Paula Abdul: New Job?

Since Paula Abdul is no longer going to be a judge on American Idol, we have heard rumors about what her new job will be. She has been entertaining offers to be a judge on "So You Think You Can Dance"... please, oh please ... I hope she replaces Mary as a judge!!!!

She has also been approached to participate as a dancer on Dancing with the Stars.

Does anyone else have suggestions on what Paula's new job should be?
And will you still watch American Idol if Paula is not there?

And we have a winner! A New American Idol is crowned....

Well, I have to say some of the performances tonight were utterly painful but I won't name any names. I was surprised to see how many great stars were included in the duets and it was fun to see who former contestants were paired with.

And for those who didn't want to see the spoiler in the first paragraph....

Our new American Idol winner is ...

Kris Allen!

I was actually very surprised as I thought Adam Lambert would win - since he's become such a media darling... but personally I was happy to see Kris Allen become the new American Idol winner. Please don't send me hate messages -- I know many of you are adoring fans of Adam... but I think Kris will fill the "main stream" audience (ie country, pop) and Adam will go on to do great things for the rocker and alternative music fans.

Was anyone else surprised?

(Note: I think the Danny Gokey fans probably voted for Kris - which put him over the top.)

I also have to add that I'm totally and completely psyched for the new "So You Think You Can Dance!" The talent there is utterly amazing and I LOVE THAT SHOW!!!!!

So You Think You Can Dance - Winner!

I know I didn't blog about the top 4 - but after watching the final performances -- I have to mention the following...

I picked Lacey to win at the beginning, but she kind of stayed the same -- and even became a little bit less genuine towards the end -- playing to the crowd and judges, and not really her true self. I think any of the top 4 were good enough to win. However both Danny and Sabra came out of their shells and began to shine as the competition wore on. So I was not surprised that they were in the top 2.

I'm really happy for Sabra -- she's darling, a great dancer and I think America's new sweetheart!

I can't wait until next season.

P.S. I just don't have words to describe Cat Deeley's dress/fluffy/strange creation she was wearing. What in the world WAS that?

So You Think You Can Dance - Down to 6

So, I had to Tivo this past week's "So You Think You Can Dance". Thank goodness for Tivo huh.

The show started with Danny being paired with Sara and dancing an Argentine Tango. They did some cool tricks including the "human pretzel" which was fun. Their second number was HipHop which I ususally love, but it didn't work for me -- Mary didn't like it either. It felt a bit awkward. I suspect they'll be in the bottom 2.

Then Dominic and Lauren performed a Krump which didn't work for me. I didn't feel any chemistry and it didn't seem like they hit it hard enough. I was a little disappointed because ususally I love watching this type of dance. The second number was a Rumba. Lauren did a great job but Dominic didn't do much for me personally in this dance. They'll most likely be in the bottom 2.

Neil and Lacey were paired and did a Latin Jazz number. I liked it okay, but the judges didn't seem to feel any chemistry. Mary mentioned to Lacey that she needed to pay attention to her partner and as they showed the replay it was obvious that the performance was lacking in that area. I was really excited for Neil and Lacey's second number -- a contemporary piece by Mia Michaels. The performance -- wow! This is what the show is all about. It made me cry -- very powerful -- very beautiful -- vulnerable -- full of the beauty of dance. I loved it! It was REAL!

Sabra and Pasha were an interesting pairing. They did a Broadway number which I didn't love. None of the first dances really did anything to touch me although I did feel like they all did a good job. Their second number was a Quickstep. I don't see them as a pair and I thought it would be hard to follow Neil and Lacey's emotionall number, but they did a good job. Sabra is delightful and genuine. I think she may actually beat out Lacey for the winning spot.

So my predictions for tonight are: Danny, Dominic and Sara, Lauren in the bottom 4 -- and Dominic and Sara leaving.

I'm BACK!

I just watched the results show and can I just say "WHAT??? Neil in the bottom 2?" That was a huge surprise to me...

I did get Dominic and Sara going home, and Lauren in the bottom. But shocker that Neil was in the bottom group as well. I think he'll still be around next week because his fans will have been shocked into trying to keep him in the competition. However, Danny has been growing on me (and probably other audience members), so maybe he'll stay too.

My guess is that Pasha and Lauren will be next to go ... (but that's only a guess and anything can happen after this coming week's show.) Stay tuned...

So You Think You Can Dance - Down to 8

I have to say I was a little bit surprised when Lauren was put into the bottom two during tonight's "So You Think You Can Dance", but I had predicted Jaimie being there. I thought Sara would be there as well, rather than Lauren.

I think I predicted the bottom two guys -- Kameron and Dominic. Dominic's solo was amazing. I had forgotten he was a b-boy.

So it turns out that the two who were sent home tonight on "So You Think You Can Dance" were Jaimie and Kameron.

I have to say I was SHOCKED and actually gasped out loud when they announced Kameron. I knew he was at risk, but I thought for sure Dominic would go first.

Anyway, I love the show and can't wait for next week!

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 10 Review

Here is the latest review of "So You Think You Can Dance". Last night the top 10 contestants performed. I'm offering predictions and review for your interest. I'd love to hear your opinions.

Cat Deeley (the host) came out in a dress that looked more like a short blue Roman toga -- it didn't work -- but most of the time she looks great.

Lauren and Pasha were first to perform -- they did Hip Hop. It was good, but nothing excellent in my opinion. But I think they'll both be safe tonight.

Jaimie - solo dance. She's a great dancer and I really enjoyed her performance of Wade's "Peace" dance. I think she's very talented, but will probably go home tonight for the fact that she hasn't seemed to connect to the audience as much as some of the others.

Dominic - solo. It just didn't work for me. It felt stiff and unnatural. He's at risk and I think will probably end up going home tonight or soon.

Sabra and Kameron did a beautiful contemporary number to "Amazing Grace" by Crystal Lewis. Sabra had beautiful lines and it felt like a celebration. I loved watching her -- which is why I probably missed some of the reasons the judges criticized Kameron. On the replay I could see what they meant about his lines not extending. But I think with his personality he should probably be okay tonight (but he is at risk if he doesn't step it up.) After Sabra's performance tonight -- I think she's a contender for winning (along with Lacey and Neil).

Sara - solo. It was just okay for me. Nigel said she "danced small" and on the replay I could see what he was talking about -- that's probably why I didn't love it. I do this she's at risk - although she's a darling girl - she just hasn't seemed to shine as much as some of the others.

Pasha - solo. It was okay. By the time he performed I was tired of the same solo song and dance number. I'm hoping they don't do that again -- have every dancer do the same number. I guess there's benefit in comparing dancers, but it got pretty old.

Lacey / Danny - Samba. It was a little "too sexy" for my taste. I think Lacey is running the risk of getting too confident and not seeming humble for the audience -- which may turn people off. She's a brilliant dancer, but Sabre's reaction to compliments tonight was so much more becoming and sweet. I hope Lacey will get a dance next week to show her vulnerability rather than just "sexy".

Lauren - solo. It was GREAT!. She was the first one I actually bought the whole dance with. She's growing on me and seeming to shine more.

Neil - solo. I like his solo - he's just so cute. Even though it wasn't the best technically, he's got such a fun personality I think audience members will vote for him -- I predict he has a huge fan base and is a contender for the win.

Sabra -- really good solo. She's just so genuine and I think each week will pick up new voting fans. Mia Michaels almost made Sabra cry when she said she didn't know who her favorite was until tonight. Sweet.

Kameron. His solo was just okay for me. I think he's at risk but I like him.

Jaimie / Dominic - did a Viennese Waltz. I did not like the Spanish flavor. It didn't feel like a Waltz at all. I didn't work. The judges ripped the whole performance apart - and although I didn't like it - it was pretty harsh criticism. I think they are both going to go home tonight.

Lacey - solo. Her solo was great. I love the way she moves -- she's a natural dancer.

Danny. His solo was great. He's beginning to grow on me. If he can be more open and genuine I think he'll stick around longer. He's an amazing dancer -- just needs to feel that emotional connection. The judges all comment about his walls needing to come down, so I'm not the only one feeling that lack.

Sara / Neil - performed a Disco. It was delightful. I loved it. It was very fun and entertaining -- I had a permagrin while I was watching. Although I think Neil was more fun to watch than Sara (who I'm afraid will get overlooked by fans).

So, here is my recap / predictions for tonight's show.

I think Jaimie and Dominic will go home. Although Sara and Kameron are also at risk for leaving. I'm just not sure who will have the larger fan base at this point.

Contenders for the winner are again: Lacey and Neil -- and Sabra has been added to that list now.

I love "So You Think You Can Dance" -- it's full of amazing talent -- not only with the dancers, but also the choreographers. If you haven't seen it -- I actually like it better than "American Idol" if you can imagine that. :-) It's a must-see in my book!

Top 10 Dancers

Okay -- so I've been on vacation and haven't blogged lately -- but thank goodness for Tivo. I just finished watching "So You Think You Can Dance". I did feel a little vindicated that I was right last week about the bottom 3 couples -- not that I get satisfaction in anyone going home... But I didn't guess that Shauna would go home.

This week the top 12 danced. It wasn't my favorite week for some reason. I think all of the dances were pretty good, but somewhere along the line, nothing seemed to really impress my as spectacular or moving. In fact, some of the dances were a little bit strange.

My predictions were accurate for 2 of the bottom couples -- Jamie and Hok, and Anya and Danny. I didn't think Lauren and Neil would be in the bottom three -- although their dance was a bit strange this week, so perhaps that explains it. I usually love Mia Michaels choreography, but this week just seemed a little disconnected rather than filled with great emotion.

I knew Hok was going to go home, but I'm sad about it because he's such an incredible dancer. I thought Anya would have gone home last week, so I wasn't too surprised about her leaving this week. She's a great dancer, but I think she doesn't connect with the audience as much as some of the others.

It was a little hard to call this week, and I didn't agree with the judges on at least 4 of the dances. They loved the foxtrot by Anya and Danny, and it was nice, but I found myself tuning out, and feeling a little bit bored, although I love the foxtrot.

Anyway, this season of "So You Think You Can Dance" is going to be hard to call -- the top 10 dancers are all incredible. So I think personality and the "IT" factor are going to make the difference. I have predicted that Lacey Schwimmer will win the competition, but I think Neil has a good chance too because of his personality as well as his dancing. The other dancers are great, but I'm not sure they'll have the fan base as Lacey and Neil.

It's going to be a great season!

So You Think You Can Dance - Lacey Schwimmer Spotlight

There is a great article about Lacey Schwimmer from "So You Think You Can Dance" on Meridian Magazine. I really enjoyed reading it and thought you might too.

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 14 Review

Yeah!!!! So You Think You Can Dance is BACK! I missed it last week with the holiday, but everyone came back with full force.

So here is my review of the top 14...

Lacey & Cameron (Hustle). So this was not my favorite dance but they did a great job. And Lacey has such a great personality I think they'll be safe again this week.

Shauna & Cedric (Mambo). This just didn't feel very Latin to me -- no passion in it. Although I really like Cedric. But I think they'll be in the bottom 3 and he'll probably go home this week.

Danny & Anya (Contemporary). Danny is a great technical dancer, but there is a disconnect somewhere -- I just never really feel joy watching him even though he's a great dancer. I thought Anya looked great as a blonde -- it kind of softened her look. But I think these two will be in the bottom three, not because the dance wasn't good -- it was -- but because I don't think they connect to the audience as much as some of the other couples.

Pasha & Sara (West Coast Swing). I have to admit that Pasha is growing on me. He wasn't my favorite at the beginning, and still isn't my favorite, but his personality is showing through more so that's great. I LOVED seeing Benji again -- and having him teach was so great! It made me remember why he is so loved by America. But about the performance.... I have to say that I was a bit distracted by the song -- horrible, awful, repeating song "check it out now, the funks so rubber" what in the world??? I just wanted the song to end! But I had the show in Tivo -- so I played it back with the music off and I loved it. :-) Great choreography by Benji.

Sabre & Dominic (Hip Hop). I love Shane Sparks -- he's such a great choreographer. Both of these two are becoming more like-able as time goes on. I hope they will be safe again this week -- and the dance was great.

Jamie & Hok (Waltz). I have to say I was really nervous for Hok when I saw they were going to do the waltz. I thought Jamie danced beautifully -- it was wonderful to watch her. And I think they are such a great couple -- wish they would be safe, but I predict they'll be in the bottom three.

Lauren & Neil (Jazz). I just love Neil! I think he's going to be a contender for the winner of So You Think You Can Dance. He's just so cute and like-able. They did a great job.

So, my predictions for this week. Definitely Shauna & Cedric, and Danny & Anya will be in the bottom three. But the other couple is a little bit "iffy" -- probably Jamie & Hok just based on the dance this week.

Then I think Cedric will be sent home, and probably Anya because her individual dancing isn't necessarily as good as the others.

Let's see what happens.... (And if you have your own opinions, please feel free to comment.)

So You Think You Can Dance Results

Wow -- last week's So You Think You Can Dance had quite a few surprises. I thought Jessie did a good job but then she still was sent home. I don't think anyone was more surprised than she was.

I'm glad that Cedric is around for another week. And having Jesus go home was okay with me, although he is a good dancer.

I'm going to miss the show this week -- I wish they weren't taking the week off, but it will be interesting to see if the dancing is even that much better with the extra time.

So You Think You Can Dance - Top 16 Review

I have to say that I really love "So You Think You Can Dance". The talent this season is incredible and I love feeling inspired after watching.

So, here is my review and recap of the top 16 dancers.

First, I want to give my prediction that I think Lacey will win. Her first dance with the Mia Michaels contemporary dance was amazing and powerful. Her personality will win over fans. She stands out with her strong personality and she's really great to watch.

Sara and Jesus (Krumping): I know the judges liked the number, but it felt to me that Sara was trying a little bit too hard. Jesus looked natural and it was fun to watch -- but I think they may struggle a bit because they may not connect as much to the audience.

Shauna and Cedric (Contemporary): I usually love Mia Michaels routines, but for some reason this one didn't do much for me. Perhaps it was Cedric's performance, but I really like the kid -- and I thought Mary's critique was really harsh -- telling him she thought he should not be in the competition any longer. With that type of comment, I'm not sure he'll even be in the bottom three, simply because his fans will rally behind him. He's an incredible dancer in his own style, and I was glad to hear that Debbie Allen will give him a scholarship to her dance school. If he is in the bottom three, he'll be going home, but I think will be okay with it. Shauna is a cute girl, but for some reason she doesn't stand out for me.

Lacey and Cameron (Quick Step): They are true entertainers and it was a pleasure to watch this week. Love them!

Anya and Danny (Hip Hop): Both are good dancers, but not my favorites. I just don't understand how the judges can say they are the "Dream Team". None of their dances have really worked for me. Nigel did say that tonight he felt they were not comfortable while they were dancing -- and I agreed with that. The routine was cool, but perhaps it was a missing connection that made me think they'll be in the bottom three.

Sabra and Dominic (Rumba): They did a great job and I agreed with the judges on their critiques. However, there is something missing in the personality department which I think will put them in the bottom three. I can't imagine fans picking them as the favorites yet. So it's not necessarily about the dancing, but more about the fan base.

Lauren and Neil (Tango): They may be in the bottom three this week, although I think Neil has got it made with the young girl fans. He's got a great personality and is really cute. But the dance this week, I found myself tuning out about half way through.

Jamie and Hok (Jazz): Hok is such an amazing dancer in his own style -- and his personality is great -- so I think he's going to have a pretty big fan base. The dance this week was very strange in a beautiful way. I think they're safe another week.

Pasha and Jessie (Cha Cha): I felt really bad for Jessie ending up going to the hospital. I hope she's okay -- and doesn't come back to dance for her life tomorrow unless it's safe for her health. Pasha did a good job, but it was a bit awkward to see him being all sexy with a woman who is probably older than his mother. EWWWW! I think he'll be safe though this week.

My prediction is that Jessie won't come back and will get sent home, and that Cedric will also go home this week.

Anyway, I think "So You Think You Can Dance" is one of the best reality TV shows simply because the talent is truly amazing, and it's so fun to watch the different styles and get to know such great choreographers as well. If you haven't seen it yet, don't miss another episode.

So You Think You Can Dance

Well, since American Idol is over for the season, I guess I'll start blogging about "So You Think You Can Dance."

I got hooked on this show the first season, and the second season was so glad when Benji won -- his personality totally won over the audience.

I love the quality of talent on this show -- it's amazing to see how some of the dancers look so graceful and natural -- beautiful!

So during the audition process I was not too surprised to see some of the same tactics that American Idol uses in showcasing some strange and not so good dancers. Of of the most unique was a guy who called himself the "Gold Inferno". He wore a gold mask through the whole audition process. I felt bad for him -- he seemed like he had a mental illness or something -- and I wish they wouldn't really make fun of people even though they are a bit strange. Some of it was pretty brutal -- especially when the heavy guy came out to dance. He was quite heavy and when his shirt came up and his belly hung out it wasn't pretty to watch. But he was really quite flexible and could dance pretty good -- but I felt bad for him because you could tell how much he loved to dance.

My favorite part was listening to Mary laugh and to watch Nigel laughing so hard and try to regain his composure. Very funny.

I'm also really glad that Hok is back -- he is so amazing and a great entertainer. I'm excited for this season. It seems like there is going to be some really great talent this season on So You Think You Can Dance.