So You Think You Can Dance: And the Top 10 Are…

I am seriously loving on this show right now. I can’t get enough of most of the dances, dancers, and choreographers. As with most of these types of shows, the judges face time could easily be decreased by at least half. Implementing a no screeching rule would also work. Either way, the judges’ work is mostly done because after Wednesday night, only the audience votes will determine who goes home and who stays. In addition, starting next week there will be new partnerships. For some, this is going to be devastating. For others, not so much. Below are the couples as they stood this week, and I’ve ranked them from my favorites down. Because I can.

Legacy and Kathryn – Their first piece was a Sonya Tayeh Jazz routine and it completely blew my mind. Legacy again confounded the laws of physics and performed a lovely dance. Kathryn, to use a word that came to my mind even as Nigel Lythgoe spoke it, was exquisite. Their second dance, a Viennese Waltz, gave Legacy a bit more trouble but from the point of view of someone who doesn’t know the ins and outs of waltzing (me), I still enjoyed it very much. Legacy cried again afterward; the fact that he was touched by a waltz was quite endearing. The judges gave him suggestions for improvement rather than criticism. Kathryn is magical, she really is. The girl has flown under the radar a bit, I suppose because she’s just so good at everything. They don’t talk to her about improving, or how she’s growing, because she was already that good when she set foot on the stage. I think Legacy owes her a big thanks for making the top ten, though his own self-effacing charm didn’t hurt them either. I’m a little down about these two splitting up, mostly because I enjoy them both. Kathryn is far and away my favorite girl.

Jakob and Ashleigh – Wow, these two are on fire right now. Tuesday night they began with a Sonya Tayeh Lyrical Jazz routine, and from the opening clip it looked like Ashleigh was having trouble loosening up. A ballroom dancer, her limbs are trained to be stiff, her movements precise. Lyrical Jazz (as far as I can tell) is a bit like Contemporary and much freer with its movements. We all knew Jakob was going to blow it out of the water before he set foot on stage. The guy can’t do a thing wrong, especially in a Jazz/Contemporary piece. The surprise was, once again, Ashleigh. I didn’t begin this season as a fan but she’s made me one by getting out there and performing the heck out of every number they’ve given her. Being partnered with Jakob certainly hasn’t hurt any. Their second number was a Cha-Cha, choreographed by Jean Marc Genereux, and boy was Ashleigh in her element. She was perfect, really shone on the stage, but everyone expected her to. Jakob kept up, even took on a lot of ballroom persona, and was there helping Ashleigh have her moment. Breaking up this partnership will be sad, and both of them will have to work harder apart than they did together.

Russell and Noelle – Noelle is my second favorite girl on the show and Russell’s eagerness in learning other styles is captivating, making them another couple I’ll be sorry to see go.  Tuesday night they drew a Samba, which was a bit of a disaster and Noelle’s hip shaking cheerleader smile contrasted oddly against a dance that’s supposed to be sultry. The judges didn’t love it, but didn’t hate it either. Their second dance, a Tyce Diorio contemporary piece, was emotional and powerful. Russell, a crumper, joins Legacy every week in the astounding growth category, and Noelle is beautiful in her element. Their contemporary piece was one of my favorites of the season and per Nigel, assured their place in the top ten.

Ryan and Ellenore – This couple, who actually strike me as a bit odd, started their night with a Lindy Hop, choreographed by Carla Heiney. As a lover of old movies, cheesy dialogue, and Jimmy Stewart, this dance was right up my alley. Ryan especially looked like he belonged on the dance floor in It’s a Wonderful Life, which in this case is a compliment. Ellenore held her own, but Ryan was the one I found myself watching. Their second assignment was a Broadway number by Spencer Liff set to Razzle Dazzle, and this time they both hit the nail on the head.  Ryan played the character perfectly, and seriously, I never remembered for a second that he’s a ballroom dancer by trade. Broadway fits Ellenore, gives her different personality a place to shine. The judges loved their performances, and to be honest, so did I.  The audience, for some reason, has trouble connecting with these two.

Victor and Karen – This couple is new to each other, and to be honest, I think Karen should have been gone two weeks ago. I like Victor, he’s passionate about dance and determined to improve, but he’s had an unfortunate partner draw in the weeks previous. They began with a Tango, and there is nothing bad to say about it. For me, there’s also nothing super standout to talk about either. Their second dance was a Laurieann Gibson Hip Hop routine, and I don’t know, it was a little just okay. They weren’t together, all the chemistry they found for the Tango had disappeared, and neither of them looked convincing.

Nathan and Mollee – These two have been bothering me for a few weeks because honestly, I’m not sure either of them deserves to be taking up a spot on the show. After Tuesday night, though, I decided it was Nathan that rubs me the wrong way and not Mollee. Their first number was a Hip Hop concept by Jamal Sims, and Mollee was not very good. Nathan looked like he was having fun, but I agreed with Nigel when he told them it looked a little amateurish. They looked like they were playing dress up and put on a show for the parents at Thanksgiving. Their last number was the CanCan, a new dance to the show, choreographed by Jean Marc Genereux. It was frantic, happy, and all over the place, suiting their personalities quite well. They danced it fine, but it’s not my favorite style nor is it easy to connect with an audience when you’re spinning, whirling, and kicking your way around the stage in a frenzy.

Wednesday night’s results show revealed that America and I think alike. The bottom three couples were Ryan and Ellenore (most likely a result of their inability to connect with fans), Mollee and Nathan (their immaturity and Nathan’s attitude bringing them down), and Victor and Karen.  I enjoyed all the solos, but thought Mollee and Victor fought the hardest and really danced for their lives. If I had my choice, Karen and Nathan would go home. The judges agree with me on the girls, and finally send Karen packing after three weeks in the bottom group. She’s sexy, without a doubt. Confident, good at what she does, and charismatic. For some reason, though, I don’t like her and I’m not terribly sad to see her go. The choice of guy, though, disappointed me. They keep Nathan, even though Nigel informs him that he wanted to send him home. Instead, they boot Victor. I’m not sure about the decision. Nathan has shown himself to be shallow, unappreciative, and unable to handle constructive or negative feedback in an appropriate fashion. Victor has only displayed class, passion, and a willingness to improve. That’s the way the cookie crumbled this week, though, so your Top 10 are: Kathryn, Ashleigh, Noelle, Ellenore, Mollee, Jakob, Russell, Legacy, Ryan, and Nathan.

For another opinion on this episode, check out So Close Yet So Far by Inisia Lewis.

Season 6, Episodes 17-18:  The Top 12 Perform & Two of 12 Voted Off (originally aired November 24 & 25, 2009)

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

Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8/7c on Fox

Photographs courtesy of Fox and IMDbPro