SYTYCD-Let the Drummer Kick

Pairing: Neil Haskell/Lauren Gottlieb Show: So You Think You Can Dance Song: Let the Drummer Kick Artist: Citizen Cope Director: Mia Michaels Year: 2007 Description Mia Michael's choreographs another amazing "So You Think You Can Dance" performance. This time using Neil & Lauren whom for the first time, I voted for last week, after their Wade Robeson Jazz number.

Commentary

So I'm back with yet another So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) video clip. This is actually one of two clips, featuring Lauren Gottlieb and Neil Haskell. Yes, this is as much of a surprise to me, as probably you. This is the primary reason why I truly believe a good partner and a good choreographer can make or break you on this show.

Let's face facts, one of the primary reasons why I watch So You Think You Can Dance, is because all the final contestants can actually dance. The show isn't about would be dancers with no talent, thinking that American's will make them popular for no reason. All the contestants can dance, so it really becomes a matter of:

1. how well can they adapt to other dance styles;
2. who they get partnered with;
3. who choreographs their performance; and
4. their personalities—including physical attractiveness.

Personally, even though I thought Lauren was attractive, flirty, and a good dancer; the pairing of Lauren & Neil wasn't really doing anything for me. I hadn't voted for them once. Then came Wade Robson with a fantastic jazz number, telling the story of good versus evil to Roisin Murphy's Night of the Dancing Flame, that really seemed to bring Neil to life. I love that piece, and will write it up later. But first, let's continue with "Let the Drummer Kick".

My favorite choreographer from the show is Mia Michaels. I love her contemporary pieces. She has great taste in music. She always seems to challenge her dancers. And from my perspective, she hasn't let a pair of dancers down, as of yet. There have been a number of routines, and choreographers by default, that I feel have done various couples harm. A really bad choice of music, horrible lines, or just plain ignorance of the couple dancing for them and even with all that talent, you've got some cringe worthy performances. But to date, Mia Michaels has choreographed almost all of my favorite pieces, which explains why she's nominated for an Emmy.

That's why, I have to comment on the commentary for this piece. I didn't include it in my clip, but you can watch it here. This piece was one of technical excellence. Just one of those dances where you can be amazed by the combination of music and movement. Despite my thinking that Lauren overplayed the head weaving/bobbing thing too much, the sheer enjoyment of the number just can't be denied.

So you have a panel of judges, who all know that dance isn't always about a linear story, or any story, sometimes its just about expression. A joy in the pure physicality of it. And after this routine brilliantly composed and wonderfully performed routine, it seemed that all the judges could talk about was the lack of story. How bleeping irritating. Now, I'm well aware, that the performance the week before to Night of the Dancing Flame, probably influenced that thought pattern. And I'd totally expect that from someone like you or me. To see Wade create a piece that told a story, and really kind of brought Neil and Lauren to the spotlight for once on the show was fantastic. But to denigrate Mia Michaels' piece because they couldn't understand the non-existent story is just damn silly.

Watch the video clip, the short one embedded here. It's just the dance. From the opening stair sequence, to the slide forward that kicked in the rhythm of the piece, Mia allows the viewer to appreciate the music and its simplicity before hitting hard with the heavily synchronized components. I love the movement sequence leading up to what I call Kick! (see picture). That sequence is followed by another of my favorites, the head-hand-slide-lift combo which just proves Mia's mastery of the technical. The movement is just wonderful. So needless to say, I didn't like or agree with the judges, except maybe Wade. Which really, really pains me to say, because though he's a great choreographer, he's really, really, not all that articulate. It's probably nervousness combined with all that focus to express his thoughts. I much prefer Adam Shankman's enthusiasm over Wade's earnestness.

Okay, so now that I'm done critiquing the critiques of one of my favorite pieces, I might as well go into my thoughts on Lauren and Neil's performance. Even though I preferred Neil's more understated performance, I did think Lauren performed well. I just also thought she over performed. It was like she was trying to make it into a story, and her commentary on drunk, bank robbers provide a little bit of a clue to why her head was bobbing and weaving so darn much. Now Neil, on the other hand was just damn beautiful to watch. The more I watch the clip, the more I appreciate his performance—from the slight head bob, that portrayed more cluelessness and wonder than drunk weaving to his lines and body movement when doing the various hand movements in the piece, and let's not forget that wonderful segment where Lauren slides him forward, then he lifts Lauren (brilliant).

Obviously, I enjoyed this piece. I even had to go back and add some Citizen Cope to my music collection.

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Comments

 
1. On 11/05/2007, says:

   OMFG there so cute together they should date even now lauren has a boyfriend she sould dump him and go out wif neil hes sooooooooo HOT and shes really pretty and they would just make a good couple <3