It's Your Top 20 Dancers, Ameriker!

Well let’s not waste any time, since we have a packed 2 hours of dancing to get through! INTROS! Man this takes so long the first week! None were really standouts

So they explained the Billy and Noelle sickness/ injury.

The first pair is Channing and Phillip. This should be interesting because she’s so youthful and he’s more…mature. They’re doing a Jason Gilkison jive to Rockin’ Robin! This is a more classic jive compared to some of the pop songs they’ve had on the show before, but it suits their look and style very well. I have to say, it is a little bit low energy to start the show, but they are dancing it well. Phillip seems to struggle a little with the lift a little bit, and I don’t love their chemistry BUT I still think it was good. The judges liked it but didn’t love it. Mary wants more, and I agree! Nigel agrees with me on the chemistry, of course. I can imagine it might be a little hard from

Ashleigh and Jakob a pair, which I knew but I still don’t like it. His popularity is going to keep her in the competition longer than I want. They have a Tyce Broadway piece, so I’m sure it’ll be good. They match in their rehearsals too…cute. I’m loving Ashleigh’s outfit, but her hair is getting all over the place. Jakob is unreal with his power moves! Such height and extension! I wish they didn’t put him in that ugly sweater that blends in with the stage. Tyce thinks that Jakob was put on this earth to “spread the gospel of dance”, and I could not agree more. That could have been a solo with all his highlights! Nigel calls him one of the best dancers he’s ever seen. They all liked Ashleigh too, more for her growth though.

Arianna and Peter are a couple – I am liking this already! They’re doing a NappyTabs hip hop routine about androids? Wow, they’re kind of ridiculously in sync. It’s starting kind of slow, but now I’m loving this little beat! Aww, they look like they’re having so much fun! And Peter’s got some breaking moves! Ok cutest ending ever! Adam thinks they weren’t dancing similarly enough and they didn’t have enough action and reaction. Mary thought it was a little sloppy. Nigel didn’t like it either. SO WEIRD! I thought it was adorable!

Noelle and Russell are the next couple, but as Nigel said, Melanie will be filling in. They’ll be doing a foxtrot, and if it’s like last time she filled in (for the Pasha cha cha in Season 3), it’ll be great! Russell is amazing! So light on his feet! And totally in character, with all the chemistry in the world! He’s so into it! His feet “paint” the floor as Mary says! I am beyond impressed! Adam loved it and thinks Russell “defies explanation”. Mary thinks it needs to be smoother but he has the “it” factor! Nigel liked his lines and called him an inspiration. He’s fantastic, he’ll be here for A WHILE!

Bianca and Victor are up next with a Travis Wall contemporary routine about Bianca feeling invisible and unwanted. Wow, Travis is pulling out some lifts I have never seen before! Amazing, unique, impressive! Bianca looks like a contemporary dancer – she’s just floating! Victor has such control in his motions, and his dance style is totally like Travis’. Their side-by-side moves were totally in sync. LOVED IT! Adam thinks Biana needs to work on getting her shoulders down and finishing her feet, but thinks that Victor was a “revelation”. Mary thinks Bianca really nailed the passion and the chemistry, and I agree! Nigel thinks they’re the most connected of the partners so far, and he admired their respect for each other in their work. And of course more praise for Travis with another amazing piece.

Next up are Karen and Kevin, doing a Tony/Melanie cha cha. Karen should be right in her element, but it’s always hard to get your own style right away since the expectations are so high. They’re dancing to the Glee cast version of Push IT! I love it already! The song is kind of awkward for the dance, but Karen is great, and Kevin is keeping up but he’s a little stiff. It’s a little slower of a Cha Cha, so I think it’s a little harder to get “down into” as Nigel likes to say. Adam loved Karen, but thought the last lift series was a little awkward. Karen is the first Season 6’er on the hot tamale train! Congrats to her – that outfit plus those little gyrating moves that Tony and Melanie threw in definitely made that happen for her. Nigel thought Kevin danced and performed it very well, especially for being so out of his style. I liked it, but I would have preferred some kind of upbeat dance mix for this style of dance.

Ryan and Ellenore are the next partners! They’re doing a Sonya contemporary jazz, which will be PERFECT for Ellenore and Ryan should be fine keeping up with her physically demanding pieces. I like the song and the fact that Ellenore’s quirky movements are being put to use right away. Ryan is doing a great job with the dancing and with the character. They use so much of the stage and really threw themselves into it. Very different and very cool! Adam thought, and I concur, that the dance showcased them both beautifully. Mary loved the chemistry and admired Ryan’s focus on his partner. Nigel liked them both. It wasn’t one of the best the show has ever seen, as Ellenore proclaimed in the opening package, but it was a cool piece.

Pauline was supposed to be partnered with Billy, but now she will be dancing with Brandon Dumlao. I feel bad that he’s a little behind everyone else, but I think he’ll be fine. They’re dancing a smooth waltz by Jason Gilkison. I like that I’m getting a youthful feeling from this, and they have very good chemistry! I’m so impressed with Brandon! He carries himself well, and he looks at her like they’re really in love. She is just lovely! Her lines are gorgeous and she looks unbelievably happy. I loved that! OMG Brandon just got back to the competition a day and a half ago?! That is pretty amazing. Adam gave Brandon a couple things to work on, but thought he did a great job at a difficult task. Mary thought the chemistry was very dynamic and believable, and she also praised Pauline’s elegance. Nigel tries to critique them without thinking about the situation at hand and says they’re not strong enough. Wow, I gotta say, I enjoyed it a lot more than the judges.

Kathryn and Legacy make an interesting couple. Kentucky crier and Miami BBoy? We’ll see how they do with their Dave Scott “humorous hip hop”. I don’t enjoy her eating things out of his hair, but I do love Dave’s choreography. He brings such an interesting element to his hip hop. They’re a bit out of sync, and I feel like she’s a little bit like a cheerleader doing a hip hop dance. His tricks are actually pretty damn impressive. Adam likes this “meet in the middle” style of hip hop as opposed to his nasty hip hop and thinks they can really learn from each other as a couple. Mary praised Legacy for his actual dancing rather than just relying on his tricking. Nigel praised their musicality and chemistry.

Mollee and Nathan are closing the show with a Doriana Sanchez disco! Always fun to see what crazy moves she’s going to pull out this time, especially since she claims to have gotten inspiration from Mexican wrestling! I love Mollee’s dress and this song! They both move really well, but it seems a little slower than I’ve seen in other disco routines on the show. I caught Mollee looking down at her feet a little bit, but I can imagine that after that routine, she’d be a little nervous about falling. So many tricks, and they were all beautifully executed. This couple is pretty much the Tween Dream Team – the compulsive voters probably already love them, and honestly I think that will take them both into the finals. Adam loved their energy and thought it was terrific. Mary called them the dream team! Just remember, I said it first! Nigel thinks their energy really brought the dance to life.

Now the judges have to nominate two guys and two girls for the bottom. I think it’ll be Pauline/Brandon and Peter/Arianna. Ok I’m right except for RUSSELL?!?! WHAT?!?!?! This is not ok. Sorry Brandon. I feel bad for the two girls in the bottom since Noelle didn’t even dance, but Kim brought up a good point that if Noelle can’t come back, that girl would probably come back anyways.

Arianna is the first to dance for her life. I love her quality of movement and her passion for dancing. She seems to enjoy it so much! I like her and don’t want her to go.

Russell’s solo is next and he is killing it from the get go. He is unreal! My goodness judges you HAVE to keep him otherwise I might boycott the show. He should not even be there, that is bogus. That solo was sick.

Pauline is up now and dancing a fun and fast song. Her solo was very high energy and definitely well danced, but I think I preferred Arianna’s.

Brandon is doing his solo to John Mayer? Interesting choice because it doesn’t showcase him as well as I think he wanted to. He’s definitely going home, sorry Brandon. It wasn’t bad, just blah.

The girls are up for elimination first. Nigel nicely tells them both how amazing they are. He’d like more passion from Pauline but thinks her charisma is great. Arianna is going home first. Wow, I’m kind of upset about this. She was UNREAL yesterday in the Tyce piece and the group number, and I liked her hip hop today! Noelle better be injured so she can come back. I’m sorry if that makes me a horrible person, but Arianna was one of my absolute favorite girls.

Now for the boys…oh man. Nigel urges Russell to keep dancing and trying other styles…this scares me. Ok phew, it’s Brandon leaving, but Nigel says that he is going to ask Fox to allow him to return for Season 7 as a potential Top 20’er. That Nigel…ever so noble!

Wow this is the first time they didn’t cut a couple! Well, the Top 18 has been chosen, and there’s nothing we can do about it. Hope everyone else enjoys the World Series tomorrow that is preventing a results show AND Glee (I’m not bitter about it or anything)…all I can say is it better be a damn good game. G’nite all, see you next Tuesday!

Meet the Top 20!

Woah extreme closeup of Cat Deeley! Weird angle, kinda freaked me out. Ok I would like to make this known right now - I am NOT a fan of the removal of the stairs. Those made for some great routines, and they will be missed. Ok that's out of the way, now on to the dancing!

I’m glad they’re doing a group number, especially since there won’t be a results show for the first couple weeks. And it's a Wade Robson routine, which is ALWAYS good for groups. There are so many people to watch, I’m going to have to watch this a couple more times to take it all in. Ok I had to watch it 5 times, but I will probably watch it five more before I go to sleep tonight. That was AMAZING. I am loving the song first of all. Wade always picks good music. This feels like a dark and mysterios version of the frug from Sweet Charity. I get the whole prohibition underground club feeling from this. And the costumes – my goodness! They have definitely taken it up a notch! I am LOVING Nathan up front and center to start. He is just mesmerizing and so into the music, I get the mood from him right away! And I love Channing and Ellenore behind him! They are so slinky and charismatic. I still am not liking Ashley’s camera mugs. Beware, if you like her, I will most likely bash her a lot in this blog. Jacob Karr leading in Billy, Russell, Kevin and Legacy is UNREAL. I want to jump in the TV and dance with them right now. I swear I had to rewind and rewatch that part 3 times in a row. Yowza! I love everything about Jacob. EVERYTHING. It’s like dancing is a part of him, as if no one even choreographed this for him, he’s just living it. MY GOD THIS IS GOING TO BE AN AMAZING SEASON!

The Hip Hop routine is up first! Legacy, Kevin, and Russell are doing a Tabitha and Napoleon routine. Already from the rehearsal clips, I’m thinking this is going to be awesome! These are 3 very different style hip hoppers, so I’m excited to see how it all meshes together! My first impression is that their clothes are ridiculously corny. I was a little worried at first because they were a little out of sync, but it really doesn’t matter because wow these guys can throw TRICKS!!! It’s like one after the other, and it just doesn’t stop!!! They are jumping around, throwing each other around, walking all over each other, but it just works so well!And they eventually got in sync ad looked good even in their choreographed steps. They’re fantastic. So excited for the hip-hop routines this year – finally something Shane and Dave Scott can work with!

Nathan, Arianna, Jakob, and Channing are up next with a Tyce contemporary routine. I can imagine this will be an extremely technical an beautiful piece. I couldn’t even write anything during that. My eyes were glued to the screen, and I don’t even think I blinked. WOW. Where to even begin??? Nathan”s turns were unreal, how many pirouettes did he do??? I couldn’t take my eyes off Jakob, he has such power but also such grace! Channing was beautiful and elegant, and Ariana was unbelievable with her partnering work and gorgeous lines. There were some of the coolest jumps that I’ve ever seen in that routine. It was just great. We may have lost Mia but I think the other choreographers will just step their game up more to make up for it!

And now this is what I’ve been waiting for!!! TAP GROUP DANCE!!! Caity wanted this in Vegas week, but this is even better because it means they all actually made the show!! With the new style brings a new choreographer, Derrick K. Grant. My living room is completely in love with Peter. He is precious. I think we all just swooned during his little solo. I am so impressed at how on their tapping is! Bianca does a fantastic job of keeping up with the boys! I swear those, every time she did a trick, which was a lot, I cringed because I was worried she would fall! Those taps have no grip on the floor. But she looked great the whole was through, not even the slightest hint of a slip! Nigel was right, she really is the consummate tap dancer. Nigel brought up a really good point just now. Since they can’t commit to teaching anyone else tap, those three will be doing everyone else’s style but never get a chance to shine in their own. It’s a good thing they’re all amazing and will be totally fine with whatever style they’re given!

The jazz dance is up next, so we get to see Mollee, Ellenore, and Pauline shine in a Sonya routine. It’s about being sexy, so naturally they have to do a hair flipping musical montage. Nice tutus. This is not sexy at all. As Emily says, they look like “bouncing cupcakes”. You can tell they’re all fantastic dancers though. Funny that they didn’t mention Ellenore at all. That was just ok to me. I personally preferred her superhero number last season.

Victor, Noelle, Billy, and Kathryn McCormick are up next with another contemporary number. The living room is in consensus that we are not fans of either of the girls’ voices. Excellent song choice by Mandy, it feels so inspiring already! It’s so hard to watch Billy rock at this knowing he won’t be in the competition. I really hope he’s ok, but I worry because it would have to be something really bad to keep him out of this. And again, I just love Mandy’s choreography! Her partnering work is so unique and interesting! You never see anyone do stuff like she does. The boys definitely stole that number for me. The girls were fine, but I think they kind of got overshadowed. Victor has some amazing lines and great height on his jumps! Billy dives completely into the dance and puts everything out there on the stage. I really admire his ability to be so vulnerable. I also think the girls’ dresses are adorable J

Last but not least, we have some ballroom action with the Di Lellos and Karen Hauer. Awkward love triangle much? They’re working with Jason Gilkison, who I love! Wow Ryan, you are so awesome! I seriously can’t take my eyes off him. He is so smooth and cool, like nothing in this competition will phase him. Ashley is still mugging for the camera as they (and I) criticized her for in Vegas. It all just seems fake with her. I would like to think I’ll be able to have an open mind about her, but I can’t promise anything. Dislike for Ashley aside, that was a really cool routine! Ryan must have had a hard time adjusting to partnering two girls at once but he looked so natural doing it!

I’m sad we didn’t get the partner reveal tonight, but hopefully they show some of it on tomorrow’s show! I have said it a million times already, but I am so excited about this season! It’s going to ROCK. Alright, it’s time for me to go to bed, but I’ll see you all tomorrow. G’nite all!

The Green Mile...dun dun dun

It’s kinda morbid that they call it the green mile, but the nickname has stuck and that’s what I’m going with. Today we finally get to find out the Top 20! Is anyone else ridiculously excited about this? Unlike last season, they haven’t been cutting everyone who gets any camera time, so in all likelihood, we will get to see a group of people that we are somewhat familiar with! I made my predictions after last week’s episode, but since then I must admit…I cheated and looked at the spoilers!!! I knew I would do it, I can’t know it’s there and not look at it! So, as a fun game for me (and hopefully for you too!), I’m going to take predictions from the 5 other people here watching tonight! This should be good. Let’s do this!

First up is…Nathan Trasoras! What do you think guys? Would they really have put all that attention on him last season if they didn’t want him in the Top 20?

Predictions:

Caity – Yes

Emily – Yes

Kim – Yes

Laura – Yes

Maureen – Not here yet.

Answer – Yes! He’s made it! The tweens of America can rejoice! Their man candy is in!

Some no’s for a bunch of people right off the bat. And now it’s time for David [insert last name here]. He’s a ballet dancer who I remember clips of, but we didn’t really see any of him in Vegas.

Predictions:

Caity – No

Emily – Yes

Kim – Yes

Laura – Yes

Maureen – Not here yet.

Answer – Nope. Sorry David. I wasn’t a big fan of the loin cloth, so I’m ok with this.

Next up is Kathryn McCormick. We haven’t seen too much of her, so what does the peanut gallery think? My goodness, I want them all to say “no” just because of how she talks. I’m glad the judges give her a hard time for the squeakiness.

Predictions:

Caity – Yes

Emily – Yes

Kim – No

Laura – Yes

Maureen – No

Answer – Yes, she’s in Vegas. Good lord the TV’s going be on mute when she gets kicked off.

Only two dancers are in so far, so let’s see what the future has in store for Channing Cooke!

Predictions:

Caity – Yes

Emily – Yes

Kim – Yes

Laura – No

Maureen – No

Answer – YES! Unanimously voted into the Top 20! They want her to learn to use a partner though.

Arianna Debose – she’s in! And so excited! Ellenore Scott is in too!

And Noelle Marsh and Mollee Gray are having a lovefest on camera. They’re just being cute little teeney boppers! Not their time yet though. It’s Billy Bell time! Unanimous yeses from the couch potatoes! Answer – Yes, DUH! The judges were beyond impressed by him all week. They weren’t fooling anyone! Yay for Billy!

Jake Gidri and Brandon Dumlao are no’s. Sad, but hopefully they will come back. Amber Jackson is next. It would be great to see her make it through because of all she’s been through with her family, so let’s see.

Predictions:

Caity – No

Emily – Yes

Kim – No

Laura – Yes

Maureen – Yes

Answer – No for Amber. The holding room seems shocked.

It is finally Russell Ferguson time! I don’t know anyone who watches this show that doesn’t absolutely LOVE him! My living room critics give him a unanimous and energetic YES! Answer – YES! SYTYCD has its first krumper in the Top 20! The judges love him and so do I!

Is there room for Kevin Hunt, another hip hop dancer? Yes! I love him too! That was too quick for a vote, but in case you were wondering, the room loves him. It’s time for a commercial and they have yet to show a tap dancer. Hmmm.

Hey, whadda ya know, it’s TAPPER TIME! Could this be the year of the tapper as Nigel and I predicted? Bianca will know first. My entire living room says YES. Answer – Yes! Nigel said it was a controversial decision, but I think they were just messing with her. Go tappers!!!

Phillip Attmore’s turn! Tapper number two, will you continue this trend?

Predictions:

Caity – No

Emily – No

Kim – Yes

Laura – No

Maureen – No

Answer – Yes, another tapper has made the cut! I’m not sure about him because of his big mouth and using it as a defense mechanism. We shall see. He’s so talented!

And here goes tapper numero tres! Peter Sabastino’s turn!

Predictions:

Caity – Yes

Emily – Yes

Kim – No

Laura – No

Maureen – Yes

Answer – Yes! All three tappers are in! WOOHOO! Finally a break from the monotony of contemporary solos!! And Peter had the best reveal ever! His little happy dance rocked my world.

There’s been some bad news for the past half hour, apparently. The Hart twin is out AGAIN. Damn you producers. Can’t cry about it too long though because next up is Victor Smalley.

Predictions:

Caity – Yes

Emily – No

Kim – No

Laura – No

Maureen – Yes

Answer – Yes. This is the only guy so far that I feel like I don’t really know yet.

Jacob Karr is in too! For all the early hype he’s gotten online, the producers really haven’t shown that much of him.

Mollee Gray is up next. They really have shown her too much not to put her in the Top 20.

Predictions:

Caity – Yes

Emily – No, just because I don’t like her.

Kim – Yes

Laura – Yes

Maureen – Yes

Answer – Yes. But they want her to dance more maturely.

Mollee’s BFF Noelle Marsh is next in the special little holding room. She’s “wanted this since she was three”. That’s weird.

While Noelle is waiting, Pauline gets the news. Will they overlook her ankle injury and send her to the Top 20? Unanimous no from the couch crew, but the answer is yes! They would never have kept her with that ankle injury if they didn’t want her in the Top 20.

Ok Noelle’s turn now. Will she be joining her Vegas roomie in Hollywood?

Predictions:

Caity – Yes

Emily – Yes

Kim –No

Laura – Yes

Maureen – Yes

Answer – Yes! She and Mollee can continue their love affair on national TV. It’s actually pretty damn cute! They’re just little kids!

Some bad news for Tyrone, Alexie, and a couple more. I was really rooting for Alexie since she’s a Bruin. Sad!

Legacy is up next. He is a unanimous no from the room. We all pretty much agree on his mediocrity. Unfortunately the judges disagree with us, and he’s in.

Paula Van Oppen is up next.

Predictions:

Caity – Yes

Emily – Yes

Kim – Yes

Laura – Yes

Maureen – Yes

Answer – yes. She was told immediately with no small talk from anyone. That’s a first!

The four dancers left are all ballroom. Yet again, they will only be taking a couple of ballroomers this season. The boys are up first, it’s Ryan vs. Dean:

Predictions:

Caity – Ryan

Emily – Ryan

Kim – Ryan

Laura – Ryan

Maureen – Ryan

Answer – It’s Ryan! Not too surprising since I don’t really have any idea who Dean is. So one Dilello is in, but will the other one be as well?

And here come the girls. It’s Ashley vs. Karen Hauer, who was also part of a husband/ wife team. Who’s it going to be?

Predictions:

Caity – Ashley

Emily – Ashley

Kim – Karen

Laura – Ashley

Maureen – Ashley

Answer – It’s Karen! I gotta say, it was slightly cruel for them to send Karen out first and have her hug Ryan before Ashley gets to. But wait, what’s this? Ashley is in too! Paula has been offered a movie contract, so there was a spot for them both! I can’t say I’m excited about Ashley, but oh well, the husband/wife thing will be amusing. As Bianca said, “Now [they] have 18 kids!”

WOW! This is a phenomenal Top 20!!! I could not be more excited! They are fantastic, and I am so excited for this season! And, we only have to wait until Monday to see a little preview in the first ever Top 20 intro show! It should be a great night of performances, plus we’ll get to see the partner reveal which is one of my favorite parts! So there you have it! The Top 20 has been revealed, so let the dancing begin! And now it’s time for some more dancing (and singing!) with some Gleeeeee!!!

Vegas Numero Dos!

Well tonight is Vegas Night #2! I wish I could say “Yay we get to find out the Top 20 tonight!” but unfortunately that will be another tedious week-long wait. I don’t know if I can handle that. Oh well, if last week’s Vegas episode was any indication of the talent that’s to come this season, I am more than happy to watch another full hour of dancing! Plus, after tonight’s episode I can make a fully informed Top 20 prediction! That is almost as good to me as actually finding out!

And now a montage! My fav! And I’m so excited!!! Let’s start!

Laurieann Gibson is up first with a jazz routine. She’s tough, so this should make for some fun close up interviews. Mostly just people saying “This is hard” blah blah blah. To be honest, this dance doesn’t seem that interesting. I don’t know if it’s the choreography or the dancers, but even from the rehearsals, I’m just not hearing it.

Karen and Matthew Hauer spotlight is up first. They’re the first of two husband wife couples that were featured in auditions and made it to Vegas (the Dilellos being the other). Karen’s jazz was not that great to me, but she made it through. Matthew is doing a HORRIBLE job. He doesn’t remember any steps and it constantly looking at the others. He gets cut, not surprising at all. And cue the tearful goodbye to wifey.

The jazz round is “not going well”. Nigel gives a huge speech about how bad they all are, with specific shots of people sucking. At least he gives them a chance to try again. If it were up to Mia, that would not happen. World Champ Ivetta Lukosiute and Wilem (the remaining same sex ballroom dancer) are axed during the jazz round, along with 4 others who didn’t look familiar.

Here come Mollee Gray and Billy Bell, some camera favorites! I still think she looks 12. He looks about 14. They’re in a group with krumper, Russell Ferguson. Adam thinks Billy and Molly look like children but they’re “so good”. I agree with him, as usual! Nigel tells Mollee she needs to start dancing like a woman. Hopefully she takes that note to heart because she is awesome. Russell did awesome! They ask about his other training, which he claims to have none. I’m throwing the bull shit flag on this one. No freaking way! But he gets some kudos from the judges, and their whole group is on to the next round! Hooray! Mollee has a foot injury though. She’ll try to hide that from the judges. Hmmm, how do you think that will work? See that camera right there? Ya, it’s on.

Looks like group dances are up! I LOVE that they do this late at night when they’re at their absolute crankiest! They all know it’s coming because, let’s be honest, who hasn’t seen the show before. But they always seem to be so shocked. If I were on the show I would come with a couple pre-choreographed routines. I’m just sayin’.

They don’t show any drama yet, but maybe they will.

Russell, Jakob Karr, Paula van Oppen, Pauline Matta, and Jackie Ford (aka Joey Dowling’s sister, right?) are up first with a Broadway routine. They picked that music at random, by the way. They finished and satisfied with their routine by 11 last night and seem really confident, as they should be. That was awesome! Very creative, they showcased a lot of different styles and tons of personality.

Now they’re showing a montage, but I want to see these dances! Especially the good ones!

The last group is Mollee Gray’s, and she still has the foot injury. Apparently she wasn’t there when they picked the music and “they’re a mess”. I personally don’t like their outfits. And the dance is about her foot injury. They have her in a chair half the time. This just seems dumb. Why put that on display? Just dance. Nigel says they cheated on the dancing, but they all made it through. Interesting.

It’s the round that everyone dreads most! Contemporary with Mia Michaels! As the Halloween music blares in the background, everyone says how scared they are. Hahaha. I love it. Just saw Channing Cooke. She has gotten like no camera time. There’s Paula. There’s Channing again!

They’re splitting into boys/girls, so we’ll see what happens.

Kevin Hunt the hip hop dancer gets the spotlight for this one. And he’s fantastic! He’s clearly trained since making it to the green mile in Season 3. Go Kevin! He’s also very humble and eloquent on camera, which is fantastic. Russell is AMAZING! Are you kidding me?! And Billy Bell! Mollee Gray got some more camera time. Fantastic as per usual.. The hip-hoppers have done their homework and studied up on contemporary. Legacy is wearing really big shorts. His dancing is average, but definitely better than he was after cha cha. I don’t love his tendency to cry. I gotta say, I just don’t enjoy his on screen personality. Sorry buddy, I’m sure you’re great, but I don’t need to see him on camera.

Ok Russell is crying on the phone to his mom. I LOVE him. He’s my first favorite, and I will be extremely upset if he does not make the Top 20. Hear me, Nigel??? Put him in! I know you already chose at this point, but just DO IT.

It’s time for the final choreography round, and like last season, it’s broadway with Tyce! It’s Sweet Charity! I love this song! I was in a dance recital to this song!

Pauline Mata is getting the spotlight for this round. She made the green mile last season and her clips look good. OMG OMG OMG she’s the one who hurt her ankle. I have never seen anything like that. It’s like her bone was a centimeter from piercing through her skin!

Bianca is through! Yay! A couple people are cut, including Dena???? Who was so close last season.

Now they spotlight Asley Dilello. I do not like her. Let it be known. I think she’s cocky and I hate how she mugs for the camera. I mean, ya she clearly has technique, but I think I could see myself not liking her throughout the Top 20. The judges loved her and think she is the most improved of all the dancers in Vegas. Great. Now I know they’ll put her in just to spite me. Also in her group was Ellenore Scott, who I think did FANTASTIC. *Liza, she’s the one who did the second solo last week in Vegas, with the quirky movements. Remember now?

Apparently 17 girls have made it through to the last solos. Pauline made it back from the hospital, but on crutches. Apparently it’s just a sprain, but I don’t see how she could dance.

Boys are next. They’re dancing to “It’s Still Rock n’ Roll to Me”, so cute! Ryan Dilello is great, but I freaking hate stupid Ashley in the back woooooo-ing him. Ick. But yeah, he is good. And has an amazing body, which he showed off in Dmitri’s signature style. And he’s through, unanimously.

Jacob Karr and Nathan are amazing. Omg the boys are just so cute! I can’t handle it they are so much more fun than the girls. I have to watch again, it’s amazing. Silky looking good. Phillip Atmore kicking ass as expected. Tyrone and Russell are killing it up there! HOW WILL THEY CHOOSE JUST 10 BOYS?!?!?! Seriously, how about 15 boys, 5 girls?! Anyone else down for that idea?

Dominic Pearson made it to the end of Vegas week in Season 4 because of an injury, so he clearly has some motivation. He seems cute and fun in the package, but it seems slightly fake. I agree with you, Mia! Not honest. And now he’s falling on the ground crying. Really? Debbie’s trying to put it in perspective, and Adam puts it perfectly by saying that he is thinking too much about the result. Since that result was only 2 votes, he’s on his way home.

DAMN IT ALL! Silky is cut! It’s down to Phillip Attmore and Bianca to hold it down for the tappers. Nigel hinted at some tap in the Top 20 show and he also said there would probably not be solos. Is he telling us something? I think he is. Romulo is cut too. Sorry buddy, you come so close every year! Bet he’s missing Janette.

Pauline is still uncertain about her status in the competition because she is supposed to stay off her foot for 2 days following the injury. I did see a clip of her on the final stage though, so I’m thinking if she didn’t make it why would they even keep her after the hospital, right?

Billy Bell is up first for the solos. He is unreal. You can just see the joy he brings to his performance. Adam is tearing up and loves him. As do I. He better be in the Top 20. Adam has lost it. He probably sees himself a young aspiring dancer.

I hate when they montage! I so desperately want this episode to be 2 hours so they can show everyone! Mia threw her pen at Amber Jackson because she was so good. (Liza, it’s the girl whose mom got paralyzed by a botched surgery). I love love love her! Top 20 please! Thanks.

Ok, so I have to do this, and not on an old envelope like the last 2 seasons. This is on my blog and legit. Here it goes, my predictions:

Guys

• Russell Ferguson - He is just amazing and I love him even though I KNOW he's had training.
  
• Nathan Trasoras - He's just genius.
  
• Jacob Karr - Really similar to Billy Bell, at least from the clips.
  
• Billy Bell - Really similar to Jacob Karr, but that solo...WOW.
  
• Ryan Dilello - They've loved him from the beginning and he's willing to take his shirt off.
  
• Phillip Attmore - Pure professional and amazing performer. I think he may be a little boring though.
  
• Anthony Hart - I want a twin to make it. I have loved him forever and I want to see him on the Top 20!!!
  
• Tyrone - He's adorable and good at everything!
  
• Kevin Hunt - Late dark horse for me. His contemporary with Mia was incredible.
  
• Legacy – just to spite me.
  

Girls

• Bianca Revels - Yay for tap! She could have been in during Season 4 damnit.
  
• Channing Cooke - I just love her and she hasn't gotten much TV time.
  
• Mollee Gray - I don't know that I would root for her though.
  
• Paula van Oppen - She's so good and she danced for Lady Gaga. Just seems right.
  
• Ashley Dilello – just to spite me
  
• Amber Jackson - I mean, come on, Mia threw a pen at her!
  
• Alexie Agdeppa – a UCLA Bruin!
  
• Pauline Mata - They wouldn't have let her stay with her ankle injury if they weren't going to keep her, right?
  
• Ellenore Scott - She hasn't gotten much love since that first solo, but I like her.
  
• Jackie Ford - I wouldn't want to cross Joey Dowling if she didn't make it.

Ok so that is my Top 20, I know I will get at least 5-6 wrong, but there you go! Can’t wait until next week!

It's Vegas, BABY!!!!

Las VEGAS is here! Finally!! I feel like I have been waiting for this Vegas week since Nigel told us at the finale pre-tape that he would be leaving the day after the finale to do Vegas Week! I’ve also been waiting for this since I wished Ryan Kasprzak good luck after the finale ended. Not so much because I want him the Top 20, but just because it was cool that I saw him there!

I think I might need to stop and rewind 100 times to very thoroughly inspect the people in the background because if I’ve learned anything from the SYTYCD editing crew over the years, it’s that if they’re doing a close up of someone, there’s most likely a future Top 20’er in the shot somewhere. I may have to wait until tomorrow to do that though because Glee is next and I will definitely be watching it immediately.

I also need to point out Caity’s BRILLIANT idea that the group dances should be separated by genre so there could be a group tap dance! How great would that be?! Ok enough stalling, we’ve avoided the commercials, TIME TO WATCH!!!!

Bianca is getting a lot of early screen time, which is both cool and scary to me.

Yay there’s plaid pants! Aka Teddy Tedholme! Can’t wait to see what else he can do!

*Disclaimer I’m just going to say random thoughts, so try and keep up.

Nathan Trasoros is up first! I don’t think there is a super fan who hasn’t been anxiously waiting to see him dance again since Season 5 auditions! He’s wearing the same shorts. He is amazing! His center, his smile, his quirky movements! I love how he’s using humor and smiling to bring the audience in. He is MADE FOR THIS SHOW! I think we will see him through at least the end of Vegas.

Ellenore Scott is next. She does this weird falling thing that I don’t get at first, but as it goes on I’m realizing it’s actually cute and funny. She’s like the female version of Teddy, unique and quirky. I like her.

Just saw Alexie, earring guy, Ivetta dancing with a cape, among others.

Looks like last season's "Pageant Girl Paige" got the boot again! Thank goodness! Um, WHO is that guy in the cowboy hat and spandex that just walked by? He didn’t get cut based on that?!

OMG this montage is too fast for me! Except Bianca at the end, LOVE HER! I’m going to need to rewatch this tomorrow and soak it all in. I may even have to do a followup post!

The judges during Skipper’s (New Orleans Bounce guy) dance was just awesome to see! They were bouncing around like crazy! He’s good at dancing, but man his eyebrows are frightening.

Allison Becker, the one who is hearing impaired! I loved her! And Thomas Hamilton! I like her more than him, but we’ll see. Homas is climbing the stage, equipment that seems like a silly thing to do. They didn’t show much of her. And both of them got cut. Sad. There’s always next year though.

Others getting cut…bloody toe girl, Leigh. Her outfit probably contributed to that, wtf was that? I didn’t recognize anyone else, so I guess that’s good. Unlike last season when they cut everyone who was even mildly mentioned during auditions right away.

The male-male ballroom couple is up now, so let’s see if they impress again. They like “the tall guy” (Willem) and I agree. Jacob gets cut, but Willem makes it through to the next round.

Looks like the first dance is Hip Hop, great! Love me some Nappy Tabs, although if they pick a Lady Gaga song, I will cry. Ok it’s not.

Looks like little Teddy is getting some screen time! I think he might be awesome at this, actually. Good luck, buddy I want you in The Top 20! He’s good! Like Benji good, but still. The judges stop their group sort of abruptly, but it’s to tell them the good news right away! They’re all through!

Gene Loret was not picking up choreography, so he’s out. Cute blonde Amanda got cut too. Was that Megan Kinney getting cut? Boo.

Here comes Ryan Kasprzak. Of course he knows exactly what he’s supposed to do at this point, but hip hop is like the opposite of his style. They’re split 3/3 on him, which is keeping him in…for now. I think it may be like a Natalie thing when they cut him when he should be awesome. Hopefully they don’t drag it out too long.

Speak of the devil, I just mentioned Romulo to Liza who’s here watching and there he is in line for breakfast!

And Anya and Louis van Amstel are choreographing a cha cha! It looks amazing when they do it, but we shall see what happens when the lowly (haha, yeah right) competitors take it on! Jeanine’s actual prom date, Billy Bell, just got an elbow to the nose from his partner and won’t be allowed back on stage until the bleeding stops!

Molly, Silky and Paula are getting some serious screen time! Russell the krumper is doing so well at ballroom! And he’s with Ivetta, the current world champion! Their group is up first and they are SO GREAT! My face just lit up with joy, Russell is so fantastic! Adam gave them a standing ovation as they walked off the stage! She is looking more comfortable now and says she wants to learn krumping! Cute! See? I just needed a little personality and now I’m sold!

There’s the girl who was 11^th right after Asuka is getting some screen time, as is Amber Williams (the dancer whose mom was accidentally paralyzed in surgery). Nathan was doing great and got some positive judge commentary. Ballroom is looking great! High hopes for some great routines this season.

BBoy Legacy is partnered with this season’s camera-favorite, Paula. I don’t really like him, but they all seem to, so we will see. Oh man, he is awful, but she is fantastic. He’s going to fight for his life…ok well they love his solo, so I’m sure he’ll stay.

Thankfully Billy and Christina made it through. John Litzler, a contemporary dancer, is also going to fight for his life.

Here comes some more Ryan camera time. His nose looks GIANT with those glasses. I’m not digging it, but then again I never am. It doesn’t help that he is SO short he has to like jump up to turn a girl around. They didn’t like his style. And now he’s cut. Thank goodness they didn’t drag that out too long. He just needs to be a choreographer. Awww fellow tappers Silky and Bianca are sad to see him go, but let’s be honest he’s not even the best tap dancer there so it makes sense. He has definitely gotten plenty of exposure from this show and will undoubtedly have a very successful dance career ahead of him!

Here comes the dance for your lifers! John Litzler is up first. I remember his audition really impressing me, especially because of his tumbling. There’s not too much more substance to it than that. And there’s not personality there, which Nigel said as well. It came down to Tyce who gave him the axe. Fine by me, he didn’t even seem to care. Plus there are plenty of other white male contemporary dancers in the competition that are better at the actual dancing part of it. Legacy is next and he’s already crying a lot. I’m a crier, but pull it together, buddy. He’s got good moves, but there is just something about him that doesn’t sit well with me. I am just not a fan. But, he gets a unanimous yes and he’s heading to the next round.

Teddy Tedholme is cut?! WTF?! That just sucks. Skipper and his New Orleans bounce are gone too, but I see him auditioning again. He could definitely improve and come back since he seems to be so much fun! Clips for next week’s Vegas seem to be the same as last night’s clips for tonight. We’ll see some Laurieann Gibson choreo, some group dancing, hopefully some bitchy, cut-loving Mia, and some more fabulous dancing! That’s all for tonight (only 3 pages in a word document, not too much, right?), see you all next week! G’nite!

Congrats, Cat!

Congrats to the lovely Cat Deeley on her new gig!

http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/25803/cat-deeley-to-host-so-you-think-you-can-dance

It's ALMOST Vegas...

Welcome to the last day of auditions! Before I start though, I would like to correct myself on the Jakob/Jeanine prom date thing! Thanks to Alexandra for pointing that out! I welcome all of those peer edits, and I love that people that aren't already my friends are reading my blog! Yay! 

Man, I get excited just watching the promo clips!!! AMAZING! Although I hate Salt Lake City and will never ever go back, it does always have some amazing dance talent that feeds right into this show, so let’s see what the Season 6’ers have to offer!!

Just saw Megan Kinney in line! Loved her last year, hope they show some more sibling love and give her some camera time! Oh there, I saw her again!

Mia is the guest judge, so this should be fun! I always enjoy her rude/ blunt commentary!

Bryan Boyer – has hair like Sammy from last season! Wow this guy is a lot like Gev! His moves are quick and powerful and make my jaw drop! I didn’t really like his music though, but that’s not that big of a deal. He was so full of energy and I liked his smile. He’s an obvious yes to choreo, and it’s cute that he finds a partner right away to start practicing! Unfortunately he didn’t think he could do it so he gave up, but with a great attitude, and I think he could eventually be great.

Tristy Mirci - 25 car accidents in 3 years?!?!?! She has got to be some sort of bad luck charm! The question is, of course, will that bad luck be compared to her dancing?  And she’s not good at all, bring on the car accident analogies, Nigel and Cat. I can’t tell if this is a joke or what, but that was like zero skill level. Not really sure why that was in there except for the car accident thing.

Wow that theater is HUGE and filled with people! That is nuts!

Hayley Cloud - Ok well this girl is good already! And she has a herniated disc in her back??? Or had. Cleared from acupuncture. Nice. Wow her gymnastics are so light on the landings! She is just so strong but with such a light feeling to her. I agree with Mary, she is super confident, but not in a cocky way. And she can handstand for 5-8 minutes?! Mia wants proof, hahaha typical Mia! If she wasn’t laughing I bet she could do it! Wow, I love this girl already! So spunky and cute, but you can tell she's a hard core competitor! Straight to Vegas after some teasing from Nigel first. Can't wait to see much more of her!

Megan Kinney – She’s back and better than ever. She’s got a little more passion and spunk this year! A little shaky on some moves, but she has this character, and it always looks like she’s looking right at you, in good and not creepy way! Straight to Vegas, of course!

Genise Ruidiaz – She's wearing pink hot pants and has Cirque Du Soleil-esque flexibility! Long and graceful movements, but it's a little distracting that this is obviously not the song she's dancing to. Unfortunately we didn’t see much, but it was good enough to get her straight to Vegas.

Nigel is liking the pretty little Mormon girls. They would do a montage of his creepy faces. It’s getting old, editing team. How about we make him look appreciative of dance as an art form in a classy way for once? Ya thanks.

Arianna Rowley – 21 years old. She’s a burlesque performer. Sateen La Rogue is her stage name? This is ridiculous. And, sorry, but she looks like a man. Ha, Mary and Mia’s faces! I don’t even know what to write. And no one in the audience knows how to respond. This is just awkward. Next. Oh shit, they’re letting her do choreo. Damn it. Shockingly enough she is horrible, bye bye, do NOT come back please.

Iveta Lukosiute – She came from Russia when it was under Soviet Union control. She’s 29 but looks much older. Maybe it’s the close up on her stage makeup. Or her awkward haircut. Or the broken English maybe? The girl can really dance though! Wow, that was straight up PROFESSIONAL ballroom dancing. It looked like it could have been performed in a ballroom competition. Unfortunately she was absolutely no personality. She didn’t even react to making Mary cry. She is a phenomenal dancer, but she can not be on the show. I’d cry. I kinda wish her partner was auditioning – he seems fun! Oh well, I hope she can prove me wrong because she’s a really good dancer.

Did anyone else see the guy who came out with a ticket to Vegas that looked like he could be Mark’s brother?? Just me? Ok then. 

Pascal Nayigiziki - What is he doing? I’m so confused. This is not dancing. He is trying to learn how to walk? And now he’s ripped off his shirt. Great, that’s 2 strippers to come out of the SLC auditions. His work wasn’t even good. Nor was the fake crying. As Mary said, he was just running around the stage having a conniption fit! Apparently he’s a “great investment”. Psh. Next.

Ballroom montage! I want to see all these auditions!!! Not fair! *Afterthought – they showed two not-so-great ones, why???

Ashley and Ryan Di Lello – Well they’re going to be good because they’re in their house (they're married), right? And their clips are great. She’s got good feet, bad arms. I HATE the song choice. She’s just making stupid faces from the camera, and Mary calls her out on that. Roomie said that right away too. Ryan is great, a good leader and strong dancer and the judges really do love him. She looks bitter about the Ryan love-fest, but he definitely was better. We’ll see them in choreo to see if they can dance with other partners. Not surprisingly, they are both good enough for Vegas, but I don't see Ashley staying there very long. 

More ballroom please? YES.

Leigh Asay and Josh Murillo – They’ve only been dancing together for 2 weeks, and that is definitely She’s very cute and smiley, but something about this just seems slow motion. They both have technique, but something is just off. How bout not choosing Lady Gaga for your ballroom audition? I think that alone would make it better. Ok it gets better as it goes along, and I could see how she would be very adaptable and good on the show. She's slightly annoying and it seems like she knew to bring up the toenail right away. Ewww, so the toenail’s been pre-empted in the "Coming Up" sections, but it’s still so gross! Why would they show it so close up?? She’s handling it with a ton of personality though, which will probably play to her favor. And it does! She’s straight to Vegas (and the Emergency Room!), but Josh is off to choreo. Just as well, I didn’t really notice him anyways. And he’s not going to Vegas, so hopefully she will make up for losing a toenail.

I think I was distracted tonight by my excitement for tomorrow’s VEGAS WEEK! I can not wait to see all of the great dancers and start making predicitions! I also can not wait to see the tapping! I still say that this is the year of the tapper! Don’t prove me wrong, Nigel. Alright, that’s all for now. It's all good dancing from here on out, so Viva Las Vegas!!!!

I want to go to New Orleans!

New Orleans auditions tonight! 2 days in a row of SYTYCD, everything is as it should be! I’m excited for another round of Adam Shankmann auditions and the first since he was announced as permanent judge! SYTYCDism told me via Twitter earlier that New Orleans is looking good, so let’s see if they’re right! I forgot that Nigel wouldn’t be here for this, and now I’m excited to see Lil C again too! Here go the dancers, show me what you got...

Sheldon "Skip" Skipper – Ok what is with his eye brows?!?! I’m frightened. He’s doing some sort of New Orleans regional hip hop thing called "New Orleans Bounce". It’s cool, kinda different. A ton of energy! I like it, but I highly doubt he could do anything else. Also, interjection, why does Mary look so bizarre?! Is she melting from the heat? Ok back to this guy. He seemed a little cocky and into himself. Who claps for themselves multiple times? But yeah, send him to choreo and see what happens. WHAT?! Into Vegas automatically?! Ok then. I guess it’s like the Memphis Jukin’ guy from last year, so we’ll see how he does.

Jonathan Litzler – He’s a contemporary dancer with acrobatics background. That always makes for a good contestant. Oh wow I really like this guy! Love his music, love his moves, love everything! His movements make him look like he weighs nothing! He was like made for this show. Send him to freaking Vegas! Yay! I think he could potentially be in the Top 20.

Alison Nance – cute brunette contemporary dancer. Totally reminds me of this girl from college...

Calvin Turner Jr – dreads, looks like the Hart twins, really like him

Edward Spots – good turns, fun music, clear ballet background. Very smiley, love it!

*All 3 of these guys went straight to Vegas. Well deserved!

Eric Leblanc – He drank 6 energy drinks today. Wow, clearly. He’s a hip hop dancer, ok. Definitely can move, but it’s pretty much just average. Very funny though, the judges were cracking up. Ah! Too much screaming! He shouldn’t go to choreo, but he was fun. Ok Mary and Lil C want to see him in choreo hahaha this should be entertaining. I love that Cat refers to him as the "highly caffeinated Eric LeBlanc".Not surprisingly he is not going to Vegas, but it was a solid effort.

I think I saw the Hart twins brother in a clip. He did the same side spin as Antwon did last night in Atlanta. I hope he makes it too!

Justin Kenny - He is still recovering from a pretty bad car accident, which apparently may affect his head spins, etc. WOW! This kid can definitely break! He doesn’t look affected at all! Amazing! He’s so interesting, and there is something about him that I am just drawn too, although it’s not those huge earrings. I think they’ll send him to choreo and see what else he can do. And they do. And they’re taking a "huge, huge gamble" according to Lil C, but they’re sending him to Vegas! Yay!

This little dance party they have going on in line is pretty amazing!
A band?! Really? Awesome.

Kimalee Piadad – Theater arts ballroom dancer, but her partner is not auditioning. She compares it to ice dancing with no ice and no skates. These two looked amazing in the clips, so I’m excited to see their routine. And they’re dancing to the Kris Allen version of Make You Feel My Love, which I already love. Very nice lines, ballet- esque. Amazing one handed lift where her body was like curved around. This girl is like Gumby, sooo flexible!. Lots of emotion, very beautiful. Adam says choreo but Mary and Lil C put her to Vegas, which I totally agree with. The girl can dance!

Micah Mixon – He’s led a troubled life – drugs, vandalism, no money, rebellion, etc. Please be good! He’s a popper, and a good one at that. I like his upbeat music, and he has a lot of good moves. He used the stage very well. I liked him a lot! And he has a good attitude! I’m a fan! Good luck in choreography, Micah! He seems a little uneasy. They’re not going to take him to Vegas, but they encourage him to keep trying and come back. I agree, he could definitely be a season 7 force to be reckoned with!

I gotta say, New Orleans looks like so much fun! Looking up flights on kayak.com right now!

Llyod Ballard, Tierney St. John, Casey Crisoto, all bad. The judges say they missed Nigel, but I miss the editing. At least it leads to a great segment called "Mary’s Rules" which starred Adam Shankmann and highlighted what not to do in an audition. LOVE IT. Shankers booty shaking…I love it!

Jakob Karr – Jeanine’s prom date and former dance partner! Ok he’s going to be amazing. And he is! How does he reach his legs so high??Every move is effortless! Amazing center, great emotion, good height on his jumps, BEAUTIFUL dancer! I hope he has a personality because he could also be a great Top 20’er! Straight to Vegas? UM DUH.

Diana Drexler – Her grandfather passed away while she was in line to audition, so sad. Thank goodness she’s great! Seems like she’s floating, a great quality of movement. She’s clearly emotional, but it’s in such a good way for the dance. Not technically the best I’ve ever seen, but very good. Wow, I’m getting teary, it’s just so real. They put her through to choreography, which I definitely think is fair. She’s breezing through it, she should definitely be through…and she is! Thank goodness!

Little Hart brother is also going to Vegas. That is totally him! I don’t recognize anyone else in the group though.

Salt Lake City is the final audition stop, and there are always a ton of talented dancers there, so that should be good. Then Vegasssssss! My favorite part! I love watching and predicting and then being wrong (or sometimes right)! It’s so fun! Can’t wait to make my Top 20 list and see everyone else’s too!