by Gina Scarpa

 

Vegas Week is perhaps one of the best parts of the So You Think You Can Dance season. We get to really see what dancers are made of, and make our predictions for the Top 20. This season seemed incredibly exhausting and difficult, but the injuries and drama factor were both relatively minor.

 

STANDOUT SOLO: Malece Miller
Malece Miller kicked off last night's episode with a solo that had all of the judges raving. She is a contemporary dancer with a very unique look and style, which had the panel excited. Malece was rushed to the hospital after being dropped on her head during rehearsal but returned in time to sail through every choreography round, and now waits to find out her fate in the Green Mile.

 

HERE AND GONE: Donovan Gibbs and Caitlin Rodrigues
Both Donovan and Caitlin had stories during the audition rounds that touched our hearts. Donovan and his family gave up everything for their dance studio, even living out of it, while Caitlin's younger brother stepped in at the last minute when her partner couldn't make the audition. Though their solos in their respective cities earned them a ticket to Vegas, their performances were not enough to keep them in Sin City and both were sent back home before even unpacking their bags.

 

BAD DECISION: Derek
During the group round, the dancers were all understandably exhausted but most fought through it to make sure they nailed their routine in front of the judges. Derek, on the other hand, chose to go to bed, feeling confident that he knew what he was doing. When they took the stage the next day, they were all in for a rude awakening and were told they'd be embarrassed when they watched it back on television. Derek was eliminated for looking clueless and burst into tears when he got off the stage. He thought he had it down, he told the cameras. He didn't.

 

PLEASANT SURPRISE: Shen Yun
Granted, she was eliminated during Sonya's jazz round, but not before surviving Tabitha and Napoleon's hip hop routine. It wasn't always pretty (or dirty), but she was giving it maximum effort. On the plus side, she definitely showed she can do more than her traditional style,

 

SCARIEST CHOREOGRAPHER: Sonya Tayeh
She's also one of the most amazing choreographers ever, but her choreography seems the toughest for people to grasp. It's exhausting, she's intimidating, but at the end of the day, she makes dancers better.

 

BEST GROUP PERFORMANCE: Alan Bersten, Gene Bersten, Kayla Bingham, Jasmine Mason, Jenna Johnson
These five dancers came together and put together an emotional piece about the Boston Marathon bombing. The story was not tragic but instead, highlighted the amazing spirit of people who come together and help one another in times of crisis. They partnered one another beautifully, had amazing solo moments, and all easily moved on to the next round.

 

BREAKOUT STAR: Due-Shaunt "Fik-Shun" Stegall
Who is this guy?! This Vegas street performer has been entertaining to watch from the get go but who knew how quickly he'd pick up other styles? From ballroom to jazz to hip hop to contemporary, he's exceeded everyone's expectations, including his own. If this kid doesn't make Top 20, I'll be shocked.

 

BATTLE ROYALE: Bluprint vs. Jade
Not satisfied with either's contemporary routine, the judges asked animators Bluprint and Jade to face off, and gave Stacey Tookey the final decision. The pair were so innovative and amazing to watch, that she couldn't choose, and they are both on the Green Mile. That being said, I'm sure there's only room for one of them in the Top 20. Which one is it going to be?

 

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

 

(Image courtesy of FOX)

 

Follow Gina @ginascarpa