So You Think You Can Dance 5/27- Miami and Memphis Move their Moneymakers

NOTE: Last week, Spot (from sytycd.ca) pointed out that posting the same recap both here and at sytycd.ca may cause problems with Google. So here’s the deal folks, what you’ll find here is the ABRIDGED recap. Then, with the full recap, you can find that over at So You Think You Can Dance Season 5 Social. Sound good folks?

Welcome back folks, for another great edition of the SYTYCD auditions shows! Tonight we’re hitting up Miami and Memphis. In honor of SYTYCD’s city alliteration, I’m hoping for some banoodles breakers, beyond crazy ballroom couples, consummate contemporaries, lovely lyricals, tremendous tappers, hard-hitting hip-hoppers, jaw-dropping jazz dancers, and just judges.

Miami
Priscilla Marrero- She is Spanish, but that is about all I catch from her audition package. However, her dancing is fantastic, she knows how to PERFORM, which is key, and her quality of movement is just great. She knows how to connect with her audience. I can see her in the top 10. She’s been dancing for a long time, and it’s who she is. Nigel loved her, Mary calls her over-the-top wonderful, and Tyce says it made him happy to be a dancer and it does something to him. Maybe that’s what those pseudo-orgasmic noises he was making during her audition were.

On a serious question, though, have they been telling the guest judge to be an over-the-top character like Nigel and Mary? B/c between Sonja and Tyce, they are acting a bit too over-the-top. I tend to like the guest judge because they’re much more reasonable. But, depending on the judges schtick (Yay- Mia, Sonja, the inevitable Shankers, Nay- Tyce), this could get agitating.

Jeanette Manrara and Romulo Villaverde- They auditioned last season, she made it to the end of Vegas week, and got rejected. He didn’t even make it through to Vegas. Well, here’s that beyond-crazy ballroom couple I was looking for. They are sultry, their footwork is very impressive, as is the backflip/split they have. They seem to labor for a second every so often, but they are very very good. Nigel loved it, Mary Murphy screams and loves her sexy strength. The flip split put Tyce over the top. Mary threatens to kill Nigel if they don’t go to Vegas, and, fearing for his life, they go straight through to Vegas

Wislande Letang- She is nervous. And awful. She comes close to flashing the judges, repulses Tyce, and is just generally not even deserving of a recap. But I do this for you, readers. Mary had no idea what just happened, makes a backhanded reference to Nigel’s sexism in that she was clearly only dancing for him. Nigel says she had no style or enthusiasm. Tyce says he was shocked, but Wislande correctly calls him on actually looking disgusted. She’s kind of got him there.

Eric “Silky” Moore- He’s a tapper, and also knows hip-hop. He knows tap is a dying art, and he’s trying to bring it back. He’s dancing to Thriller. He’s really good. Fluid, fantastic footwork, knows how to perform, and you can almost see the infusions of hip-hop into the tap. Plus, there’s an awesome moonwalk and worm. So, between him and Peter Sabasino, there better be a tapper in our top 20. He was simply awesome. Nigel tells him that it was great, started slow, but got great. Mary wanted to keep watching him. Tyce found it totally inspiring from the start. He goes straight through to Vegas. Deservedly.

Paris Torres- She was Miss Washington. She entered pageants because of dance. She also has the most preposterous blue eyes, that I’m sure they must be contact fakes. It’s a very pretty ballet-esque routine. I say esque because I’m pretty sure it’s not only ballet and it’s also choreographer to a remix of Toxic by Britney spears. Certainly enjoyable, but I wouldn’t necessarily put her straight through to Vegas. Nigel found it very good indeed, Mary loved her lines and limbs, and Tyce thought it was great but she was too focused on her lower limbs. It’s a 2-1 vote but she gets straight though to vegas.

Henry Rivero, Megan Kinney, Alex Wong- They are all lumped in a montage of good contemporary. I wish we could have seen Megan and Alex’s full auditions. All make it straight through to Vegas. But, seriously, these guys get 20 second each but crappy Tony (see full recap for his blurb) gets like 5 minutes?

Thalia Rickett (I think, this may be the wrong name)- She met her husband at age 14, married at 18, and became a widow at 22. Really sad backstory, and, despite the shades of Danny Gokey in this backstory, I’m rooting for her. It’s her first audition in 2 years, and she has the attitude and hits her hip-hop moves hard, but the technique seems a little lacking. Nigel accurately points out how often she pulls her face and didn’t see enough there for him. Mary calls it fiery, but didn’t see the substance, despite seeing potential. Tyce thought the energy was good, but it was lacking in hip-hop technique. Nigel fakes her out before sending her to choreography.

Choreography Day 2: Geo (see full recap) makes it to Vegas, as does, surprising no one, Thalia.

MEMPHIS
Mariko Flake (also might be the wrong name)- He’s a police officer, and patrols the entertainment district. He does Memphis juking, which is all about bounce and smoothness. Well, in his video package, his is impressive. His actual audition is no less so. Ridiculous body control and footwork. I can totally see the bounce and smoothness in there. Best breaker-ish dancer the show has had yet. Nigel loved it, Lil’ C enjoyed it, and Mary thought he had it all going on. She points out that juking is usually in the feet, but he made them watch it all. They toy with him before putting him straight through to Vegas.

Christopher Corroza- He seems like a douche. His style is called “Electric” and it apparently is a little bit of him stealing everything. But is, in actuality, hopping in a bellbottoms like I’m sure he does at Burning Man every year. Nigel calls it EuroPop/Rave Party and then says it doesn’t show if he’s a dancer or not. This guy is a total douche. He wasted their time, doesn’t want to hear criticism, and then tells the judges they’re being overly critical. Total, total douche.

Caitlin Kinney- She is the sister of Megan Kinney (who I wanted more of earlier). And she is beautiful to watch. She does an amazing cartwheel backflip, some great leaps, and a very impressive routine (Can you tell I have my technical vocabulary down pat?). She also ands in a ridiculous upside down warrior-pose type thing. Nigel calls her absolutely phenomenal for having only danced for five years. She’s also had a hip reconstruction surgery, and Mary calls this her destiny for having come back from that. Lil’ C calls her captivating and she gave him chills. She goes straight to Vegas.

Anna Dunn- Her father killed himself a little over a year ago. She’s been getting through it via dance. It’s her outlet to express herself. I really wanna see her succeed. I really like her dancing, but something about her face doesn’t seem to sync up with the movement. She almost looks too pleased for the movements she’s doing, which seem to tell a story of being broken. Nigel calls her over-choreographed and tells her to calm it down because they need to get feeling from her, but ultimately he calls her tremendous. Mary loved everything except for the constant head movements, calling her a diamond in the rough. Lil’ C tells her to connect with the pain when she dances, and it’s probably the best critique he’s given all episode. She goes to choreography.

Evan Kasprzak – Evan made it to the end of Vegas last year and got cut. If I remember, he was one of those “WTF How did he get cut?” guys like Brandon Bryant. And this audition totally reminds me of why. He’s just simply fantastic. Totally reminiscent of Gene Kelly/Fred Astaire. Here’s my jaw-dropping jazz dancer. Nigel calls it absolutely superb, Mary loves seeing him again but worries America won’t get him, Lil’ C calls it positively amazing. They seem worried about his versatility, but he still goes straight to Vegas.

Ryan Kasprzak- He’s Evan’s brother, an a tapper, but he’s got experience in tons of other styles. He’s tapping with a whoopee cushion, so I’m automatically a fan. He’s got great comedy, footwork, uses the prop really well. This is a very good season for tap so far. Nigel calls it terrific and lots of fun. Mary calls it pure, pure entertainment. Lil’ C says it was an amazing solo and positively delightful. He goes straight through to Vegas just like Lil’ bro.

Choreography Day 2: Anna Dunn goes to Vegas, Travis goes to Vegas, and both Guerra sisters go to Vegas as well. (See full recap for the sisters and Travis)

So, it seems like this episode was all about siblings and tap. There were certainly a lot of promising contestants. And I will see you back here tomorrow for our final two cities, LA and Seattle. Viva la SYTYCD!