One Last Drink

Ahhh....the season went so fast! I know they are having a fall show and all, but the finale? Already? Seems like we just got started.

I enjoyed tonight's finale. I LOVED having it at a large theater like the Kodak. Especially because it seems the venue made it impossible for the cameras to jerk me around like they like to do. I feel like I saw most of the dances and I liked what I saw.

First of all, I think Adam Shankman is my favorite guest judge. He brings such a humble joy to the judges table that every other ego maniac lacks. I enjoy his unbridled enthusiasm. I am a fan of his gushing. And I think his criticisms are fair.

Second of all, I think he stole a lot of Mary's thunder. Mary has always been able to be the emotional shouter and after Adam's squealing and standing, Mary just seemed to be copying. Even her patented hot tamale scream seemed staged, somehow.

Lastly (at least in the judges comments), when did Nigel turn into such a creepy lecher? I'm not joking, the big toothed Brit made some kind of leering comment about Jeanine or Kayla after every dance. Gross. Please stop.

Now onto the dancing. I can't believe how underwhelming Wade's routine was. I missed his kooky music and costumes. Obviously, choreographers like to try new things, but the routine seemed so mainstream, and so acted, that the dancing itself seemed almost secondary. It wasn't my favorite, and Wade is almost always my favorite.

Sonja's routine with Evan and Jeanine put the smile back on my face, however. Sonja definitely has a trademark style, and the same moves seem to show up in routine after routine, but I guess I like them enough to not tire of them. I agree with the judges that making up a dance about a girl who beats up on a wimpier guy was perfect for Evan. I'm annoyed that he's in the finale. He's turned into kind of a one trick pony, after seeming so versatile in Vegas, that I was happy for him to fit into a dance so well. Jeanine, of course, rocked it. Everything she touches seems to turn into gold.

I think, overall, this season had too much Tyce. When Cat announced Brandon and Kayla would have him as their choreographer, I audibly sighed thinking it would be a wasted opportunity for their considerable talent. Thankfully, he upped the ante a little bit and had them do something more than jazz hands and pulling faces. Still, I didn't like the music, didn't understand the costumes, and the story was never fully explained to me. But the dancing was great.

Now, Evan might not have a nasty bone in his body, but I thought he danced the boys routine almost as well as Brandon. He has moves! I don't know if you remember Benji from season 2, but he couldn't pull off a tough guy either, and audiences loved him. I think Evan has some of that same charm. I loved the choreography and wished the judges hadn't made such a big deal about Evan's sweetness. Brandon seemed a bit uncomfortable with all the Evan criticism too. I wonder if they've bonded this week?

As far as the girls go, I know Jeanine had a super show, but dancing side by side with Kayla, I saw a difference in fluidity of motion and interpretation. Hands down, I preferred Kayla to Jeanine. Kayla's motion, and her stillness, looked superior to me. The piece was interesting, and Mia is a genius (yada, yada, yada - can't have a show where that fact isn't stated at least once) but the unsnapping of so many skirts was risky and both Kayla and Jeanine fumbled at different times. I'm sure the dancers stumble in almost every dance, but when it's as obvious as missing a snap (because while we might all not know what a perfect arabesque looks like, we do know what unsnapping something on beat is supposed to look like), the entire dance seems less polished.

Evan and Kayla. Those are two dancers that are not supposed to dance together. They managed to maniuplate the heigh difference with a barefoot waltz a couple of weeks ago, but, I'm sorry, they did not pull off this jive in cowboy boots. I can't believe none of the judges mentioned how awkward she looked doing foot retractions in her ankle disguising clunky boots. I keep trying to think of what ballroom dance would have been better for this pair, but I can't think of one, so, I suppose jive was it. So...cowboy boots I got. It's too bad for both of them that this was their last dance.

No 12 episode dance show should have three paso dobles, but thank goodness there was finally a good one! The music (intense), the costumes (they looked like vampires!) and the dancing all added up to eye glue. I could not take my eyes off of them. There weren't even any fancy tricks to make me ooh and aah. In fact, after watching the practice interviews, it seems they left some of the lifts out, but both Brandon and Jeanine are good enough performers that I totally bought this bull-fighting-or-whatever-it's-supposed-to-mean death dance.

As far as solos go, I did get goosepimply when Jeanette danced. I wish I liked her better. I've tried to pinpoint what it is about her that keeps me from being a believer, and all I can say is....it's her. Her neck, her big hair, her punch-you-in-the-arm personality. I don't know. Something. But, she had a great night and she just might win.

But, then again...so could Evan. Like I said earlier, he's this year's Benji (I don't know why they kept saying they had never had a dancer like him before. Has no one ever seen this show before???? Hello!)

Obviously, Brandon could. I've never been so confused about a dancer. He's all muscles and power and brutish man when he dances, and yet each interview he gives makes me think he just might have a few stuffed animals on his bed.

Me? I'm rooting for Kayla. She lacks in personality what a winner should probably have, but she's just everything I enjoy watching. She's my favorite dancer. Not my favorite television personality, but there is no dancer I would prefer to see in any dance, any style, any partner (except when she's paired with Evan), than her. Go Kayla!

Well...I'm water logged and bloated now and the boss wants me to get back to work. It feels so incredibly unnecessary to write about this show. I mean, I'm already admitting to some major time wasting by watching the three hours every week (although, to be fair, with DVR it's really only about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Sorry to you without DVRs.) Then, I can't imagine I, or any posterity, will care about these thoughts about a TV show in the future. Who? What? Why? Exactly.

Still...I've enjoyed our gatherings at the water cooler. It almost....almost feels like I'm actually standing next to one with some of my favorite co-time wasters:)