By Lindsay Strouse

 

We’ve finally reached that time again – time to watch this season’s So You Think You Can Dance Top 10 along with 10 All-Stars from past seasons.  Helping to judge the contestants for the first time this season as individuals is guest judge Neil Patrick Harris. Before jumpstarting the show, Nigel makes the announcement we’ve all been waiting for: the box office for this season’s tour opens on July 29…don’t forget to get your tickets!

 

Here’s how it went for our Top 10 dancers and their All-Stars:

 

Dancers: Marko and Chelsie (all-star)

Style: Samba

Choreographer: Jason Gilkinson

Song: “Cinema Italiano” by Kate Hudson

While this dance may not have had the special connection Melanie and Marco harnessed, it had something special. It is certainly nice to see that even without his trusty partner, Marko held his weight and excelled. In the words of the judges, he is versatile and “the one to beat.”

 

Dancer: Sasha

Song: “Syrup & Honey” by Duffy

It’s so refreshing to see Sasha bring her own unique style and passion to the stage all by herself. She’s so light on her feet it actually looks like she is defying

 

Dancers: Jordan and Brandon (all-star)

Style: Contemporary

Choreographer: Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson

Song: “Who You Are” by Jessie J

SO happy Brandon has returned as an all-star—his technique and strength is absolutely mind blowing. But even his abilities can’t tear my eyes away from Jordan. She killed this piece and brought everything she had to the stage. You don’t need to be a dancer to understand the skill and discipline it takes to dance the way she did.

 

Dancer: Jess

Song: “Come by Me” by Harry Connick, Jr

There’s not much more to say than that this kid belongs on Broadway. He is truly phenomenal in this style and blows me away every time he shows it off.

 

Dancers: Tadd and Comfort (all-star)

Style: Hip Hop

Choreographer: Chuck Maldonado

Song: “Look At Me Now” by Chris Brown

How lucky that our only b-boy left in the competition gets hip-hop his first week dancing as an individual. Minus the obviously staged set-up, Tadd and Comfort were fffiiieeerrrccceee.  Everything you could ever want in a hard-hitting hip-hop number was in this piece. Some of the judges even say that Tadd out-danced his all-star. Bravo!

 

Dancer: Melanie

Song: “You’re the One That I Want” by Angus and Julia Stone

We haven’t seen Melanie dance solo since Vegas week, and I’m so happy we get the chance to see her dance alone again. She combines strength, agility and beauty so that you can’t take your eyes off her if you tried.

 

Dancers: Mitchell and Melody (all-star)

Style: Broadway/Jazz

Choreographer: Tyce Diorio

Song: “Take Off with Us” from All That Jazz

How very “Catch Me If You Can.” Tyce choreographed a true-to-style Broadway piece for Mitchell and Melody based off an “airplane theme.” Neil Patrick Harris was not a fan at all and both Nigel and Mary agreed the facials were a bit over the top. They note that it was more of a style problem than a technique issue.

 

Dancer: Ricky

Song: “Daylight” 

I know everyone keeps saying Marko is the one to beat in this competition, but Ricky is the one to beat for me. He has such a bright spirit in him and a strength to power his jumps to the top of the ceiling.

 

Dancer: Clarice

Song: “Royal T” by Crookers

I wasn’t the biggest fan of Clarice in the beginning, but I’m starting to warm up to her. I think the reality of the competition is starting to dawn on her, so she’s pulling out all the stops for us.

 

Dancers: Caitlynn and Pasha (all-star)

Style: Argentine Tango

Choreographer: Leonardo Barrionuevo and Mariam Larci

Song: “Malajunta” by Orquesta Color Tango

I think it’s safe to say Pasha is America’s favorite all-star to return this season. He is such a fantastic partner to have; it’s like he has the ability to bring out the best in anyone. Mary Murphy certainly agreed…she gave a standing ovation to both Caitlynn and the choreography. The rest of the judges agree she bloomed in this number and danced with a maturity she lacked previously.

 

Dancer: Mitchell

Song: “This Time” by John Legend

Mitchell brings grace and beauty to every single one of his solos and this is no exception. I was left with a smile on my face once he was finished.

 

Dancers: Sasha and Twitch (all-star)

Style: Hip Hop

Choreographer: Christopher Scott

Song: “Misty Blue” by Dorothy Moore

Twitch is another one I’m happy to see back. That was one hot number! He paired perfectly with Sasha to create a realistic and entertaining story. Sasha is such a joy to watch dance and created a mesmerizing chemistry with Twitch that she was unable to attain with Alexander. I’m hoping this piece makes it to the tour.

 

Dancer: Jordan

Song: “Tonight” by Lykke Li

It’s no secret that Jordan truly excels in each of her solos…even when she isn’t doing a sexy piece.

 

Dancers: Jess and Katherine (all-star)

Style: Contemporary

Choreographer: Stacey Tookey

Song: “The Lonely” by Christina Perri

The opening video package promises a number full of lifts—one of Jess’s biggest weaknesses—and fortunately, he nailed each and every one. I need to thank Stacey Tookey for bringing her genius to this show, because her choreography is absolutely stunning. Neil gives Jess a good critique by reminding him to always stay present and to stay real. All in all, this was one of my favorite pieces I’ve seen Jess in thus far.

 

Dancer: Tadd

Song: “Everything I can’t Have” by Robin Thicke

There is no doubt Tadd is a true entertainer, and his b-boy tricks backs each performance up. His endearing personality just makes him that more loveable.

 

Dancers: Melanie and Pasha (all-star)

Style: Viennese Waltz

Choreographer: Jason Gilkison

Song: “Everybody Hurts” by Tina Arena

If there is a heaven, I’m pretty sure this dance is included. Dressed all in white, they both glided across the stage like they were dancing on air. Each transition was flawless and the timing was impeccable. This kind of number once again shows why Melanie deserves her title as the Top Beast. She has mastered every single style so far, and I have no doubt she’ll continue the trend.

 

Dancer: Caitlynn

Song: “Cosmic Love” by Florence and Machine

Her solo was filled with grace and beauty, clearly proving why she deserves her place in this year’s Top 10. Sometimes I forget how much power she harnesses in that tiny body.

 

Dancers: Ricky and Allison (all-star)

Style: Jazz

Choreographer: Tyce Diorio

Song: “Precious Things” by Tori Amos

Wow, I loved that. Both dancers brought such strength, passion and devotion to each and every moment. Tyce brings such a unique darkness and twistedness to his choreography, which makes each of his pieces extremely special. Even with Allison’s incredible technique, Ricky matched her every step.

 

Dancer: Marko

Song: “More Than Anyone” by Gavin Degraw

My favorite part about Marko is that when he’s dancing you can always see how much he loves it. That’s not even me

 

Dancer: Clarice and Robert (all-star)

Style: Bollywood

Choreographer: Nakul Dev Mahajan

Style: “Aila re Aila” by Khatta

Those are some sparkly costumes if I ever saw some. Sparkly enough to get a standing ovation from all three judges! The detailed movements of Bollywood are so hard to master, and tonight Clarice and Robert nailed all of them. I agree with Neil when he said he never really connected with Clarice before tonight—I’m not sure what it was, but she shone bright as a star tonight.

 

Tune in tomorrow night at 8/7c on FOX to find out who’s going home next on So You Think You Can Dance.

 

(Photo courtesy of FOX)

Follow Lindsay at @LindsayStrouse