Yuku free message boards

Can somebody PLEASE explain the f*cking "IV Real" sh*t to me? Where did it come from? What is it supposed to mean? Did I miss something?!?!

Courtney and Will - Samba - Nigel suggested that when they weren't thinking too much about technique, it was great. I agree with that, but I would say that in Will's case, that was pretty much never… He was ALWAYS overthinking it, and so we ended up with overly careful, overexaggerated movement. Also, he didn't seem to be feeling the music AT ALL. I didn't like him in this. Courtney was great, but unfortunately, because she was so competent and effortless, I didn't notice her as much. My eye got drawn to Will who was doing too much. I was grateful for the one or two times that the camera was on Courtney alone, because those were the times we could actually appreciate her ability. I don't think that it is far-fetched to believe that Courtney could have a future as a professional Latin dancer if she wanted to.

Comfort - Solo - I think this may have been her best solo yet. However, what's missing for me is any tricks. Most hip hop dancers on this show (breakers and/or poppers, in particular) have wowed us with their tricks. Without that and alone on a stage, there isn't enough razzle-dazzle to what she does to really impress.

Katee and Twitch - Contemporary - There were a lot of things I liked about this routine, but ultimately, I'm afraid that it didn't quite work for me. The problem is, they never fully integrated the dancing and the acting. When they focused on acting, there was little to no dance going on. When they were really dancing, the acting got substantially softer and less committed. I would say that they were both more successful when they were on opposite sides of the door. It's almost as if having to interact directly was one more thing than they were able to handle. I also wish that the dance had felt more connected to the music. Still, I will say this was one of Katee's more successful forays into character work. Was anybody else surprised by Twitch having a cigarette? I know it was part of the character, but I also know that networks try to keep that off of the air, particularly when a show is considered a "family show"…

Will - Solo - I loved this. It's the first time I think he's successfully played ANY character, and it's the first time I've actually had fun watching him.

Comfort and Mark - Hip Hop - I loved this, too. I think it's the best "hard" hip hop we've seen this season (it's too hard to compare it to "lyrical" hip hop like the one Josua and Katee did week one). It was CERTAINLY better than the overpimped one Comfort did with Twitch last week. Comfort was great - Mark, IMO, was even better!

Katee - Solo - This was good, but not as good as I would like. When Katee leaps, she lacks that split second where it feels like she may just float away. The best contemporary dancers in this and other seasons (think Nick, Melody, Travis, Allison, Danny, Will…) have all had this. Katee doesn't. Also, on her spins, she loses her center. I always thought that Katee was more a technical dancer and less of a performer. I'm now seeing that her technique is okay but not amazing. At her best, though, she's a great mix of both.

Chelsie and Joshua - Argentine Tango - I was disappointed by this one. Joshua struggled. He wasn't bad, per se, but he wasn't nearly as great as he usually is. He was stiff throughout, and his height deficiencies caused some awkward lines, even with a partner as small as Chelsie. I thought Chelsie was very good, but (and this may be heresy) I think Courtney is a better Latin dancer than she is. Courtney certainly brings more fire and passion to it. Oh, and can somebody please answer one question? Why the hell was Dimitry wearing a shirt while he choreographed them?!

Mark - Solo - While I still like Mark's personality and performance, the technique on this solo was sorely lacking. I HATED the cartwheel with the broken legs. However, I have to say that in four seasons of the show, Mark is one of the only ones who begs for votes in a way that doesn't make me want to throttle him. His goofiness is so charming and infectious that he comes across loveable rather than desperate or annoying.

Courtney and Will - Hip Hop - This choreography was all about connection and chemistry, and for me, it wasn't there. They were dancing in very divergent styles. Will was smooth and flowing while Courtney was clean and crisp. Neither style is inherently "right" or better, but divergent styles for this type of story was totally wrong. Let's talk about the story. In the best story dances, the dancing tells the story, and we don't need the introductory explanation to know what is going on. I am confident that without the explanation here, we wouldn't have known (or at least I wouldn't have known) what was going on. I certainly wouldn't have known that Will was supposed to be dead! Part of the problem was the choreography. I think it would have been so much more effective if Courtney had started off dancing alone with Will shadowing her from behind and trying to contact her. Then, partway through, she could have a moment of realization where she sees him for the first time and we have that moment of bittersweet joy from both the loss and the reunion. Lacking that kind of storytelling or the required chemistry, I have to disagree with the judges. I really didn't feel much emotion at all…

Chelsie - Solo - I thought she looked more gorgeous here than she ever has on this show, but it was still an underwhelming ballroom solo. It reminded me of Heidi, only nowhere near as electric.

Kate and Twitch - Broadway - I'd like to start with Toni Basil's comment. I was deeply offended by her assertion that Broadway dancing is inorganic and not rooted in emotion or character. Sure, that may be true of bad, cheesy Tyce D'Orio style Broadway, but GOOD Broadway dancing is all about the character and the emotion. It's certainly more grounded in that foundation than a style like ballet or ballroom which is so much more about the form… On the other hand, I will agree with Toni that Twitch DID act the part in a more believable way and that Katee was NOT earthy or grounded enough. For a piece that's all about libidinous predation, there was no sex! I would have loved to see a sexy dancer (think Natalie or Anya or even Courtney) doing this routine! Twitch acted better. Katee danced better. The overall routine was just okay. Still Toni could have made her point without demeaning an entire performance medium!

Joshua - Solo - I was very underwhelmed by this and it all came down to one issue - Josh was looking down the whole time! Therefore, the performance never broke through and connected. There was nothing wrong with the movement. It was the performance that was lacking.

Courtney - Solo - There is a sincerity and an authenticity to Courtney when she dances solo that makes her my favorite to watch dancing alone. The choreography here wasn't as impressive as some, but she pulls it off with performance.

Twitch - Solo - I hated the Super-Twitch shirt and the IV Real sh*t, but I can't fault his dancing. He just looks comfortable and natural when he dances in his own style.

Comfort and Mark - Foxtrot - I am completely at odds with the judges on this one. I really liked it. Mark performed the hell out of it with a style that rivals old legends like Fred Astaire, and Comfort, to me at least, held her own. I'm not an expert at the technical elements of a foxtrot, and when Mary talked about the closed hold problems and they played back that moment, I guess I can see what she was talking about. Still, watching it the first time, I didn't notice. I was too caught up in the performance. For the judges to talk about the lack of chemistry and the thinking too much thing when they praised Will and Courtney's Samba earlier, though, was too much for me. I call shenanigans!

Chelsie and Joshua - Disco - I kind of thought that this was a hot mess. Sure, they did some really impressive tricks, but what was lacking was an effortlessness to make it look smooth and graceful. They seemed to be working SO HARD that it called attention to all the little bobbles (and there were more than a few of them). Still, I have to agree with Toni that they did a good job capturing the spirit of the dance, at least with their faces. Chelsie was more fun than usual, here.


My Rankings (pair dances only):
1. Comfort and Mark - Hip Hop (by a mile)
2. Comfort and Mark - Foxtrot (I can't help it. I enjoyed it)
3. Katee and Twitch - Contemporary
4. Chelsie and Joshua - Argentine Tango
5. Katee and Twitch - Broadway
6. Courtney and Will - Hip Hop
7. Chelsie and Joshua - Disco
8. Courtney and Will - Samba (all due to HIM - she was great)

I thought the only great dance was Comfort and Mark's hip-hop. I thought all the rest had real problems, but that ultimately, Courtney and Will were the worst pair. Still, I think they had the best solos, so it's anybody's game. I'm not sure who will be going home. I'm actually afraid that Joshua is vulnerable, but he had a really weak night and so I'm not inspired to vote, even though he's been my favorite…