Last week, my prediction was accurate: Karen and Victor were off the show. It was really frustrating to know that Nigel wanted Nathan gone and the other two wanted Victor gone. I was cursing at the t.v. and it was not a pretty sight. But I sucked it up and watched last night. I was… underwhelmed.
So for those who aren’t familiar with the format, now that we’re at the top 10, a few things change: 1) the judges no longer vote from the bottom 3, whoever has the lowest votes is gone, 2) the couples change each week by picking names out of a hat, 3) the solos are performed on dance night rather than elimination night so that America sees them doing their own style in addition to the other pieces. Let’s begin!
Ryan & Noelle – A hip hop that was neither hip nor hop. I had to laugh when they showed Tabitha & Napoleon (the choreographers) after the performance because they looked as bored as I felt. Ryan was really stiff and my dislike of him started to creep up again. Noelle… why is she still here? She is boring! And I have to mention that some of the choreography was straight from the Bleeding Love dance from two seasons ago, and the dancing around the desk reminded me of Sabra & Neil’s table dance from seasons back.
Legacy & Ashleigh – A type of really athletic, leaping around the stage contemporary. I enjoyed watching them dance it, but I didn’t really like the dance itself. Legacy didn’t seem comfortable being with a new partner and Ashleigh was just okay.
Mollee‘s solo – I liked it, it was good. I liked her solo last week too, so hopefully she can step it up in the partnered dances and become the whole package.
Russell‘s solo – First of all, how cute was the clip with his family?! Heart melted… I was really excited to see him krumping again after weeks of seeing him do other styles. He really entertained me and it reminded me of how much I liked him when the season started.
Nathan & Kathryn – They started with a Broadway number. I started yelling “WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE” when they came on the stage, but I tried to get over it. Kathryn was awesome! I was surprised at how much I liked her. Didn’t like Nathan though. I know, big surprise there. It annoyed me that they weren’t always together and none of the judges said anything, but whatevs.
Noelle‘s solo – I didn’t realize she was so young! Her solo, meh.
Jakob & Ellenore – Their quickstep was boring. They danced it well, but I was bored. Sorry.
Ryan‘s solo – It was cool. That’s all, really.
Kathryn‘s solo – Aw damn, her mother in the clip got me all choked up. The solo itself was good. I am really starting to like her a lot.
Russell & Mollee – A contemporary piece that was good, but not as good as the judges seemed to think. I kept thinking he was going to drop her and even though I like the pairing, they didn’t seem that comfortable dancing together. But she definitely benefits from having a new partner, or maybe coming close to leaving last week, because she was really good.
Nathan‘s solo – Ok, see, I realize that Nathan can dance. I love that he is a contemporary dancer and a hip hop dancer and yet I can’t stand him. And it pissed me off that he kept crying so much! Was I the only one who thought he was just doing that because last week Adam told him that he needs to connect with voters during his clips?! I hate that kid. Please leave.
SECOND DANCES!
Ryan & Noelle – Their waltz was sweet. It was the first time that I actually liked Noelle. But I have to admit I was a bit bored.
Ellenore‘s solo – I like her quirky style, but I agree with Nigel’s comment last week that people probably don’t get it. She doesn’t dance like everyone else and sometimes that doesn’t get the votes.
Legacy & Ashleigh – Their hip hop routine was god awful. Legacy’s cape thing was distracting, I was so confused. I loved Adam’s critique because it was spot-on without being dismissive: the trouble with the choreography was that it wasn’t challenging enough for the level they’re at.
Nathan & Kathryn – A rumba. I could do without his weird facial thing. Kathryn was good though, but the routine itself certainly wasn’t anything incredible.
Then my DVR cut off and I yelled at the t.v. again. But youtube is my friend!
Jakob & Ellenore – Contemporary by the love of my life Sonya. Ok, so I was starting to hate on Jakob because he always bores me, but this dance was THE BOMB! It was my favorite of the night, by far.
Russell & Mollee – The jive was cool, much better than their first dance.
I didn’t get to see the solos because I can’t find them on youtube, but my friend said this about them:
Legacy‘s solo – She loved it and said she was confused at first about the song choice (No Air by Jordin Sparks), but he made it work.
Ashleigh‘s solo – She said her solo was hot. It started slow but the song sped up and she kept with it. She liked Ashleigh’s costume choice which was apparently a “bronze fringe bedazzled dress” lol.
Once again, I want Noelle and Nathan to leave. I think they just might! It’s hard to predict when it’s up to votes, but I’m guessing Ellenore or Kathryn might also be in jeopardy and Ryan or Jakob might be as well. What are your thoughts, predictions, etc.?
I agree. I want Noelle and Nathan to leave, especially Nathan! Before this week, I thought Noelle and Kathryn were the same person but Kathryn is starting to stick out to me. Noelle is rather boring to watch. Nathan annoys the crap out of me and I agree that he turned on the waterworks because of Adam’s comment last week. What’s more annoying than Nathan dancing on this show? Him getting so “overly emotional” to get some votes. Poor form Nathan! As much as I would love to see him go, I think Ryan is gone this week.
My favorites of this season are Legacy and Ellenore. Legacy’s hip hop last night with Ashleigh was very awkward to watch and made me crave Count Chocula cereal. I loved Ellenore and Jakob’s second dance by Sonya. Sonya is an incredible choreographer and artist.
Overall, this season is rather boring to me and I miss season 3 with Danny (**Sigh**), Lacey, Sabra, and Neil. The judges kept building up season 6 saying it would be the best season to date but it’s not even in the top 5 of seasons in my opinion.
Agreed. Nathan was crying big fat crocodile tears. I literally laughed at him. And yes, Mollee and Russell’s first dance was completely overrated by the judges. I thought the transitions between lifts could have been a LOT smoother. There were moments when they looked completely off-balance and I was sure that Mollee was going to get dropped on her head. Just too choppy and spastic for me.
Wow that’s a lot of Nathan hate. And shouldn’t we be more supportive of men displaying emotion on tv? Regardless if you think it’s true emotion or not?
And for Jakob&Ellenor – I had serious issue with this dance. I do enjoy Sonya’s dance style – but for someone obviously playing with gender norms, she doesn’t accept others doing the same. Example being her reaction to the 2 male ballroom dancers. Also, the dance this week – was weak. Ellenor was reduced to a whiny girl and Jakob was just throwing her around the stage Wow… creative.
This week I found incredibly boring.
I am totally supportive of genuine emotion from men on tv. Legacy cries all the time and I love him for it (and other things too, of course). But it just really rubbed me the wrong way with Nathan. He has never reacted anything close to that way, and suddenly Adam tells him he needs to be more likable and he’s bawling all over the place? Seems off to me.
And I hear ya on Sonya, but I don’t know, I really liked that dance. I thought the movement in it was great and they were engaging.
J, I have to say that I do think it might be Ryan’s night tonight. Don’t really care if he leaves though, he’s definitely not a favorite.
Here is what I would like to see: a dance where the woman is in a business suit and the guy is dressed in something lacy (or equivalent). That hip-hop dance around the desk was just one of many where the woman is dressed sexually while the man is in business attire. Usually, she is also begging him to take her back or something like that. It actually wasn’t until the end when she handed him that paper labeled “harrassment” that I realized it was supposed to be a work setting.
That has just been bugging me a little for a while, and where can you say anything? Why, here, of course!
Predictions:
Legacy (sob) and ? to leave. Unfortunately Legacy and Ashleigh’s choreography for both dances was okay, though the first was better. The second was blah.
I was pretty happy with the other dances though. I adore Ellenore, Jakob, and Nathan. I could happily see Noelle go, though. Kathryn is sexy as all get out.
Also, I’d be okay if NappyTabs were replaced…I find their shtick old. Bring on more Travis! Pasha! Sonya! Bollywood!
Love this website, and love SYTCYD, and am glad that others love it too! But – please can you stop posting this stuff, or at least put ‘spoiler’ and leave a load of blank lines before you do? Those of us who are watching this in other countries – a few weeks behind – would really appreciate not being told who’s still in the competition! Every time it turns up in my RSS feed, I try to press ‘next’ as far as I can, but I always end up seeing the names of the first two couples because they’re in bold!
Otherwise I’m just going to have to unsubscribe from Feministe and that would be sad…
Thank you!
Will do, BevS! Sorry about that, don’t unsubscribe! =)
Mama Mia, you know I didn’t even realize that the folder said harassment until I watched the dance again yesterday. I figured they were supposed to be at work, but now I see the dance in a different light and I like it even less.
I totally called the elimination this week.
Regarding gender roles in dance, I blogged about this yesterday. It’s just so unimaginative, for one thing. I really liked the “invention of the telephone” dance for that reason. It wasn’t about men and women. It was about inventing a freaking telephone. And the dance with the two thieves and the alien dance last season and so on. Even the folk dances I prefer to the stupid “this dance is about a man and a woman doing blah blah blah.”
(Less ballroom, more bollywood. I used to like ballroom but now I just can’t stand it. Ashleigh and Legacy’s dull hip-hop was far more interesting to me than all the smooth waltzes in the universe.)
I love Nap&Tabs – Their Bleeding Love dance is my all time favourite. Possibly because it featured Mark <3<3<3 – but I'll admit their ability to amaze me has gone down. But I find all the dances this year so uninspired… maybe the change in set did that? It seems too showy now, while with the old stage it allowed the idea that we were stepping into a private moment. This season is just seeming to drag for me – I can't get as addicted as I normally am.
I do have issues with how gender is presented (seriously – the clothes they put in the women in?! while the men get to be fully covered). Although romantic stories do deserve to be told, I would like to see some new innovation or at least playing with gender. I find this dance from SYTYCD Canada at least providing something a little bit new in ways of gender in hip hop – while the woman is sexual, she is not objectified. She is in control and even gropes him!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W1BTsRuBIc
Also, one of the most beautiful dances I have ever seen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERFv2VitmKo