Thoughts on Judges Favorite Dances from SYTYCD 5 Finale
Adam Shankman: His first pick a Nappy Tabs hip hop with Phillip and Jeanine. This dance started off the season. We expected Phillip to do well, but Jeanine was the surprise. I agree with Adam when he said this what started her journey. His second pick was Mia’s butt dance. Randy and Evan were a great couple I love watching them together. This was my favorite Mia dance of the season because it was just a fun light hearted piece.
Debbie Allen: Her picks actually surprised me a little bit. First was the Waltz with Auska and Vitolio. This wasn’t my favorite ballroom of the season but what I loved about this routine was the fact Louis based it on Vitolio’s story. It was a beautiful dance. Her second was the top 16 hip hop fusion number. Nappy Tabs and Dmitry really did well putting together a creative number. Very Flashdance like Debbie said with the water on the tables.
Lil C: I love the Bollywood routine with Jason and Caitlin. I thought it was their best routine as a couple. I wish he had two picks I would have loved to know more of Lil C’s favorite dances. Lil C always manages to surprise me, he may be the “King of Krump” but he has an passion for all forms of dance.
Tyce: He may have had only one pick but he chose disco with Brandon and Janette. I love how he had a story of how he had once danced to the same song. In my opinion it was the best disco of the season.
Mia Michaels: Her first pick was another dance from the first show. Max and Kayla’s samba. This was a favorite for me in the fact we got to see Max do what he does best, I was a little disappointed that he didn’t stick around longer. Her second pick was no surprise to me. Tyce’s routine about breast cancer touched her in a way it didn’t for many of the viewers (or at least the one on here). I am looking forward to seeing this dance the way the judges did…without all of the close ups.
Mary Murphy: Her first pick was also my favorite of the entire season, Travis’s routine. It was also the first time that Jeanine and Jason had their own style, and both showed America what they could do. I loved it when Jeanine said that the kiss at the end wasn’t part of the choreography, I would like to know who’s idea it was. Also I hope they find another dress for the tour, I think that one has had enough…lol. Jeanine and Brandon’s Paso was her second pick. Even though we had seen it the night before, it was nice to see it again. It was one of my favorites from the night before. It also created one of my favorite quotes from Jeanine.
Nigel Lythgoe: Brandon and Jenette’s Argentine tango was up first. It was a great dance but not my favorite ballroom number that they did together. The salsa was my favorite (the one where Jenette was wearing pink). Mia’s addiction piece with Kayla and Kapono was his second choice. This was also one of my favorites, like so many other viewers. It was an emotional piece for both dancers and you saw it when they performed. Also I laughed when he said Mary admitting that she uses botox, was one of his favorite moments. Anyone else catch what he said about if her jewelry was from a hand mirror that had shattered from all her screaming.
I like seeing the top 8 group number again with the added surprise of the judges joining them on stage. The fact that I was in A Chorus Line in college was part of the reason I like the routine in the first place. I just wish Lil C was up there too. I also glad they brought back the Rage Boys Crew…the little ones are so cute.
There were some others that I really liked that I thought we would have seen on last nights show. Like Wade’s crash test dummies, I liked the concept of this dance. Okay maybe a part of me wanted to see how long it would take that little dog to cross the Kodak stage…well not really it was a cute prop. Also I loved his dance for the top four, allowing all the dancers to play a character. I actually wanted to watch more of the rehearsal process just to watch Wade dance. Shane Sparks zombie hip hop is another one I thought we would see. Speaking of hip hop the second Nappy Tabs hip hop that Phillip and Jeanine did with the chain was another on that I liked. I still don’t understand how that landed them in the bottom three that week. Oh and Brandon and Kayla’s Broadway from last night was just wow…I so want to see that one again.
I’m sure I left some out but I can’t wait to see which ones make the tour show.
I am real bummed that the Shane Sparks zombie routine wasn’t on the finale, either. I loved that routine! Wasn’t a big fan of the chain hip-hop, though, gotta say. I’m not sure what it was, maybe the chain was too distracting for me? I wanted to see the Evan/Randi jazz piece from week one (that was my favorite piece they danced all season) but I can deal with the butt routine, it was great, too. I LOVED that they did the “Mad” piece with Jeanine and Phillip. That was my favorite hip-hop of the season (closely followed by the Zombie routine).
what about the Wade Robson thief dance!?! with Janette & Brandon! Now….the almighty Kodak didn’t have stairs set up….but im thinking they could have worked it out. That was a highlight of the season for me. I love me some wade robson! I was very happy to see the addiction routine, the “mad” routine, and the travis routine. That addiction routine is.just.so.good. I feel like there was more emotion from Kayla this time around. She looked like she was crying. Kupono’s smirk and ‘tude…..WHOA! perfection. I agree with you John, that they could have picked better highights for Brandon & Janette. Their cha cha was awesome! I would have gone with that or the sala, and the Wade routine instead. The zombie hip hop was great too!! And Yes..Brandon & Kayla’s broadway was awesome!!! I would have loved to see a repeat of that. Interesting that they used the paso doble between Brandon & Jeanine again…hmmm……wonder if that was planned 😉 they were “fighting” for the title….and then it came down to them. COME ON!
i forgot one (probably more but this one just popped up) – the laurieann gibson opo jazz routine with jeanine/brandon. THAT was a great routine!
Why was Wade never a judge on the show? And why was Nappy Tabby never a judge this season either? And, there was one choreographer…he does hip hop…he did Lacey’s and Kameron’s piece- Dan Karaty, why is he no longer on the show?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJyWA9DEIyY
Same with Shane Sparks, he use to judge, but like now…its Mia a lot and Adam. It was just bugging me.
But now on topic, did anyone else notice that they picked a lot of pieces from the first episode? I feel they did that because it was the first episode and everyone came out with a bang. But seeing the Pasodo again annoyed me. Most of those I could have predicted seeing again. Man did Louie Van…something get a lot of picks. I did think the addiction piece was stronger for some reason. But I also thought the Travis Wall piece lacked. Was it the lighting? I don’t know, it just upset me. And the opening number upset me too, they use to introduce all the top 20 dancers again and then say this is your top 4, but they didn’t. I don’t like change. Especially if Paula really does come on the show. I love Mary and Nigle, I just love it how it is. Why fix or change what isn’t broken?
Kelsey,
As far as I know Dan has been judging/choreographing for SYTYCD Canada and over seas. Dan is a favorite of mine too. I miss him too. Look for a blog later about him and Wade…I’ve been lucky enough to have taken classes from them.
Kayla
You are so right the stairs were missing. If they can replicate the Idol stage why can’t they do the same for SYTYCD. Also Kapono did have the character down…and he was just a little bit creepy for the addiction piece…lol.
Kayla, I totally forgot about the WR jazz piece with Janette and Brandon. That was another one of my favorite routines! I would have loved to see that again. I can’t believe they chose the paso doble that was JUST seen over that routine, or some others. I mean it was good, but it wasn’t so good that we needed to see it twice in two days. I thought there were other routines with better dancing and better partnership that I would’ve rather seen in its place.
How about any other dance than a repeat of Brandon and Jeanine. Unless the routine is called the bench, once in 2 days is enough;-) Plus, that routine could have been a routine done by some of the eliminated dancers that we didn’t get to see dance (ie. Karla).
I don’t know for sure why Wade isn’t a judge, but I’m guessing it’s because he doesn’t want to be. I think you take a lot more criticism when you’re a judge and I’m guessing he doesn’t care about that. He just wants to create great dances. I can’t blame him for that.
honestly, i would have loved to see the Brandon/Kayla broadway again! if you are going to repeat anything from the night before…
One of my favorite pieces was the military costumed one, was a hip hop I think. It brought tears to me as I watched it. But other than that, the addiction one, the breast cancer one, the heart one but was not a fan of the but one. Altogether a good finale.
I loved Brandon and Janette’s Angentine Tango, but I had also loved their other Latin ballroom numbers –probably because they were my fav dancers and still are. Hope they are paired together often on the tour.
[…] This season of So You Think You Can Dance was really one of the best, with so much talent and many awesome dances. There were such amazing dancers that after the Top 12, I didn`t want anyone to leave! In this post I wanted to highlight my favorite performances of the season, and want to hear all of yours as well. You can also take a look at Amanda’s post about the judges favorites. […]