SYTYCD Guest Bloggin’

Hi, I’m Karen, your substitute SYTYCD blogger. You may remember me from one previous occasion when I did this in 2008. I don’t know what I was smoking back then, because I described Leah Miller as “quippy” and Jae Blaze’s choreography in the legendary Lisa and Vincent Raggedy Ann and Andy hip-hop number as “kind of balls”. Who was that person?

Amazingly, MGK has invited me back to blog the Top 14 episode of Season 3 of SYTYCDC while he’s off being a lawyer or liveblogging mayoral debates or whatever. To be perfectly honest with you, I also recently started a new job and am still getting used to the 9-5 workday (as opposed to waking up at 9:30, one benefit of grad school/unemployment) and I’m so tired that I’m mostly communicating in grunts and purrs. So bear with me.

Tonight is Top 14 night and your guest judges are Mia Michaels and Sean Cheeseman so you know there’s probably going to be some crying. Mia’s hairdo is fascinating; she looks like Iggy Koopa.

Tonight is also the night when the dancers switch partners, so they have to say something nice about the other person in the bio clip. You can really tell who is happy to be working with who. A few couples say stuff like, “I’m happy to be paired with so-and-so, because they seem like a hard worker and I like working hard!” which is a moot point because if you’re a good enough dancer to be on this show, you’re probably used to working your ass off.

Charlene and Mackenzie: Jive. That they managed to keep up with the jive’s speed was impressive, but their moves (esp. kicks) were sloppy and flailing. I thought their chemistry was awful; so much so that Mackenzie actually walked off stage into a pile of other girls at the end. Mia calls this dance “Near perfection,” but I call it, “Whatever.” But either way, I really like Charlene. I don’t think she has star quality but she’s a great dancer and very likable.

Amanda and Sebastian: Contemporary. OMG SO MANY LIMBS. I realize that Stacey Tookey was going for the Canadian equivalent of an Emmy with this “Grieving Parents Dance” but I totally hated it. Amanda and Sebastian did not hit a believable emotional tenor throughout this entire piece; it seemed way too happy! “Hooray, our child is dead! Join me in a ridiculous flailing of limbs!” But that aside, I like both of these dancers and their unique styles and can’t wait to see them in other dances together. And so do the judges, which is why they gave them absolutely no critique.

Claudia and Denys: Brazilian Samba, Capoeira Fusion. Gustavo Vargas, please continue to fuse Brazilian Samba and Capoiera! It was so kick ass. Denys’ performance in this number was one of the highlights of the season. He’s quickly becoming one of my favourites. Claudia was not remotely good in this, and all the sexyface in the world couldn’t save her. The judges tore her to shreds, except for Jean Marc who obviously has to represent for the Quebecois ballroom scene

Kloé and Shavar: Theatre. What can I say about this dance? I didn’t watch a second of it because I was so distracted by the bizarre costumes and sets that looked like they were right out of the movie From Hell. My boyfriend also pointed out the ridiculousness of a man wearing morning dress at night. Mia calls these two, “the weakest links in the competition”. I won’t be sad to see them go.

Janick and Jeff: Hip Hop. I was prepared for this to be really bad but Janick was convincing. No matter what Tre said, Jeff was not “swaggalicious” but he gave it a fine effort. Despite his “Wonderbread Face”, I really like Jeff. I fell in love with his legs during the audition episodes and they continue to keep me swooning. Clearly hip-hop is not his forte but I don’t really care yet.

Danielle and Edgar: Contemporary. Suicide-attempt dance! Was that supposed to be a NOOSE in the opening? This was terrible choreography, c/o Sabrina Matthews, but Danielle and Edgar danced the shit out of it anyway. I have high hopes for this partnership.

Natalie and Jonathan: Jazz. I was really reluctant to like this, but how could I resist? It was a bundle of joy! A delicious confection! Natalie and Jonathan’s chemistry and commitment to their characters in this cutesypoo routine totally sold it. Excellent choreo from Blake McGrath. Natalie was fantastic, Jonathan was good. Jean Marc gave Jonathan an ACTUAL critique and the audience booed him but I yayed him. Let’s have more of that.

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