As it turns out, old habits really do die hard. I ran a dance blog for five years before moving over here, but I can’t seem to stop talking about the world-builder that is ballet, contemporary, modern, tap, jazz, hip-hop and a thousand other words we use to describe one of the most beautiful expressions of humanity on Earth. There is so much to be said for time spent in a studio and onstage.

Every week, my dance family comes together to scream over World of Dance, which is believed by many to be the best show on TV this summer, myself included. We bring food and laughter, and we crash on the closest couch for an hour of jaw-dropping performances by the best dancers out there. We also have a quote log, where we keep all of Jennifer Lopez’s, Derek Hough’s and Ne-Yo’s best lines as judges. Pretty good system if we do say so ourselves.

With a full seven weeks of qualifying rounds behind us, I want to give some shoutouts to my favorite qualifying dancers (thus far–there’s still one round to go). These performances had a major impact on me. Here’s why, and here’s what, in my personal view, each person/group needs to bring in the future.

Sean & Kaycee

What I Loved

• Um… all of it? Yeah. All of it.
• Specifically, I love Sean and Kaycee’s courage. Dancing with your eyes open isn’t easy. Dancing while blindfolded is just crazy (awesome). Sean Lew is truly an outstanding choreographer, and his relationship with Kaycee is what ultimately makes this piece come alive.
• The song is perfect. The end.
• Their footwork is incredible. Check 1:00.
• Then, go back and look at Kaycee’s face at 1:05.

In the Future

• In dance, the word “perfect” gets scratched out of the dictionary. Sean and Kaycee just put it back in.

Charity & Andres

What I Loved

• Charity and Andres are straight up adorable. Their facial expressions alone convey volumes and add several layers of meaning to this piece.
• Their acrobatics. More often than not, in contemporary performances, I find that gymnast-style movements subtract more than they add. No such issue here.
• CHARITY’S GRAND ALLEGRO. Girls RARELY jump like this. Absolutely incredible.
• The hip-hop and salsa elements were an excellent addition to an otherwise lyrical piece.
• The hug at the end. I don’t think it was part of the choreography, but HOW SWEET.

In the Future

• Honestly, I’m just excited to see how they top this performance. I cry.

Fabulous Sisters

What I Loved

• These girls give a new meaning to the word “fierce.” Just look at those facial expressions. At their hands. At the marvelous use of their skirts. Stunning.
• What are those arms?! Their movements are entrancing.
• Whoever picked this song is a genius. Seriously. I’d like them to do the soundtrack for my life.
• The screaming started at 0:55 and didn’t stop. I can’t remember what I was holding, but I know I nearly dropped it.
• Where did those rose petals come from?! Lord. Amazing.

In the Future

• Keep surprising us. I can’t get enough of this style.

Elektro Botz

What I Loved

• Song. Everybody give it up for the song.
• From the first move, this piece is wonderfully and captivatingly inventive. Popping is an especially difficult style, and Elektro Botz gives it new life.
• It’s just so FUN! These guys are serious dancers, but they don’t stifle themselves with the rigidity that often comes with professional dance.
• What happens at 0:50 anyway.
• I have to give props to the tech crew for this one, too. The lighting is excellent.

In the Future

• As I said, popping isn’t easy. They’re going to have to keep it fresh and interesting as the show goes on. And I fully believe that they’re up to the challenge.

Connection

What I Loved

• Their FACES. Look at how much fun they’re having up there! So much happy.
• This piece is fierce, but it’s also freaking suave. Genius level choreography right here.
• That nod at the end. Yes.

In the Future

• Keep up that dimension. There is so much fluidity in hip-hop, and these guys have found a way to incorporate more than one style without making it look choppy. Very impressive.

Jaxon Willard

What I Loved

• Jaxon, your facial expressions just made millions of people cry. Talk about breaking the fourth wall. Masterful.
• And let’s all appreciate this heartfelt and beautiful song choice.
• It’s outstanding to me that a performance can be both catastrophically strong and breathlessly vulnerable at the same time. I mean what was that at 0:52 seconds?! All. the. heart. eyes.
• This guy can float. I don’t know how, but he can.
• The end. The end, the end, the eeeend.

In the Future

• Another few performances like this. That is all.

Jonas & Ruby

What I Loved

• I freaking love these costumes, and that is a big compliment in my world.
• Jonas and Ruby are fierce. Their faces are fierce, their quality of movement is fierce, this song is fierce… all the fierce.
• One more shoutout for their quality of movement because WOW. Done.

In the Future

• Again, keep the dimension coming. More statement costumes and more statement songs that flatter their ridiculously powerful style.

Michael Dameski

What I Loved

• The emotion. Desperation + anger + passion. Beautiful.
• Michael can fly. And his movements are connected in such a way that these moments appear effortless. I was floored.
• Cue screaming at 0:42.
• And again at 0:52.
• The clear connection between the beginning and ending is one that I really appreciate. I like when books do this, too.

In the Future

• Michael’s turns are masterful, and I’m confident that he’ll bring that to the stage moving forward.

Madison Brown

What I Loved

• Madison dances like a warrior princess with a kingdom to conquer. Her strength/flexibility balance is truly astounding. She owns the stage.
• I can’t remember how old I thought she was, but it certainly wasn’t 12. She’s 12. Can we just take a moment to imagine what this stunning artist is going to be performing when she’s 16, 17? Her very presence in a room will have people crying. It has me teary now, and I’m sitting in my office.
• That TILT. She brought life back to one of the most overused movements in contemporary dance.

In the Future

• If she connects each of her movements and establishes a flow onstage, Madison will be virtually unbeatable.

Daniel & Michella

… whose video disappeared from the interwebs? Ugh, sad.

What I Loved

• THE. SASS. Just look at the faces on these kiddos!
• This song was a great choice. It’s speedy and snappy and impossible to ignore.
• Between 0:30 and 0:40, they go full-on professional ballroom couple with 20+ years of experience. I mean, come on people. This is fire.

In the Future

• Daniel and Michella made this dance look effortless, so much so that, at times, it looked easy. As Derek points out at the end of this video, they’re capable of even more! All they need to do is channel that mass amount of potential into their choreography and then slay.

The Rock Company

What I Loved

• Their beginning pose was everything.
• I can feel this dance in my bones. Their faces show how much it means to them and how much they want that message conveyed to the audience. *grabs tissue* *blubbers*
• Their turns are spectacular–and in sync. It’s nearly impossible to train a group this large to turn in sync. As Jennifer said, their technique is far beyond their years.
• The sheer elegance of this dance is such that when that one gem in the front starts pretending to scream, it doesn’t just move you. It breaks you.

In the Future

• You heard Derek; this was perfect. Perfection is hard to beat, but I believe The Rock Company is going to find a way.

Photo by David Hofmann on Unsplash