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alonewiththemoonWhee, the season kicks off for real now! So far, I think I am liking this All Stars format. For one thing, it's great to see the more matured previous contestants. Though I'm not sure it does any of the new dancers any favors to have to share the stage with Mark! He's just tremendous. I enjoyed seeing Ade again, and I was really impressed by Comfort's improvement. She was always good, but she's got a confidence now that is just so sexy. I think these pairings do illuminate what a dancer needs beyond technique--the ability to fill those empty spaces or missing pieces, as the judges said. There's also knowing how to be part of a couple on stage. Some of the new dancers, particularly the women, focused too much on the audience and not enough on their partner, which definitely undermined the presentation as a whole.
Random observations:
Alex completely blew me away, no surprise. They certainly could not say he was holding back on the emotion last night! And that was a beautiful choreography.
Disappointed by Christina's contemporary jazz thing, but I don't think Sonya really gave her a lot to work with there. Yay Santigold though! I want to see more of Christina so I hope she makes it through.
Couldn't help but wonder if Ashley was in love with Neil, with her answer to Mia's question and their parting moment on stage. I thought Mia's critique of Ashley was correct, and I'm very interested to see how she progresses.
It's funny that Travis Wall was kind of squeaky clean while he was a contestant, and now he's all tattooed arms and sexy hot and bothered choreography. Not that I'm complaining! Unfortunately I don't think that was a great choreo he did for Adechike, and Adechike did not pour enough acting into it to be terribly convincing. Yay Florence & the Machine, though I don't think they took that cover anywhere that Ciccone Youth didn't a couple of decades (yikes) ago.
Is it just me, or does Billy Bell seem a little distant and removed from the show? I almost wonder if he was contractually obligated to come back this year, but doesn't really need it for his career. Hated the music and most of the choreography he was in, but he did execute it well, and so in sync with his partner.
I was heartily sick of all the Kent hype even before the show started, and still vaguely resent him for taking what I think should have been Anthony's spot, but he genuinely impressed me in his cha cha. He really did man up, with only occasional lapses. Loved Adam Shankman's comment about losing your little boy at the zoo and finding him dancing in the lions' cage with a lion, though the cougar comments were a bit off key for a woman who can't be more than 24 or 25. I'm glad the judges delivered some actual critique rather than falling all over him as they had been doing up until last night. I'm slowly swinging around to becoming a Kent fan.
I guess werewolves are the new vampires for sure, if SYTYCD is featuring werewolf choreographies. It was entertaining, though it looked like Comfort could eat Jose for dinner and use his finger bones for toothpicks. Don't know how he'll fare in genres even further removed from his own, but he's fun to watch.
Robert was indeed a dark horse, I'd totally forgotten he was even on the show until they said he was next. But I was impressed, very impressed. He was able to keep up the intensity of movement and the intricacy of the choreography and still keep the emotional content going strong, as well as the connection to his partner. They performed to Cirque du Soleil music, and I could totally see him in a Cirque show.
I rather expect the bottom three will be three of the women, but who knows.
I so do not miss Mary up on that judges' panel. I was never a Mary hater, but Mia is so much more insightful, genuinely funny and warm, and also her face moves when she talks. It's a fun and more relaxed panel now, but just as tough.
.
Random observations:
Alex completely blew me away, no surprise. They certainly could not say he was holding back on the emotion last night! And that was a beautiful choreography.
Disappointed by Christina's contemporary jazz thing, but I don't think Sonya really gave her a lot to work with there. Yay Santigold though! I want to see more of Christina so I hope she makes it through.
Couldn't help but wonder if Ashley was in love with Neil, with her answer to Mia's question and their parting moment on stage. I thought Mia's critique of Ashley was correct, and I'm very interested to see how she progresses.
It's funny that Travis Wall was kind of squeaky clean while he was a contestant, and now he's all tattooed arms and sexy hot and bothered choreography. Not that I'm complaining! Unfortunately I don't think that was a great choreo he did for Adechike, and Adechike did not pour enough acting into it to be terribly convincing. Yay Florence & the Machine, though I don't think they took that cover anywhere that Ciccone Youth didn't a couple of decades (yikes) ago.
Is it just me, or does Billy Bell seem a little distant and removed from the show? I almost wonder if he was contractually obligated to come back this year, but doesn't really need it for his career. Hated the music and most of the choreography he was in, but he did execute it well, and so in sync with his partner.
I was heartily sick of all the Kent hype even before the show started, and still vaguely resent him for taking what I think should have been Anthony's spot, but he genuinely impressed me in his cha cha. He really did man up, with only occasional lapses. Loved Adam Shankman's comment about losing your little boy at the zoo and finding him dancing in the lions' cage with a lion, though the cougar comments were a bit off key for a woman who can't be more than 24 or 25. I'm glad the judges delivered some actual critique rather than falling all over him as they had been doing up until last night. I'm slowly swinging around to becoming a Kent fan.
I guess werewolves are the new vampires for sure, if SYTYCD is featuring werewolf choreographies. It was entertaining, though it looked like Comfort could eat Jose for dinner and use his finger bones for toothpicks. Don't know how he'll fare in genres even further removed from his own, but he's fun to watch.
Robert was indeed a dark horse, I'd totally forgotten he was even on the show until they said he was next. But I was impressed, very impressed. He was able to keep up the intensity of movement and the intricacy of the choreography and still keep the emotional content going strong, as well as the connection to his partner. They performed to Cirque du Soleil music, and I could totally see him in a Cirque show.
I rather expect the bottom three will be three of the women, but who knows.
I so do not miss Mary up on that judges' panel. I was never a Mary hater, but Mia is so much more insightful, genuinely funny and warm, and also her face moves when she talks. It's a fun and more relaxed panel now, but just as tough.
.
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no subject
Date: 2010-06-17 04:20 pm (UTC)The panel did seem tough, but only in a way that will help the dancers to strive for more on future routines.
Couldn't help but wonder if Ashley was in love with Neil
I made that connection too! Either way, there was something very sweet going on there... puppy love at it's best.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-17 05:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-17 06:47 pm (UTC)I was surprised at 2 choreographies, where the movements didn't match the music, namely the African Jazz and the slow Hip Hop. How could that poor girl be funky if the music was not? Sure, Twitch was able to make it so, but he's Twitch!
My, Neil has grown....that's certainly nice to see...and he seemed to be having a very emotional moment on that stage.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-17 09:53 pm (UTC)And, man oh man, did I hate the footloose choreo.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-17 11:17 pm (UTC)Allison who was paired w/ Alex who was a beautiful dancer in season 2(?) has grown leaps and bounds. That was an incredible piece.