Part 3 of 10 The first routine of FOX's So You Think You Can Dance that I ever watched was Tyce Diorio's Broadway routine to Hairspray's "You Can't Stop the Beat" for Benji and Donyelle. I was intrigued. When I tuned in again the week after, I watched Mia Michaels' contemporary routine to Celine Dion's "Calling You" for Heidi and Travis. You know, the one that launched the show into more than just a dance competition. After crying while watching that routine, I was completely hooked. When a person watches So You Think You Can Dance, one comes to know the judges, the choreographers, the dance styles, the signature moves, the lingo and the various contestants in each season so well. And one tends to become emotionally attached to these things. You develop favorites (Mark Kanemura forever!) and annoyances (Cat Deeley's chills) and take the judges' words with reverence and a grain of salt. Whether you have ten years of dance experience or none at all, you can always appreciate the aesthetic presentation and the skillset required for this competition. I think the easiest way to really get into the grits of why I love this show is better explained by giving a brief survey of my top ten favorite couples routines. Across 7 seasons, you can see my biases and loves. I think it's a good list though. Kayla & Kupono’s contemporary routine by Mia Michaels to Sara Bareilles’ “Gravity” This is undoubtedly my favorite. Kayla and Kupono were my early favorites of season 4; Kayla looked like she was capable of anything and Kupono had this flair that Mark had but more diluted. Exploring the affects of addiction, this routine displayed so much strength in its movement and meaning. Sometimes, I feel like the show limited Mia Michaels from exploring dance in the ways that she is capable of. But with "Gravity," the choreography, the dancers, and the music melded so beautifully. Mia Michaels also won an Emmy for the choreography deservedly. [Clip here] Chelsie & Mark’s lyrical hip hop routine by NappyTabs to Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love” Okay, I admit that Chelsie and Mark are my favorite couple of SYTCTD history. It wasn't so much the skills they had, but the chemistry of their pairing. This routine is the epitome of that. You see their isolations and synchronizations, but that's not why you love them. It's the way that they do everything! Napoleon and Tabita choreographed this perfect piece, utilizing characterization, and it plays on emotions so well! Chelsie and Mark play it so well! During the routing, Chelsie becomes that heartbroken girl and Mark really seems like a stiff workaholic. And you find yourself feeling for them. Ah, I love Mark; he adapts to every dance technique and style so well. [Clip here] Neil & Sabra’s jazz routine by Mandy Moore to Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams” I love this routine. Neil's plange. Mandy Moore choreographs excellent jazz routines, but it never fares well unless she has equally excellent dancers. The idea of a business meeting is so ingenious and incorporating the table added a nice but not an overbearing touch. Honestly, I loved each movement in the routine. From the Neil's finger wave to their synchronized turns that fanned out, it was enjoyable to watch. But Neil's plange. That was stunning. [Clip here] Pasha & Sara’s West Coast swing by Benji Schwimmer to Fatboy Slim’s “The Rockafeller Skank” There's something so endearing about this pair. Sara seems so cool and Pasha seems sleazy in a nerdy way. I really loved watching them in this routine. It seemed so free, but still challenging. And I feel like you can feel the fun oozing from it. The choreography, the subtle gestures, and the busyness of their feet. I loved this routine by the former SYTYCD winner. [Clip here] Hok & Jamie’s jazz routine by Wade Robson to “The Chairman’s Waltz” from Memoirs of a Geisha A hummingbird in love with a flower. Ah, only Wade Robson. And Wade Robson is a genius. He takes these two dancers and utilizes their skills into his work. Look at Jamie's grande plie! Look at Hok's b-boy dance move thing! The structure of their movements complements each other's skills. The jerky isolations, the fluidity of growth, I love this routine. I actually love the music to this routine as well. [Clip here] Alex & Twitch hip hop routine by NappyTabs to Lil’ Jon & LMFAO’s “Outta Your Mind” This was so crazy. This little ballet dancer blows everyone's expectations with Napoleon and Tabitha's hip hop routine! And with Twitch nonetheless! I was worried when Alex drew hip hop, because it seemed so unlikely for him. But this routine was fantastic and you can't take your eyes off him. I think I watched the routine 5 times in a row when it first aired (thank you, DVR). [Clip here] Heidi & Travis’s contemporary routine by Mia Michaels to Celine Dion’s “Calling You” Ah, the bench dance. So popular and probably talked about. There are three key things I love about this dance, and it's i.) the hands going through the bench, ii.) Travis' weird meltdown on the bench, and iii.) Travis inching away as Heidi pulls closer. Those three things did it for me. The dancing and the concept were beautiful, and I tend to usually like Travis. [Clip here] Katee & Joshua’s contemporary routine by Mia Michaels to Adele’s “Hometown Glory” I loved the assisted run! I loved the throws! I wasn't too big on Katee's look, but I liked everything else about the routine. The first 30 seconds of the routine is actually my favorite when they're mirroring each other. I just love the aptness of Katee's movements; she moves so well. And the beauty of the story behind the routine played well into the dance. Not always a fan of Joshua, but he did okay. [Clip here, including behind-the-scenes with Mia Michaels] Danny & Lacey’s Samba routine by Dmitry Chaplin to Club Des Belugas’s “Hip Hip Chin Chin” This dance is so hot. Danny and Lacey are easy on the eyes, and their choreographer Dmitry, a former SYTYCD contestant, is also...hot, I guess. I loved the sassiness of the routine and all of Danny's subdued glances and movements. That finger thing he did 0:16?? Man. The dance was intense and bold and fun to watch. I'm actually a fan of Danny (though I liked Neil more that season). And Lacey was, you know, Lacey. The only way I can describe her is "on fire," whether that be good or bad. [Clip here] Chelsie & Gev’s contemporary routine by Sonya Tayeh to Otis Redding’s “These Arms of Mine” I don't think this is a very popular routine, but I think it's beautiful. It was when I was still unsure about Sonya's choreography and I wasn't completely sold on Gev yet. The first half of the routine seemed a little forced and harried, but the second half quiets down. Sonya makes these strange but alluring movements that stick in your mind. I thought that Chelsie and Gev were lovely in this and this song is one of my absolute favorites. [Clip here] |
