Joshua Allen Wins SYTYCD Season 4 8/07/08

After the Confetti Cleared Joshua Allen
Wins the Dance Competition
FOX Thursday 8/7c 8/07/08

After all the fanfare and dancing ended for Season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance there was one young man left standing, Joshua Allen. The nineteen year old untrained Hip Hop dancer from Ft. Worth, Texas. Never before had a street dancer found themselves in the final two. This time both the finalist were from the street. Stephen 'Twitch' Boss has nothing to be sad about, finishing what had to be a close second.

Both the ladies of the final four were let go early, with Courtney leaving first. Really not a big surprise. She is fantastic, but the competition was too great. Katee was let go a short while later with a bonus, this year's top female and top male win a $50,000 prize. She finally showed raw emotion that was not choreographed. That's a lot of money to a dancer. I think that was Katee's only downfall, her lack of enthusiasm off the dance floor.

When it came down to Stephen 'Twitch' Boss and Joshua Allen, it didn't really matter anymore. Both men have their loyal followers and they co-mingle peacefully. Joshua just seems able to take every single jump, step or hand gesture one step further every time.

Filling in the rest of the two hour finale we were treated to an encore performance of the judges and choreographers' favorite routines of the season. This show differs from shows like American Idol, in that the judges prove they know what they are talking about. Mary Murphy gave a Latin dance that I could have never seen and been happy. Nigel Lythgoe tied on tap shoes and showed he could still tap with the best... well, he can still tap. He's such a ham, it was funny though... Read full article!


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SYTYCD: Season 4 Finale

Joshua, Twitch, Katee and Courtney
FOX Wednesday 8/7c 8/06/08

This is the closest finale I've seen on So You Think You Can Dance. Every other season there was a clear cut leader, but this year... how do you even guess. Each dancer has proven themselves to be worthy of the Season 4 Finale: Joshua Allen, Steven "Twitch" Boss, Courtney Galiano and Katee Shean.

Tonight's show also showed why Cat Deeley is the best hostess on a talent show, she does the best interviews. Her sense of humor brought out the best in all four of the finalist. You just never know what Cat will do next, as proven by the golden grill teeth she took out of Twitch's mouth last week...Finish Article!


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SYTYCD Season 4: Chelsie Hightower and Mark Kanemura 7/31/08

Tonight we see the Final 4 contestants. Chelsie Hightower and Mark Kanemura were eliminated. Leaving us with Joshua, Katee, Courtney G. and Twitch!

How in the world can you choose any of these dancers over the rest. Season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance is definitely the closest. There is no clear leader, I guess Mark has a big personal following though.

Each dancer gave us a solo tonight. They were all really good, of course.

I'll list them as they become available!

We were treated to a break dance solo from 6 year old Lil Demon. Wow, he is awesome!

Katee was sent to the finals first, rightfully so. On the men's side, Joshua quickly followed. Yea! Down to Mark, Steven "Twitch" Boss, Courtney Galiano and Chelsie Hightower.

Chelsie Hightower was tonight's first casualty. Then Mark K., I was surprised since Twitch kept landing in the bottom. Really happy with the Final 4!


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SYTYCD : Top 6 Perform 7/30/08

So You Think You Can Dance
is Down to the Final 6!
FOX Wednesday 9/8c 7/30/08

I don't know how in the world to pick the best on this show. It gets harder every season on SYTYCD. Each of these final 6 dancers are incredible in their own right. Tonight proved to be the best yet for the hit FOX show.

Lets break it down.

First up were Mark and Courtney G. with a Viennese Waltz. Finally we get to see a Viennese Waltz in all of its glory! This was actually a Waltz, not a Contemporary wanna-be. Mark finally proved to me he should be in this position. His lines and rise/falls were fantastic. Courtney, I don't like her with a partner, but love to watch her solo. Hmmmmmm....
Glowing reviews from the judges. Song:Time of My Life by David Cook

Chelsie H. was up next with her solo to The Pussy Cat Dolls When I Grow Up. Chelsea showed us a chili pepper Salsa of a solo. It was okay, but didn't really highlight what she is capable of.

Twitch treated us to a Hip Hop solo to The Midas Touch by Morning Star. As always entertainment at its finest, Twitch outfitted himself for the song with a golden 'grill', it was hilarious! But what was better was when Cat Deeley asked to put them on after the dance. "Spit and all," said Cat as she now sported the top 'grill' and the golden sunglasses. Then got a taste of something bad and about gagged!

Up next were Katee and Joshua, thank you magic hat for putting them together again! Dancing to Celine Dion's All By Myself, it was something to see. Though I don't agree with the judges that it was the best ever on SYTYCD, it was special.
The judges pointed out Paula Abdul and Gillian Lynne in the audience. Nigel Lythgoe got bullied into a standing ovation for the pair.

Twitch and Chelsie H. gave us a Mambo. Twitch had to wear his pants up high, he should do this more often! It was one of the better Latin dances this on Season 4 of SYTYCD. I knew Chelsie would hit it, but Twitch stayed down in his feet very well. The judges enjoyed Chelsie and gave Twitch some nice pointers.

Katee soloed to Can't Stop Thinking About You by Maroon 5. I really enjoy Katee's solos, she should be headed for the finals.

Joshua showed us a solo to Like That by Memphis Bleek. He is truly amazing, showing every genre of Hip Hop, doing the splits and coming right back up without using his arms. The highest jumps ever!

Mark and Courtney came back with a Contemporary dance to The Garden by Miria. It was different, the song was very cool, the choreography was weird. The judges loved it, but it looks like they are going to leave it up to the public. Mary Murphy even said it was weird.

Katee and Joshua gave us a Pasa Doble to Filet by LeReve. This was so dramatic. Joshua with no shirt on... we have a winner! At the end of the dance, he dragged he across the stage in true matador style! Mary Murphy screamed twice for them, deafening everyone in North America. Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy both professed that Joshua should "steal the show" if he continues improving his natural talent.

Courtney G. gave us her solo to Rock Your Soul by Elisa. Courtney is a beautiful Contemporary dancer, but her solo got overpowered by Joshua and Katee's dance. Hopefully her fan base won't let her down!

Mark's solo was to Bum Like You by Robyn. Kind of

Twitch and Courtney had the final dance of the night with a Hip Hop routine about 'crazy conductors', to Control by The Vitamin String Quartet. It was the coolest Hip Hop story I've seen this season. In this routine, whoever held the wand controlled the other dancer. Awesome! The judges loved them both, Chelsie more than kept up with Twitch's every move.

This is the toughest season of SYTYCD ever! Two dancers leave tomorrow night and the Season 4 Finale is next week, already. I think it will be, sadly, Twitch and Courtney G. who leave. My guess for the Final 4 dancers are: Joshua, Katee, Chelsie H. and Mark. Man, I hope I'm wrong!

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SYTYCD Season 4 Top 18 Performances and Eliminations 6/19/08

So You Think You Can Dance Bids Farewell
To Susie and Marquis
FOX Thursday 9/8c 6/19/08

So I missed you this week, but I did not miss So You Think You Can Dance! This was not my favorite week for some reason, but there were of course a couple of outstanding routines. Included in these were Joshua and Katee, again at the top of my list. Joshua Allen just continues to shine as one of the top male dancers this season on SYTYCD.

Matt D. and Kourtni L. also came back this week with a much improved performance showing why they are on the big stage. The worst of the week were Susie G. and Marquis C. with a bad Salsa dance. I thought it was funny when the choreographers said that Susie was not a Salsa dancer, but a latino street dancer. Salsa dancing is about much more than shaking your hips, if that was all that was needed Shakira would be the queen of all Salsa dancers (which she is not, of course). Susie cried at being described as nothing more than a street dancer, but the truth is a tough pill to swallow. The public obviously has a good grasp on what the dance should be, as they sent Susie and Marquis to the bottom 3 to dance for their lives in the solo format. This early on the judges had an easy call to send home Susie and Marquis, though Chris J. and Comfort F. had a tough time pulling off a Crump routine (Nigel Lythgoe said that his granny is more gansta than Chris J.).

Here are the videos for your viewing pleasure, enjoy!

So You Think You Can Dance - Group Dance [Top 18]



So You Think You Can Dance - Kherington & Twitch [Top 18]



So You Think You Can Dance - Courtney & Gev [Top 18]



So You Think You Can Dance - Katee & Joshua [Top 18]



So You Think You Can Dance - Susie & Marquis [Top 18]



SYTYCD - Top 18 - Chelsie & Mark - Argentine Tango



So You Think You Can Dance - Chelsea & Thayne [Top 18]



So You Think You Can Dance - Comfort & Chris [Top 18]



So You Think You Can Dance - Jessica & William [Top 18]



So You Think You Can Dance - Kourtni & Matt [Top 18]



And the SYTYCD solos were:

So You Think You Can Dance - Comfort's Solo [Top 18]



So You Think You Can Dance - Marquis' Solo [Top 18]



So You Think You Can Dance - Thayne's Solo [Top 18]



So You Think You Can Dance - Chelsea's Solo [Top 18]



So You Think You Can Dance - Chris' Solo [Top 18]



So You Think You Can Dance - Susie's Solo [Top 18]




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SYTYCD Season 4 - First Night of Live Dancing 6/11/08

Hip Hop Rules the Night On
So You Think You Can Dance
FOX Wednesday 8/7c 6/11/08

It is going to be another great season on SYTYCD, I don't know how the judges choose from these talented dancers. If you are not familiar with the format of the show, the U.S. public votes for the dance couple of their choice. The couple with the lowest votes must then dance for their lives in a solo format. The judges then choose who will leave the show.



Here is how the night played out:

First up were Raven (the oldest contestant at 28) and Jamie dancing a Hip Hop routine choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha. It was sort of Hip Hop anyway, really more like Hip Hop meets High School Musical. It was soft, with no popping or hard hitting. There were some fun parts, at one point Raven pulled down Jamie's pants to around his ankles.
Nigel Lythgoe - "... will it be memorable, that's what we will see"
Mary Murphy - "... it was cotton candy, light and fluffy... I liked it"
Dan Karaty - "... it wasn't quite there"



Next up were Susie and Marquis dancing a Smooth Waltz choreographed by Hunter Johnson. The music was haunting, Dark Waltz by Haley Westenra. There was a very awkward lift that nearly stopped them, but it was a difficult dance. Susie looked strange with a beautiful light blue gown, white blond hair with hot pink highlights and black eyebrows. There lines and posture were great. Marquis looked like the perfect gentleman in full tuxedo.
Nigel Lythgoe - "... I noticed that you missed the lift, but I'm not sure anyone else will. It was very tough choreography to follow..."
Mary Murphy - "... you pulled it off... it was so difficult"
Dan Karaty - "... it was great"



Kourtni L. and Matt followed with a Mandy Moore routine, I'm not sure what genre of dance it was. They are a total of 12 feet of dancers (Matt is 6'3, Kourtni is 5'9), and they looked great together. The dance was kind of strange and did not highlight their talents.
Nigel Lythgoe - "... fun routine... Matt, you need to relax, it was like someone put a broomstick where the sun doesn't shine... relax"
Mary Murphy - "... great job... the lift and landing were heavy"
Dan Karaty - "... great choreography, great concept, so-so performance... you didn't attack it"



Chelsea T. and Thayne came out with the Cha Cha choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha. It was a very sexy performance, and I'm not a Cha Cha fan. Chelsea is just so full of pep and fun, she is easy to watch. Thayne managed to keep up.
Nigel Lythgoe - "... love that southern charm" (speaking of Chelsea)
Mary Murphy - "... two tickets on the Hot Tamale train!"
Dan Karaty - "... damn girl... Thayne, you managed to keep up with her"



Next up were Chelsie H. and Mark dancing a Mia Michaels Contemporary routine. This is what I was waiting for, Mia Michaels seems to outdo herself each season. This was a "what would Tim Burton's wedding be like" routine, Mia was dreadfully disappointed with Mark's dancing in rehearsals. It was an awesome performance, but Mark reminds me an awful lot of Hawk from last season of SYTYCD. He had a lot of bird like gesturing, like Hawk. It was very cool music, Beautiful by Me'Shell Ndegeocello.
Nigel Lythgoe - "... Mia Michaels, you have some weird relationships don't you"
Mary Murphy - "... unbelievable... if I had a hat, I'd take it off to you"
Dan Karaty - "... you tweaked, and you freaked, and you did everything that was asked of you"



Kherington and Twitch came out with a Broadway routine choreographed by Tyce Diorio. It was fantastic, full of Broadway style and flash. Both could take the stage in a show anytime they want. Twitch is so funny, he said they were coming together as Twitchington.
Nigel Lythgoe - "... very, very hot"
Mary Murphy - "... look at the ceiling, the sprinkler system is gonna come on"
Dan Karaty - "... I thought you both were great"



Comfort and Chris were up next dancing a Jive routine by Tony and Melanie. It was a good routine, though the ending was a bit weird. Comfort said after finishing, "I'm dancing in a bra and panties and beads!" She was really good considering she dislocated her shoulder during dress rehearsal (something we would have never known had Nigel not brought it up).
Nigel Lythgoe - " ... you set it on fire"
Mary Murphy - "... this girl has what it takes"
Dan Karaty - "... wonderful job... you have to find the chemistry together"



Katee and Joshua had the Hip Hop dance of the night. Choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha, the concept was the night before he ships off to war. It was the most powerful performance of the night, and they were both feeling it. Some of the moves that Joshua has are unbelievable, and he makes it look so easy.
Nigel Lythgoe - "... really, really good... my favorite performance of the night"
Mary Murphy - "... you made it look effortless... I was not expecting this... it was tremendous"
Dan Karaty - "... you guys killed the unison part, that's not easy and you killed it... there is a reason you guys are on this stage"



Next up were Jessica and William with a Tango by Hunter Johnson. I thought it was really bad. The Tango should be passionate and hot, they both grinned ear to ear through it. It just seemed distracting. Surprisingly, the judges really enjoyed it, but I have to think this is because Will is Debbie Allen's protege. Jessica nearly fell off her shoes a couple of times.
Nigel Lythgoe - "... you looked professional"
Mary Murphy - "... it was strong, passionate, on fire..."
Dan Karaty - "... you played your part... hot like fire"



Courtney G. and Gev finished the night with a Disco dance choreographed by Doriana Sanchez. I thought it was good in a Saturday Night Fever sort of way. There were tons of lifts and all were done very well. Nigel did not agree.
Nigel Lythgoe - "... there wasn't the feel to it... it looked more like Disco Duck"
Mary Murphy - "... the Disco Queen is back... I loved it"
Dan Karaty - " ... I enjoyed that... not the best I've seen, but pretty good"



Well, that wraps up the first night on SYTYCD Season 4. It was a good first night and promises another great season.



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SYTYCD Season 4 Top 20 Chosen 6/05/08

SYTYCD Announces the Top 20
Who Are the Top 10 Guys and Girls to Vote On?
FOX 8/7c Thursday 6/05/08

Tonight’s showdown was full of surprises right from the start. The dancers who were invited to Las Vegas were in for the toughest week of their dancing lives. Over three hundred kids started the Las Vegas auditions to compete for twenty spots by completing five rounds of choreography. Talk about grueling.

The choreography was broken into categories, and dancers were cut after each session. First Hip Hop, then the Fox Trot, followed by a 5 person group performance (choreographed by the group), a Mia Michaels Contemporary routine, and for the few that were left, a solo in their own style. I was tired just typing all of that!

The shockers started right off with Popper Robert Murraine of YouTube.com fame pulling out of the competition before it really started. I did not expect Robert to make it to the Top 20, most Hip Hop and Poppers don’t, but I did expect him to try. Nigel Lythgoe called Robert to the stage when he heard the buzz about him wanting to quit and asked if he would like to solo for the judges. Mr. Murraine gladly obliged and wowed us again, Mia Michaels told him, “You’ve been given a gift, don’t ---- on it!” Robert chose to leave the tryouts, not wanting to hold a partner back.




Several Hip Hop and Poppers did make the final cut, including two of my favorites Joshua Allen and his friend from Dallas, TX, Comfort. Both were worried beyond words prior to the Fox Trot choreography, they should not have been. Graceful to the core, they looked like they were born to ballroom dance.

Stephen “Twitch” Boss was a favorite to go straight through to the television Top 20 from the start. On Season 3 of SYTYCD, Twitch made it to the final two guys before losing to Hawk (so he came in 21st ). He took the year and got some professional training, boy did it pay off, he did go straight to the Top 20.

Debbie Allen sat in on tonight’s SYTYCD judging, but will not be asked to continue. What? Debbie Allen got cut? Well, sort of. Her protégé, William Wingfield a hugely talented Contemporary dancer, was accepted into the Top 20. Nigel Lythgoe explained that to assuage any thoughts by the public about Ms. Allen being involved and knowing a contestant personally, she would step aside and let him dance. “Now you are representing Tennessee and Debbie Allen”, Nigel told William.

In the same sort of position was Kelli Baker. Her mother is famed choreographer Bonnie Story, of High School Musical. Kelli was in the movie in a supporting role. I and many of the remaining contestants voiced that though Kelli was every bit strong enough on her own dancing merits, her mother’s fame may have been her downfall. Kelli Baker was not chosen for the Top 20 with really no explanation from the judges. She will still be a professional dancer, obviously.

Brandon Bryant was the other big shocker of the evening for me. I still can not believe they picked Hip Hop dancer Gev over Brandon’s Contemporary brilliance. Brandon took the news like a man, stating he would definitely be back next year. I guess thinking about it may have been his build that was his downfall. While absolutely gorgeous and all muscle, sometimes the bulk is hard for a partner to cope with. I can’t wait to see what Brandon Bryant brings to the SYTYCD stage next year.

The So You Think You Can Dance judges are:
Nigel Lythgoe
Mary Murphy

Choreographers:
Mia Michaels
Dan Karaty
Tabitha & Napoleon
Jean Marc Genereaux
Tyce Diorio
Mandy Moore

And the So You Think You Can Dance - Season 4 Top 20 are:
Gev M.
Kourtni L.
Joshua A.
Raven A.
Matt D.
Courntey G.
William W.
Katee S.
Twitch B.
Kherington P.
Jamie B.
Chelsie H.
Chris J.
Jessica K.
Mark H.
Susie G.
Marquis C.
Chelsea T.
Thayne J.
Comfort F.

Live shows start next Wednesday, see you there!



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Here's how it all went down, enjoy!