This week's So You Think You Can Dance was action packed. The judging panel included Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Adam Shankman (one of my favorite judges), Twitch (one of my favorite SYTYCD alumni), ice skater Tara Lipinski and American Ballet Theatre prima ballerina Irina Dvorovenko.
The dancers all had a short solo dance (without judges' comments), followed by choreography in different styles: Hip Hop (choreographed by Christopher Scott), Jazz (Sonya Tayeh), Ballroom (Dimitri and Anya), Contemporary (Travis Wall), and Group Round (choreographed by the competing dancers as a collective effort). This was followed by another solo dance.
The pace was fast and fan favorites left early. I was sorry to see Marie Poppins (European popper) and Caleb Brauner (quirky contemporary dancer) cut early during the choreography process.
The show was so fast paced that I found it hard to keep up! I wish the callbacks had been the full two hours with another two hour show announcing the top 20 and providing a showcase for their dancing so we could have gotten to know them better.
The top 20 was announced:
Bridget Whitman, Contemporary
Brooklyn Fullmer, Latin Ballroom
Carly
Blaney, Contemporary
Casey Askew, Contemporary
Emilio Dosal,
Popping
Emily James, Contemporary
Jacque Lewarne, Ballet
Jessica
Richens, Jazz
Jourdan Epstein, Ballet
Malene Ostergaard,
Ballroom
Marcquet Hill, Latin Ballroom
Nick Garcia, Latin
Ballroom
Ricky Ubeda, Contemporary
Rudy Abreu, Contemporary
Serge Onik,
Latin Ballroom
Stanley Glover, Contemporary
Tanisha Belnap,
Ballroom
Teddy Coffey, Hip Hop
Valerie Rockey, Tap
Zack Everhart, Tap
I was sorry to see Ja Ja (popper) and Johnny Wacks (wack style street dancer) cut. That said, I think this is a very strong Top 20. The standout for me is Ricky Ubeda, who has talent and personality to spare; he is just a star on the stage. I also really like Malene Ostergaard (ballroom), Marcquet Hill (ballroom), Stanley Glover (contemporary), and Valerie Rockey (tap).
Next week will be the first live competition show. I'm really looking forward to it. What did you think of last night's show and the Top 20 announcement? Do you have any favorites going into the competition?
I just discovered "You and Me" by Penny and the Quarters, and I cannot stop playing it. Here's how it happened: I was out yard saling with my friend Dave. We were taking a break and he mentioned this song, which he had just discovered on AM 1690. (1690 "The Voice of the Arts" is a great radio station - the most diverse playlist ever. They stream online and are available on TuneIn radio. Check them out!) Dave had the song on his phone, so we passed it back and forth, like an old fashioned transistor radio, listening to this song.
"You and Me" was recorded as a demo record between 1970 - 1975 at Harmonic Sounds Studio. It has a sort of dimestore recording booth sound. The vocals, by teenage singers, are amazing. The song is sung by Jay Robinson (lead male) and Nannie Sharp (lead female, pictured above). This song was not released until 2006, when the contents of the recording studio were sold. "You and Me" was released by an archival recording company that releases lost soul music songs. Actor Ryan Gosling heard it and liked it so much that he suggested this song for the soundtrack of Blue Valentine.
I really love this song and think it is a treasure. I hope you do, too!
I was a little girl during the time of Bonanza, a long-running western starring Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Dan Blocker, and Michael Landon. The show was fun, although we were not huge fans of westerns in my family. The Bonanza I'm recommending today is not the retro tv show, but the site.
Bonanza is a great site and one that fans of vintage, handmade, and online selling/buying will enjoy. It is a beautifully designed site. You'll see a rotating hand-picked list on the front page. If you click on Community (top of the screen), you'll find a friendly and vibrant community of vintage sellers and buyers.
I have sold at Bonanza for a while. It is super easy to import eBay items (takes about 10 minutes a week). Listing there is free (!), and end fees are reasonable. The customer service at this site is friendly, responsive via email, and helpful. I've also purchased at Bonanza, with positive experiences. Sellers at this site tend to love it and have a great enthusiasm for the venue.
You can find my Bonanza booth (store) here: Birdhouse Books on Bonanza. I love the store layout, and the little "chat" box on each store page.
Of course, you'll also find the cute little vintage cowgirl Valentine on Bonanza as well!
Hope you enjoy exploring Bonanza!
So You Think You Can Dance showed Atlanta auditions this week! This is always fun to watch; I enjoy looking for local landmarks. Last night we saw the Fox Theatre, the Swan House, Piedmont Park, the Olympic Rings fountain, a MARTA train, and lots of good dancing!
The judges were Lil Buck and Jenna Dewan Tatum (pictured above). They joined regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.
Highlights from last night's show included:
Mariah - a jazz dancer with a bubbly personality and dance that included a sense of fun.
Kelly Mac Coy - another jazz dancer from a performing family. There was a silly, cheesy video about her background, including her mother's appearance years ago on The Love Boat.
Ricky Ubeda - my favorite dancer of the night! Ricky is a contemporary dancer from Miami. He is CUTE (girls will love him) and has a charming personality. His leaps and elevation were amazing.
Marissa Milele - the "Princess Warrior" - a powerful dancer, although her performance resembled a great gymnastics floor routine.
Angelina Granitz - a contemporary dancer who was inspired by her older brother. She has an odd, deadpan personality but is a very talented dancer.
Christina Moye-Palacios - a contemporary dancer inspired by her younger brother, who has many serious health challenges. Her dance was contemporary with a bit of ballet (nice extensions and lines).
On the down side, there was a belligerent dancer who couldn't take criticism (Brandon "Sideshow" from Dragon House), lots of long auditions, several dancers wearing striped hammer pants (shades of the 1980's, yikes!), and (yawn) another Justin Bieber segment. (Please, show, finish up this dance crew business and remove Justin Bieber from my tv screen!)
Next week is in California and features callbacks. By the end of the show we will meet the Top 20. I can't wait!
I love retro garage rock. "You're Gonna Miss Me" by 13th Floor Elevators is one of my favorite 1960's garage rock songs. It was recorded in 1966, and the fun video below was featured on Dick Clark's California series Where the Action Is. This is one of those songs that I hear and can't get out of my head for a day or two after!
