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Second Live PerformanceSecond Elimination #9.09
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27 June 2012
Auditions #6
It's a very special night on "So You...
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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
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20 June 2012
Auditions #5
Auditions are done, and now only the...
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Auditions are done, and now only the cream of the preliminary crop has made the trip to Las Vegas. In all, 181 dancers have earned their way to the desert and will face eight "grueling" rounds, including solo, group and a handful of genres. Only 20 dancers will make it to the end of the week, "and it's not going to be easy," host Cat Deeley tells us.
Judges include Lil C, Debbie Allen, Adam Shankman, TyceDiOrio, Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. Nigel announces that solos are first and warns that people will go home if their solos don't stand up. "There are going to be massive cuts," he says.
Hampton "The Exodus" Williams, who wowed the judges during the audition rounds, makes Adam and Tyce weepy. The response is pretty positive. After the first 10 solos, a couple of dancers are sent packing, but Hampton is still in.
Janelle Issis, the belly dancer, is ready to rock Vegas. Tyce loves her immediately. By the end of the first solos, 51 dancers were headed home.
The first group dance is hip-hop, with Twitch and Komfort on the choreography. With the biggest crop of hip-hop dancers ever, it'll be interesting to see how things turn out. Hampton walks onto the stage and says the choreography is too fast for him and he's bowing out. One of the three Dragon House Crew members also leaves, despite his roommates trying to convince him to stay. Another Dragon House member, Boris, goes home. The preying mantis guy and mother of two, Bree.
Cyrus, the last remaining Dragon House member, is among the last group of 10 dancers to take on hip hop. His entire group makes it through.
The next morning, Tyce throws some intense Broadway choreography at the group and two ballroom dancers -- good friends since they were 9 -- are struggling. They get through, as do group after group.
Alexa Anderson, the last person cut last season before the Top 20, is ready to take the stage. Afterward, Adam tells her he's "getting tired of saving" her. He says she's giving them "absolutely no light." Alexa cries afterward and says she's scared the same fate from last season will fall on her again.
Teddy joins 21 dancers ousted after Broadway.
Sonya Tayeh works up a scary jazz routine, and Shafik is struggling. He's making things tough for his partner, Danielle. Rachel from Salt Lake City is in the same group. Shafik and Rachel are asked to step forward, and they're both going home. Rachel makes another plea to the judges. Nigel asks the panel if they want to see Rachel dance for her life. They all say yes, except for Adam. Nigel says he would've said no, but with a majority on her side, Rachel will get a chance at the end of the round.
Danielle gets back on stage to help a contemporary dancer who doesn't have a partner, and she's rewarded with a kick to the head. A medic checks her out.
Amelia, the silent-movie-era-inspired dancer, is excited for the jazz routine. Cyrus and ballroom dancer Lindsay are in this group, as well. Sonya tells Amelia she'd like to see her dance for her life at the end of the round. Cyrus gets a tip to get some lessons on his lines, but he makes it through.
Meanwhile, Danielle is put on a stretcher and taken in an ambulance to the hospital.
Fifteen more dancers have been cut by the end of the jazz round, and Amelia and Rachel have one last chance to do a solo. Rachel goes burlesque for her solo and gets four no votes right away, so she's out. Debbie suggests to her that she's seen as pure sex, so she should try to show more dancing and less flesh in the future. Amelia says she wants to make Sonya a fan of hers after showing what she's all about in her solo. Sonya says she totally gets it and votes yes. Mary, Tyce, Debbie, Adam and Lil C give her yes votes, but Nigel gives her a no and says she needs to be able to give as good of a performance as she did in her solo even when she's doing someone else's choreography.
The night isn't over. It's 10 p.m., and Cat breaks the news that it's the group routine. With random music and their own choice of partners, the groups need to show a performance first thing in the morning.
Ballet dancer Daniel and jazz dancers Audrey and Danielle -- who is back after eight hours in the hospital -- are in the first group. Danielle's late arrival changed things up for her team. They deliver a "terrible" performance, as Nigel puts it. He says they should all be sent home, but the judges deliberate and decide that Charlie and Danielle are gone.
Dres, Adrian and Alexa are in a group together -- and all three have just missed the final 20 in previous seasons. After the performance, Tyce pounces on Alexa again, telling her he's "not enamored" by her beauty anymore. Mary jumps in and tells Alexa she has to show something. Alex breaks down and tearfully tells the judges she's trying to show them what they want to see. They all hope this breakdown is a breakthrough and she's on to the next round.
The next morning Jason Gilkison gives the remaining dancers a smoking cha cha. Cyrus is scared, but gives it his best shot. While everyone in his group goes through, Cyrus is the last to get his result. Jason notes that Cyrus really struggled, but will get a chance to dance for his life.
Aubrey was still floating on air after Nigel called her "like a little Mia Michaels" in the group performance. Her journey grinds to a halt after she's cut. She breaks down and leaves.
Alexa watches as other dancers sail through the ballroom round and knows she has to deliver something special. She does and Jason calls her "one of the best" of the day.
At the end of the round, Cyrus gets his chance to dance for his life. He can't wait to show the judges what he can do. He brings the crowd to its feet with his intense robotic zombie routine. He gets yes votes across the board.
Travis Wall delivers contemporary choreography and the 52 remaining dancers won't know until after everyone has performed. After the performances, of which we see just a little, Nigel calls 34 of the remaining dancers to the stage. They've all made it through.
With 18 dancers left in the theater, Nigel tells them they're just not sure and asks them all to do the routine once more. One of the last couples left is contemporary dance Joshua and female crumper Mariah. Joshua makes it through to the next round. Mariah doesn't.
The next morning, as the dancers prepare for their final solos, Joshua Alexander is practicing a big backflip and lands on his head. He's motionless and is taken away in an ambulance.
For the final solos, the dancers will also get a chance to make their case to the judges. Alexa goes and Debbie says to Tyce, "This child could win." The last solo is from Chehon, who shows some huge, strong leaps that bring the judges to their feet.
Nigel calls all the guys to the stage and cuts five of them -- including Adrian.
The girls are up on stage next and Nigel tells them they're looking for uniqueness in the dancers, not always the best. With that, he announces they are not cutting any of the girls.
By the end of Vegas week, 35 dancers remain and next week will see that list pared down to the final 20.
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13 June 2012
Auditions #4
"So You Think You Can Dance" lands in...
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"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.
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06 June 2012
Auditions #3
Quick over-under on how many times...
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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.
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30 May 2012
Auditions #2
The "So You Think You Can Dance"...
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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.
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24 May 2012
Auditions #1 and #2: Dallas and New York
It's the ninth season of "So You...
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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.
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11 August 2011
Episode #8.23
We start the "So You Think You Can...
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We start the "So You Think You Can Dance" Season 8 finale with a group dance featuring the entire Top 20. The judges panel is packed, with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Lil C, Sonya Tayeh, Tyce Diorio and Robin Antin join regular Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.It's going to be a long night of memorable moments and reprises of performances from throughout the season. The top four come out and Cat asks for final words from the panel. Lil C congratulates them all for getting to the final four. Robin says she's excited to see where they go with their dreams. Tyce tells them something about remembering where their heart and mind and talent meet. Sonya thanks them for making her a better choreographer. Jesse tells them they all possess a spark that no one can take away. Mary tells them they all have great spirits. Nigel tells them each of them are inspiration to kids across the country, and he says that after watching the show back Wednesday night he thought he was "insensitive" toward the guys by discrediting their chances of winning and the hard work they've put in.After a highlight reel of the season, Cat asks Mary to introduce her pick for an encore performance. She wants to see Sasha and Kent's emotional performance to "Fool of Me." They get another standing ovation.Cat recalls some of the romantic moments of the season, then cues up the reel of Nigel kissing Mary. This rolls into a Melanie & Marko routine to "I Got You." Afterward, Nigel is inexplicably sitting on Jesse's lap.Robin then asks to see a "sexy" Mandy Moore routine performed by Tadd and Lauren to Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust."We get a highlight reel about the weird characters the dancers have had to play this season.Lil C chooses a Napoleon & Tabitha routine by Robert and Miranda to Busta Rhymes' "Break Ya Neck." Afterward, we get a replay of the Top 8 "circus" routine, which Cat says made her cry as the makeup and choreography and performance all came together in a special way.The current UK "So You Think You Can Dance" champion, Matt Flint, performs a tap routine with Jess and Nick. Nigel takes a moment to call that "one of the most exciting tap routines" he's ever seen.Mary wants to see the "biggest leap of faith" she's seen on the show, Melanie & Neil's Mandy Moore routine to "Total Eclipse of the Heart." Afterward, Jesse gets a pick and wants to see Marko and Allison perform to Jeff Buckley's "I Know It's Over."Tyce wants to see the "geishas" group routine performed by the Top 10 girls.Some results: At the one-hour mark, we get a recap of Wednesday night's performances. Following the recap, Cat brings the final four to the stage and announces that one of them is out. Finishing in fourth place is ... Tadd.More performances: Lil C gets another pick and wants to see Chris and Ashley performing the jail routine.The Top 4 take a moment to plug the "Glee 3D" movie by being whisked off to the premiere and we see the footage from it.Nigel wants to see a Chris Scott routine starring Twitch and Sasha with their morning make out (and probably more).Sonya wants to see the Top 10 guys doing Chris Scott's piece that had them hip-hopping through and around a bunch of doors. Jesse gets another pick and says he doesn't know anything about ballroom, but he wants to see the Argentine tango by Caitlynn and Pasha, so we get a replay.Mary says the next routine she wants to see made her hair stand up -- Melanie & Marko's first routine together. It was Travis Wall's contemporary routine to "Turn to Stone."Third place: After this, we get another result. Cat sort of abruptly pulls the top three onto the stage and announces that the dancer in third place is Marko. That means Melanie and Sasha are the last two.'Load of crap': Nigel takes an opportunity to respond to a piece in The New York Times that had some dancers from New York talking about the show and saying there were "no memorable routines" and that the dancers on the show are OK but won't work in New York. He says he thinks the routines from tonight will show "what a load of crap" that was, and he asks for Sash and Melanie to reprise their "beastly" Sonya Tayeh routine. Fitting, that the final two are the ones to perform the final dance of the season.And the winner is...: Finally, Melanie and Sasha head out to center stage to find out whose name is on the sealed card in Cat's hand. Before the announcement, we get a recap of their journeys on the show.Cat says the second place dancer got 32 percent of the vote, but the winner got 47 percent of the vote. And that person, "America's favorite dancer" ... is Melanie.Asked if there's anything she wants to say, Melanie just says, "Thank you" through lots of tears. She's mobbed by the other finalists and hoisted up on shoulders as the confetti falls.And another season is in the books.
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10 August 2011
Top 4 Perform
It's down to the final four on "So...
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It's down to the final four on "So You Think You Can Dance," which means this week we'll have a winner. And even though there are only four dancers left, there are still two hours to fill, er kill (take your pick), which means there will be a whole lot of dancing.Guest judges Kenny Ortega and Katie Holmes join regulars Mary Mupthy and Nigel Lythgoe on the panel this week.It might be too much trouble to keep up with who's dancing what, and with which all-stars, but suffice it to say there will be many performances by many combinations of dancers, including all-stars Mark (Season 4), Joshua (Season 4), Lauren (Season 7) and Robert (Season 7).We get started with a big reunion of the couple that got us through the early portion of the competition: Melanie & Marko.Melanie & Marko: Reunited, they get a disco routine from Doriana Sanchez that is as far as ever and puts both of them off their game just a bit. Nigel says it was a bit of a struggle for them and he hopes to see better in their subsequent performances later in the night. Mary adores them, but says it needs to "pop" to another level. Kenny praises them and says they looked like they came straight out of "Saturday Night Fever," which Katie says they're beautiful and claims she understood the story they were telling -- with their disco routine.Sasha & Mark: Sonya Tayeh cooks up a big, emotional contemporary routine for Sasha and all-star Mark that starts a little slow but picks up quickly. Mary gets al worked up and gives a hearty, "woo-hoo!!!" Kenny notes that it was a little bit of "art imitating life" and adds that it was like "Sasha Warrior Princess." Katie calls it powerful while Nigel says that Sasha just threw down "the gauntlet."Tadd & Joshua: LIl C cooks up a hip-hop routine for B-boy Tadd to dance with Joshua, champion of Season 4. Kenny says it was a perfect pairing while Katie says it was "terrific." Nigel wasn't too wild about it, saying he found "a little too sweet."Mary says they "delivered everything" and did enough to produce a hard-hitting hip-hop routine.Melanie & Robert: Melanie gets right back on the stage for a contemporary routine choreographed by Stacey Tookey. She dances with all-star Robert and redeems herself from the dismal disco routine earlier. Katie says every movement made sense to her and she believes "every story." Nigel agrees it was "beautifully danced," and points out a particular lift he thought was great. Mary says that "something special" happens when Melanie dances, as the whole room gets quiet. She says Melanie is in a class of her own. Kenny says he'd jump to the front of the line to work with her.Sasha & Marko: Broadway brings a Spencer Liff routine for Sasha and Marko, who seems to perform it quite nicely, at least according to some judges. Nigel, however, isn't "knocked out" by it, noting that Sasha makes a better warrior princess than a vamp. Mary disagrees, saying they "pulled it off," and noting especially that she didn't believe it was really Marko. Kenny calls it "great fun" and says there's nothing they can't do, while Katie tells Sasha she admires her and tells Marko he's "incredible."Solos from Melanie and Marko are followed by...Sasha & Tadd: Mark Ballas continues the tradition of "Dancing with the Stars" pros coming over to "So You Think You Can Dance," except he has no direct history with the show, like most other "DWTS" stars do. He choreographs a cha-cha for Sasha and Marko. Kenny sees right through it, noting it was "too ambitious for tonight." Katie sees right, umm, past it, saying thank you to both of them and telling them they're "both strong dancers." Nigel tells Marko he couldn't cope with the style and says it wasn't good for Sasha, either. Mary also agrees that there were lots of problems with the routine, even though they had to deal with what was given to them.Marko & Lauren: Tessandra Chavez gives Marko and all-star Lauren Performed to somewhat oddball music, Marko and Lauren show off some pretty decent moves. Katie says they creates pictures that were stunning,or something lie that. Nigel says Marko joined the finale with that routine because it was "a fabulous performance." Mary says Marko "thrust greatness" upon himself. Kenny says Marko swept him away,Melanie & Tadd: After Tadd dances his solo, he takes to the floor with Melanie for a Ray Leeper routine. They get a routine that calls for stipping and throwing shoes and taking off of clothes, and it all works. Nigel says it brought his evening to life, then cracks jokes about Tadd not wearing clothes. He adds that Tadd "totally redeemed" himself with that routine. Mary says that Tadd brought sexy back. Kenny says that Melanie had him gripped to the stage before she even started dancing, and Katie says the routine was "a breath of fresh air."Sasha & Melanie: After dancing her solo, Sasha returns to the stage with Melanie for a Stacey Tookey routine about repressed housewives. Once again, they send the whole crowd into a tizzy. Mary says it's beautiful to watch them dance together and she enjoyed "every single second" of the routine. Kenny says he felt helpless and curious and that it was a beautiful piece. Katie loved their outfits and Nigel tells them they could grace any dance company in the country.Marko & Tadd: The guys get a gumboot stepping routine from Chuck Maldonado. It's a little out there and most of the judges are on board with the quirky concept. Kenny congratulates them and wishes them luck on Thursday while Katie tells them they're great. Mary says it was "solid gold" for her and she loved the concept, but Nigel says nothing that happened tonight changes his mind from the position he held at the beginning of the night, which is that a girl would win the competition.
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04 August 2011
Two of 6 Voted Off
The Top 6 start Thursday night's...
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The Top 6 start Thursday night's results show with a Justin Giles group dance. Lil C is back on the panel with regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. This week's celebrity guest judge Christina Applegate is absent.Tonight's results won't include a "bottom" group because, as Nigel explains, a bottom four would also tell us who the top two are. Instead, we're going to get a heck of a lot more filler -- er, amazing performances! Every dancer will do a solo, and "American Idol" finalist Pia Toscano will perform, as well as the Bad Boys of Dance, and a "special" performance from last season's winner and runner-up, Lauren and Kent. It's gonna be ... an hour.Sasha, Caitlynn and Melanie each do their solos, with Melanie getting yet another standing ovation from the crowd and judges.After more National Dance Day dispatches, Tadd, Marko and Ricky do their solos. Kent and Lauren return to the stage to perform "Collide," choreographed by Travis Wall -- one of the routines that was nominated for an Emmy.To the results: Cat calls the girls to the stage. Sasha's night is recapped first, and we're reminded of her waacking routine, but more importantly her deeply emotional Tyce Diorio contemporary piece that brought most everyone to tears. Caitlynn heated up the floor with a sizzling samba, and had her "moment" with the Sonya Tayeh lyrical jazz piece that ended the night. Melanie sent everyone into hysterics again with her Broadway piece and proved she can "do anything," according to Nigel, with her hip hop routine. The first girl into the finale is ... Melanie.The guys come out next, forming an impromptu conga line. Tadd didn't get great marks on his Sonya Tayeh jazz routine, in which eh hung from a chandelier most of the time. But he redeemed himself with a Broadway routine that made him look good, even while sharing the stage with Melanie. Marko tried to bring the heat with his paso doble, but Nigel wanted more heat, saying Marko left him "a little cold." He roared back into beast mode on his pairing with Caitlynn in the Sonya Tayeh lyrical jazz piece. Ricky got big praise for both his Dee Caspury routine and his waacking routine with Sasha. The first guy into the finale is ... Marko.Be our guests: The Bad Boys of Dance take the stage, living up to their billing at first, but then a girl joins them. She's pretty bad, too (in a good way), but this still causes a bit of confusion.Back to the results: Sasha and Caitlynn come back to the stage. Nigel says they both know how much he loves them, but Caitlynn overthinks her routines a little too much, Melanie dances from her heart and Sasha dances from her soul. He says it doesn't matter who wins because "at the end of the day, dance wins."Cat finally announces that the second girl into the finale is Sasha. Caitlynn is out.Be our guest, again: Smacked right in between the girls' results and the guys', Pia Toscano performs her new single, "This Time," a likely effort to boost some pretty flat sales.Back to the results, again: Cat abruptly calls for Ricky and Tadd to come to the stage, and announces that the final guy into the finale is Tadd.
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03 August 2011
Top 6 Perform
And then there were six. With one...
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And then there were six. With one week remaining until the Season 6 "So You Think You Can Dance" finale, the final six dancers are competing, as host Cat Deeley says, "for the right to be there."As the introductions are made, it's almost painfully clear that Caitlynn and Ricky are going to be the ones left out. But, as they say, that's why you play the game.Guest judges Christina Applegate and Lil C join regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. Christina tells us she's been dancing since she was 3 and continued until she got pregnant with her daughter. After yet another plug for National Dance Day, which happened over the weekend, we get to some performances.Melanie: Napoleon and Tabitha give Melanie a "Little Red Riding Hood"-themed hip-hop routine, which she'll dance with Twitch. Lil C praises Melanie for "getting through" that routine, which was difficult and fast. He says the beginning was shaky, but she worked it out and it was on after the rocky start. Christina tells Melanie she's given her "hope." She tells Melanie she was "evil" (in a good way) in this routine. Mary tells Melanie that her brother called her about Melanie, something he's never done about any contestant, saying that she has a Shirley Temple-type charm. Nigel answers criticism that Melanie has only been given styles she's good at, and says she's "good at everything." He tells her she's "absolutely sensational" and should keep doing what she's doing.Sasha: Last season's sweetheart Kent joins Sasha for a Tyce Diorio routine about a couple that's hit a wall in their relationship. Sasha gets emotional talking about how she "definitely can relate to this piece." She has a little trouble keeping it together after the performance, as well. Christina says there are other dancers who are great, technically, but she doesn't care. She says Sasha put her finger against a wall and broke her heart -- "that's dance." Mary calls it "absolutely intoxicating, for sure." Mary also gets emotional while pointing to a moment in the performance when Kent threw Sasha down to the floor, saying, "So many of us have been there and it's what you do when you get back up." Nigel agrees, saying Tyce was "at his creative best" and Sasha's sharing of emotion. Nigel also says Sasha is once again his favorite. Lil C is trying to hold it together, saying he understands everything Sasha was conveying in her performance.Marko: Dmitry Chaplin gives Marko and all-star Janette a paso doble. Mary reminds us all what the paso is about, calling it the "most riveting" of ballroom dances. She praises his style in the beginning, but notes that he lost his footing a couple of times. She remarks that his trick, flipping Janette around his neck as if she was the matador's cape, is one of the most memorable she's seen. Nigel says the whole routine left him a little cold, but that trick stood out for his, as well. Lil C says he loves the way Marko performs and he loved every minute of Marko's routine. Christina admits she knows nothing about the paso, so she doesn't know how to critique it, but she wanted Marko to dig deeper into his crotch (using Lil C's reference) in demonstrating his bravado.Tonight's solos will be preceded by thoughts from the dancers' loved ones back home.Ricky's mom says it's been like a dream watching her son on the show after having watched the show with him at her side for so long. He does his solo.Tadd: Sonya Tayeh gives Tadd a contemporary routine, calling it a period piece harkening back to a time when things were more conservative and this couple finds ways to sneak in some romance. He's partnered with Ellenore. Nigel remarks on the "interesting positions" in there, but he would "like to see a little more dancing." He says it needed to develop more. Lil C praises Sonya, but tells Tadd he has to "make each move last a lifetime." He felt like the movements were happening too quickly from one to the next. Christina says it was "remarkable." She says she loves Tadd and that he did so many things she wouldn't expect from a B-boy. Mary says Tadd's ability is extraordinary. She says some judges thought maybe Tadd had reached his limit last week, but he hasn't and he's still growing. Mary calls Sonya's choreography "so daring," but shows the kind of trust Sonya has in Tadd.Caitlynn's mom says she's the "proudest mom in the whole world," and her dad sends his wishes through a video chat from an oil rig in the Black Sea.Ricky: Dee Caspary gives Ricky and Season 3's Jamie a contemporary routine that involves Ricky orchestrating the dance with sticks in his hands. Lil C praises Ricky for dancing with a prop, and for using a prop that alters the way he does everything. Christina loves it, but tells Ricky that he sometimes doesn't dance with the clearest of intention. Mary says Ricky saved himself again. Nigel praises Dee for the whole concept of the routine. He again tells Ricky he's "such a high dancer" that he wants him to dig deeper into the floor when he performs.Tadd's dad says he's backing Tadd all the way to the top. His solo includes a pretty impressive one-armed handstand that lasts for probably the final 10 seconds of the routine.Sasha's dad says he started crying the first time he saw Sasha on the stage. Her mom wishes her luck.Caitlynn: Dmitry is back with a samba for Caitlynn, who is joined by all-star Pasha. Dmitry vows to make this no longer a family show, urging Caitlynn to crank up the sexiness. Christina seems surprised to hear herself saying Caitlynn did "really well." Mary tells Caitlynn that when a contestant gets a second chance to do another number, the judges expect it to be better ... and this one was. She runs down the list of technical moves that Caitlynn nailed. Nigel reminds Caitlynn not to "pull sexy faces" and to let the moves do the talking. Lil C says he' agrees with everyone on the panel, and tells Caitlynn to "swan dive" into the sexy moves rather than "cannonball."Marko's mom cries while thinking about how she cried watching him dance on the show for the first time.Melanie's mom tells us her daughter's "always been a performer" and says it's "surreal" watching Melanie dance on the show. She tells her daughter to "dance great, but most of all, have a wonderful, wonderful time."Sasha & Ricky: Kumari Suraj gives Sasha and Ricky a "whacking" routine that takes a lot of fast and precise movements. Mary says she never really loved this style, but Princess Lockeroo took it to another level earlier this season. She says Sasha and Ricky weren't quite up to that level, but really good. She says the whacking was slacking just a little. Nigel says he doesn't think the whacking was lacking anything. He says he enjoyed the fun of it, but tells Ricky to relax more and not worry so much about it. He's wowed by Sasha, though, and says she proved everything the judges said earlier about not having to push being sexy. Lil C offers up some "constructive criticism," saying he wanted to see them "enjoy it a little bit more." Christina says she enjoyed it, but they could have "whacked it harder" -- probably the 25th "whacking" pun of the last four minutes.Melanie & Tadd: Broadway choreographer Spencer Liff gives them a routine that's a rehearsal within a rehearsal, where one of the dancers thinks her partner is falling in love with her, but he's really just playing the part. Nigel takes a moment to recognize that Melanie's solos was probably the best he's ever seen on the show. Going back to this routine, he tells Melanie she's a brilliant actress on top of being a "beast" of a dancer. He tells her she's again gone back up to being his favorite dancer. He tells Tadd he "didn't suck," which is great considering he was dancing next to one of the best dancers the show has ever seen. Lil C says Melanie's "artistry speaks for itself." He says she is "extremely buck." He also takes a moment to tell Melanie her solo was "so beefy." He tells Tadd he's growing leaps and bound. Christina again says Melanie had all the judges pounding the table watching Melanie's solo and that Tadd is again doing things a B-boy shouldn't know how to do. Mary says she's honored to have witnessed this season.Caitlynn & Marko: Sonya Tayeh gives Caitlynn and Marko a jazz routine that forces them to wipe away any sexy and happy stuff. They have to be a little more beastly. Lil C tells us about how hashtags work on Twitter, then says "this routine was double-hashtag buck." Christina says wow, and tells Marko he's a beast, saying his aggression was "so beautiful and powerful and palpable." She sighs, telling Caitlynn that was "her moment." Mary jokes that she didn't really care for it, then tells Caitlynn it was one of her "best numbers ever." She says, "This time, you brought the true grit to it." Then she says Marko's always been a beast and her favorite dancer on the show. Nigel says he "was a little upset" with the chandelier routine (Tadd's earlier) and that this one proved why she's "a world-class choreographer." He tells Caitlynn she "came of age tonight." He asks her to keep hold of it now.
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28 July 2011
Two of 8 Voted Off
The Top 8 are going to be whittled...
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The Top 8 are going to be whittled down to six on "So You Think You Can Dance," but first a big and dramatic group dance about a traveling circus (to the music of the movie, "Water for Elephants") choreographed by Tyce Diorio.Rob Marshall is back on the judges' table with Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy. He talks about how great of a guest judge Lady Gaga was on Wednesday and Cat notes that Gaga isn't at the table because she's going to be performing later. She's probably warming up in her egg, or something.To the results: Cat calls for all four ladies to take center stage. Sasha's night is recapped and we're reminded of how great the judges thought she was. Nigel had called her his favorite in the competition, but that was not replayed (he later changed his mind, saying Melanie is his new favorite). Jordan's night brought a big scream from Mary early on, but her second dance didn't work for Nigel. Caitlynn's hip-hop routine won her some points from the judges and her foxtrot had the judges excited, as well. Melanie was a star and earned Nigel's "favorite dancer" and he was later glad he didn't have to be the one to decide whose performance was the best.After letting them dangle through a commercial break, Cat announces that the top two girls are ... Sasha and Melanie. That means Jordan and Caitlynn will be performing solos later.Cat calls the top four guys to the stage. We're reminded of how the judges loved Jess' hip-hop routine but weren't wild about his rumba with Jordan, which Nigel felt lacked chemistry. Marko's two performances were well received and his contemporary routine with all-star Allison became an emotional moment that brought most people in the crowd to tears, and we saw backstage that his mother became even more emotional backstage. Cat announces that the first guy through to next week is Marko. That means Jess will be dancing a solo tonight.After a commercial we run through Ricky's night, where he impressed the judges with his technique (but Nigel's remarks about him needing to get deeper into the floor), but after a well received hip-hop routine Nigel told Ricky he might be in the bottom two. Tadd, on the other hand, was told by Mary that she could see him getting to the finale and Nigel told him he was "not be biting the dust this week" (a reference to the Queen song Tadd performed to). The second guy safe and moving on to next week is ... Ricky. That's a surprise, but Tadd seems to be alright with it. Presumably, with the decision in the judges' hands -- given their remarks on Wednesday night -- Tadd has reason to feel comfortable.Be our guests: The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers takes the stage. Later, Lady Gaga performs "The End of Glory" and her new single "You and I."Cat plugs National Dance Day, which is two days away.To the solos: Jordan works some big body-control and long-legged moves for her solo, while Jess opts for an all-out Broadway extravaganza that includes nearly a full 15 seconds of spins.Caitlynn goes for some sensual moves, perhaps to show she's grown up and doesn't have that " Tadd works some serious B-boy moves, including hanging perpendicularly off the rafters on the side of the stage and showing off some leg moves and finishing with a big flip off the stage.The decisions: Nigel says the judges started off not being unanimous with either decision, but they became unanimous when they realized that regardless of the outcome they'd be sending a great dancer home. Nigel says they were disappointed with both of the girls' solos. He thanks Jordan for everything she's brought to the show, but she's going home.Nigel tells Jess he's a sensational character and has grown. He tells Tadd he's unique and creative, so much so that they're keeping him. This means Jess is out.
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27 July 2011
Top 8 Perform
The Top 8 dancers will face a couple...
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The Top 8 dancers will face a couple of special guest judges on Wednesday's episode of "So You Think You Can Dance." Choreographer and film director Rob Marshall and Lady Gaga are on the panel.Sasha: Sasha gets paired with Pasha ("Easy to remember," as they tell us) for a quickstep choreographed by Jonathan Roberts. Rob gets put on the spot first and says Sasha is "astonishing" and calls her one of his favorites. He says the genre doesn't show off Sasha's best attributes, but she was "beautiful." Mary says Sasha "absolutely pulled it off" despite it being such a restrained dance compared to what Sasha's used to. Nigel proclaims Sasha is his favorite dancer in the competition, at least as of this week. Lady Gaga says Sasha is as shiny on the outside as she is on the inside. She says she loved the way Sasha "interpreted the intention of the choreographer."Caitlynn: Marty Kudelka puts together a lyrical hip-hop routine for Caitlynn with Ivan from Season 2. Mary was really happy to see Ivan and goes on to talk about how awesome he is for a while before telling Caitlynn she was "really good." Nigel gives a little critique, telling her to open her legs a little bit and get into the pocket, but says she ultimately "played the part really well." Lady Gaga says Caitlynn is "extremely sexy." Rob says she did great and that lyrical hip-hop was a beautiful style for her. He tells her to lose herself more in the dance, and says Gaga is "the queen" of losing herself in a dance.Jordan: Tyce puts together a jazz routine for Jordan, which she dances with Ade. Nigel wonders, "Is there anything that little body can't do?" He says that was a fun routine and that Jordan's legs "go on forever." Lady Gaga says Jordan gives her hope because she's also short and Jordan has great moves and makes her legs look long. Rob says Jordan is "exquisite" to watch and that he'd scream like Mary if he could. Mary jumps all over that invitation and screams, then tells Jordan she's "really something."Melanie: Mandy Moore gives Melanie and all-star Neil a contemporary routine about a couple at the crossroads of a relationship. Everyone gives a massive standing ovation and Lady Gaga is on the verge of tears telling Melanie she's her favorite dancer in the competition, adding that she'd hire her tomorrow to dance on her tour. Rob says Melanie's dancing is "just poetic" and magical. He praised how she ended the dance, throwing away the technique and just playing the scene. Mary says she enjoys the Melanie's abandon, especially on a big jump into Neil's arms. Nigel says he's changed his mind about his favorite dancer -- it's Melanie again.Ricky: Jason Gilkison gives Ricky and all-star Anya a fast-paced jive. Rob says Ricky's legs, lines and technique are "out of this world." He suggests that Ricky "dig in" to the floor a little deeper. Mary says she wasn't sure about his routine at the beginning, but as he went along everything started getting better and she was "very happy." Nigel says Ricky was "too tall" and agreed with Rob that Ricky needs to get down into the floor more. He also points out a lift that looked "a little labored," saying it looked like he was carrying around a slab of meat. Lady Gaga says she doesn't know why she has a sweet spot for Ricky. She says he looks strong, nimble and quick. She says Anya looked "a little more 'Dancing with the Stars'" and didn't look "as modern" as what Ricky was doing.Jess: Napoleon and Tabitha give Jess and all-star Lauren a hip-hop routine about a guy who's cheatedand is trying win his girl back. Mary tells Jess that every week he's shown progress and he was "really good tonight" in what was "one of the really honest performances" he's given. Nigel agrees that Jess has matured significantly and appreciates that Jess "did not overplay" his expressions this week. Lady Gaga says she didn't personally love the choreography and props, but that was partially because his movements filled the space enough. Rob recalls seeing Jess on Broadway when he was much younger and points out that he has used the competition to mature.Tadd: Mandy Moore gives Tadd and all-star Lauren a fuky jazz routine that Tadd seemed to have a little trouble keeping up with. He dropped his hat at one point, but Nigel thought he did it "brilliantly." Lady Gaga says it was "amazing" and says Tadd can be whoever he wants to be as a dancer. Rob says Tadd surprised them with every move and "that's something that's really special." Mary says Tadd was "cool up there," and looked "like a young Elvis Presley" and drew a comparison to Michael Jackson. She reiterates Rob's claim that he's special, and adds that he's going to land himself in the finale.Marko: Sonya Tayeh gives Marko and all-star Allison a contemporary routine about being nice to people. Lady Gaga is crying, while standing on her ridiculously tall platform shoes. The audience and dancers are all in tears, and Cat seems to be the only one holding it together. Gaga says she's really proud of him and says some stuff about things she did wrong when she was younger. Marko cries while saying it's the first chance his mom has had a chance to see the show live and she flew in from Guam to see him. He tells her he's sorry for having been "a brat" when he was younger. Rob praises Allison and says they were all "so moved" by watching Marko. Mary is going to struggle to get through it, saying Marko's dance was "amazing." She announces Marko is his favorite dancer on the show. Nigel says they've "seen a moment that is more than the competition." He tells everyone to tell their mothers how much they're loved.Caitlynn & Tadd: The randomly paired couple get a classic foxtrot from Jonathan Roberts. Rob says it was "sparkling from beginning to end." Mary says they two of them "are shining stars," but notes that it won't be one of the more memorable dances of the night for her. Nigel cracks some jokes about a B-boy doing ballroom. Lady Gaga says she loved it, including the flower in Caitlynn's hair.Marko & Ricky: Tabitha and Napoleon work up a hip-hop routine for Marko and Ricky to perform together about a couple of janitors. Mary says she "loved it!" She calls it "another fabulous routine" from Tabitha and Napoleon. She says if everybody could dance with brooms like that the world would be a lot cleaner. Nigel predicts Ricky is going to be in the bottom after again pointing out that he was dancing "a little high." Lady Gaga says they're "both incredible dancers." She says they transcended the props they were given. Rob gives props to the choreographers, mostly, saying they do a great job in a short time.Jordan & Jess: Jason Gilkison gives Jess and Jordan a rumba that challenges Jess' lifting capability. Nigel praises Jess' lift, but says he didn't feel any chemistry between them. Gaga says there was "nothing wrong with it." She says she would have choreographed it differently, but they don't choose the songs or choreography. Rob says he felt like they were connected. Mary says it was beautiful but "not to the highest level."Melanie & Sasha: Sonya Tayeh puts together an all-girl jazz routine for Sasha and Melanie. The crowd goes wild and everyone rises to their feet. Cat struggles to quiet the crowd so the judges can speak. Gaga says that in the dance community, you give praise by throwing a shoe on the stage, so she hurls one of her massive platforms onto the stage. She also calls is the "dance of the night." Rob says it was "unbelievable" and gives props to Sonya. Mary says they "just brought it" and "just threw it all on that stage." She tells Sonya is was the best number of the night and the best Sonya's ever done. She calls is a masterpiece. Nigel agrees it was "fantastic." He says he's thankful he doesn't have to decide which of them is better. He says one of the two of them could be this year's champion.
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21 July 2011
Two of 10 Voted Off
The Top 10 week results show on "So...
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The Top 10 week results show on "So You Think You Can Dance" gets going pretty quickly as, after a brief introduction, Cat Deeley calls out the first three contestants to get their results.To the results: Mitchell, Tadd and Melanie are up first. The judges weren't wild about Mitchell's Broadway routine, but loved Tadd and Melanie's work. Mitchell is in the bottom four. Tadd and Melanie are both safe.Marko, Sasha and Clarice are up next. Marko and Sasha both had the judges going wild and Clarice's Bollywood number earned some rave reviews. The first girl in danger, though, is Clarice.Jess, Ricky, Caitlynn and Jordan are the next dancers on stage. Both guys did well with the judges, but Ricky is in danger and Jess is safe. Caitlynn took her dancing "to another level," according to the judges, and Jordan did a pretty solid job herself. Caitlynn is safe and Jordan is in danger.Be our guest: Blush is joined by Snoop Doog on stage.Back to the results: Nigel say the judges were unanimous with both decisions and asks that the guys join the girls on stage. He says he wants to explain that being in the bottom group doesn't mean they're not good dancers. He points out that Twitch and Allison were in the bottom three several times and they're now "all-stars." He says he doesn't have anything to say about any of the dancers being bad and adds that he's sorry two of them are going home. He asks Mitchell and Clarice to step forward. He thanks them for being in the competition, but they're out now.
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20 July 2011
Top 10 Perform
We're down to the Top 10 on Season 8...
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We're down to the Top 10 on Season 8 of "So You Think You Can Dance and the dancers will now be paired with all-stars from previous seasons, in addition to doing solos. They'll then be subject to America's votes as individuals for the first time this season.Joining regular judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe is star of stage and TV screen, Neil Patrick Harris. But before getting to Neil's intro, Nigel plugs the show's summer tour, which starts some time later this month. Neil is happy to be on a show that he's a big fan of.Marko: Chelsie Hightower of "Dancing with the Stars" fame returns to dance with Marko on a Jason Gilkison samba. Chelsie says it's good to be back reliving the experience of "SYTYCD" after the performance. Neil says it was "amazing" and "a heck of a way to start the show." Neil says Marko is "the guy to beat." Mary screams that Marko is "the real deal." She's so excited, her earring falls off, and she says it won't surprise her at all if Marko is in the finale. Nigel praises Marko for pulling off a complicated lift that was giving him trouble in rehearsal. Nigel says Marko is "ahead of the field."Sasha busts out a cool solo.Jordan: Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson cook up a contemporary routine for Jordan, which she'll dance with Brandon, who says there's so much going on there's hardly a chance to get a breath in. A shirtless Brandon is told (jokingly, of course) by Cat that he needs some muscle definition. Mary says it's "so great" to see Brandon on stage, but that Jordan was just fierce and that Dwight and Desmond just showed everyone her talents. Nigel says Jordan doesn't have many weaknesses, which gave the choreographers a chance to try new things. Neil says it took his breath away and that watching Jordan "feel" the number was impressive.Jess shows off his jazzy Broadway skills.Tadd: Landing near his comfort zone, Tadd gets a Chuck Maldonado hip-hop routine, partnered with Comfort. Nigel says it was so fast, there was no time to think. "It was like listening to Mary Murphy talk." Nigel points out that B-boys don't typically do the kind of choreography that was asked of him and suggests that he might have outdanced Comfort. Neil talks the opportunity to plug an upcoming "How I Met Your Mother" episode and the bit of hip-hop in that has him jealous of anyone who can pull off such moves. Mary tells Tadd he's "something special" and he "hit this out of the ballpark." He says he was "ghetto-licious." And Mary Murphy would know?Melanie does a tender contemporary solo to a soft version of "You're the One that I Want."Mitchell: Tyce Diorio puts together a Broadway jazz routine for Mitchell, who's partnered with Season 1's Melody. The routine has something to do with flying in an airplane ... in first class. Neil is puzzled, saying he didn't really get the airplane theme at all, but "it all seemed very, sort of, disjointed and not incredibly thought out for me, just as a piece." He goes on to say it seemed "very pieced together ... but, that was not my favorite." Nigel appears to look back at Tyce in the crowd in mock (or real) amazement. Mary says the number was "a lot of fun" but "a little overbaked." Nigel tells Mitchell he's got to think about style more than technique.Ricky shows off some mad spinning and jumping skills in his solo.Clarice gets a chance to show some impressive body control in his high-kicking solo.Caitlynn: Pasha joins Caitlynn for a tango choreographed by Leonardo Barrionuevo and Miriam Larici. Pasha runs off afterward because he has another dance later. Mary rises to her feet and praises the choreographers, saying it was "so worth the wait" for the season's first Argentine tango. She says Caitlynn's "passion was more real tonight" than with any of her other dances. She says Caitlynn took her dancing "to another level," and adds that she can't remember when she enjoyed something more. Nigel tells Caitlynn she was "a woman, and far sexier" than she's been so far this season. He puts Caitlynn's performance among Miriam and Anya. Neil says it started a tiny bit slow for him, but then he found himself zoning into it "like great theater."A shirtless Mitchell displays some serious muscle tone and graceful spins and jumps with his contemporary solo.Sasha: Twitch is back! But we're supposed to be paying attention to Sasha, who joins Twitch for a Christopher Scott hip-hop routine about a couple that's lost the spark and regains it over a particularly sensual breakfast. "At first we were lacking love, but then we were lacking breakfast," Twitch says. The crowd goes wild. Nigel's jaw is still hanging when he says, "All I got for breakfast this morning was corn flakes." Cat asks if they were "soggy" and he says, "They were after that routine." Then there are several awkward moments as Nigel realizes what he just suggested. He tells Sasha she nailed the routine from beginning to end. Neil calls it "the best routine, so far, of the evening." He goes on about how awesome it all was and suggests that Sasha and Twitch do every dance together. Mary says she needs to call the sheriff, the fire department and the paramedics. She says that "as much as I love Twitch, I loved you doing that number."Jordan spins a bit and goes for sensual with her solo.Jess: Kathryn is back and joins Jess for a Stacey Tookey contemporary routine. Jess is a little nervous about the many lifts, for which he's taken some criticism this season. Stacey tells us that Kathryn can "practically levitate, so if he can't lift her, we're in trouble." Neil says it was "an extraordinarily designed" performance by Stacey, but that Jess' face sometimes is a little muggy and reminds Jess to be "as present and sincere as possible." Mary calls it her favorite piece that Jess has done this season. She loved the music, choreography and Jess in the piece. Nigel feels bad about having given Jess such a hard time about the lifts, then realizes Jess got a routine with "more lifts than Joan Rivers' face." He agrees it was probably Jess' best work to date.Tadd shows off some wild maneuvering and tons of handstand work in his solo.Melanie: Jake Gilkison gives Melanie and all-star Pasha a Viennese waltz in which Melanie serves as Pasha's "rock" and leads him through much of it. Mary says it seems as if Melanie's feet never touched the floor, as if she was "just floating all across the stage." She says, "I honestly don't know how you do it" because of the difficulty involved in the timing of lifts. She tells Melanie she's right at the top of the list. Nigel agrees it was "a master class in lifting." Nigel says she's "a solid, absolutely brilliant dancer." Neil says it was all "so effortlessly perfect" that it didn't even feel like there were lifts in the routine. He says she's one of the "super-hero people" he sees on the show, who do things he can't believe. He says she looks like she's "from the '30s" but dances "like she's from the future." He says she's easily his favorite dancer on the show.Caitlynn puts on a quick, easy, good but ultimately not wildly exciting solo.Ricky: Allison from Season 2 has Ricky a little star struck as he practices his Tyce Diorio jazz routine in which Ricky is Allison's "worst nightmare." Nigel immediately congratulates Tyce for a "sensational" and "very creative" piece. Nigel says Ricky was certainly up to the level of Allison and that he was focused on Ricky. Neil praises Tyce for a "pretty bold call" because Ricky often dances quite young and Tyce took a chance on trying to make Ricky into a serious kind of figure. Mary says this routine was "deliciously dark" and that Ricky "really brought it." She praises a particularly tricky one-armed lift that Ricky pulled off.Marko mixes up strength and grace with a lot of spins and rotating flips for his solo.Clarice: Nakul Dev Mahajan gives Clarice and all-star Robert a fast Bollywood routine about a guy and girl doing a bit of cat-and-mouse leading up to a kiss. Neil loves it and says it is infectious. He says he never quite connected with Clarice and wasn't sure why, but that the routine helped her come alive. Mary says it was "exhilarating to watch." She says the routine was just perfect for Clarice. Nigel agrees, saying she couldn't have done it any better. He says it was a great end to the show and Robert did a fabulous job.
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14 July 2011
Two of 12 Voted Off
One guy and one girl are going to...
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One guy and one girl are going to fall just a tiny bit short of the Top 10, and it's time to find out which on "So You Think You Can Dance" results show.Guest judges Jesse Tyler Ferguson is back and she and Cat Deeley take a moment to congratulate each other on their Emmy nominations. Cat seems genuinely touched when Nigel emphasizes her nomination and the crowd gives her a standing ovation. Nigel also tosses to a montage of routines by Mandy Moore, Mia Michaels, Stacey Tookey, Travis Wall, and Napoleon & Tabitha, who were all nominated, as well.To the results: The first two couples called to the stage are Clarice & Jess and Caitlynn & Mitchell. After their recaps, we learn that the first two dancers who've made it to the Top 10 are Clarice & Jess. Caitlynn & Mitchell are in the bottom three.Nigel explains that each dancer in the Top 10 will be paired with a new partner for one dance, in addition to being paired with an all star. Nigel explains that Alex Wong, who was injured last season, was asked to return as an all-star but injured his left tendon while doing the same step at an audition as he was doing on the show last season when he injured his right tendon. So he's out. The all-stars are introduced, and they are: Season 1's Melody; Season 2's Allison; Season 3's Pasha; Season 4's Twitch, Comfort and Chelsie; Season 5's Brandon; Season 6's Kathryn; and Season 7's Robert.Melanie & Marko and Ricky & Ryan are next on stage. The next two dancers into the Top 10 are Melanie & Marko. Ryan & Ricky are in danger.Finally, Jordan & Tadd and Sasha & Alexander learn their fates. The next safe couple is Jordan & Tadd. Alexander looks utterly shocked. They're in the bottom three.Be our guest: Jason Samuel Smith and his tap company put on a pretty nifty little show. After Nigel talks more about National Dance Day, the solos happen. Cat sends the judges off to confer while Nicole Scherzinger performs.The eliminations: Nigel says the judges were unanimous with the girls. He asks Caitlynn to step forward. He tells her they haven't seen her dance as well as she did in her solo. He next tells Ryan she was a little lackluster on Wednesday and didn't do her solo as well as they would have liked. He tells Sasha they weren't knocked out with her solo but they think she's fabulous as a dancer. He the reveals that the girl leaving the show is Ryan.The guys step up and Nigel says the judges were not unanimous, it was three votes to one. He tells Mitchell he did a pretty strong solo but his work has been "between average and very good." He tells Ricky he gave a "dance for your life" that was one of the best he's ever seen. He tells Alexander he found himself in the competition Wednesday night, but his solo was lacking and for that reason, he's going home.
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13 July 2011
Top 12 Perform
The Top 6 couples on "So You Think...
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The Top 6 couples on "So You Think You Can Dance" will perform together for the final time before the all-stars from previous seasons come into play and it becomes a truly individual competition."Modern Family" star Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who has "an extensive Broadway background," Cat tells us, is on the judges table. Choreographer Sonya Tayeh makes her first appearance, joining regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.Sasha & Alexander: Tony Meredith and Melanie Lapatin work up an intense paso doble for Sasha and Alexander that shocks Mary with an ending kiss. Nigel wonders if it was choreographed or impromptu, and Sasha says she's not sure. He liked it, but there was one part that got a little sloppy. He says Alexander was "much stronger tonight than I've seen you in a while" and that Sasha "did brilliantly." Mary says it "was hot, it was on fire" and she loves the way Sasha took on some of the elements typically reserved for the man in the dance. She tells Alexander he was great, but Sasha was "just a little bit stronger." Jesse says he "loved every moment" and refers to Sasha's bra falling off in rehearsal. He says Alexander kept up well. Sonya says it was "absolutely amazing." She praises Sasha because she's "all about strength in women" and that she wants to trust Alexander more in his partnering.Jordan & Tadd: Travis Wall puts together a routine about the women who take advantage of weak men. It's a "dark and heavy piece," Tadd says, and he's hoping the audience picks up on that energy. The crowd appears to have picked up on it quite nicely, standing in approval. Mary calls it "beautiful, dark, magnificent, WOO!" She says it's "no surprise to her" any longer that Tadd is dancing so strongly. She tells Jordan she "demolished that whole thing." Jesse says Tadd made the story this "brilliant, beautiful thing" and that Tadd proves that the guys are in it to win it. Sonya wishes she could swear, and this performance was the kind of thing that makes her want to cry. She says they're both "unstoppable." Nigel agrees it was remarkable, pointing out a cool flip jump Tadd did, but that the pair of them were "absolutely tremendous."Ryan & Ricky: A Broadway routine with choreographer Spencer Liff tells the story of a guy waiting for his date to arrive when he turns and sees a movie star from a poster come to life and they share a dance. It's got a cool, Rat Pack vibe to it and the audience rises to its feet again. Jesse says it felt like there was a glass ceiling on the performance, "a little muted." He says it didn't sparkle and he knows they're capable of more. Sonya says she felt like the dancers were questioning the routine the whole time, but "it was OK." Nigel agrees and says it's "about style" and that if you're not comfortable with the Broadway style, you lose the flavor of the steps. Mary says the first 30 seconds were great and they had the style, but then they did lose the style and could have done more with the steps they were given.Caitlynn & Mitchell: Christopher Scott gives them a routine in which the dancers are intended to portray children in northern Uganda who are forced into fighting. Sonya says she loves Chris Scott but there was a lack of clarity and unison. The details got too jumbled for her, which distracted from the story. Nigel agrees, saying that when he's being asked to buy into abductees in the Congo, all he wants is for the dancers to dance together. Mary says she understands the disconnect with the story, but they danced strong, if not completely in unison all the time. She says it was just a little bit short. Jesse says they dance with so much power, but he did have a problem getting the story.Melanie & Marko: Louis van Amstel choreographs a tango for Marko and Melanie that's probably the toughest challenge the couple has faced. He says something happened between rehearsal and the live show because it was "really tremendous." Mary takes a moment to talk about different kinds of tango. She points out more of the technical aspects and that even though it could have been better, it was "night and day" from dress rehearsal to the live show. Jesse wonders whether Mary Murphy is "the lost Osmond." He then tells Marko and Melanie they have spark and no one can take that away. Sonya every step both of them take comes from "the deepest place" and it makes her shake. She calls them both timeless dancers.Clarice & Jess: Chris Scott gives them a lyrical hip-hop routine about a woman's insecurities. He suggests they think about sound effects with their movements to help get them just right. Mary says they had her dancing in her seat. Jesse jokes that he didn't care for it, then says, "Happy Opposite Day, everybody, I loved it." He Sonya says they're "so adorable," and that Chris makes things look so cool. She says they "just slayed it." Nigel loved the story. It was simple and beautifully danced, he says. He encourages Chris to stick with the simple stories rather than go "too far abroad."Sasha & Alexander: For their second routine, Sasha and Alexander land a Tyce Diorio jazz piece. Jesse makes references to past seasons and past dances before talking about this one -- oh, there it is. He says this was beyond even the best one he saw them do this season. Sonya wants to swear again in the process of praising Tyce. She tells Alexander he broke through. She tells Sasha she made it happen. Nigel says Sasha has carried Alexander through a lot of the routines, but "not tonight." He says this was the best he's seen Alexander dance ever. Mary agrees that Alexander had "an extremely breakthrough night."Jordan & Tadd: Spencer Liff gives them a Broadway routine about a girl who's been asleep for 100 years and is awoken by a kiss. Sonya starts by saying, "I'm sorry," which is never good. She says she felt overwhelmed and it was "a jumble of things." She says she didn't see their abilities and their craft, but she loves them both. Nigel says it could have been a little quirkier and that they could have brought more character to it. Mary says the dancers have to find ways to make it work, and this one just didn't work. Jesse agrees, saying it was a "bit of a grab bag," but their first dance of the night was one of his favorites of the season.Ryan & Ricky: Louis van Amstel is back with a cha cha for Ryan and Ricky. He wants to get them out of the bottom three. Ricky is excited to get out of his comfort zone. Nigel says Ricky did a really good job and his feet did well. He tells Ryan she was overdoing it a little and her footwork was a little sloppy. Mary says it was "the fastest darn cha cha" she's ever seen. She agrees with Nigel on Ryan's sloppiness as the dance progressed. She says she doesn't know who Ricky is because his steps were so tight and clean, he was "just livin' the cha cha" like she wants to see it. She puts Ricky, and only Ricky, on the Hot Tamale Train. Jesse says this was his favorite dance of Ricky's this season. Sonya says Ricky was enjoying and celebrating the dance, and it showed. She tells Ryan she wants her to embrace how wonderful she is and not lose her conviction, which will allow her to loosen up in her dancing.Caitlynn & Mitchell: Travis Wall gives them a jazz routine where a 1970s rock star (Caitlynn) finds out that her man is married. Mary calls it "slightly naughty" and gusty and she "loved it." She says there was "some tough stuff" in the routine and they did it very well. Jesse says they can prevent forest fires by never dancing in the forest. Sonya says Caitlynn is totally hot and shouldn't be that hot. She tells Mitchell that he sometimes loses his intention when it comes to partnering. She says that sometimes his partnering looks like work. Nigel says that's good advice. His only criticism is that they shouldn't have involved the crowd as much as they did and that they should have been focused on the "argument" happening between them in the dance.Melanie & Marko: Dee Caspary gives them a routine about dancing into the light, or something involving a light bulb. The crowd gives another standing ovation. Jesse says he's got goosebumps and that they're amazing and that this is his new favorite performance of theirs. Sonya says she's "just so grateful that this is the future of dance." She tries not to get emotional, but thanks them and asks them to "please stay humble and please stay true." Nigel says he's excited about next week when the couples are split up, except for the fact that they'll be split up because there's something special about their chemistry. He says "this didn't feel like you'd been choreographed, it felt like you were moving to your own magical movement." Mary says she'll be devastated when the couple is separated. She calls them "two shining stars."Clarice & Jess: Tony Meredith and Melanie Lapatin give them a fast and bold jive that tests the limits of Jess' leg-kicking abilities. Sonya just repeats, "I love it, I love it," several times before ending with, "Perfect, amazing." Nigel agrees but says he's a little uncomfortable when Jess lifts. He's hopeful that the routine will bring votes in. Mary says the leg kicks were fabulous, but it lost steam as it went along and she missed some of the joy from Jess. She says Clarice had it. Jesse says he's not the mayor of Broadway, but that Jess deserves an honorary key (or something like that). Jesse then randomly suggests that Cat should be nominated for an Emmy when the picks come out Thursday.
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07 July 2011
Two of 14 Voted Off
Wednesday was an historic night on...
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Wednesday was an historic night on "So You Think You Can Dance" as four choreographers made their debuts and an ex-contestant took a spot on the judges' table. Now it's Thursday, and two more contestants will be history.Conspicuously absent from the judges' table tonight is Carmen Electra, who seemed to struggle a bit.To the results: Melanie & Marko are one of the first couples to the stage. Their jazz number on Wednesday pleased the judges, so much so that Travis Wall told Melanie she's his favorite dancer in the competition. Before getting to their results, Caitlynn & Mitchell's contemporary routine that brought Mary to tears is recapped. Both couples are safe.After a plug for National Dance Day, the next three couples hit the stage.Ashley & Chris' "sizzling salsa," as Cat puts it, didn't connect for the judges and it's not much of a surprise when Cat tells them they're in the bottom three. Nigel says the whole idea of the show is to do styles you're not used to, and emphasizes again that their performance "wasn't good enough."Clarice & Jess' contemporary routine made the judges happy and they talked a lot about the improvement the couple has shown. Has it been enough to stay out of the bottom three? Before we find out, we see highlights of Jordan & Tadd's smooth waltz, which also had the judges pouring on the praise. Jordan & Tadd fall to the bottom three while Clarice & Jess are safe for another week.Mary says the voters must have gone to the kitchen while Jordan & Tadd were dancing. She thinks they've been outstanding, but admits that last night's performance might have been their weakest, but "it wasn't bad."Finally, we're down to the last couples. Ryan & Ricky's wild zombie jazz dance sent the judges and the crowd into hysterics. Sasha & Alexander's hip-hop routine was lost on the judges, with Nigel calling it "Hip-Hop 101." The final couple in danger is ... Ryan & Ricky. Travis says he's confused, shocked and surprised because he thought Ryan & Ricky were one of the best couples last night.Be our guests: Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet performs. After the solos, Florence and the Machine perform their song, "Cosmic Love."The eliminations: Nigel says all the girls on the show are beautiful and randomly takes the opportunity to point out that Kim Kardashian is in the audience. He finally gets back to the critique and tells all the dancers that they need to show different sides of themselves and need to up their games in the solos.He specifically tells Jordan that she has to show more than just how strong her legs are. He tells Ryan the judges love her and she gave a good solo. He finally tells Ashley she's been good throughout, but she hasn't peaked. And he sends her home.On to the guys. Nigel tells Ricky that Travis thinks Ricky is the best contemporary dancer in the competition (next to Marko). He tells him that somehow he and Ryan aren't connecting with America. He tells Chris he always brings out his best when he's dancing for his life. He tells Tadd that Travis really wants to work with him. Finally, Nigel tells Chris that he's not doing what the choreographers are asking of him, and so it's time for him to go.
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06 July 2011
Top 14 Perform
Carmen Electra and Travis Wall are...
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Carmen Electra and Travis Wall are the guest judges this week on "So You Think You Can Dance," joining Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. Carmen says she started dancing at 5 and won Miss Dance Ohio before working with Prince and Jamie King, and beginning thrashing (her favorite style). She then landed with the Pussycat Dolls. Travis thanks everyone for letting him be part of the show that helped launch his dance career several seasons back.Justin Giles choreographs a group routine for the guys.Melanie & Marko: Melanie and Marko start the night with a jazz routine from Ray Leeper. Travis loves it, praises Marko and tells Melanie she's "by far" his favorite dancer in the competition. Carmen loves Melanie's strength and the whole routine. Mary says "nothing great is ever produced without passion," and they have it all over the place. She renames Marko "The Domination Man." Nigel says their technique matches the performance.Sasha & Alexander: Hip-hop choreographer Shaun Evaristo gives Sasha & Alexander a routine that has Alexander desperate seeking swag -- and not succeeding in rehearsal. Carmen says she couldn't stop watching Sasha, which meant she couldn't get the feel of the two of them as a couple. Mary says she wishes she could say she saw the swag, but she didn't. Nigel gets booed, like Mary did, for saying it felt like Hip-Hop 101. He suggests they read "Hip-Hop for Dummies." Travis "didn't hate it as much as they did," but does think they have a lot to work on.Jordan & Tadd: They get a smooth waltz from Toni Redpath, which puts Jordan in the role of a magical sea creature who seduces Tadd with her singing. Once she does, she kills him with a kiss. Mary gives a quick history lesson on the waltz and says this one was "dreamy and romantic." She praises Jordan specifically for a graceful floor sweep. Nigel says he's surprised at how well Tadd, a hip-hop dancer, did and that he's doing moves he wouldn't have imagined. Travis says it was beautiful, but could have been a little smoother. Carmen says she enjoyed the dance and that even though she doesn't know much about the waltz, she knows what she feels and she liked it.Clarice & Jess: Justin Giles gives the couple a hard-hitting contemporary piece that's intricate and specific. The intense dance has them faking punches and shoves. Travis says they "just came alive" and that it was his favorite dance of theirs this season. Nigel is in total agreement and says the dance really made him feel the anger they were intending to convey. Carmen also says she believed the story and they really showed the "love and hate" that comes up in a breakup. Mary says their partnership has been growing every week. She says they're not peaking too soon and they're going in the right direction.Ashley & Chris: Liz Lira gives the couple an intense salsa that she says is one of the more complicated routines she's choreographed. Ashley is proud of her partner. Travis starts by saying he loves them and it started out really hopeful, but then it started to fall apart a little. He says the chemistry wasn't quite there and it didn't pop. Carmen says salsa is "hot and it's on fire" and this one felt like they were hesitating. There was potential, she says, but they weren't quite hitting those moves. "It wasn't bad, but it was OK," she says. Mary says this dance wasn't as hot as their previous ones, but some things were still simmering. Nigel was impressed with the lifts, but when it comes to "the freedom of salsa" they weren't quite consistent.Ryan & Ricky: Chucky Klapow gives them a jazz routine about two members of a cult of fashion who are done in by following their obsession with what's hot and hip. Carmen says they "rocked." She loved the music choice, the energy. Mary says it was hot and says she liked seeing this kind of quirky stuff on the dance floor. Nigel agrees and that the routine suited them well. He says it's great to see choreography that allows them to be together when they're apart. Travis says they had his attention the entire time and that he can see both of them making it past Top 10, for sure.Caitlynn & MItchell: Mandy Moore gives them a contemporary routine about falling in love. It's a challenge, but also gives Mitchell the task of carrying Caitlynn through some serious lifts. The crowd roast and the judges join in on a standing ovation. Mary shouts that it was her favorite number of the night. She's on the verge of tears as she talks about how beautiful it was. She loves the leaps, trust, lack of fear and uninhibited approach they took. Nigel says "the emotion in that routine just grabbed us all." He says the whole routine took his breath away. Travis says he kept catching himself trying to catch his breath. He says Caitlynn is the surprise for him this season. Carmen says something about them being large, beautiful and powerful, and joins in the chorus by calling them the best of the night.The final group dance, for the girls, is a jazz routine choreographed by Ray Leeper.
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30 June 2011
Two of 16 Voted Off
We kick off the third results show of...
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We kick off the third results show of the season of "So You Think You Can Dance" with a group routine choreographed by Michael Rooney. Host Cat Deeley reminds us about all the kissing that was going on Wednesday night. After introducing the judges, Cat gives guest celebrity judge Kristin Chenowith another chance to plug her upcoming country album (complete with a random few seconds of her first music video). It was a little odd.To the results: Cat brings out the first three couples. Melanie & Marko are reminded of their Nappy-Tabs hip-hop routine that was well received by the judges. They were the ones who started all the kissing and Cat tells them, "If you kiss again, you're safe." A peck on the cheek was enough.Chris & Ashley are reminded of their Sonya Tayeh zombies dance that the judges weren't wild about. No big shock, they're in the bottom three.Finally, Ryan & Ricky also drew a Sonya piece, but it was much more well received, with Mary says she "loved every second of it." They're safe.Cat next brings Jordan & Tadd to center stage. They had a Nappy-Tabs hip-hop routine that all the judges loved. The voters loved it, too. They're safe.Sasha & Alexander had a Dean Caspary routine that the judges liked a lot. Before getting their results, we get a recap of Miranda & Robert's routine, which left the judges at a loss for even more positive things to say than they'd already said. The second couple in danger is Miranda & Robert, leaving Sasha & Alexander safe.Next, Jess & Clarice are reminded of how awesome the judges thought they were, with Kristin saying it was her favorite dance of the night. Caitlynn & Mitchell had Kristin wanting to shut all the doors in the house (in a good way), but it wasn't enough to avoid landing in the bottom three.Be our guest: Cat introduces AXIS, a dance company that's been around for a long time and combines dancers with and without disabilities. Later, the current U.S. and World theatrical ballroom champions, Eric Luna and Georgia Ambarian, perform.Back to the results: After the judges deliberate, Nigel says they love all three girls on stage and adds that the judges are not unanimous. He tells Miranda that even though she's the most improved girl in the competition, she's going home.When it comes to the guys, Nigel says the judges are unanimous. He tells Mitchell that he does really well when he dances for his life, but they have to take into account that he keeps landing in the bottom three "and somehow you are not connecting with the public." He tells Chris he's doing a good job, but he has to grow quicker for the public to recognize what he's doing and he's "not quite there yet." He tells Robert that despite his personality, he keeps landing in the bottom three. But this will be the last time he lands in the bottom three, because he's going home.
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29 June 2011
Top 16 Perform
It's time for the Top 16 dancers to...
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It's time for the Top 16 dancers to perform on "So You Think You Can Dance." Joining regular judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy are guest judge Lil C and celebrity guest Kristin Chenowith, who's putting out a country music album because, well, because that's what famous people do.To help fill two hours, er, to make things more interesting, host Cat Deeley explains that in addition to each couple's regular performances this week, the entire group has been split in half to perform two group routines. They won't be critiques, but the judges will take the dances into consideration when determining who stays and goes.The first of the group routines is a number choreographed by Tyce Diorio.Tonight, the dancers will talk about their first-ever performances, which will be accompanied by embarrassing childhood photos.Sasha & Alexander: Sasha tells us she was a tomboy and never hung out with girls, and her first performance as a child was portraying a frog. She now hates frogs. Alexander wore little bowties as a child, and his first performance was a tribute to "The Lion King" at his sixth birthday party. They get a Dee Caspary contemporary routine. Nigel tells Sasha she was "a tomboy frog who turned into a beautiful princess." He tells Alex he needs to work on his connection with the audience. Mary gives a moderate "I think you did," when answering her own question as to whether they pulled off the routine. Kristin tells Sasha she understands "the frog deal," explaining that she once played a tulip and a frog peed on her. She tells Sasha she doesn't hear a sound when she dances (which is a good thing) and that Alexander has great extensions ("and I'm not talking about the ones on my head.") Lil C throws a lot of big words around to tell them they are two really good dancers who pulled off a complicated routine.Caitlynn & Mitchell: Caitlynn loved playing in the dirt as a kid, but she was always dressed up. Her first performance was a "duck dance" in a funny blue and yellow get-up. Mitchell says he was a ham, always posing for pictures. He was a late bloomer, starting dance at 16, when he "killed" his first performance, playing Leroy in "Fame." Jean-Marc Genereux gives them a sexy samba. He tells them the power and voice of the samba is all in the hips and that's where the voice has to come out, "like speakers." Mary says her ears are ringing because "all the speakers have just been blown out." She says they were "both just really in it and living it." Kristin says, "Shut the front door ... shut the back door, shut the door to the garage." Lil C loved it and says to Mitchell, the late bloomer, "better late than never." Nigel says Mitchell's weakness was exposed in last week's cha cha, but his strengths came out in this samba. He tells Caitlynn "the articulation" in her body is perfect.Miranda & Robert: Miranda says she was very opinionated as a child. Her first performance was tap dancing and she says she was a natural. Robert tells us he loved "playing characters" one of those was Michael Jackson, who inspired him to do his first talent show. Tyce Diorio gives them a Broadway routine in which Miranda is "an upper-class working girl." It's fast and intricate, Miranda says, and they have a move on every beat. Kristin says she's "got nothin'" in terms of things they should work on. She says she wasn't sure when she watched their rehearsal earlier, but they killed it. Lil C tells Miranda she leaves him in awe when she dances, adding, "With legs like that, who needs arms?" He tells Robert he has a perfect personality. Nigel tells Miranda she's grown more than anyone in the competition. He tells Robert, a hip-hop dancer, how impressed he is with his performance. Mary tells Miranda more about her great transformation, and tells Robert he "caught on fire." She tells him he's "a star, and it's getting a little shinier every single week."Melanie & Marko: Melanie says she's been a performer since Day 1. In her first performance, a ballet-tap class, she wore a Little Bo Peep costume. Marko says he was a crazy kid and a big brat, but once he started dancing he calmed down. He did jazz and hip-hop at about 10 years old, and was "very internal" with his performance. They get a lyrical hip-hop routine from Napoleon & Tabitha. Lil C called them "a power couple" and said the beginning, especially, was "extra buck." Nigel says he can't judge them individually because they danced and breathed and their hearts beated together. He says they are "the couple to beat." Mary tells Marko his emotions were believable and his technique was "razor-sharp." She loves Melanie's nuances and asks how hard it was for them to kiss in the middle of the dance, and Nigel leans over and plants a huge kiss on Mary that sends everyone into a tizzy. Kristin says she's so moved she thinks she's going to ... and she leans over and plants a big kiss on Lil C.Ashley & Chris: Ashley says she was loud and obnoxious as a kid. Her first performance was at age 3, wearing a tutu and using a shopping cart as a prop. Chris has six siblings and his first performance was poetry reading. They get a jazz routine from Sonya Tayeh about some half-zombie, half-alive people. Nigel says he didn't connect with it and specifically didn't like the music. Mary understands Nigel's point but says they pulled off a lot of hard synchronization in the routine. Kristin acknowledges that this isn't her thing, but she was enthralled. Lil C explains that Sonya gives the dance movements a character within each of her dances. He calls Ashley a "sleeper cell" in the competition and tells Chris he sees him.Clarice & Jess: Clarice tells us she took every opportunity to perform. She did a "really cutesy" dance that went really well and her mom loved it. Jess says he was a crazy kid and that in his first performance as a child, all he did was wave to his mom the whole time. They get a foxtrot from Jean-Marc about a crooner who's ready to sing but decides to dance with a beautiful woman instead. Mary they did a perfect, gliding, sophisticated foxtrot. She tells Clarice she's great and tells Jess "there isn't a single other dancer that could've done what you just did." Kristin calls it her favorite performance of the night. Lil C tells Jess his "physical artistic expression is the definition of sophistication," which Jess doesn't seem to understand. Nigel compliments the costume designer for a beautiful dress and says Clarice lived up to it.Ryan & Ricky: Ricky shares that he never gave up a chance to dance. He says that in his first performance, he forgot his routine and started doing his friend's choreography and it all went downhill. Ryan says her first performance was at age 4 and she danced to "Animal Crackers" by Shirley Temple. They get a contemporary routine from Sonya Tayeh about a couple who knows their relationship is ending, but they don't know why something is tying them together. Ryan gets emotional just thinking about it and Sonya is on the verge of tears in the crowd. Kristin is in awe as the crowd roars. She says the performance "speaks." Lil C calls them a power couple after praising Sonya's ability to express emotion through dance. Nigel also praises Sonya for using her personal experience to convey a powerful dance. Mary heaps praise on them both and says she "loved every second of it."Jordan & Tadd: Jordan says she was a crazy kid who growled at people. Her first performance was in first grade, dancing to the Spice Girls. Tadd says he was a huge nerd as a kid and his dad taught him martial arts. They get a Napoleon & Tabitha hip-hop routine about a couple waking up the morning after a one-night stand and scrambling to get dressed. Lil C loved the concept and the execution, but told them to dance with their entire bodies. Nigel says the story overwhelmed the dance, but it "was great fun." Mary says they "put the whammy on all of us" and she loved it. Kristin wants all the doors shut again.The night ends with another group dance, a Dee Caspary number about medieval women getting revenge on the men around them by poisoning them.
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23 June 2011
4 of 20 Voted Off
It's time for a double (or quadruple)...
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It's time for a double (or quadruple) elimination on So You Think You Can Dance. A week after no one went home, four dancers will be sent packing tonight. Cat Deeley introduces the judges and guest Debbie Reynolds says her stint as a judge was a new experience for her because she's used to being on stage rather than sitting on at a table.To the results: The first three couples on the stage are Missy & Wadi, Caitlynn & Mitchell, and Sasha & Alexander. Missy and Wadi are the first to land among the bottom three couples and will have to perform solos for the judges. Caitlynn (with a sore on her nose from Mitchell's accidental punch during their performance) and Mitchell come up next. Theyre safe. Sasha & Alexander learn their emotional ode to a soldier's return from war Wednesday night earned them a spot in next week's show.Miranda & Robert are up next, followed by Melanie & Marko. Both couples learn they are safe. Jordan & Tadd are left on stage with Iveta & Nick. Jordan and Tadd are safe, leaving Iveta & Nick in the bottom three couples.Ashley & Chris learn they are safe while Ryan & Ricky and Clarice & Jess come up next. Ryan & Ricky learn they are the final couple in danger of going home and Clarice & Jess are safe for another week.Be our guest: World champion dance company Rage Crew perform for their third time on the show. Later, LMFAO perform.On with the show...: Wadi, Missy, Nick, Iveta, Ricky and Ryan all perform their solos.After the guest appearances, Nigel tells Cat that the judges are unanimous in their choices. He tells Missy there's nothing in her dancing that he can fault. He says she had a problem with the cha cha, and specifically with her partner. He tells Iveta she's graced the show with her talent and will remain memorable for her first routine with Pasha. He tells Ryan her solo wasn't as good as you can do, and that there's more inside her that they haven't seen. He tells her that if she remains, shell have to show that. Shes going to get the chance. He quickly reveals that Ryan is the one who's safe for another week. Iveta and Missy are gone.Nigel tells Wadi he hasn't been given the chance to shine, but that the cha cha hurt him and his solo tonight didn't help. He tells Nick hes fortunate that there are two tappers on the panel and they think hes going to be a star. Nigel tells Ricky he doesn't think they've ever seen him dance better than he did in tonight's "dance for your life solo." He says Ricky laid himself out there and was "absolutely brilliant in that -- which is why we are keeping you on the show." That means Wadi and Nick are out.
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22 June 2011
Top 20 Perform Again
After the Week 1 drama that included...
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After the Week 1 drama that included an injury and no elimination, the second week of performances on "So You Think You Can Dance" take on twice the significance as the Top 20 continue to dance for America's vote with the knowledge that four of them will go home Thursday.The couples are introduced: Jordan & Tadd, Clarice & Jess, Sash & Alexander, Caitlynn & Mitchell, Missy & Wadi, Ashley & Chris, Ryan & Ricky, Iveta & Nick, Miranda & Robert and Melanie & Marko.On the judging panel this week, dance icon Debbie Reynolds is the celebrity guest judge sitting in with Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy. We're treated to a clip from "Singin' in the Rain," which makes Cat Deeley very excited.This week, the dancers were asked to reveal something their partner has been trying to keep secret.Ryan & Ricky: Ricky's revelation about Ryan: Her leg hairs grow really fast. Ryan's secret about Ricky is that his real name is Roderick. This is embarrassing to him. Mandy Moore gives them a "sexy, powerful, tension-filled" jazz routine. Nigel says it's "absolutely sensational" after we see that Ryan's stockings have torn. Mary says she's addicted to the two of them (playing off the fact that they danced to Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love"). Debbie points out that Ryan fell out of her top and her bottom, adding she "gave us your all."Caitlynn & Mitchell: Mitchell reveals that Caitlynn's toes turn blue in her dancing shoes. She tells us about Mitchell's zebra-print Snuggie. Stacey Tookey gives them a contemporary routine about a woman whose relationship is ending but she's too insecure to finish it. Caitlynn emerges wounded -- literally -- after Mitchell accidentally punched her in the nose. Mary is glad Mitchell got a chance to dance again. Debbie notes that Caitlynn "bled for us." Nigel acknowledges it's the first time we've seen them dance together because of last week's injury. While Caitlynn's nose bleeds, Nigel says he got the emotion conveyed through the dance.Missy & Wadi: Missy reveals that Wadi likes to use ladies' hair removal cream on his chest hair. He claims this only happened once. He tells us that Missy's laugh stops in a funny way. And they both laugh. A lot. They get a cha cha from Jean-Marc Genereux, who says it's the most difficult routine he's ever done on the show. Debbie says Wadi chewed up his cha cha, adding, "Muy bueno." Nigel tells Wadi he's going to keep it real, saying a lot was missing when it came to technique but that Wadi did well in the parts that required strength. He tells Missy she was "everything I could have hoped." Mary says the beginning was "absolutely spectacular," but Wadi "did fall short" once the dance really started. Then she calls Missy a "cha cha queen." She goes on to slam Wadi again, saying it was like "Dancing with the Stars," where Missy was the professional and Wadi was the student. Debbie then offers to take Wadi home so she can show him how to cha cha. Wadi, with some tears in his eyes, says "at least I made someone's night" when Cat tells him he made Debbie's night.Iveta & Nick: Nick tells us that Iveta tells herself how good she looks when she thinks she looks good. Iveta tells us that Nick wears shorts all the time. This is a big secret. Unless, of course, you've ever seen Nick. They get a Nakul Dev Mahajan Bollywood routine that he says is going to be lightning fast. Nigel says they kept it entertaining, and goes to great lengths to explain how it's not Iveta or Nick's style. Mary says she's "a fan of these two dancing." She says they "just seem to fit right." Debbie says she feels 20 years younger just being there and that they freaked her out in a very good way.Miranda & Robert: Miranda reveals that Robert thinks he's a pro wrestler. Robert, in turn, tells us that Miranda has a crush on Tadd, which makes her embarrassed. They get a Napoleon & Tabitha hip-hop routine about chickens or birds, or something. Mary says she gets nervous when animals are imitated on the show (who wouldn't, right?), but says this worked. She praises Robert for taking on the hip-hop, which is his style. But she's more surprised with Miranda's ability to handle it, saying she's "gone to another level." Debbie says she was mesmerized by them both, then does a Woody Woodpecker impression before calling them "the best woodpeckers ever." Nigel says he loved the routine, and that Miranda shocked him. He says she might be the best contemporary dancer he's seen do hip-hop.Clarice & Jess: Jess tells us that Clarice sleeps with her eyes open (but, really, wouldn't anyone named Clarice sleep with her eyes open in a post-"Silence of the Lambs" world?). She tells us that Jess draws entire orchestras using stick figures (and we're shown them). Stacey Tookey gives them a routine in which they play a prince and a princess, but the lifts are challenging Jess. Debbie thinks they were "so wonderful" and says she's going to take them both home with Wadi. Nigel says he enjoyed "parts of it." He says the parts they did individually were good, but when they were together it didn't work. Mary says Jess' emotions were perfect and that Clarice is a beautiful dancer with legs that go on and on.Jordan & Tadd: Tadd tells us that "Jordan isn't the brightest crayon in the box." We're shown a replay of when she won her "ticket" to Vegas said "SYTYCD Airlines" at the top and she thought the show actually had its own airline. She tells us about Tadd's packing obsession -- he color-coordinates everything and puts things in ziploc baggies. They get a Viennese waltz from Jean-Marc Genereux. Nigel says it was "just so beautiful" and adds, "it had everything." He reminds Tadd that he's a B-boy, saying that his presentation was "probably the best that I've seen a B-boy dance something like the Viennese waltz." Mary calls Tadd "the biggest surprise of this season." She says she was truly touched by Tadd's performance, and notes that Jordan has transformed into a beautiful ballroom dancer. Debbie says they were "just as wonderful" as Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse.Melanie & Marko: Marko shares Melanie's secret: She has issues with people touching her ears. He does this, and she freaks out. She tells us that Marko loves to read romance novels. They get a Mandy Moore jazz piece. Mary tells them they're speaking "loud and clearly" with the voices they have when they dance. She says she never feels like she has to worry about them as a team when they face different styles. Debbie says she never worries about the musical stars of today "because you are it." Nigel agrees, saying it's too early to talk about stars, but that Melanie and Marko really do live up to the billing already.Alexander & Sasha: Alexander tells us that Sasha "sweats like a dude." She tells us he loves to look at himself in the mirror. Sasha is excited to find Napoleon & Tabitha, but this isn't a big, loud, fun hip-hop routine. It's a dance about a soldier coming home from Afghanistan and seeing his wife for the first time. Debbie notes that they were not only asked to dance, but also act and give a story that would make them cry, and Debbie did just that. Mary cries, too, saying that the story hits too close. She tells Sasha that she made her feel the emotions and asks Nigel to talk. He notes that the show was pushed back because of President Obama's speech about withdrawing the troops by September 2012 and that it seems so far off. He says they carried off the dance beautifully.Ashley & Chris: Ashley tells us that when Chris smiles his mouth opens and, well, he smiles. Apparently. He tells us that Ashley thinks she has swag, but she doesn't. They get a routine from Broadway choreographer Spencer Liff. He's making them dance with a set of prison bars between them. Nigel praises Spencer for such a creative routine. He notes that each of the judges have talked about how none of them would do well on the show because of how hard it is to dance our of your own genre. He notes that Chris is another hip-hop dancer who was "absolutely fantastic" in a style other than his own. He tells Ashley she was "just beautiful." Mary goes through the most convoluted explanation of how steam trains are powered to finally get to the point, which is that Ashley & Chris are on the "Hot Tamale Train." Debbie apparently thinks that Ashley & Chris, with their performance, made "Jailhouse Rock" more famous than Elvis Presley did.
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16 June 2011
2 of 20 Voted Off
We open the first results show of So...
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We open the first results show of So You Think You Can Dance Season 8 with a Sonya Tayeh group routine. Host Cat Deeley reminds us about the rules: the three couples with least votes will dance solos in their own style before the judges decide who goes. Joining them will be Mitchell, who didnt perform Wednesday night because of an injury. The judges will cut one guy and one girl.The first three couples come out: Melanie & Marko, Missy & Wadi, and Iveta & Nick. After watching the highlight reel, we learn that Melanie and Marko are the first couple to escape the bottom three.Next up are Missy & Wadi, and Iveta & Nick. And both couples are safe. Cat announces that doctors cleared Mitchell to perform a solo later in the show.The next two couples are Ashley & Chris and Jordan & Tadd came next. And the first couple in the bottom three is Jordan & Tadd. Ashley & Chris leave the stage and are safe to dance another week.Caitlynn, who danced last night with Season 7s Robert after Mitchells injury, came up next. Clarice & Jess wait with Caitlynn to learn their fate. The couple hear they are in the bottom three but Caitlynn makes it through.Ryan & Ricky come up next and hear they are safe will be dancing next week. Miranda & Robert and Sasha & Alexander wait to hear together. Miranda & Robert are the final two dancers in danger of elimination.To the solos: Mitchell dances the first solo of the night after sitting out last nights show due to an injury. Jordan, Tadd and Clarice follow."Its impossible," Nigel Lythgoe exclaims about the difficult choice before the commercial break.Jess, Miranda and Robert finish the solos and Cat announces that Lady Gaga will guest judge later in the season while the judges deliberate. The world-exclusive of Gagas new video, "Edge of Glory," plays next.After the break, Nigel delays the results another moment to announce that saxophonist Clarence Clemons, most famous for his work with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band and recently for a couple of songs with Lady Gaga, has suffered a stroke.Nigel asks Mitchell and Robert to dance again before the judges make their decision. They do. Nigel still wants to put the decision off a bit longer, so he asks Cat to bring the bottom three girls on stage. He tells Jordan shes superb, strong, controlled and has a beautiful personality. He says its a real shame shes in the bottom three, and asks her to step back. Clarice next hears she has a smile that would melt an ice cube, and says hes glad America put her in the bottom three because he got a chance to see her dance. Miranda, finally, hears that her elevation is remarkable and that she has beautiful feet. He says its difficult to figure out which of them will go home, so he wont do it now.The guys come back on stage. He tells Jess hes magnificent in his style and he doesnt know why Jess is in the bottom. He tells Tadd his jazz routine was tremendous. He tells Robert he has a wonderfully big personality, then reveals that nobody is going home this week.The catch is that two couples will go home next week. He says he wants to give America a chance to see more of them.
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15 June 2011
Top 20 Perform
The Top 20 dancers are finally ready...
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The Top 20 dancers are finally ready to perform on Season 8 of "So You Think You Can Dance," and we get a curve ball right from the start. Joining Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy on the panel this week will be ... Megan Mullally! Yes, the very Megan Mullally who has won two Emmys and now stars in "Children's Hospital." She's also a trained dancer.One dancer was missing from the introductions, though. Mitchell injured his elbow after his first rehearsal and a doctor asked him to rest. He will be in danger of elimination tomorrow as a result of not performing tonight.Jordan, whose birthday is today, turned 19. She wants to be a Pussycat Doll, she loves food and blue is her favorite color. B-boy Tadd is 19, played a dancing taco in a movie and almost died doing Bollywood. They draw dance an Afro-Jazz routine inspired by lava erupting from a volcano, choreographed by Sean Cheesman. Nigel says they were both really tremendous and if Tadd keeps picking up new styles so well hell go a long way. Mary says Jordan was so much more animalistic than she had expected. Tadd blew her away and just emerged as a star. Megan says their dance was a great start to the season, and praises Jordans extensions and Tadds power.Sasha & Alexander: Sasha is 23, forgets her age and likes purple. Alexander is 20 and speaks Spanish (sort of). Sasha and Alexander get a contemporary routine from Travis Wall, which is good for them because Alexander is a contemporary dancer. Mary loves Sashas stage presence and strength, saying, You just stand there and fill this room up. Mary tells Alexander she didnt feel the connection between the two of them. Megan calls Sasha an actress and says she came into the competition as a favorite and that wont be changing after the performance. She tells Alexander she felt a disconnect between his body and his face. Nigel calls Sasha a modern-day Amazonian princess and tells Alexander he would need more emotion in his face to compete with women as strong as Sasha in the competition.Clarice & Jess: Clarice, a Jazz dancer, is 19, her eyes change color and shes shy. Jess, 18, is a Broadway dancer from New Jersey who likes making weird noises. Clarice and Jess draw Broadway. Megan loves everything about it and says it was pure joy on a platter. She calls Jess a natural born performer and Clarice very sexy. Nigel thinks Clarice is had a tough time keeping up with Jess in Broadway. He said Jess outdanced her in the routine and that he can tell Jess will be one of his favorites this season. Mary says Jess was perfect tonight and told Clarice she wont be in any danger soon, sister.Ryan & Ricky: Ryan is 19 and she loves Law & Order: SVU, which is not on Fox. Ricky is from Florida and was a cheerleader. Ricky says it wont be difficult pretending hes in love with Ryan during their routine, because he is. They get a Chris Scott lyrical hip-hop routine that is a torn-up love story. Nigel tells them to be careful with their facial expressions, but he loved the dancing. He says Ryan is outstanding in a sea of girls who are very good this season. Mary is impressed with Rickys ability to stay in character, and she calls Ryan one of the strongest girls. Megan thinks the whole thing was beautiful.Caitlynn & MItchell: Caitlynn is matched with Mitchell, but... well, Mitchell isn't around. He's hurt. They draw a Sonya Tayeh jazz routine that's supposed to be "about what you can accomplish without fear." Robert joins Caitlynn in Mitchell's absence. Mitchell cries in the audience while applauding. Mary is wowed by Caitlynn and praises Sonya Tayeh. She says Caitlynn was "brilliant." She also plants a seed about wanting to see Robert back as an all-star. Megan is impressed by the amount of power and strength Caitlynn displayed as a smaller dancer. Nigel notes Caitlynn's tough week and quotes her original partner Mitchell, saying, "That was 10 across the board!"Miranda & Robert: Miranda is scared of the dark. She's partnered with Robert, who loves professional wrestling and pets. They draw Latin ballroom with Jason Gilkison. Miranda is struggling to be sexy. This is a straight-up, high-energy jive. Megan can't start talking over the cheering crowd, so she waits. She calls it "sheer delight" and adds, "you'd have to be in a coma not to like that." She calls Robert her Top 20 crush. Nigel says Robert might have the biggest personality of all the dancers, which could help or hurt him. Nigel doesn't think it was all there for Robert, and Miranda will need "a touch more" to keep up with the other girls. Mary says she was dancing in her seat the entire time. She says Robert stole the show tonight. She asks Robert to give her a "Woo" and he does. Mary gives a long, screeching "Woo!" right back.Missy & Wadi: Missy likes "long walks to the fridge" and wants to marry an Australian. Wadi was born in Jamaica, raises here and loves Japanese culture. They get a Sean Cheesman jazz routine about sexy demon clones coming out of a Pandora's Box. Nigel says the dancers are inspiring the choreographers to better and better work, and says it's the best work he's seen from Sean. Nigel calls Missy "without question, one of the beasts of the girls." He says she has it all. He tells Wadi he's impressed with how quickly the hip-hop dancers are picking up new styles. He tells Wadi he's "brilliant." Mary says it was "phenomenal." She tells Wadi she didn't know he had those kinds of partnering skills in him. Megan says it was amazing and is further impressed after learning that Wadi has never partnered before.Melanie & Marko: Melanie loves cookies, collects nail polish and really wants to be on "Ellen." Marko is from Guam, likes to eat a lot and falls out of his chair in high-pressure situations. They get a Travis Wall contemporary routine. Their chemistry is great immediately. Mary gets emotional for the first time this season. She then explains that every once in a while there's a magical number where everything that could possibly be amazing happens at once. Megan is almost at a loss for words, just saying, "chills, crying," and then adds, "as Oprah would say, 'Wow, wow, wow.'" Nigel says this "could possibly be the first Emmy-nominated routine." Nigel says he worries about Marko and the bullet in his shoulder. He calls Melanie "the queen of the beasts" and adds that he doesn't think the show has ever had a better girl dancer.Ashley & Chris: Ashley loves waffles, chips and orange soda. Chris is from Texas, one of seven kids, and loves going to the movies. Christopher Scott gives them a hip-hop routine about a couple who learn that each of them is cheating on the other at the same time. Chris has a moment when he relives actually having been cheated on. Nigel says it was fun and says it will be interesting to see how voters go -- whether for big dynamic, technical routines or just fun stuff. Mary calls it "pure, pure entertainment." Megan loves it, too, and takes a moment to praise the costume and makeup on the show by calling it the best on TV.Iveta & Nick: Iveta wants to have a monkey but it's unlawful in New York. She's paired with tap dancer Nick, who speaks slowly, is named Nick and has a fun personality. Nick is ecstatic when they draw ballroom with Jason Gilkison, which is Iveta's speciality -- and by specialty, I mean, she's a world champion in, like, 10 dances. She puts him through ballroom boot camp. Megan is amazed at what Nick was able to do, being a tap dancer. She gives Iveta some requisite praise. Nigel acknowledges Iveta's place as a world champ in quickstep. He tells Nick he has "fabulous feet." Mary goes down the list of all the elements of the quickstep that make it so difficult, and checks every one of them off the list.
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09 June 2011
Meet the Top 20
It started with thousands, then 160...
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It started with thousands, then 160 were invited to Vegas. Tonight, we learn the Top 20 finalists for Season 8 of "So You Think You Can Dance."In a new twist, the finalists will perform in front of the live studio audience as they're announced. Host Cat Deeley promises "nine electrifying routines."Robin Antin, Lil C, Tyce Diorio and ("back where she belongs," Cat says) Mary Murphy join executive producer Nigel Lythgoe on the panel.Nigel explains that the Top 20 will be named and that the all-stars will return as they did last year when we get down to the Top 10. He calls it "the best of both worlds."Ricky Jaime and Miranda Maleski are the first of the dancers to learn his fate, and after the requisite dramatic hype and build-up as if they were being given bad news, they got good news. Melanie Moore, who's already stood out in brief moments for her personality, is in, as well.Abigail and Caitlin are the first learn they're not in the Top 20.It's time to learn what's in store for the Mallory sisters. Sasha and Natalia have been attached at the hip throughout the auditions -- with the exception of when Natalia went to the hospital. Nigel tells them that only one of them is moving on. It's Sasha, and Natalia gives her a big hug, and is clearly quite happy for her sister.And, with the first live routine of the season, Ricky, Miranda, Melanie and Sasha perform a Stacey Tookey piece. Natalia is in the crowd and cheering loudly for her sister. Nigel is thrilled to see "such wonderful technique" and compliments Stacey's work. He says it bodes well for an exciting season. Tyce rejoices in the blending of great choreography and great dancers.It's time for the "street dancers," which we used to call B-boys or hip-hop dancers or crumpers or... yes, "street dancers" works. Chris Koehl, who doesn't look took familiar, stands there as Mary talks and talks and talks about doors closing and new challenges, and eventually settles on the fact that Chris is walking through a door to the Top 20, or something like that.Wadi Jones and Tad Gadduang join Chris in the Top 20, but the news isn't as good for Virgil (a.k.a. Lil O). He's gone, but Nigel spends a lot of time praising his personality. Another guy we haven't seen much of is out.That leaves "The Professor" Bryce and Robert "Woooo!" Taylor Jr. The Professor is out and Robert is in. And now the four remaining street dancers -- Chris, Wadi, Tad and Robert. Lil C says that under the supervision of MasterChef Dave Scott, they served up some kind of hip-hop souffle. Robin says hip-hop is about character and they succeeded in bringing that out.The ballroom bunch -- which is only two deep -- is up. Iveta Lukoskute and Lenny Crow are up. Lenny gets bad news. He's out, and it's now Iveta's turn to find out if her number is up. It's not (or is it? Which would be good?). It's good news for Iveta. She's in. Mary cries while she tells Iveta how much she admires Iveta for putting herself out there to be judged on the show despite being a world champion ballroom dancer. Iveta gets to dance with fan favorite Pasha. Mary delivers her first loud "WOOOO!" of the season. She's excited to have a world champion in 10 dances on the show (and she actually lists them all). Nigel says he hasn't been this excited since Pasha and Anya danced.Clarice Ordaz and Bridget Krause are up. Clarice is called into the room first. We see Mary tell Clarice about all the amazing jazz dancers they've seen this season. And we next see Clarice burst out of the room screaming with excitement about having made it into the Top 20.Bridget doesn't get good news, though. And another dancer falls after her.Marko Germar, the one who was shot during a robbery, makes it.Next are the "sexy" girls: Jordan Casanova and, well, they didn't exactly give us the name of the other one, but she tells she tries "to be the sexy one." Jordan is up first. Debbie strings her along, saying that at 18 they could give her more time to develop, but "why wait?" After Jordan gets in, Missy (they tell us her name this time) is worried. But she's in, too.Jordan, Missy, Clarice and Marko offer up a Sonya Tayeh routine. Tyce is very excited by it. He's standing up and says "this lineup here is a force to be reckoned with." Robin is very focused on how "sexy" it was.Jess LeProtto, a Broadway dancer, and rapper Nick Young are grouped together because, well, why not? Jess faces the judges and after hearing Nigel tell him he has "a fabulous style" but has a part of his personality that's "a little arrogant." Jess admits he's nervous about hip-hop but has taken "many classes" in ballroom. Robin then tells Nick that his great personality is what put him into the Top 20 (nevermind that we haven't really seen him before). Nigel thinks it's fabulous.There are five spots left. Caitlynn has the confidence in knowing that Nigel not long ago called her his favorite. She's in. Ashley Rick is in just as quickly. Robin says, simply, "Two words: Top 20."Ryan Ramirez and Alexa are getting nervous, but first we see Mitchell Kelly meet the judges. He's feeling confident, and apparently for good reason. He's in. Alexander Frost and Jeremiah Hughes are the last coupe of guys. Jeremiah thinks he deserves it and Alexander just wants to know, saying, "Put me out of my misery already." They go in together and Mary quickly tells Jeremiah he's out and Alexander is in.Back to Alex and Ryan, who missed the finals by just this much last season. Ryan tells the judges she doesn't feel like she showed them her full potential last year. She'll get the chance this year. She's in. That's bad news for Alexa.Now, Mitchell, Caitlynn, Ashley, Alexander and Ryan perform a Travis Wall routine. It's big and joyful, with lots of leaves being tossed around. Robin loves it, saying it was "a celebration of dance." Mary says it was "like this beautiful fall breeze" and that they looked like "five well seasoned dancers up there."The Top 10 guys perform a hip-hop-meets-contemporary routine choreographed by Chris Scott, who Lil C praises as the Master of Ceremonies at mixing genres. Nigel tells the guys that hip-hop is going to be fun, and then tells the guys that "the girls are beasts this season."As it becomes clear that these final dances are purely meant to fill that final half-hour of a two-hour show, the Top 10 girls are up next with a Sonya Tayeh routine that's all geisha-inspired. Mary stands and says, "We're not worthy!" Lil C gives a very "I love Sonya" kind of speech.Finally, Nigel explains that two dancers -- a guy and a girl -- will go home on Thursday, and then we see all 20 of the finalists dance together.America, your Top 20:Ricky JaimeMiranda MaleskiChris KoehlMelanie MooreWadi JonesSasha MalloryTadd GadduangIveta LukosluteRobert Taylor Jr.Jordan CasanovaAlexander FrostAshley RichJess LeProttoCaitlynn LawsonMitchell KellyMissy MorelliNick YoungRyan RamirezMarko GermarClarice Ordaz
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08 June 2011
Las Vegas Callbacks
What happens in Vegas will set the...
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What happens in Vegas will set the course for the rest of 20 dancers' lives as "So You Think You Can Dance" heads to the desert for the next round of auditions.There were 160 tickets handed out, but 140 dreams will end by the end of the week.Robin Antin, Adam Shankman, Debbie Allen, Tyce Diorio and Mary Murphy join Nigel Lythgoe on the judges' panel for the big week.The dancers will start with solos that Nigel warns will result in some elimination right away.Iveta Lukosiute, a ballroom dancer who's made it to Vegas three times now, dresses up as a sexy police officer in order to get Nigel and the crew's attention.Marlon Pelayo is wearing a unitard his mom made and his friend painted. He made an impression, but not the sort he wanted to make.More solos bring more standouts and after the first 15 are done, seven are gone, including Marlon. He gets a talking to from Debbie Allen, who tells him his outfit was too distracting. Iveta moves on.More dancers get the boot right away, but B-boy Wadi Jones tries to turn things around, and gets the judges excited. This kicks off a string of dancers who Cat says "remind the judges why they were excited about Season 8."Sasha and Natalia Mallory, who auditioned together with their modern-African style, decide to again perform together to close out the first round. Suddenly, just 114 dancers are left.Day 1 continues with a group hip-hop routine by Napoleon and Tabitha. We focus on Chyna Smith (who we first met in Salt Lake City). Meanwhile, Wadi Jones has developed severe cramps and pain in his legs.Chyna completely flubs the group routine, but gets a pass to the next round. The hip-hop performances just got worse, resulting in more eliminations, including Hero McCrae and Patty Anne Miller; Irish step dancer Mary Kate Sheehan, and Princess Lockeroo, among others.Wadi's group is up and he hasn't even rehearsed, but he works it out and Mary tells him to drink plenty of water. After that, the hip-hop round catches fire and the judges are happy again.At the end of the round, some second-chancers take the stage. Eight dancers, including Chyna and Iveta, make the most of their second chance and are put through to the next day.Day 2 brings Broadway, and Tyce is doing the choreography. Wadi is back and teamed with Jordan Casanova, who didn't hesitate to show her sexy side in her original audition. Good thing, because this routine called for some serious sexiness. Everyone seems to do well and get through.Rebecca Hart and Jeremiah Hughes, who've both been to Vegas before and had mixed results. Rebecca nearly gave up on the competition completely after having made it to Vegas for a fifth time. Jeremiah threw a fit during a Mia Michaels contemporary routine the last time he was in Vegas. This time, he's happy and Rebecca is sad again after being dropped again.Broadway knocks out 14 more dancers.Jason Gilkison is on hand to choreograph the ballroom portion, which is jive. Natalie gets some attention because she's bigger than a typical dancer and her partner is a little on the small side. He struggles to pick her up. Nigel wants to give Natalia a stronger partner, and they both get reassigned.Natalia's sister Sasha joins Ryan Ramirez in the next group. Sasha gets through to the next round, along with everyone else in the group.Natalia is hooked up with "The Professor" for her second take. This time goes much better and everyone, including Natalia, gets a big laugh out of it. Nigel says, "There are no words for the joy that you brought to that routine."Alexis Mason, Jeannine's sister, is under pressure to perform. She doesn't quite cut it and the judges ask her to dance for her life. Tyce, while Alexis is dancing, says, "There's no flair." Nigel thinks Alexis is a fine dancer, but isn't giving it enough in her performance. He gives her a no. Mary agrees on the performance critique, but gives her a yes. Tyce follows, as does Debbie, which gives her enough votes to get through.The group round presents random music for the dancers to get used to, and Natalia starts to feel weak. Sasha is worried, but has to go to the theater when the dancers are called.The first group, made up of contemporary dancers Bridget, Caitlynn, Ricky, Clarice, and B-boy Wadi, kills it. More groups do great.DC, Arielle, Dashi and Jordan join Natalia, who has recovered from her rough morning. We see that the night before, DC had a bit of a breakdown when he thought he wasn't connecting with his group. He took a 30-minute bathroom break. The judges love it and say the dancers made them "see the music." Nigel praises Natalia, in particular, for "knocking down walls and barriers." DC then goes on a little speech about how other crumpers where he lives are hating on him. They all stay.After a lunch break and a chance to see the dancers in their swimsuits at the pool, we get treated to contemporary, which is choreographed by Travis Wall.Ryan Ramirez leaves the stage in pain. She says her tailbone is hurting. She's going to head to the hospital, but is worried about whether she'll miss the next two rounds. She leaves.Natalia seems to be feeling worse, and also has to head to the hospital. Sasha is worried and shows up just in time to see her sister taken away in an ambulance. She's back on stage now and partnered with The Professor.After some more dancers make it through, Ryan is back after learning her tailbone isn't broken, but she has deep bruising. With limited time to rehearse and still in "obvious discomfort," as Cat says, Ryan takes the stage. Debbie Allen tells Ryan she dances with the passion they're looking for, and she should go "ice that little butt" because she's on to the next round.More tears of joy follow.Jeremiah and Arielle are partnered, knowing that the contemporary round in Vegas has knocked them out before.For Arielle, it's a stunning development but she's out -- again. Jeremiah has better luck overcoming his past, and is overwhelmed by how far he's come in three years.DC is knocked out, but says he can't go back home. Debbie tells him she'll give him lessons herself if he wants to work to get where he wants to go. He takes her up on the offer.Chyna Smith also joins the growing list of booted contestants.Natalia returns after having missed the contemporary round, saying that after some tests the doctors think she has diabetes and gave her tips on how to proceed. She gets a chance to dance her solo after receiving what Nigel calls "a free pass" through contemporary.More solos are followed by more cuts, including Kimalee Piedad, Chase Thomas and Amber Williams. Other dancers make it, and head upstairs to celebrate in a luxury suite.Alexis Mason is back and after her solo, she's out. She seems more relieved than upset.At the end of the night, there are 31 dancers partying upstairs, but that means 11 will go before Vegas is over.
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02 June 2011
Audition #5
The auditions are back in Los...
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The auditions are back in Los Angeles, and Tyce Diorio joins Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe on the judges' panel. With just an hour left, we get right to it.It's early in the morning, but the temperature rises quickly as Jordan Casanova, 18, takes the stage and wows the judges with her sultry performance. Mary is totally impressed calls it one of the hottest performances she's ever seen. Tyce is floored and just calls Jordan a "naughty, naughty, naughty girl." But Nigel says he had to stop her because he was worried he might have another heart attack. She's thought to Vegas.DC Chapman is proud to be a daddy soon, and shows off some fun and precise hip-hop moves to Frank Sinatra's "That's Life," which really works. Before his audition, he walks Nigel through a new hip-hop dance. Nigel says he hasn't enjoyed a dance that much since Season 4 when Twitch, who's in the audience, did the conducting. Tyce says he "won't forget this." Nigel says DC transcends what the show is about, and hands him a ticket to Vegas.Arielle Coker has auditioned several times and has gotten a bit further each year. Mary immediately tells Tyce she thinks Arielle is stronger, and he agrees. They're wowed by her as she dances (we know they're wowed because Tyce and Mary keep saying, "Wow"). The crowd loves it, too. Nigel says her work has paid off and it was "absolutely mesmerizing." Mary says she "loved every single second" of it. She calls it "a knockout number that has it all." Tyce jumps in and says he's "never seen anybody come back with that kind of fire in their eyes." Arielle is on to Vegas.Arielle leads into a montage in which seemingly everyone gets a ticket to Vegas.Hero McCrae, a Japanese dancer who's lived in the US for four years, gets congratulations from Nigel on her English, which she speaks quite well. She mixes some cool robotic kinds of moves with some smooth, hip-swerving motions that send the crowd into an uproar. Tyce's jaw drops. Nigel says he doesn't now what's happening, and that he doesn't know if she'll do well in other dances, but he loves what she did. Mary calls her "something else" and the control of her body is "so articulate." Tyce is in awe and says everything about her is "magnificent, ridiculous, incredible." She's going to Vegas.Time to bring on the crazy. Joe "Big C" Doyle is dressed like a sort of casual Santa Claus and does something he calls crumping. Joe is a large man and rips off his shirt. Tyce just wonders what he's doing. Nigel says it was "a lot of fun" and doesn't really need to spell out that Big C isn't going to Vegas.This leads into a montage of bad performances.The next morning, Alexis Mason -- the little sister of Jeanine Mason, who won Season 5 -- takes the stage. Jeanine is there to support her sister. "If you fail me you're not coming home," Jeanine tells her. Nigel tells her the pressure is all on her now. As soon as Alexis start, Nigel says she's "striking." The crowd, including Jeanine, cheers. Nigel is a little hesitant and tells Alexis to be careful with the "goldfishing" of her mouth when she dances, but he thinks she's great. Mary tells Alexis that she's "an amazing dancer," like her sister. Tyce says he loved the moment when Alexis looked at her sister during the performance, saying it was "a real moment." Alexis is heading to Vegas.Patty Anne Miller, a style consultant, admits she's "just a little bit" nervous -- holding her arms our wide to show how nervous she actually is. But the nerves appear to be unfounded as she busts out some sweet moves. Nigel inexplicably reads Patty's resume, saying she went to Berkeley's School of Music on a full scholarship and graduated as a drummer. She breaks down a bit and Mary tells her she's "really strong" at what she does. Tyce calls her "friggin cute." She's overwhelmed with emotion when Nigel offers her a ticket to Vegas.Patty rolls into another montage of many Vegas tickets being handed out.For some reason, Nigel starts asking a bunch of contestants whether they have any ballroom experience. It all ends up being a setup for a joke, when one girl says, "No ballroom, I'm afraid." Nigel's response: "Like Tyce's trousers."The final audition of the season is a pair of sisters, Natalia and Sasha Mallory, who offer up some modern African dance. They dance together, saying they push each other to do better. Nigel says he's shocked, then points out that Sasha has the better physique for a dancer (Natalia is a little larger), but he says Natalia brings such heart and technique to it. Mary loves them together. Tyce enjoys it, too, but says he wants more from them. They both go on to choreography, joining 28 others.Sasha gets her ticket to Vegas. And after a brief fakeout, Nigel offers Natalia a ticket, as well. Nine others get tickets to Vegas.In all, 160 dancers have made it to Vegas, where the next round will happen next week.
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02 June 2011
Episode #8.2
We're in Salt Lake City for the next...
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We're in Salt Lake City for the next round of "So You Think You Can Dance" auditions (New York City will follow later in the two-hour episode). Robin Antin of The Pussycat Dolls joins Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe on the judges' panel in Utah, and we're off and running with the first thing everything thinks of when they think of Salt Lake City: stepping.Devon McCullough and Micah Clark get the party started with some stepping and clapping that sends the crowd into an uproar. Mary likes that they illustrate the diversity of dance that the show gets to highlight. They're on to choreography.Chyna Smith is obsessed with the show and is excited to meet Cat and to talk about all the former "SYTYCD" contestants she's danced with and has met. She's from "Pocatello, Idaho, where the potatoes grow." She puts on a sultry, contemporary routine that Nigel loves. Mary can't wait to see her grow and says she's "very exciting for this show." Robin says she'd put Chyna "at the top of her list" if she were casting for the Pussycat Dolls.Annie Gratton stands out in Salt Lake City because of her red hair (many of the other girls are blonde). Her fiery dancing makes her pop, too, and the judges take notice. Mary loves that Annie came out with determination and a plan, calling it an "amazing audition." Robin agrees, and Nigel says she was fiery. She says before her audition that she's never danced with her father, and Nigel asks him to join Annie on stage so he can witness their first dance together. Dad busts some wild moves to the Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" and everyone gets a big laugh. Annie's going to Vegas.We next get a montage of great lady dancers, much to the delight of one of the judges, but it isn't Nigel. It's Robin, who makes repeated references to wanting to include the girls in The Pussycat Dolls.Tadd Gadduang puts on some kind of stylized popping and locking and breakdancing routine that the crowd goes nuts over. He does much of it while in a handstand -- sometimes on just one hand. Mary calls him "an artist in what you do." Robin loves it and says he "knocked it out of the park." Nigel calls it "completely and utterly entertaining." He's on to Vegas.We get a montage of injuries, including a guy who explains to Cat that he had "bruised balls" ... on his feet, of course. Cat can't help but crack up at this. She completely loses it.Samantha Hiller tells a story about trying to push through mono and dancing too much and getting amnesia. She didn't know her name. She says she doesn't remember the show, but her friends tell her she loves it. Her mother cries as Samantha tells the judges about her condition. She says she's been dancing eight years. Nigel decides to poke fun at her condition after Samantha dances by asking her to dance. Mary thinks Samantha's story is extraordinary. Nigel loves her technique but she has to work on her elevation. She's on to choreography.After choreography, Samantha learns she has a lot to learn and won't be going to Vegas this time. Micah is also told he won't be moving on. Devon, though, gets dragged through thinking he was gone, too, but Nigel gives him a ticket.On Day 2 of the Salt Lake auditions, Nigel tells the dancers he wants to see their love of dance.Chase Thomas shows a whole lot more than passion -- he's wearing basically a pair of black boxer briefs. Short ones, at that. Chase's audition is as short as his, well, shorts, and the judges say they want to see more. Guess they'll have to wait until Vegas.Chase's success rolls into a montage of guys who rocked on Day 2, taking over where the girls left off on Day 1.And, here we go. It's time to bring in the crazy, and Brittany Starr comes on to say she's "the real Ringo Starr's" father. (She actually does look like him). She says the original Ringo Starr disappeared after John Lennon was shot. There's more to the story, but does it really matter? On to the dancing, which includes what Mary calls, "that old chicken move." That most adequately describes what Brittany is doing. Mary likes Brittany's spirit, but says she's "slightly delusional." She should keep dancing because she loves to, but she's not right for the show.They insist on "tying up" one last loose end, going to Brittany's house and interviewing her father, who really does insist he's Ringo Starr. This is actually more disturbing than entertaining, but it's on to New York City.In New York, Jason Gilkison joins Mary and Nigel and we're starting with Princess Lockerooo, whose real name is Samara Cohen, She puts on a display of what she calls "whacking," which involves a lot of hand and arm movements, some elements of popping and locking and a bit of martial arts for good measure. Nigel loves it. Mary calls her "the whacking diva." Jason was fascinated by the way she was able to capture the audience's attention. She's on to Vegas.Brandon Jones gets a huge cheer form the crowd before he even starts, and says he's going to do some contemporary lyrical dancing. Nigel stops Brandon before he gets too far into his routine, but it's for a good reason. Nigel says Brandon is "a joy to watch." Jason loves Brandon and says he enjoys seeing a strong male dancer with softness. Brandon starts to get emotional talking about having lost his father a few years ago. Mary tells him he'll be able to carry on and inspire other dancers. Nigel hands him a ticket.A montage of contemporary dancers naturally leads into an audition from crumper Brian Henry. He says his crump style is unique and original, and you won't find anyone else who dances like him unless he trains them to do it his way. Brian comes out by saying he's not Russell because he's a crumper. Mary asks about Lil C, and Brian says Lil C "brought it to the mainstream -- I'm taking it back. Mary seems impressed. Nigel says Brian's passion was "tremendous" and shows "how music and strength go together." Mary asks him to put on his shirt because she "won't be able to focus" on her critique. Before talking about his dancing, she tells Brian it's great to be cocky and confident, "but be careful when you knock other dancers that have come before you." She says his crumping was fantastic, and she wants to find out how far he'll take it. Jason says he wants to see Brian do choreography.We then get a montage of some more diverse types of dance, which leads into Mary Kate Sheehan's Irish step dancing. Nigel loves her bounce. She says she's won a bunch of championships and is top five in the nation and also ranked internationally. Mary says Mary Kate is "so powerful" and makes her "so proud to be Irish." Jason says it was "such a pleasure" to watch not only her movement across the stage but how effortless she made it look. Mary Kate is on to choreography.The afternoon in New York has taken a down turn until Virgil "Lil O" Gadson shows off some cool breakdancing, popping and locking. Nigel loves that Virgil isn't just a dancer he's "a performer, and they are the ones that do so well on this program." He thinks Virgil will do "very well on this program, too." Mary says America will fall in love with him. Jason thinks it was fantastic, too. Nigel gives him a ticket to Vegas.In choreography, crumper Brian and Irish dancer Mary Kate join the others. Nigel tells Mary Kate she did a good job and while the judges weren't unanimous, she's going to Vegas. Several others follow her to Vegas, including Brian.On Day 2, the show takes the spirit of Broadway with them down to Brooklyn and Jess LeProtto represents the Broadway vibe with some jazz style. Jess tells us before his audition that he needs to work on smiling more when he dances. He avoids it because he had braces for a long time. Nigel jumps on that and says he'd like to see Jess appear to be enjoying it more. Mary agrees, saying "everything was really good," but she's be standing up and screaming if she felt more from him. Jason says he loved it, but... he agrees "it didn't connect." He says halfway through, Jess brought it home. Jess gets through to choreography.Kristen Dobson puts on a Latin ballroom display complete with yellow frills that trail her every move. Jason says there were pluses and minuses. He likes her personality, but that she closed off when she danced together with her partner. Mary says she's "doing remarkable," especially considering she's only been doing ballroom for three years. They agree to send her to choreography.More ballroom dancers follow in a montage. Another montage comes next, with the focus on some good dancers who put the judges back in a good mood.Robert Taylor Jr. is the "the woo man," because he says, "Woo!" a lot. It's Robert's last year of eligibility. He puts it all out there, showing some precise and quick movements in a form of popping and locking. Nigel loves the personality he put into his dance.In choreography, Jess does enough to earn a ticket to Vegas. Ballroom dancer Kristen follows suit, along with 17 others.
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26 May 2011
Auditions #1 and #2: Atlanta and the Bay Area
"So You Think You Can Dance" is back...
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"So You Think You Can Dance" is back and the first set of auditions are happening in Atlanta. Mary Murphy and Lil C join Nigel Lythgoe on the judges' panel in the Peach State, where we get started with Bianca Hinklerian, who says she dances Colombian salsa. She does some fast dancing with a young partner, Giovanni, and Nigel is impressed. He says they were dancing do fast, "It's like you've got ants in your pants.: Mary thinks it was fantastic and adds it's the fastest salsa she's ever seen. Lil C says that when the tempo is that fast he couldn't tell what was going on. Bianca goes on to choreography.Melanie Moore stuns the judges with her dancing and pulls the heartstrings with her sad story. But its her moves on stage that really wins everyone over, including Nigel, who says that if she gets to Vegas and it doesn't all work out, he will hunt her down. Mary simply says that in eight seasons, she "can't recall having so much fun." Lil C says that "Zeus himself would invites you to come dance on Olympus." She's on to Vegas.A couple of hip-hop dancers named Deon Lewsa Jr. and Damon Bellmon are mostly looking forward to hitting on some ladies. The crowd likes them, but for more comedic reasons, it seems. Nigel says there isn't anyone who wouldn't be entertained by their performance. Mary praises them for coming with a plan that included comedy. Lil C likes it, too, saying they brought authenticity. Nigel tells Deon he's going straight through to Vegas. They leave Damon hanging a bit before also giving him a ticket.That kicks off a string of dancers who move on straight Vegas. Nigel says it's "getting obnoxious" just how many people are making it. In all, 10 dancers in a row made it straight through.Marko Germar talks about how he was shot in the shoulder during a robbery and still has the bullet inside him. He says dance is his passion and that he wanted to come back from the experience "being a beast." Nigel says it was remarkable. Mary was amazed by his "lightning fast" moves. Lil C calls it a great performance, and they agree to send him to choreography, joining Bianca.In choreography, Bianca gets a green light, along with several others. Eleven more dancers were on their way, including Marko and his choreography partner (who was not named).The second day in Atlanta has a lot to live up to -- a historic number of Vegas tickets were handed out on Day 1.Kimalee Piedad performs with a partner on some modern technique, but he isn't competing. There are a lot of contortions and tricks to it, but the pair seems to leave the judges mesmerized. Mary says it was "absolutely spectacular."We get a montage of Lil C's wild prose, including the term, "oxymoronical" and telling someone he was "hard to ingest, but even harder to digest."John Palermo calls himself "White Chocolate," which usually means trouble. John tries his hand -- or feet -- at hip hop and Lil C doesn't look too pleased. Nigel calls it "very juvenile," and Mary asks him if he's ever seen the show. Lil C keeps the prose simple this time, saying, "No. no." John asks for a round of hugs, which he does get.Kyre Batiste brought his whole family, including his grandma, "Miss Mandy," who says she's a good dancer and a good judge of dancing. Nigel invites her to sit at the judges' table. Grandma tells Kyre he didn't use his eyes in the right way to win over the audience. She says, "You gotta bring it on!" Lil C disagrees with grandma and she takes off the belt to spank Lil C a bit. Mary says she didn't think it was great. Nigel says he was disappointed, but grandma gives a yes vote to choreography, so Kyre gets another shot.In choreography, Kyre is really the only one we're watching, and he doesn't make it Vegas.On to San Francisco (actually the Paramount Theater in Oakland), where Toni Redpath and Tyce DiOrio join Nigel. Modern dancer Amber Williams is a little nuts, but she shows off some impressive moves that get the crowd going and had Toni dropping her jaw. Tyce says Amber commands attention and her "body does some fantastic things." Toni is still pumped up and says Amber made her day. Nigel says Amber has "this little bit of magic."Timothy Joseph, a B-boy, vows to bring some "stuntman, high-flying kind of stuff." He wasn't kidding. His routine is packed with flips and tricks. Nigel says it was "absolutely stunning," but says he doesn't know if Timothy can do choreography. Toni says he has a great sense of character is "interested to see if you can do a Viennese waltz." Tyce says Timothy's full of muscle and strength. Toni says, "it was just tricks and that's not enough for me." Tyce and Nigel agree to send him to choreography.Isehia Moss says she used to be a stripper, "so that's where my booty popping comes from." She raced to the auditions after seeing a report on the news that they were happening. Nigel doesn't know what to say. Toni says she loves Ieshia, and Tyce agrees that he loves everything about her. She's going home, regardless.Marcos Prieto wears a bright shirt, but his moves are pretty dim. Paul Keelan appears to suffer convulsions on stage and gets a round of no votes.Danielle Ihle had her father abandon the family and left them homeless. Danielle's mom "had to do every single thing by herself." Her dramatic performance includes a good number of spins. Toni says she's a "great spinner" but "the dancing was nice." Tyce agrees that her strength is in her pirouettes, but he could get more from her. Nigel says "it's a shame, for me, that it was so angst-ridden," and it left him just wanting to enjoy the movement. Nigel says yes to choreography, but Tyce says no. Toni gives Danielle another chance.Ashley Rich shows off some incredible strength and flexibility, leaving Tyce asking, "Where did she come from?" Nigel says she was "absolutely beautiful." Toni compares watching Ashley dance to being cozy by the fireplace on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Tyce says he's a fan. Nigel sends her straight to Vegas, and the judges start singing, "You Light Up My Life" as Ashley has given them strength to carry on. And this leads into a string of good dancers, including some good Latin dancers that make Toni's day.D'on-que Addison gets emotional telling Cat "his story," which he says is in his performance. Nigel cuts the music, but D'on-que stays on his knees on stage for a while, pounding it with his fist and sobbing. Tyce wonders, "Where are we going with this?" Finally, Nigel tells D'on-que that being "that vulnerable" pushes the audience away. The judges say no and D'on-que says he accomplished what he went for, even though Toni says it "was a complete waste of time."In choreography, Timothy, the B-boy drops out because of a hurt knee. He says he didn't want to make it unfair to the "female" he was partnered with. Danielle makes the most of her second chance and earns a trip to Vegas.It's Day 2 in San Francisco, and another B-boy starts things off. Jeffrey McCann says he's been B-boying since he was 4 and was on his own at age 15. He wants to do something with his life rather than go back to a life of "hustling." The crowd roars its approval at his precise and technical moves. Tyce is blown away and just says, "Heck yeah, that was awesome!" Nigel says nothing and just sticks a ticket to Vegas on his forehead.Ryan Ramirez, who had Lil C in her house last season to personally deliver the news that she came up just short of making the finals, questioned whether to come back but decided to go for it. She says she's "found herself more as a dancer." Nigel loves it, calling it a "beautiful performance." Toni says that, "If there's such a thing as controlled abandon, that was it." Tyce says he can tell she's "worked." Her legs are strong. Nigel lets Ryan hang for a while, thinking she's only made it to choreography, before finally handing her a ticket to Vegas.Another run of dancers make it straight to Vegas.Levi "I Dummy" Allen introduces us to "turfing," a form of street dancing from Oakland, that wows Tyce and the rest of the judges. Nigel says some of the contortions might give him nightmares. Toni says it's like wathcing a feather floating around on stage, but it lacked some performance. Tyce loves it. Nigel says yes, too, but adds that he's worried the choreography is going to be tough for him."I Dummy" joins 23 others in choreography. Nigel calls him "squiggly legs" after the performance and mentions that "I Dummy" just "didn't get it."
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12 August 2010
Finale: Winner Announced
The season finale of So You Think You...
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The season finale of So You Think You Can Dance was upon us Thursday night, which meant one thing: two hours of filler leading up to an announcement that should take a minute, or so. Its as if LeBron James has decided to change teams again -- twice.The opening number featured contestants and all-stars from throughout the season, including Alex Wong, who was wheeled out on a chair with wheels (not a wheelchair, but a chair that had wheels on each leg). It was choreographed by Christopher Scott.The judges table was packed with regulars Nigel Lythgoe, Mia Michaels and Adam Shankman, joined by Tyce DiOrio, Stacey Tookey, Kenny Ortega and Mary Murphy.Memory Lane: As is custom on SYTYCD, some of the more memorable performances of the season were brought back for encores, starting with Kenny Ortegas choice of Kent & Neils Damn Yankees performance, which was choreographed by Tyce DiOrio. Next was Nigels choice was Stacey Tookeys Mad World piece about homelessness by Billy & Ade.Be our guest: The dance crew Quest, including former SYTYCD finalists Brian and Hok, performed.Later in the show, Nigel, whod been promising hed perform a tap routine all season, came out on crutches saying he wouldnt be able to perform. Instead, a 7-year-old kid named Luke filled in quite nicely. Keeping the tap tappin were the Manzari Brothers, proteges of Maurice Hines (Gregorys brother).A bit later, last seasons winner Russell Ferguson joined Lil C for a hard-hitting crumping routine. So You Think You Can Dance UK winner Charlie Bruce danced a Mandy Moore routine with Neil.Black Gold came by to perform the song, Shine, which has been used to send off every contestant of the season.Back to Memory Lane: Mia called out for an encore of Tabitha & Napoleons Fallin, by Comfort & Adechike. After a montage of the romantic moments of the season, including Adams marriage proposal to Nigel, Kent & Anya performed their First Kiss cha cha routine. Tyce then asked for Robert & Dominics circus-themed hip-hop routine by Tabitha & Napoleon, called Scars.Later, Nigel wanted to see a repeat of Lauren & Pashas Argentine tango, choreographed by Miriam Larici and Leonardo Barrionuevo. Next, Adam wanted to see Travis Walls Fix You contemporary routine that was danced by Robert & Allison.Mary Murphy brought her train and her scream back all in the same sentence, introducing her favorite dance of the season: Jose and Dominics B-boy routine.To a result?: An hour and 19 minutes in, there was a momentary break in the action to reveal which finalist landed in third place: Robert, who just happened to be dressed for a Bollywood routine, making for what was likely the shiniest exit costume ever worn by a SYTYCD contestant.Back to our regularly scheduled programming: Carrying on with the business of filling two hours, Adam called for another Napoleon & Tabitha routine by Lauren & Twitch. Cat decided to pick a routine, and she wanted to see Alex & Alisons Sonya Tayeh routine -- so they rolled the tape. Next, Stacey Tookey called for Billy & Roberts Bollywood routine, choreographed by Nakul Dev Mahajan.Mia wanted to see Travis Walls How It Ends, performed by Kent & Neil, which she called her favorite all-guy duo of the season.The final encore performance of the night featured the very special surprise guest Cat had been teasing about all evening. The routine was Alex & Twitchs hip-hop number that had everyone talking. Alex, of course, is injured, and Cat said the show was contacted by someone who wanted to pay tribute to the routine in the finale. It was Ellen DeGeneres. She did what she could to match Alexs steps -- until she gave up and let Twitch handle the big finish.Finally, with six minutes left in the two-hour ordeal, Cat asked Kent and Lauren to come out to center stage for the result.The winner of So You Think You Can Dance Season 7 is ... Lauren.
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28 July 2010
Top Six Perform
Wednesday nights episode of So You...
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Wednesday nights episode of So You Think You Can Dance began with the reminder that two of the six dancers will be going home on Thursday. The good news was that there were no injuries to report for the first time in three weeks. The regular judges were in place and joined by guest Toni Redpath.Each of the final six dancers would be dancing three times: once with an all-star, once on their own, and once with a fellow competitor.Kent: He drew a cha cha with Jean Marc Genereux and France, and the dance included him trying to win his first kiss with partner Anya. Nigel said Kent had a good, strong base and called it a really good effort. Toni said Kents second cha cha of the season was better than his first. She worried, though, that he lost his posture in his effort to look macho. Mia said she felt like the whole piece was a little crunchy. Cat asked for clarification and Mia said she meant the dance didnt flow. She also said Kent wasnt taking the note about his goofy face. He said he was trying, but its just me when he starts dancing. She told him he needs to learn to be a chameleon. Adam said it was solid, but told Kent to breathe, relax and know how fantastic you are.When Kent danced his solo, he was described as a cute little farm boy, and kind and generous, and like the baby brother.Robert: Robert was paired with Kathryn for an emotional Stacey Tookey contemporary routine that the choreographer said was about the last moments of a solider spending time with a loved one before heading off to war. As Robert and Kathryn danced around a camouflage duffel bag and jacket, the twist at the end was that Kathryn was the solider who was leaving her man behind. Nigel loved the emotions and the twist. He told Robert how hes been goofy but has grown and matured, and he said Robert was growing and becoming even better than I thought you would be. Toni said she was looking at Roberts partnering skills, and the question for her was whether or not shed want to be the woman hes dancing with. She said it was a yes. Mia said the dancers were mature enough to make the story go first, bypassing the chances to be too strong and allowing themselves to be tender. Adam was in awe of the way the dancers supported each other.Before his solo, Robert was described by the others as a good singer and the class clown. Adechike said Robert had arrogant sideburns. Jose called him goofy.Jose: Before dancing his solo, the other dancers said Jose was wise and more focused then he seems on TV, and Lauren said he was clueless, but in the sweetest way.For his all-star dance, Jose drew a Marty Kudelka and Dana Wilson hip-hop routine with Comfort. In the dance, Jose was supposed to use his dancing as his pick-up move on Comfort. Nigel loved the old, funky vibe, and pointed out that Jose had injured himself last week but worked through it. He said quite feel like Jose was in his strongest element. Toni disagreed and said she was so absorbed with Joses moves. Mia, then, totally disgreed with Toni and said there was no swag. Mia said Jose made the routine bouncy and kooky when it needed to be more smooth. Adam said he knew what all the judges were saying and said that Jose needed to connect with his character.Adechike: Adechike was reunited with all-star Courtney for a Tyce DiOrio jazz routine. The dance was meant to portray a Harlem nightclub after hours, where the couple had no inhibitions. Adam loved that it was more great partnering, then he said it was balls-out dancing, and was worried that he said it on live TV (he thought the west coast wouldnt see it). Mia said it was a great performance, but told Adechike to find a balance in style so that she could see his movement when its needed rather than focusing on pure strength. Toni loved it and said she loved the weight he used. Nigel said there wasnt enough abandon in the performance, even though it was high energy.Before his solo, Adechike was referred to as Mr. Personality. Kent said Adechike was definitely a ladies man.Lauren: Before her solo, Kent pointed out that Lauren is the only girl. Billy talked about some imaginary animal friends she has, and she was referred to as the baby sister of the group.For her all-star dance, Lauren pulled Broadway and was coupled with Allison, who said this dance was more about strength than sexiness. Tyce DiOrio choreographed it. Adam said he thought of Lauren as an all-star already and had nothing to criticize, and said he wanted to see Lauren and Allison do a variety show. Mia agreed and said there was nothing to critique. She aid Lauren forged ahead of everyone. Toni said that strong is sexy, referring to Allisons statement that the routine would be stronger than sexy. Nigel said it was the first time wed seen two ladies dance together on American Idol this season. When Cat corrected him as to which show he was working on at the moment, Nigel called it a Freudian slip and quipped, You know whats on my mind at the moment. (Hes reportedly been in talks this week to return to his executive producer gig on Idol next season). Getting back to the matter at hand, Nigel said the performance wasnt quite up the level of the original, but told Lauren she was going to be in the finale.Billy: Before his solo, the other dancers said Billy was messy, but helpful, and one of the most focused in the group, but also could make everyone laugh.For his all-star routine, Billy drew a Stacey Tookey contemporary dance with Ade. In the dance, Billy played a homeless man and Ade played a business man. Theyre each in their own worlds until they see each other and realize theyre old friends. Three of the judges gave a standing ovation. Nigel, the only judge who didnt stand, said he was really pleased the judges made the decision they did last week because if theyd lost Billy, they wouldnt have been able to see that dance. He said Billy showed his maturity. Toni said some pieces transcend dance, and this was one of them. Mia called it sheer perfection, and she thanked Stacey for keeping her on her toes. She said it was her favorite performance from Billy this season. She told Billy that, win or lose, hes respected as a dancer. Adam said Billy just showed up as one of the best dancers weve ever had on the show, and said it was magnificent.Kent & Jose: The goofy guys drew a Spencer Liff Broadway number in which they portrayed a couple of guys who see a hot girl walk by and compete for who has the best moves. Adam said it was fantastic and said they killed it. He then said he thought the competition was going to come down to Kent and Lauren. He said Joses performance was unbelievable. Mia called it friggin fantabulous. She said Kent found his home and that he has to live in that Broadway world, where he can even do his face. She then told Jose he kept up, despite not being as trained of a dancer as Kent. Toni said the characters in the routine suited each dancer perfectly. She said Jose was the older, wiser one, and called Kent a contender. Nigel agreed and said there was nothing they could throw at Kent that he couldnt handle. He said the worst thing for Jose was having to do it with Kent, because it showed that he doesnt have the training. But he said Jose should be proud of how much hed grown since the start.Lauren & Adechike: The couple pulled a foxtrot by Jean-Marc and France. They set out to spread a case of foxtrot fever. Nigel said there was good connectivity, but compared to other routines Wednesday night it wasnt leaving him as excited. Toni said the footwork was off, the frame was definitely off, but she still felt like they got into the character of the dance. Mia told Adechike he had some great moments as a partner, but when he stepped away there was a disconnect. She then said Lauren had grace and sensuality. Adam said Laurens routine was one more bit of evidence that she could handle anything. He praised Adechike for looking out for Lauren as a partner, but agreed with Toni that it shouldnt look so clear.Robert & Billy: Nakul Dev Mahajan gave Robert and Billy a Bollywood routine that was even more complicated than most. He said Bollywood was more influenced from various forms of dance than people realize. They portrayed two dancers vying for one part in the biggest Bollywood blockbuster movie of all time. Nigel said it was fantastic and a great way to end the show. He said Robert was great at finishing his moves, and he hoped Billys knee was OK. Nigel said it was going to be really tough to choose which two dancers go. Toni said choosing between the dancers was like choosing between pizza and hamburgers. She said she loved them both, but she just likes hamburgers a little more. Then she called Robert a big, cheesy burger. Mia took it another step, calling Billy a big, cheesy pizza and said she likes pizza more. Mia said it was great and was glad there were no injuries. She said they each won. Adam agreed, saying they split the vote.
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22 July 2010
None of 6 Voted Off
For the third consecutive week, we...
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For the third consecutive week, we knew one of the bottom three on Thursday nights So You Think You Can Dance results before it even started. Because he didnt perform due to injury on Wednesday, Billy Bell was automatically in the bottom.All-stars combined with the top five for the opening number, a smooth jazz piece choreographed by Kelley Abbey. The panel of judges, including guest judge Kenny Ortega, were back.There was a brief tribute to Denise Jefferson, director at the Alvin Ailey School, who died this week.To the results: Host Cat Deeley got right to the action, calling all five finalists to the stage. Lauren was the first to hear the news -- or read -- that she was safe. (Rather than announce the verdict, Cat showed her the result on her cue card).Next was Kent, who was also safe. That left Adechike, Robert and Jose waiting to see which one of them was safe.Be our guest: Before getting any further into the results, Cat introduced a pair of dancers from the American Ballet Theatre, who performed a piece from Don Quixote.Later, Cat brought DJ Smart, a Season 7 Top 24 hopeful, to the stage. There was more talk about National Dance Day, including footage of people who sent in videos of themselves performing the hip-hop routine choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon.This weeks look back to the all-stars beginnings on the show focused on Lauren and Neil from Season 3, who returned to the stage to perform the Wade Robson routine they did that year.The final guest performance of the night came from Enrique Iglesias, who performed his song, I Like It, with Pitbull.Back to the results: The three guys remaining finally learned after another commercial break that Adechike was the one of them who was safe. That left Robert and Jose in the bottom three with Billy.After the solos, Nigel said the judges hadnt made up their minds, but had come to a conclusion.He asked Robert to step forward, and told him that a couple of the judges dont feel as if youre growing now. He next told Jose that hes also stopped growing, but, at the same time, he really was growing in his own area, but he needs to grow in other areas. He then told Billy that he set a precedent by taking the decision that he didnt want to dance even though the doctors had cleared him.Nigel then announced that the judges had come to the conclusion that none of them would go home this week, but two people would go home next week.
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14 July 2010
Top Seven Perform
A week after Alex Wong had to drop...
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A week after Alex Wong had to drop out of the competition due to an injury, seven dancers remained in the competition for the title of Americas favorite dancer on So You Think You Can Dance. But host Cat Deeley had to announce another injury: Ashley had to sit out this week after suffering an injury Monday. Executive producer Nigel Lythgoe reminded viewers about this seasons rule, which requires her to be in the bottom three on Thursdays results show.Cat introduced a quick video of Alex, who was still in the hospital recovering after having undergone surgery Monday.Lauren: Paired with all-star Mark for a Tiana Liufau for a new style on the show: Tahitian dance. The dance told the story of how night and day came together to form the first actual day. There was a whole lot of shakin. Nigel and Adam agreed Laurens hips didnt lie. Nigel said he was happy to see the shaking and called the routine a lot of fun, but technically I have no idea. Mia Michaels called it absolutely fascinating and said it was like a duck in heat. (She clarified that she loves ducks and, in fact, has one in heat in her backyard). Adam said he couldnt believe what Lauren had done, calling it amazing.Adechike: Adechike paired up with Anya for a Liz Lira-choreographed, traditional salsa. It included some intensely challenging moves, throws and lifts. Cat said it included several moves shes never seen several of the moves on the show before. Nigel said there was so much challenging material in the routine for Adechike, he did a great job pulling it off. Mia praised the choreography and the tricks were awesome. She said there were little bumps here and there, which could have been solved with just a couple more hours of rehearsal. Adechike said he didnt think it was possible for him to do the routine when he first saw it. Adam said Adechike did great on what he called hard-ass choreography.Jose: Jose was coupled with Courtney for a Broadway routine choreographed by Joey Dowling. In the routine, Jose played a stagehand enamored with the star of the show, who doesnt even know he exists. Nigel said he loved the routine, but said the routine took away Joses personality, which is his greatest attribute. By stripping his personality away, Nigel said it made Joses below-average dance moves stand out. Mia couldnt stand looking at Joses sad face and said it wasnt going to get any better. She said his lack of technique stood out. Adam agreed, but advised Jose to work on finish and lines and gave him some other technical points to help him out. Jose admitted he felt a bit like a fish out of water but he did his best to play the part.Robert: All-star Allison was fully recovered from her injury and partnered up with Robert on a Travis Wall contemporary piece that he said was about his mother, who recently had serious surgery. Robert said he could relate because of things that have happened in his life. The crowd burst into a standing ovation after the emotional performance, which brought Robert to tears. Travis, in the audience, cried. Nigel said that the performance was one of those that transcends television, and put it in a category with Mias addiction routine and Tyce DiOrios breast cancer routine. Nigel said that if the audience didnt support Robert after that performance, something was seriously wrong. Mia cried, too, recalling the week before her mother passed away. She said she couldnt imagine all their parents being any more proud of them as artists. Adam said there is no God is Travis doesnt get an Emmy nomination for the routine, and told Robert this is going to be one of the performances of the season.Billy: Billy was partnered with Anya for a jive choreographed by Louis Van Amstel. He was struggling to attain some chemistry with Anya as he kept laughing nervously during rehearsals. Nigel said it was the hardest hed seen Billy work at gaining chemistry with a partner, which he appreciated. He said that he was much happier seeing Billy this week than hes been in previous weeks. Mia called it an absolutely stellar performance. She said the connection between Anya and Billy was so there. Adam loved it, saying the speed was there and it was sharp and strong. He said Billy was in it to win it.Kent: The baseball terminology was in full effect as Kent was paired with Neil for a Tyce DiOrio Broadway routine from Damn Yankees. Nigel said Tyce had thrown in every trick in the book and called Kent the MVP of the night. Then he said Kent knocked that ball out of the park. Mia said she loves boys so much. She said it was great entertainment and called it strong male dancing. Adam said he loved seeing what he called the other side of Bob Fosses style, and told Kent he has a future in Broadway if he wants it.Lauren & Billy: Billy told us that Lauren eats like a squirrel and Lauren said Billy was in love with soda. They did a Mandy Moore jazz routine in which their shoes were meant to e moving them. Nigel called it an absolutely adorable routine. He said Billy again connected with his partner, but noted that the style fit him well. He told Lauren she aint going home yet. Mia said it was completely in the pocket and called it fantastic. Adam said it was so happy making and told Billy he finally got lost in the dance, and that is whats going to make people pick up the phone for you. He told Lauren the boys have something to be afraid of, and said he thought she could get way up there.Jose & Dominic: The shows first-ever B-boy routine was choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon. Jose, who was left without a competitor as a partner, was paired with Dominic in an east-meets-west duel of styles. Nigel said Jose redeemed himself from his earlier routine, without question. Jose was nearly brought to tears as the crowd roared. Nigel said none of the other dancers could do what Jose did just then. Mia called it amazing, but advised Jose to do more strength training. Adam said thats the way to compete. He said Jose was sweet and sensitive and he knew it was tough for him to take that criticism earlier in the show, and he came out and fought.Kent & Adechike: Kent told us Adechike loves cooking and wants to write a cookbook, and Adechike told us Kent has a crush on Lauren, and their kiss at the end of Kent and Laurens routine last week was not part of the choreography. They had a Dee Caspary contemporary routine in which Kents girlfriend was a chair. Nigel said it was tremendous and praised Adechike specifically for a big jump he did. He thanked Kent for not playing it up too much and called his dancing beautiful to watch. He told Kent he had a good chance of winning now that Alex is out. Mia said the organic quality of Kents movement was wonderful. She then said she was praying this would be a great week for Adechike, and it is. Adam said they just taught him so much about dance and performance.Ashley & Robert: Robert told us Ashley is in love with, and Ashley told us Robert laughs really loud. They got a Doriana Sanchez disco routine that Ashley said was supposed to look really fun and easy, but its not. Due to Ashleys injury, Robert was joined by Kathryn. Nigel said he didnt think people really appreciate how tough disco is, and he said Robert didnt stop. He said he gave lines and strength. Mia said she loved Robert so much but hoped she never saw him do that again. She said his movement felt thin and not masculine. Nigel took exception, but Mia held her position. Adam said he bought it.
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08 July 2010
1 of 8 Voted Off
Thursday nights So You Think You Can...
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Thursday nights So You Think You Can Dance results show started with a heavenly contemporary routine choreographed by Mia Michaels. Host Cat Deeley reminded us that Alex was hurt before he could perform this week and was automatically in the bottom three. The judges will, as always, decide who goes home.The Emmy nominations rundown commenced and Nigel Lythgoe called out choreographers Stacey Tookey and Mia Michaels, who were nominated for routines they choreographed on the show. Adam Shankman also produced this years Oscars, which received 12 nominations. SYTYCDs makeup team, led by head makeup artist Amy Strozzi, was nominated, as well.To the results: Cat started the process to determine which two dancers would join Alex in the bottom three by bringing Billy and Lauren to the stage. Billy learned he was in the bottom, joining Alex. Adam said he didnt think Billy deserved to be in the bottom, but told him to forget that hes in a competition and dance with joy to connect with the viewers.Laurens performances from Wednesday were recapped and Cat gave her the good news that she was safe for at least another week.Cat called the rest of the dancers to the stage, starting with Kent. He was safe. Jose was safe, and so was Robert, for the first time in three weeks.Ashley and Adechike were left to see which of them would land in the bottom with Billy and Alex. It was Ashley. Adechike was safe. Mia said she didnt know why Ashley was there, in the bottom, but said you know what to do. She also told Adechike that after watching her comments back Wednesday night she was too harsh on him and apologized if she hurt him in any way. She said it was her passion as a teacher that led her to be so tough on him.Be our guest: This weeks look back at the all stars was with Anya and Pasha, who shared the SYTYCD stage for the first time by showing off their ballroom skills.Next, Cat welcomed the cast of In the Heights, featuring Tony-award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda. Later, Natasha Bedingfield paid a visit to sing her new song, Touch.The decision: Nigel said the judges were unanimous and he asked Alex to hobble forward. He explained that Alex lacerated his Achilles tendon and said Alex would be having surgery on Tuesday and would need to rest for three months. This clearly meant he was out of the competition. Nigel said he would be invited to return next season.Billy and Ashley were safe.Nigel encouraged Alex and told him this was just another thing hed have to get through. Mia said Alex had left a mark on the show and in the world that wont be forgotten. Adam said Alex taught him that the best can be better and called him an inspiration.Alex said his heart hurt a lot, but he was very grateful for the opportunity. He thanked everyone for supporting him every week. He said he had no regrets about what hed given up -- a job with Miami City Ballet -- and simply said, I am grateful.
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07 July 2010
Top Eight Perform
As the Top 8 performance show on So...
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As the Top 8 performance show on So You Think You Can Dance kicked off, you couldnt help noticing that there were only seven dancers in the introduction. Alex was missing, and host Cat Deeley explained that Alex was hurt during Tuesday nights rehearsal. Executive producer and head judge Nigel Lythgoe said they thought it was a ruptured Achilles tendon, but producers were awaiting word from the doctors. Per this seasons rules, Alex will automatically be in the bottom three this week and if hes unable to perform next week, hell be cut from the competition.Nigel said it is heartbreaking knowing how hard hes worked to get here and how much hes sacrificed to get on the program. Alex sat in the audience and cried as Nigel gave the update.The competition was changing this week as the dancers would perform twice -- once with an all-star and once with a fellow contestant.Lauren: Lauren first drew a cha cha with Pasha, and she didnt have a problem keeping her outfit (at least what there was of it) on this week. Nigel told Lauren that she no longer had a problem looking mature, because she was full-on grown up in this sexy cha cha. Mia Michaels called it pure murderation, telling Lauren she was so hot, it was perfect. Adam Shankman didnt know what to say, but said Lauren was sharp, specific and strong.Jose: Jose was pretty shy getting up close and personal with all-star Lauren during the rehearsal for their Mandy Moore contemporary routine. Nigel asked Jose how it felt dancing with Lauren and he said it was amazing. Nigel said he looked amazing. He praised Jose for how far hes come and said hes nicer to Jose than other dancers because hes accepted the challenges that the show is presenting him. Jose got a bit emotional at Nigels kind words. Mia said people, including her, could take some pointers from Jose on how to act and be humble. Adam said Mandy Moore played to every one of Joses strengths: his passion, commitment and uninhibited spirit.Kent: White farm boy (as he described himself) Kent pulled a Dave Scott hip-hop routine with Comfort. He tried to tap into his internal Justin Timberlake, which Nigel said he liked. He loved that Kent didnt overact it. He called it fun. Mia said she wasnt mad at Kent and said the dance kind of worked. Adam enjoyed that he saw growth in Kents routine, but then the whole moment devolved into some bizarre double entendres about growth and bigness and smallness.Adechike: Adechike drew a Mandy Moore jazz routine with all-star Courtney. The routine was meant to be hot as Adechike played a bartender at closing time and Courtney was the last customer of the night. Nigel said it was a really good routine and praised Adechike for living up to the task of embodying a new character, as he did last week. He said it wasnt quite the best hes seen from Adechike, but he was surprised because he wasnt expecting him to be that good. Mia totally disagreed, saying Adechike got by on his personality in this performance, but the dancing was mediocre. Adam said Adechike had a breakthrough last week, but didnt find enough performance this time. He told him to get lost in the music from now on.Billy: Billy was paired with Allison for a Spencer Liff Broadway routine, but Allison had a rib injury flare up during rehearsals and Katee from Season 4 came on in relief. Nigel said that outside of Billys solos, this was the best hes seen him dance. Mia said Billy was absolutely fabulicious. She said he had style and texture. Adam said Billy has never looked so good with a partner before. He said Billy drew him in and added that it was a performance.Ashley: Ashley drew a Tabitha & Napoleon hip-hop routine with all-star Dominic. It was a kung fu themed dance that Nigel said he loved. He said it was a chance for Ashley to prove she could do something other than contemporary, and she could. Mia said Ashley danced it so hardcore, like a ninja or assassin would dance it. Adam said Ashley was a quiet contender and added that she just took another step forward.Robert: All-star Kathryn joined Robert for a little Toy Story-inspired jazz bit by Sean Cheesman where they played Ken and Barbie like dolls who escaped from their boxes for a little dance. Nigel said he loved it and went on a mild rant in which he wondered why Robert kept landing in the bottom three. He said he went online and found out that people seem to think Robert is arrogant, which Nigel, Cat and Mia all said couldnt be further from the truth. Mia enjoyed the routine and said Roberts dancing in the box was everything.Alex & Adechike: The Bollywood routine by Nakul Dev Mahajan that Adechike and Alex were meant to dance together needed some new accommodations because of Alexs injury. Adechike danced with one of Nakuls assistants instead. Nigel told Adechike to back off of putting too much of his own influence on a style as specific as Bollywood and said he was lacking some sharpness. Cat stuck up for Adechike a bit, reminding the judges that when Jose put his little twist on Bollywood he was praised. Mia said that Jose has this heart thing where he just grabs everyone with his routines, which drew boos from the crowd. She said his version of the routine felt a little African and she said she missed Alex. Adam said Adechike had an enormous amount of power but that he lacked finish to his lines.Kent & Lauren: Lauren and Kent were paired for a Travis Wall contemporary routine and Lauren worried that Kents tween fans were going to be upset with her for dancing with him. But she said there was enough of Kent for everyone to love. Nigel said the performance proved three things: Lauren is a really good contemporary dancer, Kent is a really good contemporary dancer and Travis is a really contemporary choreographer. He said Laurens heart showed and that Kents hard work is paying off. He said they were the ultimate in male and female dancers in this competition. Mia said it was absolutely stunning and called the piece so gorgeous. Adam said the connection between Kent and Lauren became so real that he felt uncomfortable watching -- in a good way.Robert & Ashley: Robert and Ashley drew the dance of death -- the quickstep -- choreographed by France and Jean-Marc Genereux. Nigel said it was tough because the quickstep really is the dance of death. He said Roberts shape wasnt quite right, but his character was good. He said Ashley was absolutely lovely and looked like she was enjoying herself. Mia said they got through it and it wasnt a trainwreck. She thought the music was fighting the dance a bit. She told Robert his legs were too far apart, but she said it wasnt the kiss of death, it was just a bad kiss. Adam agreed, yes, they did get through it. He said they were totally committed.Jose & Billy: The apparent opposites -- Jose and Billy -- were handed an African jazz routine by Sean Cheesman, throwing yet another curve ball at the pair. They were meant to perform a routine in which Jose played a hunter preying on a jaguar, Billy. Nigel said yes and no when Cat asked whether he got it and it worked. He said Billys jaguar felt a bit like a Broadway cat and that left him a little disappointed. He also said Joses hunter wasnt powerful enough. He felt the dancers could have brought more to the party because the choreography was there. Mia said she loved Billys jaguar and would want one in her house. She thought he was amazing. She said there were moments when he lost his physicality. She said it was Joses weakest performance. Adam told Billy there is a moment when he has to leave his lines behind. He gave Jose some pointers, as well.
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01 July 2010
1 of 9 Voted Off
Thursday night's results show on "So...
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Thursday night's results show on "So You Think You Can Dance" opened with a dramatic group number choreographed by Jamel Gaines.Executive producer Nigel Lythgoe announced some changes coming next week. Each of the dancers will do two routines, one with an all-star with whom they haven't danced yet and the other with one of their competitors.To the results: Host Cat Deeley called the first four dancers to the stage. The first to hear some results was Alex, whose hip-hop routine was one of the best performances the show has ever had. He was safe. Next was Ashley, who dance contemporary with Ade. She was also safe.That left Adechike and Kent on stage, thinking one of them would likely land in the bottom three. Adechike danced hip-hop and Kent did a Mandy Moore jazz routine. Adechike was safe ... and so was Kent.The next three dancers hit the stage. Lauren danced Broadway with Neil and she was safe. That left Robert and Billy on stage with all three spots in the bottom three still available. Robert danced a Sonya Tayeh jazz piece with Courtney. Billy joined Kathryn for a Stacey Tookey contemporary piece. Billy was the first person in the bottom three ... and Robert was joining him.Mia said voters weren't connecting with Billy and Robert because the dancers weren't connecting through their dancing. She told Billy to become vulnerable and take some risks. She then told Robert that his personality doesn't go with him onto the stage.The final two dancers came onto center stage. Melinda danced salsa with Pasha and was roundly criticized by the judges. Jose did a samba with Anya. The person in the bottom three was Melinda. Jose was safe.Adam told her that her dance "didn't really happen" for her. He told her to show "vulnerability and abandon" in her solo.Be our guest...: All-stars Mark and Courtney served up an encore performance of their now-infamous Sonya Tayeh routine. Then Cirque du Soleil paid a visit to perform bits of its Elvis show.After the solos, Ne-yo performed "Beautiful Monster."The result: Nigel said the judges were unanimous in their decision an quickly told Billy and Robert that they needed to discover for themselves what wasn't connecting with viewers. He told them to take a seat.Nigel praised Melinda for her dancing and said she'll never have trouble finding work. But her time on the show was over.
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30 June 2010
Top Nine Perform
The Top 9 dancers on "So You Think...
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The Top 9 dancers on "So You Think You Can Dance" were asked to reveal their inspirations this week while trying to remain in the competition. Each dancer would also perform a solo to help voters decide who to support.After last week's results show, the remaining dancers picked their partners and dance styles, the most notable of which was Alex's drawing of Twitch for a hip-hop routine.Adechike: Desmond Richardson was the dancer who inspired Adechike to become the dancer he wanted to be. He was partners with Lauren for a hip-hop routine choreographed by Dave Scott. Nigel said Dave brought some personality out of Adechike, along with his swagger and funk. "This is a different Adechike than I've seen so far in the competition," Nigel said. Mia called him "Mr. Personality" and said she was "happy to see that there was some sunshine in there." Adam was excited and gave Adechike a standing ovation.Ashley: Ashley said her inspiration was her dance teacher, who she loves. She drew a contemporary routine choreographed by newcomer Dee Caspary and was partnered with Ade. Nigel said Ashley developed so much with this routine and demonstrated fluidity, which, for him, is the essence of dance. He also praised Dee, saying we'd be seeing more of him if his choreography remained this good. Mia said it was like a purple wind and a hurricane and a summer breeze. Adam said Ashley was "breathtaking" and called it one of the best contemporary performances he's seen by a girl in the show's history.Robert: Robert said his mother was his biggest inspiration after having gone through a divorce, three miscarriages, two deaths of newborn children and breast cancer. He drew a Sonya Tayeh jazz number and was partnered with Courtney. Nigel said Sonya's choreography suited Robert just like it suited Mark. Mia suggested to Robert that he take ballet, which would take him from "amazing" to "great." She said his performance is not quite as grounded and solid as it could be. Adam said Robert was a great dancer, but gave him a suggestion to not jump down.Melinda: Melinda took another opportunity to tell us that Harold Cromer was her mentor and inspiration. She drew a salsa dance with Pasha, choreographed by Fabian Sanchez. Melinda escaped a snagged heel in her dress, but Nigel said he didn't feel the fluidity in her movement. He said she tended more step into a step into a step. He questioned whether she was feeling the "flow of music." Mia said Melinda danced as hard as she could, but she seemed at times like she had bricks on her legs and was thrown into a pool and trying to survive. She also said there were moments where she thought they made a mistake last week by letting Cristina go instead of Melinda. Adam said he felt the same way. He said her tenacity and fire could help her, but it might not be enough to get her through.Lauren: The 18-year-old said her student council advisor was her inspiration. She was paired with Neil for a Broadway routine choreographed by Joey Dowling. Lauren had a bit of a wardrobe malfunction when the strap of her dress fell off, nearly revealing at least one of her assets. Mia said it was a great piece and danced well, but she wanted more slinkiness and "when the dress broke, it all happened." She wanted Lauren to let go a little more. Adam told Lauren to think of herself as dancing through water in order to accomplish what Mia was asking.Billy: Legacy from Season 6 was one of Billy's biggest inspirations, according to Billy. They met in Season 6. Billy was paired with Kathryn for a Stacey Tookey contemporary piece. Nigel said Billy was such a brilliant dancer and soloist, but he still had to learn how to partner because he "didn't quite believe" the partnership. Mia agreed, saying that Billy sometimes got lost in the lines and perfection of the dance. Adam said Billy would "see it all on the playback," referring to the judges' perceived lack of connection from him.Jose: Jose revealed that he was inspired by Bruce Lee. He drew a Dmitry Chaplin samba and was partnered with Anya. He dropped her a few times during rehearsals, but she insisted she trusted him. Nigel said it was great to have Dmitry back and said he'd brought out the man in Jose. Nigel said Jose was "not the best dancer in this show," but has magic and charisma beyond most. Mia said she was completely baffled because even though Jose wasn't a great dancer but she didn't care to pick apartment individual sections.Kent: Kent said his older brother Jerry was his biggest inspiration. He pulled all-star Allison and choreographer Mandy Moore. Nigel decided to be a bit tough on Kent, and told him to hold back on his extras that were taking away from his performance. Still, he said Kent had something that most audience don't have. He said Kent was losing his partner because he was playing it up with the crowd too much. Mia agreed, saying Kent was getting caught up in the personality every Wednesday. Adam said Kent was one of the most hirable dancers on the show, but he has to watch that he doesn't overdo the personality bit.Alex: Alex said his inspiration was Edward Villella, a boxer turned dancer who made it alright for guys to dance in a masculine way. Alex drew a hip-hop routine with Twitch, choreographed by Tabitha & Napoleon. The routine was a bit of a play on Alex's ballet background and how he'd have to ditch it in order to perform hip-hop. The crowd loved it, the judges all stood in ovation, and the choreographers were going wild. Nigel called it the best routine Tabitha & Napoleon have ever done. He said it was all about Alex, a ballet dancer, doing the "most incredible hip-hop" routine he's seen and he predicted an Emmy nomination. Mia asked, "Who the hell are you?" She said Alex defied everything about the ballet world. She said he held his own alongside Twitch. Adam said, "This is your world and I am just visiting." He said Alex's performance made him proud to be on the show so he could witness that routine.
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24 June 2010
1 of 10 Voted Off
The opener number for the second...
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The opener number for the second results show of the season on "So You Think You Can Dance" was a dark one by Sonya Tayeh.To the results: After some hyping of "National Dance Day," host Cat Deeley called up the first set of dancers for results. Kent was safe, leaving Adechike and Cristina to see which of them would land in the bottom three. It was Cristina. Adechike was safe for another week.Adam Shankman took the opportunity to tell Cristina to fight to stay in the competition, then he tried to smooth over what some viewers thought were harsh criticisms on Wednesday. He said no one is above criticism and that pros know how to take it.Cat brought up another group. Alex and Jose were safe, leaving Melinda and Ashley waiting. The next dancer in the bottom three was Melinda. Ashley was safe. Nigel said it was difficult to say what the voters didn't see in Melinda, and said that somehow Melinda had to show some vulnerability.Finally, Cay called up the final group of dancers. Lauren was safe, leaving Billy and Robert to see which would land in the bottom three. It was Robert. Billy was sailing into the next round, and Robert was in the bottom three. Mia said she was shocked, even though she was rough on Robert the night before.Be our guest: Cat gave a quick reminder about Bryan Gaynor. a past contestant who has scoliosis. He was back with his dance crew, "Remote Control," and they tore up the stage to the delight of the crowd.Later, Costa Rican singer Debi Nova paid a visit to perform her song, "Drummer Boy."Back to the results: Nigel said the result was not unanimous. He called Robert forward and reminded him that last week the contest lost a girl. He said it would have been easy to let Robert go, but they decided against that.He next asked Melinda to step forward and said the public, for some reason, was not connecting with her. He said he thought she should go this week, but Mia and Adam insisted she should stay.That made the news that Cristina was leaving as no surprise. He told her she was great at taking criticism and wished her the best, but it was the end of the road for her.
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23 June 2010
Top 10 Perform
The Top 10 dancers on "So You Think...
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The Top 10 dancers on "So You Think You Can Dance" took to the stage on Wednesday as judges Adam Shankman, Mia Michaels and Nigel Lythgoe took their seats.After last week's results show, the remaining 10 dancers chose their dance partners and styles for this week. Due to the random draw, Neil and Twitch were left without partners this week, but we might see them next week.The dancers were asked to share some childhood memories in their intro packages, and we started with Cristina.Cristina: She told us about a performance as a child when she was dressed as a flower and her outfit ripped and she cried. She drew a paso doble with Pasha, choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux and France. It was dramatic and full of throws and lifts. Nigel said it needed passion, power, fire and control, and Cristina brought it all. He was glad she didn't go home last week because otherwise we would have missed that routine. Mia said it "was everything" and called it "the perfect partnership." Adam jumped aboard the love train, calling it "mucho caliente."Adechike: He shared with us that his dad was a dancer and the coolest guy he knew, but had very little physical proof of his memories because of a fire that damaged most of his family's pictures. He drew a Mandy Moore contemporary routine with all-star Allison. Nigel said he saw a major improvement in the emotion Adechike brought to the performance. He advised him to make his dance moves second nature so that they wouldn't interrupt the emotional flow. Mia told Adechike to find some joy so that his smiles wouldn't come across as false. Adam agreed that Adechike is "technically so good," but he dances too much from his head and needs to dance more from his heart.Alex: As a youngster, Alex was a tap dancer and did jazz as a 7 year old. He was forced to include some ballet and said he was bored. He drew a Broadway routine choreographed by Tyce DiOrio in the style of Bob Fosse. He was paired with Lauren. Nigel told Alex to do more research on someone like Fosse when he's confronted with a style he doesn't know well. He said there were some nice things going on, but mostly in the classic dance style. Mia made some noises but said that some of the Fosse style didn't come through. Adam reminded Alex that the competition is not about his ability, but about his versatility and his growth. He said the dance had "a lot of flash and no smolder."Ashley: She told us about how her mom liked to dress her "girlie-girl" as a child, and she did her first competition when she was 4. She said she was able to do some things then that she can't do now. She drew a jazz routine with Mark, choreographed by Travis Wall. Nigel said he wanted to be careful that there was a separation between contemporary and jazz. He said he wanted to see something different from Ashley, but this performance didn't do that. Mia said Ashley delivered and that she's still her favorite girl. Adam said he wanted to see more from Ashley in the in-between moments that the choreographer didn't give her.Billy: Growing up, as host Cat Deeley said, "on the mean streets of Palm Beach, Florida," Billy said he was a chubby baby and did dance routines in pleather outfits to the Backstreet Boys music. He drew a crumping routine choreographed by Lil C. He was paired with Comfort, who said Billy was struggling to tap into his mean side. Nigel said he hated the music, but acknowledged that it was probably the toughest "most alien" style Billy could have taken on. He said it's a "warrior" style and Billy didn't quite find the warrior in him. Mia said Billy "knocked on the warrior's door," but didn't walk through. She said it was awkward to watch. Adam called it "a failed experiment" after calling Billy one of the best dancers on the show.Robert: After telling us he wasn't that cool as a kid, Robert took on the Argentine tango with Anya, choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux and France. Cat said she didn't normally get chills from ballroom, but Robert's dance did. Nigel said that Robert, without question, played his role brilliantly and looked magnificent while doing great choreography. He called it "one of the best routines of the night." Mia said it didn't give her chills at all. She said she felt like Anya devoured Robert rather than the other way around. Adam refused to break the stalemate, saying he had one foot in both camps. He agreed with points that Nigel and Mia both made. He said Robert looked fabulous, but stressed out.Melinda: The tapper said that as a child she was quirky and different because her parents stressed the arts, music and dance. She recalled her very first performance at the age of 4, which was at the local community college but, to her, "it was Broadway." She drew a contemporary routine by Stacey Tookey that she said was about our relationship with Mother Earth, because we only have one shot. She was joined by Ade. Nigel praised Stacey's idea and he said Melinda was "absolutely tremendous." Mia loved the concept and the story and even though she had reservations about Melinda's costume, her moves were beautiful. Adam had little to add, other than to say she was fabulous.Jose: Jose talked about growing up playing sports and learning his B Boy style at the age of 13. He drew a Bollywood routine with Nakul Dev Mahajan. They had a long way to go as Jose didn't know anything about Bollywood and Nakul called Jose a "B Bopper." Jose was paired with Kathryn. Nigel remarked on how far out of Jose's comfort zone the dance was. He said he didn't quite get to India, but his performance was tremendous. Mia said Jose was "so wrong, but so right" and appreciated that he was tackling everything with a smile on his face. Adam said Jose would win the prize for "the brightest light" on the show if there was one. He said the dance was totally wrong, but he was "so fantastic" for it.Lauren: She told us she was really talkative and hyper as a kid, and she was all over the place in her first performance as a child. She drew a hip-hop by new choreographer Tessandra Chavez, with all-star Dominic. The dance was intended to convey a story about domestic abuse. Nigel said he believed the performance, but gave Lauren a technical note to give herself a stronger base. Mia said it worked "so much" for her and that she "felt" Lauren and Dominic so much, but she wanted to feel more of the abuse part. Adam said Lauren was so technically adept that there wasn't much to say on that front. He said he was glad she listened to what he told her last week.Kent: Kent lamented his huge head when he was a kid and said he always acted pretty wildly on stage. He drew a jazz routine by Tyce DiOrio, and was paired with Courtney in a routine that was supposed to be a sensual romp. He said he struggling in rehearsal with touching Courtney the way the dance demanded, but he was going to try to get used to it. Nigel noted that Kent's journey from Wapokoneta was moving very fast. He said he enjoyed the performance, but didn't think Kent had as much fun with it as he had with the cha cha last week. He said he thought Courtney would eat him alive. Mia said she didn't know how she felt about it, but told Kent he had to transform himself in each of his dances. Adam agreed.
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17 June 2010
1 of 11 Voted Off
The first results show of the seventh...
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The first results show of the seventh season of "So You Think You Can Dance" got off to a rocking start with a jazz routine choreographed by first-timer Tessandra Chavez.To the results: Host Cat Deeley called the first four contestants to the stage to their learn fates. She started with Alex, who was safe. Robert was also safe. Lauren and Kent were the two dancers remaining on the stage. After stringing them along a bit, Cat told Kent he was safe. Then she told Lauren she was safe, too.The next four dancers to get results came to the stage. Melinda was up first and she was in the bottom three, as Nigel predicted she might be. He wasn't happy to have been right, and he said he didn't think the routine helped. He told Melinda to bring some warmth, vulnerability and honesty to her performance.Billy was next, and he was safe. Ashley and Alexie were paired up next for their results. The second dancer in the bottom three was Alexie, meaning Ashley was safe. Mia said her performance on Wednesday didn't show the amount of work she'd put into the show.The final group of three dancers came on stage to learn their results. Jose was first, and he was safe, leaving Adechike and Cristina to vie for the final spot in the bottom three. Cristina was in the bottom three, leaving Adechike safe.That meant the entire bottom three was girls, who made up just five of the Top 11.Be our guest: While the bottom three prepared for their solos, Tony award nominees Karine Plantadit and Keith Roberts performed a routine from Twyla Tharp's "Come Fly Away" musical.Later, Usher paid a visit to perform his song, "OMG," and introduced the world premiere of his protege Justin Bieber's "Somebody to Love" music video.Back to the results: After dancing their solos, Melinda, Cristina and Alexie came together to find out who was going home. Nigel reiterated to Melinda his advice about getting some warmth into her dance, and told her to bring some fire. Next, he told Cristina she brought the fire, but not the steps. She was the one, the judges felt, was dancing for her life.Finally, Alexie stepped forward and Nigel told her she was "very contained" in her movement. He told her she was "somewhat juvenile" in her dance style even though she was the oldest of the girls. Then he told her she was the first dancer cut this season.
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16 June 2010
Top 11 Perform
After all the auditions and the...
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After all the auditions and the "introductory" episode, it was time to get down to business in the finals of "So You Think You Can Dance." The Top 11 were paired with all-stars from previous years.Billy: On a night when the dancers would be telling us something America doesn't already know about them, Billy said he loves to do do-it-yourself projects with his dad, a general contractor. He was paired with Lauren for a Tyce DiOrio Broadway routine to Kenny Loggins' "Footloose." Nigel liked it and said the long movements Tyce chose to use worked for Billy. Mia said she loved seeing Billy handle a dance that's different from what he's used to. Adam gave him some pointers to help him grow throughout the competition, including sticking with his character. Adam said Billy had to focus on what happens in between the dance steps.Cristina: Salsa dancer Cristina told us she once auditioned for a Spanish-language "American Idol"-style show. She didn't make it. Cristina was paired with Mark for a Sonya Tayeh jazz routine in which the dancers played the role of snakes. Nigel gave Cristina a good compliment by saying he was focused on her more than Mark. He said that the judges know she's good and she was now showing America she's good. Mia said Cristina did an awesome job holding her own on stage with Mark, who she called a genius of darkness in dancing. Adam said he was stunned because he was expecting a disaster when she saw that Cristina was given a Sonya Tayeh routine. He said he saw no trace of the salsa dancer and she "fully inhabited the character."Jose: The B-boy told us he practices yoga every morning. Jose scored by drawing all-star Comfort for a hip-hop routine by Tabitha and Napoleon. He was supposed to give a mean face while dancing to Ne-Yo's "Beautiful Monster." Nigel pointed out to us that breaking and hip-hop aren't the same thing and Jose proved he can handle different things. He called it outstanding. Mia said there was a little hesitation in Jose's performance of the choreography. Adam agreed with what Mia said and stressed that the show is all about improvement week to week. He told Jose to get to his power moves faster.Adechike: Adechike told us he went to the "Fame" school, where no less than Al Pacino and Tyce DiOrio attended. He drew a contemporary routine choreographed by Travis Wall and was paired with Kathryn. Nigel said the choreography was wonderful and Kathryn did a lot, but he didn't quite believe the sequence was Adechike's fantasy (the routine was about an office worker dozing off and having his dream lady come seduce him through dance). Mia said there was no sexual chemistry and Adechike "brought nothing but stiffness and strength." Adam said Adechike was a great partner, but he needed to give the extra stuff.Melinda: Tapper Melinda said the thing we don't know about her is that she's also an actress who worked on "As the World Turns" and she writes her own music. She drew a jive choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin, and was paired with Pasha. Nigel said there was no question Melinda was vivacious, but her legs were a bit wide on some kicks. He said the style didn't suit her and she was in danger of having to dance for her life on Thursday. Mia agreed and said there was a "lack of sexiness" in Melinda's style that she couldn't pinpoint. Adam said Melinda tried to use her acting prowess to cover up for her lack of technique.Alex: Alex said America didn't know that he loves to sing and play the piano. He was paired with Allison to do a contemporary routine by Sonya Tayeh. The crowd roared and Cat Deeley said the hairs on her arms were standing. Nigel said Alex had just set a new standard for "So You Think You Can Dance." He said that sometimes the focus is too much on the structure of dance rather than the poetry of dance, and Alex showed that both could be done. Mia said it was "the best, hands down, piece of work danced on the 'So You Think You Can Dance' stage in the world, to date." She said Alex was "sheer perfection and sheer genius." She also said Sonya was "sheer genius," as well. Adam said Alex and Allison made Sonya a different choreographer and said he was unbelievable.Alexie: Alexie said America doesn't know she's been on "Star Search" with a group of dancers called "The Hip-Hop Kids," and was actually judged by Adam Shankman on the show. She was paired with Twitch for a Tabitha & Napoleon sultry hip-hop routine that Alexie said would "hopefully not" be suitable for children. Nigel called Alexie a "cute little dancer" and told her to be careful it isn't too cutesy. Mia said Alexie danced "like a young, adorable girl" and said she had to step it up because "there was no coolness to it." Adam told Alexie to dance with the sensuality of a girl but with the power of a guy.Lauren: Lauren said she's passionate about working with Kindergartners. She drew a Mandy Moore jazz routine and was paired with Ade. In rehearsals she seemed to struggle with bring sexy. Nigel said it was well choreographed, but he found it sterile and that it lacked chemistry with Ade. Still, he thought she was secure in the competition. Mia said there was unused space "emotionally and character-wise" in her dancing. Adam told Lauren to worry less about presentation and more about her connection with her character and partner.Kent: The most famous resident Wapakoneta said he was voted homecoming king in his class, which included only 14 guys. He drew a cha cha by Tony and Meredith, and was paired with Anya. Nigel said the overriding factor in the whole routine was that he enjoyed it and said Kent reminded him of a young Paul Newman, but at one point in the routine he did a move that looked like Jessica Rabbit. Mia said Kent committed to everything and looked "kind of like a ballroom boy" but told him to remove that one move (to which Nigel referred) for the rest of his career. Adam said it was good, but looked a bit like a kid who got lost at the zoo and ended up dancing with the lions.Ashley: Ashley said that something America doesn't know about the goofy voices she does. She was paired with Neil for a Tyce DiOrio contemporary routine about love. Nigel said the dance had to be about transcending the steps and connecting with the emotions. He asked her if she's ever been in love and she said she thinks she is now. Mia said she couldn't tell which emotion was coming from Ashley, but it was there -- even if it wasn't coming across as loudly as she hoped.Robert: Robert said something America doesn't know about him is that he really wanted to be a professional baseball player, but dance took over. He drew a Sean Cheesman African jazz routine and was paired with Courtney. Nigel said he loved the way Robert dances and said he's a dark horse in the competition. Mia said there were so many things she loved about him, despite it being just the first live competition show of the season. Adam said it was "unbelievable" seeing Robert and Courtney together, and he called Robert one of the best contemporary dancers the show has ever had.
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10 June 2010
Meet the Top 11
Now that the Top 11 are set, it was...
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Now that the Top 11 are set, it was time for them to take the stage for real. Each dancer will be paired with a previous "So You Think You Can Dance" finalist, and the opening group dance set the tone quickly. The 11 all-stars came out to start a performance that was finished by the 11 finalists from this season. Then they closed out the routine as one big group.Host Cat Deeley reminded us that the all-stars were here to help this season, but would not be competing. Then she introduced us to the judging panel for the evening: regular judges Adam Shankman, Mia Michaels and Nigel Lythgoe. Thursday was all about getting to know the dancers and their abilities, and no voting was involved. Next week, viewers will vote on the dancers' performances.Lauren & Kent: For the first dance of the night, Mark (Season 5) and Kathryn (S6) joined Lauren and Kent in a Jazz number by Travis Wall. Adam heaped praise on everyone -- including Nigel and Mia. He said Travis was getting so good as a choreographer, and then he jumped out of his seat to compliment Lauren and Kent.Alexie & Melinda: After years of trying out for the show, Alexie told us she was a Laker Girl for two years. Melinda called herself an old soul. Allison (S2) and Lauren (S3) joined Alexie and Melinda for a Broadway routine choreographed by Tyce DiOrio. Nigel paid the best compliment he could give them, saying he couldn't distinguish between the competitors and the all-stars on the stage.Jose: Jose Ruiz, who touted his humility and confidence, was joined on stage by hip-hop all-stars Twitch and Comfort (S5) and Dominic (S3). Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed a routine that initiated him into the "SYTYCD" hip-hop family. Adam said he was "so glad" Jose was on the show.Cristina: Salsa dancer Cristina was joined by Season 3 all-stars Anya and Pasha. The three of them put on a dazzling and hot display of salsa choreographed by Jason Gilkison. Nigel enjoyed it and said Cristina had a tough job sharing the stage with what he called two of the best ballroom dancers in the world. He cautioned her to watch her "lazy feet," but otherwise thought she nailed it.Alex and Billy: The two comeback kids were joined by Ade (S5) in a contemporary routine choreographed by Mia Michaels, who explained that her dance was about "time and the turning of life." Mia said she loved it and it was "an honor" to have them dance her routine. She said Billy was a "freak of nature" and Alex is "a beast." Those were both compliments.Adechike, Robert &Ashley: Adechike described himself as the underdog of the competition but vowed to represent not only New York, but the entire east coast. Ashley said she loves to shop, watch football and described herself as a "huge nerd." Robert said he used to play baseball. All-stars Courtney (S4) and Neil (S3) joined them for a Sonya Tayeh jazz number. Sonya loved it and told Adechike he isn't an underdog.
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09 June 2010
Vegas Callbacks, Pt. 2
The most drastic final cut in "So You...
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The most drastic final cut in "So You Think You Can Dance" history came together Tuesday night as Las Vegas Week culminated in the final 10 dancersFirst, though, Vegas Week continued with a Broadway theme and Ida -- who'd impressed the judges immensely in her audition, but faced some sharp criticism in Vegas -- was thinking about dropping out of the competition.In the first round of dancers, Adrian and Lauren wowed the judges with their fun take on the routine. Several other dancers seemed to impress the panel, but Ida went up to the stage alone to tell the judges she was withdrawing. Nigel didn't take the news well and said she only wanted to bow out because she was having trouble taking criticism. She insisted that wasn't the case, but Nigel said he'd never believe that.After Broadway, 47 dancers were still in the competition and they were asked to pick a CD at random in groups. Each group had to choreograph a routine to the music and perform it the following morning.The first group of dancers amazed the judges and Nigel said each of the five of them were on his "favorite" list.The second group wasn't so fortunate as they stayed up all night bickering. Tapper Melinda was in the group and was the only dancer who really stood out. Somehow, they all still made it through.Some 34 dancers were celebrating making it through, but the final group that was full of all-stars, including Billy Bell, were told by the judges that their performance was terrible and lacked heart. Judge Toni Redpath was furious after consulting with the rest of the judges, saying none of them deserved to move on but she'd been "talked in" to keeping them.The following round was contemporary, which was the specialty of most of the remaining dancers, but salsa dancer Cristina and ballroom dancer Giselle were worried. Cristina, though, made it through while surprising the judges with how well she adapted to the different style. Mary was brought to tears, though, when she had to tell Giselle that she wasn't going to make it to the next round. Another early favorite, Nicole with the big hair, was cut.Injured Anthony Burrell, Kent Boyd and Alex Wong made up one group in the contemporary round. Alex wasn't incredible, but the judges put him through for another round. Anthony proved himself to be "exquisite," in Nigel's words, and continued for another round. Nigel strung Kent along for a while before telling him he was "one of these people that I can see growing every single routine that you learn." Kent gave a passionate speech about how he didn't really think he could stack up against the other dancers, and Lil C broke down in tears as he told Kent that he certainly was good enough. He moved on in a group of 24 dancers that made it to the end of Vegas Week.Before they left Vegas, the dancers were treated to a lesson from legendary choreographer Grover Dale.The dancers had a chance to show the judges their stuff one last time, performing a solo before the final cuts would be made. Lauren Froderman once again wowed them with her routine, bringing more than half of the panel to its feet, as Adam said they were "in heaven" and Lil C called it "awesome."The 24 dancers left were each set to get a visit or phone call from one of the judges to let them know if they were in or out for the Top 10.Adrian Lee and Cristina Santana were the first to get visits. Toni teased Cristina through an agonizing wait before finally telling her she was in the Top 10. Mary visited Adrian and told him he didn't make the Top 10, but encouraged him to come back and try again.Nigel stayed back in Hollywood to deliver bad news over the phone to five more dancers. Nigel paid a visit to Lauren Froderman and told her all the reasons the judges thought they shouldn't choose her for the Top 10, then told her she "knocked them all down" and would be included in the small group of finalists.Mia Michaels visited Anthony Burrell, who said he needed something "like this" in his life, but she had to tell him he wasn't in the Top 10.Ashley Galvan waited for Lil C to show up and deliver some news. He told her she was his favorite from Vegas, but strung her along a bit longer before announcing she was in the Top 10.Nigel landed in Columbus, Ohio, where he first made some phone calls to tell some dancers they were out, and was on his way to Wapakoneta to visit Kent Boyd. Meanwhile, Tyce DiOrio made his way to Jose Ruiz's house in Miami. Jose was in.Mia went to visit tapper Melinda Sullivan and told her she was in. Alex Wong, meanwhile, awaited word from Tyce about his future on the show. Tyce told him there was concern that he didn't show enough passion and emotion in his performances, but he'll be getting more chances to prove himself because he's in.While Nigel continued to search for Wapakoneta, Mia paid a visit to Adechike Torbert to tell him he was in the Top 10.Nigel was pulled over by a cop on his way to Wapakoneta, and Tyce told Jocelyn she wasn't going to continue.With one spot left for a girl, Mary went to visit Alexie Agdeppa and Lil C went to see Ryan Ramirez. Mary asked Alexie if she'd try out again if she didn't make it. Alexie said she would, but Mary told her she wouldn't have to. Lil C, then, had to tell Ryan she didn't make it.Nigel finally made it to Kent's house in Wapakoneta, but asked to use the bathroom after his long drive. Nigel dragged out the process, in typical fashion, and told Kent he made it to Hollywood.Back in New York, Adam Shankman waited until the end of an Alvin Ailey show where Billy Bell and Robert Rolden which of them had earned the 10th spot. The 10th spot went to Robert, but there was a twist. A surprise 11th spot was saved for Billy.
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03 June 2010
Auditions #5 and #6/Vegas Callbacks, Part 1
The "So You Think You Can Dance"...
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The "So You Think You Can Dance" auditions headed to the south for the final two sets of tryouts in Dallas and Nashville, before heading to Vegas for the first round of callbacks.Head judge and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe was joined on the panel in Dallas by Tyce DiOrio and first-timer Toni Redpath, a ballroom expert.The first to take the stage was 18-year-old Ida Saki. She had the judges from the start with her music selection and continued to amaze with her graceful and powerful moves. She explained that her parents were from Iran and weren't allowed to dance and she was making the most of her opportunity here. Nigel brought Ida's mom on stage to watch her get a ticket to Vegas.A group of dancers who earned tickets straight to Vegas followed, and led into an audition from 18-year-old Haylee Durbin, who was looking to follow the path set out for her by her father, who died of colon cancer last year. Nigel wasn't thrilled with her performance, and Toni said she was holding too much tension in her body. They decided to give her another shot to prove herself in choreography.Conor McLaughlin, who lived by a point of view that he called "Scooter Rocket." He came on stage on rollerblades and a bike helmet. He tolled around on stage, flailing his arms around a bit. The judges had a good laugh, but sent him rolling away. Conor led into a string of stumbles, tumbles and generally odd auditions.Nicole Knudson, 18, sought to turn things around. Her big hairstyle, which she wore up, a la Marge Simpson, made her stand out, but her dancing won the judges over. Tyce called her "magical" and said she had the "kind of dancing that comes around once in 100 years." Toni said Nicole had taken her breath away. She won a ticket to Vegas.When it came time for choreography, Haylee didn't make it through, but 30 others did.The judges came back for Day 2 in Dallas, and 29-year-old Deroccius Harris kicked things off with a pretty wild routine that had the judges giggling and had Toni quipping, "You go, girl." (Deroccius was a guy). The judges decided he wasn't great for the competition, particularly considering his gender-bending style.Marcella Raneri, 21, was trying to use dance to fully escape the shadow of her father's ties to the mob. She said he went to prison for money laundering, tax evasion, and the sort, and her family went from having everything to having nothing. Nigel said she danced beautifully, but there wasn't any heart and soul in her work. After some jokes about letting her through to choreography because her dad was a mobster, the judges put Marcella through to choreography.Jordan Johnson, 26, shared a heart-breaking story about having learned fairly late in life that he was abandoned by his biological father. The spiky haired dancer showed a variety of maneuvers and Nigel said he appreciated every bit that Jordan dropped into his routine. Toni said his dancing was sexy enough that she wanted to crawl on stage and get involved. She didn't, but the judges agreed to send him directly to Vegas.After choreography, Marcella made it to Vegas, along with six more dancers.On to Nashville: Just a few minutes were set aside for the Nashville auditions, which didn't seem like a good sign. Nigel was joined on the panel by Adam Shankman and Broadway choreographer Joey Dowling.The first dancer was Faith Looney, 18, who did what she called a flamenco with a female partner (who wasn't competing). The judges chuckled while they danced, and the chuckling then led to bursts of laughter. Nigel said her dance was nowhere near a real flamenco, then said she was so lacking in personality that she made dead people seem like party animals. Joey said Faith was "too sweet to do flamenco."Things just worse in Nashville as a string of bad dancers followed, and Cat said "it was turning into one of the most disappointing days in 'So You Think You Can Dance' history." Shanya Vaughn said she was bringing energy and passion, but delivered another sad routine that Adam said made it seem like she'd never seen the show.In the end, it was the worst audition day in the show's history, but the judges had hope for Day 2 in Nashville. The hope was misguided, until a familiar face dropped by.Bryan Gaynor, who suffers from scoliosis, made his first appearance on the show in the Season 3 auditions and returned for the finale. Bryan wowed the judges again with his "magical" robotic moves. Adam said Bryan was an extraordinary inspiration, and Joey began to cry when she told Bryan that he was the reason "we dance." Nigel said that the partner work required by the show made it impossible for them to put him through to choreography or Vegas, but Nigel promised they'd get Bryan and his dance crew onto the show.The disappointing two-day stay in Nashville yielded just seven tickets to Vegas.Next stop, Vegas: More than 100 dancers from the auditions returned to Vegas for a shot at becoming one of the 10 finalists who would be partnered with favorites from past seasons, including Neil, Comfort, Allison, Ade, Pasha, Courtney, Dominic, Mark, Lauren, Twitch, Anya and Kathryn.With 122 of them vying for just those 10 spots, it was going to be a serious competition and the judges and choreographers would show no mercy.Lil C, Mary Murphy, Tyce DiOrio, Adam Shankman, Toni Redpath and Nigel Lythgoe showed up for the Vegas callbacks.The day started with solos, and the first dancers were Billy Bell and Alex Wong, who were given passes to Vegas this season. Alex was a standout in Season 5 who'd made it to the Top 20 but had to bow out because he had a contract with a ballet company. Billy made it to the Top 20 in Season 6, but had to leave the competition after falling seriously ill.Alex took the stage first and put on a dazzling performance that left the judges smiling and excited. Billy went second and despite getting no feedback from the judges in this stage of the competition, clearly impressed.Several dancers pleased the judges, and Anthony Burrell -- who'd injured his hamstring and had to get medical clearance and a cortisone shot to perform -- returned to take the stage.The judges conferred and began reading a list of names and made a round of cuts and gave another round of dancers a "special mention" before telling them they were safe. That group included Billy Bell, Alex Wong and Anthony Burrell.The next round was hip-hop choreography, led by Tabitha Dumo. Rhythmic gymnast Rachel and breaker Jose were struggling with the choreography. The dancers needed three yeses from the panel of six judges. Rachel got no votes across the board and went home. Jose got yes votes from everyone but Lil C, but he's still in it.Some more early favorites continued to impress, but others didn't do as well and 26 of them went home.The final group for choreography included Anthony Burrell, who made it through his injury with a unanimous yes vote, but Sarah, who'd hurt her back, didn't make it and cried as she left.The next round was ballroom, choreographed by Toni Redpath -- who wasn't messing around in teaching them the routine in 90 minutes. Toni went on to yell at the dancers and make them wish Tabitha were still there.The first group included Nicole Knudson, the one Tyce said comes along once every 100 years. The whole group was a mess, but Nicole's wild hair became a point of contention and the judges asked her to redo the dance with her hair down.Some dancers continued to please the judges while others faltered.Nicole and Adechike Torbert got a second chance. Nicole got one of the best ballroom dancers in the room to partner with her for her second-chance performance.But first, there was a final group in the ballroom round. The group included Jordan Johnson, who Toni loved in Dallas, but failed to pull it together in ballroom.There were 11 departures after the ballroom round, leaving only 58 in the competition.Nicole got her do-over and Tyce was rooting for her to pull it together. Nigel said she was nervous and it showed. He gave her a yes vote, as did three other judges, putting her through to the next round. Nicole was very emotional after her rough day, and she went to sit down.Adechike Torbert became the first dancer in Season 7 to dance for his life, having received a chance from the judges to perform a solo contemporary routine to prove he should stay. Nigel told Adechike that he'd made a stupid move with a tap routine in his solo earlier in Vegas, and told him he wanted Adechike to stick around. The rest of the judges agreed and kept him in.
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02 June 2010
Auditions #3 and #4
The second audition episode of "So...
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The second audition episode of "So You Think You Can Dance" took us to Los Angeles, the city that has yielded the most talent in the show's previous six seasons. Would Season 7 find as much fortune?Nigel Lythgoe was joined on the judges' panel by regular judge Adam Shankman and first-timer Hi-Hat, a renowned hip-hop dancer and choreographer.Lauren Froderman, 18, from Phoenix promised a sexy dance that would still be appropriate for the kids. It was some kind of cross between overly sexual with some legitimate dance moves mixed in. The judges were impressed enough to give her a ticket directly to Vegas.An eccentric Asian fellow calling himself "Hella Hung" tried to make some moves on host Cat Deeley before taking the stage and offering up some pretty rudimentary and awkward hip-hop and breakdancing moved. Adam cowered in his chair as he watched and later called Hella Hung "extraordinary." He said he was a "great entertainer, not really right for this show."Rachel Girma, 18, a rhythmic gymnast who took on straight-forward dance about two weeks before the audition. She was training for the Olympics, she said, until she injured her foot. She wanted to prove to the judges that you didn't need formal dance training to make it. Nigel said a particular turn she did was something he'd never seen before. He loved it and called her "amazing." Hi-Hat didn't want the audition to end. Adam called it brilliant but wondered whether if it would correlate to other choreography. She got a ticket to Vegas.Rachel kicked off a run of at least a half-dozen California girls who wowed the judges.Christina Santana, a dancer who nearly made it to the finals last season, was back with her partner Pepe Alvarez, who was auditioning this year (last year he went to the audition, but purely in a supporting role). This time wasn't much different, in the judges' opinion. Adam thought Christina was fantastic, but said Pepe's presence wasn't felt. Nigel recommended Pepe continue into the choreography and Christina got a ticket straight to Vegas.Taylor Costello, 18, said she was adopted and her birth mother died when she was 11. Although she never met her birth mother, she learned that her mother loved to dance. She became emotional in her intro package talking about the love and support she gets from her adoptive family. She quickly wowed the judges on stage (they each literally said, "wow."). Taylor said her birth mother was shot in her apartment, and she was her inspiration. Nigel said her dancing was "slightly manic" and that she had to control that a bit. Nigel and the judges put her into choreography.Pepe decided to quit before performing in the choreography, but Taylor stuck around to take it on. Nigel and the judges decided her performance wasn't good enough, but encouraged her to come back next season. In all, 13 dancers from Day 1 in L.A. made it to the Vegas callbacks.Alexie Agdeppa came back after coming just short of the Top 20 last season, bound and determined to make it this time. Nigel didn't think her performance was as good as it had been in the past -- but then said, "That is how you tell lies." He was kidding, and encouraged the other judges to send her to Vegas, which they did.Once again, the girls rules in L.A., and another montage of ladies getting tickets to Vegas followed.The tap dancing representative for the season -- the first one, anyway -- was 22-year-old Melinda Sullivan, who got her inspiration from Gregory Hines, among others, who she met at a young age. Adam said she was "pretty amazing." Hi-Hat enjoyed that Melinda was interesting. Nigel said he wasn't sure if he liked what she did, but said he liked her. Nigel gave her a nod for choreography.A montage of bad male dancers served to show us the disparity between the sexes in L.A.Ryan Ramirez, 18, said Mia Michaels discovered her and was the real reason she continued to dance. She wanted to make it on the show to prove to her family that all the time and effort was worthwhile. The judges thought she was great but encouraged her to make more of a connection with her audience while performing.At the end of the day, Melinda and Ryan -- and 26 others -- returned for choreography. Melinda danced just fine without her tap boots on, and Ryan did enough to earn a ticket, as well.On to Chicago: For the first time in three years, the show returned to Chicago, where Nigel and Adam were joined by choreographer Stacey Tookey.The first dancer in Chicago was 18-year-old Kent Boyd from Wapakoneta, Ohio, who knew he'd have to leave his small town behind if he wanted to make a career in dance. The judges teased Kent about his small-town life and he said he gets out to the big city, now and then -- like Columbus, Ohio. They decided to put him through to choreography.Andrew Phillips, 18, whose fraternal twin brother suffered from spina bifida, said he was dancing for both him and his brother. Nigel said it was important for the judges to separate the story from the dance critique. Adam said Andrew was still growing, but was inspiring and he wanted to see more. Stacey agreed that Andrew has "just touched" his potential. They put him into choreography.Malinda Jacobson, 28, wanted to present her own creation, which she called "hick-hop," a combination of breakdancing, hip-hop, country line dancing and square dancing. Her act certainly provided for some humor. The judges agreed she was unique, but the dancing wasn't up to par. Malinda left, figuring she really had to get her nerves under control.Malinda kicked off a montage of some of Chicago's worst offerings.Adrian Lee, 20, ended the first night in Chicago with an impressive display of contemporary dance that Stacey called "the best contemporary dancer we've seen" that day. She said he was perfect for this competition. Adam said Adrian had the potential to be great.Kent and Andrew returned for choreography. Kent made it through, and Nigel told Andrew that the judges put him through to choreography for the experience even though they knew he wouldn't be right for Vegas. "We were wrong," Nigel said, handing Andrew his ticket to the next round. Three more dancers made it through, Cat said.Kellen Borchers, 25, was out for some respect for his form of freestyle hip-hop dance. His awkward demonstration left the judges a little puzzled, not to mention laughing hysterically. Stacey encouraged him to keep dancing for himself and for his friend at the bar.A locker and popper named Christopher Gilbert came in dressed in an Erkel type of outfit, but rocked some interesting moves that kept the judges entertained. Nigel referred to Christopher as "spider legs." Adam liked it and said Christopher's ability to turn the music into his physical movements. Nigel invited him to return for choreography.No tickets to Vegas had been given on the second day, despite a lot of performers being sent through to choreography. Jarrod Mayo, 20, was looking to change all that. Nigel said Jarrod was amazing and surprised him. Stacey and Adam loved Jarrod's sweet personality. Nigel invited Jarrod's mother onto the stage. But Nigel warned her that she'd have to let go -- because Jarrod was bound for Vegas.Jarrell Robinson, spoke through an interpreter -- because he's deaf. He wanted to inspire the deaf community and make them believe they could do anything. Adam was amazed. Stacey said she was inspired, but his "vocabulary" of moves was a little light for this competition. Adam agreed and said Jarrell was an inspiration. Nigel encouraged Jarrell to keep dancing, but this competition wasn't going to be the outlet.When choreography came around, Christopher didn't make it but vowed to come back next year. Four lucky ladies moved on to the next round, though, making for a total of eight dancers from Chicago's two days.
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27 May 2010
Auditions #1 and #2
The seventh season premiere of "So...
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The seventh season premiere of "So You Think You Can Dance" took us to New York City to kick off a season that will see just 10 dancers make it to the live shows.New judge Mia Michaels joined Adam Shankman and Nigel Lythgoe on the judging panel. The dancers had to impress the judges to either get a ticket to the next round in Vegas, or at least do enough to earn a call back to the choreography round at the end of the day. If they failed to impress at all, they'd be sent home.The first dancer was a 22-year-old from Philadelphia named Sarah, who'd overcome some body image issues after years of thinking she was big. Her contemporary tryout floored the judges. Nigel said she looked like Charlize Theron and Sarah said she gets that a lot. Mia said Sarah danced like a more mature dancer than her age. Sarah got a ticket to Vegas.Ballroom dancers Giselle and Henry, who have been part of the show "Burn the Floor," decided to go from Broadway and their national tour to "SYTYCD." Mia was blown away by their hotness and Adam said they "tore up that floor" and said it was "a huge turn-on." Nigel mentioned having already seen them in "Burn the Floor" and said they were stars.Mike, 27, a member of a self-made dance troupe called "1 2 3 Party," which performs in the style of the '80s. He and his crew have apparently been arrested by the Boston Police Department. Once he started dancing, it was clear to see why. Mike was sent on his way, but he left with a smile and took his boombox to Times Square. Mike kicked off a montage of bad auditions.Teddy Tedholm, who went to Vegas last year in a colorful outfit, was back and dressed in a black suit to try again. Mia and Adam became emotional watching Teddy's wild contemporary routine. Mia said his routine was "pretty genius" in its ability to tap into the emotion of being the kid who was probably picked on. Adam said he was "honored' to have been able to take in his audition. Nigel handed Teddy a ticket to Vegas.Danced named Briana and Daniel put on solid auditions that earned them tickets to Vegas in a short montage.Scott Vogel, whose day job was cleaning up blood and "gray matter" from crime and trauma scenes, put on an odd display of what he called "country line dancing" (there was no line). The judges were enthused by his profession, but not so much by his dancing.Chris "Isolock" Dixon, a locker who brought his mentor "Shockalock" with him, combined locking with isolation -- something he said hadn't been done before. Nigel liked Chris' look -- a big top hat and a long-sleeve, black-and-white-striped shirt -- and Mia and Adam saw enough to bring him back for the choreography. He didn't make it through, but was satisfied that he gave his all.In all, 15 dancers from Day 1 moved on to the next round.On Day 2, Nigel asked all the contestants to be original, and that wasn't a problem for Jamie Greco, who works for a horror-film company and dressed as a woman for his audition -- complete with a Carmen Miranda-like fruit headdress and a pink tutu. Adam and Mia loved Jamie's eccentricity but it wasn't enough to get him to the next round.After a short mix of dancers taking spills on stage, an aspiring parkour enthusiast named Wadi put on a display of some flips and popping and locking and breakdancing that impressed Nigel. The judges all enjoyed his skills and brought him back for choreography.A contemporary dancer named Anthony Burrell was "one of the best dancers" from New York, according to Nigel, and Megan David was equally impressive. They both moved on to Vegas.Edward Spots, a 20-year-old whose been on the show before, was back for another try and left Nigel in awe. The judges were proud of Edward, whose father had previously been unsupportive of his dancing, and asked him to return for choreography.Megan Carter, 18, who called herself "obviously thicker than other dancers," said Mia Michaels was an inspiration to her. Mia and Adam were soon crying and Adam said Megan "blew every stereotype so far out of the water." Adam said he couldn't believe what he was watching because he realized he held a stereotype about her. Mia said she was told she couldn't dance because of the shape of her body. Nigel told Megan she'd find it difficult to get dancing jobs, and Mia said she didn't get any dancing jobs (which was why she became a choreographer). They asked her back for choreography.Megan and Wadi were in the first group in choreography and did not get tickets to Vegas. In the next round was Edward, who moved on. In all, 16 more dancers from the New York audition made it through.Next stop, Miami: Jason Gilkison and Sonya Tayeh joined Nigel in Miami. Ballroom dancer Michael Petr, who said watching Patrick Swayze in "Dirty Dancing" inspired him to take up ballroom. Nigel and the others enjoyed his precision and energy and said he was fantastic. He went straight through to Vegas.Tyrell Rolle came from the less glitzy part of Miami -- a rough neighborhood called Liberty City -- took up dancing as a way to get on to a better life. His father, who'd been skeptical of Tyrell's choice of dancing, said he was entirely supportive and became emotional when he talked about how proud he was of his son. Tyrell wowed the judges and his proud father beamed in the back of the theater as his son was handed a ticket to Vegas.Henry Rivera was falling apart during his interview segment, but he was sure and steady when he hit the stage. Sonya loved it and Nigel called Henry "inspirational." Sonya appreciated that every move Henry made mattered. Host Cat Deeley talked about how the auditions had become a family affair as dancers brought their parents and their children. And 19-year-old Darla Kapylova brought her dad -- to dance a couples contemporary routine that made the judges a bit uncomfortable. Nigel said it was a little odd, and Sonya agreed. All three judges said no.Ami Aguilar-Riley, a wife and mother brought her 6-year-old son for inspiration and came out to prove herself. Nigel said she had an intensity that draws the audience in. Sonya loved her aggressive style. The judges unanimously agreed to bring her back for choreography.She came back at the end and earned her ticket to Vegas. Nine other dancers made it through.On Day 2, Candace Craig, part of a girl singing group, said she was "the sexy one" in her group. Her eye-popping performance heated up the room. Jason thought she didn't need to dance as sexually as she did and wanted to see more of her as a performer. Sonya agreed. She was asked back for the choreography and vowed to wear a sports bra for that routine.Rose Neptune, who said it was like she was on fire when she hits the dance floor, was extinguished promptly. As Cat put it, "Miami continued to suck," and a montage of poor performances followed. Nigel was getting annoyed with the lack of talent.Jose Ruiz, a B-boy who said he was inspired by Legacy's appearance on the show last season (but said he could give Legacy a run) wanted to give the show a chance. Nigel liked it and said he was surprised on a couple of occasions during the audition. Sonya thanked him for bringing some energy to the Miami auditions. All three judges agreed to bring him back for choreographer.Jose and Candace returned for choreography. Candace was disappointed when she wasn't sent on to Vegas, but Jose got a ticket, along with 20 other dancers from the Miami audition.
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16 December 2009
Finale: Winner Announced
The spotlights were burning bright...
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The spotlights were burning bright and host Cat Deeley cranked up the drama, which meant that in just 119 minutes we'd know who won the sixth season of "So You Think You Can Dance" and would walk away with $250,000.Judges' choices: In a new twist on memory lane, the six-judge panel was asked to request encore performances of their favorite dances of the season.Lil C asked to see the group hip-hop routine from Legacy, Russell and Kevin. Adam Shankman wanted to see the magic that was created by choreographer Sonya Tayeh and dancer Ellenore, who was paired with Jakob in what Adam called his favorite routine.Nigel asked for a replay of the group tap routine performed by Bianca, Peter and Phillips. Mary put a little surprise into the format by asking Ashleigh and Ryan to perform a jive they choreographed on their own.Be our guest: Leona Lewis, who might actually be contractually obligated to appear on every reality show, stopped by to perform her new song from the movie, "Avatar," "I See You." The Groovaloos, who are starring in their own show in New York, also performed.Later, Adam Lambert came to the stage to perform his new single, "What Do You Want From Me?" He behaved himself.After the Top 3 were announced, Mary J. Blige paid a visit to perform her single, "I Am."For the final guest performance of the night, Jennifer Lopez did "Louboutins," and managed to stay on her feet. She was flanked by her favorite female dancers from this season of "So You Think You Can Dance," as well as her favorites from past seasons.Back to the judges' picks: Nigel got another pick, which must be the privilege of the executive producer, and decided to ask Kathryn and Jakob to redo their contemporary routine from Tuesday night.Tyce DiOrio wanted to see some Bollywood action again, asking Mollee and Nathan to perform their Bollywood routine.Later, Adam asked to see Ellenore and Legacy revisit their Travis Wall contemporary routine. Debbie Allen finally got a chance to make a choice, and opted for Noelle and Russell's African jazz routine. Because Russell was injured, a taped version of the original routine was shown.Lil C asked to see Ariana, Channing, Jakob and Nathan's group contemporary routine. Mary got another chance to make a choice, and asked for an encore of Tuesday night's hip hop routine by Kathryn and Russell. But what she got was another recording of the original because of Russell's injury.For the final visit down memory lane, Nigel asked to see the first group routine performed by the Top 20, choreographed by Wade Robson.To the results: In a bizarre moment of live TV, Cat's microphone cut out when she called for the Top 6 dancers to come onto the stage. There was an awkward moment of silence and no one came onto the stage. Then, three dancers walked to center stage, and when the remaining three dancers came out, Russell was in tears as he was helped on stage by Ryan. Russell said he'd "messed up" his leg." Cat wanted him to see a medic immediately, but first she had to reveal the first dancer who was out of the running for the title. It was Ryan.For the next round of results, Russell was sitting on a stool. Cat announced that the fifth-place dancer was Ashleigh. That meant the married couple was knocked off right off the bat.Finishing in fourth place this season was Ellenore. That left Jakob, Kathryn and Russell in the Top 3 and waiting to see which of them was going to leave with $250,000.Cat announced that the dancer in third place was Kathryn, which left Russell and Jakob in the running for the title.Before the final result was announced, Nigel said, "The true winners tonight are this program, dance, and America." He said America supported "a truly polished diamond" in Jakob, "and an unpolished diamond" in Russell. He said that regardless of the result, both dancers should be proud.Finally, Cat announced that "America's favorite dancer is ... Russell."Russell suddenly seemed unencumbered by his injury as he stormed around the stage in celebration. He thanked God, his family, his girlfriend and brought Kevin up on stage to rejoice with him.
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15 December 2009
The Top Six Perform
The epic background music. The...
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The epic background music. The close-ups on the contestants' faces. The dramatically backlit Cat Deeley , speaking slower and more intently than ever before. It could all mean just one thing: The finals of the sixth season of "So You Think You Can Dance" have arrived, and the final six dancers will be competing one last time to see who takes home the $250,000 grand prize and be named America's favorite dancer.Kathryn & Ryan: With just one hour, Cat got right to the action and introduced Kathryn and a shirtless Ryan, who performed a Jake Gilkison samba. The performance had a tribal feel to it and ended with a big finish as Ryan tossed Kathryn over his head and she landed on his back. Nigel loved it and called the big finish "stunning" and said he couldn't wait to see it again in slow motion. Mary Murphy said Ryan was at home in his style and said Kathryn had control and balance in her performance. Adam said "this show should now be called 'The Rise of Kathryn.'" He said Ryan was, "as always, a fantastic partner."Ellenore & Jakob: Ellenore and Jakob performed a jazzy, upbeat Broadway routine by Tyce DiOrio. Nigel noted that Tyce allowed Ellenore to be "Fosse-esque" and Jakob to be "Jakob-esque." He enjoyed it and said they were stronger dancers than anyone was in the past and they showed themselves off to their best. Mary said Ellenore was "smoldering" and "just as sexy as could be." She said Jakob was tremendous and added that "tonight, there was a little bit extra coming out there." Adam said the routine made the Broadway style current, elegant and hip. He said Ellenore never looked more beautiful, and called Jakob one of the most selfless partners he's seen.Ashleigh & Russell: Ashleigh and Russell pulled a Sonya Tayeh lyrical jazz routine that had them slowly tossing each other around the stage. Nigel asked Ashleigh to forgive him for the fact that he couldn't take his eyes off Russell. He said the greatest complement he could give Ashleigh was that she had great chemistry with the routine. Mary said Ashleigh was "absolutely drop-dead gorgeous tonight." Mary then started to get emotional when she talked about how special Russell has been this season. She said it was incredible to watch him dance like that. Adam talked more about Ashleigh's contribution to the routine and thanked her for playing the role of Russell's "guardian angel" throughout the routine.Ellenore & Ryan: To kick off the second round of dances, the partners were switched up a bit and Ellenore and Ryan were paired up with a Garry Stewart jazz routine. It had a very technical edge to it, which made Nigel uncomfortable with it, even though they did everything that was asked of them. Mary said she loved it because it was different and unique. She said she could see where Nigel was coming from, but the unique quality pulled her in. Adam said Ellenore played the part of Garry's muse and that Ryan complemented it nicely.Ashleigh & Jakob: For their second routines, Ashleigh was paired with Jakob and they danced a Jean-Marc Genereux foxtrot. Nigel immediately said something nice about Ashleigh, calling her fantastic. He also said the chemistry between the two of them had been fantastic all season. Nigel said it wasn't quite as strong as some of the other routines of the night, but "it was certainly worth you being on the show." Mary said Ashleigh was fantastic with her style and quality of movement. She said she was "so proud" of Jakob. Adam said Ashleigh was "totally lovely" and that they showed each other off beautifully, which is the point of the foxtrot.Ellenore & Russell: For her third routine, Ellenore was coupled with Russell, who was dancing for the second time. They pulled a fiery Jason Gilkison paso doble. Nigel's first question, after watching Russell perform shirtless for the second time: "Where are the shirts tonight?" Nigel pointed out some flaws in Russell's performance, but said he was still "very, very good." He did point out, however, that he was "nowhere near as fiery and passionate as Ellenore." Mary called Ellenore a "little Spanish vixen" and said she "really fired it up out there." She agreed that Russell didn't quite have the technique, but he made up for it in passion. Adam praised Russell for a couple of specific, controlled moves, and he said Ellenore did a great job of dancing from within.Kathryn & Jakob: Kathryn and Jakob got a Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson contemporary routine that brought the crowd and the judges to their feet. Nigel said, "You guys just stopped the show." He said Kathryn was his favorite girl and added, "you have been for many weeks." He said she was "absolutely stunning." Nigel told Jakob he now had to grow and join a company with dancers that are as good as he is, saying "you are outstandingly brilliant." Mary called it simply "one of the best performances I've ever seen." She said it was magical in that there was "no backstory, just beautiful, beautiful dancing." Adam called the routine "a game changer."Ashleigh & Ryan: For the first time since the auditions, married couple Ashleigh and Ryan got a chance to dance together with a Travis Wall contemporary routine. The crowd enjoyed it and Ryan and Ashleigh seemed to shed a bit of a tear when it was over. Nigel took on some critics who thought maybe Ashleigh only made it to the final because of the emotional support she got due to her injury last week. But, he said, they showed themselves very well. Nigel did note that Ashleigh still had better chemistry with Jakob than with Ryan. Mary said it's very rare for a married couple to have a moment like that on such a big stage, and it would be a tremendous memory. Adam asked Ashleigh how it felt, and Ashleigh said it was "perfect." Adam said he experienced their "incredible tenderness, and that was worth a lot."Kathryn & Russell: With the final performance of the evening, Kathryn and Russell took on a Tabitha & Napoleon hip hop routine that included some impressive moves and tricks. Nigel was happy he could call the season's final dance "great." He said Russell was tremendous in a style similar to his own, but noted that he couldn't believe Kathryn was "as gangster" as she was in the performance. Mary said they had her heart, and shouted twice. Adam said the beauty of the show was that Kathryn did contemporary and a samba before doing hip hop, and Russell did jazz and a paso doble before doing hip hop -- and they both killed them.
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09 December 2009
Two of Eight Voted Off
The night opened with a high-energy...
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The night opened with a high-energy contemporary routine choreographed by Sonya Tayeh that only featured seven dancers, meaning Ashleigh was out for the second consecutive night. The mystery remained as to whether Ashleigh would move on despite being unable to perform on Tuesday because of a dislocated shoulder.After a quick little feature to remind us that Samantha Ronson remixed some of Tuesday night's songs (and the opening number on Wednesday), it was time to get to the results.To the results: Russell, who received high marks from the judges for his hip hop and Bollywood routines on Tuesday, was up first. Russell was safely into next week's finale.Legacy contributed to what Nigel called a "dangerous" (in a good way) contemporary routine, but left the judges a bit disappointed with a hip hop routine. He'd never been in danger before, but found himself in the bottom two this week.That left Jakob and Ryan to wait and find out which of them was safe and which was in the bottom two. Jakob wowed the judges first with a Viennese waltz and again with a Broadway routine. Ryan, meanwhile, nailed a cha cha (earning a first-class ticket on the Hot Tamale Train) but was a bit stiff, according to Nigel, in his disco dance. The guy safely into the finale was Jakob, leaving Ryan in the bottom two with Legacy.The top four girls headed to center stage. Kathryn's results were up first. The judges loved her part of the disco she performed with Ryan and loved her even more when she danced the cha cha. Mary put her on the Hot Tamale Train and the judges agreed she was smokin' and sexy. She was in the bottom two last week, but she was safely into the finals this time.Ellenore was part of the Travis Wall contemporary routine that Nigel predicted could be nominated for an Emmy, but was also included in the weird hip hop performance that left the judges disappointed. She was in danger.Mollee and Ashleigh remained. Mollee danced the Viennese waltz with Jakob that had Mary and Nigel both gushing. Her Broadway routine caught Adam's eye and left Nigel saying that it turned her into a professional dancer. He suggested she get a job on Broadway. Ashleigh was injured and was under doctors' orders not to dance. Who was safe and who was in danger? Ashleigh was safe, and Mollee was in trouble.Adam was stunned and said that Mollee was at her best on Tuesday night and said her performances were some of the best overall of the season.Be our guest: Asia's No. 1 pop group, the Wonder Girls, made their American television debut with a performance of their song, "Nobody."Later, "American Idol" winner Kris Allen took the stage to sing his debut single, "Live Like We're Dying."The results: After more than 8 million votes, Ellenore got the final girls' spot in the finale, leaving Mollee behind. Mollee cried a lot, but thanked the judges for the "big impact" they've had on her life.With Ryan and Legacy waiting for word, it was Legacy who was eliminated. That meant Ryan was safely into the finale. The judges gave Legacy a standing ovation and he said he was glad America was watching.Your final six, America: Jakob, Russell, Ryan, Kathryn, Ashleigh and Ellenore.
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08 December 2009
The Top Eight Perform
The field is thinning on "So You...
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The field is thinning on "So You Think You Can Dance," and it was down to the Top 8 on Tuesday night as they vied to stay in the competition another week.Host Cat Deeley introduced "your top eight dancers," but there was one missing. Cat asked Ashleigh to come out and explain why she was missing from the intro. She said she dislocated her shoulder during rehearsal, and she insisted she was OK to perform, but the doctors wouldn't clear her. Her phone number would be available for fans to vote for her anyway.The dancing pairs were shuffled up again, and we were off to the races...Kathryn & Ryan: Kathryn said she wanted to "love every second" of the short time left of the season. Ryan said it would be special to make it to the finale because he might get to dance with his wife, Ashleigh. They landed a Doriana Sanchez disco routine that she called "a disco love story." They performed to a Samantha Ronson remix of Donna Summer's "Last Dance." Adam said Ryan proved that "real men can wear sequins," which was something he'd been saying for years. He told Kathryn he had "literally" watched her become a better dancer over the course of the show. Mary said Kathryn was peaking at the right time, and she said she enjoyed that Ryan just "let it go." Nigel didn't really agree with Adam and Mary. He said the style suited Kathryn, but he felt like Ryan was a little stiff.Mollee & Jakob: The new couple knew the stakes were high as the season wound to a close. They were given a Viennese waltz with Jason Gilkison. Adam said he "could've watched that for two more hours." He said it was a great coupling, choreographer and piece of music. He again praised Jakob and said Mollee was also peaking at the right time. Mary said there was "absolutely nothing ordinary" about their performance. She said Jakob made every part of it work, and told Mollee that "another light" was shining inside of her. Nigel said their routine took his breath away. He said "everything just seemed to fit together like a beautiful jigsaw puzzle" and added that they were both great.Ashleigh: Ashleigh was supposed to dance her solo and again said she felt "perfect," hinting that she really wanted to get out there and dance.Ellenore & Legacy: Ellenore wanted one last chance to show America what she could do by making it to the finale. She and Legacy got a Travis Wall contemporary routine in which they played hired assassins who had each other in their sights. Adam said it was "passionate," "exciting" and "awesome." Mary said, "It really wasn't that good," before pausing for effect and adding, "Of course it was!" Wow, she really had us going there for two seconds. She said Ellenore was dynamic and Legacy nailed it. Nigel loved that it was "so, so dangerous," and he was glad Travis pushed them as far as he did. He thought the routine could get Travis an Emmy nomination.Ashleigh & Russell: Russell and Ashleigh drew a Shane Sparks hip hop routine that was going to be straight from the street. Shane said during rehearsals that Ashleigh, who hailed from the streets of Utah, had become a different person. Russell performed the routine with Shane's assistant, Rachel. Adam said it had to be hard to be there without his partner and said he missed watching Ashleigh do hip hop. He told Russell he was "smokin' out there." Mary said she and everyone were falling in love with Russell. She said it was hard-hitting and on point. Nigel said Russell kept up with Shane's choreography and that he made a point of performing in a tough, hard-hitting routine.Kathryn & Ryan, Part 2: For their second routine, Kathryn and Ryan got a cha cha with Jason Gilkison. Ryan promised it was going to crank up the heat, and the crowd seemed to think it did by offering up a standing ovation. Adam said it was one of the best ballroom routines the show has had. He said they were "very connected," and told Kathryn she was "surging." He said Ryan was great, as well, and said it was a beautiful piece of teamwork. Mary said "the whole floor was on fire" and the routine was on fire, from beginning to end. She told Kathryn she made it look easier than it was, and said Kathryn was sexy. She said Ryan was a star. She gave them two tickets on the Hot Tamale Train. Nigel said Kathryn looked like a Latin ballroom dancer. He then told Ryan he was "absolutely perfect" in the cha cha and the two of them together "were magical."Mollee & Jakob, Part 2: Going from ballroom to Broadway, Mollee and Jakob got a routine from Joey Dowling in which they played a couple of con artists masterminding each other. Adam loved it and said they were great. He said he couldn't take his eyes off Mollee, despite the fact that he thinks Jakob is one of the best dancers the show has ever had. Mary said they were tremendous and made it look easy. Nigel said the routine pushed Mollee into the realm of being a professional dancer, and he said she should go to Broadway. He said they were outstanding for the second time.Ellenore & Legacy, Part 2: The couple landed a Tabitha & Napoleon hip hop routine in which they were portraying aliens. They wanted Ellenore to be more hip hop and Legacy to be more quirky. Ellenore was calling it strange and weird, which was saying something. Adam said it wasn't his favorite routine of the night and the dancing was just fine. Mary said the beginning was great, but it was like a movie that started well and didn't pay off. Nigel said he didn't want to criticize the choreography, but he had to. He said the choreography overrode the dancing and it turned out to be "style over substance."Ryan: After dancing his solo, Ryan interrupted Cat while she was reading his phone number for voting. He asked people to vote for Ashleigh because she'd worked so hard to get to this point and deserved a spot in the finale. He got emotional and the crowd cheered, and Cat asked him, "Are you trying to kill me here?"Ashleigh & Russell, Part 2: Nakul Dev Mahajan put together a raw Bollywood routine for Ashleigh and Russell. Ashleigh was unable to perform, so Russell did the routine with one of Nakul's assistants. Adam said Russell blew joy out of every pore and that should make people pick up the phone and vote for him. Mary gave Russell props for adjusting to everything that has happened with the last-minute partner switch. Mary also asked that people take into consideration the journey that Ashleigh has had on the show when they think about voting. Nigel said Russell had a magnetic quality that draws the viewer's eye. He praised Russell for not just Tuesday evening, but for everything he's done throughout the season.Judges' last words: Cat asked the judges for any last-minute advice for the voters and Adam said each of the remaining dancers had earned his or her place. He urged voters to pick up the phone for their favorites.Mary said that the votes mean so much for the dancers, so this would be a great time to pick up the phone and call. Nigel reminded voters not to assume their favorite is going to win.
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24 November 2009
The Top 12 Perform
12 remain. Each couple will be...
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12 remain. Each couple will be performing two dances. Starting next week the couples and dances will be picked at random.We start by hearing what each person will miss most about their performance partner.Ellenore says she'll miss Ryan's perfectionism and he'll miss her energetic, quirky personality.
They'll be performing the Lindy hop choreographed by Carla Heiney.
It has a lot of cartwheels, swingouts and lifts.Adam calls it a "fantastic start to the show." He says Ellenore gets better and better every week.
Mary says it's a "stunning routine" and is glad the dance is included this season.
Nigel says "I thought it was terrible...that we haven't had the Lindy hop on this season." He says it was "terrific to watch."Next up, Kathryn and Legacy. He says she's helped him with his body and stretching and she'll miss the presence he brings to every routine. Their first dance is a jazz piece by Sonya Tayeh. She says it's based on a man who can't contain himself whenever he sees his lady. It includes him chomping on her hand.
They dance to "So Deep," by Hot Chip.Adam compliments Sonya on the routine, including how she used Legacy's b-boy skills. "If you keep dancing like this, you're going all the way," he says, adding that he's sorry to see the partnership break up.Mary particularly liked his entrance, crab walking onto stage. She says he was "outstanding." And she's a "marvel" to look at when she's dancing. She predicts they'll be in the top ten.Nigel says that was one of his favorite routines of the season and that Kathryn was very sexy. He thinks that Legacy has musical instincts that have never come out before. ("I was dancing," Legacy says.)Next up Victor and Karen talk about what they're looking forward to about working together. Victor's hoping to join her on the "hot tamale train." They're dancing the tango over secret lovers to "Montserrat" by Orequesta del Plata.Adam likes them as partners. He commends Victor's poise and stature. Mary says this was a huge surprise for her and she was impressed by the difficulty level. She says Karen is still on the train and Victor's picking up steam.
Nigel likes their chemistry, but reminds Victor to watch his sway back to avoid looking like Donald Duck out there.On to Nathan and Mollee. He says he'll miss her laugh and he'll miss his weird noises and sayings. Jamal Sims choreographed their hip hop piece about the day that Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.They're dancing to "Ring-A-Ling" by the Black Eyed Peas.Adam starts by checking on Mollee's hurt ankle and says he could see a little bit of the stress on her, but he thought they did a good job.
Mary says it got better as it went along and some things could have been hit a little harder, but it was fun.
Nigel starts by saying they're both good dancers but it seemed a little young. He's positive they'll both be in the top ten but they need to mature.Noelle and Russell
She'll miss his laid back personality and he'll miss her affection and hugs which give him a better vibe. Tony Meridith and Melanie Lapatin choreographed their samba to "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira.Adam thinks the routine was a little too nice so it didn't get into the nasty party version of the dance. "It just needed to get a little more oogie...I enjoyed it, but it didn't get dirty enough for me."Mary says the performance level was great, but she was a little disappointed.Nigel also says the sensuality was missing and it was a little "clinical."Jakob and Ashleigh
She says it's been easy working together and she'll miss him. Sonya choreographed an airy jazz routine.
They're dancing to "Time Flies" by Lykke Li."That was so beautiful I don't know what to say right now," Adam says. He says he's sorry to see the partnership break up. He says it's a privilege to watch Jakob dance.Mary says their fun dancing together is evident.Nigel has to revise himself and say this is his favorite routine of the night.Ellenore and Ryan
Spencer gave them a piece about the lures of fame and fortune and Broadway. They dance to "Razzle Dazzle" from "Chicago."Adam says they nailed it and it was full of character. He says Ryan was great but Ellenore was a "rock star."Mary calls Ellenore the "It" girl.Nigel calls it "phenomenal" and so far he wants to put six couples through.Legacy and Kathryn
Their Viennese Waltz is supposed to show Legacy as a dancer being guided by his guardian angel, as choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereaux and France Mousseau.Adam notices that Legacy is crying. He says they're happy tears because he's able to show people there is hope and anybody can do it. "How can we be mean to you after that?" Nigel whines.Adam gives him a few minor tips, but says he did great.
Mary tells them she definitely thinks they'll both be OK, even it wasn't the best Viennese Waltz because his feet were smacking against the stage. She says Kathryn is "perfection out there."Nigel says there were a lot of things going on there that weren't as good as what he thinks Legacy's capable of, but he tells Kathryn she's stolen the evening.Karen and Victor
Perform a hip hop dance to "Moving Mountains" by Usher.Adam thinks the choreography didn't match the music, because the dancing was angrier than the music.Mary says the way they danced it was "OK" but it wasn't memorable.Nigel agrees, saying the tango was much better.Mollee and Nathan
They picked a dance never done before on SYTYCD: the Can-Can. Tyce Diorio explains it originated in the 1830s in Paris as a dance for couples. Mollee says it's super tiring because you're never not moving.Adam says they're the perfect couple to introduce such a high energy dance to the show.
Mary says Mollee's bad ankle didn't show at all and it was really enjoyable.
Nigel mentions that the dance was originally performed by women not wearing any undies, but Mollee notes that she did.Noelle and Russell
Tyce choreographed a contemporary dance for them, telling them to imagine painting on each other.Adam says they were "gorgeous" and they're not going anywhere.
Mary says it was "really very special" and flowed.
Nigel says they've left the audience something to remember them by. He commends Noelle for committing to everything and Russell for improving beyond his street dancer roots.Ashleigh and Jakob
The Frenchies teach the pair cha-cha, which Ashleigh has done many times, but Jakob is totally new to.Adam says "this is Ashleigh's world and we're all just visiting." He calls them the couple of the night.
Mary agrees and compliments Ashleigh on her great legs and use of them, but she couldn't have done it without Jakob.
Nigel says "that may have been a cha-cha, but you are waltzing through to the top ten."Then it's recap time and we're done.
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26 October 2009
Meet the Top 20 Dancers
After the rigorous audition process...
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After the rigorous audition process and the grueling callbacks in Las Vegas, the Top 20 contestants have the opportunity to perform for America without fear of elimination. Each of the top dancers will showcase their personal dance style and skills.
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09 September 2009
Audition Show #1
After five seasons, the summer...
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After five seasons, the summer sensation that is "So You Think You Can Dance (Dance... Dance... Dance...)" arrived on the fall schedule Wednesday night with host Cat Deeley promising the best season ever. It might have been more interesting if she said this season would probably rank about third or fourth on the all-time list.The one-hour audition show brought us to Los Angeles, where the contestants were subjected to the same rules fans already know: the best dancers would get a ticket to the next round in Las Vegas, the worst would go home, and the in-betweens would be asked to come back at the end of the day for a bit of group choreography as a last chance to see if they belong.Cole Clemens vowed to be unique and succeeded. He made little use of judge Nigel Lythgoe's standard line of "Cue, music." Cole moved without music and did some kind of living art type of deal that ended with him blowing out an invisible candle in the palm of his hand. After working to contain their laughter, the judges told Cole he wasn't what they were looking for.Mollee Gray, an 18-year-old Utah resident whose mom brought her out to L.A. to make her dream come true, vowed to make her mom proud. She captivated the judges immediately, with guest Adam Shankman saying during her audition that "she is so this show." The judges told Mollee she was great, but still had room to grow. She'll get that chance in the next round after getting voted through unanimously.After a montage of more good dancers who earned their tickets to Las Vegas, we got to see the reunion of two of last season's dancers who were eliminated too soon: Ryan Kasprzak, the older brother of Evan, who finished in third place last season; and Bianca Revels, who vowed that last season was her last chance, came back.Ryan, whose strength last season was Broadway-style dance, took tap dancing head on and did a routine with no musical accompaniment. Adam said it was "perfect" and one of the best auditions he'd ever seen. Nigel agreed and called it "one of the most unique and brilliant auditions" they'd ever seen. Ryan got his ticket punched for Vegas.Bianca was welcomed back and Nigel introduced the idea of a tap battle. He threw down the gauntlet and asked Bianca if she'd battle Ryan. She took him up on the offer, with Ryan clarifying that in tap it's called "trading" not "battling." Regardless of what anyone called it, Bianca will be joining Ryan in Vegas.Christopher Aguilar claimed he had a plan to produce a Fred-and-Ginger-inspired movie and call it "Drum Song." His routine started with an ill-fated backflip in which he landed on his knees. It didn't get any better, but it was amusing as the judges joined in the singing of "All That Jazz." Christopher went away after being told he was "fascinating and interesting," but not good enough for the show.The second day in L.A. brought about even more great auditions, starting with Amber Williams, who danced in honor of her mother, who was left partially paralyzed during a routine operation gone awry. Amber wowed the judges with the lightness of her feet and Mary Murphy called her "a force to be reckoned with." She'd continued to be a force in Las Vegas.Amber was followed by contemporary dancers Alexie Agdeppa and Paula van Oppen, who mesmerized the judges with their routines and moved to the next round.Christina Santana wanted to offer up something a little different, which she called a salsa-hip hop kind of fusion. Nigel said she put a smile on everybody's face and called her audition "thrilling to watch." Christina told the judges she also does ballet, jazz and belly dancing. She might get a chance to show those other moves in the next round.Phillip Attmore, who was roommates with Ryan Kasprzak when they were on tour with "Fosse," said Ryan has a happy face on his butt. Phillip was a tapper and Nigel said it was the year of the tappers as he and the rest of the judges sent Phillip through to the next round.
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30 July 2009
Two of Six Voted Off
The final four contestants on "So You...
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The final four contestants on "So You Think You Can Dance" were revealed during Thursday night's results show, but not before an hour's worth of music and dance.The night began with a somber group performance to "Send in the Clowns," choreographed by Tyce DiOrio.To the results: The final three girls were brought on stage pretty quickly and after going over the recaps of the judges' comments on each of the dancers, host Cat Deeley announced that the first dancer sent through to next week's finale was Jeanine. And the crowd went wild.Lil C said her place in the finals was "worthy, indeed."More results: Cat brought the top three guys to center stage to find out which of them would take the second of four spots in the finale. The first guy's spot in the finale went to Brandon. The crowd erupted.Judge Mary Murphy stood and she cheered for him and couldn't imagine that Mia Michaels and Lil C initially didn't think he deserved a spot in the Top 20.Memory lane: Jessica and Will from last season performed their Tyce DiOrio routine that earned him an Emmy nomination. Next in the string of Emmy nominees later in the show were Katee and Twitch, who did their Mia Michaels routine from last season. Chelsie and Joshua returned to perform their tango, choreographed by Dmitry Chaplin. Chelsie returned, this time paired with Mark, for their hip-hop routine choreographed by Tabitha & Napoleon.Also, the winners of America's Best Dance Crew, the JabbaWozkeeZ, took the stage and offered up a nice group popping and locking performance. Grammy winner Sean Paul visited to perform his song, "So Fine."The final word: Cat brought Melissa and Kayla to the stage to announce that the last girls' spot in the finale went to Kayla. That left a smiling but tearful Melissa out of the big finish. "I did things on this show I didn't think I could do," Melissa said.Finally, Ade and Evan found out that the last spot in the finale would be filled by Evan.So your finalists for "So You Think You Can Dance" Season 5 are: Jeanine, Brandon, Kayla and Evan.
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29 July 2009
Top Six Perform
Down to six dancers on "So You Think...
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Down to six dancers on "So You Think You Can Dance," they vied for just four spots in next week's finale in which the results will determine America's favorite dancer and that person will receive the $250,000 prize.Head judge Nigel Lythgoe nailed it, saying that the final six now have to bring some real personality."This is probably our best top 20, but it's been a little equal standard," he said. "But I haven't seen anybody, sort of, pop like Twitch did last year, or Joshua, or Katee, or Courtney. ... They've got to come through now and stand out. At the moment, I think, we're often voting on the choreography and the great routines and people are voting for that."The dancers would perform four times each -- twice as couples, once in a solo, and once in a group number. Choreographer Sonya Tayeh put together the group routine for the three final guys. The fellas looked liked futuristic oompa loompas in what Sonya called a "Willy Wonka"-inspired routine. It was powerful.Guest judge Lil C said he loved that Brandon was such a dedicated dancer. He reiterated that people should "watch out" for Ade. He commended Evan for "not getting swallowed by the dominant excellence of Ade and Brandon." He praised Evan for staying "very visible throughout the whole routine."Mary said she just loved. "Yes I did!" She commended all of them and said "it goes to show why the three of you are standing there together tonight. Congratulations."Nigel agreed with what the other judges said, but said Evan stood out, "because I've never seen him do anything like this."Jeanine & Ade: Choreographer Louis van Amstel put together a non-traditional samba for Jeanine and Ade, who promised it would be "very sexy." Mary said the first 15 seconds were hot, but then it started to fall apart. "It looked so novice to me," she said. Lil C said Jeanine looked "amazing," then added, "Wow!" He said he was excited for the pairing, but "it really fell short for me." Nigel said Jeanine did "a wonderful job," but told Ade he had to change his style a bit.Melissa & Evan: Melissa was excited to be partnered with Evan because of his personality, and he said Melissa would be a great partner. They drew a Broadway piece with Tyce DiOrio. The genre seemed to be right in Evan's wheelhouse. Lil C said he was again excited for the routine and he didn't feel like Evan didn't "take the helm." He said they were both "really good," but came up short of "excellence." Mary said it was "really fun and entertaining." She praised them both and told Melissa, "I still don't think you've really taken a wrong step." Nigel complimented Melissa for adapting so well to every routine despite her ballet background. Nigel said the question for Evan was whether he brought enough personality to the routine. "For me, yes you did."Kayla & Brandon: Kayla was excited to get a chance to dance with Brandon, who she called strong. They drew a contemporary piece with Stacey Tookey. It was about a mistress and a married man when the mistress couldn't summon the strength to leave him. Stacey pulled out all the stops with the choreography to give the dancers a chance to shine. Lil C said he'd keep it short, calling it "really, really intense," and "beyond intense, that was really, really amazing." Mary reminded Brandon he was on the Hot Tamale Train and was "riding first class." She also called Kayla "exquisite." Nigel called it brilliant, but wished the pair would have had a chance to dance together earlier in the competition so they could perfect their chemistry.Jeanine & Ade, Part 2: For their second dance, they drew a hip-hop routine with Napoleon & Tabitha. The dance included some work with props (cardboard boxes, because they were portraying a couple that had been evicted from their apartment), and some fancy legwork that made Jeanine fall over a few times in rehearsal. Lil C said they "danced that way better than I thought you were." Mary took a moment to go back to Jeanine and praise her for her work on the samba. Mary said the couple wouldn't be getting an eviction notice after that performance. Nigel said the routine was worth applauding, but they "got down, and it was absolutely fantastic from the pair of you."Solo shout out: Brandon's solo was worth pointing out because the judges all gave him a standing ovation and Nigel felt compelled to note that Brandon had "just given us one of the best solos we've ever seen."Melissa & Evan, Part 2: The dreaded quickstep with Louis van Amstel awaited Melissa and Evan. Lil C praised Evan "for dancing bigger than you've ever danced before, for me." He told Melissa she looked fabulous and did a fabulous job. Mary said Louis created a magnificent routine for the second time this week. Mary said it had more life at the beginning, "but as it went along, everything just started to crumble down and just fall apart." Nigel said it wasn't quite one of the best routines of the night.Kayla & Brandon, Part 2: Doriana Sanchez whipped up a disco routine that she hoped would top the most difficult ones of the season. She promised a fun, challenging and exciting routine. Lil C said something about seeing things with your ears so that there would be no darkness. Mary said they hit a home run. She yelled at Brandon about saying he had self-esteem problems, telling him he was fabulous and had to believe in himself. Nigel said it was quite easy to to hype a crowd with music and loud screaming, so he gave himself a moment to critique it professionally -- then he proceeded to literally jump out of his seat, shouting and waving his arms in approval for them.Girls' group routine: Sonya Tayeh came back to choreograph the girls' group routine in which they portrayed superheroes. During rehearsals, Jeanine accidentally elbowed Kayla in the face. Lil C thought they "didn't really go for the gusto" and played it a bit safe. Mary liked it and said they should bring the performance to next year's Comic-Con.
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23 July 2009
Two of Eight Voted Off
There was an hour-long night in store...
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There was an hour-long night in store for the special marking of the 100th episode of "So You Think You Can Dance" on Thursday night.Despite all the pomp and pageantry, which would include some trips down memory to relive some of the show's greatest moments in its five-year history and a special performance by Katie Holmes, another couple of dancers would be heading home once the results were known.Mia Michaels said that in looking back on 100 episodes, she most appreciated the professionalism around the show. Mary Murphy got a bit emotional about her time on the show and as she looked back at the faces of many past "Dance" finalists who were in the crowd. Nigel Lythgoe remarked at what kind of special moments the show could provide, including Wednesday night's Tyce DiOrio dancing tribute to breast cancer survivors.A highlight (and lowlight) reel showed some of the memorable moments in the show's history.To the results: Cat Deeley brought the final four girls to the stage for the first part of the results reading. She called out Melissa first, who'd been half of one the most talked about single performances in the show's history.Kayla was next, and Cat broke the bad news that Kayla was in the bottom two girls.Janette and Jeanine waited for word on which of them would be in the second girl in the bottom two. Janette, who'd never been in the bottom two before, broke new ground by slipping into the bottom.Memory lane...: Hok and Jamie returned to perform Wade Robson's "The Hummingbird and the Flower" routine.Back to the results: Ade was the first of the guys to get called out. But before he learned his fate, Cat summarized Jason's Wednesday performances. Jason was the one in the bottom two guys. Ade was safe,That left Evan and Brandon to find out which of them would take the second bottom-two spot. Surprisingly, it was Brandon in the bottom two, leaving Evan safe for at least another week.Play it again...: Travis and Heidi returned to perform Mia Michaels' Emmy-nominated "Bench routine."Flying solo: The bottom four dancers performed their solos.Encore!: The group that first brought us "Ramalama" was back, including choreographer Wade Robson,What's up, Holmes?: The highly anticipated Judy Garland tribute performance by Katie Holmes was finally unleashed, but not before she talked about why she became interested in working with the Dizzy Feet Foundation (dizzyfeetfoundation.org).Who stays? Who goes?: Kayla and Janette were the bottom two girls, and after Wednesday's vote, Janette was sent home.Nigel said his favorites often don't win, but admitted that Janette was his favorite and he wanted her to win the competition. Janette said she realized how much she loves to dance and that "this is what I'm meant to do."Jason and Brandon came to center stage to hear their results. The person with the lowest number of votes was Jason. Brandon was safe.
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22 July 2009
Top Eight Perform
It was a special night on "So You...
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It was a special night on "So You Think You Can Dance" Wednesday as the show marked its 99th episode with special guest judge Ellen Degeneres. Host Cat Deeley also welcomed back Dr. Nigel Lythgoe to the show. The executive producer and judge received an honorary doctorate degree last week and missed the results show because he was back at University of Bedfordshire in England for the ceremony.Emmy-nominated choreographer Mia Michaels was on the panel for the big show, which was padded with two dance styles from each couple, a solo from each dancer, and a big group number choreographed by Season 2's Travis Wall to start the night.Jeanette & Evan: A Sonya Tayeh contemporary routine was ordered up for Jeanette & Evan, forcing Evan into a style with which he isn't very comfortable. Nigel told Evan he was "finally getting more" of what he's been asking for all season. Ellen said she could do that, then described the wine spritzer she drank before the show, calling it rich and full-bodied, among other things. Mary said Evan was "spot on" and told Jeanette she "just can't take a wrong step out there." Mia told Evan he's a great dancer but she wanted more, then she told Jeanette she's her "favorite, favorite, favorite this season."Jeanine & Brandon: Brandon pulled Jeanine's name out of the hat and they got a waltz with choreographer Hunter Johnson. Jeanine was looking forward to being elegant, which cued the clips of her falling over her own two feet during rehearsals. Could they pull it together on stage? Nigel called it an "extremely tough" routine and said he didn't like the music, saying it was too slow. He said he was "a little disappointed" and said he didn't get what he's hoped from them. Ellen went on a tangent about something Twyla Tharp once told her when they were standing in line together, but said she enjoyed the performance. Mary said they "did it respectable," but she would have liked some things a lot stronger. Mia said there were so many hiccups and "stuck moments" that it didn't take her away, and usually the waltz does.Melissa & Ade: Melissa and Ade were reunited, and it presumably felt so good. They drew a cha cha with Tony Meredith and Melanie Lapatin. They were a little overwhelmed early on, but Melissa thought they'd be OK with a lot of practice. Nigel said it was "really good," and that the routine gave him a lot of material to show off with. Ellen asked, "Are you two carpenters? Because you nailed it!" Mary said the execution of the material was nailed, but she felt like everything was in slow motion and it exposed a couple of problems, like Ade's "bum" being lifted two high and Melissa's feet being too far turned in. Mia told Ade she thought it was his worst performance all season because it was "kind of thrown all over the place" and he wasn't getting down and dirty. She told Melissa she did an excellent job of breaking down the ballerina's alignment she's used to and letting her hips loose.Jason & Kayla: The final couple announced was Jason and Kayla and they drew a jazzy Broadway routine with Tyce DiOrio. The couple struggled to find their chemistry at the outset, but hoped to make the best of it. Nigel said Jason's toes and feet were "absolutely terrific" and that some bits reminded him of Gene Kelly. He told Kayla she was a great dancer and can do anything that's thrown at her. He said it was one of the best routines he'd seen this week. Ellen said she didn't know what to say and that she really just wanted to come to a taping of the show and the spot on the judge's panel was a good seat. Mary said everything was great, Jason was suave and Kayla was riding first class on the Hot Tamale train. She even pulled out a train whistle, which she tooted. Mia said she felt like the only sane person on the panel. She told Jason to open up his upper body because it was destroying his lines. Mia told Kayla she should sing and act because she could take Broadway by storm. She said, "When look in the dictionary at 'girl,' 'perfection' and 'star,' there's a picture of Kayla."Jeanette & Evan, Part 2: The couple pulled the rumba with Tony & Melanie. Nigel said Jeanette had the sensual, sexy thing down pat, but "there just didn't appear to be anything passionate" in Evan's face. He told Evan to perform with his face more. Ellen said she loved Evan's face and eyes and said the problem with being in L.A. is that everyone's face starts to look exactly alike. She added that she thought Jeanette was incredible. Mary said Evan did "a very good job." She called Jeanette a little hot tamale. Mia agreed with Ellen, telling Evan that not everyone has to be a sex pot and said that not a lot of people bring what Evan does to the stage. She said she wasn't sure if she wanted to see Evan be sexy, but he did it ... with a Zoolander face. She added that she didn't have to say anything more about Jeanette because she said it all earlier, when she called Jeanette her favorite dancer in the competition.Jeanine & Brandon, Part 2: For their second routine, Jeanine and Brandon drew a pop jazz routine with Laurieann Gibson, who told them not to think it, but to dance it. Nigel said "that's all I'm asking." He wanted more performances like that at this point in the competition. He said it was "the flattest night" he'd ever experienced on the show until this performance. Ellen said she was "that happy, too." She said it was "really, really unbelievable." Mary said it was "strong" and "powerful," and asked Nigel, Mia and Ellen if they could hear it. Then she shouted the Hot Tamale Train shout. She also said they were going to ride that train into the finale. Mia said Brandon was so powerful and congratulated Jeanine for keeping up with him.Melissa & Ade, Part 2: An emotional contemporary piece about a woman with breast cancer was choreographed for Melissa & Ade by Tyce DiOrio. They were convinced this performance was less about their steps and more about conveying the story. Nigel said the performance showed him why he loves dance so much, "because it can express so many emotions without any words." Nigel got choked up as he spoke and said he would be "hugely surprised" if Tyce didn't earn another Emmy nomination. He said he couldn't think of a better couple to have danced it and praised Ade for his strength, which gave Melissa the courage to do some of the jumps she did. Ellen said she'd been wanting to come see a taping live for a long time and that she felt "so privileged" that she got to witness that and she'd always remember it. "It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen," she said. Mary said it was taking her back to a scary place and said she, too, would never forget it. She, too, wept as she spoke. Mia was crying before she even started talking, calling it "an important piece of work." She said she wished she had the strength that they had in their performance for her daddy. And she thanked Tyce and Ade and Melissa.Kayla & Jason, Part 2: For their second performance, Kayla & Jason had to present a somewhat disturbing hip-hop performance in which Jason portrayed a zombie who'd taken Kayla as his personal zombie mistress. Nigel said he enjoyed the Michael Jackson inspiration and said it was why he brought Shane back. He said it was another example of how the second part of the night "knocked the ball out of the ball park." Ellen told them if they keep dancing like that, "you'll have your own talk show some day." Mary said they "hit it hard" and that she "loved every second of it." Mia told Shane it was her favorite piece he's ever done on the show and that she loved the final image that had Jason lift Kayla as if he was strangling her. "It was disturbingly hot," she said.
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16 July 2009
Two of 10 Voted Off
The top 10 dancers stormed the stage...
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The top 10 dancers stormed the stage in a Japanese inspired number choreographed by Wade and Amanda Robson on "So You Think You Can Dance." The producers were in a mood for celebrating on Thursday after receiving word that four choreographers -- Mia Michaels, Tyce DiOrio, Tabitha & Napoleon Dumo, and former "Dance" contestant Dmitry Chaplin -- received Emmy nominations that morning.Guest host Debbie Allen was seated at the judges' table alongside regular Mary Murphy, but Nigel Lythgoe was missing from the panel because he was out receiving an honorary doctorate of arts from the University of Bedfordshire in England. That sounds made up. I'm just saying.It didn't matter, though, because the judges were pure window dressing on Thursday as they no longer had a say in who stayed or who left. The vote, for the first time all season, was entirely in the hands of the voters.To the results: The five girls came on to the stage to learn their fate. First up was Jeanette, who got the news that she was safe.Randi, who'd disappointed the judges with a lack of chemistry with her new partner Kupono, was in the bottom two girls.Jeanine was safe after thoroughly impressing the judges. She ran off stage into a quite close embrace with Jason.Kayla, who'd been described as "White Lightning" by Debbie Allen, and Melissa, who amazed the judges Wednesday, were left to find out their fate. Melissa fell into the bottom two.Season 6 Preview: Host Cat Deeley previewed some of the best and worst of the next season of "So You Think You Can Dance," which will air in the fall for the first time.Back to the results: The top five guys took the stage to find out who was safe and who was in danger.Jason was up first and, after receiving a standing ovation Wednesday, received another week of safety from the voters.Evan was next, wearing his Gene Kelly-esque white suit and black bow tie. After less-than-flattering remarks from the judges (except for Debbie), Evan learned he was safe.Kupono, who'd disappointed the judges with his performance with Randi, also disappointed the voters and landed in the bottom two.Ade and Brandon were left. Ade was "mesmerizing," according to Debbie, and Brandon gave what the judges called a "seamless" performance. Ade was in the bottom two.Looking ahead: Next week's episode, the show's 99th, was going to feature guest judge Mia Michaels and special guest Ellen Degeneres. Thursday night's results show, the 100th episode, would also feature a trip down memory lane, with highlights of the show's most memorable performances, and a tribute to Judy Garland by Katie Holmes.Flying solo: All four dancers in danger were given 30 seconds each to show off their solo skills even though they wouldn't have any effect on the results.Be our guest: The Black Eyed Peas stopped by to perform their new single, "I Gotta Feeling," which likely made Perez Hilton switch the channel. Taboo came on stage wearing a replica Michael Jackson jacket from the "Thriller" video. Once the performance was over, he opened the jacket to reveal an MJ T-Shirt, as did apl.de.ap.Exit, stage left: Randi and Melissa awaited word on which of them would go home, but Cat put the suspense to rest quickly by telling Randi her dance number was up.Ade and Kupono stood side by side for the final word from Cat, and Kupono was told he'd have to take his funky outfits and charming personality somewhere else, because it was time for him to go.
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24 June 2009
Top 16 Perform
It was down to eight couples on "So...
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It was down to eight couples on "So You Think You Can Dance" on Wednesday night. Guest judge Toni Basil joined regular judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy.Toni quickly got a chance to let us know she is on the verge of receiving a Living Legend of Hip Hop award. Mary and Nigel both said they aren't totally sure what to expect from the remaining dancers, and Nigel said it was tough to say who will end up in the Top 10.This week the dancers were asked what they'd do with their lives if they weren't dancing.Karla & Jonathan: Karla said if she wasn't dancing, she'd be a journalist. Jonathan said he'd want to be an acrobat for Cirque du Soleil. The couple was served up with a Dave Scott hip-hop routine. Karla had the hip-hop swagger down in rehearsals, but Jonathan struggled a bit. How would they pull it off on stage? Nigel said there was no excitement in the routine. He said the chemistry the couple had last week wasn't there this week. Nigel wanted to take bets from the crowd that Karla & Jonathan would be in the bottom three. After his tirade, even Cat Deeley suggested Nigel got up on the wrong side of bed. Mary agreed that they weren't together on this one. Toni said it felt a little bit "store-bought" more than "gangster."Asuka & Vitolio: Asuka said she'd be a jewelry maker if she wasn't a dancer, and Vitolio said he'd be the lead singer in a band. They were hoping their waltz from last week helped give them some chemistry they could carry into this week's jazz routine with Mandy Moore. Asuka broke down in rehearsal after struggling to get the tricky jazz count. Nigel called it "fantastic." Mary said it was "really good" but didn't quite live up to the level of last week. Toni said the couple had potential to develop into a powerful couple, but advised them not to let their technique get in the way of their emotions.Melissa & Ade: Melissa said she'd be a pilates instructor if she wasn't dancing. Ade said he'd be a satellite engineer. Ade was dubbed "everybody's competition" by Lil C last week. This time, they'd be doing a rumba with choreographer Tony Meredith. They were overwhelmed with the technique in rehearsal. Melissa stumbled at one point for a split second, but caught herself quickly. Nigel complimented Melissa and called her "the sexiest girl up there," and praised Ade for giving Melissa a strong partner to undulate against. Mary said she was buying what they were selling. Toni fanned herself at the sensuality of the performance, and then she praised Tony Meredith and his partner for being so hot themselves.Janette & Brandon: Brandon said if he wasn't a dancer, he'd be a lighting designer, and Janette said she'd be a bank loan processor. A week after their super-fast disco, they drew a hip-hop routine with Dave Scott. Nigel said Brandon impressed with his hip-hop style, and said Janette also "worked it" while dancing outside of her element. Mary agreed that they hit it. Then she gave a little scream and called them "rock stars." Toni said they nailed it and had a connection.Kayla & Kupono: Kayla said she'd like to be a model if she weren't a dancer, and her new partner Kupono said he'd be a costume designer. For their first dance together, they drew a Viennese waltz with choreographer Jean Marc Genereux. Nigel said it was beautiful and elegant, but it wasn't going to make anybody stand up and cheer (and, of course, the crowd stood up and cheered). Mary called it elegant and flowing and "totally believable." Then Mary took the unusual step of putting them on the Hot Tamale Train for a slow, elegant Viennese waltz. Toni said she really liked the routine and said Kayla was "something else" and called her "really and extraordinary dancer."Randi & Evan: Randi said she'd be a teacher if she wasn't dancing and Evan said he'd probably be working in a custom car shop. They came a bit short of the judges' expectations last week, and this week they were thrown the challenge of a Mia Michaels contemporary dance that focused on Randi's butt. Nigel said it was something that would be remembered. Mary said they were terrific and called it one of the best numbers of the night. Toni poured more love onto Mia Michaels, saying that if she were a dancer on the show she'd be hoping to pull Mia's name out of the hat each week.Caitlin & Jason: Caitlin said she'd be in broadcast journalism if she wasn't a dancer, and Jason said he'd probably be playing soccer -- not in the pros, but maybe in college. After landing in the bottom three last week, Jason figured it was "only up from here." They drew a paso doble with Jean Marc and Frances Genereux. Nigel worried that Jason, at times, was performing to the audience more than to his partner, but said a lot of it was "exceptionally good." Mary said it was a strong performance, but said Jason lost his posture here and there.Jeanine & Phillip: Phillip said he'd like to be an inventor if he wasn't a dancer, and Jeanine said she'd be an actress. They landed in the bottom three and wanted to redeem themselves with a Broadway number with Tyce Diorio. Phillip ripped the seam in the back of his pants, and Nigel had the great privilege of asking Phillip to turn around and show the large rip, which revealed what appeared to be some powder blue briefs. Nigel liked Jeanine, but said he wanted Phillip to show more. Mary said Jeanine was fabulous and was glad Phillip cleared a jump of a couch that proved tricky in rehearsals. Toni said it was "adorable," but that they needed to be better than adorable.
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11 June 2009
2 of 20 Voted Off
Thursday night brought the first...
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Thursday night brought the first elimination of the fifth season of "So You Think You Can Dance?" and host Cat Deeley said it wouldn't be easy. While the pack is fairly impressive this season, it probably won't be too difficult to cut the 19th- and 20th-place finishers of the season. Stay tuned.The finalists performed an opening hip-hop routine to Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow."After an opening time-waster -- er, insightful feature about how the couples worked together -- we got to some quick results. The bottom three couples would be announced and each of those dancers would have to perform a solo before the judges decided which guy and which girl would go home.First up were Kayla & Max, Randi & Evan and Jeanine & Phillip. After quick recaps of their performances, Cat announced Kayla & Max were safe. After the vote, Randi & Evan were safe. Phillip & Jeanine were also safe, sending Jeanine into a squealing fit.The next group included Caitlin & Jason, which were immediately told they were safe.Melissa & Ade were up next, and also got the news they were safe for at least another week.That left Ashley & Kupono and Paris & Tony. After the vote, Paris & Tony were in the bottom three. Adam Shankman said he wasn't surprised by that revelation.Down to the final three couples, only one would be safe. Asuka & Vitolio were the first to learn they were in the bottom three. Mary said it didn't really shock her and told the dancers to bring it in their solos.Jeanette & Brandon and Karla & Jonathan were left to learn their fates, and Cat revealed that Karla & Jonathan were the last of the bottom three couples.After some guest performers did a sizzling tango, Paris was the first dancer to perform a solo, followed by Tony, Asuka and Vitolio. After a break, Karla and Jonathan performed their solos.Rapper Sean Kingston performed "Fire Burning" while the judges deliberated.Finally, the judges returned to their tables and Nigel said they were unanimous with the result for the girls. He asked Karla to step forward and told her they thought she was very good and did enough to stay in the competition. That left Paris and Asuka. Nigel said it was based on not just their dancing, but also who else was in the competition. Nigel told Paris he didn't think she brought all she could Thursday night and with all the other contemporary dancers on the show this season, she was going home.Nigel said the judges were, again, all in agreement. He said none of them were particularly good enough to stay in the competition much longer. Nigel told Vitolio he should try to regain his personality, because he's staying in the competition. That left Jonathan and Tony, and ultimately Tony just didn't do enough. He's gone.
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10 June 2009
Top 20 Perform
It's the Top 20 on "So You Think You...
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It's the Top 20 on "So You Think You Can Dance?" and we're finally in the studio to watch the 10 couples go at it on the dance floor.They came out for their first formal, first-name-only introductions (per "SYTYCD?" rules, they're no longer allowed to have last names): Ashley, Ade, Asuka, Brandon, Caitlin, Evan, Janette, Jason, Jeanine, Jonathan, Karla, Kupono, Kayla, Max, Melissa, Phillip, Paris, Tony, Randi, and Vitolio.And we're off, as the final stretch of the competition for $250,000 and "the title of 'America's Favorite Dancer,'" host Cat Deeley. Choreographer Adam Shankman joined regular judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. Quick plug for Adam's movie, "Step Up 3-D," which includes Katee, Joshua, Ivan and Twitch from previous "SYTYCD?" seasons.A reminder on the process: The couples picked their dances out of a hat and were given choreography by the show's roster of choreographers and on Thursday night, the three couples with the lowest votes will be announced and each of those dancers will perform a solo before the judges decide which guy and which girl go home.Jeanine & Phillip: Jeanine and Phillip got hip hop choreography from Tabitha and Napoleon and offered a routine about a couple that couldn't go to sleep without resolving some issues. Adam called it "un-freakin'-real." He acknowledged Jeanine's lack of hip-hop experience and said she held her own with Phillip, a popper. He said "no one will dance like" Phillip. Mary said she hates to disagree with Adam, then squealed, "But I'm not going to!" She said she was worried about the chemistry, but they taught everyone a chemistry lesson. Nigel said Phillip already had a following, but Jeanine had slipped under the radar. "I think, Jeanine, you have made a real mark."Asuka & Vitolio: Tyce DiOrio choreographed a Broadway routine for Asuka & Vitolio. Vitolio struggled a bit in rehearsals, but hoped to pull it together for the show. Adam said they had a tough draw, following an emotional dance, but said they danced well and they were two very good dancers. Mary said she was a little disappointed because they both played it a bit too safe. Nigel said the comments weren't about the dancers, because they hit their steps, but the choreography relied on them including their personalities, which didn't come across.Karla & Jonathan: Broadway and "Wicked" touring dancer Karla was paired with salsa dancer Jonathan. Choreographer Tony Meredith put their cha cha routine together. Tony wanted to get Mary to scream for him. Adam said it was "really good." Adam told Jonathan he could use a little more flexibility in his movements. Mary screamed. She said, "I love my cha cha rough, and like Lady GaGa says, 'If it's not rough, it's not fun.'" Nigel said they were another couple that slipped under the radar and said they "just exploded on that stage." He noted one move where Jonathan did the splits through Karla's legs, which made the crowd jump.Randi & Evan: The third time was a charm for Randi, who'd auditioned for the show twice before. Evan was still a bit sad about leaving his brother behind to get into the finals. Tyce DiOrio choreographed a jazz piece for them. It contained some steamy, sexy parts, which made the couple a little uncomfortable because Randi is married. Evan said he didn't know how big her husband was, but apologized to him in advance. Adam acknowledged how short Evan and Randi were, but said they both danced like they were "8 feet tall." He called Evan "a beautiful dancer" and said there was no style he can't do. Mary said they were at the end of the pack for her when they left Las Vegas, but the stars were coming out Wednesday night. Nigel said they were "absolutely fantastic" and said they'd "just become the couple that people will recognize and talk about."Paris & Tony: Paris talked about how amazing it was that she was able to dance despite a brutal-looking car crash that left her with a numb left leg. Hip-hopper Tony said he had to choose between lacrosse and dancing at some point, and he chose dancing. Tabitha & Napoleon choreographed a hip-hop routine for them. Adam said it was pretty good, but the costumes were a little distracting. Mary said she didn't it would be memorable. She said she expected Tony to "just be in it all the time" because it was his field. She said "it was just good -- we're going to experience a lot of 'great' and 'extraordinary' on this show." Nigel agreed. He told Tony there was room to growth and he needs a lot of growth. "You haven't got it. It's not real. And when it's not real, no one believes it."Caitlin & Jason: Caitlin and Jason had a Bollywood number choreographed by Nakul Dev Mahajan, to the Oscar-winning song "Jai Ho" from the movie, "Slumdog Millionaire." Adam shouted, "You guys rocked!" He said Jason's hand work was superb and he made it look like it was nothing. He said he was worried about Caitlin, but she did a great job. Mary noted Caitlin's strength keeping her opening handstand still, and said Jason has charisma that screams out. Then she screamed. Nigel said they brought it and were fantastic. He said it was beautiful to see.Janette & Brandon: Salsa dancer Janette was partnered with Brandon, who got Mary and Nigel on his side early, but failed to resonate with Mia Michaels and Lil C. "Dancing with the Stars" pro Louis Van Amstel choreographed a foxtrot for the couple. Brandon thought it was easy at the start, but things fell apart as rehearsals went on. Adam said America was probably sad to see Brandon in clothes, but "it works." He said it was "lovely" and the couple worked well together. Cat asked Mary to give them "an eyebrow," and Mary said, "I can't anymore because of Botox," then she squealed because she couldn't believe she said it. She loved the dance and said Janette was "Miami Spice." The she took a little swing at Mia and Lil C, saying, "If nobody sees the talent that you are, they're just crazy!" Nigel congratulated Janette on finding her character, because it was something she hadn't done in salsa dancing.Ashley & Kupono: Ashley said she learned not to give up in the process of audition for the show four times in seasons. Contemporary dancer Kupono said he's done all kinds of odd jobs in addition to teaching dance. Wade Robson choreographed a jazz routine about two crash-test dummies. Adam said, "Love it or hate it, there is no other show on the air that is going to expose this kind of culture and diversity to American homes." Mary said sometimes she goes on the trip with Wade's choreography and sometimes she doesn't, but this time she "bought it 100 percent." Nigel called Wade a genius and said it was important that Wade created dances that would make people talk. "I was in a completely different world, and I loved being taken there," Nigel said.Melissa & Ade: Melissa, the Naughty Ballerina, talked about being the "most seasoned" dancer as she sought to hang with the rest of the group, which was all younger. She and Ade did a Mandy Moore routine "about that moment when you first fall in love." Adam was nearly moved to tears, saying, "That was so special." He said Melissa was "living proof that it gets better with age." He also praised Ade's power. Mary screamed. She said "everything was just flowing amazingly." She said Melissa was amazing and called Ade "a gentle giant." Nigel said everyone is proving "what a fantastic Top 20 we have" this season. He said Ade hadn't yet been shown off for the fantastic dancer he is, but that this performance showed his strength.Kayla & Max: Kayla reminded us about how she grew up with her grandparents so her single mom could afford to send her to dance classes. Ballroom dancer Max explained that he came to the United States from Russia when he was 13. Choreographer Louis Van Amstel did their samba, and said he'd known Max since Max was 14. Max said Louis "was the man who made it happen for anybody who lived in New York." Kayla was feeling confident as they rehearsed. Adam screamed, "That was so good!" Adam said "only God could've created this girl in front of me." He said it was like Kayla was born in a ballroom, even though she'd never done ballroom before. Mary said, "I can hear it. I hear a train." Yes, she placed Kayla and Max on the "Hot Tamale Train." Nigel said it "had everything we could ever wish for."
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28 May 2009
Auditions: L.A. and Seattle
The final audition week for "So You...
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The final audition week for "So You Think You Can Dance" began in Los Angeles. Host Cat Deeley acted like an idiot outside the theater and we were ready to go.Along with Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy, choreographer Adam Shankman helped with the judging in L.A.We began with Bianca Revels, who just missed out on the top-20 for Season 4. Her mother was in from Detroit to watch her dance which brought tears of joy from Revels. Revels, 20, tap-dances sans music and the judges swooned. All three give her a standing ovation and Revels was straight through to Vegas.Next up was the creepy hand-holding sister and brother team of Brynelle and Xavier Blanton. They moved around the stage in a disorganized manner. Mary didn't think either had enough dance base. Adam criticized Brynelle's form and Nigel called her "child-like." A big fat 'no' for both.29-year-old Debra Lawson is, um, quite a bit larger than most dancers on shows like this. More importantly for these purposes, she seemed to have little discernable talent or technique. She then talked about potential issues with her Orthodox Judaism. None of it mattered as she was sent home.Suzanne Fernandez does something she called a "fairy medicine dance." Nigel asked "what are you on?" John Fleming's mime face paint had Mary laughing hysterically. 23-year-old Michael Han fires off a flamboyant and talentless routine. All three are told 'no.'Swing dancer Calico Sequeira, 30, gave a mediocre showing with a partner. Nigel dismissed her as "on a social level." They told her 'no,' though Adam went up on stage and danced with her briefly. This prompted Adam to pretend he was a contestant as several Season 4 contestants (including winner Joshua) gave him feedback from the judges' table.Asuka Kondoh (who made it to Vegas last year) and partner Ricky Sun did a international Latin ballroom number. Everyone is blown away by Kondoh's moves. Nigel liked them both, and called Kondoh "stunning" after horrifically butchering her first name. Both are sent straight through to Vegas.This led into a montage of three unnamed dancers who were put through to Vegas.Our final audition of the day is Nathan Trasoras, who almost stopped dancing a few years back because kids were making fun of him. The judges absolutely loved his contemporary ballet moves: "That was pretty damn extraordinary," Adam said. Unfortunately, at 17-years-old Trasoras was too young for Season 5. Simon decided to put him straight through to Vegas for Season 6.L.A., Day 2: We started with Sammy Ramirez, a 19-year-old former wrestler. His break-dance routine is appreciated by all three judges. Adam thought he "had some of the best stops I've ever seen." Due to concerns about his versatility he is put through to the choreography round.Farm-born Stacey House and her leg warmers came out and performed a less-than-impressive break routine. Mary said it was too "all kinda crazy" for her and House is sent back to her house.We were shown the back-story of 20-year-old Californian Amanda Kerby, Her father has had multiple sclerosis (which I spelled correctly on the first try) for the last 13 years and the disease has inspired her dancing. All three judges pointed to her looks before her dancing, but Mary called her "extremely talented." After Adam curiously asked how her father's illness "makes you feel," they put her right through to Vegas.Simon spots Phillip Chbeeb on the stage. Recognizing him as a strong b-boy from last year who came down with pneumonia just before Vegas Week, Nigel puts him immediately through to Vegas without an audition.Chbeeb ends up dancing with Arielle Coker, one of his classmates. Coker told Deeley that her family was recently in a major car accident that landed her mother in the ICU. Nigel thought the whole routine was "beautiful." Adam said Coker made Phillip a better dancer and they put her through to Vegas.The threesome of Alexie Agdeppa ("beauty, grace"), Diana Vaden ("great potential") and Chanel Smith ("I love her, she's crazy") are all put into the choreography round.Our obligatory horrendous guy in L.A. is named Kevin Cormier. He told Deeley his nickname is "Shakiro" due to his having similar moves to the pop star Shakira. (Get it?) Not surprisingly, Cormier is awful. Mary thought he was "not dancing, just shaking."Finally for L.A. is the choreography round. Ramirez, Vaden and Agdeppa are all sent to Vegas while Smith is sent home.The final audition city is Seattle. Choreographer Mia Michaels will sit in on the panel with Mary and Nigel.Seattle, Day 1: Christopher Keller, 22, and his partner did a combo of tango and East Coast swing. None of the judges liked their routine, which played with the gender roles of dancing. 'No.'The pierced and tattooed Nick "Nasty" Salzman performed an up-temp break-dance routine. Salzman got tired and stopped mid-routine, then was verbally contentious with Nigel. Mary and Mia cited his personality as changing them from a 'yes' to a 'no.'6-foot-6 b-boy Dmitrious Bistrevsky did some halfspeed breaking that had the judges laughing in a bad way. Mary said it was obvious you "really didn't know what you're doing." There was nothing there for me, said Nigel, and he was gone.We next saw a montage of some of Seattle's worst performances, including one girl falling violently on her shoulder. "It really pisses us off," Mary said about one of them.18-year-old Kelsea Taylor pranced around the stage in a creative manner that was well-received by all three judges. Nigel said that choreographer Sonya Tayeh (guest judge in Denver) would love her. Mary thought she was "really fun" and "smart." Mia thought she was a "beautiful disastrous weirdo." Taylor went through to the choreography round.We immediately see Taylor in the choreography round. She is put through to Vegas along with three other dancers.Seattle, Day 2: Nigel begins by lecturing the dancers that they need to be better.Unpronounceably-named Hawaiian Kuponohiipoi Aweau twirled around a chair dramatically for several moments. Mary was on the fence but Mia had faith in him. Nigel though he was quirky so they put him through to the choreography.Next was a montage of stronger performances, with three dancers sent on to choreography.Ukrainian computer repairman Leonid Knyshov bounced around somewhat aimlessly. Afterward Mary said he reminded her of a 3-year-old twirling in the backyard. This prompted the judges to bring up annual SYTYCD sideshow David "Sex" Soller for a dance battle. After getting approval from his mother, the 35-year-old Soller went to the stage for what amounted to a giant waste of everyone's time. Nigel decides to put Soller through to the choreography round in an attempt to teach him a lesson and stop him from coming on the show. (Sigh.)Not surprisingly, Soller cant come to close to keeping up with the choreography and it sent home. Aweau and eight others are sent through to the Vegas.Next week more than 170 dancers will be back for the first show in Las Vegas, with only 20 going through to the finals. See you then!
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27 May 2009
Auditions: Miami and Memphis
For the first time in four years, "So...
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For the first time in four years, "So You Think You Can Dance?" returned to the spicy city of Miami to see what the dancers there had to offer. It was another two-hour audition night, so it was time to settle in with Will Smith's requisite "Welcome to Miami."Choreographer Tyce DiOrio joined regular judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary MurphyTony Riendeau got the night started with what he called "The Tony Style," promising a rubber band-like, kinky dance routine. We should've known we were in trouble when he started dancing to Kenny Loggins' "Footloose." The performance ended with a cartwheel gone awry, and there wasn't much for the judges to say after that. Tony, who'd promised he could dance all night, nearly lost consciousness. He was fine later.Priscilla Marrero of Miami showed off some precision contemporary dancing. She got a little self-righteous when she introduced herself to the judges by saying, "I'm Priscilla, I'm a dancer. That's who I am." The judges all fawned over her and she was easily through to Las Vegas.Janette Manara and her salsa partner Romulo Villaverde made a return to the auditions after Janette made it to Vegas last season without Romulo, but ended up getting cut before the finals. This time, they dazzled the judges with a routine full of flips and leg kicks and both earned tickets to the next round.A pair of twins stopped by with a joint routine that was anything but synchronized, starting a montage of bad dancers that were ripped apart by Tyce.Joseph Smith, a hip-hop dancer who clearly saw a future that included T-shirts with his image and the phrase, "Sha-wham!" emblazoned on them, impressed Mary and Nigel, but Tyce wasn't overly fond of him. Still, Joseph was invited back for choreography at the end of the day and made it through to Vegas, along with 27 other Miami dancers.Miami, Day 2: Wislande Letang made the odd wardrobe choice of wearing a cut-off shirt so high that it strategically exposed her bikini beneath. It had a bit of a stripper vibe to it, leading to a confrontation with Tyce, when he noted that her move in which she spread her legs to expose her crotch was unacceptable.Erik "Silky" Moore, 19, was on a mission to bring tap back, and his audition was an impressive start. Working to Michael Jackson's "Thriller," Erik thrilled the judges, tossing in a bit of break dancing toward the end. Mary didn't want it to end and said it was "one of the best dances I've seen all season." Erik will be tapping all the way to Las Vegas.Paris Torres, a former Miss Washington from Seattle, felt like she had a lot to offer as a dancer. Nigel called it "fabulous." Mary loved it, too, and said Paris had "everything that we're looking for." Nigel had to break a tie when Tyce asked to see Paris in choreography and Mary said she should go to Vegas where she would do great. Nigel handed Paris a ticket.A montage of some of the day's better dancers followed, with three of them heading directly to the next round. Afterward, a headdress-wearing African dancer named Geo Smith showed some impressive moves and frightened Mary a bit when he leaped off the stage toward the judges' table, making her think he was going to crawl under it. "She you were going to tickle her fancy with your feathers," Nigel said. They asked him to return for choreography.As the end of the Miami auditions drew near, Talia Rickards, a widow whose husband died in a motorcycle accident in May 2006. This was her first audition in more than two years. Nigel didn't see quite enough from her routine, but Mary said it was "definitely very fiery." Tyce wasn't sure there was enough substance to put her through to choreography, but Mary and Nigel asked her to come back.Geo and Talia were among the dancers who returned at the end of the night for choreography. Geo made it through. And Talia was right behind him.Headed for Memphis: Crump choreographer Lil C joined Nigel and Mary the judging panel and 24-year-old Memphis police Officer Marico Flake sought to introduce the panel to a style he called Memphis jukin', a blend of Elvis' bounce and graceful footwork. The judges messed with Marico for a moment, saying it was "a no to choreography." He didn't have to do choreography because he was going straight to Vegas.A self-proclaimed second cousin of Howie D from the Backstreet Boys, Dustin Dorough, offered up a clunky hip-hop routine. He said it was based on his martial arts, but it didn't work out.Chris Carrozza promised a virtual smorgasbord of dance styles, offering up a fusion style that he said included virtually every cultural dance he's ever seen. Chris started walking away before all the judges were done speaking and Nigel said he was "being rude."Caitlin Kinney, the older sister of 18-year-old Megan Kinney, who got a ticket to Vegas during the Miami audition, tried her own hand at the competition and said it would be a dream to go with her sister. Caitlin had only been dancing for five years and Nigel said she was "superb." Caitlin had also undergone hip reconstruction and Mary said dancing was Caitlin's "destiny." She was headed to Sin City.Memphis, Day 2: Anna Dunn, whose father killed himself in February 2008, tried to channel her pain into her performance. Nigel said Anna's head was moving around too much. Mary agreed, but called Anna a "diamond in the rough." Lil C told her he could empathize with Anna because his father, too, took his own life. The judges put her through to choreography.Travis Prokop, whose father is the head football coach at the high school he attended, was thankful for his dad's relentless support of his choice to be a dancer. Nigel suggested Travis work on filling out his large frame with strength. The judges all agreed. Travis would return for the choreography.Evan Kasprzak, who auditioned last year and made it to the end of Vegas, auditioned with a classic jazz routine. Nigel appreciated the completeness of the routine. The judges wondered whether Evan could handle other types of dance, but they put him directly through to Vegas, nonetheless.Twin sisters Lauren and Lydia Guerra talked about how close they were and how thankful they were to be auditioning together. The judges enjoyed it, but noted that the dancers were different in their performances, even though they were doing the same choreographed routine.Ryan Kasprzak, Evan's older brother, was the final solo performer of the day, presented what he called "a capella tap with Whoopie Cushion accompaniment." The judges found it clever and fun, and noted that despite the joking aspect, Ryan was a qualified dancer. Nigel wanted Ryan to come back for choreography, but Mary and Lil Co opted to send him directly to Vegas.When the time for choreography came, The Guerra twins, Travis Prokop and Anna Dunn were left to fight for their chances to continue on in the competition. Lauren Guerra was the first to learn her fate, and she made it to Vegas. Up next was Anna Dunn, who also advanced to the next round. Travis received a ticket to Vegas, as well.Finally, Lydia Guerra went to center stage. Nigel said it was terrible to split a family up. "I know you're going to be really supportive of your sister," he said, before the camera cut to the doors of the theater, where Lydia burst through holding a ticket.
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31 July 2008
Results Show: Two Dancers Eliminated
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30 July 2008
The Top Six Perform
With just six dancers left, we...
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With just six dancers left, we finally reached the glorious time of the summer when even "So You Think You Can Dance?" couldn't stretch itself to two hours. That meant instead of a bloated 120 minutes, viewers were treated to a packed 60 minutes as each couple performed twice and each individual dancer offered up a solo.Guest judge Adam Shankman joined regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe, and away we went...Courtney & Mark: The Viennese waltz, a not-so-overtly sexual dance, turned into a chance for Mark to grab Courtney's, umm, bosom during rehearsals. She laughed it off like a pro, though. The couple performed to David Cook's winning "American Idol" song, "This Is the Time of My Life." Blatant cross promotion, anyone? As if we wouldn't notice! Adam said the competition was so strong he wasn't sure how America was going to choose among from the top six because they're all so strong. He praised Mark's rise and fall, calling it the best any guy has done all season. Mary said they made their lifts look effortless and they floated across the stage. Nigel called it "romantic" and then admitted the "Idol" cross promo.For their second routine, Courtney and Mark took on a jazz piece that was inspired by French burlesque. It was a smoking hot performance. Adam said he was glad the judges had no decisions to make and shouted his approval. He said he loved each dancer individually, "but together you are unbelievable." Mary called it "crazy, raw, interesting" and said it was "a weird love story." Nigel said he totally agreed and said the dance really suited Mark and said that the pair of them "was absolutely one of the highlights of tonight."Courtney was the last girl of the night to do a solo. She did a contemporary bit to Elisa's "Rock Your Soul." It was highlighted with a final round of spins and Courtney looked a bit sad when she was finished.Mark did the last solo to Robyn's "Bum By You." He offered up more of his trademark bird-walking-style, herky-jerky moves and used his loose-fitting muscle shirt as a prop, much to the crowd's delight.Chelsie & Twitch: Chelsie rocked her solo to the Pussycat Dolls' "When I Grow Up," shaking her hips and spinning like there was no tomorrow.Twitch took his solo a little old school, with Midnight Star's "Midas Touch," and got a little gimmicky when popped some super-shiny gold grillz onto his teeth, along with some gold-framed fake glasses. When he finished, Cat asked to try on the glasses and it wasn't long before she also popped the grillz into her mouth "spit and all." She's a trooper.For their first paired routine was the mambo, which proved a not so easy task. Some of the rehearsal flubs included Chelsie's face getting caught in the crotch of Twitch's pants. Seriously. It was spicy, alright, as Chelsie's quick hips stole the show. Adam noted that Chelsie, dressed in "tomato red," was on fire. He said Twitch was out of his element a little, but that he came through well enough. Mary talked about the difficulty for picking up the mambo's complicated counts. She praised Chelsie a little more and said she was very proud of Twitch for taking on the challenge. Nigel said Chelsie absolutely sparkled, but Twitch slipped up a bit and gave away his mistakes with his facial expressions, which were highlighted in slow motion for he viewers at home.For the final dance of the night, Chelsie and Twitch performed a hip-hop routine choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo that had them playing conductors who were dueling over a baton. Adam was in awe of the choreography and the dancers. Mary said that Twitch, in his element (and most of his other routines), has been stellar. Mary said Chelsie, who wasn't expected to do well in this style, kept up with Twitch the whole way. Nigel said any one of the six could be in the top four and whoever isn't in the finale shouldn't feel bad because the competition has been so evenly matched.Katee & Joshua: After spending much of the first part of the competition together, Katee and Joshua were reunited for a contemporary routine choreographed by Tyce DiOrio. It was pretty dramatic, with tosses and lifts and seductive movements. Adam was really moved by the performance and said it was the best thing DiOrio had done all season. He called DiOrio, Katee and Joshua the "Holy trinity of 'So You Think You Can Dance?'" Mary agreed it was the most beautiful thing she'd seen all season, as well, and said she could see both dancers going into the finale. Nigel again was flabbergasted that Joshua has no formal training and continued to deliver such quality performances.Katee picked up the pace a bit, dancing her contemporary solo to Maroon 5's "Cant' Stop," which seemed a little faster than her moves were.Joshua took a crack at his solo, combining his popping with his hip-hop and some huge leaps to Memphis Bleek's "Like That."For their final couple routine, Katee and Joshua took on the paso doble. Joshua went with the raw, shirtless look while Katee donned a strappy number up top with a draping floral print. It was another dramatic dance that ended with Joshua dragging Katee by one arm across the floor and over to the judges' table. Adam said Joshua shouldn't be able, given his lack of technical training, to do what he did. Mary followed by saying that "true magic" happens with Katee and Joshua get together, then she screamed -- long and loud and right into Nigel's left ear. Nigel said that if Joshua keeps dancing the way he did this night, he would absolutely steal the show.
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24 July 2008
Results Show: Two Dancers Eliminated
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23 July 2008
The Top Eight Perform
Just two weeks away from the finale,...
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Just two weeks away from the finale, eight contestants remained on Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance?" Four girls and four guys continued in the competition for the title of America's favorite dancer. The dancers picked new partners and routines out of a hat for this round of the competition. Every couple would perform twice and every dancer would perform a solo. Translation: Fox has two hours to fill!Guest judge Toni Basil (of "Mickey" fame) joined regulars Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy. She got a chance to plug her current projects, working with Bette Midler on her Las Vegas show and Tina Turner on her tour.Will & Courtney: Will picked Courtney's name out of a hat and they got hip-hop and samba for their routines. First was the samba, which required Will to loosen his hips a little more than he was used to. Courtney got a well deserved scream from Mary and Toni said she had so much fun watching the routine that she actually forgot she was judging.Before his solo later, Will said he was first inspired to dance by Patrick Swayze in "Dirty Dancing." Courtney said she started dancing when she was 3 and she didn't want to stop by the time her senior year came around. So she didn't. And now she's on the show.For their slow hip-hop routine with Napoleon and Tabitha, the theme was a chance to turn back time and spend someone they love. Nigel said he was effected emotionally by the routine and said that anybody who has lost anybody in their lives would have felt it. Mary said she holds really high expectations and she said, "unfortunately, tonight you didn't meet my expectations." Before a dramatic pause, she reached her trademark shout, saying, "You blew my expectations away!" Toni said that street dancing isn't just "kids' stuff," and said she was glad to see it was happening on the show.Mark & Comfort: Comfort, who shockingly stayed in the competition last week, was the first to perform a solo. She said she got into dancing to hang with her brothers and that she was fortunate to get just a bit of formal training in performing arts school. Mark said he was inspired to dance while growing up in Hawaii after watching "The Phantom of the Opera."Later, Mark pulled Comfort's name from the hat and they drew foxtrot and hip-hop for their dances. The first was hip-hop, choreographed by Tabitha & Napoleon. It included a pretty cool lift into a backward flip that Comfort did over Mar's shoulders. Nigel said Comfort dances better in choreography than in her solos. He said he was more surprised by how good Mark was. Mary told Comfort she hit it and praised Mark, saying he "nailed it." Toni said she loved it and knew how hard Tabitha and Napoleon's work can be because she takes classes with them.For their foxtrot, Mark played a down-on-his-luck guy and Comfort played "Lady Luck," which is appropriate, given the several chances she's had on the show. Nigel said "Lady Luck" walked out of the room on this one. He said they were thinking too hard and lost their chemistry, making it "slightly amateurish." Mary said it was tough and said it included one of the worst close holds she's ever seen. Toni was equally harsh on the couple, but encouraged voters to remember their hip-hop routine, which she loved.Twitch & Katee: Twitch pulled Katee's name out of a hat and they grabbed contemporary and Broadway for their routines. They pair had known each other before doing the show and their contemporary routine by Mia Michaels gave Katee a chance to kick and punch Twitch, which he said was actually kind of hot. Twitch's character in the performance was so suave as the guy trying to get rid of his ex-girlfriend that Cat threatened to punch him in the face. Nigel said the performance was extraordinary. Mary said they were two of the best dancers in the competition. Toni enjoyed that it was seamless between the funk and contemporary styles.Before her solo, Katee said her parents put her in dance because she used to walk around the house only on her toes. Cat said Twitch was a late bloomer when it came to dancing, then he explained that he didn't start dancing until seriously until his senior year in high school and appeared in some dance videos in South Korea.For their Broadway routine, Twitch and Katee did a number from "Sweet Georgia Brown," which Katee sought Twitch's affections to no avail. Nigel said he loved the routine and said he could actually see both dancers doing it on Broadway. He praised Twitch for rising to the occasion every week, despite probably being the least trained dancer in the competition. Mary said it was terrific. Toni said Twitch brought a more organic feel to a Broadway style performance than many highly trained Broadway dancers do. She said she would've liked seeing a more gruff performance from Katee.Joshua & Chelsie: Joshua picked Chelsie's name and they drew Argentine tango and disco. Tango choreographer Dmitry Chaplin wanted the couple to revive the 1920s, when the dance was forbidden was and done only in underground clubs. Nigel said it was probably the most technical of all the routines, so far. He complimented Chelsie on the use of her legs and said the choreography made the most of each dancer's strengths. Mary praised Joshua for embracing the moves and she told Chelsie it was sexier than the one she did earlier in the competition and said they had great chemistry together.Before her solo, Chelsie said she first started dancing in elementary school as a social thing, to get over her shyness and get some friends. Before his solo, Joshua thanked a school teacher who first inspired him to audition for a school musical despite the fact that he danced in school so much that it got him in trouble.Rehearsing for their disco routine, Joshua and Chelsie tried to master a complicated lift that choreographer Dorianna Sanchez said she's been trying to get done for four years. Nigel said it was all remarkable and praised Joshua for pulling off the lifts and gave Chelsie compliments for having the courage to do them. Mary, too, said Chelsie did a great job in landing from the many lifts. Toni said they pulled together the spirit of disco, which was really important.
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17 July 2008
Results Show: Two Dancers Eliminated
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10 July 2008
Results Show: Two Dancers Eliminated
Host Cat Deeley is decked out...
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Host Cat Deeley is decked out ominously in black as she welcomes us to the show and tells us the judges will have to eliminate one more guy and one more girl.We open with a modest Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo routine featuring all 12 dancers wearing jackets which turn out to be glow-in-the-dark. Cat explains that three couples with have to dance for their show lives and were introduced to Mia Michaels, Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.Results Time, First Four: The first couple up for judgment is Comfort & Thayne, and we're reminded how mediocre the judges' responses had been to them. Katee & Joshua's look back was more positive, especially given that they had been on Mary's "Hot Tamale Train."Comfort and Thayne are the first couple in the bottom three, while Kat and Joshua are congratulated by the host for being safe this week. Mia thinks it was "inevitable" that Comfort and Thayne are there and that the couple isn't hearing what America is telling them. Mia does say she would like them to return for next week.Results Time, Second Four: We remember how well Jessica and Will's first routine was received by the judges, though their second number was a little light on the technique. Both of Chelsie and Mark's routines went over well the previous night.Cat can tell us that one of two pairs is in our bottom three. Chelsie and Mark, it's . . . . not you. So Jessica and Will are going to have to dance later on (ah, duh). Mary's "heart is aching" to see Jessica and Will having to come back later in the show, having loved the couple's first routine and finding Will generally "magnificent." She tells the pair she will "fight for them" if the need arises.Results Time, Third Four: Courtney & Gev's cha-cha-cha had Mary in hysterics, with their second routine almost equally well-received as well. Kherington and Twitch started with a krump, which the judges (especially Mia) loved. Their second dance? Not so much.Kherington and Twitch, "it's you" in the bottom six, Cat tells us less dramatically than this recapper would have liked. Nigel thinks that is evidence nobody is safe, given that Kherington and Twitch have been favorites of the public. It's all about consistency, he says, and adds he thinks they'll probably be safe this week.Guest Dance: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (three shirtless dudes) performs its "Revelations" routine, consisting of a series of individual dances to that cool song from the end of "Thomas Crown Affair."Solos: White-hoodied Comfort is first with an uptempo hip-hop deal, followed by breeze-shooting with Cat on the edge of the stage. Thayne follows with a slower, more technical-looking dance. For some of us, Jessica's cleavage during her spinning routine helps make up for the earlier shirtless dudes. Will is sans shirt (sigh) and fires off a routine over the top of some tribal music, managing to leap off the stage towards the young ladies in the front row.After the break, Kherington does a leaping, prancing ballet thing then tells us that it would "like, mean the whole world" if she were able to stay on. The final soloist is Twitch, who break dances in jeans and tails and gets cut off before fully showing us a Superman-like 'T' logo he had waiting on an undershirt.Verdict: Following Katy Perry singing "I Kissed A Girl," Nigel brings Kherington forward, tells us "she has grown" and that she can sit down. Comfort and Jessica are left, and Nigel tells us he's had his mind changed tonight. He says Comfort "brought it" with her solo, and the judges were disappointed with Jessica's. He adds, though, that Jessica seems to come up with one great routine every week and because of that fact the judges have decided to keep her . . . "this week."After the requisite trip down Comfort Lane, Twitch is brought forward first. Nigel thinks Twitch being in the bottom three "wakes everybody up" but adds we "certainly can't lose him at this stage of the competition." He thinks Will would not be out of place with the Alvin Ailey boys and that therefore we also "certainly" couldn't lose him tonight. Thayne is therefore obviously out, but Nigel tells us that this week was a case where the judges would like to have kept all three boys and canned two of the girls. Are you listening, Jessica?
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09 July 2008
The Top 12 Perform
Host Cat Deeley reminds viewers that...
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Host Cat Deeley reminds viewers that the final six couples will be competing for a place in "your" Top10. We're introduced to the final 12 dancers, followed by judges Mia Michaels, Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythegoe.Chelsie & Mark: Up first for the couple is an Alex Da Silva-choreographed salsa (mmm, salsa), featuring tricks Chelsie thinks are "insane." Nigel says it was a "great routine to open the show," praised the footwork of both dancers and makes a thinly veiled and disturbing erection reference. The routine "worked" for Mary, who singled out Chelsie as "phenomenal." Mia thought the routing was "smoking-hot," but thought Mark was awkward. Routine No. 2 was a Broadway number by Tyce Diorio which Nigel thought was hotter than Las Vegas. Mary raved that it was bluesy and sultry, though Mia was lukewarm on both dancers.Comfort & Thayne: Starting with a hip-hop number choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo, Thayne fears he will look a "major white boy." Nigel thought the couple performed the moves capably but didn't think the two add of their personality and predicted we will again see them in the bottom three. Mary didn't think there was any chemistry and Mia was worried neither is doing enough to stay in the competition. The couple went contemporary for its second routine, with Nigel thinking Mandy Moore's choreography was better than the dancers. Mary didn't find it believable, and Mia liked Thayne far more than Comfort.Jessica & Will: The couples first routine was put together by Tyce Diorio, a contemporary number the choreographer believed "says the Garden of Eden" and both dancers seemed to like. Nigel thought the pair had a connection the previous two lacked, Mary called it "one of the most amazing pieces Ive ever seen on the show" and Mia added it was "perfect moving body art". Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin choreographed the couple's second dance, a quickstep ballroom number which seemed to terrify both dancers in rehearsal. Nigel was a fan of the routine but didn't care for the quickstep aspects of the performance. Ballroom expert Mary said it was "very heavy" and was glad the pair had a good first number to fall back on. Mia thought Jessica regressed and believed Will looked tired of having to carry the couple.Courtney & Gev: The couple's first dance was a cha-cha-cha to Rihanna's annoyingly catchy "Don't Stop the Music." Nigel thought it was "brilliant" and "great fun to watch," Mary screeched that "it was magic" and Mia called it "fabulousity at its best." A Jazz routine by Mandy Moore was next for the couple. Nigel called it "cotton candy" (not a compliment), but Mary loved the routine and both dancers. Mia thought the couple "had a great night."Kherington & Twitch: Lil C put together a "super buck" (his words) krump dance with the issue seeming to be whether Kherington will be able to locate said buckness. Nigel thought Kherington did a "damn good job" but thought the couple lost it at the end. Mia thought it was "dirty, and disgusting, and nasty, and ugly, and stank" which, of course, meant she loved it. A tango by Jean-Marc Genereux was the couple's second dance, a number Twitch compared in rehearsal to the Pitt-Jolie fight scene in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." Nigel didn't think the performance was honest, and thought both dancers looked uncomfortable. Mary hated the middle of the routine, particularly the turns, and Mia didn't find either dancer committed.Katee & Joshua: The couple performs a Jean-Marc Genereux waltz during which Joshua is supposed to be a ghost Katee can feel but not see. (Plus Katee tells us there are "mucho lifts.") Joshua was "too bouncy" for Nigel but the judge liked the rest of the dance. Mary questioned the Viennese execution but thought the lifts made up for technical shortcomings. Mia liked Katee, who she feels is "meant to dance," more than Joshua. One of the tougher challenges of the night came with the show's final dance, a Nakul Dev Mahajan-choreographed Bollywood routine neither dancer seemed to get during rehearsal. Nigel talked primarily about the cultural significance of having Indian dance on the show, Mary called the pair "stars tonight" and Mia thought it was a lot of fun.
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03 July 2008
Results Show: Two Dancers Eliminated
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26 June 2008
Results Show: Two Dancers Eliminated
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19 June 2008
Results Show: Two Dancers Eliminated
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12 June 2008
Results Show: Two Dancers Eliminated
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26 July 2007
Episode #3.17
Results show: one guy and one girl...
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Results show: one guy and one girl are voted off. The top ten dance to Imogen Heap's "The Moment I Said It". Mia Michaels publicly apologizes for wearing a jacket with an upside-down emblem that offended the US Marines. The bottom two couples perform individually for possibly the last time (but won't change the results from last night's vote): Jaimie dances to Stars' "Your Ex-Lover's Dead", Dominic dances to Jimmy Castor Bunch's "It's Just Begun". Lauren dances to Mercy Me's "I Can Only Imagine". Kameron dances to Timbaland's (aka Tim Mosley's) "Oh Timbaland". Mika performs "Love, Love Him". Jaimie & Kameron are sent home.
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11 July 2007
Episode #3.12
The remaining 14 dancers compete, as...
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The remaining 14 dancers compete, as well as reveal something that America doesn't know about them. Lacey & Kameron do the hustle to Inner Life's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" choreographed by Maria Torres. Shauna & Cedric mambos to Tito Puente's "Flauta y Timbal" choreographed by Alex da Silva. Anya & Danny dance contemporary to OneRepublic's "Apologize" choreographed by Tyce Diorio (aka Tyce Diorio), where the man feels that it's too late for the woman to apologize. Newly paired couple Sara & Pasha West Coast Swings to Fatboy Slim's "Rockafeller Skank" choreographed by Benji Schwimmer, and where Nigel Lythgoe proclaims, "That's magic". Sabra & Dominic hip-hops to Ne-Yo's "Make It Work" choreographed by Shane Sparks, whose ability to tell a story made guest judge Adam Shankman declare that "Hip-hop just had a nice breakthrough tonight". Jamie & Hok waltz to Sarah McLachlan's "Angel" choreographed by Toni Redpath about a dying man's final moment with his lover. Posing as angel and devil, Lauren & Neil jazz dance to Roisin Murphy's "Night of the Dancing Flame" choreographed by Wade Robson.
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14 June 2007
Episode #3.7
Group dance: "Put Your Hands Where My...
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Group dance: "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See"-Busta Rhymes (Choreographer: Wade Robson); Special performance: Benji Schwimmer; "Tu Vuo' Fa L'Americano" from The Talented Mr. Ripley; Musical guest: "Get It Shawty"-Lloyd; Solos: Sabra Johnson: "Shine"-David Gray; Dominic Sandoval: "Let's Groove"-Earth, Wind & Fire; Ashlee Langas: "Cry Me a River"-Barbra Streisan; Ricky Palamino: "Virtual Insanity"-Jamiroquai; Faina Savich: "Ain't No Other Man"-Christina Aguilera; Cedric Gardner: "Dream Within a Dream"-Wade Robson. Eliminated: Ashlee Langas + Ricky Palomino; New partners: None.
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