World Of Dance - General Discussion

[ElectricBoogaloo]

New promo - the Jabbawockeez are coming! We already knew that from the cast list they released in April, but still - YAY!

Edited June 11, 2017 by ElectricBoogaloo

[jhlipton]

On 6/8/2017 at 1:17 PM, saber5055 said:

What happened that now TPTB for EVERY show wants to give viewers epileptic seizures?

I think it was American Idol that decided we need to see the judges to know what to think of an act.  If we don't see them react (America's Got Talent is the worst -- "How could that person DO that????"), we might not react the right way ourselves.  I hate it but it looks like it's here to stay. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I have a lot of issues with DWTS but one thing I will give it credit for is keeping the camera on the dancers during performances (even if the camera is only getting them from the waist up or from so far way that you can see the entire dance floor). I wish SYTYCD and WoD would do the same. The judges have their time during critiques. I don't need them cutting into the performances so I can hear inane comments like, "WOW" while I stare at their astounded faces.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

All four of the judges/host dancing together!

[Guest]

Jenna is no Cat (as a host), but I think she's a better dancer than JLo who seems more about striking poses than movement.  

Did JLo have a bandaid on her head or was that just an odd and extreme use of highlighter?  

[SnarkyTart]

9 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

Jenna is no Cat (as a host), but I think she's a better dancer than JLo who seems more about striking poses than movement.  

True!  The video looked like JLo and Ne-Yo were auditioning to be back up dancers for the pros, Jenna and Derek.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I'm sure that it also helps that Jenna is over a decade younger. Jennifer Lopez is almost 50 - a fit, good looking 50, but your body just isn't quite the same at that age as it used to be!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Sneak peek: Jabbawockeez

 

Sneak peak: Eva Igo

[LittleIggy]

Why couldn't they show the Flamenco dancers. I've seen enough hip-hop and contemporary. I enjoyed DNA and the group from Colombia.

[crowceilidh]

Lopez's reaction shots were all 1/4 second behind.  That's even more annoying than the ones that are on time.  Still not liking Ne Yo.

I'm very disappointed in Denys with that wife.  I didn't like her when they tried out for SYTYCD either.  I also agree with the judges in regard to the look of effort.  Overall, I enjoyed it though.

I just did not feel very wowed in general tonight.  It's not the dancers, it's the choice of production values.  There's an artificiality to their "reality" show that is disturbingly blatant. (cf. Jennifer's delayed reaction shots)

[NeverLate]

There were some really good dancers tonight. I loved the sisters, all three of them. Their timing was impeccable, and the youngest was only 12? Wow.
I did enjoy the Young lions, I know the judges weren't sure, but I could see Michael Jacksons influence, and I loved watching him dance.
Little Eva at the end, she was wonderful. I have to watch her again. She took command of that stage and she danced like she owned it.
Very enjoyable!:)

[GaT]

I'm glad we're finally done with the qualifiers & we're going into the actual competition next week.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

World of Dance posted tonight's performances on their Youtube channel! They're under the cut since there are a lot of them this week.

Spoiler

Swing Latino

 

Mihacevich Sisters

Kyntay

Ian Eastwood and the Young Lions

DNA

Chapkis Dance Family

Pasión

Boys of Temecula

Jabbawockeez

Eva Igo

Kyle Van Newkirk

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

DAMN IT, the forum ate my post - grrr!

I am so sick of the overproduced feel of this show. No, I don't need all the different camera angles. Typical routine: long shot of the stage, unnecessary closeup, cut to the judges, spinny camera, unnecessary closeup, cut to the judges, swooping shot, unnecessary closeup, cut to the judges. Add to that all the stupid graphics in the background and the lights and I just want to stab someone in the control booth and tell them to knock all that shit off. Let me just watch the dancing, damn it!

The sad thing is that they are making such stupid decisions like hey, those three girls are all wearing red flamenco dresses so let's make the entire graphics wall red so the dancers just fade into the background! Also a note for the camera people: thanks for zooming in on one guy's feet so I can see his footwork, but if he's wearing black shoes and the stage floor is black, I really get nothing out of this.

The Jabbawockeez being so well known is both a blessing and a curse. Obviously being well known brings fans and support, which is a good thing, but it always brings expectations, as shown by two of the judges' critiques. How dare they not do the exact same thing for over a decade? Sheesh. I'm glad that they said they wanted to continue to evolve and grow because that is what the best artists do instead of just repeating themselves forever. I actually liked that they didn't do a lot of flashy tricks or the isolations that they're known for because it showed that they are still amazing to watch without that stuff. They are so clean and precise, but they also are so expressive.

The other routine I really enjoyed was the Chapkis airplane dance. I thought it was well choreographed with interesting shapes, movement, and transitions. They also used a lot of people without looking messy or cluttered. It was much more of a competition dance with the full theme, but I don't care. I'd rather see something like that than another contemporary routine. Don't get me wrong - I love seeing flexible dancers do leaps and turns, but they all start to look the same.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

In "The Duels" night one, the top qualifying acts from each division will choose a rival and face off in a head-to-head elimination duel. The judges will score each act based on their artistry, precision and athleticism, and the top scoring act from each duel will move forward in the competition and be one step closer to winning a grand prize of $1 million.

[NeverLate]

I just love dance. After watching DWTS dreck, I enjoy raw talent.( shrug) 

[teebax]

42 minutes ago, F. M. said:

I just love dance. After watching DWTS dreck, I enjoy raw talent.( shrug) 

Same. I am enjoying the show and don't mind anything about it, except I wish they'd show all the performers. I guess I'll watch on YouTube. 

[PumpkinPK]

I don't see the point of Jenna Tatum.  She is not interesting and brings nothing to the show.  Her "I can sleep tonight" comment after making the DNA couple kiss was just stupid.  I get she did a dance movie a decade ago, but she's a rotten host and very annoying.

I loved DNAs dance and silently seethed at the judge who said the male needed to go to the gym and lift weights.  Honestly, his comments are never useful.

That little girl Eva was incredible.  What an amazing gymnast and dancer.  Looking forward to her future performances.  It sounded like there was more going on in her life than just her parents getting divorced, like her Dad was sketchy in some way.  I wonder what the story is.

I guess I'm the only one, but I don't go crazy over the Jabawockeez.  Though I thoroughly enjoyed Dev making fun of them on Master of None.  It was nice to see their interview, however, and they seem like really nice, down-to-earth guys.

Edited June 14, 2017 by PumpkinPK

[PumpkinPK]

11 hours ago, crowceilidh said:

Lopez's reaction shots were all 1/4 second behind.  That's even more annoying than the ones that are on time.  Still not liking Ne Yo.

I'm very disappointed in Denys with that wife.  I didn't like her when they tried out for SYTYCD either.  I also agree with the judges in regard to the look of effort.  Overall, I enjoyed it though.

I just did not feel very wowed in general tonight.  It's not the dancers, it's the choice of production values.  There's an artificiality to their "reality" show that is disturbingly blatant. (cf. Jennifer's delayed reaction shots)

Agree on how this show is produced like a reality show, and that it takes away from the program.

Are you talk8ng about DNA?  I don't understand what you mean by being disappointed in someone's wife.

[surreysmum]

Still in two minds about this show. I've greatly enjoyed all the actual dancing that I've (managed to) see, but like many others I'm finding the production and camera choices very irritating, especially When They Get In The Way Of Seeing The Dancers (is that such a hard concept? really?).   Going to YouTube doesn't fix those problems, and I"m well-practiced in hitting the mute or channel-change button to avoid all the sob-story and judging nonsense, so it's just a question of whether I'm enjoying the dancing enough. I really did like a lot of the precision, strength and flexibility I saw this week.

I'm giving it one more week, with the non-preliminary format. If they don't treat the in-competition dancers with more respect, I'm out. My old VCR still sorta works, and I have a ton of old dance tapes to go through and decide what to do with. That would probably be a less eyestrain-inducing use of my time.

I wish someone would remind these guys that the reason Fred Astaire's dance numbers are so compulsively watchable are that he insisted on (1) minimum number of takes/cuts; (2) full body in frame and (3) sets that enhanced, instead of distracting from, the dancing.  It's a formula that worked 80 years ago, and would work today. 

Don't mind me - I'm just a grumpy old so-and-so who remembers the world before music videos...

[atlantaloves]

Seriously, they need to show entire performances, I would like to see a frigging tap dancer! I hope they have another one.

[Frisky Wig]

Eva was very good but I think she over used her leg. Often, a dancer is super flexible on one side and proceeds to do many extensions of that same leg. I'd like to see an extension with her other leg. 

[PumpkinPK]

Video clip link for any Jabbawockeez fans who don't watch Master of None:

[saber5055]

Young Lions, my favorite of the night. Ne-Yo read my mind when he call Ian Bruno Mars' taller, thinner white cousin. I loved him. I hated the Columbian dancers. They were too much ... everything, plus WTH was that throwing the woman through the air to barely be caught by her feet? Yikes. I also did not think DNA was up to even DWTS level, so OUCH to them getting a tongue bath. And LOL at Ne-Yo telling the guy, "Bro, get to the gym and work out." I wasn't comfortable with the very young contemporary girl wearing a skin-colored bikini so she looked naked, but whatever I guess. And count me as another who wished TPTB would listen to Fred Astaire's words of how to showcase a dancer.

[hula-la]

18 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

DAMN IT, the forum ate my post - grrr!

I am so sick of the overproduced feel of this show. No, I don't need all the different camera angles. Typical routine: long shot of the stage, unnecessary closeup, cut to the judges, spinny camera, unnecessary closeup, cut to the judges, swooping shot, unnecessary closeup, cut to the judges. Add to that all the stupid graphics in the background and the lights and I just want to stab someone in the control booth and tell them to knock all that shit off. Let me just watch the dancing, damn it!

The sad thing is that they are making such stupid decisions like hey, those three girls are all wearing red flamenco dresses so let's make the entire graphics wall red so the dancers just fade into the background! Also a note for the camera people: thanks for zooming in on one guy's feet so I can see his footwork, but if he's wearing black shoes and the stage floor is black, I really get nothing out of this.

The Jabbawockeez being so well known is both a blessing and a curse. Obviously being well known brings fans and support, which is a good thing, but it always brings expectations, as shown by two of the judges' critiques. How dare they not do the exact same thing for over a decade? Sheesh. I'm glad that they said they wanted to continue to evolve and grow because that is what the best artists do instead of just repeating themselves forever. I actually liked that they didn't do a lot of flashy tricks or the isolations that they're known for because it showed that they are still amazing to watch without that stuff. They are so clean and precise, but they also are so expressive.

The other routine I really enjoyed was the Chapkis airplane dance. I thought it was well choreographed with interesting shapes, movement, and transitions. They also used a lot of people without looking messy or cluttered. It was much more of a competition dance with the full theme, but I don't care. I'd rather see something like that than another contemporary routine. Don't get me wrong - I love seeing flexible dancers do leaps and turns, but they all start to look the same.

There is just so much that I love in your post!  What I love about watching the auditions of SYTYCD is that it's just dancers and a stage--no lights, no special tricks.  Great lighting should enhance the dance, but I find that whatever they are doing on WOD is just distracting from the dancing (then again, the Salsa group and all their sequins did the same thing).  

I, too, loved the Jabbawockeez and the style of dance that they did. They didn't have lots of tricks, just great, clean dancing.  I have real difficulty watching the competition-style contemporary that's so prevalent now. It's just "here's a trick!, here's me showing my flexibility by lifting my one leg up high in the air, now another trick".  There's little in the way of true dancing, and that saddens me. I think that's been my issue with some of the younger contestants.  I don't see dancing, I see superflexible people who can do some dance steps (though, I did really like the sister trio).

Why couldn't they have shown more groups during the qualifiers round?  I don't want to hear the background stories of the dancers--save that for later in the competition. Use that time for more dancing.  That's what we came here to see. Dancing, not sob stories.

Edited June 15, 2017 by hula-la
Spelling.

[crowceilidh]

Quote

Are you talk8ng about DNA?  I don't understand what you mean by being disappointed in someone's wife.

Yes I am talking about DNA.  I'm disappointed in his wife because as a Denys-fan (he was my horse in the race when he won SYTYCDa), I wanted him to marry me.  And, failing that, I wanted him to marry someone who suited him more esthetically (both physically and as a dancer) than she does.  I was just being superficial and it's just my opinion.  There's something I don't like about their dancing together (all two times I have seen it) that I don't recall noticing when he had multiple partners on SYTYCDa.

[Mason]

3 hours ago, crowceilidh said:

Yes I am talking about DNA.  I'm disappointed in his wife because as a Denys-fan (he was my horse in the race when he won SYTYCDa), I wanted him to marry me.  And, failing that, I wanted him to marry someone who suited him more esthetically (both physically and as a dancer) than she does.  I was just being superficial and it's just my opinion.  There's something I don't like about their dancing together (all two times I have seen it) that I don't recall noticing when he had multiple partners on SYTYCDa.

I hate to admit it, but I feel the same. He's such a superlative dancer--you really did have to see him on SYTYCD Canada to now just how superlative. But he's in love, and loves performing with her, and she's good enough for them to dominate ballroom competitions. I have absolutely no way of knowing this, but I wonder if some of their difficulties were due to nervousness on her part. Denis is used to these sorts of competitions.

Have you noticed, crowceilidh, that he's learned to smile?!

[cali1981]

I watched the first show and last night's and I really enjoyed them.  The wide variety of dance styles works for me and I think that the judges are very earnest and appear to be enjoying themselves. Now that SYTYCD has, for the most part, returned to the format that made it great, it's nice to have another very good dance show on the air as well.  Add in DWTS and, once again, the art of dancing is being well represented on network TV again.

[crowceilidh]

He certainly has learned how to smile.  He's also hellaciously more strong in his arms and chest (no matter what catty shit Ne Yo was saying) than I remember, although I may be misremembering.  I actually have to say that, disliking Ne Yo aside, I'm glad the judges said the things they did.  I didn't really disagree with them.  It is very amusing that the two of them have such incredibly stereotypically Eastern European faces.  Can you remember why she didn't go through on SYTYCD?

[jhlipton]

9 hours ago, hula-la said:

 I have real difficulty watching the competition-style contemporary that's so prevalent now. It's just "here's a trick!, here's me showing my flexibility by lifting my one leg up high in the air, now another trick".  There's little in the way of true dancing, and that saddens me.

I saw that, especially with Eva.  I was thinking "Couldn't cut it as a gymnast, huh?"  Her moves were better suited for the floor program than the dance floor.

There's a lot of junk, but with a good control of the fast forward, it's enjoyable enough.

[tessaforever]

On 5/30/2017 at 10:58 PM, crowceilidh said:

 The husband and wife team was very cute, but essentially not as memorable as they needed to be.  

I thought they were super cute and great dancers, but I hated their outfits with the passion of 10,000 flaming suns. 

[LittleIggy]

11 hours ago, saber5055 said:

I wasn't comfortable with the very young contemporary girl wearing a skin-colored bikini so she looked naked, but whatever I guess. 

I thought the same thing.

[marykat71702]

On 6/14/2017 at 10:00 AM, PumpkinPK said:

guess I'm the only one, but I don't go crazy over the Jabawockeez

I don't really get the appeal, either.

[marykat71702]

I wish they would show more of the different dance styles, rather than just contemporary and hip-hop.

[jhlipton]

Just now, marykat71702 said:

I wish they would show more of the different dance styles, rather than just contemporary and hip-hop.

They've shown snippets of some styles, like tap and belly dancing, as well as several full dances of salsa and ballroom.  But contemporary and hip-hop seem to be the most common.

[romantic idiot]

On 6/15/2017 at 7:26 AM, jhlipton said:

I saw that, especially with Eva.  I was thinking "Couldn't cut it as a gymnast, huh?"  Her moves were better suited for the floor program than the dance floor.

There's a lot of junk, but with a good control of the fast forward, it's enjoyable enough.

I'm no expert but I loved Eva's dance. I saw it as dancing, not gymnastics. There was no flailing, her musicality was superb, she had the right touch in the softer moments and she was just so powerful. Loved it. 

[WhineandCheez]

Apparently the ONLY act that didn't move on was the drippy African American guy dancing for his dead Grandma.  GO FIGURE. I also had a problem with the nude mini-costume of the last young girl.  Only because all the pervs who watch TV, not for an actual live competition. 

Quote

I'm very disappointed in Denys with that wife.

Her bangs are very distracting and she was more gymnast than a dancer. he was wonderful.  Which season of SYTYCD was he one--which winner??

[crowceilidh]

Quote

 Which season of SYTYCD was he one--which winner??

He won SYTYCD Canada and was widely touted as the first ballroom dancer to win in any of the SYTYCD franchises - why Benji didn't count, I have no idea. Season 3 according to my quick google search.

[hnygrl]

Jabbawokeez was just...eh...phoning it in because you know there was no way they weren't getting through.

Frankly, all the "name" acts phone it in and they're probably gonna keep phoning it in because there's literally no way they're not getting through on their names alone.

The acts that they showed snippets of are the ones I really wanted to see all the way through. The rest? The name acts?

Eh...phoning it in.

I don't think this is my show guys....

I wish there was a place/way to watch ALLLLLLL the dances and not just the shyte the show wants to show us.

Well, AGT and SYTYCD is gonna have to be enough for me cause this squeezing three hours worth of dance into 42 minutes ain't workin' for me.

Those little girls, the ones who wore the shirts with the bullying names on them? I would've LOVED to see the whole routine and not just the 15 seconds they deigned to show us.

Got a feeling this is gonna be a one-season show...Good idea, GREAT Idea, but wrong format. 42 minutes for a 200 minute minimum show is just not working. Now it's all about the judges and the "stars" and not the regular girls and guys who are really great dancers but will never get a moment of air time.

[realdancemom]

I can't comment on this episode in particul

28 minutes ago, hnygrl said:

Jabbawokeez was just...eh...phoning it in because you know there was no way they weren't getting through.

Frankly, all the "name" acts phone it in and they're probably gonna keep phoning it in because there's literally no way they're not getting through on their names alone.

The acts that they showed snippets of are the ones I really wanted to see all the way through. The rest? The name acts?

Eh...phoning it in.

I don't think this is my show guys....

I wish there was a place/way to watch ALLLLLLL the dances and not just the shyte the show wants to show us.

Well, AGT and SYTYCD is gonna have to be enough for me cause this squeezing three hours worth of dance into 42 minutes ain't workin' for me.

Those little girls, the ones who wore the shirts with the bullying names on them? I would've LOVED to see the whole routine and not just the 15 seconds they deigned to show us.

Got a feeling this is gonna be a one-season show...Good idea, GREAT Idea, but wrong format. 42 minutes for a 200 minute minimum show is just not working. Now it's all about the judges and the "stars" and not the regular girls and guys who are really great dancers but will never get a moment of air time.

I agree with your post although I'm still watching.  I can't comment on this episode in particular since I haven't had time to watch it yet but I've seen the first two episodes.  I've also only had time to see the dances in SYTYCD's Monday's episode.  Based on that, I prefer SYTYCD because of it's rawness and the chance to see new talent.   I don't need to see flashing lights that sometimes blind me and take away from the dance.  I know SYTYCD does it too when the live shows start.  But this show has even more bells and whistles which I don't need.  I just want to see good dancing.   Plus I like how somebody new gets a chance to dance on national TV.

Edited June 16, 2017 by realdancemom

[jewel21]

10 hours ago, hnygrl said:

Those little girls, the ones who wore the shirts with the bullying names on them? I would've LOVED to see the whole routine and not just the 15 seconds they deigned to show us.

 

I thought the same thing. It seemed like a beautiful dance about anti-bullying and loving yourself and should have been focused on more by showing the actual routine.

That last girl was great but all I kept thinking was how skinny she was. You could see all her bones and ribs. I just wanted to feed her a burger, or twenty of them...

[jhlipton]

17 hours ago, WhineandCheez said:

Apparently the ONLY act that didn't move on was the drippy African American guy dancing for his dead Grandma.

The tap dancer, the belly dancer and one or two others also got kicked.  But it seems like at least 75% of the teams are making it through, when less than half should.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The Posse

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Promo:

 

Juniors duel - Kyntay vs. Eva Igo (sneak peek):

Fik-Shun:

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Move of the week: Jabbawockeez

[A.Ham]

Full disclosure: As a Salsa dance lover, I do not like "Salsa Caleña" (the Cali, Colombia style of Salsa). I have always found it far too frantic and lacking the flavor and variety of other types of Salsa. Swing Latino is no different. Sure, they add in some cool tricks, but they make their routines (at least the two that I have watched) look like a group gymnastic routine. Today, they amped that up by 100 notches and it was a hot, frantic mess in my eyes. Not what I would call dancing. Not that their competitors did that much better, but I still preferred them and they are not even full time dancers.

/Rant over

[LittleIggy]

I still think Eva's choice of costumes questionable for her age. ::sigh:: I must be getting old....Anyway, so glad that the married couple won their duel. I love the stories in their dances.

[Irlandesa]

I really wish they would stop pretending that the contestants chose who they'd "duel." 

[PhD-Purgatory15]

I didn't even need to see Fikshun and his opponent, and Kyntay and Eva dance. It was a forgone conclusion that Fikshun and Eva the plucky tween were winning regardless of how they danced.

I wasn't as sure on the other two matchups. I really enjoyed Miami Allstars a lot more this go round...I liked the outfits, and the swing flair they brought so I was mildly sad they were knocked out. As A.Ham mentioned, the Cali crew is just too freaking frantic and rushed it takes away almost all of the enjoyment factor they are trying to bring.

Wasn't much of a fan of Quick Style in their audition, so I was rooting for Keone & Mari. I was worried though, they were so super stylized and leaning heavily on the narrative that I wasn't sure if there was really enough dance there to really judge them in a completely positive manner.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Videos from this week under the cut:

Spoiler

Quick Style

Swing Latino

Kyntay

Eva Igo

Keone & Mari

Nick Daniels

Miami All Stars