So You Think You Can Dance - We Have A Winner...Or Two.

Welcome to the Season 9 finale of So You Think You Can Dance! Tonight's episode will feature routines from throughout the season, montages of memories, new group routines, and the results from America's vote for favorite guy and girl dancer. I will not be recapping the this season's past routines, but I am excited about the news ones.

First we have a group routine choreographed by Christopher Scott and Sonya Tayeh that has been hyped ridiculously. Seems there is some sort of tornado or hurricane a comin' because the contestants are being blown away (plug for Carrie Underwood's album). This is indeed worth the hype and a great way to kick off the night - well done. Watch the performance below:

The full judging panel featuring Nigel, Mary, Tyce, Debbie, Adam and Lil C all talk about what an amazing season it has been (though I don't recall seeing most of these judges for more than one episode), and they each pick their favorite dance to be performed again. There are some gems like Travis Wall's "Titanic" routine featuring Ryan Gosling Matthew and Audrey, and Tabitha and Napoleon's "Love Cats" routine featuring Will and Amelia. My brain stops functioning, however, when we get to Mary's choice as see proceeds to tell us how moved she was by Tyce's "Holocaust" piece.....but she actually says "hollycost" instead. A couple of things here: 1) Mary, for God's sake, don't mispronounce Holocaust on television (or ever). 2) When the hell did Tyce's suitcase routine become a Holocaust routine? This was never mentioned when the routine aired the first time - it was mainly thought to be more of an immigration "what happens when you must move on and begin again with all of your belongings in a suitcase" number. Are we making this performance far, far more important than it is for a reason now? Did SYTYCD's Emmy win for lighting suddenly make show more serious in taking on tragic times in history? If so, Matthew and Audrey clearly needed to die at the end of their "Titanic" routine rather than look at each other lovingly....

Moving on.... after a few more routines from the season we are treated (finally) to another new number, this time choreographed by Christopher Scott featuring Christopher Scott, Cyrus, Twitch and Comfort. The group catches Cyrus cheating at a game of poker while animating and essentially blowing my mind. The moves they do with their suspenders are just awesome. Here's the video:  

Dragon House (Cyrus’ crew) is also featured tonight, and SYTYCD's favorite dancer ever to not make it to Vegas, Bryan Gaynor, joins them. The final group routine of the evening, however, is YOUR Top 10 with this season's All Stars dancing a jungle/Lion King dance choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon. There is a "Circle of Life Remix"  involved (which is pretty intense), and the Final Four reach the top of what I assume is Pride Rock and tower over the remaining dancers at the end of the number. Tiffany is adorable, bit Simba was cuter.

The Final Four are also allowed to choose their favorite dances of the Season, with Eliana choosing the "Bang Bang" routine she did with Alex Freaking Wong, Chehon choosing the Argentine Tango he did with Anya (huh?), Tiffany choosing the "The Power of Love" dance she did with Ade, and Cyrus choosing last week's animation routine with Twitch. This is the final overall performance of the evening which leads me to speculate that Chehon might not have this in the bag after all. Now I'm nervous. Let's get to the sealed envelope, Cat!

Results! The girls are up first, and Eliana and Tiffany cry as they watch the video packages of their respective SYTYCD journeys. Cat un-velcros the ridiculously loud envelope and (drum roll) ELIANA wins!!! They escort Tiffany off stage in a flash so we can talk to Eliana.... except we don't talk to Eliana.... we barely put the mic near Eliana because we are running out of time and still have to announce the guy winner.

As Chehon and Cyrus watch their journey videos, they too are crying. The package includes footage of the judges "saving" Chehon and also mentioning that Cyrus has never been in the bottom. Hmmm. You are truly starting to put me in suspense, Nigel. I hear the loud bubble wrap sound of Cat tearing open the envelope and (drum roll) CHEHON wins!!! Cyrus is also ushered off stage quickly, and they bring Eliana back on so we can talk to the two winners....except we really don't talk to them then now either. However, the confetti and tears are nice, so we'll just go with that.

There you have it, Americer - Season 9 of SYTYCD is over. Congrats to Eliana and Chehon. I definitely believe they earned their titles, and I do hope their careers take off now (and by that, I don't mean "I do hope they are All Stars next year"). As for the runners up, I'm sure Adam Shankman will find roles for them in one of the next dozen Step Up sequels.

Stay tuned for recaps of The Voice and The X Factor once those shows go live in the next few weeks.  Til then!

So You Think You Can Dance - Finale Part 1

On tonight’s episode of So You Think You Can Dance, the Final Four battle it out for the last time before the voters decide who America’s favorite guy and girl dancers will be. We are down to Eliana, Tiffany, Chehon and Cyrus, and Cat informs us that we will see the dancers 5 times tonight (assumingly a solo, a pairing with each finalist, and a pairing with an All Star). Tonight’s guest judge is Rob Marshall, director of Chicago, Nine, and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (which of these things is not like the other?). No time to waste though – let’s get to it!

Contestants: Cyrus and Eliana

Style: Paso Doble, choreographed by Jason Gilkison…. wait, what? Are we not pimping Cyrus tonight?

Jason is going rogue with this number and changing up the male and female roles. Typically a paso doble depicts a male matador with the female cape, but tonight Eliana is the matador and Cyrus is the cape. No seriously. For a cape though, he sure is pulling her around on the floor a lot. Anywho, I can’t take my eyes off Eliana because her stage presence is just unreal, which is probably for the best. Cyrus nails the masculinity of the dance….but that’s about it.

Judges Say: Nigel liked that Jason switched up the roles, and he calls Eliana’s performance magical. He then gives Cyrus the old “Did you ever think you would be on So You Think You Can Dance? Did you ever think you would make it to the finale of So You Think You Can Dance? Did you ever think you would be on national television wearing a big black dress?” After Cyrus says “no” to these questions, Nigel tells Cyrus he deserves to be here. Mary compares mastering the paso doble to skinny-dipping with snapping turtles. Ow. She says Cyrus “did it,” but Eliana was on fire tonight. Damn straight. Rob appreciated the story of the dance and is excited for both dancers.

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Contestant: Tiffany and Will (Season 4 Will)

Style: Contemporary, choreographed by Sonya Tayeh

Sonya’s goal with this dance is to show how far Tiffany has come. Will borrowed Witney’s MC Hammer pants from a couple of weeks ago, and though he is a strong dancer and the All Star, I think Tiffany shines more here.  This performance reminds me a little of "the garden" dance with Mark and Courtney at times, but I definitely enjoy it.

Judges Say: Mary gives Tiffany a “WOOHOO!” and tells her she has legs that go on forever and she is a star. Rob compliments Sonya and says Tiffany has such expression and such fearlessness, and it was a pleasure to watch. Nigel says Tiffany is such a little person but her lines are so strong and so big, so she is a tremendous dancer.

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Contestants: Eliana and Chehon

Style: Ballet, choreographed by Marat Daukayev 

So, I know nothing about ballet. I’ve seen Black Swan and the “Waiting in the Wings” episode of Angel. It’s awesome – look it up. The awkwardness between Angel and Cordelia is TV gold. But I digress… the performance is beyond beautiful, and Eliana and Chehon are both in their element here (coincidence?). Eliana radiates elegance, and even though Chehon’s pants seem painted on, which is slightly distracting because he is sooooo sexy, he compliments her well. Nicely done.

Judges Say: Standing ovation. Rob says versatility like Chehon’sseparates the men from the boys. He also tells Eliana she fills the frame so beautifully. Nigel is thrilled that two ballet dancers made it too the finale. He says Eliana and Chehon make it look easy and he uses a ton of ballet terms that go right over my head.  Mary calls the performance spectacular – a triumph for the show and a triumph in celebration of ballet tonight.

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Contestants: Tiffany and Cyrus

Style: Lyrical Hip-Hop, choreographed by Tessandra Chavez

This routine is about young love with Cyrus playing the role of Tiffany’s first boyfriend who breaks her heart. There is a lot of anger and pushing and shoving and throwing each other around. There’s some dancing as well, and Tiffany is just going crazy with the emotions. Cyrus is doing his best, but he is absolutely outdone by his partner.

Judges Say: Nigel congratulates them both on a great season and tells them they encompassed the emotion of the story. Mary says they killed it, saying Cyrus is awesome at picking up choreography and Tiffany is a beast. Rob says both dancers have “abandon,” and tells them this was his favorite performance of the evening so far. Huh? I mean, I liked it, but the previous two routines were way better than this one.

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Group Routine, in God knows what style, choreographed by Tyce DiOrio: Sigh. Each of them begins with their own style and the rest for me is a train wreck. Next.

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Contestant: Chehon and Allison

Style: Contemporary, Choreographed by Stacey Tookey

The theme of this dance is Allison wanting to chase her dream and Chehon telling her to go. Oh my God. This is SO good….Chehon is holder her in the air WITH ONE HAND. And that kiss!! To hell with a recap – watch the performance.

Judges Say: Standing ovation. Mary screams, she is emotional, and she comes up with my favorite line of the night calling Stacey a “Nommy eminated choreographer.” See? Mary is so much better when no one writes her lines for her.  She says Chehon was just free throughout the performance. Rob says Chehon’s height is unbelievable. Nigel tells Chehon he came alive emotionally during the routine.

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Contestants: Eliana and Tiffany

Style: Broadway, choreographed by Ray Leeper

The rehearsal package starts with the girls seeing a pole dance area and Ray telling us “today we take burlesque to Broadway.” Um, yes please. Is this still a family show? I don’t care. The performance is set to “When You’re Good To Mama” from Chicago, which should make Rob grin a little. Soooooo, the girls are definitely pole dancing….and it’s awesome. Oh hell – I’m posting this video too because I’m freaking speechless!

Judges say: Standing ovation and Nigel may need to be medicated….or maybe he just needs a cold shower. We all do? Rob giggles and says “I’m just picturing Queen Latifah doing that” and I laugh loudly (she sings that song in the movie). He says the performance was unbelievable and extraordinary. Mary says the number was fun, sassy and magnificent. Nigel can’t think of anything to say that won’t get him in trouble. I feel you, man.

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Contestants: Chehon and Cyrus

Style: Contemporary, choreographed by Sonya Tayeh

This dance represents the journey for both finalists this season. This performance is very acrobatic in terms of the jumps and throws, and the journey has obviously been a struggle and a fight for both of them. Or Sonya was just out of options for Cyrus at this point. Either way, it’s entertaining, but not my favorite Sonya routine. And plus – I’m still reeling from the pole dance.

Judges Say: Nigel says Sonya got both guys to step it up a level, and he is very proud of both of them. Mary is still emotional and tells them they’ve had a tremendous night. Rob says comradery is a beautiful thing and Cyrus and Chehon showed that tonight.

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Contestant: Eliana and Alex Freaking Wong

Style: Contemporary, choreographed by Travis Wall

This is another break-up dance, but it’s still lovely. Eliana and Alex are SO connected during the performance, and they are both so talented (with a gifted choreographer), it's hard to imagine this routine not being a success. I still prefer Chehon and Allison's contemporary routine from earlier, but I have no complaints about this one.

Judges Say: Standing ovation (lots of those tonight). Rob says the performance was poetry and there is nothing Eliana can’t do. Nigel calls this performance his favorite of the night and goes so far to say Eliana is his favorite dancer of all time (OF ALL TIME!)  in this series. Holy cow. Mary says Eliana has extraordinary passion that oozes from her body.  

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Contestants: Chehon and Tiffany

Style: Rumba, choreographed by Dmitry Chaplin

Dmitry is expecting so much hotness that it’s uncomfortable to watch. Clearly he had been peeking in on the pole dancing rehearsals. Technically, they dance the rumba incredibly well, and I get a connection from Chehon and Tiffany for sure, but it's less sultry and more lovey-dovey.  

Judges Say: Mary thought the routine was gorgeous and says Chehon finally found a Latin dance that suits him. She tells Tiffany she was fabulous tonight. Rob thought the dance was sexy because it was not oversold. Nigel points out the lack of buttons on Chehon’s shirt, which is just fine.

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Contestant: Cyrus and Twitch

Style: Animation, choreographed by Christopher Scott

Cyrus and Twitch are 2 genetically enhanced specimens in a lab using their bodies for the first time. CRAZY movements. Yup – watch this one too.

Judges Say: Standing ovation that goes on for a while. Rob says it was crazy and that Cyrus and Twitch are 2 superstars. Mary screams and then screams more, saying they smashed the routine and stole the show. Nigel loved it and calls both dancers world class. He then tells Cyrus he's not voting for him because he is supporting Chehon. Wow. Is now the time for that? I guess he's all but built an altar to Eliana in his home (or has he?), so pledging his phone calls to Chehon isn't too much of a surprise.

The real crime of not having a weekly results show is waiting a week to hear the final results of America's vote. In my mind, Eliana and Chehon should be shoe-ins, but there's always the possibility that Nigel's completely unbiased judging tonight will piss people off and result in a Cyrus/Tiffany victory. We'll find out next week - til then!

So You Think You Can Dance - The Final Four Revealed!

On tonight’s episode of So You Think You Can Dance, our Top Six will turn into the Final Four leading into next week’s finale performance show. We open with a group number that screams Sonya before it even begins. I would compare this routine to Swan Lake if Swan Lake went to a club and broke it down. I enjoy it though, and surprisingly…Cyrus is a standout for me in this performance even though he is placed in the back for most of the dance.

As we say hello to our “jidges,” we also welcome back Kelly Bundy Christina Applegate. She will assist in commenting on each contestant as they are paired with an All Star, as well as performances with another contestant. Let’s go!

Contestant: Tiffany and Benji

Style: Jive, choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux

Season 2 winner Benji is back (wonder what he’s been up to…seems we hear a ton about runner up, Travis Wall) to perform a pretty intense, pretty freaking awesome jive with Tiffany tonight. Tiffany brings her A game to this routine. She’s spectacular – I can’t believe she is not a seasoned ballroom dancer, and she has just the bar for the evening very high.

Judges Say: Standing ovation! Nigel says the energy that was just generated lifted the entire audience. He then tells Benji that he is the best swing dancer that has been on the SYTYCD stage. I’m now trying to remember who the other ones were…. Mary predictably uses the term “jive-talkin” because she has probably been itching all week to say it, and she says Tiffany absolutely kept up with Benji. Christina flirts with Benji a little and then remembers Tiffany is the contestant this season. She compliments Tiffany on her technique and congratulates her on hanging with such a powerhouse dancer.

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Contestant: Cole and Melanie

Style: Contemporary, choreographed by Sonya Tayeh

Sonya wants to show a softer, more uplifting side to Cole hoping that he will soar and feel free. His character, however, is a dude who wants to be free of his relationship with Melanie, so I’m not sure where the gentler Cole will come in here. I’m instantly impressed by how strong (physically) Melanie is as she tosses him around the stage. They dance the routine very well, but just because Cole is not playing the evil, sadistic role tonight doesn’t mean he’s showing a soft side – he’s just normal Cole for me, and I didn’t really get the emotion.

Judges Say: Mary says the performance was amazing and really different because Melanie was lifting Cole as much as Cole was lifting Melanie. She feels that Cole commanded the stage, so she saw something I did not. Christina tells Cole he is powerful and masterful…and then she loses me by talking about androgyny and oneness. Nigel loves that Sonya breaks the gender norm of dancing, and he appreciates that Cole was vulnerable. So yeah, I must have missed something.   

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Contestant: Eliana and Twitch

Style: Hip Hop, choreographed by Christopher Scott

Eliana and Twitch essentially play themselves in this dance as she is a ballet dancer who is pining for the ripped hip hop dancer. The routine is set to a remix of “Please Mr. Postman,” and I find the whole thing very clever and entertaining. Hip hop is definitely not Eliana’s strong suit, and there are a couple of awkward moments during the ridiculously fast movements, but overall, I think she does a pretty good job.

Judges Say: Christina says Eliana isn’t strong enough to dance next to Jay-Z in a music video (because I’m sure that’s at the top of Eliana’s list of dream jobs), but says she could dance the phone book? Realizing this makes no sense, Christina then tells Eliana “you could do the YMCA in front of me for hours, and I’d be happy.” Heh. I love it when Christina is here. Nigel thinks the routine relied more on the comedy and the character and wish she had seen her dance more. Mary was entertained for sure and calls Eliana a chameleon.  

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Contestant: Chehon and Kathryn

Style: Contemporary, choreographed by Tyce DiOrio

The rehearsal package begins with Tyce essentially telling us this is another one of his serious, emotional, needs to make the audience and judges cry come hell or high water dances, and I groan. The thing is – I love Chehon and Kathryn...so I am going to watch this with an open heart. They deliver on all levels. I even gasp when Chehon leans over and Kathryn just climbs up on his back and stands there reaching up. Nicely done.

Judges Say: Standing ovation, and of course…everyone is crying. Nigel says the two dancers captured the emotion and message of the dance. He then thanks Fox for allowing a show that delivers such emotional performances. Nice try, Nigel. You’re still not getting that Thursday night elimination show back next season. Mary says Tyce outdid himself (I’ll take that in my own way) and says the routine was one of the best she’s seen all season. Christina loves when Tyce does Broadway numbers…. Okay, so I may have to break up with Christina now. She then calls him a “master.” Again, I’ll do what I want with that.

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Contestant: Witney and Marko

Style: Lyrical Jazz, choreographed by Ray Leeper

I’m thrilled for Marko’s return and so excited to see what these dancers do with their cold feet/wedding themed dance. So, is lyrical jazz like contemporary? Perhaps it’s just my dance ignorance, but this style doesn’t seem very jazzy to me. I don’t care though – I love it. Marko’s emotions are more evident than Witney’s (probably because she’s 18 and has prom cold feet at the moment), but they are adorable as a couple here and both dancing their hearts out.

Judges Say: Mary says Witney is still a star and had a lot of attack and control in her dancing tonight. Christina thinks the performance was beautiful and tells Witney that we all know she is not just a ballroom dancer – she’s a dancer. I get what she’s saying here, and I appreciate it. Nigel notes that the judges have saved her every week because she is a star and committed to every step.

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Contestant: Cyrus and Comfort (woo!)

Style: Dub step? I hope I got that right… choreographed by Christopher Scott

I have absolutely no idea what to expect here. Comfort has borrowed one of Janet Jackson’s outfits circa the “janet. world tour" in the early 90s which is slightly distracting. Really though, this routine is unreal. If Lil C was here, he would come up with the perfect adjectives and metaphors for the...um buckness(?) we’ve just witnessed.

Judges Say: Standing ovation. Christina says the routine was carved out for Cyrus (in a good way). She follows that up by saying she wants to play a game where she throws pens through his earrings. I may have to take her back now. Nigel loved the performance and reminds all of us that Cyrus has never been in the bottom 2 because America loves him. Foreshadowing? Mary loves Cyrus too….he’s special and unique and such.

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Contestants: Witney and Chehon

Style: Cha Cha, choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux

One would imagine Witney destroying this dance. She does her damndest, but there is unfortunately no chemistry between her and Chehon.  Zero. And then there’s the whole Chehon is incredibly uneasy doing the Cha Cha thing… I can’t imagine this performance will get rave reviews. I give Witney a lot of credit though – she looked great, and she is an extremely gifted ballroom dancer.

Judges Say: Mary says this was an improvement for Chehon, but the Latin dancing is still not working for him. She then calls Witney “Lindsey,” and it’s just awkward. Christina says the opening of the dance was sexy, and she doesn’t recall anything else. Grin. Nigel says the lift fell apart and tells Witney he wished he had seen more from her. I start to boo him, but then he says the choreographer also didn’t utilize her talents because he was hiding Chehon by doing the lifts.

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Contestants: Cole and Eliana

Style: Contemporary, choreographed by Mia Michaels

Mia’s routine is about hatred inspired by rams. Really. I couldn’t make this up if I tried. Cole and Eliana are essentially in combat for most of the performance, which is pretty silly on Eliana’s part – does she not know about his martial arts background? The strength these two show is unbelievable, but I need Cole to tone it down. I love a good character as much as the next person, but he’s chewing up the scenery here.

 

Judges Say: Nigel says the performance was brilliant and they are both incredible dancers. Mary thinks the routine was absolutely mesmerizing. Christina says there is light coming out of Eliana’s feet because she finishes every moment beautifully. oh, and Cole’s okay too.  

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Contestants: Cyrus and Tiffany

Style: Broadway, choreographed by Spencer Liff

Spencer ignites every parent’s nightmare when a daughter is left home alone to do “schoolwork” with her boyfriend. The clothes come off, the touching ensues, and I hope that none of the teenage girls I coach are watching this show tonight. Both dancers seem to really enjoy the naughtiness of the routine, and I suppose it’s nice for them to, um, let loose (zing!) every once in a while.

Judges Say: Christina thinks it was a fun routine and she congratulates both dancers on how far they’ve come. Nigel says it was a terrific routine and tells both dancers how much hope they give him. Mary yells “IT WAS THE CUTEST NUMBER EVER! HOLY SMOKES!” That about sums it up.

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Results! The judges have no save tonight (finally), so the bottom 2 are the eliminated 2. We start with the ladies, and Tiffany is the first dancer in the Final Four. Oh my. Obviously between Witney and Eliana, I’m pulling for Eliana…. and indeed, Witney is sent home. Moving onto the guys, Chehon is through to the finale. I’m going to go out on a very short limb now and guess that Cyrus is in the finale too - after all, America loves him. Sure enough, Cole is eliminated.

At this point, I am absolutely rooting for Eliana and Chehon. I’m excited to see what the finale has in store, as Cat has now promised us guest dancers in a performance show not to be missed. Until then!