Top 18 (17) Perform

It's a (yellow big) bird...it's no shame...it's Paula Abdul!  And with not one guest judge, but two, the question is will we have time for any dancing between all that talking?

To cast your vote for the prettiest, tallest blonde, text CAT to 1-800-GO-HER or ERIN to 1-800-GO-HER.  Or something like that.

Cat Deeley Outfit Review

Simple, black, classy.  Very nice Ms. Deeley.

Group Routine

Again, I guessed the choreographer wrong, but Jo gets half credit.  He says Sonya, and it turns out the Sonya and Christopher Scott teamed up together!  Very good, very interesting.  Sacrificial dancers.  Loved the way they moved - a very good routine.

Let's Get Started...

We have a few announcements at the top of the show.  First, Jade is injured.  I mean, I had him to go home this week, but not like this!  It's sad.  He looks so bummed out.  I wish they would bring Carlos back, but instead, no guy will go home this week.

We also find out that Nigel does, in fact, read Twitter, and after one disastrous episode, they've decided to change the show's format back to eliminations coming after the dances.  Yay!!!  I appreciate the acknowledgement that they were wrong and the willingness to be flexible.  That's live, reality TV for you.

And we find out our guest judges.  Yes, that's plural.  We get Erin Andrews, for unclear reasons.  Does Dancing with the Stars somehow qualify you?  Eventually, we learn that it's all a promo for the Fox All-Star Game at the same time next week.  So whatever.  But it turns out she's a pretty good judge, and especially good when you compare her to the special guest star judge - Paula Abdul!  Nigel says he's waited ten years, and it's his birthday present.  Who wants Paula Abdul as your birthday present?  She looks like a neon Big Bird, and she has absolutely nothing to contribute to the conversation.  And she rambles so long that Deeley ends up having to speed read all her voting instructions.  Such a fail.

Meanwhile, Erin Andrews turns out to be surprisingly funny, and despite knowing nothing about dance, she definitely brings an energetic sportscaster-feel to the festivities ("How about taming that beast!")

Bottom Six

We find out the bottom is:

Girls: Jasmine M., Jenna, Alexis

Boys: BluPrint, Curtis, Jade.

So no guy will go home, and we don't spend too much time on them.  Overall, I think this is the right bottom six, talent-wise.  Not too sad about any of these, based on how things went last week.  My main prediction is that they won't send Jenna home. They sent Brittany, the only other ballroom girl, home last week already.

I love Alexis's tap routine!  She's not always great at other styles, but her tap routines are second to none!  Jasmine's contemporary is good, but nothing more special than the other contemporary girls. I really respect Jenna for doing a straight-up ballroom solo, and not trying to make it more like a more popular style.  It's hard to pull off, but I think she did a good job.

But we are thankfully not cutting anyone yet, so it's on to the partnered dances!

Amy and FikShun - Paso Doble

Choreography: Jean-Marc Genereux
Song: Tactical Dominance by Jack Tramell

To start with, I am so happy to see Jean-Marc back!  He reminds me of and makes me miss my Uncle Jacques.  So happy and sad at the same time.

We get a Paso Doble, which is the intense, bull-fighting dance.  Not usually my favorite, but they do a good job.  I thought FikShun had some weaknesses, but it's a tough dance to pull off.  Still a great couple.

Jasmine H. and Aaron - Broadway

Choreography: Spencer Liff
Song: They Just Keep Moving the Line by Megan Hilty from Smash

Jasmine says she can't relate to this character, because she's never died before.  Not sure if she's joking or not, but great dancers are not necessarily the brightest, so I think it's not entirely sarcastic.  But it doesn't seem to get in her way, because the dance is amazing!  I love Spencer Liff and I love both of these dancers!  They have such different styles of movement, but they fit so well together.  He's so big and earnest, she's so cool and smooth.  I totally agree with Mary - Week 1 was legs, Week 2 was chemistry, and this week is style.

Side notes.  Hearing Erin say "Aaron" never ceases to make me giggle.  And love me some Megan Hilty.

Mackenzie and Paul - Contemporary

Choreography: Lindsay Nelko
Song: No Day But Today by Idina Menzel

OK, this new choreographer was way overreaching.  She had all-white outfits, fans blowing, a song from Rent, and a terminal illness plot line.  Trying way too hard!  Super cheeseball theme, but I have to say that the actual dancing and the choreography was really good.  I like both of the dancers, and I'm glad Mary Murphy called out Paul, because the other judges spent the whole time talking about Mackenzie.  They were both really great.

Meanwhile, Paula is talking about the Make-a-Wish Foundation.  Please make it stop.  And this choreographer keeps touching her chest with this false humility, and it's annoying.  Also, did anyone notice her eyes? Seriously, look at her eyes.  They are black, crazy eyes.

I will eat your babies.

Jasmine M. and Alan

Choreography: Sean Cheesman

Song: Veins by Charlotte Martin

I absolutely love this routine and this choreography.  It is so creative, and definitely not a concept we've seen before!  I like that it's so weird.  However, Nigel makes a good point that the choreography carried them, they didn't really contribute a lot with their facial expressions and personality.  I'm fine with Jasmine being the one to go home after that performance.

Jenna and Tucker - Hip Hop (Hip Jazz?)

Choreography: Keoni and Mari Madrid

Song: Dangerous by Michael Jackson

Their outfits are super hipster, and the dance is super cool.  I like that they are bringing in several new choreographers this week.  Good variety.  I totally called what the judges said - this was much more a jazz routine than a hip hop one.  Nigel tries to justify that he ripped Dmitry a new one last week about it not being cha-cha enough, but how since hip hop isn't an actual style, it's OK that this one was actually jazz.  I think it's just that this was a really great dance, and he wants the choreographers to come back to the show.  They mention Funny Face and I am so happy - that's the second Audrey Hepburn movie reference this season - and neither one was Breakfast at Tiffany's!

I should, I guess, point out that Paula actually has something relevant to stay about this dance style, but she still rambles like a crazy person.

Malece and Jade Marko - Contemporary

Choreography: Sonya Tayeh
Song: In the Embers by Sleeping At Last

I do love the gothic look of this dance, and Marko is so amazing.  Jo votes for Marko!  However, the judges give a standing ovation and talk about this being Malece's "moment," and I don't quite buy that.  I feel like Marko and the choreography made the dance really great, but Malece didn't bring enough emotion to the part.  She's a good dancer, but in this case, I don't feel like she elevated the dance, I feel like the dance elevated her.

Malece is Tinkerbelle!  It all makes sense!

Hayley and Curtis - Samba

Choreography: Jean-Marc Genereux

Song: Straight to Memphis by Club des Belugas

Hayley looks like a professional ballroom dancer.  She is so great.  Curtis was respectable, but Hayley was great.  Once Jo pointed out the lipstick on her teeth though, I couldn't stop looking at it!

Every year or two, one of the pretty, contemporary girls that you originally can't tell apart rises to the top.  Courtney in Season 4, Kathryn in Season 6, etc.   I think Hayley might do that this season.

Alexis and Nico - Jazz

Choreography: Spencer Liff
Song: I Put a Spell on You by Nina Simone

Spencer Liff is choreographing a jazz routine, but he still puts a lot of story into his routines.  I really enjoyed the whole thing - the style was cool and they danced it well.  I was just telling Jo that I felt they are really evenly matched for the first time in this episode, and Mary Murphy says the same thing!  She and I are so on the same wavelength.  As annoying as her woohooing is, she's the judge I agree with the most.  

Mariah and BluPrint - Hip Hop

Choreography: Luther Brown

Song: Bring the Noize by MIA

At the beginning of the episode, when I realized two hip hop dancers were paired together, I said I hope they get ballroom or something.  But they got hip hop?  Is that fair?  Was that really random?  I am skeptical.  Normally, Nigel would say something like "you're lucky you got your own style this week," but he doesn't.  And it's a new choreographer who just happens to choreograph something really challenging.  I wish they would just come out and say it if that's what they did.  Like when they did a ballet routine so Melissa could do her style.  I'm OK with it sometimes, I just wish they would own up!

This dance was such an illustration of how two dancers can do the same moves and do them correctly, but the effect can be so different.  It looked like Mariah put twice as much of herself into every single count of that dance.  And BluPrint just brought her down.  Nigel is clearly bummed that one animator got injured, and the other one is failing so badly.  We aren't going to have Cyrus the Second this time around, I don't think.  I think BluPrint is just really uncomfortable in the spotlight.  He's probably a nice person, but he's not a TV person.

The Elimination

It's obvious Jenna will be declared safe.  Jasmine is voted off, which I agree with.  Still, it's hard to see her cry - you always feel bad for the ones who go home early.

Parting Shots

Here's who I think will be in the bottom...

Boys: BluPrint, Curtis, Alan
Girls: Alexis, Mackenzie, Jenna

Based on this week, I would send home BluPrint and Malece, but I doubt she'll even be in the bottom.

............

OK, I want to go re-watch Funny Face now.  Laters.