So You Think You Can Dance Season 6, The Wrap-Up Week 7

I think the top two people were the top two the entire season. It came down to the Krumper Russell and the Contemporary dancer Jakob. Both were excellent, Russell grew over the course of the season, the judges claim they saw something special in him in auditions. Jakob was compared to dancer Joel Grey and called brilliant and one of the best to ever grace the "So You Think You Can Dance" stage. Kathryn was the top female; she impressed me the whole season with her versatility and how quickly she adapted to so many styles outside of her comfort zone.

The final night of performances proved that the top three deserved to be the top three. Every number that each of these three performed in had an extra something.

So You Think You Can Dance Season 6: Recap, Only the Highlights

All I have to say after last week was, I cannot believe Mollee was eliminated; she had the best dancing night of her life last Tuesday. The only reason I can believe this happened is because she came up too late in the competition. Legacy and the other guys were at the same level for a long time, and this was just a matter of who the public liked more. He was a formidable opponent, and I know he will be a star.

Mollee and Jakob performed a Jason Gilkison Viennese Waltz to "Ordinary Day" by Vanessa Carlton. Adam said it was so beautiful, good partnering, good choreography, good music, and a good idea. The lifts were so beautiful. Mary said there was nothing ordinary about this partnership. Nigel said the routine took his breath away, and they were both excellent.

Ellenore and Legacy performed a Travis Wall Contemporary to "Machinegun" by Portishead. This routine was smokin' hot, super sexy; I love Travis Wall and his choreography. The routine was tailor made for them. Nigel loved the dangerousness of the routine, and said it could even earn Travis an Emmy Nomination.

Ashleigh was supposed to be partnered with Russell this week, but due to an injury she was not allowed to dance.

Russell performed a Shane Sparks Hip Hop (with Shane's assistant Rachel) to "Too Much Booty 2". Adam said Russell was hitting so hard; he had a high performance level, and a high energy level. Mary said Russell gives 100% every week and that she has fallen in love with him. Nigel said that Shane pushed him to a higher level and that he was excellent. Nigel even went so far as to say that he believes Russell will be in the finals.

Kathryn and Ryan performed a Jason Gilkison Cha Cha to "Put Your Hands on Me" by Joss Stone. This was yet another smokin' hot number. Adam said you two were so connected in this number. He also added that Kathryn was ignited and Ryan was hot. It was an accomplished piece of work and they were both there for each other. Mary cited their chemistry, power, and effortlessness. Nigel called this partnership: magical.

Mollee and Jakob performed a Joey Dowling Broadway number to "Easy Street" (Samantha Ronson Remix) from Annie. Adam said that it showed their strengths and Mollee was lucky to get Jakob as a partner. Nigel said that Jakob reminded him of Joel Grey; he said that Mollee should be performing on Broadway right now.

So You Think You Can Dance Season 6: Week 6

This week I was not particularly surprised about the two that were voted off. Noelle had a great week but it just was not strong enough to contend with the other girls. Nathan clearly had not matured to the level that the other guys on the show had.

The night kicked off with a Noelle and Ryan dancing a Tabitha and Napoleon Hip Hop piece that I loved. Noelle was unbelieveably sexy. The chemistry was good, and Mary said she enjoyed this pairing. Adam called Noelle smokin'. (music: "Give it to Me Right" by Melanie Fiona)

Ashleigh and Legacy danced a Gary Stuart Contemporary; this was a fast paced routine with so many great moments. It nicely showcased the strengths of both dancers. Adam called the ending the routine the best of this season. (music: "Poison" by The Prodigy)

Kathryn and Nathan's Spencer Liff Broadway routine had the choreography down packed but lacked the chemistry it needed.

The Tony and Melanie Quickstep danced by Ellenore and Jakob was comfortable but I wasn't on my feet at the end.

Mollee and Russell danced a Mandy Moore Lyrical Jazz routine; Russell displayed incredible strength and Mollee put complete trust in him. Russell's lifts were just incredible. Nigel said Mollee showed great growth. Mary said Mollee really fed off Russell's strength. Adam called this a great partnership in which Mollee shone brightly and he could not seem to rationalize Russell's talent. (music: "It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette)

Noelle and Ryan's second dance was a JT Thomas Smooth Waltz; it had a lot of pretty moments but I found it boring overall.

I didn't feel the Dave Scott Hip Hop preformed by Ashleigh and Legacy; it lacked flow and was too much about Legacy's cape with not enough dancing. (music: "Slow Down" by Bobby Valentino)

Nathan and Kathryn's Rumba by Tony and Melanie didn't have enough Rumba in it. I will say though that Kathryn tried to sell it to the best of her ability.

Nigel called Jakob and Ellenore's second routine, a Sonya Tayek Contemporary; fabulous. He said it was truly one of his favorite routines; Adam echoed the sentiment saying it will be remembered by fans in years to come.

Mollee and Russell closed the show with an Anya and Pasha Jive; Nigel thought they were the only ones who could have followed Jakob and Ellenore, and that they are the two best performers in this competition. Adam liked the playfulness they brought out of each other and he likes the respect they have for each other.
(music: Land of 1000 Dances by Jimmy Barnes)

So You Think You Can Dance Season 6: Week 5 (A Brief Recap)

I have to admit that overall I was disappointed in Week 5. I was disappointed in who was sent home, and in the routines. I will say that the highlights this week were really high.



Can I first say that they made a mistake by sending Karen home; she is a star. Rather, although Ellenore is quirky and has a unique personality, I somtimes find her boring so I would have sent her home. I called Victor going home last week, and so this decision did not surprise me. He was a gifted dancer but not strong enough to win this competition and be in the Top 10.

Some couples continued to make strives while others were at a standstill. The competition will shake up this week because everyone is going to have new partners.



Out of 12 routines this week, there were four that impressed me and two of those four were danced by the same couple.



The first was a Sonya Tayek Jazz routine danced by Kathryn and Legacy; I loved this so much! Adam says he is sad to see this couple break up because they have developed such a beautiful chemistry. The dance showcased both dancers strengths. Nigel called it one of his favorite routines of the season. He said Kathryn was sexy and mature without pushing it; he said Legacy had great musicality. (music: "So Deep" by Hot Chip)


Sonya Takek's second routine, a Lyrical Jazz routine danced by Ashleigh and Jakob was amazing. Adam said it was so beautiful that he didn't know what to say. Adam said Ashleigh was not the same girl she was in Vegas. He said watching Jakob is surreal and it is a pleasure to watch him. Mary called Jakob a technical genius, and said Ashleigh is so great that she has higher expectations for her now. Nigel said that they have both given each other something special. (music: "Time Flies" by Lykke Li)

Noelle and Russell danced a Tyce Diorio Contemporary and Adam said they were gorgeous and maximized themselves on everything. Nigel said that Noelle was 100% committed to the routine and to her partner. In the midst of it all, Nigel said he forgot Russell was a street dancer.
(music: "A Case Of You" by Diana Krall)

Ashleigh and Jakob's second routine of the night was a Jean Marc Genereaux ChaCha that was wow! Jakob had the feel of a ballroom dancer, and Mary called Ashleigh's legs amazing. The judges agreed that not only did they kill this routine but they were the couple of the night.
(music: ChaCha Heels)

American Music Awards 2009 Recap: A night of Taylor, The King of Pop, and comebacks...

Taylor Swift is having the year of her life, but was noticeably absent from last night's American Music Awards. Michael Jackson collected awards posthumously via his brother Jermaine who told us that love is the answer. Janet, Whitney, and J. Lo made comebacks of sorts; some were more shining than others.

But at the end of the night, it was a handful of divas and a group of alternative rockers that ruled.

Janet Jackson opened the show with a medley of her hits and her new single "Make Me" which she has said was inspired by Michael and takes her back to what she loves: happy, dance music.

Although I love Daughtry, their performance was forgettable at best. I didn't recognize the song either which I am guessing is a new single from their sophomore album.

Shakira's performance was also a miss, yes it was sexy, but the song made no sense, why didn't she sing "She Wolf" or "Gypsey"?

Keith Urban gave a safe, but rather boring performance of "Kiss a Girl"; yawn.

Reba McEntire introduced Kelly Clarkson who gave a moving performance of "Already Gone". Kelly, in my opinion, is someone who is here to stay and has natural musical abilities; her voice really is something to behold. The performance wasn't over the top like so many of her peers; she may not be a "performer", but she is a damn good vocalist.

Yankee's player Alex Rodriguez introduced Jay Z and Alicia Keys who sang New York anthem, "Empire State of Mind". Jay looked classy in a tux and Alicia looked lovely as she played the piano and crooned about the "concrete jungle where dreams are made of". The entire audience was on their feet and even Reba was rockin to the beat; this was one of a few true highlights of the night for me.

Two film stars, Nicole Kidman (a.k.a. Keith Urban's wife) and Kate Hudson (A. Rod's girlfriend) introduced their co-star (Stacey Ferguson) in the upcoming movie "Nine" along with her group, The Black Eyed Peas. I loved the energy of this performance which was a fusion of their new single "Meet Me Halfway" and summer hit "Boom Boom Pow"; Fergie proved once again why she is the duchess. The audience was dancing in the aisles courtesy of the Peas.


Rihanna's mish mosh of new songs from her album didn't really impress me, her performance was more about the special effects and her costume than it was about her singing. I was disappointed since I love almost all the songs I have heard from her album; she should have focused more on her unique voice than giving us a laser show.

Carrie Underwood was the breath of fresh air for the night. Her performance of her new single, "Cowboy Casanova" was cute and hot at the same time, and the song is just yet another awesome country single that is climbing the charts. As always, Carrie's voice was so right on; I am waiting to be disappointed but I don't think I ever will be. I think Carrie' only worry was performing right before Lady Gaga.

Lady Gaga gave a decent performance despite weird costumes and a piano that went up in flames. I especially liked her performance of "Bad Romance"; the outfits were actually kind of Madonna-esque, and thank goodness there was no fake blood involved (VMA style!)

Mary J. Blige sang another power ballad, but this was not up to par with what she usually does; by the time it was over all I could think about was "I'm Goin' Down", "No More Drama", and "Be Without You".

I think the award for worst performance of the night has to go to Jennifer Lopez for "Louboutins"; the first single off her upcoming album. She fell on her butt, and I still have no idea what the song is supposed to be about, or maybe I just don't like it.

Alicia Keys performance of her new single "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart" was my favorite of the night. Just when I thought she couldn't impress me anymore; she did. The performance highlighted all of Keys' different talents: singing, dancing, playing the piano, songwriting, and conveying a story.

Eminem and 50 Cent's cuss filled performance of "Crack A Bottle" made me wonder if Slim Shady is really back. I wanted to hear something new from Eminem and I wanted him to utilize having 50 there.

Timbaland, Nelly Furtado, and So Shy singing "Morning After" had high points and low points. I thought Nelly walking out onto the stage was a high point and her singing was a high point. The low point was when the two ladies started to have a singing battle on stage; it was strange.

Green Day's performance of "21 Guns" reminded me why this group has staying power. They are one of the few alternative groups that are still around and popular. Their music is fresh, original, and it has a lot of meaning which is more than I can say for most artists these days.

I have to give props to Whitney Houston; she has been off the radar for the past six or seven years and she is back now. She is not the Whitney of old, but I think with everything she has been through she never will be. I am just happy she is ok; her performance wasn't great, but it was respectable. The song, "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" is basically her story from the past few years. I do love her song "Million Dollar Bill" though, that's a fun single, could definitely be made into a club single.

I have no idea what the closing number by Adam Lambert was; I am still trying to figure it out, and I will get back to all of you when I know. Enough said; case closed.

My American Music Awards Playlist for 2009

Janet Jackson "Make Me" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwQyUTkGOew

Taylor Swift "You Belong With Me" http://www.youtube.com/user/taylorswift?blend=1&ob=4


Kelly Clarkson "Already Gone" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVZaA2s7xYI


Jay Z and Alicia Keys "Empire State of Mind" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UjsXo9l6I8



The Black Eyed Peas "Meet Me Halfway" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A_arjPCKXA

Carrie Underwood "Cowboy Casanova" http://www.youtube.com/user/carrieunderwood?blend=1&ob=4

Lady Gaga "Bad Romance" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL_JPdYPDVg

Alicia Keys "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart" http://www.youtube.com/user/aliciakeys?blend=1&ob=4

Green Day "21 Guns" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCLKH4Xm8T0

Whitney Houston "Million Dollar Bill" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0x6MGvedTM

Michael Jackson "Thriller" http://www.youtube.com/user/michaeljackson?blend=1&ob=4#p/u/81/z-TZnNXXQrI

Beyonce "Sweet Dreams" http://www.youtube.com/user/beyonce?blend=1&ob=4 (and while you're there check out "Video Phone")

So You Think You Can Dance Season 6: Recap Week 4

The Lowlights and the Highlights from Week 4 as the judges said goodbye to two more dancers.

The lowlights:

Karen and Kevin's Broadway number by Tyce Diorio was a bit lackluster as far as their usual performance. Karen didn't have the chance to be sexy in this routine which is so much of what she naturally is. Nigel thought it needed more humor, and Mary agreed. Adam kept it positive saying they should not have been able to get through the performance but they did.

Channing and Victor's Tyce Diorio Jazz routine was a bit beyond recognition. I totally did not get it; the music threw me off, and did not allow me to get into the routine as much as I would have liked and so I found myself not caring about these characters. Adam told the couple to continue to grow and step it up.

The highlights:

Ashleigh and Jakob danced and Tabitha and Napoleon hip hop to "Whatcha Say" by Jason Derulo; Nigel loved the routine. He said there is no doubt that Jakob will be in the top ten, and he said Ashleigh more than held her own. Mary said she found herself drawn to Ashleigh as a result of how tight, how down, how hard hitting, and how believable her passion was.

Noelle and Russell danced an Eddie Simon foxtrot to "Baby (You've Got What it Takes)" by Michael Buble. Nigel said that Russell vastly improved his foxtrot from three weeks ago, and commented that there is no question in his mind that Russell is a star. He said Noelle fights every week to come up to where her partner is and this week she was successful. Adam said their joy extended and they stepped up and were fantastic.

Kathryn and Legacy danced a Tony Meredith Paso Doble; Kathryn really impressed me this week and Nigel called her magnificent. She really improved and brought a lot of intensity. Nigel said that Legacy's passion and hunger could push him into the top ten. Mary said Kathryn played the vixen just and Legacy performed beyond expectations. Adam said that Kathryn killed it and her bravado was perfect, and he called Legacy's stamina crushing.

Ellenore and Ryan performed a Travis Wall contemporary to "You Ex Lover's Dead" by Stars; this was another beautiful Travis Wall routine. Nigel said Ryan is the best ballroom dancer that has done contemporary, and not only is Ellenore a brilliant dancer but a brilliant performer who takes on a different character every time she performs. Adam said he had to catch his breath again this season.

Mollee and Nathan performed a Laurie Ann Gibson pop jazz routine to "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga; Mollee and Nathan are back! Nigel called Mollee one of the most committed dancers he has ever met. He told Nathan to keep growing so that he can reach his full potential in dance. Adam said that Laurie Ann's tough love approach was exactly what they needed to get back on track.

And when all was said and done, the judges said goodbye to Channing and Kevin. I want to say that I disagree with Kevin going home, he has shown more growth than Victor, and I feel like the judges kept Victor because he is a contemporary dancer. Bad move judges, 10 to 1 Victor goes home this week when he should have gone home last week.

So You Think You Can Dance Season 6: Recap Week 3

The Lowlights and The Highlights---

The lowlights first, because there were many,

Kathryn was disappointing in her Broadway number (by Andy Blankenbuehler) with Legacy. She did not show as much growth as her partner did; the character was under-developed, and almost juvenile. She was supposed to be this aggressive woman showing up her man and instead she came across as a little girl who said, "whatever you can do I can do better, I can do anything better than you".

Victor did not impress me in his contemporary number (by Stacey Tookey) with his partner Channing. To keep this simple, this is Victor's style, he should not have just been good, he should have been brilliant.

Ellenore and Ryan in the Lil C hip hop number were not a hit, more like a miss. The steps were not aggressive enough, their feet should have gone down into the floor, Lil C's style is very earthy and rooted, it's a dirty style and this was not dirty enough.

Mollee and Nathan's Gustavo Vargas Salsa was a mess, a hot mess. It's really unfortunate because I love both of these dancers and I love their personalities. I do think Nigel was way too hard on them, especially Nathan; it is not his fault that he has such a loyal following. Overall, the dance looked extremely uncomfortable.

The highlights,

Karen and Kevin sizzled in a Maria Torres Hustle; my eyes were glued to every move. I loved all the tricks that they did with the ease that they performed them with. Adam said they made it work for one another. Mary called Karen a hustle queen. Nigel said wow to Kevin, and that he is delighted that he continues to grow every week. Nigel also said he believes Karen will go a long way in this competition, and I agree.
(Music: "Come to Me" by France Joli)

Ashleigh and Jakob danced a Mandy Moore Jazz routine; I loved the choreography, this was like a flashback to the 80's. Ashleigh was amazing, and I feel like she has grown so much through Jakob. Nigel loved the routine and commented on how he loved that it made them work as a unit.
(Music: "Relax" from Frankie Goes to Hollywood)

Noelle and Russell amazed me in a Sean Cheesman African Jazz routine; I thought that this was beautiful. Adam said it had joy and a great story; he said that both Noelle and Russell were filled with the spirit of the dance. Mary called it crazy good, and said that Noelle was strong and Russell was a dynamic King of Afro Jazz. Nigel said that Russell is definitely a star this season and he has great lines. He also said that Noelle did a great job this week.
(Music: "Frog Dance" by Mickey Hart and the Planet Grum)

Legacy in the Blankenbuehler Broadway routine continued to grow this week. Nigel called him inspirational, and Mary predicted that Legacy would make the top 10.