So You Think You're In The Canadian Top 20?

So You Think You Can Dance Canada - The Top 20 Are Announced - Ep. 205

Okay, so they started showing the final solo's before they cut the final 46 into the Top 20, but then they got shorter and shorter and moved right onto the final announcements. Okay, sure, anyways, most of my predictions and preferences made it in, but a few names were notably missing from the Top 20, including Camille Norton (who I thought was a shoo-in), Jeff Mortensen (the Ukrainian dancer that was smooth as silk in his contemporary), Jonathan Arsineau (the one with some brain abnormality and who wasn't camera ready according to the judges... REALLY? What the?) and Sebastian Mirsch (? Mirsh? who wasn't ready but looks like a cupie doll or David Archuleta's younger brother (if that's possible)).

But alas, here they are! The So You Think You Can Dance Canada Season 2 Top 20:

I'm actually not convinced it's the BEST Top 20 that they keep claiming (which these shows keep claiming every season, sometimes which I actually do agree, sometimes I don't) but then again, this time last year, I didn't even know who Vincent and Lisa were, and Danny, Allie, Miles, Arrassay and Romina were barely in my radar, and look how awesome they turned out!

So this year's batch seems to derive heavily from the Toronto area (yah the T-dot! Though considering the GTA has about 1/6th the population of the country, it sort of makes sense). With 6 from the GTA, 5 more from Quebec (oh those talented artsy Frenchies!) and 4 from Alberta (oh those talented oil drilling Albertans! (okay yes, I know Edmonton has quite the arts community actually)) and 3 from Vancouver (There are more Albertan's than BC'ers?).

Plus, while there's the usual array of contemporary dancers, there seems to be quite a few Hip-Hop/B-Boy/Urban dancers, at least for a group of Canadians!

Amy Gardner
Age: 21
Occupation: Professional Dancer, Instructor, Choreographer
Hometown: Calgary, AB
Audition City: Montreal
Style: Contemporary
Reminds Me Of: Kherington Payne (SYTYCD S4)


Anthony Grafton
Age: 24
Occupation: Bartender/Server
Hometown: Calgary, AB
Audition City: Edmonton
Style: Ballroom
Reminds Me Of: Mark Kanemura (SYTYCD S4)


Austin Di Iulio
Age: 19
Occupation: Actor and Dancer
Hometown: Mississauga, ON
Audition City: Toronto
Style: Contemporary
Reminds Me Of: Chachi Arcola (Happy Days)


Cody Bonnell
Age: 19
Occupation: Dancer
Hometown: Unionville, ON (The town next to mine! And where the Gilmore Girls pilot was shot. The REAL Stars Hollow!)
Audition City: Toronto
Style: Hip-Hop
Reminds Me Of: Ivan Koumaev (SYTYCD S2)


Corynne Barron
Age: 18
Occupation: Dancer
Hometown: Edmonton, AB
Audition City: Edmonton
Style: Classical Contemporary
Reminds Me Of: Natalie Fotopoulos (SYTYCD S2)


Daniel Dory
Age: 23
Occupation: Dancer
Hometown: Montreal, QC
Audition City: Montreal
Style: Hip-Hop/House
Reminds Me Of: Dario Millard (SYTYCD CA S1) or Ryan Rankine (SYTYCD S2)


Danny Lawn
Age: 21
Occupation: Professional Dancer
Hometown: Brockville, ON
Audition City: Toronto
Style: Contemporary
Reminds Me Of: Chris Jarosz (SYTYCD S4)


Emanuel Sandhu
Age: 28
Occupation: Athlete, Dancer, Singer
Hometown: Vancouver, BC
Audition City: Toronto
Style: Contemporary/Ballet
Reminds Me Of: Emanuel Sandhu, (Olympic skater and Canadian Mens Figure Skating National Champion)


Everett Smith
Age: 25
Occupation: Dancer
Hometown: Glen Morris, ON
Audition City: Toronto
Style: Tap
Reminds Me Of: Danny Arbour (SYTYCD CA S1)


Jayme Rae Dailey
Age: 21
Occupation: Dancer
Hometown: Montreal, QC
Audition City: Montreal
Style: Contemporary
Reminds Me Of: Jeanine Mason (SYTYCD S5) or Jamie Goodwin (SYTYCD S3)


Jenna Lynn Higgins
Age: 18
Occupation: Dancer and performer
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Audition City: Toronto
Style: Jazz/Lyrical
Reminds Me Of: Sabra Johnson (SYTYCD S3)


Kim Gingras
Age: 23
Occupation: Dancer and performer/ girlfriend to Vincent (SYTYCD CA S1)
Hometown: Montreal, QC
Audition City: Montreal
Style: Hip-Hop
Reminds Me Of: Caroline Torti (SYTYCD CA S1)


Melanie Buttarazzi
Age: 22
Occupation: Dancer, Dance Teacher and Choreographer
Hometown: Woodbridge, ON
Audition City: Toronto
Style: Latin Ballroom
Reminds Me Of: Romina D'Ugo (SYTYCD CA S1) or Courtney Galiano (SYTYCD S3)


Melanie Mah
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Hometown: Richmond Hill, ON (Hometown girl!)
Audition City: Toronto
Style: Contemporary
Reminds Me Of: Katee Shean (SYTYCD S4)


Natalie Lyons
Age: 23
Occupation: Professional Dancer
Hometown: Halifax, NS
Audition City: Toronto
Style: Hip-Hop/Krump
Reminds Me Of: Alyson Hannigan (HIMYM, BTVS)


Nicolas Bégin
Age: 24
Occupation: Dance teacher and professional dancer
Hometown: Quebec City, QC
Audition City: Montreal
Style: B-Boy/Hip-Hop
Reminds Me Of: Tom Cruise (the good Risky Business years) or Miles Faber (SYTYCD CA S1)


Tara-Jean Popowich
Age: 20
Occupation: Dance Teacher and Choreographer
Hometown: Lethbridge, AB
Audition City: Saint John
Style: Contemporary
Reminds Me Of: Chelsie Hightower (SYTYCD S4) or that annoying but funny blonde girl that played Jan in the Brady Bunch Movies or all those silly comedies requiring a silly blonde girl.


Tatiana Parker
Age: 21
Occupation: Dancer and dance teacher
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Audition City: Toronto
Style: Hip-Hop
Reminds Me Of: Lauren Gottlieb (SYTYCD S3)


Taylor James
Age: 22
Occupation: Dancer
Hometown: Vancouver, BC
Audition City: Vancouver
Style: Contemporary
Reminds Me Of: Someone who should be on True Blood or Make Me A Supermodel or Nick Lazzarini (SYTYCD S1)


Vincent Desjardins
Age: 20
Occupation: Professional Dancer
Hometown: Trois-Rivières, QC
Audition City: Montreal
Style: Ballroom
Reminds Me Of: Francis Lafreniere (SYTYCD CA S1) or Dmitry Chaplin (SYTYCD S2)



My picks based on the auditions: Vincent, Melanie, Cody, Nicolas, Tatiana, Jayme Rae.

But again, with the exception of Emanuel, I kinda like all the guys so far. Still figuring out who all the girls are.

Top 20 Performance is next on Tuesday at 8pm.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
For More So You Think You Can Dance:
Check here for the most Recent current postings and Latest News on SYTYCD

So You Think You Can Dance Canada - Season 2:
Auditions - Toronto, Vancouver, Saint John
Montréal, Edmonton

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 5:
Finale
Top 4 Performance
Top 6 Performance, Top 6 Results
Top 8 Performance, Top 8 Results and Panel Chat
Top 10 Performance, Top 10 Results and Panel Chat
Top 12 Performance, Top 12 Results and Panel Chat
Top 14 Performance, Top 14 Results, Top 14 Panel Chat
Top 16 Performance, Top 16 Results and Panel Chat
Top 18 Performance, Top 18 Results and Panel Chat
Top 20 Performance, Top 20 Results and Panel Chat
Auditions - Vegas Week Part 2 - Top 20 Announcement, Top 20 Pictures/Panel Chat
Vegas Week Part 1
New York City, Denver, Miami, Memphis, LA, Seattle

So You Think You Can Dance Canada:
Finale
Top 8 and 6 Performances and Results, Top 4 Performances
Top 10 Performances, Results 10 to 8
Top 12 Performances, Results 12 to 10
Top 14 Performances, Results 14 to 12
Top 16 Performances, Results 16 to 14
Top 18 Performances, Results 18 to 16
Top 20 Performances and Results
Introducing Canada's Top 20
Auditions:
Toronto Week - The Cut to the Top 20
Vancouver, Halifax, Calgary, Montreal - West, East, Middle and Quebec
Toronto - Toronto's Best Foot Forward
The Judges, The Host, The Teaser, All Photos from CTV

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 4:
Finale
Top 4 Performances
Top 6 Performances and Results 6 to 4
Top 8 Performances, Results 8 to 6
Top 10 Performances, Results 10 to 8
Top 16, 14 and 12 Weeks Recaps by Vance again
Top 12 Performances, Results 12 to 10 - Guest Blogger Linz McC
Top 14 Performances, Results 14 to 12 - Guest Blogger Linz McC
Top 16 Performances, Results 16 to 14 - Guest Blogger Linz McC
Top 18 Performances, Results 18 to 16
Top 20 Performances, Results 20 to 18
Introducing the Top 20
Auditions:
Callbacks in Las Vegas - The Top 20 Revealed - What Happens In Vegas
Milwaukee, WI - How The Midwest Was Won
Charleston, South Carolina and Washington D.C. - S.C.D.C. The New Electric (Boogaloo) Term!
Salt Lake City and Dallas - Yeehaw Utah!
Los Angeles - It's Time To Put On Those Dancing Shoes Again Kids!

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 3:
Live Tour - Toronto, Pasha's Solo Video, Neil's Solo Video
Finale - Winner Result
Top 4 Performances - Finals
Top 6 Performances, Top 6 Results
Top 8 Performances, Top 8 Results
Top 10 Performances, Top 10 Results
Top 12 Performances, Top 12 Results
Top 14 Performances, Top 14 Results
Top 16 Performances, Top 16 Results
Top 18 Performances, Top 18 Results
Top 20 Performances, Top 20 Results

For So You Think You Can Dance Season 2:
Favorite Video Clips
Song List Live Tour 2006 - Toronto
Live Tour 2006 - Buffalo, Pics, More Pics
Photos from CTV So You Think You Can Dance Canada website.
Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

More After the Jump...

It's Not All Greek To Me, But The Fat Lady May Not Have Sung Just Yet - Dido and Aeneas & The Bacchae - Theatre Reviews

Dido and Aeneas - Underground/Opera at the Winchester Street Theatre - Toronto, ON - **** (out of 5)
Written by Henry Purcell, Directed by Patrick Eagen Young
Runs until Aug. 29th 2009

The Bacchae - Delacorte Theatre - Central Park - New York City, NY - ** (out of 5)
By Euripedes, Translated by Nicholas Rudall, Directed by Joanne Akalaitis
Runs until Aug. 30th 2009
Note: Both reviews based on preview performances

Sometimes it's just the WAY you tell a story and not the story itself, isn't it?

I've tried and tried to like Opera and Greek theatre before but I've just never really been into it, but Toronto's newest Opera company is taking a fresh and modern approach to classical opera and may just be the youthful spin that may help change my mind. Meanwhile, the latest Public Theater's free offering in Central Park may have just confirmed that I'm just not that into Greek Theatre.

Opera/Underground, a combo of Opera Erratica and the Classical Music Consort have joined forces to present classical operas with period instruments (conducted by Ashiq Aziz) and staging the performances with modern touches like video projections that meld into the storytelling that freshens up Opera for a newer audience.

First off, I won't say I'm a complete opera convert yet, but I thoroughly enjoyed Dido and Aeneas with help from the very cool and symbolic projections that worked along with the live actors playing with their "shadows" that made it both viscerally exciting and thematically intriguing (and sometimes very very surreal)! It also allowed for the sometimes usually static operatic staging (that I usually associate opera with) to breathe with some sort of "action", letting the performance "show" more, instead of simply "telling" us the story.

Add in the really cool period instruments in the orchestra, creating an authentic sounding score, and a superb young cast whose vocal operatic singing was astounding, made me appreciate the beauty of opera. While the entire cast was excellent, including leads Susanne Hawkins as Dido and Olivier Laquerre as Aeneas, I wanted to specifically mention Charlotte Corwin and Sarah Whalen as the witches, Andrew Pickett as the Corceress, and John Bacon as the Sailor who all practically stole the show with their scenes. In fact, the 70 min. show speeds by and I left actually wanting MORE. I KNOW. Me? Opera? More? They must be doing something right! I simply loved the voices and the sound of the period instruments and with the modern staging, it kept it all interesting enough for me to stop dismissing Opera fully. If they were all done this way, I may return.


Meanwhile in Central Park NYC, The Bacchae continues the Greek tragedy tradition of telling the story but not really showing anything, as character after character walks onto the stage, retells the same story over and over again. Yes, that's what Greek theatre is, but the way director Akalaitis stages it, it gets kind of boring and I found my mind wandering through most of the 3 hour long play (oh wait, it was only 90 min.? but it sure FELT like 3 hours).

My Spring Awakening love Jonathan Groff (also in Taking Woodstock) stars as lead Dionysus and even with him changing in front of the audience (while people are still being seated) wasn't enough to convince me. I enjoyed the tragedy part of the show, as things only FINALLY got moving near the end when Agave finally arrives with the head of her son, but the way the story was TOLD, I just couldn't get into any of it.

I know the chorus is the essential part of Greek Theatre but I found it just didn't work here and became really annoying. I did however like the simplicity of the set, a sweeping staircase that disappears into a crumbling platform, however, the director didn't utilize the sweeping stairs or the pool of water as much as she could have.

The play also seemed mightily sanitized despite its themes of debauchery and despicable acts, not aided by Philip Glass' original score which does not enhance things here.

The cast, including Anthony Mackie (above) and Andre de Shields, tries as they might, aren't enough to save this show which just confirmed reasons I don't enjoy Greek Theatre. Maybe Undground/Opera can come up with a new way to stage it that may make it more palatable?

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com/

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