So You Think You Can Dance Recap: The Top 20
So You Think You Can Dance Rundown: The Top 20
And we're off! So You Think You Can Dance kicked off its live shows on Wednesday with a packed two hours that included Bollywood dancing, Botox jokes, and screaming. Lots and lots of screaming.
Not that it wasn't earned: Overall, this year's top 20 put on quite a show, seeming to pick up on new styles effortlessly and displaying the kind of chemistry between partners that normally takes weeks to develop. And even though there were several dancers in the top 20 whom we hadn't seen much of throughout the auditions and Vegas week, I came out of Wednesday's performances feeling like I had gotten to know them all well. (I already feel much more connected to this group than to, say, Idol's top 13. I think it's getting to see all the bloopers from their rehearsals.)
Of course, one guy and one girl must head home tonight, so don't forget to weigh in on which dancers you think will be in trouble. To see my thoughts, along with pictures of all the routines, just read more. Jeanine and Phillip — Jeanine and Phillip drew hip hop with Tabitha and Napoleon, which freaked out Jeanine because it was a new style for her. And hey, I wouldn't want to do hip hop for the first time next to Phillip, either. The choreography wasn't quite "Bleeding Love," but they performed it well, and Jeanine didn't look obviously out of her element. The judges universally loved it, even getting some squeals out of Mary.
Asuka and Vitolio — Oh my gosh, they're adorable. Drawing Broadway in the first week can be a blessing or a curse, because it doesn't require as much adaptation as some other styles, but it also requires a lot of character. They had some great moves, but the routine also felt a little slow to me, and the judges agreed: both Mary and Nigel said they wanted to see some more energy and personality.
Karla and Jonathan — The two of them seemed like an odd pairing to me at first, and I wasn't sure if they'd be able to get the sexiness of the cha cha down so soon, but they surprised me. They came out with energy and personality — granted, I thought it was more cute-sexy than dirty-sexy — and totally lit up the room. Mary thought it was just the kind of passionate cha cha she likes, and Nigel said it'll break them out of the background.
Randi and Evan — OK, so not the two dancers in the competition I'd have most pegged for "sultry," but they totally pulled this routine off. I loved the way slow moves slid right into hard-hitting poses, and as Adam pointed out, they filled up the whole stage even though they're some of the shorter dancers there. Mary said they'd had a breakout performance, and Nigel said they instantly became a couple people would love.
Paris and Tony — It's definitely hard to draw your own style in the first week because the expectations are so much higher, and Tony seemed to struggle a little with this one. Paris was one of my least favorite dancers going into this night, and yet I couldn't take my eyes off her; she seemed to attack much harder than Tony, and he got sloppy toward the end. Adam said they needed to hit harder, and Nigel didn't think it was memorable or authentic.
Caitlin and Jason — I mean, throw a little "Jai Ho" at me and I'm pretty likely to love it. But I was honestly impressed by how much energy they brought and how well they stuck together through all those crazy fast parts. I also loved how they put Caitlin's gymnastics training to good use. Adam said Jason's going to be a force of nature, Mary praised Caitlin's strength and Jason's charisma, and Nigel thought they brought it.
Janette and Brandon — Holy cow, they'd score a million points with me for that final flying lift alone. Their foxtrot maybe wasn't the smoothest I've seen on the show, but that may have been the choreography; it was jazzy, light, and fun — and reminded me somehow of Mad Men. Adam was glad to see character from Brandon, while Nigel praised Janette's carriage and wanted Brandon's small moments to be stronger.
Ashley and Kupono — They certainly drew the crazy conceptual card of the evening, complete with insane costumes and robotic dog. This is definitely not a number that just anyone could have pulled off, so it's a testament to them that they didn't look completely foolish. They occasionally seemed a bit out of sync, but that may have been intentional. Mary called it marvelous, and Nigel loved the way they committed to their characters.
Melissa and Ade — I loved the floaty quality of this routine — OK, the wind machine probably helped — and the sweet and subtle chemistry between the two of them. And those lifts were insane; the two of them together were strong and captivating — and they made Adam cry! Mary just screamed and then praised their training, and Nigel said they were a wonderful couple.
Kayla and Max — I hope it doesn't sound too shallow to say I was distracted by Kayla's hair, but through that curtain of blond, I could tell that she picked up ballroom awfully fast. Max was great — he should have been, since it was his style — and he partnered Kayla really well through the parts that were most new to her. Mary tossed them on the hot tamale train, Adam let out some screaming of his own, and Nigel said Kayla can do anything.
Favorites of the night: Melissa and Ade, Evan and Randi, and Caitlin and Jason
In trouble: Asuka and Vitolio were probably the weakest of the night. Paris and Tony might also be in trouble, and I'm a little worried Karla and Jonathan could get forgotten.
Photos courtesy of Fox
