Okay, so not everybody is on the Josh and Katee bandwagon.  This reminds me of American Idol's David Archuleta this past season.  Sure, the kid could sing but a lot of people felt that the judges were over praising him and it seemed that the wonder boy could do no wrong.  That is, until he lost to David Cook in the season finale.  Will Josh and Katee meet the same fate - staying at the top of the pack all season long until the moment that matters the most?  Staying at the top of the pack all season depends on several key factors and technique might be the least important.  Just ask Matt Dorame.  An amazing technical dancer, he had every other factor working against him and was sent home before making the Top 10, aka the group that will go out on the national tour.

Drawing a good partner in the first 5 rounds is probably the number one factor for success.  The two who have benefited the most from this are Kherington Payne and Jessica King.  Kherington is paired with Twitch Boss, who made it all the way to the final Vegas round last season.  He stood next to Hok Konishi as the judges took him instead and asked Twitch to try again next year.  With a built in fan base, he sailed right through this year.  Yes, Kherington holds her own but would she find the same good fortune if she had been paired with Jamie Bayard or Chris Jarosz?  Jessica is paired with Will Winfield, an unstoppable force this season.  He must be tired from carrying his team to the Top 10.  If he can show a little more personality, this guy could win the whole thing.

Drawing the right style from the hat and, more importantly, the right choreographer is also immensely important to getting far on So You Think You Can Dance.  For example, you just can't go wrong with a Mia Michaels piece.  Whether the meaning of the song is obvious or up for interpretation, whether I get it or not, I always like what she puts up on the stage.  Right behind her are Tabitha and Napoleon D'Umo, new to the show this season.  They've given us two memorable routines already this season that I hope make the tour - Josh and Katee's military piece and Chelsie and Mark's work vs. relationship piece. 

Finally, there's the likability factor.  Those videos before each routine aren't just there as filler material, they're there so that America gets to know the contestants and becomes invested in them.  Some dancers try too hard to be funny while others couldn't be funny if they tried.  That right balance of charm, humor, passion, and sensitivity should keep viewers dialing week after week.  Some great examples of those who get the personality game this season are Twitch, Kherington, Josh, Katee, Courtney, and Gev.

Making the tour is undoubtedly the main goal for all the dancers now.  My ideal list is: Josh, Katee, Twitch, Kherington, Mark, Chelsie, Gev, Courtney, Will, and Jessica.  That would mean that Thayne and Comfort will go home just before hitting that milestone in the season.  Let's hope all the factors line up this week for my 10 and they'll dance straight through to the national tour.


- Gina Scarpa, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of FOX)