Episode 228 - High Strung (Live from The Beacon Theatre)

[DrGuts1003 462]

Are these the type of ‘battles’ that Paul typically saw at Taco Bell?

EDIT: Actually the video in this article seems even more appropriate.

[GrahamS. 803]

2 hours ago, DrGuts1003 said:

Are these the type of ‘battles’ that Paul typically saw at Taco Bell?

EDIT: Actually the video in this article seems even more appropriate.

I think the second link you posted captures the true spirit of Paul's Taco Bell rants.

Side note: I’ve always called Taco Bell “Taco Hell” because it’s where real tacos are tortured, regurgitated and served back to you.

[Cam Bert 8145]

6 hours ago, gigi-tastic said:

Also I thought that the big dance finale would have her using contemporary style. But I don't think she did anything but ballet. She might have done more modern ballet but that was ballet as far as I could tell. 

Yes! She was doing the same moves as the hip hop dance crew but in a not as fluid way. She was still very straight and precise which seemed more in line with modern ballet then contemporary style. She still seemed "stiff" which is what the crew and Jane Seymore didn't want her to be and were trying to get her not to be but they all praised her. Maybe contemporary dance is simply a fancy term for "modern ballet."

[Cameron H. 23786]

I know we’re dealing with movie logic here, but straight up, if I was in a truly devastating situation, one that might end in any permutation of destitution, homelessness, and deportation, and some person I barely know came to me with “you should probably enter this contest” as a solution, I would lose my damn mind. Homeland Security is about to bust down my door and my hunky ass back to Britain any second, so bring me realistic options or get the fuck out.

[Cameron H. 23786]

Did anyone else feel like it was wildly inappropriate for both Ruby and Jazzy to be sent to Madam Markova’s office together? Their infractions, such as they were, were completely unrelated. Jazzy was suffering from chronic tardiness due to sexy-fierce, forty-year-old dude fucking, and Ruby wasn’t, what, popping when she should be locking? I get Madam Markova was busy, but damn, it really felt to me like this might be a situation where two separate meetings might have been in order.

[grudlian. 4725]

1 hour ago, Cameron H. said:

Ruby wasn’t, what, popping when she should be locking.

omg if you're confusing popping and locking do you even belong in a dance academy?!?!?!?! It's like confusing bournonville and cecchetti methods of ballet!!!!!!

[grudlian. 4725]

1 hour ago, Cameron H. said:

Did anyone else feel like it was wildly inappropriate for both Ruby and Jazzy to be sent to Madam Markova’s office together? Their infractions, such as they were, were completely unrelated. Jazzy was suffering from chronic tardiness due to sexy-fierce, forty year old fucking, and Ruby wasn’t, what, popping when she should be locking. I get Madam Markova was busy, but damn, it really felt to me like this might be a situation where two separate meetings might have been in order.

I agree with this. Even if they were both in academic probation for the same reason, they don't really need to have the same meeting. I could see if they were failing as part of a group project but they are roommates.

[Cameron H. 23786]

It kind of pissed me off that the school vending machines only provided fat-free options. What kind of fascist bullshit is that? I mean, if it were only a dance school, I could maybe get it, but I’m sure there are, like, ten-year-old French horn players who might appreciate Kit Kat break every now and again - especially after being bawled out by whatever sadistic taskmaster they’ve been saddled with for accidentally releasing their spit valve in the middle of Bizet’s L’Arlesienne Suite No 1. A bag of cheddar flavored kale chips isn’t going to do shit to alleviate that kind of academic stress. 

[Cam Bert 8145]

35 minutes ago, Cameron H. said:

It kind of pissed me off that the school vending machines only provided fat-free options. What kind of fascist bullshit is that? I mean, if it were only a dance school, I could maybe get it, but I’m sure there are, like, ten-year-old French horn players who might appreciate Kit Kat break every now and again - especially after being bawled out by whatever sadistic taskmaster they’ve been saddled with for accidentally releasing their spit valve in the middle of Bizet’s L’Arlesienne Suite No 1. A bag of cheddar flavored kale chips isn’t going to do shit to alleviate that kind of academic stress. 

What strikes me odd about your idea is that at first I was like "why not have a few in the music part of the school" but then I remembered the kids are practicing in rooms right next to the rooms the kids dance in. You're mixing them together. Why not have a wing of the school dedicated to music and another to dance. That way you can have a few cheeky snacks in those vending machines in the music wing, while keeping the less fun stuff in the dance wing. Also a dance student that wanted to be bad would have to go all the way across the school just to get to those snacks and they would have no reason for being over there except for a kitkat run. This would shame them and thus force them to stick to their healthy snack machines.

[Cam Bert 8145]

I just want to say my thoughts and feelings are going out to that poor violin student at the conservatory that is in desperate need of a violin. Unfortunately they can't play and are almost going to get kicked out of the school as a result. They are in on a scholarship and the airline company lost their violin. They're not sure if they'll ever get it back and can't afford to buy a new one. Fortunately they heard the school lends out music instruments to their students. Unfortunately they lent out the last violin to a dance student who doesn't even know the difference between a viola and a violin for an indeterminate amount of time without asking a single question. Now Johnny is going to get this poor student's free scholarship and they're going to be forced to go back to toil in obscurity in Toledo as their talent and skills slowly fade away and die.

[Cameron H. 23786]

18 minutes ago, Cam Bert said:

I just want to say my thoughts and feelings are going out to that poor violin student at the conservatory that is in desperate need of a violin. Unfortunately they can't play and are almost going to get kicked out of the school as a result. They are in on a scholarship and the airline company lost their violin. They're not sure if they'll ever get it back and can't afford to buy a new one. Fortunately they heard the school lends out music instruments to their students. Unfortunately they lent out the last violin to a dance student who doesn't even know the difference between a viola and a violin for an indeterminate amount without asking a single question. Now Johnny is going to get this poor student's free scholarship and they're going to be forced to go back to toil in obscurity in Toledo as their talent and skills slowly fade away and die.

That was insane! It’s like Paul said in the episode, every time the hint of conflict arises, it is immediately squelched. I thought for sure when the instrument loaner dude asked for her ID, he was going to at least say, “Your ID says you’re in the dance program...”

I mean, when you think about it, the movie is just one big false stake. He think he’s going to be deported because he’s overextended his visa. All of his decisions and subsequent scenes are based on this. Then, at the end, it turns out nobody gives a shit. It’s bonkers. I would have loved if he had to fight through DHS or whatever just to make it to the competition.

[grudlian. 4725]

Here's just a genuine question about dance academies in general. How much dancing does a dance student do a day? I don't know what a full course load would be like but Ruby is doing at least contemporary and ballet in one day. That's a couple hours of aerobic exercise a day. Are students doing much more than that a day?

1. That sounds truly exhausting but I'm also lazy.

2. How much showering do students do a day? They change outfits for each class and presumably aren't changing into clean clothes after getting sweaty in an earlier class. So, I'd think they shower after every class unless they go sweaty and gross to every class.

[Cam Bert 8145]

34 minutes ago, grudlian. said:

Here's just a genuine question about dance academies in general. How much dancing does a dance student do a day? I don't know what a full course load would be like but Ruby is doing at least contemporary and ballet in one day. That's a couple hours of aerobic exercise a day. Are students doing much more than that a day?

1. That sounds truly exhausting but I'm also lazy.

2. How much showering do students do a day? They change outfits for each class and presumably aren't changing into clean clothes after getting sweaty in an earlier class. So, I'd think they shower after every class unless they go sweaty and gross to every class.

Also I want to ask one more question, what's the age range?

It seems on one hand post-secondary because they are going out drinking, but yet they have kids their practicing music. Do those kids have tutors their for their regular schooling? 

[grudlian. 4725]

3 minutes ago, Cam Bert said:

Also I want to ask one more question, what's the age range?

It seems on one hand post-secondary because they are going out drinking, but yet they have kids their practicing music. Do those kids have tutors their for their regular schooling? 

I would assume an arts college probably has some classes for younger people. Not necessarily beginners but people with talent/promise/rich parents. I want to say some of my art/music professors in college taught lessons on the side but I can't remember if they used the college itself.

[Cameron H. 23786]

I get that the whole city is their campus, but I have to imagine that the community at large must be sick to death of all of these clowns. Everywhere these kids go, they’re trying to one-up the townies. If you live in that neighborhood, you must have to be constantly prepared to be shuffled off to the side so the conservatory kids can cut loose. Thinking of having a fun night at the club? Forget about it. A bunch of calorie deprived ballerinas have just cleared the dance floor to engage in some over-choreographed nonsense. Maybe you want to just go to the neighborhood pub and listen to some live music and watch some traditional dancing instead. Well, fuck you because the Madame Oksana’s contemporary dance class has just pushed the tables together and the nerdy, bad boy violinist with the serial killer smile just stole Angus’ instrument to play Swan Lake remixes. April even threatens one of the ladies dancing “You’re going down!” These people are just trying have a fun night out on the town for fucks sake, and they don’t need your hyper-competitive, rich kid bullshit bringing them down!

[AlmostAGhost 2718]

5 hours ago, Cam Bert said:

Why not have a wing of the school dedicated to music and another to dance.

But then how are they supposed to fall in love?

[Cameron H. 23786]

2 minutes ago, AlmostAGhost said:

But then how are they supposed to fall in love?

Lurk in subway stations like normal people.

[AlmostAGhost 2718]

30 minutes ago, Cameron H. said:

I get that the whole city is their campus, but I have to imagine that the community at large must be sick to death of all of these clowns. Everywhere these kids go, they’re trying to one-up the townies. If you live in that neighborhood, you must have to be constantly prepared to be shuffled off to the side so the conservatory kids can cut loose. Thinking of having a fun night at the club? Forget about it. A bunch of calorie deprived ballerinas have just cleared the dance floor to engage in some over-choreographed nonsense. Maybe you want to just go to the neighborhood pub and listen to some live music and watch some traditional dancing instead. Well, fuck you because the Madame Oksana’s contemporary dance class has just pushed the tables together and the nerdy, bad boy violinist with the serial killer smile just stole Angus’ instrument to play Swan Lake remixes. April even threatens one of the ladies dancing “You’re going down!” These people are just trying have a fun night out on the town for fucks sake, and they don’t need your hyper-competitive, rich kid bullshit bringing them down!

Yes, but think of like Good Will Hunting. Harvard students in bars having debates about economics was something the townies tolerated, and I see no difference in New Yorkers seeing ballerinas do line-dancing on the bar like second-rate Coyote Ugly characters.

[AlmostAGhost 2718]

1 minute ago, Cameron H. said:

Lurk in subway stations like normal people.

Too dangerous, evil street crews get in your way

[The_Other_MikeD 68]

I believe that the Damian referred to in the Amazon review is Michael "Rock On/Young and the Restless" Damian who is the writer/director/producer.

Also I laughed at the scene where Blackwell meets his downstairs neighbors. They invite him in and say "We're a dance crew. So sit down an watch us dance." Then they proceed to each do a solo so that Hayward can introduce them middle of the concert "here's the band" style.

[gigi-tastic 2322]

3 hours ago, Cam Bert said:

Also I want to ask one more question, what's the age range?

It seems on one hand post-secondary because they are going out drinking, but yet they have kids their practicing music. Do those kids have tutors their for their regular schooling? 

I assumed those young kids were musical prodigies. God they probably ruined practice for the next Mozart with their bullshit. These dancers must be stopped!

[Cam Bert 8145]

2 hours ago, AlmostAGhost said:

But then how are they supposed to fall in love?

I'm sorry you can only fall in love if it's Christmas and you're Vanessa Hudgens

[AlmostAGhost 2718]

4 minutes ago, Cam Bert said:

I'm sorry you can only fall in love if it's Christmas and you're Vanessa Hudgens

an inconvenient truth

[gigi-tastic 2322]

1 hour ago, Cam Bert said:

I'm sorry you can only fall in love if it's Christmas and you're Vanessa Hudgens

This is Lacey Chabert erasure. 

[hornacek 43]

On 12/7/2019 at 2:59 AM, DrGuts1003 said:

Paul said that the sequel had no link to the first movie, but that is not correct.  Jane Seymour reprises her role as dance instructor Oksana in the sequel.  Jane Seymour was also an executive producer on both films.

Seymour was one of 12 (!) executive producers on this film, so don't put too much stock into her having this role.