SYTYCD: The Top 11 Get The Competition Started

So You Think You Can Dance:
Top 11 Performance Show

All right, it's officially on, boys and girls! I'm excited to see how this whole all-star thing is going to work out.

• What was up with the camera work during the intros? We're barely got a decent look at some of the dancers.
• Lol at sweet little Kent already trying to play the open-shirt card.
• The show is live tonight? Not pre-tapped? That's new. I wonder how that's going to work out.
• Cat seems especially cheeky tonight. She's wearing an interesting one-shoulder blue frock with gold detailing. And has a major updo.

Billy with Lauren (Tyce Diorio jazz):

• The featurette: Billy is really into do-it-yourself projects (including carpentry). Didn't see that coming.
• The dance: I don't even really have anything to say other than that Billy is wicked good. Like Jakob-level good, and Billy didn't have to drag a less skilled partner through the routine like Jakob often had to.
• The judging: Nigel liked it. Mia is so proud of Billy because she thought he did an awesome job at a different style of dancing than he's used to. Mia would like him to dance "like a man" (not a boy) for the rest of the competition, however. Adam thinks Billy's challenges will be to work to inhabit the character of his dance and focus on the stuff that's in between the choreo.

Uh oh, they changed the phone numbers this season. Now it's 1-888-6-BEST-##

Christina with Mark (Sonya Tayeh jazz):

• The featurette: Christina tried out for a Mexican singing competition show. Sonya has been inspired by snakes lately.
• The dance: There are some interesting lifts here. Christina is definitely benefiting here from Mark's total embodiment of everything Sonya is all about. Mark gives a hot/hilarious finger-gun-point on his way out.
• The judging: Nigel says that was all about the reunification of Sonya and Mark, but that he thought Christina did a good job of keeping up. Mia calls Mark a "genius of twisted" dancing, and says that she was surprised and proud by Christina's technique. Adam thought it was going to be a disaster, but ecstatically admits that he was wrong.

Jose with Comfort (Napoleon and Tabitha hip hop):

• The featurette: Jose practices yoga to help him stay flexible and to clear his head. Jose gets to do hip hop in the first week? That's kind. Ugh, NappyTabs is so corny.
• The dance: It is actually nice to see Comfort again; she had some major problems with other styles of dance back in Season 4, but she is quite a good hip hopper. They did a good job. For someone "who has never done choreography before," Jose sure seems awfully good at picking it up. He also mastered the mean face.
• The judging: Nigel thought Jose was absolutely outstanding. Then the judges divulge into making a series of really weak puns. At least when this was pre-taped, some of the judge's aimless babbling could be edited out. Mia wants Jose to make sure he keeps his character and fierceness through the choreo (as well as during the breaking). Mia and Adam are amazed how much he's improved since just last week. Between this kid and Kent, this season is almost overloaded with cuteness.

Adechike with Kathryn (Travis Wall contemporary):

• The featurette: Here's Adechike, or as I like to call him, "the one who will be voted out tonight." Adechike went to "the Fame school." Tyce also went there and apparently didn't do very well. Apparently this whole routine hinges on Adechike being able to take Kathryn's shoe off at the right time.
• The dance: This is very sexy, but I think that's mostly Kathryn. It certainly seems like she's being better showcased by the routine, but maybe that's just because she's awesome.
• The judging: Nigel thought Kathryn was giving Adechike everything, but Nigel didn't quite believe Adechike as the character he was supposed to be playing. Mia says she's going to be harsh because she didn't see any sexual chemistry, and Kathryn was giving him a lot to work with. Adam says Adechike needs find that extra something as a partner.

Melinda with Pasha (Melanie and Tony jive):

• The featurette: Oh, Melinda, I already knew you were an actress and musician. I think you've told us that multiple times now. I did not know that she was actually on a soap opera though. PASHA!!! PASHAAA!!! Ok, Melinda's on my good side now because she just admitted that Pasha is "so hot."
• The dance: PASHAAA!! Ok, I need to calm down. Melinda has a thankless job here, trying to jive when she's not a ballroomer and in complete danger of being entirely overshadowed by Pasha. The routine ended up feeling a bit redundant there toward the end, but that's not really their fault. I thought she did a decent job, all things considered.
• The judging: Nigel thought she did a decent job with the retractions but he didn't think the style suited her and thinks she'll probably be dancing for her life tomorrow. Mia thinks there's something unattractive going on with Melinda's legs when she dances and she can't quite figure it out. Cat and Adam think that Melinda will see that she looked over-the-top when she watches the tape back. But, according to Adam, honey, they love her. Cat: "Well, that must have been a tough job: learning the jive with Pasha."

Alex with Allison (Sonya Tayeh contemporary):

• The featurette: Alex also loves to sing and play the piano. And he actually sounds good. Holy crap, Allison and Alex doing Sonya choreo? Talk about stacking the deck. I might die.
• The dance: Their dancing to JEFF BUCKLEY'S "HALLELUJAH" no less! Holy heck! What are they trying to do to us!? Not sure about the costumes, but everything else is perfect. Allison is so amazing. Perhaps the routine included just a little bit too much convulsing, but otherwise it was perfection.
• The judging: Cat: "First chills of the season." Nigel believes that they have just set a new standard for SYTYCD. This routine here makes the argument for using the all-star format. Nigel says Alison and Alex were "absolutely mega light years" ahead of everyone else. Mia says that was hands-down the best danced piece of work on SYTYCD to date. I'm not sure I'd go that far. Mia says that Sonya has outdone herself. Mia really just wants to talk about how brilliant Alison is though (for good reason). Adam thinks the two dancers upped Sonya's game.

Alexie with Twitch (Napoleon and Tabitha lyrical hip hop):

• The featurette: Well, have fun following that, Alexie! Alexie was on Star Search as a child and was judged by a studly and serious younger Adam Shankman!
• The dance: Oh, Twitch, you're adorable too. Uh, this is fine, but the choreo is not really up to the level it should be. I mean, I can walk saucily to a window. I would expect a SYTYCD to be a little meatier than that.
• The judging: Nigel is not sure she hit the resistances in every case. Mia thought she danced like a young adorable girl and needed to step it up and get some more swag if she's going to dance with Twitch. Mia thought it was just *cute*. Adam just wants to talk about himself in the '90s. Adam says Alexie needed some more power in her hip hop dancing.

Lauren and Ade (Mandy Moore pop jazz):

• The featurette: Lauren likes to hang out with kindergartners. Uh, ok. Please tell me Ade has gotten rid of that hair pick. I like his quasi-mohawk thing.
• The dance: Maybe Mandy Moore needs to move on from the '80s. I feel like this routine does more to showcase Ade than any of his routines did when he was actually competing. The routine involves a lot of the two of them getting tangled up and rolling around on the floor. Which is ok, I guess. They danced it well.
• The judging: Nigel thought the routine was a little sterile and didn't see much connection between her and Ade. He thinks she'll be safe this week, but she needs to improve her performance. Mia also saw a lot of space that wasn't filled in with the performance. Adam thinks she was more focused on playing to the audience than she was focused on playing the character and connecting with Ade. Seems to me like the judges are trying to manufacture some drama here.

Kent with Anya (Tony and Melanie cha cha)

• The featurette: Kent was crowned Homecoming King at his high school (over 14 other boys). OMG, just the thought of Kent with Anya makes me laugh.
• The dance: Go Kent! To my un-trained eye, he looks like he's doing a pretty solid job with the cha cha. He's still a little comical, but he's also getting close to being sexy. And Anya is, of course, fantastic. Ha, at the end of the dance Kent and Anya share a big victory hug. $
• The judging: Kent says he know his lips looked silly, but you "just gotta have" the ballroom lips! Nigel points out that Kent really enjoyed dancing the routine. And then Nigel called Anya a cougar. That's unnecessary. Except for one goofy move, Nigel loved every second of the dance. Mia says Kent committed to everything and actually looked a little bit like a ballroom. Mia says to never do that goofy move again--and now I want to see a replay of it. Adam compares him to Dominic and Gev in regard to his verve in attacking an unfamiliar style. Adam says that dance reminded him of every parent's nightmare of losing their kid at the zoo and finding him in the lion's cage dancing with the lion. Ha. Oh just give Kent the title now--he's too darn cute! I can't even stand it.

Ashley with Neil (Tyce Diorio contemporary):

• The featurette: Ashley does "silly voices." I'm not impressed. This routine is all about love. Neil sounded like he had a bit of a Southern accent there; did he always have that? I can't remember.
• The dance: Ooh, nice dive-catch-lift thing. Um, she's doing okay, but during the side-by-side part, it seemed to me like Neil was definitely out-dancing her. Not sure I got what that had to do with love either, but whatever. I think their biggest problem was that they've followed a really great contemporary routine tonight and their routine/performance didn't quite match up.
• The judging: Nigel's blabbing about Ashley being young and then asks if she's every been in love and she says, "As a matter of fact, I think I am." And so now I'm wondering who she's in love with. Thoroughly awkward. Mia saw some emotion there, but it wasn't coming across quite as much as she'd like. She then calls Ashley "a very special little bunny." Adam thought she was creating incredible pictures, but he wasn't connecting with her emotionally.

So the theme of the night is: You're all splendid dancers, but you're just not performing enough!

Robert with Courtney (Sean Cheesman African jazz):

• The featurette: Robert wanted to be a professional baseball player. I love Courtney; she reminds me of Summer Roberts. Poor Courtney looks like she had a rough practice. I am having a hard time warming up to Robert though because he looks like a cross between Jess from Gilmore Girls and Evan Lysacek, neither of whom I am particularly fond.
• The dance: This is pretty great. I think it would be pretty easy to get danced off the floor by Courtney in this one, but Robert's doing a good job. I enjoyed it.
• The judging: Nigel loved the routine's rhythms and breadth of movement and he loved the way Robert danced it. Nigel says "no one really knows" Robert yet; and, uh, whose fault is that? Mia says there are many things she likes about him and wants him to dig into more about Robert...or something. Adam seems confused about what he's trying to say. He liked the coupling of Courtney and Robert. And then he says that he thinks Robert is one of the best male contemporary dances ever on SYTYCD! What?! One last attempt at extreme hyperbole before we call it quits for the night?

In their style (or close to being in their style): Jose, Adechike, Alex, Lauren, Ashley
Moderately out of their style: Billy, Robert
Really out of their style: Christina, Melinda, Alexie, Kent

My favorite routines:

• Alex and Allison's contemporary
• Kent and Anya's cha cha
• Richard and Courtney's African jazz
• Billy and Lauren's Broadway

Probably in trouble: Melinda, Adechike, Alexie