Two nights of DWTS in a row - whew!
It's Latin Nite!
Let's go Dance Fans!
Nikki Bella & Artem
Samba
She was nervous about being sexy. Really?
I think she got over it pretty quickly though. :)
Like the previous night, this was a short dance that was small on content as well. Like, really brief on content. There was a good amount of grinding, but the only real Samba content I saw was one run. That was about it. I was once again left wanting more.
"Artem hasn't had a carbohydrate in twelve years" - Tom (LOL!)
Len: "not keen on the gyrating - needed more bounce"
Bruno: "longest foreplay in Samba history"
Carrie Ann: "good connection - but you need to finish your moves"
Scores: 6, 6, 6
My score: 6
Victoria Arlen & Val
Rumba (the dance of love)
Another short dance, and it took them awhile to start dancing. I also saw her hesitating again. There was Rumba content - some. I don't know, the audience seemed to enjoy the routine more than I did. I thought it was kind of forgettable. The mood of the piece was not as sexy as a traditional Rumba. It was just okay for me.
Bruno: "mini play, deeply felt, more contemporary" (yes, I agree, it felt more like a contemporary dance in some ways.)
Carrie Ann: "authentic, vulnerability"
Len: "emotional, but very little else - not enough Rumba content"
Scores: 7, 6. 7
My score: 6
Derek Fisher & Sharna
Paso Doble
I think he tried to dance bigger - to own the floor, and have control over Sharna. He was assisted by the roving camera. He had some decent shaping and footwork, and he looked fairly feisty, but I thought his partnering work fell apart at the end of the dance.
Carrie Ann: "locked and loaded, amazing, owning the space"
Len: "spirit and determination, but your hands go flat"
Bruno: "unleashed the mean streak, but you lost artistry"
Scores: 7, 6, 6
My score: 6
Sasha Pieterse & Gleb
Samba
Definitely the most content that we've seen in a dance so far on this episode. The problem was, the song was not a good fit for a Samba. Between the song and the pale pink costumes, this felt more like Pageant nite than Latin nite. They didn't get down and dirty; there was no bounce. It was too cutesy. She does have great hair for dancing though.
Len: "plenty of Samba content, sparkle"
Bruno: "such a lovely dancer, but don't be shy, sell it!"
Carrie Ann: "You were on fire, you had the bounce, technique, and flair" (mmm, okay)
Scores: 8, 7, 7
My score: 7
Nick Lachey & Peta
Argentine Tango
Yet again, short on content, but yay, Nick, I saw improvement! His partnering skills were much better. Argentine Tango is a more structured dance, which suited Nick. He seemed more comfortable, and he moved better. I didn't think he was stiff, and I saw him as a leading man. Good job!
And Peta - va va voom! How did that skirt stay on her body?
Bruno: "You really tried to get into character, but you need to glide more"
Carrie Ann: "I saw a lot more passion, lifts were executed beautifully"
Len: "needed passion and intensity"
Scores: 7, 6, 6
My score: 7
Jordan Fisher & Lindsay
THANK GOODNESS FINALLY A COUPLE GOT OUT THERE AND HIT THE FLOOR DANCING!
This was the most content in a dance by a mile! And difficult Samba content. They even did Samba rolls, which are so tough. He and Linsday are young, energetic, have magnetic chemistry - that dance was on fire! And Lindsay's costume - HELLO! Dance of the night so far! Smokin'! Holy cow! This one will be on repeat for sure.
Carrie Ann: "vibrancy, youth, energy, thank you for the nuances"
Len: "peculiar leg action"
Bruno: "you light up the room with your own individual style"
I have to say I was very disappointed by Len's comments. Jordan and Lindsay gave him everything he usually looks for - quick into the dance, loads of content, well-executed performance, not raunchy - and all he did was criticize Jordan's legs and feet. Sigh.
Scores: 8, 8, 8
My score: 8 (almost a 9)
Drew Scott & Emma
I think Drew and Emma bribed the crew. The briefness of the routine, the weird camera angle, and the lights blinding me all made it difficult to discern how well he was dancing. I guess he did okay. Definitely better than last week. And there was some chemistry there. But I didn't see a lot of hip action, which is a must for a Rumba.
Len: "your best dance so far"
Bruno: "You got it together"
Carrie Ann: "very expressive"
Scores: 7, 7, 7
My score:6 (almost a 7)
Debbie Gibson & Alan
Argentine Tango
Naughty Debbie? I guess, but I would say more steamy than naughty. I'll take it. It was a solid routine: good amount of content, well-executed lifts, and I give them a bonus point for dancing on the table. I thought she had good posture and a good frame.
Bruno: "Debbie, the Cougar from Cuba, just watch your feet"
Carrie Ann: "solid performance"
Len: "captured the nightclub vibe of Buenos Aires"
Scores: 7, 7, 7
My score: 8
Vanessa Lachey & Maks
Salsa
Yet another short routine. I felt especially cheated with this dance, because she is such a strong performer. I felt like they barely had time to get into the routine. I was also bothered by her costume. This is Latin Nite, and she is a hot mama. Why was she so covered up? Pants and a long sleeve blouse? Yes, the top was sparkly, but still...she looked...frumpy. :( Maks showed more skin than her. Okay, on to the dance. It was decent. Sexy. Salsa content. But overall, I was disappointed. I wanted more. She deserved a better routine and a sexier costume.
Len: "You are a contender!"
Bruno: "juicy, saucy, spicy"
Scores: 8, 8, 7
My score: 7 (I'm scoring the overall dance, not just her)
Terrell Owens and Cheryl
Samba
On Ballroom Nite, their routine was sexy. This dance - mmmm. I think he took a step back in his progress. He's so proud of how sexy and handsome he is. But where was the body contact in this number? There honestly wasn't any. The performance seemed forced. I don't know what happened. Where was the chemistry? I was not feeling this routine at all.
Len: "kept your posture"
Bruno was on fire, "but you need more bounce"
Carrie Ann: "I want to see more"
Scores: 6, 6, 7
My score: 6
Lindsay Stirling & Mark
Salsa
Yup, she's still a contender. Solid content, and by far the best hip action we've seen in this episode. Also the most enjoyable routine next to Jordan and Lindsay's. She looked like she was having a blast. Her enthusiasm was infectious.
Bruno: "That showgirl is a firecracker, great speed and energy"
Carrie Ann: You were on a mission and you accomplished it. You are the music"
Len: "full on, flat out, fabulous!"
Scores: 8, 8, 8
My score: 8
Frankie Muniz & Witney
Cha Cha
The extra dancers were unnecessary, but this was a great dance to end the night. I loved how fun and cheeky it was. Frankie was very expressive in both his movements and facial expressions - lots of enjoyable little nuances. It was a very entertaining routine. Carrie Ann said that Terrell and Derek dance small - Frankie dances big. Bigger than his size. And there was strong Cha Cha content as well. Of course I loved the Bruno Mars song too. Frankie channeled him and Bruno's crew quite capably. Great job Frankie and Witney!
Carrie Ann: "You have swagger! And technique!"
Len: "That was a terrific, entertaining routine"
Bruno: "so delicious, cool, hip, clever, cheeky"
Scores: 8, 8, 9
My score: 8 (almost a 9)
Results:
In jeopardy:
Nick & Peta
Debbie & Alan
BOOOO!!! Debbie & Alan were eliminated. I am very upset. She did not deserve to go home. I feel bad for her. I know she was enjoying her time on the show, and she was working hard and managing her health condition. I'll miss you, Debbie.
librarianintx
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Dancing with the Stars - Ballroom Nite - 9/25/17
Two shows this week!
An elimination each nite!
You're starting off with a bang, DWTS!
Debbie Gibson & Gleb
Quickstep
A Quickstep is supposed to be fast, and theirs definitely was! They galloped around the floor with seemingly good energy. Her frame, posture, and footwork looked solid to me. She also looked more comfortable than she did last week. She appeared to be having fun. Good job Debbie!
Len: "speed, but lacked a bit in control"
Bruno: "chemistry was sizzling"
Carrie Ann: "shapes were beautifully executed"
Scores: 7, 6, 7
My score: 7
Nikki Bella & Artem
Waltz
Can a WWE star demonstrate the grace and elegance needed for a Waltz? Yes, she can, and she did. Nikki looked lovely and moved like a swan gliding across a pond. My main criticism is that the routine was very short. I would have given her a higher score if I actually saw more dancing. I thought the content was slightly lacking. They didn't cover much of the floor, and there was only a hint of rise and fall. I wanted to see more. But I did think she channeled her inner Nana.
Bruno: "wonderful transformation, in control"
Carrie Ann: "You've already learned to trust - stunning"
Len: "You weren't looking down!"
Scores: 7, 7, 7
My score: 6 (Only due to lack of content)
Lindsey Stirling & Mark
Quickstep
Ahh, Mark the creative genius is back! I loved the set, I loved the transformation, of course I loved the butterflies! It was a fast, energetic Quickstep, but they had a lot of time out of hold, and some elements of the dance seemed more like Swing than Quickstep to me. Will the judges agree? I'm not going to mark them down if it wasn't a proper Quickstep. I enjoyed it!
Carrie Ann: "fantastic creativity!"
Len: "light, bright, fun, entertaining, but you have to maintain hold in a Quickstep"
Bruno: "Don't throw your arms"
Scores: 7, 7, 7
My score: 7
Barbara Corcoran & Keo
Tango
She's dyslexic, so she's sensitive about being laughed at. :(
Another very short dance. Well, she's definitely trying. I thought her frame and posture were a little better. They worked up some speed by the end of the routine. I'll give her a point for ripping open Keo's shirt as the final move in the dance. Why not? :)
I enjoyed the music too - "Whatever Lola Wants".
Len: "better than last week
Bruno: "investing in the right thing (Keo) - proper, recognizable Tango"
Carrie Ann: "radiated a new elegance"
Scores: 6, 5, 6
My score: 5
Nick Lachey & Peta
Foxtrot
Song: "Mandy" by Barry Manilow
I was hoping to see improvement, but unfortunately, I didn't. He looked stiff and uncomfortable, and his partnering skills were weak. The dance didn't have the grace and flow that a Foxtrot should have. At least he wore a tight shirt again. Priorities! :)
Bruno: "didn't close in, it became restricted"
Carrie Ann: "I saw an improvement" (uh, okay...)
Len: "too fragile, put a stick in it!" (uh, okay...)
Scores: 7, 6, 6
My score: 5
Drew Scott & Emma
Quickstep
He pulled his hamstring in rehearsal. Ouch!
Extra dancers - ugh! And I know I said Debbie and Alan galloped in their Quickstep, but that was meant as a compliment. Drew galloping in this dance is not meant the same way. Not. A. Good. Dance. Bad frame. Atrocious footwork. It was just bad. I'm sorry Drew. You're a great guy!
The audience loved the routine.
Carrie Ann: "fantastic routine, showstopper"
Len: "too loose and gangly, but I like your enthusiasm"
Bruno: "fantastic, luxury performance"
Did I watch the same dance? Am I in the Twilight Zone? The judges mentioned the Charleston elements of the dance. Okay, maybe it would have been decent if the performance had been a Charleston, but it wasn't, it was a Quickstep! But am I being unfair, because I didn't mind the Swing elements in Lindsey & Mark's Quickstep?
Scores: 7, 6, 7
My score: 5
Vanessa Lachey & Maks
Foxtrot
WHY WERE THERE EXTRA DANCERS?!?! GAH!!
This was a good song and style for her "Hot Mama" persona and outgoing personality. She sizzled and commanded the stage, and that's no easy feat, to take the spotlight away from Maks. I barely noticed him in the routine (also because he was in the background sometimes BECAUSE OF THE UNNECESSARY EXTRA DANCERS!!)
I apologize for the "yelling." But I intensely dislike extra dancers, except in the freestyles.
Len: "I liked it"
Bruno: "Ava Gardener at her sultriest, with a little Jessica Rabbit thrown in"
Carrie Ann: "You are like liquid gold when you move."
Yes, life is good for Vanessa Lachey. She gets to dance with Maks and go home with Nick.
Bitch
I'm kidding! You rock, Vanessa! :)
Scores: 8, 8, 8
My score: 8
Frankie Muniz & Witney
Tango
Frankie might just be the one that no one expects to take the Mirrorball! If he's popular enough for people to vote for him, his dancing could be good enough to make him a contender. He's already looking quite solid in Week 2. He benefited from Witney's excellent choreography - the moves swelled with the music in all the right places. I'm impressed, especially for a guy with chronic back pain.
Bruno: "missile right on target, precise, excellent content"
Carrie Ann: "incredible, dynamic partnership"
Len: "you went for that like a boiling kettle"
Scores: 8, 7, 8
My score: 8
Terrell Owens & Cheryl
Foxtrot
It was a very sensual dance, especially towards the end. Maybe too sexy for a Foxtrot? I could tell he was working on both his frame and his hips. It wasn't the best dance of the night so far, but it wasn't the worst. It was a mostly solid routine with some glimmers of improvement.
Carrie Ann was hot and bothered: "That's why I like to come to work."
Len was NOT hot and bothered: "Too raunchy"
Bruno: "sex trot straight into the bedroom" (LOL!)
Scores: 7, 6, 7
My score: 7
Sasha Pieterse & Gleb
Viennese Waltz
The extra dancers were seriously annoying and distracting. The opening visual was strange. But wow, what an improvement from last week! This was a great Viennese Waltz! Super fast turns (and a lot of them!) It was crisp, but flowed so beautifully, with lovely musicality. Sasha looked beautiful too. Impressive performance! For me, she is the most improved contestant so far!
Len: "nice position in hold"
Bruno: "so luscious and glamorous"
Carrie Ann: "your arms were lovely, expressive, elongated"
Scores: 8, 8, 7
My score: 8
Victoria Arlen & Val
Tango
From joyous last week to vixen this week. She is a good actress as well as a capable dancer. I saw improvement in her this week as well. She looked way more confident, and she danced better too. I think it helped that most of the dance was in hold, so her legs weren't on their own.
Bruno: "tough cookie Tango, well executed, You looked like a leading lady"
Carrie Ann: "polished, elegant, spot on"
Len: "super duper dance"
Scores: 8, 8, 8
My score: 8
Derek Fisher & Sharna
Foxtrot
I love seeing so much improvement in Week 2! This was a sweet, light, comedic Foxtrot. Derek had the opportunity to play to the audience and display some personality and musicality. His posture and partnering were admirable.
Carrie Ann: "You dance a little small, you need to own the stage" (Okay, valid point)
Len: "fun and lighthearted, you need to work on finesse and technique"
Bruno: "upbeat, feel of a romantic comedy"
Scores: 6, 6, 7
My score: 7
Jordan Fisher & Lindsay
Viennese Waltz
This dance checked all the boxes for me. It was a great routine to end the night. Jordan and Lindsay had chemistry, solid partnering, speed, and a beautiful flow across the floor. I enjoy watching them dance.
Len: "a little staccato and sharp"
Bruno: "true ballroom sparkle"
Carrie Ann: "I want to see more ballroom nuances"
Scores: 8, 8, 8
My score: 8
Couples in jeopardy:
Terrell & Cheryl
Barbara & Keo
Barbara & Keo were eliminated.
Poor Keo. Another early exit. Sigh.
librarianintx
An elimination each nite!
You're starting off with a bang, DWTS!
Debbie Gibson & Gleb
Quickstep
A Quickstep is supposed to be fast, and theirs definitely was! They galloped around the floor with seemingly good energy. Her frame, posture, and footwork looked solid to me. She also looked more comfortable than she did last week. She appeared to be having fun. Good job Debbie!
Len: "speed, but lacked a bit in control"
Bruno: "chemistry was sizzling"
Carrie Ann: "shapes were beautifully executed"
Scores: 7, 6, 7
My score: 7
Nikki Bella & Artem
Waltz
Can a WWE star demonstrate the grace and elegance needed for a Waltz? Yes, she can, and she did. Nikki looked lovely and moved like a swan gliding across a pond. My main criticism is that the routine was very short. I would have given her a higher score if I actually saw more dancing. I thought the content was slightly lacking. They didn't cover much of the floor, and there was only a hint of rise and fall. I wanted to see more. But I did think she channeled her inner Nana.
Bruno: "wonderful transformation, in control"
Carrie Ann: "You've already learned to trust - stunning"
Len: "You weren't looking down!"
Scores: 7, 7, 7
My score: 6 (Only due to lack of content)
Lindsey Stirling & Mark
Quickstep
Ahh, Mark the creative genius is back! I loved the set, I loved the transformation, of course I loved the butterflies! It was a fast, energetic Quickstep, but they had a lot of time out of hold, and some elements of the dance seemed more like Swing than Quickstep to me. Will the judges agree? I'm not going to mark them down if it wasn't a proper Quickstep. I enjoyed it!
Carrie Ann: "fantastic creativity!"
Len: "light, bright, fun, entertaining, but you have to maintain hold in a Quickstep"
Bruno: "Don't throw your arms"
Scores: 7, 7, 7
My score: 7
Barbara Corcoran & Keo
Tango
She's dyslexic, so she's sensitive about being laughed at. :(
Another very short dance. Well, she's definitely trying. I thought her frame and posture were a little better. They worked up some speed by the end of the routine. I'll give her a point for ripping open Keo's shirt as the final move in the dance. Why not? :)
I enjoyed the music too - "Whatever Lola Wants".
Len: "better than last week
Bruno: "investing in the right thing (Keo) - proper, recognizable Tango"
Carrie Ann: "radiated a new elegance"
Scores: 6, 5, 6
My score: 5
Nick Lachey & Peta
Foxtrot
Song: "Mandy" by Barry Manilow
I was hoping to see improvement, but unfortunately, I didn't. He looked stiff and uncomfortable, and his partnering skills were weak. The dance didn't have the grace and flow that a Foxtrot should have. At least he wore a tight shirt again. Priorities! :)
Bruno: "didn't close in, it became restricted"
Carrie Ann: "I saw an improvement" (uh, okay...)
Len: "too fragile, put a stick in it!" (uh, okay...)
Scores: 7, 6, 6
My score: 5
Drew Scott & Emma
Quickstep
He pulled his hamstring in rehearsal. Ouch!
Extra dancers - ugh! And I know I said Debbie and Alan galloped in their Quickstep, but that was meant as a compliment. Drew galloping in this dance is not meant the same way. Not. A. Good. Dance. Bad frame. Atrocious footwork. It was just bad. I'm sorry Drew. You're a great guy!
The audience loved the routine.
Carrie Ann: "fantastic routine, showstopper"
Len: "too loose and gangly, but I like your enthusiasm"
Bruno: "fantastic, luxury performance"
Did I watch the same dance? Am I in the Twilight Zone? The judges mentioned the Charleston elements of the dance. Okay, maybe it would have been decent if the performance had been a Charleston, but it wasn't, it was a Quickstep! But am I being unfair, because I didn't mind the Swing elements in Lindsey & Mark's Quickstep?
Scores: 7, 6, 7
My score: 5
Vanessa Lachey & Maks
Foxtrot
WHY WERE THERE EXTRA DANCERS?!?! GAH!!
This was a good song and style for her "Hot Mama" persona and outgoing personality. She sizzled and commanded the stage, and that's no easy feat, to take the spotlight away from Maks. I barely noticed him in the routine (also because he was in the background sometimes BECAUSE OF THE UNNECESSARY EXTRA DANCERS!!)
I apologize for the "yelling." But I intensely dislike extra dancers, except in the freestyles.
Len: "I liked it"
Bruno: "Ava Gardener at her sultriest, with a little Jessica Rabbit thrown in"
Carrie Ann: "You are like liquid gold when you move."
Yes, life is good for Vanessa Lachey. She gets to dance with Maks and go home with Nick.
Bitch
I'm kidding! You rock, Vanessa! :)
Scores: 8, 8, 8
My score: 8
Frankie Muniz & Witney
Tango
Frankie might just be the one that no one expects to take the Mirrorball! If he's popular enough for people to vote for him, his dancing could be good enough to make him a contender. He's already looking quite solid in Week 2. He benefited from Witney's excellent choreography - the moves swelled with the music in all the right places. I'm impressed, especially for a guy with chronic back pain.
Bruno: "missile right on target, precise, excellent content"
Carrie Ann: "incredible, dynamic partnership"
Len: "you went for that like a boiling kettle"
Scores: 8, 7, 8
My score: 8
Terrell Owens & Cheryl
Foxtrot
It was a very sensual dance, especially towards the end. Maybe too sexy for a Foxtrot? I could tell he was working on both his frame and his hips. It wasn't the best dance of the night so far, but it wasn't the worst. It was a mostly solid routine with some glimmers of improvement.
Carrie Ann was hot and bothered: "That's why I like to come to work."
Len was NOT hot and bothered: "Too raunchy"
Bruno: "sex trot straight into the bedroom" (LOL!)
Scores: 7, 6, 7
My score: 7
Sasha Pieterse & Gleb
Viennese Waltz
The extra dancers were seriously annoying and distracting. The opening visual was strange. But wow, what an improvement from last week! This was a great Viennese Waltz! Super fast turns (and a lot of them!) It was crisp, but flowed so beautifully, with lovely musicality. Sasha looked beautiful too. Impressive performance! For me, she is the most improved contestant so far!
Len: "nice position in hold"
Bruno: "so luscious and glamorous"
Carrie Ann: "your arms were lovely, expressive, elongated"
Scores: 8, 8, 7
My score: 8
Victoria Arlen & Val
Tango
From joyous last week to vixen this week. She is a good actress as well as a capable dancer. I saw improvement in her this week as well. She looked way more confident, and she danced better too. I think it helped that most of the dance was in hold, so her legs weren't on their own.
Bruno: "tough cookie Tango, well executed, You looked like a leading lady"
Carrie Ann: "polished, elegant, spot on"
Len: "super duper dance"
Scores: 8, 8, 8
My score: 8
Derek Fisher & Sharna
Foxtrot
I love seeing so much improvement in Week 2! This was a sweet, light, comedic Foxtrot. Derek had the opportunity to play to the audience and display some personality and musicality. His posture and partnering were admirable.
Carrie Ann: "You dance a little small, you need to own the stage" (Okay, valid point)
Len: "fun and lighthearted, you need to work on finesse and technique"
Bruno: "upbeat, feel of a romantic comedy"
Scores: 6, 6, 7
My score: 7
Jordan Fisher & Lindsay
Viennese Waltz
This dance checked all the boxes for me. It was a great routine to end the night. Jordan and Lindsay had chemistry, solid partnering, speed, and a beautiful flow across the floor. I enjoy watching them dance.
Len: "a little staccato and sharp"
Bruno: "true ballroom sparkle"
Carrie Ann: "I want to see more ballroom nuances"
Scores: 8, 8, 8
My score: 8
Couples in jeopardy:
Terrell & Cheryl
Barbara & Keo
Barbara & Keo were eliminated.
Poor Keo. Another early exit. Sigh.
librarianintx
Sunday, September 24, 2017
So You Think You Can Dance - Performance Finale
We have reached the finale of the season, and what a season it has been! All four of these dancers are so uber talented. As much as I miss Logan making it to the finals, I can't replace any of these contestants with him. They all deserve to be in the finale.
The opening was a Nappy Tabs routine, and it was awesome! It had a bit of several dance styles thrown in, and the judges' and audience's participation made the performance even more fun and exciting.
The Top Four
Travis Wall AND Chris Scott were choreographers!
The four dancers each represented earth, wind, fire and water.
This was obviously a taped piece. There were no judges critiques. It was a short routine, but powerful, with a lot of partnering work.
Taylor & Kiki
Cha Cha
Anya Garnis
Hi Anya! So nice to see the woman who was the original Hot Tamale! :)
They said Taylor had to tap into her sexy side, and she certainly did! The outfit definitely helped with that. Kiki was in his element, hips and arms flying. The fact that Taylor was a bit taller than Kiki bothered me, but it was a crisp, clean, sexy routine, with lots of cha cha elements and body contact. Yay Anya!
"Kiki - in your element, you command the stage" - Nigel
Koine & Lex
Broadway
Al Blackstone
I really enjoyed the light, comedic, cheeky feel of this routine. They were both so light on their feet; they looked like they were dancing on air. They made that performance look effortless. And they both showed a lot of expression and personality. It was adorable!
The audience was laughing and cheering throughout the performance, and the judges gave them a standing ovation. I'll mention now that the judges gave nearly every routine a standing ovation.
"excellent routine, excellently executed" - Nigel
"One of my favorite routines in the history of 'So You Think You Can Dance'' - Mary
Kiki & Jenna
Contemporary
Mandy Moore
Why are they resurrecting previous dances from this season on the PERFORMANCE finale? Isn't that the purpose of the RESULTS finale, besides crowning the winner? I'm honestly cranky about this. I think it's lazy on the part of the show, and makes it looks like they can't be bothered to have new routines on arguably the most important night of the season. I want new routines on the performance finale. I think they are cheating the viewers, in a way.
Okay. Rant over.
At least this is a routine that I really like.
Koine & Marco
African Jazz
This one was not one of my favorite routines, unfortunately, but only because the "music" annoyed me. But I appreciate how difficult and intricate it is. Koine could have selected something easier to perform, but she didn't, and I applaud her for that. She chose to challenge herself again, which is admirable.
Koine & Taylor
Jazz
Mandy Moore
Mandy created a routine that she hoped would be sultry, strong, and sophisticated. I know this is a weird criticism, but I was bothered by the fact that Taylor's outfit showed more skin than Koine's. I think their costumes should have been more similar. It was a good routine - crisp and tight, good turns and leg extensions, it WAS strong and sensual, but I wasn't as wowed as the judges for some reason.
"very Bob Fosse" - Vanessa
"You guys were commanding that stage" - Mary
Kiki & Lex
Hip Hop
Luther Brown
Before this routine, I thought wow, this isn't fair, hip hop is by far Kiki's worst dance genre. But I was very impressed. This time I can say that Kiki was definitely lit! They both had a great bounce, their movements were sharp and crisp, they both got down and dirty. And they played off each other very well. Really strong chemistry. I enjoyed this routine. They worked it!
"Kiki, you have blossomed, you have sprouted," - Nigel
Taylor & Robert
Contemporary
Travis Wall
Taylor definitely picked the right performance to highlight her amazing lines, flexibility, and the incredible partnership she has with Robert. That forward fall at the beginning of the routine will stand as one of the most memorable moments from this season. It is a stunning routine by two wonderful dancers and choreographed by the ridiculously talented Travis Wall.
Lex & Gabby
Tap
Very interesting that Lex chose a dance not in his style, but it was a crowd-pleasing routine that displayed the personality he supposedly lacks, plus some fun Lex moves too.
"Not even Fred Astaire can do that" - Nigel
Koine & Kiki
Contemporary
Travis Wall
The partnering work was exceptional in this routine, as was their flexibility, especially by Koine. Wow. There were so many moments when one of those dancers could have been injured. The chair work was so innovative. Very lyrical, emotional performance. Kiki was great in this performance; Koine was stunning. Travis is a genius.
"Could have gone so wrong, but it all went so right" - Mary (yes!!)
"Great dancers have to be great actresses" - Nigel
Taylor & Lex
Contemporary
Mia Michaels
A performance enhanced by the knowledge that Taylor and Lex are dating! Awww! I was thinking that throughout the routine. It was so sweet and loving. Lex lifted Taylor as if she was the most delicate flower. And there was A LOT of kissing. Cat was giddy, Vanessa was giddy, I was giddy. Mary and Nigel acted like proud...parents? I'm actually surprised that Lex and Taylor are together. I was shipping her with Robert. I'm still wondering about Koine and Marco. And Jenna and Kiki - what is going on there? It's all over the media that Jenna and Val are an item. Anyway, amazing routine. Nice to have Mia back...and not as a judge. Just sayin....
So who is going to win? I have no freakin' idea. Judging by audience reaction the past few weeks, I would say Kiki. I didn't vote, but if I had my way, Taylor would win. But honestly, all four of them are immensely talented and deserve the title.
librarianintx
The opening was a Nappy Tabs routine, and it was awesome! It had a bit of several dance styles thrown in, and the judges' and audience's participation made the performance even more fun and exciting.
The Top Four
Travis Wall AND Chris Scott were choreographers!
The four dancers each represented earth, wind, fire and water.
This was obviously a taped piece. There were no judges critiques. It was a short routine, but powerful, with a lot of partnering work.
Taylor & Kiki
Cha Cha
Anya Garnis
Hi Anya! So nice to see the woman who was the original Hot Tamale! :)
They said Taylor had to tap into her sexy side, and she certainly did! The outfit definitely helped with that. Kiki was in his element, hips and arms flying. The fact that Taylor was a bit taller than Kiki bothered me, but it was a crisp, clean, sexy routine, with lots of cha cha elements and body contact. Yay Anya!
"Kiki - in your element, you command the stage" - Nigel
Koine & Lex
Broadway
Al Blackstone
I really enjoyed the light, comedic, cheeky feel of this routine. They were both so light on their feet; they looked like they were dancing on air. They made that performance look effortless. And they both showed a lot of expression and personality. It was adorable!
The audience was laughing and cheering throughout the performance, and the judges gave them a standing ovation. I'll mention now that the judges gave nearly every routine a standing ovation.
"excellent routine, excellently executed" - Nigel
"One of my favorite routines in the history of 'So You Think You Can Dance'' - Mary
Kiki & Jenna
Contemporary
Mandy Moore
Why are they resurrecting previous dances from this season on the PERFORMANCE finale? Isn't that the purpose of the RESULTS finale, besides crowning the winner? I'm honestly cranky about this. I think it's lazy on the part of the show, and makes it looks like they can't be bothered to have new routines on arguably the most important night of the season. I want new routines on the performance finale. I think they are cheating the viewers, in a way.
Okay. Rant over.
At least this is a routine that I really like.
Koine & Marco
African Jazz
This one was not one of my favorite routines, unfortunately, but only because the "music" annoyed me. But I appreciate how difficult and intricate it is. Koine could have selected something easier to perform, but she didn't, and I applaud her for that. She chose to challenge herself again, which is admirable.
Koine & Taylor
Jazz
Mandy Moore
Mandy created a routine that she hoped would be sultry, strong, and sophisticated. I know this is a weird criticism, but I was bothered by the fact that Taylor's outfit showed more skin than Koine's. I think their costumes should have been more similar. It was a good routine - crisp and tight, good turns and leg extensions, it WAS strong and sensual, but I wasn't as wowed as the judges for some reason.
"very Bob Fosse" - Vanessa
"You guys were commanding that stage" - Mary
Kiki & Lex
Hip Hop
Luther Brown
Before this routine, I thought wow, this isn't fair, hip hop is by far Kiki's worst dance genre. But I was very impressed. This time I can say that Kiki was definitely lit! They both had a great bounce, their movements were sharp and crisp, they both got down and dirty. And they played off each other very well. Really strong chemistry. I enjoyed this routine. They worked it!
"Kiki, you have blossomed, you have sprouted," - Nigel
Taylor & Robert
Contemporary
Travis Wall
Taylor definitely picked the right performance to highlight her amazing lines, flexibility, and the incredible partnership she has with Robert. That forward fall at the beginning of the routine will stand as one of the most memorable moments from this season. It is a stunning routine by two wonderful dancers and choreographed by the ridiculously talented Travis Wall.
Lex & Gabby
Tap
Very interesting that Lex chose a dance not in his style, but it was a crowd-pleasing routine that displayed the personality he supposedly lacks, plus some fun Lex moves too.
"Not even Fred Astaire can do that" - Nigel
Koine & Kiki
Contemporary
Travis Wall
The partnering work was exceptional in this routine, as was their flexibility, especially by Koine. Wow. There were so many moments when one of those dancers could have been injured. The chair work was so innovative. Very lyrical, emotional performance. Kiki was great in this performance; Koine was stunning. Travis is a genius.
"Could have gone so wrong, but it all went so right" - Mary (yes!!)
"Great dancers have to be great actresses" - Nigel
Taylor & Lex
Contemporary
Mia Michaels
A performance enhanced by the knowledge that Taylor and Lex are dating! Awww! I was thinking that throughout the routine. It was so sweet and loving. Lex lifted Taylor as if she was the most delicate flower. And there was A LOT of kissing. Cat was giddy, Vanessa was giddy, I was giddy. Mary and Nigel acted like proud...parents? I'm actually surprised that Lex and Taylor are together. I was shipping her with Robert. I'm still wondering about Koine and Marco. And Jenna and Kiki - what is going on there? It's all over the media that Jenna and Val are an item. Anyway, amazing routine. Nice to have Mia back...and not as a judge. Just sayin....
So who is going to win? I have no freakin' idea. Judging by audience reaction the past few weeks, I would say Kiki. I didn't vote, but if I had my way, Taylor would win. But honestly, all four of them are immensely talented and deserve the title.
librarianintx
Friday, September 22, 2017
Big Brother Finale - My Thoughts
A friend texted this morning and asked what happened on the Big Brother finale - He heard that someone was robbed. Here is my response:
"In a nutshell, the mastermind of the season came in second, an emotionally unstable puppet won, and arguably the least likeable guy was voted fan favorite."
So let's dive in.
For me, Paul coming in second was not the visceral pain that some reality show results have caused me. Call me crazy that I can get so involved in a television show, but I was brokenhearted when Clay lost to Ruben on "American Idol," when David came in fourth on "Survivor," when James came in fourth on "American Idol." No, Paul's loss was more of a more of a frustrated, "dammit he deserved to win" reaction, like when Crystal should have won over Lee on "American Idol," or when Mondo lost to Gretchen on "Project Runway."
Bottom line, Paul played the best game this season, and arguably one of the best games the show has ever seen. He was the puppetmaster. Every ouster, every blindside, was orchestrated by him. He had alliances with nearly every contestant in the house. One by one, he systematically eliminated houseguests. And in nearly every case, he managed to get someone else to do his dirty work for him. He manipulated Josh and Christmas to do most of the butchering so his hands would stay clean. That is what a mastermind does.
So why did he lose? Three reasons, in my opinion:
1) Hubris - He knows he's a great player, and in the end that was part of his downfall
2) #Friendship - Paul ran on a campaign of friendship. He wanted everyone to like him, to follow him, to believe that he was the best friend of everyone in that house. But you can't promise the world to everyone, blindside them, and then expect them to vote for you to win. Paul can believe that he was about friendship, but in reality, he was about winning at all costs. He was about redemption for his second place finish to Nicole.
3) Bitter jurors - Ultimately, Paul lost because of too many angry, resentful jurors who could not see through their hurt to reward his outstanding game play. So they gave 500,000 to a guy who spent the season alternately fighting with houseguests, making their lives miserable with banging pots and constant yelling, and breaking down in tears and begging for forgiveness.
It was Paul's emphasis on friendship, plus his manipulation of Josh, that made me uncomfortable with his winning. Josh is an emotionally unstable man, and Paul used that to his advantage, often encouraging Josh to act out even more, then berating Josh in front of the other contestants when he carried out whatever instructions Paul gave him. This continues to make me unsettled. But still, I have to say that Paul deserved to win. He stumbled on the correct answers in the last competition, and his responses to juror questions in that segment were rather weak. But his final speech was absolutely masterful. He laid out point by point exactly why he deserved to win, and he spoke with precision and just the right amount of confidence. I thought he had it in the bag by then.
Unfortunately, several of the jurors were in no-win situations when it came to the vote. Mark didn't trust Paul, but he nearly came to blows with Josh. Still, he voted for Josh. Alex was blindsided by Paul, who promised to take her to the finals, but Josh was the person who eliminated her. Paul didn't vote for her to stay as a "sympathy vote," he did it so Josh would have to break the tie and be responsible for her departure. Yet Alex voted for Josh to win. Cody hated both of them. In the end, the deciding vote was Cody's, and he cast it for Josh.
Even more disturbing than Josh's win and Paul's loss, however, was Cody winning fan favorite. What.The.Bloody.Hell America? You reward a sullen, combative, sore loser who played arguably the worst social game with $25,000? What did he do to make you like him? Was it because of his romance with Jessica? The admittedly loving and protective way he spoke about his daughter? His tenacity in the battle back challenge? I suppose those are worthy reasons. But not strong enough for me to overcome all the negative aspects of his personality. And what did he do when he found out he won? That he was adored by fans who watch the show? He shook his head and scowled. No trace of gratefulness. No, "wow, thank you America, I'm honored and appreciative." Nothing. Maybe he was too shocked. Maybe he feels undeserving. I think he absolutely is. It makes me sick to my stomach that someone like Cody was rewarded for such poor behavior, while a dude like Jason, a lovable country guy who fell to his knees in tears when he found out his wife was pregnant, walked away with nothing. Okay, I know. Jason is no angel. He made mistakes in the game. He lied. But I would have been infinitely happier to see him take the fan favorite.
I have to say that even Julie Chen let me down in this episode. Julie, who is usually so sympathetic and gentle to the contestants when they leave the house, for some reason decided to open a box of Morton's and dump it directly into poor Paul's gaping wounds. As the visibly devastated runner up stood beside her, Julie grinned and said to him, "A bridesmaid again, huh?" Terrible. Completely unnecessary. And then she announced his arch enemy as fan favorite. OUCH. As least Paul can still say, "I won $25,000 more than Cody did."
It was a crazy, engrossing, fascinating season, with a terrible outcome. But I have to find some light, some good points to end with. Here are a few:
1) No matter how you feel about Raven and Matt, they have a cute, quirky relationship that I think will continue outside the house.
2) Alex and Jason will be lifelong friends I think.
3) Josh, Paul, and Cody were all rewarded monetarily, Josh has the title, but Christmas is arguably the true winner of the season. Somehow she allied herself with Josh all season, she held him, dried his tears, consoled him, cajoled him, talked him off ledges repeatedly, slapped him into shape when he needed it, yet she still cried tears of happiness and pride when he eliminated her. True, she didn't give him her vote, but that was the right thing to do. For Christmas to walk away with nothing and still have a radiant smile on her face - she is my sparkle at the end of this complicated season. Christmas Joy has integrity, she has grace, she has inner fortitude - she is the shining example of #friendship.
Until next time BB fans,
librarianintx
"In a nutshell, the mastermind of the season came in second, an emotionally unstable puppet won, and arguably the least likeable guy was voted fan favorite."
So let's dive in.
For me, Paul coming in second was not the visceral pain that some reality show results have caused me. Call me crazy that I can get so involved in a television show, but I was brokenhearted when Clay lost to Ruben on "American Idol," when David came in fourth on "Survivor," when James came in fourth on "American Idol." No, Paul's loss was more of a more of a frustrated, "dammit he deserved to win" reaction, like when Crystal should have won over Lee on "American Idol," or when Mondo lost to Gretchen on "Project Runway."
Bottom line, Paul played the best game this season, and arguably one of the best games the show has ever seen. He was the puppetmaster. Every ouster, every blindside, was orchestrated by him. He had alliances with nearly every contestant in the house. One by one, he systematically eliminated houseguests. And in nearly every case, he managed to get someone else to do his dirty work for him. He manipulated Josh and Christmas to do most of the butchering so his hands would stay clean. That is what a mastermind does.
So why did he lose? Three reasons, in my opinion:
1) Hubris - He knows he's a great player, and in the end that was part of his downfall
2) #Friendship - Paul ran on a campaign of friendship. He wanted everyone to like him, to follow him, to believe that he was the best friend of everyone in that house. But you can't promise the world to everyone, blindside them, and then expect them to vote for you to win. Paul can believe that he was about friendship, but in reality, he was about winning at all costs. He was about redemption for his second place finish to Nicole.
3) Bitter jurors - Ultimately, Paul lost because of too many angry, resentful jurors who could not see through their hurt to reward his outstanding game play. So they gave 500,000 to a guy who spent the season alternately fighting with houseguests, making their lives miserable with banging pots and constant yelling, and breaking down in tears and begging for forgiveness.
It was Paul's emphasis on friendship, plus his manipulation of Josh, that made me uncomfortable with his winning. Josh is an emotionally unstable man, and Paul used that to his advantage, often encouraging Josh to act out even more, then berating Josh in front of the other contestants when he carried out whatever instructions Paul gave him. This continues to make me unsettled. But still, I have to say that Paul deserved to win. He stumbled on the correct answers in the last competition, and his responses to juror questions in that segment were rather weak. But his final speech was absolutely masterful. He laid out point by point exactly why he deserved to win, and he spoke with precision and just the right amount of confidence. I thought he had it in the bag by then.
Unfortunately, several of the jurors were in no-win situations when it came to the vote. Mark didn't trust Paul, but he nearly came to blows with Josh. Still, he voted for Josh. Alex was blindsided by Paul, who promised to take her to the finals, but Josh was the person who eliminated her. Paul didn't vote for her to stay as a "sympathy vote," he did it so Josh would have to break the tie and be responsible for her departure. Yet Alex voted for Josh to win. Cody hated both of them. In the end, the deciding vote was Cody's, and he cast it for Josh.
Even more disturbing than Josh's win and Paul's loss, however, was Cody winning fan favorite. What.The.Bloody.Hell America? You reward a sullen, combative, sore loser who played arguably the worst social game with $25,000? What did he do to make you like him? Was it because of his romance with Jessica? The admittedly loving and protective way he spoke about his daughter? His tenacity in the battle back challenge? I suppose those are worthy reasons. But not strong enough for me to overcome all the negative aspects of his personality. And what did he do when he found out he won? That he was adored by fans who watch the show? He shook his head and scowled. No trace of gratefulness. No, "wow, thank you America, I'm honored and appreciative." Nothing. Maybe he was too shocked. Maybe he feels undeserving. I think he absolutely is. It makes me sick to my stomach that someone like Cody was rewarded for such poor behavior, while a dude like Jason, a lovable country guy who fell to his knees in tears when he found out his wife was pregnant, walked away with nothing. Okay, I know. Jason is no angel. He made mistakes in the game. He lied. But I would have been infinitely happier to see him take the fan favorite.
I have to say that even Julie Chen let me down in this episode. Julie, who is usually so sympathetic and gentle to the contestants when they leave the house, for some reason decided to open a box of Morton's and dump it directly into poor Paul's gaping wounds. As the visibly devastated runner up stood beside her, Julie grinned and said to him, "A bridesmaid again, huh?" Terrible. Completely unnecessary. And then she announced his arch enemy as fan favorite. OUCH. As least Paul can still say, "I won $25,000 more than Cody did."
It was a crazy, engrossing, fascinating season, with a terrible outcome. But I have to find some light, some good points to end with. Here are a few:
1) No matter how you feel about Raven and Matt, they have a cute, quirky relationship that I think will continue outside the house.
2) Alex and Jason will be lifelong friends I think.
3) Josh, Paul, and Cody were all rewarded monetarily, Josh has the title, but Christmas is arguably the true winner of the season. Somehow she allied herself with Josh all season, she held him, dried his tears, consoled him, cajoled him, talked him off ledges repeatedly, slapped him into shape when he needed it, yet she still cried tears of happiness and pride when he eliminated her. True, she didn't give him her vote, but that was the right thing to do. For Christmas to walk away with nothing and still have a radiant smile on her face - she is my sparkle at the end of this complicated season. Christmas Joy has integrity, she has grace, she has inner fortitude - she is the shining example of #friendship.
Until next time BB fans,
librarianintx
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Dancing with the Stars Season 25 Episode 1 9/18/17
I know I should have done this the other way around. I should have watched "So You Think You Can Dance" because it's the performance finale, and if I watch the results finale on Tuesday night without having seen the performances, it will be like cheating. But darn you, FOX and ABC, for having FOUR hours of dancing in one night! I had grand designs of watching both shows by flipping back and forth during commercials, but that didn't work out. I can't recap that fast. So I went with "Dancing with the Stars." I was too excited to wait! Here we go, dance fans!
SEASON 25! Wow!
And the opening number gets bigger and flashier every year.
Congratulations on your Emmy, Mandy Moore!
Terrell Owens & Cheryl
Cha Cha
Welcome back Cheryl!
Terrell is tall!
Is he the best football ever to dance on this show? Not yet, and I tend to think he's not going to be, but he had a few moves, and he definitely has the likeability factor already. He was smooth, the costume was appropriately flashy, and he had a popular Motown song to groove to ("Ain't too Proud to Beg"). Nice beginning! The height difference wasn't noticeable in this routine.
Len: "got the party started - but watch your feet and legs"
Scores: 5, 5, 5
My score: 6
Debbie Gibson & Alan
Foxtrot
Yay for Alan getting promoted! (But boo for Sasha getting demoted to the troupe)
Alan was born in 1994?! Geez, I'm old!!
Debbie suffers from Lyme Disease. :(
She danced to her hit song "Lost in Your Eyes"!
I thought she did well for a first dance. Decent frame, nice flow of movement, and they traversed the stage well. She was a bit stiff and hesitant, but she looked lovely. Good job!
Bruno: "dreamy, great partnering and chemistry"
Scores: 6, 5, 6
My score: 6
Sasha Pieterse & Gleb
Cha Cha
Sasha is from "Pretty Little Liars"
Her parents are professional ballroom dancers, so she has something to prove.
I don't think she proved it in this first episode. She was clearly nervous and unsure, waiting for Gleb to make the moves first, but she tried to bring the sexy - it eeked out of her a time or two. She needs to work on her timing and confidence. She is definitely a work in progress.
Carrie Ann: "You looked fierce out there" (mmmm, okay)
Scores: 6, 6, 6
My score: 5
Drew Scott & Emma
Foxtrot
Another height difference between the couple
I think Emma's choreography made him look like a better dancer than he is. Plus the song - "Our House" by Madness - paired well with his quirky, bouncy style, or at least the rhythm that he used for this performance. It was entertaining, but it honestly wasn't good. His frame definitely needs work (Ha! His frame needs work! He's a property fixer upper!) :)
Len: "you're a fixer upper (I wrote it before you said it, Len!) - needs more finesse"
Scores: 6, 5, 5
My score: 5
Barbara Corcoran & Keo
Salsa
Geez Louise, what does "Dancing with the Stars" have against Keo? What did he do to make them constantly give him contestants who can't dance?! Okay, he had a decent partner with Jodie Sweetin a few seasons ago, but otherwise, he gets the Charos and the Barbaras. The pre-dance video was very funny. "Come to Mama" - she was all over him! But her Salsa WAS.NOT.GOOD. First of all, Salsa in the first week? Second of all, sixty-eight year old Barbara trying to shake her booty to a rap song? Painful. I'm not trying to be ageist here. Gladys Knight and Artem danced to "In Da Club" in their season and blew the roof off the place. Gladys is seventy-three. But this song - and dance - did not work for Barbara. End of story
Bruno: "She can shake her money maker!" (C'mon Bruno. She didn't shake anything) The intention was there; the execution needed more attack"
Scores: 5, 4, 5
My score: 4
Jordan Fisher & Lindsay
Tango
Jordan is an actor who has been in Hamilton on Broadway.
Lindsay has a contender!!
Performance of the night so far for me!
Great Shawn Mendez song - "Holding Me Back"
Excellent frame and hold, very fast, nice and tight, covered the floor - a proper Tango!
It was an exciting routine, fantastic musicality and chemistry!
I loved this performance!
Carrie Ann: (squealing): "body contact was on par, swagger, content..."
Scores: 8, 7, 7
My score: 8
Nick Lachey & Peta
Cha Cha
Round One of the Battle of the Married Couples!
Nick: "I was in 98 Degrees - the non-dancing boy band" :)
There were extra dancers in the beginning - grrr!
He gave it his all, and I appreciated his enthusiasm and gusto, but yeah, he needs to work on his hips. You would think such a smokin' hot guy would have more rhythm. Keep trying Nick! I want the opportunity to oggle you for a few more weeks. And a big thank you to the costume department for the tight shirt! :)
Len: "You went for it"
Scores: 6, 6, 6
My score: 6
Vanessa Lachey & Maks
Cha Cha
And Round One easily goes to Mama! (Again, I wrote it before Carrie Ann said it) :)
The baby part at the beginning was a little strange (and MORE extra dancers, ugh!)
But when they finally descended the stage, Vanessa was on fire! She is a hot mama for sure! Sharp, tight, great turns and footwork - impressive! I love her personality too. Maks has a contender for sure!
Bruno: "yummy mama - proper Cha Cha Cha"
Scores: 7, 7, 7
My score: 8
Frankie Muniz & Witney
Foxtrot
OMG, have I been spelling Witney's name wrong for years?! I think I have! I'm so sorry Witney!
In her heels, Witney appeared to be a hair taller than Frankie. But I was very impressed with Frankie's partnering ability. He was in control of the dance, and he had a good frame too. It was a solid routine. The choreography paired well with the music too.
Carrie Ann: "beautiful, endearing, honest, vulnerable, good posture"
Scores: 7, 6, 6
My score: 7
Nikki Bella & Artem
Tango
Artem is blond now!? Why, Artem? Sigh
This was a solid routine, as fiesty and fiery as she is, apparently. Her costume was bold, and she looked fierce. The performance looked like a proper Tango. Flipping Artem was a cool end to the routine, although it would have packed more punch if she had not done the same move in the pre-dance video. She should be in the top half of the leader board with this dance.
Len: "good body contact, but don't look down"
Scores: 7, 7, 6
My score: 7
Derek Fisher & Sharna
Salsa
Like with Terrell earlier in the night, Sharna tried to utilize Derek's strengths - his partnering skills and lifting ability. Because so far he isn't showing much in the rhythm department. But unfortunately he had an "oops" moment when it came to partnering. He needs more drills, more practice. Sharna was a little over-excited about Derek's performance.
Bruno: "great number - took center stage" (That's true. You have to give him a bonus point for his brief solo)
Scores: 6, 6, 6
My score: 5
Victoria Arlen & Val
Cha Cha
Like Sasha, I could tell she was nervous and hesitant. She kept waiting for Val to move before she did. So the dance didn't flow like a Cha Cha should. But I loved how expressive and joyful she was. And of course I adored the hot pink costumes. I don't know how much of her difficulty in the dance was due to her recovery, and how much was nerves. But I give her an "A" for her effort. Her enthusiasm and smile sold the dance (plus those awesome pink twirly pants!)
Carrie Ann: "one of the most joyous performances"
Scores: 7, 6, 6
My score: 6
Lindsey Stirling & Mark
Cha Cha
Best performance of the night by far!
Lindsey had it all in this dance - rhythm, hip action, sex appeal, speed, proper technique, chemistry with her partner, AND she looked completely comfortable on the dance floor. I heard people are already betting on her to take the mirrorball, and now I know why.
Dynamic, exciting, top notch performance!
Len: "crisp, clean, dance of the night!"
Scores: 7, 8, 7
My score: 8 (almost a 9!)
Overall, I felt the level of dancing was a little low for a season premiere, but there were definitely some highlights, and some contenders. I still love the show! Sparkle on, DWTS!
librarianintx
SEASON 25! Wow!
And the opening number gets bigger and flashier every year.
Congratulations on your Emmy, Mandy Moore!
Terrell Owens & Cheryl
Cha Cha
Welcome back Cheryl!
Terrell is tall!
Is he the best football ever to dance on this show? Not yet, and I tend to think he's not going to be, but he had a few moves, and he definitely has the likeability factor already. He was smooth, the costume was appropriately flashy, and he had a popular Motown song to groove to ("Ain't too Proud to Beg"). Nice beginning! The height difference wasn't noticeable in this routine.
Len: "got the party started - but watch your feet and legs"
Scores: 5, 5, 5
My score: 6
Debbie Gibson & Alan
Foxtrot
Yay for Alan getting promoted! (But boo for Sasha getting demoted to the troupe)
Alan was born in 1994?! Geez, I'm old!!
Debbie suffers from Lyme Disease. :(
She danced to her hit song "Lost in Your Eyes"!
I thought she did well for a first dance. Decent frame, nice flow of movement, and they traversed the stage well. She was a bit stiff and hesitant, but she looked lovely. Good job!
Bruno: "dreamy, great partnering and chemistry"
Scores: 6, 5, 6
My score: 6
Sasha Pieterse & Gleb
Cha Cha
Sasha is from "Pretty Little Liars"
Her parents are professional ballroom dancers, so she has something to prove.
I don't think she proved it in this first episode. She was clearly nervous and unsure, waiting for Gleb to make the moves first, but she tried to bring the sexy - it eeked out of her a time or two. She needs to work on her timing and confidence. She is definitely a work in progress.
Carrie Ann: "You looked fierce out there" (mmmm, okay)
Scores: 6, 6, 6
My score: 5
Drew Scott & Emma
Foxtrot
Another height difference between the couple
I think Emma's choreography made him look like a better dancer than he is. Plus the song - "Our House" by Madness - paired well with his quirky, bouncy style, or at least the rhythm that he used for this performance. It was entertaining, but it honestly wasn't good. His frame definitely needs work (Ha! His frame needs work! He's a property fixer upper!) :)
Len: "you're a fixer upper (I wrote it before you said it, Len!) - needs more finesse"
Scores: 6, 5, 5
My score: 5
Barbara Corcoran & Keo
Salsa
Geez Louise, what does "Dancing with the Stars" have against Keo? What did he do to make them constantly give him contestants who can't dance?! Okay, he had a decent partner with Jodie Sweetin a few seasons ago, but otherwise, he gets the Charos and the Barbaras. The pre-dance video was very funny. "Come to Mama" - she was all over him! But her Salsa WAS.NOT.GOOD. First of all, Salsa in the first week? Second of all, sixty-eight year old Barbara trying to shake her booty to a rap song? Painful. I'm not trying to be ageist here. Gladys Knight and Artem danced to "In Da Club" in their season and blew the roof off the place. Gladys is seventy-three. But this song - and dance - did not work for Barbara. End of story
Bruno: "She can shake her money maker!" (C'mon Bruno. She didn't shake anything) The intention was there; the execution needed more attack"
Scores: 5, 4, 5
My score: 4
Jordan Fisher & Lindsay
Tango
Jordan is an actor who has been in Hamilton on Broadway.
Lindsay has a contender!!
Performance of the night so far for me!
Great Shawn Mendez song - "Holding Me Back"
Excellent frame and hold, very fast, nice and tight, covered the floor - a proper Tango!
It was an exciting routine, fantastic musicality and chemistry!
I loved this performance!
Carrie Ann: (squealing): "body contact was on par, swagger, content..."
Scores: 8, 7, 7
My score: 8
Nick Lachey & Peta
Cha Cha
Round One of the Battle of the Married Couples!
Nick: "I was in 98 Degrees - the non-dancing boy band" :)
There were extra dancers in the beginning - grrr!
He gave it his all, and I appreciated his enthusiasm and gusto, but yeah, he needs to work on his hips. You would think such a smokin' hot guy would have more rhythm. Keep trying Nick! I want the opportunity to oggle you for a few more weeks. And a big thank you to the costume department for the tight shirt! :)
Len: "You went for it"
Scores: 6, 6, 6
My score: 6
Vanessa Lachey & Maks
Cha Cha
And Round One easily goes to Mama! (Again, I wrote it before Carrie Ann said it) :)
The baby part at the beginning was a little strange (and MORE extra dancers, ugh!)
But when they finally descended the stage, Vanessa was on fire! She is a hot mama for sure! Sharp, tight, great turns and footwork - impressive! I love her personality too. Maks has a contender for sure!
Bruno: "yummy mama - proper Cha Cha Cha"
Scores: 7, 7, 7
My score: 8
Frankie Muniz & Witney
Foxtrot
OMG, have I been spelling Witney's name wrong for years?! I think I have! I'm so sorry Witney!
In her heels, Witney appeared to be a hair taller than Frankie. But I was very impressed with Frankie's partnering ability. He was in control of the dance, and he had a good frame too. It was a solid routine. The choreography paired well with the music too.
Carrie Ann: "beautiful, endearing, honest, vulnerable, good posture"
Scores: 7, 6, 6
My score: 7
Nikki Bella & Artem
Tango
Artem is blond now!? Why, Artem? Sigh
This was a solid routine, as fiesty and fiery as she is, apparently. Her costume was bold, and she looked fierce. The performance looked like a proper Tango. Flipping Artem was a cool end to the routine, although it would have packed more punch if she had not done the same move in the pre-dance video. She should be in the top half of the leader board with this dance.
Len: "good body contact, but don't look down"
Scores: 7, 7, 6
My score: 7
Derek Fisher & Sharna
Salsa
Like with Terrell earlier in the night, Sharna tried to utilize Derek's strengths - his partnering skills and lifting ability. Because so far he isn't showing much in the rhythm department. But unfortunately he had an "oops" moment when it came to partnering. He needs more drills, more practice. Sharna was a little over-excited about Derek's performance.
Bruno: "great number - took center stage" (That's true. You have to give him a bonus point for his brief solo)
Scores: 6, 6, 6
My score: 5
Victoria Arlen & Val
Cha Cha
Like Sasha, I could tell she was nervous and hesitant. She kept waiting for Val to move before she did. So the dance didn't flow like a Cha Cha should. But I loved how expressive and joyful she was. And of course I adored the hot pink costumes. I don't know how much of her difficulty in the dance was due to her recovery, and how much was nerves. But I give her an "A" for her effort. Her enthusiasm and smile sold the dance (plus those awesome pink twirly pants!)
Carrie Ann: "one of the most joyous performances"
Scores: 7, 6, 6
My score: 6
Lindsey Stirling & Mark
Cha Cha
Best performance of the night by far!
Lindsey had it all in this dance - rhythm, hip action, sex appeal, speed, proper technique, chemistry with her partner, AND she looked completely comfortable on the dance floor. I heard people are already betting on her to take the mirrorball, and now I know why.
Dynamic, exciting, top notch performance!
Len: "crisp, clean, dance of the night!"
Scores: 7, 8, 7
My score: 8 (almost a 9!)
Overall, I felt the level of dancing was a little low for a season premiere, but there were definitely some highlights, and some contenders. I still love the show! Sparkle on, DWTS!
librarianintx
Monday, September 18, 2017
Dancing with the Stars 2017 - New Cast
The show starts in 10 minutes dance fans!
I don't have much time!
At first I didn't recognize many of the names. But when I googled them, some became more familiar. Like the woman from Shark Tank. And the guy from Hamilton.
I am most excited to see Nick and Vanessa Lachey. And Debbie Gibson.
Mostly I'm just excited that the show is back! Yay for Tom and Erin, two of the best hosts on tv! (I love you, also, Cat Deeley!)
Four hours of dancing tonight (two of DWTS, two of SYTYCD)
Bring it!
librarianintx
So You Think You Can Dance recap 9/11/17
Double elimination episode!
Part I
Lex & Gabby
Samba
Sasha Farber
It looked like an African Jazz Samba to me. I liked it - fast, flirty, good tricks. But not as much in hold as a traditional Samba. And no Samba rolls, but those are tough.
Mary liked it, but had some issues with Lex.
Koine & Marco
Contemporary
Mandy Korpinen & Elizabeth Patrin
A very innovative and potentially dangerous routine
More gymnastics than contemporary in some ways
Their chemistry is out of this world.
The audience went crazy
"in harmony with yourself, with your partner, with the music, with the beautiful choreography" - Mary to Koine
Kiki & Jenna
Jazz
Ray Leeper
Any dance to "Proud Mary" has to be high energy. Period. This was a fast routine, but I couldn't help comparing it to Paige & Mark's Jive on Dancing with the Stars, which I think will go down in history as one of the best Jives on any dance show. I hate to compare, and to mention another show, but this routine was not as strong. It was a little slow in places. A little klunky on transitions. But still solid and enjoyable.
Mary put them on the Hot Tamale train.
Kaylee and Cyrus
Hip Hop
Phillip Chbeeb
Hi Phillip! :)
Lots of partnering
Very intricate
I'm glad they weren't in the box for the entire routine.
Innovative
Amazing moves
Taylor & Robert
Hip Hop
Keone & Mari Madrid
For me, Taylor and Robert bring 100% commitment to every routine they perform. They never do anything half ass. Their movements were sharp, precise, and powerful. This animation-type routine is far from their wheelhouse, but they sold it. A minor gripe - I did not like the colors on their necks and faces, and I'm glad I couldn't see that during the performance.
Lex got a standing ovation for his solo! That doesn't happen very often.
Logan & Allison
Contemporary
Dee Caspary
Very dark - like literally too dark for most of the piece - dark stage, dark clothing - I felt like I couldn't see them well enough
I couldn't discern for most of the routine that they were dancing with a rose
It was intense, passionate, but I was very disappointed and frustrated with the lighting.
Mary to Logan: "fabulous partnering work" - but Nigel wanted to feel more emotion from him.
Part II
Koine & Lex
Disco
Doriana Sanchez
A typical trick-fest, intensely high-energy disco routine from Doriana Sanchez, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love her choreography! I was totally into the music, the dancing, the costumes, everything. I'm surprised Koine and Lex didn't need supplemental oxygen after that performance. Lightning fast is an understatement. But oh no, Lex got hurt! He tried to shrug it off, but he was obviously in pain. I hope he's okay.
Taylor & Logan
Jazz
Mark Kanemura
Of course Gaga's back-up dancer is going to choreograph to a Gaga song. I liked this routine, but unfortunately, I wasn't gaga over it. It was good, but I think Taylor and Logan deserved better. There weren't a lot of wow moments for me in this performance. I blame the choreography, not the dancers. Mark is great at what he does, but this routine was just okay for me.
Kaylee and Kiki
Bollywood
Nakul Dev Mahajan
I was very impressed with both of their efforts, but Kaylee especially wowed me. Her rhythm and bounce were great! It was an enjoyable routine, but as Bollywood dances go on So You Think You Can Dance, I did not think this one was as challenging as others I've seen, such as Katie and Joshua's number, and even Dacy and Fik-shun's dance from earlier this season.
Results:
Yes, I am very disappointed. Logan was my favorite this season. I would have rather had him in the finale than Kiki. But that doesn't mean that I don't like Kiki. Overall, this is a VERY strong Top Four. It will be a great finale.
librarianintx
Part I
Lex & Gabby
Samba
Sasha Farber
It looked like an African Jazz Samba to me. I liked it - fast, flirty, good tricks. But not as much in hold as a traditional Samba. And no Samba rolls, but those are tough.
Mary liked it, but had some issues with Lex.
Koine & Marco
Contemporary
Mandy Korpinen & Elizabeth Patrin
A very innovative and potentially dangerous routine
More gymnastics than contemporary in some ways
Their chemistry is out of this world.
The audience went crazy
"in harmony with yourself, with your partner, with the music, with the beautiful choreography" - Mary to Koine
Kiki & Jenna
Jazz
Ray Leeper
Any dance to "Proud Mary" has to be high energy. Period. This was a fast routine, but I couldn't help comparing it to Paige & Mark's Jive on Dancing with the Stars, which I think will go down in history as one of the best Jives on any dance show. I hate to compare, and to mention another show, but this routine was not as strong. It was a little slow in places. A little klunky on transitions. But still solid and enjoyable.
Mary put them on the Hot Tamale train.
Kaylee and Cyrus
Hip Hop
Phillip Chbeeb
Hi Phillip! :)
Lots of partnering
Very intricate
I'm glad they weren't in the box for the entire routine.
Innovative
Amazing moves
Taylor & Robert
Hip Hop
Keone & Mari Madrid
For me, Taylor and Robert bring 100% commitment to every routine they perform. They never do anything half ass. Their movements were sharp, precise, and powerful. This animation-type routine is far from their wheelhouse, but they sold it. A minor gripe - I did not like the colors on their necks and faces, and I'm glad I couldn't see that during the performance.
Lex got a standing ovation for his solo! That doesn't happen very often.
Logan & Allison
Contemporary
Dee Caspary
Very dark - like literally too dark for most of the piece - dark stage, dark clothing - I felt like I couldn't see them well enough
I couldn't discern for most of the routine that they were dancing with a rose
It was intense, passionate, but I was very disappointed and frustrated with the lighting.
Mary to Logan: "fabulous partnering work" - but Nigel wanted to feel more emotion from him.
Part II
Koine & Lex
Disco
Doriana Sanchez
A typical trick-fest, intensely high-energy disco routine from Doriana Sanchez, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love her choreography! I was totally into the music, the dancing, the costumes, everything. I'm surprised Koine and Lex didn't need supplemental oxygen after that performance. Lightning fast is an understatement. But oh no, Lex got hurt! He tried to shrug it off, but he was obviously in pain. I hope he's okay.
Taylor & Logan
Jazz
Mark Kanemura
Of course Gaga's back-up dancer is going to choreograph to a Gaga song. I liked this routine, but unfortunately, I wasn't gaga over it. It was good, but I think Taylor and Logan deserved better. There weren't a lot of wow moments for me in this performance. I blame the choreography, not the dancers. Mark is great at what he does, but this routine was just okay for me.
Kaylee and Kiki
Bollywood
Nakul Dev Mahajan
I was very impressed with both of their efforts, but Kaylee especially wowed me. Her rhythm and bounce were great! It was an enjoyable routine, but as Bollywood dances go on So You Think You Can Dance, I did not think this one was as challenging as others I've seen, such as Katie and Joshua's number, and even Dacy and Fik-shun's dance from earlier this season.
Results:
Yes, I am very disappointed. Logan was my favorite this season. I would have rather had him in the finale than Kiki. But that doesn't mean that I don't like Kiki. Overall, this is a VERY strong Top Four. It will be a great finale.
librarianintx
Project Runway Recap: Good vs Evil
For this challenge, Michael, as the winner of last week's runway, decided who would make a "good" look and who would design an "evil" look.
He split up the twins! But they still ended up helping each other. Of course.
My quick critiques:
Michael - regal, sexy, I love the neckline, the headpiece, and the fabric - showstopper!!
Aaron - disaster, craft project, unfinished, mess
Kenya - Usually I don't like those bell sleeves, but the garment so well made, so flattering, so sexy even though she was covered up - I loved it.
Batani - very well made, fits the model great, I liked the lace
Margarita - SEXY! QUEEN! Stunning!
Claire - more for the bedroom than an evening look
Shawn - sexy, and I really liked the styling too
Brandon - sort of interesting, but no, looks like a napkin
Kentaro - nice draping, lovely silhouette, but a bit drab
Ayana - I liked the fitted top, but there was too much going on with the bottom, and why did she pair that outfit with red shoes?
Amy - looks like a negligee with a huge wrap
Samantha - not interesting or flattering
My top designers: Michael, Batani, Margarita, Shawn, Kenya
My bottom designers: Aaron, Brandon, Amy, Ayana, Claire
The Judges' Six:
Kenya
Aaron
Brandon
Claire
Samantha
Michael
The judges put Kenya, Brandon, and Michael in the top, and Aaron, Claire, and Samantha in the bottom.
Who do I think should have won this challenge? A very hard decision, because I seriously loved Michael's, Kenya's, and Margarita's, and I can't choose between them. But if I have to go with one...I really can't! :) Okay, I'll say Michael. But if Margarita had been one of the judges' top picks, I would have said her. But Kenya's look was killer too.
Who do I think should have been eliminated? Aaron. No waffling there. Clearly the worst of the week.
The winner of the challenge was Brandon. I am absolutely shaking my head over that. Brandon's look was a chic, well-made, expensive evening look? Really? I'm sorry, I just don't... Brandon won over Michael...Kenya...Margarita...Batani...Shawn...how?!?!
The designer who went home was Aaron. No surprise there.
librarianintx
He split up the twins! But they still ended up helping each other. Of course.
My quick critiques:
Michael - regal, sexy, I love the neckline, the headpiece, and the fabric - showstopper!!
Aaron - disaster, craft project, unfinished, mess
Kenya - Usually I don't like those bell sleeves, but the garment so well made, so flattering, so sexy even though she was covered up - I loved it.
Batani - very well made, fits the model great, I liked the lace
Margarita - SEXY! QUEEN! Stunning!
Claire - more for the bedroom than an evening look
Shawn - sexy, and I really liked the styling too
Brandon - sort of interesting, but no, looks like a napkin
Kentaro - nice draping, lovely silhouette, but a bit drab
Ayana - I liked the fitted top, but there was too much going on with the bottom, and why did she pair that outfit with red shoes?
Amy - looks like a negligee with a huge wrap
Samantha - not interesting or flattering
My top designers: Michael, Batani, Margarita, Shawn, Kenya
My bottom designers: Aaron, Brandon, Amy, Ayana, Claire
The Judges' Six:
Kenya
Aaron
Brandon
Claire
Samantha
Michael
The judges put Kenya, Brandon, and Michael in the top, and Aaron, Claire, and Samantha in the bottom.
Who do I think should have won this challenge? A very hard decision, because I seriously loved Michael's, Kenya's, and Margarita's, and I can't choose between them. But if I have to go with one...I really can't! :) Okay, I'll say Michael. But if Margarita had been one of the judges' top picks, I would have said her. But Kenya's look was killer too.
Who do I think should have been eliminated? Aaron. No waffling there. Clearly the worst of the week.
The winner of the challenge was Brandon. I am absolutely shaking my head over that. Brandon's look was a chic, well-made, expensive evening look? Really? I'm sorry, I just don't... Brandon won over Michael...Kenya...Margarita...Batani...Shawn...how?!?!
The designer who went home was Aaron. No surprise there.
librarianintx
Thursday, September 14, 2017
"Be on Time" Chronicles 9/12/17
As I've said before, para-transit won't wait.
Even if you're stuck in the building during a possible emergency.
The alarms went off at work around 2 pm, and everyone exited the building.
Except myself and a co-worker
It was the first time I decided not to negotiate the four flights of difficult stairs.
So she and I waited in the stairwell
And waited
And waited some more
No one came to get us
My cell service evidently was spotty in the stairwell
Almost fifteen minutes elapsed before I received a text from another co-worker
Emergency vehicles were arriving, but no one had any answers.
My ride was due in less than ten minutes.
If I missed it, would I get another?
Likely, but it might take an hour...or two
And I was headed to the grocery store after work.
I had a schedule to keep.
But so does para-transit
My team leader knew of my predicament
She spoke to the building supervisor.
"Her ride is coming soon," she implored. "What can we do?"
"No worries," the unflappable man soothed. "I'm sure they'll wait for her."
"See, that's the thing," my team leader informed him. "They won't."
I was fortunate that this was one of the days where my ride was not on time.
The all-clear was given.
I powered down my computer and rushed downstairs.
Hurry up and wait again.
The vehicle arrived about 2:50
Once again, all the stress was unnecessary.
If you're wondering what triggered the building alarm -
I still don't know.
But all's well that ends well.
librarianintx
Even if you're stuck in the building during a possible emergency.
The alarms went off at work around 2 pm, and everyone exited the building.
Except myself and a co-worker
It was the first time I decided not to negotiate the four flights of difficult stairs.
So she and I waited in the stairwell
And waited
And waited some more
No one came to get us
My cell service evidently was spotty in the stairwell
Almost fifteen minutes elapsed before I received a text from another co-worker
Emergency vehicles were arriving, but no one had any answers.
My ride was due in less than ten minutes.
If I missed it, would I get another?
Likely, but it might take an hour...or two
And I was headed to the grocery store after work.
I had a schedule to keep.
But so does para-transit
My team leader knew of my predicament
She spoke to the building supervisor.
"Her ride is coming soon," she implored. "What can we do?"
"No worries," the unflappable man soothed. "I'm sure they'll wait for her."
"See, that's the thing," my team leader informed him. "They won't."
I was fortunate that this was one of the days where my ride was not on time.
The all-clear was given.
I powered down my computer and rushed downstairs.
Hurry up and wait again.
The vehicle arrived about 2:50
Once again, all the stress was unnecessary.
If you're wondering what triggered the building alarm -
I still don't know.
But all's well that ends well.
librarianintx
Monday, September 11, 2017
So You Think You Can Dance Recap 9/4/17
Before I talk about the sensational performances from this week (actually last week, because I'm a week late, LOL), I want to mention a past performance that drove me CRAZY trying to remember it!
I remembered a female contestant dancing to a hip hop-type song that reminded me of Taylor doing hip hop the previous week. I remembered the song was by a female artist that had an earlier song that was very different, more of a ballad. The hip hop-type song was a departure from her usual sound. I thought the first song was called "I'll Fly Away," but when I googled that title, I got Allison Krause and Johnny Cash. So I was losing my mind trying to remember!
Does anyone know what I'm talking about?
Finally I remembered the name of the hip hop-type song: "Promiscuous."
Performed by Nelly Furtado
Her earlier song was called "I'm Like a Bird."
The SYTYCD contestant was Natalie from season 2; her partner was Musa.
Mystery solved!
Moving on...
Part I: Contestants with their all-star partners
Lex & Gabby
Hip Hop
Luther Brown
Really sharp, precise, and in sync
Gabby was unrecognizable. I thought she got down and dirty a little more than Lex, but he did well. The big spin and the somersault at the end were way cool.
Very good energy throughout
A standing ovation from the judges, and the audience went crazy.
Vanessa: "You were in the pocket - down and dirty"
Logan & Allison
African Jazz
Sean Cheesman
a LOT of flexibility
and partnering
and speed
and precision
and balance
and lifting
and timing
A very exciting routine
It was a tough dance for Logan because he's so tall, but he nailed it!
His flexibility is ridiculous!
And how did they do all those moves with those headpieces on? Were they welded to their heads?
The judges loved the performance, and so did I.
Kaylee & Cyrus
Contemporary
Tyce Diorio
In many ways similar to Logan and Allison's routine, but without the African Jazz elements.
Also required a lot of precision, flexibility, lifts, leaping, balance, and timing
I especially enjoyed the intensity and passion they both displayed, and their chemistry with each other.
Kaylee's leaps were both beautiful and tremendous.
Mary: "dynamic...you were an actress...I felt you"
Kiki & Jenna
Broadway
Warren Carlyle
Holy props! They both coped excellently with the constant barrage of props, and Jenna had to do it in heels! They were both exuberant and exhausted at the end of the routine. I think I held my breath during most of the dance. It was a fun, tight routine. Very impressive. They both had a good bounce, and of course ballroom boy Kiki was very good at moving his hips.
Another standing ovation from the judges
Nigel: "You're now a brilliant all-around dancer"
Koine & Marco
Jive
Dmitry Chapman
These routines are ON FIRE tonight, and so are the dancers! OMG! What a wonderful routine! A fantastic mix of Jive, Swing, and Lindy Hop, set to 50's music! It was so fun and infectious. Their tricks were amazing, their kicks and flicks were top notch, I loved everything about this dance and was sad when it was over. I loved the personality of the performance too. Outstanding!
Taylor & Robert
Contemporary
Mandy Moore
the lifts
the lines
Taylor's fluidity and flexibility
the trust that she has in Robert, that she can be that relaxed and limber in those lifts
so gentle yet so powerful
seemingly effortless
Gorgeous!
star-quality performance
The third standing ovation from the judges.
Mark & Comfort
Hip Hop
Misha Gabriel
Ninja!
Fierce
Fast
Powerful
They were both in their element.
My only complaint: it seemed a little short
So my critique feels a little short.
It was kick-ass
And I'm glad they didn't keep the masks for the entire dance.
Part II: Group numbers
Kaylee, Lex, & Logan
Contemporary
Dwight Rhoden & Desmond Richardson
Excellent synchronicity among the three of them
Kaylee kept up with two very strong contemporary male dancers
It was a demanding routine - lots of leaps and turns
Robert, Kiki, Koine, and Taylor
Contemporary
Sean Cheesman
VERY cool routine
Powerful
No music - only spoken word by Maya Angelou
A LOT of partnering and complicated lifts
Wonderful message of our interconnectedness
The audience was screaming throughout the performance
A wonderful way to end a spectacular night of dance
Results:
Bottom three: Kaylee, Mark, and Kiki
Mark was eliminated.
:-(
Mark has an awesome personality, and he had some very memorable performances on the show with Comfort.
It's a shame that anyone had to go home at the end of this episode.
I don't usually comment on the solos, but they were outstanding as well tonight!
librarianintx
I remembered a female contestant dancing to a hip hop-type song that reminded me of Taylor doing hip hop the previous week. I remembered the song was by a female artist that had an earlier song that was very different, more of a ballad. The hip hop-type song was a departure from her usual sound. I thought the first song was called "I'll Fly Away," but when I googled that title, I got Allison Krause and Johnny Cash. So I was losing my mind trying to remember!
Does anyone know what I'm talking about?
Finally I remembered the name of the hip hop-type song: "Promiscuous."
Performed by Nelly Furtado
Her earlier song was called "I'm Like a Bird."
The SYTYCD contestant was Natalie from season 2; her partner was Musa.
Mystery solved!
Moving on...
Part I: Contestants with their all-star partners
Lex & Gabby
Hip Hop
Luther Brown
Really sharp, precise, and in sync
Gabby was unrecognizable. I thought she got down and dirty a little more than Lex, but he did well. The big spin and the somersault at the end were way cool.
Very good energy throughout
A standing ovation from the judges, and the audience went crazy.
Vanessa: "You were in the pocket - down and dirty"
Logan & Allison
African Jazz
Sean Cheesman
a LOT of flexibility
and partnering
and speed
and precision
and balance
and lifting
and timing
A very exciting routine
It was a tough dance for Logan because he's so tall, but he nailed it!
His flexibility is ridiculous!
And how did they do all those moves with those headpieces on? Were they welded to their heads?
The judges loved the performance, and so did I.
Kaylee & Cyrus
Contemporary
Tyce Diorio
In many ways similar to Logan and Allison's routine, but without the African Jazz elements.
Also required a lot of precision, flexibility, lifts, leaping, balance, and timing
I especially enjoyed the intensity and passion they both displayed, and their chemistry with each other.
Kaylee's leaps were both beautiful and tremendous.
Mary: "dynamic...you were an actress...I felt you"
Kiki & Jenna
Broadway
Warren Carlyle
Holy props! They both coped excellently with the constant barrage of props, and Jenna had to do it in heels! They were both exuberant and exhausted at the end of the routine. I think I held my breath during most of the dance. It was a fun, tight routine. Very impressive. They both had a good bounce, and of course ballroom boy Kiki was very good at moving his hips.
Another standing ovation from the judges
Nigel: "You're now a brilliant all-around dancer"
Koine & Marco
Jive
Dmitry Chapman
These routines are ON FIRE tonight, and so are the dancers! OMG! What a wonderful routine! A fantastic mix of Jive, Swing, and Lindy Hop, set to 50's music! It was so fun and infectious. Their tricks were amazing, their kicks and flicks were top notch, I loved everything about this dance and was sad when it was over. I loved the personality of the performance too. Outstanding!
Taylor & Robert
Contemporary
Mandy Moore
the lifts
the lines
Taylor's fluidity and flexibility
the trust that she has in Robert, that she can be that relaxed and limber in those lifts
so gentle yet so powerful
seemingly effortless
Gorgeous!
star-quality performance
The third standing ovation from the judges.
Mark & Comfort
Hip Hop
Misha Gabriel
Ninja!
Fierce
Fast
Powerful
They were both in their element.
My only complaint: it seemed a little short
So my critique feels a little short.
It was kick-ass
And I'm glad they didn't keep the masks for the entire dance.
Part II: Group numbers
Kaylee, Lex, & Logan
Contemporary
Dwight Rhoden & Desmond Richardson
Excellent synchronicity among the three of them
Kaylee kept up with two very strong contemporary male dancers
It was a demanding routine - lots of leaps and turns
Robert, Kiki, Koine, and Taylor
Contemporary
Sean Cheesman
VERY cool routine
Powerful
No music - only spoken word by Maya Angelou
A LOT of partnering and complicated lifts
Wonderful message of our interconnectedness
The audience was screaming throughout the performance
A wonderful way to end a spectacular night of dance
Results:
Bottom three: Kaylee, Mark, and Kiki
Mark was eliminated.
:-(
Mark has an awesome personality, and he had some very memorable performances on the show with Comfort.
It's a shame that anyone had to go home at the end of this episode.
I don't usually comment on the solos, but they were outstanding as well tonight!
librarianintx
9/11
Everyone has a story to tell from that day. Everyone remembers where they were when they first heard the news. Some stories are much more harrowing than others.
I was in a Metro Access vehicle, on the way to work. This was back when the vehicles had radios in them, and the drivers could decide to listen to music, news, or sports. I remember the announcer saying a plane had crashed into one of the towers. For some reason I remember them already speculating that it was terrorism, but I don't know if that was my anxious mind jumping to that conclusion.
I hurried upstairs when I arrived at work, and told the first person I encountered what I had heard. She smiled and spoke to me gently. She obviously thought I was exaggerating or had heard wrong. I must be mistaken.
Within a short time, however, word spread throughout the agency. There was talk of evacuating the building since we are next door to the state capitol. There were so many unknowns and so much speculation. There was concern that state buildings might be attacked.
But we were not evacuated. We tried to concentrate on our work. When I left for the day, I remember standing on the steps, waiting for my ride. It was beautiful, clear September day. Calm. Normal. But it all felt so surreal.
I am a news whore. When there's breaking information, I want to know about it, watch it, be able to inform others about what's happening. But not on 9/11. I had no desire to rush home and hear the latest. I wanted it to go away. And I didn't want to be home alone.
My story is not much of a tale. I wasn't running for my life in New York City. I am fortunate that I do not know anyone who was in the area that day. My family, especially my brother-in-law, travels internationally frequently, but so far we have been untouched by terrorism. Blessed we are indeed.
Still, everyone has a story to tell.
librarianintx
I was in a Metro Access vehicle, on the way to work. This was back when the vehicles had radios in them, and the drivers could decide to listen to music, news, or sports. I remember the announcer saying a plane had crashed into one of the towers. For some reason I remember them already speculating that it was terrorism, but I don't know if that was my anxious mind jumping to that conclusion.
I hurried upstairs when I arrived at work, and told the first person I encountered what I had heard. She smiled and spoke to me gently. She obviously thought I was exaggerating or had heard wrong. I must be mistaken.
Within a short time, however, word spread throughout the agency. There was talk of evacuating the building since we are next door to the state capitol. There were so many unknowns and so much speculation. There was concern that state buildings might be attacked.
But we were not evacuated. We tried to concentrate on our work. When I left for the day, I remember standing on the steps, waiting for my ride. It was beautiful, clear September day. Calm. Normal. But it all felt so surreal.
I am a news whore. When there's breaking information, I want to know about it, watch it, be able to inform others about what's happening. But not on 9/11. I had no desire to rush home and hear the latest. I wanted it to go away. And I didn't want to be home alone.
My story is not much of a tale. I wasn't running for my life in New York City. I am fortunate that I do not know anyone who was in the area that day. My family, especially my brother-in-law, travels internationally frequently, but so far we have been untouched by terrorism. Blessed we are indeed.
Still, everyone has a story to tell.
librarianintx
"Be on Time" Chronicles entry 9/11/17
When you ride para-transit, your morning schedule must have the precision of an Indy 500 pit crew.
If you get in the shower past this time, you're in trouble.
If you get out of the shower past this time, you're screwed.
That's when you start amending your daily routine.
Skip the moisturizer
Brush your teeth when you get to work
As long as your hair is combed and you remember to put on pants and shoes, you're good.
Don't forget your work badge!
But if you race to the window at the appointed time and there's no vehicle in the parking lot, you can revisit your routine and accomplish skipped steps.
It's stressful, but do-able
A few examples:
Check the parking lot
Get to the bathroom and pee again.
Peer out the blinds
No car
Brush your teeth
Hurry to the window
Nobody's there
Take your morning medicine
Are they here?!
Nope
Look in the mirror again
Make sure your hair is decent and your jacket is on properly.
Did I hear something?!
YES!
Visual confirmation!
Grab your purse, food bag, keys
You have five minutes to get in the vehicle
Yes, that is a decent amount, but not if your time started three and a half minutes ago but you didn't know because you were in the bathroom.
They can make you wait thirty minutes or more, but you're only allowed five minutes before they can no-show you and move on
Which means no ride for you
GO!!
librarianintx
If you get in the shower past this time, you're in trouble.
If you get out of the shower past this time, you're screwed.
That's when you start amending your daily routine.
Skip the moisturizer
Brush your teeth when you get to work
As long as your hair is combed and you remember to put on pants and shoes, you're good.
Don't forget your work badge!
But if you race to the window at the appointed time and there's no vehicle in the parking lot, you can revisit your routine and accomplish skipped steps.
It's stressful, but do-able
A few examples:
Check the parking lot
Get to the bathroom and pee again.
Peer out the blinds
No car
Brush your teeth
Hurry to the window
Nobody's there
Take your morning medicine
Are they here?!
Nope
Look in the mirror again
Make sure your hair is decent and your jacket is on properly.
Did I hear something?!
YES!
Visual confirmation!
Grab your purse, food bag, keys
You have five minutes to get in the vehicle
Yes, that is a decent amount, but not if your time started three and a half minutes ago but you didn't know because you were in the bathroom.
They can make you wait thirty minutes or more, but you're only allowed five minutes before they can no-show you and move on
Which means no ride for you
GO!!
librarianintx
Sunday, September 10, 2017
Project Runway recap - Heidi Klum's Intimate Sleepwear Collection challenge
In this challenge, the designers had a sleepover on the top floor of the Empire State Building (!) and then had to design sleepwear for Heidi Klum's Intimate Sleepwear Collection.
The contestants are always nervous to design for Heidi. She is a tough client. The twins were also very anxious about the elevator ride in the Empire State Building. For once I can relate to them. I don't like heights or elevators.
But they still annoy me.
This episode was no exception.
They are also still grating on the nerves of the other designers.
In addition to their constant talking and breakdowns, they also tag teamed on both of their garments, which many of the designers feel is unfair.
My brief thoughts on this episode's designs:
Amy - hospital gown
Brandon - comfy
Margarita - very nice pj's
Claire - sexy, flirty, I liked the bold color, but is it a garment that would stay on in bed?
Batani - very sexy, flowy, very pretty color
Michael - fashion-forward, excellent construction, the garment looked great on his model, I loved the straps, garment would look good on anyone I think
Deyonte - pretty color, but his model was too covered up
Aaron - very drab
Ayana - I don't like the colors together; her model was also too covered up
Shawn - really well-made, flows well, I think her textile was lovely, her model looked sexy and flirty
Kenya - I liked the colors and I can see that she has talent, but there were obvious construction issues, and she didn't listen to Tim and Heidi's workroom critique
Kentaro - the textile was cute but his garment looked like a dress
Samantha - I really liked the blue and cream color, but her garment also didn't look like sleepwear
My top looks: Batani, Michael, Shawn
My bottom looks: Amy, Kenya, Aaron
the judges' six:
Aaron
Kentaro
Michael
Deyonte
Shawn
Kenya
The judges' top looks: Kentaro, Michael, and Shawn
The judges' bottom looks: Aaron, Deyonte, and Kenya
My pick to win: Michael
My pick to go home: Aaron
The winner of this competition: Michael
Who went home: Deyonte
Michael was the clear winner this week. His nightie would be both comfortable and sexy for women of all body types. It was also very fashionable.
Even though Aaron was my pick to clean up his work space, I understand why the judges chose Deyonte. He may have won the first challenge, but he's been in the bottom for the past two weeks, and the judges have serious questions about his taste level and construction ability.
librarianintx
The contestants are always nervous to design for Heidi. She is a tough client. The twins were also very anxious about the elevator ride in the Empire State Building. For once I can relate to them. I don't like heights or elevators.
But they still annoy me.
This episode was no exception.
They are also still grating on the nerves of the other designers.
In addition to their constant talking and breakdowns, they also tag teamed on both of their garments, which many of the designers feel is unfair.
My brief thoughts on this episode's designs:
Amy - hospital gown
Brandon - comfy
Margarita - very nice pj's
Claire - sexy, flirty, I liked the bold color, but is it a garment that would stay on in bed?
Batani - very sexy, flowy, very pretty color
Michael - fashion-forward, excellent construction, the garment looked great on his model, I loved the straps, garment would look good on anyone I think
Deyonte - pretty color, but his model was too covered up
Aaron - very drab
Ayana - I don't like the colors together; her model was also too covered up
Shawn - really well-made, flows well, I think her textile was lovely, her model looked sexy and flirty
Kenya - I liked the colors and I can see that she has talent, but there were obvious construction issues, and she didn't listen to Tim and Heidi's workroom critique
Kentaro - the textile was cute but his garment looked like a dress
Samantha - I really liked the blue and cream color, but her garment also didn't look like sleepwear
My top looks: Batani, Michael, Shawn
My bottom looks: Amy, Kenya, Aaron
the judges' six:
Aaron
Kentaro
Michael
Deyonte
Shawn
Kenya
The judges' top looks: Kentaro, Michael, and Shawn
The judges' bottom looks: Aaron, Deyonte, and Kenya
My pick to win: Michael
My pick to go home: Aaron
The winner of this competition: Michael
Who went home: Deyonte
Michael was the clear winner this week. His nightie would be both comfortable and sexy for women of all body types. It was also very fashionable.
Even though Aaron was my pick to clean up his work space, I understand why the judges chose Deyonte. He may have won the first challenge, but he's been in the bottom for the past two weeks, and the judges have serious questions about his taste level and construction ability.
librarianintx
"Be on Time" Chronicles entry 9/10/17
Friday, September 8, 2017
A five hour plus adventure to attend an hour and fifteen minute concert downtown
My ride window opened at 6:10 pm
The vehicle arrived at 7:15
Amazingly, I was not late to the show.
One of the most difficult aspects of para-transit is trying to deal with event timing.
You don't always have all the particulars.
Especially when you have to schedule a day in advance.
Start time was 8:00 pm
Would the concert begin late?
Would there be an opening act?
Sometimes you don't know ahead of time
Would there be an intermission?
How many songs would be performed?
What would be the end time?
My estimate was forty-five minutes off.
Which meant I was standing outside - in downtown - at night - by myself.
My vehicle arrived only five minutes after my return window opened, which was a much better outcome than my ride to get downtown.
But then I had an hour plus excursion to get home.
I had to be ready to leave my apartment at 6:10 pm.
I arrived home around 11:30 pm.
Five hours plus
Was it worth it?
Definitely
I enjoyed the concert very much.
But do I wish I had a better option for transportation?
Something that was more efficient, less arduous, but also affordable?
Absolutely!!
librarianintx
A five hour plus adventure to attend an hour and fifteen minute concert downtown
My ride window opened at 6:10 pm
The vehicle arrived at 7:15
Amazingly, I was not late to the show.
One of the most difficult aspects of para-transit is trying to deal with event timing.
You don't always have all the particulars.
Especially when you have to schedule a day in advance.
Start time was 8:00 pm
Would the concert begin late?
Would there be an opening act?
Sometimes you don't know ahead of time
Would there be an intermission?
How many songs would be performed?
What would be the end time?
My estimate was forty-five minutes off.
Which meant I was standing outside - in downtown - at night - by myself.
My vehicle arrived only five minutes after my return window opened, which was a much better outcome than my ride to get downtown.
But then I had an hour plus excursion to get home.
I had to be ready to leave my apartment at 6:10 pm.
I arrived home around 11:30 pm.
Five hours plus
Was it worth it?
Definitely
I enjoyed the concert very much.
But do I wish I had a better option for transportation?
Something that was more efficient, less arduous, but also affordable?
Absolutely!!
librarianintx
Friday, September 08, 2017
"Be on Time" Chronicles entry 9/8/17
Para-transit encompasses much more than being on time.
You also have to deal with all kinds of people - drivers and fellow passengers.
Friday morning
End of a long week
Actually, it was only a four day work week
But it felt longer
Passenger was talking from the moment I climbed into the van.
A barrage of questions
Constant suggestions
Personal stories
Information that I did not want or need to know
Especially at that time of the morning
And by someone I have never met
But she was friendly
Sweet
She hugged the driver as she exited the vehicle
Thanked her profusely
It's not her fault I'm an introvert
And not a morning person
She was miles better than the woman I rode with on Tuesday afternoon
She griped from the moment the van door was opened for her
She yelled at the driver and threatened to report him for the way he weaved through traffic
I agreed with her assessment of his driving
I did not agree with her tone and manner of divulging her thoughts
So if given a choice, I'll take chatty but cheerful over cranky, bitter, but overall quieter.
Not that I have a choice
A note: I rarely have an issue with a para-transit driver. This was an isolated incident. The majority are safe drivers. And there are cameras in every vehicle for the protection of both drivers and clients.
librarianintx
You also have to deal with all kinds of people - drivers and fellow passengers.
Friday morning
End of a long week
Actually, it was only a four day work week
But it felt longer
Passenger was talking from the moment I climbed into the van.
A barrage of questions
Constant suggestions
Personal stories
Information that I did not want or need to know
Especially at that time of the morning
And by someone I have never met
But she was friendly
Sweet
She hugged the driver as she exited the vehicle
Thanked her profusely
It's not her fault I'm an introvert
And not a morning person
She was miles better than the woman I rode with on Tuesday afternoon
She griped from the moment the van door was opened for her
She yelled at the driver and threatened to report him for the way he weaved through traffic
I agreed with her assessment of his driving
I did not agree with her tone and manner of divulging her thoughts
So if given a choice, I'll take chatty but cheerful over cranky, bitter, but overall quieter.
Not that I have a choice
A note: I rarely have an issue with a para-transit driver. This was an isolated incident. The majority are safe drivers. And there are cameras in every vehicle for the protection of both drivers and clients.
librarianintx
Thursday, September 07, 2017
A Story from the "Be on Time" Chronicles
The "Be on Time" Chronicles is a new idea - humorous stories from my life as a para-transit passenger. Here is a story from this morning:
I'm barely on time this morning - an every day occurrence.
I always get my clothes ready the night before, and put them in the bathroom.
I had a suspicion last night that I grabbed the wrong pants, but I was tired and waved away any doubts.
Doubts were confirmed this morning.
I was wearing a blue and beige shirt, blue jacket, and I was about to don black pants.
No.
Unacceptable.
Luckily I had a pair of jeans in the bathroom as well.
Because the clock was ticking.
As I'm pulling the jeans on, I realize these are new jeans that I haven't worn before.
So they are stiff.
Hard to button.
Time is ticking.
I contemplate just putting my belt on without getting the jeans buttoned, but finally my fingers come through for me.
Tick. Tock.
I hurry into the bedroom, grab my phone and glasses.
Hurry up.
As I'm heading to the kitchen, something makes me reach back and touch my butt.
No, I'm not usually in the habit of grabbing my own ass.
There is a tag on my new jeans.
Not the sticky, easy to pull off kind of tag.
The kind of tag that I usually need scissors to remove.
Clock keeps moving.
Concern about missing my ride gives me unusual strength, and I rip that sucker off my butt without scissors.
I throw the tag on the kitchen table as I toss food into my bag.
When I sling said bag onto my shoulder, I feel something on my other butt cheek.
Son of a bitch, ANOTHER tag!
I rip off that one as I hurry for the door, dropping it on the living room table.
Pull open the door, walk through, lock it.
Success!
I'm outside right on time: 6:45 a.m.!
Whew!
And what time did my vehicle arrive?
About 7:05.
I stood outside waiting for at least twenty minutes.
In twenty minutes I could have accomplished so many things.
Including finding and wearing the right pants.
Such is life when you ride para-transit.
You know you have to be on time - but you're probably going to end up waiting.
Well, at least I'm wearing *A* pair of pants.
And a pair without tags.
Bonus points!
librarianintx
I'm barely on time this morning - an every day occurrence.
I always get my clothes ready the night before, and put them in the bathroom.
I had a suspicion last night that I grabbed the wrong pants, but I was tired and waved away any doubts.
Doubts were confirmed this morning.
I was wearing a blue and beige shirt, blue jacket, and I was about to don black pants.
No.
Unacceptable.
Luckily I had a pair of jeans in the bathroom as well.
Because the clock was ticking.
As I'm pulling the jeans on, I realize these are new jeans that I haven't worn before.
So they are stiff.
Hard to button.
Time is ticking.
I contemplate just putting my belt on without getting the jeans buttoned, but finally my fingers come through for me.
Tick. Tock.
I hurry into the bedroom, grab my phone and glasses.
Hurry up.
As I'm heading to the kitchen, something makes me reach back and touch my butt.
No, I'm not usually in the habit of grabbing my own ass.
There is a tag on my new jeans.
Not the sticky, easy to pull off kind of tag.
The kind of tag that I usually need scissors to remove.
Clock keeps moving.
Concern about missing my ride gives me unusual strength, and I rip that sucker off my butt without scissors.
I throw the tag on the kitchen table as I toss food into my bag.
When I sling said bag onto my shoulder, I feel something on my other butt cheek.
Son of a bitch, ANOTHER tag!
I rip off that one as I hurry for the door, dropping it on the living room table.
Pull open the door, walk through, lock it.
Success!
I'm outside right on time: 6:45 a.m.!
Whew!
And what time did my vehicle arrive?
About 7:05.
I stood outside waiting for at least twenty minutes.
In twenty minutes I could have accomplished so many things.
Including finding and wearing the right pants.
Such is life when you ride para-transit.
You know you have to be on time - but you're probably going to end up waiting.
Well, at least I'm wearing *A* pair of pants.
And a pair without tags.
Bonus points!
librarianintx
Monday, September 04, 2017
So You Think You Can Dance 2017 Episode 4
The opening number, choreographed by SYTYCD alum and Lady Gaga dancer Mark Kanemura, was set to RuPaul's "Call Me Mother." One word: FIERCE!!
Part I: Contestants with their All Stars
Koine & Marco
Jazz
Mandy Moore
You know, sometimes it IS nice to not have a storyline - as Koine and Marco said, all they had to do was get out there and dance. They didn't have to worry about backstory, meaning, proper emotions / facial expressions, etc. And dance they did, with good energy, although at times I felt their movements didn't quite keep up with the temp of the music.
Taylor & Robert
Hip Hop
Luther Brown
Remember when I wasn't sure if Kiki was "lit" during his hip hop routine a few weeks ago? I can definitely say that Taylor was! BAM! Oh my goodness, put that girl in a music video right now! In that skin tight outfit that showed off her abs and her mile long ponytail constantly flying in her face, Taylor is in it to win it! I actually forgot Robert was in the piece until he flashed HIS abs. I do think the coat slowed her down just a hair - Robert should have divested her of it sooner. Way to work it, Taylor!
Lex & Gabby
Contemporary
Mandy Moore
Intricate routine - lots of balance needed - and partnering skills. This was definitely Lex's wheelhouse - some excellent spins and turns - and I was impressed with Gabby's ability to do contemporary. Lovely routine. I liked the music a lot too.
Kaylee & Cyrus
Cha Cha
Val Chmerkovskiy
Okay, Aretha's "Respect" makes just about everyone want to move, but I am very proud of Kaylee! She came out, worked that stage, and sold that routine! Yaaasss! She had great hip action, a great bounce, and as Mary said, outstanding confidence! I could not take my eyes off her. She and Cyrus have great chemistry. I'm not sure if they were both supposed to fall during that move toward the end, but if it was a mistake, Cyrus recovered nicely. I thoroughly enjoyed it - what a fun routine! What I didn't like was Nigel dissing Cyrus - grrr
Mark & Comfort
Broadway
Spencer Liff
Who knew that Kaylee and Cyrus could do the Cha Cha, and who knew that Mark and Comfort could do Broadway?! Holy smokes, as Mary would say! They steamed up the stage once again, in a very sexy, jazzy Broadway routine. They slayed that number! WOW! Super hot, sexy, unbelievable chemistry, great jumps, lines, and tricks - I was super impressed! This is an amazing couple!
Kiki & Jenna
Jazz
Travis Wall
There were some very cool lifts and tricks in this routine, but I didn't like how fake their faces looked. They looked like robots. What was going on with the dots on their faces? I don't know. They danced well, but but the routine left me cold. It was a very different Travis Wall piece. And I wonder how Val feels about Kiki kissing his girlfriend every week? The judges liked this more than I did.
Dassy & Fik-shun
Contemporary
Jaci Royal
This routine required so much strength, balance, trust, and partnering work. It showed how far Fik-shun has come as a dancer, as well as how capable Dassy is at dancing other styles. And it was really lovely - especially the beginning and end, when the two of them lying on top of each other. Very affective and effective routine.
Logan & Allison
Hip Hop
Christopher Scott
How adorable was that routine?! That was a very accessible hip hop piece - people of all ages and even people who don't usually like hip hop could easily fall in love with that routine - and with Logan and Allison. It was just so incredibly sweet and made me so happy. I loved the music, the big grins on their faces, the lyrical quality of the movements - bravo Chris Scott! It truly warmed my heart. The kiss on the forehead at the end melted me. Logan is a standout performer. This routine was first rate!!
End of Part I
Part II: Contestants dance with each other
Taylor & Lex
Classical Jazz
Spencer Liff
Arguably the best female and best male dancers vying for the title this season. They danced very well. They each did a turn that made me say "wow" out loud. The lift was impressive. Overall it was a very strong performance by both of them. I just didn't love the piece overall. In season 3 Jaime and Hok danced to a piece called "the Hummingbird" that everyone was orgasmic about - except me. I feel that same way about this routine. It just didn't grab me. I can appreciate how great it was; it just wasn't one of my favorites. The judges gave Taylor and Lex a standing ovation; Nigel proclaimed it was one of the best routines ever on the show. So what's my problem? Sigh
Koine & Kiki
Salsa
Val Chmerkovskiy
Obviously the Salsa is in Kiki's wheelhouse, but this was the first time for Koine to dance Salsa. Val did not go easy on her! That was a very challenging routine with a lot of tricks! They didn't all go smoothly, which caused a dip in the timing and musicality, but most of the routine was very solid. High energy. Great hip action. Sexy. Spicy. They looked like they were having fun. I enjoyed it. Mary loved it. She put them both on the hot tamale train. I agree with Nigel that for a first time dancing Salsa, Koine crushed it.
Kaylee & Logan
Contemporary
Travis Wall
Very cool piece. Very intricate. I think they were in sync. My criticism is that with a piece like this, you have someone front and center, and someone in the background. It the nature of having a person and someone else playing his shadow. It doesn't seem fair to Kaylee that she had to be the shadow. It was an innovative idea, but in a competition like this, the two contestants needed equal exposure.
Dassy & Robert
Hip Hop
Christopher Scott
Sigh. I enjoyed his first routine with Logan and Allison much more than this one. What's the saying? Don't work with children, animals, or props? I'm kidding; I know that's not the saying. I think they did a capable job with the umbrellas. Again, I just didn't enjoy the mannequin look. It was a cute routine, but I wasn't jumping up and down about it. And I know it's not the same because it wasn't a live performance, but for an amazing dance with umbrellas, go to YouTube and watch Glee's "Singin the Rain/ Rianna's "Umbrella" mash-up.
*librarianintx gets sucked into "Glee" videos*
Okay, I'm back. :)
The bottom three:
Kaylee
Dassy
Koine - WHAT?!
Of course Koine was sent to safety. I was holding my breath, because I honestly had no idea if the judges were going to eliminate Kaylee or Dassy. But in the end, Dassy was given the send off.
librarianintx
Part I: Contestants with their All Stars
Koine & Marco
Jazz
Mandy Moore
You know, sometimes it IS nice to not have a storyline - as Koine and Marco said, all they had to do was get out there and dance. They didn't have to worry about backstory, meaning, proper emotions / facial expressions, etc. And dance they did, with good energy, although at times I felt their movements didn't quite keep up with the temp of the music.
Taylor & Robert
Hip Hop
Luther Brown
Remember when I wasn't sure if Kiki was "lit" during his hip hop routine a few weeks ago? I can definitely say that Taylor was! BAM! Oh my goodness, put that girl in a music video right now! In that skin tight outfit that showed off her abs and her mile long ponytail constantly flying in her face, Taylor is in it to win it! I actually forgot Robert was in the piece until he flashed HIS abs. I do think the coat slowed her down just a hair - Robert should have divested her of it sooner. Way to work it, Taylor!
Lex & Gabby
Contemporary
Mandy Moore
Intricate routine - lots of balance needed - and partnering skills. This was definitely Lex's wheelhouse - some excellent spins and turns - and I was impressed with Gabby's ability to do contemporary. Lovely routine. I liked the music a lot too.
Kaylee & Cyrus
Cha Cha
Val Chmerkovskiy
Okay, Aretha's "Respect" makes just about everyone want to move, but I am very proud of Kaylee! She came out, worked that stage, and sold that routine! Yaaasss! She had great hip action, a great bounce, and as Mary said, outstanding confidence! I could not take my eyes off her. She and Cyrus have great chemistry. I'm not sure if they were both supposed to fall during that move toward the end, but if it was a mistake, Cyrus recovered nicely. I thoroughly enjoyed it - what a fun routine! What I didn't like was Nigel dissing Cyrus - grrr
Mark & Comfort
Broadway
Spencer Liff
Who knew that Kaylee and Cyrus could do the Cha Cha, and who knew that Mark and Comfort could do Broadway?! Holy smokes, as Mary would say! They steamed up the stage once again, in a very sexy, jazzy Broadway routine. They slayed that number! WOW! Super hot, sexy, unbelievable chemistry, great jumps, lines, and tricks - I was super impressed! This is an amazing couple!
Kiki & Jenna
Jazz
Travis Wall
There were some very cool lifts and tricks in this routine, but I didn't like how fake their faces looked. They looked like robots. What was going on with the dots on their faces? I don't know. They danced well, but but the routine left me cold. It was a very different Travis Wall piece. And I wonder how Val feels about Kiki kissing his girlfriend every week? The judges liked this more than I did.
Dassy & Fik-shun
Contemporary
Jaci Royal
This routine required so much strength, balance, trust, and partnering work. It showed how far Fik-shun has come as a dancer, as well as how capable Dassy is at dancing other styles. And it was really lovely - especially the beginning and end, when the two of them lying on top of each other. Very affective and effective routine.
Logan & Allison
Hip Hop
Christopher Scott
How adorable was that routine?! That was a very accessible hip hop piece - people of all ages and even people who don't usually like hip hop could easily fall in love with that routine - and with Logan and Allison. It was just so incredibly sweet and made me so happy. I loved the music, the big grins on their faces, the lyrical quality of the movements - bravo Chris Scott! It truly warmed my heart. The kiss on the forehead at the end melted me. Logan is a standout performer. This routine was first rate!!
End of Part I
Part II: Contestants dance with each other
Taylor & Lex
Classical Jazz
Spencer Liff
Arguably the best female and best male dancers vying for the title this season. They danced very well. They each did a turn that made me say "wow" out loud. The lift was impressive. Overall it was a very strong performance by both of them. I just didn't love the piece overall. In season 3 Jaime and Hok danced to a piece called "the Hummingbird" that everyone was orgasmic about - except me. I feel that same way about this routine. It just didn't grab me. I can appreciate how great it was; it just wasn't one of my favorites. The judges gave Taylor and Lex a standing ovation; Nigel proclaimed it was one of the best routines ever on the show. So what's my problem? Sigh
Koine & Kiki
Salsa
Val Chmerkovskiy
Obviously the Salsa is in Kiki's wheelhouse, but this was the first time for Koine to dance Salsa. Val did not go easy on her! That was a very challenging routine with a lot of tricks! They didn't all go smoothly, which caused a dip in the timing and musicality, but most of the routine was very solid. High energy. Great hip action. Sexy. Spicy. They looked like they were having fun. I enjoyed it. Mary loved it. She put them both on the hot tamale train. I agree with Nigel that for a first time dancing Salsa, Koine crushed it.
Kaylee & Logan
Contemporary
Travis Wall
Very cool piece. Very intricate. I think they were in sync. My criticism is that with a piece like this, you have someone front and center, and someone in the background. It the nature of having a person and someone else playing his shadow. It doesn't seem fair to Kaylee that she had to be the shadow. It was an innovative idea, but in a competition like this, the two contestants needed equal exposure.
Dassy & Robert
Hip Hop
Christopher Scott
Sigh. I enjoyed his first routine with Logan and Allison much more than this one. What's the saying? Don't work with children, animals, or props? I'm kidding; I know that's not the saying. I think they did a capable job with the umbrellas. Again, I just didn't enjoy the mannequin look. It was a cute routine, but I wasn't jumping up and down about it. And I know it's not the same because it wasn't a live performance, but for an amazing dance with umbrellas, go to YouTube and watch Glee's "Singin the Rain/ Rianna's "Umbrella" mash-up.
*librarianintx gets sucked into "Glee" videos*
Okay, I'm back. :)
The bottom three:
Kaylee
Dassy
Koine - WHAT?!
Of course Koine was sent to safety. I was holding my breath, because I honestly had no idea if the judges were going to eliminate Kaylee or Dassy. But in the end, Dassy was given the send off.
librarianintx
Project Runway Recap - Dance challenge
Dance, movement, and innovation were the themes from this episode.
The other theme was that the rest of the designers are as tired of the twins as I am.
My brief notes on each design:
Kenya - dramatic, very well made, the jumpsuit fit like a glove and I really liked the pattern, but the jacket looked too constricting, especially considering the challenge of movement
Brandon - jacket was interesting, but overall not a memorable look
Michael - I liked the color and fabric choice.
Margarita - flirty, sexy, flowed nicely, although I would have liked more color
Deyonte - His look resembled a cross between a skating outfit and a Halloween / clown / Elizabethan costume with the long train and collar
Amy - interesting, innovative
Kudzanai - too much going on, way too bright, not well-designed - no
Claire - the fit was tragic, especially on top - no
Ayana - a lot going on - I liked the stars and I didn't mind the layers, but the veil and head scarf were too much - She was lucky that she had immunity
Shawn - looked like something you'd wear to lounge on the couch at home, eat popcorn and watch movies
Aaron - I liked half of his look, but I did NOT like the big, floppy sleeves
Batani - very strong, very bold, very innovative - colorful is an understatement, but the garment was not over the top or garish - The look had everything the judges asked for in the challenge: dance ability, movement, and innovation
Kentaro - too plain
Samantha - intricate, good styling - her model looked fierce!
My overall impression:
Some designers got the movement part right.
Other designers got the innovation part right.
In my opinion, only Batani and Margarita got both movement and innovation right.
My top designers: Batani, Margarita, Kenya, Samantha
My bottom designers: Claire, Deyonte, Kudzanai
The six designers chosen for critiques by the judges:
Kentaro
Deyonte
Kudzanai
Margarita
Batani
Brandon
I clicked with the judges in some respects. They also put Deyonte and Kudzanai in the bottom, and Margarita and Batani in the top. But instead of Claire being in the bottom, they chose Kentaro. And instead of Kenya or Samantha being in the top, they chose Brandon.
I did NOT understand why the judges were so ga-ga over Brandon's look. What was so special about that jacket? I just didn't get it. Did it have movement, innovation? I guess, but not when compared to Batani's look. Batani should have won the challenge in my opinion. The garment was a show stopper, and had all the elements the judges wanted. I like Brandon. I'm not against him winning a challenge. I'm just against him winning this particular challenge, and simply because Batani's look epitomized the theme of the episode.
But the judges did make the right call when they sent Kudzanai home, although Deyonte's look could easily have sent him packing as well.
librarianintx
The other theme was that the rest of the designers are as tired of the twins as I am.
My brief notes on each design:
Kenya - dramatic, very well made, the jumpsuit fit like a glove and I really liked the pattern, but the jacket looked too constricting, especially considering the challenge of movement
Brandon - jacket was interesting, but overall not a memorable look
Michael - I liked the color and fabric choice.
Margarita - flirty, sexy, flowed nicely, although I would have liked more color
Deyonte - His look resembled a cross between a skating outfit and a Halloween / clown / Elizabethan costume with the long train and collar
Amy - interesting, innovative
Kudzanai - too much going on, way too bright, not well-designed - no
Claire - the fit was tragic, especially on top - no
Ayana - a lot going on - I liked the stars and I didn't mind the layers, but the veil and head scarf were too much - She was lucky that she had immunity
Shawn - looked like something you'd wear to lounge on the couch at home, eat popcorn and watch movies
Aaron - I liked half of his look, but I did NOT like the big, floppy sleeves
Batani - very strong, very bold, very innovative - colorful is an understatement, but the garment was not over the top or garish - The look had everything the judges asked for in the challenge: dance ability, movement, and innovation
Kentaro - too plain
Samantha - intricate, good styling - her model looked fierce!
My overall impression:
Some designers got the movement part right.
Other designers got the innovation part right.
In my opinion, only Batani and Margarita got both movement and innovation right.
My top designers: Batani, Margarita, Kenya, Samantha
My bottom designers: Claire, Deyonte, Kudzanai
The six designers chosen for critiques by the judges:
Kentaro
Deyonte
Kudzanai
Margarita
Batani
Brandon
I clicked with the judges in some respects. They also put Deyonte and Kudzanai in the bottom, and Margarita and Batani in the top. But instead of Claire being in the bottom, they chose Kentaro. And instead of Kenya or Samantha being in the top, they chose Brandon.
I did NOT understand why the judges were so ga-ga over Brandon's look. What was so special about that jacket? I just didn't get it. Did it have movement, innovation? I guess, but not when compared to Batani's look. Batani should have won the challenge in my opinion. The garment was a show stopper, and had all the elements the judges wanted. I like Brandon. I'm not against him winning a challenge. I'm just against him winning this particular challenge, and simply because Batani's look epitomized the theme of the episode.
But the judges did make the right call when they sent Kudzanai home, although Deyonte's look could easily have sent him packing as well.
librarianintx
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