Jessica's Self Esteem Bounces Up and Down as Will is Accused of Carrying His Partner
The top 12 dance their way to the tour. This week is an exciting week for our contestants. The dancers that survive tomorrow night's vote will have achieved what the other half of dancers couldn't, make it to the top ten and go on tour. It only seems like yesterday that this journey of great talent began. Dancers across the country came to compete for these spots. Half the dancers will be gone after tomorrow and we will have our tour line up. I saw the tour last season, it was amazing, I recommend people go and see the tour. You cannot truly experience the emotions and connections of these dancers unless you see it live. A routine was nice on screen but took my breath away live; there is a big difference.
Just as last week, the dancers each danced two routines. We saw some wild and beautiful routines tonight. A beautiful contemporary routine, one of Tice's best ever. A hot Cha Cha routine choreographed by two contestants from last season, and for the first a Bollywood routine.
The show opened with a HOT salsa routine by Chelsie and Mark. Chelsie's tiny 5'2 frame looked amazing in her tiny little dress. Nigel was stunned to learn how short she was claiming that her legs seemed to go on forever, while Mia playfully stated Chelsea was so beautifully that she wanted to stab her. Mark danced every step he was asked to dance, and committed to every character asked of him, but the judges still felt as if he was not adding more to the routine. That while he was dancing and performing very well, there was something missing. Their second routine was a classic Broadway routine by Tyce Diorio. Tice's Broadway routines are fun and jazzy. You cannot help but smile when watching one of his routines. This was no different. The premise of the routine was about a woman in the kitchen and her husband coming home. However, as Cat put it, you would not wear that dress in the kitchen to cook. It is strange how many wardrobe comments were made this week. Luckily for the contestants, the judges do not hold their clothes against them.
Comfort and Thayne performed in each other's genre this week. They started the night off with a Hip Hop routine by married couple and last week's judges Tabitha and Napoleon. Comfort, pleased to finally be doing a west coast hip hop routine was, as expected, fabulous. Poor Thayne cannot help from smiling. His cheerfulness was his downfall in the serious number. Comfort, not familiar with partner work until now, was able to bring her performance down to Thayne's level. This was costly to the couple because it was very off balance because of it. Where Comfort was hard hitting and popping, Thayne was softer throwing the entire routine off sync. Luckily for this new couple, they had a second routine. Their second routine was a Mandy Moore contemporary routine. Comfort, an untrained hip hop dancer made this beautiful routine look simple. She was beautiful, elegant and her lines were simply amazing. Thayne was even better, but that is not much of a surprise because it is his specialty. They showed a lot of heart and the hard work paid off. However, the judges felt that like their first performance, they lacked a connection, and that their performances were forced and unnatural. Cat desperately tried to stick up for them stating that they were a new couple, but was shot down quickly by Nigel stating that the excuse wasn't tolerable, that each couple was new when the show started and they pulled it off. Mia who stated she was a big supporter and a big fan of both Thayne and Comfort stated that she was going to have to step back and could no loner root hard to keep them on the show. Uh-oh! Looks like Thayne and Comfort will be joining their former partners in front of the television set when the tour sets off.
Will and Jessica danced third and received mixed reviews from the judges. Well Jessica did. It seems this girl cannot get it right. Week after week, the judges accuse her of being the weakest link in the couple. Luckily for her when she has fallen into to the bottom three couples there was always a weaker dancer with her. If she makes it through this week then we will see what she can do with a new partner. Maybe this will finally be Jessica's chance to shine. In the mean time, the couple danced a contemporary routine beautifully choreographed by Tyce Diorio. It was amazing, and according to Nigel, the best routine he has ever seen. Watch it Nigel you are sitting next to Mary Murphy and Mia Michaels both of which choreographed routines in the past. During their rehearsal video Jessica stated she felt very confident about this routine. Her confidence shined as she danced her heart out; proving that having Will as a partner has brought her self-esteem down and with a new partner she will do amazing. She was brilliant in the Tyce routine. However, the couple picked the kiss of death for the second routine. The quickstep has long been the demise of couples through out the competition. When executed correctly the quickstep is amazing. However we have yet to see a couple successfully pull it off. Tony & Meredith choreographed a routine that incorporated different genres into the quickstep. As the judges stated, the other parts were amazing but the quick step was not as good. Mia however, laid the harshest comment of the competition, she stated that Will looked tired, “You look tired of carrying her.” WOW. Will stated he was proud of his partner and how well she has been improving and stepping up her game. This man should run for president. At this point, if I were Jessica I would be in a ditch crying my eyes out. Let's hope that she avoids the bottom three this week, and if not let's hope the judges want to send Comfort home over her. I am really pushing for this girl, I know she has it in her and I want to see how she does next to Mark or even Twitch.
Courtney and Gev performed next and man was it hot. Pasha & Anya professional dance couple and competitors last season choreographed a hot sexy Cha Cha routine. Some remember Pasha the Russian dancer who brought the bare chest back for the third season. It seems the Russian ballroom dancers feel they need to take their shirts off in order to please the crowd, they were part right. This brings me to my next train of thought, where is the hot Russian ballroom dancer this season? Pasha's cha cha routine was amazing. Anya was constantly given praise for her shiny barely there outfits last season. It seems she loaned them to Courtney this week. Courtney's gold tiny outfit was stunning and with every hip flick and sashay caught the light and highlighted just how beautiful she really is. Gev, taking a note from the book of the Russian dancer's handbook, took the stage in an open white shirt, accenting his tiny little chest. His chest, which was so graciously pointed out, that he shaved just for this number. They swung their hips across the dance floor with a connection that would make anyone blush. Their second number was a jazz routine choreographed by Mandy Moore. This routine involved a couple lost in the jungle. Courtney was given a map as a prop and they were asked to dance the entire dance with the map in their hands. However, this task was too daunting for the dancers and a switch up was made before the performance leaving the irritating map on the floor. The routine was fantastic and the couple did a great job dancing it. However, in my opinion this couple is too comical in their characters. Is this their fault? Possibly not, it could be what is asked of them. Either way their over the top performances remind me too much of a bad Broadway number. Luckily, the judges think that fire comes out of these two when they dance. Mia went as far as to state “I think you did great, you are one of my top couples.” Then again, Mia they are in the top 6.
For some reason, the judges feel the sun rises and falls on Kherington. Yes she is beautiful and yes she is a fantastic dancer. However, this week her weaknesses showed. Twitch and Kherington started their night off with a Krump dance. Krump which is defined by wikipedia.com as “An urban African American street dance form” which incorporates “free, expressive, and highly energetic moves... is a major part of the hip hop dance culture.” Krump was introduced two seasons ago and has been an interesting flavor each season. I am not a real fan of krump dance but it is always interesting to watch. Kherington was not “feelin' it” this week. About halfway through the routine she lost her energy and the routine seemed to falter for it. But she did look great in her leather pants. Their second routine was a smooth tango. The object of the dance was to simulate the whole “Mr. & Mrs. Jones” theme as demonstrated by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in the blockbuster movie. While Twitch rocked both routines, the judges focused the majority of their time commenting on Kherington. Nigel stated that she killed the routine, and we do not mean in the hip hop good way sense. Kherington was off center tonight and was unable to recover. Lucky for her even if she does land in the bottom three she has danced well enough to this point that she doesn't need to worry. The only way she would be going home tomorrow is if she landed in the bottom three with Courtney and Chelsea; and even then, I don't think she needs to worry.
Our final couple and the one every one is talking about at the moment is Joshua and Katee. Their first routine, the Viennese Waltz, choreographed by Jean-Marc Generoux was beautiful. I am not a fan of the waltz because it tends to be a little to slow for my liking. However, this season Jean-Marc has stepped it up and given us some amazing routines. The last Viennese Waltz was the tear jerking dance he created for his disabled daughter to watch. Even now, remembering how breathtaking it was I am brought to the verge of tears. This week he did not let us down. Beautiful and spunky. Joshua amazes me every week. He has such little training, and has done so little in the dance world and yet he brings such charisma and such beauty every week. He is truly amazing. I always root for the person with the least experience. That is what these competitions are designed for. To find the diamonds in the rough that no one would ever see if shows like So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) and American Idol did not exist. There are no second-rate celebrities here, just wonderful unsung talent. Joshua is one of those diamonds in the rough. Their second routine was something new to the show, Bollywood. I love Bollywood dances, not crazy about the movies, but the music and routines are amazing to watch. They incorporate hip hop, Russian, and classic styles into a unique intricate routine. Nakul Dev Mahajan, a renowned choreographer joined the SYTYCD family this week bringing us some cultural flavor. The routine was everything it was intended to be. It was highly energetic, in sync, and truly amazing. Mia made a reference about how she would love to see the routine with a large group, how Bollywood dancers are amazing and it's insane to see a large group doing such hard and beautiful routines. Katee donned the traditional head wear and got comments from each judge stating that she should wear that all the time because she was gorgeous. She had a henna tattoo around her navel, I would like to have seen some more up her arms as is tradition. They wore bells on their ankles and shook and jived all over the floor. It was a brilliant ending to an interesting night on SYTYCD.
This is the final week for the judges to give their opinions. This week America votes not only as to who should go home, but also for who they want to see on tour. Never has a vote been more important. Unfortunately for the judges, the still need to choose who's dream they are shattering tonight. If the trend continues then Courtney & Gev will find themselves in the bottom for the second week running. If they do, it should be a HUGE flashing warning sign for them. The couples will be able to tell where the audience is landing their votes and work on their routines from there. Next week it's an individual basis. Next week the dancers pick new partners every week until the finale when each dancer dances with each other. Each new couple gets two different dances, and dances a solo. Then the audience judges for their favorite guy and their favorite girl. From there the girl and the guy with the lowest votes goes home. The judges have nothing more to do with the voting process after this week, so this vote is vital. Thayne & Comfort, Will & Jessica, and possibly Kherington & Twitch could be looking at the bottom three this week, based on performances alone. If Jessica & Comfort land in the bottom three it will be interesting to see if Jessica is given one more shot or if Comfort's growth will be enough to move her on. I really hope Jessica gets one more shot. If Thayne lands in the bottom, I do not think there will be anything that the judges can do but to send him home. By keeping Thayne they will lose Will, Twitch, Gev, or Joshua; and I do not see them wanting to let one of them go just to keep Thayne who has notoriously been in the bottom. The next few weeks are going to be very hard and even more interesting.
