It takes a lot more than fire, blackouts, and little girl ghosts to stop a bunch of incredibly talented dancers from showing their stuff, as we learned when the SYTYCD season 12 auditions kicked off in Memphis and Dallas.
What a way to kick off season 12! Before the start of audition day two in Memphis, a fire at an underground substation knocked out the power in downtown Memphis, including the theatre where SYTYCD auditions were being held. Safety concerns made it seem highly unlikely that the auditions would be able to continue, leaving the dancers heartbroken. But of course, dance powered through, and with a generator providing just enough light to dimly light the stage, the auditions were a go.
But not before one of the stagehands mentioned that the blackout was probably the work of the ghost of a little girl that died in the theatre, back when it was an opera house. Oh, cool, because nothing brightens up a day of dancing like tales of vengeful child ghosts.
Promising auditions
Peyton Albrecht
Young Peyton Albrecht chose quite an intense track to dance to for his audition, but fortunately he had the dancing chops to back it up. His dancing even drew comparisons to Team Stage mentor Travis Wall, though Nigel’s words sounded a bit like a backhanded compliment: “I remember when he first came, he was almost turned down at the beginning of the audition, and he developed into something magical. If you can do the same, I think you’re gonna do very well in this competition.” We’ll see what Vegas brings.
Andre Rucker
Andre Rucker is a familiar face from season 9, having auditioned alongside his Dragon House buddy Cyrus, who made it to the finals that year. Dragon House has become such a huge crew on this show, that season 13 will probably be Dragon House vs. Everyone Else. Andre has the talent to back up the Dragon House name, with every one of his tiny movements precise, and completely captivating. He’s ready now, and he’s got the drive to make it through the next round. His ticket to Vegas was a good start.
Jordan Hilgenberg
Jordan Hilgenberg’s mother and stepfather skipped their honeymoon to bring her to her audition, so she really had to make this worth their while. A contemporary dancer with a ballet base, Jordan’s strength and control were absolutely incredible. The way she was able to hold herself with such grace, one can only imagine what she’ll bring to the competition this season. See you in Vegas, JoJo.
Ladia Yates
Ladia Yates may be little bit of a thing, but she’s got talent and swagger for days. Bringing the distinctive “jookin” style to the stage, she gave us a taste of what’s happening on the streets of Memphis. Those ankle rolls are no joke, and what was even better was when she brought her dance team of adorable children up to dance to Jason DeRulo’s “Talk Dirty To Me.” Ladia made it through to Vegas, and she’ll likely be a force to be reckoned with.
Guillermo Morales
Guillermo Morales used to be an athlete, but found a passion for dance after volunteering at a dance studio. He brought his contemporary style of contemporary with a touch of contemporary to the audition stage in Memphis, and proved that good dancers really are athletes. He gave a strong, energetic, and surprisingly graceful performance. But he also gave us a lot of fun personality, which always gets a contestant far in this competition. This week, it got him through to Vegas.
Jaclyn Hamric
Jacyln Hamric brought a little something different to the auditions with her sweet, sexy routine. The judges have grown so used to every contestant’s dramatic, yearning, audition routines, that it was nice to see something sweet and happy for once. She was reminiscent of last season’s Jessica Richens, and seems just as captivating to watch. Here’s hoping Jaclyn’s ticket to Vegas is the start of something good.
Steven Ban
We have seen a lot of awkward, nerdy auditions on So You Think You Can Dance over the years. People who just love to dance but may not be completely… um… good at it. The moment Steven Ban walked out onstage, it looked like he was going to be another one of those cases. But he proved that nerds can have moves too! He’s an animator, he’s a contortionist, and he actually put on a pretty good show. Time will tell what else he can bring to the competition, but he at least made it to Vegas.
Tune in next Monday at 8 p.m. on Fox when the So You Think You Can Dance auditions move to Denver.