I may have mentioned something about being a fan of Taylor Hicks and a member in grand standing of Soul Patrol.
Well I am!
Taylor appeared on the American Idol results show last night, performing the latest single from his new CD The Distance. The song is Seven Mile Breakdown.
Love it!
Cue that theme music because it's live from Hollywood!
I have two encores for you this week, in one super duper step over lip lock clip!
It's the most excellent Team Mambo vs the most outstanding Team Tango...click here.
The judges chose Team Tango for the official encore.
Here's a reminder of our leader board from Monday:
56 Kim and Derek
55 Gilles and Cheryl
52 Shawn and Mark
52 Ty and Chelsie
51 Chuck and Julianne
46 Melissa and Tony
It's tight y'all. And this from a group of celebrities that earned a collective ho-hum from some critics at the beginning of the season.
Robin Thicke is in the ballroom accompanied by Edyta, Cheryl, Kym, Dmitry, Tony, and Alec.
First results...Kim and Derek are safe. Ty and Chelsie are safe.
Looks like a favorite could go home.
Robin Thicke returns, accompanied by Pasha and Anya! We love Pasha and Anya, two more SYTYCD alums.
Gilles and Cheryl are safe. That's all of Team Tango.
So Shawn, Melissa, and Chuck from Team Mambo are all in danger.
And now the new pro competition. The four dancing this week are Genya, Afton, Mayo, and Anna.
Genya and Afton dance Quickstep. Genya showed his adaptability this week. He focuses mainly on the Latin styles, but he's also a true professional. Not only did he dance well, but he emphasized character and personality. Afton proved how strong a teacher she can be by taking the lead with choreography. The dance was very well made and quite well performed. We like them both this week.
Mayo and Ann dance Jive. This is an elegant pair, turning to Latin. They are so good together. Their length in classic ballroom emphasizes class and sophistication. In Latin, it puts a spotlight on every move. They had to be crisp and quick and clean, and they were. Their movement was fluid and graceful, and they really make each other look good. We are impressed by both of these two.
The two finalists will dance next week with a former celebrity competitor to show how well they work with a celebrity partner. I really like this competition. But I still want to know if one of these pros will replace one of our regular pros, or if the cast will simply increase next season.
Yikes...they sprung more results on us! Shawn and Mark are safe.
And that means Chuck & Julianne and Melissa & Tony are in danger.
Melissa and Tony are safe...
...so that means Chuck and Julianne are out.
Next week, the 5 remaining couples must perform two individual dances in both ballroom and Latin styles. We'll get down to the Final Four, and then the Terrific Three, and then it will be time to aware that fabulous mirror ball trophy!
Last night's American Idol was sublimely good as the remaining 5 singers performed standards from the Rat Pack era, mentored by Jamie Foxx. They were all outstanding.
Kris Allen, The Way You Look Tonight
Allison Iraheta, Someone to Watch Over Me
Matt Giraud, My Funny Valentine
Danny Gokey, Come Rain or Come Shine
Adam Lambert, I'm Feeling Good
Big time props to Mr Foxx. He helped bring the best out of these kids. As a musical director, he gave critical advice to improve the performances. And the kids had the sense to listen and incorporate his suggestions.
Well done to all.
We're three weeks from the May 19 finale. And you know what that means?
YES!
It means that the May 21 premier of So You Think You Can Dance is also just three weeks away!
It's live from Hollywood!
Our remaining 6 pairs are split into teams to perform either a group Mambo or Tango. And of course they each have their individual dance.
Ruh roh. During introductions, Tony came down the stairs by himself. Melissa's rib injury, plus complications from treatment, forced her to the sidelines. Damn.
Gilles and Cheryl dance Lindyhop. After struggling with the jive, we have no idea what to expect here. The choreography is controlled frenzy. Cheryl made a story out of the dance and we definitely enjoyed it. It was full of content...wall to wall movement and everything was smoothly connected. Plus, there were so many tricks and lifts. Gilles had a cortezone shot in his shoulder this week and he seemed to do ok with those tricks. It was a fun dance, and but for a little footwork bobble it was outstanding. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27.
Kim and Derek dance Paso Doble. I'll tell you right now...if Kim and Derek make final three and her fans are watching and voting, she could sneak in and win. She has the whole package. With Derek's excellent choregraphy and her performance skills, she has developed into a real contender. That was a fine Paso. It was passionate, aggressive, full of fire and spark. She owned that dance. She is in it to win it y'all. Her technique was amazing. She had posture, frame, footwork...and she put it all together into a brilliant dance. Judges say 9,9,10 for a total of 28.
Chuck and Julianne dance Cha Cha Cha. They had a break out Samba last week, and Cha Cha Cha is a style that can build on that success. It's a cheeky and flirty dance with similar hip action. Somebody has completely loosened the screw that was rigidly holding Chuck's hips. That was really a good performance. I think he also finally figured out how to keep his natural pigeon toes from turning in. His frame was good and he's really dancing relaxed. I have to agree that his arms still need some work, as he still seems to be placing them rather than letting the movement flow through them. But he's getting there. Judges say 9,9,8 for a total of 26.
Shawn and Mark dance Samba. Mark's mom Shirley came in for rehearsal this week. She is a major player in dance. Shawn's personality is really starting to come through. It's almost like she's growing up right here on the show. She was terrific in the spins. Again, her body control is incredible. As good as that was though, there was a spark missing. She hit all the steps, her technique was solid, but I think the choreography was a bit heavy on spins without enough steps for her to focus on hip action. Judges say 10,8,9 for a total of 27. Now that was all over the board.
Melissa and Tony were scheduled to dance Jive. She is expected to be able to continue on the show, despite the rib injury. But since she couldn't dance during the live show, the judges had to score the final rehearsal performance. If she had been healthy, that dance would have been amazing. But since they were simply marking the dance, they didn't have the full on performance. She missed a couple of steps twoard the end, which wouldn't have been a big deal during a regular rehearsal. And it looked like she started to run out of gas. That really sucks. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21. Very unfortunate. If she makes it through to the round where they can choose a previous style to repeat, I wonder if they try this one. I'd love to see them perform it when she's healthy.
Ty and Chelsie dance Salsa. That was terrific! He's not the greatest technical dancer, but he puts everything into it and has a great time. That dance was so entertaining. He was a strong lead, and he moved Chelsie through the entire dance. His hip action was average. But he worked the dance and performed. He's the best of "the rest", those who didn't have a chance to win but gave it their all and provided the fun and entertainment. Ty is also the dancer who has come the farthest with the least. Judges say 9,7,8 for a total of 24.
Here's our leader board prior to the team dances:
28 Kim and Derek
27 Gilles and Cheryl
27 Shawn and Mark
26 Chuck and Julianne
24 Ty and Chelsie
21 Melissa and Tony
Here we go with teams. These can be kind of tough to judge, depending on how they dances are choreographed. Basically what we try to watch for is synchronicity and teamwork, and then for who stands out during the solos.
Team Mambo is Chuck and Julianne, Shawn and Mark, and Tony with Lacey stepping in for Melissa. HA! The ending was hilarious! Bwahahahahahahahaaaa! But the dance itself...the team elements were electric! The synchronicity was fantastic. The solos had classic Mambo elements. We smiled through the whole routine. It was entertaining, and the pairs of Shawn & Mark and Chuck & Julianne were solid. Kudos to Lacey for stepping in for Melissa. Judges say 8,8,9 for a total of 25, which will be added to each couple's individual score.
Team Tango is Kim and Derek, Ty and Chelsie, and Gilles and Cheryl. Ty was outstanding in that solo. And this was by far the better group dance. Kim had a minor foot bobble in her solo, but other than that she was fierce. And Gilles brought back the sex on a stick...Pam's words, if you'll recall...despite surprising issues with footwork. But it was the synchronization at the end that truly made this the better of the two routines. I wouldn't have expected Ty to hold his own next to Gilles and Derek, but he did. That was powerful and aggressive, and perfectly together. Judges say 9,9,10 for a total of 28. The 10 is too high...you can't ignore Kim's footwork stumble.
Here's the adjusted leader board:
56 Kim and Derek
55 Gilles and Cheryl
52 Shawn and Mark
52 Ty and Chelsie
51 Chuck and Julianne
46 Melissa and Tony
What a great show!
This is the last week for me to split votes, with 3 going to Melissa and 3 going to Shawn. I have to commit next week. Pam is settled on Gilles.
Tonight we have the second round of the new pro competition. Plus, every elimination from here forward is going to be tough.
Four games down, 12 to go. My Lakers finished off the Jazz tonight to take the best of 7 first round series 4 games to 1. Next up is the winner of the series between Houston and Portland. The Rockets currently lead that series 3 games to 1, with game 5 tonight in Portland.
My Lakers showed a disturbing tendency to lose interest for stretches against Utah. I'd like to see that corrected prior to the next series.
Welcome to another Manic Monday with Morgen. Don't forget to cruise by MM HQ at the Manic Monday blog. Today's theme is Warm.
Kitty + warm sunny patch = contentment.
Tonight our 6 remaining pairs split into Team Mambo and Team Tango, then perform group dances in addition to their individual routines.
After a bit of a stumble in game 3 against Utah, my Lakers bounced back to win game 4 on Saturday and take a commanding 3 games to 1 lead in the best of 7 first round series. The series swings back to LA tonight, where my Lakers look to close out the Jazz in game 5.
It's a busy Monday!
I've never really liked Gatorade. I always thought it had a horrible after taste and I still felt thirsty after drinking it. You shouldn't have to wash down a sports drink with a water chaser.
I used to try it every once in awhile to see if it had gotten any better, but it hadn't. Given new flavors wacky names that marketing guys think are cool doesn't help if the product still makes your mouth feel sticky and stale after you drink it.
And this latest marketing idea of changing the name of the product to "G"...more silliness.
I say all of that for context. Because this stuff...
...is GREAT!
We have a beverage fridge at the office. After I got back from my walk yesterday I didn't want soda or juice...or anything sticky sweet like that...and the Vitamin water hadn't been re-stocked. Yes, I'm aware I could have gotten a cup or two of filtered tap water. The Vitamin water is tasty and I feel refreshed after I drink it.
But there wasn't any VW. I spotted this G2 Fruit Punch sports drink in the fridge and decided to give it a try. It really does taste like fruit punch. And I thought it was actually more refreshing than the VW.
So now I can hydrate with a tasty beverage.
I still think calling the product "G" is silly. But thanks anyway Gatorade. You finally made something I like.
Welcome to my new semi-regular Friday feature.
I've never been a quitter. I have strategically withdrawn when circumstances warrant, but I don't quit.
However, recently I've found myself gradually giving in to chronic pain.
That is not acceptable.
So based on a series of conversations with my Lady, I have resolved to fight that surrender. Eventually my knees are going to cripple me completely, but not today and not tomorrow or the next day. Pam and I are going to take advantage of this beautiful place we live and start walking.
OK, yay for me and Pam. But what's this Friday Feets business all about?
Well, a series of email exchanges yesterday with my dear friend Julie got me thinking. And the thinking led to an idea. And the idea led to a feature.
And thus we have Friday Feets, a feature that let's me share the things we see when we're out on walk-about.
So my first walk was a short solo jaunt near my work at lunch yesterday.
There you go! A bit of urban beauty, courtesy of the Emerald City, Seattle Washington.
Yes, those are my feet.
Cue that theme music because it's live from Hollywood!
OK gang. I went back and watched all of the dances again, and there was something I liked in each and every one. So for encores this time, I present all of the pairs.
Now after a little scolding from Pam and after reading your comments, and after a second look at the dance, I have to modify my recap of the Argentine Tango from Melissa and Tony. You'll recall that I did give them props for their performance of the intricate choreography. My main issue was that they didn't connect emotionally and didn't draw me in. DOH! The second viewing cured me of that misinterpretation. Click here.
Oddly enough, the thing I liked about the Waltz from LT and Edyta was Edyta's dress. Yeah, she was wearing more fabric than any 3 of her other costumes combined. But the color was stunning. And even though she had a bit of a problem with it going over her head, it flowed beautifully with the dance. Click here.
Lil Kim is saucy and sassy and hot. Her ability allows Derek to be so creative with his choreography. What I liked about this Rumba was the connection between the two of them. They could have raunched that dance up, but they made it sensual rather than raw and sexual. Click here.
It should be pretty obvious what I liked about the Samba from Chuck and Julianne. I liked that there was an emotional connection between the two of them for the second week in a row. Click here.
I always love a classic step, and to see that box step at the top of the Waltz from Ty and Chelsie made me smile. Click here.
And if you've been reading these recaps for very long, you know that I love a Waltz that tells a story. Gilles and Cheryl danced a sophisticated adult romantic fairy tale. Click here.
My dance of the night honor goes to Shawn and Mark. Their Cha Cha Cha was fun, flirtatious, and cheeky, just as it should have been. Click here.
So our leader board after judging Monday looked like this:
29 Melissa and Tony
28 Shawn and Mark
27 Gilles and Cheryl
27 Chuck and Julianne
26 Kim and Derek
24 Ty and Chelsie
21 LT and Edyta
And then came the group dance. And it was some kind of funky, choreographed by Christian Perry, the movement and costumes an homage to the dance styles of the 1960's.
And of course that is the judges' pick for encore. Great stuff!
Natasha Bedingfield is in the ballroom accompanied by Lacey and Dmitry. Maybe those two didn't do so well with their celebrities this season, but dang they can dance.
Burn the Floor is a travelling dance show featuring international ballroom and Latin champions. They open on Broadway this summer and they smoked the ballroom! In case I haven't said so recently, let me just remind you that I freaking love dance!
Oh...here's some results. That's actually why we're here.
Chuck and Julianne are safe. Melissa and Tony are safe. Shawn and Mark are safe.
Now our new pro competition begins. Six dancers dance in pairs, and then we vote to pick one who will join the cast in Season 9. I wonder if that means the cast of celebrities will increase or decrease? Is one of our current pros dropping out, or do we add one of these 6 kids to the current group? I guess we'll all have to tune in for the fall edition to find out!
Afton Delgrosso dances Cha Cha Cha with Brent Borbon. Apologies to Mr Borbon as I think I spelled his name wrong in yesterday's post. They were both very good. We liked Afton a little better than Brent in terms of what she might bring to assisting a celebrity. She was sharp and crisp, and we thought that she was a strong presence without being overwhelming.
Anna Demidova dances Waltz with Mayo Alanen. We loved Mayo's elegance. He has a long, classic line. And Anna is just stunning. They complimented each other very well in rehearsal and during the performance, neither seeking to outshine the other. And that bodes well for either of them to make a celebrity stand out. And the dance they made was beautiful, and a collaboration between the two of them. Excellent.
Snow Urbin dances Rumba with Genya Mazo. It was an excellent dance, which I expected from two such accomplished and polished performers. They danced very well together, complimenting each other. Genya has a strong presence, but also very supportive. I recall Snow from the first season of So You Think You Can Dance, and her style was always striking and unusual.
Dang...this is tough. I think my favorite dancer this evening was Mayo, particularly for his classic lines. Pam liked Afton and Anna.
Celtic Women performs and they were wonderful. But the pros who accompanied them were amazing! And things were going so fast again that I didn't catch their names. I hate it when I do that.
And now let's get to the elimination.
Kim and Derek are safe. Gilles and Cheryl are safe. Ty and Chelsie are safe.
So that means that LT and Edyta are out.
Next week the team competition returns. The 6 remaining pairs split into Team Mambo and Team Tango, then perform group dances in addition to their individual routines.
Well, my Lakers had a tough time putting Utah away. But they finally got it done, winning 119-109 to take a 2 games to 0 lead in the first round. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers again with 26 points and 9 assists. Pau Gasol added 22 points and Lamar Odom had 19.
The Lakers shot 60% from the field and 55% from 3 point range. That has been the difference in the series. If the Jazz can't find a way to hold down that field goal percentage, they can't compete.
Although, I do have a concern with the tendency of the Lakers to get off to quick starts and then coast a little bit. Hopefully they pick up the playoff intensity as the series resumes from Utah on Thursday.
It's live from Hollywood!
It's group dance night for our 7 remaining pairs! I suspect we're in for a good one with the pairs we have left. And the celebrities designed costumes this week for the individual dances.
Melissa and Tony dance Argentine Tango. The footwork was extremely intricate, but the dance seemed to be missing some passion. The connection didn't seem evident between the two of them. They nailed the footwork, and trust me that it was incredibly difficult. And the lifts were amazing. Just for some reason I wasn't feeling that dance. Ow! Pam just read what I wrote, thumped me on the head, and told me to start paying attention. She said the dance was brilliant. So there you have it. Judges say 10,9,10 for a total of 29. 
LT and Edyta dance Waltz. LT did what he threatened...he covered Edyta from head to toe in fabric. Damn the man anyway. Oh now here comes the bare shoulders. Now that I like! And I must say that it's a beautiful gown. This isn't a horrible dance. He's stepping through most of it rather than gliding, and there wasn't much of the up and down smoothness and grace I expect from a Waltz. It was a clunky dance and not terribly romantic. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21.
Lil Kim and Derek dance Rumba. Derek's choreography is once again the star. He made a classic Rumba, more dance than pose, and threw in several difficult spins. He was able to contain Kim's natural sexiness without taming it entirely. That was an outstanding Rumba. Sultry and steamy without being raunchy at all. We thought it was romantic and enticing. The judges were mixed, but we loved it. Judges say 9,8,9 for a total of 26.
Chuck and Julianne dance Samba. They found the connection last week and they are able to carry that through to this week. Chuck is much more relaxed with his hips and he doesn't look nearly as awkward. He looks much more natural and less embarrassed. He didn't seem nearly as worried about his footwork. We actually enjoyed that dance. That was definitely his best dance and they did capture the party flavor of Samba. Pam was most impressed by his hip rolls. She said it was the first time she found him Chuck sexy. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27. That score is well deserved.
Ty and Chelsie dance Waltz. We love the classic box step to begin that dance. He has found his comfort again. He's a strong lead in hold, and he's able to slow down and focus on grace. The dance was elegant and classy, with the rise and fall of a true Waltz. And his posture and technique were solid. He held his frame, and that always makes a Waltz look beautiful. Judges say 8's across for a total of 24.
Shawn and Mark dance Cha Cha Cha. She looks way more confident this week, which is a bit surprising considering the week she described in rehearsal footage. Her facial expressions are right in line with the character of Cha Cha Cha. And the choreography was fun and cheeky. That may have been her best dance. Her footwork was outstanding, her posture was perfect, and her technique was spot on. Mark outdid himself with that dance. It was sharp, crisp, and vibrant. Fantastic! Judges say 9,9,10 for a total of 28. I don't know...that looked pretty perfect to me.
Gilles and Cheryl dance Viennese Waltz. Elegant, classy, sophisticated...a grown up romantic fairy tale. Very well done. Gilles had a little trouble with sliding his feet, but other than that I couldn't spot any technical flaws. The dance had beautiful rise and fall, flowing turns, and Cheryl's choreography was superb. The thing we find most impressive about Gilles is that no matter how much he seems to struggle during rehearsal, he dances with a grace and confidence that few of the other celebrities have. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27.
Here's our leader board:
29 Melissa and Tony
28 Shawn and Mark
27 Gilles and Cheryl
27 Chuck and Julianne
26 Kim and Derek
24 Ty and Chelsie
21 LT and Edyta
The judges don't score the group dance...it's all about the fan vote. The choreography is by Christian Perry, as a tribute to the 1960's.
These dances can be anything...from great to wacky to yikes! This one was a rollicking good time! Throw technique out the window. What I always look for is who picked up the steps, who had the musicality, and who had fun. And they all did! That was definitely one of the top 3 group dances.
What a terrific evening! Eliminations are going to be tough now.
And check it...tonight on results is the beginning of a competition to select a new pro competition to select a new pro for season 9. The competitors are:
Mayo Alanen
Brent Borton
Afton Delgrosso (she's the younger sister of Ashly, a former pro on DWTS)
Anna Demidova
Genya Mazo (brother of former DWTS champion Alec)
Snow Urbin (competed on season 1 of SYTYCD
You can read more about each of them by clicking here. It's not ballroom kids, but this should be cool!
Later babies!
Welcome to another Manic Monday with Morgen. Don't forget to cruise by MM HQ at the Manic Monday blog. Today's theme is Plant.
Today, for lack of a better thought, I give you the Washington State flower. And since I don't know anything about plants or flowers, I'll refer you to Henning's Rhododendron and Azalea Pages.
All I can tell you from first hand experience is that this is a truly extraordinary flower. When I first visited Washington in May 2004, I was struck by how large and vibrant these flowers were.
They took out quite a few of the rhodie bushes around my place, preparing for some heavy construction in our complex. But there are still a few left and I can't wait until they start blooming. The colors range from white to pink to red to purple.
All of the pictures are randomly selected from Google images.
The quest for 16 wins got off to a good start for my Lakers yesterday as they beat Utah 113-100, behind 24 points from Kobe Bryant. Trevor Ariza added 21 points and Pau Gasol had 20. The Lakers shot 55% from the floor, including 46% from the 3 point line.
Game 2 is on Tuesday from Staples Center in LA. The series shifts to Utah on Thursday.