Eight robot dancers with neon lights in their costumes performed a techno dance in a club scene from the year 2030. This was another superb piece by Travis Wall. And Ellen DeGeneres, the one and only, was a guest judge. This was how the top eight performers started competing for a spot in next week's competition.
Evan paired up with Janette and they danced in a kinky leather-inspired jazz piece by Sonya Tayeh. To chanting club music, the dancers demonstrated moments of unison. The whole piece centered around the two dancers violently covering each others mouths, as if they were tired of talk. The only problem was that the steps were so fast that Evan frequently missed Janette's mouth and quickly corrected it. Judge Mia Michaels thought Evan was so cute that she wanted to chew on his cheeks – not exactly the kind of comment that this hard-core jazz piece should have inspired.
Kayla then performed a technical solo with a freedom that made it look light and easy. She is the full package – extensions up to her ears, turns like a gyroscope, and has lines that go on and on. If there were any flaw at all, it's that she might lack the life experience to make the movements deep, as an artist would, and her approach is one designed to win dance competitions; Some might call it shallow, but with the ample “wow” factor.
Jeanine and Brandon performed a slow lyrical waltz which started with a seat lift. He showed off his training with a set of rock-solid turns and you have to love Jeanine because she has gumption – even in the slow waltz – to win this competition. The choreography didn't give them anything exceptional to do, but it was lovely to watch. This may have been a case where the beautiful filming techniques used on So You Think You Can Dance made the piece work better on film than it did live. On film, the switching from camera to camera adds something to a slow piece, whereas seeing it live from a single perspective, the lethargic pace might have taken it’s toll.
Jason performed a smooth and understated solo which he accentuated with explosive jumps. A critical eye would see a general lack of awareness of the placement of the head as it relates to the shoulders. Epaulement – to use the French ballet term – was missing. Often, he looked down during his jumps. His head seems to have three positions – straight out, up or down – and it's never tilted or arched or failed to complete the movement that the rest of his body might have been doing at the time. This gave the solo a slight choppy feeling like when he briefly ran like a pedestrian or otherwise broke from the movement quality he was creating. To his great credit, which more than made up for all his head-placement issues, he looked like he was having fun while he danced. (How dare he!!) This, of course, was contagious.
Ade and Melissa did the cha cha international style performed to hip, French rap music. This should have been hot and slinky, but instead felt cognitive. Melissa and Ade didn't get down. He threw it away. Maybe he forgot that this dance is about seduction because he occasionally lost focus on Melissa and opted to mug to the audience. Nigel told Melissa that "you have to be careful not to purse your lips" and implied that sexiness doesn't come from a facial expression. He told her not to turn out so much because it would limit the hip movements. Indeed, she was too prim and proper for a good cha cha. It was more of a cha cha from a private finishing school instead of a cha cha from a hot, Latin night club.
In contrast, Janette performed a solo and the raw heat sizzled from every move. She's a tiny dancer who makes each movement big and full out. She proved that she also could take things too far, as she rolled on the floor and arched her back over the edge of the stage as if she were inviting somebody to stuff dollar bills down her dress.
The feminine Kayla then towered over Jason in a Broadway throwback number. She showed off her superb lines again. Jason was able to partner this exotic bird like a pro and get down into the ground like the style required. Mary Murphy said that everything was effortless and that Jason was cool and suave.
Ade froze on one leg in balance with the other leg extended to the side, and then hung in the air during the leaps of his spectacular solo, which featured gymnastic flips and solid turns. He was able to get into a groove now, unlike in the cha cha. He showed refinement – a leading man quality. He is such a dude.
Janette and Evan performed their second couple dance for the evening – a rhumba. She was curvy and sensual. Her movements are endless, in the correct way, so that even when she stops, she keeps settling in. Evan danced the ballroom steps, but couldn't match the passion that she was serving up. He stumbled a bit when he should have supported her better and seemed to generally not take the style seriously. Nigel said "it lacked something for me." Although, Mary Murphy praised Evan and said he was on time.
Melissa then danced her solo in pointe shoes again. The choreography was boring and predictable and Melissa was generally too sweet. She needs some spice or some other quality. You can't be sweet all the time or people will start to think you're empty. The pointe shoes are not helping now that the novelty has worn off. Her feet aren't the greatest and there can be a clunky quality to wearing them.
Jeanine and Brandon performed a commercial dance routine by Laurie Ann Gibson. It was one of those pieces that didn't look difficult, but was probably extremely difficult. It had a lot of stomping and anger. They wore khaki war inspired costumes and danced with attitude. Nigel gushed about the piece saying that it was the best so far in the evening. Mia Michaels deemed Brandon as a powerhouse even though everybody remembers that she previously told him "You annoy the s*&^ out of me."
Evan gave us a showbiz-style solo that matched his carefree personality. Featuring a hat and some tricks with the hat (including dropping the hat accidentally), he performed to the crooner music of Jamie Cullum. In his free-flipping fedora, suspenders and tie, he evoked Gene Kelly again.
Jeanine's dynamic solo came with a winning approach. With sharp, unexpected movements and some classical, fast jumps, she brought the attitude to win this competition. The other competitors should take notice.
Melissa Sandvig and Ade Obayomi in a contemporary routine Tyce Diorio.
Melissa and Ade performed an interpretive modern piece about breast cancer. These two dancers were helped by the great choreography and the touching subject matter – however, they also had the maturity to deliver a stunning performance. Ade seemed to glide and he picked Melissa up by her arms. This was a touching piece about the struggle for life and death. Nigel was on the verge of tears as he praised them. Ellen DeGeneres said it was the best thing she ever saw. Mary Murphy had mascara down her face and was completely in tears as she complemented the dancers. Michaels, barely able to talk though her tears, said it was "an important piece of work". The audience, all hushed and astonished, listened to the judges with hands on their mouths.
As a side note: This show must feature more crying than any other reality show ever broadcast.
Brandon put a stop to the cryfest with an a la seconde turn into a split leap. He high kicked and did turns that ended on the floor in the splits. He performed a series of huge flips and showed ample technique.
Then Kayla and Jason showed us some fresh hip hop in a 'this is thrillerinspired piece by by Shan Sparks. They created the illusion of a zombi, Jason, turning Kayla, who wore a school uniform, into a zombie. As a couple of zombies, they were tight and together. All the interesting idiosyncrasies of Spark's choreography were picked up and performed with perfection. It was sharp. Jason showed that he could hit the hip hop hard. Mia Michaels said "it was a great performance by both of you guys."
I think it's Evan's time to get voted off and, I'm sad to say, Janette might not have made enough of an impression to save herself.
Eric Wolfram appeared on renowned stages like the Paris Opera in Paris, The Kirov in St. Petersburg, Lincoln Center in New York, The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. while performing with the critically-acclaimed Royal Winnipeg Ballet and San Francisco Ballet. Today he films dance in New York City.
*Disclaimer: The views of Eric Wolfram are not necessarily the views of Voice of Dance*
