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:)

They Have Water Coolers In Washington Too

I missed writing about last week's show. Mom, I promise I'm not obsessed about So You Think You Can Dance. I know these emotional reviews worry you, but it's not like I live and die for each week's show. I'm handling the fact that I can't watch Thursday's night show, because you guys unplugged your DVR in case of thunderstorms, with maturity and perspective. I am a duck and missing the show is like water rolling off my back. No big deal. I'm cool.

BUT....since I can't write about what happens tomorrow, I might as well write about tonight. I mean, every one here is asleep so I'm not monopolizing the computer and since I can't download any of the pictures I've taken so far, there is no point in blogging about my trip. Oh...I have had little essays rolling through my head about Costco and marriage (they aren't related) but it's late and I'm on the road again tomorrow and this will have to do.

First things first, Cat looked lovely. She epitomized how modesty and classy go hand in hand. Loved her dress. Loved her hair. Love her. She adds so much to the show.

I was so relieved when they announced that each couple would perform two dances. Finally - less talky talk and more dancing! The last two weeks have been brutal listening to the judges endlessly yap and the pre-dance interview's unnecessary intimacy.

I booed out loud when disco by Dorian was announced as the first number. Oddly enough, I own three discs of Disco Fever (bought from an infomercial during one of my weaker moments) and I enjoy them. I had a picture of John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever in my locker during most of high school. I've even thrown a disco murder/mystery party in my short lifetime. However, disco has been a major dud so far for me on this show. Even Brandon and Jeanette's "fastest disco ever" left me bored. I braced myself for disappointment.

Melissa was lacking but did you see Ade???? He was totally Jackson 5 out there! Maybe it's his very tame Afro, or shiny pants, but I would have been just fine if he could have hip bounced across the stage all night. That man knows how to groove. It was nice to see Ade carry the dance for once, even though none of the judges gave him proper credit. I like Melissa too but this was Ade's night.

Their second dance, the waltz, was schmaltzy. Oh, I know the choreographer said it was more open and less structured by leaving out a lot of the traditional holds, but, at times, it didn't even feel like a waltz. No matter, though, because I think they'll be safe this week even though they weren't handed any favors with their two "randomly" chosen dances (which, after last week, I hope is a myth that has been dispelled. No way the dances are pulled out of a hat).

Now, onto Kupono and Kayla. I am glad that I still have room to appreciate Mia because the woman, for all her ego and false humility, can make magic on that stage. For that minute and a half, Kayla was an addict and Kupono was whatever was bad for her. Absolutely. That is what I love about this art form. It is a living and breathing and dynamic statement about....whatever. Wow. I agree with Cat that it will be one of the more memorable pieces this season.



I didn't love their broadway routine, though. Personally, I find that choreographer (can't remember her name and don't have the energy to look it up) really intimidating. They might have too, because the whole dance felt 1-2-3-4ish to me. They danced it, but they didn't look like they were having any fun which Kayla, and her perfection in performance, can usually at least fake, and Kupono is supposedly able to jump into any character given him. I think Broadway has become the new Kiss of Death and if they didn't have that incredible first number, I think they would have been in the bottom three. But, fortunately, or unfortunately depending on if you're a Kupono fan or not, I don't think they will be. If they are, I still don't think the judges would get ride of Kupono because they must have plans for him on the tour or something. They need him to make it to Top 10. I can think of no other reason why they keep ignoring the masses who keep putting him in the bottom three.

Jason and Kaitlin. I'm not even going to bother writing about them because they are boring. They might be beautiful dancers but they've had five weeks to develop some kind of personality or spark between the two of them and it's missing every week and in every dance. I'm guessing she drives him crazy. She kind of has that neurotic quality about her, I think. I used to feel bad for him, but he's had plenty of time to step it up and hasn't bothered. I think both of them will leave tomorrow night.

As far as Brandon and Jeanette go....amazing! I didn't know I loved the Argentinian Tango. I know they highlighted it on the first results show, but the professional dancers had nothing on these two. I loved it. I was really glad they danced to traditional music. I think it helps. I've been distracted the last few ballroom routines when Latin numbers are paired with The Pussycat Dolls or some other northern flavor. I still have no idea why leg flicks are necessary when it comes to couple dancing in cafes, and have a hard time believing that this is performed by any kind of everyday Argentinian, but I clapped when their dance was done. And then Nigel copied me. I don't know how he does it.

The golden couple ended the night with what could only be greatness dancing a Wade Robson routine. It wasn't my favorite of his dances (although I loved the stair dancing. Something about Roisin Murphy and stairs must go together in his crazy brilliant mind) and Jeanette was a little off compared to Brandon (or maybe her shiny 80s spandex just threw me off) but they are like gold in Ft. Knox. Safe, safe, safe.

If one is to believe (and I do) that the dancers they want to go home get the least amount of help (like a "hard hitting" NappyTab number, or Dorian's disco (usually) or bad costumes) then it seems obvious that they must want Philip and Jeanine off the show. They have NEVER gotten contemporary. Or Jazz. They keep talking about how Philip can't dance anything but Hip Hop but I think he'd be pretty good in a Mia routine, or Wade, or even Mandy as long as she left her Greatest 90s pop ballads CD at home. No, instead they get to do a Russian Folk Dance. As soon as the camera cut away from their interview and I saw them in costume, I crinkled my nose. Not that there is anything wrong with Russian Folk Dancing, but you might as well put them in Pioneer dress, bring out the fiddle or just have an audience sing along, and ask them to skip and arm twirl. Their dance skills, thankfully, were more complicated than that, but just barely. Other than those leg squat jumps, which always impress me, there wasn't much that you or I and apparently Phillip couldn't master.

I loved how Nigel passed off any responsibility for the out-of-place routine. I'm sure he chose the number so that he could say (as he usually does at least once per show), "Where else can you see disco, hip hop, the chains of addiction and Russian folk dancing on one stage?!" The man loves to give himself props. He could barely get over how some genius managed to bring classical ballet to the masses last week. Fess up!

It was bad, but not horrible. They did as much as they could. Jeanine, as usually, surprised me. No, I take that back. She doesn't surprise me anymore. She's incredible. How and why was I so wrong about her?

How could the show make it up to them after handing them the least exciting dance ever attempted on the show? I know....a jive! The jive is hard. Nigel loves to lecture about getting low and foot retractions. The was the nail in their coffin. As unfair as it was to have two doozies of dances, Jeanine was so good that she pretty much guaranteed that both of them will stay. She was so good that I didn't care that no one in the 40s wore tutus. She was so good that I forgot about Philip and his stiff shoulders (which is so, so odd that such a non-jointed dancer could be so stiff). I also appreciated that Bette Midler's look alike (who I will always uncomfortably remember dancing the Cha Cha with poor Pasha when his partner got sick) choosing a Bette Midler song for the dance. It brought everything....full circle...for me.

Lastly, poor Randi and Evan just didn't have their game on. I don't know why Randi always makes such a fuss in rehearsals about how uncomfortable and weird she feels acting sexy or in love or...anything other than bouncy and blonde. Because she pulls it off every week. She is the consummate performer. Every dance, I am amazed at how committed she is to the dance, even when she has to convince the rest of us that she has the hots for Evan (those are some fine acting skills). So, even though I loved the music and loved the moves, I didn't love the Samba. The leopard skins they were wearing may have something to do with that too.

Their hip hop routine was hmmmmph, meh and yawn. If it wasn't announced that it was about a couple finding out about a pregnancy, I never would have known. To me, it looked like a dance about about to propose followed by lots of dancing and jumping about in sync, because that is what most newly engaged people do (sadly, I don't have video of Jay's and my moves but they were pretty street. We were living in Provo, after all). He did touch her stomach once, so...I guess that was supposed to clear things up.

I laughed when Nigel commented about how Tabitha and Napoleon didn't try to urbanize them and let them be who they were. Um....I don't think that was much of a stretch, Nigel. Basically, they had themselves to work with. I could see Napoleon saying, "Hey, Evan, I'm from the burbs too and I'm here to tell you that you can still hit it hard in an argyle sweater. I promise." And, just once, could wardrobe not put the girl in high tops? I think Randi and Evan will be in the bottom three for the first time. But, I don't think the judges will send either of them home. At least I hope not.

Enjoy watching the results show tomorrow night. I don't care that much about missing it except for the group number. I have this fear that it will be a Wade number, especially since they got him back in town, but, even so, I realize it's just a t.v. show.

See, Mom?

Easy Blogging

It's been a bad week for blogging. Lots of in-laws have been in town and I broke my camera on Monday. I have several ideas going through my head that I really want to write down so that the fleeting becomes solid, but those take time. And editing. Tonight, I'm taking the easy road. I'm just going to type as I think.

Because it's about So You Think You Can Dance and I'm not quite so picky about getting it right, you know?

So.....let's just say it. This week's show.....

stunk.

It stunk. Paso Doble, Viennese Waltz AND the Rumba during the same week? Mandy Moore could not have choreographed a more boring jazz routine and I like Dave Scott but what's with having the double/double each week. Can't they switch it up a bit? Two Shane Sparks routines didn't work last week and having one person choreograph two dances in the same style (hip hop) doesn't make for an interesting show.

I was so excited to have my niece and sister-in-law over watching with me, because it's much more fun to watch with fellow fans than all alone but I found myself complaining after each dance.

1. Jonathan! Count the beat! Judges - say something nice to Karla because she was fantastic! They weren't synchronized because Jonathan can't groove (just borrowing from Tony Basil who liked to throw that word out.) I liked the routine, liked the music, but Jonathan's white boy dancing was distracting. Still...Karla was great and Nigel was waaaay too harsh.

2. Asuka and Vitolio. Boring, boring boring. I love Pat Benetar but I found the loud medium slow rock music/turquoise costumes/Askua combination too much to handle. I wanted the routine to end and Vitolio was making me nervous with all of his tongue waggling. Keep it in your mouth, buddy. When Nigel threw his hands up in the air and shouted, "Fantastic!" I wanted to throw something at the TV. Are we even watching the same show, Mr. Lythgoe?

3. Finally, Melissa and Ade. Practically a guarantee that something exciting and great will happen. Except they have the rumba, which isn't my favorite dance because they have to dance in fake lust. I find watching all that face pawing/open mouth act a bit uncomfortable. Especially when they cut away to her adoring and left-to-spectate husband in the audience. The dance was good, though. I'm still loving Melissa who is freakishly strong. Did you see her Pilates sit-up on that roller? It made me wish I hadn't sold my Pilates DVDs. Actually, it made me wish that I had used them more than once after buying them after watching an infomercial on TV. The dance was good but the music....the music was like fingernails on a chalkboard. Like a bad waitress who won't bring you a refill. Like a cellphone talker in a movie. As impressive as the dance was, I wanted it to end so that I didn't have to listen to Beyonce warble anymore.

4. O.K. I'm wondering why I started numbering these things because I actually can't remember the exact order of the dances anymore. But, I'm typing as I think, remember, so there's no going back. I'm going to say Brandon and Jeanette were next with those awful tights and bad hair. How can they make such a small, toned girl look so bottom heavy? Totally unflattering. Add her half-a-head of teased hair and I had to avoid watching Jeanette. Again...what's with the tongue? Is that Rock-and-Roll? I enjoyed the concept, thought and the music was....unusual. Not bad, at all, just disconcerting. I think Jeanette did the best she could trying to pull off being a dancing Joan Jett but Brandon was the total star of the dance. He's good. I totally believed his street cred (again, thank you Tony Basil for pointing out how necessary that is with your beret on your head) even after he finished gushing about stage lighting. But it was a hard dance to like because they never seemed to be dancing together. Just doing a dance off. Which isn't really a bad thing. I love dance offs! I am especially fond of real life ones.

5. Kayla and Kupono. I was so set on Kupono leaving this week. His interview about wanting to be a costume designer didn't help much. I just don't have any really positive feelings about him. I don't like how he dances. I don't enjoy how he dresses. And by admitting that he can't even lift Kayla makes him worthless in partner dancing as he is actually the male in the pair and Kayla shouldn't have to lift him. My Kupono dissing + Viennese Waltz (which I've always thought they should just stick with one waltz per season. It's just not an exciting dance) should have equaled a worst-dance-of-the-night vote but I was shocked by its beauty. I don't know if it was her pretty dress, or soft curls. The graceful way she pointed her toes as she was rocked by the suddenly stronger Kupono or what, but I loved the whole dance.

6. My sister is trying to convince me that Mia's "Butt" routine was really good but I just finished watching it again and I still didn't like it. Loved the music. I've already bought it on itunes. Loved Randi's outfit. Loved some of the funky shoulder dancing moves. But, why in the world did Evan have to wear a size 50 suit? Did they not want us to see any part of his body actually move? It was the first thing I saw and those first few seconds when I was adjusting to him looking like he belonged on "Honey, I Shrunk The Kids" and hoping Randi would lose the other shoe, I was hating the dance. I didn't like the attention to Randi's behind. I thought it was obscene and crude. The dancing really wasn't great but it got a pass because of a clever concept. Except, I never actually understood the concept. Was she supposed to be a poodle? But they kept referring to Evan as a creepy old French guy. Did the creepy old french guy like poodles? Or young women? Who was she? Some of those moves made it seem like she was sleep walking. I didn't get the story. The fact that it WAS the best dance of the night only shows that the whole night was disappointing.

7. Totally didn't buy Kaitlin and Jason's Paso Doble. I love Carmina Burana so was really pumped when the music started. I even really liked the clip they showed of them practicing, Jean-Luc's instruction and how Jason was supposed to hate Kaitlin...passionately. But then Jason was jumping around on stage, not really dancing with and not really hating his I Dream Of Jeanie co-star. I thought Kaitlin looked off and low energy but, again, the judges loved it. Loved her. Pass.

8. Jeanine totally redeemed herself because she has carried Phillip these last two weeks. She is really quite talented and I totally bought her bangs and her dancing. She has been the one in the pair to watch lately, but there's still something about her that makes me uncomfortable. Don't know what it is but I'm not a fan. I'm just admitting that she has talent. Phillip was even fun to watch for the first 45 seconds before he realized that he can't dance a la Broadway. After the couch jump, he lost his spark and just started running around. I actually laughed out loud once, because he looked so ridiculous.

They all could have been in the bottom three, in my opinion. Well, except Melissa who is excellent and Ade, who must be excellent because Melissa continues to look excellent next to him. There's something to that, right?

Asuka needed to go home. I'm glad that happened. I was never a Jonathan fan so I'm o.k. with that too.

Blah, blah, blah.

I hope next week is better.