On the second round of The Duels on World of Dance, two troupes of girls go head-to-head in the Junior Division. First up is JDC from San Jose, California. They perform to the 2011 Jessie J song “Who You Are.” (see link below) It’s a song about empowerment which includes the line: “It’s okay to not be okay.” Jessie J, one of the writers of the song, says “Who You Are” is about staying true to yourself, no matter what. Like Jessie J in the music video for “Who You Are,” the JDC dancers use handheld mirrors as props too. Judges Jennifer Lopez and Derek Hough are audibly impressed.
It’s a hard act to follow but Dancetown Divas from Miami, Florida deliver. Their routine doesn’t pull on heartstrings like JDC’s “Who You Are” — but their performance is bold and dramatic, almost militaristic. The troupe storms the stage and nails a performance set to the 2WEI cover of Coolio’s 1995 song “Gangsta’s Paradise.” World of Dance airs Sundays at 8 pm on NBC.
