So You Think You Can Dance - 6/25/08

I think one problem I have this season is that there are so many contemporary dancers, it's really hard to keep them separate in my mind. I'm sure they will individualize themselves as the weeks go on, but there are so many contemporary dancers! Anyone else find that strange this season?

Joining Nigel and Mary this week is Adam Shapman. Mary is really sparkly tonight, but at least her chest is covered. Cat looks gorgeous, with very big hair and a doily inspired dress. Adam just finished filming Adam Sandler's new Christmas movie, and Lacey and Travis from previous seasons are in it. Neat. Mary says that the pack is tight this year, and it is hard to tell who is going to be booted next. Then she tried to puncture poor Adam's eardrums by letting out a shriek. Nigel once danced with Cyd Charise, who sadly died this week, and urges everyone to go rent some of her movies, and I agree.

Twitch and Kherrington (Hip hop, choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon) Kherrington says that Twitch sounds like a bear when he lets out a good laugh, and Kherrington is apparently a shopaholic. He beseeches America to stop her from buying more shoes if they see her in the store. The routine today is a "prison break." Like some of the other non-hip hop gals, Kherrington finds herself grinning some of the time, but she managed to get other expressions in there, too. It was a cute routine, and they are just so darned likable. Nigel said that they are both brilliant dancers, and captivating, and he loved the choreography, with a good entertaining story, and he thought it was danced brilliantly. He could think of nothing negative to say. Mary looks like a chandelier broke on her and she just decided to go with it. She wasn't sure about the outfits, but it worked. She yelled that they were good, and then let out a very loud and obnoxious screech. WHY does she do that? Adam is left slightly frightened of Mary, and she cackled at his fear. Adam encouraged Twitch to work with Kherrington with strong hits if they get hip hop again, and thinks that they did a beautiful job. He urged Kherrington to be sure to stay in character. I agree.

Courtney and Gev (Rhumba, choreographed by Tony Meridith and Meridith) Courtney said that Gev looked like a little girl when he was younger, and Gev lets us know that Courtney is in school to be a special ed teacher. They were kind of uncomfortable with the grabbiness of the routine, with Gev groping Courtney's butt and thighs. The very beginning of the routine is a lift with Courtney sliding down Gev, and it was kind of a rough slide. The middle bit was pretty good, but the routine seemed kind of slow. The end was also a little rough when Gev had to lower her to the ground, but it was solid. Maybe I just don't love Rhumba. Nigel thought it was great and they felt the passion. He said that Gev reminded him of Dominic from last season a little. He applauds that the wardrobe budget could only spring for half a dress for Courtney, and I agree, she looks hot. Mary loved it, and applauded the spiral turn, and didn't see what I saw in the shakey slide in the beginning. Adam says that Mary looks like a pretty disco ball, which is a nicer way of saying what I said earlier. He loved the routine, and suggested that Gev needs to be more careful with his hand extensions, and Courtney needs to watch her leg extensions. He is harassed for being long-winded, but I actually really like his constructive criticism. More than Mary's cackling!

Comfort and Chris (Jazz, choreographed by Tyce Diorio) Chris is a big food moocher, apparently, and Comfort was in a beauty pageant when she was younger. Tyce calls this routine grounded and Earthy, with an African influence, and there are sheets as props. Chris is hoping for a Mary scream. Please no. The routine was set to Marylin Manson's The Beautiful People, and it was fascinating. The sheets were not overused, and the two of them danced wonderfully together. I really enjoyed the whole thing. I would say it succeeded in being Earthy and down and dirty. Nigel wanted more with the sheets, and didn't love the whole thing. He thought there was power missing, and thought that the beat was not sold by Chris. He wanted everything stronger, bigger, and more animalistic. Mary agreed, and wanted it more wild, and did not scream. At least there's that. Adam said it demanded more performance because there were not a lot of tricks. He wanted to feel the music moving through them, but felt they were more moving to the music. Hmm. I liked it more than they did, but I can see where they were coming from.

Jessica and Will (Disco, choreographed by Doriana Sanchez) Jessica's nickname is apparently Ariel because of the Little Mermaid. Will is an absolute gentleman, and Jessica appreciates that. Doriana thought that Jessica was fooling around too much in rehearsal, and that's not good. The routine was fun and they did a great job of being in sync. Some of the lifts were just gorgeous, and Will got to do a grand flipping sequence at the end. Nigel thought that they danced very well, with a couple really wrong bits. At the end when Will held Jessica in a split, he dropped his hand, and she was a good partner and dropped her hand, too, and they said that was good partnering, even though it wasn't right. Mary applauded the personality, and thought that Jessica should be proud of herself. Then she shrieked. Ugh. Adam thought they were very good, but doesn't think that Jessica is as sure of herself as she should be. He called Will scary-good.

Kourtni Lind and Matt (Contemporary, choreographed by Sonya Tayeh) Kourtni has a tatoo on the back of her neck that says "... and so she would dance." Matt has a ninja mask that he likes to wear. She's confused as to the reason for it. Matt defends it as an accessory. The routine is about two comic book characters flirting with each other, and it is supposed to be really playful. Could be good. It was almost hip hop-ish, and it was a lot of fun. Nigel loved how quirky it was, and he thought that dancers would understand it a bit more than the general public. He still wants Matt to relax a little. Mary shrieked that she is buying whatever weird stuff Sonya was selling. She applauded the synchronized leaps. Adam let Matt know that the ninja mask thing is just weird. He loved their control and hated poor Kourtni's outfit, and worried that wardrobe was going to poison him. He wanted Matt to dig in a little more.


Chelsea and Thayne (Quickstep, choreographed by Heather Smith) Thayne apparently wants to be a fashion designer, and likes to make wardrobe choices for Chelsea, and he makes some of his own shirts. Chelsea is a flower thief. Heather used a hula hoop to try to get them in the proper frame. Chelsea looks gorgeous tonight in a shimmery purpley dress, and Thayne looked really elegant, too. It seemed to be a good quickstep, in my eyes, though Thayne had a big smile plastered on his face the whole time. It looked weird. Well danced, in my untrained opinion. Nigel thought it was a little too bouncy, and wanted them to have more fun. Nigel thought they could have had the smiles drawn over them, and that was exactly what I saw. He did think it was better than he thought it was going to be. Mary admitted it is a really difficult dance, and loved their outfits. Their entrance was good, but missed the substance of it. She felt it fell short of a lot of previous quicksteps on the show, and I agree. She thought that Chelsea let Thayne down a little. Chelsea is officially off the Hot Tamale Train, and Thayne is holding on by a string. Adam said they didn't look comfortable, and didn't look in their element, and urged them to make sure the audience never sees that they are not comfortable. I agree.

Mark and Chelsea H (Hip hop, choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha) Mark's pinkies are crooked, and Chelsea is a tomboy off stage. The story of the routine is about a workaholic and his girlfriend. Both the dancers like having characters for their routines. I do believe this is the first time I have ever seen hip hop done in a suit, and it was wonderful. They are both good actors. It was fantastic. Nigel is loving Napoleon and Tabitha and is really pleased with Mark and Chelsea. Mary thought it was believable and really emotional. Adam let out his own scream, with a fist pump, and it was way less annoying than Mary. He likes the "lyrical hip hop." He loved that he saw the feeling in their eyes, and he called them the couple to beat. I think I agree.

Katee and Joshua (Samba, choreographed by Tony Meridith and Melony) Katee wants America to know that Joshua is a softy, and Joshua wants America to know that Katee screams like a boy. Joshua is terrified and Katee is feeling a little shy. Katee got the other half of Courtney's dress, in a different color. The footwork was good, but I wasn't feeling the hips or the chemistry so much. Maybe I was wrong. Nigel thought it was sexy, and also noticed that Katee got the other half of Courtney's dress, and thought that Joshua has a fantastic samba rhythm and applauded the cut of his pants, which showed off his impressive backside. Nigel saw chemistry that I didn't see tonight. Mary cackled about how hot it was, and gave them high marks on everything, and welcomed them to the hot tamale train, with two first class tickets. Maybe I should go back and watch the routine again. I thought that Chelsea and Mark were much hotter. Adam said that they ended the show geniusly, and made sure that Katee knows that she is hot.

My faves for the night were Kherrington and Twitch, Chelsea and Mark, and Kourtni and Matt. Chelsea and Mark are absolutely on top for me for their performance tonight. I want to rewatch and rewatch and rewatch. That's saying a lot, because I don't normally like hip hop. I think it's the lyrical hip hop I can get behind.

Katee and Joshua are in the middle for me, along with Jessica and Will.

In the Bottom Three? I think Courtney and Gev could be in trouble, and though I liked them, Comfort and Chris. Chelsea and Thayne are in danger, and I can see them going home.