Did Cat go shopping in the ‘Pretty in Pink” cast closet? I loved her swept back hair and witty charm this evening. By the end of the show I was loving her red bow dress as well.  I have way too many favorites this season. I like a lot of them for different reasons. Their style, their story, the way they dance, I can’t decide yet. So let’s get on with this judges-excessive-lovin-on-the-choreographers episode.

Randi & Evan
Jive, Louis Van Amstel, “Shake a Tail Feather” by Ray Charles

Dog lovin’ Randi and car lovin’ Evan opened the show with a high energy Jive. Lil “C” thought they came “out of the box with a bang” and critiqued Evan’s smooth moves. I like it when Mary and Nigel bust out with technical critiques and we learn about things like triple steps, double bouncing, and fast feet flicks. They did well and I still love Evan. Randi wore a unitard in her opening dance. Thankfully the wardrobe department helps her costumes with the dances!

Melissa & Ade (aka Adetokunbo Isaace Kayode Obayomi)
Jazz, Sonya Tayeh, “24 Hours (the Ashton Shuffle Terri A-Bomb Remix)” by Terry Poison

These Rock n Roll Imps (dubbed by Cat) made Sonya’s jarring choreography jump off my screen. Mary loved it and Lil “C” said something about “modifying manipulation of movement.”  He also called out Ade as a front runner. I can’t wait to see him paired with someone else. I don’t think Melissa will get past eighth place. I want to root for her (she is my age!), but I can’t stand her personality. I saw a commercial for a Bump It today - did you think Melissa was using one? Did you check out Melissa’s abs!? Seriously. Now that I have grown to appreciate Sonya - this was one of my favorite dances of the evening.

Caitlin & Jason
Hip Hop, Shane Sparks, “Missin You” by Trey Songz

While this couple may be “missing some nectar” during their Hip Hop routine, there seems to be some nectar between them off set. Maybe they were tired from last week’s intricate Bollywood dance, but this pair didn’t hit this routine hard enough. I also found Caitlin’s costume distracting. This un-sychronized routine may find them in the bottom three tomorrow night. How cute was  the video of Jason dancing as a kid? This is why I film my children now. You never know when you are going to need that footage.

Janette & Brandon
Disco, Doriana Sanchez, “Moving is really my game” by Brainstorm

Disco is always technically difficult with Doriana. This dance was the show-stopper of the evening and may have shut the mouths of Brandon nay-sayers. In my notes I wrote “they are sailing into the Top 10.” Lil “C” claimed that he witnessed the “birth of progression.” They were both amazing in their lifts and movements. Hands down the best dance of the night.

Asuka & Vitolio
Waltz, Louis Van Amstel, “Dreams are more precious” by Enya

Spit bubbles? Really. That’s kind of gross. I want to like you, Asuka, but you aren’t giving me much to work with here! This lyrical waltz moved Mary to tears and called it “painfully beautiful.” The judges said that the dancers were sincere. They were good, but I think we will see them in the bottom 3 and even possibly going home. And what is up with all the Louis love tonight?

Kayla & Max
Pop Jazz, Brian Friedman, “Hot Like Wow” by Nadia Oh

This couple on the way to Rat Town on the Hot Tamale Train stretched Max’s ability and made Kayla the female front runner. I believe she is this year’s Katee. Each week I am loving Kayla more and more. Did you see her eyelashes? Last week Kayla had to learn the ballroom terms and this week Max had to learn a whole new vernacular from choreographer, Brian. I loved how the tables were turned this week. I  am with Lil “C” and I loved it. But then again I am always a sucker for these royal court themed dances.

Carla & Jonathan
Contemporary, Stacey Tookey (from SYTYCD Canada!), “Falling Slowly” by The Frames

This routine had an Academy award winning song, but not an award winning dance. I love this song so much and the dancing paled in comparison. It was beautiful and nice, but forgettable. Jonathan has a David Archuleta “puppy dog” quality about him. Carla is very Sarah from Season 3-esqu. I hope she sticks around long enough to school us on how chicks can pop and lock. These are also a bottom 3 pick for me. I hope Carla is polishing off her Dance For Your Life!

Jeanine & Phillip
Tango, Tony Meredith, “Violento (Up Mix)” by Bailango!

Philip tried his best to pull off a serious Tango while Jeanine saved the dance. I loved how the judges criticized them, they were honest, but still rooting for them. Phillip’s popularity will keep him out of the bottom this week. I can’t help myself from liking him either. Engineering Physics major, oh yeah! I LOVED the slow mo of Phillip’s face while lifting Jeanine. I think that is the worst strained face I have ever seen on this show. Hilarious! Go lift some weights, Phillip!

Ashley & Kupono
Hip Hop, Shane Sparks, “Imma Be” by The Black Eyed Peas

Kupono’s To Do Lists crack me up. Unfortunately I don’t think he can check off “Find My Inner Shane Sparks” tonight. Ashley is proving to be a good dancer. Every time I watch her dance I am glad that she kept trying out and made it her fourth time around.  And oh my gosh, that projectile vomit story was hilarious! Perseverance and humor, I like her! While the dance was underwhelming, their personalities were not tonight. Here’s hoping they are safe another week!

What was your favorite dance of the evening? Who is your pick to go home? Are you looking forward to Mia Michael’s group routine on the results show?

And cut they did.  Holy moly, Wednesday’s Vegas episode was fast and furious.  The judges weren’t playing any games.  But we’ll get to that in a moment.

First, I want to answer for my earlier Top 20 predictions.  I was wrong about Gabi, Sammy, Amanda, Chimeze, and Priscilla.  Oh.  And Natalie.

Natalie!

Weren’t we all wrong about Natalie?  I thought she was a clear lock for Top 20 - heck, to win this whole thing!  So to have her be cut so unmercifully after the Jazz round (choreographed brilliantly by Sonya Tayeh - the few seconds of dance we saw were so fresh!) was a shock to my system - not at all what we saw coming.  Especially after we had seen her do the routine in front of the whole group (with Brandon), at Sonya’s request.  Sonya clearly loved Natalie and saw her genius.  So I am stunned as to why she is now gone - while lots of other, nameless girls remain in her spot.  Natalie handled her dismissal with class.  I don’t think we’ll see her again.  After last year, and now this, it seems SYTYCD is not in the cards for her.

The episode started off with each of the 172 dancers doing their solo routine, one by one, for the panel of judges including Nigel, Mary (unusually subdued tonight), Shanks, Lil C, Mia, and Debbie Allen.  44 dancers were cut right out of the chute, including Travis, the coach’s son from last week.  I didn’t expect him to go far, and it was kind of a relief to see him and other dancers say goodbye without extra time or sentiment.  (Makes me wonder why they get so much screen time during audition episodes, though.  It’s like they want us to get invested early in, and then rip out our hearts the second their plane lands in Vegas.)

They moved on to the Hip Hop round (with NapTab), and 33 more dancers were given the boot.  Fifteen minutes in, and we’re already down to 97!  The ballroom round followed (with Jean-Marc Genereaux & France).  Even though Philip Chbeeb “doesn’t know how to not pop”, according to Adam Shankman, they waved him through.  Also sailing through was Japan’s Nabuya, who cried like a baby and said, “I love here, I really love here.”

I’ve already mentioned Sonya’s jazz routine, and I just want to say again that I think Mia better watch out: she might soon be replaced as SYTCYD’s most beloved choreographer.  Then again, I incorrectly predicted six Top 20 dancers, so whatevs.  I want that song Sonya used for the choreography.  It was super catchy!  It’s what got me through the Natalie Shock.

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