I wish I could rise Phoenix-like from the ashes, but unfortunately, this week I feel more like a lost puppy than a grand mythical beast! We flew straight to Phoenix after last Thursday’s show for the season six auditions, en famille. We landed into the desert heat, all 109 degrees of it, slightly dazed and confused. We’ve all been working so hard on both seasons, each and everyone of us was hoping Phoenix would prove successful and not a thankless task. It didn’t disappoint!
We met an amazing deaf girl named Alison, who could feel the bass line of the music. She did a wonderful audition, then moved onto the choreography round with Anya and Pasha. I’m not going to give too much away, you’re just going to have to tune in to find out more. But I will tell you that her best friend described one of Alison’s finest qualities as being a great listener, and I understand why. She doesn’t take it for granted — Alison was truly magnificent! I also had a SYTYCD first: In Phoenix, one of the contestants puked on my foot. Again, you’re going to have to watch to discover more, but I will tell you my entire foot, still encased in a Chanel gladiator sandal, was dunked under the faucet in the sink!!!!
All in all Phoenix was great — we had some amazing dancers, fantastic characters and we got to ride the private jet home! Nigel has just had back surgery, so he needs to take care of himself…which absolutely lives up to my Mariah Carey fantasies!
News, hot off the press!! I can now confirm, after weeks of speculation, that Katie Holmes will be performing on SYTYCD on the 23rd of July on the 100th show. She’s going to be performing a number as an homage to Judy Garland in celebration of old Hollywood called “Get Happy.” But more importantly, she’s raising awareness of a brand new charity called the Dizzy Feet Foundation, whose aim is to support dancers from underprivileged backgrounds who otherwise would have to sacrifice their dreams due to a lack of financial support. Fundamentally, the message is everyone from any race, religion, colour, or creed should be able to enjoy dance, and not just a chosen few. Katie’s performance is incredible, but there are going to be lots of other surprises and guest performers — it’s must-see TV! Don’t miss it!
The performance show this week was one of our strongest yet. We ask so much of the dancers, and they constantly deliver amazing results! The show started with Brandon and Janette, and as always they didn’t disappoint. But I know Brandon was nervous, as Mia Michaels was on the judge panel. She has been very vocal in the past about Brandon’s attitude and talent. He needn’t have worried! Mia basically explained how she was Brandon’s biggest fan and how she was hard on him because she wanted him to reach his full potential — cue teary eyes throughout the studio! It was such a wonderful moment and Brandon was crying as he left the stage!
Caitlin and Jason performed a Brian Friedman jazz number, all about aliens coming to Earth to procreate with the last man left alive. If I could only tell you the controversy that costume caused and the discussions that took place before we went to air! However she bit the bullet and embraced the character wholeheartedly. On Thursday both Jason and Caitlin had their bags packed, they were so sure they were going home. The show started and Caitlin’s entire family had come to the studio dressed as aliens to offer their support. When the results were revealed and they avoided the bottom three couples, they were ecstatic.
Kayla and Kupono looked like superstars in their Twilight inspired routine from Sonya.
Ade and Melissa performed the show’s first ever classical pas de deux en pointe. I think Melissa inspired millions of little girls to take up ballet, with her beautiful portrayal of Juliet!
Unfortunately, we had to lose Vitolio and Karla. They performed a magnificent quickstep — normally the most dreaded style of all! Whenever dancers pick it from the hat, they cringe. Jean Marc Généreux did an amazing job with the choreography and I loved the dress quick-change. If only women could buy dresses like that in real life! It would save millions of arguments between couples; men wouldn’t have to sit waiting in cabs as women have one outfit crisis after another. Mind you, I think it’s women’s prerogative to change their minds and keep men waiting! Wow…I suddenly feel very Carrie Bradshaw!
Cat Deeley signing off…
More So You Think You Can Dance:
Cat Deeley blogs SYTYCD Top 16 week
SYTYCD Top 14 results recap: Fighting the Good Fight
SYTYCD Top 14 performance recap: What you did and didn’t see
SYTYCD: Predict who goes home this week!
Cat Deeley on the EW Must List!
i love that cat has fantasies of being mariah carey! although i chose the wrong couples going home, here is my review of the performance episode:
http://www.downstairsthreads.com/downstairs-threads-dirty-laundry.html
love you cat
im heartbroken that Karla had to go home especially after that amazing solo
and i love how you never let the judges play favorites and exclude any contestant like with philip and jeanine when mary talked about lookin forward to philips solo and excluded jeanine (probably unintentional) but you jumped right in there and talked about hers
its the little things! lets hope the emmy peeps notice this
Cat talking about Carrie Bradshaw? Wow. I just had an awesome dream…
CAT DEELEY SHOULD BE NOMINATED AND WIN FOR BEST TV HOST(ESS). This is a no-brainer!! Never mind a ticket on the “Hot Tamale Train”. Give me ticket for Nigel’s private plane!!
Sounds like Alison’s deaf…
Sounds like Alison’s deaf…
Cat Deeley is still adorable but she would be far cuter were she to understand how to use the English Language correctly. She need to introduce the dancer as either “it’s Dancer-A” or “here’s Dancer-A but not both as in “it’s here’s Dancer-A”. She does this so often it’s annoying!
Cat Deeley is still adorable. However she would be far cuter if she were to use the English language properly. She needs to introduce the dancers either as “it’s Dancer-A” or “here’s Dancer-A”. Introducing them as “here’s it’s Dancer-A, which she does so often is annoying and incorrect.
While I think Karla always has the best solos (for me), I think she consistently under-performed in the partner dances. How tall is Kayla? Could she struggle with some of the shorter guys? (Pono is tall)
Vitolio oes OK in partnership and I really felt a connection with his personality, but he never impressed on a consistent, technical level. Phillip’s solo may not have been his best, but it was a blast to watch. Kapuono gave the worst solo in SYTYCD history and said he was OK going home (asked to go home).
A couple weeks back Kapuono did a V. Waltz. Kayla was graceful and wore the best dress possible. Does anyone else remember how the number was supposed to be packed with lifts and Pono was going to have to do lots of push ups to prepare? Well, every lift had to be stripped from the dance, because Pony Boy doesn’t have the upper body strength to lift a broom over his head. Go back and watch his dances. There are no lifts. Kayla jumps high and Pono tries not to fall.
Thanks for the insight as always! But seriously, you don’t really expect us to believe they’re picking “randomly” from a hat…do you? K & V got the quickstep because TPTB wanted an excuse to send them home. I’m not complaining…it’s just ludicrous that anyone could possibly believe the dances are random. Keep up the great work, Cat – you are such a shining star at what you do!
Why no commentary on Phillip-Jeanine and Randi-Evan? They were in the Top 7 Couples too.
Sabrina, I agree. Not only was Vit-Kar’s choice suspiciously unrandom, so was Phillip’s hip-hop and Melissa’s ballet.
cat speaks adorable and perfect english. it’s uk english. the one on which america was built on. HELLO!! remember, how the english came and settled here.
one of the worst things about america is we’re so geographically big most of us never travel outside the country, and we adopt this elitist attitude that how we do things is the right and perfect way. it isn’t. there are many other countries and cultures, and they’re fun, should be explored, and accepted.
What? Cat does not speak perfect English! Elitist attitude? She is speaking incorrectly no matter where she is from.
Cat is a star on this show and I love the way she is a down to earth person. However, even in the UK it is not proper English to say, “Let’s here it for it’s Kayla.” It is a small thing, but a little distracting as she uses it almost every time a dancer is introduced.
correction to myself
when she says, “Let’s HEAR it for it’s Kayla.”
please, please cat, stop saying “let’s hear it for it’s (name)”!!! i like you, but this makes me cringe repeatedly. please be a bit more careful with your words. i am by far not the only person responding like this. fix this, and you will be just about perfect.