So You Think You Can Dance - Week 7

Thursday, September 01, 2005

As appeared on Blogcritics, to read previous weeks recaps, go here.

The competition heats up and the judges get serious during this week's So You Think You Can Dance. The judges are looking for the best dancer in America to give the stellar prize too, and now you can see they are really taking their jobs seriously.

This week's ninety minute broadcast started off with the elimination of two of the six dancers from last week's show. The two sent home this week were Craig and Michelle. Michelle had been in the top six the previous two weeks, so it was no surprise that she was the girl to be sent packing. (Although, if it been my choice, it would have been Snow. )

Seeing Craig go was particularly sad. Melody and him tried out together and danced together the first two weeks competition. They are friends, and it was obvious to see just how sad his getting sent home made Melody feel. Craig is a talented dancer, and the judges did complement him well when they sent him home.

After the eliminated dancers were gone, the competition got under way. This week the men were the ones choosing their partners and the woman choosing the type of dance they would perform.

This episode was unique because no two couples duplicated a style of dance. The styles on this week's episode were the following: disco, hip hop, lyrical, pasa double, rock & roll and the waltz. With each of the couples tackling a different style, we were treated something more than the standard lyrical or hip hop. Definitely a welcome change. The dancers seemed to have a harder time with the styles they were given.

The judges zeroed in on specific dancers and problems they had, and the judges were definitely critiquing more harshly than they have in previous weeks. This is totally understandable in my opinion. The judges need to be hard because they want to have the best to win. The numbers are dwindling. At the end of the week, we will be down to ten dancers. Two more will be sent home on the next episode.

Ryan, who had performed well with Melissa in previous competitions, didn't rate nearly as well this time around. In a performance with Snow, they performed a hip hop routine, and while it was fun to watch I could see what the judges saw and commented on. The performance was based more on tricks and not technique. The judges are looking for technique.

Normally we'd see three couples up for elimination. However, this week, only two were chosen. This put four dancers up on the chopping block and looking for the votes of America to keep them in the running. In the last two voting shows, America has chimed in with their calls setting record numbers each week for a voting competition show. Last week, we had 3 million and this week we had even more, the total call-in votes totaling 3.7 million.

America is definitely watching, and this week they have the choice between Snow and Melody on the girl's side, and Allan and Ryan on the men's side. Allan and Ryan have both won America's heart, so seeing one of these two go, especially for me, will be hard.

However, if I had to look at these two critically, I would agree with what one of the judges said about Allan. If this was a personality contest, he would win hands down. This isn't. It is a dance contest, and with his performance to save himself from elimination I don't think he did the job. I think Ryan worked it just a bit harder this week, and he deserves to stick around.

On the girl's side, the decision is a bit harder. Melody and Snow have both been in the final six before, just last week in fact. They are both wonderful dancers, but I find myself not enjoying Snow's performances as much as I do Melody's. Melody did wonderfully tonight, even with Allan as her partner in the lyrical performance. I think she should be the one to stay on the girl's side.

With each week that passes, competition becomes more heated. The dancers and the judges are giving everything they have, and I can't wait to see what happens next week. I didn't start out liking this show very much, but it is now one of my favorites.

Are your favorite dancers still in the game? Do you agree with the judges? What do you think America? Do they only think they can dance or can these dancers dance?