Reality Raver reviews the top 14 performance show:
Now that the gregarious Danny Noriega has been eliminated from American Idol can we bring him over to be a guest judge on So You Think You Can Dance? At least he has the ability to make people smile, something the three judges are lacking.
However some comments on the show:
* Natalie Bassingthwaite has dropped the Jennifer Hawkins look this week but her hair seemed to be channelling Terri Irwin (Steve Irwin's widow) including the slightly over tanned look;
* Matt Lee appears to decided to find some personality tonight and also gave some decent feedback;
* Producers are clearly reading forums or blogs as there was no fusion dances tonight, and that was a good thing;
* Jason Coleman was clearly having an '80's wardrobe moment with fluro pink t-shirt, and black jacket, I could almost see George Michael in his Choose Life phase, though I don't think even George would have worn the shark tooth necklace.
First up were...
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...Jemma and Rhys who were to dance hip hop to a Tiane Joubert routine.
At first when Tiane started gibbering about it being Afro/Cuban I thought we were going to get another fusion dance number but fortunately I was wrong.
This dance was raunchy especially for the 7.30pm family friendly time slot, and the opening position would have been the closest Rhys had been to a girls genital area in years.
It was the best hip hop number seen this series yet. Jemma was fantastic, and Rhys was fairly butch (well he sold me on it) and it was a raunchy high energy enjoyable number. Didn't quite get the Rhys marijuana leaf bandanna, not because of the drug reference, but it just looked one those cheap ones you buy in Kuta Bali.
They should be safe for another week.
Matt Lee said "Jemma stepping up and getting better", and "I would have liked more energy" I thought that was a bit harsh they were pelvic thrusting a 100 bpm throughout the whole routine.
Bonnie said it sizzled.
Jason said "Great job, Congratulations," and "Rhys really blokey, really masculine tonight", and "Jemma your diversity is going up and up".
Next up was Jack and Demi dancing the Rhumba to a Paul Green routine. Paul also has Dancing With the Stars experience and danced with Fifi Box on one of the series.
I like Demi but I think she may have peaked. Throughout the rehearsals she was told she would have to work on her sensual side. She produced this for her salsa a few weeks ago but tonight it just wasn't there. In fact she looked frigid throughout the whole routine. Jack was great, however maybe over dramatic to over compensate for her lack of expression.
If Rhys can produce butch she should be able to produce sexy.
They may face the bottom 3 for the first time.
Jason put it down to the fact that Demi did not wear high heels, which was in fact her choice, and I agree with him it worked against her. He said "The whole routine looked flat footed."
Matt Lee said "Didn't get the connection", and "It was still brother and sister"
Bonnie said "Lack of touch and feel for me" and "Jack well done"
Anthony Ikin and Laura were happy to get a contemporary routine by Yannus Sufandi. It was meant to be about a girl who was obsessed about her girlfriend, but it was the weakest routine of the night.
It was just a lot of running about and her throwing herself on him. Anthony had wanted to put a jump in from the top of the stairs, which was much talked about pre-routine, but it did not add anything, in fact it just added to the pointlessness of the routine.
Just when I thought it could not get anymore trite Laura gave out a over acted scream. There was very little dancing in the routine.
The judges were just as scathing. Matt said: "I didn't get it" and "Not sure if it was the performance or what you were given"
Bonnie said "Didn't think Laura was a good tonight"
Jason said "I didn't get it", "Not enough to act sexy have to be sexy", "Didn't like choreography" clearly Jason was feeling a touch sensitive about today's newspaper article regarding his criticism of the choreographers and added "Not saying that to put Yannus down but to build you guys up".
The choreography was poor in this routine, and if the inevitable bottom 3 occurs Laura will be in grave danger of going home.
Camilla and Sermsah (otherwise known as Suri) danced a hip hop number to a Travers Ross routine. This was the second time they had danced hip hop, last time in a jail break number and this time Sermsah was getting chased by the police because he was a graffiti artist.
Camilla looked great with a long hair wig (I don't think they were extensions) and she really danced strongly and sexy and her outfit showed what a great figure she has. Sermsah was good as well but clearly outdanced by her.
They had problems with a lift, but this was put down to her having a sprained finger, and Sermsah was worried about hurting it.
Jason was not so kind and said "Lifts are not working as you are not giving her what she needs", "Camilla you did really well", and "Suri you are not dancing on the centre of the beat".
Matt said "This hip hop style better this week." and "Suri I could see you thinking"
Bonnie "Didn't get the ending", "Camilla you were fantastic" and "Suri keep at it"
Vanessa and Henry sizzled with their Jason Gilkison choreographed Samba.
Henry's haircut increases his sex appeal 100%, and also he slashed his hair off his chest as well to run around in his skimpy costume. He looked hot tonight.
The only criticism of this routine was that it started before the music came in which we have seen far to much of this technique this series, and you always think there is something wrong with the sound.
Vanessa was really good, and just managed to inject some sex appeal in there, and Henry was fabulous. Probably routine of the night.
Matt Lee said "Jason Gilkison is a genius", "So great".
Bonnie said "Best routine of the night" and "Henry footwork great".
Jason said "Synchronicity - it all came together", "Vanessa you owned that" then he spent 5 minutes praising Jason Gilkison.
Then it was Kate and Graeme's turn to dance a contemporary number choreographed by Debbie Ellis Linert.
If they did not impress here this couple were going to be in serious trouble. Graeme was probably the strongest we have seen him, and Kate was great as well. I might get flamed for this however I am not sure of the likeability of this pair, neither has a strong personality, and this is about Australia's favourite dancers.
I thought the routine was really good, however I doubt if I will remember it by next week. However the judges were gushing.
Matt Lee said "Brilliance" and "Apart from Vanessa and Henry favourite routine of the night"
Bonnie rambled on about candlelight dinners and said "Did you book a room?" This was particularly cringeworthy. Bonnie was the weakest link of the judges tonight, still too much talking to get her point across, was she like this when she was a judge on SYTYCD in the US in Season 1?
Jason said "Best contemporary we have seen in competition", "Connected", "Did not see transition in and out of the lifts" and "Loved it, loved it, loved it".
Last routine of the night went to JD and Rhiannon who danced a jazz number by Adam Williams. It was a top hat and tails routine, and was 100% better then last weeks disastrous tango.
In rehearsals Adam was getting frustrated, but obviously he slapped them around to get good performances out of both of them, in fact Rhiannon was fantastic.
A couple of criticisms are Rhiannon outdanced JD noticeably, and JD's technique at times was weak.
The judges were kinder to JD this week, but I thought they had lowered the bar for him, any other dancer to have done the same routine as him would have come under greater criticism.
It would be ironic if they were bottom three this week with a much stronger and enjoyable routine.
Matt said "You were in it, I loved watching you have fun"
Bonnie said "JD did great this week" and "Rhiannon great".
Jason said "Well done, did what Adam wanted" and "Both stretched themselves".
Again I will take a stab at bottom three, and with a smaller field one would hope I have a better success rate than my usual one of three.
Bottom three predictions:
Laura and Anthony;
Demi and Jack; and
Rhiannon and JD.
