Read the recap of the dances/judges' critiques here, as I will be referencing them:
http://www.tvguide.com/Episode-Recaps/Think-Dance/Think-Dance-Recap-1007035.aspx
First off, a couple of general season comments:
I still feel that S5's dancers are weaker than both S4 (amazing!) and S3 (also amazing!). In some ways, I think that the producers are starting to fill specific "roles" based on what has been successful in the past. For example:
- Brandon = Will (S4) = Danny (S3): The strong, technically trained, powerful dancer that seems to have an "attitude"/some judges are put off by
- Max = Pasha (S3) = Dmitri (S2): The Russian ballroom dancer. Incidentally, Pasha was the love of my life, and Dmitri is just plain HOT. Max can't compete.
- Evan = Benji (S2): The cute, loveable, popular one
- Kayla = Katee (S4) = Jamie (S3): The strong contemporary trained female dancer
- Caitlin = Courtney (S4): The cute female underdog
- Philip = Twitch (S4) = Hok (S3): The street trained hip hop dancer that is defying the odds
- Jonathan = Neil (S3): The acrobatic pretty boy
- Kupono = Mark (S4): Do I need to even say?
- Asuka = Chelsea (S4): Token ballroom dancer
Also, I feel that the judges are a little overexuberant on their praise, as if they're trying to sell to the audience that S5 has the best dancers ever. Especially after Natalie was cut - if you look on Twitter, the judges are *still* defending their decision. Not by a long shot, I'm sorry. Besides being more limited, the overall cast has far less charisma, with the exception of Philip. Brandon, Max, Kupono and Jonathan are watered-down versions of Danny, Pasha, Mark and Neil. And Asuka certainly doesn't come close to Chelsea or Anya in her ballroom technique.
That being said, on to the dances...
Evan and Randy: I liked this one. It had high energy, and it was cute. Unfortunately, with some of the stinkers during the rest of the night, I think it was easily forgettable. They still remain a favorite for me.
Melissa and Ade: Really? Powerful? I don't have an issue with Sonya's style or choreography, but neither of them had the personality to pull it off the way Courtney and Mark did last year. I'd like to see Ashley and Kupono do a Sonya number.
Caitlin and Jason: Oy. Caitlin is one of my favorites, but I really don't think that the choreography did her any favors. But I do agree with Mary on this one: It was like watching Michael Jackson and Britney Spears. Fail.
Jannette and Brandon: OK, I admit - I love Jannette. But the disco? Come on. No comparison to the Pasha/Sara number from S3, where they were just both transformed, or even the cute-but-slick Gev/Courtney one from last season. They were trying SO HARD to have disco attitude that I didn't even see the dancing. In fact, it was moving so fast, I'm not sure there was dancing. And Brandon, yes, I know you're trying not to be bland, but don't try so hard to fabricate a personality that isn't yours. Be yourself... you're a sweet, wonderful dancer, you're not Twitch.
Asuka and Vitolio: I really want to like Vitolio, and I'm not sure if he's just not a strong dancer, or if Asuka is pulling him down. I HATE Asuka. She was over the top trying to be sexy before, and while I liked her toned down self much more, that "sincerity" seemed so fake to me. She looked like she was constipated, not emotionally hurting. And the comment about not being attracted to Vitolio? Snot.
Kayla and Max/Jeanine and Philip: I won't comment on the dances so much as on the judges' critiques. I really thought Max pulled it out last night - honestly, my eyes were on him the whole routine. He owned that slimy, oily snake-charmer character. And Jeanine - sure the tango was rough, but she was pretty damn good considering how hard it was for Philip. Why did the judges spend so much time on him? Jeanine was worth more than a "hot mama" throwaway comment.
Karla and Jonathan: I liked this number, and I thought it was good, and I thought it was like almost all of the other "emotional" contemporary numbers out there. The hair-flinging, run-into-his-arms-and-hold-on-tight... it lost it's impact after Lacey and Kameron did it on S3. I'm happy that Jonathan pulled it off though - he's sweet, if sort of young and (you guessed it) bland.
Kupono and Ashley. I love both of them, personality wise, so I hope they'll stay. However, that routine... not so good. I hope they get through - there are far worse people that deserves to be cut.
Special Mention: Shane Sparks. Now, I love me some Shane, but I really was disappointed by his choreography. Comments on the web vary from "it's the dancers' fault" to "Shane hasn't done anything good in years". I disagree with both. That group number from Shane last week was frakkin' awesome - in fact, it inspired me to sign up for hip hop classes. But the routines, especially Kupono and Ashley's, were muddy.
Perhaps I wouldn't be looking so hard for the story if he hadn't told us what the dance was about in the taping. But after being spoiled by Napoleon and Tabitha, whose hip hop story telling is so emotional and compelling, it just doesn't come across. Shane, I think, is best at high energy routines that don't have any emotional tug, such as last week's group performance and one of my all time favorite: "Pitbull"/Transformers with Pasha and Lauren.
I *am* glad that the judges are nicer this year than last... My stomach was really starting to turn at the harsh comments from S4 and early S5 auditions. If we can thank Twitter for that, then I'm all for Twitter. However, I still feel like some of the praise - especially Nigel's comments - are motivated by trying to "sell" the audience on the dancers. Let's hope that S6 brings back Natalie, fewer people we've seen in previous seasons, and better dancers overall.
And please... CAN WE GET SOME GOOD HIP HOP DANCERS next time??? Philip is the bomb, no doubt, but if Tony was the second best that they could pull, we're dying a slow death.
*~*~*~*~*
Cast:
Cat Deeley is THE BEST hostess ever. I love her - she seems so genuinely nice and doesn't take herself too seriously. If she's really an awful person, don't tell me! My favorite moment was last season, when she put on Twitch's grills and sunglasses.
Good vid of her: http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/06/cat-deeley-must-list-video-photo-shoot.html
Mary Murphy has been dressing far better this season. No more tacky East Jersey housewives garb, a la leopard skin dresses with bad pearls. Please keep it up!
I've thought it for years, but doesn't Nigel Lythgoe look like Mr. Burns from the Simpsons?
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