Ballroom Dance Channel

Hello dance lovers, and welcome to So You Think You Can Dance – Top 14.  Since Asuka and Jonathan went home last week, their partners Karla and Vitolio will be dancing together, along with the other 6 remaining couples.  I’m anxious to see if they pair up as well as Kayla and Kupono did last week.  Cat introduces the dancers to a very excited audience.

Our judges tonight are Nigel, Mary, and Mia Michaels.  Mia states that her opinion of some of the dancers has changed for the better, expecially one particular guy.  We all know she is talking about Brandon, because she had been so hard on him in the past.  Cat alludes to a special announcement to be made later in the show.

Our first couple tonight is Janette and Brandon with the Cha-Cha.  The couples are asked to reflect on the highs and lows of their journey so far.  Brandon thought their Foxtrot was difficult but beautiful.  Janette is really having fun, especially with the insanity of their Disco number.  Brandon’s friends were amazed at how well he could do Hip-Hop last week.  They are being choreographed by Jean-Marc and France Genereaux, who want this dance to be fast, sexy, and sassy.  Janette and Brandon also discover how dangerous the choreography is.  They perform to “Hush Hush; Hush Hush” by the Pussycat Dolls, and show off their fast spins and hot attitude.

Nigel exclaims that this was the best Cha-Cha ever on this show.  He praises their great feet and calls Brandon the Michaelangelo of the dance floor.  Mary says it was brilliant and exciting.  She tells them they are on the Hot Tamale Train…and screams.  Mia lets Brandon know that she’s been tough on him beacuse she knows he has so much ability and potential, and tells him he was amazing tonight.  She says Janette is brilliant and has been on fire since Day One.

Kayla and Kupono are next with a Contemporary routine.  Kupono calls the whole experience crazy so far, and Kayla was so happy when she and Max wowed the judges the first week.  Both of them had a tough time when their partners were sent home, but they say their hard work paid off and love that Mary put them on the Hot Tamale Train for a waltz.  Sonya Tayeh is choreographing for them this week, and she’s going with a dark, vampire-like routine.  It’s about Kayla trying to escape death and Kupono getting her to embrace it.  As they dance to “Eyes On Fire” by Blue Foundation, you can really see the intensity and passion in their performance.

Nigel is impressed with Sonya’s inspiration and tells Kupono that he looks like a new man out there.  He loves how they compliment each other and they are reaching their true potential.  Mary says even though the routine was about death, they are alive and kicking!  She loves the electric feel and tells them they are still on the Hot Tamale Train!  Mia really loves the brilliant costumes and makeup and tells Sonya that this was her best piece ever.  She also says that Kayla and Kupono are gorgeous together.

Now we have Broadway with Randi and Evan.  Randi calls this a roller coaster ride, and Evan loves working with all of the great choreographers.  They had a great start, but had to work harder the next 2 weeks.  Randi also mentions that her family made sure they told their share of butt jokes after last week.  Joey Dowling is their choreographer this week, and she makes this routine all about a toxic realationship.  They are intimidated by her because she teaches so fast and expects you to pick it up the first time through.  They dance to “Rich Man’s Frug” from Sweet Charity, and kept great character throughout the dance, complete with a little arm wrestling.

Nigel says Joey did a great job paying homage to Bob Fosse with this number.  He is a little disappointed with Evan but thinks Randi did well.  He tells them to keep their wrists more flexible, but also says they would both be in his Top 10.  Mary likes how they were immersed in their characters and calls it entertaining, but agrees with Nigel about the wrists.  Mia makes it unanimous about the wrists, and thinks Randi’s movements were a little heavy.  She says overall it was great but they need to take it to the next level.

Caitlyn and Jason are next with a Pop Jazz routine.  They both agree this is a learning experience, especially working on the Bollywood number the first week.  They did not like being in the bottom 3 for the last 2 weeks, and know they really need to bring it.  Brian Friedman choreographs a story for them about an alien tht blew up the earth, but she finds the last man on earth so she can mate with him.  Caitlyn really has to work on being dominant in this number.  They give a strong performance to “Creator” by Santigold, and keep the characters well throughout the dance, even to the point when they join Cat in front of the judges.

Nigel says that Brian is from another planet.  He calls the routine very weird, but likes that they committed to it 100%.  Mary tells them that she didn’t really think it played to their strengths.  Mia calls it refreshing and fun, and says they danced it really well.

Our Hip-Hop routine tonight comes from Jeanine and Phillip.  Phillip says this show is an enlightening experience, and they were both nervous about doing Hip-Hop.  Phillip was embarrassed last week when his pants ripped during the dance, but he kept going all the way through.  Napoleon and Tabitha choreograph a number for them that represents what the contestants go through on the show, especially learning to work with a partner.  The couple are chained at the ankles to show the bond between them, and during rehearsal they are anxious because they keep slipping on the chain.  They perform to “Love Lockdown” by Kanye West, and do a great job with the chain and keeping in sync.  At the end of the dance, Phillip pulls out the key to unlock the chain, but Jeanine refuses it, because they are truly bonded now.

Nigel says that the way they dance, they should be chained together for life.  He is amazed at how Jeanine makes every style that she learns look like her own.  Mary thinks they really brought it, saying it was crazy good and incredibly creative.  Mia loves the great choreography from “NappyTabs”, and enjoyed their amazing movement…except that the “chainography” distracted her from the performance.

Our next routine is a first for SYTYCD.  It is a Classical Pas de Deux, to be performed by Melissa and Ade to Romeo and Juliet.  Both of them call this an amazing experience which is more than they could ever expect, and really loved doing the Rumba last week.  Thoral Christensen is choreographing this ballet for the pair, and he wants them to focus on being tender and searching.  The dance is performed to “Prokofiev’s Suite” from Romeo and Juliet, and it takes my breath away.  It’s very sweet and charming, and the lifts are amazing.

Nigel loves that the show is now doing Ballet, and tells Ade that his carriage was great and they danced it beautifully.  Mary says their chemistry was flawless and she really loved it.  Mia is excited that we get to celebrate Classical Ballet and the performance was like a fairy tale.  She says you cannot fake this kind of dance and they were brilliant.

We have one more couple to dance, but first we get to hear the special announcement that was alluded to earlier in the show.  Nigel, along with Adam Shankman, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Katie Holmes are starting the Dizzy Feet Foundation, which will give scholarships to underprivileged young dancers.  This will start with 10 kids from 6 different studios and will hopefully grow from there.  They also hope to create an accreditation program for dance teachers.  I have to say, this announcement brought tears to my eyes.  We didn’t have a lot of money for extracurricular activites when I was growing up, and I sure wish something like this had been around when I was a young girl so I could have started dancing then.  I’m so glad this is happening now to help today’s youth!  Lil’C, Debbie Allen, Miley Cyrus, and Paula Abdul are among those who will also help with the foundation.  If you would like more information, please go to www.dizzyfeetfoundation.org.  Also, July 23rd will mark the 100th episode of SYTYCD, and Tyce Diorio is choreographing a special tribute to Judy Garland which will be performed by Katie Holmes.  Katie is donating her entire performance fee for that night directly to the foundation.  I’m looking forward to seeing this!

Finally Karla and Vitolio perform the Quick Step.  They both see this experience as a roller coaster, and really miss their partners but are feeling hopeful and excited to dance with each other.  Jean-Marc and France are choreographing this number as well, and the couple agree that Jean-Marc is a lot of fun to work with.  They dance to “Puttin’ on the Ritz” by Rufus Wainwright, with Vitolio in tails and Karla in a simple dress.  Suddenly the dress changes into a beautiful pink ballroom dress, and they do a great job with their spins and lifts.

Nigel loves the choreography and says there were so many great things about this routine.  He enjoys seeing their persoanlities come out and calls it entertaining.  Mary says it was really well done and brought to life, praising their great hold.  Mia calls Jean-Marc a genius, and says the couple really stepped it up and performed well.

Once we see the dance recap and are reminded to vote, Cat announces that Kelly Clarkson will perform on tomorrow night’s results show.  I love seeing the show end with all of our dancers on the stage cutting up and dancing all together, with Jeanine and Phillip holding out their chain for a limbo contest!  Tune in tomorrow to see which 2 dancers go home.  Good night everyone!