S13.E01: The Road to World Class Begins

[CaseyRe]

1 hour ago, ThreaLevelMidnight said:

It makes my skin crawl every year in Ep 1 when they have some poor auditioner gush about how pretty Kelli is in person. Why do they never have an auditioner report how Kelli looks like an aging sociopath, who applies make-up very well, yet should have worn more SPF in her younger days? Doesn’t CMT know YRMV? 

 

Regardless of whether Paris makes the team, I think she will go on to do great things in her life. 

 

RE: Charlotte’s Paris comment. Just because it looked like CJA said the comment after Paris was mentioned, the sequence could have easily been edited, we don’t know who she she actually said it about. Furthermore, even if it wasn’t edited, how can you possibly interpret a judge saying “I don’t know about her” as racist. There’s an entire PR team, legal team, etc, within the DCFC. Do you really think Charlotte is unaware of the issue of racism/would be stupid enough to say anything racist? Never mind while being filmed. C’mon people, use your heads. Witch hunts are so 2016.

 

I find mentor Melissa to be pleasant and funny.

 

Glad “everyone’s favorite creepy uncle” Neil wasn’t featured excessively. Probably want to keep the pervy vibe to a minimum in light of recent lawsuits and transparency in the industry.

 

Shelly has good genes. She always looks good. 

 

Lastly, it’s offensive that Kelli thinks we’re dumb enough to buy her “Victoria is a strong candidate” BS. We saw that monstrosity of a leap she attempted! How is someone with 16 years of dance experience so bad?! I’m literally baffled. 

It is so scripted it is just the most cringeworthy thing.  When they get a couple girls to gush over how strong and powerful she or  both she and Judy look when they walk in, when Kelli very obviously cannot walk in heels to save her life (honestly, it looks awful. that supposedly 'strong' strut into the Star from the car was hilarious. she has to do these tiny choppy strides with flat feet because she cannot walk in the shoes she chooses [which Im sorry, but are often super trashy too and blatantly for people half her age but I digress]) yet we're meant to buy that she looks the epitome of strong warrior woman?
Does anyone else cringe when she and Judy walk all over the dance floor in towering heels? If I wore street shoes at all, let alone heels with the damaging heel, near the dance surface when I danced my teacher would have lost her ever-loving mind. it was dance shoes or barefoot only.  ever.  if heels did touch the studio floor, it was soft soled dance heels, not heavy footed stilettos stomped across it

[GBPackersfan]

3 minutes ago, CaseyRe said:

It is so scripted it is just the most cringeworthy thing.  When they get a couple girls to gush over how strong and powerful she or  both she and Judy look when they walk in, when Kelli very obviously cannot walk in heels to save her life (honestly, it looks awful. that supposedly 'strong' strut into the Star from the car was hilarious. she has to do these tiny choppy strides with flat feet because she cannot walk in the shoes she chooses [which Im sorry, but are often super trashy too and blatantly for people half her age but I digress]) yet we're meant to buy that she looks the epitome of strong warrior woman?
Does anyone else cringe when she and Judy walk all over the dance floor in towering heels? If I wore street shoes at all, let alone heels with the damaging heel, near the dance surface when I danced my teacher would have lost her ever-loving mind. it was dance shoes or barefoot only.  ever.  if heels did touch the studio floor, it was soft soled dance heels, not heavy footed stilettos stomped across it

OMG thank you! I thought it was just me. Now, to be perfectly clear, I have never danced (outside of a bit of drunk dancing). But to me, a dance floor is similar to a gym floor. And tptb would  have a serious stroke if anyone walked on it in shoes like that. It's not a good look either. If you go back and watch the first few seasons, K&J dressed much more casually, and it looked so much more appropriate for a dance studio. I did laugh really hard last season when they were practicing outside for Canton and Judi had to take her shoes off and go barefoot because her feet were swelling. That was such a down to earth moment, and much more real than what they usually show. I like it best when Kelli wears flip flops outside. 

[CaseyRe]

2 minutes ago, GBPackersfan said:

OMG thank you! I thought it was just me. Now, to be perfectly clear, I have never danced (outside of a bit of drunk dancing). But to me, a dance floor is similar to a gym floor. And tptb would  have a serious stroke if anyone walked on it in shoes like that. It's not a good look either. If you go back and watch the first few seasons, K&J dressed much more casually, and it looked so much more appropriate for a dance studio. I did laugh really hard last season when they were practicing outside for Canton and Judi had to take her shoes off and go barefoot because her feet were swelling. That was such a down to earth moment, and much more real than what they usually show. I like it best when Kelli wears flip flops outside. 

You mean bodycon dresses (that don't fit properly and so aren't as flattering as a different style of dress would be) and five inch heels aren't the norm for choreographing out on a grass field??? who knew?!?!!?
Right?! YOu go back to early seasons and the super creepy breaking into the girls homes and shaming them publicly over food found there aside, everyone was more casual in dress, hair and makeup, and now it's all bodycon dresses, towering heels, more makeup than a Clinique counter girl and I know, I know they're Texan girls and big hair and makeup on just to leave the house is practically in their blood but it's just gotten ridiculous. Sometimes it seems like Kelli's outfits (in particular) restrictive to her movement she can barely sit down in the studio to watch the dances.  Given how long practice goes on for, that can't be comfortable in the least, surely?
I understand it in early episodes such as the auditions and interview processes, that''s a very professional atmosphere, your boss is there and she's dressed to the nines too, but once you're just in the studio, I don't understand why you can't dress professionally, but a little more appropriately/comfortably for the situation.

[PrincessLeia]

2 hours ago, ThreaLevelMidnight said:

It makes my skin crawl every year in Ep 1 when they have some poor auditioner gush about how pretty Kelli is in person. Why do they never have an auditioner report how Kelli looks like an aging sociopath, who applies make-up very well, yet should have worn more SPF in her younger days? Doesn’t CMT know YRMV? 

 

Regardless of whether Paris makes the team, I think she will go on to do great things in her life. 

 

RE: Charlotte’s Paris comment. Just because it looked like CJA said the comment after Paris was mentioned, the sequence could have easily been edited, we don’t know who she she actually said it about. Furthermore, even if it wasn’t edited, how can you possibly interpret a judge saying “I don’t know about her” as racist. There’s an entire PR team, legal team, etc, within the DCFC. Do you really think Charlotte is unaware of the issue of racism/would be stupid enough to say anything racist? Never mind while being filmed. C’mon people, use your heads. Witch hunts are so 2016.

 

I find mentor Melissa to be pleasant and funny.

 

Glad “everyone’s favorite creepy uncle” Neil wasn’t featured excessively. Probably want to keep the pervy vibe to a minimum in light of recent lawsuits and transparency in the industry.

 

Shelly has good genes. She always looks good. 

 

Lastly, it’s offensive that Kelli thinks we’re dumb enough to buy her “Victoria is a strong candidate” BS. We saw that monstrosity of a leap she attempted! How is someone with 16 years of dance experience so bad?! I’m literally baffled. 

 

Well, to be fair I saw Kelli in person several weeks ago, and she IS really pretty and looks much thinner in real life than on tv. ?‍♀️

 

I don’t think I ever flat out called Charlotte a racist.... I actually think she would’ve said the same thing about a white girl with a similar upbringing. It was more snotty than anything else. That being said, I watched episode 1 again yesterday, and her comment didn’t strike me in the way that it did initially. Perhaps it was the stark contrast of Paris’ story immediately followed by kappa Daphne and the dark days of initially failing to make the UCLA dance team, that bothered me, which is on CMT, not Charlotte. 

 

I don't know Charlotte, I do think she’s a stuck up snob, but would never call her a racist. I think she’s an equal opportunity snob who probably turns up her nose at all types of people! ?

Edited August 9, 2018 by PrincessLeia

[ByTor]

52 minutes ago, PrincessLeia said:

I don’t think I ever flat out called Charlotte a racist....

No you didn’t, but others have.  I can’t say whether she is or not, but I didn’t take her comment about Paris to be about race.  I agree with @ThreaLevelMidnight, she’d be incredibly dumb to make a statement that would be construed as racist, it would be a PR nightmare.

[Kayce]

13 minutes ago, ByTor said:

No you didn’t, but others have.  I can’t say whether she is or not, but I didn’t take her comment about Paris to be about race.  I agree with @ThreaLevelMidnight, she’d be incredibly dumb to make a statement that would be construed as racist, it would be a PR nightmare.

Exactly.  She may be stuck up but she's not stupid.  

[jlc]

On 8/3/2018 at 12:38 AM, tinabee1967 said:

OMG. We are going to get our ears assaulted with that horrid Lightning and Thunder song. Ugghhhhhh!!!

What was with that girl Diamond at prelims that had abs split in half? That was weird!

I don't hate VK. She is all right. At the same time I get the feeling Dayton does not want it bad enough.

Brennan's costume was beautiful and she looked great this year. Then again, lots and lots of gorgeous young women auditioned. 

Not sure how I feel about Paris. Something is off about her. 

Lots of bad, fried hair and stringy extensions. Yuck, yuck, yuck.

Melissa R looks really pretty this year and Judy obviously had (good) work done. 

It looks like Diamond had surgery on her stomach and that is a scar, not split abs.

On 8/3/2018 at 12:38 AM, tinabee1967 said:

OMG. We are going to get our ears assaulted with that horrid Lightning and Thunder song. Ugghhhhhh!!!

What was with that girl Diamond at prelims that had abs split in half? That was weird!

I don't hate VK. She is all right. At the same time I get the feeling Dayton does not want it bad enough.

Brennan's costume was beautiful and she looked great this year. Then again, lots and lots of gorgeous young women auditioned. 

Not sure how I feel about Paris. Something is off about her. 

Lots of bad, fried hair and stringy extensions. Yuck, yuck, yuck.

Melissa R looks really pretty this year and Judy obviously had (good) work done. 

Paris sounds like she is/was deaf. 

[jlc]

On 8/3/2018 at 2:02 AM, PBSLover said:

Thoughts so far:

- I love that Kelli is finally acknowledging less than 500 women are auditioning each year

- Victoria Kalina’s speech to the judges was embarrassing

- “I love pickles” - why would this poor girl say that?

- Love the new choreographer judge

- Melissa is still getting on my nerves

- I love that I was listening to old Howard Stern shows on YouTube and MTT commercials kept airing

- I love that Kelli acknowledged at the outset of the show that she loves one girl. This might be a first.

- I also love that so many serious dancers tried out. After what happened on the squad last season, they seemed eager to see these girls.

- I love that Kelli acknowledged that Brennan should have been picked to be on the team last year. But as we all know, hindsight is 20/20.

- Although many of the cheerleaders failed the Cowboys this past year, they had two benchmark events happen that were historic to the entire organization. Kelli was smart to acknowledge that. How they can top the Hall of Fame and the Smithsonian?

Lastly, does the show that follows MTT:DCC have an audience? Who goes to CMT for a drunk bad girl show? You go to (or used to go) to VH-1 for that!  

What about the girl that said she likes the smell of tires?

Victoria's speech to the judges was her making sure she was put through to the next round. I would think, that she would want to be judged on your merits, not on who your mother was. But then I saw her dance, and she was not that good.  This is going to be a really tough year to watch because I have read that VK is really being forced on everyone with WAY too much camera time.

On 8/3/2018 at 3:11 AM, Mamamakesminis said:

Thank you for explaining this!  I was really curious about Kalyssa.

Do you know why Alexandria left?  I do not!  I can't find it online either.

Look on the forum "Where are they now" that is also part of this forum group. There was a lot of discussion on there about Alexandria and Kalyssa.

[bigskygirl]

I actually like the girl who said she likes the smell of tires. It definitely is not the typical candidate response.

[CaseyRe]

1 hour ago, bigskygirl said:

I actually like the girl who said she likes the smell of tires. It definitely is not the typical candidate response.

Got to respect her honesty or sheer brain-blank in the face of the cameras and judges. That or a misjudged attempt to make sure the judges remembered her.  They will, but not for the right reasons!

[PBSLover]

59 minutes ago, CaseyRe said:

Got to respect her honesty or sheer brain-blank in the face of the cameras and judges. That or a misjudged attempt to make sure the judges remembered her.  They will, but not for the right reasons!

Agreed. I love the smell of gasoline at the gas station and toast in the morning but in that setting?  It would never occur to me to share that with a group of people that I was auditioning for.

[sleepyjean]

10 hours ago, CaseyRe said:

It is so scripted it is just the most cringeworthy thing.  When they get a couple girls to gush over how strong and powerful she or  both she and Judy look when they walk in, when Kelli very obviously cannot walk in heels to save her life (honestly, it looks awful. that supposedly 'strong' strut into the Star from the car was hilarious.

The "spanx walk" at the beginning of every season. I'm cracking up.

[Loves2Dance]

On 8/4/2018 at 6:49 AM, ByTor said:

Here's what I don't get, and maybe someone who has actually danced can answer this.  So many girls say they've danced since they were 2.  What kind of dancing can a 2 year old do?  They don't even walk so great at that age.

Agreed, it sounded like "No, silly, of course I made it to the next round."

My kiddo started ballet and tap at 2 years old. It was cute and it starts teaching the foundations of dance. By 3 it was ballet, tap and acro. Jazz and Hip Hop started around 5 ish. She didn't stick with it so no clue where she'd be now at nearly 10, but most intro to dance classes start once kiddos are potty trained. 

[ByTor]

On 8/11/2018 at 6:25 PM, Loves2Dance said:

My kiddo started ballet and tap at 2 years old.

Do tap shoes for 2 year olds actually exist?  How cute!

[Loves2Dance]

1 hour ago, ByTor said:

Do tap shoes for 2 year olds actually exist?  How cute!

Yes! I still have her first pair of ballet and tap shoes in her baby box. 

[Aethera]

Moved a few posts into the Episode 2 thread that belonged there. If you don't see your recent post, check the episode 2 thread. :) 

[AAEBoiler]

On 8/2/2018 at 10:42 PM, Loves2Dance said:

Why isn't Kitty on the panel?

The less Kitty we see the happier I am.

[Bubbetv]

Is Kitty usually on the panels before SG Panel? I thought the formula was to have her in prep, then SG, then guest judge a month or so into camp.

I am mostly enjoying Kitty now that she’s improving her hair over prior years. Her banging on -is whatever- but her hair was distracting me. On my little HD screen, all I could think was, “Poor thing has lost her comb.”

[Lunacat]

1 hour ago, Bubbetv said:

Is Kitty usually on the panels before SG Panel? I thought the formula was to have her in prep, then SG, then guest judge a month or so into camp.

I am mostly enjoying Kitty now that she’s improving her hair over prior years. Her banging on -is whatever- but her hair was distracting me. On my little HD screen, all I could think was, “Poor thing has lost her comb.”

Yes, that’s my understanding as well. I’ve heard it explained that she does not sit on the Finals panel as she’s instrumental in the prep process and her not being on the panel removes the issue of favoritism / being partial to candidates she has a personal or working relationship with. 

[Bent]

On 8/6/2018 at 6:50 PM, sATL said:

I've always thought they "assigned" numbers via some kind of secret reasoning. To skip  73 dancers (201-128) must mean something about those applications were not what they were looking for. They didn't like their pictures, their recommendations, resume , checked the box on prior criminal record, something. 

So 73 people in groups of 5 gives them a mental break, to focus on the next set. Get a drink of water, get a new pen/pencil... etc

and what we don't know is if all that registered actually showed up. meaning it is possible that #129 wasn't there - there is more than one line at check in, in side of the bldg, right?

Scuba suit made it  - #306 ?

#126 - had a surgery scar.. I guess there was no way to cover that up? I focused on that so much I could not see her dancing.

Skipping 73 numbers is skipping ghosts that never applied. Girls that audition will tell you there are only actually a little over 150 that are show up the day of auditions. Why would 300 girls apply and not show up?  They inflate the numbers. It is actually that simple. 

[DCCme]

On 8/2/2018 at 10:16 PM, ClosetBachJunkie said:

Wait, I think I get it... So... so if I really like a girl I give her a 10? Or do I give her an A?

I’m pretty sure you give her a ✔️plus ?