So You Think You Can Dance Top 18

You guys need to be watching this show. Seriously, EVERYBODY was good this week. And this week, I have video to prove it! I’ll tease my favorite routine outside the cut; click through to see all the rest, complete with very subjective commentary as usual. This is Lacey and Kameron, dancing Broadway to “All That Jazz”. I love Broadway, which you know. I also have decided that Lacey and Kameron are, as of this moment, my favorites (since their contemporary routine last week was also incredible).

Lauren and Neil
style: hip hip – The Way I Are by Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson

Well, I think they pulled it off! Way better than last week, and Neil actually got way into the character, and went for it. Good, because I really want to like them. Very, very nice in general, and especially good for contemporary dancers. I don’t remember that choreographer from last year…I really liked that routine.

Jessi and Pasha
style: jazz – Stiff Jazz by dZihan and Kamien

This looks like it could be really interesting. And it was, it was! Tyce just jumped to…second in my list of favorite SYTYCD choreographers (after Mia)? Or third–I can never decide if I like Wade Robson’s weirdness because I like it, or because it’s so weird I can’t look away from it. And I think I like Shane better as a judge than choreographer (and Dan hasn’t done one yet this year, so I forget what his are like). Back to this routine: I loved the stiffness, and the way they totally hit every single bit of it. I’m still in love with Pasha, by the way. I’m liking Jessi better, but she’s still not my favorite.

Jaimie and Hok
style: samba – Bang Bang to the Rock ‘n’ Roll by Gabin

Okay, here we go. The contemporary dancers can do hip-hop, and the ballroom dancers can do Afro-jazz, but can the breaker do ballroom? The hip-hop dancers last year had difficulty getting the ballroom stuff down, let’s hope Hok can. (On the other hand, Various and Sundry pointed out a couple of weeks ago that we really want the hip-hoppers in the bottom three, so we get to see them dance solos, which is where they shine…) All right, I’m convinced, Hok can do whatever he wants. She’s good, too, but I admit, I was mostly watching him. Quick, someone find out what Mia’s drinking and keep her on it! :) See if Mary tears them apart…yep, she is–that’s why we have expert people, because the rest of us can’t see what’s wrong with the dance itself.

Dominic and Sabra
style: contemporary – I’ll Stand by You by The Pretenders

I can’t believe Dominic can’t get girls. He’s cute and sweet. Ooh, contemporary–good for Sabra! What, more birds? Hee, this one looks dangerous! I like her better with her hair non-fro’d. It looked like Dominic was getting tired near the end, but overall, excellent. And Sabra was lovely. Well, Mia? Wow! High praise from Mia. Yep, she’s on the good crack. :) Mary has a great point, there was a lot of partnering going on there, which they both did incredibly well. Nigel, you are way too white to imitate a b-boy. Don’t even do that again.

Faina and Cedric
style: foxtrot – You’re the Boss by Elvis Presley and Ann-Margaret

And another hip-hop/ballroom crossover. Yeah, Faina should be fine, but can Cedric pull off partnering her? Hee, he’s funny, though. I like him. And I thought they did that just fine! But I’m sure to be overruled soon by the people who know what they’re talking about. Faina was gorgeous, as expected. It wasn’t what, Mia? Copacetic? What does that mean? Hmmm…”very satisfactory.” I never thought I’d learn new words from SYTYCD. I enjoyed it more than the judges did, but I will admit Cedric looked (justifably) nervous.

Lacey and Kameron
style: Broadway – All That Jazz from Chicago

Okay, guys. How you’re going to top your performance last week (which had all the other dances last week beat in YouTube views by a factor of about five to one) I have no clue. But I can’t wait to see you try! Broadway! Whoot! And this is like, the best Broadway number EVAH. That rocked so hard. Lacey and Kameron are quickly leaping to the top of my favorites. Ooh, Heidi in the audience! Uh-oh, I think Mia’s out of happy juice. They do have a great connection, which is so wonderful.

Anya and Danny
style: Viennese waltz – You and Me by Lifehouse

So Anya still gets to be in ballroom mode, but with a style that’s not very close to Latin. I’m betting it’s going to be good, though. She’s so personable. Ha! I wondered if Cat would bring up Donyelle’s “Vietnese Waltz” from last year. Since when does “romantic” mean “strangle her”? j/k. I’ve been reading too much D.H. Lawrence. Ooh, that spinning move is really nice. They’re definitely gorgeous. I’m liking Danny more now. Mary scream! First one tonight! How am I supposed to pick a top three performances when they’re all being so awesome?

Shauna and Jimmy
style: hip-hop – U Sexy Girl by Fat Man

Hip-hop, eh? So we’ve got both sets of contemporary dancers doing hip-hop. Oh, the symmetry! Okay, the rhythm on that stepping part was weird–intentionally, I guess? They went for it, for sure, and looked like they were having fun. I didn’t like it as much as some of the other routines tonight, but I think it was the routine more than them that didn’t connect with me QUITE as much. I did enjoy it, though.

Sara and Jesús
style: paso doble – We Will Rock You by Queen

Tell you, I can never decide if I like the use of rock songs for the ballroom numbers. Sometimes it works out great (like “Girlfriend” for the jive last week), but in this case, I think it was more distracting than anything else. I think the dancing itself was quite good, though. Yeah, what Mia said. The music and the choreography didn’t go together. Jesús definitely had it down, though. And for no formal training, that was really excellent on Sara’s part.

I’m not kidding y’all, almost everybody rocked tonight. I’m loving this. Except for it makes it difficult to predict the top and bottom. But that’s a difficulty I’ll take. ;)

Best Performances: Lacey and Kameron, Anya and Danny, Jessi and Pasha, Dominic and Sabra
Bottom Three: Faina and Cedric, Jaimie and Hok, Shauna and Jimmy – but pretty much I’m only willing to predict Faina and Cedric on the bottom.

Results

So, what, does Wade Robson get to do all the group numbers now? Not that I’m complaining. That was pretty cool. Oh, it was Shane. I thought the caption said Wade. Oh, well.

I don’t want any of them to go home! :( I like them all. *pout*

Lauren and Neil – safe!
Jessi and Pasha – in danger! No!
Jaimie and Hok – safe!
Lacey and Kameron – safe! Yay!
Anya and Danny – safe! Yay!
Sabra and Dominic – safe! Yay!
Sarah and Jes̼s Рsafe! Finally, Cat tells us. Yay!
Faina and Cedric – in danger! Not surprising.
Shauna and Jimmy – in danger! I got two out of three this week.

Jessi

Pasha

Shauna

Jimmy

Faina

Cedric

Based on solos, I would’ve eliminated Jessi (biased by the fact that I already don’t like her that much) and Cedric. I’m okay with Faina’s elimination, though–Shauna’s solo was the only one that was outstanding. But I’m totally shocked that once again the judges saved Cedric. I thought Jimmy’s solo was great, and I’m surprised that they’d let another really good contemporary dancer go. We’ll see, though, if Cedric can step it up and keep from letting Shauna down. Wow. Plus, I just realized that they kept Cedric, who kinda let Faina down last night, and eliminated Faina, who was incredible last night. That’s not right on some level. But I’m super-stoked that Pasha is safe, because, have I mentioned that I’m in love with him? Yeah, I don’t know why. But I am.