SYTYCD - 6/25 - Top 16

WOW.....one look at Mary's outfit and I'm sure we were all wide awake and ready to party! BLING! Was she supposed to be the disco ball for Jessica & Will's number?

Of course Shankman had to start us out with some bad puns. Groan. But very excited to hear that Lacey & Travis will be in his next movie! Yay!

Nice tribute to Cyd. I didn't know Nigel had danced with her. Anyone know in what?

Twitchington ROCKED! Great way to start the show. She had better facial reactions this time - she had more than one anyway! But when she did smile, it was kind of "BIG and happy like a beauty queen" for me.....not "gangsta." The costumes worked well for them - did they say SYTYCD on the back? The pacing was nice.....there were different levels to it and they hit everything.

Courtney & Gev were really good. Something about coming down from that top pose worried me a little.....I think that it was obvious they were being slow and careful? It didn't seem effortless. Their connection at the top was pretty HOT. But I'm not sure how memorable they will be compared to some of the other stuff? It was hard to see the hip action in a lot of sections because of the camerawork. He looks darn good in a suit!

I didn't like this "African Jazz" as well as some of the others I've seen Tyce do. The lighting was *SO* annoying to me. How are we really supposed to watch and critique the dance with all those darn strobes going and that super "over-exposed" look to things? It wasn't lit well for the camera *at all* and I'm getting tired of that. It's supposed to be about *the dancing* and when the technical elements are *so obvious* that means that they are *over done.* When you have *REALLY GOOD* tech work, the audience *SHOULD NOT NOTICE IT.* Like some of the judges, I wanted more use of the fabric.....but that's on Tyce and not the dancers. And I felt that the animalistic nature from the top didn't carry all the way through the routine consistently.....they lost character. It seemed a little too slow and too soft in a lot of places with that music.....needed to be more aggressive. The intensity didn't match for me.

Jessica & Will really sold the disco number. The little "sigh" moment from her towards the top, he really hit the "Travolta" move and didn't look ridiculous doing it, his flips rocked.

Kourtni & Matt - I was so happy to get to see them dance in their style! Like Adam, I hated the costumes. UGH. If it's a comic book, I wanted more bright colors and perhaps some exaggeration instead of that sack she was wearing.....and he was too muted. They were very stylized, connected and energetic. Well syncronized and the leaps were nice. Agree that he needs to get down into the floor and not be so upright all the time.

Chelsea and Thayne - not the worst Quickstep but not the best routine of the night either. LOVED her dress. Wished the camera would have stayed pulled back so we can watch the FEET since that's what this number is all about! Their smiles seemed so "glued on" to me. I bet they were gritting their teeth and chanting "Oh God don't let me mess up!" Better than expected but didn't knock me off my feet. They didn't really sell it.

Chelsie & Mark's Hip Hop was another one I was really looking forward too. I know he's a contemporary dancer, but I had a feeling that his quirky style of movement would lend itself to this genre. *MAN* were they amazing! Towards the top where her hand was near his face and he slid down her arm to her neck.....YUM. Their connection was just amazing. Their musicality was just beautiful and they had such attention to detail, hitting all the little stuff. That bit with his hand on her chest and the fingers, stealing the heatbeat. Her "heartbreak" response at the end was amazing. They were so committed to this and it seemed like such a complete and polished performance. AWESOME!

Katie and Joshua's Samba had me a little worried at first before we actually saw them. I didn't know how he would handle this style. MAN did he have it down. He had such wonderful hip action! Camerawork frustrated me here a bit again when they cut from two dancers to one yet again. HELLO.....we want to see BOTH of them! There was one bit towards the end where she raised her knee and they kind of hit a post - I want to go back and watch again as it seemed like an awkward moment to me.....too slow maybe?

Eliminating people is getting harder and harder!

I think the bottom 3 will be.....
* Chelsea & Thayne
* Courtney & Gev
* Comfort & Chris
.....not that any of them were really bad, there was just a *very tough* competition this week!
Voted off? I think probably Chris and Courtney maybe? It would be interesting to see Gev & Comfort as partners if that happens.

Oh.....and officially *LOVING* Napoleon & Tabitha!!!!!