jlh | Wednesday is reality day (Reply)

Toni Basil is a big-name choreographer and who did "Mickey" as a one-off kind of fun thing while she was helping to pioneer the music video form. So, there you go. (That said, all that talking about street, like, whatever Toni.)

It's been pretty clear to me, anyway, from watching the dances last week that Will, Twitch and Katee would be in the top three, with Courtney and Chelsie battling for that fourth spot. Not that I don't adore Josh and Gev, and enjoy Mark, but Will is so good and Twitch so popular that I don't think they can be denied.

Will & Courtney's samba: Really hot! Here you could see how Will can be stiff sometimes, but I think he was just thinking too much. He knows there's a lot of ballroom technique he's not delivering, but I wish that once on the show he'd just let that go and perform. Courtney was adorable as usual
Comfort's solo: Seriously, when is the last time she did an interesting and new solo?
Twitch & Katee's contemporary: Okay, so I have these huge issues with this song, some of which are unfair, so the song couldn't carry me as well as it did those of you who really like it. I didn't think Twitch was all that great—I know he's not a contemporary dancer but he's seemed lighter on his feet before. I dunno, the song, the Amy Winehouse hair, not really my vibe even if it is current. But as Nigel said, the performance was great—I think that's what he said, before the BUCKETS OF TMI.
Will's solo: Incredible! And really very much what he needed to do; he's shown us so much technique and while I've always thought he was fun, more personality on this show is always a plus. Also, and this is subtle, but on this show that song is so connected with Benji, so go Will for making it his own/reclaiming it for James Brown/announcing that he intends to win.
Mark & Comfort's hip hop: Poor Mark, he was so thrilled to be dancing with Comfort, clearly. He's the clear favorite on _sytycd_, but I've always been lukewarm about him, and Comfort, well, no. I think they did quite a good job with an interesting routine, though.
Katee's solo: A lot more explosive than the other contemporary girls get, which makes for more of an impression on the viewer, so good going.
Joshua & Chelsie's tango: Dmitry! What a great dance! Very sexy, tons of crazy footwork, fantastic lifts, and it felt really old style classic in a good way.
Will & Courtney's hip hop: There was something that I didn't quite connect with her, and I'm not sure what. But they danced it very well.
Chelsie's solo: Ballroom solos are always odd, especially for the girls, so it's more about her being fun and interesting, which she was.
Twitch & Katee's broadway: Unfortunately we have one of Tyce's less interesting routines—I thought the slow part was a lot better than the fast part. And once again Twitch seemed weirdly heavy—maybe that's only in comparison to Katee? But he always flings himself into every number, no hesitation. Katee, adorable as always.
Joshua's solo: His dancing just makes me smile; I can't explain it. He's just such a big goofball and I love goofballs.
Mark's solo: Well, it was another Mark solo.
Courtney's solo: I thought her solo was fantastic this week. Given the pair routines she may well be in the bottom two, but only because she was third.
Twitch's solo: I feel like that was more about performance and musicality than technique but really, that's okay.
Mark & Comfort's fox trot: Yeah, that was seriously uninteresting.
Joshua & Chelsie's disco: We've had all of one or two actually good disco routines on this show, and this wasn't really one of them. I mean, it was fine? The storm got in the way of the satellite for me, so it was hard to watch. I did like the little pop-and-lock that Joshua did—totally period appropriate!—but the routine sort of lacked energy for me.

I voted for Will, Courtney and Joshua. Bonus: in the dance out, Josh doing his best Travolta, with Twitch looking along disapprovingly in the background—and then Josh turns around and is like, um, yeah, oops!

Oh Project Runway, how we adore your return. I know the boys at Project Rungay loved them some Wesley, but I found him precious and annoying. (Then again, I'm beginning to find Project Rungay precious and annoying, so there you go.) His error reminded me of Steven's last season, in that he summarily dismissed the green fabric—he could have used it, and found a way to make the green work with the brown. Suede had the could-be-a-disaster-but-was-a-winner edit, that Magical Elves favorite, and Leanne the you-will-now-learn-that-Tim-Gunn-is-always-right edit. I feel Joe should have gotten more credit for being the one designer who didn't have problems with what Jarell called the ugly brown fabric, and Katou got harshed on too much for her dress which I didn't think was that bad. Kenley's dress was adorable, too.

Top Design season 2, September 3!