So You Think You Can Dance Top 20

Whee! I’m so super-excited!! It’s gonna be a good show this year, folks. And I know I said I wasn’t going to blog it, but…I’m super-excited!! Did I mention that already? Whatever. I wrote this all during the show, but was trying to wait until I could include video–unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get a digital copy of the show yet in order to extract the video clips I want. This post includes both competition run-down and results after the jump.

edit: Now with different video. :)

Competition

Let’s see who we’ve got for couples. Last year they had the same couples for the first several weeks; apparently the year before (which I didn’t watch), they changed partners every week. I *really* liked keeping the same partners for a while. I wonder if they’ll do that again?

Jaimie and Hok
style: hip-hop – Tambourine by Eva

This is going to be interesting. Hip-hop dancer with contemporary dancer who’s uncomfortable with hip-hop, and they’re doing a hip-hop number. Well, she went for it, I’ll give her that. They weren’t enough together most of the time to really make it all the way. Now, Hok was amazing, but I was watching her more because I was curious if she could do it. ;) Of course, wait until Hok does ballroom–it’ll be role reversal. Hee! Nigel just insulted Shane!

Anya and Danny
style: jive – Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne

Okay, this is the arrogant guy. Let’s see how he does on personality. Uh-oh, they’re fighting in the rehearsals… They’re doing everything right, but it doesn’t look…I don’t know. She’s doing great, but it’s like they’re not dancing with each other. He looks like he’s dancing contemporary with steps. The judges seem happy. I like her more than him. Not because he’s not good. I can’t describe it. Okay, based on Nigel’s “couple to be reckoned with,” I’m guessing they’re sticking with the same partnerships for a while. (BTW, I like this number much better on subsequent viewings.)

Lacey and Kameron
style: contemporary – Dancing by Elisa

Red-streaked mohawk! Ohh, Mia Michaels. She choreographs really HARD routines. But really beautiful ones! Wow, this is incredible. I loved every second of that. Well, there were a few moments when I wondered if they’re supposed to have Parkinson’s or something…hee. I disagree, Dan, I think he was good. Or I’m just distracted by the hair. As is Mary, apparently. :p She’s right, too. That number gave me chills.

Sabra and Dominic
style: disco – No More Tears by Donna Summer with Westlife

Whoo disco. /sarcasm. She’s got the hair for it already! I love Dominic, though. I haven’t seen Sabra enough to know yet. Ooh! The knee lift on the shoulder was pretty awesome. That was fun. I have seriously difficulty telling the quality of disco dancing, though.

Ashley and Ricky
style: Argentine Tango – Sentimiento Tangeuro by Trio Federico-Berlingieri

Oh, I remember seeing her in Vegas. She’s pretty. Did Nigel just compliment her teeth? *smirk* And Ricky cracks me up. Both contemporary dancers, eh? First pairing that do the same thing. I loved the Argentine Tango last year (but then, it was Allison and Ivan, and they were my favorites). She’s REALLY tall. I know she’s got heels on, but still. He didn’t strike me as being particularly short… Why is so much of his job just standing there? That’s boring. Allison and Ivan were better. But she was really good. Dan’s right…they did the steps, but they didn’t turn it on. Ricky’s crushing on Cat, just wanna say.

Sara and Jesús
style: pop jazz – Cabaret Hoover from The Triplets of Belleville

Yay b-girl! Oh, so she does have some training in other stuff. It looked like she did in the Vegas clips. I like both of these guys personally going into it. Wade Robson has some freaky routines. He did the one last year with all the dancers as, like, zombies or something. Freaky. Ooh, Triplets of Belleville! See that movie, guys, if you haven’t. Dude, that was so incredibly bizarre, and I actually really liked it. It played to both of their strengths, it was funny and interesting, they totally got into character, and I love his sock! Nigel said he never expected to have a b-girl on the show…they had a girl breaker on last year…is that not pretty much the same thing as a b-girl?

Jessi and Pasha
style: smooth waltz – Come Away With Me by Norah Jones

I like Pasha a lot…I just think he’s adorable. Jessi…I’m still deciding. Hee, she’s apparently not loving the smooth waltz. It may not be exciting, but it’s really, really pretty. He’s a nice, strong partner, and she’s got a good flowing line. I liked it. Not, you know, hugely memorable like that last one, but it was lovely. They even got a mini-Mary scream! I think I like her a little better than before. But I’m not sure. I still think he’s adorable.

Faina and Cedric
style: hip-hop – Get It Shorty by Lloyd

Latin dancer and freestylin’ hip-hopper, the one Nigel was worried about partnering. Ooh, but they get hip-hop first. So it’ll be her we need to worry about, not him. Ballroom doesn’t translate into hip-hop too well. Hmm, she’s not doing too badly. And he’s really good. Not surprising. Yeah, she wasn’t totally there, but I think overall, it was maybe better than the first hip-hop number up there. However, I don’t think either of them have as memorable personalities as various other people.

Lauren and Neil
style: salsa – Friday Night Rhythm by Mazerati Five

Awesome! One of the girls I like with one of the boys I think is totally cute. We haven’t really seen him dance yet, so I’m judging him solely on cuteness. And usually I don’t find blond guys that attractive. Although, I seem to be finding more and more blond guys attractive lately, so maybe I need to rethink my preferences… I’m sorry, none of this has anything to do with Lauren and Neil dancing the Salsa, which they’re doing…with not a lot of spark. I’m with Dan and Mary. They were doing a routine, not dancing with each other. ALLISON!!! Wow, if Lauren lives up to Nigel’s comparison to Allison, I’m there…Allison was my favorite last year.

Shauna and Jimmy
style: Broadway – Ease on Down the Road from The Wiz

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Broadway? I’m sure that’s come up. I LOVE BROADWAY. Looks like they’re having fun in rehearsals…that’s good. Hopefully they carry that through. Yeah! Now that’s the way to end the show. That was fun, energetic, they totally did their thing. Woot! Dan, both of them were great. Nigel, she can’t help the outfit! Come on. You’re bashing the choreography, the costumes, none of which the dancers control. Seriously.

And that’s it! I love So You Think You Can Dance! Great first competition show.

Best Tonight: Lacey/Kameron, Sarah/Jesús, Jessi/Pasha, Shauna/Jimmy
Bottom Three: Jaimie/Hok, Ashlee/Ricky, Lauren/Neil

Results

Wade Robson-choreographed group number:

Actual bottom three: Sabra/Dominic, Ashlee/Ricky, Faina/Cedric

Sabra

Dominic

Ashlee

Ricky

Faina

Cedric

Based on their solos alone, I think I’d send Ashlee and Dominic home. I *heart* Dominic, but Cedric is sicker (that’s good, in hip-hop terms), and Ricky is really good. And between the two contemporary dancers, I liked Sabra’s solo a lot better, and Faina impressed me with her solo (which is hard for the ballroom dancers to do–like, I liked Heidi last year, but I never liked her solos). Plus, that would pair Ricky with Sabra, and I think they’re a better match than either of them have now.

OMG, shocker. I’m totally surprised they chose Ricky to go home. And it was totally on the basis of personality. Of course, it is a TV show, and it rises or falls based on how much the audience likes the people on it. Including me…I like Dominic better than Ricky, even though I think Ricky’s a better dancer. So I’m not upset, just…surprised.