I still can't quite believe it, but it's
So You Think You Can Dance finale time! Tonight we'll crown America's (newest) Favorite Dancer to join the enviable ranks of dancers like Nick, Benji, Sabra, and Joshua. While we have an
inkling who's name will be added to that list, let's suspend our pre-conceived ideas and favorites for the night and enjoy a wonderful night of celebration and dance.
Watch along with me live as we discover if our favorite dancer is also America's Favorite Dancer and if the judges agree with
our Favorite Dance's from Season 5. As always, you can watch finale with me right here and over on
BuddyTV's So You Think You Can Dance Twitter, which for the moment seems not to be totally crippled by a DOS attack. (Or not...sorry Tweeps)
Surprise surprise guys, I had some major technical issues -- so here I am 20 minutes into the finale. What did I miss? Please say it was just a recap of the season.
I
come in right in time to see Shanks rather surprising favorite routine
of the season, Phillip and Jeanine's first dance of the season -- "Mad"
a hip hop routine by Tabitha and Napoleon. I have to admit, I didn't
expect to see this routine again tonight...but it was an awfully good
one. If I'd made a Top 25 Dances of the Season Slideshow, it would've made it for
sure. (It was in the 21st spot even!!)
Now it's time for Nigel's favorite routine, and it's no
surprise to me that he chooses Brandon and Janette's Argentine Tango. I
would've bet money on this being Nigel's pick, seeing that he said it
was the closest thing to technical perfection he's ever seen on
So You
Think You Can Dance. This is a routine I expected to see and I'm
thrilled to see again -- one of my Top 5 dances of the season, by my
favorite partners.
Seeing Janette on the stage, I have to
admit, is a bit bittersweet. I know a lot of you were wishing that last
night was Brandon and the three ladies: Janette, Kayla, and Jeanine.
Not to take away from what anyone did last night, but I would've been
thrilled to see my spicy salsa herself take the stage. And as we now
know, Nigel would've loved it too.
Now it's time to see Debbie Allen's favorite routine of the season, and as much as I've loved Debbie's appearances all season -- You handled your big woman! Stay away from my daughter -- I am a wee bit disappointed by her favorite dance: Asuka and Vitolio's waltz. According to Nigel, the fact that this disappoints me means I have no heart. But I gotta say it, second time around on stage and it's still not tugging at the old heart strings. I wouldn't even say it was the best waltz of the season. My favorite? K2's gorgeous waltz.
Mary Murphy is dripping with diamonds tonight and she's chosen one of my favorite routines of the season to see again - Jeanine and Jason's hot as all get out Travis Wall contemporary routine. Let's see if that unchoreographed kiss happens again. Jeanine is dancing tonight like she knows she's got it in the bag -- and after all the love she got last night from the judges and Twitter I don't blame her. Simulated dance sex! Never ceases to shock me, nor does Mary Murphy's creepy Uncle Nigel comments about Jason's chest. (That chest, will we ever forget that chest?!?) And yes -- totally another kiss. Who wants to know if that's happening backstage a little bit too?
Oh Miss Mia Michaels what is your favorite routine of the season? I was thinking it might be Travis Wall's routine, but Mary Murphy already chose that. Turns out Mia's favorite routine is a "smoking hot samba" from the first week of the competition -- courtesy of Kayla and Max. So good to see Max on stage, I still look back on his elimination, especially after that Pop Jazz routine as a big shocker and mistake. In her hot pink fringed number Kayla looks more like White Lightning than ever before. Plus it's a samba with samba rolls...ahem, Ade and Jeanine.
Gotta say, I'm surprised by 3 of the dances the judges have chosen so far...and I've only seen 5.
Now it's time for a little cross promotional loving for Fame, which as you know features Kherington from Season 4 -- and I think is one of Shanks hundred current movies. Thanks Kherington for reminding us all to see Fame...hello heavy handed advertising. But Brandon says Kherington (and Fame) is fire. Cat points out that Debbie Allen is also in Fame -- though she should have added, again. Though that all gets explained. Like all movies, Fame is a remake -- most likely a lesser of the original. Excuse my cynicism -- will you be making it out to Fame in the theaters?
For her second favorite routine of the evening Debbie Allen choses the Top 16 Group Routine number, Calle Ocho. She says it's a Flashdance moment -- so hot that you need to throw water on it. We'll see about that Debbie Allen, but we're glad to see that you're bringing the sass back. Debbie Allen wasn't lying, this routine is hotter than I remember. Especially Jeanie's wet table dance. And wowza, writing that actually sounds dirtier than watching it. Still, seeing the Top 16 together again, kills all cynicism, or at least most of it. What a great group of dancers -- somehow it hasn't always seemed that way, but let's not forget how awed we were by the talent and performance of week one.
Next up is the winner of Australia's So You Think You Can Dance - Tahlia Fowler. She'll be dancing a routine by Sonya Tayeh. In Australia, ballerinas actually win So You Think You Can Dance. I bet Melissa Sandvig is watching this from the side stage and thinking two things: why didn't I dance in Australia and why didn't Sonya Tayeh choreograph this for me? How did you think Australia's winner stacked up to this years talent?
Now it's time to learn what The Bard of Bucc's favorite routine of the season was. His favorite routine of the season also came from week one, Caitlin and Jason's Bollywood piece - Jai Ho. Lil C' says this routine is Bollywood Bucc and I have to agree -- this also narrowly missed my Top Dances of the Season Slideshow it's one I am eager to see again. Also Lil C seems to have spilled the beans that this will (not surprisingly) be a routine on this year's So You Think You Can Dance tour. And...another kiss for Jason on stage!! Man, that boy gets to kiss all his partners. Very lucky fellow that Jason.
--Abbey Simmons, BuddyTV Staff Writer (Image Courtesy of FOX)