So You Think You Can Dance: 200th Episode!

Anticipation for this episode just kept building within the SYTYCD fans (including me!) Not only was it the show’s 200th episode, but it was also the first live episode of the 11th season, and with guest judge Jason Derulo.

The 200th live episode kicked off with the top 20 group dance choreographed by Sonya Tayeh. Sonya is one of my personal favorite choreographers who is frequently featured on So You Think You Can Dance, and I absolutely loved the dance! It was dramatic, dark.

The talented 20 dancers were then  split into couples and the competition began! Before we watched each couple dance, we got to learn as many fun facts about each dancer that they could cram into eight seconds. First up was dancers Brooklyn and Serge with their energetic cha-cha choreographed by Dmitry Chaplin.  In the couple’s eight seconds, we learned that Brooklyn loves popcorn and Serge loves cheese.  Judge Mary loved their dance and Serge received compliments from Nigel on all his hard work.

Next up were Emily and Casey with their beautiful contemporary piece by choreographer Travis Wall. Their dance was about a stormy relationship, and with Emily and Casey’s graceful moves, even Jason Derulo was impressed.  Some fun facts about these two include that Emily enjoys spearfishing and Casey hates the rain, but loves Disney.

Anthony Morigerato choreographed a tap dance for Valerie and Zac that incorporated the use of stairs to make this dance fun.  We also discovered that Valerie loves pigs and Zack loves cereal.  (Is this stuff real?)

The second contemporary dance of the night was performed by Bridget and Stanley, and choreographed by Bonnie Story.  Bridget adores peacocks and Stanley wants to become a model someday (okaaay.)  Their dance was emotional and “authentic”, as complimented by Mary. Dancers Jourdan and Jacque hit the stage for their ballet routine choreographed by Marat Daukayev. The costumes were gorgeous, and their performance looked equally beautiful. Jacque loves ice cream and Jourdan has a pre-med degree (props). This couple was the last to dance before guest judge Jason Derulo took the stage.

Jason hit the stage performing his new single ‘Wiggle’, with rapper Snoop Dogg– super fun and energetic.  After his fun song and dance, we hear an announcement about National Dance Day on July 26th. SYTYCD even put together two routines for fans to do on the 26th! One for the more advanced dancer, and one for the beginners!

(Don’t you LOVE the way Adam Shankman is looking at Nigel? So thrilled to be there.  But we sure do like that there’s a seated version.) 

After a look into National Dance Day, the last five couples hit the stage for the night.

Malene and Marquette are up next with a saucy samba choreographed by Luis Van Amstel. In their eight seconds we find out that Marquette is named after a university and Malene loves chocolate.

Next up, Carly and Rudy as they performed  a fantastic contemporary work, by Stacey Tookey. Rudy showed his more serious side as the two performed the emotional piece. One of my favorite dances of the night was a hip hop routine by Christopher Scott, performed by Amelio and Teddy. Amelio gave a special shout out to his hometown Houston, TX! The hip hop duo was perfectly synced and all the judges were impressed, especially Jason.  My absolute favorite dance was, of course, choreographed by Sonya Tayeh.   The dance tells the story of two people intertwined and connected, with synchronized choreography. Jessica and Ricky performed the dance perfectly and relieved a standing ovation. Nigel even mentioned that if the two remained a couple for the rest of the season they would have “walked away with the entire season.” (I think they call those fighting words?)  In the eight seconds we find out that Jessica believes mermaids are real (sigh.)

Last to dance was Tanisha and Nick with their cha-cha by Luis Van Amstel. The dance was cute, but lacking in depth. All of the judges enjoyed the performance despite the lack of connection.

Next week, the bottom three guys and girls will be eliminated from the competition. Make sure you go vote for your favorite dancers to save them from elimination! Vote for your favorite dancers here!

–by Rachel Kaminski, social media intern, Frame Dance

So You Think You Can Dance: L.A. Callbacks

In the search for the top 20 dancers, we traveled back  to the Contemporary Round where the judges decided the fate of Bridget. She was given a second chance to prove herself to the demanding judges as she performed her expressive solo, which she dedicated to her father. The talented Bridget demonstrated her skills well enough to impress the judges, and she moved on to the next round.

It’s Group Night on SYTYCD and the 50 young hopefuls were split into groups of mixed talents. Each group was in charge of choreographing their own dance, and stayed up late into the night perfecting them. It became especially difficult for the group One Love, which was comprised mostly of contemporary dancers and one ballroom dancer, Serena. When the routine became too demanding for her, she took over the choreography and created something new for the group. During One Love’s performance, things got challenging when the judges were unimpressed with their act and announced that the members of One Love would decide who would go home from their group. As the other dance crews took the stage, the judges continued to be disappointed with the choreography presented by the dancers. After the dancers were criticized and discouraged, we finally saw some improvement when a group of skilled dancers took the stage to dance to ‘All of Me’ by John Legend. This was my personal favorite of all the groups and the judges thought it was one of the best as well.

The group dances are complete and the competition is between the dancers is greater than ever! The drama builds as One Love still must decide the fate of one of its own members. When finally face-to-face with the judges, the group refused to send one of their own home and each dancer took responsibility for their own mistakes that were made. The entire One Love crew volunteered to go home together. Warmed by their actions, the judges awarded One Love with a second chance in the Solo Round.

During the Solo Round, every style was seen as the dancers played to their own strength. The slow process of elimination began as the unfortunate dancers were voted off by the judges. Though many loved dancers were eliminated, we got to see the top 20 celebrate their stay on So You Think You Can Dance.

–Rachel Kaminiski

*Rachel is Frame Dance’s summer social media intern.  She’ll be blogging a recap of SYTYCD each week!  Stay tuned and welcome her to the Framers.

You’ll need this tonight.  Read up!

Dinner / Dance 19

The scenario: Search optimization and marketing company, Search Optimizer, is currently low on exciting on clientele. Eager to get creative in their work, they have identified tonight’s hotspot restaurant as a fun and exciting gig, and they all want to land the deal.  They show up with you tonight, not only to dine, but to take care of a little after-hours business.

Deuce Ticklebeetle (Alex Soares) was brought in to learn his father’s business, Search Optimizer, so he could run it one day, but lack of interest and disastrous performance have kept him at the same position for the last 12 years.  He is the secretly adopted only son of Tramell Ticklebeetle, who lost his once sizeable fortune on bad investments.  Beetle is not exactly motivated, and he’d rather do anything than work.  Gretchen says he plays on his phone, takes naps, and that she once caught him drinking toner. (The new, new beezin’?)  He barely managed to graduate from high school with the help of his tutors.  He has a specific vendetta against Gretchen, but you’ll have to ask him about that yourself.

Shelley Kelly (Laura Gutierrez) has been with Search Optimizer for 5 years, that is she’s been hovering next to the Ozarka water cooler for five years trying to fit into conversations.  The oldest daughter in her Arkansas family, she attended Vanderbilt.  Rumor has it she’s quite smart.  But something is off.  She is the epitome of awkward, and she cannot seem to get into the work social circle no matter how much she tries.  She just wants to be accepted.  The others call her “Smelly Shelley,” for some pretty obvious reasons.  Have we mentioned she’s weird?

Roxi Wright (Danielle Gonzaba) is a summer intern with Search Optimizer.  She is the youngest daughter of 4; her parents are successful business people.  She is currently in college studying business.  While she’d rather do nothing over her summer break except be with her friends in Austin, she’s working to make friends with all the employees because she feels pressure to be hired by Search Optimizer when she graduates. So she’s putting on her game face. What drives her?  Love and acceptance, and as the youngest of four, she’s used to being the center of attention without having to work for it.  Also: she’s in a sorority.

Gretchen Charise Kittridge (Ashley Horn) started at Search Optimizer out of college.  She accepted lower pay than she wanted because she was promised that she would move up quickly in the company, she was one of the first employees of the start-up, but has only had one promotion in 11 years.  Comes early, stays late.  Gretchen is only child of overachievers– always planned on going back to law school, but can’t seem to find time.  She’s not particularly liked at work, she’s a little bitter and hated by one of her colleagues.  All she wants is fairness and the success she deserves.  That’s not too much to ask, right?  Where would you find her when she’s not at work?  Reading a book with a glass of wine.  Maybe adopting another cat.

Gwenevieve Hues (Jacquelyne Jay Boe) is a recent divorcee and mother of two young children.  Only on the job at Search Optimizer one month (but out of the job market for seven years), she is just now beginning to settle in and become comfortable with her colleagues.  Determined to make a living without her ex, she is invigorated with this new chance to reinvent herself.  But is she looking for more?

Alyssa Roberts (Shanon Adams) is a very recent transfer from California.  We don’t know very much about her yet, except that she doesn’t seem very nice…

Hi Framers,

This next performance, Dinner / Dance 19 is taking a turn from our usual abstraction.  Because the event is a multi-course dinner, and we are navigating subject matter from planting to eating, I realized a huge part of dining is the drama and dialogue we have on a daily basis while eating a meal.  We’ve been working with some funny, and hopefully identifiable characters in rehearsal.  And now it’s time to begin introducing you to them.

Allow us to introduce:

Gwenevieve Hues

(aka Jacquelyne Jay Boe)

Gwen is a recent divorcee and mother of two young children.  Only on the job at Search Optimizer one month (but out of the job market for seven years), she is just now beginning to settle in and become comfortable with her colleagues.  Determined to make a living without her ex, she is invigorated with this new chance to reinvent herself.  But is she looking for more?