Dance From China

Chinese TV network CCTV recently aired their own dance competition. Friend and long-time reader Suzanne submitted this routine and warns to have a hankie ready. She's right, it's powerful stuff.


There's some background on the show here, and on the dancers, Ma Li and Zhai Xiaowei, here.

SYTYCD News Roundup

Read what blogger Allie went through to be one of the very few to meet the dancers after the final show in Reno.

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In the first bit of news we've heard since it was originally announced, we learn that So You Think You Can Dance Canada is set to debut at the end of the 2007/2008 season. Maybe one of our Canadian readers will correct me, but I believe that means sometime in the spring. It was also announced that Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann, which will debut after the first of the year on ABC in the US, will also air on CTV.

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After The Last Paso Doble

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Courtesy of Jeff Haskell.


Neil Haskell and Sabra Johnson after the final performance of The Nutcracker in Buffalo.

"This picture shows the friendship that has been built between Neil and Sabra throughout their time on the show and on tour."

Final Bow In Reno

Thanks to xrogue81 for uploading. More from Reno here.

Photos From Reno

_{Photos courtesy of} Toastiness

Our friend Toasty posted a great set of photos from the tour finale in Reno to her Flickr stream. Also check out her sets from San Jose, Sacramento, and Oakland.

Australia Update

Australia's TEN has released a preview video from So You Think You Can Dance auditions. We meet a young dancer with Ben Susak hair and learn that judge Jason Coleman is the alpha male who shares Nigel's preference that "boys dance like boys".

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From the town of Dubbo (population 28,000, noted for cattle trading and sheep farming) comes the story of dancer Jamie Astley, one of the top 100. They were all locked down for the weekend in a Sydney hotel.

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Neil & Sabra's Nutcracker Performance UPDATED!

Neil Haskell and Sabra Johnson flew cross-country yesterday morning to appear in performances of The Nutcracker in Buffalo, N.Y. Our correspondent in Buffalo, we'll call her BC, reports there were some surprises.

Updated with video!

I just got back from this evening's performance of The Nutcracker, by the American Academy of Ballet here in Buffalo, NY. As you know, Neil and Sabra were dancing the Paso Dobles, and I couldn't wait to see it! The Center for the Arts was packed...it could have been sold out, but I really couldn't see the balcony from my seat. The Paso was in the second act, where the Spanish variation usually is. You have to know that Maris' (Battaglia, director of the American Academy) Nutcracker is very different...she puts in several non-ballet numbers to get as many children involved in the production as possible, as this is a ballet academy's showcase "winter recital," in a way. There's some acrobatics, a little tap, and some other novelty type numbers. It sounds a bit nutty, but it works for this kind of show. So the Paso dobles wasn't as out of place as you might think. There was also an "Under the Sea" piece (!), and a South American scene (but more on that later!)

Let me just say that Neil and Sabra rocked the Paso! I know that many posters have been critical of the dance, and especially the donut drop. And I saw the tour twice, in Rochester and Toronto, and both times, the drop was a little rough. But tonight! They absolutely NAILED it! Sabra went straight down, and FAST, with no jiggling of Neil's shoulders, NOTHING like before. She stopped inches from the floor. It was fabulous, and very dramatic and very hot. The audience really went crazy!

Then came the surprise: ...

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Neil and Sabra had choreographed another piece for the South American scene (one of the places Clara and her prince visited, besides Arabia, China, etc.) Neil was wearing a tight bright yellow wife-beater, and Sabra was in a 2 piece outfit (sorry, can't remember details). They danced a super hot Latin-type number, with lifts, tons of turns, gymnastics movements, everything they were known for on the show. At one point, Neil went off stage, and Sabra did a solo with some nice moves; then they switched, and Neil did his solo with multiple fouettes (beautifully) and his signature 540 jump! Needless to say, that number also got a huge ovation.

At the end, they came out for a curtain call and the crowd went wild. It was SUCH a great performance, and it must have been so much fun for them. And the rest of the ballet was very enjoyable, too, especially the two "leads" from the New York City Ballet and the Miami City Ballet who danced the Sugar Plum fairy and the Prince. I'm sure Sabra especially enjoyed watching them, as she has said that she never saw the Nutcracker before.

They'll be repeating their performances tomorrow (Sunday) at 1 pm and again at 5 pm.

Anyway, for me, it was a great end to the whole SYTYCD experience.

Thanks BC! What a great report!

Here's a video from another audience member.