So You Think You Can Dance 7/19. Two More Get Cut Before The Tour

Our opening number is a fun little 1940’s inspired routine to “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy From Company B”. It’s vaguely reminiscent to a tamer version of the video for “Candyman”, which featured Benji Schwimmer, last season’s winner. Coincidence? I’m guessing so. They all salute Cat very cutely when she walks on stage, and Cat looks very summery and cute and British. We’re reminded about the tour yet again. Cat yet again makes us say “judges”. I still don’t know why we do it. We immediately launch into which couples are safe. Either Sabra and Dominic are in the bottom or Danny and Anya is in the bottom. Before we get the results, we get to watch Dominic sleeping and getting woken up by Sabra. The judges really liked them (At least Mary and Nigel did. Wade didn’t really talk about the dance). The judges also loved Danny and Anya’s foxtrot, despite Wade’s anti-Danny speech. I placed Sabra and Dominic in the bottom three, but by default. Sabra and Dominic are safe tonight, and I’m glad, because I really like them, but that leaves Danny and Anya in the bottom three, despite my belief that both of them should be there at the end. Mary promises to try to protect them tonight. Mary, I’m with you.

The next two couples brought out are Jaimie and Hok and Pasha and Sara. Hok and Jaimie are up first and liked Jaimie and disliked Hok. Pasha and Sara’s jazz routine, however, got pretty darn good reviews. Our next couple in the bottom three is Jaimie and Hok. They were the worst couple last night, so this is a surprise to no one. Nigel backtracks on his anti-Hok stuff, and compliments Jaimie’s technique again, flattering Jaimie’s teacher in the audience, Denise Wall, who also happens to be Travis from last season and Danny’s adoptive mom. Coincidence? I think not, because I’m sure half the contestants have ties to Denise Wall. So not so much coincidence as to be expected.

The last two couples to find out their fates are Lauren and Neil and Lacey and Kameron. Lacey and Kameron should be the last couple based on the judge’s reactions. But it is not such, as Lacey and Kameron are safe and Lauren and Neil are in the bottom three. I hope people aren’t just voting for Lacey and Kameron because of the whole Schwimmer family thing and their awesome Mia Michaels contemporary routine in the first week. After all the results, we find out that we have a surprise in store for us. That surprise is a pretty awesome tap routine by Jason Samuel Smith whose name I forgot. I mean, he just rocks that stage, dancing up a storm. He makes tap seem awesome, which takes talent.

Solo Time:
Anya: Anya proves that there is such a good thing as a ballroom solo. She also proves, however, that her taste in fashion is beyond garish, wearing a sparkly thing heavily tassled in the bosom region.

Danny: Danny’s solo is graceful and beautiful, if a little bit tired. He’s amazing to watch on that stage though. He seems so professional. Maybe that’s what’s working against him?

Jaimie: Jaimie runs about the stage and shows off her really good lines. But besides having amazing lines, the solo doesn’t really do much for me.

Hok: His solo is really energetic and fun, but I’m not sure if it’s gonna be able to keep him in the competition. There’s some incredible acrobatics though.

Lauren: Lauren displays her musicality and her body control, but something about it just doesn’t do it for me.

Neil: Neil kind of runs and jumps and twirls around to Maroon 5. I yawn and think that Hok’s chances of survival just got a lot better.

But enough with the dancing, it’s time for a lackluster musical performance. This week’s bland flavor is Enrique Iglesias. Seriously, Enrique. If you’re going to be performing in a show called “So You Think You Can Dance” do you think they want you to just stand in front of a microphone and sing? It’s common sense. The song is also not gripping. It’s your basically you’re basic generic pop ballad. He really should have done “Bailamos” I mean, it’s a freaking dance show. You have a song called, basically “Let’s Dance.” It’s not hard to put two things like that together. After the performance, Cat gets very dour. Oh Cat, stay happy.

Apparently, the judges are taking time, because Cat is clearly killing time on stage. We’re starting with the girls this week. The decision is not unanimous this week. Jaimie’s solo was apparently only alright tonight, but she’s still safe. The judges don’t feel that Lauren has reached her potential. They feel like Anya has had trouble with solos in the past and that may continue. The judges like Lauren more, so Anya will not be making the tour, which is a shame, because she was a pretty awesome dancer. Frankly, they cut the wrong person. Anya seems to be taking her elimination in stride though. They were unanimous this week with the guys. They state that Hok is a unique dancer, but has not shown his diversity. Which is why they cut him without even addressing Neil and Danny. Hok tells America that this isn’t the end of his journey. At the very end, as the credits are rolling, Hok moves away from the group and breaks for the audience, while Pasha and Anya share a tender hug. Anya, you should still be in the competition. But what can I say, America generally sucks at voting.