Last week, the Top 10 contestants on this season of So You Think You Can Dance went live for the first time. This week, they did again, paired up with each other to perform outside of their own styles. Before all of the fun began though, the Top 10 opened the show with a group performance that took us to a Candyland unlike any we’ve seen before (thank you, Luther Brown).
Magda & Darius
Last week, Magda and Darius proved themselves to be a dynamic duo. Nakul Dev Mahajan would be putting their chemistry to the test with a high energy Bollywood routine. Nigel was impressed with their energy during the performance while the other judges were impressed with the joy they brought to the entire studio.
When Magda and Darius returned to the stage, they were taking on a jazz routine choreographed by SYTYCD favorite Mandy Moore. Darius had to adjust to dancing in a suit while Magda had to let go of her ballroom instincts. In the end, their ability to make Mandy’s choreography look effortless and subtle wowed the judges.
Chelsea & Evan
Christopher Scott would be challenging Chelsea and Evan with a hip hop routine. Last week, their performance fell a little flat due to a lack of chemistry, so they had to bring it with this performance. The judges felt like their performance was definitely a step up from last week, but it was still a little lacking.
Getting to work with Travis Wall on a contemporary piece is a huge honor, so Chelsea and Evan were pretty excited. They were also challenged with creating the high level of emotion Travis’ choreography demanded of them. They earned the judges’ praise after this performance, but more importantly, they finally found their chemistry.
Hannahlei & Cole
Taking the stage with SYTYCD‘s first stepping and strolling routine were Hannahlei and Cole. Last week, the judges named Hannahlei this season’s warrior princess, but putting on two incredible performances in the first show meant that they would have to keep pushing. Joe Brown pushed them this week with a completely new style for them. tWitch thought Cole was lacking some energy, and his fellow judges agreed.
Doriana Sanchez sent Hannahlei and Cole on stage for the second time this week with a sassy disco love story. Mary screamed Nigel’s ears off after their performance, and the rest of the judges agreed (though more quietly). They were much more impressed with Cole’s energy during this performance.
Jensen & Jay Jay
Jensen and Jay Jay received plenty of praise for their performances during the first live show. This week, they would have to put their partnership to the test with an emotional performance full of throws and lifts in a contemporary performance by Jackie Royal. Their chemistry earned them plenty of praise from the judges, and Mary said it was the best performance of the night up to that point.
After showing off his impressive trophy collection, Jay Jay and Jensen took on African Jazz with Sean Cheesman. They learned during rehearsal that the choreography was very hard, but on stage they made it look effortless. “You are, without question, for me, the strongest dance couple on the show,” Nigel said after their performance, and the other judges followed with incredible compliments.
Genessy & Slavik
Sharna Burgess choreographed a fast-paced jive routine for Genessy and Slavik that, like many of this week’s performances told the story of a couple. This couple brought the speed and the chemistry necessary to bring the choreography to life (and to seriously impress the judges).
For the final performance of the night, Genessy and Slavik returned to the stage for a Broadway routine choreographed by Al Blackstone. The most important part of this routine was bringing their characters to life, and even though they struggled with being soft and serious during rehearsals, it was believable on stage. Clearly, the judges thought so too. Mary even told them she would give them a Tony for their performance if she could.
Going Home This Week…
After everyone voted last week, four dancers were on the bottom and two of those dancers had to be sent home. First up were Hannahlei and Jay Jay who were both safe. That left eight dancers under the spotlight. Next to step forward were Genessy, Darius, Jensen, and Slavik. These dancers were also safe! That left Magda, Chelsea, Cole, and Evan in the bottom four. After the judges’ deliberation, Evan and Chelsea were, unfortunately, sent home.
Next week, two more dancers will have to go home, so make sure to vote to keep your favorites safe!
