So You Think You Can Dance Nailbiter...& Vid

[rabid1st]

As I wait for my two favorite dancers to make it into the final four...I went searching for footage on YouTube and found this fun video of Benji & Donyelle....

Thought I would share it with the few of you that are into Dance!Crack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkA_BzUiq5c&search=benji%2C%20donyelle

You know...I'm not a fan of any real person shipping...but I can't help guiltily enjoying this vid.

Rae

Comments

[aibhinn.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's SWEET! I've missed the last 2 weeks of Dance because of being on vacation--who's gone now?

[xlostangelx.livejournal.com]

I gave up the fight against real person shipping a long time ago. Some people just make it too easy such as Benji/Donyelle though I'm not really into them. Travis all the way!!!! Er sorry, this show has turned me into a fanatical freak.

Pets you for your Travis love

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

You know...I did think of you last night...and on Wednesday, too. Because Travis had been in the bottom and Ivan is so cute-as-a-bug...I was afraid Travis might not move on so I voted for him...for you. Then when Benji was in the bottom two I was like...WELL DARN! Still it all worked out and Ivan went home. Which it was time he did.

Meanwhile...we are not at swordpoints, Carrie. I cannot support "Travis all the way." And not just because Benji is my all the way guy. I love Travis. He's sweet and graceful and amazingly talented. But I do think he doesn't quite get there sometimes. Like I love Donyelle but I think she doesn't get there sometimes on the technical side. With Travis...it's that I'm not...engaged by him. I do believe Travis might lack confidence like Nigel said...certainly there is something that holds him back and makes him more like artwork than a flesh and blood performer. Ryan had that same problem. I would watch him dance and think...WOW...but I could also wander off and do something else when he was on screen.

I know you love him and I can't say that I don't...but if you think about it...do you believe he will show to advantage with Donyelle as a partner? If he does. Then I think he deserves to win. I honestly think he won't. And we know Benji will show to advantage with either girl.

Rae
thinking a Travis/Benji finale will be the most fun though.

Re: Pets you for your Travis love

[xlostangelx.livejournal.com]

Well as Cat stressed Travis didn't necessarily get the most votes just because he was called "safe" first and I don't think he did get the most votes. But I am glad they did it in that order because Travis needed the confidence and Benji needed the reality check (I expect him to come out next week and really bring it). I also think Travis picked up a lot of Allison's votes and will probably pick up many of Natalie's too, so he does have a chance (or I'm delusional but let me have my happy delusions).

No we are not at odds. I think Benji is fabulous. You won't hear me bitch if he wins though I will be sad for Travis. Both of them have their strengths and weaknesses. Travis does connect with me and it is probably because he is so beautiful when he dances like art as you say. Unlike Ryan though I don't think it comes off as fake and contrived. But connecting with the audience is so subjective. I find Benji fun, but he's never left me in awe or thinking wow what an amazing dancer. I just think "Well, that was fun."

As for partnering with Donyelle, or anyone else for that matter, Benji has the clear advantage as his specialty is partnering dances. He knows how to make his partner look good as well as how to check his own dancing to match his partner's abilities, or lack thereof. It's a skill his specialty requires. Travis I think did very well in partnering dances with Heidi because Heidi is also a partner dancer. Donyelle and Travis are in the same boat, so when together they are a bit of a mess in partnering dances (also Travis is a short ass so they look odd together much like he did with Martha too). On the flip side, Travis dances circles around Benji in contemporary/jazz/hip hop/etc... Benji though has a better ability to make all his dances work even when he doesn't dance them well. I thought Mia's comment to him last night was spot on and actually a compliment. So in the end, yeah I could give it to Benji, as he is lovely and awesome, but I just like Travis more.

Benjelle 4 Eva!

[allyv.livejournal.com]

Hee! We wiiiiin. We WIN! I couldn't care less who actually wins this thing - in fact, I'd rather Benji not have to face the awkward "No, Mia, I don't want to work with you because there are plenty of people who think I'm NOT limited. Bitch." conversation.

So, since I don't care who wins, just getting one more Benjelle routine (hopefully nothing hip hop or broadway this time) makes me feel like I've won. And Benji/Travis will be the cutest routine ever in the history of the world. I'm sure.

Squee!

I am pretty angry at Mia at the moment, which makes me sad because I really wanted her to choreograph a Benjelle contemporary routine and now I don't want her within ten feet of my boyfriend (no one is allowed to be mean to The Benji). I don't even disagree with her statements, but the idea that Travis ISN'T limited, is idiotic to me. Benji couldn't pull off Travis' part of the sunflower routine, but Travis couldn't pull off Benji's mambo. Get real, Mia. If you're going to attack dancers for having limitations, at least be fair across the board.

okay, rant over. I've become far too obsessed with this show for it to be healthy. I'm going back to the squee now...

Travis is definitely limited

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

Mia did kind of upset me, too. I mean...yes, I did see that Benji was pulling down the swing routine a little too often and he might struggle more with the fluid movements of contemporary. But he didn't bomb on it...and he is far more entertaining than Travis. Not to take anything away from Travis (Carrie loves him)...I think he's a wonderful dancer...but yes, he doesn't have the pop that Benji has.

I was actually surprised to hear Benji criticized this week...because he never has been. Donyelle also took one on the chin but I thought her routine tonight was great and her one yesterday was quite balls-y given that she was going up against contemporary dancers.

I was amazed to learn that Donyelle started dancing when she was 18. Not 2 or 3 like the other people. She's amazing for only having that limited experience. Unlike Ivan she is quite versatile...and I can tell she's been in lots of pain even though they don't mention it anymore. I hope her toe will heal up okay.

Nice to see you here...as always. SQUEE!

Rae

Re: Travis is definitely limited

[webeh.livejournal.com]

Travis is limited, but I still enjoyed watching him dance. He is the baby on the show. Watching him eagerly try to learn dances that are a total 360 from what he knows gave him brownie points from a lot of viewers.

Anyways, I'm glad Benji survived. He's just such a goofball that I love it.

Re: Travis is definitely limited

[allyv.livejournal.com]

You know, I adore Travis - he is an extremely talented, special dancer. Now that I'm assured of another Benjelle routine, I can say that I want nothing more than a Benji/Travis final two and really their dance is the one I'm most looking forward to. I think it would take an act of god for Benji to lose this thing, but I'd be okay with Travis winning instead.

That said, I just don't think Travis is as versatile as Benji is right now. Benji is the king of fake it till you make it - he can literally make anything, any style, look good, and I don't think Travis can say the same. Benji can dance hip hop (the judges need to look again at his routine with Natalie - HE was amazing in it), pop, jazz, broadway, ANY partner dance, and make it look easy and real. Travis is fantastic in contemporary but anything that's a large departure from that has ranged from not so good to just flat out bad. In the paso, he basically stood around and Heidi did all the work. The smooth waltz was really contemporary to waltz music. I'll give him the fox trot, which was lovely, but I wasn't a huge fan of his krump or hip hop and the rest of his partner dancers were just bad.

And you know, my biggest beef with the show at the moment is that we've seen Travis do contemporary lots of times now and Benji has yet to pull his best dance out of the hat. If there is any justice in the world he and Heidi will pick WCS next week and bring the house down.

However out of line she was last night, Mia was right in one respect - Benji is a star. Travis has charisma, but when I watch last night's dance my eyes are constantly drawn back to Benji. It's even there in the first five seconds. Discount the squee of the hand pr0n and it's Benji's face, his eyes, that draw me in, and that's before he even moves. He is indeed pretty frickin special.

Yes...I certainly would not mind

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

A Travis/Benji showdown for the finale. I do think they are the better dancers. Heidi not so versatile. Donyelle injured...but also Donyelle only a dancer since she was 18. This is one of the problems with her body not looking like everyone else. Yes, she does carry more weight...but not THAT much more. I looked at her side by side with the other girls last night...and she's not THAT much bigger. Everyone else on that stage started way younger than Donyelle...so they have bodies crafted to the art. You start ballet training at 2 or 3 and you have long, lean muscles.

When I read in her bio that Donyelle only started dancing at 18 I was like...Dayumm, girl! Imagine what you could do with 20 years of training behind you.

Though it is true that she's had professional training and Ivan has not...which would allow her to get the extensions he misses, have that clean follow through...but even Ivan has been dancing since he was 11. Eighteen is a really late start in a sport if you intend to become a professional athlete.

Meanwhile, Benji is, indeed, a star and I think he can take Travis head-to-head. And it would be nice if he and Heidi pulled WCS...but truthfully...I think that would play into the hands of the judges in saying BOTH of them are limited...I would like to see Travis pull something out of his range and Benji pull contemporary jazz again. Because that jazz routine he did was so fab. Also, Benji is going to look good with both girls. I'm not sure Travis is going to show to advantage with Donyelle...especially if they pull something like pop or a waltz.

One more dance with Benjelle is going to be great...here's hoping our final two are Travis/Benji...because that would be a fun show and I don't really want to see Benji go up against either of the girls. He's too much of a gentleman and he'd need to kick their behinds.

Rae
wondering why she is sure it won't be Heidi/Donyelle? Hmmmm!

Re: Yes...I certainly would not mind

[webeh.livejournal.com]

Wait a tick. Did I get the names mixed up? Which was the one with the hip-hop? He's the baby of the show.

I'm so confused... (I'm not a regular viewer. I only watch it when my mom does.) I just know that I find Benji so entertaining because he's a total dork.

Very Special BFF Finale

[allyv.livejournal.com]

I do agree that Benji actually got the best deal out of this final four. He is going to look good with all three of them while all of the others have at least one awkward pairing (Heidi/Donyelle, anyone?). I do also love that the four of them are really close. Benji's best guy friend on the show is Travis, he's got his cousin there, and his giiiiirlfriend. Heidi and Donyelle are also really close and have been roommates the entire competition. It's a very special BFF finale.

And my dream is to see Benjelle do a contemporary piece next week; I am now hoping that Tyce choreographs since I don't want Mia anywhere near either of them.

I don't think there's a final two show. Next week is the last performance show and the Wednesday after is the final results show where they announce the winner.

On a side note, Aly and I are going to see the tour in Buffalo... I can hardly contain the squee.

I, honestly, looked up the shows in my area

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

They aren't coming anywhere near me...but there is one I might be able to go to if I felt like a bit of a drive. I am considering it. Meanwhile, I'm actually glad there isn't a final two show. Because final four is much more interesting. And also less painful for some people. This is the best finale I think...like you. I didn't know that Heidi and Danielle were roommates. I'm not that big a fan of the show. But I did notice that Heidi and Donyelle were very close. Like Allison and Natalie but with less of a fem!slash vibe. Okay, I did not say that...real people, Rae...honestly!

Anyway, roommates makes sense...everyone getting to be best friends. The interesting thing about this...is like Nigel said...it's all good for dance. Unlike American Idol the people on this show aren't in a profession where you can ever expect to be a celebrity. Dancers have short professional careers and then fade off into anonymous teaching careers and that's that. Look at Nigel or Ron Montez (who's name I can't spell even though I loved him when he used to dance...and I would never have seen him even if it weren't for PBS broadcasting the Dance Championships all these years).

So...what I'm saying is...these folks have a much better shot at really being BFF than other reality show people...because their world is so small and their talent so under appreciated in this society in general. We won't be seeing records out next year by Benji...he won't be doing films...our best hope is the show comes back and so does he for a year or two...and then...he'll be doing charity work and teaching and so on.

It's good they have a tour...I hope it does really well.

Rae
always a fan of dance

[kammgirl.livejournal.com]

This is totally off topic but I must tell you that I am in serious Disheveled withdrawal. I've reread it about a dozen times.

Sorry to hear of your withdrawal pains

[rabid1st.livejournal.com]

I am working on both Minotaur and Disheveled. I'm afraid I'm still having some RL concerns as well...so no word on when I will have a chapter of anything ready...but hopefully...soon.

Appreciate your checking up on it though.

Rae

Re: Sorry to hear of your withdrawal pains

[kammgirl.livejournal.com]

Real life comes first. I hope everything is okay. (((Hugs)))