Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition recap: Cirque du No Way!

And we’re down to the final four on this week’s Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition! Abby even knows who she’d pick for a winner — a dancer with Amanda’s feet, Brianna’s strength, Asia’s face and Madison’s leaps and turns. But given that no such creature exists, let’s get on with the competition.

This week, the challenge is balance. The theme is The Circus. And the product placement is Paramount’s only-in-theaters 3D movie experience Cirque du Soleil’s World’s Away — which the girls are going to be the very first people to get a peek at. But this isn’t just a special treat for making it to the Final Fabulous Four. Abby wants the girls to study what the dancers do well and learn from it.

Then comes the special treat. The winner of the challenge will receive — courtesy of Cirque du Soleil — 2 plane tickets, hotel accommodations and an invitation to attend the world premiere of the film in New York City.

Then comes the special prop — a balance beam. A little feller, maybe half a foot off the floor. Asia says she’s going to do a-mazing because she knows the balance beam and the other girls don’t. Turns out, that’s actually the case — Asia is the only trained gymnast in the room. Plus, she has the lowest center of gravity. I wonder if Kristie has already headed back to her hotel room to pack for NYC. Nope. She’s still there. Beaming about the guest choreographer being from Brittany Spears’ Circus Tour. Enh. Get it? Circus Tour choreographer for Circus week. Good one, AUDC.

The choreographer’s name is Shannon Beach. And Shannon Beach only has 20 minutes to teach the girls the Dance of Happy Travels. The girls look completely unnerved by that. Despite Asia’s comfort with the prop, even Kristie’s worried that the short timeframe coupled with Asia’s natural tendency to be one beat behind on the choreo could cause her to, uh, fall short.

Oh boy. Shannon Beach just slid into a nice controlled splits on the beam, beamed at the girls like she just invented the move … and damn near gave Mayelin, especially, a heart attack.

Asia aces the beam split. Amanda comes close, but falls. Brianna, too. Madison has the longest way down — and the most trepidation. I don’t think this is her competition to win. And Abby’s back already. How did it go, she wants to know. “It was ohhhhkaaaay,” shrugs Shannon. OK ain’t winning a trip to the Big Apple, so let’s see who pulls off perfection.

Asia’s first. She manages to pull her leg up past her ear and sink into an almost perfect split, but plops off, just shy of total success. She tries this to see if it will salvage anything.

 

Abby looks at her like she’s poorly constructed puppy, turns to Kevin and says, “It’s cute and it’s little. It’s … ridiculous.”

Yes, but ridiculous good or, you know, ridiculous ridiculous?

That would be the latter. Without Asia’s Robin/Richy cheer squad on hand to overlook the technicals, Abby zeroes in on the mugging child and admonishes, “I feel like you’re trying to pull one over on me all the time. ‘I can’t do the steps, but I’m just really cute, Miss Abby!”

Coreen is relieved.

Brianna is next. Like Asia, her leg lift goes perfectly and she falls out of the splits. “So close,” sighs Abby. “AUGH! THERE GOES MY TWO TICKETS TO NEW YORK!” wails Kris.

Not much different for Amanda. She looks exceptionally graceful in the leg lift and in her descent into the splits, but she falls off anyway.

Madison does least well of all. Before her long, long legs can come close to spanning the length of the beam, she pitches forward onto her palms.

“There are smart kids that just aren’t getting it,” growls Abby. She tells Asia she is doing really advanced, big-girl steps without the proper training. Though this challenge was ostensibly about being able to maintain a split on the balance beam, Abby suddenly goes off on Madison about her face. “Get a video camera, tape her face and see what she looks like!” she screams at Madison while pointing to Asia. Or you could tape Abby’s face. It’s pretty expressive right about now. Especially when she says she wants to chop Madison’s and Asia’s heads off and put Asia’s mugging noggin on Madison’s talented body. Asia’s a little worried about that sudden revelation and looks toward her mother to make sure she wouldn’t actually let that happen.

And the rage train rolls on, with the balance boxcar left way back at Asia station. Abby tells Brianna she has horrendous feet and she knows it and she has to fix that or wear heels. Kris doesn’t know why Abby is being so harsh, either. “It’s not what you say, “ she sighs of the ferocious criticism. “It’s how you say it. How you deliver it.” Maybe Kris hasn’t watched Dance Moms, either.

Amanda’s on the firing line next. “You think in your mind that you’re giving me all of these facial expressions and I’m seeing three emotional levels during the performance your nailing it,” Abby snaps. “And it’s little. It’s nothing.”

Mayelin vows to make it something.

Then she tells everyone the challenge was bad. I maybe think Kevin’s getting the plane tickets. Or Abby’s keeping ’em. Nope. Amanda is getting a very big prize for Abby’s version of a bad performance. I think Abby made the right decision. The girl may not have stuck the splits, but she was by far the most elegant throughout the attempt.

Abby admonishes her to take the correction about her face, comprehend it and apply it. In other words, forget your body, kid. It’s all about your mug. “It wasn’t that you were the best,” she tells Amanda. “You were just the best of the worst.”

“I got robbed,” says Asia. Consider it karma for all the times you stole victory away from more technically sound dancers, little muffin. Also, anybody else think Amanda reminds them of a dark haired Chloe, for all her even-tempered elegance? I just got a big dose of that right now during her charmingly giggly aside.

For the competition round, each of the girls will have a solo and take part in a group dance. Abby says Asia needs to improve her technique. Madison and Amanda need to work on their facial expressions. And Brianna has to let go.

Oh, this makes me happy — Madison got a lyrical dance choreographed by Ricky Marcelino Palamino. If Amanda gets a lyrical dance, too, it’ll be my favorite episode ever.

Coreen, who’s a pretty even-keeled gal herself, tries to coach her girl in emotional performance, but Madison scolds that she’s not a dance teacher. Coreen wisely invokes the names of the banes of all of their collective existence — Kristie and Asia — to remind her suddenly sassy girl of what’s at stake. You can non-emote that kid right into the final, Miss Madison. Just … don’t.

No lyrical for Amanda; she’s got a jazz dance choreographed by the ever surlier Anthony Burrell. I’m not too happy about this at all. Jazz requires a lot of big faces and even at her biggest, Amanda’s going to still look like a music box ballerina. “Everyone keeps telling me to dance like Asia,” she laments. “That’s her thing. It’s not mine!” Also she feels AB’s choreography isn’t that great either.

Coreen shows up for moral support — or to scout her kid’s comrade in lacking facial expressions — and Mayelin warns her to not make any noises. Privately, she wishes she would just go away.

Meantime, Anthony has decided he’s just going scare the emotion right out of Amanda, bellowing away at the child to emote for the living love of God. “You’re spatially challenged, facially challenged — go figure it out.” I think Anthony wants to go back to working with grown ups. Like, now. To wit … he just walked out of Amanda’s practice. Hey. Quitter.

Ricky Marcelino Palomino is also choreographing Brianna’s musical theater solo, in which she will play a clown. Her job, she says, is to make the judges laugh. No, Toots. Your job is to make faces. Lots of them. Lots and lots. The face is the thing. I should call this recap About Face.

Brianna says she’s too serious a dancer to play a clown. Kris is a little freaked out, too.

Oh oh. Speaking of serious, Anthony is also choreographing Asia’s solo about captive animals. Well you’re going to get yourself some face now, Mr. Burrell. All the face that you can handle. Kristie calls Asia her little captive animal.

Asia will be dancing in and on a cage, which she isn’t too happy about at all. Anthony isn’t too happy about her refusal to point her toes. “You shouldn’t be a dancer, if you can’t point your feet,” he crabs at her. Well she can do this:

That has to count for something.

On break, Kristie reminds Asia to stay on task so they can beat Amanda and Madison. Asia picks Amanda to beat the most because her facial expressions killlllll her older rival.

Shannon’s back to choreograph the group routine which Abby says will be inspired by the circus Cirque du Soleil. Is Cirque du Soleil actually considered a circus? I always thought of it as an acrobatic troupe. A performance troupe, I guess. Not a circus … because, you know, no lions and stuff. But I suppose there is “circus” in its name, so who am I to argue? Besides, the clip we’re looking at right now pretty much makes me want to go on the road with them immediately, whatever it is they are.

Finally back to the business of balance, Abby says there is nothing better to demonstrate it than a complicated, Cirque du Soleil-themed routine. The mothers think otherwise. Coreen opines that the girls have been going nonstop for 45 days straight and to have something as strenuous as this routine seems particularly brutal.

And Shannon’s not doing much to dispel that theory. She seems to think that the ladies were born in the circus, for all her clambering up and down the silks and believing they can do the same, just like that. Brianna says the silks hurt her physically and the stress of learning them hurts her emotionally and I’m pretty sure — oh Gawd I wish I wasn’t — that all context clues are pointing to this not being Brianna’s day. Kris, too, because on competition day, she ‘fesses up that she’s on the verge of vomiting.

Kristie says she’s worried that Asia is going to go out there all amped up about performing — AKA killing people with her face — and forget to point her feet and straighten her legs. Especially now that at least Abby seems to realize she actually has body parts relevant to dancing besides her face.

Elsewhere, Madison and Coreen are having a confab about Asia and how Madison should not fear her, even through the tyke is still here. Madison admits she sometimes wishes she, too, were 7 and cute, because the expectations are clearly lower. They’re certainly … different … anyway.

Mayelin gives Amanda a similar pep talk to Coreen’s and Mad’s and tells her daughter that if she puts her mind to it, she can outperform everyone — including the Little Asia That Could — facially and dance-wise. Amanda corrects her mother and says she is not going to focus on outdoing Asia but rather on outdoing her own previous performances. Very mature, Amanda — even if your mom is looking at you like you’ve lost your noble mind right now.

Oy vey. Kevin decided to pair a dusty orchid shirt and red-orange tie, apparently in honor of circus night, and the effect sort of makes my eyelid twitch. Robin must have woken up cold because she’s all covered up in shades of midnight and a hefty set of bangs. Richy’s vest du jour has “RCH SQL” across his collarbone. Abby, in spring green spangles with nails to match, makes her signature throat-cutting move.

Once everyone’s introduced, Kevin asks the panel what they’re expecting from circus night. Abby widens her eyes and says, “Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” Robin apparently needed a few more seconds to think up her answer because she offers, “We … better … see … the … … best of the best tonight.” Abby throws a pitying glance her way. And Richy is looking for a girl who’s willing to fall on her face because she wants to dance so hard. Given that they’re about to be strung up in silks and dangled from trapezes and the like, Rch Sql, I think tonight’s your night.

Abby says she better not see one … .

One. … sickled foot on that stage tonight.

Group dance time. Coreen’s terrified for everyone because the girls were still getting the hang of their props an hour before show time. Looks like all Asia has to do is dance atop a box. Amanda’s in Asia’s cage. Madison has a ring-shaped trapeze. And only poor Brianna scored the silks, but she looks completely awesome on them.

Whoa, here’s a swerve. Coreen just said the one person she would like to go home tonight is …  A … manda. She doesn’t even mind if Asia stays in the competition. OK, I get it — Madison and Amanda are the most closely matched, technically sound and evenly-keeled dancers, making the competition between the two that much tighter. But seriously, Coreen. You seriously want it to seem like Asia is a dancer on par with these three other girls? Someday Asia probably will be a dancer on par with these three other girls. But right now she is a precocious, bendy, facially-gifted little work in progress. Abby said it, so I can say it, too.

Anyway, Madison’s contemporary lyrical high-wire solo is first. Emote! Emote, Madison. Three kinds! All the time! I see one — intense. I see two — happy. I saw two. I hope that’s enough.

It is for Abby. She calls Madison’s facial expressions very natural without being rehearsed and cheesy. Hurray! Then she gives a minor correction about Madison fully extending her leg, but still says she would hire Madison for her circus and the dance was very entertaining. Over on Planet Antin, Robin is troubled by certain angles that just don’t look great where Madison’s flexibility is concerned. Richy says Madison gave him a lot more than every before, and if she can be this expressive in a lyrical dance, she can be this expressive in every other kind, too.

Backstage, Amanda — whose costume brings to mind the chicken pox or maybe this dude from  “Put Me In The Zoo” — appears relieved that the judges like Madison and says if she wins, it’s because she deserved it. Mayelin scowls at her and says they all deserve it.

Kristie and Asia — who’s dressed like a teensy lion — are having issues. Kristie asks her little animal to run her routine, but her little lion is feeling pretty sure of herself. She kinda does the dance, but doesn’t want to hear any noise out of her mother. She dorks around, playing lion, prompting Kristie to threaten not to walk her to the stairs and then growl, “You’ve got this time to run it and you’re not going to run it?! Really?!”

Really. Nyah. Kristie walks her up anyway.

In an aside, Asia says no one is going to touch her and if they touch her, she’s “bringing back with claws.” And big ones. Nyah.

Robin and Richy love our baby kitty before she even does a move. “Ahhhhh!” screams Richy gleefully. Richy is scared! Props to Burrell for choreographing a dance that makes the most of Asia strong suits — tumbling and making scary faces. (Someone give this kid a lyrical dance and see what happens. OK? Just one?) But I have to admit, that was one seriously entertaining dance. And all three judges are on their feet. So is the audience.

But when she sits back down, Abby wastes no time in bursting everyone’s collective bubble — Asia’s feet were still sickled, says she. “How do you do these amazing performances, but forget to turn the feet out?!” Abby howls. Easy. Because Asia has done that for the past eight episodes and suffered not one consequence. And she likely will do the same tonight, as well, even though Abby admonishes, “Asia, fix it. It needs to be more important to you,” as the audience boos around her. Case in point: Richy (who can’t seem to accept that he’s watching dancing, not the movies) says that this performance was all he was asking for from all of the girls. Robin calls the dance flawless. Yeah, if either of these two is back for a second season, I’m going to eat my shirt. Especially if anyone else with a lick of cred wants the gig.

Backstage the girls are incredulous. Madison holds up a sickled foot, drops her voice and says, “I’m an animal!” Coreen smacks her good-naturedly. Onstage, Abby says she still doesn’t know if Asia has what it takes to make it to the top three, but Robin says her little Pussycat was puurrrrrfect.

Amanda’s jazz routine is about a freak show contortionist. Mayelin is worried that the choreography and style are so far out of Amanda’s wheelhouse that Abby will notice. The camera doesn’t linger very long on Amanda’s face, but I don’t see enough expression to make the Face Brigade happy at all. And it really annoys me that I’m so focused on these girls’ faces now that I don’t even watch their dances.

I like the performance very much, but Amanda’s critiques are all lukewarm at best. Abby says that her dance wasn’t really contortionist … but isn’t that Anthony’s fault more than hers? Huh. Depending on what Brianna does next, it could actually be Amanda’s night to go home instead.

If the judges want face, Brianna has a boatload for them in her Mardi Gras clown routine, which is also incredibly entertaining. Abby enjoyed the performance. Richy said the antics were more circus clown than Cirque Clown. Again, blame the choreographer, not the dancer. Robin’s just going to say that this was Brianna’s best performance yet. And give Richy the thrombosis. Forced by his vigorous headshaking to defend herself, Robin adds that no one else in the competition could have done that number. Madison begs to differ. Madison is full of fire tonight, boy howdy.

Judges deliberations. Everyone calls Asia the cat with 9 or possibly 11 lives, so I’m pretty sure Asia’s in the finals. Abby loves Brianna, but Robin says she’s too goofy and Robin wouldn’t miss her if tonight were her night to go home. Brianna’s possibly the least goofy kid here, but whatever. Abby says Amanda blew her away with the number, but not the face — but Robin says she is her favorite. Is not, Robin. But it’s nice to hear you say so. Madison gets props for taking corrections and making them, but Abby says she doesn’t seem to want it enough.

When the ladies return for elimination, Abby says that the judges are all sad for what’s about to happen. Not sad for Madison and Asia, because they’re the first to make it to next week’s final.

Richy says Amanda’s technique is flawless, but she needs to be more of a performer. He loves Brianna’s chutzpah, but not tonight’s performance. And tonight is not Amanda’s night.

I’m philosophical about the whole mess. I think Amanda, Madison and Brianna belonged in the final shoot out, but there”s no denying Asia and Kristie have made for entertaining television. For better or for worse.

So what say you, AUDC fans? Will Asia’s face take her all the way to victory?  Or will Madison’s grace or Brianna’s passion come out on top? Do you want to see Planet Antin and RCH SQL back for Season 2? And most importantly of all — who’s pumped for Season 3 of Dance Moms?!

The season finale of Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition airs Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 9/8CT on Lifetime.

Images:.Lifetime

27 Comments

  1. my vote is for Asia. she is a fierce girl and she is also not afraid to stand out.I am in LOVE with that dancer.she has amazing facial expreshions,if you need proof watch her captive animals performance.that one is my favorite,my favorite part is at the end with the deep lions roar.I VOTE ASIA!!!!!!!!!!! <3

  2. It’s not a ring-shaped trapeze…it’s aerial hoop (also called lyra or cerceau). Very different apparatus. It was disappointing to see them use straps on the silks instead of just having her in hammock or silks alone, but then again, they had so little time to learn anything decent that it was pointless. Of course, Asia was given the easiest assignment which was almost no different from her solo…which again was just jumping and strutting. Someone should have given her at least one solo that she didn’t look like she was imitating Aretha Franklin and had her actually DANCE. They did her no favors by dumbing down her choreography. Of course, as her attitude became worse during the show, maybe that’s ok. I hope someone straightens her out before she grows up and loses friends for that. She’s just mimicking her mother.

  3. Without a doubt the right two on top. Little Asia with her sarcastic attitude showed very little actual dance performance. She is a gymnast and a stage performer NOT a dancer. She didn’t show elegance that is common to dancers. My husband and I chose Brianna and Maddison early in the competition. We also feel Zack was removed way to soon.

    Great show Abby. Now on to Dance Moms!!!

  4. i think as asia should win the other girls really dont got alife sorry but she still little so let be her im alone 10 in i love to be on daces moms i be very good i can do a full splits in the air great back flips and bends do to dimonds gymnastic in kansas city in i think do very good on dance moms so if u what a piece of this cake bring it on lollz so take your comment an nobody should be hate on my girl asia u just mad because u cant do this goes out all the haters out there she awsome girl i think she could mad but abby pick somebody ales so im over kind of i whatch dance my every time it comes on so im alone 10 can type all i what

  5. Asia has beeb dancing only 3 years considering most dancers start at age 3, The other girls have a ten year headstart on Asia and the very outspoken Madison, Coreen, and Maelin should be ashamed of themselves. They are bot only jealous of the little awesome Asia but they feel she is a threat. And for her to become a better dancer, she needs Joffrey more than any of the other girls. If Asia had left the show esoecially since Jordyn left, I probably would have stopped watching. Brianna is also one of my favorites. I was crazy about her mom also until she called someone biotch!! I hope the winner is either Asia or Brianna. Madison put a bad taste in my mouth just as Yvette did weeks ago.

    • Sorry, Maelin had started to be too negative about Asia and it ultimately hurt Amanda. It was the same with Yvette and Hadley. Kristie never speaks negatively about other kids and Asia surprises them all. I know this show is not live, but Coreen needs to stop before her daughter is affected.

  6. My vote is for Asia. Everyone on this site is talking technique. Most of you couldn’t pick technique out of a sentence, couldn’t judge technique, and wouldn’t even mention it had it not been for Abby. Asia technique may not be Joffery, but for this competition it is great or she would’nt be in the top three. Brianne is just plain boring, Madison is a snobbish little brat, Amanda was great and humble and performed the best latino dance I’ve seen. So stop bashing Asia and let the little tyke dance.

  7. My vote is for Asia. Feet or no feet, she is clearly entertaining. Nobody would be talking technique if Abby hadn’t said it. Most of you couldn’t pick technique out of a sentence and wouldn’t know how to judge technique. I will agree that Amanda should have stayed just for her Latino dance. It was clearly the best I have seen on this show.

  8. I thought this was supposed to be a contest for the Joffrey BALLET? Asia is no way a candidate for that school. She would be great in a different kind of show. Her facial expressions are always the same, snarling and mean. I haven’t really seen her dance, she’s more of an acrobat. She’s cute, but so are most kids.

    I love Amanda’s facial expressions. She is a dancer and has the face of a dancer. If the contest was for a Modern Jazz school, then I could see pushing them to be more rowdy. But for the Joffrey Ballet Amanda, Madison and Briana and Jordyn are far more qualified.

    Looks like the judges misunderstand what people tuned in for. If Asia wins this, I wouldn’t bother watching it if they have another season as I would know what to expect. I wanted to see real dancing, not kids running around growling and snarling and making faces. That would be fun for a different kind of show, but to advertise it as they did people expected better.

    Seems like it’s all staged which is a shame.

  9. JAD, I agree with you 100% and well said.

    Lori, thanks for reviewing this show! I get a kick out of it and it’s nice to hear others’ takes.

  10. Did any one see the way Madison was acting after Asia performed? I think all of them forgot the camera was rolling. I think it is shame that every one of them are so jealous of Asia. I don’t think Asia will win, but she is seven! Man! They were almost green with envy during Asia’s standing ovation. Go Asia!!! I love Brianna.She never spoke against any one. I hope she wins–not Madison.

    • Jealous? No. They are seeing the same thing I am, Abby continually repeating that she is looking for THE BEST TECHNICAL DANCER and Asia giving the same performance over and over. If Asia wins, I can’t see another season being viable because anyone who is watching to watch good dancing will know the show is bogus, and many people wanting to audition will change their minds. While it may not be the best idea for Madison to be quite to openly negative, she has a really good point and I am as frustrated as she is that Asia hasn’t been booted yet. I’ve been waiting for her to go from week 1.

    • I agree! They were green with envy. Their mothers were too. That seven year old is showing that their daughters still lack some skills. ~ As far as Asia’s performances, they are what they choreographed for her to do! If she appears to be so called just running in circles as some say, its because she is suppose to be. They never really gave her any passive dances to do. They did what brought out the best in her as a dancer. ~ They were also ‘rubbed’ when they were told to do like Asia by their choreographers! Lmao ~ Asia has already proven who the better dancer even if she doesnt win. ~ Hope she does, but sure she’ll run second. ~ Madison is the most likely candidate for the scholarship tho.

  11. I am less surprised at Asia remaining in the competition but more surprised by Abby. She is always talking about how she is looking for technique the very thing that she says Asia is lacking. She said she is looking for a winner with great technique, great legs and feet. However, the vary things that have sent others like Jordyn, Elizabeth, Hadley home are the critisms that Asia has received every week since the competition began and yet she remains. Although, I do enjoy watching Asia’s performances; I thought this is a “dance competition” and Abby was looking for a quality dancer? She needs to decide what it is she is looking for because she seems to have loss focus on what the competition is about.

    I am with the other young dancers. Although, performance is also important to be a well rounded dancer, dancing technique is certainly a criterion. I wonder when Abby gets back to Ohio whether she will now view Nia in a different light, the way she views Asia. Nia too can perform although she is not the best technical dancer at the studio. I’m just asking!

  12. I am sick that Amanda went home. If any of these kids end up on Abby’s show Dance Mom’s, I would want it to be Amanda. She is such a great dancer. What really gets me is that the Joffrey doesn’t want dancers with ‘face.’ They really got on Maddie for her ‘performing’ rather than ‘dancing’. Of course, it made me sick that Chloe never got to go to the Joffrey even though she won the scholarship. One thing I can say for Asia…she can benefit the most from the Joffrey training. She can learn to have feet and technique there. I am not even going to bother to root anymore since my favorite dancer is gone and it’s obviously not about talent. I can’t understand it being Abby’s show, when she has to defer to the other two judges. Gah! Bring Amanda back! They said all along she was one of the best dancers. It’s not like ‘America’s favorite dancer’ on SYTYCD. It should be about who is the best dancer, and I really thought this was going to be about that. I think Robin has no dance credibility at all. What…she’s taught some girls to bump and grind to music. I wish they would quit putting her on these dance shows. I’m not sure that this show should be brought back for another season.

  13. No doubt, Asia has the “it” factor, and has star quality. I have enjoyed many of her performances, but last night I saw very little dance from her. It looked like a lot of posing and facial expressions. This is a dance competition, not an acting one. Asia should have gone home last night. That said, someone, like Disney, should snap her up to be on a show. She’s got a lot of talents besides dance.

  14. Asia is cute but she belongs on toddlers & tiaras. The other girls deserve this chance more for all the years of dancing.
    I am surprised at Abby for keeping Asia so long.

    • If Asia did not belong on the show, she would not have been there. She needs Joffrey more than any of the dancers. I’m sorry, compare her to Nia or McKenzie on dance moms. Asia would run circles around them!

      • some people are just jelous because asia is doing her thing and showing her cute little face come asia u can win this thing you have an amazing talent. come i know u can win this think my thought asia should take that money home becase she desevers it yeah she does

  15. I’ve been expecting Asia to go home for many episodes now. There’s no denying that she is extremely talented. She is a natural performer and gives all the right faces. She’s a great dancer, but she has to work on technique. I think it just bothers me the most that she’s had the same critique every single episode, and she’s been able to slide by every week. I wouldn’t expect her to be flawless by now, but I would at least expect some improvement on that after so many weeks. Is Asia taking it seriously enough, or is she just focusing on what she already knows? I don’t know. I think she is extremely talented, and will go on to have a huge career in dance, but I don’t think she will win the competition.

    Lori, I definitely know what you meant by seeing a little bit of Chloe in Amanda. It definitely put a smile on my face, since Chloe is my favorite from ALDC. I loved Amanda’s amazing technique, but her face wasn’t there. She should have practiced in the mirror or something to see what Abby means by her lack of facial expression. She seems to keep the same facial expression with just one eyebrow lifted, not much else. It’s a shame that she had to go, because it seems like her critique would be one of the easiest to fix.

    I really hope Madison or Brianna wins. I think Madison has the best shot, but my heart is pulling for Brianna. She’s been my favorite all season. May the best dancer win!

    • I too think it is time for Asia to go. She should try toddlers & tiaras. Her “faces” distract you from her dancing.

      • asia should win i all and just becase she is 8 and she made the top three and everyone thinks just becase she is youger donent mean a thing

    • My vote is definitely for Brianna. See, I think Asia has improved from the beginning (look at her feet in the last performance and compare it to her first performance) and I think Amanda’s given the same exact performance every time – I haven’t seen any improvement on her at all. She’s a great dancer, but what you see is what you get and she hasn’t progressed at all and she doesn’t know how to take the critique and put it into practice. She really thought she was giving emotion, but it just never connected to the audience. Truly, I think that’s what made Amanda the one to go home last night…Madison (who is still boringish) made the corrections the judges wanted to see and stayed. Amanda is a technically better dancer than Madison, but Madison edged her out with progressing enough that the judges were able to notice it. Asia has generally been improving week to week, and sometimes it’s been a bad Asia week but someone else did worse and they went home instead. It’s just a shame that people choose to beat up on Asia when it’s not Asia’s fault she is still there. If the other dancers were stepping it up and improving themselves they wouldn’t be going home before the youngest, least technical dancer in the competition. Asia may be getting the same critiques often, but if you watch her from the beginning to now, there’s been a vast improvement. Same for Brianna (who started out amazing and is now very near perfection in her performances) and Madison is just now showing the judges her potential. Poor Amanda ended up where she started out. I know she will go on to do amazing things regardless of this competition.

      • Well said! They are hating on Asia because she showing them how much they are lacking of ‘Technique’ especially with it coming from a child 4-5 years their junior! ~ And their mother??? smdh Makes me wonder sometime if it isnt a color issue with them.

    • Madison’s attitude as well as her mom’s is bad. So I don;t want her to win. Brianna is sweet and versatile in her dancing and she even looked cute in her hip hop dance. I think she looked out for Asia when they danced together. This kid has heart. I can;t imagine someone had the nerves to outcast her at school. Lookou Brianna, the real world loves you and you will succeed throughout life.

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About Lori Acken 1195 Articles
Lori just hasn't been the same since "thirtysomething" and "Northern Exposure" went off the air.