Top 10 Routines of So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation
Getting the kids version out of the way. I enjoyed it more than I thought but at the end of the day, I'd rather watch adults dance. I tended to like the routines where when I watched I thought "now this child could NOT be replaced by an adult and result in a better routine with the exact same choreography." As much as I am CRAVING a new season of So You Think You Can Dance, if Nigel said "KIDS OR NOTHING," I may have to go with nothing.
#10: "Salute"
Gaby and Emma
Top 9
Chloe Arnold - Tap
This was the only tap routine that I thought was memorable this season. And there were many. I almost chose "Walk Like an Egyptian" for this spot but they chose a shitty cover. And I like Chloe Arnold more than the other choreographers. So it was an easy option.
#9: "Panda"
Kida and Fik-Shun
Top 10
Dave Scott - Hip-Hop
TBH could have put like any Kida and Fik-Shun routine at this spot. They were all basically the same. I kid. But at the same time. They were all good but I feel like the choreographers weren't challenged as much to step outside the box. Kida is basically a shorter Fik-Shun. If you compare the breadth of Hip-Hop that Tahani and Comfort had to do compared to Kida and Fik-Shun. Well it ends up with all of their routines blending together. Anyway, it's October so their puppet routine gets the representation here.
#8: "I'm Going Down"
Tahani and Comfort
Top 8
NappyTabs - Lyrical Hip-Hop
Wonky camera-work aside, I enjoyed this routine. Wish it had better camerawork. Chose this over other Comfort/Tahani routines because this was the most "you had to have an adult and child perform this routine."
#7: "My Own"
Jordan and Ruby
Top 10
Dee Caspary - Contemporary
The only child/child routine to make the list. Because I felt as if it were a routine that could only be done by children. It matched the rules for making it. I also just enjoyed Jordan that season.
#6: "She Used to Be Mine"
Kathryn and Tate
Top 8
Contemporary - Travis Wall
I feel like it's a cliche choosing this routine that was so clearly designed to be like awards bait. Emmy bait. Like how some movies are made to be Oscar bait. This season felt a little bit like the Travis Wall "For Your Consideration" reel. To be fair he did win for this season. I am the EMMY VOTERS. LOL.
#5: "Amazing Grace"
Sasha and Jordan
Top 8
Sean Cheesman - Contemporary
This was just a lovely routine and it MOVED me.
#4: "Feel Again"
Jenna, Sasha, Kathryn, Marko, Paul
Top 5
Theresa Stone - Contemporary
TBH if I were more ~~~objective~~~ this wouldn't make my Top 10. But I am not objective and Jenna being the star of a contemporary group routine when Kathryn is RIGHT there is enough to send me ROLLING and this into my Top 10.
#3: "Dangerous"
All-Star Men and Comfort
Top 6
Luther Brown - Hip-Hop
I almost removed the last routine and this one because I couldn't find available screengrabs. I will have to make them myself. Comfort is good. Robert is about as good at hip-hop as JT. That doesn't stop me from ranking this because with Fik-Shun and Marko and Comfort I can ignore the less good Robert and the "I can't believe he's in this group" Jonathan and Paul.
#2: "How Long Will I Love You"
Jenna and Emma
Top 4
Jaci Royal - Contemporary
JENNA DESERVES ONE GOOD ROUTINE. JK. This is good. Again it fills all the requirements: Jenna for some reason being used as a contemporary All-Star and it being a distinctly CHILD-ADULT routine rather than a routine built for an adult and a slightly smaller non-Adult.
#1: "The Mirror"
Robert and J.T.
Top 10/Top 4
Travis Wall - Contemporary
I've known since I started this that it was going to be my Top Routine. If you read my criteria you know that my like Number 1 criteria was that the routine would not be a impactful without a child. And because Robert and JT probably have the biggest difference age wise and looks wise, JT and Robert's routines really stood out in that category for me because the choreographers basically couldn't give them the exact same choreography (there's a lot of good hip-hop from Kida and Fik-Shun this season but it kind of falls in the category of I could see that on a normal season with like Fik-Shun and Dassy). I could have had like half the list with JT and Robert routines, but I restrained myself and chose one. Overall, I think that this is just a really touching and emotional routine from an adult confronting their past. And I will admit that though it's very literal, I love the use of "The Mirror" by Alexandre Desplat because in the end I will always be a fan of Alexadre Desplat.
AND NOW I AM DONE WITH THE CHILDREN SEASON. I will move on to a different season now.