So You Think You Can Dance: The Top 8

OMG! I totally forgot that last week we were told that Ellen DeGeneres would be a guest judge! It’s so much better to be surprised twice anyways. It’s like finding a $20 bill in your old winter coat a year later. YAY! Of course, they had to balance out such a light and fun choice with the very strict Mia Michaels.

Now it’s time for the Top 8 to break it down with a Travis Wall choreographed futuristic piece. It’s not as emotionally investing as his last piece which is why I probably don’t like it as much. But it is genuinely great. And it showcases everyone’s unique style.

Evan and Janette do a Sonya jazz routine. I’ve missed her. There are so many choreographers in the SYTYCD farm that we see much less of them now, but since the show has gotten more popular, I guess that’s good for them because they’re more famous and do many more projects. Anyway TANGENT! I am excited to see Janette in this piece because her technique is so amazing now. She’s always been a great performer, but she’s confident in a style so different from her own. Wow! Evan on the other hand has proven that he’s a powerful guy even if he’s the littlest of them all, but he hasn’t been captivating me like he did in the beginning or when he does his solos.

Nigel knows he’s picked on Evan, but he thinks he’s finally getting more from him, and Janette is wonderful. Ellen says, “It was very hard hitting, complex, rich and full bodied. Oh wait, I’m thinking of the wine I had before I came out here. It was delicious!” Mary thinks Evan did good, but towards the end, he could have gotten rougher, and Janette can’t take a wrong step. Mia thinks Evan has gotten by as a great dancer with a cute face, but he has a harder time with dark stuff, and Janette is her absolute favorite this season.

Brandon and Jeanine get a waltz with Hunter Johnson. There’s a lot of whining in rehearsals about how hard it is, but we’ve seen it done many times, so suck it up and get to it. From where I sat, it looked beautiful and elegant and easy. The best was all their effortless turns. And Jeanine becomes my favorite the more and more she dances. Brandon didn’t get to show off his strength which meant I didn’t focus on him as much. But what do I know about waltzing?

Nigel says that it was hard and great choreography, but with the slow music, they needed a greater sense of controlled power. Ellen is clearly not there to hate on the dancing so she just cracks another joke before telling them how fantastic they were. Mary believes any professional dancer would have a hard time with a waltz and that slow tempo, but they did a respectable job. Mia gets sassy saying, “Maybe if you weren’t dreaming about birds and bunnies, the performance would have been much better.”

Ade and Melissa tackle a ChaCha with Tony and Melanie. AHH! For once, a couple is back together! I think Ade has a lot more swivel to his hips than Melissa. From the start, they’re hitting all the moves, but it’s the opposite of sexy. It’s actually quite awkward! Eek! It just doesn’t feel like organic, natural spiciness to me!

Nigel thinks it was good. Ade has great stature, but could have sizzled a little more. And Melissa is naturally sexy, but she has to watch out not to go too over the top. Ellen quipped, “Are you two carpenters because you nailed it?!” Mary says everything was executed right but Ade’s bum was in the air and Melissa was trying to hard! Haha. Mia thinks it was Ade’s worst performance, and I agree, but I don’t agree with her idea that Melissa did well.

Jason and Kayla take on a Tyce Jazz routine. Both are great technically so I’m pumped. It’s sexy, silky and smooth. And I can’t find a single bit wrong with the performance, that’s how enjoyable it is. Kayla is forever captivating, and Jason showed me the power.

Nigel thinks it was one of the best routines this evening that showed off both of their personal talents. Ellen says, “I don’t know what to say. I just wanted to see a taping, and these are good seats…I’d like to invite both of you over to the house because I have some pictures that need to be hung because you’re both good nailers!” Mary loved that Tyce came up with another routine that made them play off of each other so well. Jason was suave and Kayla’s “riding first class.” Toot, toot! Woo, woo! Mia loved the piece and the bluesy fusion. She wants Jason to open up his upper body. And Kayla thinks if she sings or acts then she’d take Broadway by storm.

Evan and Janette are up for dance two, a Tony and Melanie Rumba. Janette will already be able to bang this one out, but can Evan be convincingly sexy. From the jump, I’m impressed with Evan’s hips. Who knew? Throughout the dance, he fumbles with keeping his footwork grounded, but with Janette’s command, I would say it was a nice surprise.

Nigel loves the routine, and thinks it’s, no question, Janette’s to dazzle, but that Evan couldn’t bring sexy to his face which leads to a lack of chemistry. Ellen says, “The problem with being in this town is everybody’s face starts looking exactly alike, going to the same doctor. I love that your eyes are so unique, and you face is so charming and charismatic.” Mary though Evan was on time and well connected, and Janette has the patent on being a little hot tamale. Mia was a little scared to see Evan sexy like how he did it with the Zoolander face.

Brandon and Jeanine do a pop routine with Lori Ann Gibson. Boom Cack! I love the Making the Band choreographer! I watch for her! It’s like hip hop and jazz. It’s smooth and gritty at the same time, and very different than other pieces choreographed before on the show. I love to see something different. These two totally have the emotion down. Their flow when they have to do moves with each other could have been smoother, but I forgive them.

Nigel says all he’s asking is for performances like this one. Ellen comments on their costumes by saying, “I’m happy too. You make it appealing to join some kind of armed forces.” Mary says it was strong, dynamic and they used the stage. Mia makes Lori Ann cry by calling out to her conviction. They’re “sistahs” apparently. She bravo-ed Brandon as a powerhouse and gave kudos to Jeanine for keeping up.

Ade and Melissa get a contemporary piece by Tyce that’s deep and emotional. This guy can choreograph it all, can’t he? There’s nothing more to say about this piece than it’s absolutely beautiful. It wasn’t about the dancing. It was about the meaning of women getting cancers and the emotion behind it, balanced with this strong male who’s there with hope and support. It brings all the judges to tears. I smell Grammy.

Jason and Kayla are oh-so-lucky to get a Shane Sparks Hip Hop routine. I love him. It’s like Thriller-style hip hop, and it was strange to see both of these dancers in this style, but they attack it, making it different and cool and freaky.

Nigel lauds having Shane back. Amen to that. And he loves that the last few routines have been so terrific. Ellen loved it, of course. Mary thought they hit it hard, leaving clear pictures. They get little screams, too. Mia claims it as her favorite piece Shane’s ever done on the show. And the strangling at the end was “disturbingly hot.”

THE SOLOS

Kayla is beautiful no matter what she dances to, what choreography, or how she moves. How is THIS girl not Mia’s favorite?

Jason’s solo is okay. I’m missing the manly power and control, though. I get a little of it about three of his high jumps and kicks, but it’s not enough for me.

Janette! I love you. You are one of the few who’s not afraid to show how much you’ve grown. She actually mixed more contemporary than Latin into her dance. And she was fabulous!

Ade’s got some ups! That kid is just a whole lot of strength, power, and control. Plus when he smiles, he just lights up a room.

Melissa changes it up this week, merging ballet with some funky moves. I’m sure being in the bottom so much makes her want to show she’s improved, but it may be too little too late in comparison to the other ladies.

Evan does his hat and suspenders solo that I love but sadly he drops his hat in the middle. It’s like Luke dropping his light saber during battle. NOOOOO!

Jeanine is just so precise and beautiful. I never thought I’d love her as much as I do, but for me this year is for the ladies to win. She was delicate but commanding- very hard to do at the same time.

Brandon is last but not least. When I think Ade is strong, Brandon is always more powerful. He still hasn’t reached Ade’s level of emotion, but he’s crazy good when it comes to all the technical things and then throwing insane flips in there, too.

THE RESULTS

This is a special and spectacular episode since it’s the 100th So You Think You Can Dance. It’s jam packed with special performances from Mia Michael’s Bench Dance with Travis and Heidi, Wade Robson’s Hummingbird and the Flower Dance with Hok, and Wade’s Ramalama which he joins with the Season Two dancers. I’m reminded again how wonderful this show is and the kind of talent it produces.

I assure you there are results tonight, but we are also treated to Contemporary Broadway dance choreographed by Mia Michael to “One” from A Chorus Line. And the dance definitely gives us that old razzle-dazzle. Then brought in to dazzle us some more is Tyce’s friend Katie Holmes. I know from her brief stint on Eli Stone that she’s got some chops. Performing to Judy Garland choreography with Tyce’s direction, she sang and danced to “Get Happy.” It wasn’t great in my opinion. She was lip-synching and BARELY dancing, but at least her performance fee went to charity!

So down to the results. It’s hard to guess who’s going to be in the bottom. The girls, to me, are all so great, but the unfortunate two are Janette and Kayla. I think they’re both the tops but one has to go, and sadly it’s Janette. On the boy’s side, it’s down to Brandon and Jason, and my choice is a little bit easier for this one. Luckily who I’d choose, not because there’s anything wrong with his dance but just that Brandon’s better, is Jason.

Though I know the choices are going to get tough with the finale so close, it’s probably the hardest two to let go for me, and it’ll only get harder. Time to bring it, dancers!

For another take on this episode, check out Robin Reed’s review here.

Season 5, Episodes 18&19: Top 8 (originally aired July 22&23, 2009)

For more on So You Think You Can Dance, click here.

Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8/7c on Fox

Photographs courtesy of Fox and IMDbPro