Blogcritics

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

TV Review: So You Think You Can Dance - The Finale

Regina Avalos — Thu, 6 Oct 2005 02:26:40 EDT

Back in July, the dead of summer, where there is usually no decent television to speak of, So You Think You Can Dance hit the airwaves on FOX. It followed on the heels of the highly popular Dancing With The Stars on ABC. Now if you check back on my reviews of the show I wasn't the biggest fan of the early episodes. The audition process dragged on much longer than necessary. I'm not a dancer, but maybe someone with dance training enjoyed this coverage. However, almost six hours of auditions didn't make for entertaining television. Once they had the fifty dancers chosen, the process of elimination began. Only sixteen would make it. That is when things got interesting for me. That also seems to be when the rest of America began to tune. Finally, the competition truly got underway, and the phone lines were opened to allow American viewers to cast their votes. The show drew very high voting numbers - 28.5 million called in. They even beat American Idol voting numbers some nights. Over the past two months, we've watched the contenders danced their way into America's hearts. We've been shocked. We've been involved. Just look at the comments to my posts each week on Blogcritics. Viewers are caught up in the show. They jump in with their thoughts on their personal favorites, and even some thoughts on what can make this show even better in the future. It took time, but my thoughts on this show have totally turned around. I went from almost hating it to loving it. I scream at the television each week while it's on. I'm just as involved as anyone else. I'm actually sad to see this show come to an end, but hopefully, it will return and be even better next time. Now let's talk about tonight's show.There were many surprises in store for us. We not only had the return of the rest of the top sixteen dancers, but other special guests popped up out of nowhere. Throughout the episode, we were also taken back to past weeks to see our dancers as they grew during the competition. The show began with a performance by the entire top sixteen dancers; choreographed by Shane Sparks. These sixteen dancers owned the stage, and it was nice to see them all back for the big finale. This performance was followed by another special guest performance from Alex Da Silva. He starts out with one female at his side, but in a total surprise, host Lauren Sanchez replaces this female as his partner and she sizzles on stage with Alex. Now, I had no idea she could dance or that she could do it so well. Perhaps this is why she was chosen as this show's host. I had always wondered about her. She did say it took a lot of rehearsal time in order to perform, but she looked great on stage. There was one more guest performance before we saw our final four in action. During auditions, one male dancer was put down by Nigel as being not masculine enough during his performance. This man, Anthony Bryant, returned tonight, and Nigel had to eat his words. (Another guest performance by The Groovaloo's, a hip hop dance crew, came in near the end of tonight's show .)After Bryant's performance, our dancers returned. This week they were allowed to pick one of their past performances to dance for America. Their partner for the performance also returned, and these dancers once again demonstrated to America why they were the final four. Nick chose his disco performance. Ashle performed her samba with Blake. Those that loved Jamile's hip hop performance with Destini the first time it aired were able to see it again, and Melody chose her Broadway performance with Nick.During and after these performances, we learned how America voted. The first one eliminated from the competition, coming in fourth with only 8.8% of the vote, was Ashle Dawson. Next to go was Jamile McGee with 24.9% of the vote. This left Melody Lacayanga and Nick Lazzarini. At the very end of tonight's program we learned that Nick won with 37.7% of the vote. Melody came in second with 28.6%.Each and every week, Nick had performed well. All these dancers have, though. Each and every single one of the dancers in the top sixteen will be dancing in one form or the other for some time to come. The top four do have brilliant careers ahead of them. Nick may have won, but the other top three have also won by going as far as they did in the competition. They will find work as dancers. I will miss this show. It has become a part of my regular viewing habits. As I said earlier, I became involved in the outcome. Unlike the results of Dancing With The Stars on ABC, I was quite pleased with how this show played out. Nick is an amazing dancer, and he deserved to win this competition. I can't wait to see So You Think You Can Dance next season. Not sure when that will be. I hope some changes are made to make this show even better than it is now. Shorter show times would be a good start. I didn't mind the 90 minute shows so much, but the two hour long broadcasts were a bit tedious. However, I enjoyed the faster pace that came with the sixty minute programs. What do you think America? Were you pleased with the result of this competition? What do you think could be done to make this show even better for future seasons or are you happy with this show just as it is?For a complete list of songs used on tonight's show and more reviews by Regina, including reviews on books, music, movies and several popular television shows, visit her review blog found at One Couch Critic. She is also the newest contributor at Media Village with her Thoughts from the couch. Her rambles on life and writing can be found on her daily blog, One Writer's Rambles.

Blogging since March 2005, Regina Avalos maintains her blog, Inside My Wild Mind, daily with her thoughts on television, movies, literature and life. Currently she also covers the latest in television news, celebrity gossip and movie news for Teevieo and Today.com! Come see what she is talking about now.

TV Review: So You Think You Can Dance: The Final Dance-Off

Regina Avalos — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 02:00:46 EDT

Three words immediately come to my mind with this episode: Oh my God! This week's So You Think You Can Dance came at us with the final dance-off. Four dancers competed, and this time next week only one will be named winner. If you think the level of competition had been tough up to this point, tonight blew all previous weeks out of the water with the dancing and skill demonstrated by the dancers. One dancer stood out from the remaining four, but before I tell you who I think should win this competition, let's talk about this week's episode.Each episode begins with the elimination of two dancers. This week's eliminations were definitely a shocker. Five million votes were cast for this elimination round. The surprise here was that Blake was eliminated. Week after week, he had danced well. He never entered the lowest scoring couples for possible elimination. The first time he is put up for America's votes he is sent home. Even with all his experience and skill, America still chose him. Why is that? I have some thoughts, and I'm sure others do as well. Early on in the competition, he had been just a little too cocky. He'd made some not so nice comments about one of the judges, Dan Karaty. Did this come back to bite him now? Did America remember? This is only one possible theory. I'm sure others will have their own. The other dancer sent home tonight was Kamilah. Week after week, she performed well. Her technique is there, and she is a wonderful dancer, but as the weeks continued on it became apparent to the judges that Kamilah is a performer. She is an actress, and this is a part of her dancing. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but at times it felt as though Kamilah was more performing than dancing, resulting in her elimination.Once the eliminations were complete, we moved onto what America had been waiting all week for: The Final Dance-Off! The format of this week's program completely changed once again. Gone was the random selection process. We also saw all five judges on the stage ready to give their commentary. All the dancers had the opportunity to dance with each other. The men and women were paired off for one dance each. Very interesting seeing the two remaining men and women dance with each other here. Solo performances were also shown throughout the show.The skill shown here by each of the remaining four dancers was amazing. They stepped up and showed their best for the finals. We have the best of what remains, and now it is up America to choose the best of the best. We began tonight's competition with a pasa doble by Melody and Nick. This couple dominated last week with their disco and Broadway performances. They lit up the dance floor once again. The judges absolutely loved them.Nick and Melody were followed by an Ashle and Jamile with a salsa performance. The judges were loving Ashle here, but were quite harsh on Jamile. Out of four dancer's left, he has the least amount of technical skill, and when he dances out of his style it shows. He is an amazing hip hop dancer, but he seems to falter a bit when it comes to ballroom (specifically). Following a commercial break and a solo performance by Melody, we see Jamile on stage once again, this time in a hip hop type performance with Nick; choreographed by one of the judges on tonight's show, Dan Karaty. Jamile receives heavy criticism here. He isn't going for it yet, and the judges tell him he needs to step it up another notch if he wants a chance to make it.Jamile and Nick's performance is followed by solos. Here we see Ashle and Jamile before we see the girls pair up in a contemporary performance choreographed by Mia Michaels. This performance was just amazing. It took athleticism and skill to pull this routine off, and that is just what these two women did here. They even have the bruises to prove it!After the final solo of the night by Nick, we saw Melody and Jamile pair up to do a jazz routine. It was a bit worrisome because Jamile hadn't really done well in tonight's show up to this point. However, he finally stepped it up here, and the performance was extremely well done . The judges even complimented Jamile for his performance here. We then saw the final couple of the night - Ashle and Nick. This team performed a hip hop routine and they were very good. Ashle seemed to be in her element, and Nick also did well. The dancing wasn't done yet. Before the phone lines were open, we saw the dancers all take the floor one final time, to an unchoreographed performance to music none of the dancers had heard before. For a short period of time, they improvised to the music, and this allowed us to see them in their purest form.Let's go back to talk about the solo performances. Each of the dancers did well here, but with the solos one dancer stood out. The best solo performance, in my opinion, came from Nick. He went out on stage, and he dominated it. He made that stage his for the short thirty seconds he had, and the crowd went wild. Out of the four dancers left, he is my choice to win it all.This week's episode of So You Think You Can Dance was fun and fast paced. I know I was cheering the dancers on. I was really shocked at Blake's elimination, but after seeing tonight's performances it was clear the dancers remaining were the ones who truly deserved to be there.What about you America? Were you just as shocked by Blake's being sent home? Do you think the voters made the wrong decision? Who was the best on tonight's show? Who do you want to be named winner next week? This is your chance to sound off! Let me know what you think.For a complete list of songs used on tonight's show and more reviews by Regina, including reviews on books, music, movies and several popular television shows, visit her review blog found at One Couch Critic. She is also the newest contributor at Media Village with her Thoughts from the couch. Her rambles on life and writing can be found on her daily blog, One Writer's Rambles. ed: JH

So You Think You Can Dance - The Top Six

Regina Avalos — Thu, 22 Sep 2005 03:30:46 EDT

Another fast paced show on this week's So You Think You Can Dance as the final six dancers battle it out for the four spots on next week's finale. As always, the show begins by saying good-bye to two of the dancers picked for elimination on last week's episode. Elimination is tougher because all the dancers at this point deserve to win. They are the best of what's left. Since this is a competition, not all of the dancers left now will be named winner. That is a title left for the best of the best. This week we said good-bye to Melissa and Artem. Melissa chose to be on the show instead of going on a dance trip to China with sixty other dancers. In my opinion, she is one of the best girl dancers on the show. Artem has shone on stage week after week. He is known internationally as a ballroom dancer, and in this style he performed well. It is hard to see him sent home because he set the standard for the others when it came to the ballroom style. The format of this week's program changed once again. The selection process stayed, but judges' comments returned after each performance. Last week, the commentary by the judges had been saved to follow each couple's second performance. This looks to have been done to fit the fourth couple into the new hour long broadcast which had previously been set each week at ninety minutes. A change also occurred with the solos at the end of the show. On this week's show, the judges didn't choose any bottom couples. All six dancers were up for America's votes.During the first set, Ashle and Blake followed an awesome hip hop performance by Kamilah and Jamile with a smooth waltz. Not the best style to follow a high energy performance, but these two did well. Nick and Melody followed with a hot and sexy Broadway performance. All three performances here were well done, and the judges, for the most part, agreed on this. Judge Dan Karaty commented on the smooth waltz style following hip hop which caused a minor eruption between the judges, but other than this all the judges scored the three couples well.In the second set, the couples didn't fair as well. Both Blake and Ashle and Kamilah and Jamile received negative critiques on their performances. The best couple of this set was definitely Nick and Melody. This couple came out and performed a high energy and fun disco performance. The other two couples had tougher ballroom type styles to work with - the Argentine tango and the American jive. Judges' comments were harsher this week, but at this point in the competition that is to be expected. They aren't looking for the best performer or the best dancer. They want the entire package now. Kamiliah had comments made by Mia Michaels about her being the best faker. She is a performer. Dan Karaty also made reference to this. She can dance, but she dances to perform. It is all an act to her, and at this stage in the game she shouldn't be there. Nigel Lythgoe also said if he had his choice, she would have been the one sent home this week. All six dancers came out with dazzling solo performances. This was their last chance to show America just what they could do on stage. The decision is now left to America. Which four of the six left will make it to next week's finale? In my opinion, the top two females are Melody and Ashle. I agree with the judges in regard to Kamilah's performance. On the male side, I think Nigel and America might get their wish for a Blake and Nick dance-off. Jamile is a talented dancer, but in my mind Blake and Nick are the best male dancers left here.What do you think America? Which of the six dancers left do you want to see in next week's finale? Are your favorites still in the competition? Who do you think is the best of the best and will be named this competition's winner? This is your chance to sound off! Let me know what you think.For a complete list of songs used on this week's episode and more reviews by Regina, including reviews on books, music, movies and several popular television shows, visit her review blog found at One Couch Critic. Her rambles on life and writing can be found on her daily blog, One Writer's Rambles.

So You Think You Can Dance

Regina Avalos — Thu, 15 Sep 2005 04:51:32 EDT

So You Think You Can Dance came at us this week with an hour long program that was fast paced and full of great dancing. On this episode, we saw two more go home, weaning the competition down to eight. Competition was certainly hot and heavy.Before we get to the dancing, let's talk about which of the four dancers set for elimination last week were sent home. America had been given the choice between Destini and Melody on the female side, and for the males they had to choose between Jamile and Ryan. All excellent dancers, but America voted for their favorites, and in the end Ryan and Destini were sent packing. I agree with America's decision. Ryan had been wonderful early on, but it was clear that as the competition continued, he didn't have the technique and versatility to keep up. When it comes to Destini, she might have some skill, but not enough to keep up at this point in the game. Her attitude might also have hurt her in the voting.In order to fit everything into an abbreviated sixty-minute broadcast, the format of the show was changed just a bit. The weekly showing of dance preparations before the actual performances were cut, and the judges' commentary was saved until after each couple's second performance. Other than that, the format remained the same. The random selection process stayed, and this week the men chose their partner, and the female chose one dance style. The male then chose the second.During the actual competition, it was obvious each of the dancers had put a lot into their performances. Week after week, the male dancers have stood out. Nick, Blake and Artem all perform well. On the female side, Melody stands out for me, but each of the females perform well here. This week, we saw Melody partnered up with someone who can match her technique wise. Previous weeks, her partner had hurt her in the competition, and this had led her to being in the bottom couples the last few weeks. Blake was her partner in this round, and they selected lyrical and disco as their styles. Blake and Melody are both lyrical dancers, so it is no surprise they did well with the style on tonight's show. Their disco was also fun and they received high praise from the judges. As I suspected, Melody's leg wasn't lifted once during her performances. Last week, one of the judges had made comment about her using her leg so much in her dancing.Once all four couples performed, the judges had to select two of the four couples for elimination. Judges found this difficult, and there was disagreement when it came to the selection. Conflicts had also arisen during the judges' comments earlier in the evening. Things are definitely getting more heated at this stage.Even though all the couples did well, the judges did find fault with at least one of their performances. The only couple with high marks all around was Melody and Blake. Since this is a competition, the judges had to make a decision. That decision put Artem, Ashle, Jamile and Melissa up for elimination. It is up to America to decide which two of these four goes home next week.During the forty-five second solos, Artem blew the audience away with his performance. Artem has danced well each week, and it would shock me if he were sent home. Jamile also performed well here, but it is starting to become apparent he doesn't have the versatility needed at this stage of the competition to continue on. Melissa and Ashle are harder to choose between. Early on in the competition, I was wondering how long Ashle would last. I never expected her to be here at this point, but she is. With each week, she has shown improvement. Melissa, on the other hand, has done well consistently. They are both similar in style, and they both have performed well. Forced to choose, I would send Ashle packing. This episode of So You Think You Can Dance was intense. For sixty minutes it came at you hard and fast. The dancers looked amazing, and I am definitely looking forward to seeing what happens next week. We only have three more weeks until we know who wins this competition. What do you think America? Are your favorites still in the game or have they been sent on their way? Let me know what you think.For a complete list of songs used on this week's episode and more reviews by Regina, including reviews on books, music, movies and several popular television shows, visit her review blog found at One Couch Critic. Her rambles on life and writing can be found on her daily blog, One Writer's Rambles. Ed: JH

So You Think You Can Dance - The top ten battle it out

Regina Avalos — Thu, 8 Sep 2005 06:28:18 EDT

The competition gets even hotter on this week's episode of So You Think You Can Dance as the top ten performs for America's vote. First off, we said good-bye to two of the four dancers picked for elimination on last week's episode. America voted, and they sent Snow and Allan packing. Allan has been a fan favorite, and it was sad for many to see the dancer affectionately called "Big Poppa" go home. However, in my opinion, it was the right decision for America to make. With each week that passes, we're going deeper into the competition. When it comes to technique, Allan just didn't have it outside of his chosen dance style of hip-hop. Now the technique must be there, and all Allan had going for him at this point was his personality.Once eliminations were handled, competition began. However, a new twist was added. Instead of the couples performing once, they would now perform twice. Selection of partner and dance styles fell to the females.With the high number of performances, we saw a greater variety of dance styles. In the first set of competitions, we saw pop, the tango, lyrical jazz, the quick step, and the samba. In my opinion, the two couples that stood out the most in this first set were Ashle and Blake, and Kamilah and Nick. The men of these two couples have performed well week after week. Blake and Ashle were paired up last week, and this couple shines together on stage. They were definitely my favorites here.In the second set of performances, we once again saw pop, lyrical jazz and the quick step. This time around the addition of the foxtrot and hip-hop were added, giving another dimension to the competition. In this set, Destini and Jamile stole the show, and their performance by far was the best of the night - in both my opinion and the judges'.It is clear to see that the dancers are stepping up their performances a great deal. They are working at their technique, and they want to win. With each week that passes, the judges are raising the bar with their critiques - with good reason. The dancers are expected to improve considerably and the judges are looking for those improvements. Each and every dancer left in the top ten deserves to be there.Since this is a competition, not all of them can continue on. The selection process for this week's elimination wasn't easy for the judges. With two performances, if the dancers did poorly on one style, they could come back on the second and wow the judges. This was the case with Destini and Jamile. They didn't impress the judges much with their first quick step performance, but when they returned with their hip-hop routine, they won high praise from all. Despite their efforts, they ranked among the lowest on scoring.Ryan and Melody were also selected for elimination. Melody was complemented on her technique on tonight's show. The luck of the show's random selection process has hurt Melody the last two weeks. In my opinion, her partner Ryan truly failed her tonight. Ryan had done stellar Latin performances at the beginning of the competition, but the last two weeks, he has seriously faltered. His failure to shine on the dance floor makes him my choice for elimination.Both Destini and Melody are extremely talented dancers. Week after week, they have both done well. I don't think I can choose one over the other to eliminate this time.So You Think You Can Dance has certainly won me over. I find myself unable to wait for episodes to air. I'm almost as emotional as the dancers themselves during the elimination round. This show has become a personal favorite for me, and I can't wait to see what happens next.What do you think America? Are your favorites still in the mix? Can these dancers dance or do they just think they can dance? Let me know what you think.For a complete list of songs used on this week's episode and more reviews by Regina, including reviews on books, music, movies and television shows, visit her review blog found at One Couch Critic. Her rambles on life and writing can be found on her daily blog, One Writer's Rambles. ED: JH

So You Think You Can Dance - Week 7 - Two more go home

Regina Avalos — Thu, 1 Sep 2005 01:13:25 EDT

The competition heats up and the judges get serious during this week's So You Think You Can Dance. The judges are looking for the best dancer in America to give the stellar prize too, and now you can see they are really taking their jobs seriously.This week's ninety minute broadcast started off with the elimination of two of the six dancers from last week's show. The two sent home this week were Craig and Michelle. Michelle had been in the top six the previous two weeks, so it was no surprise that she was the girl to be sent packing. (Although, if it been my choice, it would have been Snow. )Seeing Craig go was particularly sad. Melody and him tried out together and danced together the first two weeks competition. They are friends, and it was obvious to see just how sad his getting sent home made Melody feel. Craig is a talented dancer, and the judges did complement him well when they sent him home.After the eliminated dancers were gone, the competition got under way. This week the men were the ones choosing their partners and the woman choosing the type of dance they would perform. This episode was unique because no two couples duplicated a style of dance. The styles on this week's episode were the following: disco, hip hop, lyrical, pasa double, rock & roll and the waltz. With each of the couples tackling a different style, we were treated something more than the standard lyrical or hip hop. Definitely a welcome change. The dancers seemed to have a harder time with the styles they were given.The judges zeroed in on specific dancers and problems they had, and the judges were definitely critiquing more harshly than they have in previous weeks. This is totally understandable in my opinion. The judges need to be hard because they want to have the best to win. The numbers are dwindling. At the end of the week, we will be down to ten dancers. Two more will be sent home on the next episode. Ryan, who had performed well with Melissa in previous competitions, didn't rate nearly as well this time around. In a performance with Snow, they performed a hip hop routine, and while it was fun to watch I could see what the judges saw and commented on. The performance was based more on tricks and not technique. The judges are looking for technique.Normally we'd see three couples up for elimination. However, this week, only two were chosen. This put four dancers up on the chopping block and looking for the votes of America to keep them in the running. In the last two voting shows, America has chimed in with their calls setting record numbers each week for a voting competition show. Last week, we had 3 million and this week we had even more, the total call-in votes totaling 3.7 million. America is definitely watching, and this week they have the choice between Snow and Melody on the girl's side, and Allan and Ryan on the men's side. Allan and Ryan have both won America's heart, so seeing one of these two go, especially for me, will be hard. However, if I had to look at these two critically, I would agree with what one of the judges said about Allan. If this was a personality contest, he would win hands down. This isn't. It is a dance contest, and with his performance to save himself from elimination I don't think he did the job. I think Ryan worked it just a bit harder this week, and he deserves to stick around.On the girl's side, the decision is a bit harder. Melody and Snow have both been in the final six before, just last week in fact. They are both wonderful dancers, but I find myself not enjoying Snow's performances as much as I do Melody's. Melody did wonderfully tonight, even with Allan as her partner in the lyrical performance. I think she should be the one to stay on the girl's side.With each week that passes, competition becomes more heated. The dancers and the judges are giving everything they have, and I can't wait to see what happens next week. I didn't start out liking this show very much, but it is now one of my favorites. Are your favorite dancers still in the game? Do you agree with the judges? What do you think America? Do they only think they can dance or can these dancers dance?

So You Think You Can Dance - Week 6: Down to 14

Regina Avalos — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 01:23:06 EDT

So You Think You Can Dance continues with another week of competition as this end of the summer hit starts eliminations, hoping to once again top the ratings charts as it did last week. The show did manage to top the voting numbers past live voting shows had received - the premiere even doing better than American Idol's voting premiere.This week's two-hour broadcast began with a 30 minute voting results show that was taped last week. During this part of the broadcast, we learned the results of America's voting - answering the question of which two of the six dancers would be sent home from the first official week of competition. The choices were between Sandra, Snow, Michelle, Jonnis, Allan and Artem. The results were drawn out, but when it was all said and done, we knew that Sandra and Jonnis would not be returning. Neither of them leaving was really a surprise, especially Jonnis after his behavior following his performance on last week's show.Once the results show ended, we moved on to this week's competition. The fourteen pair off into seven couples in the same manner they did on last week's show. The only difference is that this week the girls pick their partners, and the men pick the style of dance. For scoring the highest number of votes by the American public, Allan is given the chance to choose the partner he doesn't want to dance with. His choice being Snow, his dance partner on last week's show. This week, the dance styles are hip hop, lyrical jazz, salsa and the quick step. The quick step did give the couples the most trouble. Snow had no problem, but her partner, hip hopper Jamile, didn't do as well. The competition definitely took it up a notch this week, and the judges were hard to please. Mary Murphy took over judging duties from Mia Michaels this week, but the other three judges remained the same - Dan Karaty, Nigel Lythgoe, and Brian Friedman. Each of the performances has something to offer, and this made it difficult for the judges to pick the three couples for elimination. Blake shined like he did last week, and according to the judges, Destini, his partner again this week, also performed well. However, I'm wondering if Destini had been paired with another dancer the last two weeks that she would still be on the show. At the very least, she should have been selected for the bottom six one of the two weeks.My favorite couple of the night once again is Ryan and Melissa. They worked on a Salsa routine with choreographer Alex Da Silva. They come out on top, ending the night of competition on a good note. How well Ryan is doing is surprising, as it is known he has no formal dance training. Other favorites of mine are Allan and Kamilah.The bottom six this week set for elimination are: Craig, Jamile, Melody, Michelle, Nick, and Snow. Michelle and Snow were also up for elimination last week, but the rest of the six are new additions to the bottom six. As they were last week, the dancers are given a forty-five second freestyle performance in order to redeem themselves. Out of the males, none of them really stood up for me, but if I had to choose one, my choice would be Nick. For me, the females really stepped it up here, and that made it more difficult for me to choose whom I would vote for. If given a choice, I'd have voted for both Melody and Michelle. Once again, Snow's performance didn't move me much, but the other two females definitely made me take notice.I think the show has definitely made a turn around from earlier weeks. The first two episodes, I found myself bored senseless, but now I look forward to each and every episode. The competition is fierce, and following ABC's dance hit Dancing with the Stars I'm a bit familiar with the dance styles, and what the judges may be looking for. I'm waiting to see, along the rest of America, who will be sent home next.In other So You Think You Can Dance news, People online has reported that show's host, Lauren Sanchez, wed boyfriend, Patrick Whitesell, over the weekend. Whitesell is an agent to such stars as Jessica Alba, Hugh Jackman, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. The ceremony took place August 20th in Santa Barbara, California. After a quick honeymoon, Lauren was back to host tonight's show. Best of luck to the new bride and her groom.What did you think of this week's competition? Did you agree with the dancers that the judges chose for the bottom six? Who has your vote America? Let me know what you think.

So you think you can dance - Week 5: The competition truly begins

Regina Avalos — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 01:02:47 EDT

This week's episode of So you think you can dance began the true competition for this set of sixteen dancers. All they have done over the last four weeks has brought them to this point, and now it is up to America to decide who will continue on past next week's show. The sixteen dancers were paired randomly and each pair randomly selected a style of dance to work on during the week that followed. The male chose his partner by picking her name out of a hat, and the female then chose the style in the same manner. Because of this completely random selection process, we were allowed to see some interesting match-ups between the males and females. One such match-up being between Snow and Allan.Before we even reached the dancing, the first half hour of tonight's episode consisted of dancer introductions. They were each interviewed - both taped and live on stage. This allowed us to learn more about each of the individual dancers: who they are, where they come from, and their dance background.Once this part of the show ended, it was time for the dancing to begin. We watched the selection process for each couple first. Once the pairing was set, we were able to see them work in the studio with individual choreographers. Some familiar faces from boot camp returned, including Alex Da Silva and Mary Murphy.The dancer's chose from four different types of dance: hip hop, mambo, lyrical and the jive. Their choices could go totally against their own preferred style of dance, but they had to step up and still perform. Some succeeded, and some failed.Two couples that immediately come to my mind as being quite superb this week were Blake and Destini and Ryan and Melissa. Both earned high praises from the judges - Brian Friedman, Mia Michaels, Nigel Lythgoe and Dan Karaty - and they definitely impressed me as well. Blake has a dominant appearance on stage, and you can see he definitely has talent when it comes to dance. Ryan, who we know has no formal dance training whatsoever, also stepped up and did an excellent mambo with his partner Melissa. He even changed his hair style to fit the choreography.Once all the couples were done performing, the judges then chose the bottom three couples for elimination. These six dancers then had to perform once again for America. This time solo and freestyle to a song of their own choosing. This time they weren't dancing for the judges, but America and for their spot on the show. The bottom six this week were: Allan, Artem, Snow, Jonnis, Michelle, and Sandra. This group of six definitely tried to step it up a notch knowing their position to continue on was at stake. However, in my opinion, the guys stepped it up just a bit more. It made it hard for me to choose who to vote for out of the guys. Out of the girls, Michelle had my vote. Snow and Sandra didn't impress me with either of their performances.This week's show was two hours long, and I was a bit concerned about the length making things drag on, but this show was fast paced for the most part. The introductions took the longest, but once we got to the dancing itself this show moved right along. Seeing a bit of the process that each couple went through to prepare also made this show interesting. The judges were definitely tough on each pair, and some just couldn't handle the criticism. Jonnis spoke up to the judges following their critique of his mambo performance with Michelle, and this probably landed him and his partner in the bottom six. I'm definitely excited to see who will stay and who will go out of the bottom six chosen this week by the judges. The pairings were random and fun to watch. Who has your vote? Let me know.

So you think you can dance: Week 4 - The Final 16

Regina Avalos — Thu, 11 Aug 2005 00:28:32 EDT

During last week's episode of So you think you can dance, the viewers and the five choreographers judging had the chance to see just who out of the fifty dancers chosen to move onto Hollywood could dance. The dancers were put through a rigorous boot camp that consisted of five days of classes, in which they were able to work with a different choreographer each day.This boot camp gave the choreographers an in-depth look at the competitors, and tapes were made in order to review later. During this process, the choreographers judged the dancers and gave them scores each day. These scores helped them make the decision to cut the number of fifty down to a number of twenty-four.This week we saw very little in the way of new dancing, in fact we saw almost none. The majority of the dancing we saw this week came from tapes of the dancer's earlier work during auditions and boot camp. The new dancing we saw was the mini-performance each dancer did at the end of the show to show off the final sixteen chosen. What we did get to see over the ninety minute episode aired tonight is the cut. The cut from twenty-four to the final sixteen that will make up the remainder of this competition.The five choreographers brought each of the dancers in front of them, one by one, and let them know about their own style, the good and the bad points, before allowing them to know whether or not they would move on to the next round of the competition. There were a few especially tense moments during the broadcast, but the entire show had you on the edge of the seat waiting to see who would move forward. The judges way of telling the dancers themselves even left you guessing at some points if the dancer went through, up until that moment where they said yes you are going.One of those moments that was much hyped in the promo for this week came when it was time to tell Blake if he made it through. Blake is a professional dancer already, having worked with acts such as Britney Spears and Janet Jackson. Some of the others realized this when a magazine was found with an extensive article on him in last week's episode. Last week, in his interview after his being chosen to go on, he had a few unkind words to say about one of the choreographers he worked with. Unbeknownst to him, the video of that footage was seen by the choreographer prior to the decision being made for the final cut. The five choreographers all warned him about behavior such as this occurring, and the chance that something like this could be harmful to his career, but he did make the final cut.Another moment that had me, and probably others, at the edge of their seats came with dancer Allan, affectionately called "Big Poppa" due to his size. He may be big, but the man can move, and his personality can certainly win anyone over. After some criticism, he was told that he had made it to the final sixteen, and his reaction was just priceless. It definitely brought a smile to my face.This week's episode, even though it had very little in the way of actual dancing didn't drag on for me at all. I had reservations when this show began, but the last two episodes have left me quite pleasantly surprised with how well this show is turning out. This week we were also given the opportunity to learn more about the individual dancers. One dancer talking about a car accident she suffered just months ago that might have ended her dancing career, and another speaking of having been paralyzed as a child from Rheumatoid Arthritis. Each of these final sixteen - consisting of eight males and eight females - has something to offer the show, and they deserve to be where they are now. They earned their spots. Starting next week, the final sixteen will be dancing on stage in front of the American audience for their votes. The competition is only beginning. Who will be left at the end? What do you think of So you think you can dance so far? Was your favorite in the final sixteen or would you rather have seen someone else move forward in this competition?

So you think you can dance - Week 3: Boot camp

Regina Avalos — Wed, 3 Aug 2005 23:49:30 EDT

This week's ninety minute installment of So you think you can dance follows the process of cutting down the fifty dancers to a group of twenty-four that next week will be cut down to sixteen - eight females and eight males - and be the final group to go in front of America for their votes.This week the dancers chosen go through a dance boot camp in Hollywood. Small groups of dancers work with one of the five choreographers picked to work with the dancers during this part of the competition.The choreographers exhibit a variety of different dance styles and skills. The five choreographers selected are Dan Karaty, Mia Michaels, Brian Friedman, Alex De Silva, and Mary Murphy.With these dance classes, each of the dancers work learn choreography. Their performances here will decide who stays and who goes. As they teach, each of the five choreographers is watching the dancers, and one is quickly sent home on the first day, allowing one of the dancers that didn't make it to step up. While the dancers learn choreography from each of the choreographer's it is quickly known who can dance and who cannot. The choreographer's aren't easy on the dancers. They want to know who has the most talent to have what it takes to possibly win in this competition.While the dancers are working hard everyday, they are also living together during this process, and we can see personalities clash quickly. Early on, some of the dancers find out that one of the ones competing is a successful dancer in his own right, having worked with Britney Spears and Janet Jackson in the past. Some are concerned about this, but other dancers see it as a way to prove they are that much better if they can succeed against such great competition.In previous episodes of So you think you can dance, I had been sitting watching bored out of my mind. The selection process had been slow and tedious. This week's show was much of an improvement over the first two episodes. Seeing these dancers work with the choreographer's was much better than watching them trying to please the judges.I actually found myself enjoying these week's episode. We get to see more of the dancer's personalities while working and playing afterward back at the hotel. The choreographer's are harsh, but they want the best of what they have to work with to go forward. They are doing what needs to be done. Some of the dancer's show they want to be there, and they are serious about this opportunity they have been given. Others are ready to give up early on, and this by no means endears them to the judges. Those are the one's sent packing. I'm actually looking forward to next week's episode, and I hope the show continues on in this manner.What do you think of So you think you can dance? Are you enjoying this program or do you think it could have something more?