photo: fox
Top Ten Perform
Original Air Date: Jun 16, 2010
Rachel M – Associate Staff Writer
rachelm@thetwocentscorp.com
Yay! It’s here, the real competition. With eleven top finalists, All-Star dancers, a whole new set of mini-dresses and potential hair disasters for Cat, it’s SYTYCD! Tonight the top eleven will each perform a number with an All-Star who specializes in the style. This new twist on the competition is going to be really, really interesting to watch.
It looks like we also get to see the dancers in their natural environments to learn even more about them.
Cat’s outfit, let’s just get it out of the way shall we? Clearly she’s doing a tribute to Nicole who got cut in Vegas with her giant bun on top of her head updo. The dress however, is super cute, fun color, nice detailing and a flattering cut. Half right isn’t so bad.
Billy and Lauren (Broadway): I’m not gonna lie, I think Billy is amazing and I’m so glad he got a second chance, but I don’t really like this routine. I don’t love Tyce as a choreographer but he has had some good routines in past seasons, so I can’t hate on him too much. This routine was fast, and frenetic. Mia has a good point though, while this character was a boy, he needs to man up and work on sexy.
Christina and Mark (Jazz): What an opening count with her on Marks shoulders. As the only ballroom dancer on the list, for her to be able to tackle crazy jazz from Soya is impressive. I’m not sure I get the whole snake thing (really I don’t get Sonya half the time), but her work is always interesting to watch and Christina does a good job of it. I think this is really a great early example of how having a partner who is already versed in the style helps bring the newbie up. She really did well considering the genre and the crazy choreographer.
Jose and Comfort (HipHop): Sometimes I can’t stand Tabatha and Napoleon themed dances, and Comfort wasn’t my favorite competitor (although she’s a great dancer in her style), so I wasn’t excited about this routine. And this routine wasn’t anything to write home about. Sorry, I’m just impressed. Jose is good, and he holds his own, but I think the viewers won’t connect to it.
Adechike and Katherine (Contemporary): I ❤ Travis Wall, but a office porn fantasy number? Really? Katherine is gorgeous and Adechike has legs for miles, and together they make a beautiful pair. Adechike has a great acting moment at the end as well. Honestly though it’s not my favorite routine, they go back and forth across the stage, a couple of lifts and jumps, and I’m just left feeling blah about it, and I never feel that way about Travis’s routines!
Melinda and Pasha (Jive): Ooof, tap to jive? That’s a big leap, and it’s undoubtedly hard to concentrate when you’re cheek to cheek with Pasha. She’s al ittle stif throughout, and Pasha seems to do most of the impressive stuff. Unfortunately, to me it’s clear she’s out of her element, and so far she’s definitely the weakest dancer. She doesn’t suck persay but she just isn’t as good as she needs to be. The lifts are slow and prepared, and next Pasha she looks like an amateur.
Alex and Allison (Contemporary): Allison is unrecognizable since her season, but she’s still an amazing dancer. This piece, about salvation, is set to one of the most haunting pieces of music of all time. The dance doesn’t disappoint either, a mixture of stattaco movements and smooth beauty, both dancers are just incredible. It’s these routines that make this show was it is. The judges are all stunned into silence, and say that’s the best thing that SYTYCD has ever done. I’m not sure I agree with that, but it was a fantastic piece of work.
Alexie and Twitch (HipHop): More NappyTabs (sigh), but I do love Twitch. Can you imagine having to follow Alex and Allison with a sort of cheesy boy-girl hip hop routine? With that kind of stress in mind, they do a great job of bring ing back the fun. I have to say though, Twitch just shines and Alexie makes good arm candy. The judges say she’s just cute and doesn’t bring it enough, and they have a point, but is anything she could have done follow up the previous routine?
Lauren and Ade (Pop Jazz): Of course Ade is one of the most powerful dancers of any season ever. And Lauren is no weakling. There’s a lot of lift and power in the this routine, and although I detest her outfit, and the song, the routine is a lot of tricks. It also seems a little show choir though, with their looks to audience every fourteenth beat or whatever. It’s lacking emotionally, but was emotion asked for? She was one of my favorites, but now I’m disappointed.
Kent and Anya (ChaCha): Poor Kent, he has to chacha with Anya in his first week. The barely out of high school farm boy has to lead the fireball across the stage. He pulls a lot of faces but he does a really good job I think! Considering the challenge, I’m really proud of him! Does he look like Carson Kresley or is it just me? And when Cat tells him about his lips, he’s just the cutest thing ever! Nigel has a really good point, he really enjoyed it! And isn’t that what this is about at a major level? While technique and performance and all that, it’s also about the love of dance.
Ashley and Neil (Contemporary): Isn’t Neil just one of the best that has ever graced the SYTYCD stage? So with him and this being her style, I’m expecting a lot out of her and this routine. He is continually amazing, but I’m not thrilled by her, I just don’t see anything special in her, no X factor. The judges give her some good feedback, but I just don’t think the fans have connected to her, and the dance wasn’t wow.
Robert and Courtney (African Jazz): “I killed an All-Star, oh god” Haha! This isn’t really my favorite thing usually, but I actually really liked this kind of Tarzan and Jane routine. The Cirque music was more subdued and allowed them to show off some of their skills. Adam says he’s one of the best contemporary boys ever, which shocks Robert and me too a little bit. I can see the potential but there are so many amazing contemporary men before him.
I gotta say, the difference between the newbies and the All Stars is pronounced. I do think that having the All Stars raises the level of the new kids, and is a good switch up. But the performance and talent of the All Stars just outshine everyone. So who’s not safe? What did you think of this first week? What are your TwoCents?
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TheTwoCents 
OK so I was more excited to see the All stars dance obviously haha, but Billy is amazing! I liked the Alexie and Twitch routine, and the Alex routine was great but I wouldn’t go as far as saying the best routine ever. There are a few more I would give that award to. I found Adam talked waaaay to much last night. The dance with Neil I felt he was more amazing than Ashley but it was still a great routine. I almost thought she would have fallen in love with him after with all that emotion flying around haha. Interesting night thats for sure.
Ruined the entire show. Some All Stars were worse than the newbies, but most were better. It’s so unfortunate that most of the time I could not tell who the newbie was, which is really disappointing. It would have been wiser to keep the 20 Dancers and just let people vote for each person individually, then have the lowest votes for two men and women to be in the bottom. Likewise, they could have changed each partner each week. They don’t need the All Stars they make the show very confusing and quite ugly at times. Hope they go back to the original format in the fall, this season we won’t be watching any longer.