by Gina Scarpa

 

This week of So You Think You Can Dance kicks off with a creepy but fabulous NappyTabs routine by the Top 20. They won't be a Top 20 for much longer, though. By the end of the episode, four dancers will be headed home. The show has a lot to cram in in two hours so let's get right to it!

 

Dancers: Lindsay and Cole
Style: Hip Hop
Song: "Teeth" by Lady Gaga
Choreographer: Christopher Scott
I was not a fan of this piece at all, set in a dentist's office. Then again, I could be biased because I'm often not impressed with Christopher Scott's choreography. Don't hate on me! Nigel said that he felt Lindsay's dancing was a little immature, and Mary agrees, saying she needs to bring her acting skills to the table. Cole goes over much better, with everyone impressed with his portrayal of the nerdy guy, but I feel that it's creepy that he won't come out of character.

 

Dancers: Amelia and Will
Style: Contemporary
Song: Sonya Tayeh
Choreographer: "3326" by Olafur Arnalds
Let me just say that I am loving Sonya's softer side that she's been showing. The piece was just absolutely beautiful, about people searching for the light at the end of a tunnel. Mary was the first judge to speak - if you want to call it that. She basically screamed the entire time, loving the way that the two were there for each other. Adam felt Will stepped it up (movie plug?) and that Amelia just got lost in the music, which is a great thing! Nigel sums it up by calling them "absolutely brilliant dancers". I like Will but I love me some Amelia!

 

Dancers: Amber and Nick
Style: Tango
Song: "Tanguera" by Sexteto Mayor
Choreographer: Miriam Larici and Leonardo Barrionuevo
Going into tonight, I definitely think these two are in trouble. It's not that their waltz last week wasn't good, but I don't think they've connected with America like some of the other dancers have. Their tango was successful and Amber's legwork was impressive, especially given how far out of her style she was. Adam called Amber spectacular and said she fully inhabited her character, and Mary pointed out the difficulty of the choreography and said nobody could've done the turns that Nick did in that routine.

 

Dancers: Audrey and Matthew
Style: Jazz
Song: Sonya Tayeh
Choreographer: "Hear Me Now" by Steed Lord
Talk about a completely different look for these two after their breathtaking Titanic-themed piece from last week. Their great partnership continued into the second week of the competition, but they also displayed their strength and athleticism in this routine. Nigel loves the darker style and the "stank steps", as he put it. Mary called it fantastic, while Adam said the night belonged to Sonya. The judges are having a serious lovefest with her!

 

Dancers: Janelle and Darien
Style: Hip Hop
Song: "My Girl" by The Temptations
Choreographer: Christopher Scott
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who wasn't blown away by this. Don't get me wrong, it was cute, but there wasn't enough to it. Adam thought it was adorable, but felt Darien was a little more successful in investing in the character than Janelle was. Nigel takes a shot at Christopher's choreography, calling the piece "uninspiring", but agreed that they needed to bring more. Mary couldn't muster up anything more to say than the fact that it was okay.

 

Dancers: Janaya and Brandon
Style: Broadway
Song: "Bring On The Men" by Linda Eder (Jekyll and Hyde)
Choreographer: Sean Cheesman
From African Jazz to Broadway, Sean Cheesman is proving he can do it all! The concept is that Janaya's been reading too many romance novels and can't get enough of Brandon. In fact, she's so excited that she dances right out of her shoes! It doesn't affect a thing and in fact, the judges were super impressed with both of them. Brandon shows he's very capable of other styles while Janaya brings the fire to her performance.

Dancers: Eliana and Cyrus
Style: Jive
Song: "I'm Shakin'" by Jack White
Choreographer: Melanie Lapatin and Tony Meredith
You gotta give it to Cyrus. I had no idea how he was going to survive Vegas and so far, in the Top 20, he's conquered Broadway and the jive! He still has a long way to go and the dance wasn't very fluid, but he and Eliana did the best they could with it. Even though his footwork or posture wasn't always up to par, Mary pointed out that his partnering was. He really did support her through those lifts! Nigel isn't so kind, pointing out that Eliana has to make up for his lack of knowledge or technique. How about some constructive criticism to help him grow and learn?

 

Dancers: Alexa and Daniel
Style: Contemporary
Song: "So Long My Friend" by Yanni
Choreographer: Dee Caspary
Don't get me wrong, the choreography was beautiful, but I think the rushed pace of the show leaves me having a tough time getting into everything. At least I'm not alone though. The judges felt something was missing, too. Could it be their chemistry with one another? Their connection with the audience? Something is off. Maybe they don't want to point fingers but I will. There has been something about Daniel the entire time that I haven't connected with, while I've found myself rooting for Alexa.

 

Dancers: Tiffany and George
Style: Foxtrot
Song: "I Want To Be Loved By You" by Sinead O'Connor
Choreographer: Melanie Lapatin and Tony Meredith
Okay so Tiffany and George must've had the last pick this week for dance style because nobody in their right mind would choose the dreaded foxtrot. That being said, they totally pulled it off! It was super cute and super classy, leaving Mary screaming out her approval. Adam was madly in love with it and Nigel thinks they're an incredible couple. Agreed!

 

Dancers: Witney and Chehon
Style: Bollywood
Song: "Tanday Music" by Aatish Kapadia
Choreographer: Nakul Dev Mahajan
I get so excited for Bollywood routines - they're always so energetic and upbeat, and this week is no exception. Adam felt it was so much fun and loves every time Nakul's choreography is displayed on the stage. The judges are loving the joy that is pouring out of Chehon and the strength that Witney displayed.

 

After a performance by the cast of Step Up Revolution, Cat reveals that the bottom six are Janaya, Alexa, Witney, Nick, Daniel, and Chehon. I have to admit that I'm surprised to see Witney there. The judges have spoken to the choreographers from last week, this week, and to one another and do not need to see anybody dance one more time. Well, that's nervewracking for them!

 

Nigel reveals that they've decided to save Witney and Chehon, while the other four are headed home. Were you surprised by it?

 

 

So You Think You Can Dance airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on FOX.

 

(Image courtesy of FOX)

 

Follow Gina @ginascarpa