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'Must See' Dance TV
It's so exciting now that the auditions for So You Think You Can Dance are finally over and the top 20 have been picked. Tonight, we got to see who made the top 20 and also watch them perform on stage in groups. Unlike the audition shows, every performance was a "must see" tonight, so this made for a super entertaining dance show. I'm still marveling at the metal, 'umbrella spoke' tutu that one contestant wore tonight ...
Two Winners are Better Than One
Host Cat Deeley and judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe are back, along with guest judge, Zooey Deschanel, Cat and Nigel announce that this season there will be not one, but two winners -- one girl and one guy. We then see some clips of the 35 dancers who at least got as far as the Las Vegas phase of So You Think You Can Dance. From this 35, we meet the top 20 finalists and watch them dance a little to boot.
Alexa, Amber, George and Will
Alexa, a pretty blonde who didn't make the finals last year and was told to show more passion, did step up her game in Vegas and she is the first Top 20 girls pick. Graceful George, as I call him, is the first guy to make the Top 20.
Will, a very tall blonde guy and Amber, a black girl who didn't make the show last year, also get picked for the finals. Alexa, George, Will and Amber dance to Rihanna's "We Found Love" and it's beautiful. Nigel raves about George saying "If every light in this studio went out, you sir, would shine." Ah, that comment is so Nigel.
Nick, Whitney and Lindsey
Nick, a weepy auburn-haired dancer, wants to be in the Top 20 badly. The judges tell him to stop crying because yes, he is in the Top 20. Childhood friends and dance competitors, Lindsey and Whitney, are going to find out whether they made the finals. Mary says they are only looking for "one ballroom girl," but the judges like both of them. Whitney makes it and Lindsey hugs her. But, it's a psych out, because Mary then says Lindsey has also made the Top 20.
Nick, Whitney and Lindsey perform an energetic dance. Mary says she loved that ballroom dance, but thought Nick could be a "little stronger." Well, he was dancing with not one, but two girls. Zooey said she was worried for Nick dancing with "two firecrackers," but liked all of them.
Eliana, Keone and Daniel
Classic dancer, Eliana, faces the judges wearing blue suede shoes. She and her shoes have made the Top 20. Guys Keone and Daniel gave up working in dance to try out for the show. Luckily, they both make it after Nigel does a fake out by first saying only that Daniel made the Top 20.
Eliana, Keone and Daniel do a wonderful ballet wearing metallic silver costumes. Wow. They are good. Cat calls Eliana's skirt a "deadly weapon" as it is much like an umbrella frame with metal spokes sticking out. I am fascinated at how both guys didn't get stabbed by that thing.
Tiffany, Audrey and Janelle
Next, two girls with long, wavy brown hair - Tiffany and Audrey, who are both very petite, stand in front of the judges. They could be sisters, but really just met on So You Think You Can Dance. Both girls make the Top 20. Belly dancer Janelle looks honestly surprised to make the Top 20 and she is the first of her kind to do it. I'm wondering if she can do other types of dances well too.
Only Tiffany and Audrey, the twins from different mothers, perform as Cat announces that Janelle, who is in the audience blowing kisses, was told by her doctor to sit out just for tonight. There are a lot of gymnastic type moves with these two and I find some of their routine a little choppy, but still fun to watch. Nigel gives a shout out to season 8 winner, Melanie Moore, who is in the audience.
Matthew, Jennae, Amelia and Darien
Matthew, a Ryan Gosling lookalike, makes the Top 20. We see a bunch of other guys get turned down, including Joshua who injured himself in Vegas by falling on the carpet in the lobby after his performance, of all things. After a guy named Darien makes it through, a contemporary girl dancer named Jannae also gets picked for the Top 20.
The one remaining girl dancer spot is between Amelia, the flapper girl, and Jill, a dancer who keeps improving. The spot goes to Amelia who is said to have "star quality."Amelia, Darien, Jennae and Matthew perform a contemporary dance dressed in classy neutral colors. Zooey says it was "like watching a painting" and I see what she means. Mary enthusiastically gives compliments to each of the four dancers.
Cole, Brandon and Cyrus
After male dancer, Cole, makes the Top 20, Devon and Brandon go in to face the judges. These are "steppers" and only one will go through. It's Brandon over Devon. With only one place left, Cyrus, robotic solo performer, and Feliciano, who mastered many different dance styles, stand in front of the judges.
Nigel says Cyrus is just so unique that he has made the top 20 over Feliciano. Brandon, Cole and Cyrus do a baseball-themed performance to advertise the All Star Game being shown on Fox this year. Hats off to choreographer, Christopher, as well as all three dancers, says Nigel.
Closing the Show
This dance-packed episode ends with not one, but three group performances. First, the Season 9 Top 10 girls perform in a flowing routine wearing filmy, long, beige dresses. Then, The Season 9 Top 10 guys, in contrast, dance a martial arts-themed number. It's hilarious when Nigel calls their flowing black pants with a tight, wide sash "maternity pants." Finally, all of the Top 20 dancers do some modern moves to a Mia Michaels routine.
I can't really find any fault in this episode of So You Think You Can Dance. Can you?
