SYTYCD 2009 Top 8 Power Rankings
While it’s never been easy (in my experience), this week’s Power Rankings are TOUGH! I kinda know what Nigel meant when he said the show felt pretty flat for a bit, though I didn’t completely agree with him. There were some great performances last night, but it kinda feels like maybe everybody (including the judges and Cat) felt their attentions flagging before the big 100th episode blowout (see John’s SYTYCD reminiscing post too). I’m kinda surprised they’re going to pack everything into an hour (if anyone knows differently, let me know) cause it seems like with Katie Holmes and the favorite routines and an extra judge making jokes AND regular elimnations, they’re going to need more time.
Loved Ellen on the show, especially when she said, “I just wanted seats and these were pretty good, so I said yes” and Travis Wall’s group routine. I’m kinda horrified to see if Mia and Ellen will actually wear costumes from the routine, though. Though I really adore a calm Mary Murphy. She really is well-spoken and intelligent, which just annoys me all the more when she begins the hysterics.
Alright, let me get down to it.
Solos: Jeanine, Brandon, Janette and Ade all had really strong solos, for me (in that order). However, I feel like Evan, Jason and Kayla were all giving us more of the same old same old and I was rather bored (as cute as I always find Evan, sigh). Melissa tried to give us something different, but it didn’t work for me, so I’d put her between Jason and Kayla there.
SYTYCD Top 8 Girl Power Rankings:
1. Janette had a great night. She had a strong solo and two solid routines. I feel like she did bring out the inner Latino stallion in Evan, as she promised. And they were strong together in that Sonya jazz routine. She shone, no matter what you think of Evan.
2. Jeanine had the best solo, in my opinion, and the second routine, the hip hop, was really good. I enjoyed it. The first though, that waltz, was so incredibly boring. I don’t feel like that was really the dancers’ fault and there were definitely some lovely moments. I loved the twirl into a lift they did, where Jeanine’s yellow dress proved itself a gorgeous wardrobe choice. But overall, because the “weak” routine was the first one, I think she’ll be fine. She’s my favorite dancer at the moment, hands down. She’s even beaten Evan for me.
3. Melissa really tried to stretch and do something different in her solo. I gotta give her props for that. I don’t dislike her as a dancer, by any means, but I tend to like the way she moves the least. I was bored again during her cha cha with Ade. I really wished they’d each gotten new partners, especially during that cha cha (hated the music, hated it). I wanted to see them with new people. However, they were gorgeous in Tyce’s contemporary. Simply gorgeous. It was the perfect song choice, the second I heard the opening notes to Maxwell’s “This Woman’s Work,” I was there. It was the first time I saw Melissa dancing outside her usual movements and it felt more true than anything else I’ve seen her do. And I don’t suppose they could’ve done what they did if they’d had new partners – I didn’t realize just what a leap Melissa made into Ade’s arms till the playback, but imagine the courage that has to take when her body is her entire career. If he’d slipped just a little, she would nose-dived into the audience. I actually felt twice as affected when I re-watched the routine, if that’s possible.
4. Kayla’s routine was more of the usual from her. I really like her and I think she’s starting to show a lot of personality. But she’s been so cold and buttoned-up so much of the season, and so on-the-ball, that I worry people connect to her the least and haven’t seen her “grow” (because she’s already been there, at least technically), so they won’t vote. I really liked her in Broadway, as the judges did. She was lustrous. And I really liked her in the hip hop with Jason, though a friend who was visiting my house during the show (and dances) did remark that she wasn’t hitting the movements as cleanly or with as much punch as Jason. It was a cute piece. I would’ve said Melissa after the cha cha, but after the contemporary, I suspect Kayla’s the most in danger.
SYTYCD Top 8 Boy Power Rankings:
1. Ade had a strong solo (as always), a kinda awful cha cha and then that AMAZING contemporary I’ve already talked about at length. It’s the most memorable routine of the night in many ways (even if you hated it, you have to admit that having an entire studio audience and the judges sobbing is memorable). He is such a quiet, solid dancer, Ade. Hope everybody voted for him, because him being in the bottom last week was unforgivable. 🙂
2. Brandon had the strongest male solo. I was pretty impressed with him. The waltz was boring, as I’ve said, but it was first and he really was strong and sexy on that hip hop. He had pretty good chemistry with Jeanine, so I’m thinking he generally had a good night.
3. Evan, oh my Evan (or Evando as Cat clearly enjoyed calling him last night), kinda disappointed me with his solo, as I’ve said. It was cute and good, but he’s not really incorporating any of the other styles into his solos, as some of the others are doing. He’s learning *a lot* on this show, so I want to see him use it. I really liked both his routines with Janette. They had really good chemistry and as the judges said, he was there for his partner (as he always is). I felt like he came a long way on the spectrum of sexiness – he moved his hips!, did you see that? And Mia has a good point – he may not be the most diverse or technically the best of the dancers, but there is something about him and the way he moves and his personality that makes it wholly enjoyable to watch him. I almost think I’d rather watch him struggle with a dance than a technically perfect but boring routine. But I do recognize that he’s not growing as fast as some of the others, so despite my personal love for him and his ENORMOUS fan base, I’m putting him in the bottom two.
4. Jason disappointed me with his solo, too. There was nothing wrong with it, but it was just too much like most of his others. It was around his solo that Mom texted, “Is it me or do the solos seem the same mostly?” Right as I was texting her the same thing. I agree that he was very charming in the Broadway and pretty awesome as a hip hop zombie. So why’d I put him in the bottom 2, at the very bottom? I guess I just haven’t the heart to put Evan here and I suspect that perhaps Evan’s fanbase might give just a bit of an edge.
But darn, this is HARD! I like everybody at this point, so it’s hard to predict who’s gonna stick around, when I’d really just love to keep watching them in new configurations. Do you suppose SYTYCD may lay off eliminating people this week, in light of how much they’re doing on the 100th episode? But I guess 4 would be quite a lot to leave all in one go next week…
And I know eventually there can be only one. My top 4 at the moment? Jeanine, Ade, Janette and Evan. Can’t wait to see the 100th episode tonight.
Last night was such a good show! I loved Melissa and Ade’s contemporary number. It had me in tears. The emotion that was put into the performance was overwhelming wonderful! The cha cha was a little too stiff for both. It was not hot and fun. I think Melissa is a beautiful dancer but her solo fell flat for me. Ade had a great solo!
I really enjoyed both Kayla and Jason’s performances. The Shane hip hop number was excellent! It brought me back to the late great Michael Jackson. It was scary, fun, and out there! I loved it! Both thier solos were just ok for me. Kayla is perfect to look at. She is a wonderful performer. Jason really has stepped it up for me in the last 2 weeks!
OMG Jeanine!!! She was so beautiful in her solo! She is quickly becoming one of my favorite girls! I did not enjoy the Waltz. I agree with Mary the music was too slow. The danced it well but I wanted more. The hip hop was great! A great performance with both Jeanine and Brandon. Brandon had a great solo!!! I think he is wonderful to watch. What a great dancer!
Jenette is my favorite. She is good at everything! The commitment that she puts into every performance is empowering! I loved her first performance with Evan!! The music was so off! It was just what I like Sonia’s work is so fun to watch! Evan fell flat on his solo. I have to say that Evan is my least favorite. I do enjoy him and I think he is great but, I like the movement of the others more. He has a great classic style to him, it is refreshing! Can’t wait for tonight’s show!
Why is Brandon so special? What do I not see!?!! He did back flips….that’s not dance its tricks! Its like putting glitter over poop and calling it a present. I am not calling Brandon poop I promise. Well I agrees with like most of all of that up there. The Waltz was a watlz….on SYTYCD if you get Mia or Wade out of the hat, you are garmented a safe spot, have you noticed? The Hip Hop was lovely, I liked that is had no story, it was kind of lyrical.
Jason’s solo was upsetting for me because, well I am a teen and pointed out to my mother that he was in skinny jeans. YOU CANNOT DANCE IN SKINNY JEANS!! And I get annoyed when the men dance with no shirts on…cause to me its seems like there doing a “all the little girls look at my body and vote cause I’m sexy.” And sadly…all the girls vote for the guy with the shirt off. He is strong and all, but….I see little growth its almost like “Yeah, I’m in top 8, going on Tour so what….” I did not like the Hip Hop I was like”….yupp….is it over yet?” and the strangling looked wrong to me. The Broadway was great though.
Kayla….She shines but doesn’t grow for me. Her solo was just the same old stuff. She seems to dance to win, not just because she loves it.
Jeanette seems to like be like Will two seasons ago- to good at everything. So even if she does not win, she will go somewhere. Kind of like Chelsea last season too- amazing, but not a favorite to me, her time is running out.
Jeanine I did not love at first, I knew that she only made it as far as she did because of Phillip, and of his reputation. But now, when I saw her solos a while back in the bottom and I liked her, she shown a little for me. And yea that Waltz was like…..slow and she was in yellow and a waltz is peaceful not bright. Bad costuming there guys.
I love Melissa cause she’s a ballerina and has no background in anything else so she has to push herself harder with every routine. I loved both of her routines. I did not think that Tyce did his routine for an Emmy like everyone else is saying, I think he did it because maybe he saw a Breast cancer ribbon and heard a song and got a light bulb. There are stickers around that say “Feel your Boobies” for Breast Cancer awareness, so who really knows. He is like Mia, he just dances for feeling not for an award.
Ade is great he is like a popping contemporary dancer! And does not have to dance with his shirt off. He is unique to me. And has a cute smile and just seems to enjoy being there. He never seems to dance to win, he seems to dance to dance!
Evan, he disappointed me, he dropped his hat in his solo. And the jazz was disappointing for me just because Sonya is so great and it wasn’t a great routine. But I love him, cause when the judges say “this was bad and yadda yadda” he just smiles and nods and takes it into account and learns from it.
I hope, even though “hope” is a little mean word, that Jason goes home with Kayla.
I keep hearing writers on SYTYCD websites say that Evan has an ENORMOUS fanbase.
I’d like to know what any of you are basing that on.
Do you have inside knowledge of the weekly vote totals?
Have any of you taken a nationwide poll (ie. Zogby or Harris or Gallup)?
Just curious how the word ENORMOUS can be used without proof!!!
Hey John – it’s more of a guesstimate. And, there’s been at least one week where (as much as I love him), Evan probably would have been sent home if folks didn’t love him and vote for him in big numbers.
But you’re right – Phillip had a GINORMOUS fan base and went home. So. What do any of us know? It’s more from reading other sites, polls and watching the show. It’s not scientific or academic in any way. Probably why I’m loving writing on a fan site, coming from an academic background like I do. 🙂
@Kelsey: My mom said the same thing–How can he dance in those jeans? I have absolutely no idea. And I agree about Ade-he really does seem to love what he does rather than the fame that comes with it.
Either I missed something, or they just now told us the prizes for this season! Money and a cover of Dance Spirit magazine-something not all that new to Kayla should she win.
You mean “luminous,” not “lustrous.”
Nope, meant lustrous.
Hi, Montana’s mom.