We are back in the SYTYCD Theater and ready to get the "real" season started. Please note that while I enjoy auditions and Vegas week, nothing compares to the actual competition. It didn't seem worth it to invest a blog post for auditionees we might only see one time. So I'm starting now, when the fun really begins.
Cat Deeley Outfit Review
Well, it wouldn't be a great start to the So You Think You Can Dance season without a great Cat Deeley outfit to kick it off. And this year was no exception. A sparkly romper was festive yet casual, perfect to kick off the show in which no one gets judged/eliminated. Mainly, it had pockets, which she clearly enjoyed.
Hip Hop
To the surprise of no one in the world, Fik-Shun makes it into the Top 20. My feelings about this are twofold:
The Good: His smile is infectious and he's clearly got something when it comes to picking up other styles. Generally feel positive about him as a dancer on the show.
The Bad: Fik-Shun? Seriously? While I'm not opposed to the fact/fiction puns that got way overplayed during Vegas week, I am opposed to the intentionally horrible misspelling.
So we will have to see which one wins out.
We also meet Mariah Spears, the blond hip hop girl, who I love because, as Jo so hiply pointed out, "she's got swag." Great attitude and a good all-around dancer to boot. There's never been a really great hip hop girl on the show, so I have high hopes for her.
We barely meet Emilio, and then barely learn that he is not on the show. So that's sad, I guess, for him, but not for me because I've already forgotten him.
The Dance
Choreographer: Luther Brown
Song: "Ball" by TI and Lil Wayne
So, the dance feels a little lackluster, and I think that has to do with removing a third person at the last minute. It does feel like it's missing something, but they put in a good effort, and my affection for Mariah is secured.
Contemporary #1
And the winners are:
- Mackenzie Dustman: I call her Cheekbones because her cheekbones really are striking. Also, she has a model-pretty look that gives her a perpetually snobby look when she isn't smiling. I find it vaguely annoying, but also feel that I shouldn't hold her face against her.
- Jasmine Harper: AKA "Cyrus's Ex-Girlfriend." I like her dance style, but I have to say, if they bring up the breakup every single time she dances I'm going to hate her and it's not her fault. Seriously, can we stop talking about how she dated Cyrus? But love that she dances with a lot of maturity and control.
- Tucker Knox: AKA "The Horrible Hair." But he cut it! Seriously, he was a great dancer, but what terribly distracting hair. I think I hated his hair more than Mom hates it when girls dance with their long hair in their face.
- Nico Something-Or-Other: Blond, Bieber hair. Who is he again?
Choreographer: Stacey Tookey
Song: Goes On and On by Sleeping At last
Very interesting, detailed dance from Stacey Tookey. I like. I approve. Really good costumes. And they cut Tucker's hair! So all is much, much better in the world.
Tap
Alexis, the female tapper who makes it, is so awesome. Probably my favorite tap girl to make it on the show - she's just so cool.
And then they go and break my heart! They give the spot to the charming but probably-too-green-to-make-it-far-on-the-show Curtis Holland instead of Aaron Turner, who worked so hard and wants it so bad that it really really hurts. I'm seriously starting to cry.
And then the double cross! The already-forgot-him injured hip hop dancer means that Aaron is in the Top 20 after all! So You Think You Can Dance, I thought I knew all your tricks, but you can still play my emotions like a violin. I'm pretty sure that whole spectacle just ensured that softies like me will vote for Aaron for at least three weeks, even if he ends up being no good.
The Dance
Choreographer: Anthony Morigerato
Song: “You Really Did It” by Jason Mraz
Definitely my favorite routine of the night so far! Tap routines can feel a little lackluster sometimes, but this was so great! Modern and funny and thoroughly entertaining, it just made me smile. And I loved what they did with the wood platforms on the floor. The routine really highlighted the difference in style between the dancers. Alexis was, I thought, the clear standout star, with Aaron in second. I stand by my original contention that they should have picked Aaron and let Curtis mature for a year or two before he comes on the show, but it was a great routine to watch.
Animation
To return the previous episode really quick, I thought the whole "We're going to make you dance battle and then pick between you - but oops! We kept both of you" thing was really annoying. And then they did it again! But OK. I do kind of like when they have more than one contestant in a more obscure style, because it means they can do more interesting routines and you can see the differences within the style.
The Dance
Choreographer: Christopher Scott
Song: "Trigger (Original Mix)" by Marcel Woods
To that end, I thought this dance was really cool, but they weren't exactly together, because they are such different dancers. But what a great idea for an animation routine - mannequins come to life! This definitely made me like Jade better than Blu-Print, just because his movement was so controlled, and he had the face going too.
The judges fawn a little bit too much over how inspired they are by these untrained dancers. Excuse me while I yawwwwwn.
Contemporary #2
To start with, how are we not making a bigger deal about the fact that Mia Michaels is back?! I mean, seriously. And choreographing, not trying to be a judge, which she is not as suited to.
Loved Malece in the auditions. She has a very Melanie Moore-quality to her, plus gotta love the short hair.
We also get Hayley (generic pretty brunette), and Carlos.
The Dance
Choreographer: Mia Michaels
Song: "Stay" by Rihanna
I really liked this piece. It was sooo Mad Men (angst ridden and 60s-themed, basically). I especially liked the moment where they flipped over and their feet hit the ground right as the music struck the beat. Some classic Mia Michaels going on here.
Ballroom
Our ballroom girls this year are Brittany and Jenna, who was a noteworthy hot tamale during auditions. I swear she looks like a Disney princess.
Ballroom boys are Paul, AKA The Winner of So You Think You Can Dance Armenia, and after a super awkward cut between two brothers, Alan.
The Dance
Choreographer: Louis Von Amstel
Song: "Wings" by Little Mix
All around great dancing and a good, fun routine. I think Jenna was the standout, with the red dress and the facials. Don't know that she's actually a better dancer.
Jazz
We see some girls get eliminated, and the ones left standing are Amy and Jasmine Mason.
Jasmine Mason is recognizable from last year, where she auditioned after her brother got in a car accident and was unable. She also has a very memorable look/appearance.
Amy is noteworthy for how highly the judges sung her praises during Vegas week, all though we haven't really see enough to judge. Jo calls her Katie Holmes, because that's who he thinks she looks like. I don't think she looks like Katie Holmes, but I can't help feeling like she looks like someone who I can't quite put my finger on. So let me know if you can think of it!
The Dance
Choreographer: Sonya Tayeh
Song: "Enjoy" by Bjork
They do a pretty classic Sonya routine, a warrior-princess-of-dance kind of thing. It's not that amazing of a number, mainly because I feel like we've seen it before, but they danced it well.
Group Routines
Top Ten Guys (Sand)
Choreographer: Christopher Scott
Song: "Sand" by Nathan Lanier ft Karen Whipple
Now, the top ten men take the stage for a Christopher Scott number. The same thing happened a few years back with the Adjustment Bureau inspired number, and this one definitely lived up to that legacy! Amazing choreography with sand on the stage. Far and away the best number of the night! I also wonder how they got all the sand on/off the stage during the commercial break.
Top 10 Girls (Kiki)
Choreographer: Ray Leeper
Song: "Let's Have A Kiki (Guwremix)" by Kezwik ft Mel Presson
Ray Leeper does a 60s-mod all girls number to "You Wanna Have a Kiki?" Weird song, but I have to say that I loved it. So stylized and the girls had to be so in sync. Whereas the guys routine was designed to highlight their individual strengths, this one was all about being in unison which may not have highlighted the girls as much, but I think was a more difficult routine to pull off. Also, did anyone else notice (and love) that each girl's white gogo boots had heels painted a different color?
Top 20
Choreographer: Sonya Tayeh
Song: “Ghost of Sky” by Steed Lord
Lastly, we get a routine with everyone in it. It was interesting, but it was one where I felt like it wasn't choreographed to a camera well. You couldn't see what was happening on half the stage and it was really difficult to glean the story. It just felt like too many dancers doing too many different things at once. I have a feeling it came off better on stage, because then the camera wouldn't have gotten in the way so much. Also, the costumes really felt like the whole thing was a number from Star Trek: The Musical.
And that's it for Meet the Top 20!
Parting Shots
Favorite Routines were Sand and the tap dance. There are too many pretty brunette girls to keep track of. Very excited for this season.
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