So You Think You Can Dance - 11.17.09

Cat is looking a little like she just got in from an all night disco.  Her hair is disheveled and her make up is shimmery, and her dress could have been made from mylar.  She has black nail polish on, too.

I am overjoyed that Mary Murphy's breasts aren't threatening to spill out onto the judge's table.  She is covered up tonight and it is a happy day. 

Because we are going to see some pictures and videos of the contestants as children, Cat showed pictures of the judges as children.  Adam was adorable. 

Ashleigh & Jakob (Hip Hop, choreographed by Tabitha & Napoleon, Whatca Say by Jason Darulo)  Ashleigh was super energentic as a child, and her most memorable dance moment was her last moment dancing before she was too sick for 6 years, when she was 15.  Jakob had his first performance as a 10 year old, and they were admittedly terrible, and looked like they did a dance to N'Sync.  The story of the dance today is that they are a couple, and she discovers that he's been cheating on her.  I have to say, these two can hit hard.  There was a really cool flip lift, and they use the new set screens to their fullest, to show text messages from the other woman.  It was a super cool dance.  Nigel thinks that Jakob comes up to the challenge every week and adds more on.  He thought that Ashleigh was going to ride on Jakob's coat tails for a while, but in fact, he is impressed with her growth.  Mary found herself drawn to Ashleigh, in her hard hitting believability.  Adam called them pretty much a sure bet for the top 10, but reminded them to keep it up.  He admitted that he didn't believe in Ashleigh going into the Top 20, but he is a convert.

Karen & Kevin (Broadway, choreographed by Spencer Liff, If My Friends Could See Me Now from Sweet Charity)  Karen was a very quiet and well behaved child.  When she first moved to NYC, she had a hard time with the language of dance.  Kevin was the oldest of lots of kids, and started dancing at 17.  His favorite memory is a Michael Jackson tribute after he died.  They looked pretty good, but it seemed that there were some lines that weren't quite completed.  Not sure, though.  He didn't look super confident in the lifts, either.  Nigel spent some time sucking up to the new choreographer, and told them that they had to have a lot of personality and a lot of humor.  It was the first time Karen didn't have to dance to bring the sexy, and he thinks that she didn't bring that much humor.  He thought that Kevin brought even less humor, and thought that they were missing chemistry with each other and with the style.  Mary agreed that the whole thing seemed nice and fairly safe, but it wasn't really there.  She thought that Karen was marginally better, but Kevin's shoulders were up too high and while they hit the big bits, but missed the interstitial movements.  Adam liked that Karen was given a chance not to be a tigress, but it was disappointing.  Cat called attention to Kevin's sparkly shoes.  Ah, Cat.


Noelle & Russell (Foxtrot, choreographed by Eddie Simon, Baby (You've Got What it Takes), by Michael Buble.) Russell was outgoing as a child and never shy, and they showed a video of him singing in front of a huge crowd.  He did a Michael Jackson routine at 7 or 8, and it was adorable.  Noelle whacked her head on the windshield when she was a child because she was hyper and she has two fake teeth.  She was not the best dancer as a child, but she loved it.  This is the second chance at the Foxtrot, and Noelle's first time on stage for it.  There was a really cool lift where she basically did a cartwheel and ended up on his shoulder.  Very nice.  Smoothly done.  The music was a little peppier than I am used to for a fox trot, but I think they did a good job with it.  Nigel thought that Russell has vastly improved in the two weeks since he did it.  He also thought that Noelle was right there with him.  Mary thought that Russell looked confident and at ease.  She thought that Noelle looked confident because she was carrying herself correctly and was doing the dance right.  Adam thought that joy was exuded by the routine and thought it was fantastic.

Channing & Victor (Jazz, choreographed by Tyce D'iorio, Blackbird by Bobby McFerrin) Channing was put into dance class because she was super energetic and insane, and she did a routine to Stray Cat Strut dressed as a cat when she was 6.  Victor was a crazy child, and showed some early turns.  Victor has some crazy huge glasses.  The routine is about two curious blackbirds.  They danced around a cage prop and I kind of dug their outfits.  It was kind of cool.  I don't know that it will be my favorite routine ever, but it was cool.  Victor has five stitches above his eye from a collision where Channing pecked him in the head.  Nigel said it was the first time where Channing looked like she was enjoying herself, and consequently, it was the first time he's really enjoyed watching her.  Nigel worries that Victor is not pushing himself and growing as much as the other dancers.  Mary loved the dance concept and that they were really good.  Adam thinks that Channing is finding her way into the show.  He didn't love the choice of song, because it was kind of alien sounding.  He also thinks that Victor needs to bring a little bit more.

Kathryn & Legacy (Pasa Doble, choreographed by Tony Meredith, Pursuit, by Ka)  Kathryn was a really shy child, but her mom owned a dance studio, and her first performance was with her mom, and that broke her out of her shell.  Legacy was a very rebellious child.  His first performance was at a house party, when his dad gave him $5 to dance.  Legacy had a crotch of his pants split in rehearsal.  Legacy is shirtless in the dance and I loved the way it began.  He is dancing very powerfully, and Kathryn is doing a great job, too.  I think is one of my favorite pasa dobles in a couple seasons.  Their footwork seemed really good to me.  She did have a bit of a hard time grabbing her feet on the last lift, but it was still really good. The music was really suited for it.  Adam said if Legacy is an admiral, he knows lots of people who would sign up for that navy.  Nigel loved the maturity with which Kathryn danced.  Nigel says that he sees Legacy practicing all the time, in the hallways and everything, and thinks that that hunger and passion is what is going to push him to the Top 10.  Mary agreed that Kathryn was right on the money, and was a Spanish vixen.  She loved the character that Legacy brought.  Adam thinks that Legacy's increase in stamina is huge since Vegas.  Good marks all around.

Time for the Dizzy Feet Charity Update, and the Gala.

Ellenore & Ryan (Contemporary, choreographed by Travis Wall, Your Ex-Lover's Dead by Stars)  Ellenore was a sassy little girl who didn't follow directions well, and she was highly distracted at her first dance recital, picking her wedgie. Ryan started dancing really young and his first performance was as a bunny. Travis' routine is a reunited couple. The control was glorious. I love Travis' choreography. The emotion was palpable. They flew across the stage and it was fantastic. Bravo. Nigel thinks that they got the luck of the draw in getting the beautiful Travis routine, and thinks that they benefited from Ryan's strength. He said that the choreographers call Ellenore one of the sharpest tools in the box this season. Nigel also thought that Ryan is the best ballroom dancer who has done contemporary. Mary took some time to praise Travis. She then told Ellenore that she is gorgeous and is having star quality moments with perfect technique. Ryan's timing and strength were perfection for her. Bravo for something that made Mary speechless for a moment. She said that they walked on tall cotton, which was a saying of her grandmother's. Adam thinks that the show kicked in just now, and said that the routine was the first to pull him in enough to almost bring him to tears. He thought that Travis had craftsmanlike use of his tools.


Mollee & Nathan (Pop Jazz, choreographed by Laurieann Gibson, Bad Romance, by Lady Gaga) Nathan was a spoiled baby brother, and was a brat.  Nathan's first performance was when he was 10 and he choreographed his own dance.  Mollee was a diva as a child, and she was always wearing makeup, and her first performance was all divad up.  I was wondering when Lady Gag would show up.  The beginning was kind of slow motion and really cool.  I believed their characters more than in a long time.  The runs around the stage didn't look complete somehow, and I'm not sure that got in sync all the time.  I really like Mollee's hair.  The dance was better than last week's disaster, but I don't think they are the strongest couple.  Nigel applauded Mollee's commitment.  He told Nathan that he is possibly one of the most talented dancers they've ever seen, potentially, but he isn't growing as much as they want him to, and he needs to mature very quickly to keep up with the other guys.  Mary shrieked about how good it is to have the dream team back.  Mary said that it didn't give her chills, but it was really good.  They got a restrained Mary Murphy holler.  Adam thinks that maybe getting everything he wanted as a child was not so good for Nathan, because this isn't going to come easily.  He wants more shadings in their chemistry, and he wants them to find the qualities that they are praising in other dancers and bring them into themselves.  He keeps expecting the gasping moment from them.

Tough night.   Really really good, overall, so hard to tell who is going to be in the bottom.  I'm thinking Karen & Kevin might be there again, and while they were great, the fox trot might put Russell & Noelle with them, and maybe Mollee & Nathan.

I think that Ashleigh & Jakob, Kathyn & Legacy, and Ellenore & Ryan were on top for me.

Who do you think deserves a trip to the Bottom 3?