Monday, October 26, 2009

Meet The Top 20

*Note: This was quite obviously not posted by Dus, but I signed in wrong and can't fix it without a lot of work. And I, AM, SPENT. Enjoy!

It's been quiet around here recently- I guess October just got away from me. But you know what didn't get away from me? ....The awesome talent of a certain dance show! No it DIDN'T!
Sorry- I've let the segue and nonsense of SYTYCD seep into my brain. There might not be a cure...besides more AMAZING dancing!!! (seriously....I can't stop!)

So while I try to reign in my dance dribble- let's meet our Top 20! For those of you new to the SYTYCD scene, you're just in time: Tonight's show is a preview of what's to come. It's our chance to get to know the dancers, before we critique them mercifully and crush their dreams through text message votes. Don't mind if I do!

This season's got a new look, and it's....how do you say...cheap. They've got a new location which may or may not be a converted high school gymnasium. Then there's the new intro- it's got a little more recognizable footage, and less American Ido-esque androids, but the graphics are still a bit too reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto-Vice City for my taste. (not that it isn't a sweet game).

But Cat, ever the class act, rocks a sequin dress and eyelashes thick enough to double as flamenco fans. Judges are Adam (announced officially as a permanent judge), Mary, Nigel, and an empty chair. Perfect for Paula Abdul's empty head! On to the dances:

Top 20 Group Routine
Choreographers Wade and Amanda Robson
Song: Comanche by The Revels
Theme is 1930's turf war (naturally). I expect snapping. Aaaaaaaaaaand I get it!! I also get a lot of crotch grabbing and pelvis thrusting. But mostly snapping.

Hip Hop Routine
Choreographers: Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo. (whose awesomeness at all things makes me want to put an apostrophe in my name. B'owden?)
Song: Beggin' (District 78 Remix) by Madcon
Russell Ferguson (Love him, and his mush mouth hat), Kevin Hunte, and Legacy Perez (Anyone watch The Contender? Sergio much? I know I mentioned him before, but when this guy dances, all I can see is "The Latin Snake"....and yes, that probably makes me racist.)
Diggin' the old school jam, but could have used less thug posturing (which also makes me racist), and more dancing. Still, it's nice to have hip-hop back- head spins and stomping: you were missed.

Contemporary Routine
Choreographer: Tyce Diorio
Song: Crying by K.D. Lang
Nathan Trasoras (one of my least favorites so far. Sorry doll face! Go ask fellow Furby/child David Archeleta to dry your tears.), Jakob Karr, Channing Cooke (who's like a tomboy Carrie Underwood, which is to say, awesome) Ariana Debose (who try as I might to complete the theme, I cannot relate to a past American Idol contestant).
Ariana askes me to open my heart and go to an uncomfortable place. I assume the place she was referring to is anywhere that plays K.D. Lang music. Because yikes.

Tap Routine
Choreographer Derick K. Grant (He Is Tap)
Song: Take The "A" Train, by Ella Fitzgerald
Peter Sabasino (who is putting up some serious competion in the race for the coveted title of "Courtney's Least Favorite"), Bianca Revels and Phillip Attmore
Can't really get on board (get it? get IT?) with this one. No wonder tap waited so long to be "asked to the dance".

Jazz Routine
Choreographer: Sonya Tayek
Song: On a Cloud, by PPP (which apparently stands for Platinum Pied Pipers.)
Mollee Gray (Or Mmoollee, as I like to call her), Pauline Mata (love!) and Ellenore Scott (who totally wishes I'd nickname her Eelleennoorree Ssccoott. But I won't because that's just ridiculous.)
They got their sexy on- I mean, who doesn't think tutus and jazz hands are sexy? Mmoollee grew up about five years, but then regressed about ten when she was complimented. Adam earned his judge spot with his immitation of her cheerleader spunk- spot on.

Contemporary Routine
Choreographer: Mandy Moore
Song: Viva la Vida, by Coldplay
Victor Smalley (who was hoping to "get" mandy this season, if you know what he means), Noelle Marsh (who's bleeding feet are kind of ruining her charm), Billy Bell, and Kathryn McCormick.
Dancing was great, but I was distracted by the recycled costumes from a local theater version of The Wiz, not to mention the Olan Mills sponsored backdrop. Rough.

Latin Routine
Choreographer: Jason Gilkison
Song: Everything I Can't Have by Robin Thicke (you know I love This Song)
Ashleigh Di Lello, Karen Hauer (*cat noise*), and Ryan Di Lello
Why do you think they call them a "trio" not a "threesome"? Anyway, the GMP (great mormon pumpkin for you newbies) has toned down the orange in attempt to keep her man from running off with the Venezuelan. But she kept the Barbie lipgloss, so it's kind of a wash....

So there they are America (I love how Cat refers to me that way....it's like a little pet name). If you're hungry for more info, check out cast bios here. Bonus- they answer the question everyone's asking: "How did it feel on the recent day with the press and photo shoot?" (seriously...that's what they asked them. Is that site's content computer generated?)

Now- off to the comments...discuss!

5 comments :

  1. I think somebody peed in Dustin's Cheerio's....yikes! You were on fire! I did lol out loud, though at your commentary, as always.

    Cat did look like the Shadow Maker with her thick false eyelashes and poor lighting...still love her and her loooong skinny legs.

    Loved the opening number! So cool to be in a 1930's gang! Where did it all go wrong?

    Loved the hip hop and the hippers...hoppers? Hip hoppers, there it is. Though, it made me nervous how amped up they were. I was certain the front row was going to get hit with a braid or a shoe or something...and that makes Courtney racist.

    Billy Bell made me throw up a little in my mouth. He totally bailed on the lifts...and no one called him on it. Man up, pal.

    I need more specific detail about your disdain for the boy/man, Courtney. I like him and I need for you to like him, too...

    Did not think the tu tu's were sexy at all, but that's just me...

    Tappers were good, but I'm nervous for them in other genres...

    Thought the threesome was awkward. Well danced, but awkward.

    I'm so excited to see who gets matched up tonight. And I want to make a prediction that the GMP gets hip hop as her first routine...and fails miserably. Anybody else wanna predict?

    Good job, Dustin!

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  2. Man, I feel like last night was a whirlwind, I still don't know half the names, and I miss last season's dancers (who would have thought?)!
    Court - why do you hate Nathan, I think I like him, at least his dancing at this point, still waiting on liking him as person.

    I LOVED Adam's cheerleader mocking of Mollee. Mostly b/c right before he did that, I said the same thing! I love when the judges agree with me.

    I really enjoyed the opening number, fun and snappy!

    Can't wait for tonight. Definitely want to see the Great Mormon Pumpkin go home first - but I doubt it, the judges love her for some reason and the judges are picking the 1st 2 weeks of eliminations.

    And Billy Bell- he's gone already due to an illness. Replaced by another hip hopper? 4 out of 10 seems a bit overkill...

    Courtney as usual you're hilarious!

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  3. Man ... Dustin is the shiz-nit of SYTYCD review. I knew there was a little estrogen in his blood too. Welcome brother.

    All kidding aside, I love that you made a reference to Vice City. We will be BFFs for all time now.

    I LOVED the hip hop number all around and thought the choreography was a big reason why. Two snaps for the guy in the rasta hat.

    Hated the tap ... and even the judges who PRAISED everybody else were lukewarm about tap and basically said "Hope you liked tapping tonight, because we won't see it again the rest of the show"

    Unlike Court I loved the Coldplay dance. Billy Bell's scissor kicks were awesome.

    Hated the Jazz number. Ick.

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  4. my turn....

    what a love fest. I fwded through all the judges comments... when I remembered.

    okay. I thought it all got off to a fabulous start-LOVED the opening number, go Wade! And I disagree about the stage. I likey. Like the backdrops, like Cat, like the lighting and the camera shots. We'll see how they do for take 2 on Tuesday (ps I'm a day behind).

    Here are my faves thus far:
    Eleanore Scott (poor thing had to dance with MMOOLLEE and in an awful TuTu- awful I say), Karen the Venezualan, Nathan (like his boyish charm), Russell, Kevin, and Channing.

    That's who I remember liking the most.

    I'm with you Courtney in that GMP and the black tapper guy (sorry, name?) are on my least liked list. They annoy me actually, to the point that i want to throw things at my tv.

    sorry to hear about billy bell, but he did look fragile.

    ps. I really like Mandy Moore.

    pps LOVED Cat's blinging eyeshadow! hot!

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  5. I don't remember if Courtney mentioned it in the commentary...but what about the stairs? I am actually sad that the stairs that made Ramalama (sp) the coolest dance ever are gone. I loved how the where able to be used in some of the routines. Oh well.

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