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Thursday, August 10, 2006

I'd Rather Dance With You

I was up incredibly late last night watching So You Think You Can Dance? after closing at Barnes and Noble. Let's just say that I've got a line up of coffee, sugar free Red Bull and water set up to get me through the day. I'm glad I watched SYTYCD, though, it was a good show with, again, awesome choreography. Now, a recap:

Heidi and Travis
Shake your Groove Thing
Peaches and Herb


Decent. Disco is not my favorite style, but it's at least better than the quickstep and slow waltz. I think the outfits are the best part of this dance style.



Donyelle and Benji
I'll Be
Edwin McCain


Vienniese Waltz-snore! I don't think it's fair to give one couple upbeat disco and the other the Vietnamese Waltz. Everytime a couple does a waltz-like dance, I can only picture cotillion ballroom dance lessons and a room filled with preteen boys and girls who stay on opposite sides of the room.



Heidi - solo
Rie y Llora
Celia Cruz


Arriba! I want to know what is on the bottom of their shoes that makes them not slip. Heidi's hips and legs move incredibly fast and when she's not moving them at light speed, she's making some crazy facial expression to distract us from it. And I think she really wants us to know she's flexible.



Benji and Travis

Gyrate
Da Muzicianz feat. Mr. Colliark


Is "Tranji" a little too close to "Transvestite" for anyone else? And I get that guys can dance together and it not be weird, but to hold one up with his crotch in the other's face? That just seemed a bit weird to me. The hip-hop routine was hot, though, and I think it was smart to have them 'play' nerdy characters. Whenever these guys do hip-hop and try to act all tough it just comes off as comical. This time, at least the comedy was on purpose.



Donyelle - solo
Human
Dione Farris

I don't really like Donyelle. I think she should have been kicked out before Allison. That said, I think she finally did a decent solo routine and then FINALLY spoke to the audience with her "it's amazing" line. It's like she knows she's going to lose. I think she should have given more personality in these last few weeks of the show.



Travis - solo
Konstantine
Something Corporate


Obviously the most technical dancer there. That spin where he bent his leg and kept it centered was amazing in my opinion. I wish he was taller, but that's just a preference. And I think he finally lived up to his spikey hair.



Donyelle and Heidi
Big Spendor
Sweet Charity (Original Broadway Cast)


I agreed with the judges, when they finished I was like, "That's it?" I liked the choreography, I just think there needed to be MORE of them. Stage presence or something. And I found it distracting that Heidi had low-rise pants and Donyelle had on a form of 1990 mom pants. What was up with that? Those pants made her ass look enormous.



Benji - solo

The House is Rockin'
The Brian Setzer Orchestra


If solos were the test for the winner, I think Benji would win. He's a showmen and the audience eats it up! And I'm glad Brian Setzer is getting some royalties from his song being used. I didn't think anyone liked him. Oooops!



Donyelle and Travis
Georgia on my Mind
Ray Charles

I liked this routine A LOT, but was worried the whole time that Travis was going to choke and die on that damn straw in his mouth. And the ending with Donyelle taking it out of his mouth did nothing for me and made the prop unnecessary in my opinion. And Donyelle's pants again! WHY!?



Heidi and Benji

La Comay
Sonora Carrusetes


1. The split spin was amazing and 2. That hold Heidi did at the end equaled abs o' steel! Am I correct that Benji and Heidi won the West Coast Swing Contest together? That seems unfair to me. Oh well, I like them both enough that it's ok.



Top 4
Sexy Back
Justin Timberlake

Dancing? What dancing? I was too excited for the Mr. JT song! I kid, I'm a kidder. The dancing was AMAZING yet I disagree that Travis was the standout, I thought Heidi stood out the most, but maybe it was those fur boots. Wade Robson is still my boo and I have NO idea who is going to win. I can say I do NOT think it will be Donyelle. Sorry, girl.



Thoughts!?

18 comments:

Unknown said...

Where to begin...I missed the first set of couples routines, so I'll leave that to the experts. However, let's talk solos first. The solos are never my favorite because (1) they're too short and (2) most of the dancers haven't got their choreography legs about them yet and should just stick to dancing. That said, Heidi's solo was typical. She's a good dancer but just doesn't do it for me. Her effing face just gets in the way. I was a big Donyelle fan from the beginning (hell...a Heidi fan, too), but my fandom has ebbed a bit in the last two weeks. I did really enjoy her solo routine though. Travis and Benji did a fine job in their solo routines. If I were just judging based on that, I might be tempted to go Benji. I'm not though (tempted). Benji is definitely an entertainer...no doubt about it. However, Travis is art. I think a true dancer is going to make it look effortless (or close to it), and he does that. When Travis and Benji were put side by side in the hip hop routine, which I adored, they both did good, but Travis nailed it. Travis was dancing and Benji was going a routine, entertaining. This was only solidified in the group number (talk about making me want to get Sexy Back). He didn't need to overact...he performed everything just right (be it facial, dance, whatever).

(sorry for ass long comment) : )

Miss Scarlet said...

That's an excellent point, Serena. You are so right about Travis nailing everything and making it look effortless. I worry, though, that the typical viewer/voter who does NOT love dance like we do (haha), would pick Benji over Travis bc of the showsmanship (is that a word?). I actually rewatched the Sexyback (mmm) routine after they all complimented Travis on it. He was into it! I loved it. My top two are Travis/Heidi.

Beakerz said...

How you can watch that crap, I'll never know.

Miss Scarlet said...

Needstza- How is dancing crap? It's not like American Idol where they all suck and sing boring songs. It's fun!

Unknown said...

Scarlet - I really wanted to watch that last routine again and was mad I hadn't tivoed it.

Needtsza - You know not what you speak. Please don't tell me you prefer something like Survivor!

Anonymous said...

I loved the last group routine. Wade Robson may be over-hyped, but the boy knows how to choreograph. I actually watched it five times - the four extra times were to watch each dancer individually. I have to say that Travis was the stand out for me - that style of choreography was perfect for his dancing. Heidi was a bit too fluid for me in some of the choreography, but she did a good job too. I didn't care for Donyelle, and Benji did fine but didn't come off as well as Travis. Plus I just loved when Travis went stomping down the "runway" at the beginning and flipped his coat. Rawr. :)

Miss Scarlet said...

Flameon- I know, in the world of "reality tv", SYTYCD is superior!

Melissa- Yeah, that routine killed. I loved it! I want to learn i!

Anonymous said...

First of all...Needtsza, I would be careful about making negative comments about SYTYCD around these parts. No one on this site will agree with, or even understand someone who isn't a HUGE dancing groupy at this point!

I am thoroughly disappointed in how Donyelle ended this competition, and it makes me think that the only reason anyone thought she was that good was because Benji was her partner. But if you notice, ever since they split up the original partners, Donyelle has only received a few positive comments from the judges. I was a HUGE Donyelle fan at the beginning, and I still like her. I'm just sad she couldn't keep up the pace she started with.

Scarlet, I too was totally distracted by Donyelle's pants. I understand that she probably wouldn't have been comfortable wearing an outfit exactly like Heidi's, given that Heidi's waist is about the size of an ink pen. But that doesn't mean she had to go in the complete opposite direction and wear huge-ass pants. I wonder how much say the dancers actually get in what they wear.

I was also disappointed in the lack of equality in the choreography for the all boys routine vs. the all girls routine. I mean that nerdy hip-hop routine the boys did was hot. And they were both so good and it really showed their personalities. And then they stick the two girls out there with white eyelashes (which distracted me more than the pants did) and basically send them out there to walk around, not to dance. I think that any bad comments they got about that routine wasn't their fault.

The boys' hip-hop, Travis and Donyelle's contemporary, and Benji and Heidi's salsa were by far my favorites. And that last number with all four of them?? AWESOME. Wade Robsen, JT, AND America's Next Top Model all grouped together in one dance...are you kidding me??? It was like 2 minutes of pure heaven!

There is no way Benji will not win. And I'm pissed we have to wait a whole week to find out.

That was quite possibly the longest comment in history...sorry about that...

Miss Scarlet said...

THE RESULTS AREN'T UNTIL NEXT WEEK!?!?!?!??!?!?!?! It was almost 2am when I finished it, so I didn't listen to the last little spiel. I ALSO didn't get to vote=/

I think you are right about Donyelle in regards to being paired with Benji. I also agree about the routines...but I hate to critique those because they choreogrpahers are like, "DON'T BE DISSIN' MY ROUTINE!" haha!

Unknown said...

You're kidding, right? I could have swore it was tonight!

And, Cindy, thanks for bringing up the eyelashes! What were they thinking? I definitely feel like the dancers don't always get a say in their costuming because Donyelle has had some real duds. Yes, she was bigger than some of the other girls, but they often had her in things that made her look horrible. I considered it a triumph that she was often able to still look good dancing in some of that crap. Did you see that yellow broadway dress?

Travis! Travis! Travis!

Anonymous said...

Yeah Scarlet, the results are next Wednesday. At first when they said that I thought they were lying, but I checked the tv guide thingy on my tv, and sure enough...it's not coming on tonight. I don't understand why they put us through this torture.

Benji! Benji! Benji! ;););)

Miss Scarlet said...

Heidi Heidi Heidi!

or


Travis Travis Travis!!!

I feel like all of Heidi's costumes for her solos have been her own.

Anonymous said...

While I agree Travis, when he is on, is art in motion. But he also fell flat over this series more than any of the others left. Benji is my favorite with Heidi a close second. I do wish that they hadn't put in the waltz in with the other dances for the final show as it puts Donyelle and Benji at a disadvantage. This comes down to a popularity contest at the end and putting this up against a Shane Sparks routine or something upbeat and fun is a little unfair. If only Shane could have done the girls routine too, wow that was crap. My hubby thinks Travis is going to win, I'm going to have to go with Benji.

CBK said...

Travis is great, Benji is a star. It's a close call for me, but I prefer Benji, and to my untrained eye, he's more than just a great showman. He's made some amazing progress with styles he's not familiar with this season. The Jazz routine he did a couple weeks ago (with Natalie?) was awesome and had a lot of technique and emotion in it. My problem with wanting Benji to win is that I don't think he belongs in a Vegas show with Celine Dion. [blech!]. He needs to host his own variety/dance competition show!

I like Heidi more now, but to me she's more just a great accessory for a guy, not a great dancer by herself.

Shannon said...

how in anyones name did i get sucked into this?
oh yeah, i have the hots for the mormon boy...

Go Benji!

Marissa said...

i agree with LITERALLY every one of your assesments. every last one! i feel the same about donyelle. i just don't dig her. don't you wish allison were still there? i always thought it would come down to her and travis. i have absolutley no clue who is going to win. i want trav - but i think america's gonna go with either heidi or benji. they're just so appealing!

Anonymous said...

Just wanted to say thanks for posting the music breakdown. FOX got their list totally screwed up.

I wish someone has the music lists for all the shows. Some of the music is great, like that UK-only version of "Sexy Back".

-- Rob "I" --

Miss Scarlet said...

Stephanie- Yeah, I agree. I don't think the normal Joe Schmoe viewer will recognize how good Travis is.

CBK- I wish Heidi had done more with her solos to show what she can do, but I guess they were supposed to dance in their styles. It's going to be a close call!

Shannon- I can't say I have the hots for any of them;)

Marissa- Yeah, I wish Allison was still there. I was so surprised when she got kicked off.

Rob- loooooove "Sexyback"!