So You Think You Can Dance - Taking Your Shirt Off is So "In"

Top 14 - Performance Night
Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, and Tabitha & Napoleon

Hey readers! It's me Linz, filling in again for Vance while he is in Germany. I am thoroughly excited about tonight's show, so here are my thoughts.

After last week's bridal garb, Cat is now dressed as the "groom" with bow-ties down the front of her black and white dress. Her hair is very old-fashioned looking, like a 1940s movie star. Love her! Tonight the dancers will each be performing TWO dances. Rock on! However, that means there is no down time (which is inconvenient for blogging purposes, but I am not disappointed about double the dancing). I am slightly concerned that doing double-duty this week will not allow for the dancers to be at the top of their game.

Jessica King and William Wingfield
Performance #1:
Style: Jive - Choreographed by Tony Meredith & Melanie LaPatin
Song: "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" - Five Guys Named Moe

Will is starting to really win me over. He was enjoyable to watch in this style. They did a couple of fun tricks. I don’t pay much attention to Jessica, which is a problem for her. Unless they get enough votes to carry them through to next week, my guess is that she would go home. Mary noticed some things that were off, and she was right that I was fooled, because I just didn’t see it. But the jive is so upbeat that it is easy for the casual viewer to miss certain technical mishaps.

Grade: B

Here's the video clip of Jessica and William's first performance:


Performance #2:
Style: Lyrical Jazz - Choreographed by Mandy Moore
Song: "Alone" - Heart

I worry about the use of props in any dance. And in this case it seems to be Will’s shirt! Oh goodness, Will’s body reminds me slightly of Danny’s last year. Goodness gracious sakes alive! Anyway, um… I really liked this one. There was smoking chemistry. And the use of the prop ended up working great. I loved how he threw her around the floor with it. This is the Mandy that I love. Will is JUST so good. I thought Jessica was actually really good on this one, too, even though I know it would be hard to be up there next to Will.

Grade: A

Here's the video clip of Jessica and William's second performance:



Comfort Fedoke and Thayne Jasperson
Performance #1
Style: Broadway - Choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler
Song: "Cool" - Bernstein & Sondheim (from West Side Story)

Thayne was much more of a Tony than Comfort was a Maria, but I found the performance enjoyable. It was hard not to think of the movie choreography to this song, but I felt like it worked pretty well. I think Nigel’s complaints were a bit more about the choreography than the dancers, in my opinion. I enjoyed Thayne more in this. Their chemistry was actually pretty good, since I didn’t expect them to have any. I give Thayne all the credit for that. I hope people go easy on them for being the only couple that has never danced together before. It was cool (yeah, I said that).

Grade: B+

Here's the video clip of Comfort and Thayne's first performance:


Performance #2
Style: Smooth Waltz - Choreographed by Edward Simon
Song: "Hov Arek Sarer Jan" - New Age Armenia

Oh no. They got Smooth Waltz. This can be really bad for votes. Their dance is a story of long lost love. Luckily their chemistry is really good. I guess they were pretty good technically too, based on Mary’s comments. I agree with Tabitha that Thayne’s facial expressions often looks very phony. It was pretty to watch, but was it enough? I don't think so.

Grade: B+

Here's the video clip of Comfort and Thayne's second performance:



Kourtni Lind and Matt Dorame
Performance #1
Style: Hip Hop - Choreographed by Cicely & Olisa
Song: "How Do I Breathe" - Mario

I really wanted to like this because I like the two of them. But it was just not hip hop enough for me. They don’t hit it hard enough. I think with how tall they are, it makes it easier to see when they mess up. I am also not a fan of the hat-over-bandanna look that Matt has going on. These two are bound for the bottom 3.

Grade: B-

Here's the video clip of Kourtni and Matt's first performance:


Performance #2
Style: Mambo - Choreographed by Alex DaSilva
Song: "Bon-Con-Tim" - Super All-Stars

I was worried when these two both commented on how hard the mambo was in practice. And watching the performance, I would agree that it looks really difficult. They were not in sync on a couple of parts and Kourtni sometimes looked like she was losing steam. Unfortunately, I never really felt like this went anywhere. I was in disbelief when Mary went on about how hot Kourtni was good. I didn’t think she was very good.

Grade: B-

Here's the video clip of Kourtni and Matt's second performance:



Chelsie Hightower and Mark Kanemura
Performance #1
Style: Jazz - Choreographed by Mandy Moore
Song: "Kiss Kiss" - Holly Vance

Based on the rehearsal footage I thought I would like this more, but I was kind of bored the first half. The second half got better, but maybe I just didn’t love the style of it. Which is a shame because I love Mandy Moore and love Chelsie and Mark. It felt like a bunch of running around the stage, and not as much dancing to me. However, the judges thought it was great.

Grade: B

Here's the video clip of Chelsie H. and Mark's first performance:


Performance #2
Style: Foxtrot - Choreographed by Edward Simon
Song: "It's My Life" - Paul Anka

I was watching Mark most of the time because I expect Chelsie to do well. And he is so graceful when he wants to be. While I didn’t love her feathery dress, it was appropriate for the song style and looked nice up next to Mark’s vest and tie.

Grade: B+

Here's the video clip of Chelsie H. and Mark's second performance:



Kherington Payne and Twitch
Performance #1
Style: Paso Doble - Choreographed by Tony Meredith & Melanie LaPatin
Song: "Malaguena" - Brian Setzer 68 Comeback Special

This is a tough one to pull off, and Twitch will really have to utilize his manly side. But dangit if he doesn’t have a very nice torso!! Kherington looked gorgeous and played her part so well. I really liked this performance. The cape parts were fun and their bodies were so enjoyable to watch after they put them away. I thought they both did a very good job and were both so fierce (like, actually fierce, not just “fierce”). Now, the technical things that the judges point out flew right over my head.

Grade: B+

Here's the video clip of Kherington and Twitch's first performance:


Performance #2
Style: Contemporary - Choreographed by Mia Michaels
Song: "Dreaming with a Broken Heart" - John Mayer

The performance is about heartbreak…on a bed. Twitch’s body is on display again. There is a lot of male torso out tonight. ☺ This was some really different choreography utilizing the mattress and the rose petals. It was sad. And I was glad to see that Twitch laid it on the line emotionally for this performance. Kherington was good, but the dance was so clearly focused on him.

Grade: A-

Here's the video clip of Kherington and Twitch's second performance:



Katee Shean and Joshua Allen
Performance #1
Style: Contemporary - Choreographed by Mia Michaels
Song: "Hometown Glory" - Adele

I don’t know what the meaning was behind this choreography. But it was so intense. Like VERY intense. The music really added to the emotion of this performance. Joshua’s physical strength was utilized here. And these two have a very good connection. I love Joshua, as usual (and it is adorable how he is emotionally affected by the dances, but I also don’t blame him). Did I mention that Katee is even growing on me a tad? I loved this!

Grade: A

Here's the video clip of Katee and Joshua's first performance:


Performance #2
Style: West Coast Swing - Choreographed by Season 2 Winner Benji Schwimmer
Song: "Shake It" - Brother Yosef

Benji is such a ham. I adored Benji’s West Coast Swing last year for Pasha & Sara, so I had very high hopes on this one. I was a little disappointed. I wanted more energy (not including Josh’s huge jump across stage, which was infused with energy). The dance was cutesy and it just wasn’t what I expected. It was fine but not amazing for me.

Grade: B+

Here's the video clip of Katee and Joshua's second performance:



Courtney Galiano and Gev Manoukian
Performance #1
Style: Hip Hop - Choreographed by Cicely & Olisa
Song: "Lights, Camera Action!" - Mr. Cheeks

This dance style seemed very old school to me. I gotta give Courtney her due, she was good. I figure that since she is a Knicks dancer that she know show to get down and dirty. I was watching Courtney the whole time so I didn’t notice what the judges said was Gev’s lacking performance.

Grade: B+

Here's the video clip of Courtney and Gev's first performance:


Performance #2
Style: Broadway - Choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler
Song: "New York New York" - Bernstein, Comden & Green

The story for this Broadway routine was “Tourists in New York,” which Courtney had a problem with, since she is a real New Yorker and clearly hates tourists. Their outfits were fun and their characters were believable. There were parts that should have been in sync that were not. There was a lot of energy in the dance. It was cute but nothing major.

Grade: B

Here's the video clip of Courtney and Gev's second performance:



Best Dance of the Night:
Katee & Joshua's Contemporary
Worst Dance of the Night:
Kourtni & Matt's Hip Hop
Favorite Individual Dancers:
Joshua, Mark, Chelsie, Will
Worst individual dancers:
Thayne, Matt, Kourtni (I used to love her, but I don't think she has improved any)
Dancers I Like Anyways:
Thayne, Matt
Dancers I Do NOT Like:
No one at this point
Bottom Three Predictions:
Comfort & Thayne
Kourtni & Matt
Courtney & Gev (but it is a toss-up with Will & Jessica)


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Top 4 Performances - Finals
Top 6 Performances, Top 6 Results
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