Welcome to Pure So You Think You Can Dance Canada

Across Canada your favourite dancers are appearing…..

Jan. 23-24
Vancouver, B.C.: iDance Convention
Sheraton Vancouver Guilford

Faculty includes: Tara-Jean Popowich, Vincent Desjardins, Kim Gingras with Brandon Bryant and Evan Kasprzak from the U.S.’s SYTYCD.

Jan. 23-24
Regina, Sask.: iDance Convention
Delta Regina

Faculty includes: Jayme Rae Dailey, Austin Di Iulio, Natalli Reznik, Cody Bonnell and Amy Gardner

Jan. 30-31
Montreal: iDance Convention
Cowne Plaza Hotel Airport

Faculty includes: Tara-Jean Popowich, Vincent Desjardins, Jayme Rae Dailey, Arassay Reyes with Alex Wong from the U.S.’s SYTYCD.

Jan. 30-31
Edmonton: iDance Convention
Radisson Edmonton South

Faculty includes: Kim Gingras, Natalli Reznik, Francis Lafrenière with Brandon Bryant and Evan Kasprzak from the U.S.’s SYTYCD.

Feb. 4
Belleville, Ont.: Habitat for Humanity PhilanthroPARTY, a fundraiser for Haiti
The Empire Theatre and Centre for the Performing Arts
Performances by Cody Bonnell and Melanie Mah

Feb. 5-7
Calgary: Calgary International Salsa Conference
Hyatt Regency Calgary

Workshop with Tara-Jean Popowich

Feb. 6-7
Montreal: Raise the Bar 6 dance convention
Faculty includes: Luther Brown and Kim Gingras (with Blueprint dance company)

Feb. 6-7
Winnipeg: iDance Convention
Faculty includes: Tara-Jean Popowich, Vincent Desjardins, Jayme Rae Dailey, Natalli Reznik and Brandon Bryant from the U.S.’s SYTYCD.

Feb. 13-14
Calgary: iDance Convention

Faculty includes: Tara-Jean Popowich, Vincent Desjardins, Jayme Rae Dailey, Miles Faber and Brandon Bryant from the U.S.’s SYTYCD.

Feb. 27-28
Barrie, Ont.: DARK Danse presents “Just the Beginning”
Faculty includes: Miles Faber and Jenna-Lynn Higgins

All events are subject to change.

I’m not over the fact that Canada got it wrong when it came to the guys vote last week.  Austin should have stayed at home.  But nevertheless we press on to the top 8!

First observation: I want to be Mia Michael- what a gorgeous mama with the shaved head.  Hot Hot Hot.

Boys Dance:
This piece was really well choreographed by some guys definitely were out-danced by others.  There is a reason that Emanuel was in the back-he wasn’t as clean or seeming comfortable enough with the choreography.  Although he does have a sprained ankle – so I’ll lay off a bit.  I did love the fact that it was a ‘manly’ piece with great music.

Tara Jean/Vincent
Rumba

I was in that piece.  It was an innocent love that had moments of sexyness in it.  I thought that they were totally in the music and into to each other.  It was just a beautiful piece.  I’m jealous of Vincent’s feet.  Always beautifully pointed.

Kim and Cody
Hiphop

I guess that SYTYCD Canada has a deep seeded love affair with old school style hiphop.  What about lyrical??  It was good they were both good.  Didn’t move me or do anything that we haven’t seen before.  I’m just bored with the hiphop.

Melanie/Emanuel
Contemporary

The judges are going to rave about this piece.  I thought that there were nice moments in the piece but as a whole it didn’t move me the way that contemporary usually does.  People have been commenting about something looking off with Emanuel’s chest, I think that because his legs are so long it makes him look shrunken up top.  That was noticeable to me in this piece.  I just didn’t think that there was much genuine in this piece.  I didn’t really believe that they were together.  I guess I was wrong- the judges didn’t rave.

Jayme Rae/Everett
Mambo

I think that it’s because Everett is a tap dancer he has this organic level to him that makes him even compete with Jayme Rae and her falling-apart costume.  Jayme Rae is just this dirty hot thing who may not like to be in the follow position but she is in total charge of her hips.  It was a great piece.  It just shows the audience that you have to be ‘in’ the piece for us to love it.

Top 4 girls

Loved it!  Sexy in a vintage kind of way.  It was great and classic.

Vincent/Tara Jean
Krump

Lil C!  this was good, although Vincent got lost compared to Tara Jean.  He just wasn’t hitting it hard enough.  But he is such a good dancer, it almost didn’t even matter.  He was 90% there.

Kim/Cody
Smooth Waltz

It was lovely.  The choreography was.  The dancing itself just wasn’t really flowing.  They were uncomfortable in the piece and it showed.  People on the moon could see how awkward it was.  It was lovely but terribly uncomfortable.

Melanie/Emanuel
Disco

I didn’t like this piece.  It had zero rhythm and even though Disco is so hard to dance and pull off, it shouldn’t look as hard as it did.  Also, for Emanuel being in this God-like shape he should be throwing her around that stage with no problems or effort.  The whole seemed way to heavy.  Emanuel might be in trouble.

Jayme Rae/Everett
Jazz Funk

Now that is what Jazz/Funk’s definition is.  The characters were fantastic and believable.  The movement was crisp and clean throughout.  The timing was spot on. The connection between Jayme Rae and Everett was totally on point.  I loved this piece!

It definitely ended on a high note..  I can’t imagine who will be going home.  Should be interesting!

And Then there were 8….

From this point on it will be even more difficult to say good-bye but at least we know they will all be on SYTYCDC Tour this winter

While my Power Rankings were not spot on – I did predict the most important part – - – who was going home

The opening dance routine by Stacey Tookey was pretty incredible and [maybe I am biased] but Melanie, Cody & Jayme Rae really stood out for me in the routine. The pairing was awesomely choreographed, though the group was not in sync and some were obviously stronger than others.

Leah Miller was annoying as ever though I enjoyed watching her fumble her words a bit and I could see that the hair in her eyes was annoying her but she was trying not to have to move it out of the way, thus blocking her face for a millisecond on screen.

Blake McGrath, who I adore, was there again and I have to say, as much as I love his bod – I do not dig the open shirt…. it’s a bit sloppy looking…

Leah’s introduction of Jean-Marc as the French Canadian Fabio made me literally laugh out loud!

Anyways, enough with my rants… here is what happened.

Girls

Amy – not safe (as I predicted)
Kim – safe
Tara-Jean – safe
Melanie – not safe (I disagree!)
Jayme Rae safe

Boys

Everett – safe (good!)
Cody – not safe (shocked me a bit)
Vincent – safe
Austin – not safe (as I predicted)
Emanuel – safe (Canada loves him!)

Solo’s

Amy- was fine but I knew she would be going home.

Melanie- was [if its possible] even more passionate and gave me goosebumps!

Cody- was more of a jazzy hip hop that i really enjoyed. The kid has charisma!

Austin – was amazing! I sensed he’d go home after being in the bottom before, I really think he cockiness in auditions gave him a bad rep early and he just couldn’t get in the votes, but he was AMAZING! I loved that he changed it up and tried something new. It wasn’t so floaty free, airy fairy… it was hard and fun and it was a great send-off.

Good-Bye

Amy & Austin went home, as I predicted

SYTYCD Top 10

I can’t believe that we are already down to half of the dancers.  This week we get to judge individually:

Vincent and Melanie
Paso Doble

I thought that this piece was great!  Part of the trouble with the Paso Doble is that something it can seem so serious and full of back story, instead this piece was like vampires dancing.  It was Hot! Hot! Hot!  the moves were really speedy but feet were pointed and their were super fast retractions.  And the lift??  Forget about it… Just amazing!

Cody and Amy
Stacey Tookey
Contemporary

Just beautiful.  This piece proves that you don’t need super huge tricks to show beautiful dancers.  Cody was incredible and step up- I think that this was the first time I’ve seen him as a ‘man’ dancer.  Especially coming out of hiphop.  Amy was good- but she didn’t shine that way that she really should have seeing as this was her discipline of dance. So far we are 2/2!

Emanuel and Tara-Jean
Tony and Melanie
Samba

I liked this piece.  I loved the music- I loved the feel of it.  Tara-Jean was great as was Emanuel however he needs to watch his face because it contorts or his tongue is out.  His feet are a little sloppy, but for Tara Jean seemed totally natural.  I liked it.  Emanuels hips need their own phone number- good gracious!

Everett and Kim
Jazz Fusion

This piece was great as well, however it didn’t really feel like anything new and that was disappointing to me.  But I did like the pairing of Kim and Everett a lot.  They really had to play a whole different person.  Blake just said that was the best performance of the night? And Tre said of the season??  Come on- that’s a little extreme.

Austin and Jayme Rae
Hiphop
ShoTyme

I really love Austin.  I think that he is by far the best male dancer and I also love Jayme Rae.  They are both no joke on hte floor.  I believe the piece as much as you possibly can.  But ShoTyme always seems to keep his dancers so far away from eachother.  That is getting old to me.

I think that that was the strongest show so far!

So my power rankings started off strong then faded with my predictions for Bottom 3 couples usually only being 1/3 accurate, though my predictions for who goes home have been pretty close throughout.

Tre, Jean-Marc, Luther and Blake were judges and we saw lot’s of familiar choreographers as well as some past contestents Natali Reznik and Francis Lafreniere who guest choreographed.

This Week things changed. Top 10 means new couples each week and solo’s from all for individual votes. I am going to talk briefly about the couples routines then go into power rankings by individual.

First of All – Couples Dances

This is in order of performance not ranking:

Vincent & Melanie
Pasa Doble with Natalie Resnik & Francis Lafreniere
“Conquest” – White Stripes

This was agressive and entertaining. Melanie showcased legs I didn’t know she had and that flip into Vincent’s arms was awesome.

Cody & Amy
Contemporary with Stacey Tookey
“Come Home” – One Republic

There was a lot of partnering and overall it was pretty and quite fluid. Cody out performed Amy and as the judges noted, she should have stood out given it is her area of dance!

Emanuel & Tara-Jean
Samba with Tony & Melanie
“Samba Vocalizado” -Luciano Perrone

This was fantastic. I really liked that Emanuel took the character on so well and they both shook their booties like there was no tomorrow. I was so scared my heart jumped when Emanuel charged at TJ to jump as she did a back bend… wow!

Everett & Kim
Jazz with Sean Cheeseman
“St. James Infirmary Blues” —The White Stripes

This was creepy and fun. I loved the use of the table and how Kim was “dead” it was really entertaining. I wasn’t a fan of Kim neccessarily and all of a sudden all the judges are soo ga-ga over her… but I am starting to see it more.

Jayme Rae & Austin
Hip Hop with ShoTyme
“Da Rockwilder” —Method Man & Redman

I think she hit harder than he did. Austin is such a beautiful fluid dancer I think this hard-hitting hip hop was a challenge for him. It was fun to watch though.

Power Rankings

Girls

Melanie
“The Fame” – Lady Gaga
This girl has energy, she almost had too much tonight if you ask me, but she was all over the place and performed well overall. I hope she is safe.

Jayme Rae
“Make me Over” – Keyshia Cole
This was fun, sexy, only she can pull off those silver spandex! I see so much passion and versatility in her. I worry she will be lower than my ranking, I love her but I feel like Canada doesn’t as much.

Tara-Jean
“Relief” – Chris Garneau
She has passion and she is quirky and fun. I like dhow she was flowing so beautifully then would have sudden jerky movements. The juxtaposition of her movements fit well to the music and I loved her shoulder movements.

Kim
“Kiss from a rose” – Seal
It didn’t stand out to me as anything spectacular. She was wearing a bikini top that I thought would fall off. I’d put her in the bottom though i don’t know if Canada will.

Amy
“Wanted” – Vanessa Carlton
It was pretty and cute. It didn’t stand out for me much. I predict she goes home.

Boys

Everett
“Everybody Dance” – Chic
Wow! This was entertaining. Tap is not typically that entertaining to me but he was fun and had great moves and energy. I know most may not put him in the top but he was my top solo for the men tonight…

Cody
“I need a girl” – P. Diddy
This kid can do no wrong in my book. He is so adorable and a pleasure to watch, especailly in his element. His moves were awesome and I enjoyed it. I would be surprised if he was in the bottom, though he has been before. Me and Canada disagree sometimes.

Emanuel
“Bridge” – Amon Tobin?
This guy is def. a figure skater. His foot work was stunning, his jumps and turns amazing and if I didn’t know any better I would have thought he WAS floating on an ice rink. Awesome Dance. Canada Loves him… likely safe.

Vincent
“Can you feel it” – Real2Real
Flawless, natural and upbeat. He moved his hips like no man I’ve seen and he just kills it everytime he is on stage. He was not an early fave for me but I love him now! I think he is safe.

Austin
“Always Midnight” – Pat Monahan
A beautiful solo as always (he has sure had his fair share of opportunities for solo’s this season!) He has such passion and moves so smoothly, it is hard to get ridof him after seeing his solo’s, but he has been bottom 3 before a few times and it’s crunch time. I predict he will go home.

Final Thoughts

Amy did not stand out for me amongst everyone else so I predict she will go home.

Austin has been in the bottom 3 many times and his couple performance was weak so I am predicting he will go home.

And now we are down to Top 10. The ten that will go on tour and perform across the country. I am happy with the Top 10 for the most part, heck I’d go see the Top 20 pretty much…. there were so many great dancers this season.

They opened with a very sexy piece from Luther Brown to Lil Kim’s “The Jumpoff”. I loved the leather cat suits the women wore and the body art on the men. Kim was featured again front and center, I didn’t care for her or think of her as a front runner but she is really becoming quite the sexy vixen of a front runner. The routine was hot and had lot’s of hip shaking, spanking and allure.

Results

Kim & Emanuel – Safe (as predicted)

Melanie & Cody – Not Safe (NOT as predicted – SHOCKED!)

Corynne & Austin – Not Safe (as predicted)

Tara-Jean & Everett – Safe (NOT as predicted)

Jayme Rae & Daniel – Not Safe (NOT as predicted)

Amy & Vincent – Safe (NOT as predicted)

Solo’s

Melanie – Passionate, beautiful, predicted she’d make it on to Top 10 and am still shocked she was even in Bottom 3 Couples.

Corynne – Seemed a bit frantic, predicted she would be leaving even last night.

Jayme Rae – Her movement and lines looked great, I predicted she’d make it to Top 10.

Cody – a fan fave, had to make it to Top 10 though his solo didn’t seem as strong as I have seen him in the past.

Austin – he excels in his solo, so beautiful and passionate

Daniel – hard-hitting and very entertaining

Good-Byes

Corynne & Daniel went home. I predicted Corynne would go home but had thought Austin would also leave, however, he always pulls out an amazing solo and stays, despite being in the Bottom 3 three times now.

Now we are in the Top 10 – It will be exciting to see what these amazing dancers bring… who are you all rooting for to win now?

Last week my power rankings were 1/3 and as we get lower in numbersit is getting pretty difficult, they are all so good.

This week I am hoping to do better (Hey I was 3/3 two weeks ago!) here are my thought son the show… please comment with your thoughts and let’s see tomorrow who goes home.

Melanie & Cody
Jazz with Melissa Williams
“Glory Box” – Portishead

I loved the scarf, I loved them, I loved the routine, I loved the outfits, I loved the chair, I loved the make-up, I loved the story… yes I am biased, I LOVE these 2 dancers. My fave of the night.

Kim & Emanuel
Hip Hop with Luther Brown
“Respect my Conglomerate” -Busta w/ Lil’W and JedaKiss

Although there were parts not in unison, and he seemed uncomfortable much of the time, Kim really surprised me and brought it. I loved that she just “went for it” and (though not hard hitting) her tutting impressed me. Her hip shaking was sexy, she stole the routine for me.

Jayme Rae & Daniel
Contemporary with Blake McGrath
“It Must have been Love” -Kari Kimmel

This routine gave me goosebumps. I loved that it was flowy and beautiful then abrupt and hard. The juxtaposition of the movements matched the emotion of the routine. Love and Marriage turned to heartache and pain. Blake is Brilliant!

—————————————BOTTOM 3—————————————

Tara-Jean & Everett
Theatre with Sean Cheeseman
“The Joint is Jumpin” – Ain’t Misbehvin’ (1978 Original Cast)

There were some nice slides, flips and even an amazing tap solo. The part of this that caught my attention the most, however, was that CRAZY flip over near the end of the routine. My heart actually jumped and I got chills.

Vincent & Amy
Jive with Tony Meredith & Melanie LePatin
“Pony Time” -Chubby Checker

This was a high energy, fun-loving, fantastic routine. I thouroughly enjoyed it and I enjoy them – I just don’t know how to pick a bottom 3 this week.

Austin & Corynne
Salsa with Tony Meredith & Melanie LePatin
“Calle Ocho” – Pitbull

This routine was akward for me. I loved the Choreo but Corynne has these amazing legs she barely used to kick. Her hip shaking was barely there. The pairing was just uncomfortable for me. Austin brought it but it just didn’t work for me. I agree with Mia. I Think Bottom 3.

If my bottom 3 are correct i suspect that Corynne & Austin go home…. *hides*

Karen Kain as the guest judge made me more than happy.  When I was little Ms. Kain and her husband come to my parents house for dinner.  What I said to Canada’s Prima Ballerina will never go away: I looked at her and what she had eaten (which wasn’t a lot for a grown up but was a lot for an 8 year old) and said to her “Wow Ms Kain, for a ballerina you really do eat a lot of food”.  She thought that I was cute (thank God).  Karen Kain has the class and education that if ever SYTYCD needs credibility, her in that seat would be a fais-acomplis. Karen Kain as a young ballerina was someone that I wanted to be like even in the smallest ways. Just watching Ms Kain sit and judge the performances she is so graceful and the epitome of a lady.

Melanie and Cody
Hip-hop
Luther Brown

Melanie killed it.  She hit those steps with such big strides and strentch.  The grinding was compeletely believable, they both went for it- and it was 100% in unison..  The attitudes for Cody and Melanie were completely genuine and real.  I’m liking this couple more and more- and I think that this piece is really going to go far to prove that Cody isn’t all soft but that he has some angles and hardness to him.

Gustavo Vargas
Vincent and Amy
Cha Cha

Usually the back story to a Cha Cha throws me off from just enjoying the style- that wasn’t the case this time.  I thought that this sort of ‘bourgeois’ style Cha Cha was lovely.  Something ball room can take itself to seriously and this piece really broke out of the mold.  The lifts were never ending and every one became more and more complicated.  The chemistry between Vincent and Amy comes right through your TV set.  That’s not something that you can learn and certainly can’t fake it.  The one thing I would mention is that because Amy was dancing bare foot-she really needs to watch her feet as she isn’t wearing heels that force your foot to point.  But other than that it’s the first Cha Cha that I thought was light and fun.

Everett and Tara Jean
Sho-Tyme
House

I don’t know the first thing about House- so this critique is going to be short and sweet.  This is the first Sho-Tyme piece that I liked..  Actually I totally loved it.  The rythym was fantastic and the dancers had to work their tails off but made it look fun, bouncy and so easy to perform.  Both Everett and Tara Jean were totally ‘there’ for each other even though they weren’t physically connected-it felt like they were.  They were almost totally in sync the whole piece and because of that it became totally infectious to watch- hence the audience clapping and getting into it.

Kim and Emanuel
Contemporary
Stacey Tookey

Ok..  I’d like to make a suggestion to the Canadian dance community- Emanuel belongs in ballet or at least contemporary.  It’s where his body can really be shown for what it is.  The width of their movements were in unison with the songs tempo which went quietly got stronger and stronger.  This piece was quiet in it’s beauty and strength.  Kim became a completely different dancer- she wasn’t brash and in your face, she was quiet and reserved and just simply lovely.

Jayme Rae and Daniel
Disco
Melissa Williams

This piece was ok for me.  Just ok though.  The dancers were just mimicking the moves that they were taught but never got into the spirit or pocket of the music.  They were dancers on top of the piece and not into the music.  These two might be in trouble with this one-despite the strength of that last lift.
Natalie and Danny
West Coast Swing
Benji

I really wanted to be able to gush about this piece.  I loved the heart that was revealed on Danny’s chest- but the missing bit on Natalie was really distracting.  Benji’s creativity was evident in this piece- but if you pull the West Coast Swing card then make it in that style.  The piece that they performed was interesting- but there weren’t enough Swing elements in it.  I thought it was a good piece but I’m not going to rave about it.

Austin and Corynne
jazz (Old Hollywood style)
John Byrne

For me this was the best piece of the night.  I would go as far as too say one of my favorite pieces of the entire season.  I thought that it was totally believable and it almost made me like the song- almost.  Austin and Corynne are just perfect together.  And those lifts-forget about it.  I was blown away- the physically on both their parts is really hard to put into words.  The gun may have gone on for a little long- like maybe her fingers made into a gun might have been better and perhaps less offensive.  I think that Austin (and maybe Corynne) will go into the Top 10. Then Top 6, Top 4….

Last Week’s Power Rankings I predicted 1/3 of the Bottom 3 and one of the two going home.

This week I hope to be more accurate (Hey, the previous week I was 3/3)

Our judges this evening were Dan Karaty, Karen Kain, Tre Armstrong and Jean-Marc Genereux. Dan spoke about how SYTYCD Canada pushes the envelop and keeps getting sexier. Tomorrow Night Blake’s choreographed an “almost too sexy for tv” routine that I can’t wait to see.

1.Cody & Melanie
Hip Hop with Luther
“Turnin’ me on” – Keri Hilson ft. Lil Wayne

Yes, they are my favourite couple (though Jayme Rae & Daniel are creeping up a close second lately) but this routine by Luther was HOT! Cody didn’t have what I refer to as “Evan syndrome” (being too cute and innocent) he rocked it hard along with Melanie who was hard-hitting. They were convincing, they were in unison and they were sexy. Best routine of the night in my opinion.

2. Jayme Rae & Daniel
Disco with Melissa Williams
“Disco Inferno” -The Trammps

The lifts, the spins, the flips, the bounce, the outfits… it was hot. I don’t know what the heck Dan Karaty was watching but he was not watching these guys dance if he thinks they weren’t “there” When Jayme Rae did those splits in a lift then a spin and flip – holy guacamole – amazing! Disco is face-paced and fun and these guys did a fantastic job and entertained me.

3. Austin & Corynne
Hollywood Jazz with John Byrne
“Paparazzi” – Lady Gaga

I haven’t liked Austin since auditions but that guy can dance. I have liked Corynne since auditions and I am really glad these two are paired, they seem to really connect and I think they will stay out of the bottom 3 again this week. I didn’t like the gun part, it seemed corny but the falls and jumps and that KISS!?! wow!

4. Natalie & Danny
West Coast Swing with Benji Schwimmer
“Love Lock Down” – Kanye West

I have tried West Coast Swing and this to me was so unlike what I have tried (at a novice level obviously ha ha!) Benji is a genius. There were some amazing flips and complicated patterns but the air worked well together and performed beautifully. (Although I wasn’t a fan of the song – especially after kanye’s lil’ outburst at the VMA’s this past weekend!)

———————BOTTOM 3————————-

5. Tara-Jean & Everett
House with Sho Tyme
“When Love Takes Over” – David Guette

I don’t want to put these guys in the Bottom 3 but it’s a close call with Natalie & Danny / Tara-Jean & Everett. It was very fast, it was entertaining, it truly was body versus feet as Dan Karaty said. I enjoyed it but something about Benji’s routine made it stand out slightly above this one and so here we are with our Bottom 3 predictions.

6. Kim & Emanuel
Contemporary with Stacey Tookey
“To Build a Home” – Cinematic Orchestra
They seem defeated in the rehearsal clips. With bruises and injuries and struggling with the lifts. It felt like a real bummer just watching. Though they performed well, their outfits were boring, it was slow and seemed to just drag on for me. Near the end it pick ed up and they gave it some life but I just felt like it fell short.

7. Amy & Vincent
Cha Cha with Gustavo Vargas
“Rie y llora” – Celia Cruz

It was fun and sexy and cute but it didn’t stand out much compared to other routines this evening. it was quirky but just nothing spectacular in my opinion.

Assuming my Bottom 3 are correct (and it is so hard to tell at this point) I would predict that Amy & Vincent go home… ooh I dunno…. everyone deserve to be where they are on that stage… so sad to send people home each week.

Can’t wait for Blake’s routine tomorrow

Hi guys. This is a new segment devoted to the music used on the show. I know we’ve posted up the song titles but we haven’t really got in depth as to how the music contributes (or not) to the choreography and how important the music is to So You Think You Can Dance Canada. I am going to go one-by-one through each of the routines and comment on the music used. This is for all you huge music lovers out there.

Kim & Emanuel – Jazz
Ciara ft. Justin Timberlake – Love, Sex, & Magic
Wow! Let me just start by saying – what an exhilarating piece. Blake was right when he said it was going to be sexy and hard-hitting. I felt the boom’s and the ka’s and the sha’s – they were all hit in the right place. I love that Blake actually incorporated magic into the number. Since the song’s debut, it has been a song used in dances related to sexiness and just showing off what you got. It has got a nice, steady jazzy beat, perfect for the dance style. Also, the lyrics are quite simple – they are enough to show what the song is talking about – and it isn’t that hard to figure out. My favourite part was when Emanuel had to lick Kim’s boots when the song was actually talking about boots! It surely got the crowd going – perfect for an opening number. Ciara herself is a great performer. I loved that they used this song for a jazz routine but I can also see it used as a hip hop routine, as Ciara is an R&B singer.

Amy & Vincent – Hip Hop
Black Eyed Peas – Boom Boom Pow
Personally, I am not a huge fan of BEP’s newest album, The E.N.D. Their older songs like “Where Is The Love?”, “Don’t Phunk With My Heart”, & “Dum Diddley” were used greatly on past SYTYCD America seasons. The BEP seem to be a big hit with SYTYCD. However, their new songs have a good beat but I don’t think they are as developed and mature as I’ve seen their music in the past. Now it all seems to be about making singles or “great” tracks with great beats. If you turn off the music and just watch them two dance, the whole thing seems a bit mediocre, and a little childish. Amy also seems to be hitting the moves harder than Vincent, but still not as hard as I’d like them to hit it. The music really helps a lot.

Corynne & Austin – Contemporary
The Fray – Never Say Never
I am going to be a little biased here because I absolutely LOVE this song and The Fray. I do feel like this is the perfect song to be used for the piece. It always gets me during the “Don’t let me go, don’t let me go…” chorus because the repetition and emphasis is just so powerful – especially when the story of the piece actually relates to the lyrics. I must say – it somewhat disappointed me. There did not seem to be enough synchronization, fluidity and chemistry that I’d like to have seen. Corynne’s expression also seemed very forced and fake. The song calls for a mellow and desperate mood, but due to the dancers’ expressions and the choreography, I don’t think the song’s melody and tempo was used to it’s full potential. However, it was still very good.

Melanie & Cody – Mambo
Michi Sarmiento – Suena Ahora
This was a good song to use for the beach setting. However, I don’t think it had enough energy to carry off the repetitive and very juvenile choreography that was set for the two. Quite frankly, I thought this was the weakest of the performances that night, as much as I LOVE this duo. For the music, I would’ve used something funkier and something with more personality. “Jungle Drum” by Emiliana Torrini seems like a good song. It may not be your typical mambo music but it does have some tropical feel to it.

TJ & Everett – Quickstep
Hot Rolls Ragtime Band – Chicago Overture
Why have they been given 3 ballroom dances in a row?! I am surprised that they haven’t been in the bottom 3 couples yet! I have a feeling that Tara-Jean will go far, but that’s beside the point. Anyway, I was surprised when they said the song was originally used for a certain brutal violent time that happened in Chicago in the past? The song was just so uplifting. The repeated Charleston’s that they did actually fit the trumpets in the song. Not a huge fan, but it fit well, I guess.

Jayme Rae & Daniel – Hip Hop
Ciara – Pucker Up
I don’t know this song very well but I feel like the choreography was pretty funky, just like the song. I actually would’ve preferred “Sweet Dreams” by Beyoncé in one of their hip hop dances. Sweet Dreams just has such a catchy upbeat rhythm and intense vocals. It drives your soul, literally. This was danced and choreography actually more fluid than I would’ve preferred it. Using Sweet Dreams would’ve fit it more, and the tempo and beat also seems to fit too.

Jenna Lynn & Nicolas – Hustle
Jamiroquai – Canned Heat
When I imagined a one last dance for the end of the world, this is actually a song I would love to dance to. It fit the style and it fit the mood. More importantly, the choreography fit well with the song altogether. One of the songs that was better used.

Natalie & Danny – Rhumba
Perez Prado – Historia de un Amor
You lost me here. Was I supposed to believe that they were in love since the song is called “History of a Loved One”? It seemed like two nervous dancers forced to dance the rhumba to me! It was not passionate and it seemed like Danny wanted to eat Natalie. Anyway, enough with the dancers themselves. If this was supposed to be a dance of love and that rhumba is considered the “ballet of ballroom”, should it not be more technical, precise, elegant, and slower? I am not a huge expert on rhumba, but this to me looked so much better and had much better music than the one they used.

From the time Natalie started doing her little wiggles on stage, I was wondering…corny. When they broke apart from each other back-to-back and the beat started coming in, it did not seem to follow the music at all. The song’s cymbals and horns were also just so annoying.

There’s my first ever take on the show’s music! What did you think of the music used?