Five Guys With A Show - One-Man Show Reviews

Ghetto Klown - Lyceum Theatre - Broadway - New York, NY - **** (out of 5 stars)
Written and Performed by John Leguizamo, Directed by Fisher Stevens
Opens in London's West End Oct. 25th thru Nov. 12th 2011, Texas Feb 2012

Sex, Religion and Other Hang Ups - Theatre Passe Muraille - Toronto, ON - ***1/2 (out of 5 stars)
Written and Performed by James Gangl, Directed by Chris Gibbs
Runs until Oct. 22nd 2011

Mickey and Judy- Toronto Fringe Festival - Tarragon Theatre Extra Space - Toronto, ON - **** (out of 5 stars)
Written and Performed by Michael Hughes
Ran until July 21st 2011. More shows to be announced soon.

Hugh Jackman in Concert - Princess of Wales Theatre - Toronto, ON - **** (out of 5 stars)
Created and Performed by Hugh Jackman, Directed by Warren Carlyle
Back on Broadway starting Oct. 25th 2011

The Agony and The Ecstasy of Steve Jobs - Anspacher Theater at The Public Theater - New York, NY - ***** (out of 5 stars)
Written and Performed by Mike Daisey, Directed by Jean-Michele Gregory
Runs until Nov. 13th 2011, Returns in 2012

If you tell me it's going to be a one-man show, I will tend to shudder and run far far away. Give me a big ensemble number. Give me characters yelling at each other, interacting with each other. Give me multiple parts harmony. But don't give me one person standing alone on the stage. I picture that episode of Friends when Chandler shows up to Alex Borstein ranting a feminist one-woman diatribe at him. And some of the one-person shows I've seen have felt that way.

So I'm amazed that I went to 5 one-man shows so far this year and they not only did not make me want to run, they were all excellent in their own way.

John Leguizamo's Ghetto Klown is the 5th in his series of solo shows, though the first one I've seen, and apparently, the most personal and revealing, as he continues to reveal his personal meltdowns and career choices all while dishing the dirt on his fellow celebrity co-stars. Johnny Legz bounces around the stage with that same kinetic energy you know from his films, but he's insightful and thoughtful while never losing that urban street vibe where he originally came from. From his feelings on his family, his original hood, to his career goals and ultimate love for theatre, Ghetto Klown is a hilarious and revealing tour of the life of a grounded celeb and actor.

On the other end of the fame spectrum, James Gangl, a not famous actor trying to work his way into the game, shares what happened after he fell in love with the perfect girl while filming a Coors commercial. Gangl weaves his search for love, his devotion to his religion, and the hang-ups from mixing the two. Hence the title, Sex, Religion and Other Hang Ups, now running after being a hit at this year's Toronto Fringe Festival. Gangl has an easy going presence that's immediately likable, and he turns what first sounds like a comedy act, into something deeper and personal (and hilarious to us) as he struggles with staying true to his religion while gettin' some.

Michael Hughes' Mickey & Judy, another hit at this year's Toronto Fringe Festival, is an exquisitely intimate evening as Mickey takes us on his personal journey growing up, trying to be fabulous, and looking to Judy Garland as an idol. We get to see a sweet and fragile side of Mickey growing up, and uses the life and songs of Judy herself to build himself to the man he is today. The show becomes a warm and enrapturing cabaret with Mickey's personal struggles becoming an engaging story thread between well placed Judy Garland songs that begin to blend musical theatre storytelling within the solo show. (Disclosure: Since seeing and loving the show, I have become twitter friends with @mickehughes)

Then there's another Hugh who is taking his singing and dancing show back onto the stage. A little actor named Hugh Jackman (who starred in some movie called X-Men) brought his new solo show to Toronto, and soon will be Back on Broadway with the show. Known in the mainstream as a big action star, Hugh Jackman goes back to his musical theatre roots on the stage and sings, dances, sings, tells jokes, tells stories from his childhood, sings and dances some more and Hugh has the entire audience in rapture. Hugh Jackman knows how to command the stage and has that old-timey star quality that is rarely found these days. His voice is strong and splendid and while some of his song choices lean a little too much towards the Vegas side, when he's performing musical theatre classics (such as "Siloloquy" from Carousel, the opening number of The Music Man, or the title song from Singing in the Rain (which he really should just star in a revival of)), Hugh Jackman is in full force in the right element. His energy never lets down, and he's simply a born entertainer, backed with an 18-piece orchestra and 2 backup singers. Hugh's improv skills are snap-on as he banters back to the audiences yelling their devoted love, and proves that he really needs to stop making crappy movies and come back to the stage permanently.

While Hugh Jackman runs around the stage, dancing up a storm, Mike Daisey is a large man who sits at a table and talks. On occasion, he will take his small towel to wipe the sweat from his face, and once in a while, he will turn a page from the few sheets sitting on the table, but make no mistake, Mike Daisey's theatrical monologue The Agony and The Ecstasy of Steve Jobs is absolutely fascinating, entertaining and enthralling. Daisey weaves his rants and stories of Steve Jobs and the rise and fall and rise again of Apple into a surprisingly emotionally engaging piece of theatre (with a beautiful lighting design that is subtle and yet totally obvious). Daisey loves his Apple, loves his Apple gadgets and even takes apart his Apple devices apart and puts them back together as a form of comfort. So he takes quite a bite out of Apple when he begins to investigate closely at the religion Steve Jobs built around Apple, and how Jobs got those Apple products into our hands, via the factories in China. The tales of Daisey's visit to Shenzhen China to see where Apple products are made become quite damning on Steve Jobs reputation and while Daisey has changed the ending to acknowledge Jobs' recent death, he makes no apologies for his ultimate statement, all done without sounding like a lecture.

Having been told of Daisey's amazing storytelling skills, I still could not have imagined how amazing and theatrical this show felt, and how funny, amusing, shocking and interesting a monologue about a computer guru could be. I know only wish I could see some of Daisey's former shows including the apparently amazing How Theater Failed America.

Luckily, these 5 solo shows did not fail me and I have a full new appreciation for a well created one-man show.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

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Theatre Greatness in Canada - Play Reviews

His Greatness - independent Artist Repertory Theatre at Factory Studio Theatre - Toronto, ON - ****1/2 (out of 5 stars)
Written by Daniel MacIvor, Directed by Edward Roy
Runs until Oct. 23rd 2011

White Biting Dog - Soulpepper Theatre at Young Centre's Michael Young Theatre Stage - Toronto, ON - ** (out of 5 stars)
Written by Judith Thompson, Directed by Nancy Palk
Runs until Oct. 21st 2011

Another Africa - Volcano Theatre presented by Canadian Stage Company at St. Lawrence Centre's Bluma Theatre - Toronto, ON - **** (average out of 5 stars)
Shine Your Eye, Written by Binyavanga Wainaina, Directed by Ross Manson - ***
Peggy Pickit Sees The Face of God - Written by Roland Schimmelpfennig, Directed by Liesl Tommy - ****1/2
Runs until Oct. 22nd 2011

I had a little bout with Canadian plays in the past week to various results, but the excellent plays are definitely exciting entries for Toronto's theatre scene.

A play about Tennessee Williams, a gay hustler (and wanna be porn-star) and a theatre opening? My three favorite things and I had never heard about this play before? How did I miss it? Now I'm glad I didn't miss seeing His Greatness.

His Greatness is the fictional story of the true event when Tennessee Williams, near the end of his career, went to Vancouver to attend the opening night of a revival of a re-written version of one of his failed plays. His Greatness takes place in his Vancouver hotel room where his assistant organizes his entire life, including hiring a male escort to attend to Tennessee's needs.

Richard Donat's tremendous Tennessee Williams is big, suave, seductive and frightening. Delusioned by his own grandeur, Tennessee has become a celebrated playwright and uncontrollable child. His assistant, played by Daniel MacIvor himself, knows Tennessee's every want, whim, and need, and is prepared for every turn William throws at him. It's a co-dependent and dysfunctional relationship that truly begin to reveal itself when the assistant hires a male escort (a terrific Greg Gale with defined abs to match) who himself gets seduced by Tennessee's power while seducing his greatness himself.

Each relationship gets nicely explored and evolves through that opening night, and the disastrous morning after, as the Male Escort becomes a sort of muse to Tennessee, letting the relationship with his assistant splinter. It's a wonderfully evocative play, with some fascinating interplay between the three characters, all with the haunting ghost of Williams giving it some historical drama, while MacIvor beautifully uses the personal drama as statements on life and theatre itself.

The set wonderfully engulfs the tiny Factory Studio Theatre, and while the whole play takes place in the hotel room, it never feels confining to the play, and only to the characters. Richard Donat (who incidentally, actually appeared in the play in question in real life!) simply BECOMES Tennessee Williams. It's a truly magnificent performance. MacIvor and Gale are terrific foils to Donat's Williams, and the production gels together under Ed Roy's direction. His Greatness truly is some great theatre.


White Biting Dog may have been controversial and shocking when it was first written and produced, but time or Soulpepper's current remount has not helped Judith Thompson's play. Studied in many Canadian Theatre schools, I have actually never heard of it prior to this staging, and Nancy Palk's production has me left wondering why this play is so studied.

The play, about a suicidal man who stops himself after hearing instructions from a dog to help save his dying father, becomes a chaotic and surreal mess as his mother, her new young boyfriend, and a passerby, get involved in this new quest, all while taboos get thrown into the story for good shocking measure. Only now, the taboos have become cliches and with little reason to empathize with any character, it just becomes an entertaining, if confusing and unsatisfying jump into a dysfunctional family. While Mike Ross has a naturally endearing demeanor, and Fiona Reid is a hoot as his cougarish mother, I left feeling like I had been gnawing on a fake bone.


Canadian Stage presents Volcano Theatre's Another Africa, first mounted at Luminato a few years ago where it was a trilogy of one-act plays. This time, only 2 have survived with an added prologue. While I barely even realized what was the prologue (as it is used to segue into the 2 plays, the two plays, Shine Your Eyes and Peggy Pickett Sees the Face of God were two very different plays that nicely present African through various eyes.

Shine Your Eyes encompasses Another Africa's first act, with a fascinating look into modern day Africa via the eyes of a young computer hacker Gbene (played by a wonderfully thoughtful Dienye Waboso) who works the computer scams under a man from her home village. Meanwhile, the young hacker chats up with a woman from Toronto (Ordena Stephens-Thompson) and manages to set up a way for Gbene to come over permanently. It's a beautiful play with ideas about home, belonging and where one comes from in a world sitting between an old country and a modern world.

Beautiful direction from Ross Manson, and terrific performances from the cast keep things flowing but I found that there was an overuse of monologues directed to the audience that lost its punch as the piece went on. At first beautiful and heartfelt, became a little mundane and slow, as I'm not a fan of the Greek theatre style of telling a story as opposed to showing. Luckily, mixing in dance and movement with a sleek set into the ensemble moments of the play generates the energy and interaction between the characters that brings the fascinating story to life.

Act 2's piece Peggy Pickett Sees the Face of God is about one couple who throws their friend's a little homecoming soiree upon their return from Africa on a humanitarian mission. In the 6 years they were gone helping in Africa, the couple that stayed home bought a house, had a child, and other suburban sounding stuff, but things begin to unravel when the initial excitement of seeing each other, and the politeness and manners start to wane when real issues begin to surface. Without spoiling anything, the play itself hints at the underlying story at hand in moments of fast forward, rewind, and glimpses of future moments in a time jumping piece, and what seems like a comedy of manners, turns into something far darker and emotionally compelling.

If the set up sounds a bit like God of Carnage, it did feel a lot like Yasmina Reza's overrated play (soon to be the film Carnage) except Peggy Pickett was far better constructed with far more depth and soul. While the laughter was often awkward because of the painful situations, the awkward jokes and character reactions fully made sense once the audience realizes the entire situation at hand.

The cast of Kristen Thompson, Tony Nappo, Maev Beatty, and Tom Barnett were impressive in conveying the multiple layers within each character, all while trying to play nice in a civil dinner party. Each actor is superb, while Liesl Tommy's direction, that also uses a live projection being handled the actors themselves, is precise and taut and manages to unravel the chaos in what must be a precise series of events.

Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

More After the Jump...

SYTYCD4 - The Gr8 Deb8

So You Think You Can Dance Canada - Season 4 - Top 10 Results, Top 8 Performances - Eps. 419-420
Judges (Top 10): Jean-Marc Généreux, Tré Armstrong, Stacey Tookey, Mary Murphy
Judges (Top 8): Jean-Marc Généreux, Tré Armstrong, Blake McGrath, Mary Murphy

I got to go to another live taping for the performance show again, and as always, the dancers were hot, and freaking amazing.

And while I think the Top 10 results (below) got it right, now that it's down to Top 8, I have no idea who should be cut. I could see any of them winning really.
Seriously, I don't know who to vote for because I would call for them all (negating all my votes). Who is everyone else voting for?


Top 10 Results

Top 10 Group Dance
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Sabrina Matthews
Song: "Heavy in Your Arms" - Florence + the Machine



Should Go Home/Will go Home: François and Yuliya

Bottom 6 Dancers:
Denitsa
Yuliya
Melissa
Adam
Christian
François




And François and Yuliya were cut. Great dancers, but at this point, it leaves a very strong Top 8.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Top 8 - Performances

Jordan Clark and Adam LoPapa
Style: Hip-Hop
Choreographed by: Luther Brown
Song: "Say It With Me - Chris Brown
Grade - Dance: A
Grade - Girl(Live/TV) : A+/
Grade - Boy (Live/TV): A/

Jordan gets Hip-Hop and knocks it out of the park. Are we really surprised at this point? I think I realized that Jordan HAS to perfect her dance moves and punch up everything just to get her huge red mane flowing with her dance. Her hair looks spectacular with every movement but I think to keep it flowing (and out of her face at times), she moves her body with just that extra effort... does that make any sense?

Anyways, AMAZING.

Adam? Awesome. Always a joy to watch. Sexy, confident, with just enough humbleness to make it all work, and a body that rocks the moves with beautiful effort.

Here's the video of Jordan and Adam's Hip-Hop:




Denitsa Ikonomova and Christian Millette
Style: Samba
Choreographed by: Gustavo Vargas
Song: "Tambourine - Eve
Grade - Dance: A
Grade - Girl (Live/TV): A+/
Grade - Boy (Live/TV): A+/

I forgot these two are dance partners in real life. Not because they have no chemistry together (they TOTALLY do), but because they've been so great with other dance partners, in various styles, that I've totally forgotten that they came in to this competition together as a pair.

Yet this dance reminds of why both are still in the Top 8 and what a partnership they have together. There's such a relaxed freeing vibe between the two, that they took Gustavo's part Samba and part Hip-Hop routine and crushed it.

Top notch.

Here's the video of Denitsa and Christian's Samba:



Lindsay Leuschner and Shane Simpson
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Stacey Tookey
Song: "Uninvited - Alanis Morissette
Grade - Dance (Live/TV): B+/
Grade - Girl (Live/TV): A/
Grade - Boy (Live/TV): A/

Lindsay and Shane to me, are the quiet professionals of the group. I feel I really don't know who they are still, but they're always good, never lets us down, and are always consistently strong partners.

Pairing them up together gives us more professionalism, even when it's not my favorite Stacey Tookey dance.

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



Melissa Mitro and Matt Marr
Style: Jazz
Choreographed by: Melissa Williams
Song: "Nobody's Perfect" - Jessie J
Grade - Dance: A
Grade - Girl (Live/TV): A+/
Grade - Boy (Live/TV): A+/

I mean SERIOUSLY. SERIOUSLY. Melissa Mitro. What the? The audience collectively gasped when she leaped onto the chair and jumped on Matt's back. And she danced the whole routine with that kind of controlled abandon.

And Matt, the lovely ever smiley Matt. Who like Adam, has always been great but has gotten even better through the competition and owning up to the levels of the best dancers in this competition.

Here's the video of Melissa and Matt's Jazz:



Top 8 Group Dance
Style: Jive
Choreographed by: Danny Arbour
Song: "" -
So much fun. SO MUCH FUN. Though I did notice Shane and Matt fell off a step at some point, and uh... that's about it? My eyes were zig-zagging around to every dancer who just looked like they were having a blast, and worked brilliantly as a Top 8 team.



Solos:

Melissa Mitro
Song: "" -
Grade: A

Matt Marr
Song: "" -
Grade: A

Christian Millette
Song: "" -
Grade: A

Denitsa Ikonomova
Song: "" -
Grade:A

Lindsay Leuschner
Song: "" -
Grade: A

Shane Simpson
Song: "" -
Grade: A

Jordan Clark
Song: "" -
Grade: A

Adam LoPapa
Song: "" -
Grade: A





The Final Roundup:

Should Go Home: Uh, no one.
My Predictions:
Bottom 4 Dancers
Adam
Denitsa
Shane
Lindsay

Will Go Home: Shane and Lindsay? Oh gawd, I don't even want to think about Tuesday.

This is how I rank all the dancers overall (based on dancing and personality): (last week's standings in parenthesis, ties listed in alphabetical order)
Overall Ranking:
1 (tie). Jordan (1)
1 (tie). Melissa (1)
3 (tie). Adam (3)
3 (tie). Christian (3)
3 (tie). Denitsa (3)
3 (tie). Lindsay (3)
3 (tie). Matt (3)
3 (tie). Shane (3)
And I really don't think this list is a cop-out. I really would rank them in a giant tie.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
For More So You Think You Can Dance:
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Finale
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Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com

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SYTYCDC4 - Dirty Dancers

So You Think You Can Dance Canada - Season 4 - Top 12 Results, Top 10 Performances - Ep. 417-418
Judges (Top 12): Jean-Marc Généreux, Tré Armstrong, Luther Brown, Blake McGrath, Mary Murphy
Judges (Top 10): Jean-Marc Généreux, Tré Armstrong, Stacey Tookey, Mary Murphy

Top 14 Results

Top 14 Group Dance
Style: Ballroom
Choreographed by: Jean-Marc Généreux and France Mousseau
Song: "Dirty Dancer - Enrique Iglesias feat. Usher & Lil Wayne


Actual Bottom 3:
Lindsay and Christian
Geisha and Joey
Yuliya and Shane




So yes, at this point, like I said last week, the group of dancer is so strong that most cuts will hurt. And the worse part, the few dancers that I felt we could lose, were all partnered with some of the BEST dancers. Sadly, all three pairs in the bottom 3 had great male dancers, but based on the past few weeks, I would have cut Christian, who is amazing, but Joey is simply the best male from the group and Shane is not far behind him.

Luckily for Christian, the judges thought differently (and luckily for us, he'll prove he deserves his spot in the Top 10 with the Top 10 performance this week) and cut JOEY.

JOEY ARRIGO. WTF?

Ok, I know. the Alternatives are not much better but JOEY. I'm ANGRY.

To be honest, if anyone should have gone home, François' time has come. But alas, he wasn't in the bottom and thus automatically in the Top 10. Seriously, if Joey was in instead, it would have been the perfect Top 5 males. PERFECT.

Meanwhile, Geisha gets cut. Not a surprise, but just as she was FINALLY showing some promise. Oh well. She's a smart girl, and studying something sciency so she'll be fine either way.


- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Top 10 - Performances

Denitsa Ikonomova and François Pruneau
Style: Mambo
Choreographed by: Gustavo Vargas
Song: "Bemba Colorá - Celia Cruz
Grade - Dance: B+
Grade - Girl: A
Grade - Boy: A-

François is one of those dancers you can't hate but he reminds me of Benji Schwimmer. He's great at what he does, and he's quite good at other styles, but he coasts on personality and there are now dancers that are far better in a variety of styles and have that extra dazzle and spark to take them over the edge.

Denitsa on the other hand has the spark, and she's like a little spitfire and while she too probably coasts a bit too much on her petite spiciness, Denitsa has seemed to done better in opposing styles, especially in the hip-hop dances (surprisingly) and at this point, that's what is required to be a winner on the show.

Anyways, ballroom dancers dancing something close to their styles. Their great of course but again, Denitsa has this natural sizzle that takes it over the edge.

Here's the video of Denitsa and François' Mambo:



Lindsay Leuschner and Adam LoPapa
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Blake McGrath
Song: "Remember When It Rained - Josh Groban
Grade - Dance: B+
Grade - Girl: A
Grade - Boy: A

A little fumbly on one of the lifts, but here's two great contemporary dancers, two very hot dancers, who have been sort of been under the shadows of Melissa, Jordan, Joey and Shane. While Adam has come into his own in the past couple of weeks with some great partners and choreo, Lindsay is one of those great dancers looking for a great routine. I'm not sure if this is the one that will make her memorable, but it sure proves that Lindsay is the forgotten underdog.

She's stunning and her chemistry with Adam is palpable. But I still feel she deserves even more somehow, though a partner in Adam is a start.

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



Melissa Mitro and Shane Simpson
Style: Hip-Hop
Choreographed by: Luther Brown
Song: "The Time (Dirty Bit) - Black Eyed Peas
Grade - Dance: A+
Grade - Girl: A+
Grade - Boy: A

You know how good Melissa and Shane were in this? I DESPISE this song. DESPISE this song. With a passion. And I've already watched it 5 times before I could type this. Usually I type my opinions while I watch and the judges do their thing. I just watched spellbound and rewound, and rewound and rewatched.

So this is Melissa's 6th Standing Ovation in a row? Seriously, I know she's from my hometown of Richmond Hill (woot woot!) but WHERE IS SHE FROM? SERIOUSLY? WHO DANCES LIKE THAT? WHO PERFECTS EVERY STYLE SHE'S GIVEN? Manages to form some tight chemistry with every new partner? She must be a robot. That's the only explanation.

Shane is fantastic too. Groovy. Hard. Intense.

Here's the video of Melissa and Shane's Hip-Hop:




Yuliya Zavadska and Matt Marr
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Sabrina Matthews
Song: "My Love" - Sia
Grade - Dance: B+
Grade - Girl: B+
Grade - Boy: A-

I think after two smashing pieces with perfect music last week, this choreo from Sabrina doesn't quite match up.

The power and emotion and the moves were all there, but as the judges noted, the transitions would be the one thing to take it to the next level, though with some movements like Matt's running towards Yuliya only to stop suddenly, I think some of it was planned that way to begin with.

Love Matt. He's like that puppy dog that you love who goes wild with enthusiasm and love, and while I think he just needs to smooth out some of his movements and add a finesse, he's got it down and is still a joy to watch.

Yuliya is lovely and tries her best here. The judges loved her and I thought she does a fine job and again, just needs some finessing with the in between moments, both physically and emotionally, but impressive for a ballroom dancer.

Here's the video of Yuliya and Matt's Contermpoary:



Jordan Clark and Christian Millette
Style: Contemporary
Choreographed by: Sean Cheesman
Song: "Skin - Rihanna
Grade - Dance: A+
Grade - Girl: A+
Grade - Boy: A+

Jordan getting contemporary AGAIN? On the other hand, Contemporary with Christian? With Sean Cheesman? I'll shut up. Because SHUT UP THAT WAS FREAKING AMAZING.

Ok. Jordan is fantastic. We know that.

And we know Christian is such a MAN! And he's pretty amazing in other styles. In fact, I practically forget he's originally from the ballroom style. But seriously, he was smokin' here, and I'm not just talking about his body. The way he moved, he was step by step, movement by movement in sync with Jordan.

And that backflip Jordan does from the ground? What's with THAT? And the way she just spins around Christian's neck like it was nothing? Christian is SOLID and Jordan is just sick!

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



Solos:

Lindsay Leuschner
Song: "It Doesn't Hurt" - Katie Thompson
Grade: A-

Adam LoPapa
Song: "You Should Be Dancing" - The Bee Gees
Grade: A

Christian Millette
Song: "Happy (Spiritual South Go happy In Rio Remix)" - Max Sedgley
Grade: A

Jordan Clark
Song: "Hometown Glory" - Adele
Grade: A

Yuliya Zavadska
Song: "Fever" - Peggy Lee
Grade:B+

Matt Marr
Song: "For the Night I Can't Remember" - Hedley
Grade: A-
Totally frenetic (again, like a crazy happy puppy dog) that just needs to tighten up into a full unified routine, but still so impressive with some killer moves.

Melissa Mitro
Song: "To Build A Home" - The Cinematic Orchestra
Grade: A
So many crazy moves and such power and control in her dancing, and I love that she can slow it down and speed it up in split moments, though I almost wish she had a fully slow encapsulating moment just to contrast the power she has in the rest of the routine.

Shane Simpson
Song: "Love Is Gone" - David Guetta feat. Chris Willis
Such an exciting dancer and as great of a partner dancer as he is, I think he's even better in solos.
Grade: A

François Pruneau
Song: "Reet Petite" - Jackie Wilson
Grade: B+
Fun and enjoyable but I had to laugh and roll my eyes at that final shirt ripping. Only Dmitry can really get away with it.

Denitsa Ikonomova
Song: "Le Serpent" - Guem et Zaka Percussion Ensemble
Grade: A

The Girls:

The Boys:



The Final Roundup:

Should Go Home: François and Yuliya
My Predictions:
Bottom 4 Dancers
Yuliya and Lindsay
Adam and François

Will Go Home: Yuliya and François

This is how I rank all the dancers overall (based on dancing and personality): (last week's standings in parenthesis)
Overall Ranking:
1 (tie). Melissa (1)
1 (tie). Jordan (1)
3 (tie). Adam (4)
3 (tie). Shane (6)
3 (tie). Christian (8)
3 (tie). Matt (5)
3 (tie). Denitsa (7)
3 (tie). Lindsay (9)
9. Yuliya (10)
10. François (12)

Um, can you tell I'm pretty undecided on a ranking?

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