SYTYCD: Final 4 Revealed!

The finale is almost here and this year's Top 4 have finally been revealed: Kayla, Brandon, Jeanine and Evan. For my thoughts on tonight's show, check out the City Newspaper blog here.

SYTYCD: It's a Bird, It's a Plane — No! It's an Arabesque!

Last performance show before the Finale. And yet somehow, I'm still remarkably underwhelmed. Lil C was the guest judge tonight (ugh) and the routines on the whole were mediocre. There were a couple solid routines (particularly the disco one; more on that in a second), but I'm getting less and less invested in this competition. The crop of dancers this year have the best technique of any season so far, but the least star power. Even S1 was more entertaining (and that season practically put me to sleep).

Anyways, the final 3 guys kicked off the show with a Sonya jazz piece, which she described as "Willy Wonka-esque". I was pumped for it since I'm a big fan of the original movie (the Johnny Depp remake, not so much) and it didn't disappoint. The routine, set to "True Romance" by She Wants Revenge, had lots of great quirky, sharp movements. I love it when they put the guys together in routines because they can be rougher with each other — at one point Evan and Ade launched (and I mean LAUNCHED) Brandon into the air and at another point, they did simultaneous standing back tucks. Awesome. Lil C started spewing his bullshit saying he wanted to see Ade & Brandon dance together since the beginning. He then continued to shit all over Evan, "commending" him for not getting swallowed by the "dominating excellence" of Ade and Brandon. Evan's performances the last few weeks haven't been the strongest (he probably should have gotten the boot two or three weeks ago), but he did some great stuff in that routine. Lil C's comments were nothing more than a veiled attack on him. I don't mind the judges critiquing the dancers (that's why they're there), but all I ask is that they critique all the dancers equally. Mary and Nigel gave ALL the boys good critiques and Nigel stood up for Evan, saying he stood out in the routine for him and that they all danced it brilliantly.

Jeanine & Ade got a samba by Louis Van Amstel to "LoveGame" by Lady Gaga. Hated the song, lukewarm about the routine. Jeanine was very clearly the star of the number. She threw her be-feathered butt (bad costuming) into the routine — her hip swivels were sexy as hell and her fast footwork was genius. But Ade's poor, lofty technique and ridiculously goofy grin held the routine back. The judges' remarks mostly focused on Ade's lackluster performance, and rightly so, but poor Jeanine got left in the dust. After their next routine though (more on that in a minute), Mary gave Jeanine high praise for the samba and even put her on the train (I think).

First solo performance was Kayla. A lot of her movements lacked the usual grace we see in her performances. It wasn't bad, but it still wasn't as great as most of her other work. I love her — as far as I'm concerned, she hasn't taken a wrong step in the competition — but I am worried for her. America hasn't latched on to her, which I don't get, and I think she could be in serious trouble come tomorrow night.

Melissa & Evan (Broadway by Tyce DiOrio) to "Get Me to the Church on Time" from "My Far Lady". Evan was the groom who overslept and Melissa was frantically trying to get him ready. It was silly and campy and just a lot of fun. A thoroughly enjoyable performance. Evan owned the routine, but Melissa might as well have not been there. I barely noticed her. It wasn't very technically demanding, but it had loads of personality and goofy faces — something Evan excels at. Not my favorite routine of the night, but certainly decent. Lil C slammed Evan again, saying he danced it well, but that he wasn't "shooting for excellence." Will someone call out Lil C for his obvious beef against Evan? Nigel stepped up and defended the poor kid again, saying it wasn't technically brilliant (eh, it was a typical crappy Tyce B'way number), but that it required a lot of energy and Evan did well.

Next solo was Ade. He's got good height on his jumps and did a few pirouettes, but most of his movements feel super-spastic to me. I mean there's such thing as sharp choreography and even popping, but he just looks like he's having a seizure on stage. I hate him (and his stupid pick). I hope he goes home tomorrow.

Kayla & Brandon (contemporary by Stacey Tookey) to "All I Want' by Ahn Trio. I was SO excited for this partnership — these two are probably my favorite dancers left in the competition at this point. It was about a married man (Brandon) and his mistress (Kayla). For the story line they were given, it was surprisingly classy. It was still passionate and sexy as hell, but absolutely beautiful to watch. Kayla's lines and extension have always been brilliant, but this time she had a partner (Brandon) who could match it. I got chills. On top of that, there were some magnificent lifts that Brandon made look effortless. Genius. The judges loved it and Mary said both of them were still on the Hot Tamale Train. She even said Kayla was perfection. Wow.

Next to perform a solo was Melissa. It was probably the weakest solo I've ever seen her do (and her solos, let's be honest, haven't been the strongest or the most memorable). She spent the first 10 of her 30 second solo just standing their and (unconvincingly) flirting with the camera. The rest of the routine consisted of 1 leap, a few half-hearted twirls and some more camera-mugging time. Extremely disappointing, especially from such a typically talented and beautiful dancer.

Jeanine & Ade got hip-hip with TabNap to "Move" by MIMS for their second routine. It was about two friends that were getting evicted from their apartment. I don't know where they get all their ideas, but I'm glad they do. They came out with their stank faces on and did an okay job of hitting it (at least in the beginning). The routine included some tricky, but fun choreography — at one point Jeanine had to do some double-dutch like jumping in between Ade's legs, which he was moving in and out — and the ending was adorable (they both put some of the boxes they had been maneuvering on their heads, this time with sad faces drawn on them). But I still felt it was lacking. I felt like Jeanine was, once again, really trying and throwing herself into the routine, but Ade was just along for the ride. The two of them even fell noticeably out of sync towards the end of the routine. The judges were practically salivating over the routine (sometimes I swear we've been watching different performances), and said Ade was great. NO! No, no, no, no! Blech!

Solo time again: for Brandon this time. This guy knows what it means to dance for his life. He did the same routine he initially auditioned with, which was so good it put Mary in hysterics. The music was dynamic ("O Fortuna"), he had quite a few spectacular tricks, including one that was pretty much a belly flop (with a much more graceful, controlled landing), and just great musicality. He got a standing ovation from the judges and Nigel even called it one of the best solos in the show's history. The black spanky pants aside, I would pretty much agree.

Melissa & Evan got the dreaded quickstep with Louis again to "As Long as I'm Singin'" by the Brian Setzer Orchestra. Evan was more alive in this routine than he's been in weeks. Again, Melissa was kind of just there. When I actually did notice her, it was because her technique seemed off for the quickstep. The routine had lots of energy at the start, kind of lost it in the middle, and kinda-sorta-not-really picked up again towards the end. Once again, Lil C picked on Evan and made a snide comment about his height ("you didn't dance as big as I wanted you to"). What a piece of shit. Mary said it started strong, but fizzled after that and I can see that. Nigel said it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't one of the stronger routines of the night. It wasn't the best of the night, but I thought it was at least fun and definitely more than adequate from the pair of them.

Jeanine's solo was good, as usual. And that's my problem with her. She certainly has the technique of a competition dancer, lovely extension and decent musicality, but I feel like it's a "Groundhog's Day" moment whenever she does her solos. It's always the same kind of stuff. So uninspiring. I want more from these dancers!

Evan's solo was filled with all his usual fun B'way stuff, but he added a buttload of flips at the beginning (I had no idea he could do that!) and some beautiful pirouettes. It wasn't the best solo we've ever seen, but it's certainly stronger than the rest of his solos and most of the other dancers' solos this season.

Kayla & Brandon did a disco by Doriana Sanchez to "Dance" by Sylvester for their second routine. All I can say is Da-hamn! They had flips, they had lifts, they had personality up the wazoo. It was just amazing to watch. The pair of them had lots of fun with it and made it look effortless, even though I'm sure it wasn't. Kayla was shaking it all over the place and showed off her flexibility when she did a split and Brandon picked her up, flipped her upside-down and lifted her over his head. At another point, Brandon threw Kayla into a death drop, then she got up and threw him into a death drop. AMAZING. There were a ton of great moments in that piece; definitely my favorite number of the night. Lil C started blathering on again, but it was worse than usual this time. Some crap about seeing music with your ears, finding the darkness in the pockets of the music. Kill me. Kill me now! Such utter crap. How the hell is this guy still on the show at this point?! He's such a joke. He's killing the show's credibility. Although, luckily, he hasn't choreographed a single routine this year, which hopefully means Nigel & the team already had a contract with him for this season and were stuck with him, but might get rid of him for S6 (*fingers crossed!*)

The last number of the evening was also choreographed by Sonya and it was all about girl power — super girl power that is. I'm all for superheroes and I wanted to love the routine, but ended up just liking it. It was alright, but not stellar. Between the costumes and the movements, the whole thing had a very 80s vibe to it. The boys' number was better tonight. Lil C offered another piece of dookie advice: "I thought you danced it amazingly, but I wanted you to dance more amazingly". To quote Hermione in the first HP movie: "What. An. Idiot." Mary said Kayla stood out (and she did, along with Jeanine. Melissa might as well have been the invisible superhero). Nigel tried to pull a Mary, starting off with a sort of somber tone, then jumping up, shrieking and frolicking like a little girl. I nearly died of laughter. Then he gave a shout out to Jeanine's boobs ("You can't tie down talent") because her costume included a laced up/semi-open bodice. I didn't even notice that about her outfit until he said it. I actually felt embarrassed for Jeanine. That comment was totally uncalled for and unnecessary. I usually love Nigel's comments (they're pretty spot-on), but that crossed the line.

My ideal final four: Brandon, Evan, Kayla and Jeanine. I'd like to see Melissa and Ade go home tonight. Let me explain.

Brandon and Kayla should be obvious: they've got arguably the strongest technique of any of the dancers left and have done some of the best performances of the season. They should be shoe-ins, although I am worried for Kayla. I love her to death and she's probably the only one I'd really like to see win the show at this point, but America doesn't seem to have latched on to her.

Now, I love Evan. I think he's a great dancer and adorable as hell. BUT he shouldn't still be in the competition. I've wanted to defend him all summer, but he has been one note the whole time: comic, fun, Broadway guy. Granted, he's very good at it, but in this competition, that's just not enough.

That being said, plus the fact that Evan is still here, I'd much rather see him in the F4 over Ade. The fact that Ade's still here is such a joke to me. He's a clumsy dancer with a weighty style, a dopey grin and a redonkulous-looking pick. Can't. Stand. Him. The only reason he made it to the Top 10 was because of Melissa. She carried his ass the whole way through. I'm completely baffled as to why he's still here.

Although the Top 10 guys on the whole were some of the weakest we've seen in this competition ever. Oh how I long for the days of S3 & S4 ... times when I was actually sad to see the dancers go, even some of the early eliminations (Hok, Jesus, Anya in S3; Rayven, Chelsea T. and Kourtni L in S4). I couldn't any be less invested in this competition right now.

At this point, I've almost given up on the entire season. Let's just toast to S6 and pray that it's better than this one.

SYTYCD: Happy Centennial!

It was a big week for the "So You Think You Can Dance" franchise, as the show aired its 99th (Wednesday) and 100th (Thursday) episodes. I didn't have a chance to write up a review of the Wednesday performances (for that, check out the City newspaper entertainment blog by Eric Rezsnyak here), but I did write up the big 100th episode extravaganza (if you can call it that) for City -- follow the link here.

Happy Centennial "SYTYCD". Here's to another 100 episodes!

The ugly truth about, well, "The Ugly Truth"

Hi, my name is Kathy and I'm a romantic comedies addict ("Hiiiii, Kathy"). They're cheesy, formulaic, and generally filled with poorly written dialogue and outrageous situations that movie buffs won't go near with a 10' pole. But I don't usually mind. They're mind-numbingly simple, but entertaining nonetheless, and generally have a decent eye-candy factor me and my girlfriends to ogle at for an hour and a half. And even though "The Ugly Truth" (out in theaters this Friday) is filled with all the usual hogwash that I love, there's nothing more to it than we've seen in the TV trailers for the past month or so.

The premise is totally predictable: Sacramento TV news producer Abby Richter (Katherine Heigl, "Knocked Up" and "Grey's Anatomy") is a neurotic workaholic who's hopeless in love, despite the fact that she's drop-dead gorgeous. Riiiight. Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler, "300") hosts a foul-mouthed, chauvinist TV show about relationships called "The Ugly Truth." And when network execs bring Mike in to spice up their morning show, he and Abby start butting heads constantly (duh). Convinced he knows more about dating than Abby, Mike offers to help her get her new, hunky neighbor, Colin (Eric Winter), but in the process (spoiler alert for anyone with half a brain, or anyone who hasn't seen the trailer) ends up falling for her.

Now, I could make any number of witty remarks here, but that would require me to employ more humor than is exhibited throughout the entire movie. With the exception of a few memorable scenes - most notably one involving a business dinner and vibrating panties - I barely chuckled during the screening. The ugly truth about this movie is that it's little more than a snarky, double-entendre-filled battle-of-the-sexes. Walking into the movie, I knew exactly what was going to happen and fully expected the usual fluff, but I was hoping for more comedy than I had already seen in the previews. And there simply wasn't. Rather than 100 minutes of non-stop hilarity, it was a painfully mediocre romantic comedy - and that's saying something.

At the end of the flick, Abby asks Mike why he loves her. "Fuck if I know," he replies. My thoughts exactly. Heigl's character is barely likeable, let alone dateable or even believable. The idea of a woman being so austere and out-of-touch with dating standards (Abby's idea of online foreplay includes a background check and peek at her date's credit score) is unimaginative. And the fact that such an overly exaggerated character was dreamt up by three female writers is even more disheartening. Newcomer Nicole Eastman teamed up with Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith ("Legally Blonde") to create a cast full of distorted stereotypes.

Between the complete lack of romance (I couldn't even conjure up a memorable, sexy scene to include in this review) and the less-than-impressive quality and amount of comedy, it's not worth the eight or nine bucks you'd have to spend to see it on the big screen.

"The Ugly Truth"
(R), directed by Robert Luketic
Begins Friday, July 24

And That's the Way He Was

Walter Cronkite, a man who pioneered the role of a television journalist with such ease and grace that he was known to many viewers as the most trusted man in America, passed away today at the age of 92, according to CBS News.

For nearly 2 decades, viewers were comforted by Cronkite's straightforward delivery of some of the biggest news stories of a generation — the Civil Rights movement, Watergate, and, perhaps most memorably, the Vietnam War. But the talented reporter was a reluctant star and desperately clung to the journalist's creed of objectivity as strongly as he could.

“I am a news presenter, a news broadcaster, an anchorman, a managing editor — not a commentator or analyst,” he said in an interview with The Christian Science Monitor in 1973. “I feel no compulsion to be a pundit.”

But it was that undying devotion to a lack of bias that made his opinion so powerful and so valued by many. I'm sure millions will never forget his exclamation of "Oh boy!" when Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon in 1969, when he shed a tear while reporting President John F. Kennedy's death, or when he stepped out from behind his desk, pointed to the map of Vietnam and said the war was clearly not working.

Sadly, I was born too late to experience the wonder of his nightly news broadcasts. Nonetheless, he'll be fondly remembered by us J-Schoolers as Uncle Cronkite and as one of the best examples of an honest-to-God reporter.

SYTYCD: Ladies' Night

I know I didn't blog Wednesday night's performance show (sorry, I was just exhausted), but I did review last night's results show on the City Entertainment blog again. Check it out here.

I'll definitely be blogging next week (it's the 99th & 100th episodes), so look for those on Wednesday and Thursday.

SYTYCD: Breaking the Breaker

As promised, here's the link to my thoughts on tonight's results show on the City Newspaper entertainment blog: click here. Enjoy!

SYTYCD: Pipe Down, Ya' English Muffin

Last performance show before the Top 10 are revealed!!! Anybody else as excited as I am?

Tonight's guest judge was Tyce DiOrio, which was fine by me. That's where he belongs – on the judging panel. He’s always a hilarious super-bitch with his critiques and I love it. Plus it means we don’t have to watch any of his crappy routines. Huzzah!

Each of the couples danced two routines this week, so this is gonna be a long post (bear with me).

Melissa & Ade’s first routine was a disco routine by Doriana to ‘Move on Up’. They started off with great energy, but it quickly became dirge-ish. The routine was chuck-full of lifts, which were the best part of the routine to me. My favorite was when Melissa kicked her leg up to her chin, and Ade basically threw her over his head horizontally. The judges all loved it.

Kayla & Kupono started off the evening with a Mia Michaels contemporary routine to “Gravity” by Sara Bareilles. The dance was about addiction – Kupono was the addiction and Kayla was the addict. Genius idea, Mia. It such a powerful routine – both of them committed 100 percent to the concept. Kupono was downright creepy (which was the point) and stole the performance from Kayla for once, I think. But she was great too. Do I smell another Emmy for Mia Michaels?

Caitlin & Jason’s first routine was a fox trot to “Minnie the Moocher” by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. It was a jazzy, American style fox trot and it was alright. Not bad, not great, just okay. Jason’s carriage wasn’t as strong as it needed to be, but Caitlin pulled him through the routine. Her extension (as always) were great, and she was perfectly suited for this fluid routine.

Jeanine & Phillip pulled Russian Folk Dance, which they’re apparently bringing back to the show (they did this style before?). Watching the rehearsals, I was downright scared for these two and I was right to be. Phillip really dragged Jeanine down – his leaps were weak, and he always felt out of sync to me. It was painful to watch. The routine really slowed down about 10 seconds in, and I think that could hurt them in the vote, although the judges gave them mixed reviews, so we’ll see.

Randi & Evan got a hip-hop routine by TabNap to “Halo”. The concept was that Randi was pregnant and they were going to get engaged. I was beyond nervous to see Evan do hip-hop, but he really surprised me. The routine was perfect for them – hard hitting, in-sync and lots of personality. They also pulled off some amazing lifts, which was especially great because, hey, how often do you really see strong lifts in hip-hop? Love TabNap. Love Randi & Evan.

Janette & Brandon’s first routine was an Argentine tango by Miriam Larici and Leonardo deMarco to "Libertango". Janette looked sexy as hell, and her dancing was amazing too. Her footwork was flawless and she completely committed to the routine. I barely noticed Brandon for the first half of the routine, but he stepped it up with his fast footwork and some amazing lifts (which are seemingly effortless for him). The only problem: they lacked serious chemistry. Janette gave it her all, but Brandon didn’t even try. Disappointing. The judges gave them a standing ovation (a bit much), Tyce made some ridiculous metaphor about orange juice and Mary put them on the train. Woo-woo!

Melissa & Ade’s second routine was a waltz by Ron Montez to “Natural Woman” by Mary J. Blige. It was fluid, graceful and just beautiful. Melissa makes everything look effortless, and Ade’s been growing on me. His technique still isn’t as strong as I’d like it to be, but he’s getting better. I guess Melissa is rubbing off on him.

Kayla & Kupono danced Broadway by Joey Dowling to "The Dance at the Gym" from "West Side Story” for their second number. The music really put me off – I love WSS, but the song selection was all wrong for this piece. That song is powerful and spicy and their routine simply wasn’t. Kayla really threw herself into it, but Kupono (as usual) was just kind of along for the ride. Not one of their better routines, but the judges gave them mixed reviews.

Caitlin & Jason got a lyrical jazz number with Mandy Moore to “Show Me Heaven”. The routine started off slow, but things picked up a bit after the first minute or so. The routine had some great sharp kicks, lots of chemistry and was remarkably in sync. Jason was practically ignoring Caitlin though. He always plays too much to the audience, completely disadvantaging his partner.

Jeanine & Phillip did a jive to "Stuff Like That There" for their second routine. The whole routine felt lackluster to me, and wasn’t particularly dynamic either. Jeanine threw herself into it, but, as always, Phillip was just lagging behind. I’d like to see her make the Top 10 so she can have a chance with a new partner. She could really emerge as a threat I think. The judges were pretty easy on them and Jeanine even made it onto Mary’s train.

Randi & Evan’s second routine was a samba with Pasha and Anya from S3 to "Ritmo de Bom Bom". Strong start to the number with this amazing flippy, throw thing (sorry, I really can’t explain it). They danced the routine well technically (as always) and Randi was sexy as hell, but Evan wasn’t totally there. I mean he was, but not in the strong leading man kind of way. If he wants to survive in this competition he needs to learn how to be strong like bull, not cute like puppy. They’re still some of my favorite dancers and I really hope they make it to the Top 10. Nigel said the routine wasn't as hot as he would have liked it. Mary referred to it as a "slow sizzle,” and put Randi on the train too.

Janette & Brandon finished off the night with a Wade Robson jazz routine to “Ruby Blue” by Roíson Murphy. I love Wade Robson’s routines, and this one was no exception. Janette & Brandon were supposed to be burglars – Janette as the go get ‘em type and Brandon as the more calculating type – and it came through perfectly. They started off on top of the steps and came down with some great freeze-frame moments. They were so in-sync it was almost scary. The routine had loads of personality and was easily one of my favorites of the night.

Phew! Okay, I think that's it.

Bottom 3 Predictions: This is tough, since half of the couples will be in the bottom. Phillip & Jeanine will probably be in trouble (both their routines were pretty lackluster) and Caitlin & Jason will end up there by default. They’re not the most exciting dancers and don’t really seem to have a strong voting bloc. I think the last spot is a toss-up (although all of them pretty much are). Kayla & Kupono might land in the bottom. It seems like the audiences haven’t really warmed to them, although their ‘addiction’ routine was brilliant and it just might save them. Randi & Evan might be in trouble too because of the judges’ lukewarm reactions to their samba, but I really hope they survive til next week.

I guess we’ll see. I’ll be blogging about tonight’s results show over on City Newspaper’s entertainment blog (I’ll post the link in a later post). Anybody else as excited as I am for this year’s Top 10?!

SYTYCD: Farewell Forgetables

Tonight's show started off with a group number to some song from "The Wiz" (I didn't catch what it was). It started with the dancers standing behind a giant picture frame (ooookay?). Then they sprung to life and the shit hit the fan. The routine was busy and clumsy – the dancers were all over the place. I didn't like it and no surprise, it was a Tyce DiOrio number. That guy always gives us such crap. Nigel gave him the usual tongue bath (when will the producers realize he's a sophomoric, hack choreographer at best?)

Anyways, onto the results. First two couples: Karla & Vitolio and Randi & Evan. I thought both couples would be in trouble tonight, but apparently one was safe. Karla & Vitolio didn't do a bad job last night given the circumstances (new couple, tough genre, pretty technique-heavy routine), but it certainly wasn't strong. And I really don't care about them – they're SO BORING! And I love Randi & Evan – they're strong dancers and totally adorable, but always unfairly over-critiqued by the judges. But they're safe! YAY!

Next three couples: Janette & Brandon, Kayla & Kupono and Melissa & Ade. I thought all three of them would be safe, but I guess one of the pairs is in danger. Janette & Brandon were über sexy in their cha-cha last night, and it's no surprise that they're safe. K squared had a pretty dark Sonya jazz routine, but it had to do with vampires, so I thought for sure the tween Twilight audience members would come out in droves for them. Melissa & Ade were absolutely amazing in their classical 'Romeo & Juliet' ballet routine, but young voters might not get the beauty of ballet (although Katee & William got tons of votes & praise for their pas de deux last season). Aaaand ... Melissa & Ade are safe, Kayla & Kupono are in the Bottom 3. Mia said K&K's number was the best of the night – I disagree, but it was good – but hopefully at least Kayla will survive unscathed.

That left us with Jason & Caitlin and Phillip & Jeanine as the last two couples, with seemingly predictable results. Phillip's got a huge voting bloc that has saved him and Jeanine after some pretty dreadful routines (Broadway and Tango) the past couple weeks and Caitlin & Jason's routine last night was really weird and they don't seem to have a strong fan base. But somehow Phillip & Jeanine landed in the bottom and Caitlin & Jason survived to see another week. My reaction was the same as Caitlin's ... What?! I know I complained about Phillip getting by unfairly because of his strong fan base so far, but I definitely didn't think they deserved to be in the bottom based on their hip-hop routine last night. On the plus side, this was an opportunity for Phillip to show off, which I can't say I mind.

Then it was time for another performance from "The World of Dance". Usually I love this segment, but this week's performance (a ballet routine performed by Desmond Richardson and Patricia Hachey) left me a bit disappointed. The ballet was fine (although the costumes were a bit distracting), but it looked like Patricia slipped at one point (did anyone else see that?) and I actually liked Melissa & Ade's ballet last night better.

Solo time. Karla was up first and I'm pretty sure she did the same routine she did for her audition and for her solo last week (has anyone else noticed this?). She's never impressed me with her dancing and doing the same tired routine is very uninspiring. Vitolio's solo had some great leaps and good control, but his personality is just non-existent when he performs. He's got an adorable accent during his interviews, but he's dullsville when he dances. Urgh. Kayla was next and did a more-than-adequate, but slightly lackluster routine. Her technique is great, but I think she took the judges' critiques too much to heart (a few weeks ago, Nigel told her that her routine was too busy and it seemed like she was trying too hard). She's one of the judges' favorites (and mine too), so I doubt she's going anywhere. Kupono's solo basically involved him doing a few lunges, but that was it. He pretty much just stood there. Poor life choice, Kupono, poor life choice. Jeanine was next and did a lovely solo with lots of great extensions that showed off her lines, some perfect pirouettes and leaps. She's becoming one of my favorites in this competition and I'd like to see her with a different partner. Although based off his routine with her last night and his solo tonight, Phillip isn't going anywhere. He did his thing and his solo was filled with great popping and comedy. Plus the judges love him. He should be fine too.

Then, KELLY CLARKSON! It was nice to see an American Idol on So You Think You Can Dance. I think her top was a bit unflattering, but her performance of "I Will Not Hook Up" was great. I wish this song was a bigger hit – I've had it on my iPod for about a month (since I blogged about it) and it's one of my top played songs. And take a note "pop stars": she sang every note LIVE and it sounded great. Love her.

Results time: The judges were unanimous in their decision for the girls. Nigel told Jeanine she had the strongest solo of the night (I'd agree) and that she's safe for another week. Huzzah! Then Nigel told Kayla her solo was stagnant and I can see that, but I don't think she deserves to go home – this girl's a star. Karla got rebuked for her lack of star quality and was cut. Can't same I'm surprised or disappointed at all.

Onto the guys, and again, the judges were unanimous. Phillip got called out first and was scolded for "overworking" his solo and for his less-than-great performances in previous weeks, but is safe. The judges said Vitolio had a great stage presence but no substance to his solo. Was I watching a different performance? I would say the complete opposite was true of his solo. Anyways, Nigel then told Kupono standing there wasn't going to cut it, but he got a pass to next week. I need to go gambling with this guy because he is SO LUCKY! I suspect he'll be in danger next week.

We're really whittling it down here and I think the remaining 12 dancers definitely deserve to be here. I have a feeling Caitlin & Jason will be in trouble and Kupono as well. But it's strong pack this year and anything can happen. Still, I think it'll be tough for the judges to pick the Top 10, which happens next week! Can't wait!

SYTYCD: The Dancing Condom

Ah, another Wednesday. Time again for my “So You Think You Can Dance” mid-week pick-me-up.

Mia Michaels was the guest judge this week and I was SO ready for her to be über-bitchy about the dancers. Instead there was a ten-minute exchange between her and Cat about whether or not she had warmed to any of the dancers (cough – Brandon – cough cough) and it was nothing short of obnoxious. Mia tried to claim she was only hard on Brandon before because she saw his incredible potential and wanted him to grow. Bull. Shit. Cue the tapes of her being utterly hostile toward the guy. Ugh. Let’s hope she’s better tonight.

On top of that, this week’s show was still two hours long when it easily could have been whittled down to an hour and a half. In their mini-video segments this week, the dancers recapped their last 3 weeks in the competition. Are the producers of this show that lazy? Are the contestants that boring? Come up with something. Please.

Alright, onto the dancing!

Janette and Brandon danced a cha-cha by Jean Marc and France to “Hush Hush, Hush Hush” by PCD and it was sex-ay! Janette tore up the dance floor in her skimpy, sparkly hot pink outfit. Even though the cha-cha is closer to her style (salsa), she still exceeded expectations and really blew the roof off the joint. Brandon was definitely adequate, but at times was overshadowed by Janette. There were a couple times when he was playing to the camera instead of his partner, but overall the chemistry was there and it added to this already spicy routine. They got great reviews from the judges, including two first class tickets on the Hot Tamale train from Mary, and should have no trouble making it to next week’s show.

Kayla and Kupono got a contemporary routine by Sonya to “Eyes on Fire”. It was supposed to be a vampire love story (I’m sure all the tween Twilight fans in the audience peed themselves). For once, I actually liked Sonya’s choreography and I think both of them did it justice, especially Kupono. He's actually growing on me, especially since he got paired with Kayla. Their extensions are just insane to me – their legs seem to go one for days – and their side-by-side leaps were brilliant. They also got great reviews from the judges.

Randi and Evan got a Broadway routine to "Rich Man's Frug" by Joey Dowling. Finally, we got to see Evan in his element and, in my opinion, he didn't disappoint. He started off the routine by doing a cartwheel on the table they had onstage that looked like slow-mo. It was crazy and must have taken a crazy amount of control. And that spiked hair was a great look for him (H-O-T, HOT!). Randi's costuming, unfortunately, didn't do the same for her; her dress made her look shorter and a bit thick (which is a shame because she's cute as a button). Both did a great job with the routine, but Evan really stole the spotlight this week. And somehow the judges didn't think so ... um, what? Sometimes I feel like the judges and I are watching two different routines. I'm worried they could land in the Bottom 3 this week because of the judges' lukewarm reaction to a brilliant routine.

Caitlin & Jason got a pop jazz routine by Brian Friedman to "Creator". Caitlin, who was dressed in a giant "leather condom" (as Nigel put it) with tinfoil Dino spikes, was supposed to be an alien who was coming for Jason to impregnate him. Yeah. They danced it well, but the routine was just ... bizarre. They got mixed reviews from the judges and I'm pretty sure they'll suffer a "WTF" reaction from the audience and land in the Bottom 3.

Jeanine and Phillip got hip-hop (again) with TabNap to "Love Lockdown" – and it really was a lockdown, as the two were chained together by the ankles. That just has slip-up written all over it. But they pulled it off and had some strong popping and great sharp, in-sync movements. I was a little distracted by the "chain-ography" (as Mia put it), but it was still a very cool, well-danced routine. I am kind of annoyed Phillip is still here (he's been skating by because of his strong fan-base), but they deserve to stay this week.

Melissa and Ade performed a pas de deux by Thordal Christensen to "Romeo and Juliet" and it was absolutely stunning. It was so nice to see Melissa on pointe and totally in her element. She made the routine just look effortless, which is tough to do with ballet (you really can't fake it). Ade's technique wasn't quite there, but Melissa more than made up for it. I can only hope America appreciates how absolutely beautiful it was.

Karla and Vitolio got a quickstep to "Puttin' on the Ritz". My initial thought: Train. Wreck. The odds were definitely against them: they're new partners this week, they're the most BORING people on this show, they're some of the weaker dancers and they pulled the quickstep. The routine itself was good and there were a few cool moments – at one point, Vitolio spun Karla around and her black and white frumpy frock turned into a flowy pink and orange gown – but the whole dance felt heavy. They weren't nearly as bouncy as they should have been, and that can ruin any good quickstep. They got pretty decent reviews from the judges though (oooookay?)

Bottom 3 Predictions: Karla & Vitolio probably (they're boring and not particularly memorable), but the other two spots are toss-ups. It's a tough call 'cause no one really bombed last night. I am worried for Randi & Evan because of the judges’ mediocre comments. They don't deserve to go home though, especially not based off of last night's routine. I'm pretty sure Caitlin & Jason will suffer from a "WTF" and will round out the Bottom 3. Plus, they don't seem to have the strong voting bloc some of the other dancers do. I'd like to see Karla & Vitolio go, but I wouldn't be too disappointed to see Caitlin & Jason go.