Megan's Top Routines of All Time (Currently ranking: Contemporary/Modern Routines)

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Megan's Top 50 Contemporary Routines: #31-40

 

A long wait between sets so let's go.

 

 

#40: Billy & Ade - US7 - "Mad World" by Stacey Tookey

I think Billy getting Stacey Tookey a second time really benefited him here. And the fact that she's a fantastic choreographer. She choreographed to all of Billy's strengths (like dancing his best when he's almost effectively doing a solo) and was able to make that into an excellent routine. It's routines like this that really make me think believe that the show would really benefit from getting rid of the opposite sex partnerships. Because of this had been Billy/Lauren or Billy/Ashley or Billy/Kathryn, we aren't getting this routine. But when same-sex partnerships either force the show to be gay or do something different, well both of those are good options, we get some of the most unique contemporaries. And it's a shame this is the only same-sex contemporary routine that made this Top 20.

 

 

#39: Tamara & Redouan - NL6 - "Hometown Glory" by Min Hee Bervoets

Did I include this because I love Tamara and Redouan? Yes. I also included this because I love Min Hee who I feel gets a little overlooked because Isabelle is like the Mia Michaels of Benelux which would make Min Hee the...Stacey Tookey? Maybe more like the Desmond & Dwight since she's not on a lot. Look, it's not a perfect 1/1. Min Hee doesn't get used as much as Isabelle (a little surprising after she was on TUDB 2) but her routines are all quite good as evidenced by the fact that I believe I have 50% of them on this list! I think Tamara and Redouan are such good dancers and I like this a smidge better than their moderns with Giovanni and Anneke respectively.

 

 

 

#38: Lise & Chico - NL3 - "One" by Conny Janssen

I love Lise and Chico and I love Johnny Cash. Easy decision to put this on the list. Anyway, I hate it when Dan doesn't comment in the Benelux version because I rely on him to articulate why I like routines for me. I like Chico's brief little solo. I like how kind of the unusual wide legged movements break up more typical lyrical moves and keep the routine interesting. And again I just like Lise and Chico.

 

 

#37: Katee & Twitch - US4 - "Mercy" by Mia Michaels

I am feeling sentimental and I do love this dance, but originally it didn't make the cut. I think it's because as talented as Mia Michaels can be when she has two contemporary dancers, there are times when she gets hip-hop dancers who clearly don't have any sort of studio training and just doesn't know what to do with them. This is the closest she gets to figuring that out. There's nothing as egregious as when she literally had Cedric sit and Shauna dance a literal solo for 15 seconds of Season 3, but there are long parts where Twitch just stands around and Katee dances. But the parts when she finally figures out what Twitch is good at, she incorporates them better than being like "Cedric freestyle for like 5 seconds" and it feels like an integrated part of the routine. But what I think makes this routine is the chemistry that Twitch and Katee have as well as the charisma they both have. They bring A LOT of stage presence and elevate this routine.

 

 

#36: Nina & Juvat - NL4 -  "Accidental Babies" by Isabelle Beernaert

A little IDF background on this since old IDF is gone and now I'm the IDF SYTYCD historian. Juvat was initially paired with Anna-Alicia. Anna-Alicia was BELOVED before going on the show because she was with Team Isabelle on TUDB1. And the general kind of mediocrity of NL4 pre-Top 10 and Juvat's limitations as a partner, really made IDF down on him (Though I quite like him in his modern with Anna-Alicia as well which almost made this list, and obviously he's quite strong in their hip-hop). I also think the intense love for Anna-Alicia made us overlook Nina at the time. Both of these I think are mistakes years later. (I do love Anna-Alicia tho). Nina was clearly the most talented dancer of NL4 and I think she may have run away with the competition pretty early. And what Juvat lacked a bit as a partner technically in these modern dances, he makes up for it in both HOTNESS and performance ability. (Honestly, what NL4 lacks in great choreography early on it more than makes up for it in hotness. Juvat, Meysam, Anna-Alicia, Gianni, Stephanie. All HOTTIES). When Nina and Juvat paired up I didn't know how this would work. But it works really well. Isabelle Beernaert really took my philosophy of "you can date somebody >1ft taller than you because it doesn't matter when you are sitting and laying down and when he's on his knees" and made it into a dance. But seriously, what works is the maturity from the two of them. It feels like they could be a couple and we are getting in on this intimate moment. And for once the camera work adds to a routine instead of actively detracting from it.

 

#35: Lisa & Vincent - CA1 - "Slow Me Down" by Stacey Tookey

Watch Here: https://vk.com/video-33795674_161817603

I feel sad when I hit like a Canadian routine that I can't find on Youtube. It feels like the show is kind of fading away. Thankfully there are lots of intense people like us who save recordings of all these routines and thus they aren't lost forever. This is Stacey's first piece for the show and she knocked it out of the park quickly establishing herself as Canada's answer to Mia Michaels. Because what separates SYTYCD from the other dance shows is its perceived "prestige" factor and thus you need an incredibly good lyrical choreographer to be on the show to compete with the ballroom dancing of DWTS and hip-hop of ABDC. (I am convinced the success of both caused the US show to really lean in to and emphasize contemporary). Anyway, I easily get off topic because my brain goes everywhere. Lisa and Vincent are two of the best dancers the show has had and they are phenomenal in this.

 

#33: Lauren & Blond - AU4 - "Threads of Silence" by Paul Malek

Watch Here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13JqBnPtwRJGlRWrzjxFXQWnh4upgkpd0/view?usp=share_link

Wow two routines about being homeless in one set! We continue a variety of themes. I am a HUGE Blond fan which I don't think a ton of people here realize. I just love him. I had several of his routines on my short list but I really restrained myself and only threw two of his routines on the list. It is not my fault that he got A LOT of contemporary during his time on the show with generally good choreography and partners. But when it comes to routines that I deem to be equally good, I'll always prefer the more interesting routine and I think Blonde's character work in this puts it ahead. Laura is also quite good. And I am surprised how Paul Malek snuck more routines on this list than Sarah Boulter or Debbie Ellis.

 

 

 

#32: Lisa & Miles - CA1 - "The Face" by Blake McGrath

Another Lisa routine! It's wild that Blake McGrath is like "I'm gonna do this wildly horny routine" and then balances it out with routines like these. A man of MANY layers. I'd say I think that there is a bit of overacting going on, but I don't think you can overact to a Blake McGrath routine, especially to this song. And when the theme is "woman sees the ghost of her lost lover in the mirror and can't see him anymore." Well you had better be dramatic. This is also just a great piece of choreography from Blake and a tv standpoint. Overall just excellent.

 

 

#31: Hailee & Megz - US12 - "Sarajevo" by Stacey Tookey

I can't believe Stacey Tookey choreographed a routine with two women, both with short hair, one openly gay, and then called them "sisters." Stacey. PLZ.

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After contemporary, I’m doing hip-hop

[kritaaay]

I love Mad World so much and I’m always always wanting for more same-sex routines!

 

also I just had to go check whether Min Hee also did Ellen/Danny’s “Formidable” and she did so I’d argue her choreography has more of a Sonya-like quality to it.

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@kritaaay

 

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2 minutes ago, kritaaay said:

also I just had to go check whether Min Hee also did Ellen/Danny’s “Formidable” and she did so I’d argue her choreography has more of a Sonya-like quality to it.

She did do "Formidable." I think I was mostly just comparing who is playing second fiddle to Isabelle. But I don't think Min Hee shows up enough. (Side note, love Min Hee from TUDB and it's a bummer she didn't make the finale against Vincent and that Team Thom did. But Team Thom also gave me two women making out so there's that) (Thom and Rinus had a certain sort of gay flamboyancy to them that I loved).

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Kalila is in this one too

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one choreographed by Remy that has MANY of my favorites.

 

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spoiler alert. this doesn't make my list but i'm having REGRETS.

 

(nothing like going through all of @FrogLenzen's thoughts on NL5 to make me remember how much I love Kalila).

 

 

[totes4totes]

On 3/11/2023 at 7:53 PM, totes4totes said:

After contemporary, I’m doing hip-hop

can you believe 60% of the hip-hop routines are coming from Benelux seasons 5/6