Some of my favorite So You Think You Can Dance routines
At first, I was a little disappointed with this season’s So You Think You Can Dance. I found most of the routines underwhelming. Furthermore, Mary and Nigel constantly telling us that it’s the “best dancers they’ve ever had” and the most “competition they’ve ever seen” is a red flag. I think most viewers, those with dance training and without, know what they like and why they like it. And viewers don’t like being told they should like something.
So I started thinking about my favorite pieces from past seasons. I thought about how I got goose bumps when Anya and Danny did the Viennese Waltz. I remembered how Benji’s solos always put a smile on my face. I’ll concede that season four hit it’s stride after this week. But, you can’t argue that previous seasons, especially two and three, left a lot for these new dancers to live up to.
Some of my favorite pieces from Fox’s hit show are after the jump. I’ll probably come up with more but here’s something to start you off. Enjoy!
Let’s start with that Danny / Anya waltz routine. Usually the Viennese Waltz, much like the Quick Step, can be the kiss of death on this show. But these two pulled it off beautifully. They looked so mature up there. Of course, it didn’t hurt that both of them are stunning. I still get goose bumps when Danny turns her (sorry, I don’t know the term).
Last week, we saw another great Viennese Waltz by Twitch and Kherrington. This was nicely danced as well, but the story behind it took it to a whole other level emotionally. I think this left a lot of viewers in tears.
Let’s talk about Disco. So, far the disco this season has been drab. Courtney and Gev’s piece the first week was too contrived. And I think everyone was a bit surprised that Will and Jess’s routine didn’t land them in the bottom three this week. (I will say that Will was wonderfully entertaining in it though.) Here’s two disco routines you might have forgotten. Natalie and Musa’s piece shows just how important it is to have a strong guy when it comes to partnering. On the other hand, Lacey and Kamryn’s piece shows how important a great female partner can be.
This is hands-down my favorite Latin ballroom routine EVER on the show. Sure, I know you’re going to say that Benji and Heidi had an advantage because they’re cousins and dance partners (champions to boot). It still made for good entertainment. Try counting how many turns Heidi does.
Here’s my favorite contemporary piece from choreographer Mia Michaels. I know I’ve said that I find her work inaccessible, but this one had me on the edge of my seat. Lauren and Danny are believable as lovers and both are technically proficient enough to pull off Mia’s “alien” movements.
We know by now that the solos are just as important as the duets on this solo. These are two of my favorite solos. It’s hard to put it all out there in thirty seconds. They have to mix tricks and choreography. Plus the dancers have to relax enough so that they can show the judges how much joy they get from dance.
I love this solo by Natalie. She’s very sexy and quirky. And that turn she does from the floor onto the tops of her feet is awesome. Benji’s solo shows that ballroom dancers too can be amazing solo artists. He was there to win from the beginning.
Here’s one of my favorite Wade Robson pieces. I think many of you will agree it’s pretty darn good.
“Rama Lama Bang Bang” is one of my favorite group pieces. The song is fantastic. The choreography has just the right amount of kitsch. And the performance? Take a look.
So that’s it for now. What are your favorite dances from past seasons? From this season? And how do you think season four measures up with past seasons?
Idol Note-by-Note: Cook Shows Mettle to Diamond
Don't miss one songor one note of British sarcasmwith our performance-show liveblog:
The five remaining American Idol aspirants will double dip into the prolific songbook of guest mentor Neil Diamond. Now that their numbers are dwindling, each finalist will take on two of the "Sweet Caroline" crooner's standards.
(Yes, we're mourning the premature departure of Carly Smithsonlike her personality or not, the lass never sounded badbut we're just going to have to press on.)
Anyway, we know Kristy Lee Cook would have gone with "America"she was crafty, wasn't she?but prepare to be reacquainted with some old favorites, as well as a whole host of tunes you had no idea belonged to Diamond and some tunes you probably never heard before but your mom just loves.
8:06 p.m.: Jason Castro is wielding his guitar again and, unlike last week, is not sounding ridiculous while singing "Forever in Blue Jeans." The judges won't comment until after his second number, but so far so good…
8:12 p.m.: Diamond got goose bumps listening to David Cook rehearse "All I Really Need Is You," which he'll sing…later. First up is "I'm Alive," and the perky, contemporary-ish tune complements Cook's rasp quite well. He could be the lead singer of Lifehouse, or Edwin McCain…
8:14 p.m.: Oh, Brooke White…"I'm a Believer" was meant for someone else, but not for you. (The Monkees' 1966 recording is the go-to version, but it was Diamond who penned it and recorded it first.)
8:22 p.m.: Leave it to the "prodigy" (Diamond's word not ours) to take on "Sweet Caroline."
OK, the guest mentors really need to stop gushing before the contestants hit the stage. David Archuleta was composed (did he flub the words early on? It was hard to tell because he didn't, um, start and stop or anything), but we doubt the Red Sox are going to be commanding a performance at Fenway anytime soon.
8:26 p.m.: "Hello Again," Syesha Mercado. That was beautiful. We hope you don't get rewarded for your second straight lovely performance with another trip to the bottom two.
8:27 p.m.: The judges are starting to weigh in. As far as Randy is concerned: Jason, just OK; David C., good; Brooke, better than last week; David A., "the bomb"; Syesha, very nice.
But it isn't just the contestants having a rough time of itPaula thinks Castro has already performed twice.
8:34 p.m.: And on with the second go-round…Castro is up again, this time with "September Morn."
The song seems a little low for him, and his sweetness factor isn't really registering.
8:37 p.m. And Simon agrees, telling Castro he thinks the singer will look back at this performance and not "know who this person is."
8:39 p.m.: Whether he wants to or not, Cook is totally ready to join Daughtry on the adult-contemporary rock stations.
Hey, we just mean he could sell records, that's all. "Brilliant," Simon deems his heart-tugging take on "All I Really Need Is You."
8:45 p.m.: After her first song was called "a nightmare" by you-know-who, White's gonna try again, this time on piano, with "I Am…I Said."
After a few bars it's already so much better than her other song, but…why did Carly get kicked off again?
8:47 p.m.: "This is the Brooke we like," Simon says. (Could Ryan Seacrest be reciting those numbers any faster? And that, my friends, is how you cram 10 songs into 48 or so minutes.)
8:51 p.m.: Simon acknowledges how smart it is to choose a song like "America." The judges seem to like Archuleta's version, but as far as we're concerned…eh. And with that black and white-striped shirt, it looked as if he was "coming to America" after escaping from prison. The kind where you work on the railroad with a ball and chain around your ankle.
8:55 p.m.: "I Thank the Lord for the Night Time," and we thank the voterssome of them, anywayfor Mercado's continued presence, however slim a thread she clings to.
A cross "between Corinne Bailey Rae and Minnie Riperton," Paula says, apparently to really draw the youth vote into Neil Diamond night. Meanwhile, Simon thinks Mercado's a fine singer-actress, but fears (well, thinks, because Simon doesn't actually fear anything) she could be in trouble after tonight.
So, who sang it out of the park, and who should be tuning into Idol next week from the comfort of his/her own home?