Hmmm...Judgy. sounds like you have a personal problem. With all the positive things that every dancer and judge has to say about Sabra, who is an EXTRAORDINARY dancer and that is coming from me who has danced much longer than she has, how did u figure out her IQ?

Anyways, maybe this is the problem with Lauren. Up until her last solo, i hated her. I saw her potential and would get soooo mad becuase she regurgitates choreography and doesnt own it. She has the same personality in all of the dances and doesn't ACT the part in her face. She dances the choreography, but never HIT the choreography.

Times that Lauren pissed me off:
1. When she let Neil show her up in the Hip Hop dance. He did hip hop and she did pop.
2. She smiles too much in the choreography, when sometimes it changes the mood that is necessary to tell the story of the dance. For example, the angel and devil dance. Makes it seems more like a talent show dance than a professional dance.
3. The biggest upset EVER which i never forgave her for. When she took her jacket off for 10 seconds of her 30 second solo. A poor performance choice, a waste of time, and a major factor in why people dont like her. She pulled that stunt which got Jessie sent home, who viewers also LOVED. I don't think anyone ever forgave her for that.

Now she has improved GREATLY and is doing better, but i still do not believe she should be there becaus they sent home Anya who consistently HIT every performance, and kept Lauren, because she FINALLY hit ONE. MAkes you wonder, are we going for MOST IMPROVED or BEST DANCER? hmmmmm...

But thats just my take.

Kenm -
I am neither a hawk nor a dove, but I am a student of History. It seems to me that 'anti-war' means being against a war that is fought before all other options for settling differences have been thoroughly exhausted. The people I truly feel for in this recent endeavor by Imperialist America are the innocents that have been caught in the crossfire. If there are people in our military who are enjoying this war, then they are dangerous people indeed. This doesn't mean I don't support the troups... this means that I sincerely hope that those in a position to limit the violence (on both sides) are doing all they can to do so. Sometimes war is inevitable, that is a sad fact, but often it is not inevitable and this was one of those cases. It sickens me.

Wow, bsg, I think you meant Kenm. I've been reading this blog and see both sides, but Kenm started this thread so why tell only the person responding to give it a rest? Maybe both sides should let it drop.

Let it rest Dawn.

Kenm,

I am amazed at just how many people presume to speak for the soldiers fighting in this pointless war. We all realize that the military does not exactly condone soldiers who do not lockstep with the anti-war stance, and most of us rarely hear about it.

You're right, we're not getting the full story, only what the military wants us to see. Please, unless you are there with them, don't tell us how demoralized they are by anti-war feelings. That tired old chestnut has been overplayed one too many times by this administration and no one buys it anymore.

Of course they would have rather gone there and gotten the job done and come home victorious. Now that all but the minute, diehard, ever-dwindling Bush supporters believe this is still possible, I am sure they are torn. But stop saying they are demoralized by the vast, vast majority who think it is utter lunacy to stay there.

As for the dance competition, it was wonderful. The only people who were offended are the constant, ever-vigilant, overly PC watchdogs who are always the same people who try to police te movies, tv and airwaves to make sure the world only gets whatever view they feel comfortable with. No one, including me, was thinking about this in any way other than a dancing competition until the PC poiice had to raise a ruckus.

I think you are, pardon the expression, full of it.

Dawn, please point to where I said you shouldn't be allowed to make protest statements. In fact, I said that being anti-war is not un-american. My point was that I didn't think the anti-war routine was appropriate for this specific dance competition, not all of society in general. Also, I said that if you want to protest the activities that the soldiers are currently engaged in then don't turn around and say that you are supporting them because they don't see it that way AT ALL. They have internet access and satellite TV and they SEE what you are saying about the war. They also know that you are not getting the whole story but only the salacious details that drive ratings and newspaper sales. It's frustrating for them and yes, DEMORALIZING.

It's obvious to me that you simply do not understand (wasn't that one of Wade's words...) the military mind, the commitment that they feel and obligation to help heal the country they are currently fighting in. This is not your fault. I just want you to know that you have every right to protest. And if you truly believe that the war is wrong, and it's not just an ideological crusade, then you also have an obligation to do so as an American. However, please know that your protests will be seen by the soldiers almost immediately and it will cause their shoulders to droop a little, their pride to wane, and their commitment to fade ever so slightly. The next time they go out on a patrol will be that much tougher. I know that isn't the effect you desire but that is what happens in reality.

I can understand that you want them to be safe but what most of the soldiers really want is to finish what they started so that, years from now, they can look back on what they did and smile. They want to be able to have the pride experienced by those who served in WWII and not the shame of those that served in Vietnam, Beirut and the Mog.

This is the last post I'll make on this matter. I only made the first post because I didn't think the routine was appropriate for the show and I have no interest in getting into a useless political discussion. If I haven't made my viewpoint clearly understood by now then I have nothing else to say.

I understand Kenm's statements, but can't help this feeling that it still basically says that no one should speak aloud for peace and ending a war because it might demoralize the troops. I strongly disagree.

The only demoralization they are suffering is the continuation of the senseless loss of their lives, as well as innocent Iraqis at the hands of a stubborn old American fool and his minions.

Our protest of this madness is not demoralizing. We want their saftety. We want them home to raise their families and dance at their children's weddings. We want them to grow old holding the hands of their beloved in the dark. Not continue to sacrifice themselves on the alter of a President who wants to hand this craziness off to be the problem of the next Commander in Chief, absolving him of having to come up with a solution; whose desire to protect his legacy supercedes ending this lunacy.

This isn't war, its a political football, designed to see whose power ends up being greater, Republicans or Democrats. In the meantime, more families get the notification no one wants to hear every day, sentencing husbands, wives, parents, siblings, friends, and, most importantly, children to a lifetime of looking down a long road without a beloved family member.

If you want to talk about changing lives, don't point to a war we never should have been involved in in the first place, point to the families whose lives will never be the same because of this madness.

Don't make protest statments because they are demoralizing? I think we are way past the time where we should be furious and letting our voices be heard, louder and louder, letting the people we vote for understand that we are not going to stand for this anymore - and then keeping those promises at the ballot box.

I didn't bother watching the results show (found out online who was sent packing). When Wade Robson was describing the solo and said "anti-war", I, too, interpreted it as meaning something specific (i.e. the current war in Iraq).

One of the reasons I did not like Lauren at the beginning (I like her okay now) is because she was Tyce's assistant. It was like she was getting the star treatment because she already had an "in" with the judges. Of course, her being Tyce's assistant has nothing to do with her getting in the Top 10, but that was just the impression I got at the beginning.

I guess the other thing with Lauren is that she doesn't have a back story. She's not Benji's little sister, she's not the only b-girl, she doesn't train alongside Travis and Danny, she's just Lauren. Sure, she was Tyce's assistant last year but they never mention it anymore (not that I think they should). But she doesn't have some story like that, and maybe that's why she doesn't have hoards of fans supporting her (or at least, voting for her).

First: of course it's a popularity contest; that's how we *define* best. If something is textbook-perfect but I don't enjoy it, then it's not the best. As far as I can tell, Danny is the most technically accomplished dancer in the competition. But I do not want him to win, nor do I think he deserves to, because I do not enjoy watching him dance as much as, say, Neil.

Second: I didn't even *notice* Mia's jacket last night. I'm struggling hard to remember what it looked like, and coming up totally blank.

Why the Sabra hate? In my opinion, it IS a popularity contest in the end. I'm actually kind of amazed she is still around. (She is my favorite.) But those of you that have been watching since auditions, she wasn't even in them! All the sudden the top 20 were chosen, and I remember thinking, "Who is this chick?"

Most of the other dancers had a "spot" interview when they had auditions. I think it's amazing that she has won everyone over when she practically came out of no where. And she is a fabulous dancer, and really likeable.