LIVE BLOGGING: SYTYCD 6/18/08

NOTE:  SYTYCD LIVE BLOG'S WILL CONTINUE EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED!!! 

20 dancers last week.  18 this week.  First show was just a warm up.  Time to start getting serious.  I mean, obviously Ravyn was joking last week when she wore those striped tights with ballet flats, right?  RIGHT?  Oh jeez.  Cue the credits.  "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DAAAAANCE!"

8:00- Cat Deeley is wearing a simple black dress.  Wait! It has feathers on it!  All is right in the world! 

8:01- Comfort appears to have just done a ripple/wave motion with every appendage of her body during the introduction dancing.  Loving her. 

8:04- Do you think Mary ever gets jealous of the rotating jidge spot?  Maybe she should spice it up by wearing a costume each week.  Like if she was just sitting there in a giant Teletubby outfit with no explanation?

8:05- Holy shit!  All my dreams just came true.  Mary is wearing a leopard print costume bodice with giant beads and crimped hair.  It's very Wilma Flintstone at Fredrick's of Hollywood circa 1987. 

8:07- Chelsea and Thayne are up first.  I think Chelsea's haircut gets sassier every week. And her skin gets more beautiful.  They will be rocking a Jazz routine by Mandy Moore.  "Sassy is not hard for me," Chelsea confesses.  Mmmm hmmm. 

8:08- A King and his forbidden love is the "theme" of this routine, hence an abundance of ruffles?  The music has a pulsing 80's New Wave meets the clubs beat, but nothing much seems to be happening on stage.  A lot of separate angsty gyrating, followed by ballroom/court dance partnering.  The choreography is to blame on this one. I still love Chelsea.  Thayne reminds me a bit of Benji from season 2.  Not sure if that's a good thing. 

8:09-"Great concept, not executed well enough," says Mia Michaels.  The newly bleached hair hasn't permeated her brain (yet...there are still hours to go); I actually agree with her! 

8:16-Mark and Chelsea are up next.  All of the interview footage tonight centers around what the dancers like and dislike about each other.  I hope this gets rowdy.  "I like the way her hair smells," says Mark.  Aww, c'mon!  Give us SOMETHING juicy!  They are doing Argentine Tango this week with Alex Da Silva (spelling?).  Anxious to see if Mark's idiosyncratic movement, so perfectly utilized in Mia's routine last week, can survive a more technical style. 

8:19- Chelsea starts with a bent knee kick.  Not a good sign.  She is certainly working her fringed skirt well. Beautifully tight chaine turns.  They seem to be looking down at their legs too much, making sure they are not stepping on each other/giving Mark a chance to smell her hair when her head is looking at the ground.  The music is kind of just trodding along, which doesn't aid to the structure of the dance.  Chelsea's lines alternate between striking and not fully extended.  Mark does better than expected. 

8:21-At the end of the routine Cat gets down on the stage and starts fixing Chelsea's undone shoe.  Mia says "You are a perfect lady, a woman that gets dirty!"  Was that a pick up line? 

8:22- The jidges are loving this one.  I thought it was a bit more uneven than their praise indicates.  Mary doesn't stop talking, and I can't stop staring at how orange her skin is tonight.

8:27- An ad for America's Best Dance Crew reminds me how cool it is that there is so much dance on TV right now. 

8:30- Jessica and Will are doing a Hip-Hop  routine next.  His solo during elimination night was fantastic.  They are both talking about each other's "internal" lives.  Introspective couple?   Cecily and Olisa are choreographing.  There are chairs involved.  Can we hope for something as magical as the chair dance in "Showgirls"?  Fingers crossed! 

8:32- Will is faring better than Jessica.  She's a bit too smiley.  They are as coordinated as their red and white ensembles, but not in terms of energy. There is a sharpness missing from both of their movement.  Overall starts off pretty well, tight movement, but they seem to get tired toward the end.  Will uses the fluidity of the choreography to his advantage. 

8:34- "I love bringing New York in here!  It's so dirty, it's so raw," says Mia.  Is she talking about dance, or...? 

8:35- Mary Murphy is belting into the microphone.  Perhaps she and Patti LuPone need to just stand in a room and scream talk at each other until their heads bust like Pinatas.  Are they filled with candy?  Or just ego? 

8:42- Matt and Kourtni are up doing the Fox Trot.  The gentle giants are playing the interview footage a little too deadpan for the jidges need for "PERSONALITY!"

8:44- Jean-Marc Generoux's first routine of the season.  They are finding nice levels in the dancing and stretching out the musicality well.  She's wearing a nice green ensemble, while he's in a simple vest and khaki pants.  It has a very nice "old-fashioned musical" feel to it.  Oh wait.  She just did a partnered promenade where she grabbed her leg up to the side and hoisted it up to her head.  Not so classy.  All was nice until that moment though. Still the best choreography of the night so far.   

8:46- Cat references the great Cyd Charisse, but no mention of her passing away this week. 

8:47- Mia says "I feel like you haven't owned your size and length yet," when critiquing Kourtni.  Again, is she talking about the dancing or...?

8:49- Nigel says Matt is too "weak" in his arms.  That's probably my favorite part about him.  Does Nigel equate rigidity with strength and masculinity? 

8:50- Is it just me, or does Mike Meyers' new over-advertised movie, "The Love Guru," look beyond atrocious.  And not in a "Showgirls," way.  Damn, I really want Elizabeth Berkley to come do a live performance on one of the elimination nights! 

8:55- Courtney and Gev are up next.  I'm finding a lot of this year's batch difficult to remember.  Gev is talking about his annoyance at wearing a dance belt for the first time last week.  They are showing him wearing it over his pants.  Way to initiate middle America to man-thongs!  (Let's hope they do a follow up interview in a few weeks to see how he's adjusting; trust me, it's not comfortable.) They will be dancing a contemporary piece by Mandy Moore.  Oops.  He's going to have to wear a dance belt again.  At least I hope...or do i? 

 

8:57- I can already sense Mia using the words "organic" and "magical" when critiquing this in a few minutes.  Will I be right?  Stark lighting, basic outfits; a nice change from the first half of the show tonight.  Courtney's leg line is not ideal for this type of movement, but Gev is partnering her nicely.  Lots of fun lifting, perhaps to compensate for his difficulty with the style?  Overall I haven't loved any of Mandy Moore's pieces this season. 

8:58- YES!!!!  Mia says she wanted more "Organic purity," in the movement.  What do I get as a prize?  Front row tickets to the Mary/Patti match of the century? 

8:59- Mary is babbling.  She has some similar vocal mannerisms to a stoned Willie Nelson (redundant?) at the moment.

9:07- Katee and Joshua are up next with Broadway.  After last week's stellar Hip-Hop routine by Tabitha and Napoleon Beatrix and Geronimo (speaking of, where are they tonight?!) they have a lot to prove! Their interview footage is adorable.  Fingers crossed for a good performance. 

9:10- Tice Diorio and his jawline hair are in the house!  And *gasp* the choreography appears to have lots of running!  Not crazy about the song choice from "Godspell," but the choreography has a nice playful quality to it.  They pick up canes half way through and start running with jazz hands.  His choreography seems a bit one note to me, but the duo is infusing it with the needed energy and style.  Katee is smiling too much tonight, but still my favorite of the night so far.  Joshua blew me away even more than last week, seeing as he is a popper doing Broadway.  Their performances so far seem the most genuine of any couple. 

9:14- During the critique Mary says, "You two should come with a warranty, just like the medicinal marijuana I smoked before your number, satisfaction guaranteed!"  Then she mumbles for a moment before ending with the nugget, "Brother let me tell you one thing: you're going right in here," she says while pumping her fist above her cleavage, "to the tra-la-la- face (place?) of my heart!"   She ends by looking off into the distance and pumping both arms like she is krumping (while stoned).  Nigel then is heard saying "Is that clear?"  Indeed, Nigel.  Indeed.  What this translates to is that dressing like Wilma Flintstone in a John Hughes movie=good times! 

9:19- Susie Mixy Hair and Marquis are up next.  What is it that this woman teaches again?  "One thing that drives me crazy is her fierce hair, it's always whipping in my face," Marquis claims in the interview package.  Ummm.  Take out the word fierce, substitute "disastrous nest where old fads go to die" and you've got me on board.  I feel for you Marquis. 

9:20- They will be performing a salsa routine by Alex Da Silva.  Susie's excitement is palpable (and my looming terror is on red alert...just like strands of her hair) until Da Silva calls her "just a street dancer."  DAMN!!!  I thought I was being mean.   

9:22- She is handling the choreography better than expected.  A nice, crazy lift where she almost squishes his head between her thighs, only to be twirled down and devour his waist with said thighs.  The choreography is very unexpected and nice, but they don't dance it with any subtlety. 

9:24- "Susie, you're hot.  There's no denying that," says Mia.  Is this another pick up line?  I REALLY don't get the attraction to this girl.  Can someone fill me in? 

9:32- Twitchington (Twitch and Kherrington) are up next doing Viennese Waltz by Jean-Marc Geniroux.  I'm doubtful of it, but their interview package has the emotional weight manipulation of it being dedicated to Geniroux's disabled daughter.

9:34-They are dancing to a Celine Dion song, which after initial hesitation, I am enjoying.  They are executing it very well.  Partnering heavy, as to avoid Twitch's lack of classical technique (I assume).  His line leaves a lot to be desired, but he has a nice lilt to his upper body, and such a genuine emotion to his performance that he transcends any shortcomings.   Kherrington is equally genuine, and she has such a joy and ease to her lines. 

9:36- "Reality is more than smiling all the time," says Mia in the critique.  She WANTS to say:  "Reality is grounded, weighty, organic, sweaty, genuine, raw...and EMO!"

9:38- Yes, Mia talked for two minutes.  Mary starts crying, perhaps from the emotional impact of the dance, perhaps from the weight of her giant beads on her neck.  The world may never know. 

9:45- Comfort and Chris are the final couple of the night.  They are krumping, and if the opening of show intro dances were any indication, Comfort shall DEVOUR this routine...and perhaps Chris in the process.  Lil C is choreographing the routine.  Chris looks a bit terrified to be journeying in the world of krumping, but I think Comfort is gonna pull it out of him. 

9:48- They start by slow motion charging to each other before starting a routine in unison.  Comfort has a way of making her movement looking like it is being viewed under a strobe light.  I like the fact that she is so into the ground, yet still has these wild/long limbs to control.  She might as well be doing the routine on her own, I haven't been able to watch him.   The choreography was very even, but didn't wow me. 

9:50- Cat Deely says that Mark was "Pretty fly for a white guy."  Love that she is referencing a song from 1999. 

9:53- Oh my god.  Nigel got up and demonstrated how a guy should come out and properly grab his crotch.  My eyeballs are bleeding.  I ALMOST just jumped out my window.  I can't stop screaming.  I need my mommy.

9:59- The show is over.  Thought it was an uneven night at best. Fingers crossed that Mary shows up as Betty Rubble tomorrow! 

Best Numbers of the Night:

Kourtni and Matt

Katee and Joshua

Kherington and Twitch

The "K" ladies take the cake. 

 

Comments

[Bruce]

Thanks for the blog ... love this show. Love Mark. Matt, Twitch ... who are the girls? LOL! HOWEVER, I am voting for Gev, for at this stage, I vote for one of the people I do not want in the bottom three yet when I feel all the ones I like are safe. Strategy? Hopefully. I hate how everyone raves over Will. For some reason I do not care and all the raves make me go the other way.

[A Little Tea or Something]

Cyd Charisse died this week????

[Ashleigh]

I absolutely love your SYTYCD commentary. It has me laughing out loud! They keep saying this season has the most talent...but I think the people from the previous two seasons are much more memorable. As for Cyd Charisse...her role in Singing in the Rain will always be one of my favorites.

[Rachel]

hey I just have to tell you that I think you are hilarious and reading your blog makes the show twice as interesting. I completely agree with you about wanting to gouge your eyes out when Nigel grabbed his crotch. I am also very sorry to hear about cyd charrisse.

[Knottydon]

I'm glad I found your blog and your comments on one of my favorite shows. I will keep coming back here. Your thoughts are a good read.

[jack]

i think your comments were right on target, and fellow bloggers rarely agree with me.

i am flogging the phone for matt, because i appreciate grace and technique. and if he was too smiley, i wonder what the judges would make of mark ballas adn HIS facial expressions... and he is a world champion.

[Joanna]

I missed the show (on a plane) but your recap is so right on about the judges, I can see it before I even watch the videos. LOL Mary/Patti match!

[jolene]

Love the Mary Murphy photo!!!!

[BJ]

Just wanted to comment on 2 things:

First in terms of Cat not commenting on Cyd Charrise's passing: the show was taped on monday prior to Cyd's passing...I think its a bit freaky that there was almost something prescient about that comment.

And as for Mia's commenting about Kourtni not owning her size and length, what was edited out of the commentary(yes I was at the taping) was she qualified it by saying that she(Mia) was tall too and she understands the challenge in embracing it. And yes Mia is tall. I stand six feet and when i met her she towered over me(granted she was wearing heels, but still she was trying to relate her experience to help Kourtni's growth.) I think nigel was more remiss in saying that he was impressed that matt could lift someone so big. And matt is at least 6'3"

[Beckylooo]

Diabolical.

[BistroMom]

Has anyone else noticed that Kherington doesn't ever dance in shoes? She wore them during rehearsal but then not for the performance. I noticed it last week, too. Just seemed strange to me.

[demondoll]

I'm still new to SYTYCD, is Mia usually this tough on the dancers? I agreed with much of what she said, but I thought Nigel was being extra gentle to mellow the harsh.

Mary's insanity used to frighten me, but now I might love her. Help me.

[Bruce]

Oh, and how can I forget ... I love Joshua too. Good "Broadway" routine for a neophyte. Is he ready for SIDE SHOW?

[Natalie D.]

Thanks for such a great running commentary Matt. You totally crack me up! And I think you might be able to get your own private screening of Liz Berkley dancing...I hear Masha teaches her private tap dancing lessons from time to time.

I am totally with you on your top three. I predict the bottom three will be: Chelsea and Thayne, Will and Jessica, and Susie and Marquis. And if I had my way...Jessica and Susie would be going home.

[lindsey]

i watched the show for the first time last night. mary murphy is SCARY! i love your picture of her, the wilma comment, and other your commentary too. i hope you do this next week.

[Missy]

LOVE the commentary. Will be following along with you next week.

[Leee]

The tango choreographer's name is spelled "Alex Da Housecat."

[soarotorark]

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