So You Think You Can Dance - The Top 10 Perform

Tonight we welcome back the All Star format on So You Think You Can Dance, and I could not be happier. We open with a Broadway style group routine that pays tribute to the late Gene Kelly in celebration of his 100^th birthday. Not only is the routine choreographed by Tyce DiOrio, he is dancing in it as well. It could just be me, but I am suddenly thinking of two episodes of Glee: the Britney episode where Mr. Shue feels it necessary to sing “Toxic” with the kids, and the Rocky Horror episode where Mr. Shue feels it necessary to cast himself as, well, Rocky Horror. To my relief, Cat announces that Tyce was dancing for a slightly injured Cole, and I therefore do not have to be angry with the show.

This evening’s guest judge is Benjamin Millepied, more commonly known as Natalie Portman’s husband. However, Mr. Millepied is a very talented, very accomplished ballet dancer, so hopefully his critiques are helpful. Additionally, I have my fingers crossed that Swan Lake music will play at some point tonight (that’s my plug for Black Swan – freaking awesome movie). And here we go!

Contestant: Tiffany and Brandon

Style: Disco, choreographed by Doriana Sanchez

I’m always immediately annoyed when Cat says “a disco routine choreographed by Doriana Sanchez.” Typically these routines are just crazy lifts, tosses and spins with no additional dance steps that somehow get standing ovations and bulk tickets to the hot tamale train. This performance fares a little better in terms of content, and Tiffany is working her outfit as well as her limbs. There are a few awkward pauses, but this is a high energy start to the show.

Judges Say: Nigel thanks Adam Shankman for letting Tiffany borrow some of his old clothes. Smirk. He then tells Tiffany she was fantastic. Mary starts screaming at all of us and then indicates there were 11 lifts in the performance. She then says Tiffany “held up” her part of the bargain. Ha! These judges are already on fire tonight! Benjamin is impressed by the level of energy that was kept all the way through the dance, and he also compliments the expressions Tiffany makes while dancing.

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Contestant: Witney and Nick (yay!)

Style: Jazz, choreographed by Travis Wall (double yay!)

First, let me just say how thrilling it is to see Season 1 winner Nick Lazzarini back on this stage (favorite Nick performance here). Second, I cannot possibly express how much I am freaking out in anticipation of Nick dancing a Travis routine. The theme for this dance is ghosts in an abandoned lounge. Tonight Witney has brought the sexy with her (she may have brought sexy back?), and she absolutely holds her own with Nick. This is a great performance.

Judges Say: Benjamin thinks the routine was excellent and they looked the part. Nigel thinks Witney was totally committed to the routine and she could go all the way. Mary comes up with a gem saying “Lord have Murphy, you were smooooooldering  out there.”

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Contestant:  Cole and Anya

Style: Cha Cha, choreographed by Dmitry Chaplin

Welcome back Anya! During the rehearsal package she admits that the dance is kicking her butt, so we’ll see how Cole handles himself here. In addition to the fact that Cole should not button a shirt ever again, he does a pretty good job with the cha cha. This is a very fast, very complicated routine, and I am sold on him as a ballroom dancer, especially since Cat mentioned he had suffered an injury this week. 

Judges Say: Mary thinks the performance was amazing and gives some “woos!”...however, she does not put him on the hot tamale train. Benjamin looks relieved that Mary has stopped talking, and he suggests more weight distribution and contrast in his performance. This is why I like him. Nigel says Cole needs to take it in his hips (do what you want with that) and have more of a connection with Anya.

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Contestant: Lindsay and Jakob (love him)

Style: Broadway, choreographed by Spencer Liff

Spencer gives us a theme where shadows come to life, which is a really awesome concept. They make wonderful use of a screen and the lighting, and well, the shadow. The two are in sync exactly when they need to be. It’s an overall happy, entertaining performance, and I'm a fan.

Judges Say: Nigel thinks it was a great routine in terms of showing the dancers off. He then calls Lindsay magnificent. Mary puts Lindsay in first class on the hot tamale train, and I now imagine Cole unleashing hell in the prop room backstage. Benjamin loved the crescendo of the performance. He’s so fancy.

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Contestant: Will and Kathryn

Style: Bollywood, choreographed by Nakul Dev Mahajan

Will is playing a flute to charm a snakelike Kathryn from a basket. Oh Will, your boyish good looks and adorable smile almost distract me from your awkward movements. Almost. Kathryn, however, is just fantastic.

Judges Say: Have we talked about Step Up Revolution lately? Because, you know, Kathryn was in that movie….and Randy worked with Mariah. Moving on. Mary calls Will an energizer bunny and says he is one of the most likable guys in the competition. Um, there are only five guys left. Now Cole is REALLY pissed. Benjamin says Will has a charming, unique style and that he is engaging…but how did he do with the dance? Nigel says Will brings personality to everything he does, and that is a blessing. So, how did he do with the dance?!?!?!?

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Contestant: Joshua Twitch Russell Cyrus and Jamie

Style: Contemporary, choreographed by Travis Wall

Okay Cyrus, moment of truth. Can you outshine the other hip hip/bboy/pop and lockers here by being the most unchoreographed/choreographed dancer, or is everyone just going to tell you how cute you are like they did with Will? Now, Cyrus is strong, and he carries Jamie around and holds Jamie up a lot. Travis has done a great job here not giving Cyrus too much to do, so we'll see how the judging goes.  

Judges Say: Benjamin says Cyrus has raw energy that is so compelling. Okay, I can go along with that. Nigel tells Cyrus he is one of those people that “has to dance.” He says Cyrus has a lot to learn, but Travis’ choreography and Jamie’s partnering brought out the best in him. So, how did he do? Mary compliments all of the transitions from one lift to the next. She them compliments his passion. Maybe he and Will can go have a drink after this and compare non-critiques.

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Contestant: Chehon and Lauren

Style: Hip Hop, choreographed by Dave Scott

Chehon and Lauren are best friends in this number, supporting one another throughout the dance. This is more lyrical hip hop than the traditional style, and Lauren is outshining Chehon for sure. It’s not her fault – poor Chehon is a ballet dancer who just doesn’t look comfortable here.

Judges Say: Nigel says Dave took the stick out of Chehon. Meaning? Mary mentions the nerves Chehon displayed tonight, and she was hoping for more funk. She then says “it was going in and out for me tonight.” Anyone? Benjamin brings me back from the gutter and says the performance was spontaneous and that Chehon was charismatic and connecting with Lauren.

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Contestant: George and Allison

Style: Jazz, choreographed by Tyce DiOrio

Tyce promises us a raunchy "one night in Paris" performance here, and for God’s sake I hope not. Thank goodness I don’t have to worry about it – the dance itself is very good, and Allison is trying to work George as if he is a prop, but there isn’t enough chemistry here for Allison and George to do anything in Paris besides share a croissant.

Judges Say: Mary thinks this dance was a lot of fun to watch. Benjamin says George attacked every step with vengeance. Nigel compliments George’s technique but did not buy George’s character. He thinks George was dancing but never connected with the theme of the dance. THANK YOU. I was worried that Nigel and Mary had given up on critiquing the contestants for the remainder of the night.

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Contestant: Eliana and Alex freaking Wong

Style: Contemporary, choreographed by Stacey Tookie

Eliana and Alex represent an on again off again relationship, and holy hell. This is not only hot – it’s just mesmerizing. Both dancers were so into character, and both of them were completely in sync with one another throughout the performance. This is subtle...but gorgeous.

Judges Say: A delayed standing ovation. Nigel says Eliana is his favorite girl this year because she has perfection in her technique and performance. Mary screams that the hair went up on her arms and that this was by far her favorite routine of the night. Agreed on both counts. Benjamin says her performance was driven by so much passion, and everyone felt it tonight.

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Contestant: Audrey and Twitch

Style: Hip Hop, choreographed by Dave Scott

The ghosts are plentiful tonight as Audrey and Twitch are a 400 year old couple. Now, I am usually a huge fan of Tabitha and Napoleon’s hip hop routines and typically don’t enjoy the other hip hop choreographers as much. However, I love what Dave Scott does here. Audrey is not technically perfect at all. In fact, Twitch unintentionally mops the floor with her at times…but the characters and concept of this performance are just awesome, and this is one of those instances that mirror Will and Cyrus – if they got a pass on their dances, Audrey should get a pass on this one. She had the character, but not the technique. Oh, and by the way - she’s adorable.

Judges Say: Benjamin says Audrey did well, but he wanted more from her to hold her own against Twitch. Mary thinks is was comical and entertaining. She loves the “sit down and the get down” Audrey brought to the dance. Nigel would have liked to seen more crazy from Audrey in this performance. Uh oh.

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Results! We will only say goodbye to 1 guy and 1 girl tonight, and Cat will only be revealing the bottom 2 instead of the bottom 3. The bottom 2 girls tonight are:  Witney and Audrey. Oh hell. Well, it was nice knowing you, Audrey. The bottom 2 guys tonight are Chehon and George. Okay, can we go ahead and send George home? My boyfriend Matthew left last week in order to save George, and he is in the bottom yet again. In the interest of filling up the rest of the hour, the judges ask for solos from everyone even though the judges have no doubt already made up their minds.  

Decision time. As expected, the judges save Witney and send Audrey home. She’s still on the tour though, and she is supposed to be content with that I suppose.  My sadness for her is lifted a little when the judges choose to save Chehon instead of George (who in my mind should not be going on tour in place of Matthew).

Next week the remaining 8 contestants partner up with another All Star to compete again. One more guy and one more girl will go home, and I am still not 100% certain who I want to win it all – this is a very talented group of dancers. We’ll see how they do next week. Til then!

So You Think You Can Dance - The Top 10 Revealed!

Welcome back, Americer! After a two week hiatus, tonight’s episode of So You Think You Can Dance is all about Mia Michaels (shrieks of joy!). The seven remaining couples will each dance one routine that Mia Michaels choreographed for past seasons. As excited as I am about this, I also worry that this is one of those situations where this season’s contestants are doomed from the start….kind of how American Idol always tells contestants “Don’t sing Whitney or Mariah because you’ll never be as good as the original,” and then gives them a Whitney theme.  We’re about to find out!

This evening’s guest judges are Michael Nunn and Billy Trevitt, more commonly known as The Ballet Boyz. I’ve really never heard of them, but we’ll see how they do. Before we see the couples dance, however, we kick off the night with a new Mia Michaels group routine, complete with acrobatics and making out upside down. No, seriously. I do hope there will be many more new Mia Michaels routines throughout rest of the season.

Contestants: Cyrus and Eliana
Routine: Mercy (the door routine done by Twitch and Katee in Season 4)

Um, I don’t remember Twitch completely swallowing Katee’s face in the original dance. Anywho, Cyrus is no Twitch, but Eliana is impressive. I would seriously be afraid to be the person on the other side of that door. There was more overall umph and character in Twitch and Katee’s performance, but if you look at this performance as just a tribute, it’s pretty good.  Watch the comparison here.

Judges Say: Nigel says it’s going to be difficult tonight to disassociate tonight’s dances from the originals. No kidding. He says Cyrus needs to lower his shoulders more, but that Eliana was strong. Mary thinks it was fantastic and likes them as a pair. The Ballet Boyz believe they were both strong performers, and though Ballet Boy #1 said he was going to give constructive criticism….he did not.
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Contestants: George and Tiffany

Routine: Hometown Glory (done by Katee and Joshua in Season 4)

I don’t think this routine is one of Mia’s more popular dances because of its subtlety, but I love this one. To be honest, I believe this rendition was better than the original. So much power and emotion from George and Tiffany, and if Tiffany was not one of the front-runners before, she should be now. Well done. Watch the comparison here.

Judges Say: Mary says “Cat, well, you're just gonna have to call 911, because we have just witnessed a murder on Stage 36!” Who writes these lines for her? Ballet Boy #1 notes that this dance was different from the dance that came before it. Uh huh. Nigel thinks they did an excellent job but could have pulled back more on the emotion. Hmmm.

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Contestants: Amelia and Will

Routine: The Butt Dance (done by Randi and Evan in Season 5)

During rehearsals, Will seems to really enjoy the amount of time he gets touching Amelia’s butt. Unfortunately for Amelia, she doesn’t quite have the trunk on her that Randi did. You could have put a shelf on that thing…with a plant. Will, however, nailed his part for sure....but I was never really sold on Amelia in her portion (and her portions?). Watch the comparison here.

Judges Say: Nigel says this is a tough routine to critique because of the original and thinking about Randi’s butt (wow). He says they danced it well, but they needed to bring more character to it. Mary liked it but tells Will to scale it back a bit. So, she disagrees with Nigel? Ballet Boy #2 thinks it was very strong and endearing. But then again, it appears that neither of the Ballet Boyz have ever watched this show before, as they don't know any of these routines or the names of this season's dancers.

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Contestants:  Janelle and Dareian

Routine: The Bed (done by Twitch and Kherington in Season 4)

Both dancers are smaller in stature than Twitch and Kherington, so Mia did tailor the dance a little. Dareian has more technique for sure, but Twitch is just a beast of a guy. Janelle definitely does not stand out here, but I can tell she is trying hard to show the emotion of her character. This was really The Dareian Show. Watch the comparison here.

Judges Say: Ballet Boy #1 loved the choreography, but he is worried about Dareian’s lines. Ballet Boy #2 doesn’t know Twitch’s name, so I move on. Nigel says this is the first performance where Dareian showed personality and also notes that Janelle did not stand out. Mary pretty much tells Janelle she sucks. Man, if she is in the bottom three tonight, she’s in trouble.

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Contestants: Ryan Gosling Matthew and Audrey

Routine: The Time Piece (done by Lacey and Neil in Season 3– dedication to Mia’s father)

This is a tough one to do over. The original was incredibly emotional, and that is such a tough act to follow. They capture the playfulness of a father and daughter for sure, and it’s a fair rendition, but this is one of those doomed from the start performances. Audrey gives more than Matthew does here, but they do fall short compared to Lacey and Neil. Watch the comparison here.

Judges Say: Mary is emotional, but she did not feel the passion from Matthew. She thinks Audrey is a shining star. Ballet Boy #2 says that Matthew breaks character when he thinks too much about the dance moves. Nigel quizzes the two dancers about the history and death of Mia’s father, which I find incredibly inappropriate, and then he tells them they did not “bring it.”

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Contestants: Witney and Chehon

Routine: The Park Bench (done by Travis and Heidi in Season 2)

I’m not really sure what to say about this – in my mind, Travis and Heidi’s performance can’t be improved upon. I think Witney does a pretty good job, but Travis is always so fluid and free in his movements, and for me, Chehon is just dancing steps. Watch the comparison here.

Judges Say: Nigel takes us on another time traveling adventure through Mia’s past, telling us that this story is based on Mia’s love for a gay man who could not love her back. He then says he loved it. Mary thought they pulled it off but could have let go a little bit more. Ballet Boy #1 says Chehon could work for them if the show doesn’t work out.

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Contestants: Lindsey and Cole

Routine: Addiction (done by Kayla and Kupono in Season 5)

Best of the night. Hands down. These two made me completely forget about Kayla and Kupono. Lindsey in particular was a pleasant surprise, as she is a ballroom dancer whose job is to smile and look beautiful and sexy during competitions. Cole played the character perfectly. Awesome. Watch the comparison here.

Judges Say: Ballet Boy #2 is very impressed and calls both dancers versatile. Mary thinks this is Mia’s best routine and this was the best performance of the night. Agreed. Nigel also says this was the best of the night.

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Results! Our bottom 3 girls tonight are Amelia, Janelle and Lindsey. For the guys, the bottom 3 are George, Dareian, and Matthew.  At stake here is a spot on the SYTYD Fall Tour – the eliminated dancers tonight will just miss the train (the hot tamale train?). Nigel asks all of them to dance for their lives, most likely to fill the rest of the 3 hours. Already I’m hoping Matthew and Amelia are safe, though it would break my heart to see Lindsey go. All of the solos were impressive, so this is not an easy call.

After the commercial break, the Top 10 are revealed. Nigel reminds us that the new elimination format is different from the old one. Thanks. Lindsey is safe, eliminating Janelle and my beloved Amelia, which is a huge bummer. I have to wonder what would have happened if they hadn't given her "The Butt Dance." To continue this nonsense, George is safe, eliminating Dareian and my boyfriend Matthew. Damn it.

Next week the remaining couples will be broken up, the Top 10 will partner with an All Star, and I am greatly looking forward to this portion of the season. Not everyone is a fan of the All Star format, but in my mind, seeing how these dancers stack up against the former contestants is a huge factor in determining who I will root/vote for. Til then!