Monday, November 03, 2008

Conspiracy Theories and Lipstick Marks - Spoilers on the SYTYCD Canada Top 12

This is going to be a tough week when we cut from the Top 12 to the Top 10 this week. Also of note, Performance night this Wednesday (Nov. 3rd) is going to be at 9pm on CTV and not 8pm and is only an hour long.

Plus, if the message boards weren't already in a tizzy, I'm definitely going to add fan to the fire by agreeing that it seems like there is some conspiratory manipulations on the producers part with some of the pairs and dance match-ups being tailored in certain ways.

But Oops, so I was wrong in one of my binocular spoilers from Saturday.

Before I get to the good stuff, here's a few things I noticed during the live taping for this weeks Top 12 Performance show for So You Think You Can Dance Canada.

France and Jean Marc's two children were in the audience including their daughter Francesca who has Rett Syndrome and it was really cute to see Jean Marc continuously look back and wave to his daughter throughout the whole show.

Jesse and Tamina were in the audience.

As was Tre Armstrong's brother who was pulled up to dance by live host Josh.

So, this is the big week where we cut down to the final 10 AND before they will all switch partners, so not only is it the last time for two dancers, it's the last time we will see the current pairings and REALLY see what some of these dancers are made of (and if the ultra hot Nico and Arassay will stay smokin' with new partners).

But, I'm smelling conspiracy with Nico and Arassay doing another contemporary like dance (yes, they called it "jazz" but the dance looked like contemporary to me). I mean, you will see below that they were AMAZING in it but it would when it seemed like it was built specifically for their chemistry.

And Natalli and Francis got another ballroom type AGAIN.

While it always seems like they have it out for Vincent and Lisa and Lara and Miles who again, get something so far from their own styles (AGAIN) that they seemed doomed to fail (even though they don't). Yet both those teams have fallen into the bottom 3 and never seem to be given an easy chance.

And I disagreed with 3 of the judgements this week but I'll continue at the end after I run through all the pairs this week. Granted, from my view, I can't really get a good view of the feets and I try not to look at the screen so I will have missed things and sometimes re-evaluate my grades when the TV airing is shown on Wednesdays.

Judges: Rex Harrington, Melissa Williams, Tre Armstrong, Jean-Marc Genereux

Natalli Reznik and Francis Lafrenière
Style: Salsa
Choreographer: Gustavo Vargas
CALL: 1-877-9 SPIN 01

Grade: B-

I don't know if it was Natalli's full fringe blue dress which flung fringe every which way but I thought the dance looked messy and Natalli almost always seemed to be looking at Francis trying to keep up, keep in step. Yet the judges LOVED them. LOVED them and LOVED Natalli as always. Rex keeps them on the Sexy Rexy Rocket and Tre praises Natalli for letting Francis lead and taking a step back, while I just thought she looked like she needed to make sure what he was doing to do the same thing herself. I usually enjoy these two but I'm getting tired of them always getting ballroom type dances and even then, I didn't think this was their best week. They looked liked they struggled to make a few of the lifts and while I know it's not easy to learn a new dance AND lifts all in the span of a weekend, they looked like they could have used a few more days to practice.


Allie Bertram and Danny Arbour
Style: Hip Hop
Choreographer: Luther Brown
Song: "In the Ayer" - Flo Rida feat. Will.I.Am
CALL: 1-877-9 SPIN 02

Grade: B+

Allie and Danny do Hip Hop! And it's nowhere near the disaster you would think it could be! In fact, I was so impressed with them, and especially Allie, that I was shocked to hear the judges point out all the faults (particularly with Allie) with Rex and Melissa not really liking it at all. Yes they could have hit it just a bit harder and I thought the two could have been a bit tighter together but I thought they were great live. THOUGH I will say when I did glance up at the screen for a few moments, Allie looked totally different on screen than live (even though I'm essentially watching her live and on screen at the same time) so it was a bit weird because Allie seemed loose on camera but hard and hip hoppy in person, so maybe the judges noticed things more from their higher perch. Personally I totally loved it.


Lara Smythe and Miles Faber
Style: Fox Trot
Choreographer: Danny Quilliam
Song: "Summer Wind" - Michael Bublé
CALL: 1-877-9 SPIN 03

Grade: A-

The judges loved it and I loved it. Miles had clean lines and really took last week's advice and really must have worked on his hands and technique. Miles floated across the stage this week and those hands were never loosey goosey and he really stepped it up with the Fox Trot which is so easily another killer dance that has destroyed many a dancers on this show before. Lara looked beautiful in her white and pink flowery dress and they evoked an island atmosphere that Tre noted that the dance felt like it should have continued on in a phase 2 because it was just so wonderful. There were slight technique problems with their carriages (which one of the judges notes) which I noticed too but so much of it was such a delight, especially from these two who already have a lovely charming glow about them that I really hope people vote to keep them into the Top 10 since it seems like their popularity is waning (based on last weeks bottom 3 results and chatter on the net).

Maybe people will remember their number a bit more this week since Lara pulls out a lipstick from her dress to draw "Vote 3". On Miles' chest and abs. Hot damn! I only wish she wrote "Lick It" instead.


Kaitlyn Fitzgerald and Izaak Smith
Style: Jive
Choreographer: Dmitry Chaplin
CALL: 1-877-9 SPIN 04

Grade: B+

For once I actually like these two and the judges disliked them again. The judges mainly criticized their actual jiving with weak footwork and weak kicks but I guess since I couldn't see their feet closely, I didn't notice and only saw the energy they expelled, with Izaak finally making an impression on me. Tre does note that this is Izaak's best week yet but is STILL not enough. They still are one of my least favorite couples but I will give them credit for finally pulling a great dance last week just as it saved them from being booted out and again this week where I personally thought they did a pretty great job. Who knows, maybe it looks totally different on camera.


Arassay Reyes and Nico Archambault
Style: Jazz
Choreographer: Paul Becker
CALL: 1-877-9 SPIN 05

Grade: A

...and... these two are back in a contemporary styled piece again... hmm... how strangely accomodating...
on the other hand, Nico and Arassay totally kill the piece yet again with tons of passion and jumping on top of each other and wriggling around each other. Essentially their specialty in a "jazz" routine that doesn't seem jazz to me at all but totally designed to highlight all of Nico and Arassay's best assets (including a bit of a striptease from Nico that sends all the girls and some of the boys in the audience into a tizzy). As always, they get the biggest applause, the judges totally love it, and these two are about as safe as anyone can get, with Jean Marc declaring them the best of the night but I'm curious to see them next week when they will finally be split apart and see if their chemistry can carry through to new partners (cause lets face it, these two are not going to be cut this week. That's a guarantee).


Lisa Auguste and Vincent Noiseux
Style: House
Choreographer: Sho Tyme
CALL: 1-877-9 SPIN 06

Grade: B

When Lisa and Vincent danced in unison or in "battle", it was awesome, but I felt they fell apart a little when they went into some of the slower portions of the choreography (that were usually separate dancing), especially Lisa who seemed almost tired and taking a big breathe break but I guess maybe I was being too picky because the judges loved them and Tre, Rex and Melissa declare THIS dance to be the best of the night. I'm not so sure about that but I do love these two and totally realize that these two probably have the least fans (which you could totally tell from the number of signs they got compared to the other dancers, and the fact that they always seem to be in the bottom 3 despite being two of the best dancers in the group) so I get that the judges are probably propping them up a bit more to make sure they get through.


Favorite Pairs Dance of the Night: Nico and Arassay
2nd Favorite Pairs Dance of the Night: Miles and Lara

Worst Dance of the Night: Natalli and Francis

So the judges loved Natalli and Francis while I didn't. They didn't like Allie and Danny while I did. And they loved Lisa and Vincent when I thought there were some problems. And they really hated Kaitlyn and Izaak while I finally didn't. Maybe I'm totally off this week but it all seemed a bit too manipulated (even though I too probably want Kaitlyn and Izaak out, at least over Mile and Lara, Lisa and Vincent and Allie and Danny and of course, Nico and Arassay).

Bottom 3 Predictions:

Lisa and Vincent
Lara and Miles
Kaitlyn and Izaak

Just based on my gut feeling, though it did seem like Natalli and Francis' fans are weaning because they had the next least number of signs to Lisa and Vincent this week. At this point, I feel that the judges always seem to overpraise Natalli. It used to be Kaitlyn but now Natalli. Hopefully Natalli and Francis will be bottom 3 and replace Lara and Miles or Lisa and Vincent. Though Allie and Danny getting bad judgements AND the cursed Canadian Hip Hop could do them in too. Man, it better not be Danny and Allie, Lara and Miles and Lisa and Vincent on the bottom 3. I think I will flip if that happens.

If I were to pick who I WANTED to go, I think I would still have to say Izaak for the boys (even though he was finally good in the past 2 weeks) and either Natalli or Kaitlyn because Kaitlyn is inconsistent in her energy and aura while I think Natalli is starting to survive on her looks and Francis' coattails.

Oh well, judge for yourself on Wednesday and let me know what you think. Because I might have totally differing opinions after the televised show.

For More So You Think You Can Dance:
Check here for the most Recent current postings and Latest News on SYTYCD


For more on So You Think You Can Dance Canada:

For More So You Think You Can Dance:
Check here for the most Recent current postings and Latest News on SYTYCD


For more on So You Think You Can Dance Canada:

Top 12 Performances, Results 12 to 10
Top 14 Performances, Results 14 to 12
Top 16 Performances, Results 16 to 14
Top 18 Performances, Results 18 to 16
Top 20 Performances and Results
Introducing Canada's Top 20

Auditions:
Toronto Week - The Cut to the Top 20
Vancouver, Halifax, Calgary, Montreal - West, East, Middle and Quebec
Toronto - Toronto's Best Foot Forward
The Judges, The Host, The Teaser, All Photos from CTV

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 4:
Finale
Top 4 Performances
Top 6 Performances and Results 6 to 4
Top 8 Performances, Results 8 to 6
Top 10 Performances, Results 10 to 8
Top 16, 14 and 12 Weeks Recaps by Vance again
Top 12 Performances, Results 12 to 10 - Guest Blogger Linz McC
Top 14 Performances, Results 14 to 12 - Guest Blogger Linz McC
Top 16 Performances, Results 16 to 14 - Guest Blogger Linz McC
Top 18 Performances, Results 18 to 16
Top 20 Performances, Results 20 to 18
Introducing the Top 20

Auditions:
Callbacks in Las Vegas - The Top 20 Revealed - What Happens In Vegas
Milwaukee, WI - How The Midwest Was Won
Charleston, South Carolina and Washington D.C. - S.C.D.C. The New Electric (Boogaloo) Term!
Salt Lake City and Dallas - Yeehaw Utah!
Los Angeles - It's Time To Put On Those Dancing Shoes Again Kids!

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 3:
Live Tour - Toronto, Pasha's Solo Video, Neil's Solo Video
Finale - Winner Result
Top 4 Performances - Finals
Top 6 Performances, Top 6 Results
Top 8 Performances, Top 8 Results
Top 10 Performances, Top 10 Results
Top 12 Performances, Top 12 Results
Top 14 Performances, Top 14 Results
Top 16 Performances, Top 16 Results
Top 18 Performances, Top 18 Results
Top 20 Performances, Top 20 Results

For So You Think You Can Dance Season 2:
Favorite Video Clips
Song List Live Tour 2006 - Toronto
Live Tour 2006 - Buffalo, Pics, More Pics

3 comments:

jeremy said...

I'm so greatful for your posts--all I get in Seattle is CBC, no MuchMusic. So your posts let me see how great all those Canadian dancers are.
Right now, my fave is Arassay.

sytycdctom said...

I too was at the taping. And, you're bang-on. How many ballroom dances has Nico "drawn" in 5 weeks? Or, how many ballroom numbers has Francis performed? Fairness? I think not!

Miles & Lara have had - far and away - the toughest line-up of dances.

Amee Lê said...

natalli is a great dancer. i think lisa and vincent might go tomorrow.