SYTYCD July 6-7

[Aceon6]

Wow, what a boring show. I had so much hope for the new choreographers, but it was just more same old same old. What I found particularly uninspiring was that there was more hip hop in Ryan/Ricky's jazz than there was in Sasha/Alexander's dance. Guess I just don't like smooth hip hop, but until Nigel decides that the other styles won't scare the public, we're stuck with this lyrical crap.

Melanie/Marko, gawd the costume people must really hate Melanie. OK dance.
Sasha/Alexander, didn't like this at all, but I thought Alexander did better than one would expect him to.
Jordan/Tadd, agree with the comments that the fog hid the feet, so I have no idea how they did.
Clarice/Jess, decent, but it would have looked so much better with a taller male. Not Jess' fault.
Ashley/Chris, the package implied that it would be fast. There was only one fast section and I could do it. Bleh.
Ryan/Ricky, Ryan was clunky in this. Didn't get it.
Caitlyn/Mitchell, well danced. I liked this best of a poor lot.

[pixie cut]

Chucky Klapow actually has a pretty big connection to skating. He was one of the choreographers on Skating with the Stars (I know that wasn't really skating) and he has worked on Stars on Ice and High School Musical on Ice.

http://www.chuckyk.com/Site/Charles_...22_Klapow.html

[Satellitegirl]

I didn't care for much of the choreography last night, either. And I didn't get all the love the judges were giving Caitlyn and Mitchell. It was just "ok" to me. It wasn't clean, by any means. I always get annoyed when people get wrapped up in the song, more than the actual dancing taking place. It's like a movie you watch, without the soundtrack, and doesn't seem so good when the music isn't there.

[Allen]

I didn't care for much of the choreography last night, either. And I didn't get all the love the judges were giving Caitlyn and Mitchell. It was just "ok" to me. It wasn't clean, by any means.

I agree about it not being clean. I thought Caitlynn in particular was sloppy. Several of the transitions were far less clean than they needed to be. However, the music was so bombastic that I think it helped to hide many of the imperfections.

[FiveRinger]

I agree about it not being clean. I thought Caitlynn in particular was sloppy. Several of the transitions were far less clean than they needed to be. However, the music was so bombastic that I think it helped to hide many of the imperfections.

The judges needed somebody to gush over and since this was the final group of the night I guess they were it. I'm still trying to figure out how it was romantic--it was everything but.

[Allen]

The judges needed somebody to gush over and since this was the final group of the night I guess they were it. I'm still trying to figure out how it was romantic--it was everything but.

I kept think I wasn't impressed because I hated the song so much.

I feel like Nigel tries to force a masculinity and heterosexuality in the dances. For some of the guys, it's not a stretch, but for others, it just doesn't work. There are a million things guys and girls can dance about that aren't about a heterosexual romantic relationship.

[FiveRinger]

I kept think I wasn't impressed because I hated the song so much.

I feel like Nigel tries to force a masculinity and heterosexuality in the dances. For some of the guys, it's not a stretch, but for others, it just doesn't work. There are a million things guys and girls can dance about that aren't about a heterosexual romantic relationship.

Exactly. It wasn't just you. Every time I think about the top 10 guys performing and Mitchell told us the dance was going to be "explosive" I cringe. No offensive, but that drew a picture of an effeminate man and I haven't been able to get that out of my head. I think Mitchell is a wonderful dancer, but I hate to see hetero relationships forced. Plus, the intros that we see of Caitlynn and Mitchell don't help at all---no connection of any kind at all.

ETA: I get a similar feeling when I watch Sasha and Alexander---it's so forced. I'm not making any inferences about either, but I don't feel a connection between either of them, and Sasha has a harder edge and Alex has a softer one. They shouldn't be paired together.

[pair mom]

Ditto to all you've said! Thank you for putting my thoughts in words! And might we also extend the false "forced" pairings to Tadd & Jordan and Ricky & Ryan! Not feeling anything from either of these girls....tragically blank...and their partners are kick ass good! Sad....

[genevieve]

I feel like Nigel tries to force a masculinity and heterosexuality in the dances. ...There are a million things guys and girls can dance about that aren't about a heterosexual romantic relationship.

This x infinity. It really does a disservice to the world of dance to present duets as being almost always about heterosexual relationships.

[BaileyCatts]

MEMORY CHECK: It's driving me crazy and I bet someone on this thread can answer. Remember several seasons ago, during the 3 guys dance before judges vote you out thing, for his solo one guy just came out and just did a bunch of spins and a few little steps. Nigel said something like "how much time did you put into that". The guy replies "uh ... none actually!" Then Nigel went off on them about not putting any effort into their solos. This guy got booted that night. I know I didn't make this up in my head, but I can't think who that guy was. Someone please tell me who it was and that I am not making this up in my head as my friend tells me I am. I know I remember this!

[Allen]

This x infinity. It really does a disservice to the world of dance to present duets as being almost always about heterosexual relationships.

When Justin Giles was describing the men's group routine, I kept thinking, why does it have to be about a girl...could the intention not just have been the ending of a relationship? I also wondered if the producers coaxed Giles into saying that it was about a woman? Nigel has made it very clear that he thinks male dancers should dance in a "masculine" fashion. I'm not going to get into the huge can of worms that would be defining what masculine means, but for Nigel, I'm pretty sure it means, at least in part, straight.

[my little pony]

i know that it happened, i want to say ben from season 2 but i'm not positive

[Allen]

i know that it happened, i want to say ben from season 2 but i'm not positive

I was thinking that it must have been season 2 or 4 because I didn't watch as much of those seasons.

[rjblue]

Yes, it was on the second season, early in the run. I didn't watch the first season, and it was one of the first eliminations that I watched. I thought they saved the guy that night though?

eta- yes I remember three solos for each gender, but the guy who winged it got saved, in my memory. No idea who they were though.

[my little pony]

Yes, it was on the second season, early in the run. I didn't watch the first season, and it was one of the first eliminations that I watched. I thought they saved the guy that night though?

i think it would have been 1 guy and 1 girl leaving, 2 guys and 2 girls saved

[rjblue]

On another note- I have to say that when the male partner appears to be a less "masculine" personality in his interview portion, it doesn't at all affect my perception of romance or connection during the dance. They are performing.

That said, I can't imagine Ryan connecting to either a man or a woman when she dances. She dances like Carrie Underwood sang when she was on American Idol- loads of talent and ability, but robot-like. A happy, peppy robot.

[my little pony]

[QUOTE=rjblue;3229811
That said, I can't imagine Ryan connecting to either a man or a woman when she dances. She dances like Carrie Underwood sang when she was on American Idol- loads of talent and ability, but robot-like. A happy, peppy robot.[/QUOTE]

she reminds me of nancy kerrigan

[FiveRinger]

MEMORY CHECK: It's driving me crazy and I bet someone on this thread can answer. Remember several seasons ago, during the 3 guys dance before judges vote you out thing, for his solo one guy just came out and just did a bunch of spins and a few little steps. Nigel said something like "how much time did you put into that". The guy replies "uh ... none actually!" Then Nigel went off on them about not putting any effort into their solos. This guy got booted that night. I know I didn't make this up in my head, but I can't think who that guy was. Someone please tell me who it was and that I am not making this up in my head as my friend tells me I am. I know I remember this!

I think it was Ricky when he did the Tango wish Ashlee, if my memory serves me right. He got eliminated first week, and everybody was just sick because he was such a great contemporary dancer and had a crap solo. And they were more outraged because they kept Cedric over him. Lots of controversy with that one.

[genevieve]

When Justin Giles was describing the men's group routine, I kept thinking, why does it have to be about a girl...could the intention not just have been the ending of a relationship?

that really bothered me too - in general I think they need to get away from overexplaining all the dances. Just feeds the idea that all dances need a clear identifiable narrative, which is kind of lazy IMO. Tacking on the "his girl done him wrong" cheapened what was otherwise a gorgeous dance.

she reminds me of nancy kerrigan

She reminds me of Julia Roberts

I think it was Ricky when he did the Tango wish Ashlee, if my memory serves me right. He got eliminated first week, and everybody was just sick because he was such a great contemporary dancer and had a crap solo. And they were more outraged because they kept Cedric over him. Lots of controversy with that one.

I think it was 100% the right decision to eliminate Ricky. He did a crap tango and a crappier solo.

[Rob]

I was happy to see new choreographers, but then I was pretty bored. Really liked Jess/Clarice. Then I say Bah, had to end with ole Mandy Moore to Celine Dion. Ach. Then it turns out to be the best duet of the night. Caitlynn really flew.