Two steaming cups of chocolate goodness. Courtesy of whomever I swiped it from out of the cupboard.

Ben ,'The Killer In Me'


Non-Fiction TV: I Reject Your Reality and Substitute My Own

This thread is for non-fiction TV, including but not limited to reality television (So You Think You Can Dance, Top Chef: Masters, Project Runway), documentaries (The History Channel, The Discovery Channel), and sundry (Expedition Africa, Mythbusters), et al. [NAFDA]


meara - Jun 06, 2012 5:15:20 pm PDT #19350 of 23273

That's also what I assume, about song rights. That and for the people where they do a montage.


Vortex - Jun 06, 2012 5:25:38 pm PDT #19351 of 23273
"Cry havoc and let slip the boobs of war!" -- Miracleman

Is it just me, or are they sending everyone to Vegas? A lot of mediocre shit is getting through, IMHO.


le nubian - Jun 06, 2012 5:26:37 pm PDT #19352 of 23273
"And to be clear, I am the hell. And the high water."

Word.

I guess their crew who have them do routines at the end of the day called in sick.


le nubian - Jun 06, 2012 5:48:30 pm PDT #19353 of 23273
"And to be clear, I am the hell. And the high water."

I'm serious, I don't understand why they gave out so many tix to Vegas, and yet they still had more dancing in the evening and gave out more tix.

They put through some very mediocre people.


kat perez - Jun 06, 2012 8:43:29 pm PDT #19354 of 23273
"We have trust issues." Mylar

Dammit, I love Miss Debbie Allen. Debbie doing the Wobble? Work, woman! I would watch a full season of Debbie Allen Schools You in Dance, Young Buck. Oh, yes. Yes, I would.

I have to agree that a lot of questionable folks were put through to Vegas. In addition to Tim Conkel (Karate hip hopper) who has way too much Dominic in him for my taste, plus he's not that good of a hip hop dancer - all flips and tricks and no actual dancing, I did not understand the following:

Jackson Alvarez - Yes, he made Miss Debbie Allen get up and do the Wobble, so I give him a few small points for that and the judges did make him go to the choreo round, but he really didn't seem to be turning it out during choreo and his popping was only so-so.

Courtney Kirby - She got through because she came with her adorable G-ma. Mediocre dancer at best. Lots of hair flinging and kinda gumby legs and sloppy feet. I bet she gets killed in the early choreo rounds in Vegas.

Asher Walker - Big Country's audition was fun and he was adorable as a basket full of puppies and kittens, but on the real? He is an OK b-boy with a couple of good power moves. The roll up straight into a head stand with no hands was kinda tight. And as Nigel noted, he did have good musicality, a nice groove to the James Brown cut. But I'll be shocked, shocked if he can pick up choreography quickly enough to make it even to the group dance in Vegas. I liked him, but that audition was not ticket to Vegas worthy.

Britney Ortner - Running around the stage, hair flinging, tic having, competition studio trained nightmare. She and her chickens can stay right in Oviedo. She has some natural talent, but you can tell she's spent her entire dance career to date getting schlepped around every weekend to Jump and Break the Floor and every other shake down dance camp, junior national competition and master class in South Florida and that has left her with some bad, bad habits. She has no center - wibbly wobbly all over the place. And the judges know she's not ready and they put her through anyway. Bleagh. I do not want. Where's Mia when you need her? She would've eaten that girl's lunch.

Damon - Or was it Deon? The not really twins who were miles more annoying and only slightly more talented than last week's twins. Anyway, his popping was good, I suppose, but he looked to be really struggling in that choreo round, at least as much as his partner who did not get through and yet somehow the judges miraculously advanced him to Vegas. How and why did that happen? Eww.

So yeah. Lots to not like. At the same time, lots to like:

All the Dragon House Kids - Boris. Andre. Cyrus. Shut it down. They are amazing poppers. And they have a strong LXD influence in their work which I love. Body control like "Whoa!" Musicality like "What?" Flow like "Ugh." Swagger like "Damn!" I loved all three of these kids and they definitely saved the best for last because that Cyrus kid is a superstar. The whole section where he's tutting on his tippy toes? Murder. I don't know how they'll do with other styles, but I enjoyed them all and hope at least one of the three makes the show.

Audrey Case - She looked like she was gonna be your typical hair flinger, but she brought a smile to Miss Debbie Allen's face and that brought a smile to my face. This girl had gorgeous feet. Gorgeous. Really nice center and control on her turns. That one triple where she dropped out into that deep plie in second? Forget about it. She reminded me a bit of S2 Alison. Not anywhere near as good and she definitely has some bad habits to smooth out - perhaps one extension too many? But she had a nice quality to her dancing. Way to work, little one.

Joshua Alexander - In his dress socks. Bless! I found the choreo to be a little too frantic for my taste and consequently he looked a little flail-y at times, but underneath it all, he was sporting some truly exquisite technique. As Debbie said, he roused me. Put this kid in a (continued...)


kat perez - Jun 06, 2012 8:43:32 pm PDT #19355 of 23273
"We have trust issues." Mylar

( continues...) more refined piece and I think you may really have something.

Danielle Dominguez - Beautiful body control, really weird face. She makes this crazy open mouthed, "I'm emoting" dance face and it is really unattractive, but I thought her dancing was lovely. She's really grounded - dances down into the floor which gives her moves a real power. And she was surprisingly free of competition kid tics. Good quality of movement. I was impressed. And good heavens, she's a beauty. I'm sure that has nothing to do with bacon.

Janelle Issis - Auditioning with bellydancing was a total cheeseball gimmick, but what she did was captivating and clearly, the girl is trained. Those isolations were, indeed, ridiculous and she was insanely musical and rhythmic. I wasn't surprised at all that she made it through the choreo and if she really has trained in all the styles she claimed for the last five years, she could go far. I agreed with Mary and her mukluks, this girl has presence. She's got the whatitis-ness.

George Lawrence, II - Yes. This child is fierce. As so often happens, Miss Debbie Allen has said it all.


bon bon - Jun 07, 2012 5:02:42 am PDT #19356 of 23273
It's five thousand for kissing, ten thousand for snuggling... End of list.

Agree with everything kat said!


Vortex - Jun 07, 2012 12:17:29 pm PDT #19357 of 23273
"Cry havoc and let slip the boobs of war!" -- Miracleman

I wonder of country kid has training In other areas, just not hip hop. He was a little too good to be self taught from you tube. Cute as a button though.


kat perez - Jun 07, 2012 12:29:30 pm PDT #19358 of 23273
"We have trust issues." Mylar

I just go in assuming that the "street dancers" have more training than what is shown because Nigel wants a story. That said, Big Country is really going to have to show me something to make a believer out of me.

Also, the first episode of Breaking Pointe was amazing and I want that Artistic Director to come and be my friend because he is fabulous.


meara - Jun 07, 2012 12:30:00 pm PDT #19359 of 23273

ARRRGH. My roommate has just gotten me into the Glee Project...and suddenly my shitty-ass cable company has taken half my chanels (including that one) away from me. For no reason. I call them up, and they're like "should be working!" and can't get someone out here for a week. Fer chrissake. It's bad when I WISH I could have Comcast. But no, we're redlined into this awful cable company. THANKS, City of Seattle!