SYTYCD 5: Top 20 Recap

SYTYCD Begins with a Bang–and a Crash!

Looks like it is going to be a very strong season, with dancers hand-picked to represent the finest of their genres.  How come SYTYCD’s transparent acknowledgement of ‘casting’ strikes me as so much more honest and acceptable than AI’s?  Yet another way this show is superior to its sister show.  Last Wednesday’s performances were phenomenal almost without exception, and have really whet my appetite for the show again this season.  So hard to pick my faves, but I would like to highlight the five that I thought were truly spectacular, so here goes:

Melissa & Ade:  Classically Beautiful

Contemporary, choreo’d by Mandy Moore
Right Here Waiting by Richard Marx

“What we get to see every once in a while [tears up] … is special.  That was so special.” Adam Shankman
“You can’t deny training, Melissa you are spectacular.  Ade … you are a gentle giant…quiet, powerful.” Mary Murphy
“Choreographed as a pas de deux … beautifully by Mandy Moore.  America has got so much more to look forward to with you two.” Nigel Lythgoe

This was a breathtaking routine, stunning for three key reasons:  Melissa’s grace, Ade’s strength, Mandy’s skill.

Adam and Mary mentioned how important Melissa’s classical training was to the ultimate quality not just of this piece but, they implied, to all dance.  And it is so abundantly clear here:  watch her form, points, lines, control, balance, flexibility.  (In the full vid, including intro, see 2.30 to 2.35 and 3.00 to 3.08, in particular–which is not even the great power lift in the middle).  If she wasn’t so good, he wouldn’t have been able to lift her.  That said, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to learn that Ade also has a strong classical foundation (as so many of the contemporary dancers do).

This routine was not so much story, as it was just pure emotion and beauty through movement.  It is going to be interesting to see these two in other styles, and see in particular whether Melissa can translate her training into believable character and story elsewhere.  She was like a bird, and Ade the tree around which it flies.  His challenge will be to be something more than background; hers to spread her wings in other genres.

Kupono & Ashley:  Weirdly Wonderful

Jazz, choreo’d by Wade Robson
Felt Mountain by Goldfrapp

“What the hell am I looking at? … Wade, you are one sick puppy.” Adam Shankman
“Sometimes I go on the trip with you, sometimes I don’t.  Tonight, I was there…” Mary Murphy
“What I think was genius about this is he gave you both characters which you adhered to throughout.” Nigel Lythgoe

“Essentially the duet is about living life like you’ve never been hurt.” Wade Robson

Even though this routine was praised by the judges, and the dancers were also given their due, I felt it actually was underpraised.  It certainly received mixed reviews on the PBP thread.  I came out in favour, and upon rewatching, I have grown to enjoy it more and more.

The movement Wade used to create character and tell the story was so very unique.  Through it, the story and characters became a metaphor, which was moving and multi-layered in the way that transformed the choreography into a heightened state of artistic expression.

As Nigel said, Robson gave Kupono and Ashley each a character and the personality of that character–he, traumatized and shaken, fearful and afraid to get too close lest he be further hurt; she, outgoing and open, nurturing and curious, able to fully experience and engage because she hasn’t been subjected to the same trauma.  These are not inanimate crash-test dummies, these are human beings like you and me.  Watch how Kupono’s character recoils and protects himself from her; watch how Ashley packs so much expressiveness into each of her moves, her lines and movement are more expansive free-ranging, where his are tight and cautious.  While you have to work for the emotional connection perhaps a little harder than in some other, more obvious contemporary dance routines, once you get there, it is truly powerful.

The question that Wade must have asked himself, in coming up with this choreography, is how would crash test dummies think, feel and love if they were humanized?  And then he created a vocabulary of movement, and a story arc, that allowed us to empathize so very deeply with these characters, to think and feel as they do.  The result was touching, poignant, sad but optimistic at the same time.  The life lesson taught, profound.  All in a minute-and-a-half of dance.  These are the moments that make this show so special, and so important in bringing dance into the homes of so many millions who might not otherwise ever see or pay attention to it.

Randi & Evan

Jazz, choreo’d by Tyce Diorio
I Only Have Eyes For You by Jamie Cullum

“You both danced like you were 8 feet tall.” Adam Shankman
“The stars have just come out tonight…that was smouldering and fluid and beautiful and absolutely believable.” Mary Murphy
“You have just become a couple that people will recognize and talk about.” Nigel Lythgoe

I agree with those who have compared Randi & Evan to Gev & Courtney from last year–they have the cute factor in spades, although we need to see a few more performances to see how they really gel as a couple.  Also agree that Evan, who has already been typecast as Broadway, showed a surprising quality and the potential for cross-genre flexibility.  The lines and lifts in this performance were quite phenomenal–see 3:00 to 3:08 in the clip with intro–Tyce’s jazz choreography has a contemporary flair, and I find it far and away better than his broadway.  Randi and Evan overcame any hesitation or discomfort to evoke an intimacy that belied the newness of their relationship and the season, and overcame any of their own limitations.

Max & Kayla

Samba, choreographed by Louis Van Amstel

Jum Bah Day by House of Gypsies

“Max, I’m assuming you were in the number … [laughs].  She could have never looked that good without you.” Adam Shankman
“I can hear it, I can hear it … I can hear a train …. whooooo hooooooo.  Whoooooo hoooo …. Whooooooooooooooooooooo.  You are on the hot tamale train. WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.” Mary Murphy
“That was truly sensational.  You have topped an absolutely brilliant night tonight.” Nigel Lythgoe

Stunning! The passion, the energy, the technique.  She surprised everyone by being so good, but put a hot blonde in a bright fuscia-fringed dress — and how could you lose!  She rose to every challenge, and where she could have been the weak link, pulled all eyes to her.  And good on Max — from the very beginning he showed himself a true professional and a consummate gentleman–even going so far to say “This is a fantastic opportunity to help out Kayla.”).  He had the self-confidence and strength to let his partner shine.  Fantastic!!  My very favourite kind of ballroom (I can live without the foxtrots and waltzes, but give me a good, hot samba, rhumba or paso doble any ole’ day… as long as it’s danced like this!)

Jason & Caitlin

Bollywood, choreographed by Nakul Dev Mahajan

Jai Ho from the Slum Dog Millionaire soundtrack)

“YOU GUYS ROCKED!” Adam Shankman
“I’m glad that Bollywood came to Hollywood.” Mary Murphy
“Not only are you following what went on this evening, you are following our memories of that fantastic routine [Josh's and Katee's from last season].” Nigel Lythgoe

The signature move here was Caitlin’s handstand and the way that set the tone for the Bollywood style.  This is bastardized Indian cultural dance, of course, infused with some contemporary, some hip-hop, maybe even a little jazz thrown in. The melange works brilliantly, combining as it does athleticism, micro-movement, the need for impeccable syncrony, and balletic grace.  These two — who could easily have failed given the standard set by Josh and Katee — brought Bollywood to life.  In fact, I’ve now rewatched Josh’s and Katee’s from last year (review it <a href=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fM-PRfnZFQ”>HERE</a> and the choreography Nakul created for Jason and Caitlin was even more complex and demanding.  Like he said, a risk for the Top 20 and so soon in the competition before we even know the capabilities of these contestants, but it was a risk that more than paid off.  This was a fantastic routine, danced with strength and precision.

If I Ruled The SYTYCD Universe…

…I would watch only the contemporary couples.

For a blog I do elsewhere, I put myself in the place of one of the judges this year determining which performances would be reprised in the finale. I definitely agreed with including Will & Katee’s Pas de Deux, Mark & Courtney’s Jazz by Sonya Tayeh, and Katee & Josh’s Bollywood routines. Find out what I might’ve replaced the rest with, after the jump.

Good TV is NOT an Oxymoron

Finally, my SYTYCD Finale Recap!

The SYTYCD Finale was damn good TV, and that says a lot coming from a person who considers “good TV” to be an oxymoron.

Like the great talent and entertainment shows of the 60s and 70s–Ed Sullivan and Johnny Carson to name just two–SYTYCD is bringing new talent, and a whole new artform, to the TV-viewing audience. An audience that has been dumbed down to the point of catatonia by writers’ strikes; the short-term expediency of inexpensively-made reality TV; and the spineless ass-kissing of Hollywood TV execs who capitulate to advertisers and sponsors and lack the patience and vision to invest in a show as it builds momentum.

The SYTYCD Finale was remarkably entertaining: a spectacle for the eyes, the mind and the heart. And, it was highly respectful of its audience, offering up the best moments of the season as picked by judges so committed to the quality of dance-as-entertainment and to the nurturing of dance talent, that two of them actually got up to perform. Rather than this coming across as shameless self-aggrandizement or an opportunistic tactic to prove or revive their fading credibility (hear that, Randy Jackson? Or you, Paula Abdul?), it was instead a demonstration of their love for dance and their support of this under-rated and under-supported art form.

Some of the most successful elements of the Finale show, plus a continuation of my rant against AI, and my five favourite SYTYCD moments of the Season Four Finale, after the jump.

Why So Sad, Josh?

Congratulations to Joshua Allen for his well-deserved win of SYTYCD 4!!

(photo courtesy of: www.rickey.org)

And congratulations to Twitch, Katee Shean and Courtney Galiano for a fun, fantastic-to-watch Finale and to the SYTYCD producers, judges, choreographers and entire Top 20 for a truly terrific Finale Results show and a great season. Awesome TV!! Last night’s show was definitely Emmy-nominatable (is that a word? No? Well, it should be.).

SYTYCD: And The Winner Is…

Dial Idol predictions are in for SYTYCD … and slightly surprising (at least to me). Note that the reliability of DI is even more questionable for SYTYCD than it is for American Idol, because of a much smaller sample size. But this looks like the first time this season that they actually have a clear prediction for a results night (for every other week, SYTYCD’s results were too close to call).

Find out more … after the jump.

SYTYCD Finale Performance (08-06-08)

I missed it!! Boo hiss. Work got in the way. Just reviewed the vids up online at www.rickey.org. Kudos to him for getting those up that fast. Have seen just about all with the exception of Mia’s group performance–will come back to that and have more of a performance and artistic merit review by the weekend.

In the meantime, if you want a transcript of judges’ commentary intermingled with some savvy viewers’ responses, check out the SYTYCD Play-By-Play by my friends, the PBP Players, on the American Idol message boards HERE.

My stream-of-consciousness responses to tonight’s key performances, after the jump.

A Wacky Wednesday SYTYCD Finale Spoiler

Site updates! Gotta put a different pic up, ‘coz ole Johnny down there is slightly musty looking.

SYTYCD Finale Performances! Tonight!

I expect you all heard the story that Joshua and Twitch suffered dehydration and were hospitalized on the weekend. All four lost a day of practice as a result. Wonder how that will affect the performances? I’m looking forward to a great show.

Spoilers … after the jump.

UPDATE: Check out SYTYCD: And The Winner Is and SYTYCD Finale Performance 08-06-08 for more info!

On The Mark

Tonya Plank, a blogger on the Huffington Post, does the best technical reviews of SYTYCD that I have seen/read. About Mark Kanemura, she has said:

…even though he doesn’t do any athletically astounding acrobatics or flashy moves during his solos, Mark is a true original. He is insanely creative. I think, even if he doesn’t go all the way to the end in this competition, he’ll make a name for himself, perhaps as a choreographer. It’s hard to tell from seconds-long solos what he is capable of, but if he has a sustaining vision … with all his pent-up weird energy that could be genius.

Top 8, and Desmond Richardson, Tonya Plank, HuffPo

This week, on Mark’s departure, she predicts he’ll have a huge future in dance, possibly as a dancer or choreographer with a company such as NYC’s Misnomer, which led me to this extraordinary video:

BTW, that’s a Leonard Cohen song they are dancing to: Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye. Brilliance. Back later with more commentary on this dance and the lyric accompanying it, possibly. But right now, I must get out in the summer sunshine.

SYTYCD Top 6: They Are All Winners

We’re down to So You Think You Can Dance Season Four Finale–what a whirlwind of a season. Tried to get tickets to the SYTYCD tour coming to Toronto on Oct 26, but no luck. They sold out in 25 minutes. As an aside, what is with these online ticket (re)sellers who now have them … and are selling $56 tickets for $350? I see a centre floor ticket for $1,500. Isn’t this illegal?

Ah well, tilting at windmills is not on the agenda until later in the day. For now, let’s look back at Top 6 week, and say a fond farewell to Chelsie and Mark. They came in to the show together, so it was only fitting (if a little surprising) that they leave together.

Mark and Chelsie became one of my favourite couples starting at their “Tim Burton’s Wedding” performance in Top 20. That a ballroom dancer could do–so well!–the contemporary and hip hop routines she was given is truly a testament to her skill and versatility. Chelsie’s magnetic personality and energy shone so brightly in any Latin or ballroom routine she was given, that she never failed to upstage her partner. She was charisma personified.

Mark’s quirky musicality grew on me each week, and when Gev left, he became the dancer I most looked forward to just to see what he would do with the choreography and the character he was given. His warmth and charm showed through in each routine. His final pairing with Courtney was almost as magical as when he was with Chelsie–in fact, can you imagine if Mark/Courtney had been together from the start, what we would have seen from them?!?

Well, we would have seen stuff like this (after the jump):

What’s Up On Hump Day!

Mid-Week Highlights!

It’s SYTYCD tonight–Top 6! Mark and Courtney are likely in trouble, but let’s see if there’s another upset this week. They will all need to be in top form tonight, and the choreography will make or break them. I hope we get Mandy Moore back. Can’t wait … I’ll try to get my review up quickly this week, but I’m in post-vacation mode at work, and so quite busy. So check in again here frequently (bookmark the site or subscribe to my feed–look up and to the right; it’s the orange box that says “posts”).

I’ve added a daily quotation to the page, and I’m keeping these on a static sub-page called “WoW” (Words of Wisdom) Archive. I’m pulling these from some of my own personal faves that I’ve been collecting for years. You will see lots of Oscar Wilde and Mark Twain, some snark, and many that are inspirational to me about art, culture and the flaws and foibles of human nature. Many of them have a double, or triple, meaning. I like things that can be interpreted multiple ways. Ambiguity. Random juxtaposition. These things, in and of themselves, inspire creativity and lateral thinking.

What I’m reading right now: Blindness, José Saramago. It’s a bit harrowing, but I trust the reviews I’ve read (and the fact that it won a Nobel Prize for Literature). It feels to me very much like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. Possibly even bleaker. It has been made into a movie (another one that will be premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival) starring one of my favourite actresses, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo and Gael Garcia Bernal. I will be doing my darndest to get to see this one and The Secret Life of Bees, also premiering here in September. Ideally, I will have a review of the novel up sometime on the weekend.

And now, for something truly uplifting: After the jump.

SYTYCD Top 8: Props To The Dancers Without Props

Okay, this is going to be a shotgun review for a couple of reasons. The first, I’ve been away. The second, I don’t much have the heart to watch last Thursday’s show–did I miss anything other than the glaringly obvious most important thing, i.e. Will’s elimination? No? I didn’t think so.

As for Wednesday, I was left feeling a little so-so about the whole thing, and it’s probably worthwhile to explore why. Certainly there were some competent performances. But, thinking about the show as a whole, nothing stood out as a dramatic “moment” although I thought there were a couple of instructive misfires, most of which had to do with the improper use of props. Let us begin…

Mia Michaels’ “Ave Maria”

As I wrote in a previous post, the use of the English lyric of Schubert’s Ave Maria was critical in enabling the meaning of Mia Michaels’ SYTYCD Top 5 Girls piece to be ‘heard’ by much of the audience. Even I–long a vociferous opponent of my countrywoman, Celine Dion–was able to overcome my distaste for the treacly chanteuse (like one habituates to a unpleasant smell) and put aside my existential atheism to appreciate the beauty and remarkable artistry of this routine. After the jump, more commentary on Ave Maria, including an attempt to sort out the confusion around the two separate versions (different melodies, different lyrics) in Latin, English and German. There were many choices Michaels could have made but, given her long association with Dion, the choice she did make was not only understandable, but also shrewd. Do I smell an Emmy nomination?

SYTYCD Top 10

This year, I’ve taken an interest in the Fox (cough, cough) reality show (cough, cough) So You Think You Can Dance.

With my love of random juxtaposition, such as that which occurs when high art meets low, I’ve found it to be fully worthy of my eccentric musings. In fact, each show offers something new to learn about dance, music, the creative process and the Nigel Lythgoe-produced, reality TV juggernaut of American Idol and SYTYCD for which I have a morbid fascination-aka-addiction.

This week we had two moments of high-meets-low: Will and Katee’s pas de deux, choreographed by the great contemporary ballet dancer, Desmond Richardson; and Mia Michaels’ routine for the Top 5 Girls set to Ave Maria.

I have newfound respect for this show and its ability to bring dance, music and culture not seen on reality TV—heck, not seen on TV much period—to a mainstream audience.