Welcome to Pure So You Think You Can Dance

I found the following image on photobucket and I think it’s a really iconic image for those of us that are fans of So You Think You Can Dance:

I think the Travis and Heidi bench dance is one of many that will live forever in the minds of SYTYCD fans. I love the black and white that makes it almost feel like it will last forever.

Seeing it made me think that it would look cool on a t-shirt. Only problem is it probably violates some sort of trademark, copyright, etc. So, I don’t think I can do that. However, the thought sparked an idea of creating some cool SYTYCD related t-shirts, hoodies, hats, etc.

I have some ideas in mind and you’ll be seeing them soon, but I’d love to hear any ideas of designs, sayings, etc you’d love to have in your closet.

I previously post about the reasons I wasn’t looking forward to SYTYCD 5. Now I’m going to post the top reasons I am looking forward to So You Think You Can Dance Season 5.

Check out my list (in no particular order):
Cat Deeley – Beautiful, charming, and absolutely a perfect host. She’s involved in the production so she knows how the dancers are feeling and really connects with them so well. Her accent doesn’t hurt either. Cat Deeley really brings a special element to the show. Just watching the other So You Think You Can Dance around the world, you realize just how good Cat is.
Amazing Music – So You Think You Can Dance has introduced some of the most amazing music on TV. I think this is due to the wide variety of dance styles that are on the show. It’s just awesome to watch and hear such an eclectic variety of music. Check out the list of So You Think You Can Dance music to see what I mean.
Variety of Dances – Hip Hop, Contemporary, Ballroom, Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Popping, Swing, B-Boy (and girls), Latin, Bollywood and I’m sure I’m missing a bunch more. Need I say more?
Tricks – Between the lifts done in ballroom to the poppers and breakers, the tricks that are done on So You Think You Can Dance are just sick.
Fulfilling Dreams – I love seeing the raw talent who’ve never done anything but their style blossom into amazing dancers. My favorite example of this was Heidi Groskreutz and how she embraced the dream of being on the show.
Sick Choreography – Shane’s Back. Wade’s Back. Mia’s still there. Are Tab and Napoleon still on it? Either way, I’m expecting more greatness this year.

I’m sure there are a lot more reasons. Any other ones you think I missed?

I believe that this quite possibly could be the most popular and most technical dance ever performed on So You Think You Can Dance. Benji and Heidi are just so refined, so technical and so precise in this dance. It’s like they’ve been doing it since they were kids. Oh that’s right, they have been.

Enjoy the Black Mambo sung by Angel and the Mambokats by Benji Schwimmer and Heidi Groskreutz

Disclaimer: I have a huge Heidi fan, so anything I say will certainly be biased when it comes to Heidi.

Seeing Benji Schwimmer on the show tonight was a lot of fun. I don’t think he did the best choreography tonight, but I think he is the most famous SYTYCD alum out there. He definitely deserved to win and I think that this solo pretty much shows his versatility and ability to please the crowd.

I don’t think we have a Benji this season, but still plenty of talent to go around. Also, it’s worth going back and watching my favorite Benji and Heidi video and a close runner up.

Benji and Heidi are just amazing together. I think that their choreography is the best part. However, I think their skills in dancing and knowing each other makes it much easier to choreograph.

A second version in case the first gets taken down:

You should also take a look at their previously posted Benji Schwimmer and Heidi Groskreutz (From So You Think You Can Dance) Dancing at Showcase Division 2005 US Open Swing Dance Championships. You can see some maturing, but they are just fantastic to watch.

Since I started to mess around with embedding YouTube videos on my blog I decided that I should post 2 videos of why Benji and Heidi deserve to win So You Think You Can Dance.

Benji and Heidi – Club Mambo Dance, So You Think You Can Dance
Black Mambo – Angel and The Mambokats

You are welcome to argue this point, but you are wrong.

Ill also throw in the recap of the results show here:

Good evening dancers, fans of Dance, parents of dancers, trainers, television junkies, heat wave victims, etc. Welcome to another spectacular episode of So You Think You Can Dance. Tonight, despite record-breaking heat across the country, 2 young dancers will be sent packing leaving only 6 left to fight it out for the grand prize.

We have a cool opening routine choreographed by Tyce Diorio in that Chicago musical style. It’s no undead zombie dance like last week, but pretty cool. Out host Cat Deeley trots out and lays out some info. Last night was another record-breaking night with nearly 10 million votes.

Let’s once again meet our amazing judges. Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, and my dog, Dan Karaty, bring the noise!

First we see who the bottom dancers are. On the Cat chopping block first, Donyelle and Natalie. Natalie is in the bottom 2 and Donyelle is safe. I didn’t type it, but my thoughts exactly. Next up Allison and Heidi. I think it’s going to be Heidi and I’m wrong, she’s safe. This means Allison will be doing a solo.

Time to see about our dancing men. Benji and Ryan are up in front of Cat first. I really think Ryan is going to be the one doing a solo. Annndddd, right I am, Benji is safe and Ryan is soloing. Now it’s Ivan and Travis. My guess is we’ll see a solo from Travis based on that miserable quick-step. Correct again! Ivan safe, Travis solo.

Now even though we have a bottom 4 dancers the vote has already been decided. Before it gets announced we’ll see solo from each of the bottom 4 plus a special performance by Busta Rhymes.

Natalie – solo
Veins
Charlotte Martin
Natalie bursts forth doing her patented mega body flex aerobic explosion leaving her completely out of breath. All the judges give great compliments, but at this point it’s just air because the vote has already been decided

Ryan – solo

Just Fine
Chris Brown
Ryan comes out totally subdued as a sort of intro. After a 5 second stalk walk and a stare down out toward the audience he breaks out his slick contemporary moves coupled with a rhythmic hip-hop feel. The judges show him some love.

Allison – solo
Feeling Good
Michael Buble

This is a sexy side of Allison we haven’t really seen yet in a solo. Her hair is hanging in front of a very sultry look as she comes off the stairs. She pulls some amazing slinky moves coupled with amazing perfect flips. Dan Karaty calls her the most versatile dancer on the show.

Travis – solo

Gotta Get Through This (acoustic version)
Daniel Bedingfield
Travis doesn’t wait long to bust out the pirouettes, but does manage a few more tricks. Impressive solo as always. The judges all radically disagree with me saying Travis should not be in the bottom 2 this week.

Here’s the big time musical guest, Busta Rhymes! Busta traded in the top-of-the-head braid sprout for a simple black baseball cap. He’s definitely looking his age but still the same Busta minus a little of energy.

Now for the hard stuff. The ladies are up first. Cat dishes out the tough break, Allison is going home. You would think it was Natalie going home with all the tears she’s letting loose. Allison gets to a quick goodbye dance for her fans. Dancing to This Woman’s Work by Maxwell. She does some emotional charged flails and sweeping jumps all the while Natalie weeping in the background.

Now we see which of the boys is going home. Ryan is going home, not too much of a surprise. I half think he expected this. Here’s Ryan’s last dance to Chris Brown’s Ain’t No Way (But You Won’t Love Me). That’s the show people, see you next week with the final 6.

If Ryan didn’t expect this he’s crazy.

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In my previous post about Dmitry Chaplin and Martha Nichols Get Sent Home on So You Think You Can Dance I put a link to an incredible video of Benji Schwimmer a mormon, and his cousin Heidi Groskreutz also a mormon, dancing at the Showcase Division 2005 US Open Swing Dance Championships. However, it was buried in the midst of Dmitry getting kicked off. Therefore, I thought that it deserved a post of its very own:

Tell me that isn’t amazing!!

See Also:
-Old School Video of Benji Schwimmer Dancing – A Benji TV Network or DVD?
-Still Healing from Allison Holker’s Departure from So You Think You Can Dance, Watch Disney’s High School Musical
-So You Think You Can Dance Tour
-Enlightening Questions About So You Think You Can Dance(SYTYCD)
-Benji and Heidi’s Club mambo, Black Mambo and Broadway Dance, Fake Your Way to the Top

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