They Have Water Coolers In Washington Too

I missed writing about last week's show. Mom, I promise I'm not obsessed about So You Think You Can Dance. I know these emotional reviews worry you, but it's not like I live and die for each week's show. I'm handling the fact that I can't watch Thursday's night show, because you guys unplugged your DVR in case of thunderstorms, with maturity and perspective. I am a duck and missing the show is like water rolling off my back. No big deal. I'm cool.

BUT....since I can't write about what happens tomorrow, I might as well write about tonight. I mean, every one here is asleep so I'm not monopolizing the computer and since I can't download any of the pictures I've taken so far, there is no point in blogging about my trip. Oh...I have had little essays rolling through my head about Costco and marriage (they aren't related) but it's late and I'm on the road again tomorrow and this will have to do.

First things first, Cat looked lovely. She epitomized how modesty and classy go hand in hand. Loved her dress. Loved her hair. Love her. She adds so much to the show.

I was so relieved when they announced that each couple would perform two dances. Finally - less talky talk and more dancing! The last two weeks have been brutal listening to the judges endlessly yap and the pre-dance interview's unnecessary intimacy.

I booed out loud when disco by Dorian was announced as the first number. Oddly enough, I own three discs of Disco Fever (bought from an infomercial during one of my weaker moments) and I enjoy them. I had a picture of John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever in my locker during most of high school. I've even thrown a disco murder/mystery party in my short lifetime. However, disco has been a major dud so far for me on this show. Even Brandon and Jeanette's "fastest disco ever" left me bored. I braced myself for disappointment.

Melissa was lacking but did you see Ade???? He was totally Jackson 5 out there! Maybe it's his very tame Afro, or shiny pants, but I would have been just fine if he could have hip bounced across the stage all night. That man knows how to groove. It was nice to see Ade carry the dance for once, even though none of the judges gave him proper credit. I like Melissa too but this was Ade's night.

Their second dance, the waltz, was schmaltzy. Oh, I know the choreographer said it was more open and less structured by leaving out a lot of the traditional holds, but, at times, it didn't even feel like a waltz. No matter, though, because I think they'll be safe this week even though they weren't handed any favors with their two "randomly" chosen dances (which, after last week, I hope is a myth that has been dispelled. No way the dances are pulled out of a hat).

Now, onto Kupono and Kayla. I am glad that I still have room to appreciate Mia because the woman, for all her ego and false humility, can make magic on that stage. For that minute and a half, Kayla was an addict and Kupono was whatever was bad for her. Absolutely. That is what I love about this art form. It is a living and breathing and dynamic statement about....whatever. Wow. I agree with Cat that it will be one of the more memorable pieces this season.



I didn't love their broadway routine, though. Personally, I find that choreographer (can't remember her name and don't have the energy to look it up) really intimidating. They might have too, because the whole dance felt 1-2-3-4ish to me. They danced it, but they didn't look like they were having any fun which Kayla, and her perfection in performance, can usually at least fake, and Kupono is supposedly able to jump into any character given him. I think Broadway has become the new Kiss of Death and if they didn't have that incredible first number, I think they would have been in the bottom three. But, fortunately, or unfortunately depending on if you're a Kupono fan or not, I don't think they will be. If they are, I still don't think the judges would get ride of Kupono because they must have plans for him on the tour or something. They need him to make it to Top 10. I can think of no other reason why they keep ignoring the masses who keep putting him in the bottom three.

Jason and Kaitlin. I'm not even going to bother writing about them because they are boring. They might be beautiful dancers but they've had five weeks to develop some kind of personality or spark between the two of them and it's missing every week and in every dance. I'm guessing she drives him crazy. She kind of has that neurotic quality about her, I think. I used to feel bad for him, but he's had plenty of time to step it up and hasn't bothered. I think both of them will leave tomorrow night.

As far as Brandon and Jeanette go....amazing! I didn't know I loved the Argentinian Tango. I know they highlighted it on the first results show, but the professional dancers had nothing on these two. I loved it. I was really glad they danced to traditional music. I think it helps. I've been distracted the last few ballroom routines when Latin numbers are paired with The Pussycat Dolls or some other northern flavor. I still have no idea why leg flicks are necessary when it comes to couple dancing in cafes, and have a hard time believing that this is performed by any kind of everyday Argentinian, but I clapped when their dance was done. And then Nigel copied me. I don't know how he does it.

The golden couple ended the night with what could only be greatness dancing a Wade Robson routine. It wasn't my favorite of his dances (although I loved the stair dancing. Something about Roisin Murphy and stairs must go together in his crazy brilliant mind) and Jeanette was a little off compared to Brandon (or maybe her shiny 80s spandex just threw me off) but they are like gold in Ft. Knox. Safe, safe, safe.

If one is to believe (and I do) that the dancers they want to go home get the least amount of help (like a "hard hitting" NappyTab number, or Dorian's disco (usually) or bad costumes) then it seems obvious that they must want Philip and Jeanine off the show. They have NEVER gotten contemporary. Or Jazz. They keep talking about how Philip can't dance anything but Hip Hop but I think he'd be pretty good in a Mia routine, or Wade, or even Mandy as long as she left her Greatest 90s pop ballads CD at home. No, instead they get to do a Russian Folk Dance. As soon as the camera cut away from their interview and I saw them in costume, I crinkled my nose. Not that there is anything wrong with Russian Folk Dancing, but you might as well put them in Pioneer dress, bring out the fiddle or just have an audience sing along, and ask them to skip and arm twirl. Their dance skills, thankfully, were more complicated than that, but just barely. Other than those leg squat jumps, which always impress me, there wasn't much that you or I and apparently Phillip couldn't master.

I loved how Nigel passed off any responsibility for the out-of-place routine. I'm sure he chose the number so that he could say (as he usually does at least once per show), "Where else can you see disco, hip hop, the chains of addiction and Russian folk dancing on one stage?!" The man loves to give himself props. He could barely get over how some genius managed to bring classical ballet to the masses last week. Fess up!

It was bad, but not horrible. They did as much as they could. Jeanine, as usually, surprised me. No, I take that back. She doesn't surprise me anymore. She's incredible. How and why was I so wrong about her?

How could the show make it up to them after handing them the least exciting dance ever attempted on the show? I know....a jive! The jive is hard. Nigel loves to lecture about getting low and foot retractions. The was the nail in their coffin. As unfair as it was to have two doozies of dances, Jeanine was so good that she pretty much guaranteed that both of them will stay. She was so good that I didn't care that no one in the 40s wore tutus. She was so good that I forgot about Philip and his stiff shoulders (which is so, so odd that such a non-jointed dancer could be so stiff). I also appreciated that Bette Midler's look alike (who I will always uncomfortably remember dancing the Cha Cha with poor Pasha when his partner got sick) choosing a Bette Midler song for the dance. It brought everything....full circle...for me.

Lastly, poor Randi and Evan just didn't have their game on. I don't know why Randi always makes such a fuss in rehearsals about how uncomfortable and weird she feels acting sexy or in love or...anything other than bouncy and blonde. Because she pulls it off every week. She is the consummate performer. Every dance, I am amazed at how committed she is to the dance, even when she has to convince the rest of us that she has the hots for Evan (those are some fine acting skills). So, even though I loved the music and loved the moves, I didn't love the Samba. The leopard skins they were wearing may have something to do with that too.

Their hip hop routine was hmmmmph, meh and yawn. If it wasn't announced that it was about a couple finding out about a pregnancy, I never would have known. To me, it looked like a dance about about to propose followed by lots of dancing and jumping about in sync, because that is what most newly engaged people do (sadly, I don't have video of Jay's and my moves but they were pretty street. We were living in Provo, after all). He did touch her stomach once, so...I guess that was supposed to clear things up.

I laughed when Nigel commented about how Tabitha and Napoleon didn't try to urbanize them and let them be who they were. Um....I don't think that was much of a stretch, Nigel. Basically, they had themselves to work with. I could see Napoleon saying, "Hey, Evan, I'm from the burbs too and I'm here to tell you that you can still hit it hard in an argyle sweater. I promise." And, just once, could wardrobe not put the girl in high tops? I think Randi and Evan will be in the bottom three for the first time. But, I don't think the judges will send either of them home. At least I hope not.

Enjoy watching the results show tomorrow night. I don't care that much about missing it except for the group number. I have this fear that it will be a Wade number, especially since they got him back in town, but, even so, I realize it's just a t.v. show.

See, Mom?