<p>Ok, who’s watching???</p>
<p>We are/will watch but are barely started with the auditions. I kind of forgot that we had to go through the audition part! I was ready to dive right into the show with chosen contestants!!!</p>
<p>Any opinions so far???</p>
<p>I’m so glad they don’t do many phony auditions. To me it seems like everyone really highlighted has been a contemporary dancer. Note to auditioners - take some partnering classes! I try not to get too attached until later on. I notice they changed locations from Vegas to LA. That audition round is my favorite. </p>
<p>Seems like Nigel is giving real feedback this audition session - or he always did and never showed it. </p>
<p>There are too many dancers for me to pick a favorite at this point. I’ll wait til after the top 20 (if that’s what they’re doing) are chosen.</p>
<p>I heard that unless the ratings improve from last year, this will be the last year for the show. I guess that explains the tie-in with Justin Bieber…an effort to boost ratings.</p>
<p>I usually watch after the top 20 are chosen, but I did see the auditions (DVR is still set to automatically record the show). It’s sad to see Caleb, whose dad was with him last year at the auditions and has since died; he tried out in New Orleans and didn’t make it so he tried out again in Chicago and got through to the next round. There’s no way he’s going any further. Then there was the guy from Kansas who got to dance with some of the previous seasons stars, he’ll remember that the rest of his life. No one in my family dances so we don’t have that dance passion some of these young people do.</p>
<p>I like the direction this season is going better than before. Elimination of the really bad dancers was good. I like some of the fun things like letting some dance with previous season folks. Also find the crew competition interesting. </p>
<p>A friend of my daughter’s is one of the contestants! They danced together for years when they were younger. His mom and I are friends too. I saw his audition video and, while it was great, I wish he had done a tap routine instead–I think it would have differentiated him more and in my opinion that is his best genre. We will see how he does!</p>
<p>Cool Sally! Have they showed him yet??? </p>
<p>I don’t like when they do awkward things like bringing the dancing dads on the stage…that bottle dance - ugh.</p>
<p>Nope, not yet. Next week, I guess? It’s so exciting!</p>
<p>I would also like to add that even though I will of course root for our hometown boy, I have heard that the amazing Ricky Ubeda from Miami might also be in this year’s group. If he is, I predict he will win. He is INCREDIBLE. Just look up his name on YouTube and you will see for yourselves.</p>
<p>There was just a young woman who did a contemporary pointe number that was one of the most incredible dance performances I have ever seen! </p>
<p>Finding that I can’t find time and energy for all the auditions! Hoping to get regular by the time they get to the top 20 or whatever!</p>
<p>Ellie, I liked the contemporary pointe (the girl with the nose ring, right?). Maybe I am jaded but I agreed with the judges that her technique needs work. She is incredibly charismatic, though, and it will be great to see her in other genres besides ballet.</p>
<p>I agreed with the nose ring girl. I liked her style, but her technique was a little less than precise. So I agreed with the judges, too.</p>
<p>But about five dancers before her there was a girl who was breathtaking. My daughter and I literally gasped in unison at one of her moves. She made everything look easy when it was anything but! </p>
<p>I just checked: She came on about 25 minutes into the show. Her brother suffered from addiction issues and she dedicated her dance to him. </p>
<p>OK, I missed that one. But I am in love with the kid from Chicago who did the “creature” dance. He was riveting, and I loved his reaction when he got the ticket. :)</p>
<p>Me, too! We’re just watching him again because once wasn’t enough. He’s only 18 years old, too. Extraordinary. </p>
<p>I have seen quite a few amazing dancers in the audition shows so far. Cannot WAIT for the next round!!</p>
<p>I don’t have time for all of the auditions either …does anybody know the show date for picking the top 20?</p>
<p>Anybody watch tonight? It was the first night of the Top 20. Each pair danced their own style tonight. Next week, they will switch partners and styles. I did not catch how many will go home. At one point, I thought they said 4, then 2, then said they will have a bottom 6.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I could pick the bottom ones this week. It’s easier for me after they whittle it down to a smaller number and when they have to dance styles other than their own.</p>
<p>Looks like Ricky Ubeda is a judges’ favorite. I can’t fault his dancing, but tall, long-limbed male dancers always have much more appeal for me (I think I was imprinted by Danny Tidwell…). </p>
<p>At this early stage I’d find it impossible to remember each dancer enough to vote, but since all voting is via Facebook now and I don’t have an account, my opinion won’t ever count anyway. I do think both ballerinas are at risk, since the challenging choreography managed to expose their weaknesses while at the same the identical costuming made it hard to distinguish who was who as they criss-crossed the stage. The tappers and hip hoppers put a smile on my face and were a nice counterpoint to the angsty contemporaries (can’t we ever have a couple that’s getting along just fine, maybe celebrating their engagement?). </p>
<p>Jason Derulo was a waste of space as a judge. Given the cutback to one day per week and the poor ratings, I think we all have to admit that this is the last season for the show, so I wish they’d stop desperately trying to gain viewers putting people who know nothing about dance on the panel and just stick with the pros for a quality swan song.</p>
<p>musicmom, as I understand it, there will be a bottom 6 “in danger” based on viewer votes, and then the judges will decide which of them go home. Not all 6 will.</p>
<p>The show was fabulous! It’s going to be a great season. Usually there’s a b-boy who clearly isn’t going to be able to do any other style, but I don’t think that’s the case this year. They were all fantastic. </p>
<p>My early prediction of the winning girl is Jessica, but honestly none of them would surprise me. The ballroom number in the green costumes was amazing, and one of the few times I watched the guy Marcquet as much as the girl. He was amazing. I LOVED the tappers!</p>