Lorne: Take care of yourself and ah, make sure fluffy is getting enough love. Gunn: Did he have anything? Fred: No. And who's fluffy? Are you fluffy? Gunn: He called me fluffy? Fred: He said make sure…wait. You don't think he was referring to anything of mine that's fluffy, do you? Because that would just be inappropriate.

'Conviction (1)'


Non-Fiction TV: I Reject Your Reality and Substitute My Own

This thread is for non-fiction TV, including but not limited to reality television (So You Think You Can Dance, Top Chef: Masters, Project Runway), documentaries (The History Channel, The Discovery Channel), and sundry (Expedition Africa, Mythbusters), et al. [NAFDA]


kat perez - Jul 01, 2009 8:18:38 pm PDT #9672 of 23273
"We have trust issues." Mylar

Ewww. That was some grimy shit that just happened on this show. There were great routines tonight, but seriously? Janette/Brandon get a latin dance and she's a salsa dancer. Kayla/Kupono, both contemporary dancers, get contemporary and both of them have already had jazz before, which is also a gimme for contemporary dancers. Evan and Randi pull Broadway, and in addition to Mini-Gene, Randi has studied with Joey Dowling IRL. Jason and Caitlin get BFree who is also contemporary, whatever the show is selling with "pop jazz" notwithstanding because that is not even a thing. Jeanine and Phillip get NappyTab hip hop again. Melissa and Ade get a classical pas de deux and there's no way I buy that Melissa hasn't danced R&J choreography before in some workshop somewhere in her dance career. And Vitolio and Karla get . . . quickstep? I'm through. I'm so, so glad that the routine had a decent amount of closed hold and Quickstep technique (with Charleston and other crap thrown in as there always is on smooth ballroom pieces on this show) and that they crushed it. I hope America sticks it to Nigel but good and saves Karla and Vitolio from B3 tomorrow because that was foul.


megan walker - Jul 01, 2009 8:23:31 pm PDT #9673 of 23273
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist

I hope America sticks it to Nigel but good and saves Karla and Vitolio from B3 tomorrow because that was foul.

I never vote and I'm almost tempted for just this reason.


meara - Jul 01, 2009 8:40:40 pm PDT #9674 of 23273

Yeah, no kidding--basically, did they feel like they had to give most people something easy because they were giving Melissa her style, and then they tried to throw Karla and Vittolio under the bus?

I liked the alien baby number more than expected, but kind of wanted someone other than Caitlin to be dancing it, for the oomph and domination factor. Though perhaps a different costume might've helped too (though not, as Nigel was so into, just a more SKIMPY costume)

Anyone know ballet well enough to critique Melissa's performance? I enjoyed it, certainly, but am curious if she's actually a really good ballet dancer.

I was very distracted by the chain, in the Phillip/Jeanine number. I kept feeling like it was getting in the way and they were having to be overly careful of it.

And though I felt like they danced it well, I wasn't all that into Sonja's Kayla/Kupono number, it just didn't move me.


kat perez - Jul 01, 2009 9:48:20 pm PDT #9675 of 23273
"We have trust issues." Mylar

I could've really fallen in love with the BFree number, but Jason and Caitlin just did not inhabit the characters as they needed to do to really own that piece. Caitlin is about as menacing as a kitten, so while she hit some nice lines and her technique is flawless, there was no heft to her dancing. And Jason, I just don't get. He's fine, I suppose, solid technique, but there's nothing special about him. My eyes don't ever track him in a routine. I almost forget he's on the stage. There wasn't a lot to that dance besides funkiness and attitude, so I wanted dancers with a lot more personality to sell me on alien mpreg.

I felt the same way, really, about Randi and Evan. I wanted them to dance so much bigger (and not taller as Mia intimated - and what the hell was wrong with her tonight anyway? The show is not about you, dear) Broadway choreography is generally fairly basic because you're dancing and singing and acting and you'll have some non-dancers dancing. You really need your dancers to play to the cheap seats all the way up in the balcony, and Randi and Evan kind of only reached the orchestra. They needed more character work. It seemed like neither one of them was overly familiar with what Sweet Charity is really all about. And I'm so over faux!Fosse on this show. Joey Dowling does it better than Tasty, but my god, there are other Broadway choreographers. Give me a break.

I haven't done ballet in years, but I thought Melissa was exquisite in that pas de deux. I actually was distracted by Ade at times because his lack of technique in some of those lifts was clear. He muscled some of those up on sheer strength and gumption. And he got a little tangled up in his feet. But ballet is so, so demanding, I have to give him props. If it's not your thing, it's extremely hard to fake. I want to go back and watch Melissa again, but I have to say that on first watch, I found her captivating. After sitting through Rayven's sad attempt at pointe work, I'm so, so glad to have someone who actually looks good en pointe. She has really gorgeous, soft hands, too. If I could take her hands and back and Kayla's legs and feet (the feet on that girl!), I would have the perfect franken-dancer.

Kayla and Kupono and Janette and Brandon were tied for me for my favorites of the night. Kayla knocks me out every single time she dances. Her lines are impeccable. That arabesque she hit was insane. And I was really impressed by Kupono. I did not know he had it like that. I was kind of peeved when Kayla hit that triple, I think, turn while he ran around up stage, but he had some nice leaps, decent kicks (lacked a little flexibility) and both of them had great body control in that piece. Janette is just all over fierce. The way she danced down into the ground in that cha cha was phenomenal. And the snap in her legs. I think only Lacey in Hip Hip, Chin Chin has had better leg action in a Latin dance on this show. And I was super impressed with Brandon. The only thing that distracted me a little was the arm placement when he was turning her. A little bit of the stiff arm, pinky of terror pose. I would've liked those arms a little rounder, a little more natural, but he is an amazing partner and, as Nigel and Mary noted, the feet were great. They were on point.

I'm tired of Phillip. The routine was one of NappyTab's better ones, and I wasn't distracted by the chain. But I watched Jeanine in that piece way more than I watched him. I've been blown away by her both last week and this. I have seriously been sleeping on her. She was fire in that hip hop. I feel like she stole the piece from Phillip in his own style. I would like to see them hit B3 but I can't imagine it happening. I think B3 will be Caitlin/Jason again, Vitolio/Karla (although they shouldn't be) and . . . I don't know, maybe Evan/Randi or even Melissa/Ade if people don't get and/or don't like ballet. I really only think Janette and Brandon are totally safe.


Jesse - Jul 02, 2009 4:53:49 am PDT #9676 of 23273
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

I hope America sticks it to Nigel but good and saves Karla and Vitolio from B3 tomorrow because that was foul.

Yes.


Kathy A - Jul 02, 2009 6:49:35 am PDT #9677 of 23273
We're very stretchy. - Connie Neil

I voted for the first time this week, for both Vitolio/Karla and Melissa/Ade, just because I'm afraid one or both of the couples will end up in the B3 due to America not getting it.


msbelle - Jul 02, 2009 5:16:03 pm PDT #9678 of 23273
I remember the crazy days. 500 posts an hour. Nubmer! Natgbsb

GRR GRR GRR


Vortex - Jul 02, 2009 6:08:41 pm PDT #9679 of 23273
"Cry havoc and let slip the boobs of war!" -- Miracleman

I can't believe that vittolio is gone!!!! I really liked him. He shouldn't have worn a shirt for his solo.


quester - Jul 02, 2009 6:16:56 pm PDT #9680 of 23273
Danger is my middle name, only I spell it R. u. t. h. - Tina Belcher.

Oh noes! Who was the girl?


Jesse - Jul 02, 2009 6:45:44 pm PDT #9681 of 23273
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Grrr!! I totally call BS.