And, here we are. We now have our top four dancers. Jeanine, Kayla, Brandon or Evan will battle it out next week for the title of America’s favorite dancer. Here’s what we’ve learned about next week’s two-part finale from a Fox press release:

Final four dancers going to the finale.

“Two-hour live finale will feature performances by this season’s Top 20 dancers, Hip Hop dance team The Rage Boyz Crew and Talia Fowler, winner of Season Two of So You Think You Can Dance Australia. The celebration will also showcase encore performances of the Judges’ favorite routines.”

(More on last night’s show after the jump)
Read the full story

We’re in the final stretch. In one week we will know who is America’s favorite dancer.

The top 6 perform boy/girl group dances, two couples routines with new partners, and a solo. And the guy and girl with the least votes go home…harsh, sooooo close to the final.

Our guest judge is Lil C. We gotta give him a little tough love here and ask him to shut it for a bit. We like it better with lower word count and a higher density of intermediate vocabulary words. Now he’s pandering by being needlessly verbose. We love you, Lil C, but we need a break.

Welcome…to soyouthinkyoukindance!

Top 3 girls perform a superhero routine

Read the full story

Whereas we’ve been bemoaning that the performance nights have been dragged out lately and should just be condensed into 60-90 minutes, we actually wished that last night’s 100th episode were, in fact, two hours.

The three special performances were great, but we wanted to relive more past favorites: Donyelle and Benji without zombie makeup, Sabra and Neil’s 80′s “Table” routine, Katee and Joshua’s Bollywood…or, really, anything with them! We wanted the four past champions dancing together. We wanted a “Where Are They Now?” montage.

Katie Holmes performs a homage to Judy Garland's "Get Happy"

We would have taken any of those over Katie Holmes’ pre-taped, lip-synced, self-promoting deal. She can carry a tune, but Tyce gave her choreography a 5-year-old could master. (I wasn’t wowed. And I wanted WOW. -M.) Fans of the show deserved better.
Read the full story

We’re just a couple weeks away from the two-night finale. Between now and then, we must narrow the field.

The top 8 perform a group routine, two couples routines with new partners, and a solo. And the guy and girl with the least votes go home (until the tour…tickets on sale this weekend!).

Our guest judges are Mia Michaels and super special guest Ellen Degeneres!

Welcome…to soyouthinkyoukindance!

Travis Wall's futuristic rave party

Fashion Cat! critique
Gold lamé and chic are not usually used in the same sentence, but our lovely Cat pulls it off. The color continuity with the shoes and minimal accessory choice of just a cuff and bangle makes her look like a golden Greek goddess (along with a spray tan session, natch). Also, the clever, asymmetrical ruching gives her usually lanky frame some curves.

Group routine
Travis is back to choreograph a futuristic “rave party” jazz number. The costumes are way cool, with armbands, chest pieces, skirts, goggles and even finger and toe ornaments that light up. The studio lights go off at the end to show off all the costume lights. Nigel calls it “very Lady Gaga.” We think he means that in a good way. Ellen jokes about conceptualizing the outfits with the wardrobe department. Grade: B+

Couples performances
Evan and Janette should make and interesting pair.  So far, she’s awesome at everything, and he’s great at his own style, while adequate at others. Plus, he’s so soft-spoken, and she is…well, the opposite.

First, they get Jazz with Sonya Tayeh (yay!). That means it’ll be quirky and challenging, featuring funky leg positions, lifts and possibly some galloping. Janette rocks a strappy black bodysuit and, as Mary says, she can’t take a wrong step. Mia thinks Evan makes “a step in the right direction,” but because he’s so adorable, he “will never be a dark, twisted freakish dancer that Sonya requires.” This is both a criticism and a compliment, so…do with that what you will, Evan. Mia also calls Janette her “favorite, favorite, favorite this season.” Wow. Grade: B.

(The rest of the couples, plus solos and the quote of the night poll, after the jump.)
Read the full story

The excitement’s been building for weeks, and it’s finally here: The 100th episode of the Little Summer Dance Show That Could.

In addition to revealing last night’s vote results (and performing the necessary elimination drudgery), tonight’s show will bring us numerous performances and surprises that have been touted, as, well, nothing short of SPECIAL!

The most anticipated and publicized number is Katie Holmes’ tribute to Judy Garland. She’s reported to be backed up by several male dancers in a song-and-dance piece to Get Happy. This oughta be good. Or, just delightfully bad. What’s your prediction?

 Loading ...

Hok and Jaimie in Wade's Hummingbird routine in Season 3.

Favorite routines from past seasons include the Emmy-winning Bench routine with Travis Wall and Heidi Groskreutz, and the Hummingbird number with Hok Konishi and Jaimie Goodwin (Hok = Hooray!). We’ll also see the Ramalama group routine by Wade Robson, according to a sneak peak video shown during last night’s performance show. It sounds like Wade himself will join the crew and dance. If the other numbers shown quickly in the clip are any indication (they better be, dangit), then we’ll get to relive the awesome joy that was Joshua and Katee’s Bollywood. (Also, I’m praying for ANYTHING reuniting my favorite couple evaaar, Benji Schwimmer and Donyelle Jones. – M.)

We also hope (and expect) to see all previous winners: Nick Lazzarini, the aforementioned lovable Benji, Sabra Johnson and Joshua Allen.

We wanted to show you the preview clip from last night’s show, but it’s not yet posted official SYTYCD site (Google search didn’t turn it up either). But, we did find this clip from “Good Day L.A.” They interviewed Nigel on the set the other day, and you get to see dancers, choreographers, and cake:

Which past contestants and routines would you most like to see? Share your thoughts below, then tune in tomorrow for our recap.

Happy 100th, dance monkeys!

Last night’s results show left us sans two more dancers and a judge temporarily (Nigel was receiving an honorary degree from the University of Bedfordshire in England), but provided the following details: Ellen DeGeneres will guest judge next week and Katie Holmes will perform results night to commemorate the show’s 100th episode (which we reported in an earlier post).

The best news was that SYTYCD received four Emmy nominations for choreography: Mia Michaels for the doorway dance to “Mercy,” Tabitha and Napoleon‘s “Bleeding Love” dance (our fave of the group), Tyce DiOrio‘s dance to “Silence” and Dmitry Chaplin‘s tango to “A Los Amigos”. YAY!

SYTYCD: Top 8

Here’s how the evening went down.
Read the full story

Finally, the Top 10! That means a lot of changes: New pairings, two group routines, solos from everyone, and your votes — not the judges’ opinions — determine who stays and who goes.

Bonus: Mama Bird (Debbie Allen) is back as guest judge.

Welcome…to soyouthinkyoucandance!

Fashion Cat! critique
Cute as ever in a kelly green cocktail dress. What’s up with that one rogue black pleat, though? The pointy black pumps make the whole thing a bit early 90s prom, but she looks good. Would’ve liked to see it punked up somehow, maybe with a pile of gold chains, a messy updo, and some metallic sandals and/or shoe jewelry.

Group numbers
We love the Bollywood genre, but now we think we like it better on this show when it’s a couple, not a group. The mustache masks on the back of their heads was a little…creepy, maybe? ‘Sup widdat, Nakul? Anyway, they all look beautiful, and the routine gets really, really fast toward the end but they keep the energy high.

African dance, after which Nigel calls Evan a "dancing milkshake."

The African dance by Jeffrey Page is a lot to take in. Nothing negative to say here, except that Evan looks like a drunk tourist, especially when they make him the pot-bellied comedy relief.

Both groups get props for learning something so…FAST, so quickly.

Couples dances
Ade and Janette: Well done, though not our fave hip hop from NappyTabs. The height difference and costumes are distracting — especially that icky peachy blazer, which kept you from seeing some of his movement. Also found their styles very different. She was very sharp, while he was more inherently funky and a little more laid back.
Read the full story

Ta-daa! We now have our Top Ten! Starting next week the power shifts to all of us to keep our favorite dancer in the competition. Breaking the couples up will expose the weak links and highlight those who were overshadowed by their partner.

Nigel sure had his hands full last night. First announcing that the Michael Jackson tribute was a no-go because the (evil) recording empire would not release the rights to use MJ’s music, then he swiftly eliminated a huge crowd favorite, only to turn around and hire him for the So You Think You Can Dance national tour….all this remind you, while celebrating his 60th birthday! Well played sir, well played.

SYTYCD: Top 10

Group performance

“We are a part of a rhythm nation!” Good job, we like it when the dancers can make full use of their performance area, pushing it out to the staircase, rafters, etc.

Fashion Cat critique

She’s rummaged through her vintage pieces again. A Grecian/60′s inspired shift dress with hella big keyhole detail. Whaddup with the minimal jewelery selection?  Well, except for the earrings…the last place you’d need a bauble considering the aforementioned size of the keyhole. (Get a gladiator or caged heel woman! Give the friggin’ strappy heels a rest. – G.)

(More recap after the jump.)

Read the full story

Our Top 12 dancers treat us to two routines per couple. One couple does double-awesome, while the rest get mixed reviews. But we all get to hear twice as many judges’ critiques (yay?)! Who’ll have the best quote of the night? How many swigs will we take?

Welcome…to soyouthingyoukindanz!

First things first

Nigel, Screechy and Tyce

Let’s get a few things out of the way up front:

1. Mary is much screechier than usual, YES SHE IS! Good GOD.
2. Tyce Diorio is the most awesome combo of Brooklyn Tough Guy and catty girl. And boy does he like the word “friggin.” And orange juice.
3. Russian folk dancing? Nyet.

Fashion Cat! critique
A classy, subdued, 1940s-inspired silhouette that flatters her long, lean frame. Very pretty lipstick — red without being garish. (Give me a call, Cat. I want to borrow those diamond bangles. – G.)

On to the couples…

Ade and Melissa: Can the ballerina do disco? Mostly. Very good at the lifts, but she looks rather tentative most of the time. And she falls on her butt at the end. But that’s easily forgiven by the judges. We see great lifts again in their Waltz, and Ade does some impressive turns. Both pieces are very good but could have been better.

It will be interesting to see them partnered with other people. They’ve benefited from ballroom and contemporary routines with a lot of lifts, which show his strength and her grace. But what will happen when they’re with other people and have to do Hip Hop or Broadway?

Can we also just ask…WHY do we have to insist on doing disco so often? It’s not like we get a variety of interpretations, since Doriana Sanchez is the only disco choreographer ever used. (Maybe she’s the only one still alive.)
Read the full story

Get funky with Lauren, Travis and Courtney…

The rhythm is gonna get ya, couch potatoes. If you haven’t taken advantage of the exercise option in our So You Think You Can Dance drinking game, put down yer snifter and grab your sweats.

Starting July 21, you can get in shape with popular finalists from previous seasons in two new DVDs called SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE: get fit, each offering three types of workouts and bonus interviews with the dancers.

On “Cardio Funk“, featuring Lauren Gottlieb, Courtney Galliano and Travis Wall (who’s hard to recognize in the cheesy cover photo; you know he had NOTHING to do with THAT outfit) you get:

o Introduction
o Warm-Up

Workouts
o Hip Hop – Lauren
o Contemporary – Travis
o Disco – Courtney
o Cardio Funk Bonus Workout
o Cool Down

Bonus Features:
o Interview with executive producer Nigel Lythgoe
o Interview with Lauren
o Interview with Travis
o Interview with Courtney

Read the full story