Tuesday, December 15, 2009

...Set: SYTYCD Season 6 Top 6

Recap/Review of So You Think You Can Dance - Season 6 - Top 6 Performance Episode by freshfromthe.comWell! That was a breeze of a show, wasn't it? Routine after routine, with no solos, and no intro packages to any of the dances either. This is truly a final performance show all about the dancing. To be honest, I missed the intro packages. But what I really missed, thanks to this being a top 6 finale instead of a top 4, was the same sex partner dances that we have always had in the past on these nights. I would have loved to see Jakob and Russell do a number, as well as Kathryn and Ellenore. I not so inconspicuously left the other two out... that's because I don't think they would've made top 4. Anyway, on to my regularly scheduled rankings...

Jakob - I think it would be kind of ridiculous if Jakob didn't win this thing. I would say the only thing he has against him is that he doesn't have a personality as lovable as Russell. But his dancing? By far the best. His number with Ellenore was a Tyce Diorio broadway that I labeled "showcase for Jakob's legs." And he does have some amazing legs, but seriously, that's all the choreographers seem to give him lately. His foxtrot with Ashleigh looked effortless, as usual. But my thing about ballroom is that I can't really judge it as other than being good or bad. This gets a good. Jakob's last number of the night was with Kathryn - a contemporary. And seeing them dance together really made me wish we had seem them dance together much earlier and more often. I think this is the first time they did?

Russell - If anyone can knock Jakob off the top spot, it's Russell. Though Russell's original style was Krump, he has shown that he can do just about everything. This show was no exception, with Russell performing a jazz number, a paso doble, and a hip hop. His Sonya jazz piece was with Ashleigh, and honestly I thought it looked like he was trying really hard to be careful on the lifts, which is something I've always felt about him but no one else seems to comment on. His paso doble with Ellenore was dramatic, but honestly Ellenore stood out more than him in the routine. And, interestingly enough, my eye was drawn more to Kathryn during their NapTab hip hop number, which was a very old school traditional piece, which is kind of unusual for the NapTabs. In any case, Russell definitely got the biggest screams in the studio. Could he take it all?

Kathryn - Kathryn has been kind of the shy wallflower of the season. She has always been a very graceful dancer who certainly has the ability to make it to the top, but because she's more subdued, I think it's been harder for people to connect with her. Her first dance of the night was with Ryan - a Jason Gilkison Samba. That last lift was kind of wobbly, but overall the routine was pretty strong, though I think Ryan got the groove better than she did. Her next routine was the contemporary with Jakob, which showed just what she can do. She was really just as strong as him in that routine, which is saying something. She rounded out the night with the hip hop with Russell, and as I mentioned, my eyes were drawn to her more often, which is interesting since Russell is a krumper and should be more magnetic in a hip hop routine.

Ellenore - Where Kathryn has been the wallflower, Ellenore has been relentlessly dubbed "unique" throughout the entire season, this show no exception, as that seemed to be the first words out of Nigel's mouth after her opening Tyce Diorio Broadway with Jakob (which is interesting since it was probably her least unique performance of the night!). She looked great throughout the routine, though it was definitely, as I mentioned, a Jakob legsy jumping showcase. Her second number was a pop jazz routine with Ryan that was all about robotics. It was definitely a more technical routine and, as such, probably will not garner as many votes. Her last number was the paso doble with Russell. First of all, her dress was absolutely gorgeous! I wanted to put it on and whip those skirts around myself. She was very dramatic, which is perfect for the paso doble. But I don't think she has the power to take it all at this point.

Ryan - Week in and week out, the best compliment the judges ever seem to give Ryan is that he is a great partner, and tonight wasn't really any different, particularly during his first routine with Kathryn - the Samba. I noticed that Cat gave out her patented, "I mean, seriously" at the end of the routine, which usually accompanies one she doesn't know anything else to say about, though not necessarily in a good way. His second routine was the Ellenore robotic one, and really it's kind of hard to see Ryan as robotic, despite his very toned physique that would probably be the envy of many a robot. His last routine with lady love Ashleigh, though, was very sweet, and as I think Adam said, tender. If the audience was keeping them around to see them dance together, I think they will be very satisfied with their Travis Wall contemporary piece.

Ashleigh - Ashleigh was kind of overshadowed in her routines tonight, particularly her first jazz piece with Russell. She definitely glided across the stage, but she definitely seemed to be the background to Russell. Her second piece was the Foxtrot with Jakob, and while it was nice to see them back together again, it's hard to get that excited for a Foxtrot. But as I said, her contemporary with husband Ryan was definitely a great way for them to cap their time on SYTYCD together. Because they've been dancing with other people so much, it's been easy to forget that they're a couple in real life, but this routine brought that back into full focus, and showed how much trust and tenderness they have for each other. Awww.

Wednesday night features the two hour season six finale, with not just one, not just two - but FOUR musical performances. What? That is ridiculous. While the final performance show was all about the dancing, it appears the finale itself will be all about the filler. What routines do you want to see again? Are you as hard pressed as me to find truly outstanding routines from this season, other than maybe one or two? And I don't know about you, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that the upcoming tryouts for season 7 are solely for a summer season and we are not subjected to this fall stuff again. It's really too much and not as fun, in my humble little opinion.

Who do you want to take it all??

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1 comment:

  1. Last night's episode capped my frustration to this fall season. Top 6 is not a finale...it's top 6. period. What kind of finale was this!?! no intros, no solos, no dancing amongst the same genders (I mean recall Twitch & Josh's dance! so great!)....I was certainly left wanting more and at the same time convinced that this is my last season watching (note, I said that last season as well...) It was just way too rushed last night.

    Now, on to the dancers, I am so proud of Kathryn and how she's "peaked" somewhat like Jeanine last year. Russell is amazing (similar to Joshua, but still not a Joshua--but remember how diverse Joshua's dancing was!). I was semi-moved by the married couple's dance. Very pretty. I think the judges would've reacted differently/better if it were 2 different dancers and Mollee wasn't the one sent home last week. I think they're still bitter about Legacy and Mollee leaving.

    No clue whose going to win this thing, but if it isn't Russell, Jakob, or Kathryn I'd be pretty surprised (although I'm not as invested as in the past...this is the first finale where I didn't even bother to vote).

    So glad you have this blog! :-) And so glad that Brittany told me about it!

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