SYTYCD Season 6: The Top 12 Elimination Round November 25, 2009

This will be a warp speed reaction to the results show, because I fast forwarded through everything but the opening group number (it was so weird that I was sure Wade Robson choroegraphed it, and was surprised to discover it was actually a Tabitha and Napoleon creation), the solos, about 15 seconds of Shakira’s horrific performance, and the final results.

The Bottom Three Couples

• Nathan and Mollee
• Ryan and Ellenore
• Karen and Victor

I continued my streak of getting 2 out of 3 predictions correct. I am really shocked that Russell and Noelle weren’t in this group. I guess voters like any contemporary routine, even if it’s choreographed by Tyce Diorio and involves body painting. I am relieved that Ryan and Ellenore survived the night, as well as Nathan. As for the solos, I completely disagree with Nigel – he claimed that Mollee’s solo represented the first time this season that someone really fought for their place in the competition. If that was fighting, then he has a different definition than I do. I thought it looked more like a gymnastics routine than a dance solo. Ryan’s solo was pretty standard ballroom stuff, but he had lots of personality. I enjoyed Ellenore’s quirky solo, yawned through Karen’s (how many times could she twirl around in a circle before she moved on to something else?), and was too disturbed by Victor’s costume to notice much about the dancing. That leaves Nathan, who – in my opinion – gave the most heartfelt and technically excellent solo of the night (with Ellenore being a close second). I enjoy watching Nathan dance so much more when he doesn’t have Mollee at his side. I look forward to seeing who he and everyone else will be paired with next week!

Who the Judges Sent Home

• Karen
• Victor

I have no complaints about these results. I’ve been waiting for Karen’s departure for a few weeks now, and I never connected too much with Victor. I wish them well, but am excited about the top ten dancers who have survived to this point! It will be interesting to see if my favorites change after seeing them dance with different partners next week. I’ll wait another week before I rank the contestants from my most to least favorite. For now, I’m sticking with Jakob and Ashleigh.

SYTYCD Season 6: The Top 12 Perform November 25, 2009

I was overwhelmed last night when I found out it was already time for each couple to perform two dances! More than that, I was disappointed that this is the last week that the couples as we know them will be together.    This season is going by fast! I am going to miss Ashleigh/Jakob and Legacy/Kathryn most of all. But I think it’s safe to say that all four of them will make it into the top ten.

First Round

Ellenore & Ryan - Lindy Hop (Carla Heiney) – They looked like they were having fun, and so I had fun. But on some level, I still associate the lindy hop with weirdness. A few seasons ago wasn’t there a Lindy Hop contestant who got cut in Vegas who had an uncontrollable wink? This style is beaming with so many smiles and looks of surprise that it’s all a bit much.

Kathryn & Legacy – Jazz (Sonya Tayeh) – Oh my! We had to do a double take when Legacy crawled across the stage on his hands!!! He is crazy strong and coordinated. And this performance was all about him. Kathryn had some cute moments, but the choreography didn’t give her much more to do than give Legacy someone to play off of. He really shone in this one.

Karen & Victor - Argentine Tango (Tony Meredith & Melanie LaPatin) - They had better chemistry than I expected, but something about this dance was almost comical to me. It was just too serious. I have been sold on intense, serious tangos in past seasons, but it was like Victor and Karen were trying so hard to not crack a smile that they were about to bust! I was reminded of an old SNL parody of Calvin Klein’s Obsession ad, in which Jan Hooks is the spokesperson for Calvin Kleen disinfectant. What’s the connection? Well, everyone in the ad is uber-serious and dressed in high society clothes (as far as I can remember, anyway). So, you may have guessed that I am still not a fan of Karen or Victor.

Mollee & Nathan – Hip-Hop (Jamal Sims) - I was completely disinterested in this routine. Much of the blame for that falls on Jamal Sims. What was the purpose of bringing Alexander Graham Bell into hip hop? That was really a stretch.

Noelle & Russell – Samba (Tony Meredith & Melanie LaPatin) – I agree with Adam that these two were too nice during this performance. Too many smiles, not enough sexy. And why in the world did they make Russell wear that ridiculous v-top?! Noelle looked great, but I’m still just not picking up good vibes from her. Every week she lacks a connection with the audience.

Ashleigh & Jakob - Lyrical Jazz (Sonya Tayeh) – Oh, I just love them! I was amazed by their control and strength in the moments where they would hold a leg straight up in the air for what felt like forever, or where Jakob held Ashleigh and slowly lowered her from a hand stand position to the floor, while she meanwhile made it look easy to keep her legs in a diagonal position. I was also thrilled to see something different from Sonya. While I normally enjoy her herky jerky, spastic, weird routines, sometimes it feels like she’s relying on the same old tricks. So to see this light, flowing, beautiful dance was very refreshing. It was my favorite of the night.

Second Round

Ellenore & Ryan - Broadway (Spencer Liff) – Ryan’s role as the temptation of fame came across as a poor man’s version of Kupono’s evil addiction persona from last season. Other than looking devious and rolling his arms and hands around, he didn’t have much to do but give Ellenore someone to play off of. But then, I hardly noticed him because she was so good! She was perfect as a stiff, doll-like character, controlled by puppet master Ryan. She has an unusual style that has shone through in the past few weeks. I hope that she can hang around past this week, because I’m afraid these two performances won’t be memorable to the voting audience to keep them out of the bottom three.

Kathryn & Legacy - Viennese Waltz (Jean Marc and France Généreux) - This performance was very pretty. While Legacy stood out in their first performance, this one was all about Kathryn (well, except for Legacy being shirtless – couldn’t help but notice that). But it was clear that Legacy was fully invested in the performance, since he brought tears to his own eyes when it was over. I like the passion and dedication he has to dance and to the show.

Karen & Victor - Hip-Hop (Laurie Ann Gibson) - I really don’t remember much about this dance. My glimpses of recollection include the thought that Karen’s hot pink and black outfit didn’t fit the routine, and that this performance in no way, shape, or form moved any mountains! It didn’t even move an ant hill! In fact, it may have done just the opposite and pushed Karen and Victor further down into the valley of elimination. (Cue ominous music now…) Laurie Ann Gibson needs to step up her game and quite overhyping her routines, or the audience will roll their eyes every time she appears in the choreographer rotation.

Mollee & Nathan - Can Can (Tyce Diorio) - And so the show welcomed another new dance. I couldn’t help but think of Moulin Rouge, although this cheery, bubbly can can couldn’t have been further from the manic, sensual can can of that movie. That being said, I actually liked it. I’m still not a fan of Mollee, and her performance was just as “little girl playing dress up” as ever, but I thought Nathan finally came out of the shell he’s been hiding in for weeks. He actually looked like he was throwing caution to the wind and giving his all to this rather girly dance. It was a bonus that Tyce threw in Nathan’s trademark pirouetting. So yes, this was better than last season’s awkward Russian folkdance, by a long shot.

Noelle & Russell – Contemporary (Tyce Diorio) – I really wanted to like this one. It started off so beautifully, everything from the music to the movements. But then Tyce had to go and throw in actual paint. How distracting was that. It would have worked better if they had literally painted each other from the beginning, but since they only reached for the paint and smeared it on each other once, it felt too gimmicky. The weird paint thing took away some of my enjoyment from the performance, but I still liked it, and thought it was better than their first dance of the night.

Ashleigh & Jakob - Cha-Cha (Jean Marc and France Généreux) – This wasn’t the best cha cha I’d ever seen on the show, but it was certainly fun to watch Ashleigh in her element. This was the first time that Jacob looked a little out of place, but that’s probably more because he was basking in the light of Ashleigh’s ballroom glory. One thing’s for sure: this couple will be safe this week. As usual, they had the best performances of the top 12.

My Favorite Performances

• Ashleigh and Jakob’s Lyrical Jazz
• Ellenore and Ryan’s Broadway
  

Predicting the Bottom Three – In previous weeks, my predictions have usually been 2 out of 3 correct. I wonder if I’ll finally be 3 for 3 this time.

• Karen and Victor
• Mollee and Nathan
  
• Russell and Noelle

Who Will Go Home? – Keeping in mind that the judges want to keep the most popular dancers around another week so they will be part of the top ten tour, the contestants who have drawn less attention are likely in the most danger tonight. If it were up to me, I’d send Mollee or Karen home over Noelle, but I think the judges are too in love with Mollee’s personality and Karen’s hips to send them home just yet. As for the guys, I’m a little nervous for Russell, but feel like it’s Victor’s time to go. Even if Ellenore and Ryan are in the bottom three, I think Ryan would be safe because the judges don’t want to break up the top ten draw of a married ballroom couple that are super cute.

• Noelle
• Victor

What are your thoughts about this week’s episode?

SYTYCD Season 6: The Top 14 Results Show November 18, 2009

Cat was pretty in pink for tonight’s results show. Not sure what to say about her poofy shoes, though. I thoroughly enjoyed the opening group dance to Imogen Heap’s “Aha.” I’m not sure what it was all supposed to mean: were they ghosts, or works of art come to life? Who knows, but the sheets draped over them at the beginning were mysterious and a little creepy. I’d expect nothing less from Wade and Amanda Robson. I never mentioned how much I liked last week’s African themed group number. It really gave Russell a chance to shine.

On to the results…

The Bottom Three Couples

• Karen and Kevin – I think we all expected them to be here.
• Channing and Victor – I expected this, but it was disappointing anyway.
• Mollee and Nathan – I was surprised that their faithful followers didn’t keep them safe, but I also think they should be in the bottom. They haven’t performed as well as many of the other couples so far this season, so maybe they needed this wakeup call to kick it up a few notches.

Who the Judges Sent Home

• Channing – This is the first elimination I’ve been sad about – the others I was pretty much indifferent to. However, I couldn’t argue with Nigel when he explained that Channing hasn’t been as much of a star as they had anticipated. There has definitely been some personality missing from her performances. She didn’t seem fully invested. Even so, I would much rather have seen Karen or Mollee sent home. I knew that Mollee would be safe, though, since there’s no way the judges will let go of this fan favorite before she makes it into the Top Ten (they have to think about the tour ticket sales, after all). However, I did disagree with Nigel when he said that Karen has been a star this season. She and Kevin’s performances weren’t all that memorable, at least not for the dancing.
• Kevin – I agree with the judges on this one. Victor’s solo was very good, so he totally deserved to stay in the competition instead of Kevin. Nathan’s solo was also good – he seemed to have fun with it, and it had a lot of quirky touches. He looked much more relaxed than he ever does dancing with Mollee. (Can you tell I’m not a Mollee fan?)

So this result means that we’ll have a new couple next week: Victor and Karen. They will potentially be an odd pair; then again, maybe they’ll surprise us. What are your thoughts on this week’s results?

Related Post

• SYTYCD Season 6: The Top 14 Perform
  

SYTYCD Season Six: The Top 14 Perform November 18, 2009

I enjoyed seeing childhood photos of the judges and contestants on this week’s episode, and there was enough variety in the dance styles to make most of the performances interesting and entertaining. I’m continuing a “quick thoughts” format due to my busy fall tv viewing schedule.

• Ashleigh & Jakob (Hip-Hop w/ Napoleon & Tabitha D’umo) – “Whatcha Say,” Jason Derulo – I like this song, only because it gives me another chance to hear Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek,” which never received much radio play in my area. The song was certainly appropriate for a routine about a girl hashing things out with her cheating boyfriend. For me, this routine marked the return of Tabitha and Napoleon, whose routines for awhile have been lackluster. I loved the emotion and character that shone through the choreography, and as usual, Ashleigh and Jakob more than brought it all to life. I just love them, and to me, they are way better than all their competition, in terms of a knockout combo of technique and showmanship.
• Karen & Kevin (Broadway w/ Spencer Liff) – “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” Sweet Charity (2005 revival cast) – Um, no. Awkward, uncomfortable, and any other synonyms for those words. I guess these two need to get back to the sexy, slightly inappropriate routines. 
• Noelle & Russell (Foxtrot w/ Edward Simon) – “Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes),” Michael Buble and Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – They both seemed very stiff during this routine, which prevented it from being graceful and elegant. I’ve never been a fan of Noelle, and I’d be happy to see her go home this week so I could see Russell paired with a different partner. In my opinion, she’s always seemed artificial and tense on stage. Russell hasn’t lived up to my expectations, considering he was my favorite going into the season. It does seem like he’s been stuck with ballroom a lot, and it’s obviously not his strong suit.
• Channing & Victor (Jazz w/ Tyce Diorio) – “Blackbird,” Bobby McFerrin – This was an unusual routine, and seems like Tyce’s attempt to channel Sonya. He sure was acting weird when he explained the choreography! Is he auditioning for the role of Paula Abdul? As for the dancing, I thought Channing and Victor did well, and it was fun and quirky. I agree with Nigel that Channing looked like she was relaxing and having fun. Victor is still off my radar, but I was glad to see them do well this week. Not sure it will be memorable for viewers, though.
• Kathryn & Legacy (Paso Doble w/ Tony Meredith) – “Pursuit,” Ka (Cirque du Soleil soundtrack) – Legacy certainly made his presence known in all his shirtless glory! Despite this, I found myself focusing on Kathryn. I continue to be impressed by her performances, which surprises me since her initial off stage personality was that of a blubbering high-pitched cry baby. She completely transforms into the character of the moment each week, leaving no trace of her sensitive, sweet country girl personality. Don’t think that I don’t like Legacy, though. He did well in this performance. Too bad that they fumbled the ending – that kept it from being a knock-out routine. Kudos to Tony Meredith for coming up with a creative spin on the paso doble!
• Ellenore & Ryan (Contemporary w/ Travis Wall & Jaimie Goodwin) – “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead,” Stars – I wanted to love this routine, with it being a contemporary one choreographed by the lovable Travis Wall. Something was missing for me, though. That being said, I was impressed by Ellenore. She seemed to be more in character than Ryan, and her movement and confidence were striking. While last season, Evan often suffered from being short-statured (for example, it was a noticable hindrance on ballroom routines), I think that Ryan is suffering from the opposite – his bulkiness is sometimes distracting, and prevents him from carrying the smoothness that some routines demand. During this performance, he didn’t float around the stage and leap in the air as easily as someone like Jakob would have done. So, as much as I like Ryan, I don’t know that he will go much further in the competition.
• Mollee & Nathan (Pop-Jazz w/ LaurieAnn Gibson) – “Bad Romance,” Lady Gaga – They looked like two kids running around the playground, but at least it was a vast improvement on last week’s disastrous salsa. My enjoyment of the performance was also hindered by the lack of story. LaurieAnn was too busy screaming to inform the audience what this dancing and prancing was all about. I really enjoyed the “Battlefield” routine that she choregraphed for Brandon and Jeanine last season, but this one fell flat. And what is with the pink headphones that she’s always wearing?! For me, Nathan and Mollee lack the stage presence and personality that many of the other contestants have showcased, and that has made them less interesting to me.

The Top Performance

• Jakob and Ashleigh’s Hip Hop – Honestly, while I enjoyed a few of the other routines, none of them came close to my favorite duo’s performance.

Predicting the Bottom Three Couples

• Karen and Kevin – This was the most awkward and forgettable performance of the night, and so I will be shocked if these two aren’t dancing solos.
• Noelle and Russell – As Adam said, the Foxtrot is second only to the Quickstep in being the kiss of death. I hope that doesn’t mean we’ll say goodbye to Russell this week!
• Channing and Victor – This last spot was a toss up between these two, or Ryan and Ellenore. But in the end, I think that viewers prefer a Travis Wall contemporary over an eccentric Tyce Diorio jazz routine any day.

Who I Would Send Home – Neither of these dancers has made an impression on me, and while I think Victor has more all around talent than Russell or Kevin, they have much more personality when they dance.

• Noelle
• Victor

So, how are you feeling about the contestants at this point in the season?

Related Post:

• SYTYCD Season 6: The Top 16 Perform

SYTYCD Season 6: The Top 16 Perform November 11, 2009

Was Cat Deeley participating in the much-promoted Simpson’s Scavenger Hunt last night? That would be the only good excuse for her bizarre appearance, with her hair pulled back tightly along the sides and piled high above her forehead. Her 1980s style snake-skin dress weren’t any better. I don’t know what Simpson’s character she would have been impersonating, but maybe we were supposed to spot Lisa’s saxophone in her hair or something. Anyway, on with the show. This was a pretty mediocre night, which may be more to blame on the choreographers than the contestants. We were introduced to a handful of new choreographers, some of whom stood out more than others.

* I must confess that I was lazy and didn’t take the time to type up the list of contestants, styles, choreographers, and songs. I “borrowed” that info from TV Squad, where you can read another review of this week’s episode:

• TV Squad Review of the Top 16 Performance Episode

The Top 16 Performances

• Karen & Kevin - Hustle (Maria Torres) – “Come to me” France Joli – When was the last time we saw the Hustle on this show? Not long enough, in my opinion. The Hustle is right next to Disco at the bottom of my dance preference list. Kevin looked very uncomfortable in his glittery ’70s costume, but Karen looked like she was having fun. The choreography was pretty dull. This performance was instantly forgettable to me.

• Ashleigh & Jakob – Jazz (Mandy Moore) – “Relax” Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Hooray for my favorite couple! They have been excellent every week, and didn’t lose any ground with this performance. Adam pointed out the one cane mishap, which I also noticed, but who cares, when everything else was near perfect? Now that Mia Michaels is no longer on the show, Mandy Moore has a chance to gain more recognition, which she is much deserving of.

• Pauline & Peter – Quickstep – (JT & Tomas) – “Hey Baby! (Shake Those Hula Hips)” Big Kahuna & The Copa Cat Pack – Um, I wasn’t feeling this one. Peter was completely concentrating on the quick stepping, leaving no room for him to stay in character, and Pauline looked frightened that she was going to get left behind, as she held on for dear life as Peter swooped her across the stage and she tried to make her feet move at lightning speed. I think these two will be in the bottom three this week.

• Kathryn & Legacy- Broadway (Andy Blankenbuehler) – “I Wanna Be Like You” Swingin’ Fireballs – I was bored and confused during this routine – something about a woman wanting to steal the remote from her man because she felt neglected? Also, Kathryn’s shorts were too short and not very flattering, and this wardrobe problem distracted me throughout the performance. I was so impressed with Legacy and Kathryn the past two weeks that I am willing to overlook this week’s unfortunate mediocre work.

• Channing & Victor – Contemporary (Stacy Tookey) – “Be Be Your Love” KCRW version – Rachael Yamagata – This newly paired couple had their work cut out for them, and they did pretty well. They were in their own style, which helped. The routine had some really nice moments but lacked the chemistry that would make a “toxic relationship” story come more to life. But still, I’m much happier seeing Channing with Victor, than Channing with Phillip. I’m still not finding Victor very memorable, but having Channing as a partner instead of Bianca should help – that is, if they stick around long enough to prove themselves.

• Ellenore & Ryan – Hip-Hop (Lil’ C) – “Lost BoiZ Anthem” Tha J-Squad- Come on, Lil’ C, you can do better than this. I was quite bored with this routine. It seems like half of the time Ellenore and Ryan were just carrying around their loot bags or throwing money in the air. The actual dancing only took up a fraction of the routine. I agreed with Adam that Ryan did really well considering he was a ballroom dancer doing hip hop. And Ellenore looked pretty comfortable in the style, standing out more than Ryan. I still like this couple, but they drew a bad choice this week, in terms of the style and Lil C’s nondescript choreography.

• Mollee & Nathan – Salsa (Gustavo Vargas) – “Quimbara” Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco – And the award for “most painfully awkward” goes to… Yikes! I could barely sit through this literally awful performance. First of all, Nathan looked horrible with greasy hair and a sloppy shirt, and Mollee looked like she was playing dress up in the high heels and yellow dress. There wasn’t an ounce of “genuine” in their performance. Nathan, who is normally so charming and pleasant to watch, was cheesing it up big time, with a huge fake smile and squinty eyes, and he was stressing me out with the way his shoulders were hunched over. Mollee had more poise than Nathan, but didn’t look like she was having any fun at all. Many times you could see a look in her eyes that said, “Is it over yet? Are we done?” But like Adam said, their avid fan base will most likely keep them safe this week.

• Noelle & Russell – Afro Jazz (Sean Cheesman) – “Frog Dance” Mickey Hart and Planet Drum – Russell was definitely the star of this routine. As Nigel pointed out, it gave him the chance to move like a krumper, which is good since that’s his style. Kudos to Sean Cheesman for introducing himself to the show in such an impressive fashion. I look forward to seeing more of this style on the show. Noelle hung in there pretty well, but I’m still just not seeing much personality in her performances. I was impressed, however, with that one trick were they flipped over each other like three times in a row. Something about this routine reminded me of Hok and Jamie’s “Hummingbird” routine from season three. A bird and a flower, a frog and an African princess… Tonight’s routine isn’t an instant classic like the Hummingbird one, but it definitely falls in the category of interesting and creative.

Predicting the Bottom Three Couples

• Karen and Kevin – I’m not convinced that America is as in love with these two as the judges are, and so I expect to see them dance solos tonight
• Pauline and Peter – It’s always hard to be popular on the show when you are constantly getting paired with new partners. Pauline has already danced with Billy, Brandon, and now Peter. On top of that, neither of these two had much screen time before the top 20 was announced. I do like Peter, and he’s shown an impressive amount of versatility so far, and Pauline is adorable, but I’m not sure that’s enough to make people vote for them.
• Channing and Victor – In another case of revolving door partners, these two have had a difficult time of it. And while they had a decent performance this week, other couples have more devoted fans. If they are in the bottom three, I am hoping that at least Channing will escape elimination, because she is still one of my favorite girls.

Predictions on who will be sent home:

• Victor
• Pauline
  

SYTYCD Season 6: The Top 18 Perform November 4, 2009

From hip hoppin’ tennis players to Van Gogh “Starry Night” rejects, this week’s episode had a little bit of everything. Read on for my quick thoughts about how the contestants did.

• Russell and Noelle – Hip Hop (Jamal Sims) – This routine was unfortunate – in my opinion not a good introduction to this new choreographer. I just don’t think that preppy tennis players and hip hop mix well. The choreography, as well as the performance, was very cheesy and underwhelming. I don’t think Noelle will be around much longer if she doesn’t step up her game.
• Jakob and Ashleigh – Viennese Waltz (Tony and Melanie) – This piece was described as a couple sharing their first dance on their wedding day. It was one of my favorites. I’m usually bored during waltzes, so it’s a credit to their showmanship that I was entranced. They were believable as a couple in love, and could have been Cinderella and Prince Charming come to life, with as smoothly and effortlessly as they were gliding across the stage together.
• Victor and Bianca – Broadway (Tyce Diorio) – I wasn’t moved by the spirit of this performance. In fact, I got up and started waving my arms around and jumping around like them, to make the point that it wasn’t a particularly difficult or interesting routine. I don’t have anything against a gospel church revival meeting dance – it was just too loud and busy, without enough actual substance.
• Mollee and Nathan – Bollywood (Nakul Dev Mahajan) – This piece was about a prince about to go to war, and his princess is unhappy about it. Mollee and Nathan looked great in their colorful costumes, and they seemed to have good technique as well. This one fell somewhere between great and awful, but closer to the good side of the night.
• Phillip and Channing – Samba (Tony and Melanie) – Put this one in the books as the most awkward performance of the season, and perhaps of the entire series! It was painful to watch as they struggled from one lift to the next, and I’m pretty sure they completely botched up the ending, resulting in Channing falling on her head. I think the problem was that Phillip isn’t a very good partner, combined with the fact that Channing is very tall and pretty solid for someone like Phillip to be lifting over his head. I hope that she and Victor will be better partners – we’ll find out next week.
• Kevin and Karen – Hip Hop (Tabitha and Napoleon) – This saucy routine was about a mechanic and a hot girl checking each other out in an auto shop. This is two weeks in a row that this couple has performed the raciest routine, so now I find myself labeling them the PG-13 dancers. Cover the kids’ eyes when these two are on stage! I’d like to see them do a more toned down routine, because the “Push It” one and this mechanic one were too over the top for me to take seriously.
• Kathryn and Legacy – Contemporary (Stacey Tookey) – They did a great job with this routine about a woman struggling with fear. It was one of my favorites of the night, and I agree with the judges that Legacy is doing a fantastic job outside of his style! Who knew that this would be one of the power couples? I am surprised that Kathryn is one of my favorite girls, but she’s certainly earned it.
• Peter and Pauline – Wade Robson (what style is this? jazz?) – This bizarre routine about two rejected people from Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” coming back to torment him didn’t really work for me. I expect more from a Wade Robson routine, and Peter and Pauline didn’t deliver. The busy background was partly to blame (I could hardly even see the two of them with everything else going on on stage), but mostly I felt like they were focusing more on the choreography than on being fully invested performers.
• Ellenore and Ryan – Argentine Tango (Miriam and Leonardo) – I really enjoyed this one, and gained new respect for Ellenore, when she remained so composed while her dress was caught in her heel. Of course Ryan was terrific since this was a ballroom style, and Ellenore looked very professional, too. They both carried themselves so well, were totally in tune with one another, and managed to also captivate the audience. They are another power couple this season!

The Bottom Four (Once again, due to World Series coverage, the judges chose the bottom four instead of letting America vote)

• Noelle
• Phillip – eliminated
• Victor
• Bianca – eliminated

This bototm four seemed right to me. There are several outstanding contestants, but these four aren’t living up to the high standard being set by dancers like Jakob, Ashleigh, Ryan, Ellenore, Legacy, Kathryn, etc. And I wasn’t surprised that the judges sent home two tappers, Bianca and Phillip. Tapping isn’t as dynamic a solo as some of the other styles, and those two didn’t shine in other styles. I wish them both well, particularly Phillip, with all the craziness he’s been dealing with lately. When I heard that his father had died and he’d just attended the funeral, I thought it was unfortunate that he had been eliminated this week. Then again, this is a competition, not a sympathy vote show. It may be best for him to have time to deal with his father’s death and to spend time with his family.

My Favorite Routines

• Legacy and Kathryn’s “Fear” contemporary
  
• Jakob and Ashley’s Viennese waltz
• Ryan and Ellenore’s Argentine tango

Who were your favorites this week?

SYTYCD Season 6: The Top 20 Perform October 27, 2009

So You Think You Can Dance’s initial performance episode of the season left me feeling unsettled. The circumstances that have developed since the top 20 were announced last week seem unfair to so many people, that the way things went tonight just seemed wrong. Of course, you can’t prevent injuries and illnesses from happening to contestants, or networks from showing the World Series instead of a dance competition results show. But on top of all that, I am disappointed with many of the pairings. Do the judges hand pick the couples, or are they drawn randomly out of a hat, just like their dance styles? I just had a grimace on my face watching some of these couples dance. Maybe they just need more time to develop chemistry, or maybe we’re in for a long season. Enough of my complaining. Here’s a quick review of the performances:

• Channing and Phillip – Quickstep – Channing looked very glamorous, and I thought she did a good job with the choreography. I’m just not a fan of Phillip, and his wardrobe and dancing didn’t do anything to change that. This is one of the couples that I’m not happy about.
• Ashleigh and Jakob – Broadway (Tyce Diorio) – Tyce called this sultry Broadway, and that it was. I was amazed with all the praise that the judges lavished on Jakob, but I’m happy to hear it, since I am a fan of his after Monday night’s “meet the top 20″ episode. I didn’t really get his clothing, but he sure does command attention on stage! Ashleigh really will have trouble getting noticed with him for a partner. I still can’t figure out who he looks like. It’s driving me crazy!
• Ariana and Peter – Hip Hop (Tabitha and Napoleon) – This routine was a “miss” for me. It reminds me of that weird routine that Ashley (?) and Kupono did early last season, where they were supposed to be crash test dummies or something. Let’s just say I find gold and silver spandex very distracting. Plus, there really was no chemistry between these two. I thought Peter did pretty well – he looked comfortable doing hip hop.
• Russell (and Melanie as a substitute for the injured Noelle) – Foxtrot – At the beginning it looked like this was going to be really bad, when Russell was way too deliberate about placing his hand behind his back. But then he loosened up some, and had fun with it. I wasn’t as disturbed watching him dance with Melanie as I was when Pasha danced with her a few seasons ago when his partner was out with an injury.
• Bianca and Victor – Contemporary (Travis Wall) – I don’t like them as a couple. Again, no chemistry, in my opinion. Victor is a great dancer, but Bianca’s shoulder’s really distract me (I have always noticed that, so I was glad Adam mentioned it). There were some excellent moves in this routine, so kudos to Travis Wall for that. Even though I don’t like Bianca and Victor together, I did like the routine.
• Karen and Kevin – Cha Cha (Tony and Meredith) – This was awkward for me to watch, but at least we heard a song from Glee (“Push It”). These two are just weird together, and Kevin didn’t seem too comfortable with all the gyrating. He seemed like he was just going through the motions. (Maybe he should have been in the bottom two guys instead of Russell…) Karen’s costume looked straight out of an 80s dance aerobics video.
• Ellenore and Ryan – Contemporary Jazz (Sonya Tayeh) – It wasn’t a smart move for Ellenore to talk up this performance as one of the best the show has ever seen, and that she’s ever performed. I guess she was trying to compliment Sonya, but it came across as arrogant. I did enjoy the strangeness of the routine, but it was far from the best I’ve ever seen on the show. Ryan certainly is a manly man, though, and he had a chance to show off his strength during this performance. These two have the potential to be a strong couple, and they are probably one of the most satisfying pairings so far. But did anyone else notice how Ellenore had her hand resting on Ryan’s lower abs and the front of his pants during the judges’ comments? I expected Ashleigh to walk on stage and swat her hand away. Seemed a little too personal. Awkward…
• Pauline and Brandon – Smooth Waltz – Too bad that Brandon has already been sent packing, because these two were a rather adorable couple. The dancing was far from perfect, but it was sweet.
• Kathryn and Legacy – Hip Hop (Dave Scott) – This goofy routine was about cavemen experiencing hip hop for the first time, and they didn’t really know what was happening. This was probably my favorite performance of the night. The choreography was clever, and Kathryn and Legacy did a great job bringing it to life. I actually laughed and smiled, while also being impressed by their style. These two are one of the better pairings, as far as chemistry goes.
• Mollee and Nathan – Disco (Doriana Sanchez) – “Inspired by Mexican wrestling…” I’m not a fan of disco, but this was a rather impressive routine. But, man, I’m disappointed that Nathan is paired with Mollee. Sure, they both have a teen fanbase, but I’d rather see Nathan with someone less goofy and hyper. Oh well, I suppose I should be happy that Nathan is in one of this season’s apparent power couples, since he’s one of my favorites.

The Bottom Four (as selected by the judges)

• Russell – What was he doing in the bottom four? Sure, his foxtrot wasn’t superb, but the judges seemed rather impressed by him at the time, and have loved him since the moment they first saw him in Boston. Why single him out for the bottom guys tonight when he was at a disadvantage without his partner? Maybe they just wanted an excuse to see his solo, but I would have been irate if they had sent him home so early! He didn’t seem too happy about being in the bottom four either, as his solo was especially intense.
• Brandon – Poor Brandon, we hardly knew him. He’s had quite a week: the jubilation of being called in to join the top 20, and the unfortunate circumstance of being sent home two days later, with words from the judges that he basically wasn’t quite good enough to be in the top 20. (It was nice of Nigel to say he wants to bend the rules to allow him to come back next season, but Brandon will have to do some more training and strengthening to actually make it further if that happens.)
• Ariana – I’m not surprised that she was sent home. We barely got to know her, and I agree with the judges that she lacked a certain fire in her eyes.
• Pauline – She’s very cute, but doesn’t seem to have much of a following. I guess she’ll be paired with Peter next week now that Ariana is gone.

Sent Home: Ariana and Brandon

So to return to my initial references to this episode making me feel unsettled: it is disappointing that Billy Bell had to drop out. It is also disappointing that Noelle will likely have top drop out next week (dancers don’t usually heal in one week from injuries that require a huge leg brace), which will leave Russell with a brand new partner. But even if Noelle can return to the competition, she and Russell will be a week behind the other couples. Pauline is also now at a disadvantage, because she has already lost two partners! So we started tonight’s episode with four dancers at a disadvantage: Russell, Pauline, Brandon, and Noelle. It’s unfortunate that the three of them who actually performed tonight ended up in the bottom four. If it were really true that the judges were making their decisions based on everything they know about the contestants, I think the bottom four would have consisted of a different group. Ultimately, though, it makes sense that they sent home Ariana and Brandon, but I’d imagine there are many fans who are disappointed that Ariana is already gone.

Hopefully next week’s show will have a more positive vibe!

• My favorite routines of the night: Kathryn and Legacy’s cavemen hip hop, Ellenore and Ryan’s contemporary jazz, Jakob and Ashleigh’s Broadway.

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SYTYCD Season 6: Meet the Top 20 October 27, 2009

I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed last night’s special episode of SYTYCD, in which the viewing audience was treated to performances by the top 20 in their respective styles. Why have the show runners never done this before? Probably because it was hard enough to cram a full season into the short summer season. So now we have an added benefit of a fall season: time to do more showcasing of the contestants’ individual talent. Read on to see who danced what, who choreographed them, and how they did. I’ve listed the performances from my most to least favorite.

• Nathan, Ariana, Jakob, and Channing – Contemporary – Choreographed by Tyce Diorio – “Crying” by K.D. Lang – I absolutely loved this routine! It helps that two of my early favorites were in it (Nathan and Channing), and they didn’t disappoint. I loved the costumes, the choreography (I so prefer Tyce’s contemporary stuff to his Broadway), and the dancers’ complete investment in their charge to “convey sadness.” All these guys are so light on their feet, have impressive leaping abilities, and were basically a joy to watch. They reminded me why I love this show so much.   Ariana mostly caught my eye when she was leaping into someone’s arms, and I was impressed by Jakob’s strong movement. Channing manages to dance gracefully while also taking advantage of her strength, and I still maintain that she’s very elegant despite her tomboyishness off stage. And I continue to love everything that Nathan does.
• Top 20 Group Routine – “Comanche” by The Revels – Choreographed by Wade Robson – The setting of this routine is a smoky 1930s bar, and “the four slickest gangs in the city have showed up, and a turf war ensues.” This was a great way to kick off the night, and it’s my second favorite performance of the night. All 20 dancers were stylin’ in their 1930s-era clothing – I loved the guys in their suits, and the girls in their luxurious, shimmery, colorful dresses (especially the red and green). Everyone exuded personality and seemed spot on with the choregraphy. It was super cool and fun. It seems like this is a top 20 to be reckoned with!
• Legacy, Kevin, and Russell - Hip Hop – Choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon – “Beggin’ (District 78 Remix)” by Madcon – No doubt about it, these guys are a talented trio. I’ve discovered that although Russell is one of my favorites, I prefer serious Russell over smiley Russell. He has more intensity when he’s not grinning. I’m curious to see him in a contemporary or ballroom routine, but not so much Broadway. Knowing Kevin’s backstory, of how he’s worked hard for three years to be on the show, makes me like him more. Otherwise, I wouldn’t pay much attention to him – not with Russell and Legacy in the room. That Legacy sure is a scene stealer! He had the most impressive moves during this performance. Overall, though, all of them did a great job.
• Karen, Ryan, and Ashley – Latin Ballroom (Samba) Choregraphed by Jason Gilkison – “Everything I Can’t Have” by Robin Thicke – This was a fun, spicy routine, although not as effective as a traditional one on one partnered samba. Ryan was certainly working his suit, and Karen stood out to me more than Ashley. Mary called Karen “animalistic” – she definitely had a grittier stage presence than the more pageanty Ashley. These guys may be pretty good ballroom dancers, but they have nothing on Pasha and Anya, my all-time favorite ballroom couple on the show. Oh, how I miss them. I really hope they will choreograph some routines this season!
• Billy, Victor, Kathryn, and Noelle – Contemporary – Choreographed by Mandy Moore – “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay – Oh, I love this song! And I also found the beautiful autumn backdrop inspiring. Unfortunately, those were my favorite things about this routine. The dancing itself was so-so, which is more to blame on the choreography than the dancers – I think Mandy Moore is saving her best stuff for the actual competition. I didn’t particularly care for Noelle’s “Dorothy” skirt, but everyone else’s clothing seemed appropriate. Honestly, when I try to remember the difference between Kathryn and Noelle, they kind of morph into one person in my mind. Neither of them is high on my list of female contestants. Billy and Victor both did a good job, but didn’t wow me. During the partnering, the two couples were out of synch at times – it could have been much tighter and sharper. Overall, I was underwhelmed by this performance, especially compared to the outstanding Tyce Diorio routine from earlier in the show.
• Mollee, Pauline, and Ellenore – Jazz – Choreographed by Sonya Tayeh – “On a Cloud” by PPP – Adam said it best when he called this routine “cute as a button.” This was supposed to be a sexy, flirtatious dance, but the tu-tus made it seem more juvenline than the “grown up” women Sonya kept talking up. Ellenore is my favorite of these three girls, but she didn’t seem fully invested. While the other two girls were bouncing around and all smiles, Ellenore seemed unsure of her steps and afraid that her top was going to fall down. It’s true that the costume did not suit her at all. She seems more mature and refined than someone who would be jumping and bouncing around in a tu-tu. So, yes, this dance was more suited for the younger-seeming (they are actually all about the same age) and more playful Mollee and Pauline, who were actually quite good here. But as we know, the contestants who fail to show America their personality and ability to adapt to even the most awkward dance styles (remember how fantastic Joshua was doing the Bollywood dance in season four?). I fear that unless Ellenore does a great job in the first performance show, she is in danger of being the first girl sent home.
• Peter, Phillip, and Bianca – Tap – Choreographed by Derick K. Grant – “Take the ‘A’ Train” by Ella Fitzgerald – This routine was charming and pleasant, but didn’t blow me away. I’ve said before that I’m just not a huge fan of tap. It lacks the excitement of other forms of dance. However, I’m glad these guys had a chance to show off their talent in their style, since – as Nigel said – they won’t be including tap in the rotation of dance styles this season, because it would take too long to teach it to the other contestants. (I’m not sure I buy that. If they make people figure out various ball room styles, surely they could manage with tap, too.) In this performance, I was most drawn to Phillip, who had the most understated stage presence. I was able to appreciate his tapping without being distracted by over the top grinning.

So did this special episode change my opinion of any of the dancers? Well, I still love Nathan and Channing, think Russell is pretty cool, and think Ellenore may be in trouble. The dancer who I didn’t know much about beforehand that stood out to me was Jakob. He is pretty fantastic and fun to watch, and I can’t quite place it, but he reminds me of some actor. Who does he look like to you?

Who impressed you the most in this episode?

SYTYCD Season 5: The Winner is Revealed August 6, 2009

Tonight’s grand finale began with the Top 20 dancers performing a group number from The Wiz. The dancing would continue fast and furious throughout the two hour episode, interspersed with plenty of not so subtle advertising for the SYTYCD tour, the upcoming movie Fame, etc.

Choreographers’ Choice - Each of the seven judges/choreographers on tonight’s panel chose one of their favorite dances from the season. This is an annual tradition, and it gives many of the top 20 dancers a chance to perform one more time, while also highlighting some of the best performances of the season. Next to the description of each dance, I’ve included my thoughts about it (in italics) from when it was originally performed.

• Adam – Phillip and Jeanine’s hip hop routine to “Mad” by Ne-Yo (Tabitha and Napoleon) – Tabitha and Napoleon are my favorite hip hop choreographers. I love that they bring so much emotion and story to their routines. And this one was so interesting – it had me captivated from beginning to end. Jeanine kind of reminds me of Kristin Stewart (aka Bella), except she has a lot more personality.  And Phillip brings such interesting movements to any performance, plus he seems to do well with anything that’s thrown at him – I think the choreographers will love to work with him.
• Nigel – Janette and Brandon’s Argentine Tango (Leonardo and Miriam) – I wouldn’t say that there was a lot of heat between them, but Janette did a fantastic job with all the leg work and looked great, and Brandon was a great partner. Nigel and the other judges gave them a standing ovation! And Nigel said it was as close to ballroom perfection as has ever been on the show. I had to go back and watch again after all the praise the judges gave. I liked it better the second time, and noticed Brandon’s complete focus on Janette, reminiscent of his intense stage presence in his first audition solo. I still think that I’ve seen couples dance the tango with more chemistry, but they were definitely technically excellent.
• Debbie – Asuka and Vitolio’s waltz (Louis Van Amstel) – Louis called this more of a “lyrical, spiritual waltz.” He wants it to embody the journey Vitolio has gone on, from being an orphan, to where he is now. I am usually more critical of a dance that is touted as some sort of emotional catharsis, because often in these cases, the judges ignore technique and gush about the story (the key example being Lacey and Neil’s flower dance from season 3, which I still think was way overrated). This one started out well, very smooth and flowing, and Asuka looked beautiful and light as a feather in her shimmery dress. Unfortunately for me, somewhere along the way it fell flat. Vitolio especially seemed to drag his feet a couple of times, and there was no connection between the two dancers. Except for a couple of standout moments, it was one of those “going through the motions” routines.
• Mary – Jeanine and Jason’s contemporary to Jason Mraz’s “If It Kills Me” (Travis Wall) – Well, now. That was a a mesmerizing, sensual routine! I’d like to see more of Travis’s work on the show, because this was great. Jeanine and Jason did a great job of conveying the relationship of these two close friends who are attracted to each other, and all the conflicting emotions that would go along with that. I even liked the heart locket prop that was tossed back and forth between them. Well done. This has been my favorite performance from Jason, and only reinforces my strong opinion of Jeanine as one of the top, if not the top, female dancer this season.
• Mia – Kayla and Max’s Samba (Louis Van Amstel) from the top 20 episode – Kayla looked great in all that fuschia fringe. Samba requires a LOT of energy! I got tired just watching it. It was a lot of fun to watch, even though Max isn’t my favorite contestant.
• Debbie  – Top 16 group routine hip hop/samba (Tabitha and Napoleon and Dmitri) – I just had to laugh at all that water splashing around the stage! But this was a good one.
• Lil’ C – Caitlin and Jason’s “Jai Ho” Bollywood routine – I didn’t remember Caitlin smearing red lipstick all over Jason’s face when they first performed this. – I didn’t even recognize Caitlin behind her elaborate costume. I liked her better than Jason in this performance, but they both did a good job with the fun choreography.
• Adam – Evan and Randi’s “butt dance” (Mia Michaels) – This was back when Evan and Randi were still among my favorite contestants. They were so cute together! I think it was when they got split up that their individual weaknesses started to show. – Mia’s description: “It’s all about the booty.” Evan is supposed to be hypnotized by Randi’s butt. She’s like a sexy poodle, and he’s lost all control of his body because he’s mesmerized by her. Interesting… It was terrific! Bizarre, humorous, but terrific. This was excellent choreography for Evan to show off his Broadway-style, and Randi looked smashing in a completely flattering pink negligee. Loved the characters, loved their total investment in the concept, love them!
• Mary – Jeanine and Brandon’s paso doble (Louis Van Amstel) – This is the third dance by Louis that the judges have chosen tonight! I’ve never paid much attention to him, but he seems to be a favorite of the experts. – Let’s hope that this paso doble makes up for the two less than stellar ones earlier this season. And it was definitely better than those. These are the two contestants to beat, and if they aren’t the final two, I’ll be disappointed. They are the most exciting dancers to watch, and have been for most of the season. I loved their in synch twirls and kicks, and as Adam said, the way they “filled out every single thing in between with the intensity and the movement… the movement never ended.”
• Nigel – Kayla and Kupono’s addiction routine (Mia Michaels) – It’s clear that many people in the crowd, including several of the judges, were deeply moved by this encore performance. I saw lots of tears being wiped away. - I’m not always an automatic fan of Mia’s work. (I especially didn’t like Neil and Lacey’s famous flowers in heaven routine.) In this dance, Kupono is the addiction that Kayla is trying to get rid of. And in Kupono’s defense, I’d imagine it was difficult for him to portray addiction in this performance, when his family experienced the hardship and destruction that it leads to. Their performance did, indeed, convey a lot of emotion, and they danced it very well. Mia did a nice job of creating a powerful interpretation of the grip of addiction.
• Tyce – Brandon and Janette’s disco routine (Doriana Sanchez) – Oh no, not disco again! I am often annoyed by all the strutting and white pants. As usual, I wasn’t wowed by the choreography, but the two lift and spins were rather impressive. Janette looked cute in her little pink dress, but Brandon was quite tacky looking in his sleeveless vest and butterfly collar.
• Mia – Melissa and Ade’s breast cancer routine (Tyce Diorio) – How nice to hear that Tyce’s friend is now cancer free. – This piece is about a woman who has breast cancer. They danced it well, and it moved Nigel to tears. Melissa was totally in character, conveying weakness and frailty and pain, and Ade was a strong partner, as always.
• The Top 8 Dancers and the Judges – Mia Michaels’ Chorus Line routine – It would have been nice to see the judges do a little more dancing than they did, but it was nice to see them on stage anyway.

Countdown to the Winner

• The third runner-up: Kayla – No surprise here. She’s an amazing dancer, but I didn’t expect her to win, since she’s somewhat lacking in the likeability and personality categories.
• The second runner-up: Evan – Whew! Dodged a bullet there. I was going to get nervous if Cat had called out Brandon’s name. All is as it should be. The final two dancers are Jeanine and Brandon, and they both very much deserve to be there.
• The first runner-up: Brandon
• The winner: Jeanine!

That’s a wrap. Another summer, another season of SYTYCD. I loved both Brandon and Jeanine, so having them as the final two was perfect, and Jeanine really did deserve to win. Now we have less than a month to relax and take a break from dancing before season six kicks off on Sept. 2. Hope to see you back at Eclaire Fare then!

SYTYCD Season 5: The Top Four Perform August 5, 2009

Welcome to the Final Four! Cat wore a gold sequined dress with matching choker that made her look like a cross between a boxer in a warm up robe and a matriarch from Dallas in evening wear. That was an unfortunate turn of wardrobe, but thankfully the strong dancers and enthusiastic judges, including guest Adam Shankman, more than made up for it.

The Performances

• Final Four Group Performance – “Boys Boys Boys” by Lady GaGa – Choreographed by Wade and Amanda Robson, this “cheerleaders and jocks” routine underwhelmed me. I’ve never thought much of cheerleader dances, which is the main reason why I didn’t like it. I expect more from Wade.
• Evan and Jeanine – “Heartbreaker” by MSTRKRFT ft. John Legend – Choreographed by Sonya, this “fight” between Evan and Jeanine was clearly won by Jeanine. My eyes were drawn to her the whole time. Adam pointed out that he never saw Jeanine coming, but that she has dominated since the beginning. He added that Evan is like “the mole hill that became the mountain.” Nigel gave Evan a pep talk about stepping up to the challenge and hoping that it’s the last time tonight that he’ll be beat up on stage. Evan certainly is the underdog, but do the judges have to rub it in every time they comment on his performances?
• Brandon’s solo – “Dies Irae” by Karl Jenkins – I would pay to see his dance recital. He’s always exciting to watch dance – especially when he propels himself toward the floor head first, and catches himself with his hands! Adam called him an extreme dancer and a super athlete. Nigel said he just “wiped out the competition” (an unfortunate reference to his beach shorts).
• Kayla and Brandon – Broadway (Tyce Diorio) – “Bye Bye Love” from All That Jazz – I really enjoyed this rockin’ routine! In fact, it may be my favorite Tyce Diorio number ever. I really liked the song and the arrangement, the multiple shifts in mood, the dark and glamorous costumes… I probably liked it so much because it was edgier than most of Tyce’s stuff, which leans more toward the cheesy end of the spectrum. Brandon had a couple of amazing moves, and was constantly at the top of his game, and Kayla really came to life as this character. She should consider a career in theater. Adam stood up and cheered, Mary called them rock stars, and Nigel called them “absolutely superb together.”
• Jeanine’s solo – “Por Una Cabeza” by The Tango Project – Um, Jeanine, you don’t need to rely on props. I wish she would have ditched the rose about 10 seconds in so she could show off her attitude and personality. It distracted me from her dancing. Adam agreed, saying she didn’t need a “stupid plastic flower.”
• Evan and Brandon – Pop Jazz (Laurieann Gibson) – “Nasty” by Janet Jackson - They are fighting over the #1 spot, but in the end there can be only one. I liked the song selection, but there wasn’t much nasty about these guys. The dancing was kind of namby pamby. Adam told Evan he “got a little dusted” at the crossroads. He said he couldn’t get rid of Evan’s “natural sweetness.” I agree with the judges that Brandon was more hard hitting and had more energy in this routine, but like Nigel said, “There isn’t a nasty bone” in Evan’s body. Laurieann Gibson should have known better and come up with a routine that better suited both of these guys.
• Kayla and Jeanine – Contemporary (Mia Michaels) – “The Four Sections: IV” – Full Orchestra, Steve Reich – This piece is a journey that will take the girls from stage left to stage right, and with each step they shed another metaphorical layer. I don’t know. It came across as gimmicky. It was like a butterfly strip tease, or something. The girls have a lot more talent than they were asked to showcase here, and had to worry more about removing pieces of fabric than creating beautiful movement. Sorry, but I was more bored than inspired, and wasn’t emotionally invested at all. Nigel actually compared it to Mia’s finale piece from season three, Danny and Neil’s “Two Princes.” (In my opinion, the season three piece was far superior to this, and is one of my favorite routines ever on the show.
• Evan’s solo – “The Best Is Yet to Come” by Michael Buble – The kid has charm, class, and charisma, but I think that the ultimate winner should possess more versatility than he has shown. Adam pointed out that this was a variation on his original audition, but it’s also a variation on every other solo he’s done this season. Nigel said Evan has the “ah” factor going for him – everyone thinks he is super cute. (And the judges continue rubbing in Evan’s underdog, strange breed status.)
• Kayla and Evan – The Jive (Tony and Melanie) – “T.R.O.U.B.L.E.” by Travis Tritt – They went old school country with this one – a style which suited Evan better than hip hop or tango. Kayla shook her way onto my radar. Between her and the blinding spotlight pointed at the audience, I hardly noticed Evan (but kudos to him for the lift sequence). Kayla has proven why she’s in the final four with all her performances tonight. She hasn’t missed a beat and has really shone. That being said, this was only a mediocre routine. Adam hated the country music, Mary criticized them technically, but said that Kayla “stole the show.” Nigel asked Kayla where this personality has been the rest of the season. Good question. Oh, boy. The crowd of 3,000 started to spontaneously shout “Evan, Evan, Evan!” (which seemed to bring tears to his eyes – that’s sweet). That spontaneous praise makes me worry that he has a chance to win. Everyone loves an underdog, after all, and the judges are totally selling that angle tonight.
• Kayla’s solo – “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by the Eurythmics – I was still distracted by her diva-ish response to Cat’s question of whether or not she thinks she can win: “I don’t stop until I get what I want.” I’ve seen better solos from her. Adam distinguished between “best dancers” and “favorite dancers,” putting Kayla in the first category, along with contestants Travis, Danny, and Will. Hmmm, I don’t know that I’d put her with those guys (and what about Katee?), but she is pretty flawless.
• Jeanine and Brandon – Paso Doble (Louis Van Amstel) – “Tetsujin” from The Matrix Revolutions Soundtrack - Let’s hope that this paso doble makes up for the two less than stellar ones earlier this season. And it was definitely better than those. These are the two contestants to beat, and if they aren’t the final two, I’ll be disappointed. They are the most exciting dancers to watch, and have been for most of the season. I loved their in synch twirls and kicks, and as Adam said, the way they “filled out every single thing in between with the intensity and the movement… the movement never ended.” Mary put them on the hot tamale train – no surprise there. It certainly seems like the producers have set the scene for a final showdown between Jeanine and Brandon, by having them dance together to close out the final performance episode. Nigel proclaimed that they are in the lead, as far as he’s concerned.

My Assessment

• Best Solo – Brandon
• Worst Solo – Kayla (but really they were all pretty good)
• Best Couples Performance – Brandon and Kayla’s Broadway, followed by Brandon and Jeanine’s Paso Doble
• Worst Couples Performance – Evan and Brandon’s pop jazz
• Ranking the Final Four (4-Evan, 3-Kayla, 2-Jeanine, 1-Brandon) – I’m basing these rankings on tonight’s performances, which gives Brandon a slight edge over Jeanine, but I would be thrilled with either of them winning.

So, who do you want to win? Do you think any of tonight’s performances will stick with you beyond this season? I’m off to vote a couple more times for Brandon and Jeanine now.

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