S15.E11: Top Eight Perform

[vdw84]

26 minutes ago, TVbitch said:

The numbers of times they cut to shots of only Slavik or highlighted Slavik in that opening group routine was totally egregious. Of course that sways voters. They did it again but to a much lesser extent in the boys routine. I'm surprised they didn't dim the others' spotlights by 15% or something. 

I found it very interesting and funny that slavic got no individual praise in the guys group number and u can tell he bitter about because he looked disappointed while the judges were praising Jay Jay and Darius. Slavic was the weakest in that number. I thought cole was better than him and I was hoping the judges would mention how amazing cole was in that number because it is so far out of his genre.

[vdw84]

That choreography for magda and darius hiphop was horrific. It was so elementary too. It was too gimmicky for someone who is not hiphop dancer like magda, she needed something more mature and less gimmicky. I think she would have killed a Chris Scott or Nabbytabs who mostly deal with a great deal of mature hiphop numbers and based it on emotion.

[vast wasteland]

Makes me so snarkily gleeful to see Mary front off Nigel (post rope dance) and have huge crowd support.  

Love to see him squirm and react like an asshole.  Pissily saying, "well, that my opinion."

Suck it Nigel.

[xander874]

On 8/21/2018 at 2:04 AM, vdw84 said:

. Its just certain ones like mandy and travis, he will never say a word to, u cant bet on that.j

I remember one season Nigel criticized Travis because the dance he choreographed wasn’t the style it was supposed to be. Travis looked pissed.

I do not like Slavik. I think he is an okay dancer but I hate that he gets praised for “trying”. This is the top ten. No one should be so mediocre at this point. He was off a few times in the second dance and it was very noticeable to me. 

And I really appreciated Twitch actually, you know, judging this week. He gave some useful advice. 

[cali1981]

On 8/20/2018 at 11:00 PM, Brookside said:

Good job Mary referring to Aretha Franklin as Urethra .

That Mary, she's a real pisser. 

[meira.hand]

On 8/21/2018 at 4:13 PM, LoveDance said:

Can someone explain why after Nigel crucifies the choreographer in Magda and Darius' contemporary piece for "props" we get a gawd awful "kitchen" cheerleader routine with  reliance on props galore? 

The issue was not so much the props in Magda and Darius piece as the fact that in this particular case the prop prevented Darius from dancing almost all the time. He could never let go of the rope and was basically just handling the roping and untangling of Magda. In the "kitchen" routine it was a bit distracting but they still got to dance quite a lot.

[realdancemom]

37 minutes ago, meira.hand said:

The issue was not so much the props in Magda and Darius piece as the fact that in this particular case the prop prevented Darius from dancing almost all the time. He could never let go of the rope and was basically just handling the roping and untangling of Magda. In the "kitchen" routine it was a bit distracting but they still got to dance quite a lot.

ITA.  The rope dance was great for a performance piece.  However, Darius as a contemporary dancer did not get to showcase his skills.  Luckily, he had his solo afterwards.  With Darius being in the bottom two, I don't think this week helped him.  He was good in the two hip-hop routines but since Magda wasn't comfortable with hip-hop, it was distracting.  Plus there was a drop in the one lift because Magda landed hard.  Luckily, it was her butt that landed.

The kitchen hip-hop had a lot of fluff at the beginning.  But at least, they were able to leave the props behind and dance for a good portion.

15 hours ago, xander874 said:

I remember one season Nigel criticized Travis because the dance he choreographed wasn’t the style it was supposed to be. Travis looked pissed.

I do not like Slavik. I think he is an okay dancer but I hate that he gets praised for “trying”. This is the top ten. No one should be so mediocre at this point. He was off a few times in the second dance and it was very noticeable to me. 

And I really appreciated Twitch actually, you know, judging this week. He gave some useful advice. 

I remember when Nigel criticized Travis.  He was supposed to do jazz but it looked like contemporary.

Slavic and Genessy were helped by the choreographers.  The show loves their showmance and both of them are playing it up.  I'm an old lady and don't care for such things.  As I previously posted, I'm surprised Genessy made it to the academy.  I do think Slavic is doing well for a hip-hop dancer and I actually preferred him in some of their other duets.  This week, their jazz did have a hip-hop flavor but it was still jazz.  It was a fun routine.  Genessy was better in this routine and Slavic was way off on timing.  Even when they were just kneeling, he put extra in/out moves.

I noticed that Twitch really gave good critiques.  Even Vanessa gave some good ones although she's still annoying.

I agree with a lot of the comments.  Luther hasn't had a miss this season.  His routines are fun and I loved the guys' routine.  Surprised Cole didn't click with the tween girls.  He's good looking and versatile.  Last week's step and disco didn't help him but Cole was outstanding this week.  Travis needs to do more Broadway.  Cole also outdanced Hannahlei in the cha cha but that was expected. 

This season's format is just too fast.  It also seems that if you're in the bottom one week, unless your fans rally, you're probably gone next week.  This format did help Magda.  She was never going to be a fan favorite since she's an older ballroom female.  Having only a top 10 meant that she's on tour.  That wouldn't have happened if there was a top 20.   Glad we got a chance to see her solo and except for the hip-hop, I thought she did well especially in contemporary.

ETA - Added last paragraph.

Edited August 23, 2018 by realdancemom

[LoveDance]

1 hour ago, meira.hand said:

 In the "kitchen" routine it was a bit distracting but they still got to dance quite a lot.

YMMV but I thought it was very very distracting, and the choreography was down right stupid.    At least the rope piece made a statement.   

Edited August 23, 2018 by LoveDance

[realdancemom]

I also think that the judges don't need to prop up Jensen.  By reading this forum, it's more of a turn off.  I'm sure she's getting a lot of votes from Lindsay's fans.  It's not fair but that's what happens when you let people vote.   It's not any different than Val & family telling their fans to vote for Kiki last year or tweens voting for the showmance couple.

I also am fine that she's in the top six.  She's versatile enough. 

Edited August 23, 2018 by realdancemom

[crowceilidh]

I have watched every season of this show except the second series in the double season.  I didn't watch this week's show till last night despite having many opps.  I find that highly indicative.  Even more highly indicative is the fact that I watched half the show last night, came here this morning thinking I'd watched the whole thing and then slowly realized that I hadn't.  Yes, there was wine involved, but still....

Loved the cooking hip hop and adored the LuBrown hh.  OMG Luther's abiility to inject tension to bursting in those slow moves is like dancing irony (in that with literary dramatic irony, you get this strong feeling in your stomach from knowing what the character does not -- here it's from feeling what the character is NOT expressing).  What an incredible piece (I stilll prefer the Twitch and Fikshun LB HH piece, but just by a tiny sliver).

I'm over hatingJensen.  She is such a well-rounded dancer and despite the fact that I was annoyed with Nigel's comment to her about blatant sexiness, it seems she took some kinda note from that which is really working.  Also, I find her more annoying if I think of her as a ballroom dancer, but when I think of her as a contemp dancer that seems to fit better,

I'm sorry Cole went athough I can't really imagine who should have gone instead.  

[Snow Fairy]

I didn't think the kitchen routine would get so much praise. I rolled my eyes for the most of the time. Jensen's expressions bothered me a lot. Imagine my surprise when they got standing ovation. Ah well...

I was looking through Jensen's Instagram, she has 2 more sisters, one is a dancer (kid). So there can be more Arnolds in SYTYCD. That would be first, 3 siblings in theshow, different seasons

[realdancemom]

1 hour ago, Snow Fairy said:

I was looking through Jensen's Instagram, she has 2 more sisters, one is a dancer (kid). So there can be more Arnolds in SYTYCD. That would be first, 3 siblings in theshow, different seasons

There is also DWTS Junior version.  Not going to put any spoilers.  You know a younger sister tried out for this just like I'm sure Ruby's dad made Ruby try out.  Unless, it interfered with WOD.

ETA - All four sisters dance. 

Edited August 23, 2018 by realdancemom

[LoveDance]

37 minutes ago, crowceilidh said:

She is such a well-rounded dancer and despite the fact that I was annoyed with Nigel's comment to her about blatant sexiness, it seems she took some kinda note from that which is really working.

I just don't think she is all that in her own style-- (Magda  is a far better latin dancer). or in other styles for that matter.  I think she was exposed on the Kitchen hip hop not only because it was horrible choreography she wasn't hitting it hard enough, it was cheerleader instead of dance.  That's what I get from her - one note and it's cheerleader all the time. Even on the contemporary stuff. for me she is unconvincing.  It's like she's watching herself dance instead of dancing.  

[realdancemom]

On 8/21/2018 at 7:13 AM, LoveDance said:

I'm also not surprised that the show couldn't bring themselves to put two white guys in the bottom and two black guys being saved. Based on last week Slavic and Cole should have been there.  If nothing else, the Luther Brown piece demonstrated what real swag is, not pretend arm flailing or b-boying  to make it next to the brothers.   

The show didn't do that because the bottom two guys were Darius and Cole.  Don't think Darius should have been at the bottom but that's another story.

[crowceilidh]

I think Jensen has not been served well by idientifying herself as a ballroom dancer - that is kinda what I meant when I said that I'm happier watching her as a contemp dancer.

Did Nigel not quite clearly say that  the two people they sent home were clearly in the bottom of the vote getters?

[mojoween]

“We’re going to tone down the sexy,” while Sean choreographs a move where Jensen spreads her legs wide open at the jump.

She’s going to win, and I should make my peace with it, but I am not at all happy about it.

Mary looked very pretty with the hair and the velvet and the necklace and the makeup.

Magda looked good in the hip hop but yeah she was way too fluid.

Also her solo jumpsuit was awesome.

Genessy is so pretty, I just wish I could warm to her.  I can’t forget that terrible contemporary in the academy though.

Oh my god someone please tell Vanessa the definition of literally. 

I knew the show wasn’t going to send Darius packing but I loved Cole so much, especially during this ep, that I dared hope for just a second the judges would do something shocking.  No offense to Darius.

[Mason]

1 hour ago, crowceilidh said:

Did Nigel not quite clearly say that  the two people they sent home were clearly in the bottom of the vote getters?

Yes, but for some reason I've been under the impression that they aren't going strictly by audience vote.

[Coco88]

I thought Nigel said the difference between the bottom vote getters was just too great that they couldn’t justify saving them (I could be mistaken)

Edited August 24, 2018 by Coco88
“Too” and “to” are not the same

[crowceilidh]

Thanks Coco88.  That is the very close to what I remember now that you've told me<grin>.

[RomanKat]

I'm generally annoyed by the SYTYCD "ballroom backdoor" for cross-trained dancers who aren't very strong at ballroom.  In that regard, I tend to associate Jensen with Season 11's Brooklyn and Marcquet, and prefer to think of her as a commercial jazz dancer.  (On that note, how many variations of jazz can the producers give Jensen and Jay Jay?  Jazz, African jazz, smooth jazz.....I"m anticipating theater jazz, a.k.a. Broadway, on the horizon.  Team J for jazz?)

Not that the ballroom front door served Lindsay, Jenna, Brittany, or Ruby well, despite their cross-training.  I regret that circumstances never allowed Landon--whose sister Charity is competing on WOD--nor Brandon--now on DWTS--to compete, but they may not have fared any better.

I'll miss Magda, but agree that she did well for herself.  As for Cole, his personality didn't always register well, imho.  Being 25 and a college grad, he may have been too old and a bit too erudite for young voters.  Also, his cross-training was of the conservatory / concert world type, rather than the commercial / convention type they're more familiar with.  And he's a ballroom dancer who's good at ballroom.  He never had a chance, really.

Edited August 24, 2018 by RomanKat

[ElectricBoogaloo]

4 hours ago, mojoween said:

Oh my god someone please tell Vanessa the definition of literally. 

This x 1,000,000,000,000,000!

[displayname]

4 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

This x 1,000,000,000,000,000!

Literally?

[Ilovepie]

My favorites of the night were Hannahlei and Cole’s broadway and Slavik and Gennesey’s Jazz. Despite that, and the fact that I’ve enjoyed most of Slavik and Gennesey’s dances, I thought they should have sent Gennesey home over Magda. Yes, her hip hop was terrible, but I think she is overall a better dancer than Gennessey, and I hate when it just becomes a bunch of contemporary dancers. 

[Tikichick]

With only a top ten I've reached the decision they should have really shaken up the format altogether and kept all until the end, making the voting cumulative.  The number one reason being that it could have leveled out the inequalities of being largely at the mercy of the choreography(costuming to a lesser extent) you're given for a week.

For all the critique I've directed at Jensen some of her movement in the hip hop number this week was really great.  I thought it was ridiculous to give her and Jay Jay another form of jazz this week -- and I was very annoyed by giving her such a sensual/sexual tension number after warning her to tone down the overt sexiness.  

I knew who was leaving this week before we started and I was sad. 

Costuming is pathetic this year.   

[crowceilidh]

Costuming is godawful this year.  I wonder why the change?  Not that I've been a HUGE fan before, but this year is obviously bad as opposed to good-enough-in-the-circumstances.

[Rahul]

39 minutes ago, crowceilidh said:

Costuming is godawful this year.  I wonder why the change?  

Severe budget cuts.

[WhineandCheez]

Quote

Severe budget cuts.

Let's try instead, "Severe judges cuts."  Sounds kinda the same...

[jasonm240]

There were 2 almost decent routines in the whole epsiode. The judges on their feet for the guys routine, absolutely ridiculous. Everyone was off beat.