Jesus krumped, Cedric cried, and Jessie didn't show up...
9.2
Tonight's SYTYCD was, like stated above, a fine example of why this is probably the best reality show on television (at least the only one that makes me and my husband continually tear up from heartfelt stories and beautiful dancing). While the dances were not as memorable as some of the dances in the past - Heidi and Benji's Broadway, for example, or Alison and Ivan's contemporary routine to "Why" and their Shane Sparks umbrella routine - they were certainly more than enough reason to dedicate two hours watching. Best of the Best: Sarah and Jesus did a krump routine that shows why they should be put in the "couples to beat" category, along with Lacey and Kamron and Danny and Anya. Those two just attack everything with style and skill. Likewise, Lacey and Kamron threw down a quick step that was fun, high energy, and technically tight. Hok and Jamie, I must say, danced an amazing jazz dance in which he was the hummingbird and Jamie was the flower. It was stylistic, of course, as all Wade Robinson routines are, but it flowed effortlessly out of both Hok and Jamie and was very touching and lovely to watch. The surprise of the night was Sabra and Dominic -- they just keep on improving every week. Tonight, they danced a rumba that was both technically beautiful and enjoyable to watch. With the way they're consistently growing, I believe it will make them much tougher to beat. Good, Not Best:
Anya and Danny's hip hop routine was cool and very stylish, but it was apparent that it was a bit of an out-of-the-box experience, especially for Anya. I like when she's sassy and she seemed a little reserved, I think, in part, because of the style. I would put them in the best of the best, but I think they're better than what they showed tonight. Likewise, Pascha danced an amazing cha-cha, but I can't put him in the best of the best (though he deserves it for his dancing) because his partner, Jessie, had to be taken to the emergency room the day of the performance for an irregular heartbeat. He ended up dancing with a professional partner, who was great, but the situation tainted the fun of the dance. If Pascha and Jessie are in the bottom three and she isn't out of the hospital by tonight to dance for her life, she will automatically be out of the competition. I have a feeling, though, that Pascha's moves, along with Jessie's repeated statements throughout the series about how much this competition means to her, will save them both tonight. Least of the Best: Neil and Lauren are both excellent dancers, but something about their partnership isn't working. Or maybe it's just that they keep getting dances that seem to hold them back or don't let them show what they're really made of. I'm not really sure, but whatever it is, I'm pretty sure that they both deserve and will be in the bottom three tonight. If they aren't, I would be both surprised and upset, seeing as how they're dance, in comparison with almost everyone else, was sort of blah and uninspired. Lastly, Cedric and Shauna. Where to start? Last week, Jimmy was controversially let go from the show and Cedric was kept on for another week, with Nigel saying that he wasn't sure if it was the right decision. It appears, at least to me, that it was not the right decision, however marvelous Cedric is in his own style. Tonight, Cedric and Shauna danced a Mia Michaels contemporary routine tonight and from the start of the mini-doc that proceeds each dance, everyone kept saying the same thing, "This is Cedric's last chance." The pressure's got to be tough with that in mind, nevermind that the guy's never danced contemporary with a partner before or had any training in dance. Mia Michaels, who is probably my favorite choreographer, designed a dance that would maximize Shauna and minimize Cedric -- or at least, that's how the judges perceived it, which one could tell, made Mia a bit upset. Whether she did it because of Cedric or not is anyone's guess, but I tend to think it was in her mind all along to maximize the female. In any case, Cedric and Shauna danced their hearts out. Shauna has really stepped up in the last week -- her dance for her life solo had everyone on their feet with its passion and strength and this week, she continued that strong, passionate dancing. Cedric, minimized as he was, did all he could, but when compared with the other dancers, dancing other styles than their own, he's definitely the weakest of the remaining top 16. A large chunk of his time on stage was spent crumpled in a ball, crying over the apparent loss of Shauna's character. Although Debbie Allen, guest judge of "Fame!" fame, was complimentary, both Mary Murphy and Nigel were serious in their assessments that Cedric was wonderful, but continually let his partners down and needed to go home this week. So who will be in the bottom three? I'm predicting the following:
1. Cedric and Shauna
2. Neil and Lauren
3. Anya and Danny Perhaps, if the voting audience isn't as compassionate as I'm giving them credit for being, we might see Jessie and Pascha in the bottom three instead of either Neil and Lauren (who seem to have a large fan base) or Danny and Anya (who the judges will save in any case). And because America is sometimes turned off by artsy jazz choreography, we may see Hok and Jamie in the bottom three.
Who will go? Cedric won't hang on any longer, as the judges have expressed, and I don't think America will save him. The girls are much harder. If between the three I listed, it would come down to the solo dances, and of them, I think Lauren might be the weakest solo dancer. So if it's between them, I would venture that Lauren would go at this point. However, it's also a possibility that Jessie, in her absence, may get the ax tonight.
