Watch Now: NBC World of Dance Season 2, Episode 1 Performances + Recap
After a year of waiting, Season 2 of NBC World of Dance hit the stage, instantly raising the bar for the competition. Based on what we’ve seen so far, this season is bound to continue to raise the standard of what it takes to win the $1 million prize. Our celebrity judges Jennifer Lopez, Derek Hough, and Ne-Yo are back, bringing their industry expertise, experience, and love for dance along with mentor and host Jenna Dewan. In addition to the new stage (which lighting brings a whole new layer to the performance production), we have the new Junior Team Division, with 5 or more dancers under 18 years old. In the season 2 premiere, the first episode of the Qualifiers, competitors must earn 80 or more points to advance to the Duels. Watch the full episode now, and read on for recaps and performances.
Desi Hoppers | Upper Team
The Desi Hoppers created their crew in 2015 to compete in World of Dance ultimately winning the 2015 World of Dance Finals. Their signature fusion of hip hop with traditional Indian dance moves and their passion and energy made them the perfect candidates to kick off season 2, earning praise from all the judges and support and excitement from the audience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A0jDCiseYYFinal score = 96
Sean and Kaycee | Junior
Sean and Kaycee met years ago at a dance competition, and after filming a video together, they knew they were meant to perform as a duo. Their contemporary performance (choreographed by Sean, who will be teaching at WOD DX this summer) helped them in “portraying who we are as dancers to the whole world.” Starting in blindfolds, the moving performance illustrated the layers of vulnerability in a new relationship, bringing J-Lo to tears and was called “intelligent choreography” by Derek. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJR5ybWoLrUFinal score = 96
S-Rank | Upper Team
S-Rank was created by the Chapkis Family’s Melvin Timtim, and are no strangers to the World of Dance regional event stage, having performed at a number of events. Their performance brought what we see at our events to the NBC stage. Their synchronicity, style, and energy wowed the judges, earning them a score that will advance them to the next round.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3dnBEmCzJIFinal score = 91
Jaxon Willard | Junior
Jaxon Willard, a contemporary dancer from Utah, found dance as an outlet to process emotions he felt after years of bullying. “This is me” he says about his emotional performance. The first solo contemporary performer of the competition, he set the standard for power, grace, and athleticism while sharing a performance that brought both the judges and audience to tears. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbIKr93RV-cFinal score = 94
Flip | Junior Team
Hitting the stage in red sequins with lots of energy, Flip (hailing from Canada) showed their clean choreography and flawless formations. Their performance, according to Derek, had great contrast with the music, but needed some additional fine tuning for the World of Dance stage. Their score advances them to the next level, with advice from the judges on what to bring to the Duels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow2G9qtlFisFinal score = 82.7
Hilty & Bosch | Upper
Hilty & Bosch have been setting the standard for locking together for 20 years. Known as Japan’s best locking duo, they’ve won multiple dance competition titles, and were approached backstage at the TV show as “legends.” Their performance was entertaining and enjoyable, according to the judges, but didn’t hold up to the standard set for the competition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69xuiPtb-6AFinal score = 78.3
Karen y Ricardo | Upper
Dancing together since they were 9, performing on the streets of Chile, this duo (they’re engaged!) have won 9 consecutive world championships. Simply walking on the stage, you can see the caliber of professionalism and performance quality they bring to the competition. Their performance had Derek standing on the judges table, and as Jennifer Lopez said, “that is what you call setting the stage on fire.” Ne-Yo called it “the first million dollar performance we’ve seen yet,” earning the highest score in the history of the competition (100 from J-Lo and Ne-Yo, and 99 from Derek). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPTmqDU0YXwFinal score = 99.7
