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WEDNESDAY: PERFORMANCE SHOW

Last week, Arassay and Vincent were sent home. As the finale continues to draw quickly upon us, Canada’s Top 6 dancers were ready to dance for their lives.

Host Leah Miller introduced permanent judges Tré Armstrong and Jean Marc Genereux, while special guest judges Sean Cheesman (who has worked with Tina Turner, Britney, MJ and Cher) and ‘Queen of Scream’ Mary Murphy—judge on the American version of the show—also joined the panel.

Once again, the remaining dancers chose new partners. Each pair would perform two duets. Up first to perform were Natalli Reznik and Nico Archambault with the disco.

“It’s very hard thing to do to shake your buttocks properly,” said choreographer Melissa Williams. “I have a stiff bum,” joked Nico.

The pair, like always, managed to wow the audience and the judges with their 1970s number. With high kicks and complicated lifts, Mary was ecstatic.

“That was just great, for crying out loud,” said Mary. “This choreography needed polish and you did that. You were fabulous out there.”

“What a powerhouse couple,” Sean said. “I’ve been waiting for this team and it was worth the wait.”

Allie Bertram and Izaak Smith were up next with a hip-hop routine—choreographed by Luther Brown.

With their hard-hitting and aggressive moves, the pair took the stage with matching black toques and baggy one-piece jumpsuit that Allie later undid to reveal a pink satin bra.

Again, like EVERY week, the judges were not blown away by Izaak’s performance.

“Izaak, when you get a character, you really go for it, but when you don’t, you end up getting lost. You didn’t deliver,” said Mary.

“The routine that I saw was amazing, but the performance was just good. At Top 6, you can’t be just good,” said Tré. “You need to be a lot tougher. You need to give a lot more.”

Am I the only one who thinks Izaak’s stay is long overdue?

Lisa Auguste and Miles Faber were paired up once again. The duo performed an emotional contemporary piece that choreographer Blake McGrath dedicated to his recently deceased grandmother.

“It’s about a female who wants to see [her husband's] face one more time,” Blake explained.

“You know, every once in a while on this show a number comes along and really tugs at my heart strings,” Mary said, stating that this was one of those pieces.

“Your delivery was spectacular,” Jean Marc told the two. “This performance was priceless and will be memorable for a long, long time.”

For their second performance of the night, Natalli and Nico took the quickstep to the stage.

The duo performed with grace, elegance and tackled the quick footwork.

“Wow! Lemme tell ya, the quickstep is one dance you can’t fake and you guys really did it fabulously,” said Mary. “You guys are pure glamour out there,” and stated the two were her favourite couple of the night.

Tré was also impressed. “I know what I like and I loved that! You guys looked so graceful.”

Allie and Izaak got groovy with an old school jazz routine. Izaak starred as Prince Charming while Allie played the Cinderella character—in a white dress and pink sneakers. The high-energy routine actually impressed the judges.

“That number makes me want to go ‘aw.’ It was so sweet,” Mary said. “Allie, you looked like an angel out there on the dance floor.”

Jean Marc said that Izaak had a great night but added that he did not think it might be enough in the end. “I love you guys,” he added.

Lisa and Miles were up last with a cha-cha routine. The sultry routine included sharp hip movements. To end it off, Lisa ripped Miles’ shirt off.

Mary was blown away and gave the two the first class ticker to her Hot Tamale Train. “Woo woo!” she said, standing.

“All I have to say is that’s just fierce,” said Sean.

Jean Marc put Miles and Lisa on his V.I.D (Very Important Dancer) list. “You are very special people,” he said.

THURSDAY NIGHT: TOP 4 REVEALED

After Wednesday’s performance, Canada voted a recording breaking three million times. After the Top 6 kicked off the show with Tré’s step dance number, the girls and the boys each performed a solo.

At the end of the show, host Leah Miller announced that Lisa and Izaak would be heading home.

While I am disappointed that Lisa left, I think it was Izaak’s time to go.

“Those two are amazing,” said Jean Marc. “I’ve seen you both transform and do miraculous things.”
So Canada, here are your Top 4:

ALLIE Bertram, 18, a Ballet dancer from Calgary

MILES Faber, 21, a Popper and Boogaloo dancer from Calgary

NATALLI Reznik, 28, a Hip-Hop/Latin dancer from Toronto

NICO Archambault, 23, a Contemporary/Hip-Hop dancer from Montréal.

Watch the Top 4 hit the stage in a two-hour final show performance Wednesday night at 8 p.m. E.T.

Canada’s favourite dancer will be revealed during a two-hour results show on Sunday, December 7 at 9 p.m. E.T on CTV.

It’s coming guys. In a couple weeks your favourite dancer will be crowned–that is if you freakin vote for him or her! I am quite disappointed with tonight’s results show (which we will get to later). I sound like a broken record–got it–but you need to vote. If I vote, so should you. Like host Leah Miller constantly points out, if you use your cell phone, it’s FREE!

WEDNESDAY PERFORMANCE SHOW

I had the pleasure of attending the Top 8 live taping show on Monday night. And I will admit. I had a bloody good time.

The atmosphere and excitement you sense from the comfort of your couch is immeasurable in the studio. The energy is untamable. The chemistry between the dancers is undeniable. It’s unreal.

But of course there is one thing that is misleading to you viewers at home. The stage. With great editing and creative camera use, the studio appears A LOT bigger on television than in reality. But to audience members, it means they are only so much closer to their favourite dancers.

Special guest judges Mia Michaels and Dan Karaty–judges and choreographers on American version of the show – joined permanent judges Tré Armstrong (who is breathtaking in person) and Jean Marc Genereux (whose accent is just as cool in reality as it is on TV).

Not only have the dancers chosen new partners at random, but also each pair will perform two different dance styles. Each viewer, however, must vote for his or her favourite dancer–not couple. The girl and boy with the lowest votes will be voted off.

Up first to perform the Samba were Allie Bertram and Miles Faber. Wearing Adam and Eve-inspired costumes (Miles shirtless; Allie barely clothed) the two blew the audience away with their challenging lifts and intricate footwork. The judges loved it.

“First of all, you need to always dress like this,” Mia said to Miles. I concur. I could see Miles’ abs from where I was sitting. Super nice.

“You guys owned the stage,” said Dan. “Phenomenal job, guys.”

Performing the Lindy Hop were Arassay Reyes and Izaak Smith.

While the judges were impressed with their lifts and flips, Mia felt the overall performance was a bit sloppy. While Mia said that Arassay was “amazing” she believed Izaak needed to up his game. “You’re adorable, but you should be more physical. The reality of your performance needs to step up.”

“It was a bundle of energy,” Jean Marc said. “It was like watching two kids have the time of their lives.”

Natalli Reznik and Vincent Noiseux teamed up with choreographer Lil “C” for a hard-hitting Krump performance. Pretending to be robbers, the pair hit the moves hard but, at one point, Natalli forgot the routine.

“You didn’t throw in the towel, you finished it,” said Tré. “You’re keeping it real under major pressure.”

Now for my favourite routine of the night. Although I am quite saddened that Nico Archambault is no longer with Arassay, his jazz-funk performance with Lisa Auguste oozes sexiness.

Blake McGrath choreographed the jazz-funk piece that had Lisa portray a superstar and Nico as her paparazzi (can we say Britney and Adnan?). “It’s gonna be hot, baby,” Blake assured the audience.

Oh it was.

With Lisa entering the stage with extensions and thigh-high boots, Nico followed with a camera. It was aggressive, passionate, sexual, raw and just darn good.

“Blake, you’re dirty, dirty, filthy!” Mia exclaimed. “Wow! You can’t deny the hotness of that. It’s so intricate. You hit it, it was amazing. It’s a great video piece.”

“Apparently you don’t have to censor much here in Canada,” Dan joked.
The crowd applauded. “You guys turned it on.”

Performing their second routine of the night were Allie and Miles with African-jazz. The two wowed the crowd once again with their performance.

“What a beautiful, beautiful, feel good piece,” said Dan.

Up performing the Tango were Arrassay and Izaak. While Arassay’s flexibility came through, Izaak’s strength was also essential for the many lifts.

“You are a sexy little bunny,” Mia told Arassay. “You were giving so much passion and fire. You were trying to connect, but when you’re doing partnering, it’s a marriage and it has to mesh together.”

However, Mia did not feel the same for Izaak.

“It wasn’t there for me,” she said to Izaak. “I want you to be at that other level. I want you to soar.”

Natalli and Vincent were up next with a breathtaking contemporary piece – my second favourite of the night.

Performed to Mika’s “Happy Ending” the pair truly captured the rawness and beauty of the dance.

“I don’t have a list or train and I’m sure as hell not going to throw you on a bus or a rocket, but that was the best performance of the night. That’s what we expect from the Top 8,” said Dan.

Jean Marc grew emotional and gave the two a standing ovation. “I love you guys,” he said. “I can’t tell you how much.”

The final performance of the night had Lisa and Nico dancing to hip-hop. Carrying black suitcases with dollar signs, Nico said that incorporating the props was tricky.

“The style was ridiculous,” Mia said after their performance. “I have nothing bad to say.”

Dan even had more powerful words of appraisal: “I judge around the world, and I have to say the Canadian show, especially the dancers on it, is second to none. From the moment you guys picked up your briefcases, I knew you guys were committed.”

As the judges made their closing remarks, Jean Marc made a strong point.

“If you think they’re safe, they are not. Nobody is safe unless you make them safe,” he said in reference to your favourite dancer.

THURSDAY’S RESULTS SHOW

Canada voted and tonight’s bottom four were: Arassay and Lisa; Vincent and Izaak. While Izaak has been receiving criticism from the judges for weeks, he was safe. Vincent was sent home as well as Arassay. Host Leah Miller was emotional reading the results and once again stressed the importance of having to vote.

So I will beat you over the head with it if I must. But please vote. Or cry with everyone else when they say their goodbyes prematurely.