Getting back into DANCE, and Tidbits! for 06/14/07

CASTING CALL!
Want to make your Broadway debut in…SHREK...???

I only wish I were kidding. There is a casting call in LA on June 20 for Rock/R&B Singers who would be playing the roles of Shrek and Donkey respectively. Now I'm a big Disney fan, and I love when the old Disney musical films finally make it to the Broadway stage.

But Shrek? Really?!

I suppose it's wrong of me to judge before I see or hear something. But I'm me. And I'm judging. And I'm very skeptical of how this will turn out.

Almost as skeptical as I am of Spiderman: the Musical, which is also currently in development.

Ok, enough Broadway news (mostly 'cuz there really isn't all that much more to tell…) and on to my new obsession: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE!

Last night was the first night of the Finals, and the 20 finalists were paired up to compete for their spots in the Top 10. I'm not a big fan of some of the contestants, but let me just give you a quick run down of my own Final 10!

THE BOYS:

Kameron Bink: The Hipster. A hip/hop contemporary dancer also trained in jazz, tap, ballet, and acrobatics. His hobbies are skydiving and riding motorcycles, and he is H-O-T. I have just a little bit of a crush…

Pasha Kovalev: The Russian. A ballroom trained dancer with a Latin style focus. He's Russian, and yummy! Every season has that good looking foreign guy, and he is it this year.

Neil Haskell: The Boyish Charmer. A jazz/ballet dancer with a musical theater background. Neil was part of the short-lived Broadway production "Times They Are A'Changin". He's going to have to work harder than some of the others to make it to the Top 10 because his personality doesn't really come through, but I think he'll get there. He's got that same boyish quality that got Ivan into the finals last year.

Hok Konishi: The Edge. An absolutely ridiculous breakdancer. He also likes to cook, draw, paint, and play the violin. We also started seeing him last season, when he got rejected in semi's for not having a work visa (he's from England) so I think he won't have any problems finding a spot in the top 10.

Danny Tidwell: The Talent. A professionally trained ballet, jazz, and lyrical dancer. He is the adopted brother of last season's Travis Wall, but he doesn't have the personality that Travis did. Danny is great, but has a lot of attitude which could get him in trouble with both the judges and the audience. After all, this is about personality as much as it's about dancing.

THE GIRLS:

Lacey Schwimmer: The Heir Apparent. Swing/Latin dancer, and sister of last season's winner, Benji. I'll admit that I was skeptical in the beginning that she was getting advanced because of her family ties. But last night she really stood out. She is obviously well-trained and versatile, and has an awesome personality as well. She's a shoe-in for the finals.

Sara VonGillern: The Cool Girl. Trained in all facets of dance, but specializing in hip hop, breaking, and choreography. It was surprising to see that she can do more than just hip hop. She may be the surprise of the season.

Lauren Gottlieb: The Technician. Trained in jazz, ballet, hip hop, lyrical, and tap. We began seeing Lauren last year when she was the assistant to one of the choreographers. There may be some people who will think she's being favored by the judges because of her past involvement with the show, but it's up to the public now. And I think the public is going to love her.

Jaimie Goodwin: The Girl Next Door. The underdog of the girls, but her with her background and relatable personality, I think she'll make it through. She is trained in tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, pointe, and musical theater. The only thing missing from her resume is ballroom, so we'll see how she fares.

Jessi Peralta: The Artist. She's a self-described Gumbo dancer, meaning she mushes it all together to express whatever it is she is feeling. Her contemporary solo work in the auditions was impressive, and then she wowed her first time out in a smooth waltz. With the amount of face time she has received, the judges enthusement, and her raw talent, I think we'll see her straight through to the end.

Here are a couple of highlights from last night's show, in case you missed it.

First is Kameron and Lacey doing a contemporary piece by Mia Michaels.

Sara and partner Jesus doing a pop/jazz routine by Wade Robison.

Danny and partner Anya diong a Jive by Alex Da Silva.

So maybe my little crush makes me a little bit biassed, but how amazing were Lacey and Kameron?! They are by far my favorite couple, with Pasha and Jessi coming in a close second. I wish I could find a video of their Waltz.

If you haven't started watching yet, I highly recommend doing so. As the competition progresses, the dancers and choreography get better and better. You won't be disappointed!

Today is my parents 36th Wedding Anniversary. Can you believe that? 36 years... I have a really hard time getting my head around the fact that they've been with each other that long. I mean, they're great people and all... but that's a long time for anyone!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, MOM AND DAD!!!

I don't really have anything going on tonight. I need to pack for the weekend. Mandy and Doug are heading up to Boston to volunteer at the Special Olympics, so I'm heading out to CT to watch the Jack-man. I feel like I haven't seen him in forever, so I'm really excited! Sunday is also Father's Day, so I'm hoping it'll warm up and that we can get some good boat/beach time in.

Have a great day!