Season 4 Episodes
412:THE LAST DANCE AND A SLIPPERY ROMANCE
Missions:
16: Audition for the Nicks City Dancers
My comments:
Oscar looks weird with out his goatee.
Oscar expression when he saw snow for the first time was awesome.
End: Oscar teaching one of the dancers how to do Latin Dances.
What Bonnie had to say about the episode:
Original Air Date: Sept. 22, 1997
Segment #1
From Grenada, the group flies to Philadelphia, PA to meet Jake's parents. Erika says they've been in the Caribbean for seven weeks, but now it's good to leave.
Kalle helps Jake with his college application essay on the flight. Jake says she's taken a very active role in helping him apply for college.
Kalle says she's nervous to meet Jake's parents. After the plane lands, they take a van up to Jake's parents' house. They meet his dad, then mom, then the family dog. His parents feed them big hoagie sandwiches for dinner. His parents chat with Kalle at the dinner table. Jake says his parents like her, and they know she makes him happy. Kalle tells them about her plans to go to college in New York.
Jake's parents' place is actually a converted printing place. Jake shows them around the neighborhood and it begins to snow. Oscar is happy it's snowing.
The next morning Jake's dad gives them their next clue which says they need to audition at Madison Square Gardens in New York City.
Kalle's excited that she'll get to see the friend in New York she plans on living with for college in the fall. When Kalle's alone, she calls her and tells her she's coming for a visit. Then Kalle asks her if wants to hear the break-up letter she wrote to Brian, her boyfriend in Colorado. As she reads the letter over the phone she seems out of breath and excited to read the letter, then after she's finished she starts crying.
Segment #2
They all leave Philly and fly to Manhattan Island. Kalle says she feels so young and that New York City is the new frontier.
9,378 miles traveled so far.
Kalle says that New York is everything she wanted and Fort Collins (Colorado) isn't.
They get a room at a local hostel, complete with cockroaches, and then grab a cab. When they meet up with the woman at Madison Gardens, she tells them they will be auditioning for the Knick City Dancers - the people who dance on the court during game half-time. They all go to the dance studio to practice the routine they'll be learning.
Mission 15 - Audition for the Knicks City Dancers
They are all asked to change into the dancers outfits which include baseball caps. First they watch the dancers do the routine and then they have to do it. The routine is a hip-hop type dance that looks really complicated. None of them think they can pull it off, but they try anyway.
Lots of scenes of them trying to do the dance, except Vince who just stands there with his arms crossed. They all take a break and Vince tells the group in another room that he's quitting the mission because he feels like an idiot. Jake thinks Vince quitting the mission is a big cop-out. Vince says that it was a "female-type" dance and that he hates dancing.
Oscar says he gets to spend the day dancing with a bunch of beautiful women, and he's happy with that.
After about eight hours of practicing, the dancers pick Erika to dance with them on the court for the game tomorrow. Erika looks shocked and scared at the same time. The rest of the group, except Vince, will get to work with the press room by giving them player stats throughout the game. Vince is still given a ticket to watch in the stands. He's cool with that.
Segment #3
The next morning, Erika gets ready and leaves before the others wake up. She goes to the dance studio to continue working with the instructor on some moves. She says she's nervous but knows that if she works hard enough she can do it.
Jake and Kalle go to a college in the city and drop off Jake's application essay.
When they all meet up with Erika, she looks upset. Apparently, she has to re-audition to be in the dance troupe. She's upset and tells Kalle, as she helps with her hair, that she hates this mission. She's crying. She tells Kalle that she's scared she'll make a fool of herself.
Erika auditions another time on the court without mirrors and with other dancers. She says it's hard on her body and her mind to do this again.
She looks good and only misses a few steps. When they're finished they all clap and give her a group hug. They said she did a great job, but she didn't make the cut. They give her a press pass so she can work with Kalle, Jake and Oscar doing stats. Vince just gets his ticket in the stands. Erika tells them her reward for
completing the mission is that she won't be doing stats with them, but will just watch the game with them and then with Vince.
Afterwards, she goes into the bathroom, locks herself in a stall and cries.
The dancers tell the group that they will wear Road Rules caps in honor of their mission.
Erika says that those women are great and talented dancers.
As Erika sits with Vince in the stands, she notices their next clue flash by on the score board. It says something about a real-life soap meet the Road Rules. Vince thinks they'll be on a cheesy soap opera.
Mission 15 completed.
After the game, the dancers pay Oscar, Kalle, Jake and Erika for their hard work. They go to the dance clubs to celebrate. Erika says this is the kind of dancing she likes most.
End Segment
Oscar makes a deal with the dancers to teach them the salsa if they teach him the Knicks dance. Scenes of him salsa dancing with the women. They love it!
What MTV had to say about the episode:
412:THE LAST DANCE AND A SLIPPERY ROMANCE
Previously: Our heroes make it through the night inside a volcano, and then head to Grenada. The mission: give advice for the lovelorn on a radio call-in show. The gang make a few friends, and a few enemies, before Jake's Dad calls and tells the kids to haul butt back to Philly.
The Road Rulers pile into a waiting jet; destination Philadelphia. Erika reminds everyone we've had a fabulous seven weeks in the Caribbean, but enough is enough! Let's get back to the continent. En route, Jake whips out his laptop (that's a computer) and Kalle helps him create a college entrance essay. A smooth landing and Vince inhales crisp Philly air. No balmy breezes like Cayman, but that's OK. "It's cold and we're in America!" Land that I love...
The tikes motor on over to Jake's parent's house. It's a kewl joint - an old warehouse turned into a funky living space. Of course, mom and pop are thrilled to see their young pup. Kalle is a little nervous as her potential-future-in-laws conduct a little prying; so what will you do when you move to New York, Kalle? Our blond Venus quietly explains that first she will get a job, then she will go to school in the fall. She further explains that she already has a place to live, thanks to her friend Nicki's apartment-scouting capabilities. Pops asks Jake, what are your plans son? Jake drops the bomb, I'm moving to New York too! Now that's a new development...
After a hearty dinner, Jake escorts his road mates on a whirl wind tour of the streets of Philadelphia. Is that Bruce Springsteen singing in the background? Suddenly it starts to snow. Oscar freezes in his little Puerto Rican tracks. Our surfer dude has never seen the white stuff. He's slack-jawed, just soaking up the flakes in awe. Walking in a winter wonderland...
Next morning, mom whips up another hearty meal as dad hands over the next clue - you will audition for the New York Knicks. Wish I was a little bit taller, wish I was a baller... The boyz are thrilled, as all three of them are big hoops fans. Kalle is thrilled to be heading for the big apple - she'll be able to check out her new pad. Erika is less than excited, to say the least. Basketball holds no Magic for her (did you get that?).
Kalle jumps on the phone and confesses to Nicki "I'm having a nervous breakdown!" Kalle explains that she feels she is betraying Brian's mother by spending quality time with Jake's mother. She reveals she has written Brian a letter, explaining to him that she is now happy with Jake and wants to find herself - basically: we're finished Brian!
Now it's a choo-choo train into The City that Never Sleeps. Then taxi over to Madison Square Garden and it's greetings from PETRA, the coach of the Knicks City Dancers. Did she say dancers? That's right. You're not towel boys, you're auditioning to be on the half-time dance team! Erika and Kalle are excited. The boyz dreams of court-side thrills evaporate. Sorry folks, that's the way the ball bounces...
Petra escorts the Rulers to a dance studio on the other side of the town. In a large rehearsal room, the real dancers are introduced to the cast. Let's just say it - these girls are HOT, with those perfectly toned dancer bods. The girls perform the entire number as the Roadmates watch in awe. This looks hard. Vince, especially, is very intimidated by the agility required to perform the piece. Now it's your turn.
The girls show the cast members the moves and all rehearse together. Vince calls for a time-out and conference with his travel mates. Guess what, I QUIT. Vince is outa there, claiming he feels stupid. The roadies offer their blessings, but Jake confesses he believes Vince is just copping out. Vince disappears into the clogged streets of New York as the others continue pounding out the moves.
After a long day of pulling every possible muscle, Petra calls a meeting. "You've all done a great job, but Erika is the only one who might make it. She will rehearse all day tomorrow and the rest of you will run STATS during the game." Wow!
Next morning, as her buddies lay snoring obnoxiously, Erika showers, primps, and slips into a taxi for a quick ride over to the dance studio. She spends the day hoofin' it like a pro. Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Jake and Kalle pop into Eugene Lang College to drop off the essay Kalle wrote for Jake. Er, that Kalle helped Jake write.
Later in the afternoon, all the Roaders meet up at Madison Square Garden. Erika explains that she still has to audition once more - this time in the stadium with the other dancers and without the aid of mirrors. Yikes. Petra escorts everyone to the dressing room. Kalle and Erika move into a changing area for a private girl-conference. Erika starts to cry, "I feel like an idiot, I just know I'll fail." Kalle suggests that Erika bow out now. Erika refuses. The show must go on.
In the big room, in front of 20,000 empty seats, Erika performs the number with the other dancers. She does pretty damn good! Everyone claps there heads off. Petra slowly steps to Erika and hugs her tightly - if you had two more days to practice you would be perfect. Erika is practically relieved to find she will not have to perform in front of the crowd. And yet, she quickly runs back to the dressing room and locks herself into a bathroom stall for a good cry. What an emotional day... Jake and Kalle crowd into the bathroom and try to convince Erika she should feel proud. Erika pulls herself together and everyone moves back to the stadium to enjoy the game.
At half time, Erika and Vince notice a clue that is digitally displayed on the giant score board hanging from the ceiling. A real-life soap meets a long-lived soap in Pine Valley USA - Check your local soap for details.
After the game, Petra pulls the pack aside and congratulates all for hanging in there. She hands out some cash, with an extra hundred bucks going to Erika for going the extra mile. Oh sorry Vince, you get nothing because you quit. Ouch, that smarts...
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