So You Think You Can Dance: Top 11


Hello fellow lovers of dahnce!  I’m HLo and I’ll be covering SYTYCD this week while Potty Mouth is out of town.  I’ll do my best to keep the torch lit. Speaking of torches, what is going on with Cat’s hair?

Cat's Hair 2

Look up there! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a giant button that turns me off!

Welcome to So You Think You Can Dance!

Nananana…So You Think You Can Dance…dance..dance…

This is the first official performance show of the season and it is LIVE and the director is totally not ready for it.

Director's Mishap 1

From back here, you look amazing.

Poor Ashley (who?) doesn’t even get to be featured.

Ashley Who?

Haha!  She thinks she has a chance in hell of winning this thing!


Cat is wearing a stunning turquoise one-shoulder dress with gold trim and has a blond bird’s nest on her head.

Or maybe it’s a cinnamon bun?  I’m not sure.  Cat must have had a tiff with the judges about her hair pillow before the show as she gets in a few jabs saying, “I use that term loosely,” when referring to the judges as “experts.”  And she calls out Nigel for telling her off in rehearsal for failing to greet him with her trademark, “Evening, sir!” She explains that each contestant will be partnered with an all-star that they “drew.”

Cat kicks off the show by explaining that this week’s video package question will be: What doesn’t America know about you that they should? Isn’t there an easier way of wording that?  Like how about, Tell us something about yourself that will endear you to America and make them want to vote for you even if you’re dancing isn’t the best. And with that, the Top 11 Performance Show officially begins!

Billy:

What’s Billy’s hidden talent?  DIY construction!

Manly Billy

See? Billy is totally manly. He can even carry a table.


He and his dad put together a “dance table.” That’s cute that his dad is trying to get involved in dancing, but that table definitely ain’t made for dancing.

Billy is partnered with Lauren and they’re doing a Tyce Diorio Broadway routine.

 tyce makes face

I know, Tyce. I feel the same way about watching one of your Broadway routines.


Tyce tells us the story behind the dance is it’s about a boy who just has to dance.  Wow, real imagination on that one, Tyce.  Billy is worried about how fast the steps are.

Yikes!

I feel your pain, Billy.

The dance is to “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins.  I know it’s a Broadway show, now, but does this really count?  It’s fun and there are lots of kicks and that’s about all I can say about it.

Sexual Harassment High School

We don’t care about sexual harassment at this high school.

Nigel thinks he had a good “buddy relationship” with Lauren, which is another way of saying she doesn’t seem like Billy’s type.  Mia thought it was very different from his usual style and said he danced like a boy, but next time he needs to dance like a man.  I think she was implying that before he was dancing like a girl.  Finally, Adam Shankman of all people, advises Billy on his butt slapping abilities. Okay, we get it!  Billy probably isn’t into girls that way.  Can we move on, please?

Cristina:

Cristina tells us that she tried out for the Mexican version of American Idol.  Based on the singing she shows us, it’s a good thing she’s sticking to the dancing.  She’s so adorable about it, though, it doesn’t matter.  Cristina is doing a Sonya Tayeh jazz routine with Mark.  Disclaimer here:  Mark is my all-time favorite SYTYCD contestant.  I still remember his amazing work in Bleeding Love and Sonya’s dance The Garden in Season 4.  Seeing Mark back with Sonya means I’m automatically gonna love this dance.  Cristina does a really nice job matching Mark’s dark and quirky style, but it’s hard for me to take my eyes off him.

Cristina and Mark

Hell yeah.

Nigel agrees with me and says that routine was all about seeing Mark and Sonya reunite, but that Cristina did a great job filling in the spaces between the choreography.

Mia greets Cristina by saying “Oye, mami.”  Get it? Cause she’s Mexican.  She thinks Mark is brilliant (duh) and Cristina should be more twisted like he is in the face.  Adam is stunned.  He thought it was going to be a disaster, but he was wrong!

Hot Mark

Right back at ya, babe.

Jose:

Jose does yoga to get ready for dancing.  Is it just me or is Jose the wimpiest b-boy to ever be on this show? Jose gets “lucky” and does hip hop with NappyTab again this week.  His partner is Comfort who is the one all-star who I have to say wasn’t really much of an all-star, but I guess she’s the only hip hop girl from past seasons.  I don’t think they showed a lot of impressive breakers this season and Jose is nothing compared to the Doms and Hoks of the past.  They’re banking on Jose’s cuteness factor as they show him having a really tough time trying to make a mean face in rehearsal.

Jose Monster

I don’t think you’re scaring me the way you intended to.

The routine is about two predators going after each other and is pretty fun, but Jose just doesn’t hit it hard enough in my opinion.  The coolest part is a contemporary-esque lift when Comfort jumps onto Jose’s shoulders.

pic 13

I can’t breathe!

Nigel tries to make a case that Jose is dancing out of his comfort zone, because he’s not used to choreography, but I don’t think that should be an excuse.  Mia says Jose needed more character and Adam thinks he needs to have faster power moves.  I think Adam is also missing the likes of Legacy and other breakers from the past.

Adechike:

Adechike went to the “Fame” school and gets the principal to pull out Tyce Diorio’s grades.  Turns out Mr. Diorio wasn’t such a great student back in the day.  Adechike is doing a Travis Wall contemporary routine with last season’s Kathryn.  Travis has turned into a masterful choreographer, but I can’t take my eyes off of Kathryn.  Adechike partners her well, but I do wonder what a big, manly dancer like Anthony who almost made it this season could have done in a piece like this.

Kathryn

She’s like a pretty Gumby doll.

Nigel thinks that there was no chemistry coming from Adechike.  Mia also felt that there was no sexual chemistry and that Adechike was stiff in all the wrong places.  Adam echoed the other two saying that he was there for her as a partner, but didn’t go the extra step.

Adam Mia Hot

This is how two people who are not attracted to each other look like they want to make out.

Melinda:

Melinda tells us that she is not only a dancer, she’s also an actress who’s been on As The World Turns and she’s also a singer/songwriter.  Oy vay.  Melinda is partnered with Pasha (hotness alert!)  and they’re doing a jive choreographed by Tony and Melanie.

Method Acting

Sometimes, I open my eyes to talk and then I close them to listen.


Melinda is a hot mess.  Next to Pasha she looks stiff as a board and even sticks out her tongue at one point in order to put some personality into her dance.

Corpse

It’s light as a feather, stiff as a board, right?


Nigel tells her that the style didn’t suit her and she might be in trouble tomorrow.  Mia says she appears to be pigeon-toed and she’s performing like a box of cornflakes.  Cat chimes in that she’ll learn more when she watches herself back and Adam says Cat literally took the words right out of his mouth, therefore ignoring the meaning of the word “literally.”

Alex Wong

Oh no, another secret singer.  Let’s stick to the dancing, people!  Alex is doing a Sonya Tayeh routine with Alison from Season 2.  It is in a word: GORGEOUS.  There is really nothing to be said about this routine, but if you haven’t already seen it, find it online now and watch it.  Sheer perfection.

Nigel says they have just set a new standard for SYTYCD.  Mia says it might be the best piece of work ever on the show — which is a lot coming from an egomaniac like Mia.  Adam says that this time, maybe the dancers upped the choreographer’s game and this is the best piece she’s ever choreographed.

I agree with all of it.  Totally gorgeous.

Hotness

Hallelujah, indeed.

Yes!

Yes!

Emotion

Yes!

Alex almost ruins it.

That was so good, I will forget that you mouthed the words along with Cat like a dummy.


Alexie

Poor, cute Alexie had to follow that routine, but she by far has the best intro package when she reveals that she was on Star Search in 1991 where she was judged by none other than Adam Shankman.

Alexie young

Well, she didn’t start off quite so cute.

Adam 1991

Blue Steel? Or Grey Foil?

Alexie is dancing a NappyTab number with Twitch.  Remember his dance with Katie at the door?  Well, this time it’s a window.  It’s a very cute number, though, and a perfect contrast to the serious heartbreak of Alex’s piece.

Window

Girl, men who arrive through windows instead of doors are up to no good.


Nigel thinks that Alexie is a “cute little dancer,” but that she needs to dance hip hop with more resistance.  Mia again says that Alexie is cute (Well, she really is.) but that she needs to match the swag and coolness of Twitch.  Adam makes a Zoolander reference in talking about his 1991 self, but says that Alexie needs to dance like the Tab party of NappyTab.  She dances like a woman, but with the power of a guy. Hm…I think I really want to see Tabitha dance now.  When does that get to happen?

Lauren

Lauren reveals that she is really passionate about working with “a bunch of kindergartners.”  Not one, not two, but a bunch of them all at once.  What does she do with these kindergartners? That isn’t made entirely clear.

Lauren and the kiddies

Um, is this a full bunch?

Lauren is dancing a Mandy Moore pop jazz number with Ade and is having trouble bringing on the sexy.  Given her original audition where she smiled the entire way through Let’s Get It On by Marvin Gaye, I am not surprised.  Also, Mandy, you didn’t really help things out by choosing the Twix “Chicka chicka” song as the music.

Couch surfing

Oh, I love this scene in Ferris Bueller. Best end credits ever.

The choreography is a lot of fun, and the dancing is technically very good, but I wouldn’t call it sexy.

Kicks!

Come and get it!

Nigel feels that the chemistry was lacking.  Mia called it a “first draft” of a performance.  Adam goes way harsh and says that he doesn’t think Lauren is listening to what they’re saying to her.  He accuses her about being all about the presentation and not the feeling.

Lauren listening

No, I totally get what you’re saying. Zzzzzz…..


Kent

Oh man, Kent is so adorable!  He was the Homecoming King at his school, so he is the most popular of 14 boys in the class!  He’s from a small town!  I know the producers are shoving Kent’s cuteness down our throats, but I must admit, I’m drinking the Kool-Aid and loving it.  He gets paired with Anya for a cha-cha choreographed by Tony and Melanie.  Oh poor, Kent.  Anya could eat him alive.  Melanie can’t keep herself from cracking up while Tony says that Kent needs to portray masculinity and strength. God, I love that bitch.

Cougar Melanie

I’ll teach you the ways of the world, young man.


Kent says that he’s going to look older in this piece and instead of looking 18, maybe people will think he’s 19.  Adorable.  Anya is so cute with her American slang when she says that Kent needs to be a “dude who can lead and rock n roll.” Yep, Anya, that’s how we talk over on this side of the pond.

Kent and Anya

Oh God.  What is that?!?

Kent does an admirable job.  There is no doubt that he is really fun to watch dance because he is clearly having the time of his life. He purses his lips the entire time and when Cat calls him out on it afterwards he has another amazing one liner. “When you get into it you just gotta have ‘em!”  A. Dor. A. Ble.

Nigel says he loves how Kent enjoys it and manages to make a sleazy comment about Anya. He also makes some very weird joke about if there being cougars on the farm in Ohio now.  Ew.  Mia says he does great, but there was a moment that Nigel also called out where he looked very girly.  Adam is starting to get loopy, because he says watching Kent was like the parents’ nightmare of a child getting lost at the zoo and ending up in the lion’s cage and then dancing with the lion.  Um, Adam, I think you’re the only one who has that nightmare.  But the Anya/lion comparison was kind of accurate.

Ashley (who?)

Ashley (who?) doesn’t have to work hard to come up with something America doesn’t know about her, since I have no idea who she is.  She could have literally said anything in the world.  Like, perhaps, my name is Ashley and I’m a contestant on this show, but instead she decides to treat us to her weird alter ego Galvatron who sounds like a voice we all used to make at the dinner table when we were five. If the dancing doesn’t work out, this girl does not have a future in voiceover.

Idiot Ashley

There is a reason the producers have kept me out of the spotlight.

Ashley is paired up with Hotty McHotterson a.k.a Neil from Season 3.

Ashley hugs Neil

You love me, Neil. Right?

They are doing a Tyce Diorio contemporary routine.  You just know Tyce is boiling with fury that Sonya got all the accolades for her contemporary piece earlier.  This piece has another amazingly creative concept: Love.  Wow, Tyce, you’re really pulling out all the stops this season.  Neil says the piece isn’t about the steps, but about the connection.  The dance is beautiful and, quite frankly, boring.

Don't Leave Me

Come on, Neil. Say it! Say you love me!


After it’s over, Nigel says Ashley was probably expected to delve into emotions she’s never felt before.  He asks 19-year-old Ashley (who?) if she’s ever been in love and she shockingly — and adorably — replies in tears, “As a matter of fact, I think I am.”  I am at once moved and worried that she’s talking about Neil.  Nigel is thrown for a loop.  “What America didn’t know about you is what a beautiful dancer you are,” he says.  Yes, Nigel, because you’ve never shown her to us before tonight!

Mia said some unintelligible mumbo jumbo about how she felt what Ashley was feeling and she wasn’t sure what she was feeling, but she was feeling something and a nugget of a emotion was there and Ashley’s a special bunny and Mia’s on another planet. Adam said that Ashley is another example of technical brilliance combined with lack of emotion.

Robert:


Robert acts like an ape before the break which is totally ridiculous. Goofy does not equal likable, people. Especially when it is so forced.


Dumb Robert

Nope, it’s not cute, actually.

Robert reveals that he used to be a baseball player before he discovered dance.  He talks about hitting balls and I laugh like six-year-old I am.  Robert is dancing an African Jazz piece by new choreographer Sean Cheesman.  His partner is Courtney whom I love from the aforementioned Sonya Tayeh piece, The Garden, as well as the awesome SYTYCD workout DVD.  Courtney has single-handedly made me lose five pounds.  Robert keeps dropping Courtney, which makes me not like him.

But then, they dance and it is awesome.  Dare I say it, Robert actually reminds me of one Mark Kanemura when he dances.  He has the same sense of abandon. Uh-oh, I think I might like this guy.

Mark, is that you?

If you squint, he looks just like Mark.

Well, until the judging beings and Robert totally overreacts to everything said to him.  Nigel says he thinks Robert is a dark horse in the competition and Robert goes way too far on the humble act.  What did he think Nigel was going to tell him — that he should never dance again?


Dummy Robert

If I cover my face, does it look like sincere humility?


Then, when Mia says she loves him, Robert starts up an inexplicable growling contest and falls further from my graces. Finally, Adam says he thinks he’s going very far.  “He could sink the Titanic?” Cat asks and I wonder what in the world Adam’s comment has to do with an iceberg. Robert says he feels like he’s still in Africa right now and all the good will I built up for him during the dance is now gone.

How to make Hlo hate you.

I should disappear in a cloud of smoke.

So that’s it for the first performance show!  My guess is Bottom 3 are Melinda, Ashley, and Robert with Ashley (who?) going home.  We’ll find out tomorrow!



About

18 Comments

  1. 1
    CattyFan cattyfan
    Posted June 18, 2010 at 1:35 pm

    Nice job covering for PM :)

    Just a few comments I made while watching this show…

    I STILL hate the whole “NappyTab” thing. It sounds like a British diaper pin.

    Billy Bell had zero chemistry with his partner. If he had been anyone else, he would have been torn to bits for it…like, for example, Adechike and his tremendous lack of chemistry with Kathryn.

    That was the most emotionless, passionless, boring version of Addicted To Love that I ever could have imagined. It was more like Addicted To Quaaludes, and could have passed for the musical version of Ambien.

    I strongly dislike Melinda, and believe she deserves to be the first to go. It doesn’t help she reminded me of her awful stint as one of the “Z Twins” on As The World Turns. (She was the female half of a sister/brother duo who pretended to be lovers. And she managed to make it both creepy AND boring.)

    Lauren obviously thinks she’s still on a cheerleading squad. I’d be happy to see her dismissed the second week.

    Alexie’s number reminded me of my first real boyfriend…who once stood below my window throwing pebbles to get my attention. I thought it was the sound of June bugs, and ignored it. I am apparently not the soul of romance.

    Kent was TOO CUTE! I don’t normally get sucked in by cute, but…well…here we are.

    Tyce’s “Love” dance was The Cancer Dance without the scarf. No thanks.

    Robert is a beautiful dancer with a completely off-putting personality. His acting is almost on par with Melinda’s.

    Lastly, this season seems rushed to me…and when they have gotten to the top ten in past seasons, the departure of the contestants was entirely up to the audience vote. At what point this season will the judges let the votes speak instead of manipulating the outcome?

  2. 2
    mama j
    Posted June 18, 2010 at 2:08 pm

    Great recap! Just a few thoughts … First: Melinda lost me instantly when she referred to herself in the third person–ugh! Go home. Second: it seems the whole partner-choosing concept is completely fixed. Think about it: nearly every dancer was with an all-star in a genre that was close to their own, with a few exceptions, of course. It’s like they were setting certain people up for failure. They do it every season, but it seems way more pronounced now that the all-stars are involved. And finally, speaking of the all stars, I love seeing some of my favorites back, but I think the choreographers need to keep in mind that they should be showcasing the contestants. Travis’s piece was incredible–but it wasn’t created with Adechike in mind AT ALL. Yes, there was no chemistry, but there was also no dancing for him. Adam said it best: “Adechike was a good partner.” Well yeah, because that’s all he was asked to do with that choreography.

  3. 3
    Hateful SnarkPants
    Posted June 18, 2010 at 2:39 pm

    Nice recap HLo!

    I agree with cattyfan on the majority of what was said.

    As far as Adechike, I’m still disappointed that he was put into the top 11 over Anthony and Adrian… both of whom, I believe were MUCH more deserving of that spot. And once again, he has performed beyond poorly. I, too, adore Kathryn, and seeing that dance with either Anthony or Adrian would have been amazing in my opinion.

    Melinda is quite off-putting with her personality. Why can’t they find any tappers that aren’t annoying as shit? I know they are out there!

    Billy should not have gotten the mound of praise dumped on him. He is surviving on reputation alone at this point, and I’ll be surprised if he lives up to it as the season progresses.

    Alex, on the other hand, seems to be improving, and continues to grow on me.

    The girls are pretty unremarkable in general. Though I do feel badly for Ashly (who?), because she got so little (I don’t remember ANY) footage in the audition rounds leading up to casting.

    I also wonder when the judges will no longer have a say in the outcome of the weekly voting. I strongly doubt that Alexie got the lowest votes of the 3 in the bottom this week. But the sacrificial lamb had to be a contemporary dancer…which was bound to happen since like 8 of the 11 are contemporary dancers. Thoguh I wonder if that would have been the case if Adechike had been the contemporary dancer in the bottom 3, as he *should* have been based on his (lack of) performance.

  4. 4
    CattyFan CattyFan
    Posted June 18, 2010 at 2:40 pm

    Hateful Snarkpants…I love your name!

  5. 5
    CattyFan CattyFan
    Posted June 18, 2010 at 2:42 pm

    Oh…and for all those who missed seeing Dominic…I’m pretty sure he was hiding in that growth on the top of Cat’s head.

  6. 6
    vallegirl vallegirl
    Posted June 18, 2010 at 3:52 pm

    I actually really and sincerely hated Alex’s dance. Not because he didn’t dance it well, but that choreography was just so overwrought. “Hallelujah” didn’t help it any because that song is a cliche now, which makes sad because Jeff Buckley was sublime, but it was all just a bunch of jittery hands and ugly positions and a couple of nice moves and then that, that, that seizing which made me laugh.

    Robert’s a fantastic dancer who unfortunately looks far older than he is (19) which causes a disconnect with his behavior. It feels like I’m watching a smoking hot 25-year-old guy act like a kid, but he’s really a kid whose looks are only going to get him into trouble. He’s the one who has to look out for cougars.

    And Kent. Love him like cupcakes and kittens and sunshine. But mostly I love that his dancing isn’t cute or juvenile. He’s a born performer. There’s a maturity and expressiveness to his movement that I only feel from Robert, and Kent has more natural charisma when he dances than any of the others. He sweeps you up in his dancing. Alex and Billy are master technicians, but there’s little immediacy to their work. Kent is right there all the time. I love that little sprite.

  7. 7
    Mac
    Posted June 18, 2010 at 4:43 pm

    Spot on recap! Am I alone in noticing that Robert has unusually LARGE HANDS that seem to be moving independently from his unusually LONG ARMS (look away Chandler Bing) when he dances? I hope the all caps are as distracting to you as his appendages are to me when he dances.

  8. 8
    Tenormartin
    Posted June 18, 2010 at 5:13 pm

    I totally agree with Vallegirl’s criticism of the “Hallelujah” dance. I really expected the judges to have a stronger reaction to what I felt was overacting on Alex’s part for seizure arms thingy.

    I think overall the guys are going to be pretty safe and that the competition is between them. Potentially Jose and Adechike being eliminated in the middle of the girls just to mix things up.

    As far as Alex and Billy are concerned, I think that their technical skills will keep them extremely safe until it becomes America’s vote. Experience seems to show that the really technically secure performers on shows like these don’t do that well at that point because audiences like an underdog. How many times have strong contestant just been eliminated because everyone thought they’d be fine? The fact that they aren’t necessarily the most natural performers on top of it won’t help.

    Ultimately, I think Kent and Robert have the best chance of making it far at this point, with Kent being the better bet for wining. Though I do think vallegirl is spot on again with her analysis of the personality/looks mismatch for Robert. Did anyone notice in the choreography that his and Courtney’s relationship in the dance was almost like a cub and his mother? I feel like he’s someone who’s very young at heart (like Kent) but in his case it just looks put on instead of cute. I also do think he exagerates his reactions. If he can keep that under control, he’ll have a better chance of making it to the end (though I suspect the teenage girls who are going to vote the most won’t necessarily notice/care that much).

  9. 9
    here4beer
    Posted June 18, 2010 at 5:27 pm

    The best technical dancer never wins this show. See: Katie, Jacob, Travis, and of course, DANNY.

  10. 10
    georgiababe
    Posted June 18, 2010 at 7:00 pm

    Awesome job covering for PottyMouth, this recap was great!

    I am totally on the Kent bandwagon. It is so obvious when somebody is struggling with a style and freaking out about not getting it right, but Kent was clearly having a blast and I actually thought he did really well. I love him!

    I also really love Robert. This might be because I have a friend named Robert whom I adore who looks like dancer Robert and has the same sort of goofy personality. But I also think that he’s a great dancer and I am really looking forward to seeing more.

    I am a little bit worried for Alex, actually. Obviously, he’s a fantastic dancer, but the judges LOVE him and that can sometimes spell trouble. Remember Will, back in Season 4 or whatever? The judges slobbered all over him week after week and I began to dislike him, just because the judges kept shoving how great he was down America’s collective throat. I could see that becoming a problem for Alex.

    Still can’t stand Billy. I HATED that routine, because, as cattyfan said, NO chemistry whatsoever. I was cringing when he slapped her ass, because I didn’t buy for one second that he was supposed to find her attractive – it felt more brother/sister to me and it was awkward and uncomfortable. I was also annoyed that the judges didn’t call him on this. It’s exactly what they did with Will (see above paragraph) – not calling him on stuff that other dancers get reamed for. I could also see that becoming a problem for him.

    I am actually loving this format. I wasn’t sure if I would, but I do. Although I am concerned a bit about people focusing more on the All-Stars than the actual dancers, I think that aspect might be part of the show. For example, I found it very hard to focus on Adechike, which tells me that he needs to majorly step up his game, performance wise. Same for Melinda – I was watching Pasha. When their turns came, however, I was watching Kent, Robert and Alex. Even though I love Anya and Allison, my eyes were drawn to the the competing dancers – which I think speaks a lot for their performance abilities.

    Anyway, that’s my two cents. I was really excited to see the All-Stars – namely Anya, Pasha, Allison, Neil and Mark. Mark, like you, is my favorite dancer ever to compete on this show and I am SO excited to see him again, getting to do his own style every week. And I forgot just how hot Neil is.

  11. 11
    Lizbot
    Posted June 18, 2010 at 7:20 pm

    Thanks for covering HLo.

    Overall, I thought the show went well, but I had one main roblem with the format that I see other people had as well: In most cases I couldn’t help but focus on the “all-star” and then felt guilty that I wasn’t paying more attention to the contestant. Notable exceptions were Alex and Kent.

    I thought Alex and Allison were awesome together, but I think the judge’s praise was a bit over the top. I also think they were way over the top with their praise for Robert. I don’t think it’s just because I found him extremely annoying, but I was shocked to hear them claim that he could be one of the best contemporary dancers they’ve ever had (ummm…you had Danny and Blake on that stage and Robert does not come close to either). Robert is good, I won’t deny it. But he’s just good. I was totally distracted by Courtney and felt that she performed with much more power and passion than Robert did. Guess the judges must have their story lines…

    Cristina was also overpraised. She was ok, but she didn’t have enough conviction in many of her movement and that really stood out next to Mark. To me, the “laziness” Nigel called her out for in her latin dancing also crept into her performance with Mark, but the judges chose not to call her out for it.

    On the other hand, I disagree with all the criticsm of Adechike (to a point). I agree that he was kind of bland in his piece, but I agree with the poster who noted that it was partly Travis’ fault for the way he choreographed the piece around Kathryn (who was awesome — love that girl!) When you put the “allstar” in a gorgeous red dress and dress the contestant in neutrals and basically assign him to the role of a prop, what do you expect? I know Travis is supposed to be the heir apparent to the throne, but beautiful as his piece was, I think the judges should have called him out on his poor choices. He kind of screwed Adechike over a little. That said, a great performer might have been able to over come it. I’m still rooting for Adechike to step it up next week though.

    I think Lauren was also a bit screwed over by Mandy Moore — even though I think she could have done more with what she was given, Mandy needs to stop scraping the bottom of the barrel of 80s music — try a new era Mandy! And if you must do 80s, choose a song that people can really dance to.

    Melinda was awful. I’m not sure why she’s there other than maybe to draw in the soap opera fans. She’s weak in her own genre and was weak in the jive (which I assume she was assigned because of the similarities to tap).

    Tabitha and Napoleon won me over for a second with the routine they choreographed for Comfort and Jose…then they lost me again with the one they choreographed for Twitch and Alexie…

    That said, I still enjoyed the majority of performances last night, which I will admit is something I don’t think I could have said about past top 20 weeks. Still not sure if I totally like the new format, though…

  12. 12
    lifesabeach
    Posted June 19, 2010 at 4:42 am

    I love Alex-I’d pretty much watch him on the tour if he made it. How are they doing the tour this year? In past years, isn’t it the top 10 that make the tour?

    Most of dancers (Cristina, Kent, Alex, and Robert excepted) felt flat and boring to me. Even the prescence of some all stars that I LOVE (I’m looking at you Pasha) couldn’t help.

    Speaking of the all-stars, are we ever going to hear anything about them? It just feels like they’ve assumed that everyone knows everything about them already, which I know I do, but yeesh….What have they been up to? Other than Mark dancing in every Lady Gaga video and Allison having a baby, I have no idea. It’s like they are just there but not discussed. It’s kind of weird actually.

  13. 13
    lifesabeach
    Posted June 19, 2010 at 4:44 am

    Oh and speaking of Mark-I feel like he’s become a much more confident and stronger dancer since him time on the show. Wonder if that’s Gaga’s influence. :D

  14. 14
    rubberduck1810
    Posted June 19, 2010 at 5:04 am

    Great recap!
    Ok, I know Robert’s a dick, but he’s definitely my new favourite! Alex’s routine was clearly better, but Robert’s was the number of the night for me.
    Kent was adorable, again. On paper, someone like him would’ve annoyed the crap out of me, but I can’t help but love him, and he’s probably going to win anyway.
    And Alex’s number was amazing, but the best performance ever? Hmmm…. Nothing will pass Mia’s addiction piece and the Hummingbird and the Flower for me.

  15. 15
    lovesthehobbitses
    Posted June 19, 2010 at 8:30 am

    LOVE the Guffman reference!

  16. 16
    aljal
    Posted June 19, 2010 at 7:42 pm

    Between Neil, Pasha and Mark, I think I’m going to start taking cold showers during the commercial breaks.

  17. 17
    jewel64
    Posted June 20, 2010 at 8:27 pm

    I was not totally sold by Sonya’s routine. Alex and Allison are amazing dancers, but Sonya’s spaz hands portions of the choreography was disjointed and distracting. The sections that didn’t have Spaz Hands were glorious indeed. But it was not a routine that I would consider “setting a new standard for SYTYCD.” That’s Nigel’s BS-ing to get the viewers all pumped up. I think the way Alex and Allison danced might be a new standard, but the choreography itself? Uh-uh.
    Cannot stand that Melissa broad. She is totally into self-promotion and did an AWFUL job in the jive. No bounce, no hip movement…she tried to cover up her lack of dance ability by mugging to Pasha and to the camera. She should have been GONE, GONE, GONE from the competition, but since there’s a Contemporary Dancer Overload and she is supposedly a “Tapper”, Alexie was the sacrificial lamb.
    Kent is sooooooooooooooooooooooooo adorable! I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins. He has a cute, fresh, unpretentious personality. I hope Hollywood doesn’t ruin that.

  18. 18
    jsd
    Posted June 21, 2010 at 9:45 am

    I’ve watched youtube videos of Tabitha dancing and I have to say she is really really awesome…Adechike annoys me…he’s really good but I don’t know if he appreciates the opportunity

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