Pbmom's Blog

Since I ran out of time to watch the Vegas Hell Week, I decided to just get into it with the Top 20 Performing. Both #TeamStreet and #TeamStage go on stage and perform to “Revolt” by Nathan Lanier choreographed by Christopher Scott and Jessica Lee Keller. It looks like they divided both teams into 5 guys and 5 girls on each team so that they can be partnered. That was exciting!

Team Stage are: Alexia, Darion, Gaby, Derek, Hailee, Edson, Kate, Marissa, Jim, and Moises.
Team Street are: Ariana, Asaf, Jaja, Burim, JJ, Neptune, Lily, Megz, Virgil, and Yorelis.

Bummer, Queen of Detroit did not make it. Asaf was not supposed to be here but Hurrikane injured himself and had to retire from the competition.

Three members from Team Street (Megz, Neptune, and JJ) team up with Dave Scott to do a dance that they are superheroes saving the streets. Dancing to “The Illest” by Far East Movement featuring Riff Raff. I loved it. They were all so strong, but if I had to pick the weakest link, it was JJ. Nigel thought it was a great opening. Megz is dancing good and looking good. Eddie changed his named to Neptune. He needs to bring some personality along with that long. Paula loved that Dave gave them the superpower feel. Paula said she needs to see that superhero characterizations all the way through. Jason thought it was good. He was a little let down by the performance. He thought it was good, but we are way past good. He felt like it lacked breadth in some places. Some movements were bleeding into the next movement. Megz tried to get her point across to vote for her to a camera that was not focused on her and it looked a little strange.

Three members of Team Stage, Moises, Gaby and Derek,  teamed up with Stacey Tookey. Stacey said the routine is about finding your light and standing in that light. The song is “Luminous” by Max Richter. Goosebumps!!! Wow, Gaby is a tapper and is just bringing it. I felt like they were angels dancing for God. There were so many spots where someone could have gotten kicked in the head and they didn’t. It just flowed effortlessly. Paula said Stacey brings so much emotion into everything she does. The costuming was ethereal. She complemented all of them on stepping up their game. Jason said the performance was something for sure he would have paid to see himself. Nigel said that when they were in unison it was absolutely beautiful. The guys’ extensions were incredible. Nigel complimented Gaby for going outside her comfort zone of tapping and doing so wonderfully in the routine. Travis approves.

Christopher Scott choreographed the next street routine with Jaja, Burim, Asaf, and Lily. The song is “Easy (Switch Screens)” by Son Lux featuring Lorde. It was so hard to try to watch them all. It was good, but it didn’t wow me like the others. Maybe it was the song choice. I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with some of Christopher Scott’s choreography for the show. Jason thought it was beasty. Nigel thought after Stacey’s routine Team Stage was going to take the show but after this routine, Team Street has come through. Even though Lily’s strength is waacking, she should out to him. Nigel said to Asaf that if he is a good dancer and a good entertainer, too, he has the ability to win this program. Paula said this routine made her nervous. Chris had to choreograph for four different dancers and even though the boys are both b-boy dancers, they aren’t the same. She thought it was awesome, strong and powerful. They took Paula’s breath away. But Asaf had to have the last say (that might get him into trouble). Even though it was to compliment and thank his fellow dancers for working hard with him (because he had to jump into the spot). The judges teased him that now he is a judge. I know he was very confident in his audition which made him stand out, but now he has to learn humility to be part of the show.

Brian Friedman is back on the show as a choreographer. We haven’t seen him in awhile on the show. He worked with Alexia, Hailee, and Marissa. The song is “New Dorp, New York” by SBTRKT featuring Ezra Koenig. I would say Alexia is the person who stood out as having the most difficulty. While it seemed Marissa and Hailee were really putting all of themselves into the dance, Alexia seemed to be held back by something—maybe she did not feel comfortable exerting that sexy side or maybe it was something else—but Marissa and Hailee did a great job. Alexia did a lot of the pursing of the lips to appear to be sexy but it seemed force and, like Brian said, she had to get out of her competition mode. Nigel thought Hailee looked like a young Madonna. He cautioned them for a sexy kind of dance style. Sex straight out there tends not to be sexy, but a raised eyebrow, a look down the nose, the thing that just keeps people interested rather than just in your face. Paula said when you are given a powerhouse routine, it is the subtleties that make the dance. They all delivered but cautioned them to have that intellectual knowingness. Jason thought it is harder to have just a couple of steps versus many because you have to sell it. He agrees with Nigel and Paula about in the in-your-face sexiness and for a minute he thought he was in Miami.

The ballet dancers, Darion and Jim, were paired with choreographer Benoit Swan Pouffer to the song “Blood and Stone” by Audiomachine. That was a tough routine to get unison with in just the short amount of time they had to learn it. If I had to pick one over the other, Jim is the stronger dancer (very Alex Wong). It was not in unison a lot of the times it needed to be. I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t anything that moved me to goosebumps. The audience was on their feet. Nigel and Jason were standing up. Paula said the amount of strength it takes. She hopes the costuming of them gets better, but they are tremendous dancers. Jason was floored by their performance. He felt like it was one of the performances that will be remembered just as Travis said and not because of their outfit. Nigel said Jim has amazing feet. He needs a little more light in Darion’s eyes. But technique wise it was so strong. They are a privilege to have on the show.

Yorelis, Virgil, and Ariana teamed up with choreographers Phoenix and Pharside for a hip-hop number for Team Street. The story is that Virgil is at the gate of heaven and he has to decide between good and evil. And what song would go perfectly with that routine? Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven” of course. I really enjoyed that. It was a lot of fun to watch. Jason said Ariana did her thing and held her own. He thought it was a dope performance. It was real fly. Nigel agrees with Jason. Paula said they were wonderful performers. They all had superhero qualities. Paula offered advice about taking those moments and turning them into a star-quality performance.

Edson and Kate are the last to perform and they got stuck with Travis Wall as their choreographer (sarcasm). I love Travis Wall. The story is about love that hurts people. The song is “Shaped Like a Gun” by Tailor. Goosebumps in the first 5 seconds. The move where her foot brings up his head was amazing. Goosebumps, goosebumps, goosebumps. I had to rewind and watch it again. It was magnificent. It was full of emotion. Nigel said beautiful dancing, beautiful choreography, but he didn’t understand what it was about. He didn’t get what the song was about from the emotions they were expressing on the stage today. There was smiling, then there was frowning. But I beg to differ. It was about a relationship that sometimes is really good and then sometimes it is really sad and bad. I don’t get moved to goosebumps without reason. Paula said there was some kind of void in the chemistry. She felt they were technically perfect, but there was something that was holding them back from giving into the routine. Jason agreed with what they were saying, and said to Kate when she has to push him, don’t just nudge him—really push him away because he can handle it. Live it.

Jason Derulo backed by the All-Stars did his new song “Cheyenne.” It was great seeing all that SYTYCD talent backing him up.

The next routine was the entire Team Stage with Warren Carlyle. He wanted to make a Broadway routine inspired by Bob Fosse. The song is “Body Language” by Queen. THAT was fabulous. To combine all their unique skills to be showcased into one cohesive routine with no prop failures and no costume failures. Wow. The judges were on their feet.

Team Street gets their chance to answer with choreographers Tabitha and Napoleon (aka NappyTabs). They danced to “Ready or Not Here I Come” by District 78 featuring Cheesa. I think it is much more difficult to get street dancing in total sync because there are so many moves that go on. The judges again were on their feet. The judges believe it went to Team Street tonight.