World of Dance Season 2 Recap – The Cut 2 Live Blog and Videos

Tonight, acts from the Junior and Upper Team divsions will face the deepest and most intense cut of the season. The judges will score each act’s performance based on their artistry, precision and athleticism. Only the top three highest-scoring acts from each division will move on to the Divisional Final and be one step closer to winning a grand prize of $1 million.

Special guest mentors include “America’s Got Talent” judge Mel B, who will join forces with judge NE-YO in mentoring the Junior division, and world-renowned dancer/choreographer Paula Abdul, who will team with host/mentor Jenna Dewan, mentoring the Upper Team division. TV-PG D

A total of 72 acts compete this season in four age-based categories: Junior (17 years old and under, 1-4 dancers), Junior Team (17 years old and under, 5-15 dancers), Upper (18 years old and older, 1-4 dancers), and Upper Team (18 years old and older, 5-15 dancers).

The Upper Teams are first. Jenna Dewan and guest Paula Abdul will be mentoring the acts. 

The Desi Hoppers – This team is a fun mix of Bollywood and Hip Hop. They aren’t technically trained dancers, however, and are likely not to advance. Paula tells them not to throw too much of the traditional stuff away. This choreography is not only entertaining, but really creative. There is nobody in the competition like them. Jlo loves watching them, “I have the best time….it’s filled with athleticim, fun and humor.”  Derek notes their impactful endings. Ne-Yo appreciates how they represent their culture. Ne-Yo – 92 Jlo – 90 Derek – 90 Total – 90.7. They crossed 90. They have a shot…but advancing is unlikely. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgwSPfpZyU0

Embodiment – The guys are excited to be mentored by Paula. Jenna says Paula is “the queen of clean.” She is working the acts HARD.  She’s a very good and exacting mentor. Nigel should bring her back to SYTYCD to work in that capacity. Although it lacked some excitement, the routine was nicely choreographed. “That was so beautiful, so powerful,” says Derek. He loved they way they hit the syncopations. Ne-Yo loves the way they blend elegance and masculinity. Jennifer says they need more quiet moments. “Don’t over choreograph,” she says. Ne-Yo – 81 Jlo – 91 Derek – 93 Total – 91.0. Welp that score just took the Desi Hoppers out. And by the looks on their faces, they know it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FKIna9IoCs

Lock N Lol – Super energetic retro locking crew are really fun to watch. We see them dance a bit. They get some nice notes from the judges, but only score an 86.7

The Bradas – We see a bit of their mentoring session, A little of their performances and comments. They score an 89, knocking Lock N Lol off the leaderboard. 

Connection – Oh they have a story. That means they will probably advance. They grew up together in a bad part of Mexico. They had each other’s backs! Wait…nobody died? Maybe they won’t advance. Jenna loves the body rolls! This group synchronized beautifully. “Everything was so riviting…amazing,” says Jlo, “The best routine you’ve every done.” Derek says, “You are all dancing as one. You should be very proud of yourselves.” Ne-Yo admits he underestimated them. The Bradas are eliminated.   Ne-Yo – 94 Jlo – 91 Derek – 89 Total – 91.3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9YswXujz34

Poreotics – Derek felt their Duels routine took to long to get to the point. Ha. They make a play on “Jelly Donut” which is what Derek compared them to back then. Hilarious–this group has a cheeky sense of humor.  I think they won Derek over. “You hit it out of the gate,” says Derek. Ne-Yo calls them “Alien like in sync…you earned the humor…damn near perfect.” Jlo calls them creative and innovative. The Desi Hoppers are Eliminated.  Ne-Yo – 93 Jlo – 91 Derek – 91 Total – 91.7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g6O3uQErIg

The Ruggeds – Dutch B boys. Paula warns them during rehearsal that their timing is off. There was a A LOT going on in that routine! Very unique. Derek loved the contrast between the music and choreography. “Way to pull through when hit counts.” Ne-Yo called their choreography “smart.” Jlo thought they took risks through the whole thing. The group’s first score back in the Qualifiers was in the low 80s. They’ve come a long way. Embodiment are Eliminated. Ne-Yo – 92 Jlo – 92 Derek – 94 Total – 92.7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHk21zgRPiA

S-Rank – Paula and Jenna think they need one more WOW moment. They’ll probably get it. This group is really good.  One of them is like, triple jointed. ICK! Jlo really dug the routine, bu she wants the choreographer up front. Derek calls them a “musicality clinic.” Ne-Yo dubs them the cleanest team in the competition. Connection is eliminated.  Ne-Yo – 91 Jlo – 93 Derek – 93 Total – 92.3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bin6NjzfPHk

Eliminated

• Connection – 91.3
• Emodiment – 91.0
• Desi Hoppers – 90.7
• The Bradas – 89.0
• Lock N Lol – 86.7

The Junior Division is next, mentored by Ne-Yo and guest Mel B.

Josh & Taylor – Taylor has idolized the Spice Girls forever! Mel and Ne-Yo help them define the story. It’s about the two of them on a date. Hm. Not my favorite routine by them. Confusing. The LED lighting on the floor didn’t really add to the narrative.  Jlo calls it a “great little routine.” Ne-Yo liked it more when they were closer together. Derek thought there were lots of cool moments, but there were issues here and there. OOF. Low scores. No chance they make the cut. But even Jlo said out loud their chances were iffy Ne-Yo – 86 Jlo – 83 Derek – 87 Total – 85.3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPQPW4fXEdg

Victoria Caban – She’s the 14 year old flamenco dancer for whom Jlo has a real soft spot.  We don’t even see her mentoring session. So I think that’s a no. Ooh. She tripped on her skirt. Jlo felt she recovered well.  Victoria earned an 85.3

Jonas & Ruby – These ballroom kids are little super-pros. Their choreographer dad is super ambitious too. Ne-Yo warns about pulling faces. “You always come to play,” says Derek. They do indeed. They’re mini robo-performers. Ne-Yo caught their Matrix inspired costumes “It takes a real man to wear patent leather,” he says.” I am REALLY surprised the score is not higher. Not even in the low 90s?  Ne-Yo – 85 Jlo – 89 Derek – 91 Total – 88.3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emkEbGl_0dE

Madison Brown – Twelve year old contemporary dancer performs a routine that expresses the racial prejudice she’s experience as a young black female. We don’t get a good look at her dance, however. Jlo is very complimentary. “You did a great job,” says Ne-Yo. She scored an  85.7

Sean & Kaycee – Sean has shown himself to be a terrific choreographer so far.  The piece is a lovestory about the last two people on earth. Ugh. Ne-Yo teases them about maybe being a couple. They are only in their early teens and probably still figuring stuff out. Does every male and female partnership have to be a thing? This is so good. Somebody is going home. And it’s not them. “You guys move me,” says Jlo. Oh the routine is actually about their partnership and how close they’ve become. Derek is amazed at their connection. Ne-Yo feels Sean has a signature style as a choreographer. Victoria Caban and Josh & Taylor are eliminated. Ne-Yo – 88 Jlo – 94 Derek – 94 Total – 92

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ8WIFjGbbk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpjLg6OF32Y

Avery & Marcus – They were the act that took out season 1 runner up Eva Igo in the Duels.  The only ballet couple, they are performing to “Thunder” by Imagine Dragons. Ne-Yo feels they have to work on their musicality. Derek felt the routine showed off their youthfulness. Ne-Yo still doesn’t like the marriage of music and movement. Jlo liked the end better than the beginning. Avery & Marcus are eliminated. Their Duels performance was much better than this.  Ne-Yo – 85 Jlo – 86 Derek – 85 Total – 85.3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRMymM6Vzzs

Charity & Andres – This contemporary duo got a perfecrt score in the Duels. Ne-Yo warns them not to let their success mess with their heads. Well. Since Madison was edited, we know these two make it through. Beautiful, mature routine from these two. Jlo insists they deserved the 100. “Don’t let your head get in the way.” Ne-Yo says, “That was amazing.” Hm. That 100 turned these two into nervous nellies, unfortunately. But they pull it out. I hope they understand that their 100 was more about good TV in the moment rather than delivering a genius routine. Nothing personal! Derek pulls a Simon Cowell. “I didn’t like that performance…I loved it!” Madison Brown is eliminated.  Ne-Yo – 89 Jlo – 93 Derek – 96 Total – 92.7 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyJK5Z056UQ

Jaxon Willard – By the time he got in front of the mentors, he still wasn’t finished choreographing the piece. Ne-Yo thinks maybe his insecurity is holding him back. He’s the black kid who was raised by a white family in Utah. He hasn’t accepted who he is yet. Mel and Ne-Yo encourage him to love himself.  This is the performance of the night. Strength, power and agility married to elegance and grace. Bye bye ballroom kids. “Everything you do is effortless,” says Ne-Yo. He gives him a big hug. Jlo says, “You have a tremondous well of emotion inside of you.” Derek says, “I believe you, I believe your intentions. “I feel like you went from a boy to a man today.” Jonas & Ruby are Eliminated. Ne-Yo – 90 Jlo – 90 Derek – 92 Total – 90.7 Hm. I would have scored that higher.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAvc_iMUdQo