Tuesday’s premiere of
World of Dance (Tuesdays at 10 pm ET on CTV) wasted no time getting to the talent and that includes those on stage and the three celebrities sitting at the judges' table. Season 4 high-kicked off with night one of the Qualifiers and played the old switcheroo, telling contestants they would be performing for producers and then sending them into the audition room where they found themselves face to beautiful face with judges Jennifer Lopez, Derek Hough and Ne-Yo. Hoping to see how the dancers would react under pressure, Tuesday’s performers rose to the occasion. They may have been all nerves inside, but we only count what happens between the 5-6-7-8 and the closing pose.The Qualifier Round requires two yeses from the judges for the dancers to move on to the Dual Round. The judges can also request that the dancers go to the Call Back, which gives them one more chance to prove themselves to move onto the Duals. On Tuesday night, four dance groups moved onto the Dual Round, one received a Call Back and the sixth got to film a Tik Tok video with Derek Hough. It’s not a $1 million cash prize but it could be a million new followers.[video_embed id='1965719']RELATED: 'World of Dance' judge Derek Hough promises more BTS moments in season 4[/video_embed]
JEFFERSON Y ADRIANITA
Jefferson and Adrianita were the first dancers to be surprised by the judges, but an even bigger surprise came when the couple revealed they had named their son after Derek Hough. That is both sweet and brilliant—there was no way they were getting a pass from Derek after sharing that dedication. Thankfully, there was also no way they were getting a no after their incredible performance, which felt like it was being played on fast forward. JLo said she would have liked the footwork to be quicker. Maybe things look slower IRL? The pair matched their incredible ballroom speed with death-defying tricks that were
muy caliente and received a yes from all three judges. Adrianita and Jefferson even got to dance with JLo and their son’s namesake. It seems likely they'll make it past round one, but if not, they’ve already had a great
World of Dance experience.
JAKE AND CHAU
Contemporary partnerships have become a saturated division on dance competitions, which makes Jake and Chau’s standout performance even more impressive. Their pair brought the emotion needed to match Lewis Capaldi’s “Bruises” and highlighted Chau’s incredible flexibility. Both dancers got to show off their athleticism through lifts and flips and their years of friendship didn’t go unnoticed by the judges. “I love that there’s so much chemistry between the two of you,” said Ne-Yo, with JLo adding “I think you guys seem very special.” Special enough for three yeses. Now excuse us while we practice taking our shirt off in the coolest way possible.
BAILEY AND KIDA
Whereas Jake and Chau blew the judges away with their chemistry, Bailey and Kida lacked a special connection but made up for it in sheer talent. The hip hop dancers have independently amassed an incredible roster of dance gigs, working with Janet Jackson, Meghan Trainor, J Cole and Usher. They’ve only been dancing together a few weeks and it appears their friendship has been built on mutual respect and a goal of gaining more followers. They’re both so talented that if they can put in the time to build a deeper bond, they could be unstoppable this season.
GRVMNT
One group to watch has already emerged this season and it’s the junior dance crew GRVMNT from Vancouver, Canada. Are we playing favourites for the solo Canucks? Not even! Are they incredibly talented and had us welling up during the intro? Absolutely! The group hit their routine cleanly and hard enough to get a yes from JLo and a call back from Ne-Yo and Derek, which means they get another opportunity to prove themselves and earn a spot in the duals. Oh Canada! Sorry, oh GRVMNT! When the moves are this slick, it's easy to root for the home team.
Watch new episodes of
World of Dance every Tuesdays at 10 pm ET on CTV.[video_embed id='1964847']RELATED: Khloe’s new look gets everyone’s attention[/video_embed]
