I’m thinking perhaps Nigel has been reading too much Stephenie Meyer. Why all the fascination with “beasts,” Nigel? Last night this was his go-to word to describe any and all female dancers performing. We get the impression that if these ladies don’t appear on stage growling and clawing at the moon, Nigel will be sorely disappointed. Those of us who were less concerned with dancing lycanthropy were excited for the return of one of the best competition shows on television.
Let’s dance, let’s shout, and shake our bodies down to the ground.
The show opens with the usual introduction, shoo, bee doo, bee! We’re excited! Here we go again with another season of fantastic dancing. All the kids are doing their one signature move and then final pose to the opening credits, which is expected, if not a bit tired after eight seasons. We’d like to see this updated somehow, right? Dance, dance, sashay, sashay, pose, pose… and then what? Iveta? What do you have on girl? A lamé spandex Solid Gold dancer’s outfit from 1982? Why? Okay, that was… Well, that was awful. Anyway on with the show! Cat, oh, okay. Super spiked silver stiletto heels, and a little black, sequined-speckled, mini-dress, fabulous. Werk. Bantery banter, yes, yes it is so nice to be back. Cat is awesome as usual, even though she flubbed a few words in her intro there. No biggie, she lets sweaty kids hug her for two hours.
And we’re off and welcoming our judges Nigel, Mary, and Megan Mullally? Er? Um, Karen, what are you doing on this show? Guest judges? Oh, no. We don’t like this. No, sir. We don’t like this at all.
And the bad news just keeps on coming. We learn one of the dancers, Mitchell, has injured his elbow and won’t be performing, and we get a shot of Mitchell in the audience sitting by his lonesome with a tear running down his cheek. Poor kid. He knows as well as we do that if no one stinks up the stage tonight he very well could be going home. We’re minutes into the first episode and already an injury. This is worrisome. We’ve still not really gotten over Alex Wong from last season. Not Again SYTYCD!
And here we go with the introductory vignettes. Do they know that we don’t care about what the kids’ favorite colors are? We want dancing! Bring on the dancing!
Performances:
Dancers: Jordan & Tadd
Dance Style: African Jazz
Choreographer: Sean Cheeseman
Music: Riding the Waves, Afro Celt Sound System
Concept: Inspired by the lava of a volcano
Performance: We’ve got “barely there” costumery with tribal markings and pink hairpieces representing… I don’t know, lava. The dancing is strong and focused. You definitely see the African dance influences, there are the drums, the rhythmic motion, the powerful movement, a showcase of strength and power. Jordan, who’s usually a sexy, sexy dancer, was able to tone it down a bit for this more artistic piece. And for a B-boy, Tadd more than held his own. His moves were synchronized, powerful, and clean. No big goof ups here, and the chemistry was on point. They were connected. A nice way to start off the show. No big, huge moments, but a good first foray into the season.
Judges:
Nigel: An Explosion! A volcano erupted all over the stage! (Um, okay, that’s slightly sexual, but we get your meaning, Nigel.) Tadd will be extremely exciting if he keeps it up. We agree
Mary: Are you nuts, sister, c’mon! (Whatever does this mean, Mary?) They’re sensational! Tadd, you blew me away!
Megan/Karen: STANLEY! (No, she didn’t say that.) Your extensions were beautiful. Um, I thought it was really exciting, and um, a great way to start the show… Um. (Megan/Karen, look, shape up your commentary or we’re sending you to the Little C school of word spewage.)
Spirit Fingers: A good, solid performance. Not spectacular, but formidable.
Dancers: Sasha & Alexander
Dance Style: Contemporary
Choreographer:Travis Wall
Music: Stupid, by Sarah McLachlan (Fifteen minutes in and we’ve got McLachlan)
Concept: Repercussions of doing a dirty deed in a relationship… i.e. The Weiner: Act 1
Performance: Gripping and emotional with strong imagery. Well acted with clean lines and a powerhouse performance by mostly Sasha who takes the lead as the scorned woman. She basically kicks Alex’s butt all around the stage. It’s a superior showing by these two who effortlessly showcase the force necessary to portray two people caught in a toxic part of their relationship. While the chemistry was a bit spotty at times, the work by the two of them overshadowed some of the more awkward, but fleeting moments of disconnect.
Judges:
Nigel: Exciting and strong choreography. Sasha, I’m scared of you. You’re a modern day Amazonian princess, and magnificent warrior. Alex, I need more emotion.
Mary: Talk about taking a beating at work. It was a really great routine. Great transitions that blended from one thing to the next. Sasha, you’re strong and dynamic with a great center and extensions.
Megan/Karen: Sloshes drink out of martini glass, and says, “Really great storytelling. I believed everything. Very strong. A bit of a disconnect with what your bodies and your faces were doing, but I got it.”
Spirit Fingers: Sasha is amazing. I would never use the word fierce to describe her, because that’s just so cliché, but she breathes dance and you can see it. Alex was a bit lost at times it seemed, or was just overpowered. Sasha was the draw of this dance.
Dancers: Clarice & Jess
Dance Style: Broadway
Choreographer:Tyce Diorio
Music: Me and My Baby, Liza Minelli
Concept: Two lovers dancing on Broadway. This is really all I could discern as a theme, since Tyce basically said, “Jazz hands, Jazz hands, bop, bop, shebop, zing!”
Performance: It’s peppy and very Broadway. Think the WB frog. Stays very close to the classic Broadway style with very little deviation, which is exactly what the song choice elicits. There could have been more here. It looked a little perfunctory, no? However, the dancing is solid. Jess is a natural and he mixes traditional Broadway with some contemporary movement that includes pirouettes and even an awesome karate kick Yowsa! in the middle of the performance. Clarice was okay. Not great, not awesome, just nice. She’s going to have to step it up.
Judges:
Nigel: Clarice, you’re a beautiful dancer, but you’ll need to work hard to keep up. You’ll need to step up. (See?) Jess, you’re very neat in your element.
Mary: Amazing celebration of dance. Jess, I’ve given you a hard time about your animation, but this time it works.
Megan/Karen: Laughs with Jack at Grace’s choice of Jorts, but then says she loved everything about the performance. “Jess you’re a showman. You remind me of Jimmy Cagney or Jimmy Durante.”
Spirit Fingers: It wasn’t challenging enough. It was too much traditional, one note Broadway. Where was the challenge? It felt too basic, and there was no story.
Dancers: Ryan & Ricky
Dance Style: Lyrical Hip-Hop
Choreographer:Christopher Scott
Music: Ain’t No Sunshine, Lighthouse Family
Concept: Remembering love after a break up.
Performance: This is fluid hip-hop. Both dancers brought a lot of energy to the performance which was a mix of popular dance moves like the Dougie and more free form dance movement that suited the contemporary style of both dancers. Ricky may have outdanced Ryan, who’s an early favorite, in this piece. Strangely, I couldn’t get a good look at Ryan during the performance what with her hair covering her face in almost every move. It was hard to read her emotion, where it looked as if Ricky had too much emotion going on. The energy was there even if the facial movements were all over the place.
Judges:
Nigel: Loved the rhythmical feel. Be careful with your emotions. I wasn’t sure what it was about. I want to see the dancing and not get carried away by the story totally. Both of you should be pleased with the performance
Mary: Tremendous job. Ricky you’re one of the strongest guys on the show, and Ryan you’re brilliant.
Megan/Karen: Great sense of urgency that didn’t look easy to convey. Kind of beautiful, thank you, and I have a great rack.
Spirit Fingers: I was impressed with Ricky. I wasn’t sure he would be able to pull off the hip-hop, but he did a great job, and I liked the mixture of lyrical dance, the fluid movement and the softer touches of the hip-hop style. It’s what Nappy Tabs has always tried to produce… and I wonder where they are this season?
Dancers: Caitlynn & Mitchell
Dance Style: Jazz
Choreographer:Sonya Tayeh
Music: In For the Kill, La Roux
Concept: (As always with Sonya) What we can accomplish without fear.
Performance: Mitchell has hurt his elbow so Robert from Season 7 is filling in for this performance. There are a lot of balance challenges, lifts, throwing oneself across the stage, leaping through the air, and synchronized power moves… But we’ve seen this so much from Sonya Tayeh. Yes, yes, she’s about strength and power, but haven’t we seen the balled fists and rigid body movement and fierce facial expressions from her Every. Single. Time?
Judges:
Nigel: I would give you tens for technique and performance, so that’s ten across the board.
Mary: Love the strong movement, the synchronization, the risky gravity-less leaps. Brilliant.
Megan/Karen: Strength and power, and at eighteen to have all that power was impressive…JACK, FIND ROSARIO!
Spirit Fingers: Bored by Sonya Tayeh. Next!
Dancers: Miranda & Robert
Dance Style: The Jive
Choreographer:Jason Gilkison
Music: Runaway Baby, Burno Mars
Concept: Guy tries to get a girl way out of his league.
Performance: The Woo-hoo thing has got to stop! Sheesh. The performance had a lot of high energy that worked for the genre, but I find Robert so annoying that it’s distracting. You could tell during the performance that he was using his personality as a crutch, since he was more than a little out of his depth, but Miranda held her own, if not looking a little uncomfortable. I’d say she just kind of got through it, even though it did appear that they worked hard at their kicks and flicks as Mary would say. This is one of the better Jives I’ve seen at this level of competition, but seeing what bag of tricks these kids have…it’s not enough to continue carrying them through.
Judges:
Nigel: Robert, you’ve got the biggest personality and this could work for you or the audience could be annoyed with the woo-hoos every five minutes. Don’t forget that this is a dance competition. Learn how to point your toes.
Mary: Fun, fun, fun. Dancing in my seat. Miranda, you were clean and sharp. Robert, you stole the show and had the “Jive tick” going nonstop. Screaming, Screaming, SCREAMING, EXPLOSION! Christ, Mary, it’s day one.
Megan/Karen: Sheer delight. Great choreography. Miranda, you’re a bit of a goof. Robert, you’re my top twenty crush and “I’ve lost something down my blouse,” said in Karen Walker voice.
Spirit Fingers: I’m annoyed with the personality already. I need to see more seriousness from both.
Dancers: Missy & Wadi
Dance Style: Jazz
Choreographer:Sean Cheeseman
Music: Judas, Lady Gaga
Concept: Pandora’s Box has been opened and clones are released. (Clones, really?)
Performance: After a rather comical boob touch during rehearsal, it starts off with a few synchronization issues, and some rather stiff movement during the lifts and turns. Unfortunately, you can see some of Wadi’s inexperience. The movement isn’t as fluid as it should be until he gets more into some of his own style which includes some amazing free running sequences. These all too few sequences are stellar. He’s great at what he does. Missy offers a decent performance for this same kind of post-apocalyptic, ravaged warrior dance routine we’ve seen again and again.
Judges:
Nigel: Sean Cheeseman this is the best work I’ve seen from you ever. Love this routine. Missy you are one of the beasts this year, you have it all. Wadi, you hip-hop guys are learning so much. The end of the routine showed me what you can do and I hope you stick around because you’re brilliant.
Mary: Sexy demons! Phenomenal! Opened up a whup ass can of dancing for us. Your partnering skills are the best I’ve ever seen, can’t believe you pulled that off in 5 and a half hours! (Exclamation Point! Exclamation Point!)
Megan/Karen: That was InSan…yes, InSan (What Karen? No jokes. She really said InSan instead of insane like Karen on a bender. Heh.)
Spirit Fingers: It was an okay performance. The judges are all blinded by Wadi’s nipples or something, because they are being way too effusive in their praise right now. Seriously.
Dancers: Melanie & Marko
Dance Style: Contemporary
Choreographer:Travis Wall
Music: Turn to Stone, Ingrid Michaelson
Concept: Two statues who dance together.
Performance: By far the best performance of the night. Not an amazing concept, but executed wonderfully. The leg extensions, the trust, and comfortable partnering were all pretty spectacular. There were a lot of sweet, quiet moments… and a couple bobbles with the lifts, but other than that, a perfectly clean and fluid performance. However, Melanie’s leaps are a little heavy and could have been a bit lighter afoot, but for a first performance it was nicely done.
Judges:
Nigel: Could be the first Emmy nominated routine. The chemistry is fantastic. Magnificent. The stumble in the beginning shows that you have somewhere to grow into. Melanie you are the queen of the beasts.
Mary: Once or twice a season there is amazing chemistry, partnering, technique and artistry… Melanie and Marko you had us there at hello. Breathtaking.
Megan/Karen: Chills. Crying. Beautiful. Special. DRINK! Oprah says Wow, wow, wow. Urgh.
Spirit Fingers: No chills yet, but with this couple I think they’re right on the horizon.
Dancers: Ashley & Chris
Dance Style: Hip-Hop
Choreographer: Christopher Scott
Music: Forget You, Ce Lo Green
Concept: Couple finds out that they’re cheating on each other at the same time.
Performance: The performance starts off with lots of posing and scene set-up. Immediately there are synchronization issues and maintains them pretty much during the whole performance. Surprisingly, this is the weakest performance of the night. It wasn’t wholly believable and the dancing was just so-so. Again, I think it would have been better with Nappy Tabs. Not impressed with the choreography. Need more from you choreographer from The League of Extraordinary Best Hip-Hop Dance Crew!
Judges:
Nigel: Fun routine. You stole the Cat Daddy from me. (Heh, Nigel.) Not sure if the public will like fun routines or the big ones… i.e. you guys could be in danger.
Mary: Pure entertainment. Good Swagger, (yo.) Good Vibe.
Megan/Karen: Loved the expedient set up of the story. Nice. Overall this show has the best costumes, and hair and makeup of any show… and I should know, pulls out Karen Walker clip on hairpiece.
Spirit Fingers: Trouble. I smell trouble for these two. The performance wasn’t strong enough. I suspect one of these two could be in the bottom.
Dancers: Iveta & Nick
Dance Style: Ballroom Quick Step
Choreographer:Jason Gilkison
Music: Ballroom Blitz, Sweet
Concept: Ballroom Dance
Performance: In the beginning it looked like Nick was just running around the stage haphazardly, but he warmed up to the performance and more technique showed through. His hand placement and carriage were both quite good, and it turned out to be one of the better Quick Steps we’ve ever seen on the show. I was actually expecting a little more energy from Iveta. It’s possible it was calculated so that they were more evenly matched. If so, good on Iveta for thinking that one through in advance.
Judges:
Nigel: Nick you’ve got fabulous feet. Lovely carriage. Tap dancers rock. (Do they? I thought they kind of…you know, tapped.)
Mary: Gush, gush, Iveta, Unbelivable and Nick you rocked! (More with the rocking.)
Megan/Karen: Incredible for a tap dancer. Elegant and beautiful. Kisses. I’m throwing diamonds at you both, okay, now bring them back.
Spirit Fingers: It was good, Spirit Fingers says so, everyone else….calm down.
Was this a great show? I’d say it was a decent competition opener. There were minimal challenges. Most everyone danced either in their style or a style that wasn’t too terribly difficult for them to manage. I’m not saying that this is a bad way to start off the Season, after all, Fox wants viewers, especially new viewers. But I do think the judges puffed up the performances just a bit. It is definitely the Honeymoon period. It’s like everyone starts with an A, and as the weeks go on, the judges will start chipping away at it and harp on the real, true flaws, bobbles, and imperfections. Right now, though, it’s about basking in the return of the show and watching the kids form bonds and create chemistry with one another, until the next shake-up happens, which seems like it will come in the form of returning All-Stars. And in discussing All-Stars there are some rumblings about the return of Alex Wong. Nothing’s final yet. We’ll have to wait and see.
And what about those guest judges? Yes, it seems that this is something Nigel wants to keep going. As of right now Ellen is slated to return along with Kristin Chenowith, Neil Patrick Harris, and possibly even Lady Gaga. No word on when any of the above guests will appear.
Stay tuned.
So You Think You Can Dance Airs Wednesday and Thursday Nights at 8pm on Fox.
