By Jasmine Williams
We’re down to the final eight dancers and the finale is so close, you can practically smell it. My GBFF Jesse Tyler Ferguson was on the panel last night, so everything is going to be 35.6 percent better than the average episode. Yes, I made that statistic up but the sentiment is totally valid.
Here are my favourite moments from this week’s episode:
1. Witney and Twitch’s Hip Hop
Although I wasn’t a fan of Witney’s puffy sleeves meets droopy pants concoction of a costume, I have to give props to Luther Brown (from SYTYCD Canada, what what!) for this hard-hitting East Coast hip hop routine. It was all kinds of stupid, and I mean that in the best possible way. Twitch can do no wrong and Witney brought just the right amount of sassy girl power to their paring. But what I loved most was that there was no crazy storyline, no awkward props, just straight up hip hop, and I loved it. Take notes, Christopher Scott.
2. Eliana and Ryan’s Quickstep
I don’t think a week has gone by where Eliana hasn’t been one of my favorites. Even dancing the “dreaded” quickstep, this girl shines. She was playing the role of a forgotten housewife, but she completely turned the tables on this routine, turning this somewhat stiff dance into something truly unforgettable. Even Mary Murphy, who always has some criticism for the ballroom routines, praised her form in this piece. Give this girl a first-class ticket to the finals!
3. Cole’s solo Read more…
By Jasmine Williams
It’s the return of the all-stars! After tackling the most memorable Mia Michaels’ routines last week, the dancers faced an all-new challenge. This week, we got to see the top ten perform with the shining stars of So You Think You Can Dance yesteryear. Also, choreographer Benjamin Millepied was on the judging panel! He was the genius behind the moves in Black Swan and he’s Natalie Portman’s new hubby.
Here are my favourite moments from this week’s episode:
1. Opening group routine
This energetic homage to Gene Kelly choreographed by Tyce Diorio was so much fun! I couldn’t take my eyes off of Eliana, playing the glamourous Hollywood ingénue and the addition of funky trash can lids on their feet was a cool percussive touch. I only wish I could hear them better. And last but certainly not least, Tyce made a cameo as one of the dancers. He fit in so well I didn’t even notice he was there until the end, which I think is a good thing?
2. Tiffany’s disco routine
It seems that Tiffany was born for disco. This dance was electric and full of energy from beginning to end and the 11 (yes, 11) lifts were all executed perfectly. Plus, she had great chemistry with her all-star, season five’s Brandon. And the sparkly disco ball lighting and glittery ripped jumpsuit didn’t hurt either. It was dizzyingly amazing.
3. Witney’s jazz Read more…
By Jasmine Williams
After a two-week hiatus for another popular televised competition (wink wink), So You Think You Can Dance is finally back! And following on the heels of the USA’s stellar performance in said competition, the pressure is certainly on for the Top 14 to deliver.
This week, the dancers are faced with the monumentally nerve-wracking task this week of recreating Emmy-winning choreographer/resident goddess Mia Michael’s routines from previous seasons while keeping in mind the fact that four of them will be going home almost immediately afterward. You can’t see it, but I’m sympathy-sweating right now. But, the SYTYCD-geek in me can’t wait to see those old routines!
Here are my favourite moments from this week’s episode:
1. Michael Nunn and Billy Trevitt
While I love a celebrity guest judge, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson is my new BFF (though he doesn’t know it yet), I love it even more when they bring in the professionals. The “Ballet Boys” had some really enlightening comments and added a nice balance to the campiness of Mary’s shouting and Nigel’s slightly-lecherous old man commentary. Who else cringed when he mentioned “Fifty Shades of Grey”? Also, I thought it was adorable (albeit slightly pretentious) how they didn’t know any of the routines or who SYTYCD alum Titch Twitch was.
2. Holy props, Batman
Mia Michaels’ group performance had everything: rope climbing, roses, girls in hoop skirts, and a single, stolen kiss. While it was almost overwhelming at times, the dancers’ pulled it off flawlessly, swinging from those ropes like Gothic Victorian Tarzans. Yes, that’s a thing. Well, now it is.
3. Janelle and Dareian’s Bed routine Read more…
By Jasmine Williams
This week, we get to learn a little bit more about the Top 16 dancers. The weirdest tidbits? Lindsay has a foot phobia, and Eliana killed her pet bird by sleeping on it. Maybe we learned a little too much. And while the dancers’ unusual secrets might be memorable, their routines this week were definitely not. A lot of the routines didn’t quite hit the mark, and got some rough critiques from the judges. Better luck next time?
Here are the top five performances from this week’s episode of So You Think You Can Dance:
1. Charlie Chaplin-esque group routine
This number focused mysteriously around a bright red umbrella. With a bit of TV magic, the umbrella stood out beautifully against the colourless dancers. The costuming was also brilliant, complete with fake mustaches, baggy pants, and suspenders. Even the choreography seemed to mirror Chaplin’s jerky movements and odd characters. All in all, a very cool routine.
2. Amber and Brandon “sultry and soulful” jazz
I don’t know about the audience, but I felt like I needed a fan and a glass of water watching this routine. It was as hot and steamy as a summer in the deep South. Amber looked completely in her element and Brandon was a strong and supportive partner. My favourite part? When Brandon pushed a chair across the stage, which Amber sat on without even looking at it! How do they do that?!
3. Amelia and Will’s quirky contemporary Read more…
By Jasmine Williams
This week, we were faced with the bittersweet reality that the honeymoon period is over, and four dancers will be leaving at the end of the show. Although some super standout performances made this episode worthwhile; it also seemed rather soft choreography-wise. Maybe it’s just me, but I miss the hard-hitting moves of krumpers like Comfort and choreographers like Lil C. Even the hip hop numbers on this week’s episode were barely recognizable.
Here’s what I learned on this week’s episode:
1. NappyTabs does… jazz?
Every week my mom and I play a game with the opening number called “Guess the Choreographer”. After years of following the show almost religiously, we have become pretty adept at recognizing Sonya’s sharp and technical style or Tyce’s peppy broadway numbers. But we were both floored when Cat pointed to noted hip-hoppers Napoleon and Tabitha as the choreographers of this week’s group number. A dark, Alice in Wonderland-esque jazz number with an unexpectedly awesome dubstep break in the middle, the piece was set to Marilyn Manson’s “Beautiful People” of all songs. It was different, but totally amazing, showcasing popper Cyrus’ unique skills. These two can do no wrong.
2. Sonya Tayeh = choreographer of the night
Sonya’s routines were definitely some of the stand-out performances of this week’s show. First couple Amelia and Will got a contemporary routine that was simply breathtaking. Amelia’s legs seemed to go on for miles, and Will was there for her every step. It was obvious that they were so comfortable with this. They deserved the standing ovation from guest judge Adam Shankman. Second couple Audrey and Matthew got a more traditionally Sonya routine but killed it as well, bringing power and sexiness to the fierce routine.
3. Brandon and Janaya’s Broadway Read more…
After a week away from our television screens to celebrate the July 4 holiday, SYTYCD is back for its first “real” show of the season. The Top 20 dancers are all partnered up, styles have been chosen and their fates are left in the hands of the voting public. But this time around, the audience will be voting for individuals, not couples, since two winners will be crowned.
Here are the Top 5 moments from this week’s episode:
1. The Opening Group Routine — Working a daytime desk job for the summer, I can relate to the frustration of working in such a confined space. This routine, choreographed by Christopher Scott, exemplified this wonderfully. The dancers movements were so sharp and contained, and I loved the angular way they moved around the stage. The desk and coffee mug props were used well and throwing the papers up at the end was a nice touch. Doesn’t everybody wish they could do that sometimes?
2. Witney and Chehon’s Samba — Alright, so it’s not quite fair that Witney got her style right off the bat, but I guess that’s just the luck of the draw. She killed this flirty samba routine that was energetic, sassy, and right up her alley, and earned first class tickets on Mary’s Hot Tamale train. But what about her Read more…
On this week’s episode of So You Think You Can Dance — the 200th ever might I add — we’re finally introduced to this season’s Top 20. We’re also introduced to the adjudicating styles of princess of quirk, Zooey Deschanel, who looked lovely but in all honesty, had little to add to the panel. And Nigel, in SYTYCD’s constant attempt to change up the show, dropped the very big news that there will be not one but two winners this season! Now there’s no need to choose between your top guy and girl, you can have your cake and eat it too!
Here are the top five moments from this week’s episode of So You Think You Can Dance:
1. Team Ballroom makes it through — Throughout the whole competition thus far, one of the main concerns has been whether ballroom dancers and besties Whitney Carson and Lindsay Arnold would both make the show. And with their matching wavy blonde hair and tanned skin, they could easily pass for twins. They draw out the suspense, bringing both girls in at the same time and calling Whitney’s named first. But even the judges couldn’t split up these two hot tamales and the pair strutted their stuff right into the Top 20 with a fiery ballroom routine.
2. The baseball routine — Read more…
Hear that? It’s the sound of hundreds of dancers’ hearts breaking. Vegas week is finally here and with it come the cruelest cuts of the competition. Favourites fall from grace, and underdogs survive and even thrive in the pressure cooker that is the Planet Hollywood Hotel.
Here are the top five moments from Vegas Week (in no particular order):
1) Hampton “The Exorcist” Williams bowing out of the competition: After receiving the longest standing ovation of the entire competition thus far, and leaving almost all the judges in tears, this beautiful creature of a popper decided to leave after being unable to hack Twitch and Comfort’s crazy fast Atlanta-style hip hop choreo. It’s sad but as Nigel said, this competition is meant for people who can adapt to other styles. ‘Tis the nature of the beast. Dragon House dancers Boris and Andre also found the hip hop round too tough, but last member Cyrus makes it all the way through and does an epic solo to boot!
Here’s his original performance:
2) Team Ballroom: Favourites Whitney Carson and Lindsay Arnold are not only blonde bombshell ballroom dancing divas, they are also childhood friends who have danced together since they were little. And coincidence (or maybe not), the two end up rooming together in Vegas! How adorbs! And it seems that there’s no cattiness between the girls as they support each other throughout the week and even make it to the very last round before the Green Mile! Let’s hope there’s room in the top 20 for both of them, the fact that they’re both so similar makes me a little nervous.
3) Alexa Anderson: Read more…
By Jasmine Williams
It’s here guys, the end of the auditions. The sun set in Salt Lake City. We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve been amazed, and now that drama has come to an end. NOT. The auditions may be over, but Vegas (or as the lucky hopefuls would put it, “VEGAAAAAS!”) is just around the corner and judging from the promos, Cat may be right in saying this will be the most dramatic Vegas week ever.
But until then, we’ll revel in the last of this season’s auditions and guest judge Adam Shankman’s theatrics. Here is the good, the bad, and the just plain wacky from the Salt Lake City auditions!
1) Whitney Carson
This girl is so young she still has braces, but her dancing is definitely not immature. There’s been a severe lack of female ballroom dancers this season, and this girl brought the heat! She reminded me of a younger Chelsie Hightower from season four. She’s young and certainly has much to learn, but has a lot of potential. Just maybe tone down the cleavage next time, I thought her partner was gonna lose an eye!
2) Lynn Gravatt
A former aerospace engineer who left the world of science and innovation to follow her three spirit guides was crazy in the best possible way. Two words: bath salts? But all joking aside, her dancing was too spastic to warrant her moving on in the competition. But as Mary Murphy pointed out, she looks happy and that’s all that matters, right? And Gravatt did have the positive message of saying that you’re life doesn’t end at 30 and you can start over whenever you would like. For a group of dancers with careers that will likely be short-lived, this is some good advice to follow.
3) Mariah Spears Read more…
By Jasmine Williams
This week, So You Think You Can Dance returns to Hotlanta, which if you remember, was where Season 8’s winner Melanie auditioned. And Debbie Allen of “Fame” fame was the guest judge. No pressure. Will lightning strike the same spot twice?
Here are the top 5 auditions from this week’s episode:
1) Damon Bellmon, 20 and Deon Lewis, 19
These two hip-hoppers fell into some controversy last year when their performance was accused of being a rip-off of a French dancing duet, Les Twins. While they claim it was a whole misunderstanding (and to give them credit, they did say it in their interview with Cat last year that it was inspired by the group), they came hard this year with their own choreography and a dubstep mashup of “Moves Like Jagger.” Unfortunately, only Damon made it through to Vegas, but Deon promised to support his dance partner every step of the way. Awww.
2) Audrey Case, 18 Read more…
This week’s ep brings us to the sun-soaked city streets of Los Angeles and a never-ending parade of fabulous dancers! I mean seriously, did anyone else get tired at how brilliant everyone was? Even the bad ones could still do a double pirouette or a backflip! And Jesse Tyler Ferguson from Modern Family was this week’s guest judge is the most likeable man on earth, so needless to say, this episode was overflowing with amazing.
Here are the top five auditions from this week’s episode. Cue the list!
1) Alexa Anderson
Starting off the show was Alexa, a second-time hopeful who made it all the way to the total nerve-wracking Green Mile* before losing her position to Season 8’s Ryan Ramirez. While I can see why there wasn’t enough room for two blond Blake Lively-esque bombshells on the SYTYCD stage, maybe this year will be her time to stand out. Performing an audition piece to an acoustic version of “Young Blood” by the Naked and Famous, there was a little too much arm flailing for my liking but she showed amazing control and there was definitely a little Mia Michaels influence in her choreography (always a plus!).
*Green Mile = the hallway dancers walk through before they learn whether they make the Top 20.
2) Eliana Gerard
This Alvin Ailey trained ballet dancer left the judges speechless and garnered a standing ovation at the end of her heart-stoppingly beautiful routine. But not only is she a classically trained dancer, she also worked with Cirque de Soleil as an aerial pole dancer. Yeah, apparently that occupation exists. And fun fact: pole dancers need to dress like… well, pole dancers because the skin helps them stick to the pole. Huh.
3) Nick and James Aragon Read more…
I love summer. I mean, how can you not? The beautiful weather, the breezy clothes and the return of So You Think You Can Dance! Although the Canadian version was cancelled (I’ll try not to hold it against you, Nigel), the original is back on prime time for its ninth season!
Here are the most memorable moments from the season premiere of “So You Think You Can Dance”:
1) The show started appropriately with its New York City auditions. The first featured dancer was Amelia Lowe, a young spritely thing who is a dead ringer for Louise Brooks and has a love for all things 1920s. She danced a routine to Non, Je ne Regrette Rien by Edith Piaf (yes, that song from Inception) that sent her straight through to Vegas.
Last night I didn’t intend to watch So You Think You Can Dance but then they sucked me in like they always do and were CRUEL to me. My cry count ended up being a whopping three and I felt the tears coming at other points in the night too.
One of my shameless cry-fests happened when 29-year-old mother and dancer Bree Hafen auditioned for the judges. Of course, she retold her touching story about putting dance on the back burner while she was raising her two beautiful children. Although she feels guilty, she decided to take some time to realize her true potential [cue violins].
That had me going already, but then Nigel had to go and invite her two adorable kids to the judging panel so they could properly watch their mom perform and cheer for her while she danced to Ingrid Michaelson’s “So What.”
I’m not done. After they handed her a plane ticket to Las Vegas they let her two-year-old toddler dance on stage and she was beyond ADORBZ. She wore a pink tutu and made pretty much everyone cry, including Mary Murphy and Lil C (well, Lil C on the inside). It’s G-rated, Hallmark entertainment at its best.
Watch it here:
Lady Gaga will be a guest Judge on So You Think You Can Dance. Gaga will be appearing on an episode later in the season.
Here’s a question – is Gaga the right person to be judging dancing? If it was a singing competition we can understand, but dancing is another story. And isn’t Gaga notorious for having some spills on stage here and there?
Isn’t Gaga judging a dancer like asking Lindsay Lohan to walk a straight line? Both are not experts in those given fields.
Just a few days after the Season 4 So You Think You Can Dance Canada premier, fans all over the country are geared up to embark on this year’s journey to find Canada’s next favourite dancer. Following a number of young hopefuls during the ups and downs of a difficult on air dancing competition, the new season and its judges promise to be bigger and better than any season prior. As judge Tré Armstrong reveals, viewers will be treated to sexy dancing and a lot of talent as early on as the first three minutes of the season.
“I’m anxious and nervous and excited and overwhelmed at the same time to see the show tonight,” Armstrong told andPOP on Monday, a mere few hours before the premier. “[It’s the] best season yet for sure.”
However, it’s definitely not all fun and games for the contestants. As every other season, this time around each competitor who the judges are unconvinced should proceed to Finals Week in Toronto must come face to face with their worst nightmare – a little thing called “Blake Boot Camp.”
“It’s definitely the first moment where their eyes really kind of start to bulge out of their heads and say wow, okay, I didn’t know how hard this is going to be,” says Armstrong’s co-judge and choreographer, Blake McGrath. “We do that to prepare them for the shows. It’s a really gruelling process.” The experience, which McGrath titles interesting, fun, and crazy, definitely takes its toll on the contestants’ nerves. “I think people throw up this year, actually,” the judge reveals.
Almost every major broadcaster in the U.S. has it’s own reality dance show. ABC airs “Dancing with the Stars,” MTV has “America’s Best Dance Crew,” FOX shows “So You Think You Can Dance” and Paula Abdul is the star of an upcoming CBS reality dance show.
But it’s not just a mere coincidence. The reason is simple: audiences are craving them. “So You Think You Can Dance Canada” is proof of this north of the boarder. Premiering in 2008, the Canadian reality show became an instant hit. The following year it ended season two with 11 per cent more viewers and an average audience of 1.43 million viewers.
“So You Think You Can Dance Canada has discovered some amazing talent over the past two seasons,” said CTV’s Susanne Boyce. “Show alumni are performing with Janet Jackson, Katy Perry, Alicia Keys, Ke$ha, and Adam Lambert, among others, making a statement about Canadian dance around the world.”
The third season kicked off Sunday at 9 p.m. EST. Performer and choreographer Blake McGrath — who’s a judge on the show — thinks this will be their biggest season yet. “I think it’s gonna be a stronger season for sure all around, from the choreography to the contestants,” he shared. “I’m really excited for it.”
For dancers hoping to make it onto the show, McGrath says the first step is training. Having confidence is a close second.
The reality show kicks off with Toronto auditions. Fans can catch weekly highlights and behind the scenes footage on demand at CTV.ca.
Keep track of the season three audition episodes with the list below:
· Sunday, August 15 at 9 p.m. ET (two hour premiere) – Toronto Auditions
· Monday, August 16 at 9 p.m. ET (two hours) – Calgary and Halifax Auditions
· Tuesday, August 17 at 8 p.m. ET (one hour) – Vancouver Auditions
· Wednesday, August 18 at 9 p.m. ET (two hours) – Montreal Auditions
· Thursday, August 19 at 9 p.m. ET (two hours) – Finals Week
· Sunday, August 22 at 9 p.m. ET (one hour) – Top 20 Reveal
For the second week in a row, So You Think You Can Dance judges cut someone because of injury, not poor performance. Ashley Galvan was cut from the competition Thursday night because of her cracked rib, reports People.com.
As she was asked to set forward as part of the bottom three contestants for the week, Judge Nigel Lythgoe explained that he had talked with Ashley’s doctors and they had determined she would need at least three weeks off to recover from her injury. She must have seen it coming, but the dancer still broke into tears while thanking her fans.
“I feel like I wasn’t ready to go,” she told People.com. “It sucks.”
Judge Mia Michaels said that Ashley could have gone far in the competition and was a contender to win—not great news for the show. Last week Alex Wong, the clear favourite to win the competition, was cut from the show due to a serious injury to his Achilles tendon.
With top dancers being axed for reasons not relating to their dancing abilities, it’s a real question whether the most talented dancers will be the last ones standing or not.
So You Think You Can Dance contestant Alex Wong won’t be taking the stage anytime soon, reports People.com.
On Thursday night Wong announced that he will be leaving the show and will be out for some time following a serious injury to his Achilles tendon. He will have surgery on Tuesday followed by a long three months of rest before he can get back to dancing.
“I’ve had an amazing time and I can’t get that anywhere else,” he tells People.com. “Not ever from day one did I ever think I was going for the gold.”
He said his goodbyes on the show and received a standing ovation from the judges, live audience, and likely teary-eyed fans watching from home. With his incredible skill, Alex Wong was a favourite to win the competition, but unfortunately for him, someone else will take the title.
“Alex is such a gift,” says SYTYCD judge Mia Michaels. “He is one of the greatest dancers, if not the greatest dancer that has ever come through our stage.”
This may not be the last we see of Alex, though. He tells People.com that “It’s a lot to give up but I would love to be back,” continuing, “I haven’t finished my journey. I have so much more to learn.”
While executive producer of the hit reality show So You Think You Can Dance, Nigel Lythgoe, has been fluttering around the news that the show’s upcoming season would see big changes for some time now, it is only recently that those changes have been revealed.
Here’s the low-down according to E! Online.com:
Each week, the dance contestants will be partnered with a So You Think You Can Dance All-Star, basically meaning that favourite dancers from past seasons will be back. The All-Stars will be put into a “pool,” as Lythgoe called it, and that is how partners and dance styles will be determined. “Instead of drawing the genre of dance out of a hat, contestants will draw a photograph of one of the All-Stars, and that will dictate the genre that they will be dancing,” Lythgoe told E! Online.
Other changes: instead of a top 20 dancers out of the Las Vegas boot camp week, it will only be a top 10. And each week, it will only be one dancer going home, not two. Each top 10 contestant will get a different All-Star (and therefore different genre of dance) every week. After the performance, the All-Star will exit the stage, leaving just the contestant left to face the judging panel.
“This will be the first time ever, apart from their solos, that they will walk forward alone to be judged,” Lythgoe said.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Bollywood debut was so awkward I could barely watch, but I couldn’t look away either.
There has never been any mistaking Harper for a cool guy; an Obama-type personality. Harper belongs on TLC, not MTV, and that isn’t news. But his appearance on India’s version of So You Think You Can Dance reaffirmed that there really isn’t much personality under his tough conservative skin.
In early October, Harper performed on stage with famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Harper’s rendition of The Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends was actually…not too bad. It was the first time that many had seen Harper peek his head out of a Conservative shell that he’d been hiding in since he became Prime Minister. I started to cut him some slack.
