Bring It! - General Discussion

[Rlb8031]

My sense is that the critiques are a part of most of the competitions. Diana has alluded in the past to what the judges said. I think they don't show that part of the competition on tv.

[lasandi]

It was good to see Kayla get the heck up out of that chair and show some of that energy she had when she was a dancer. She is usually sitting in that chair, leaning back like a bump on the log or when she is standing she is leaning on the bloody mirror. Perk up girl.

And Beyonce 2.0 is as quiet as a lamb this season. She doesn't have the same fire for her twins in dance like she had for her older girl (having a senior moment trying to remember her daughter's name right now)

Anyhou, I do like all the "Bring It" moms and I would take them all over the "Damce Moms" any day.

[Misslindsey]

Shocker Camryn got the Battle Royale solo. I feel like anytime Camryn gets a solo audition she gets it. She is technically good, but I prefer watching some of the other girls over her. They just have more spark or something I cannot put my finger on to why I prefer them over Camryn dancing-wise.

 

It was good to see Sunjai in the latest episode. I did not realize that I missed her until I saw her again. She seemed to have more drive with her dancing over her sisters. Star and Skye always look like they would rather be somewhere else.

 

Neva is too much for me, but both her and Dianna went too far in the latest episode. Though Neva's crying about it afterwards was a bit much as well.

 

I did not care too much about Dianna pulling the girls out of the creative dance category. It never seemed like she had the full team there to practice. So I could kind of understand it.

[Spiderella2]

Shocker Camryn got the Battle Royale solo. I feel like anytime Camryn gets a solo audition she gets it. She is technically good, but I prefer watching some of the other girls over her. They just have more spark or something I cannot put my finger on to why I prefer them over Camryn dancing-wise.

 

It was good to see Sunjai in the latest episode. I did not realize that I missed her until I saw her again. She seemed to have more drive with her dancing over her sisters. Star and Skye always look like they would rather be somewhere else.

 

Neva is too much for me, but both her and Dianna went too far in the latest episode. Though Neva's crying about it afterwards was a bit much as well.

 

I did not care too much about Dianna pulling the girls out of the creative dance category. It never seemed like she had the full team there to practice. So I could kind of understand it.

It was between Camryn and Chrystiana. Even though I liked Chrystiana's solo better than Camryn's, I understand why Camryn got the solo routine. It will be choreographed, and with her being technically a strong dancer, she will do well. Plus, Chrystianna has forgotten routines twice now during competition and has a knee injury that gives her trouble when she dances too much. With the Battle Royale solo being 50% of the overall score, Camryn has the potential to come out with a very high score.

[topanga]

It was between Camryn and Chrystiana. Even though I liked Chrystiana's solo better than Camryn's, I understand why Camryn got the solo routine. It will be choreographed, and with her being technically a strong dancer, she will do well. Plus, Chrystianna has forgotten routines twice now during competition and has a knee injury that gives her trouble when she dances too much. With the Battle Royale solo being 50% of the overall score, Camryn has the potential to come out with a very high score.

I agree. I really like Chyrstianna and thought she danced with more energy than Camryn, but her choreography was mostly limited to variations of bucking. Camryn showed more versatility in her dance moves. I know Chrystianna is capable of doing the moves Camryn can, but I like Camryn's strength and flexibility. And she turns on the intensity during competitions. There was one TH shot of Camryn with either her own hair or a much simpler weave than she usually wears. She looked sooo pretty. Camryn, honey, you don't eat all of that wild Chaka Khan hair on your head. Not when you're 15 and a competitive dancer.

 

 

Shocker Camryn got the Battle Royale solo. I feel like anytime Camryn gets a solo audition she gets it. She is technically good, but I prefer watching some of the other girls over her. They just have more spark or something I cannot put my finger on to why I prefer them over Camryn dancing-wise.

 

It was good to see Sunjai in the latest episode. I did not realize that I missed her until I saw her again. She seemed to have more drive with her dancing over her sisters. Star and Skye always look like they would rather be somewhere else.

 

Neva is too much for me, but both her and Dianna went too far in the latest episode. Though Neva's crying about it afterwards was a bit much as well.

I knew Camryn would get the solo (see my comments above). 

 

I didn't see Sunjai! But I also fell asleep and missed a few minutes of the episode. Will have to go back and re-watch. Sunjai ended up becoming one of my favorite Dancing Dolls. Faith reminds me a lot of her. I wish Sunjai and Faith would have a chance to sit down and talk about the challenges of being the "new girl" on the squad. 

 

Neva's crazy ass amazes me. I can't believe anyone actually signs up for her dance school. Her insanity seems real and not simply a production tactic. But these crazy coaches make the show interesting, and being on Bring It is good for business, so I guess they'll continue to appear in the episodes. 

[lasandi]

I like Diana but at the reunion when she was going off on anybody, her yelling voice is so annoying. I find myself saying, shut up Diana, deeazamn. However, I did find out why Diana was so angry at Neva at their last encounter. I originally thought she was mad because Neva made fun of her regarding her resemblence to a horse but it was the throwing of the dollars at the horse alluding to the fact that she used to be a stripper. Why be so mad, it's in your past. I thought she was a porn star in her past. I didn't hear about the stripper part. But either way, no body cares. She is miles above and past that now. She should have just brushed it off.

[topanga]

The new season starts Fri July 22. 

[dmmetler]

I kind of think they should leave the teams split (and maybe send them to different competitions). It let different and more kids be featured, and honestly, each is still a really BIG team.  It really wouldn't be unusual for a large program to have more than one competition squad. 

[topanga]

On 7/23/2016 at 1:24 PM, dmmetler said:

I kind of think they should leave the teams split (and maybe send them to different competitions). It let different and more kids be featured, and honestly, each is still a really BIG team.  It really wouldn't be unusual for a large program to have more than one competition squad. 

And it seems the DollHouse practice squad is too small for all of the dancers. Look at how they filled up the gym! And the dollhouse is about 1/3 that size (if I'm being generous). 

I still like this show, but I'm wondering if this season is going to be the same-ol, same-ol. Similar competitions week after week, Dianna gets into it with other coaches, etc. I feel like I've seen it a lot already. 

The one thing I think I'd enjoy--and I don't think it'll happen--is the return of the Miami coach (I can't remember her name). Her team is the one team that consistently kicked the Dancing Dolls' butts. I'd like to see Dianna step up her game to try to beat the Miami team. 

BTW, the Miami dance team's show only lasted one season, correct? I don't see TV ads for it anymore. I wonder what happened?

[Boofish]

32 minutes ago, topanga said:

And it seems the DollHouse practice squad is too small for all of the dancers. Look at how they filled up the gym! And the dollhouse is about 1/3 that size (if I'm being generous). 

I still like this show, but I'm wondering if this season is going to be the same-ol, same-ol. Similar competitions week after week, Dianna gets into it with other coaches, etc. I feel like I've seen it a lot already. 

The one thing I think I'd enjoy--and I don't think it'll happen--is the return of the Miami coach (I can't remember her name). Her team is the one team that consistently kicked the Dancing Dolls' butts. I'd like to see Dianna step up her game to try to beat the Miami team. 

BTW, the Miami dance team's show only lasted one season, correct? I don't see TV ads for it anymore. I wonder what happened?

The Miami show was cancelled. They were very good dancers but they are also professionally trained ballet/contemporary dancers not majorette. I've seen a few of the competitions (against Miami) in its entirety and if was supposed to be a MAJORETTE dance competition the DD should have won hands down. While technically proficient, YCDT Superstars (I think that's the right abbreviation) spent a minimum of 4 to 5 8 counts setting up stunts. No bucking, no dancing, just impressive stunts. It's not even a real majorette dance team. They formed to get on the show, get exposure and compete. Good for them because it worked but from watching them do these type of competitions, they need to stay in their lane.

[Honey]

I have a question.  Who pays for all of the costumes the dancers wear to competitions?  Those things are not cheap.  Also, do these dancers pay to be on the team?  If so, does anyone know how much it costs?

[Misslindsey]

I am still really disliking Mimi this season. She could not go sit with the Birmingham moms and then when the Jackson Dancing Dolls were the last to perform in the field show category, I forgot the exact thing she said something about how they were the main event, which is probably technically true, but I hate her discounting the other girls from Birmingham and the baby dancing dolls. It just rubbed me the wrong way.

I have to admit to liking Dana (Faith's mother). She seems a bit more logical than some of the other moms. Hell, Selena is a bit more logical when she is not talking about her kids.

[topanga]

I think the dancers (or their parents) pay for the uniforms. I heard Mimi comment after they won money from a competition that it will help the mothers with uniform costs. I'm not sure about the fees themselves for the team. 

[lasandi]

What was funny to me this last episode where the moms had invited Diana to lunch and she sat down.  When Diana started talking, no food in front of her.  Camera cuts to a mom talking then back to Diana and a plate with (Well looked like) spaghetti and meatballs.  Camera cuts to someone else then back to Diana and the plate has disappeared.  Cut again to someone else then back to Diana and the plate of food is back.  And so it went the duration of that luncheon scene, a case of now you see it, now you don't.   It is clear the editors don't pay attention to the scenery as they edit the heck out of the ladies' conversations.

[topanga]

7 hours ago, lasandi said:

What was funny to me this last episode where the moms had invited Diana to lunch and she sat down.  When Diana started talking, no food in front of her.  Camera cuts to a mom talking then back to Diana and a plate with (Well looked like) spaghetti and meatballs.  Camera cuts to someone else then back to Diana and the plate has disappeared.  Cut again to someone else then back to Diana and the plate of food is back.  And so it went the duration of that luncheon scene, a case of now you see it, now you don't.   It is clear the editors don't pay attention to the scenery as they edit the heck out of the ladies' conversations.

Wow. I never noticed that. I'll have to go back and watch. 

[Rlb8031]

On 7/30/2016 at 1:30 AM, Honey said:

I have a question.  Who pays for all of the costumes the dancers wear to competitions?  Those things are not cheap.  Also, do these dancers pay to be on the team?  If so, does anyone know how much it costs?

I remember reading somewhere that the parents do a lot of fundraising (bake sales, car washes, etc.) to raise money for uniforms which is how a lot of the kids can afford to participate. They raise money and buy the uniforms in bulk and parents put a much smaller amount than actual costs in (uniform fee) as part of the registration for the team. If its anything like other youth sports, battle squad probably has an extra uniform fee as well.

[Nowhere]

Question because I'm new to the show. What kind of dancing is this? It looks like a bunch of flailing around with no real rhyme or reason. They do those jump splits and flips on occasion which is very impressive but I see that as tumbling, not dancing per se. I love some of their dance moves but like I said it seems like most of it is flipping hair and flailing. It doesn't even seem to be on beat. So what is this exactly? I'm asking out of genuine interest. 

I also wish they would show the group dancing as a whole instead of focusing in on one girl at a time or audience members. I really want to see the full routine and choreography.

[tessat]

I had to catch up on the last couple of episodes but I think this show is getting like Dance Moms - more scripted than ever before. Chrisitana isn't asked to do the Call Out but low and behold Camryn twists her ankle and Christiana gets to dance.

Thought it was also funny that last year they gave Faith's mom such a hard time about not being an original mom but didn't say a word to the newer mom in the room this year.

I have to say that Mimi is down right rude not talking to the Birmingham moms. I'm sure this was also scripted as I can't believe they think they're all that - but if so they're ignorant. Talking to the new Birmingham moms - making them feel like part of the family and helping to educate them on what to expect would have been the right thing to do. Those girls had to travel 3 1/2 hours to get to Jackson,MS - get hotel rooms while they were there and then travel another 3 1/2 hrs with the team to get to Memphis.

[Misslindsey]

I could see Diana being in on the Christiana not dancing in the call out rounds, but Rittany looked really upset when it was announced. I just do not think she is that good of an actress. I also, thought Camryn was crying when she twisted her ankle. So while I was thinking that it was very scripted as well I just do not think any of the ladies or girls are great actresses to carry it off. I also, do not think Mimi would ever want Camryn to fake an injury so another girl could dance. The whole thing did seem to work out too perfect though. I would not be shocked if it was scripted, but I think certain parts of it may not of been.

I think they need to stop with Diana having a confrontation with whatever team they are battling against coach. It is so contrived. If she and another coach did actually meet up in passing that is fine, but having a meet up in every episode where they just happen to run into each other is so fake and annoying. Diana and most of the coaches she meets up with are the worst at acting through those scenes.

[topanga]

On 8/6/2016 at 0:58 AM, Nowhere said:

Question because I'm new to the show. What kind of dancing is this? It looks like a bunch of flailing around with no real rhyme or reason. They do those jump splits and flips on occasion which is very impressive but I see that as tumbling, not dancing per se. I love some of their dance moves but like I said it seems like most of it is flipping hair and flailing. It doesn't even seem to be on beat. So what is this exactly? I'm asking out of genuine interest. 

I also wish they would show the group dancing as a whole instead of focusing in on one girl at a time or audience members. I really want to see the full routine and choreography.

It seems like this is how majorette dancing is done. We've talked before on this thread about the fact that the girls, while obviously talented and athletic, don't exactly have the most precise dance moves. And I think this comes down to coaching. As Boofish said, the YCDC Superstarz from Miami weren't doing majorette dancing. And that might be true, but I don't know, they just looked better. Their moves were cleaner and more precise. To me, they were enjoyable to watch--they were obviously very well-coached.

Chrystianna is only in 8th grade? That means that she's only 13 or 14. I thought she was Camryn's age, which is 15 or 16 (I think). So in Season 2 (the first season I remember seeing her), she was only  11? . Not that she looks old, but she acts very maturely.

On 8/6/2016 at 6:57 PM, tessat said:

I had to catch up on the last couple of episodes but I think this show is getting like Dance Moms - more scripted than ever before. Chrisitana isn't asked to do the Call Out but low and behold Camryn twists her ankle and Christiana gets to dance.

I agree. The format is getting a little boring: a coach "calls them out," they practice, Dianna yells, the moms comment, then there's a competition, complete with a coach-coach confrontation. I know the choreography changes each week, but it's all starting to look alike to me. Even the weeks where there's an official competition, they basically see the same teams and do similar dances every time.

I enjoy the shows where we see the girls or Dianna at home: e.g. when Faith was home practicing, when we first met Cobe and Dianna's husband, or a few episodes with Kayla and Tina at home. And I enjoyed the episode when they traveled to New York.

I'd like them to see them at a competition away from the Deep South. Take the girls to a competition in Dallas or Chicago or the D.C. area. Maybe they'll get blown away, maybe they'll do great. But at least they'll have a chance to see teams other than the ones they encounter several times a season. And it might give Dianna a chance to see what she needs to do better as a coach and a dance teacher. Right now, their dance world seems very, very small.

[tessat]

I would like to see a bit more of the other girls - Taylor from the minis was in a few episodes and I loved her energy. We center around such a small amt of girls. I'd like to get the background on the white girl in the group. We know Faith took ballet but Diana's studio looks like they teach other dance and I'd like to see the girls in a reg jazz class. It's funny as Dance Moms was always being criticized for the costumes being too mature and some of the choreography being too mature and yet we see these bucking bucking and having moves of strippers sometimes.

Due to the size of the group - I agree that they aren't in sync and I see that more and more. As much as I love Sunjai - that looking for a summer job skit was bad - we know that she would never do that - if they wanted to give her footage by showing her and the college dance team - that I would have liked to see. Now with the tour and these meet and greets - I hope the parents are putting the money away for college.

Was surprised that the house where Star, Sky, and Sunjai lived wasn't all that as I got the perception that they had some money as do some of the other moms. I'd rather focus on some of the other girls who may not be that well off and how this is changing their lives. I know the Birmingham school was not in the best area and felt good that Diana was trying to make a difference in people's lives.

[Boofish]

On 8/5/2016 at 11:58 PM, Nowhere said:

Question because I'm new to the show. What kind of dancing is this? It looks like a bunch of flailing around with no real rhyme or reason. They do those jump splits and flips on occasion which is very impressive but I see that as tumbling, not dancing per se. I love some of their dance moves but like I said it seems like most of it is flipping hair and flailing. It doesn't even seem to be on beat. So what is this exactly? I'm asking out of genuine interest. 

I also wish they would show the group dancing as a whole instead of focusing in on one girl at a time or audience members. I really want to see the full routine and choreography.

It's majorette dancing and it seems off because you are not listening to the original music. If you go to YouTube the full stands and competition are there. There girls also did a live tour and they are FIRE! This style of dance is not for everyone but any alumni of an HBCU or someone from the South (such as myself) will find it enjoyable.

[Nowhere]

1 hour ago, Boofish said:

It's majorette dancing and it seems off because you are not listening to the original music. If you go to YouTube the full stands and competition are there. There girls also did a live tour and they are FIRE! This style of dance is not for everyone but any alumni of an HBCU or someone from the South (such as myself) will find it enjoyable.

I'll have to check it out on YouTube. My biggest complaint is that I can't see the full dance on the show so that's probably why it's confusing. It's hard to interpret when I only see one girl at a time. And if I'm not hearing the right music that explains a lot too. I'm from the south too! Jacksonville, FL is home. Thanks for responding.

[topanga]

1 hour ago, Boofish said:

It's majorette dancing and it seems off because you are not listening to the original music. If you go to YouTube the full stands and competition are there. There girls also did a live tour and they are FIRE! This style of dance is not for everyone but any alumni of an HBCU or someone from the South (such as myself) will find it enjoyable.

Thank you for that recommendation. I didn't know those clips existed.

 

On 7/25/2016 at 10:18 AM, Boofish said:

The Miami show was cancelled. They were very good dancers but they are also professionally trained ballet/contemporary dancers not majorette. I've seen a few of the competitions (against Miami) in its entirety and if was supposed to be a MAJORETTE dance competition the DD should have won hands down. While technically proficient, YCDT Superstars (I think that's the right abbreviation) spent a minimum of 4 to 5 8 counts setting up stunts. No bucking, no dancing, just impressive stunts. It's not even a real majorette dance team. They formed to get on the show, get exposure and compete. Good for them because it worked but from watching them do these type of competitions, they need to stay in their lane.

I see what you're saying. But I watched This clip of one of the stand battles between the two teams. I agree that the DD had better choreography. And watching the entire stand, I see how much better their choreography really was. But the Miami team did look cleaner and crisper when they danced. And they either danced in sync, or they did the "line, line, line" transitions that made them look like they were all in sync. Even when they would stand up after their (kinda) bucking, you could see the clean transition from one dance move to another.  I don't know what criteria the judges were using, but they obviously saw something about the Miami team that impressed them. Maybe it's the fact that there weren't face fulls of long hair weave flying all over the place. Maybe it's because the DD need to be more cognizant of their positioning and the precision of their dance moves. 

And while I don't think the DD faced better dancers, I think they were definitely out-coached. Which Dianna needs to recognize. I said before that the team needs to travel to see how teams dance. Dianna desperately needs to see how other teams coach--and she needs to learn more about coaching. There's no reason the DD shouldn't win every competition they enter. The girls have the potential to be amazing dancers. But most of them just aren't there yet. And that comes down to coaching. Yelling doesn't make their moves precise. Teaching them how to execute will do that. 

[Boofish]

7 minutes ago, topanga said:

Thank you for that recommendation. I didn't know those clips existed.

 

I see what you're saying. But I watched This clip of one of the stand battles between the two teams. I agree that the DD had better choreography. And watching the entire stand, I see how much better their choreography really was. But the Miami team did look cleaner and crisper when they danced. And they either danced in sync, or they did the "line, line, line" transitions that made them look like they were all in sync. Even when they would stand up after their (kinda) bucking, you could see the clean transition from one dance move to another.  I don't know what criteria the judges were using, but they obviously saw something about the Miami team that impressed them. Maybe it's the fact that there weren't face fulls of long hair weave flying all over the place. Maybe it's because the DD need to be more cognizant of their positioning and the precision of their dance moves. 

 

My take away is Diana is better at choreography (for majorette dancing) and flexibility. All the other coaches are better dancers (well except Neva LMAO) Tracey (Miami) Kehli (Compton) Purple Diamonds Lady etc .. could out dance Diana any day of the week but their teams just don't have the "ummmph" the DD have. I do agree they should tighten up the formation changes and synchronicity and they would be unstoppable. 

Edit to add - I haven't seen a team yet that can out buck the DD

Edited August 8, 2016 by Boofish

[Rlb8031]

I saw the Live! show this weekend (don't ask, it was my SO's idea of a joke), and I must say I came away very impressed with the girl's strength, stamina, and flexibility. They don't have a lot in the way of ballet technique, but they ARE pretty good dancers. The live show included not just Kayla, Camryn, Christanna, Makayla, and Faith, but also some of the dancers that are regularly seen and not showcased such as Tanisha, Danisha, Makiya, etc. Mimi and Tina walked out at the end, just to take a bow, but overall it seemed that the troop was fairly small (10 girls, Diana and the two moms) and that was it.

Overall, the live show gave you a better sense of the girl's abilities as they danced in some pretty elaborate numbers that lasted 8-10 minutes each. Diana commented that on tv you really only get to see short snippets of stand battles or dances and that one of the reasons that her girls do well is that they can dance forever without getting tired. She also mentioned that she has opened a third location in ATL.

The biggest thing I noticed was how much smaller the girls are in real life. While people were busy commenting on Kayla's weight gain last year, I'd say that she's probably a 12-14 at most.  Most of the girls looked smaller than that, and little Faith is a tiny thing in person. Even Tina (who has been on a slim down since her surgery) looks no bigger than a 14-16 now. She's someone that I would look at and say she's healthy, but in no way is she overweight or obese. Not sure if this is more exercise and work since this season started filming, or if the camera really does add significant amounts of weight.

[tessat]

Thanks for the clip - DD has the moves and stamina but despite it being boring it was much nicer watching the other team who were for the most part in sync. DD has a line of girls bucking  and a couple have squatted almost down to the floor while others just have their knees bent a bit - sorry but this draws my attention away from the move itself and I'm looking at the messy lines. I'm sure the tour was great and wished I could have gone.

[Rlb8031]

On 8/6/2016 at 0:58 AM, Nowhere said:

Question because I'm new to the show. What kind of dancing is this? It looks like a bunch of flailing around with no real rhyme or reason. They do those jump splits and flips on occasion which is very impressive but I see that as tumbling, not dancing per se. I love some of their dance moves but like I said it seems like most of it is flipping hair and flailing. It doesn't even seem to be on beat. So what is this exactly? I'm asking out of genuine interest. 

I also wish they would show the group dancing as a whole instead of focusing in on one girl at a time or audience members. I really want to see the full routine and choreography.

One of the things that I realized when I saw the stage show is that majorette dancing was originally intended to be seen at stadiums during football games. So the large, over-exaggerated moves were done in part so that everyone could see the dancers. It actually shows much better when you are watching from far away, than it does in the tv version where they are focused on only a few dancers at a time. The group of 40-50 dancers moving in unison that the Compton coach was complaining about comes off completely differently when you are twenty rows back in a stadium than when you've got that many girls 15 feet in front of you and you're watching from floor level.

One reason I think that you see the same teams and competitions over and over is that this type of majorette dancing is very regional. It's not something that appears in normal cheerleader competitions, nor is it truly dance squad type dancing. It comes out of the south and is popular within a southern black culture. While they pull in teams like Miami and Compton, those folks are not pure majorette squads, and are basically adapting their own dance styles to compete. Same with the squad from last year which was a local cheerleading team coached by the older white lady. They were more of your traditional cheer and tumbling team and were attempting to compete in majorette. So you're going to see a ton of Mississippi, Alabama, perhaps even Georgia, Missouri or Louisianna teams, but the odds of finding this type of majorette squad in Chicago, New York, Phoenix, or Indianapolis is pretty slim.

Edited August 11, 2016 by Rlb8031

[missbonnie]

I continue to love this show but I am telling you guys the continued digging at the weaves these gals wear drives me crazy. What is up with that? 

[Rlb8031]

Dancing makes you hot and sweaty. Weaves trap the heat and sweat at the scalp.  It would be the same as working out with a hat on every day. By day 3-4 you'd be scratching too. Your scalp gets itchy and just wants to breathe. They'd be in the same situation if they wore braids or other styles that trap the heat and sweat. While I get that there is a razzle-dazzle kind of appeal to whipping your hair, I wonder why they don't encourage styles that are less trendy and are more in keeping with what young girls may wear.

Edited August 15, 2016 by Rlb8031

[topanga]

On 8/15/2016 at 2:50 PM, Rlb8031 said:

Dancing makes you hot and sweaty. Weaves trap the heat and sweat at the scalp.  It would be the same as working out with a hat on every day. By day 3-4 you'd be scratching too. Your scalp gets itchy and just wants to breathe. They'd be in the same situation if they wore braids or other styles that trap the heat and sweat. While I get that there is a razzle-dazzle kind of appeal to whipping your hair, I wonder why they don't encourage styles that are less trendy and are more in keeping with what young girls may wear.

I understand that the girls have weaves, and though I don't agree with an 11-year old girl needing to get a weave in order to feel beautiful, it is what it is. 

But do they have to be so long and thick? The hair is very fake-looking, and it takes away from the natural beauty of the girls' faces. So they are not cute to me. And I also understand the desire to whip their hair back and forth during a performance, it annoys me to no end. It actually distracts me from their dancing. 

And I kept waiting for Dianna to apologize to the girls for her role in the adults-only brawl. All of the adults involved set a bad example for the children in terms of sportsmanship, diplomacy, and self-control. Heaven knows that Dianna is quick to yell at the girls when they mess up or don't live up to her expectations. As a role model, I hope she apologized to them off-camera for being a terrible example of how to act at a competition. 

[holly4755]

hair - although i have very a lot of hair it is thin and straight and still in the summer I like to braid my hair to cool my head, even if it is not lots of tight braids, but one big one, it still keeps the hair of the na;pe of my neck and my face, etc.  I would think braids would cool your head and it also looks neater. 

I think it was very positive to have the woman come in and lecture the mothers - it shows how behavior can be changed and anger held in check - so that is a +1 for the mothers.  so unlike dance moms it is nuts. 

[Rlb8031]

4 hours ago, holly4755 said:

hair - although i have very a lot of hair it is thin and straight and still in the summer I like to braid my hair to cool my head, even if it is not lots of tight braids, but one big one, it still keeps the hair of the nape of my neck and my face, etc.  I would think braids would cool your head and it also looks neater. 

It definitely keeps you cooler, but if you've got cornrowns braided to the scalp, braids with hair extensions to make them long (think Brandy) dancing in them will still be a hot sweaty situation

[tessat]

Well on to this week's episode. I really enjoyed seeing the transition the girls will have to make to college dancing. I was surprised who got the scholarship, although I think she was very good, as the other girls routines seemed more complex. Again - everything is edited so we don't see a full minute of dance - but I have to say that I thought Camryn was really good but I was pleased someone else got the scholarship. I was surprised that Faith wasn't one of the 5 as she has more of a dance background and would seem to fit in better with the college dancers.

[Misslindsey]

I enjoyed the college dancing as well. It was a nice change of pace. I like that they were dancing in the bleachers. Diana looked thrilled for the girls during the whole five girls competing for the scholarship and the winner announcement. I must have missed it, but how were the girls suppose to fold the cape?

I was glad Camryn did not get the scholarship. She was good, but I could not take Mimi's ego growing even bigger if Camryn did get the scholarship. She does already have one, so it was nice to spread the wealth a bit.

I was hoping for Christiana to get the scholarship, but it was nice to see one of the other girls get it. Christiana and Faith are probably my favorites among the girls, though I do not dislike any of the girls. I did kind of dislike Camryn during the season of competing for the captain spot, because it seemed like her mother was rubbing off on her, but once that was over it seemed like Camryn went back to being Camryn.

I really do not get Rittany's problem with Dana, but I like Dana (and Faith). I also like Dana's style compared to the other moms. 

[tessat]

I agree - Christiana has been through a lot these past couple of years and it would have been nice to see her get it. Faith is young so hopefully she'll get an opportunity one of these years.

Not a Mimi fan anymore - and Camryn - eh - I like her but the Captain's spot kind of went to her head. Kayla really had command of the team where Cam just seems to be a figurehead. I really think Faith is pretty and I like Dana too - she has a little more class - like Selena - than some of the others. It was really nice to see all the girls supportive of each other tho instead of being upset they didn't get the scholarship.

[dmmetler]

I wonder if the graduation year played into it. I could see not giving a scholarship to a girl who is on the young side (isn't Chrystianna in 8th grade) compared to a high school senior. Or, for that matter, not giving a scholarship to a kid who's academic profile made it less likely they'd be accepted to that university. Usually scholarship applications, even performance ones, include such information. 

 

Tau Beta Sigma is the marching band sorority-sister to Kappa Kappa Psi. I thought it was neat to see Diana wearing the letters. (Hi, Sis!) At HBCUs, the band is often a big thing, and Dance line is definitely part of the marching band. 

[tessat]

11 hours ago, dmmetler said:

I wonder if the graduation year played into it. I could see not giving a scholarship to a girl who is on the young side (isn't Chrystianna in 8th grade) compared to a high school senior. Or, for that matter, not giving a scholarship to a kid who's academic profile made it less likely they'd be accepted to that university. Usually scholarship applications, even performance ones, include such information. 

 

Tau Beta Sigma is the marching band sorority-sister to Kappa Kappa Psi. I thought it was neat to see Diana wearing the letters. (Hi, Sis!) At HBCUs, the band is often a big thing, and Dance line is definitely part of the marching band. 

Graduation and grades may very well play a part in it - but Camryn won the other college scholarship when it was Kayla and Sunjai who were juniors in high school.

[Rlb8031]

Deija danced with the team in the live show and she is the real deal. Really charismatic when she performs and simply just a stunning girl to look at. She isn't one of the most technically powerful dancers but she has strength and flexibility and a smile that lights up her whole face. I can completely see why a coach who is looking for 7-8 girls would take a chance on her, especially since what she will develop into is a bit of an unknown factor in 2-3 years. 

[topanga]

On 8/30/2016 at 11:48 AM, Rlb8031 said:

Deija danced with the team in the live show and she is the real deal. Really charismatic when she performs and simply just a stunning girl to look at. She isn't one of the most technically powerful dancers but she has strength and flexibility and a smile that lights up her whole face. I can completely see why a coach who is looking for 7-8 girls would take a chance on her, especially since what she will develop into is a bit of an unknown factor in 2-3 years. 

I totally agree! It's the first thing I noticed when the girls were in the stands: Deija has a a great smile and great dancing form. When I saw her I thought, "That girl has some big teeth. But they're extremely pretty teeth." Deija looks the part of a college majorette dancer. Maybe she isn't as powerful a dancer as Camryn or Makayla, for example, but she dances with great precision and flexibility. 

--ETA: but didn't she look different without all of the stage makeup? Still pretty, but she looked like the little girl she really is. 

And I'm not trying to body shame anyone, least of all Chrystianna (who's my favorite of the Dolls, personality-wise), but it looks like Chrystianna has gained weight since last season--or at least her weight has shifted to her butt and thighs. Since she's only 13-14, I'm sure puberty has a lot to do with it. But it would also explain why she isn't as flexible as she used to be or why her jumps aren't as high. 

I would love to see a clip of a nutritionist or other health expert coming to talk to the Dolls about how to take care of their bodies. A lot of the Dolls talk about wanting to dance as adults, and they need to know how to maintain a dancer's body. Dianna is naturally thin, but she eats crap all day.  Not the best food role model.  Since most people don't have Dianna's genes, it's unusual to eat that way without gaining weight. And not to dis the South, but I've seen what those DDPs cook, and much of it is fried or otherwise processed food. 

Edited August 31, 2016 by topanga

[Rlb8031]

While they appear to be "thick" on tv, they are perfectly normal sized girls IRL. I think some of it is that you're seeing girls transition from that pre-adolescent body type with thinner limbs to their more adult fuller bodies. As I said earlier, none of these girls except Kayla are even on the large size of average. They all look like they range from size 6-12 to me with Faith maybe as small as a 2-4.  

[dmmetler]

Just watched the Memphis vs Jackson. I kind of wish I'd seen the whole dances, but my mental impression was the DD creative didn't have much dance, which may have worked against them. Or, more likely, the script for the season called for a loss, and this was a way to have a Dolls loss in a set up for the show competition. 

 

And I do wonder if this aired intentionally when it did-we just had #901Day this week :). So, a 901 vs 601 competition seemed almost set up for that purpose, except that it has to have happened long enough ago to give them time to edit and air. 

[topanga]

3 hours ago, dmmetler said:

Just watched the Memphis vs Jackson. I kind of wish I'd seen the whole dances, but my mental impression was the DD creative didn't have much dance, which may have worked against them. Or, more likely, the script for the season called for a loss, and this was a way to have a Dolls loss in a set up for the show competition. 

 

And I do wonder if this aired intentionally when it did-we just had #901Day this week :). So, a 901 vs 601 competition seemed almost set up for that purpose, except that it has to have happened long enough ago to give them time to edit and air. 

I tried to find the full dances on line, but they haven't been posted yet. I do think the Purple Diamonds were rather weak, but the two Memphis teams didn't look better to me. As you said, maybe the loss was pre-arranged, or maybe the Memphis teams really were better. I'd like to see the full dances to have an informed opinion.

And what are the fan chats exactly? I used to watch them but couldn't notice a difference from the original episode. I thought I'd get more behind-the-scenes footage or in-depth interviews. 

And what is up with the multiple hair and costume changes? I don't know how long it takes to film an episode, but it seems to happen over the course of a week, max. Almost every mom, and some of the kids, change hair and change looks in the TH interviews. I'm talking, different weaves, different wigs, drastically different make up, etc. Why? 

Edited September 3, 2016 by topanga

[tessat]

I loved Diana's choreography and thought the concept was great but I agree there wasn't much dancing. That said - I still thought the Diamonds did good and the DD were excellent and was very surprised by the outcome.

No offense - but I didn't like Camryn at all this episode. She visited the college where she received a free scholarship but will have to think about it?? Hello - count your blessings as many of the other girls would love a free ride. Maybe she shouldn't have bothered entering that day. I realize that they may not have a major she's interested in - but they should have looked into what the college had to offer before participating.

[topanga]

On 2/23/2015 at 8:25 AM, dmmetler said:

I'm assuming that Star and Sky (who look older than Sunjai) are being brought in so if there's a new season, it's not an abrupt shift.

I just re-watched the first episode. Star and Sky are actually in that episode. They are part of the large group but not the stand battle group. But it's weird because Selena never mentions them, and when she walked up to the studio (these were the days when the DDPs stood outside and watched rehearsals through the window), she only had Sunjai with her. So did the producers tell Selena to ignore Star and Sky during the tapings so she could focus only on Sunjai? 

[Rlb8031]

On 9/3/2016 at 5:38 PM, tessat said:

No offense - but I didn't like Camryn at all this episode. She visited the college where she received a free scholarship but will have to think about it?? Hello - count your blessings as many of the other girls would love a free ride. Maybe she shouldn't have bothered entering that day. I realize that they may not have a major she's interested in - but they should have looked into what the college had to offer before participating.

I'm not going to fault either Camryn or her mom for this. She got the scholarship when she was either in 8th grade or a freshman in college. Now that she's getting closer to actually attending, thinking about what she actually wants to do in life and what she wants to major in is a real thing - and not something that most young high school students know or even think about. I'm sure that Mimi encouraged her to participate, just like all the other parents, because she wanted to have the safety of knowing that she had a school she could attend that was fully paid for. But, realizing a couple of years later that rather than be a dancer, you want to study international relations or become a veterinarian, or be an television producer is exactly what the majority of kids go through and isn't anything I'd fault her for. My kid was in a similar position last year (full scholarship to a school that was not on his radar) and I essentially told him the same thing that Mimi is saying, which is decide what you want and then see how the school that is offering the scholarship fits into that. If she absolutely doesn't have any idea what she wants then taking the debt-free option is best, but if she really wants to do something that DeSales don't offer, why should she accept the scholarship?  

[Rlb8031]

On 9/3/2016 at 2:50 PM, topanga said:

And what is up with the multiple hair and costume changes? I don't know how long it takes to film an episode, but it seems to happen over the course of a week, max. Almost every mom, and some of the kids, change hair and change looks in the TH interviews. I'm talking, different weaves, different wigs, drastically different make up, etc. Why? 

If this show is like most reality shows the THs are shot over a few hours after all the other footage has been shot. In some cases, I've heard of them being done after the entire show is filmed to get additional background, but I'm sure sometimes what you see is girls in makeup because they are either getting ready to do a competition or have just finished a competition. So in a nine episode season, THs may be shot on 7 or 8 different days over a 10-12 week period.

[topanga]

4 hours ago, Rlb8031 said:

So in a nine episode season, THs may be shot on 7 or 8 different days over a 10-12 week period.

But these moms are getting different weaves in the course of a single episode. How much money are they spending? 

[Rlb8031]

It just means they are mixing and matching footage across episodes. So they will film on seven different days and then footage from day 1, day 4, day 8, etc is used in episode 1. Trust and believe, they aren't making enough money to do significant wig and weave changes multiple times per week!!!

Edited September 8, 2016 by Rlb8031

[tessat]

On ‎9‎/‎8‎/‎2016 at 2:48 PM, Rlb8031 said:

It just means they are mixing and matching footage across episodes. So they will film on seven different days and then footage from day 1, day 4, day 8, etc is used in episode 1. Trust and believe, they aren't making enough money to do significant wig and weave changes multiple times per week!!!

Quick question - my son lives in Alabama - between the heat and the humidity - aren't these women and girls uncomfortable with all these wigs and weaves? I have short hair and got it cut before we visited as I'm so uncomfortable when I visit.