Finale!!!

So, I'm back bloggin at home since I know I'm blocked at work and I won't have time before the winner is announced tomorrow night!

I had the opportunity to go to the taping today, but unfortunately with everyone's hands up in the air clapping, I couldn't really see much dancing. So basically, I heard all the music and judges comments and saw the video packages, but I'll be seeing the routines for the first time on TV. Since there are so many dances, I'm going to break it down by person:

Kent - He had a fun Bollywood with Lauren allstar, a cute jazz routine with Lauren contestant, an emotional contemporary with Allison, and a malevos dance with Robert. I liked them all, but the Stacey Tookey contemporary piece really stood out. Kent even seemed a bit shaken up (emotionally) afterwards, which just showed how invested in the piece he really was. His solo was good, but nothing special, even though I love him.

Lauren - She rocked a hip hop with Twitch, a beautiful contemporary with Robert, a geeky jazz with Kent, and a sizzling with Pasha. The Dee Caspary contemporary was gorgeous and floating, and I loved the use of the pillow to make it even more "dreamlike". I also really liked the Cha Cha, but that outfit was a little...well, little. Not that she can't rock it, but with the costume malfunctions this season, it was cutting it a bit close. And, her solo was by far the best of the night, and debatably the season. She KILLED it! They didn't show it on camera, but the judges

Robert - He took on a jazz routine with Mark, the wonderful contemporary with Lauren, a sexy Broadway with Kathryn, and the malevos fight with Kent. I have to say, I just adore Spencer Liff's broadway choreography (and him, he is just so freaking cute!), and this was no exception - very cool, classic feeling but in a modern way. His solo was fine, but again, nothing special. I think I've become jaded towards male contemporary solos at this point. They have to do something totally new and different to pique my interest.

I have to say, this was a really strong finale. There was not one bad dance, despite the fact that the judges pretty much reamed Mandy Moore's jazz routine and essentially called it nothing but fluff. I liked all of the routines a lot, and all three of those dancers really deserved to be there. I know it's a total cop out, but I would be fine with any of them winning! I don't even have a preferred order...3-way tie?!?! Yes please!

So, we'll find out tomorrow, but for now we can ponder what dances we want to see tomorrow. We already know that the Alex/Twitch hip hop routine will be performed with a mystery guest, but what else is finale worthy? Here's what I want to see again:

- Kent and Lauren Prom Dance (Travis contemporary)
- Billy and Lauren Shoe Dance (Mandy Moore jazz)
- Allison and Robert Fix You (Travis contemporary)
- Kent and Neil Baseball Routine (Tyce Broadway)
- Adechike and Comfort Hip Hop
- Lauren and Dominic Abuse Routine (Tessandra Chavez lyrical hip hop)

Final 4 Before the Finale!

Well, it's been a week and work is still blocking my blog. Bleh. So, a quick recap of this week!

Performances: Robert and LoFro KILLED IT this week! We finally got a waltz w/ Robert and Anya, and it was beautiful. Robert looked strong and suave and it was really beautiful. Robert also got a quirky and cool NappyTabs Hip Hop about clowns for his first Hip Hop on the show, and it was awesome. Definitely one for the tour!

Lauren was smoldering in an Argentine Tango w/ Pasha and then ever more so in a black widow inspired Sean Cheeseman jazz piece. I especially loved the hand choreography and the crazy lift that had Lauren basically doing a back somersault up Ade's body!

Kent was 1 for 2 with a silly disco but an amazing Travis Wall contemporary piece w/ Neil. I really love him, and I think choreographers just need to be able to relate to him in order to pull certain emotions out of him. He was brilliant in this piece - even Mia had nothing negative to say.

Adechike pretty much fizzled out of contention on Wednesday, and hopefully America's votes reflect that. His African jazz w/ Lauren G and his contemporary w/ Kathryn both fell flat for me and for the judges. They tell him the same thing every week, and yet he isn't able to ever connect to a piece and relate to the audience/cameras/judges at all.

We also got a Top 4 Broadway routine by Tyce which was pretty blah, but Kent of course stood out since he was made for Broadway!

I think the finale should be LoFro, Robert, and Kent, but I worried that Adechike's loyal fans might knock Robert out. Thankfully I was wrong and we got my dream finale!! I can not wait to watch next week, I think it's going to be a great show! I honestly think all three are deserving of the win, and I can honestly say I'd be happy for any of them! Just for fun, here are my dream pairings for next week's show:

LoFro - Jean Marc Waltz w/ Pasha, Mandy Moore Contemporary w/ Ade or Neil

Kent - Travis Contemporary w/ Kathryn, Spencer Liff Broadway w/ Lauren G

Robert - Rumba w/ Anya, Sonya Contemporary w/ Courtney

We'll see what happens!

Blocked!

So, my work blocked my blog from me, so my usual Thursday and Friday morning recaps really can't occur anymore. I have a minute now, so I'll just say, I really liked Top 6 v 2.0. Minus the Billy/ Robert Bollywood routine, I thought all the dances were solid. Lo Fro won the night for me with her flirty Broadway and sexy as hell Fox Trot. My symbolic vote went to her, and I was beyond shocked to see her in the bottom 3 on the results show. I still do not understand how Adechike keeps avoiding the bottom - he and Kent are the only two to escape it all season long. I also have got to point out that Toni Redpath was an awesome guest judge. She provided insight along with criticism, and it was nice to hear a fresh opinion.

Next week only America decides, so I am hoping the tweens forget their extreme jealousy that Lauren got to kiss Kent this season and VOTE FOR HER! Team Lo Fro and Team Kent...that's what I've been saying all season, and I'm sticking with it!

Make It Up As We Go

They really are just flying by the seat of their pants this season on SYTYCD. Injury protocol, inviting people back again, letting it get down to 1 girl and 5 guys...what's next? The debut of the first Double Dutch routine? Actually? I wouldn't mind that at all!! New idea? Why the heck not?

I have to say, I was not really looking forward to this results show at all, and I was pretty tempted just to look up the results and call it a night, but I didn't.

The group dance was pretty great, although I didn't notice any of the competitors in it. Mark stole the show, 100% and I had to really strain to see Lauren, Kent, and Adechike. Didn't see Jose or Robert at all.

As far as results, not a huge surprise, but Jose and Robert were in the B3 again. I guess since they've never been in the bottom, Kent, Lauren, and Adechike (wtf?) will be headed to the Top 3 finale. That should be interesting.

There were some good guest performances today, despite my initial "Ugh, I hate guest performances" comment when I heard it was Pitbull and Enrique Iglesias. DJ Smart and his 10-pack abs were incredible. The ABT dancers were stunning, particularly the girl - couldn't take my eyes of her! Lauren and Neil performed their Wade Robson "Night of the Dancing Flame" routine, which was just as great today as it was Season 3, complete with creepy Lauren screams!

Both Jose and Robert's solos were overwhelmingly better than Wednesday's performance show solos, but when it came down to eliminations, they eliminated...no one. I knew that was happening when Cat asked Nigel, "Did you make up your minds?" and without even a hesitation, Nigel just said no. So, next week, 2 dancers will be eliminated, and I'm guessing it will be Jose and Billy. Sorry guys, it's time.

Also announced today was a majority of the tour lineup, which includes Top Guy/Girl from Season 6 (Russell and Kathryn) and Season 7 (Lauren and TBD), all-stars Allison, Dominic, Courtney, and Ade, and then 4 more that are TBD. Personally I'm hoping for Jakob, Ellenore, Mollee, and Kent (if he doesn't win). This should be an interesting tour. I wonder if they'll perform new stuff or just have all stars step into routines people did with other partners? I don't know if I'll go or just watch on YouTube...we'll see.

Survivor: SYTYCD Edition

Well, at this point, I'm just getting annoyed with this season. Annoyed with the injuries (another one to Billy Bell this week), annoyed with the judges, annoyed with the lack of ballroom (no waltz, rumba, foxtrot yet), annoyed with the fact that there's only one girl left and if not for Alex's injury, no guys have been eliminated. Oh, and I'm still annoyed with the stage - I miss those darn stairs!

So, I'm going to make this a quick post because, to be honest, there's not as much to talk about as there was when I started wanting to blog the show.

My fav duets of the night: Both Hip-Hops...Lauren KILLED her routine with Twitch! She hit everything so hard, and I felt like I was even watching her more than him, which is nuts because I love him and he's awesome. Adechike and Comfort were fabulous as well, although, I have to say, Comfort really shined in that one. It was so emotional though, and it was the first time I felt Adechike was truly believable in a piece.

Runner up: Kent and Kathryn, Jazz

My fav solo: Adechike! Surprised? Me too! At first I thought, "You really can't dance to 'This Woman's Work' after Tyce used it for such a memorable piece" but Adechike really impressed me tonight. Robert was good too.

My least fav duets of the night: The all male paso doble really didn't do it for me. I already don't love the paso, but its charms include a) sexual tension/ passion and b) a guy throwing a girl around the stage. This had neither. Also, I felt like I could really see Jose's lack of training in this, and it wasn't pretty.

My least fav solo: Jose. Sorry, but he's just not as impressive at breaking as I've seen on the show in the past. Nothing he does makes me go "wow". He's got an adorable smile, I'm sure he'll get work, but it's just not working for me on the show.

Who's joining Billy in the B3? What's the point in even voting now, to be honest? Votes haven't mattered the last two weeks. I think Lauren is safe (she was great this week), and I'm pretty sure Kent will be fine too. So it's between Robert, Jose and Adechike, and I'm guessing Jose and Adechike, hopefully with Jose leaving. However, Billy has been in the bottom a bunch, and I think he might be sent home even if he could dance because the judges don't like his inabilit to connect to the audience...or whatever it is they're talking about. When does the decision making privelege get revoked from the judges anyway? Or are they having the say all the way down to the finale?

Another One Bites the Dust

Well tonight was a bit anticlimactic, as was last week. Sigh.

First and foremost, I have something to say to Mr. Tyce Diorio. KEEP DOING GROUP BROADWAY NUMBERS! They are beyond awesome. I wish so much that I was there to see that live because I'm sure the cameras didn't even do it justice. It definitely highlighted the all-stars a lot more than the competitors, but I'm fine with that. It rocked.

So, we know Ashley is already in the bottom three, but who joined her? The dancers came out in pairs, and we found out that Jose and Billy would be dancing solos tonight. Yes, it's old hat by now, but I still have to ask...who is voting for Adechike?! I don't understand why he continues to pull in more votes than Billy, especially this week when Billy had two breakout performances! I really want the negative votes now, this is getting unacceptable.

Anyway, we got four guest performances tonight as well! Honestly, I don't know how they manage to squeeze all this in plus have what seems like an unbearable amount of commercials. The results show feels like it's two hours. The little jive kids were adorable, and that little boy is about to become Benji #2. The Alvin Ailey dancers were incredible, as expected, and I loved how powerful and athletic they both were. Comfort and Twitch danced their Dave Scott "Forever" routine, and it took me back to the Season 4 Top 10 Dress Like Your Favorite Dancer party at my apartment 2 years ago. I was Katee, Shanta was Twitch, Anna and Shelby were Bollywood, and "Forever" was just starting to get popular. I'm pretty sure there was a collective shriek of joy when they came out to dance that piece on the show. Last but not least was Christina Perri singing her single "Jar of Hearts" that Stacey Tookey used for her Billy/Kathryn routine a couple weeks ago. Love her voice, I'm sure she'll be successful. SYTYCD knows how to pick 'em.

Billy and Jose both danced great solos tonight, although I would give the edge to Billy because I've seen better Breaking, but they both brought it tonight. In the end, Nigel revealed that Ashley's doctors need her to get 3-5 weeks of rest if she wants to be able to dance on tour, so she's out tonight leaving Lauren to fight for the girls. I bet the producers feel a little dumb for having so many guy all-stars now, huh? I know I wasn't Ashley's biggest fan, but she did a great job on the show, and I would have liked to see her stay, but c'est la vie! It was not in the cards this year.

Here's to hoping NO ONE gets injured this week! Other things I'm hoping for? A freaking waltz! Adechike in the Bottom 3! Another awesome group dance with the All-Stars! Mary Murphy! Ah, if only Nigel read this...

7th Heaven...when I see those happy faces smiling back at me...

Did anyone else used to watch that show? No one? Bueller? Guess it's just me then.

Anyways, enough of that, it's dancing time! And look at that, another injury. Too bad I already knew that, thanks www.sytycdism.com. I don't know what they're doing to the dancers this season, but no one is going to want to audition if they're going to get serious injuries from it! In any case, Ashley's out this week, so we miss out on a Dmitry rumba. Sad! I liked my last week format of putting my recaps in my own preferential order, so I'm going to do that again! Here goes nothin':

1. Kent and Neil, Broadway w Tyce - What a cute routine! Tyce, stay away from the girl-girl routines and stick with the guy-guy ones! I can see these two dancing on Broadway in some Rogers and Hammerstein musical. It was too perfect for Kent, as he could really just exude joy and boyish charm. Plus there was some really legit dancing in it! Their celebration at the end was also pretty darn cute :) To steal a line from Mia, I love boys!

2. Robert and Allison, Contemporary w/ Travis - This was a beautiful, gorgeous and inspirational piece without a doubt. My ONLY gripe is that the costumers made Allison look just like Melissa in Tyce's breast cancer piece. This routine had a lot more dancing than Tyce's though, and like Travis said in his video package, every movement was a moment of storytelling. I continue to be amazed by Travis and Allison. Robert was great too, but I could watch Allison dance forever. How she did not make the Season 2 finale is beyond me.

3. Lauren and Billy, Jazz w/ Mandy Moore - Another cute routine! Loving Mandy as usual! Great concept, smooth style, fun dancing! I just really loved this routine. As Adam said, it was just happy-making! Billy connected really well with Lauren, and Lauren was just a bubbly ball of joy. And I want some bedazzled Converse now.

4. Kent and Adechike, Contemporary w/ Dee Caspary - Most memorable thing to come out of this was Nigel's declaration that Kent has an outstanding chance to come out the champion. That or my roommate describing the story as the dance version of Saving Silverman. Don't get me wrong, this was an amazing dance as far as technique, emotion, and great moves. Dee Caspary really showed off both of their strengths. However, I didn't really it as captivating. I'm not sure why, maybe it's because I don't think that guy friends emotionally deal with their problems? I don't know. Still good though.

5. Billy and Anya, Jive w/ Louis van Amstel - Welcome back, Louis! I always love his routines and the unique music choices - he always delivers the full package. I thought Billy did a great job with this routine and was able to calm the sexy beast that is Anya. He was really into her, which was a nice change for him.

6. Adechike and Anya, Salsa w/ Liz Lira - Well this new choreographer pulled out ALL the stops in this routine. They really nailed all the tricks, and there were a lot of them! I think Adechike's partnering was a little bit sloppy/ awkward, especially in the arm work (Mia agreed with me on this). It was a very valiant effort and you could tell he was fighting, but I still am not a fan of his.

7. Jose and Courtney, Broadway w/ Joey Dowling - Jose was really precious in this and I was ok with it, but the judges finally laid into him. They nailed him for his lack of training and said his personality was lost in this one. I liked the concept a lot, but I can't help but wonder how great this routine would have been with Billy or Kent or Robert instead.

8. Robert and Ashley's stand-in aka Kathryn, Disco w/ Dorianna Sanchez - I think the song really held them back on this one. I usually really love disco, but this song was a little bit harsh. I think the tricks and the steps were good, but the arms were a bit choppy and distracting. Plus, I'm used to seeing a crazy throw or two from Dorianna, or at least some "danger" element, which I didn't get from this number.

9. Jose and Dominic, Breaking w/ "Nappy Tabs" -I don't know how much of a say NappyTabs really had in this choreo, hence the quotes. Honestly, I thought that could have been better. I mean, don't get me wrong, no one else on the show could do it, but I wasn't as entertained as I thought I would be. There weren't really any "WOAH" moments for me that I usually get from breaking.

10. Lauren and Mark, Tahitian w/ Tihanna - I don't really know what to say about this one. I can't say I appreciated them as dancers in this because it was just a lot of hip shaking. Plus, I wasn't mesmerized as I probably would be if an actual Tahitian dancer was doing it. It seems like a hard thing to learn in a week because it's like the opposite of what contemporary technique teaches you, but I guess that was the challenge?

For me, Kent and Billy won the week. Lauren and Robert also did really well, with each of them having one dance significantly stronger than the other. My guess as to who will be joining Ashley in the B3 tomorrow? Tough call, but I'm going to have to go with Jose and Adechike. I have a sinking feeling Billy is going to end up there again because Adechike keeps getting saved from danger, but one can only hope. I'm ready for "Chike" to go now, thanks.

Top 8 Elimination Claims Another :(

Well, SYTYCDISM (www.sytycdism.com) was right, the Top 8 elimination is ALWAYS a shocker, and this season's Top 8 unfortunately continued the trend.

The night started with a beautiful group number from Mia guest starring Ade as an Angel. I would love to see another All Star/ Competitor group dance sometime soon!

On to the results. I'm not sure who thought it was a good idea to reveal the results to a group of two dancers then a group of five, but just fyi, it's NOT. Lauren and Bill were up first with Billy in the bottom. Then, in a bit of a shocker, Ashley is in the bottom. AgainI ask, who is voting for Adechike?!?! So confused by that choice.

The cast of In the Heights (that I'm soooooo excited to FINALLY see this Saturday) performs "96,000" which I've seen them perform a dozen or so times already. It was especially good tonight though, and I'm even more stoked to get to see it w/ Lin Manuel Miranda the brains behind it (writer, lyricist, star...it's just HIS show).

We get Billy's and Ashley's solos, they're fine, but in the end it turns out Alex has a lacerated Achilles and needs surgery on Tuesday with a recovery time of at least 3 months. I knew it was happening (stupid Twitter) but I am still bawling. Alex is an absolutely amazing dancer, and he sacrificed so much to come on the show to learn and grow as a dancer. Nigel said he is welcome to come back to them next season, and I say just assume he's in the Top 10 or 20 or whatever. If he can/does come back, I saw Alex FTW Season 8! Thanks for raising the bar, Alex. We'll miss you this season.

Elite 8!!! But wait...

I am ashamed to say I looked at Twitter before I started watching Wednesday's show and was devastated to learn that Alex was injured and wouldn't be dancing! This also eliminates an Anya dance. Double loss! Top 8 is the cursed week, I swear! So we watched 7 dancers do their thing this week, and since the show has decided to keep switching formats, I'm going to do the same. Here are my reviews in the order that I liked them (best to worst):

1. Kent and Lauren, Contemporary - Travis Wall
Hands down my favorite of the night! Finally a dance where Kent didn't have to try and be sexy. Granted, he does need to work on playing characters, but I loved seeing him just dance! This dance was beautiful and just exuded joy! Their chemistry was amazing, and the choreography suited their styles perfectly. Plus, by the end I was shrieking like a 13 year old at how cute Kent and Lauren were! Anyone else think that kiss at the end was Kent's first? :)

2. Jose and Lauren, Contemporary - Mandy Moore
I really just love Mandy's ability to make dancers look good in contemporary dance, regardless of style or background. She seems like a really good teacher in the video packages, and here the teaching really paid off, as I was very impressed with Jose! Plus, we got another unique Mandy lift where Jose held Lauren horizontally by one leg and she like spun and twisted down somehow...definitely had to watch that one a couple times! Plus, the connection between the two was great and I loved that Jose was able to tone it down a notch and bring out the emotion of the routine.

3. Robert and Kathryn, Jazz - Sean Cheeseman
I really loved the concept of this routine! And the music, love me some Roison Murphy! Kathryn looked like the perfect little "Tennis Barbie" and Robert looked adorable in his sweater vest. I loved the parts where they were dancing in the box and their darky and scheming little grins. There was some great partnering outside the box which I loved as well. Basically it just left me with a huge smile on my face!

4. Lauren and Pasha, Cha Cha - Jean Marc and France
There were parts of this dance when I really thought Pasha was dancing with Anya! Not that I'm surprised since Lauren is awesome, but she really looked like a ballroom dancer to me! I was especially pleased with her hands because I feel like that's the first place you start to notice when a ballroom routine is off. She definitely kept up with Pasha and danced like a woman. Nice job, Lauren! Any bets as to who is going to use "Alejandro" in their routine this season? I'm guessing Jean Marc and France, but maybe Sonya or Travis?

5. Kent and Comfort, Hip Hop - Dave Scott
I really liked the smooth hip hop style of this routine. It really worked for Kent and was very reminiscent of Mr. Schuster/ Justin Timberlake. He definitely toned down his "deer in headlights" look and it paid off. Comfort also looked awesome since she was not in baggy clothes for once. Damn girl!

6. Ashley and Dominic, Hip Hop - Nappy Tabs
Cool Ninja inspired routine from NappyTabs! I loved the use of the whole stage (and then some) and definitely appreciate how Ashley could really shake her booty. I still am not a fan of hers, but this routine definitely helped. She had good chemistry with Dom (who wouldn't) and I definitely enjoyed watching this one.

7. Billy and Katee, Broadway - Spencer Liff
I really think it must have been the horrible camera work that ruined this routine for everyone on TV because the judges LOVED this. I feel like the camera was shaky the entire time and the angles were horrible. Half the time, I felt like the focus was in between Katee and Billy so you could only see half of what each of them was doing. And it gave me a headache. However, there is no denying that Billy is still a freak of nature with his flexibility. I am going to say he has no spine. How could he with all that crazy bending?!?! Also, Spencer Liff is adorable...just saying.

8. Ashley and Robert, Quickstep - Jena Marc and France
Why do they feel the need to incorporate this dance into the show? Even when it's good, it is still a little bit dated and boring. Loved the song choice for this, but that's about it. They were awkward, slow at times, and their carriage was definitely not held as it should be. Plus Ashley's costume was pretty awful. Sorry, it was!

9. Jose and Billy, Afro Jazz - Sean Cheeseman
Weird. When they danced together I felt like they were fake wrestling, and when they danced apart it was too disjointed. I just didn't get it.

10. Adechike w/out Alex, Bollywood - Nukul
One of the more boring Bollywood routines Nukul has done. It did start to get exciting in the middle when it got super fast, but overall, it just didn't sit well with me. Plus, Adechike had a weird smirky thing on his face the whole time that didn't match the routine. I'm also not sure why they made him do the same thing move that Alex injured himself with. I think a little bit of tweaking should have been done to avoid that potentially happening again. Best part of this routine? Cat CALLING OUT the judges for being hypocritical of their criticisms. Go Cat!

11. Adechike and Courtney, Jazz - Mandy Moore
This is the first time Mandy has really disappointed me. I didn't like the look of this routine - the costumes, music, and props didn't go together. Plus, the choreo all felt like setups to something bigger, but that something never came. Courtney and Adechike had horrible chemistry and barely even danced together. Adechike really didn't do it for me, and for the first time this season, I really agreed with Mia's critique. Adam couldn't even finish a damn sentence in his critique which led to some annoying blabbering amongst the judges.

I'm curious to see what goes down with Alex Wong tonight. Hopefully he hasn't ruptured his achilles and Adechike will be sent packing. Predictions of the other B2 - Adechike and Robert.

No one's surprised.

Sorry, but you can't be in the bottom 3 for the first three weeks and not go home. It just doesn't work like that on this show. Sorry Melinda, I wanted to like you, I really did, but you made it so hard! That being said, you're an awesome tapper and I hope you get lots of work so people can see you shine.

I really loved tonight's group routine. Very powerful dancing, great song, totally wish I could have seen it live. Too bad there couldn't been more partner work since there are pretty much no girls left! Anyone else catch Billy getting lifted in the back?

I was ridiculously happy to hear Nigel's announcement that next week the dancers will be taking on two routines - one with an allstar and one with a fellow competitor! Can not wait!

A quick results reveal from Cat left Billy, Robert and Melinda in the Bottom 3. Melinda and Robert weren't that surprising, but Billy has a crazy fan base so I was shocked to see him there. I ask again, who is voting for Adechike?!?!

Guest performances this week were from Courtney and Mark (loved seeing "The Garden" again), Ne-Yo, and the company of Cirque's Viva Elvis, which included SYTYCD alums Chris and Marquis. I loved the Nappy Tabs choreo and thought the girls dressed like letters were so cute! The army clad men pulled some crazy moves out of nowhere, and I can't even imagine how great the entire show is!

The solos were nothing special (Billy's was my favorite of the three), and not surprisingly, the judges sent Melinda home without any real discussion. If you can't convince people to vote for you, there's no way you're staying.

I am really hoping for some variety in next week's performance show. There have been WAY too many jazz and contemporary routines this season. I want to see some waltz, foxtrot, disco, West Coast swing, ANYTHING else!!! Bring me back some Jason Gilkison, Dorianna Sanchez, and Benji Schwimmer please!!!! Thanks.

Lazy Blogging!

So I went to see Toy Story 3 tonight, and by the time I got home I was feeling too tired and lazy to do a real blog so this is going to be more of a recap.

Pre-watching thought of the week: I should never look at Twitter because I get all anxious to watch the frequently tweeted about routines, in this case Alex and Twitch! Good thing it completely lived up to the hype!

Here's my recap/ rankings for your reading pleasure:

1. ALEX - His hip-hop routine with Twitch was so amazing, I had to watch it twice before I even listened to a word the judges had to say! I love Twitch, but Alex really stole the show for me on this one. He hit hard in a very fast routine and he OWNED it. Loved the concept from NappyTabs. Pure genius. His solo was cool too and brought a bit of personality to his extremely technical movements. Voting was over by the time I watched his hip hop, but I would have cast my weekly winner vote for him for sure.

2. Lauren - She is by far my favorite girl. I loved her Broadway routine with Neil, and I was really frustrated with Mia for saying she wanted more. More what, Mia?!?!? I thought she was perfect and was the kind of sexy cute that a 1940's movie star character should be. I also really think she makes all her partners look great. Her solo was the best female solo of the night and showed some ridiculous flexibility.

3. Billy - Loved his solo! He brought out his fun/ funky side a little bit, but he continues to do things with his body that are incomprehensible. I loved his routine with Kathryn, and it was the first time this season that Kathryn has danced with someone and not completely shown them up! I completely disagreed with the judges comments about Billy not getting into character...HELLO, he had just broken up with her, he was supposed to be cold and distant and when he "came back to her" it wasn't supposed to be all lovey dovey. Geez, they are soooo hard on him!

4. Ashley - She had one of my Top 3 routines of the evening in a Dee Caspary contemporary dance w/ Ade. It was beautiful and flowy and so artistic. I still don't like her vibe though! This was especially evident in her solo which seemed like a cheer competition solo or something. I don't know, she just doesn't sit well with me for some reason. Seriously though, give the girl some freaking ballroom already! And not a waltz make her do a fast dance for a change!

5. Kent - I really liked his solo! He seemed like such a joyful child, and it was so refreshing to see him not trying to be "sexy". That being said, he does have to step up his game in the partner routines because he's starting to get a bit one-note. His Mandy Moore jazz with Allison was fine, but not memorable at all. I would have liked to see him in the routine Mandy did for Lauren and Ade instead because it seemed more his style. Hoepfully he gets a waltz or something more serious next week to see how he adapts to that because he's not going to be sexy yet, he's 18!!!

6. Robert - I'm not sure why he got Courtney for the second time in three weeks, but ok. I didn't like their Sonya piece as much as I thought I would. It was good and there were some cool moves, but it didn't do much for me. His solo, however, was much improved from his results show solo last week.

7. Jose - I really am back and forth about this guy. I'm all for personality and charisma, but you need to back it up with legit dancing, and I don't think his Samba measured up. Nor do I think the magic in his eye made it work, Nigel! As my roommate mentioned, it felt like a DWTS routine with Anya dancing the hell out of it to make up for Jose's lack of skills. I don't understand how the judges shower him with praise and then nitpick the hell out of Billy and Lauren. That being said, his solo was awesome. He can hold freezes for SO LONG! And he can do one freeze and then shift into another. It's nuts!

8. Adechike - His Dave Scott hip-hop with Lauren was cute, but not that memorable. I was impressed with how in sync they were the whole time, and Adechike did finally manage to have some fun with a routine for once. His solo was fine, nothing crazy, but it was good. I'd be fine with him being the first guy to leave.

9. Melinda - I am still intrigued by her mysterious personality but she did not have a good week. Her solo was alright, I did like the song choice, but her outfit didn't match and her face was practically expressionless. In her Salsa routine with Pasha, she seemed to have lazy feet whenever she went into the quicker steps. No doubt she'll be in the bottom three again, but Adam and Mia didn't have to be so mean and say they made a mistake by keeping her. RUDE.

My B3 predicitons for tomorrow: Melinda, Robert, Adechike. Hopefully a boy goes home, but I think it'll be Melinda unless she gets some crazy sympathy votes.

Level the Playing Field...

So I have no idea who is going home tonight, and I'm not even sure I can correctly predict the bottom three! This should be an interesting 60 minutes...

The Roison Murphy song initially made me think this was a Wade Robson group number, but then we got the classic Sonya arabesque pose and I guess I was wrong. Very cool routine, and I definitely loved the red costumes. I was not a fan of Ashley starring in the number, but I guess everyone gets their moment. Lauren and Kent pulled some bboy-esque moves that I'd like to see more of. I think the group routines get better with fewer people because I can't focus on anything with so many people on the stage!

The first three up on the chopping block are Kent, Cristina, and Adechike. No surprise (to me) here, and Cristina is the one sent to the bottom 3. Damn you tween girls! No love for the other girls? What happened to girl power?!?!

Next up for results are Alex, Melinda, Jose, and Ashley. Alex, safe. Jose, safe. Ashley vs. Melinda showdown...loser=Melinda. Damnit! If you're in the bottom 3 in the first week, it's so hard to get out of it.

Last but not least are Lauren, Billy, and Robert(o). Lauren is safe right away, so it's Billy vs. Robert. My neighbor Kim brings up the excellent point that whatever guy is in the bottom will probably go home just because they need to even things out. I really hope not because the last one in the bottom is Robert and he's way better than the two girls in the bottom. Shoot.

Brian Gaynor is on the show today! This is the first surprise performer I've seen in awhile! He's so awesome, and his crew is called Remote Control. Awesome. They really are sooooo good! I don't understand how people physically move their bodies like that!

Solos are next and Cristina is first. Her solos looks pretty much the same as last week but wearing a better outfit (barely). Melinda's is good, but 30 seconds is just not enough with tap since it's all about the buildup. Robert's was pretty all over the place and showed little to no substance and definitely no fight. I think he's gone.

Costa Rican superstar Debbi Nova is performing her new single "Little Drummer Boy". I'm not too interested in the song, but she's dancing with Lauren, Courtney, Comfort, Neil, Ade and Mark! I want them to do All-Star group dances more often! That is the one good thing about DWTS...pro dances are always awesome.

And the verdict - Robert is safe! Not even any comments on his dance or solo. Melinda is safe as well, although Nigel says he voted for her to go this week. I do feel bad for Cristina since she did so well last night, but no one was going to pick up the phone for her since she's so quiet.

Top 10...Tour?

So if there is indeed a tour this season, will it be the Top 10 who get to go? Or the Top 5? All 11? Just a thought.

I'm not trying to be a buzz kill, but what is with the dramatic opener? Is this American Idol now? I was not a fan of that. Please, just open with the mini solos and show us a couple extra seconds of rehearsals for each couple. Don't try to make this bigger than it is. Ok, rant over now, on to the show!

Cristina and Pasha, Paso Doble w/ Jean Marc and France(Song???? Don't feel like rewinding to get this name)
Oh Cat - "I love it. Girls on top." More proof that she's the best host ever. This could have been an exhibition routine, it just seemed so professional. Very fiery, very down into the floor, very dramatic, very hot. The beginning with the lifts was slightly shaky, but once they got into it, they really got into it! They were very in tune with eachother's movements, and even when they were dancing apart they were perfectly in sync. I'm still a little bit worried about Cristina though because she was pretty dull in her video package. Judges loved it though, so we'll see.

Adechike and Allison, Contemporary w/ Mandy Moore (Listen to Your Heart by DHT)
I really really love Mandy and Allison. Adechicke not so much, but I have to say this routine made me like him more. Mandy's routines always look so pretty, and this was no exception. The movement and flow was just lovely, and I really liked watching it. I have to say, I agree with the judges that there was a major improvement in Adechicke from last week to this week because I wasn't distracted by the lack of connection this time. I am still not on the bandwagon, but he's taking baby steps at least.

Alex and Lauren, Broadway w/ Tyce (Summertime by Sylvester)
Alex you are RIDICULOUS! I don't know how you do the things you do with your body. Your legs bend like gumby and your point so much they practically fold over themselves! I liked how smooth and kinda sexy Alex was, and for me he really showed up Lauren. The judges thought it wasn't stylized enough from Alex and want him to work harder in the genre switching. I think Adam put it best when he said it was "a lot of flash and no smolder".

Ashley and Mark, Jazz w/ Travis Wall (Wonderful by Annie Lennox)
GOOD SONG, Travis! I liked the choreo form Travis too, but as Nigel said, it wasn't so much jazz as it was contemporary (which she did last week)! Neither the dance nor the video package made me like her any more than I did(n't) before. Good dancing, but to me, her emotion isn't genuine and she kind of seems mean. Sorry, it's my honest opinion. The judges thought the dancing was good, but Nigel seems a bit worried for Ashley voting-wise.

Billy and Comfort, Krump w/ Lil C (So U Think U Can Krump by Tha J Squad)
Well Lil C wanted to transform Billy Bell into Billy B Bucc...and...I'm not gonna say it was the best and hardest hitting dance I've ever seen, but I really think he pulled it off. What do honestly expect from Mr. Julliard?! He really seemed loose and I thought he really hit some of the motions, especially the slides. He tried so hard, and I think it was the best Krump that Billy Bell could possibly do. I thought he was fine and they were a bit too hard on him. Props to Lil C for a legit routine though.

Robert and Anya, Argentine Tango w/ Jean Marc and France (Libertango by Bond Quartet)
Well, as a disclaimer, Argentine Tango is pretty much my least favorite type of dance on the show so I'm automatically a little biased against it. To me, it started off a little bit stumbled on Robert's part. His feet were a little off or he was a beat behind or something. It's hard to even compare it to the Janette and Brandon routine from Season 5, but it was fine. I'm pretty much indifferent to it, which I guess is a good thing?

Melinda and Ade, Contemporary w/ Stacey Tookey (Squander by Skunk Anansie)
I can't really focus on the dance because that costume is awful and the song is too dramatic. Memo to costume department - simpler is better. I was definitely a fan of the concept and there were definitely some cool lifts and choreo in there. The judges praised Melinda's lines and technique, especially for a tapper. I was pretty indifferent about this one too, just because of the distracting dress and music. Her eye makeup was cool and I'm a big fan of hers, so I'm pulling for her but that routine won't make me call in a vote.

Jose and Kathryn, Bollywood w/ Nakul (Tooooo long for me, feeling lazy)
Kathryn, you are FABULOUS and beautiful and just awesome in general. Jose tried really hard, and he was really having a good time, that is 100% true. The steps, on the other hand, were pretty off. He was out of sync with Kathryn and he kept looking at her to check on the moves, and it was definitely amateur looking. The judges all showered him with praise though, which was a little off putting to me since they laid into Billy tonight. Kathryn owned that, no question. I worry that will always be the case with her...

Lauren and Dominic, Lyrical Hip Hop w/ Tessandra Chavez (If I Were a Boy by Beyonce)
I really liked that routine! Great choreography from Tessandra and great dancing from Lauren and Dom! The music editing/cutting was a little choppy, but whatever. Lauren hits hard and can really do hip hop well! Dom was wonderful as always, and I realize how much I missed him! Judges liked this a lot, and Nigel and Adam appreciated the performance and how she "took their notes" from last week. Annndddd Cat to Dom, quote of the night: "Dom, do you want to get to a deeper place?"

Kent and Courtney, Jazz w/ Tyce (Amy AMy AMy by Amy Winehouse)
I wish I could watch ALL of that rehearsal footage..."I can just touch her all that I want..." Oh Kent please just come hang out with me and make me happy all the time. I really liked this routine! It wasn't epic or anything like that, but I loved the quirky style and I thought Kent and Courtney really worked well together. The judges thought he was too much "happy Kent" and not so much "sexy Kent" but I thought he did great. I love him, he is officially my favorite and I'm standing by him til the end!

Good show tonight...here are my rankings for the evening:

1. Lauren
2. Kent
3. Alex
4. Billy
5. Adechike
6. Robert
7. Jose
8. Cristina
9. Melinda
10. Ashley

I think Melinda or Ashley will be heading home tomorrow...thoughts anyone?

Someone's gotta be first...

Well, Thursday's first results show went a little differently than I expected. And not in a good way.

The season's first results show group dance was choreographed by new (to the show) choreographer Tessandra Chavez. Maybe it was the gold and white glittery costumes or the music or something, but it all felt really pageanty to me. There were some really cool moves and lifts, mainly to showcase Lauren, but it seemed a bit choppy and even a little empty to me. I guess the last 2 seasons really set the bar high with some unbelievably creative group routines, so I guess I was just expecting something more. That being said, it did look cool and made 11 dancers on the stage seem like 20, which is a feat in and of itself!

Now, on to the results...

I think I know this show a little too well by now because when I saw the first group walk out (Alex, Robert, Lauren, Kent), I automatically knew everyone was safe. I didn't even need to see Cat's little finger tap on Lauren's shoulder to know that even after Kent was safe, Lauren would be as well. It may seem a bit cruel, but do like how crazy nervous these contestants seem because to me it validates the fact that they really don't know! In too many reality shows, I get the feeling that people get some kind of advanced warning or notion of their impending doom. Maybe that's just me?

Moving on - the next quartet of competitiors featured Melinda, Billy, Ashley, and Alexie. Obviously 2 people from this group are in the bottom. While I was hoping for Melinda and Ashley, cute little Alexie got sent to the bottom along with Melinda the Tapper. Sad! I really like them both!

The final 3 to get their results were Jose, Adechike, and Cristina, and while I desperately wanted Adechike in the bottom three (and to go home!), the girl voters abandoned the girl dancers, as they so often do, and sent Cristina to perform a solo.

For me, the performances tonight were a little disappointing, but only because I just watched Karine Plantadit and Keith Roberts perform their piece at the Tonys this past Sunday. I'm definitely still in awe of what a physically demanding and athletic routine that was, and it really makes me want to go see "Come Fly Away" on Broadway. Usher reprised his American Idol performance of O.M.G. which was pretty much exactly the same, and then we got the "exclusive World Premiere" of the Justin Bieber music video for some song I've never heard of, "Somebody to Love". If you're going to show a video of a song with that title, I'd prefer to see the Glee clip again, thanks Fox.

In between the performances, we saw the first solos of the season, which are always a little weak. The contestants don't quite have that fight in them yet, and all three were a little blah. Cristina was trying hard in her salsa solo, but it was a little bit scattered and didn't show much technique. Definitely commendable effort. Melinda tapped her little feet off, although she doesn't give the viewers much to latch onto when she dances. Alexie danced a sweet little contemporary solo, but it wasn't much more than that and it unfortunately got her sent home. She worked so hard and tried out so many times only to be cut the first week! I'm sad to see her go, but it was really great of Adam to assure her that she is "so hirable" in the dance world. I'm sure she'll have a great career in dance, especially because she'll probably look young and cute for awhile. Good luck, Alexie, you will be missed!

Some things I learned tonight:

- The judges are deciding who gets kicked off...still not sure how long that will last though. Throught the Top 5 maybe?
- Popular all-stars don't necessarily pull in the votes for their partner. Twitch, Mark, and Pasha's partners all were sent to the bottom. That's a bit reassuring for this new system and assures that it's up to the contestant to get those votes.
- I love the Nigel, Adam, and Mia dynamic on the judges panel. Love it!
- Call me crazy, but I also miss Mary Murphy! Choreo next week? Please come back, you're the character of the show!
- Dance Day is July 31! Ok, I lied I already knew about it, but it was announced on the show last night. It's just day where you're encouraged to GET UP AND DANCE! Even if you're like me and can't do any choreography, get off your butt and dance around a little. Throw on the Glee soundtracks and break a sweat. It's fun, it's cathartic, and Nigel wants you to! I may even challenge myself to learn the NappyTabs routine and perform it with my fellow SYTYCD obsessed friends. I urge you to do the same!

7-11!

Oh thank heaven for 7-11, right?! Get it??? Oh man, at least I amuse myself. For this performance show I think I am going to try something new and not describe everything in such detail. If you're reading this, you already watched, right? This way I'll be able to focus more on my general opinion of the dances the first and second (and maybe third) time I watch and give a legitimate opinion. Sound good? We'll see how it goes and run with it. Ok then.

Billy and Lauren - Tyce, Broadway/ Jazz to "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins

What a fun number! It was like a mature Saved by the Bell dance! Billy was awesome and really danced like a guy, which I was a little worried about for him. He and Lauren had good chemistry, and it was a really fun number. Literally there's nothing Billy can't do in the dance world, so it's going to be about him morphing to new characters every week. I think he did great this week, but it's not going to be a memorable dance to stand out through the season. I hope he gets some of those becaues I know he'll nail them.

Cristina and Mark - Sonya, Jazz to "Starstruck" by Santigold

Wow, there are a ton of replay-worthy moments in that dance! I definitely need to watch that one again to soak up all the little moments, but I definitely enjoyed it. Cristina more than held her own with the quirkiness that is Mark, and I was really impressed with her flexibility! Helloo multiple splits, crazy lifts, lots of Sonya poses...she nailed them all! As Nigel said, I wasn't always drawn to Mark, which was pleasantly surprising in a Sonya piece.

Jose and Comfort - NappyTabs, Hip Hop to "Beautiful Monster" by Ne-Yo

Wow, first and foremost I gotta say that I am very impressed with the evolution of NappyTabs! That was so creative and fun, and I loved it! Comfort was awesome and hitting it HARD as per usual, and Jose was right there with her. They were very much in sync, and there were some really cool lifts. I especially loved the one where Comfort ran to him and jumped on his shoulder. Really cool. I do agree with Mia a little bit that he's more fierce when he's doing his breaking moves than when he's doing choreo, but hopefully that will improve as he stays in the competition.

Adechike and Kathryn - Travis, Jazz to "Addicted to Love" by Florence +the Machine

Oh, you were in that routine, Adechike? Because I definitely did not notice you at ALL. Sorry buddy, she is a star and she proved it in this piece. Yeah, you did the steps and the holds in some amazing lifts, but other than that it was pretty blah. Sad, because I really loved the choreo from Travis. Nigel was right on the money when he said "I don't believe that was your fantasy".

Melinda and Pasha - Tony and Melanie, Jive to "L.O.V.E" by VV Brown

I have to say, Melinda is super intriguing. I learn something new about her every week! This dance got off to a bit of a slow start, but once it got into the double bounce and the retractions, I really got into it. I thought Melinda did a good job overall, but she was definitely better in the quick parts than in the slow ones. The slower parts were a bit awkward and her legs looked a little lazy. Nigel and Mia thought she seemed a bit turned out/ pigeon-toed which I didn't notice at first, but once I saw the replays I guess I agree.

Alex and Allison - Sonya, Contemporary to "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley

Anddddd I'm teary already. Two of the best technicians were just on that stage, and they DELIVERED on all levels. I have to say Allison must have really helped Alex bring out the passion because that was awesome! I was so worried he would be a stiff performer, but he wasn't. You could feel the pain and the passion, and I teared up not even halfway through. Rave reviews from the judges, of course, although I have a hard time agreeing with Mia's proclamation that it was the best SYTYCD routine ever. Calm down, Mia it's all about the lasting impact. It was damn good though.

Alexie and Twitch - Nappy Tabs, Hip Hop to "Butterfly" by Jason Mraz

I have to say, I do not enjoy when NappyTabs do two numbers because usually one is not as good as the other. This was the case for this routine. It just didn't have as much to it as the previous one. They danced it fine, and it was cute, but that's about it. I would love to see her a little sexier, or just a little more mature maybe? I don't know. The choreo just didn't give her much, but they were perfectly in sync and she is super cute. And the "Star Search" clip with Shankers judging? If that doesn't buy her votes, I don't know what will. PRICELESS.

Lauren and Ade - Mandy Moore, Jazz to "Oh Yeah" by Yello

Thank goodness for Mandy Moore and her 80's music! I thought that was a really cute piece! I loved the feel of it, and as always, it was filled with a ton of unique lifts from Mandy. The audience seemed to love it too because there was endless shrieking. The judges were a little concerned about Lauren's performance, and Adam was a little harsh and said she wasn't listening to what they were saying. I don't agree

Kent and Anya - Tony and Melanie, Cha Cha to "Lady Marmadlade" by Diva Incasion

Kent FTW. I just love him! First of all, watching him during the dance was just pure joy. Not only did he keep up with the steps and really accent Anya, he truly enjoyed himself and you could tell! His facial expressions were perfect, not inappropriate and not like flashy-look-at-me. He was age appropriate and really held his own in a sexy dance with a sexy dancer. That coupled up with his reaction to himself afterwards makes him EASILY my favorite so far.

Ashley and Neil - Tyce, Contemporary to "For All We Know" by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway

Well, she's a beautiful dancer. I thought her hands looked a little weird, but overall her lines were nice. I didn't really buy the emotional level she was supposed to be at. I don't think that was a girl in love. She definitely committed to it, but I am just confused about it. The judges seem to agree with me, and Mia said she couldn't place her emotion either. It must be a little hard to criticize her when she's sobbing up there, which is another count against her in my book, but you can't deny that it was a beautifully danced piece. Performance-wise, it was just so-so for me. I'm just glad it didn't end the show.

Robert and Courtney - Sean Cheeseman, African Jazz to "Norweg" from Cirque du Soleil

There were a lot of really cool things about that routine. It was very musical and there were some really cool lifts! I think this suited Robert perfectly, because for me is grace meets power, and that was the essence of this dance for me. And it's just great to have Courtney back! The judges think Robert is a dark horse, but anyone who saw the Meet the Top 11 show knows that he is definitely not a dark horse he is beyond LEGIT.

That was a great show! Definitely an amazing start to the season, and it's only going to get better from here! Here are my rankings for the Top 11 (new weekly blog feature perhaps?).

1. Kent
2. Alex
3. Jose
4. Robert
5. Lauren
6. Cristina
7. Billy
8. Melinda
9. Alexie
10. Ashley
11. Adechike

What are yours? Who's getting kicked off tomorrow? Who's dancing solos? How is the voting even working?!?! We'll find out tomorrow, see you then!

THIS SEASON IS GOING TO ROCK

If this show gives us a tiny taste of this season, I have to say, I already want seconds! This was an hour of literally jaw dropping dancing, and I had to watch it twice just to take it in!

They got things started off great with an awesome tea party/ croquet game routine choreographed by Wade and Amanda Robson. I gotta say I am loving them as a duo, and this routine is awesome. I’m going to need to watch it a couple more times so I can scrutinize everyone individually, but I loved it!!! It reminded me of Alice In Wonderland a little bit, which I always appreciate!

Kent and Lauren were the first duo of competitors to hit the stage, and they took on a TRAVIS WALL jazz piece with Mark and Katherine! Are you kidding me?!?! That was awesome! So impressed with Kent and Lauren! And Travis! It was dark and twisty, quirky and wonderful! It showed off awesome lines, awesome tumbling, and all sorts of personality. I am going to watch this like 7 more times, it was great!

Lexie and Melinda are up next with a TYCE broadway routine with Allison and Lauren! Love that UCLA shout out from Alexie! Go Bruins! They’re dancing to Sweet Charity music, so I love it already! OMG ALLISON HOW I HAVE MISSED YOU!!! All four of them were awesome, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her! Nigel complimented the technique of Melinda and Alexie, but tells them to bring more fire when competition starts.

Jose is the sole competitor for a NAPYTABS hip hop routine with Twitch, Comfort, and Dominic! OMG OMG OMG WOW! This is turning out to be too good for one night! Human jump rope? Check. Roll around and take off sweatshirt with your feet? Check. Hit everything SO HARD? CHECK! Welcome back Comfort, you kicked ass! Twitch and Dom, I love you as always. That was amazing!

Cristina, Anya and Pasha are up next with a JASON GILKISON threesome ballroom dance. Battle anyone? Jason likes to keep it hot, and he definitely did. There really is no comparing the chemistry between Anya and Pasha, but Cristina really held her own up there. Super hot, but I still think Anya is the sexiest dancer I’ve ever seen. Shout out to the costume department for that sparkly madness. I want it.

The comeback kids (aka Alex Wong and Billy Bell) dancing to Mia?! With Ade?! AMAZING. Why wasn’t that longer?!?! I guess that’s kind of the point, but I just wanted to watch them dance more! Loved Billy as the little one with the toy truck. He captured that youth perfectly! Alex is such a strong and powerful dancer, it’s astounding. Ade, you can do anything. Power trio right here! Loved it, Mia! Well done!

Adicheke, Ashley and Robert rocked a Sonya piece alongside Neil and Courtney! My heart just skipped a beat, literally. Love this song! Sonya is so great at highlighting the dancer’s strengths! Robert’s power/ grace combo, Ashley’s extensions, Adicheke’s jumps that are so powerful yet so light on the landing. It was quintessential Sonya, and as usual I loved it!

My jaw is like on the ground right now; I am just that impressed with the talent this season! Top 11 are phenomenal! All-stars that I already loved have improved by leaps and bounds! The choreographers are on point already. It’s going to be a rockin’ season, and I seriously don’t want anyone to get kicked off at all. Let’s just have them all dance every week, they’ll accumulate points and then the winner can be decided at the end of the season! Sound good to anyone else???

I'm Sorry!

I'm sorry, but I really didn't have time to blog Vegas Part 2/ the Top 10 (+1) reveal! I did, however, know already that they were taking a Top 11...damn you and your addicting spoilers, Andrew Tran! Just kidding, I love you and if I ever meet you I will give you a giant hug! But anyways, as I was watching, I did jot down my Top 11 predictions, and I got 8/11! The three I didn't call were Robert (didn't really know who he was), Ashley (didn't really remember her much from Vegas), and Adechike (although I was on the fence about him, I ultimately left him off my list). I was pretty surprised that Anthony Burrell didn't make it, but he has a pretty legitimate professional career already, so it might be a little shady for him to be on the show.

I won't bore you all with my analysis of Vegas, as it was pretty much the same as usual. I appreciate that they left out the group dance drama, although I do wish we got to see more of the actual group dances...some looked really cool!

I was NOT a fan of the whole revealing whether or not they made the show in their own houses. It was weird and often awkward. They tried to do the whole "fakeout" thing, but really, I'm so not into that. Just tell them! Bring back the Green Mile next year. It's dramatic, it's faster, it works!

So, after a long montage of Nigel getting lost, pulled over, having to pee, here are the Top 11!

Alex - LOVE him! He's strong and powerful and technically amazing. We'll see if he brings any personality to the show, which is often the challenge for such great technicians. Regardless I'm really anticipating his performance show debut!

Billy Bell - THANK GOODNESS HE'S BACK! He is just so wonderful to watch, you can't help but be drawn to him! Not to mention he's got the technique and the talent to blow us all away.

Lauren - She is too cute for words and a powerhouse dancer!!! She has all the technical skills to kick ass this season, and she is perfect for TV! I think people will adore her! She can do everything and just oozes personality! Early fav for sure!

Alexie - GO BRUINS! Our UCLA girl! She's tried out 4 times and finally made it! We actually got to see her audition, and she was heavily featured in Vegas, so now everyone can see how great she is! Can't wait to see what she can bring to the show, and I'm so proud that she's a Bruin (like Jeanine)!

Adechike - Very powerful dancer. Saw his solo in Vegas and it was good, but it didn't blow me away like some other contemporary boys of the past have done. Judges seem to love him though, so we'll see what he's got!

Robert - I didn't see much of him in Vegas, but his flashback clips during his reveal make him look solid! Such power AND grace. Can't wait to see him dance more!

Melinda - I love that they have another tapper, even though it didn't work out quite so well with last season's three tappers. She looks like she's legitimately trained in a lot of other styles though, so I think she'll be great. Plus she's really interesting and seems like a true artist. Really excited to see her grow on the show.

Cristina - She was definitely the best ballroom girl to put through, as she seems super versatile. Her contemporary in Vegas was awesome, and as expected, her ballroom kicked ass. It'll be nice to see someone who's used to partnering since the rest of them are not.

Jose - Yes, he's like a little baby Legacy, but he seems to be more suited to other styles! But he has the same work ethic as Legacy, so he should definitely do well in the competition. Plus he's the only hip-hop dancer this year, so he's got to hold it down for the genre.

Kent Boyd - He is definitely the baby of the group, but you couldn't tell by his dancing! He's got tons of technique and even more passion, and it all comes together beautifully when he's performing. He is one of those people that I know is going to grow and blossom so much from this show! I have high hopes for this small town boy!

Ashley - She's the one I noticed the least, so obviously that's not great, but I'm sure she is awesome. Her clips are impressive, so we'll see what she can do come showtime!

Can't freaking wait until tomorrow's Meet Season 7 Show! Everyone's been tweeting about how great it is, and am stoked to see all my favs back in action!!!

Dallas>Nashville>VEGAS!

Apparently Vegas starts tonight too? This is sure to be a packed night with Dallas, Nashville, and Vegas! Sounds good to me, there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing right now! It may seem sad, but it’s so very true.

Dallas is up first, and there’s sure to be a lot of people here…let’s just hope we don’t have to sit through anymore hick hop!

Ida Saki tarts things off with a classical routine. She’s very technically trained, clearly. Beautiful movements, and she conveys a lot of emotion, but I’m not sure if I’m feeling her personality. She does do this middle split and come up onto her feet which was pretty awesome. Judges are oohing and ahhing throughout the entire piece, so I’m thinking she’s going straight to Vegas. Yep.

Robert Rolden looks promising, and he’s got a nice TV face. Rebecca Hart is great too. Reminds me of Megan Kinney, and I think she’s auditioned before, right?

Haylee Durbin is definitely interesting. Her face reminds me of Jessie from Season 3. She’s fusing contemporary and hip hop, but it’s a little bit stiff and she has a “stank face” as Nigel says. Nigel isn’t sure she’s strong enough, but they put her through to choreography, but that’s as far as she goes. I can see her coming back better next season.

I’m not sure ow “Scooter Rocket” will do, but I’ve definitely not seen a roller skate audition yet, so hopefully he’s at least good at it. Do the lyrics of his song say “Scoot or Die” and “Scoot or Fly”? I think they do. Did he record this song himself? Also he has dumb eyes. No offense, just an observation!

Bad audition montage NOW! Lots of falling, pretty standard.

Nicole Knudson is up next, and despite the fact that she is an amazing dancer I’m a bit distracted by how skinny she is. That being said, she lit up the stage and combined power with flexibility and grace. Very interesting, can’t wait to see what else she can do. Straight to Vegas!

Oh Deroccious Harris, I would much preferred not to witness your audition, but at least you went for it. Clearly not what we’re looking for here.

Marcella Raneri”s dad is in the mob?! Ok then. This girl could definitely be a Cowboy cheerleader. Let’s be honest she probably is. She’s very technically trained and gorgeous, but not really passionate. They send her through to choreo though. Apparently she does better than they were expecting and is sent to Vegas. Definitely need to do some research and see if she really was a Cowboy cheerleader…

Jordan Johnson has struggled with addiction and the rejection of his biological father plus the added combo of being an unaccepted dancer from a small town. He’s a tumbler too, so he’s pulling out lots of tricks, which are awesome. I’m a little bit surprised they send him straight to Vegas since there wasn’t that much dancing in his solo, but he’s got himself a ticket!

Faith Looney and her friend (another awkward girl) are doing flamenco dancing. This is weird. And boring. Next.

Apparently this was one of the worst rejection days in SYTYCD history. Cue the crying people…”I didn’t know it would hurt this bad”…have you guys seen the show? Come on!

Shanya Vaughn is apparently bringing a lot of energy, which means she’s going to be boring as can be. And she is. The judges are nice to her though and give constructive feedback, which is nice.

Day 2 starts out rough as well.

Thankfully Brian Gaynor is back and as adorable as ever! His scoliosis has definitely not kept him from dancing for all these years. He is just incredible! Although he can’t feasibly go through to choreo or Vegas, but Nigel promises to put him and his crew on the show. Can’t wait to see that!

And now it’s time for my absolute favorite part of this show – VEGAS!

Thankfully for us, Vegas also marks the return of Alex Wong and Billy Bell! Alex is up first to perform. His solo is almost the same as last time we saw him, and still just as awesome. Then comes Billy, and he is just so cool to watch. Technique combined with quirkiness and a winning smile! Love him!

Anthony Burrell apparently pulled his hamstring so he’s off to a clinic to get it checked out. After a montage of what looked like some awesome solos, he’s back with a cortisone shot and clearance from the doc. I love love love him! It can’t hurt to dance to Maxwell either.

Following the solos, 26 people have already been cut but now Nigel’s calling Arielle, Alex, and Billy to the stage. This better not be a cut, Lithgoe! And it’s not! He just wanted to give them “special mention”. Hint hint?

Hop Hop with Tabitha (sans Napoleon) is up first. Rachel the rhythmic gymnast can’t really handle the choreo, so she’s heading home. Jose the bboy/ breaker is up next, and he’s through. Clearly they see Legacy in him but like Legacy at this point, I’m still not impressed.

Hip Hop sadly claims the SYTYCD life of Teddy Tedholme…you’re amazing Teddy, but I guess you gotta get in some more Hip Hop classes if they’re gonna put you on the show. I have to say though, after seeing you dance in person at Art4Life, I really want you on the show! Go to class!!!!

Anthony Burrell is through Hip Hop with 6 “yes” responses. Sarah is not as lucky and she’s heading home.

Next up is ballroom with Toni. Nicole is looking awkward and the judges are on the fence. They make her take down her giant bun and ask her to come back and dance it again later. Jose the BBoy really brought it, so I think I’m starting to come around to him now. Ballroom claims some more lives, but Adechike is asked to come back and do a solo again because he did a tap one initially when he’s really a contemporary dancer. Jordan struggles through ballroom, so it’s not really a surprise when they send him home. He could be good with some work though, so perhaps we’ll see him in Season 8?!

Nicole is set to dance with her hair down, and now it’s just her on stage. It was definitely much better, although it’s not really up to par with the level she needs to be at. But, she’s through with yeses from everyone except Lil C.

Adechike is set to dance for his life, and he is a great contemporary dancer. Why on earth would he ever do a tap solo?! That being said, his solo is a bit emotionless and cold. The dancing skills are there though. He’s through with some stern words from Nigel re: taking this competition seriously. I feel like he’ll make it…don’t know why, just a feeling.

Next week’s Vegas brings Broadway and the final solos. Then the judges get to travel the country and tell dancers (and their families) whether or not they made it - in their own homes! Interesting twist, and I gotta say, I like it! Can’t wait!!!

LA+Chicago=Auditions!

LA is first today! It's my city and the city of professional dancers (absolutely no connection there), so it should be awesome and according to this montage of awesomeness, LA has clearly brought us some great talent in the past. I’m pumped for these auditions.

Ariel has been shown like 4 times in the clips, so I’m guessing we’ll see her audition routine again? I really like her and the fact that she won’t take no for an answer, but I feel like they just don’t want to cast her. We’ll see!

Lauren Froderman, cheerleader apparently, is up first…and she’s dancing to “Let’s Get It On”? Seems like a weird choice. And despite the weird song choice, she is bending in ways that don’t seem normal. Thanks for the phrasing, Shants! That being said, it was not as much of a dance as I would have liked it. More like a series of moves. After some rave reviews from Adam, Nigel, and Hi Hat (new judge), she’s headed straight to Vegas.

Hella Hung wants to amaze the crowd. So far, I’m not amazed, although there are some clips of him doing flips and stuff, so who knows? And no, this isn’t even bad enough to show and laugh at. It’s just weird. Next.

Rachel Girma, a rhythmic gymnast who hurt her foot while training for the Olympics just started dancing two weeks ago! Could have fooled me! She was great! They don’t even wait to see if she can handle choreo, she’s straight to Vegas!

Insert obligatory “California Girls” montage here! Ariel is among the Vegas ticket recipients, and there is definitely some talent they aren’t showing enough of here! Stupid music licensing issues!

Salsa daners Cristina Santana forom last year and her partner Pepe Alvarez are back from last season, except now they’re both trying out. Cristina made green mile last year and you can see why. She’s great. He’s wearing awkward white tennis shoes which are kind of distracting, plus she pretty much stole the show any way. They send Pepe to choreo, but Cristina is heading back to Vegas! Pepe is in a bit over his head and ends up dropping out.

Taylor Costello is up next, and this is a crazy story. She was adopted at 4, and her biological mother was murdered when she was 11. Apparently she left a note for her that let her know that her favorite thing to do was dance, and she is living through her legacy. This girl is a very powerful dancer, and you can see she’s very technically skilled. It’s a little spazzy of a routine, but you can see there is definitely potential there. They put her to choreography, but it wasn’t strong enough and she’s heading home.

First up on Day 2 is Alexie Agdeppa! UCLA grad, hooray! She made the green mile episode last season, and I’m excited to actually see her whole audition this time. She’s so great! Adam’s obsessed with her already. Her smile lights up the stage, ad yet she still conveys so much passion in her dance. This HAS to be her year! Team Alexie! Nigel does this weird lying thing where he says she’s not as good…I dunno, weird. Obviously she’s going back to Vegas.

Melinda Sullivan is a tapper from Jason Samuelson’s company, so obviously she’s going to be really good. I don’t like the slow music and the crazy fast tapping. It doesn’t really match. Also, my roommate Emily would like to mention that her eye makeup is really weird on one side…looks like a black eye. She’s a crazy good tapper and gorgeous, and she’s definitely very unique. They send her to choreo and then to Vegas!

Sidenote- They have not shown one good guy dancer.

And right after I typed that they show a bad guy dancer montage. Apparently all the LA guy dancers are already doing well enough for themselves so they don’t need to come out and try out for the show? Or something like that.

Last in LA is Ryan Ramirez! I’m excited for her thanks to some SYTYCDISM hype, so I have high hopes! Don’t disappoint me Andrew Tran, you never do. And of course she is beautiful dancer. Everything about it seemed effortless and lovely. The judges aren’t impressed with her performance or personality, so they send her to choreo. She nails it obviously and is off to Vegas!

Nigel and Co head to Chicago next, for the first time in 3 years!

Finally they’re showing a guy! Kent Boyd is from a tiny town in Ohio. I can already tell Adam will love him. He’s young, but so mature in his dancing. He reminds me of Jakob/ Nathan plus tumbling so throw some Neil in there too! Love him! He also could be Adam’s son, they are like spitting images. For some reason they send him to choreo, but obviously he is heading to Vegas.

Andrew Phillips is here with his fraternal twin Tyler who has spina bifida (sp???). They are the cutest set of brothers, and I am really hoping Andrew kicks ass. Loks like he’s gonna! Great dancer. He’s not necessarily as polished as someone like Jakob, but still good. Adam makes a good point that he is probably still growing and needs some more work, but they all like him and send him to choreography. They didn’t expect to send him through to Vegas, but they did!

So a thick haired girl named Malinda Jacobson is going to show the world what Hick Hop is. Not feeling too good about this. The judges laugh through the whole thing, but I gotta say she’s probably fun in the club, right? Shockingly she’s going home, along with a crazy montage of bad Chicago dancers.

Adrian Lee is up next, and we finally have a beautiful male contemporary dancer! Stacey LOVES him and can’t stop gushing. I’m with her, he was awesome! Straight to Vegas!

Day 2 in Chi-town starts out with Kellan Borchers. Freestyle hip hop to Dannity Kane? Ok then. Oh this is so entertaining, but not so much in a good way.

Christopher Gilbert is up next and he’s one of the skinniest men I’ve ever seen. E’s dancing with a cane, which is kinda gimmicky but he makes it work. He’s got a cool style, but I’m not sure exactly how to classify it. Some kind of hip hop. I do love watching him though, so that’s something. The judges love him and send him to choreography hoping he’s able to keep up. Unfortunately it’s a “no” for now, but hopefully he’ll be back

They send a bunch of people to choreography, so it should be a nail biter later.

Jarrod Mayo is up next and he brought his mommy. Adorable. He’s very good, I especially love his musicality. He’s a good performer, and I could see him doing well on the show. And he’s so polite…total mama’s boy J And he is straight to Vegas! Hooray, I can’t wait to see more of him!

Jarrell Robinson is a 25 year old man who lost his hearing when he was an infant, and now is completely deaf. Man can this guy move! He’s fantastic, and he just feels the music! Total inspiration! The judges shower him with praise, and let's be honest, we all got a little teary.

Tomorrow brings the T states, Texas and Tennessee, so we'll get to see what Dallas and Nashville have to offer! Can't wait - talent is amazing this year!

It's BAAAAACK!!!

It's summer, the rightful time for SYTYCD, and Season 7 has finally arrived! If you're reading this blog, you should know all about the rule and judge changes by now (if not, get caught up at www.sytycdism.com) so I won't waste time on that. I will say, although I really enjoyed the previous format, I think it's nice that they are trying to do something fresh and new. I love all of the all-stars (Welcome Back, Twitch!!!!), I can't wait to see Mary choreograph, and I like the Adam and Mia dynamic even though there will undoubtedly be a lot more tears on the panel this year. In any case, it is what it is, and we'll have to see what happens. However, here's hoping that Nigel at least brings us back the staircased stage we know and love!

Tonight we got to see the New York and Miami auditions, two cities that have brought us some pretty amazing talent, so I'm guessing it's going to be good! New York is up first:

Contemporary dancer Sarah Brinson and the Burn the Floor Latin Ballroom couple that Nigel actually saw perform on Broadway (Peacock and Bhyalikov, sp?) get tickets straight to Vegas, and definitely deserve them. All were fantastic dancers, but nothing particularly noteworthy about the auditions.

We get to witness 1-2-3 Party captain, Lazer, who I am DEFINITELY going to look for in Times Square when I go to NY this weekend.

The highly anticipated return of Teddy Tedholme is up next, and I could not be more pleasantly surprised at his degree of improvement. I thought he was precious and "whimsical", as Nigel says, last year, but I wasn't nearly as impressed then as I am now. He conveyed such powerful emotion in his audition the juxtaposition of that emotional with his whimsical style of movement was really powerful. Clearly, he's going straight to Vegas. I have to say, I'm officially on the Teddy Tedholme Train now! *insert subdued Mary train sound here* If you haven't seen his audition, you really should: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkqcgBmenOC

Sidenote: They showed a lot of lengthy auditions (good and bad), so we didn't see as many pieces of auditions as we're used to. That being said there were a few automatic Vegas tix handed out throughout the night.

We got some Isolocking from Chris "Isolock" Dixon, and he was definitely unique and talented enough in his style to earn him a trip to choreo with Courtney and Jason, but he didn't do so well with their combination and won't be coming to Vegas.

Jamie Greco, a low budget horror filmmaker, gets his 5 minutes of fame dancing in drag dressed in fruits and vegetables. Does this need further explanation?

Here comes the falling down montage - some are pretty bad this year. Not sure if this is a good surface for dancing on pointe either, based on the number of ballerina stumbles.

Wadi Jones is a parkour enthusiast and very athletic dancer, but I'm fairly bored by his audition, with the slight exception of his sommersault without any preparation. He gets to choreo but no farther than that.

Anthony Burrell and Megan Davis get straight through to Vegas, and I would definitely like to see more of them, especially Anthony. Is it just me or does Megan really look like Kathryn McCormick?

Season 6 contestant Edward Spots is like a baby Brandon, but a little more ballet and a little less power. That being said he is an extremely graceful and beautiful dancer. Regardless of the show, he definitely belongs in a company. Turns out he is doing a pre-professional fellowship with Alvin Ailey. Right to Vegas, of course!

Megan Carter is up next, and she's a "thicker dancer"...her words not mine! She moves beautifully and emotes really well! She moves Mia and Adam to tears, and makes it through to choreography. Unfortunately she doesn't do so well there and doesn't make it to Vegas, but she's only 18 and a college freshman (dance major, btw), so there is definitely a lot of room for improvement and perhaps a return for Season 8? Can't help but fall in love with her :)

Czech ballroom dancer Michael Petr is up next for his last opportunity to make the show. He's good, but I always compare male ballroom dancers to Pasha, and I don't think he's as good. I mean, Jason Gilkison loved him, so maybe he's awesome in terms of technique, but he didn't look like he was having any fun. Nevertheless he's through to Vegas, but I'm not expecting too much from this one.

Tyrell Rolle is from a "bad" part of Miami, but he goes against the hip hop/ breaker sterotype expected of him to become a contemporary dancer, and a damn good one at that! So much power and grace, and clearly he's had training (only 7 years though). Sonya gushed over him, and I agree with her on how masculine and aggressive his style was. Loved it, and I can't wait to see him in Vegas!

Henry Rivera, after bumbling his interview with Cat a little bit, turned out to be a pretty good dancer and earned a ticket straight to Vegas.

Daria Kopylova danced with her dad. Weird. Next!

Amy Aguiar Riley looks like someone who would be really good right away. She's a little older (27) and already has a son who looks like he's about 6. She's got an intriguing style. She clearly has the technique of a contemporary dancer, but she's doesn't do conventional moves. I like it! She breezes through the choreo and heads off to Vegas!

Velvet Angel girl group member Candace Craig is up next. Clearly she knows how to dance, but she's a little too pageanty for me. She knows how to perform, but I'm not feeling anything from her. They put her through to choreography, but thankfully no further.

Rose Neptune and her partner (who was pretty much a disaster) did a bunch of "lifts" and not so much any dancing. Awful. Next!

Bad dancing --> CSytycdI Miami spoof. Unecessary, but still amusing.

Jose Ruiz is another Legacy-type bboy. He says he can outdo Legacy's bboying, but I'm not sure based on his audition. It's good, but not like "wow" like Legacy was. He is good though, definitely good enough for choreo and to the judges, good enough for Vegas. We'll see what happens!

Next week - LA and Chicago! My city and Shanta's city! Should be some amazing talent, and in LA some familiar faces!!! See y'all Wednesday!