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Top 20 Thoughts

The first live show of Season 12 was a nice introduction to the dancers and what they can do. This week only each team each team performed in their own style, which is always nice to see them in their comfort zone.

Last nights show kicked off with a great group number by Chris Scott and Jessica Kellar. It didn’t take me long to spot Asaf Goren, the replacement to the top 20 dancer that had to withdraw. Unfortunately, Alain “Hurrikane” injured his knee and due to the conditions it was a better idea to heal properly than to cause a reoccurring injury.

We also got a glimpse of what the live shows will be like this season. We will see duos, trios, and quartets of dancers. Starting next week stage and street will have to dance together and probably will expose some weaknesses. So for this episode I’m just going to give my thoughts on the dances and my best guess of who might be in the bottom three next week.

Team Stage
1) Stacey Tookey: Contemporary; Gaby, Derek, & Moises
Stacey once again creates a beautiful routine and the dancers knocked it out of the park. This was my favorite dance from the stage team. I think that all three dancers will be safe.

2) Brian Friedman: Jazz; Marissa, Hailee, & Alexia
So great to have Brian back on the show and he didn’t hold back with the choreography. The highlight was seeing him breakout his stilettos and show the girls if he can do it, so can they. Overall, I enjoyed this jazz number. I do have to agree with the judges when the dance and costumes are sexy, you don’t need to oversell the sexiness.

3) Swan: Ballet; Darion & Jim
From what I’ve seen online everyone loved the dance and the dancer but they did not love the costumes. I agree the costumes just did not work for me.

4) Travis Wall: Contemporary; Edson & Kate
Okay so don’t know what the judges had a problem with this dance and neither did Travis. I really hope these two stick around next week.

Team Street

1) Dave Scott: Megz, Neptune, & Jessica (JJ)
Seemed to have a mixed review from the judges but nothing really negative. There is a part of me that wants to say maybe nerves were a factor.

2) Chris Scott: Jaja, Lily, Burim & Asaf
This dance was a great example of why I love Chris. He likes to show off the dancers strengths. Also was one of the few times that I did not like the camera work because I could not see everything that was happening. I also hope the B-boys continue to work hard to pick up the choreography.

3) Pharside and Pheonix: Virgil, Ariana, & Yorellis
This was a fun routine with a clear theme and a well known song. Virgil will be an audience favorite. Yorellis will be one to watch since she does have training in some of the stage styles.

I honestly thought both teams had there winning moments and there okay moments. Who will be in the bottom is tough to say but based just on a gut feeling here’s who I think might be in trouble. Stage: Hailee, Alexia, and Darion. Street: Megz, Neptune, and Ariana.

Tune in next Monday night to find who stays and who goes.

July 14, 2015 I Written By

Dance is one of my biggest passions. I grew up dancing at Augusta West Dance Studio (the same studio that Kathryn McCormick). I have a BFA in theatre/dance from Valdosta State University. Tap is my favorite style of dance.

Top 12 Power Rankings

Hard to believe that we are down to the top 12 dancers already, which means the all stars will be joining in on the fun soon. Another fantastic opening number, choreographed by Sonya and Dmitry, I love when ballroom and other styles are fused together. Before we learn who is in the bottom six we learn that Curtis has injured his shoulder and will not be able to dance this week, Unfortunately for Curtis he lands in the bottom six along with Alan, Nico, Makensie, Alexis, Jasmine H. Alexis and Curtis were the unlucky two that were sent home, and like the judges each cut get harder to deal with because of the emotional connections.

Before I get to my rankings I figured I’d mention the two small group numbers. I love both of them, I tend to just enjoy those dances rather than try to find something wrong. Also, it was nice to see Spencer and Leonardo fill in for Curtis; I enjoyed seeing the choreographers dance.

Top 4

Hayley & Leonardo: Hayley absolutely nailed this tango, and Leonardo made her look really good. Sadly, I don’t think this dance would have been as good had Curtis been able to perform. This was the stand out performance for me tonight.

Jasmine & Aaron: Justin came up with a great concept loved they were able to work with the apple and make it through the performance without dropping it. Over just love seeing these two dance together. I had a feel they would save Jasmine at the beginning of the show but this helped save her.

Amy & Fikshun: The moment the song started, I was excited about the dance. There really isn’t anything I can really critique them on other than what Nigel pointed out about having similar characters.

Malece & Alan: Wow talk about a fast salsa, Jonathan gave these two a big challenge. They pulled it off nicely but poor Malece ran out of steam at the end. I don’t think that she has to worry about being in danger next week but Alan might even though this was more his style of dance.

Bottom 3

Makensie & Paul: Okay, Why did I not realize that Paul was the one that won the Armenian version of the show. I think I’ll blame it on getting older and not paying a lot of attention as much as I should to the early auditions. Anyways these two dance great last night but I just didn’t care for or maybe the moves and the music didn’t mesh well for me.

Alexis & Nico: I was not a Soyna fan tonight. I really don’t know why the dancers danced great but the choreography was just wasn’t for me.

Jenna & Tucker: Yeah hip-hop is not their thing but they gave it a good try. They just didn’t have their right amount of attitude that was needed for the dance.

Bottom 6

Alan, Tucker, Nice, Jenna, Makensie, and Malece

July 31, 2013 I Written By

Dance is one of my biggest passions. I grew up dancing at Augusta West Dance Studio (the same studio that Kathryn McCormick). I have a BFA in theatre/dance from Valdosta State University. Tap is my favorite style of dance.

Top 20 Power Rankings

I really want to start off by saying how amazing that opening routine was last night. I loved seeing the dancers, choreographers, and judges tell us a story through dance. Nappy Tabs quite possibly created one of my favorite dances of the season…well I’m sure one of many. 

Now on to the tough part, keep in mind this is subjective and just my thoughts on the night. I always find it hard to rank the not so good dances especially when I feel like there really weren’t any total train wrecks. So glad I don’t have the judges job this week cause I really have no idea who will be in trouble next week. 

Top 3 

Amy & Fik-Shun

This was the dance of the night. Sonya created another beautiful contemporary dance. I knew Amy wouldn’t have any trouble with this dance but I was worried about Fik-Shun. Needless to say I think he probably made us all think twice about him. I can’t wait to see what is in store for them next week. 

Jasmine H & Aaron

Another power couple according to the judges, and well I agree. Sonya can be hit or miss for me and truthfully I am on the fence about the dance itself but Jasmine and Aaron made the dance great for me. I don’t see them going anywhere soon. 

Brittany & BluPrint

This was another pleasant surprise for me tonight. Just judging from the rehearsal footage I was a bit worried that this could’ve been a train wreck. Thankfully it was not, I thought both of them pulled this off well and was the only dance to technically to make the Hot Tamale Train. BluPrint does pick up the choreography well but I still feel like he could still tap into the emotion side of the dances. Over all I’m looking forward to seeing these two grow. Total side note Cat and Wayne had me laughing and I was impressed to hear Wayne mention a Season one dancer. 

The Rest (I just couldn’t bring myself to make a bottom 2 or 3 list.) 

Malece & Jade

This was the first dance of the night that really made sit up and get excited about the show. To hear the judges say that the actual performance turned out much better that the dress run, really makes me want to see the dress run just to see the difference. I’m happy to see Jade prove himself as a partner and being there for Malece. He still needs some refining as Wayne mentioned but I don’t think he has to worry about going home first. 

Makensie & Paul

I love the Viennese waltz it’s always just mesmerizing to me. I was surprised to here that Paul is strictly a Latin ballroom dancer but he and Makensie pulled it off and made it look effortless.   

Jasmine M. & Alan

When Travis pulled out the blindfolds, I’ll admit I thought he was a little bit nuts with it being the first week of the partners. Of course he proved me wrong, and it seemed to strengthen them as partners. While the dance was absolutely beautiful it was lacking something for me and I’m not quite sure what was missing. I feel that Jasmine is the stronger of the two in this dance. 

Hayley & Curtis, Alexis & Nico

Both of these couples had a Chris Scott hip hop dance. I equally loved both of them but the judges seemed to like Hayley and Curtis a little bit better. The only thing that I can think of that Alexis and Nico could work on is the attitude of the dance. Overall I truly enjoyed both dances. 

Jenna & Tucker

Oh boy I do love these two paired together but the routine just didn’t work for me. I thought Tucker stood out more for me than Jenna. This is one of those times I really want to love the dance but I just can’t. 

Mariah & Carlos

This is when being the first ones to perform did not help them. While the both performed the Jive well…the just seem not quite up to what the dance required. I love these two and hated that it seemed they were given more than what they could handle. It was the technique that was lacking and honestly Wayne summed up what I thought about this Jive. 

Okay so what Girls and Guys might be in trouble next week…I really have no clue but here is what I’m thinking. I’m just going with my gut on this part.

Girls: Jenna, Mariah, and Alexis

Boys: Carlos, Alan, and Nico

So who do you think will be the first to leave the competition.

June 26, 2013 I Written By

Dance is one of my biggest passions. I grew up dancing at Augusta West Dance Studio (the same studio that Kathryn McCormick). I have a BFA in theatre/dance from Valdosta State University. Tap is my favorite style of dance.

So You Think You Can Dance – The Off-Season

Now that Season 9’s So You Think You Can Dance has ended what else is there to talk about? Forget talk about… what else is there to watch… dance-wise?

It would appear that this is the season of the dance reality shows as two past contestants (and SYTYCD mainstays) from Season 2 have branched out to their own shows (A Chance to Dance and All the Right Moves) and new possibilities have popped up for fans of So You Think You Can Dance could sink their teeth into:

First the obvious… the So You Think You Can Dance Live Tour

So You Think You Can Dance’s ninth-season Top 10 finalists will be hitting the road this fall making their way across North America as part of the 2012 live tour, sponsored by Just Dance 4

[…]

The 30-city tour will kick-off October 23 in San Diego and will conclude on December 5th in Hollywood, FL with tickets for all shows going on sale Friday, August 24 beginning at 10AM.

Fall’s hottest ticket will feature this season’s most popular routines as well as original pieces created specifically for the nationwide tour.

[…]

Also for dancers and fans from all walks of life: So You Think You Can Dance Experience (aka SYTYCDX) – the official dance convention

[…] The SYTYCD® Experience is a 2-3 day workshop filled with classes, seminars, mock audition opportunity, and performances! Our weekend will be the most exciting and educational dance event you have ever experienced! This event is for dancers, educators, and enthusiasts 18 & older!

The Experience Includes:
– Classes throughout the weekend
– Seminar Breakouts
– Performances from your favorite SYTYCD Alumni Dancers and other Special Guests
– Solo Showcase Opportunity
– Q and A
– Meet and Greet
– Amazing Scholarship Opportunities
– Optional Mock Audition for the opportunity to perform in the Saturday’s Opening or Closing Number of the Showcase

Also… as featured on So You Think You Can Dance: The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers
Featuring the dance talents of:
Christopher “Lil’ C” Toler as Z
Christopher Scott as Copeland
William Wingfield as Katana
Stephen “Twitch” Boss as Dr.E

According to the New York Times

“They lie amongst us, preparing for battle, waiting to rise and change things for good. Some are gifted in ability, others are trained to master it and some, some have it bestowed upon them at birth, but they all must choose.” […] The lines come from the first episode of “The LXD” or “The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers,” a new dance-inspired Web series created by Jon M. Chu, the 30-year-old director of the hit 2008 movie “Step Up 2: The Streets” and the soon to be released “Step Up 3D.”

The series, […] is produced by Mr. Chu and Hieu Ho with Agility Studios and distributed by Paramount Digital Entertainment and is a leap in Web-based original programming for both the companies and Mr. Chu. (An exclusive clip from the first episode of “The LXD” is available at nytimes.com/dance.)

Read more..

September 19, 2012 I Written By

My life can be summed up in the following two quotes: 1) "I am married to engineering and am its faithful wife by day, but at night my wanderlust takes hold and the arts becomes my jealous paramour." and... 2) "Engineering is my safety net. Writing is my passion. Acting is my escape when the other two become too much." So where does dancing fit in? Pretty much anywhere at this point... =)

SYTYCD Season 8 Revisited: Outstanding Choreographer Nominations

With the Emmy nominations out… I decided to scour the internet to find the routines from Season 8 that the choreographers created that earned them the Emmy nominations. Based on the the routines you see below… there is a poll at the bottom where you can choose the choreographer that you’d like to see win the Emmys this year. Keep in mind that Smash also earned an Emmy nomination but since it is not SYTYCD related… I did not include them in this list.

Interesting enough we have representation for:
– Contemporary (Travis Wall / Stacey Tookey)
– Hip Hop (Christopher Scott)
– Broadway (Spencer Liff / NBC’s Smash)

No love for ballroom? Awww… =( But I digress…

First I am going to start with the homegrown SYTYCD alumni:
TRAVIS WALL: Dancing with the Stars
Episode: Season 14 – Top 8 Results Show (24 April 2012)
Style: Contemporary
Other Choreographer: Teddy Forance

Thoughts: Travis has yet to create a “mediocre” routine, then again what can be considered as a “mediocre” routine for Travis would be strong routine for other choreographers. He has really grown into his own with developing his skill set and moving outside of the box, going from choreographing partners on SYTYCD and smaller groups to the larger scale routines as show on DWTS last season. Adding in the fly system so that one of the dancers is floating on air just adds more to the routine as opposed to being a gimmick.

Also, it is always nice to sift through the dancers and play “are they from So You Think You Can Dance”? For example I saw Nick Lazzarini, Jaimie Goodwin, Melanie Moore, Ryan Ramirez… the list goes on. If he keeps this up I will be very interested to see what he brings onto the plate in the Off-Broadway production of Bare that he is tapped as choreographer. Not to mention the reality based television series on cable that is rumored to revolve around his new dance company.
Read more..

July 19, 2012 I Written By

My life can be summed up in the following two quotes: 1) "I am married to engineering and am its faithful wife by day, but at night my wanderlust takes hold and the arts becomes my jealous paramour." and... 2) "Engineering is my safety net. Writing is my passion. Acting is my escape when the other two become too much." So where does dancing fit in? Pretty much anywhere at this point... =)

Podcast: SYTYCD Season 9 – Vegas Week and Meet the Top 20

Listen to the podcasts

Episode 48: “Vegas Week” direct download

Episode 49: “Meet the Top 20” direct download

Subscribe to podcast on iTunes


Time Stamps for “Vegas Week”
0:00 – Introduction
1:18 – The cuts during Vegas Week
13:36 – The major narratives of Vegas Week – Alexa Anderson and Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer
19:14 – Standouts during Vegas Week
22:34 – MIA dancers during Vegas Week
25:30 – Wrap-up

Episode Length of “Vegas Week”: 28:38

Time Stamps for “Meet the Top 20”
0:00 – Introduction
1:33 – First contemporary routine by Tyce DiOrio: Alexa Anderson, George Lawrence II, Will Thomas, and Amber Jackson
3:57 –  Ballroom routine by Jason Gilkinson: Nick Bloxsom-Carter, Witney Carson, and Lindsay Arnold
6:15 – Ballet routine by Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden: Eliana Girard, Daniel Baker, and Chehon Wespi-Tschopp
8:36 – Jazz routine by Sonya Tayeh: Tiffany Maher, Audrey Case, and Janelle Issis (not in routine)
10:18 – Second contemporary routine by Stacey Tookey: Matthew Kamierczak, Dareian Kujawa, Janaya French, and Amelia Lowe
12:19 – “Mixed” routine by Chris Scott: Cole Horibe, Brandon Mitchell, Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer
14:14 – Top 10 girls routine by Travis Wall
15:35 – Top 10 guys routine by Sonya Tayeh
16:59 – Top 20 routine by Mia Michaels
18:36 – Wrap-up

Episode Length of “Meet the Top 20”: 20:07

Wedding planning has consumed a lot of our time, but we’re finally here with our “Vegas Week” and “Meet the Top 20” podcasts! We apologize for the erratic and delayed release schedule, and ask for your patience as we find time to record and edit these.

The “Vegas Week” and “Meet the Top 20” episodes have transitioned us from the audition portion of the show into the live competition. We found ourselves unsatisfied with Vegas Week, as many of our early favorites were cut, most notably Mariah Spears. The insistence of the producers to make a narrative out of the Vegas Week process for Alexa Anderson and Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer also did not sit well with us, as this not only smacked of favoritism, but it also consumed so much television time that we barely saw the full routines for the different genre rounds.

We enjoyed the “Meet the Top 20” episode much more, as the remaining contestants that made it through the Green Mile are the ones we would have selected. The actual routines were quite good, with the routine by Chris Scott being a standout. Already we have some people we are excited for, including Cole Horibe and Witney Carson, and we also worry about the longevity of some contestants, such as Tiffany Maher, Audrey Case, and Janaya French. Finally, we urge the producers and choreographers to take care with how they place and feature Alexa Anderson. Between the Vegas Week episode and the choices in the Travis and Mia Michaels routines, we’re concerned that she will experience a huge backlash from the fanbase, very similar to Ryan from last season. Overall, we’re excited for the final cast of contestants and cannot wait to see the first live show tonight!

Let us know what you think after listening to the podcast! You can leave us a comment here or on our blog, Reflections on Pop Entertainment. You can also follow us on Twitter and tweet with us. You can also visit our Facebook page, like us, and leave a comment there! We love feedback and will respond either with a comment or in our next published show.

July 11, 2012 I Written By

Over the past few years my fiancée Meghan slowly brought me into the world of television, turning me into a full-fledged fan of both scripted and reality shows. So You Think You Can Dance turned into one of my favorite reality shows as it is a competition that takes itself seriously, providing the audience with artistic choreography and talented dancers. It's certainly not something I ever expected to get emotionally invested in, but here I am! Meghan and I are very analytic when it comes to the things we enjoy. We constantly discussed and analyzed shows with each other and after doing this for a couple years, we decided that we should turn these discussions into a podcast. We created Reflections on Pop Entertainment, a podcast that provides commentary and analysis of popular entertainment as found in visual mediums, particularly television and film. So You Think You Can Dance Season 8 is the first television series we're covering with weekly podcasts and has allowed us to find our voice as well as actively contribute to the fan community. We hope that you'll enjoy our installments as they are posted to Pure So You Think You Can Dance!

Step Up Revolution: Meet the Leads, the Mob, and the Choreographers

Step Up Revolution hit theatres Friday, July 27th and I honestly can’t wait. So here’s a little sneak peak of what we can expect for the next installment of the Step Up franchise. After watching these videos I’m really excited for this movie the dancing looks amazing and for all the Moose fans out there he is in the movie.

Meet The Leads: Kathryn McCormick and Ryan Guzman

Meet The Mob:

Meet the Choreographers:

July 3, 2012 I Written By

Dance is one of my biggest passions. I grew up dancing at Augusta West Dance Studio (the same studio that Kathryn McCormick). I have a BFA in theatre/dance from Valdosta State University. Tap is my favorite style of dance.

STEP UP 4 – Exclusive Announcement Video

STEP UP 4 is the next installment in the worldwide smash Step Up franchise, which sets the dancing against the vibrant backdrop of Miami and flash mobs. In theaters July 27, 2012. The show includes SYTYCD Alumni, Kathryn McCormick, Twitch, and Phillip Chbeeb with Travis Wall doing some choreography.

Step Up 4 Video trailer Below including a number of scenes with Kathryn. Pretty cool that she has the lead role.

January 30, 2012 I Written By

www.youtube.com/danceon