Wednesday, June 22, 2011

SYTYCD S8: Top 20 Perform Redux

Okay, first of all. Look, I have nothing against Debbie Reynolds. Let's make that clear. But if they're just going to use that third judging spot this season to simply place people who are going to ooh and aah over everybody? I'm not okay with that. Also, let's admit, Debbie was a little bit crazed. She did the Woody Woodpecker noise! I mean. Come on.

Not that there was a lot to complain about tonight for the judges anyway. There were really only two routines that stood out to me as noticeably subpar. The rest were all pretty good, or at least one person in each of them was great, thereby making the other partner also look good. And when we're voting for teams at this point, well, lucky them. Let's go through a run down of the couples. I'm just going to go in the order they danced tonight.

Recap/Review of So You Think You Can Dance - Season 8 - Top 20 Performance Episode Redux by freshfromthe.comRyan and Ricky - Well what do you know! These two have a Mandy Moore jazz routine set to an '80s song! How very surprising and unexpected! Ahem. In ANY event, they danced this well enough. I'm beginning to wonder if Ryan is going to be a dancer that grows on me over time. There's been something about her that bugs me, but I liked her more than usual in this one. Now this next comment is going to sound maybe stupid. But I kind of wish Ricky would maybe bulk up a little? I don't know. There's something about his dancing that is sort of feminine sometimes? Maybe it's because Ryan is so tall. I don't know. I may be crazy.

Caitlynn and Mitchell - Can we just start calling Mitchell Chris Tucker? He talks exactly like him. These two had a Stacey Tookey contemporary routine. The one with the chairs. And now I'm thinking it was good that Mitchell got to stay another week, because they danced it really well together. I do get distracted by him always having sweaty armpits, though. Sorry, this is the kind of commentary you get from me. Not always the most dance-y.

Missy and Wadi - The first serious misstep of the night with the cha cha from Jean Marc Genereaux. Missy was doing well enough, but Wadi was having some seeeerious issues with this number. "That was rough" was my main note that I wrote down. And was it just me, but did it also feel kind of slow? I wanted them to dance it faster, to have more punch and wow. He was just super awkward, and it showed. A lot. I will be surprised if these two aren't in the bottom tomorrow night.

Iveta and Nick - Hmm. Did a lot of these routines feel super short tonight? Iveta and Nick's Bollywood routine by Nakul felt especially short for some reason. But maybe that's because of how fast the Bollywood routines are. They both danced it well for me, though I thought Iveta did it a little better. That's kind of to be expected, but hey. I like these two. I may have even voted for them. What! I'm revealing my favorites?! Shh.

Miranda and Robert - Here's a not-so-secret-anymore secret: I initially wrote Missy instead of Miranda. Whoops. That just shows that the girl has some personality issues for me, I guess. These two had a NapTab hip hop routine (it will never be NappyTabs for me, no matter how much the show tries to make it happen). The judges really liked it, and I agree that they both did well, but I'm not sure it's enough to keep them out of the bottom three. And I'm kind of okay with that.

Clarice and Jess - Oy. She just looked so huge compared to him in this one. And she's not big. I really did not get the concept of the dance from the actual dance itself, which was a regular girl marrying a prince. Nigel had a good point about this one - that they both danced really well when they were separate, but when they were together, it fell apart. He may not have said fell apart, but for me it fell apart. I kind of feel like Clarice doesn't really like Jess. I could be completely wrong, but... I don't know. I can see how he'd be annoying, ha.

Jordan and Tadd - Okay. Tadd? What! Tadd is amazing. I didn't really have an opinion of him coming into the actual show, and man. He just steps it up! He's a b boy! And he did a Viennese waltz like I've never seen a hip hop style dancer on the show do one before! Okay. Whoa, calm down with the exclamation points. For real, though. He was awesome. Oh, he had a partner? Oh, it was Jordan? Okay. I mean. She was fine. But I have issues with her personality. The fact that Tadd's secret fact about her was that she's not so smart? Did not help that at all.

Melanie and Marko - These two are a power couple, and everyone seems to agree, even the judges. They had the second Mandy Moore jazz piece of the night, and what? Was it not set to '80s music?! Jaw. Drop. It was more of a classic jazz, right? I may be making that up. Personally the music didn't entirely go with the whole routine for me, but what do I know. All I know is I love these two, and unless America does not agree with me, I don't think they're going anywhere soon.

Sasha and Alexander - Sasha is a powerhouse. Alexander is damn lucky he has her as a partner, because she completely stole the NapTab routine from him. In a way it was designed to showcase her, but he was too smooth in his movements doing hip hop, in my humble little opinion. But Sasha? She popped. What's great about her is how much she gets into character. Every moment she could look at him, she was. She just takes it that extra step.

Ashley and Chris - There's something about Ashley that bothers me. I think she comes off as kind of smug. Am I the only one seeing this? Chris seems like such a sweet guy, comparatively. These two had a Spencer Liff Broadway number where they had to dance with bars between them. It was a whole thing. They were MUCH better than last week. And also? I loooooved her dress. I want that dress. I kind of think he danced the routine better than her, that he was putting more heart into it. But also it was hard to tell with all of the crazy camera stuff going on. Mary, however, loved it so much that she trotted out a long-winded explanation of steam or whatever powering her infamous hot tamale train. Oh, Mary. Mary Mary.

All right! That's all for tonight. Who are your faves? Who do you think is in danger? And is it really fair that two out of three couples will be sent home tomorrow? It all depends on how the votes go. I voted for two couples tonight, and I rarely vote this early on in the season! I don't want my favorites to go!

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1 comment:

  1. OK, I'll comment!

    Ryan and Ricky: I don't know whether I hate or love Ryan. But Ricky is a tremendous dancer and I don't really care if he is effeminate in build, because I think his dancing is powerful. I just think it would be hard for him to really relate to Ryan because all she does is smile, for no reason whatsoever,all throughout all her routines.

    Caitlyn and Mitchell: Meh.

    Missy and Wadi: Easy pick for bottom 3. Poor Wadi. He has such love of dance and really wasn't prepared for the lashing the judges give a person when it's time for them to leave. After praising them the week before. It's like they're mentally ill. I'm not saying they are. It just seems like it to me.

    Iveta and Nick: No, Nick could not have made it to top 4. Nor Iveta. I'm not really sad to see either of them go, except for the fact that there is now no ballroom/latin representation. They had that great girl in the pink costume during the first day of tryouts, who didn't make it through. I wish she had. As for the loss of a tapper? Who cares, really? They all go down. The show went YEARS without one. What's the fascination these days?

    Miranda and Robert: Please get rid of Robert, Nigel. I know you love his "personality" because you think it will draw viewers. He is the worst male dancer on the show. Miranda? Love her leaps, but she hasn't had a chance to do one yet. Luck of the draw sucks sometimes.

    Clarice and Jess: Agree completely with your first sentence. That is the overwhelming impression seeing them dance together and everything else is secondary. Isn't there a smaller girl they could have paired him with? Randomly, of course. I feel for Clarice and hope they get rid of Jess this week or next and she has a chance to dance with someone taller who can lift her. I think she is holding up well with the disappointment she must feel knowing she got a partner who is going to make her look bad for 5 weeks.

    Jordan and Tadd: I think Jordan's dancing is exquisite. I will focus on that rather than her personality. Tadd is quite a surprise.

    Melanie and Marko: Beauty. The couple to beat. I'm so glad we have one perfect couple amongst the rather disappointing pairings this season has come up with.

    Sasha and Alexander. I like Alexander more than just about anyone else's comments I have read. It's obvious Sasha can't stand him and I think it's hard to dance with that attitude. Sasha is incredible dancing and performance-wise. I love watching her and I hope Alexander gets up to speed with her because they could be a great couple.

    Ashley and Chris: I loved Ashley in audition. Haven't been impressed with her on the show yet, but the hip-hop number didn't show off her assets, so she only had the weird jail routine to impress us with. Chris does nothing for me, although I can see he is a good dancer.

    I do not get why they have not had any working professional dancers or choreographers judging yet this season. I hope this is not the trend for the season. I guess it will avoid anyone disagreeing with Nigel week after week, which probably happened with Mia among other judges in the past. Otherwise there is no explanation for it, and I miss, miss, miss the real criticism that used to make this show the best reality show on tv.

    Also, they have lost many choreographers. The crew this year has not really impressed me, except for Travis, who almost always impresses and is a genius. The quickstep had hardly any quickstep in it, same for the waltz. There is too much hip hop for me on this show and I am sick of Napoleon and Tabitha (how's that for not using Nappy...?) except for the fact that they can hit something like the woodpecker routine from time to time.

    Still love the show despite Nigel's persistent attempts to ruin it.

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