Super Bowl Update

We’re back again Dance Fans! It's like last week never even happened! We've still got 9 Contempos, 4 Jazz Hands, 4 Hip Hoppers, 1 B-way, 1 Tappa Tappa Tappa and 1 10-Dance Ballroom World Champ. But oh, how those numbers will drop after Thursday! Joining Nigel and Mary on the Judges Table this week is Debbie Reynolds, because she is Golden-Age Hollywood and she’s still alive! This woman knows from her hoofers. But I suspect she will think everyone is simply amazing!

1. Ryan and Ricky, jazz w/ Mandy Moore. Dancing to: Addicted to Love," Robert Palmer
It’s supposed to be super sexy, but the costume department kinda went toward S&M. Also they put Ryan in this crazy boustier top that is just daring a nip slip to occur. The sharpness of the movement is great, but Ryan is grinning away just like last week! What is going on there? It takes away from the feeling of the dance. The judges all love it, but it was not super for me.

2. Caitlyn and Mitchell, contemporary w/ Stacey Tookey. Dancing to: "Turning Tables," Adele There’s a lot of set pieces in this one, which I’m not usually a fan of but there’s a nice white arm chair and a nice black arm chair and I want both of them in my living room, so I’ll let it slide. I think the theme here is violent relationships. It works because Caitlyn is looking super fierce and Mitchell punches her in the nose! And makes her BLEED! All through the judging! I think the dancing is really strong here. The judges love it. Will they ever not love everything? Come on, give these kids stuff to work on!

3. Missy and Wadi, cha-cha w/ Jean-Marc Genereux. Dancing to: "Cannibal," Ke$ha
From the very beginning Wadi is out of his depth. He looks super nervous and uncomfortable. Some of the lifts are good, but the rest is kind of a mess. Missy is strong, but it’s really not enough to lift the whole routine. Nigel and Mary tell it to him straight. Mary goes so far to tell him that it looked like dancing with the stars where one is a pro and the other is really just a student. Ouch. Debbie offers to take Wadi home to cha cha with her. Wadi takes small solace in the fact that at least he made SOMEbody happy. Aww. Poor dude.

4. Iveta and Nick, Bollywood w/ Nakul Dev Mahajan. Dancing to: "Baawre," Lucky By Chance soundtrack. It’s a very fast and bouncy routine and they are not quite together and not quite up to it, but I really like these two. I want them to do well. It doesn’t blow me away. But really none of the routines have set me on fire yet. The judges all say it was fun because they really don’t know how to critique this dance style.

5. Miranda and Robert, hip hop w/ Napoleon and Tabitha. Dancing to: "Break Ya Neck," Busta Rhymes. Concept: Woodpeckers! Robert knows all, while Miranda is learning the ropes. It's… good. It doesn’t really hold my focus though. Am I just in a mood? What’s going on tonight? Miranda does a really cool flip but can’t stick the landing. She makes it work for her character though. They both do a forward flip off the stage to end the routine that I might not feel comfortable attempting even if I was jumping into a swimming pool. Nigel says he appreciates that Robert stopped the woo-ing and I second that. Robert’s much more tolerable this week. Debbie Reynolds does an AMAZING Woody Woodpecker laugh. Even if she doesn’t give one constructive critique that impression made her presence here worthwhile.

6. Clarice and Jess, contemporary w/ Stacey Tookey. Dancing to: "Cathedrals," Jump Little Children. My favorite song!! Seriously, I love this song. I always include the first time I make someone a mix cd. Concept; prince & princess! UGH. That’s not right for this song. Jess is not partnering her well. The lifts are labored. The chemistry is not there. But the routine is just kinda weak too. Not a good outing for these two. Nigel again has the good sense to let them know how it was, but Mary and Debbie just ignore the blandness and think it’s great.



7. Jordan and Tadd, Viennese waltz w/ Jean-Marc Genereux. Dancing to: "Fade Into Me," David Cook. This one is good. There’s a nice rise-and-fall throughout and the judges are all up on that for this kind of dance. Tadd is a great as a partner, and even though I find Jordan less endearing by the week, she shines during this routine. It's romantic and light and technically strong. The judges eat it up and Debbie compares them to Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. Which is ridiculous. It was good, but it was not anywhere near those three legends. I mean, c’mon.

8. Melanie and Marko, jazz w/ Mandy Moore. Dancing to "Sing With a Swing (Rat Marchesini radio edit)," DKS. (That’s a long track name.) Concept; They have hats. The routine’s just... not that good. Don’t’ get me wrong. They are total stars. I love watching them, but this is very middle of the road choreo. There is a moment where Melanie just leaps into a split and Marko has to catch her and they nail it. But overall, I think it’s boring. Like the Tyce routine last week. But the judges love it. Of course.

9. Sasha and Alexander, hip hop w/ Napoleon and Tabitha. Dancing to: "Coming Home," Diddy-Dirty Money and Skylar Grey. The concept: soldier coming back war. Oddly, this is it’s own category of dance concept on this show. Soldiers going to war, soldiers coming back from war. This show loves that dance motif. It’s a good routine. Sasha in particular moves with great emotion. Together, I don’t think they really got to the emotional heights of being reunited, but Debbie and Mary are both in tears and Nigel thinks it’s not worth critiquing the dancing, but I assure him that it always is. Whatevs, obviously it’s me who is having an off-week and not the show, because everyone seems to be doing everything PHENOMENALLY in the judges eyes.

10. Ashley and Chris, Broadway w/ Spencer Liff. Oh, I like Spencer. What will he do? Dancing to: "Please, Mr. Jailer," Rachel Sweet There's a set of jail bars and they are gonna dance on either side of the, It's fun and sexy, but it almost feels a little gimmicky. What is wrong with me? I like this show, don’t I? I just wasn’t really impressed this week. Sorry, dancers. I still think you are awesome, but this week it didn’t happen for me. The judges loved almost everything though, including this one. Mary Murphy even makes them the first dancers on the Hot Tamale Train this season. Hmm. I hope they are riding coach.

So even with my blah attitude, this is where I thought things fell this week in terms of my favorites.

Caitlyn & Mitchell's contemporary
Tadd & Jordan's Viennese Waltz
Melanie & Marko's Jazz
Sasha & Alexander's hip hop
Ashley & Chris's Broadway
Iveta & Nick's Bollywood
Miranda & Robert's Hip Hop
Ryan & Ricky's lyrical hip-hop
Clarice & Jess's Contemporary
Missy & Wadi's Cha Cha

So I think it will be Wadi and Missy and Ryan and Jess going home. We’ll see how it goes though! Most likely 2 couples the judges really like will find themselves in jeopardy and we’ll get screwed out of two dancers that are awesome because of the double elimination.

Results Show! It’s the 3rd Top 20 Dance Routine of the year which is a little weird. It’s Dave Scott and it’s kinda cool but they all look like boys in bowler hats (what’s with those hats??) and blazers and plaid shorts and I can’t tell the girls from the guys. Nobody stands out. Maybe Marko gets a solo? Or is it Tadd. Grr. Weird.

So then it goes to our bottom 3: We’ve got Wadi and Missy in the bottom and then later we get Iveta and Nick in the bottom. DAMN. That means we are losing at least two people I like. Then finally we get Ryan and Ricky as the final couple. Oof. So no one from last week’s bottom 3 is in this week’s bottom 3.

Before we get to all the solos let’s talk musical guests LMFAO performed with Quest. It was decent, as these things go, but I don't like lip-synching. And also Rage Crew was on hand and it was good… but there was this one little girl who was right in front, and she was doing her thing, but she was SO little and was doing some kinda sexual moves and it reminded me of Toddlers and Tiaras in an uncomfortable way. Then I remembered this, and it kinda made it all better again.



Also, tonight we got an in-show commercial for Gatorade. A nutritionist comes to talk to the kids about calories as if she's practicing her sales pitch for when she visits the Biggest Loser ranch in the fall. I laugh and laugh. This kids are young, in great shape, and busting their asses learning all these routines week after week. They can eat all the calories they want. They won't be gaining an once. Gatorade High Endurance really is magical stuff though. So it's nice they seem to be stocking their fridge with it free of charge.

So SOLOS: First out was Wadi and it was kinda low-energy. Oh NO! Wadi they are gonna send you home for sure for that!! It made me me sad. I though he’d be in the Top 10 for sure. he does leap from his back into an amazing crossed legged pose at the very end. It won't be enough though. Then it’s Missy and she is good, but again, I don't know how she'll fight her way out of this one. Then we get Nick who is adorable and who tappa tappa tappa’s his little heart out. I sort of love him. Will it be enough? Possibly. Then it’s Iveta and she too does well, but I had a feeling while watching that they’d keep either girl over her for some reason. They got rid of Anya too early back in the day. Then after a break, we got Ryan who is still smiling too much!!! It’s driving me crazy! Her solo is not super. And then Ricky, who EFFING KILLED his solo.

SO who stays and who goes? The judges kept Ricky and Ryan. That’s kind of bullshit. They just like Ryan. She hasn’t done one dance yet that would warrant her getting picked over Iveta or Missy. This is the judges playing favorites in the worst way. It’s a tearful goodbye, as sending off four dancers at once is as emotionally difficult as you’d expect. Next week, we eliminate only two. This week, I was not moved by the routine or pleased with the eliminations. Let’s do better, Show.