Sara And Jesus Interview

Murtz Jaffer at Reality Dish posted an informative interview with Sara Von Gillern and Jesus Solorio:

MJ: What was your favorite performance because the one that stood out to me was the hip-hop routine to Salt & Pepa's "Push It."

SVG: Oh my god!

MJ: With the outfits and Nigel going crazy about the outfits.

SVG: It was so bad!

MJ: You didn't like it?

SVG: That was my least favorite. Like me coming from a hip-hop background you know what I mean, there's like so much more that we could have done with that whole like early 90's type feel but you know, it was the choreographer's choice.

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Jesus And Lacey Save The Day

Big thanks to our friend and reader Katie for this entertaining report and pictures from the Long Island show.

A friend and I attended the SYTYCD show in Long Island. It was, of course, excellent. As my friend noted, Danny was "killing it." Even more so than the Hartford show, where he did not shine as bright as we know he can. Overall, I thought all the performances were stronger, despite the fact that they must be getting more and more worn out with each performance (Sara was starting to lose her voice). Let it also be noted that the performance included a gratuitous torso exposure by Neil staged as a joke. However, this was no joke. I believe it is usually referred to as "worth the price of admission." The most surprising part of the show may have been the crowd's love for Kameron. He was a clear favorite and at times danced like someone who should have ended up in the top four. The least surprising part of the show was an outcry of, "Danny, you should have won buddy!" There was bound to be one of those.

The main reason my friend and I made the trip to Long Island was to see the dancers after the show. We had opted not to at the Hartford show, as we were trying to avoid being obsessive. We then spent the next weeks obsessing over what a mistake we had made. When we got out of the show in Long Island it was pouring rain, cold, cold rain. We had to circle the Coliseum twice before spotting an out of the way
underground ramp where it was most likely the dancers would be exiting from. There were about fifteen loyal fans when we arrived, and maybe a grand total of thirty as time passed. Despite knowing that we would have to wait for the meet and greet to get out, the faithful few stood their ground. An hour later we were told the dancers would not be coming out because of the rain. No one bugged. The general consensus was that if we waited, they would come. And with so few of us, we were all but guaranteed pictures, if not a full on dance, with our favorite SYTYCD member.

We waited in vain, but for one brief shining moment. Up the ramp, holding hands and running, came Lacey and Jesus. They raced up to us exclaiming, "we have to be quick, we are not supposed to be here!" They left in under a minute, just enough time for a handful of autographs and frantic pictures. It was a far cry from what we had all
been hoping for. However, with the inclement weather, it made sense that the dancers would have to stay inside. The upside is that I won't soon forget the sight of Lacey and Jesus, hand in hand, stealing away to greet their fans like prisoners in a jail break. Their consideration was quite touching.

_{Photos courtesy of Katie}

In a nutshell, the best performances of the night go to Lacey and Jesus. They showed as much commitment to their fans as we do to them.

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Another of our favorite writers this season has been Adam B Vary at EW.com. Awwww, he shows his softer side:

To be fair, Danny had the best night, in part because, of the four finalists, he had by far the best combination of routines in a night when the choreographers mostly failed to showcase the dancers' strengths. We'll get to all that in a bit, but I also have to say that, really, if any one of these dancers takes home the $250K, I'll be totally happy — one of the few times in any TV reality competition show that I'm able to say that. Which is, all of my snarkiness about costumes and choreography throughout this season aside, reason #1932 why I love this show.

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We don't know Scott Patrick Wagner at The VC Reporter, but he's a big Jesus Solorio fan, and "gets" what the show is about:

Unlike the insipid and overblown Dancing with the Stars, SYTYCD features young dancers so talented they take my breath away while they fight for their own by the end of some beautifully choreographed numbers. And while there were astonishing dancers on the first two seasons, this year the talent level is the highest it has ever been. And aren�t we glad about it?

Yes � except when the casualty who gets voted off is our favorite.

No, I don't know what's up with the question marks, but the article is recommended anyway.
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Nate Levy covers all the details in his recaps.

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Our friend Carissa (Momma2Mingbu) hits the high spots:

I loved Lacey & Sabra's partner dance. I was very shocked by the judges' reaction to it. I thought it was beautifully done. They handled the stylized movement wonderfully and made it look natural. They were committed to the characters. The piece had nice levels.....good contrasts between the fast and slow sections and they were well-connected to each other.

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Daemon has done a very good job with his interviews this season. His chat with Pasha is up:

D: How does it feel to be famous all of a sudden?
P: I don’t know I didn’t really experience it yet, because we’re kind of isolated here on the show, you’re going in the morning from the place where we live to the studio and then come back and then go again, so you don’t really see much of that world. Just few glimpses of it, which I had, were kind of shocking, not in a bad way, just friendly because people recognize you and everybody knows your name, and you’re just crossing the street and somebody in a car starts honking and saying “Pasha, I love you on the show, you’re a great dancer,” “Thank you very much”, and then like suddenly you’re the center of attention even at a crossroad of a street. It’s just different, I’m not used to that and I think this thing is short lived because once the show is over and then two more month and people will move on to the next thing in their live and they will forget who was in the top six on this season of “So You Think You Can Dance.” But the greatest thing to me is that I think in this short period of time I had a chance to reach out to people and move them or bring some emotion to their heart and that’s what will stay with them forever and that’s one the things I’m happy about. They’re not gonna remember my name but they’ll remember that feeling, they will carry it with them for a long time, I’m happy with that.

I think we'll remember Pasha's name for quite a while.

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Good News About Cedric

Gene at Monsters Of HipHop writes to tell us that it's just been booked and confirmed. Cedric Gardner will appear at their Orlando Tour Finale this weekend. More details at their site. Also, this from their MonsterBuzz blog:

Toy company Wild Planet has also called on Cedric, giving him a 2 week opportunity to come work with their San Francisco based outfit, learning all the ins & outs of the toy industry as well as sharing his ideas on new toys.

With this and the Chuy story earlier today, it's gratifying to see good things happening to good people.

Chuy Fans Take Heart

ATTENTION NASHVILLE AREA, AND JESUS SOLORIO FANS EVERYWHERE
When Jesus Solorio was dismissed during the So You Think You Can Dance top 16 results show, it was one of the most lamented early eliminations in reality TV history (pipe down, Malan Breton fans). Fans will be happy to learn that Chuy is gaining employment from his time on the show. He'll be appearing at workshops TOMORROW, Thursday, July 19th, at Hermitage Dance Academy in Nashville, Tn. More info here. There will be 2 sessions, one for 9-12 year olds, and one for 13 & up (not sure how far up), with a question and autograph session after each.

Space is limited, so register early. If any blog readers attend, please take a camera and send us a report.

Top 14 Elimination Show Recaps

Brett Love at TVSquad:

Ya see, here's my problem with this explanation. Remember way, way back a whole 2 weeks ago? According to the judges, Jesús was given the boot because he was outdanced in the solos. The solos were the thing, right? But not now. Now it's all about the season as a whole. The hell? The thing is, even looking at the season as a whole, I'd still put Shauna ahead of Anya. Lack of growth? Really?

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Spill recaps the show:

We’re saying goodbye to two more dancers tonight, and hopefully one of them is Cedric — talented soloist, mediocre partner. But first, tonight’s group dance. It’s set to You Can’t Stop the Beat from Hairspray, as part of the whole marketing push that landed Adam Shankman on the show as a judge. But — but — they used this song for a dance last year! Repeats are lame! Plus, this Queen Latifah version is definitely not as good as the other one they used. The choreography isn’t that special, either. Thumbs down for Shankman. Where’s Tyce Diorio when you need him? Also, I love how they put Danny in the front of all the group routines. He probably won’t win, but he’s totally the best. Cat’s continuing her weak attire streak in a frilly powder-blue sixties dress and tightly pulled-back hair. We conclude by watching some rehearsal footage of Adam Shankman acting like a crazy person. Sigh, theater people. He’s got some killer splits though.

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People actually wager on the show. Hok and Lacey are given the best odds to win it all.

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Daemon's TV has all the clips and song list.

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Top 16 Judge Interviews

This video has a bit of age on it, but is interesting if you haven't seen it. Debbie Allen, Mary Murphy, and Nigel Lythgoe interviewed after letting Jessi and Jesus go, 2 weeks ago

Blogger At The Taping

Junichi Semitsu, the "official exclusive blogger" for the Dixie Chicks, attended the taping of last night's show. He reports:

As I entered Stage 46 in CBS Television City, I immediately sensed the community and the cult status that this show has engendered. I passed celebrities like Vanessa Williams and Kids in the Hall comedian Scott Thompson, who were obviously big fans. I spotted two of last season’s finalists, Donyelle Jones and Heidi Groskreutz, making the rounds with old friends, while two of this season’s eliminated contestants, Jimmy Arguello and Jesús Solorio, warmly embraced one another. Even two of the contestants' swing-dancing father, Buddy Schwimmer, who has become known for always holding an electronic LED sign while sitting in the audience, is greeted like a national celebrity.

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Jesus and Jessi Interview Video

If you haven't seen it yet, here's the elimination interview from top 16 week with Jesus Solorio and Jessi Peralta. The biggest surprise to me was learning that the dancers only get 5 hours of rehearsal time for each routine.

Caste System

We found this quirky little article in LA's The Place Magazine (unfortunate URL interpretation: Last He Place dot com). It's Jessi and Jesus interviewed again, with a few new twists:

Even though the energy of the competition was tense at times, Jessi shared that all the dancers get along really well and she feels that she’s made a lot of good friends during the competition. Though Jesus has made friends with a few of the dancers he feels that everyone gets a little angry at each other sometimes for little things. He adds that what viewers might not see as much on the show is the relationships between dancers that aren’t partners and also the involvement the producers play daily during rehearsals. This interaction between members of the show made Jessi and Jesus feel that they learned so much because everyone was so different in both their personality and dancing style.

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More unfortunate web addresses here.

Recently Added

Recently added to our sidebar:

Danny Tidwell's Official Site

Jesus Solorio's MySpace Page

Shauna Noland's MySpace Fan Site

Television With Out Pity fan threads for all the season 3 dancers.

The Other

As usual, this week the Theory My Culture blog gives us an interesting read. This time it's Kate:

Tonight’s results show begins with a little taste of the Other, as the show often does. One of the things that makes the show so good is the way that we as the audience are exposed to all forms of dance. At the same time, this demanded accessibility changes the dance form itself. Last night’s crumping, for example, exposed viewers to a dance form that most are unfamiliar with (unless, of course, they watched last season). Nigel queryed Jesus, “Where did you learn that in Paso Robles?” “Being mad at the grapes,” he retorts. But of course Jesus learned the dance from the choreographers. What is lost when these dance forms are rendered “accessible,” when crumping becomes “not just scary,” as Nigel remarked? What price is paid for accessibility, and how do we imagine the lives of and claims to authenticity on the part of each dancer?

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What Would Chuy Do?

Some Facebookers have put together a page in honor of Jesus "Chuy" Solorio. From the page:

Our Mission: To support former SYTYCD 3 contestant Jesús Solorio in his desire to give back to the people who need it most.

Description: When asked what his ambitions outside of dancing were, Jesús Solorio replied:

"My ambition is helping children in need. I love donating, I love donating my time, and that's what I want to do. I want to make enough money to help people out. You know, people have given to me, and I want to give back. I want to Pay It Forward."

Jesús was raised in the small California town of Paso Robles, growing up around the vinyards in the only work force that his family could be a part of. Unable to afford the costs of his education in dance, the people of his town would hold fundraisers to put him through training. Having been given the opportunity to put such a gift out there for the world to see, he now hopes to be able to do the same for other children in need.

With partner Sara Kei VonGillern by his side, Jesús has done what he set out to do, inspiring fans everywhere to get up and dance. Unfortunately, this amazing dancer, who carries with him an incredible personality and heart, was cut from the competition after only three weeks. To honor him and his accomplishments, we would like to help him Pay It Forward.

And so we pose the question: Why Would Jesús Dance? Why would you? Does dance exist to fulfill only those on the floor, or is it something to be shared for the bennefit of every person it touches?

We ask that members of this cause hold events in their hometown to raise money for Jesús' cause. Whether it be a formal dance showcase, or simply a chance for friends to get together on the dance floor, we hope to use what Jesús does best (No, not making wine... DANCE) as a fundraiser to make a donation to this site. We will then donate every penny raised to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund in California, making this contribution in his name to the youth and young adults of his own community so that they can alas achieve the education they would not otherwise be priveleged to gain.

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Jessi and Jesus Interviews

BuddyTV has exclusive interviews with our 2 eliminated dancers, in both text and audio.

Jesus:

Do you wish you had something different with your solo routine?

Actually, I was very satisfied with my solo routine. I thought about doing something very technical. I think I can do whatever Danny and Neil did, I believe I can do myself, but I was going for something different and that I knew I could do, and I did do it, and I think I accomplished that.

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Jessi:

Can you tell us about going to the hospital, how bad actually was it and was there any chance of you performing on Tuesday's show?

Absolutely, yes, there was a chance for me performing on Tuesday’s show. Something that the audience didn't see was that was actually the second time I had to go to the hospital because last week, I also got really dehydrated again like, "Girl, get some Gatorade." But that was the second time I had to go, I did not want to go, I didn’t feel like I needed to go, but the show has our best interests in mind and they just felt like if you’re feeling these pains you should go to the hospital and get it checked it out. I’m sitting there going, "Give me some Gatorade, give me a second to breathe and I'll be fine". I actually checked myself out of the hospital to come back because there was no way I was letting Pasha down or letting him dance by himself. And, at that point it was taken out of my hands and put into some lawyer's hands, and so they were like, "No, no, you will not be dancing tonight, you’re a liability, what if you croak on stage?" And I’m going, "I’m not going to croak, everything’s going to be fine, please let me dance, please, please, please". And they were like, "No, no, no".

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RealityWanted has a joint interview:

GINA (REALITYWANTED): Do you have a favorite dance performed by your fellow contestants so far?
Jessi: I would say … Wade’s piece for Hok & Jaimie. But … honestly? I love my performances with Pasha. What you see us doing on stage, that’s the real thing. I look at him & I say, “This is the truth!”
Jesus: That would be Sabra & Dominic’s lyrical dance. I helped Dominic with it while trying to learn my own routine & he’s so passionate about what he does. They both are, so it really touched me.

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Jesus and Sara - Paso Doble

Due to some Sanjaya-style voting patterns, we lost Jesus Solorio from the competition tonight. He committed himself to all of his routines, but this was our favorite. Many complained that the Queen remix wasn't appropriate for the dance. I wouldn't have thought there were so many paso doble purists in the States.
Update: Video fixed.



Thanks, Chuy, we hope to see you dance again.

Jesus Solorio Article

Jesus Solorio is profiled in this story from the Paso Robles Press.

“I am beyond excited I am ecstatic for him,” said Class Act Dance instructor June Greenwalt. “There was a gift in him that was rare, it was just a matter of bringing it out in the right time and in the right place.”

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More On Chuy

Season 3 finalist Jesus Solorio is profiled in this piece at sanluisobispo.com.

"Solorio’s mother works at a factory in Nebraska. His father has never been supportive of his son’s decision to become a dancer. He hasn’t watched the show yet."

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Chuy's Audition

We didn't see much of Jesus "Chuy" Solorio in Las Vegas, until he was named to the top 20. Here's his audition in LA. It's interesting that he chose Goapelle's Closer, a song close to the hearts of season 2 Natalie and Musa fans.

Q&A With Jesus "Chuy" Solorio

We're still not sure if we're supposed to call him Jesus or Chuy, but either way, he's been growing on us. He grew up doing paso dobles in Paso Robles (oh yeah, like you wouldn't have written that if you had the chance), and making a barrel or two of zinfandel along the way. We're not sure how old this Q&A is, but we found it worth sharing. It starts about 1/4th of the way down the page.
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Top 20 Odds

If you can stand the trashy, blinking ads and ridiculous pop-ups, foxesonidol.com has an article running down the hopefuls we've seen so far on the audition shows. There's no mention of Jaimie Goodwin or Danny Tidwell, but Claire Calloway is included. She auditioned last season but was sidelined by an ankle injury.

I do have to object to one thing in the article. Jesus "Chuy" Solorio danced an athletic contemporary style in his audition, but is categorized as a street/break dancer by the author. I don't think it takes a rocket surgeon or brain scientist to figure out why.

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