* Editor's note: I'm finally done writing this & it's midnight, so I will not be reading through to proofread. So really, that should say "Absent Editor's note." *
Week One, Week One, IT BEGINS!!! And Cat kicks it off with some wicked "kicks" that me wants. :) Cat Deeley for Mayor! Of every town!! All right, at least of Boogie Town. :)
(Sad panda for Mitchell, first injury of the season. *sigh*)
First dance! Jordan & Tadd, afro-jazz: really great, really primal & earthen. (Earthen? Yeah, sure.) She didn't dance it like a girl, he didn't dance it like a boy - they were just the moves & the spirit of the dance, totally outside of who they each are individually. Which is just what the style requires & they succeeded for sure! (BTW, I continue to be obsessed with Jordan - have been since her very first audition. That'll be a mini-monologue for another post, though...) Great first dance, so far entirely happy with the season!!
Sasha & Alexander, comtemporary: *Preemptive disclaimer - I don't like Alexander. And I really don't like him because the judges kept him over my love, Jeremiah. And I don't wanna be mad at the judges. So I'm taking it out on Alex instead; yeah, life's no fair, buddy. Deal.* LOL, liking Sasha a little more after that package... Moving on! Um, I really loved the dance - and I'd love seeing it with other dancers. :( Mean, I know. They are both great dancers & great at what they can do with their bodies - but if that's all dance was, the whole institution of dance would've ended eons ago. There was just zero connection between them & zero connection to the piece. It didn't leave me with any lingering impression other than watching two good dancers perform great steps; I'm left wanting.
Clarice & Jess, broadway: *why do I dislike him so much?! why? I can't really pinpoint it - but he inspires me to drive my new Odyssey over my own feet just the create a new pain to drive all knowledge of him from my brain.* (like the way I worked my sweet new ride into the post? :D) Moving on. I don't like Jess. Oh yeah, moving on. Sorry. Okay, I will give credit where credit is so very due: that was some insanely good Broadway! Really was; impeccable, dazzling delivery of Tyce's magnetic choreography. And Jess did steal the dance, because he is spectacular at what he does. So there, I said it; now, I can spend a guilt-free evening aiming my dart gun at the picture of him I just sent to my printer. :D
Ryan & Ricky, lyrical hip-hop: Well I have to say, I'm greatly impressed by both of them in that dance. So happy to have Ryan on this year!!! And Ricky's definitely growing on me, he's very cool. I'm not sure I got the really deep meaningful story that was intended; but they were so effortlessly COOL in that number, gave perfect balance and weight to the "lyrical" and "hip-hop" sides of the style. I totally found myself wanting to get up & groove with the music - hey, it's a commercial break, maybe I will! (Flash from the future - I'm waaaay too lazy to get my butt off the couch and spontaneously dance; you should know me better than that by now.)
Caitlyn & "Mitchell" (looking a lot like Robert these days), jazz: I wonder if Caitlyn would sell me her hair? Memo to ask her about that... I wonder, what does it say about me that I love Sonya Tayeh so much?! Don't answer that. Caitlyn was fabulous in this number, bringing fire and attack by the truckload! She gave a very driving performance, and kept her dance at an equal level throughout. I do think her movement could benefit from a bit more core strength; there were some moments that were slightly diminshed by a break in balance or evidence of effort on her part. Not sure that makes sense; she's awesome, though!
Miranda & Robert, jive: Alright, honest moment here - that wasn't the jive-iest jive I've seen. Although it was was bubbly and bouncy, it was also awkward and amateur throughout the dance. Granted, they weren't helped by the attempted storyline or the misguided costumes, so I can't fault them entirely - just some. They tried hard; BUT, this is SYTYCD Season 8 & darlings, you need to try MUCH HARDER.
Missy & Wadi, jazz: *Okay Missy, make me a fan... Oh good, she did!* That was killer!! Why do I love all the demented dances?! I'm concerned; memo to me, pencil in a half-hour for "soul-searching" next Tuesday. :) That was hot, hard-hitting quintessential JAZZ and I think I love Shaun Cheesman! There were a few teeny hiccups that just barely blipped on my radar - definitely not enough to detract from the piece as a whole. And holy Wadi, where did that come from?! It's like Joshua all over again - it just ain't reasonable for a B-boy to bust out solid-gold jazz like that.
Melanie & Marko, contemporary: Man alive!!!! If only they could be statues! If only every single moment of that dance could be sculpted & captured for all time. Good glory!! Think I liked it? What gave me away? Can there just be a Travis Wall show? Network? That was beyond words & beyond critique. Dance. Of. The. Night. Dance of the Season?!? We shall see...
Ashley & Chris, hip-hop: That was like a cute little 9th grade assembly dance, with the student body prez & vice-prez doing a little diddy before they announce the incoming electees. :) Okay, that may have been a little harsh - but it was funny, and that's clearly all I care about 'round here. I don't think they really held to the story or the characters - either that, or they find failed relationships to be a very happy-go-lucky, free-wheelin' business. :) It was fun & Ashley actually did a pretty respectable hip-hop; but Chris should not be allowed to do that on national television again.
Iveta & Nick, ballroom: Nick should be VERY proud of himself after that dance; to go from no ballroom to the friggin' "Kiss of Death" Quickstep had to have been more than a little intimidating for him, and he charged that thing with both guns blazing! Iveta has been doing this since she was 3 apparently, and should of course be brilliant, so we don't really need to discuss her. Nick is what could've ruined that number, and instead Nick & those legs'o'fury are what absolutely made that number! Biggest surprise of the night definitely goes to Nick; come on down and get your award, cutie. ;)
Aaaand, 3 hours later - I'm done watching! At some point, I've gotta get faster at this. Thank heavens for DVR, am I right? Okay, let's get a move on with the bottom 3:
- Girls - Sasha, Miranda, Ashley
- Boys - Mitchell (sad panda), Alexander, and Chris.
G'nite & good luck! But not to Dave & Brooklyn, you're already in excess. :P
3 comments:
I think very few people can stand Jess. I kept thinking during Vegas Week "Oh please, don't get into top 20 because I won't be able to stand listening to you and watching you." He reminds me of Evan. Is it because he's Broadway?! Don't know. And I'm a big fan of Broadway and I LOVE Tyce (I kinda wanna hang out with him someday), but I just can't stand some of the boys Broadways produces. Ugh. I agree with the Sasha comment. She's growing on me too. And I didn't really care for Melanie beforehand (maybe it's the boy haircut) but the statue dance was remarkable! I don't so much like Jordan. I thought I'd like her more, but she's a little obsessed with being Pussycat Doll. She should be over that. She's on an amazing TV show. And she really aspires to be trash like the Pussycat Dolls?! I think that's sad. She's pretty, but I don't know how well I'll get over her "sexy" dancing. I hope she gets all non-sexy dances to see if she can pull it off. I have to hand it to the girls too. They are clearly the stronger gender this season. It's going to be so fun to watch it all go down. I'm happy! Thanks for the blog, Kristen!
Ok?!
Just 'cuz. :)
Post a Comment