SYTYCD Top 12 Performance Thoughts
Hey SYTYCD fanatics. I’ll unfortunately be unable to blog this week and might even miss seeing the shows entirely! If I can watch the shows, I’ll probably post something, but it’ll be much later than usual. I’m counting on you to fill me in about the show and tell me everything you think in the comments, as it may be the only way I’ll get to experience the shows this week. :'( If you feel especially brave, maybe you’ll risk predicting the Top 10 in a power ranking type fashion. (Amanda? Here’s your chance!) John will post the music, though it may be later than usual as he’s in Las Vegas and not East Coast-ish like me. 🙂 Feel free to comment on the music as well and we’ll put up iTunes links as always. So sorry for this disruption and I hope you have fun discussing the Top 12 performance episode.
I will attempt the power rankings. I’ll post sometime after the show.
I’m on my way back to school from my immersion trip in mexico (amazing btw) and I’m hoping to catch the performance show on west coast time, either on tv or online, I’ll post my thoughts as soon as I can. I’m still working on getting my pictures and videos from the San Jose tour stop of the 5Alive tour, I’ll keep you guys posted!
I’m home for Thanksgiving which means….I can watch SYTYCD in real time! whoo!
Ok…here are my thoughts
Bottom 3:
-Karen/Victor
-Mollee/Nathan
-Russell/Noelle
TOP:
Jakob/Ashleigh
Kathryn/Legacy
Ellenore/Ryan
Even though their Tango was pretty good – I still think the hip-hop was pretty weak, so I would bet Karen and Victor to be in the bottom. Same with Mollee and Nathan. They had one weak routine, and one better routine. Noelle and Russell are a tough choice – I really like them both and Noelle has certainly grown on me, but their samba wasn’t the strongest. I’m sure they will have great solos. I think unless Karen pulls out an AMAZING solo (and she is somehow not in the bottom 3) – she’ll be going home. ESPECIALLY if her solo is anything like last weeks. yikes.
I love me some Laurie Ann Gibson…..but I thought Victor and Karen didn’t dance it well at all. Adam was right when he was trying to explain how something was just…off. I’m so excited to see Laurie Ann back this season because Battlefield was such a strong performance, but the two couples she has had haven’t lived up to her choreography. Maybe it’s her, i’m not sure. I doubt it. I hope she gets a strong couple for her next routine. I love her concepts.
The judges were right on when they said they were sad to see Kathryn and Legacy partnership broken up. They are two I didn’t really care about in the beginning, but since their first routine they have quickly become two favorites!!! I disagree with Nigel that they might be in trouble. I think they have solidified their spots in the top 10 and then some.
I’m so excited/nervous to see who is in the top 10! I’m happy because I have confidence in my favorites that they will make it. I’m sad about some of the partner break ups but excited to see some different partnerships!
I’m hoping to see a Jakob/Ellenore and a Jakob/Kathryn matchup – esp a contemporary routine. and if say…it’s a Travis or Stacey Tookey routine – come on! that’s sure to a memorable one.
Fun show. I agree with Kayla’s top3/bottom 3, although I’d rather see Nathan go than Victor.
My top 2 girls at this point are Kathryn and Ashleigh, probably in that order. I know Legacy wasn’t technically great in the waltz, but I loved that piece and Karthryn was just so stunning that she more than made up for it. Just watch the part ~1/3 of the way through the piece when she spins in front of him, looks at him, and smiles. That look just summed up the emotion of the dance. I can’t list the top 2 guys, because at this point I think there is Jakob and no body else. He’s amazing to watch dance.
Okaymy thoughts on the show are posted in my power rankings blog.
I’m finally back home after 4 incredible days in Mexico and what a better thing to come back to than So You Think You Can Dance! I want to give a quick shout out to the choreographers for picking really great music this week!!
my thoughts:
Ashleigh and Jakob
their lyrical had the feeling of being very simple, yet so difficult and strong. Nigel was right to bring up Ashleigh’s partnering skills this week, very very good. I loved it.
Great way to end the show! Ashleigh looked hot! Pink is definitely her color, and Jakob looked like he had been doing ballroom for much longer than a week. Kudos to them, super super routine.
Ryan and Ellenore
Lindy Hop was great for them, I was really happy to see this back in SYTYCD, if I’m not mistaken it hasn’t been done since Lacey and Neil in S3, someone please correct me if I’m wrong about that.
LOVED their broadway piece! so glad to see Spencer Liff come back and choreograph again and to see justice done with his work. excellent job on the characterization and the power of the routine.
Noelle and Russell
their samba was, to use S5’s Randi and Evan’s favorite word, fun! I disagreed with Adam, I didn’t need it to be dirty, b/c that’s just not who Noelle and Russell are, but I saw what the judges were talking about w/ getting deeper into their movements.
I’m obsessed with their contemporary! For me this is the BEST routine of the whole season. Such connection and emotion, clever and so beautifully danced. and there was a Katee sighting in the rehearsal video!
Legacy and Kathryn
Loved Sonya’s cool jazz piece, really a chance for Legacy to explore new areas.
Gutsy music choice by Jean-Marc for a Viennese Waltz, but it kind of worked! I thought it was beautiful, but in those replays I saw what Mary was talking about with the feet.
Mollee and Nathan
clever choreography, I thought Nathan did a great job, you could really see how much he loves hip hop. Unfortunately, I just can’t jump on the Mollee train. I thought she did a good job, but she wasn’t hitting it nearly as hard as Nathan.
OF COURSE these 2 would get the can-can. I can’t believe that I’m saying this, but I actually liked it! I thought Nathan was better than Mollee, but kudos to M for dancing 2 very challenging dances on a bum ankle.
Karen and Victor
Phase 1 of the new partnership was pretty successful. Karen seemed to bring out something different in Victor, there was a connection, but I still didn’t feel a connection to the audience.
Ugh, I didn’t like their hip hop. Great concept, but I agree with Adam, something just felt off.
Woo! This isn’t quite so tough as the judges might say. Great night save for a few sour spots.
Ryan & Ellenore (Lindy Hop) – Not really a memorable routine. I wish I could say more but I can’t see past their incredible…
(Broadway) – Oh my goodness! This was perfect and suited their strengths so well! This reminded me heavily of the film version of Chicago where Richard Gere operated Renee Zellweger like a puppet. Ellenore’s natural oddity served her so well in the distinct moments this piece had, and Ryan took my advice! He was so much more foreboding in this piece than he was in his Jazz earlier this season!
Kathryn & Legacy (Jazz) – This piece really worked for this couple, just as contemporary worked for them earlier in the season. Giving Legacy the ability to use his style in this piece was brilliant but ALMOST overshadowed some of the amazing things Kathryn was doing. I’m glad at least one of the judges decided to point that out.
(Viennese Waltz) – Ok so props to the choreographers for trying to provide a mainstream and accessible Viennese Waltz. Shame on them for using music that overpowered the gentle nature of the dance. I thought Kathryn was lovely and Legacy held his own. His speech at the end was actually moving and didn’t seem self-serving. Kudos!
Karen & Victor (Tango) – Umm…I thought Victor looked extremely uncomfortable, and his faces were awkward. I thought Karen was lovely. Overall the dance was only OK.
(Hip Hop) – What does it take? Even Laurieann can’t make Victor a better dancer! Or maybe it was due to this horribly lackluster routine. So forgettable it hurts.
Russell & Noelle (Samba) – Noelle feels more mature than Mollee, but neither of them can manage “sexy” the way the Samba requires it. She smiled and did the slow arm thing she did so well in the foxtrot but her intimate moments with her partner feel so fake. I don’t feel she dances with sincerity often. Russell glided on through this.
(Contemporary) – I felt Noelle’s sincerity in this awesome piece. I wish there had been more interaction with “painting” and it looked like when Russell had to paint his face across Noelle’s chest, that he balked and just rubbed her aura a little funny. Other than that, great job! I would much rather have preferred this concept choreographed by Travis Wall, though.
Nathan & Mollee (Hip Hop) – The concept, as with Jamal Sims’ tennis routine, was a great one. The execution didn’t work out as the dance was done by two fairly childish dancers. Mollee LOOKED like a little girl the whole time. Her face betrayed the style she was dancing. For having a bad ankle, she did a lot of tumbling. This one failed in my book. It needed dancers with more character than technique.
(Can Can) – Wow. This worked SO WELL. I think this played to Mollee’s girlish nature so well because it really is scandalous, this little girl lifting her petticoats to show her knickers, and her innocent face topped it off wonderfully. Nathan was sort of invisible in this but his turns were great on replay. I’d love to see this style utilized more often!
Ashleigh & Jakob (Lyrical Jazz?) – Wow, Ashleigh! Not only was the dancing amazing but her tears while the judges spoke were so alarming and, wow. She must really have felt something up there. Jakob was wonderful as usual but PLEASE never put him in tight purple pants again!
(Cha Cha) – Fantastic! Ashleigh had such confidence and she really laid everything out there. I loved the routine but Jakob looked like Barney Rubble in that outfit.
I can’t wait to see the Top 10 announced!
@Kayla: I agree with you about most everything you said, but especially about the Kathryn/Legacy partnership. That certainly took me by surprise. Happily so.
@Kevin: Me too, about that smile between Kathryn and Legacy. But while I think Jakob rocks, the guys are all really strong this year. Ryan has grown on me in his partnership with Elleanore (like K/L) and Russell is awesome.
@Margaret: I’m glad you saw Katee, too! 🙂 Wasn’t sure if anyone caught her. I really liked Mollee and Nathan’s can can, though I could see it was a bit awkward at times.
@Ben: Lol to “rubbed her aura.”
Oh! Thanks to everybody for commenting. I felt so awful that I couldn’t post as usual this week. It was great to read all your comments. Can’t wait to see what happens tonight.
A bit off the subject perhaps but I wanted to write about this anyway. In previous seasons I must admit that I have not been a big fan of Tyce Diorio. I just have not been personally moved as many of you have by his work. However, this season, I must admit I am really enjoying his work for once. I really love the whimsical qualities of “Blackbird” and the “Can Can” and for me, they seem to have the magic that I had been finding lacking before in Tyce’s previous work. I know that I will have to agree to disagree with some people on this, but I wanted to comment on how much more I am enjoying his work lately. I must say I have enjoyed watching the choreographers evolution and growth as choreographers as much as watching the dancers. The great thing about this is that we get to see them evolve over many seasons rather than just a few months we get with the dancers.