Let me kick off this little So You Think You Can Dance preview on a personal note.  Yes, that moment when I found out that Caitlin and Jason aren't going to the bottom three, like almost everybody--John and Abbey included--thought will happen.  I stuck by my decision, but being surrounded by people who knew the show more, I felt I was going to eat my words... but no.  For someone who's forever portrayed himself as a newbie who'll never always get it right, well, I was stoked.

But a week later, I somehow figured out the little conflict that alien dance had.  It was very weird, indeed, and some were turned off because it was too weird, or perhaps Caitlin's costume was too distracting.  But they had everything going for them: the choreography was good, the Santigold track chosen fit everything, and they did well, too.  Let me give it to them.  But it could've been more of a lucky break for them: no reason to be complacent.  They've been in the bottom three too many times to keep doing what they're doing.  Lots more to prove.
Now I feel I've said something that's been said before.  Anyway, that's done with, and since I pretty much forgot most of the other things I had lined up for this, here go the previews, as always courtesy of the folks at SYTYCDism.  This week, two out of twelve will get the boot, and it's a pretty crucial week: each pair will do two routines, and then everybody will get new partners.  So comes another reality check for me: this is not a partners game, at least not entirely.  Anyway.  Spoilers are ahead.  You know what to do, right?

Caitlin and Jason: foxtrot (Tony Meredith) and jazz (Mandy Moore)
Janette and Brandon: Argentine tango (either Jean-Marc Generaux or a new choreographer altogether) and pop jazz (Wade Robson)
Jeanine and Phillip: Russian folk dance (no idea who) and jive (Tony Meredith)
Kayla and Kupono: contemporary (Mia Michaels) and Broadway (Joey Dowling)
Melissa and Ade: disco (Doriana Sanchez) and waltz (Ron Montez)
Randi and Evan: hip-hop (Tabitha and Napoleon) and samba (Pasha Kovalev and Anya Garnis)

Surely you've all noticed that we have a common love for Randi and Evan, and obviously we were gutted to see that their routine last week didn't work out fine.  Suddenly I'm scared for them: hip-hop!  The samba may save them, but there's the swagger that I've yet to imagine both of them do.  They should be able to pull it off, and not think of the fact that Nappy Tabs routines haven't been so lucky lately.

The other thing I noticed is the slow dive of those that we've been paying attention a lot to in the first weeks.  Randi and Evan, check.  Kayla's not been lucky too; despite the things she can do, she's been handed the frequent bottom three flyer card.  Phillip?  I'm not bullying, Chbeeb-heads, but it seems he's getting a backlash of sorts.  He's got more proving to do, unless you throw in the tour conspiracies.  Melissa and Ade have been proving themselves in recent weeks, and they're definitely edging people off the radar.

What about the rest?  Jeanine's doing mighty fine, but she still has to step out of Phillip's huge hype shadow.  Can't wait until next week's reshuffle, you.  Janette and Brandon are still flying under the radar, so... same thing.

I'll be honest: I've seen one spoiler too many, and I sort of have an idea how some of the pairs performed already.  Damn pre-taped shows.  Well, these spoilers should suffice, and I believe that we should see all those dances for ourselves.  Then we can argue with the judges--Tyce Diorio on the third slot, by the way--and I can, probably, argue with John and Abbey again.  Will I be giddy?  Will I fail?  Am I asking too many questions?

Fine.  I'll stop.  Obligatory reminder: So You Think You Can Dance, tonight from 8pm on Fox.  Kelly Rowland sings, two leave, we have a tour, and then stuff happens.




- Henrik Batallones, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: SYTYCDism
(Image courtesy of Fox)