So You Think You Can Dance Review: Not Enough Turns For Me…I Mean Pirouettes

What an absurd yet exhilarating week of So You Think You Can Dance, and I wasn’t expecting anything less with the zany Lady Gaga blessing the judges’ panel with her presence. Ellen Degeneres and Portia de Rossi even had to run to the studio and witness it live. Honestly, I loved Lady Gaga’s initial debut into superstardom but have waned interest in her as her fan base continues to grow and grow. The dancers are the shining sun at the center of the show, and the potential of Gaga was this black hole pulling the focus away from them into the abyss.

Predictably, bad feelings crept up when Nigel and Cat mentioned she’d be a guest. I’ve never seen anything having to do with Gaga that didn’t circle completely around her. She’s like a car crash. You just have to watch. Shockingly, she came off as comfortable in sharing her own opinions, whether I agreed or not, and though not very succinctly, she kept me entertained and interacted with the judges and contestants well. Still, she was, by far, the most self-indulgent judge, basking in the audience’s revelry and talking a lot about the choreographic styles and choice that “weren’t for [her].” Rob Marshall joined Gaga, Nigel and Mary on the panel, with a little bit more expertise to back up his personal views. I guess Gaga was there to pull in the eyes, and Rob Marshall was there to balance out the credibility, a smart move. Fortunately for this inspiring show, the dancers do that every week, and the Top 8 proceeded to expand their dance versatility.

MY FATE FOR THE TOP 8

8. SASHA and Pasha Kovalev (Season 3)
Quickstep | Jonathan Roberts | “Puttin’ On The Ritz” by Terry Snyde

Ballroom is Sasha’s kryptonite. I, who knows nothing, felt uncomfortable, even with the effervescent Pasha filling up the stage alongside her. She appeared leaden on every lift, and her legs looked like they wanted to push out and plié when they should be close together most of the time. Rob and I agreed when he said that the style just doesn’t allow her to do what she does best, which is dance with abandon, but Mary extoled her stage presence and topline but told her to work on those knees.

7. RICKY and Anya Garnis (Season 3)
Jive | Jason Gilkison | “River Deep, Mountain High” by Celine Dion

Ricky’s main goal was to make really difficult steps look super easy, and he kiiiinda did that, but besides that ballroom beauty Anya, I was also kiiiinda bored. He soared over Anya in a really cool flip/lift but struggled on what appeared to be a very hard lift, proving Anya physically stronger than Ricky. Yet, strength has never been his forte. He’s graceful and can leap like a gazelle. Nigel felt that tall Ricky was too tall and needed to get deeper, which was also Rob’s only critique. Lady Gaga had the gall to critique Anya and liken her to the forbidden words of Dancing with the Stars. So like what, Gaga? Really good at ballroom?!

6. JESS and Lauren Gottlieb (Season 3)
Lyrical Hip-hop | Nappytabs | “Take A Bow” by Rihanna

This definitely falls low on my favorite hip-hop number list. Though Lauren was giving her all, it still felt like an extremely low energy piece. Rob liked the simplicity of it, and I can applaud Jess, as both Mary and Nigel did, for taking in criticism and improving from week to week. He didn’t mug once this time. Still, where the judges saw conviction and believability, I could only agree with the former.

5. CAITLYNN and Ivan Kouarnev (Season 2)
Hip-hop | Marty Kudelka | “Let Me Love You” by Mario

In this number, Caitlynn met a lovely, young stud after feeling “fed up with her man.” Like Mary, I couldn’t contain myself after watching Ivan on the stage again. This was also a problem as Caitlynn faded into the background. The judge quickly zoned in on why he stood out instead of Caitlynn. Ivan “sits down in that pocket.” He grooves while she dances. Lady Gaga dismissed Nigel’s criticism by saying he just wanted her to “open her legs a little.” This is a family show, crazy! Only dirty Uncle Nigel gets to say creepy things. Rob willed Caitlynn to pull a little Gaga into herself because the superstar can really give into a number and character. I smell an unnecessary suck-up.

4. JORDAN and Ade Obayomi (Season 5)
Jazz | Tyce Diorio | “Nutbush City Limit” by Tina Turner

The All-Star, here, clearly out-danced the contestant. Even if Jordan couldn’t quite keep up, she was running not so far behind. He twisted her and split her and almost broke her in half. That body really can move in mysterious ways. I didn’t love this piece of Tyce’s as much as the judges, though it was more exciting than most of his numbers. It could have been a circus act (foreshadowing), still I feel a little sexed out by him. Gaga got envious of Jordan’s legs, showing us that she was wearing 10 inch heels. Secret exposed!  “It’s a fashion catheter, so I don’t have leave to go to the bathroom during the show.” TMI, Gaga.

3. TADD and Lauren Froderman (Season 7)
Jazz | Mandy Moore | “Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen

Believe me, I have nothing but appreciation for the All-Stars this week, but I could definitely tell Lauren was only one season out. She was fab, just not as fab. But she sure did look sexier and fitter than the last time we saw her with all that confetti raining down on her. There is confetti in the finale right? I may just be thinking about American Idol, but now I’ll feel really jipped if there isn’t confetti. Nigel praised Tadd for his sponge-like dance absorbability. And Mary even called some finale action for the b-boy.

2. MARKO and Allison Holker (Season 2)
Contemporary | Sonya Tayeh | “I Know It’s Over” by Jeff Buckley

Sonya may be the queen of weird, but she can create pure beauty as well. Marko supported Allison so effortlessly, and their lifts were light as feathers, even though they were supposed to be emoting heavy guilt. The two appeared so in sync and connected. It brought Lady Gaga to tears and all the judges to their feet. Oh no, they didn’t pull the mom card! Now, I’m on my feet and crying. She flew all the way from GUAM?! After letting go of all that guilt on the stage, Marko apologized to his mom for being a brat as a young buck. And Rob said that truth about himself is exactly what he brings to his dance.

1. MELANIE and Neil Haskell (Season 3)
Contemporary | Mandy Moore | “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler

Melanie who? I had to watch this one about five times to actually will my eyes to look anywhere other than a shirtless Neil. When I finally saw Melanie, I understood why the judges were on their feet at the end of the performance, Gaga oddly towering above them all and making Cat giggle with glee at the sight. Gaga even said that she was her favorite and would hire her immediately. Rob congratulated her for becoming an actress, saying she “threw away the technique and just played scene.” The pair danced as one, naturally and yet so robustly. It quickly turned Melanie into Nigel’s favorite dancer even though he had said the same thing to Sasha three dances ago. At least, he did preface his comment to Sasha with the fact that he’s a fickle one.

DOUBLES SHOWDOWN

4. JORDAN and JESS
Rumba | Jason Gilkison | “Set Fire to the Rain” by Adele

Jordan may be one of the most controversial contestants this season. One person considers her gorgeous and versatile, while another labels her dumb and a one dimensional Pussycat Doll wannabe. I fall in the center with a slight lean to the latter, but this week, she had me completely riveted. It wasn’t the most exciting rumba, but it was a piece crafted for her long legs. I didn’t really see Jess though he was fantastic support. She wouldn’t have looked so good without him. He did seem to try and be present and connected to her, but even if I thought they were connected, they definitely didn’t have chemistry. JORDAN WINS.

3. CAITLYNN and TADD
Foxtrot | Jonathan Roberts | “Top Hat, White Tie And Tails” by Ella Fitzgerald

It’s not often I use the word adorable with a dance number, but this was a fun and light ballroom piece. Rob described it as “elegant and stylish.” Unfortunately as adorable as it was, it was not the most memorable. Mary wanted “more power through that base.” But Nigel and Gaga were in heaven. TADD WINS.

2. RICKY and MARKO
Hip-hop | Tabitha & Napoleon Dumo | “Bad Boy For Life” by Diddy feat. Black Rob and Mark Curry

Tabitha and Napoleon really can make a mountain out of any odd molehill. A number about waste management technicians? Is this serious? Of course, it was real but the opposite of serious. The piece was surprisingly swagger-filled. Besides Tadd (maybe), there isn’t a down and grimy male dancer in the competition, but that all changed for at least a few minutes. Cat started singing the Mario Bros. theme song due to their color coordinating jump suits, an example of why she is so loved and Emmy nominated. Gaga called Nappytab’s “interpretation of hip” contrived, basically saying she really doesn’t like their choreography or their props. MARKO WINS.

1. MELANIE and SASHA
Foxtrot | Sonya Tayeh | “Game On” by District 78

I smell a conspiracy. Add Marko, and this would be the producers’ clear favorites to win this thing. I love a strong female number, so this really got me to sit up. It wasn’t about anything other than showing off these ladies’ immense power and agility. The judges were on their feet again. Mary dubbed it the best Sonya number ever and bowed down in adoration. Gaga threw her shoe at them, and Sasha quickly scrambled to pick it up and stroke it. She tossed the other one to Sonya. TIE

No guest could even come close to the giddiness peak that I reached when Neil Patrick Harris joined last week, and I wished that everyone could focus less of Gaga and more on the contestants, but the dancing was so superb that everything balanced out. As Thursday night rolled around, I wondered if the judges would be back. I thought, for sure, Marshall would be the one returning while Gaga absconded to sing and dance in 12-inch heels somewhere. And she did…right on stage, performing “Edge of Glory” and “You and I”.

Not to be forgotten was a Water for Elephants-inspired group number that focused on Melanie and Sasha. Quel surprise! It was my favorite Tyce number by a long shot, extremely fantastical (The word always makes me think of Jellicle Cats!). I truly enjoy his pieces when he doesn’t play so overtly sexy. Also better than expected was The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers. Why were there only five of them when I saw them open for the Glee concert? Now this is what a legion should look like. I swear I’ve seen at least five of these guys in various, slightly SYTYCD-affiliated, dance movies like Step Up 2: The Streets and Step Up 3D.

Let’s get on to the bottom four with only one surprise. The girls were easily Jordan and Caitlynn, however, I was stunned when Tadd joined Jess in the bottom instead of Ricky. Then I was grateful because, while the girls sat on their butts doing the same moves they tried last week and the week before, the boys acted like it could be their last day dancing…ever. There was a lot of hamming. Jess pulled off about 15 non-stop pirouettes, or turns as Cat likes to call them. Tadd flipped off the stage and took a victorious lap around the studio. It may have been preemptive. As the episode came to a close, Nigel said the judges were disappointed with the girls. Neither did their best with Jordan leaving. She didn’t get an explanation of what could have been improved or why Caitlynn succeeded where she did not. Oppositely, they lauded both boys, but Tadd’s uniqueness and ongoing metamorphosis won out.

So you know what time it is: Did your favorites survive the chopping block? Who eked through who didn’t deserve it? Was there love or loathing in your heart for Lady Gaga by the end of the episode? And can you believe there’s only a few more weeks to go? Bring it on!

For more on this week’s episodes, check out And Then There Were Six by Trisha Leigh.

Season 8, Episodes 18 and 19: “Top 8 Perform” and “Two of 8 Voted Off” (originally aired July 27 and 28, 2011)

Images courtesy of Adam Rose/FOX.

So You Think You Can Dance airs Wednesday and Thursday nights at 8/7c on Fox.