SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE: Nigel Lythgoe Robot Dances for the Camera, Talks About Losing Cristina and Keeping Melinda
June 25, 2010 by Korbi Ghosh
Not gonna lie, I thought Melinda would be cut from SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE this week, and when I spoke with Nigel backstage last night, I told him so.
“Yeah, [that’s] what I would’ve done,” he says in our video interview, which you can see below.
Having been outvoted by his fellow judges, however, that’s not what happened, and he’s okay with it: “You know, I can totally understand Mia and Adam[‘s decision to cut Cristina and keep Melinda]. We discussed it. All three of us went out there thinking we were gonna lose Melinda this week and then I suppose Adam talked them both into [saying], no, let’s lose Cristina.”
So why the change of heart? “[Melinda] did grow [Wednesday] night. Hugely. Her lines were fabulous,” Nigel explains. He also says that, while Melinda was saddled with a jive last week and a contemporary routine this week — both being 180 degrees outside of her genre as a tapper — Cristina was sort of dancing in her own style, performing the Paso Doble with Pasha on Wednesday. So the judges apparently took this all into consideration when grading the two against each other… and I guess Melinda came out on top.
Still, she’s got a lot to worry about.
“It’s tough when you know that, unless Melinda finds something different to connect with the audience next week, it’ll be her turn next week to go,” Nigel says.
Watch the clip for more of his thoughts on that and the performance of Bryan Gaynor and his crew. And, please, see the interview through because Mr. Lythgoe is doing a little robot dancing of his own, clearly inspired by B.G. …and it’s kind of bad a$$.
RELATED:
Who Went Home on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE?
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE: Screaming for Lauren and Ashley
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Lesssons: Alexie Agdeppa gets down with GMMR’s Korbi Ghosh
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Man Nigel Lythgoe Apologizes for Lying, Critiques Alexie and spills on more changes
Follow GMMR and KorbiGirl on Twitter, and Facebook too, for all your up-to-the-minute TV news and commentary.
Stay up to date on all of GMMR’s exclusive videos by subscribing to our new YouTube Channel – GiveMeMyRemote TV
I thought Cristina was a much better performer than Melinda. Something about Melinda’s performances just haven’t felt genuine to me, so I really thought and hoped the judges would have sent her home and kept Cristina. But for me the real shocker was that Robert was in the bottom 3. He is one of my faves (after Kent and Alex). IMO Adechike is a much less engaging performer and weaker dancer than Robert, so I expected him to be in the bottom 3.
I fear that when Melinda again ends up in the bottom three next week (and that’s definitely a *when* not an *if*), the judges will chose to keep her and send a boy packing. I knew Cristina wouldn’t be around for long, but I wish Melinda had been the first to go. I don’t enjoy watching her dance, even in her own style, and her personality seems insincere.
I don’t care if Cristina was dancing closer to her own style, she was far better than Melinda. Her Paso with Pascha was my favorite dance of this week. I don’t know what it is but I really don’t care for Melinda. Nigel is right, at least in my case, she isn’t connecting with the audience. My roomie doesn’t like her either by the way. Sometimes I think it’s that she trying to hard to be quirky, instead of just being quirky.
Shocking that it wasn’t Nigel’s call to keep Melinda. I thought he was obsessed with tappers! I’m kind of relieved because I thought he might be influencing Mia and Adam too much this year!
Very poor of the judges tonight. For Mia and Adam to basically retract their vote from the previous week is highly unprofessional. The fact that they had misgivings about their vote is one thing, the fact that they beat it over the head of Malinda is totally uncalled for. Unfortunately, the theater/dance mentallity is I can say anything I “feel” – that makes it alright, regardless of the consequence. Very poor indeed.
I agree, Richard. I almost don’t want to continue watching the show because of the disgusting and unprofessional feedback given to Melinda. I miss Mary’s positive energy. I feel that even when this new mix of judges gives positive feedback, it still comes across as unenthusiastic and labored.
I hav enjoyed
IWe have enjoyed So You Think You Can Dance? for years, and the highest respect for Nigel. However why blemish such A splendid program with a political attack at Sarah Palin on 8/11/10? Political comments are irrevelant!
so You Think You Can Dance?
First of all… I think So You Think You Can Dance, is a phenomenon of expression. Nothing more needs to be said. Here is my thought. The finally consists of three amazing dancers. Wouldn’t it be a great finally idea to have a 3 person dance choreographed. It would allow the three dancers to show all their stuff against one another in a full out competition. We know they have talent. We know they are amazing dancers. But like life, they present their talents to judges in an attempt to show what they can deliver. Just a thought.
P.s. Mya. Can’t get enough of her. She a free spirit. I wouldn’t mind having dinner with that lady.
Cheers,
Tyler
Mia… Crap. Can’t believe a got that wrong. oh well…
I have been watching So You Think You Can Dance for several years and have enjoyed every minute…except the one where Nigel decided to go political. How unfortunate that he used this inspiring show to attack Sarah Palin. I was disappointed, to say the least. Nigel should apologize to the viewers he insulted when he made this outrageous comment and keep his political agenda and comments off the show. Totally inappropriate!