by Gina Scarpa

 

If there’s one thing the Top 20 dancers on So You Think You Can Dance this season proved last week, it’s that it’s going to be tough competition to make it to the Top 10 and to the finale of the show.  This week, expectations have been set by the judges (and the fans). Now, the Top 18 contestants will have to meet them and there are many factors that could affect that.  Will they land a style or a choreographer that they’re comfortable with?  Will their chemistry be apparent to the audience and the panel?  Will they have danced with enough energy or emotion?  Only time will tell.  Here’s how tonight’s performances went down.

 

Dancers: Randi Evans and Evan Kasprzak
Style: Jive
Choreographer: Louis Van Amstel
Song: “Shake A Tail Feather” by Ray Charles
Leave it to Randi and Evan to get this show started right tonight with an energetic jive routine.   Going into this season’s Top 20, I thought Randi was a bit too “dance competition” for my taste but she has shown, in the last two weeks, that she is diverse.  Evan is one of my favorite people on the show and I’m so happy he has a great partner and that they’ve had two strong weeks now.  Now, if they can tackle and pull off a hip hop routine, I’m sold!

 

Dancers: Melissa Sandvig and Ade Obayomi
Style: Jazz
Choreographer: Sonya Tayeh
Song: “24 Hours” by Terry Poison
Sonya is so weird but so good!  Yes, her choreography is out there but it takes a special dancer to take her vision and bring it to the public in a way that they can understand and appreciate.  Ade and Melissa did just that tonight, once again giving a strong performance that the judges couldn’t help but love.  I’m not sure if they have what it takes personality wise to make it through to the Top 10 but make no mistake about it: these two dancers are certainly worthy of getting there.

 

Dancers: Caitlin Kinney and Jason Glover
Style: Hip Hop
Choreographer: Shane Sparks
Song: “Missin You” by Trey Songz
After last week’s Bollywood routine, my expectations for Caitlin and Jason were high going into tonight’s performance.  Unfortunately, their hip hop routine didn’t quite meet them and maybe it would have been a different story had Tabitha and Napoleon been their choreographers.  I actually didn’t think it was as bad as the judges did and felt that Jason gave a strong performance but they weren’t feelin’ it.  Still, I can’t imagine these two dancers being in danger in the near future so fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

 

Dancers: Janette Manrara and Brandon Bryant
Style: Disco
Choreographer: Doriana Sanchez
Song: “Loving Is Really My Game” by Brainstorm
I have to admit that, usually, I’m not a fan of disco on So You Think You Can Dance.  I’m a fan of the style but the routines never quite do it for me.  Tonight, though, I stand corrected.  Doriana Sanchez choreographed her best number to date as Brandon and Janette dazzled the crowd with their quick moves and daring lifts and spins.  Lil C finally gave Brandon the props he deserved and this pair was definitely flying high after hearing their feedback from the panel.

 

Dancers: Asuka Kondoh and Vitolio Jeune
Style: Waltz
Choreographer: Louis Van Amstel
Song: “Dreams Are More Precious” by Enya
Knowing that Vitolio has struggled with giving honest performances, Louis Van Amstel drew on his back story for inspiration for this waltz.  The result was a beautiful, heartfelt piece that brought Mary to tears.  My concern is that Asuka said straight out in their video that she’s not attracted to Vitolio, which explains their lack of chemistry.  Considering all the times that pairs need to show off that attraction and chemistry, it makes me wonder just how many more weeks they can stick around before that becomes their undoing.

 

Dancers: Kayla Radomski and Max Kapitannikov
Style: Pop Jazz
Choreographer: Brian Friedman
Song: “Hot Like Wow” by Nadia Oh
This number was so strange that you would’ve though Sonya choreographed it but, no, it was from the wacky mind of Brian Feldman, who I’m happy to see return to So You Think You Can Dance.  Kayla has burst onto the stage this season as a force to be reckoned with and the females on the show should feel a tad intimidated.  Though the number didn’t nearly show off Max the way it did Kayla, he did a great job and I’m rooting for this pair to sail through to Top 10.

 

Dancers: Karla Garcia and Jonathan Platero
Style:  Contemporary
Choreographer: Stacey Tookey
Song: “Falling Slowly” by The Frames
Let’s give Stacey Tookey, from So You Think You Can Dance: Canada, a warm welcome to the U.S. version of the show.  I loved her routine, about strangers who fall in love.  Though I’m not the biggest fan of Karla just yet, she did a great job in her own style but it was Jonathan who stole the spotlight.  Mary said that he danced better here than in his own style and, in five years of the show, she has never said that to any dancer.  I was worried about this pair after last week’s performance but maybe there’s hope for them just yet.

 

Dancers: Jeanine Mason and Phillip Chbeeb
Style: Tango
Choreographer: Tony Meredith
Song: “Violento” by Bailango!
Oh, nothing hurt my heart more than to hear that Phillip and Jeanine pulled tango from the hat.  I knew that this was going to spell trouble for Phillip and it did.  Though he tried his best to pull off the performance, it was clear that he was uncomfortable and self conscious.  Luckily, he had a partner who was committed to the character and did all she could to help him along the way.  The pair get an A for effort… but most definitely not as high for their technique. 

 

Dancers: Ashley Valerio and Kupono Aweau
Style: Hip Hop
Choreographer: Shane Sparks
Song: “Imma Be” by The Black Eyed Peas
This is the one routine of the night where I disagreed with the judges.  Yes, the number fell a little flat when it got to the breakdown at the end, but the first half of the song was great in my book.  I love the concept that Shane came up with, about a man and his shadow, and Kupono and Ashley danced well in the beginning.  As the dance went on, the pair got out of sync and the energy in the room started to diminish.  I hope America will appreciate what strong dancers they are and give them another week to prove themselves.

 

 

Be sure to tune in tomorrow night to So You Think You Can Dance for the live results show, airing at 9pm ET on FOX.
 
(Image courtesy of FOX)

 

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