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alonewiththemoonHallelujah I've finally gotten confirmation that the CD with the Arabic Ma Na Ma Na song on it is being shipped to me! This has been ridiculously hard to obtain, but I am triumphant!
Some pretty striking moments this week. And hooray for Bollywood and the music from Om Shanti Om! It was interesting that Nigel said he's been trying to get Bollywood on the show for three years, which would be pretty much throughout the show' existence. I'm glad that they did, and also glad that they gave it to dancers who could handle the physical demands of the style and make it look good, which in turn would convince the audience both there and at home that it's a legitimate dance form. Next, belly dance! ;-) They've already got the music overlap, what with the cover of Simarik last week, and I've performed to the Creatures (!) song they played this week.
So, the routines:
Mark and Chelsie: I like Mark so much, but it was really his character rather than his dancing that carried him through last night. He was a solid partner, but for once Chelsie outshone him, in the salsa at any rate (which she ought to, since apparently Latin is her thing). I didn't care for Tyce DiOrio's choreography to Fever; the song is totally about not being just an object and I felt like the choreo turned Chelsie into one. I was also just waiting for her to hook a heel in that errant suspender strap of Mark's during the lifts. They danced what they were given well, but they weren't, imo, given much to work with. I will be sad to see them stop partnering though.
Comfort and Thayne: Well, Thayne did better than Chris at hip hop, but not by a lot. I disagreed with the judges about Comfort here. Like with Gev's hip hop last week, I thought she looked strong and confident and comfortable, wearing the dance like a second skin. If she held back at all, it was to avoid showing up her partner. However, the judges were totally right in their criticisms of her contemporary. I don't always like Mandy Moore's choreos, but at least they always have a strong relationship dynamic to them. That was missing in Thayne and Comfort's dancing. I will be surprised if they are not the ones cut tonight, but you never know. Comfort mentioned her shoulder popping out again, so it might be the best thing for her career not to keep pushing.
Will and Jessica: my DVDR freaked out later in the show, completely not recording their quick step and the judges' comments, so all I saw was the contemporary/Broadway number. That was beautiful, tender and passionate, and finally Jessica gets her due from the judges. I liked that she could move between being pliant and being strong on her own so smoothly. And Will definitely did not phone this one in. I gather the quick step was clunky, so I don't know, Jessica could be the one going home tonight. That would be a bit sad, I think, as she is showing growth whereas Comfort I think is barely clinging on.
Courtney and Gev: I liked the cha cha choreo'd by Pasha and Anya. Given that Gev is hip hop and Courtney is contemporary, they did a great job. You didn't notice the technical things because they gave it so much personality and vibrancy. The Mandy Moore jazz number: what is there not to like about an Indiana Jones inspired choreo done to the Creatures' Standing There? They perhaps could have had a bit more focus in their energy, but it was fun and it was better than cotton candy. Making things look fluffy and easy is hard work and they deserve a lot of credit for that.
Kherington and Twitch. Oh dear. Kherington's krunk was sad. To her credit, I think she really gave it her all and didn't hold back, but it's clearly not her thing. The judges were overly generous in their comments. Most of the time I wanted her to get out the way so I could see Twitch better, who rocked it. That there is a manly man. The music was interesting and sparked a discussion between me and M about the current direction of some hip hop in contrast to old school Wax Trax industrial. We hear a strange convergence there. Their tango had moments, but I think I would agree that all the energy was in the beginning and the ending, leaving the middle just the marking of time. I don't think I've yet seen one of the male dancers get properly grounded in any of the Latin dances. They really do all float too high up in their chests and don't let their hips go.
Joshua and Katee: my current favorites. The smooth waltz was a bit bouncy but I found it moving despite the awful music. Joshua was choppy but he was always right there for the lifts and made them look effortless. Their Bollywood I thought was quite good for people who have presumably never done anything like it in their lives. It wasn't perfect, but it had the right spirit. As I mentioned above, I think they are probably the only couple who could carry it off because of the athleticism required. Possibly some of the other men could have done it, but I think Katee is the only woman with that leg strength. And actually, with regard to what I said about the men and Latin dancing, Joshua did get his center of gravity lower and his bearing was more grounded, making his dancing convincing. Katee is increasingly luminous; I think she made a breakthrough for herself last week and now she's really blossoming.
So I think it will be Thayne and Comfort going home tonight, though it could be Thayne and Jessica. But I'm not America, so what do I know?
I have not been crazy about much of the costuming this season. They keep putting the women into these slate blues and browns, which might be very hip but turn to mud under the stage lights. Not very flattering.
Some pretty striking moments this week. And hooray for Bollywood and the music from Om Shanti Om! It was interesting that Nigel said he's been trying to get Bollywood on the show for three years, which would be pretty much throughout the show' existence. I'm glad that they did, and also glad that they gave it to dancers who could handle the physical demands of the style and make it look good, which in turn would convince the audience both there and at home that it's a legitimate dance form. Next, belly dance! ;-) They've already got the music overlap, what with the cover of Simarik last week, and I've performed to the Creatures (!) song they played this week.
So, the routines:
Mark and Chelsie: I like Mark so much, but it was really his character rather than his dancing that carried him through last night. He was a solid partner, but for once Chelsie outshone him, in the salsa at any rate (which she ought to, since apparently Latin is her thing). I didn't care for Tyce DiOrio's choreography to Fever; the song is totally about not being just an object and I felt like the choreo turned Chelsie into one. I was also just waiting for her to hook a heel in that errant suspender strap of Mark's during the lifts. They danced what they were given well, but they weren't, imo, given much to work with. I will be sad to see them stop partnering though.
Comfort and Thayne: Well, Thayne did better than Chris at hip hop, but not by a lot. I disagreed with the judges about Comfort here. Like with Gev's hip hop last week, I thought she looked strong and confident and comfortable, wearing the dance like a second skin. If she held back at all, it was to avoid showing up her partner. However, the judges were totally right in their criticisms of her contemporary. I don't always like Mandy Moore's choreos, but at least they always have a strong relationship dynamic to them. That was missing in Thayne and Comfort's dancing. I will be surprised if they are not the ones cut tonight, but you never know. Comfort mentioned her shoulder popping out again, so it might be the best thing for her career not to keep pushing.
Will and Jessica: my DVDR freaked out later in the show, completely not recording their quick step and the judges' comments, so all I saw was the contemporary/Broadway number. That was beautiful, tender and passionate, and finally Jessica gets her due from the judges. I liked that she could move between being pliant and being strong on her own so smoothly. And Will definitely did not phone this one in. I gather the quick step was clunky, so I don't know, Jessica could be the one going home tonight. That would be a bit sad, I think, as she is showing growth whereas Comfort I think is barely clinging on.
Courtney and Gev: I liked the cha cha choreo'd by Pasha and Anya. Given that Gev is hip hop and Courtney is contemporary, they did a great job. You didn't notice the technical things because they gave it so much personality and vibrancy. The Mandy Moore jazz number: what is there not to like about an Indiana Jones inspired choreo done to the Creatures' Standing There? They perhaps could have had a bit more focus in their energy, but it was fun and it was better than cotton candy. Making things look fluffy and easy is hard work and they deserve a lot of credit for that.
Kherington and Twitch. Oh dear. Kherington's krunk was sad. To her credit, I think she really gave it her all and didn't hold back, but it's clearly not her thing. The judges were overly generous in their comments. Most of the time I wanted her to get out the way so I could see Twitch better, who rocked it. That there is a manly man. The music was interesting and sparked a discussion between me and M about the current direction of some hip hop in contrast to old school Wax Trax industrial. We hear a strange convergence there. Their tango had moments, but I think I would agree that all the energy was in the beginning and the ending, leaving the middle just the marking of time. I don't think I've yet seen one of the male dancers get properly grounded in any of the Latin dances. They really do all float too high up in their chests and don't let their hips go.
Joshua and Katee: my current favorites. The smooth waltz was a bit bouncy but I found it moving despite the awful music. Joshua was choppy but he was always right there for the lifts and made them look effortless. Their Bollywood I thought was quite good for people who have presumably never done anything like it in their lives. It wasn't perfect, but it had the right spirit. As I mentioned above, I think they are probably the only couple who could carry it off because of the athleticism required. Possibly some of the other men could have done it, but I think Katee is the only woman with that leg strength. And actually, with regard to what I said about the men and Latin dancing, Joshua did get his center of gravity lower and his bearing was more grounded, making his dancing convincing. Katee is increasingly luminous; I think she made a breakthrough for herself last week and now she's really blossoming.
So I think it will be Thayne and Comfort going home tonight, though it could be Thayne and Jessica. But I'm not America, so what do I know?
I have not been crazy about much of the costuming this season. They keep putting the women into these slate blues and browns, which might be very hip but turn to mud under the stage lights. Not very flattering.
