S10.E07: The Cutting Board

[English Teacher]

I agree they should teach the field entrance earlier on in TC, so the girls don't fall apart with the stress of having to have this new thing perfect right away or get cut for it. It's too much.

I do NOT agree with the cuttings of Taylor, (who I thought was improving noticiably in the kicks and was perfect in every other way)

I also think cutting Kyndall and Courtney were both mistakes, which will wind up being regretted.

In the past they've taken MANY girls who still need some more polish and most of them do very well... Caila from season 9 is a great example of this. Rarely are one of these girls such a problem that they get let go during the season. Never really. The only one that stands out to us is Loni running off the field for kickline.

I think Kelly shot herself in the foot and broke 3 potentially GREAT girls spirits down, and I hope all 3 of them get the last laugh.

I think those 3 would have been fine, too -- but I wonder how much Kelli has to answer for some of those who, unlike Caila, did not have a great season and did not show the strides and improvements once they eliminated the pressure of TC (Ashley Pro, Breelin, Kaitlyn L, Morgan, even Kalli (who I LOVED but whose kicks did not improve). I really wonder how much that 50 yard close up of Breelin clearly counting the steps in her head during the Halloween halftime put a blemish on the team.  Some above posters have claimed the big board is probably to 'blame' -- and I think I agree.  I have noticed that they no longer post video clips of their games or performances on their websites -- they are even removed from the reruns or purchased episodes once CMT has aired them.  I've opined the conspiracy theory that Charlotte may be cracking the whip for a more polished, stronger team and those 2 girls every season who JUST slipped through were this season's casualties.  Courtney won me back over with her megawatt smile and clear love for what she was doing when she performed.  I hope she and Kendall get some dance lessons in and come back next year; I hope Taylor finds a strong kicking coach because that was so sad.

 

...and now that that awful "Bang Bang" song is stuck in my head, I'm sorry for hating on "Fireball"

Edited September 21, 2015 by English Teacher

[RazzleberryPie]

Honestly, the field entrance hasn't changed in years. They could do like the one poster here (forgive me for not remembering which one) who taught herself Thunderstruck from youtube videos. The field entrance is a whole lot less complicated. If you already know the choreography, half the battle is gone when Judy is blocking it. Learn from youtube, go to any football field, and practice. 

[mardo4]

Of all the cuts, I didn't understand Courtney. I felt she suffered from Kelli trying to have an even number for the triangle. Courtney is great.

. I wondered that too. but, unfortunately she did have incorrect foot placement on a number of things they showed us so it does give Kelli or Judy pause. I think she would have been in if they stayed at 36.

[EricaShadows]

The incorrect foot placement can be corrected by not only video taping each dance as she performs it (and watching it back), but have a vet work with her one on one and literally go move by move through each dance, making sure her foot (and lower leg) placement is correct.  Courteny seems a bit turned-in when her bad foot placement is shown and I think it's one of those in-her-own-head moments, where she's so focused on EVERYTHING she has to do that something's got to go and, for her, it was foot placement.  Courtney already knows the dances, it's going through and relearning EXACTLY where each foot is supposed to be.  It's a "clean up and polish" situation for her.

 

As for Taylor, we've being gong on about her kicks and several people (including myself) have said essentially the same thing several ways.  She has got to get with someone and learn how to kick properly (and get some strength in the appropriate areas).  She can't seem to control her legs from the knee down it seems and, as we've learned, that's a matter of strength.  She's got (almost) the flexibility, and, if she can keep that up and just add the strength, she should be good for next year.

 

Kyndall just needs time and practice.  If she's friends with a vet, she should be drilling with that vet as often as possible and even have a playlist of appropriate music on an iPod that can randomly shuffle through various tunes so she can get used to changing things up at the drop of a hat.  If she can wrap her mind around that, again, she should be golden next year should she choose to try out again.

 

The others that were cut were meh to me, bland, boring and should be better at this point (just like with Taylor, Courtney, and Kyndall).  However, I think the others cut this episode had more going against them then for them and I wonder if they'll come back.

Edited September 21, 2015 by EricaShadows

[Smplsimon]

Anyone else surprised we haven't seen them in boots yet?

[English Teacher]

Anyone else surprised we haven't seen them in boots yet?

I WAS wondering about that. That usually causes even more problems!

[MrsEVH]

I WAS wondering about that. That usually causes even more problems!

 They usually have them by now. Sure seems like they're rushing this season and skipping things.

[English Teacher]

Honestly, the field entrance hasn't changed in years. They could do like the one poster here (forgive me for not remembering which one) who taught herself Thunderstruck from youtube videos. The field entrance is a whole lot less complicated. If you already know the choreography, half the battle is gone when Judy is blocking it. Learn from youtube, go to any football field, and practice. 

I'm not a dancer so many of you can enlighten me a little on this.  My perception of DCC's dancing is not that it isn't repetitive or can't be accessed on youtube, etc.  BUT that it seems that there are so many little "style" and "polish" extras they add to the basic steps that make it harder for some well trained dancers to pick it up.  For instance, when Loren was teaching, she was fussing about putting more shoulder in it.  Would that be easily discernible for someone to learn from watching game entrances on video or would you need a choreographer to point it out?  I seem to remember the vets when they do their talking heads while instructing the rookies each season mention that the DCC style has so many of these tiny extras that it can be taxing on the memory.  

If this is the case, I wonder how many are concerned about learning it "wrong" and having to learn it the right way later....this step goes with this half-hair flip; point this foot when you do this arm movement????  

Again: I look to those of you who are dancers for your opinion on this. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

As a dancer, no, you shouldn't need someone to point out when to do a hair flip or roll your shoulders. If you are learning from a video, you should copy ALL the movements, not just the hands or the feet. And once you have learned a dance, you should videotape it or watch it in the mirror to make sure that all the movements are there. Yes, it helps to have someone point out those little things but a trained dancer would pick most of those things up on her own.

[RazzleberryPie]

At this level, they should be able to pick up detailed choreography quickly, and if they've taken any prep classes, especially those taught by Miss Kitty and the vets, they should know what to expect. Some girls just can't keep up, even if they are good, trained dancers. I'll admit that I couldn't at that level.

[scorpio1031]

I'm not a dancer so many of you can enlighten me a little on this.  My perception of DCC's dancing is not that it isn't repetitive or can't be accessed on youtube, etc.  BUT that it seems that there are so many little "style" and "polish" extras they add to the basic steps that make it harder for some well trained dancers to pick it up.  For instance, when Loren was teaching, she was fussing about putting more shoulder in it.  Would that be easily discernible for someone to learn from watching game entrances on video or would you need a choreographer to point it out?  I seem to remember the vets when they do their talking heads while instructing the rookies each season mention that the DCC style has so many of these tiny extras that it can be taxing on the memory.  

If this is the case, I wonder how many are concerned about learning it "wrong" and having to learn it the right way later....this step goes with this half-hair flip; point this foot when you do this arm movement????  

Again: I look to those of you who are dancers for your opinion on this. 

I am not a dancer.  However, even I have noticed those little differences when watching the videos. 

youtube.com/watch?v=lWQfa_9DxJk

 

In this one, probably cause the camera is so close to the girls, you can really see them.  You can also see why Whitney was the point of the triangle - some of her dance moves compared to the other gals are really strong.  For example, when they jump, her legs are almost bent and some of the other girls jump like 3 inches off the ground - LOL.

[Whiteduck]

I can't open that link above, but I want to.. can you please post it again Scorpio 1031?

[LaurenBrook]

I can't open that link above, but I want to.. can you please post it again Scorpio 1031?

I had to copy and paste it into a new browser window...does that work if you try it that way?

[Dopeydwarf]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lWQfa_9DxJk

 

There is a little icon thingie,  at the top of the area where you write your post.(It has features like bold(the dark capital B, or a slanted capital I for italics) etc Cut the address and open that,and put it in there.

Edited September 22, 2015 by Dopeydwarf

[caligirl50]

Off topic: Both Whitneys (Ott and Isleib) are my favorite and best dancers from the squad, jmo. 

[LaurenBrook]

Off topic: Both Whitneys (Ott and Isleib) are my favorite and best dancers from the squad, jmo. 

 

I don't remember Ott too well but loved Whitney Isleib! I never thought she was DCC glamour gorgeous but still pretty - AMAZING figure - and such a fun performer. 

[Whiteduck]

Thanks Dopeydwarf, that fixed it. Is that this year's squad? I can't see anyone's faces.

[LadyMsJay]

Thanks Dopeydwarf, that fixed it. Is that this year's squad? I can't see anyone's faces.

 

It's not.

[scorpio1031]

It was filmed the summer of 2012, but I thought it was a good example of the "little things" that the girls have to remember while performing a routine.  It's just not turning your head to the side, there is a flip to it.  It's just not jumping in the air, it's almost a stomp. 

 

English Teacher had asked if you needed a choreographer to tell the girls that, or if they could learn from a video.  I think they could learn from a video, but a choreographer or DCC veteran can correct their form - ie: the rookie thinks they are doing the booty pop or bump, but it's coming off more like twerking:)  Plus, a rookie has a million things going thru their head and may forget the hair flip or not even notice it in the video.  Or like Courtney, she may have thought she was using her shoulder enough until Loren said to do more.  Or like last year, Brittney was telling Chandler to "shut the car door" with her hip to illustrate better.   

[bk10]

I have finally watched this episode tonight. I can see why Kelli cut those 4 girls in one night. Last year she took in Breelan because she thought she would be ready by the start of the season and we all saw how wrong she was. The videos that we've seen of Breelan dancing were bad. She never polished her dancing and still looked lost and confused. People also wondered why she took in Morgan the year before and said that she shouldn't have made the team. This year she just decided not to take any chances. If it was up to me, Kat and Simone wouldn't have made the team either, but I think Kat's kicks and Simone's looks saved them. I don't think Kelli and Judy were too tough at all, but maybe I can relate to them as a cheer coach who may or may not be called cold/tough sometimes. 

[MrsEVH]

I don't remember Ott too well but loved Whitney Isleib! I never thought she was DCC glamour gorgeous but still pretty - AMAZING figure - and such a fun performer. 

Whitney Ott was featured in the first  DCC (1 hour) special from 2005. She had the same single mom storyline  (lived with parents) like Morgan. The only difference  is she was auditioning  after talking 1 or 2 years off.

Edited September 24, 2015 by MrsEVH

[Abigail-S]

Granted yesterday I had surgery with 5 hours of general anasthesia, but am I wrong the episode 8 was suppose to be on last night?

Thanks!

Edited September 24, 2015 by Abigail-S

[Oranaiche]

Granted I did have surgery with 5 hours of general anasthesia, am I wrong the episode 8 was suppose to be on last night?

Thanks!

New episodes have been airing Thursday, so it should be tonight.

Ps --hope the surgery went well and that you recover quickly.

Edited September 24, 2015 by Oranaiche