So You Think You Can Dance: Top 16 Perform

Group dance

"Take Me to the River" by Annie Lenox

Choreographed by Mandy Moore

I think the group dance lose something when on TV. You don't get a full sense of the unison (or lack thereof) and instead of deciding who to focus on, the camera angles do that for you. So, this piece is decent, but really I just want to get to the regular dances.

Okie dokie, who is in the bottom: Bridget, Marquet, Brooklyn, Serge (NOOOO!), Tanisha, Zack

Valerie and Ricky dancing Bollywood:

"Dilliwaali Girlfriend"

Choreographed by Dev

Bollywood routines always remind me of working out. I feel tired just from watching it! They did a great job and kept the energy up the entire time, which is insane.

Bridget and Emilio dancing contemporary:

"The Leaving Song" by Chris Garneau

Choreographed by Travis Wall

BRB. Back. The only way to watch a Travis Wall routine is with 100% attention! Man, that was INCREDIBLE! I loved every single second of that. EVERY SINGLE SECOND! That rivaled the bench routine Travis Wall did  a few years ago. Wow!

Tanisha and Rudy dancing hip hop:

"Good Kisser" by Usher

Choreographed by Dave Scott

Whoa! Those shoes! Wowza, I can't take my eyes off them. Her outfit is INSANE and I think they're both really connecting with the audience and each other. This routine totally reminds me of a Beyonce song with the super fluid moments and then the hot beats. Tanisha really went all out so mad props to her.

Marcquet and Jessica dancing smooth foxtrot:

"I Put a Spell on You" by Nina Simone

Choreographed by Dmitry Chaplin

Great song! Her dress is beautiful. I liked this dance because it had a lot of strong moments. I, to be honest, don't know much about the foxtrot part of it, but I liked the overall effect a lot.

Carly and Serge dancing contemporary:

"Foolish Games" by Jewel

Choreographed by Mandy Moore

 OMG JEWEL- I LOVE THIS SONG! I reallllly liked this. And that ending when she went down like that until he helped with just hit foot? Amazing. Carly is so good and y'all know I love Serge.

Teddy and Emily dancing salsa:

"Bruk it Down" by Mr. Vegas

Choreographed by Oksana and Jonathan

Is she slipping all over the place or am I imagining it? This is okay, but I don't feel like their movements are matching the energy of the music.

Jacque and Zack dancing jazz:

"Back to Black" Beyonce

Choreographed by Sonja T

Loooove this song, too. Loving this! And that moment when he did that roll thing down almost onto her was so cool. I really really liked this! And such a great song!!!! YES.

Casey and Brooklyn dancing hip hop:

"Hustle Has Remix" Ace Hood

Choreographed by Willdabeast

I am so distracted by his shorts. It looks like he refused to wear the costume and put on shorts to cover up the spandex. Otherwise, I enjoyed this routine.

Group Routine dancing a Sonja T number:

"So Broken" by Bjork

No words. That was amazing. YouTube it.

Group Routine dancing a Travis Wall number:

"Love Runs Out" by OneRepublic

Ooooooh also good, but in a completely opposite way, which is awesome! So much fun!
 (I totally agree with Misty that Ricky stood out in that!)

LUCY HALE! She is on Pretty Little Liars, therefore, I love her. Hmm, her voice doesn't sound like how I would expect it! I was expecting it to be higher pitched. OMG, where is A?

So, who is going home???? I'm sad! I like so many of them. Okay, bye bye, Marcquet and Brooklyn.

Until next week!

So You Think You Can Dance! 20 Perform, 2 Eliminated (Part 2)

Remember when I started that Top 20 episode and then had to go to work or something? Well, I'm finally watching!

Emily and Teddy dancing hip hop:

"Don't" by Ed Sheeran

Choreographed by Dave Scott

Love this song! I like this routine, but it comes across a little cheesy and I think it's because of their costumes. They're kind of awful. Also, Teddy really likes to shake his hips. It's a fun routine, but I have to admit that I just rewatched the Serge/Carly routine before watching this hip hop and, well, theirs was breathtaking and this was just fun.

Stanley and Malene dancing broadway:

"I've Got Your Number" by Nancy Wilson

Choreographed by Spencer Liff

They seem perfect for broadway. Wow! I kind of really liked this! The phones worked out really well. It was a bit limiting for them, but the end picked back up and it finished strong. Also, Malene looks incredible! Her hair and makeup is awesome.

Marcquet and Jourdan dancing jazz:

"Work Work" by Britney Spears

Choreographed by Sean Cheesman

Love Brit Brit! Wow! Love that splits move when he flipped her around. This routine seems a bit frantic, but it's also working for me. I'm curious what the judges will say...Misty pointed out that Jourdan is a ballerina and OMG I had totally forgotten!

Brooklyn and Casey dancing Argentine Tango:

"Gallo Ciego" by Luis Bravo

Choreographed by Miriam and Leonardo

ZOMG love the tango. Love the music for the tango! Gorgeous. My guess is that Mary tells him to put his shoulders down;) Loved this. I'm pretty much always going to love the tango. I have to admit that I rewatched this and I am so glad I did. There were so many details in this dance that they just nailed. I highly suggest YouTube-ing it.

Zack and Jacque dancing African Jazz:

"Dibiza" by Danny Tenaglia

Choreographed by Sean Cheesman


OOooh, I really liked this!!!!!! OMG so much fun! I thought this was awesome. It was so great how it went from being so pumped up and then into these super fluid lifts. And they both danced so well.

Okay.....so Nick and Malena had to go:(

Now, back to current stuff:) Thanks for reading!

So You Think You Can Dance: 18 Dance

Top 18:

Somehow the past week FLEW by because I never recapped the second half of last week's show even though it feels like it was just a couple of days ago. I still will, I promise!


Top 18 Dance:

"How It's Done" by Distric 78

Choreographed by Academy of Villains

Whoa, LOVE the chess set up! This dance is great, but a little bit is getting lost with there being so many dancers, but I guess that's going to continue to be the case for a couple more weeks.

Results time! It's awkward since I'm not even sure who got kicked off last week. So, in danger: Bridget, Emilio, Emily, Stanley, Jordyn, and Teddy

Zack and Jacque dancing hip hop:

"Stay With me" by Sam Smith

Choreographed by Keone and Mari Madrid

 This should get votes because of the song. It's so popular. I love the floor work so far. I love how intimate this dance is even though it's hip hop. I think they did a great job with combining the super precise moments with the fluid ones. I never felt like they were just counting beats. Great start!


Marcquet and Jordyn dancing contemporary:

"Disappear" by Mikky Ekko

Choreographed by Dee Caspary

Beautiful opening shot! Jordyn is so clearly a ballerina as her feet are never not pointed and she hits some amazing positions (as in, she doesn't just land, she lands in second.) I am not sure I liked the music for this one as it was cut off in a weird spot, but I liked the dancing. I actually agree with Nigel that I didn't connect with them very much.

Pretty Little Liars Intel: Homecoming Hangover

Episode 7!

We pick up right where the last episode left of with Spender, Hanna, and Aria frantically trying to find Emily who is off with scary Toby. They call her, but then find her phone left on the floor in the hallway. But don't they look great?

Their shoes, though, scream 2010. Platforms, ugh. 

So You Think You Can Dance! 20 Perform, 2 Eliminated (Part 1)

So, I have to watch tonight's episode in two parts so I figured I'd blog about it in two parts, too. Let's go!



Top 20 Dance:

"New York, New York" from On The Town

Choreographed by Josh Bergasse

I was just meh on this until we got to see some really great solo spots! Also, love the costumes. I can't pick out anyone from the Top 20 just yet. I don't know any of their names!

Intros:

Holy crap, they're not doing "Here are the girls...and here are your guys!" YAY!

So I guess the set up is similar to last year where they announce who is in trouble, they still dance, and then they kick two people off at the end?

I have to admit that while Nigel talks, I stop paying attention sometimes. I have no idea what he was talking about when he referenced the Brazil World Cup game.

Bottom Six:
Brooklyn, Casey, Jordyn, Nick, Marlena, Serg


Rudy and Tanisha dancing jazz:

"You Need" by Bengsons

Choreographed by Sonja Tayeh

OOoh, this has a lot of cool movement in it! It's classic Sonja, but not in the way where I feel like she is just recycling old moves. Also, Tanisha is really showing a different side of her and is also hitting her spots really hard! Nice. Just a reminder that she is a ballroom girl, right? 

Valerie and Ricky dancing contemporary:

"Oh Darling" by Grossling

Choreographed by Travis Wall

Honestly, no one should get kicked off after a Travis Wall routine. They're that good. I think Travis excels at choreographing pieces that have a climax- a moment where the music swells and the audience is totally swept up into the piece. I really liked this dance. I'm impressed that she is a tapper! She was so fluid. This was a very strong piece in the literal sense. I loved all of the movements where they held one another up.

Emilio and Bridget dancing hip hop:

"Work" by Iggy Azalea

Choreographed  Luther Brown

I like this. I don't really have much to say, but it was quite entertaining and both dancers seemed just perfect in the routine. I kind of hate Emilio's outfit, but Bridget's was perfect so I guess that cancels out. Good job!

Jessica and Nick dancing west coast swing:

"Respect" by Aretha Franklin

Choreographed by Benji Schwimmer

So wait, what happened to her shoulder? I have to say that I do NOT like Benji so I go into this dance expecting not to like it. The beginning seemed like they were just walking through the steps instead of dancing them. I kind of hate it. I feel bad for this couple for getting such a crappy routine. (I wonder if the judges will agree with me!) (And...they don't. How disappointing.)

Serge and Carly dancing contemporary:

"Latch" by Sam Smith

Choreographed by Sonja Tayeh

LOVE her dress. I like this a lot, but so far it's not "profoundly moving" like Sonja promised. Oooh, the end is lovely, though. This was good! I like this couple. I have a feeling it was probably way more moving in person. I think maybe the intro messed this up for me because it kind of got my expectations too high.

Okay, Part One is done! What did you think???

The Filmography Project: David Fincher

I really need to stop starting new projects.

But alas....

So, I want to watch the entire filmographies of some of my favorite actors and directors. It's something that with some, I've already done, but I want to refocus and really think about the bodies of work. Besides, these are my favorite actors and directors for a reason so it would be a good idea to make sure I've seen everything!

David Fincher is definitely on this list and with "Gone Girl" coming out this year, it's the perfect time to get excited about his films.

An Analogy

Remember when Death Cab For Cutie released their first big studio album "Plans" and a gazillion people thought it was the best thing they'd ever heard? And yeah, the songs were catchy and not bad, but they kinda felt a bit over-produced and mainstream. The band gained a lot of new followers who couldn't get enough of "Soul Meets Body" and "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" while a lot of people, myself included, who had known the band for years were left thinking, "But, but...their older stuff is incredible!" and "You new fans just don't know!"
The newly released songs weren't necessarily bad, but they were easy in a way. Where was the magic of hearing Ben Gibbard sing "Company Calls" at the Black Cat in DC? Or how about in the Millhiser gym at the University of Richmond in 2001. Where were the moments of exploration to truly be moved by something instead of getting the carefully chosen singles that were the most likely to appeal to a large audience?

Music can be easy and that's wonderful. Loving a radio hit is great, but so is putting in the time to find the smaller gems out there. And yeah, sometimes the lesser known songs become huge hits, but that's when it's fun for the original fans to sit back and smile while the rest of the world catches up.

So, stick with me here, but I think the same idea can be seen in tennis. I think that a lot of people are fans of Roger Federer's because he is the "radio friendly" hit they see in the finals.

The casual tennis watcher probably sees a handful of matches a year, right? And for quite awhile, Roger Federer was in most of them. He is an amazing player! No one can deny that. He is graceful on the court, rarely misses (at his prime), and saunters around the court like he owns the place. He is a force and I totally understand enjoying that.

But where was the casual viewer in the Quarterfinals when Federer played an up and comer full of heart who left everything on the court in an effort to win. Or in an earlier round when someone from your country played the match of his life and took Federer to five sets?

There is so much more to tennis than the final. In a Grand Slam it's two intense weeks of A LOT of matches. It's so much fun in the early rounds to see someone play in his first grand slam match or even, sometimes, to play his idol!

So, like in music, there is nothing wrong with liking the easy choice, but it's the depth where things are truly interesting. Pick a player outside of the Top 10 and really get behind him or her. Trust me, it's fun! And then, in a few years, when that player is competing for big titles, you can say you knew them when.

And, I just have to say that if the only tennis you see is on Sportscenter, just stay quiet.

XO,
The Biggest Tennis Fan On The Planet

And P.S., if you'd like some music suggestions, let me know in the comments...I'm kinda obsessed with finding new things.

So You Think You Can Dance! Top 20

Soooooo happy it's the Top 20 finally! I blogged this show long ago and I figured, why not do it again! Let me know your thoughts in the comments or on twitter!

Top 20 Dance:

"Stalker Ha" by Kingdom

Choreographed by  Sonja Tayeh

Does the stage looker smaller to you? Or is it just because there are 20 dancers on it? Not sure about the leisure suit/80's neon outfits, but I guess I'd rather save the good costumers for later on. This dance is just meh for me. I've already forgotten it, actually. Super surprised Sonja choreographed that.

Intros:

The intros are always so boring. "These are the girls....and here are your guys." Zzzzzz

Cat's wearing a saucy little red dress with cut away pockets. She can honestly wear anything, but I think I can see undergarments and that's weird.

Jason Derulo is there! I wish he would sing out his name before every comment. "Jassoooon Derulllooo, that was a great contemporary, guys!"

Brooklyn and Serge dancing the cha cha:

"Hell Yeah" by Midnight Red

Choreographed by Dmitri. 

Great dress on her! Wow! Really shows off her super long legs. Serge gives great expressions, so I like that. This dance felt really long, but in a good way and I thought Dmitri did a great job of making it feel like it had difference sections especially with the breakdown towards the end. Loved it.

Emily and  Casey dancing contemporary:

 "All of Me" by John Legend

Choreographed by Travis Wall


I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH! Eh, rough start in my opinion. It looks a little disconnected and like it's just steps. The dancing is great once they get going, though. I'm just not feeling much of a connection between them as well as between them and the audience. I kinda wish they'd saved this song for later on in the season. Also, now that I think about it, Travis described the story as a couple who fights and I just don't get that from "All of Me".

Valerie and Zack dancing tap:

"Sing" by Ed Sheeran

Choreographed by Anthony Morigerato

Love this song, too! Perfect for a tap routine because of how the music allows for their own beats and moments to show off. OMG the stairs are making me so tired just looking at them! Mad props for getting through a routine on them. I felt like they looked a little awkward at times getting up and down the stairs, but they never once seemed to be off the beat so that really wasn't a problem with me. Fun fact, did you know Anthony Morigerato is a Guinness world record holder for most taps in one minute?? 1,163 taps in 60 seconds. Whoa.

Bridget and Stanley dancing contemporary:

"Doesn't Mean Goodbye" by Jon McLaughlin

Choreographed by Bonnie Story

I like this a lot. I think that in the beginning of the competition the dances with a lot of synchronization do better because we don't know the contestants as well so we need something to notice. They're not always going to have the chemistry they need to tell a story so it's good to be able to point out exceptional dance steps and moves. That said, I thought this couple DID have great chemistry! This dance was great because it was filled with technique and chemistry.

Jacque and Jourdan dancing ballet:

"Swan Lake" by Tchaikovsky

Choreographed by Marat Daukayev

This pairing really loves the letter U. Wow, they pirouetted for about a minute of that routine! Did they get off in the middle, though? It felt like it got a bit out of control. As much as I love Swan Lake, this kind of disappointed me. It was awesomely choreographed, but it was such a tiny glimpse that I didn't get enough connection with the dancers. Can I just say how much I loved Marat and his complete lack of emotion when introduced and praised?

JASON DERULO TIME!!! I love this song "Wiggle". I love how Snoop Dogg comes out and all I can think is "What has he been doing in the dressing room all this time? Watching the routines?" Wiggle!

Marlene and Marquette dancing samba:

"Morning Drums" by Gregor Salto

Choreographed by Louis Van Amstel

Love the green outfits! Their legs are moving so quickly, they're almost a blur! Ooooh, love the breakdown moment towards the end with it got slower and quieter. The end was a little less smooth than the beginning, but it was hot hot hot! OMG, I want her dress.

Carly and Rudy dancing contemporary:

"Take it Easy" by Jetta

Choreographed by Stacey Tookey

Rudy doesn't seem to have the best extension, but he makes up for it with every other movement he does. He seems like he is a great partner! This routine seemed more fluid than the other contemporary ones, but maybe it's the long flowy dress she is wearing (JK, it was actually great!). I really liked this one. I felt like they realllly gave it their all. So apparently Mary calls Rudy Scarlet and when she called him that, I looked up like she was talking to me. Oops!

Emilio and Teddy dancing hip hop:

"Nightshift" by The Commodores

Choreographed by Christopher Scott

Guys, I love Christopher Scott. I liked this routine a lot! It was so fluid and fun and I thought the two guys did a great job in it. I appreciated that this was a less hard-hitting routine because I felt like it allowed them to connect to the audience more.

Jessica and Ricky dancing contemporary:

"Vow" by Meredith Monk

Choreographed by Sonya T.

Loving the beginning with its quietness. Oh wow...I couldn't even type during that. That was extraordinary! It felt like we were watching a dance being performed in a cathedral by angels. Part of that comes from the music, which was so pretty, but it was also their outfits and the movement and the connection they had. SO so so so good. My favorite of the night!

Tanisha and Nick dancing cha cha:

""I'm a Freak" by Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull

Choreographed by Louis Van Amstel

Great dress on her! Love the pink and orange. They both really come alive while dancing. They both seem quite young when interviewed, but they totally pulled this off! And did you see that kiss?? (I think they're hooking up!)


So, what do you think? I thought it was a great Top 20 show and it will be hard to send two home. It always is, isn't it? I'm guessing that one of the ballerinas goes as well as maybe a hip hopper? Man, I have no idea!



XO,
SVR