It's been a while since I've commented on the performances of So You Think You Can Dance. After weeks of unexpected (and unwanted) surprises, how did the top 6 dancers fare after so many weeks of injuries and withdrawals?
Kent Boyd - Cha-Cha
If there's one thing the All Stars have done, it's setting supreme standards for the competitors to live up to. I agree with the judges that Kent performed well and better than before, but every time I see Anya I also wonder how the routine would've looked if Pasha performed instead. Having said that, I give the fan favorite props for working a style that is clearly not his thing.
Robert Roldan - Contemporary
It's hard to top the amazing routine Robert did with Allison, but he did a good job with this routine. At times, Kathryn steals the spotlight from the competitor, but the couple delivered everything that was needed for this contemporary routine. Again, it's not the most memorable, but there's nothing bad about it either.
AdéChiké Torbert - Jazz
This guy is has surprised me the past few weeks. After being berated by Mia, I kept expecting his time to come, but he keeps fighting back. Plus, unlike Jose, AdéChiké has defied expectations in a way that is understandable. He's a good dancer when given a style he fits his temperament, and this routine certainly gave him the tools to really showcase his best qualities. Compared to Billy and Robert, AdéChiké lacks the refinement in his movement, but he is more virile and athletic, something a male partner needs.
Jose Ruiz - Hip-Hop
Ouch. What started out looking like a really cool, suave routine ends with a whimper. Part of this is that Comfort is simply a beast with it comes to hip-hop. Another part is Jose. Let's face it, not doing well in your own style is the worst thing that could happen to a dancer in this competition. With two dancers leaving this week, it's practically a guarantee Jose will leave.
Lauren Froderman - Broadway
If I had to dance next to Allison, I'd be nervous. Fortunately, Lauren did not back down in this routine, one that requires a lot of stamina and personality. Being the last female standing, Lauren is in the best position possible in this competition. She's versatile, she's got a sassy yet girl-next-door personality (not every amazing dancer has the personality to nab votes), and the judges clearly don't want this to turn into a sausage-fest. Overall, it's all hail Lauren at least until the finale.
Billy Bell - Contemporary
Although I'm not a Billy fan, I have to say this routine is one of the best this season. The concept is unique, the music is fantastic, and Billy sold the performance. Sold it. This is the perfect week for Billy to peak because it justifies the judges' decision to avoid elimination the previous week. With one routine, Billy stands a good chance of going to the semi-finals. What would help him even more is if he can prove his worth in Latin and hip-hop after this.
Kent and Jose - Broadway
Uh, can you tell this routine was catered for Kent? What brought the performance down was seeing the clear disparity between Jose and Kent. Basically, this is more Kent boosting, not that he needs it.
Lauren and AdéChiké - Foxtrot
I agree with Mia and Adam in that while AdéChiké looked slightly uncomfortable, Lauren had the right foxtrot groove and performance to sell it. No, the routine was nothing to gloat about, but it was a decent effort overall.
Billy and Robert - Bollywood
Am I the only one who's tired of Bollywood? Yes, the style is fun, but outside of athleticism, there's nothing that accentuates the qualities of the dancers, qualities that viewers need in order to decide who to vote for. This sounds harsh, but Bollywood has become the safe, throwaway style that cushions the dancers.
Outside of Kent and Lauren, it's hard to say who will be eliminated this week. What do you think? Who do you think should go home on So You Think You Can Dance?
Comments
Like you, I'm not much of a Billy fan. His performance last night was impressive though. This was his only routine (besides his jazz one with Lauren) that I enjoyed.
But yeah, Kent and Lauren are obvious final contenders. I imagine Jose will definitely be going home tonight, and if he manages to dodge the bullet THIS time I'll be REALLY surprised.
It's a tough call to say who the other person will be. Although it often seems as though the judges want Adechike out already, he's never been in the bottom 3, and he's still growing. Billy on the other hand, has been in the bottom 3 more than any other contestant on the show. And as you've said, it seems as though he's "peaked" at this point. The judges may perhaps decide that Billy's already grown as much as he could. And then there's Robert. The judges love him, but the voting public...not as much.
The character limit cut me off. Anyway.
There's also news that Lauren has some sort of injury? I imagine Nigel will make an announcement about it on tonight's show, but he said that she's definitely not dancing in the opening number, and won't have to dance as long as she's not in the bottom 3 (and at this point, I doubt she will be anyway). But if her injury IS serious, I guess she'd be booted out with Jose =/ which I'd hate to see.
From what I've gathered, Lauren was suffering from dehydration and perhaps had to be IV'd last night. I'm hoping that this does not mean she's out of the running. If that happens, the winner this season will claim the throne by the sheer accident that he did not get seriously injured.
billy and jose went home. it should have been jose and adichikae.
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