One of our readers, Allen, took the time to share this excellent review of the show in Hartford last night. Thanks Allen!
My wife and I went to the show in Hartford last night. What a treat! I was particularly impressed by the group numbers, but in addition there was a great breaker piece danced by Sara, Dominic and Hok that was new to the show. It was so much better seeing the entire stage instead of one camera angle like you do on TV, and the energy and quality of the dancing was so much more evident when you weren't
watching with a critical eye, trying to decide who to vote for!
The special guests (alternates) dance in several of the group numbers, and Anya dances with Danny, and with Pasha. Jesus does the vagabond thing with Sara; Hok is (of course) the hummingbird, as well as doing the breaker piece. Shauna is there, and dances with Kameron (Ease on Down the Road).
Overall I was impressed with everyone, and they are all stars. I was glad that apart from introducing Sabra for her solo as "America's Favorite Dancer", they didn't focus on the results of the show much at all, just let the "greatest hits" of the season roll.
I was particularly taken with Dominic's dancing last night, and also Lauren's--she comes across as much more powerful live than on TV. And Neil--what an entertainer, and just like the show, just a Neil sighting leads to lots of screaming among the young girls in the audience. Probably the piece I was most impressed with live as opposed to TV was the Two Princes--the energy and precision is amazing, and Danny is...well, Danny. But Sara and Jesus's vagabonds, Sabra and Dom's hip-hop, and Jaimie and Hok's Wade Robson piece were all great, too....would've liked to seen the foxes, and the white dress waltz, the Mia routine with the goggles Nigel didn't get...and probably I'm the only person in America who actually liked the paso doble to "We Will Rock You", but I knew they wouldn't do that one. And they didn't.
The only negative is I wish they had shot more new video to introduce the performers before their solos. (Do we really need to hear Danny being accused of arrogance again?) But at least we got some Cat voice-overs, and blissfully little of Nigel.
Thanks for keeping the blog up during the tour. Sorry I don't have any pictures or videos to add from last night, but folks, if you can get to a show near you, do go, you won't be disappointed!
I found this video of the Two Princes, performed by Neil Haskell and Danny Tidwell in Hartford. Thanks to outofstocklover for uploading.
