Sytycd | Golden Skate

Sytycd

Rachmaninoff

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 10, 2011
One impressive dancer auditioned to 'Je Suis Malade.' Perhaps she's a Weaver & Poje fan. :cool: :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB0j10q5aJw

This is my fav audition so far this year. Her name's Mackenzie (not correct in YouTube vid title). I thought she was just gorgeous:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2xCb6Yg2Q4

This guy was fun. Calls himself Fik Shun. Liked his cute/awkward demeanor as well as his funky dancing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04xIJ0T_xR0

He is a contortionist, not a dancer. Why would it bring you to tears? I found it disturbing to watch.

He's not a contortionist (contortionists bend their bodies into weird positions; there was one of those earlier and I believe he didn't get past choreography). I have to agree though; I don't get Exorcist Dance Guy and why he's so moving. Both last year and this year I just went, "Lolwut?" when people started crying. Not feelin' it. *shrug*
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
He is a contortionist, not a dancer. Why would it bring you to tears? I found it disturbing to watch.

To each his own.... I'm not alone in feeling moved by the performance. People in the audience and a couple of judges were tearing up as well.

He's not a contortionist - it's a style of hip hop. There have been other people who have auditioned who have truly contorted their bodies to the point where I will cringe - as in their arms, legs and neck twisting into inconceivable positions. This guy does not bend in any extreme way.

What I love about SYTYCD is that one can be exposed to so many different styles of dance, including new subsets of styles that have been around for a long time.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I agree, Heyang. I always think of the show as a college class about dance. This is where I learned to respect and even enjoy hip hop as a style. I'm very grateful to the show for the opportunity to see not only fine dancers but cutting-edge choreography. And without buying an expensive ticket to a dance performance, at that.
 

KKonas

Medalist
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
I admit I'm no expert in various styles of hip hop, but this is not IMO attractive. Can he do anything else? If not, he won't make the cut. I enjoy the show for the many interesting performances, but all of the contestants must dance with a partner at some point.
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I admit I'm no expert in various styles of hip hop, but this is not IMO attractive. Can he do anything else? If not, he won't make the cut. I enjoy the show for the many interesting performances, but all of the contestants must dance with a partner at some point.

He was cut at some point during Vegas week last year. His success in Vegas will depend on how he spent the last year - did he take classes in other genres, etc.

There have been some hip hop dancers who have done surprisingly well partnering. Joshua of season3 won with Twitch in 2nd place. While I do think Twitch got that far somewhat on his personality, Joshua was strong throughout - partly because he did take some rudimentary classes in ballroom. Ivan Naumov of season 2 was definitely not a great partner when he started but his pairing with Allyson Holker and fan appeal allowed him to top 3 guy and he had 'breakthroughs' in his dancing skills. Then you have Cedric from season 3 who couldn't partner but was so great at what he did. Mia Michaels was truly frustrated with him and during one her routines, she essentially had him sit so that his partner could prove her strengths as a dancer. The judges saved him a couple of times in the hope that something would click - when he was eliminated Debbie Allen offered him a scholarship to her dance school.

Anyway, it's doubtful that the excorcist will make it through Vegas week. Many better dancers don't either.

I know I've mentioned it before, but my co-worker's daughter made it to Vegas week in season 5 or 6. She loves to dance, but went to college and got a job, but decided she had to tryout for the show - didn't tell her parents until afterwards (btw, they are supportive of her). Since then, she continues to take lessons and choreographs for her sister's college dance team.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
That's lovely about your co-worker's daughter, Heyang. I think that shows like this one and DWTS give dancers more job opportunities because people get interested and will go to see dance shows and suchlike, and maybe filmmakers are more likely to use dance scenes--and of course there are music videos. (Skating should be doing stuff like this...but that's another story.)

A lot of specialists in different dance styles have some limitations, though hip hop dancers might have more limitations than most because they typically haven't learned how to partner. Some of the ballroom ones couldn't do anything BUT ballroom, and when there was a dance-off, their solo dances could be rather dull. Then there was Benji Schwimmer, who you'd have sworn would be unable to do anything that wasn't cute and peppy, and he seemed to be able to do anything. And even his size worked against him, as he was a bit small to partner just anyone (I think that's the reason he was never invited to become a pro on DWTS, as his sister Lacey was), but he was a wonderful partner. One of my favorite winners ever.
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Yes, Olympia, you are correct. Watching Glee, I see a lot of former SYTYCD contestants on the show from various seasons. Twitch and Allyson (btw, they are engaged to be married) are office members on the Windows Surface commercial, etc.... Travis Wall had a series last summer with season 1 winner Nick Lazzarini where they and 2 other friends started a dance company, which also included Jamie (season 3) and Melanie (winner 2 seasons ago).

I agree that hip hop dancers probably have the most difficulty partnering and that ballroom dancers don't solo as well. I also think that some ballroom dancers have more issues with contemporary and hip hop because the styles are more fluid vs holding a frame.

Benji is one of my favorites too. He seems to have bulked up a bit. I also love that he choreographed Jeremy Abbott's last 2 short programs.
 

Dee4707

Ice Is Slippery - Alexie Yagudin
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Country
United-States
There have been some hip hop dancers who have done surprisingly well partnering. Joshua of season3 won with Twitch in 2nd place.

Twitch seems like he's everywhere. I see him a lot on the Ellen show and Ellen always says how much she loves him. Did you see him sitting with the judges. At first I thought it was Lil' C.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I was very fond of Twitch. I'm glad that he and other dancers now have such a presence in public culture. Between SYTYCD and DWTS, there's a lot more to see. And let's not forget the exhibition dances that DWTS has been doing on its results show, though I fear that those might end next season, when I hear that the results night has been canceled. A shame. What is ABC going to replace it with--some reality show with a fake romance?
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Twitch seems like he's everywhere. I see him a lot on the Ellen show and Ellen always says how much she loves him. Did you see him sitting with the judges. At first I thought it was Lil' C.

Me, too. I was initially confused because the promos said Twitch was on the panel, but I thought it was lil'C sitting there. I must've ff'd through the intro of the judges.
 

Rachmaninoff

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 10, 2011
Anyone watching tonight? Top 20 are revealed.

Both Fik Shun and Mackenzie, whose auditions I posed above, are in. Awesome. Not heard about Amy yet (the Je Suis Malade dancer).

On a critical note, I'm really sick of these "Oh we don't know if you're right for the show..." hemming and hawing, followed by stunning them with the good news that they're "going to VEGAAAAAS!" or "in the top TWENTAAAAAAAY!". It's gotten so predictable that I start to suspect someone's about to hear some very good news once they start doing it. Come on, guys. It's really getting old.:rolleye:
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I'm watching.

I agree that I'm tired of the 'stunts' as related to the judges passing people through.

I was surprised the both Jade and BluPrint made the cut. After their battle, I really thought the #10 spot would be given as choice between the 2 of them. Instead, they both got in. It was an awesome # they did together though. Wonder what would've happened of Hampton/Excorcist hadn't been in the car accident that prevented him from going to Vegas.
 

Rachmaninoff

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 10, 2011
I was surprised the both Jade and BluPrint made the cut. After their battle, I really thought the #10 spot would be given as choice between the 2 of them. Instead, they both got in. It was an awesome # they did together though.

Yeah, I didn't really expect that either, especially since the judges have been rather critical of their "partnering abilities" and weakness in other dance styles. Curious to see how they do.

Liked that last routine with Amy (so she's in after all) and Jasmine...what styles do they specialize in? Are they contemp dancers? They made a point of mentioning everyone else's style and having them dance in it, but these were just "the last two girls."
 

Dee4707

Ice Is Slippery - Alexie Yagudin
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Country
United-States
Anyone watching tonight? Top 20 are revealed.

On a critical note, I'm really sick of these "Oh we don't know if you're right for the show..." hemming and hawing, followed by stunning them with the good news that they're "going to VEGAAAAAS!" or "in the top TWENTAAAAAAAY!".

I agree 100% with your comments....it seems so childish. Another irritant of mine is Adam Shankman. His crying with no tears really makes me want to chew on glass. Years before I could hardly stand Nigel but have always been able to tolerate Mary and her hot tamale train....woooo hooo!!! I think I have a problem!!

It seems like there are some really strong dancers that are standouts so far.
 

Rachmaninoff

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 10, 2011
So the last two females selected specialize in jazz...

The Top 20

Females

Alexis Juliano, Tap
Amy Yakima, Jazz
Brittany Cherry, Ballroom
Hayley Erbert, Contemporary
Jasmine Harper, Contemporary
Jasmine Mason, Jazz
Jenna Johnson, Ballroom
Makenzie Dustman, Contemporary
Malece Miller, Contemporary
Mariah Spears, Hip-Hop

Males

Aaron Turner, Tap
Alan Bersten, Ballroom
Carlos Garland, Contemporary
Curtis Holland, Tap
Dorian 'Bluprint' Hector, Animation
Du-Shaunt 'Fik-Shun' Stegall, Hip-Hop
Jade Zuberi, Animation
Nico Greetham, Contemporary
Paul Karmiryan, Ballroom
Tucker Knox, Contemporary
 

Kitt

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 1, 2007
Country
United-States
Interesting that the 2 "animators" made it into the Top 20. Last night America's Got Talent had an animator that put both of these 2 to shame! He got voted on into Vegas, and I hope he makes it into the finals.

That being said, I love SYTYCD and especially seeing how hiphoppers make it past the ballroom dances!
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I'm wondering if viewers might get the 2 ballroom girls confused with each other. They have similar coloring, etc - the only noteworthy difference between the 2 (when not close up) is their height. I had a hard time remember which was which during their group #.

The judges did mention that they were taking risks with some of their selections for the top 20 - I assume picking personalities with good skills vs ok personality with stronger skills. It really puts the weaker dancers partners at risk, too. I'm sure FikShun is one of the riskier choices - kid's got a great deal of charisma and, for me, he seems less mature than the others.

I do think that this is a pretty strong Top 20!
 
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