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.