So You Think You Can Dance: Season 8 Winner Revealed

It is time to find out who is America’s Favorite Dancer for season eight. But before we find out who won, we get our top twenty dancers back onstage to perform what looks like a Sonyah Tayeh piece. It particularly suits Ryan’s quirky dance style, which seems to be the best style for her. Am I the only one who noticed how much time she had front and center before the Final Four came out? It was nice of Sonyah (who was in fact the choreographer) to give the Top Four a bit of a break here.

The guest “judges” this week include Sonyah, Tyce, Robin, Lil C, and most importantly Jesse Tyler Ferguson! (Sonyah looks surprisingly put together this week.) The rest of the choreographers are in the audience.

From the audience reaction, Marko and Tadd have zero chance of winning this one. The cheering for Sasha and Melanie were so much louder.

Final words from the judges:
Lil C- Congrats for surviving this far. (and some other nonsense)
Robin- So proud. You’ve all won.
Tyce- Your spirit meets your talent and hold onto that.
Sonyah- Thank you for making me a better person and choreographer. Your future is glorious.
Jesse- You all possess a spark that no one can take away.
Mary- You’re all extraordinary dancers and you’re humble. You have the best spirit.
Nigel- Each one of you is inspirational. (Nigel also apologizes to the guys for saying they have no chance of winning.)

Time for the judges’ favorites. Mary goes first and she picks Kent and Sasha’s Tyce routine from last week because it hit a chord for her.

Next we get a segment about the Nigel-Mary love affair. Leading into Nigel’s choice, which is Marko and Melanie‘s Nappy Tabs lyrical hip hop routine about the girl who is comforting her friend and he realizes he loves her. This routine reminds me just how much leaping Melanie did this season into other guys’ arms. Nigel seems to have moved on to Jesse. But Cat is jealous.

Robin’s favorite routine is Tadd and Lauren Froderman‘s Mandy Moore routine. (Personally, I loved Lauren’s routine with Marko better but they can’t have the same two people doing all of the dances.) This time around we get to see Tadd do his whole routine with the hat on. This routine is yet another reminder of how much Lauren has grown since last season.

This season has been full of strange characters and scenarios, which brings us to Lil C’s choice of the season. He picks the Nappy-Tabs routine danced by Miranda and Robert (Woo Man?). I don’t even remember these dancers it has been so long. I do want to say to Lil C–this was your favorite of the entire season? Really? Miranda is really not that good. Well, I guess compared to Melanie and Sasha lately.

Cat gets to pick a routine this year and she likes the routine because Tyce made her cry–the Top 8 circus routine. Good choice Sonya, another one of Tyce’s few successes. I don’t know about cry-worthy but it reminds of the Allison Wonderland routine last year. (Was that just a video?)

Next up, Matt Flint, the winner of the UK version performs a tap routine with Jess and Nick. I want Jess’s coat to be more flowy like everyone else’s. Jess still mugs on stage, didn’t really expect that to change.Nigel thinks it was one of the most exciting tap routines.

Mary chooses Mandy Moore’s Neil and Melanie routine. Another excellent choice which earns a standing ovation from the judges.

Jesse’s turn to pick the dance and he choose a Sonyah Tayeh routine danced by Marko and Allison. I’m just happy that Allison will be dancing this week. (I don’t like the rotating all stars, I like seeing the same awesome ones over and over again.) This is such an atypical Sonyah piece, which makes it all the more impressive.

Tyce has chosen the nasty, sick Sonyah piece about Geishas, danced by the Top 10 Girls to which I say, Tyce…really. This was a favorite? Not that it isn’t good but I think there was better.

I will say that I have missed Mia this season. I want choreography from her! I also want the show to look into choreographer Sabrina Mathews from SYTYCD Canada. Virtually every routine she has done this season has been impressive and emotional and beautiful.

Time to get back into competition mode, it is almost time to discover our winner. Also, don’t you think there should be a viewer’s choice dance? Let America vote online or something. The finalists are called up so that we can eliminate one of the dancers (I notice the guys are wearing matching suits and I am trying to figure out why). 11.5+ million votes came in and Tadd has come in fourth, as expected.

Lil C gets another choice, in which he selects Chris and Ashley‘s Spencer Liff routine about a woman visiting her husband in jail. I don’t really care for Lil C’s choices (if they even are their choices).

The Top Four are greeted by Heather Morrison, Harry Shum, and Naya Rivera with tickets to go to the Glee 3D Movie premiere (which they thought was rehearsal for an extra Top 4 dance). Good job at cross-promoting Fox.

Nigel wants to see Chris Scott’s routine starring Twitch and Sasha as a married couple who are not happy in the morning.

Sonyah picks Chris Scott’s Top 10 Guys‘ routine.

Jesse chooses a ballroom number (really were any good?) choreographed by Miriam and Leonardo, danced by Caitlynn and Pasha.

Mary picks the statues dance of Marko and Melanie, choreographed by Travis Wall. I was wondering when this routine would come up. They opted for no makeup this time around because that would make everything else complicated (though it does minimize the statue feeling).

Time for some more results and my biggest question is all female top two? Sure enough, Marko is the next person eliminated.

The final judges’ pick of the night is Nigel’s but first he thanks the lighting director and director for their job. Another Sonyah Tayeh routine is selected as the final routine of the night.

Now it is time for us to learn who the winner is. America’s favorite dancer is…Melanie.

What do you think? Did America get it right? (This is the first time the winner has been the clear frontrunner from the very start and is considered one of the best technical dancers as well.)

So You Think You Can Dance: Finale Performances

Time for the final performances by our Top Four. Kenny Ortega and Katie Holmes are the guest judges for the night (and I have to admit that I spent much of Katie’s commentary thinking “Why are you here?”).

Marko and Melanie are paired for the first number of the night, a disco choreographed by Doriana Sanchez. This should have been a cinch since they have danced with each other so often and have so much chemistry, but it ended up looking mostly awkward, especially in the lifts. For one of them it looked like he had to heft her up over his shoulders. Melanie’s face is overly corny. Did Marko mess up in his final pose? It looked like he pointed the wrong way.
Judges Say:
Kenny- electric opening
Katie- strong and energetic
Mary- the lifts were a real struggle and they went in and out of the style
Nigel- A bit of a struggle, uncomfortable in the style.

Sasha and all star Mark are choreographed by Sonyah Tayeh, which is always a pretty good sign. The number is about overcoming obstacles (Mark being the obstacles). I thought Melanie would have it in the bag for the win but after a weak opening number and a strong number from Sasha, I’m not so sure. (However, Mark does seem to be the stronger of the two (probably because he hasn’t been in the competition and therefore isn’t exhausted).
Judges Say:
Katie- powerful, grace, and integrity
Mary- Whoooooooooo
Nigel- warrior, fighting to the end
Kenny- Sasha Warrior Princess

Tadd and all star Joshua get a Lil C hip hop number, which is right in Tadd’s wheelhouse. The pattern seems to be a dance with an all star in their own style and dances with each other out of their styles. Russel also comes off as the stronger dancer. The number is fine but it isn’t my favorite hip hop number.
Judges Say:
Mary- hard-hitting
Nigel- a little too sweet, still some way to go to win that title
Kenny- perfect pairing
Katie- terrific hustling

Melanie and Robert are paired for a contemporary Stacey Tookey routine about unrequited love. I didn’t get the unrequited part of this, which may be more a fault of the choreography than anything else. Which isn’t to say it wasn’t a great routine, it just gave off a couple in love feeling more than anything else. A much better number for Melanie
Judges Say:
Nigel- challenge accepted
Kenny- would push himself to the front of the line to work with her
Katie- blown away
Mary- in a class of her own

Sasha and Marko are paired for a Spencer Liff Broadway number. This is easily one of the better Broadway numbers. The song, dance, and story seemed connected, there was a good (not cheesy) energy.
Judges Say:
Kenny- great fun
Katie- Sasha is a beautiful, strong woman, Marko is incredible
Mary- Marko changed his character so much
Nigel- not knocked out, Sasha is a better warrior than vamp, Marko needed more character

Melanie is the first solo of the night. The solo has me hopeful that she will one day come back and choreograph someday. It is definitely one of her better ones.

Marko’s sheer sweetness factor may garner him votes and boost his chances at a win. He too has stepped up his solo to deliver his best of the season.

Mark Ballas choreographs a cha cha for Sasha and Tadd which ends up being just sort of okay. Tadd is too short to partner Sasha for this and it looks silly (it doesn’t help that she has Mohawk hair). She definitely outdanced him.
Judges Say:
Katie- gave a lot over the season
Mary- both were struggling with connections and technique
Nigel- didn’t work
Kenny- everyone knows what you can do but maybe too ambitious for tonight

Tessandra Chavez choreographs a contemporary routine for Marko and all star Lauren Froderman about a failed love story. Easily the best routine so far. Lauren has really grown up since last season. I also would love to see more of Tessandra as a choreographer. You can see the emotional connection between the pair.
Judges Say:
Mary- you are living greatness
Nigel- fabulous performance
Kenny- the connection came alive
Katie- stunning and magical

Tadd’s solo is pretty standard fare for him—fun but not full of diverse dance moves. It feels like he does the same one trick or two over and over again. All I want is some more diversity.

Tadd and Melanie are partnered for a Ray Leeper jazz routine about a woman who discovers that her boyfriend is cheating on her. This isn’t a perfect routine but it is definitely not the worst of the night.
Judges Say:
Nigel- Melanie had character, Tadd redeemed himself
Kenny- Melanie brings theater to the performance, good chemistry
Katie- fun to watch
Mary- strong, dynamic

Sasha has the final solo of the night and she shows that she too can pull out a strong, emotional solo. Her best of the season.

Stacey Tookey choreographs a contemporary piece for Sasha and Melanie about repressed housewives who want to break free. The piece wasn’t my favorite of the night. They both danced well but it felt more sexual than it was intended to be. I also really didn’t like the yellow dress on Melanie. A nice blue or green would have been preferable. The orange on Sasha looked great though.
Judges Say:
Kenny- powerful, beautifully executed
Katie- gorgeous work
Mary- just gorgeous
Nigel- any company would be lucky to have you two

Tadd and Marko are partnered for a final step routine choreographed by Chuck Maldonado. Unfortunately, the pair’s obvious fatigue showed. They were out of synch and out of step (Marko more than Tadd).
Judges Say:
Katie- strong with a lot of athletic ability
Mary- solid gold and cute
Nigel- better in bigger groups, weren’t together

After a questionable night, it looks like Sasha may have won the season, though the audience has seemed to be more enamored with Melanie throughout. Marko had too many poor performances, I don’t think even his excellent dance with Lauren could help. My friend points out one very interesting fact: Sasha has danced in her own style only on occasion while Melanie has danced within her style consistently. So though this is neither dancer’s fault it does seem like Sasha has shown us the most. The lesson of the night: Cat Deeley has the best laugh ever.

Who do you think will win? Should win?

So You Think You Can Dance: Top 6 Results

Time to find out who our Top 4 dancers will be. But first we start the show off with the Top 6 dancing around an enormous flower. The lighting and costume colors were pretty cool though the flower was a little silly. Poor Caitlynn and Tadd were hidden in the back for much of the beginning of it. There is a weird sort of couples dancing thing going on in it that is both interesting and strange. And then the flower floated away and I have no idea what to do with that. But good choreography Justin Giles.

Christina Applegate is not around for the results show (for some reason most guest judges aren’t interested). Cat does give Nigel a nice intro for once. The judges are finally not partaking in the judging. The bottom two will leave the competition (because revealing the bottom four would reveal the top two which might ruin the surprise for next week).

Sasha is up first for another attitude-filled solo routine. This one felt a bit rushed but still interesting. The judges give it a standing ovation.

Caitlynn comes up next with a much less impressive solo. The judges give this another standing o and I am beginning to see a pattern.

Melanie has the last girls’ solo of the night in a better solo outfit that we often see from her. She basically obliterated Caitlynn’s solo with a much more emotional one.

Before we get some results and the final solos, we get some videos of (Inter)National Dance Day.

Tadd‘s solo is as silly as ever though there seemed to be a bit more power (and more adoring audience members). But no standing ovation from the judges?

Marko must really be feeling James Morrison since both his solos this week were to his songs. Marko has a surprising amount of cartwheels and flips for a contemporary dancer.

Ricky‘s final solo was one of his best and it is unfortunate he didn’t pull it out yesterday.

Lauren Froderman and Kent Boyd dance their prom dance from last season which reminds me how much chemistry they both had (something that not many contestants this season could manage even though they were tremendous talents). Unlike the boys’ solos, this does earn another standing ovation. The two are so cute together.

Lauren, Robert, Mark, and Joshua (season 4 winner) will be the all stars for next week. Now that we know that, let us here some results. Girls first: Melanie is sent through right away. We move to the guys, who come out doing a silly conga line: Marko is immediately sent through with Melanie.

We get a performance from the Bad Boys of Dance who put on a highly impressive ballet routine that could really draw in younger people who have a hard time enjoying the classic ballet.

Sasha and Caitlynn are called back up for the last of the girls’ results. Nigel gets a moment to put a word in and he says he loves them both but Caitlynn performs more from her head while Melanie dances from her heart and Sasha dances from her soul. All three are incredible and ultimately dance wins. As expected Sasha joins Melanie and Marko while Caitlynn goes “home,” despite her stellar week.

Pia Toscano performs her new single “This Time.” I sort of missed her ballgown dresses. It was weird to see her walking and talking and wearing pants. (And a bad tan.) Wasn’t this what got her kicked off American Idol? Where is the ballad? Shouldn’t that have been her first single and then spread out from there once you got people intrigued?

Time for the guys’ results which Tadd once again leads out with silliness. This is why he is so much more fun than everyone else. Not surprisingly, Tadd is through and Ricky is done.

What do you think of the results? Did America make the right choice?

So You Think You Can Dance: Top 6 Perform

It’s our last week before the finals and our top six take the stage alongside the all stars for a final shot at making it. The only thing to note about the opening is that Melanie’s little solo dance was decidedly not contemporary (inspired by the shiny black leather pants perhaps?) and Tadd’s was ever more the comic route that he has been embracing during his regular solos.

This week’s guest judges are Christina Applegate and Lil C. (Christina Applegate apparently danced when she was three until she had a baby. She also thinks this is the best season thus far.) Mary is looking decidedly orange.

National Dance Day was this weekend. We get a quick clip of some exciting clips from around the world. (It might have to become International Dance Day–that would be kind of cool actually.)

Melanie is paired with Twitch for a Nappy Tabs routine about Little Red in the Hood. Twitch is the big bad wolf, surprised to find that Little Red has some swag. It’s a bit weird to watch because some of the moves she hits really well and others feel a little awkward. (So she will probably get a bunch of compliments.) That cool lift was well done though.
Judges Say:
Lil C- That was a difficult routine (tough music and fast moves). It was shaky in the beginning but it ascended to buckness.
Christina- Melanie gives her hope every week. In this she was so evil.
Mary- Mary’s brother has never called her about a contestant until now to say Melanie has such charm. This was the first time she had something so hard-hitting.
Nigel- Melanie is a phenomenal dancer. There have been accusations that she hasn’t been given challenging styles but it is just that she’s just good at everything. See you in the finale.

Sasha and Kent get a Tyce Diorio routine about a couple who have hit a wall in their relationship. This piece is all about the emotion. Can Tyce pull it out in a way he has not been able to do in quite a while? Kent’s facial expressions might be stronger than they were during his season here. There’s a lot to be impressed with here and you can see how invested Tyce is, he’s teary-eyed (maybe the problem with so many of his routines is that he wasn’t doing things that are close to home). Mary and Christina are crying too.
Judges Say:
Christina- There are many amazing technicians in the competition but Sasha can break her heart and that’s dance. So brilliant.
Mary- That was intoxicating. A superstar.
Nigel- Tyce at his creative best. And Sasha brilliantly draws us into the dance and has gone back to his favorite.
Lil C- (trying not to cry and losing his thoughts and ultimately unable to stop crying) He loves the way she dances and wishes he had worked with her this season. Ten notches past amazing.

Marko and Janette are paired for a pase doble choreographed by Dmitry Chaplin. Marko is a hunter and she is an animal rights activists. Did Janette always have such a strong accent? Am i remembering someone else? Not really feeling the passion and competition in the dance. The dancing is fine but this was one of Marko’s weaker moments for me.
Judges Say:
Mary- This dance is so passionate and riveting. The style was spot on despite losing his footing at times.
Nigel- Left him sort of cold tonight. Wanted more passion.
Lil C- It was a pleasure to watch him perform because a lot of dancers just do the steps but Marko was so connected to the piece.
Christina- She knows nothing about the genre but she is a huge fan of Marko.

Ricky is the first solo of the night and I couldn’t help but think that he looked a bit more lanky than anything else. He is a good dancer but I wanted to be more impressed. Come on people, you’re fighting for the finale, time to really pull it out.

Tadd is paired with Ellenore for a Sonya Tayeh routine about a couple living during a conservative time when their first touch leads to lust-filled action. She wants to find the dirty side of Tadd. I don’t think Ellenore’s outfit covers enough for her time period. There’s a lot of cool moves in this, Tadd hanging onto the chandelier is particularly fun. (Cat is just dying for a go for herself.)
Judges Say:
Nigel- It was…it was! I would have liked to see more dancing but it was very interesting. Too short.
Lil C- Sonya showcases a dancer’s fundamental abilities. He needed to make each move feel like it was lasting longer. Live in the moment more.
Christina- Christina loved it. She loves Tadd so much.
Mary- Tadd’s ability is extraordinary. He is still growing.

Caitlynn has the next solo. This is one of her better solos, it drew you in in a way most of the solos have not been doing.

Ricky and Jamie get a Dee Caspary routine about a couple where the guy becomes controlling in an attempt to keep his girlfriend from slipping away. The sticks feel like a bit of a silly prop for an otherwise pretty dance. (I do miss Allison though.) Ricky does not look awkward here.
Judges Say:
Lil C- Dancing with a prop is hard, especially when it alters how you would normal dance.
Christina- Ricky is a beautiful dancer, but she’s noticed he doesn’t dance with the clearest intention, which would take him up to extraordinary.
Mary- All of that. And beautiful free-flowing movement.
Nigel- The routine was lovely. He wants him to dance lower though (he is tall Nigel, he can’t help that!) but he has beautiful lines.

Tadd‘s solo is another crazy laughfest of silliness. He’s good at this though I feel like he could add more diversity into his moves.

Sasha has the fourth solo of the night. I like how much attitude she brought to it. It really felt like she had a point of view rather than just your usual pretty performance.

Caitlynn and Pasha are paired for a Dmitry Chaplin samba. At this point there is very little chance of Caitlynn making the finale and this isn’t a routine that is going to help her. Not because she did a bad job of it but because this isn’t the sort of routine that will drive the audience to tears or be memorable for years to come. (That is the unfortunate thing about most of the ballroom/Latin numbers. It is just the style of dance they are.)
Judges Say:
Christina- That looked really good and beautiful, not dorky like so many others.
Mary- That was better than the last samba. On fire. The only criticism was some of the funny faces but the body was dancing.
Nigel- Fabulous roles but watch the “sexy faces.”
Lil C- She danced it amazingly. But approach being sexy more subtly.

Marko has the last guys’ solo of the night. His routine is full of tricks that make it fun to watch.

Melanie has the final solo of the night and she pulls out one of the more interestingly bizarre numbers of the night. Easily the best solo of the season I think (even soiled by that silliness at the end). Most shocking is that she as figuring out her solo at the last minute backstage.

Sasha and Ricky are paired for a new dance style, called Whacking (remember Princess Lockaroo?). The choreographer is Kumari Suraj. It is a style that apparently requires a lot of control. It’s interesting though perhaps should have been brought in earlier in the season. The last move was pretty cool.
Judges Say:
Mary- A great job though not as good as Princess Lockaroo. Sasha whacked a little better.
Nigel- He didn’t think the whacking was lacking. He liked the fun but Ricky should have relaxed more.
Lil C- He would have loved to see them enjoy it more.
Christina- They could have whacked it harder.

Melanie and Tadd are choreographed by Spencer Liff about a dancer falling in love with her choreographer and being heartbroken. Spencer like so many other choreographers makes sure to utilize Tadd’s natural athleticism. Melanie definitely did a better job here than in the hip hop routine and I think she outshined Tadd, which is not particularly surprising.
Judges Say:
Nigel- Just a moment about the solo–it was the best on the show ever. She is a brilliant dancer on top of her incredible dancing. Tadd didn’t suck either.
Lil C- Melanie’s solo was so beefy and Tadd is growing.
Christina- Melanie has taken dance to a new level. Tadd has better technique than some ballet dancers.
Mary- Everyone has said it all.

Caitlynn and Marko are paired for a Sonyah Tayeh routine for the last performance of the night. Marko is an overbearing man and Caitlynn is trying to get away and find her own voice. No sexy here. And no niceness either. This routine is a much more successful Sonyah piece that showed Caitlynn off more than she has been in a while. I got her desperation more than I got Marko’s controllingness. The judges give it a standing ovation, the only one of the night.
Judges Say:
Lil C- This routine was double hashtag buck.
Christina- Wow. Marko is a beast too, not just the women. That was Caitlynn’s moment.
Mary- I didn’t really care for it…are you kidding me! That was Caitlynn’s best number of the series.
Nigel- This routine proves why Sonyah is a world-class choreographer. Stunning. Caitlynn came of age tonight.

After that, who do you think will be joining Marko, Melanie, and Sasha in the finale?

SYTYCD: Top 8 Results

We open with a circus themed performance by our top eight here Jess looks a bit terrifying but otherwise I have little to complain about . The style particularly suits Sasha. It is definitely one of the better group numbers, choreographed by Tyce. (Maybe he’s just better with group numbers?) It sort of reminded me of Mia’s Alison Wonderland routine.

Sadly, eliminations will still be done by gender so the bottom two guys and bottom two girls will perform and one of each will go home.

The four girls are up first to get their results as a group. The two girls who are safe are…going to be announced after the break. The top two girls after the biggest vote of the season are Sasha and Melanie, as expected.

The four remaining guys come up next and here is where things are a bit trickier. Marko is obviously safe but I am less sure of the others. Tadd seems most likely but that might just be my hopes. Marko is quickly sent to safety and Jess finds himself in danger. Surprisingly, it is Ricky who is safe and Tadd is in the bottom. (Anyone else think it is Jess going home?)

But before the solos, let’s watch some awesome LXD (Legion of Extraordinary Dancers). This crew seems to get bigger every time I see it and it only seems to have a fewq of the same people from one performance to the next. That being said, it is always awesome. (Christopher Scott is one of the choreographers.)

It is not surprising at all that Jordan chooses to dance her solo to S&M which is carefully edited to be appropriate for the Fox audience.

Jess‘s solo is Broadway appropriate but and his spinning is even impressive but it wasn’t anything new from him.

Caitlynn shows good technique but I’m not sure she has convinced me. Especially since the judges seem to love Jordan.

Finally it’s Tadd who continues with an impressive bit of strength and entertainment but not enough actual content for me. I know he’s a b-boy and that’s how they work but I wanted more dancing. The judges seem to like it enough to give it a standing ovation.

Lady Gaga performs “The Edge of Glory” and “You and I.” We have already watched “The Edge of Glory” performed on Fox during American Idol but I’m pretty sure they have at least changed the costume and dance this time around. However, the sound is a little off and it can’t possibly be “live” since that was a lot of equipment to manage so quickly. She continues rocking the blue hair but otherwise nothing so shocking about her clothes. Even her shoes aren’t that high. I wonder if she will ever get tired of being wild and just want to be pretty one day. Not even permanently, I just think that one awards show it would be shocking if she just showed up as a well dressed, normal-haired woman. I’m not sure people would even recognize her.

The judges were not originally unanimous about the decision but now it is time to look towards the winner. They are picking the potential winner not just the greatest talent. A fabulous dancer will be going home.

Both girls had disappointing solos. Going with America’s votes, Jordan will be going home this week

Tadd is so unique that they cannot let him go so Jess will be joining Jordan and leaving the show.

SYTYCD: Top 8 Performances

Cat Deeley has opted for a sweet, simple outfit, so as not to compete with crazily dressed guest judge Lady Gaga. Rob Marshall is another guest judge. (Why do we need two guests? To fill time?) Lady Gaga is actually not as crazily dressed as she might be (though wearing sunglasses indoors seems like a bad plan, that theater is not very bright).

Sasha and Pasha are paired for a quickstep ballroom routine choreographed by Jonathan Roberts. It is meant to be a crazy character driven waltz. Sasha looks incredibly awkward in the beginning (almost like she and Pasha just aren’t the right sizes for each other or something. I don’t see the crazy characters there either. This might be Sasha’s worst performance of the season yet.
Judges Say:
Rob- Sasha is astonishing and beautiful and elegant. The genre doesn’t show off the things you do well.
Mary- You pulled it off. You create a fantastic vision. Best body position of anyone yet. Get knees softer.
Nigel- Sasha is his favorite dancer by a hair’s breath, at least this week. A little too stiff in the upper body line.
Gaga- Sasha is as shiny on the outside and the inside. Disagree with Nigel. The strange posture was interesting. Maybe could have been a little looser.

Caitlynn is paired with all star Ivan for a hip hop routine with Marty Kudelka about a girl sick of her boyfriend and swept off her feet by another guy.The routine starts way too slowly but it clear that Caitlynn can hit the sharp hip hop moves. Her steps aren’t as smooth as I would like. The connection isn’t great and I think this is more due to the dance and the music than the dancers.
Judges Say:
Mary- Caitlynn wasn’t brilliant but good.
Nigel- Caitlynn is a lovely dancer but she needs to open her legs and get a firmer base to get down into the swagger more. Stayed in character well.
Gaga- (the sunglasses have come off) Caitlynn is sexy and the connection was magical (really?). Don’t rely on the center and stop so much, move through the movement more.
Rob- Great, a beautiful style but needs to lose herself more in the style (the way Lady Gaga does). Work on becoming more of a character.

Jordan and Ade get a Tyce Diorio jazz number about a secret rendezvous. This number felt a little disjointed for me, like each individual move worked but it didn’t come together into a cohesive or fluent whole.
Judges Say:
Nigel- Is there anything that little body can’t do? It was a fun routine.
Gaga- She’s a star!
Rob- Dynamic and full of meaning when dancing.
Mary- She was the badass Tyce wanted.

Melanie and Neil get a Mandy Moore contemporary routine about being at the crossroads of a relationship. Not my favorite Mandy Moore dance but my favorite of the night so far. (Just not feeling the emotion the way I want to.) It does get a standing ovation from the judges (and the audience goes wild), which elicits giggles from Cat when she sees how tall Gaga is.
Judges Say:
Gaga- Melanie is my favorite, I would hire her for my tour tomorrow. (crying)
Rob- It is poetic what she does. Amazing.
Mary- How many more adjectives can we use to describe her?
Nigel- I’ve changed my mind, Melanie is my favorite dancer.

Ricky and Anya will be jiving to Jason Gilkinson’s choreography. I liked Ricky a lot in this piece. There was only one moment where I noticed him looking at his feet instead of up.
Judges Say:
Rob- Ricky dances with such joy and the technique is out of this world.
Mary- He missed some of the feel but it got better. He pulled it off.
Nigel- Ricky was too high but one of the lifts looked too labored.
Gaga- I have a sweet spot for Ricky, he looks strong and nimble.

Jess and Lauren Gottlieb (!) get a hip hop number by Nappy Tabs about a guy who cheated on his girlfriend and is trying to win her back. Much as I like Lauren, this wasn’t my favorite performance by her either. Or my favorite Nappy-Tabs number. That being said, Jess was pretty good.
Judges Say:
Mary- Every week has been progress. Jess was really good this week, it felt really honest.
Nigel- Jess didn’t oversell it.
Gaga- There was something I didn’t love about the props but you outshone them.
Rob- Jess has used the competition to grow. Simple and pure and beautiful.

Tadd and Lauren Froderman are paired for a Mandy Moore routine about pulling a heist. Did Tadd lose his hat in the beginning of that routine? This routine felt more hip hop than contemporary (which suits Tadd) but it is a lot of fun.
Judges Say:
Nigel- This style suits Tadd.
Gaga- I liked the attitude and style.
Rob- Very special.
Mary- Very cool up there. Tadd’s got this thing.

Marko and Allison have a Sonyah Tayeh contemporary routine about being cruel to someone and wanting to change. It is hard to believe Allison didn’t win her season because she truly is one of the best dancers to ever be on this show. Marko is also pretty fantastic here. Everyone from Marko’s mom (who flew in from Guam) to Allison and Marko to Lady Gaga to Mary are bawling. Another standing ovation.
Judges Say:
Gaga- I’m so proud, Marko really loves to dance. Absolutely incredible.
Rob- Allison is a true artist. It was an incredible partnership. So fluid and beautiful.
Mary- Amazing, you can’t say it enough. Marko adds a volume and finishing to his steps. By far my favorite.
Nigel- We’ve seen a moment here that is more than the competition.

Caitlynn and Tadd are paired for a Johnathan Roberts ballroom number. Caitlynn’s costume makes it difficult to see what she’s actually doing with her feet which is sort of annoying. Not a fan of this number and especially its music. Which is not a commentary on their dancing which seemed to get stronger as the night wore on.
Judges Say:
Rob- Sparkling from beginning to end.
Mary- I need more power in the base , slightly awkward when in hold but gorgeous when side by side.
Nigel- I was just in heaven watching it.
Gaga- I loved it. The lean back and the “hello I’m a star.” Every once in a while, you’re hands get a little “I’ve won a lot of trophies.” Relax them a little.

Marko and Ricky get a Nappy-Tabs hip hop number about “waste management technicians.” It looks like Ricky might have missed up in the middle. He doesn’t have as much swagger as Marko in some places and Marko doesn’t quite get it as well in other places. Almost like they took turns to get it quite right.
Judges Say:
Mary- I loved it. Fabulous. WOOOO!
Nigel- It was a lot of fun, there were good characters. Marko got nasty. Ricky is still a bit high (he’s also taller). Ricky might be in the bottom.
Gaga- I think both are incredible dancers, it was amazing. The only thing for me but the “interpretation of hip hop felt a little contrived.”
Rob- What astonishes me is the range of the pair.

Jordan and Jess get a Jason Gilkinson rumba about a woman blinded by love. Jordan’s facial expressions threw me a bit. They did a good job but it didn’t pull me in.
Judges Say:
Nigel- Fabulous lift Jess. Didn’t feel the chemistry. Watch the swayed back.
Gaga- There was nothing wrong with it. It had beautiful moments. I would have interpreted it differently.
Rob- You brought out the best in each other. You both work from an acting place.
Mary- What was lacking was the elasticity in the arms and the sensuality. Still beautiful.

Sasha and Melanie are paired for a Sonyah Tayeh jazz routine. (That much was obvious when you saw their outfits.) This is Sonyah at her greatest. It is just such a bizarre and interesting routine. Another standing ovation and even Sonyah looks a bit shocked. Twitch in the audience is wowing, the audience (and Ellen Degenerous) are unable to stop cheering. Gaga even starts banging on the table. (Sasha is definitely redeemed for anything I did not like earlier.)
Judges Say:
Gaga- Performance of the evening. Absolutely incredible.
Rob- Unbelievable.
Mary- Talk about strength and power, my goodness. The best number of the night and ever done by Sonyah.
Nigel- Fantastic. I don’t know who is the better dancer. One of these two could be this year’s champion.

Who do you think will be in the bottom this week? Who should be going home?

SYTYCD: Top Ten Results

After last night’s first contestant-all star performance, it is time for our first true individual performances.

The show opens with our top ten performing a Broadway piece which never seems as awesome on TV as it does in the many Broadway shows I have come to love. I think mostly I don’t like the music (and by extension the style) the choreographers on this show tend to select. Where is the more modern work? Enough of the contemplative/slow stuff.

Instead of having a true single elimination, there will be a bottom two guys and bottom two girls and an elimination of one each. I suppose they are concerned that all of one gender will be cut out once again.

NPH says he likes the results shows on SYTYCD because on other shows, the group performances tend to be…meh.

First results are Melanie, Mitchell, and Tadd. So Melanie is safe. Mitchell probably isn’t. Tadd was said to out-dance his all star so it would be surprising if he went in the bottom. Mitchell may actually be heading home tonight. The second dancer in the bottom four is…neither of them. Tricky Cat Deeley, that was a bit mean and tricky.

Our next group to get results is: Marko, Sasha, and Clarice. Presumably it is Clarice who is in danger here. (I’m not clear why they are doing it this way. Whenever there are two of one gender and only one of the other, it is pretty clear that one person of the majority gender will be in the bottom. Marko is quickly sent to safety (maybe they just new Melanie and Marko would definitely safe so it only makes sense to do it this way. Sure enough, Clarice is the first girl in danger.

Next week’s all stars are: Ivan, Jaimie, Anya, Pasha, Lauren Gottlieb, Neil, Ade, and Lauren Froderman. A winner returning! Bring back the others!

Jess and Ricky are next in the harder to call decision of the night. Ricky seems not to have won the audience over on his own because he is sent to the bottom.

Lastly, we have Caitlynn and Jordan. another indefinite. Jordan if history repeats itself, which it does.

Deneil Thinkin (name?) of the French ballet, who is the least suave looking guy I have ever seen does some dance to some French music. He’s sort of creepy looking. Not a bad dancer, he’s very good, it was just so weird. Why didn’t they have the week’s all stars perform a group number? That would be awesome.

Our dancers were tested by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute to help them improve their performance through health. They go through tests to determine the body composition, measure reaction time, and physically reacting to stimulus. The tests show that they are just as fit as other professional athletes.

Solos:
Clarice- Nice but not particularly special.
Mitchell-Something about holding a towel makes this look more impressive than it is.
Jordan- More emotion than usual.
Ricky- very intense music.

While the judges go make their decision, blush featuring Snoop Dog perform. Unfortunately the singing was sub-par.

The judges are unanimous but before Nigel reveals the losers he wants to explain all that the winner will get and their need to not be depressed for being in the bottom. Twitch was in the bottom 3 times and Alison was in the bottom 4 times and look at them now. Mitchell and Clarice are fantastic but they will be going home tonight.

The competition is starting to get tight an soon it will be harder to determine who will be leaving. Do you think the judges made the right choice this week?

So You Think You Can Dance: Top Ten Perform

Without Cat’s usual preamble (sort of) the dancers are introduced on stage individually, marking our departure from the couple structure of the last five weeks. This week, they will be dancing with All Stars plus a solo (another plus to this season is that dancers can continue to focus on one excellent dance instead of two less excellent ones).

Our guest judge of the week is NEIL PATRICK HARRIS! In addition to the obvious stuff, he’s been on Broadway (Mark in Rent), on Glee, and even done a musical number in How I Met Your Mother. Nigel and Mary have coordinated with purple. Nigel tell us about the tour.

Marko and Chelsie Hightower are paired with Jason Gilkinson for a Samba. The story is about a photographer taking pictures of a woman. This will be a real test to show how good he actually is, without Melanie and in a style that is not his. It was a weird music choice but he does a seemingly good job. (I was too distracted by his tie clicked in place.)
Judges Say:
NPH- That’s a heck of a way to start the show. Marko is the guy to beat.
Mary- You are the real deal out there! Those hips were rolling.
Nigel- You pulled it off seamlessly this week.

Solo number one is Sasha. It is interesting, if a little bit strange.

Jordan is teamed with Brandon for A Dwight Roden and Desmond Richardson contemporary routine. Brandon is shirtless for this routine, because…yeah. As much as Jordan does a good job, Brandon is given these attention grabbing sequences that make it hard to pay attention.
Judges Say:
Mary- It’s so great to see Brandon on the stage, he is spectacular. Jordan was fierce.
Nigel- You don’t have many weaknesses.
NPH- It takes your breath away. I’m a big face guy and watching you expressions and watching you feel was inspiring.

Jess is the next solo, dressed in his usual preppiness. Dancing-wise he is pretty strong here. Facially…Jess, look in the mirror.

Tadd is paired with Comfort for a Chuck Maldonado hip hop routine. The choreography is a bit slower than seems appropriate for the song. Something about this routine doesn’t work for me. Comfort’s outfit makes her look gawky and they ended up looking more awkward than anything else.
Judges Say:
Nigel- Very fast, no time to think. (Nigel makes sure to point out that Tadd is a b-boy, not hip hop.) You outdanced your all star.
NPH- It’s true. In an upcoming HIMYM there’s a dance coming and I feel like the dumbest person in the world so I’m a sucker for the hip hop now.
Mary- Tadd, you’re something special. Unbelievable musicality.

Melanie‘s solo is to a strange version of “You’re the One That I Want.” As expected, she’s pretty excellent, but the song distracted me.

Mitchell and Melody are choreographed by Tyce for a Broadway routine (ugh). There’s something about flying and first class and luggage in the theme. This performance is much too weird for me. I don’t see chemistry or the story or…I just don’t know what to do with it.
Judges Say:
NPH- I didn’t get that much at all. It seemed disjointed for me. You’re a terrific dancer but not my favorite.
Mary- The number was fun but was overbaked in the facials.
Nigel- You have to think more about style than overperforming.

Ricky does a solo that is stronger than his last few. Then he runs off stage, forgetting that he has to come to Cat for his numbers.

Clarice does a solo that unfortunately does not help her stand out. More than anything, I think her face is too smiley for her outfit and routine. It’s like she suddenly got Ryan-syndrome (and I say that with love because I quite liked Ryan).

Caitlynn is partnered with Pasha for a Tango by Miriam and Leonardo. It is about a couple that reconnects. The full suit looks a little off on Pasha and makes it harder to see his frame and movement. I wasn’t sure Caitlynn would be able to keep up with him, but I wasn’t all that impressed by Pasha and so she didn’t seem to be overpowered.
Judges Say:
Mary- (with a belated standing O) It was the first Argentine tango of the season and worth the wait. Caitlynn, you are breathtaking. For the first time, the passion was more real than any other number. You took your dancing to another level.
Nigel- Mary’s right, you were a woman and far sexier than ever before.
NPH- It started slow for me but I zoned in and it seemed like great theater.

Mitchell‘s solo does for him what his actual routine couldn’t. He does a good job and though his smile in the very end is slightly off, I really got into it.

Sasha is coupled with TWitch for a Christopher Scott hip hop routine. It’s about a couple that needs to reignite their passion. Sasha is more solid here than she has been for me in a while. She commanded the attention away from the normally attention grabbing TWitch (who is also dressed a little off).
Judges Say:
Nigel- Last year TWitch came a did a most memorable routine with Alex Wong and now he’s come back and this is a memorable routine. This is the first time Sasha has had chemistry with her partner.
NPH- This was like the best routine so far of the evening.
Mary- Smokin’ hot.

Jordan‘s solo finally does not involve her wearing some weirdly small sexy outfit and we finally get to focus on her dancing, which is quite good.

Jess is partnered with Kathryn for a Stacey Tookey routine about Kathryn’s loneliness. Jess actually does a very good job here, but the routine is about Kathryn and as such, Jess is overshadowed (not outdanced just less central to our focus).
Judges Say:
NPH- That was an extraordinarily designed performance. Sometimes your face is a little muggy, so remember to be as present and sincere as possible. (Thank you Neil!) This routine proved that, as good as I’ve seen you do.
Mary- For sure my favorite piece you have done. You were there for her.
Nigel- I have given Jess a hard time about lifts, but you coped with them brilliantly.

Tadd‘s solo is just as fun and entertaining as usual though I’m not sure it showed him off as best as he could.

Melanie and Pasha are partnered for a Jason Gilkison Vienese waltz about a guy who has lost his will to live and the friend who is nurturing him through. (This is a part she’s played before.) For me, the story doesn’t really come across, but otherwise, the two do a good job (with Pasha dressed more Pasha-appropriate).
Judges Say:
Mary- It just seems like your feet never touched the floor.
Nigel- A beautiful flow of movement. You are a solid, absolutely brilliant dancer.
NPH- It was so effortlessly perfect.

Caitlynn has the final female solo of the evening. Nothing groundbreaking, but certainly beautiful.

Ricky and Allison are partnered for a jazz routine with Tyce. The dance is about a bad dream Allison is having. This is Tyce at his best and Allison has once again earned the spot as my favorite all star. Ricky does a good job but Allison easily steals the show.
Judges Say:
Nigel- Sensational. Allison is one of my favorite dancers of all time but you were there.
NPH- I was really impressed. I find Ricky usually dances young but I responded.
Mary- This was deliciously dark, intense, passionate.

Marko‘s solo is the final one of the night. He shows a lot of strength, grace, and variety here, immediately making it the top solo of the night for me.

Clarice is paired with Robert for a Nakul Dev Mahajan Bollywood number. The story is a cat and mouse number between a guy and girl. I rarely find Bollywood numbers as exciting as that first one (or like I think they should be) but the judges give it the only Standing Ovation of the night.
Judges Say:
NPH- I loved it. It’s incredibly infectious. I’ve had a hard time connecting with Clarice but in this number I got it.
Mary- This was exhilarating. Perfect for Clarice.
Nigel- I agree. Perfect fit. It makes me happy to watch.

There is apparently a playback issue and the dancers instead come out to have their numbers read out once more (good job keeping that moving along Cat).

At this point I’m not sure who I’m rooting for. I don’t feel like the current competitors are as electrifying as some past competitors have been, but the night was full of strong numbers. I would place Mitchell in the most danger but I’m not sure who will join him. What do you think?

SYTYCD: Top 12 Results

Before I even get into the show and the results, I learned three very important things today:
1) Cat Deeley has finally (finally!) been nominated for an Emmy (why has Heidi Klum been in that category all this time, she barely hosts).
2) Cat styles herself for every show (which just makes her more impressive).
3) SYTYCD has also finally gotten its Emmy nod.

Now to the real show where we learn who will be in our top ten and tour the country post-show.

Surprisingly, it is Jordan who takes front and center of this group number with a monster dress that *needs* to be held up by all the guys. As always, in the front are Melanie, Marko, and Jess. Maybe they should just wear shirts that say “we are number one.” It’s a crazy but interesting group number that has Cat mouthing “amazing” as she comes in. The routine is by Kelly Abby (I think she’s new).

Unlike Carmen Electra, Jesse Tyler Ferguson (also with an Emmy nomination) has deigned to grace us with his presents on his results show. Cat tries to compliment the show as a whole but Nigel tells her to nevermind that because she has finally gotten the nominations. The judges give her a standing ovation. The show has gotten eight nominations overall. Five are for choreography (out of six spots total). For a reminder of the dances we get a quick clip. The nominations are:

• Mandy Moore’s Funky Shoes dance
• Mia Michaels’s Alison Wonderland
• Stacey Tookey’s routine about the childhood friends who meet when one is a bum and one is rich
• Travis Walls’ routine about being backstabbed by a friend
• Nappy/Tab’s routine with Alex Freaking Wong learning hip hop from psychologist Twitch

The two I am most excited about there are the Travis Wall routine and the Mia Michaels one.

The first two couples to the stage are Mitchell and Caitlynn and Jess and Clarice. Clarice and Jess are undoubtedly safe (even if I dislike Jess’s mugging). Sure enough, Caitlynn and Mitchell are sent to the bottom three and Jess and Clarice are sent to safety.

Nigel has some unfortunate news for us today: despite all the support for Alex Wong to be an all star he got the same injury that took him out of the competition last year on his other foot, precluding him from this year. But the list of all stars are: Melody, Allison, Pasha, TWitch, Comfort, Chelsea, Brandon, Kathryn, and Robert. Well, I’m sad to lose Lauren of last season, but otherwise it seems to be a pretty exciting group.

More results with Melanie and Marko (who are obviously safe) and Ryan and Ricky (who obviously aren’t). As expected, Melanie and Marko are safe and Ryan and Ricky will be dancing for their lives.

Our last set of pairs are Jordan and Taad and Sasha and Alexander. This is where it is the least definite. Sasha and Alexander got the overwhelmingly more positive reviews of the night but Jordan and Taad had such a solid opening piece it may have swayed viewers in their direction. Sure enough, Jordan and Taad are safe, sending Sasha and Alexander into the bottom for the first time.

While the dancers prepare for their solos, we watch Jason Samuel Smith and his tap group perform. This is definitely one of the cooler and more unexpected performances the show has had in a long time. we have had a couple tappers on the show here and there but it is nice to see what a big tap performance can be like. (Melinda was on the show last season and is now part of the group.)

Nigel has changed into a Dance4URLife to encourage people to dance all the time for their health.

Now time for your solos.

Caitlynn- There were perhaps a few more leaps than necessary (some of that time might have been better served changing it up) but was otherwise pretty good.

Mitchell- I can’t tell if that was a slight fall one one of his stunts, but the rest of this solo felt like he was really fighting.

Ryan- This is not my favorite solo from her but there was something interesting about it anyway.

Ricky- I wish Ricky would try harder in his solos. I get that he can spin very well but he otherwise does only a couple actual dance moves.

Sasha- While little of the actual dancing was impressive, I appreciated that the dance had a clear feel to it. (somehow I don’t think she has anything to worry about anyway.)

Alexander- Wait, is Alexander a ballerina? (Is there a male word for that?) I’m actually quite impressed with his solo which makes me a little sorry for hating on him all season.

Sonyah refuses to get up, Jesse wants to run out the door (Cat channels some Kristin Chenowith and informs him that all doors have been shut) but alas the judges must deliberate while Nicole Scherezingher, formerly of the Pussycat Dolls and The Sing Off, now of the coming X Factor, performs. The song is about as standard and cookie cutter as it gets but she is not nearly as hot as Beyonce. Maybe she’s just a little too skinny and is pulling Willow Smith hair whipping moves. (To be honest, from this performance I am not even certain she can sing.)

The girls’ decision is unanimous. Caitlynn has been in the bottom before but she hasn’t danced as well as she has in her solo before. Ryan has also been in the bottom and in addition to feeling lackluster last night, she didn’t do herself justice tonight. (He thinks she seems depressed and you can see a bit of her defeated attitude.) Sasha did not show off well in her solo but she’s fabulous. The girl leaving tonight is Ryan, as expected. (Would she have been safe if she had done a better solo?)

For the guys they are not unanimous. Mitchell’s solo was pretty strong and his work has been between average and pretty good. Ricky gave one of the best solos he has ever seen. Alexander finally found himself in the competition but his solo let him down technically and will be going home.

Is anyone surprised by this set of results? As much as I like Ryan, it was pretty clear that she would not be continuing. At this point, the dancers are so strong that are few that I really want to see gone.

SYTYCD: Top 12 Perform

Tonight is the start of double performances: each couple will perform two routines over the course of the evening, giving them twice the chance to earn America’s votes and allowing us more time to evaluate them. It is also the last time they will be dancing together, as starting with the top ten we will be bringing in the all stars to partner with our dancers.

The judges this week are Mary, Nigel, Sonyah, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Emmy nominated Modern Family actor). Jesse immediately proves himself to be a major (unsurprising) fan of the show.

First up is Sasha and Alexander, dancing a paso doble choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melanie Lepatin. Unlike your typical paso doble, this will be a true battle of the sexes. Maybe it is just me, but there is something creepy looking about Sasha’s midriff. The pair are fine together (with Sasha slightly stronger as usual, which is particularly noticeable on the floor crawl) but I remember Jeanine’s paso doble with Brandon being stronger.
Judges say-
Nigel: Sasha was brilliant. Alexander was stronger than ever (though it had a couple sloppy moments).
Mary: This routine was hot.
Jesse: Highly dramatical and I loved every moment.
Sonyah: I’m all about strength in women so Sasha rocks my socks but I don’t always trust Alexander’s partnering because of his inconsistency.

Jordan and Taad get a Travis Wall contemporary piece about a girl (vulture) who takes advantage of a guy (man struggling in the desert). If anything can redeem this duo in America’s eyes, it is this dance. They are both impressive and powerful in every way.
Judges say-
Mary: Beautiful, dark, magnificent!
Jesse: The girls are amazing but Taad just proved that the guys are in it to win it.
Sonyah: I really wish I could swear. A lot. This is the true artistry that makes me want to cry. Unstoppable.
Nigel: What a happy little story it was. The pair of you were tremendous.

Ricky and Ryan get a Broadway routine with Spencer Liff about a guy who fantasizes that a girl in a poster comes to life. Without seeing anything, I know this routine is not going to go their way. Ryan is not sultry and seductive (maybe she would be if she could stop smiling) and Broadway rarely does any favors for its dancers. They needed something amazing and emotional right now to win some direly needed votes because there is a good chance they will not be making it to the Top Ten which is a shame. They dance the piece well enough but there’s nothing impressive about it.
Judges say-
Jesse: I’m such big fans of the two of you but it felt muted.
Sonyah: It was ok.
Nigel: It’s about style and if you don’t get it, you lose the flavor.
Mary: You had the style in the first thirty seconds but then you lost it.

Caitlynn and Mitchell get a hip hop routine by Christopher Scott about the children who are forced to fight in a war. Unfortunately, the concept didn’t really come across and they were not in sync. Most of the time Caitlynn was a little sharper.
Judges say-
Sonyah: I love Chris Scott and I love you, but there was a lack of clarity and unison that kept me from connecting.
Nigel: It wasn’t together.
Mary: I was drawn to what you were doing, you’re so talented even if it wasn’t in unison.
Jesse: You dance with so much power.

Melanie and Marko find themselves with a tango choreographed by Louie Van Amstel. There is no storyline, this is all about them getting the character of the dance. Unlike most of their previous work, this did not work for me. Melanie kept making stupid facial expressions and seemed a bit uncomfortable. Marko looked like he may have stumbled a bit when getting up from a sitting position at one point. The final flip however was quite impressive.
Judges say-
Nigel: This is the most challenged you’ve been. That was tremendous in comparison to what you did in dress rehearsal (note that is not the same as saying it was simply tremendous).
Mary: This was very tough and there were some few awkward shakes and could have been better but you did a really good job.
Jesse: I am huge fans of yours, you have a spark.
Sonyah: You make me lose my breath every time you dance.

Clarice and Jess were given a lyrical hip hop piece also choreographed by Chris Scott. This piece is about a girl’s insecurities, Jess is meant to be there to support her. Dance-wise, the duo really hit this piece. Face-wise, Jess you really got to work on it.
Judges say-
Mary: You had me dancing in my seat. This number was so cute and innocent. You have this pulse and swag that was the same.
Jesse: I didn’t care for it–happy opposite day–I loved it!
Sonyah: You’re always so adorable. You slayed it.
Nigel: Beautifully danced.

Round two begins with Sasha and Alexander doing a jazz routine choreographed by Tyce Diorio. This is about life and losing things. Despite utterly hating the song (That’s Life), they do a good job. There is one lift at the end that looks like a mistake but they don’t let it phase them.
Judges say-
Jesse: I wasn’t sure you could top the “I’m Coming Home” routine but you did here. My favorite number so far.
Sonyah: Tyce is the bleep. Alexander, this is what I have been hoping for all season. You dove in and looked amazing. Sasha you made it happen.
Nigel: For a few weeks Sasha was carrying Alexander but not tonight.
Mary: Alexander you had a breakthrough night. There is a freedom now in your movement.

Jordan and Taad get a Broadway routine by Spencer Liff. The story is about a girl who has been asleep for a hundred years and needs to be awoken by a prince. The most disappointing part of this is that they used the Broadway version of “Out Tonight” instead of the movie version. The song was a little muted which made the routine itself feel a bit less energetic than it should have. Not bad but not as strong as the earlier piece.
Judges say-
Sonyah: I felt a little underwhelmed.
Nigel: It could have been a little quirkier. You could have brought more characters.
Mary: You have to find a way to make it work but it just wasn’t strong enough.
Jesse: I agree but your earlier dance was one of my favorites of the season.

Ryan and Ricky get their chance for redemption with a cha-cha choreographed by Louie Van Amstel. It seems a little unfair that they get two styles that rarely come across well onstage but if they can pull it off it could be a big coup. I don’t think Ryan quite managed the hip action (though her outfit helped disguise this fact). Ricky was a bit stronger but I don’t think was what they needed.
Judges say-
Nigel: Ricky did a really good job, great style and class. Ryan overdid it a little bit.
Mary: That was the fastest cha-cha I have ever seen. Ryan got a little sloppy but there was good body rhythm. Ricky was tight and clean. Ricky goes on the hot tamale train.
Jesse: This is my favorite for Ricky.
Sonyah: Ricky you were enjoying it. Ryan’s pressure made it a little tense. Embrace how wonderful you are.

Caitlynn and Mitchell‘s final routine together is a jazz routine choreographed by Travis Wall. Caitlynn is a rock star who was in love with Mitchell and discovers that he is married. My one note to Caitlynn is to close her mouth. It started out action-packed by it sort of slowed down to much in the middle.
Judges say-
Mary: Slightly naughty. Loved it! You did it really well.
Jesse: Only you can prevent forest fires by not dancing in a forest like that.
Sonyah: That was really really hot. Mitch, sometimes I feel like I don’t know where you are facially.
Nigel: Good advice from Sonyah. Can’t say anything to Caitlynn for fear of incriminating myself as a dirty old man.

Melanie and Marko‘s final dance is a contemporary piece by Dee Caspary. This is about a couple slipping in and out of light. Not surprisingly, this routine is extremely solid. A little big haunting even. (I have confirmed my suspicions that Dee Caspary just does not smile because not a hint of pleasure here.)
Judges say-
Jesse: That was amazing. Literally goosebumps. This is my new favorite of yours.
Sonyah: I’m just so grateful that this is the future of dance. Thank you.
Nigel: I’m excited to see split up the couples except you too.
Mary: I’m going to be devastated when you two are separated.

Our last performance of the night is Clarice and Jess, doing a jive by Tony Meredith and Melanie Lepatin. For any other couple this wouldn’t be great but this style suits Jess pretty well. Clarice was mostly in it as well though there were times were she seemed to slow down a bit.
Judges say-
Sonyah: I love it, adorable, perfect, amazing, thank you.
Nigel: It was very good. I’m a little uncomfortable when Jess lifts, it looks unbalanced. A bit more energy in parts would have been nice.
Mary: I agree. The leg kicks were fabulous but it lost steam. I missed the joy in Jess’s face. Clarice had it.
Jesse: I thought you were fantastic together. Jess is fantastic and needs the keys to Broadway. (He also wants to point out that Cat Deeley deserves to be recognized as one of the best hosts on TV.)

Who do you think should be in the bottom three this week? Who do you want sticking around for the Top Ten (and by extension the all stars and the tour)?