World Of Dance - General Discussion

[GaT]

That was an hour & 45 minutes of filler, & 15 minutes of competition.

I figured The Kings were going to take it, so glad it wasn't Briar Nolet. Anybody know why she was hanging off of scaffolding for no reason?

Edited May 7, 2019 by GaT
added a word

[ElectricBoogaloo]

2 hours ago, GaT said:

That was an hour & 45 minutes of filler, & 15 minutes of competition.

Ha, I think even that's being generous!

5 routines x 90 seconds each = 7.5 minutes of competition,1 hr 12.5 minutes of filler, and 40 minutes of commercials

[Whimsy]

5 hours ago, GaT said:

That was an hour & 45 minutes of filler, & 15 minutes of competition.

I figured The Kings were going to take, so glad it wasn't Briar Nolet. Anybody know she was hanging off of scaffolding for no reason?

I actually really enjoyed most of the finale.  I like seeing Derek dance.  I thought that routine was amazing.  I did FF the Neyo one.  Why doesn't Jennifer ever perform on this show?  It is so glaringly strange when the other two judges do. 

5 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

To me, it was obvious that the Kings would win, not necessarily because they're the best dancers (even though they ARE great dancers) but because once again they made smart choices with their choreography. Skill wise, any of the final acts could have won because they are all good dancers with clean technique and a bag full of tricks, but the Kings showcased those things the best this week. Ellie and Ava were the only other act that came close.

Unity LA was another Zak and Ashley plus their backup dancers routine and honestly, nothing in that routine wowed me. It was a nice piece but nothing impressive. Briar Nolet had much better routines in the first two rounds. I want to appreciate that she took a risk in choosing this week's concept, but this routine just didn't do it for me. I love VPeepz but this was definitely not their strongest routine either.

I really wish we could have had the Haima and Poppin John in the finale instead of Unity LA and Briar.

I agree with your entire post.  The Kings are true performers.  They are smart with their music, costuming, lighting, etc.  That slo-mo was so cool.  I've seen other crews do it, but this was the best executed that I've seen.  The lighting and music really enhanced the experience.  I rewound it and watched that section twice.  If anyone other than them won I would've been really upset, honestly.  

Unity LA bores me.  This particular performance really bored me.  It was sort of a double-edged sword for them.  They even said in their package that they pulled their best routine for the last performance- which is probably what got them through- but then they had nothing of real interest left for the actual finale. 

I had a feeling that no matter what, VPeepz wasn't going to win because The Lab just won last season.  They can't have two junior crews win back-to-back.
 

I like Briar Nolet.  I think she is really strong and her movements are very controlled.  That doesn't sound like high praise, lol, but she does these power moves with no wobbles and it's very impressive.  I didn't get the "story" last night and I don't think she should've won but I think she has a bright career in front of her. 

Ellie & Ava- I keep forgetting about them.  When everyone else had already performed I was wracking my brain trying to remember who was left.  And, this is despite the fact that they are from close to where I grew up and I had friends who lived there (and is NOT Minneapolis- side rant but I hate when people say they are "from" the closest, biggest city to them.  I notice it ALL the time now that I live in Massachusetts.  Seems like EVERYONE is from Boston). Anyway, they are beautiful dancers but, to me, that's not the type of stuff I like to see in a competition.  I know.  I'm just like the annoying judges.  I like tricks and thrills. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

45 minutes ago, Whimsy said:

I like Briar Nolet.  I think she is really strong and her movements are very controlled.  That doesn't sound like high praise, lol, but she does these power moves with no wobbles and it's very impressive.  I didn't get the "story" last night and I don't think she should've won but I think she has a bright career in front of her. 

I agree - she is very powerful and does moves that often are done by men, but she manages to make them look so light and effortless, which I think blinds non-dancers to how difficult many of these things are. She always lands/finishes her moves cleanly, and she always moves with purpose. She is a very strong performer with great technique. Her choreography just wasn't good enough this week.

45 minutes ago, Whimsy said:

and is NOT Minneapolis- side rant but I hate when people say they are "from" the closest, biggest city to them.  I notice it ALL the time now that I live in Massachusetts.  Seems like EVERYONE is from Boston).

Ha, I have the same rant. It drives me crazy when someone says they're from San Francisco and then I find out that they actually live like an hour away. I find it so weird because when I lived in southern California, people were always specific about which city they were from (most people don't actually live in the city of Los Angeles - there are a million cities that make up the Los Angeles area). I complained about this before in a different show forum and other people rationalized it by saying they're probably just trying to give a general idea of where they're from since people aren't as familiar with the smaller places, but yeah, it still annoys me. You're allowed to say, "I live in ______, which is just outside of _______."

Edited May 6, 2019 by ElectricBoogaloo

[saber5055]

Derek got off my (DWTS) Do Not Like list after being good in other appearances (American Ninja Warrior) and seeming like maybe he's a nice guy after all. Then he disses Poppin' John and WHAMMO, back on the list. I don't know if anything will get him off after that totally uncalled for snark.

Then we got treated to a big commercial promo for Derek! Hough! LIVE! and more than once in my market. No thanks. I'd pay to see Poppin' John though.

I went outside and sat a while with the dogs while Ne-Yo was doing his routine. *yawn*

I do not like Briar Nolet. At all.

I got chills watching The Kings, which surprised me. I wonder if they were really goosies? Who knows!

I also liked Ellie and Ava so was good with them coming in second.

There was a casting call put up during this episode so I guess it's been renewed for a third season. Oh boy.

[HappyDancex2]

OK now I've watched the division finals I'm really confused.  Derek singlehandedly eliminated Poppin John and Julian and Charlize with his score.  He gave Ellie and what's her name a 99?  It's almost like he's saving them for next season because there is no way anyone was going to beat the Kings this year.  Does that seem too nuts of a theory?

Briar's red suit in the box was probably her best performance with stage enhancements because it was gymnastic strippery for lack of a better term.   Poppin John was flat out amazing.  I don't know how they didn't send him thru to the Finals just to make it a better show.....the best of his genre instead of another lyrical gymnast??   

I can't figure out if they were trying to keep a gender balance or genre balance or age balance but I'm scratching my head.   Julian and Charlize were better in their genre than a 13 and 14 year old.   They had a nice story but they are nothing special.  And there was no way they were going to beat the Kings.

[HappyDancex2]

I really like the Heima.  I didn't think their final performance was their best.  That shirt was laying in the middle of the stage.... and I feel like I've seen the main guy who does the amazing head spins with the stopping on his head is a little redundant.   Also he doesn't seem centered on the stage or part of the picture they are trying to make....don't know if that's intentional or not but the lack of symmetry made my eyes go left.  Are they allowed to come back?   Fun to watch though.  I can see why they were eliminated and didn't get the wild card.

[HappyDancex2]

Unity LA had a similar type piece as Briar Nolet….very theatrical and stagey.   The Finals performances weren't nearly as strong by either of them.  It's like they left their best to win the Divisional final and then everyone didn't have anything left for the Kings.

The Unity LA ensemble was good but I felt like I was watching something very Broadway-ish.  Is that good or bad?  I didn't get goosies.  And I didn't see the mentoring part so I'm not sure what the story was.  Did the guy leave the girl and want her back?

I can see how the judges were conflicted on who to give the Wild Card to.....if they would have put in Poppin John over Briar Nolet then it would have been a better finale.   Too bad the Heima couldn't have displaced the other group in the Finale too LOL.   

The Kings edit is always amusing....drama or fake drama.  If you hurt yourself where you can't walk you really shouldn't dance.

OK that was some ridiculous shit!!!!!!!!!!!!   Even the Kings best performance was in the Divisional Finals.  That was outstanding. 

[Zuleikha]

I love Briar, but I think she has a similar problem to Jaxon Willard last season. She dances at the same level almost all the way through her routines, so the sheer physical power of what she's doing blends together. It makes it hard to process how much skill and athleticism she has.

IMHO, her choreography would be more effective if she had more slowed down sections and poses to make her acro sequences really pop. The split and the hang at the beginning were both the most effective tricks for me because I had time to process them--although she had this amazing twirl rise from the ground that I liked a lot, too. (and I don't watch the blurby bits, but it seemed to have a clear story/emotion of her fighting and overcoming a toxic person who was trying to hold her back)

But it doesn't matter because no one was going to beat The Kings this year. I think it's an uphill battle for the soloists at the best of times and when you're against such a talented group like the Kings, it's just not going to happen. That routine was perfect and perfect for a competition. I can't imagine what it would have been like to see it live. Very deserving winners.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Jennifer Lopez at the Met Gala

[Keekski]

JLo's boobs are way saggier than I thought in that picture. She has a lot of breast mass. Her freakin' legs though. 

Totally fine with The Kings winning. I was impressed by them from the very beginning. 

[displayname]

Not sure why this place has a hate-on for Nolet.

Very happy with the Kings winning.

As an aside, I am just as unimpressed with Dameski in the season he appeared in as I was impressed with him in the SYTYCD show he appeared in. Probably because he's older, and my being extremely impressed with his technique can only hold so far without actual interesting choreography.

[realdancemom]

12 hours ago, Zuleikha said:

I love Briar, but I think she has a similar problem to Jaxon Willard last season. She dances at the same level almost all the way through her routines, so the sheer physical power of what she's doing blends together. It makes it hard to process how much skill and athleticism she has.

IMHO, her choreography would be more effective if she had more slowed down sections and poses to make her acro sequences really pop. The split and the hang at the beginning were both the most effective tricks for me because I had time to process them--although she had this amazing twirl rise from the ground that I liked a lot, too. (and I don't watch the blurby bits, but it seemed to have a clear story/emotion of her fighting and overcoming a toxic person who was trying to hold her back)

But it doesn't matter because no one was going to beat The Kings this year. I think it's an uphill battle for the soloists at the best of times and when you're against such a talented group like the Kings, it's just not going to happen. That routine was perfect and perfect for a competition. I can't imagine what it would have been like to see it live. Very deserving winners.

Yes, I really like Briar too.  I see her as more than just a gymnast.  She puts elements of funk and jazz in her routines so she is dancing.  Her acro moves are considered dancing too.

However, I didn't like her Toxic routine as much as the one she did in the Division Finals.  For the Toxic one, I liked the beginning especially the hanging split but I didn't like the routine as much.  I agree that she needs to create different dynamics so that people can appreciate her acro moves more.

I also agree that nobody was going to beat the Kings this year.  They had a story, drama, and great tricks.  It was like watching a Las Vegas act. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I agree about Briar. She starts with her intensity at 100 and keeps it there which takes away some of the impact of what she’s doing. She just needs a better choreographer who can create more dynamic contrast.

Edited May 8, 2019 by ElectricBoogaloo
typo

[kirklandia]

18 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Jennifer Lopez at the Met Gala

JLo looked fab, but ARod was chewing gum.  Ugh.  It's the red (pink) carpet, not the dugout.

Edited May 8, 2019 by kirklandia

[ElectricBoogaloo]

3 hours ago, kirklandia said:

JLo looked fab, but ARod was chewing gum.  Ugh.  It's the red (pink) carpet, not the dugout.

I can't argue with that. All I can say in his defense is that at least he bothered dressing up. Kanye looked like he was on his way to the grocery store.

[ShaNaeNae]

On 5/6/2019 at 9:28 PM, saber5055 said:

Derek got off my (DWTS) Do Not Like list after being good in other appearances (American Ninja Warrior) and seeming like maybe he's a nice guy after all. Then he disses Poppin' John and WHAMMO, back on the list. I don't know if anything will get him off after that totally uncalled for snark.

I think I missed that.  What did he say to diss PJ?

On 5/6/2019 at 8:18 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Ha, I have the same rant. It drives me crazy when someone says they're from San Francisco and then I find out that they actually live like an hour away. I find it so weird because when I lived in southern California, people were always specific about which city they were from (most people don't actually live in the city of Los Angeles - there are a million cities that make up the Los Angeles area). I complained about this before in a different show forum and other people rationalized it by saying they're probably just trying to give a general idea of where they're from since people aren't as familiar with the smaller places, but yeah, it still annoys me. You're allowed to say, "I live in ______, which is just outside of _______."

I get that.  I grew up outside San Francisco (Pacifica) and drives me crazy when people say they come from the Bay Area and to find out it's like Redding or something.   And I always say it just like that, "a little town south of SFO/outside of SFO".

I liked Briar too but can understand some who don't. I'm not a huge fan of contemporary/lyrical but really noticed her during the redemption round and thought she kicked that thing in the ass. 

Was peeping on Ellie's (of Ellie & Ava) Instagram, saw she's besties with Eva Igo.  Wonder if she had anything to do with getting them on the show?

Glad The Kings won.  That was phenomenal.  Loved the slow motion parts, the spear "through" the body.  Loved they added some Bollywood stepping.

Will miss this on Sunday nights.  This was also good replacement for Dancing with the Stars since it's not on this season.  

[saber5055]

3 hours ago, ShaNaeNae said:

I think I missed that.  What did he say to diss PJ?

I've been trying to find a clip online but I've had no luck. During one of his talking heads, Derek said Poppin John went from Poppin John to Dropout John or Droppin John or something like that, meaning that he was a big loser. Then he laughed and laughed at his cleverness. Someone else here might remember the exact words or know where there is a clip. I reacted by yelling out WTH? so overshadowed my own memory of exact words. Plus it was Derek's score that kicked PJ out of finals. No other dancer or group got ragged on, just PJ.

On 5/6/2019 at 11:31 PM, HappyDancex2 said:

Briar's red suit in the box was probably her best performance with stage enhancements because it was gymnastic strippery for lack of a better term.

Gymnastic strippery describes it perfectly, and is exactly why I do not like BN. She made me feel like I was watching some pay-per-view station.

[ShaNaeNae]

16 hours ago, saber5055 said:

I've been trying to find a clip online but I've had no luck. During one of his talking heads, Derek said Poppin John went from Poppin John to Dropout John or Droppin John or something like that, meaning that he was a big loser. Then he laughed and laughed at his cleverness. Someone else here might remember the exact words or know where there is a clip. I reacted by yelling out WTH? so overshadowed my own memory of exact words. Plus it was Derek's score that kicked PJ out of finals. No other dancer or group got ragged on, just PJ.

Now that I'm reading it, I kind of recall that being said.  Not cool Derek. 

[kelslamu]

I thought Derek said that Poppin' John might be Poppin' gone.  

[Carrots4]

While Briar’s style of dance is not one that speaks to me, I did love how she supported the other dancers this season. When she said she was inspired by her competitors it felt genuine. She also seemed to be having the time of her life in the group number. 

All of the finalists seemed super supportive of each other in the backstage shots. It’s a nice change from reality tv trash talking. I’m guessing some of that is just dance culture?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

18 minutes ago, Carrots4 said:

All of the finalists seemed super supportive of each other in the backstage shots. It’s a nice change from reality tv trash talking. I’m guessing some of that is just dance culture?

It depends on the studio and the teachers. Some places make it really clear that unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated even at competitions. Other studios encourage the shit talking and crappy attitudes. I am thankful that all of my dance teachers were encouraging, even when giving us constructive criticism (meaning they gave us corrections without being rude, condescending, or mean). My entire high school (not just our dance coach) stressed good sportsmanship in competition which meant things like always clapping for every team after they performed and no booing. Now when I see people at competitions/sporting events being jerks, I silently thank all of the teachers and coaches I encountered who taught me that you can be competitive without being an asshole.

[luvthepros]

On 5/6/2019 at 10:28 PM, saber5055 said:

Then he (Derek) disses Poppin' John and WHAMMO, back on the list.

What did Derek say to diss Poppin' John? Please remind me.

Got my answer above.

Edited May 10, 2019 by luvthepros

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Front row: the Kings

Rehearsal: the Kings

Backstage to main stage: Briar Nolet (this is one of the few instances where there are a lot of changes between the two which made it more interesting)

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Compilation videos for the five finalists (all the dances they did this season)

The Kings

VPeepz

Briar Nolet

Ellie & Ava

Unity LA

[Darknight]

I'm just going to day I wish Jennifer and Neyo weren't judges. Some of the dancers on here I know in real life because my daughters competed against them or did classes with them. Kayla Mak is lovely but none of these judges understand ballet or other styles of dance(with the exception of Derrick) Get a ballet judge. Hip hop judge. Jazz judge. People who know what to look for. I hate seeing the tricks and judging looking for tricks. 

On a good note. Kings are amazing and brought what the judges wanted 

[displayname]

I love the flexibility Nolet has that allows her to add that extra bit of character to her extremely powerful form... She kind of just outshines Dameski here for me. I always love dancers with that kind of ability. Lauren Froderman from SYTYCD comes to mind somewhat.

Edited May 18, 2019 by displayname

[DanaMB]

On 5/7/2019 at 2:27 PM, realdancemom said:

I also agree that nobody was going to beat the Kings this year.  They had a story, drama, and great tricks.  It was like watching a Las Vegas act. 

Just caught up on this season. I was thinking the same thing while watching them. I thought they could have a chance at a regular gig in Vegas.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Aydin from S3 was at the #BoysDanceToo demonstration outside of Good Morning America today (organized due to Lara Spencer’s lame comment about Prince George taking ballet):

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The show technically won an Emmy, but it's really for Tessandra Chavez who choreographed these routines. She has also choreographed routines on DWTS and SYTYCD (and she won an Emmy a few years ago for a routine she did with the Houghs).

Outstanding Choreography for a Variety or Reality Programming
World of Dance, Routines: “Piece by Piece,” “Don’t Wanna Think,” “Fix You”

Piece by Piece - Unity LA

Don't Wanna Think - Ashley & Zach

Fix You - Ashley & Zach

Edited September 16, 2019 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Jennifer Lopez posted a behind the scenes video of her pole dancing preparation for Hustlers:

[hula-la]

Season 4 begins May 26. I would really like to see a “kickball change” looks like vs. a “kick, ball, change”. Can you tell I’m a fan of the Oxford comma? https://ew.com/tv/world-of-dance-season-4-contestants-announced/

[Rahul]

Looks like they did away with the junior team and upper team divisions.

[GaT]

On 5/17/2020 at 6:55 PM, Rahul said:

Looks like they did away with the junior team and upper team divisions.

The list of contestants in the article are only from the Junior Team & Upper Team divisions.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S04.E01: Qualifiers 1

Quote

The competition is turned on its head for the qualifiers as judges Jennifer Lopez, Derek Hough and NE-YO surprise contestants, who must perform in a stripped-down warehouse to prove they have what it takes to move forward in the competition.

Original air date: 5/26/20

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S4 first look

Junior Division Bailey & Kida Dance to "Off the Rip" by DaBaby

Sneak Peek: The First 11 Minutes of the World of Dance Premiere

 

[GaT]

Well, I guess we met this season's Eva Igo.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

4.1 performances

Upper team:

Spoiler

 

The Williams Fam Dances to "Cartier" by Dopebwoy

 

 

Junior Team:

Spoiler

 

grvmnt Dances to "Dum-Dum" by Tedashii

 

 

Upper division:

Spoiler

 

Jefferson y Adrianita Salsa to "Dos Jueyes" by Celia Cruz

Jake & Chau Dance to "Bruises" by Lewis Capaldi

 

 

Junior:

Spoiler

 

Savannah Manzel Dances to Celine Dion's "River Deep, Mountain High"

 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2020 by ElectricBoogaloo

[hula-la]

There's dance on TV again, and right now, I'll take all the dance that I can get. Again, though, I wish there was less backstory and watching the hosts get snacks, and more actual dance. I'd like to propose a dance show called "Just Dance" where each week, viewers are introduced to another style of dance from around the world. There's a brief introduction about history of the dance then the rest of the show is just people dancing it. When I win the lottery, I will produce such a show. Now, I just have to win the lottery.

[TVJunkee]

How stunned was Derek to have a Colombian namesake?  They were a nice couple.  I liked them up until they started dancing with Derek and JLo.  The judges' banter and antics were painful and I agree--more dancing!

 

[Whimsy]

I'm not sure if I like this switch-up to the show.  Except for Jake & Chau and Bailey & Kida, I thought none of them were very good.  For this show, at least.  That little 9 year old?  I guess she can do tricks but there is no HEART or emotion to her dancing.  And that's fine, she's 9!  But, she- or anyone her age- shouldn't be on this show.  It's easier to over look with some groups like The Lab, but that little girl was just trick, twirl, trick, trick, trick.  I didn't like it. 

Same with those brothers.  I couldn't agree more with Neyo.  If I were watching it as a short clip on the internet- entertaining.  For this show?  Not so much. 

As much as I recognized Bailey & Kida's individual talent, I also agreed with the judges that they need to get together as a team.  I don't know how much time there is between this round and the next one, but it sounded like the judges thought they could do it. 

[saber5055]

I liked the acts performing in a regular old stage area. The judges obviously did not like it when that one act wasn't all star-stuck and googly eyed surprised and thrilled to see them though.

Since I judge acts as to whether I could do them like any cheerleader, I would have sent grvmnt home. Even high-school cheerleaders are better. End of their story.

I liked the SA salsa couple who had the son named Derek. I also liked Jake & Chau. Surprisingly, I kinda liked Savannah, unlike Eva HMV Igo, whom I disliked intensely.

I could have done without seeing Derek doing hip thrusts with the Williams boys. Why chose that move, Derek? Which brings me to ...

Derek stalking JLo is getting creepy, and it's only the first episode.

[Quickbeam]

My husband yelled at the TV when Savannah was on: “she has no idea who they are!” Re: the judges. I just don’t like kids competing for stuff but she was cute enough.

[lynxfx]

I kept getting distracted by the bad sound mixing. The music they hear in the warehouse was so loud that it was picked up by the judges mics. They played a clean track for tv but everytime they cut in a judge comment the levels spiked. 

Glad the show is back. Agree on the kid, talented but that was a floor routine for gymnastics. Other than her I agree on the judges picks. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Backstage to Main Stage: The Williams Fam

Front Row: Bailey and Kida

 

Edited June 1, 2020 by ElectricBoogaloo

[saber5055]

The ADHD camera work was toned down from last year, probably because less room for multiple cameras so there was less jumping around. That was a big improvement for me, being able to see (almost) the entire dance without views flipping from close ups to aerials to low shots to back shots to judges' faces and back again. I was less dizzy while watching, always a good thing.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S04.E02: Qualifiers 2

Quote

The qualifiers continue with the competition turned on its head as Jennifer Lopez, Derek Hough and Ne-Yo surprise contestants who must first perform in a stripped-down warehouse to prove they have what it takes to move forward in the competition.

Original air date: 6/2/20

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Upper Team Oxygen Dances to "Lovely" by Billie Eilish and Khalid

Upper Division Styles & Emma Dance to "When the Party's Over" by Billie Eilish

 

[jewel21]

This show is no "So You Think You Can Dance," but it's one of the only shows on TV airing new episodes so I watch. Most of the performances didn't do much for me, but, I loved the Italian couple who did the Argentinian Tango.  And, I also loved the last couple who did the ballet routine.  

[GaT]

"goosies", I can't tell you how much I hate that word. Why can't she say "goosebumps" like a normal person?

1 hour ago, jewel21 said:

Most of the performances didn't do much for me, but, I loved the Italian couple who did the Argentinian Tango.  And, I also loved the last couple who did the ballet routine.  

I agree, they were my favorites also.