SYTYCD 8: Top 10 Girls - Pop Drop & Roll (w/ Judges' Comments)

Disclaimer: I do not own anything on this video.
Pop Drop & Roll (Chonique Sneed feat. Lisette Bustamante)
Jazz Routine by Sonya Tayeh
"You 10 girls have just defined what this whole season is all about."
~Mary Murphy
"You guys are the epitome of SONYA."
~Lil' C

[@raised4praise902]

This is still my all time favorite top 10 routine!

[@whushaw]

@Raised4Praise Meanwhile, nowadays people would just call this cultural appreciation. SMH

[@marsthatdamnrebel]

Love the robotic / doll quality of this routine. Stylistically it pulls from Japanese geisha dress etc, but other than that, it's just Sonya T doing Sonya T genius choreo as usual.

[@gweng.9159]

Every muscle in my body aches from watching this. These ladies were bringing it and I know it had to be a test of endurance to get thru this routine. Outstanding.

[@aleeysaurasrex]

2019 check in. Still love this dance. Still love Lil C and his thoughts.

[@ashiaku9864]

2018 and this is still my favorite dance

[@BaileyM1997]

Sonyas routines are always so awesome!! ❤ I really really hope she returns to sytycd one day! I miss her routines sooo much!!

[@KTdesign1]

Still one of my favorite dances e v e r.

[@gardenlover9663]

Just watched top twelve of SYTYCD. Decided to revisit one of my favorite numbers from my favorite season. Still love it.

[@sbarwen]

have to look up this routine from time to time, so much fun. great for the girls' group dance.

[@RespectMyThickness]

TENS ACROSS THE BOARD!

[@ASM1228]

This feels like i saw it yesterday and we're already on the top ten girls season 9

[@miraclelynch6762]

you killed it ladies, your song, inspired me to make a hip dance from the beat of the song

[@gisheree5497]

absolute favorite dance

[@miraclelynch6762]

u are a genius, i watched this video, because it is the exact same song my dancers are dancing to

[@krumpchik]

Sonya Tayeh has the best taste in music on the show

[@antonioevans4636]

Best performance ever!!!!

[@cdrbb]

Ah the nostalgia. Still the best season.

[@danks4dub]

what a well choreographed number!!!

[@pinkpopjenny534]

i love this dance so much!

[@nightbender9250]

The only reason this was dubbed the strongest set of girls is because everyone except 1 was a contemporary/jazz dancer so they're all doing their style

[@91msag]

Sonya had an amazing season! I hope she gets an Emmy nomination for all her amazing choreography

[@miraclelynch6762]

marvelous job

[@Spykid765]

my siter saw this so many times she knows the moves and so do i lol

[@koolax111]

Did anyone bother to find out the premise of the dance or even SEE THE EPISODE? Sonya wanted to create creepy geisha dolls on stage and she did. She didn't set out to insult, in fact she was setting out to warp an idea as we all do in some form! If insult happened and she didn't realize, take it up with her, don't just bicker in the comments section. It does nothing to help the situation. Pretty sure Sonya has a twitter, send her an @ or something! Engage conversation with the root of your frustration, the person who is continuing the appropriations you see. Really.

[@vanetteben91]

they did a great job!!! :D

[@nickgomes9370]

Great routine, hate the SD picture quality. Can anyone post this in HD?

[@michikomanalang6733]

Also: they weren't clowning around, they weren't paying it any disrespect. If anything is weird here it's that dumb comment from the hostess.

[@BriBeMe315]

Ryan is everything in this

[@annchang6393]

I love this dance, but I do think that they should have held off on the styling. It's hard for people native to the US to understand (myself included), but traditional clothing is very sacred in other cultures. Kimono is put on very ceremoniously, and tied a very specific way. To see it represented incorrectly and purely for entertainment is understandably problematic. The hair and makeup were about as close as you can get to yellow face while just skirting it. I love the dance, but they didn't have to go all the way with the styling just because the song has Japanese words in it. The song is also very modern, it really doesn't make sense to have them styled traditionally at all.

[@ImJustShayeB]

Sonya said it was some sort of portrayal or depiction to Geishas. I don't know if that changes any representation of the dance at all. Not very familiar with the culture.

[@Goldflower220]

i agree. the facepaint and costume are culturally insensitive.

[@bobbycamarillo]

everyone so fucking sensitive about everything nowadays 😂😂

[@xthemwordx]

2011 was very different then 2020 on. They’ve brought up similar insensitivities in a podcast I listen to about a different show, one which the hosts were on and when they review their seasons are just like “oh wow, this is hard to watch.” A lot changes in 10 years. But back then, people just didn’t see the big deal.

[@TheRoyalpride1]

Melanie, Ryan and Missy shone in this routine!!! Wish they would have saved Missy, she didn't have a great partner like Melanie and Ryan did

[@GeorgiaP314]

ryan only pulled my eye in group numbers

[@nickgomes9370]

So awesome that they only showed it once and never again! Keep it closely guarded so no one can see!

[@shabuddin4149]

super

[@danosalido3158]

What is the name of the song please

[@jolielefeuvre3]

Pop drop and roll

[@ASM1228]

I'm not sure what you're talking about, but i'm guessing you're referring to season 9 the recent episode when some people went home am i right? If not then to correct you there is only 10 guys and gals in the top, not eighteen :)

[@marimosoup4439]

yes.

[@kidrauhl176]

look at this : Mather Dance Company - Pop, Drop, & Roll - Vegas Nationals

[@haleysmith7082]

this is my competition line song c:

[@britbrat1130]

I didn't see them come out in eating rice... I just want to know what people think they should have worn if they were dancing to a song that has japanese words in it.

[@leinadantz]

are sonya and christopher (scott) a couple?

[@lolblueisme]

lolllll.. KAWAIIIIII.. lol woman

[@tillapasta]

do they lift caitlynn

[@kaisercaderao5420]

POP, DROP and ROLL

[@LurkerVixen]

Yes

[@skylarsakonyi]

Okay 1 word... AH-MAY-ZING!!!! :D

[@jonasolsen4630]

"theeeere she blows..." hahaha

[@GreenwoodCreations]

If a bunch of clearly-not-African girls came out in kente cloth and pseudo-"African tattoos," and started doing a dance that mocked (as in "poorly 'interpreted'") traditional Ghanan dances to a song that ripped off Ghanan phrases... yea, I would call that racist too. Last I heard, dancers could have respect for other people and still dance.

[@davidelijah1654]

ayyyyyyeee#turnup

[@MrFuckouttahere]

0_0 Did they just drop it like it's hot? @0:34

[@littlemiss177]

a love joden in this veido

[@michikomanalang6733]

A lot of people might say this is cultural appropriation/racist but idk I thought that the level of skill and muscle control and artistry that went into it paid homage to Asian music and dance and incorporated it well into modern jazz, considering it's kind of a no holds barred sort of style. The makeup and the little bit at the end was unnecessary but other than that I've always thought this routine was phenomenal, and the track is amazing (also because an actual Asian was featured in it) and it's not as if Asian (particularly Japanese) dancers have been ignored before. If they were then this would be an issue but again the routine and aesthetics are just so. So. Good.

[@britbrat1130]

And I'm not even White. I'm a minority my self and I see lots of bad interpretations of my cultures music and dance. But I don't even see it as racism most of the time. Most of the time I give them an E for Effort. A lot of the people I come across who are White have tons of admiration for other cultures. So once again I just want to know what you think they should have worn to a song with Japanese words in it.

[@CPT_Pepper]

As usual, the black dancers are in the BACK

[@GeorgiaP314]

melanie and ryan stood out the most, to me.

[@Lea-fc8dk]

Holy fuck, they're dancing. Not playing concentration camp. All these "omfg so racist" and "mocking Japanese culture" people need to get a grip on what they're sayingggg. They're dancers! They can't do this routine in a full fucking kimono!

[@artisticagi]

They're basically dancing like drunk geishas in this one

[@ashleymdubbs]

The argument over racism will never been demolished. Why does it have to be in the comments of a KZbin video? What good does complaining to a KZbin channel or video do for your beliefs? Take your opinions elsewhere because there will never be a time where everyone agrees.

[@DrakElias]

She seemed more confused, I think... :P

[@aiannakatrina]

While you guys are arguing about how this is "racist", I'm just sitting here watching this and being amazed by their movements and how they are not getting any cramps.

[@itsugarbunny]

LMAOOO

[@Lamanth]

Look guys in this day an age every time someone does something there is someone out there who finds is offensive for some reason. Forget the negatives and look at the positives. That was some seriously hard choreography which they performed extremely well, and I say well done to them.

[@CBItalian04]

The choreography, nor the idea if the piece is racist. This dance is simply conveying a way of life: in this piece, The Way of the Geisha. There's nothing racist about it. If Sonya had choreographed a piece about slavery in the olden days, would it be racist? No, because it is just telling a story about those old times where slavery was in existence. You people need to calm the hell down and enjoy the damn show.

[@aamsdhs]

it's a cultural appreciation piece so it's a fusion between American and Japanese dance moves and music. it's just a fusion piece that's the only way it seems disrespectful....but truly do you think Sonya cares?....Nope

[@elmolover2458]

this is not racist because first of all they all ways do themes each week from places all over and nobody says anything and yet now that they did this performance everybody is making a big deal out of it just stop !

[@kckc011]

they danced bollywood a couple of weeks later, is that racist too?

[@lotuspu3]

i don' t think it's kawaii.... it's sugoi and extremely daebak!!! XD

[@NaniDuh]

This isn't racist. It's a show. They're dancing. It's entertainment. I LOVE this.

[@redial38]

ohmygod this dance, the costumes, and the comments are all so racist. how was this allowed to air?? "we are not worthy?" really mary??

[@arfanido6482]

cause real geisha dance is so boring for people nowadays. this one is much better.

[@tt_pilatesanddance]

How is that racist? haha its a dance.. ?

[@SaphxYuuki]

I was enjoying this episode till all the racism. ughhhhhhhh.

[@butterflyskies4755]

Come on! It's not chineis it's ASIAN!

[@ashleyfernandez4315]

Chinese people are from China, which is in Asia, so Chinese people are Asian. This is Japanese though, because in the beginning it kept saying "Inchi ni san shi", which means "very Japanese".

[@P8andJam]

Ashley Fernandez I think "ichi ni san shi" is counting from 1 to 4, but it's definitely Japanese!

[@AmberLynnSweetQueen]

P8andJam well if you want to get technical it says one, two, three, small cause four would be yon not Chi. Chi means small

[@ashleyfernandez4315]

There is a different between shi and chi. Trust me, I am from Japan

[@marsthatdamnrebel]

Ashley Fernandez Wow... Clueless.

[@marimosoup4439]

uh, ew. what the hell do you mean by "the way of the geisha?" dancing in sexualized , skimpy versions of traditional clothing and dancing around pantsless? i think it would have been mentioned in the books, dont you? please stop pretending like you know what you are talking about; it's just as disrespectful as the video.

[@marimosoup4439]

literally the second they came on stage i almost threw up. how disgustingly unprofessional and insensitive of them. they clearly have no futures beyond this show.

[@GreenwoodCreations]

Wow. I just... wow. This is awful. How can people NOT see how insensitive... I'm sorry, how *offensive* this is? The dance mocks Japanese dramatic stances, the outfits mock Japanese traditional dress and the makeup mocks Japanese dramatic makeup. There's nothing kawaii about it. It's appropriation at best and flat out racist at worse. You don't turn someone's LIFE into a "funny" costume or a "funny" dance!

[@joanneco]

what did i just watch... this is racist..

[@the_int]

wow this is awful... and incredibly offensive

[@FarhanHshm]

How is this offensive u tool