Thu, May 24, 2012
It's the ninth season of "So You Think You Can Dance," and host Cat Deeley assures us that "after eight seasons we thought we'd seen it all, but apparently not."
The first stop is in New York, pulling talent from Broadway to the streets of Brooklyn, every surrounding borough and beyond.
Joining Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy on the judging panel is Tyce Diorio. As you'll recall, each dancer gets a chance at a solo. The best of the best will be sent straight to Vegas for the next round, while any on-the-fence dancers will be sent on to a group choreography stage where some will move on and some won't. And the rest, well, it was a great trip.
Amelia Lowe sort of conjures images of "The Artist," but producers weren't going to let that point go unnoticed. Her whole intro package was done in 1920s silent-movie style, but her performance lived up to the hype and she's off to Vegas.
Toshihiko Nakazawa of Japan says he does a little hip hop, a little locking, a little popping and a little ballet. Once the language barrier is overcome, Toshihiko's performance is captivating. Nigel says it was reminiscent of Twitch because he didn't know what to expect next. Tyce tells Toshihiko that his body is "like a musical instrument." He'll come back for choreography.
Austin Freeman, 21, is a nerdy looking guy who says he's going to be dancing "the wiggle." He says he does this all over New York City, which he says sometimes prompts laughter and gets people to make fun of him. He says his goal in life is "to become a celebrity." He wiggles his body while music plays and is sent packing.
After a montage of good dances, we meet Shafeek Westbrook of Philadelphia, who's a master flipper, but his audition is a demonstration of raw physical control. He does some amazing tricks, flips and handstands. Nigel says Shafeek brings something unique to the show. Mary says it's unlike anything she's ever seen before. Tyce tells Shafeek he moves "like silk." He's got a ticket to Vegas.
At the end of the night, Toshihiko struggles in choreography and checks himself out of the competition. He couldn't lift his partner. A bunch more dancers get their tickets punched for Las Vegas.
Day 2 in New York and we meet Leo Reyes, who says he's auditioning now for her mom, who had attempted suicide recently. He cries as he talks about how he'd taken his talent for granted and hadn't done anything with it that his mom could see. His moves bring the other dancers to their feet and get him to Vegas. He calls his mom to tell her he did it for her.
After a montage of some terrible performance, we get a ballet dancer named Chehon Wespi-Tschopp of Zurich who says he's put his own twist on his ballet background. Sure enough, the judges are impressed. Tyce thinks Chehon needs to go to Vegas, so he does.
For the second hour we head to Texas for the Dallas auditions, and Lil C is on the panel now. We meet Bree Hafen, a mother of two who says she's felt guilty for wanting to get back into dancing after dedicating her life to her kids for years. She's 29 and ready to give it a shot. Her two kids, 5-year-old Luke and 2-year-old Stella, come and sit in Nigel's chair to watch their mom. Bree impresses Nigel enough that he asks little Luke, "If I give you something will you give it to mommy?" Luke walks up to the edge of the stage with his mom's ticket to Vegas. After all the praise, little Stella gets her chance to show some moves and she brings the house down.
Two creepy guys -- one who says he does "exorcist style" and another who does "zombie" style -- are coming next. First, Stepheon "The Zombie" Stewart, freaks everyone out -- in a good way -- with some impressive physical control in a sort of popping and locking performance. Lil C is fired up, saying, "That's what I wanted to see!" And, "I love my job." Nigel says it's "one of the most entertaining routines" he's seen. Lil C says that after all the time and energy and effort he's devoted to dance, performers like Stepheon are what keep him doing what he does.
Hampton Williams tells the judges that he aims to cleanse the audience's soul through his dance. Everyone seems a little skeptical, if not downright afraid, but it's a riveting performance that has Mary crying, some of the other dancers in the crowd crying and giving him a standing ovation. Nigel tells Hampton that he "might be a genius." Nigel says he isn't sure how Hampton's skills will play out in the competition, but he doesn't care and he'll pay for it himself, regardless of what the other judges says. Mary seems convinced, though, still crying and saying she's never been so moved by that style of dance before. Lil C says he wants to kick Hampton in the face (in a good way). He says Hampton showed freestyle that no one's ever seen before.
Daniel Baker from Australia now lives in San Francisco. He talks about a book his father gave him about America, and that's why he'd always wanted to live in the U.S. He took up ballet to get to America and gave up a job with the San Francisco Ballet to try out for the show. The crowd chants, "Vegas! Vegas! Vegas!" But the judges insist on playfully acting cool until handing him a ticket to Vegas.
After another montage of Vegas-bound dancers, we meet Sam Shreffler, who explains that he's on the autism spectrum and his symptoms fluctuate. He does what he calls "lyrical freestyle." Nigel tells Sam that he won't be moving on to choreography, but urges Sam not to give up dancing.
Up next is a B Boy trying out for a "mainstream" TV show called "So You Think You Can Dance," who says he despises the TV show called "So You Think You Can Dance," and isn't interested in going mainstream. Cat is clearly annoyed during her pre-audition interview and tells him to "go on, get out of here" before he heads to the stage. He immediately tells Nigel he disagrees with the way the show is run. His name is Von Kipper and while he shows off some decent moves, Lil C says he thinks the conversation with Nigel threw him off.
Jarell Rochelle comes up next and explains that he wants to do something with his dancing while his mom -- who is going blind -- can still see it. Nigel invites Jarell's mom to his seat on the judges' table so she can get the close-up. She cries while she watches her son on stage, and Nigel can't help but smile. Nigel asks Jarell's mom to hand her son his ticket to Vegas.
The first stop is in New York, pulling talent from Broadway to the streets of Brooklyn, every surrounding borough and beyond.
Joining Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy on the judging panel is Tyce Diorio. As you'll recall, each dancer gets a chance at a solo. The best of the best will be sent straight to Vegas for the next round, while any on-the-fence dancers will be sent on to a group choreography stage where some will move on and some won't. And the rest, well, it was a great trip.
Amelia Lowe sort of conjures images of "The Artist," but producers weren't going to let that point go unnoticed. Her whole intro package was done in 1920s silent-movie style, but her performance lived up to the hype and she's off to Vegas.
Toshihiko Nakazawa of Japan says he does a little hip hop, a little locking, a little popping and a little ballet. Once the language barrier is overcome, Toshihiko's performance is captivating. Nigel says it was reminiscent of Twitch because he didn't know what to expect next. Tyce tells Toshihiko that his body is "like a musical instrument." He'll come back for choreography.
Austin Freeman, 21, is a nerdy looking guy who says he's going to be dancing "the wiggle." He says he does this all over New York City, which he says sometimes prompts laughter and gets people to make fun of him. He says his goal in life is "to become a celebrity." He wiggles his body while music plays and is sent packing.
After a montage of good dances, we meet Shafeek Westbrook of Philadelphia, who's a master flipper, but his audition is a demonstration of raw physical control. He does some amazing tricks, flips and handstands. Nigel says Shafeek brings something unique to the show. Mary says it's unlike anything she's ever seen before. Tyce tells Shafeek he moves "like silk." He's got a ticket to Vegas.
At the end of the night, Toshihiko struggles in choreography and checks himself out of the competition. He couldn't lift his partner. A bunch more dancers get their tickets punched for Las Vegas.
Day 2 in New York and we meet Leo Reyes, who says he's auditioning now for her mom, who had attempted suicide recently. He cries as he talks about how he'd taken his talent for granted and hadn't done anything with it that his mom could see. His moves bring the other dancers to their feet and get him to Vegas. He calls his mom to tell her he did it for her.
After a montage of some terrible performance, we get a ballet dancer named Chehon Wespi-Tschopp of Zurich who says he's put his own twist on his ballet background. Sure enough, the judges are impressed. Tyce thinks Chehon needs to go to Vegas, so he does.
For the second hour we head to Texas for the Dallas auditions, and Lil C is on the panel now. We meet Bree Hafen, a mother of two who says she's felt guilty for wanting to get back into dancing after dedicating her life to her kids for years. She's 29 and ready to give it a shot. Her two kids, 5-year-old Luke and 2-year-old Stella, come and sit in Nigel's chair to watch their mom. Bree impresses Nigel enough that he asks little Luke, "If I give you something will you give it to mommy?" Luke walks up to the edge of the stage with his mom's ticket to Vegas. After all the praise, little Stella gets her chance to show some moves and she brings the house down.
Two creepy guys -- one who says he does "exorcist style" and another who does "zombie" style -- are coming next. First, Stepheon "The Zombie" Stewart, freaks everyone out -- in a good way -- with some impressive physical control in a sort of popping and locking performance. Lil C is fired up, saying, "That's what I wanted to see!" And, "I love my job." Nigel says it's "one of the most entertaining routines" he's seen. Lil C says that after all the time and energy and effort he's devoted to dance, performers like Stepheon are what keep him doing what he does.
Hampton Williams tells the judges that he aims to cleanse the audience's soul through his dance. Everyone seems a little skeptical, if not downright afraid, but it's a riveting performance that has Mary crying, some of the other dancers in the crowd crying and giving him a standing ovation. Nigel tells Hampton that he "might be a genius." Nigel says he isn't sure how Hampton's skills will play out in the competition, but he doesn't care and he'll pay for it himself, regardless of what the other judges says. Mary seems convinced, though, still crying and saying she's never been so moved by that style of dance before. Lil C says he wants to kick Hampton in the face (in a good way). He says Hampton showed freestyle that no one's ever seen before.
Daniel Baker from Australia now lives in San Francisco. He talks about a book his father gave him about America, and that's why he'd always wanted to live in the U.S. He took up ballet to get to America and gave up a job with the San Francisco Ballet to try out for the show. The crowd chants, "Vegas! Vegas! Vegas!" But the judges insist on playfully acting cool until handing him a ticket to Vegas.
After another montage of Vegas-bound dancers, we meet Sam Shreffler, who explains that he's on the autism spectrum and his symptoms fluctuate. He does what he calls "lyrical freestyle." Nigel tells Sam that he won't be moving on to choreography, but urges Sam not to give up dancing.
Up next is a B Boy trying out for a "mainstream" TV show called "So You Think You Can Dance," who says he despises the TV show called "So You Think You Can Dance," and isn't interested in going mainstream. Cat is clearly annoyed during her pre-audition interview and tells him to "go on, get out of here" before he heads to the stage. He immediately tells Nigel he disagrees with the way the show is run. His name is Von Kipper and while he shows off some decent moves, Lil C says he thinks the conversation with Nigel threw him off.
Jarell Rochelle comes up next and explains that he wants to do something with his dancing while his mom -- who is going blind -- can still see it. Nigel invites Jarell's mom to his seat on the judges' table so she can get the close-up. She cries while she watches her son on stage, and Nigel can't help but smile. Nigel asks Jarell's mom to hand her son his ticket to Vegas.
Wed, May 30, 2012
The "So You Think You Can Dance" auditions make their way to the west coast, where Jesse Tyler Ferguson joins regular judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy.
After just missing the top 20 last season, Alexa Anderson is back for another shot. Nigel doesn't even want to say anything about the performance, and opts instead to simply hand Alexa her ticket to Vegas.
Jontell "Johnny Waacks" Gibson is looking to bring whacking to the show, and Nigel is embarrassed when he asks the 20-year-old, "How long have you been whacking?" Things get even more interesting when Jontell explains that he learned the form by practice by himself. Nigel is impressed by Jontell's musicality. He's on to choreography.
Eliana Girard says she's auditioning as a contemporary dancer, but she does a lot more. She went to Joffrey in New York and performed on an aerial pole in the Cirque du Soleil production of "Elvis." Nigel and Mary are stunned just watching the performance. She gets a standing ovation and it's pretty clear she'll be moving on. Nigel praises her "performance in the face and from the heart." He says "it was beautiful to watch and it didn't feel fake." He calls her one of the best girls this year. Mary says she was "like an instrument just playing that song with your body" and says Eliana is "definitely top 20 material." Jesse says she reminds him of Melanie. She's going to Vegas.
A trio of dancers whose names we don't see are packaged in a montage and they're all headed to Vegas.
Next is a montage of dynamic duos, and it leads us to Nick and James, "the ninja twins," who do everything together, including sharing the same room. They put on a very long shtick in the intro package and before their performance before auditioning together. They do their act to "Man in the Mirror" and the crowd loves it. But Nigel breaks the news that they are over the show's age limit. Still, he says he loved watching them and they've provided a bright spot on the show.
Cat talks to Sam Lenarz, 18, who cries after saying that her audition routine is about how "everything's going to be better in the end." She then shares the story of her mom kicking her out of the house. She's been living with her best friend. The crowd loves the performance, but Nigel says he needs more heart and passion from her. She needs to resist just showing off specific moves and bring them together more artistically. Mary says something's holding her back, and she asks Sam if she gets support from her family. The judges put her through to choreography.
Caley Carr, a 25-year-old surfer dude from Huntington Beach, says he's on the show to break out as a tap dancer. Jesse says he's a total cliche, the classic mustachioed surfer, tap dancer combination. He gets through to choreography.
Megan Branch, 18, talks about how grateful she is for her mother's support before impressing the judges with her contemporary routine. Mary loves the energy and Jesse talks about how beautiful Megan. She goes straight through to Vegas.
Cole Horibe puts together an impressive display of martial arts-style dance. It's intense and dramatic, and the judges love it. Nigel admires the body control Cole demonstrates and says he hasn't seen anything like it. He says he's also done a whole bunch of other styles of dance.
David Matz is looking to get some respect for circus performers and he does his audition with a wheel. Nigel wants to see what more can be expected from David in choreography.
Stephen Jacobsen says he's going to do ballet, but "not classical." Nigel and Mary agree it's terrible, but Nigel stops it short and tells Stephen he "should be shot" for choreographing so badly. Mary decides to give Stephen a chance to show some real ballet, and Nigel stops this performance short again -- but this time it's so he can give Stephen a ticket to Vegas.
More dancers who have auditioned in previous seasons are back for another shot, including one girl who's made it to Vegas five times. She's off to the desert again.
Jonathan Anzalone auditioned in Season 4, but admits he was a little cocky back then. He's now kind of embarrassed about it and says he's ready to show "the real me" and a "new person." He does some impressive and at times comical B-boying. it gets weird when Jonathan is asked to show some more moves and Nigel asks if any ladies in the crowd want to dance with Jonathan. The dancing gets a little wild and Jesse grabs a Vegas ticket and stuffs it into Jonathan's waistline. That wasn't the real deal, though, and Jonathan is asked to return for choreography.
For three seasons, Jasmine Mason has watched her brother Marshea audition for the show, but this all changed six weeks before the audition. He was driving and swerved to avoid hitting a car that jumped in front of them. The crash was serious and Marshea ended up in a coma for two days and had neck injuries. Jasmine puts on an impressive jazz performance and the judges hand her a ticket.
Remarkably, six weeks after his accident, Marshea takes the stage. Mary calls a stop to the performance and simply holds up a ticket to Vegas.
In choreography, circus dancer David drops out. Jonathan, Caley and Johnny Waacks are out, as well, but Sam Lenarz is through to Vegas.
After just missing the top 20 last season, Alexa Anderson is back for another shot. Nigel doesn't even want to say anything about the performance, and opts instead to simply hand Alexa her ticket to Vegas.
Jontell "Johnny Waacks" Gibson is looking to bring whacking to the show, and Nigel is embarrassed when he asks the 20-year-old, "How long have you been whacking?" Things get even more interesting when Jontell explains that he learned the form by practice by himself. Nigel is impressed by Jontell's musicality. He's on to choreography.
Eliana Girard says she's auditioning as a contemporary dancer, but she does a lot more. She went to Joffrey in New York and performed on an aerial pole in the Cirque du Soleil production of "Elvis." Nigel and Mary are stunned just watching the performance. She gets a standing ovation and it's pretty clear she'll be moving on. Nigel praises her "performance in the face and from the heart." He says "it was beautiful to watch and it didn't feel fake." He calls her one of the best girls this year. Mary says she was "like an instrument just playing that song with your body" and says Eliana is "definitely top 20 material." Jesse says she reminds him of Melanie. She's going to Vegas.
A trio of dancers whose names we don't see are packaged in a montage and they're all headed to Vegas.
Next is a montage of dynamic duos, and it leads us to Nick and James, "the ninja twins," who do everything together, including sharing the same room. They put on a very long shtick in the intro package and before their performance before auditioning together. They do their act to "Man in the Mirror" and the crowd loves it. But Nigel breaks the news that they are over the show's age limit. Still, he says he loved watching them and they've provided a bright spot on the show.
Cat talks to Sam Lenarz, 18, who cries after saying that her audition routine is about how "everything's going to be better in the end." She then shares the story of her mom kicking her out of the house. She's been living with her best friend. The crowd loves the performance, but Nigel says he needs more heart and passion from her. She needs to resist just showing off specific moves and bring them together more artistically. Mary says something's holding her back, and she asks Sam if she gets support from her family. The judges put her through to choreography.
Caley Carr, a 25-year-old surfer dude from Huntington Beach, says he's on the show to break out as a tap dancer. Jesse says he's a total cliche, the classic mustachioed surfer, tap dancer combination. He gets through to choreography.
Megan Branch, 18, talks about how grateful she is for her mother's support before impressing the judges with her contemporary routine. Mary loves the energy and Jesse talks about how beautiful Megan. She goes straight through to Vegas.
Cole Horibe puts together an impressive display of martial arts-style dance. It's intense and dramatic, and the judges love it. Nigel admires the body control Cole demonstrates and says he hasn't seen anything like it. He says he's also done a whole bunch of other styles of dance.
David Matz is looking to get some respect for circus performers and he does his audition with a wheel. Nigel wants to see what more can be expected from David in choreography.
Stephen Jacobsen says he's going to do ballet, but "not classical." Nigel and Mary agree it's terrible, but Nigel stops it short and tells Stephen he "should be shot" for choreographing so badly. Mary decides to give Stephen a chance to show some real ballet, and Nigel stops this performance short again -- but this time it's so he can give Stephen a ticket to Vegas.
More dancers who have auditioned in previous seasons are back for another shot, including one girl who's made it to Vegas five times. She's off to the desert again.
Jonathan Anzalone auditioned in Season 4, but admits he was a little cocky back then. He's now kind of embarrassed about it and says he's ready to show "the real me" and a "new person." He does some impressive and at times comical B-boying. it gets weird when Jonathan is asked to show some more moves and Nigel asks if any ladies in the crowd want to dance with Jonathan. The dancing gets a little wild and Jesse grabs a Vegas ticket and stuffs it into Jonathan's waistline. That wasn't the real deal, though, and Jonathan is asked to return for choreography.
For three seasons, Jasmine Mason has watched her brother Marshea audition for the show, but this all changed six weeks before the audition. He was driving and swerved to avoid hitting a car that jumped in front of them. The crash was serious and Marshea ended up in a coma for two days and had neck injuries. Jasmine puts on an impressive jazz performance and the judges hand her a ticket.
Remarkably, six weeks after his accident, Marshea takes the stage. Mary calls a stop to the performance and simply holds up a ticket to Vegas.
In choreography, circus dancer David drops out. Jonathan, Caley and Johnny Waacks are out, as well, but Sam Lenarz is through to Vegas.
Wed, Jun 6, 2012
Quick over-under on how many times the term "Hot-lanta" will be uttered tonight? The "So You Think You Can Dance" auditions head to Atlanta, and host Cat Deeley immediately reminds us that last year's winner Melanie came from Georgia. Will another follow in her footsteps?
Debbie Allen joins Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe on the judges' table. After a quick reminder on the rules, we're off and running.
The first dancer has provided information to the producers touting her ability to fart with her neck, which Nigel asks her to prove and she does. Audrey Case, 18, then shows off some serious contemporary moves that highlight a ton of leg strength and control. The judges and the other dancers all love it. Nigel tells her she's great, but warns her that she's got to be able to do other things. He thinks she can, and she'll get her chance in Vegas.
Three hip-hop dancers, the Dragon House Crew, who live together along with a good handful of other dancers. The first of the bunch to perform is Boris Penton, who wows the judges and the crowd with his intense body control. Nigel calls it "mesmerizing" and says it "was absolutely stunning to watch." Mary says she doesn't even "get" how he can do what he does without any training. Debbie calls it "pure artistry." Nigel asks him if he's gotten enough compliments yet, then hands him a ticket to Vegas.
Joshua Alexander, an 18-year-old singer, guitarist and dance teacher, is barely finished with his routine when all three judges say nothing and hold up tickets to Vegas. Debbie tells Joshua that when he dances, it's like he's "testifying."
Things are going incredibly well in Atlanta, and we get to see three dancers in a montage who talk about having overcome challenges -- a tough neighborhood, Terets syndrome, and losing one's mother at a young age -- and they're all headed to Vegas.
Tim Conkel, a 21-year-old karate instructor, says he started dancing his freshman year in college to get girls. He doesn't just want to be America's favorite dancer, he wants to be America's favorite person. He displays some powerful moves, but Nigel isn't sure "where the dancing was." Debbie wonders if he can transform himself for other challenges. He says he can, and claims to have taken seven days of ballet. Nigel asks him to show what he's learned in a week of ballet to determine whether he'll go on to choreography or straight to Vegas. Tim shows enough, with a wink and a smile, to go to Vegas.
Jackson Alvarez gives a powerful hip-hop routine before he mentions the fact that he leads line dancing at a local club, and Nigel asks a bunch of other dancers to come up and show the wobble. Jackson wobbles his way to choreography.
Janelle Issis, a 23-year-old belly dancer from Alabama, gets Nigel's blood pumping and he cuts it short because "one heart attack's enough in my life." He praises her smile when she dances, and Mary calls her a star. She'll get to show some more moves in choreography.
Danielle Dominguez immediately gets attention for her love of bacon. Sure enough, we see a whole highlight reel in which she eats a whole plate of bacon. Nigel then suggests to Mary and Debbie that they might want to try going on the all-bacon diet, which gets him into some trouble with the ladies. Nigel likes her performance, though he says he understand why people think she's "a weird dancer." Debbie thinks Danielle was "very sexy." Nigel and Mary both start talking about how she'd do great with Sonya Tayeh's choreography, and she gets sent to Vegas.
Back to the Dragon House Crew, we meet Andre Rucker who delivers a robot-inspired routine that send the crowd to its feet. Mary calls him "incredible," and she says every year she sees something so new and unusual and he's now among those. Debbie says it's "beyond magical, it's mystical almost."
The third and final Dragon House Crew member, Cyrus "Glitch" Spencer, says he's going to show the judges what a robot-popper looks like. He delivers an extended performance that has the crowd and the judges on their feet. Nigel calls it "absolutely remarkable." Nigel hands him a ticket to Vegas, meaning all three Dragon House dancers are headed to the desert heat.
In choreography, Jackson and Janelle both get sent to Vegas, along with 13 more dancers who get their tickets punched.
The second day of Atlanta's auditions brings us Courtney Kirby, whose grandmother is with her and is just the sweetest lady you could imagine. Grandma used to be a dancer and instructor, back when it was just ballet and tap, she says, "not all this flipping and everything." Grandma gets a seat next to Nigel so she can get an up-close look at her granddaughter. Grandma's critique is that it was "beautiful" and "couldn't have been better." Debbie ultimately votes to send Courtney to Vegas, but Nigel wants to see her in choreography, leaving the tie breaking vote to Mary. Courtney's going to Vegas.
Asher Walker, a hip-hop dancer from Glade Hill, Va., which "has about zero" hip-hop dancers, as he puts it. He tells Nigel that he'd like to be a backup dancer for Justin Bieber if he can. After an impressive performance, Asher is going to Vegas.
George Lawrence II talks about how his dad wanted him to be an athlete and he was a track star for some time. But his dad was "crushed" when his son gave up track for dancing. He thinks getting a ticket to Vegas would help get his dad on his "side" when it comes to dance. Mary says George's performance was probably the best she's seen in the auditions. Debbie says she's "so happy" to have been a part of George's journey.
Next we get a montage of dancers who head straight to Vegas, including Abigail Ruz, Calvin Turner Jr., and Aubrey Klinger.
Finally, there's a run of bad dancers and even some dancers who can't remember their names and ages when they;re asked to introduce themselves on camera. One of those is Brittany ortner, who is from Oviedo, Fla., which is apparently home to a lot of chickens that roam the streets and are protected by a local law. There's nothing fowl about Brittany's performance, though, and the judges agree she's gotta get out of chicken town. The judges agree to send Brittany to choreography.
Dancers Damon Bellmon and Deon Lewis are back and looking to get more girls' phone numbers. They're trying to play their whole cool-guys thing when Cat calls them out on the fact that they stole their choreography during last season's audition from a duo called Les Twins, who'd posted a video on YouTube. Damon and Dion claim it was "a tribute" and "a big misunderstanding." They go to the tape from last season and there is, in fact, a clip of them noting that their routine was "inspired by" a duo called Les Twins, but the footage wasn't used on the show. They get another chance, and are sent to choreography.
Deon doesn't make it, but Damon makes it. Brittany is headed west, as well, along with 13 more Georgia dancers.
Debbie Allen joins Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe on the judges' table. After a quick reminder on the rules, we're off and running.
The first dancer has provided information to the producers touting her ability to fart with her neck, which Nigel asks her to prove and she does. Audrey Case, 18, then shows off some serious contemporary moves that highlight a ton of leg strength and control. The judges and the other dancers all love it. Nigel tells her she's great, but warns her that she's got to be able to do other things. He thinks she can, and she'll get her chance in Vegas.
Three hip-hop dancers, the Dragon House Crew, who live together along with a good handful of other dancers. The first of the bunch to perform is Boris Penton, who wows the judges and the crowd with his intense body control. Nigel calls it "mesmerizing" and says it "was absolutely stunning to watch." Mary says she doesn't even "get" how he can do what he does without any training. Debbie calls it "pure artistry." Nigel asks him if he's gotten enough compliments yet, then hands him a ticket to Vegas.
Joshua Alexander, an 18-year-old singer, guitarist and dance teacher, is barely finished with his routine when all three judges say nothing and hold up tickets to Vegas. Debbie tells Joshua that when he dances, it's like he's "testifying."
Things are going incredibly well in Atlanta, and we get to see three dancers in a montage who talk about having overcome challenges -- a tough neighborhood, Terets syndrome, and losing one's mother at a young age -- and they're all headed to Vegas.
Tim Conkel, a 21-year-old karate instructor, says he started dancing his freshman year in college to get girls. He doesn't just want to be America's favorite dancer, he wants to be America's favorite person. He displays some powerful moves, but Nigel isn't sure "where the dancing was." Debbie wonders if he can transform himself for other challenges. He says he can, and claims to have taken seven days of ballet. Nigel asks him to show what he's learned in a week of ballet to determine whether he'll go on to choreography or straight to Vegas. Tim shows enough, with a wink and a smile, to go to Vegas.
Jackson Alvarez gives a powerful hip-hop routine before he mentions the fact that he leads line dancing at a local club, and Nigel asks a bunch of other dancers to come up and show the wobble. Jackson wobbles his way to choreography.
Janelle Issis, a 23-year-old belly dancer from Alabama, gets Nigel's blood pumping and he cuts it short because "one heart attack's enough in my life." He praises her smile when she dances, and Mary calls her a star. She'll get to show some more moves in choreography.
Danielle Dominguez immediately gets attention for her love of bacon. Sure enough, we see a whole highlight reel in which she eats a whole plate of bacon. Nigel then suggests to Mary and Debbie that they might want to try going on the all-bacon diet, which gets him into some trouble with the ladies. Nigel likes her performance, though he says he understand why people think she's "a weird dancer." Debbie thinks Danielle was "very sexy." Nigel and Mary both start talking about how she'd do great with Sonya Tayeh's choreography, and she gets sent to Vegas.
Back to the Dragon House Crew, we meet Andre Rucker who delivers a robot-inspired routine that send the crowd to its feet. Mary calls him "incredible," and she says every year she sees something so new and unusual and he's now among those. Debbie says it's "beyond magical, it's mystical almost."
The third and final Dragon House Crew member, Cyrus "Glitch" Spencer, says he's going to show the judges what a robot-popper looks like. He delivers an extended performance that has the crowd and the judges on their feet. Nigel calls it "absolutely remarkable." Nigel hands him a ticket to Vegas, meaning all three Dragon House dancers are headed to the desert heat.
In choreography, Jackson and Janelle both get sent to Vegas, along with 13 more dancers who get their tickets punched.
The second day of Atlanta's auditions brings us Courtney Kirby, whose grandmother is with her and is just the sweetest lady you could imagine. Grandma used to be a dancer and instructor, back when it was just ballet and tap, she says, "not all this flipping and everything." Grandma gets a seat next to Nigel so she can get an up-close look at her granddaughter. Grandma's critique is that it was "beautiful" and "couldn't have been better." Debbie ultimately votes to send Courtney to Vegas, but Nigel wants to see her in choreography, leaving the tie breaking vote to Mary. Courtney's going to Vegas.
Asher Walker, a hip-hop dancer from Glade Hill, Va., which "has about zero" hip-hop dancers, as he puts it. He tells Nigel that he'd like to be a backup dancer for Justin Bieber if he can. After an impressive performance, Asher is going to Vegas.
George Lawrence II talks about how his dad wanted him to be an athlete and he was a track star for some time. But his dad was "crushed" when his son gave up track for dancing. He thinks getting a ticket to Vegas would help get his dad on his "side" when it comes to dance. Mary says George's performance was probably the best she's seen in the auditions. Debbie says she's "so happy" to have been a part of George's journey.
Next we get a montage of dancers who head straight to Vegas, including Abigail Ruz, Calvin Turner Jr., and Aubrey Klinger.
Finally, there's a run of bad dancers and even some dancers who can't remember their names and ages when they;re asked to introduce themselves on camera. One of those is Brittany ortner, who is from Oviedo, Fla., which is apparently home to a lot of chickens that roam the streets and are protected by a local law. There's nothing fowl about Brittany's performance, though, and the judges agree she's gotta get out of chicken town. The judges agree to send Brittany to choreography.
Dancers Damon Bellmon and Deon Lewis are back and looking to get more girls' phone numbers. They're trying to play their whole cool-guys thing when Cat calls them out on the fact that they stole their choreography during last season's audition from a duo called Les Twins, who'd posted a video on YouTube. Damon and Dion claim it was "a tribute" and "a big misunderstanding." They go to the tape from last season and there is, in fact, a clip of them noting that their routine was "inspired by" a duo called Les Twins, but the footage wasn't used on the show. They get another chance, and are sent to choreography.
Deon doesn't make it, but Damon makes it. Brittany is headed west, as well, along with 13 more Georgia dancers.
Wed, Jun 13, 2012
"So You Think You Can Dance" lands in Salt Lake City, a town host Cat Deeley says has never let them down, for the final stop on the audition tour.
After a quick review of how audition rounds work, we're off and rolling for two hours.
Witney Carson, 18, says she's ready to bring some sensuality and confidence to her Latin ballroom routine, even though she says that off stage she's "just a normal teenage girl." She wasn't lying about the sensuality, which had the judges in awe and brought them and the crowd to their feet afterward. Nigel refers to ballroom dancer Anya, one of the show's all-time most beloved dancers, and says Witney is right there with her. Mary says there's "something that just changes" in Witney when she starts dancing, and she gives us the first Hot Tamale Train whistle. Adam says Witney is everything the show is about. And she's off to Vegas.
Lynn Gravatt, 33, an unemployed former aerospace engineer, says she's doing an "alien space dance," which she says comes from space because she doesn't fit in a box. She says a "force" one day came through her and says a whole bunch of other stuff about different different alien personalities that live in her. Her audition doesn't last long, but Nigel says she has a great spirit. Mary says Lynn really does look happy when she dances, and Adam tells her that even if there isn't a place for her on the show, "there's a very special place for you in this world."
We get a little montage of dancers whose loved ones came along for the audition, leading into a performance from Deanna Tomaseta, 19,, who has a big Italian family and is the only girl. And we go through a whole thing where her brothers and male cousins talk about how she'd "better not have a boyfriend." Mary says she loved "every single second" of it and that she "couldn't have asked for a better audition." Adam says she has "unbelievable technique" and transitions. Nigel gives her a ticket to Vegas.
After a run of oddball auditions, we see Gene Lonardo, 22, who says his dance is inspired by the life cycle of a male preying mantis. He claims he has a "very creative" way of having his head eaten off by the female preying mantis after mating. Nigel say sit was "intriguing" and "entertaining." Mary says she loved it and Adam tells him he's "sort of brilliant." Nigel and Adam agree that Sonya and other choreographers would love him. The Vegas resident is heading home -- for the next round.
Lindsey Arnold, 19, is the oldest of four girls and loves living in Provo, Utah. She's performing Latin ballroom, which she says is a little more exciting than usual as she incorporates other styles. Nigel says she was "absolutely fabulous." He says she is both a good performer and technician. Mary says Lindsey reminds her of Julianne Hough. And she's headed to Vegas.
Having already seen two ballroom dancers, we're treated to a montage of ballroom dancers, until a little blond girl steps up and announces she's going to crump. Mariah Spears vows she's "going to shock America" with her crumping. Adam calls her the best girl crumper he's seen on the show. Mary says Mariah was a huge surprise, but notes that Mariah is the most believable female crumper. Nigel says he often sees people claim they're going to do hip-hop, "and it's all very weak and white." She's through to choreography.
Murphy Yang is nervous and says he has "mixed emotions." He says he's spent the last year on his own and his parents haven't supported his dancing because they wanted him to be a doctor or lawyer. He says his family moved away and he was left homeless. He talks about his girlfriend pulling him out of "this dark place." Nigel loves it, saying Murphy is "an entertainer," even though there weren't really enough moves for him. He's asked to return for choreography.
After choreography, Murphy is cut. His girlfriend is there with a hug while he cries. Mariah and 10 others are headed to Vegas.
The next day it's a new crowd and Dareian Kujawa is the first dancer up. He says he's very confident. He tells his story of growing up poor in St. Paul, Minn. He says dancing pulled him out of a dark place and gave him faith and "something to believe in." Nigel loved it, but tells Dareian he has "lousy feet" and needs to work on them. Adam says Dareian is what the show is all about. He's got time to work on his feet while awaiting his trip to Vegas.
Things are about to get silly as ballroom dancer Johnny Ahn, who sees himself as quite the player. There's a whole thing about his player ways, which fail miserably. He's been taking a dating course that teaches techniques to get women to date. His partner Whitney Hallam, who is also competing, just plays along and says the course has helped their dancing in terms of the chemistry they need to dance together. Oddly enough, Mary notes that Johnny hardly ever looks at Whitney. Adam says the charm was better than the dancing. They both advance to choreography.
Three dancers who've made it to Vegas in the past -- and whose names we don't see -- are on to Vegas to try again. Adiran Lee took his elimination in Season 7 very hard when Mary delivered the news that he wasn't going to the final round. He's ready to try it again. He says he regretted not coming back to audition for Season 8, and didn't want to continue avoiding the show, which he calls his dream. Adam loved it, even though the choreography wasn't the best. Mary agrees, saying he has all the real tools. He's going to Vegas.
We get a montage of good dancers who are going to Vegas leading into Rachel Applehans' audition. She says she was really shy as a kid, but that seems to have faded as she shows off her moves in a white bustier and short shorts. There's almost no response, but Adam finally says that "if some things were a little different in my life I would move to Salt Lake City." Mary says Rachel's "burlesque jazz" was good and she'd like to see her in choreography. Nigel agrees.
A string of bad dancers are making the judges weary, but Leroy Martinez is hoping he'll bring something different for the judges. He's a fairly heavy-set guy who runs a program for kids to have a place to go after school. Adam is genuinely blown away by Leroy's power moves, including a couple of blackflips and one into a headstand. The crowd erupts and gives Leroy a standing ovation. Adam tells Leroy that he's a big inspiration and an example of "why dancing is so amazing and so important." Mary says Leroy is the kind of person "we want to root for." Nigel gives a little speech about how dance "makes us be better people." He says Leroy embodies the spirit. He tells Leroy that he might not be competitive on the show, and admits he doesn't think he'll be able to do choreography, but he gets a chance.
In choreography, Johnny is bounced. Whitney is cut, as well. Rachel is going to Vegas. And, finally, it's decision time for Leroy. He gets another standing ovation, but he won't be staying in the competition.
After a quick review of how audition rounds work, we're off and rolling for two hours.
Witney Carson, 18, says she's ready to bring some sensuality and confidence to her Latin ballroom routine, even though she says that off stage she's "just a normal teenage girl." She wasn't lying about the sensuality, which had the judges in awe and brought them and the crowd to their feet afterward. Nigel refers to ballroom dancer Anya, one of the show's all-time most beloved dancers, and says Witney is right there with her. Mary says there's "something that just changes" in Witney when she starts dancing, and she gives us the first Hot Tamale Train whistle. Adam says Witney is everything the show is about. And she's off to Vegas.
Lynn Gravatt, 33, an unemployed former aerospace engineer, says she's doing an "alien space dance," which she says comes from space because she doesn't fit in a box. She says a "force" one day came through her and says a whole bunch of other stuff about different different alien personalities that live in her. Her audition doesn't last long, but Nigel says she has a great spirit. Mary says Lynn really does look happy when she dances, and Adam tells her that even if there isn't a place for her on the show, "there's a very special place for you in this world."
We get a little montage of dancers whose loved ones came along for the audition, leading into a performance from Deanna Tomaseta, 19,, who has a big Italian family and is the only girl. And we go through a whole thing where her brothers and male cousins talk about how she'd "better not have a boyfriend." Mary says she loved "every single second" of it and that she "couldn't have asked for a better audition." Adam says she has "unbelievable technique" and transitions. Nigel gives her a ticket to Vegas.
After a run of oddball auditions, we see Gene Lonardo, 22, who says his dance is inspired by the life cycle of a male preying mantis. He claims he has a "very creative" way of having his head eaten off by the female preying mantis after mating. Nigel say sit was "intriguing" and "entertaining." Mary says she loved it and Adam tells him he's "sort of brilliant." Nigel and Adam agree that Sonya and other choreographers would love him. The Vegas resident is heading home -- for the next round.
Lindsey Arnold, 19, is the oldest of four girls and loves living in Provo, Utah. She's performing Latin ballroom, which she says is a little more exciting than usual as she incorporates other styles. Nigel says she was "absolutely fabulous." He says she is both a good performer and technician. Mary says Lindsey reminds her of Julianne Hough. And she's headed to Vegas.
Having already seen two ballroom dancers, we're treated to a montage of ballroom dancers, until a little blond girl steps up and announces she's going to crump. Mariah Spears vows she's "going to shock America" with her crumping. Adam calls her the best girl crumper he's seen on the show. Mary says Mariah was a huge surprise, but notes that Mariah is the most believable female crumper. Nigel says he often sees people claim they're going to do hip-hop, "and it's all very weak and white." She's through to choreography.
Murphy Yang is nervous and says he has "mixed emotions." He says he's spent the last year on his own and his parents haven't supported his dancing because they wanted him to be a doctor or lawyer. He says his family moved away and he was left homeless. He talks about his girlfriend pulling him out of "this dark place." Nigel loves it, saying Murphy is "an entertainer," even though there weren't really enough moves for him. He's asked to return for choreography.
After choreography, Murphy is cut. His girlfriend is there with a hug while he cries. Mariah and 10 others are headed to Vegas.
The next day it's a new crowd and Dareian Kujawa is the first dancer up. He says he's very confident. He tells his story of growing up poor in St. Paul, Minn. He says dancing pulled him out of a dark place and gave him faith and "something to believe in." Nigel loved it, but tells Dareian he has "lousy feet" and needs to work on them. Adam says Dareian is what the show is all about. He's got time to work on his feet while awaiting his trip to Vegas.
Things are about to get silly as ballroom dancer Johnny Ahn, who sees himself as quite the player. There's a whole thing about his player ways, which fail miserably. He's been taking a dating course that teaches techniques to get women to date. His partner Whitney Hallam, who is also competing, just plays along and says the course has helped their dancing in terms of the chemistry they need to dance together. Oddly enough, Mary notes that Johnny hardly ever looks at Whitney. Adam says the charm was better than the dancing. They both advance to choreography.
Three dancers who've made it to Vegas in the past -- and whose names we don't see -- are on to Vegas to try again. Adiran Lee took his elimination in Season 7 very hard when Mary delivered the news that he wasn't going to the final round. He's ready to try it again. He says he regretted not coming back to audition for Season 8, and didn't want to continue avoiding the show, which he calls his dream. Adam loved it, even though the choreography wasn't the best. Mary agrees, saying he has all the real tools. He's going to Vegas.
We get a montage of good dancers who are going to Vegas leading into Rachel Applehans' audition. She says she was really shy as a kid, but that seems to have faded as she shows off her moves in a white bustier and short shorts. There's almost no response, but Adam finally says that "if some things were a little different in my life I would move to Salt Lake City." Mary says Rachel's "burlesque jazz" was good and she'd like to see her in choreography. Nigel agrees.
A string of bad dancers are making the judges weary, but Leroy Martinez is hoping he'll bring something different for the judges. He's a fairly heavy-set guy who runs a program for kids to have a place to go after school. Adam is genuinely blown away by Leroy's power moves, including a couple of blackflips and one into a headstand. The crowd erupts and gives Leroy a standing ovation. Adam tells Leroy that he's a big inspiration and an example of "why dancing is so amazing and so important." Mary says Leroy is the kind of person "we want to root for." Nigel gives a little speech about how dance "makes us be better people." He says Leroy embodies the spirit. He tells Leroy that he might not be competitive on the show, and admits he doesn't think he'll be able to do choreography, but he gets a chance.
In choreography, Johnny is bounced. Whitney is cut, as well. Rachel is going to Vegas. And, finally, it's decision time for Leroy. He gets another standing ovation, but he won't be staying in the competition.
Wed, Jun 27, 2012
It's a very special night on "So You Think You Can Dance," so says host Cat Deeley. First, it's the show's 200th episode. Second, we're meeting the Top 20. And third, there's a wonderful panel of experts that includes Zooey Deschenel. Nigel Lythgoe announces that one of the changes coming to the show this season is that there will be two winners -- the best guy and the best girl.
First, we have to go back in time to see the process involved in cutting the final 35 dancers to the final 20. They all came to Hollywood to meet with the judges face to face and learn their fates.
First up is Alexa, who was the final dancer nixed from the Top 20 last year. She came back strong, but struggled in Vegas to meet the judges' expectations. She wants to show the judges and America her personality. Tyce tells her she showed some great fight in Vegas, and it was enough. She's in.
George Lawrence II, a powerhouse in his audition and through Vegas Week, gets the news from Debbie Allen. He's in the Top 20. After that, Will Thomas made it.
Megan Branch was the next girl to find out if she was in or out, and Lil C tells her she will not be in the Top 20. Colin Fuller is also not through.
Amber Jackson, who made it to the final cut in Season 6 but didn't make it quite that far in Season 7, after which she said she'd never try out again. She dropped the attitude and returned for Season 9, and she's in.
And the first four -- Alexa, Amber, George and Will -- perform a Tyce DiOrio routine. Afterward, Nigel says the whole Top 20 are superstars and that not one of the first four dancers let themselves down. He tells Will, a big and tall guy, he needs to move as fast as "the little ones." Nigel tells Amber he's happy to see her negative attitude is gone and she's a real star. He tells Alexa she's found her performance, and he rounds out the praise by telling George that if every light in the studio went out, he would still shine.
The ballroom dancers -- of which there were many -- are going to see where they landed next. Nick Bloxsom-Carter is very emotional and breaks down, but he can stop the crying because he's in. Lindsay Arnold and Witney Carson, competitors since childhood in the world of ballroom dancing, are told jointly by Mary Murphy that the judges "are looking for one ballroom girl." Mary tells Witney she's in the Top 20. Mary milks the moment for a bit before telling Lindsay that she's also in the Top 20. Nick, Lindsay and Witney then perform together. Mary says the train just pulled up to the sizzle station. She's happy to have three ballroom dancers in the Top 20. She wants more, stronger moves from Nick. She then calls Witney and Lindsay "two of the hottest tamales" that have ever been on the show. Zooey says she was worried for Nick because the girls are such "firecrackers" and he could've been hurt.
Eiana Girard is told by Debbie that she's headed into the Top 20. This leaves ballet boys Daniel Baker and Cheyon Wespi-Tschopp, who both left solid dancing jobs behind to try out for the show. They're brought in together. Daniel, whose consistent performances wowed the judges, gets into the Top 20. Keon, who had a remarkable and memorable moment, is also invited to stay. Eliana, Daniel and Cheyon perform together.
Next up, Tiffany Maher "brought the heat" while Audrey Case "brought the sweet," as Cat puts it. The two jazz dancers are paired, but visit the judges separately. Tiffany goes first and is told she's in. Audrey's nervous, thinking there isn't room for both jazz dancers. She's in. Meanwhile, Abigail Riuz, Kaitlynn Edgar, Katie Muth and Rebecca Hart, are all gone.
Janelle Issis then becomes the first belly dancer to make it into the Top 20. Janelle smacked her head on the doorway trying to be dramatic when she walked out to deliver the good news. She's fine, but making things worse is that she became ill during rehearsals for Wednesday's performance and had to sit it out. She'll be fine for next week, though.
Joshua Alexander, whose Vegas Week ended with a disastrous fall onto the back of his head and didn't get a chance to perform his solo. He's not going to continue on the show. Bad news followed for Blake Zelesnikar, Jasmine Mason and Daniel Kemaides.
With seven spaces and 12 dancers remaining, Matthew Kazmierczak gets good news. Dareian Kujawa rides an emotional wave after watching Matthew celebrate, realizing how much this would mean to him. Then he finds out he's in the Top 20. Janaya French has struggled to make a life of dancing in Los Angeles. There were only two girls left: Amelia Lowe and Jill Johnson. Janaya gets through and that leaves Amelia and Jill knowing that there's just one spot left between the two of them. Tyce tells them they're looking for "star quality," and with that he tells Amelia she's in the Top 20. Amelia, Dareian, Janaya and Matthew then perform together.
Cole Horibe makes it to the Top 20, but tappers Aaron and Zach are tapped out. Steppers Devan McCullough and Brandon Mitchell are sent in to see the judges together. Debbie tells Devan he isn't in and Brandon is.
With just one spot left, hip-hop dancer Feliciano Turk and animator Cyrus Spencer wait for word on their fate. Feliciano handled other styles very well during Vegas Week, while Cyrus struggled. Lil C tells Feliciano he brings "such quality of entertainment," and praises Cyrus for having the attitude of a student. Nigel tells Cyrus he's in, and Feliciano is out. He warns Cyrus that he "better bring it" because they've put a lot on his shoulders. Cole, Brandon and Cyrus perform together.
The Top 20:
Alexa
Amber
George
Will
Nick
Witney
Lindsay
Eliana
Daniel
Cheyon
Tiffany
Audrey
Janelle
Matthew
Dareian
Janaya
Amelia
Cole
Brandon
Cyrus
First, we have to go back in time to see the process involved in cutting the final 35 dancers to the final 20. They all came to Hollywood to meet with the judges face to face and learn their fates.
First up is Alexa, who was the final dancer nixed from the Top 20 last year. She came back strong, but struggled in Vegas to meet the judges' expectations. She wants to show the judges and America her personality. Tyce tells her she showed some great fight in Vegas, and it was enough. She's in.
George Lawrence II, a powerhouse in his audition and through Vegas Week, gets the news from Debbie Allen. He's in the Top 20. After that, Will Thomas made it.
Megan Branch was the next girl to find out if she was in or out, and Lil C tells her she will not be in the Top 20. Colin Fuller is also not through.
Amber Jackson, who made it to the final cut in Season 6 but didn't make it quite that far in Season 7, after which she said she'd never try out again. She dropped the attitude and returned for Season 9, and she's in.
And the first four -- Alexa, Amber, George and Will -- perform a Tyce DiOrio routine. Afterward, Nigel says the whole Top 20 are superstars and that not one of the first four dancers let themselves down. He tells Will, a big and tall guy, he needs to move as fast as "the little ones." Nigel tells Amber he's happy to see her negative attitude is gone and she's a real star. He tells Alexa she's found her performance, and he rounds out the praise by telling George that if every light in the studio went out, he would still shine.
The ballroom dancers -- of which there were many -- are going to see where they landed next. Nick Bloxsom-Carter is very emotional and breaks down, but he can stop the crying because he's in. Lindsay Arnold and Witney Carson, competitors since childhood in the world of ballroom dancing, are told jointly by Mary Murphy that the judges "are looking for one ballroom girl." Mary tells Witney she's in the Top 20. Mary milks the moment for a bit before telling Lindsay that she's also in the Top 20. Nick, Lindsay and Witney then perform together. Mary says the train just pulled up to the sizzle station. She's happy to have three ballroom dancers in the Top 20. She wants more, stronger moves from Nick. She then calls Witney and Lindsay "two of the hottest tamales" that have ever been on the show. Zooey says she was worried for Nick because the girls are such "firecrackers" and he could've been hurt.
Eiana Girard is told by Debbie that she's headed into the Top 20. This leaves ballet boys Daniel Baker and Cheyon Wespi-Tschopp, who both left solid dancing jobs behind to try out for the show. They're brought in together. Daniel, whose consistent performances wowed the judges, gets into the Top 20. Keon, who had a remarkable and memorable moment, is also invited to stay. Eliana, Daniel and Cheyon perform together.
Next up, Tiffany Maher "brought the heat" while Audrey Case "brought the sweet," as Cat puts it. The two jazz dancers are paired, but visit the judges separately. Tiffany goes first and is told she's in. Audrey's nervous, thinking there isn't room for both jazz dancers. She's in. Meanwhile, Abigail Riuz, Kaitlynn Edgar, Katie Muth and Rebecca Hart, are all gone.
Janelle Issis then becomes the first belly dancer to make it into the Top 20. Janelle smacked her head on the doorway trying to be dramatic when she walked out to deliver the good news. She's fine, but making things worse is that she became ill during rehearsals for Wednesday's performance and had to sit it out. She'll be fine for next week, though.
Joshua Alexander, whose Vegas Week ended with a disastrous fall onto the back of his head and didn't get a chance to perform his solo. He's not going to continue on the show. Bad news followed for Blake Zelesnikar, Jasmine Mason and Daniel Kemaides.
With seven spaces and 12 dancers remaining, Matthew Kazmierczak gets good news. Dareian Kujawa rides an emotional wave after watching Matthew celebrate, realizing how much this would mean to him. Then he finds out he's in the Top 20. Janaya French has struggled to make a life of dancing in Los Angeles. There were only two girls left: Amelia Lowe and Jill Johnson. Janaya gets through and that leaves Amelia and Jill knowing that there's just one spot left between the two of them. Tyce tells them they're looking for "star quality," and with that he tells Amelia she's in the Top 20. Amelia, Dareian, Janaya and Matthew then perform together.
Cole Horibe makes it to the Top 20, but tappers Aaron and Zach are tapped out. Steppers Devan McCullough and Brandon Mitchell are sent in to see the judges together. Debbie tells Devan he isn't in and Brandon is.
With just one spot left, hip-hop dancer Feliciano Turk and animator Cyrus Spencer wait for word on their fate. Feliciano handled other styles very well during Vegas Week, while Cyrus struggled. Lil C tells Feliciano he brings "such quality of entertainment," and praises Cyrus for having the attitude of a student. Nigel tells Cyrus he's in, and Feliciano is out. He warns Cyrus that he "better bring it" because they've put a lot on his shoulders. Cole, Brandon and Cyrus perform together.
The Top 20:
Alexa
Amber
George
Will
Nick
Witney
Lindsay
Eliana
Daniel
Cheyon
Tiffany
Audrey
Janelle
Matthew
Dareian
Janaya
Amelia
Cole
Brandon
Cyrus