Tuesday, December 1, 2009
So You Think You Can Dance - 12.1.09
I am not going to be able to blog the show tonight, because I am sick. Apologies. I will try to get back to it tomorrow.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Amazing Race - 11.29.09
Another leg in Prague, looks like!
Meghan & Cheyne are off first, to the Spanish Synagogue. Brian & Erika are going to have to do a Speed bump before continuing on to the Ekotechnique museum, on the outskirts of town.
Roadblock
One person must enter a Kafka-esque room full of ringing phones, and find the phones that have someone on the other end. They will hear letters to spell out Franz, which they then have to unscramble.
They can't write anything down, so Meghan made the probably smart decision to say the letters aloud, and associate an animal with them. She got the letters, and then had to go fill out a form with a lot of very minute questions, set to mess her up and make her forget the letters. She got it right on her second try, before Sam & Dan even got there.
After the Roadblock, teams headed to Kryocentrum to the next clue. Meghan & Cheyne tried to take Sam & Dan's cab, who wouldn't go with them, but called them another cab.
Sam (or Dan, I still can't tell them apart) got the letters, but had to go a couple of times to get it right.
At Kryocentrum, teams must strip down to their skivvies and endure 180 below zero for 2 minutes (gloves, mask, and shoes also provided), which is apparently some sort of holistic treatment.
I'll keep my nice Scandinavian Sauna, thanks.
For the Speed Bump, Erika & Brian need to find the M1 Lounge and prepare a shot of absinth according to traditional methods before continuing on. They then have to drink the absinthe. Brian doesn't drink at all, so it is a challenge for him. They did not look like they enjoyed the absinthe at all.
Sam (or Dan) was completely stymied. The Globetrotter said he got the words "F-R-A-N-Z" but couldn't figure out that was the word they were looking for. He and Sam (or Dan) worked together. And failed. Miserably. Again and again.
Meghan & Cheyne emerged from the Kryotank and got their next clue, which sent them to the Charles Bridge.
I love the Charles Bridge. There is a cross in gold on it that you have to touch to make sure you return to Prague, and we touched it with glee. Can't wait until it brings us back.
Finally, Sam (or Dan) got Franz right, and then refused to tell Big Easy what the word was, only saying it started with an F. That was a douche move, because they agreed to work together.
Big Easy was still working on it when Brian arrived, shot of absinthe in him and all.
Detour
Legend - Teams have to cover a wooden golem skeleton with mud and transport it to a synagogue.
Lager - Teams must carry 30 beers from a brewery through the town square and to a bar.
Meghan & Cheyne chose Legend.
Meanwhile, back at the telephones, Big Easy was still working on it when Brian had gotten all his letters and began. Brian got it really quickly, and left Big Easy in his dust. So much for the speed bump. Big Easy decided to take the 4 hour penalty for not finishing the Road Block. Wow. I'm thinking, good bye, Globe Trotters. Unless there is some sort of bottleneck...
Meghan & Cheyne finished their Golem and headed to the synagogue. The golem was super heavy and they had to cross roads with him. Meghan got really frustrated at Cheyne for yelling and not letting her help. She stayed calm and it was actually kind of nice.
Sam & Dan finally arrived at the Detour and also chose Legend.
Erika doesn't like being cold. She's from Florida and didn't even see snow until she was 21. Needless to say, she did not enjoy the Kryocentrum. They survived it, though.
Sam & Dan immediately knocked the arm off their golem. I really hope that they fail. They are annoying the crap out of me.
Erika & Brian decided to do Lager. He used to be a server, so they think it shouldn't be too bad. They were harassed along the way by revelers.
Meghan & Cheyne are heading to the Pit Stop, Strelecky Ostrov, an island in the river that the Charles Bridge goes over. They were first. They won a 52" LCD HD TV each for coming in first.
Sam & Dan asked a cabbie where to find the synagogue, and headed on their way, whining and yelling all the way. I really can't stand them.
Brian dropped one glass, and then Erika dropped her whole tray, and she decided that she wanted to switch to the other task. Brian urged her to keep trying. There were a lot of drunk people walking by them trying to take the beers. Not good. They got the first batch of beers to the bar and headed back. Erika was yelling like crazy at people trying to get the beer off their trays. I can't say I blame her.
At the synagogue, Sam & Dan's golem got the ok, sadly. They came in second at the Pit Stop.
Erika & Brian headed to the Pitstop next. They were so happy to come in third, it was so cute.
The Globe Trotters finished their penalty and got a clue to head to the Pit Stop. They didn't have to slog through everything else. They were just done. I'm sad, because I liked them, but I think they should have kept trying with the letters. He knew the first letter was F. How hard could it be to figure that out? Oh, well.
Next week - Season Finale in Las Vegas!
Meghan & Cheyne are off first, to the Spanish Synagogue. Brian & Erika are going to have to do a Speed bump before continuing on to the Ekotechnique museum, on the outskirts of town.
Roadblock
One person must enter a Kafka-esque room full of ringing phones, and find the phones that have someone on the other end. They will hear letters to spell out Franz, which they then have to unscramble.
They can't write anything down, so Meghan made the probably smart decision to say the letters aloud, and associate an animal with them. She got the letters, and then had to go fill out a form with a lot of very minute questions, set to mess her up and make her forget the letters. She got it right on her second try, before Sam & Dan even got there.
After the Roadblock, teams headed to Kryocentrum to the next clue. Meghan & Cheyne tried to take Sam & Dan's cab, who wouldn't go with them, but called them another cab.
Sam (or Dan, I still can't tell them apart) got the letters, but had to go a couple of times to get it right.
At Kryocentrum, teams must strip down to their skivvies and endure 180 below zero for 2 minutes (gloves, mask, and shoes also provided), which is apparently some sort of holistic treatment.
I'll keep my nice Scandinavian Sauna, thanks.
For the Speed Bump, Erika & Brian need to find the M1 Lounge and prepare a shot of absinth according to traditional methods before continuing on. They then have to drink the absinthe. Brian doesn't drink at all, so it is a challenge for him. They did not look like they enjoyed the absinthe at all.
Sam (or Dan) was completely stymied. The Globetrotter said he got the words "F-R-A-N-Z" but couldn't figure out that was the word they were looking for. He and Sam (or Dan) worked together. And failed. Miserably. Again and again.
Meghan & Cheyne emerged from the Kryotank and got their next clue, which sent them to the Charles Bridge.
I love the Charles Bridge. There is a cross in gold on it that you have to touch to make sure you return to Prague, and we touched it with glee. Can't wait until it brings us back.
Finally, Sam (or Dan) got Franz right, and then refused to tell Big Easy what the word was, only saying it started with an F. That was a douche move, because they agreed to work together.
Big Easy was still working on it when Brian arrived, shot of absinthe in him and all.
Detour
Legend - Teams have to cover a wooden golem skeleton with mud and transport it to a synagogue.
Lager - Teams must carry 30 beers from a brewery through the town square and to a bar.
Meghan & Cheyne chose Legend.
Meanwhile, back at the telephones, Big Easy was still working on it when Brian had gotten all his letters and began. Brian got it really quickly, and left Big Easy in his dust. So much for the speed bump. Big Easy decided to take the 4 hour penalty for not finishing the Road Block. Wow. I'm thinking, good bye, Globe Trotters. Unless there is some sort of bottleneck...
Meghan & Cheyne finished their Golem and headed to the synagogue. The golem was super heavy and they had to cross roads with him. Meghan got really frustrated at Cheyne for yelling and not letting her help. She stayed calm and it was actually kind of nice.
Sam & Dan finally arrived at the Detour and also chose Legend.
Erika doesn't like being cold. She's from Florida and didn't even see snow until she was 21. Needless to say, she did not enjoy the Kryocentrum. They survived it, though.
Sam & Dan immediately knocked the arm off their golem. I really hope that they fail. They are annoying the crap out of me.
Erika & Brian decided to do Lager. He used to be a server, so they think it shouldn't be too bad. They were harassed along the way by revelers.
Meghan & Cheyne are heading to the Pit Stop, Strelecky Ostrov, an island in the river that the Charles Bridge goes over. They were first. They won a 52" LCD HD TV each for coming in first.
Sam & Dan asked a cabbie where to find the synagogue, and headed on their way, whining and yelling all the way. I really can't stand them.
Brian dropped one glass, and then Erika dropped her whole tray, and she decided that she wanted to switch to the other task. Brian urged her to keep trying. There were a lot of drunk people walking by them trying to take the beers. Not good. They got the first batch of beers to the bar and headed back. Erika was yelling like crazy at people trying to get the beer off their trays. I can't say I blame her.
At the synagogue, Sam & Dan's golem got the ok, sadly. They came in second at the Pit Stop.
Erika & Brian headed to the Pitstop next. They were so happy to come in third, it was so cute.
The Globe Trotters finished their penalty and got a clue to head to the Pit Stop. They didn't have to slog through everything else. They were just done. I'm sad, because I liked them, but I think they should have kept trying with the letters. He knew the first letter was F. How hard could it be to figure that out? Oh, well.
Next week - Season Finale in Las Vegas!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
So You Think You Can Dance - 11.25.09
The group dance is someone's weird brain at work. Maybe Sonya? It was pretty cool. Kind of like Alice in Wonderland gone even funkier. It was fun. Legacy got to do some major spinning on his head. It looks like Wade, but did he do two routines in a row? Ah - it was Tabitha and Napoleon. That was my third guess.
The reveal of Cat was very cool, even though she looks like an 80's Dyanasty extra. Not the best look. Cat does have astounding legs, though. Adam liked Cat's outfit, and Mary was looking a little like Big Bird. The judges blathered on about how sad they are to break up the couples, and how great everyone is.
Down to business.
Karen & Victor and Ashleigh & Jakob are up first. My bet is for Karen & Victor to be in the bottom 3. And I am right. Deservedly so. Legacy & Kathryn are up next with Mollee & Nathan. I hope to high heavens that it's Mollee & Nathan in the bottom 3. And I am right again!!! The final two couples to find their fate are Noelle & Russell and Ryan & Ellenore. I think it is going to be Noelle & Russell. I don't think they really deserve it (well, Russell doesn't), but against Ryan & Ellenore? No contest, in my opinion. And holy cow, it's Ellenore & Ryan. I don't honestly think they have anything to worry about, unless they really fudge up their solos.
The guest dancer is a principal dancer from the American Ballet theatre, Paloma Hererra, and she's doing a dance from Don Quixote. Ballet is awesome, but looking at it makes my feet hurt. She was very good. I miss Melissa.
Karen's solo: She did pretty well, but did a lot of tossing her hair around.
Victor's solo: was pretty cool, I have to admit.
Mollee's solo: So, she's a gymnast. That doesn't make her a dancer. At best, it makes her a cheerleader.
Nathan's solo: Pretty neat, but I don't know if it really showed his best.
Ellenore's solo: She showed off her quirky way of dancing, and I love her.
Ryan's solo: He manages again to show off his super abilities and his feet were moving a mile a minute. He should be safe.
Shakira performs. When did she turn into Beyonce? Seriously? She looks eerily like Beyonce. I miss bellydancing Shakira. Fast forward time. I think her hips have indeed started to lie.
The judges were unanimous for the girls. They thought Mollee was fighting for her place in the top 10, and they liked her solo. The judges couldn't think of anything to tell Ellenore about improving her dancing. Karen knows how to shake her groove thing, but they thought her solo seemed like she was waving the white flag. It's the end of the road for Karen. While I think it should have been Mollee, I can't disagree. I just really wanted Mollee gone. Oh well.
For the guys, they were not unanimous. Nigel compared Victor with Kelly Osbourne on Dancing with the Stars. He thinks he has grown, much as she did. Nigel didn't like Ryan's solo nearly as much, because it's hard for a latin dancer to compete with a contemporary solo. Nathan hasn't shown much growth, and Nigel wanted him gone, but in the end, it's Victor going. I think it was the right decision. He may have had the better solo, but his partner work is not nearly as good. I'll be interested in seeing Nathan with someone Not Mollee.
Do you think the right people went home?
The reveal of Cat was very cool, even though she looks like an 80's Dyanasty extra. Not the best look. Cat does have astounding legs, though. Adam liked Cat's outfit, and Mary was looking a little like Big Bird. The judges blathered on about how sad they are to break up the couples, and how great everyone is.
Down to business.
Karen & Victor and Ashleigh & Jakob are up first. My bet is for Karen & Victor to be in the bottom 3. And I am right. Deservedly so. Legacy & Kathryn are up next with Mollee & Nathan. I hope to high heavens that it's Mollee & Nathan in the bottom 3. And I am right again!!! The final two couples to find their fate are Noelle & Russell and Ryan & Ellenore. I think it is going to be Noelle & Russell. I don't think they really deserve it (well, Russell doesn't), but against Ryan & Ellenore? No contest, in my opinion. And holy cow, it's Ellenore & Ryan. I don't honestly think they have anything to worry about, unless they really fudge up their solos.
The guest dancer is a principal dancer from the American Ballet theatre, Paloma Hererra, and she's doing a dance from Don Quixote. Ballet is awesome, but looking at it makes my feet hurt. She was very good. I miss Melissa.
Karen's solo: She did pretty well, but did a lot of tossing her hair around.
Victor's solo: was pretty cool, I have to admit.
Mollee's solo: So, she's a gymnast. That doesn't make her a dancer. At best, it makes her a cheerleader.
Nathan's solo: Pretty neat, but I don't know if it really showed his best.
Ellenore's solo: She showed off her quirky way of dancing, and I love her.
Ryan's solo: He manages again to show off his super abilities and his feet were moving a mile a minute. He should be safe.
Shakira performs. When did she turn into Beyonce? Seriously? She looks eerily like Beyonce. I miss bellydancing Shakira. Fast forward time. I think her hips have indeed started to lie.
The judges were unanimous for the girls. They thought Mollee was fighting for her place in the top 10, and they liked her solo. The judges couldn't think of anything to tell Ellenore about improving her dancing. Karen knows how to shake her groove thing, but they thought her solo seemed like she was waving the white flag. It's the end of the road for Karen. While I think it should have been Mollee, I can't disagree. I just really wanted Mollee gone. Oh well.
For the guys, they were not unanimous. Nigel compared Victor with Kelly Osbourne on Dancing with the Stars. He thinks he has grown, much as she did. Nigel didn't like Ryan's solo nearly as much, because it's hard for a latin dancer to compete with a contemporary solo. Nathan hasn't shown much growth, and Nigel wanted him gone, but in the end, it's Victor going. I think it was the right decision. He may have had the better solo, but his partner work is not nearly as good. I'll be interested in seeing Nathan with someone Not Mollee.
Do you think the right people went home?
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
So You Think You Can Dance - 11.24.09
Tonight, each couple will have two dances. The fun never ends.
Cat is in a sweet teal dress tonight, and it looks like she made up with hair and makeup people, because she looks lovely. Mary is again downright demure in her dress, and I have to say, it's a relief. Next week, couples start getting mixed up. Awesome.
Ellenore & Ryan (Lindy Hop, choreographed by Carla Heiney, new choreographer, I've Got to Be a Rug Cutter, by the Boilmaker Jazz Club) Ellenore is going to miss the perfectionism and buffness of Ryan. He'll miss her fun quirkiness. What a fun dance for their last week together. He swung her around like crazy and they got a chance to show some personality. I kind of loved it. There was an awesome portion where he was swinging through his leggs over and over again, and I loved it. Great job. Adam called it a fantastic start to the show, and called them cute as all get out. Ryan apparently hurt his back this week, and still managed to lift her with no troubles. Apparently the move I loved is called a coffee grinder. Nice to know. He said he felt the party. Mary thought it was tremendous and loved the new choreographer. She thought they captured the right feel, and the partnership was perfect. Nigel thought it was terrible... that the show haven't had the lindy hop in three seasons. The beginning of that critique had the poor dancer's jaws dropping. He loved that they both got the spirit of the dance.
Kathryn & Legacy (Jazz, choreographed by Sonya, So Deep by Hot Chip) Legacy will miss the help that Kathryn has given him in his technique. She's going to miss his character. Sonya used Legacy's skills to their highest. He is playing a guy who loves his woman so much he just has to quiver whenever he sees her, He got to do some breaking, which was cool. Kathryn was basically a bendy and flippy joy. She teased him a little and it was cool. Very well done. Adam loved the routine, and loved how she used his B-Boy skills in the routine. Mary loved his crab walks in the beginning (and so did I). She thought Sonya was very clever, and thought the dancing in between the tricks was really great. She also thought that Kathryn was a marvel. She then screeched. *sigh* Nigel declared it one of his favorite routines of the season, and thought that Kathryn was very sexy without pushing it. He admitted that he didn't think that Legacy had a lot of musicality in Vegas, but tonight he was dancing bloody well. I agree.
Karen & Victor (Tango, choreographed by Melanie Lapatin & Tony Meredith, Montserat) Victor is excited about working with Karen because she's got a first class seat on the hot tamale train. Karen is looking forward to being able to speak Spanish with him. They are both super sparkly. I was a bit distracted by their shininess, actually. Karen got back to her sexy ways, and I thought that Victor danced strongly with her. I still think she is the far stronger dancer. I would have liked to have seen more fast footwork, I like that in my tango. Adam thought their new partnership worked out really well. He thought that it was really great for Victor, and thought that Karen embraced the stillness and the energy and thought they had hot chemistry. Mary was hugely surprised by Victor, and thought he had the right stature right off the bat. She also thought that Karen looked tremendous. She did not put Victor on the train with Karen, but thought he was picking up steam. Nigel loved to see the intensity between them, but worried that Victor stuck his bum out too much and looked a bit like Donald Duck at times. Other than that, he thought she was great. Nigel thinks that Karen has a quality like Shakira and Jennifer Lopez - that Have to Watch Them quality. I thought that they were very good.
Mollee & Nathan (Hip hop, choreographed by Jamal Sims, Ring-A-Ling, by The Black Eyed Peas) Nathan will miss Mollee's constant laugh. Mollee will miss Nathan's weird noises that he blurts out constantly. The story is when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Interesting. I think it is the most I have ever liked them. Mollee still annoys me, though. I was more impressed with Nathan. Nathan split his pants. Mollee apparently hurt her ankle this week, but Adam thought they sold it. He thought that Nathan really loved doing hip hop, but he could see some of the stress on Mollee's face. Mary thought it picked up steam as it went along. There was a bobble when Nathan picked Mollee up off the floor, and said it was fun, and "mostly" synchronized. Nigel thought it was danced a little twee, and I agree. Mollee looked like a cheerleader trying to do hip hop to me. He is looking forward to them getting split up as partners.
Noelle & Russell (Samba, choreographed by Tony Meredith & Melanie Lapatin, Hips Don't Lie, by Shakira) Noelle will miss how laid back Russell is. He will miss her affection. I'm kind of sick of Noells, too. Anyhow, I think that Russell did an amazing job with the moves, and his hip action was impressive to me. Noelle did a pretty good job, too, but I was more impressed with Russell. He was dancing in heels, people. Heels. A crumper in heels. Adam enjoyed the character, but thought it was too nice (I agree). Mary thought that some of the lower body work was a little shallow and skating, but thought the performance was phenomenal. She thought that Noelle didn't settle into it as well as Russell. Nigel brought up that Shakira (who is going to be on the show tomorrow) oozes sex, but it felt like Noelle was almost clinical. He thought that Russell didn't go far enough forward on the samba roll, but still can't believe that he hasn't had any other lessons. I think Nigel thinks they are in trouble. And no one mentioned the heels on Russell.
Ashleigh & Jakob (Lyrical Jazz, choreographed by Sonya, Time Flies by Lykke Li) Ashleigh will miss the friendship with Jakob. Jakob couldn't put into words how much he would miss Ashleigh. Jakob got some chances to leap, and he did so beautifully. Both of them just have astounding extension and flexibility. I loved the whole thing. Sonya knows how to take her dancer's abilities and milk them. Adam was left speechless by the beauty of the routine. He doesn't ever want to see Jakob in the pants again (and I agree), but he loved the whole thing, and will be sad to see their partnership break up. He thought that Ashleigh embraced the style so well, and called Jakob surreal. Mary loved them and agreed that it would be hard to break them up. Nigel said that this routine replaced his previous favorite of the season, which was Sonya's jazz routine, and professed his love for Sonya. He thought that they have given each other something special in their partnership. I agree. I didn't expect to like Ashleigh as much as I have come to like her.
*****Second Dances*****
Ellenore & Ryan (Broadway, choreographed by Spencer Liff, Razzle Dazzle, from Chicago) Ellenore is playing innocence and light, and Ryan is portraying the dark side of fortune and fame. I liked it quite a bit - but not as much as their first dance. There was one part where Ellenore's dress was over Ryan's face for a whole lift, and I thought that was weird. Anyhow, Adam thought it was a great job, and was true broadway traditional "vocabulary," and thought it was full of character and energy. He thought Ellenore was the rockstar of the routine, and I agree. I miss the small things, like how hard it is to flex and point in an extended upright position. Mary thought Ryan dug in and got the character and screamed about the professionality of him. She loves how unique Ellenore is, and called her the It Girl. Nigel wished that Mary could speak in Ellenore's Alien Language, because it is quieter. He loved the dance, and said he wants to put 6 couples through to the Top 10.
Kathyrn & Legacy (Viennese Waltz, choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereaux and France, Your Guardian Angel, by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus) It was gorgeous. I think that the story behind the waltz is a good idea. She was playing his dance guardian angel, and she did it well. What a gorgeous dance. It brought Legacy to happy tears. Nigel wondered how they could be mean to him after that. Adam thought that if Legacy could get through ballroom, he could go all the way. He admitted that sometimes Legacy's shoulders were up too much and needed some footwork help, but it was admirable. He did think that Kathryn was wonderful. Mary thought that they weren't moving lightly enough across to floor, but thought that Kathryn was perfection. Nigel said they love him, and a lot of the problems are going to be overlooked because of it. He thought that Kathryn stole the evening.
Karen & Victor (Hip Hop, choreographed by Lauriann Gibson, Moving Mountains, by Usher) Karen said she was inspired by Lauriann. I thought the routine lacked a certain punch. It was pretty cool when she climbed his back, but it didn't have the oomph I am used to in hip hop. Eh. Not the best. Their tango was much better. Adam thought there was a lot of commitment, but didn't think it match the music somehow. Mary called it ok, but not memorable. I agree. She was grateful for their tango. The synchronization wasn't there. Nigel thought it was a pity that the lackluster hip hop didn't come before the tango, to leave the viewers with something better to remember. He stopped talking when he couldn't say anything really positive about it.
Mollee & Nathan (Can Can, choreographed Tyce Diorio, Cancan Suite) First ever can can on the show. It was a very traditional looking cancan, and I think it worked much better than the Russian Folk Dance, that's for sure. Nathan was better than Mollee in my book, again, but she was miles better in this. There was a moment where you could see her ankle hurt, and she kind of hesitated. Her personality just bugs me, though. Adam thought they were the best couple to get this energetic routine. He thought that Nathan had a bit better choreograhy, but thought that Mollee's arial spin was good (and it was). Mary said they can can do it. She thought that it was enjoyable and fun, and loved Nathan's spins and balance. Nigel said that in the original can can, the ladies didn't wear underwear, under all the petticoats, and that is why it was scandalous. He thought it was the best couple to do the cancan, also. Better by miles than their first dance.
Noelle & Russell (Contemporary, choreographed by Tyce Diorio, A Case of You, bu Diana Krall) They are supposed to be painting their relationship with each other. Russell's shirt broke right in the beginning, but they did so beautifully, I don't even care. It was a stunning routine to me, and they did it superbly. It gave me chills. Adam thought they were just gorgeous. Agreed. Mary thought it was pretty special and cleverly done, from the wonderful entrance right on through. She called it out of this world. Nigel thought it was a great commercial for guys to start dancing (what with the "paint with your face across her chest") and thinks they left viewers something beautiful to remember them with. He loved Noelle's commitment, and he forgot that Russell was a street dancer. Cat scolded them for getting paint all over the floor.
Ashleigh & Jakob (Cha cha, choreographed by Tony Meredith & Melanie, Cha Cha Heels) Ashleigh was so excited for the latin dance, and Jakob was nervous. They are fighting over a chair. Ashleigh got to have feathers on her bitt, and she worked them. I was dizzied by the camera, which circled them and didn't let me really see them well for a bit. That aside, it was grand. I love them. Adam said it is Ashleigh's world, and we are all just visiting. He commended Jakob for making himself look like a ballroom dancer. He doesn't like all the "hungry jazz looks" in ballroom, but they worked. He called them the couple of the night. Mary thought they blew it out of the ballpark. She loved Ashleigh's amazing legs and her total confidence, and thought that Jakob did a commendable job. Nigel thought that Jakob didn't look like the fish out of water, and he was glad it wasn't a concept routine, and thinks they are waltzing through to the top 10.
I have no idea who is going home tomorrow. I am hoping for Mollee or Noelle, and for the guys? Victor doesn't do it for me. How about you? It was a super strong night, and it's going to be tough no matter what. Karen didn't do it for me in the Hip Hop, either...
But, all in all, there were so many strong moments, I don't know if I can pick out favorites, even!
What do you think?
Cat is in a sweet teal dress tonight, and it looks like she made up with hair and makeup people, because she looks lovely. Mary is again downright demure in her dress, and I have to say, it's a relief. Next week, couples start getting mixed up. Awesome.
Ellenore & Ryan (Lindy Hop, choreographed by Carla Heiney, new choreographer, I've Got to Be a Rug Cutter, by the Boilmaker Jazz Club) Ellenore is going to miss the perfectionism and buffness of Ryan. He'll miss her fun quirkiness. What a fun dance for their last week together. He swung her around like crazy and they got a chance to show some personality. I kind of loved it. There was an awesome portion where he was swinging through his leggs over and over again, and I loved it. Great job. Adam called it a fantastic start to the show, and called them cute as all get out. Ryan apparently hurt his back this week, and still managed to lift her with no troubles. Apparently the move I loved is called a coffee grinder. Nice to know. He said he felt the party. Mary thought it was tremendous and loved the new choreographer. She thought they captured the right feel, and the partnership was perfect. Nigel thought it was terrible... that the show haven't had the lindy hop in three seasons. The beginning of that critique had the poor dancer's jaws dropping. He loved that they both got the spirit of the dance.
Kathryn & Legacy (Jazz, choreographed by Sonya, So Deep by Hot Chip) Legacy will miss the help that Kathryn has given him in his technique. She's going to miss his character. Sonya used Legacy's skills to their highest. He is playing a guy who loves his woman so much he just has to quiver whenever he sees her, He got to do some breaking, which was cool. Kathryn was basically a bendy and flippy joy. She teased him a little and it was cool. Very well done. Adam loved the routine, and loved how she used his B-Boy skills in the routine. Mary loved his crab walks in the beginning (and so did I). She thought Sonya was very clever, and thought the dancing in between the tricks was really great. She also thought that Kathryn was a marvel. She then screeched. *sigh* Nigel declared it one of his favorite routines of the season, and thought that Kathryn was very sexy without pushing it. He admitted that he didn't think that Legacy had a lot of musicality in Vegas, but tonight he was dancing bloody well. I agree.
Karen & Victor (Tango, choreographed by Melanie Lapatin & Tony Meredith, Montserat) Victor is excited about working with Karen because she's got a first class seat on the hot tamale train. Karen is looking forward to being able to speak Spanish with him. They are both super sparkly. I was a bit distracted by their shininess, actually. Karen got back to her sexy ways, and I thought that Victor danced strongly with her. I still think she is the far stronger dancer. I would have liked to have seen more fast footwork, I like that in my tango. Adam thought their new partnership worked out really well. He thought that it was really great for Victor, and thought that Karen embraced the stillness and the energy and thought they had hot chemistry. Mary was hugely surprised by Victor, and thought he had the right stature right off the bat. She also thought that Karen looked tremendous. She did not put Victor on the train with Karen, but thought he was picking up steam. Nigel loved to see the intensity between them, but worried that Victor stuck his bum out too much and looked a bit like Donald Duck at times. Other than that, he thought she was great. Nigel thinks that Karen has a quality like Shakira and Jennifer Lopez - that Have to Watch Them quality. I thought that they were very good.
Mollee & Nathan (Hip hop, choreographed by Jamal Sims, Ring-A-Ling, by The Black Eyed Peas) Nathan will miss Mollee's constant laugh. Mollee will miss Nathan's weird noises that he blurts out constantly. The story is when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Interesting. I think it is the most I have ever liked them. Mollee still annoys me, though. I was more impressed with Nathan. Nathan split his pants. Mollee apparently hurt her ankle this week, but Adam thought they sold it. He thought that Nathan really loved doing hip hop, but he could see some of the stress on Mollee's face. Mary thought it picked up steam as it went along. There was a bobble when Nathan picked Mollee up off the floor, and said it was fun, and "mostly" synchronized. Nigel thought it was danced a little twee, and I agree. Mollee looked like a cheerleader trying to do hip hop to me. He is looking forward to them getting split up as partners.
Noelle & Russell (Samba, choreographed by Tony Meredith & Melanie Lapatin, Hips Don't Lie, by Shakira) Noelle will miss how laid back Russell is. He will miss her affection. I'm kind of sick of Noells, too. Anyhow, I think that Russell did an amazing job with the moves, and his hip action was impressive to me. Noelle did a pretty good job, too, but I was more impressed with Russell. He was dancing in heels, people. Heels. A crumper in heels. Adam enjoyed the character, but thought it was too nice (I agree). Mary thought that some of the lower body work was a little shallow and skating, but thought the performance was phenomenal. She thought that Noelle didn't settle into it as well as Russell. Nigel brought up that Shakira (who is going to be on the show tomorrow) oozes sex, but it felt like Noelle was almost clinical. He thought that Russell didn't go far enough forward on the samba roll, but still can't believe that he hasn't had any other lessons. I think Nigel thinks they are in trouble. And no one mentioned the heels on Russell.
Ashleigh & Jakob (Lyrical Jazz, choreographed by Sonya, Time Flies by Lykke Li) Ashleigh will miss the friendship with Jakob. Jakob couldn't put into words how much he would miss Ashleigh. Jakob got some chances to leap, and he did so beautifully. Both of them just have astounding extension and flexibility. I loved the whole thing. Sonya knows how to take her dancer's abilities and milk them. Adam was left speechless by the beauty of the routine. He doesn't ever want to see Jakob in the pants again (and I agree), but he loved the whole thing, and will be sad to see their partnership break up. He thought that Ashleigh embraced the style so well, and called Jakob surreal. Mary loved them and agreed that it would be hard to break them up. Nigel said that this routine replaced his previous favorite of the season, which was Sonya's jazz routine, and professed his love for Sonya. He thought that they have given each other something special in their partnership. I agree. I didn't expect to like Ashleigh as much as I have come to like her.
*****Second Dances*****
Ellenore & Ryan (Broadway, choreographed by Spencer Liff, Razzle Dazzle, from Chicago) Ellenore is playing innocence and light, and Ryan is portraying the dark side of fortune and fame. I liked it quite a bit - but not as much as their first dance. There was one part where Ellenore's dress was over Ryan's face for a whole lift, and I thought that was weird. Anyhow, Adam thought it was a great job, and was true broadway traditional "vocabulary," and thought it was full of character and energy. He thought Ellenore was the rockstar of the routine, and I agree. I miss the small things, like how hard it is to flex and point in an extended upright position. Mary thought Ryan dug in and got the character and screamed about the professionality of him. She loves how unique Ellenore is, and called her the It Girl. Nigel wished that Mary could speak in Ellenore's Alien Language, because it is quieter. He loved the dance, and said he wants to put 6 couples through to the Top 10.
Kathyrn & Legacy (Viennese Waltz, choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereaux and France, Your Guardian Angel, by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus) It was gorgeous. I think that the story behind the waltz is a good idea. She was playing his dance guardian angel, and she did it well. What a gorgeous dance. It brought Legacy to happy tears. Nigel wondered how they could be mean to him after that. Adam thought that if Legacy could get through ballroom, he could go all the way. He admitted that sometimes Legacy's shoulders were up too much and needed some footwork help, but it was admirable. He did think that Kathryn was wonderful. Mary thought that they weren't moving lightly enough across to floor, but thought that Kathryn was perfection. Nigel said they love him, and a lot of the problems are going to be overlooked because of it. He thought that Kathryn stole the evening.
Karen & Victor (Hip Hop, choreographed by Lauriann Gibson, Moving Mountains, by Usher) Karen said she was inspired by Lauriann. I thought the routine lacked a certain punch. It was pretty cool when she climbed his back, but it didn't have the oomph I am used to in hip hop. Eh. Not the best. Their tango was much better. Adam thought there was a lot of commitment, but didn't think it match the music somehow. Mary called it ok, but not memorable. I agree. She was grateful for their tango. The synchronization wasn't there. Nigel thought it was a pity that the lackluster hip hop didn't come before the tango, to leave the viewers with something better to remember. He stopped talking when he couldn't say anything really positive about it.
Mollee & Nathan (Can Can, choreographed Tyce Diorio, Cancan Suite) First ever can can on the show. It was a very traditional looking cancan, and I think it worked much better than the Russian Folk Dance, that's for sure. Nathan was better than Mollee in my book, again, but she was miles better in this. There was a moment where you could see her ankle hurt, and she kind of hesitated. Her personality just bugs me, though. Adam thought they were the best couple to get this energetic routine. He thought that Nathan had a bit better choreograhy, but thought that Mollee's arial spin was good (and it was). Mary said they can can do it. She thought that it was enjoyable and fun, and loved Nathan's spins and balance. Nigel said that in the original can can, the ladies didn't wear underwear, under all the petticoats, and that is why it was scandalous. He thought it was the best couple to do the cancan, also. Better by miles than their first dance.
Noelle & Russell (Contemporary, choreographed by Tyce Diorio, A Case of You, bu Diana Krall) They are supposed to be painting their relationship with each other. Russell's shirt broke right in the beginning, but they did so beautifully, I don't even care. It was a stunning routine to me, and they did it superbly. It gave me chills. Adam thought they were just gorgeous. Agreed. Mary thought it was pretty special and cleverly done, from the wonderful entrance right on through. She called it out of this world. Nigel thought it was a great commercial for guys to start dancing (what with the "paint with your face across her chest") and thinks they left viewers something beautiful to remember them with. He loved Noelle's commitment, and he forgot that Russell was a street dancer. Cat scolded them for getting paint all over the floor.
Ashleigh & Jakob (Cha cha, choreographed by Tony Meredith & Melanie, Cha Cha Heels) Ashleigh was so excited for the latin dance, and Jakob was nervous. They are fighting over a chair. Ashleigh got to have feathers on her bitt, and she worked them. I was dizzied by the camera, which circled them and didn't let me really see them well for a bit. That aside, it was grand. I love them. Adam said it is Ashleigh's world, and we are all just visiting. He commended Jakob for making himself look like a ballroom dancer. He doesn't like all the "hungry jazz looks" in ballroom, but they worked. He called them the couple of the night. Mary thought they blew it out of the ballpark. She loved Ashleigh's amazing legs and her total confidence, and thought that Jakob did a commendable job. Nigel thought that Jakob didn't look like the fish out of water, and he was glad it wasn't a concept routine, and thinks they are waltzing through to the top 10.
I have no idea who is going home tomorrow. I am hoping for Mollee or Noelle, and for the guys? Victor doesn't do it for me. How about you? It was a super strong night, and it's going to be tough no matter what. Karen didn't do it for me in the Hip Hop, either...
But, all in all, there were so many strong moments, I don't know if I can pick out favorites, even!
What do you think?
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Amazing Race - 11.22.09
From the marsh, Megan & Cheyne are the first to leave Estonia, and head to Prague.
Once in Prague, they have to get to old town square, and then find a Praga, which they have to figure out is a vintage car.
They have NO MONEY for this leg of the race. Tricky.
I love Prague. My husband and I went there in 2001.
Sam & Dan prove that they are really undereducated, and ask if they speak Spanish in Prague. The other one said, "No, it's a country." Um... not really. It's a city in a country. Nice try, though.
At the airport, Megan & Cheyne find that the first flight is at 5:20 AM, heading to Riga, and then connecting to Prague at 8:15. All of the other teams find the same answer to the travel on the internet. When Megan & Cheyne went to check the internet, also, and saw the picture of the Praga, and Megan decided to tell the other teams that it is something other than a car.
All the teams got on the same flight.
Why, Hello, Prague. Miss you.
Everyone takes a taxi, except for Ericka & Brian, who took the shuttle. I don't know how they are going to be paying for these forms of transportation, since they got no money. They must be able to use the money leftover from previous legs.
Sam & Dan thought a Praga might be a coat or a robe.
The teams must find Kayaka Troya, an outdoor adventure center. And, Goodbye, Old Town Square. (I love that Astronomic Clock. It's stunning). Dan is annoyed at how much Sam loves seeing the sights. I am annoyed at how annoying Dan is.
Brian & Ericka made the wrong decision, and were very slow in making their way into the city. They stopped and snagged a taxi to try to get there more quickly. They were already in last place.
Meghan & Cheyne got to the Kayaka Troya first.
Detour
Fast and Furious - Teams take a rough ride down a man made white water rafting course, and grab a ribbon with their next clue. If they tip over, they have to try again.
Slow and Steady - Teams must walk across a ropes course and retrieve their clue.
Sam & Dan did Fast, while Meghan & Cheyne and The Globetrotters chose Slow.
Immediately, Sam & Dan started bickering like crazy. I really have come to hate their bitching.
Ericka & Brian finally found their clue, and headed to the Detour.
The Globe Trotters had troubles with the ropes course because they are so tall, and heavy, they were touching the water. It certainly didn't look like a walk in the park. Big Easy was having the worst time.
I must admit I giggled a bit when the brothers capsized.
Meghan & Cheyne finished the detour first. Unfortunately, Flight Time started going slowly down the ladder and they couldn't get down until he was off. He took his sweet time getting down. Big Easy kept struggling.
Teams must get to the Estates Theatre, as indicated by writing on the ribbons they collected on the detour.
And the Brothers went over AGAIN. They decided to switch to slow. Right then, Brian & Ericka arrived. They are doing Slow, as well. Ericka is not fond of water, and Brian doesn't like heights. Fun. Many squabbles ensued, for both teams.
Meghan called to the Globe Trotters to follow them to the tram, and then Meghan & Cheyne grabbed a taxi that I think the Globetrotters flagged down. Meghan was not happy about Cheyne being rude, and he wondered where her competitive spirit was.
Roadblock
Who Can Remain Composed Under Pressure?
The opera house is where Don Giovanni was first performed, and they have to search through the seats of the opera house and find a miniature mandolin, and then bring it on stage to Don Giovanni himself.
I really wish that they had done something with the Marionette Don Giovanni shows that are constantly going on in Prague. That's something else.
It was pretty funny when Cheyne brought the wrong instrument up to the actor first, and he just laughed at him and said "No."
There are lots of decoy instruments in the seats. That's tricky.
At the Detour, Sam & Dan finished and tried to steal the taxi that Brian & Ericka had waiting for them. They told the cabbie they would pay him extra, and he agreed. That was not cool.
At the Roadblock, the Globe Trotters were annoyed with Meghan's constant calling for Cheyne.
Ericka & Brian found a house and the nice people there called a cab for them. That was really sweet.
Dan found a case for a miniature instrument, but no instrument. Flight Time Showed off some good pipes and sang for Big Easy. Big Easy found the empty case and got laughed at.
Finally, Cheyne found the case that did have an instrument in it, and off they went. The Globe Trotters were happy to not listen to Meghan anymore. Dan found it next. Right as they were leaving, Ericka & Brian showed up. The Brothers avoided eye contact with the team they screwed over. The Globe Trotters finally found the instrument, and the Brothers (ironically) had a hard time getting a taxi and barely got to the castle in front of the Globetrotters.
And the Pit Stop is the fabulous Prague Castle. It is really stunning. Rulers have been defenestrated there throughout history.
Meghan & Cheyne arrived first and won a trip to Hawaii. Sam & Dan managed to get to the Pit Stop in second place, with the Globe Trotters hot on their heels.
Ericka continued to search for the instrument, as Don Giovanni took a break and ate a sandwich. She did find it, and off they went to the castle.
And, it's a non-elimination leg! Again! Brian & Ericka are safe. Insane. I'm glad. I really want the brothers out.
How about you? Were you happy to see this non-elimination leg?
Once in Prague, they have to get to old town square, and then find a Praga, which they have to figure out is a vintage car.
They have NO MONEY for this leg of the race. Tricky.
I love Prague. My husband and I went there in 2001.
Sam & Dan prove that they are really undereducated, and ask if they speak Spanish in Prague. The other one said, "No, it's a country." Um... not really. It's a city in a country. Nice try, though.
At the airport, Megan & Cheyne find that the first flight is at 5:20 AM, heading to Riga, and then connecting to Prague at 8:15. All of the other teams find the same answer to the travel on the internet. When Megan & Cheyne went to check the internet, also, and saw the picture of the Praga, and Megan decided to tell the other teams that it is something other than a car.
All the teams got on the same flight.
Why, Hello, Prague. Miss you.
Everyone takes a taxi, except for Ericka & Brian, who took the shuttle. I don't know how they are going to be paying for these forms of transportation, since they got no money. They must be able to use the money leftover from previous legs.
Sam & Dan thought a Praga might be a coat or a robe.
The teams must find Kayaka Troya, an outdoor adventure center. And, Goodbye, Old Town Square. (I love that Astronomic Clock. It's stunning). Dan is annoyed at how much Sam loves seeing the sights. I am annoyed at how annoying Dan is.
Brian & Ericka made the wrong decision, and were very slow in making their way into the city. They stopped and snagged a taxi to try to get there more quickly. They were already in last place.
Meghan & Cheyne got to the Kayaka Troya first.
Detour
Fast and Furious - Teams take a rough ride down a man made white water rafting course, and grab a ribbon with their next clue. If they tip over, they have to try again.
Slow and Steady - Teams must walk across a ropes course and retrieve their clue.
Sam & Dan did Fast, while Meghan & Cheyne and The Globetrotters chose Slow.
Immediately, Sam & Dan started bickering like crazy. I really have come to hate their bitching.
Ericka & Brian finally found their clue, and headed to the Detour.
The Globe Trotters had troubles with the ropes course because they are so tall, and heavy, they were touching the water. It certainly didn't look like a walk in the park. Big Easy was having the worst time.
I must admit I giggled a bit when the brothers capsized.
Meghan & Cheyne finished the detour first. Unfortunately, Flight Time started going slowly down the ladder and they couldn't get down until he was off. He took his sweet time getting down. Big Easy kept struggling.
Teams must get to the Estates Theatre, as indicated by writing on the ribbons they collected on the detour.
And the Brothers went over AGAIN. They decided to switch to slow. Right then, Brian & Ericka arrived. They are doing Slow, as well. Ericka is not fond of water, and Brian doesn't like heights. Fun. Many squabbles ensued, for both teams.
Meghan called to the Globe Trotters to follow them to the tram, and then Meghan & Cheyne grabbed a taxi that I think the Globetrotters flagged down. Meghan was not happy about Cheyne being rude, and he wondered where her competitive spirit was.
Roadblock
Who Can Remain Composed Under Pressure?
The opera house is where Don Giovanni was first performed, and they have to search through the seats of the opera house and find a miniature mandolin, and then bring it on stage to Don Giovanni himself.
I really wish that they had done something with the Marionette Don Giovanni shows that are constantly going on in Prague. That's something else.
It was pretty funny when Cheyne brought the wrong instrument up to the actor first, and he just laughed at him and said "No."
There are lots of decoy instruments in the seats. That's tricky.
At the Detour, Sam & Dan finished and tried to steal the taxi that Brian & Ericka had waiting for them. They told the cabbie they would pay him extra, and he agreed. That was not cool.
At the Roadblock, the Globe Trotters were annoyed with Meghan's constant calling for Cheyne.
Ericka & Brian found a house and the nice people there called a cab for them. That was really sweet.
Dan found a case for a miniature instrument, but no instrument. Flight Time Showed off some good pipes and sang for Big Easy. Big Easy found the empty case and got laughed at.
Finally, Cheyne found the case that did have an instrument in it, and off they went. The Globe Trotters were happy to not listen to Meghan anymore. Dan found it next. Right as they were leaving, Ericka & Brian showed up. The Brothers avoided eye contact with the team they screwed over. The Globe Trotters finally found the instrument, and the Brothers (ironically) had a hard time getting a taxi and barely got to the castle in front of the Globetrotters.
And the Pit Stop is the fabulous Prague Castle. It is really stunning. Rulers have been defenestrated there throughout history.
Meghan & Cheyne arrived first and won a trip to Hawaii. Sam & Dan managed to get to the Pit Stop in second place, with the Globe Trotters hot on their heels.
Ericka continued to search for the instrument, as Don Giovanni took a break and ate a sandwich. She did find it, and off they went to the castle.
And, it's a non-elimination leg! Again! Brian & Ericka are safe. Insane. I'm glad. I really want the brothers out.
How about you? Were you happy to see this non-elimination leg?
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Project Runway - 11.19.09: Finale!
Poor Carol Hannah is still feeling really sick. Irina basically said "Too bad, so sad," and continued on her bitchy way. At the work room, Logan comisserated with Carol Hannah before going to go work for Althea. Gordana got to work with Irina. Carol Hannah was just in tears. Christopher offered a shoulder to cry on, but then went to work for her. Althea awkwardly suggested that it was time to go for hair and makeup consultations. It went well, with no real drama. Althea and Irina have close eye make-up ideas. Carol Hannah wanted soft and pretty.
Back at the workroom, there were some fittings, and then Tim came for a look see. He worried about Irina's hats looking costumey. Althea's 13th look is a little 80's. He also heard similar make-up ideas from Irina and Althea and was concerned. Althea was in tears. Tim called it a Make It Work Moment. He worried about Carol Hannah's relapse, but she claimed to be feeling ok-ish. Her 13th look is a gorgeous blue color, and I kind of think it could be awesome.
Sewing sewing sewing! The next morning, Carol Hannah seemed to be feeling better, but admitted it was mostly mind over matter. Irina decided to put her Main Model in the 13th look. I hate the hat. I think it is ridiculous.
Tim had a final Gather Round when they had about 15 minutes left. People were stitching to the last second. Irina told Gordana to put all the hats, all the gloves, and all the feathers in one bag, which she would take with her. Off they went, back to their hotel.
The day of the Runway show, they had to get up at 3:15 AM in order to have time to get themselves ready, and then get the models ready. Irina didn't have her muse models look done and she wasn't in hair and makeup done. Then, Irina had a zipper break. Tim was about to lose it because no one was ready to line up when they needed to be. Tim was not happy. That made the designers nervous.
Heidi was looking kind of 80's in a hot pink suit with skinny pants and shoulder pads... I didn't love the look.
Althea was out first, and she was dressed in a really cute dress, leggings, and... Uggs? Ugh. Not a good choice. She wanted to show what the woman of today would wear tomorrow. Her first look invlved ridiculously long sleeves on a sweater with leather look pants. Her next looks was a simple black dress. The 13th look was not bad. There was a look that had a top that looked stained. I really hate the super long sleeves. It was all kind of weird and awkward to me. There was a green mini dress that I kind of liked, but then came a couple of really badly put together silver dresses. There was a gold dress that her muse model was wearing, and it was kind of slick, but nothing special. An eh collection.
Carol Hannah was next. She's adorable. She didn't talk about the inspiration for her collection, but that's ok. Her first looks was a very interesting gold and black dress, followed by another really neat dress. There was a purple top with braiding and I loved it. The rich purple gown was also fabulous. I really dug the silber poofy bottom dress, and although the silver babydoll top looked kind of maternity, the 13th look was stunning. The red headed model in the gold dress looked uncomfortable, but that can't be blamed ont eh dress. The muse model in the gold gown was gorgeous. Loved the styling of her collection. I think I could see a lot of those gowns on red carpets.
Irina was last. Her collection was about New York. She also had the super long sleeves. Her hats made her models look like Robin Hood. Or horses. The giant sweaters with with hoods were stupid. The 13th look was kind of neat but nothing I loved. I have no idea what she was thinking with the shredded pants. Her gown at the end witht he stupid hat looked hard to walk in and the model didn't look happy. The whole collection was black, with the exception of some knit and fur. I really hated it.
Carol Hannah for the win, in my book! The judges thought that there was variety, fabulous knitwear, and new ideas. I don't know about the fabulous, but there was certainly knitwear...
Michael, Nina, and Heidi are juined by Suzy Menkes, Fashion editor of the International Herald Tribune.
Enter the muse models!
Irina talked up the shielding aspect of her looks. Michael told her that the warrior woman is not a new character on the scene. Heidi thought it was a finished collection. Nina liked the t-shirts. Michael commended her for the work that went into it. Heidi wants to own some of the clothes. Nina didn't like all the black. Michael thought the black would giver her less credit than she deserved. Nina worried that all the black doesn't play well on camera,
Carol Hannah loved draping. Heidi loved the 13th look, and was stunned to hear it was the last look. Suzy loved the upturned pyramid dress, and Carol Hannah called it a showpiece. Heidi didn't know that it was a cohesive collection. Michael loved the structured drapery, but worried there was no connecting thread.
Althea wanted to talk about the future. Michael liked that the collection was sportswear, which you could potentially mix and match. Nina liked the green dress, and Heidi liked the silver strapless top that I hated. Michael loved some khaki pants that I hated - he thought they were flattering. I thought they were kind of like parachute pants.
The judges loved Carol Hannah's use of color. Suzy thought that Althea had good clothes, but didn't showcase them well. Oh, good lord. The judges liked Irina's hats. Michael didn't love her big giant gown.
Carol Hannah is the first one out.
Booooo. Now, I don't really care who wins. I hated both of the other collections. At least Althea had that cool green dress.. Freaking Irina won. Stupid freaking hats and stupid giant sleeves and stupid huge hoods. Gah. I would not wear any of her clothes. None of them. The judges called it sleek, modern, and cohesive. I disagree.
Anyhow, winning won't make Irina any less of a bitch.
Are you as disappointed as I was?
Here's hoping that next season brings some more fun. Don't know when it starts, but I'll be there.
Back at the workroom, there were some fittings, and then Tim came for a look see. He worried about Irina's hats looking costumey. Althea's 13th look is a little 80's. He also heard similar make-up ideas from Irina and Althea and was concerned. Althea was in tears. Tim called it a Make It Work Moment. He worried about Carol Hannah's relapse, but she claimed to be feeling ok-ish. Her 13th look is a gorgeous blue color, and I kind of think it could be awesome.
Sewing sewing sewing! The next morning, Carol Hannah seemed to be feeling better, but admitted it was mostly mind over matter. Irina decided to put her Main Model in the 13th look. I hate the hat. I think it is ridiculous.
Tim had a final Gather Round when they had about 15 minutes left. People were stitching to the last second. Irina told Gordana to put all the hats, all the gloves, and all the feathers in one bag, which she would take with her. Off they went, back to their hotel.
The day of the Runway show, they had to get up at 3:15 AM in order to have time to get themselves ready, and then get the models ready. Irina didn't have her muse models look done and she wasn't in hair and makeup done. Then, Irina had a zipper break. Tim was about to lose it because no one was ready to line up when they needed to be. Tim was not happy. That made the designers nervous.
Heidi was looking kind of 80's in a hot pink suit with skinny pants and shoulder pads... I didn't love the look.
Althea was out first, and she was dressed in a really cute dress, leggings, and... Uggs? Ugh. Not a good choice. She wanted to show what the woman of today would wear tomorrow. Her first look invlved ridiculously long sleeves on a sweater with leather look pants. Her next looks was a simple black dress. The 13th look was not bad. There was a look that had a top that looked stained. I really hate the super long sleeves. It was all kind of weird and awkward to me. There was a green mini dress that I kind of liked, but then came a couple of really badly put together silver dresses. There was a gold dress that her muse model was wearing, and it was kind of slick, but nothing special. An eh collection.
Carol Hannah was next. She's adorable. She didn't talk about the inspiration for her collection, but that's ok. Her first looks was a very interesting gold and black dress, followed by another really neat dress. There was a purple top with braiding and I loved it. The rich purple gown was also fabulous. I really dug the silber poofy bottom dress, and although the silver babydoll top looked kind of maternity, the 13th look was stunning. The red headed model in the gold dress looked uncomfortable, but that can't be blamed ont eh dress. The muse model in the gold gown was gorgeous. Loved the styling of her collection. I think I could see a lot of those gowns on red carpets.
Irina was last. Her collection was about New York. She also had the super long sleeves. Her hats made her models look like Robin Hood. Or horses. The giant sweaters with with hoods were stupid. The 13th look was kind of neat but nothing I loved. I have no idea what she was thinking with the shredded pants. Her gown at the end witht he stupid hat looked hard to walk in and the model didn't look happy. The whole collection was black, with the exception of some knit and fur. I really hated it.
Carol Hannah for the win, in my book! The judges thought that there was variety, fabulous knitwear, and new ideas. I don't know about the fabulous, but there was certainly knitwear...
Michael, Nina, and Heidi are juined by Suzy Menkes, Fashion editor of the International Herald Tribune.
Enter the muse models!
Irina talked up the shielding aspect of her looks. Michael told her that the warrior woman is not a new character on the scene. Heidi thought it was a finished collection. Nina liked the t-shirts. Michael commended her for the work that went into it. Heidi wants to own some of the clothes. Nina didn't like all the black. Michael thought the black would giver her less credit than she deserved. Nina worried that all the black doesn't play well on camera,
Carol Hannah loved draping. Heidi loved the 13th look, and was stunned to hear it was the last look. Suzy loved the upturned pyramid dress, and Carol Hannah called it a showpiece. Heidi didn't know that it was a cohesive collection. Michael loved the structured drapery, but worried there was no connecting thread.
Althea wanted to talk about the future. Michael liked that the collection was sportswear, which you could potentially mix and match. Nina liked the green dress, and Heidi liked the silver strapless top that I hated. Michael loved some khaki pants that I hated - he thought they were flattering. I thought they were kind of like parachute pants.
The judges loved Carol Hannah's use of color. Suzy thought that Althea had good clothes, but didn't showcase them well. Oh, good lord. The judges liked Irina's hats. Michael didn't love her big giant gown.
Carol Hannah is the first one out.
Booooo. Now, I don't really care who wins. I hated both of the other collections. At least Althea had that cool green dress.. Freaking Irina won. Stupid freaking hats and stupid giant sleeves and stupid huge hoods. Gah. I would not wear any of her clothes. None of them. The judges called it sleek, modern, and cohesive. I disagree.
Anyhow, winning won't make Irina any less of a bitch.
Are you as disappointed as I was?
Here's hoping that next season brings some more fun. Don't know when it starts, but I'll be there.
Survivor Samoa: 11.19.09
Russell compares his game to a Picasso. He's pretty good, I have to admit. Dave told Russell that it was a great move, and Russell said it felt almost as great as the birth of his kids. Laura and Monica simply called him a snake. Shambo chatted with Russell about Laura's reaction at Tribal. Very cool. I am so glad that Shambo is in with Russell. Shambo said that she would love to find the new hidden idol and give it to Russell, just to play Laura again. Bwah ha ha.
And as soon as it was light enough to see, Russell was back out searching for that idol again. No immediate luck, but he was working it.
Wow, Shambo had some fantastic insults for Laura. She called her the demon, the beast, and other choice things. She then went to talk to John about the need to get rid of Laura. He didn't really commit to anything. He thinks he is the only Galuvian who is knowledgeable of her switch of loyalty.
Reward Challenge
Two teams of five are formed. One member will lie face down in a cradle attached to ropes, which the other team members maneuver to help the cradled person snag 15 flags in order, and then put them in their spots in order.
They are playing for a picnic by a waterfall, and the use of a Palm Pre, to take pictures. I'm betting there will be phone calls involved, too.
The teams are Shambo, Jaison, Monica, and Dr. Mick with John in the cradle vs. Dave, Brett, Laura, and Russell with Natalie in the cradle. Things were looking good, until John knocked over number 9 and had to put it back in it's slot before continuing. Natalie was hanging out of the cradle like a trapeze artist. It was really well done. Natalie's team won the reward.
The reward looked nice. Lots of beautiful food, including hot dogs, mac and cheese, and pie... lots of pictures were taken.
Back at camp, Jaison and Dr. Mick talked to Monica and tried to get her over on their side. She told them she thought they would still be even. The assured her that they had the votes, and she said she wants John out. She is also pretty sure that the flipper is Shambo. Ding Ding Ding.
At the challenge, the feasters got a video clue to find the new hidden idol. It's under a mossy rock. Back at camp, he shared the clue with Jaison, and off they all went in search. Everyone was chasing Russell around. Russell started running, and Dave was off after him. Russell lost Dave, doubled back, and ....
He freaking found the idol. Again. That guy is awesome. If Russell was really smart, he'd keep looking fervently. Otherwise, everyone will know he has it again.
Monica went to tell Laura that she doesn't trust two people on the tribe - Shambo is first on the list.
Immunity Challenge
They have to throw a rock at tiles, and they will get spears for every tile they break. The person who gets their spear closest to a target wins. It's like Plinko, with the pricing game first, to get plinko pucks.
Jaison is the first one to get a tile. Dave knocked out one of Monica's tile. Dr. Mick broke a tile, and Brett broke two tiles.
Laura, Russell, Shambo, Natalie, and Dave don't get a chance at immunity.
The spears were shot in a giant crossbow-like thing. Brett got in the second ring, and Jaison followed it up by missing the target entirely. Monica hit the target, but was way outside. Dr. Mick took careful aim and got just inside Brett's. Brett's second spear didn't get any closer, so Dr. Mick wins immunity.
Shambo was practically cackling about getting rid of Laura. That means something is going to go terribly wrong with that plan. Russell told the camera that the plan is to get rid of Laura. Shambo told Brett (who we have barely seen) that there is no more Galu and she is absolutely voting for Laura. John, Dave, and Laura met in the woods and Laura wanted to vote rid of Russell, and John said "Wrong. Your vote is for Natalie." That would be smart, see. He talked in interview about how badly the former Galu thinks analytically. Then, Monica went to Dave and told him that she is going to tell Foa Foa she is voting for John, and she will really vote for Natalie, and then it will be Natalie going, with Shambo's vote for Laura. She went to talk to Foa Foa, and she was seemingly convincing. Brett told John about the plan to get Foa Foa to vote for him. John did not think that sounds like a good plan at all. He said he is not risking his life (in the game) to save Laura. John went to go talk to Russell, who said he figured out that the Vote For John push is a swindle. John thinks he might vote for Laura. John said that if he switches, and votes for Laura, he wants the next vote out to be a Foa Foan.
This could get interesting. It is certainly the most camera time Brett and John have gotten so far.
Tribal Council
Probst asked if it is surprising to have two former Galus in the jury. Shambo said that to her, Galu was broken. Laura claims they are tight, at least Galu without Shambo. He asked if people would be ok forcing a tie and pulling rocks. Dave said he would be fine with that. Really? I mean, really?
Shambo called Laura a viperous poison when she voted for her. I know they don't get along, but I also don't quite get the bitter animosity, I guess... I maybe missed something?
Russell felt safe enough to not play his hidden idol.
Laura got the first vote, followed by another Laura, then another Natalie, then another Laura, and then another Natalie, then another Laura, then another Natalie, then another Laura. The final vote was for Natalie. It's a tie!
Laura and Natalie did not vote, and everyone has to vote for either Laura or Natalie.
Laura was stunned, as were the other Galuvians (except for Shambo and John). Jaws dropped. I clapped and whooped a little. Russell looked like the happiest person ever.
This is going to get very interesting. Love it.
And as soon as it was light enough to see, Russell was back out searching for that idol again. No immediate luck, but he was working it.
Wow, Shambo had some fantastic insults for Laura. She called her the demon, the beast, and other choice things. She then went to talk to John about the need to get rid of Laura. He didn't really commit to anything. He thinks he is the only Galuvian who is knowledgeable of her switch of loyalty.
Reward Challenge
Two teams of five are formed. One member will lie face down in a cradle attached to ropes, which the other team members maneuver to help the cradled person snag 15 flags in order, and then put them in their spots in order.
They are playing for a picnic by a waterfall, and the use of a Palm Pre, to take pictures. I'm betting there will be phone calls involved, too.
The teams are Shambo, Jaison, Monica, and Dr. Mick with John in the cradle vs. Dave, Brett, Laura, and Russell with Natalie in the cradle. Things were looking good, until John knocked over number 9 and had to put it back in it's slot before continuing. Natalie was hanging out of the cradle like a trapeze artist. It was really well done. Natalie's team won the reward.
The reward looked nice. Lots of beautiful food, including hot dogs, mac and cheese, and pie... lots of pictures were taken.
Back at camp, Jaison and Dr. Mick talked to Monica and tried to get her over on their side. She told them she thought they would still be even. The assured her that they had the votes, and she said she wants John out. She is also pretty sure that the flipper is Shambo. Ding Ding Ding.
At the challenge, the feasters got a video clue to find the new hidden idol. It's under a mossy rock. Back at camp, he shared the clue with Jaison, and off they all went in search. Everyone was chasing Russell around. Russell started running, and Dave was off after him. Russell lost Dave, doubled back, and ....
He freaking found the idol. Again. That guy is awesome. If Russell was really smart, he'd keep looking fervently. Otherwise, everyone will know he has it again.
Monica went to tell Laura that she doesn't trust two people on the tribe - Shambo is first on the list.
Immunity Challenge
They have to throw a rock at tiles, and they will get spears for every tile they break. The person who gets their spear closest to a target wins. It's like Plinko, with the pricing game first, to get plinko pucks.
Jaison is the first one to get a tile. Dave knocked out one of Monica's tile. Dr. Mick broke a tile, and Brett broke two tiles.
Laura, Russell, Shambo, Natalie, and Dave don't get a chance at immunity.
The spears were shot in a giant crossbow-like thing. Brett got in the second ring, and Jaison followed it up by missing the target entirely. Monica hit the target, but was way outside. Dr. Mick took careful aim and got just inside Brett's. Brett's second spear didn't get any closer, so Dr. Mick wins immunity.
Shambo was practically cackling about getting rid of Laura. That means something is going to go terribly wrong with that plan. Russell told the camera that the plan is to get rid of Laura. Shambo told Brett (who we have barely seen) that there is no more Galu and she is absolutely voting for Laura. John, Dave, and Laura met in the woods and Laura wanted to vote rid of Russell, and John said "Wrong. Your vote is for Natalie." That would be smart, see. He talked in interview about how badly the former Galu thinks analytically. Then, Monica went to Dave and told him that she is going to tell Foa Foa she is voting for John, and she will really vote for Natalie, and then it will be Natalie going, with Shambo's vote for Laura. She went to talk to Foa Foa, and she was seemingly convincing. Brett told John about the plan to get Foa Foa to vote for him. John did not think that sounds like a good plan at all. He said he is not risking his life (in the game) to save Laura. John went to go talk to Russell, who said he figured out that the Vote For John push is a swindle. John thinks he might vote for Laura. John said that if he switches, and votes for Laura, he wants the next vote out to be a Foa Foan.
This could get interesting. It is certainly the most camera time Brett and John have gotten so far.
Tribal Council
Probst asked if it is surprising to have two former Galus in the jury. Shambo said that to her, Galu was broken. Laura claims they are tight, at least Galu without Shambo. He asked if people would be ok forcing a tie and pulling rocks. Dave said he would be fine with that. Really? I mean, really?
Shambo called Laura a viperous poison when she voted for her. I know they don't get along, but I also don't quite get the bitter animosity, I guess... I maybe missed something?
Russell felt safe enough to not play his hidden idol.
Laura got the first vote, followed by another Laura, then another Natalie, then another Laura, and then another Natalie, then another Laura, then another Natalie, then another Laura. The final vote was for Natalie. It's a tie!
Laura and Natalie did not vote, and everyone has to vote for either Laura or Natalie.
Laura was stunned, as were the other Galuvians (except for Shambo and John). Jaws dropped. I clapped and whooped a little. Russell looked like the happiest person ever.
This is going to get very interesting. Love it.
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