So You Think You Can Dance 28 June 2007
It’s a very brutal show this year. They’re cursed with talent, no clear dancer jumping ahead of the pack, and some bad luck with viewer voting. It was particularly disappointing to lose the female dancer we did this week, just because we never heard why. I agreed with Nigel — none of them danced very convincingly for their life this week. The one I thought was interesting, at least, was the one they tossed. And Nigel just dismissed her without saying anything else. I know they were running a little short on time, but perhaps they should have accounted for that earlier in the show. I can’t blame her for being upset and unable to say anything.
Cedric making it through another week was almost predictable. Given that the judges had already given him a hanging sentence the previous night, anyone who cared one bit for the kid was going to vote for him ten times over. No dance scholarship at Debbie Allen’s school will soothe the pitchforks as they storm the castle.
Speaking of whom, Debbie Allen was mostly useless. She fulfilled the usual Guest Judge role of loving everyone. I think there was only one exception on the night. Too bad.
And Pasha did well with the partner he was given at the last moment. Obviously, some of the moves had to be changed at the last minute, but he was a real trooper and danced with the doughiest dancer ever seen on TV.
Due to a foul up, I watched the performances on standard def TV, zoomed in and stretched out to fit the screen. It was like watching video over the Real player in 2000. Just painful. Not quite as jerky, but definitely just as much washed out and pixellated.
The results show I got to watch on FOXHD, and the difference couldn’t be clearer. The images were clear, the colors were solid and bright, everything jumped right off the screen. I can’t wait to see performances next week in the higher definition format.
June 29th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
My impression is that Nigel was so abrupt because he wanted Lauren to go home, and was obviously very irritated that the two ladies voted off Jessi. And I think the reason she was sent home is because of her medical condition - either there is something that they will not/can not tell us about it (understandably), or it is like they said but the show is concerned this will be a recurring problem. This could also have been a reason why Nigel did not offer explanation for Jessi’s ouster - he didn’t want to say publicly she was voted off due to her medical condition. It’s the only explanation that makes sense to me, especially since Lauren’s solo was certainly the weakest of the four, and Nigel made sure he blasted her good before telling Jessi goodbye. Damn shame.
But not as much of a shame as Cedric staying while another, more well-rounded dancer hits the bricks. While I like Cedric and his style, the fact that four more talented dancers (the three men and Faina) have been sent home while he remains on the show drives me crazy. Mia so blatantly arranged her choreography to showcase Cedric’s strengths and downplay his weaknesses she should have been voted out. He wasn’t even dancing for 50% of the routine! As soon as I heard the judges basically tell Cedric on Wed he would be going home I knew there was no way he was going to be in the bottom 3.
June 29th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Also, am I the only one who thinks the “Dancing For Your Life” is inherently unfair? The show supposedly rewards the ability to adapt to other styles, yet when it comes down to it the judges reward the contestants based on their own “style”. And that is why, I think, breakers and hip-hoppers will always be at a disadvantage to the dancers who have formal training. A breaker has no choice but to do a breaking routine during those 30 seconds, and it seems that will always be less impressive to the judges than someone like Dannie or Neal who spends the 30 seconds doing perfectly executed leaps and/or pirouettes. If they truly took the prior three weeks into consideration, I think the decision would have been to let Neal go instead of Dominic.
Sorry to go on and on - I’m frustrated and none of my friends watch the show so I have no other way to vent!