Top 14 Performance Thoughts and Discussion
I’ll be updating my thoughts on tonight’s episode live (with a little lag, I’m sure, while I’m working on the music). Feel free to begin the discussion in the comments. What are you most looking forward to tonight? Dreading?
Spoiler space just in case…read on after the break…
Not sure how Carmen Electra’s going to do as a guest judge, but she seems to have an okay dance background. But what I’m REALLY excited about, of course, is seeing TRAVIS on the judging panel. CAN.NOT.WAIT.
I looooved the Top 7 Guys group routine with new choreographer Justin Giles. My mom said it was mostly just posing, but I really loved the routine for the guys. I think it gave them a chance to stretch within an idea and a song, to show of their strengths. Also, perfectly suited to the song. Looove those routines. What do y’all think?
Melanie and Marko’s Ray Leeper jazz routine was like a cross between Sonya and Jean Marc. I liked it, I really did, mostly because I love them and there was some fun stuff in there. But I could sense some of their same slowness and heaviness from the last time they did jazz. I think it was the first Top 20 night or the 2nd. I’ll have to check that. Anyway, I think I saw more of it at the beginning and it got a bit snappier by the end. I’m glad everybody loves them since they’re first.
While I really like Sasha’s dancing, I often find her personality abrasive and I don’t really like her partnership with Alexander. Which is weird because I usually like their routines fine. They’re both incredible. I actually liked this hip hop a lot. I thought it was cute and it reminded me of the firefly routine a while back. I could see where the judges were coming from, but I thought Travis had the best things to say, acknowledging that it was good but not chock-full of swag by any means.
I groaned when I heard that Jordan and Tadd got another waltz since they’ve already had the Viennese and I don’t particularly like waltzes. I love Toni Redpath, though. I think the idea of the dance was cool and they largely danced it well, but it seemed a bit jerky for a smooth waltz. I liked that Travis was the only one who was honest enough to mention this. His analogy to periods on sentences was perfect. Also? Carmen Electra is the most boring judge ever. She has no energy.
Clarice and Jess really impressed me in their Justin Giles contemporary (hip hop?) routine. I agree with Travis that it’s the best they’ve danced with each other and it might even be my favorite routine so far of tonight. I think Travis nailed it when he said it’s the first time their chemistry has been honest. He is just nailing the judging gig tonight, across the board. At least for me. You?
I worried for Ashley and Chris when I heard Liz Lira say it was her most complicated choreography. Loved when Chris dropped Ashley and asked her if she was okay and she took his hand and put it on her waist, making him lift her up and keep dancing. Awesome! I was impressed with them throughout, but I did feel that their chemistry was more with the audience than with each other. It felt like a routine in a dancing movie, maybe the couple’s second time performing where you can see them getting better together but it’s not the big bad finale yet. Again, I thought Travis was the one speaking what I felt and saw. I loved when Chris said, “You’re so mean, I love you!” That’s how I’d feel if Travis ever critiqued my dancing. 🙂
So relieved to see Ryan and Rickey in this AWESOME Chucky Klampow jazz routine. They killed it! It was so stylized and the music was perfect and I just really dug them in this routine. I agree with Nigel when he said it reminded him of Ramalama and Mary when she said she likes a little quirky in her life. Me, too!
Loooooved Caitlynn and Mitchell in their Mandy Moore contemporary. Mandy Moore has a way of taking music I don’t like and building an awesome routine around it – this is a perfect example. The lifts were so unreal that it was just breathtaking. I think they have a definite advantage with this great routine and being lost tonight. Also, Robert was Mandy’s male assistant. Cool! 🙂 And Mandy made me laugh when she said, “If you drop her, I’ll kill you!” Way to motivate. lol
The Top 7 Girls Ray Leeper jazz routine was fabulous. But I am getting sick to death of all this “girls are beasts out to get the boys” stuff. Seriously overdone, even if the choreography is stellar. And it was. I looved the slide across the floor, especially paired with the music.
The Power Rankings are gonna be tough and I know there’s gonna be some loud disagreement. I better just get on with it… Don’t forget to tell me what you think in the meantime.
OK, I really liked that top 7 guys dance. It seemed to be a dance about a story–and it communicated emotion moreso than difficulty or something like that. But I felt it. Especially when they panned the camera out.
But poor Chris really messed up the only synchronized components of the whole thing. That could hurt him if he finds himself in the bottom three tomorrow.
What was the song in that opening groove that the 7 guys danced to?
@beth: I’m so glad you caught that! I noticed it but wasn’t sure which guy it was. On the right in the back, right?
@CL: All of the music is updated live here: https://puresytycd.com/2011/07/06/season-8-top-14-performance-music/
Yep–that was him. Bummer.
I didn’t agree completely with the Sasha/Alex criticism. I liked the light and sharp choreography. To be honest, I don’t think that the judges are used to hip hop choreo not from nappytabs…who do either really hard or really lyrical. Very rarely is it light and noncommittal like this was.
But, *shrug*.
Does anyone have the voting phone numbers for tonight? The online voting is not working again, and I didn’t DVR it. *facepalm*
Thanks!
@Joy:
Melanie & Marko = 1-888-TEMPO-01
Sasha & Alexander = 1-888-TEMPO-02
Jordan & Tadd = 1-888-TEMPO-03
Clarice & Jess = 1-888-TEMPO-04
Ashley & Chris = 1-888-TEMPO-05
Ryan & Rickey = 1-888-TEMPO-06
Caitlynn & Mitchell = 1-888-TEMPO-07
Thank you so much!
Just watching now and commenting as I go…
Oh, man, the outfit that Ryan is wearing in the opening is almost the EXACT outfit that got harshed on for a girl in the Montreal auditions this week (she was in the Toronto auditions wearing it and got booted, but changed for the Montreal auditions and got through).
Yay!!!! Travis as a judge. It is so very exciting to see him grow from contestant to choreographer to judge. And amazing in every role.
Boys’ routine: interesting concept, for sure. LOVE the song–who used that before? I’m sure the first time I heard this song was from sytycd. I’m not sure how I feel about all the pulling at the clothes (it did knock me out of the moment). I know this is one of those dances that if I watch a few times and study all the intricacies and subtleties of the choreo, I’ll appreciate it more. Chris was off–I think the hood threw him.
[Note: I’m disappointed in myself as to how much I’m influenced by how the dancers are presented in the packages. The editors/producers have a LOT of power over my emotions and preferences (I hate to admit that; I like to think of myself as focusing on the dancers as dancers). This was the first time I saw how likable Jess could be (“strong like bull”). Of course, a bad/good performance has the power to change that.]
M&M–I’m one of their many fans. It felt really heavy at the beginning. Yes, it’s supposed to be hard-hitting (what with the music), but with power not heaviness. I lost the story of running away together when it felt more like a weird jazz-Paso. Not one of their best–and I’m not sure if it’s the choreo or the execution that’s to blame. Travis’ endorsement of the choreographer makes me think it might be the execution or my taste. The judges are gushing: maybe it’s just my taste.
Eek, I have to get ready for work. More later.
@ NC: No, it’s not just your taste. I found both the numbers Ray Leeper choreographed to be oddly unmusical. He took pieces of music with heavy driving beats and put movement to it that just didn’t fit. The girls’ group routine was the better of the two, but poor Melanie & Marko really got stuck holding the shitty end of the stick.
It’s so funny how tastes vary…I was really excited for Ray Leeper’s choreo, lol. It’s like he read my mind. 🙂 I suppose that’s why selecting the bottom couples can be so difficult. What I like (or don’t like) isn’t necessarily what others are attracted to. Funny how that works!!
@beth, They have a big enough fan base that I wouldn’t put them in danger. I liked a little more the second time I watched it, but I still can’t shake the “odd Paso” impression I got initially. On the up side, they definitely have chemistry.
And was that a Billy sighting in the audience?
Sasha and Alexander. That was sweet. I think it struck all the notes it was supposed to hit. They may suffer from a comparison with their first hip-hop, which had such an intense theme. Swag? Well, he had a cute, fresh-faced expression, which may have fit the eager-beaver character if not the hip-hop genre. I appreciate Sasha’s characterization: her rebuffing of him was always playful, so it never felt like flat rejection (and I could believe the kiss at the end). She had swag. They had connection. Was it a “wow” dance? No, but it wasn’t as flat as the judges made it out to be. The judges definitely have their favs. Oh, cool, at least I’m in synch with Travis.
Tad and Jordan got waltz again? Poor guys. Neat story though (go Tony Redpath!). I’m all about the sirens. The costume is sufficiently siren-like and Jordan seems to be embracing her inner sea-temptress. He maintains the “waltz face” while getting into the character. Hmm, this is supposed to be SMOOTH waltz and they’re stuttering a bit. She looks lovely in the lifts and I dig that floor sweep. Mary’s dropping history on the waltz. Very cool. No wonder Travis is such an excellent choreographer–he is so good with constructive criticism.
Jess and Clarise–okay, I’m ready to like Jess. He reminds me of a young Mike Tyce–did anyone else see Tyce in the Chorus Line documentary (Every Little Step)? I daresay they are showing more connection than I’ve seen from them. From the beginning, they seemed to breathe together, they seemed aware of each other throughout the dance. Some interesting choreo, and they both embraced it. I wasn’t crazy about Clarise’s expression (a grimace-smile, a lot like what Ryan gets when she’s trying for intense emotion); fortunately, her body captured the mood wonderfully. Jess was more subtle with his expressions (he’s a better actor than she is). No tricks, just some solid dancing. It might be a hard sell for the viewers. (I’d like to see more of Justin Giles.)
Chris and Ashley–they start on shaky ground. A lot of folks think Miranda should be in her place (I tend to feel that way too, but I’m trying to hold that bias back and just enjoy the dance for what it is). I wonder how many lifts and tricks got cut from the original dance. They were passable in places and out of synch in others. I certainly didn’t get hot-tamale, neither smoldering nor fiery, off the character aspect of it. They may be in trouble. I’d like to see this choreo done with Latin dancers (Janette, hello?).
Ricky and Ryan–this reminds me of something Mandy Moore might choreograph (with some moves inspired by Wade Robson). It’s an interesting twist on fashion slave, ie: so slavish, they’re zombie-like. Very apropos music. They worked it well, but it’s pretty lite fare. Yay! I’m glad Ryan got something that forces her out of her smiley face. In fact, I thought she grabbed onto the character more than Rickey did (which is a big change–I’ve been thinking he’s been out-performing her). Yeah, Ramalama, that’s what I was thinking too.
Caitlynn and Mitchell–Okay, enough Celine Dion. That music just leaves me cold. Her music is like the cover of the romance novels they showed ironically in the package. Despite the gag-inducing music, their movement is lovely. It is definitely romantic. Mitchell is such a capable partner. He made the lifts look glorious, like they were flying together. Beautiful choreo from Mandy Moore and there was a palpable emotional connection between them. It transcended the automatic gag reflex I had on the song. It should get them a lot of votes.
Another thing that didn’t sit right with me: there was one weird moment in the choreography that I wouldn’t associate with falling in love because it’s the same move that was done in the Mercy routine: when he carries her backwards as she kicks. For me, that will forever be a “I’m throwing this chick out of here” move.
Mitchell’s injured?? Holy toledo. I’m so very impressed by him.
The girls’ routine: I find myself jealous of the men. They seem to always get the really cool group routines. Women always seem to get sexy. This is pretty much the same: the guys got the stages of grief and the girls get… oh, right, sexy again. At least they get a bit of a twist to that. Travis likes this choreographer, so I’m expecting something that has teeth. I like the slick opening, a row of black widows. Melanie stood out for me: very slinky and coy (the camera hugging her most of the time may have had something to do with that). The glimpses of Jordan had her totally in the character too (no surprise, there). Okay, Leeper, redeemed himself for me. Though I’m not amazed by him (yet), this was a bit more memorable than all the other “oh, this is going to be so sexy” girls routines.
Waah! Sorry for writing a freakin’ book, folks!
Definitely a Billy sighting! Sitting next to Kathryn. 🙂
I agree mostly with what you said, NC. Except I still can’t feel Jess. I mean, I respect his ability and talent, but he just isn’t likable for me.
Melanie & Marko – jazz – again!
Sasha & Alexander – hip hop – again!
Clarice & Jess – contemporary – again!
Ryan & Rickey – jazz – again!
Caitlynn & Mitchell – contemporary – again!
Jordan & Tadd – waltz – AGAIN!!!
WTF?
Where is disco? broadway? krump? paso doble? tango?
We’ve had some broadway in past weeks, and some bollywood, etc. But I imagine the real diversity will come to the fore when the all stars are revealed in a couple of weeks. I would love to see Janette as an all star for latin. 🙂
I do admit that I haven’t missed no disco this season. lol
@ NC Teddy Tedholm used that song from the boys piece is his audition last year, the one that made Adam cry 🙂
@ Natalie–Right! No wonder I have such a soft feeling for that song.