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"So You Think You Can Dance": the last chance to leave an impressionWhy yes, I do think I can dance but not like any of these finalists. Wow, were the performances amazing last night! The finale is next week. Let’s declare them all winners and go party. But no, life is cruel. Adam Shankman was the guest judge and Cat Deeley was wearing little puff balls on the backs of her heels. At first glance it may seem like there’s no connection but believe me, my darlings, there is.
We get right to it with a waltz from Mark and Courtney that is so beautiful I gasp and sigh all the way through it. Courtney’s dress is wonderfully fluttery as Mark picks her up in some fabulous lifts. It doesn’t hurt that they’re dancing to one of my favorite American Idol contestants, David Cook, singing “The Time of My Life.” The judges love their dance. Murphy says the lifts look effortless and that Mark grows with every week. I agree. Chelsie does a solo and really, what else can she do except hip swivel? But wait, she ends in the splits! Cool. After the break, Twitch does a funny stylin’ hip-hop solo that includes a grill and glasses. Afterwards, Deeley asks to try on the glasses, then says she’d like the grill too, and that she doesn’t mind the spit. Twitch removes it and she pops it in. We get a few goofy grins before she pops it out, then makes a face about the after taste. “The things we do for art,” she exclaims. Too damn funny, that girl. Katee and Joshua do a romantic contemporary dance choreographed by Tyce Diorio. It’s passionate and sexy, with lots of great leaps and lifts. Shankman confides that he met Diorio back in 1990 when they were both dancers at the Oscars. (There’s a quick view of Diorio in the audience who, interestingly, doesn’t look that excited about knowing Shankman. Maybe there’s a little tension between the two? Then he mentions Paula Abdul, who’s in the audience also but looks much happier.) He goes on to say that Katee and Joshua are the two most exciting dancers to ever grace that stage. Murphy thought their dance was filled with passion and Lythgoe is amazed that Joshua has had no classical training but can pull off a piece like that.
Next Twitch and Chelsie do a smokin’ mambo. Lord, somebody fan me. Shankman says Chelsie is on fire and loves the performance in general. Murphy and Lythgoe have positive things to say too. (While I like Chelsie, I’m wondering if a ballroom dancer is versatile enough to win the competition.)
Katee does a solo, then Joshua presents his solo. There’s nothing that’s much different than solos done on earlier shows. Not to discount them, though. They’re both great dancers. Courtney and Mark do a weird, raw, jazz number choreographed by Sonya. While the judges go on and on about Sonya’s work (including her pieces for earlier shows), I don’t love her ‘cause her stuff is too far out there. She says this piece is like an old French burlesque, and indeed, it does have that quality. Courtney is wearing a bustier and one torn stocking. Strange but it fits with the theme. The judges love it. Mary yells that it’s true magic then lets loose with a teeth rattling scream so loud her mike distorts. (There’s now one more nearly deaf sound technician in this world.) As Lythgoe comments that Joshua is stealing the show, Murphy screams again. Oh, stop already.
Courtney solos next, and then Mark. During his solo, he does some fun things with a stretchy T-shirt. No, he doesn’t whip it off ala Will, but he’s creatively cute. Chelsie and Twitch finish the evening with a humorous but smooth hip-hop dance. The story is great, with them as two crazed conductors fighting over the baton. The judges say wonderful things. The camera cuts to Deeley, then they’re off the air. I’m disappointed that there are no closing shots of all the finalists dancing but I guess they’re pressed for time. Who could possibly be voted off? I’m thinking it might be Courtney and Twitch. I’m hoping it’ll be Chelsie but then, I don’t always get what I want. (My mother still hasn’t bought me that pony.) Maybe Mark will go? What do you think? Submitted by on July 31, 2008 - 1:00pm. |
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Once again..
I missed this episode. I had tried to catch the ending but I was busy at work. :( I'll have to watch the performances on youtube. No, I do not want Courtney to leave. She is my favorite.
I think it'll be Chelsie and Twitch
While I really enjoy Twitch, I think that Mark and Joshua have to be in the Top 4. Katee is in, duh. I feel Courtney is a better dancer than Chelsie, namely because I see/feel ballroom in all of her movements. I also think Courtney has a warmer personality.
When Mary's screams were spontaneous and genuine, I didn't mind them at all. Now it's just become her shtick and it's tedious. She hasn't earned a Mary Murphy Must Die t-shirt from me yet, but man, she's starting to work my last nerve.
I just adore how Cat is so much more involved with the dancers this season. Much more playful. She's so cute.
Best Show of the Season
Boy, this was easily the best show this year! Except for Twitch/Chelsie's Mambo, the performances were great. I about lost it on the Joshua/Katee contemporary. Joshua's leap over Katee, in time with the music, was one of my favorite moments of the seasons. Joshua shirtless... damn... damn.
I really liked both routines from Mark and Courtney. I agree with Tara about Courtney. She is my favorite now. I think Joshua is a little more exciting as a dancer. But Courtney is so beautiful and does a great job with every routine she's given. And she doesn't seem to get a lot of credit. I want her for the win now. Sorry Joshua! The Waltz was beautiful, on par with Pasha/Lacey's and Danny/Lacey's waltzes last year. I liked the jazz routine a lot. Sonya kind of makes up for Wade Robson being gone... a little.
Twitch should go tonight, and Chelsie. I'm not a big fan of either, and their performances were the weakest last night. I'm still not a fan of Tabitha and Napolean, but they did the hip hop well.
Finally, how awesome to have Jason Gilkison from SYTYCD Australia! He is a great ballroom choreographer. They need to bring in Supple as well, to do some hip hop core!
Josh is my fav
Loved the Paso Doble...I was so happy to see Katee and Josh were back together...
I'm a little nervous about tonight, but I'm thinking it might be Mark and Chelsie...
Katte and joshua
Courtney
I don't follow the show too much, since I don't really know a lot about dancing (I'm a musician, and I like it when things are rhythmic/match the music...so sometimes I can't really appreciate the intricacies of dancing if it doesn't feel like it matches the music to me), but Courtney won me over waaaay back with that hip hop routine she did with Gev. To me, it seems like she 'feels' the music more than Chelsie, if that makes any sense, rather than just trying to get through the routine. (that's my biggest beef with watching dancing/this show...it always feel like the song is just there to be a convenient showcase for whatever style, rather than using the music to build the dancing, and vice versa, so it feels staged and insincere and out of time.....but maybe that's just me)
as for the guys, I like Josh, but I like Twitch too. Mark never really did much for me.
"This is a tree on fire with love, but it's still scary since most people think love only looks like one thing instead of the whole world."
Personally...
I'm rooting for Katee for the win, and I always had this image of the top 4 in my head. So imagine my surprise when I read these comments and I'm like, this goes against my top four, lol.
I always assumed that the top four would wind up being Katee, Chelsie, Twitch, and Joshua. Who knows though; at this rate, I think almost anyone is interchangable with the other.
Courtney and Mark's jazz
Courtney and Mark's jazz routine was my absolute favorite routine that night, and one of my favorites so far this season. Courtney was kinda scarying me, and it was in a good way, during that routine.
Oh, and when Cat put those teeth in the first thing I thought was this blog. I thought you would show a screen cap of that, I was looking forward to it. Oh well. Tonight should be interesting, I think it's gonna be Chelsie and prolly Mark in the bottom two.
I was so certain that.....
I was going to be disappointed by the elimination tonight. However as inflammatory as this is going to read I am so happy that two brunette women are going head to head. Society in general; and this website in particular seems to embrace blods, Er I mean the Blond archetype as Ideal all too often regardless of talent.
That written I am for Katee all the way however because this show is titled "So You Think You Can Dance" it's like they are looking for your "average joe or jane" with no formal training so in that Case I got a feeling Joshua might win. I also feel he will go head to head with Katee (If I have my way that is).
Does Courtny remind anyone else of a younger Liz Vassey from the episode "Nikki and Nora"?
Joshua has had no classical training?
Joshua admitted that he had some ballet training during his preparation for the Bollywood routine. Umm isn't Ballet considered "Classical"?
Someone is misrepresenting the facts: Either it's Nigel Lithgow or the writer of this article.
Nigel said it
That Joshua had had no classical training. Whether that is true or not...
Spoilers for the top 4...
So happy! Exactly what I wanted, given this top 6. It hit me halfway through - who would I rather see dance together - Twitch and Joshua or Joshua and Mark? Easy choice. Very excited about Twitchua next week. Also Courtney and Katee.
I am definitely gunning for Katee to win though. Clear choice in my mind. I like the other three, but she is just spectacular.