[To better cover the technical talents of season 6, we've brought on  Dr. Goddess, a guest columnist with decades of dance experience. She will share her dance-pertise in a weekly column recapping and reviewing So You Think You Can Dance with an eye on technique.]

So You Think You Can Dance begins with Ashleigh DiLello and Jacob Karr performing a hip hop piece from the beloved, Tabitha and Napoleon, and it seems everyone is back on top of their game. Ashleigh and Jacob bring great energetic swagger, magnetic synchronization, power and an absolutely masterful flip! Yes, I am also eating my words regarding my attitude towards Ashleigh. Fine, she deserves to be here; but for the record, she was allowed to grow and others would have grown as well. Still, way to prove us wrong, Ashleigh!


New choreographer, Spencer Liff, offered Kevin Hunte and Karen Hauer a wonderful Broadway routine from the show, "Charity" in a song sung by Christina Applegate---which was part of the problem. Broadway songs need to have enough of "the three C's"---character, choreography and chemistry---too! The choreography and the dancers worked well together in terms of technique and style; and the duality of their staccato and lyrical movements were a refreshing mix. The song and, therefore, the performance, lacked high energy at times. This was an unfortunate missing ingredient in an otherwise tasty recipe.

In the "second deadliest dance" on So You Think You Can Dance, Russell Ferguson and Noelle Marsh performed a fantastically choreographed fox trot from Eddie Simon. Like other hip hoppers on the show, Russell Ferguson is improving in leaps and bounds, in areas where one might otherwise underestimate him. His rise and fall? Nice! His forte pirouettes? Wow. His synced pirouette hop turns with Noelle? Inspiring! And Noelle exhibited nothing short of long, lean, elegance throughout this piece. I enjoy this couple; but Noelle will not last long on the show if she does not display even more star quality. Afterall, the competition is fierce!

Victor Smalley and Channing Cooke had a wonderfully creative week, as they performed Tyce D'Orio's "Blackbird" jazz piece. It was eclectic, fun and original; and both Channing and Victor embodied their characters well and danced with great strength. Channing's muscularity and grace bring another greatly appreciated quality of a female dancer to the show, no matter what happens. Viewers have probably not tired of Victor's pirouettes; but I predicted these two would fall in the bottom three couples for the same reason Kevin and Karen did---song choice. The difference is that Bobby McFerrin's interpretation provides enough versatility and vocal range that it matched much of the quirky, jazz choreography. One simply has to bear these things in mind during the creation process.

We love to watch the paso doble because it is "power, passion, provocative and intense," so says choreographer, Tony Meredith. Add a great story, a muscular chest and a flowing skirt and you have yet another top performance from Legacy Perez and Kathryn McCormick! Because he is out of his style and pointing his feet hard, this is actually the first week I was truly impressed with Legacy, even proud of him! Kathryn demonstrated powerful grace and her lines and spins were outstanding. Their final lift was ever-so-slightly awkward but the score for difficulty allows us to overlook their minor flaw. The judges were right about the way Kathryn worked her skirt and Legacy improved his stamina (but then, anyone would on this show). My favorite Nigel line, "You are no longer a breakdancer, you're a dancer." I love it when Nigel goes from the street to the stage.

As hard as it was this week, Ellenore Scott and Ryan DiLello had the best performance of the evening. They were a perfect combination for contemporary choreographer, Travis Wall, and his ecstatic tweets following their rehearsals proved it. But this is the magic we have come to expect from So You Think You Can Dance. For once, the stage did not seem obtrusive, the background graphics of fallen leaves fully enhanced the setting without overpowering the scene; and their story line? Come on, who does not know the passionate despair of stumbling into a former lover? Ellenore is far less familiar than the married, Ryan, but they played their characters so well, I believed they were in matrimony in a former life. It is unbelievable that contemporary is not Ryan's forte' because he performs it so well. Thank you, Ellenore, for appearing in that glorious dress and throwing your beautiful self with abandon into the jump twist perfectly suited for Ryan's welcoming arms. Yes! And thank you, Ryan, for the effortless grace you exhibited as you demonstrated your profound strength and control in your lifts, leaps and, yes, that cartwheel into a controlled fall to the floor. And speaking of, Ellenore's last full body contraction in mid-air, bringing those thick, powerful legs back to her core was nothing short of elegant strength. Finally, Nigel said what I have been telling viewers all along, that Ellenore is a "complete, all around brilliant dancer and performer". Ryan seems to be proving the same.

As Mollee Gray and Nathan Trasoras closed out the evening in an energetic pop jazz routine choreographed by the hilariously angry Laurie Ann Gibson, I found myself cheering for them. The fear in Mollee's eyes was priceless as Laurie Ann encouraged her with, "Come on, Blondie! Are you afraid to be great?!" They both knew they had to really bring it this week---and they did---the only problem is that they brought great synchronization, power moves and energy during the same week that everyone else did. They danced for their lives; but in their defense and despite all of her bravado, Laurie Ann could have given them a few more challenging moves. At least twice, Mollee threw herself into a passionate hug with Nathan when it should have been a powerful lift, leap and/or turn. They were capable of even more, Laurie Ann, and I thought you would have brought it out of them. Hence, Mary Murphy's "no chills but very good" review was unsurprising, as were the results.

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--Dr. Goddess, BuddyTV Guest Columnist
(Image Courtesy of FOX)