The occasion: BT's little sis's bachelorette party.
The scene: A yoga/pole dancing studio for an introduction to sluttin' it up on the pole. The dim red lights inside the studio in place of overhead fluorescents were a nice touch.
The crew: Eighteen of us in various workout outfits, sans stripper heels or shoes of any kind, feeling a little timid.
The instructor: A 40-ish lady with a ridiculously SLAMMIN' body and insane control of her hips. I envied this woman instantly.
The class: We learned that we all possess something called a "naughty squat". This was news to me (and my knees). We also learned that when approaching the pole, the ONLY acceptable walk was a sexy one. This proved difficult for some, but everyone gave it their best shot. We were taught a short combination, which included a back bend to the floor, a front twirl, and a back hook twirl. While I managed to look OK doing most of the moves, I royally SUCKED at the back hook twirl. I just couldn't get it. Despite several tries and special attention from Ms. 40 Year Old Perfect Ass, I couldn't figure out what to do with my free leg. As BT so eloquently phrased it, "There were moments of 'sexy', and moments of 'awkward'." I think in my case, the awkward moments were really, really awkward.
The carnage: I kinda tweaked my left wrist, both of my forearms were screaming, I sustained minor floor burn on both tops of my feet (which would turn into bruises the next day), bruises on both insides of my knees, and damn near every muscle in my upper back and shoulders was sore the next day.
The verdict: I had a great time. Despite being the biggest girl there, I really enjoyed myself and felt pretty hot at some points. I never realized how much core strength is involved in pole dancing. I have an all new respect for the girls that can hoist themselves high up on the pole, flip upside down, spin around and not land in a heap on the floor the way I'm sure I would if I were to ever try something like that.
I've decided that I must take another class. There's a great studio in the South Bay where an old athlete of mine teaches classes. I signed AG and I up for one of their introductory classes in two weeks. The difference: this studio lends its participants 5" clear stripper heels for the class. All tackiness aside, if I ended up with as many injuries as I did from doing the class barefoot, just imagine the list I'm gonna come home with after trying to dance, let alone walk, in 5" clear stripper heels. Talk about awkward!
I can't wait. =)
Showing posts with label Five Six Seven Eight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Five Six Seven Eight. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Adventures in karaoke
I've been meaning to write about this FOREVER, but blogging keeps getting pushed to the back burner lately. Without getting in to it too much, there's been a lot going on, so blogging is pretty far down on the list. But this story's epic, ya'll. And its guaranteed to make you laugh.
A few weeks ago, I hopped in my car and headed over to my sister's friend's birthday party at The Mint in San Francisco. My role for the night was to provide backup for my sister in the event that she ran into someone she really didn't want to see. Because that's what sisters do. Anyways, ever heard of this joint? I surely hadn't. All I knew was that it was a karaoke bar, and that alone scared me. But when I heard that it was a predominantly gay karaoke bar, I became interested. This might actually be kinda fun, I thought to myself. I had zero plans to sing any songs, but hey, I could do a night of karaoke and free drinks...sure.
When we walked in, someone was doing a HORRID rendition of "With a Little Help From My Friends". It hurt my soul. Somewhere, John Lennon was rolling over in his grave. Everyone in our party looked at one another skittishly. Oh man, I thought. This was gonna be a LOOOONG night. But after several drinks, several songs by people who were pretty good, and several who where TOTALLY having a blast regardless of singing sucktitude, I stared to sing along in my seat. Before I knew it, I looked over to see TW (sis's significant other) BELTING out the lyrics to "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley. Yeah, that's right, the Rick Roll. Funny thing was that I also knew all the lyrics. Alcohol was flowing, people were singing fun songs, and I had to admit to myself that this wasn't so bad.
Then, like 5 people in a row sang totally sappy, Debbie Downer, buzzkill songs. You could totally feel the place's energy go right out the door along with more than half the people. The vibe became so serious! Puccini's "Nessun Dorma" at a karaoke bar?! Really?! I don't care if you can totally rock that very difficult song (which the guy did)....karaoke is supposed to be silly and fun. Like Spice Girls, Bon Jovi fun. Like Sir Mix-a-Lot fun. Sir Mix-a-lot. Hmmmmm. That gave me an idea. In my drunken mind, I devised a sure-fire way to get people involved, hyped up and singing along again. I grabbed a pen and a request form, snagged $5 from TW, wrote down my name as well as my sister's and submitted it to the sleazy "DJ".
Ten minutes later, my sister and I found ourselves up on stage BUSTING out "Baby Got Back". Keep in mind, we're two very white girls in a gay karaoke bar. The details of the actual performance are a little fuzzy to me because of the nerves and the alcohol, but apparently neither of us looked at the screen once for the lyrics. There were mad dance moves on stage, dancing off stage, and people cheering us on. Because we were seriously working the dance moves while trying to sing, we were pretty out of breath. Looking back, I personally feel like I could have done a better job of bringing Sir Mix-a Lot's vision to life. But one fact was clear: the white girls single handedly got the place hopping again! Massive high-fives ensued as we left the stage. Somewhere, at the back of The Mint, I think I saw the "Nessun Dorma" guy giving us the stink eye.
I called it a night shortly after that. I figured there was no way I could top my performance, so I decided to end on a high note. There's no video, thank goodness, so the memory of bringing the bar back to life lives on only in a few pics that people managed to get. Regardless of how apprehensive I was walking in to the whole event, I walked out of the bar feeling like a freaking star. Karaoke's good like that. Perhaps next time, if there is a next time, I'll do it a little more sober, though...
Video of some of the most amazing moments I experienced that evening coming soon... promise, its worth it.
A few weeks ago, I hopped in my car and headed over to my sister's friend's birthday party at The Mint in San Francisco. My role for the night was to provide backup for my sister in the event that she ran into someone she really didn't want to see. Because that's what sisters do. Anyways, ever heard of this joint? I surely hadn't. All I knew was that it was a karaoke bar, and that alone scared me. But when I heard that it was a predominantly gay karaoke bar, I became interested. This might actually be kinda fun, I thought to myself. I had zero plans to sing any songs, but hey, I could do a night of karaoke and free drinks...sure.
When we walked in, someone was doing a HORRID rendition of "With a Little Help From My Friends". It hurt my soul. Somewhere, John Lennon was rolling over in his grave. Everyone in our party looked at one another skittishly. Oh man, I thought. This was gonna be a LOOOONG night. But after several drinks, several songs by people who were pretty good, and several who where TOTALLY having a blast regardless of singing sucktitude, I stared to sing along in my seat. Before I knew it, I looked over to see TW (sis's significant other) BELTING out the lyrics to "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley. Yeah, that's right, the Rick Roll. Funny thing was that I also knew all the lyrics. Alcohol was flowing, people were singing fun songs, and I had to admit to myself that this wasn't so bad.
Then, like 5 people in a row sang totally sappy, Debbie Downer, buzzkill songs. You could totally feel the place's energy go right out the door along with more than half the people. The vibe became so serious! Puccini's "Nessun Dorma" at a karaoke bar?! Really?! I don't care if you can totally rock that very difficult song (which the guy did)....karaoke is supposed to be silly and fun. Like Spice Girls, Bon Jovi fun. Like Sir Mix-a-Lot fun. Sir Mix-a-lot. Hmmmmm. That gave me an idea. In my drunken mind, I devised a sure-fire way to get people involved, hyped up and singing along again. I grabbed a pen and a request form, snagged $5 from TW, wrote down my name as well as my sister's and submitted it to the sleazy "DJ".
Ten minutes later, my sister and I found ourselves up on stage BUSTING out "Baby Got Back". Keep in mind, we're two very white girls in a gay karaoke bar. The details of the actual performance are a little fuzzy to me because of the nerves and the alcohol, but apparently neither of us looked at the screen once for the lyrics. There were mad dance moves on stage, dancing off stage, and people cheering us on. Because we were seriously working the dance moves while trying to sing, we were pretty out of breath. Looking back, I personally feel like I could have done a better job of bringing Sir Mix-a Lot's vision to life. But one fact was clear: the white girls single handedly got the place hopping again! Massive high-fives ensued as we left the stage. Somewhere, at the back of The Mint, I think I saw the "Nessun Dorma" guy giving us the stink eye.
I called it a night shortly after that. I figured there was no way I could top my performance, so I decided to end on a high note. There's no video, thank goodness, so the memory of bringing the bar back to life lives on only in a few pics that people managed to get. Regardless of how apprehensive I was walking in to the whole event, I walked out of the bar feeling like a freaking star. Karaoke's good like that. Perhaps next time, if there is a next time, I'll do it a little more sober, though...
Video of some of the most amazing moments I experienced that evening coming soon... promise, its worth it.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
AMAZING news!
Last night, my gym had their bi-annual Member Appreciation party. I stopped by to help out Amelia with her BodyJam demo, and partake in the festivities. This included plenty of laughs with my gym friends and a healthy glass of wine before the dancing began. I hadn't had much to eat during the day, and needless to say, I really felt the wine. By the time we were ready for the demo, I was feeling gooood...
Amelia busted out with a ton of new choreography that was fun, sassy, and totally funky. I picked up quickly and felt comfortable enough to give it a little of my own flavor. I had a great time. Amelia said that the group looked great and that all the spectators and party-goers were really enjoying the vibe. I was too, but didn't think anything of it after it was over. After all, there was more wine to consume and pasta to eat...
But today, when I walked in to the gym, I was greeted by someone I'd never seen before. She introduced herself and mentioned that she'd been at the party the night before and had seen the demo. Apparently, she'd heard that Amelia's program had some awesome dancers and that she needed some backup dancers for an upcoming video shoot. Not gonna lie...my heart RACED when I heard this. So exciting! I've always wanted to dance in videos for a major pop star (I know that sounds insane, but its true) and here was this lady, presenting me with the chance! WOW!
I can't say too much more about it now, but as I get more news, I'll fill you all in. But, I'm gonna be a dancer in a VIDEO! I'm big time now, bitches!! This might be the start of a whole new career for me. I'm thrilled. WOOT!
Amelia busted out with a ton of new choreography that was fun, sassy, and totally funky. I picked up quickly and felt comfortable enough to give it a little of my own flavor. I had a great time. Amelia said that the group looked great and that all the spectators and party-goers were really enjoying the vibe. I was too, but didn't think anything of it after it was over. After all, there was more wine to consume and pasta to eat...
But today, when I walked in to the gym, I was greeted by someone I'd never seen before. She introduced herself and mentioned that she'd been at the party the night before and had seen the demo. Apparently, she'd heard that Amelia's program had some awesome dancers and that she needed some backup dancers for an upcoming video shoot. Not gonna lie...my heart RACED when I heard this. So exciting! I've always wanted to dance in videos for a major pop star (I know that sounds insane, but its true) and here was this lady, presenting me with the chance! WOW!
I can't say too much more about it now, but as I get more news, I'll fill you all in. But, I'm gonna be a dancer in a VIDEO! I'm big time now, bitches!! This might be the start of a whole new career for me. I'm thrilled. WOOT!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
My fascination with this ridiculous song continues...
Thanks to an AMAZING find by JZ, I give you this. (As an aside, I think it sucks when people disable the "embed" feature. Booooooo!) Say what you will, but DAMN, boyfriend is killin' it! Hilarious.
No, your eyes don't deceive you...that IS indeed Justin Timberlake on the right in a black leotard and heels. Double hilarious.
And I know I'm totally behind on this one and dozens of people have already pointed this out (as always), but it bears repeating that Beyonce's video is a 1000% RIP of Bob Fosse's old school choreography. Obviously, this is not the original music used for the piece, but it gives you a pretty good idea of where Miss Sasha Fierce got her moves from (even if they have been sexified a bit):
See what I mean? Pretty damn similar. Even though I wasn't even a glimmer in my parents' eyes when this piece first came out, EVERY dancer has seen it at one point or another. It's hard to believe that Beyonce's work is completely original after seeing this.
But, what am I getting all bent out of shape about...who cares?! The song and video are fun. And if JZ ever makes it back to the Bay Area, she and I just might have to have a little dance-off. I'm working on my moves. Are you? Whoo!!
Then, there's this one:
No, your eyes don't deceive you...that IS indeed Justin Timberlake on the right in a black leotard and heels. Double hilarious.
And I know I'm totally behind on this one and dozens of people have already pointed this out (as always), but it bears repeating that Beyonce's video is a 1000% RIP of Bob Fosse's old school choreography. Obviously, this is not the original music used for the piece, but it gives you a pretty good idea of where Miss Sasha Fierce got her moves from (even if they have been sexified a bit):
See what I mean? Pretty damn similar. Even though I wasn't even a glimmer in my parents' eyes when this piece first came out, EVERY dancer has seen it at one point or another. It's hard to believe that Beyonce's work is completely original after seeing this.
But, what am I getting all bent out of shape about...who cares?! The song and video are fun. And if JZ ever makes it back to the Bay Area, she and I just might have to have a little dance-off. I'm working on my moves. Are you? Whoo!!
Monday, October 20, 2008
En pointe
This past Saturday, I took my mom to see the Kirov Ballet at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley. Usually, we sit in rafters, up where the oxygen is thin. Zellerbach is small enough that even the seats waaaay in the back still offer pretty decent views. But this time, we sat in the tiers on the right side of the stage. After the near-perfect views of everything but the far right wing, I can pretty much say that I will be sitting in the tiers from now on. The view from our seats couldn't be beat. And thank goodness too. The male lead, Anton Korsakov, was just exquisite. Think that word may not be appropriate to describe a masculine dancer (albeit a ballet dancer)? Just look at his hands in the below pic (click to enlarge):
See what I mean? Attention to detail. Polished. Everything this guy did was flawless. Gorgeous, sky-high leaps, extension for miles, perfectly pointed toes, a joy to watch...UNTIL, he got to his fouettes. Don't get me wrong, they were still balanced and controlled while still looking fairly effortless, but I couldn't help thinking that he didn't have near the center that Danny Tidwell has (yes, that Danny of SYTYCD fame). Don't remember what I'm talking about? Here, check this out...
Let the whole thing load and then skip to about 2:28...that's where the turns start (or you could watch the whole thing and get chills, like I just did...again.). Now, make no mistake, I am not trying to compare apples and oranges, I'm just sayin that even though Anton Korsakov is a freaking BRILLIANT dancer (not to mention that he's totally cute...he has a Myspace fan club, for crying out loud!), his turns weren't quite as centered as Danny Tidwell's. That's all. Still, I was totally blown away and impressed. So elegant and regal, he was.
Anyhoo, I had a ball and smiled the entire time. The $70 per ticket that I kicked down for the tier seats was totally worth it. Despite my love for bone-crunching sports like hockey and rugby, I will always have a special place in my heart for the ballet. And when it comes to wonderful companies like the Kirov, I'm a happy kid who'll always come back for more.
See what I mean? Attention to detail. Polished. Everything this guy did was flawless. Gorgeous, sky-high leaps, extension for miles, perfectly pointed toes, a joy to watch...UNTIL, he got to his fouettes. Don't get me wrong, they were still balanced and controlled while still looking fairly effortless, but I couldn't help thinking that he didn't have near the center that Danny Tidwell has (yes, that Danny of SYTYCD fame). Don't remember what I'm talking about? Here, check this out...
Let the whole thing load and then skip to about 2:28...that's where the turns start (or you could watch the whole thing and get chills, like I just did...again.). Now, make no mistake, I am not trying to compare apples and oranges, I'm just sayin that even though Anton Korsakov is a freaking BRILLIANT dancer (not to mention that he's totally cute...he has a Myspace fan club, for crying out loud!), his turns weren't quite as centered as Danny Tidwell's. That's all. Still, I was totally blown away and impressed. So elegant and regal, he was.
Anyhoo, I had a ball and smiled the entire time. The $70 per ticket that I kicked down for the tier seats was totally worth it. Despite my love for bone-crunching sports like hockey and rugby, I will always have a special place in my heart for the ballet. And when it comes to wonderful companies like the Kirov, I'm a happy kid who'll always come back for more.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Misc.
Lately, I've seen the word "bereft" misused on several very well-know websites by several very well-known fame-whores bloggers. As a result of their misuse, their commenters have started misusing it as well, because, really, who thinks for themselves anymore? Let's clarify, shall we?
First and foremost, "bereft" IS NOT a synonym for "upset", mmmmkay? You can't be bereft because your favorite reality TV star got voted off, nor can you be bereft because you didn't win a t-shirt in a silly online contest. Got it? Good.
Now that we've got that out of the way. So, what does it mean, then? Well, according to Dictionary.com:
Moving on...YAY for Joshua winning SYTYCD! Double YAY for Twitch finishing second. And I don't care what the judges said:
Phillip Chbeeb won that battle. Periodendofstory. Love ya, Phillip! Call me! We'll do lunch!
That concludes your SYTYCD coverage until next season. Whew!
One of these days, I'll get around to the Batman villains post. I promise. LOL!
BRING ON THE OLYMPICS! Both the DVR and my schedule are cleared and I'm ready to consume mass quantities of the awesomest sporting competition on Earth. Woot!
Have a great Friday and an even better weekend! Peace!!
First and foremost, "bereft" IS NOT a synonym for "upset", mmmmkay? You can't be bereft because your favorite reality TV star got voted off, nor can you be bereft because you didn't win a t-shirt in a silly online contest. Got it? Good.
Now that we've got that out of the way. So, what does it mean, then? Well, according to Dictionary.com:
be·reft: –adjectiveAfter someone (who will remain nameless) recently made it blatantly clear to me just how irritating grammar snobs can be, I've tried to let simple errors slide. But when a word has changed meanings thanks to the blogosphere, I have to say something.
2. deprived
Here are two examples of how to use it correctly in a sentence: They are bereft of their senses. He is bereft of all happiness.
Moving on...YAY for Joshua winning SYTYCD! Double YAY for Twitch finishing second. And I don't care what the judges said:
Phillip Chbeeb won that battle. Periodendofstory. Love ya, Phillip! Call me! We'll do lunch!
That concludes your SYTYCD coverage until next season. Whew!
One of these days, I'll get around to the Batman villains post. I promise. LOL!
BRING ON THE OLYMPICS! Both the DVR and my schedule are cleared and I'm ready to consume mass quantities of the awesomest sporting competition on Earth. Woot!
Have a great Friday and an even better weekend! Peace!!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Even though I said...
...that SYTYCD is dead to me (after Will left), I have to admit that, yes, I'm still watching. In the interest of keeping the blog free of my dance ramblings, I figured I'd save all my comments about the show for BSYTYCD, where I knew I'd be in the company of people just as looney as I am about dance. But, unexpectedly and unfortunately but understandably, Ted shut BSYTYCD down recently. So here I am again, posting about a show that is supposedly dead to me. Fancy that.
Anyways, tonight the winner of season 4 is crowned (and I promise...not another word about SYTYCD will grace the pages of this blog...until next season). For me, last night's show was kinda ho-hum intermixed with some moments of brilliance. Case in point:
Just look at those toe-touches. Holy smokes. Fantastic display of athleticism from both Joshua and Twitch. I have to say though, I hope Twitch takes it. I know he's a super-duper long shot, but Nigel was right (for once) when he said that no one can entertain like Twitch. If he doesn't take it all, I'd be cool with Joshua winning it. The height of those toe-touches alone should merit some kind of award.
And although this is a very entertaining and fun departure from the usual SYTYCD styles (thank god there was no disco last night!), KezRad pointed me to this example of what a true trepak should be. Very cool. Thanks for the tip! =)
In any case, it's all over tonight. And just in time, too! If I had to choose between the Olympics or SYTYCD, the Olympics would win hands down, no matter what sport happens to be on (yes, even weightlifting...hee-hee!) =)
Anyways, tonight the winner of season 4 is crowned (and I promise...not another word about SYTYCD will grace the pages of this blog...until next season). For me, last night's show was kinda ho-hum intermixed with some moments of brilliance. Case in point:
(Let the whole thing load and then skip to 1:50...that's where the fun stuff starts. A season-long thanks goes to kelxk3l for uploading all the great videos!)
Just look at those toe-touches. Holy smokes. Fantastic display of athleticism from both Joshua and Twitch. I have to say though, I hope Twitch takes it. I know he's a super-duper long shot, but Nigel was right (for once) when he said that no one can entertain like Twitch. If he doesn't take it all, I'd be cool with Joshua winning it. The height of those toe-touches alone should merit some kind of award.
And although this is a very entertaining and fun departure from the usual SYTYCD styles (thank god there was no disco last night!), KezRad pointed me to this example of what a true trepak should be. Very cool. Thanks for the tip! =)
In any case, it's all over tonight. And just in time, too! If I had to choose between the Olympics or SYTYCD, the Olympics would win hands down, no matter what sport happens to be on (yes, even weightlifting...hee-hee!) =)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
But, but I *voted* for Will...
...lots of times Tuesday night, and I normally don't vote for reality shows at all! Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. In a stunning turn of events, Will Wingfield, the best technical dancer to ever grace the SYTYCD stage has been voted off. In my last post, I vowed to never watch the show again if Will didn't win it all, because HELLO?! No one could touch him! He was a shoe-in for the win!
Well, it's official. So You Think You Can Dance is dead to me. I don't care who wins now, but whoever does has to know deep in his or her heart that its a fluke. Will going home this early is bullshit. Plain and simple. There. I said it.
Farewell, amazingly elegant Will. Whatever company you end up with, I will pay good money to see.
Well, it's official. So You Think You Can Dance is dead to me. I don't care who wins now, but whoever does has to know deep in his or her heart that its a fluke. Will going home this early is bullshit. Plain and simple. There. I said it.
Just for shits and giggles, here's what America chose to send home tonight:
Farewell, amazingly elegant Will. Whatever company you end up with, I will pay good money to see.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Shut the front door...
No, really. The most recent installment of SYTYCD was so fabulous, I was left wanting MORE (and so far this season, that hasn't happened)!! I actually loved every number and solo, and yes, that even includes Mark and Comfort's foxtrot. Usually, I post my favorite number of the week, but with all the amazing offerings, I'm having a hell of a time deciding. Man, the choreographers really stepped up their efforts this week, and the dancers did all of the numbers justice. It was just hot.
But, before I get to all the things I LOVED, let's talk about the stuff I could have done without, shall we?
1. Chelsie's attitude. It doesn't matter how ridiculous your legs are, young lady. When your personality is so very obnoxious and rude (bordering on ugly), it cancels out all of the hotness. Seriously. Slamming the very popular, audience-friendly Joshua every chance you got was not OK. Grow up. Be professional. You're not in 6th grade homeroom anymore. Remember, SYTYCD is all about finding America's favorite dancer and you just slipped into the bottom 2, missy.
2. Nigel slamming Joshua and picking on him for his "big bum". I'm sure Mr. Nigel would be surprised to learn that women LIKE the junk in the trunk. Especially when wardrobe puts that junk in tight pants (Bless you, wardrobe). It's not funny or cool or appropriate to pick on people for their physical attributes. This isn't America's Next Top Model, for Christ's sake!
Ok, now that I've gotten that off of my chest, on to the good stuff:
1. Tabitha and Napoleon. Are they just the cutest couple EVAR or what?! Mark and Comfort's hip hop number was AMAZING (it was in the running for my favorite dance of the night...and possibly the season). But, by far, their best choreography effort was reserved for Will and Courtney. Not gonna lie...I got a little teary. So beautiful. If Will doesn't win the whole damn show, I vow never to watch again. Seriously. (I'll post the video when I can find it. Promise. It's worth the wait.)
2. WILL'S SOLO! He danced *just* like James Brown. When it was over, I was pissed. I could have watched him dance all night long. So. Entertaining.
3. Toni Basil. Ok, she used the word "street" one too many times, and she rambled a little at times but her critiques were spot on and very thoughtful. She also looked a little spacey. The fact that she couldn't focus her eyes so well, plus the rambling = good TV, right there. Airheadedness aside, "Oh Mickey" lady knows her dance. More of her and Lil' C on the judging panel, please.
4. For my favorite of the night, I've settled on this one (and trust me, it was a tough choice):
(video uploaded by tacksy. Thanks!)
Mia Michaels has kinda been on my sh*t list as of late, because she can't keep her big mouth shut and then when she tries to make it better by opening her piehole again, she just digs herself deeper and manages to look more foolish and rude, but HOLY MOSES, this number is SO good. Love the quality of Twitch's movement and double love that he is just cool as ice.
It's gonna be hard to lose anyone this week. This is where the show gets hard. I want everyone to stay, but my votes this week go to Courtney, Will and Twitch. Poor Mark, I think, will be the next to go. Bummer too. His style is SO unique. But someone's gotta go...and it better not be my Will!!
But, before I get to all the things I LOVED, let's talk about the stuff I could have done without, shall we?
1. Chelsie's attitude. It doesn't matter how ridiculous your legs are, young lady. When your personality is so very obnoxious and rude (bordering on ugly), it cancels out all of the hotness. Seriously. Slamming the very popular, audience-friendly Joshua every chance you got was not OK. Grow up. Be professional. You're not in 6th grade homeroom anymore. Remember, SYTYCD is all about finding America's favorite dancer and you just slipped into the bottom 2, missy.
2. Nigel slamming Joshua and picking on him for his "big bum". I'm sure Mr. Nigel would be surprised to learn that women LIKE the junk in the trunk. Especially when wardrobe puts that junk in tight pants (Bless you, wardrobe). It's not funny or cool or appropriate to pick on people for their physical attributes. This isn't America's Next Top Model, for Christ's sake!
Ok, now that I've gotten that off of my chest, on to the good stuff:
1. Tabitha and Napoleon. Are they just the cutest couple EVAR or what?! Mark and Comfort's hip hop number was AMAZING (it was in the running for my favorite dance of the night...and possibly the season). But, by far, their best choreography effort was reserved for Will and Courtney. Not gonna lie...I got a little teary. So beautiful. If Will doesn't win the whole damn show, I vow never to watch again. Seriously. (I'll post the video when I can find it. Promise. It's worth the wait.)
2. WILL'S SOLO! He danced *just* like James Brown. When it was over, I was pissed. I could have watched him dance all night long. So. Entertaining.
3. Toni Basil. Ok, she used the word "street" one too many times, and she rambled a little at times but her critiques were spot on and very thoughtful. She also looked a little spacey. The fact that she couldn't focus her eyes so well, plus the rambling = good TV, right there. Airheadedness aside, "Oh Mickey" lady knows her dance. More of her and Lil' C on the judging panel, please.
4. For my favorite of the night, I've settled on this one (and trust me, it was a tough choice):
(video uploaded by tacksy. Thanks!)
Mia Michaels has kinda been on my sh*t list as of late, because she can't keep her big mouth shut and then when she tries to make it better by opening her piehole again, she just digs herself deeper and manages to look more foolish and rude, but HOLY MOSES, this number is SO good. Love the quality of Twitch's movement and double love that he is just cool as ice.
It's gonna be hard to lose anyone this week. This is where the show gets hard. I want everyone to stay, but my votes this week go to Courtney, Will and Twitch. Poor Mark, I think, will be the next to go. Bummer too. His style is SO unique. But someone's gotta go...and it better not be my Will!!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Decisions, decisions...
I did not watch the Season 5 Project Runway premier. Instead, I opted to ogle at Will Wingfield the gorgeous dancers on SYTYCD and record Project Runway for viewing when I get around to it. I dunno...this new season of PR...it just feels so....what's the word...contrived. Overdone. Passé. Maybe after watching the first episode, I'll feel differently and be excited to see the designers and all of the overthought, forced challenges. But for now, I am SO happy I chose to tune in to catch this:
This is what SYTYCD calls a "Pas de Deux", or "dance for two". And technically speaking, it is. But traditionally, a pas de deux is meant to be more of a ballet style dance, with three separate phrases to it. Although achingly beautiful, I'm not sure what differentiates this piece from, say, a contemporary number. And I have to think that the producers of the show gave this one to Katee and Will on purpose, because they knew no one else on the show could pull it off. Seriously, could you see Comfort or even Kherington performing this? Talk about a massacre. I bet Nigel and Co. sat down and discussed just who could carry Desmond Richardson's incredibly difficult choreography off and settled on Will and Katee. (as an aside: in college, I used to go to every dance performance that came to Zellerbach Hall...Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre was one of my favorites, and I remember seeing Desmond back in the day. Effortlessly perfect, he was. And still is!)
Anyways, the PR premier is DVR'd and ready to go...should I ever feel like watching. On the other hand, I could watch Katee and Will all day long. =)
(allow the whole thing to load, and then skip to 1:08...thanks kelxk3l!)
This is what SYTYCD calls a "Pas de Deux", or "dance for two". And technically speaking, it is. But traditionally, a pas de deux is meant to be more of a ballet style dance, with three separate phrases to it. Although achingly beautiful, I'm not sure what differentiates this piece from, say, a contemporary number. And I have to think that the producers of the show gave this one to Katee and Will on purpose, because they knew no one else on the show could pull it off. Seriously, could you see Comfort or even Kherington performing this? Talk about a massacre. I bet Nigel and Co. sat down and discussed just who could carry Desmond Richardson's incredibly difficult choreography off and settled on Will and Katee. (as an aside: in college, I used to go to every dance performance that came to Zellerbach Hall...Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre was one of my favorites, and I remember seeing Desmond back in the day. Effortlessly perfect, he was. And still is!)
Anyways, the PR premier is DVR'd and ready to go...should I ever feel like watching. On the other hand, I could watch Katee and Will all day long. =)
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Stuff from all over
Ok, so we've got a lot to discuss tonight. First and foremost, dance. SYTYCD continued its current snooze-streak with another series of numbers that left me pretty cold...all except for both of Mia Michaels's choreography contributions. Here's the second one, featuring Twitch and Kherington in their PJs:
Oh goodness, Twitch is stunning. And I love the bedhead Kherington's got going in this one. The only negative...the excessive rose petals. The last time Twitch dropped them, it worked. All of the other throws seemed like overkill to me. The dance was gorgeous on its own. If you find yourself distracted by the flying rose petals, watch it again, and try to focus on the dancers. Lovely.
And despite the fact that I HATE the song, Will and Jessica's lyrical piece was also great. In fact, Will is my new hero. That leap at the beginning? WOW. (Thanks, as always, to kelxk3l for the uploading the vid! I don't know who you are, but you ROCK for always getting the clips up so quickly after the show. You must live on the east coast...)
Secondly, I almost feel like this news deserves its own post, but I'm just too lazy and writing about Brian Campbell is just something I can no longer devote any sort of energy to. The Sharks traded away my dear Big Bear (Steve Bernier) for the strawberry mountain man (Campbell) midseason and boy, what a flop of a trade that was. Bernier caught fire in Buffalo, while Campbell just sucked it up with the Sharks. All I can say is that the Blackhawks are a buncha chumps to cough up that much cash for an inconsistent Campbell. That said, good riddance, Soupy. LATES!!
At least five people came to my cube today to comment on my shoes, hair and clothes. Everyone stated that they all dressed like me when they started, but soon realized that the office is much more casual. Worth noting: I had trouser jeans on today...and yeah, I might have worn a pair of Beverly Feldmans, but sheesh! After my last wardrobe experience where I was constantly unprofessionally dressed, I'm not yet OK with how casual my new office is. It's OK, though...I'm sure I'll get there.
New song posted over there in the sidebar. Love this one. =)
Lastly, it happened again tonight. About two weeks ago during my Bodyflow class, I had an overwhelming urge to cry. I choked the tears down , but man, it was a strange thing for me. Crying during yoga? I've heard of such things happening, but had never experienced it. Earlier tonight, the same thing happened. I don't fully understand it, but I know it happens when we're going through the hip opening series...and I carry a TON of tension in my hips. I guess letting that go and giving in to the stretch is just an emotional thing for me. Weird shit, though.
Ok, that's it for now. Going to crash. Catch you back here soon. HUGS!
Oh goodness, Twitch is stunning. And I love the bedhead Kherington's got going in this one. The only negative...the excessive rose petals. The last time Twitch dropped them, it worked. All of the other throws seemed like overkill to me. The dance was gorgeous on its own. If you find yourself distracted by the flying rose petals, watch it again, and try to focus on the dancers. Lovely.
And despite the fact that I HATE the song, Will and Jessica's lyrical piece was also great. In fact, Will is my new hero. That leap at the beginning? WOW. (Thanks, as always, to kelxk3l for the uploading the vid! I don't know who you are, but you ROCK for always getting the clips up so quickly after the show. You must live on the east coast...)
Secondly, I almost feel like this news deserves its own post, but I'm just too lazy and writing about Brian Campbell is just something I can no longer devote any sort of energy to. The Sharks traded away my dear Big Bear (Steve Bernier) for the strawberry mountain man (Campbell) midseason and boy, what a flop of a trade that was. Bernier caught fire in Buffalo, while Campbell just sucked it up with the Sharks. All I can say is that the Blackhawks are a buncha chumps to cough up that much cash for an inconsistent Campbell. That said, good riddance, Soupy. LATES!!
At least five people came to my cube today to comment on my shoes, hair and clothes. Everyone stated that they all dressed like me when they started, but soon realized that the office is much more casual. Worth noting: I had trouser jeans on today...and yeah, I might have worn a pair of Beverly Feldmans, but sheesh! After my last wardrobe experience where I was constantly unprofessionally dressed, I'm not yet OK with how casual my new office is. It's OK, though...I'm sure I'll get there.
New song posted over there in the sidebar. Love this one. =)
Lastly, it happened again tonight. About two weeks ago during my Bodyflow class, I had an overwhelming urge to cry. I choked the tears down , but man, it was a strange thing for me. Crying during yoga? I've heard of such things happening, but had never experienced it. Earlier tonight, the same thing happened. I don't fully understand it, but I know it happens when we're going through the hip opening series...and I carry a TON of tension in my hips. I guess letting that go and giving in to the stretch is just an emotional thing for me. Weird shit, though.
Ok, that's it for now. Going to crash. Catch you back here soon. HUGS!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Randomness
I have so much to say about the first day of my new job, but I promised myself that I'd actually learn something from my previous crap-tastic experience with blogging about work, so we'll just leave it at this:
I have A LOT to learn...and I love it.
YAY! =)
Until things calm down a bit with the new gig, posting might be light. But SYTYCD is on tomorrow night which means I'll probably throw a vid of my fave dance up. But until then, please enjoy this throwback to the days when MTV still played music videos that featured real, actual dancing:
Back in the day, I freaking loved this video. Me and all my dancer friends played it over and over on the VCR to learn the moves. Back then, Janet was the sh*t. Whatever happened to videos like this? Damn...
I have A LOT to learn...and I love it.
YAY! =)
Until things calm down a bit with the new gig, posting might be light. But SYTYCD is on tomorrow night which means I'll probably throw a vid of my fave dance up. But until then, please enjoy this throwback to the days when MTV still played music videos that featured real, actual dancing:
Back in the day, I freaking loved this video. Me and all my dancer friends played it over and over on the VCR to learn the moves. Back then, Janet was the sh*t. Whatever happened to videos like this? Damn...
Thursday, June 26, 2008
SYTYCD needs something new...like Tabitha, Napoleon and Sonya!
From a seemingly endless sea of mediocrity (read: last night's SYTYCD) comes this gem:
(Note: let the whole thing load and then skip to about 2:34. That's where the dancing starts. Up until that point, its all fluff and frou-frou. Thanks again to kelxk3l!)
And not a moment too soon, either! Even though I hate this song with the fire of a thousand suns, I am totally in love with this piece. And up until it came along, it was the only one of the night I really felt belonged on the show. I was worried that every dance from last night's show was going to totally fall flat and leave me feeling "meh". Chelsie and Mark brought tons of emotion to Tabitha and Napoleon's solid choreography, making it the best dance of the night for me.
It's weird. I don't know what's up with this season, but so far, I can only remember two or three really great numbers. Making the AMAZING dancers look even more amazing should be a slam dunk. I know I'm not gonna win any popularity contests by saying this, but I have to look at the choreographers. Case in point: Normally solid Tyce Diorio cranked out a lackluster, nay, boring number to Marilyn Manson's "The Beautiful People". I LOVE that song. I wanted the choreography to hit hard. It didn't. I wanted it to be raw and intense and dirty, like the song. It was none of those things. I was bummed. And, so help me, if I have to see one more Doriana Sanchez disco number, I might give up on the show all together.
I did, however, enjoy new choreographer Sonya Tayeh's contemporary effort. Quirky. Interesting. New. Unique. All of those things are what the show needs now. In it's fourth season, the producers can't expect us to still be wowed by the same disco number that we saw in season one.
There are a million awesome new choreographers out there that I'm sure would love to be a part of SYTYCD. If a fifth season is to be, the producers need to find these people and beg and plead for them to lend their talents to the show. Otherwise, I fear that the public will get tired of seeing the same dances again and again. I know I'm already half-way there.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Boob Tube: Updated!
Ok, so I know we have LOTS to discuss in the world of television, but I've got another interview this morning and will not be able to cover all the delicious stuff until later. But...
On SYTYCD, the top 20 performed for the first time. I have the beginning DVR'd because I missed about 40 minutes. What I did see, though, I loved. Chelsie Hightower and Matt...just beautiful. Here's their performance from last night to keep you entertained until I get back:
We also have the Top Chef finale and winner to discuss. PLEASE don't post anything about this yet, as I have not watched it! God bless the DVR.
I'll be back soon! In the meantime, wish me luck! =)
UPDATED:
The interview went very well. I rewarded myself with a huge plate of chicken mole, rice and beans from my fave place near home and a serious veg-fest in front of the TV with last night's SYTYCD and Top Chef. Where to start?
I think its safe to assume that if your name is Courtney (or Kourtni) or Chelsea (or Chelsie), life on SYTYCD will be pretty good for you this season. It's also safe to say that if you answer to Chelsea, or any derivation thereof, you will have *ri-goddamn-diculously* long, amazing legs that will become the focus of any dance choreographed for you. I, for one, applaud the choreographers that will exploit this.
It's entirely too early in the season to pick favorites, but so far, I am totally loving EVERYONE. Seriously, there wasn't a single number from last night's show that I didn't love or enjoy on some level. There's a ton of talented dancers with with personality for miles. I was a little scared after the abysmal Vegas auditions, but in fine SYTYCD style, the producers have definitely saved the best dancing for the main show. YAY! Make sure to catch the results show tonight to see who gets the boot first...
As for Top Chef...total SNOOZEFEST. Listen, I'm glad a female finally won (Go Stephanie!), but my goodness, the finale was about as bland as the pork belly Richard served for his third course. Where was the drama, the scandal, the tampering with other chef's oven temperatures?! Last night's final episode, for all intents and purposes, consisted of nothing more than three people cooking. And from what the judges had to say, not cooking particularly well, either. Blah.
At least Hell's Kitchen is still exciting. I swear, I could listen to Gordon Ramsay curse at the prospective chefs all day long. And next time someone I know really blows it, I'm not gonna hesitate to call him or her a "DONKEY" in my best British accent. That's good TV, right there.
On SYTYCD, the top 20 performed for the first time. I have the beginning DVR'd because I missed about 40 minutes. What I did see, though, I loved. Chelsie Hightower and Matt...just beautiful. Here's their performance from last night to keep you entertained until I get back:
(thanks kelxk3l!)
We also have the Top Chef finale and winner to discuss. PLEASE don't post anything about this yet, as I have not watched it! God bless the DVR.
I'll be back soon! In the meantime, wish me luck! =)
UPDATED:
The interview went very well. I rewarded myself with a huge plate of chicken mole, rice and beans from my fave place near home and a serious veg-fest in front of the TV with last night's SYTYCD and Top Chef. Where to start?
I think its safe to assume that if your name is Courtney (or Kourtni) or Chelsea (or Chelsie), life on SYTYCD will be pretty good for you this season. It's also safe to say that if you answer to Chelsea, or any derivation thereof, you will have *ri-goddamn-diculously* long, amazing legs that will become the focus of any dance choreographed for you. I, for one, applaud the choreographers that will exploit this.
It's entirely too early in the season to pick favorites, but so far, I am totally loving EVERYONE. Seriously, there wasn't a single number from last night's show that I didn't love or enjoy on some level. There's a ton of talented dancers with with personality for miles. I was a little scared after the abysmal Vegas auditions, but in fine SYTYCD style, the producers have definitely saved the best dancing for the main show. YAY! Make sure to catch the results show tonight to see who gets the boot first...
As for Top Chef...total SNOOZEFEST. Listen, I'm glad a female finally won (Go Stephanie!), but my goodness, the finale was about as bland as the pork belly Richard served for his third course. Where was the drama, the scandal, the tampering with other chef's oven temperatures?! Last night's final episode, for all intents and purposes, consisted of nothing more than three people cooking. And from what the judges had to say, not cooking particularly well, either. Blah.
At least Hell's Kitchen is still exciting. I swear, I could listen to Gordon Ramsay curse at the prospective chefs all day long. And next time someone I know really blows it, I'm not gonna hesitate to call him or her a "DONKEY" in my best British accent. That's good TV, right there.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Straight through to Vegas? Seriously?!
So, ok. By now, you should all know I possess an unnatural love for SYTYCD and all things dance in general (Dancing With the Stars excepted). But here's my beef with this season's auditions thus far: They took close to 200 dancers to the next round in Las Vegas, and honestly, we've seen maybe a handful of those people. Who are they? What's their story? We want to see them!!
I don't know how other viewers feel, but personally, I don't need to see all the poor souls that Fox feels the need to exploit because they believe all humans are Schadenfreuds. Some of those people, I truly felt bad for. I know that Nigel Lithgoe is behind both American Idol and SYTYCD, so it makes sense that the same formula is applied to both shows. But, more than ever, this season's SYTYCD auditions seem to be going the way of Idol, where only the heinous people get air time, because they're considered "good TV". And I understand that once a show gains a certain amount of popularity, as Idol and SYTYCD have, strange folks will come out of the woodwork to try to get on TV. But, I fell in love with SYTYCD because it used to avoid that type of shameless ratings-whoring, and now...well...*sigh*. It kinda leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth.
Before getting to the actual Milwaukee auditions, last night's two hour show started out with several dancers who did make it through to the next round from previous cities. Why they weren't included the first time around is anyone's guess. This look back also gave me the distinct impression that there just wasn't enough content, good or bad, to fill the two hour slot. Boy, was I right. There was a whole lotta "meh". Some great, some terrible, but most were right in between. And if you've ever watched the show before, you know the "meh" doesn't usually fly. But, for whatever reason, so-so dancer after so-so dancer made the cut, snatched their ticket to Vegas, and ran out of the auditorium before the judges realized their mistake. Even DJC commented on how "blah" everyone seemed and how surprised he was at how frequently tickets to Vegas were dished out.
This is not to say that everyone featured last night was underwhelming. There were flashes of brilliance from time to time. Take, for instance, Cooper Zamorano. I literally got chills:
I hope to see him in the Top 20, which is revealed during another two-hour bonanza tonight. I was also left wanting more of Kourtni Lind and Evan Kasprzak. Now that all the riff-raff has been weeded out, hopefully the level of talent Fox chooses to display will pick up a little. Because after last night, it can't much more boring or bland. I invite the SYTYCD faithful to throw their two cents in...
Will what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas? Stay tuned! =)
(again, word to Kelxk3l for uploading the clips!)
I don't know how other viewers feel, but personally, I don't need to see all the poor souls that Fox feels the need to exploit because they believe all humans are Schadenfreuds. Some of those people, I truly felt bad for. I know that Nigel Lithgoe is behind both American Idol and SYTYCD, so it makes sense that the same formula is applied to both shows. But, more than ever, this season's SYTYCD auditions seem to be going the way of Idol, where only the heinous people get air time, because they're considered "good TV". And I understand that once a show gains a certain amount of popularity, as Idol and SYTYCD have, strange folks will come out of the woodwork to try to get on TV. But, I fell in love with SYTYCD because it used to avoid that type of shameless ratings-whoring, and now...well...*sigh*. It kinda leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth.
Before getting to the actual Milwaukee auditions, last night's two hour show started out with several dancers who did make it through to the next round from previous cities. Why they weren't included the first time around is anyone's guess. This look back also gave me the distinct impression that there just wasn't enough content, good or bad, to fill the two hour slot. Boy, was I right. There was a whole lotta "meh". Some great, some terrible, but most were right in between. And if you've ever watched the show before, you know the "meh" doesn't usually fly. But, for whatever reason, so-so dancer after so-so dancer made the cut, snatched their ticket to Vegas, and ran out of the auditorium before the judges realized their mistake. Even DJC commented on how "blah" everyone seemed and how surprised he was at how frequently tickets to Vegas were dished out.
This is not to say that everyone featured last night was underwhelming. There were flashes of brilliance from time to time. Take, for instance, Cooper Zamorano. I literally got chills:
I hope to see him in the Top 20, which is revealed during another two-hour bonanza tonight. I was also left wanting more of Kourtni Lind and Evan Kasprzak. Now that all the riff-raff has been weeded out, hopefully the level of talent Fox chooses to display will pick up a little. Because after last night, it can't much more boring or bland. I invite the SYTYCD faithful to throw their two cents in...
Will what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas? Stay tuned! =)
(again, word to Kelxk3l for uploading the clips!)
Friday, May 30, 2008
So, I know there was another two-hour SYTYCD bonanza on last night, but I went out to celebrate CGI's birthday and had to DVR it. I'm snuggled on the couch with a warm down blanket (Bay Area mornings have been c-c-c-cold as of late!), a bowl of cereal and the remote. I'm ready to rock.
(As an aside to the managers of Medjool's Sky Terrace bar, more heat lamps are needed for summer nights in San Francisco. Like Mark Twain said, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." The man shits you not. With the fog and breeze, it was downright arctic up there. But the views, the drinks and especially the company were simply to die for. On a warmer night, I could totally fall in love with this place...)
According to DJC, who stayed home last night and watched the show, there is someone by the name of Phucdat Ngyuen who auditions in this segment. How did I get the spelling correct on that one, you ask? DJC wrote it down. Love it! Hee-hee!
Be back soon (I think). If I flake, happy Friday! Enjoy the weekend! =)
(As an aside to the managers of Medjool's Sky Terrace bar, more heat lamps are needed for summer nights in San Francisco. Like Mark Twain said, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." The man shits you not. With the fog and breeze, it was downright arctic up there. But the views, the drinks and especially the company were simply to die for. On a warmer night, I could totally fall in love with this place...)
According to DJC, who stayed home last night and watched the show, there is someone by the name of Phucdat Ngyuen who auditions in this segment. How did I get the spelling correct on that one, you ask? DJC wrote it down. Love it! Hee-hee!
Be back soon (I think). If I flake, happy Friday! Enjoy the weekend! =)
UPDATED: Brandon Bryant, you are my new hero. Holysmokes.
Again, thanks to kelxk3l. =)
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Thursday morning couch potato report
Last night was the second two-hour installment of SYTYCD with stops in Salt Lake City, UT, and Dallas, TX. I have to say, as amazing as the LA auditions were, I had high hopes for this season to continue to blow me away. Yeah, Dallas and Salt Lake City..not so much. I found myself totally annoyed with Fox's constant need to display (and totally make fun of) mediocre, or just plain horrible, dancers. 40+ dancers made it to the next round in Las Vegas from Utah. We saw only a handful. Dallas was even worse.
But amongst the horridness and housewives who brought their children to the audition (they were in Utah, after all), there were several bright spots:
This is Kelli Baker from the Salt Lake auditions. I was not impressed with her ego at first, but then when I saw her dance, it all became clear. See, Kelli illustrates one of my favorite principles in life: Talk as much smack as you want...as long as you can back it up. Her audition was breathtaking. She most definitely can back it up. And how cute is Mandy Moore? (she's the judge on the far right, opposite of Nigel) Love her!
Joshua Allen was the *only* popper in last night's two-hour extravaganza to really impress me. So cool, he is. Like ice. Love the way he moves. And that leap at the end? WOW. Just wow.
This is Chelsie Hightower. While the video will give you her entire family life and background in agonizing detail, trust me on this one...You.Must.Watch. She is gorgeous. Oh my heavens, all my life I've wanted legs like hers! So pleasing to the eye. And we like that!! YAY!
All videos come courtesy of kelxk3l. Thanks! =) Check out her (or his?!) page if you want to see more auditions from last night's show. Ryann Race is another fun one to watch. And how can you not love that he is a DJ in a strip club...in Salt Lake City! LOL! Another performer I TOTALLY enjoyed was Gev Manoukian. The judges sent him to the choreography round, when I would have sent him straight through to the next round. Thankfully, he can dance and made it though anyways. =)
Another two-hour special airs tomorrow night, showcasing stops in Washington, DC and Charleston, SC. Hopefully, Fox will focus more on the amazing dancers and leave the jokers out...
But amongst the horridness and housewives who brought their children to the audition (they were in Utah, after all), there were several bright spots:
This is Kelli Baker from the Salt Lake auditions. I was not impressed with her ego at first, but then when I saw her dance, it all became clear. See, Kelli illustrates one of my favorite principles in life: Talk as much smack as you want...as long as you can back it up. Her audition was breathtaking. She most definitely can back it up. And how cute is Mandy Moore? (she's the judge on the far right, opposite of Nigel) Love her!
Joshua Allen was the *only* popper in last night's two-hour extravaganza to really impress me. So cool, he is. Like ice. Love the way he moves. And that leap at the end? WOW. Just wow.
This is Chelsie Hightower. While the video will give you her entire family life and background in agonizing detail, trust me on this one...You.Must.Watch. She is gorgeous. Oh my heavens, all my life I've wanted legs like hers! So pleasing to the eye. And we like that!! YAY!
All videos come courtesy of kelxk3l. Thanks! =) Check out her (or his?!) page if you want to see more auditions from last night's show. Ryann Race is another fun one to watch. And how can you not love that he is a DJ in a strip club...in Salt Lake City! LOL! Another performer I TOTALLY enjoyed was Gev Manoukian. The judges sent him to the choreography round, when I would have sent him straight through to the next round. Thankfully, he can dance and made it though anyways. =)
Another two-hour special airs tomorrow night, showcasing stops in Washington, DC and Charleston, SC. Hopefully, Fox will focus more on the amazing dancers and leave the jokers out...
Friday, May 23, 2008
Oh my stars....
UPDATED: Now with the new and totally improved William Wingfield audition video! YAY! That previous one was killing me. I mean, who even has an old-school TV like that anymore? But really, when the dancing is that amazing, who cares? I still got chills either way.
SYTYCD is back with a vengeance! After only the first stop on the nation-wide audition tour, the judges must be SO tired. Maybe Fox edited it this way, but there was so much stinkin' talent! I smiled for two straight hours. Here are some of the highlights from last night's show:
This is Robert Muraine. Like Mary, I've never seen anything like this. I think Mia's face at :27 and :43 says it all. Totally. Freaking. Amazing.
Here we have Phillip Chbeeb, a fave of mine from last season who didn't get very far in the competition. So glad to see he came back for another go this year. Between him and Robert, I wonder how it is that people learn to move like that. Insane. And so damn cool. (pardon the lame logo in the corner of the vid!)
I've been watching this show for a looong time now, and I'm fairly certain that no one has done anything like William Wingfield did here. His free-form dance was totally remarkable and breathtaking. Nigel didn't think it was right for the audition, but you know what? It got everyone's attention and left them wanting to see more, which is *exactly* what a successful audition should accomplish. LOVE!
Oh man, this looks to be a great season! The judges are positive and not annoying, the dancing is unreal and it was great to see dancers from past seasons make a cameo or two. Can't wait to see what the other cities have to bring! =)
SYTYCD is back with a vengeance! After only the first stop on the nation-wide audition tour, the judges must be SO tired. Maybe Fox edited it this way, but there was so much stinkin' talent! I smiled for two straight hours. Here are some of the highlights from last night's show:
This is Robert Muraine. Like Mary, I've never seen anything like this. I think Mia's face at :27 and :43 says it all. Totally. Freaking. Amazing.
Here we have Phillip Chbeeb, a fave of mine from last season who didn't get very far in the competition. So glad to see he came back for another go this year. Between him and Robert, I wonder how it is that people learn to move like that. Insane. And so damn cool. (pardon the lame logo in the corner of the vid!)
And lastly, this piece seriously left me speechless:
I've been watching this show for a looong time now, and I'm fairly certain that no one has done anything like William Wingfield did here. His free-form dance was totally remarkable and breathtaking. Nigel didn't think it was right for the audition, but you know what? It got everyone's attention and left them wanting to see more, which is *exactly* what a successful audition should accomplish. LOVE!
Oh man, this looks to be a great season! The judges are positive and not annoying, the dancing is unreal and it was great to see dancers from past seasons make a cameo or two. Can't wait to see what the other cities have to bring! =)
Monday, May 19, 2008
Yeah. I love this show.
This is the recap post of SYTYCD's live tour that my sister, mom and I enjoyed last year. This entry is from my dearly departed old blog and entitled "*insert incredibly high-pitched girly screams here*". Enjoy!
Can't wait, can't wait, CAN'T WAIT!!! YEEEEEEEEEAAAAH!
"Ohmygod, ohmygod, OHMYGAAWD! YEEEAAYY!!!!" Every time Pasha, Neil or Danny took the stage, the group of three *very* sharply dressed middle aged men sitting next to my mother at last night's So You Think You Can Dance show would scream with giddy glee. I even witnessed fist pumping. Several times. OK OK, so some of those giddy screams may have come from me, but who's keeping track, right? They were awesome. Behind us sat the unofficial Pasha fan club, headed by what I thought was the cutest 14-year old girl EVAR. Then I heard her scream. My eardrums are still ringing! Holy cow. They sure did love them some Pasha!
From the start of SYTYCD this season, I've been in awe of the amazing level of talent. Danny, in particular, took my breath away from the get-go. When my sister called to let me know that she has scored tickets to this year's tour, I was thrilled. To see Danny's grace and amplitude *live* was something I could hardly wait for! And my god, did he ever deliver! Stunning and flawless, he is. I'm convinced he is not human. Simply perfect.
Although I'll remain a Danny-loving fool forever, I'd pay good money to see the opening group number to "Madskillz" by BT again and again and again. It was the perfect way to open the show. So high energy! It really got the crowd going. I also enjoyed seeing "Mein Herr" and "2:19" (the swamp themed number) again. With respect to the solos: with every single one, I found that I wanted MORE! I'd be happy if the solos were longer in the future. And although I loved all of them, three really stood out in my mind: of course Danny (swoon!), Kameron and Jaimie. Maybe it was their choice of music or choreography (or both!), but thinking back, its those three that I remember. Jaimie is so graceful and strong and Kameron's solo really showed off how much he has improved.
Since the Oakland stop is close to the end of the tour, every dance and dancer looked so polished. It was great to see the dancers perform the style that they're most comfortable with, too. That break dancing number? SICK! After watching Hok give more than 100%, I can't believe he has a back injury! He really gave it his all. The schtick in between the dances seemed a bit contrived and arbitrary, but I understand the need in order to transition from one number to the next. In the future I'd like to see less of it, though...and longer solos. Longer solos. Yeah. Wait, have I said that I'd like the solos to be longer? 'Cuz I would, you know...
One thing that struck me was just how many people were in attendance last night. The Oakland Arena is *big*, ya'll...and it was totally full. People from all walks of life cheered their hearts out, but I noticed that there were several dance teams of young girls sitting near us. They were all sporting their studio's warm-up jackets. My sister commented that its really nice to see young girls looking up to classy dancers like Sabra, Lacey and Anya instead of idolizing Hollywood's crackwhores that forget their underwear, shave their heads on a whim, and snort coke off of toilet seats. There aren't nearly enough positive role models for girls today and I give huge kudos to the SYTYCD ladies that do right by their young fans. Cheers!
We were sitting too far back to get any decent pictures, but my memories of all the wonderful performances will hold me over...until next season.
Can't wait, can't wait, CAN'T WAIT!!! YEEEEEEEEEAAAAH!
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