Voting

beckytcy — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:02:56 -0500

After a while, isn't the decision left entirely up to America? The judges are definitely pulling for Will, but it will be out of their hands aftere a while. He looked incredible in the second routine without a shirt. Wooooo!!! (Mary Murphy scream)

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"I have nothing constructive

maryrwise — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:54:17 -0500

"I have nothing constructive or mature to say."

That made me laugh out loud! It was definitely Abs Night on SYTYCD last night.

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So You Think You Can Dance Recap: The Top 14 dance twice!

Elisa Camahort — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:35:13 -0500

Last night was an epic SYTYCD, with each couple performing two routines. Last night it was also clear who the judges favor, who they are gunning for, and I even detected a bit of strategy on their part, namely: Send a message to fans that they would never boot Will, so please PLEASE put him in the Bottom 3, so they can boot Jessica.

And I have the same plea.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. What exactly went down in fron of the judges, Nigel, Mary (who now exclusively wears disco-ball-clothing) and hip-hop choreographers Napolean & Tabitha (does anyone else hear really really want to see them actually dance?)

Couple #1: Will & Jessica

Will & Jessica kicked off the evening with a Jive. This started slow as ever, with Will once again effortlessly outshining Jessica by being sharp and full of focused energy and Jessica being clompy and probably steadfastly on the beat...which made her seem behind the beat, because Will has the gift of breathless anticipation in his moves. I mean, I feel sorry for her too the way they heap him with praise and go so far as to say out loud that she is dragging him down, but the truth hurts, you know? And at this point I think the judges are desperate for them to land in the Bottom 3, so they can see Will dance with someone else.

Their second dance was a "lyrical jazz" routine...whatever the hell lyrical jazz is compared to, say contemporary. Anyone care to educate me...sometimes I really think they just make these designations up, don't you? Personally I was enjoying the eye candy on last night's show. Will and particularly Twitch were put on full display in all their six-packed wonder, and I was not complaining. They actually should have called this style "lyrical jazz sex", because it was rated R. I will say it's the best jessica has ever ever been, so props to her for stepping it up a notch. I just wish they'd all stop critiquing her self-confidence and critique her actual dancing!

Bottom line: Like I said, I can see what the judges want. I'm just not sure the voters are willing to oblige. I would. I would totally oblige.

Couple #2: Comfort & Thayne

Their first number was a Broadway number from West Side Story. I think this was the most I've ever liked Thayne, mostly because he had to look all serious and couldn't bust out his cheesy smile. Comfort did her best but seemed a bit uncomfortable. Mostly, I think it's a tough situation to have someone out there trying to re-choreograph iconic Jerome Robbins Broadway numbers set to thrilling Leonard Bernstein music. both of these numbers, in their original form, were examples of what Robbins did best: Choreograph for men. Robbins had a way of creating choreography that was utterly masculine and tremendously exciting. Good thing, since Bernstein's music is muscular and full of explosive moments. Did this new Broadway choreographer (Andy) capture the essence of Bernstein's music or pay proper homage to Robbins' original masterworks? Not by a long shot. There were amazing, percussive musical moments accompanied by smooth, swift and not particularly powerful movements. Turning this into a dance about sexual tension may have been a tiny reason they weren't hitting the levels and intensity the judges were looking for. This number is about life and death kind of tension, not sexual tension. In the original musical Riff and Bernardo have just died, and the gang...really a bunch of barely-post-pubescent high school tough guys...don't know how to deal with what they have just seen. Did you get any of that drama from this routine? Didn't think so. Does highlight a downfall of this show: They spend so much time dancing in heterosexual couples, and 90% of the routines end up being about the "couple." There are other things to move one to dance in life, you know?

Their second dance was the Smooth Waltz. Thing is: at some point the judges are right that we have to stop talking about Comfort's "potential." This has many moments of elegance, including a surprising level of grace and flexibility and extension from Comfort, but I'm not sure it had the sweeping overall flow and fluidity that would have made it a totally winning routine. And Thayne was just there. Which is, I guess, normal for this style, but it was too much of not enough for my taste.

Bottom line: The judges clearly want them in the Bottom 3, and I think we will all oblige.

Couple #3: Kortni & Matt

Their first number was a Hip-hop routine, and since hip-hop apparently has genres now, I believe this was lyrical hip-hop or something like that. I actually really liked this. I like the easy, smooth groove that they achieved. I thought Matt did better than Kortni, but I enjoyed watching it, and I thought it was actually quite beautiful and romantic. Yes, it was a little upright, and I suppose there were moments that could have looked a bit more like the hip-hop we're used to (i.e. sharp, hard-hitting) but I don't get why they go on and on extolling the evolution of hip-hop to include so many styles now, and then the only criticism they reliably pull out of their bag is that a routine isn't sharp enough or hard-hitting enough. Seemed to me this wasn't choreographed to be sharp and hard-hitting, no? i particularly think they've been way harder on Matt all season than he deserved, but that's just me.

Their second dance was the Mambo

The judges did nail it on this one. Sure, they executed the steps and made this fun and frothy...but where was that earthy, sultry, Latin feel? Nowhere. They didn't have great chemistry; they didn't have heat; they had properly executed choreography. End of story. Unfortunately.

Bottom line: The judges clearly want them in the Bottom 3, and I think we will all oblige. In fact I think they'll be heading home.

Couple #4: Chelsea and Mark

And here started the string of couples that the judges clearly are rooting for, starting with this odd couple that has turned out to be anything but. Their first number was a Jazz routine (that again seemed pretty much like Contemporary to me.) Despite the judges' ravings, this was only OK for me. To the point that I can't even remember it, thinking back. My notes say that Mark seemed a bit closed off, and that the number was all about her to an unbalanced degree. I cannot picture in my mind a single thing about this routine, not even what they were wearing...and that tells me one thing: It was mediocre. No matter how much the judges raved!

Their second dance was the Foxtrot. This wasn't Mark's night, IMHO. Like Thayne in the Smooth Waltz, he was just kinda there. He had a few moments away from the partnering where he got to do his own thing and shone, but he seemed to disappear once they were partnering. Again: too much so. To a distracting degree. She's lovely, but without someone featuring and supporting her in a sparkling way, she didn't have as far too reach. She could have been even better, I think.

Bottom line: Frankly, I wasn't thrilled with their evening, but I don't think the voters will agree with me.

Couple #5: Kherington & Twitch

Their first number was the Paso Doble. And I got distracted from Twitch in leather pants and just an open vest just long enough to notice the whole opening cape sequence was off, unsynchronized, sloppy, you name it. Did I care? Huh, what? Seriously, the costumers were just trying to dazzle us with abs last night. Works for me. I have nothing constructive or mature to say.

Their second dance was a Mia Michaels contemporary piece, and come on people: Some time you are going to have to find it somewhere within you to observe when Mia doesn't do her usual top job, and you will have to have the courage to admit it. The first step is admitting it. This was a bunch of flopping and jumping on an angled bed. That is all. Where was the dancing? Where was the variety of movement and emotion? Where were the levels? Oh, sorry, the levels were I'm standing next to the bed, or I'm flopping on the bed...see, levels. Yes, theya re pretty pretty people, and yes, Twitch's abs never grow old. But this number grew old on me, and in this particular case the choreographing empress had no clothes. Is it just ME?

Bottom line: My ranting aside, they are so safe.

Couple #6: Katee & Joshua

Their first number was a Mia Michaels contemporary piece. And not my favorite one she has ever done. I didn't get the story to be honest. It was all harsh and dark, but still very coupled...lots of romantic physicality with conflicting emotional anguish. That being said...some very cool movements that almost emulated anime style movement. It was well-executed, Joshua really rose to the occasion, and despite not knowing what this was about, their intensity level made it compelling,

Their second dance was a West Coast swing, choreographed by Benjy Schwimmer (yay!) While Joshue always steps up and delivers drama when he's asked to, Katee is way better at drama and can't ever really step up to meet joshua when fun and sparkle and mad energy is called for. He's just got that infamous "it", and she does not. What she does have is tremendous trust in him...the fearless lifts and leaps they did in both pieces really made them stand out, so all props t her!

Bottom line: Come on, really? Safe.

Couple #7: Courtney & Gev

Their first number was a Hip-hop routine...New York style. Which is apparently so vastly different from whatever style Gev does that he looked like one of those contemporary dancers suddenly thrown in the Hip-hop pool. Courtney way outshone him. He seemed constrained. She seemed joyfully free and really on target. Color me surprised.

Their second number was a Broadway routine from On The Town. Again, Bernstein music, Robbins original choreography floating in my head. Gev actually does clean up and put on a character well, but just like the other Broadway number, this didn't go anywhere, and it wasn't nearly dynamic enough. I was not sold.

Bottom line: Still, the judges seemed to be won over by Courtney and Gev last night. I'm not so sure.

Bottom line for the Bottom 3:

I think the obvious ones are:
Kortni and Matt
Comfort and Thayne

I think the third couple will NOT be Kherington/Twitch or Katee/Joshua (and although I wasn't sold on Chelsea/Mark last night, I think everyone else totally was, so they're probably in this category too.)

My preferred option would be for the third couple to be Jessica and Will, so we can lose Jessica. But it may be Courtney and Gev.

Going home? My guess is Kortni and Matt.

But what did you think?

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So You Think You Can Dance Recap: The Top 14 dance twice!