So You Think You Can Dance

Fluff, fluff, fluff. Filler, filler, filler. And the winner is Joshua. America’s favorite dancer is Joshua Allen! JOSHUA! He wins $250,000 and a featured dance role in Step Up 3D. Now I’ve seen the first two Step Up movies so I’ll be all over that. I might even be willing to buy the DVD (eventually) so I can own a piece of Joshua…too far?

Let’s start at the beginning of tonight’s 2-hour results show. Really? Does it have to be that long? I can understand that the show’s producers and the network want to milk this for everything it’s worth but I was seriously in agony for two straight hours. My palpitating heart couldn’t have taken much more.

The top 20 dancers return for a group hip-hop number choreographed by Shane Sparks. Did anyone see him in the audience? Usually we get at least a cursory shot but I didn’t see him anywhere. We miss you Shane. And what about the dancing? I thought it was great. Shane’s choreography (from what I remember in years past) is always fun to watch and this piece is no exception. The hip-hop/b-boy/poppers are killing it and everyone seems to be very energetic. I really liked that our Final Four were the only ones left standing at the end of the piece. For real.

The night is highlighted by the judge’s favorite dances from throughout the competition.
- One of Nigel’s favorites is Joshua and Katee’s Bollywood routine. It’s just as great as the first time they danced it.

- Mary picks Gev and Courtney’s Rumba. Although I did notice her dress isn’t as fabulous, it's still a hot number.

The battle between Robert Muraine and Phillip Cheeb is awesome. The way they can move their bodies is impressive and seems to defy the laws of gravity and nature – especially Robert. Afterwards the judges are asked who has won and Robert gets the most votes by far. I didn’t need the judges to weigh in on this. Although Phillip is impressive, it’s Robert all the way. He’s buck.

- Adam’s favorite number is Twitch and Comfort’s hip-hop piece. I really enjoyed this piece when they first performed it and it’s lost none of its appeal. Twitch is still hitting it harder.

- Lil’C picks Mark and Chelsie’s lyrical hip-hop as his favorite. It’s freakin’ awesome. These two bring so much emotion and technique to this piece.

Mary and Dmitry perform. Daaaaaaaaamn. Mary’s legs look amazing and I’m not about to complain about seeing Dmitry’s chest again. I watched this bit at work with some friends and although they enjoyed the performance I would have liked to see Mary step it up a bit. What? If she can dish it out, she needs to be able to take it. I still love you Mary. Give yourself a Mary scream.

- Mia’s favorite number is the Pas De Deux performed by Will and Katee. Sigh. How awesome is Will? How amazing would it have been to see him be part of the Final Four? Anyway, it was great to see him and Katee perform this piece again and it was near flawless. Great job.

- Another favorite for Adam is the Jazz number danced by Mark and Courtney. It was still very weird and very cool.

The 4th runner up/first dancer eliminated from tonight’s show is Courtney. I don’t think anyone is surprised. I’m so proud of her for making it so far and for showing us what a diverse dancer she can be. She’s very gracious and says she couldn’t be happier with what she’s accomplished. Our little sponge is going to keep going and gaining more experiences.

The top 5 guys dance Nigel’s number again. It’s still fun but I didn’t really love it the first time and I don’t really love it now. There are some great parts and it’s entertaining enough.

The first of the night’s special guests are the Cirque du Soleil dancers performing Criss Angel - Believe. The choreography is so Wade it’s not even funny. It’s weird and strange and beautifully danced. It looks like one heck of a weird show and if it comes to LA, I will definitely have to check it out.

The 3rd runner up/second dancer to be eliminated is Katee. I am surprised but my ire is tamped down quickly when we learn she’s won $50,000. Apparently, they’re doing things a little different this year and decide the top female dancer (and if the overall winner had been female, this prize would have gone to the top guy) gets a little cash prize. And I have to say I’m so pleased. You know how much I love her and I’m glad she’s got a little cushion to get out there and keep taking classes and doing her thing. I think she can only get better. I know some of you think she had an attitude problem but I just didn’t see that in her, especially tonight. She says she is so blessed and grateful for this experience and it’s changed her life.

The second of tonight’s special guests are performers from Debbie Allen’s Dance Academy. I’m so pleased to see so many kids excited about dance. They do a great job and when Nigel comes out, I have to suppress my eye rolling. But I think he does a great job and I'm impressed with his technique. Was he as flashy as some of those kids? No, but I think he held his own.

- Another of Mary’s favorites is Twitch and Katee’s Contemporary piece. It’s still powerful and raw and danced beautifully. There’s a rumor that Mia had a bad breakup this year and that’s why all her pieces were so emotional and dark. I hate to say it, but I think I need Mia in a perpetual state of heartbreak so we can get pieces of this caliber every year.

The final special guest of the evening is the Jonas Brothers. No dancers? Say hello to my little friend the fast-forward button.

Debbie’s favorite piece is Twitch and Kherington’s Viennese Waltz. It’s so moving and beautiful. We can see how much Twitch and Kherington enjoy dancing with each other and performing this particular piece.

Nigel’s final favorite is Joshua and Katee’s Lyrical hip-hop. I love these two together, as you know. With this couple we can also see how much they enjoy performing together as well. Loved it.

We get a nice little package with dancers from the first three seasons letting us know what they’re up to (boo to Blake. I can’t stand his bad attitude) and we get a number of dancers live and in-studio. It’s still so much fun to see them perform and they don’t disappoint tonight.

And since I already told you who won at the beginning of the blog, I think you’ve guessed (or watched) that Twitch is the runner up. And what a class act. He’s so happy for Joshua, who is speechless and emotional. You knew Joshua was going to cry. I would have been disappointed if he hadn’t.

Joshua tells us to never let anyone tell us we can’t do something. The sky’s the limit! It's a tad cliché for me but he's so choked up with emotion that he probably reached for the first thing that came to mind. I can't blame him. I'd probably be a speechless blob on the floor.

I’ve enjoyed your comments and your critiques all season. Please feel free to add your thoughts, opinions, gripes, etc. below.

Until next year.

Wow. Tonight’s show was packed with a lot of great dancing and some very nice personal moments on Cat’s couch. Although I will admit to tearing up once or twice (or three or four times), I’m going to leave the personal stuff out because I kind of consider it filler. Very interesting and emotional filler, but filler just the same. And I want to hear what you think of tonight’s performances so let’s get right to it.

Courtney and Twitch start the night off with a Hip-Hop piece choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon.
Mandy: Awesome. Way to start it out. Tab & Nap give such great characters. Twitch is hysterical on stage. Perfect.
Mary: Felt it. Routine is a knockout. Tough, raw around the edges. Gets a Mary scream. Fabulous.
Nigel: Twitch – Should feel grateful to be dancing with Courtney. Courtney – Takes to the role perfectly. Characters are fantastic. Musicality is great. Lost a little energy at the end. Absolutely perfect.
I think this was a totally fun piece. I haven’t loved everything Tab & Nap have done throughout the season but I really did enjoy this. Twitch and Courtney seemed like they were having fun out there and at this stage of the competition I think that is so important because these guys are beyond exhausted. To make me feel like the routine is effortless and fun is a very big compliment to these two dancers. I think I saw some tiny mistakes - like in the first lift/spin combination - but like the judges said this number was a great way to start the evening.

Solo: Courtney
I think her technique has only improved over the course of the season and tonight it’s on full display. Her degree of difficulty looks high and she absolutely pulls it off.
Mandy: Courtney has come so far. She has spirit and soul when she moves.
Mary: She’s been great throughout the season. Courtney’s lived it and fought. She’s an inspiration.
Nigel: He’s so delighted Courtney’s in the Top Four. She’s a bundle of joy and energizes everyone around her.

Joshua and Katee dance a Lyrical routine choreographed by Wade Robson.
Mandy: Beautiful. So nice to have Wade back. Very honest. They’re telling a story anyone could watch and relate to. Technically she would have liked to see more work through the legs and feet.
Mary: Agrees. Absolutely beautiful. It’s magical when they get together. They’ve made it through the fight.
Nigel: Many remarkable things. Nothing more magical than Wade’s choreography. Everything “showbizy” was taken out. Katee danced it brilliantly. Joshua had uncontrolled control. Brilliant dancer. They are two of the best dancers they’ve ever had on the show.
Cool. I feel like this piece is visually very different from what we usually see on the show. The moments of frenetic movement and stillness were so defined and the jerkiness or suddenness of some of the movement was interesting, in a good way. I find much of Wade’s choreography to be unusual, but in a beautiful way. I really enjoyed it. I'm not sure you could find a style these two dancers don't perform beautifully when they're together. I heart them.

Katee and Courtney dance a Broadway piece choreographed by Tyce DiOrio.
Mandy: So cute. They look adorable. Reminds her of old Hollywood. Good chemistry.
Mary: Great chemistry. Pull it off. Looks effortless.
Nigel: So lovely to see girls dancing as girls. Katee finishes every move just that little bit further. Both dance it beautifully. Both brilliant.
Have I mentioned my feelings about Broadway routines by any chance? I didn’t love it but it’s because I wasn’t quite feeling the choreography. I think Katee and Courtney danced this piece beautifully – technique is great and jumps/tricks are impressive – but it’s definitely not my favorite Broadway piece of the season. It would have been cool to see the ladies try a few assisted lifts but I know that wouldn’t have been possible in this particular piece. I liked the use of the prop and I think they had very good – but not perfect – synchronicity. I still love ya Tyce.

Solo: Twitch
He is always fun to watch. I like that he tried some new things in his solo tonight. I know I said I was a bit disappointed to see Twitch in the Top Four, but I can’t be mad at him right now. Great job. He completely deserves to be here.
Mandy: He’s like the little engine that could. He’s kept that sparkle in his eye throughout the competition.
Mary: As a freestyler he leaves her speechless.
Nigel: He’s left his mark on this competition. Could watch his solos all night. He’s got humor in spades and he’s so wonderful at what he does.

Twitch and Joshua introduce us to a new dance style, the Russian Typytych choreographed by Youri Nelzine.
Mandy: No offense to the girls, but there is nothing more spectacular than watching guys do crazy stuff on stage. Really well done.
Mary: Two fabulous entertainers. Two tremendous fighters. She’s so excited and happy to have two hip-hop dancers in the finale. Smokin’. So much energy and power. She doesn’t know how they did it. They get a Mary scream.
Nigel: He was expecting them to be good at that; it’s Russian street dancing. This will be spoken about for many years to come.
Wow. This was great fun to watch. Joshua’s jumps and Twitch’s floor work are impressive. They really play their characters to the hilt and have fun with each other. I am always happy to be introduced to a new dance style and this one is quite exciting. The amount of energy and the performance level of this piece left me extremely impressed with both Joshua and Twitch. They are great entertainers and it’s really fun to see the dancers have so much fun with each other on stage. Very nice job.

Solo: Katee
I do have to praise her on her song choice. It goes so perfectly with her piece, which is filled with energy and passion. She really is dancing her heart out. Lovely.
Mandy: Keep dancing. She wants Katee to continue working on her artistry.
Mary: She’ll cherish so many of Katee’s numbers. She’s been tremendous.
Nigel: Katee had been so many characters and every one of them has been brilliant. She always completes the task the choreographer has given her.

Twitch and Katee dance a Fox Trot choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin.
Mandy: Very romantic. Loved the end. The lift is beautiful. So amazing.
Mary: Twitch looks snappy. The Fox trot is a gentleman’s dance and Twitch is one cool gentleman. Nice and smooth and controlled. Twitch blows her away one more time. Katee gets a bravo.
Nigel: Katee is splendid. Wonderful to watch. Did it beautifully. Twitch is a bit too British at the beginning but then he relaxes into it. They have spoiled the choreographers. A delight to watch.
I will admit to being very nervous (like the dancers) when I learned they’d be dancing this style. But my nerves are unwarranted. They make this style fun to watch, which is a huge accomplishment. I’m not saying it’s usually a chore to sit through this style of dance but for two dancers who don’t usually dance it, they are amazing. It is beautiful. For me this performance reinforces that America got it right in putting Twitch into the Top Four. And what can I say about Katee? She has yet to dance a routine that doesn’t suit her.

Solo: Joshua
I love that he started on the main stage and ended up dancing next to the judges. He’s hitting it so hard, but I would have loved to have seen a few more tricks – maybe a jump or flip. But he’s still great.
Mandy: He knows how to hit. He’s got such charisma when he dances. She loves that he has the confidence to dance two inches from the judges.
Mary: She put him on the hot tamale train the first week and he’s been riding first class all the way to the finals. He deserves to be here. He’s got it all.
Nigel: Joshua has set the standard for next season’s untrained dancers.

Joshua and Courtney finish the partner dances with a Jive choreographed by Jason Gilkison.
Mandy: Holy moly. Their first trick is a magical moment for her.
Mary: The Jive is one of the hardest and fastest Latin dances. Jason puts unbelievable tricks in. What they are doing is so difficult. She has to bow down to both of them for bringing it on.
Nigel: Jason did a great job choreographing the piece. There are a lot of things he was disappointed with. It didn’t have the great feel the Jive should have. They’re superb dancers.
I am going to have to partially agree with Nigel. I did feel there was something missing from this number. I can’t put my finger on it exactly but one thing I did note was that the foot action was lacking. I did think they had good but not great energy throughout and I was very impressed by their tricks. I would have preferred to see these two do a Cha Cha but I think they did a very respectable job with what they were given and they had a fun finish.

Our Foursome finishes the evening with a Contemporary piece choreographed by Mia Michaels.
Mandy: She’s a little at a loss for words. She feels like she just watched something magical. It was a celebration. We just witnessed something amazing, beautiful. They could have been a dance company; they were dancing as a unit.
Mary: Mia didn’t hold back and they pulled it off. Twitch was a standout for her. His lines, power, and assisted lift. Courtney was dropping off a little for her. Katee was flawless. She’s so proud of them all.
Nigel: They’ve got two untrained dancers in the guys, so wonderful. They deserve to be here and he’s really pleased they are. Katee seemed determined to give up in the beginning but she never did. Courtney seemed lost at the beginning of the competition. They are two shining beacons. They all showed athleticism. No one would complain about that performance.
I could sing Mia’s praises until the end of time, yet something was a little off for me. I think part of the problem was the way it was shot. It would have been nice to take the whole stage in and be able to focus on whatever dancer you wanted to. Since that wasn’t the case here I’m not sure I really had the opportunity to take in the entire performance. From what I saw, Twitch and Katee were the stronger pairing. Their assisted lift was phenomenal. The four of them weren’t dancing entirely together and that did bother me. I’m happy to give them a little slack at the end of a long night but I was a bit disappointed. I would have preferred a more intimate and emotional character piece like we’ve seen in every other piece Mia choreographed this season. Oh well. It was still a very strong finish to a great night.

My favorites remain Katee and Joshua. I will be ecstatic if either one of them wins. I kind of want there to be a tie but I'll be happy either way. And that’s not to take away from Twitch or Courtney. I thought they were both pretty amazing tonight. Twitch kind of surprised me and I thought Courtney just continued to show us why she’s in the Top Four.

The lovely and delicious Cat was stunning in her gold number. Her hair and makeup were just perfect as well. And how much did you love her little sit-downs with each of the dancers? It’s been a pleasure getting to know them throughout the season but I really did enjoy this additional window into their lives.

What did you think of Mandy Moore getting a seat at the judge's table? I don't want to be jaded and think her Emmy nomination got her there but I'm very curious for your take. Did you like her critiques?

I’ll see you back here tomorrow night for the results. It should be a great show with our favorite performances of the season as well as a battle and some fun performances – The Jonas Brothers & Cirque du Soleil.

Um, did you vote?

Until tomorrow.

So You Think You Can Dance veteran and guest choreographer Wade Robson weighs in on the top four Dancers just ahead of the finale. Robson tells TVGuide.com that he was surprised to see "the hip-hop dudes" make it this far (00:56), but admits, "I could see their heart from the beginning." Plus, he previews the special performance he's bringing in for finale night.

More fresh Dance videos:
• VIDEO: Dance Boss Nigel Judges the Final Four
• Mary Murphy Discusses the Dancer Who Surprised Her
• Cat Deeley Says Dance Champ Is a "Very Close Call"

So You Think You Can Dance exec producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe marvels at the dancers who came, saw and absorbed top-flight choreography. Plus: His dancer-by-dancer take on each of the four finalists.

More fresh Dance videos:
• Mary Murphy Discusses the Dancer Who Surprised Her
• Cat Deeley Says Dance Champ Is a "Very Close Call"
• Dance's Wade Robson Previews a Finale Surprise

So You Think You Can Dance judge Mary Murphy on Monday night spoke with TVGuide.com about finale week, the dancer who has surprised her most and much more.

More fresh Dance videos:
• Dance Boss Nigel Judges the Final Four
• Cat Deeley Says Dance Champ Is a "Very Close Call"
• Dance's Wade Robson Previews a Finale Surprise

If your cable operator carries Fox Reality, they are re-airing all episodes starting today and continuing tomorrow and Wednesday.

Nothing (else) new to add except that my level of excitement and anticipation grows every day. I can't wait!

I have to breathe a very small sigh of relief. I’m so glad (most) people were able to pick up their phones and vote. My favorite dancers – Katee and Joshua – are safe. For more results read on.

The group dance is interesting. I would have liked to see a few less close-ups and a few more wide shots so I could actually see all the dancers during the group dance. Despite that, I think everyone did a great job. There are some very nice lifts and some great partnering. A little more synchronization amongst the three couples would have been even better but I was still very entertained during the routine. Thanks for that goes to choreographer Mandy Moore.

Adam Shankman sweetened the winner’s pot by adding a featured dancer role in his latest movie. I think that is a great prize to win in addition to the money. It will give that dancer a lot of great exposure and possibly turn them on to a career on the big screen. Nice.

Judges thoughts
Nigel: He wants the dancers to prepare themselves for rejection and warns them not to let it consume them. Each and every one of them polled over 1 million votes. He hopes they are inspired by that and hopes it will help them get through.
Mary: The group performance was beautiful. They’ve all grown so much and are adding layers to their dance lives. They all deserve to win.
Adam: He thinks they are such beautiful, kind, sweet people. He wants them to remember every moment of this experience. They have shown the best of themselves on this program.

Solos
Courtney – More and more she’s a pleasure to watch. She’s got great technique and gives us good emotion during her piece.
Mark – Strange and unique pretty much sums him up. I’m glad he’s being himself and I find the routine enjoyable.
Katee – Nice lines. She’s always exciting to watch.
Joshua – Hard hitting and always fun. I like his trick at the end.
Chelsie – Very nice footwork. This piece is fun to watch.
Twitch – Totally fun. I liked the few different styles he threw in there. Great song choice.

Our featured performer this week is six year-old Lil Demon. He’s a hip-hop/b-boy protégé. He had some great moves but I must admit some of it looked easy. I mean he’s so close to the floor anyway, was it even work? I’m totally kidding. I thought he was great. Kudos to his big brother for being his teacher and for Lil Demon for learning all that in only two years.

Results
You already know that Katee and Joshua are safe. Who joins them? Of course they throw in a musical performance and a few commercial breaks first.

The musical guest this week is Lady GaGa. Surprisingly, I didn’t fast forward though it. The song is about dancing and she’s got backup dancers so I’m intrigued. Her choice in outfit also made me want to watch at least a little. I will admit that she had me until she put those strange sunglasses on and turn that funky light-saber looking thing on. Then I went for the remote.

And who are the other two members of our Top Four? No more stalling damn you – I’m talking to the producers, not you my pretties.

Courtney is safe. It’s a bit of a surprise to me, but a very happy one. I think she was outstanding last night and I think she deserves a spot in the Top Four. That means Chelsie is out. She gets very emotional and says she’s overwhelmed but so grateful. It was a pleasure to see her dance on the SYTYCD stage. She’ll be missed.

Twitch is also safe. This is also a bit of a surprise and a bit of a disappointment for me. I think Twitch is great and last night I said I would be happy with either guy making the Top Four. And I thought that was true until I realized I was waiting for Cat to declare Mark safe. So while I’m a little disappointed, I do think Twitch is a very good addition to the Top Four. I really can’t be too upset. Mark is so happy for Twitch and expresses his gratitude. He appreciated that people kept him in the competition so he could learn and grow.

I’m feeling all warm and fuzzy now. We lost two great dancers tonight but I think next week’s finale will be spectacular.

Did America get it right? Are you happy with our Top Four dancers? What would you like to see next week? Who do you think will win it all and why? (Vote now in our Power Rankings!)

I’ll see you next week for the two-hour finale (Wednesday) and the two-hour results show (Thursday). Wednesday should be one amazing dance off.

Are you as glad as I am about Joshua and Katee’s reunion? I just love them together and tonight they did not disappoint. They are my favorite couple. But I’m getting ahead of myself…

Only one more week to go before the finale and I think the dancers made it very hard tonight to determine who should be in the Top Four. We got strong performances from every dancer. I hope you voted.

Courtney and Mark kick off the night with a Viennese Waltz choreographed by Jason Gilkison (from the Australian SYTYCD).
Adam: Doesn’t know how America will vote. Really beautiful. Mark has the best rise and fall of any guy who’s done a waltz this season. They throw away the last lift a little bit.
Mary: Excellent routine. Flowed across the floor. Lifts seemed effortless. Mark’s coming alive, growing every week. This number does it for her tonight.
Nigel: Beautifully romantic. He hopes they’re having the time of their lives. They start the evening really well. Congratulations.
I liked this a lot. I think they danced it extremely well and made this dance fun to watch. Sometimes the Waltz can look really technical and awkward but these two had great lines and made it extremely enjoyable. I thought Courtney’s technique wasn’t quite up to Mark’s in a few areas but overall I think she was strong. Great job.

Courtney and Mark’s second dance is a Jazz piece choreographed by Sonya Tayeh.
Adam: That was sick. Loved it. Sonya is such an exciting new presence. Loves Courtney and Mark individually but together they’re unbelievable.
Mary: Crazy, raw, interesting. Loves it.
Nigel: Totally agrees. This piece really suited Mark’s unique style. Anything they throw at Courtney she picks up. One of the highlights of the night.
Sometimes I feel like I’m missing something because I didn’t love this piece. I thought it was strange and very much suited Mark since he’s usually outstanding when he has a strong character to play. Mostly, I found the piece strange. I don’t know if I enjoyed it but I can recognize the technique and great characterization – by both dancers – that was present here. I think they danced it well.

Katee and Joshua (reunited and it feels to good…) dance a Contemporary piece choreographed by Tyce DiOrio.
Adam: This piece is the best thing Tyce has done all season. Katee and Joshua are two of the most exciting dancers to have graced this stage. They just become the holy trinity. Awesome.
Mary: It was filled with passion, strength, the leaps. Phenomenal. It’s the most beautiful thing she’s seen on the show. She’ll see both of them in the finale. The routine gets a Mary scream.
Nigel: Beautifully danced. Joshua is absolutely brilliant. They delivered and he’s pleased they’re paired up again.
I heart this couple. They are such a genuine pleasure to watch. Joshua does seem to really be coming into his own. He’s completely believable as a contemporary dancer. And what can I say about Katee? She absolutely shines in her own style. Amazing lines, great technique. The lifts were beautiful and well done. It’s just such a pleasure to watch Katee and Joshua dance together. Great job.

Katee and Joshua’s next dance is the Paso Doble choreographed by Jason Gilkison.
Adam: Joshua is making him believe in the impossible. He’s so brilliant and it’s not possible given his background that he’d be able or capable of doing what he’s doing. He loves it.
Mary: When Katee and Joshua are together true magic happens on the stage. Phenomenal. That also gets a Mary scream.
Nigel: Absolutely fabulous. So many good things in that routine. Joshua could steal the show if he keeps dancing like that.
I loved it. Joshua killed it. So much of this dance is about attitude and Joshua came across as strong and confident. His movements were crisp and precise and his characterization was amazing. Technique? Nailed it. It’s always interesting to see what the female dancer will do during this dance since she’s just the cape. But as an angry cape, Katee did a fantastic job. I watched it twice. Riveting.

Chelsie and Twitch’s first dance is the Mambo choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin.
Adam: Chelsie’s on fire, an animal burning it up on the floor. He has yet to see something she can’t do. Twitch is out of his element and could have sold it a little more. He’s a really strong partner. Good performance. Completely entertained.
Mary: Great routine. She gives Twitch huge props for being mostly on time. Chelsie kept drawing her attention because she’s so fabulous in the Latin style. Pulled it off respectfully.
Nigel: Twitch looked good the majority of the routine. Chelsie’s in her element. Feet were fantastic. They did great. Good partners.
These two are fun to watch. Chelsie is always amazing in her own style in partner dancing. Her dress is hot and she dances the number very well. While Twitch does a very respectable job, he does stumble a little. I counted three mistakes and I’m sure if I was an expert I would have spotted more. But I did find them entertaining and the mistakes weren’t big enough to really take away from my enjoyment of the routine.

Chelsie and Twitch end the night with a Hip-Hop piece choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon.
Adam: Tabitha & Napoleon bring wit and intelligence to their routines. Twitch is hot. Chelsie gets a “wow.” Entertaining. Great ride.
Mary: In his element and in most of the numbers he’s done this season, Twitch has been outstanding. Chelsie keeps up with him. Unbelievable.
Nigel: Any one of the six dancers could be in the Top Four. Fantastic.
I will admit to being disappointed. First, it took Chelsie and Twitch too long to start dancing and that’s definitely not their fault. I think Tabitha admitted that this piece was all about character and that just doesn’t cut it for me. I want the technique to be there alongside the character and I kind of felt like this piece was a little soft. Do I think Chelsie and Twitch did everything they could with what they were given? Yes. I liked them even if I didn’t love the routine.

Did you vote?

Solos:
Chelsie: I enjoyed her solo tonight so much more than I usually do. She mixed it up a bit. She had her usual ballroom tricks in there with some other elements. Dynamic and highly enjoyable.

Twitch: His use of props was great. He’s always fun to watch and tonight is no exception. But the funniest bit was when Cat took Twitch’s grill out of her mouth and kind of drooled on herself. Nice. But back to Twitch. Great job. Really fun.

Katee: I like that she changed things up a bit this week. Her solos are usually set to slower music but this week she rocks it out. Nice technique and character. Very enjoyable.

Joshua: Very nice. His solos are so much fun to watch and this week I like that he threw in some technical elements from different styles in with his own.

Courtney: Her solos have always been fun to watch and this week is no exception. She shows us some great technique. Nicely done.

Mark: I liked the use of his shirt as a prop. I think he’s the only male dancer still on the show who hasn’t bared his chest during his partner dance so he takes the liberty to do so now. It spices things up a bit. I still think his solo is a little boring though.

More thoughts:
My favorite couple tonight is Katee and Joshua. I am delighted they got to dance together again and both of their routines were very strong. These two will make it into the finale.

The other two couples are a bit of a toss up for me. Let’s break it down. Chelsie has been great every week. She was very strong in the Mambo, which is her own style, and she did a more than respectable job with the Hip-Hop piece. Courtney had two very strong dances tonight. Her Waltz was beautiful and although I thought the Jazz piece was strange, her technique was good. She’s been coming on strong these last few weeks but I’m not sure it’s enough to overtake Chelsie. I’d be happy to see either of them make it into the Top Four.

What about the guys? Mark was pretty phenomenal tonight. I didn’t love his solo but his two partner dances were very strong. His lines were beautiful in the Waltz and his character was strange and completely suited to him for the Jazz piece. Twitch stumbled a bit in the Mambo but he did a respectable job of keeping up with Chelsie. Twitch is always great in his own style, but I would have liked to see Tabitha and Napoleon give him choreography that he could have hit a little harder. I’d be happy to see either one of them make it into the finale.

I want to add just a short note about the adorable Cat. She’s such a great host and I really did enjoy her trying on Twitch’s props. She looked lovely tonight in her sparkly silver dress. I didn’t love the shoes but she made them work.

Thoughts? Who are you dying to send home? Who must stay and be in the finale? Is there anything you’re looking forward to next week?

Um, did you vote?

Thanks so much for all your great comments last week - and every week. Keep 'em coming!

Until tomorrow.

Noooooooooo. I am so upset I might have to switch to speaking in the third person. Kara is so mad there might be some ranting in tonight’s blog. Comfort going home? Great. Good. Fine. But Will? I don’t understand what he did wrong on Wednesday night to deserve this kind of treatment from America. Was it his solo? Was it his pairing with Courtney? Why, America? Why?

OK, I’m done with the histrionics for now. I guess we may as well go in order since I’ve just given away the ending (for those of you who didn’t watch or didn’t get to see it – count yourself lucky).

The group dance is a hip-hop piece. I think I was somewhat distracted by how this was shot. Sometimes I just want the director to stop moving around so much and let me focus on the dancers I want to focus on. So I think that decreased my enjoyment of the piece. I’ll call it strange and interesting. Not sure I loved the costuming or makeup either. I just didn’t love it. I absolutely want to see what new choreographer Chuck Maldonado can do, but maybe with two people next time.

Nigel is dressed down tonight and for good reason. Declareyourself.com has asked him to ask everyone of age to make sure they vote in the upcoming election. He reminds us he and Cat can’t vote in this country. I just wish more people had voted for Will last night. Boo.

Katee – Safe. No surprise. She’s brilliant.
Will – In the bottom two guys. My jaw hit the floor. I had to TiVo back to make sure I heard correctly. Why God? Why?
Comfort – In the bottom two girls. I maintain my opinion that she should have left us last week so I’m OK with her being in the bottom.
Mark – Safe. What? What? I like Mark but I’m really not sure how he pulled it off. Even he is shocked.
Chelsie – Safe. No surprise.
Twitch – In the bottom two guys. Although he’s quite upset, I’m not surprised. He’s a great performer but he’s not as good at technique.
Joshua – Safe. Love him.
Courtney – In the bottom two girls. This girl is really starting to grow on me. She’s got very decent technical skills and she’s so darn cute and likable.

Our featured performers of the week are Aubrey Morgan and Eddie Tovar from the Los Angeles Ballet performing the Pas de Deux. It’s beautiful. Although I’m not a huge fan of ballet, it’s very nice. Their lines are beautiful and their lifts and turns are very nice to watch. I’m glad we got a more contemporary Pas de Deux from Will and Katee a few weeks ago but this routine is remarkable as well.

Solos:
Comfort – I enjoyed her piece. Very nice energy and great attitude, especially at the end. It was fun to watch.

Will – Great movement and very nice technique. He gave a pretty subdued performance – kind of like he knew what was coming – but it was still beautiful.

Courtney – Great energy but I think she threw a few too many tricks in there for me. I still enjoyed it though.

Twitch – So playful. He combined a few styles nicely and really entertained us.

Our featured musical guest this week is L.L. Cool J. Now, I did watch some of the performance since there are dancers. And although this lady loves cool James, I had to fast forward to the results!

You already know who was sent home. I did enjoy each of their clip packages. It showed us once again what a class act Will is and how far Comfort has come and how much she appreciated every day she was in the competition. The rest of those guys better represent. I want them to be even better the next two weeks to make up for losing Will. Sigh.

OK, OK. Enough is enough. I’m upset but America has made its choice so I’ll live with it. But please do share your thoughts below.

So who do you think can dance? Vote for your current pick to win.

I can’t believe we’re only two weeks from the finale! Can you believe it? It’s been a very exciting season so far. A few unexpected twists – but that makes it more fun.

And before I say anything else, I must mention the fact that the legendary Toni Basil is a guest judge on the show tonight. I only know of her from her Mickey days, but she’s gone on to do some very impressive things. Right now she’s working with Bette Midler and very soon she’ll be working with Tina Turner. And it seems as though she’s been nominated for almost every award known to man. I’m sold.

We start with the night with Will and Courtney performing a Samba choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux.
Nigel: It’s gonna be a great night. When not thinking about technique, they’re great. Chemistry is good. Congratulates them on starting the night out on a high.
Mary: Thinks she’s being punk'd because she sees two Samba dancers. Terrific job. Will’s technique isn’t quite there all the time but their chemistry is. Courtney gets a scream.
Toni: For two contemporary dancers, she had so much fun. She forgot to judge. They bring life to the Samba.
I didn’t love it. I agree with Mary about the technique comment. There did seem to be a few times when they were concentrating too much on the steps and it weighed them down a bit. For me the best parts were the crisp movements and there was good hip action. I did think they were fun to watch but I wasn’t blown away. They did what they could with it. I’ll throw some love to Will by saying he partners well with everyone.

Next they dance a Lyrical (or Slow) Hip-Hop piece choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon.
Nigel: Tab & Nap have done incredible stuff this season. He was emotionally affected by it. Got the feeling of being a voyeur. They are together emotionally and physically.
Mary: These two are tremendous dancers. She has very high expectations and unfortunately…they blew her expectations right out of the water. Emotion and passion were exploding. Made her feel great.
Toni: Street wasn’t considered an art form when she got started. Great art makes you feel something. America will never feel the same about dance again after this show.
This piece didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I didn’t think they were synchronized as much as the judges seemed to think they were. In fact, it’s very rare to see any dancers perform in perfect synchronicity. I just don’t think these two did. The emotional connection was great though and overall I really enjoyed the piece.

Twitch and Katee’s first piece is a Contemporary routine choreographed by Mia Michaels.
Nigel: Wow. Performance was fantastic but hard to critique dancing. You’ve gotta wonder what goes through Mia’s head. Danced it brilliantly. Wonderful characters. Entertaining.
Mary: Knock, knock. Who’s there? Two. Two what? Two of the best dancers we’ve seen on this stage. It was so much fun. She loved it. Brilliant. Congratulations.
Toni: Aren’t they lucky to be choreographed by the reigning queen of contemporary? Thinks this is Katee’s dance. Loved it.
I feel compelled to bring up the kiss Dom and his partner (what’s her name? help me out…) had to share last year during one of their performances. Whereas their kiss seemed awkward, this kiss wasn’t bad. I wasn’t feeling it, but I didn’t feel embarrassed for the dancers. And now I’ll talk about the dancing. I really enjoyed it. I think these two are hot together and hot tonight. We saw some great technique and a really great performance. They had great characters to play and made it really fun to watch. I think they did an outstanding job.

Twitch and Katee’s next performance is a Broadway piece choreographed by Tyce DiOrio.
Nigel: Loved the routine. This is a Broadway routine you can see the dancers doing on Broadway. Twitch has risen to every single challenge they’ve given him. Nigel enjoys his performances. There isn’t one minute this season Nigel hasn’t enjoyed Katee’s performances, which is the highest compliment he can give her.
Mary: Terrific. Really pulled it off. Well matched in movement, entertainment. Didn’t look like work. Amazing.
Toni: Twitch brings much more reality to the choreography; dances from the inside out. Katee is a beautiful dancer but she wanted to see a deep, rough approach that more matched the vocals of the song. But they both did wonderfully.
I really enjoyed it. When Broadway is performed like this, I think it can be enjoyed by all. I liked their characters and I thought they danced and performed it well. It was fun to watch and I always like it when the choreographers make sure to put a little of the dancers’ own style into the piece – although I don’t want them to go overboard. Great job.

Mark and Comfort start off their night with a Hip-Hop routine choreographed by Tab and Nap.
Nigel: Surprised by how much better Comfort dances hip-hop when she’s choreographed. He’s also surprised by how good Mark was. Loved the pick-up into somersault lift. Well done.
Mary: Great job. Liked the use of the desk, synchronization. Comfort is hitting it; great dancer. She wasn’t expecting what she got from Mark. They nailed it.
Toni: Loves the routine. She knows how difficult Tab and Nap’s stuff can be. Great. They’re rooted in the music, rooted in the beat. Brought it all together.
We got some great attitude from Comfort in this piece. Although I do think Comfort was hitting it harder, Mark did a great job of keeping up with her. We know he can do this kind of dancing (as evidenced by his lyrical hip-hop piece with Chelsie earlier in the season) so I’m glad to reaffirmed for us that he’s not a one-hit wonder in this genre. I really enjoyed it.

Mark and Comfort finish their night with a Fox Trot choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux.
Nigel: Lady luck walked out of the room. No chemistry. Thinking so hard it was slightly amateurish.
Mary: Agrees with Nigel. Felt the choreography. Nothing melting together, transitions were rough.
Toni: Bad turn set the tone. Mark’s jazz parts were really good. Power and technique behind it is extremely difficult. Didn’t pull it off.
I have to admit I didn’t hate it. Was it passable? In my eyes, yes. I didn’t notice Comfort’s horrible hand position on her turn so it didn’t bother me. I think it’s very interesting that these two dancers ended up performing together. The pairing may have saved them if this piece was as good as their first. I said, may have. Although I believe they were both trying their best, I don’t think it was enough to make people pick up the phone for them.

Joshua and Chelsie’s first dance is the Argentine Tango choreographed by Dmitri.
Nigel: They picked the most technical routine so far. Chelsie’s legs are fast, snappy. Loved choreography. Used Joshua’s strength. Chemistry worked for the routine.
Mary: It all translated in just the right way. She finds Joshua believable. Chelsie is so much sexier in this Tango. Pulled it off. Still on the hot tamale train.
Toni: This is the most street of the ballroom partner dances. Need to feel it’s spontaneous and torrid. They accomplish that. The dance came together. Quite an accomplishment. Enjoyed it.
Chelsie’s footwork is amazing, and it had better be considering this is her style. I liked their pairing. They put on a nice performance and where one had technique, the other had strength. The lifts were great and together they are really hot. Although Joshua’s technique wasn’t quite there, he did a pretty good job of keeping up with Chelsie.

Joshua and Chelsie end the night with a Disco routine choreographed by Dorianna Sanchez.
Nigel: Superman lift is fantastic. Chelsie has to have the courage to do the lifts. Both carried if off really well.
Mary: Really good. Lifts were so tough. Dorianna trusted Joshua to nail the lifts. Chelsie made the landings work. Out of sight.
Toni: Joshua pulls together the spirit of Disco although his lines aren’t as long (and he wasn’t born yet). Chelsie has the lines. Really pulled it off.
This was a fun piece to the end the night on. More than anything, I think their great energy really made this work. Joshua was like a workhorse during this routine – he was mostly there for the lifts – and he did a great job. He did stumble at the top of the number when he didn’t come out of his turn correctly and couldn’t complete a jump. But otherwise, he was pretty amazing. Chelsie was great too. Some of those lifts looked scary and although I’d like to think I would have trusted Joshua, part of me knows that’s not true. Great job and great way to end the evening.

Overall, all the partner routines went very well. I was very pleased that almost everyone brought the level of their games up.

Solos:
Comfort: This may be the best solo we’ve seen her do. Now, it’s possible that I want her to go home so much I’m imagining things but I don’t think I am. When she was actually dancing – instead of walking/skipping/prancing across the stage – it was interesting. I think we’re ready for her to go home. Her hip-hop routine won’t save her this week.

Will: this James Brown-inspired piece was really fun. He got the crowd going and you could tell he was having so much fun. He had a lot of great tricks and managed to show us quite a bit of technique. His energy was amazing.

Katee: You know I love her but did her solo this week seem very similar to last week’s? I could be imagining things but I did get a slight sense of déjà vu. That being said, she still danced it beautifully. I felt the joy. She has great technique and nice emotionality. I also love the way she throws herself into her routines.

Mark: I don’t think I’ve enjoyed his solos since his crazy and quirky solo from Vegas. I just don’t feel like there’s enough technique there. Or if there is, I’m distracted by the odd little quirky things he does. I just didn’t love it.

Chelsie: Sigh. I don’t get ballroom solos. From where I was sitting, it looked fine. I wasn’t thrilled with it and I didn’t hate it. I wish I could say more good things because we know Chelsie is great in her own style. I guess I’ll leave it at that.

Joshua: He is always so much fun to watch. His movements are incredibly precise and he hits it hard. I’d love to see him do Krump next week. Very enjoyable.

Courtney: This may be the best we’ve seen her do her solo. I really enjoyed it. The emotion was great and I liked all her technical elements. Very good job.

Twitch: It’s also a pleasure to watch his solos. He made great use of the entire stage and had fun choreography. Loved it.

My favorite couple of the night is Katee and Twitch. I really enjoyed both of their pieces and while Katee is outstanding every week, I feel like Twitch proved again why he’s here after a rough go of it last week.

My two favorite performers for the season remain Katee and Will (even though I was a little down on his partnered pieces). They’d both better make it to the finale.

Who’s in the bottom? Definitely Comfort and Mark. Even though their hip-hop routine was fun and well danced, they were in the bottom last week and they are the logical choices to be sent packing. Who else deserves to be in the bottom? I’m not sure anyone else deserves to be there, but I think Courtney will find herself there and so will Twitch. I just don’t think they’re as popular as the other dancers, although they both did great jobs tonight. We’ll see.

I didn’t really mention how each dancer got started on their paths, but you can discuss that below if you’d like. Do you agree with my predictions? Who deserves to stay and why? Who needs to go? Did you vote?

I’ll see you back here tomorrow night for the results.

Each week, TVGuide.com and YoungHollywood.com partner to present you video interviews with the latest cast-off So You Think You Can Dancers. Here to talk about their journey is Kherington and Gev.

With Gev Manoukian (last week's next-to-last place finisher in the TVGuide.com Power Rankings) and Kherington Payne (fourth from the bottom) sent home, we are now down to a eight electric dancers. Who do you think will emerge as this season's champ?

Have your say in our weekly reader poll, and elaborate on your pick in the comments section.

Vote for your fave of the Top 8 here.

Wow. Wow. Wow. But before I get to that, let’s talk about the group dances and how excited I was about not having a musical interlude.

The first group dance is a Bollywood piece choreographed by Nakul. I must admit to being a little disappointed with it. After seeing the high energy Bollywood piece Joshua and Katie performed two weeks ago, I fear anything else would have been a disappointment. I mean, I enjoyed it. But it just didn’t seem as energetic. Or as fun.

The second group dance is a Contemporary piece for the girls choreographed by Mia Michaels. I think I’ve used “strange and beautiful” to describe her work before and I’m going to use it again now. There was some beautiful floor work and a lot of great emotion in Mia's piece. Great job.

The final group dance is a combination of Broadway and Hip-Hop choreographed for the guys by our very own Nigel. It was a fun piece. I liked the blending of styles and each of the guys got little spotlight moments. I’m not quite sure why there was all the mystery surrounding who the choreographer would be at first. I guess they wanted to build a little more suspense into the show.

And now for the results:
Chelsie – Safe
Comfort – In the bottom two
Katie – Safe
Courtney – Safe
Kherington – In the bottom two

Joshua – Safe
Will – Safe
Mark – In the bottom two
Gev – In the bottom two
Twitch – Safe

Although it won’t change the results of the votes from last night, the dancers perform one more solo. It’ll be the last chance two of them have to dance on the SYTYCD stage.

Solos:
Comfort: I liked this solo better than the one she performed last night. I wrote that is was “a nice swan song.” That tells you where my head was at. She had nice energy and really thought about how to choreograph the piece to her music.
Nigel: Sees Comfort’s return as another opportunity for her.
Mary: Did a marvelous job. She’s making the most of it.
Lil’C: She’s evolved the most out of everyone on the show. He wants her to keep fighting.
Comfort: This has been the best experience ever. She’s so happy she was able to dance with these beautiful people. For real, for real.

Mark: Again, I’m not really feeling his solo. I wanted more technique and less emoting. More dancing and a little less character please. He has a great quality of movement but I want him to demonstrate his ability a little more clearly.
Nigel: Quirky, great musicality.
Mary: People have no idea how hard some of these routines can be.
Lil’C: Very focused, always working. Tells him to keep doing what he’s doing.

Kherington: I liked this solo better than last night’s routine and while her jumps had good height they didn’t have great extension. I think some of her joy was back tonight.
Lil’C: Kherington’s been great. Amazing. He takes issue with her saying the judges hate her and tells her everything they say is to make her a better dancer.
Mary: She’s been a frontrunner for her ever since she took the stage in L.A.
Nigel: She’s got film star looks. She’ll have a hell of a future.

Gev: He was in control of his solo tonight. Last night I think he was too pumped on adrenaline. He showed good body control and it was a better piece in my opinion. He had some really nice tricks. Great job.
Lil’C: He’s such a fan of the little guy. Gev dances with so much heart and always delivers.
Mary: He’s been tremendous. Gev may be the underdog but he’s been pulling it off every week. His solos have blown her away.
Nigel: Outstanding. He has a unique ability.

Who’s going home?
Kherington. Wow. I really didn’t see that coming. She absolutely deserved to be in the bottom but she’s got more technique in her pinkie toe than Comfort has in her whole body. And you know I love me some Comfort. But unless Comfort’s dancing hip-hop, she’s just not that strong. And Comfort also seemed surprised that she wasn’t going home. A major, major upset. I would have liked to see Kherington stick around for at least one more week.

Gev. I would have been more upset to see Mark leaving so I’m ok with this. I will miss Gev, who I thought did a great job in almost every genre he was given. Every week I was pleasantly surprised to see how well he adapted to the different genres. He’ll be missed.

Are you as shocked as I am? Do you think Comfort deserves to stick around for another week? Share your thoughts, theories, criticisms, etc. below.

And have you been voting? Click here to pick your favorite dancer. Let me know who you love and why and who you don't.

Cat is looking delicious and delovely in her gold dress. I’m liking this hair way better then the (fake) hair from last Thursday. That hair went to Mary Murphy this week. Come on – we know your hair ain’t that long Mary. I still love ya though.

So in addition to seeing the new partners dance two styles we’ll also see a solo. I think adding the solo is a pretty smart way to get some dancers to stick around longer than they would otherwise. If a good dancer picks two dances they’re not familiar with (or particularly good at) they can all but save themselves with their solo. They’re making our jobs hard.

Our first new couple of the night is Courtney and Joshua. They get a Hip-Hop number choreographed by Dave Scott.
Lil’C: Great choreography. Enjoys the comedy. Joshua kills it. Courtney did good. They made the routine their own and added character.
Mary: They have chemistry. Joshua blew it up while Courtney is respectable.
Nigel: Joshua’s dancing is terrific. Courtney plays a great character. Didn’t flow. Courtney needs to bring her level of dancing up to Joshua’s.
I didn’t care for it that much. I think Joshua is amazing, as he should be, in his own style. I like his character and he has a lot of fun with it. Courtney is barely keeping up. She has a few good moments but overall this just isn’t her style. She did much better in her Hip-Hop routine with Gev a few weeks ago. I just didn’t love it.

Courtney and Joshua’s second dance is a Rumba choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux.
Lil’C: He might need his asthma pump. They have sensual innocence. Joshua is so confident. Courtney is eloquent. He loves their lines and extension. They nail it.
Mary: This piece is so difficult. Joshua is stroking the floor like a paintbrush. The routine is filled with nuances and subtle sexiness. Lifts went fairly good. Fantastic.
Nigel: This piece fits their bodies beautifully.
These too are hot together. It’s sexy and their movement is really nice to watch. Courtney goes a long way in redeeming herself for me. I think the transition into their last lift left a little something to be desired but overall this is one of my favorite performances of the night.

Kherington and Mark follow with a new genre on the show. They get the Two-Step choreographed by Ronnie DeBenedetta and Brandie Tobias.
Lil’C: Fun routine. He can tell they tried to attack it but they may have approached it from the wrong direction. Great character. Didn’t nail it for him.
Mary: This is one tough number. Arm connections, fast spinning, tunneling. It was tough for Mark to handle Kherington but she gives him kudos. It wasn’t smooth and easy.
Nigel: Kherington is leading. This style requires the partners to trust each other, which they didn’t have. They didn’t let the routine defeat them even though they were both out of sorts with the routine and their partner.
I really didn’t care for this routine. I don’t think it’s the dancing or choreography because the little glimpses we got of Ronnie and Brandie performing it looked great. Kherington and Mark just don’t look comfortable. They have a problem right off the bat with what looks like a missed turn. The lifts are ponderous and the turns aren’t fast enough. I was bored. For me this is the worst performance of the night.

Kherington and Mark follow their Two-Step with a Jazz piece choreographed by Tyce DiOrio.
Lil’C: Good routine. Could show off the dance. Kherington is nailing her turns. The lifts look too choreographed.
Mary: She’s not jumping out of her chair. The piece didn’t make her feel anything; she wanted more. She wanted to be fired up. Mark looks lost without a character to play.
Nigel: He feels it was a little like a driving test. They could check off the elements but there is no heart, no passion.
I didn’t think there was enough energy in this piece. The joy we tend to see from Kherington when she dances wasn’t there for either her or Mark. I feel like both of these dancers are so much better than what we’ve seen from them tonight. I’m very disappointed.

Comfort and Twitch start of the night with a Smooth Jazz routine choreographed by Hunter Johnson.
Lil’C: Enjoyed it but they weren’t flowy enough. Twitch is there for Comfort.
Mary: It lacks so much power. Rise and fall isn’t there; clunky. They didn’t come together and quality of movement wasn’t there.
Nigel: Their performance isn’t strong enough for a top 10 dancer although the lift at the end is majestic. They’ve gotten over this hurdle.
I think they did a respectable job for them. Yes, I’m putting a qualifier in there but it doesn’t make up for the fact that they didn't do very well with this. I’m totally with the judges. It was OK to watch, nothing spectacular. I didn’t dislike it as much as some of the other performances we saw tonight but it was by no means good. If Jessica had danced this piece with Will she definitely would have brought a lot more to it than Comfort is able to.

Comfort and Twitch draw Hip-Hop for their next dance. The piece is choreographed by Dave Scott.
Lil’C: Kinda buck. Buck = internal artistry meets physical expression. Twitch is the spitting image of Dave Scott in this routine. Hard hitting. Comfort is the best he’s seen her perform throughout the competition.
Mary: Buck. Terrific. Dancing doesn't build character it reveals character. Comfort is a fighter; she steps up. Twitch – Holy smokes. She bows to him instead of giving him her usual shriek. (I’m sure some of you are happy about that but I kind of wanted to hear it after this piece.)
Nigel: It didn’t look choreographed which is the highest compliment he can give a choreographer. Brilliant. Comfort keeps up with Twitch. It was like they were dancing for the joy of it.
I loved it. It’s hot. They were incredibly hard hitting, although in the “dance-off” Twitch wins it for me. His movements are so exact and measured. Comfort more than does a great job of keeping up but my eye kept going back to Twitch. In this case, I think there is no way Jessica could have kept up so I’m glad Comfort was his partner. This is another favorite performance of the night.

Katie and Will’s first dance is a Broadway routine choreographed by Tyce DiOrio.
Lil’C: Wow. He applauds Tyce’s versatility as a choreographer. They are explosive in character and choreography. They rocked his boat; it was buck.
Mary: She’s hopping on the love boat. Katie is so cute and so much fun. The talent she possesses is out of this world. Will throws his serious demeanor overboard. She applauds him.
Nigel: Terrific. Even though they’re contained in a small space all their movements are big. They are the most technical dancers on the show. Will is more than just a technician. Katie is a star. They are the first couple of the night who show why they’re in the top 10.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Katie and Will’s characters were great and they played them well. Their dancing was pretty amazing and they’re a genuine joy to watch. At first I wasn’t too sure how much I’d like them dancing in and around the boat but they made it work. Very nice job.

Katie and Will introduce us to another new genre for the show: the Pas de Deux choreographed by Dwight and Desmond Richardson (who you may remember Mia comparing Will to).
Lil’C: Routine is great. They dance with so much commitment, fervor, vigor, conviction, and passion. They delivered.
Mary: They are two of the most beautiful dancers she’s ever seen. Exquisite. Their lines and extension are wonderful. They get her in the heart. Artistry in motion.
Nigel: Praises Desmond (and calls him one of the great modern ballet / contemporary dancers alive today) and Dwight for coming on the show and for their choreography. He hasn’t seen such a wonderful performance on this show – this year or any year. He acknowledges their mistake but calls them absolutely brilliant. He hopes America realizes just how tough that piece was.
Beautiful. I will admit I’m glad that Katie and Will are the ones introducing this style on the show. Although they made a mistake, I think their performance is close to flawless. Even though I’m still upset they broke Katie and Joshua up, I don’t think we could have asked for a better pairing in these two. They are now my favorite couple and I think they'll both be in it until the end. This is the last of my favorite routines of the night.

Chelsie and Gev are up next with a Contemporary routine choreographed by Sonya.
Lil’C: They are really committed to the piece. Gev is prepared to do this style.
Mary: Amazing chemistry; she believes it. Gev – look at you go. Chelsie – beautiful. All the lifts are effortless.
Nigel: Gev isn’t completely behind it. Chelsie absolutely feels it. Good job. Loved choreography and music.
I enjoyed it but I will admit to wanting to see how Chelsie and Mark would have danced it. That being said, I think these two did a great job. Chelsie was throwing her hair around a little too much for me but this was a fun piece to watch. I think they’ve got good, but not great, chemistry and I could absolutely feel the connection.

Chelsie and Gev finish the night with a Jive routine choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux.
Lil’C: Chelsie out steps Gev and she leads the whole time. Chelsie could make a mannequin look good. Wanted Gev to step it up.
Mary: Terrific job. The way to end the evening. Great partnership but Chelsie stole the show. Gev is there for his partner but he looks like he was concentrating too hard and not having fun. They pull it off.
Nigel: Energy level is there. Chelsie is outstanding. Gev’s bounce is sometimes there. Congratulations. Well done.
It was very hard to take my eyes off Chelsie during this performance. I mean she’s blond and she’s hot (I know that’s what you straight boys are thinking). Beyond that, Chelsie really shines in her style. We can see the technique and level of performance from her. I didn’t think Gev was horrible, but he had a very hard time keeping up with her. I didn’t really care for the turn through the legs sequence (not sure if it quite qualifies as a lift). I thought it looked sloppy. But these two did have great energy.

Solos:
Chelsie – I think it’s a little hard to evaluate ballroom solos. I love Chelsi