Alex has to sit out the competition this week, Season 5’s Katie makes a surprise appearance, and NappyTabs continue their winning streak.
But first, Cat. She looks kind of rock n roll tonight and I approve. I like what she’s doing with metallics this season.
Alex got hurt in rehearsals yesterday so he can’t perform tonight. What happens next? Nigel says it depends on what the doctors say. They think it’s a ruptured Achilles tendon, which is very serious. With the new rules this year Alex will automatically be placed in the bottom three and if he can’t perform next week he’s out. Wow. I hope his Achilles is ok. I’m not ready to see Alex go home and I’m sure there are people out there who think he can win it all if he’s healthy.
All-star partnerships
Lauren
All-star partner: Pasha
Jean-Marc Genereux & France / Cha Cha
Rehearsal: Lauren doesn’t know much about Cha Cha except that it’s supposed to be hot. There’s some move they do called the hairdresser.
Telephone / Lady Gaga & Beyonce
Performance: Lauren is actually looking sexy. Great partner work. She’s got nice connection with Pasha, who is amazing as usual in this style. Great levels. I liked that there was some stuff on the floor and some stuff in the air. Nice start to the program.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel says Lauren has matured in her performance. She’s got another weapon in her arsenal. Mia calls it pure muderation. So hot, perfect. Adam wants to swear but doesn’t. Lauren’s sharp, specific, strong, smoldering.
Further comment: I loved everything the judge’s said but I’d like Nigel to come off as less of a dirty old man in the future. There is no question that Lauren is an amazing technical dancer. While I don’t know enough about the Cha Cha to speak to that, I did think her performance level was much improved from last week and it’s hard not to be sexy and connected with Pasha.
Jose
All-star partner: Lauren
Mandy Moore / Contemporary
Rehearsal: It’s a dance about soul mates, about people who have to be together. Lauren’s not sure Jose’s been this intimate in his dancing.
Never Tear Us Apart / Inxs
Performance: I like how physically connected they are at the beginning. Jose shows some decent technique. He’s being a very strong partner for Lauren in all the lifts. Great connection.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel says Jose looked amazing after Jose says it was amazing dancing with Lauren. He’s there for Lauren throughout the routine. He’s pushing himself. He brings the joy of dancing to the stage. Mia wants to be more like Jose. He lacks ego. He has an open heart and purity. His spirit dances and his body follows. She believed every step Jose took. Smartly choreographed. Adam says Mandy played to Jose’s strengths: passion, commitment, uninhibited spirit. He is a special performer and he’s growing technically.
Further comment: I think I’ll agree with Nigel here and say I was amazed. I watched a lot of the performance without typing, which is always good. I would have liked to see a little more technical ability but I do think Jose is exactly what this show is about. I can see him getting better and it’s a joy to watch.
Kent
All-star partner: Comfort
Dave Scott / Hip Hop
Rehearsal: Dave wants Kent to be super cool. Kent gets the beat but he’s scared. Dave wants to get Kent’s face to do what he’s body is doing.
You’re Not My Girl / Ryan Leslie
Performance: I’d say what Kent is doing right now is a Jazz-flavored Hip Hop. I don’t hate it. He’s got some soul. I’m smiling. I can’t help myself. Comfort is the perfect partner for this piece. I’m seeing nice moves from them both.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel thinks the routine is terrific. It was a “soft” hop not a hip-hop. Dave found a great style for Kent. He didn’t overact it, sat in the groove. Comfort’s grown as well. Mia isn’t mad at him at all. There’s a cool factor, it worked but it’s lacking a little in groove factor. Adam says he was really good. He sees growth this week. Kent embraced small.
Further comment: I’d like Kent to talk less during his critiques but I do agree with the judges. I liked him a lot this week. I guess I can understand Kent’s mass appeal to tweens and teens but I’m more interested in his technique, which was great. Dave Scott really knows how to choreograph for the dancers he gets.
Adechike
All-star partner: Courtney
Mandy Moore / Jazz
Rehearsal: It’s set around closing time at a bar. Courtney is a woman on the prowl. Adechike is available. Courtney thinks Adechike is enjoying this just a little too much.
Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby? (Rae & Christian Remix) / Dinah Washington
Performance: Really fun. Courtney is amazing and Adechike is playing so nicely off her energy. This is very different Jazz then we’re used to seeing and I’m enjoying it.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel thinks it’s a good routine, well choreographed. Last week Adechike gave us a good character. This week, he came up to the task. It’s the best he’s seen Adechike out of his own style. Mia totally disagrees with Nigel. Feels like Adechike relied on his personality too much. The dancing, the ability, the style was so not there. Very mediocre for her. Adam didn’t think he found enough performance. Adechike needs to get lost in the music. He needs to find a deeper connection with his partner and find a new character every week.
Further comment: Wow, Nigel is very vocal this week. Adam and Mia weren’t so keen on the performance but Nigel was. I, too, would have liked to see more dancing like Adechike and Courtney did away from the bar. Sometimes a prop or set piece can really throw a routine off and perhaps the bar did that tonight for Adechike. I didn’t love it but it wasn’t a donut hole for me.
Billy
All-star partner: Allison, then Katie
Spencer Liff / Broadway
Rehearsal: Billy and Allison are burglars who are making their escape. It’s very athletic. Allison has an older injury that flares up so Katie steps in as his all-star. Nice. I was wondering what she’s been up to.
Macavity: The Mystery Cat / CATS (original Broadway cast)
Performance: I already love it. It’s quirky and fun. I’m not seeing the athleticism – I thought there would be more jumping and diving and flips – was promised but I’m really enjoying it. Billy’s getting into the character and being amazing as usual. Highly enjoyable.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel says this is the best he’s ever seen Billy dance outside of his solos. Spencer’s choreography has given him a style that sits on him beautifully. Mia calls him fabulicious. It’s the best she’s seen him. Billy was sharp and smart. Jerome Robbins would have loved him. Adam says he’s never connected with a partner so well. Everybody drank performance juice and sexy juice this week. Billy drew him in.
Further comment: Another great choreographer joins the ranks. I was surprised by how much I liked this and like Adam I really enjoyed the small moments. Billy has a great connection with Katie and it should keep him out of the bottom this week. For whatever reason, Spencer did tap into something in Billy that made him even better than usual this week. And what’s not to love about Katie? She’s an amazing partner and really helped Billy come out of himself this week.
Ashley
All-star partner: Dominic
Tabitha & Napoleon / Hip Hop
Rehearsal: They are ninja assassins. They’re trying to take each other out.
How Low / Ludacris
Performance: Ashley is totally surprising me. I’m loving her. Wow, she can hit it hard. It’s fun too. Great interactions with Dominic. That was kinda awesome. Ashley is buck this week.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel does love her. This was Ashley’s opportunity to show us she can do something other than contemporary and she can. He wanted to see her take a firmer base. Loved it. Mia thinks Ashley danced it so hardcore. There’s no kill in her eyes though. Adam thinks she’s a quiet contender. She just took another step forward. This was a big deal. Didn’t expect her to hit it hard or embrace this character.
Further comment: I watched it twice and I might watch it again. That’s how much I liked it. NappyTabs has really impressed me the past two weeks. They are really stepping up their game. I didn’t expect this from Ashley and she amazed and impressed me this week. I’m not sure I had an opinion of her at the beginning of this competition, but she’s just put the rest of the dancers on notice.
Robert
All-star partner: Kathryn
Sean Cheesman / Jazz
Rehearsal: They’re living dolls that come to life and go on an adventure. They have to break out of their shells.
Sinking Feeling / Roisin Murphy
Performance: It’s totally weird but I’m liking it. I like when we don’t see the same thing every week. Oh, no. They got a bit off in their timing and couldn’t make one of the tricks work. I think there are too many tricks in their piece. I think they gave it a good try but I didn’t love it.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel loves the concept. It’s fun, terrific for the show but it didn’t get time to develop once they were out of the box. Terrific. Will keep his fingers crossed. Mia says Robert is one of the hardest workers. Movement inside the box was everything. Feels like it was tailored to Robert. Could have been tightened up a little. Adam thinks Robert is so great. He’s so dedicated and committed.
Further comment: I, too, love Robert but I just didn’t love this piece. I don’t think I got it. I hope Robert doesn’t end up in the bottom again but I think he will. I don’t know who is saying he’s arrogant, but Robert has never come across that way to me. He’s such a skilled technical dancer. He could tone down on the faces a bit, but I’m a huge fan.
Competitor partnerships
Alex and Adechike
Nakul Dev Mahajan / Bollywood
Rehearsal: Two guys who are doing a devotional dance to a God. It’s very fast. It’s like Bollywood bootcamp. Nakul’s assistant Maha will step in for Alex tonight.
Mourya Re / Don The Chase Begins Again (soundtrack)
Performance: Wow. It is fast. Adechike looks like he’s having a lot of fun though. Great technique, it looks like. And it gets faster. Wow.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel wants Adechike to be careful about putting his character into it. Stick to the specific style. Lacking in sharpness. Loved the jumps at the end. This let Adechike down a little this week. Mia tells Adechike his focus needs to be in one place. It seemed a little African. She misses Alex right now. Adam tells Adechike he has an enormous amount of power. He lacked finish to his lines.
Adam wants him to keep going. Nigel points out that the judges are attempting to improve the dancers. It’s about a journey.
Further comment: I love that Cat played devil’s advocate and pointed out that when Jose put this own little twist on Bollywood, the judges loved it. The audience and even Nakul seems to like what Adechike did with the piece. I liked his exuberance. I liked that this is a fast piece and he seemed to be keeping up.
Lauren and Kent
Travis Wall / Contemporary
Rehearsal: It’s about two people after prom who are saying good-bye even though they know they’ll be drawn together again. Kent thinks Lauren is cute so it won’t be hard to crush on her.
Collide (Acoustic Version) / Howie Day
Performance: I love Travis, as you may be aware. Great tricks. I want Kent to be more present in his dancing though. He looks like he’s just setting up for the next thing. Lauren’s great in this. Nice partner connection. Very nice technique. There’s some stuff here we haven’t seen before.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel thinks that proved 3 things: what a good contemporary dancer Lauren is, what a good contemporary dancer Kent is, what a good contemporary choreographer Travis is. Lauren is a very strong dancer. He’s always looking for the heart in her. He felt it tonight. Kent is such a hard worker. All his hard work will pay off. They are the ultimate in male and female dancers. Mia calls the piece stunning, gorgeous. The connection is there. Lauren is the perfect female dancer. There’s the athlete, the technique, and the soul. Beautiful work by Kent. Adam sums it up in saying he feels embarrassed because it felt so honest. It felt too intimate, which is a really good thing. Embodies everything it’s supposed to be about.
Further comment: Since Travis’s Jazz misstep (debacle seems too harsh), I was really worried he was being punished. It was a ridiculous fear as it turns out, but there it is. Travis is a brilliant contemporary choreographer. I still think Kent was all about the set ups and not so much about the connection but he was there for Lauren and their moment at the end was very nice.
Robert and Ashley
Jean-Marc Genereux & France / Quickstep
Rehearsal: It’s about a powerful man and a woman who wants to take that power. It’s a dance with a lot of rules. You can’t fake it.
Man With the Hex / The Atomic Fireballs
Performance: I like the beginning but that’s only because it’s not the Quickstep. I fear for them. From what I can tell, they are doing a decent job with this style. Not great. There are form breaks and I think Robert’s frame is weak. They’re going for it though. I didn’t hate it.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel says this is tough. It’s the dance of death. Robert had more close hold than anyone else on the show previously. The hydraulic system of the dance is too jumpy. Robert’s shape isn’t quite right. The character is and the dance is. Ashley looks like she was enjoying it. Mia says they got through it and it wasn’t a train wreck. The music was fighting it for her. Robert’s legs were too far apart. It was a bad kiss instead of the kiss of death. Adam thinks they were totally committed. Served each other beautifully.
Further comment: It was a bit awkward for me but not a disaster. I also found the music distracting but I can't blame the dancers for that. I’m glad they got decent critiques. I’m trying to remember even one dancer from any season that has performed this well who wasn’t a ballroom dancer…and I’m coming up blank.
Jose and Billy
Sean Cheesman / African Jazz
Rehearsal: The story is about the hunter (Jose) and it’s prey (Billy). It’s fast and aggressive.
The Hunt / Mickey Hart
Performance: I like these characters. Billy is amazing as the jaguar. Nice partner tricks. I’m seeing too much b-boying from Jose. I want more Jazz from him. Billy is killing this for me. The jaguar won this battle.
Judge’s critiques: Nigel loves the concept. Billy has played a cat twice tonight. It felt like a Broadway cat instead of a feral, powerful animal. He’s disappointed in that. Jose isn’t powerful enough. The choreography is there. Mia loved Billy. She’s not sure he’s a jaguar but she loved it. He’s a true animal. Billy is amazing. There are moments where Billy lost optimal physicality though. Jose goes for it but it isn’t enough. This is his weakest performance. He attacked it. Adam tells Billy there’s a moment he has to let go of his lines. He wants to see Jose jump higher and get down lower. Hit it harder.
Further comment: I agree with the judges for the most part. I don’t think Billy was a Broadway cat. I thought he really got down into it and showed us something new. Jose was just ok for me. I wanted to see his technique here and he didn’t show it to us.
The top 8 are making it harder and harder for me to decide whom to vote for. I know Alex is safe no matter what – unless he can’t dance next week – which makes me breathe a sigh of relief. I think Robert should be worried. Based on the judge’s critiques, I would say Adechike should be worried but I don’t think he’ll end up in the bottom. I’d be surprised to see Jose in the bottom but I do think he belongs there. I hope neither of the girls makes an appearance in the bottom three but even if they do I know the judges will get rid of a guy this week. It’s time.
What did you think? What was your favorite performance of the night?
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