S12.E14: Top 8 Perform + Elimination

[luvthepros]

Oh, one other thing about last night's show. I always like to try and guess the choreographer during the opening number. Sometimes it's obvious, but last night, I had no idea. But it was so bland that I should have known it was Tyce! His stuff always feels like watered down versions of other people's stuff. (And every time I see him, I just want to watch that bit in the Chorus Line documentary where he auditions for the Broadway revival and doesn't get it…) :D

IDK....I saw shades of Wade Robson in the opening routine. I guess that is just Tyce borrowing some of Wade's signature moves???

[ToxicUnicorn]

Huh.  (See Zuleikha's and Mertseger's posts above.)  I never know what I will learn on these forums.  It's one of the reasons I've always loved the sytycd posters.

 

This episode was a mixed bag.  Again, I saw so many more bobbles in the opening number than I have seen in seasons past.  This group just doesn't seem to be as well practiced or synchronized or something.  I thought Derek's costume was funny (the one with the garter belt), but I did mind not being able to tell the girls apart.  Very annoying, and I thought it was a very pale imitation of WADE's Busta Rhymes routine.  (ETA: What luvthepros just said.)

 

Derek: It was his time to go, although I've become fond of him.  He's endured so many bottom 3's and he still seems so sunny.  He also seems to have gotten worlds better in his own style.  I also thought he was quite expressive in that routine with Jaimie.  As for Jaimie -- I have tried to like her, I really have.  The best I can do is admire her.  I find her dancing so cold; I don't think she could make heat with a combustion engine.  It's a real shame she has been paired with Edson and Derek this season, who both should have had the chance to show they'd grown as performers.  I honestly think I'd enjoy her more if she were paired with another girl.

 

Neptune: also the correct choice.  His dancing has never impressed me much.  (Kayla, on the other hand, was stunning.  I love her as an All-Star, and it's nice to see so many people becoming fans of hers.)  Megz earned my respect in the beginning of the season and her dancing (solos and group) is far more memorable than Neptune's.

 

Jim's solo - one of the best in the entire series.  And the clip of him in his little pink tux was adorable.  I agree with the crowd, though.  Enough of the hip hop.  That Medusa routine was a stinker, and I didn't think Comfort was that great in it either.  I would have loved to see Jim and All-Star Paul side by side for a paso.

 

PAUL.  He was fantastic.  I'll admit to feeling slightly flushed when he was done.  I had no idea he was that strong and powerful in his own style.  Yummy.  Also, I think that was one of Jean-Marc Generaux's best.  I like his choreography a lot.  I think he always crafts a routine that is well-suited to the contestants, and the hard-edged feeling of that paso was perfect for Megz. 

 

You know, I have more to say about Derek and Jaimie's Tyce routine to Stevie Wonder.  That choreo was crap.  It didn't suit the music at all.  I rarely complain about contemporary, or Tyce, so again, I think Derek was done a disservice. 

 

Hailee and Fik-shun (Luther Brown hip hop).  I thought that was fun.  I forget about Hailee, sometimes, as another good all around blond dancer, but whenever I notice her, I'm impressed.  I think she's arguably the best stage dancer this season.  Both she and Gaby are versatile, but Hailee has far more personality.  I don't know why people seem to love Gaby so much more than Hailee, unless it's because Hailee sort of reminds me of Jenna.  Both are confident dancers, and maybe that's too much for this show.

 

Having said that, Gaby and Robert and Sarah McLanahan and Mandy Moore made me cry.  The less said about that, perhaps, the better.

 

I'm not in love with Virgil as a grown up, but my goodness, that 3 year old porch Michael Jackson dancing was hilarious.  Loved it.

 

Jaja and Ricky - I loved this.  Al Blackstone should do more Broadway numbers for this show.  I adore Ricky, and I loved Jaja here.  Jaja is becoming a more nuanced performer, and I like it.  I think her solos are repetitive, though.  In her own style, she doesn't seem to have a lot of range.

 

I think it should come down to an all-girls top 4.  Here's hoping.

Edited August 27, 2015 by ToxicUnicorn

[cali1981]

IDK....I saw shades of Wade Robson in the opening routine. I guess that is just Tyce borrowing some of Wade's signature moves???

A number of the openers have reminded me of Wade's work, probably because some of his herky-jerky movements fit the street dancers very well.  Nothing is ever going to surpass Ramalama Bang Bang from Season 2.

[Wootini]

Jim's solo was so gorgeous, and I wish it could have been longer. 

 

I remember a ballet routine years ago that almost moved me to tears for some reason it was so beautiful. But my memory is like a sieve, so I couldn't tell you who was in it. I seem to recall the female dancer was ballet-based, and quite good in the other styles as well, but the guy? No idea. They don't do ballet on this show really at all (at least not in the competition) so you'd think it would be easy to find on the internet, but you'd be wrong. Nothing looks right. It was very classical and traditional. Just beautiful.

 

I should probably just go see a ballet live sometime. I live in NYC for crying out loud! :)

[Mya Stone]

Katee and Will performed a Pas De Deux that was amazing...

And Melissa was a trained ballerina - she and Ade performed the "cancer dance" of Tyce's. Either of those?

[allypenguin]

Jim's solo was so gorgeous, and I wish it could have been longer. 

 

I remember a ballet routine years ago that almost moved me to tears for some reason it was so beautiful. But my memory is like a sieve, so I couldn't tell you who was in it. I seem to recall the female dancer was ballet-based, and quite good in the other styles as well, but the guy? No idea. They don't do ballet on this show really at all (at least not in the competition) so you'd think it would be easy to find on the internet, but you'd be wrong. Nothing looks right. It was very classical and traditional. Just beautiful.

 

I should probably just go see a ballet live sometime. I live in NYC for crying out loud! :)

 

Melissa and Ade also did a Pas De Deux, where she was on pointe, to music from Romeo and Juliet.

 

Here's the youtube link :)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SztMcsE4B6c

[Anothermi]

You'd probably have better luck looking up Yoruba which (because of the slave trade) combined with Catholicism and native Meso-American religions to form Candomble and Santeria among others. Vodun arose through a similar process with a different set of African religions. These religions generally practice a form of possession in which the participants enter willingly and surrender their consciousness to the spirits. Thus, it would not be seen as surrendering to the dark side nor would be resisted within such traditions. Such practices would be seen (and frequently are) seen as the dark side by Christians. A great book on Yoruban Traditions  by a modern practitioner is Jumbulaya by Luisa Teish.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this Mertseger. One thing I love about forums is the tangential education that happens. Is the above from an area of study that you already know something about? Or as a result of show/forum prompted curiosity (like me)?

 

ETA: Missed it while I was posting, but it seems ToxicUnicorn & I both like being educated by other forum members. :-D

Edited August 28, 2015 by Anothermi

[Anothermi]

IDK....I saw shades of Wade Robson in the opening routine. I guess that is just Tyce borrowing some of Wade's signature moves???

 

Add me to the many who noticed this. Tyce has frequently borrowed from other choreographers. In his defense, most choreographers use ideas and moves they've seen other choreographers do. I've seen hints of Mia's style in Travis' choreography from time to time. It's not smart to use signature moves from people who choreograph on the same show as you do, though. Tyce once purloined a large part of a routine he'd seen while  judging one of the International versions (but used different music). THAT is deplorable IMHO.

 

I enjoyed this routine, however. I wasn't wowed, but I did enjoy it. I also had no trouble telling the female dancers apart. They wore different clothes - even though they were black. The only thing the same was the black wigs. Hailee, Jaja and Gaby have quite distinctive faces (to me at least) and I had no trouble figuring out who was who. Megz surprised me because she was so different from her usual look, but she was the only female with glasses ..... and rounded shoulders. ;-P

 

shimarella, on 25 Aug 2015 - 1:32 PM, said:

They could only have gotten away with that concept for Cheeseman's dance with two brown dancers, and it was a fun choreography with lots of elements in it. And extra bonus points for using music by TGU, one of my most favorite groups ever. Virgil is just so adorbs and talented. I hope he makes Top 4.

 

I'm not sure who "They" are in the bold-ed part above, or why you think they couldn't have used any combination of dancers? Are you referring to how "America" might react? Or is it something else?

 

I ask because I thought Sean did a routine with a similar theme (and many similar moves) to this one on SYTYCD Canada (and yes, choreographers rework routines for this show that they have done elsewhere - Kelley Abbey was asked to reprise 2 group routines that she first did for SYTYCD AU for this version). 

 

I found it and in the Canadian routine the 'story' was a man (a black dancer) went to see a voodoo princess (a white dancer) who bewitches him. The roles switched genders for this current one, but the story was pretty much the same. So Sean 'got away with' the concept using a black and a white dancer in Canada. Surprisingly, I liked this current version better than the one on SYTYCD Canada. Usually it's the other way around, but Jasmine's movements really sealed it for me.

[Anothermi]

Well, right away I have to eat my words re: the women's costumes in Tyce's Group piece. They WERE all dressed the same (but I could still tell them apart).

 

Can't argue with the costumer! And Tyce is sooooo smarmy in this - just the way he always is. ;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnPup__ncyQ

 

Seems the guys were dressed a versions of Pudsley Addams.

Edited August 28, 2015 by Anothermi

[paramitch]

You know what I miss?  Disco.  No angst.  No big ole explanations needed.  Just glitzy clothes, fun and smiles and some awesome dancing and a crazy lift maybe.  Disco, when dancing was just having fun and wasn't about a dad in heaven, someone going off to war, couples breaking up, unrequited love.  Just dance baby dance and let it all shine!  Disco ball, the great equalizer.  Give Jaja some platform shoes and let Virgil unbutton his shirt down to his naval and point to the sky and let that disco inferno burn!

I used to enjoy the discos until they became the biggest injury-causers on the show. Freaking Doriana Sanchez and her lifts-lifts-lifts. Dancers were constantly injured in her routines. I'm honestly kind of glad they don't do them much anymore -- they had to realize that the woman was going to get someone seriously hurt at some point.

 

Doriana disco is scary. It's nonstop lifts so I am always afraid the dancers are going to get hurt. But I agree that some non-angsty choreography without any story would be welcome.

This. I cannot stand the woman. Frantic routines at hyped-up speeds and with constant, constant lifts after lifts. And, predictably, people got hurt.

 

I also miss when stories were not just angsty love stories, or cheating stories, or two girls fighting over the same guy stories. Like Mandy's Table piece, the two princes with Danny and Neil, or even something like (don't hurt me please) Tyce's baseball piece.

 

I really wish the show would have Blake choreograph like on SYTYCD Canada. Yeah it's raunchy, but at least it's different/not boring. Or bring House to the US show. I also miss krumping. Definitely not an every week thing but I enjoyed seeing it. Bring back Lil C :(

The dances are always so much better when the concepts are creative! Wade's 'Hummingbird and Flower,' Mia's 'Two Princes,' Stacey's 'Mad World,' the 'Transformers' hip-hop (Pasha/Lauren), the 'Razzle Dazzle' piece (Ryan and Ellenore), etc... There have been so many really beautiful routines that were imaginative and unique that went beyond boy/girl romances. (One exception for me is Travis's gorgeous "Wicked Game" piece, which was an interesting spin in a different direction, because it was about sexual obsession and power, not about love, and the angst was very quietly played).

 

I just think choreographers who come in with "this couple is ____________" are immediately creatively bankrupt. We've seen it so so so many times.

 

A number of the openers have reminded me of Wade's work, probably because some of his herky-jerky movements fit the street dancers very well.  Nothing is ever going to surpass Ramalama Bang Bang from Season 2.

 

I totally agree. I miss Wade on this show so much -- his point of view was so fresh and different and experimental. Although my favorite performance of "Ramalama" has to be the return appearance, when Wade danced it. I loved it even more than the original.

Edited to add: Eliana and Chehon did a beautiful classical 'Nutcracker' piece in her season that was just sublime. My favorite kinda-ballet or ballet-inspired pieces on this show are Katee/Will's gorgeous pas de deux to "Imagine" and Eliana and Alex's "Bang Bang."

All this ballet talk just makes me miss Danny Tidwell. I would watch 20 episodes of this show with just Danny, dancing anything he felt like. Seriously. 

Edited August 28, 2015 by paramitch

[Wootini]

Melissa and Ade also did a Pas De Deux, where she was on pointe, to music from Romeo and Juliet.

 

Here's the youtube link :)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SztMcsE4B6c

 

THANK YOU! :D

[Terrafamilia]

I don't know if it's watching it on my laptop versus the big screen or if I'm just in a good mood, but I didn't think the paso with Megz and Paul was that bad. I thought the choreography and song choice were nicely done, and Megz did a decent job. I think what would have helped her is if her cape became a skirt when they went to one cape because being in pants really exposed that her legs and feet weren't quite correct. Also, it would have made a cleaner distinction between her and Paul... although I've read that shadow matador is one of the modern interpretation of the woman's role in paso, so if that's what Jean-Marc was going for, he may have wanted to maintain the more mirrored look.

I had the same impression about the cape. I thought they were going to do it but they just threw them away. I thought Megz did alright though not great. However, it was difficult to tell since I had a hard time not watching Paul.

 

I liked Derek's solo better than the one he did a week or two ago that was just gymnastics.

 

I thought Gaby kept up quite nicely with Robert. I also thought they could have given JaJa more to do with Ricky. (btw, I'll repeat what I said last year. Ricky looks more mature without a beard than with.)

[allypenguin]

THANK YOU! :D

 

No problem! :)

 

The dances are always so much better when the concepts are creative! Wade's 'Hummingbird and Flower,' Mia's 'Two Princes,' Stacey's 'Mad World,' the 'Transformers' hip-hop (Pasha/Lauren), the 'Razzle Dazzle' piece (Ryan and Ellenore), etc... There have been so many really beautiful routines that were imaginative and unique that went beyond boy/girl romances. (One exception for me is Travis's gorgeous "Wicked Game" piece, which was an interesting spin in a different direction, because it was about sexual obsession and power, not about love, and the angst was very quietly played).

 

I just think choreographers who come in with "this couple is ____________" are immediately creatively bankrupt. We've seen it so so so many times.

 

 

I totally agree. I miss Wade on this show so much -- his point of view was so fresh and different and experimental. Although my favorite performance of "Ramalama" has to be the return appearance, when Wade danced it. I loved it even more than the original.

Edited to add: Eliana and Chehon did a beautiful classical 'Nutcracker' piece in her season that was just sublime. My favorite kinda-ballet or ballet-inspired pieces on this show are Katee/Will's gorgeous pas de deux to "Imagine" and Eliana and Alex's "Bang Bang."

All this ballet talk just makes me miss Danny Tidwell. I would watch 20 episodes of this show with just Danny, dancing anything he felt like. Seriously. 

 

I miss Danny and I didn't even watch season 3 (except for what I could find on Youtube). It blows my mind that he didn't win. 

[luvthepros]

......  Nothing is ever going to surpass Ramalama Bang Bang from Season 2.

So very true. From season 2, this routine is iconic for this show.

[Mertseger]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this Mertseger. One thing I love about forums is the tangential education that happens. Is the above from an area of study that you already know something about? Or as a result of show/forum prompted curiosity (like me)?

You're most welcome. I'm a mathematician by trade, but I've had a strong interest in world religions since I was in college. Teish's book was on my teacher's reading list back in the day. I realized that "syncretic religions" was not going to get anyone who was interested to the appropriate materials. The Yoruba Descent Traditions are highly syncretic but many other religions from all over are as well.

 

It is interesting, however, how often the art in SYTYCD lead to such paths. I know we like to complain, and every season after S2 has been worse than all the previous ones according to this forum (and TWoP's before it), but, truly, we're living in a Golden Age of dance, and, occasionally, the dances on this show still transcend. And even the one's that don't can lead to rewarding avenues of thought and investigation.

Edited August 29, 2015 by Mertseger

[RFH]

No problem! :)

 

 

I miss Danny and I didn't even watch season 3 (except for what I could find on Youtube). It blows my mind that he didn't win. 

If they finish this series without having Danny back in some capacity, it would be a huge disappointment to me. However, on Aug. 20, Danny answered a tweet, explaining sytycd has "asked me to be an All Star many times and are always the sweetest to me" but he just hadn't been able to make it. Hopefully, if we have another season, he can make time for it. He's mostly teaching, as far as I know, with the occasional side project. I know he was prevented from it for several seasons while he was dancing with the national ballet company in Norway.

 

https://twitter.com/TidwellDanny/with_replies

Edited August 29, 2015 by RFH

[DollEyes]

 

I would have loved to see Jim and All-Star Paul side by side for a paso.

 

 So would I-just not before he dances with Alex Freakin Wong.

Edited August 29, 2015 by DollEyes

[cali1981]

I don't know if this will be good news or bad news for you, but also on the Afterbuzz show (that Electruck posted in the media thread) it was announced that ANYA! will be on the show next week. Yay! They are usually right.

It's always great to have Anya on the show.  The "downside" that is that Anya, from her first appearance on the show with Pasha. was, as they say, "a full growed woman" and when she's paired with a young guy she can make him look like a little boy if he doesn't take charge quickly.  Anya is not "beautiful" in any classic sense but when she is out there especially doing a Latin ballroom number she is one on the sexiest women alive. It will be interesting to see which of the guys dances with her and whether he can keep pace  My bet is that it will be Jim..

[allypenguin]

If they finish this series without having Danny back in some capacity, it would be a huge disappointment to me. However, on Aug. 20, Danny answered a tweet, explaining sytycd has "asked me to be an All Star many times and are always the sweetest to me" but he just hadn't been able to make it. Hopefully, if we have another season, he can make time for it. He's mostly teaching, as far as I know, with the occasional side project. I know he was prevented from it for several seasons while he was dancing with the national ballet company in Norway.

 

https://twitter.com/TidwellDanny/with_replies

 

Ooh very cool! Thanks for the info! Good to hear that he's doing well, especially since Travis did that dance about him a few years back. If the show gets renewed crossing my fingers that his schedule lets him be an all star!

[luvthepros]

If Jim is paired with Anya this Top 6 week, he will have to advance to top 4 if there is any chance of Jim being paired with Alex Wong for a ballet duet. Although I'm really looking forward to Anya dancing with Jim for a hot Latin number, I'd still much rather see Jim teamed with Alex.

[Canada]

It's pretty sad that, on the Top 8 show, I can't name half the dancers and only one dance (Jaja's) was any good to me.  Even then, I don't think Jaja's dance was technically all that difficult and I think Ricky is what made it really good.  I don't remember one season where I didn't have favourites that I was rooting for.  So disappointed in this season.

[shimarella]

 

 

shimarella, on 25 Aug 2015 - 1:32 PM, said:

 

I'm not sure who "They" are in the bold-ed part above, or why you think they couldn't have used any combination of dancers? Are you referring to how "America" might react? Or is it something else?

 

I ask because I thought Sean did a routine with a similar theme (and many similar moves) to this one on SYTYCD Canada (and yes, choreographers rework routines for this show that they have done elsewhere - Kelley Abbey was asked to reprise 2 group routines that she first did for SYTYCD AU for this version). 

 

 

I guess for me, seeing a white dancer tricked out in "voodoo"inspired makeup ( for lack of a better word) would have been problematic, and then I think any combination of white and brown dancers would have led to some weird layers of racism/sexism for me within the context of the dance. That's all. Also it may feel irrelevant to many viewers, but I always get a thrill out of seeing dancers of color paired together dancing beautifully. ( there's been a few fun ones, "Misty Blue" for sure and way back in Season 1 when Jamile and Destiny danced a waltz. As clunky as that was and despite the fact that it didnt save her, it was just a really beautiful for me to see them decked out in ties, tails and lovely gowns waltzing around the stage).

 

That's all I meant. I thought they both danced it well and I enjoyed it. 

 

Edited August 30, 2015 by shimarella

[Anothermi]

OK, I think I understand now. I thought you might have been saying "America" wouldn't be receptive - which concerned me. Good to hear your perspective. At least the show is now pairing brown dancers together (using your terminology) . It was noticeable - and odd - when they seemed to avoid that in the past.

[TeapotWakeen]

Finally running through the episodes on my DVR.   Wow, this show goes really fast when you skip all the angsty-contemporary numbers.  I'm sad this is what the show's become. I've been here since Day One, and I think I'm out.

[MorbidPet]

That song just makes me think of sad kitties and puppies. ;)

One of my very first TV obsessions was The Pretender back in the late 90s & they played that song as Ms Parker's bf got murdered & ever since then I loose myself whenever I hear it ;)

[Sesquipedalia]

I'm watching this on hulu, and I know the winner has long since been chosen, but I just have to say that "Fixin to Get Loose" is one of my favorite routines ever on the show. The top 4 street dancers is such a cool and eclectic group of dancers. I love them!