'So You Think You Can Dance': The top 10 dancers perform
Another week of "So You Think You Can Dance" begins, and this time the top 10 finalists perform with their respective all-stars.
We see footage of what happened post-elimination last week, with the finalists picking an all-star's name randomly from a hat. Unfortunately, no one picks Neil or Twitch. Bummer!
(Nigel and the producers also learned a lesson from last week's performance episode. The all-stars will now be staying onstage with the finalists during the critiques.)
Performances:
1) "[Ra Deorum] Sanctus" by James Dooley
(Paso doble; choreographers: Jean-Marc Genereaux and France; Cristina and Pasha)
Without a doubt, passion and power are both in this routine. From the beginning notes to the very end, Cristina and Pasha embodied their tough characters with absolute perfection. (Fantastic music choice helped too!) I doubted Cristina during the audition stage, but this performance really elevated her stock in my book. I was 100% sold and so were the judges. Great start to the night!
2) "Listen to Your Heart" from "Edmee's Unplugged Vocal Edit" by D.H.T. feat. Edmee
(Contemporary; choreographer: Mandy Moore; Adechike and Allison)
Did we just discover Allison's amazingness?! Last week, we saw her give her all with Alex and she did the same here with Adechike. Adechike's performance was 10x better than last week's and you could tell there was a real connection with his partner this time around. A great routine by Mandy Moore and beautifully executed by Adechike and Allison. Judge Mia Michaels tells him to remember that "dance is a heartform." The judges want him to put some more joy into his performances, instead of being so serious all the time. I agree with their points, but does it seem like they're being a little too harsh on the guy?
3) "Summertime" by Sylvester
(Broadway; choreographer: Tyce DiOrio; Alex and Lauren)
Fosse style with Tyce's take on it? Interesting. The routine has a slick, '80s feel to it. Aside from the music, it's not clearly obvious that it's Broadway. Instead we have Alex showing off some of his ballet moves in the middle of the performance. It's sexy and cool, but I'm not sure it's my favorite of the night .. already. Nigel says Alex has to bring more power to the performance, but he wasn't quite liking it. Mia and Adam (who said Alex has to work on versatility) were inhe same boat.
4) "Wonderful" by Annie Lennox
(Jazz; choreographer: Travis Wall; Ashley and Mark)
Any Travis Wall-choreographed routine is a must-watch in my opinion. In the tape, Ashley came off well (and it's even her 20th birthday!) and I like her even more now. I'm always a fan of routines with actual stories and I absolutely adored the choreography by Travis. The dive lift was definitely a highlight. Ashley's lines are incredible and Mark is always a great partner to have for jazz. But during the critique, the judges weren't loving the routine because it wasn't exclusively jazz.
5) "So U Think U Can Krump" by Tha J-Squad
(Krump; choreographer: Lil' C; Billy and Comfort)
Billy (or rather Billy B Buck) krumping? It's either going to be a revelation or a complete disaster. I was pleasantly surprised by how Billy really took on the role of a krumper. In the first half of the routine, there was the heaviness that you needed to communicate to the audience, but it began to drop off near the middle and towards the end of the performance. I think he should've been tougher throughout the routine but it's a tough style to perfect, like Nigel said.
6) "Libertango" by Bond Quartet
(Argentine tango; choreographer: Jean-Marc Genereaux and France; Robert and Anya)
Loved the routine, but only because Anya kicked major butt. For some reason, I'm not a big Robert fan, but credit must be given where it's due, because both Robert and Anya executed the choreography and the roleplaying fantastically! While Nigel loved the routine, Mia didn't feel it at all. (I'm siding with her. Anya seemed to be the dominant partner during performance.)
7) "Squander" by Skunk Anansie
(Contemporary; choreographer: Stacey Tookey; Melinda and Ade)
It's a unique routine and the story (mankind vs. Mother Earth) comes through, but it's a bit odd. A part of me wishes Melinda was truly a contemporary dancer because throughout the routine, you would never know that she was a tapper. Hopefully America agrees and keeps her safe from the bottom three!
8) "Marjaani Marjaani Kasami" from "Billu Barber" soundtrack
(Bollywood; choreographer: Nakul Dev Mahajan; Jose and Katherine)
It's hard not to have fun with a Bollywood routine, so of course, this one definitely had that factor penciled in. Other than that, it wasn't one of the most memorable ones of the night. Well, maybe if you take into account costumes then this one was unforgettable.
9) "If I Were a Boy" by Beyonce
(Lyrical hip-hop; choreographer: Tessandra Chavez; Lauren and Dominic)
This performance was a huge jump from last week's for Lauren. Incredibly strong execution for her and Dominic and most importantly, it was believable. Loved it and like Mia said, it was one of the best routines of the night.
10) "Amy Amy Amy" by Amy Winehouse
(Jazz; choreographer: Tyce DiOrio; Kent and Courtney)
Kent's the obvious sentimental fan favorite, but boy, can he talk. The lift to an upside-down hold was pretty sick. I enjoyed the routine and bought them together (and was that a kiss at the end?!). I think Kent is going to go far, and that's not based on his dancing, but his popularity.
First Impressions:
It's still early in the competition, but I think it'll be all boys (with Lauren) in the end.
What are your thoughts on the top 10 performances? Discuss below!
I agree with your comment about Adechike. I found his performance really good and couldn't for the life of me understand the comment. There are definitely hand on him, especially this performance with was truly beautiful and well done. Shame on the judges.
Pasha and Mark can perform anytime......I think Travis was a little peeved at the comments regarding his choreography - but it didn't seem like Jazz at all....
I missed the first hour of the show! Is there a way to see it online somehow? PLEASE help!
I missed the first hour of the show! Is there a way to see it online somehow? PLEASE HELP!
I agree with Mia about Melinda's costume--it distracted from an interesting routine and a good performance. (It looked like she had had an unfortunate collision with a salad bowl.) I'm pretty impressed by the entire group this year.
I'm a little perplexed this week. I walways like to pause after the routine and think about what I really thought and for the first time in a while what I thought and what the judges said were kind of night and day. Particularly with Lauren and Kent at the end, but even Jose and Ashley. For example, my hsband and I were super impressed with Lauren and Kent. The both came leaps and bounds from last week. Why did they say Courtney ate him up but didn't at all mention on next to Katherine Jose looked like a tadpole. If you're going to call out Kent and Robert call out Jose. And Lauren was my favorite of the night, she really listened to what they said last week, and the first thing Nigel said was about her base? And Mia's all like, "I need more emotion! MORE." and the next performance Kent gives a ton of emotion and she says it was "too much"? Inconsistencies are rampant, but at the end I was just so fed up and that's why I am focusing so much on the last two.
And stop telling Billy Bell and Whoever else that there's no learning curve this season and then when Jose gets up there all your critiques are on a curve.
And will the guys please start dancing like MEN. The All-Star women really are eating them for breakfast. I really think that Kent was the closest to his partners level last night and props to Adechike cuz he was almost there, but Lauren just KILLED that routine.
And yes I think Kent may have put his tongue in Courtneys mouth.
And Travis Wall is one of the best choreographers on the show. He is no longer a contestant, Nigel. The student has surpassed the teacher and that's okay. It wasn't explicitly Jazz, but it was beautiful and the dancers danced it well... can we focus on that? You looked overly disappointed that it wasn't exctly what you wanted and your words were semi-evil. Anyone see what Ttavis mouthed after Tyce's jazz piece and Nigels backhanded compliment. He mouthed something like "he doesn't know what he's talking about." he does know he's just nit focusing his critique in the right direction.
I tried to tell all this to my hubby but he wouldn't listen so now I'm just unloading all my emotions here.
Lydia, I thought Kent was the best at dancing like a "man" also! I didn't think Robert, Billy, nor Jose were even close. Kent is a great kid. I also thought that Kent and Lauren deserved more praise last night and quite telling Billy he is so great.......
Am I the only one who thinks the judges were particularity hard on the boys this week and hardly any mean comments to the girls.
Right now there are 6 boys left and only 4 girls. It's as if they are trying to get the audience to vote some boys into the bottom three so they can kick on off.
I wasn't impressed last night with the judging at all.
Nigel's first comment to Travis about the routine not being jazz was harsh, but acceptable. The second comment (directed at Travis, but made after Tyce's routine) was below the belt. Nigel, those are comments better made in private. You owe Travis an apology, ON AIR.
THey want to get rid of some guys before all the girls go; Nigel said as much in his comments. With the all stars, are they going to have boy-boy routines (or girl-girl ones) as the contestants thin out-- won't work in ballroom, but has worked with hip hop, krump, mia's contemp w/Danny/Neil?? And yes, Travis looked peeved but to be fair, they've poured it on thick with the Travis praise up to now; they've dumped on the other chereo's much more in the past. I nearly never like Tyce's routines (Randi/Evan's Jamie Cullham routine, and the cancer one (which was still really simple but gut-wrenching). Don't know, it's not really a style thing, but there always seems to be much more in terms of movement going on w/others.