So You Think You Can Dance The Top 20

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Over the last three weeks we've seen them audition, we've seen them go through hell week, and now we see the top twenty perform in partner's for America's votes. Tomorrow night, we will see which two of them will go home. One female and one male will end up on the chopping block and sent home tomorrow night. Our judges at this point are Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and Dan Karaty. Our host is Cat Deeley. Last season's host, Lauren Sanchez is on maternity leave.

Tonight's show opened with a look at some back at some of the judge's funniest or best moments, but that was overshadowed by an appearance by last season's winner, Nick Lazzarini. He performed to the song he used in so many of his performances last year, Incubus's Pardon Me.

This season's competition s being done a little differently than the first season. Last season, each week the couple's pairing was done randomly as each one picked a name out of hat. This year, the judges have picked the couples before tonight, and the couples will remain the same throughout the season. At the end of each performance show, you will vote and then the next night the three couples with the lowest number of votes will dance again for the judges.

The first couple to perform is Benji and Donyelle and they worked with Shane Sparks on a great hip hop routine. It was a great routine and a great performance. I was actually a bit shocked to see Benji do so well because he is more of a ballroom performer. The next couple is Ivan and Allison. They are set to work with Alex Dasilva on what he calls a salsa night club routine. Ivan is a hip hop dancer, and this might cause a problem for the two. Allison was wonderful, but Ivan was clearly nervous during the performance.

Our third couple is Jason and Aleksandra, and they will have to perform a contemporary routine by Tyce Dioro. Jason definitely looked to be having an easier time with the choreography than his partner was. After a commercial break, we saw our next couple, Jaymz and Jessica. They worked with Doriana Sanchez on a disco routine. They do extremely well with it. By this point, we've reached the halfway point of our show, and our fifth couple is Erin and Stanislav, and they work with Ron Montez on a pasa doble. Erin doesn't impress Nigel so much, but Mary loved her partner.

Our sixth couple is Dmitri and Joy. Once again we see our dancers work with Shane Sparks on a hip hop routine. This will be a problem with Dmitri because he is a ballroom dancer that has never danced hip hop before. This showed during the performance. I didn't think Dmitri hit his performance, and Nigel told him as much. Mary disagreed with him. However, Dan agreed with Nigel.

Ryan and Heidi are the seventh couple. Ryan was a bit disappointed because he was really hoping to be paired with Natalie. They end up working Ron Montez on a Viennese Waltz. The judges thought they did okay, but Mary was definitely touch on Ryan. the top was good, but the feet were horrible. Our next couple comes from Los Angeles, Ben and Ashlee. They end up working with Doriana Sanchez on an eighties disco routine. However, the two didn't do well, and the judges had no problem telling them that. Dan Karaty pointed out Ashlee, and Nigel said for the two to prepare their solos for tomorrow night.

Our eighth couple is Travis and Martha, and they work with Tyce Dioro on a Broadway routine. Travis has been on Broadway before, so he is a step ahead of the game. During rehearsals, we see them do well. On stage, they are on fire. Both Nigel and Mary call them the couple to beat in this competition, and I agree. Our final couple is Musa and Natalie. They work with Alex DaSilva on a mambo routine. Alex was a bit worried about Musa because he isn't a formally trained. He is a break dancer. This might lead Natalie to leading, which is a problem Alex notes with her during rehearsals. They do an okay performance. I think Natalie saved them, but they do have amazing chemistry as Dan noted in his comments.

So who do you think the bottom three couples will be tomorrow night? Which six dancers will have to dance for their lives with their solos? I think we will see Erin and Stanislav, Dmitiri and Joy, and Musa and Natalie dancing tomorrow night. However, it isn't up to me. It is up to you America. Here is a list of songs used on tonight's show.

Nick Lazarrini: Incubus Pardon Me



Benji and Donyelle: 2 Much Booty Soundmaster T



Ivan/Allison: El Temblor by La Palabra



Aleksandra/Jason: Natasha Bedingfield Unwritten



Jaymz/Jessica: Disco Inferno The Trammps



Stanislav/Erin: Malaguena Manhattan Pops Orchestra

Dmitri/Joy: Hit The Floor Twista feat. Pitbull



Natalie/Ryan: Carribean Bkue Enya



Ashlee/Ben: Flashdance Irene Cara



Marsha/Travis: Steam Heat The Pointer Sisters



Musa/Natalie: Nina Joe Cuba Sixtet