DISCLAIMER: This is a totally subjective list. So please don't yell at the author of this article or tell her she is stupid for not picking your favorite dance. I may, in fact, be stupid, but it's rude to say so. And we don't like rudeness here.

What counts as a great SYTYCD performance? Other than being awesome, there really isn't much in the way of specific criteria. And another person -- like you, the reader -- may have different opinions. That's OK. Differences of opinion are what make the world go round.

If you do have a favorite that didn't make this list, please mention it (and post a link so we can all be reminded) in the comments section at the bottom of this page!

The Top 9 Dances

9.
Eliana Girard and Tiffany Maher -- Top 4 Performances

Dance: Broadway
Choreographer: Ray Leeper
Song: "When You're Good to Mama" from Chicago

Pole dancing deserves a place on this list, no matter what. I mean, seriously? Only So You Think You Can Dance (and brilliant performers like Tiffany and especially Eliana) can make this artistic.




8.
Audrey Case and Matthew Kazmierczak -- Top 20 Performances, Part 1

Dance: Contemporary
Choreographer: Travis Wall
Song: "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers

This number inspired by Titanic had high points like Audrey's leap, but even when it was quiet, the dance was powerful.




7.
Tiffany Maher and Ade Obayomi -- Top 8 Performances

Dance: Contemporary
Choreographer: Mandy Moore
Song: "The Power of Love" by Celine Dion

Every season of So You Think You Can Dance has a performance in which people go flying across the stage. This was it for season 9.




6.
Eliana Girard and Ryan Di Lillo -- Top 8 Performances

Dance: Quickstep
Choreographer: Jonathan Roberts
Song: "That Man" by Caro Emerald   

Lesser dancers have been felled by the dreaded quickstep. Eliana did great.




5.
Cole Horibe and Allison Holker -- Top 8 Performances

Dance: Contemporary
Choreographer: Sonya Tayeh
Song: "Possibly Maybe" Bjork

Cole was both terrifying and incredible in this dance. Somehow, it managed to both flow and stop in jerky movements.




4.
Lindsay Arnold and Cole Horibe -- Top 20 Performances, Part 1

Dance: Paso Doble
Choreographer: Jason Gilkison
Song: "Unstoppable" by E.S. Posthumus

Lindsay's ballroom training and Cole's martial arts combined to make this a nearly perfect -- yet somewhat different -- paso doble.




3.
Tiffany Maher and Will Wingfield -- Top 4 Performances

Dance: Jazz
Choreographer: Sonya Tayeh
Song: "The Time Is Now" by Moloko

Not only was this performance excellent, it actually looked like two separate dances that somehow came together in the best way possible.




2.
Lindsay Arnold and Cole Horibe -- Top 14 Performances

Dance: Contemporary (originally performed by Kayla Radomski and Kupono Aweau in season 5)
Choreographer: Mia Michaels
Song: "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles

Even though this had been danced before, Cole and Lindsay couldn't have been better. Cole especially embodied pure evil in the creepiest way possible.




1.
Eliana Girard and Alex Wong -- Top 10 Performances

Dance: Contemporary
Choreographer: Stacey Tookey
Song: "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" by Nancy Sinatra

How can something so dark also be so sexy? Whatever the answer may be, this dance did it.




Honorable Mentions
Because this season was far too good to only pick 9 favorites, here are 9 more honorable mentions.


Tiffany Maher and Benji Schwimmer -- Top 6 Performances

Dance: Jive
Choreographer: Jean-Marc Genereux
Song: "What I Like About You" by Lillix




Eliana Girard and Cole Horibe -- Top 6 Performances

Dance: Contemporary
Choreographer: Mia Michaels
Song: "Adagio for Strings" by the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra




Amelia Lowe and Will Thomas -- Top 20 Performances, Part 2

Dance: Contemporary
Choreographer: Sonya Tayeh
Song: "3326" by Olafur Arnalds




Witney Carson and Chehon Wespi-Tschopp -- Top 20 Performances, Part 2

Dance: Bollywood
Choreographer: Nakul Dev Mahajan
Song: "Tandav Music" by Aatish Kapadia




Cyrus "Glitch" Spencer and Comfort Fedoke -- Top 6 Performances

Dance: Christopher Scott
Choreographer: Dubstep
Song: "Cinema" Benny Benassi feat. Gary Go  




Eliana Girard and Alex Wong -- Top 4 Performances

Dance: Contemporary
Choreographer: Travis Wall
Song: "Without You" by Harry Nilsson




Chehon Wespi-Tschopp -- Las Vegas Callbacks

Dance: Ballet Solo

Chehon begins to dance at the 2:48 mark.




Will Thomas and Kathryn McCormick -- Top 10 Performances

Dance: Bollywood
Choreographer: Nakul Dev Mahajan
Song: "Ooh La La" from The Dirty Picture  




Lindsay Arnold and Cole Horibe -- Top 16 Performances

Dance: Contemporary
Choreographer: Mandy Moore
Song: "Wild Horses" by Charlotte Martin  




What was your favorite performance from So You Think You Can Dance season 9? Let us know in the comments section and then check back here at BuddyTV to find out who the SYTYCD winners are! We'll be posting the results live (more or less) starting at 8pm on Tuesday, September 18.

(Images and videos courtesy of FOX)