Wed, May 21, 2008
The fourth season of "So You Think You Can Dance" kicked off Thursday night with a two-hour audition show from Los Angeles. Host Cat Deeley and regular judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe were joined by Mia Michaels as they came face to face with the best and, of course, the worst that the dancing world had to offer.
Dancers got one minute in front of the judges, and those with overwhelming "yes" votes moved on to the next round in Las Vegas, absolute "no" votes went home, and in-between dancers would be brought back at the end for a second chance in a group choreography routine.
The first real joker of the evening was the man they call "Sex," who was making his third audition show appearance and, once again, making a fool of himself. Nigel lambasted the guy, telling him he "must just enjoy watching himself look stupid on television." And Nigel refused to call him "Sex" anymore, either.
A visually impaired girl named Laura tried her best, but the judges didn't think her choreography was strong enough to remain in the competition. Mia, though, got very emotional and called the girl an inspiration because she had a close friend who lost their eyesight.
Best of the best: Twitch, who just missed a spot in the finals last night, got through to Vegas. Aliona and Leonidis, a ballroom dancing couple, sizzled on the dance floor. Partners Ricky Sun and Asuka Kondoh wowed the judges after just three months together, but Nigel wanted to mix them up during the choreography, and they both got through. 18-year-old athlete Kehrington Payne was impressive and got some great feedback from the judges, who said she had the "it" factor. They saved the best for near last with Robert Muraine, a contortionist and popper who performs on the street in Santa Monica, floored the judges with his moves and welcomed him to Vegas without hesitation.
Worst of the worst: Overweight Hamilton Moreno insisted that his weight was his niche, but the judges wanted him to get healthy. Rijiy Ames stripped down to his tighty whities had Nigel covering Mary's eyes as he rolled around. The masked Gold Inferno returned to show off his "jump style." That didn't turn out so well.
On the bubble: Phillip Chbeeb, another Vegas reject from last season, scaled back slightly on the humor and worked on the dancing to earn a return trip to Vegas. Breakdancer Victor Kim showed some wild moves, including some incredible handstands and headstands. Both were asked to return to the choreography round. Phillip got through. Victor did not.
Dancers got one minute in front of the judges, and those with overwhelming "yes" votes moved on to the next round in Las Vegas, absolute "no" votes went home, and in-between dancers would be brought back at the end for a second chance in a group choreography routine.
The first real joker of the evening was the man they call "Sex," who was making his third audition show appearance and, once again, making a fool of himself. Nigel lambasted the guy, telling him he "must just enjoy watching himself look stupid on television." And Nigel refused to call him "Sex" anymore, either.
A visually impaired girl named Laura tried her best, but the judges didn't think her choreography was strong enough to remain in the competition. Mia, though, got very emotional and called the girl an inspiration because she had a close friend who lost their eyesight.
Best of the best: Twitch, who just missed a spot in the finals last night, got through to Vegas. Aliona and Leonidis, a ballroom dancing couple, sizzled on the dance floor. Partners Ricky Sun and Asuka Kondoh wowed the judges after just three months together, but Nigel wanted to mix them up during the choreography, and they both got through. 18-year-old athlete Kehrington Payne was impressive and got some great feedback from the judges, who said she had the "it" factor. They saved the best for near last with Robert Muraine, a contortionist and popper who performs on the street in Santa Monica, floored the judges with his moves and welcomed him to Vegas without hesitation.
Worst of the worst: Overweight Hamilton Moreno insisted that his weight was his niche, but the judges wanted him to get healthy. Rijiy Ames stripped down to his tighty whities had Nigel covering Mary's eyes as he rolled around. The masked Gold Inferno returned to show off his "jump style." That didn't turn out so well.
On the bubble: Phillip Chbeeb, another Vegas reject from last season, scaled back slightly on the humor and worked on the dancing to earn a return trip to Vegas. Breakdancer Victor Kim showed some wild moves, including some incredible handstands and headstands. Both were asked to return to the choreography round. Phillip got through. Victor did not.
Tue, May 27, 2008
It was freezing cold outside in Salt Lake City, site of the first set of auditions in Tuesday's two-hour episode of "So You Think You Can Dance?" Would the dancers heat things up inside?
Guest judge Mandy Moore (no, not that Mandy Moore) joined judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy for two days in Utah as they came away with 42 dancers who moved on to the Las Vegas audition. As usual, the dancers each had one minute to dance for the judges, after which they'd either get a ticket to Las Vegas for the next round, be sent home, or be asked to join the group choreography routine at the end of the day for a second chance.
Best of the best (in Salt Lake City): Chelsea Hightower, whose family had made it through some serious financial hardship, stood out early as a well rounded performer, despite using someone else's partner for her routine. Kelly Baker, daughter of "High School Musical" choreographer Bonnie Story, had a high bar to live up to, but surpassed it was apparent ease as the judges said she was one of the best dancers they'd seen this season. Matt Dorame, in white tube socks and red shorts, mixed ballet with some modern dance and impressed the judges -- in spite of his attire. Nigel asked him never to wear the shorts again in exchange for a ticket to Vegas. Matt agreed.
On the bubble: Best friends Kortney Pearson and Michelle Stringham, a couple of 25-year-olds who'd traveled a similar path through marriage and divorce, made it through to the choreography round. Gev Manoukian, who'd undergone more technical dance training after failing to make it to the finals in Season 2, was asked to stay for the group choreography. Ryann Race, a strip club DJ who'd just been dumped by his exotic dancing girlfriend, was a little rough around the edges, but got the judges' second chance. All four of them made it to Vegas.
Just for kicks: Brett Banford, who had Down Syndrome, wanted to prove that people with disabilities can live a normal life, and he certainly succeeded with an entertainment hip hop style routine that put a smile on everyone's face. He didn't make it through, but he made his point and left happy.
Worst of the worst: Nicole Downer, a stay-at-home mom of four, did a routine that Nigel said you might see in a sitcom or a commercial. Michael Moore (no, not that Michael Moore) said it himself: "Yeah, that was bad." Richard Castaneda wore a "Joseph Smith Is My Homeboy" T-shirt, but no one could save him that day.
Deep in the heart of Texas: On to Dallas, where Adam Shankman, director and choreographer of Hairspray (2007), the movie (no, not that Hairspray (1988) movie) served as guest judge.
Best of the best: The biggest standout in Dallas was Arielle Coker, who did a partner routine with her friend John Dix. Arielle far outshined her partner and got a ticket to Vegas. John was given a chance to prove himself in the group choreography. He didn't.
On the bubble: Dallas beauty queen Paige Jones did a pageant style competitive audition that was mostly a string of movements and lacked any kind of emotion or connection with the music. She got a second chance in the choreography round, as did popper Joshua Allen, who worked some serious body control and height on a wide splits jump. Both of them will get to show some more moves in Vegas.
Worst of the worst: Brian Davidson made growling faces and noises at the camera and generally seemed a little unstable. He said he was ready to take his dance wherever the music took him, wherever the vibe took him. It took him home -- quickly. Cassidy Corder, a cheerleader turned self-proclaimed hip hop dancer, gave a pretty bad audition and Nigel said she was one of the worst auditions he'd seen. She said she was nervous and wanted a second chance in the choreography, but she didn't get it. Brianna Gardner squirmed around on the floor for a bit, prompting Nigel to note, "She looks like a very bored stripper."
Guest judge Mandy Moore (no, not that Mandy Moore) joined judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy for two days in Utah as they came away with 42 dancers who moved on to the Las Vegas audition. As usual, the dancers each had one minute to dance for the judges, after which they'd either get a ticket to Las Vegas for the next round, be sent home, or be asked to join the group choreography routine at the end of the day for a second chance.
Best of the best (in Salt Lake City): Chelsea Hightower, whose family had made it through some serious financial hardship, stood out early as a well rounded performer, despite using someone else's partner for her routine. Kelly Baker, daughter of "High School Musical" choreographer Bonnie Story, had a high bar to live up to, but surpassed it was apparent ease as the judges said she was one of the best dancers they'd seen this season. Matt Dorame, in white tube socks and red shorts, mixed ballet with some modern dance and impressed the judges -- in spite of his attire. Nigel asked him never to wear the shorts again in exchange for a ticket to Vegas. Matt agreed.
On the bubble: Best friends Kortney Pearson and Michelle Stringham, a couple of 25-year-olds who'd traveled a similar path through marriage and divorce, made it through to the choreography round. Gev Manoukian, who'd undergone more technical dance training after failing to make it to the finals in Season 2, was asked to stay for the group choreography. Ryann Race, a strip club DJ who'd just been dumped by his exotic dancing girlfriend, was a little rough around the edges, but got the judges' second chance. All four of them made it to Vegas.
Just for kicks: Brett Banford, who had Down Syndrome, wanted to prove that people with disabilities can live a normal life, and he certainly succeeded with an entertainment hip hop style routine that put a smile on everyone's face. He didn't make it through, but he made his point and left happy.
Worst of the worst: Nicole Downer, a stay-at-home mom of four, did a routine that Nigel said you might see in a sitcom or a commercial. Michael Moore (no, not that Michael Moore) said it himself: "Yeah, that was bad." Richard Castaneda wore a "Joseph Smith Is My Homeboy" T-shirt, but no one could save him that day.
Deep in the heart of Texas: On to Dallas, where Adam Shankman, director and choreographer of Hairspray (2007), the movie (no, not that Hairspray (1988) movie) served as guest judge.
Best of the best: The biggest standout in Dallas was Arielle Coker, who did a partner routine with her friend John Dix. Arielle far outshined her partner and got a ticket to Vegas. John was given a chance to prove himself in the group choreography. He didn't.
On the bubble: Dallas beauty queen Paige Jones did a pageant style competitive audition that was mostly a string of movements and lacked any kind of emotion or connection with the music. She got a second chance in the choreography round, as did popper Joshua Allen, who worked some serious body control and height on a wide splits jump. Both of them will get to show some more moves in Vegas.
Worst of the worst: Brian Davidson made growling faces and noises at the camera and generally seemed a little unstable. He said he was ready to take his dance wherever the music took him, wherever the vibe took him. It took him home -- quickly. Cassidy Corder, a cheerleader turned self-proclaimed hip hop dancer, gave a pretty bad audition and Nigel said she was one of the worst auditions he'd seen. She said she was nervous and wanted a second chance in the choreography, but she didn't get it. Brianna Gardner squirmed around on the floor for a bit, prompting Nigel to note, "She looks like a very bored stripper."
Wed, May 28, 2008
Host Cat Deeley whisked fans away to Charleston, S.C., for the third two-hour night of auditions on "So You Think You Can Dance?" on Thursday night. Joining judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy in the best mannered city in America was choreographer Tice D'Orio,who's worked with Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Paula Abdul, among others.
Best of the best: Sheila Kaiser attended the auditions against her dad's wishes. He didn't even wish her luck. She was awesome, and earned a ticket to Vegas. Courtney Galiano wanted to impress Mary, which she did. Her modern dance routine was plenty good enough to earn a trip to Vegas.
On the bubble (in Charleston): Anthony and Antowain Hart, twin brothers, got different responses from the judges after their individual auditions. Antowain got better comments from the judges and somehow convinced them to watch the pair dance together, and that got them both through to the group choreography. Antowain made it, and so did Anthony.
BJ Harris, a popper from Brooklyn, got his trip to Charleston paid for by some donated funds from his school and said his principal paid for his ticket. He had some pretty amazing moves that earned him a pass to the choreography round. Claire Callaway, who made it to Vegas in Season 2 before injuring her foot, didn't blow the judges away enough to get back too easily. She went to the choreography round. BJ didn't make it. Claire did.
Worst of the worst (in Charleston): Syiddah King wore multi-colored socks, but that choice soon became only the second-worst decision she made that day. She did a little bit of hip hop dancing, but Nigel called her a "mover." Abigail Thurman, a swimming instructor, said she was auditioning to find out if she could dance. The answer was a resounding, "No." She took it well, though, as Nigel explained that she's "not a loser, just a (insert unheard but probably not very complimentary expletive here) dancer." Jason Looney, a cross-dressing dude with a beard, did a horrible routine to Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" that prompted Nigel to wonder why Jason was even there. "Not only are you a disgrace to dancing, you're a disgrace to transvestites." Tice said the audition was disrespectful to the other dancers.
On to the Nation's Capital: Dancers were jumping around in front of The White House, and that could only mean that "Dance" was hitting Washington, D.C., for the first time in its four seasons. Choreographer Dan Karaty joined Nigel and Mary on the panel.
Best of the best: (in D.C.) Brandon Bryant, who auditioned in Season 1 but lied about his age, put on quite a display of modern dance, which a string of impressive leaps, turns and poses. Nigel called Brandon one of the best he's seen, and Mary gave him a scream.
On the bubble (in D.C.): Markus Shields, who was dancing in honor of his mother who died when Markus was 12, was asked to return for the choreography. Markus Smith and Deonna Ball did a tandem routine of what they called "D.C. Swing," a combination of several different styles. They came back for the choreography. Deonna didn't make it, and neither did her partner Markus Smith. Markus Shields was the next one up, and he made his mom proud by moving on to the next round.
Phucdat Nyugen wore a black track suit and goggles over his eyes before tearing away the track suit and revealing a yellow jump suit underneath. He made it to the choreography. Anthony Bryant, who failed to impress Nigel in the first season audition, wanted to prove his manliness in fatigues and by putting on a "strong acro-tumble routine." It didn't blow the judges away, but it got him into the choreography. Neither Phucdat or Anthony made it to Vegas.
Best of the best: Sheila Kaiser attended the auditions against her dad's wishes. He didn't even wish her luck. She was awesome, and earned a ticket to Vegas. Courtney Galiano wanted to impress Mary, which she did. Her modern dance routine was plenty good enough to earn a trip to Vegas.
On the bubble (in Charleston): Anthony and Antowain Hart, twin brothers, got different responses from the judges after their individual auditions. Antowain got better comments from the judges and somehow convinced them to watch the pair dance together, and that got them both through to the group choreography. Antowain made it, and so did Anthony.
BJ Harris, a popper from Brooklyn, got his trip to Charleston paid for by some donated funds from his school and said his principal paid for his ticket. He had some pretty amazing moves that earned him a pass to the choreography round. Claire Callaway, who made it to Vegas in Season 2 before injuring her foot, didn't blow the judges away enough to get back too easily. She went to the choreography round. BJ didn't make it. Claire did.
Worst of the worst (in Charleston): Syiddah King wore multi-colored socks, but that choice soon became only the second-worst decision she made that day. She did a little bit of hip hop dancing, but Nigel called her a "mover." Abigail Thurman, a swimming instructor, said she was auditioning to find out if she could dance. The answer was a resounding, "No." She took it well, though, as Nigel explained that she's "not a loser, just a (insert unheard but probably not very complimentary expletive here) dancer." Jason Looney, a cross-dressing dude with a beard, did a horrible routine to Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" that prompted Nigel to wonder why Jason was even there. "Not only are you a disgrace to dancing, you're a disgrace to transvestites." Tice said the audition was disrespectful to the other dancers.
On to the Nation's Capital: Dancers were jumping around in front of The White House, and that could only mean that "Dance" was hitting Washington, D.C., for the first time in its four seasons. Choreographer Dan Karaty joined Nigel and Mary on the panel.
Best of the best: (in D.C.) Brandon Bryant, who auditioned in Season 1 but lied about his age, put on quite a display of modern dance, which a string of impressive leaps, turns and poses. Nigel called Brandon one of the best he's seen, and Mary gave him a scream.
On the bubble (in D.C.): Markus Shields, who was dancing in honor of his mother who died when Markus was 12, was asked to return for the choreography. Markus Smith and Deonna Ball did a tandem routine of what they called "D.C. Swing," a combination of several different styles. They came back for the choreography. Deonna didn't make it, and neither did her partner Markus Smith. Markus Shields was the next one up, and he made his mom proud by moving on to the next round.
Phucdat Nyugen wore a black track suit and goggles over his eyes before tearing away the track suit and revealing a yellow jump suit underneath. He made it to the choreography. Anthony Bryant, who failed to impress Nigel in the first season audition, wanted to prove his manliness in fatigues and by putting on a "strong acro-tumble routine." It didn't blow the judges away, but it got him into the choreography. Neither Phucdat or Anthony made it to Vegas.
Tue, Jun 3, 2008
It's fair to say that when most Americans think "dance" they think ... Milwaukee? Well, that was where "So You Think You Can Dance?" made its final stop in the auditions for the 2008 season before heading to Las Vegas for the second round. Who knows what the famous beer brewing city could produce? "Laverne & Shirley's" Milwaukee-based skipping down the street was pretty catchy...
After an opening montage that showed judge Nigel Lythgoe having pretty bizarre reactions to hip hop dancers throughout the audition process, it was time to get down to business. Sort of. It seemed like the producers had a little extra time to kill, so they offered up auditions from previous cities that they hadn't shown before.
The first was Michael Kim, who auditioned in Washington, D.C., and popped his way to Vegas, where his fate was sealed in Season 2 after failing to make the mark in the samba. Next up were a couple of roommates in the Los Angeles audition. Katee Shean, the first of the duo, made it to Vegas. Her friend, Natalie Reid, got through, too. In D.C., a salsa dancing couple, Janette Manrara and Romulo Villaverde brought the crowd to its feet with some very impressive dips and lifts. But it was only good enough to get them to the choreography round. Janette faced the judges first, and got a ticket to Vegas. Romulo, not so much.
Schlemeel, schlemazel...: Husband and wife choreography team Napoleon and Tabitha, who've worked with Kanye West and Christina Aguilera, among others.
Best of the best: Bianca Revels, a tap dancer, made it through to Vegas on her first try with some fancy footwork. Evan Kasprzak floored the judges with his '40s and '50s revival that conjured images of Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, earning him a spot in Las Vegas. Kourtni Lind, an interpretive dancer who Nigel thought looked a bit like Uma Thurman, got through to Vegas. Lizz Plott, the second tap dancer of the night, wowed the judges with her freestyle routine.
Worst of the worst: Victor Campos donned a mask, and for good reason. He claimed his dance was about the conflict between individuality and societal pressure, but it looked more like it was about the conflict between having talent and, well, you see where this is going.
On the bubble: Susie Garcia, a Chirstina Aguilera looking high school teacher from Miami, made it to the choreography, as did Brice Casimir, a Cameroonian immigrant from Arizona who dances for senior citizens and seemed like a genuinely nice guy. His moves were terrific, but the judges wanted him to connect better with them and the audience. Brice didn't make it, but the judges asked him to come back next season. Susie got through.
On the second day, Raymond Love, a minister who said he was having trouble connecting in a sexual way with his dance partner, made it to the choreography, but didn't get to Sin City, and that's probably just as well.
Just for kicks: James Davis said he'd been preparing for nearly two years with a team of choreographers, but it wasn't looking pretty as he warmed up. It was, as the judges noted, an homage to movie musicals with signature moves from "Footloose," "Stayin' Alive" and perhaps even "Flashdance." Maybe his team of choreographers were just buddies who work at a video store?
Hao Hou wore a Native American-looking get up that included a leopard-print sort of wrap around his package that certainly had some folks at the FCC ready to send Fox a letter.
Sad story: Yesenia Gomez, who made it deep into the Vegas auditions last season, lost 50 pounds and wanted to give it another go. Her knee gave out during the audition and she broke down, telling the judges that her experience on the show changed her perspective on life. In the end, Nigel told her to get her knee right and come back next year.
After an opening montage that showed judge Nigel Lythgoe having pretty bizarre reactions to hip hop dancers throughout the audition process, it was time to get down to business. Sort of. It seemed like the producers had a little extra time to kill, so they offered up auditions from previous cities that they hadn't shown before.
The first was Michael Kim, who auditioned in Washington, D.C., and popped his way to Vegas, where his fate was sealed in Season 2 after failing to make the mark in the samba. Next up were a couple of roommates in the Los Angeles audition. Katee Shean, the first of the duo, made it to Vegas. Her friend, Natalie Reid, got through, too. In D.C., a salsa dancing couple, Janette Manrara and Romulo Villaverde brought the crowd to its feet with some very impressive dips and lifts. But it was only good enough to get them to the choreography round. Janette faced the judges first, and got a ticket to Vegas. Romulo, not so much.
Schlemeel, schlemazel...: Husband and wife choreography team Napoleon and Tabitha, who've worked with Kanye West and Christina Aguilera, among others.
Best of the best: Bianca Revels, a tap dancer, made it through to Vegas on her first try with some fancy footwork. Evan Kasprzak floored the judges with his '40s and '50s revival that conjured images of Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, earning him a spot in Las Vegas. Kourtni Lind, an interpretive dancer who Nigel thought looked a bit like Uma Thurman, got through to Vegas. Lizz Plott, the second tap dancer of the night, wowed the judges with her freestyle routine.
Worst of the worst: Victor Campos donned a mask, and for good reason. He claimed his dance was about the conflict between individuality and societal pressure, but it looked more like it was about the conflict between having talent and, well, you see where this is going.
On the bubble: Susie Garcia, a Chirstina Aguilera looking high school teacher from Miami, made it to the choreography, as did Brice Casimir, a Cameroonian immigrant from Arizona who dances for senior citizens and seemed like a genuinely nice guy. His moves were terrific, but the judges wanted him to connect better with them and the audience. Brice didn't make it, but the judges asked him to come back next season. Susie got through.
On the second day, Raymond Love, a minister who said he was having trouble connecting in a sexual way with his dance partner, made it to the choreography, but didn't get to Sin City, and that's probably just as well.
Just for kicks: James Davis said he'd been preparing for nearly two years with a team of choreographers, but it wasn't looking pretty as he warmed up. It was, as the judges noted, an homage to movie musicals with signature moves from "Footloose," "Stayin' Alive" and perhaps even "Flashdance." Maybe his team of choreographers were just buddies who work at a video store?
Hao Hou wore a Native American-looking get up that included a leopard-print sort of wrap around his package that certainly had some folks at the FCC ready to send Fox a letter.
Sad story: Yesenia Gomez, who made it deep into the Vegas auditions last season, lost 50 pounds and wanted to give it another go. Her knee gave out during the audition and she broke down, telling the judges that her experience on the show changed her perspective on life. In the end, Nigel told her to get her knee right and come back next year.
Wed, Jun 4, 2008
Auditions in six cities brought more than 200 dancers to Las Vegas for the callbacks on "So You Think You Can Dance?" By the end of the two-hour episode, that group would be hacked to the 20 finalists -- 10 guys and 10 girls -- that will compete for the top prize this season.
Host Cat Deeley promised the most competitive Vegas week ever, with the dancers being challenged each day in a different types of choreography. The six-judge panel included husband-and-wife choreography team Tabitha and Napoleon, Mia Michaels and Debbie Allen, who joined regular judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.
Leaving so soon? The dancers had one hour to learn a hip hop routine choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon. One dancer, Robert, a popper who usually performs solo on the streets of Los Angeles, stood around doing the choreography. He considered quitting before Nigel asked him to do his solo. The judges asked him to stay, but he decided to go home anyway.
By the end of the first day, 203 dancers performed and only 129 remained. Some of the favorites from previous auditions who didn't make it included Claire, who's injured her foot in the Vegas round in Season 2 and missed Season 3 because she had a baby; Ryan, the strip club DJ; Rebecca from Milwaukee.
Sexy and sassy: The dancers were told to wear something "sexy and sassy" for choreographer Tice D'Orio's Broadway routine. Erica, who's made it to Vegas three times, found that her third time wasn't the charm. She cried as she worried about having disappointed her family. Twin brothers Anthony and Antowain were split up, with Anthony sticking around. By lunchtime on Day 2, the group was down to 93.
Parlez-vous, foxtrot? Choreographer Jean-Marc Genereux walked the remaining dancers through the foxtrot after lunch, and hip hop dancer Joshua from Dallas. Joshua cried almost uncontrollably as the judges put him and his partner Comfort through to the next round. Pageant girl Paige from Dallas, and her foxtrot partner Will, were both asked to dance for their lives later because they were both so bad with the ballroom dance. Paige just doesn't show enough grace and elegance in her dance to make it through. Will also didn't make it.
At 8 p.m., after starting their day at 7:30 in the morning, Cat told the remaining dancers that Day 2 was not yet over. The dancers would split into groups, which would each randomly select a CD and choreograph a dance to the selected music. Then, they had to practice through the night in order to perform first thing in the morning.
Top o' the morning: The group choreography resulted in just four cuts, including single mom Kortney from the Salt Lake City audition.
Sleepless in Vegas: Mia Michaels' contemporary choreography was proving to be too much for several dancers after a night without sleep. Tap dancer Lizz were struggling to keep up, but Mia thought she did "a great job." After going on a rant about how tired her body was, though, the judges gave her the boot. She promised to glue her mouth shut next year. Jeremiah, a contemporary dancer, walked off stage during the routine because he couldn't get the choreography and the judges sent him home.
By the end of the round, 47 dancers remained, but nine had to dance for the lives to stick around, including an early favorite: hip hop dancer Twitch.
Dominic pulled a muscle, but was driven out of the Planet Hollywood Resort in an ambulance. His journey was over. Twitch and three others made it through.
One last step: All the dancers were asked to do a final solo that would have a lot of bearing on their future in the competition.
Kelly Baker, the daughter of "High School Musical" choreographer Bonnie Story, was the first to go home. Anthony Hart, whose twin brother Antowain were home earlier in the Vegas round, also went home.
The Top 20:
Gev Manoukian
Kourtni Lind
Joshua Allen
Rayven Armijo
Matt Dorame
Courtney Galiano
William Wingfield
Katee Shean
Twitch Boss
Kherington Payne
Jamie Bayard
Chelsie Hightower
Chris Jarosz
Jessica King
Mark Kanemura
Susie Garcia
Marquis Cunningham
Chelsea Traille
Thayne Jasperson
and...
Comfort Fedoke
Host Cat Deeley promised the most competitive Vegas week ever, with the dancers being challenged each day in a different types of choreography. The six-judge panel included husband-and-wife choreography team Tabitha and Napoleon, Mia Michaels and Debbie Allen, who joined regular judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.
Leaving so soon? The dancers had one hour to learn a hip hop routine choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon. One dancer, Robert, a popper who usually performs solo on the streets of Los Angeles, stood around doing the choreography. He considered quitting before Nigel asked him to do his solo. The judges asked him to stay, but he decided to go home anyway.
By the end of the first day, 203 dancers performed and only 129 remained. Some of the favorites from previous auditions who didn't make it included Claire, who's injured her foot in the Vegas round in Season 2 and missed Season 3 because she had a baby; Ryan, the strip club DJ; Rebecca from Milwaukee.
Sexy and sassy: The dancers were told to wear something "sexy and sassy" for choreographer Tice D'Orio's Broadway routine. Erica, who's made it to Vegas three times, found that her third time wasn't the charm. She cried as she worried about having disappointed her family. Twin brothers Anthony and Antowain were split up, with Anthony sticking around. By lunchtime on Day 2, the group was down to 93.
Parlez-vous, foxtrot? Choreographer Jean-Marc Genereux walked the remaining dancers through the foxtrot after lunch, and hip hop dancer Joshua from Dallas. Joshua cried almost uncontrollably as the judges put him and his partner Comfort through to the next round. Pageant girl Paige from Dallas, and her foxtrot partner Will, were both asked to dance for their lives later because they were both so bad with the ballroom dance. Paige just doesn't show enough grace and elegance in her dance to make it through. Will also didn't make it.
At 8 p.m., after starting their day at 7:30 in the morning, Cat told the remaining dancers that Day 2 was not yet over. The dancers would split into groups, which would each randomly select a CD and choreograph a dance to the selected music. Then, they had to practice through the night in order to perform first thing in the morning.
Top o' the morning: The group choreography resulted in just four cuts, including single mom Kortney from the Salt Lake City audition.
Sleepless in Vegas: Mia Michaels' contemporary choreography was proving to be too much for several dancers after a night without sleep. Tap dancer Lizz were struggling to keep up, but Mia thought she did "a great job." After going on a rant about how tired her body was, though, the judges gave her the boot. She promised to glue her mouth shut next year. Jeremiah, a contemporary dancer, walked off stage during the routine because he couldn't get the choreography and the judges sent him home.
By the end of the round, 47 dancers remained, but nine had to dance for the lives to stick around, including an early favorite: hip hop dancer Twitch.
Dominic pulled a muscle, but was driven out of the Planet Hollywood Resort in an ambulance. His journey was over. Twitch and three others made it through.
One last step: All the dancers were asked to do a final solo that would have a lot of bearing on their future in the competition.
Kelly Baker, the daughter of "High School Musical" choreographer Bonnie Story, was the first to go home. Anthony Hart, whose twin brother Antowain were home earlier in the Vegas round, also went home.
The Top 20:
Gev Manoukian
Kourtni Lind
Joshua Allen
Rayven Armijo
Matt Dorame
Courtney Galiano
William Wingfield
Katee Shean
Twitch Boss
Kherington Payne
Jamie Bayard
Chelsie Hightower
Chris Jarosz
Jessica King
Mark Kanemura
Susie Garcia
Marquis Cunningham
Chelsea Traille
Thayne Jasperson
and...
Comfort Fedoke
Wed, Jun 11, 2008
The first results show of the season on "So You Think You Can Dance?" started with a bizarre group dance that included judge Nigel Lythgoe getting kidnapped, bound and gagged and left at the center of the stage awaiting host Cat Deeley to free him.
Cat quickly explained the process once again, saying that the three couples with the least votes will dance for their lives, performing solos in their own style. In the end, the judges will decide on one guy and one girl who will go home. Dan Karaty again joined Lythgoe and Mary Murphy on the judging panel.
To the results: Cat called out the first three couples, including Kherington & Twitch, who received a huge ovation from the crowd after their Broadway routine from Tuesday. They were safe. Chelsea & Thayne were up next for a recap of their cha cha. Before getting those results, though, Cat talked up Chelsie and Mark for a reminder of their Mia Michaels contemporary dance routine. Both couples were safe.
Four more couples came onto the stage, with Matt & Kourtni's jazz routine to Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" proving not good enough to keep them out of the bottom three. Mary said "the first cut is the deepest, and this one's really going to hurt," but she said she was looking forward to their individual routines. Susie & Marquis' smooth waltz was good enough to keep them safe for another week without complications. The next spot in the bottom three came down to Comfort & Chris and Rayven & Jamie, and it was Rayven & Jamie that fell to the bottom. Nigel reiterated that he didn't think their performance was memorable and that there was a possibility that Rayven pulling down Jamie's pants offended some voters.
With one spot in the bottom three waiting to be claimed, the final three couples took the stage to get their results. Katie & Joshua's war-inspired hip hop dance kept them safe. That left Jessica & Will, whose tango sizzled and had Mary telling them they were the couple to beat, and Courtney & Gev, whose disco dance missed the mark for Nigel, to find out which of them would be in the bottom. Jessica & Will slipped to the bottom three, which surprised Karaty, who said, "I do not think that they deserve to be in the bottom three."
The bottom six: Kourtni, Matt, Rayven, Jamie, Jessica and Will. The six dancers would later perform solos in hopes of impressing the judges enough to keep them safe.
Guest appearances: Poppin' Pete and Shonie, poppers who are among the innovators of the style, did a fun bit of choreography. Later, The Pussycat Dolls would perform their new single, "When I Grow Up."
Flying solo: Kourtni Lind was the first dancer to go solo for the judges. She still looked a little shaken and appeared emotional after her performance and seemed to have had it cut off just as it was about to get interesting. Matt was up next with a little contemporary bit. Rayven did a "rock princess ballerina" routine. West Coast swing dancer Jamie showed some nifty moves. Jessica, another contemporary dancers, tried to pull the crowd into it. Will, also a contemporary dancer, relied on some big jumps and balancing moves for his solo.
Cat asked Nigel, Mary and Dan to go backstage to deliberate about their decision.
Exit, stage left: Nigel said the decision on which girl would go home was unanimous. He asked Kourtni to step forward and asked her to inject what they saw in her solo into her couples routines. Nigel told Rayven and Jessica that they were both disappointing and told Jessica she'd continue in the competition while Rayven went home.
On to the guys, Nigel asked Will to step forward. He told Will that he was disappointed to see Will in the bottom three, called him "an incredible dancer" and said he has everything he needs to get to the finale. Nigel said if they could fuse Jamie's personality and Matt's technique, they'd be ideal. Nigel said the judges went with technique over personality in deciding to keep Matt in the competition. That meant Jamie went home.
Cat quickly explained the process once again, saying that the three couples with the least votes will dance for their lives, performing solos in their own style. In the end, the judges will decide on one guy and one girl who will go home. Dan Karaty again joined Lythgoe and Mary Murphy on the judging panel.
To the results: Cat called out the first three couples, including Kherington & Twitch, who received a huge ovation from the crowd after their Broadway routine from Tuesday. They were safe. Chelsea & Thayne were up next for a recap of their cha cha. Before getting those results, though, Cat talked up Chelsie and Mark for a reminder of their Mia Michaels contemporary dance routine. Both couples were safe.
Four more couples came onto the stage, with Matt & Kourtni's jazz routine to Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" proving not good enough to keep them out of the bottom three. Mary said "the first cut is the deepest, and this one's really going to hurt," but she said she was looking forward to their individual routines. Susie & Marquis' smooth waltz was good enough to keep them safe for another week without complications. The next spot in the bottom three came down to Comfort & Chris and Rayven & Jamie, and it was Rayven & Jamie that fell to the bottom. Nigel reiterated that he didn't think their performance was memorable and that there was a possibility that Rayven pulling down Jamie's pants offended some voters.
With one spot in the bottom three waiting to be claimed, the final three couples took the stage to get their results. Katie & Joshua's war-inspired hip hop dance kept them safe. That left Jessica & Will, whose tango sizzled and had Mary telling them they were the couple to beat, and Courtney & Gev, whose disco dance missed the mark for Nigel, to find out which of them would be in the bottom. Jessica & Will slipped to the bottom three, which surprised Karaty, who said, "I do not think that they deserve to be in the bottom three."
The bottom six: Kourtni, Matt, Rayven, Jamie, Jessica and Will. The six dancers would later perform solos in hopes of impressing the judges enough to keep them safe.
Guest appearances: Poppin' Pete and Shonie, poppers who are among the innovators of the style, did a fun bit of choreography. Later, The Pussycat Dolls would perform their new single, "When I Grow Up."
Flying solo: Kourtni Lind was the first dancer to go solo for the judges. She still looked a little shaken and appeared emotional after her performance and seemed to have had it cut off just as it was about to get interesting. Matt was up next with a little contemporary bit. Rayven did a "rock princess ballerina" routine. West Coast swing dancer Jamie showed some nifty moves. Jessica, another contemporary dancers, tried to pull the crowd into it. Will, also a contemporary dancer, relied on some big jumps and balancing moves for his solo.
Cat asked Nigel, Mary and Dan to go backstage to deliberate about their decision.
Exit, stage left: Nigel said the decision on which girl would go home was unanimous. He asked Kourtni to step forward and asked her to inject what they saw in her solo into her couples routines. Nigel told Rayven and Jessica that they were both disappointing and told Jessica she'd continue in the competition while Rayven went home.
On to the guys, Nigel asked Will to step forward. He told Will that he was disappointed to see Will in the bottom three, called him "an incredible dancer" and said he has everything he needs to get to the finale. Nigel said if they could fuse Jamie's personality and Matt's technique, they'd be ideal. Nigel said the judges went with technique over personality in deciding to keep Matt in the competition. That meant Jamie went home.
Tue, Jun 17, 2008
It was down to the final 18 Tuesday on "So You Think You Can Dance?" as Mia Michaels joined judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. She promised that this season is going to be "benoodles," which she explained meant "insane." She said there are a few dancers in the final that she won't be sad to see leave, but the majority are fantastic.
Chelsea & Thayne: The dancers' intros would include a video bit on what their partners' best and worst qualities are about each other. Thayne said Chelsea is always positive and she said he's always smiling and in a good mood. On the bad side, he said she falls asleep too much and she said he's too superstitious. The couple picked a jazz routine with choreographer Mandy Moore. Mia said it was a great concept, but wasn't executed well at all. Mary agreed, saying she didn't believe the chemistry the way she did with the couple the previous week. Nigel, too, didn't like it and spent much of the time knocking their wardrobe, which he emphasized was not their fault.
Chelsie & Mark: Mark said Chelsie's hair smells good and she complimented his quirkiness. On the flip side, she said he's quiet and reserved while she's kind of loud. He said she's like a pesky little sister and hits him. The couple pulled the Argentine tango with choreographer Alex Da Silva. At the end of the dance, host Cat Deeley helped Chelsie get her pinky toe back in her shoe. Mia said she loved Chelsie and Mark and said she "adores" them. Mary said she loved everything about the dance. Nigel pretended like he was going to put a damper on all the praise, but he didn't. He said he loved it but thought Chelsie could have been a bit "sleazier," which is what the dance calls for.
Jessica & Will: Will said the best thing about Jessica is her joyful personality, and Jessica said his best feature is that he's so focused and professional. She added that sometimes he's too serious and he said that she suffers internal battles that make her question her ability. The couple pulled a hip hop routine with choreographers Cicily and Olisa. Mia said the choreography "is ridiculous," which she meant as a good thing. She said Jessica wasn't believable and it was like she wasn't on the stage; then she called Will a genius. Mary agreed, saying Will is a force to be reckoned with. Nigel gave Jessica a bit of a pass saying that he thought she did a good job. He reiterated that he thought Will would be in or near the final.
Kourtni & Matt: Matt said his favorite feature about Kourtni is her eyes, and she said the best thing about him is that he always compliments her. She said the worst thing about Matt is his singing, but he said the worst thing about her is that she doesn't have an ear for good singing. The couple that survived elimination last week pulled the foxtrot with choreographer Jean-Marc Genereux. Mia called the dance "great, old Hollywood elegance." She said Matt was fantastic, but that the only time Kourtni feels strong is when her leg is in the air. Mary loved the choreography but the rest was a mixed bag. She didn't like the footwork from either of the dancers because she expected better and said she was "slightly disappointed." Nigel said he wasn't disappointed, but he said it was a bit of a fake performance.
Courtney & Gev: Courtney said the best thing about Gev is that he's really strong, and he said the best thing about her is that she's really pretty while the worst thing is that she's got a boyfriend. She said the worst thing about Gev is that he's short, which makes them both look pretty short. They pulled a contemporary piece by Mandy Moore. Mia said Courtney did a good job but she is going to start expecting more from her. She was "so proud" of Gev. Mary screamed that she loved it and their chemistry is "killer" together. Nigel liked it overall, but said the emotional wasn't there.
Katee & Joshua: Katee said her favorite thing about Joshua is that he's a caring partner. He said he loved her smile, which makes him smile. She said the worst thing about Joshua is that he's always nit-picking her, and he doesn't like this sort of hands-behind-her-head dance she does when killing time. The couple picked a Broadway dance with Tice D'Orio. Nigel jumped out of his chair and started replaying some of the steps, shouting, "That's what I've been waiting for tonight!" He said it was "entertainment at its best." Mary said she loved it, very enthusiastically. Mia said there wasn't much more to add, but she said she wouldn't be surprised to see Joshua in the top four.
Susie & Marquis: Marquis said that Susie's best feature is that she always has energy and she said she loves that Marquis is that he's a goofball. She said the worst thing about him is that he is constantly eating, which gives him bad breath when they dance close. He said the worst thing about her is that her wild hair always smacks him in the face. They pulled a salsa with choreographer Alex Da Silva. Susie cried when she overheard Alex saying that she's "not really a salsa dancer, she's more of a street salsa dancer." Mia said she loved the choreography but wasn't crazy about the performance, saying Marquis was too much. She said Susie was hot but she didn't meet the high expectations. Mary said it wasn't working for her, either. She said they had no chemistry. Nigel said there were too many mistakes and that it wasn't fiery enough.
Kherington & Twitch: Twitch said he enjoys Kherington's reassuring positivity, and she said the best thing about him is that he's really muscular and she knows he won't drop her. Twitch said the worst thing about Kherington is her strong legs, because she's always accidentally kicking him. She said the worst thing about Twitch is that he wears fake glasses (frames that have no lenses). They pulled the Viennese waltz, choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux. He had a unique connection to the song, which was inspired by his daughter, who has lost all her motor skills. Mia said she loved the whole essence of it, but said she found Kherington's constant smile was "a little glossy." This caused a bit of a stir as Nigel jumped in and said he loved Kherington's smile and found it uplifting. Mary got emotional as she told the couple how much she loved it. Nigel said Kherington flowed, had grace and had beauty. He also noticed that on a simple step, the couple breathed together and felt the music together.
Comfort & Chris: Comfort said she loved that Chris is so humble and he said the best thing about her is that she's versatile. He said the worst thing is that she talks fast, and she said the worst thing is that he sweats a lot. The couple pulled a krump routine with Lil' C, which forced Chris to call upon his inner tough guy. Mia said she's a huge fan of Lil C's work and said she's a huge fan of Comfort. She said she could tell Chris worked really hard because he pulled it off. Mary said Comfort could've "hit it harder" and that Chris was outshined by her. Nigel told Chris, "My granny is more gangsta than you." He also said he expected "far more" from Comfort than he got.
Chelsea & Thayne: The dancers' intros would include a video bit on what their partners' best and worst qualities are about each other. Thayne said Chelsea is always positive and she said he's always smiling and in a good mood. On the bad side, he said she falls asleep too much and she said he's too superstitious. The couple picked a jazz routine with choreographer Mandy Moore. Mia said it was a great concept, but wasn't executed well at all. Mary agreed, saying she didn't believe the chemistry the way she did with the couple the previous week. Nigel, too, didn't like it and spent much of the time knocking their wardrobe, which he emphasized was not their fault.
Chelsie & Mark: Mark said Chelsie's hair smells good and she complimented his quirkiness. On the flip side, she said he's quiet and reserved while she's kind of loud. He said she's like a pesky little sister and hits him. The couple pulled the Argentine tango with choreographer Alex Da Silva. At the end of the dance, host Cat Deeley helped Chelsie get her pinky toe back in her shoe. Mia said she loved Chelsie and Mark and said she "adores" them. Mary said she loved everything about the dance. Nigel pretended like he was going to put a damper on all the praise, but he didn't. He said he loved it but thought Chelsie could have been a bit "sleazier," which is what the dance calls for.
Jessica & Will: Will said the best thing about Jessica is her joyful personality, and Jessica said his best feature is that he's so focused and professional. She added that sometimes he's too serious and he said that she suffers internal battles that make her question her ability. The couple pulled a hip hop routine with choreographers Cicily and Olisa. Mia said the choreography "is ridiculous," which she meant as a good thing. She said Jessica wasn't believable and it was like she wasn't on the stage; then she called Will a genius. Mary agreed, saying Will is a force to be reckoned with. Nigel gave Jessica a bit of a pass saying that he thought she did a good job. He reiterated that he thought Will would be in or near the final.
Kourtni & Matt: Matt said his favorite feature about Kourtni is her eyes, and she said the best thing about him is that he always compliments her. She said the worst thing about Matt is his singing, but he said the worst thing about her is that she doesn't have an ear for good singing. The couple that survived elimination last week pulled the foxtrot with choreographer Jean-Marc Genereux. Mia called the dance "great, old Hollywood elegance." She said Matt was fantastic, but that the only time Kourtni feels strong is when her leg is in the air. Mary loved the choreography but the rest was a mixed bag. She didn't like the footwork from either of the dancers because she expected better and said she was "slightly disappointed." Nigel said he wasn't disappointed, but he said it was a bit of a fake performance.
Courtney & Gev: Courtney said the best thing about Gev is that he's really strong, and he said the best thing about her is that she's really pretty while the worst thing is that she's got a boyfriend. She said the worst thing about Gev is that he's short, which makes them both look pretty short. They pulled a contemporary piece by Mandy Moore. Mia said Courtney did a good job but she is going to start expecting more from her. She was "so proud" of Gev. Mary screamed that she loved it and their chemistry is "killer" together. Nigel liked it overall, but said the emotional wasn't there.
Katee & Joshua: Katee said her favorite thing about Joshua is that he's a caring partner. He said he loved her smile, which makes him smile. She said the worst thing about Joshua is that he's always nit-picking her, and he doesn't like this sort of hands-behind-her-head dance she does when killing time. The couple picked a Broadway dance with Tice D'Orio. Nigel jumped out of his chair and started replaying some of the steps, shouting, "That's what I've been waiting for tonight!" He said it was "entertainment at its best." Mary said she loved it, very enthusiastically. Mia said there wasn't much more to add, but she said she wouldn't be surprised to see Joshua in the top four.
Susie & Marquis: Marquis said that Susie's best feature is that she always has energy and she said she loves that Marquis is that he's a goofball. She said the worst thing about him is that he is constantly eating, which gives him bad breath when they dance close. He said the worst thing about her is that her wild hair always smacks him in the face. They pulled a salsa with choreographer Alex Da Silva. Susie cried when she overheard Alex saying that she's "not really a salsa dancer, she's more of a street salsa dancer." Mia said she loved the choreography but wasn't crazy about the performance, saying Marquis was too much. She said Susie was hot but she didn't meet the high expectations. Mary said it wasn't working for her, either. She said they had no chemistry. Nigel said there were too many mistakes and that it wasn't fiery enough.
Kherington & Twitch: Twitch said he enjoys Kherington's reassuring positivity, and she said the best thing about him is that he's really muscular and she knows he won't drop her. Twitch said the worst thing about Kherington is her strong legs, because she's always accidentally kicking him. She said the worst thing about Twitch is that he wears fake glasses (frames that have no lenses). They pulled the Viennese waltz, choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux. He had a unique connection to the song, which was inspired by his daughter, who has lost all her motor skills. Mia said she loved the whole essence of it, but said she found Kherington's constant smile was "a little glossy." This caused a bit of a stir as Nigel jumped in and said he loved Kherington's smile and found it uplifting. Mary got emotional as she told the couple how much she loved it. Nigel said Kherington flowed, had grace and had beauty. He also noticed that on a simple step, the couple breathed together and felt the music together.
Comfort & Chris: Comfort said she loved that Chris is so humble and he said the best thing about her is that she's versatile. He said the worst thing is that she talks fast, and she said the worst thing is that he sweats a lot. The couple pulled a krump routine with Lil' C, which forced Chris to call upon his inner tough guy. Mia said she's a huge fan of Lil C's work and said she's a huge fan of Comfort. She said she could tell Chris worked really hard because he pulled it off. Mary said Comfort could've "hit it harder" and that Chris was outshined by her. Nigel told Chris, "My granny is more gangsta than you." He also said he expected "far more" from Comfort than he got.
Wed, Jun 18, 2008
After a slamming hip hop routine to open the show -- it ended with Gev holding a headstand for what seemed like five minutes, and host Cat Deeley couldn't even throw him off by tickling his ribs -- it was time to eliminate two more dancers on "So You Think You Can Dance?"
As usual, the bottom three couples would be asked to perform individual routines in their own styles, with the judges making the final decision on which guy and which girl would go home. Guest judge Mia Michaels again joined regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.
To the results: After those quick introductions, Cat brought the first three couples to the stage to hear their results. The first up for judgment was Katee & Joshua, who were safe after the judges loved their performance and the viewers seemed to agree. Up next were Kherington & Twitch and Chelsea & Thayne. Kherington & Twitch wowed the judges, for the most part, with their moving Viennese waltz, while the judges didn't seem to buy the passion delivered by Chelsea & Thayne. The first couple into the bottom three was Chelsea & Thayne. Kherington & Twitch were safe. Mia said she wasn't surprised by the vote at all, and knew that Chelsea and Thayne weren't surprised, either.
The next set of three couples came on to the stage, and the first to get results was Chelsie & Mark, whose tango had the judges in a good mood. They were safe. Up next were Kourtni & Matt, who left the judges with a lukewarm reaction, and Jessica & Will, who got some lopsided reviews from the judges. They loved Will but didn't think Jessica kept up. Cat got a little playful, announcing, "The second couple in the bottom three is ... not you, Kourtni & Matt." While that couple celebrated and Will & Jessica got sad, she surprised them by announcing, "Jessica and Will ... it's not you either!" It was a mini-riot as all four dancers jumped into a group hug and ran wildly off stage to join the other safe couples.
Seriously, this time: The next couple on the block was Susie & Marquis, whose salsa wasn't spicy enough for the judges. They became the second couple in the bottom three. Mary said the couple had a tough time on Wednesday, which can happen to anyone on this show. That meant the final couple in the bottom three would be either Comfort & Chris or Courtney & Gev. First, Comfort & Chris, who krumped and had the judges giving Chris a bit of a hard time, with Nigel telling Chris, "My granny is more gangsta than you." Courtney & Gev got somewhat mixed results from the judges. But what did the voters think? Chris & Comfort got the bad news, that they were the final couple in the bottom three. Nigel said this couple has "never really had a go of it yet." He said it would be good to see them do "what they do and why they're here."
Special guest:After the bottom six dancers were finalized, Cat introduced guest dancer Timo Nunez, whom she called the America's Number 1 flamenco dancer (umm, did he win a reality show for that title, or what?).
To the solos: Chelsea was the first perform her solo, a contemporary piece that showed some nice movement. Thayne kicked off his contemporary bit with a front flip and offered some more big jumps. Susie looked to heat up the stage with her Latin flair, followed by Marquis, whose bit was all about big movements and body control. Comfort hit the stage hard with her krumping and hip hop combination. Chris' modern dance was nice, but would it be enough to save him? The judges left to deliberate over which guy and which girl would go home.
Another guest: Flo Rida stopped by to perform his song, "In the Air."
The verdict is in: Nigel told a heartwarming story about how whomever would be sent home could still be a winner despite being a loser. Nigel first asked Chelsea to step forward and told her that she really needs to step up, but that, for this night, she was safe. He next told Susie that she's not lighting up the stage anymore. He then called upon Comfort and told her she has never found her potential on the show, but that perhaps the opening dance of the results show started her back on the right track -- and that was why they decided to keep her. That meant Susie was going home.
Next up were the guys, and Nigel noted that the three "contemporary boys" were standing in the bottom three. Nigel told Thayne he's got a lot of potential. He told Marquis that the judges were worried that everything he did in his solo was "tricks, and not dance," and the judges all felt that isn't what the show is about. Nigel then pointed out that he's asked Chris to bring his personality out and that he's "most certainly doing that" and that he danced with a great deal of passion. In the end, it was Marquis going home.
As usual, the bottom three couples would be asked to perform individual routines in their own styles, with the judges making the final decision on which guy and which girl would go home. Guest judge Mia Michaels again joined regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.
To the results: After those quick introductions, Cat brought the first three couples to the stage to hear their results. The first up for judgment was Katee & Joshua, who were safe after the judges loved their performance and the viewers seemed to agree. Up next were Kherington & Twitch and Chelsea & Thayne. Kherington & Twitch wowed the judges, for the most part, with their moving Viennese waltz, while the judges didn't seem to buy the passion delivered by Chelsea & Thayne. The first couple into the bottom three was Chelsea & Thayne. Kherington & Twitch were safe. Mia said she wasn't surprised by the vote at all, and knew that Chelsea and Thayne weren't surprised, either.
The next set of three couples came on to the stage, and the first to get results was Chelsie & Mark, whose tango had the judges in a good mood. They were safe. Up next were Kourtni & Matt, who left the judges with a lukewarm reaction, and Jessica & Will, who got some lopsided reviews from the judges. They loved Will but didn't think Jessica kept up. Cat got a little playful, announcing, "The second couple in the bottom three is ... not you, Kourtni & Matt." While that couple celebrated and Will & Jessica got sad, she surprised them by announcing, "Jessica and Will ... it's not you either!" It was a mini-riot as all four dancers jumped into a group hug and ran wildly off stage to join the other safe couples.
Seriously, this time: The next couple on the block was Susie & Marquis, whose salsa wasn't spicy enough for the judges. They became the second couple in the bottom three. Mary said the couple had a tough time on Wednesday, which can happen to anyone on this show. That meant the final couple in the bottom three would be either Comfort & Chris or Courtney & Gev. First, Comfort & Chris, who krumped and had the judges giving Chris a bit of a hard time, with Nigel telling Chris, "My granny is more gangsta than you." Courtney & Gev got somewhat mixed results from the judges. But what did the voters think? Chris & Comfort got the bad news, that they were the final couple in the bottom three. Nigel said this couple has "never really had a go of it yet." He said it would be good to see them do "what they do and why they're here."
Special guest:After the bottom six dancers were finalized, Cat introduced guest dancer Timo Nunez, whom she called the America's Number 1 flamenco dancer (umm, did he win a reality show for that title, or what?).
To the solos: Chelsea was the first perform her solo, a contemporary piece that showed some nice movement. Thayne kicked off his contemporary bit with a front flip and offered some more big jumps. Susie looked to heat up the stage with her Latin flair, followed by Marquis, whose bit was all about big movements and body control. Comfort hit the stage hard with her krumping and hip hop combination. Chris' modern dance was nice, but would it be enough to save him? The judges left to deliberate over which guy and which girl would go home.
Another guest: Flo Rida stopped by to perform his song, "In the Air."
The verdict is in: Nigel told a heartwarming story about how whomever would be sent home could still be a winner despite being a loser. Nigel first asked Chelsea to step forward and told her that she really needs to step up, but that, for this night, she was safe. He next told Susie that she's not lighting up the stage anymore. He then called upon Comfort and told her she has never found her potential on the show, but that perhaps the opening dance of the results show started her back on the right track -- and that was why they decided to keep her. That meant Susie was going home.
Next up were the guys, and Nigel noted that the three "contemporary boys" were standing in the bottom three. Nigel told Thayne he's got a lot of potential. He told Marquis that the judges were worried that everything he did in his solo was "tricks, and not dance," and the judges all felt that isn't what the show is about. Nigel then pointed out that he's asked Chris to bring his personality out and that he's "most certainly doing that" and that he danced with a great deal of passion. In the end, it was Marquis going home.
Tue, Jun 24, 2008
It was down to eight couples Wednesday night on So You Think You Can Dance? as choreographer and general friend of the show Adam Shankman joined regular judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.
Mary said this would be the shows best year ever because at this point in past seasons they've generally had a better idea of who the front-runners are. Nigel took a moment to pay tribute to legendary dancer and actress Cyd Charisse, who died last week. He and Adam suggested that folks go rent some of her classic movies, including Singin' in the Rain (1952), The Band Wagon (1953), Silk Stockings (1957) and Brigadoon (1954). Nigel called her a remarkable woman and real star of dance.
Host Cat Deeley said each couple would say a bit out their partners before each dance.
Kherington & Twitch: Kherington said that something America doesn't know about Twitch is that he has a huge laugh, like a bear. Twitch said Kherington has a huge shopping problem, saying she's bought about 427 shoes, "easily," in the three weeks they've been on the show together. The couple pulled hip hop with choreographers Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo. Twitch worried the judges would be tougher on him because hip hop is his forte. Nigel said they're both brilliant dancers with a spirit and energy that goes beyond dancing, and praised the choreography. As he went to "list the negatives," he couldn't think of anything. Mary said Kherington stepped up to the plate and that Twitch "just killed it" in his own style. Adam said it was awesome, but gave some very minor suggestions for improvement in the future.
Courtney & Gev: Courtney said that Gev looked like a little girl when he was younger. Gev shared that Courtney is going to school for special needs students, which shows was a great person she is. Someone's got a crush. They pulled the rumba with choreography by Tony Merida and Melanie LaPatin. The sultry choreography "required" Gev to grab Courtney's butt and thighs, which he "begrudgingly" went along with. It was pretty smokin', and Courtney's barely-there (at least on one half) dress added to the spice factor. Nigel said he was very happy with the routine and said they make a fabulous couple. Mary thought it was great and praised Courtney for nailing some tough parts of the choreography. Adam said he "really, really loved it." Adam rambled on with very minor suggestions for future performances that eventually put Nigel and Mary to sleep.
Comfort & Chris: Comfort said about Chris that he's a big moocher when it comes to food. He said about Comfort that when she was younger, she was in a beauty pageant, which shows there's a softer side to Comfort. They pulled a jazz routine with choreographer Tice D'Orio, but Tice said he preferred to do "African jazz." Nigel wondered whether the couple should feel confident after their performance. He said the intensity of the dance didn't match the driving beat of the music ("The Beautiful People" by Marilyn Manson). Mary agreed, saying the best part was the very beginning "and then it just started to fall, for me." Adam said it was a giant performance piece and sometimes they were there and sometimes they weren't.
Jessica & Will: Will revealed about Jessica that she goes by the nickname of "Ariel," because she used to have very long red hair that looked like "The Little Mermaid." Jessica said that Will is an absolute gentleman whose momma raised right. They got a disco routine from choreographer Doriana Sanchez. Doriana said that Jessica was fooling around a bit too much and had to take it a little more seriously. Nigel said disco can appear to be very cheesy when you dance it badly, but he thought they dance it "very, very well," but that in a couple of parts they messed up. Still, "whatever the mistakes were, you carried them off." Mary agreed and noted that the routine was "incredibly difficult." She said they owned that routine and said she was proud of them. Adam said Jessica is a great dancer but has to stop getting in her own way with her lack of confidence.
Kourtni & Matt: Matt talked about Kourtni that she has a small tattoo on the back of her neck that reads, "... and so she would dance." Awww. Kourtni revealed that Matt has a ninja mask that he likes to wear. The couple got a contemporary routine and worked with first-time guest choreographer Sonya Tayeh, who said she's in love with the show. The routine was about a couple of cartoon characters who flirt with each other. Nigel said they showed every bit of technique that they've got. He said he'd still like to see Matt relax a bit more. Mary said there was "something weird" going on their routine, but she was buying it. Adam also praised their control and their bodies, and said he was mad at the wardrobe department for putting Kourtni in what he called a shopping bag.
Chelsea & Thayne: Chelsea told America that Thayne wanted to be a fashion designer and suggests things for Chelsea to wear. He said Chelsea is a flower thief, stealing flowers from gardens and hotel lobbies. They pulled the quickstep with choreographer Heather Smith. Nigel said it was a little too bouncy in places and that they didn't really show their personalities. He said it was "a much better attempt" than he thought it was going to be. He said they'd better get their solos ready. Dang! Mary said it was a difficult dance to pull off, and said it was "OK," which is pretty good. Mary took Chelsea off her "Hot Tamale Train" and said Thayne was just barely hanging on. Adam said they didn't look comfortable.
Chelsie & Mark: Chelsie said that Mark's pinkies are crooked, and that's something America might not know about him. He said Chelsie is a tomboy when she is not on stage. They pulled a hip hop routine by Napoleon and Tabitha. Cat dared Nigel to say something bad about the routine, which had the crowd roaring. He praised Napoleon and Tabitha, and told Chelsie that there was plenty of passion in her performance, which was something he knocked the week before. Mary agreed with Nigel, saying she really believed the struggle in their routine. Adam literally jumped out of his seat and shouted, "Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" He called them the couple to beat.
Katee & Joshua: Katee said America might think that Joshua is a tough guy, but he's really a softy. Joshua said that one thing America should know about Katee is that she screams a husky scream, "like a boy." They got the samba with choreographers Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin. Katee had to step out of her comfort zone to put forth the kind of sensual performance the samba demanded. She got the other half of Courtney's dress, but it was dyed purple (Courtney's was blue). Nigel said that what's so sexy about Katee is that she doesn't over-exaggerate her moves. Nigel then commented on Joshua's spandex pants and asked if he got "those buns from your daddy?" He asked Joshua's dad, who was in the crowd, to stand and show off the goods. Mary said it was hot and put them on her "Hot Tamale Train." Adam agreed with all of it and told Katee not to ever say she isn't pretty or sexy again.
Host Cat Deeley said each couple would say a bit out their partners before each dance.
Kherington & Twitch: Kherington said that something America doesn't know about Twitch is that he has a huge laugh, like a bear. Twitch said Kherington has a huge shopping problem, saying she's bought about 427 shoes, "easily," in the three weeks they've been on the show together. The couple pulled hip hop with choreographers Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo. Twitch worried the judges would be tougher on him because hip hop is his forte. Nigel said they're both brilliant dancers with a spirit and energy that goes beyond dancing, and praised the choreography. As he went to "list the negatives," he couldn't think of anything. Mary said Kherington stepped up to the plate and that Twitch "just killed it" in his own style. Adam said it was awesome, but gave some very minor suggestions for improvement in the future.
Courtney & Gev: Courtney said that Gev looked like a little girl when he was younger. Gev shared that Courtney is going to school for special needs students, which shows was a great person she is. Someone's got a crush. They pulled the rumba with choreography by Tony Merida and Melanie LaPatin. The sultry choreography "required" Gev to grab Courtney's butt and thighs, which he "begrudgingly" went along with. It was pretty smokin', and Courtney's barely-there (at least on one half) dress added to the spice factor. Nigel said he was very happy with the routine and said they make a fabulous couple. Mary thought it was great and praised Courtney for nailing some tough parts of the choreography. Adam said he "really, really loved it." Adam rambled on with very minor suggestions for future performances that eventually put Nigel and Mary to sleep.
Comfort & Chris: Comfort said about Chris that he's a big moocher when it comes to food. He said about Comfort that when she was younger, she was in a beauty pageant, which shows there's a softer side to Comfort. They pulled a jazz routine with choreographer Tice D'Orio, but Tice said he preferred to do "African jazz." Nigel wondered whether the couple should feel confident after their performance. He said the intensity of the dance didn't match the driving beat of the music ("The Beautiful People" by Marilyn Manson). Mary agreed, saying the best part was the very beginning "and then it just started to fall, for me." Adam said it was a giant performance piece and sometimes they were there and sometimes they weren't.
Jessica & Will: Will revealed about Jessica that she goes by the nickname of "Ariel," because she used to have very long red hair that looked like "The Little Mermaid." Jessica said that Will is an absolute gentleman whose momma raised right. They got a disco routine from choreographer Doriana Sanchez. Doriana said that Jessica was fooling around a bit too much and had to take it a little more seriously. Nigel said disco can appear to be very cheesy when you dance it badly, but he thought they dance it "very, very well," but that in a couple of parts they messed up. Still, "whatever the mistakes were, you carried them off." Mary agreed and noted that the routine was "incredibly difficult." She said they owned that routine and said she was proud of them. Adam said Jessica is a great dancer but has to stop getting in her own way with her lack of confidence.
Kourtni & Matt: Matt talked about Kourtni that she has a small tattoo on the back of her neck that reads, "... and so she would dance." Awww. Kourtni revealed that Matt has a ninja mask that he likes to wear. The couple got a contemporary routine and worked with first-time guest choreographer Sonya Tayeh, who said she's in love with the show. The routine was about a couple of cartoon characters who flirt with each other. Nigel said they showed every bit of technique that they've got. He said he'd still like to see Matt relax a bit more. Mary said there was "something weird" going on their routine, but she was buying it. Adam also praised their control and their bodies, and said he was mad at the wardrobe department for putting Kourtni in what he called a shopping bag.
Chelsea & Thayne: Chelsea told America that Thayne wanted to be a fashion designer and suggests things for Chelsea to wear. He said Chelsea is a flower thief, stealing flowers from gardens and hotel lobbies. They pulled the quickstep with choreographer Heather Smith. Nigel said it was a little too bouncy in places and that they didn't really show their personalities. He said it was "a much better attempt" than he thought it was going to be. He said they'd better get their solos ready. Dang! Mary said it was a difficult dance to pull off, and said it was "OK," which is pretty good. Mary took Chelsea off her "Hot Tamale Train" and said Thayne was just barely hanging on. Adam said they didn't look comfortable.
Chelsie & Mark: Chelsie said that Mark's pinkies are crooked, and that's something America might not know about him. He said Chelsie is a tomboy when she is not on stage. They pulled a hip hop routine by Napoleon and Tabitha. Cat dared Nigel to say something bad about the routine, which had the crowd roaring. He praised Napoleon and Tabitha, and told Chelsie that there was plenty of passion in her performance, which was something he knocked the week before. Mary agreed with Nigel, saying she really believed the struggle in their routine. Adam literally jumped out of his seat and shouted, "Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" He called them the couple to beat.
Katee & Joshua: Katee said America might think that Joshua is a tough guy, but he's really a softy. Joshua said that one thing America should know about Katee is that she screams a husky scream, "like a boy." They got the samba with choreographers Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin. Katee had to step out of her comfort zone to put forth the kind of sensual performance the samba demanded. She got the other half of Courtney's dress, but it was dyed purple (Courtney's was blue). Nigel said that what's so sexy about Katee is that she doesn't over-exaggerate her moves. Nigel then commented on Joshua's spandex pants and asked if he got "those buns from your daddy?" He asked Joshua's dad, who was in the crowd, to stand and show off the goods. Mary said it was hot and put them on her "Hot Tamale Train." Adam agreed with all of it and told Katee not to ever say she isn't pretty or sexy again.
Wed, Jun 25, 2008
After some kind of freakish group dance routine that's definitely going to cause some nightmares, it was time to find out which two contestants would be sent home on "So You Think You Can Dance?" on Thursday.
Host Cat Deeley handled the duties of introducing guest judge Adam Shankman, who again joined regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. Cat said it was time to get right to business and introduced the first three couples that would get news on whether they were still in the competition for $250,000 and a chance to perform in Las Vegas. The bottom three couples would perform solo routines before the judges decide which guy and which girl were out.
To the results: First up were Chelsea & Thayne, who saw highlights of their quickstep from Wednesday's show, which failed to impress the judges. Nigel even said the couple should "get their solos ready." Nigel was right, and Mary said that none of the judges were surprised that they were in the bottom three.
Next were Katee & Joshua, who danced a samba that had the judges fired up -- in a good way. Joshua said that when he saw they had to do a samba, he thought he'd have to work on his solo. He was wrong. They were safe. Chelsie & Mark, who performed a hip hop routine that had Adam jumping out of his chair, got the results next. Safe.
Kherington & Twitch, who opened Wednesday's show with a "Prison Break"-inspired hip hop dance that left Nigel with nothing negative to say, were safe. Courtney & Gev, whose rumba was smoking hot and had the judges heaping praise upon them, were also safe. That left Comfort & Chris, whose Tice D'orio jazz routine failed to connect with the judges. They got the news they were dreading, and fell into the bottom three. Adam said he wasn't surprised they were in the bottom three and said the lesson for them was that they have to invest more than just technique because the piece needed more than just dancing.
Two couples remained: Kourtni & Matt, who played comic strip characters in a contemporary dance choreographed by new guest choreographer Sonya Tayeh; and Jessica & Will, whose disco routine mostly pleased the judges. The final couple into the bottom three was ... Kourtni & Matt. Nigel said Kourtni had been sensational early in the process, but now he wasn't so sure. He said the other competitors have more of a twinkle in their eye than she has lately. To Matt, Nigel said he wasn't immersing himself into the roles he was being asked to play in his routines.
Be our guest: The dance group Quest, including "SYTYCD" alums Ryan, Dominic and Hok, stopped by to perform a pretty manic breakdancing and tumbling routine, complete with flips, handstands and backspins. Later, "American Idol" Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks performed her song, "One Step at a Time."
Flying solo: Chelsea was the first to go solo, doing a bit in her contemporary style. Thayne went next, busting out some Bon Jovi for a quick contemporary routine. Comfort, up next, was all about the swagger as she hit the stage hard with her popping. Chris spun around the floor for a while with his quick contemporary routine. Kourtni, another contemporary dancer, threw her heart into a rhythmic routine. Matt stayed light on his toes with his contemporary dance.
The verdict: Nigel had a message for all six dancers: They've all been in the bottom three at least twice or three times in the three weeks, and they have to find whatever it is they're missing. To the girls, Nigel didn't waste much time, asking Chelsea to step forward and immediately telling her it was the end of the road for her.
Turning to the guys, Nigel asked Matt to step forward and said, "I'm sorry, I keep hitting on you every week, and I can only apologize." He said Matt's solo was brilliant, and told him to go sit down. He was safe. After two chances, Chris ran out of chances and was sent home. That made for a partner switch for the first time all season, as Chris' departure left Thayne to dance with Comfort next week.
Host Cat Deeley handled the duties of introducing guest judge Adam Shankman, who again joined regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. Cat said it was time to get right to business and introduced the first three couples that would get news on whether they were still in the competition for $250,000 and a chance to perform in Las Vegas. The bottom three couples would perform solo routines before the judges decide which guy and which girl were out.
To the results: First up were Chelsea & Thayne, who saw highlights of their quickstep from Wednesday's show, which failed to impress the judges. Nigel even said the couple should "get their solos ready." Nigel was right, and Mary said that none of the judges were surprised that they were in the bottom three.
Next were Katee & Joshua, who danced a samba that had the judges fired up -- in a good way. Joshua said that when he saw they had to do a samba, he thought he'd have to work on his solo. He was wrong. They were safe. Chelsie & Mark, who performed a hip hop routine that had Adam jumping out of his chair, got the results next. Safe.
Kherington & Twitch, who opened Wednesday's show with a "Prison Break"-inspired hip hop dance that left Nigel with nothing negative to say, were safe. Courtney & Gev, whose rumba was smoking hot and had the judges heaping praise upon them, were also safe. That left Comfort & Chris, whose Tice D'orio jazz routine failed to connect with the judges. They got the news they were dreading, and fell into the bottom three. Adam said he wasn't surprised they were in the bottom three and said the lesson for them was that they have to invest more than just technique because the piece needed more than just dancing.
Two couples remained: Kourtni & Matt, who played comic strip characters in a contemporary dance choreographed by new guest choreographer Sonya Tayeh; and Jessica & Will, whose disco routine mostly pleased the judges. The final couple into the bottom three was ... Kourtni & Matt. Nigel said Kourtni had been sensational early in the process, but now he wasn't so sure. He said the other competitors have more of a twinkle in their eye than she has lately. To Matt, Nigel said he wasn't immersing himself into the roles he was being asked to play in his routines.
Be our guest: The dance group Quest, including "SYTYCD" alums Ryan, Dominic and Hok, stopped by to perform a pretty manic breakdancing and tumbling routine, complete with flips, handstands and backspins. Later, "American Idol" Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks performed her song, "One Step at a Time."
Flying solo: Chelsea was the first to go solo, doing a bit in her contemporary style. Thayne went next, busting out some Bon Jovi for a quick contemporary routine. Comfort, up next, was all about the swagger as she hit the stage hard with her popping. Chris spun around the floor for a while with his quick contemporary routine. Kourtni, another contemporary dancer, threw her heart into a rhythmic routine. Matt stayed light on his toes with his contemporary dance.
The verdict: Nigel had a message for all six dancers: They've all been in the bottom three at least twice or three times in the three weeks, and they have to find whatever it is they're missing. To the girls, Nigel didn't waste much time, asking Chelsea to step forward and immediately telling her it was the end of the road for her.
Turning to the guys, Nigel asked Matt to step forward and said, "I'm sorry, I keep hitting on you every week, and I can only apologize." He said Matt's solo was brilliant, and told him to go sit down. He was safe. After two chances, Chris ran out of chances and was sent home. That made for a partner switch for the first time all season, as Chris' departure left Thayne to dance with Comfort next week.
Tue, Jul 1, 2008
Host Cat Deeley promised at the outset that the final 14 dancers will face some changes and the competition would get more difficult for the final seven couples. She soon explained that each of the couples would have to dance twice for the first time this season.
Hip hop choreographers Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo served as guest judges, joining regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.
Jessica & Will: Jessica and Will provided the first dance of the night, which was the jive. It came complete with an impressive flip that left the crowd in awe, but the judges pointed out some technical flaws. Mary said there were a lot of missed connections and Nigel harped on Jessica a bit, saying that she was a little lazy with some of her movements. For their second dance, the couple got a jazz routine that included using a shirt as a prop. Tabitha made some remarks about loving watching Will dance without a shirt on, but said she also enjoyed the dancing. Napoleon said he felt like Jessica was holding Will down, after saying Will could go far in the competition. Mary said it was fire, saying they were both outstanding and put them both on the "Hot Tamale Train." Nigel praised Jessica for overcoming her own worries about her ability, and said "everyone will be picking up the telephone" to vote for that routine.
Comfort & Thayne: New partners Comfort and Thayne first performed a Broadway routine to "Cool" from "West Side Story." Tabitha said the new partners were a good match and that she was "lovin' it." Mary agreed that it was a "great new partnership." Nigel said the performance was meant to have big bursts of passion, and that "wasn't there." He said it wasn't good enough and that they would have been booed off Broadway. Comfort and Thayne's second dance was a waltz that was all about long lost loves. Napoleon said he wasn't a waltz expert, but he really enjoyed it. Tabitha said she wasn't crazy about Thayne. Mary said she is a waltz expert and she "loved it." Nigel agreed that it was great and said it was "tremendous."
Kourtni & Matt: Contemporary dancers Kourtni and Matt took on a hip hop routine that Tabitha thought they did OK with, but Napoleon chimed in by saying that it wouldn't have worked at a hip hop competition. Mary said that even though it was groovy and slow, it still should have made the judges feel something. She said she liked it, but didn't "feel" anything. Nigel said there was nothing to get a hold of and called it "hip hop on sleeping pills." Kourtni and Matt went from hip hop to mambo, which Kourtni called the hardest dance she's ever tried to do. Tabitha said she was hot and cold on it. Mary excitedly said Kourtni was hot, but as a couple the chemistry wasn't there. Nigel said it was a tough routine, but said it had to be sharper. To Matt, in particular, he said he needed to see better.
Chelsie & Mark: The first dance from Chelsie and Mark was a jazz routine that they were worried was a little fast. Tabitha praised the couple for being able to tell a story regardless of what they're given. Napoleon agreed, saying they perform together well. Mary sighed and acted like she was going to say something bad, but then shouted "I Just loved it!!!" Nigel said he didn't feel like it was fast because it just worked. For their second dance, Chelsie was at home with the foxtrot but had to help her partner Mark through it a bit. Chelsie wrapped up the dance with a feather in her mouth that she didn't let bother her a bit, which Tabitha enjoyed. Mary said there were some difficult moves, but they pulled off the routine. Nigel said Mark looked a little uncomfortable.
Kherington & Twitch: Kherington and Twitch first treated the crowd to a paso doble that was wild, dramatic and had the matador in Twitch coming out, according to Napoleon. Tabitha said it was a slow build and said Twitch couldn't embrace his character until halfway through. Mary said it was full of passion, but said it was "just OK" before relenting and saying she was entertained. Nigel said Twitch came up a little short. A contemporary routine from Mia Michaels was up next for Kherington and Twitch, whose routine included a mattress that they each took turns jumping on while tossing flowers in the air. Tabitha said it was "awesome, awesome, awesome..." and Napoleon loved the storytelling. Mary said Michaels outdid herself this time. She said "passion is a fever and I think mine just went up." Nigel said the couple was committed to the routine and said it was a thoroughly entertaining, then he put them in his top three couples.
Katee & Joshua: Katee said she'd been wanting to work with Mia Michaels for weeks, and now that she got her chance she didn't want to let her down. Joshua was speechless after the performance, getting almost emotional as he said, "It's just so much more than dancing." Tabitha said she loved every bit of it, and Napoleon agreed that Joshua and Katee "just get it." Mary loved it and said the couple has yet to miss this season. She praised Katee, in particular. Nigel said it was a routine that is simple in look, but really difficult to do and it proved that Joshua and Katee are one of the few couples that will make this season outstanding. For their second dance, Katee and Joshua took on the west coast swing. Tabitha said it was a fun little number. Mary said she enjoyed it very much. Nigel praised Joshua and Katee for their ability to adapt to styles.
Courtney & Gev: Courtney was excited about doing hip hop, but Gev was nervous about trying the east coast style. Dressed in matching Eli Manning jerseys, they hit the stage hard, but Napoleon worried that Gev didn't keep up with Courtney. Tabitha, too, said Gev's hits were bouncy but she was "feeling" Courtney. Mary agreed that Gev didn't hit it hard enough, but Courtney was impressive. Nigel said it was more funky than hip hop and it felt like "Cinderella getting ugly." A Broadway routine was up next for Courtney and Gev. Napoleon praised Gev for getting into his character and said he might have found his niche. Mary said it worked and said Courtney and Gev could find themselves in the finals. Nigel said they gave it all they could give, and that was good enough for him.
Hip hop choreographers Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo served as guest judges, joining regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.
Jessica & Will: Jessica and Will provided the first dance of the night, which was the jive. It came complete with an impressive flip that left the crowd in awe, but the judges pointed out some technical flaws. Mary said there were a lot of missed connections and Nigel harped on Jessica a bit, saying that she was a little lazy with some of her movements. For their second dance, the couple got a jazz routine that included using a shirt as a prop. Tabitha made some remarks about loving watching Will dance without a shirt on, but said she also enjoyed the dancing. Napoleon said he felt like Jessica was holding Will down, after saying Will could go far in the competition. Mary said it was fire, saying they were both outstanding and put them both on the "Hot Tamale Train." Nigel praised Jessica for overcoming her own worries about her ability, and said "everyone will be picking up the telephone" to vote for that routine.
Comfort & Thayne: New partners Comfort and Thayne first performed a Broadway routine to "Cool" from "West Side Story." Tabitha said the new partners were a good match and that she was "lovin' it." Mary agreed that it was a "great new partnership." Nigel said the performance was meant to have big bursts of passion, and that "wasn't there." He said it wasn't good enough and that they would have been booed off Broadway. Comfort and Thayne's second dance was a waltz that was all about long lost loves. Napoleon said he wasn't a waltz expert, but he really enjoyed it. Tabitha said she wasn't crazy about Thayne. Mary said she is a waltz expert and she "loved it." Nigel agreed that it was great and said it was "tremendous."
Kourtni & Matt: Contemporary dancers Kourtni and Matt took on a hip hop routine that Tabitha thought they did OK with, but Napoleon chimed in by saying that it wouldn't have worked at a hip hop competition. Mary said that even though it was groovy and slow, it still should have made the judges feel something. She said she liked it, but didn't "feel" anything. Nigel said there was nothing to get a hold of and called it "hip hop on sleeping pills." Kourtni and Matt went from hip hop to mambo, which Kourtni called the hardest dance she's ever tried to do. Tabitha said she was hot and cold on it. Mary excitedly said Kourtni was hot, but as a couple the chemistry wasn't there. Nigel said it was a tough routine, but said it had to be sharper. To Matt, in particular, he said he needed to see better.
Chelsie & Mark: The first dance from Chelsie and Mark was a jazz routine that they were worried was a little fast. Tabitha praised the couple for being able to tell a story regardless of what they're given. Napoleon agreed, saying they perform together well. Mary sighed and acted like she was going to say something bad, but then shouted "I Just loved it!!!" Nigel said he didn't feel like it was fast because it just worked. For their second dance, Chelsie was at home with the foxtrot but had to help her partner Mark through it a bit. Chelsie wrapped up the dance with a feather in her mouth that she didn't let bother her a bit, which Tabitha enjoyed. Mary said there were some difficult moves, but they pulled off the routine. Nigel said Mark looked a little uncomfortable.
Kherington & Twitch: Kherington and Twitch first treated the crowd to a paso doble that was wild, dramatic and had the matador in Twitch coming out, according to Napoleon. Tabitha said it was a slow build and said Twitch couldn't embrace his character until halfway through. Mary said it was full of passion, but said it was "just OK" before relenting and saying she was entertained. Nigel said Twitch came up a little short. A contemporary routine from Mia Michaels was up next for Kherington and Twitch, whose routine included a mattress that they each took turns jumping on while tossing flowers in the air. Tabitha said it was "awesome, awesome, awesome..." and Napoleon loved the storytelling. Mary said Michaels outdid herself this time. She said "passion is a fever and I think mine just went up." Nigel said the couple was committed to the routine and said it was a thoroughly entertaining, then he put them in his top three couples.
Katee & Joshua: Katee said she'd been wanting to work with Mia Michaels for weeks, and now that she got her chance she didn't want to let her down. Joshua was speechless after the performance, getting almost emotional as he said, "It's just so much more than dancing." Tabitha said she loved every bit of it, and Napoleon agreed that Joshua and Katee "just get it." Mary loved it and said the couple has yet to miss this season. She praised Katee, in particular. Nigel said it was a routine that is simple in look, but really difficult to do and it proved that Joshua and Katee are one of the few couples that will make this season outstanding. For their second dance, Katee and Joshua took on the west coast swing. Tabitha said it was a fun little number. Mary said she enjoyed it very much. Nigel praised Joshua and Katee for their ability to adapt to styles.
Courtney & Gev: Courtney was excited about doing hip hop, but Gev was nervous about trying the east coast style. Dressed in matching Eli Manning jerseys, they hit the stage hard, but Napoleon worried that Gev didn't keep up with Courtney. Tabitha, too, said Gev's hits were bouncy but she was "feeling" Courtney. Mary agreed that Gev didn't hit it hard enough, but Courtney was impressive. Nigel said it was more funky than hip hop and it felt like "Cinderella getting ugly." A Broadway routine was up next for Courtney and Gev. Napoleon praised Gev for getting into his character and said he might have found his niche. Mary said it worked and said Courtney and Gev could find themselves in the finals. Nigel said they gave it all they could give, and that was good enough for him.
Wed, Jul 2, 2008
After a wild opening Broadway routine choreographed by Tice D'Orio, it was time to cut two more contestants on Thursday's episode of "So You Think You Can Dance?" But first, viewers were treated to a montage of D'Orio ripping into dancers during the earliest audition rounds.
To the results: Soon, host Cat Deeley called for the first two couples to come to center stage. Twitch & Kherington were the first two to hear their results, after a recap of their performances from Wednesday. Twitch didn't get great support from the judges on the couple's paso doble, but they loved Kherington & Twitch's contemporary routine.
Before getting their results, Joshua & Katee's Wednesday performances were recapped. The judges loved virtually everything they did. Cat teased both couples, asking, "Which of you are the first in danger tonight?" She told Joshua and Katee, "it's not you." Then, after a pause, she told Kherington and Twitch, "it's not you, either!" There was much jumping, cheering and celebration. But that meant that three of the remaining five couples were in trouble. Who would they be?
Next to the stage were Kourtni & Matt were reminded of how the judges didn't really buy their hip hop routine, especially Nigel's quip that it was "like hip hop on sleeping pills." The mambo didn't serve them much better. Cat read the result and told them they were the first couple in the bottom three for the third consecutive week. Guest judge Tabitha Dumo said she was disappointed because she felt good about Kourtni, and co-guest judge Napoleon said he felt the same way about Matt.
Courtney & Gev and Chelsie & Mark were the two couples remaining. Courtney and Gev saw a recap of how the judges thought Courtney outshined Gev in their hip hop routine. The judges were more impressed with their Broadway performance. Chelsie & Mark had blown the judges away with their jazz routine, and equally impressed with their foxtrot. So, who was in danger? Courtney and Gev fell to the bottom three. Judge Nigel Lythgoe first joked that "they're little people and I don't think America likes little dancers." In seriousness, he said it didn't mean they were going home and said it was "no big deal" and whether they stayed in the competition depended on their solos.
Two couples remained: Comfort & Thayne and Jessica & Will. Comfort and Thayne's first performance together was just decent and Nigel said they would have been booed off Broadway. Their waltz got more favorable reviews from the judges. Jessica and Will got some of their best reviews of the season, but the judges still thought Jessica wasn't holding her own in their first performance. The final couple in the bottom three was Comfort & Thayne. Judge Mary Murphy forgave them for being a new couple and said they had both been huge assets to the show.
Be our guest: Cat introduced Robert Moraine, one of the most impressive poppers from this season's auditions who gave up in the Las Vegas because the variety of dancers were too much for him to handle, gave another awesome popping performance. Nigel said he enjoyed it, but wanted to see a dance battle between Robert and Phillip Chbeeb from Season 3. Robert accepted the challenge and Cat suggested it might happen during the season finale. Later, One Republic, whose first-ever TV appearance was on "So You Think You Can Dance?" last season, performed their new song, "Say (All I Need)," from their debut album "Dreaming Out Loud."
To the solos: The six dancers in danger had to dance for their lives. Kourtni, Matt, Courtney and Gev were up first. Kourtni and Matt's solos were comparable to what they'd done in the similar position the previous two weeks. Courtney and Gev gave more stunning performances, including Gev's jumps into a backspin three times. Finally, Comfort and Thayne gave their solos. Comfort's seems to lack the energy she'd shown in the past and Thayne gave a more complete performance to Queen's "I Want to Break Free."
The verdicts are: Nigel began the reading of the final results by saying that in seven seasons of running "American Idol" and three-plus seasons of judging on "So You Think You Can Dance?" he's never really care as much for the contestants as he does this season. He said he was looking forward to a couple of weeks from now, when America takes over the decision of who stays and who goes. "Tonight is really tough, we are not unanimous," he said. He asked Courtney Galiano to step forward and told her she was safe. Nigel then asked Comfort to step forward and told her she didn't get his vote because he didn't think her solo was strong enough. But she got other votes and remained in the competition. That meant Kourtni Lind was going home.
For the guys, Nigel asked Gev to step forward and said the judges were "absolutely delighted" and "thrilled" with his solo. He was safe. Nigel then told Thayne and Matt that the decision between them was difficult, but unanimous. He told Matt that he started the competition at a high level, but didn't improve and that was why he was going home.
To the results: Soon, host Cat Deeley called for the first two couples to come to center stage. Twitch & Kherington were the first two to hear their results, after a recap of their performances from Wednesday. Twitch didn't get great support from the judges on the couple's paso doble, but they loved Kherington & Twitch's contemporary routine.
Before getting their results, Joshua & Katee's Wednesday performances were recapped. The judges loved virtually everything they did. Cat teased both couples, asking, "Which of you are the first in danger tonight?" She told Joshua and Katee, "it's not you." Then, after a pause, she told Kherington and Twitch, "it's not you, either!" There was much jumping, cheering and celebration. But that meant that three of the remaining five couples were in trouble. Who would they be?
Next to the stage were Kourtni & Matt were reminded of how the judges didn't really buy their hip hop routine, especially Nigel's quip that it was "like hip hop on sleeping pills." The mambo didn't serve them much better. Cat read the result and told them they were the first couple in the bottom three for the third consecutive week. Guest judge Tabitha Dumo said she was disappointed because she felt good about Kourtni, and co-guest judge Napoleon said he felt the same way about Matt.
Courtney & Gev and Chelsie & Mark were the two couples remaining. Courtney and Gev saw a recap of how the judges thought Courtney outshined Gev in their hip hop routine. The judges were more impressed with their Broadway performance. Chelsie & Mark had blown the judges away with their jazz routine, and equally impressed with their foxtrot. So, who was in danger? Courtney and Gev fell to the bottom three. Judge Nigel Lythgoe first joked that "they're little people and I don't think America likes little dancers." In seriousness, he said it didn't mean they were going home and said it was "no big deal" and whether they stayed in the competition depended on their solos.
Two couples remained: Comfort & Thayne and Jessica & Will. Comfort and Thayne's first performance together was just decent and Nigel said they would have been booed off Broadway. Their waltz got more favorable reviews from the judges. Jessica and Will got some of their best reviews of the season, but the judges still thought Jessica wasn't holding her own in their first performance. The final couple in the bottom three was Comfort & Thayne. Judge Mary Murphy forgave them for being a new couple and said they had both been huge assets to the show.
Be our guest: Cat introduced Robert Moraine, one of the most impressive poppers from this season's auditions who gave up in the Las Vegas because the variety of dancers were too much for him to handle, gave another awesome popping performance. Nigel said he enjoyed it, but wanted to see a dance battle between Robert and Phillip Chbeeb from Season 3. Robert accepted the challenge and Cat suggested it might happen during the season finale. Later, One Republic, whose first-ever TV appearance was on "So You Think You Can Dance?" last season, performed their new song, "Say (All I Need)," from their debut album "Dreaming Out Loud."
To the solos: The six dancers in danger had to dance for their lives. Kourtni, Matt, Courtney and Gev were up first. Kourtni and Matt's solos were comparable to what they'd done in the similar position the previous two weeks. Courtney and Gev gave more stunning performances, including Gev's jumps into a backspin three times. Finally, Comfort and Thayne gave their solos. Comfort's seems to lack the energy she'd shown in the past and Thayne gave a more complete performance to Queen's "I Want to Break Free."
The verdicts are: Nigel began the reading of the final results by saying that in seven seasons of running "American Idol" and three-plus seasons of judging on "So You Think You Can Dance?" he's never really care as much for the contestants as he does this season. He said he was looking forward to a couple of weeks from now, when America takes over the decision of who stays and who goes. "Tonight is really tough, we are not unanimous," he said. He asked Courtney Galiano to step forward and told her she was safe. Nigel then asked Comfort to step forward and told her she didn't get his vote because he didn't think her solo was strong enough. But she got other votes and remained in the competition. That meant Kourtni Lind was going home.
For the guys, Nigel asked Gev to step forward and said the judges were "absolutely delighted" and "thrilled" with his solo. He was safe. Nigel then told Thayne and Matt that the decision between them was difficult, but unanimous. He told Matt that he started the competition at a high level, but didn't improve and that was why he was going home.
Tue, Jul 8, 2008
Host Cat Deeley reminds viewers that the final six couples will be competing for a place in "your" Top10. We're introduced to the final 12 dancers, followed by judges Mia Michaels, Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythegoe.
Chelsie & Mark: Up first for the couple is an Alex Da Silva-choreographed salsa (mmm, salsa), featuring tricks Chelsie thinks are "insane." Nigel says it was a "great routine to open the show," praised the footwork of both dancers and makes a thinly veiled and disturbing erection reference. The routine "worked" for Mary, who singled out Chelsie as "phenomenal." Mia thought the routing was "smoking-hot," but thought Mark was awkward. Routine No. 2 was a Broadway number by Tyce Diorio which Nigel thought was hotter than Las Vegas. Mary raved that it was bluesy and sultry, though Mia was lukewarm on both dancers.
Comfort & Thayne: Starting with a hip-hop number choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo, Thayne fears he will look a "major white boy." Nigel thought the couple performed the moves capably but didn't think the two add of their personality and predicted we will again see them in the bottom three. Mary didn't think there was any chemistry and Mia was worried neither is doing enough to stay in the competition. The couple went contemporary for its second routine, with Nigel thinking Mandy Moore's choreography was better than the dancers. Mary didn't find it believable, and Mia liked Thayne far more than Comfort.
Jessica & Will: The couples first routine was put together by Tyce Diorio, a contemporary number the choreographer believed "says the Garden of Eden" and both dancers seemed to like. Nigel thought the pair had a connection the previous two lacked, Mary called it "one of the most amazing pieces Ive ever seen on the show" and Mia added it was "perfect moving body art". Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin choreographed the couple's second dance, a quickstep ballroom number which seemed to terrify both dancers in rehearsal. Nigel was a fan of the routine but didn't care for the quickstep aspects of the performance. Ballroom expert Mary said it was "very heavy" and was glad the pair had a good first number to fall back on. Mia thought Jessica regressed and believed Will looked tired of having to carry the couple.
Courtney & Gev: The couple's first dance was a cha-cha-cha to Rihanna's annoyingly catchy "Don't Stop the Music." Nigel thought it was "brilliant" and "great fun to watch," Mary screeched that "it was magic" and Mia called it "fabulousity at its best." A Jazz routine by Mandy Moore was next for the couple. Nigel called it "cotton candy" (not a compliment), but Mary loved the routine and both dancers. Mia thought the couple "had a great night."
Kherington & Twitch: Lil C put together a "super buck" (his words) krump dance with the issue seeming to be whether Kherington will be able to locate said buckness. Nigel thought Kherington did a "damn good job" but thought the couple lost it at the end. Mia thought it was "dirty, and disgusting, and nasty, and ugly, and stank" which, of course, meant she loved it. A tango by Jean-Marc Genereux was the couple's second dance, a number Twitch compared in rehearsal to the Pitt-Jolie fight scene in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." Nigel didn't think the performance was honest, and thought both dancers looked uncomfortable. Mary hated the middle of the routine, particularly the turns, and Mia didn't find either dancer committed.
Katee & Joshua: The couple performs a Jean-Marc Genereux waltz during which Joshua is supposed to be a ghost Katee can feel but not see. (Plus Katee tells us there are "mucho lifts.") Joshua was "too bouncy" for Nigel but the judge liked the rest of the dance. Mary questioned the Viennese execution but thought the lifts made up for technical shortcomings. Mia liked Katee, who she feels is "meant to dance," more than Joshua. One of the tougher challenges of the night came with the show's final dance, a Nakul Dev Mahajan-choreographed Bollywood routine neither dancer seemed to get during rehearsal. Nigel talked primarily about the cultural significance of having Indian dance on the show, Mary called the pair "stars tonight" and Mia thought it was a lot of fun.
Chelsie & Mark: Up first for the couple is an Alex Da Silva-choreographed salsa (mmm, salsa), featuring tricks Chelsie thinks are "insane." Nigel says it was a "great routine to open the show," praised the footwork of both dancers and makes a thinly veiled and disturbing erection reference. The routine "worked" for Mary, who singled out Chelsie as "phenomenal." Mia thought the routing was "smoking-hot," but thought Mark was awkward. Routine No. 2 was a Broadway number by Tyce Diorio which Nigel thought was hotter than Las Vegas. Mary raved that it was bluesy and sultry, though Mia was lukewarm on both dancers.
Comfort & Thayne: Starting with a hip-hop number choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo, Thayne fears he will look a "major white boy." Nigel thought the couple performed the moves capably but didn't think the two add of their personality and predicted we will again see them in the bottom three. Mary didn't think there was any chemistry and Mia was worried neither is doing enough to stay in the competition. The couple went contemporary for its second routine, with Nigel thinking Mandy Moore's choreography was better than the dancers. Mary didn't find it believable, and Mia liked Thayne far more than Comfort.
Jessica & Will: The couples first routine was put together by Tyce Diorio, a contemporary number the choreographer believed "says the Garden of Eden" and both dancers seemed to like. Nigel thought the pair had a connection the previous two lacked, Mary called it "one of the most amazing pieces Ive ever seen on the show" and Mia added it was "perfect moving body art". Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin choreographed the couple's second dance, a quickstep ballroom number which seemed to terrify both dancers in rehearsal. Nigel was a fan of the routine but didn't care for the quickstep aspects of the performance. Ballroom expert Mary said it was "very heavy" and was glad the pair had a good first number to fall back on. Mia thought Jessica regressed and believed Will looked tired of having to carry the couple.
Courtney & Gev: The couple's first dance was a cha-cha-cha to Rihanna's annoyingly catchy "Don't Stop the Music." Nigel thought it was "brilliant" and "great fun to watch," Mary screeched that "it was magic" and Mia called it "fabulousity at its best." A Jazz routine by Mandy Moore was next for the couple. Nigel called it "cotton candy" (not a compliment), but Mary loved the routine and both dancers. Mia thought the couple "had a great night."
Kherington & Twitch: Lil C put together a "super buck" (his words) krump dance with the issue seeming to be whether Kherington will be able to locate said buckness. Nigel thought Kherington did a "damn good job" but thought the couple lost it at the end. Mia thought it was "dirty, and disgusting, and nasty, and ugly, and stank" which, of course, meant she loved it. A tango by Jean-Marc Genereux was the couple's second dance, a number Twitch compared in rehearsal to the Pitt-Jolie fight scene in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." Nigel didn't think the performance was honest, and thought both dancers looked uncomfortable. Mary hated the middle of the routine, particularly the turns, and Mia didn't find either dancer committed.
Katee & Joshua: The couple performs a Jean-Marc Genereux waltz during which Joshua is supposed to be a ghost Katee can feel but not see. (Plus Katee tells us there are "mucho lifts.") Joshua was "too bouncy" for Nigel but the judge liked the rest of the dance. Mary questioned the Viennese execution but thought the lifts made up for technical shortcomings. Mia liked Katee, who she feels is "meant to dance," more than Joshua. One of the tougher challenges of the night came with the show's final dance, a Nakul Dev Mahajan-choreographed Bollywood routine neither dancer seemed to get during rehearsal. Nigel talked primarily about the cultural significance of having Indian dance on the show, Mary called the pair "stars tonight" and Mia thought it was a lot of fun.
Wed, Jul 9, 2008
Host Cat Deeley is decked out ominously in black as she welcomes us to the show and tells us the judges will have to eliminate one more guy and one more girl.
We open with a modest Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo routine featuring all 12 dancers wearing jackets which turn out to be glow-in-the-dark. Cat explains that three couples with have to dance for their show lives and were introduced to Mia Michaels, Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.
Results Time, First Four: The first couple up for judgment is Comfort & Thayne, and we're reminded how mediocre the judges' responses had been to them. Katee & Joshua's look back was more positive, especially given that they had been on Mary's "Hot Tamale Train."
Comfort and Thayne are the first couple in the bottom three, while Kat and Joshua are congratulated by the host for being safe this week. Mia thinks it was "inevitable" that Comfort and Thayne are there and that the couple isn't hearing what America is telling them. Mia does say she would like them to return for next week.
Results Time, Second Four: We remember how well Jessica and Will's first routine was received by the judges, though their second number was a little light on the technique. Both of Chelsie and Mark's routines went over well the previous night.
Cat can tell us that one of two pairs is in our bottom three. Chelsie and Mark, it's . . . . not you. So Jessica and Will are going to have to dance later on (ah, duh). Mary's "heart is aching" to see Jessica and Will having to come back later in the show, having loved the couple's first routine and finding Will generally "magnificent." She tells the pair she will "fight for them" if the need arises.
Results Time, Third Four: Courtney & Gev's cha-cha-cha had Mary in hysterics, with their second routine almost equally well-received as well. Kherington and Twitch started with a krump, which the judges (especially Mia) loved. Their second dance? Not so much.
Kherington and Twitch, "it's you" in the bottom six, Cat tells us less dramatically than this recapper would have liked. Nigel thinks that is evidence nobody is safe, given that Kherington and Twitch have been favorites of the public. It's all about consistency, he says, and adds he thinks they'll probably be safe this week.
Guest Dance: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (three shirtless dudes) performs its "Revelations" routine, consisting of a series of individual dances to that cool song from the end of "Thomas Crown Affair."
Solos: White-hoodied Comfort is first with an uptempo hip-hop deal, followed by breeze-shooting with Cat on the edge of the stage. Thayne follows with a slower, more technical-looking dance. For some of us, Jessica's cleavage during her spinning routine helps make up for the earlier shirtless dudes. Will is sans shirt (sigh) and fires off a routine over the top of some tribal music, managing to leap off the stage towards the young ladies in the front row.
After the break, Kherington does a leaping, prancing ballet thing then tells us that it would "like, mean the whole world" if she were able to stay on. The final soloist is Twitch, who break dances in jeans and tails and gets cut off before fully showing us a Superman-like 'T' logo he had waiting on an undershirt.
Verdict: Following Katy Perry singing "I Kissed A Girl," Nigel brings Kherington forward, tells us "she has grown" and that she can sit down. Comfort and Jessica are left, and Nigel tells us he's had his mind changed tonight. He says Comfort "brought it" with her solo, and the judges were disappointed with Jessica's. He adds, though, that Jessica seems to come up with one great routine every week and because of that fact the judges have decided to keep her . . . "this week."
After the requisite trip down Comfort Lane, Twitch is brought forward first. Nigel thinks Twitch being in the bottom three "wakes everybody up" but adds we "certainly can't lose him at this stage of the competition." He thinks Will would not be out of place with the Alvin Ailey boys and that therefore we also "certainly" couldn't lose him tonight. Thayne is therefore obviously out, but Nigel tells us that this week was a case where the judges would like to have kept all three boys and canned two of the girls. Are you listening, Jessica?
We open with a modest Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo routine featuring all 12 dancers wearing jackets which turn out to be glow-in-the-dark. Cat explains that three couples with have to dance for their show lives and were introduced to Mia Michaels, Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe.
Results Time, First Four: The first couple up for judgment is Comfort & Thayne, and we're reminded how mediocre the judges' responses had been to them. Katee & Joshua's look back was more positive, especially given that they had been on Mary's "Hot Tamale Train."
Comfort and Thayne are the first couple in the bottom three, while Kat and Joshua are congratulated by the host for being safe this week. Mia thinks it was "inevitable" that Comfort and Thayne are there and that the couple isn't hearing what America is telling them. Mia does say she would like them to return for next week.
Results Time, Second Four: We remember how well Jessica and Will's first routine was received by the judges, though their second number was a little light on the technique. Both of Chelsie and Mark's routines went over well the previous night.
Cat can tell us that one of two pairs is in our bottom three. Chelsie and Mark, it's . . . . not you. So Jessica and Will are going to have to dance later on (ah, duh). Mary's "heart is aching" to see Jessica and Will having to come back later in the show, having loved the couple's first routine and finding Will generally "magnificent." She tells the pair she will "fight for them" if the need arises.
Results Time, Third Four: Courtney & Gev's cha-cha-cha had Mary in hysterics, with their second routine almost equally well-received as well. Kherington and Twitch started with a krump, which the judges (especially Mia) loved. Their second dance? Not so much.
Kherington and Twitch, "it's you" in the bottom six, Cat tells us less dramatically than this recapper would have liked. Nigel thinks that is evidence nobody is safe, given that Kherington and Twitch have been favorites of the public. It's all about consistency, he says, and adds he thinks they'll probably be safe this week.
Guest Dance: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (three shirtless dudes) performs its "Revelations" routine, consisting of a series of individual dances to that cool song from the end of "Thomas Crown Affair."
Solos: White-hoodied Comfort is first with an uptempo hip-hop deal, followed by breeze-shooting with Cat on the edge of the stage. Thayne follows with a slower, more technical-looking dance. For some of us, Jessica's cleavage during her spinning routine helps make up for the earlier shirtless dudes. Will is sans shirt (sigh) and fires off a routine over the top of some tribal music, managing to leap off the stage towards the young ladies in the front row.
After the break, Kherington does a leaping, prancing ballet thing then tells us that it would "like, mean the whole world" if she were able to stay on. The final soloist is Twitch, who break dances in jeans and tails and gets cut off before fully showing us a Superman-like 'T' logo he had waiting on an undershirt.
Verdict: Following Katy Perry singing "I Kissed A Girl," Nigel brings Kherington forward, tells us "she has grown" and that she can sit down. Comfort and Jessica are left, and Nigel tells us he's had his mind changed tonight. He says Comfort "brought it" with her solo, and the judges were disappointed with Jessica's. He adds, though, that Jessica seems to come up with one great routine every week and because of that fact the judges have decided to keep her . . . "this week."
After the requisite trip down Comfort Lane, Twitch is brought forward first. Nigel thinks Twitch being in the bottom three "wakes everybody up" but adds we "certainly can't lose him at this stage of the competition." He thinks Will would not be out of place with the Alvin Ailey boys and that therefore we also "certainly" couldn't lose him tonight. Thayne is therefore obviously out, but Nigel tells us that this week was a case where the judges would like to have kept all three boys and canned two of the girls. Are you listening, Jessica?
Tue, Jul 15, 2008
"Finally," host Cat Deeley tells us, we're down the final ten. Cat adds that now America's voting will be the only factor in who advances and who is cut.
Before we get going, Jessica comes out and informs Cat that she has broken a few of her ribs and is out of the competition. Left with an odd number of female dancers, the show has decided to bring back the recently booted Comfort for tonight's show.
Cat introduces us to tonight's judges Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and Lil' C, adding again that the threesome no longer has to make any cuts, with only the public's vote deciding future eliminations. The couples have been changed at random, with the girls drawing a new guy from a hat. Also, since the public will be voting on its favorite individuals, everybody will be dancing a solo during the show.
Courtney & Joshua: Hip hop choreographer Dave Scott puts together a Bride of Frankenstein routine that had Joshua "excited" and Courtney happy she had Joshua as a partner. Lil' C thought Joshua "killed it" and seemed pleasantly surprised with Courtney. Mary thought Joshua stole the show, finding Courtney "just respectable."
Solo: Chelsie does a rather uneventful spinning routine to Rihanna's "Pon de Replay." (It doesn't look as if we'll be getting any judge feedback on the solos.)
Kherington & Mark: Drawing a country two-step, both seem overwhelmed during rehearsal by the number of steps thrown at them by dance champions Ronnie DeBenedetta and Brandi Tobias. An underwhelmed Lil' C thought it was a "fun routine," Mary basically said the dance was too tough for the dancers and Nigel thought they were both "out of sorts."
Solo: Gev gets his breakdance on to Lupe Fiasco. Foot-holding and one-armed handstands follow.
Comfort & Twitch: The first task for the phoenix-like Comfort is a Hunter Johnson-designed smooth waltz. Lil' C wasn't blown away, calling it "respectable," while Mary apologized before saying "it lacked power" and was "choppy." Nigel didn't think the performance was strong enough for the Top 10.
Solo: Courtney is out on stage next, jumping and spinning around on the floor to "I Want You To Need Me" by Celine Dion.
Katee & Will: The pair draws a Broadway number choreographed by Tyce Diorio which has the pair dancing around and in a prop boat. "Explosive" was how Lil' C found it, adding that they (sigh) "rocked his boat." After breaking my television with a giddy scream, Mary said she loved them both. Nigel said "it was terrific" and called them the most technical dancers left on the show.
Solo: Mark dances incredibly oddly to "Bohemian Rhapsody" from Queen.
Chelsie & Gev: Sonya Tayeh puts together a contemporary routine that had Gev "definitely nervous" in rehearsal, but feeling more prepared. Lil' C thought the pair committed (good thing), Mary "believed it" and Nigel got what he hoped for.
Solo: Comfort's second consecutive last week (did I say that?) is half over with some hip hop moves to "Need A Boss" by Shareefa.
Solo: Twitch explores the stage rather impressively to Wade Robson's "I Question Mark."
Courtney & Joshua: Courtney said the pair "was in shock" when they first saw the sexual rumba Jean-Marc Genereux had choreographed for them. Lil' C "might need his asthma pump" he was so excited, Mary thought they did a "fantastic" job with a genre even professionals struggle with and Nigel trailed off after raving about Joshua.
Solo: Katee's spinning and prancing to Maxwell's "This Woman's Work" seems to be relatively well-received by the studio audience.
Kherington & Mark: Tyce Diorio says the jazz routine he choreographed is designed to showcasing style and technique. The pair's routine (with Jamiroquai's "Canned Heat," music from 'the' Napoleon Dynamite scene) was "good" for Lil' C and didn't make Mary feel anything. Nigel thought it was like a driving test in that it checked off the elements but was devoid of heart or passion.
Solo: Will is dancing to Luther Vandross, starting on his knees off stage before a balletish few seconds across and around the theater.
Comfort & Twitch: Dave Scott is back with a futuristic hip hop routine. Twitch thinks that the match-up will be "tremendous," given that they each love to play to the crowd. Both dancers are excited given their familiarity with the style. It was "kind of buck" for Lil' C, comparing Twitch to Scott himself and thinking Comfort was the best she's ever been. Mary loved both, going as far as bowing to Twitch, and Nigel found it "brilliant."
Solo: Another uneventful solo with Kherington moving and grooving to Rihanna's "Breakin' Dishes."
Katee & Will: Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden choreographed a pas de deux (thanks Google) ballet for the pair, a routine that challenges the elasticity of Katee's legs. Will said in rehearsal that the dance should come with a warning. The couple's performance (danced to the cavity-inducing David Archuleta) was full of "conviction and fervor" for Lil' C. A visibly emotional Mary thought Katee was "flawless." Nigel spends a ton of time complimenting the choreographers, eventually saying the pair was just shy of perfect.
Solo:Michael Jackson's "Jam" is Joshua's choice, and a few jaw-dropping hip hop moves make it easily the most visually impressive of the solos.
Chelsie & Gev: Our last routine is a jive routine choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux. Gev is "excited" and Chelsie goes on a limb to say they will make it the "best jive routine so far . . . hopefully." Lil' C said Chelsie was the better of the two and Mary thought they did a terrific job, agreeing that Chelsie stole the show. Nigel emphasized that Chelsie "was outstanding" and that Gev was somewhat inconsistent.
Before we get going, Jessica comes out and informs Cat that she has broken a few of her ribs and is out of the competition. Left with an odd number of female dancers, the show has decided to bring back the recently booted Comfort for tonight's show.
Cat introduces us to tonight's judges Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and Lil' C, adding again that the threesome no longer has to make any cuts, with only the public's vote deciding future eliminations. The couples have been changed at random, with the girls drawing a new guy from a hat. Also, since the public will be voting on its favorite individuals, everybody will be dancing a solo during the show.
Courtney & Joshua: Hip hop choreographer Dave Scott puts together a Bride of Frankenstein routine that had Joshua "excited" and Courtney happy she had Joshua as a partner. Lil' C thought Joshua "killed it" and seemed pleasantly surprised with Courtney. Mary thought Joshua stole the show, finding Courtney "just respectable."
Solo: Chelsie does a rather uneventful spinning routine to Rihanna's "Pon de Replay." (It doesn't look as if we'll be getting any judge feedback on the solos.)
Kherington & Mark: Drawing a country two-step, both seem overwhelmed during rehearsal by the number of steps thrown at them by dance champions Ronnie DeBenedetta and Brandi Tobias. An underwhelmed Lil' C thought it was a "fun routine," Mary basically said the dance was too tough for the dancers and Nigel thought they were both "out of sorts."
Solo: Gev gets his breakdance on to Lupe Fiasco. Foot-holding and one-armed handstands follow.
Comfort & Twitch: The first task for the phoenix-like Comfort is a Hunter Johnson-designed smooth waltz. Lil' C wasn't blown away, calling it "respectable," while Mary apologized before saying "it lacked power" and was "choppy." Nigel didn't think the performance was strong enough for the Top 10.
Solo: Courtney is out on stage next, jumping and spinning around on the floor to "I Want You To Need Me" by Celine Dion.
Katee & Will: The pair draws a Broadway number choreographed by Tyce Diorio which has the pair dancing around and in a prop boat. "Explosive" was how Lil' C found it, adding that they (sigh) "rocked his boat." After breaking my television with a giddy scream, Mary said she loved them both. Nigel said "it was terrific" and called them the most technical dancers left on the show.
Solo: Mark dances incredibly oddly to "Bohemian Rhapsody" from Queen.
Chelsie & Gev: Sonya Tayeh puts together a contemporary routine that had Gev "definitely nervous" in rehearsal, but feeling more prepared. Lil' C thought the pair committed (good thing), Mary "believed it" and Nigel got what he hoped for.
Solo: Comfort's second consecutive last week (did I say that?) is half over with some hip hop moves to "Need A Boss" by Shareefa.
Solo: Twitch explores the stage rather impressively to Wade Robson's "I Question Mark."
Courtney & Joshua: Courtney said the pair "was in shock" when they first saw the sexual rumba Jean-Marc Genereux had choreographed for them. Lil' C "might need his asthma pump" he was so excited, Mary thought they did a "fantastic" job with a genre even professionals struggle with and Nigel trailed off after raving about Joshua.
Solo: Katee's spinning and prancing to Maxwell's "This Woman's Work" seems to be relatively well-received by the studio audience.
Kherington & Mark: Tyce Diorio says the jazz routine he choreographed is designed to showcasing style and technique. The pair's routine (with Jamiroquai's "Canned Heat," music from 'the' Napoleon Dynamite scene) was "good" for Lil' C and didn't make Mary feel anything. Nigel thought it was like a driving test in that it checked off the elements but was devoid of heart or passion.
Solo: Will is dancing to Luther Vandross, starting on his knees off stage before a balletish few seconds across and around the theater.
Comfort & Twitch: Dave Scott is back with a futuristic hip hop routine. Twitch thinks that the match-up will be "tremendous," given that they each love to play to the crowd. Both dancers are excited given their familiarity with the style. It was "kind of buck" for Lil' C, comparing Twitch to Scott himself and thinking Comfort was the best she's ever been. Mary loved both, going as far as bowing to Twitch, and Nigel found it "brilliant."
Solo: Another uneventful solo with Kherington moving and grooving to Rihanna's "Breakin' Dishes."
Katee & Will: Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden choreographed a pas de deux (thanks Google) ballet for the pair, a routine that challenges the elasticity of Katee's legs. Will said in rehearsal that the dance should come with a warning. The couple's performance (danced to the cavity-inducing David Archuleta) was full of "conviction and fervor" for Lil' C. A visibly emotional Mary thought Katee was "flawless." Nigel spends a ton of time complimenting the choreographers, eventually saying the pair was just shy of perfect.
Solo:Michael Jackson's "Jam" is Joshua's choice, and a few jaw-dropping hip hop moves make it easily the most visually impressive of the solos.
Chelsie & Gev: Our last routine is a jive routine choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux. Gev is "excited" and Chelsie goes on a limb to say they will make it the "best jive routine so far . . . hopefully." Lil' C said Chelsie was the better of the two and Mary thought they did a terrific job, agreeing that Chelsie stole the show. Nigel emphasized that Chelsie "was outstanding" and that Gev was somewhat inconsistent.
Wed, Jul 16, 2008
After a reminder from host Cat Deeley that the fans have chosen who will go home tonight, we're off and running for an elimination Thursday night.
The show kicks off with a Bollywood group dance choreographed by Nakul Dev Mahajan. Cat then tells us three of the show's choreographers, Shane Sparks, Wade Robson and Mandy Moore, have been nominated for Emmy Awards based on their work for the show, along with the show's makeup team. We're losing two dancers tonight and for the first time in the season our judges - this week Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and Lil C - will have no input.
Following a recap of Wednesday night we get the second of what will be three group dances, the five girls performing a contemporary routine choreographed by Mia Michaels. It is a slow, dark and dramatic number, performed to Celine Dion's version of "Ave Maria."
We're now going to learn via Cat the names of the bottom two girls, with both having to perform solos later. First up is Chelsie, who is . . . not the first dancer in that bottom duo. Next is Comfort, brought back because of an injury to Jessica despite being voted off the week before. "Are you one of bottom two girls?" Cat asks. "Yes, you are," comes the answer. Katee, the judge-wowing machine, is the next to face Cat (although this re-capper isn't sure why we're bothering). "You are safe," Cat tells her.
That leaves Courtney and Kherington as the final two girls on stage. "After last nights vote, Courtney . . . its not you." (Curse you, Cat. This heart can't take suspense like that.) So that's it: Either Comfort or Kherington will be gone tonight.
Our last group dance is just the guys; the fivesome performing a dance put together by what Cat tells us is "a mystery choreographer." The guys are in sneakers, tanks and jogging pants doing a Broadway-ish routine to "Five Guys Named Moe" by Joe Jackson. "Any guesses?" Cat asks us, before revealing that it was our very own English super-producer and judge, Nigel Lythgoe.
Joshua is the first of the guys to face Cat's delicious den of drama, hearing that "yes, you are" safe tonight. Will also receives good news, joining Joshua in safety offstage. We could "possibly" be losing Mark tonight, as Cat tells him he is in the bottom two.
The result being Gev and Twitch will be battling for our final safe slot. "After last nights vote, the dancer safe is . . . Twitch." So, either Mark or Gev will be going home in a few minutes.
Despite not counting for anything, the show is going to give the bottom four dancers a chance to show off their stuff in solo dances. Comfort is half-decent, though she pathetically continues dancing at least four seconds after her song ends. Mark's solo is prancey and all over the place, though I'm probably biased since he was dancing to that atrocious "Black Betty" song. After the break Kherington does nothing of note, though Gev followed with a few strength-based moves that were almost unbelievable in their difficulty.
It's finally elimination time and the ladies are first. "The girl who polled the fewest votes . . . and is leaving us tonight . . . is . . . Kherington." A rather surprising result, and the crowd is audibly shocked by announcement. Even Comfort herself can be heard repeatedly saying "What?" into Kherington's ear as the pair hugs.
Grab your beta-blockers, Cats about to pregnant pause her way through the guys' elimination announcement: "The guy who polled the fewest votes and is leaving us tonight . . . is . . . Gev."
With Gev and Kherington gone, we're down to eight.
The show kicks off with a Bollywood group dance choreographed by Nakul Dev Mahajan. Cat then tells us three of the show's choreographers, Shane Sparks, Wade Robson and Mandy Moore, have been nominated for Emmy Awards based on their work for the show, along with the show's makeup team. We're losing two dancers tonight and for the first time in the season our judges - this week Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and Lil C - will have no input.
Following a recap of Wednesday night we get the second of what will be three group dances, the five girls performing a contemporary routine choreographed by Mia Michaels. It is a slow, dark and dramatic number, performed to Celine Dion's version of "Ave Maria."
We're now going to learn via Cat the names of the bottom two girls, with both having to perform solos later. First up is Chelsie, who is . . . not the first dancer in that bottom duo. Next is Comfort, brought back because of an injury to Jessica despite being voted off the week before. "Are you one of bottom two girls?" Cat asks. "Yes, you are," comes the answer. Katee, the judge-wowing machine, is the next to face Cat (although this re-capper isn't sure why we're bothering). "You are safe," Cat tells her.
That leaves Courtney and Kherington as the final two girls on stage. "After last nights vote, Courtney . . . its not you." (Curse you, Cat. This heart can't take suspense like that.) So that's it: Either Comfort or Kherington will be gone tonight.
Our last group dance is just the guys; the fivesome performing a dance put together by what Cat tells us is "a mystery choreographer." The guys are in sneakers, tanks and jogging pants doing a Broadway-ish routine to "Five Guys Named Moe" by Joe Jackson. "Any guesses?" Cat asks us, before revealing that it was our very own English super-producer and judge, Nigel Lythgoe.
Joshua is the first of the guys to face Cat's delicious den of drama, hearing that "yes, you are" safe tonight. Will also receives good news, joining Joshua in safety offstage. We could "possibly" be losing Mark tonight, as Cat tells him he is in the bottom two.
The result being Gev and Twitch will be battling for our final safe slot. "After last nights vote, the dancer safe is . . . Twitch." So, either Mark or Gev will be going home in a few minutes.
Despite not counting for anything, the show is going to give the bottom four dancers a chance to show off their stuff in solo dances. Comfort is half-decent, though she pathetically continues dancing at least four seconds after her song ends. Mark's solo is prancey and all over the place, though I'm probably biased since he was dancing to that atrocious "Black Betty" song. After the break Kherington does nothing of note, though Gev followed with a few strength-based moves that were almost unbelievable in their difficulty.
It's finally elimination time and the ladies are first. "The girl who polled the fewest votes . . . and is leaving us tonight . . . is . . . Kherington." A rather surprising result, and the crowd is audibly shocked by announcement. Even Comfort herself can be heard repeatedly saying "What?" into Kherington's ear as the pair hugs.
Grab your beta-blockers, Cats about to pregnant pause her way through the guys' elimination announcement: "The guy who polled the fewest votes and is leaving us tonight . . . is . . . Gev."
With Gev and Kherington gone, we're down to eight.
Tue, Jul 22, 2008
Just two weeks away from the finale, eight contestants remained on Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance?" Four girls and four guys continued in the competition for the title of America's favorite dancer. The dancers picked new partners and routines out of a hat for this round of the competition. Every couple would perform twice and every dancer would perform a solo. Translation: Fox has two hours to fill!
Guest judge Toni Basil (of "Mickey" fame) joined regulars Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy. She got a chance to plug her current projects, working with Bette Midler on her Las Vegas show and Tina Turner on her tour.
Will & Courtney: Will picked Courtney's name out of a hat and they got hip-hop and samba for their routines. First was the samba, which required Will to loosen his hips a little more than he was used to. Courtney got a well deserved scream from Mary and Toni said she had so much fun watching the routine that she actually forgot she was judging.
Before his solo later, Will said he was first inspired to dance by Patrick Swayze in "Dirty Dancing." Courtney said she started dancing when she was 3 and she didn't want to stop by the time her senior year came around. So she didn't. And now she's on the show.
For their slow hip-hop routine with Napoleon and Tabitha, the theme was a chance to turn back time and spend someone they love. Nigel said he was effected emotionally by the routine and said that anybody who has lost anybody in their lives would have felt it. Mary said she holds really high expectations and she said, "unfortunately, tonight you didn't meet my expectations." Before a dramatic pause, she reached her trademark shout, saying, "You blew my expectations away!" Toni said that street dancing isn't just "kids' stuff," and said she was glad to see it was happening on the show.
Mark & Comfort: Comfort, who shockingly stayed in the competition last week, was the first to perform a solo. She said she got into dancing to hang with her brothers and that she was fortunate to get just a bit of formal training in performing arts school. Mark said he was inspired to dance while growing up in Hawaii after watching "The Phantom of the Opera."
Later, Mark pulled Comfort's name from the hat and they drew foxtrot and hip-hop for their dances. The first was hip-hop, choreographed by Tabitha & Napoleon. It included a pretty cool lift into a backward flip that Comfort did over Mar's shoulders. Nigel said Comfort dances better in choreography than in her solos. He said he was more surprised by how good Mark was. Mary told Comfort she hit it and praised Mark, saying he "nailed it." Toni said she loved it and knew how hard Tabitha and Napoleon's work can be because she takes classes with them.
For their foxtrot, Mark played a down-on-his-luck guy and Comfort played "Lady Luck," which is appropriate, given the several chances she's had on the show. Nigel said "Lady Luck" walked out of the room on this one. He said they were thinking too hard and lost their chemistry, making it "slightly amateurish." Mary said it was tough and said it included one of the worst close holds she's ever seen. Toni was equally harsh on the couple, but encouraged voters to remember their hip-hop routine, which she loved.
Twitch & Katee: Twitch pulled Katee's name out of a hat and they grabbed contemporary and Broadway for their routines. They pair had known each other before doing the show and their contemporary routine by Mia Michaels gave Katee a chance to kick and punch Twitch, which he said was actually kind of hot. Twitch's character in the performance was so suave as the guy trying to get rid of his ex-girlfriend that Cat threatened to punch him in the face. Nigel said the performance was extraordinary. Mary said they were two of the best dancers in the competition. Toni enjoyed that it was seamless between the funk and contemporary styles.
Before her solo, Katee said her parents put her in dance because she used to walk around the house only on her toes. Cat said Twitch was a late bloomer when it came to dancing, then he explained that he didn't start dancing until seriously until his senior year in high school and appeared in some dance videos in South Korea.
For their Broadway routine, Twitch and Katee did a number from "Sweet Georgia Brown," which Katee sought Twitch's affections to no avail. Nigel said he loved the routine and said he could actually see both dancers doing it on Broadway. He praised Twitch for rising to the occasion every week, despite probably being the least trained dancer in the competition. Mary said it was terrific. Toni said Twitch brought a more organic feel to a Broadway style performance than many highly trained Broadway dancers do. She said she would've liked seeing a more gruff performance from Katee.
Joshua & Chelsie: Joshua picked Chelsie's name and they drew Argentine tango and disco. Tango choreographer Dmitry Chaplin wanted the couple to revive the 1920s, when the dance was forbidden was and done only in underground clubs. Nigel said it was probably the most technical of all the routines, so far. He complimented Chelsie on the use of her legs and said the choreography made the most of each dancer's strengths. Mary praised Joshua for embracing the moves and she told Chelsie it was sexier than the one she did earlier in the competition and said they had great chemistry together.
Before her solo, Chelsie said she first started dancing in elementary school as a social thing, to get over her shyness and get some friends. Before his solo, Joshua thanked a school teacher who first inspired him to audition for a school musical despite the fact that he danced in school so much that it got him in trouble.
Rehearsing for their disco routine, Joshua and Chelsie tried to master a complicated lift that choreographer Dorianna Sanchez said she's been trying to get done for four years. Nigel said it was all remarkable and praised Joshua for pulling off the lifts and gave Chelsie compliments for having the courage to do them. Mary, too, said Chelsie did a great job in landing from the many lifts. Toni said they pulled together the spirit of disco, which was really important.
Guest judge Toni Basil (of "Mickey" fame) joined regulars Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy. She got a chance to plug her current projects, working with Bette Midler on her Las Vegas show and Tina Turner on her tour.
Will & Courtney: Will picked Courtney's name out of a hat and they got hip-hop and samba for their routines. First was the samba, which required Will to loosen his hips a little more than he was used to. Courtney got a well deserved scream from Mary and Toni said she had so much fun watching the routine that she actually forgot she was judging.
Before his solo later, Will said he was first inspired to dance by Patrick Swayze in "Dirty Dancing." Courtney said she started dancing when she was 3 and she didn't want to stop by the time her senior year came around. So she didn't. And now she's on the show.
For their slow hip-hop routine with Napoleon and Tabitha, the theme was a chance to turn back time and spend someone they love. Nigel said he was effected emotionally by the routine and said that anybody who has lost anybody in their lives would have felt it. Mary said she holds really high expectations and she said, "unfortunately, tonight you didn't meet my expectations." Before a dramatic pause, she reached her trademark shout, saying, "You blew my expectations away!" Toni said that street dancing isn't just "kids' stuff," and said she was glad to see it was happening on the show.
Mark & Comfort: Comfort, who shockingly stayed in the competition last week, was the first to perform a solo. She said she got into dancing to hang with her brothers and that she was fortunate to get just a bit of formal training in performing arts school. Mark said he was inspired to dance while growing up in Hawaii after watching "The Phantom of the Opera."
Later, Mark pulled Comfort's name from the hat and they drew foxtrot and hip-hop for their dances. The first was hip-hop, choreographed by Tabitha & Napoleon. It included a pretty cool lift into a backward flip that Comfort did over Mar's shoulders. Nigel said Comfort dances better in choreography than in her solos. He said he was more surprised by how good Mark was. Mary told Comfort she hit it and praised Mark, saying he "nailed it." Toni said she loved it and knew how hard Tabitha and Napoleon's work can be because she takes classes with them.
For their foxtrot, Mark played a down-on-his-luck guy and Comfort played "Lady Luck," which is appropriate, given the several chances she's had on the show. Nigel said "Lady Luck" walked out of the room on this one. He said they were thinking too hard and lost their chemistry, making it "slightly amateurish." Mary said it was tough and said it included one of the worst close holds she's ever seen. Toni was equally harsh on the couple, but encouraged voters to remember their hip-hop routine, which she loved.
Twitch & Katee: Twitch pulled Katee's name out of a hat and they grabbed contemporary and Broadway for their routines. They pair had known each other before doing the show and their contemporary routine by Mia Michaels gave Katee a chance to kick and punch Twitch, which he said was actually kind of hot. Twitch's character in the performance was so suave as the guy trying to get rid of his ex-girlfriend that Cat threatened to punch him in the face. Nigel said the performance was extraordinary. Mary said they were two of the best dancers in the competition. Toni enjoyed that it was seamless between the funk and contemporary styles.
Before her solo, Katee said her parents put her in dance because she used to walk around the house only on her toes. Cat said Twitch was a late bloomer when it came to dancing, then he explained that he didn't start dancing until seriously until his senior year in high school and appeared in some dance videos in South Korea.
For their Broadway routine, Twitch and Katee did a number from "Sweet Georgia Brown," which Katee sought Twitch's affections to no avail. Nigel said he loved the routine and said he could actually see both dancers doing it on Broadway. He praised Twitch for rising to the occasion every week, despite probably being the least trained dancer in the competition. Mary said it was terrific. Toni said Twitch brought a more organic feel to a Broadway style performance than many highly trained Broadway dancers do. She said she would've liked seeing a more gruff performance from Katee.
Joshua & Chelsie: Joshua picked Chelsie's name and they drew Argentine tango and disco. Tango choreographer Dmitry Chaplin wanted the couple to revive the 1920s, when the dance was forbidden was and done only in underground clubs. Nigel said it was probably the most technical of all the routines, so far. He complimented Chelsie on the use of her legs and said the choreography made the most of each dancer's strengths. Mary praised Joshua for embracing the moves and she told Chelsie it was sexier than the one she did earlier in the competition and said they had great chemistry together.
Before her solo, Chelsie said she first started dancing in elementary school as a social thing, to get over her shyness and get some friends. Before his solo, Joshua thanked a school teacher who first inspired him to audition for a school musical despite the fact that he danced in school so much that it got him in trouble.
Rehearsing for their disco routine, Joshua and Chelsie tried to master a complicated lift that choreographer Dorianna Sanchez said she's been trying to get done for four years. Nigel said it was all remarkable and praised Joshua for pulling off the lifts and gave Chelsie compliments for having the courage to do them. Mary, too, said Chelsie did a great job in landing from the many lifts. Toni said they pulled together the spirit of disco, which was really important.
Wed, Jul 23, 2008
Thursday night's episode of "So You Think You Can Dance?" spelled the end of the road for two more dancers who pulled in the lowest number of votes. The opening dance was a cool, futuristic hip-hop looking deal that was pretty captivating. Guest judge Toni Basil's speech about how she got into dancing, not so much. Host Cat Deeley asked Basil to talk about how much of a challenge it is for the dancers to learn all the different styles they have to know on the show and Basil's response was, essentially, that there are all kinds of dance and you'll never be able to master them.
And now, this message...: Judge and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe rode the voting wave by asking everyone who is eligible to vote in the United States -- which he isn't -- to vote in the Presidential election. He said he was asked to make the case for voting by DeclareYourself.org, and encouraged people to register to vote online.
To the results: Cat got right down to business, asking Katee to come to the stage. A recap of her performances from Wednesday, which the judges pretty much loved, included Nigel telling Katee, "There isn't one routine that you have done this season that I haven't enjoyed you doing." The verdict? Katee was safe.
Cat asked Will to come to the stage and a montage of his performances rolled on the screen. The judges showered him with some more praise, with Nigel saying he was emotionally touched by his and Courtney's slow hip-hop routine. The crowd also went nuts for the James Brown revival Will did as his solo. Cat announced that Will was one of the two guys in the bottom.
Comfort, who came back into the competition two weeks ago after being cut because Jessica suffered a season-ending injury, was next to come on stage for results. The judges loved her hip-hop routine with Mark, but absolutely hated the foxtrot. No big surprise here as Comfort landed among the bottom two girls. That left Courtney and Chelsie to wait for word on which of them would also be in the bottom two.
Comfort's partner Mark was up next. The judges' remarks and the highlights for him were about the same as Comfort's. But would the result be any different? Yes. Mark was safe, and completely stunned when Cat made the announcement. That left Joshua and Twitch vying for one last safe spot among the guys.
Four down, two to go: Cat asked Chelsie to come to the stage next, and the highlight reel reminded viewers that the judges absolutely loved her Argentine tango and disco routines with her partner Joshua. Cat quickly read the result and announced that Chelsie was safe. The crowd cheered and the camera showed a sad Courtney backstage. But there was no immediate word on whether that meant Courtney was actually in the bottom two. More on that later...
Cat called for Twitch next, and the video brought to life all the judges' positive comments about how Twitch is the least trained but extremely passionate and how he brings a deeper emotion to his performances because he isn't trying to stick with any kind of technique. Twitch anxiously waited for the result and it wasn't good news. He was in the bottom two and immediately turned toward the back of the stage, dropped into a squat with his back toward the crowd and the cameras until Cat walked over to him, squatted next to him, put her arm around him and talked him through it. Soon, he was smiling again.
Joshua, who covered his mouth in what appeared to be both happiness because he was safe and concern because he and Twitch seem to be good friends, came to the stage next. He smiled when Cat told him he knew he was safe.
Courtney sat all alone backstage, waiting for the news that she was the second girl in the bottom two. The recap showed her getting massive praise from the judges for her samba with Will and her slow hip-hop routine. It didn't do much to change the result, though, as Cat told her what everyone was waiting to have confirmed: she was in the bottom two girls.
From toe tapping to tiptoeing: Artistic directors Colleen Neary and Thordal Christensen from Los Angeles Ballet performed to "The Man I Love" from the ballet "Who Cares?" It was pretty stunning. Later, LL Cool J and the Dream stopped by to perform "Baby," from his new album "Exit 13."
Flying solo: The bottom four -- Comfort, Will, Courtney and Twitch -- got a chance to do their solos, even though they wouldn't change the results of America's vote. After Will performed, Cat asked Nigel about his thoughts on the dancers in the bottom. Nigel said he thought that Will and Twitch were the two best performers of the week and that maybe voters got lazy, thinking that they'd get votes regardless. Nigel said it would be sad to lose either Will or Twitch.
The verdict is in: Cat brought Comfort and Courtney to the stage and read the result. The girl leaving was ... Comfort. She took a look at her "So You Think You Can Dance?" -- again. This time, it's probably for real.
Twitch and Will came to center stage to find out that the guy leaving was ... Will.
The final six, with just two more cuts remaining before the finale, are: Mark, Joshua and Twitch among the guys, and Katee, Chelsie and Courtney among the girls. Who will go next?
And now, this message...: Judge and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe rode the voting wave by asking everyone who is eligible to vote in the United States -- which he isn't -- to vote in the Presidential election. He said he was asked to make the case for voting by DeclareYourself.org, and encouraged people to register to vote online.
To the results: Cat got right down to business, asking Katee to come to the stage. A recap of her performances from Wednesday, which the judges pretty much loved, included Nigel telling Katee, "There isn't one routine that you have done this season that I haven't enjoyed you doing." The verdict? Katee was safe.
Cat asked Will to come to the stage and a montage of his performances rolled on the screen. The judges showered him with some more praise, with Nigel saying he was emotionally touched by his and Courtney's slow hip-hop routine. The crowd also went nuts for the James Brown revival Will did as his solo. Cat announced that Will was one of the two guys in the bottom.
Comfort, who came back into the competition two weeks ago after being cut because Jessica suffered a season-ending injury, was next to come on stage for results. The judges loved her hip-hop routine with Mark, but absolutely hated the foxtrot. No big surprise here as Comfort landed among the bottom two girls. That left Courtney and Chelsie to wait for word on which of them would also be in the bottom two.
Comfort's partner Mark was up next. The judges' remarks and the highlights for him were about the same as Comfort's. But would the result be any different? Yes. Mark was safe, and completely stunned when Cat made the announcement. That left Joshua and Twitch vying for one last safe spot among the guys.
Four down, two to go: Cat asked Chelsie to come to the stage next, and the highlight reel reminded viewers that the judges absolutely loved her Argentine tango and disco routines with her partner Joshua. Cat quickly read the result and announced that Chelsie was safe. The crowd cheered and the camera showed a sad Courtney backstage. But there was no immediate word on whether that meant Courtney was actually in the bottom two. More on that later...
Cat called for Twitch next, and the video brought to life all the judges' positive comments about how Twitch is the least trained but extremely passionate and how he brings a deeper emotion to his performances because he isn't trying to stick with any kind of technique. Twitch anxiously waited for the result and it wasn't good news. He was in the bottom two and immediately turned toward the back of the stage, dropped into a squat with his back toward the crowd and the cameras until Cat walked over to him, squatted next to him, put her arm around him and talked him through it. Soon, he was smiling again.
Joshua, who covered his mouth in what appeared to be both happiness because he was safe and concern because he and Twitch seem to be good friends, came to the stage next. He smiled when Cat told him he knew he was safe.
Courtney sat all alone backstage, waiting for the news that she was the second girl in the bottom two. The recap showed her getting massive praise from the judges for her samba with Will and her slow hip-hop routine. It didn't do much to change the result, though, as Cat told her what everyone was waiting to have confirmed: she was in the bottom two girls.
From toe tapping to tiptoeing: Artistic directors Colleen Neary and Thordal Christensen from Los Angeles Ballet performed to "The Man I Love" from the ballet "Who Cares?" It was pretty stunning. Later, LL Cool J and the Dream stopped by to perform "Baby," from his new album "Exit 13."
Flying solo: The bottom four -- Comfort, Will, Courtney and Twitch -- got a chance to do their solos, even though they wouldn't change the results of America's vote. After Will performed, Cat asked Nigel about his thoughts on the dancers in the bottom. Nigel said he thought that Will and Twitch were the two best performers of the week and that maybe voters got lazy, thinking that they'd get votes regardless. Nigel said it would be sad to lose either Will or Twitch.
The verdict is in: Cat brought Comfort and Courtney to the stage and read the result. The girl leaving was ... Comfort. She took a look at her "So You Think You Can Dance?" -- again. This time, it's probably for real.
Twitch and Will came to center stage to find out that the guy leaving was ... Will.
The final six, with just two more cuts remaining before the finale, are: Mark, Joshua and Twitch among the guys, and Katee, Chelsie and Courtney among the girls. Who will go next?
Tue, Jul 29, 2008
With just six dancers left, we finally reached the glorious time of the summer when even "So You Think You Can Dance?" couldn't stretch itself to two hours. That meant instead of a bloated 120 minutes, viewers were treated to a packed 60 minutes as each couple performed twice and each individual dancer offered up a solo.
Guest judge Adam Shankman joined regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe, and away we went...
Courtney & Mark: The Viennese waltz, a not-so-overtly sexual dance, turned into a chance for Mark to grab Courtney's, umm, bosom during rehearsals. She laughed it off like a pro, though. The couple performed to David Cook's winning "American Idol" song, "This Is the Time of My Life." Blatant cross promotion, anyone? As if we wouldn't notice! Adam said the competition was so strong he wasn't sure how America was going to choose among from the top six because they're all so strong. He praised Mark's rise and fall, calling it the best any guy has done all season. Mary said they made their lifts look effortless and they floated across the stage. Nigel called it "romantic" and then admitted the "Idol" cross promo.
For their second routine, Courtney and Mark took on a jazz piece that was inspired by French burlesque. It was a smoking hot performance. Adam said he was glad the judges had no decisions to make and shouted his approval. He said he loved each dancer individually, "but together you are unbelievable." Mary called it "crazy, raw, interesting" and said it was "a weird love story." Nigel said he totally agreed and said the dance really suited Mark and said that the pair of them "was absolutely one of the highlights of tonight."
Courtney was the last girl of the night to do a solo. She did a contemporary bit to Elisa's "Rock Your Soul." It was highlighted with a final round of spins and Courtney looked a bit sad when she was finished.
Mark did the last solo to Robyn's "Bum By You." He offered up more of his trademark bird-walking-style, herky-jerky moves and used his loose-fitting muscle shirt as a prop, much to the crowd's delight.
Chelsie & Twitch: Chelsie rocked her solo to the Pussycat Dolls' "When I Grow Up," shaking her hips and spinning like there was no tomorrow.
Twitch took his solo a little old school, with Midnight Star's "Midas Touch," and got a little gimmicky when popped some super-shiny gold grillz onto his teeth, along with some gold-framed fake glasses. When he finished, Cat asked to try on the glasses and it wasn't long before she also popped the grillz into her mouth "spit and all." She's a trooper.
For their first paired routine was the mambo, which proved a not so easy task. Some of the rehearsal flubs included Chelsie's face getting caught in the crotch of Twitch's pants. Seriously. It was spicy, alright, as Chelsie's quick hips stole the show. Adam noted that Chelsie, dressed in "tomato red," was on fire. He said Twitch was out of his element a little, but that he came through well enough. Mary talked about the difficulty for picking up the mambo's complicated counts. She praised Chelsie a little more and said she was very proud of Twitch for taking on the challenge. Nigel said Chelsie absolutely sparkled, but Twitch slipped up a bit and gave away his mistakes with his facial expressions, which were highlighted in slow motion for he viewers at home.
For the final dance of the night, Chelsie and Twitch performed a hip-hop routine choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo that had them playing conductors who were dueling over a baton. Adam was in awe of the choreography and the dancers. Mary said that Twitch, in his element (and most of his other routines), has been stellar. Mary said Chelsie, who wasn't expected to do well in this style, kept up with Twitch the whole way. Nigel said any one of the six could be in the top four and whoever isn't in the finale shouldn't feel bad because the competition has been so evenly matched.
Katee & Joshua: After spending much of the first part of the competition together, Katee and Joshua were reunited for a contemporary routine choreographed by Tyce DiOrio. It was pretty dramatic, with tosses and lifts and seductive movements. Adam was really moved by the performance and said it was the best thing DiOrio had done all season. He called DiOrio, Katee and Joshua the "Holy trinity of 'So You Think You Can Dance?'" Mary agreed it was the most beautiful thing she'd seen all season, as well, and said she could see both dancers going into the finale. Nigel again was flabbergasted that Joshua has no formal training and continued to deliver such quality performances.
Katee picked up the pace a bit, dancing her contemporary solo to Maroon 5's "Cant' Stop," which seemed a little faster than her moves were.
Joshua took a crack at his solo, combining his popping with his hip-hop and some huge leaps to Memphis Bleek's "Like That."
For their final couple routine, Katee and Joshua took on the paso doble. Joshua went with the raw, shirtless look while Katee donned a strappy number up top with a draping floral print. It was another dramatic dance that ended with Joshua dragging Katee by one arm across the floor and over to the judges' table. Adam said Joshua shouldn't be able, given his lack of technical training, to do what he did. Mary followed by saying that "true magic" happens with Katee and Joshua get together, then she screamed -- long and loud and right into Nigel's left ear. Nigel said that if Joshua keeps dancing the way he did this night, he would absolutely steal the show.
Guest judge Adam Shankman joined regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe, and away we went...
Courtney & Mark: The Viennese waltz, a not-so-overtly sexual dance, turned into a chance for Mark to grab Courtney's, umm, bosom during rehearsals. She laughed it off like a pro, though. The couple performed to David Cook's winning "American Idol" song, "This Is the Time of My Life." Blatant cross promotion, anyone? As if we wouldn't notice! Adam said the competition was so strong he wasn't sure how America was going to choose among from the top six because they're all so strong. He praised Mark's rise and fall, calling it the best any guy has done all season. Mary said they made their lifts look effortless and they floated across the stage. Nigel called it "romantic" and then admitted the "Idol" cross promo.
For their second routine, Courtney and Mark took on a jazz piece that was inspired by French burlesque. It was a smoking hot performance. Adam said he was glad the judges had no decisions to make and shouted his approval. He said he loved each dancer individually, "but together you are unbelievable." Mary called it "crazy, raw, interesting" and said it was "a weird love story." Nigel said he totally agreed and said the dance really suited Mark and said that the pair of them "was absolutely one of the highlights of tonight."
Courtney was the last girl of the night to do a solo. She did a contemporary bit to Elisa's "Rock Your Soul." It was highlighted with a final round of spins and Courtney looked a bit sad when she was finished.
Mark did the last solo to Robyn's "Bum By You." He offered up more of his trademark bird-walking-style, herky-jerky moves and used his loose-fitting muscle shirt as a prop, much to the crowd's delight.
Chelsie & Twitch: Chelsie rocked her solo to the Pussycat Dolls' "When I Grow Up," shaking her hips and spinning like there was no tomorrow.
Twitch took his solo a little old school, with Midnight Star's "Midas Touch," and got a little gimmicky when popped some super-shiny gold grillz onto his teeth, along with some gold-framed fake glasses. When he finished, Cat asked to try on the glasses and it wasn't long before she also popped the grillz into her mouth "spit and all." She's a trooper.
For their first paired routine was the mambo, which proved a not so easy task. Some of the rehearsal flubs included Chelsie's face getting caught in the crotch of Twitch's pants. Seriously. It was spicy, alright, as Chelsie's quick hips stole the show. Adam noted that Chelsie, dressed in "tomato red," was on fire. He said Twitch was out of his element a little, but that he came through well enough. Mary talked about the difficulty for picking up the mambo's complicated counts. She praised Chelsie a little more and said she was very proud of Twitch for taking on the challenge. Nigel said Chelsie absolutely sparkled, but Twitch slipped up a bit and gave away his mistakes with his facial expressions, which were highlighted in slow motion for he viewers at home.
For the final dance of the night, Chelsie and Twitch performed a hip-hop routine choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo that had them playing conductors who were dueling over a baton. Adam was in awe of the choreography and the dancers. Mary said that Twitch, in his element (and most of his other routines), has been stellar. Mary said Chelsie, who wasn't expected to do well in this style, kept up with Twitch the whole way. Nigel said any one of the six could be in the top four and whoever isn't in the finale shouldn't feel bad because the competition has been so evenly matched.
Katee & Joshua: After spending much of the first part of the competition together, Katee and Joshua were reunited for a contemporary routine choreographed by Tyce DiOrio. It was pretty dramatic, with tosses and lifts and seductive movements. Adam was really moved by the performance and said it was the best thing DiOrio had done all season. He called DiOrio, Katee and Joshua the "Holy trinity of 'So You Think You Can Dance?'" Mary agreed it was the most beautiful thing she'd seen all season, as well, and said she could see both dancers going into the finale. Nigel again was flabbergasted that Joshua has no formal training and continued to deliver such quality performances.
Katee picked up the pace a bit, dancing her contemporary solo to Maroon 5's "Cant' Stop," which seemed a little faster than her moves were.
Joshua took a crack at his solo, combining his popping with his hip-hop and some huge leaps to Memphis Bleek's "Like That."
For their final couple routine, Katee and Joshua took on the paso doble. Joshua went with the raw, shirtless look while Katee donned a strappy number up top with a draping floral print. It was another dramatic dance that ended with Joshua dragging Katee by one arm across the floor and over to the judges' table. Adam said Joshua shouldn't be able, given his lack of technical training, to do what he did. Mary followed by saying that "true magic" happens with Katee and Joshua get together, then she screamed -- long and loud and right into Nigel's left ear. Nigel said that if Joshua keeps dancing the way he did this night, he would absolutely steal the show.
Wed, Jul 30, 2008
Just six contestants remained, but that number on Thursday would be trimmed to the final four dancers still in the running for the title of America's favorite dancer on "So You Think You Can Dance?"
Guest judge Adam Shankman announced that in addition to the $100,000 cash prize and the spot in a Las Vegas show, the winning dancer will also get a featured role in an upcoming movie he's producing. No details. That's just the prize. So, you know, yay!
After the first commercial break, judge Nigel Lythgoe went all "Debbie Downer" on the dancers, telling them that they'll have to prepare themselves for rejection. In a minute-long speech, he said the word rejection -- or some form of it -- seven times, telling them dancers that by the end of the show, five of them will have been rejected. He said they should not dwell on it, but use it to propel themselves toward other opportunities. He then told them that each of them pulled in more than 1 million votes after Wednesday's performance show.
Mary got emotional while telling them how proud she is of the progress they've made, and Adam told them to cherish the experience they've had on the show and to treat their fans well. All six dancers then performed their solos, and it would be the last time around the stage for two of them.
Child's play: The first guest performer was a six-year-old breakdancer named "Lil Demon," who backspun and handstood all over the stage and put smiles on everyone's faces. Later, Lady Gaga went all techno on us and performed "Just Dance."
No more kidding around: After the break, host Cat Deeley was afraid it was time to get down to business and start reading the results. With the three girls on stage, Cat first addressed Courtney and we got clips of her performance from Wednesday. We were next walked through Katee's performances, then Chelsie's. Cat let Katee off the hook, announcing that she was safe even though that didn't necessarily mean she pulled the most votes.
The guys were up next, with a long, drawn-out batch of highlight reels showing us Mark, Joshua and Twitch's performances before announce the first safe guy: Joshua.
Back to the girls, Cat was ready to announce which would move on to the finale and which would go home. The one moving on was ... Courtney. Chelsie took it like a pro, smiling and cheerfully watching her highlight reel roll. She cried later and said she was "really, really grateful" for the opportunity.
To the guys, it was down to Mark and Twitch for the final spot in the finale. And it went to ... Twitch. Mark embraced Twitch and lifted him up and said it had just been an amazing experience.
The big finish: Next week, it comes down to Twitch, Joshua, Katee and Courtney for the title, the $100,000, and the show on the Vegas strip ... oh, and that "featured" dance role in Adam Shankman's non-specific next movie.
Guest judge Adam Shankman announced that in addition to the $100,000 cash prize and the spot in a Las Vegas show, the winning dancer will also get a featured role in an upcoming movie he's producing. No details. That's just the prize. So, you know, yay!
After the first commercial break, judge Nigel Lythgoe went all "Debbie Downer" on the dancers, telling them that they'll have to prepare themselves for rejection. In a minute-long speech, he said the word rejection -- or some form of it -- seven times, telling them dancers that by the end of the show, five of them will have been rejected. He said they should not dwell on it, but use it to propel themselves toward other opportunities. He then told them that each of them pulled in more than 1 million votes after Wednesday's performance show.
Mary got emotional while telling them how proud she is of the progress they've made, and Adam told them to cherish the experience they've had on the show and to treat their fans well. All six dancers then performed their solos, and it would be the last time around the stage for two of them.
Child's play: The first guest performer was a six-year-old breakdancer named "Lil Demon," who backspun and handstood all over the stage and put smiles on everyone's faces. Later, Lady Gaga went all techno on us and performed "Just Dance."
No more kidding around: After the break, host Cat Deeley was afraid it was time to get down to business and start reading the results. With the three girls on stage, Cat first addressed Courtney and we got clips of her performance from Wednesday. We were next walked through Katee's performances, then Chelsie's. Cat let Katee off the hook, announcing that she was safe even though that didn't necessarily mean she pulled the most votes.
The guys were up next, with a long, drawn-out batch of highlight reels showing us Mark, Joshua and Twitch's performances before announce the first safe guy: Joshua.
Back to the girls, Cat was ready to announce which would move on to the finale and which would go home. The one moving on was ... Courtney. Chelsie took it like a pro, smiling and cheerfully watching her highlight reel roll. She cried later and said she was "really, really grateful" for the opportunity.
To the guys, it was down to Mark and Twitch for the final spot in the finale. And it went to ... Twitch. Mark embraced Twitch and lifted him up and said it had just been an amazing experience.
The big finish: Next week, it comes down to Twitch, Joshua, Katee and Courtney for the title, the $100,000, and the show on the Vegas strip ... oh, and that "featured" dance role in Adam Shankman's non-specific next movie.
Tue, Aug 5, 2008
It was the first part of the two-night finale on "So You Think You Can Dance?" and host Cat Deeley threw a curve ball at us from the start. In an effort to change things up -- and perhaps to stretch another episode into two hours! -- each of the remaining dancers would perform with every other dancer. That meant the two girls would dance with each other, as would the two guys. Suddenly, those rumors of Lance Bass pairing up with another dude on "Dancing with the Stars" don't seem so special, huh?
During the introduction, there was no immediately mention of the reports that Twitch and Joshua were rushed to the hospital earlier in the week after suffering from dehydration during rehearsals. Guest judge Mandy Moore joined regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe and Cat got the action started quickly, introducing the first dance from Courtney and Twitch.
Courtney & Twitch: Courtney and Twitch were given a hip hop routine choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo. The routine was about a crazed girlfriend tracking down her man at the club, complete with punches, slaps and kicks. Mandy praised both dancers and said it was a great way to start the show. Mary gave her patented scream, which is ostensibly a good thing.
Cat chat with Courtney: Cat had a one-on-one chat with each dancer, and Courtney was up first. Courtney said "I know I'm not the best dancer," but said she didn't think you had to be the best dancer to do well in the competition. Cat asked her about her intense chemistry with Gev earlier in the season, and the fact that she has a boyfriend. Courtney said her boyfriend was nothing but supportive and that she didn't have to be in love with Gev to have great dancing chemistry with him.
Then Courtney danced her final solo of the season and got judges' comments. Mandy said she was getting teary-eyed watching her. She said Courtney should keep training and defining her lines. Mary said Courtney's grown throughout the season and that she's an inspiration, and that made Courtney cry. Nigel said he was delighted Courtney was in the top four and that nobody would have thought she'd make it that far.
Katee & Joshua: Choreographer Wade Robson said it was nice to bookend the show after having done the first top 20 performance. He said the inspiration for their dance was "love is hard work, but it's the best thing you'll ever work for." Joshua said he and Katee have great chemistry on and off stage, and Katee called him "my boo."
Mandy said it was a beautiful routine and said that technically it could have used a little work, but that it was great. Mary agreed that it was "absolutely beautiful." She called it an amazing routine and said she was happy that the characters in the dance stayed together in the end. Nigel said the couple has shown great growth and that Joshua, especially, is "not a normal dancer," but that he is "a brilliant dancer." And the pair of them are "two of the best dancer we've ever had on this show."
Girls, Girls, Girls: Tyce DiOrio choreographed a Broadway routine for Katee and Courtney to dance together. Mandy said she loved seeing the pair dance together, and Mary agreed. She said they looked effortless leaping across the stage. Nigel said they both danced beautifully and told Courtney there was a bit she could learn from Katee about finishing each move.
Cat chat with Twitch: Twitch explained that he got his nickname because his enjoyed dancing so much, but had to try to cover it up. That meant he would make just little movements and people would call him "Twitch." Twitch said he was hoping to get paired with Kherington early in the competition and said he was surprised when she was eliminated a few weeks ago.
Twitch then danced his solo. Mandy said she saw early on that there was something special about Twitch and said it's been great to watch that continue throughout the season. Mary was speechless with Twitch's freestyle. Nigel said Twitch has made his mark on the show and that he was actually happy when Twitch slipped into the bottom three because it gave him a chance to watch him do a solo.
Boys will be boys: Twitch and Joshua got a chance to dance together, and to settle a feud that's gone on all season. Russian choreographer Youri Nelzine put together a trepak routine that would settle the manliness battle, once and for all. The crowd was floored, the judges loved it and Nigel said it would be a routine that is spoken about for many years to come.
Cat chat with Katee: Katee was reminded of her moment early in the audition process, when she said she probably wouldn't come back for another season if she didn't make it into the final this time. Cat said she felt Katee's honesty coming through at that point and didn't begrudge her anything. Katee did her solo and stood with Cat as the judges heaped praised upon her.
Twitch & Katee: Once Twitch was able to pry Katee away from Joshua, they practiced the fox trot, a romantic dance that challenge their ability to take each other's "romantic face" too seriously. Twitch got admiration for his gentlemanly display, with Nigel even asking him to say, "The name's Bond ... James Bond," with a faux-British accent.
Cat chat with Joshua: Joshua said he had a lot of struggles growing up, and that whenever he did get chances to take dance classes, he cleaned up around the studio as an alternative to payment. Cat then made fun of Joshua for crying all the time, and he couldn't do or say anything to defend himself.
Joshua did his solo, which ended with him dancing on the judges' platform. The judges piled on the praise for Joshua, with Nigel saying that he's set a new standard for untrained dancers on the show.
Courtney & Joshua: To end the pairs' routines, Courtney and Joshua prepared for the fast-paced jive. Cat talked about the kind of energy that the dance and all the dances throughout the week and Mary agreed. Mary said she loved the dance, but Nigel took a surprising turn when he said there were several parts of it that disappointed him.
The fab four: The myth, the legend, the queen of the dance floor, Mia Michaels choreographed the dance that the final four would perform together to close the show. The four dancers, exhausted, slumped over as they heard the judges' remarks. Mandy said she felt like she'd seen something magical.
Nigel "named names" while expressing his praise and gratitude about Twitch and Joshua, two untrained dancers, getting to the final. He said people were shocked when Will and Mark were voted off, but, he said, "I think America got it right." He said the pair deserved to be there. He called Katee and Courtney "shining beacons."
During the introduction, there was no immediately mention of the reports that Twitch and Joshua were rushed to the hospital earlier in the week after suffering from dehydration during rehearsals. Guest judge Mandy Moore joined regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe and Cat got the action started quickly, introducing the first dance from Courtney and Twitch.
Courtney & Twitch: Courtney and Twitch were given a hip hop routine choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo. The routine was about a crazed girlfriend tracking down her man at the club, complete with punches, slaps and kicks. Mandy praised both dancers and said it was a great way to start the show. Mary gave her patented scream, which is ostensibly a good thing.
Cat chat with Courtney: Cat had a one-on-one chat with each dancer, and Courtney was up first. Courtney said "I know I'm not the best dancer," but said she didn't think you had to be the best dancer to do well in the competition. Cat asked her about her intense chemistry with Gev earlier in the season, and the fact that she has a boyfriend. Courtney said her boyfriend was nothing but supportive and that she didn't have to be in love with Gev to have great dancing chemistry with him.
Then Courtney danced her final solo of the season and got judges' comments. Mandy said she was getting teary-eyed watching her. She said Courtney should keep training and defining her lines. Mary said Courtney's grown throughout the season and that she's an inspiration, and that made Courtney cry. Nigel said he was delighted Courtney was in the top four and that nobody would have thought she'd make it that far.
Katee & Joshua: Choreographer Wade Robson said it was nice to bookend the show after having done the first top 20 performance. He said the inspiration for their dance was "love is hard work, but it's the best thing you'll ever work for." Joshua said he and Katee have great chemistry on and off stage, and Katee called him "my boo."
Mandy said it was a beautiful routine and said that technically it could have used a little work, but that it was great. Mary agreed that it was "absolutely beautiful." She called it an amazing routine and said she was happy that the characters in the dance stayed together in the end. Nigel said the couple has shown great growth and that Joshua, especially, is "not a normal dancer," but that he is "a brilliant dancer." And the pair of them are "two of the best dancer we've ever had on this show."
Girls, Girls, Girls: Tyce DiOrio choreographed a Broadway routine for Katee and Courtney to dance together. Mandy said she loved seeing the pair dance together, and Mary agreed. She said they looked effortless leaping across the stage. Nigel said they both danced beautifully and told Courtney there was a bit she could learn from Katee about finishing each move.
Cat chat with Twitch: Twitch explained that he got his nickname because his enjoyed dancing so much, but had to try to cover it up. That meant he would make just little movements and people would call him "Twitch." Twitch said he was hoping to get paired with Kherington early in the competition and said he was surprised when she was eliminated a few weeks ago.
Twitch then danced his solo. Mandy said she saw early on that there was something special about Twitch and said it's been great to watch that continue throughout the season. Mary was speechless with Twitch's freestyle. Nigel said Twitch has made his mark on the show and that he was actually happy when Twitch slipped into the bottom three because it gave him a chance to watch him do a solo.
Boys will be boys: Twitch and Joshua got a chance to dance together, and to settle a feud that's gone on all season. Russian choreographer Youri Nelzine put together a trepak routine that would settle the manliness battle, once and for all. The crowd was floored, the judges loved it and Nigel said it would be a routine that is spoken about for many years to come.
Cat chat with Katee: Katee was reminded of her moment early in the audition process, when she said she probably wouldn't come back for another season if she didn't make it into the final this time. Cat said she felt Katee's honesty coming through at that point and didn't begrudge her anything. Katee did her solo and stood with Cat as the judges heaped praised upon her.
Twitch & Katee: Once Twitch was able to pry Katee away from Joshua, they practiced the fox trot, a romantic dance that challenge their ability to take each other's "romantic face" too seriously. Twitch got admiration for his gentlemanly display, with Nigel even asking him to say, "The name's Bond ... James Bond," with a faux-British accent.
Cat chat with Joshua: Joshua said he had a lot of struggles growing up, and that whenever he did get chances to take dance classes, he cleaned up around the studio as an alternative to payment. Cat then made fun of Joshua for crying all the time, and he couldn't do or say anything to defend himself.
Joshua did his solo, which ended with him dancing on the judges' platform. The judges piled on the praise for Joshua, with Nigel saying that he's set a new standard for untrained dancers on the show.
Courtney & Joshua: To end the pairs' routines, Courtney and Joshua prepared for the fast-paced jive. Cat talked about the kind of energy that the dance and all the dances throughout the week and Mary agreed. Mary said she loved the dance, but Nigel took a surprising turn when he said there were several parts of it that disappointed him.
The fab four: The myth, the legend, the queen of the dance floor, Mia Michaels choreographed the dance that the final four would perform together to close the show. The four dancers, exhausted, slumped over as they heard the judges' remarks. Mandy said she felt like she'd seen something magical.
Nigel "named names" while expressing his praise and gratitude about Twitch and Joshua, two untrained dancers, getting to the final. He said people were shocked when Will and Mark were voted off, but, he said, "I think America got it right." He said the pair deserved to be there. He called Katee and Courtney "shining beacons."