SYTYCD~ Auditions (UT and NY)

Episode 1: Auditions (UT & NY)

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a personal LONG history with So You Think You Can Dance; havent missed a season. But know this…..once I watched it… I was hooked. And no, I have not tried out myself. Thankfully, I just missed the age cut-off…lol. But I think that this show is a great platform for the world to get a chance to see one of the more talented dancers of America.

I personally think that dancers are the most loved, yet taken for granted, art form. People love the dances they see, but seldom do outsiders know the choreographers, the dancers dancing them, or the hours spent perfecting the years of training wrapped in a skilled 8-count. No, people will mimic it and then move on to rip off the next dancer’s art form. If it isn’t the star dancing by themselves…..people forget, fail to show appreciation to , or get to know…..the dancers. So, in a nutshell….THAT is why I love this show. Well, enough of my banter…..let’s get to the auditions.

Salt Lake City, UT

The judges are Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, and Pussycat Dolls creator, Robin Antin. This is going to be great!

China Lee Smith (19;Pocatello,ID)– With her grandparents and mother in the audience this beautiful bombshell just ROCKED this audition. The song that she is dancing to… I WANT TO KNOW WHO SINGS THIS SONG!! The beat captures you and then China makes you watch her. I mean she HOLDS YOUR ATTENTION HOSTAGE!!. She mentioned that her dance was choreographed by someone, but I didn’t get to catch who! She said that her mother danced for the Osmonds…hmmm. Well, I must say, that choreography would have been just sheer movement until China brought it to life with her persona. Words cannot describe her lines, the shapes and passion she brought to this! I mean, she ran the gambit from sexy, to sensual (yes, there is a difference) to feminine and masculine. Just WONDERFUL!!! Nigel loved her, Mary Loved her, and Pussy Cat Doll creator, NAME, loved her. It was safe to predict that she would get a ticket to Las Vegas. THIS is how the show should begin and continue; anything less than this would be a HUGE mistake for this season. I have to say, I’ve rewound my DVR 18 times ( fact) and she still captured me EVERY single time. SHE IS MY FAVORITE OUT OF ALL THE AUDITIONEES TONIGHT! She is the one to watch out for this season. She will have my vote EVERY night. She will be in the TOP 2 unless the Lawd says otherwise, but I am phoning in a favor to Him on her behalf! Lol.

Annie Gratton (19;Phoenix, AZ)-  Her dad may be a dancer but I would have loved to see that. I mean, she came out of the gate running. I don’t think that she stopped one single moment. The pace was set to Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams are Made of These…..and I must say, she was wonderful. I think I just got my wish!!! Father just got on stage to dance together….set to the beat of Black Eyed Peas’ Boom Pow. And her father, Francois Gratton (54, Phoenix, AZ), in jeans, he just hit a split!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn’t have scripted this in my wildest dreams. But her dad very well just assisted her in getting the golden ticket.

All of the girls are beautiful and Utah is bringing in a ton of wonderfully talented females that Robin Antin wants to draft them; almost all of them. She even asked if they could sing and had to protest that she would not steal a few of them….lol. Is this her show or SYTYCD?

Tadd Gadduang (25; West Valley City, UT)– This man has more upper body strength and humor than any hip hop dancer that I have seen on the show; just natural humor. He may need a few more technical skills when it comes to execution, but his personal flare definitely makes you watch him. And you will have your chance when you see him make it to Las Vegas.

LMAO!!!!!!!! Did this dancer just tell Cat Deeley  that he had bruised balls…..”on his feet, of course”. Lmao!!! She is going to pass out from laughing at him. And Dayum…. These dancers are busting their asses, literally on the floor. OUCH!

Samantha Hiller (18; Atherton,CA) – Wow! Did she say that she was suffering from Mono when she was in college, and she is still suffering it while she is auditioning?! WOW!!! But she is going to dance tonight any way. WOW!!! That is an amazing story.  But even in her amnesia state…she can still dance. I mean, some of he forms need to be a little cleaner…. But she really can dance. Wow! And the joke that Nigel just played on her…lol. He pretended like she hadn’t danced yet and she paused for a moment. And she got a chance to move on to choreography. And unfortunately she did not make it.

WOW!!!! Will Wingfield and Katie Shean from Season 4….they taught people the choreography!!!! I love me some Will…. That man can dance his ass off.  Ad the joke that Nigel played onDevon….we can tell Nigel is in a comedic mood this night.

Day 2 in Salt Lake City showed that the Men really did let the ladies go first.

Chase Thomas (22; Provo,UT) Okay, soooo this guy is dancing merely in his undies!!! I mean, WOW!, not much of a package there at ALL. But for some reason all of these women are turned on by him. I mean they are fawning all over him. Even after he told his story of a fiancée cheating and then leaving her to marry a beautiful wife….they are still drooling. But his contemporary piece is beautiful. I mean, I cant tell if Mary is looking at his package or his dance moves…lol. I just think that his lines could be a little cleaner, but his strength is definitely there. And Golden Ticket it is.

Brittany Morgan Starr (26; Salt Lake City,UT)- Did this chick just say that her father is the REAL Ringo Starr from the Beatles. REALLY?! This chick is smoking crack.  Ummmmm…. Did she just admit to Lady Gaga being her twin?! Lmao!!!! I am lost for words. The way she even dressed to perform already let me know that she was setting us up for humor.  Now, it would have been beautiful if she would have gotten up there and blew our socks off, but she should be admitted to a psych ward and be examined. And No, she did not get a golden ticket. And they sent a camera to see her dad. Ummmm… did he have a SELF-made video calling himself Ringo Starr. Wow…. Ummm I think that Ringo & his estate should come back and sue this man…lol.

 

In Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew Yoooooooooooooooooork!!!!

 

 Jason Gilkinson (director and choreographer of Burn the Floor), Mary Murphy, & Nigel Lythgoe are judging in the Opera House.

Samara “Princess Lockerooo” Cohen (24; Brooklyn, NY) – She is performing whacking. I’ve heard of it, but I have not seen it up close. And she says that she is a spy in her routine. I have to watch this again in slow-mo. I mean, her elbows will never get arthritis. Unfortunately, it was a bunch of hype for me without any meat, no substance.  I mean, she did ticking, but there wasn’t much variation. But they liked her so they sent her to Vegas. I think she is the cushioning.

Brandon Jones (26; Brunswick, NJ)- He is dancing to Contemporary Lyrical. I mean… this black man’s lines are off this world’s existing map! And I think he was dancing to Bruno Mars Talking to the Moon. I mean, his technique is just phenomenal! Nothing more to say but give this man a golden ticket!

Brian “Hollow Dreams” Henry (22; Brooklyn, NY)- He’s a krumper. He brass and slightly hanging on the brink of cockey. Lmao!  “Everyone keeps making it but Brooklyn keeps taking it.” Really.  Okay, did this dude just say that “Lil C made it mainstream but he’s taking it back?” Okay, I think that he needs a WHOLE lot work when it comes to his krumping. I mean, his body is NIIIIICE…but This isn’t called “So You Think You Can Workout”. But I’m just saying and that is my opinion. Did he say he Krumps for Christ? Lmao! I’m putting that on a shirt!!!! And I LOVE that Mary put her foot down and told him not to put down other dancers who can before him. I mean, did it ever occur to him that he may have to come in contact with Lil C if he makes it on the show? But yeh, I agree with Mary. At least he got move don to choreography. He seems to be struggling more than a little bit in the choreography round. Ummm…..and the judges say…..he’s going to Vegas!

Mary Kate Sheehan (18; Brooklyn, NY) LMAO!!! I love this “History of Irish Dancing” video, but I did learn something completely new by her explanation of dancing from the waist down to trick the British soldiers. I mean she could out heel-toe the Beat Your Feet Kings with the swiftness of her feet. Wow!! I love that her technique is mixed with traditional Irish and Ballet. She didn’t limit her technique to just one style. She moved beautifully across the stage. Can we say Golden Ticket? But they moved her on to choreography. I think that she did soooo well, for what her partner gave her, but she is going to Vegas!

Okay, so why did that have to show the 18-year-old from Maryland as the first person that Nigel began to hate. OUCH!!!! Who Is the guy that did a back-flip and tore his head up on that floor!!!!!! I mean

Virgil “Lil O” Gadson (23; Philadelphia,PA) – this hip hop dancer BETTER make it to Vegas off the jump. I mean, his style makes you watch him. He isn’t but an inch taller that a grasshopper’s nuts…. But he brings a lot of energy. I do, however thing that there needs to be less pauses between his transitions… but he rocked it. That is all that I have to say! AND HE’S GOING TO VEGAS BABY!!! Wait… did he run off stage doing the Irish dancing? Lmao!

Day 2 of New York

Jess LeProtto (18; Little Falls, NJ)- He looks like he is every bit of his musical theatre major.  But his interview is looking entertaining. I hope that he can dance as well as he is charismatic. Ummm. I mean his lines are cool, not as clean as I would like. But his technique is DEFINITELY there. I mean the seas of pirouettes that he just spun the stage around his pinky toe was amazing! Yes, he can say he is a jazz dancer. Capizo….sign him up! And thy all moved him through to choreography since the judges didn’t feel he connected with his piece. Jess, seemed to Strule with partner work in the choreography segment. And, yet and still… he is going to Vegas!

Kristen Dobson (23; Warren, OH)- a Latin dancer, who did bring the flare that I think they were looking for…..but something is missing. Hmmm, Nigel just asked “Why would you do that?”, when she did a leg extension in the middle of her routine. I want to hear why he asked that. Jason called it, when she danced with her partner she closed off. And Mary said the leg extension was out of character for the style of dance. So….off to choreography she goes.  Although paired with Jess, I think that she still shined! That is why they moved her on to Vegas!

Robert “Wooo Man” Taylor Jr. (30; Brooklyn, NY )-  I mean, he used the same song/beat as China!!! Who sings this song!!!!!!! His technique is entertaining, but it is all standing up, no levels…until the end…and there wasn’t much difficulty of it all. But I do love the fact that he was full of personality. Unfortunately, I don’t think that he will go to Vegas, he needs to work on his technique, and lines…..sadly, this is his last year. But they may move him on to choreography. I stand corrected… they moved him to Vegas.

Well, that was all I can take for one night. This season looks promising. I will be by a television tomorrow for day 2 of auditions!!! Now, I must head to bed because I have to work out tomorrow. God bless!

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