So You Think You Can Dance - Air Date July 19

So we're back to a two hour show, but the good news is there should be almost no filler. Not with five couples each performing two dances, and ten dancers each doing a solo. That should mean a packed show. It should also mean the one hour results show will likely be nothing but filler. Hey, it's on Fox, so you know what they should use as filler? Brand new episodes of Family Guy, that's what. Maybe have Stewie enter a dance contest with all sorts of zany hijinx ensuing.
But why am I already complaining about the next night's show when there is still so much to see this night? Cat Deeley, please introduce the judges!
Not that the judges can do more than critique now and the audience isn't going to listen anyway unless they vote for the worst dancers just to teach the mean judges a lesson. As usual we have Nigel Lythgoe. For the second time ever there are also the hip-hop conjoined twins, Cicely and Olisa. Have you ever seen them apart from each other? Then don't tell me they're not conjoined. And finally for the first time we're joined by ballroom choreographer Jean Marc Genereux. This isn't figure skating, producers. You could have used the French judge while his opinion still made a difference.
With the show being as tight as it's going to be for pretty much the rest of its run, or at least until it cuts down to an hour again we get right to the dancing. As Nigel announced last week, the couples have been split and now all pairings will be through random draw, as will be their dances.
Ivan and Martha (Hip-Hop) - This dance was pretty good. The judges were harder on Martha than I would have been, but overall it was an enjoyable routine. I can't even say anything negative about Ivan, and you know I'm just itching to. Could I just be tired of picking on the pre-pubescent?
Donyelle - the first solo of the night, and the first solo we've seen from this woman period since the auditions. Was it really good? Yes. But I so very much loved what she did when she auditioned and I hope she brings that back when she does her next solo, providing of course she makes it to next week. Ha, like she wouldn't. Donyelle rocks. As Nigel pointed out, she's been so good throughout this process it was also nice to be reminded that her speciality is hip-hop.
Dmitry - I know he's a ballroom specialist, but I was hoping to see a little more variety from him. As it was, the only daring thing he did was perform with a closed shirt, and even then he ripped it open at the end but at least it was done in a humourous, self-deprecating way based on all the comments he's received on showing his toned, spicy, luscious... Huh? Oh yeah, sorry, spaced out for second there. He's got a nice body. The dance didn't move me though.
Travis and Heidi (Paso Doble) - Heidi is a ballroom dancer, so of course she did well here. The surprise was Travis who did very well. I hate to say he was "convincingly masculine" because that brings up all sorts of stereotypes, but he did well. He's not one of the male frontrunners for nothing.
Ryan and Allison (Contemporary) - The choreography in this confused everyone, including the judges who are around dance all the time, but it was still beautiful and this couple performed it well. The judges are still saying there is something missing from Ryan's performance, and he must be getting frustrated over hearing this all the time because I know I am as a viewer. What's missing? I liked what he did. Maybe the judges are missing something? Huh? Ever thought about that, NIGEL?
Martha - A wonderful solo, but with the strongest competition being amongst the women (really, does any guy who isn't Travis or Benji even have a chance?) she has to give each dance everything she's got, and this may not have been enough.
Ivan - His last solo was really good. This one wasn't. He was wearing a pair of Heely roller shoes, those ones with the wheels in the heels, and was relying on them too much as a gimmick and didn't concentrate enough on his dancing. For a longer peformance and used well, I can see those shoes being a neat addition, but for this it just didn't work.
Dmitry and Donyelle (Lindy Hop) - What's this? Dmitry with an awesome partner? I don't want to put down the women he's danced with previously, but this was the luckiest Dmitry's been all season for a pairing. Heck, the judges had more to critique on his technique than on Donyelle's, and he's the ballroom dancer of the two. This was a fun and energetic dance.
Benji and Natalie (Jazz) - I really don't have anything to say here. Two of the best dancers put on a good show.
Heidi - It wasn't her best solo, but it wasn't her worst. I really like Heidi, but unfortunately I can see it being between her and Martha as to which one goes home. Heidi mixes it up a bit on her solos, though it would be great to see her take some of what she's learned so far from this show and incorporate more of it.
Martha and Ivan (Smooth Waltz) - I'm used to disagreeing with the judges on Ivan, but for the first time it's been flipped around in that I liked a performance more than they did. This was a classy, pretty dance to watch, or I thought so anyway. Based on their reactions, it seemed to be the judges' least favourite of the evening from the couples. With all the stiff dancing of his they praised, this one they come down on?
Travis - The man is an amazing dancer, and there was so much emotion in this. I would pay money to see him perform.
Allison and Ryan (Broadway) - Now I just think the judges don't like Ryan. This performance was a heck of a lot of fun, and Ryan showed a lot of personality. I'm not trained in dance though so I know nothing. He doesn't seem to have the popularity that the other men have so he's probably gone this week anyway, but I'd still want him to continue on just out of spite for the judges. Allison is great, by the way.
Natalie - Another brilliant, emotional dance. She seems to have taken the judges words to heart and didn't do the sex kitten this time around and just dug down deep. I love when a dancer is in tears after a performance, the good kind of tears from doing something that affects them so personally.
Benji - Our first real look at Benji dancing a solo, as he auditioned for the most part with a partner. If I didn't know his speciality was ballroom, West Coast Swing in particular, I never would have guessed. This was an amazing dance, proving that the final two men should be Travis and Benji.
Donyelle and Dmitry (Samba) - Dmitry must be wishing by now that he would have been paired with Donyelle from the beginning, because she could have helped him avoid so many bottom threes.
Jayhamms - No, he didn't appear. I just miss making fun of his name.
Heidi and Travis (Contemporary) - With all the styles she's had to confront so far, this is the first time I've seen Heidi this scared. In the end it didn't matter, because she and Travis, together with Mia Michael's choreography, almost had Nigel in tears. It was obviously that it was put together to put more emphasis on Travis' skill as he had much more work to do, but what Heidi did have to do she did very well. Not just the dance of the night for any of the couples, but one of the best of the season.
Allison - In one word? Wonderful.
Natalie and Benji (Hip-Hop) - What's this? Negative feedback on one of Benji's dances? There has been so little of that it's quite strange to hear, but it was valid. The biggest issue the judges had was the lack of synchronization between the two of them when it needed to be there. Short of that, it was still a good dance.
Ryan - If he had danced like this through the season, he's be one of the frontrunners. A wonderful solo, the best performance we've seen from him yet. But will it be enough to stave off elimination this week?
When the worst of the five female dancers are Heidi and Martha, you know that's some really strong competition because they are great. Between Donyelle, Natalie, and Allison, even though I'm a big fan of Donyelle I wouldn't be unhappy to see any of them win the whole competition. Seeing any of the five go home this week is going to be hard, I'm really dreading when it's down to three.
The men aren't so difficult to choose from, as the only real threats to win are Benji and Travis. Depending on the audience voting based on the more deserving dancers, of course.