SYTYCD Top 18
What’s everyone think?
I hate the new stage.
For the most part, the new stage is really annoying, and I think it’s because of the lighting. This week’s best routine, Legacy and Kathryn’s contemporary, I didn’t notice the stage at all—and it was because of the lighting.
No surprise that the tap dancers went home. I like tap, but I don’t think it really has a place on this show.
It’s nice to see Wade Robson back. Some of the other choreography was pretty lame, like the tennis routine and the car mechanic routine. I like that they’re trying to use story telling in hip hop, I just wish the stories weren’t so stupid.
November 04, 2009 in Television | Comments (19)
Hate the new stage. Was really hoping it was a finale thing and then they would go back. The backgrounds are so distracting.
LOVED the tango and Legacy’s piece last night. Looking forward to going back to the 2 show / week format next week. Eager to see what the married couple does as the show progresses. And I want Mollee voted out soon!
Comment by gabby — November 4, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
Thanks for starting this thread – I’ve been waiting for someone to take the plunge.
I agree (with just about everyone I’ve heard) that the new stage and lighting are AWFUL! The stage is too big and the cameras are too far away. The electric light backdrop is incredibly nauseating and distracting, especially on the “upbeat” dances (hiphop, jazz, etc.) It’s like they got a new toy and have to play with it, regardless of what the viewing audience at home thinks. I wonder if the producers/directors have even watched the show on their own tv….
The dancers are pretty good this year, but all the hype Nigel has been giving about them just hasn’t come true, yet. I think it’s a shame that the dancers are put through audition hell to make it on the show, then many of the choreographers haven’t stepped up to the plate to capitalize on their amazing abilities. Specifically, (for me) Tabitha/Napoleon, Sonya, Tony/Meredith, and sometimes Doriana. I may be biased, as a modern/contemporary dancer at heart, but Mia’s work was by far the best – I’m sad she’s gone. Tyce, Mandy, and Stacey Tookey are pretty good most of the time. I do love Wade Robson’s stuff – always a surprise.
It was time for the two tappers to go, if only because they weren’t strong enough in the other genres. We’ll see how Peter survives the next few weeks.
It’s still too early for me to pick my front-runners, but I really like Jacob, Karen, and Ellenore.
I appreciate Adam Shankman’s comments – he’s usually spot-on – but I’m really going to miss the rotating judges (Debbie Allen, Lil C, Mia, etc.) Mary’s comments are usually empty echos of whoever spoke before her. And last night she REALLY reminded me of Miss Piggy! (Go back and watch her on replay – hair bouncing, screeching,… way too funny!)
Comment by Mel — November 4, 2009 @ 3:30 pm
Mia’s gone this year? That sucks.
Fortunately Legacy and Russel are both on this year. Without them I’d probably start tuning out.
Comment by Susan M — November 4, 2009 @ 4:16 pm
So glad to see others hating on the stage. It’s TERRIBLE. Too big, too deep, too dark and cavernous. The production values on the show have always been rubbish, but at least they had that cool “stage-in-the-round” thing going.
Side note: Cat Deeley finally fired her awful stylist, I guess…she actually looks presentable this season!
Glad Adam Shankman is perma. He’s great. And just for laughs, I’m going to watch Channing and Philips miserable performance a few more times.
Comment by Kyle M — November 4, 2009 @ 4:44 pm
Judges
I love that Shankman is permanent. He’s a great judge—good balance of emotional versus technical comments—and I won’t miss his choreography.
When it’s Mary’s turn to speak, I turn down the volume by 50%. Still hear her just fine.
Am hoping Abdul never takes Lythgoe up on his offer.
Stage
Like it—but they overuse it almost every time. Special effects don’t kill dances, overuse of special effects does. Also, I will not miss the overuse of the stairs as in past years; only once were they used properly (the diamond thieves dance by Janette and Brandon).
Choreographers
I will miss Mia Michaels, but maybe not so much:
Robson + Tookey + diOrio >> Michaels
So it all depends on how much those others fill in.
I almost liked the Bollywood number, but it was still Bollywood. You’ve shown us that hip-hop can be used to convey a variety of messages, now do the same with Bollywood or put it to rest.
Dancers
Hard to pick favorites at this point. I’d like to see Jakob dance more masculine, especially when we’re supposed to believe that he just got married. I’d like to see Legacy incorporate some of the things he learns into his solos—like better transitions between tricks. I’d like to see Ryan hip-hop, just because he’s been such a surprise for me and I think he’ll do awesome at that as well.
I’m afraid that Mollee will be with us for a while and that, like last year, the better dancer (Karen) will lose out based on popularity points.
Comment by BrianJ — November 4, 2009 @ 4:55 pm
I thought the way Legacy moved in the contemporary routine last night was amazing. Really something to see.
I’m bummed Billy Bell left. He was unique.
Comment by Susan M — November 4, 2009 @ 5:22 pm
I hate the stage.
Like the previous years there’s a huge gap between the top and bottom. Despite this group supposedly being so much better than previous years I just don’t see it.
The Tango was weird. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong (because her movements were off). Then I saw the dress caught on the heel. Pretty impressive to not only keep continuing but dance that well with the dress like that.
I missed why Mia is gone this year. What happened?
And I hope Abdul never comes on the show… (I thought they actually had her as a judge and she just had prior commitments. I didn’t realize they were trying to get her.)
Comment by Clark — November 5, 2009 @ 12:57 am
Kyle (4), LOL. That’s funny. We used to laugh based upon how horribly they dressed her up or how stoned she was. (Look at the eyes) There was one season where she looked sober through the whole season until nearly the end of the season. No sign of anything this season yet.
Comment by Clark — November 5, 2009 @ 12:59 am
Clark – she just said she wanted to pursue other opportunities. Nigel said she’s always welcome to come back. No drama, from what I can tell.
Comment by gabby — November 5, 2009 @ 8:30 am
I think you have it all wrong about Cat Deeley’s wardrobe: the point of her style is not to find an outfit that says, “I look hot,” but to find an outfit that says, “even if I wear this, I look hot!”
Comment by BrianJ — November 5, 2009 @ 9:21 am
The shoes with the big fluffy things on the heels have got to go. Actually, Cat Deeley has got to go. She’s so annoying.
Comment by Susan M — November 5, 2009 @ 10:10 am
I think the target audience likes annoying. Thus the obvious overacting by both Deeley and Murphy. I’m sure they plan such things. And also the attempt to get Abdul (which I hopes never happens)
I personally wish they’d tone it down. But then I’m not their main audience. Besides, that’s what a DVR with the skip forward button is for…
Getting back to how good people are. I think that it just doesn’t always translate to the show since you are (a) rarely dancing your own style (b) doing extensive partnering and (c) the choreography is much harder than in Vegas.
It’s interesting how ballroom kills so many people. I’d really think more people would train in it before trying out.
Comment by Clark — November 5, 2009 @ 10:46 am
While I fast forward every words out of Mary’s mouth, I adore Cat Deeley! I love how invested she gets over the contestants. She’s so cute! I read somewhere that she styles herself, so…and I LOVED her shoes this week. So very much.
Comment by gabby — November 5, 2009 @ 10:58 am
I groan almost every time she opens her mouth to introduce anything. She is cute during auditions when she’s hanging out with the contestants (sometimes).
Mary actually has really interesting things to say at times, particularly about ballroom, if you can manage to suffer through the shrieking. I don’t always manage it.
Comment by Susan M — November 5, 2009 @ 1:31 pm
Thankfully I know enough about ballroom I don’t even have to try! Straight to the fast forward button she goes…
Comment by gabby — November 5, 2009 @ 1:49 pm
Speaking of ballroom knowledge: It drove me crazy when Nigel went on about how “the audience just won’t understand how difficult the Argentine Tango is” and then missed the opportunity to educate us. Tell us what is difficult-yet-still-well-executed and show us in the replay.
Comment by BrianJ — November 5, 2009 @ 4:36 pm
Loved the hip hop routine by NappyTabs. It was the first of their routines that was stylistically consistent from beginning to end, and the musicality was fantastic. Karen is amazing.
Comment by Dancewatcha — November 5, 2009 @ 8:55 pm
Brian, he did mention several things which were demonstrated in the playback video. His point was just saying, “it’s hard” doesn’t really communicate how hard is is.
Comment by Clark — November 5, 2009 @ 11:57 pm
Clark: however the playback coordinates with Nigel’s critique is so sloppy it seems accidental—and more due to the efforts of video editors than to Nigel himself. I’m not saying that he never points to specific things, I’m saying that he utterly fails to do it properly or often enough. I’m not asking him to be pedantic; at times he’ll point out something specific and the playback will show it (e.g., Jakob’s grande jete, which I didn’t know the name of but now I do).
Comment by BrianJ — November 6, 2009 @ 11:21 am