Top 20!

Time to get down to business. The audition eps can be fun but at this point I just want to know who’s in the Top 20. Of course, this being SYTYCD we have to sit through lots of filler – shots of the dancers in the holding room, looking nervous, slow motion walks to the judges table, etc. I put up with it because I love this show but honestly, just get to the dancing, bitches!

The first to find out she’s in is Alexa – she who nearly made it last season. They put her through her paces in Vegas, calling her out for a lack of emotion in her dancing. Then she cried and they were glad. Anyway, she’s in the Top 20 and I’m happy for her. To get down to the final 35 and not be picked two years in a row would have been devastating. Next to be given a spot are Amber (she auditioned twice before), Will Thomas who is super tall and adorable and George Lawrence II whom I don’t remember from the auditions. Really, the only one of the four to have gotten screen time thus far is Alexa.

We go live to the studio where these four will dance a Tyce D’Orio routine. Oh, dear. Considering it’s Tyce it is neither dreadful nor cheesy, but it lacks focus. There is a long table on the diagonal center stage and the four of them leap on and over and around the table quite a bit. The ladies look like they’re dressed in rags while the men are in long shorts and t-shirts. Thankfully, we are spared the “this is what this dance is about” shtick. I’m watching the movement for movement’s sake. It isn’t all that original or inspiring but again, it doesn’t make me want to punch Tyce in the face, so that’s progress.

Here’s what does bug me and you might want to get used to this rant because you’ll be reading it a lot. The camera work on this show makes me angry. Plant the camera center stage and keep it still so that we can see the entire stage picture. I realize this is a television show but the cuts to a closeup on this or that dancer or stage left or right deprive those of us watching at home the chance to see the entire piece, the entire visual picture that is being presented. It makes me nuts.

The judges (Nigel, Mary and guest judge Zooey Deschanel doing some cross promotion for her show on FOX) give them lots of praise and then tell them that starting next week they’ll have mean things to say.

We’re back to decision day as the judges tell a sweet, weepy young man named Nick that he’s in the Top 20. He’s the first ballroom pick of the season. Then they bring in best friends and ballroom phenoms Whitney and Lindsay together. They try a fake out, telling them that they were looking for only 1 ballroom girl. Mary Murphy is not selling this well. And, of course, after telling Whitney that she’s in and waiting juuuuust a second for poor Lindsay’s heart to break, they laugh uproariously at their trick and tell Lindsay that she’s in too! They are both just too damn talented and so we’ll have 2 ballroom girls in the Top 20. While I wish they’d skipped the fake out, I’m very pleased with this decision because both girls are fierce dancers and I suspect will go far in the competition.

Back to the live studio audience and Cat Deeley in a minidress announcing that Nick, Whitney and Lindsay will dance a Jason Gilkison ballroom routine. And it’s pretty great. I mean, I barely noticed Nick, poor thing, because Whitney and Lindsay are both so good and have charisma and presence oozing out of their pores. Whatever happens on this show, both of these girls are going to be just fine. Over at the judges table, Zooey, who doesn’t have much to offer to the conversation other than stating that everybody is fantastic, calls the girls “firecrackers” and this is a true statement. Each has flawless technique and knows how to take stage. Mary gives us a “hot tamale” scream at which point the dancers look elated and I hit the mute button on my remote.

And then, praise God, we get full on ballet treatment! I am so giddy I can barely type this. Not one, not two but THREE classically trained ballet dancers are in the Top 20. Eliana – whom you may recall also danced for Cirque du Soleil as a classy pole dancer – is the first to learn she’s in and I couldn’t be happier. Daniel, who left his spot in the San Francisco Ballet to audition for the show and Cheon who put his career in NYC on hold are both in as well.

The three of them dance a piece by the superlative Desmond Richardson (if you don’t know who he is, get thee to Google right now). It’s a funky, stylish, athletic piece and I squeeze my pillow with glee while watching it. Elina is en pointe and her strength is just breathtaking. The two men are perfect and gorgeous and it’s all just too much for a former ballet dancer like me to take! Mary calls Eliana a “ballet warrior” and I heartily agree. She goes on about how thrilling it is that ballet will have such a huge presence on the show this season and my heart does a grande jete in agreement. The judges are on their feet when the piece is over. All three of them have loads of technique and I suspect will do well in the first few weeks. This being reality TV however, I’m not sure how Daniel will fare in the “personality” department. Stay tuned.

Janelle the bellydancer is in, thank goodness, along with two jazz dancers, Tiffany and Audrey. I think Audrey is the one Nigel called “Tinkerbell” at some point in the audition process. These two seem kind of interchangeable and forgettable to me but perhaps they will peak in the coming weeks.

Sonya (!) choreographed a jazz routine for the three of them but Janelle got ill and is forced to sit out on doctor’s orders. I feel bad for her despite the fact that she got oodles of screen time in the audition weeks. The other two avail themselves well enough in a piece by Sonya that seems labored. It’s not my favorite but I know that Sonya has all kinds of magic in that crazy hair of hers so I’m not worried.

Up next is a Stacey Tookey routine featuring Matthew (Nigel thinks he’s a Ryan Gosling look-a-like and yeah, I can see it a bit), Darien (a powerful dancer with lazy feet that the judges want to rip off his body), Janea (no idea who she is – apparently Adam Shankman was a huge fan of hers during Vegas week), and one other dancer. The fourth instrument in this chamber piece is Amelia, whose NYC audition dancing to Edith Piaf had me at hello. I like the routine but my eye keeps going to Amelia who simply has that thing, IT. Presence. Zooey agrees with me as she comments that Amelia is “lit from within.” I think Mary feels bad that all the judges commentary is about how terrific Amelia is so she throws Darien a compliment about his partnering work.

And then there were three.

Three spots left in the Top 20, that is. And seven dancers. Cole Horibe – the martial arts influenced dancer is in, as are Brandon (a stepper) and Cyrus, whom the producers have decided to call an “animator” for his unique style. Cyrus is original and I love what he does but he’s got his work cut out for him when it comes to any other style. Christopher Scott choreographs a dance for them that cannily plays to each of their strengths and lets each have his moment in the spotlight. Nevertheless, there are a couple of moments when Cyrus clearly has trouble keeping up. My guess is that his winning personality and his originality will get the votes and he’ll last a while, despite being technically weak. We shall see.

And now, readers, I bring you such good news. The top 10 girls dance together as do the top 10 guys. But wait! Wait. For I’ve yet to give you the best information of the entire episode – the girls dance to a Travis Wall piece and the guys to a Mia Michaels routine! Terpsichore is full of gladness and delight! Go to You Tube and delight your senses.  You'll thank me.