The top 4 perform to night hoping to win the final vote and become America’s Favorite Dancer. It’s the biggest live audience ever, the stage has been completely redesigned.
The top 4 are Jeanine, Evan, Kayla, and Brandon! They come out and do their little moves then do the “these are the girls and these are the guys…” trot to pose and the show has officially started. They run off while Cat introduces the judges. Adam Shankman is the guest judge tonight. (Everyone will dance with everyone to night.)
Adam says he’s surprised by some people who made it through and others he always expected to come. He’s thrilled at the number of people coming to see dancers! Mary says dancers feed off energy so tonight will be a feast. (3,000 people are in the theater all screaming, she challenges the audience to bring it and they respond with more screaming, loud enough to drown out Mary’s own.) Nigel says there are no excuses tonight. This is the gunfights of the west. No one is giving them the title, they must earn it.
The top 4 do a dance together, choreographed by Wade Robson. The story line is two jocks hitting on two cheerleaders only to discover that the cheerleaders are more than they expected. (Seeing Evan and Brandon next to each other you can see how much better Brandon is. Jeanine and Kayla are such different style dancers that it’s interesting to see them together–Kayla is long and graceful, Jeanine pops with big expression and energy.)
Sneak peek at something special: clips of past seasons and then a plug for season 6, this fall. So glad I don’t have to wait until the summer. It looks like it will be pretty awesome.
Jeanine and Evan are the first couple- WITH SONYA! About a girl who doesn’t care anymore and takes it out on the boy. (To the song Heartbreaker) Jeanine just gives herself so completely to her performances. Well, I will say this isn’t my favorite Sonya dance, in part because it wasn’t her typical style. Adam says it was great. He never saw Jeanine coming and she dominated. And he never saw Evan being top 4 but the show wouldn’t be the same without him. He says Sonya choreographed to the dancers’ strengths. Mary thought they would be a good partnership and she was right. Jeanine stood out even more, she’s emerging every week. Nigel says Jeanine is fiesty, strong, and tomboyish. He wants Evan to take over with a big personality and step up. It showed how technically and personality-wise Jeanine has grown.
Brandon’s solo- (my least favorite part) in his interview with Cat he says he really enjoyed and learned a lot. He misses Jeanette most. His tango with Jeanine was his favorite routine so far because of its intensity. They discuss Mia’s harsh criticism in the beginning, he’s thrilled to have finally proved himself to her. He didn’t think he’d make the show. He thinks if he stays focused he has what it takes to win. And now for his solo: it’s very dynamic and quick moving (maybe a little frantic), ending in a split. Adam says, that is competing. Take no prisoners. Mary says he gave her goosebumps. He defies gravity. Born to dance. She’s starting to cry. Nigel says he agrees with Mia, he is amazing. His solo just wiped out the opposition.
Brandon and Kayla are paired now for a Tyce Diorio routine. This is based on All That Jazz (the song Bye Bye Life) but spiced up even more. Kayla has such ridiculous lines and Brandon’s power is really showed off in this number. I think he’s actually showcased more than Kayla in some of it. They lose synchronism on the spin but it still looks good. They’re a real power couple. Adam thinks THAT WAS SO GOOD (imagine a little man jumping up and down with fists pumping). He always expected them in the finals. Seeing them dance together is heaven. Mary says they’re terrific. Always frontrunners. Nigel says they’ve shown why they’re in the top 4. (Oh and Tyce is wonderful.) They both brought the entertainment and filled the stage.
Jeanine’s solo- (interview with Cat first) Jeanine started dancing at 3 years old. She was really bad when she was little, she used to cry that she wanted to quit. (Wow, unexpected.) Most favorite dance was her and Jason’s contemporary piece, which is one of my favorite too. She’s determined and thinks she has what it takes to take the title. Interesting solo choice, to a tango but solo. She gets great lines and movement and the judges on their feet along with the audience for applause. Adam says “ARE YOU KIDDING” Her solo was risky but she killed it. She starts crying as he talks about how her dancing is full of her personality. She just fought Brandon back. Mary says she has always been a standout and she saw her coming. She elevates her partners every time. The solo was the best thing she’s ever done. Nigel says a brave solo and she pulled it off. She’s in the final two as far as he’s concerned. as an equal. The audience shouting actually almost drowns Cat out as she gives the phone number.
Brandon and Evan dance together. They’re doing a pop jazz with Laurie Anne Gibson. (I’ve noticed she loves the word “cat.”) They’re battling for the title in this piece. Literally and figuratively to Janet Jackson’s Nasty. This is a really interesting piece, perhaps the best I’ve ever seen Laurie Anne do. Brandon is clearly stronger though. He just hits the moves harder and sharper. (And Evan as a “nasty boy” is just hilarious.) Brandon looks like he’s going to beat him down. Adam says Evan got a little dusted on that one. (He gets booed and he’s upset about it.) Mary asks what the nastiest thing he’s ever done is and he says the list is so long. Brandon was a little better but Laurie Anne did a great job. Nigel says that every choreographer is thrilled with his work ethic but there isn’t isn’t a nasty bone in his body. Brandon also out-danced him.
Kayla and Jeanine are paired for the next dance. They get a Mia Michaels contemporary routine. The dance is about their journey throughout the competition. Each step sheds a layer. The song is The Four Sections. I actually expected Kayla to kill Jeanine head to head but I was surprised to see that i actually thought Jeanine was stronger (minus a couple jumps where Kayla got higher and better lined) because she really put her all into it. Adam says it was like watching two thoroughbreds racing. He loves them. It was beautiful. Mary says it was a very relevant piece and they laid their hearts out on the stage. They’re the strongest two women ever in a finale and were very even. Nigel says pairing them off lets you see who you prefer. He wishes the routine went longer because the dancing was so strong. Jeanine has peaked at the right time.
Evan’s solo now, interview with Cat…He auditioned previously and the head of his musical theater department told him to audition. And once his brother said he’d come it worked out perfectly. The toughest thing about the show is being away from his family. What does he think makes people vote for him? He’s something different. His favorite routine is the one about Randy’s butt. He plans to bring the thunder. He is really good at his own thing. Adam says it was really interesting because it was like a variation of his audition piece. What he does he does unbelievably great. Mary says the solo did it for her because he’s so unique. He’s given the style new energy. Nigel says he’s got something special. He brings the “aaah” factor. People see him and go “aaah.” He hasn’t grown as much as Nigel wishes he did (boos all around). That wasn’t as strong as Jeanine and Brandon’s solos. The audience seems to have enjoyed though.
Kayla and Evan are together now with Tony and Melanie with a jive. (Dancing to T.R.O.U.B.L.E.) Evan brings his Broadway style to this dance in a good way. Lots of flipping for Kayle. The lights are too bright making it hard to see the dancers. I think they dance it well but it’s an unfortunate style to pick for the finale. Adam says he’s not sure if was a finale level routine for him (he gets booed again). It just wasn’t enough of a blood bath. Evan did a great job. He just didn’t feel like it was competitive. Mary says millions will pick up and call for the two of them. She thinks it was a phenomenal routine. She doesn’t think Evan’s work was strong. They both were dancing kind of safe instead of using each other for power. Kayla stole the show, Mary says. (Eh, I really like her but I didn’t think was huge here.) Nigel says they came out guns blazing. The entire theater starts chanting for Evan. He wonders where the personality Kayla just exhibited has been all season.
Kayla does the final solo. Kayla first started dancing after watching Singing in the Rain at two. Her favorite routine was her addiction piece. She says of course she has what it takes to win. She’s a performer on top of a dancer. She dances to sweet Dreams, She finally slowed down her solo a little but to me it felt like now she took out too much here. Her lines are one of her strongest skills but she doesn’t use it. Adam thinks the solo was fine but in the season Kayla has shown herself to be one of the best dancers ever on the show. Mary says she’s gifted. Touched by an Angel. SHe loved the solo. Nigel says she’s been strong from the start. First through to the top twenty. What is so difficult for her is that people might assume she’s safe so they’ll vote for someone else, but luckily they did get up and vote for her.
Jeanine and Brandon are the last pair dancing with Louis Van Amstel doing a passedoble (how is that spelled?). Song from the Matrix 3. The music is actually a huge part of this dance. It added to the excitement of a style that I generally dislike and once again they get a standing ovation. Adam says “let me talk to you about why they were standing…” They filled every transition with intensity. They shredded tonight. Mary screams. The routine was phenomenal. They had just everything, the strongest frame. She couldn’t be prouder. All there is left is for her to scream. Nigel reciprocates. They really carried it off. Brandon is like a racehorse. He thinks they are in the front this evening, just inching the other two out.
Adam has no idea who will win. Mary can’t guess either. She’s just glad it’s out of her hands. Nigel gives each some good words but he thinks Jeanine or Brandon will win.
Get the results here.
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