SYTYCD for 26 July 2012

Um, this promo picture of Will is super weird, don't you think?

Since I haven't really been blogging this week (for personal reasons), this SYTYCD post will be my only post today. So I'd thought I'd flesh it out a bit and make it really special for all y'all by using more words that may or may not be disjointed.

Let's talk bout the Tyce opener first, shall we? All I need to say was that it was great and fun and Chaplin-tastic. Those big group numbers always amaze me a little bit anyway, because I just don't quite understand how the choreographer can get all those people together and have them do moves that aren't all the same but everyone still looks like they're in the same number.

And perhaps in honor of the classic Hollywood opener, Cat looked so fantastic with her Veronica Lake waves and general 30s vibe. I love Cat, she's so goofy, and I love that she calls the dancers "my babies."

Was is just me or did guest judge Christina Applegate look dazed and confused every time the camera was on her but she wasn't talking? Weird.

First up we had George and Tiffany doing a NappyTabs number. Holy cow, were those two in sync as they danced. Overall I liked the number well enough, but it landed somewhere in the middle for me. I think George is a technically fantastic dancer, but I wish his personality had more oomph. And it just hit me last night that he completely reminds me of Carlton Banks from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, with all his shorts and button downs. 

Amber and Brandon did a beyond steamy number that everyone seemed to love...except me. It was just too much. I generally have no problem with Amber as a dancer, but every once in a while her movements look vulgar rather than graceful to me, and this number didn't help with that at all. Obviously. I can't say that I was sad to see Amber go home tonight, but I wish it were Lindsay instead.

Dareian and Janelle and their painful chacha. That is all. Okay, that's not all. I still love him so, so much, and the dance he did to dance for his life?! Forget about it. And yes, I still think Janelle is completely forgettable.  

Dear Lindsay, get your hair out of your face or I will find you and chop it off. I also think you often look awkward and ungainly when you dance. What's up with that? Dear Cole, keep on keepin' on, man. You got top 3 written all over you. 

Och, my not-so-wee Will and Amelia. I really liked their yet again quirky number, but the judges were nonplussed. I thought it was the second best of the night, personally. Plus the song was oddly fun (you can hear it here) and the costumes were rather great. And where Lindsay's awkwardness bothers me, Will's awkwardness endears him to me. 

Matthew and Audrey didn't really have a chance with me because of their ballroom pick. I think it was the slowest Salsa I have ever seen. It was fine, but nothing great in the least. I think one of the problems I have with ballroom is the overly matchy-matchyness of the costumes and the copious use of shiny lycra. 

Everyone lovey, love, loved Chehon and Whitney's Stacey Tookey dance. They just thought it was amazing and emotional and what-have-you. I didn't understand that at all, and I watched it twice to make sure. I didn't think Chehon and Whitney had chemistry at all, and as I result it felt a little cold. Chehon is such a powerful, amazing dancer, but I don't think we see a lot of emotion or passion from him while he dances. (Remember the passion that exuded from Melanie Moore?) And I think Whitney has dead eyes. There, I said it. 

My favorite dance of the night was from Cyrus and Eliana. Wow! Eliana is a ballerina, y'all, but she got down and dirty in this number. It was a clever idea with good choreography and excellent execution. I mean Cyrus is incredible in his style and Eliana gave him a run for his money. I simply loved it. I have to say that I think I like Eliana to win the whole shebang on the girl's side; but slightly pervy Simon sure does love his little blonds, so we'll see.

As to the boys' eliminations, I didn't really want to see any of the boys go. In fact, I like something about all the boys left in the competition, so I'll probably be sad to see any of them go from here on out. I know that realistically a couple boys probably can't grow enough in this timeframe to make it much farther, and that's fair, but I will miss them. I thought Brandon was growing and going places, but they had to pick someone to go home.. Farewell Brandon and Amber.

SYTYCD for July 18, 2012

First off, my DVR freaked out so I missed the last half hour of the show. I didn't see the last dance or the results. Boo. But I did look up the results, so I'm all informed and ready to chat.

1) There are so many vanilla girls this season. Alexa, Witney, Lindsay, Janaya, and Janelle are the top offenders. I'm still liking Amelia, Tiffany, and especially Eliana; she's got loads of personality. Direct mom quote: "Tiffany is a good foil to those other creepy (vanilla) girls."

2) The boys are much stronger and have bigger personalities this year. No matter how he does in the competition, Cyrus is a bright and happy presence with verve, and I find myself rooting for him all the time because of this. I'm still in love with Dareian's face, and Brandon and Matthew are definitely moving up in my estimation.

3) Barf on the Dareian/Janelle kiss. I thought we were done with all that nonsense after last season.

4) The Alexa/Daniel number with the bathtub was, in the words of Adam, cold and uncomfortable. I was not entertained, and as you know, I think she's boring anyway.

5) I was entertained by the Eliana/Cyrus jive, because he was having so much fun and she is chock-full of personality and talent; the Audrey/Matthew Sonya number, even though it wasn't as good as Sonya's first number; and the Brandon/Janaya bus bench seduction number, Brandon was acting his pants off!

6) The dentist number just creeped me out. Lindsay was way too "performy," and she had no conviction.

7) It's no surprise that a Sonya number was my favorite. I just love her dark and twisty themes and ideas. So Will and Amelia again are rewarded with my favorite dance of the night.

8) Goodbye to Daniel the ballet dancer, Nick the ballroom dude, Alexa the boring, and Janaya the vanilla. I'm not sad about any of these eliminations.

SYTYCD July 11, 2012

For this season of SYTYCD I decided to do quick updates as secondary posts. That way I can still talk about it, but if you don't watch the show you can easily skip these. So here goes.

 
1) I keep trying to enjoy ballroom, but for some reason it makes me feel entirely uncomfortable. Maybe it's the exaggerated, pulled faces, or the schmaltz I seem to correlate with ballroom. I'm just happy that Boobs McGee (Witney) was covered up during her ballroom number.

2) I don't think I'll ever like Alexa or Janelle.

3) Thank you NappyTabs for The Cure and a super fun routine. I think it was my favorite of the night.  I worried that Amelia and Will would be an overly goofy partnership, but it seems they'll work out just fine.

4) I love Dareian's face so much.

5) Travis Wall might just be a genius. (He's only 24!)

6) I find it highly suspicious that all 3 ballroom kids "drew" ballroom this week. (At least according to a casual comment Nigel made.) Especially considering things like a ballerina and an animator "drawing" broadway.

A Phone and SYTYCD

Forgot to write a post again. I'll blame it on the fact that I finally, finally, finally got a new phone, and I was texting texts, keying keys, and setting settings for longer than I'm sure was necessary. I cannot tell you how ecstatic I am about this new development.

Abrupt subject change!

The top 20 were chosen for So You Think You Can Dance last night, and I'm thinking about writing about it here every week. I love that show. They show nearly all the personal drama during the audition episodes, and when the actual competition starts it's nearly personal drama free because it's all about the dance. It really is a great place to see bits of all kinds of dance--jazz, contemporary, ballroom, ballet, hiphop, tap, broadway--performed and choreographed by talented people. And it gets better every year. The show also makes me think that I can dance, so I shuffle my feet, wave my arms, and jerk my body around for a good hour after watching the show.

I can't think of any words or phrases that appropriately describe last year's winner, Melanie Moore. She has a gift, she has the heart and strength to wield said gift, and she is glorious to behold. Below is a photo of Melanie and a video of her first audition. I can't hardly wait to see what the show has in store this season.

For those of you who are watching this season: I can't pick a favorite dancer yet, but my favorite people as people so far are Amelia of the 20s bob; Cyrus (Glitch) of the ear gauges; and Dareian of the bad feet that remind me of hobbit feet.