So You Think You Can Dance – Recap & Review – Top 10 Perform

photo: fox

So You Think You Can Dance
Top 10 Perform

Original Air Date: Dec 1, 2009

Rachel M – TwoCents Reviewer
rachelm@thetwocentscorp.com

FINALLY! I love this part of the show, when the couples get switched up and we can see who’s been carrying their partner and who’s been being carried. The dynamics and chemistry change, the choreography hits harder, and the dancers are forced to show their best. I love top 10!

Couples
Noelle and Ryan (Hip Hop): Well, I’m not sure sexual harassment is the best topic for a nationally televised dance but…They did a good job! The music was funky, awfully slow for a hip hop routine, and so some of their movements didn’t match up quite right. That thing with her leg next to his cheek?
(Smooth Waltz): Why do these dances always make it look like they’re holding their breath? Maybe I’m just holding mine and projecting on to them. This routine is solid all in all, maybe this is what waltz is supposed to look like. I’m not sure though about their safety when it comes to voting, both routines and solos tonight were kind of ho-hum.

Ashleigh and Legacy (Contemporary): There’s a reason that the opening clips showing the rehearsal process are so important- we can start to understand what the point of the routine is! This was like a slow motion stage fight. Neither of them look remotely comfortable or confident, and the routine comes off as amateurish and just plain weird. Nigel tries to pass it off as the choreographer’s particular style, but I don’t think the audience will get it.
(Hip Hop): At first I thought it was going to be some kind of vampire Van Helsing thing. And then it was just the devil seducing a gal, and then it was vampiric again. In my confusion, I stopped paying attention to what they were dancing. That’s two dances for this couple that were a bit inaccessible and unsuccessful. If they make it through, their new partnerships should help.

Kathryn and Nathan (Broadway): This routine is so well choreographed and danced, I just love it. Kathryn looks like a goddess and Nathan looks adorable. Both of them look strong and technically solid. They are mostly in sync and it’s a great effort.
(Rhumba): Wow, I am really impressed with this routine from them. Nathan looks a little sour throughout, but I thought they did a good job. The judges don’t agree with me though.

Ellenore and Jakob (Quickstep): Considering the Quckstep Kiss of Death, they both have big grins plastered on their faces. The choreographers have not gone easy on them, giving them the construct of being in competition, and a LOT of technical steps. They pull this off, and I’m super impressed.
(Contemporary): Since this is in their style, I’m expecting big things. And I am not disappointed! There are tons of jumps and spins and lifts and throws. The leg extensions are amazing, the acting is great, the technique is amazing, this routine is a knock out. Jakob is just one of the most talented dancers on this show of all time.

Mollee and Russell (Jazz): You know how some routines end up making the guy looking like a forklift, where it just goes from one lift to another and you’re watching the girls legs and hair fly about so much that you forget that he’s a dancer too? Yeah. Still, I think Mollee deserved the attention, as Adam points out.
(Jive): Did Anya design the costume too? It seems to me like his feet are moving a lot more than hers are and while her hips are doing a lot of work, her feet seem static. Russell gets some nice jumps in, and I think they did an excellent job overall. They make a good pair, too bad it won’t last.

Solos
Mollee: She is really coming into her own isn’t she? Her solos have gotten stronger, her partner dancing has improved, and she’s still cute as a button. She’s relatable and damn talented.
Russell: I don’t really know much about krumping, but the crazy stuff he does with his body gets my vote! It just looks hard!
Noelle: She’s a good dancer, I just don’t connect to her. What am I missing? She’s a beautiful girl, a beautiful dancer, I should adore her, but clearly America sees something I don’t since she sailed into the top 10.
Ryan: He’s been given notes to make his solo better, and while I think he’s trying he’s just not there yet. Other male ballroom dancers have figured out the trick of solos, and he needs to do his homework.
Kathryn: It’s taken me a while to like Kathryn, she’s fairly soft spoken and has been held down by Legacy. She is b-e-a-u-tiful though, and now that she can really shine, she’ll rocket to the top fast.
Nathan: I personally feel that Nathan has been judged by a different set of standards by the judges since the beginning. You give the underage kid a ticket straight through to Vegas for the next season, and then you tell him grow up, and then you tell him he’s amazing again. Thing is, he IS amazing, and this solo proves it.
Ellenore: I know I’ve expounded on how much I love her before, but I do! I love the quirkiness, I love the sheer FUN that she expresses when she dances.
Legacy: What can I say? It’s insane as usual. I do not understand how someone can manipulate their arms and legs that way! He does cry too much though.
Ashleigh: With that dress becoming a blur, you realize how much her body is moving underneath it. She’s talented and a really likable gal.
Jakob: He reminds of a all time favorite dancer Travis Wall, and as such he has a space in my heart. I hope he makes it all the way just so I can keep watching.

It was a big episode with lots and lots of dancing! It’s the first week where the control is all with the viewers, so who is going to make it and who is being left in the cold? Tell us your Two Cents!