Broadway and Jazz in So You Think You Can Dance 21 October 2008
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Whenever I watch So You Think You Can Dance on YouTube (I’m usually out on Saturday nights while it’s being aired on cable), I’m more interested in watching the hip hop or even krump routines compared to the other genres. But after seeing these two performances, I’ve now included jazz and Broadway among my favorites.Here’s Sabra Johnson and Neil Haskell in their jazz performance to “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” which incidentally reminds me of an ice cream commercial that was popular when I was a kid.
Here’s my favorite couple Chelsie Hightower and Mark Kanemura in their steamy Broadway performance to the song “I’m a Woman.”
George Sampson on BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT 13 September 2008
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A few weeks ago, my boss told me about Paul Potts, the guy who won this show called BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT. The show sounded familiar, but I never actually watched it before. I thought I’d check it out in YouTube, like Joy did, but I, uh, got a bit bored. That’s when I noticed under “Related Videos” something that caught my eye – something about a 13-year-old streetdancer.
I wasn’t expecting much from this kid because he seemed too young to be a decent streetdancer and breakdancer (I guess I forgot that Adam Sevani from Step Up 2 was only 15 when he made the movie). He actually caught me (and obviously, the judges as well) by surprise when he started dancing, because he looked so shy at first. Anyway, here’s his audition last 2007. I think he was really adorable in this video.
I found out later while checking out his other videos that he didn’t make it to the semi-finals even though Simon Cowell fought for him. It’s a good thing I guess because it made him really determined to train harder and come back the next year.
Since he didn’t come from a rich family, he would literally dance in the streets to raise money for lessons and travel expenses. In his re-audition in 2008, he said he was ”twice as nervous” but George showed everyone he was twice as good. You’d see his big improvement both as a dancer and performer (watch his facial expressions) in this video.
This time, he got into the semi-finals, where he performed probably one of the most creative dance routines I’ve ever seen. Rain is always interesting, and was a bit reminiscent of the final dance in Step Up 2. As George Sampson said, “It doesn’t get any better than that.”
For the finals, he was supposed to do another routine to a Bee Gees song, but an hour before the live show he decided to redo his popular “Singing in the Rain” performance. It’s amazing how he can make it even more amazing than it was before. Watch how both relaxed and intense he is. You can really feel that his heart is into his dancing, and he’s giving it all he’s got.
After dancing like that and raising the bar even higher, it’s no surprise that he won Britain’s Got Talent 2008. His dancing is amazing, his attitude is inspiring, and his accent is so bloody endearing!
Napoleon and Tabitha’s Choreography in SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE 6 September 2008
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I first heard of Napoleon and Tabitha D’Uomo (a brilliant husband-and-wife team of choreographers) in SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE when they did my all-time favorite hip-hop number in the show (more about that at the end of this post). I didn’t really think that much of them until I realized that they choreographed all of my favorite routines this season.
Here they are in reverse order of preference.
# 5 DON’T TOUCH ME by Busta Rhymes
I love this song, but mainly because it’s in one of the ACDC dance battle videos (Adam/Chu Dance Crew, star and director from Step Up 2). Anyway, I thought this was a really funny routine, and I thought Kherington did a pretty good job even though she had no hip-hop background.
# 4 LIKE YOU’LL NEVER SEE ME AGAIN by Alicia Keys
Like one of the judges said, it sort of reminds you of Ghost (starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore). You want them to be together, but they can’t. It is a very moving routine, mainly because of the story-line that Napoleon and Tabitha incorporate into their choreography.
# 3 NO AIR by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown
This is another emotional number with a sad-story line. Joshua is about to go to the war, and is saying goodbye to Katee. Katee isn’t trained in hip-hop as well, but I think she did a pretty good job.
# 2 PARTY PEOPLE by Fergie featuring Nelly
Comfort (the girl) was amazing. Mark isn’t really a hip-hop dancer, but wow. I love how he moves, and I love the steps. I love the song too, and Napoleon and Tabitha are right - the performance just makes you move and groove to the beat.
# 1 BLEEDING LOVE by Leona Lewis
This is my absolute favorite. You can’t watch this without feeling the pain of Chelsie about her workaholic and emotionally aloof husband, Mark. The performance is moving and emotional, and the audience can’t help feeling the same way. Now that’s bleeding love.
Allison and Ivan from SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE 5 September 2008
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SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE is one of my favorite TV shows today. I don’t get to watch it regularly (I’m usually not at home during Saturday evenings) but I try to watch the performances via YouTube.For season 2, my favorite couple was Ivan Koumaev and Allison Holker. Since they’re my favorites, I guess it comes as no surprise that my two favorite performances of the entire season were theirs – a hip-hop routine and a contemporary dance. It’s interesting because Ivan is a hip-hop dancer, and Allison is a contemporary dancer, so one of them was always in their element during both performances.
SEXY LOVE by Ne-Yo (choreographed by Shane Sparks)
This is a very relaxed, “no aggression” hip-hop routine. I love how Ivan makes dancing look so effortless! I love the choreography also – it’s actually my first taste of lyrical hip-hop. This is so much better than their other hip-hop dance “Turn It Up” though maybe it was because I didn’t like the choreography so much. Unfortunately, Allison wasn’t at par with Ivan, but that’s understandable because she’s not trained in this genre. “Sexy Love” was actually their last dance together, since Allison got cut afterwards.
WHY by Annie Lenox (choreographed by Mia Michaels)
This is a very beautifully fluid contemporary dance that showed the world how much Ivan has grown as a dancer. Really, given his background in hip-hop, his popping and locking and gliding, you’d be surprised to see him pointing his toes and doing extensions. This performance was so good that they did it again during the finale.
By the way, Allison was one of the cheerleaders in High School Musical 1 and 2. I didn’t see her there though – I’d have to watch the movies again to see.
My Favorite Onscreen Couple: NALEY 4 June 2008
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Here’s to my favorite onscreen couple NALEY, which is so named in the tradition of combining the names of couples (such as Brangelina and Bennifer).
It’s funny that I’ve mentioned One Tree Hill a couple of times already in passing, but have never written a post about my current favorite show. I started watching One Tree Hill two years ago because of my boyfriend, who told me to check it out. I wasn’t that big a fan at first, until I borrowed his seasons 1-3 DVD’s (which he received for Christmas… from me) which I watched till the wee hours of the morning.
I think the main appeal of One Tree Hill for me is the relationship of Nathan Royal Scott and Haley James-Scott. The storyline has been used before: rich, popular jock falls in love with the nerdy class valedictorian, except that they get married in high school. I love this couple because, as Brooke says about them in one episode, they make us believe in true love. Which is funny if you think of it since this is just a show anyway, and I seriously doubt if high school marriages can really work in real life. I like how they understand how hard a teen marriage can be, but they still give everything they’ve got to make it work.
Nathan: Haley, what’s wrong?
Haley: We made a mistake Nathan.
Nathan: Haley…
Haley: No. I’m… I’m not ready for this. I just, I just really wanna go home to my room. You know, I’m not a wife, I’m not even a senior!
Nathan: Haley. Haley, listen, this is not a mistake.
Haley: How can you be sure because there is nobody that thinks this thing can work.
Nathan: I DO. (picks up her wedding ring) I promise you Haley, I will always be there for you, I will always protect you. Ok? I will always protect you. Always.
I also like something that their therapist told them in season 5 (which I’ve been watching weekly in YouTube). After four years of marriage, the therapist told them that they may be losing their individual identities already, and that they may not be the same people they fell in love with in the first place. The next scene shows them at home with Haley back on her piano and Nathan playing around with a basketball. That’s an important point I think – that you should still be yourself and do the things you’ve always loved in spite of, and because of, your relationship. That’s the way to keep your sanity… and your relationship too.
