Another Thursday, another SYTYCD post
It was an interesting show last night.
Billy Bell and Ade's contemporary Stacy Tookey number was just brilliant. Of course the music helped (that Donnie Darko cover of Mad World), but the story was so poignantly real, and the two of them danced together so well. Billy I think for the first time let go of all ego and flung himself into the character, caring more about the story than about making pretty lines, and wow was he ever effective. Ade of course is Ade, perfect as the strong confident businessman. I think it will be one of the most memorable routines of the season.
Billy's solo was just breath-taking as well. He did a little flicker thing with his fingers that was exquisite--not many dancers who have ever been on the show would have the confidence to do something so simple in their 30-second solos, using up precious time when they could be doing cartwheels on the ceiling or something more impressive. But it was exactly the right thing at the right moment. I will break up my Billy Bell love fest by saying that I do think Robert was better in the Bollywood number. Billy is by far the more technically proficient, but Robert's groundedness and his willingness to be goofy served him very well. And honestly, Billy came across rather girly, which could make for a cool routine if done deliberately, but in this case I think we can be quite sure that those weren't the instructions given by the choreographer. In Billy's defense, though, that must have been quite painful on his injured knee, and it looked like he wasn't putting any weight on it after performing :-\
Adechike was something of a disappointment last night. His solo was beautiful, and while I got the critiques he received for his jazz number, I thought it was much better overall than he was getting credit for. His foxtrot, though, was a real regression in terms of partnering and stiffness. It wasn't terrible, but it was less than I had hoped.
While Broadway is not typically my favorite genre, I really enjoyed Lauren's "girl power" routine with all star Allison. They had excellent chemistry together, and I'd even say Lauren was the better of the two dancers. It was the kind of routine where her athleticism served her very well. Her solo was very nice, but I have to say that I can't see a woman dancing around to Aretha Franklin's Natural Woman without thinking of tampon commercials from the 80s. Kind of spoiled the moment a little bit. She was technically good on the foxtrot, but I agree with I think it was Nigel who said she didn't really push herself beyond the basics there. Though hearing later that she had some sort of injury, that might be why. Hope she is okay! (as a side note, Beyonce's version of Fever is atrocious!)
Robert had a decent night. His contemporary with Kathryn was okay, but it needed more feeling from him. He's not yet at the point where the movements are so automatic he can, as Shanks suggested, let the movements be generated from his heart rather than from his brain. He'll get there, but he's not always there now. His solo was also technically very nice, but dear god the literalism in his interpretation of that insipid Jason Mraz song was embarrassing--spin when the lyrics are about turning, fling yourself at the floor when the lyrics are about being brought low. I guess there was more emotion there on his part, but bleh. I commented on his Bollywood above--it really suited him.
Kent I really do try to keep an open mind about. As he's shown before, Broadway really does suit him, because he can overact and be hammy (though I honestly don't think he knows he's overacting and being hammy). But overall, his lack of maturity as a performer and artist is showing him to be a lot less sophisticated than any of the other contemporary boys. Even Robert's "I must do what Jason Mraz says" solo was more interesting than Kent's. And his cha cha--ugh. Anya might as well have danced with a dressmaker's dummy. I'm sorry, but the show has not made a man of him, and he's been completely complicit in that with his mugging for the camera and pandering to the audience.
I guess there was someone else on stage when Comfort did her beautiful expressive hip hop to Otis Redding, but my eyes were too riveted on her to be sure. Both this week and last week, she filled these character roles of black women from particular eras so evocatively. In the season she was competing, could you have imagined her dancing so elegantly in those white gloves, while still doing hip hop? The opening choreography with her popping to the little ticks in the music was immediately gripping. I hope we see more from those choreographers!
All I can really say about José is that it's clearly time for him to go home, and judging from his face during the critiques, he knows it too and is trying to accept it as gracefully as he can. He does apparently get a spot on the tour, so there's that for him at least.
if I were sending people home tonight--and I think the judges would concur--it would be José and Kent, but I guess the teen girls are still loving Kent, so probably Robert will end up going home as well. Unless Lauren's injury puts her out, which I sincerely hope it does not, both for her own sake and because I've been loving watching her expand and grow.
How annoying that Project Runway and the SYTYCD results show are on at the same time tonight. Fox and Lifetime must be affiliated, because commercials for PR were running before SYTYCD--why set up that conflict? Bad TV execs!
.
Billy Bell and Ade's contemporary Stacy Tookey number was just brilliant. Of course the music helped (that Donnie Darko cover of Mad World), but the story was so poignantly real, and the two of them danced together so well. Billy I think for the first time let go of all ego and flung himself into the character, caring more about the story than about making pretty lines, and wow was he ever effective. Ade of course is Ade, perfect as the strong confident businessman. I think it will be one of the most memorable routines of the season.
Billy's solo was just breath-taking as well. He did a little flicker thing with his fingers that was exquisite--not many dancers who have ever been on the show would have the confidence to do something so simple in their 30-second solos, using up precious time when they could be doing cartwheels on the ceiling or something more impressive. But it was exactly the right thing at the right moment. I will break up my Billy Bell love fest by saying that I do think Robert was better in the Bollywood number. Billy is by far the more technically proficient, but Robert's groundedness and his willingness to be goofy served him very well. And honestly, Billy came across rather girly, which could make for a cool routine if done deliberately, but in this case I think we can be quite sure that those weren't the instructions given by the choreographer. In Billy's defense, though, that must have been quite painful on his injured knee, and it looked like he wasn't putting any weight on it after performing :-\
Adechike was something of a disappointment last night. His solo was beautiful, and while I got the critiques he received for his jazz number, I thought it was much better overall than he was getting credit for. His foxtrot, though, was a real regression in terms of partnering and stiffness. It wasn't terrible, but it was less than I had hoped.
While Broadway is not typically my favorite genre, I really enjoyed Lauren's "girl power" routine with all star Allison. They had excellent chemistry together, and I'd even say Lauren was the better of the two dancers. It was the kind of routine where her athleticism served her very well. Her solo was very nice, but I have to say that I can't see a woman dancing around to Aretha Franklin's Natural Woman without thinking of tampon commercials from the 80s. Kind of spoiled the moment a little bit. She was technically good on the foxtrot, but I agree with I think it was Nigel who said she didn't really push herself beyond the basics there. Though hearing later that she had some sort of injury, that might be why. Hope she is okay! (as a side note, Beyonce's version of Fever is atrocious!)
Robert had a decent night. His contemporary with Kathryn was okay, but it needed more feeling from him. He's not yet at the point where the movements are so automatic he can, as Shanks suggested, let the movements be generated from his heart rather than from his brain. He'll get there, but he's not always there now. His solo was also technically very nice, but dear god the literalism in his interpretation of that insipid Jason Mraz song was embarrassing--spin when the lyrics are about turning, fling yourself at the floor when the lyrics are about being brought low. I guess there was more emotion there on his part, but bleh. I commented on his Bollywood above--it really suited him.
Kent I really do try to keep an open mind about. As he's shown before, Broadway really does suit him, because he can overact and be hammy (though I honestly don't think he knows he's overacting and being hammy). But overall, his lack of maturity as a performer and artist is showing him to be a lot less sophisticated than any of the other contemporary boys. Even Robert's "I must do what Jason Mraz says" solo was more interesting than Kent's. And his cha cha--ugh. Anya might as well have danced with a dressmaker's dummy. I'm sorry, but the show has not made a man of him, and he's been completely complicit in that with his mugging for the camera and pandering to the audience.
I guess there was someone else on stage when Comfort did her beautiful expressive hip hop to Otis Redding, but my eyes were too riveted on her to be sure. Both this week and last week, she filled these character roles of black women from particular eras so evocatively. In the season she was competing, could you have imagined her dancing so elegantly in those white gloves, while still doing hip hop? The opening choreography with her popping to the little ticks in the music was immediately gripping. I hope we see more from those choreographers!
All I can really say about José is that it's clearly time for him to go home, and judging from his face during the critiques, he knows it too and is trying to accept it as gracefully as he can. He does apparently get a spot on the tour, so there's that for him at least.
if I were sending people home tonight--and I think the judges would concur--it would be José and Kent, but I guess the teen girls are still loving Kent, so probably Robert will end up going home as well. Unless Lauren's injury puts her out, which I sincerely hope it does not, both for her own sake and because I've been loving watching her expand and grow.
How annoying that Project Runway and the SYTYCD results show are on at the same time tonight. Fox and Lifetime must be affiliated, because commercials for PR were running before SYTYCD--why set up that conflict? Bad TV execs!
.