Music Monday: The First Time I Met Regina Spektor June 29, 2009

Well, technically it was the first time I met Regina Spektor’s music, since I’ve never actually met her in person, but I remember very well the day that I was watching VH1, and the video for her song “Fidelity” came on. “Fidelity,” and the album it comes from, Begin to Hope, are old news now, but this talented and unusual musician is still very fresh and successful. Her latest album, Far, was released last week, and once I’ve gotten to know it a little better, I’ll post my thoughts on it here. (So far I am loving it!)

“Fidelity” is one of my favorite Regina Spektor songs. It has an inviting opening, a contagious melody, and those oh so fun “oh oh oh ohs” that I love to sing along with. I don’t really “get” the video, but I suppose it has something to do with taking down your guard and experiencing life, and relationships, to the fullest. It’s cute and artistic, just like the performer. If you’ve never listened to much of Spektor’s music, do yourself a favor and sample Begin to Hope. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Her music is refreshing, inventive, and worth your time!

Retro Weekend: A “Very Special” Saved by the Bell Moment June 28, 2009

I didn’t have much time to write an in depth 80s or 90s themed post this weekend (I was vacationing in L.A.), so instead I’ll remind you of a classic Saved by the Bell moment. Remember the episode where Jessie was so stressed out about school that she started taking caffeine pills, and developed an unhealthy dependence on them? The climactic scene (see below) features Zach confronting her, and a struggle ensues over the pill box, resulting in Jessie bursting out into a very dramatic rendition of the Pointer Sisters’ “I’m So Excited.”

This scene is the epitome of Saved by the Bell cheesiness, but it has stuck with me over the years. Being the dork that I am, I have reenacted Jessie’s emotional rollercoaster from this scene many times.

Do you have any favorite Saved by the Bell episodes or moments? As ridiculous as the show was, it was still fun to watch. Click here to read about it on Wikipedia.

SYTYCD Season 5: The Top 16 Elimination Round June 26, 2009

After a racy Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed group dance, Nigel made an opening statement honoring three celebrities who died this week – two of them just today – Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson. It was especially appropriate to take a moment to remember Jackson’s contributions to the world of dance. Maybe next week’s group dance should be a Michael Jackson tribute – that would be fun and appropriate.

The Bottom Three Couples

• Asuka and Vitolio
• Karla and Jonathan
• Caitlin and Jason

My reaction: These are the three couples I predicted would be in the bottom three, so I have no complaints or disappointment. I hope that Vitolio and Jason impress the judges with their solos (leaving Jonathan to go home), but I honestly don’t care much for any of the girls.

The Solos

• Asuka – “Don’t Trust Me” by 30H!3 – Her solo had more energy this time than her previous one, but it’s hard to do an impressive ballroom solo.
• Vitolio – “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay – I like his leaping abilities, his twirling, his tribal energy, but then his solo had a certain desperate quality about it. Hmm…
• Karla – “15 Step” by Radiohead – Speaking of tribal, Karla’s solo had a jungle girl vibe going on. I’m not sure what to think about it.
• Jonathan – “The Hunted” by Kodo – More tribal music. I’m sensing a pattern. But his choregraphy didn’t fit the music at all. It was very disjointed.
• Caitlin – “Que Sera Sera” by Jennifer Terran – In my opinion, she has more talent than Karla and Asuka, but her solo still didn’t have a lot of gusto.
  
• Jason – “New American Classic” by Taking Back Sunday – I enjoy his solos. He uses the stage well and has interesting movements.

My Prediction: Before tonight, I had picked Jonathan and Karla to go home. That would still be my preference, but it’s a toss up as to whether the judges will send Asuka or Karla home. However, I feel pretty confident that they will send Jonathan home.

Who The Judges Sent Home:

• Asuka
• Jonathan

I’m okay with this result. Maybe Vitolio and Karla will both benefit from having a new partner next week. I’m still really liking Ade and Melissa, and Evan and Randi. Who are your favorites?

SYTYCD Season 5: The Top 16 Perform June 24, 2009

Toni “Hey Mickey You’re So Fine” Basil joined Nigel and Mary on the judges’ panel tonight, and they did quite a bit of rambling on as filler for this two hour episode. Since there’s so much ground to cover, let’s skip ahead to the dancing:

• Karla and Jonathan – Hip Hop (Dave Scott) – “By My Side” by Jadakiss (feat. Ne-Yo) – This routine is described as a Bonnie and Clyde, smooth criminal love story. This performance had too much set up for my taste. It took them quite awhile to actually get to the hip hop choreography, and then they seemed out of sync, like they hardly knew their partner was next to them. It got a little better toward the end, but not enough to change my opinion of this couple. I’ve never picked up on any chemistry between them, even during last week’s contemporary routine. Nigel said it was more like “a Sunday school picnic outing.” Ouch! Mary and Toni had similar things to say about their lack of ghetto groove and such. I keep waiting for a hard hitting hip hop performance, but I haven’t seen one the last couple of weeks.
• Asuka and Vitolio – Jazz (Mandy Moore) – “Heartbreaker” by Pat Benatar – It was sweet to see Vitolio giving Asuka words of encouragement when she was frustrated and in tears about how things were going at their practice sessions.(And with that clip, they probably earned hundreds or thousands of more votes, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, although it’s a bit manipulative on the producers’ part.) I wish they would both show more emotion like that in their performances! And, in fact, they were more emotive tonight. This ’80s jazz piece was my favorite of their performances so far this season. Of course, I usually enjoy Mandy Moore’s work, and I almost always enjoy the ’80s themed dances. But they did a great job, despite being out of sync with each other a few times. Vitolio seemed more comfortable in this style than Asuka, but they worked well together. Mary made a good point that these two are growing together as a partnership. And Toni gave them some advice on how to earn more votes and become a power couple: “Don’t let your technique get in the way of your emotions.”
• Melissa and Ade – Rumba (Tony Meredith) – “Emotion” by Destiny’s Child – According to Tony, this dance requires a lot of sensuality and has the challenging combo of difficult technique and selling the emotion. As usual, they dance well together, so they totally sold me on the emotional side of the performance. They wowed me with a couple of amazing moves, and Ade was very strong – surprisingly, my eyes were actually drawn more to him! My only complaint is that at times Melissa seemed to get out of character because she was concentrating so much on what was coming next, but otherwise it was beautiful. As Nigel said, “What a difference Ade makes.”
• Janette and Brandon – Hip Hop (Dave Scott) – “What a World” by Common – “Rock n roll meets hip hop.” I like the concept, and I was impressed, especially with Brandon! He looked right at home with all that popping and locking. They had me smiling the whole time, which was partly due to the fun choregraphy, but mostly due to how they were totally in character. My only complaint is that Janette’s open-mouthed rocker smile was a little distracting, but I suppose she was only playing the part. This was so much better than Karla and Jonathan’s hip hop routine from earlier tonight. Nigel said it was like 50 Cent and Cher. Sounds about right.
• Kayla and Kupono – Viennese Waltz (Jean Marc Genereux) – “Sweet Dreams for You” by Jewel – This piece has something to do with Kupono taking Kayla on a dream journey. I don’t really understand what that means… But, I liked it! The Viennese waltz forced Kupono to calm down his normally spastic dancy style, and I liked him much more here. He was commanding, graceful, and an able-bodied partner to Kayla. As for Kayla, she was gorgeous in her flowing mint green dress (I always love the flowy dresses), and looked like she was floating around through much of the dance. I must say, I wasn’t expecting to be so impressed by this new pairing, but they worked well together. Nigel got quite annoying with all of his insistence that “it wasn’t gonna get people standing up and cheering,” but that he hoped he was wrong. How many more weeks is he going to passively beg the audience to vote for Kayla?
• Randi and Evan – Contemporary (Mia Michaels) – “Koop Island Blues” by Koop feat. Ane Brun – Mia’s description: “It’s all about the booty.” Evan is supposed to be hypnotized by Randi’s butt. She’s like a sexy poodle, and he’s lost all control of his body because he’s mesmerized by her. Interesting… It was terrific! Bizarre, humorous, but terrific. This was excellent choreography for Evan to show off his Broadway-style, and Randi looked smashing in a completely flattering pink negligee. Loved the characters, loved their total investment in the concept, love them!
• Caitlin and Jason – Paso Doble (Jean Marc and France Genereux) – “O’Fortuna” from Carmina Burana – This dance is about them hating each other. How sweet. 🙂  This performance was extremely busy, from the costumes to the camera work to the choreography. There was so much going on that I couldn’t even tell what was supposed to be happening. Caitlin and Jason seemed very scattered, and while Jason did a decent job with his part, Caitlin seemed very out of touch to me. I’m guessing that the paso doble is a difficult dance to learn in a few days, but I’ve seen it performed much better on this show. These two may be back in the bottom three couples again this week.
• Jeanine and Phillip -Broadway (Tyce Diorio) – “Moses” from Singin’ in the Rain – I wish Tyce had given us an explanation about the concept of this routine, because I didn’t get it. A sofa and a bunch of feathers? And I was very distracted by the huge rip in the back of Phillip’s pants. It was cute, but not my favorite performance at all. Phillip didn’t seem to be whole-heartedly involved, which made it less enjoyable. Nigel complimented Jeanine for bringing the right amount of personality, but told Phillip he needs to grow more.

My Favorite Performances

• Randi and Evan’s contemporary
• Melissa and Ade’s rumba
• Janette and Brandon’s hip hop

My Least Favorite Performances

• Karla and Jonathan’s hip hop
• Caitlin and Jason’s paso doble
• Jeanine and Phillip’s Broadway

Predicting the Bottom Three Couples

• Karla and Jonathan
• Caitlin and Jason
• Asuka and Vitolio

I think it’s time for Karla and Jonathan to go home. In my opinion, they aren’t keeping up with the other dancers, and the competition is fierce out there! I also wouldn’t be disappointed if Caitlin were sent home, but I think she deserves to stick around longer than Karla. We’ll see what happens tomorrow night! This week had much stronger and more interesting performances than last week. I continue to be impressed by Melissa and Ade, as well as Evan and Randi. Janette and Brandon caught my eye this week, Asuka and Vitolio continue to grow on me, and I liked Kupono better this week with Kayla as his partner. What are your thoughts?

Related Posts:

• SYTYCD Season 5: The Top 18 Perform
• SYTYCD Season 5: Top 18 Elimination Round
  

Music Monday: My Favorite Sing Along Artists June 22, 2009

I love music, and on some occasions, I love singing along with it. Maybe it’s because I’ve never done much karaoke, or maybe it’s because singing is one way I relieve stress, but there’s something refreshing and satisfying about belting out a tune while driving down the road, preparing a meal, or cleaning the house. There are certain artists whom I have a natural affinity for singing along with, so I thought I would list them here (not necessarily in chronological order).

1. Bonnie Raitt – This red-headed blues/rock singer is probably my very favorite singalong artist. It’s easy to hit all the notes, since her vocal range doesn’t go too high or low, and her songs are just fun to sing! Some of my favorites include “Something to Talk About,” “You Got It,” “Love Sneaking Up on You,” and “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” (“Don’t worry baby, aint’ nothin’ new, that’s just love sneakin’ up on you” is a song phrase that often gets stuck in my head.)
2. Regina Spektor – This quirky, anti-folk artist is another of my favorites to accompany in song. Again, her vocal range is reasonable, and her voice is so smooth that it’s easy to blend in with her. Some of my favorites include “Fidelity,” “Samson,” and “Apres Moi.” Her latest album, Far, will be released tomorrow. No doubt it contains more fun tunes to sing along to.
3. Mariah Carey – When I say Mariah Carey, I am referring to the pre-Butterfly and Glitter Mariah. I loved her music in the early ’90s, but haven’t been a fan of hers over the last decade. I used to spend hours listening to the trio of Mariah albums that I owned (on cassette tape!): Mariah Carey, Emotions, and MTV Unplugged. I also had a few songs from her Merry Christmas album, which I copied from a friend, using my fancy dual cassette stereo. Oh, the lengths we had to go to for our favorite music before the days of mp3s and ipods… Anyway, Mariah’s songs are probably the most challenging of my singalong favorites, because of her ridiculous five-octave range. I can sometimes build up enough gusto to hit those high notes, but I doubt they sound pretty! My favorite Mariah songs include “I Don’t Wanna Cry,” “Emotions,” “I’ll Be There,” and “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
4. Simon and Garfunkel – And so we move to the first of the male artists on this list. When I’m weary, feeling small, when tears are in my eyes… when I’m walking across a bridge over troubled water… that’s when I like to sing some mellow tunes from these Queens, NY boys. Actually, singing their songs puts me in a cheerful, nostalgic mood. I grew up listening to my parents’ Simon and Garfunkel records, and now I own three of their albums: Bridge Over Troubled Water, Concert in Central Park, and a greatest hits compilation. I absolutely love the folksy nature of many of their lyrics, as well as the simple, catchy melodies. “Bridge Over Troubled Water” is a song that really brings out my inner diva, “Keep the Customer Satisfied” – which features a Chicago-style horn section – brings out my inner cheese (but it’s a great song!), and “Kodachrome/Maybellene” is just fun to sing because of its frantic pace.
5. Sting – Oh, how I love Sting. And when I want to just chill out and sing along with some good, jazz-infused music, I turn on some Sting. Whether it’s the fast-paced “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You” or the beautiful, pastoral “Fields of Gold,” Sting is easy to listen to or sing along with.
6. Aimee Mann – Aimee Mann has one of the most ordinary voices of any artist I listen to, in terms of her vocal styling, yet the sound of her voice is very distinctive. Perhaps it is this ordinary quality that makes it so fun to sing along with her. Unlike with an intimidating Mariah Carey song, singing along to one of Mann’s songs is like doing a duet with a friend. Most of my knowledge of her music is courtesy of the excellent Magnolia soundtrack, on which my favorites singalong songs are “Save Me” and “One.” I especially love the opening sequence of “One”: “One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do. Two can be as bad as one. It’s the loneliest number since the number one.”
7. Ben Folds – Ben Folds is the male equivalent of Regina Spektor: quirky, sometimes irreverent, and super fun to sing along to. However, his ordinary vocal style is more akin to Aimee Mann than to Spektor’s strange, inventive stylings. I’m picking up on some patterns of what makes an artist fun for me to sing along with. Whatever it is about Ben Folds, some of my favorite songs of his include the fast-paced “Zak and Sara,” the strangely upbeat “You to Thank,” and  the fabulous “Trusted,” which is packed with interesting lyrics, my favorite section being: “The sun’s coming up / She’s pulled all the blankets over / Curled in a ball / Like she’s hiding from me and / That’s when I know / She’s gonna be pissed when she wakes up / For terrible things I did to her in her dreams.”
8. The Backstreet Boys – In the late-90s boy band battle between N’Sync and Backstreet Boys, I landed, at least with one foot planted, on the side of the Backstreet Boys. The truth is, I was a bit of a closet fan, because in public I ridiculed the concept of a boy band, and thought it was ridiculous for grown men to prance around impressing pre-teen girls. However, when I heard “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely,” “The Call,” or “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” on the radio, I threw caution to the wind and switched into power ballad mode. Embarassing, I know, but it’s the truth! Who can forget these epic and technologically up to date lyrics from “The Call”: “Listen Baby I’m sorry, Just wanna tell you don’t worry, I will be late don’t stay up and wait for me. I’ll say again you’re dropping out my battery is low, so you know we’re goin to a place nearby. I gotta go.”
9. Destiny’s Child – In the early 2000s I went through a pop/R&B phase that was mainly spurred by the contagious noise that was Destiny’s Child. The small town I grew up in didn’t play this kind of hip-hoppinin music, but the larger college town in Alabama I moved to did. And so I got in touch with my inner soul sistah, shouting out tunes like “Say My Name,” “Jumpin Jumpin,” and “Bootylicious” along with Beyonce (and those other two). My favorite opening line from a Destiny’s Child song, and one that still gets stuck in my head, is this one from “Jumpin’ Jumpin'”: “Ladies leave your man at home, the club is full of ballers and their pockets full grown. And all you fellas leave your girl with her friends, cause it’s eleven thirty and the club is jumpin’, jumpin’.”
10. Kelly Clarkson – Like Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson has quite a set of lungs! And so, when I’m feeling particularly exhuberant, I enjoy singing along to such ambitious and loud tunes as “Miss Independent,” “Since U Been Gone,” and “Walk Away.” I wish her well with her latest album, All I Ever Wanted, and hope there are some more fun songs on it!

Related Link:

• “Top Ten All Time Pop Singalong Songs”– I came across this fun list, and definitely enjoy singing a few of the songs that made the cut, including “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Hey Jude,” and “I Love Rock n Roll.” What are your favorite songs or artists to sing along with?

I’ll leave you with a quintessential Backstreet Boys video for one of my favorite singalong songs, the overdramatic, sappy “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely”:

Retro Weekend: My Favorite Saturday Morning Cartoons June 19, 2009

When I was growing up in Louisiana, Saturday mornings meant coffee milk (I guess to a kid that sounds more appealing than “cafe au lait”), a special breakfast (usually something like pancakes, French toast, or beignets), and a couple of hours of cartoons. Based on my perusal of the Saturday morning television schedule for every year of the ’80s on Wikipedia, it seems like my prime cartoon-watching years were 1983 to 1989. I have a lot of memories from those six years, but for this post I’m only listing my very favorite Saturday morning cartoons. It’s sad to me that there’s hardly such a thing as that anymore, but then I guess today’s kids have access to cartoons 24/7 on the various children’s cable networks. But the fact that these shows only came on once a week was what made watching them so special.

• Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies (1984-1990 on CBS) – I had actually forgotten about this show until today, when I was watching The Muppets Take Manhattan. There is a scene in the movie where Miss Piggy imagines what it would have been like to grow up with Kermit. In her daydream, we saw Piggy, Kermit, Gonzo, and a few of the other muppets as babies. These little muppet babies were so cute, that someone decided to loosely base a cartoon series on them, and so Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies was born. Watching this show as a child, there was something very fun about seeing these familiar characters with diapers and pacifiers. And my guess is that I’d enjoy watching the show as an adult, too. There’s just something fascinating about those muppets. Click here to view the Muppet Babies intro.

• The Littles (1983-1985 on ABC) – “Here come the Littles… always running to and fro…” I loved this show so much that my sister was easily able to convince me that Tom and Lucy lived in her bedroom walls. I loved the idea of little people living in elaborate passageways in the walls of a house, flying tiny airplanes and using common household objects as furniture. To this day, I still sometimes have dreams that I discover secret passageways in my house, which is kind of related to the idea of this show (but also related to books I read as a child). The catchy theme song, the cute characters, and the adventurous plots all caught my attention. Click here to view The Littles intro.

• The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1991 on ABC) – I watched all the cartoons based on live-action movies (including The Karate Kid, Star Wars, and Teen Wolf), but this was my favorite. Just to be clear, I’m not talking about the later versions of the show, which included some silly Slimer cartoons and eventually a new generation of ghostbusters. I remember being impressed that the cartoon characters actually resembled the characters from the Ghostbuster movies. My favorite character was probably Egon Spengler. He had cool white hair. Click here to view The Real Ghostbusters intro.

• Pee-Wee’s Playhouse (1986-1990 on CBS) – So technically this isn’t a cartoon, but it was at the heart of my Saturday morning tv viewing. I loved how all the furniture had names, and I liked the recurring segments, such as the Secret Word, Pen Pal Letters, and Penny cartoons.

• Captain N: The Game Master (1989-1991 on NBC) – I remember really enjoying this cartoon, which found high school student Kevin and his dog, Duke, being sucked through a vortex in his tv to another universe known as Videoland, where he had adventures with various Nintendo heroes and villains. As a fan of Nintendo games, it was fun to imagine what would happen if I were transported to these characters’ worlds. (Imagine how fun that would be now, to race around in Mario Kart, or explore new worlds in Mario Galaxy!) Click here to view the Captain N intro.

Other cartoons I watched, and think I liked, but don’t really remember much about:

• Beetlejuice (1989-1991 on ABC) – I recently watched the Tim Burton movie on which the cartoon was based, and I enjoyed the morbid quirkiness of it. The cartoon was, I’m sure, more kid friendly, but still with that same feel to it.
• Star Wars: Ewoks (1985-1986 on ABC) – I also remember the Star Wars: Droids show that came on after this one, but I usually didn’t stick around for that. I loved these furry little creatures! I suppose I was in the target demographic when Return of the Jedi was released in 1983.

• Mister T (1983-1986 on NBC) – You have to love any show in which Mr. T is the coach of a gymnastics team who travels the world solving mysteries!
• The Flintstone Kids (1986-1988 on ABC) – Hmmm, might this idea have been “borrowed” from Muppet Babies? Whatever the case, I and other kids flocked to any show about familiar characters as babies/children. I also enjoyed Captain Caveman and Son, which aired along with this show.
• ALF: The Animated Series (1987-1989 on NBC) – I watched the sitcom, so it was only natural that I would also watch this animated spin-off, which was actually a prequel about ALF’s (his actual name was Gordon) life on his home planet, Melmac, before he came to Earth.

It’s interesting how many cartoons in the ’80s were based on existing tv shows and movies.I wonder if that trend started in an earlier decade and continued into the ’90s, or if it was exclusive to the ’80s. I certainly enjoyed the trend, so I’m not complaining. What were your favorite Saturday morning cartoons? Did I leave out any that you loved? Keep in mind that I was thinking specifically of shows that aired on Saturday morning, which means I couldn’t include some of my favorite cartoons (He-Man and Scooby Doo come to mind). More to come on those later.

Hope you enjoyed the first installment of my Retro Weekend segment. Check back next weekend for more ’80s or ’90s goodness.

Related Links:

• From Sesame Street to 30 Rock: A TV Viewing Timeline – Chronicles what I was watching on tv over the past three decades
• Wikipedia’s Saturday Morning Television Schedule Pages
• 80s Cartoons Website

Announcing Eclaire Fare’s New Weekly Lineup

Greetings, longtime readers of Eclaire Fare, and newcomers who are just stopping by. Take a look at my posts over the past few months, and you’ll see that I tend to have a one-track mind. For awhile, all I wrote about was Lost, and now it’s So You Think You Can Dance. To cure myself of this television tunnel vision, I am putting myself on a new blogging regimen. Read on to find out what to expect, and then check back in frequently to see how my new lineup is shaping up!

• Music Mondays – In the two years I’ve been blogging, I haven’t written much about music. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have anything to say about artists, albums, and songs. So in an effort to branch out into this area of pop culture, I will be devoting Mondays to music-related topics. Some times I will recommend a favorite artist, others I will review an album, and others I will compile top ten lists.

• Two-For-One Television Thursdays – Anyone who has been reading Eclaire Fare lately knows that it has been almost exclusively devoted to So You Think You Can Dance. So at least for the summer and fall, while SYTYCD is airing, you can look for two posts on Thursday – my take on the performance show (which I’ll sometimes post on Wednesday night), and my reaction to the results show.

• Retro Weekends – I love to reminisce about days gone by, specifically the days of the ’80s and ’90s. I was raised on Saturday morning cartoons like Ghostbusters, and sitcoms like The Cosby Show and Growing Pains. I also had a respectable collection of Barbies, and a couple of Cabbage Patch Kids. In the ’90s I was watching MTV when it still showed videos, and listening to Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots (while wearing my colored jeans and multi-colored shirts, of course). Every weekend, I’ll be rummaging through my memory bank to find some of my favorite ’80s and ’90s topics to talk about.

Occasional Topics:

• Eclaire’s Book Fare – From time to time, I’ll review books that I’ve read, or highlight some of my favorite authors.
• Movie Reviews – I don’t watch as many movies as tv shows, but when I come across one that’s really good (or really bad), I’ll be sure to let you know about it. Last summer I got in the habit of watching two very different movies in one weekend (for example, Only You and Cloverfield, Chances Are and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, etc.). You may see more of these “Double Feature” posts this summer, while the tv landscape is looking barren.
• Now Playing on My Tivo – I do watch other stuff on tv besides SYTYCD and Lost, so occasionally I’ll let you know what else I’m tuning in to.
• Miscellaneous – Once in a blue moon, I’ll have something to say about food, travel, poetry, or other random topics that don’t fit any of the above categories.

I apologize that my posting has been so sporadic. I know how frustrating that can be, as I am a blog lurker myself. Hopefully, you will find much to enjoy in my new line-up. If you have a suggestion for a top ten list, a movie or book I should check out and review, or any other topic you’d like to see covered on Eclaire Fare, please let me know!

SYTYCD Season 5: The Top 18 Elimination Round June 18, 2009

My predictions for the bottom three couples: Kupono and Ashley, Caitlin and Jason, Asuka and Vitolio

The actual bottom three couples: Kupono and Ashley, Caitlin and Jason, Kayla and Max

My thoughts: Asuka and Vitolio obviously did better this week than last, but I still didn’t think it was good enough to keep them out of the bottom three. Apparently I underestimated the power of emotional manipulation on viewers’ voting habits. I think that Ashley and Kupono and Caitlin and Jason should be in the bottom three, because both couples could have done more with the hip hop choreography they were given. And I’m actually not too surprised that Kayla and Max are in the bottom three, although I don’t know of anyone who predicted they would be. Their choreography was pretty awful, as were their costumes the performance was kind of an explosion of feathers, spastic dancing, and an unpleasant song. But now what? I predicted that Asuka and Kupono would be sent home. Let’s take a look at how these six dancers did on their solos before getting to who was actually sent home.

The Solos

• Caitlin – “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele – There’s something about Caitlin that I just don’t like, but she did a decent job with her solo. I think it’s the way she carries herself on stage. She comes across as a bit haughty, which is distracting when she’s performing a dance that should emote sweetness or joy.
• Jason – “Superman” by Robin Thicke – His solo was fun to watch. I always enjoy the contemporary dancers. While his technique was good, his solo lacked a certain amount of gusto. I wonder if the judges will comment on that.
• Ashley – “By Your Side” by Coco Rosie – She has an interesting way about her, doesn’t she? I hadn’t had a chance to notice before now, since I was disturbed by the crash test dummies performance, and annoyed by this week’s mirroring hip hop. Now I hope she gets to stick around another week so I can get to know her and her strange dance personality better.
• Kupono – “Many Moons” by Janelle Monae – Some of his herky jerky movements reminded me of the way my husband dances when he’s acting silly. I guess that either means my husband should try out for the show, or that Kupono’s moves aren’t as unique as some people say they are. Either way, this wasn’t my favorite solo of the night.
• Kayla – “Walking on Air” by Kerli – She had a lot of personality to go along with her energetic dancing.
• Max – “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins – Just like with Caitlin, there’s just something about Max that I don’t like. Maybe it’s his obsession with wearing vests with no shirt underneath, maybe it’s his facial expressions. Whatever it is, I wasn’t super impressed by his throwback to the ’80s solo. He’s no Kevin Bacon.

My revised thoughts on who should go home: Kayla and Max being in the bottom three changes my whole thinking on who will go home. I had said Kupono should go, but since Max is now in the running, I think it should be him instead. The judges have an obvious love affair with Kayla, so they should do her a favor and give her a new partner. During their comments on the pop jazz performance last night, they basically ignored Max, except for telling him how bad his outfit was, and gushed about Kayla. The truth is that he can’t keep up with her. So, I predict Max will be the guy going home. And my guess for the female leaving us is Caitlin. Or at least that’s who I want to go home. Kayla is one of my favorite of the ladies, and I know the judges won’t let go of her yet. And Ashley intrigued me with her solo.

Who the Judges Sent Home: Ashley and Max

Tonight’s turn of events just goes to show that anyone is in danger of being in the bottom three, and thus of being sent home. This is going to be a rough season, with lots of very talented dancers sent home early (because let’s face it – they are all very talented). You can tell that these contestants are already very close, based on all the genuine tears that were shed when Ashley and Max’s names were called. I even teared up a bit, and I haven’t even had a chance to grow attached to them. The judges decided to keep Caitlin and send Ashley home. I wish Ashley had been the one to stay, but now Caitlin will have to step up her game. And I’d imagine that giving Kayla a better partner played into the judges’ decision to send Max home. Next week she will be dancing with Kupono. That’s not ideal, but I’ll just wait and see how they dance together.

What did you think of tonight’s results? Indifferent? Angry? Glad? Relieved?

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SYTYCD Season 5: The Top 18 Perform June 17, 2009

Nigel, Mary, and Lil’ C took on judging duties tonight, and Cat wore an unfinished dress with the excess fabric pinned to her left shoulder. (Lucky for her she can make anything look great.) The dancers each told us what America needs to know about their partner. Some of their factoids were more interesting than others. For each couple, I’ve listed the basics of what they performed, what they said about each other, what I thought of their performance, and what the judges thought of it. Here we go!

• Randi and Evan – Jive (Louis Van Amstel) – “Shake a Tail Feather” by Ray Charles – Randi has a dog she treats like a child. Evan is a gearhead. He built his own car. Having fun is what this dance is all about. And it was fun! The Jive is not my favorite style of dance, but this is probably my favorite jive performance ever on the show. They kept up the pace and the energy, and threw in a couple of impressive stunts. My only complaint is that Evan’s smile was a little forced and overbearing during some of the performance. Lil’ C thought they had a great partnership, and that it was a solid beginning to the show. Mary said she thinks these two are built for the jive, but thought it fell a little short. Nigel thought Evan would be better than he really was, and criticized his lack of “double bounce,” but praised Evan and Randi as a couple.
• Melissa and Ade – Jazz (Sonya Tayeh) – “24 Hours (The Ashton Shuffle A-Bomb Remix” by Terry Poison – Melissa and her sister married brothers. Ade’s real name is Adetokunbo Isaac Kayode Obayomi. Sonya describes this piece as being about “A high maintenance girl who’s playing hard-to-get, and the cliche idea of a man that hates to lose.” I hated the costumes (Cat said they looked like two naughty rock n roll imps), especially Meilssa’s hot pink spandex that looked like it had been shredded by a tiger, and Ade’s clingy leather pants weren’t much better. However, I liked the weirdness of the dance. They did a great job with it, and have shown they can do two very different styles very well (and that they are both very strong dancers). Lil’ C thinks Ade is everybody’s competition, and that Melissa submerged herself into character. Mary: “It was really tough to find anything I didn’t love about it.” Nigel mentioned that the quirky dance still allowed them to show off their technique. He comlimented Melissa for equalling Ade’s strength at every turn. I agree!
• Caitlin and Jason – Hip Hop (Shaine Sparks) – “Missin’ You” by Trey Songz – Jason was seriously obsessed with Michael Jackson as a child (somehow that doesn’t surprise me – cute videos, though), Caitlin does baby voices and a velociraptor. Shane says that chemistry is the story of this dance, about a couple who used to be together but can’t be now. It’s nice to have Shane Sparks back on the show, but this wasn’t a memorable hip hop number for me. That probably has more to do with this couple than with Shane. Neither Caitlin or Jason looked very comfortable with this style of dance, and they have never been my favorite contestants. Lil C “did not love that” and thought Shane Spark’s vision turned into their nightmare. Mary said it “was kind of like Michael Jackson and Britney Spears up there… completely different dancers.” She described them as out of synch. Nigel thought they looked really good doing the routine, but he skirted the issue of whether or not they did it well.
• Janette and Brandon – Disco (Doriana Sanchez) – “Loving is Really My Game” by Brainstorm – Janette had “the worst teeth ever” when she was young, and Brandon has never worked out a day in his life (that is hard to believe!). Oh no, not disco again! I am often annoyed by all the strutting and white pants. As usual, I wasn’t wowed by the choreography, but the two lift and spins were rather impressive. Janette looked cute in her little pink dress, but Brandon was quite tacky looking in his sleeveless vest and butterfly collar. Lil’ C believes that he “just saw the birth of progression in two amazing dancers.” Er? Sometimes Lil’ C’s philosophical rants are hard to follow. Mary asked Nigel if he put that dance on fast forward, but added that the two of them nailed it and sarcastically told Janette to work on her flexibility, and Brandon on his strength. Nigel thought it was tremendous, and somehow worked in a reference to Dirty Dancing. (I think that the judges are determined to make disco popular again, but their efforts are not working on me.)
• Asuka and Vitolio – Waltz (Louis Van Amstel) – “Dreams Are More Precious” by Enya – Vitolio is obsessed with motorcycles, and Asuka makes spit bubbles. Louis called this more of a “lyrical, spiritual waltz.” He wants it to embody the journey Vitolio has gone on, from being an orphan, to where he is now. I am usually more critical of a dance that is touted as some sort of emotional catharsis, because often in these cases, the judges ignore technique and gush about the story (the key example being Lacey and Neil’s flower dance from season 3, which I still think was way overrated). This one started out well, very smooth and flowing, and Asuka looked beautiful and light as a feather in her shimmery dress. Unfortunately for me, somewhere along the way it fell flat. Vitolio especially seemed to drag his feet a couple of times, and there was no connection between the two dancers. Except for a couple of standout moments, it was one of those “going through the motions” routines. Mary was moved by it, calling it “painfully beautiful,” and said it was Vitolio’s most honest dancing yet. Lil’ C pointed out Vitolio’s choppy steps, but said it was made up for my the sincerity and honesty of his performance. Nigel felt he saw a different couple this week than he saw last week, and loves that people grow on the show.
• Kayla and Max – Pop Jazz (Brian Friedman) – “Hot Like Wow” by Nadia Oh – Max is like a housedad to his SYTYCD roommates. Kayla is a big texter. This dance is about a princess, and Max is coming in to perform for her, but wants to steal her throne. Um, I didn’t really care for this. First of all, Max’s costume was kind of ridiculous, and his movements were very girly. It was kind of like he was the princess. And unfortunately, this routine gave him center stage, leaving Kayla with little more to do than kick her leg up in the air and sway side to side. This performance did nothing to improve my opinion of Max. A far better “royal” routine comes to mind – Danny and Neil’s dueling princes performance from the Season 3 finale. More of that, and less of what we got here, would have been much preferred. Maybe I just don’t like pop jazz. Hmmm… What did the judges think? Lil’ C made excuses about how it’s hard to pick up Brian Friedman’s vernacular. He said Max did okay for him, and that Kayla is amazing whatever she does. (I think he was avoiding saying the real truth, which is probably that he didn’t enjoy the dance.) Mary didn’t know about Max’s outfit, but she thought he was quite a surprise, but didn’t “steal the throne.” And she said Kayla is “just a beast out there dancing.” Nigel called Kayla a frontrunner, and told Max his problem is keeping up with her. Um, I don’t know where in that routine Nigel was reminded of Kevin Spacey in The Usual Suspects.
• Karla and Jonathan – Contemporary (Stacey Tookey) – “Falling Slowly” by The Frames – Karla is a badass hip hop dancer, and Jonathan loves to sing but isn’t good at it. This dance is about two strangers that have an accidental meeting and have chemistry. Great song, interesting routine. I liked it much better than their performance last week, and it had some powerful choreography, but they are still lacking some chemistry. Mary told Jonathan that he did contemporary better than his own style. Nigel compared Jonathan’s center of gravity to tai chi. Lil’ C thought there was a perfect balance – emotion, technique, posture, athleticism…
• Jeanine and Phillip – Tango (Tony Meredith) – “Violento (Up Mix)” by Bailango! – Phillip is a super nerd who collects reptiles, and Jeanine has a teddy bear named Spanky. Tony was surprised by their lack of ballroom knowledge, so my guess is that they will have to pick up their stage presence game to make up for some lagging technique. I loved the music, their costumes, and the fact that they were totally invested in the performance. They entertained me. I was really impressed by Jeanine. I like her even more now! Mary gave Phillip an A+ in attitude, but a C- in technique. She called Jeanine a “hot mama” and said her technique was a lot better. Lil’ C said something about lack of confidence being an anchor that weighs down your performance. Nigel gave Phillip some constructive criticism, but said it was great entertainment.
• Ashley and Kupono – Hip Hop (Shane Sparks) – “Imma Be” by the Black Eyed Peas – Kupono is OCD about his wardrobe, and Ashley vomited all over her classmates on the first day of first grade. Ashley is supposed to be Kupono’s shadow in this routine, and they are going “100 miles per hour.” I liked the choregraphy, but Ashley seemed to be more into the performance, energy and effort wise, than Kupono, and since it was all about shadowing, they kind of needed to mirror each other’s emotion and energy. I wonder if this couple will be in danger this week, since they didn’t have freaky crash test dummy characters to distract us with. Mary thought it was okay, not memorable. Lil’ C said there was no synchronization because of Kupono, and that ruined the whole routine for him (I agree!). He thought Ashley had some nice moments. Nigel felt it stopped just at the point he started to enjoy it. He was underwhelmed.

My Favorite Performances

• Randi and Evan’s Jive
• Melissa and Ade’s Jazz
• Jeanine and Phillip’s Tango
  

Least Favorite Performances

• Caitlin and Jason’s hip hop
• Kayla and Max’s pop jazz
• Ashley and Kupono’s hip hop

Performances somewhere in the middle

• Brandon and Janelle’s disco
• Asuka and Vitolio’s waltz
• Karla and Jonathan’s contemporary

It’s interesting that my favorite three performances tonight were by my favorite couples from last week. Even though their performances didn’t wow me this week, I am still cheering for Brandon, Janelle, and Kayla as well.

My Predictions for the Bottom Three Couples:

• Asuka and Vitolio
• Kupono and Ashley
• Caitlin and Jason

It’s really harder to predict the results this week, because in my opinion, there weren’t as many standout performances as last week. With more “just okay” performances, it’s hard to know who America will or won’t vote for. But if I had to guess, I’d say that Asuka and Kupono will go home.

SYTYCD Season 5: Top 20 Elimination Round June 11, 2009

The Bottom Three Couples – I correctly predicted the bottom three after last night’s performances. These three couples lacked chemistry, and Paris/Tony and Asuka/Vitolio were too soft in their execution and stage presence.

• Paris and Tony
• Asuka and Vitolio
• Karla and Jonathan

The Solos

• Paris – “It Doesn’t Hurt” by Katie Thompson – I wasn’t impressed by her solo. She didn’t seem fully invested but was instead just going through the motions.
• Tony – “Early in the Morning” by the Gap Band – My opinion of Tony is still the same: he relies on his personality and theatrics to carry him through the competition, but a silly outfit isn’t enough to distract the judges from the fact that he is way out of his league compared to Jonathan, and especially to Vitolio.
• Asuka – “Did Ya” by BoA – Something about her solo grossed me out. It was too sultry for what it was, and I hated that she was basically wearing a bra as a top.
• Vitolio – “We Belong Together” by Gavin DeGraw – I was impressed by him! In fact, his was the only solo tonight that did impress me. He was so strong and mesmerizing. I didn’t know anything about him before this week, but now I want to know more.
• Karla – “You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman)” by Aretha Franklin – Her solo was the best of the girls, but still not impressive. She seemed shy and at times awkward during her solo.
• Jonathan – “Krazy” by Pitbull feat. Lil Jon – Apparently Jonathan is trying to be this year’s Neil, by using acrobatics and a pretty face to charm the ladies. It won’t work on me! Too much cheese right now for me to vote for him.

Before the judges’ verdict, I picked Paris and Tony to go home. And it turns out the judges felt the same way. They seemed like the obvious choice. Tony isn’t as well-trained as most of the other contestants, and maybe Paris had the bad luck of being his partner, but now we’ll never know how she would have done with someone else. I won’t miss either of them, but I wish them well in their continued dance careers!

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