Watch Now: NBC World of Dance Season 3, Episode 9 Performances + Recap
Season 3 of NBC World of Dance aired last night with the Junior Division and Upper Team Division rounds of The Cut. The top 6 acts in each division remained, and only 3 acts in each division moved forward in the competition. Celebrity judges Jennifer Lopez, Derek Hough, and Ne-Yo had the task of scoring each team, deciding who made it forward to The Divisional Finals.The performers were given the opportunity to be mentored by dance experts in this round. This week, Ne-Yo mentored the Upper Team Division and Jennifer Lopez mentored the Junior Division.Watch the full episode now, and check out our recap below to see who made it through The Divisional Finals, and who was eliminated.
Junior Division
Funkanometry
Funkanometry had a "surprise" for the judges for this performance, where they started from behind the judges instead of on the stage like every other act. Derek and Hough thought the concept and the costumes were better than the choreography, and Jennifer Lopez said they were innovative and creative. Ne-Yo said they were becoming one of his favorite acts, and he'd pay money to come watch them perform.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-95_D4xrZeE[/embed]Final score: 91.3 Unable to score in the top 3, Funkanometry will not be moving forward to The Divisional Final.
Lauren Yakima
Jennifer Lopez loved the emotion behind Lauren Yakima's performance. Derek Hough commended her on the maturity of her movement, and Ne-Yo said the times she wasn't dancing were some of his favorite. Derek Hough pointed out that she struggled with her turns and it was noticeable during her performance.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8PN73nBaaQ[/embed]Final score: 91.7 Unable to score in the top 3, Lauren Yakima will not be moving forward to The Divisional Final.
Moving 4ward
Moving 4ward utilized a table as a prop during their performance. Jennifer Lopez said their performance needed to build more than it did, but they are all great dancers.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuWaOQDKiVs[/embed]Final score: 90.3 Unable to score in the top 3, Moving 4ward will not be moving forward to The Divisional Final.
Julian and Charlize
Derek Hough though he saw the choreography more than the dancing and said there were some moments that Charlize was hitting "so hard." Jennifer Lopez said the performance was amazing, beautiful, and they did a good job. Ne-Yo said their performance was clean, exquisite, and amazing.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NuRRaj2yFk[/embed]Final score: 93.0 Scoring in the top 3, Julian and Charlize will be moving forward in the competition to The Divisional Final.
Kayla Mak
Derek Hough said Kayla's performance was exquisite, and ballet can absolutely compete in World of Dance. Jennifer Lopez warned her not to let the music overpower her. Ne-Yo said said her performance set her apart from the others, specifically calling out her scorpion execution.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJVsijdIMMc[/embed]Final score: 93.7 Scoring in the top 3, Kayla Mak will be moving forward to The Divisional Final.
Ellie & Ava
Ne-Yo complimented Ellie and Ava on the power behind their routine and their character that lasted throughout their performance. Jennifer Lopez challenged them in their practice to tell their story, and said the changes that the duo made were worth it.Final score: 95.3 Scoring higher than any other performance in their division, Ellie & Ava will be moving forward to the Divisional Final.
Upper Team Division
Exiles
Ne-Yo praised them for finding their confidence, and Jennifer Lopez and Derek Hough fawned over their tricks. Jennifer Lopez said some of their spacing was a bit off, but overall a good performance. Derek Hough said their energy dropped a bit towards the end but agreed that overall it was a good routine.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toL32BhodcI[/embed]Final score: 90.3 Unable to score in the top 3, Exiles will not be moving forward to The Divisional Final.
The Kings
The judges agreed that the beginning was slow moving with almost too much musicality, but when the routine picked up they nailed it. Ne-Yo pointed out that they included Bollywood, dubstep, and robotics in their routine, and Jennifer Lopez commended them for executing such a cultural piece.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYz069UdNEI[/embed]Final score: 97.7 Scoring in the top 3, The Kings will be moving forward to The Divisional Final.
Unity LA
Unity LA utilized canes as props throughout their entire performance this week, which Derek Hough said was a risk. He said they did a great job, and Ne-Yo agreed. Jennifer Lopez said they did a good job, but warned them not to do something so abstract that the viewer doesn't get the performance.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-O2fLQuQk4[/embed]Final score: 93.3 Scoring in the top 3, Unity LA will be moving forward to The Divisional Final.
Fuego Dance Crew
Ne-Yo and Derek Hough commended the crew for their Latin style and the tricks they brought to their performance. Jennifer Lopez said they didn't do anything they haven't seen before, and Derek Hough said they needed more gasoline in their routine (a play on the song they chose). Ne-Yo said regardless of the outcome, they should be proud of themselves.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoiB_-7QumA[/embed]Final score: 89.3 Unable to score in the top 3, Fuego Dance Crew will not be moving forward to The Divisional Final.
Radiance
The ladies of Radiance danced with a narrative that addresses mass shootings that have happened in recent times. Jennifer Lopez spoke in favor of their message, but felt the piece could have been stronger, and the dancing didn't align with the story they were trying to tell through their performance.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH62F4diQto[/embed]Final score: 92.7 Unable to score in the top 3, Radiance will not be moving forward to The Divisional Final.
The Heima
The Heima's performance included a human swing and incredible tricks and break dancing. Their performance earned them a standing ovation from Derek Hough and Ne-Yo. Ne-Yo said the risks they took were absolutely worth it, and said they brought a personality they haven't seen before as well as quality technique.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgoTq-aqsH8[/embed]Final score: 97.7 Scoring in the top 3, The Heima will be moving forward to The Divisional Final.The next episode of NBC World of Dance airs this Sunday! Watch as the best dancers in the world compete for a $1 million prize. Don’t miss exclusive interviews, performances, and more from the definitive source for all things World of Dance.