SYTYCD Season 5: The Winner is Revealed August 6, 2009

Tonight’s grand finale began with the Top 20 dancers performing a group number from The Wiz. The dancing would continue fast and furious throughout the two hour episode, interspersed with plenty of not so subtle advertising for the SYTYCD tour, the upcoming movie Fame, etc.

Choreographers’ Choice – Each of the seven judges/choreographers on tonight’s panel chose one of their favorite dances from the season. This is an annual tradition, and it gives many of the top 20 dancers a chance to perform one more time, while also highlighting some of the best performances of the season. Next to the description of each dance, I’ve included my thoughts about it (in italics) from when it was originally performed.

• Adam – Phillip and Jeanine’s hip hop routine to “Mad” by Ne-Yo (Tabitha and Napoleon) – Tabitha and Napoleon are my favorite hip hop choreographers. I love that they bring so much emotion and story to their routines. And this one was so interesting – it had me captivated from beginning to end. Jeanine kind of reminds me of Kristin Stewart (aka Bella), except she has a lot more personality.  And Phillip brings such interesting movements to any performance, plus he seems to do well with anything that’s thrown at him – I think the choreographers will love to work with him.
• Nigel – Janette and Brandon’s Argentine Tango (Leonardo and Miriam) – I wouldn’t say that there was a lot of heat between them, but Janette did a fantastic job with all the leg work and looked great, and Brandon was a great partner. Nigel and the other judges gave them a standing ovation! And Nigel said it was as close to ballroom perfection as has ever been on the show. I had to go back and watch again after all the praise the judges gave. I liked it better the second time, and noticed Brandon’s complete focus on Janette, reminiscent of his intense stage presence in his first audition solo. I still think that I’ve seen couples dance the tango with more chemistry, but they were definitely technically excellent.
• Debbie – Asuka and Vitolio’s waltz (Louis Van Amstel) – 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 – Jeanine and Jason’s contemporary to Jason Mraz’s “If It Kills Me” (Travis Wall) – Well, now. That was a a mesmerizing, sensual routine! I’d like to see more of Travis’s work on the show, because this was great. Jeanine and Jason did a great job of conveying the relationship of these two close friends who are attracted to each other, and all the conflicting emotions that would go along with that. I even liked the heart locket prop that was tossed back and forth between them. Well done. This has been my favorite performance from Jason, and only reinforces my strong opinion of Jeanine as one of the top, if not the top, female dancer this season.
• Mia – Kayla and Max’s Samba (Louis Van Amstel) from the top 20 episode – Kayla looked great in all that fuschia fringe. Samba requires a LOT of energy! I got tired just watching it. It was a lot of fun to watch, even though Max isn’t my favorite contestant.
• Debbie  – Top 16 group routine hip hop/samba (Tabitha and Napoleon and Dmitri) – I just had to laugh at all that water splashing around the stage! But this was a good one.
• Lil’ C – Caitlin and Jason’s “Jai Ho” Bollywood routine – I didn’t remember Caitlin smearing red lipstick all over Jason’s face when they first performed this. – I didn’t even recognize Caitlin behind her elaborate costume. I liked her better than Jason in this performance, but they both did a good job with the fun choreography.
• Adam – Evan and Randi’s “butt dance” (Mia Michaels) – This was back when Evan and Randi were still among my favorite contestants. They were so cute together! I think it was when they got split up that their individual weaknesses started to show. – 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!
• Mary – Jeanine and Brandon’s paso doble (Louis Van Amstel) – This is the third dance by Louis that the judges have chosen tonight! I’ve never paid much attention to him, but he seems to be a favorite of the experts. – Let’s hope that this paso doble makes up for the two less than stellar ones earlier this season. And it was definitely better than those. These are the two contestants to beat, and if they aren’t the final two, I’ll be disappointed. They are the most exciting dancers to watch, and have been for most of the season. I loved their in synch twirls and kicks, and as Adam said, the way they “filled out every single thing in between with the intensity and the movement… the movement never ended.”
• Nigel – Kayla and Kupono’s addiction routine (Mia Michaels) – It’s clear that many people in the crowd, including several of the judges, were deeply moved by this encore performance. I saw lots of tears being wiped away. – I’m not always an automatic fan of Mia’s work. (I especially didn’t like Neil and Lacey’s famous flowers in heaven routine.) In this dance, Kupono is the addiction that Kayla is trying to get rid of. And in Kupono’s defense, I’d imagine it was difficult for him to portray addiction in this performance, when his family experienced the hardship and destruction that it leads to. Their performance did, indeed, convey a lot of emotion, and they danced it very well. Mia did a nice job of creating a powerful interpretation of the grip of addiction.
• Tyce – Brandon and Janette’s disco routine (Doriana Sanchez) – 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.
• Mia – Melissa and Ade’s breast cancer routine (Tyce Diorio) – How nice to hear that Tyce’s friend is now cancer free. – This piece is about a woman who has breast cancer. They danced it well, and it moved Nigel to tears. Melissa was totally in character, conveying weakness and frailty and pain, and Ade was a strong partner, as always.
• The Top 8 Dancers and the Judges – Mia Michaels’ Chorus Line routine – It would have been nice to see the judges do a little more dancing than they did, but it was nice to see them on stage anyway.

Countdown to the Winner

• The third runner-up: Kayla – No surprise here. She’s an amazing dancer, but I didn’t expect her to win, since she’s somewhat lacking in the likeability and personality categories.
• The second runner-up: Evan – Whew! Dodged a bullet there. I was going to get nervous if Cat had called out Brandon’s name. All is as it should be. The final two dancers are Jeanine and Brandon, and they both very much deserve to be there.
• The first runner-up: Brandon
• The winner: Jeanine!

That’s a wrap. Another summer, another season of SYTYCD. I loved both Brandon and Jeanine, so having them as the final two was perfect, and Jeanine really did deserve to win. Now we have less than a month to relax and take a break from dancing before season six kicks off on Sept. 2. Hope to see you back at Eclaire Fare then!

SYTYCD Season 5: The Top Four Perform August 5, 2009

Welcome to the Final Four! Cat wore a gold sequined dress with matching choker that made her look like a cross between a boxer in a warm up robe and a matriarch from Dallas in evening wear. That was an unfortunate turn of wardrobe, but thankfully the strong dancers and enthusiastic judges, including guest Adam Shankman, more than made up for it.

The Performances

• Final Four Group Performance – “Boys Boys Boys” by Lady GaGa – Choreographed by Wade and Amanda Robson, this “cheerleaders and jocks” routine underwhelmed me. I’ve never thought much of cheerleader dances, which is the main reason why I didn’t like it. I expect more from Wade.
• Evan and Jeanine – “Heartbreaker” by MSTRKRFT ft. John Legend – Choreographed by Sonya, this “fight” between Evan and Jeanine was clearly won by Jeanine. My eyes were drawn to her the whole time. Adam pointed out that he never saw Jeanine coming, but that she has dominated since the beginning. He added that Evan is like “the mole hill that became the mountain.” Nigel gave Evan a pep talk about stepping up to the challenge and hoping that it’s the last time tonight that he’ll be beat up on stage. Evan certainly is the underdog, but do the judges have to rub it in every time they comment on his performances?
• Brandon’s solo – “Dies Irae” by Karl Jenkins – I would pay to see his dance recital. He’s always exciting to watch dance – especially when he propels himself toward the floor head first, and catches himself with his hands! Adam called him an extreme dancer and a super athlete. Nigel said he just “wiped out the competition” (an unfortunate reference to his beach shorts).
• Kayla and Brandon – Broadway (Tyce Diorio) – “Bye Bye Love” from All That Jazz – I really enjoyed this rockin’ routine! In fact, it may be my favorite Tyce Diorio number ever. I really liked the song and the arrangement, the multiple shifts in mood, the dark and glamorous costumes… I probably liked it so much because it was edgier than most of Tyce’s stuff, which leans more toward the cheesy end of the spectrum. Brandon had a couple of amazing moves, and was constantly at the top of his game, and Kayla really came to life as this character. She should consider a career in theater. Adam stood up and cheered, Mary called them rock stars, and Nigel called them “absolutely superb together.”
• Jeanine’s solo – “Por Una Cabeza” by The Tango Project – Um, Jeanine, you don’t need to rely on props. I wish she would have ditched the rose about 10 seconds in so she could show off her attitude and personality. It distracted me from her dancing. Adam agreed, saying she didn’t need a “stupid plastic flower.”
• Evan and Brandon – Pop Jazz (Laurieann Gibson) – “Nasty” by Janet Jackson – They are fighting over the #1 spot, but in the end there can be only one. I liked the song selection, but there wasn’t much nasty about these guys. The dancing was kind of namby pamby. Adam told Evan he “got a little dusted” at the crossroads. He said he couldn’t get rid of Evan’s “natural sweetness.” I agree with the judges that Brandon was more hard hitting and had more energy in this routine, but like Nigel said, “There isn’t a nasty bone” in Evan’s body. Laurieann Gibson should have known better and come up with a routine that better suited both of these guys.
• Kayla and Jeanine – Contemporary (Mia Michaels) – “The Four Sections: IV” – Full Orchestra, Steve Reich – This piece is a journey that will take the girls from stage left to stage right, and with each step they shed another metaphorical layer. I don’t know. It came across as gimmicky. It was like a butterfly strip tease, or something. The girls have a lot more talent than they were asked to showcase here, and had to worry more about removing pieces of fabric than creating beautiful movement. Sorry, but I was more bored than inspired, and wasn’t emotionally invested at all. Nigel actually compared it to Mia’s finale piece from season three, Danny and Neil’s “Two Princes.” (In my opinion, the season three piece was far superior to this, and is one of my favorite routines ever on the show.
• Evan’s solo – “The Best Is Yet to Come” by Michael Buble – The kid has charm, class, and charisma, but I think that the ultimate winner should possess more versatility than he has shown. Adam pointed out that this was a variation on his original audition, but it’s also a variation on every other solo he’s done this season. Nigel said Evan has the “ah” factor going for him – everyone thinks he is super cute. (And the judges continue rubbing in Evan’s underdog, strange breed status.)
• Kayla and Evan – The Jive (Tony and Melanie) – “T.R.O.U.B.L.E.” by Travis Tritt – They went old school country with this one – a style which suited Evan better than hip hop or tango. Kayla shook her way onto my radar. Between her and the blinding spotlight pointed at the audience, I hardly noticed Evan (but kudos to him for the lift sequence). Kayla has proven why she’s in the final four with all her performances tonight. She hasn’t missed a beat and has really shone. That being said, this was only a mediocre routine. Adam hated the country music, Mary criticized them technically, but said that Kayla “stole the show.” Nigel asked Kayla where this personality has been the rest of the season. Good question. Oh, boy. The crowd of 3,000 started to spontaneously shout “Evan, Evan, Evan!” (which seemed to bring tears to his eyes – that’s sweet). That spontaneous praise makes me worry that he has a chance to win. Everyone loves an underdog, after all, and the judges are totally selling that angle tonight.
• Kayla’s solo – “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by the Eurythmics – I was still distracted by her diva-ish response to Cat’s question of whether or not she thinks she can win: “I don’t stop until I get what I want.” I’ve seen better solos from her. Adam distinguished between “best dancers” and “favorite dancers,” putting Kayla in the first category, along with contestants Travis, Danny, and Will. Hmmm, I don’t know that I’d put her with those guys (and what about Katee?), but she is pretty flawless.
• Jeanine and Brandon – Paso Doble (Louis Van Amstel) – “Tetsujin” from The Matrix Revolutions Soundtrack – Let’s hope that this paso doble makes up for the two less than stellar ones earlier this season. And it was definitely better than those. These are the two contestants to beat, and if they aren’t the final two, I’ll be disappointed. They are the most exciting dancers to watch, and have been for most of the season. I loved their in synch twirls and kicks, and as Adam said, the way they “filled out every single thing in between with the intensity and the movement… the movement never ended.” Mary put them on the hot tamale train – no surprise there. It certainly seems like the producers have set the scene for a final showdown between Jeanine and Brandon, by having them dance together to close out the final performance episode. Nigel proclaimed that they are in the lead, as far as he’s concerned.

My Assessment

• Best Solo – Brandon
• Worst Solo – Kayla (but really they were all pretty good)
• Best Couples Performance – Brandon and Kayla’s Broadway, followed by Brandon and Jeanine’s Paso Doble
• Worst Couples Performance – Evan and Brandon’s pop jazz
• Ranking the Final Four (4-Evan, 3-Kayla, 2-Jeanine, 1-Brandon) – I’m basing these rankings on tonight’s performances, which gives Brandon a slight edge over Jeanine, but I would be thrilled with either of them winning.

So, who do you want to win? Do you think any of tonight’s performances will stick with you beyond this season? I’m off to vote a couple more times for Brandon and Jeanine now.

Related Posts

• SYTYCD Season 5: The Top 6 Perform
• SYTYCD Season 5: The Top 6 Results Show
  

SYTYCD Season 5: The Top 20 Perform June 10, 2009

I had been eagerly anticipating this episode of SYTYCD, the one where we find out who is paired with who, and what kind of start each couple will have as a result of their pairing and the style of dance they draw. Unfortunately, a massive storm hit the entire DFW area during the time the show airs, and as a result, the first hour was preempted by continuous weather coverage. Apparently, the news stations around here don’t understand the concept of weather updates in the bottom corner of the screen, which would allow the show to continue relatively uninterrupted. Oh, well. The storm passed, and I was able to see the final four performances. Check back tomorrow for my thoughts on the performances I missed, after I’ve watched the rest of the episode online. [I’ve now updated the post to include my thoughts on the other routines. See below.] Meanwhile, here’s what I thought of the final four performances:

• Brandon and Janette – Foxtrot – “Come Fly with Me” by Michael Buble – They did a nice job, looked great, and made an often boring dance look like fun. I am rooting for Brandon, especially since Mia and Lil’ C gave him such a hard time. I hope he proves them wrong! The lifting and spinning at the end of this routine were a good start to that. The judges seemed to like their performance.
• Ashley and Kupono – Jazz (Wade Robson) – “Felt Mountain” by Goldfrapp – According to Wade, the idea of this choreography is two crash test dummies “living life like you’ve never been hurt.” I couldn’t get past the costumes, though. I found them disturbing – first of all because they were very unattractive, and second of all because it dehumanized Ashley and Kupono. I realize that that’s kind of the point, since they were supposed to be crash test dummies, but I think that during a week when we’re being introduced to the Top 20 for the first time, hiding under spandex and white face paint isn’t the best idea. I suppose they did well with what they were given, but I didn’t get anything out of it except a “yikes.” As Adam Shankman said, “Wade, you are one sick puppy.” On the other hand, Mary said she was there and bought it 100%. Nigel skirted the issue of whether it was good or bad by rambling on about how it will get people talking about dance.
• Melissa and Ade – Contemporary (Mandy Moore) – “Right Here Waiting” by Richard Marx – A routine about the moment when you first fall in love. I really enjoyed their dancing. It was light, flowing, and beautiful. The way Ade lifted Melissa in the air and swung her around, she looked weightless. Adam called it “so special.” I give Melissa props for coming on the show at 29 (then again, I’m in trouble if 29 is old!) and think Adam may be right that you can get better at dancing with age, at least in terms of the emotion and presence you bring to it. Mary called Ade a “gentle giant… quiet, powerful.” I agree with Nigel that it’s wonderful to have a ballerina on the show this season. Easily my favorite routine (of the ones I’ve seen) so far tonight!
• Kayla and Max – Samba (Louie ?) – “Jum Bah Day” by House of Gypsies – Kayla looked great in all that fuschia fringe. Samba requires a LOT of energy! I got tired just watching it. It was a lot of fun to watch, even though Max isn’t my favorite contestant. Adam: “That was SO GOOD!” And he added, “Only God could have created this girl. (It’s like you were born in a ballroom.)” Mary put them on the hot tamale train. Nigel said it had “everything we could ever wish for.” He also said Kayla has consistently been one of the judges’ favorites. Mine, too! I appreciating Nigel pointing out that Max isn’t as sharp as Pasha and Dmitri – how could he be? That’s a tough standard to measure up to.

The performances I had to track down online (Fox really needs to post full episodes on its website!):

• Jeanine and Phillip – Hip Hop (Tabitha and Napoleon) – Tabitha and Napoleon are my favorite hip hop choreographers. I love that they bring so much emotion and story to their routines. And this one was so interesting – it had me captivated from beginning to end. Jeanine kind of reminds me of Kristin Stewart (aka Bella), except she has a lot more personality.  And Phillip brings such interesting movements to any performance, plus he seems to do well with anything that’s thrown at him – I think the choreographers will love to work with him. Adam: “That was unfreakin’ real.” Mary: “You taught us a chemistry lesson.” Nigel pointed out that Phillip already has a following, but that Jeanine has made a mark for herself with this performance.
• Asuka and Vitolio – Broadway (Tyce Diorio) – “Hot Honey Rag” from Chicago – Their performance seemed very wooden to me, very “going through the motions.” The video I tracked down didn’t include the practice session intro or the judges’ comments, but I can’t imagine the judges were wowed by this.
• Karla and Jonathan – Cha Cha (Tony Meredith) – “Poker Face” by Lada GaGa – The guy is out to get the girl in this routine. They did an okay job, but I wasn’t feeling any chemistry between them. Adam praised them for their technique and lines and told Jonathan “you’re dancing less like a boy and more like a man.” Mary: “That was a whole lotta rockin’, a whole lotta fun.” Nigel disagrees with me about the chemistry, saying they exploded onto the stage with it.
• Randi and Evan – Jazz (Tyce Diorio) – “I Only Have Eyes for You” by Jamie Cullum – Very steamy performance! These two had great chemistry, and they both seemed fully invested in the routine. I loved the contrast of the flowing and jerky movements. Adam: “You both danced like you were 8 feet tall… Evan, no one saw you coming – you are a beautiful, beautiful dancer.” (I saw him coming!) And I agree with Adam that this was one of Tyce’s best routines. Mary called it “smoldering, fluid, beautiful, and absolutely believeable.” Nigel: “I think you have just become a couple that people will recognize and talk about.” Yay! I certainly like them.
• Paris and Tony – Hip Hop (Tabitha and Napoleon) – “Let the Beat Rock” by The Black Eyed Peas – I was surprised this was a Tabitha and Napoleon routine. It wasn’t as memorable as most of theirs are. This one seemed kind of gimmicky to me, with the headphones and whatnot. I agree with Adam that the costumes were distracting – kind of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Mary didn’t think it will be memorable. I agree. Nigel told Tony that he has room to grow, and that they were “just doing steps.” Yup. Paris and Tony seemed out of sync a few times, and for me, Tony’s lack of training was noticeable.
• Caitlin and Jason – Bollywood – “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire – I didn’t even recognize Caitlin behind her elaborate costume. I liked her better than Jason in this performance, but they both did a good job with the fun choreography. I didn’t catch all of the judges’ comments (the continuous weather coverage ended and the show cut in right during their comments), but they seemed to like it.

So, now that I’ve managed to track down and watch the six performances I missed last night, I can give my overall assessment.

Favorite Performances:

• Melissa and Ade’s Contemporary – Absolutely beautiful!
• Randi and Evan’s Jazz – Great chemistry, captivating routine
• Jeanine and Phillip’s Hip Hop – Interesting choreography, well executed by this in sync couple

Least Favorite Performances:

• Asuka and Vitolio’s Broadway – I was bored, and they seemed to be, too.
• Paris and Tony’s Hip Hop – I was unimpressed.
• Ashley and Kupono – I was too disturbed to enjoy it.

I think that Asuka, Vitolio, Paris, and Tony are most in danger of going home tonight, and I’d even add Karla and Jonathan to that list. Ashley and Kupono’s performance, while far from my favorite, is memorable enough that I think they will be safe.

My favorite couples so far are Melissa and Ade, and Evan and Randi. Who are your early favorites?