Our top 18 dancers took the stage for another night of amazing routines, and two more contestants were sent home.
TEAM DEELEY
The Emmy nominations were announced this week, and our own SYTYCD received seven well-deserved nominations. Included among the nominees were choreographers Napoleon and Tabitha, Travis Wall, and Mandy Moore, and our hostess with the mostess Cat Deeley (TEAM DEELEY). Here’s hoping the Emmy voters have been watching the show, and give it the credit it deserves.
Top 18 Performances
Top 18
The top 18’s opening group performance was absolutely amazing. Set on a giant chessboard, the dancers themselves were the chess pieces, dressed in super-creepy but awesome chess piece costumes. The routine was incredibly striking, and a great showcase of season 11’s very talented dancers. It gave Cat the “Deeley chills,” so you know it was good. Better yet, the routine was choreographed by Pharside and Krystal Meraz of Academy of Villains, one of the dance crews competing this season!
Zack Everhart and Jacque LeWarne
Zack and Jacque closed the show last week, and were the first pair to dance this week. Both weeks, the tapper and ballerina have been outside of their comfort zones; last week with African jazz, and this week with hip-hop. Choreographed by Keone and Mari, it was a very intricate routine, focusing on tiny hand movements. But both dancers nailed it, and really sold the emotion of the song (Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me”), and the choreography.
Jourdan Epstein and Marcquet Hill
Jourdan and Marcquet had a really interesting Dee Casbury contemporary routine. Dancing among umbrellas suspended from the ceiling, they portrayed a couple trying to disappear to be happy. The routine was beautiful, and they looked lovely, but all the judges felt they are just lacking some kind of connection. They’re both likable, but they’re just not connecting with the audience.
Jessica Richins and Stanley Glover
Jessica and Stanley took a Tyce Diorio magic carpet jazz ride, on what is possibly the biggest magic carpet ever. While they have both demonstrated their crazy skills in past weeks, the judges are growing troubled by the way they over-act with their faces while they dance. It’s starting to take away from the overall routine. They warned them to get that under control, or they’ll be in trouble.
Bridget Whitman and Emilio Dosal
Bridget and Emilio, a contemporary dancer and a hip-hopper, respectively, were well outside their comfort zones with this Anya and Pasha jive routine, but they made the best of it. They’re both great performers, and while the jive is notoriously one of the most difficult dances to master, they made the routine fun and exciting. The judges thought they were great outside of their strengths.
Emily James and Teddy Coffey
Emily and Teddy got a very emotional Tyce Diorio contemporary routine this week. The theme of the dance was desperation, a sense of “Don’t ever leave me.” Hip-hopper Teddy struggled to connect with a different side of himself, but he nailed it, and the judges were mesmerized. Misty told Emily her body speaks French, which apparently is a very good thing.
Brooklyn Fullmer and Casey Askew
Brooklyn and Casey were in the tough spot of performing a prom-themed Bonnie Story jazz routine. This is only a tough assignment because they are in the shadow of another very memorable pink-dress prom-themed routine from a few seasons ago. Unfortunately for the pink dress, the judges were not impressed with Bridget’s dancing, while Casey absolutely stole the show.
Valerie Rockey and Ricky Ubeda
Season 3 contestant Lacey Schwimmer returned to SYTYCD to choreograph a Viennese waltz routine for Valerie and Ricky. Valerie stole the show from the moment she appeared onstage in a dress with a skirt that twirled beautifully. Both dancers did a wonderful job with the routine (though the judges called them out on some technical issues), but it was impossible to take your eyes off of Valerie.
Carly Blaney and Serge Onik
Carly and Serge were badass gold skeletons in their Luther Brown hip-hop routine. They were both outside of their comfort zones, but contemporary dancer Carly took to it quicker than ballroom dancer Serge. However, onstage, they both held their own and impressed the ladies, though Nigel didn’t think America would be picking up their phones to vote.
Tanisha Belnap and Rudy Abreu
Tanisha and Rudy closed the show with an exciting and dynamic Broadway routine from Warren Carlisle. They struggled in rehearsals with the difficult steps, and particularly the baton-twirling, but onstage they blew everyone away. They’re both so energetic, and such great performers, that they absolutely sold the routine, in spite of any technical imperfections. The judges gave them a standing ovation, and raved about both dancers, particularly Rudy’s “inner light.”
A Great Big World
So You Think You Can Dance debuted A Great Big World’s hit song “Say Something” last year in a beautifully-danced routine by winner Amy Yackima and all-star Robert Roldan, and came full circle this week by performing the song live onstage. And while Amy and Robert were unfortunately missing (what happened to the all-stars performing with the musical guests?), the band was joined by the Los Angeles Children’s Choir. It’s still a beautiful song, and this was a particularly moving rendition.
Eliminations
At the top of the show, Nigel announced the bottom six contestants, based on last week’s votes: Bridget Whitman, Emilio Dosal, Emily James, Stanley Glover, Jourdan Epstein, and Teddy Coffey. The dancers gave it their all in their final shot to show off for the judges, but in the end, they chose to stick with America’s votes, and send the bottom two contestants home: Stanley and Jourdan.
The top 16 dancers will perform next Wednesday, July 23 at 8 p.m. on Fox.