For some kids, winning is everything. But for Amanda, it was never really about acing her dance tryout so much as gaining the confidence she needed to be herself. And in the span of just four weeks (and 60 minutes of condensed footage), girl went from introverted band geek to outgoing mover-and-shaker. Plus, instead of giving up, she’s already talking ’bout coming back for tryouts next season!

So we say, forget making the school squad (for now) and give it up for the new and self-improved Miss Amanda! Keep up the good work, lady! And, in the immortal words of guru/bisexual disco queen Lady Gaga, just DANCE!

Watching Hannah learn the ABC’s (Run DMC’s??) of rap on MADE got us thinking about all the other ladies doing their thing. Think Missy Elliott spits the best rhymes? Or are you more of a Lauryn Hill kinda girl? Take our poll and let us know who’s the baddest female MC to ever rock da mic!

You know that girl in your gym class who’s so terrified of breaking a nail that she faked an ankle injury just to get out of the dodgeball unit? Well, Sabrina, Jenna and Erin make her look like an American Gladiator! At least, they did. Now, these blond-haired, blue-eyed babes claim they’re ready to shed their girly girl reps — and come out swinging!

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So we’ve got a little bone to pick with, um, ourselves. MTV’s Best of ‘08 just launched and somehow we neglected to award any honors to MADE OR True Life – the bestest of the best MTV shows E-V-E-R!

To be fair, it wasn’t completely our fault. With categories such as “Best (Almost) Nude Moments,” it was hard for these two smart doc series to compete with the filthy (but equally fascinating) likes of A Shot At Love 2 and Real World: Hollywood. Still, we just couldn’t let MADE or True Life go unnoticed — and that’s why we asked Christine Rochelle, MTV.com Production Assistant-slash-Remote Control Contributor-slash-uber obsessed fan to make a list of her personal fave moments from this year’s episodes. Check it yo:

First up I have to pay homage to a MADE staple: fighting tooth and nail with your coach. Lucky enough for aspiring skateboarder, Alex, her mom did all the dirty work (even threatening to rip Coach Holly’s head off)…

A typical MADE story is comprised of a shy brainiac who wants to break out of his/her shell. But every once in a while we stumble upon some characters with maybe a little too much confidence. BFFs Amanda and Natalie really overestimated their ability to become survivalists…

Temper tantrums and crying fits aside, there’s nothing like a good old-fashioned MADE story where someone’s goals are reached and dreams are fulfilled. There was no other MADE subject this year like Brandon, who wanted to be a triathlete in order to overcome his diabetes. We were right beside him as he stepped on the scale week after week — and we were there again when he refused to let a spandex uniform get the best of him. When Brandon crossed that finish line, there wasn’t a dry eye around. Rock on, Brandon, rock on.

See Marie. See Marie dance. See Marie suck at dancing…

That’s where MTV’s MADE and America’s Best Dance Crew come into play. When these shows merge on Sunday, September 14, Marie will get tips from Fanny Pak and other Season 2 crews on how to add a little spring to her step. But can rhythm be learned? Watch the teaser below to see if you think Marie has a shot in hell at ever becoming a dancing queen.

The other week, we caught up with former MADE coach Rabbi Darkside and heard what he had to say about turning shy high-schooler Linnea into a beatboxing wiz. And now, as promised, the Rabbi’s on hand to teach you all how to drop a beat!

Catch the first instructional installment (think: “Beatboxing for Dummies”) below then check out the rest of the lesson and re-watch the Rabbi’s MADE debut to see how your skills compare to Linnea.

Okay, so everybody knows that former MADE man Jesse Csincsak found love (and instant reality tv fame!) with The Bachelorette’s DeAnna Pappas, but what, you ask, have all the other erstwhile coaches been up to lately? Well, lucky for you, we’re kicking off a brand new feature called “Coaches Corner” to address that very question.

So, who’s up first? That would be Rabbi Darkside, who you’ll remember from the episode where weepy high-schooler Linnea (eventually) learned how to beatbox. Re-live the magic by re-watching the episode here then check back next week, when Darkside delivers the first-ever video installment of Coaches Corner: a lesson in Hip-Hop 101.

++ Meanwhile, check out what the beat-boxing Rabbi had to say for himself in this exclusive blog entry, after the jump. (Note: Apparently, “turntablism” is a word!)

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At rehearsals this morning, the final six crews were busy putting together a special dance number for next week’s show open. They also got a special visitor at the studio: Marie K. from MTV’s MADE, who dreams of becoming a hip-hop dancer.

Rhythm-impaired Marie, who’s never danced a day in her life, got firsthand tips from the boys in Boogie Bots and Supreme Soul. Specifically, she learned how to ‘house’, as well as how to do MJ’s iconic dance move — the Moon Walk. In just a few weeks, Marie will bring her moves to the stage with her newly formed dance crew, Karma Krew. Could we see Marie next on Season 3 of ABDC? Uh, let’s not put the cart before the horse.

I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart reserved for MADE, the long-running MTV program that unfolds like an extended one-hour version of the classic movie makeover montage. And now, it appears that one of our own has undergone a major metamorphosis on the primetime stage.

In a surprise victory, former MADE coach, Jesse Csincsak (last seen teaching uncoordinated popular girl, Tara, how to snowboard) won the heart of former singleton DeAnna Pappas on last night’s season finale of The Bachelorette. The boarder beat out the heavily favored dad-slash-exec Jason Mesnick to get the girl in the final rose ceremony. Congratulations, Jesse! You just got MADE….into an overnight tv heartthrob.

++ Wanna see more of Jesse before he won big on The Bachelorette? Re-watch his MADE episode right here, and then check out this bonus interview footage of the future ladies’ man.

(Photo Credit: ABC)

After watching the MADE marathon last weekend, I got to thinking: Which of my favorite MTV characters would I most like to see in an extended makeover montage? The top 2 picks (along with projected plotlines, long-winded explanations and predictions for the obligatory “I Want To Quit” moment) to follow.

Who’s Got It MADE: Amanda Lorber from The Paper
Hypothetical Premise: The always-opinionated Amanda gets MADE…into a silent film star.
Why It Totally Works: Amanda’s never had a problem expressing herself, whether it’s through writing, bursting inappropriately into song or having one-on-one convos with her therapist/dog. But she’s not exactly known for being the “strong, silent type.” Which is why she’s ready for the ultimate challenge: channeling her boundless energy into a character who doesn’t sing, cry, whine, complain, lecture…or even speak. At all.
The “I Want To Quit” Moment: Amanda suffers a major setback after her MADE coach warns her that Alex, Trevor and Giana will all be attending the premiere of her silent movie, “Fermez La Bouche.”

Find out what happens when Butt-head (of Beavis and Butt-head “fame”) gets MADE…after the jump.
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