SYTYCD7 - FourPlay

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 7 - Top 4 Performance Night - Ep. 720
Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mia Michaels, Adam Shankman and Tyce DiOrio

Final FOUR! Already? This has seemingly felt like the shortest and longest season all at the same time. It doesn't help that we've gone through so many injuries and I still think 2 dancers should be here right now instead of at least 1 dancer, but whatever, Tyce DiOrio is on the judges panel so there's more heinous things to complain about tonight.

Seriously, it's bad enough that we let Tyce choreograph (which he does tonight) but to let him SPEAK? Can the doucheyness contain itself?

Well, luckily, by writing this blog, I tend to type when the judges are speaking so I can half-ignore Tyce but I feel bad for you all, who have to sit through it (unless you DVR'd it and can FF through him).


So, as Season 7 is nearing to its end, I won't knock Nigel for at least trying to experiment with the show, and commend him for trying to fix things that weren't working (though if he really wanted to fix things, he would get rid of this hideous set), but while I've loved seeing the All-Stars back, tonight's Top 4 performances STILL shows that the All-Stars are overshadowing some of the current dancers and that's not a good sign. Of course, I guess it's easier to judge the great dancers from this season if they can hold up to the All-Stars, so let's see how the Top 4 did tonight:

Group Dance with Lauren Froderman, Adéchiké Torbert, Kent Boyd and Robert Roldan
Choreographed by: Tyce DiOrio
Style: Broadway
Song: "The Crapshooter's Dance" - from Guys and Dolls





Grade - Dance: C
Grade - Lauren: B+
Grade - Adéchiké: B-
Grade - Kent: A-
Grade - Robert: A

It's funny that Tyce uses the "Crapshooter's Dance". Seriously, it's like all Tyce does. Shoot crap out of his dances.

At least all the dancers are even ground here. And with all of them being contemporary dancers, you can really tell who shines and who doesn't and it's the little things like straight legs and a crispness to the moves that separate Robert from Adéchiké.

In fact, everyone sort of falls into their place in the competition. Robert is old reliable (Nathan Detroit! ha!) with his clean dancing. Kent dazzles with the flips and tricks. Lauren seduces while Adéchiké looks like he's trying to keep up. The glaring difference is not even funny anymore.

Here's the video of Lauren, Adéchiké, Kent and Robert's Broadway group routine:




Lauren Froderman with Pasha Kovalev
Choreographed by: Miriam Larici and Leonardo Barrionuevo
Style: Argentine Tango
Song: "Oblivion" - Ástor Piazzolla
Grade - Dance: B+
Grade - Contestant: B+

The judges loved the dance and loved Lauren and loved Pasha.

Well, I appreciated it but I found the slower simmering dance of love just kind of slow enough to show any muscles shaking or weak moments. At least when I wasn't totally mesmerized by Pasha's eyebrows, eyes, hair, butt, legs, chest, arms, lips...

Seriously, this is no diss to Lauren, who has totally grown on me and excelled especially in the last few weeks, but can anybody really pull my attention away from Pasha?

When I did notice Lauren it was because of a moment of weakness (in her, not me) so while I thought she did a decent job keeping up with Pasha, I wasn't as allured into her rapture as much as the judges were. But you know, it's kind of Pasha's fault!

Here's the video of Lauren and Pasha's Argentine Tango:




Adéchiké Torbert with Lauren Gottlieb
Choreographed by: Sean Cheesman
Style: African Jazz
Song: "The Path" - Ralph MacDonald
Grade - Dance: B+
Grade - Contestant: B

Sean Cheesman!!! Man, can't wait for SYTYCD Canada to start!

Not his best routine but African Jazz is always fun and it brings out a nice spirit in Adéchiké which is exactly what needs to bring out some personality in him. Technically I don't think he was smooth enough for it, Nigel thinks he's not loose enough to fully get into the routine, but still a decent job.

But Mia just did not like Adéchiké because he's too tight. I think he doesn't bring the spirit enough to the piece but I think the piece brings the spirit into Adéchiké but I agree, the choreography shouldn't have to work this hard.

Again, probably doesn't help having Lauren in there with him, since she's just so darn good.

Here's the video of Adéchiké and Lauren's Jazz:




Robert Roldan with Anya Garnis
Choreographed by: Jonathan Roberts
Style: Viennese Waltz
Song: "Lost" - Anouk
Grade - Dance: B+
Grade - Contestant: B+

Jonathan Roberts looks like Jonathan Groff's older brother. No?

Ok, Nigel said the Viennese Waltz can sometimes be boring so he's opened it up. I still think it's a beautifully boring dance and while it is lovely, my mind always starts to wander about halfway through the dance.

Nigel says Robert has a strong carriage. Mia thinks it's beautiful but wants him to relax and enjoy the ride.

Mia's got a point. Like I've mentioned in weeks past, Robert is my favorite dancer but sometimes seems to overthink things, but that said, he pulled it off wonderfully and totally matched the dancing skills between him and Anya (OH! Adam Shankman just said the same thing).

Here's the video of Robert and Anya's Viennese Waltz:




Kent Boyd with Courtney Galiano
Choreographed by: Doriana Sanchez
Style: Disco
Song: "When Love Takes Over" - Kelly Rowland feat. David Guetta
Grade - Dance: B
Grade - Contestant: B+

I wish they would use Stacey Tookey's disco or one of the Canadian choreographers. I don't hate Doriana Sanchez but I always find her disco routines a little bit lacking. Though Nigel called Kent on the fact that Doriana didn't put as many lifts in this routine, Kent responded nicely "I'm just not that big". Ok fine, at this point you're either totally annoyed or totally loving it!

(Though this season, no one was really strong in the lifts, and is Kent, Robert, Billy, and Adéchiké's weaker points).

I thought considering Disco is built for Kent's cheesy smile and youthful bounce, that this would have been a homerun but there were moments that didn't seem coordinated as well as it should be, either in part due to Doriana's choreography, or because Kent just didn't seem as confident as he should have been.

But when it did work and Kent could display is pearly whites like the disco glitter surrounding him, it was a lot of fun.

Here's the video of Kent and Courtney's Disco:




Lauren Froderman with Ade Obayomi
Choreographed by: Sean Cheesman
Style: Jazz
Song: "Hide U (John Creamer and Stephane K Remix)" - Kosheen
Grade - Dance: A
Grade - Contestant: A

Now THERE'S a Sean Cheesman dance! A perfect combo of great song and exciting movements and except for a momentarily weak shake in a lift, and a couple of not-so-perfect synchronisms (and I'm being SUPER picky now), it was pretty damn awesome!

Ade, always one of the STRONGEST lifters in all of SYTYCD, was also so great in so much of the quick movements and Lauren was perfectly cat like in this dance.

Here's the video of Lauren and Ade's Jazz:




Adéchiké Torbert with Kathryn McCormick
Choreographed by: Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson
Style: Contemporary
Song: "Fearless Love" - Melissa Etheridge
Grade - Dance: A-
Grade - Contestant: B+

I love how all the judges try to colour their disappointment with faint praise, though of course Mia doesn't even hide it and just says she was a little disappointed.

I actually thought it was one of Adéchiké's better performances, and if Kathryn wasn't there, I would have thought it was pretty great!

But with Kathryn next to him, his kicks and lifts seemed shorter and faster and never held up long enough to match Kathryn's strength or zest. And this is his STYLE. Actually, maybe Mia has a point.

Here's the video of Adéchiké and Kathryn's Contemporary:




Robert Roldan with Dominic "D-Trix" Sandoval
Choreographed by: Napoleon and Tabitha D'umo
Style:Hip-Hop
Song: "Scars" - Basement Jaxx feat. Kelis, Meleka and Chipmunk
Grade - Dance: A-
Grade - Contestant: A

Since I love Robert and is hoping he comes out as the dark horse, I was worried that Robert was finally gonna be taken down by the Hip-Hop. But other than the creepy clown thing going on (seriously, white makeup and balloons? Always creepy now thanks to Stephen King), Robert was sharp and hitting it all!

Loved the balloon props and how they maneuvered them into the dance and NappyTabs had a lot of simplistic looking but intricate moves thrown in there.

And Robert not only kept up, but matched Dominic. Adam thought Robert outdanced Dominic and at one point, I lost track of who was who and thought Robert was Dominic just from the way he danced.

Here's the video of Robert and Dominic's Hip-Hop:




Kent Boyd with Neil Haskell
Choreographed by: Travis Wall
Style: Contemporary
Song: "How It Ends" - DeVotchKa
Grade - Dance: A+
Grade - Contestant: A

Travis Wall, Neil Haskell and Kent Boyd in one rehearsal room together.

Excuse me while I go daydream now...

...

...

Oh, you're still here? Sorry, right. Back to the dance...

A dance about backstabbing. Seriously. Who would backstab Travis Wall? I would never backstab him. At least not with a knife...

Like everyone, it's so awesome to see Travis Wall, favorite dancer of the entire series, turn into one of our new favorite choreographers. And it's amazing to see Neil, an underdog in his season, continue to prove that he should have been a front runner the whole time. Damn Neil and Travis need to work together more often.

Oh and Kent. Kent danced it beautifully, managed to keep his smile in check and land the emotional wallup needed for the piece and while there were slight moments I still thought Neil outshone him, Kent was pretty spectac, along with the whole dance.

Here's the video of Kent and Neil's Contemporary:



- - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Final Roundup:

The Dancers - Pairs Routine:
1st - Best of the Night: Kent (with Neil)
2nd: Robert (with Dominic)
3rd: Lauren (with Ade)
4th: Robert (with Anya)
5th: Kent (with Courtney)
6th: Lauren (with Pasha)
7th: Adéchiké (with Kathryn)
8th - Worst of the Night: Adéchiké (with Lauren)

The Routines:
Best Routine of the Night: Travis Wall's Contemporary (Kent with Neil)
2nd Best Routine of the Night: Sean Cheesman's Jazz (Lauren with Ade)
3rd Best Routine of the Night: Napoleon and Tabitaha D'umo's Hip-Hop (Robert with Dominic)


The All-Stars:
All-Star MVP: Neil
All-Star MVP 2: Kathryn
All-Star MVP 3: Ade
All-Star MVP 4: Pasha
All-Star MVP 5: Lauren


The Predictions:
Bottom Three: Adéchiké, Robert, Lauren

Should Go Home: Adéchiké
Going Home: Lauren

Seriously, who the F#%k is voting for Adéchiké anyways? How has he never been in the bottom 3? How is he still here? And how can there be any other result other than a Top 3 with Robert, Kent and Lauren? And yet I have a bad feeling it ain't gonna happen.

This is how I rank all the dancers overall (#position from last week in parenthesis):
Overall Ranking:

1. Robert (2)
2. Kent (1)
3. Lauren (4)
4. Adéchiké (5)


- - - - - - - - - - - - -
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