1. Eight’s great

    2011-08-24 on tvguide.ca

    ‘SYTYCD Canada’ favourite almost cut

    Last night’s results show started with one of the best group numbers I’ve ever seen (mostly because it was contemporary and I’m a sucker for it). The Top 10 executed fearless leaps, bounds and lifts in the Sabrina Matthews-choreographed piece to a great Florence and the Machine song.

    Then it was time to hear who had to dance for their lives, this week marking the first time the votes were cast for individual dancers instead of couples. 

    Not surprisingly, Yuliya and Denitsa were both in the bottom, but the big shocker was, of course, hearing that superstar and crowd favourite Melissa was to join them! She has been receiving continuous standing ovations and praises, making me think this whole “bottom three” nonsense was a ploy to create drama on the Canadian dance stage. Not that it mattered, since Melissa’s solo was outstanding and totally crushed those of the other two, sending her straight to the Top 8 without a doubt. Denista’s quick hips were enough to save her this week as Yuliya was sent home after being in the bottom countless times.

    The guys with the lowest votes were Christian, Francois, and Adam, much to my dismay. I am so over Matt and really do believe everyone else deserves to be there more, so it was a shock to me that he wasn’t in the bottom three. Christian’s solo was probably the best of the trio: his solos always remind me of Grease, and that’s a plus in my books. Adam’s dance was decent, but it was Francois who had to say goodbye this week.

    Tune in next week to see the Top 8 battle it out. Same bat time. Same bat channel. Yes, that was a reference to Leah Miller’s sculpted Kevlar-esque dress.

      

    So You Think You Can Dance Canada airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CTV.

  2. Marvelous Melanie: ‘SYTYCD’ crowns Season 8 winner

    2011-08-12 on tvguide.ca

     

     

    Last night, the two-hour finale of So You Think You Can Dance was as jam-packed with this season’s favourite routines as the judging table was with guests. After each of the seven judges gave props and advice to the final four, including Nigel revoking his insensitive “a girl will win” comment to the boys, the show began.

    Each of the judges chose a routine or two from this season that needed to be danced again in order to solidify the greatness we saw the first time it was performed. It was fun to see the entire Top 20 return to the stage for an awesome group number, as well as for Top 10 girls and guys dances respectively.

    Mary chose to see Sasha and all-star Kent’s emotional wall routine one more time while Nigel wanted another go with Melanie and Marko’s “I Got You” kissing routine. Even the long-gone Miranda and Robert returned for Lil C’s request of the “buck” woodpecker routine. Other requests came in from guest judges and celebrated choreographers Sonya Tayeh and Tyce Diorio, as well as Pussycat Dolls recruiter Robin Antin.

    Keeping things fresh in between the dance reruns was Matt Flint, who performed the most entertaining tap dance I’ve ever seen with cast-offs Nick and Jess. Then it was back to recreating those montage-worthy moments, like Melanie and all-star Nigel’s leap of faith, Ashley and Chris’ prison cell dance, and Twitch and Sasha’s innovative “corn flakes” routine. And what’s a montage without some tears: guest judge Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family) requested to see Marko’s tear-jerking routine that got everyone sobbing the first time around, including Lady Gaga.

    But my absolute favourite dance all season was the “Turn to Stone” statue routine from Melanie and Marko in the first week, which I was so excited to see again last night. It just reminded how much I have loved Melanie since her very first audition.

    Which was also why I am pleased to report that the cute-as-a-button, über-talented Melanie Moore was the winner of Season 8 with 46 per cent of the votes! Coming in a well-earned and –deserved second was the wonderfully fierce Sasha, who was followed my Marko in third and Tadd in fourth.

    Congrats to all four of the finalists! I hope they go on to great things but still keep their humble and solid personalities.

     

    Do you agree with Melanie getting the top prize? Comment below.

  3. Fantastic four or finale fumblers?

    2011-08-11

    ‘SYTYCD’ finale has sharp highs and lows


    After three months, the So You Think You Can Dance Season 8 contestants were whittled down to four, meaning last night was the two-hour long finale performance show. I have to say, for a finale, there was a lot of unspectacular dancing, but we have to give these dancers kudos anyway, because of the sheer number of dances they each performed. The contestants had to dance with each of the others, plus a dance with an all-star in their own genre, making four choreographed dances each. Oh, and don’t forget their solos!

    The guest judges were pretty decent (Katie Holmes was ever-sweet and Kenny Ortega gave some great advice), but on the whole I still prefer Lady Gaga’s shoe throwing.

    If points had been given last night, I know that Sasha and Melanie would have been in the lead by far. Sasha’s solo was definitely the best, and her all-star contemporary dance with Mark was literally tailored to her story, making her dancing all the more passionate. I want to give Sasha a giant “S” to wear on her chest because she dances like a superhero: with strength and integrity.

    Melanie was just so endearing all night long, from her all-star pairing with Robert for a contemporary piece that made her look like she was floating on air, to her grateful tears during her judging comments. It astounds me how someone who moves with such grace can cause such stillness in everyone around her: the audience, including myself, was completely silent and spellbound for Melanie.

    Tadd, we must remember, came into this show as a break-dancer with the least amount of training, and here he was competing in the finale! It’s unbelievable really, especially when he was paired with Season 4 winner Joshua in a hustling hip-hop. It had some impressive floor work but did fall short of the girls’ performances.

    Finally, Marko, whose fluid solo came up right behind Sasha’s for me, danced with his heart and soul on the floor when he was paired with last season’s champion, Lauren. Their contemporary dance was so emotional and used precise, yet stunning, movement.

    Now this all sounds pretty great, so what were the low points? Almost every dancer met their downfall in the pairings with each other. Some of the routines were just all right but not finale material, while others were just plain horrendously boring. The girls pairing for the Stacey Tookey contemporary piece was innovative in its storytelling and probably the runner-up in my eyes. But the most entertaining one for me, and the only one where both dancers really impressed, was Tadd and Melanie’s jazz routine, in which they had strong characters and dance steps alike.

    At the end of the night, Nigel and I both predicted that a girl would take home the title of America’s Favorite Dancer, though the boys deserved heartfelt consolatory congratulations.

      

    Who do you predict will win tonight? Comment below.

    The So You Think You Can Danceairs tonight at 8 p.m. ET on CTV/Fox.

  4. Gaga gr-eight

    ‘Dance’-er makes Lady Gaga cry  on tvguide.ca

    2011-07-28

    Wow, where has the summer gone? There’s only eight dancers left on SYTYCD and last night, they danced their hearts out – well most of them did.

    Joining Nigel and Mary on the judging panel this week were choreographer and film director Rob Marshall and none other than the wonderfully weird and paisley-suited Lady Gaga. Surprisingly, Gaga actually gave some decent criticisms and congratulations – who knew?

    But back to the stage. Each of the remaining dancers was again paired with first a past all-star and then another of the finalists, making for 12 performances in total. But really, they are called “all-stars” for a reason – those first eight dances outshone almost all of the final four couple performances.

    My favourites of the all-star dances came from Melanie (of course) and Neal, who’s beautiful contemporary was so fluid that I didn’t want to blink and risk missing a second of it. Add this outstanding performance, which included an absolutely fearless leap into Neal’s arms, to the perfect woman power-induced show-closer that Melanie performed with Sasha and you won’t be surprised to hear that Gaga wanted to hire the humble Melanie for her tour. Speaking of Sasha, who is also wonderful, she performed an entertaining quick step with all-star Pasha, earning her a gold star from Nigel as he marked her his favourite dancer of all.

    On the other hand, clearly the worst of the night was Caitlynn. She is the complete opposite of Melanie: posed, boring and forgettable. Her slow hip-hop with guest Ivan was a yawn fest and, though I loved the 40’s feel of her fox trot with Tadd, the dance itself fell short and she was called out, once again, for her obvious wish to win the competition rather than being passionate and getting lost in her art. See ya, Caitlynn. I think this is the end of your journey.

    The other dancers were all great, though Ricky seemed to be the weakest of the boys and I fear for his future tonight. Tadd is by far the most versatile dancer. The guy is a b-boy and he’s on that stage performing ballroom dances and contemporaries like he’s done it all his life! Close behind him is the amazing Marko, who’s all star-studded contemporary piece about apologizing for wrong-doings was raw, emotional and had everyone bawling, from Lady Gaga (tears streamed down her face) to Ellen DeGeneres watching in the crowd, to Marko’s proud mama.

    Compared to these amazing first eight dances, the final four couples hardly compared. Again with the exception of Sasha and Melanie’s finale which stole the entire show with its strength, the finalists’ dances were forgettable.

    Tune in tonight to see which dances were most memorable after all as Gaga performs and we say goodbye to two more dancers (hopefully Caitlynn).

     

    Thoughts? Comment below.

    So You Think You Can Dance airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on CTV/Fox.

  5. ‘SYTYCD Canada’ makes its first cuts

    First farewell on tvguide.ca


    2011-07-13

      

    After a super-long performance show on Monday night featuring the Top 11 couples, last night it was time to say goodbye to the first guy and girl of Season 4. 

    Now, I’ll try to keep my Leah-ranting down after this, but I’m not promising anything. I just can’t help but wonder how Leah Miller still has this hosting job when, four years later, people are still as annoyed with her as ever. From her look to her sugary tone, her persona just oozes phoniness — or is it just me? Just watch one episode of Dance’s American counterpart and you’ll see the glaring contrast between our host and their wonderful Cat Deeley.

    But back to the show. The Top 22 performed a group hip-hop number, choreographed by Luther, that looked like a highly-skilled and colourful flash mob. Needless to say, the group performances are way more entertaining and cause much less grimacing than those on American Idol.

    This week, the bottom three couples consisted of Cassandra and Francois, Lauren and Rodrigo, and Geisha and Adam A. After their dance-for-your-life solos, the judges announced that we would lose Cassandra (who’s personality, despite sharing my name, I have no patience for) and the injured Adam A. Surprisingly, Jean-Marc invited Adam back to next year’s final due to his injury, which is uncommon as finalists who make it into the Top 22 or Top 20 are no longer eligible to try out in future years. Well, that was nice of them.

    This, of course, makes for a shake up next week when Geisha will dance with her new partner Francois, which I believe will have awesome results.

     

    Do you agree with the vote? Comment below.

    So You Think You Can Dance Canada airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CTV.

  6. Cross country boys: From west to east, Canada can ‘Dance’

    SYTYCD Canada review on tvguide.ca

    2011-06-28

    Last night on So You Think You Can Dance Canada, we got to see a whole lot of talent and much too much shiny spandex. Skill was showcased from Vancouver to Edmonton and even all the way over in St. John’s. And for once, the talent was definitely male-predominant.
     
    But just like any competition show, we had to put up with the silly and eye-roll inducers as well as the mega-talented. The amount of time spent on promoting the returning “Spandy Andy” –a guy whose pelvic thrusts are energetic enough to throw out his back – was absolutely ludicrous. My sentiment was shared by guest judge Mia Michaels, who was overtly offended by his lack of seriousness in Blake’s boot camp choreography. Ta ta for now (and hopefully for ever), Andy!

    Back to the real dancers. Vancouver produced many spectacular performances, including those from the precise Niki Hutchinson, the cool tap dancer Mike Cameron, the enchanting Mackenzie Carlson, and the undeniable ballroom dancer with hips that don’t lie, Carlos Chang.

    Edmonton brought out home-grown guest judge Stacey Tookey to join the regulars – Tre, Jean Marc, and Luther. The outstanding Yuliya and Sharon, a ballroom couple that have won world champ titles in dance, were technically skilled and made me wonder why they even need this show in the first place. The boys showed up again here in Alberta. Springboard diver Moses Layco was one of my favourites and really showed off his strength and finesse, as did Rufino Rodriguez and Mathew Michaliski. Jamie Pragnell was the lone female whose defined contemporary piece captivated the judges and left a big impression on me as well.

    In New Brunswick, the judges were joined by choreographers Melissa Williams and Sean Cheeseman, and for the third time, the guys dominated. From the lyrical Justin Lopes, to the strong Alvin Collantes and Mario Fugnitto, the males were taking control. This was especially true of Nicholas Eichenberger, one of my new faves, who made Melissa cry as she commended the way he danced “from the inside out” – with only 3 years of training to boot!  Again, only one female audition was really Youtube-worthy and that was Haley McPherson, whose uniquely inventive and carefully crafted performance was captivating and had a certain je-ne-sais-pas quality to it.

    Overall, the Canucks definitely seem to have an overload of talent going in to the finals. After one more round of auditions, we’ll finally get to see who has what it takes to make it all the way. And I, for one, can’t wait to be rid of the ridiculousness that is “Spandy Andy” and the idiocy he represents.

    So You Think You Can Dance Canada airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. on CTV.

  7. ‘SYTYCD’ Top 20 show their skills … again

    Ups and downs (on tvguide.ca)


    2011-06-23  

     

    Didn’t I watch this last week? Oh, yeah … nobody was eliminated. As I worked through the annoyance of this déjà vu while watching So You Think You Can Dance last night, I was also pleasantly surprised that legendary Debbie Reynolds (Singin’ in the Rain) was announced as the guest judge beside Nigel and Mary.

    I’d have to say that overall, the Top 20 were slightly more impressive the first time around, though I do acknowledge the fact that last week they almost all were dancing their own genres, while this week pushed everyone out of their comfort zones.

    Let’s start with my favourites. The top accolades have to go to Caitlyn and Mitchell. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I’m a sucker for contemporary. But they truly brought to life choreographer Stacey Tookey’s story of a girl unable to escape an unhealthy relationship, showing off their amazing chemistry and technique. Last night, they were leaps and bounds (literally and figuratively) above the others.

    Ashley and Chris, who really entertained with their great Broadway number – an entire dance with a set of jail bars between them – also performed spectacularly. Joining these couples at the top, for me personally, were Melanie and Marko with a jazz number that oozed personality and technicality. But we all know the proud American vote will have gone to Sasha and Alexander, whose emotional dance (a rarity for hard-hitting hip-hop) followed the story of a soldier coming home from Afghanistan.

    In my opinion, bottom votes go to, mainly, Missy and Wadi, whose cha cha, choreographed by our homegrown Jean Marc Genereux, fell way short – especially on Wadi’s end. He was much too stiff as Missy danced up a storm around him, leading to some very pointed, yet constructive, judge criticism. I also didn’t enjoy Ricky and Ryan the way the judges did. Yes, they were technically great, especially Ryan, but I feel no chemistry between them. Finally, Clarice and Jess performed well separately in their contemporary piece, but they just don’t match! Jess is great but it looks awkward and wrong when the guy is shorter than the girl, who’s wearing no shoes might I add.

    Iveta and Nick’s Bollywood was really entertaining, along with Robert and Miranda’s woodpecker hip-hop and Jordan and Tadd’s stunning Viennese waltz, but none of these couples stood out as brightly as the others. It’ll be a tough decision tonight as four dancers go home.

     

    Who do you think will be packing their bags? Comment below.

    So You Think You Can Dance airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on CTV/Fox.

  8. Oh, Canada!:‘Dance Canada’s Jean Marc excited for Season 4

    My article/interview with Jean Marc Genereux on tvguide.ca!
    2011-06-20

    It’s the moment Canadian dance fans have been waiting for: the return of So You Think You Can Dance Canada. Tonight, Canada’s favourite home-grown competition begins its fourth season with two hours of Toronto auditions, with returning host Leah Miller.

    Back on the judging panel are Luther Brown, Tré Armstrong, Jean Marc Genereux and guest judges Mary Murphy and Rex Harrington. After hours of auditions, hopefuls will either get tickets straight to the finals or have to endure choreographer Blake McGrath’s dance boot camp to earn their way through.

    If the first episode is any indication, viewers should be pleased with the level of talent in Season 4. We’ll see many dancers returning to audition with strength and passion, including many impressive contemporary dancers, break-dancers, and pop and lockers – even one super-cute classical dancer!

    Now throw in some emotional life stories of hardships and the saving power of dance and you’ve got yourself a show. Of course, SYTYCD Canada would not be complete without some painfully hard-hitting (and not in a good way) auditions that make your toes curl.

    Our favourite francophone judge and ballroom dance champ, Genereux, spoke with TV Guide Canada about what to expect on the show, and what he expects from dancers. “What is so important is the connection,” he explains over the phone. “If they are with their partners, the connection is physical and visual, but … first and foremost is the connection with the viewers. So it’s all about being able to project and connect, and that’s what I look for.”

    When asked about special dancers to pay attention to, Genereux was not able to give any names just yet, but expressed that every province “showed up” on the audition tour. Though, from the past, he marked Nico Archambault, Vincent Desjardins, and last season’s winner Denys as special gems, and even mentioned that Season 1’s Natalie Reznik is now a dancer for Alicia Keys. These kids have gone places.

    He says his favourite part about being a SYTYCD Canada judge is having a front-row seat to burgeoning success and talent. “It warms my heart every single show. I’m a judge, but I’m also a great audience and a great advocate of Canadian talent … it’s beautiful.”

    He also talked of the show as a great launching pad for any dancer’s future. “Those kids are being discovered and they have followers, and it’s smart for any artist or production to tap (into) that market to boost their ratings…. Those kids have networks.”

    Long-time fans will remember Season 1 champion Nico Archambault, who has since gone on to great success as a choreographer and dancer; this year returns to his roots. He will join the panel as a special guest in finals week, and Genereux is overjoyed. “It’s a full circle. And if people don’t believe in dreams, well there is an answer right there. Too many times, you see people and you would love to know what they think, but they don’t have the opportunity. I think the production was very, very smart to allow this guy to express himself and I think it’s great for the show.”

    And what should we expect from Season 4? Crazy talent, says Genereux. “Be ready, OK? The cross training, and I know that ‘cause I witnessed it in the final, there is no weak link. So they’re signed and sealed, and they are ready to deliver on this amazing stage.” According to this judge, “the viewers have to buckle up, brace themselves, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride! Those kids are ready to play and they’re going to play hard. So if you liked Season 1, 2 and 3, you’re going to love Season 4!”

     

  9. SYTYCD Review: Gotta love L.A.

    On tvguide.ca!

    2011-06-03

    Dancing all the way to Vegas

    This is why I love So You Think You Can Dance. Unlike American Idol, which drags things out unnecessarily every episode (cough, cough Ryan Seacrest), the preliminary auditions wrapped up last night in just the second episode of the season. Quick and painless.

    On top of that, the dancers this year just seem to be bursting with talent. Another reason to love SYTYCD: They don’t spend a lot of time on the bad dancers. Of course, they have to show a few and it’s entertaining, but for the most part, we’re treated to the pure love of dance from some passionate individuals. And in L.A., you can find some real characters whose origins span from Arizona to Japan.

    Meet Hero McRae, a young Japanese girl who’s only been in America for four years, but earned a ticket straight to the next round in Vegas (though I personally thought she should try choreography first). There’s no way to describe her style of dance except to say it was a very precise and highly skilled version of the robot, and I don’t mean that as a slam because she really was impressive. Last night’s panel of Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and Tyce Diorio certainly thought so. And she wasn’t the only one. It seemed that Cali was the place to go to find amazing dancer after amazing dancer.

    Other YouTube-worthy auditions came from the super-flexible Jordan Casanova, the sweet yet seductive Arielle Coker, sisters Natalia and Sasha Mallory (who mixed contemporary with African dance), and the surprising, masculine-dressed Patty Anne Miller whose interesting freestyle earned this Berkeley School of Music grad a ticket to Vegas, alongside the previously mentioned.

    But don’t be fooled by that list. Many males showed promise last night, too, including Derion Chapman, who had a hilariously entertaining audition. He even taught Nigel some new “wheelchair” dance moves.
    The most interesting and emotional audition award has to go to Alexis Mason, however. She danced right out of the shadow of her older sister — Season 5’s winner, Jeanine — with her outstanding balance, control, pirouettes and overall passion.

    I have to say it was a fun episode. I think one of my favourite parts is always the dance move-like reactions that naturally take over the bodies of these performers when they get the good news, like falling gracefully backwards or split jumping off the stage. Stay tuned ‘cause next week, 160 of the best dancers in America will battle it out in Sin City.

    So You Think You Can Dance airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on CTV/Fox.

    Thoughts? Comment below.

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schmorgusboard of opinions on musical muses, television trends, and film fads.

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