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Attending a Live Taping of SYTYCD Canada!

Hey guys! I JUST got back after a great mission venturing down to Showline, Harbourside Studios, Toronto, ON, where they filmed So You Think You Can Dance Canada Season 2. I attended the most recent performance episode taping, for the Top 6 remaining dancers (Everett, Vincent, Emanuel, Jayme Rae, Melanie, & Tara-Jean). Let me just start by saying – this is an experience that I will never forget! It was definitely memorable and something I’m thankful for on this lovely Thanksgiving day! Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

I posted up some photos on my Facebook, I’ll give you a link to the album: CLICK! These are just photos I got to take with the Top 6 after the show. I have SO much to talk about, but it is past midnight right now and my writing skills are obviously worse than ever before, but I will try my best! Here goes…

The day started getting off at Pape Station, in Toronto, at around 3 30PM. We reached 915 Lake Shore Boulevard East (kind of hard to find but we managed with some luck) at around 3 50. The line up was relatively long but we were already moving as soon as we got there (we as in my friend, Joyce, and I — Hi Joyce! :P) We were then checked for any cameras, sharp objects, or dangerous objects that could pose a threat. Heading to the Will Call Desk, I started to get quite anxious.

We signed in and met up with some others and got into Studio 7K, where the audience was held before the taping started. In the room, there was a corner full of chairs and two TV’s where they aired none other than SYTYCDC 2! In that corner, we witnessed previously designed posters for the contestants on the show and there was also a “poster making station” underneath all the posters, where children and their parents crowded around. To the side, there was the Joe Fresh wall where audiences members could show off their own moves. On TV, we are to see this before a commercial break, however, this was all filmed before anything else, as they gathered a group of courageous people to the corner to dance. They got some soloists to come out and do their thing, and then people ended up getting into a conga line. Off to the other corner, was the coat check. Everybody was required to check in ALL their belongings, including coats, purses, bags, drinks, cell phones, and of course cameras. The volunteers (paid or not, I was not too sure) were quite friendly and helpful. All in all, I felt like the entire thing made the audience their priority which was extraordinary for me, because tickets to the taping are FREE! Yes, did you know that?! 🙂

We had to wait for another 30 – 40 minutes because of all the dress rehearsals they had to run through and because of that, we were a tad behind schedule. When it was finally 6PM or so, everybody rushed to line up where we all were to proceed single file to fill the taping studio! To my surprise, my first reaction was that it seemed much smaller than I had anticipated! TV magic! The lights did not seem to be over shining or too annoying. The sound was actually not as loud as I had expected (I thought it was going to be like a rock concert, but I was…obviously off). Unfortunately, we did not get to stand at the front, but we were in the Moshpit/Standing area in the middle. Fair enough. Behind us were actually seats and people who had “yellow tickets” had assigned seating. Now, I am not sure as to where these people got these special tickets from and whether or not they had to buy them, but some of them seemed like VIPs. Melanie Mah’s boyfriend was there, that I know! The whole studio, seemed like an IMAX theatre, in a way! There was a starry covering of the ceiling made up of LED lights. There were the arches in the background, which, to my surprise again, were separated and not stuck together as one big piece. Off to the sides were the walls with the screens on them. Then, above the walls was the runway which connected the towers. People stood on the runways and the dancers and Leah Miller (who was constantly referred to as Leah Miller-Green…much more about Leah on the way…) stood at the towers where they delivered their lines or smiled for the camera. On the left runways, we saw a group of ladies who each had a letter that spelled out E-V-E-R-E-T-T, obviously rooting for Melanie. I mean Everett. Off to the side a little, were Austin Di Iulio and Cody Bonnell!!! I was so ecstatic to see them and I just wanted to meet them. However, they were too far away and I could not catch them in the audience holding room (studio 7K) afterwards neither!

What was interesting was the personnel. I must start off with the lighting mechanics. They were up on top of the lighting sets near the ceiling the whole way through! They got up with a roped ladder and it seemed like a job I never wanted to do, ever, in my whole life. There was also a very talkative, energetic, and somewhat flamboyant-seeming “time-filler guy” who worked with the stage manager, named Josh. Josh was such a personality. He mentioned that he went to med school but now he is in broadcasting. I love him! He was hilarious. He would invite people up to the stage to dance (like Jayme Rae’s younger brother Jordan, who may be on the show in a few seasons, and his friends Mike and Jonathan [I believe those were the names];Jordan and Mike do hip hop, Jonathan does contemporary). Whomever danced (or made a fool out of themselves) got to earn themselves a t-shirt and what Josh called “gold stars”! He would also pick out individuals from the crowd who laughed at him. What a guy he was! The stage manager lady’s funniest moment was when she mentioned Jean-Marc Genereux touched her unexpectedly! The whole crowd was laughing. She held her own with leadership and making the audience a priority also. They really drilled it to us to have energy by reinforcing positivity. Also, they would allow us to sit every once in a while between dances or “hiccups” (cleaning up the stage ridding of props) so that the judges and Leah could have their make-up and hair freshened up.

Now what was interesting was that the show was filmed in somewhat of a random order. The order and timing between each filming period was not consistent. We started off with the Top 3 girls’ Contemporary piece choreographer by Mia Michaels. I am to keep things confidential so that’s about all the detail I can give you about the dance and I do not think I can tell you about the judges’ comments? All I can say is that sometimes they had to film the comments (one of two lines) twice for grammatical errors or random hiccups. We were then told to film something at the tower which took long because of technical difficulties. Afterwards, we applauded for the packages and sponsors. We were filmed some audience shots all in one take. What else was interesting is that the signs people made, were not the signs the same people held later, as they were collected, and then distributed randomly. So we filmed that with much enthusiasm! I was happy to know that the dances themselves were not filmed in segments and that it was all one take. I thought they were going to edit the dance and pick the best edits to combine into one in order to show on TV. This was not the case as they had about 10 cameras for many angles, but they all filmed at once. After a couple of Top 6 performances and solos and the filming of their “TO VOTE FOR MELANIE, DIAL #”, they filmed the opening sequence where Leah would introduce the dancers remaining (always starting with Tara-Jean, I still wonder why). I am not sure what else I can tell you, but here are the groupings: Tara-Jean was partnered with Vincent again because she had partnered with everyone else before, Melanie with Everett (who were amazing!), and last but not least, Jayme Rae with Emanuel (who were also stars that night!)

They filmed the judges coming out separately and in the middle of the whole experience. It was quite odd because they had to act as if they had just come out when they had already seen about 2-3 dances. The two guest judges were Rex Harrington (who was HILARIOUS and FABULOUS as always), and Mary Murphy (who managed to put in a couple of screams here and there!) Their comments were actually shorter than I thought (not 10 minutes in length each). Tre was actually less arrogant and prissy than I thought she would’ve been! Her hair was also very nice! Oh, and I was delighted to know that the choreographers were actually present and quite close to where I was standing when they are shown and acknowledged after every dance.

Let’s talk about Mrs. Leah Miller-Green! Our lovely host seems to have such a difficult job, especially with 32 million people watching her right? I’d love to be in her place. One, her wardrobe is always extravagant and she always wears flashy 6-inch heels to accentuate her actual height. Two, she seemed quite lost and almost drunk to me. Three, she specifically told the audience that she did not have much to do. And finally, she reads directly from a teleprompter. I do not think she memorizes any scripts at all. She seems to get placed on stage and her sole duty is just to look good standing on stage, hugging the contestants, and assuring that she reads with her twitchy head movements and fake high-pitched voice, with lines delivered from a teleprompter. What’s worse is that she sometimes has to do her lines over again! How hard can it be…? I also believe she happened to tell the audience that if we were hungry or thirsty, we could just call her, and she would give us water or food, and especially her own fruits! Now, if she was joking or not, I was not sure, but I’m going to stop criticising her because I do not know how much goes on behind THE “behind the scenes”!

I’d have to say that seeing things live for yourselves is different than seeing the “same” thing on TV. When it comes to dancing, it is different. You get different perspectives, and skewed ones at that too. My favourite male dancer is now Vincent, by far. Everett has a great personality (he is not boring, sorry about that!), and I can totally see him in the finale with Vincent. Vincent has such a charm and natural talent to him. When he dances, you cannot keep your eyes off of him. I also feel like he’s so relate-able and I am sure everybody would love to dance with him! As for Emanuel, he is hilarious (and he has great abs), but I don’t think he will go any further. As for the girls, it is such a tough decision. I truly want Jayme Rae and Melanie to be in the finale (and I think it will be between them two). My perceptions for the girls did not change much, but my respect for Tara-Jean did increase just a tad. She seems very friendly and also has great technique.

Finally, after the show we were told that we could line up for an autograph session with the Top 6. Obviously I rushed there after receiving my cell phone (with a camera) and everything else back from the coat check. We were given free Aquafina+ water, yay! Blackberry grape tastes strange, euk. Yeah. We also received free 8.5×11″ posters of SYTYCDC 6 Top 6. Vincent signed mine first and he seemed happy after I said “Bonjour!” to him. We took a photo together even though the volunteers told us it was “not encouraged”. Next up was Tara-Jean with her jazzy hat. Then, we got up to Everett, who has nice eyes. Ha! We then scooted over to Melanie who told me she RECOGNIZED ME in the audience (“who else could that Asian kid be?!”) and from her studio! The best part was that she told me I was a good dancer. I was thrilled, truly! We took a photo together and moved on to Emanuel after wishing her the best of luck. Emanuel said something funny, I don’t quite remember what. He has a nice signature (and abs – ha!) Last was Jayme Rae, who spoke French to an elderly woman (possibly her grandmother?) She seemed nice too but she did not say much, only asking us how the show went. After all that, we were just so ecstatic and wanted to fly home after a great, great night. My friend did some goofy things that I shall not speak of. You know what Joyce! 😉 By the time we got home, it was 12AM Thanksgiving Monday.

Now it is almost 2AM, and I must leave everything at that. Today was one of the best days this year, to be honest. I am thankful for this and just for all those who have supported me in my endeavours (including this blog). Most importantly, I am thankful for my family and friends. Without them, I would never have lived to see this day! I am stripped of all my vigour so I must recharge now. I cannot think of anything else that is probably of much importance right now, but I hope this post enlightened viewers in some way. Until next time, goodnight and I hope you all enjoyed a Happy Thanksgiving Day too!

October 11, 2009 I Written By

So You Think You Can Dance Canada Top 8 Results Show

The opening routein by Tyce Diorio was awesome. I am a little upset with the camera men I felt like I was missing a lot of awesome moves because they were zoomed in on certain people.

Also, Next Tuesday Mia Michaels is choreographing the group routine….. exciting! I did my Power Rankings this week but was off quite a bit. Here are Tonight’s Results.

Girls

Jayme Rae – Safe (As I predicted)
Kim – Not Safe (Not as I predicted)
Tara-Jean – Safe (Not as I predicted)
Melanie – Not Safe (Not as I predicted)

Boys

Cody – Not Safe (As I predicted)
Vincent – Safe (As I predicted)
Emanuel – Safe (Not as I predicted)
Everett – Not Safe (Not as I predicted)

I was way off with predictions this week.

Solos

Kim – Sexy, hot, hard hitting
Melanie – Pretty, passionate, full
Cody – cute, quirky, fun
Everett – Pure talent, entertaining

Good-Bye

Kim & Cody


Final Thoughts

If you had asked me a couple weeks ago I would not be upset if Kim went home but I was really starting to like her and so it was sad to see her leave. Cody I adore but I knew he wouldn’t make it to the end. I am plesantly surprised Melanie is still here, she was my favourite from day one. Final 6 … this will only get more difficult!

October 7, 2009 I Written By

I am a blogger and reality tv lover. I blog here for SYTYCD but mostly the Canada version, since I live in Vancouver BC. I also blog about other reality tv shows on my own blog www.mandysmind.com

So You Think You Can Dance Canada Power Rankings Top 8

What a night. I can honestly say we have an unbelievable Top 8. And Mia is right, our Top 4 girls are the best i have seen!!!

Last week I predicted who would go home, however it is getting so difficult. I can say who I feel should be in the bottom or who I think Canada will vote for.

Mia Michaels (with a new shaved head), Dan Karaty, Tre Armstrong and Jean-Marc Genereux were judges and we had Nico Archambault debut as a SYTYCD choreographer. It was indeed a special night.

Although during rehearsals there were multiple injuries with Everett suffering from a bleeding nose from a few kicks in the face to Emmanuel’s sprained ankle (and his fingers are still bandaged) but the show must go on – and it did – and it was spectacular!

Top 4 Guys Dance
Jazz with Melissa Williams
“Beggin” The Four Seasons - Jersey Boys - Beggin' – Jersey Boyz

They were not at all in unison, a boy band they are NOT! I did enjoy the solo bits with spins and kicks as well as the overall routine. Vincent stood out for me.

Top 4 Girls Dance
Burlesque in my opinion with Sean Cheeseman
“Dr. Feelgood” Aretha Franklin - Aretha Franklin: 30 Greatest Hits - Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business) – Aretha Franklin

This was sexy, hot and amazing. The girls were in sync, each had a chance to shine and the choreography was super seductive. Jayme Rae stood out *slightly* for me but overall the all shone like the superstars they are.

Couples

Vincent & Tara-Jean

1. Rumba with Eric Caty
“Hero” Enrique Iglesias - Escape - Hero – Enrique Iglesias

Maybe it’s the song but I teared up, I was covered in goosebumps and I enjoyed every moment of this amazing routine. The kiss at the end was hot and Mia Michaels was correct, the end bit was very Karma Sutra. I just loved it, Tara-Jean was sexy and Vincent was powerful and I adored every second of this routine.

2. Krump with Lil’ C
“Chea-Chea-Chea” – Tha J Squad

Neither hit it very hard but it was a good effort. Tara-Jean seems to me to be the weakest link of the 4 girls, though even saying that feels wrong because they are all so amazing. Vincent delivered though it was not overly “krumpy” for me.

Tara-Jean
“Farewell” Rosie Thomas - When We Were Small - Farewell – Rosie Thomas

Passionate, Emotional, Pretty. But not sure if her overall effort will get her to next week.

Vincent
“U Can’t Touch This” MC Hammer - MC Hammer: Greatest Hits - U Can't Touch This – MC Hammer

Unique song choice for his genre of dance but he delivered. It was hot, sexy and most importantly ENTERTAINING!

Kim & Cody

1. Hip Hop with Luther Brown
“Humpin’ Around” Bobby Brown - All the Number Ones - Humpin' Around – Bobby Brown

I loved this routine. Mia Michaels called it “dope” and I concur. It was hard, it was hyped, it was a throw back to old school hip hop and they nailed it. Both of them were in their genre and showed they could rock it out.

2. Smooth Waltz with Pierre Allaire
“What a Wonderful World” Louis Armstrong - Louis Armstrong's All-Time Greatest Hits - What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong

This fell flat. It was cute and quirky, I was shocked to see Kim not being sexy… but it was not entertaining and as the judges pointed out it showed poor technique and didn’t deliver.

Kim
“Jerk it” Thunderheist - Thunderheist - Jerk It -Thunderhiest

Back to the sexy where she belongs this was an amazing routine. I especially loved the gliding across the floor on her back and the abrupt sudden movements… hot!

Cody
“Missin’ You” Trey Songz - Trey Day (Bonus Track Version) - Missin You – Tre Songz

The problem with Cody is that his hip hop is smooth and natural and looks to come so easy. I think that can be mistaken for lack of effort or passion. I believe he HAS the passion and drive and effort, but he is just so talented his solo’s appear relaxed. I hope this doesn’t land him in the bottom

Emanuel & Melanie

1. Contemporary (Ballet parts) with Sabrina Matthews
“The Scientist” Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head - The Scientist – Coldplay

What great lines. It was a beautiful routine though I felt the pairing was a bit off. The judges really emphasized how well Melanie did while playing hard ball with Emmanuel. He was injured, he did miss rehersals, he did fairly well all things considered, but also he is a fan favourite mainly because of his background with skating and his familiarity.

2. Disco with Melissa Williams
“Hush Hush” The Pussycat Dolls - Doll Domination - Hush Hush -Pussycat Dolls

I enjoyed the routine. I feel like Melanie has been in the bottom when she shouldn’t have been before and fear that will occur again. Emmanuel I feel has been in the top when he shouldn’t have been and wonder how Canada will vote this week given he was injured.

Melanie
“Innocence” Björk - Volta - Innocence – Bjork

I loved this solo. The song choice was so perfect for her movements. She really delivered passion and talent and showcased why she should stick around.

Emanuel
“Mad World” The Hitmakers - Big Smash Hits - Mad World (as made famous by Adam Lambert) – Adam Lambert

He always looks to glide on ice. I wanted to see more. I worried about his ankle. I feel it is tough to judge or rank someone who is injured. I don’ tknow if people will vote for him based on previous weeks and loving him already or even as sympathy for his injury or if he will finally go home. We shall see tomorrow.

Jayme Rae & Everett

1. Mamba with Gustavo Varagas
“En Berransvilla Me Quedo” Joe Arroyo - La Verdad de Joe Arroyo - En Barranquilla Me Quedo – Joe Arroyo

Jayme Rae’s hips were flying and she was sexy as hell even as her costume was falling apart. The kicks, spins, dips and that end flip… wow! Entertaining and amazing. Yes Jayme Rae outshone Everett but that is how it should be and Mia Michaels was correct – HOT A LICIOUS!

2. Jazz Funk with Nico Archambault & Wynn Holmes
“Sexy Chick” David Guetta - One Love - Sexy Chick (feat. Akon) – David Guetta (feat. Akon)

If Nico’s choreo can’t keep these two out of the bottom 2 I don’t know what can… Nico’s debut as a choreo on the show was AMAZING… I loved it as much as I love him !!! Everett was the perfect geek and Jayme Rae sexy as sexy can be. The story was cute, the moves were amazing it was a well-crafted routine from idea to performance….

Jayme Rae
“gettin’ in the Way” Jill Scott - Who Is Jill Scott? - Words and Sounds, Vol. 1 - Gettin' In the Way -Jill Scott

Every movement was precise and amazing. I think she should be safe based on her paired routines and solo. She has become quite the superstar.

Everett
“Stand By Me” Ben E. King - Ben E. King: Anthology - Stand by Me -Ben E King

This guy is entertaining. He makes tap fun again. I can’t keep my eyes off him when he moves and that is a good thing. I think he should be safe.

Power Rankings

Girls

1. Kim
2. Jayme Rae
3. Melanie
4. Tara-Jean

Boys

1. Vincent
2. Everett
3. Cody
4. Emanuel

I predict Tara-Jean and Emanuel go Home (Though I kind of sadly think it may be Cody and not Emanuel, I would probably cry if that was true though)

Do you agree? Disagree? Why?

We will see Tomorrow Night

October 6, 2009 I Written By

I am a blogger and reality tv lover. I blog here for SYTYCD but mostly the Canada version, since I live in Vancouver BC. I also blog about other reality tv shows on my own blog www.mandysmind.com

Ticket on Sale Soon – So You Think You Can Dance Canada on Tour

Tickets for the tour will go on sale Saturday October 3 at 11am local time. Full details regarding ticket purchasing can be found on Ticketmaster for most shows or on AEGlive.com at dance.ctv.ca..

The SYTYCDC Tour 2009 will showcase the most sizzling routines and mesmerizing performances of the season. The national tour includes the following 18 stops:

November 25 – Prospera Place – Kelowna, BC
November 27 – General Motors Place – Vancouver, BC Buy Tickets on Ticketmaster
November 29 – Enmax Centre – Lethbridge, AB
November 30 – Rexall Place – Edmonton, AB Buy Tickets on Ticketmaster
December 1 – Credit Union Centre – Saskatoon, SK Buy Tickets on Ticketmaster
December 2 – Pengrowth Saddledome – Calgary, AB Buy Tickets on Ticketmaster
December 4 – RBC Theatre at MTS Centre – Winnipeg, MB Buy Tickets on Ticketmaster
December 6 – Sudbury Arena – Sudbury, ON
December 8 – WFCU Centre – Windsor, ON
December 9 – John Labatt Centre – London, ON
December 10 – Air Canada Centre – December 12 – Copps Coliseum – Hamilton, ON Buy Tickets on Ticketmaster
December 12 – Copps Coliseum – Hamilton, ON Buy Tickets on Ticketmaster
December 13 – K-Rock Centre – Kingston, ON
December 15 – Centre Bell – Montreal, QC (co-presented by Gillette Entertainment Group)
December 18 – Scotiabank Place – Ottawa, ON
December 19 – Colisee Pepsi – Quebec City, QC
December 21 – Harbour Station – Saint John, NB
December 22 – Metro Centre – Halifax, NS

I hope to go to the Vancouver Show… I’d travel to other shows but in the Winter… in Canada… well… just not a great idea… though I did drive across Canada in the middle of December once… but that’s another story 😉

September 29, 2009 I Written By

I am a blogger and reality tv lover. I blog here for SYTYCD but mostly the Canada version, since I live in Vancouver BC. I also blog about other reality tv shows on my own blog www.mandysmind.com

So You Think You Can Dance Canada – Top 12 Results Show

And now we are down to Top 10. The ten that will go on tour and perform across the country. I am happy with the Top 10 for the most part, heck I’d go see the Top 20 pretty much…. there were so many great dancers this season.

They opened with a very sexy piece from Luther Brown to Lil Kim’s “The Jumpoff”. I loved the leather cat suits the women wore and the body art on the men. Kim was featured again front and center, I didn’t care for her or think of her as a front runner but she is really becoming quite the sexy vixen of a front runner. The routine was hot and had lot’s of hip shaking, spanking and allure.

Results

Kim & Emanuel – Safe (as predicted)

Melanie & Cody – Not Safe (NOT as predicted – SHOCKED!)

Corynne & Austin – Not Safe (as predicted)

Tara-Jean & Everett – Safe (NOT as predicted)

Jayme Rae & Daniel – Not Safe (NOT as predicted)

Amy & Vincent – Safe (NOT as predicted)

Solo’s

Melanie – Passionate, beautiful, predicted she’d make it on to Top 10 and am still shocked she was even in Bottom 3 Couples.

Corynne – Seemed a bit frantic, predicted she would be leaving even last night.

Jayme Rae – Her movement and lines looked great, I predicted she’d make it to Top 10.

Cody – a fan fave, had to make it to Top 10 though his solo didn’t seem as strong as I have seen him in the past.

Austin – he excels in his solo, so beautiful and passionate

Daniel – hard-hitting and very entertaining

Good-Byes

Corynne & Daniel went home. I predicted Corynne would go home but had thought Austin would also leave, however, he always pulls out an amazing solo and stays, despite being in the Bottom 3 three times now.

Now we are in the Top 10 – It will be exciting to see what these amazing dancers bring… who are you all rooting for to win now?

September 23, 2009 I Written By

I am a blogger and reality tv lover. I blog here for SYTYCD but mostly the Canada version, since I live in Vancouver BC. I also blog about other reality tv shows on my own blog www.mandysmind.com

Rhythm Dance 2009: Melanie Mah Dances to "Werewolf"

I was looking through some YouTube videos trying to see if I could fish out any dance videos on the SYTYCDC 2 contestants. I came across Melanie Mah in her Rhythm Dance 2009 competition dancing to “Werewolf” by Cocorosie. Her accents are so strong but when she doesn’t, she is so fluent with her movement. Her arms trace the aura of talent around her! 😛 Also, I was delighted to find out that my Contemporary dance teacher is Victoria M., who was a finalist on SYTYCDC 2. She was eliminated during the ballroom round, I believe. She is definitely amazing (as seen in the second video below), and is so nice!

Melanie Mah

I also believe she used some of the choreography in this video (noticeably at 2:07 – 2:13) for her audition routine to Santigold’s “You’ll Find a Way (Remix)”.

Victoria Marshman, 3-4 years ago

September 22, 2009 I Written By

So You Think You Can Dance Canada Top 14 Performance Music

I know that Mandy included the list of music in her SYTYCD Canada power rankings, but just for format sake I decided to list it here in the usual fashion. You can also take a look back at all the previous SYTYCD Canada music.

Melanie Mah and Cody Bonnell danced to Hip-hop to the song “Turnin Me On” Keri Hilson & Lil Wayne - In a Perfect World... (Bonus Track Version) - Turnin Me On—Keri Hilson featuring Lil Wayne choreographed by Luther Brown
Amy Gardner and Vincent Desjardins danced to Cha-cha-cha to the song “Rie y Llora” Celia Cruz - Regalo del Alma - Rie y Llora—Celia Cruz choreographed by Gustavo Vargas
Tara-Jean Popowich and Everett Smith danced to House to the song “When Love Takes Over” David Guetta - When Love Takes Over (feat. Kelly Rowland) - Single - When Love Takes Over (feat. Kelly Rowland)—Kelly Rowland featuring David Guetta choreographed by Sho-Tyme
Kim Gingras and Emanuel Sandhu danced to Contemporary to the song “To Build a Home” The Cinematic Orchestra - Ma Fleur - To Build a Home—The Cinematic Orchestra choreographed by Stacey Tookey
Jayme Rae Dailey and Daniel Dory danced to Disco to the song “Disco Inferno” The Trammps - Sensational 70s - Disco Inferno—The Trammps choreographed by Melissa Williams
Natalie Lyons and Danny Lawn danced to West Coast Swing to the song “Love Lockdown” Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak (Bonus Video Version) - Love Lockdown—Kanye West choreographed by Benji Schwimmer and Donyelle Jones
Corynne Barron and Austin Di Iulio danced to Jazz to the song “Paparazzi” Lady GaGa - The Fame - Paparazzi—Lady Gaga choreographed by Johnny Byrne

September 15, 2009 I Written By

Just call me Charlie...but where are my angels?

SYTYCDC Top 16 Results Show Music

I apologize for being a little behind. I forgot to post this last week and so I’ll post it now since someone was looking for it. I’ll try to be better about posting it from now on.

Group dance: “Malagenha” Salsa Rosso - The Guitar Collection - Flamenco - Malaguena—Sergio Mendes (African/Brazilian; Choreographer: Jean-Marc GĂ©nĂ©reux)

Solo Music:
Jenna-Lynn Higgins: “I Gotta Feeling” Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D. (The Energy Never Dies) - I Gotta Feeling—The Black Eyed Peas
Amy Gardner: “Yummy” Gwen Stefani - The Sweet Escape - Yummy—Gwen Stefani
Melanie Mah: “A Little More of You” Ashley Chambliss - Nakedsongs - A Little More of You—Ashley Chambliss
Nicolas BĂ©gin: “Pavlo Style”—Pavlo
Vincent Desjardins: “She’s So Fine”—Jackie Wilson
Cody Bonnell: “Love Struck” V Factory - Love Struck - Single - Love Struck—VFactory

Eliminated:
Jenna-Lynn Higgins
Nicolas BĂ©gin

I Written By

Just call me Charlie...but where are my angels?

SYTYCDC 2 Top 16 Performance Music Review

Hi guys. This is a new segment devoted to the music used on the show. I know we’ve posted up the song titles but we haven’t really got in depth as to how the music contributes (or not) to the choreography and how important the music is to So You Think You Can Dance Canada. I am going to go one-by-one through each of the routines and comment on the music used. This is for all you huge music lovers out there. 🙂

Kim & Emanuel – Jazz
Ciara ft. Justin Timberlake – Love, Sex, & Magic Ciara - Love Sex Magic (feat. Justin Timberlake) - Single - Love Sex Magic
Wow! Let me just start by saying – what an exhilarating piece. Blake was right when he said it was going to be sexy and hard-hitting. I felt the boom’s and the ka’s and the sha’s – they were all hit in the right place. I love that Blake actually incorporated magic into the number. Since the song’s debut, it has been a song used in dances related to sexiness and just showing off what you got. It has got a nice, steady jazzy beat, perfect for the dance style. Also, the lyrics are quite simple – they are enough to show what the song is talking about – and it isn’t that hard to figure out. My favourite part was when Emanuel had to lick Kim’s boots when the song was actually talking about boots! It surely got the crowd going – perfect for an opening number. Ciara herself is a great performer. I loved that they used this song for a jazz routine but I can also see it used as a hip hop routine, as Ciara is an R&B singer.

Amy & Vincent – Hip Hop
Black Eyed Peas – Boom Boom Pow Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D. (The Energy Never Dies) - Boom Boom Pow
Personally, I am not a huge fan of BEP’s newest album, The E.N.D. Their older songs like “Where Is The Love?”, “Don’t Phunk With My Heart”, & “Dum Diddley” were used greatly on past SYTYCD America seasons. The BEP seem to be a big hit with SYTYCD. However, their new songs have a good beat but I don’t think they are as developed and mature as I’ve seen their music in the past. Now it all seems to be about making singles or “great” tracks with great beats. If you turn off the music and just watch them two dance, the whole thing seems a bit mediocre, and a little childish. Amy also seems to be hitting the moves harder than Vincent, but still not as hard as I’d like them to hit it. The music really helps a lot.

Corynne & Austin – Contemporary
The Fray – Never Say Never The Fray - The Fray - Never Say Never
I am going to be a little biased here because I absolutely LOVE this song and The Fray. I do feel like this is the perfect song to be used for the piece. It always gets me during the “Don’t let me go, don’t let me go…” chorus because the repetition and emphasis is just so powerful – especially when the story of the piece actually relates to the lyrics. I must say – it somewhat disappointed me. There did not seem to be enough synchronization, fluidity and chemistry that I’d like to have seen. Corynne’s expression also seemed very forced and fake. The song calls for a mellow and desperate mood, but due to the dancers’ expressions and the choreography, I don’t think the song’s melody and tempo was used to it’s full potential. However, it was still very good.

Melanie & Cody – Mambo
Michi Sarmiento – Suena Ahora Michi Sarmiento - Salsa Latin Party, Vol. 1 - Suena Ahora
This was a good song to use for the beach setting. However, I don’t think it had enough energy to carry off the repetitive and very juvenile choreography that was set for the two. Quite frankly, I thought this was the weakest of the performances that night, as much as I LOVE this duo. For the music, I would’ve used something funkier and something with more personality. “Jungle Drum” by Emiliana Torrini seems like a good song. It may not be your typical mambo music but it does have some tropical feel to it.

TJ & Everett – Quickstep
Hot Rolls Ragtime Band – Chicago Overture
Why have they been given 3 ballroom dances in a row?! I am surprised that they haven’t been in the bottom 3 couples yet! I have a feeling that Tara-Jean will go far, but that’s beside the point. Anyway, I was surprised when they said the song was originally used for a certain brutal violent time that happened in Chicago in the past? The song was just so uplifting. The repeated Charleston’s that they did actually fit the trumpets in the song. Not a huge fan, but it fit well, I guess.

Jayme Rae & Daniel – Hip Hop
Ciara – Pucker Up Ciara - Fantasy Ride (Deluxe Version) - Pucker Up
I don’t know this song very well but I feel like the choreography was pretty funky, just like the song. I actually would’ve preferred “Sweet Dreams” by BeyoncĂ© in one of their hip hop dances. Sweet Dreams just has such a catchy upbeat rhythm and intense vocals. It drives your soul, literally. This was danced and choreography actually more fluid than I would’ve preferred it. Using Sweet Dreams would’ve fit it more, and the tempo and beat also seems to fit too.

Jenna Lynn & Nicolas – Hustle
Jamiroquai – Canned Heat Jamiroquai - Center Stage - Canned Heat
When I imagined a one last dance for the end of the world, this is actually a song I would love to dance to. It fit the style and it fit the mood. More importantly, the choreography fit well with the song altogether. One of the songs that was better used.

Natalie & Danny – Rhumba
Perez Prado – Historia de un Amor Perez Prado Orchestra - King of Mambo - Historia de un Amor
You lost me here. Was I supposed to believe that they were in love since the song is called “History of a Loved One”? It seemed like two nervous dancers forced to dance the rhumba to me! It was not passionate and it seemed like Danny wanted to eat Natalie. Anyway, enough with the dancers themselves. If this was supposed to be a dance of love and that rhumba is considered the “ballet of ballroom”, should it not be more technical, precise, elegant, and slower? I am not a huge expert on rhumba, but this to me looked so much better and had much better music than the one they used.

From the time Natalie started doing her little wiggles on stage, I was wondering…corny. When they broke apart from each other back-to-back and the beat started coming in, it did not seem to follow the music at all. The song’s cymbals and horns were also just so annoying. 🙁

There’s my first ever take on the show’s music! What did you think of the music used?

September 11, 2009 I Written By

SYTYCDC 2 Top 16 Performance Videos

In case you missed it and have no idea what we’ve been yakking about, watch the Top 16 performance episode here:

Most favourite routine of the week: I couldn’t really decide this week! It wasn’t because they were bad, but none really stood out for me. If I truly had to pick, it would’ve been a three-way tie between Kim & Emanuel’s, Corynne & Austin’s, and the Hustle (unfortunately they were eliminated…why?!)
Least favourite routine of the week: Unfortunately, and surprisingly, I’m going to have to say Melanie & Cody’s. 🙁 Although I’m a huge fan of both, you have to admit, it was not just sloppy at times, but it looked awkward and juvenile through out the entire routine. I’m not going to say anymore! But thank goodness they’re both safe!
Most improved: Kim & Emanuel. I always used to think they were forgettable, but definitely not this week.
Couple to watch out for: Jayme Rae & Daniel. Jayme Rae is one of the best, if not THE best, female competitor in the Top 20. She is partnered with Daniel who can pretty much do everything also. To me, they are like Brandon & Janette of SYTYCD 5. I was not very fond of the pairing and them individually in the beginning, but as time went on, Brandon & Janette showed that they could rock ANY style and still have so much energy left and an uplifting smile that radiated across the stage. Jayme Rae & Daniel are similar. They are silent (somewhat) but surely deadly!
Style(s) I do not want to see more of: Contrary to styles I want to see, I do not want to see anymore Quicksteps, Foxtrots, and Jive routines…It seems like I don’t enjoy Standard International ballroom dance styles very much.
Least favourite dancer left: I’m sorry for being so negative this post, but they’ve got rid of too much good talent already. I do not understand why Everett is still there. I realize that he IS the only tap dancer part of the Top 20 but he just seems so bland. His dancing is often not memorable. To me, the only reason why he’s still there is because of Tara-Jean. 🙁

September 10, 2009 I Written By