Dancing with the Stars could learn a few things from tonight's episode of So You Think You Can Dance when it comes to how to put on a results show. Sure, we still had to sit through the Pussycat Dolls, but there was more dancing tonight than on six Dancing with the Stars results shows combined. It was jam packed!
Oh yeah -- there was a really weird group number by Wade Robson that had Nigel tied up in a rope. Disturbing. And yet -- less disturbing than most American Idol results shows. Go figure.
As for the results themselves (Will/Jessica, Jamie/Rayven, Kourtni/Matt in the Bottom 3), America got it mostly right -- in fact, trade Will and Jessica for Marquis and Susie, and it was pretty much spot-on. How Marquis and Susie managed to escape having to dance for their lives is beyond me, but there time will come. Oh yes it will.
The solos were, for the most part, uninspiring, with the exception of Kourtni and Will, who both conveyed much more emotion than they had during last night's performances. They both showed extraordinary technique, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them both sail into the Top 10.
Jamie, Rayven, Jessica and Matt, however, were totally unexceptional -- as Nigel indicated, Matt was clearly the better technician, and Jamie had much more personality. Although I think the judges ultimately made the right choice in keeping Matt, Jamie was pretty much the only male ballroom dancer, which means it's going to get pretty interesting when the quick step and paso doble roll around.
While I don't know the difference between "pointe" and "demipointe," apparently Rayven's use of the latter was cause for dismissal. Jessica is thanking her lucky stars Rayven didn't get up on her tippy-toes because her solo was flat out awful. I'm not sure what they saw in Jessica's tango performance last night, but I have a feeling the sheen isn't going to stay on for much longer with this one.
All in all, an hour well spent. Can't wait 'til next week!
Friday, June 13, 2008
So You Think You Can Dance Top 20 Results: Rayven and Jamie Eliminated, While Will and Kourtni Get to Shine
Thursday, June 12, 2008
So You Think You Can Dance: Ranking the Top 20
POLL: Who was your favorite couple? Who's going home?
Top 20 Individual Rankings
Top 20 Videos
Considering how eagerly anticipated tonight's Top 20 So You Think You Can Dance was, I'd say it wasn't a bad show.
It also, unfortunately, wasn't a great show.
Don't get me wrong -- there was no clunker in the bunch. Almost all of the dancers appear to be very versatile, and none looked totally out of their element (a la last year's Cedric).
However, none of them were instant stand-outs. There was no Nick Lazarrini or Travis Wall or Benji Shwimmer in the house. True, Chelsie, Chelsea, Jason, Joshua, Kherington, Thayne and Twitch were all great, but none of them screamed "next winner of So You Think You Can Dance."
Not to be too much of a Debbie Downer, but I also really wasn't into a lot of the choreography. Mia Michaels can do no wrong for me, but what was that Mandy Moore concoction? Disappointing, considering I was really looking forward to seeing what Kourtni had to offer. And Raven and Jamie's hip-hop routine? Blah central. Unfortunately for them I wasn't able to tell if they were any good or not, and going first in the show will do them no favors tomorrow night. Also in the blah central zone are Susie and Marquis.
Getting back to the positive, I loved Chelsea and Thayne's cha cha (that girl is smokin!), Joshua and Katee's hip-hop (this guy's really got the goods), Kherington and Twitch's Broadway (she lit up that stage), Comfort and Chris' jive (this girl has personality in bucket-loads, though I'm not totally sold on him), and Chelsie and Mark's contemporary (though I wish she wasn't wearing that fluff ball of a dress). I was disappointed in William and Jessica (I thought training with Debbie Allen meant he'd be a bit more interesting to watch) and Gev and Courtney (I love the personality of these two -- too bad their spark didn't carry over to the dance floor).
Having said all that, here's how I'd rank the couples...check back tomorrow morning for my thoughts on who will end up going home.
1. Chelsea and Thayne
2. Joshua and Katee
3. Chelsie and Mark
4. Kherington and Twitch
5. Comfort and Chris
6. William and Jessica
7. Courtney and Gev
8. Kourtni and Mark
9. Raven and Jamie
10. Susie and Marquis
Top 20 Individual Rankings
Top 20 Videos
Agree? Disagree?
POLL: Who was your favorite couple? Who's going home?
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