Eh, this top 20 show did not really move me. I was disappointed in most of the routines and for the most part

Me too. I thought the judges way overpraised some. Ugh. What you said kat on the Afro jazz biz is the TRUTH. All kinds of offense taken in the LN household.

Tnaks for the input about the African Jazz ... I was kind of embarrassed watching it ... the "wardrobe" was bad, worse than usual. I thought the concept was ... words can't really express it.

And I do think that periodically someone will come up with an idea and dream up a genre that will fit their concept, even if it's a style that no one's ever heard of before.

Eh, I probably take it way more seriously than is warranted. I'm kind of a purist. For me, aside from the ballroom styles which are legion, there are really only about six styles of dance that make up the typical western package that most people learn when their parents decide to put them in dance: ballet, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop, or breaking. Everything else (contemporary/lyrical, afro-jazz, lyrical hip hop, krump, Broadway, etc.) is just a variation on one of those themes. Most of them take elements from those six base styles and kind of mix them up to make something new, and to make money off of people selling classes or hosting dance conventions and competitions. I mean, it's not like you go to your local studio and at 4 years old start studying "lyrical" dance. No. You start out in ballet, usually, or maybe jazz and then when you're technique gets strong enough, you may start taking classes in other styles, usually "contemporary" which is really just a way to say a type of dance grounded in classical ballet and modern technique but more easily accessible/more commercialized than either ballet or modern. But I know that's mainly my weird ex-dance kid issues coming out to play.

I really don't mind most of the made up styles on this show. It's just Afro-Jazz in particular that sticks in my craw. It smacks of cultural appropriation. There are actually many forms of African dance that one could study if one were so inclined but most of the time Afro Jazz has very little to do with those actual styles, or at least the choreographers don't bother to incorporate and teach the styles effectively, so you just wind up with kids doing lot of contractions and swinging their arms and heads around and all of sudden that's supposed to be African somehow. Feh.

"contemporary" which is really just a way to say a type of dance grounded in classical ballet and modern technique but more easily accessible/more commercialized than either ballet or modern

With lots of hair-flinging.

Hair flinging is essential. With some optional reaching out and walking around intensely if you really want to nail it.

there are really only about six styles of dance that make up the typical western package that most people learn when their parents decide to put them in dance: ballet, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop, or breaking.

Preach.

I studied ballet, and then had a class that hit jazz, tap, and modern. Discovered I loved modern, but I sucked at it, what with my genetic natural turnout and everything.

But now I feel all skeevy when I say I loved modern, because it has been all tainted by the hogwash that is "contemporary."

Oooh, I'm watching this on East Coast time, because I'm in Iowa and remembered it was on at 7pm. Not sure I like this new elimination format--making someone still dance knowing they've been cut, could suck. (Also, are they really going to say "no, I don't think I can do that" when asked BEFORE elimination??)

Missed the opening number, got it on in time to hear it was Tasty. Hmph. Wasn't impressed by Mariah's krump solo--she did look like she was relaxed and having fun, but it didn't feel impressive. Kinda missed Carlos's number. I miss my TiVo when I'm in a hotel room...

Brittany was OK, but I always feel like ballroom people are at such a disadvantage in these solos. Jade's was an odd choice of music.

Oh, whew--Kat will be relieved for Mariah, even if not happy about Jade. ...I don't even remember who the third people were that weren't made to do solos. Apparently my memory is just that bad, with no tivo!

Jade's used that type of music before in one of his dance for his life things.

Dammit!!! This thing ate my commentary on the first several dances!

I liked Jasmine and Aaron, but especially Jasmine. The other dance (Curtis and...??) seemed weird, like they were marking time instead of actually dancing it. Dunno, the judges loved it.

This Bollywood thing...I guess they're doing ok? Hell if I know.

OMG Nigel, are you trying to get Jade to say "my homeboys will call me a fag"?? WTF????????