So You Think You Can Dance - 11.3.09

I'm still unsure how the tap dancing fits into the intros... but it looks like Noelle is up and dancing!  Good for her. 

Cat is in a dress that looks a bit like shiny ace bandages, but I'm ok with that.  It's another no-voting judge elimination week, because of the World Series.  Still no Paula on the panel.  Mary is wearing a very Paula-worthy dress, and Adam made some Paula Abdul song title jokes.  Nigel has spoken with the Powers That Be, and Billy Bell can rejoin in the Top 100 in Vegas, and Brandon is also welcome back (but it seems he's in for a whole audition rigamarole...)

Noelle & Russell (Hip Hop, choreographed by Jamal Simms, Move, Shake, Drop Remix, by DJ Laz, Flo Rida, and Casey)  Apparently, the best thing about Russell is his voice, and the worst thing is that he always wears his sunglasses.  Noelle likes to try to rap and she's funny.  The bad thing about her is her propensity to injure herself.  Their routine is about a kicked up tennis match.  It's pretty cool choreography.  Noelle was keeping right up with Russell, though he was hitting harder than she was.  Big surprise.  I'm amazed that no one got whacked by a tennis raquet.  Noelle seemed to lose some steam at the end to me.  The choreography was really intricate, though.  Some Matrix-esque move in there.  And Noelle won out in the end.  I liked it.  Adam was the first one to suck up to the new choreographer.  He warned that they have to make sure the choreography doesn't dance them.  He thought they looked a little overwhelmed by the choreography, and that big is not always better.  Mary thought they were in a fight to the end, and Russell won the match for her.  She did think it got a little labored near the end, but thinks he has a great light in his eyes.  She applauded Noelle for coming back from her injury with no apparent weakness.  Nigel made a tennis joke, but thought it was too fast and they didn't really get a lot of hold on it... and Noelle's tumbling bit was a bit bad.  (She put a hand down.  Not good)  He was left a little disappointed.

Ashleigh & Jakob (Viennese Waltz, choreographed by Melanie Lapatin and Tony Meradith, At Last by Etta James)  Jakob thinks that Ashleigh's hair attacks him, and she sweats a ton and that makes her slippery.  Ashleigh also mentioned the sweat puddles, and thinks that Jakob's mimicry of bad dancing is hilarious.  Their piece is a couple's first dance at the wedding.  Ashleigh makes a beautiful bride, and Jakob is dashing.  It was a gorgeous waltz, and I'm glad they didn't get voting on it, because it may not have gotten votes, but it was nice.  Adam loves them, but doesn't like how "lifty" it was.  He also thought that Jakob's flying leap was not necessary.  He said he is growing to love Ashleigh.  Mary thought that it was nice to see that Jakob is not absolutely perfect, and though the lifts were great, he needed more sway.  He is a great partner.  She loved Ashleigh.  Nigel loved everything about it. 

Bianca & Victor (Broadway, choreographed by Tyce Diorio, Maybe God is Trying to Tell You Something, from The Color Purple) Victor loves that Bianca is loud, but hates that her hair is always changing.  Bianca loves his laugh, but hates his bright fashion sense.  Victor needed some lessons in black soul church movement, since the music is from The Color Purple.  It's got to be different for Bianca to be dancing barefoot!  I found myself not watching Victor much at all.  Bianca is magnetic.  He did well, I guess, but he didn't pull me in.  The end of the routine was weird.  It was not my favorite choreography.  Adam told them it is important as a dancer to look at references from famous dances and be studied.  He said that they danced it well, but they didn't lose themselves.  He said he was overly aware that they were dancing.  I actually agree with him completely.  Mary agreed that she wanted more from it, and felt that they were doing good choreography but didn't think they were bringing it to the next level.  Nigel thought the characters were not strong enough, and thought Victor looked like a fish out of water.  He also thought that Bianca had more character, but needed even more.


Mollee & Nathan (Bollywood, choreographed by Nakul Dev Mahajan, Azeem O Shan) Nathan loves how big and bright Mollee's personality is, but she goes to the bathroom a lot, and it takes away from focus.  She thinks that Nathan is attractive and it helps with the chemistry, but he is easily distracted by himself.  The routine was about a prince going off to battle and his princess not liking it.  They danced it very well, I think.  There was a very slow lift at the end in which she gave in and gave him back his sword, and it gave me chills.  It also gave Cat chills.  Adam called them an exciting couple, and thinks that Mollee danced with great maturity and she's embraced stillness, which is new.  Mary gave it a really wretched scream.  She adored the beginning and it just kept getting better.  Nigel thought it was fabulous, and applauded Mollee for calming down the puppy dog behavior.  Nathan's pirouettes were totally impressive.


Channing & Phillip (Samba, choreographed by Tony Meredith & Melanie Lapatin, Maracatu Funk by the Samba Squad) Phillip thinks that Channing has amazing eyes, but she is strong and could take him down.  Channing loves that Phillip always has a smile on his face, but he talks too much.  They had some huge problems in rehearsal, but thought they would do well.  I thought that they both used their hips well.  The lift in the beginning was still awkward.  Just a little too slow.  I loved Channing's dress andher hips were great.  The amba roll didn't do much for me, but I may be wrong.  The second lift also looked labored.  The final one awas abit better, but we couldn't see Phillip's face because he was covered by Channing.  Adam said he could see them struggling with the steps.  He doesn't want to know.  He thought that Channing did a good job with the hips and feet.  He liked the partnership, and thought that they connected well.  They both admitted to struggling with it.  Mary agreed.  She wanted to feel the party and the celebration, but it wasn't there.  Phillip's feet were sloppy, which is a shame since he's a tapper, and the lifts were also labored.  She did think that Channing was coming to life and got the hip action and was well grounded.  She thought that Phillip let her down.  I agree.  Nigel thought that Phillip should have done better in the footwork, and the samba roll was too stiff for him.  He didn't buy the partnership, and thought that one lift like a beautiful sack of potatoes going over Phillip's head, but he likes Channing's dress color.  I agree.  It's a lovely color on her.

Karen & Kevin (Hip Hop, choreographed by Tabitha & Napoleon, Ice Cream Pain Job by Dorrough) Karen thinks that Kevin is the sweetest thing ever, but hates his hair because it takes him forever to do it.  Kevin thinks that the best thing about Karen is that she is beautiful and dynamic, but worries that he disappears on stage with him.  Kevin is a mechanic, and Karen is a hot girl who comes in for him to work under her hood.  I thought that she really brought it, and Kevin was great.  I really enjoyed it.  Adam fell out of his chair about Karen.  That was funny.  I'm enjoying Adam on the show.  To him, she went out there and tore it up, with supreme confidence, and Kevin was fantastic.  Mary put them first class on the hot tamale train.  She loves the confidence and commitment.  She shrieked about Kevin's hard hitting confidence.  Nigel thought that Karen was like an invertebrate, in a wonderful way, and loves her shining personality.

Kathryn & Legacy (Contemporary, choreographed by Stacey Tookey, 2 Steps Away, by Patti Labelle)  Kathryn thinks that Legacy is a wonderful linguist, but he has a cricket whistle.  Legacy can relate to Kathyrn, but she ends up injuring him a lot.  It's a routine about a woman dealing with fear, and he is that fear.  He was like her shadow in parts and it was very cool.  They both had really good lines.  I love the green on her, too.  It was a moving routine.  It looked effortless, and they acted it very well.  It gave me chills.  Adam called it incredibly special and thanked Stacey Tookey, and thinks that she transformed Legacy.  He is super proud and loved that Legacy pointed his feet.  Adam loved both of them and cannot wait to see what comes next.  Mary speaks to people like they are dogs, yes she does, but she loves Legacy, yes she does, and seemed close to tears, yes she did.  She doesn't think that anyone has grown as fast as him, no she doesn't.  Then she shrieked that Kathryn nails it every week, yes she does.  Nigel also gave compliments to Stacey and it reminded him of Mia's addiction piece.  I would agree.  He gave them congratulations.


Pauline & Peter (Jazz, choreographed by Wade and Amanda Robeson, Little Green Bag by George Baker Selection) Peter thinks that Pauline's photography habit is fantastic, but she has an obsession with sneakers.  Pauline loves how Peter treats everyone like family, but he thinks he's a lady's man, but he's not.  The routine is based on discarded people in a supposed early version of Van Gogh's Starry Night, and they are back to torment him.  Um. Ok.  It certainly was weird.  They got into character, and they were fun to watch.  Wade is weird.  I think that's the lesson here.  Adam thought the piece was going to be controversial, and they were 1000% committed, which is essential in Wade's pieces.  He especially thought that Peter did a great job with it.  Mary loved the concept and loved the costumes and thought they danced it really well, but doesn't think it will take them anywhere.  Nigel said whether you appreciate Wade or not, you won't forget his pieces.  He worried that Peter's shoulders were too tight and stiff.  He thought that Pauline danced to her full extent and thought it was a really good routine for her.


Ellenore & Ryan (Argentine Tango, choreographed by Miriam & Leonardo, Violentango by Astor Piazolla) Ellenore is annoyed that Ryan is always drinking protein shakes, but loves how muscular he is.  Ryan loves how quirky Ellenore is, but worries that she might be an alien who is going to abduct him.  She's funny.  The choreographers admitted that it was a very dangerous routine. She looked dashing in her gold gown, and the realy dangerous lift went off well.  Her dress got caught on her heel...  That couldn't have been easy to deal with, but she kept going and kicked it off in a lift.  There was a fantastic spinning lift at the end, too.  Kudos to them.  Adam admitted that he almost wanted to stop them because of the dress issue, but loved what laserlike connection they had, and loved everything.  I agree.  Mary admitted that it is distracting as a dancer when the heel is caught, but she didn't ever see the distraction in Ellenore.  She also thought that Ryan was great, and she stood up and gave a yell.  Nigel appreciated the quiet stillness and recapitulated Adam's appreciation of the laser-like connection.  He even used the same words.

Who will be in danger?  I think it is likely to be Noelle, Victor, Bianca, and Phillip.  And I was ... spot on.


Noelle's solo was full of really good movement and I am glad to have seen it.  She moved much more fluidly than she did in her outing tonight, and I really liked it. 

Victor's solo seemed kind of disconnected and I was reminded of a gymnastics floor routine instead of a dance.

Bianca's solo was so full of Bianca that I have to love her.  I really love her.  She tapped to a hip hop song and it was fun.

Phillip's solo was a lot more traditional tap. He keeps this grin on his face all the time which seems insincere... But he was good.  I think better than Victor.

What a tough decision!  In the end, the judges didn't think that the duets were that great for either girl, and the decision was not unanimous, but in the end, Noelle's solo was better and she is safe.  I would agree with that, but I am sad because I love Bianca.  For the guys, Phillip was gone, without much discussion, and Nigel was mourning the loss of two tappers in one show.  I think it was the best decision, because he was just horrible at the partnering, and the lifts.  And poor Phillip - his father passed away last week.  Gah.

Do you think the right decisions were made?