If the winner of the So You Think You Can Dance were based on crimes against fashion, then Rhys is the clear winner.
How many fashion crimes can you commit in one outfit? Bright canary yellow shorts matched with purple stockings if that wasn’t enough combine that with a sleeveless tied dye top, plus a Bjorn Bork sweat band.
Then we can move onto the sartorial judges, two were wearing hats and one was wearing sequins and faux crystals.
And Matt said for the fifth week in a row “I’m so excited”. Think up a new opening gambit please. It cannot be that difficult.
Tonight each dancer was going to dance with the other one. So we would be able a great overview of their talent to help us assess who to vote for.
First up Demi and Jack doing the cha cha to a Jason Gilkison routine.
This pair were the only original top twenty partners who made it through to the top four.
Demi looked spunky and hot, and Jack was just about flawless. Fun and funky dance, with enough traditional cha cha moves to please the ballroom Nazi, but I liked the slight disco feel to it as well.
Matt Lee said: “That was so sexy for me, bought the connection.”
Bonnie said “Way they came down the stairs just incredible.”, “Demi you can achieve anything”, and “Jack this cha cha was just sensational, every partner you dance with you mould together.”
Jason Coleman: “ Both had an amazing amount of joy’, “Jack everything about that from your hips, knees I really felt the ballroom stance…. Well done.” “Demi you eat it up in your face….you’re a fine fine dancer.”
Next couple were Rhys and Kate dancing a hip hop routine choreographed by Supple. Dressed as toy soldiers it was not amazing - there was no wow factor about it. Tonight I thought there was far to much hip hop with of the three routines being in that genre, and none were great.
Matt said :”Very, very difficult routine.”, “Unison lost it in the middle.”
Bonnie said: “ Extremely intricate….. excellent job.”
Jason talking to the under whelmed viewing audience said: "Complimenting Supple, interesting and diverse routine.”, “Want to point out how difficult it is to learn unison in two days.”, “I personally think both of you are brilliant.”, “Want people at home to know how difficult it is.”
Demi and Rhys were next with a Debbie Ellis contemporary routine to Snow Patrol song Chasing Cars. Apparently this was the first time Rhys had gotten to dance to a contemporary routine in the competition. So maybe the card draws are not rigged.
Matt said: “Demi you need to take as much time on the in between bits as the big movements.”, and “Rhys your arms just beautiful.”
Bonnie: “First time that Rhys had done a contemporary routine.” Then she just rambled on. In fact Bonnie’s performance/judgement was really annoying tonight. Is she going to be back next year? Can’t we send her to Bulgarian So You Think You Can Dance?
Jason: “Rhys good things come to those who wait… I really liked your flow.”
“Demi slightly short for me in form - but only dancer left in competition without formal training.”
Jack and Kate danced to an Alicia Keys number which was choreographed by Jet. It was lyrical jazz. Can someone explain the difference to me between lyrical jazz and contemporary.
It started out with Kate holding a peace flag was Jet trying to whip up some Wade Robson type controversy? With all the love in the air from the 2020 summit I doubt that it will. It was a beautifully danced routine. One of the best ones of the night.
Matt Lee: “You two just excel together.”, and “Just amazing congratulations.”
Bonnie said: “No one does it better then you two.”, and “Wonderful”
Jason: “Great couple I have high expectations of, and I was not disappointed.”, “Kate I love you in this soft lyrical world.”, and “Jack you are a great turner, you are a dancer that is always dancing in control, it never looks like your energy gets away from you.”
Demi and Kate then danced a hip hop type routine which was based on a silent film ala Charlie Chaplin - it meant to be slapstick. Really dull. It was like 1960’s variety hour and I expected to see Burt Newton come out after it to do a comedy routine with Don Lane after it had finished.
Natalie Bassingthwaite didn’t say who the choreographer was. They panned to Supple so I can only presume he did it. For the girls who are the underdogs in the competition this was not the routine you would really want to go out on.
Matt: “Kate you hit everything as hard as you do”, “ Demi liked the characterisation. Good job with what you got.” I think he was intimating the choreography was shite.
Bonnie: “Tricky routine demi you did great. Good job.”
Jason: “As cute as that was… it did not give me anything to do with at this stage of the competition.”
On the other hand Rhys and Jack had a hot Broadway routine from show Chicago choreographed by Adam Williams. This was the routine I had been waiting for to really try and assess who was the best dancer out of the two favourites of the comp. I think Jack came out on top.
Matt: “Jack this was the perfect forum for you.”, and “Rhys you tackle every genre. Both of you great job.”
Bonnie: “Boy, Boys, Boy just to see you dance together, the camaraderie between you has been excellent.”
Jason: “Rhys when you dance for me it is very safe to the core of the centre, Jack takes his lines to the extreme so has more flow.”, and “Jack came out of the routine slightly on top.”
Was he trying to guide the public to vote for Jack.
Last there was a pretty lame Group dance. It was a Latino hip hop number choreographed by Tijano Burg (SIC) . Kate and hip hop don’t mix, and everyone was just flailing about on stage. Routine did not blow me away. It was a disappointing end to the night.
Jason said in summing up “Think about the dancing you have seen over the past few weeks.”
Now it is time to decide how and why to vote:
Best dancer: Jack
Favourite dancer/personality: Rhys
Most versatile dancer: Demi
Best female dancer and most consistent: Kate.
At least I have a week to think about it.
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24 comments:
I preferred Rhys to Jack in the Musical Theatre number. I think Jack over-exaggerates things too much, and is way too goofy, but that's just my personal view.
I think it's unfair to write Rhys off as favourite personality. Personally, I feel he is a better dancer than Jack - who had a lot of choreography in his style, a lot of his routines were very comical/obvious/jazz. Rhys is more versatile and consistent to me, and if we were to judge the boys FAIRLY in a routine together, I think it should be something OUTSIDE of their genres... ie not Broadway, Jack's specialisation.
Ultimately, I would rank the dancers this way:
Kate/Rhys
Jack
Demi
Just my thoughts. :)
Anon: Matt also suggested that tonight what you are saying about Jack re: about sometimes having an Eistefford face.
I will be happy if either Rhys or Jack win.
I felt sorry for the girls and their dud routine they had to do.
If you're talking about technique, I think Jack probably is better than Rhys, but Rhys is more versatile - Jack pulls out the same tricks over and over - his pirouettes are lovely, but come on, show us something else. Also Jack's style being quite fluid, (which is nice), he doesn't do those staccato moves as well as Rhys does.
I loved the cha-cha-cha - best Latin dance of the comp I thought for the fact that it was good choreography, well performed, with actual cha-cha-cha steps in it and the song, while not Latin, actually had a cha-cha-cha feel to it. What is the aversion to having them dance the Latin styles to actual Latin music? Then you get somethng weird like Demi's samba being danced to a reggaeton. Oh, sorry, meandered off track.
Anyway, Raver, I think your summation is apt. I don't know who to vote for either. Anyone but Jack really. I would like to see all of the other three win for different reasons. I hope they all get a big a career boost out of this - especially Demi. She's the one who needs it most.
It's been a great series though. Have thoroughly enjoyed it. Too bad I will be out of the country for the finale!
i can't believe i missed the final four show. i hope kate or jack take it....leaning more towards jack. i would have never have picked them to win in the beginning!
I'm not quite sure how "Broadway" is Jack's specialty. He has never performed on Broadway nor in a musical theatre group or capacity. It's simply what he aspires to do in the future. Like Rhys and Kate, he is considered a jazz dancer, although Rhys and Kate have more training and are considered commercial/jazz.
Yemaya have a great time away, and I try and evoke the spirit of the grand final in the blog!
Anon: I agree I wouldn't have picked Kate in the beginning either. She certainly benefited from the format where the bottom three were voted for then the judges decide who goes.
If had been a format like Aust Idol she would have been voted out in the first few weeks.
Alicia you may be able to pick up routines from torrents. www.bloggingsytycd.blogspot.com normally have them pretty quickly.
To anon above, Jack's myspace resume lists experience in both amateur and professional musical theatre production (as a singer though). Apparently he has also toured Australia and New Zealand teaching Hip Hop and Funk Tap.
I think Jack is just as well trained as Kate and Rhys. The Jack/Rhys Broadway is not up online yet, but if is jazz based, I think it is in both Rhys' and Jack's styles.
I will have to see if any of these are online yet *fingers crossed*. Kate has been my favorite dancer for a while, but I certainly wouldn't mind if Jack (probably) or Rhys took it. I think Kate is the strongest dancer and Jack is the most popular dancer (not taking anything away from Jack!); at least I did after the final six show. I'll be back after I watch the video!!! ;-)
Sue in Boston (SYTYCD S4 is only a month away!!!)
To anon, yeah I have seen Jack's MySpace regarding his experience. I think any dancer worth their weight has experience doing theater like Jack. His primary experience stems from his touring with Raw Metal, as you indicated.
My point being that Rhys and Jack are very close in terms of their style, and considering how closely related Musical Theatre and Jazz are, I wouldn't say one or the other was completely in our out of their specialty. And I think their unison and overall technique in the dance reflected that.
Well, I've seen them all, and I have to go with Jack. I thought he was pretty nearly flawless in his three routines (wasn't interested in the group dance). His cha cha in particular impressed me (channeling Benjy from S2 US), but his lyrical jazz (come again? that was contemporary!!!) with Kate was lovely as well, and I enjoyed his Broadway (though I am not a fan of Broadway, and it's not b/c it's NYC and I'm from Boston, honest!!!).
I think Jack will take it. And why do the girls always get such icky routines (last week, this week, S3 Sabra and Lacey, etc.)? Boo! While Kate is my particular favorite, I think Jack is the most versatile AND popular (though it is possible Rhys could pull it off, as he was great, if not brilliant, in his contemporary, too).
To anon above: yes, I was agreeing with you that jazz-based Broadway would be in both Rhys' and Jack's style.
Reading the comments I thought the Demi/Kate piece would be a dud. But I like it, way more than I like the toy solider piece in both choreography and execution.
Soobee, just out of curiosity, why do you think Kate is the strongest dancer left? Strongest technique? Strongest performance skill? Both?
Good question. I think that I just love Kate's lines and her technique (as well as performance skills; just her presence always seemed so confident and mature). I've always found her to be in complete unison with her partner (as has been the case with Jack). The only disappointment, for me, were the two "hip hop" (I do not consider either to be, though) routines she did this week, and I blame that more on the choreography than on her, given the lovely work she did with the lyrical jazz/contemporary piece. I think she has a very strong presence. This takes nothing away from Jack or Rhys (in particular Jack, who I also think has been strong with all of *his* partners). I think Jack or Rhys will win, with the Kate the dark horse.
Hi, A few things about last night.
1. I agree with anon, Alicia and Soobee that Jack is the man, I really like Kate, but then Demi is amazing.
2. I found the Chaplin routine horrendous, and RR it reminded me of a variety show from the birth of television too!
3. I could not listen to a word Bonnie said because I was mesmerised (in a stunned way) by her enormous cleavage. It drew me in like a vortex.
Oh and Basingthwaite danced on Chicago?
And what was going on with the 2 hats? We know Matt has a head for hats so allowed.
But a second hat suggested wanna be gangstas, or a move back to the 1930's when everyman wore a hat or tv persona meltdown eminent. May I suggest a beret for next week?
Musical Theatre is definitely one of Jack's specialties! Even if others claim that it is Jazz focused so Rhys has an advantage, too, Musical Theatre is still very comical, exaggerated, and goofy, perfect for Jack's normal performances!
Jack was virtually handed the prize on a silver platter last night -- TWO routines in his style + a Jason Gilkison routine (a goofy Ballroom, too, perfect for him).
I feel sorry for Kate, three Hip Hop numbers if you count the group performance! I do agree with others that she is the dark horse to win it.
I still think that out of Jack and Rhys, Rhys is the most versatile. I never experienced any *range* from Jack in his performances and genres, but clearly opinions vary.
i didn't get jason talking positively about jack in the musical theatre number. rhys' lines in his legs were perfect and straight, jack's were bent and more sloppy. given jason's previous judging comments, i would have thought he would pick something positive for both of them.
rhys sold the musical theatre number for me, i think he was more "chicago" than jack.
i agree that jack was handed an easy ride in this episode, it does seem that they want him to win.
So Jack gets ONE ballroom routine choreographed by Jason Gilkison all season, while Rhys gets three, and suddenly it's all fixed for Jack to win?!?! You people are delusional!!!
Each dancer got routines from the best choreographers of the season last night. Look at the breakdown:
Rhys got Supple, Adam Williams and Debbie Ellis (who did the Graeme/Kate contemporary - still the best routine of the season).
Demi got Jason, Supple, Debbie.
Kate got Jet and Supple twice.
Jack got Jet, Adam Williams, and Jason G.
To me no one got a bad choreographer. The choreographers come up with the concept. It's not like producers are forcing them to come up with sub-par routines when they do.
I say stop bashing other dancers just because they threaten your cherished favorite! Enjoy the dancing and vote.
Fifi - I am now immune to Bonnie's cleavage as it has barely been covered all series.
She seems really nice but has nothing of interest to say.
I don't think anyone is bashing a dancer here? Just voicing their opinions.
They're all talented dancers in my opinion, even Demi, who I think is really amazing at her own specialty.
You know what I think really influences the dancing, though? The camera work! Cameramen and Bonnie for a double elimination before season two, please! Haha.
RR, I would not say Demi is the most versatile dancer, the other three are excellent at everything, and whilst Demi is amazing because she hasn't had formal training, you can see her flaws in the contemporary and the ballroom. But check out someone like Jack, a jazz dancer, he was just flawless in the cha cha. I think the Kate, Rhys an Jack are pretty equal in skill and performance ability, with Jack perhaps having slightly stronger technique than Rhys. I don't really care who wins as they are all amazing, though I do think Demi is by far the weakest, so I guess I'd prefer it to be one of the others.
Re: Anon you are right about the camera work. It was especially bad on the group number when it spent about 5 seconds or more shooting their backs, before circuling around.
Onadrought I think Demi has showed great versatility, and has excelled in other genres, where some of the trained ones have been lacking once they were outside their comfort zone.
It's been a bit harder for me to comment, only b/c I am watching on youtube, so, for example, I can't tell you about camera angles. I do feel that Bonnie is our Paula Abdul--pretty useless, giddy at times, incomprehensible at others. I hope they choose rotating judges (like Mary Murphy) or a better permanent judge next year. I like Matt but I think Jason has been the most helpful (strong and fair critiques).
I think Rhys is an amazing dancer (and Demi is great, but weaker, due to lack of training, though she gets huge points for effort and growth). But for me, Jack and Kate have been nearly flawless every week. They just flow with every routine, which is why I felt Kate's performance was a bit disappointing in the finale. The two hip hop pieces just did not suit her, whereas I thought Jack nailed *everything* and is extremely likable. I would be surprised if he did not win. (I have never liked Broadway, BTW, including in the states. Just too slapstick-y for me or something. Then again, I am not a big musicals fan, so I'm biased.)
Does Australia have all week to vote? Why is the finale *next* week?
Soobee: I think the rationale for the finale being the week after the final four show is for ratings. TV shows tend to get higher ratings on a Sunday night.
Also I heard a rumour that it was going to be different set so may take them a week to build it.
In the US is it the next night?
Oh and another thing by giving us a week to vote I suspect they hope to get more people voting, therefore make more money.
I thought it was the next night, but come to think of it, it probably was the next week. It wasn't a ratings thing, though, and certainly not a financial thing, b/c you only had that night to vote, unlike in Australia, and of course there is no cost for US viewers unless they used text messaging (and why do that if you have to pay?!). It makes sense to wait to give everyone in the top 20 time to rehearse their reprisal pieces.
BTW, Sunday night is not at all the best time in the US. It is Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights, so, for example, with American Idol, the performance show is on Tuesday night, and the results show is on Wednesday night (except for Idol Gives Back, which was on Wednesday night and the results show was Thursday night).
managed to catch some clips of the performances. a bit disappointed as i wasn't really blown away by them considering this was the final four show. was a bit...meh. maybe cause i didn't watch the show in its entirety...on tv haha thougg i doubt it really
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