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- Qualified dancers from ballroom and ballet to salsa, jive and hip-hop all compete to be named the best.
- It's time for the Top 16 dancers to perform on "So You Think You Can Dance." Joining regular judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy are guest judge Lil C and celebrity guest Kristin Chenowith, who's putting out a country music album because, well, because that's what famous people do. To help fill two hours, er, to make things more interesting, host Cat Deeley explains that in addition to each couple's regular performances this week, the entire group has been split in half to perform two group routines. They won't be critiques, but the judges will take the dances into consideration when determining who stays and goes. The first of the group routines is a number choreographed by Tyce Diorio. Tonight, the dancers will talk about their first-ever performances, which will be accompanied by embarrassing childhood photos. Sasha & Alexander: Sasha tells us she was a tomboy and never hung out with girls, and her first performance as a child was portraying a frog. She now hates frogs. Alexander wore little bowties as a child, and his first performance was a tribute to "The Lion King" at his sixth birthday party. They get a Dee Caspary contemporary routine. Nigel tells Sasha she was "a tomboy frog who turned into a beautiful princess." He tells Alex he needs to work on his connection with the audience. Mary gives a moderate "I think you did," when answering her own question as to whether they pulled off the routine. Kristin tells Sasha she understands "the frog deal," explaining that she once played a tulip and a frog peed on her. She tells Sasha she doesn't hear a sound when she dances (which is a good thing) and that Alexander has great extensions ("and I'm not talking about the ones on my head.") Lil C throws a lot of big words around to tell them they are two really good dancers who pulled off a complicated routine. Caitlynn & Mitchell: Caitlynn loved playing in the dirt as a kid, but she was always dressed up. Her first performance was a "duck dance" in a funny blue and yellow get-up. Mitchell says he was a ham, always posing for pictures. He was a late bloomer, starting dance at 16, when he "killed" his first performance, playing Leroy in "Fame." Jean-Marc Genereux gives them a sexy samba. He tells them the power and voice of the samba is all in the hips and that's where the voice has to come out, "like speakers." Mary says her ears are ringing because "all the speakers have just been blown out." She says they were "both just really in it and living it." Kristin says, "Shut the front door ... shut the back door, shut the door to the garage." Lil C loved it and says to Mitchell, the late bloomer, "better late than never." Nigel says Mitchell's weakness was exposed in last week's cha cha, but his strengths came out in this samba. He tells Caitlynn "the articulation" in her body is perfect. Miranda & Robert: Miranda says she was very opinionated as a child. Her first performance was tap dancing and she says she was a natural. Robert tells us he loved "playing characters" one of those was Michael Jackson, who inspired him to do his first talent show. Tyce Diorio gives them a Broadway routine in which Miranda is "an upper-class working girl." It's fast and intricate, Miranda says, and they have a move on every beat. Kristin says she's "got nothin'" in terms of things they should work on. She says she wasn't sure when she watched their rehearsal earlier, but they killed it. Lil C tells Miranda she leaves him in awe when she dances, adding, "With legs like that, who needs arms?" He tells Robert he has a perfect personality. Nigel tells Miranda she's grown more than anyone in the competition. He tells Robert, a hip-hop dancer, how impressed he is with his performance. Mary tells Miranda more about her great transformation, and tells Robert he "caught on fire." She tells him he's "a star, and it's getting a little shinier every single week." Melanie & Marko: Melanie says she's been a performer since Day 1. In her first performance, a ballet-tap class, she wore a Little Bo Peep costume. Marko says he was a crazy kid and a big brat, but once he started dancing he calmed down. He did jazz and hip-hop at about 10 years old, and was "very internal" with his performance. They get a lyrical hip-hop routine from Napoleon & Tabitha. Lil C called them "a power couple" and said the beginning, especially, was "extra buck." Nigel says he can't judge them individually because they danced and breathed and their hearts beated together. He says they are "the couple to beat." Mary tells Marko his emotions were believable and his technique was "razor-sharp." She loves Melanie's nuances and asks how hard it was for them to kiss in the middle of the dance, and Nigel leans over and plants a huge kiss on Mary that sends everyone into a tizzy. Kristin says she's so moved she thinks she's going to ... and she leans over and plants a big kiss on Lil C. Ashley & Chris: Ashley says she was loud and obnoxious as a kid. Her first performance was at age 3, wearing a tutu and using a shopping cart as a prop. Chris has six siblings and his first performance was poetry reading. They get a jazz routine from Sonya Tayeh about some half-zombie, half-alive people. Nigel says he didn't connect with it and specifically didn't like the music. Mary understands Nigel's point but says they pulled off a lot of hard synchronization in the routine. Kristin acknowledges that this isn't her thing, but she was enthralled. Lil C explains that Sonya gives the dance movements a character within each of her dances. He calls Ashley a "sleeper cell" in the competition and tells Chris he sees him. Clarice & Jess: Clarice tells us she took every opportunity to perform. She did a "really cutesy" dance that went really well and her mom loved it. Jess says he was a crazy kid and that in his first performance as a child, all he did was wave to his mom the whole time. They get a foxtrot from Jean-Marc about a crooner who's ready to sing but decides to dance with a beautiful woman instead. Mary they did a perfect, gliding, sophisticated foxtrot. She tells Clarice she's great and tells Jess "there isn't a single other dancer that could've done what you just did." Kristin calls it her favorite performance of the night. Lil C tells Jess his "physical artistic expression is the definition of sophistication," which Jess doesn't seem to understand. Nigel compliments the costume designer for a beautiful dress and says Clarice lived up to it. Ryan & Ricky: Ricky shares that he never gave up a chance to dance. He says that in his first performance, he forgot his routine and started doing his friend's choreography and it all went downhill. Ryan says her first performance was at age 4 and she danced to "Animal Crackers" by Shirley Temple. They get a contemporary routine from Sonya Tayeh about a couple who knows their relationship is ending, but they don't know why something is tying them together. Ryan gets emotional just thinking about it and Sonya is on the verge of tears in the crowd. Kristin is in awe as the crowd roars. She says the performance "speaks." Lil C calls them a power couple after praising Sonya's ability to express emotion through dance. Nigel also praises Sonya for using her personal experience to convey a powerful dance. Mary heaps praise on them both and says she "loved every second of it." Jordan & Tadd: Jordan says she was a crazy kid who growled at people. Her first performance was in first grade, dancing to the Spice Girls. Tadd says he was a huge nerd as a kid and his dad taught him martial arts. They get a Napoleon & Tabitha hip-hop routine about a couple waking up the morning after a one-night stand and scrambling to get dressed. Lil C loved the concept and the execution, but told them to dance with their entire bodies. Nigel says the story overwhelmed the dance, but it "was great fun." Mary says they "put the whammy on all of us" and she loved it. Kristin wants all the doors shut again. The night ends with another group dance, a Dee Caspary number about medieval women getting revenge on the men around them by poisoning them.
- We kick off the third results show of the season of "So You Think You Can Dance" with a group routine choreographed by Michael Rooney. Host Cat Deeley reminds us about all the kissing that was going on Wednesday night. After introducing the judges, Cat gives guest celebrity judge Kristin Chenowith another chance to plug her upcoming country album (complete with a random few seconds of her first music video). It was a little odd. To the results: Cat brings out the first three couples. Melanie & Marko are reminded of their Nappy-Tabs hip-hop routine that was well received by the judges. They were the ones who started all the kissing and Cat tells them, "If you kiss again, you're safe." A peck on the cheek was enough. Chris & Ashley are reminded of their Sonya Tayeh zombies dance that the judges weren't wild about. No big shock, they're in the bottom three. Finally, Ryan & Ricky also drew a Sonya piece, but it was much more well received, with Mary says she "loved every second of it." They're safe. Cat next brings Jordan & Tadd to center stage. They had a Nappy-Tabs hip-hop routine that all the judges loved. The voters loved it, too. They're safe. Sasha & Alexander had a Dean Caspary routine that the judges liked a lot. Before getting their results, we get a recap of Miranda & Robert's routine, which left the judges at a loss for even more positive things to say than they'd already said. The second couple in danger is Miranda & Robert, leaving Sasha & Alexander safe. Next, Jess & Clarice are reminded of how awesome the judges thought they were, with Kristin saying it was her favorite dance of the night. Caitlynn & Mitchell had Kristin wanting to shut all the doors in the house (in a good way), but it wasn't enough to avoid landing in the bottom three. Be our guest: Cat introduces AXIS, a dance company that's been around for a long time and combines dancers with and without disabilities. Later, the current U.S. and World theatrical ballroom champions, Eric Luna and Georgia Ambarian, perform. Back to the results: After the judges deliberate, Nigel says they love all three girls on stage and adds that the judges are not unanimous. He tells Miranda that even though she's the most improved girl in the competition, she's going home. When it comes to the guys, Nigel says the judges are unanimous. He tells Mitchell that he does really well when he dances for his life, but they have to take into account that he keeps landing in the bottom three "and somehow you are not connecting with the public." He tells Chris he's doing a good job, but he has to grow quicker for the public to recognize what he's doing and he's "not quite there yet." He tells Robert that despite his personality, he keeps landing in the bottom three. But this will be the last time he lands in the bottom three, because he's going home.
- Carmen Electra and Travis Wall are the guest judges this week on "So You Think You Can Dance," joining Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. Carmen says she started dancing at 5 and won Miss Dance Ohio before working with Prince and Jamie King, and beginning thrashing (her favorite style). She then landed with the Pussycat Dolls. Travis thanks everyone for letting him be part of the show that helped launch his dance career several seasons back. Justin Giles choreographs a group routine for the guys. Melanie & Marko: Melanie and Marko start the night with a jazz routine from Ray Leeper. Travis loves it, praises Marko and tells Melanie she's "by far" his favorite dancer in the competition. Carmen loves Melanie's strength and the whole routine. Mary says "nothing great is ever produced without passion," and they have it all over the place. She renames Marko "The Domination Man." Nigel says their technique matches the performance. Sasha & Alexander: Hip-hop choreographer Shaun Evaristo gives Sasha & Alexander a routine that has Alexander desperate seeking swag -- and not succeeding in rehearsal. Carmen says she couldn't stop watching Sasha, which meant she couldn't get the feel of the two of them as a couple. Mary says she wishes she could say she saw the swag, but she didn't. Nigel gets booed, like Mary did, for saying it felt like Hip-Hop 101. He suggests they read "Hip-Hop for Dummies." Travis "didn't hate it as much as they did," but does think they have a lot to work on. Jordan & Tadd: They get a smooth waltz from Toni Redpath, which puts Jordan in the role of a magical sea creature who seduces Tadd with her singing. Once she does, she kills him with a kiss. Mary gives a quick history lesson on the waltz and says this one was "dreamy and romantic." She praises Jordan specifically for a graceful floor sweep. Nigel says he's surprised at how well Tadd, a hip-hop dancer, did and that he's doing moves he wouldn't have imagined. Travis says it was beautiful, but could have been a little smoother. Carmen says she enjoyed the dance and that even though she doesn't know much about the waltz, she knows what she feels and she liked it. Clarice & Jess: Justin Giles gives the couple a hard-hitting contemporary piece that's intricate and specific. The intense dance has them faking punches and shoves. Travis says they "just came alive" and that it was his favorite dance of theirs this season. Nigel is in total agreement and says the dance really made him feel the anger they were intending to convey. Carmen also says she believed the story and they really showed the "love and hate" that comes up in a breakup. Mary says their partnership has been growing every week. She says they're not peaking too soon and they're going in the right direction. Ashley & Chris: Liz Lira gives the couple an intense salsa that she says is one of the more complicated routines she's choreographed. Ashley is proud of her partner. Travis starts by saying he loves them and it started out really hopeful, but then it started to fall apart a little. He says the chemistry wasn't quite there and it didn't pop. Carmen says salsa is "hot and it's on fire" and this one felt like they were hesitating. There was potential, she says, but they weren't quite hitting those moves. "It wasn't bad, but it was OK," she says. Mary says this dance wasn't as hot as their previous ones, but some things were still simmering. Nigel was impressed with the lifts, but when it comes to "the freedom of salsa" they weren't quite consistent. Ryan & Ricky: Chucky Klapow gives them a jazz routine about two members of a cult of fashion who are done in by following their obsession with what's hot and hip. Carmen says they "rocked." She loved the music choice, the energy. Mary says it was hot and says she liked seeing this kind of quirky stuff on the dance floor. Nigel agrees and that the routine suited them well. He says it's great to see choreography that allows them to be together when they're apart. Travis says they had his attention the entire time and that he can see both of them making it past Top 10, for sure. Caitlynn & MItchell: Mandy Moore gives them a contemporary routine about falling in love. It's a challenge, but also gives Mitchell the task of carrying Caitlynn through some serious lifts. The crowd roast and the judges join in on a standing ovation. Mary shouts that it was her favorite number of the night. She's on the verge of tears as she talks about how beautiful it was. She loves the leaps, trust, lack of fear and uninhibited approach they took. Nigel says "the emotion in that routine just grabbed us all." He says the whole routine took his breath away. Travis says he kept catching himself trying to catch his breath. He says Caitlynn is the surprise for him this season. Carmen says something about them being large, beautiful and powerful, and joins in the chorus by calling them the best of the night. The final group dance, for the girls, is a jazz routine choreographed by Ray Leeper.
- Wednesday was an historic night on "So You Think You Can Dance" as four choreographers made their debuts and an ex-contestant took a spot on the judges' table. Now it's Thursday, and two more contestants will be history. Conspicuously absent from the judges' table tonight is Carmen Electra, who seemed to struggle a bit. To the results: Melanie & Marko are one of the first couples to the stage. Their jazz number on Wednesday pleased the judges, so much so that Travis Wall told Melanie she's his favorite dancer in the competition. Before getting to their results, Caitlynn & Mitchell's contemporary routine that brought Mary to tears is recapped. Both couples are safe. After a plug for National Dance Day, the next three couples hit the stage. Ashley & Chris' "sizzling salsa," as Cat puts it, didn't connect for the judges and it's not much of a surprise when Cat tells them they're in the bottom three. Nigel says the whole idea of the show is to do styles you're not used to, and emphasizes again that their performance "wasn't good enough." Clarice & Jess' contemporary routine made the judges happy and they talked a lot about the improvement the couple has shown. Has it been enough to stay out of the bottom three? Before we find out, we see highlights of Jordan & Tadd's smooth waltz, which also had the judges pouring on the praise. Jordan & Tadd fall to the bottom three while Clarice & Jess are safe for another week. Mary says the voters must have gone to the kitchen while Jordan & Tadd were dancing. She thinks they've been outstanding, but admits that last night's performance might have been their weakest, but "it wasn't bad." Finally, we're down to the last couples. Ryan & Ricky's wild zombie jazz dance sent the judges and the crowd into hysterics. Sasha & Alexander's hip-hop routine was lost on the judges, with Nigel calling it "Hip-Hop 101." The final couple in danger is ... Ryan & Ricky. Travis says he's confused, shocked and surprised because he thought Ryan & Ricky were one of the best couples last night. Be our guests: Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet performs. After the solos, Florence and the Machine perform their song, "Cosmic Love." The eliminations: Nigel says all the girls on the show are beautiful and randomly takes the opportunity to point out that Kim Kardashian is in the audience. He finally gets back to the critique and tells all the dancers that they need to show different sides of themselves and need to up their games in the solos. He specifically tells Jordan that she has to show more than just how strong her legs are. He tells Ryan the judges love her and she gave a good solo. He finally tells Ashley she's been good throughout, but she hasn't peaked. And he sends her home. On to the guys. Nigel tells Ricky that Travis thinks Ricky is the best contemporary dancer in the competition (next to Marko). He tells him that somehow he and Ryan aren't connecting with America. He tells Chris he always brings out his best when he's dancing for his life. He tells Tadd that Travis really wants to work with him. Finally, Nigel tells Chris that he's not doing what the choreographers are asking of him, and so it's time for him to go.
- The Top 20 dancers are finally ready to perform on Season 8 of "So You Think You Can Dance," and we get a curve ball right from the start. Joining Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy on the panel this week will be ... Megan Mullally! Yes, the very Megan Mullally who has won two Emmys and now stars in "Children's Hospital." She's also a trained dancer. One dancer was missing from the introductions, though. Mitchell injured his elbow after his first rehearsal and a doctor asked him to rest. He will be in danger of elimination tomorrow as a result of not performing tonight. Jordan, whose birthday is today, turned 19. She wants to be a Pussycat Doll, she loves food and blue is her favorite color. B-boy Tadd is 19, played a dancing taco in a movie and almost died doing Bollywood. They draw dance an Afro-Jazz routine inspired by lava erupting from a volcano, choreographed by Sean Cheesman. Nigel says they were both really tremendous and if Tadd keeps picking up new styles so well hell go a long way. Mary says Jordan was so much more animalistic than she had expected. Tadd blew her away and just emerged as a star. Megan says their dance was a great start to the season, and praises Jordans extensions and Tadds power. Sasha & Alexander: Sasha is 23, forgets her age and likes purple. Alexander is 20 and speaks Spanish (sort of). Sasha and Alexander get a contemporary routine from Travis Wall, which is good for them because Alexander is a contemporary dancer. Mary loves Sashas stage presence and strength, saying, You just stand there and fill this room up. Mary tells Alexander she didnt feel the connection between the two of them. Megan calls Sasha an actress and says she came into the competition as a favorite and that wont be changing after the performance. She tells Alexander she felt a disconnect between his body and his face. Nigel calls Sasha a modern-day Amazonian princess and tells Alexander he would need more emotion in his face to compete with women as strong as Sasha in the competition. Clarice & Jess: Clarice, a Jazz dancer, is 19, her eyes change color and shes shy. Jess, 18, is a Broadway dancer from New Jersey who likes making weird noises. Clarice and Jess draw Broadway. Megan loves everything about it and says it was pure joy on a platter. She calls Jess a natural born performer and Clarice very sexy. Nigel thinks Clarice is had a tough time keeping up with Jess in Broadway. He said Jess outdanced her in the routine and that he can tell Jess will be one of his favorites this season. Mary says Jess was perfect tonight and told Clarice she wont be in any danger soon, sister. Ryan & Ricky: Ryan is 19 and she loves Law & Order: SVU, which is not on Fox. Ricky is from Florida and was a cheerleader. Ricky says it wont be difficult pretending hes in love with Ryan during their routine, because he is. They get a Chris Scott lyrical hip-hop routine that is a torn-up love story. Nigel tells them to be careful with their facial expressions, but he loved the dancing. He says Ryan is outstanding in a sea of girls who are very good this season. Mary is impressed with Rickys ability to stay in character, and she calls Ryan one of the strongest girls. Megan thinks the whole thing was beautiful. Caitlynn & MItchell: Caitlynn is matched with Mitchell, but... well, Mitchell isn't around. He's hurt. They draw a Sonya Tayeh jazz routine that's supposed to be "about what you can accomplish without fear." Robert joins Caitlynn in Mitchell's absence. Mitchell cries in the audience while applauding. Mary is wowed by Caitlynn and praises Sonya Tayeh. She says Caitlynn was "brilliant." She also plants a seed about wanting to see Robert back as an all-star. Megan is impressed by the amount of power and strength Caitlynn displayed as a smaller dancer. Nigel notes Caitlynn's tough week and quotes her original partner Mitchell, saying, "That was 10 across the board!" Miranda & Robert: Miranda is scared of the dark. She's partnered with Robert, who loves professional wrestling and pets. They draw Latin ballroom with Jason Gilkison. Miranda is struggling to be sexy. This is a straight-up, high-energy jive. Megan can't start talking over the cheering crowd, so she waits. She calls it "sheer delight" and adds, "you'd have to be in a coma not to like that." She calls Robert her Top 20 crush. Nigel says Robert might have the biggest personality of all the dancers, which could help or hurt him. Nigel doesn't think it was all there for Robert, and Miranda will need "a touch more" to keep up with the other girls. Mary says she was dancing in her seat the entire time. She says Robert stole the show tonight. She asks Robert to give her a "Woo" and he does. Mary gives a long, screeching "Woo!" right back. Missy & Wadi: Missy likes "long walks to the fridge" and wants to marry an Australian. Wadi was born in Jamaica, raises here and loves Japanese culture. They get a Sean Cheesman jazz routine about sexy demon clones coming out of a Pandora's Box. Nigel says the dancers are inspiring the choreographers to better and better work, and says it's the best work he's seen from Sean. Nigel calls Missy "without question, one of the beasts of the girls." He says she has it all. He tells Wadi he's impressed with how quickly the hip-hop dancers are picking up new styles. He tells Wadi he's "brilliant." Mary says it was "phenomenal." She tells Wadi she didn't know he had those kinds of partnering skills in him. Megan says it was amazing and is further impressed after learning that Wadi has never partnered before. Melanie & Marko: Melanie loves cookies, collects nail polish and really wants to be on "Ellen." Marko is from Guam, likes to eat a lot and falls out of his chair in high-pressure situations. They get a Travis Wall contemporary routine. Their chemistry is great immediately. Mary gets emotional for the first time this season. She then explains that every once in a while there's a magical number where everything that could possibly be amazing happens at once. Megan is almost at a loss for words, just saying, "chills, crying," and then adds, "as Oprah would say, 'Wow, wow, wow.'" Nigel says this "could possibly be the first Emmy-nominated routine." Nigel says he worries about Marko and the bullet in his shoulder. He calls Melanie "the queen of the beasts" and adds that he doesn't think the show has ever had a better girl dancer. Ashley & Chris: Ashley loves waffles, chips and orange soda. Chris is from Texas, one of seven kids, and loves going to the movies. Christopher Scott gives them a hip-hop routine about a couple who learn that each of them is cheating on the other at the same time. Chris has a moment when he relives actually having been cheated on. Nigel says it was fun and says it will be interesting to see how voters go -- whether for big dynamic, technical routines or just fun stuff. Mary calls it "pure, pure entertainment." Megan loves it, too, and takes a moment to praise the costume and makeup on the show by calling it the best on TV. Iveta & Nick: Iveta wants to have a monkey but it's illegal in New York. She's paired with tap dancer Nick, who speaks slowly, is named Nick and has a fun personality. Nick is ecstatic when they draw ballroom with Jason Gilkison, which is Iveta's speciality -- and by specialty, I mean, she's a world champion in, like, 10 dances. She puts him through ballroom boot camp. Megan is amazed at what Nick was able to do, being a tap dancer. She gives Iveta some requisite praise. Nigel acknowledges Iveta's place as a world champ in quickstep. He tells Nick he has "fabulous feet." Mary goes down the list of all the elements of the quickstep that make it so difficult, and checks every one of them off the list.
- We open the first results show of So You Think You Can Dance Season 8 with a Sonya Tayeh group routine. Host Cat Deeley reminds us about the rules: the three couples with least votes will dance solos in their own style before the judges decide who goes. Joining them will be Mitchell, who didnt perform Wednesday night because of an injury. The judges will cut one guy and one girl. The first three couples come out: Melanie & Marko, Missy & Wadi, and Iveta & Nick. After watching the highlight reel, we learn that Melanie and Marko are the first couple to escape the bottom three. Next up are Missy & Wadi, and Iveta & Nick. And both couples are safe. Cat announces that doctors cleared Mitchell to perform a solo later in the show. The next two couples are Ashley & Chris and Jordan & Tadd came next. And the first couple in the bottom three is Jordan & Tadd. Ashley & Chris leave the stage and are safe to dance another week. Caitlynn, who danced last night with Season 7s Robert after Mitchells injury, came up next. Clarice & Jess wait with Caitlynn to learn their fate. The couple hear they are in the bottom three but Caitlynn makes it through. Ryan & Ricky come up next and hear they are safe will be dancing next week. Miranda & Robert and Sasha & Alexander wait to hear together. Miranda & Robert are the final two dancers in danger of elimination. To the solos: Mitchell dances the first solo of the night after sitting out last nights show due to an injury. Jordan, Tadd and Clarice follow. "Its impossible," Nigel Lythgoe exclaims about the difficult choice before the commercial break. Jess, Miranda and Robert finish the solos and Cat announces that Lady Gaga will guest judge later in the season while the judges deliberate. The world-exclusive of Gagas new video, "Edge of Glory," plays next. After the break, Nigel delays the results another moment to announce that saxophonist Clarence Clemons, most famous for his work with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band and recently for a couple of songs with Lady Gaga, has suffered a stroke. Nigel asks Mitchell and Robert to dance again before the judges make their decision. They do. Nigel still wants to put the decision off a bit longer, so he asks Cat to bring the bottom three girls on stage. He tells Jordan shes superb, strong, controlled and has a beautiful personality. He says its a real shame shes in the bottom three, and asks her to step back. Clarice next hears she has a smile that would melt an ice cube, and says hes glad America put her in the bottom three because he got a chance to see her dance. Miranda, finally, hears that her elevation is remarkable and that she has beautiful feet. He says its difficult to figure out which of them will go home, so he wont do it now. The guys come back on stage. He tells Jess hes magnificent in his style and he doesnt know why Jess is in the bottom. He tells Tadd his jazz routine was tremendous. He tells Robert he has a wonderfully big personality, then reveals that nobody is going home this week. The catch is that two couples will go home next week. He says he wants to give America a chance to see more of them.
- After the Week 1 drama that included an injury and no elimination, the second week of performances on "So You Think You Can Dance" take on twice the significance as the Top 20 continue to dance for America's vote with the knowledge that four of them will go home Thursday. The couples are introduced: Jordan & Tadd, Clarice & Jess, Sash & Alexander, Caitlynn & Mitchell, Missy & Wadi, Ashley & Chris, Ryan & Ricky, Iveta & Nick, Miranda & Robert and Melanie & Marko. On the judging panel this week, dance icon Debbie Reynolds is the celebrity guest judge sitting in with Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy. We're treated to a clip from "Singin' in the Rain," which makes Cat Deeley very excited. This week, the dancers were asked to reveal something their partner has been trying to keep secret. Ryan & Ricky: Ricky's revelation about Ryan: Her leg hairs grow really fast. Ryan's secret about Ricky is that his real name is Roderick. This is embarrassing to him. Mandy Moore gives them a "sexy, powerful, tension-filled" jazz routine. Nigel says it's "absolutely sensational" after we see that Ryan's stockings have torn. Mary says she's addicted to the two of them (playing off the fact that they danced to Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love"). Debbie points out that Ryan fell out of her top and her bottom, adding she "gave us your all." Caitlynn & Mitchell: Mitchell reveals that Caitlynn's toes turn blue in her dancing shoes. She tells us about Mitchell's zebra-print Snuggie. Stacey Tookey gives them a contemporary routine about a woman whose relationship is ending but she's too insecure to finish it. Caitlynn emerges wounded -- literally -- after Mitchell accidentally punched her in the nose. Mary is glad Mitchell got a chance to dance again. Debbie notes that Caitlynn "bled for us." Nigel acknowledges it's the first time we've seen them dance together because of last week's injury. While Caitlynn's nose bleeds, Nigel says he got the emotion conveyed through the dance. Missy & Wadi: Missy reveals that Wadi likes to use ladies' hair removal cream on his chest hair. He claims this only happened once. He tells us that Missy's laugh stops in a funny way. And they both laugh. A lot. They get a cha cha from Jean-Marc Genereux, who says it's the most difficult routine he's ever done on the show. Debbie says Wadi chewed up his cha cha, adding, "Muy bueno." Nigel tells Wadi he's going to keep it real, saying a lot was missing when it came to technique but that Wadi did well in the parts that required strength. He tells Missy she was "everything I could have hoped." Mary says the beginning was "absolutely spectacular," but Wadi "did fall short" once the dance really started. Then she calls Missy a "cha cha queen." She goes on to slam Wadi again, saying it was like "Dancing with the Stars," where Missy was the professional and Wadi was the student. Debbie then offers to take Wadi home so she can show him how to cha cha. Wadi, with some tears in his eyes, says "at least I made someone's night" when Cat tells him he made Debbie's night. Iveta & Nick: Nick tells us that Iveta tells herself how good she looks when she thinks she looks good. Iveta tells us that Nick wears shorts all the time. This is a big secret. Unless, of course, you've ever seen Nick. They get a Nakul Dev Mahajan Bollywood routine that he says is going to be lightning fast. Nigel says they kept it entertaining, and goes to great lengths to explain how it's not Iveta or Nick's style. Mary says she's "a fan of these two dancing." She says they "just seem to fit right." Debbie says she feels 20 years younger just being there and that they freaked her out in a very good way. Miranda & Robert: Miranda reveals that Robert thinks he's a pro wrestler. Robert, in turn, tells us that Miranda has a crush on Tadd, which makes her embarrassed. They get a Napoleon & Tabitha hip-hop routine about chickens or birds, or something. Mary says she gets nervous when animals are imitated on the show (who wouldn't, right?), but says this worked. She praises Robert for taking on the hip-hop, which is his style. But she's more surprised with Miranda's ability to handle it, saying she's "gone to another level." Debbie says she was mesmerized by them both, then does a Woody Woodpecker impression before calling them "the best woodpeckers ever." Nigel says he loved the routine, and that Miranda shocked him. He says she might be the best contemporary dancer he's seen do hip-hop. Clarice & Jess: Jess tells us that Clarice sleeps with her eyes open (but, really, wouldn't anyone named Clarice sleep with her eyes open in a post-"Silence of the Lambs" world?). She tells us that Jess draws entire orchestras using stick figures (and we're shown them). Stacey Tookey gives them a routine in which they play a prince and a princess, but the lifts are challenging Jess. Debbie thinks they were "so wonderful" and says she's going to take them both home with Wadi. Nigel says he enjoyed "parts of it." He says the parts they did individually were good, but when they were together it didn't work. Mary says Jess' emotions were perfect and that Clarice is a beautiful dancer with legs that go on and on. Jordan & Tadd: Tadd tells us that "Jordan isn't the brightest crayon in the box." We're shown a replay of when she won her "ticket" to Vegas said "SYTYCD Airlines" at the top and she thought the show actually had its own airline. She tells us about Tadd's packing obsession -- he color-coordinates everything and puts things in ziploc baggies. They get a Viennese waltz from Jean-Marc Genereux. Nigel says it was "just so beautiful" and adds, "it had everything." He reminds Tadd that he's a B-boy, saying that his presentation was "probably the best that I've seen a B-boy dance something like the Viennese waltz." Mary calls Tadd "the biggest surprise of this season." She says she was truly touched by Tadd's performance, and notes that Jordan has transformed into a beautiful ballroom dancer. Debbie says they were "just as wonderful" as Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. Melanie & Marko: Marko shares Melanie's secret: She has issues with people touching her ears. He does this, and she freaks out. She tells us that Marko loves to read romance novels. They get a Mandy Moore jazz piece. Mary tells them they're speaking "loud and clearly" with the voices they have when they dance. She says she never feels like she has to worry about them as a team when they face different styles. Debbie says she never worries about the musical stars of today "because you are it." Nigel agrees, saying it's too early to talk about stars, but that Melanie and Marko really do live up to the billing already. Alexander & Sasha: Alexander tells us that Sasha "sweats like a dude." She tells us he loves to look at himself in the mirror. Sasha is excited to find Napoleon & Tabitha, but this isn't a big, loud, fun hip-hop routine. It's a dance about a soldier coming home from Afghanistan and seeing his wife for the first time. Debbie notes that they were not only asked to dance, but also act and give a story that would make them cry, and Debbie did just that. Mary cries, too, saying that the story hits too close. She tells Sasha that she made her feel the emotions and asks Nigel to talk. He notes that the show was pushed back because of President Obama's speech about withdrawing the troops by September 2012 and that it seems so far off. He says they carried off the dance beautifully. Ashley & Chris: Ashley tells us that when Chris smiles his mouth opens and, well, he smiles. Apparently. He tells us that Ashley thinks she has swag, but she doesn't. They get a routine from Broadway choreographer Spencer Liff. He's making them dance with a set of prison bars between them. Nigel praises Spencer for such a creative routine. He notes that each of the judges have talked about how none of them would do well on the show because of how hard it is to dance our of your own genre. He notes that Chris is another hip-hop dancer who was "absolutely fantastic" in a style other than his own. He tells Ashley she was "just beautiful." Mary goes through the most convoluted explanation of how steam trains are powered to finally get to the point, which is that Ashley & Chris are on the "Hot Tamale Train." Debbie apparently thinks that Ashley & Chris, with their performance, made "Jailhouse Rock" more famous than Elvis Presley did.
- It's time for a double (or quadruple) elimination on So You Think You Can Dance. A week after no one went home, four dancers will be sent packing tonight. Cat Deeley introduces the judges and guest Debbie Reynolds says her stint as a judge was a new experience for her because she's used to being on stage rather than sitting on at a table. To the results: The first three couples on the stage are Missy & Wadi, Caitlynn & Mitchell, and Sasha & Alexander. Missy and Wadi are the first to land among the bottom three couples and will have to perform solos for the judges. Caitlynn (with a sore on her nose from Mitchell's accidental punch during their performance) and Mitchell come up next. Theyre safe. Sasha & Alexander learn their emotional ode to a soldier's return from war Wednesday night earned them a spot in next week's show. Miranda & Robert are up next, followed by Melanie & Marko. Both couples learn they are safe. Jordan & Tadd are left on stage with Iveta & Nick. Jordan and Tadd are safe, leaving Iveta & Nick in the bottom three couples. Ashley & Chris learn they are safe while Ryan & Ricky and Clarice & Jess come up next. Ryan & Ricky learn they are the final couple in danger of going home and Clarice & Jess are safe for another week. Be our guest: World champion dance company Rage Crew perform for their third time on the show. Later, LMFAO perform. On with the show...: Wadi, Missy, Nick, Iveta, Ricky and Ryan all perform their solos. After the guest appearances, Nigel tells Cat that the judges are unanimous in their choices. He tells Missy there's nothing in her dancing that he can fault. He says she had a problem with the cha cha, and specifically with her partner. He tells Iveta she's graced the show with her talent and will remain memorable for her first routine with Pasha. He tells Ryan her solo wasn't as good as you can do, and that there's more inside her that they haven't seen. He tells her that if she remains, shell have to show that. Shes going to get the chance. He quickly reveals that Ryan is the one who's safe for another week. Iveta and Missy are gone. Nigel tells Wadi he hasn't been given the chance to shine, but that the cha cha hurt him and his solo tonight didn't help. He tells Nick hes fortunate that there are two tappers on the panel and they think hes going to be a star. Nigel tells Ricky he doesn't think they've ever seen him dance better than he did in tonight's "dance for your life solo." He says Ricky laid himself out there and was "absolutely brilliant in that -- which is why we are keeping you on the show." That means Wadi and Nick are out.
- What happens in Vegas will set the course for the rest of 20 dancers' lives as "So You Think You Can Dance" heads to the desert for the next round of auditions. There were 160 tickets handed out, but 140 dreams will end by the end of the week. Robin Antin, Adam Shankman, Debbie Allen, Tyce Diorio and Mary Murphy join Nigel Lythgoe on the judges' panel for the big week. The dancers will start with solos that Nigel warns will result in some elimination right away. Iveta Lukosiute, a ballroom dancer who's made it to Vegas three times now, dresses up as a sexy police officer in order to get Nigel and the crew's attention. Marlon Pelayo is wearing a unitard his mom made and his friend painted. He made an impression, but not the sort he wanted to make. More solos bring more standouts and after the first 15 are done, seven are gone, including Marlon. He gets a talking to from Debbie Allen, who tells him his outfit was too distracting. Iveta moves on. More dancers get the boot right away, but B-boy Wadi Jones tries to turn things around, and gets the judges excited. This kicks off a string of dancers who Cat says "remind the judges why they were excited about Season 8." Sasha and Natalia Mallory, who auditioned together with their modern-African style, decide to again perform together to close out the first round. Suddenly, just 114 dancers are left. Day 1 continues with a group hip-hop routine by Napoleon and Tabitha. We focus on Chyna Smith (who we first met in Salt Lake City). Meanwhile, Wadi Jones has developed severe cramps and pain in his legs. Chyna completely flubs the group routine, but gets a pass to the next round. The hip-hop performances just got worse, resulting in more eliminations, including Hero McCrae and Patty Anne Miller; Irish step dancer Mary Kate Sheehan, and Princess Lockeroo, among others. Wadi's group is up and he hasn't even rehearsed, but he works it out and Mary tells him to drink plenty of water. After that, the hip-hop round catches fire and the judges are happy again. At the end of the round, some second-chancers take the stage. Eight dancers, including Chyna and Iveta, make the most of their second chance and are put through to the next day. Day 2 brings Broadway, and Tyce is doing the choreography. Wadi is back and teamed with Jordan Casanova, who didn't hesitate to show her sexy side in her original audition. Good thing, because this routine called for some serious sexiness. Everyone seems to do well and get through. Rebecca Hart and Jeremiah Hughes, who've both been to Vegas before and had mixed results. Rebecca nearly gave up on the competition completely after having made it to Vegas for a fifth time. Jeremiah threw a fit during a Mia Michaels contemporary routine the last time he was in Vegas. This time, he's happy and Rebecca is sad again after being dropped again. Broadway knocks out 14 more dancers. Jason Gilkison is on hand to choreograph the ballroom portion, which is jive. Natalie gets some attention because she's bigger than a typical dancer and her partner is a little on the small side. He struggles to pick her up. Nigel wants to give Natalia a stronger partner, and they both get reassigned. Natalia's sister Sasha joins Ryan Ramirez in the next group. Sasha gets through to the next round, along with everyone else in the group. Natalia is hooked up with "The Professor" for her second take. This time goes much better and everyone, including Natalia, gets a big laugh out of it. Nigel says, "There are no words for the joy that you brought to that routine." Alexis Mason, Jeannine's sister, is under pressure to perform. She doesn't quite cut it and the judges ask her to dance for her life. Tyce, while Alexis is dancing, says, "There's no flair." Nigel thinks Alexis is a fine dancer, but isn't giving it enough in her performance. He gives her a no. Mary agrees on the performance critique, but gives her a yes. Tyce follows, as does Debbie, which gives her enough votes to get through. The group round presents random music for the dancers to get used to, and Natalia starts to feel weak. Sasha is worried, but has to go to the theater when the dancers are called. The first group, made up of contemporary dancers Bridget, Caitlynn, Ricky, Clarice, and B-boy Wadi, kills it. More groups do great. DC, Arielle, Dashi and Jordan join Natalia, who has recovered from her rough morning. We see that the night before, DC had a bit of a breakdown when he thought he wasn't connecting with his group. He took a 30-minute bathroom break. The judges love it and say the dancers made them "see the music." Nigel praises Natalia, in particular, for "knocking down walls and barriers." DC then goes on a little speech about how other crumpers where he lives are hating on him. They all stay. After a lunch break and a chance to see the dancers in their swimsuits at the pool, we get treated to contemporary, which is choreographed by Travis Wall. Ryan Ramirez leaves the stage in pain. She says her tailbone is hurting. She's going to head to the hospital, but is worried about whether she'll miss the next two rounds. She leaves. Natalia seems to be feeling worse, and also has to head to the hospital. Sasha is worried and shows up just in time to see her sister taken away in an ambulance. She's back on stage now and partnered with The Professor. After some more dancers make it through, Ryan is back after learning her tailbone isn't broken, but she has deep bruising. With limited time to rehearse and still in "obvious discomfort," as Cat says, Ryan takes the stage. Debbie Allen tells Ryan she dances with the passion they're looking for, and she should go "ice that little butt" because she's on to the next round. More tears of joy follow. Jeremiah and Arielle are partnered, knowing that the contemporary round in Vegas has knocked them out before.For Arielle, it's a stunning development but she's out -- again. Jeremiah has better luck overcoming his past, and is overwhelmed by how far he's come in three years. DC is knocked out, but says he can't go back home. Debbie tells him she'll give him lessons herself if he wants to work to get where he wants to go. He takes her up on the offer. Chyna Smith also joins the growing list of booted contestants. Natalia returns after having missed the contemporary round, saying that after some tests the doctors think she has diabetes and gave her tips on how to proceed. She gets a chance to dance her solo after receiving what Nigel calls "a free pass" through contemporary. More solos are followed by more cuts, including Kimalee Piedad, Chase Thomas and Amber Williams. Other dancers make it, and head upstairs to celebrate in a luxury suite. Alexis Mason is back and after her solo, she's out. She seems more relieved than upset. At the end of the night, there are 31 dancers partying upstairs, but that means 11 will go before Vegas is over.
- It started with thousands, then 160 were invited to Vegas. Tonight, we learn the Top 20 finalists for Season 8 of "So You Think You Can Dance." In a new twist, the finalists will perform in front of the live studio audience as they're announced. Host Cat Deeley promises "nine electrifying routines." Robin Antin, Lil C, Tyce Diorio and ("back where she belongs," Cat says) Mary Murphy join executive producer Nigel Lythgoe on the panel. Nigel explains that the Top 20 will be named and that the all-stars will return as they did last year when we get down to the Top 10. He calls it "the best of both worlds." Ricky Jaime and Miranda Maleski are the first of the dancers to learn his fate, and after the requisite dramatic hype and build-up as if they were being given bad news, they got good news. Melanie Moore, who's already stood out in brief moments for her personality, is in, as well. Abigail and Caitlin are the first learn they're not in the Top 20. It's time to learn what's in store for the Mallory sisters. Sasha and Natalia have been attached at the hip throughout the auditions -- with the exception of when Natalia went to the hospital. Nigel tells them that only one of them is moving on. It's Sasha, and Natalia gives her a big hug, and is clearly quite happy for her sister. And, with the first live routine of the season, Ricky, Miranda, Melanie and Sasha perform a Stacey Tookey piece. Natalia is in the crowd and cheering loudly for her sister. Nigel is thrilled to see "such wonderful technique" and compliments Stacey's work. He says it bodes well for an exciting season. Tyce rejoices in the blending of great choreography and great dancers. It's time for the "street dancers," which we used to call B-boys or hip-hop dancers or crumpers or... yes, "street dancers" works. Chris Koehl, who doesn't look took familiar, stands there as Mary talks and talks and talks about doors closing and new challenges, and eventually settles on the fact that Chris is walking through a door to the Top 20, or something like that. Wadi Jones and Tad Gadduang join Chris in the Top 20, but the news isn't as good for Virgil (a.k.a. Lil O). He's gone, but Nigel spends a lot of time praising his personality. Another guy we haven't seen much of is out. That leaves "The Professor" Bryce and Robert "Woooo!" Taylor Jr. The Professor is out and Robert is in. And now the four remaining street dancers -- Chris, Wadi, Tad and Robert. Lil C says that under the supervision of MasterChef Dave Scott, they served up some kind of hip-hop souffle. Robin says hip-hop is about character and they succeeded in bringing that out. The ballroom bunch -- which is only two deep -- is up. Iveta Lukoskute and Lenny Crow are up. Lenny gets bad news. He's out, and it's now Iveta's turn to find out if her number is up. It's not (or is it? Which would be good?). It's good news for Iveta. She's in. Mary cries while she tells Iveta how much she admires Iveta for putting herself out there to be judged on the show despite being a world champion ballroom dancer. Iveta gets to dance with fan favorite Pasha. Mary delivers her first loud "WOOOO!" of the season. She's excited to have a world champion in 10 dances on the show (and she actually lists them all). Nigel says he hasn't been this excited since Pasha and Anya danced. Clarice Ordaz and Bridget Krause are up. Clarice is called into the room first. We see Mary tell Clarice about all the amazing jazz dancers they've seen this season. And we next see Clarice burst out of the room screaming with excitement about having made it into the Top 20. Bridget doesn't get good news, though. And another dancer falls after her. Marko Germar, the one who was shot during a robbery, makes it. Next are the "sexy" girls: Jordan Casanova and, well, they didn't exactly give us the name of the other one, but she tells she tries "to be the sexy one." Jordan is up first. Debbie strings her along, saying that at 18 they could give her more time to develop, but "why wait?" After Jordan gets in, Missy (they tell us her name this time) is worried. But she's in, too. Jordan, Missy, Clarice and Marko offer up a Sonya Tayeh routine. Tyce is very excited by it. He's standing up and says "this lineup here is a force to be reckoned with." Robin is very focused on how "sexy" it was. Jess LeProtto, a Broadway dancer, and rapper Nick Young are grouped together because, well, why not? Jess faces the judges and after hearing Nigel tell him he has "a fabulous style" but has a part of his personality that's "a little arrogant." Jess admits he's nervous about hip-hop but has taken "many classes" in ballroom. Robin then tells Nick that his great personality is what put him into the Top 20 (nevermind that we haven't really seen him before). Nigel thinks it's fabulous. There are five spots left. Caitlynn has the confidence in knowing that Nigel not long ago called her his favorite. She's in. Ashley Rick is in just as quickly. Robin says, simply, "Two words: Top 20." Ryan Ramirez and Alexa are getting nervous, but first we see Mitchell Kelly meet the judges. He's feeling confident, and apparently for good reason. He's in. Alexander Frost and Jeremiah Hughes are the last coupe of guys. Jeremiah thinks he deserves it and Alexander just wants to know, saying, "Put me out of my misery already." They go in together and Mary quickly tells Jeremiah he's out and Alexander is in. Back to Alex and Ryan, who missed the finals by just this much last season. Ryan tells the judges she doesn't feel like she showed them her full potential last year. She'll get the chance this year. She's in. That's bad news for Alexa. Now, Mitchell, Caitlynn, Ashley, Alexander and Ryan perform a Travis Wall routine. It's big and joyful, with lots of leaves being tossed around. Robin loves it, saying it was "a celebration of dance." Mary says it was "like this beautiful fall breeze" and that they looked like "five well seasoned dancers up there." The Top 10 guys perform a hip-hop-meets-contemporary routine choreographed by Chris Scott, who Lil C praises as the Master of Ceremonies at mixing genres. Nigel tells the guys that hip-hop is going to be fun, and then tells the guys that "the girls are beasts this season." As it becomes clear that these final dances are purely meant to fill that final half-hour of a two-hour show, the Top 10 girls are up next with a Sonya Tayeh routine that's all geisha-inspired. Mary stands and says, "We're not worthy!" Lil C gives a very "I love Sonya" kind of speech. Finally, Nigel explains that two dancers -- a guy and a girl -- will go home on Thursday, and then we see all 20 of the finalists dance together. America, your Top 20: Ricky Jaime Miranda Maleski Chris Koehl Melanie Moore Wadi Jones Sasha Mallory Tadd Gadduang Iveta Lukoslute Robert Taylor Jr. Jordan Casanova Alexander Frost Ashley Rich Jess LeProtto Caitlynn Lawson Mitchell Kelly Missy Morelli Nick Young Ryan Ramirez Marko Germar Clarice Ordaz
- Today is the Finale: Winner Announced.
- The Top 6 couples on "So You Think You Can Dance" will perform together for the final time before the all-stars from previous seasons come into play and it becomes a truly individual competition. "Modern Family" star Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who has "an extensive Broadway background," Cat tells us, is on the judges table. Choreographer Sonya Tayeh makes her first appearance, joining regulars Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. Sasha & Alexander: Tony Meredith and Melanie Lapatin work up an intense paso doble for Sasha and Alexander that shocks Mary with an ending kiss. Nigel wonders if it was choreographed or impromptu, and Sasha says she's not sure. He liked it, but there was one part that got a little sloppy. He says Alexander was "much stronger tonight than I've seen you in a while" and that Sasha "did brilliantly." Mary says it "was hot, it was on fire" and she loves the way Sasha took on some of the elements typically reserved for the man in the dance. She tells Alexander he was great, but Sasha was "just a little bit stronger." Jesse says he "loved every moment" and refers to Sasha's bra falling off in rehearsal. He says Alexander kept up well. Sonya says it was "absolutely amazing." She praises Sasha because she's "all about strength in women" and that she wants to trust Alexander more in his partnering. Jordan & Tadd: Travis Wall puts together a routine about the women who take advantage of weak men. It's a "dark and heavy piece," Tadd says, and he's hoping the audience picks up on that energy. The crowd appears to have picked up on it quite nicely, standing in approval. Mary calls it "beautiful, dark, magnificent, WOO!" She says it's "no surprise to her" any longer that Tadd is dancing so strongly. She tells Jordan she "demolished that whole thing." Jesse says Tadd made the story this "brilliant, beautiful thing" and that Tadd proves that the guys are in it to win it. Sonya wishes she could swear, and this performance was the kind of thing that makes her want to cry. She says they're both "unstoppable." Nigel agrees it was remarkable, pointing out a cool flip jump Tadd did, but that the pair of them were "absolutely tremendous." Ryan & Ricky: A Broadway routine with choreographer Spencer Liff tells the story of a guy waiting for his date to arrive when he turns and sees a movie star from a poster come to life and they share a dance. It's got a cool, Rat Pack vibe to it and the audience rises to its feet again. Jesse says it felt like there was a glass ceiling on the performance, "a little muted." He says it didn't sparkle and he knows they're capable of more. Sonya says she felt like the dancers were questioning the routine the whole time, but "it was OK." Nigel agrees and says it's "about style" and that if you're not comfortable with the Broadway style, you lose the flavor of the steps. Mary says the first 30 seconds were great and they had the style, but then they did lose the style and could have done more with the steps they were given. Caitlynn & Mitchell: Christopher Scott gives them a routine in which the dancers are intended to portray children in northern Uganda who are forced into fighting. Sonya says she loves Chris Scott but there was a lack of clarity and unison. The details got too jumbled for her, which distracted from the story. Nigel agrees, saying that when he's being asked to buy into abductees in the Congo, all he wants is for the dancers to dance together. Mary says she understands the disconnect with the story, but they danced strong, if not completely in unison all the time. She says it was just a little bit short. Jesse says they dance with so much power, but he did have a problem getting the story. Melanie & Marko: Louis van Amstel choreographs a tango for Marko and Melanie that's probably the toughest challenge the couple has faced. He says something happened between rehearsal and the live show because it was "really tremendous." Mary takes a moment to talk about different kinds of tango. She points out more of the technical aspects and that even though it could have been better, it was "night and day" from dress rehearsal to the live show. Jesse wonders whether Mary Murphy is "the lost Osmond." He then tells Marko and Melanie they have spark and no one can take that away. Sonya every step both of them take comes from "the deepest place" and it makes her shake. She calls them both timeless dancers. Clarice & Jess: Chris Scott gives them a lyrical hip-hop routine about a woman's insecurities. He suggests they think about sound effects with their movements to help get them just right. Mary says they had her dancing in her seat. Jesse jokes that he didn't care for it, then says, "Happy Opposite Day, everybody, I loved it." He Sonya says they're "so adorable," and that Chris makes things look so cool. She says they "just slayed it." Nigel loved the story. It was simple and beautifully danced, he says. He encourages Chris to stick with the simple stories rather than go "too far abroad." Sasha & Alexander: For their second routine, Sasha and Alexander land a Tyce Diorio jazz piece. Jesse makes references to past seasons and past dances before talking about this one -- oh, there it is. He says this was beyond even the best one he saw them do this season. Sonya wants to swear again in the process of praising Tyce. She tells Alexander he broke through. She tells Sasha she made it happen. Nigel says Sasha has carried Alexander through a lot of the routines, but "not tonight." He says this was the best he's seen Alexander dance ever. Mary agrees that Alexander had "an extremely breakthrough night." Jordan & Tadd: Spencer Liff gives them a Broadway routine about a girl who's been asleep for 100 years and is awoken by a kiss. Sonya starts by saying, "I'm sorry," which is never good. She says she felt overwhelmed and it was "a jumble of things." She says she didn't see their abilities and their craft, but she loves them both. Nigel says it could have been a little quirkier and that they could have brought more character to it. Mary says the dancers have to find ways to make it work, and this one just didn't work. Jesse agrees, saying it was a "bit of a grab bag," but their first dance of the night was one of his favorites of the season. Ryan & Ricky: Louis van Amstel is back with a cha cha for Ryan and Ricky. He wants to get them out of the bottom three. Ricky is excited to get out of his comfort zone. Nigel says Ricky did a really good job and his feet did well. He tells Ryan she was overdoing it a little and her footwork was a little sloppy. Mary says it was "the fastest darn cha cha" she's ever seen. She agrees with Nigel on Ryan's sloppiness as the dance progressed. She says she doesn't know who Ricky is because his steps were so tight and clean, he was "just livin' the cha cha" like she wants to see it. She puts Ricky, and only Ricky, on the Hot Tamale Train. Jesse says this was his favorite dance of Ricky's this season. Sonya says Ricky was enjoying and celebrating the dance, and it showed. She tells Ryan she wants her to embrace how wonderful she is and not lose her conviction, which will allow her to loosen up in her dancing. Caitlynn & Mitchell: Travis Wall gives them a jazz routine where a 1970s rock star (Caitlynn) finds out that her man is married. Mary calls it "slightly naughty" and gusty and she "loved it." She says there was "some tough stuff" in the routine and they did it very well. Jesse says they can prevent forest fires by never dancing in the forest. Sonya says Caitlynn is totally hot and shouldn't be that hot. She tells Mitchell that he sometimes loses his intention when it comes to partnering. She says that sometimes his partnering looks like work. Nigel says that's good advice. His only criticism is that they shouldn't have involved the crowd as much as they did and that they should have been focused on the "argument" happening between them in the dance. Melanie & Marko: Dee Caspary gives them a routine about dancing into the light, or something involving a light bulb. The crowd gives another standing ovation. Jesse says he's got goosebumps and that they're amazing and that this is his new favorite performance of theirs. Sonya says she's "just so grateful that this is the future of dance." She tries not to get emotional, but thanks them and asks them to "please stay humble and please stay true." Nigel says he's excited about next week when the couples are split up, except for the fact that they'll be split up because there's something special about their chemistry. He says "this didn't feel like you'd been choreographed, it felt like you were moving to your own magical movement." Mary says she'll be devastated when the couple is separated. She calls them "two shining stars." Clarice & Jess: Tony Meredith and Melanie Lapatin give them a fast and bold jive that tests the limits of Jess' leg-kicking abilities. Sonya just repeats, "I love it, I love it," several times before ending with, "Perfect, amazing." Nigel agrees but says he's a little uncomfortable when Jess lifts. He's hopeful that the routine will bring votes in. Mary says the leg kicks were fabulous, but it lost steam as it went along and she missed some of the joy from Jess. She says Clarice had it. Jesse says he's not the mayor of Broadway, but that Jess deserves an honorary key (or something like that). Jesse then randomly suggests that Cat should be nominated for an Emmy when the picks come out Thursday.
- One guy and one girl are going to fall just a tiny bit short of the Top 10, and it's time to find out which on "So You Think You Can Dance" results show. Guest judges Jesse Tyler Ferguson is back and she and Cat Deeley take a moment to congratulate each other on their Emmy nominations. Cat seems genuinely touched when Nigel emphasizes her nomination and the crowd gives her a standing ovation. Nigel also tosses to a montage of routines by Mandy Moore, Mia Michaels, Stacey Tookey, Travis Wall, and Napoleon & Tabitha, who were all nominated, as well. To the results: The first two couples called to the stage are Clarice & Jess and Caitlynn & Mitchell. After their recaps, we learn that the first two dancers who've made it to the Top 10 are Clarice & Jess. Caitlynn & Mitchell are in the bottom three. Nigel explains that each dancer in the Top 10 will be paired with a new partner for one dance, in addition to being paired with an all star. Nigel explains that Alex Wong, who was injured last season, was asked to return as an all-star but injured his left tendon while doing the same step at an audition as he was doing on the show last season when he injured his right tendon. So he's out. The all-stars are introduced, and they are: Season 1's Melody; Season 2's Allison; Season 3's Pasha; Season 4's Twitch, Comfort and Chelsie; Season 5's Brandon; Season 6's Kathryn; and Season 7's Robert. Melanie & Marko and Ricky & Ryan are next on stage. The next two dancers into the Top 10 are Melanie & Marko. Ryan & Ricky are in danger. Finally, Jordan & Tadd and Sasha & Alexander learn their fates. The next safe couple is Jordan & Tadd. Alexander looks utterly shocked. They're in the bottom three. Be our guest: Jason Samuel Smith and his tap company put on a pretty nifty little show. After Nigel talks more about National Dance Day, the solos happen. Cat sends the judges off to confer while Nicole Scherzinger performs. The eliminations: Nigel says the judges were unanimous with the girls. He asks Caitlynn to step forward. He tells her they haven't seen her dance as well as she did in her solo. He next tells Ryan she was a little lackluster on Wednesday and didn't do her solo as well as they would have liked. He tells Sasha they weren't knocked out with her solo but they think she's fabulous as a dancer. He the reveals that the girl leaving the show is Ryan. The guys step up and Nigel says the judges were not unanimous, it was three votes to one. He tells Mitchell he did a pretty strong solo but his work has been "between average and very good." He tells Ricky he gave a "dance for your life" that was one of the best he's ever seen. He tells Alexander he found himself in the competition Wednesday night, but his solo was lacking and for that reason, he's going home.