So You Think You Can Dance - 7/9/08

I don't know about you, but I look forward to this all week.

Cat's hair is looking more "normal," though her dress looks sadly like something out of Daisy Duke's "Gussy it Up" collection. "Granny made this light weight quilt... it's not warm enough to use on the bed, but I bet I could make a little dress out of it!"

Not terrible, but it could be better.

I really hope that Jessica is gone after this week. She is the only really weak link that I keep seeing over and over again. Even her opening solo is boring. Mia Michael's is joining Mary and Nigel tonight, and she looks nuts as ever, wearing a weird little hat that perched on top of her head. I guess it works for Mia, though...

Time for the dancing!

Mark and Chelsie 1st dance (Salsa choreographed by Alex Desilva) These two are such good actors, it is easy to fall in love with them. Well, that and the fact that they are both smoking hot dancers. Chelsie left half of her dress at home, and it was a good move. She looks kind of like a spunky peacock, complete with plumage on her butt. They did a long side by side sequence that was awesome, and the looks they gave each other were smoldering. The final lift and dismount were incredible. Nigel thought that Mark was a little tight in his upper body, but their footwork was lauded, and he also loved the way Mark gets in character. Nigel made some slightly inappropriate comments about Chelsie's sexy dress. Mary cackled that she liked it, although Mark could have been looser. She thought that Chelsie was phenomenal and that Mark is a good partner to her. Mia called Chelsie's legs old Hollywood, and said that she is so gorgeous, she wants to stab her. That goes right up there with Paula wanting to squeeze Archie and dangle him from her rearview mirror. Mia said that Mark was a little awkward tonight, but called him a total star. I just love this pair so much, I am going to be sad when they get split up for the couple change up. I have nearly no doubt that they will still be around for that.

Comfort and Thayne 1st dance (Hip hop choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon) Thayne struggled really hard not to grin during rehearsals, and he ended up smiling a little in the dance, but he was popping well, so it wasn't too bad. Comfort did beautifully, but it is her home genre, so that's to be expected. Comfort managed to bring the sexy she brought to the dances last week onto the dance floor for this. Nigel loved the acting allowed by Tabitha and Napoleon's choreography. He thought that Thayne was trying to get the character in there, but that Comfort missed out on that opportunity. He said that they danced it well, but didn't bring the connection to it. Mary whined that they were missing the chemistry. Mia said it was a little bit more than good. She thought that the strongest part was the beginning choreography on the stairs. She says that she is a fan of Comfort, but she is backing off of that now, because Comfort seems to be along for the ride and not fighting to be in the competition. She says that Thayne missed out on the meat and potatoes of the routine. I wonder what meal he brought to it. Scrambled eggs?

Jessica and Will 1st dance (Contemporary choreographed by Tyce Diorio) Skin to win, I suppiose. Will is wearing almost nothing by a fancy loin cloth. The theme was kind of Garden of Eden. Gorgeous, but I thought that Will stumbled a little in one of the small lifts. It was beautiful, though. Nigel loved the choreography, and called it extremely erotic. He said it was extraordinary, and thought that Jessica kept up with Will on this one, and he could hear them breathing together. The routine brought a blush to Mary's cheek, and she said it was one of the most amazing pieces she's ever seen on the show. I don't know about that. Then she threw in a scream. Ugh. Mia fell asleep to the music when Tyce first played it for her, and she didn't fall asleep to the routine, that's for sure. She said that they explored newness, and gave some love to Tyce. She said it was like moving human body art, and she felt it was the first time Jessica committed entirely to a routine. It is the best I have seen her.

Courtney and Gev 1st dance (Cha cha choreographed by Anya and Pasha) I love Anya and Pasha! In rehearsal, Anya, Pasha, and Gev were conversing in Russian and Courtney felt left out. The routine started with a crazy lift, and then Gev did a backflip. It was kind of a disco Cha cha, and they had some serious chemistry going on. Courtney went to the Half a dress shop, too. She is a little shimmery sequined firecracker. Her hips were moving like mad. Not Heidi-level, but not bad! Nigel said that Courtney managed to be as sexy as Anya, and said that even though it was not technically perfect, it was fantastic, even though he said that Gev pursed his lips more than Mick Jagger. He said that they are magic together as a couple. Mary proclaimed it magic, and hot-cha-cha-cha-cha. She agreed with Nigel that Gev was not technically perfect, but she said he was so into Courtney, she didn't care. Again I miss my mute button as Mary hands them the screaming ticket to the hot tamale train. Mia called the routine fabulousity at it's best. Though they are not the best dancers on the show, she says their performance quality is amazing. Gev shaved his chest for the routine, and Courtney said that made her really pleased. Courtney looks spray tanned within an inch of her life, and Gev is kind of pasty, so that could have been better matched. I don't like the spray tan, though, so I wish that Courtney had stayed natural. Only gripe.

Twitch and Kherrington 1st dance (Krump choreographed by L'il C) It'll be interesting to see how they do this style, because it is very aggressive, and that's about the last adjective I would use to describe them. Kherrington proclaims to have some gangsta in her, and I don't know about that. The routine started with Twitch doing a little solo, and he pulled Kherrington out to the audience. I think I actually bought it. She got some aggression out there, and so did Twitch. Nigel made a face like an angry frog trying to get his gangsta on. Nigel said on paper, it was like a duet between Busta Rhymes and Miley Cyrus, but admitted that in the actual performance, he loved it. He said that Kherrington lost the honesty and the attitude for the last 16 bars of the routine, and that was true. Mary said that it was the first time she has believed in Krumping. She called Kherrington a complete surprise. Mia called it dirty, disgusting, nasty, and buck. I don't know what this buck is, but I assume it's what people are going for in this style. She said that Twitch served Gangsta on a platter, and she thought that Kherrington was just as gross as Twitch in the beginning, and then got tired, and she was willing to ignore the tired because the rest was so good. I mean gross. Whatever is good. I'm so confused I don't even know anymore.

Katee and Joshua 1st dance (Viennese Waltz, choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereaux) The idea behind the dance is that Joshua is a ghost and Katee can't see him, but she can feel him. It was absolutely gorgeous, and the lifts were fantastic. Nigel thought that Joshua was a little too bouncy instead of flowy, and I can see that in the playback. Other than that, he loved it, and thought that Katee was wonderful. Mary commended them at their great job in the lifts. She thought that the dancing was not quite there, and she's the expert, so I believe her. She called it choppy. Mia thought that Joshua was a little clumsy, but she called Katee a gift to dance.

Mark and Chelsie 2nd dance (Broadway choreographed by Tyce Diorio) It's another chance for them to show off their acting chops, and boy did it work. It wasn't my favorite Broadway routine, but it was fantastic. Nigel called the routine amazingly hot, and loved Chelsie's legs. Mary called it sexy, sultry, and bluesy, and cackled her love for Chelsie's attitude. Mia thought the routine worked and was a success, but thought that it showed that Mark was not very trained and was lacking in some technique. She wanted more movement from Chelsie, but as a whole thought it was cool. I am still in love with them, hands down.

Comfort and Thayne 2nd dance (Contemporary choreographed by Mandy Moore) In rehearsals, Comfort had more troubles with her dislocated shoulder. You wouldn't know from the dance. It was soft and flowing and nicely danced. I still don't know if I see the heat and chemistry between the two of them. Nigel said that he wished a different couple had danced it, (I think Chelsie and Mark would have been fantastic) because he thought the choreography was fantastic and they didn't dance it as well as the choreography deserved. Mary was also disappointed, and didn't think it was believable. Mia also loved the choreography, but thought that Comfort was faking technique. She thought if they had a better connection, it would have been ok, but it was just not getting there. She adored Thayne, and called his movement grounded and thick. Again, that seems to be a good thing in her book.

Jessica and Will 2nd dance (Quickstep choreographed by Tony Meridith and Melony) The beginning of the routine was an impressive gymnastics show by Will, and then a slightly clumsy back bend by Jessica. To me, the connection they established earlier was all but lost in trying to get all the steps into the quick step. I didn't buy it. Nigel said that the gymnastics were good, the twist was good, and the jive was good, but the technique was lacking in the actual quickstep. Mary said that Will's jacket made his shape look bunched up. Their quickstep was not gliding like it should have been. Mia thought that Jessica did a big backslide from the first dance, and I agree. She said that Will looked tired of carrying her, and said that he needs a new partner, which will happen for next week, if he's around.

Courtney and Gev 2nd dance (Jazz choreographed by Mandy Moore) The story is a couple lost in the jungle, with the girl holding a map and knowing where they were going and the guy unwilling to look at the map. The choreography was fantastic, and it used some of Gev's b-boy ability. I loved it to pieces, and they totally connected with it. Nigel said it was fun, but felt like cotton candy, with no substance. Mary said that she thought it was rough and raw and loved the way that Gev moved, and thought that Courtney was dynamic. Mia said that they had a great night tonight, and called them one of her top couples. They are just so adorable, I love them. I think they are my second favorite couple right now.

Twitch and Kherrington 2nd dance (Smooth Tango choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux) The dance is basically a Mr. & Mrs. Smith Style Fight Scene. At least that's what they said in the rehearsal bit. I didn't see it. I thought that Kherrington showed some aggression, but not as much as in her pasa doble from last week, and I honestly didn't get much feeling at all from Twitch, and that makes me sad. Nigel said he didn't feel that Twitch's performance was honest, and thought he looked uncomfortable. He said that Kherrington had no passion, and that they murdered the routine instead of each other, like they were supposed to. Mary said she liked the beginning and the end, but not the middle, and thought the reverse turns were too bouncy. She believed Kherrington more, but still not good. Mia thought it was lacking in support, and thought there was no fight and it was a complete lack of commitment, and called Twitch stiff, and Kherrington mediocre. Ouch. But deserved.

Katee and Joshua 2nd dance (Bollywood choreographed by Nacor? and Marla?) I've done some Bhangra dance workouts before (I am awful) and it is tough, but I love to watch it. I thought that they brought their all to the routine, and I was impressed. I hope to see more Bollywood dance on the show, because it was fun, and the costumes were fantastic. Nigel thought it was great, and he's been trying to get it on the show for 3 years. He said it was amazing to see the similarities to hip hop in places. Mary said that Heart and Soul = Stardom, and they did everything right. She placed them securely on the hot tamale train, gave an insane screech, and then Nigel put them on the Vindaloo Express. Mia said that Katee should always dress like that, and was only sad that there were only two of them on stage, instead of the huge amounts of people that do them in Bollywood movies.

So my faves of the night are Mark and Chelsie, followed closely by Gev and Courtney. Katee and Joshua are right there for me, too, solidified by the Bollywood routine.

In the bottom are Comfort and Thayne, and even though their first dance was great, Jessica and Will, and sadly Twitch and Kherrington, because of their weak tango. At this point, I think it is Jessica and Thayne going home, though it could be Comfort. Can't wait to see what they bring tomorrow.