While Nigel Lythgoe announces that this year's competition on So You Think You Can Dance--now reduced to just one night a week--will have two winners (one male, one female), he mysteriously left out how those winners will be chosen. I'm excited for the season to kick off, but I'm a bit apprehensive when it comes to the new voting system. I just can't help but feel like the ninth season--which could be the last if ratings don't hold--might screw its loyal fans over.
We get through our first bunch of dancers, which will obviously be a contemporary bunch because DUH. Alexa, who has struggled through this year's auditions, finally makes it in after getting cut at the last minute in season 8, and she's absolutely ecstatic about it. I'm intrigued to see if she can withstand the pressures of the Top 20, but she is an early favorite. She joins Amber (who swore she'd never try out again), Will, and George as the first batch of Season 9.
Alexa, George, Will, and Amber – Contemporary
"We Found Love", Jessie J (Tyce DiOrio)
Tyce isn't always one of my favorite choreographers, but he pulled out all the stops for this opener (wasn't crazy about the song, though), and it was incredibly beautiful. I do think that the girls owned the boys, but that was more because of the choreo- this was an extremely strong group giving an extremely strong performance. LOVED the ending.
Grade: 8/10
The latin dancers are next, and even though the judges have only three to choose from, Nick, Whitney, and Lindsay are all really strong performers—not to mention that Whitney and Lindsay are childhood friends—so I'm hoping that all three of them swing through to the Top 20. They do, which
Nick, Whitney, and Lindsay – Ballroom
"Dance Again", Jennifer Lopez (Jason Gilkison)
UGH! These three are so spicy together! Jason choreographed a really brilliant piece here, and it makes me want to see this trio dance together every week. I think Nick's nerves got the best of him at small points in the number and was a little weaker than his partners, but those ladies were fiery. Can't wait to see what comes from the three of them individually as the season goes on.
Grade: 7.5/10
Ballet is up, and I'll be damned if Eliana isn't in this year's competition. She's brilliant, maybe my favorite girl of the season, and one of the standouts of Vegas Week. When it comes to Daniel and Keyon, I prefer Daniel, but Keyon sold himself in his very last solo, so it's hard to choose who will make it. Except obviously I'm being stupid and obviously they both make it.
Eliana, Daniel, and Keyon – Ballet
"Romantic Inclinations / Like A Shot / Fury", P. Mottram / S. Everitt, G. Shadaid and T. Marberger (Desmond Richardson)
Ballet is undoubtedly the most technical of the bunch, and these three are probably the biggest threats in the entire competition when it comes to strength and agility. I felt like something was off with Keyon—I didn't feel as though he matched the other two—but the three of them as a unit absolutely destroyed this number.
Grade: 8/10
I really like jazz dancers, because they typically come with a lot of sensuality and sass, and those are two of my favorite words. So I'm digging Tiffany and Audrey being thrown into the competition, and joining them is bellydancer Janelle.
Tiffany and Audrey – Jazz
"Sail", Awolnation (Sonya Tayeh)
Janelle became ill and had to sit tonight's number out, so that actually leads to the first duo performance of the year. Although I think Sonya could do with stepping a bit outside of her box, these two girls performed this so in sync that it's very hard to tell them apart. They tackled Sonya's signature moves like pros… I just wish it wasn't something I felt like I'd seen from her a dozen times before.
Grade: 7/10
The show then opens up this huge reel about Joshua Alexander and his injury, which made him freak out about his chances because he never got to perform his solo. They insist on his return next year before sending him and a few others home. But contemporary dancer Matthew makes it through, and so does Janea, sending Jill and Amelia into the room as the last two dancers. Amelia squeezes through (rightfully so), and we have our next four dancers!
Matthew, Darian, Janea, and Amelia – Contemporary
"Modern Drift", Efterklang (Stacey Tookey)
Sometimes a foursome piece can seem too busy, but I'm a huge fan of Stacey Tookey's choreography and she can always be trusted to create something captivating. I think every dancer held their own but Amelia took a bit of everyone's shine this go around. Still, a phenomenal number.
Grade: 8.5/10
So with all that, we're left with a jumble of seven men: contemporary dancers, hip-hoppers, steppers, tappers, and not enough room for all of them. The season's final two tappers are out, martial artist Cole is in, steppers Devon and Brandon go in to find out that Brandon is the lucky one, and that brings us to Syrus and Feliciano for the last spot in the top 20. Feliciano did far better in Vegas Week than Syrus, but Syrus' individual style is a judges' favorite, so it could go either way. But the favorite gets the chance, predictably so. He's the weaker pick, but potentially the most thrilling.
Cole, Brandon, and Syrus – Hip-Hop
"Resolve", Nathan Lanier (Christopher Scott)
I'll be totally honest, Christopher Scott is one of my least favorite choreographers the show has: I just never find his pieces big enough. Thankfully, he choreographs around this trio's major strength—isolation—and creates what might be the best piece he's done for the show yet. Each of them mastered it in their own way, and he didn't take away from what they'll be bringing to the competition as individuals. He made them look great.
Grade: 8/10
Alright, now that we've got the picks out of the way, let's watch more dances!
The Top 10 Girls – Contemporary
"Where The Light Gets In", Sennen (Travis Wall)
Travis Wall is just completely the shit, and I'll watch a piece he does about anything, let alone a door into the afterlife. This was shockingly good, the ladies all moved together so impossibly well, and it was such an impressive number for him as well as every single one of these women. Best of the night (so far).
Grade: 9/10
The Top 10 Guys – Jazz
"Precognition (Steed Lord Machine Mix)", Steed Lord (Sonya Tayeh)
I'm unsure that Sonya has ever done a piece with this many men, but she seems to love this year's batch, and created an absolutely sick number to prove it. It started off slightly shaky, but they lived this choreography, and it was just as athletic as it was creative. It was much better than her group number, and got my faith in her restored for this season. This might be my favorite of the night- between this and the Travis piece, it'll be tough.
Grade: 9/10
The Top 20 – Contemporary
"Eyes (Coachella Live 2012 Version), Kaskade (Mia Michaels)
Mia Michaels is just the queen of the scene, so do I really need to say more? We continue to expect greatness from her, and after an absence from the show, she finally returned to deliver a phenomenal, wonderfully inventive number. So futuristic, so incredible.
Grade: 9/10
What did you think of tonight's performances? Let us know in the comments!
Leftovers
The show is subtly promoting Alexa as the season's front runner (see how many lead spots she got in the performances tonight?), and I'm not mad at that. Wish they'd make it a little less obvious, though.
I dealt with Nigel tonight. He was okay.
PLEASE GOD, ZOOEY DESCHANEL, NEVER AGAIN.
Did Mia Michaels age like 20 years since we last saw her?
Where was all the hip-hop?
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