SYTYCD: Finding the Groove

So You Think You Can Dance: "Top 16 Performance Show"

Yea! I'm actually home to watch (and blog) a SYTYCD performance show for the first time this season! I'm so happy about that!

Last week's eliminations: Ashley got a little screwed. I wish that Caitlin's pretty good solo wouldn't have been able to make up for her poor performances during the performance shows. I think she's in over her head and the producers just want to keep her around because she's blond and pretty. Max, on the other hand, got REALLY screwed. During both week's performance shows, he was impressive, and he did a good ballroom solo too. I like Kupono (I think his to-do lists are adorable and I like that he's kind of like last season's Mark), but if this show were fair, he would have gone home. His hip hop during the performance show was not good, and his solo was sub-par. I didn't think he was even doing much dancing during the solo. And, of course, I'm royally peeved that they tossed the ballroom boy out already (I'm not counting Jonathan as a ballroom boy because I'm not convinced that he actually is one.)

BTW, this post over at SYTYCD Social does a good job of articulating a theory that might explain why this season feels a little off. Personally, I think it has some merit.

Tonight's show:

Is this the most conventional dress Cat's ever worn on the show? (It's kind of Grecian with gold trim at the neckline and waist.) I feel like I've seen dresses like this a thousand times before. It's almost boring!

Karla and Jonathan (Dave Scott hip hop):

• The featurette: How exactly did Jonathan go from gymnast to Latin dancer? I'm not sure I understand. Why do none of this season's boys have the ability to do a good gangster face? Jon kinda looks like Ashley Parker Angel in the face. (How embarrassed am I that just admitted to remembering O-Town?)
• The dance: Karla's good at this. I'm not so sure about Jason. Maybe it's just that his shiny silver pants aren't doing him any favors. They certainly don't make him look anymore like a gangster. I liked the routine better than most of the Napoleon and Tabitha routines (and the Shane Sparks ones last week), but it wasn't performed all that well.
• The judging: Nigel is flipping out and says that he bets they'll be in the bottom three this week. Hey, speaking of Cat's dress being conventional--Mary's almost wearing the same one! Toni Basil says they had no groove or funk. I kind of feel bad for Karla--she was all right, but Jon's badness distracted the judges.

Asuka and Vitolio (Mandy Moore jazz):

• The featurette: Asuka makes jewelry for ballroom dancers. Mandy choreographed a rocker jazz routine. I'm glad they're doing this style this week, because I was wondering how Asuka would do with a jazz or contemporary routine. Poor Asuka's been reduced to tears, and Vitolio is being very sweet to her. That was one heck of a play for the sympathy vote ;-)
• The dance: I'm kind of distracted by Vitolio's tight light blue pants. This is not my favorite jazz routine ever, but I'm not sure how much of that is the choreography and how much of that is the performance. I'm going to say 40% choreo (just not as cool as Sonya's routines have been) and 60% performance?
• The judging: Is Asuka really a sweetheart, as Vitolio says? It seems like she rubs a lot of people the wrong way. Nigel says Mandy gave them simple steps. That might explain some of my issues with the routine--it just like kind of simple. I do like Asuka's rocker makeup though. LOL, so Toni's saying that the best part of their work this week was how Vitolio acted before and after the actual routine.

Melissa and Ade (Tony Meredith rumba):

• The featurette: Ade looks like he is a disaster at the rumba. As in, he looks like me trying to do the rumba ;-)
• The dance: Well, Melissa is wearing the customary half-dress that all girls wear when they rumba. And this dress really catches the light. Looks like they've gotten a lot better at the technique since the first practice. By far the highlights of this dance were the displays of her leg flexibility. I think they're doing a good job with the technique and performance, but I still find rumbas to be boring.
• The judging: Cat wishes she were wearing Melissa's dress. Nigel: "What a difference 'Ade' makes." Mary's freaking out because Ade was "grooving" and it's a little creepy.

Janette and Brandon (Dave Scott hip hop):

• The featurette: Brandon likes to make the stage look "all sparkly." Janette likes banking and loans. I was also wondering how Brandon and Janette would do with hip hop, so I'm glad we get to find out tonight.
• The dance: Well, that is one hell of an outfit they've got on Janette! Janette's doing pretty well with her chair dance at the beginning of the routine. And, I gotta say, I'm loving Brandon's hip hop dancing! It's light and fluid like you'd expect from a contemporary dancer, but it's freaking good. This was easily the best hip hop routine of the season: best choreography and best performances.
• The judging: Mary and Nigel point out that these two did really well with hip hop which is very different than their personal styles. Mary gives them a scream. Toni says they had the groove.

Kayla and Kupono (Jean-Marc Genereux Viennese waltz): These two almost got kicked off last week, and they're making them do the Viennese waltz this week?! Ouch. I want to see Kupono try to do Latin--I feel like that would be funny.

• The featurette: Is Kayla tall enough to be a runway model? I'm not surprised that Kupono likes costume design--not just anyone would go on national television with half of a green boa attached to his shirt. Kupono says he lacks upper body strength.
• The dance: The set design (a cityscape projected with lights) is really cool. It's probably bad that I'm paying more attention to the set than I am to the dancing though. I'm no Viennese waltz expert, but I thought that this one looked pretty good.
• The judging: Cat: "Sometimes when a dancer reaches into a hat and pulls out the Viennese waltz, they die a million deaths." Nigel says they did a beautiful job but concedes that people think Viennese waltzes are boring. (Then why are we still doing so many of them on this show, Nigel?) Mary tries to bolster the cause of Viennese waltzers everywhere by putting these two on the Hot Tamale Train.

Randi and Evan (Mia Michael's contemporary): Didn't these two just dance a contemporary routine two weeks ago? I guess that was "jazz" but it was very contemporary-esque. It wasn't choreographed by Mia though, and this marks her first couple routine of the season (she choreographed the Top 18 group dance). But I wanted to see Evan try hip hop, darn it!

• The featurette: Is it just me who is unfamiliar with this "gearhead" term? Evan's still trying to get mileage out of his joke about the jive being "fun." Well, Evan, if you're working with Mia, this week might not be so fun ;-) What's this about him being hypnotized by Randi's booty? What?
• The dance: What is Evan wearing? He looks like a hobo. Randi's doing a lot of dancing with one bare foot and one stiletto, which doesn't look easy. Randi's dancing is really reminding me specifically of someone, but I'm not sure who. Maybe Lauren from Season 3 or Allison from Season 2? I don't know, I'm leaning toward Allison. Whatever, I like this routine. I think Randi (and not just her butt) is overshadowing Evan though.
• The juding: Cat: "Cheeky!" Nigel: "...but--and there is a butt..." Nigel definitely planned this critique out ahead of time. He's not just spouting off these butt puns off the top of his head. He says the routine was kind of simple (for Mia), but it was well-danced. If Randi is sooooo uncomfortable with people people looking at her butt, why would she own so many unitards with hot pants? Speaking of butts, Toni is doing some major kissing of Mia's.

Caitlin and Jason (Jean-Marc & France Genereux paso doble):

• The featurette: Caitlin definitely has a broadcast journalist vibe to her. Our first paso of the season.
• The dance: The routine starts out with an impressive opening that showcases Caitlin's exceptional flexibility. Jason just made a "ROAR!" face, and I didn't buy it at all. He looks like a extra in a Robin Hood movie in this costume. The dancing looked a little rough towards the end of the routine. They did really try to make it intense though.
• The judging: Nigel does not seem blown away, but he says they did a good job. Mary's trying to tell us that this was a strong performance; and I might have believed her, if she hadn't just said that Jason looks great in that costume. Her credibility is shot to heck now.

Jeanine and Phillip (Tyce Diorio Broadway):

• The featurette: Phillip wants to be an inventor. Jeanine wants to be an actress (yet she's on a dancing show). Lol, Tyce just yelled "Get over it!" at Phillip. Ugh, I hope Phillip makes it the whole way over the couch tonight.
• The dance: He cleared the couch! In other news, I think they're both dancing this routine well. And they're good pillow smashers. This style suits them because they're both good at personality-driven performances.
• The judging: Oh no, Phillip ripped his pants! And Nigel pointed it out. Poor Phillip. Jeanine's bangs are driving me nuts. Phillip: "I gave you more than you wanted this time." Mary: "I'm allergic to down feathers...but I wasn't allergic to that routine!!" Lol, that was ridiculous. Toni: "I thought it was adorable, but I don't think adorable is a great, great word..."

Is it just me or is the quality of the dancing during the ending theme song (while the credits are rolling) really poor this season as compared to others? Half these people aren't even dancing, and some people are just acting weird.

My favorite routines: Brandon and Jeanette's hip hop, Randi and Evan's contemporary, and I guess Melissa and Ade's rumba (by process of elimination)

In trouble: Karla and Jonathan (I forgot all about that routine by the time they showed the recap); Asuka and Vitolio, and probably Caitlin and Jason (but maybe Kupono and Kayla).