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"So You Think You Can Stand this for the rest of the season?"
Sunny_Bunny 5581 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold"
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06-22-07, 05:15 PM (EST)
 
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"So You Think You Can Stand this for the rest of the season?" |
Hummmm, perhaps they should rename this show “So you think you can judge?”I’m so upset at the judging last night, that I simply had to come in this morning, and stamp my widdle feet. First let me say that I do understand America’s dilemma on Wenesday night. All the dancers were great, even if the ballroom routines had to be “hip – hopped” up to accommodate dancers without partnering or technical skills. This left those of us who love to watch ballroom scratching our heads and saying to ourselves “Isn’t the entire point of ballroom to be connected both physically and with eye contact?” But, we did get ONE ballroom routine that left us breathless. Thank the god of choreography. So, put in the horrible position of having to choose three teams to ensure a “dance for your life” that would fill an hour time-slot, America chose: Jesse and Pasha, Shauna and Jimmy, and Cedric and Faina. Two of these teams have been in this position before, but the choice of Jesse and Pasha baffle the panel which results in Nigel and Mary having to restrain Mia and pour vodka into her water cup to keep her from taking a header from their judging perch. All three launch into long – winded “I’m just so SHOCKED” speeches, and pump Jesse and Pasha into such a sense of security that when they have to “dance for their lives” they both essentially phone it in because they know they are protected. There was really only one choice for bad dancing/partnering, and that would inevitably leave his partner on the chopping block for having the misfortune of being his partner. Savvy viewers that we are, we understand this fact. On the other hand, had the judges gotten rid of Cedric in the first place, the “kiss of death” factor to any remaining female dancers would also have been eliminated. Did the judges figure this out for themselves? Well … yes. Mary changed her mind. To bad Nigel decided to pander to Mia for eliminating HER favorite last week. But I digress. Lets take a look at the “Dance for your life” travesty last night. Jesse: She seems to have decided to go for the “rip your shirt off” strategy of that guy last season whose name I’ve already forgotten. Her routine consisted mainly of running about the stage and turning every once in a while, so that Nigel and the rest of us could see her panties. Oh, and the top came down a bit too, she had to yank it up when she was done. Yawwwwn. Pasha: Again, he kept his shirt on but his routine consisted mainly of leaping about the stage, striking a sexy pose, turning a few times, and striking another pose. Not much dancing there. Yawwwwn. But then, why should either of these people break a sweat? All three judges had made such a fuss about America being shmucks who wouldn’t know good talent if it smacked them in the head, that they (and we) knew they were safe. Which leads us to Shauna and Jimmy. Both truly danced for their lives. Now remember back to Wednesday night when Nigel gave the viewers a really long speech about “Dance Snobs” who stick our noses in the air and talk about things like technique, and formal training? Remember how he said that performance was NOT all about these things, and that we should really look beyond that to the uniqueness of “new blood” and ideas? These two dancers wowed the audience and proved just how right we “Dance Snobs” are. Take a friggin lesson, Nigel. Shauna is a fantastic spinner. Turns are not easy, but she makes it look effortless. She also is extremely good at footwork. Her technical skill doesn’t leave us all counting how many pirouettes she can do, it leaves us breathless and dying to watch her perform forever. Jimmy is a fantastic dancer. This guy defies all laws of gravity with leaps that are stunningly high. He also does fantastic footwork, pirouettes and toures. This guy personifies the term “dancer” and because of that we want to watch him perform forever. To put it bluntly – their technical skill and formal training make them every bit as unique to watch as any rubber band boy hip hopper. So finally, we get to the last couple. Fiana, ballroom dancer extraordinaire, is forced to dance a solo because the judges decided to go for “unique” (read: demographically correct) last week. She picks “Do you love me (now that I can dance) but takes a cue from Jesse and Pasha and leaps about the stage gyrating and striking poses rather than dancing. Now, having heard the “America is an idiot” speech regarding Jesse/Pasha, and hearing the thunderous applause from the audience for Shauna, you would have thought that Fiana would at least attempt to do something a bit more involved than gyrating and working the staircase. Cedric: Rubberband boy extraordinaire. This IS fun to watch, don’t get me wrong, but the guy has proven for two consecutive shows that he is a one trick pony. He is great as a one man show, or even in group work – but as a partner he sucks. Faina, or any other female he is paired with doesn’t stand a chance of making it out of bottom three with this guy. “Dance snobs” everywhere were once again vindicated. Even though Fiana is not a strong soloist, her technical ability and formal ballroom training make even the most inept partner look good. Their routine was not the best by any means on Wednesday night, but SHE did carry the routine. As for Cedric; Tech and formal may not be everything, but when you are expected to partner every week, and are expected to be able to do something other than dance your comfort zone, that Tech and Formal training will help you to pick up steps easily, and will make you able to hold your own with someone who has had the training. The Judges go off into a stairwell somewhere, so the teenager demographic can listen to some band we older folks have never heard of, giving us all time to get up and use the restroom, make a sandwich, get a nice grope in … whatever. When they come back, they take on the women first. The results didn’t really surprise me or upset me. Jesse the phone in is safe, although the judges tell her that she really should actually step it up a notch in solos so as not to alert the other dancers and the viewers that maybe, just maybe, they might be playing favorites. Next is Shauna, who is told she is awesome (which is true) and that if you are going to bring it on, that is exactly the way you should do it. She’s safe. Finally it’s time to give the hook to Fiana. For her this game should really be titled “Dancing with the shmucks” because while she truly is a brilliant ballroom dancer, the luck of the draw keeps giving her bad partners. She has to go, because Jesse showed Panties, Shauna showed talent, and someone has to be shown the door. Buh-bye. On to the men. Pasha the phone in is safe, although the judges tell him that he really should actually step it up a notch in solos so as not to alert the other dancers and the viewers that maybe, just maybe, they might be playing favorites. Jimmy the wonder leaper is told he is awesome (which is true) and that he truly danced for his life, is phenomenal, and should wait on stage. Uh oh. Finally, it’s time to give the hook to rubberband boy Cedric, but not before the Nigel tells him that, for Mary at least, uniqueness (read: Teenage girl magnet) is no longer a factor when truly good dancers (such as Mia’s magnet last week) are tossed onto the alter and sacrificed in favor of ratings. Jimmy is all smiles, thinking that Mary has had the good sense to talk the other two into saving him. Nigel then yammers on and on at Cedric like he is a spoiled two year old, threatening to yank him IF HE EVER LETS DOWN A PARTNER AGAIN. What?! Ra is stunned. I am stunned. Jimmy is stunned. Shauna was stunned and most likely went out after this was over and got spot on pissed at the local bar. This has to be the worst decision since Hitler decided a stroll through Siberia on the way to Moscow was the best way to defeat Russia. Best way to ensure that a guy wins this seasons competition? Keep Rubberband boy on this show week after week so that every. single. woman dancer ends up as his partner.
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sharnina 3075 desperate attention whore postings
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06-22-07, 05:40 PM (EST)
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1. "RE: So You Think You Can Stand this for the rest of the season?" |
*stands and applauds* Awesome post, well said, well said! Here, here!I couldn't agree with you more, SunnyBunny. And just for that, you get another beach bunny.  
Tribe thinks I can dance. (TTICD)
Shar's World
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tribephyl 9688 desperate attention whore postings
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06-22-07, 08:54 PM (EST)
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5. "RE: So You Think You Can Stand this for the rest of the season?" |
Hear Hear!Spot on sunbun. Cedric was the reason Faina ended up in the bottom 3 each week, and to kick her out for being an awesome enough partner to compensate for his lack of partnership, is astounding to me. Specially when considering her solo, compared to Jessie's.
It was clearly an odd situation...letting Shauna through for doing well with her solo, letting jessie through for NOT doing her solo well, and booting Fiana for having a good solo but a crappy partner. Hunh? Not to mention Jimmy, who also was in an awkward situation of getting booted for doing well. Just astounds me. Since, clearly, the "Dance for your Life" segment is about as meaningless as Paris Hilton's life... (See Jessie and Pasha's free pass.) and they don't listen to it's audience... Perhaps the judges can just tell us who to vote for each week? And finally...Nigel.
Nigel nigel nigel...
This whole "trying to be nicer this season" is wearing out it's welcome very quickly within the tribe household (and from the sounds of it... it's spreading boardwide.) Why? Is? Cedric? So? Important?
He's even sullying your good name, Nigel. You too Mia. ...threatening to yank him IF HE EVER LETS DOWN A PARTNER AGAIN.
Which is why I'm thinking that next week Cedric will somehow manage to score a HipHop routine. Yet, with Shauna as his partner he'll probably still be in bottom 3... to be saved yet again. This time, because he's finally showing promise. And didn't let his partner down. Arrgh!) And Nigel's stab at DanceSnobs had me chuckling at first. But after witnessing what's been going on with him lately, I'll have to snub my nose at him.
Who knew Mary could be so lucid.
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Snidget 43862 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold"
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06-22-07, 09:19 PM (EST)
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6. "RE: So You Think You Can Stand this for the rest of the season?" |
LAST EDITED ON 06-22-07 AT 09:20 PM (EST)Well, I do agree that there is something whack about the judging. On the other hand, I'm not too upset about it as IMO it just alters the order the bottom 50% of the group are leaving. Much like in AI when it is just America choosing sometimes a person leaves in the wrong week. They would have never made it to the final 4 or 6 but neither will the person that got saved for a week longer than they should have. I actually like the judges having some say because more often than not, IMO, they do save someone that has potential (just not Cedric, I don't know who is getting which favors from him so he gets the favor he is getting) doesn't get bumped too early because America didn't get the performance. It isn't the Judges fault who ends up at the bottom, and I don't know that there really are any good choices other than Cedric needs to be out because he is doing exactly what they said he would do. I do find the "dance snob" thing a bit offensive. Technique does matter, but I do find some people who are technically brilliant completely boring because there is no feeling at all in the performance. I need at least some of both and I tend to be a bit more forgiving of minor technique failures than major lack of performance failures. I know other people cannot enjoy a performance if there are technique flaws, so this does vary a lot between people. If you want technique to be the most important thing you do not let the public vote because most people can tell when someone puts their heart into something. Not a lot of people have the knowledge to know if a foot was turned the right way for this particular style of dance. ETF: a borderline PG-13 sentance.
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Sunny_Bunny 5581 desperate attention whore postings
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06-22-07, 10:31 PM (EST)
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8. "RE: So You Think You Can Stand this for the rest of the season?" |
I actually like the judges having some say because more often
than not, IMO, they do save someone that has potential ...
It isn't the Judges fault who ends up at the bottom,
and I don't know that there really are any good choices other than Cedric needs to be out because he is doing exactly what they
said he would do. I totally agree with you on that. But, when it was so clearly apparent which male dancer dropped the ball, and so clear to all of us (and them) that he should be given the hook, then taking out the dancer the judges had been calling "brilliant" doesn't make any sense at all. The girls were much harder to choose from. I believe that Jesse and Pasha got free passes because the panel knows they work well together, and should therefore stay in the competition. Unfortunately for Faisia, that "protection" for the future of this couple and the brilliance of Shauna's solo pretty much sealed Faisia's fate. I do fall under the "dance snob" category, because I danced for years, and even taught for awhile. I agree that technique isn't everything, that most people don't know good turn out from bad etc. But technique + heart (both of which Shauna and Jimmy had in spades} should win out. As for style, Ra has never danced ballroom in his life, and even he recognized that the hip hoppers doing the ballroom routines were not connected to each other, and that the routines were being changed to cover the weakness and that the power of those dances suffered because of it.
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EmmaHead 161 desperate attention whore postings
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06-23-07, 02:31 PM (EST)
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14. "RE: So You Think You Can Stand this for the rest of the season?" |
Ok, I was also confused by the judging this week and felt very strongly that Cedric should leave. However, I do remember feeling similarly last season with Ivan. I thought he was horrible at first and was totally letting down his partner (Allison, who is still my favorite). I was really disappointed that he didn't get booted immediately. But then a funny thing happened... I started to really like Ivan! He really worked hard and improved each week. The contemporary dance he did later on with Allison is still my favorite pairs performance. If the judges hadn't taken a chance and kept him in, I never would have gotten to see that beautiful routine. Up until that routine, I never really like the contemporary style of dance. That one routine opened my eyes to how beautiful the contemporary style can by.
I know there's a very good chance that Cedric will NOT improve and will end up going home very soon. I am willing to give him a chance, though, in the hopes that he turns out to be a big surprise like Ivan was last season.
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bullzeye 4956 desperate attention whore postings
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06-23-07, 04:26 PM (EST)
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15. "RE: So You Think You Can Stand this for the rest of the season?" |
Well, let me add my non de plume to the chorus of supporters of your insight SB. I think what bothers me most is the inconsistent messaging we are hearing. If you are thinking that you are going to send another superior dancer in Jimmy over Cedric, stop gushing over Jimmy! If you say that you believe that the only reason Fiana is in bottom three is because of her partner - send the partner home, and not Fiana.I think this confuses us newbies in particular. We look to the judges and their critiques as gospel as we don't know any better. Please stop the "Do as we say, not as we do", messaging. 
Snidget's to blame!
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Sagebrush Dan 9824 desperate attention whore postings
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06-23-07, 05:13 PM (EST)
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16. "RE: So You Think You Can Stand this for the rest of the season?" |
nom de plume Ooo, big words...Anyway, I don't remember anything like this last year, but then most of the dancers were pretty crummy and the whole thing evolved into a waiting game for them to dump everyone but Travis and Benji; the order didn't matter, just dump them. I thought their sarcasm was bad last year until I heard the false gushiness this year. 
More wagging, less barking.
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Snidget 43862 desperate attention whore postings
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06-23-07, 05:51 PM (EST)
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17. "RE: So You Think You Can Stand this for the rest of the season?" |
I think I got tired of Dmitri's partner always leaving but Dmitri staying on and on and on (although the solos were lovely *sigh* at some point do you start to think he might be part of the problem)I do think most of those that got extra chances were times when I could feel good about all three couples being in the bottom. This year with almost everyone being so much better from the get go the early cuts are likely to be a lot more painful. I still don't think we've lost anyone so far that would have made the top 6 or 8 people. It just isn't so obvious from the start who the final few dancers will be this year. I do wonder if this year the which dance you get will play a bigger role. While I loved the Jazz Bird Afropop dance I do not think that style of dance is a popular as some others and people may not vote for the couples just because they don't like the dance style. I think everyone kinda knows when a dance is bad even when it isn't something they like or know. When most of the dances are really very good then the I just didn't get it may play a bigger role in the votes.
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Snidget 43862 desperate attention whore postings
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06-24-07, 07:39 AM (EST)
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20. "RE: So You Think You Can Stand this for the rest of the season?" |
{cue X-files theme}Thanks for the help with the crossword puzzle I did last night. Yep, you post nom de plume and it is an answer in one of my puzzles on the same day. Kinda eerie. 
Dancing to the Tribe!g is easy!
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