Tapeworthy: SYTYCDC4 & SYTYCD8

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 8 - Top 12 Results - Ep. 815
Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sonya Tayeh

So You Think You Can Dance Canada - Season 4 - Top 20 Performances - Ep. 408
Judges: Jean-Marc Généreux, Tré Armstrong, Rex Harrington, Mary Murphy

SYTYCD Top 12 Group Dance
Style: Flamenco-Jazz
Choreographed by: Kelley Abbey
Song: "El Fuego" - Sean Peter feat. Oscar Jimenez
Probably one of the best group dances in the last while.

My Predictions from the Top 12:
Should Go Home: Ryan and Alexander
Bottom 3 Couples:
Ryan and Ricky
Sacha and Alexander
Caitlynn and Mitchell
Will Go Home: Sacha and Alexander

Actual Results:
Bottom 3 Couples
Caitlynn and Mitchell
Ryan and Ricky
Sacha and Alexander

Dance for your Life:

Final Cut:
THEY ACTUALLY CUT RYAN! OMG. Girl has got dance skills but there is something about her dancing that isn't quite connecting with me (and I'm guessing America since she's repeatedly in the bottom 3) but I guess the judges could no longer save her. I also don't really connect with Ricky either, who despite having being enormously talented in dancing, is just failing to connect. Luckily, Alex has had an even worse run, so the judges cut Alexander, as I predicted. And Ryan, as I hoped. Oh well, that's life. Not always fair but it just works out that way.

Why Caitlynn and Mitchell are there though, I don't know, since they are one of the stronger pairs.

Anyways, The Top 10 now splits everyone up and pairs them up with an All-Star (with a cast that will change per week this year).

Meanwhile, the second week on the Canadian edition wasn't quite as good overall as their first week, but one routine BLEW ME AWAY. See the title of the post for a hint:

Lauren Lyn and Rodrigo Basurto
Style: Hip-Hop
Choreographed by: Luther Brown
Song: "Look at me Now - Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes
Grade - Dance: B+
Grade - Girl: B
Grade - Boy: B

I know it's a smoother Hip-Hop and in those cushy moves, Rodrigo and Lauren looked good, but I felt that they could have been snappier in some of more bouncy moments. This is Rodrigo's style so while he was naturally good, I actually thought he would be better. Lauren did a good job keeping up, but again, could have hit the bounces just a bit more, while still keeping the smoothness to the piece.

Here's the video of Lauren and Rodrigo's Hip-Hop:

Lindsay Leuschner and Christian Millette
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Blake McGrath
Song: "1+1 - Beyoncé
Grade - Dance: A-
Grade - Girl: A
Grade - Boy: A-

Christian has got such a tall strong body that it's a nice manly counterpart to Lindsay's beautiful soulful movements. Christian could probably try to mold his body into a slinkier, puddlier, bendier mode, and lose some of his tall and straight ballroom habits but somehow Christian, in his toned body, makes it work here by being an excellent partner.

Here's the video of Lindsay and Christian's Contemporary:

Denitsa Ikonomova and JP Dubé
Style: Jive
Choreographed by: Danny Arbour
Song: "Blue Suede Shoes - Elvis Presley
Grade - Dance: A-
Grade - Girl: A-
Grade - Boy: B+

Danny (yay Danny!) isn't exactly old but he kinda looks like JP's father here.

I didn't actually think JP seemed Bieberish during the auditions but this is week two where it just felt like Bieber dancing. Denitsa was great here, but I half wanted to laugh at JP and half wanted to pinch his cheeks. So adorable, but it amuses me as he has to dance as a man against Denitsa's flowery girl. (Maybe it's the hair up, which makes him look even younger?)

But dancing wise, JP did a far better job than last week, and comported himself well.

Here's the video of Denitsa and JP's Jive:

Carlena Britch and Dwayne “Boneless” Gulston
Style: Dance Hall
Choreographed by: JaeBlaze
Song: "Star Bwoy - Mavado
Grade - Dance: A
Grade - Girl: A-
Grade - Boy: A-

Another "street" dance for the two hip-hoppers?

Luckily, I kinda love Dance Hall and it's always fun watching it (in a similar way as Bollywood). And as they should be, Boneless and Carlena were kinda perfect for this. Which should keep them in for another week. Not sure how they'll do in ballroom but so far, so good.

Here's the video of Carlena and Boneless' Dance Hall:

Teya Wild and Kevin Howe
Style: Viennese Waltz
Choreographed by: Pierre Allaire
Song: "Good To You - Marianas Trench feat. Jessica Lee
Grade - Dance: B+
Grade - Girl: C+
Grade - Boy: B-

The lifts were good, but Teya looked like she was overthinking it and while her body moved quite smoothly, her head looked really stiff. It felt odd to me. She seemed like she was worried about all the steps (which, in the Viennese Waltz, I would too). Kevin looked a bit more natural performing the ballroom style (except the baby steps turn at the end which looked partly ridiculous), but it was the in-between moments connecting the lifts that looked shaky.

Mary and Tre thought the lifts looked laboured, particularly in the lead outs.

Here's the video of Teya and Kevin's Viennese Waltz:

Geisha Chin and François Pruneau
Style: Hip-Hop
Choreographed by: Tucker Barkley
Song: "Roman's Revenge - Nicki Minaj feat. Lil Wayne
Grade - Dance: B+
Grade - Girl: B+
Grade - Boy: B-

The new pair gets to go insane with Hip-Hop. Geisha fares better, though François has farther to get to the Hip-Hop style but seems to improve as the dance goes on, hitting it harder and harder, but still can't match Geisha's steps, which themselves, could just add a bit more oomph.

Here's the video of Geisha and François' Hip-Hop:

Yuliya Zavadska and Adam LoPapa
Style: Samba
Choreographed by: Gustavo Vargas
Song: "Samba - Ganga Girl
Grade - Dance: B
Grade - Girl: A-
Grade - Boy: A-

Thank you Gustavo for making Adam shake his rump!

And making me watch it twice. Partly tho, cause I felt it looked messy upon first viewing, more because of the choreo than the dancing, but on second viewing, appreciated all the fast hip and butt shaking.

But Adam and Yuliya? HOT. VERY HOT.

Here's the video of Yuliya and Adam's Samba:

Melissa Mitro and Shane Simpson
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Sabrina Matthews
Song: "This Years Love - David Gray
Grade - Dance: A-
Grade - Girl: A
Grade - Boy: A

I guess you could dub this the Aids dance, but unlike the awful Cancer dance, this one doesn't feel exploitative, and instead earns its earnest and raw energy and emotional story.

Much credit goes to Shane and Melissa, who honestly, I keep forgetting is in this competition, for doing justice to Sabrina's dance.

Take the sob story message aside, Shane and Melissa still danced it wonderfully, and Sabrina's choreo still had a beauty to it.

Here's the video of Melissa and Shane's Contemporary:

Shelaina Anderson and Matt Marr
Style: Hustle
Choreographed by: Maria Torres
Song: "Melody of Love (Wanna be Loved)" - Donna Summers
Grade - Dance: B+
Grade - Girl: B+
Grade - Boy: B-

Matt's so cute. I love that he looks like the jock that would have beat you up, but his personality is definitely East coast niceness. Which saddens me that he seemed to be worrying a bit here and overthought his steps a bit too much, and didn't dance it with the passion he usually has. He definitely looked nervous and danced it that way, and only relaxed after he got the first major set of lifts out of the way.

Shelaina managed to get into the groove a bit more, and looked more relaxed, which in the Hustle, can be everything.

I agree with Rex in that they may have sacrificed the in between portions for perfecting the complicated lifts.

Here's the video of Shelaina and Matt's Hustle:

Tapeworthy

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

SYTYCDC4 & SYTYCD8 - That's Life

No comments:

Post a Comment