked how well Zack and Ricky performed it.

 

Ricky / Kathryn - I thought this was pretty. The contemporary blends all together for me, especially at this point in the season, but I just want to give Ricky and Kathryn (and Stacey) props for this.

 

Zack / Aaron - My favorite piece of the night. Those guys were in sync and it was amazing. They both put a lot of emotion into a "story" that was refreshingly angst-free. Loved Aaron in his season and was happy to see him back on as an All-Star.

 

I think Ricky will win, but it's possible that it may be close due to Zack's steadily growing fanbase that I've seen clamoring on youtube and tumblr.

 

I really have missed Tanisha's presence on the show these past couple of episodes. The hosts and Dave Scott were all in agreement of wishing she had been in the top four. (Scott of course worked with her on "Good Kisser" and it seems likely that piece will be in next week's show.) I actually have found that SYTYCD seasons seem anticlimactic to me, because I usually like quite a few of the dancers, and as inevitably they start to leave, they take a little of my enthusiasm with me. When they flashed to Emilio in the audience, I was like, aw, I miss him. I know he didn't deserve to be in the top four, but I enjoyed watching him. As the credits rolled for this performance finale episode, I thought the final four looked a bit lonesome there without the others.

 

Other things from the Afterbuzz episode of note: Dave Scott, while respecting his fellow choreographers, seemed frustrated by how many routines seemed more about making "pictures" than about actually, you know, dancing. He didn't seem to like Robert and Jessica's routine for that reason. Scott was also critical of lift-heavy dances to which I say, amen. Put those girls down on the floor and let's see some steps, some side-by-sides, some real movement. Those are the routines I like.

 

He also commented on his other choreographed routines of the season - Emily had such spasms in her back, that he had to cut out all of the tricks he had planned for Emily / Teddy's hip-hop. He did say that Jacque "pulled up" to do well in her hip-hop with Twitch, though Scott did imply that Twitch toned himself down so as not to outshine her. The hosts asked Scott about his experience of being in the audience and watching your piece get performed, and he had some funny comments about some of his fellow choreographers, and as far as getting reamed by the judges, he referenced some past season's routine where a cape was involved. He said he was reamed so much about that cape routine that during a break in the show, Nigel came to Dave and apologized to him. (Had to go look this up: apparently this was Ashleigh/Legacy in Season 6).

 

[Aethera]

African Jazz - I liked both Ricky and Valerie in this.

 

Broadway - They did ok.  Not my favorite number.

 

Contemporary 1: Tyce, shut up. I thought the choreo was bad, and I did not like Valerie in this at all.  Terrible.

 

Jazz: This was created to showcase them.  I found myself watching Jessica, not Ricky.  First time all season I've preferred her.  I thought she really out-danced him.

 

Bollywood: Cute. Jessica did better than Valerie with the arm movements, but they both did decently.

 

Hip-Hop:  This was great.  Very 80s, but really well done by them both, especially Zach.

 

Tap 1: Aaron! In that suit! Kicked Valerie's ass in tap and style.  Just made me want the Aaron/Zach routine. Nigel, you are so creepy weird.  I hear you Jesse, my crush on Aaron persists too.

 

Contemporary 2:  Who doesn't love Kathryn.  But I didn't enjoy this.  Just didn't seem special or interesting, and the lighting was bad too. Ricky is an ugly crier.

 

Tap 2: Billy Joel! Aaron! Zach! Who called my mother and then made this number for me?  The only routine I watched twice all season.  Astounding.

 

Contemporary 3:  This was excellent. Jessica really does well at Contemporary, and she had Robert and Travis, so of course it was excellent.

 

Solos: Ricky looked creepy.  Ha Valerie tapped to Valerie.  Smart girl.  Jessica with the damned hat again.  Zach really impresses me with his confidence, and his tapping is so much better than Valerie's.

 

At this point I'm ranking it Zach, Ricky, Jessica, Valerie.

 

Glad to see Jesse Tyler Ferguson again. He is the much less annoying, much funnier Christina Applegate of this show.  Of all the non-professionals they have on the panel, he's my favorite.

 

What the hell did Nigel say there when they cut to the audience?  He is the worst.  And the suicide blathering was just horrifying. HORRIFYING. 

 

They should get rid of Nigel, and have a choreographer rotate through his slot, while the celebs can rotate through the other.

 

And seriously this is the worst season ever for costuming.  Valerie's dress in the tap awful.  Jessica Rabbit awful.  Ricky in dark clothes on a dark stage.  Jasmine's pants a few weeks ago, and so many other things.

Edited August 30, 2014 by aethera

[dcalley]

What the hell did Nigel say there when they cut to the audience?  He is the worst.  And the suicide blathering was just horrifying. HORRIFYING.

Yep.

 

Apparently Nigel gave the middle finger and that's why they cut. I don't know what he was saying about a broken nose.

[Terrafamilia]

Geez, Ricky, could you wait till next week for the victory lap? (at least that's how it came across to me)

 

Advice to Jessica. Next time you do that solo.

Do. Not. Take. Off. Hat.

It'll work better that way. Trust me.

BTW, Jessica in the ponytail was reminding me of Helen Mirren in Excalibur. My brain is odd.

 

Advice to Zach. I know this week wasn't one for any real critiques but you could use a little advice. In your tap with Aaron your shoulders were hunching up a little (so were Aaron's but that is just his anatomy. He can't really help it). Also, go back and watch some Fred Astaire again. This time don't look at his feet. Look at his hands.

 

As to the dance numbers -

I thought Ricky and Zack's hip-hop was fully deserving of a standing O. They did seem to be running out of a little steam near the end but it didn't really detract.

 

Jessica and Ricky's jazz was a lot of fun.

 

Valerie and Zach's contemporary - Zach in suspenders again. Thankfully he was not also wearing a belt this time.

 

Valerie and Aaron's tap - Would have worked better if Valerie weren't wearing those fugly red clodhoppers again. They made her look like an old woman.

(BTW, I'm not really that big a fan of rhythm tap but much prefer the broadway style. I can watch someone like Savion Glover and while I recognize that they are excellent at tapping I'm always waiting for them to get around to some actual dancing. This helps explain why I prefer Zach to Valerie as a tapper. Zach brings more dance to it.)

 

Jessica and Robert's contemporay - I wasn't sure how the storyline was going but ended up enjoying it. Jessica has grown performance wise but she still has a way to go.

 

Zach and Aaron's tap - Aside from the minor critique I really loved this. Even though I don't particularly like the song.

 

I'm crossing me fingers for Zach for the win.

 

Question regarding the show. How many of those dance crews were we supposed to see? I remember Syncopated Ladies, Academy of Villains, and Control Freakz but I thought there were going to be four.

[ToxicUnicorn]

Nigel, you ignorant, presumptuous, self-important dumbass.  Knowing something about dance does not qualify you to make mental health public service announcements (or denouncements, in his case).  I've stuck up for him before, but he deserves all the blow-back in the world for those comments.  

 

I could go on, but I would only end up repeating myself.  I think the show should make a huge donation to some suicide prevention program to try to atone for that one.  Seven figures, please.

 

Zack has become my favorite as of this performance finale.  I loved the reference to Fred Astaire earlier, who is my dance idol.  Thing is, I see a similar quality in Zack's tapping.  Zack is developing these beautiful long lines.  I feel like he also has magnificent timing and he commits so much.  Loved him in the Broadway, loved him in his solo, loved him in the hip hop with Ricky.  I think Tyce did him a huge disservice (and, to a lesser extent, so did Spencer) by putting him in the background in both the contemporary and Broadway pieces.  The Broadway turned out well anyway because Jessica was stunning, but Zack should have been allowed to take the focus rather than Valerie in the contemporary.  No matter how the season turns out, I think Zack's future will be fine.  He's a star.

 

I was blown away by Ricky in his audition and then began to think of him a little as the male equivalent of S1 Melody.  He has put his leg up in the air too many times over the season.  Still, he is beautiful to watch and I loved him in this show because he went all out in the Sean Cheesman African Jazz with Valerie, the Ray Leeper jazz (which I thought was fantastic) with Jessica, and the hip hop.  Those were pretty exciting numbers for me.  I wish he had had another ballroom to end the night, because I was disappointed to see the usual solo.  And while he was lovely and looked very emotionally involved in the Tookey angel routine, I didn't feel it.  Very rarely does a routine with Kathryn draw me in.  So: a not so great ending to his night, for me, but it was not his fault.  I would have no problem if he won.

 

I guess opinions are mixed about the girls.  I thought Jessica had her best night ever.  I thought she looked every bit the part of a glamourous, old time movie dance star in Spencer's Broadway.  I truly was impressed by costuming there.  Loved her in the jazz - she and Ricky were so well matched.  Those were two of the best pieces of the season and I loved her contemporary with Casey, too.  I thought she was much better than Valerie in the Bollywood, and while the contemporary "story" in the Travis piece with Robert really bothered me (did no one else think it looked like she kept coming back to an abusive boyfriend until the end?), her dancing seemed so graceful, so strong, so fluid, and finished.  To me, she has come a long way (and practically all at the end).  I'm perfectly happy with her coming in 3rd.

 

I missed Tanisha, as someone said.  Valerie bothered me all night.  She didn't seem in sync with anyone and I couldn't stop thinking about how the African Jazz, Contemporary with the Blindness theme and Bollywood all seemed choreographed specifically so she would be able to do different steps from the other dancer most of the time, so we wouldn't be able to compare them.  Having said that, she does throw herself into the dances and I think she is fairly versatile, but so was Tanisha.  Boo.

 

Aaron was the surprise of the night.  Wow.  His tapping seemed terrific and I finally saw why so many posters last year found him so visually appealing.  He looked great with a hat.  I didn't fully appreciate his abilities or his appearance last year because I so disliked him outside of his style, but he can come back and tap anytime.

 

I thought Zack and Aaron's piece looked really hard and Zack completely stole the show at that point.  Aaron seemed like a very generous partner.  My only complaint is that Zack's costumers missed the boat.  By giving Aaron the white shirt and the white in his shoes, and putting Zack in some kind of non-statement blue, they practically made him blend in with the background.  But I watched him the entire time anyway.  Take that, show.

 

Cat looked the best she had all season.  That sparkly dress was perfect for her.  (Unlike some of her others.)

[Guest]

I have fast-forwarded through the judges comments all season.  It sounds like that was a wise choice.  

 

I also haven't read here until today.  I figured Ricky was head and shoulders above the rest.  

 

I like Valerie fine and don't find her dancing clompy but I don't think she as enough "it factor" to win.  Jessica, either.  Though she is stunningly beautiful.  

 

I like Zack a lot but, man, his brown teeth and profuse sweating aren't doing him any favors.  And in the tap with Aaron, I could barely see Zack.  Between Aaron's black/white outfit, b/w spats, his size, good looks and good dancing, I thought he put the last nails in Zack's coffin there.  

[Jynnan tonnix]

I've been behind all season since I'm watching with my daughter, but between her schedule and her impatience of sitting through commercials we have been recording it, then watching a week later. She also hates spoilers with a passion, and I have a really bad poker face, so I catching up on current shows without her doesn't work too well either. But since there were no results to worry about in this case, I broke down and watched this one early.

 

At any rate, I find Zack has definitely become my favorite, partly because of his chameleon ability to become something totally else than a first impression of his looks might lead one to expect (and I think he is adorable, actually, but he does look like a bit of a caricature of himself, if that is even possible) and his ability to take on and mostly pull off just about any genre they have thrown at him.

 

Ricky has done things which are amazing, and might well actually be the better dancer, by a hair, but just doesn't appeal to me in the same way. Zack owns the stage so much more,  partly because his height gives him some advantage, but mostly because he seems to be the better actor, plus the sort of exaggerated set of his features gives him a perfect face for the stage; instantly recognizable at a distance.

 

As far as the girls, I'm still bummed that Tanisha did not make it to the top 4 (I thought she had a chance of winning the whole thing for a while), but Valerie has grown on me to the same extent that Jessica has slipped in my rankings. I was surprised to read so many negative impressions of her "blind" dance, as I thought that both her confusion and her joy, in character, were very well expressed, and was impressed at how she was able to convey the feelings for Zack's character without being able to look at him. She's far from being the greatest dancer the show has ever seen, but I do find that watching her makes me smile, and like it or not, charisma is always going to be one of the most important factors in success when it comes to any career which puts one up on the stage. Jessica, while the superior dancer, and the far more classically beautiful of the two, just doesn't come across with the same sort of accessability, likeability, and sheer joy, and that just makes her harder to root for.

 

I have no idea who will win. I prefer Zack, but will be fine with a Ricky win. I really don't think either of the girls stands a chance against them.