-
Paleo Banana Bread
After starting the paleo diet, I started craving the exact foods I wasn’t allowed to eat. This is my first...
-
Apologies for the terrible image quality - I’m lacking scanner access at the minute so I had to take these photos on my phone
I was...
-
Extended Standing Leg Stretch Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
One of the biggest myths about...
-
This is my favorite part of racing - all the supporters. And I always high five all the kids :)
-
“
If you think that the nice guy ranting only happens on the internet, you’ve never had to deal with your thoroughly drunken friend shouting about how...
”
As a former dancer, I know how physically demanding dance can be. You have to be an INCREDIBLE athlete to power through new routines, learn new tricks and dance for hours a day in rehearsal.
I’ve been watching So You Think You Can Dance for years, but this season is by far THE most exciting (though I admit, I don’t like the new voting format). The dancers this year are phenomenal, highly skilled and so, so, so strong. HELLA STRONG!
Thought I’d put together my highlight reel from last night’s show! So many firsts, great performances and a wonderful celebration of different genres.
1. Eliana & Tiffany sass up Broadway. Eliana is a ballet dancer who also dabbles in pole dancing and Tiffany (who is so young it hurts, lol) is a power house contemporary dancer. This is the first time the show has used pole dancing in any show. Very, very cool.
2. Cyrus & Twitch conquer animation. The control required to do this style of dance is unbelievable. Our bodies move as units, and isolating motions in any one area (especially at the speed & power these guys do) is mindblowing. Most ‘animators’ don’t use choreography, so making a routine for two is also a huge feat. Also a first for the show.
3. Cyrus & Tiffany put their hearts into lyrical hip hop. The lifts are incredible. And Tiffany is such a mini-powerhouse! Who knew? Love this routine. (well done Cyrus by the way. Animation is NOT hip hop, and learning this kind of choreography is difficult for those who aren’t used to it). It’s not surprising that neither of them have ever been in the bottom.
So You Think You Can Dance: Top 20 Performs
Disclaimer & confession: I’m a dance fanatic. Summer dance shows make me giddy. And this year is no exception!
So much power! HELLA strong ladies and gents. The top 10 girls are the strongest I think the show’s ever had. Warrior ladies, all of them. And the fellas aren’t so bad either. And praise the dance gods, this seems to be another shirtless year! Yay, man candy!
Dancers are elite athletes: the things they can do with their bodies, the power they generate and the control they exhibit sometimes defies human limitation (and imagination). Hours of rehearsal. Blood. Sweat. Tears.
As a former dancer, seeing how far dance has come, in part due to shows like this (it’s NOT like Dancing With The Stars) is amazing. The things dancers can do these days is incredible: dance has evolved and styles are coming together to form new genres every day. And while I love watching dancers who’ve trained their whole lives to dance professionally, my heart definitely lies with dancers who haven’t taken conventional routes to get to the top 20.
The video above showcases 3 such dancers: Brandon is a stepper. Cyrus is an animator (like popping… on steroids) and Cole? A martial arts king. None of them are conventional dancers, and have stepped out of the box to combine their styles with genres that even the best dancers cannot learn overnight.
They are MASTERS in their own right, but not the kind of dancers that usually make it through to the top 20. Very excited to see how the choreographers tap into their unique set of skills this year!
Skip ahead to 6:08 to see them do their thing for the first time on stage! INCREDIBLE.
I love Stacey’s work. As a fellow Canadian, I swell with a little bit of pride whenever I see her name as a judge or choreographer on So You Think You Can Dance. And she’s added a few Emmy nominations to her accolades thanks to her work on the show (see her emmy nominated choreography at the bottom of this post).
‘Tooks’ sat down with Fit Sugar this week to talk dancing, fitness and food. But while the interview was interesting on its own, I ALSO happened across a letter Tookey posted to her younger self that I drew inspiration from.
While she’s used to being behind the scenes, this interview showcases a different Tookey all together, one who’s getting used to a body that’s healing & new found fame. Her letter to herself is inspirational and highlights that ‘I wish I knew then…’ mentality that comes with getting older. I’ve shared excerpts from her interview with Fit Sugar as well as her letter to herself below.
FS: How do you stay in shape, especially since you are on the road so much?
ST: I think Pilates is a great way to stay strong, because it was designed for dancers. When you are about to do a full performance, you don’t want to work out at the gym for three hours. For me that doesn’t worked; I have to pace myself. I usually do yoga or take a Pilates class to keep my body in shape but not strain it. Sometimes I’m traveling three countries in a week and am lucky if I can do a warmup by myself in the studio before I begin creating.FS: When choreographing, are you still dancing the moves yourself or are you on the sidelines?
ST: I recently had hip surgery. It’s been traumatic, because a week after the surgery, I was in crutches trying to choreograph. It was very frustrating for me, because I still like to choreograph with my body. I had to start creating in a chair and depend a lot more on my assistants. I’m used to doing my daily workout, going into the studio, creating with my body, and sweating. When you are not able to do that, the reward is now how the work looks through someone else. I’m going through a bit of a transformation now.FS: What does your diet look like, and how do you maintain it?
ST: I have a lot of diet restrictions and food sensitivities. I see an acupuncturist who has honestly changed my life. She makes sure my body is in optimal shape for all the traveling and long hours that I work. I don’t eat gluten, dairy, or processed sugar. I just dropped coffee this past year. That was huge one for me. It’s not easy to keep on the road, but in my house, I don’t have any of those foods. I start my day with a green smoothie. I’ll pack a blender if I have to to get my smoothie with kale, spinach, pineapple, celery, protein, flax seed oil, and coconut water. I know that if I fall off track later in the day, at least I started out with all those greens.
Stacey’s letter to her younger self from Dance Spirit Magazine…
Dear Stacey,
Don’t let fear hold you back. Being scared is an essential part of life. If you believe in your talent, you’ll discover that you’re the only person standing in your way.
Treat your body with love and respect. Listen to it. If you need to rest, REST! Dancing through your injuries won’t make you a hero—instead, it will prolong your healing time, damage your body further and add to your frustration. You only have one body. Worship it.
Work hard at achieving perfection, but don’t beat yourself up. Being overly self-critical works to your disadvantage. (When you roll your eyes at yourself because you messed up a combination, it can be perceived as having a bad attitude.) Lighten up! It’s OK to make mistakes.
You’ll have ups and downs, but trust in the fact that you’re on the right track. Try not to be in a hurry to achieve everything all at once, because if you rush you’ll miss the fun of it all. The race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.
Love,
Older and (a bit) wiser
Stacey Tookey
P.S. Take singing lessons!
Tookey’s Emmy Nominated Choreography for ‘Fear’, danced by Kathryn & Legacy.
You know I love me some So You Think You Can Dance. I don’t hide my love very well, do I?
This year has been chock full of memorable routines, and I’m so pleased that my top two girls (Melanie & Sasha) have made it to the finale!
Travis Wall is one of my favorite dancers from Season 2, and is now one of the best choreographers the show has to offer. Here’s a list of his top 10 best routines from Season 1 to Season 8.
Click here for the best of my dance-y posts…
Will YOU be watching tonight? Who do you think will win?
In case you missed it…
This performance is FILLED with ‘I wish I could do that’.
Classical dance, martial arts, hip hop fusion, combined with a little bad-assery & some class, I think.
Stunning. Standing ovation from this lady for sure.
Performance of the night…Standing Ovation for Sasha & Melanie
‘As far as I’m concerned, everyone should pack up and go home because that was the performance of the evening’ - Lady Gaga
Still plenty of time to learn the routines!
Pick from any of the 3 routines: beginner, intermediate or advanced. Grab your boys, your girls, your friends, your family, your students, your co-workers EVERYONE!
Let’s get dance-y!
National Dance Day 2011! Learn The Choreography For All Three Routines
Check out these videos of dancers around the country learning the choreography! You don’t have to be a dance superstar, it’s all in the attitude!
xo See ya Sunday!
Have you been watching? You should be!
Let’s just say, my mind’s been blown more than a few times this season. I’ve seen favorites come and go, but also some incredible choreography. These dancers are INCREDIBLE!
In addition to the awesome dancage, I’ve also been falling in love with the music from the show. Every year, the show fills my iPod with new & old tunes that I obsess about. Here’s an updated playlist that includes some of my FAVS from the routines so far this year. The tempo varies, but the faster stuff is at the beginning (better for cardio) & the tunes towards the end are ideal for stretching or strength training.
Psst - Don’t forget about National Dance day! July 31st is fast approaching. There’s a routine for every style & every level, and six flag parks around the nation are participating. Learn the moves!
So You Think You Can Dance Season 8- Top Ten Girls
Seriously, STRONG ladies. And we LOVE strong ladies!
“Pop Drop & Roll”—Chonique Sneed & Lisette Bustamante
Choreography by Sonya Tayeh
National Dance Day is coming July 31st!
I want you to do it with me!
Get the deets, choose YOUR level of choreography (video instructions included for ALL levels) & spread the dance love!
Who’s getting dance-y with me on the 31st?! C’mon, you know you wanna. :)
Listen up dance freaks!
National Dance Day is coming up and I am issuing YOU a DANCE CHALLENGE! (don’t worry, you can choose your level!)
I’ll be learning all three routines over the next few weeks, and posting them here. And I want you to do it with me!
Details:
National Dance Day is July 30, 2011 and events will include local celebrations at participating Six Flags parks across the country (more locations will be published soon). Below are three National Dance Day choreography videos for different levels of expertise, making it possible for people of all ages and dance backgrounds to celebrate.
RSVP to the National Dance Day event on Facebook!
Visit Dance4YourLife.org for more information about National Dance Day.
Learn the choreography & choose your own level, after the jump!
Nike Rockstar Workout
Dancing is a total body workout (one look at the dancers from this season of So You Think You Can Dance will tell you that!). It’s also fun, challenging and a great way to keep your fitness routine from being too boring.
Give this workout a try! Play it a few times, master the steps, then add some music. Maybe invite a friend over… :)
Have fun!
Best performance from So You Think You Can Dance last night…
Nigel’s right… I smell an Emmy too!
Breathtaking.
One month until season 8 starts! Are you ready?!
In case you can’t tell, I’m very, VERY excited.
I’m a whore for So You Think You Can Dance (and America’s Best Dance Crew). I love the dancing but even more, I love what the shows have inspired in terms of dance as a sport.
I also find tons of dance-y, high BPM music to add to my workout playlists every season. So, as the countdown for season 8 begins, I went through some of my favorites from all 7 seasons, and mixed them up with a bit of fitness love.
You won’t find many ballads here (these are for cardio/strength training mostly), but I’ll probably end up making a new one rather soon.
Sweet. As always, I use Grooveshark for my playlists, and am not responsible for the content. It’s a great way for me to customize my workouts and try new music before I buy and if I love the song, I usually end up buying it (or the whole album) for my iPod. Press play, but remember to support your favorite artists and buy!
Psst: Remember that I LOVE new music suggestions, especially dance-able tracks. Keep ‘em coming!
Best of So You Think You Can Dance Part One
Best of So You Think You Can Dance Part Two
