Amber and Brandon go home

The judges decided to sacrifice Amber and Brandon tonight.  Amber's solo was largely improved and lacked a level of sophistication that Eliana's solo glowed with.  Brandon's solo had strong performance quality and overall was stronger than Dareian's solo, but Dareian sealed the deal with a final turn that was pretty stunning.  At least Brandon will be able to make it to opening night of his movie!

The Bottom 6 dancers are...

Ladies - Whitney, Amber and Eliana

Guys - Brandon, Dareian and George

Interestingly, Whitney and George were not asked to dance again by the judges.  Since only two dancers are going home tonight, one could assume that they are safe... but I wouldn't take it as a guarantee! 

Eliana and Cyrus perform a Nappy Tabs Hip Hop piece

Interesting cover of Britney Spears' Toxic.  I was entranced by the music box tones and dark interpretation.  It was really clever of Nappy Tabs to play off of Eliana's balletic background to create a character of depth and contrast.  The two of them brought the concept and characters to life with an non-traditional Hip Hip intensity.  Hats off to Nappy Tabs for their creativity.  The dance was unexpected and super entertaining.

Whitney and Chehon perform a Contemporary piece by Stacey Tookey

How glad are we that the judges saved these two incredible dancers last week!  This is a stunning performance by both of them.  Stacey Tookey's choreography was beautiful and left me wanting more.  The opening catch that occurred at the music transition was dramatically jaw dropping.  Whitney left ballroom behind and transformed into a technically trained contemporary dancer in this performance.  Chehon was an outstanding partner and had a chance to show off his contemporary prowess.  This was the comeback they needed after last week's devastation!

On another note... I loved the dramatic darkness of the opening and felt like the lighting transitioned too drastically when the tempo picked up.  Too bright!  It compromised the artistry of the performance in my opinion.

Audrey and Matthew perform a Salsa by Liz Lira

To start, there has got to be a better way to costume a male ballroom dancer.  Red satin from head to toe is just a bit much.

I did not like their performance at all.  The footwork looked clunky, the execution lagged and the chemistry was absent.  They tried, but they failed.  The only highlights were the handful of times when Audrey got to show off her flexibility.  Not a good week for an otherwise stellar couple.

Amelia and Will perform a Jazz piece by Mandy Moore

OK... Tall Man + White Tux = Super Awkward. 

Interesting music choice, weird/cool choreography, weird/awkward performance, but I think it worked as good as it could.  I think Mandy tried to capitalize on their natural awkwardness and tried to make it into a cool awkwardness.  It partially succeeded for me, but after last week's incredible performance it falls a little flat.

Lindsay and Cole perform a Contemporary piece by Mandy Moore

Beautiful choreography by Mandy Moore.  I really loved when Cole picked up Lindsay's legs, dragged her across the stage and then seamlessly assisted her into a back walk over.  Really cool.

Lindsay did a good job, but I was extremely distracted by her ugly feet and legs in transitions.  You could clearly see that she does not have enough ballet training as she does not naturally roll through her foot as it leaves the floor.  She needs to clean up those technical misses if she is going to keep up with the strong contemporary dancers on the show this season.  Performance quality was strong though.

Cole was amazing.  Simply and unexpectedly amazing. 

Janelle and Dareian perform a Cha Cha by Pasha

I am so sick of "Call Me Maybe" it was almost hard to watch this piece.

I think Dareian did a good job with his performance.  Mary was not impressed by his foot work, but I think he sold it with his stage presence.  I would guess having Pasha as a choreographer helped as it gave him a solid example to emulate.  Janelle's legs showed her lack of classical technique.  She had bent, droopy knees throughout and really need to pull up through her legs to give the long leg line that is emphasized by those high ballroom heels and short skirts.  It wasn't a complete disappointment, but I don't know if it was enough to keep them safe.

Amber and Brandon perform a Jazz piece by Ray Leeper

What a sexy, sultry, tension-filled performance.  The chemistry between the two of them could be felt through the TV screen.  Hot!  Amber finally had a chance to show us what she really can do.  Her body lines were gorgeous and her performance was on fire.  Brandon did an excellent job as well.  He handled the jazz choreography like a champ and was a perfect compliment to Amber's character. 

I can't believe that Brandon is part of the main crew in Step Up 3!  I am surprised that his involvement in the movie isn't a conflict of interest with being a contestant on the show.

Tiffany and George perform a Nappy Tabs Hip Hop piece

I enjoyed the cartoon-inspired set pieces and brightly colored costuming for the concept.  I found the music choice a bit annoying due to its repetitiveness. 

I think both Tiffany and George did a great job with this piece.  They brought a high level of energy and just the right amount of street to the babysitting hip hop concept.

I was surprised to see Nappy Tabs choreographing again tonight, but perhaps they are trying to choreograph as much as possible before their baby comes!

Incredible opening number by Tyce.  I adored the black/white film lighting effect with the pop of the primary red umbrella.  His Chaplin inspiration contrasted dramatically with the contemporary movement.  Very cool!

We will lose two dancers at the end of the show tonight and then SYTYCD takes a two week break while the Olympics are going on. 

The Eliminated Dancers are...

Janaya - I don't think Janaya had a chance to make a strong impression on the audience with her Nappy Tabs routine last week. With minimal coverage in preliminary rounds it was just hard to remember her.

Alexa - I am a little sad that she is going home so soon. I think Alexa has a ton of potential and never had a chance to grow.

Nick - First a waltz then a tango. I think it is hard to be a man who specializes in ballroom. Unless you are on fire like Pasha, you are going to have a hard time earning votes.

Daniel - He had a very random Jazz piece last week that didn't stay in the mind of voters. Like Alexa, I think he needed some time to grow so that we could see what he could do.


Whitney and Chehon are saved and will remain another week.

Bottom six dancers are...

Ladies - Janaya, Alexa and Whitney
Guys - Nick, Chehon and Daniel

The judges did not feel the need to see anyone dance again before making their decision.

Whitney and Chehon perform a Bollywood piece by Nakul Dev Mahajan

I was very impressed by their ridiculously clean and precise performance. They both used athleticism and stamina to get through the piece with high energy. Bollywood is such a unique style that so few dancers have trained in so a performance of this caliber is something to be proud of.

Tiffany and George perform a Fox Trot by Tony Meredith and Melanie Lapatin

I was transported to the days of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire with Tony and Melanie's choreography. I loved the formal quality of their performance. They brought classic Hollywood glamor to every aspect of their movement. Tiffany was filled with high extensions and graceful arm movements while George executed the swift footwork with sophisticated smoothness. Great work.

Alexa and Daniel perform a Contemporary piece by Dee Caspary

Using a claw-foot tub as a set piece was an interesting and unexpected choice. I loved how body lines would emerge and disappear within the walls of the tub. Dee's choreography was stunning. He had those dancers in, out, on and in between every part of the tub without losing any element of dramatic progression.

The judges unanimously felt that their performance was technically impressive, but lacked some sort of indescribable performance quality. I agree with Nigel's description of it feeling "cold." However, I liked the chilly quality and felt that it brought an interesting dynamic to the tangled web of feelings they were exploring.

Eliana and Cyrus perform a Jive by Melanie Lapatin and Tony Meredith

I really enjoyed this piece. I thought the song choice was fun and the movement was even more fun.

I have been waiting to see Cyrus perform a ballroom piece. I think he sold it and got through the piece very successfully. Mary commented that he struggled technically, but his struggles were not obvious to someone not familiar with the Jive.

I think Eliana might be a dark horse. She is out of this world. I never would have guessed that she was primarily a ballet dancer as she transformed into a ballroom dancer this week. Her footwork was precise and her stage presence was perfect.

They will both be safe this week. I think Cyrus is a fan favorite and Eliana was just too good this week to not earn some votes.

Janaya and Brandon perform a Broadway routine by Sean Cheesman

I first saw Jekyll and Hyde in 1995 at Baltimore's old Mechanic Theater starring Linda Eder and fell in love with this song; "Bring on the Men."

Janaya and Brandon clearly had a fun time performing this sassy piece. The characterization was on point. I think there were a few musicality issues where they were a half second off matching a movement with a emphasized moment in the music. Otherwise, it was light, fun and entertaining. Janaya's back flip while holding Brandon's hands was definitely a highlight.

Janelle and Dareian perform a Hip Hop piece by Christopher Scott

I love Christopher Scott's music choice for this 60's inspired lyrical Hip Hop routine. I could have done without the proposal moment at the end, but otherwise I enjoyed it. Like Nigel, I would have enjoyed slightly more technically complex routine to showcase the dancers' abilities. However, as a choreographer I understand that sometimes you are inspired by a piece of music and it doesn't lead to super sophisticated movement filled with tricks. Sometimes you are inspired to put together movement that is just fun to dance and makes you feel happy when you do.

Dareian did a great job jumping into the character, finding the Temptation-vibe and selling the story. Janelle was fine. Not great, but not horrible either. They could be jeopardy if the audience didn't fall in love with the sweetness of the piece.

Audrey and Matthew perform a Jazz piece by Sonya Tayeh

Very interesting movement, but the musical selection made it feel a little disjointed for me. I wish their was just a little more of a steady flow to the music.

Audrey's side extension is without a doubt, A-MAZ-ING and this piece showed it off. Her performance tonight combined with last week's showed that she is a force to be reckoned with. Matthew was also technically strong and dramatically powerful. The two of them are steadily emerging as a top couple.

Amber and Nick perform a Tango by Miriam Larici & Leonardo Barrionuevo

Amber sold her character as a sexy seductress. She was phenomenal. Her slightly lifted chin and crisp movement brought-on a level of fierceness that kept your eye watching every move she made. Nick was excellent from a technical stand point, but could have had a more fierce stage presence. In the end, their strong performance should keep them in the safe zone this week.

Amelia and Will perform a Contemporary piece by Sonya Tayeh

I absolutely adored Sonya's interpretation of this instrumental strings piece. The choreography was inventive, dynamic and almost neoclassical. Both Amelia and Will were outstanding. The caliber of their performance was beyond expectation. Amelia's body lines were breath taking and Will's technical strength was impressive. Together, they had dramatic chemistry that was simply captivating.

Lindsay and Cole perform a Hip Hop routine by Christopher Scott

This dance just didn't come together for me. I found the choreography to be too focused on the dentist/patient concept and not focused enough on the actual dancing. I was extremely distracted by Lindsay's white Keds and did not understand the costume choice of her black split skirt dress. Cole was great in his character, but didn't get to dance enough. Lindsay tried to bring it, but the pieces were all disjointed and slightly awkward. They are definitely going to be in risk of being in the bottom this week.

Week 2: The Top 20 Perform... again!

Awesome opening number by Nappy Tabs to a remix of Marilyn Manson's "Beautiful People." "Beautiful People" is one of my all time favorite songs to choreograph to because of its dramatic weirdness and intense anger. This piece capitalized on every aspect of both elements. I love that Nappy Tabs is stepping out of their hip hop box a bit to experiment with fusion styles.

All 20 dancers will perform again tonight and 4 dancers will be eliminated at the end of the show. Crazy!

Predictions

I have no clue who will go home this week. There were a handful of standout performances but then a whole lot of performances that were all good. No one crashed and burned completely. I think this week will be a popularity contest.

Lindsay and Cole perform a Paso Doble by Jason Gilkison

This was the perfect ballroom routine for Cole. His naturally intense performance quality set the tone for the piece from the beginning. Nigel felt like his performance was the best Paso Doble by any guy on this show ever. Lindsay was just as spectacular. She was intense, dramatic and strong throughout. My only complaint was her leg line in her assisted tors jete. Her legs were barely at 90 degrees. Overall, the most entertaining Paso Doble performance I have ever seen. The two of them transformed the stage into a professional arena.

Audrey and Matthew perform a Contemporary piece by Travis Wall

Wow! Damn... Wow! That was incredible. Best routine of the night, sure to be one of the best routines of the season. Travis Wall is a genius. I loved his interpretation of "Unchained Melody." Travis' musicality in his choreography is unparalleled. I adored how he emphasized each syncopated note at the end of the song with subtle, yet dramatic rhythmic movements. Audrey and Matthew were spectacular, amazing, out of this world. What a way to start the season. The lifts were effortless, the transitions were smooth, the climaxes were elevated and the drama was artistic. Travis gave the two of them a gift and they ran with it. Great work all around.

Eliana and Cyrus perform a Broadway piece from Hairspray by Tyce Diorio

This was not my favorite piece of choreography from Tyce. I found the movement to be too slow for the music's tempo. In addition, the music selection felt like a better match for a large group number than a duo. I was surprised to see the positive reaction by the judges and audience members.

Putting that aside, I think the two of them performed well. Eliana used her ballet technique to execute the movement expertly, but she transformed herself into a character dancer instead of getting stuck in her preferred classical style. Cyrus is starting to remind me a little bit of Twitch in his performance quality, stage presence and ability to move into new dance genres with ease. I look forward to watching him grow and develop over the next few weeks. I think he is already a fan favorite so I am sure he will be with us for several more weeks.

Janelle and Dareian perform an African Jazz piece by Sean Cheesman

I have been super interested to see Janelle perform. As a belly dancer, I was shocked to see that she had such well developed body lines. I loved the tribal essence to the choreography and really enjoyed watching the two of them perform together. It was an interesting piece filled with unexpected partnering moments. My only complaint was that they both lost the edgy tribal quality to their performance towards the end and just got smiley. Otherwise, it was a stellar performance filed with energy, technique and syncopated nuances.

Amelia and Will perform a non-traditional Hip Hop piece by Nappy Tabs

The jazzy, character hip hop concept worked really well on these two contemporary dancers. I think Amelia's naturally characterized appearance really enhanced this performance. Will was a little cheesy at times, but it didn't bother me much. I adored Nappy Tab's concept and approach to this piece of music. Amelia and Will lucked out to receive this non-traditional hip hop piece. I don't know if they could have pulled off a hard-hitting, street-wise hop hop routine. This creative moment of Nappy Tabs might have protected them from elimination.

Amber and Nick perform a Viennese Waltz by Jason Gilkison

Flashback to the 90's with this song by Tina Arena. I used to L-O-V-E Tina Arena!

The gorgeous, flowing choreography by Jason Gilkison had Amber and Nick gliding across the stage. I thought Nick was excellent... as he should be in his own genre. He kept things flowing throughout the piece. I think Amber looked great from the ankles up. Her feet however looked like heavy bricks. They looked completely separate from her legs and broke most of her lines during lifts and extensions. Overall, elegant performance.

Alexa and Daniel perform a Jazz piece by Sean Cheesman

I don't think I fully understood the connection between the music, scaffolding and tuxedo inspired costuming, but I enjoyed the intricate movement and innovative partnering. Alexa out-shined Daniel in this performance. You can take the boy out of the ballet, but you can't take the ballet out of the boy. Whenever Daniel had to execute a technical element he lost the jazz style. Alexa had the continuity that Daniel lacked as her movement flowed more between phrases of movement. As a whole, the performance was OK. I think I will forget about it in about 15 minutes though.

Janaya and Brandon perform a Hip Hop piece by Tabitha and Napoleon

Hmmm... I liked the choreography when they didn't have the liquor bottle. With the liquor bottle it was a little too "mime-like" for me. I enjoyed the story line and their interpretation of the Rihanna and Drake song.

Brandon pulled this piece together. His gritty strength brought intensity to the dramatic choreographic concept. I think that Janaya did a respectable job for performing outside of her preferred style. She was not as grounded or gritty as Brandon, but she executed the character and movement accurately. She was just missing the nuances of the style. We will have to wait and see, but I am not sure if the performance as a whole will be memorable enough to keep them out of the bottom.

Tiffany and George perform a Contemporary piece by Sonya Tayeh

Beautiful choreography and emotionally charged song choice by Sonya. Tiffany and George were captivating together. Their connection was electric and their technique was powerful. I adored the innovative, non-traditional floor work. My favorite moment was when Tiffany went into the assisted handstand over George as he supported her hips. It was unexpected and spectacular. My only constructive comment goes to George. In his extensions and foute turns, it looked like he was cheating his a la second extension by lifting his hip instead of using genuine turnout. Perhaps it was just his pants, but it looked like his hip was lifted to me. In the end, I am willing to look past it as the piece on the whole was elegantly artistic. I expect them both to be safe.

Whitney and Chehon perform a Samba by Louis van Amstel

As a trained Latin ballroom dancer, Whitney looked extremely comfortable in this routine. Louis van Amstel and Nigel agree that she is a "firecracker." Chehon lucked out to have her as a partner this week. She carried the routine and drew your eye. Although Chehon was out of his comfort zone with this piece, his naturally tan skin and dark hair helped him look the part. His ballet partnering experience helped him be a reliable partner for Whitney, but his ballet backbone hurt him with his footwork and partnering. I am afraid that he will be forgotten by the end of the show and will lack the votes needed to keep him around next week.

Season 9 Top 20 Perform

The first live show of season 9 begins with an incredible piece by Chris Scott and a new format. They have decided to eliminate the results show and instead reveal the results of the votes at the END of next week's show. As a result, the top 20 dancers will perform this week and next week. Two boys and two girls will go home at the end of next week's show leaving us with a Top 16 for week 3.