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Private Notes
Kristin & K.G's Swansong
Last night (Tuesday 9 September 2008 at 19h00) Kristin and K.G. were the first dancers to be eliminated from So You Think You Can Dance SA.
Unfortunately for them they were given a terrible Tango routine to dance on Saturday's first live show and ended up paying the price with both the public and the judges.
Also in the bottom of the voting-pile alongside them were: Louisa and Thabiso; and Tania and Alistor.
Each of the six danced for their lives and after deliberations the judges vetoed that Kristin didn't have enough attitude and that K.G. hadn't delivered as he should.
18 dancers remain to dance the night away this coming Saturday.
On Tuesday night's second SYTYCD elimination show Alistor Adams and Tanya Stricker had their dreams of becoming Mzansi’s top dancer smashed when the judges decided they hadn't sufficiently mastered various dance forms to remain in the competition.
Alistor, a 19-year-old ‘Pop ‘n Lock’ expert from Cape Town and Tanya, a 24-year-old dancer from Pretoria found themselves voted into the bottom three couples for their Saturday performance of the Tango - the same dance that sank Kristin and KG last week.
Also in this weeks bottom three with the fewest votes were couples Taekwondo and Lee; and Blaze and Marise. The sixsome danced for their lives with their solo numbers and following feedback from the judges Tanya and Alistor were eliminated.
Lead judge Harold van Buuren was frank in explaining why he and his fellow judges - David Matemela and Debbie Rakusin - believed the end had come for the two. “You are phenomenal in your genre but you are always the same,” was Van Buuren’s comment to Alistor.
He went on to say that Tanya's solo performance on Tuesday’s show was “better than last week because you are a professional and you strive for perfection .... but the fact that you cannot access different genres works against you.”
Now the attention turns back to the remaining 16 dancers who need to win over the viewing public with their performances on this upcoming Saturday's show (20 September).
As a result of his illness Blaze won't be dancing the show. Marise will dance the Samba with a choreographer's assistant and should Blaze be well enough to dance next Tuesday (23 Sept.) he'll automatically go into the bottom 3 to dance for his life.
Darren and Megan: Afro Fusion
Ashley and Kim: Jazz
Katlego and Elizma: Contemporary Lyrical
Taekwondo and Lee: Quickstep
Bathembu and Tamara: Rhumba
Tania and Nqaba: Hip Hop Slow
Louisa and Tabs – Hip Hop fast
Hip-Hop and Dancehall specialist Tamara-Lee Thompson became the fourth dancer in the Top 20 to leave So You Think You Can Dance South Africa on Tuesday night (23 September) after failing to save herself when asked to dance for her life.
Her eviction followed the disqualification of Blaze Blasbalg from the show after a severe illness laid him low and prevented him from dancing.
Their departures means that for the first time in the competition a new partnership will emerge as Bathembu and Marise team up this week (Bathembu previously partnered Tamara and Marise partnered Blaze).
Tamara’s eviction was not the unanimous choice of the judges, as Head Judge Harold van Buuren acknowledged. He informed Tamara that her inability to shine in genres outside her own had impacted on her performance during the contest.
“This competition is about performance and when you had to dance for your life on tonight’s show we saw your energy decrease,” Van Buuren told Tamara.
It had been hoped that Johannesburg-hip hop specialist Blaze – whose parents had steered him towards a career in mechanical engineering over dance – would be able to attend Saturday night’s live show and dance the Samba with partner Marize, but Blaze’s unexpected illness saw him automatically being disqualified from the competition instead.
Kim and Ash – Contemporary Fast
Lee and Taekwondo – Cha Cha
Marise and Bathembu – Township Jive
Megan and Darren – Pantsula
Elizma and Kathlego – Waltz
Louisa and Thabiso – Krump
Tania and Nqaba – Broadway
It's four weeks into the So You Think You Can Dance live shows and last night (Tuesday, 30 Sept.) saw the competition reach a new benchmark as Louisa Talbot and Katlego Khunou got eliminated - despite both dancers being able to dance.
Over the past few weeks those who've been eliminated bordered on the edge of being deluded but now things are getting to the point of Harold's wise words aka "The dancers are only as good as their last dance."
The Results show opened with dancers doing a hip hop intro. followed by the results of viewers votes. The bottom three couples were:Katlego and Elizma, who danced the Waltz on Saturday's show; Louisa and Thabiso who Krumped; and Tania and Nqaba who danced Broadway.
The sixsome each danced for their lives and then faced their Didi/David/Harold firing squad.
Before eliminating Louisa, Harold commented that the judges hadn't been uninanimious in their decision - an aftermath of their conflict about Louisa's krumping during Saturday night's show.
Didi took flack from both David and Harold over her harsh comments to several contestants. Louisa in particular came in for some strong Didi-isms: “You are the sexiest couple in the show but no-one said you have to get ugly with it,” were her comments to them after their angry krump.
In the end her views krumped Harold and David - who also seemed be influenced by Louisa's dance for her life, saying it wasn't her best.
Louisa said goodbye, had a cry with Sade and Thabiso, Katlego and Nqaba faced the jury. Harold commented that the judges wanted Katlego to be more than a good, stable partner to Elizma and announced that he'd be going home too.
Marise and Bathembu - Hip Hop (fast)
Tania and Nqaba - Paso Doble
Megan and Darren -Jazz
Kim and Ashley - Hip Hop (slow)
Lee and Taekwondo - Afro Fusion (fast)
Thabiso and Elizma - Kwaito
So so so - what do you think of last night's So You Think You Can Dance results show?
Nqaba leaving instead of Taekwondo was rubbish - Taekwondo just did the exact same martial arts vibe he always does. When he started dancing for his life I was convinced the judges were gonna crack and whack him immediately - it makes no sense that they go on about people breaking out of their comfort zones and then had no problem with him doing karate.
Sade felt the same way, obviously that's what her tears were about, like WTF??
Tania's elimination was more understandable - even though it's actually the hairdressers fault. That terrible hairstyle she had on with her ballroom on Saturday did nothing for her dance or face except hide it.
I thought she had such an excellent attitude when she heard the news and said she's so proud of herself. Overall she's had some of my fave moments of the show - I think it was two weeks ago she gave that classic quote that really seemed to capture her essence when she said: "If it was easy it wouldn't be worth it."
Marise and Darren: Kwaito
Megan and Bathembu: Contemporary Lyrical
Lee and Ash: Hip Hop (Fast)
Elizma and Taekwondo: Salsa
Kim and Thabiso: Lyrical Waltz
Another change coming up is that two couples will now be up for elimination instead of three. This makes partnerships extra important 'cos if someone's partner lets them down they've got a 50% chance of leaving.
Harold van Buuren, head judge of SABC1's So You Think You Can Dance, lambasted the South African public on Tuesday night for forcing them to eject one of the most talented dancers from the show.
Megan Erasmus (29), the contemporary and jazz dance specialist from Cape Town and former backing dancer for Lebo Mathosa, was told by Harold that she had danced for the final time during last night's results show, amidst boos from the audience and tears from Megan herself.
Just before informing Megan that she would leave Harold addressed the cameras, saying:
"South Africa ... [dramatic, painful pause as we shifted uncomfortably on our couches, knowing before he said it how guilty we were] ... you have disappointed me.
"These two ladies do not deserve to be in the bottom two. I am devastated. Ladies, we salute you for your dancing and for taking it to another level, but the rules are the rules and one of you has to go."
Although insufficient votes from the public had seen Elizma Wildschutte in the bottom two following Saturday night's live show she was spared by the judges and now makes it into the final eight on So You Think You Can Dance.
Her Saturday night partner, however, joined Megan in being the first to leave the Top 10: Taekwondo Seabi was told by Harold that he has "an amazing and unique style but it does limit you" before the Joburg-based dancer returned to his baby boy, Botlhale and wife, Dineo.
Megan’s partner Bathembu was also spared the cut and joins Elizma, Marise, Thabiso, Lee, Darren, Kim and Ash as So You Think You Can Dance heads to the end of its search to find the most popular dancer in the country.
Megan’s dream of being crowned the So You Think You Can Dance winner has now vanished – just weeks before the second anniversary of the death of her best friend, Lebo Mathosa.
Over the past few weeks So You Think You Can Dance has seen several upsets, including Blaze having to leave the Top 20 following illness, the unexpected
Marise and Bathembu will dance Hip Hop Fast and the Paso Doble
Elizma and Thabiso will dance Afro Fusion Slow and Jazz
Lee and Darren will dance the Samba and Contemporary Fast
Kim and Ash will dance the Tango and Broadway
So You Think You Can Dance is less than two weeks away from crowing Mzansi’s favourite dancer and last night saw the show saying goodbye to Lee Piedt and Darren Greef who danced the Samba and Contemporary in Saturday's show.
Lee, a 25-year old contemporary dancer from Cape Town who has worked with Danny K, Loyiso and the late Lebo Mathosa, bid an emotional farewell after head judge Harold Van Buuren told her she had danced for the last time.
“I feel privileged to have come this far,” Lee said. “I want to say thank you to South Africa for allowing dancers to show the world what the young people of this country can do.”
Before announcing that Lee would be going home, Harold told her that she had “incredible strength for a female dancer” and would give any male in the competition a “run for their money”. In the end her lack of versatility in other genres let her down.
Harold revealed that the judges had been unanimous in their decision to let Lee go instead of her fellow Bottom 2 contender Kim McCusker.
Harold, Didi Moses and David Matamela were also unanimous in sending 20-year old Darren home after he and Ashley Searle were voted the two male dancers in the bottom.
Dubbing the tap dancer “Mr Personality”, Harold had told Darren he needs to display “more masculinity” in his dance work to go to the next level. “I have learnt so much to take into the industry during the competition,” a very choked-up Darren said.
The pressure is now on for the countdown to the end as Kim, Ash, Elizma, Marise, Thabiso and Bathembu prepare to dance for a place in the Top 4 on this Saturday's show.
In next Tuesday night’s results show (28 October) the two couples who receive the least number of votes after Saturday’s show will literally be dancing for a place in the finals - with one guy and one girl seeing their last shot at taking the crown and the R250 000 worth of prizes.
Kim and Bathembu - Kwaito and Cha-cha
Marise and Thabiso - Rumba and Krump
Elizma and Ash - Hip hop (Fast) and Jive
On Saturday night (1 November) 27-year old Capetonian Elizma Wildschutte was officially crowned Mzansi's Favourite dancer in the Grand Finale of So You Think You Can Dance SA held at the Standard Bank Arena, Jozi.
As predicted by TVSA readers in last weeks poll, Elizma danced the title away from her three fellow contenders Kim McCusker, Thabiso Lebuka and Ashley Searle and sped off in a Cherry car, R190 000 richer.
“I am so ecstatic!" Elizma said after the lights went down on the show. "I’d like to thank South Africa for rooting for me; for voting for me, and for making me the winner tonight.”
The hour-and-a-half live finale began with the ultimate Haroldism when the thesaurising head judge told the four finalists they had to dance with such passion they needed to do die in the process.
The four then tried to please him as they performed various partner numbers, as well one solo routine each. Elizma, Kim and Thabiso chose contemporary while Ash opted for his favourite style: theatrical.
In between their sweat and tears the judges were asked to choose their favourite performance from the Top 20 so they could be re-performed.
Harold chose Megan and Bathembu’s contemporary, David Matamela chose Megan and Darren’s pantsula, Didi Moses chose Marise and thin-looking Blaze’s krumping, Debbie Rakusin chose Thabiso and Elizma’s kwaito and Adele Blank chose Kim and Ash’s tango.
The Top 20 also made a comeback to dance as a group to Loyiso's Take Me Back and Loyiso himself performed his track Dali Wami, just before crunch time that came down to Thabiso and Elizma.
Kim was eliminated first in fourth place, then Ash in third position before the final showdown between Elizma and Thabiso.
Both shared their last words before the results were revealed. "I'd like to thank all South Africans for supporting the show," said Thabiso. "It's given dancers a great platform and I think we're going to use it."
"We are going to be the pioneers of
