S15.E12: Top Six Perform

[cali1981]

11 hours ago, Tikichick said:

Doriana literally used him as if he was an actual piece of machinery in disco, both as a competitor and an All Star.  Nobody could have handled the lifts he did -- and dance like a champ while he did it! I believe he also did a Bollywood with a completely ridiculous amount of time bouncing in and out of squats at unbelievable speed.  Aside from being a fantastic dancer his cardio capacity seemed almost inhuman.

 

Brandon was (and still is) a terrific dancer. He and Janette were incredible in the disco number.  Their Argentine Tango was smoldering and their Cha Cha was outstanding.  She got eliminated too early in their season.  She is now a huge dance star in the UK.  That was a great season with fabulous dancers.  Jeannine won but, IMHO, Kayla was the better dancer and should have taken the prize. Seasons 4 and 5 were absolute gold.

[vdw84]

The whole time nigel was critiquing darius dance, I had to turn the volume all the way down and just read the caption. I refused to hear his lies. I just cannot take that man seriously or this show anymore after that travesty that happen Monday night.

[After7Only]

On 8/28/2018 at 8:31 AM, Tikichick said:

Racist against African Americans unless they are male hip hop dancers?  Wonder if Sabra Johnson, Joshua Allen feel that way?  Maybe Jasmine Harper, Will Wingfield or Danny Tidwell might weigh in?

 

I’d guess at least a few of them may feel that way.  For whatever reason this show has never had a black male winner that was not hip hop, even though there is at least 1 or 2 Black male contemporary or jazz dancers every season.   It’s not a stretch to think race and/or sexuality plays a part.  Will, Brandon, and Danny were all better dancers than whoever won their season,  I was actually very happy to see both Jay Jay and Darius made it as far as they did.  Usually one would be sacrificed in the early weeks.   Both deserved to be in the finale.   

Jenson will probably win, but I just don’t get her appeal.  She always dances heavy to me.  No pep in her step.  That was especially evident in the Tahitian dance.  The choreographer gave her very little to do, I’m guessing because she was unable to do the same moves as Jay Jay.   

Nigel appeared to very careful with the words he used on Travis’s piece for a Darius.  I don’t think his opinion has really changed regarding “effeminate” male dancers.  

Edited August 30, 2018 by After7Only

[crossover]

7 hours ago, cali1981 said:

Brandon was (and still is) a terrific dancer. He and Janette were incredible in the disco number.  Their Argentine Tango was smoldering and their Cha Cha was outstanding.  She got eliminated too early in their season.  She is now a huge dance star in the UK.  That was a great season with fabulous dancers.  Jeannine won but, IMHO, Kayla was the better dancer and should have taken the prize. Seasons 4 and 5 were absolute gold.

Agree with the bold.  A lot of people pick S3 but they weren't versatile like the S4 & S5 casts.  And S3 cast mates didn't get along like S4s & S5s.  But, S3 cast mastered their specialties.  Unfortunately, during S5 is when the excessive manipulation started.  Kayla was good and the show didn't want to lose her.  But she kept ending in the bottom.  So they gave her several jazz/contemporaries in a row, ending with Mia's Addiction number.  Even her waltz was more contemporary.  It worked--F4.  Now people don't bat an eye when a dancer gets his/her specialty several weeks in a row or when the choreographers temper a style toward the dancer's specialty. 

TPTB have also tried pushing the romance angle and still do for that matter.  I wish they'd stop that first because it has nothing to do with dance.  Dance chemistry does but not personal romantic chemistry.  Viewers can see for themselves if the couple has dance chemistry.  After Benjelle, they've been trying to recreate the magic and push it down our throats.  Benji coming out should be a clue that it wasn't romantic.  I'm not saying it doesn't work, just saying it has nothing to do with dance.

I still say Brandon should've won S5.  Kayla is good but back then she should've been more than pleased with F4.

[crossover]

4 hours ago, After7Only said:

Nigel appeared to very careful with the words he used on Travis’s piece for a Darius.  I don’t think his opinion has really changed regarding “effeminate” male dancers.  

Nigel's a dancer.  I don't think he has a problem with gays or effeminacy.  I think his vision for sytycd was/is gender-specific roles.  He probably knew it would be hard to sell dance to the masses.  He also probably knew his target audience would be tween/teen girls (daydreaming time).  Yes, there're dance enthusiasts of all ages and TPTB tried to address those by bringing in accomplished pros/artists back in the day.  But the main audience for the pros/artistry don't vote or drive the ratings meter (such as it is) for sytycd.  I'm just happy when they slip in artistry with a meaning.

I think dance on TV is more accepted now.  Maybe someone will create an all out dance show.  Didn't World of Dance have the two male contemporary team?

[After7Only]

2 hours ago, crossover said:

Nigel's a dancer.  I don't think he has a problem with gays or effeminacy.  I think his vision for sytycd was/is gender-specific roles.  He probably knew it would be hard to sell dance to the masses.  He also probably knew his target audience would be tween/teen girls (daydreaming time).  Yes, there're dance enthusiasts of all ages and TPTB tried to address those by bringing in accomplished pros/artists back in the day.  But the main audience for the pros/artistry don't vote or drive the ratings meter (such as it is) for sytycd.  I'm just happy when they slip in artistry with a meaning.

I think dance on TV is more accepted now.  Maybe someone will create an all out dance show.  Didn't World of Dance have the two male contemporary team?

In one the earlier seasons Nigel passed on a black male contemporary dancer and said he didn’t like effeminate dancers.   The dancer’s routine included a rhythmic gymnastics ribbon.  There was also a gay male ballroom team that auditioned that he made inappropriate comments about.  He has made plenty of comments about preferring masculine contemporary dancers.  Nigel was a dancer in England at a time when male dancers were mostly straight (or appeared to be).   Times have changed and I’m glad he’s finally evolving on gay male dancers.   

[crowceilidh]

I tend to agree that I think NIgel's perceived homophobia is just a perception that has nothing to do with his feelings about gay people.  He wanted male dancers who could appear heteronormative  (not BE heteronormative -- an important distinction) and I think for purely commercial reasons to do with the show's success.  We've been lucky to live through the beginnings of a social turnaround on this issue and he has followed that turn pretty closely (as have my 81 year old parents) and I think kudos to him, not yarboo sucks to him. And although I doubt we'll ever know for sure what he thinks, none of the gay dancers that got through have ever turned against him that I have been aware of.  

[crossover]

3 hours ago, After7Only said:

In one the earlier seasons Nigel passed on a black male contemporary dancer and said he didn’t like effeminate dancers.   The dancer’s routine included a rhythmic gymnastics ribbon.  There was also a gay male ballroom team that auditioned that he made inappropriate comments about.  He has made plenty of comments about preferring masculine contemporary dancers.  Nigel was a dancer in England at a time when male dancers were mostly straight (or appeared to be).   Times have changed and I’m glad he’s finally evolving on gay male dancers.   

I don't think Nigel wants to cast effeminate "dancers" for the show either. They don't fit his vision of gender-specific roles for the show.  But if the dancer is personally effeminate, I don't think he cares.  I don't recall him saying he preferred masculine contemporary dancers, but I believe it.  There's nothing wrong with preferring one type.  It doesn't mean you don't appreciate others.  Most people have a type or style they like best. I prefer the jive over the waltz but I love watching a beautifully performed waltz.

I see the show is allowing varying concepts (if that's what you're calling evolving) since they've brought on the All Stars a few seasons back.  Maybe they will get where gender-specific is not used?  Doubt it.  Ratings will can them first.

[realdancemom]

3 hours ago, crowceilidh said:

I tend to agree that I think NIgel's perceived homophobia is just a perception that has nothing to do with his feelings about gay people.  He wanted male dancers who could appear heteronormative  (not BE heteronormative -- an important distinction) and I think for purely commercial reasons to do with the show's success.  We've been lucky to live through the beginnings of a social turnaround on this issue and he has followed that turn pretty closely (as have my 81 year old parents) and I think kudos to him, not yarboo sucks to him. And although I doubt we'll ever know for sure what he thinks, none of the gay dancers that got through have ever turned against him that I have been aware of.  

Like you mentioned, we don't know what Nigel is thinking.  I think he just wants the show to stay on.  So a lot of times, he plays by Fox's rules even when he doesn't like the changes, e.g. have a kid version, do the All Star mentoring, etc.  Last year, he wanted a top 20 not the All Star mentoring.  I think Fox wanted to follow the Voice example.  This year, I think he was hoping to go back to Top 20 but Fox didn't give them enough weeks to have that option or to have a results show.  I think the only reason why Fox is keeping this show on is because of the Emmys and because they really don't have anything else to schedule.  On Monday, Nigel again pleaded with Fox to bring back the top 20.

Nigel and the judges shouldn't do this whole showmance thing.  It's stupid.  Vanessa is the worst when it comes to shipping.  I don't think Twitch plays by those rules.  I think they are trying to get the tween girls to keep watching and to vote.  As much as I love the Darius/Travis contemporary piece, I'm not even sure what the tween girls thought of that.  I'm too old and don't have children in that age range.  I remember that when one of my daughters was in junior high, she loved the Hummingbird dance with Jaimie and Hok.  But one of her friends thought it was strange.  Don't know the reason why.  Maybe, it was just different from competition routines which is usually not about art but synchronization, tricks, exaggerated facials, and technique moves that get you points.

[rlc]

I’ve started to post a half dozen times since the show and stopped, so I’ll just say that my final four would have been Magda, Hannahlei, Darius, and Jay Jay and leave it at that.

[crowceilidh]

I liked the MIa piece.  It wasn't iconic, but it was interesting and I could see it improving on further acquaintance. 

I loved the LuBrown piece, but I nearly always do (with the exception of the attempt at Ramalama). 

I adored how gorgeous DArius was in that makeup and outfit and that dance. 

Could Slavik be more starkly pale - he has to have been ill, surely?  He ignored JaJa after their dance in a fairly obvious way.  I wonder what that was about.

Kiki still boring as fuck.  Jenna looking anorexic.

Mandy Moore's jazz was pretty good. 

Why another Tahitian dance?  Odd choice.  

[realdancemom]

2 minutes ago, rlc said:

I’ve started to post a half dozen times since the show and stopped, so I’ll just say that my final four would have been Magda, Hannahlei, Darius, and Jay Jay and leave it at that.

For me, Darius, Jay Jay, and Hannahlei for sure.  I'm leaning towards Cole for the fourth spot.  I really didn't get a chance to see what Chelsea and Evan can do though.

Random thoughts - I wonder if Fikshun will be an All Star for Slavik.  Slavik always looks pale.  After the Luther Brown four guys routine, he looked really white in comparison to the others including Cole.

Jensen might win because of Lindsay's fans voting for her.  I don't think she needs to win though for DWTS to use her as a pro.  None of the other SYTYCD dancers on DWTS have won.  Brandon didn't even make it on the show.

[Mason]

11 hours ago, crossover said:

Unfortunately, during S5 is when the excessive manipulation started.  Kayla was good and the show didn't want to lose her.  But she kept ending in the bottom.  So they gave her several jazz/contemporaries in a row, ending with Mia's Addiction number.  Even her waltz was more contemporary.  It worked--F4.  Now people don't bat an eye when a dancer gets his/her specialty several weeks in a row or when the choreographers temper a style toward the dancer's specialty. 

Don't forget Evan Kasprzak. Nigel turned himself inside out, trying to keep him out of the Top 4.

[Dancelove]

4 hours ago, rlc said:

I’ve started to post a half dozen times since the show and stopped, so I’ll just say that my final four would have been Magda, Hannahlei, Darius, and Jay Jay and leave it at that.

They did well.  Magda didn't cut the mustard on a really stinky hip hop choreography however she was stunning in the contemporary style. If it were a lyrical hip hop she would have been just as good as ever.  Hannahlei did aiight on some pieces, better on others.  Her legs on the AT were really great, sharp staccato.. I didn't expect that from a contemporary dancer.  Daius and Jay Jay could watch those boys all day long and never get bored. Loved them both -- my overall picks #1 Darius  #2 Jay Jay #3 Hannahlei #4 Magda  -  three out of the 4 are gone so I be watching a primary or something come Monday. 

[vdw84]

7 hours ago, crowceilidh said:

I liked the MIa piece.  It wasn't iconic, but it was interesting and I could see it improving on further acquaintance. 

I loved the LuBrown piece, but I nearly always do (with the exception of the attempt at Ramalama). 

I adored how gorgeous DArius was in that makeup and outfit and that dance. 

Could Slavik be more starkly pale - he has to have been ill, surely?  He ignored JaJa after their dance in a fairly obvious way.  I wonder what that was about.

Kiki still boring as fuck.  Jenna looking anorexic.

Mandy Moore's jazz was pretty good. 

Why another Tahitian dance?  Odd choice.  

 

Jenna did look too thin, I wonder is she starving herself because she wants to look perfect for her wedding but I dont even think they have came up with a date yet. She needs be careful because she was already thin enough.

I will hand it to kiki on this, he is one fantastic ballroom dancer, I honestly could not take my eyes off him in that routine with jensen which isnt hard to do because Jensen is weak ballroom dancer to me, Magda was better, hell even Hannallie looks better doing it. However, I do not like him out of his style and his personality is as dry as the sahara desert. Maybe if it wasnt for all the pimping last season, I would like him a bit more but I don't no matter how great he dances ballroom.

I love what a good actor Darius is and how he can adapt to any character. I loved watching him dance, he is so strong and tall which is great for partnering which he was. I am going to miss him, he was so good.

I loved the girls dance that Lubrown did but it wasnt as epic as the boys last week, that dance was in a league of its own. I just felt like the guys had better chemistry and vibed better off each other than the girls but it was still very good routine

2 hours ago, Dancelove said:

They did well.  Magda didn't cut the mustard on a really stinky hip hop choreography however she was stunning in the contemporary style. If it were a lyrical hip hop she would have been just as good as ever.  Hannahlei did aiight on some pieces, better on others.  Her legs on the AT were really great, sharp staccato.. I didn't expect that from a contemporary dancer.  Daius and Jay Jay could watch those boys all day long and never get bored. Loved them both -- my overall picks #1 Darius  #2 Jay Jay #3 Hannahlei #4 Magda  -  three out of the 4 are gone so I be watching a primary or something come Monday. 

I truly do not blame magda at all for hiphop routine. It was bad choreography for one. Both Darius and Magda deserved a much better hiphop routine than that. I wish they had got Chris Scot or Nabbytabs instead of phoenix and pharside, their choreography always got be far out there and not make sense which can hurt the contestants. Their choreographer is better for animators or somebody, like I believe slavik would kill a phoenix and pharside choreography because that is what he does but not someone like magda tho.

[Token]

I don't understand, for the life of me, how Slavik and Gennessy are still there.  They've sucked all season, they sucked tonight.  Yet they're still there.  Of course the two black guys, who were amazing tonight, went home.  Bye show!  I missed a few seasons, tried to give you another chance, and you blew it.  You're now permanently off my PVR.

[vdw84]

50 minutes ago, Token said:

I don't understand, for the life of me, how Slavik and Gennessy are still there.  They've sucked all season, they sucked tonight.  Yet they're still there.  Of course the two black guys, who were amazing tonight, went home.  Bye show!  I missed a few seasons, tried to give you another chance, and you blew it.  You're now permanently off my PVR.

They had a showmance being pushed by the judges and production and that is how they are still there. Dont get me wrong, genessy and slavik arent bad dancers infact its been a few routines of theirs that I have enjoyed, like their hiphop and first contemporary but thats it. Overall darius and jayjay were on a totally different level, I almost felt like they were too good for sytycd esp. darius.

[jewel21]

I prefer Gennessy and Slavik over Darius and Jay Jay. Do I think Darius and Jay Jay are stronger dancers? Absolutely, without a doubt. But this is a voting show for your favourite dancer, not the most talented dancer. And I always found Jay Jay and Darius to be rather bland in terms of their personality. Obviously, it's all subjective, but that's how I feel, and if I were able to vote, I would have voted for Slavik and Gennessy to go through as well. 

[vdw84]

9 minutes ago, jewel21 said:

I prefer Gennessy and Slavik over Darius and Jay Jay. Do I think Darius and Jay Jay are stronger dancers? Absolutely, without a doubt. But this is a voting show for your favourite dancer, not the most talented dancer. And I always found Jay Jay and Darius to be rather bland in terms of their personality. Obviously, it's all subjective, but that's how I feel, and if I were able to vote, I would have voted for Slavik and Gennessy to go through as well. 

I will agree to disagree with their personalities. JayJay and Darius great personalities. Infact I felt like the boys overall  had better personalities than the girls as to why I thought it was going to be a mostly male finale but hey what do I know. They will go on to great things without winning so all is good.

[realdancemom]

39 minutes ago, vdw84 said:

I will agree to disagree with their personalities. JayJay and Darius great personalities. Infact I felt like the boys overall  had better personalities than the girls as to why I thought it was going to be a mostly male finale but hey what do I know. They will go on to great things without winning so all is good.

IMHO, the top 20/10 guys were stronger dancers than the top 20/10 women.  This is for dancing and not personalities.  I also agree that it's not necessary to win.  This is just another experience with some TV exposure.  I can see Darius in a contemporary company and Cole at Broadway based on the last two weeks.  The other dancers will move on to great things too.

Edited August 31, 2018 by realdancemom

[LexieLily]

Looking at the list of choreographers and All-Stars set for the Top Four Week, is this the first season since their arrival that we'll go the entire season with no NappyTabs?

[vdw84]

Interesting they are going to have two night finale, that means double voting. Did they have this last season? Well in this case if slavic ends ups doing better next week, I can see him winning this whole damn thing because his fangirls will be powervoting for him.

[Cuatro1234]

Due to travel, I just watched last week’s show and this week’s show.   I enjoyed both, especially last week’s (Top 8).  These were the first shows this season where I actually went back and re-watched dances.  Especially liked the girls’ group number, Jensen/Jay Jay’s cha cha, the piece that Robert choreographed, and the mask piece.  

I was surprised at the gender imbalance in F4.  In LoFro’s season, I think they got vot d off one by one and she was the last girl standing.    It was a gender-ocide (sorry!). 

I think TPTB are pushing Jensen bc they’d like a ballroom winner, but it will be interesting to see if having 3 girls splits the vote.  But I think that Utah voting bloc is pretty powerful.  

@Jillibean (I think) mentioned the judges don’t always call out mistakes that even we untrained viewers catch.  Someone here in past seasons told us that the judges prepare notes from the choreographers and during dress rehearsal for their comments during the show, so what shows up on the live show may escape comment. That makes sense to me. 

Edited September 3, 2018 by Cuatro1234
Clarifying this was the first time *this season* that I had re-watched dances.

[crossover]

On 8/29/2018 at 9:41 AM, Jillibean said:

I do think it’s very possible that they’ve flagged Jensen for the win for the crossover potential, since Jensen will almost certainly end up on DWTS. There are a lot of SYT alumni on the show, but as far as I can think no actual winners.

I don't think anyone responded to this?  Witney, Lindsay and Jenna have won on DWTS. 

[Snow Fairy]

I think Jillibean wanted to say that DWTS does not have SYTYCD winners

[crossover]

Thanks, Snow Fairy.

Edited September 3, 2018 by crossover

[Jillibean]

8 hours ago, Cuatro1234 said:

I think TPTB are pushing Jensen bc they’d like a ballroom winner, but it will be interesting to see if having 3 girls splits the vote.  But I think that Utah voting bloc is pretty powerful.  

@Jillibean (I think) mentioned the judges don’t always call out mistakes that even we untrained viewers catch.  Someone here in past seasons told us that the judges prepare notes from the choreographers and during dress rehearsal for their comments during the show, so what shows up on the live show may escape comment. That makes sense to me. 

I agree about the Utah voting bloc. Since the beginning of the show, dancers from the Utah ballroom community have benefited from a very enthusiastic and well organized voting community back home. 

I’ve also heard that the judges prepare notes in advance, which makes sense. But they can’t rely on their notes from dress at the expense of what just happened in front of them. When JayJay and Jensen botched their last lift in their first dance, it was apparent. When Slavic and Genessy were totally off in their sync for the jive, it was apparent. It doesn’t take that much thinking on your feet to call it out (for anyone other than Vanessa, who should stick to her scripted remarks). If someone messes something up in a performance, you can’t not mention it because it didn’t happen in dress. So it comes down to the same thing, which is that IMO you lose some of your authority with the viewing audience when what you’re commenting on doesn’t match what they just watched. For at least the first few dances, every time Jensen came down from a lift her leg shook like she was going to topple right over. A couple of times JayJay actually had to hold her so she didn’t fall. I don’t know if that was a Jensen landing issue, a JayJay lifting issue, or a combination thereof, and I guess I never will because it wasn’t mentioned a single time this season despite the fact that it happened over and over.  

[allypenguin]

On 8/29/2018 at 1:31 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

He is the choreographer for the new Go-Go’s musical Head Over Heels which opened on Broadway a few weeks ago (after a pre-Broadway run in San Francisco). They started rehearsals in March so I’m guessing Spencer just wanted to take a break after the show finally opened. 

Thank you! Damn I hope he's back next season (if it's renewed) I love him!

[Ilovepie]

Unpopular opinion but I like Slavik. He is my favorite this season, mostly because I enjoy him when he does his own style. His and Gennessy’s first hip hop routine was my favorite of the season and probably the only routine I will remember when it’s over. I’m just tired of the over dramatic contemporary routines. They all look the same to me. I am not a teeny bopper either- I’m a 46 yo woman with zero dance experience . Of course he isn’t the best dancer, but he is the most memorable this season for me. 

i would have rather seen Jay Jay instead of Gennessy in the finale, but I wonder if Darius and Jay Jay split the vote bc they are similar style dancers. I am glad the top four are diverse styles instead of a bunch of contemporary dancers which I think defeats the spirit of the show.

I think the entire season has been Jensen’s DWTS audition tape. I fully expect to see her joining her sister there shortly.Ugh.

Hannalei for the win I guess. She has been consistently good in everything and I like her better than Jensen. The other two should be proud they got as far as they did.