SYTYCD Top 11

I rewatched the showcase episode - just the dance numbers - and found I did not find the show quite as cheesy as I did on first viewing. I blame 1. the astroturf in the opening number, which created a jarring color contrast and 2. Tyce DiOrio's crappy Broadway routine. Yeesh, his stuff is a total joykill.

Dance intros: WTF happened here?!? Did they tell the new director this is a DANCE show, and the camera should be on the DANCERS?!? "Let's have no close-up for the very first dancer, cut the second one in half, hide the third one behind the audience, and for the fourth... just her arm!" That was AWFUL. AWFUL!

Billy Bell: Broadway, by Tyce "Joykiller" DiOrio. And my joy? Is killed. This routine was lame, and Billy couldn't pull off being a tough guy. Which is actually kinda hilarious, bc I never thought Kevin Bacon was all that tough in Footloose until just this moment.

Cristina: Jazz, by Sonia "All-My-Routines-Are-Starting-to-Look-the-Same" Tayeh. As a standard Sonia number, this was OK. But if she was supposed to actually evoke a snake with her movements, it wasn't fluid enough at all.

Jose: Hip-hop, by "Generally Entertaining" Taboleon. He was a bit clunky.

Adechike: Jazz, by Travis "How-Ya-Like-Me-NOW,- Benjy?" Wall. This was good, but it played right into his strengths. So I wasn't wowed, because it wasn't anything I wasn't expecting to see.

Melinda: Jive, by Tony and "Hellz YEAH I Can Still Dance This Shit If Need Be" Melanie. Starting with jive? Yowch - this is always a tough one for the newbies. Melinda was NOT the exception. While she tried to put on a show, she didn't interact with Pasha at all, which is not good in especially partner-centric ballroom.

We're (almost) at the halfway point, a digression on this year's format. I am struck in every routine just how much better the "all-stars" are than the contestants. It is distracting, and it seems really unfair. Since it's week one, it would be hard for anyone to demonstrate a great deal of chemistry with a partner - and that is especially so tonight, when only one person in the pair really has to be nervous.

Alex: Another Sonia piece. No doubt, boy has mad skilz. No criticism of his dancing - this one played to his strengths and let him give some good face. the first NOT to be overshadowed by his partner (and not just because I didn't think Alison was that great before - she's a lot better now.) Partner connection might have been easier to convey because this choreography actually discouraged eye contact anyway. Also- Dear Everyone: I have heard that Hallelujah song quite enough now, thank you.

Alexie: Another Taboleon piece. Cute. Adequate. Wish she looked at her partner more and the audience less.

Lauren: Pop Jazz by Mandy "My Hair Is Distracting" Moore. I like this girl, and I liked her in this. Same partner-connection complaint, but big kudos to her for being fearless. Granted, I think Ade probably inspires some confidence that you will not be dropped on your head.

Kent: Cha Cha by Melanie & Tony. Oof. His form was TERRIBLE. He looked like a kid pretending he knew ballroom, and all he remembered about it was that ballroom guys pull lots of ridiculous faces. Which is exactly what he himself just said, so now I'm in love with him, bless his little heart.

Ashley: Lyrical Jazz by Joykiller. She was lovely. This is the first time I've had a chance to really see her dance (she blended in to the showcase number and I had a hard time picking her out) (although they DID show her arm in the intro, so there was that) and she seems like the standard talented contemporary dancer who will at first seem blandly good but might later develop a spark to be one of the bestest ever (like Kathryn).

Robert: African Jazz by Sean "Don't Laugh At My Name" Cheesman. Before watching, I'm already excited because I'd been hoping they'd spend more time on African Jazz. His movements were a little too pretty for this piece, but he's hot so hopefully he'll be sticking around so they can rough him up some.

BOTTOM 3 PREDICTION: Cristina (too early in the line-up), Melinda (stuck with ballroom and didn't nail it), Adechike (too many other contemporary boys, and they had bigger followings going into this).

Who I'd Cut: Jose. He bores me. I've been annoyed since he said he was better than Legacy in the audition rounds because - he's no Legacy. Or Gev. Or Dom (as annoying as he is, kid is an uh-mazing b-boy). Or even Phillip Chbeeb (who I still love as a solo artist but wow he was not very good at anything else).

Finished watching too late to vote, but I might have had to go for Kent because of the Aw shucks factor. I mean, COME on. That kid is ADORABLE.