Tiny TrashDancers, we have made it past the auditions and are on to the Dance Academy, where 100 talented tater tots will be whittled down to 10. After watching all of the solos, the 10 All Stars will select their teams of 5, with at least 3 in their own dance style. On day 2 the tots will learn and perform a Broadway routine, afterwards 1 member will be cut from each team. 13 year old Dance Moms alum Maddie Ziegler will be checking in to ask dumb questions get know the kids a little bit better. There are no judges until the studio competitions. Our All Stars are:
- Contemporary
- Kathryn McCormick: season 6, 3rd place
- Robert Roldan: season 7, 3rd place
- Sasha Mallory: season 8 runner-up
- Ballroom
- Jenna Johnson: season 10, top 8
- Paul Karmiryan: season 10, top 6
- Jonathan Platero: season 5, top 16
- Tap
- Gabby Diaz: season 12 winner
- Hip Hop
- Joshua Allen: season 4 winner
- Comfort Fedoke: season 4, top 8
- Fik-Shun Stegall: season 10 winner
I hope some of the talent contestants from years’ past are dancing professionally. One of my all-time faves is Melanie Moore, who is currently dancing on Broadway in Fiddler on the Roof. Mazel Tov!
We get to see several solos up front, then a few sprinkled in as teams are being chosen. The selection process is similar to The Voice: the judges will turn on their light for those they want and the dancer gets to choose if more than one All Star selects them. The only difference is no Adam Levine everyone performs their solos, without commentary from the All Stars (who are taking notes), then the team selection begins.
First up is contemporary dancer Tate (12) who knocked our socks off with her leg lifts and extreme facials in NYC. Her music is instrumental and intense, heavy on the violins and bass drums. She manages to do even more with her face, and does this wack-a-doodle leg lift/snap turn that has all of the All Stars jumping out of their chairs. Then she walks toward the side of the stage, busts out a jeté, turns, and gives an attitude-face. It’s so freaking awesome I can’t even.
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Whachu looking at Willis?
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Yasssss
Tapper Emma (10) is very energetic and gives us lots of jazzy pirouettes and kooky faces. Stella (12) and Geramy (12) were the ballroom couple that begged for a 2nd chance during their LA audition. The music is slow and Geramy tries so hard with his facial expressions but they did not do well.
Contemporary
Kathryn, Robert and Sasha have 1st dibs on the contemporary kids. Both ladies want Tate (duh) who choses “shaking inside with inspiration” Kathryn, who is practically frothing at the mouth to get this girl. Sage (13) performs his solo to minimalistic instrumental music and is also awesome, though Robert is the only one to light up for him.
Remember Ava (13) who has been ostracized for being too tall at 5’10”? She was great in LA but doesn’t seem to be as good during her solo. The final contemporary spot will go to either her or Jordan (13) who sleeps on the couch because she lives with 3 generations of her family. She walks or takes the bus to dance class, and when they can’t afford lessons she practices at home. Uh oh, this is a sadder story than being too tall. Jordan does an excellent leg hold turn and, yup, she is in.
The teams shake out as follows:
Kathryn: 1. Tate 2. Brooklin 3. Brightyn 4. Quinn 5. Avery
Robert: 1. Sage 2. JT 3. Gavin 4. Enoch 5. Joziah
Sasha: 1. Diana 2. Jade 3. Ashley 4. Bostyn 5. Jordan
JT (10) is the one whose mommy dressed him in orange suspenders for his Chicago audition so he decided to wear them again at the academy. He is way too young for this competition and can barely keep up with the choreography. I can’t believe he was chosen. Also, why did everyone chose within their genders? Were they supposed to?
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And what’s up with all of the misspelled city names?
Ballroom
Jake (12) almost didn’t make it to the academy but has tons of spunk and personality as he jumps around the stage, kicking his legs and doing a great “lean back” type move that shows he has a strong core. The only problem is he falls down the stairs is too short. Jenna was on her feet for the entire performance, albeit with a look that said “wow, this kid is so cute and dances so well for his age”. She snags him for her team, though not before he asks her if she has a boyfriend. Oh Lordy.
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Hot for teacher mentor
I know a lot of you don’t like Jenna, and I used to be just like you, but for the very brief time I watched DWTS she was the backup dancer I always watched. She’s really good and I’m excited to see what she brings as an All Star.
U.S. Latin Ballroom Junior Champion Ruby is chosen by both Jonathan and Paul, and the former winner of the Armenian version of SYTYCD (Paul) gets her, along with Lera, the tiny assassin with the killer braid. He also snags Sophia, who appears to have some contemporary moves in her arsenal.
Jenna: 1. Jake 2. Lev 3. Joshua 4. Parker 5. Dougie
Paul: 1. Ruby 2. Shelly 3. Lera 4. Sophia 5. Lennox
Jonathan: 1. Daniela 2. Pallany 3. Victoria 4. Rylee 5. Camila
Tap
Gabby is the only tapper All Star (boo no Aaron) so she has the pick of the tap litter. She also is the only one to select outside of her gender.
Gabby: 1. Emma 2. Jazzy 3. Ryan 4. Ava 5. Lucas
This is a different Ava, who auditioned in LA with her dad (jeez, that doesn’t narrow it down – the dad had the cute “tap dad” T-shirt on). Lucas is the one who was way overpraised by Nigel, who called him one of the best tappers ever to appear in the universe. And Emma is the excited one who makes these faces:
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I’m kooky y’all
Hip Hop
Kida animates for the All Stars, and he’s aiiight, though I remembered him being better in LA. Joshua and Fik-Shun both want him: Joshua to mold him and Fik-Shun because he sees himself in him. He goes with cutie Fik. Joshua does get Merrick, the very 1st audition we saw and a decent animator. Tahini, the one who got so excited at the Chicago auditions she puked on Paula, dances like she has a bug flying around her and keeps doing this move that looks like she’s dipping her head. Joshua keeps yelling “hey!” during her solo and she is picked up by Comfort, who thinks she is a star.
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Kids make the darndest faces
Somehow there is only 1 spot remaining. I realize we will get to see more of the routines and/or solos next week but there are so many dancers we know nothing about. Last up is (Little) Phoenix, who we all remember from last year’s season finale when she slayed it onstage with Cyrus.
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We were all like “what the fuck is this awesomeness?!?”
They show us a snippet of her audition and HOLDTHEPHONETHISGIRLISWHYTHEYWANTEDKIDS!!! Nigel knows she is an extra special snowflake, being a wee little white girl krumping and holding her own. She performs her animation/hip hop solo, and the cutesy smiles she flashes are actually ironic because this girl is so cool. Seriously, I’d like to hang with her. Plus she spells her city name correctly, unlike Bostyn, Brooklin and Brightyn.
We see that after her audition Uncle Nigel mentioned the inspiration to have kids be on the show was partly due to her. Totally called that one!
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Even her hair is cool
Joshua: 1. Merrick 2. Romeo 3. Tre 4. Sheaden 5. Kai
Comfort: 1. Tahini 2. Aniyah 3. Fiona 4. Logan 5. Phoenix
Fik-Shun: 1. Kida 2. Jaryan 3. JJ 4. Lior 5. Alex
Choreography
The Broadway routine, choreographed by Warren Carlyle, incorporates jazz, tap, ballroom and partnering (just some dips). Since most teams are the same genders, they will partner will members of other teams. Of course at these ages the girls are usually taller than the boys, and for the most part the chicas seem to pick up the choreo better too.
Some struggle and need to be cut. JT Suspenders is way too freaking small and is crying (boo hoo), however he is kept because Robert sees something in him ratings. I call foul. King Kai didn’t pick up the choreo and is out. Then there is Jaryan, who fucks up the routine so royally he ends up just standing there at the end. When the song is over he starts sulking off the stage, being the tough guy he is I guess. He knows he is close to tears and that he has ruined his chance to remain on the show, but what a pissy attitude! Fik-Shun is not letting it slide and forces the kid back on stage. I was gonna be real mad if they kept him.
Cut
Kathryn: ?
Robert: Enoch
Sasha: Diana
Jenna: Parker
Paul: Lera
Jonathan: Pallany
Gabby: Ava
Joshua: Kai
Comfort: ?
Fik-Shun: Jaryan
Apologies if they mentioned who Kathryn or Comfort cut – I rewound several times without luck.
Next week the tots will learn a Hip Hop routine choreographed by NappyTabs (aka Napoleon & Tabitha, the creative and super cute married couple who choreograph most of the hip-hop routines) and a contemporary routine by the phenomenally talented Travis Wall.
Were you surprised by who did/didn’t make the cut? (How could they not take the incredible Olivia? I realize they need a variety of styles and genders, but she was MUCH better than JT Suspenders.) Whose team are you on? Sound off in the comments below and thanks for reading.
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