World of Dance Season 4, Week 4 – The Duels

Sorry I’m late, folks. Had a dinner that I went to tonight. So, you’ll have to settle for a not-live recap as I watch the show. It’s time for the duels…a part of the show that is almost always guaranteed to piss me off. 🙂

So looking at my spreadsheet, it seems there were only four acts that we didn’t actually see on the show this season – a major improvement over previous seasons. Might even be three because I feel like I missed one of the quick looks from week 2.

We’re going with the upper division first and the EzTwins play it safe and go for the D’Angelo Brothers who are at the bottom of the leader board. Cop out.

The D’Angelo brothers are going hard core, breaking noses and fingers. I’m rooting for them…I think the twins copped out.

Eztwins going first. They did a great job, I just can’t root for them and their attitude. They giving a BS answer to the judges, saying they were inspired. Ne-Yo calls it exactly right. YES JENNIFER!! She didn’t like that they tried to burn the tappers with simple tap. Derek says there wasn’t a wow moment. These guys may win, but it won’t be in walk.

D’Angelo Brothers up next. The seems like a very difficult routine and the judges seemed into it. Ne-Yo is happy they took his notes. Jennifer got goodies. She really loved it.

Twins: 87.3
Brothers: 89.7

Hahahahaha…so much for tappers not making it past the duels. Jennifer gave them a low 83 – and I think that was a hoisting them on their own petard for being arrogant. She commented on it on their comments.

Next up is Denise and Josh who chose Jonathan Y Jorge. I guess we’re not going in order. Jonathan is right – I don’t know why Denise and Josh picked them – it’s an odd choice, contemporary versus salsa.

J&J are going first. Started slow before busting out the Salsa. Crazy lifts. OMG…I loved the snap at the end. LOL. They really killed it. Stepped up from last time.

Derek is very impressed, but he thinks there needs to be a bit more refinement. Ne-Yo seems to agree. These guys do crack me up. Jennifer is very impressed with them today, they cleaned it up a lot.

Denise & Josh up next!! I’m not really feeling these two tonight. They don’t give me the same excitement as the other two. Derek doesn’t think it’s duel worthy – agreed. Jennifer disagrees, but she’s biased toward faux emotion. I wasn’t big it. Ne-Yo says it was beautiful and it had a narrative, but he isn’t sure it was duel worthy either. Jennifer is too easy, IMO.

J&J: 90.7
Denise & Josh: 90

J&J are going through. Denise & Josh are at the top of the losers. Entwines need to hold their breaths.

DD Flection chose Poppin’ John – their idol. Umkay. The number two in the division went to the bottom of the leader board. I don’t like it. I understand it, but I don’t like it. They do seem to idolize him, and are not denigrating him, so that makes it easier to take.

DD Flection is going first. They are very unusual, their routine is very odd and unusual for contemporary…which is why I like them. 🙂

Ne-Yo loved the bit where he was holding her by her feet. Jennifer says it was very interesting – that’s what I would say too. Derek says he didn’t connect to it emotionally like he would have liked to. I can’t disagree with that either. While very interesting and cool, it didn’t have that emotional element. But then, most contemporary falls short in that area for me.

Poppin’ John is up next!! While I really respect his style and his routine, it’s seems to low energy, low key for me. the judges seemed to love it. Jennifer says he was talking throughout the routine. Derek doesn’t speak popping’. Jennifer loved the musicality, Ne-Yo loved the isolations, but after a while he felt he was freestylin’. Derek says it was solid, every move was intentional.

DD Flection: 89
Poppin’ John: 91.3

Can’t say I agree with that outcome at all. I wonder if they’re trying to load the redemption round, because they can easily keep everything else below DD Flections 89, thereby keeping both the popper they liked and the champion contemporary duo.

Okay, that’s it for me tonight. I’ll be back tomorrow with part 2.