Tonight is a bittersweet night. We’re celebrating one hundred episodes of So You Think You Can Dance, but as it is an elimination night, heartbreak for one dancer is looming on our minds.
Let’s first discuss the great part about tonight: SYTYCD turns one hundred and we’re going to get to see three of the Emmy-award nominated/winning dances from past seasons. I think Jaime and Hok were even stronger and lovely in the Hummingbird Dance. I thought leaving it untouched and about the same was the right decision. The bench dance was a great reminder of earlier Mia choreography and the very best use of props ever to have graced the show. P.S. Heidi looks lovely tonight with lighter blonde hair and I must say, I’m digging Travis’ tattoos. I think they’ve really grown into unique individuals. And the rehashing of the Ramalama dance was incredible. I think that’s been my favorite dance since I’ve seen it and my thought was renewed by the addition of Wade. He’s just a twisted individual with a creative genius that cannot be touched. I loved looking back on some of the best dances from past seasons and just wish that they had brought more of them back and turned the one hour elimination show into a two hour dance special. It would’ve allowed some bigger festivities.
Now on to the tender and trying discussion of the elimination. The bottom four were Janette, Kayla, Jason, and Brandon. I must say that I was utterly shocked. I think that Melissa and Ade were saved by the skin of their teeth with that Tyce DiOrio piece about breast cancer. I think that they honestly should’ve been the ones going home. I have yet to be blow away by Melissa. I find her dancing static and stiff, and although I know she’s a ballerina, I have seen plenty a ballet-dancing where the dancers have been phenomenally flexible and fluid. I just don’t think that she should have made it this far and am supremely surprised that she is in the competition another week.
That said, I also don’t think that Kayla and Janette should’ve been in the bottom. I am a huge Kayla fan and think she had the best night of all the girls. I thought her Thriller-esque hip hop routine was to die for. Haha…and I thought her Broadway was one of the best of the seasons. I think that people just get pissed at the over-praise of the judges and that makes them not want to pick up the phone for her and makes the audience think that she’s a stuck-up attention whore. Which I do not agree with. Being kind of reserved myself, I just think that it’s that she’s not the loudest, most bubbly contestant this season. That would be Janette. Whom, although is not my favorite, I think has been the most consistent of the season; from delivering the first good hip-hop of the season to her Wade robson robber routine to her wonderful Argentine tango, she’s been a force to be reckoned with and a shock seeing as she’s practically untrained and is a salsa dancer.
In my opinion, Jeanine and Melissa should’ve been in the bottom with Melissa going home. That atrocious waltz and that horrible cha-cha did them in. I didn’t enjoy Jeanine and Brandon’s pop/jazz, it left me wanting more in the terms of a storyline and more personality. I didn’t enjoy that Melissa and Ade got a beautiful, moving dance, that therefore could not be overlooked to then consider the rest of the season.
So yes, I think that America got it wrong in the sending home of Janette. But on the bright side, some good dancers are left and I’m hoping that things will go more favorable to me next week. If not, then I don’t always get what I want, but I’m glad that the entire top ten will be on tour and that there really is not loser from this point on.
On to the boys – I am very much saddened that Jason is the one leaving tonight as he was my favorite male in the competition. As I mentioned earlier I think that Ade should’ve been the one going home. I think he has been weakening in the past weeks and that he hasn’t been shining personality-wise as Jason and Evan. Furthermore, I think that it was right for Brandon to be in the bottom. I didn’t think that he had the strongest dancing of the night. I think he and Ade danced very heavy last night and the only good things were their solos and Ade’s Tyce contemp. On that note, I think that it was cheap that Ade and Melissa were saved by a moving portrayal of a difficult issue. I don’t think it’s fair to make America judge on something so emotional. It’s just like the earlier save of Asuka and Vitolio with their “moving” waltz that just left me sitting still.
Jason clearly had the best night as a whole with a stunning Broadway where he just exuded jazz and a zombie-licious Shane Sparks number which was my favorite of the night. Again I think the voters got it wrong. In my perfect world Ade and Brandon would’ve been in the bottom with Ade going home. He’s just not the force to be reckoned with that they tout him to be.
But to end on a positive note, because in the end this season has been and extremely close and strong season, we have six strong and unique dancers left. I’m sad that one of my favorites – Jason – is going home, but I’m extremely glad that Kayla and Evan are left. I think Jeanine is usually a consistent and beautiful dancer and hope she gets luckier next week. I hope Brandon gets some air in his feet and wows me next week. And I hope that Ade and Melissa do something that wows me.
I’m not sure who’ll be going home next week, but I’ll be waiting in anticipation until next Thursday. A bientot!
