Watch Now: NBC World Of Dance Season 2, Episode 5 Performances + Recap
We’re on night 5 of the Qualifiers of NBC World of Dance, and we couldn’t be more excited to see them continue. Why do we love the Qualifying round? This is the chance for every performer who has put in all the blood, sweat, and tears to get to this stage to show everything they have. Want to watch the full episode? Stream it here, there was even an ad with a special performance from Les Twins, Diana Pombo, and Fik-Shun from season 1. If you’re catching up, check out last week’s recap and read on for this week’s performances.
Embodiment | Upper Team
Embodiment, an all-male contemporary group, was founded by Rudy Abreu, a backup dancer at Jennifer Lopez’s Vegas residency. Now he’s stepping into the spotlight as both choreographer and performer to showcase his own choreography. Their performance was an incredible mix of power and grace, with complex formations, and a strong narrative. They received positive feedback from the judges, along with some notes on musicality and dynamism. The biggest note was from J-Lo, encouraging them to go for the win and “be a killer” in the competition.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5Y0xjKY-04Final score = 84.7
Daniel & Mishella | Junior
This pint-size ballroom duo have earned both international and national ballroom titles. Jenna Dewan joked with the team about how Daniel is a mini Derek, which looking at photos isn’t that far off. Their performance was fun, energetic, and had Derek singing and dancing along in his seat. They received some amazing guidance from Derek, while they are on the right path, he said, they will need to increase the difficulty and intricacy and push themselves in the next round.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odl7wF_eYjAFinal score = 82.7
Marissa & the Heartbreakers | Upper Team
Bringing a style the World of Dance stage hasn’t seen, “heels” is not as easy as you may think. Marissa and the Heartbreakers are inspirational women, hoping to inspire others. Jennifer called them a “beautiful, sexy, heels dancing group” and noted that their style requires a special set of skills. Derek and Ne-Yo both agreed (Ne-Yo likening them to superheros), but all three judges wanted to see more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXIxs9j2FHgFinal score = 83.7
Madison Brown | Junior
Growing up, 12 year old Madison Brown moved around a lot due to her dad’s job. But luckily her mom prioritized finding her a place to dance in every new city. Dance helped her feel connected and helped make her who she is today. Her maturity in both her personality and dance showed through on the stage, and she has what Jennifer Lopez called a “womanly quality beyond her years.” The judges had praise for her performance, and provided some feedback on her transitions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Anb31EtDa-UFinal score = 87 Freshh | Junior Freshh showed their experience (they've won of a load of WOD titles over the years) by coming out with their game faces on. You'd never have expected the high energy and funky performance to come from their serious demeanor. The judges loved it, but wanted to see more of their personalities shine through in their dancing, which the crew promises they can deliver. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGMYzQl3WPUFinal score = 84Silver Beat | Upper Team This group hails from all over the continent of Africa, but have one goal: To inspire kids in their community. They are dedicated to giving back through their success. “Children deserve to have a positive beginning,” their leader notes. Their performance was high energy and brought moves to the stage World of Dance hasn’t seen before. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vE3FieWd_8Final score = 78.7
Royal Flux | Upper Team
Back from season 1, Royal Flux is back to showcase their creativity and contemporary lifts and more. During rehearsal, one of their dancers fractured her foot, but even that wasn’t enough to stop her from performing. The judges were glad to see them back, and applauded their creative transitions and athleticism. Ne-Yo noted that it spoke to the quality of the athlete that she still performed after such an injury. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twmfq6bz20wFinal score = 87
