Thu, May 26, 2011
"So You Think You Can Dance" is back and the first set of auditions are happening in Atlanta. Mary Murphy and Lil C join Nigel Lythgoe on the judges' panel in the Peach State, where we get started with Bianca Hinklerian, who says she dances Colombian salsa. She does some fast dancing with a young partner, Giovanni, and Nigel is impressed. He says they were dancing do fast, "It's like you've got ants in your pants.: Mary thinks it was fantastic and adds it's the fastest salsa she's ever seen. Lil C says that when the tempo is that fast he couldn't tell what was going on. Bianca goes on to choreography.
Melanie Moore stuns the judges with her dancing and pulls the heartstrings with her sad story. But its her moves on stage that really wins everyone over, including Nigel, who says that if she gets to Vegas and it doesn't all work out, he will hunt her down. Mary simply says that in eight seasons, she "can't recall having so much fun." Lil C says that "Zeus himself would invites you to come dance on Olympus." She's on to Vegas.
A couple of hip-hop dancers named Deon Lewsa Jr. and Damon Bellmon are mostly looking forward to hitting on some ladies. The crowd likes them, but for more comedic reasons, it seems. Nigel says there isn't anyone who wouldn't be entertained by their performance. Mary praises them for coming with a plan that included comedy. Lil C likes it, too, saying they brought authenticity. Nigel tells Deon he's going straight through to Vegas. They leave Damon hanging a bit before also giving him a ticket.
That kicks off a string of dancers who move on straight Vegas. Nigel says it's "getting obnoxious" just how many people are making it. In all, 10 dancers in a row made it straight through.
Marko Germar talks about how he was shot in the shoulder during a robbery and still has the bullet inside him. He says dance is his passion and that he wanted to come back from the experience "being a beast." Nigel says it was remarkable. Mary was amazed by his "lightning fast" moves. Lil C calls it a great performance, and they agree to send him to choreography, joining Bianca.
In choreography, Bianca gets a green light, along with several others. Eleven more dancers were on their way, including Marko and his choreography partner (who was not named).
The second day in Atlanta has a lot to live up to -- a historic number of Vegas tickets were handed out on Day 1.
Kimalee Piedad performs with a partner on some modern technique, but he isn't competing. There are a lot of contortions and tricks to it, but the pair seems to leave the judges mesmerized. Mary says it was "absolutely spectacular."
We get a montage of Lil C's wild prose, including the term, "oxymoronical" and telling someone he was "hard to ingest, but even harder to digest."
John Palermo calls himself "White Chocolate," which usually means trouble. John tries his hand -- or feet -- at hip hop and Lil C doesn't look too pleased. Nigel calls it "very juvenile," and Mary asks him if he's ever seen the show. Lil C keeps the prose simple this time, saying, "No. no." John asks for a round of hugs, which he does get.
Kyre Batiste brought his whole family, including his grandma, "Miss Mandy," who says she's a good dancer and a good judge of dancing. Nigel invites her to sit at the judges' table. Grandma tells Kyre he didn't use his eyes in the right way to win over the audience. She says, "You gotta bring it on!" Lil C disagrees with grandma and she takes off the belt to spank Lil C a bit. Mary says she didn't think it was great. Nigel says he was disappointed, but grandma gives a yes vote to choreography, so Kyre gets another shot.
In choreography, Kyre is really the only one we're watching, and he doesn't make it Vegas.
On to San Francisco (actually the Paramount Theater in Oakland), where Toni Redpath and Tyce DiOrio join Nigel. Modern dancer Amber Williams is a little nuts, but she shows off some impressive moves that get the crowd going and had Toni dropping her jaw. Tyce says Amber commands attention and her "body does some fantastic things." Toni is still pumped up and says Amber made her day. Nigel says Amber has "this little bit of magic."
Timothy Joseph, a B-boy, vows to bring some "stuntman, high-flying kind of stuff." He wasn't kidding. His routine is packed with flips and tricks. Nigel says it was "absolutely stunning," but says he doesn't know if Timothy can do choreography. Toni says he has a great sense of character is "interested to see if you can do a Viennese waltz." Tyce says Timothy's full of muscle and strength. Toni says, "it was just tricks and that's not enough for me." Tyce and Nigel agree to send him to choreography.
Isehia Moss says she used to be a stripper, "so that's where my booty popping comes from." She raced to the auditions after seeing a report on the news that they were happening. Nigel doesn't know what to say. Toni says she loves Ieshia, and Tyce agrees that he loves everything about her. She's going home, regardless.
Marcos Prieto wears a bright shirt, but his moves are pretty dim. Paul Keelan appears to suffer convulsions on stage and gets a round of no votes.
Danielle Ihle had her father abandon the family and left them homeless. Danielle's mom "had to do every single thing by herself." Her dramatic performance includes a good number of spins. Toni says she's a "great spinner" but "the dancing was nice." Tyce agrees that her strength is in her pirouettes, but he could get more from her. Nigel says "it's a shame, for me, that it was so angst-ridden," and it left him just wanting to enjoy the movement. Nigel says yes to choreography, but Tyce says no. Toni gives Danielle another chance.
Ashley Rich shows off some incredible strength and flexibility, leaving Tyce asking, "Where did she come from?" Nigel says she was "absolutely beautiful." Toni compares watching Ashley dance to being cozy by the fireplace on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Tyce says he's a fan. Nigel sends her straight to Vegas, and the judges start singing, "You Light Up My Life" as Ashley has given them strength to carry on. And this leads into a string of good dancers, including some good Latin dancers that make Toni's day.
D'on-que Addison gets emotional telling Cat "his story," which he says is in his performance. Nigel cuts the music, but D'on-que stays on his knees on stage for a while, pounding it with his fist and sobbing. Tyce wonders, "Where are we going with this?" Finally, Nigel tells D'on-que that being "that vulnerable" pushes the audience away. The judges say no and D'on-que says he accomplished what he went for, even though Toni says it "was a complete waste of time."
In choreography, Timothy, the B-boy drops out because of a hurt knee. He says he didn't want to make it unfair to the "female" he was partnered with. Danielle makes the most of her second chance and earns a trip to Vegas.
It's Day 2 in San Francisco, and another B-boy starts things off. Jeffrey McCann says he's been B-boying since he was 4 and was on his own at age 15. He wants to do something with his life rather than go back to a life of "hustling." The crowd roars its approval at his precise and technical moves. Tyce is blown away and just says, "Heck yeah, that was awesome!" Nigel says nothing and just sticks a ticket to Vegas on his forehead.
Ryan Ramirez, who had Lil C in her house last season to personally deliver the news that she came up just short of making the finals, questioned whether to come back but decided to go for it. She says she's "found herself more as a dancer." Nigel loves it, calling it a "beautiful performance." Toni says that, "If there's such a thing as controlled abandon, that was it." Tyce says he can tell she's "worked." Her legs are strong. Nigel lets Ryan hang for a while, thinking she's only made it to choreography, before finally handing her a ticket to Vegas.
Another run of dancers make it straight to Vegas.
Levi "I Dummy" Allen introduces us to "turfing," a form of street dancing from Oakland, that wows Tyce and the rest of the judges. Nigel says some of the contortions might give him nightmares. Toni says it's like wathcing a feather floating around on stage, but it lacked some performance. Tyce loves it. Nigel says yes, too, but adds that he's worried the choreography is going to be tough for him.
"I Dummy" joins 23 others in choreography. Nigel calls him "squiggly legs" after the performance and mentions that "I Dummy" just "didn't get it."
Melanie Moore stuns the judges with her dancing and pulls the heartstrings with her sad story. But its her moves on stage that really wins everyone over, including Nigel, who says that if she gets to Vegas and it doesn't all work out, he will hunt her down. Mary simply says that in eight seasons, she "can't recall having so much fun." Lil C says that "Zeus himself would invites you to come dance on Olympus." She's on to Vegas.
A couple of hip-hop dancers named Deon Lewsa Jr. and Damon Bellmon are mostly looking forward to hitting on some ladies. The crowd likes them, but for more comedic reasons, it seems. Nigel says there isn't anyone who wouldn't be entertained by their performance. Mary praises them for coming with a plan that included comedy. Lil C likes it, too, saying they brought authenticity. Nigel tells Deon he's going straight through to Vegas. They leave Damon hanging a bit before also giving him a ticket.
That kicks off a string of dancers who move on straight Vegas. Nigel says it's "getting obnoxious" just how many people are making it. In all, 10 dancers in a row made it straight through.
Marko Germar talks about how he was shot in the shoulder during a robbery and still has the bullet inside him. He says dance is his passion and that he wanted to come back from the experience "being a beast." Nigel says it was remarkable. Mary was amazed by his "lightning fast" moves. Lil C calls it a great performance, and they agree to send him to choreography, joining Bianca.
In choreography, Bianca gets a green light, along with several others. Eleven more dancers were on their way, including Marko and his choreography partner (who was not named).
The second day in Atlanta has a lot to live up to -- a historic number of Vegas tickets were handed out on Day 1.
Kimalee Piedad performs with a partner on some modern technique, but he isn't competing. There are a lot of contortions and tricks to it, but the pair seems to leave the judges mesmerized. Mary says it was "absolutely spectacular."
We get a montage of Lil C's wild prose, including the term, "oxymoronical" and telling someone he was "hard to ingest, but even harder to digest."
John Palermo calls himself "White Chocolate," which usually means trouble. John tries his hand -- or feet -- at hip hop and Lil C doesn't look too pleased. Nigel calls it "very juvenile," and Mary asks him if he's ever seen the show. Lil C keeps the prose simple this time, saying, "No. no." John asks for a round of hugs, which he does get.
Kyre Batiste brought his whole family, including his grandma, "Miss Mandy," who says she's a good dancer and a good judge of dancing. Nigel invites her to sit at the judges' table. Grandma tells Kyre he didn't use his eyes in the right way to win over the audience. She says, "You gotta bring it on!" Lil C disagrees with grandma and she takes off the belt to spank Lil C a bit. Mary says she didn't think it was great. Nigel says he was disappointed, but grandma gives a yes vote to choreography, so Kyre gets another shot.
In choreography, Kyre is really the only one we're watching, and he doesn't make it Vegas.
On to San Francisco (actually the Paramount Theater in Oakland), where Toni Redpath and Tyce DiOrio join Nigel. Modern dancer Amber Williams is a little nuts, but she shows off some impressive moves that get the crowd going and had Toni dropping her jaw. Tyce says Amber commands attention and her "body does some fantastic things." Toni is still pumped up and says Amber made her day. Nigel says Amber has "this little bit of magic."
Timothy Joseph, a B-boy, vows to bring some "stuntman, high-flying kind of stuff." He wasn't kidding. His routine is packed with flips and tricks. Nigel says it was "absolutely stunning," but says he doesn't know if Timothy can do choreography. Toni says he has a great sense of character is "interested to see if you can do a Viennese waltz." Tyce says Timothy's full of muscle and strength. Toni says, "it was just tricks and that's not enough for me." Tyce and Nigel agree to send him to choreography.
Isehia Moss says she used to be a stripper, "so that's where my booty popping comes from." She raced to the auditions after seeing a report on the news that they were happening. Nigel doesn't know what to say. Toni says she loves Ieshia, and Tyce agrees that he loves everything about her. She's going home, regardless.
Marcos Prieto wears a bright shirt, but his moves are pretty dim. Paul Keelan appears to suffer convulsions on stage and gets a round of no votes.
Danielle Ihle had her father abandon the family and left them homeless. Danielle's mom "had to do every single thing by herself." Her dramatic performance includes a good number of spins. Toni says she's a "great spinner" but "the dancing was nice." Tyce agrees that her strength is in her pirouettes, but he could get more from her. Nigel says "it's a shame, for me, that it was so angst-ridden," and it left him just wanting to enjoy the movement. Nigel says yes to choreography, but Tyce says no. Toni gives Danielle another chance.
Ashley Rich shows off some incredible strength and flexibility, leaving Tyce asking, "Where did she come from?" Nigel says she was "absolutely beautiful." Toni compares watching Ashley dance to being cozy by the fireplace on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Tyce says he's a fan. Nigel sends her straight to Vegas, and the judges start singing, "You Light Up My Life" as Ashley has given them strength to carry on. And this leads into a string of good dancers, including some good Latin dancers that make Toni's day.
D'on-que Addison gets emotional telling Cat "his story," which he says is in his performance. Nigel cuts the music, but D'on-que stays on his knees on stage for a while, pounding it with his fist and sobbing. Tyce wonders, "Where are we going with this?" Finally, Nigel tells D'on-que that being "that vulnerable" pushes the audience away. The judges say no and D'on-que says he accomplished what he went for, even though Toni says it "was a complete waste of time."
In choreography, Timothy, the B-boy drops out because of a hurt knee. He says he didn't want to make it unfair to the "female" he was partnered with. Danielle makes the most of her second chance and earns a trip to Vegas.
It's Day 2 in San Francisco, and another B-boy starts things off. Jeffrey McCann says he's been B-boying since he was 4 and was on his own at age 15. He wants to do something with his life rather than go back to a life of "hustling." The crowd roars its approval at his precise and technical moves. Tyce is blown away and just says, "Heck yeah, that was awesome!" Nigel says nothing and just sticks a ticket to Vegas on his forehead.
Ryan Ramirez, who had Lil C in her house last season to personally deliver the news that she came up just short of making the finals, questioned whether to come back but decided to go for it. She says she's "found herself more as a dancer." Nigel loves it, calling it a "beautiful performance." Toni says that, "If there's such a thing as controlled abandon, that was it." Tyce says he can tell she's "worked." Her legs are strong. Nigel lets Ryan hang for a while, thinking she's only made it to choreography, before finally handing her a ticket to Vegas.
Another run of dancers make it straight to Vegas.
Levi "I Dummy" Allen introduces us to "turfing," a form of street dancing from Oakland, that wows Tyce and the rest of the judges. Nigel says some of the contortions might give him nightmares. Toni says it's like wathcing a feather floating around on stage, but it lacked some performance. Tyce loves it. Nigel says yes, too, but adds that he's worried the choreography is going to be tough for him.
"I Dummy" joins 23 others in choreography. Nigel calls him "squiggly legs" after the performance and mentions that "I Dummy" just "didn't get it."
Wed, Jun 1, 2011
We're in Salt Lake City for the next round of "So You Think You Can Dance" auditions (New York City will follow later in the two-hour episode). Robin Antin of The Pussycat Dolls joins Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe on the judges' panel in Utah, and we're off and running with the first thing everything thinks of when they think of Salt Lake City: stepping.
Devon McCullough and Micah Clark get the party started with some stepping and clapping that sends the crowd into an uproar. Mary likes that they illustrate the diversity of dance that the show gets to highlight. They're on to choreography.
Chyna Smith is obsessed with the show and is excited to meet Cat and to talk about all the former "SYTYCD" contestants she's danced with and has met. She's from "Pocatello, Idaho, where the potatoes grow." She puts on a sultry, contemporary routine that Nigel loves. Mary can't wait to see her grow and says she's "very exciting for this show." Robin says she'd put Chyna "at the top of her list" if she were casting for the Pussycat Dolls.
Annie Gratton stands out in Salt Lake City because of her red hair (many of the other girls are blonde). Her fiery dancing makes her pop, too, and the judges take notice. Mary loves that Annie came out with determination and a plan, calling it an "amazing audition." Robin agrees, and Nigel says she was fiery. She says before her audition that she's never danced with her father, and Nigel asks him to join Annie on stage so he can witness their first dance together. Dad busts some wild moves to the Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" and everyone gets a big laugh. Annie's going to Vegas.
We next get a montage of great lady dancers, much to the delight of one of the judges, but it isn't Nigel. It's Robin, who makes repeated references to wanting to include the girls in The Pussycat Dolls.
Tadd Gadduang puts on some kind of stylized popping and locking and breakdancing routine that the crowd goes nuts over. He does much of it while in a handstand -- sometimes on just one hand. Mary calls him "an artist in what you do." Robin loves it and says he "knocked it out of the park." Nigel calls it "completely and utterly entertaining." He's on to Vegas.
We get a montage of injuries, including a guy who explains to Cat that he had "bruised balls" ... on his feet, of course. Cat can't help but crack up at this. She completely loses it.
Samantha Hiller tells a story about trying to push through mono and dancing too much and getting amnesia. She didn't know her name. She says she doesn't remember the show, but her friends tell her she loves it. Her mother cries as Samantha tells the judges about her condition. She says she's been dancing eight years. Nigel decides to poke fun at her condition after Samantha dances by asking her to dance. Mary thinks Samantha's story is extraordinary. Nigel loves her technique but she has to work on her elevation. She's on to choreography.
After choreography, Samantha learns she has a lot to learn and won't be going to Vegas this time. Micah is also told he won't be moving on. Devon, though, gets dragged through thinking he was gone, too, but Nigel gives him a ticket.
On Day 2 of the Salt Lake auditions, Nigel tells the dancers he wants to see their love of dance.
Chase Thomas shows a whole lot more than passion -- he's wearing basically a pair of black boxer briefs. Short ones, at that. Chase's audition is as short as his, well, shorts, and the judges say they want to see more. Guess they'll have to wait until Vegas.
Chase's success rolls into a montage of guys who rocked on Day 2, taking over where the girls left off on Day 1.
And, here we go. It's time to bring in the crazy, and Brittany Starr comes on to say she's "the real Ringo Starr's" father. (She actually does look like him). She says the original Ringo Starr disappeared after John Lennon was shot. There's more to the story, but does it really matter? On to the dancing, which includes what Mary calls, "that old chicken move." That most adequately describes what Brittany is doing. Mary likes Brittany's spirit, but says she's "slightly delusional." She should keep dancing because she loves to, but she's not right for the show.
They insist on "tying up" one last loose end, going to Brittany's house and interviewing her father, who really does insist he's Ringo Starr. This is actually more disturbing than entertaining, but it's on to New York City.
In New York, Jason Gilkison joins Mary and Nigel and we're starting with Princess Lockerooo, whose real name is Samara Cohen, She puts on a display of what she calls "whacking," which involves a lot of hand and arm movements, some elements of popping and locking and a bit of martial arts for good measure. Nigel loves it. Mary calls her "the whacking diva." Jason was fascinated by the way she was able to capture the audience's attention. She's on to Vegas.
Brandon Jones gets a huge cheer form the crowd before he even starts, and says he's going to do some contemporary lyrical dancing. Nigel stops Brandon before he gets too far into his routine, but it's for a good reason. Nigel says Brandon is "a joy to watch." Jason loves Brandon and says he enjoys seeing a strong male dancer with softness. Brandon starts to get emotional talking about having lost his father a few years ago. Mary tells him he'll be able to carry on and inspire other dancers. Nigel hands him a ticket.
A montage of contemporary dancers naturally leads into an audition from crumper Brian Henry. He says his crump style is unique and original, and you won't find anyone else who dances like him unless he trains them to do it his way. Brian comes out by saying he's not Russell because he's a crumper. Mary asks about Lil C, and Brian says Lil C "brought it to the mainstream -- I'm taking it back. Mary seems impressed. Nigel says Brian's passion was "tremendous" and shows "how music and strength go together." Mary asks him to put on his shirt because she "won't be able to focus" on her critique. Before talking about his dancing, she tells Brian it's great to be cocky and confident, "but be careful when you knock other dancers that have come before you." She says his crumping was fantastic, and she wants to find out how far he'll take it. Jason says he wants to see Brian do choreography.
We then get a montage of some more diverse types of dance, which leads into Mary Kate Sheehan's Irish step dancing. Nigel loves her bounce. She says she's won a bunch of championships and is top five in the nation and also ranked internationally. Mary says Mary Kate is "so powerful" and makes her "so proud to be Irish." Jason says it was "such a pleasure" to watch not only her movement across the stage but how effortless she made it look. Mary Kate is on to choreography.
The afternoon in New York has taken a down turn until Virgil "Lil O" Gadson shows off some cool breakdancing, popping and locking. Nigel loves that Virgil isn't just a dancer he's "a performer, and they are the ones that do so well on this program." He thinks Virgil will do "very well on this program, too." Mary says America will fall in love with him. Jason thinks it was fantastic, too. Nigel gives him a ticket to Vegas.
In choreography, crumper Brian and Irish dancer Mary Kate join the others. Nigel tells Mary Kate she did a good job and while the judges weren't unanimous, she's going to Vegas. Several others follow her to Vegas, including Brian.
On Day 2, the show takes the spirit of Broadway with them down to Brooklyn and Jess LeProtto represents the Broadway vibe with some jazz style. Jess tells us before his audition that he needs to work on smiling more when he dances. He avoids it because he had braces for a long time. Nigel jumps on that and says he'd like to see Jess appear to be enjoying it more. Mary agrees, saying "everything was really good," but she's be standing up and screaming if she felt more from him. Jason says he loved it, but... he agrees "it didn't connect." He says halfway through, Jess brought it home. Jess gets through to choreography.
Kristen Dobson puts on a Latin ballroom display complete with yellow frills that trail her every move. Jason says there were pluses and minuses. He likes her personality, but that she closed off when she danced together with her partner. Mary says she's "doing remarkable," especially considering she's only been doing ballroom for three years. They agree to send her to choreography.
More ballroom dancers follow in a montage. Another montage comes next, with the focus on some good dancers who put the judges back in a good mood.
Robert Taylor Jr. is the "the woo man," because he says, "Woo!" a lot. It's Robert's last year of eligibility. He puts it all out there, showing some precise and quick movements in a form of popping and locking. Nigel loves the personality he put into his dance.
In choreography, Jess does enough to earn a ticket to Vegas. Ballroom dancer Kristen follows suit, along with 17 others.
Devon McCullough and Micah Clark get the party started with some stepping and clapping that sends the crowd into an uproar. Mary likes that they illustrate the diversity of dance that the show gets to highlight. They're on to choreography.
Chyna Smith is obsessed with the show and is excited to meet Cat and to talk about all the former "SYTYCD" contestants she's danced with and has met. She's from "Pocatello, Idaho, where the potatoes grow." She puts on a sultry, contemporary routine that Nigel loves. Mary can't wait to see her grow and says she's "very exciting for this show." Robin says she'd put Chyna "at the top of her list" if she were casting for the Pussycat Dolls.
Annie Gratton stands out in Salt Lake City because of her red hair (many of the other girls are blonde). Her fiery dancing makes her pop, too, and the judges take notice. Mary loves that Annie came out with determination and a plan, calling it an "amazing audition." Robin agrees, and Nigel says she was fiery. She says before her audition that she's never danced with her father, and Nigel asks him to join Annie on stage so he can witness their first dance together. Dad busts some wild moves to the Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" and everyone gets a big laugh. Annie's going to Vegas.
We next get a montage of great lady dancers, much to the delight of one of the judges, but it isn't Nigel. It's Robin, who makes repeated references to wanting to include the girls in The Pussycat Dolls.
Tadd Gadduang puts on some kind of stylized popping and locking and breakdancing routine that the crowd goes nuts over. He does much of it while in a handstand -- sometimes on just one hand. Mary calls him "an artist in what you do." Robin loves it and says he "knocked it out of the park." Nigel calls it "completely and utterly entertaining." He's on to Vegas.
We get a montage of injuries, including a guy who explains to Cat that he had "bruised balls" ... on his feet, of course. Cat can't help but crack up at this. She completely loses it.
Samantha Hiller tells a story about trying to push through mono and dancing too much and getting amnesia. She didn't know her name. She says she doesn't remember the show, but her friends tell her she loves it. Her mother cries as Samantha tells the judges about her condition. She says she's been dancing eight years. Nigel decides to poke fun at her condition after Samantha dances by asking her to dance. Mary thinks Samantha's story is extraordinary. Nigel loves her technique but she has to work on her elevation. She's on to choreography.
After choreography, Samantha learns she has a lot to learn and won't be going to Vegas this time. Micah is also told he won't be moving on. Devon, though, gets dragged through thinking he was gone, too, but Nigel gives him a ticket.
On Day 2 of the Salt Lake auditions, Nigel tells the dancers he wants to see their love of dance.
Chase Thomas shows a whole lot more than passion -- he's wearing basically a pair of black boxer briefs. Short ones, at that. Chase's audition is as short as his, well, shorts, and the judges say they want to see more. Guess they'll have to wait until Vegas.
Chase's success rolls into a montage of guys who rocked on Day 2, taking over where the girls left off on Day 1.
And, here we go. It's time to bring in the crazy, and Brittany Starr comes on to say she's "the real Ringo Starr's" father. (She actually does look like him). She says the original Ringo Starr disappeared after John Lennon was shot. There's more to the story, but does it really matter? On to the dancing, which includes what Mary calls, "that old chicken move." That most adequately describes what Brittany is doing. Mary likes Brittany's spirit, but says she's "slightly delusional." She should keep dancing because she loves to, but she's not right for the show.
They insist on "tying up" one last loose end, going to Brittany's house and interviewing her father, who really does insist he's Ringo Starr. This is actually more disturbing than entertaining, but it's on to New York City.
In New York, Jason Gilkison joins Mary and Nigel and we're starting with Princess Lockerooo, whose real name is Samara Cohen, She puts on a display of what she calls "whacking," which involves a lot of hand and arm movements, some elements of popping and locking and a bit of martial arts for good measure. Nigel loves it. Mary calls her "the whacking diva." Jason was fascinated by the way she was able to capture the audience's attention. She's on to Vegas.
Brandon Jones gets a huge cheer form the crowd before he even starts, and says he's going to do some contemporary lyrical dancing. Nigel stops Brandon before he gets too far into his routine, but it's for a good reason. Nigel says Brandon is "a joy to watch." Jason loves Brandon and says he enjoys seeing a strong male dancer with softness. Brandon starts to get emotional talking about having lost his father a few years ago. Mary tells him he'll be able to carry on and inspire other dancers. Nigel hands him a ticket.
A montage of contemporary dancers naturally leads into an audition from crumper Brian Henry. He says his crump style is unique and original, and you won't find anyone else who dances like him unless he trains them to do it his way. Brian comes out by saying he's not Russell because he's a crumper. Mary asks about Lil C, and Brian says Lil C "brought it to the mainstream -- I'm taking it back. Mary seems impressed. Nigel says Brian's passion was "tremendous" and shows "how music and strength go together." Mary asks him to put on his shirt because she "won't be able to focus" on her critique. Before talking about his dancing, she tells Brian it's great to be cocky and confident, "but be careful when you knock other dancers that have come before you." She says his crumping was fantastic, and she wants to find out how far he'll take it. Jason says he wants to see Brian do choreography.
We then get a montage of some more diverse types of dance, which leads into Mary Kate Sheehan's Irish step dancing. Nigel loves her bounce. She says she's won a bunch of championships and is top five in the nation and also ranked internationally. Mary says Mary Kate is "so powerful" and makes her "so proud to be Irish." Jason says it was "such a pleasure" to watch not only her movement across the stage but how effortless she made it look. Mary Kate is on to choreography.
The afternoon in New York has taken a down turn until Virgil "Lil O" Gadson shows off some cool breakdancing, popping and locking. Nigel loves that Virgil isn't just a dancer he's "a performer, and they are the ones that do so well on this program." He thinks Virgil will do "very well on this program, too." Mary says America will fall in love with him. Jason thinks it was fantastic, too. Nigel gives him a ticket to Vegas.
In choreography, crumper Brian and Irish dancer Mary Kate join the others. Nigel tells Mary Kate she did a good job and while the judges weren't unanimous, she's going to Vegas. Several others follow her to Vegas, including Brian.
On Day 2, the show takes the spirit of Broadway with them down to Brooklyn and Jess LeProtto represents the Broadway vibe with some jazz style. Jess tells us before his audition that he needs to work on smiling more when he dances. He avoids it because he had braces for a long time. Nigel jumps on that and says he'd like to see Jess appear to be enjoying it more. Mary agrees, saying "everything was really good," but she's be standing up and screaming if she felt more from him. Jason says he loved it, but... he agrees "it didn't connect." He says halfway through, Jess brought it home. Jess gets through to choreography.
Kristen Dobson puts on a Latin ballroom display complete with yellow frills that trail her every move. Jason says there were pluses and minuses. He likes her personality, but that she closed off when she danced together with her partner. Mary says she's "doing remarkable," especially considering she's only been doing ballroom for three years. They agree to send her to choreography.
More ballroom dancers follow in a montage. Another montage comes next, with the focus on some good dancers who put the judges back in a good mood.
Robert Taylor Jr. is the "the woo man," because he says, "Woo!" a lot. It's Robert's last year of eligibility. He puts it all out there, showing some precise and quick movements in a form of popping and locking. Nigel loves the personality he put into his dance.
In choreography, Jess does enough to earn a ticket to Vegas. Ballroom dancer Kristen follows suit, along with 17 others.
Wed, Jun 8, 2011
What happens in Vegas will set the course for the rest of 20 dancers' lives as "So You Think You Can Dance" heads to the desert for the next round of auditions.
There were 160 tickets handed out, but 140 dreams will end by the end of the week.
Robin Antin, Adam Shankman, Debbie Allen, Tyce Diorio and Mary Murphy join Nigel Lythgoe on the judges' panel for the big week.
The dancers will start with solos that Nigel warns will result in some elimination right away.
Iveta Lukosiute, a ballroom dancer who's made it to Vegas three times now, dresses up as a sexy police officer in order to get Nigel and the crew's attention.
Marlon Pelayo is wearing a unitard his mom made and his friend painted. He made an impression, but not the sort he wanted to make.
More solos bring more standouts and after the first 15 are done, seven are gone, including Marlon. He gets a talking to from Debbie Allen, who tells him his outfit was too distracting. Iveta moves on.
More dancers get the boot right away, but B-boy Wadi Jones tries to turn things around, and gets the judges excited. This kicks off a string of dancers who Cat says "remind the judges why they were excited about Season 8."
Sasha and Natalia Mallory, who auditioned together with their modern-African style, decide to again perform together to close out the first round. Suddenly, just 114 dancers are left.
Day 1 continues with a group hip-hop routine by Napoleon and Tabitha. We focus on Chyna Smith (who we first met in Salt Lake City). Meanwhile, Wadi Jones has developed severe cramps and pain in his legs.
Chyna completely flubs the group routine, but gets a pass to the next round. The hip-hop performances just got worse, resulting in more eliminations, including Hero McCrae and Patty Anne Miller; Irish step dancer Mary Kate Sheehan, and Princess Lockeroo, among others.
Wadi's group is up and he hasn't even rehearsed, but he works it out and Mary tells him to drink plenty of water. After that, the hip-hop round catches fire and the judges are happy again.
At the end of the round, some second-chancers take the stage. Eight dancers, including Chyna and Iveta, make the most of their second chance and are put through to the next day.
Day 2 brings Broadway, and Tyce is doing the choreography. Wadi is back and teamed with Jordan Casanova, who didn't hesitate to show her sexy side in her original audition. Good thing, because this routine called for some serious sexiness. Everyone seems to do well and get through.
Rebecca Hart and Jeremiah Hughes, who've both been to Vegas before and had mixed results. Rebecca nearly gave up on the competition completely after having made it to Vegas for a fifth time. Jeremiah threw a fit during a Mia Michaels contemporary routine the last time he was in Vegas. This time, he's happy and Rebecca is sad again after being dropped again.
Broadway knocks out 14 more dancers.
Jason Gilkison is on hand to choreograph the ballroom portion, which is jive. Natalie gets some attention because she's bigger than a typical dancer and her partner is a little on the small side. He struggles to pick her up. Nigel wants to give Natalia a stronger partner, and they both get reassigned.
Natalia's sister Sasha joins Ryan Ramirez in the next group. Sasha gets through to the next round, along with everyone else in the group.
Natalia is hooked up with "The Professor" for her second take. This time goes much better and everyone, including Natalia, gets a big laugh out of it. Nigel says, "There are no words for the joy that you brought to that routine."
Alexis Mason, Jeannine's sister, is under pressure to perform. She doesn't quite cut it and the judges ask her to dance for her life. Tyce, while Alexis is dancing, says, "There's no flair." Nigel thinks Alexis is a fine dancer, but isn't giving it enough in her performance. He gives her a no. Mary agrees on the performance critique, but gives her a yes. Tyce follows, as does Debbie, which gives her enough votes to get through.
The group round presents random music for the dancers to get used to, and Natalia starts to feel weak. Sasha is worried, but has to go to the theater when the dancers are called.
The first group, made up of contemporary dancers Bridget, Caitlynn, Ricky, Clarice, and B-boy Wadi, kills it. More groups do great.
DC, Arielle, Dashi and Jordan join Natalia, who has recovered from her rough morning. We see that the night before, DC had a bit of a breakdown when he thought he wasn't connecting with his group. He took a 30-minute bathroom break. The judges love it and say the dancers made them "see the music." Nigel praises Natalia, in particular, for "knocking down walls and barriers." DC then goes on a little speech about how other crumpers where he lives are hating on him. They all stay.
After a lunch break and a chance to see the dancers in their swimsuits at the pool, we get treated to contemporary, which is choreographed by Travis Wall.
Ryan Ramirez leaves the stage in pain. She says her tailbone is hurting. She's going to head to the hospital, but is worried about whether she'll miss the next two rounds. She leaves.
Natalia seems to be feeling worse, and also has to head to the hospital. Sasha is worried and shows up just in time to see her sister taken away in an ambulance. She's back on stage now and partnered with The Professor.
After some more dancers make it through, Ryan is back after learning her tailbone isn't broken, but she has deep bruising. With limited time to rehearse and still in "obvious discomfort," as Cat says, Ryan takes the stage. Debbie Allen tells Ryan she dances with the passion they're looking for, and she should go "ice that little butt" because she's on to the next round.
More tears of joy follow.
Jeremiah and Arielle are partnered, knowing that the contemporary round in Vegas has knocked them out before.For Arielle, it's a stunning development but she's out -- again. Jeremiah has better luck overcoming his past, and is overwhelmed by how far he's come in three years.
DC is knocked out, but says he can't go back home. Debbie tells him she'll give him lessons herself if he wants to work to get where he wants to go. He takes her up on the offer.
Chyna Smith also joins the growing list of booted contestants.
Natalia returns after having missed the contemporary round, saying that after some tests the doctors think she has diabetes and gave her tips on how to proceed. She gets a chance to dance her solo after receiving what Nigel calls "a free pass" through contemporary.
More solos are followed by more cuts, including Kimalee Piedad, Chase Thomas and Amber Williams. Other dancers make it, and head upstairs to celebrate in a luxury suite.
Alexis Mason is back and after her solo, she's out. She seems more relieved than upset.
At the end of the night, there are 31 dancers partying upstairs, but that means 11 will go before Vegas is over.
There were 160 tickets handed out, but 140 dreams will end by the end of the week.
Robin Antin, Adam Shankman, Debbie Allen, Tyce Diorio and Mary Murphy join Nigel Lythgoe on the judges' panel for the big week.
The dancers will start with solos that Nigel warns will result in some elimination right away.
Iveta Lukosiute, a ballroom dancer who's made it to Vegas three times now, dresses up as a sexy police officer in order to get Nigel and the crew's attention.
Marlon Pelayo is wearing a unitard his mom made and his friend painted. He made an impression, but not the sort he wanted to make.
More solos bring more standouts and after the first 15 are done, seven are gone, including Marlon. He gets a talking to from Debbie Allen, who tells him his outfit was too distracting. Iveta moves on.
More dancers get the boot right away, but B-boy Wadi Jones tries to turn things around, and gets the judges excited. This kicks off a string of dancers who Cat says "remind the judges why they were excited about Season 8."
Sasha and Natalia Mallory, who auditioned together with their modern-African style, decide to again perform together to close out the first round. Suddenly, just 114 dancers are left.
Day 1 continues with a group hip-hop routine by Napoleon and Tabitha. We focus on Chyna Smith (who we first met in Salt Lake City). Meanwhile, Wadi Jones has developed severe cramps and pain in his legs.
Chyna completely flubs the group routine, but gets a pass to the next round. The hip-hop performances just got worse, resulting in more eliminations, including Hero McCrae and Patty Anne Miller; Irish step dancer Mary Kate Sheehan, and Princess Lockeroo, among others.
Wadi's group is up and he hasn't even rehearsed, but he works it out and Mary tells him to drink plenty of water. After that, the hip-hop round catches fire and the judges are happy again.
At the end of the round, some second-chancers take the stage. Eight dancers, including Chyna and Iveta, make the most of their second chance and are put through to the next day.
Day 2 brings Broadway, and Tyce is doing the choreography. Wadi is back and teamed with Jordan Casanova, who didn't hesitate to show her sexy side in her original audition. Good thing, because this routine called for some serious sexiness. Everyone seems to do well and get through.
Rebecca Hart and Jeremiah Hughes, who've both been to Vegas before and had mixed results. Rebecca nearly gave up on the competition completely after having made it to Vegas for a fifth time. Jeremiah threw a fit during a Mia Michaels contemporary routine the last time he was in Vegas. This time, he's happy and Rebecca is sad again after being dropped again.
Broadway knocks out 14 more dancers.
Jason Gilkison is on hand to choreograph the ballroom portion, which is jive. Natalie gets some attention because she's bigger than a typical dancer and her partner is a little on the small side. He struggles to pick her up. Nigel wants to give Natalia a stronger partner, and they both get reassigned.
Natalia's sister Sasha joins Ryan Ramirez in the next group. Sasha gets through to the next round, along with everyone else in the group.
Natalia is hooked up with "The Professor" for her second take. This time goes much better and everyone, including Natalia, gets a big laugh out of it. Nigel says, "There are no words for the joy that you brought to that routine."
Alexis Mason, Jeannine's sister, is under pressure to perform. She doesn't quite cut it and the judges ask her to dance for her life. Tyce, while Alexis is dancing, says, "There's no flair." Nigel thinks Alexis is a fine dancer, but isn't giving it enough in her performance. He gives her a no. Mary agrees on the performance critique, but gives her a yes. Tyce follows, as does Debbie, which gives her enough votes to get through.
The group round presents random music for the dancers to get used to, and Natalia starts to feel weak. Sasha is worried, but has to go to the theater when the dancers are called.
The first group, made up of contemporary dancers Bridget, Caitlynn, Ricky, Clarice, and B-boy Wadi, kills it. More groups do great.
DC, Arielle, Dashi and Jordan join Natalia, who has recovered from her rough morning. We see that the night before, DC had a bit of a breakdown when he thought he wasn't connecting with his group. He took a 30-minute bathroom break. The judges love it and say the dancers made them "see the music." Nigel praises Natalia, in particular, for "knocking down walls and barriers." DC then goes on a little speech about how other crumpers where he lives are hating on him. They all stay.
After a lunch break and a chance to see the dancers in their swimsuits at the pool, we get treated to contemporary, which is choreographed by Travis Wall.
Ryan Ramirez leaves the stage in pain. She says her tailbone is hurting. She's going to head to the hospital, but is worried about whether she'll miss the next two rounds. She leaves.
Natalia seems to be feeling worse, and also has to head to the hospital. Sasha is worried and shows up just in time to see her sister taken away in an ambulance. She's back on stage now and partnered with The Professor.
After some more dancers make it through, Ryan is back after learning her tailbone isn't broken, but she has deep bruising. With limited time to rehearse and still in "obvious discomfort," as Cat says, Ryan takes the stage. Debbie Allen tells Ryan she dances with the passion they're looking for, and she should go "ice that little butt" because she's on to the next round.
More tears of joy follow.
Jeremiah and Arielle are partnered, knowing that the contemporary round in Vegas has knocked them out before.For Arielle, it's a stunning development but she's out -- again. Jeremiah has better luck overcoming his past, and is overwhelmed by how far he's come in three years.
DC is knocked out, but says he can't go back home. Debbie tells him she'll give him lessons herself if he wants to work to get where he wants to go. He takes her up on the offer.
Chyna Smith also joins the growing list of booted contestants.
Natalia returns after having missed the contemporary round, saying that after some tests the doctors think she has diabetes and gave her tips on how to proceed. She gets a chance to dance her solo after receiving what Nigel calls "a free pass" through contemporary.
More solos are followed by more cuts, including Kimalee Piedad, Chase Thomas and Amber Williams. Other dancers make it, and head upstairs to celebrate in a luxury suite.
Alexis Mason is back and after her solo, she's out. She seems more relieved than upset.
At the end of the night, there are 31 dancers partying upstairs, but that means 11 will go before Vegas is over.
Thu, Jun 9, 2011
It started with thousands, then 160 were invited to Vegas. Tonight, we learn the Top 20 finalists for Season 8 of "So You Think You Can Dance."
In a new twist, the finalists will perform in front of the live studio audience as they're announced. Host Cat Deeley promises "nine electrifying routines."
Robin Antin, Lil C, Tyce Diorio and ("back where she belongs," Cat says) Mary Murphy join executive producer Nigel Lythgoe on the panel.
Nigel explains that the Top 20 will be named and that the all-stars will return as they did last year when we get down to the Top 10. He calls it "the best of both worlds."
Ricky Jaime and Miranda Maleski are the first of the dancers to learn his fate, and after the requisite dramatic hype and build-up as if they were being given bad news, they got good news. Melanie Moore, who's already stood out in brief moments for her personality, is in, as well.
Abigail and Caitlin are the first learn they're not in the Top 20.
It's time to learn what's in store for the Mallory sisters. Sasha and Natalia have been attached at the hip throughout the auditions -- with the exception of when Natalia went to the hospital. Nigel tells them that only one of them is moving on. It's Sasha, and Natalia gives her a big hug, and is clearly quite happy for her sister.
And, with the first live routine of the season, Ricky, Miranda, Melanie and Sasha perform a Stacey Tookey piece. Natalia is in the crowd and cheering loudly for her sister. Nigel is thrilled to see "such wonderful technique" and compliments Stacey's work. He says it bodes well for an exciting season. Tyce rejoices in the blending of great choreography and great dancers.
It's time for the "street dancers," which we used to call B-boys or hip-hop dancers or crumpers or... yes, "street dancers" works. Chris Koehl, who doesn't look took familiar, stands there as Mary talks and talks and talks about doors closing and new challenges, and eventually settles on the fact that Chris is walking through a door to the Top 20, or something like that.
Wadi Jones and Tad Gadduang join Chris in the Top 20, but the news isn't as good for Virgil (a.k.a. Lil O). He's gone, but Nigel spends a lot of time praising his personality. Another guy we haven't seen much of is out.
That leaves "The Professor" Bryce and Robert "Woooo!" Taylor Jr. The Professor is out and Robert is in. And now the four remaining street dancers -- Chris, Wadi, Tad and Robert. Lil C says that under the supervision of MasterChef Dave Scott, they served up some kind of hip-hop souffle. Robin says hip-hop is about character and they succeeded in bringing that out.
The ballroom bunch -- which is only two deep -- is up. Iveta Lukoskute and Lenny Crow are up. Lenny gets bad news. He's out, and it's now Iveta's turn to find out if her number is up. It's not (or is it? Which would be good?). It's good news for Iveta. She's in. Mary cries while she tells Iveta how much she admires Iveta for putting herself out there to be judged on the show despite being a world champion ballroom dancer. Iveta gets to dance with fan favorite Pasha. Mary delivers her first loud "WOOOO!" of the season. She's excited to have a world champion in 10 dances on the show (and she actually lists them all). Nigel says he hasn't been this excited since Pasha and Anya danced.
Clarice Ordaz and Bridget Krause are up. Clarice is called into the room first. We see Mary tell Clarice about all the amazing jazz dancers they've seen this season. And we next see Clarice burst out of the room screaming with excitement about having made it into the Top 20.
Bridget doesn't get good news, though. And another dancer falls after her.
Marko Germar, the one who was shot during a robbery, makes it.
Next are the "sexy" girls: Jordan Casanova and, well, they didn't exactly give us the name of the other one, but she tells she tries "to be the sexy one." Jordan is up first. Debbie strings her along, saying that at 18 they could give her more time to develop, but "why wait?" After Jordan gets in, Missy (they tell us her name this time) is worried. But she's in, too.
Jordan, Missy, Clarice and Marko offer up a Sonya Tayeh routine. Tyce is very excited by it. He's standing up and says "this lineup here is a force to be reckoned with." Robin is very focused on how "sexy" it was.
Jess LeProtto, a Broadway dancer, and rapper Nick Young are grouped together because, well, why not? Jess faces the judges and after hearing Nigel tell him he has "a fabulous style" but has a part of his personality that's "a little arrogant." Jess admits he's nervous about hip-hop but has taken "many classes" in ballroom. Robin then tells Nick that his great personality is what put him into the Top 20 (nevermind that we haven't really seen him before). Nigel thinks it's fabulous.
There are five spots left. Caitlynn has the confidence in knowing that Nigel not long ago called her his favorite. She's in. Ashley Rick is in just as quickly. Robin says, simply, "Two words: Top 20."
Ryan Ramirez and Alexa are getting nervous, but first we see Mitchell Kelly meet the judges. He's feeling confident, and apparently for good reason. He's in. Alexander Frost and Jeremiah Hughes are the last coupe of guys. Jeremiah thinks he deserves it and Alexander just wants to know, saying, "Put me out of my misery already." They go in together and Mary quickly tells Jeremiah he's out and Alexander is in.
Back to Alex and Ryan, who missed the finals by just this much last season. Ryan tells the judges she doesn't feel like she showed them her full potential last year. She'll get the chance this year. She's in. That's bad news for Alexa.
Now, Mitchell, Caitlynn, Ashley, Alexander and Ryan perform a Travis Wall routine. It's big and joyful, with lots of leaves being tossed around. Robin loves it, saying it was "a celebration of dance." Mary says it was "like this beautiful fall breeze" and that they looked like "five well seasoned dancers up there."
The Top 10 guys perform a hip-hop-meets-contemporary routine choreographed by Chris Scott, who Lil C praises as the Master of Ceremonies at mixing genres. Nigel tells the guys that hip-hop is going to be fun, and then tells the guys that "the girls are beasts this season."
As it becomes clear that these final dances are purely meant to fill that final half-hour of a two-hour show, the Top 10 girls are up next with a Sonya Tayeh routine that's all geisha-inspired. Mary stands and says, "We're not worthy!" Lil C gives a very "I love Sonya" kind of speech.
Finally, Nigel explains that two dancers -- a guy and a girl -- will go home on Thursday, and then we see all 20 of the finalists dance together.
America, your Top 20:
Ricky Jaime
Miranda Maleski
Chris Koehl
Melanie Moore
Wadi Jones
Sasha Mallory
Tadd Gadduang
Iveta Lukoslute
Robert Taylor Jr.
Jordan Casanova
Alexander Frost
Ashley Rich
Jess LeProtto
Caitlynn Lawson
Mitchell Kelly
Missy Morelli
Nick Young
Ryan Ramirez
Marko Germar
Clarice Ordaz
In a new twist, the finalists will perform in front of the live studio audience as they're announced. Host Cat Deeley promises "nine electrifying routines."
Robin Antin, Lil C, Tyce Diorio and ("back where she belongs," Cat says) Mary Murphy join executive producer Nigel Lythgoe on the panel.
Nigel explains that the Top 20 will be named and that the all-stars will return as they did last year when we get down to the Top 10. He calls it "the best of both worlds."
Ricky Jaime and Miranda Maleski are the first of the dancers to learn his fate, and after the requisite dramatic hype and build-up as if they were being given bad news, they got good news. Melanie Moore, who's already stood out in brief moments for her personality, is in, as well.
Abigail and Caitlin are the first learn they're not in the Top 20.
It's time to learn what's in store for the Mallory sisters. Sasha and Natalia have been attached at the hip throughout the auditions -- with the exception of when Natalia went to the hospital. Nigel tells them that only one of them is moving on. It's Sasha, and Natalia gives her a big hug, and is clearly quite happy for her sister.
And, with the first live routine of the season, Ricky, Miranda, Melanie and Sasha perform a Stacey Tookey piece. Natalia is in the crowd and cheering loudly for her sister. Nigel is thrilled to see "such wonderful technique" and compliments Stacey's work. He says it bodes well for an exciting season. Tyce rejoices in the blending of great choreography and great dancers.
It's time for the "street dancers," which we used to call B-boys or hip-hop dancers or crumpers or... yes, "street dancers" works. Chris Koehl, who doesn't look took familiar, stands there as Mary talks and talks and talks about doors closing and new challenges, and eventually settles on the fact that Chris is walking through a door to the Top 20, or something like that.
Wadi Jones and Tad Gadduang join Chris in the Top 20, but the news isn't as good for Virgil (a.k.a. Lil O). He's gone, but Nigel spends a lot of time praising his personality. Another guy we haven't seen much of is out.
That leaves "The Professor" Bryce and Robert "Woooo!" Taylor Jr. The Professor is out and Robert is in. And now the four remaining street dancers -- Chris, Wadi, Tad and Robert. Lil C says that under the supervision of MasterChef Dave Scott, they served up some kind of hip-hop souffle. Robin says hip-hop is about character and they succeeded in bringing that out.
The ballroom bunch -- which is only two deep -- is up. Iveta Lukoskute and Lenny Crow are up. Lenny gets bad news. He's out, and it's now Iveta's turn to find out if her number is up. It's not (or is it? Which would be good?). It's good news for Iveta. She's in. Mary cries while she tells Iveta how much she admires Iveta for putting herself out there to be judged on the show despite being a world champion ballroom dancer. Iveta gets to dance with fan favorite Pasha. Mary delivers her first loud "WOOOO!" of the season. She's excited to have a world champion in 10 dances on the show (and she actually lists them all). Nigel says he hasn't been this excited since Pasha and Anya danced.
Clarice Ordaz and Bridget Krause are up. Clarice is called into the room first. We see Mary tell Clarice about all the amazing jazz dancers they've seen this season. And we next see Clarice burst out of the room screaming with excitement about having made it into the Top 20.
Bridget doesn't get good news, though. And another dancer falls after her.
Marko Germar, the one who was shot during a robbery, makes it.
Next are the "sexy" girls: Jordan Casanova and, well, they didn't exactly give us the name of the other one, but she tells she tries "to be the sexy one." Jordan is up first. Debbie strings her along, saying that at 18 they could give her more time to develop, but "why wait?" After Jordan gets in, Missy (they tell us her name this time) is worried. But she's in, too.
Jordan, Missy, Clarice and Marko offer up a Sonya Tayeh routine. Tyce is very excited by it. He's standing up and says "this lineup here is a force to be reckoned with." Robin is very focused on how "sexy" it was.
Jess LeProtto, a Broadway dancer, and rapper Nick Young are grouped together because, well, why not? Jess faces the judges and after hearing Nigel tell him he has "a fabulous style" but has a part of his personality that's "a little arrogant." Jess admits he's nervous about hip-hop but has taken "many classes" in ballroom. Robin then tells Nick that his great personality is what put him into the Top 20 (nevermind that we haven't really seen him before). Nigel thinks it's fabulous.
There are five spots left. Caitlynn has the confidence in knowing that Nigel not long ago called her his favorite. She's in. Ashley Rick is in just as quickly. Robin says, simply, "Two words: Top 20."
Ryan Ramirez and Alexa are getting nervous, but first we see Mitchell Kelly meet the judges. He's feeling confident, and apparently for good reason. He's in. Alexander Frost and Jeremiah Hughes are the last coupe of guys. Jeremiah thinks he deserves it and Alexander just wants to know, saying, "Put me out of my misery already." They go in together and Mary quickly tells Jeremiah he's out and Alexander is in.
Back to Alex and Ryan, who missed the finals by just this much last season. Ryan tells the judges she doesn't feel like she showed them her full potential last year. She'll get the chance this year. She's in. That's bad news for Alexa.
Now, Mitchell, Caitlynn, Ashley, Alexander and Ryan perform a Travis Wall routine. It's big and joyful, with lots of leaves being tossed around. Robin loves it, saying it was "a celebration of dance." Mary says it was "like this beautiful fall breeze" and that they looked like "five well seasoned dancers up there."
The Top 10 guys perform a hip-hop-meets-contemporary routine choreographed by Chris Scott, who Lil C praises as the Master of Ceremonies at mixing genres. Nigel tells the guys that hip-hop is going to be fun, and then tells the guys that "the girls are beasts this season."
As it becomes clear that these final dances are purely meant to fill that final half-hour of a two-hour show, the Top 10 girls are up next with a Sonya Tayeh routine that's all geisha-inspired. Mary stands and says, "We're not worthy!" Lil C gives a very "I love Sonya" kind of speech.
Finally, Nigel explains that two dancers -- a guy and a girl -- will go home on Thursday, and then we see all 20 of the finalists dance together.
America, your Top 20:
Ricky Jaime
Miranda Maleski
Chris Koehl
Melanie Moore
Wadi Jones
Sasha Mallory
Tadd Gadduang
Iveta Lukoslute
Robert Taylor Jr.
Jordan Casanova
Alexander Frost
Ashley Rich
Jess LeProtto
Caitlynn Lawson
Mitchell Kelly
Missy Morelli
Nick Young
Ryan Ramirez
Marko Germar
Clarice Ordaz
Wed, Jun 15, 2011
The Top 20 dancers are finally ready to perform on Season 8 of "So You Think You Can Dance," and we get a curve ball right from the start. Joining Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy on the panel this week will be ... Megan Mullally! Yes, the very Megan Mullally who has won two Emmys and now stars in "Children's Hospital." She's also a trained dancer.
One dancer was missing from the introductions, though. Mitchell injured his elbow after his first rehearsal and a doctor asked him to rest. He will be in danger of elimination tomorrow as a result of not performing tonight.
Jordan, whose birthday is today, turned 19. She wants to be a Pussycat Doll, she loves food and blue is her favorite color. B-boy Tadd is 19, played a dancing taco in a movie and almost died doing Bollywood. They draw dance an Afro-Jazz routine inspired by lava erupting from a volcano, choreographed by Sean Cheesman. Nigel says they were both really tremendous and if Tadd keeps picking up new styles so well hell go a long way. Mary says Jordan was so much more animalistic than she had expected. Tadd blew her away and just emerged as a star. Megan says their dance was a great start to the season, and praises Jordans extensions and Tadds power.
Sasha & Alexander: Sasha is 23, forgets her age and likes purple. Alexander is 20 and speaks Spanish (sort of). Sasha and Alexander get a contemporary routine from Travis Wall, which is good for them because Alexander is a contemporary dancer. Mary loves Sashas stage presence and strength, saying, You just stand there and fill this room up. Mary tells Alexander she didnt feel the connection between the two of them. Megan calls Sasha an actress and says she came into the competition as a favorite and that wont be changing after the performance. She tells Alexander she felt a disconnect between his body and his face. Nigel calls Sasha a modern-day Amazonian princess and tells Alexander he would need more emotion in his face to compete with women as strong as Sasha in the competition.
Clarice & Jess: Clarice, a Jazz dancer, is 19, her eyes change color and shes shy. Jess, 18, is a Broadway dancer from New Jersey who likes making weird noises. Clarice and Jess draw Broadway. Megan loves everything about it and says it was pure joy on a platter. She calls Jess a natural born performer and Clarice very sexy. Nigel thinks Clarice is had a tough time keeping up with Jess in Broadway. He said Jess outdanced her in the routine and that he can tell Jess will be one of his favorites this season. Mary says Jess was perfect tonight and told Clarice she wont be in any danger soon, sister.
Ryan & Ricky: Ryan is 19 and she loves Law & Order: SVU, which is not on Fox. Ricky is from Florida and was a cheerleader. Ricky says it wont be difficult pretending hes in love with Ryan during their routine, because he is. They get a Chris Scott lyrical hip-hop routine that is a torn-up love story. Nigel tells them to be careful with their facial expressions, but he loved the dancing. He says Ryan is outstanding in a sea of girls who are very good this season. Mary is impressed with Rickys ability to stay in character, and she calls Ryan one of the strongest girls. Megan thinks the whole thing was beautiful.
Caitlynn & MItchell: Caitlynn is matched with Mitchell, but... well, Mitchell isn't around. He's hurt. They draw a Sonya Tayeh jazz routine that's supposed to be "about what you can accomplish without fear." Robert joins Caitlynn in Mitchell's absence. Mitchell cries in the audience while applauding. Mary is wowed by Caitlynn and praises Sonya Tayeh. She says Caitlynn was "brilliant." She also plants a seed about wanting to see Robert back as an all-star. Megan is impressed by the amount of power and strength Caitlynn displayed as a smaller dancer. Nigel notes Caitlynn's tough week and quotes her original partner Mitchell, saying, "That was 10 across the board!"
Miranda & Robert: Miranda is scared of the dark. She's partnered with Robert, who loves professional wrestling and pets. They draw Latin ballroom with Jason Gilkison. Miranda is struggling to be sexy. This is a straight-up, high-energy jive. Megan can't start talking over the cheering crowd, so she waits. She calls it "sheer delight" and adds, "you'd have to be in a coma not to like that." She calls Robert her Top 20 crush. Nigel says Robert might have the biggest personality of all the dancers, which could help or hurt him. Nigel doesn't think it was all there for Robert, and Miranda will need "a touch more" to keep up with the other girls. Mary says she was dancing in her seat the entire time. She says Robert stole the show tonight. She asks Robert to give her a "Woo" and he does. Mary gives a long, screeching "Woo!" right back.
Missy & Wadi: Missy likes "long walks to the fridge" and wants to marry an Australian. Wadi was born in Jamaica, raises here and loves Japanese culture. They get a Sean Cheesman jazz routine about sexy demon clones coming out of a Pandora's Box. Nigel says the dancers are inspiring the choreographers to better and better work, and says it's the best work he's seen from Sean. Nigel calls Missy "without question, one of the beasts of the girls." He says she has it all. He tells Wadi he's impressed with how quickly the hip-hop dancers are picking up new styles. He tells Wadi he's "brilliant." Mary says it was "phenomenal." She tells Wadi she didn't know he had those kinds of partnering skills in him. Megan says it was amazing and is further impressed after learning that Wadi has never partnered before.
Melanie & Marko: Melanie loves cookies, collects nail polish and really wants to be on "Ellen." Marko is from Guam, likes to eat a lot and falls out of his chair in high-pressure situations. They get a Travis Wall contemporary routine. Their chemistry is great immediately. Mary gets emotional for the first time this season. She then explains that every once in a while there's a magical number where everything that could possibly be amazing happens at once. Megan is almost at a loss for words, just saying, "chills, crying," and then adds, "as Oprah would say, 'Wow, wow, wow.'" Nigel says this "could possibly be the first Emmy-nominated routine." Nigel says he worries about Marko and the bullet in his shoulder. He calls Melanie "the queen of the beasts" and adds that he doesn't think the show has ever had a better girl dancer.
Ashley & Chris: Ashley loves waffles, chips and orange soda. Chris is from Texas, one of seven kids, and loves going to the movies. Christopher Scott gives them a hip-hop routine about a couple who learn that each of them is cheating on the other at the same time. Chris has a moment when he relives actually having been cheated on. Nigel says it was fun and says it will be interesting to see how voters go -- whether for big dynamic, technical routines or just fun stuff. Mary calls it "pure, pure entertainment." Megan loves it, too, and takes a moment to praise the costume and makeup on the show by calling it the best on TV.
Iveta & Nick: Iveta wants to have a monkey but it's illegal in New York. She's paired with tap dancer Nick, who speaks slowly, is named Nick and has a fun personality. Nick is ecstatic when they draw ballroom with Jason Gilkison, which is Iveta's speciality -- and by specialty, I mean, she's a world champion in, like, 10 dances. She puts him through ballroom boot camp. Megan is amazed at what Nick was able to do, being a tap dancer. She gives Iveta some requisite praise. Nigel acknowledges Iveta's place as a world champ in quickstep. He tells Nick he has "fabulous feet." Mary goes down the list of all the elements of the quickstep that make it so difficult, and checks every one of them off the list.
One dancer was missing from the introductions, though. Mitchell injured his elbow after his first rehearsal and a doctor asked him to rest. He will be in danger of elimination tomorrow as a result of not performing tonight.
Jordan, whose birthday is today, turned 19. She wants to be a Pussycat Doll, she loves food and blue is her favorite color. B-boy Tadd is 19, played a dancing taco in a movie and almost died doing Bollywood. They draw dance an Afro-Jazz routine inspired by lava erupting from a volcano, choreographed by Sean Cheesman. Nigel says they were both really tremendous and if Tadd keeps picking up new styles so well hell go a long way. Mary says Jordan was so much more animalistic than she had expected. Tadd blew her away and just emerged as a star. Megan says their dance was a great start to the season, and praises Jordans extensions and Tadds power.
Sasha & Alexander: Sasha is 23, forgets her age and likes purple. Alexander is 20 and speaks Spanish (sort of). Sasha and Alexander get a contemporary routine from Travis Wall, which is good for them because Alexander is a contemporary dancer. Mary loves Sashas stage presence and strength, saying, You just stand there and fill this room up. Mary tells Alexander she didnt feel the connection between the two of them. Megan calls Sasha an actress and says she came into the competition as a favorite and that wont be changing after the performance. She tells Alexander she felt a disconnect between his body and his face. Nigel calls Sasha a modern-day Amazonian princess and tells Alexander he would need more emotion in his face to compete with women as strong as Sasha in the competition.
Clarice & Jess: Clarice, a Jazz dancer, is 19, her eyes change color and shes shy. Jess, 18, is a Broadway dancer from New Jersey who likes making weird noises. Clarice and Jess draw Broadway. Megan loves everything about it and says it was pure joy on a platter. She calls Jess a natural born performer and Clarice very sexy. Nigel thinks Clarice is had a tough time keeping up with Jess in Broadway. He said Jess outdanced her in the routine and that he can tell Jess will be one of his favorites this season. Mary says Jess was perfect tonight and told Clarice she wont be in any danger soon, sister.
Ryan & Ricky: Ryan is 19 and she loves Law & Order: SVU, which is not on Fox. Ricky is from Florida and was a cheerleader. Ricky says it wont be difficult pretending hes in love with Ryan during their routine, because he is. They get a Chris Scott lyrical hip-hop routine that is a torn-up love story. Nigel tells them to be careful with their facial expressions, but he loved the dancing. He says Ryan is outstanding in a sea of girls who are very good this season. Mary is impressed with Rickys ability to stay in character, and she calls Ryan one of the strongest girls. Megan thinks the whole thing was beautiful.
Caitlynn & MItchell: Caitlynn is matched with Mitchell, but... well, Mitchell isn't around. He's hurt. They draw a Sonya Tayeh jazz routine that's supposed to be "about what you can accomplish without fear." Robert joins Caitlynn in Mitchell's absence. Mitchell cries in the audience while applauding. Mary is wowed by Caitlynn and praises Sonya Tayeh. She says Caitlynn was "brilliant." She also plants a seed about wanting to see Robert back as an all-star. Megan is impressed by the amount of power and strength Caitlynn displayed as a smaller dancer. Nigel notes Caitlynn's tough week and quotes her original partner Mitchell, saying, "That was 10 across the board!"
Miranda & Robert: Miranda is scared of the dark. She's partnered with Robert, who loves professional wrestling and pets. They draw Latin ballroom with Jason Gilkison. Miranda is struggling to be sexy. This is a straight-up, high-energy jive. Megan can't start talking over the cheering crowd, so she waits. She calls it "sheer delight" and adds, "you'd have to be in a coma not to like that." She calls Robert her Top 20 crush. Nigel says Robert might have the biggest personality of all the dancers, which could help or hurt him. Nigel doesn't think it was all there for Robert, and Miranda will need "a touch more" to keep up with the other girls. Mary says she was dancing in her seat the entire time. She says Robert stole the show tonight. She asks Robert to give her a "Woo" and he does. Mary gives a long, screeching "Woo!" right back.
Missy & Wadi: Missy likes "long walks to the fridge" and wants to marry an Australian. Wadi was born in Jamaica, raises here and loves Japanese culture. They get a Sean Cheesman jazz routine about sexy demon clones coming out of a Pandora's Box. Nigel says the dancers are inspiring the choreographers to better and better work, and says it's the best work he's seen from Sean. Nigel calls Missy "without question, one of the beasts of the girls." He says she has it all. He tells Wadi he's impressed with how quickly the hip-hop dancers are picking up new styles. He tells Wadi he's "brilliant." Mary says it was "phenomenal." She tells Wadi she didn't know he had those kinds of partnering skills in him. Megan says it was amazing and is further impressed after learning that Wadi has never partnered before.
Melanie & Marko: Melanie loves cookies, collects nail polish and really wants to be on "Ellen." Marko is from Guam, likes to eat a lot and falls out of his chair in high-pressure situations. They get a Travis Wall contemporary routine. Their chemistry is great immediately. Mary gets emotional for the first time this season. She then explains that every once in a while there's a magical number where everything that could possibly be amazing happens at once. Megan is almost at a loss for words, just saying, "chills, crying," and then adds, "as Oprah would say, 'Wow, wow, wow.'" Nigel says this "could possibly be the first Emmy-nominated routine." Nigel says he worries about Marko and the bullet in his shoulder. He calls Melanie "the queen of the beasts" and adds that he doesn't think the show has ever had a better girl dancer.
Ashley & Chris: Ashley loves waffles, chips and orange soda. Chris is from Texas, one of seven kids, and loves going to the movies. Christopher Scott gives them a hip-hop routine about a couple who learn that each of them is cheating on the other at the same time. Chris has a moment when he relives actually having been cheated on. Nigel says it was fun and says it will be interesting to see how voters go -- whether for big dynamic, technical routines or just fun stuff. Mary calls it "pure, pure entertainment." Megan loves it, too, and takes a moment to praise the costume and makeup on the show by calling it the best on TV.
Iveta & Nick: Iveta wants to have a monkey but it's illegal in New York. She's paired with tap dancer Nick, who speaks slowly, is named Nick and has a fun personality. Nick is ecstatic when they draw ballroom with Jason Gilkison, which is Iveta's speciality -- and by specialty, I mean, she's a world champion in, like, 10 dances. She puts him through ballroom boot camp. Megan is amazed at what Nick was able to do, being a tap dancer. She gives Iveta some requisite praise. Nigel acknowledges Iveta's place as a world champ in quickstep. He tells Nick he has "fabulous feet." Mary goes down the list of all the elements of the quickstep that make it so difficult, and checks every one of them off the list.
Thu, Jun 16, 2011
We open the first results show of So You Think You Can Dance Season 8 with a Sonya Tayeh group routine. Host Cat Deeley reminds us about the rules: the three couples with least votes will dance solos in their own style before the judges decide who goes. Joining them will be Mitchell, who didnt perform Wednesday night because of an injury. The judges will cut one guy and one girl.
The first three couples come out: Melanie & Marko, Missy & Wadi, and Iveta & Nick. After watching the highlight reel, we learn that Melanie and Marko are the first couple to escape the bottom three.
Next up are Missy & Wadi, and Iveta & Nick. And both couples are safe. Cat announces that doctors cleared Mitchell to perform a solo later in the show.
The next two couples are Ashley & Chris and Jordan & Tadd came next. And the first couple in the bottom three is Jordan & Tadd. Ashley & Chris leave the stage and are safe to dance another week.
Caitlynn, who danced last night with Season 7s Robert after Mitchells injury, came up next. Clarice & Jess wait with Caitlynn to learn their fate. The couple hear they are in the bottom three but Caitlynn makes it through.
Ryan & Ricky come up next and hear they are safe will be dancing next week. Miranda & Robert and Sasha & Alexander wait to hear together. Miranda & Robert are the final two dancers in danger of elimination.
To the solos: Mitchell dances the first solo of the night after sitting out last nights show due to an injury. Jordan, Tadd and Clarice follow.
"Its impossible," Nigel Lythgoe exclaims about the difficult choice before the commercial break.
Jess, Miranda and Robert finish the solos and Cat announces that Lady Gaga will guest judge later in the season while the judges deliberate. The world-exclusive of Gagas new video, "Edge of Glory," plays next.
After the break, Nigel delays the results another moment to announce that saxophonist Clarence Clemons, most famous for his work with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band and recently for a couple of songs with Lady Gaga, has suffered a stroke.
Nigel asks Mitchell and Robert to dance again before the judges make their decision. They do. Nigel still wants to put the decision off a bit longer, so he asks Cat to bring the bottom three girls on stage. He tells Jordan shes superb, strong, controlled and has a beautiful personality. He says its a real shame shes in the bottom three, and asks her to step back. Clarice next hears she has a smile that would melt an ice cube, and says hes glad America put her in the bottom three because he got a chance to see her dance. Miranda, finally, hears that her elevation is remarkable and that she has beautiful feet. He says its difficult to figure out which of them will go home, so he wont do it now.
The guys come back on stage. He tells Jess hes magnificent in his style and he doesnt know why Jess is in the bottom. He tells Tadd his jazz routine was tremendous. He tells Robert he has a wonderfully big personality, then reveals that nobody is going home this week.
The catch is that two couples will go home next week. He says he wants to give America a chance to see more of them.
The first three couples come out: Melanie & Marko, Missy & Wadi, and Iveta & Nick. After watching the highlight reel, we learn that Melanie and Marko are the first couple to escape the bottom three.
Next up are Missy & Wadi, and Iveta & Nick. And both couples are safe. Cat announces that doctors cleared Mitchell to perform a solo later in the show.
The next two couples are Ashley & Chris and Jordan & Tadd came next. And the first couple in the bottom three is Jordan & Tadd. Ashley & Chris leave the stage and are safe to dance another week.
Caitlynn, who danced last night with Season 7s Robert after Mitchells injury, came up next. Clarice & Jess wait with Caitlynn to learn their fate. The couple hear they are in the bottom three but Caitlynn makes it through.
Ryan & Ricky come up next and hear they are safe will be dancing next week. Miranda & Robert and Sasha & Alexander wait to hear together. Miranda & Robert are the final two dancers in danger of elimination.
To the solos: Mitchell dances the first solo of the night after sitting out last nights show due to an injury. Jordan, Tadd and Clarice follow.
"Its impossible," Nigel Lythgoe exclaims about the difficult choice before the commercial break.
Jess, Miranda and Robert finish the solos and Cat announces that Lady Gaga will guest judge later in the season while the judges deliberate. The world-exclusive of Gagas new video, "Edge of Glory," plays next.
After the break, Nigel delays the results another moment to announce that saxophonist Clarence Clemons, most famous for his work with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band and recently for a couple of songs with Lady Gaga, has suffered a stroke.
Nigel asks Mitchell and Robert to dance again before the judges make their decision. They do. Nigel still wants to put the decision off a bit longer, so he asks Cat to bring the bottom three girls on stage. He tells Jordan shes superb, strong, controlled and has a beautiful personality. He says its a real shame shes in the bottom three, and asks her to step back. Clarice next hears she has a smile that would melt an ice cube, and says hes glad America put her in the bottom three because he got a chance to see her dance. Miranda, finally, hears that her elevation is remarkable and that she has beautiful feet. He says its difficult to figure out which of them will go home, so he wont do it now.
The guys come back on stage. He tells Jess hes magnificent in his style and he doesnt know why Jess is in the bottom. He tells Tadd his jazz routine was tremendous. He tells Robert he has a wonderfully big personality, then reveals that nobody is going home this week.
The catch is that two couples will go home next week. He says he wants to give America a chance to see more of them.
Wed, Jun 22, 2011
After the Week 1 drama that included an injury and no elimination, the second week of performances on "So You Think You Can Dance" take on twice the significance as the Top 20 continue to dance for America's vote with the knowledge that four of them will go home Thursday.
The couples are introduced: Jordan & Tadd, Clarice & Jess, Sash & Alexander, Caitlynn & Mitchell, Missy & Wadi, Ashley & Chris, Ryan & Ricky, Iveta & Nick, Miranda & Robert and Melanie & Marko.
On the judging panel this week, dance icon Debbie Reynolds is the celebrity guest judge sitting in with Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy. We're treated to a clip from "Singin' in the Rain," which makes Cat Deeley very excited.
This week, the dancers were asked to reveal something their partner has been trying to keep secret.
Ryan & Ricky: Ricky's revelation about Ryan: Her leg hairs grow really fast. Ryan's secret about Ricky is that his real name is Roderick. This is embarrassing to him. Mandy Moore gives them a "sexy, powerful, tension-filled" jazz routine. Nigel says it's "absolutely sensational" after we see that Ryan's stockings have torn. Mary says she's addicted to the two of them (playing off the fact that they danced to Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love"). Debbie points out that Ryan fell out of her top and her bottom, adding she "gave us your all."
Caitlynn & Mitchell: Mitchell reveals that Caitlynn's toes turn blue in her dancing shoes. She tells us about Mitchell's zebra-print Snuggie. Stacey Tookey gives them a contemporary routine about a woman whose relationship is ending but she's too insecure to finish it. Caitlynn emerges wounded -- literally -- after Mitchell accidentally punched her in the nose. Mary is glad Mitchell got a chance to dance again. Debbie notes that Caitlynn "bled for us." Nigel acknowledges it's the first time we've seen them dance together because of last week's injury. While Caitlynn's nose bleeds, Nigel says he got the emotion conveyed through the dance.
Missy & Wadi: Missy reveals that Wadi likes to use ladies' hair removal cream on his chest hair. He claims this only happened once. He tells us that Missy's laugh stops in a funny way. And they both laugh. A lot. They get a cha cha from Jean-Marc Genereux, who says it's the most difficult routine he's ever done on the show. Debbie says Wadi chewed up his cha cha, adding, "Muy bueno." Nigel tells Wadi he's going to keep it real, saying a lot was missing when it came to technique but that Wadi did well in the parts that required strength. He tells Missy she was "everything I could have hoped." Mary says the beginning was "absolutely spectacular," but Wadi "did fall short" once the dance really started. Then she calls Missy a "cha cha queen." She goes on to slam Wadi again, saying it was like "Dancing with the Stars," where Missy was the professional and Wadi was the student. Debbie then offers to take Wadi home so she can show him how to cha cha. Wadi, with some tears in his eyes, says "at least I made someone's night" when Cat tells him he made Debbie's night.
Iveta & Nick: Nick tells us that Iveta tells herself how good she looks when she thinks she looks good. Iveta tells us that Nick wears shorts all the time. This is a big secret. Unless, of course, you've ever seen Nick. They get a Nakul Dev Mahajan Bollywood routine that he says is going to be lightning fast. Nigel says they kept it entertaining, and goes to great lengths to explain how it's not Iveta or Nick's style. Mary says she's "a fan of these two dancing." She says they "just seem to fit right." Debbie says she feels 20 years younger just being there and that they freaked her out in a very good way.
Miranda & Robert: Miranda reveals that Robert thinks he's a pro wrestler. Robert, in turn, tells us that Miranda has a crush on Tadd, which makes her embarrassed. They get a Napoleon & Tabitha hip-hop routine about chickens or birds, or something. Mary says she gets nervous when animals are imitated on the show (who wouldn't, right?), but says this worked. She praises Robert for taking on the hip-hop, which is his style. But she's more surprised with Miranda's ability to handle it, saying she's "gone to another level." Debbie says she was mesmerized by them both, then does a Woody Woodpecker impression before calling them "the best woodpeckers ever." Nigel says he loved the routine, and that Miranda shocked him. He says she might be the best contemporary dancer he's seen do hip-hop.
Clarice & Jess: Jess tells us that Clarice sleeps with her eyes open (but, really, wouldn't anyone named Clarice sleep with her eyes open in a post-"Silence of the Lambs" world?). She tells us that Jess draws entire orchestras using stick figures (and we're shown them). Stacey Tookey gives them a routine in which they play a prince and a princess, but the lifts are challenging Jess. Debbie thinks they were "so wonderful" and says she's going to take them both home with Wadi. Nigel says he enjoyed "parts of it." He says the parts they did individually were good, but when they were together it didn't work. Mary says Jess' emotions were perfect and that Clarice is a beautiful dancer with legs that go on and on.
Jordan & Tadd: Tadd tells us that "Jordan isn't the brightest crayon in the box." We're shown a replay of when she won her "ticket" to Vegas said "SYTYCD Airlines" at the top and she thought the show actually had its own airline. She tells us about Tadd's packing obsession -- he color-coordinates everything and puts things in ziploc baggies. They get a Viennese waltz from Jean-Marc Genereux. Nigel says it was "just so beautiful" and adds, "it had everything." He reminds Tadd that he's a B-boy, saying that his presentation was "probably the best that I've seen a B-boy dance something like the Viennese waltz." Mary calls Tadd "the biggest surprise of this season." She says she was truly touched by Tadd's performance, and notes that Jordan has transformed into a beautiful ballroom dancer. Debbie says they were "just as wonderful" as Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse.
Melanie & Marko: Marko shares Melanie's secret: She has issues with people touching her ears. He does this, and she freaks out. She tells us that Marko loves to read romance novels. They get a Mandy Moore jazz piece. Mary tells them they're speaking "loud and clearly" with the voices they have when they dance. She says she never feels like she has to worry about them as a team when they face different styles. Debbie says she never worries about the musical stars of today "because you are it." Nigel agrees, saying it's too early to talk about stars, but that Melanie and Marko really do live up to the billing already.
Alexander & Sasha: Alexander tells us that Sasha "sweats like a dude." She tells us he loves to look at himself in the mirror. Sasha is excited to find Napoleon & Tabitha, but this isn't a big, loud, fun hip-hop routine. It's a dance about a soldier coming home from Afghanistan and seeing his wife for the first time. Debbie notes that they were not only asked to dance, but also act and give a story that would make them cry, and Debbie did just that. Mary cries, too, saying that the story hits too close. She tells Sasha that she made her feel the emotions and asks Nigel to talk. He notes that the show was pushed back because of President Obama's speech about withdrawing the troops by September 2012 and that it seems so far off. He says they carried off the dance beautifully.
Ashley & Chris: Ashley tells us that when Chris smiles his mouth opens and, well, he smiles. Apparently. He tells us that Ashley thinks she has swag, but she doesn't. They get a routine from Broadway choreographer Spencer Liff. He's making them dance with a set of prison bars between them. Nigel praises Spencer for such a creative routine. He notes that each of the judges have talked about how none of them would do well on the show because of how hard it is to dance our of your own genre. He notes that Chris is another hip-hop dancer who was "absolutely fantastic" in a style other than his own. He tells Ashley she was "just beautiful." Mary goes through the most convoluted explanation of how steam trains are powered to finally get to the point, which is that Ashley & Chris are on the "Hot Tamale Train." Debbie apparently thinks that Ashley & Chris, with their performance, made "Jailhouse Rock" more famous than Elvis Presley did.
The couples are introduced: Jordan & Tadd, Clarice & Jess, Sash & Alexander, Caitlynn & Mitchell, Missy & Wadi, Ashley & Chris, Ryan & Ricky, Iveta & Nick, Miranda & Robert and Melanie & Marko.
On the judging panel this week, dance icon Debbie Reynolds is the celebrity guest judge sitting in with Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy. We're treated to a clip from "Singin' in the Rain," which makes Cat Deeley very excited.
This week, the dancers were asked to reveal something their partner has been trying to keep secret.
Ryan & Ricky: Ricky's revelation about Ryan: Her leg hairs grow really fast. Ryan's secret about Ricky is that his real name is Roderick. This is embarrassing to him. Mandy Moore gives them a "sexy, powerful, tension-filled" jazz routine. Nigel says it's "absolutely sensational" after we see that Ryan's stockings have torn. Mary says she's addicted to the two of them (playing off the fact that they danced to Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love"). Debbie points out that Ryan fell out of her top and her bottom, adding she "gave us your all."
Caitlynn & Mitchell: Mitchell reveals that Caitlynn's toes turn blue in her dancing shoes. She tells us about Mitchell's zebra-print Snuggie. Stacey Tookey gives them a contemporary routine about a woman whose relationship is ending but she's too insecure to finish it. Caitlynn emerges wounded -- literally -- after Mitchell accidentally punched her in the nose. Mary is glad Mitchell got a chance to dance again. Debbie notes that Caitlynn "bled for us." Nigel acknowledges it's the first time we've seen them dance together because of last week's injury. While Caitlynn's nose bleeds, Nigel says he got the emotion conveyed through the dance.
Missy & Wadi: Missy reveals that Wadi likes to use ladies' hair removal cream on his chest hair. He claims this only happened once. He tells us that Missy's laugh stops in a funny way. And they both laugh. A lot. They get a cha cha from Jean-Marc Genereux, who says it's the most difficult routine he's ever done on the show. Debbie says Wadi chewed up his cha cha, adding, "Muy bueno." Nigel tells Wadi he's going to keep it real, saying a lot was missing when it came to technique but that Wadi did well in the parts that required strength. He tells Missy she was "everything I could have hoped." Mary says the beginning was "absolutely spectacular," but Wadi "did fall short" once the dance really started. Then she calls Missy a "cha cha queen." She goes on to slam Wadi again, saying it was like "Dancing with the Stars," where Missy was the professional and Wadi was the student. Debbie then offers to take Wadi home so she can show him how to cha cha. Wadi, with some tears in his eyes, says "at least I made someone's night" when Cat tells him he made Debbie's night.
Iveta & Nick: Nick tells us that Iveta tells herself how good she looks when she thinks she looks good. Iveta tells us that Nick wears shorts all the time. This is a big secret. Unless, of course, you've ever seen Nick. They get a Nakul Dev Mahajan Bollywood routine that he says is going to be lightning fast. Nigel says they kept it entertaining, and goes to great lengths to explain how it's not Iveta or Nick's style. Mary says she's "a fan of these two dancing." She says they "just seem to fit right." Debbie says she feels 20 years younger just being there and that they freaked her out in a very good way.
Miranda & Robert: Miranda reveals that Robert thinks he's a pro wrestler. Robert, in turn, tells us that Miranda has a crush on Tadd, which makes her embarrassed. They get a Napoleon & Tabitha hip-hop routine about chickens or birds, or something. Mary says she gets nervous when animals are imitated on the show (who wouldn't, right?), but says this worked. She praises Robert for taking on the hip-hop, which is his style. But she's more surprised with Miranda's ability to handle it, saying she's "gone to another level." Debbie says she was mesmerized by them both, then does a Woody Woodpecker impression before calling them "the best woodpeckers ever." Nigel says he loved the routine, and that Miranda shocked him. He says she might be the best contemporary dancer he's seen do hip-hop.
Clarice & Jess: Jess tells us that Clarice sleeps with her eyes open (but, really, wouldn't anyone named Clarice sleep with her eyes open in a post-"Silence of the Lambs" world?). She tells us that Jess draws entire orchestras using stick figures (and we're shown them). Stacey Tookey gives them a routine in which they play a prince and a princess, but the lifts are challenging Jess. Debbie thinks they were "so wonderful" and says she's going to take them both home with Wadi. Nigel says he enjoyed "parts of it." He says the parts they did individually were good, but when they were together it didn't work. Mary says Jess' emotions were perfect and that Clarice is a beautiful dancer with legs that go on and on.
Jordan & Tadd: Tadd tells us that "Jordan isn't the brightest crayon in the box." We're shown a replay of when she won her "ticket" to Vegas said "SYTYCD Airlines" at the top and she thought the show actually had its own airline. She tells us about Tadd's packing obsession -- he color-coordinates everything and puts things in ziploc baggies. They get a Viennese waltz from Jean-Marc Genereux. Nigel says it was "just so beautiful" and adds, "it had everything." He reminds Tadd that he's a B-boy, saying that his presentation was "probably the best that I've seen a B-boy dance something like the Viennese waltz." Mary calls Tadd "the biggest surprise of this season." She says she was truly touched by Tadd's performance, and notes that Jordan has transformed into a beautiful ballroom dancer. Debbie says they were "just as wonderful" as Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse.
Melanie & Marko: Marko shares Melanie's secret: She has issues with people touching her ears. He does this, and she freaks out. She tells us that Marko loves to read romance novels. They get a Mandy Moore jazz piece. Mary tells them they're speaking "loud and clearly" with the voices they have when they dance. She says she never feels like she has to worry about them as a team when they face different styles. Debbie says she never worries about the musical stars of today "because you are it." Nigel agrees, saying it's too early to talk about stars, but that Melanie and Marko really do live up to the billing already.
Alexander & Sasha: Alexander tells us that Sasha "sweats like a dude." She tells us he loves to look at himself in the mirror. Sasha is excited to find Napoleon & Tabitha, but this isn't a big, loud, fun hip-hop routine. It's a dance about a soldier coming home from Afghanistan and seeing his wife for the first time. Debbie notes that they were not only asked to dance, but also act and give a story that would make them cry, and Debbie did just that. Mary cries, too, saying that the story hits too close. She tells Sasha that she made her feel the emotions and asks Nigel to talk. He notes that the show was pushed back because of President Obama's speech about withdrawing the troops by September 2012 and that it seems so far off. He says they carried off the dance beautifully.
Ashley & Chris: Ashley tells us that when Chris smiles his mouth opens and, well, he smiles. Apparently. He tells us that Ashley thinks she has swag, but she doesn't. They get a routine from Broadway choreographer Spencer Liff. He's making them dance with a set of prison bars between them. Nigel praises Spencer for such a creative routine. He notes that each of the judges have talked about how none of them would do well on the show because of how hard it is to dance our of your own genre. He notes that Chris is another hip-hop dancer who was "absolutely fantastic" in a style other than his own. He tells Ashley she was "just beautiful." Mary goes through the most convoluted explanation of how steam trains are powered to finally get to the point, which is that Ashley & Chris are on the "Hot Tamale Train." Debbie apparently thinks that Ashley & Chris, with their performance, made "Jailhouse Rock" more famous than Elvis Presley did.
Thu, Jun 23, 2011
It's time for a double (or quadruple) elimination on So You Think You Can Dance. A week after no one went home, four dancers will be sent packing tonight. Cat Deeley introduces the judges and guest Debbie Reynolds says her stint as a judge was a new experience for her because she's used to being on stage rather than sitting on at a table.
To the results: The first three couples on the stage are Missy & Wadi, Caitlynn & Mitchell, and Sasha & Alexander. Missy and Wadi are the first to land among the bottom three couples and will have to perform solos for the judges. Caitlynn (with a sore on her nose from Mitchell's accidental punch during their performance) and Mitchell come up next. Theyre safe. Sasha & Alexander learn their emotional ode to a soldier's return from war Wednesday night earned them a spot in next week's show.
Miranda & Robert are up next, followed by Melanie & Marko. Both couples learn they are safe. Jordan & Tadd are left on stage with Iveta & Nick. Jordan and Tadd are safe, leaving Iveta & Nick in the bottom three couples.
Ashley & Chris learn they are safe while Ryan & Ricky and Clarice & Jess come up next. Ryan & Ricky learn they are the final couple in danger of going home and Clarice & Jess are safe for another week.
Be our guest: World champion dance company Rage Crew perform for their third time on the show. Later, LMFAO perform.
On with the show...: Wadi, Missy, Nick, Iveta, Ricky and Ryan all perform their solos.
After the guest appearances, Nigel tells Cat that the judges are unanimous in their choices. He tells Missy there's nothing in her dancing that he can fault. He says she had a problem with the cha cha, and specifically with her partner. He tells Iveta she's graced the show with her talent and will remain memorable for her first routine with Pasha. He tells Ryan her solo wasn't as good as you can do, and that there's more inside her that they haven't seen. He tells her that if she remains, shell have to show that. Shes going to get the chance. He quickly reveals that Ryan is the one who's safe for another week. Iveta and Missy are gone.
Nigel tells Wadi he hasn't been given the chance to shine, but that the cha cha hurt him and his solo tonight didn't help. He tells Nick hes fortunate that there are two tappers on the panel and they think hes going to be a star. Nigel tells Ricky he doesn't think they've ever seen him dance better than he did in tonight's "dance for your life solo." He says Ricky laid himself out there and was "absolutely brilliant in that -- which is why we are keeping you on the show." That means Wadi and Nick are out.
To the results: The first three couples on the stage are Missy & Wadi, Caitlynn & Mitchell, and Sasha & Alexander. Missy and Wadi are the first to land among the bottom three couples and will have to perform solos for the judges. Caitlynn (with a sore on her nose from Mitchell's accidental punch during their performance) and Mitchell come up next. Theyre safe. Sasha & Alexander learn their emotional ode to a soldier's return from war Wednesday night earned them a spot in next week's show.
Miranda & Robert are up next, followed by Melanie & Marko. Both couples learn they are safe. Jordan & Tadd are left on stage with Iveta & Nick. Jordan and Tadd are safe, leaving Iveta & Nick in the bottom three couples.
Ashley & Chris learn they are safe while Ryan & Ricky and Clarice & Jess come up next. Ryan & Ricky learn they are the final couple in danger of going home and Clarice & Jess are safe for another week.
Be our guest: World champion dance company Rage Crew perform for their third time on the show. Later, LMFAO perform.
On with the show...: Wadi, Missy, Nick, Iveta, Ricky and Ryan all perform their solos.
After the guest appearances, Nigel tells Cat that the judges are unanimous in their choices. He tells Missy there's nothing in her dancing that he can fault. He says she had a problem with the cha cha, and specifically with her partner. He tells Iveta she's graced the show with her talent and will remain memorable for her first routine with Pasha. He tells Ryan her solo wasn't as good as you can do, and that there's more inside her that they haven't seen. He tells her that if she remains, shell have to show that. Shes going to get the chance. He quickly reveals that Ryan is the one who's safe for another week. Iveta and Missy are gone.
Nigel tells Wadi he hasn't been given the chance to shine, but that the cha cha hurt him and his solo tonight didn't help. He tells Nick hes fortunate that there are two tappers on the panel and they think hes going to be a star. Nigel tells Ricky he doesn't think they've ever seen him dance better than he did in tonight's "dance for your life solo." He says Ricky laid himself out there and was "absolutely brilliant in that -- which is why we are keeping you on the show." That means Wadi and Nick are out.
Wed, Jun 29, 2011
It's time for the Top 16 dancers to perform on "So You Think You Can Dance." Joining regular judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy are guest judge Lil C and celebrity guest Kristin Chenowith, who's putting out a country music album because, well, because that's what famous people do.
To help fill two hours, er, to make things more interesting, host Cat Deeley explains that in addition to each couple's regular performances this week, the entire group has been split in half to perform two group routines. They won't be critiques, but the judges will take the dances into consideration when determining who stays and goes.
The first of the group routines is a number choreographed by Tyce Diorio.
Tonight, the dancers will talk about their first-ever performances, which will be accompanied by embarrassing childhood photos.
Sasha & Alexander: Sasha tells us she was a tomboy and never hung out with girls, and her first performance as a child was portraying a frog. She now hates frogs. Alexander wore little bowties as a child, and his first performance was a tribute to "The Lion King" at his sixth birthday party. They get a Dee Caspary contemporary routine. Nigel tells Sasha she was "a tomboy frog who turned into a beautiful princess." He tells Alex he needs to work on his connection with the audience. Mary gives a moderate "I think you did," when answering her own question as to whether they pulled off the routine. Kristin tells Sasha she understands "the frog deal," explaining that she once played a tulip and a frog peed on her. She tells Sasha she doesn't hear a sound when she dances (which is a good thing) and that Alexander has great extensions ("and I'm not talking about the ones on my head.") Lil C throws a lot of big words around to tell them they are two really good dancers who pulled off a complicated routine.
Caitlynn & Mitchell: Caitlynn loved playing in the dirt as a kid, but she was always dressed up. Her first performance was a "duck dance" in a funny blue and yellow get-up. Mitchell says he was a ham, always posing for pictures. He was a late bloomer, starting dance at 16, when he "killed" his first performance, playing Leroy in "Fame." Jean-Marc Genereux gives them a sexy samba. He tells them the power and voice of the samba is all in the hips and that's where the voice has to come out, "like speakers." Mary says her ears are ringing because "all the speakers have just been blown out." She says they were "both just really in it and living it." Kristin says, "Shut the front door ... shut the back door, shut the door to the garage." Lil C loved it and says to Mitchell, the late bloomer, "better late than never." Nigel says Mitchell's weakness was exposed in last week's cha cha, but his strengths came out in this samba. He tells Caitlynn "the articulation" in her body is perfect.
Miranda & Robert: Miranda says she was very opinionated as a child. Her first performance was tap dancing and she says she was a natural. Robert tells us he loved "playing characters" one of those was Michael Jackson, who inspired him to do his first talent show. Tyce Diorio gives them a Broadway routine in which Miranda is "an upper-class working girl." It's fast and intricate, Miranda says, and they have a move on every beat. Kristin says she's "got nothin'" in terms of things they should work on. She says she wasn't sure when she watched their rehearsal earlier, but they killed it. Lil C tells Miranda she leaves him in awe when she dances, adding, "With legs like that, who needs arms?" He tells Robert he has a perfect personality. Nigel tells Miranda she's grown more than anyone in the competition. He tells Robert, a hip-hop dancer, how impressed he is with his performance. Mary tells Miranda more about her great transformation, and tells Robert he "caught on fire." She tells him he's "a star, and it's getting a little shinier every single week."
Melanie & Marko: Melanie says she's been a performer since Day 1. In her first performance, a ballet-tap class, she wore a Little Bo Peep costume. Marko says he was a crazy kid and a big brat, but once he started dancing he calmed down. He did jazz and hip-hop at about 10 years old, and was "very internal" with his performance. They get a lyrical hip-hop routine from Napoleon & Tabitha. Lil C called them "a power couple" and said the beginning, especially, was "extra buck." Nigel says he can't judge them individually because they danced and breathed and their hearts beated together. He says they are "the couple to beat." Mary tells Marko his emotions were believable and his technique was "razor-sharp." She loves Melanie's nuances and asks how hard it was for them to kiss in the middle of the dance, and Nigel leans over and plants a huge kiss on Mary that sends everyone into a tizzy. Kristin says she's so moved she thinks she's going to ... and she leans over and plants a big kiss on Lil C.
Ashley & Chris: Ashley says she was loud and obnoxious as a kid. Her first performance was at age 3, wearing a tutu and using a shopping cart as a prop. Chris has six siblings and his first performance was poetry reading. They get a jazz routine from Sonya Tayeh about some half-zombie, half-alive people. Nigel says he didn't connect with it and specifically didn't like the music. Mary understands Nigel's point but says they pulled off a lot of hard synchronization in the routine. Kristin acknowledges that this isn't her thing, but she was enthralled. Lil C explains that Sonya gives the dance movements a character within each of her dances. He calls Ashley a "sleeper cell" in the competition and tells Chris he sees him.
Clarice & Jess: Clarice tells us she took every opportunity to perform. She did a "really cutesy" dance that went really well and her mom loved it. Jess says he was a crazy kid and that in his first performance as a child, all he did was wave to his mom the whole time. They get a foxtrot from Jean-Marc about a crooner who's ready to sing but decides to dance with a beautiful woman instead. Mary they did a perfect, gliding, sophisticated foxtrot. She tells Clarice she's great and tells Jess "there isn't a single other dancer that could've done what you just did." Kristin calls it her favorite performance of the night. Lil C tells Jess his "physical artistic expression is the definition of sophistication," which Jess doesn't seem to understand. Nigel compliments the costume designer for a beautiful dress and says Clarice lived up to it.
Ryan & Ricky: Ricky shares that he never gave up a chance to dance. He says that in his first performance, he forgot his routine and started doing his friend's choreography and it all went downhill. Ryan says her first performance was at age 4 and she danced to "Animal Crackers" by Shirley Temple. They get a contemporary routine from Sonya Tayeh about a couple who knows their relationship is ending, but they don't know why something is tying them together. Ryan gets emotional just thinking about it and Sonya is on the verge of tears in the crowd. Kristin is in awe as the crowd roars. She says the performance "speaks." Lil C calls them a power couple after praising Sonya's ability to express emotion through dance. Nigel also praises Sonya for using her personal experience to convey a powerful dance. Mary heaps praise on them both and says she "loved every second of it."
Jordan & Tadd: Jordan says she was a crazy kid who growled at people. Her first performance was in first grade, dancing to the Spice Girls. Tadd says he was a huge nerd as a kid and his dad taught him martial arts. They get a Napoleon & Tabitha hip-hop routine about a couple waking up the morning after a one-night stand and scrambling to get dressed. Lil C loved the concept and the execution, but told them to dance with their entire bodies. Nigel says the story overwhelmed the dance, but it "was great fun." Mary says they "put the whammy on all of us" and she loved it. Kristin wants all the doors shut again.
The night ends with another group dance, a Dee Caspary number about medieval women getting revenge on the men around them by poisoning them.
To help fill two hours, er, to make things more interesting, host Cat Deeley explains that in addition to each couple's regular performances this week, the entire group has been split in half to perform two group routines. They won't be critiques, but the judges will take the dances into consideration when determining who stays and goes.
The first of the group routines is a number choreographed by Tyce Diorio.
Tonight, the dancers will talk about their first-ever performances, which will be accompanied by embarrassing childhood photos.
Sasha & Alexander: Sasha tells us she was a tomboy and never hung out with girls, and her first performance as a child was portraying a frog. She now hates frogs. Alexander wore little bowties as a child, and his first performance was a tribute to "The Lion King" at his sixth birthday party. They get a Dee Caspary contemporary routine. Nigel tells Sasha she was "a tomboy frog who turned into a beautiful princess." He tells Alex he needs to work on his connection with the audience. Mary gives a moderate "I think you did," when answering her own question as to whether they pulled off the routine. Kristin tells Sasha she understands "the frog deal," explaining that she once played a tulip and a frog peed on her. She tells Sasha she doesn't hear a sound when she dances (which is a good thing) and that Alexander has great extensions ("and I'm not talking about the ones on my head.") Lil C throws a lot of big words around to tell them they are two really good dancers who pulled off a complicated routine.
Caitlynn & Mitchell: Caitlynn loved playing in the dirt as a kid, but she was always dressed up. Her first performance was a "duck dance" in a funny blue and yellow get-up. Mitchell says he was a ham, always posing for pictures. He was a late bloomer, starting dance at 16, when he "killed" his first performance, playing Leroy in "Fame." Jean-Marc Genereux gives them a sexy samba. He tells them the power and voice of the samba is all in the hips and that's where the voice has to come out, "like speakers." Mary says her ears are ringing because "all the speakers have just been blown out." She says they were "both just really in it and living it." Kristin says, "Shut the front door ... shut the back door, shut the door to the garage." Lil C loved it and says to Mitchell, the late bloomer, "better late than never." Nigel says Mitchell's weakness was exposed in last week's cha cha, but his strengths came out in this samba. He tells Caitlynn "the articulation" in her body is perfect.
Miranda & Robert: Miranda says she was very opinionated as a child. Her first performance was tap dancing and she says she was a natural. Robert tells us he loved "playing characters" one of those was Michael Jackson, who inspired him to do his first talent show. Tyce Diorio gives them a Broadway routine in which Miranda is "an upper-class working girl." It's fast and intricate, Miranda says, and they have a move on every beat. Kristin says she's "got nothin'" in terms of things they should work on. She says she wasn't sure when she watched their rehearsal earlier, but they killed it. Lil C tells Miranda she leaves him in awe when she dances, adding, "With legs like that, who needs arms?" He tells Robert he has a perfect personality. Nigel tells Miranda she's grown more than anyone in the competition. He tells Robert, a hip-hop dancer, how impressed he is with his performance. Mary tells Miranda more about her great transformation, and tells Robert he "caught on fire." She tells him he's "a star, and it's getting a little shinier every single week."
Melanie & Marko: Melanie says she's been a performer since Day 1. In her first performance, a ballet-tap class, she wore a Little Bo Peep costume. Marko says he was a crazy kid and a big brat, but once he started dancing he calmed down. He did jazz and hip-hop at about 10 years old, and was "very internal" with his performance. They get a lyrical hip-hop routine from Napoleon & Tabitha. Lil C called them "a power couple" and said the beginning, especially, was "extra buck." Nigel says he can't judge them individually because they danced and breathed and their hearts beated together. He says they are "the couple to beat." Mary tells Marko his emotions were believable and his technique was "razor-sharp." She loves Melanie's nuances and asks how hard it was for them to kiss in the middle of the dance, and Nigel leans over and plants a huge kiss on Mary that sends everyone into a tizzy. Kristin says she's so moved she thinks she's going to ... and she leans over and plants a big kiss on Lil C.
Ashley & Chris: Ashley says she was loud and obnoxious as a kid. Her first performance was at age 3, wearing a tutu and using a shopping cart as a prop. Chris has six siblings and his first performance was poetry reading. They get a jazz routine from Sonya Tayeh about some half-zombie, half-alive people. Nigel says he didn't connect with it and specifically didn't like the music. Mary understands Nigel's point but says they pulled off a lot of hard synchronization in the routine. Kristin acknowledges that this isn't her thing, but she was enthralled. Lil C explains that Sonya gives the dance movements a character within each of her dances. He calls Ashley a "sleeper cell" in the competition and tells Chris he sees him.
Clarice & Jess: Clarice tells us she took every opportunity to perform. She did a "really cutesy" dance that went really well and her mom loved it. Jess says he was a crazy kid and that in his first performance as a child, all he did was wave to his mom the whole time. They get a foxtrot from Jean-Marc about a crooner who's ready to sing but decides to dance with a beautiful woman instead. Mary they did a perfect, gliding, sophisticated foxtrot. She tells Clarice she's great and tells Jess "there isn't a single other dancer that could've done what you just did." Kristin calls it her favorite performance of the night. Lil C tells Jess his "physical artistic expression is the definition of sophistication," which Jess doesn't seem to understand. Nigel compliments the costume designer for a beautiful dress and says Clarice lived up to it.
Ryan & Ricky: Ricky shares that he never gave up a chance to dance. He says that in his first performance, he forgot his routine and started doing his friend's choreography and it all went downhill. Ryan says her first performance was at age 4 and she danced to "Animal Crackers" by Shirley Temple. They get a contemporary routine from Sonya Tayeh about a couple who knows their relationship is ending, but they don't know why something is tying them together. Ryan gets emotional just thinking about it and Sonya is on the verge of tears in the crowd. Kristin is in awe as the crowd roars. She says the performance "speaks." Lil C calls them a power couple after praising Sonya's ability to express emotion through dance. Nigel also praises Sonya for using her personal experience to convey a powerful dance. Mary heaps praise on them both and says she "loved every second of it."
Jordan & Tadd: Jordan says she was a crazy kid who growled at people. Her first performance was in first grade, dancing to the Spice Girls. Tadd says he was a huge nerd as a kid and his dad taught him martial arts. They get a Napoleon & Tabitha hip-hop routine about a couple waking up the morning after a one-night stand and scrambling to get dressed. Lil C loved the concept and the execution, but told them to dance with their entire bodies. Nigel says the story overwhelmed the dance, but it "was great fun." Mary says they "put the whammy on all of us" and she loved it. Kristin wants all the doors shut again.
The night ends with another group dance, a Dee Caspary number about medieval women getting revenge on the men around them by poisoning them.
Thu, Jun 30, 2011
We kick off the third results show of the season of "So You Think You Can Dance" with a group routine choreographed by Michael Rooney. Host Cat Deeley reminds us about all the kissing that was going on Wednesday night. After introducing the judges, Cat gives guest celebrity judge Kristin Chenowith another chance to plug her upcoming country album (complete with a random few seconds of her first music video). It was a little odd.
To the results: Cat brings out the first three couples. Melanie & Marko are reminded of their Nappy-Tabs hip-hop routine that was well received by the judges. They were the ones who started all the kissing and Cat tells them, "If you kiss again, you're safe." A peck on the cheek was enough.
Chris & Ashley are reminded of their Sonya Tayeh zombies dance that the judges weren't wild about. No big shock, they're in the bottom three.
Finally, Ryan & Ricky also drew a Sonya piece, but it was much more well received, with Mary says she "loved every second of it." They're safe.
Cat next brings Jordan & Tadd to center stage. They had a Nappy-Tabs hip-hop routine that all the judges loved. The voters loved it, too. They're safe.
Sasha & Alexander had a Dean Caspary routine that the judges liked a lot. Before getting their results, we get a recap of Miranda & Robert's routine, which left the judges at a loss for even more positive things to say than they'd already said. The second couple in danger is Miranda & Robert, leaving Sasha & Alexander safe.
Next, Jess & Clarice are reminded of how awesome the judges thought they were, with Kristin saying it was her favorite dance of the night. Caitlynn & Mitchell had Kristin wanting to shut all the doors in the house (in a good way), but it wasn't enough to avoid landing in the bottom three.
Be our guest: Cat introduces AXIS, a dance company that's been around for a long time and combines dancers with and without disabilities. Later, the current U.S. and World theatrical ballroom champions, Eric Luna and Georgia Ambarian, perform.
Back to the results: After the judges deliberate, Nigel says they love all three girls on stage and adds that the judges are not unanimous. He tells Miranda that even though she's the most improved girl in the competition, she's going home.
When it comes to the guys, Nigel says the judges are unanimous. He tells Mitchell that he does really well when he dances for his life, but they have to take into account that he keeps landing in the bottom three "and somehow you are not connecting with the public." He tells Chris he's doing a good job, but he has to grow quicker for the public to recognize what he's doing and he's "not quite there yet." He tells Robert that despite his personality, he keeps landing in the bottom three. But this will be the last time he lands in the bottom three, because he's going home.
To the results: Cat brings out the first three couples. Melanie & Marko are reminded of their Nappy-Tabs hip-hop routine that was well received by the judges. They were the ones who started all the kissing and Cat tells them, "If you kiss again, you're safe." A peck on the cheek was enough.
Chris & Ashley are reminded of their Sonya Tayeh zombies dance that the judges weren't wild about. No big shock, they're in the bottom three.
Finally, Ryan & Ricky also drew a Sonya piece, but it was much more well received, with Mary says she "loved every second of it." They're safe.
Cat next brings Jordan & Tadd to center stage. They had a Nappy-Tabs hip-hop routine that all the judges loved. The voters loved it, too. They're safe.
Sasha & Alexander had a Dean Caspary routine that the judges liked a lot. Before getting their results, we get a recap of Miranda & Robert's routine, which left the judges at a loss for even more positive things to say than they'd already said. The second couple in danger is Miranda & Robert, leaving Sasha & Alexander safe.
Next, Jess & Clarice are reminded of how awesome the judges thought they were, with Kristin saying it was her favorite dance of the night. Caitlynn & Mitchell had Kristin wanting to shut all the doors in the house (in a good way), but it wasn't enough to avoid landing in the bottom three.
Be our guest: Cat introduces AXIS, a dance company that's been around for a long time and combines dancers with and without disabilities. Later, the current U.S. and World theatrical ballroom champions, Eric Luna and Georgia Ambarian, perform.
Back to the results: After the judges deliberate, Nigel says they love all three girls on stage and adds that the judges are not unanimous. He tells Miranda that even though she's the most improved girl in the competition, she's going home.
When it comes to the guys, Nigel says the judges are unanimous. He tells Mitchell that he does really well when he dances for his life, but they have to take into account that he keeps landing in the bottom three "and somehow you are not connecting with the public." He tells Chris he's doing a good job, but he has to grow quicker for the public to recognize what he's doing and he's "not quite there yet." He tells Robert that despite his personality, he keeps landing in the bottom three. But this will be the last time he lands in the bottom three, because he's going home.
Wed, Jul 6, 2011
Carmen Electra and Travis Wall are the guest judges this week on "So You Think You Can Dance," joining Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. Carmen says she started dancing at 5 and won Miss Dance Ohio before working with Prince and Jamie King, and beginning thrashing (her favorite style). She then landed with the Pussycat Dolls. Travis thanks everyone for letting him be part of the show that helped launch his dance career several seasons back.
Justin Giles choreographs a group routine for the guys.
Melanie & Marko: Melanie and Marko start the night with a jazz routine from Ray Leeper. Travis loves it, praises Marko and tells Melanie she's "by far" his favorite dancer in the competition. Carmen loves Melanie's strength and the whole routine. Mary says "nothing great is ever produced without passion," and they have it all over the place. She renames Marko "The Domination Man." Nigel says their technique matches the performance.
Sasha & Alexander: Hip-hop choreographer Shaun Evaristo gives Sasha & Alexander a routine that has Alexander desperate seeking swag -- and not succeeding in rehearsal. Carmen says she couldn't stop watching Sasha, which meant she couldn't get the feel of the two of them as a couple. Mary says she wishes she could say she saw the swag, but she didn't. Nigel gets booed, like Mary did, for saying it felt like Hip-Hop 101. He suggests they read "Hip-Hop for Dummies." Travis "didn't hate it as much as they did," but does think they have a lot to work on.
Jordan & Tadd: They get a smooth waltz from Toni Redpath, which puts Jordan in the role of a magical sea creature who seduces Tadd with her singing. Once she does, she kills him with a kiss. Mary gives a quick history lesson on the waltz and says this one was "dreamy and romantic." She praises Jordan specifically for a graceful floor sweep. Nigel says he's surprised at how well Tadd, a hip-hop dancer, did and that he's doing moves he wouldn't have imagined. Travis says it was beautiful, but could have been a little smoother. Carmen says she enjoyed the dance and that even though she doesn't know much about the waltz, she knows what she feels and she liked it.
Clarice & Jess: Justin Giles gives the couple a hard-hitting contemporary piece that's intricate and specific. The intense dance has them faking punches and shoves. Travis says they "just came alive" and that it was his favorite dance of theirs this season. Nigel is in total agreement and says the dance really made him feel the anger they were intending to convey. Carmen also says she believed the story and they really showed the "love and hate" that comes up in a breakup. Mary says their partnership has been growing every week. She says they're not peaking too soon and they're going in the right direction.
Ashley & Chris: Liz Lira gives the couple an intense salsa that she says is one of the more complicated routines she's choreographed. Ashley is proud of her partner. Travis starts by saying he loves them and it started out really hopeful, but then it started to fall apart a little. He says the chemistry wasn't quite there and it didn't pop. Carmen says salsa is "hot and it's on fire" and this one felt like they were hesitating. There was potential, she says, but they weren't quite hitting those moves. "It wasn't bad, but it was OK," she says. Mary says this dance wasn't as hot as their previous ones, but some things were still simmering. Nigel was impressed with the lifts, but when it comes to "the freedom of salsa" they weren't quite consistent.
Ryan & Ricky: Chucky Klapow gives them a jazz routine about two members of a cult of fashion who are done in by following their obsession with what's hot and hip. Carmen says they "rocked." She loved the music choice, the energy. Mary says it was hot and says she liked seeing this kind of quirky stuff on the dance floor. Nigel agrees and that the routine suited them well. He says it's great to see choreography that allows them to be together when they're apart. Travis says they had his attention the entire time and that he can see both of them making it past Top 10, for sure.
Caitlynn & MItchell: Mandy Moore gives them a contemporary routine about falling in love. It's a challenge, but also gives Mitchell the task of carrying Caitlynn through some serious lifts. The crowd roast and the judges join in on a standing ovation. Mary shouts that it was her favorite number of the night. She's on the verge of tears as she talks about how beautiful it was. She loves the leaps, trust, lack of fear and uninhibited approach they took. Nigel says "the emotion in that routine just grabbed us all." He says the whole routine took his breath away. Travis says he kept catching himself trying to catch his breath. He says Caitlynn is the surprise for him this season. Carmen says something about them being large, beautiful and powerful, and joins in the chorus by calling them the best of the night.
The final group dance, for the girls, is a jazz routine choreographed by Ray Leeper.
Justin Giles choreographs a group routine for the guys.
Melanie & Marko: Melanie and Marko start the night with a jazz routine from Ray Leeper. Travis loves it, praises Marko and tells Melanie she's "by far" his favorite dancer in the competition. Carmen loves Melanie's strength and the whole routine. Mary says "nothing great is ever produced without passion," and they have it all over the place. She renames Marko "The Domination Man." Nigel says their technique matches the performance.
Sasha & Alexander: Hip-hop choreographer Shaun Evaristo gives Sasha & Alexander a routine that has Alexander desperate seeking swag -- and not succeeding in rehearsal. Carmen says she couldn't stop watching Sasha, which meant she couldn't get the feel of the two of them as a couple. Mary says she wishes she could say she saw the swag, but she didn't. Nigel gets booed, like Mary did, for saying it felt like Hip-Hop 101. He suggests they read "Hip-Hop for Dummies." Travis "didn't hate it as much as they did," but does think they have a lot to work on.
Jordan & Tadd: They get a smooth waltz from Toni Redpath, which puts Jordan in the role of a magical sea creature who seduces Tadd with her singing. Once she does, she kills him with a kiss. Mary gives a quick history lesson on the waltz and says this one was "dreamy and romantic." She praises Jordan specifically for a graceful floor sweep. Nigel says he's surprised at how well Tadd, a hip-hop dancer, did and that he's doing moves he wouldn't have imagined. Travis says it was beautiful, but could have been a little smoother. Carmen says she enjoyed the dance and that even though she doesn't know much about the waltz, she knows what she feels and she liked it.
Clarice & Jess: Justin Giles gives the couple a hard-hitting contemporary piece that's intricate and specific. The intense dance has them faking punches and shoves. Travis says they "just came alive" and that it was his favorite dance of theirs this season. Nigel is in total agreement and says the dance really made him feel the anger they were intending to convey. Carmen also says she believed the story and they really showed the "love and hate" that comes up in a breakup. Mary says their partnership has been growing every week. She says they're not peaking too soon and they're going in the right direction.
Ashley & Chris: Liz Lira gives the couple an intense salsa that she says is one of the more complicated routines she's choreographed. Ashley is proud of her partner. Travis starts by saying he loves them and it started out really hopeful, but then it started to fall apart a little. He says the chemistry wasn't quite there and it didn't pop. Carmen says salsa is "hot and it's on fire" and this one felt like they were hesitating. There was potential, she says, but they weren't quite hitting those moves. "It wasn't bad, but it was OK," she says. Mary says this dance wasn't as hot as their previous ones, but some things were still simmering. Nigel was impressed with the lifts, but when it comes to "the freedom of salsa" they weren't quite consistent.
Ryan & Ricky: Chucky Klapow gives them a jazz routine about two members of a cult of fashion who are done in by following their obsession with what's hot and hip. Carmen says they "rocked." She loved the music choice, the energy. Mary says it was hot and says she liked seeing this kind of quirky stuff on the dance floor. Nigel agrees and that the routine suited them well. He says it's great to see choreography that allows them to be together when they're apart. Travis says they had his attention the entire time and that he can see both of them making it past Top 10, for sure.
Caitlynn & MItchell: Mandy Moore gives them a contemporary routine about falling in love. It's a challenge, but also gives Mitchell the task of carrying Caitlynn through some serious lifts. The crowd roast and the judges join in on a standing ovation. Mary shouts that it was her favorite number of the night. She's on the verge of tears as she talks about how beautiful it was. She loves the leaps, trust, lack of fear and uninhibited approach they took. Nigel says "the emotion in that routine just grabbed us all." He says the whole routine took his breath away. Travis says he kept catching himself trying to catch his breath. He says Caitlynn is the surprise for him this season. Carmen says something about them being large, beautiful and powerful, and joins in the chorus by calling them the best of the night.
The final group dance, for the girls, is a jazz routine choreographed by Ray Leeper.
Thu, Jul 7, 2011
Wednesday was an historic night on "So You Think You Can Dance" as four choreographers made their debuts and an ex-contestant took a spot on the judges' table. Now it's Thursday, and two more contestants will be history.
Conspicuously absent from the judges' table tonight is Carmen Electra, who seemed to struggle a bit.
To the results: Melanie & Marko are one of the first couples to the stage. Their jazz number on Wednesday pleased the judges, so much so that Travis Wall told Melanie she's his favorite dancer in the competition. Before getting to their results, Caitlynn & Mitchell's contemporary routine that brought Mary to tears is recapped. Both couples are safe.
After a plug for National Dance Day, the next three couples hit the stage.
Ashley & Chris' "sizzling salsa," as Cat puts it, didn't connect for the judges and it's not much of a surprise when Cat tells them they're in the bottom three. Nigel says the whole idea of the show is to do styles you're not used to, and emphasizes again that their performance "wasn't good enough."
Clarice & Jess' contemporary routine made the judges happy and they talked a lot about the improvement the couple has shown. Has it been enough to stay out of the bottom three? Before we find out, we see highlights of Jordan & Tadd's smooth waltz, which also had the judges pouring on the praise. Jordan & Tadd fall to the bottom three while Clarice & Jess are safe for another week.
Mary says the voters must have gone to the kitchen while Jordan & Tadd were dancing. She thinks they've been outstanding, but admits that last night's performance might have been their weakest, but "it wasn't bad."
Finally, we're down to the last couples. Ryan & Ricky's wild zombie jazz dance sent the judges and the crowd into hysterics. Sasha & Alexander's hip-hop routine was lost on the judges, with Nigel calling it "Hip-Hop 101." The final couple in danger is ... Ryan & Ricky. Travis says he's confused, shocked and surprised because he thought Ryan & Ricky were one of the best couples last night.
Be our guests: Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet performs. After the solos, Florence and the Machine perform their song, "Cosmic Love."
The eliminations: Nigel says all the girls on the show are beautiful and randomly takes the opportunity to point out that Kim Kardashian is in the audience. He finally gets back to the critique and tells all the dancers that they need to show different sides of themselves and need to up their games in the solos.
He specifically tells Jordan that she has to show more than just how strong her legs are. He tells Ryan the judges love her and she gave a good solo. He finally tells Ashley she's been good throughout, but she hasn't peaked. And he sends her home.
On to the guys. Nigel tells Ricky that Travis thinks Ricky is the best contemporary dancer in the competition (next to Marko). He tells him that somehow he and Ryan aren't connecting with America. He tells Chris he always brings out his best when he's dancing for his life. He tells Tadd that Travis really wants to work with him. Finally, Nigel tells Chris that he's not doing what the choreographers are asking of him, and so it's time for him to go.
Conspicuously absent from the judges' table tonight is Carmen Electra, who seemed to struggle a bit.
To the results: Melanie & Marko are one of the first couples to the stage. Their jazz number on Wednesday pleased the judges, so much so that Travis Wall told Melanie she's his favorite dancer in the competition. Before getting to their results, Caitlynn & Mitchell's contemporary routine that brought Mary to tears is recapped. Both couples are safe.
After a plug for National Dance Day, the next three couples hit the stage.
Ashley & Chris' "sizzling salsa," as Cat puts it, didn't connect for the judges and it's not much of a surprise when Cat tells them they're in the bottom three. Nigel says the whole idea of the show is to do styles you're not used to, and emphasizes again that their performance "wasn't good enough."
Clarice & Jess' contemporary routine made the judges happy and they talked a lot about the improvement the couple has shown. Has it been enough to stay out of the bottom three? Before we find out, we see highlights of Jordan & Tadd's smooth waltz, which also had the judges pouring on the praise. Jordan & Tadd fall to the bottom three while Clarice & Jess are safe for another week.
Mary says the voters must have gone to the kitchen while Jordan & Tadd were dancing. She thinks they've been outstanding, but admits that last night's performance might have been their weakest, but "it wasn't bad."
Finally, we're down to the last couples. Ryan & Ricky's wild zombie jazz dance sent the judges and the crowd into hysterics. Sasha & Alexander's hip-hop routine was lost on the judges, with Nigel calling it "Hip-Hop 101." The final couple in danger is ... Ryan & Ricky. Travis says he's confused, shocked and surprised because he thought Ryan & Ricky were one of the best couples last night.
Be our guests: Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet performs. After the solos, Florence and the Machine perform their song, "Cosmic Love."
The eliminations: Nigel says all the girls on the show are beautiful and randomly takes the opportunity to point out that Kim Kardashian is in the audience. He finally gets back to the critique and tells all the dancers that they need to show different sides of themselves and need to up their games in the solos.
He specifically tells Jordan that she has to show more than just how strong her legs are. He tells Ryan the judges love her and she gave a good solo. He finally tells Ashley she's been good throughout, but she hasn't peaked. And he sends her home.
On to the guys. Nigel tells Ricky that Travis thinks Ricky is the best contemporary dancer in the competition (next to Marko). He tells him that somehow he and Ryan aren't connecting with America. He tells Chris he always brings out his best when he's dancing for his life. He tells Tadd that Travis really wants to work with him. Finally, Nigel tells Chris that he's not doing what the choreographers are asking of him, and so it's time for him to go.
Wed, Jul 13, 2011
The Top 6 couples on "So You Think You Can Dance" will perform together for the final time before the all-stars from previous seasons come into play and it becomes a truly individual competition.
"Modern Family" star Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who has "an extensive Broadway background," Cat tells us, is on the judges table. Choreographer Sonya Tayeh makes her first appearance, joining regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.
Sasha & Alexander: Tony Meredith and Melanie Lapatin work up an intense paso doble for Sasha and Alexander that shocks Mary with an ending kiss. Nigel wonders if it was choreographed or impromptu, and Sasha says she's not sure. He liked it, but there was one part that got a little sloppy. He says Alexander was "much stronger tonight than I've seen you in a while" and that Sasha "did brilliantly." Mary says it "was hot, it was on fire" and she loves the way Sasha took on some of the elements typically reserved for the man in the dance. She tells Alexander he was great, but Sasha was "just a little bit stronger." Jesse says he "loved every moment" and refers to Sasha's bra falling off in rehearsal. He says Alexander kept up well. Sonya says it was "absolutely amazing." She praises Sasha because she's "all about strength in women" and that she wants to trust Alexander more in his partnering.
Jordan & Tadd: Travis Wall puts together a routine about the women who take advantage of weak men. It's a "dark and heavy piece," Tadd says, and he's hoping the audience picks up on that energy. The crowd appears to have picked up on it quite nicely, standing in approval. Mary calls it "beautiful, dark, magnificent, WOO!" She says it's "no surprise to her" any longer that Tadd is dancing so strongly. She tells Jordan she "demolished that whole thing." Jesse says Tadd made the story this "brilliant, beautiful thing" and that Tadd proves that the guys are in it to win it. Sonya wishes she could swear, and this performance was the kind of thing that makes her want to cry. She says they're both "unstoppable." Nigel agrees it was remarkable, pointing out a cool flip jump Tadd did, but that the pair of them were "absolutely tremendous."
Ryan & Ricky: A Broadway routine with choreographer Spencer Liff tells the story of a guy waiting for his date to arrive when he turns and sees a movie star from a poster come to life and they share a dance. It's got a cool, Rat Pack vibe to it and the audience rises to its feet again. Jesse says it felt like there was a glass ceiling on the performance, "a little muted." He says it didn't sparkle and he knows they're capable of more. Sonya says she felt like the dancers were questioning the routine the whole time, but "it was OK." Nigel agrees and says it's "about style" and that if you're not comfortable with the Broadway style, you lose the flavor of the steps. Mary says the first 30 seconds were great and they had the style, but then they did lose the style and could have done more with the steps they were given.
Caitlynn & Mitchell: Christopher Scott gives them a routine in which the dancers are intended to portray children in northern Uganda who are forced into fighting. Sonya says she loves Chris Scott but there was a lack of clarity and unison. The details got too jumbled for her, which distracted from the story. Nigel agrees, saying that when he's being asked to buy into abductees in the Congo, all he wants is for the dancers to dance together. Mary says she understands the disconnect with the story, but they danced strong, if not completely in unison all the time. She says it was just a little bit short. Jesse says they dance with so much power, but he did have a problem getting the story.
Melanie & Marko: Louis van Amstel choreographs a tango for Marko and Melanie that's probably the toughest challenge the couple has faced. He says something happened between rehearsal and the live show because it was "really tremendous." Mary takes a moment to talk about different kinds of tango. She points out more of the technical aspects and that even though it could have been better, it was "night and day" from dress rehearsal to the live show. Jesse wonders whether Mary Murphy is "the lost Osmond." He then tells Marko and Melanie they have spark and no one can take that away. Sonya every step both of them take comes from "the deepest place" and it makes her shake. She calls them both timeless dancers.
Clarice & Jess: Chris Scott gives them a lyrical hip-hop routine about a woman's insecurities. He suggests they think about sound effects with their movements to help get them just right. Mary says they had her dancing in her seat. Jesse jokes that he didn't care for it, then says, "Happy Opposite Day, everybody, I loved it." He Sonya says they're "so adorable," and that Chris makes things look so cool. She says they "just slayed it." Nigel loved the story. It was simple and beautifully danced, he says. He encourages Chris to stick with the simple stories rather than go "too far abroad."
Sasha & Alexander: For their second routine, Sasha and Alexander land a Tyce Diorio jazz piece. Jesse makes references to past seasons and past dances before talking about this one -- oh, there it is. He says this was beyond even the best one he saw them do this season. Sonya wants to swear again in the process of praising Tyce. She tells Alexander he broke through. She tells Sasha she made it happen. Nigel says Sasha has carried Alexander through a lot of the routines, but "not tonight." He says this was the best he's seen Alexander dance ever. Mary agrees that Alexander had "an extremely breakthrough night."
Jordan & Tadd: Spencer Liff gives them a Broadway routine about a girl who's been asleep for 100 years and is awoken by a kiss. Sonya starts by saying, "I'm sorry," which is never good. She says she felt overwhelmed and it was "a jumble of things." She says she didn't see their abilities and their craft, but she loves them both. Nigel says it could have been a little quirkier and that they could have brought more character to it. Mary says the dancers have to find ways to make it work, and this one just didn't work. Jesse agrees, saying it was a "bit of a grab bag," but their first dance of the night was one of his favorites of the season.
Ryan & Ricky: Louis van Amstel is back with a cha cha for Ryan and Ricky. He wants to get them out of the bottom three. Ricky is excited to get out of his comfort zone. Nigel says Ricky did a really good job and his feet did well. He tells Ryan she was overdoing it a little and her footwork was a little sloppy. Mary says it was "the fastest darn cha cha" she's ever seen. She agrees with Nigel on Ryan's sloppiness as the dance progressed. She says she doesn't know who Ricky is because his steps were so tight and clean, he was "just livin' the cha cha" like she wants to see it. She puts Ricky, and only Ricky, on the Hot Tamale Train. Jesse says this was his favorite dance of Ricky's this season. Sonya says Ricky was enjoying and celebrating the dance, and it showed. She tells Ryan she wants her to embrace how wonderful she is and not lose her conviction, which will allow her to loosen up in her dancing.
Caitlynn & Mitchell: Travis Wall gives them a jazz routine where a 1970s rock star (Caitlynn) finds out that her man is married. Mary calls it "slightly naughty" and gusty and she "loved it." She says there was "some tough stuff" in the routine and they did it very well. Jesse says they can prevent forest fires by never dancing in the forest. Sonya says Caitlynn is totally hot and shouldn't be that hot. She tells Mitchell that he sometimes loses his intention when it comes to partnering. She says that sometimes his partnering looks like work. Nigel says that's good advice. His only criticism is that they shouldn't have involved the crowd as much as they did and that they should have been focused on the "argument" happening between them in the dance.
Melanie & Marko: Dee Caspary gives them a routine about dancing into the light, or something involving a light bulb. The crowd gives another standing ovation. Jesse says he's got goosebumps and that they're amazing and that this is his new favorite performance of theirs. Sonya says she's "just so grateful that this is the future of dance." She tries not to get emotional, but thanks them and asks them to "please stay humble and please stay true." Nigel says he's excited about next week when the couples are split up, except for the fact that they'll be split up because there's something special about their chemistry. He says "this didn't feel like you'd been choreographed, it felt like you were moving to your own magical movement." Mary says she'll be devastated when the couple is separated. She calls them "two shining stars."
Clarice & Jess: Tony Meredith and Melanie Lapatin give them a fast and bold jive that tests the limits of Jess' leg-kicking abilities. Sonya just repeats, "I love it, I love it," several times before ending with, "Perfect, amazing." Nigel agrees but says he's a little uncomfortable when Jess lifts. He's hopeful that the routine will bring votes in. Mary says the leg kicks were fabulous, but it lost steam as it went along and she missed some of the joy from Jess. She says Clarice had it. Jesse says he's not the mayor of Broadway, but that Jess deserves an honorary key (or something like that). Jesse then randomly suggests that Cat should be nominated for an Emmy when the picks come out Thursday.
"Modern Family" star Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who has "an extensive Broadway background," Cat tells us, is on the judges table. Choreographer Sonya Tayeh makes her first appearance, joining regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.
Sasha & Alexander: Tony Meredith and Melanie Lapatin work up an intense paso doble for Sasha and Alexander that shocks Mary with an ending kiss. Nigel wonders if it was choreographed or impromptu, and Sasha says she's not sure. He liked it, but there was one part that got a little sloppy. He says Alexander was "much stronger tonight than I've seen you in a while" and that Sasha "did brilliantly." Mary says it "was hot, it was on fire" and she loves the way Sasha took on some of the elements typically reserved for the man in the dance. She tells Alexander he was great, but Sasha was "just a little bit stronger." Jesse says he "loved every moment" and refers to Sasha's bra falling off in rehearsal. He says Alexander kept up well. Sonya says it was "absolutely amazing." She praises Sasha because she's "all about strength in women" and that she wants to trust Alexander more in his partnering.
Jordan & Tadd: Travis Wall puts together a routine about the women who take advantage of weak men. It's a "dark and heavy piece," Tadd says, and he's hoping the audience picks up on that energy. The crowd appears to have picked up on it quite nicely, standing in approval. Mary calls it "beautiful, dark, magnificent, WOO!" She says it's "no surprise to her" any longer that Tadd is dancing so strongly. She tells Jordan she "demolished that whole thing." Jesse says Tadd made the story this "brilliant, beautiful thing" and that Tadd proves that the guys are in it to win it. Sonya wishes she could swear, and this performance was the kind of thing that makes her want to cry. She says they're both "unstoppable." Nigel agrees it was remarkable, pointing out a cool flip jump Tadd did, but that the pair of them were "absolutely tremendous."
Ryan & Ricky: A Broadway routine with choreographer Spencer Liff tells the story of a guy waiting for his date to arrive when he turns and sees a movie star from a poster come to life and they share a dance. It's got a cool, Rat Pack vibe to it and the audience rises to its feet again. Jesse says it felt like there was a glass ceiling on the performance, "a little muted." He says it didn't sparkle and he knows they're capable of more. Sonya says she felt like the dancers were questioning the routine the whole time, but "it was OK." Nigel agrees and says it's "about style" and that if you're not comfortable with the Broadway style, you lose the flavor of the steps. Mary says the first 30 seconds were great and they had the style, but then they did lose the style and could have done more with the steps they were given.
Caitlynn & Mitchell: Christopher Scott gives them a routine in which the dancers are intended to portray children in northern Uganda who are forced into fighting. Sonya says she loves Chris Scott but there was a lack of clarity and unison. The details got too jumbled for her, which distracted from the story. Nigel agrees, saying that when he's being asked to buy into abductees in the Congo, all he wants is for the dancers to dance together. Mary says she understands the disconnect with the story, but they danced strong, if not completely in unison all the time. She says it was just a little bit short. Jesse says they dance with so much power, but he did have a problem getting the story.
Melanie & Marko: Louis van Amstel choreographs a tango for Marko and Melanie that's probably the toughest challenge the couple has faced. He says something happened between rehearsal and the live show because it was "really tremendous." Mary takes a moment to talk about different kinds of tango. She points out more of the technical aspects and that even though it could have been better, it was "night and day" from dress rehearsal to the live show. Jesse wonders whether Mary Murphy is "the lost Osmond." He then tells Marko and Melanie they have spark and no one can take that away. Sonya every step both of them take comes from "the deepest place" and it makes her shake. She calls them both timeless dancers.
Clarice & Jess: Chris Scott gives them a lyrical hip-hop routine about a woman's insecurities. He suggests they think about sound effects with their movements to help get them just right. Mary says they had her dancing in her seat. Jesse jokes that he didn't care for it, then says, "Happy Opposite Day, everybody, I loved it." He Sonya says they're "so adorable," and that Chris makes things look so cool. She says they "just slayed it." Nigel loved the story. It was simple and beautifully danced, he says. He encourages Chris to stick with the simple stories rather than go "too far abroad."
Sasha & Alexander: For their second routine, Sasha and Alexander land a Tyce Diorio jazz piece. Jesse makes references to past seasons and past dances before talking about this one -- oh, there it is. He says this was beyond even the best one he saw them do this season. Sonya wants to swear again in the process of praising Tyce. She tells Alexander he broke through. She tells Sasha she made it happen. Nigel says Sasha has carried Alexander through a lot of the routines, but "not tonight." He says this was the best he's seen Alexander dance ever. Mary agrees that Alexander had "an extremely breakthrough night."
Jordan & Tadd: Spencer Liff gives them a Broadway routine about a girl who's been asleep for 100 years and is awoken by a kiss. Sonya starts by saying, "I'm sorry," which is never good. She says she felt overwhelmed and it was "a jumble of things." She says she didn't see their abilities and their craft, but she loves them both. Nigel says it could have been a little quirkier and that they could have brought more character to it. Mary says the dancers have to find ways to make it work, and this one just didn't work. Jesse agrees, saying it was a "bit of a grab bag," but their first dance of the night was one of his favorites of the season.
Ryan & Ricky: Louis van Amstel is back with a cha cha for Ryan and Ricky. He wants to get them out of the bottom three. Ricky is excited to get out of his comfort zone. Nigel says Ricky did a really good job and his feet did well. He tells Ryan she was overdoing it a little and her footwork was a little sloppy. Mary says it was "the fastest darn cha cha" she's ever seen. She agrees with Nigel on Ryan's sloppiness as the dance progressed. She says she doesn't know who Ricky is because his steps were so tight and clean, he was "just livin' the cha cha" like she wants to see it. She puts Ricky, and only Ricky, on the Hot Tamale Train. Jesse says this was his favorite dance of Ricky's this season. Sonya says Ricky was enjoying and celebrating the dance, and it showed. She tells Ryan she wants her to embrace how wonderful she is and not lose her conviction, which will allow her to loosen up in her dancing.
Caitlynn & Mitchell: Travis Wall gives them a jazz routine where a 1970s rock star (Caitlynn) finds out that her man is married. Mary calls it "slightly naughty" and gusty and she "loved it." She says there was "some tough stuff" in the routine and they did it very well. Jesse says they can prevent forest fires by never dancing in the forest. Sonya says Caitlynn is totally hot and shouldn't be that hot. She tells Mitchell that he sometimes loses his intention when it comes to partnering. She says that sometimes his partnering looks like work. Nigel says that's good advice. His only criticism is that they shouldn't have involved the crowd as much as they did and that they should have been focused on the "argument" happening between them in the dance.
Melanie & Marko: Dee Caspary gives them a routine about dancing into the light, or something involving a light bulb. The crowd gives another standing ovation. Jesse says he's got goosebumps and that they're amazing and that this is his new favorite performance of theirs. Sonya says she's "just so grateful that this is the future of dance." She tries not to get emotional, but thanks them and asks them to "please stay humble and please stay true." Nigel says he's excited about next week when the couples are split up, except for the fact that they'll be split up because there's something special about their chemistry. He says "this didn't feel like you'd been choreographed, it felt like you were moving to your own magical movement." Mary says she'll be devastated when the couple is separated. She calls them "two shining stars."
Clarice & Jess: Tony Meredith and Melanie Lapatin give them a fast and bold jive that tests the limits of Jess' leg-kicking abilities. Sonya just repeats, "I love it, I love it," several times before ending with, "Perfect, amazing." Nigel agrees but says he's a little uncomfortable when Jess lifts. He's hopeful that the routine will bring votes in. Mary says the leg kicks were fabulous, but it lost steam as it went along and she missed some of the joy from Jess. She says Clarice had it. Jesse says he's not the mayor of Broadway, but that Jess deserves an honorary key (or something like that). Jesse then randomly suggests that Cat should be nominated for an Emmy when the picks come out Thursday.
Thu, Jul 14, 2011
One guy and one girl are going to fall just a tiny bit short of the Top 10, and it's time to find out which on "So You Think You Can Dance" results show.
Guest judges Jesse Tyler Ferguson is back and she and Cat Deeley take a moment to congratulate each other on their Emmy nominations. Cat seems genuinely touched when Nigel emphasizes her nomination and the crowd gives her a standing ovation. Nigel also tosses to a montage of routines by Mandy Moore, Mia Michaels, Stacey Tookey, Travis Wall, and Napoleon & Tabitha, who were all nominated, as well.
To the results: The first two couples called to the stage are Clarice & Jess and Caitlynn & Mitchell. After their recaps, we learn that the first two dancers who've made it to the Top 10 are Clarice & Jess. Caitlynn & Mitchell are in the bottom three.
Nigel explains that each dancer in the Top 10 will be paired with a new partner for one dance, in addition to being paired with an all star. Nigel explains that Alex Wong, who was injured last season, was asked to return as an all-star but injured his left tendon while doing the same step at an audition as he was doing on the show last season when he injured his right tendon. So he's out. The all-stars are introduced, and they are: Season 1's Melody; Season 2's Allison; Season 3's Pasha; Season 4's Twitch, Comfort and Chelsie; Season 5's Brandon; Season 6's Kathryn; and Season 7's Robert.
Melanie & Marko and Ricky & Ryan are next on stage. The next two dancers into the Top 10 are Melanie & Marko. Ryan & Ricky are in danger.
Finally, Jordan & Tadd and Sasha & Alexander learn their fates. The next safe couple is Jordan & Tadd. Alexander looks utterly shocked. They're in the bottom three.
Be our guest: Jason Samuel Smith and his tap company put on a pretty nifty little show. After Nigel talks more about National Dance Day, the solos happen. Cat sends the judges off to confer while Nicole Scherzinger performs.
The eliminations: Nigel says the judges were unanimous with the girls. He asks Caitlynn to step forward. He tells her they haven't seen her dance as well as she did in her solo. He next tells Ryan she was a little lackluster on Wednesday and didn't do her solo as well as they would have liked. He tells Sasha they weren't knocked out with her solo but they think she's fabulous as a dancer. He the reveals that the girl leaving the show is Ryan.
The guys step up and Nigel says the judges were not unanimous, it was three votes to one. He tells Mitchell he did a pretty strong solo but his work has been "between average and very good." He tells Ricky he gave a "dance for your life" that was one of the best he's ever seen. He tells Alexander he found himself in the competition Wednesday night, but his solo was lacking and for that reason, he's going home.
Guest judges Jesse Tyler Ferguson is back and she and Cat Deeley take a moment to congratulate each other on their Emmy nominations. Cat seems genuinely touched when Nigel emphasizes her nomination and the crowd gives her a standing ovation. Nigel also tosses to a montage of routines by Mandy Moore, Mia Michaels, Stacey Tookey, Travis Wall, and Napoleon & Tabitha, who were all nominated, as well.
To the results: The first two couples called to the stage are Clarice & Jess and Caitlynn & Mitchell. After their recaps, we learn that the first two dancers who've made it to the Top 10 are Clarice & Jess. Caitlynn & Mitchell are in the bottom three.
Nigel explains that each dancer in the Top 10 will be paired with a new partner for one dance, in addition to being paired with an all star. Nigel explains that Alex Wong, who was injured last season, was asked to return as an all-star but injured his left tendon while doing the same step at an audition as he was doing on the show last season when he injured his right tendon. So he's out. The all-stars are introduced, and they are: Season 1's Melody; Season 2's Allison; Season 3's Pasha; Season 4's Twitch, Comfort and Chelsie; Season 5's Brandon; Season 6's Kathryn; and Season 7's Robert.
Melanie & Marko and Ricky & Ryan are next on stage. The next two dancers into the Top 10 are Melanie & Marko. Ryan & Ricky are in danger.
Finally, Jordan & Tadd and Sasha & Alexander learn their fates. The next safe couple is Jordan & Tadd. Alexander looks utterly shocked. They're in the bottom three.
Be our guest: Jason Samuel Smith and his tap company put on a pretty nifty little show. After Nigel talks more about National Dance Day, the solos happen. Cat sends the judges off to confer while Nicole Scherzinger performs.
The eliminations: Nigel says the judges were unanimous with the girls. He asks Caitlynn to step forward. He tells her they haven't seen her dance as well as she did in her solo. He next tells Ryan she was a little lackluster on Wednesday and didn't do her solo as well as they would have liked. He tells Sasha they weren't knocked out with her solo but they think she's fabulous as a dancer. He the reveals that the girl leaving the show is Ryan.
The guys step up and Nigel says the judges were not unanimous, it was three votes to one. He tells Mitchell he did a pretty strong solo but his work has been "between average and very good." He tells Ricky he gave a "dance for your life" that was one of the best he's ever seen. He tells Alexander he found himself in the competition Wednesday night, but his solo was lacking and for that reason, he's going home.
Wed, Jul 20, 2011
We're down to the Top 10 on Season 8 of "So You Think You Can Dance and the dancers will now be paired with all-stars from previous seasons, in addition to doing solos. They'll then be subject to America's votes as individuals for the first time this season.
Joining regular judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe is star of stage and TV screen, Neil Patrick Harris. But before getting to Neil's intro, Nigel plugs the show's summer tour, which starts some time later this month. Neil is happy to be on a show that he's a big fan of.
Marko: Chelsie Hightower of "Dancing with the Stars" fame returns to dance with Marko on a Jason Gilkison samba. Chelsie says it's good to be back reliving the experience of "SYTYCD" after the performance. Neil says it was "amazing" and "a heck of a way to start the show." Neil says Marko is "the guy to beat." Mary screams that Marko is "the real deal." She's so excited, her earring falls off, and she says it won't surprise her at all if Marko is in the finale. Nigel praises Marko for pulling off a complicated lift that was giving him trouble in rehearsal. Nigel says Marko is "ahead of the field."
Sasha busts out a cool solo.
Jordan: Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson cook up a contemporary routine for Jordan, which she'll dance with Brandon, who says there's so much going on there's hardly a chance to get a breath in. A shirtless Brandon is told (jokingly, of course) by Cat that he needs some muscle definition. Mary says it's "so great" to see Brandon on stage, but that Jordan was just fierce and that Dwight and Desmond just showed everyone her talents. Nigel says Jordan doesn't have many weaknesses, which gave the choreographers a chance to try new things. Neil says it took his breath away and that watching Jordan "feel" the number was impressive.
Jess shows off his jazzy Broadway skills.
Tadd: Landing near his comfort zone, Tadd gets a Chuck Maldonado hip-hop routine, partnered with Comfort. Nigel says it was so fast, there was no time to think. "It was like listening to Mary Murphy talk." Nigel points out that B-boys don't typically do the kind of choreography that was asked of him and suggests that he might have outdanced Comfort. Neil talks the opportunity to plug an upcoming "How I Met Your Mother" episode and the bit of hip-hop in that has him jealous of anyone who can pull off such moves. Mary tells Tadd he's "something special" and he "hit this out of the ballpark." He says he was "ghetto-licious." And Mary Murphy would know?
Melanie does a tender contemporary solo to a soft version of "You're the One that I Want."
Mitchell: Tyce Diorio puts together a Broadway jazz routine for Mitchell, who's partnered with Season 1's Melody. The routine has something to do with flying in an airplane ... in first class. Neil is puzzled, saying he didn't really get the airplane theme at all, but "it all seemed very, sort of, disjointed and not incredibly thought out for me, just as a piece." He goes on to say it seemed "very pieced together ... but, that was not my favorite." Nigel appears to look back at Tyce in the crowd in mock (or real) amazement. Mary says the number was "a lot of fun" but "a little overbaked." Nigel tells Mitchell he's got to think about style more than technique.
Ricky shows off some mad spinning and jumping skills in his solo.
Clarice gets a chance to show some impressive body control in his high-kicking solo.
Caitlynn: Pasha joins Caitlynn for a tango choreographed by Leonardo Barrionuevo and Miriam Larici. Pasha runs off afterward because he has another dance later. Mary rises to her feet and praises the choreographers, saying it was "so worth the wait" for the season's first Argentine tango. She says Caitlynn's "passion was more real tonight" than with any of her other dances. She says Caitlynn took her dancing "to another level," and adds that she can't remember when she enjoyed something more. Nigel tells Caitlynn she was "a woman, and far sexier" than she's been so far this season. He puts Caitlynn's performance among Miriam and Anya. Neil says it started a tiny bit slow for him, but then he found himself zoning into it "like great theater."
A shirtless Mitchell displays some serious muscle tone and graceful spins and jumps with his contemporary solo.
Sasha: Twitch is back! But we're supposed to be paying attention to Sasha, who joins Twitch for a Christopher Scott hip-hop routine about a couple that's lost the spark and regains it over a particularly sensual breakfast. "At first we were lacking love, but then we were lacking breakfast," Twitch says. The crowd goes wild. Nigel's jaw is still hanging when he says, "All I got for breakfast this morning was corn flakes." Cat asks if they were "soggy" and he says, "They were after that routine." Then there are several awkward moments as Nigel realizes what he just suggested. He tells Sasha she nailed the routine from beginning to end. Neil calls it "the best routine, so far, of the evening." He goes on about how awesome it all was and suggests that Sasha and Twitch do every dance together. Mary says she needs to call the sheriff, the fire department and the paramedics. She says that "as much as I love Twitch, I loved you doing that number."
Jordan spins a bit and goes for sensual with her solo.
Jess: Kathryn is back and joins Jess for a Stacey Tookey contemporary routine. Jess is a little nervous about the many lifts, for which he's taken some criticism this season. Stacey tells us that Kathryn can "practically levitate, so if he can't lift her, we're in trouble." Neil says it was "an extraordinarily designed" performance by Stacey, but that Jess' face sometimes is a little muggy and reminds Jess to be "as present and sincere as possible." Mary calls it her favorite piece that Jess has done this season. She loved the music, choreography and Jess in the piece. Nigel feels bad about having given Jess such a hard time about the lifts, then realizes Jess got a routine with "more lifts than Joan Rivers' face." He agrees it was probably Jess' best work to date.
Tadd shows off some wild maneuvering and tons of handstand work in his solo.
Melanie: Jake Gilkison gives Melanie and all-star Pasha a Viennese waltz in which Melanie serves as Pasha's "rock" and leads him through much of it. Mary says it seems as if Melanie's feet never touched the floor, as if she was "just floating all across the stage." She says, "I honestly don't know how you do it" because of the difficulty involved in the timing of lifts. She tells Melanie she's right at the top of the list. Nigel agrees it was "a master class in lifting." Nigel says she's "a solid, absolutely brilliant dancer." Neil says it was all "so effortlessly perfect" that it didn't even feel like there were lifts in the routine. He says she's one of the "super-hero people" he sees on the show, who do things he can't believe. He says she looks like she's "from the '30s" but dances "like she's from the future." He says she's easily his favorite dancer on the show.
Caitlynn puts on a quick, easy, good but ultimately not wildly exciting solo.
Ricky: Allison from Season 2 has Ricky a little star struck as he practices his Tyce Diorio jazz routine in which Ricky is Allison's "worst nightmare." Nigel immediately congratulates Tyce for a "sensational" and "very creative" piece. Nigel says Ricky was certainly up to the level of Allison and that he was focused on Ricky. Neil praises Tyce for a "pretty bold call" because Ricky often dances quite young and Tyce took a chance on trying to make Ricky into a serious kind of figure. Mary says this routine was "deliciously dark" and that Ricky "really brought it." She praises a particularly tricky one-armed lift that Ricky pulled off.
Marko mixes up strength and grace with a lot of spins and rotating flips for his solo.
Clarice: Nakul Dev Mahajan gives Clarice and all-star Robert a fast Bollywood routine about a guy and girl doing a bit of cat-and-mouse leading up to a kiss. Neil loves it and says it is infectious. He says he never quite connected with Clarice and wasn't sure why, but that the routine helped her come alive. Mary says it was "exhilarating to watch." She says the routine was just perfect for Clarice. Nigel agrees, saying she couldn't have done it any better. He says it was a great end to the show and Robert did a fabulous job.
Joining regular judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe is star of stage and TV screen, Neil Patrick Harris. But before getting to Neil's intro, Nigel plugs the show's summer tour, which starts some time later this month. Neil is happy to be on a show that he's a big fan of.
Marko: Chelsie Hightower of "Dancing with the Stars" fame returns to dance with Marko on a Jason Gilkison samba. Chelsie says it's good to be back reliving the experience of "SYTYCD" after the performance. Neil says it was "amazing" and "a heck of a way to start the show." Neil says Marko is "the guy to beat." Mary screams that Marko is "the real deal." She's so excited, her earring falls off, and she says it won't surprise her at all if Marko is in the finale. Nigel praises Marko for pulling off a complicated lift that was giving him trouble in rehearsal. Nigel says Marko is "ahead of the field."
Sasha busts out a cool solo.
Jordan: Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson cook up a contemporary routine for Jordan, which she'll dance with Brandon, who says there's so much going on there's hardly a chance to get a breath in. A shirtless Brandon is told (jokingly, of course) by Cat that he needs some muscle definition. Mary says it's "so great" to see Brandon on stage, but that Jordan was just fierce and that Dwight and Desmond just showed everyone her talents. Nigel says Jordan doesn't have many weaknesses, which gave the choreographers a chance to try new things. Neil says it took his breath away and that watching Jordan "feel" the number was impressive.
Jess shows off his jazzy Broadway skills.
Tadd: Landing near his comfort zone, Tadd gets a Chuck Maldonado hip-hop routine, partnered with Comfort. Nigel says it was so fast, there was no time to think. "It was like listening to Mary Murphy talk." Nigel points out that B-boys don't typically do the kind of choreography that was asked of him and suggests that he might have outdanced Comfort. Neil talks the opportunity to plug an upcoming "How I Met Your Mother" episode and the bit of hip-hop in that has him jealous of anyone who can pull off such moves. Mary tells Tadd he's "something special" and he "hit this out of the ballpark." He says he was "ghetto-licious." And Mary Murphy would know?
Melanie does a tender contemporary solo to a soft version of "You're the One that I Want."
Mitchell: Tyce Diorio puts together a Broadway jazz routine for Mitchell, who's partnered with Season 1's Melody. The routine has something to do with flying in an airplane ... in first class. Neil is puzzled, saying he didn't really get the airplane theme at all, but "it all seemed very, sort of, disjointed and not incredibly thought out for me, just as a piece." He goes on to say it seemed "very pieced together ... but, that was not my favorite." Nigel appears to look back at Tyce in the crowd in mock (or real) amazement. Mary says the number was "a lot of fun" but "a little overbaked." Nigel tells Mitchell he's got to think about style more than technique.
Ricky shows off some mad spinning and jumping skills in his solo.
Clarice gets a chance to show some impressive body control in his high-kicking solo.
Caitlynn: Pasha joins Caitlynn for a tango choreographed by Leonardo Barrionuevo and Miriam Larici. Pasha runs off afterward because he has another dance later. Mary rises to her feet and praises the choreographers, saying it was "so worth the wait" for the season's first Argentine tango. She says Caitlynn's "passion was more real tonight" than with any of her other dances. She says Caitlynn took her dancing "to another level," and adds that she can't remember when she enjoyed something more. Nigel tells Caitlynn she was "a woman, and far sexier" than she's been so far this season. He puts Caitlynn's performance among Miriam and Anya. Neil says it started a tiny bit slow for him, but then he found himself zoning into it "like great theater."
A shirtless Mitchell displays some serious muscle tone and graceful spins and jumps with his contemporary solo.
Sasha: Twitch is back! But we're supposed to be paying attention to Sasha, who joins Twitch for a Christopher Scott hip-hop routine about a couple that's lost the spark and regains it over a particularly sensual breakfast. "At first we were lacking love, but then we were lacking breakfast," Twitch says. The crowd goes wild. Nigel's jaw is still hanging when he says, "All I got for breakfast this morning was corn flakes." Cat asks if they were "soggy" and he says, "They were after that routine." Then there are several awkward moments as Nigel realizes what he just suggested. He tells Sasha she nailed the routine from beginning to end. Neil calls it "the best routine, so far, of the evening." He goes on about how awesome it all was and suggests that Sasha and Twitch do every dance together. Mary says she needs to call the sheriff, the fire department and the paramedics. She says that "as much as I love Twitch, I loved you doing that number."
Jordan spins a bit and goes for sensual with her solo.
Jess: Kathryn is back and joins Jess for a Stacey Tookey contemporary routine. Jess is a little nervous about the many lifts, for which he's taken some criticism this season. Stacey tells us that Kathryn can "practically levitate, so if he can't lift her, we're in trouble." Neil says it was "an extraordinarily designed" performance by Stacey, but that Jess' face sometimes is a little muggy and reminds Jess to be "as present and sincere as possible." Mary calls it her favorite piece that Jess has done this season. She loved the music, choreography and Jess in the piece. Nigel feels bad about having given Jess such a hard time about the lifts, then realizes Jess got a routine with "more lifts than Joan Rivers' face." He agrees it was probably Jess' best work to date.
Tadd shows off some wild maneuvering and tons of handstand work in his solo.
Melanie: Jake Gilkison gives Melanie and all-star Pasha a Viennese waltz in which Melanie serves as Pasha's "rock" and leads him through much of it. Mary says it seems as if Melanie's feet never touched the floor, as if she was "just floating all across the stage." She says, "I honestly don't know how you do it" because of the difficulty involved in the timing of lifts. She tells Melanie she's right at the top of the list. Nigel agrees it was "a master class in lifting." Nigel says she's "a solid, absolutely brilliant dancer." Neil says it was all "so effortlessly perfect" that it didn't even feel like there were lifts in the routine. He says she's one of the "super-hero people" he sees on the show, who do things he can't believe. He says she looks like she's "from the '30s" but dances "like she's from the future." He says she's easily his favorite dancer on the show.
Caitlynn puts on a quick, easy, good but ultimately not wildly exciting solo.
Ricky: Allison from Season 2 has Ricky a little star struck as he practices his Tyce Diorio jazz routine in which Ricky is Allison's "worst nightmare." Nigel immediately congratulates Tyce for a "sensational" and "very creative" piece. Nigel says Ricky was certainly up to the level of Allison and that he was focused on Ricky. Neil praises Tyce for a "pretty bold call" because Ricky often dances quite young and Tyce took a chance on trying to make Ricky into a serious kind of figure. Mary says this routine was "deliciously dark" and that Ricky "really brought it." She praises a particularly tricky one-armed lift that Ricky pulled off.
Marko mixes up strength and grace with a lot of spins and rotating flips for his solo.
Clarice: Nakul Dev Mahajan gives Clarice and all-star Robert a fast Bollywood routine about a guy and girl doing a bit of cat-and-mouse leading up to a kiss. Neil loves it and says it is infectious. He says he never quite connected with Clarice and wasn't sure why, but that the routine helped her come alive. Mary says it was "exhilarating to watch." She says the routine was just perfect for Clarice. Nigel agrees, saying she couldn't have done it any better. He says it was a great end to the show and Robert did a fabulous job.
Thu, Jul 21, 2011
The Top 10 week results show on "So You Think You Can Dance" gets going pretty quickly as, after a brief introduction, Cat Deeley calls out the first three contestants to get their results.
To the results: Mitchell, Tadd and Melanie are up first. The judges weren't wild about Mitchell's Broadway routine, but loved Tadd and Melanie's work. Mitchell is in the bottom four. Tadd and Melanie are both safe.
Marko, Sasha and Clarice are up next. Marko and Sasha both had the judges going wild and Clarice's Bollywood number earned some rave reviews. The first girl in danger, though, is Clarice.
Jess, Ricky, Caitlynn and Jordan are the next dancers on stage. Both guys did well with the judges, but Ricky is in danger and Jess is safe. Caitlynn took her dancing "to another level," according to the judges, and Jordan did a pretty solid job herself. Caitlynn is safe and Jordan is in danger.
Be our guest: Blush is joined by Snoop Doog on stage.
Back to the results: Nigel say the judges were unanimous with both decisions and asks that the guys join the girls on stage. He says he wants to explain that being in the bottom group doesn't mean they're not good dancers. He points out that Twitch and Allison were in the bottom three several times and they're now "all-stars." He says he doesn't have anything to say about any of the dancers being bad and adds that he's sorry two of them are going home. He asks Mitchell and Clarice to step forward. He thanks them for being in the competition, but they're out now.
To the results: Mitchell, Tadd and Melanie are up first. The judges weren't wild about Mitchell's Broadway routine, but loved Tadd and Melanie's work. Mitchell is in the bottom four. Tadd and Melanie are both safe.
Marko, Sasha and Clarice are up next. Marko and Sasha both had the judges going wild and Clarice's Bollywood number earned some rave reviews. The first girl in danger, though, is Clarice.
Jess, Ricky, Caitlynn and Jordan are the next dancers on stage. Both guys did well with the judges, but Ricky is in danger and Jess is safe. Caitlynn took her dancing "to another level," according to the judges, and Jordan did a pretty solid job herself. Caitlynn is safe and Jordan is in danger.
Be our guest: Blush is joined by Snoop Doog on stage.
Back to the results: Nigel say the judges were unanimous with both decisions and asks that the guys join the girls on stage. He says he wants to explain that being in the bottom group doesn't mean they're not good dancers. He points out that Twitch and Allison were in the bottom three several times and they're now "all-stars." He says he doesn't have anything to say about any of the dancers being bad and adds that he's sorry two of them are going home. He asks Mitchell and Clarice to step forward. He thanks them for being in the competition, but they're out now.
Wed, Jul 27, 2011
The Top 8 dancers will face a couple of special guest judges on Wednesday's episode of "So You Think You Can Dance." Choreographer and film director Rob Marshall and Lady Gaga are on the panel.
Sasha: Sasha gets paired with Pasha ("Easy to remember," as they tell us) for a quickstep choreographed by Jonathan Roberts. Rob gets put on the spot first and says Sasha is "astonishing" and calls her one of his favorites. He says the genre doesn't show off Sasha's best attributes, but she was "beautiful." Mary says Sasha "absolutely pulled it off" despite it being such a restrained dance compared to what Sasha's used to. Nigel proclaims Sasha is his favorite dancer in the competition, at least as of this week. Lady Gaga says Sasha is as shiny on the outside as she is on the inside. She says she loved the way Sasha "interpreted the intention of the choreographer."
Caitlynn: Marty Kudelka puts together a lyrical hip-hop routine for Caitlynn with Ivan from Season 2. Mary was really happy to see Ivan and goes on to talk about how awesome he is for a while before telling Caitlynn she was "really good." Nigel gives a little critique, telling her to open her legs a little bit and get into the pocket, but says she ultimately "played the part really well." Lady Gaga says Caitlynn is "extremely sexy." Rob says she did great and that lyrical hip-hop was a beautiful style for her. He tells her to lose herself more in the dance, and says Gaga is "the queen" of losing herself in a dance.
Jordan: Tyce puts together a jazz routine for Jordan, which she dances with Ade. Nigel wonders, "Is there anything that little body can't do?" He says that was a fun routine and that Jordan's legs "go on forever." Lady Gaga says Jordan gives her hope because she's also short and Jordan has great moves and makes her legs look long. Rob says Jordan is "exquisite" to watch and that he'd scream like Mary if he could. Mary jumps all over that invitation and screams, then tells Jordan she's "really something."
Melanie: Mandy Moore gives Melanie and all-star Neil a contemporary routine about a couple at the crossroads of a relationship. Everyone gives a massive standing ovation and Lady Gaga is on the verge of tears telling Melanie she's her favorite dancer in the competition, adding that she'd hire her tomorrow to dance on her tour. Rob says Melanie's dancing is "just poetic" and magical. He praised how she ended the dance, throwing away the technique and just playing the scene. Mary says she enjoys the Melanie's abandon, especially on a big jump into Neil's arms. Nigel says he's changed his mind about his favorite dancer -- it's Melanie again.
Ricky: Jason Gilkison gives Ricky and all-star Anya a fast-paced jive. Rob says Ricky's legs, lines and technique are "out of this world." He suggests that Ricky "dig in" to the floor a little deeper. Mary says she wasn't sure about his routine at the beginning, but as he went along everything started getting better and she was "very happy." Nigel says Ricky was "too tall" and agreed with Rob that Ricky needs to get down into the floor more. He also points out a lift that looked "a little labored," saying it looked like he was carrying around a slab of meat. Lady Gaga says she doesn't know why she has a sweet spot for Ricky. She says he looks strong, nimble and quick. She says Anya looked "a little more 'Dancing with the Stars'" and didn't look "as modern" as what Ricky was doing.
Jess: Napoleon and Tabitha give Jess and all-star Lauren a hip-hop routine about a guy who's cheatedand is trying win his girl back. Mary tells Jess that every week he's shown progress and he was "really good tonight" in what was "one of the really honest performances" he's given. Nigel agrees that Jess has matured significantly and appreciates that Jess "did not overplay" his expressions this week. Lady Gaga says she didn't personally love the choreography and props, but that was partially because his movements filled the space enough. Rob recalls seeing Jess on Broadway when he was much younger and points out that he has used the competition to mature.
Tadd: Mandy Moore gives Tadd and all-star Lauren a fuky jazz routine that Tadd seemed to have a little trouble keeping up with. He dropped his hat at one point, but Nigel thought he did it "brilliantly." Lady Gaga says it was "amazing" and says Tadd can be whoever he wants to be as a dancer. Rob says Tadd surprised them with every move and "that's something that's really special." Mary says Tadd was "cool up there," and looked "like a young Elvis Presley" and drew a comparison to Michael Jackson. She reiterates Rob's claim that he's special, and adds that he's going to land himself in the finale.
Marko: Sonya Tayeh gives Marko and all-star Allison a contemporary routine about being nice to people. Lady Gaga is crying, while standing on her ridiculously tall platform shoes. The audience and dancers are all in tears, and Cat seems to be the only one holding it together. Gaga says she's really proud of him and says some stuff about things she did wrong when she was younger. Marko cries while saying it's the first chance his mom has had a chance to see the show live and she flew in from Guam to see him. He tells her he's sorry for having been "a brat" when he was younger. Rob praises Allison and says they were all "so moved" by watching Marko. Mary is going to struggle to get through it, saying Marko's dance was "amazing." She announces Marko is his favorite dancer on the show. Nigel says they've "seen a moment that is more than the competition." He tells everyone to tell their mothers how much they're loved.
Caitlynn & Tadd: The randomly paired couple get a classic foxtrot from Jonathan Roberts. Rob says it was "sparkling from beginning to end." Mary says they two of them "are shining stars," but notes that it won't be one of the more memorable dances of the night for her. Nigel cracks some jokes about a B-boy doing ballroom. Lady Gaga says she loved it, including the flower in Caitlynn's hair.
Marko & Ricky: Tabitha and Napoleon work up a hip-hop routine for Marko and Ricky to perform together about a couple of janitors. Mary says she "loved it!" She calls it "another fabulous routine" from Tabitha and Napoleon. She says if everybody could dance with brooms like that the world would be a lot cleaner. Nigel predicts Ricky is going to be in the bottom after again pointing out that he was dancing "a little high." Lady Gaga says they're "both incredible dancers." She says they transcended the props they were given. Rob gives props to the choreographers, mostly, saying they do a great job in a short time.
Jordan & Jess: Jason Gilkison gives Jess and Jordan a rumba that challenges Jess' lifting capability. Nigel praises Jess' lift, but says he didn't feel any chemistry between them. Gaga says there was "nothing wrong with it." She says she would have choreographed it differently, but they don't choose the songs or choreography. Rob says he felt like they were connected. Mary says it was beautiful but "not to the highest level."
Melanie & Sasha: Sonya Tayeh puts together an all-girl jazz routine for Sasha and Melanie. The crowd goes wild and everyone rises to their feet. Cat struggles to quiet the crowd so the judges can speak. Gaga says that in the dance community, you give praise by throwing a shoe on the stage, so she hurls one of her massive platforms onto the stage. She also calls is the "dance of the night." Rob says it was "unbelievable" and gives props to Sonya. Mary says they "just brought it" and "just threw it all on that stage." She tells Sonya is was the best number of the night and the best Sonya's ever done. She calls is a masterpiece. Nigel agrees it was "fantastic." He says he's thankful he doesn't have to decide which of them is better. He says one of the two of them could be this year's champion.
Sasha: Sasha gets paired with Pasha ("Easy to remember," as they tell us) for a quickstep choreographed by Jonathan Roberts. Rob gets put on the spot first and says Sasha is "astonishing" and calls her one of his favorites. He says the genre doesn't show off Sasha's best attributes, but she was "beautiful." Mary says Sasha "absolutely pulled it off" despite it being such a restrained dance compared to what Sasha's used to. Nigel proclaims Sasha is his favorite dancer in the competition, at least as of this week. Lady Gaga says Sasha is as shiny on the outside as she is on the inside. She says she loved the way Sasha "interpreted the intention of the choreographer."
Caitlynn: Marty Kudelka puts together a lyrical hip-hop routine for Caitlynn with Ivan from Season 2. Mary was really happy to see Ivan and goes on to talk about how awesome he is for a while before telling Caitlynn she was "really good." Nigel gives a little critique, telling her to open her legs a little bit and get into the pocket, but says she ultimately "played the part really well." Lady Gaga says Caitlynn is "extremely sexy." Rob says she did great and that lyrical hip-hop was a beautiful style for her. He tells her to lose herself more in the dance, and says Gaga is "the queen" of losing herself in a dance.
Jordan: Tyce puts together a jazz routine for Jordan, which she dances with Ade. Nigel wonders, "Is there anything that little body can't do?" He says that was a fun routine and that Jordan's legs "go on forever." Lady Gaga says Jordan gives her hope because she's also short and Jordan has great moves and makes her legs look long. Rob says Jordan is "exquisite" to watch and that he'd scream like Mary if he could. Mary jumps all over that invitation and screams, then tells Jordan she's "really something."
Melanie: Mandy Moore gives Melanie and all-star Neil a contemporary routine about a couple at the crossroads of a relationship. Everyone gives a massive standing ovation and Lady Gaga is on the verge of tears telling Melanie she's her favorite dancer in the competition, adding that she'd hire her tomorrow to dance on her tour. Rob says Melanie's dancing is "just poetic" and magical. He praised how she ended the dance, throwing away the technique and just playing the scene. Mary says she enjoys the Melanie's abandon, especially on a big jump into Neil's arms. Nigel says he's changed his mind about his favorite dancer -- it's Melanie again.
Ricky: Jason Gilkison gives Ricky and all-star Anya a fast-paced jive. Rob says Ricky's legs, lines and technique are "out of this world." He suggests that Ricky "dig in" to the floor a little deeper. Mary says she wasn't sure about his routine at the beginning, but as he went along everything started getting better and she was "very happy." Nigel says Ricky was "too tall" and agreed with Rob that Ricky needs to get down into the floor more. He also points out a lift that looked "a little labored," saying it looked like he was carrying around a slab of meat. Lady Gaga says she doesn't know why she has a sweet spot for Ricky. She says he looks strong, nimble and quick. She says Anya looked "a little more 'Dancing with the Stars'" and didn't look "as modern" as what Ricky was doing.
Jess: Napoleon and Tabitha give Jess and all-star Lauren a hip-hop routine about a guy who's cheatedand is trying win his girl back. Mary tells Jess that every week he's shown progress and he was "really good tonight" in what was "one of the really honest performances" he's given. Nigel agrees that Jess has matured significantly and appreciates that Jess "did not overplay" his expressions this week. Lady Gaga says she didn't personally love the choreography and props, but that was partially because his movements filled the space enough. Rob recalls seeing Jess on Broadway when he was much younger and points out that he has used the competition to mature.
Tadd: Mandy Moore gives Tadd and all-star Lauren a fuky jazz routine that Tadd seemed to have a little trouble keeping up with. He dropped his hat at one point, but Nigel thought he did it "brilliantly." Lady Gaga says it was "amazing" and says Tadd can be whoever he wants to be as a dancer. Rob says Tadd surprised them with every move and "that's something that's really special." Mary says Tadd was "cool up there," and looked "like a young Elvis Presley" and drew a comparison to Michael Jackson. She reiterates Rob's claim that he's special, and adds that he's going to land himself in the finale.
Marko: Sonya Tayeh gives Marko and all-star Allison a contemporary routine about being nice to people. Lady Gaga is crying, while standing on her ridiculously tall platform shoes. The audience and dancers are all in tears, and Cat seems to be the only one holding it together. Gaga says she's really proud of him and says some stuff about things she did wrong when she was younger. Marko cries while saying it's the first chance his mom has had a chance to see the show live and she flew in from Guam to see him. He tells her he's sorry for having been "a brat" when he was younger. Rob praises Allison and says they were all "so moved" by watching Marko. Mary is going to struggle to get through it, saying Marko's dance was "amazing." She announces Marko is his favorite dancer on the show. Nigel says they've "seen a moment that is more than the competition." He tells everyone to tell their mothers how much they're loved.
Caitlynn & Tadd: The randomly paired couple get a classic foxtrot from Jonathan Roberts. Rob says it was "sparkling from beginning to end." Mary says they two of them "are shining stars," but notes that it won't be one of the more memorable dances of the night for her. Nigel cracks some jokes about a B-boy doing ballroom. Lady Gaga says she loved it, including the flower in Caitlynn's hair.
Marko & Ricky: Tabitha and Napoleon work up a hip-hop routine for Marko and Ricky to perform together about a couple of janitors. Mary says she "loved it!" She calls it "another fabulous routine" from Tabitha and Napoleon. She says if everybody could dance with brooms like that the world would be a lot cleaner. Nigel predicts Ricky is going to be in the bottom after again pointing out that he was dancing "a little high." Lady Gaga says they're "both incredible dancers." She says they transcended the props they were given. Rob gives props to the choreographers, mostly, saying they do a great job in a short time.
Jordan & Jess: Jason Gilkison gives Jess and Jordan a rumba that challenges Jess' lifting capability. Nigel praises Jess' lift, but says he didn't feel any chemistry between them. Gaga says there was "nothing wrong with it." She says she would have choreographed it differently, but they don't choose the songs or choreography. Rob says he felt like they were connected. Mary says it was beautiful but "not to the highest level."
Melanie & Sasha: Sonya Tayeh puts together an all-girl jazz routine for Sasha and Melanie. The crowd goes wild and everyone rises to their feet. Cat struggles to quiet the crowd so the judges can speak. Gaga says that in the dance community, you give praise by throwing a shoe on the stage, so she hurls one of her massive platforms onto the stage. She also calls is the "dance of the night." Rob says it was "unbelievable" and gives props to Sonya. Mary says they "just brought it" and "just threw it all on that stage." She tells Sonya is was the best number of the night and the best Sonya's ever done. She calls is a masterpiece. Nigel agrees it was "fantastic." He says he's thankful he doesn't have to decide which of them is better. He says one of the two of them could be this year's champion.
Thu, Jul 28, 2011
The Top 8 are going to be whittled down to six on "So You Think You Can Dance," but first a big and dramatic group dance about a traveling circus (to the music of the movie, "Water for Elephants") choreographed by Tyce Diorio.
Rob Marshall is back on the judges' table with Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy. He talks about how great of a guest judge Lady Gaga was on Wednesday and Cat notes that Gaga isn't at the table because she's going to be performing later. She's probably warming up in her egg, or something.
To the results: Cat calls for all four ladies to take center stage. Sasha's night is recapped and we're reminded of how great the judges thought she was. Nigel had called her his favorite in the competition, but that was not replayed (he later changed his mind, saying Melanie is his new favorite). Jordan's night brought a big scream from Mary early on, but her second dance didn't work for Nigel. Caitlynn's hip-hop routine won her some points from the judges and her foxtrot had the judges excited, as well. Melanie was a star and earned Nigel's "favorite dancer" and he was later glad he didn't have to be the one to decide whose performance was the best.
After letting them dangle through a commercial break, Cat announces that the top two girls are ... Sasha and Melanie. That means Jordan and Caitlynn will be performing solos later.
Cat calls the top four guys to the stage. We're reminded of how the judges loved Jess' hip-hop routine but weren't wild about his rumba with Jordan, which Nigel felt lacked chemistry. Marko's two performances were well received and his contemporary routine with all-star Allison became an emotional moment that brought most people in the crowd to tears, and we saw backstage that his mother became even more emotional backstage. Cat announces that the first guy through to next week is Marko. That means Jess will be dancing a solo tonight.
After a commercial we run through Ricky's night, where he impressed the judges with his technique (but Nigel's remarks about him needing to get deeper into the floor), but after a well received hip-hop routine Nigel told Ricky he might be in the bottom two. Tadd, on the other hand, was told by Mary that she could see him getting to the finale and Nigel told him he was "not be biting the dust this week" (a reference to the Queen song Tadd performed to). The second guy safe and moving on to next week is ... Ricky. That's a surprise, but Tadd seems to be alright with it. Presumably, with the decision in the judges' hands -- given their remarks on Wednesday night -- Tadd has reason to feel comfortable.
Be our guests: The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers takes the stage. Later, Lady Gaga performs "The End of Glory" and her new single "You and I."
Cat plugs National Dance Day, which is two days away.
To the solos: Jordan works some big body-control and long-legged moves for her solo, while Jess opts for an all-out Broadway extravaganza that includes nearly a full 15 seconds of spins.
Caitlynn goes for some sensual moves, perhaps to show she's grown up and doesn't have that " Tadd works some serious B-boy moves, including hanging perpendicularly off the rafters on the side of the stage and showing off some leg moves and finishing with a big flip off the stage.
The decisions: Nigel says the judges started off not being unanimous with either decision, but they became unanimous when they realized that regardless of the outcome they'd be sending a great dancer home. Nigel says they were disappointed with both of the girls' solos. He thanks Jordan for everything she's brought to the show, but she's going home.
Nigel tells Jess he's a sensational character and has grown. He tells Tadd he's unique and creative, so much so that they're keeping him. This means Jess is out.
Rob Marshall is back on the judges' table with Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy. He talks about how great of a guest judge Lady Gaga was on Wednesday and Cat notes that Gaga isn't at the table because she's going to be performing later. She's probably warming up in her egg, or something.
To the results: Cat calls for all four ladies to take center stage. Sasha's night is recapped and we're reminded of how great the judges thought she was. Nigel had called her his favorite in the competition, but that was not replayed (he later changed his mind, saying Melanie is his new favorite). Jordan's night brought a big scream from Mary early on, but her second dance didn't work for Nigel. Caitlynn's hip-hop routine won her some points from the judges and her foxtrot had the judges excited, as well. Melanie was a star and earned Nigel's "favorite dancer" and he was later glad he didn't have to be the one to decide whose performance was the best.
After letting them dangle through a commercial break, Cat announces that the top two girls are ... Sasha and Melanie. That means Jordan and Caitlynn will be performing solos later.
Cat calls the top four guys to the stage. We're reminded of how the judges loved Jess' hip-hop routine but weren't wild about his rumba with Jordan, which Nigel felt lacked chemistry. Marko's two performances were well received and his contemporary routine with all-star Allison became an emotional moment that brought most people in the crowd to tears, and we saw backstage that his mother became even more emotional backstage. Cat announces that the first guy through to next week is Marko. That means Jess will be dancing a solo tonight.
After a commercial we run through Ricky's night, where he impressed the judges with his technique (but Nigel's remarks about him needing to get deeper into the floor), but after a well received hip-hop routine Nigel told Ricky he might be in the bottom two. Tadd, on the other hand, was told by Mary that she could see him getting to the finale and Nigel told him he was "not be biting the dust this week" (a reference to the Queen song Tadd performed to). The second guy safe and moving on to next week is ... Ricky. That's a surprise, but Tadd seems to be alright with it. Presumably, with the decision in the judges' hands -- given their remarks on Wednesday night -- Tadd has reason to feel comfortable.
Be our guests: The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers takes the stage. Later, Lady Gaga performs "The End of Glory" and her new single "You and I."
Cat plugs National Dance Day, which is two days away.
To the solos: Jordan works some big body-control and long-legged moves for her solo, while Jess opts for an all-out Broadway extravaganza that includes nearly a full 15 seconds of spins.
Caitlynn goes for some sensual moves, perhaps to show she's grown up and doesn't have that " Tadd works some serious B-boy moves, including hanging perpendicularly off the rafters on the side of the stage and showing off some leg moves and finishing with a big flip off the stage.
The decisions: Nigel says the judges started off not being unanimous with either decision, but they became unanimous when they realized that regardless of the outcome they'd be sending a great dancer home. Nigel says they were disappointed with both of the girls' solos. He thanks Jordan for everything she's brought to the show, but she's going home.
Nigel tells Jess he's a sensational character and has grown. He tells Tadd he's unique and creative, so much so that they're keeping him. This means Jess is out.
Wed, Aug 3, 2011
And then there were six. With one week remaining until the Season 6 "So You Think You Can Dance" finale, the final six dancers are competing, as host Cat Deeley says, "for the right to be there."
As the introductions are made, it's almost painfully clear that Caitlynn and Ricky are going to be the ones left out. But, as they say, that's why you play the game.
Guest judges Christina Applegate and Lil C join regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. Christina tells us she's been dancing since she was 3 and continued until she got pregnant with her daughter. After yet another plug for National Dance Day, which happened over the weekend, we get to some performances.
Melanie: Napoleon and Tabitha give Melanie a "Little Red Riding Hood"-themed hip-hop routine, which she'll dance with Twitch. Lil C praises Melanie for "getting through" that routine, which was difficult and fast. He says the beginning was shaky, but she worked it out and it was on after the rocky start. Christina tells Melanie she's given her "hope." She tells Melanie she was "evil" (in a good way) in this routine. Mary tells Melanie that her brother called her about Melanie, something he's never done about any contestant, saying that she has a Shirley Temple-type charm. Nigel answers criticism that Melanie has only been given styles she's good at, and says she's "good at everything." He tells her she's "absolutely sensational" and should keep doing what she's doing.
Sasha: Last season's sweetheart Kent joins Sasha for a Tyce Diorio routine about a couple that's hit a wall in their relationship. Sasha gets emotional talking about how she "definitely can relate to this piece." She has a little trouble keeping it together after the performance, as well. Christina says there are other dancers who are great, technically, but she doesn't care. She says Sasha put her finger against a wall and broke her heart -- "that's dance." Mary calls it "absolutely intoxicating, for sure." Mary also gets emotional while pointing to a moment in the performance when Kent threw Sasha down to the floor, saying, "So many of us have been there and it's what you do when you get back up." Nigel agrees, saying Tyce was "at his creative best" and Sasha's sharing of emotion. Nigel also says Sasha is once again his favorite. Lil C is trying to hold it together, saying he understands everything Sasha was conveying in her performance.
Marko: Dmitry Chaplin gives Marko and all-star Janette a paso doble. Mary reminds us all what the paso is about, calling it the "most riveting" of ballroom dances. She praises his style in the beginning, but notes that he lost his footing a couple of times. She remarks that his trick, flipping Janette around his neck as if she was the matador's cape, is one of the most memorable she's seen. Nigel says the whole routine left him a little cold, but that trick stood out for his, as well. Lil C says he loves the way Marko performs and he loved every minute of Marko's routine. Christina admits she knows nothing about the paso, so she doesn't know how to critique it, but she wanted Marko to dig deeper into his crotch (using Lil C's reference) in demonstrating his bravado.
Tonight's solos will be preceded by thoughts from the dancers' loved ones back home.
Ricky's mom says it's been like a dream watching her son on the show after having watched the show with him at her side for so long. He does his solo.
Tadd: Sonya Tayeh gives Tadd a contemporary routine, calling it a period piece harkening back to a time when things were more conservative and this couple finds ways to sneak in some romance. He's partnered with Ellenore. Nigel remarks on the "interesting positions" in there, but he would "like to see a little more dancing." He says it needed to develop more. Lil C praises Sonya, but tells Tadd he has to "make each move last a lifetime." He felt like the movements were happening too quickly from one to the next. Christina says it was "remarkable." She says she loves Tadd and that he did so many things she wouldn't expect from a B-boy. Mary says Tadd's ability is extraordinary. She says some judges thought maybe Tadd had reached his limit last week, but he hasn't and he's still growing. Mary calls Sonya's choreography "so daring," but shows the kind of trust Sonya has in Tadd.
Caitlynn's mom says she's the "proudest mom in the whole world," and her dad sends his wishes through a video chat from an oil rig in the Black Sea.
Ricky: Dee Caspary gives Ricky and Season 3's Jamie a contemporary routine that involves Ricky orchestrating the dance with sticks in his hands. Lil C praises Ricky for dancing with a prop, and for using a prop that alters the way he does everything. Christina loves it, but tells Ricky that he sometimes doesn't dance with the clearest of intention. Mary says Ricky saved himself again. Nigel praises Dee for the whole concept of the routine. He again tells Ricky he's "such a high dancer" that he wants him to dig deeper into the floor when he performs.
Tadd's dad says he's backing Tadd all the way to the top. His solo includes a pretty impressive one-armed handstand that lasts for probably the final 10 seconds of the routine.
Sasha's dad says he started crying the first time he saw Sasha on the stage. Her mom wishes her luck.
Caitlynn: Dmitry is back with a samba for Caitlynn, who is joined by all-star Pasha. Dmitry vows to make this no longer a family show, urging Caitlynn to crank up the sexiness. Christina seems surprised to hear herself saying Caitlynn did "really well." Mary tells Caitlynn that when a contestant gets a second chance to do another number, the judges expect it to be better ... and this one was. She runs down the list of technical moves that Caitlynn nailed. Nigel reminds Caitlynn not to "pull sexy faces" and to let the moves do the talking. Lil C says he' agrees with everyone on the panel, and tells Caitlynn to "swan dive" into the sexy moves rather than "cannonball."
Marko's mom cries while thinking about how she cried watching him dance on the show for the first time.
Melanie's mom tells us her daughter's "always been a performer" and says it's "surreal" watching Melanie dance on the show. She tells her daughter to "dance great, but most of all, have a wonderful, wonderful time."
Sasha & Ricky: Kumari Suraj gives Sasha and Ricky a "whacking" routine that takes a lot of fast and precise movements. Mary says she never really loved this style, but Princess Lockeroo took it to another level earlier this season. She says Sasha and Ricky weren't quite up to that level, but really good. She says the whacking was slacking just a little. Nigel says he doesn't think the whacking was lacking anything. He says he enjoyed the fun of it, but tells Ricky to relax more and not worry so much about it. He's wowed by Sasha, though, and says she proved everything the judges said earlier about not having to push being sexy. Lil C offers up some "constructive criticism," saying he wanted to see them "enjoy it a little bit more." Christina says she enjoyed it, but they could have "whacked it harder" -- probably the 25th "whacking" pun of the last four minutes.
Melanie & Tadd: Broadway choreographer Spencer Liff gives them a routine that's a rehearsal within a rehearsal, where one of the dancers thinks her partner is falling in love with her, but he's really just playing the part. Nigel takes a moment to recognize that Melanie's solos was probably the best he's ever seen on the show. Going back to this routine, he tells Melanie she's a brilliant actress on top of being a "beast" of a dancer. He tells her she's again gone back up to being his favorite dancer. He tells Tadd he "didn't suck," which is great considering he was dancing next to one of the best dancers the show has ever seen. Lil C says Melanie's "artistry speaks for itself." He says she is "extremely buck." He also takes a moment to tell Melanie her solo was "so beefy." He tells Tadd he's growing leaps and bound. Christina again says Melanie had all the judges pounding the table watching Melanie's solo and that Tadd is again doing things a B-boy shouldn't know how to do. Mary says she's honored to have witnessed this season.
Caitlynn & Marko: Sonya Tayeh gives Caitlynn and Marko a jazz routine that forces them to wipe away any sexy and happy stuff. They have to be a little more beastly. Lil C tells us about how hashtags work on Twitter, then says "this routine was double-hashtag buck." Christina says wow, and tells Marko he's a beast, saying his aggression was "so beautiful and powerful and palpable." She sighs, telling Caitlynn that was "her moment." Mary jokes that she didn't really care for it, then tells Caitlynn it was one of her "best numbers ever." She says, "This time, you brought the true grit to it." Then she says Marko's always been a beast and her favorite dancer on the show. Nigel says he "was a little upset" with the chandelier routine (Tadd's earlier) and that this one proved why she's "a world-class choreographer." He tells Caitlynn she "came of age tonight." He asks her to keep hold of it now.
As the introductions are made, it's almost painfully clear that Caitlynn and Ricky are going to be the ones left out. But, as they say, that's why you play the game.
Guest judges Christina Applegate and Lil C join regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. Christina tells us she's been dancing since she was 3 and continued until she got pregnant with her daughter. After yet another plug for National Dance Day, which happened over the weekend, we get to some performances.
Melanie: Napoleon and Tabitha give Melanie a "Little Red Riding Hood"-themed hip-hop routine, which she'll dance with Twitch. Lil C praises Melanie for "getting through" that routine, which was difficult and fast. He says the beginning was shaky, but she worked it out and it was on after the rocky start. Christina tells Melanie she's given her "hope." She tells Melanie she was "evil" (in a good way) in this routine. Mary tells Melanie that her brother called her about Melanie, something he's never done about any contestant, saying that she has a Shirley Temple-type charm. Nigel answers criticism that Melanie has only been given styles she's good at, and says she's "good at everything." He tells her she's "absolutely sensational" and should keep doing what she's doing.
Sasha: Last season's sweetheart Kent joins Sasha for a Tyce Diorio routine about a couple that's hit a wall in their relationship. Sasha gets emotional talking about how she "definitely can relate to this piece." She has a little trouble keeping it together after the performance, as well. Christina says there are other dancers who are great, technically, but she doesn't care. She says Sasha put her finger against a wall and broke her heart -- "that's dance." Mary calls it "absolutely intoxicating, for sure." Mary also gets emotional while pointing to a moment in the performance when Kent threw Sasha down to the floor, saying, "So many of us have been there and it's what you do when you get back up." Nigel agrees, saying Tyce was "at his creative best" and Sasha's sharing of emotion. Nigel also says Sasha is once again his favorite. Lil C is trying to hold it together, saying he understands everything Sasha was conveying in her performance.
Marko: Dmitry Chaplin gives Marko and all-star Janette a paso doble. Mary reminds us all what the paso is about, calling it the "most riveting" of ballroom dances. She praises his style in the beginning, but notes that he lost his footing a couple of times. She remarks that his trick, flipping Janette around his neck as if she was the matador's cape, is one of the most memorable she's seen. Nigel says the whole routine left him a little cold, but that trick stood out for his, as well. Lil C says he loves the way Marko performs and he loved every minute of Marko's routine. Christina admits she knows nothing about the paso, so she doesn't know how to critique it, but she wanted Marko to dig deeper into his crotch (using Lil C's reference) in demonstrating his bravado.
Tonight's solos will be preceded by thoughts from the dancers' loved ones back home.
Ricky's mom says it's been like a dream watching her son on the show after having watched the show with him at her side for so long. He does his solo.
Tadd: Sonya Tayeh gives Tadd a contemporary routine, calling it a period piece harkening back to a time when things were more conservative and this couple finds ways to sneak in some romance. He's partnered with Ellenore. Nigel remarks on the "interesting positions" in there, but he would "like to see a little more dancing." He says it needed to develop more. Lil C praises Sonya, but tells Tadd he has to "make each move last a lifetime." He felt like the movements were happening too quickly from one to the next. Christina says it was "remarkable." She says she loves Tadd and that he did so many things she wouldn't expect from a B-boy. Mary says Tadd's ability is extraordinary. She says some judges thought maybe Tadd had reached his limit last week, but he hasn't and he's still growing. Mary calls Sonya's choreography "so daring," but shows the kind of trust Sonya has in Tadd.
Caitlynn's mom says she's the "proudest mom in the whole world," and her dad sends his wishes through a video chat from an oil rig in the Black Sea.
Ricky: Dee Caspary gives Ricky and Season 3's Jamie a contemporary routine that involves Ricky orchestrating the dance with sticks in his hands. Lil C praises Ricky for dancing with a prop, and for using a prop that alters the way he does everything. Christina loves it, but tells Ricky that he sometimes doesn't dance with the clearest of intention. Mary says Ricky saved himself again. Nigel praises Dee for the whole concept of the routine. He again tells Ricky he's "such a high dancer" that he wants him to dig deeper into the floor when he performs.
Tadd's dad says he's backing Tadd all the way to the top. His solo includes a pretty impressive one-armed handstand that lasts for probably the final 10 seconds of the routine.
Sasha's dad says he started crying the first time he saw Sasha on the stage. Her mom wishes her luck.
Caitlynn: Dmitry is back with a samba for Caitlynn, who is joined by all-star Pasha. Dmitry vows to make this no longer a family show, urging Caitlynn to crank up the sexiness. Christina seems surprised to hear herself saying Caitlynn did "really well." Mary tells Caitlynn that when a contestant gets a second chance to do another number, the judges expect it to be better ... and this one was. She runs down the list of technical moves that Caitlynn nailed. Nigel reminds Caitlynn not to "pull sexy faces" and to let the moves do the talking. Lil C says he' agrees with everyone on the panel, and tells Caitlynn to "swan dive" into the sexy moves rather than "cannonball."
Marko's mom cries while thinking about how she cried watching him dance on the show for the first time.
Melanie's mom tells us her daughter's "always been a performer" and says it's "surreal" watching Melanie dance on the show. She tells her daughter to "dance great, but most of all, have a wonderful, wonderful time."
Sasha & Ricky: Kumari Suraj gives Sasha and Ricky a "whacking" routine that takes a lot of fast and precise movements. Mary says she never really loved this style, but Princess Lockeroo took it to another level earlier this season. She says Sasha and Ricky weren't quite up to that level, but really good. She says the whacking was slacking just a little. Nigel says he doesn't think the whacking was lacking anything. He says he enjoyed the fun of it, but tells Ricky to relax more and not worry so much about it. He's wowed by Sasha, though, and says she proved everything the judges said earlier about not having to push being sexy. Lil C offers up some "constructive criticism," saying he wanted to see them "enjoy it a little bit more." Christina says she enjoyed it, but they could have "whacked it harder" -- probably the 25th "whacking" pun of the last four minutes.
Melanie & Tadd: Broadway choreographer Spencer Liff gives them a routine that's a rehearsal within a rehearsal, where one of the dancers thinks her partner is falling in love with her, but he's really just playing the part. Nigel takes a moment to recognize that Melanie's solos was probably the best he's ever seen on the show. Going back to this routine, he tells Melanie she's a brilliant actress on top of being a "beast" of a dancer. He tells her she's again gone back up to being his favorite dancer. He tells Tadd he "didn't suck," which is great considering he was dancing next to one of the best dancers the show has ever seen. Lil C says Melanie's "artistry speaks for itself." He says she is "extremely buck." He also takes a moment to tell Melanie her solo was "so beefy." He tells Tadd he's growing leaps and bound. Christina again says Melanie had all the judges pounding the table watching Melanie's solo and that Tadd is again doing things a B-boy shouldn't know how to do. Mary says she's honored to have witnessed this season.
Caitlynn & Marko: Sonya Tayeh gives Caitlynn and Marko a jazz routine that forces them to wipe away any sexy and happy stuff. They have to be a little more beastly. Lil C tells us about how hashtags work on Twitter, then says "this routine was double-hashtag buck." Christina says wow, and tells Marko he's a beast, saying his aggression was "so beautiful and powerful and palpable." She sighs, telling Caitlynn that was "her moment." Mary jokes that she didn't really care for it, then tells Caitlynn it was one of her "best numbers ever." She says, "This time, you brought the true grit to it." Then she says Marko's always been a beast and her favorite dancer on the show. Nigel says he "was a little upset" with the chandelier routine (Tadd's earlier) and that this one proved why she's "a world-class choreographer." He tells Caitlynn she "came of age tonight." He asks her to keep hold of it now.
Thu, Aug 4, 2011
The Top 6 start Thursday night's results show with a Justin Giles group dance. Lil C is back on the panel with regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. This week's celebrity guest judge Christina Applegate is absent.
Tonight's results won't include a "bottom" group because, as Nigel explains, a bottom four would also tell us who the top two are. Instead, we're going to get a heck of a lot more filler -- er, amazing performances! Every dancer will do a solo, and "American Idol" finalist Pia Toscano will perform, as well as the Bad Boys of Dance, and a "special" performance from last season's winner and runner-up, Lauren and Kent. It's gonna be ... an hour.
Sasha, Caitlynn and Melanie each do their solos, with Melanie getting yet another standing ovation from the crowd and judges.
After more National Dance Day dispatches, Tadd, Marko and Ricky do their solos. Kent and Lauren return to the stage to perform "Collide," choreographed by Travis Wall -- one of the routines that was nominated for an Emmy.
To the results: Cat calls the girls to the stage. Sasha's night is recapped first, and we're reminded of her waacking routine, but more importantly her deeply emotional Tyce Diorio contemporary piece that brought most everyone to tears. Caitlynn heated up the floor with a sizzling samba, and had her "moment" with the Sonya Tayeh lyrical jazz piece that ended the night. Melanie sent everyone into hysterics again with her Broadway piece and proved she can "do anything," according to Nigel, with her hip hop routine. The first girl into the finale is ... Melanie.
The guys come out next, forming an impromptu conga line. Tadd didn't get great marks on his Sonya Tayeh jazz routine, in which eh hung from a chandelier most of the time. But he redeemed himself with a Broadway routine that made him look good, even while sharing the stage with Melanie. Marko tried to bring the heat with his paso doble, but Nigel wanted more heat, saying Marko left him "a little cold." He roared back into beast mode on his pairing with Caitlynn in the Sonya Tayeh lyrical jazz piece. Ricky got big praise for both his Dee Caspury routine and his waacking routine with Sasha. The first guy into the finale is ... Marko.
Be our guests: The Bad Boys of Dance take the stage, living up to their billing at first, but then a girl joins them. She's pretty bad, too (in a good way), but this still causes a bit of confusion.
Back to the results: Sasha and Caitlynn come back to the stage. Nigel says they both know how much he loves them, but Caitlynn overthinks her routines a little too much, Melanie dances from her heart and Sasha dances from her soul. He says it doesn't matter who wins because "at the end of the day, dance wins."
Cat finally announces that the second girl into the finale is Sasha. Caitlynn is out.
Be our guest, again: Smacked right in between the girls' results and the guys', Pia Toscano performs her new single, "This Time," a likely effort to boost some pretty flat sales.
Back to the results, again: Cat abruptly calls for Ricky and Tadd to come to the stage, and announces that the final guy into the finale is Tadd.
Tonight's results won't include a "bottom" group because, as Nigel explains, a bottom four would also tell us who the top two are. Instead, we're going to get a heck of a lot more filler -- er, amazing performances! Every dancer will do a solo, and "American Idol" finalist Pia Toscano will perform, as well as the Bad Boys of Dance, and a "special" performance from last season's winner and runner-up, Lauren and Kent. It's gonna be ... an hour.
Sasha, Caitlynn and Melanie each do their solos, with Melanie getting yet another standing ovation from the crowd and judges.
After more National Dance Day dispatches, Tadd, Marko and Ricky do their solos. Kent and Lauren return to the stage to perform "Collide," choreographed by Travis Wall -- one of the routines that was nominated for an Emmy.
To the results: Cat calls the girls to the stage. Sasha's night is recapped first, and we're reminded of her waacking routine, but more importantly her deeply emotional Tyce Diorio contemporary piece that brought most everyone to tears. Caitlynn heated up the floor with a sizzling samba, and had her "moment" with the Sonya Tayeh lyrical jazz piece that ended the night. Melanie sent everyone into hysterics again with her Broadway piece and proved she can "do anything," according to Nigel, with her hip hop routine. The first girl into the finale is ... Melanie.
The guys come out next, forming an impromptu conga line. Tadd didn't get great marks on his Sonya Tayeh jazz routine, in which eh hung from a chandelier most of the time. But he redeemed himself with a Broadway routine that made him look good, even while sharing the stage with Melanie. Marko tried to bring the heat with his paso doble, but Nigel wanted more heat, saying Marko left him "a little cold." He roared back into beast mode on his pairing with Caitlynn in the Sonya Tayeh lyrical jazz piece. Ricky got big praise for both his Dee Caspury routine and his waacking routine with Sasha. The first guy into the finale is ... Marko.
Be our guests: The Bad Boys of Dance take the stage, living up to their billing at first, but then a girl joins them. She's pretty bad, too (in a good way), but this still causes a bit of confusion.
Back to the results: Sasha and Caitlynn come back to the stage. Nigel says they both know how much he loves them, but Caitlynn overthinks her routines a little too much, Melanie dances from her heart and Sasha dances from her soul. He says it doesn't matter who wins because "at the end of the day, dance wins."
Cat finally announces that the second girl into the finale is Sasha. Caitlynn is out.
Be our guest, again: Smacked right in between the girls' results and the guys', Pia Toscano performs her new single, "This Time," a likely effort to boost some pretty flat sales.
Back to the results, again: Cat abruptly calls for Ricky and Tadd to come to the stage, and announces that the final guy into the finale is Tadd.
Wed, Aug 10, 2011
It's down to the final four on "So You Think You Can Dance," which means this week we'll have a winner. And even though there are only four dancers left, there are still two hours to fill, er kill (take your pick), which means there will be a whole lot of dancing.
Guest judges Kenny Ortega and Katie Holmes join regulars Mary Mupthy and Nigel Lythgoe on the panel this week.
It might be too much trouble to keep up with who's dancing what, and with which all-stars, but suffice it to say there will be many performances by many combinations of dancers, including all-stars Mark (Season 4), Joshua (Season 4), Lauren (Season 7) and Robert (Season 7).
We get started with a big reunion of the couple that got us through the early portion of the competition: Melanie & Marko.
Melanie & Marko: Reunited, they get a disco routine from Doriana Sanchez that is as far as ever and puts both of them off their game just a bit. Nigel says it was a bit of a struggle for them and he hopes to see better in their subsequent performances later in the night. Mary adores them, but says it needs to "pop" to another level. Kenny praises them and says they looked like they came straight out of "Saturday Night Fever," which Katie says they're beautiful and claims she understood the story they were telling -- with their disco routine.
Sasha & Mark: Sonya Tayeh cooks up a big, emotional contemporary routine for Sasha and all-star Mark that starts a little slow but picks up quickly. Mary gets al worked up and gives a hearty, "woo-hoo!!!" Kenny notes that it was a little bit of "art imitating life" and adds that it was like "Sasha Warrior Princess." Katie calls it powerful while Nigel says that Sasha just threw down "the gauntlet."
Tadd & Joshua: Lil C cooks up a hip-hop routine for B-boy Tadd to dance with Joshua, champion of Season 4. Kenny says it was a perfect pairing while Katie says it was "terrific." Nigel wasn't too wild about it, saying he found "a little too sweet."Mary says they "delivered everything" and did enough to produce a hard-hitting hip-hop routine.
Melanie & Robert: Melanie gets right back on the stage for a contemporary routine choreographed by Stacey Tookey. She dances with all-star Robert and redeems herself from the dismal disco routine earlier. Katie says every movement made sense to her and she believes "every story." Nigel agrees it was "beautifully danced," and points out a particular lift he thought was great. Mary says that "something special" happens when Melanie dances, as the whole room gets quiet. She says Melanie is in a class of her own. Kenny says he'd jump to the front of the line to work with her.
Sasha & Marko: Broadway brings a Spencer Liff routine for Sasha and Marko, who seems to perform it quite nicely, at least according to some judges. Nigel, however, isn't "knocked out" by it, noting that Sasha makes a better warrior princess than a vamp. Mary disagrees, saying they "pulled it off," and noting especially that she didn't believe it was really Marko. Kenny calls it "great fun" and says there's nothing they can't do, while Katie tells Sasha she admires her and tells Marko he's "incredible."
Solos from Melanie and Marko are followed by...
Sasha & Tadd: Mark Ballas continues the tradition of "Dancing with the Stars" pros coming over to "So You Think You Can Dance," except he has no direct history with the show, like most other "DWTS" stars do. He choreographs a cha-cha for Sasha and Marko. Kenny sees right through it, noting it was "too ambitious for tonight." Katie sees right, umm, past it, saying thank you to both of them and telling them they're "both strong dancers." Nigel tells Marko he couldn't cope with the style and says it wasn't good for Sasha, either. Mary also agrees that there were lots of problems with the routine, even though they had to deal with what was given to them.
Marko & Lauren: Tessandra Chavez gives Marko and all-star Lauren Performed to somewhat oddball music, Marko and Lauren show off some pretty decent moves. Katie says they creates pictures that were stunning,or something lie that. Nigel says Marko joined the finale with that routine because it was "a fabulous performance." Mary says Marko "thrust greatness" upon himself. Kenny says Marko swept him away,
Melanie & Tadd: After Tadd dances his solo, he takes to the floor with Melanie for a Ray Leeper routine. They get a routine that calls for stipping and throwing shoes and taking off of clothes, and it all works. Nigel says it brought his evening to life, then cracks jokes about Tadd not wearing clothes. He adds that Tadd "totally redeemed" himself with that routine. Mary says that Tadd brought sexy back. Kenny says that Melanie had him gripped to the stage before she even started dancing, and Katie says the routine was "a breath of fresh air."
Sasha & Melanie: After dancing her solo, Sasha returns to the stage with Melanie for a Stacey Tookey routine about repressed housewives. Once again, they send the whole crowd into a tizzy. Mary says it's beautiful to watch them dance together and she enjoyed "every single second" of the routine. Kenny says he felt helpless and curious and that it was a beautiful piece. Katie loved their outfits and Nigel tells them they could grace any dance company in the country.
Marko & Tadd: The guys get a gumboot stepping routine from Chuck Maldonado. It's a little out there and most of the judges are on board with the quirky concept. Kenny congratulates them and wishes them luck on Thursday while Katie tells them they're great. Mary says it was "solid gold" for her and she loved the concept, but Nigel says nothing that happened tonight changes his mind from the position he held at the beginning of the night, which is that a girl would win the competition.
Guest judges Kenny Ortega and Katie Holmes join regulars Mary Mupthy and Nigel Lythgoe on the panel this week.
It might be too much trouble to keep up with who's dancing what, and with which all-stars, but suffice it to say there will be many performances by many combinations of dancers, including all-stars Mark (Season 4), Joshua (Season 4), Lauren (Season 7) and Robert (Season 7).
We get started with a big reunion of the couple that got us through the early portion of the competition: Melanie & Marko.
Melanie & Marko: Reunited, they get a disco routine from Doriana Sanchez that is as far as ever and puts both of them off their game just a bit. Nigel says it was a bit of a struggle for them and he hopes to see better in their subsequent performances later in the night. Mary adores them, but says it needs to "pop" to another level. Kenny praises them and says they looked like they came straight out of "Saturday Night Fever," which Katie says they're beautiful and claims she understood the story they were telling -- with their disco routine.
Sasha & Mark: Sonya Tayeh cooks up a big, emotional contemporary routine for Sasha and all-star Mark that starts a little slow but picks up quickly. Mary gets al worked up and gives a hearty, "woo-hoo!!!" Kenny notes that it was a little bit of "art imitating life" and adds that it was like "Sasha Warrior Princess." Katie calls it powerful while Nigel says that Sasha just threw down "the gauntlet."
Tadd & Joshua: Lil C cooks up a hip-hop routine for B-boy Tadd to dance with Joshua, champion of Season 4. Kenny says it was a perfect pairing while Katie says it was "terrific." Nigel wasn't too wild about it, saying he found "a little too sweet."Mary says they "delivered everything" and did enough to produce a hard-hitting hip-hop routine.
Melanie & Robert: Melanie gets right back on the stage for a contemporary routine choreographed by Stacey Tookey. She dances with all-star Robert and redeems herself from the dismal disco routine earlier. Katie says every movement made sense to her and she believes "every story." Nigel agrees it was "beautifully danced," and points out a particular lift he thought was great. Mary says that "something special" happens when Melanie dances, as the whole room gets quiet. She says Melanie is in a class of her own. Kenny says he'd jump to the front of the line to work with her.
Sasha & Marko: Broadway brings a Spencer Liff routine for Sasha and Marko, who seems to perform it quite nicely, at least according to some judges. Nigel, however, isn't "knocked out" by it, noting that Sasha makes a better warrior princess than a vamp. Mary disagrees, saying they "pulled it off," and noting especially that she didn't believe it was really Marko. Kenny calls it "great fun" and says there's nothing they can't do, while Katie tells Sasha she admires her and tells Marko he's "incredible."
Solos from Melanie and Marko are followed by...
Sasha & Tadd: Mark Ballas continues the tradition of "Dancing with the Stars" pros coming over to "So You Think You Can Dance," except he has no direct history with the show, like most other "DWTS" stars do. He choreographs a cha-cha for Sasha and Marko. Kenny sees right through it, noting it was "too ambitious for tonight." Katie sees right, umm, past it, saying thank you to both of them and telling them they're "both strong dancers." Nigel tells Marko he couldn't cope with the style and says it wasn't good for Sasha, either. Mary also agrees that there were lots of problems with the routine, even though they had to deal with what was given to them.
Marko & Lauren: Tessandra Chavez gives Marko and all-star Lauren Performed to somewhat oddball music, Marko and Lauren show off some pretty decent moves. Katie says they creates pictures that were stunning,or something lie that. Nigel says Marko joined the finale with that routine because it was "a fabulous performance." Mary says Marko "thrust greatness" upon himself. Kenny says Marko swept him away,
Melanie & Tadd: After Tadd dances his solo, he takes to the floor with Melanie for a Ray Leeper routine. They get a routine that calls for stipping and throwing shoes and taking off of clothes, and it all works. Nigel says it brought his evening to life, then cracks jokes about Tadd not wearing clothes. He adds that Tadd "totally redeemed" himself with that routine. Mary says that Tadd brought sexy back. Kenny says that Melanie had him gripped to the stage before she even started dancing, and Katie says the routine was "a breath of fresh air."
Sasha & Melanie: After dancing her solo, Sasha returns to the stage with Melanie for a Stacey Tookey routine about repressed housewives. Once again, they send the whole crowd into a tizzy. Mary says it's beautiful to watch them dance together and she enjoyed "every single second" of the routine. Kenny says he felt helpless and curious and that it was a beautiful piece. Katie loved their outfits and Nigel tells them they could grace any dance company in the country.
Marko & Tadd: The guys get a gumboot stepping routine from Chuck Maldonado. It's a little out there and most of the judges are on board with the quirky concept. Kenny congratulates them and wishes them luck on Thursday while Katie tells them they're great. Mary says it was "solid gold" for her and she loved the concept, but Nigel says nothing that happened tonight changes his mind from the position he held at the beginning of the night, which is that a girl would win the competition.