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So You Think You Can Dance: The Great Oracle Speaks!

Laura MacCorkle

BLOGGER’S NOTE:  It’s not a secret any longer.  As established in our last So You Think You Can Dance chat, Coworker Chad is now the "Great Oracle of The Dance."  He watches, he studies.  He contemplates, he foretells.  Today, he enlightens me and challenges my clearly muddied and limited SYTYCD thinking.  And hopefully, he will brighten your thoughts as they relate to rhythmic body movements in this popular televised competition as well. 

Laura Mac says:  Feel like chatting about So You Think You Can Dance?

Chad says:  Definitely.

Laura Mac says:  Wunderbar!  Well, in the spirit of yesterday’s chat, I'd like to throw you another question today.  Can you handle it?

Chad says:  I'll do my best, but I can't promise anything.

Laura Mac says:  What do you get when you add together some Stomp, some Cirque de Soleil and some Marcel Marceau??

Chad says:  I don't know, what do you get?

Laura Mac says:  Aw, c'mon.  Think last night's SYTYCD.

Chad says:  The strangest and creepiest dancing display ever seen on television?

Laura Mac says:  DING DING DING!!!!!

Chad says:  Woo hoo!  Chad is on the hot tamale train today!

Laura Mac says:  Cha-ching!  And chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga ... 

Laura Mac says:  Okay, so seeing that we both agree on the "what was that?"-ness of the opening sequence, let's move on to the eliminations of Chris and Chelsea Traille. 

Laura Mac says:  They're from my hometown, so I was a little misty-eyed.  But I think the right decision was made to let them go.

Chad says:  Agreed.  No surprise at all.  As likable as Chris was, sending him home was a no-brainer.  He was the weakest of the three and has struggled every week.  I figured Chelsea would be eliminated rather than Comfort because Comfort is unique in her style versus the other women.  She is the only female hip-hop dancer, and keeping her adds some diversity to the range of talents.

Laura Mac says:  That's a good way to look at it.  I was thinking that Comfort's specialty could end up being her liability.  But maybe it's what saved her bacon this week.  She IS good at what she does.  And I was also impressed the week she did the jive. 

Chad says:  Ultimately, I think it will be a liability.

Laura Mac says:  True true.  Any thots on the special guest dance crew who performed last night?  I didn't catch their name, but wasn't too keen on their "we're the mad scientists in white jackets who drank the green potion and like to do 'breakin'" type of routine. 

Chad says:  It was okay.  I fast forwarded about halfway through.  Another thought on the opening routine, since we are talking about group numbers.  I just don't understand the thinking on this show sometimes.  I know that often in that world there is a tendency to veer into the arena of “the stranger and more incomprehensible things are, the better the art must be.”  However, why you do things like that (second time in three weeks) is beyond me.  Best case, it just isn't going to connect with the vast majority of the audience out there.  Worst case, it is going to turn a lot of people off to the show completely. 

Laura Mac says:  Or maybe people tune in just to see how weird the opening number is going to be.  They may not like it, but they MAY like discussing how much they don't like it.  Not that anyone we know does anything like that.  Or anything ...

Chad says:  Nooooo.  Definitely not.

Laura Mac says:  See, now I'm going the way of the Oracle ... too much creamer in my coffee, most likely.

Chad says:  You are the man!

Laura Mac says:  I'll interpret that solely as a virtual high-five and nothing else. 

Laura Mac says:  Now, looking ahead to next week ... there are seven couples left.  Comfort is now paired up with Thayne since their respective partners have dearly departed.  Will they get some wonder-twin powers and activate into a better couple? 

Chad says:  Nope.  They will be the next two to go home.  No need to watch next week.

Chad says:  Just kidding.  You should still watch, but they will be going home.  Speaking of watching, the couple that is quickly emerging as the couple to watch is Chelsie and Mark.  There may be other dancers that are better technically, but I think these two are clearly the best storytellers of the group.  I had forgotten when we chatted yesterday how much I liked their routine (again).  Once more, they told a convincing story and told it well.  Chelsie, in particular, is fun to watch.  She dances big.  Nothing is halfway.  All of her movements are so big and flow so well.  It's always a pleasant surprise to see her really let the dance flow through her as guest judge Adam Shankman said the other night.

Laura Mac says:  Yes.  I like them, too.  Not as much as Katee and Joshua.  But I agree with all you have said.  I think I like the fact that Mark's quirky and that Chelsie is so tomboy-ish (off stage, as we've found out in some of the interview segments).  It’s a good mix.

Chad says:  They, too, are very likable.  They will go a long way.

Chad says:  So, one other observation from last night about Matt.  Matt really stands out for me from the group, not because he is the best dancer or my favorite.  But because he is unique from everyone else in any of the seasons I've seen.  I have often complained about the dance solos.  Typically, they do absolutely nothing for me.  For me, the dancing is enjoyable in couples or in groups.  On the solos, I think you largely lose the storytelling element.  Long story short, most dancers excel with a partner and struggle with the solos.  Not true with Matt.  I agreed with Nigel Lythgoe.  Matt's solo was brilliant.  Matt is the one contestant that, in my opinion, actually shines during his solos much more than in the partner dances.

Laura Mac says:  Okay, now I feel bad.  I haven’t put near as much thought into SYTYCD this week as you have.  Again, this is why I have titled you “Great Oracle of The Dance.” 

Chad says:  Please.

Laura Mac says:  As your humble and faithful chat-servant, I look forward to learning many more lessons from you next week.

Chad says:  Whatever.

Laura Mac says:  Must be the creamer talking again.  Okay, I need to scoot.  I'll holler at you next week after performance night, and we can chat again.

Chad says:  Sounds good.  Have a great weekend!

Laura Mac says:  TTFN, BFF, LYLAB, C-YA!

Chad says:  ;alksjfl;ksajrepoiufa;l

Chad says:  See, I can do it too!

Laura Mac says:  ROFL