Simple Man Entertainment

Hi there! Glad to see you back at Simple Man Entertainment. Last night the top 14 dancers performed on So You Think You Can Dance, and we are here to give you a recap of the show, and of course our thoughts on the show as well.

Judging the show was of course Nigel and Mary, the permanent judges, and joining them last night was Mia Michaels, Emmy award winning choreographer. Before the show got to the dancers, Mia had to "eat crow" and admit that she had been wrong about Brandon in the beginning, where she had said he had yet to impress her. I was happy to see that he had brought it out and proved her wrong.

Starting out the show, Brandon and Janette were up first with a Cha Cha routine, choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux. HOT! That pretty much sums up this routine. They had the steps right, the chemistry about set the floor on fire, and they had the crowd as well. They danced the routine to "Hush Hush; Hush Hush" by the Pussycat Dolls, and it was incredible. Nigel called it the "best damn Cha Cha I've ever seen on the show" and said that Brandon was the "Michelangelo of the dance floor." Mary was definitely a fan, screaming multiple times and putting them on the "hot tamale train." Mia said that Brandon had "so much ability and potential," that "Miami should be proud" of Janette, and that the routine was "on fire." That pretty much summed it up!

Next up were Kupono and Kayla. They were dancing a contemporary piece choreographed by Sonjia. They danced to "Eyes on Fire" by Blue Foundation. I found it to be a unique and beautiful piece. It was a feisty and "dark" routine I felt, and they pulled it off well. Although I didn't feel it was one of the top routines of the night, they did a great job, and as always, Kayla just hit it. I think she makes any routine look good, no matter how strange it seems. Nigel called the routine "great stuff" and commented that Kupono was finally "reaching your true potential." Mary said that the couple was "staying on the hot tamale train," and Mia gave Sonjia high praise, saying it was one of her "best pieces ever."

Evan and Randi took the stage next, dancing a Broadway routine, choreographed by Joey Dowling. I've never seen this choreographer on the show before, so I was interested to see what kind of routine she'd choreograph for the two. They danced to "Rich Man's Frug" by Sweet Charity, which was a groovy and interesting tune. The dance was fun and interesting, but they didn't really hit it. Nigel called it "terrific stuff" but I had to agree with Mary when she said that it "could have been a little bit brighter." Mia called it "great stuff" but didn't feel that they "didn't take it to that level" that she was expecting. Now I must throw in a personal note here. Although I too was expecting a bit more from them, I believe that part of their problem was the choreography. As was mentioned by Mia in the show, Joey, the choreographer, is 6 feet tall. When she dances, it is huge. I believe instead of choreographing for Randi and Evan, who are both small, she choreographed the way she would dance. I feel that this affected their performance, and for the first time I'm afraid for them, although I'm not really sure it is their fault.

With a Brian Freedman Pop Jazz routine, Jason and Caitlin were up next. They danced to "Creator" by Santigold. This routine was quite unique, to say the least. Caitlin was supposed to be an alien that had come to earth to procreate with the last living being - Jason. Not quite sure where Brian's mind comes up with these ideas…but okayyyyyy. I though Nigel summed it up well, saying it was "very weird." I agreed! Mary said that they "dug in well with their character" but that the routine "doesn't sit right with me." "I hope you won't be in trouble," Mary said, and I agree…they could be in trouble. On the other hand, Mia called it "refreshing" and said it was "out there and fun." I guess we'll see what America thought of the routine tonight!

Phillip and Jeanine managed to pull a Hip Hop routine from the hat again. The first hip hop they did was phenomenal, so I was excited about this routine. They were choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha, two of may favorite choreographers, and they danced to "Love Lockdown" by Kayne West. The prop they used for the dance was a chain. The routine was supposed to be about how it is to be a couple on So You Think You Can Dance. They are chained together and have to learn to work and perform together. Definitely a great story to tell with this dance. So they were dancing chained together, which after seeing rehearsals and how they fell and tripped on the chain, it had you holding your breath. They definitely pulled it off incredibly, and there wasn't even one problem with the chain. Nigel commented that he hoped the couple was "chained together for life" and he "love the end" where Phillip offered Jeanine the key to get unlocked, and she wouldn't take it. Beautiful! Mary found it "incredibly creative" and said they "brought it on." Mia felt that she was "caught up in 'chainography'" saying that the chain was distracting. I think the real problem was that since everyone had seen what had happened with the chain in rehearsals, it made you on edge that they would have a problem in the dance. This wasn't their fault though. It just got spoiled by seeing them working with the chain before hand.

Dancing the first ever Pas de Deux on the show, Ade and Melissa took the stage next. They were choreographed by a choreographer I've never seen on the show, Thordal Christensen. They danced to "Romeo & Juliet: Prokofiev's Suite," which was definitely appropriate, since they were supposed to be dancing as Romeo and Juliet. The dance was absolutely breathtaking. I found myself holding my breath throughout the routine because it was so beautiful. The judges loved it as well. Nigel called it a "big 1st" and said it was "beautifully dance." Mary "love it" and said that the "chemistry was flawless." Mia felt that she was watching a "fairy tale" and said it was "brilliant." Definitely one of the best routines of the evening.

Last of all, Vitolio and Karla were up, dancing a Quick Step. They were a new couple, since they lost their partners last week. Jean-Marc Genereux was their choreographer, and they found themselves nervous about this routine, since the Quick Step has often been referred to as the "kiss of death" on the show. They danced to "Puttin' on the Ritz" by Rufus Wainwright. I was impressed. I felt that this was the best performance that Vitolio has ever done. They both played wonderful characters and this was one of the best Quick Steps I've ever seen done on the show. Nigel "loved the choreography" and commented that Vitolio was "finally getting your personality out." Mary thought they "brought the whole thing to life." Mia commented that "Jean-Marc is a genius," said Vitolio "really did step up" and called Karla "gorgeous."

This show was incredible - probably the best yet. All of the dances were great, although my favorite routines of the night were performed by Brandon and Janette, Ade and Melissa, and Phillip and Jeanine. It was a great night.

Well, it's time for me to go…somehow these posts keep getting longer and longer. LOL. Let me leave you with one final thought: "Dance is the song of the body." -Martha Graham

Stay tuned…I'll be back in the morning with the results of the show! Enjoy the videos below.