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Rickey.org just posted some great pictures from the Dizzy Feet event in LA that happened Nov. 29th. It included the 5Alive kids as well as stars from DWTS (including S3’s Lacey) and ABDC (with S1’s Ryan and S3’s Hok and Dominic). Thanks Rickey for posting this, man I wish I could have been there!

DIZZY FEET CELEBRATION OF DANCE

here’s an interview with Qwest, with most of the questions aimed at D-Trix (Dominic) he’s awesome!

dances done included “No Air”, “If It Kills Me”, and “Addiction” as well as Ade and Melissa’s Breast Cancer routine, as well as performances from Cheryl and Derek from DWTS and Lacey’s samba with Lance Bass from S7 of DWTS. Qwest rocked it out, as did the three leading ladies from the Step Up films, as introduced by their male counterparts.

The night I’ve been looking forward to has come upon us! The music was incredible and so were the performances! My thoughts follow after the break. I hope you’ll comment with yours.

-I’m liking Ashleigh more and more each week and I really enjoyed this Nappytabs hip hop with Jakob. I’m still not sure how Ashleigh would fare without a strong partner like Jakob, but I’m slowly becoming convinced that she just might hold her own. She was fascinating in this routine and really surprising.

-I enjoyed seeing Karen do something besides “smolder,” and I think it’s really inappropriate for Nigel/the producers to keep trying to box her into this niche. I was surprised that no one said “if *Kevin’s* friends could see him now,” before Adam that is. I really appreciated Adam’s comments. It reminded me why I’m so glad he’s a permanent judge. It was a cute routine that didn’t quite gel, but I thought they did a solid job and they both surprised me. It was cute when Kevin leaned over to kiss her.

-Loved the foxtrot! Not even so much for the choreography, though I think Eddie Simon did wonders with the two of them. They just looked like they were having an obscene about of fun together, which made it really fun to watch. Adam nailed it when he said it had a lot of “joy.” It was so hard not to smile along with them while they danced. And you really could see the improvement Russell had made and that will get him far–demonstrating that he can improve that much just in a matter of weeks when given the same style. And Nigel was right that Noelle doesn’t disappear into Russell’s shadow. They’re very giving to each other and they both shine.

-Channing smiled! She really seemed to be enjoying herself. So, apparently she just has to pretend to be an animal to visibly relax and enjoy dancing. In her package, she said who wouldn’t want to be a cat and in this, she was a bird. This was really fun and I loved the movement they achieved and the “characters” of the curious, playful birds. Adam was right that the music was really, really distracting though. Not my favorite version of “Blackbird.” I much prefer the Dionne Farris version that Kayla danced to last season. But their movement always pulled me back in when I got distracted by the music.

-WHOA on the paso doble! This may be my favorite paso doble on any season of SYTYCD. This was intense and sexy and soooo good. They had a little awkwardness at the end, with her wrapped around him, but this was just stunning. A really good moment for the two of them. It was like a movie. My impression of both of these dancers is changing dramatically, but Legacy particularly impressed in this one.

-I’m so sad I don’t live in L.A. after seeing that Dizzy Feet package. I’m so glad we got to meet some of the dancers the foundation is helping! But they need to figure out some way to enable fans who can’t make L.A. to see the gala! Maybe a Pay-Per-View release after the gala, or a DVD release? Come on, I’m dying to see all those dancers!

-LOVING Travis Wall!! He is incredible! He brings so much out in his dancers and he was *exactly* what Elleanore and Ryan needed after that disastrous routine last week. So beautiful and full. It was an entire relationship encapsulated in a few minutes and I thought they were both incredible.

-Again, I think Laurieann Gibson was *just* what Mollee and Nathan needed this week. They needed her crazy boot camp to get down to business and dig deep. I enjoyed the performance a lot, but it didn’t stand out as much as a few of the other routines. Mollee was a little sexy and she was definitely powerful. Nathan looked so confused at Nigel’s comments, kinda like, “He’s saying positive things, but he’s saying them in a really negative way.” I’d be confused, too, but I see Nigel’s point and I think he made it a lot more professionally this week. Still nearly made Nathan cry, I think.

-Cat was HYSTERICAL and adorable tonight. I loved it especially when she did a Travis Wall impression. Lol.

Keep your eyes peeled for my Power Rankings. Dunno how I’m gonna do this one.

I just wish I could find more details other that the ones we already know. The gala is scheduled for Sunday, November 29, 2009 at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. We heard from the Judges tonight who will be performing at this event. The season 5 dance are scheduled to perform, along with dancers from Dancing with the Stars, and America’s Best Dance Crew. Plus a first seeing all the leads from each Step Up movie dancing together. So we will see Channing Tatum and his wife and co-star Jenna Dewan, Briana Evigan and Robert Hoffman from Step Up 2, and of course Twitch and other past favorites from SYTYCD that are scheduled to appear in the thrid installment. Also performances by the first recipients of Dizzy Feet scholarships from Juilliard, Alvin Ailey and American Ballet Theatre. Plus a performance from Mary Murphy and Dmitry.

Unfortunaly this event will not be televised, which I personally don’t like and I’m jealous of those who are going. So if you live in the Los Angeles area and would like to attend this sure to be amazing show, you can buy your tickets on Ticketmaster.

So for those of us that can’t attend the Gala and still would like to support the foundation go to the Dizzy Feet website. They also have a Dizzy Feet store now also so check it out. If you can donate please do every little bit counts and it for a great cause.

This is a nice little interview of Jeanine Mason, Mary Murphy and Mia Michaels after Jeanine Mason was announced the winner of So You Think You Can Dance.

The most interesting part of the interview for me was that Jeanine said she was going to give a big chunk of the money to a charity (smart move to avoid some taxes). Nice thought, but it’s not just any charity. Jeanine says it’s the “Making Memories” Alzheimer’s charity which she and her sister started in honor of their grandfather. I searched to try and find a website for the charity so other people could go and support it. Does anyone know the website? If they don’t have one, I’m willing to collect donations for them if they like.

As a side note, Pure SYTYCD and my other website, Pure Dancing with the Stars, has been considering putting together some sort of community effort to support dancers. Probably partner with some organization like the DizzyFeet foundation. The goal would be to support dancers who would never have the possibility to take dance classes and not just dancers who are going to take more classes. If someone has connections for that, let us know.

Ok, now the other interview of Jeanine Mason for all to enjoy:

Here’s a list of other upcoming TV Appearances:
Monday – Live with Regis & Kelly – 9am Eastern- Local Listings
Monday – It’s On with Alexa Chung – 12pm Eastern- Local Listings
Monday – Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – 12:35 Eastern

Phillip Chbeeb tweeted the following about SYTYCD on Jimmy Fallon “On my way to NY to perform my sytycd “mad” piece with jeanine Mason (Monday on the Jimmy Fallon Show)”

UPDATE: Here’s Jeanine Mason’s interview with TV Guide

Since we are approaching the 100th episode of SYTYCD, I felt like it would be a good time to blog about the Dizzy Feet Foundation. The idea that is the driving force behind this non-profit organization is providing opportunities in the dance world, to those who wouldn’t normally have that chance. The foundation is also hoping to elevate the standards of dance instruction.

Dizzy Feet Foundation (DFF) has four founding members. They include Nigel Lythgoe, director Adam Shankman, DWTS judge Carrie Ann Inaba, and actress Katie Holmes. All of them are very excited about the potential of DFF.

When Nigel made the announcement about the DFF, I have to be honest that I was a bit surprised to hear that Katie Holmes was a founding member. After all she is well known for her role in Dawson’s Creek, Batman Begins, and she made her Broadway debut in Author Miller’s All My Sons. “I think it’s important for children to experience music and dance,” said Holmes “Every child should have the opportunity to discover what it is they like and have access to the very best in that pursuit.” (Quote from the DFF website.) I am looking forward to seeing Katie Holmes perform this Thursday night. I saw her when she guest stared on ABC’s Eli Stone, I know she sang and dance some in that but I wasn’t really paying much attention to the show. Anyways I’m excited to see another side to Katie.

In addition to the founding members the foundation will have a Steering Committee/ Board Members. These members are chosen by the founding members. It will be their job to select the scholarship recipients and to follow their journey. Some big names in the entertainment world have signed up to be apart of the committee. They include CEO of 19 Entertainment Simon Fuller, Paula Abdul, Debbie Allen, Jennifer Lopez, and Miley Cyrus. Of course many of our favorite SYTYCD judges and choreographers are also a part of the committee.

The foundation is still in its beginning phases. So I’m sure it will be a while till we see exactly how it’s going to work. My reaction to the announcement was one of excitement. I love what the Dizzy Feet Foundation wants to do, allowing young dancers to follow their dreams. Also getting at risk youth off the streets and providing them with a positive atmosphere. In my opinion the overall message is to always follow your dreams and to let nothing stand in your way…and knowing that there are people out there who want to help make your dream a reality.

I got all my information from www.dizzyfeetfoundation.org. Please visit this site if you would like to learn more details about DFF. Also you can find there mission statement, and information about making a donation. I’m not sure if information about applying for scholarships or becoming a DFF accredited dance studio has been posted yet but keep checking the site for updates.