So You Think You Can Dance Season 2 - Top 20

It's back. After my obsession last session with the show, I've decided to continue writing about each episode and giving my opinions. Feel free to disagree and add any discussions or correct my errors.

Pania and Ben
Style: Contemporary
Song: Talk Like That by The Presets
Choreographer: Marko (from Season 1)

Pania and Ben are a couple that I've taken a liking to already. They both seem genuine (as much as I can tell from watching them on TV anyway). Their contemporary routine was performed quite well and I was surprised how well Pania adapted to the style with her Hip Hop background. I really like this Presets song so I was bopping along to the routine the whole time.

Talia and Emmanuel
Style: Cha Cha
Song: Hound Dog by Smokey Joe's Cafe
Choreographer: Jason Gilkison

Well, Jason Gilkison's routines were a highlight last season. He did some amazing stuff. This routine would have been very good if performed by two techically better Ballroom dancers. However, Emmanuel's technique was a bit lacking I thought. I did like his charm throughout the routine. Thalia had good extensions but again, I didn't really think so got the steps all correct.

Lamb and Timomatic
Style: Lyrical
Song: Rainbow by Elisa
Choreographer: Travers Ross

This routine was as the judges said quite hip hop like. I thought they both did a good job and I'm a fan of Lamb's. They both hit the steps quite sharply and I really liked this song. I thought the routine was good, but the judges didn't seem completely won over by it.

Amy and Damien
Style: Broadway
Song: Puttin' On The Ritz by Rufus Wainwright
Choreographer: Adam Williams

I thought that Amy and Damien would tear this routine up but it didn't really work. The start was bit slow with all that stuff on the stairs. I was waiting for them to get into it. When they did, I thought that some of Amy's moves were quite awkward actually and disagreed with the judges. On the ballroom type moves, Damien was good, but other parts he was a bit lacking.

Ash-Leigh and Stephen
Style: Rumba
Song: My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion
Choreographer: Sandro Catalano

Sandro, who partnered Patty Newton on Dancing With The Stars choreographed this Rumba. I have to say that the choreography wasn't fantastic and the dancing was even more woeful. It all felt so fake. I haven't really warmed to Ash-Leigh at all as she doesn't seem to posess much personality. And I hate Stephen. He seems like a bit of a smart alec. And the song, hmmm, didn't work. Whereas Jason Gilkison used a Celine song last season in his Waltz that Jemma and Rhys did so great in, this song sucked the life out of the routine as the dancers couldn't lift up to the notes.

Penny and Charlie
Style: Hip Hop
Song: Single Ladies by Beyonce
Choreographer: Tiana Joubert

Before they even stepped onto the floor, I was already smiling. There is just something so endearing about both Penny and Charlie. They were my favourite guy and girl after the audition stage and they've been paired together. I've taken an instant liking to them, like I did with Demi and Jack last season. And its' weird, but once you pick a favourite, it's hard to get swayed away from it. So probably all my assessment of them will be very biased, but that's what opinions are about. Having said all that, I thought their routine rocked. They hit it hard and worked really well as a pair together. This was my favourite routine of the night, and the Beyonce song is just so damn catchy.

Kat and Danny
Style: Lyrical
Song: Liorindo (Crying) by Angelo Badalementi
Choreographer: Debbie Ellis

Kat reminds me a lot of Rhiannon from last season, but not as fake. She and Danny did a very good emotional routine. I really liked it and the song really soared with the dancing. This song complimented the routine rather than overpowered it.

Max and Jesse
Style: Contemporary
Song: Kids by MGMT
Choreographer: Shaun Parker

If the crowds reaction is anything to go by, these two will definitely be in the bottom three. I haven't really warmed to either of them at all. Max got heaps of coverage during the audition phases but she grates on me, I just don't like her. Their routine lacked any pizzaz and they don't really seem to like each other either.

Gianne and B.J
Style: Quickstep
Song: Sparkling Diamonds by Moulin Rouge Cast
Choreographer: Leanne Bampton

Leanne Bampton of Dancing With The Stars fame (I couldn't believe last year when Jason Coleman goes "I've never heard of Leanne", did he miss the whole Dancing With The Stars phenomenon or wasn't he allowed to say) choreographed a very fun routine again. Gianne and B.J also have a huge likeability factor. They both did a good job although B.J's footwork was a tad messy at times I thought. But the fun of it all help mask the errors.

Chanelle and Loredo
Style: Jazz
Song: Poker Face by Lady Gaga
Choreographer: Project Moda

The routine was quite a smart routine by Project Moda. It was also executed quite well, with both of them hitting it quite hard. However, I haven't really formed an opinion either way about both of them yet.

It was a great first show and most couples did really good. My favourite was definitely Penny and Charlie's routine. That was closely followed by Kat and Danny's emotional piece. Bottom Three Predictions: *Ash-Leigh and Stephen *Max and Jesse *Chanelle and Loredo

Of Christmas, New Year, Concerts, Gym, Facebook and Fires

It's been over two months since my last post. That is definitely the longest period I've had not posting since I started blogging. It's not that I've lost the mojo for blogging, just that time is just such a commodity now. Many a times when I read, see, hear, realise, think of something, I say to myself "I should blog that". I even start writing the blog in my head but just never get round to writing it and then I can't be bothered anymore. I guess another reason is that although I write this blog to please myself and gather together my thoughts, I do want feedback and discussion on some topics and with such a small audience on this blog, I'm just not getting that, so have been less inclined to post. Anyway, enough of the excuses, here's a summary of some thoughts and events that have occurred in the last couple of months.

Obviously the Christmas and New Year period was extremely hectic. Lots of BBQs and dinners to enjoy, mixed in with shopping pre and post Christmas. With the country in the grip of a financial crisis, Christmas shopping did seem quieter and less hectic than previous years. I picked up a few work shirts, jeans and t-shirts.

During the Christmas period I also went to a coupld of concerts. Alicia Keys was amazing, a true musical genius and entertainer. Her concert was a non stop party basically. She was well supported by Jordin Sparks. I also went, and feel free to make fun of me here, to see Delta Goodrem. Yes yes, soppy soppy. I didn't intend to go, but a friend had a ticket to offload when someone else pulled out. We struck a deal which involved a discount and Seinfeld DVDs thrown in and thus I went. The show was better than I thought and Delta really does have a fantastic voice. She was also surprising funny and interacted well with the crowd.

I also joined the gym in the month of December. I finally just dropped into my local one day and joined up, after saying I would do so for years. I hated the first couple of weeks, as I knew I would. But as time has progressed, I've become really focused at the gym and work out really hard. The first couple of weeks, I was only doing everything half hearted and kept whinging and laughing. But now, I'm getting quite hard core, and am reading fitness magazines. The gut is still present but I am definitely aerobically fitter and anerobically stronger. Now I just need to lose the fat around the muscle.

Another thing that I finally joined was Facebook. After much nagging from many friends, I caved in and joined the masses. The first couple of days I went and added heaps of people. Although I still didn't add people I knew but disliked. I don't find Facebook that particularly addictive. The good part is that I have reconnected with some friends that I would like to see more of from now on.

Finally, I couldn't finish this post without talking about the tragic fires that have devastated Victoria. This is the worst fire in history, but people are banding together to help out. At times, humans can sicken me, but with tragedy usually brings out bravery and commraderie, which makes me think that humanity has a chance. Please donate what you can to the Red Cross to help out others in need.