Flames wouldn't be eternal if they actually consumed anything.

Lilah ,'Not Fade Away'


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]


quester - Jul 15, 2009 4:22:26 pm PDT #9801 of 23273
Danger is my middle name, only I spell it R. u. t. h. - Tina Belcher.

What the heck is Kat going on about?


quester - Jul 15, 2009 4:44:24 pm PDT #9802 of 23273
Danger is my middle name, only I spell it R. u. t. h. - Tina Belcher.

All of the couples except the paso doble were good and so were the solos.


Jesse - Jul 15, 2009 4:51:58 pm PDT #9803 of 23273
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Here's something I've been wondering: Presumably they have rehearsal time on their own after working with the choreographers, right? Do the dancers ever take out the hard stuff on their own, do you think?


Jesse - Jul 15, 2009 4:57:27 pm PDT #9804 of 23273
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Just once, can't they get Debbie Allen to say, "Here's where you start paying in sweat"?? Not that I don't love what she herself actually has to say, of course.


quester - Jul 15, 2009 4:58:18 pm PDT #9805 of 23273
Danger is my middle name, only I spell it R. u. t. h. - Tina Belcher.

As much as I love Evan I think it's time for him and Randi to go. Everyone else brought their A games and I don't think these two have A games.


kat perez - Jul 15, 2009 6:15:56 pm PDT #9806 of 23273
"We have trust issues." Mylar

Ms. Debbie Allen! Whoop, whoop! It's about time.

I loved the Bollywood group number. Excellent. Jeanine was a stand out to me, but I agree everyone rocked it. Even Randi was moving those hips. Kayla was trying a little too hard, maybe, but that's the most I've liked her since the audition rounds. I agree with Debbie, I think top to bottom these five ladies trump other seasons.


Vortex - Jul 15, 2009 6:28:48 pm PDT #9807 of 23273
"Cry havoc and let slip the boobs of war!" -- Miracleman

the music was so much stronger than the dance. There was no passion, no strength. And if she was going to wear a wig, why didn't she wear one in her natural color? Stupid.


kat perez - Jul 15, 2009 6:34:40 pm PDT #9808 of 23273
"We have trust issues." Mylar

Kayla/Evan was not the train wreck I was expecting, but Mary was right that the work in closed hold was extremely lacking. Evan's footwork was labored and there was no glide. But the lifts were lovely and some of the side by side work was lovely. And Kayla was a lot more likeable this week with Evan than she ever was with either Maks or Pono. And she's such a beautiful dancer. The lines on that girl are fantastic.

Brandon's solo left me wanting more shades to his dancing. It was gorgeous and powerful with some great lifts and control in his movement, but I would like to see more softness from him every once in a while.


meara - Jul 15, 2009 8:12:08 pm PDT #9809 of 23273

I missed the first half hour, so didn't get to see Kayla/Evan, or a few other things. Sad.

But I LOOOOOVED Peanut's choreography! And I really like Jeanine, more and more every week.

Not loving Kupono. I want him to be Mark and he's just not. Sad.

But I was reminded of why I liked Evan in the first place when he did his solo, which I thought was adorable and great. Sadly, I still rolled my eyes on seeing him in the boys group number, no matter what the judges said.


Liese S. - Jul 15, 2009 8:14:59 pm PDT #9810 of 23273
"Faded like the lilac, he thought."

Yeah, I agree. I think in general, these dancers would benefit from editing on their solos. Especially with the fast motion, they tend to be frenetic, not strong. If you don't hold your extreme positions for at least a fraction of a second, I can't see you made it there. It's just like you're flapping your hands at me. They need to learn to hold, just hold. Which I understand is probably impossible with the time constraints.

Anyway, loved loved Travis' work, and Jeanine was fabulous. So clear that she was being eclipsed by Phillip's problems. Glad to see her clear and excelling.

Evan is a likability power station. It rubbed off on Kayla. He's just so disarming. But I agree that he's quickly getting to the point where he's outclassed.

Although Kupono may beat him out the door. That pasa doble was terrible. The lifts were awful, and I think a lot of it had to do with Randi. Even when they showed her in rehearsal being lifted by the choreographer, she was awkward and ungainly. Lifts take a lot of strength from the woman, too, and I suspect she wasn't bringing it.

But it wasn't just the lifts that were bad. And that's one of my favorite styles in general. But not today.

So nice to see Ms. Allen. She's fab, as always. She brings a seriousness and credibility to this show that it otherwise lacks, I think. I love how her heart is for dance. She's not wrong about the show being good for dance as a whole, though.