So you think you can Dance 6/25/2008 and 6/26/2008

[Doug Brott]

Second week in a row that an entire couple was voted off .. Will we split a couple this week or continue the trend?

[Doug Brott]

A lot of good dances tonight. In fact, the thing that disappointed me the most was that I had to wait until the end to see Joshua and Katee .. Boy, did they ROCK!

Joshua, hands down was the best individual performer tonight. Again, for me, Joshua and Katee were the best couple followed VERY closely by Twitch & Kherington as well as Courtney and Gev. I also had to give props to Chelsie and Mark as well as Kourtni and Matt.

The other 3 couples .. not so much. Quite frankly, I think that we will have another week of losing a couple .. Chris and Comfort .. it's time to go.

[Stuart Sweet]

I must admit that I was really on the bubble about this whole show for most of the episode. I completely admit, as I have before, that I can't separate the performance from the dance style; if I don't like the style then no amount of performance is going to redeem it for me.

It really set my teeth on edge when Twitch and Kherington came out dressed like Flav-a-Flav in prison. More hip hop dancing, I thought, and figured I'd never get into that stuff. At least they didn't slouch, give gang signs or cross their arms. I know, I know, it's the style. But I asked myself, why does it have to be?

I did not get the whole "two superheroes pursuing each other" dance, that made no sense at all. Nigel sure was right when he said people at home won't get it.

However....

the whole program was redeemed by the last two dances. Wow. If that's hip hop, Chelsie and Mark, well bust my rhymes. I don't care what you called it, I called it brilliant. I felt for them both, I really got where it was coming from.

That was followed by the spot-on samba from Joshua and Katee. These two dancers made me a believer, I'll tell you that. I'm beginning to understand that the whole point of the program is to show how dancers can interpret classical styles through their own perspectives and this one just hit it right on the head.

Who goes? I'd save Chelsie, Mark, Joshua and Katee of course, and I'd give Twitch and Kherington a pass as they've been great in the past. Any of the rest can go and that's fine by me. Comfort seems to be the biggest disappointment of the crowd but really I'm ok with skipping right to the final 6... the ones I mentioned above.

[Stuart Sweet]

One more thing: I hope that the producers cut this down to 90 minutes or even 60 soon. It's way too loose and the judges are allowed to ramble way too much.

[Charise]

Chelsie and Mark were totally the best this week (in my opinion, of course) with Joshua and Katee right behind them. I hadn't seen anything special about Tabitha and Napoleon's choreography until this number, but the routine they put together for Chelsie and Mark was absolutely fantastic! If this is the new way to choreograph hip hop, I'll gladly watch lots more! Didn't they announce that Shane Sparks was choreographing this coming week? That won't be "lyrical hip hop," but it should be pretty lively!

Poor Thane, I hadn't realized before their number that his normal smile was so fakey looking. I thought it was just "pasted on" throughout their number, until the judges spoke and Thane's smile stayed the same.

I hadn't realized that the segments on "what you don't know about..." could be so detrimental to some of the dancers. I've enjoyed Matt's dancing, but that ninja mask bit won't help him get votes! I had felt that the ones who didn't get the same opportunities to talk on-camera were at a disadvantage for getting votes because people just didn't know them. It appears that some of them may have been lucky not to talk on air! ;)

[Sharkie_Fan]

Twitchington remains the favorite in our home. We're crazy about them. Personality wise, they're without match, and they're both very good dancers.

Chelsea and Mark were absolutely fantastic. My wife made me rewind so she could watch it a second time. I was prepared to make a comment about the scheduling of the show, and having the #1 and #2 couples go first (twitchington) and last (josh & katee). Chelsea and Mark made that comment null and void. Best of the night.

Josh and Katee. #3 of the night, for me, simply because I'm not a big fan of Katee, so I put Twitchington ahead of them in my ranking.

Courtney & Gev #4. Nice. Solid. Nothing spectactular, but it was nice. Courtney's a cutie, and Gev impresses with styles that are not his own.

Jessica & Will. Nice dancers, but I didn't particularly care for the dance. Not a huge fan of disco, and really, really NOT a fan of Doreana Sanchez. "Expert" or not, I don't care for her.

Kourtni and Matt. Probably their best of the season. Both beautiful dancers, but I agree with Stuart & Nigel. I didn't get it. IMHO, choreography can make good dancers look brilliant. Or, as was the case here, choreography can make good dancers look bad. Not a fan of the new choreographer.

Chelsea & Thayne, Comfort & Chris. Get your solos ready. These two are ranked Worst#1 and Worst#2 tonight. Flip a coin for the bottom pair.

Tabitha and Napoleon. Very nicely done. They win 'choreographer of the night' honors. Really good.

[Charise]

Nice assessment, Sharkie_Fan. I'd just switch your #2 and #3 Bests around for me.

Twitch definitely comes across best in the personality department, and I think everyone has been rooting for him, in part, because he's auditioned several times and shown his dance abilities and great personality then too. "America" wanted him in this competition.

I don't think disco ever comes across well to the audience, even with very tough routines done well (and I thought Jessica and Will's dancing was a little shaky in spots). Just a little cheesy maybe? :D Or perhaps you are correct that it's the choreography. I can't remember anyone else choreographing for disco, so maybe it is Sanchez. I can't tell.

I'm thinking this will be a rough week for Thane and Comfort, adjusting to a new partner and from being in the bottom three. I think they'll need some good luck to stay.

[Sharkie_Fan]

I think the top three are close enough that they could really be any order each week. You won't get much argument from me switching the order around just a little! :)


I think disco is just a rough genre to try and dance in a competition like this. Having not grown up with disco, I just don't "get it". And, even worse, I have trouble seeing the "beauty" of the dance. I can appreciate ballroom even though I dont' "get it". Disco, though, to me, is not particularly graceful or smooth. It's a little "stiff", to me. To boot, you see other choreographers incorporating the talents of the dancers into their routines. A little contemporary flavor in your hip hop routine, for instance. Doreana Sanche doesn't do that. She doesn't take advantage of the dancers strengths - she just expects them to do 'her thing'.

I was surprised to see Chelsea asked to leave this week. I don't think she was the most talented dancer, but she made up for it, somewhat, with personality. Comfort, on the other hand, hasn't shown me much of either - talent OR personality. I find her really uninteresting and uninspiring. I would have sent her home. Maybe this will be the kick in the pants that she needs to show some spunk.

I agree with you 100% though, that she and Thayne have a real uphill battle if they want to stay in the competition, having to nto only learn a new dance, but having to learn a new partner as well. Their only hope is that they're a better match than they were with their previous partners, and that they have strengths/weaknesses that complment each other in such a way that they can "cover" for each other.

[richiephx]

I wish they would make Mary Murphy the first judge to critique the dancers. I would be very curious to see if she had the ability to express one original thought intelligently. I find her commentary to be like the sound of chalk on a blackboard. Maybe SHE should be voted off the show?

[sigma1914]

Tabitha and Napoleon have given the show exactly what the hip-hop routines needed...story-lines. They are able to convey love stories, which appeal to families at home who are watching. Your typical family isn't well versed in hip-hop, so Tabitha and Napoleon bridge that gap with something everyone knows...love. IMO, the 2 best performances so far were both from Tabitha and Napoleon...Week 1 Joshua & Katee (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr0ZOo6qK7U) and this week's with Chelsie & Mark. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHer7D0USEc)

[Charise]

I wish they would make Mary Murphy the first judge to critique the dancers. I would be very curious to see if she had the ability to express one original thought intelligently. I find her commentary to be like the sound of chalk on a blackboard. Maybe SHE should be voted off the show?
She used to give some good insights particularly on the ballroom dances, but I agree she really isn't adding much useful critique so far this season.

To boot, you see other choreographers incorporating the talents of the dancers into their routines. A little contemporary flavor in your hip hop routine, for instance. Doreana Sanche doesn't do that. She doesn't take advantage of the dancers strengths - she just expects them to do 'her thing'.
Good point, which then makes those dancers come off looking even worse compared to the rest.

[Pink Fairy]

Man, I love this show so much.

I really loved Chelsea and Marks. - I rewound it two times to watch it over. I FELT the emotion of the piece.

I thought it was an awesome week.

that being said, i really don't like Comfort. She can go now. Like 3 weeks ago now :D

[Charise]

Here's an interesting article about the show and how the element of chance influences the outcome throughout the season: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25484115/.

[Sharkie_Fan]

It is an interesting article, but my counter-argument would be that the best dancers will come out on top regardless of partner & genre.

Why have some couples "found their groove" from the get go? More often than not, it will be because they're the best dancers. They're capable of dancing any style, and so when they get put together, they excel. Many of the better dancers have at least SOME training in a variety of styles.

I disagree to some extent that the bottom three last week was determined by how the judges critiqued the dancers, and that things would have been different if they had praised one couple over another.

I think what the writer - and the dancers, to some extent - fail to realize is that PERSONALITY is as important in this competitoin as the dance. Especially to those of us who are mostly uneducated in dance. If the dance is "over my head", but the couples engage me, then I can enjoy the dance. If the dance is "over my head" and the couple is "ho hum" about it and they don't grab my attention, then the dance is going to be largely forgettable, regardless of how good they are.

[Charise]

I agree with you about the personality aspect, but that's also somewhat dependent on how the clips are cut and broadcast. As much as I liked Benjy and wanted him to win, how many people were influenced because of his sad story? And I was hoping Danny would win last season because I thought watching him was simply a joy, but he wasn't exactly Mr. Personality for much of the show, and it cost him.

I do think there are some people who go by what the judges say. On past seasons when they've been particularly harsh on couples that had likeable personalities, there seemed to be a reaction/sympathy vote for those couples. Then in subsequent weeks when the couples haven't been critiqued badly, they've been in the bottom. :shrug:

Anyway, on to this week's show...:dance: