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So You Think You Can Dance
Season Five — Top 16 Dancers / Top 8 Couples
By Dr Matt
Here are the weekly Recaps from the Top Twenty Dancers to the Final Four:
Intro 20 18 Top 16 14 12 10 8 6 Final 4
On Yeong Hashim Neeka SYTYCD Fans:
This show was all about BUTTS . . . two in particular: Randi's & Phillip's. Randi Evan's butt was the central theme of a Mia Michaels contemporary routine, and Phillip's butt unintentionally made an appearance during a Broadway number—after his pants split while making a couch jump.
Toni Basil is the guest judge tonight. She had a tendency to say essentially the same thing over and over: “don’t let your emotions/choreography/technique get in the way of your emotions/choreography/technique.”
Tonight, before each performance, SYTYCD asks each dancer "what they would be doing if they weren't dancing?" You know a person doesn't have much of a life, when the answer is: "If I weren't dancing . . . I'd be an acrobat in Circ De Sole" (Translation: If I were NOT a dancer . . . I'd be . . . dancing!).
From
Worst to Wow!
8 - Karla Garcia & Jonathan Platero
Hip-Hop, choregraphed by Dave Scott
Music: "By My Side" by Jadakiss feat. Ne-Yo
If she wasn't a dancer, Karla would be a journalist, and Jonathan would be an acrobat with Cirque (translation: Jonathan would STILL be a dancer). Dave Scott choreographes a Bonnie & Clyde type of dance. Because Jonathan is NOT Brandon, the choreographer is watering down the moves, so that the weaker member of the team can do them. Jonathan was clearly NOT as GANGSTA as Karla, and the synchronization between the two was woefully off.
This performance pretty much left me hungry and cold; overall, it was a yawwwwwwner!
Because the dancing was mediocre, that should be enough for the viewing audience NOT to run to the phones to vote for this couple. BUT Nigel decided to let America know what their opinion of this piece should be. Se he blurts: "I bet you'll end up in the Bottom 3 Three"—sounds like a self-fulfilling prophecy to me. Consider how the Judges influenced the results last week?
Last week, the Lowest Vote-getting Couples from Week One were able to survive Bottom Three-dom in Week Two. This, after the Judges gave glowing reviews of their performances. So . . . the logic goes, take away the glowing accolades and this artificially inflated couple should return to their previous low ranking?
But it may NOT work, because America is NOT the judge's puppet. On the one hand, America is indeed INFLUENCED BY Judges comments that are reasonable. But on the other hand, no one likes to be TOLD what to do. Truth is: Nigel knows the numbers from week to week, so . . . he probably knows that Jonathan and Karla were the couple "on the bubble" last week. Meaning, once Ashley and Max departed, the NEXT lowest couple is . . . Karla-athan. If so, it makes Nigel's prediction a good bet — even without his harshly applied influence.
It will be interesting to see if America decides to REBEL against Nigel's suggestion. Such has happened before on American Idol, when Simon Cowell has hammered a contestant, and American chooses to give sympathy votes for the verbally abused.
7 - Asuka Kondoh & Vitolio Jeune
Jazz choreographed by Mandy Moore
Music: "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar
Asuka says she'd make jewelry if she wasn't a dancer. Vitolio would be the lead singer in a band. Mandy calls her routine "thrash rocker jazz." Asuka has trouble learning the choreography in rehearsal and cries, but Vitolio is there for her. Like Karla-than Asuka-olio are not in sync with each other. And it was also clear (by the comments Mary made), that Mandy Moore watered down her choreography so Asuka wouldn't cry anymore!
The Name of the Show is: So You Think You Can Dance?
The answer to this question, in the case of Asuka, is . . . NO, she can't dance, at least without crying! I could forgive her for showing emotions this week, but her "boo hoo" disposition has become an ugly habit. In previous weeks, at the prospect of landing in the Bottom 3 Three, Asuka shows no positive composure on her face; instead, she looks like her dog just died, and she's been sucking on lemons.
Buck up girl. The polishing touch on one's dancing skill is CONFIDENCE: you CAN'T let the viewing audience see you sweat — let alone, see you have a nervous breakdown! In contrast: Melissa had to tackle a dance style she had never done, and you didn't see her crying. Instead, she opening affirmed: "we're going to get it!"
Asuka is quite vulnerable if she has to dance with her life: the "ballroom" specialists usually are a little WEAK when it comes to the "dance for your life" solo. The most prominent exception was America's Favorite Dancer: Benji Schwimmer. So, I see Asuka being eliminated eventually after landing in the Bottom Three . . . and Vitolio being saved because his solo skills are so freaking fantastic!
6 - Jason Glover & Caitlin Kinney
Paso Doble choreographed by Jean-Marc & France Genereaux
Music: "O'Fortuna" from Carmina Burana by the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg & Kurt Prestel
Caitlin's other career would have been broadcast journalism, while Jason would have been a soccer player. The costuming for this Paso is very dramatic. It's kind of a Bait N' Switch: Because they can't handle REAL Paso Doble, let's turn the dancers into the Prince and Princess of Bangaladesh. To further draw attention AWAY from the fact they are NOT really doing Paso, Jason is robed with the Cape from Hell — the flying Cape assures that the viewing audience is NOT watching the bad ballroom footwork.
Again, I'm left hungry and cold after this one, but I almost fell for the Smoke & Mirrors.
5 - Jeanine Mason & Phillip Chbeeb
Broadway choreographed by Tyce Diorio
Music: "Moses" from Singin' In The Rain
Phillip would have been an inventor, while Jeanine would be an actress. Phillip shows major whimpiness as he is hesitant to jump a 6 foot Couch. He ends up jumping the couch easily during the performance — but the Couch the used for "show time" was clearly smaller than the rehearsal couch. During the JUMP, he totally splits his pants. This was one of Tyce the OREO's best Broadway number in a while — too bad the choreography was somewhat wasted on Philip: Evan & Randi would have completely KILLED this choreography!
Phillip is challenged by ANY choreography OUTSIDE of his specialty! He had a whole YEAR to prepare for SYTYCD Season 5 Five, and you'd a thought he would have prepped up on a few skills other than his Street Thing (which he is uniquely fantastic at).
4 - Kupono Aweau & Kayla Radomski
Viennese Waltz, choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereaux
Music: "Sweet Dreams For You" by Jewel
Kayla loves to model, and Kupono loves costume designing. Rehearsal for them was "kind of a mess" according to Kayla. And WHAT IS THIS: They are waltzing barefoot? Which means, Jean-Marc decided that they don't look good doing a REAL Vienese Waltz, so he's going to do the "Contemporary" Bait N' Switch — like he did last year with Twitchington (sans the sad story).
The dance itself was rather lyrical and lovely. Kayla is an absolutely gorgeous dancer. Kupono was adequate. He didn’t support Kayla well enough during a pivot turn where she had to readjust her standing foot — that was all on him. So, the dance was pretty BUT hardly deserving of the Hot Tamale Train . . . REALLY?! I think the Producers are trying to pump up Kayla, because they WANT her to be part of the Top Ten Tour — and they don't want her in the Bottom 3 Three.
3 - Ade Obayomi & Melissa Sandvig
International-Style Rumba choreographed by Tony Meredith
Music: "Emotion" by Destiny's Child
Melissa would be a pilates trainer if not a dancer, and Ade would be a sound engineer for TV shows. They struggle in rehearsal trying to learn "International Rumba" technique that takes YEARS to get down right. But Holy Wow . . . they kill it in the performance. Melissa's maturity really shined through, and her ability to show Latin Senuality was . . . moulten-lave HOT!
So, I liked this Rumba Routine, even though they would’ve been slaughtered in a ballroom competition. Speaking of Sensual Sizzling Rumba Routines: Here's one that will heat up your hormones: danced by Slavik Kryklyvyy & Elena Khvorova.
2 - Brandon Bryant & Janette Manrara
Hip-hop, choreographed by Dave Scott
Music: "What A World" by Common
Brandon would be a lighting and design person as a second profession, and Janette would be working in a bank as a loan processor (pretty nerdy for a Florida Salsa Girl!). The dance has Janette dancing the part of a rocker and Brandon as a hip-hopper. They each totally nail their parts — hitting it HARD.
Holy Smokes! This routine was the BOMB! It's one I wanted to see again on DVR! It's also hard to imagine that this number was choreographed by the same guy who created the Gangsta Disaster for Karlathon. Truth is . . . Dave Scott KNEW he had MORE to work with, and ANY MOVE he could conjure up . . . Brandon was ready to get crazy with it! Janette's moves were easily, yet, when they had to MATCH, they did, and Janette hit her choreography equally hard as Brandon! IMPRESSIVE . . . two weeks in a row!
1 - Evan Kasprzak & Randi Evans
Contemporary choreographed by Mia Michaels
Music: "Koop Island Blues" by Koop. feat. Ane Brun
Randi loves teaching kids, and Evan loves cars and would be a custom car shop owner if he wasn't dancing. Mia says the dance is all about the booty.
This is my #1 Ranked routine in terms of unique dancing artistry! If my criteria for ranking were for excitement, energy, and crazy moves, Brandon & Janette's routine would clearly be at the top of that criteria. But since Brandon and Janette were #1 last week, I thought I'd spread the accolades around. Technically, I had them both tied at #1 — but I didn't want to confuse my readers with a #1, then a #1, then a #3 . . . they may think I don't know how to count right.
Toni Basil said that if she were a dancer on this show, she would want to draw Mia Michaels name out of the hat. But she cautioned, sometimes her choreography can be bigger than the dancers can live up to . . . then she said to Evan & Randi: "you . . . lived . . . up . . . to . . . IT!" This will go down as one of the remembered pieces in SYTYCD History: The BUTT ROUTINE!
Predictions:
So who will be the bottom three couples? First, let me say who should be in the bottom three: Jeanine & Phillip, Asuka & Vitolio, AND Karla & Jonathan. Phillip is WEAK . . . two weeks in a row, and his partner Jeanine is SOLID in everything she had done to date.
Now, who will be in the bottom three? Asuka & Vitolio, Karla & Jonathan, AND Caitlin & Jason
If the Judges want to give Vitolio a fighting chance to make the Top Ten Tour, then they will Toss Asuka in a the Trash, as well as Jonathan, THEN pair up Karla & Vitolio. BUT if they don't want to risk threatening the safety of the other partnerships . . . they will simply eliminate Janathan & Karla together, OR . . . Vitolio & Asuka . . . with the other couple spared this week, being eliminated the following week.
I can't see, by any stretch of the imagination, how Asuka might be saved OVER Karla, considering her her WEAK Ballroom Dancing Solo . . . yeah, lets do a few Samba Bachacadas . . . NOT! Can you say "BORING" — we've seen that bit before about 2 million times!
So, Asuka is the Obvious girl to go . . . but will they also DUMP Vitolio? He's a very strong dancer, AND he has loads of personality! If they dump Vitolio, that simply means that they are going to DUMP couples together, which has been their tendency in previous years . . . but this year, to SAVE Princess Karla, they were forced to split up a partnership.
Just how much do the Judges love Vitolio? How much do the Judges like Karla? Dancing the Solos well does make a difference! We'll see what happens!
Results Show:
My prediction was RIGHT ON!
:o)
Dr Matt
Weekly SYTYCD Recaps from the Top Twenty Dancers to the Final Four:
Intro 20 18 Top 16 14 12 10 8 6 Final 4
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for Life's labors isn't
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