Tuesday, December 22, 2009

"Lost Underground Art Project"

There is currently a gallery on display in Los Angeles of LOST artwork created by fans. Click on the blog title above to link to view all of the artwork. Below are a few other items of LOST fan art that strike my fancy:







Monday, December 21, 2009

Sigh, How Long Until April?

I may need to give Glee its own post label like I have for SYTYCD and LOST if I keep this up... which seems likely. My alarm clock every morning is waking up to Glee songs and my computer icon and the image when I flip open my phone are both Glee images, so... yeah. Click on the image below for a link to an article about what's coming up in the future on Glee when it comes back:

Also, I must admit, though I am okay either way, I'm leaning towards "Puckleberry" ;)

Why Are Moms So Funny?

So one of my very favorite websites to look at is-

http://www.postcardsfromyomomma.com/

It makes me laugh so hard every time. Sometimes I read them and think, 'wow, my Mom could have said that,' and sometimes I read them and think, 'what Mom would say that?!' Mostly though, it just brings me a sense of ridiculous peace that the generation gap and relationships between mothers and daughters are pretty much the same all around.

Now if you check my blog regularly, you will have learned by now, from stories like this one, or this one, that I just think zombies are hilarious. So, I particularly enjoyed this correspondence that I read on YoMomma today (the 'Me' is not Me Me):

Me: Do you want to hear my new favorite joke?
Mom: Of course.
Me: OK, what do vegan zombies eat?
Mom: What?
Me: GRAAAINS! GRAAAINS!
Me: Ha ha!!
Mom: Ha ha!!!
Me: I love it.
Mom: Well, actually, I don’t get it.
Me: They eat grains instead of brains because they’re vegan.
Mom: Do zombies usually eat brains?
Me: Yeah, that’s what zombies eat. Are you not up on your zombie literature?
Mom: I guess not. But I learn something new every day! Now, what’s a vegan?

Haha! I love Moms! (And Zombies)

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

SYTYCD SEASON 6: Finale Pt. II

And the winner is!!!!!...... Oh.

I'm not gonna lie, I am a little surprised and a little disappointed. At first the order was going exactly as I would have chosen it myself, so I was feeling really great about it...

6th Place- Ryan
5th Place- Ashleigh
4th Place- Ellenore

...and then things began to go askew...

3rd Place- Kathryn - BOO! (And not the 'Surprise!' kind of boo, the 'Lame!!' kind of boo) Kathryn, honey, how did my 40 votes for you last night not put you solidly into 2nd?!

...Okay, it's cool, it's fine, it's all about Jakob now ... and then...

2nd Place- Jakob - WHAT!?! Sigh. I'm still kind of reeling over this.

Don't get me wrong, congratulations to Russell. I have liked him all season, and definitely wanted him in the Finale and in the Top 4, but I did NOT think he deserved the win. (Also, I have to say, I am a little confused and thrown off by the fact that he got sooo injured (how/when did that happen?) that he couldn't dance his numbers tonight and they had to show video clips instead and he was crying and couldn't walk unassisted and then when they announced him the winner he was jumping all over and seemed totally fine... ummm, adrenaline rush?) Also, Russell has seemed super gracious this whole season, but when they announced him winner he didn't seem humble AT ALL- I was almost as disappointed by that as by the fact that he won it over Jakob and Kathryn.

Other than the little upset of, oh, the wrong person winning, it was a pretty nice Finale ;P The judges picked great numbers from the season to see again, and it was nice that Ashleigh & Ryan finally got to dance a Latin Ballroom piece together, one that they choreographed themselves. Very fun. J Lo is right back to her ol' J Lo self. Super cheesy opening to her song, but it was some fun choreography by NappyTabs (plus her backup dancers were girls from this and previous seasons of the show). She seemed to be the only musical performer tonight (the others being Leona Lewis, Adam Lambert & Mary J Blige) that didn't sing live. I get that she was dancing at the same time, but it just sounded so obviously lip-synced. She looked absolutely gorgeous though.

So, definitely not pleased with the results, but then I remembered that fabulous night a few months ago when Jeanine, the one I had rooted for from the start, won the show, and that made me happy. That also got me starting to think ahead to next season, and here is why:


Back in the tryouts and the original Top 20 of this season, I fell in love with dancer Billy Bell. Jeanine, who is best friends with Jakob, is also good friends with Billy. If you recall during one of the Vegas weeks, Billy was the one that got smacked really hard in the nose during a rehearsal for a ballroom number, never got to rehearse it with the music, and then was still the best one out there when they had to perform it. I was so bummed when Billy got really sick Top 20 week and had to back out of the competition. Now I am sort of thinking it was for the best because he and Jakob are such similar dancers that I wouldn't have liked to have to pick between them. Now Billy can come back and dominate Season 7.

So, since I sadly cannot leave you on a joyful note about the results of Season 6, I will leave you instead with a combination of the lingering joy I feel for Season 5, along with the hopeful joy I feel for the potential of Season 7. Here are the two dancers that represent that joy, Jeanine and Billy, dancing a number they choreographed together:

Coconut-Carrying Octopus

I am fully aware that this will not be the first time that my sense of humor may leave some of you bewildered, but I just find so much amusement in this video:



Warning: This video contains footage of an octopus hiding under a coconut shell that it has carried around just in case it needed to hide from something. Watching this footage may contradict your previous assumptions about animal tool use, and may be too adorable for some viewers.

SYTYCD SEASON 6- TOP 6: Finale Pt. I

So it was a completely crazy night, only an hour long but they crammed in 9 routines. At least they didn't have to dance solos tonight. Those poor kids and the insane costume changes they have to go through! Better not be shy in that group ;) All the girls danced with all the boys, and Kathryn ended up with the ideal styles to suit each of her partners- I couldn't have picked it better for her. Here was the order of the night:

Ryan & Kathryn: Samba(Choreographer Jason Gilkison) - This Australian ballroom choreographer just started working with the show last season, and I have really been loving him! Ballroom was always pretty to me, but nothing special, but Jason is so creative and has really made me appreciate the potential for originality in Ballroom the same way that NappyTabs made me realize the storytelling possibilities of Hip Hop. Aaah thank you choreography masters of SYTYCD, you have taught me so much ;P



Jakob & Ellenore: Broadway(Choreographer Tyce Diorio) - This was a great final piece for the two of them because they are both so theatrical. Tyce always does great stuff. Super sassy.



Russell & Ashleigh: Lyrical Jazz(Choreographer Sonya Tayeh) - This was nice, but ended up being forgettable for me when up against the routines of a similar style we saw tonight. Sonya is one of my favorite choreographers but this was a little tamer than her norm. Russell really can dance anything it seems, and its nice that we got to see these two dance together since Ashleigh's injury prevented that last week.




Ryan & Ellenore: Jazz(Choreographer Garry Stewart) - I actually thought this choreography was really cool and super unique (great for Ellenore) but it felt a little slow and I agreed with Nigel that though the dance was supposed to be robotic, it left it feeling too cold.



Jakob & Ashleigh: Foxtrot(Choreographer Jean Marc Generaux) - This was a nice final routine for these two. They were always a beautiful partnership. Not one of the more memorable routines of the night overall though.



Russell & Ellenore: Paso Doble(Choreographer Jason Gilkison) - This was nothing special for me. Not as good as the Paso Doble that Kathryn & Legacy did earlier this season, and none of the Paso Doble's this season were as good as some from previous years (Like Jeanine & Brandon last season). Ellenore was beautiful though and Russell was a strong partner.


Jakob & Kathryn: Contemporary(Choreographers Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden) - They FINALLY got to dance together and they miraculously got a contemporary routine and them together was all I hoped it would be and more! Cheesy and cliche, but true. I'm not familiar with these choreographers, but this piece was just stunning. Why couldn't these two have just danced together from the beginning?! They compliment each other so ideally. Sigh. At least I got to see them dance together once. Best of the night, and not just because these two are my favorites. This piece just perfectly represents exactly why they have been my favorites.

Ryan & Ashleigh: Contemporary(Choreographer Travis Wall) - This was very lovely and very, very sweet to watch, them being married in real life and all, and finally getting to dance together on the show. Getting Contemporary right after the perfection of the Kathryn/Jakob Contemporary seemed a little unfair though. This was a tender piece for them to get to do together, but since they are both Latin Ballroom dancers its really to bad we didn't get to see them dance something together in that style to finish out the show.

Russell & Kathryn: Hip Hop(Choreographers Napolean and Tabitha D’Umo) - Ummm, awesome. NappyTabs, you totally just made up for your lame one last week. As Lil C, our occasional gues choreographer and guest judge would say, "That was buck."

So there you have it.


I think this picture is adorable. I love me my Jeanine who won last season and I love that she is great friends with Jakob. I am still guessing Jakob for the win, but I would be equally thrilled if either Jakob OR Kathryn won. Russell would my third choice, but I really want it to be Jakob or Kathryn. Too bad the top girl and top guy can't both win. I think it does count as something to be in 2nd Place though. We will just have to see how the finale unfolds tonight- as last week showed us, you really never know what might happen. Its different this season because it is the Top 6 in the finale instead of the Top 4, so I feel like they got gypped a week.

On a side note about the crazy judges:

1- Most obnoxious judge of the night was Nigel, and I'll tell you why: two different times Nigel talked about how Kathryn has been his 'favorite girl for weeks now"- what?! Umm, yeah, she has been consistently amazing and she SHOULD be your favorite girl, but you have never given any indication that she has been your fave. Why haven't you given her more love? I feel like you are maybe backpedaling now that your wondergirl Mollee is gone. Hmmm.

2- Most overly weepy judge of the night, surprisingly not Adam, but Mary. Yes its true, some of the pieces were choke-you-up worthy, but it was like once she got going (which was as early as the 2nd routine mind you) she just couldn't stop the rest of the night. A very sentimental gal.

3- Favorite judge of the night was, as usual, Adam, but this evening in particular for saying that the show should be called, "The Rise of Kathryn." Right on, brother. Right on.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Glee @ The Golden Globes!

The Nominations for the 2010 Golden Globe Awards were just announced and Glee was wonderfully nominated for four!

BEST TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
30 Rock
Entourage
Glee
Modern Family
The Office

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
• Toni Collette, United States of Tara
• Courteney Cox, Cougar Town
• Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
• Tina Fey, 30 Rock
• Lea Michele, Glee

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
• Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
• Steve Carell, The Office
• David Duchovny, Californication
• Thomas Jane, Hung
Matthew Morrison, Glee

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
• Jane Adams, Hung
• Rose Byrne, Damages
• Jane Lynch, Glee
• Janet McTeer, Into the Storm
• Chloe Sevigny, Big Love

To see a complete list of 2010 Golden Globe Nominations, see here.

Well it is definitely some stiff competition, but all the nominations are well deserved and even if they win just one (particularly the one for Best Comedy/Musical) that would be fantastic. Then after that it's hopefully on to the Emmy's! The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards will be Sunday night, January 17th, on NBC.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

This Just In!

Oh my gosh, this makes me so happy- ha! A few months ago I posted about the novel Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. I heard a while ago that there was talk of adapting it into a movie for 2011, but I just read this article that states that Natalie Portman will be playing Elizabeth Bennet in the movie version. Ha! She is just right. I hope its true. Natalie is such a fabulous actress anyway, and I think she will be the perfect amount of taking it seriously yet understanding that its amusing to pull it off. I particularly find this casting ideal because of the physical similarities between herself and Keira Knightley who played Elizabeth in the most recent film version of Pride & Prejudice. Trivia: back before Pirates of the Caribbean and before anyone knew who she was, Kiera was in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace playing the small role of the decoy for Princess Amidala. The real Amidala being played by, of course, Natalie Portman. It's just too perfect.

Friday, December 11, 2009

GLEE! I Have NOT Stopped Believin'

Sigh. Well, the first 13 episodes of Glee ended this week, with a masterful Fall Finale to bring us full circle to the unforgettable series premiere. I just love this flippin' show, and it won't be back until April!! Luckily, to help hold me over, a DVD of the episodes so far is being released on December 29th. This isn't a typical move for a show, having a mid-season DVD, but here's the scoop (from EW.com):

The Gleek frenzy has spurred Fox to plan a mid-season DVD release for Glee, Variety reports. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment will release Glee Season One: Road to Sectionals on Dec. 29, including the show’s first 13 episodes. The full first-season DVD set with all the first season episodes will follow in mid-2010. Fans won’t be penalized for buying early — the Sectionals set will include a voucher toward the purchase of the full-season DVD release. The first release will also include a director’s cut of the pilot episode, behind-the-scenes features, cast audition videos and the show’s music performances.

Yeah, pretty much I don't think that I could NOT buy it, and yeah, I pre-ordered mine the day I read this article, which was, oh, like 6 weeks ago. The other thing that will be holding me over is, of course, the music. Here are a few of my favorite songs so far this year (okay, they are all good, but this is just 20 of the 49 songs that have been released during these first 13 episodes) These aren't in order of favorite, they are in chronological order of their appearance on the show:

Don't Stop Believin'- Ensemble Feat. Lea Michele & Cory Monteith
(Journey Cover)




Say a Little Prayer- Dianna Agron
(Dionne Warwick Cover)




Maybe This Time- Kristin Chenoweth & Lea Michele
(From Cabaret)




Alone- Kristin Chenoweth & Matthew Morrison
(Heart Cover)




Somebody to Love- Ensemble
(Queen Cover)




It's My Life/Confessions- The Guys Feat. Cory Monteith
(Bon Jovi/Usher Cover)




Halo/Walking on Sunshine- The Girls Feat. Lea Michele
(Beyonce/Katrina and the Waves Cover)




Sweet Caroline- Mark Salling
(Neil Diaond Cover)




Dancing With Myself- Kevin McHale
(Billy Idol Cover)




Defying Gravity- Lea Michele & Chris Colfer
(From Wicked)




Proud Mary- Ensemble Feat. Kevin McHale & Amber Riley
(Creedence Clearwater Revival Cover)




Endless Love- Lea Michele & Matthew Morrison
(Diana Ross & Lionel Richie Cover)




Don't Stand So Close to Me/Young Girl- Matthew Morrison
(The Police/Gary Puckett & The Union Gap Cover)




Lean on Me- Ensemble Feat. Kevin McHale & Amber Riley
(Bill Withers Cover)




Papa Don't Preach- Dianna Agron
(Madonna Cover)




Imagine- Ensemble
(John Lennon Cover)




Jump- Ensemble Feat. Lea Michele & Cory Monteith
(Van Halen cover)




Smile- Ensemble
(Written by Charlie Chaplin)




Don't Rain On My Parade- Lea Michele
(From Funny Girl)




You Can't Always Get What You Want- Ensemble Feat. Lea Michele & Cory Monteith
(Rolling Stones Cover)




Here's a funny thing I found. Say a Little Prayer was the character Quinn's (Dianna Agron) tryout song to join Glee, and she used her two fellow cheerleaders for some cute and simple choreography in that scene. You can see a clip of the original here, but what is funny is a ton of people have recreated it and put their own versions on iTunes. The following video is for sure my favorite version. Ha! -




Here are some of the best of the villianous Sue Sylvester quotes so far:


I'm going to ask you to smell your armpits. That's the smell of failure, and it's stinking up my office.

That was the most offensive thing I've seen in 20 years of teaching — and that includes an elementary school production of Hair.

Sue: Iron tablet? It keeps your strength up when you menstruate.
Will: I don't menstruate.
Sue: Neither do I.

I'm about to projectile express myself all over your Hush Puppies.

You think this was hard? Try auditioning for Baywatch and being told they're going in another direction. That was hard.

I'm all about empowerment. I empower my Cheerios to live in a state of constant fear by creating an environment of irrational, random terror.

You're dealing with children. They need to be terrified. It's like mother's milk to them.

Will: I will destroy you
Sue: I am about to vomit down your back. — Sue and Will, whispering into each other's ear, while forced to hug by Principal Figgins

I always thought the desire to procreate showed deep personal weakness.

I don't trust a man with curly hair. I can't help picturing small birds laying sulfurous eggs in there, and I find it disgusting.

I can't stand the sight of kids getting emotional, unless it's from physical exhaustion.

I am going to create an environment so toxic no one will want to be part of that club. Like the time I sold my house to a nice young couple and salted the earth in the backyard so that nothing could grow there for 100 years. Know why I did that? Because they tried to get me to pay their closing costs.

I like minorities so much, I'm thinking of moving to California to become one.

Look at me. Even in the heat of battle, I'm so elegant, regal. I am Ajax, mighty Greek warrior.

...I will go to the animal shelter and get you a kitty cat. I will let you fall in love with that kitty cat. And then on some dark, cold night, I will steal away into your house...and punch you in the face.

Me, I never wanted kids — don't have the time, don't have the uterus.

[Wheelchair ramps] are what I call lazy-makers. They discourage able-bodied students from getting proper exercise by using the stairs.

If I have a pregnant girl doing a handspring into a double layout, the judges aren't going to be admiring her impeccable form, they're going to be wondering if the centrifugal force is going to make the baby's head start crowning.

Ha! I mean, great music and loveable characters and the show is dang funny to boot. Sigh. I miss it already. Also, as if I needed one more thing to love about it, I just read this.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

LDS Twilight

Wow. I can't really think of a more appropriate word for this. There wasn't an option to embed the video straight to my blog, but you HAVE to check this out:


Wednesday, December 9, 2009

SYTYCD SEASON 6- TOP 8: The Follow-Up

Oh my gosh, what a shocking night! First of all, I was soooo happy that Kathryn was totally safe, but then I was completely surprised that Ashleigh was save too despite not even performing (good for her!) I was happy to see Mollee in the bottom, but with it between her and Ellenore I thought for sure it would be Ellenore out cause Mollee has had this incomprehensible huge following all season, and I was super sad, cause Ellenore has been my second favorite girl. But it ended up Mollee gone! You may be surprised to hear it, but this pleases me ;P

I wasn't really surprised about Legacy and Ryan being the two guys in the bottom, but I was pretty astounded that it was Legacy out this week and not Ryan. I thought Legacy deserved to stay more, but I guess the sentimental in me thinks its nice that the married couple gets to be together in the Finale next week.

Guess it didn't really matter about all these bottom people anyway though, cause face it, Jakob is winning the whole shebang next week ;)

Here's my faves, Kathryn & Jakob! Please oh please get to dance together next week!!


SYTYCD SEASON 6- TOP 8

Okay, so, the layout of the week was:

Kathryn & Ryan: Disco & Cha Cha- Man I was a little worried for Kathryn at first because Ryan is my least favorite boy and those are not the two best styles for a Contemporary dancer to prove herself, but she's great, so they both worked out ;) Disco is definitely not my favorite style, but it was a very fun routine and they looked like they were having fun too. Cha Cha was perfect to have Ryan for a partner since his style is Latin Ballroom, and Kathryn did awesome, with great praise from the judges, I was happy to see.

(This video shows both their routines)


Mollee & Jakob: Viennese Waltz & Broadway- I loved the choreography in their first number but their second was just okay. I adore Jakob as always, but I still am just not getting how over the moon the judges are about Mollee. Yeah she did a good job in both, but they absolutely rave about her every time and I just don't get it. I think she is a fantastic dancer but I just don't feel like she has a ton of performance charisma or grace. She is very athletic and always gets the steps right, but I am never drawn to watching her. Whenever she dances to great choreography the whole time I am thinking, 'I wish I could have seen Kathryn dance that piece, or Jeanine, or Kayla, or Katee, or Sabra...' I don't NOT like her, I just don't get the big deal. I still think Jakob is for sure winning the whole thing, and I am good with that. He is incredible.





Ellenore & Legacy: Contemporary & Hip Hop- This was a very fun pairing because they are both so quirky. Their first routine was a-maz-ing. It was choreographed by Travis Wall, so of course it was. The timing was super tricky and they pulled it off beautifully. Their second routine I was disappointed with. At first I thought they had hit routine gold for the night with a Travis Wall Contemporary and then a Tabitha & Napoleon Hip Hop, but it just didn't happen. I typically love NappyTab routines, but this one fell flat. It was trying to be super funky but was really just kind of anticlimactic. Love them both though, and I hope they are safe.





Ashleigh & Russell: Hip Hop & Bollywood- this particular couple had some issues though, because the day before the performances Ashleigh pulled her right arm out really bad during rehearsal and couldn't perform on the show, so she was in the clips of the rehearsals, but for the performances Russell had to dance with the assistants of his respective choreographers. Poor guy. This is not the first time he has had to do this- back in like, Top 18 week or something his partner was Noelle and she was injured for the week and he had to perform with someone random. He was really, really great in both numbers, but it is definitely distracting to see a dancer you know dancing up there with a stranger. I feel bad for Ashlee because of course this is going to hurt the voting for her and there is nothing she can do about it. Its down to the wire though now anyway, and honestly, since I am fully aware that Mollee is going nowhere, Ashleigh was already my bottom girl, injury or not.





Just hoping Kathryn makes it through to next week and will be paired with Jakob!

Monday, December 7, 2009

Castle

So last year a new show on ABC started called Castle. It just sort of had a half season in the Spring but then got picked up to come back for a second season this Fall. My cousin Melanie, a woman of excellent taste, mentioned positive reviews about it on her blog in the Spring, and I simply need to concur. It's a procedural drama which isn't typically my cup of tea. (Can I use that idiom if I don't actually drink tea?) Procedural dramas, which are typically focused on police or courtroom stories, usually bore me- I was never into NYPD Blue or any of the Law & Order shows. I liked CSI for the first couple of seasons just because it was so new and different, but soon got over it. For me, its more about the characters than the crime plot. So I only like procedural dramas like the late Ally McBeal or the current Bones or The Mentalist because they have more humor and story arcs than traditional procedural dramas and they have quirky, likable casts.

Castle falls into this category. It stars the wonderful cult favorite Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, a famous and arrogant mystery novelist who starts following a straight-laced female detective around to use her as a model for the lead character, Nikki Heat, in a new novel he is writing. She (Det. Kate Beckett, played by the lovely Stana Katic) is of course, not thrilled about this, but he is buddies with the Mayor and gets his way. Creative author that he is, he actually ends up quite an asset to the team, and as they both start to actually like each other but don't want to admit it, hilarity ensues. Currently in the show, the book he was writing based on Det. Beckett, a novel called Heat Wave, was just released with rave reviews and he just got a deal to make it a series and write three more novels based on the Nikki Heat character, aka, Det. Becket, and so she is stuck with him. A fun twist to the traditional crime drama show, and I can't imagine anyone but Nathan Fillion playing Castle.

Well, the writers of the show in reality actually wrote a full novel of Heat Wave, supposedly by 'Richard Castle,' complete with a dedication to the Becket character and reviews by real-life authors, and it came out this past Sept. 29th:

I would have read it right when it came out, but it actually had a bit of a waiting list at the library, which makes me happy, because I presume that means there are a lot of Castle fans out there. It was, as expected, a fairly typical detective mystery- clever, dramatic, sexy and action-packed. What is really interesting is that it really feels like the character Richard Castle wrote it. You can feel him in the humor and can picture the smug look that would have been on his face after writing a particularly ingenious plot twist or witticism. It was very entertaining, though I admit I probably would have just shrugged it off as one-more-generic-detective-novel if I wasn't having so much fun picturing the characters represented from the show and imagining what their reactions would be to reading it. So the book is not a Must Read, but the show, for me, is definitely a Must Watch. The show is on ABC on Monday nights at 9pm. (It got picked up for a full season- yay!)

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

SYTYCD SEASON 6- TOP 10: The Follow-Up

Gah!! I was NOT happy about Kathryn being in the bottom two. As much as I like Ashleigh, I really thought she would be in the bottom with Noelle. I definitely agree with Noelle getting voted off though. As for the boys, I am not sad at all about Nathan getting voted off, but I was a little surprised because I presumed he had a bigger following than that. I thought of those two it would have been Ryan, but alright, lets let the marrieds be together another week ;) Please let Kathryn have an awesome week next week! Maybe/hopefully/please, oh, please let her get Jakob as a partner. PS, Love the use of Billy Joel in the opening group number!

SYTYCD SEASON 6- TOP 10

Here's my two cents cause I'm such a dance expert: K, so first off, I have officially decided that my favorite girl is Kathryn. I worry about her getting votes though because she isn't as prominent of a personality and that can lead to flying under the radar, but I think she consistently steals the show from her partners and just has a captivating presence and really looks like she means what she is dancing. I think it hurt her that they didn't showcase her right from the tryouts like they did with, say, Mollee. Kathryn is sort of the Kayla of last year for me- consistently amazing, but not as noticeable because she is such a serene personality. When she gets on that dance floor though, wow. Love her. Favorite guy since the beginning has been Jakob, no question. Even without the fact that he is BF with my beloved Jeanine from last season, though it doesn't hurt, he is adorable and completely incredible. If I had to guess right now I would say Jakob is going to win the whole thing. Love him. I cannot wait to see Kathryn & Jakob dance together.

So the dances and partnerships of the week were as follows:

Ryan & Noelle- Hip Hop & Waltz: The Hip Hop was fun and I agree with the judges that Noelle finally seemed a little more adult instead of just her normal cutesy in this number. Don't get me wrong, I like her, but I think she is the weakest of the girl dancers left. I had a good laugh after the Waltz when Nigel made the comment about them seeming like a Disney prince and princess because that is exactly what Ash and I were sitting and talking about during the dance. With that blue silky shirt and his chest bulging dramatically and his perfectly parted and slicked hair, Ryan looked like he should be playing Prince Eric (or perhaps Gaston?) at Disney.





Ashleigh & Legacy- Contemporary & Hip Hop: The first one I really liked. It was creative and entertaining. The lacking of the second routine was totally not their fault, it was the weak choreography and the cheesy/dramatic costumes. Over-the-top costumes can work, but only if the routine is playful or satirical, like the crash test dummies with Ashley & Kupono last season, or the zombie group routine in season two. I found myself rolling my eyes at this one. I though Ashleigh held her own, but I think this new partnership is showing how much Kathryn carried Legacy.





Kathryn & Nathan- Broadway & Rumba: Broadway can often fall flat, and this coming from a declared show tunes fanatic, but they aced it. So good to see Nathan with someone new, though I still think he is overrated. The judges, except for token judge #3 Adam Shankman, thank you Adam, were hard on the Rumba. I completely agree that Nathan had no passion, but come on people, Kathryn absolutely smoldered in this routine. I felt like, though he dances beautifully, Nathan was really just there to showcase Kathryn in both of these numbers. (Do I sound partial? ;)





Ellenore & Jakob- Quickstep & Contemporary: She is soooo likable and he is soooo amazingly bendy. They had a great night. There is no way either of them is in the bottom. Quickstep is not my favorite, but they looked fabulous and did a good job. Their Contemporary was my favorite number of the night. Sonya is quickly becoming my favorite choreographer with Mia gone.





Mollee & Russell- Lyrical Jazz & Jive: Though I thought both of these were great choreography and very well danced, I didn't quite get how over the moon the judges were about this couple and their amazing chemistry. I didn't feel it. I just can't get myself to take Mollee seriously for some reason, even though I will happily acknowledge that she is a very athletic dancer and seems very sweet, and I actually really like Russell, but I was a little surprised by just how fanatical the judges were about them. I wish I could jump on the Mollee bandwagon with everyone else, but just can't quite. I enjoyed both of the numbers but I didn't feel the numbers. If that makes sense ;)



(I couldn't find the Jive)

I actually didn't agree with a lot of the judging tonight and I think its because this is the first week the judges don't get any real say in who gets voted out, so they have to speak up for their favorites while they have any pull. I'm thinking that tonight the girl voted off will be either Noelle or Ashleigh and the guy voted off will be either Ryan or Legacy.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

SYYCD Season 6!

So the Top 10 dancers were picked this week on Season 6 of So You Think You Can Dance. I am not completely invested in anyone yet, though I do definitely have some favorites. I think it is just too close to last season since we didn't have to wait a whole year this time, and Jeanine and Kayla and Brandon and Jason and the rest of the Season 5 bunch are all still fresh in my mind. That being said, I am hopeful about several people and there have already been some amazing dance routines. (For me, so far, there has only been one dismissal by the judges that I definitely did NOT agree with, which was Channing.) This week is the official Top 10 week when things will start to get really serious. Top 10 is a big deal for these reasons: 1- They are the ones who get to go on the tour at the end; 2- They will start switching around partners and so if someone was being carried by their partner that will really show, particularly since the voting will become for individuals instead of for partnerships; 4- It means there are only four weeks left until the Finale.

Here are the Top 10:

Guys: Jakob, Russell, Legacy, Ryan, Nathan

Girls: Kathryn, Ellenore, Ashleigh, Noelle, Mollee

The Finale is the last 4 standing, and though I don't have an official Finale prediction at this point, the 4 dancers that I am currently most rooting for are Jakob & Russell of the guys and Kathryn & Ellenore of the girls. The only people left that I really DON'T want to see in the Finale though are Nathan & Mollee, cause they are sweet and all, but I am over it. Here are my favorite routines that have happened this season so far, from the Top 20 down- they are my favorite for various reasons all leading to this: I would want to watch them again. (Now this may seem like a lot of favorites, but mind you its only 17 of the 52 or so dances we have seen in the last 5 weeks):

Top 20 Group- Jazz


Kathryn & Legacy- Hip Hop (Top 20 Week)


Ellenore & Ryan- Argentine Tango (Top 18 Week)


Kathryn & Legacy- Contemporary (Top 18 Week)


Ashleigh & Jakob- Pop Jazz (Top 16 Week)


Channing & Victor- Contemporary (Top 16 Week)


Noelle & Russell- Afro Jazz (Top 16 Week)


Ashleigh & Jakob- Hip Hop (Top 14 Week)


Channing & Victor- Jazz (Top 14 Week)


Ellenore & Ryan- Contemporary (Top 14 Week)


Kathryn & Legacy- Paso Doble (Top 14 Week)


Ashleigh & Jakob- Lyrical Jazz (Top 12 Week)


Kathryn & Legacy- Jazz (Top 12 Week)


Ellenore & Ryan- Broadway (Top 12 Week)


Ashleigh & Jakob- Cha Cha (Top 12 Week)


Kathryn & Legacy- Viennese Waltz (Top 12)


Noelle & Russell- Contemporary (Top 12)