So You Think You Can Dance, Ep. 9.7

It feels like forever since a new episode, even though we only missed one week! It's FINALLY time for the first live performances! I'm hoping by the end of the show, I'll be able to pick out my favorites. I have to, because my friend Dave and I are competing with our picks. I bested him in Idol, so we'll see if he's got me beat in SYTYCD. I'll be picking my top 2 (1 guy and 1 girl) at the end of this post. Anyone else who wants to weigh in with your picks, I'd love to know!

Here we go! 

First number of the night is a group number with all 20 dancers. It's kind of a 60s style, Mad Men sort of dance around a bunch of desks. I wasn't overly impressed...they really didn't do much dancing.

I've always wondered why they waste so much time announcing the dancers individually and having them do a little dance. It's really kind of dumb, and wastes time. It doesn't really show you anything about the dancers. It's not like anyone is going to remember them for their 3-second dance at the very beginning of the show. Can we just get rid of that segment please?

It's time to see who the couples are now, that's always interesting to see how people are paired up.

First couple: Witney and Cheon, dancing a Louis Van Amstel Samba. 

(Hello Dancing With the Stars cross-over!) Witney is a Latin dancer, so she should be fine in this dance. Loving the fun, upbeat song and her pretty pink dress! The song sounds like a Latin take on the James Bond, 007 theme! Cheon looks like he could very well be a Latin dancer as well. Job well done by both.

Judges: Nigel and Mary both said that Cheon has some foot and overall technique issues, but did well. Mary said Witney needed some transportation...and she's got a first class ticket!

My Score: 8 out of 10

Second couple: Tiffany and George, dancing a Sonya Tayeh Contemporary routine. 

(Love Sonya!) Nice lifts, amazing flexibility from both of them! Wow, it was really good! It was a kind of emotional dance, and they really pulled me in. You could feel what they were feeling.

Judges: Mary was left breathless. She said they connected well with each other. Nigel thinks they are a good couple and the dancing was superb.

My Score: 9 out of 10

Third couple: Janaya and Brandon, dancing a Nappy-Tabs Hip-Hop routine. 

Whoa backwards jump into his arms! That was cool! They compliment each other very well and are pretty much in sync the whole time. I'm not blown away by it though, I thought the choreography was pretty weak. The story was more powerful than the content of the movements.

Judges: Nigel pretty much agrees with me...he says they (Tabitha and Napoleon) let them get away with a few things because the piece didn't expose them. He also said that they are going to have to do more to stand out, or they will be voted out early. Mary agreed but thought they did a good job.

My Score: 7 out of 10 (more for the choreography than the technique)

Fourth couple: Alexa and Daniel, dancing a Sean Cheesman Jazz number. 

OK, so I haven't commented on any of the couples' 9-second interviews of themselves, but I have to for these 2! Holy moly! They both crammed so much stuff into their 9 seconds! And more than any of the others so far, theirs were actually interesting! Alexa: the yogurt thing again, but I loved how she said her favorite topping is sprinkles even though they don't have a flavor. Daniel: Aussie, of course. He has a pet kangaroo? How cool is that? He's related to Crocodile Dundee? Really, or is he just kidding? He only eats Vegemite? Ha! G'day mate to you too! I JUST realized who Daniel reminds me of (I think)...my Sean from The Bachelorette! 

Ok, to the dancing! Wow, can I just say that their outfits are bright! Head to toe in bright red. I think they look good as a couple. I gotta say it...I love them both! They are amazing! Very cool routine! Loved the Spiderman crawling on the weird metal...whatever it was.

Judges: Nigel said there wasn't enough connection with the audience and with each other because there was so much going on. Mary said she loved all of it, but also agreed with Nigel. She said it was a job well done for a very exciting number.

My Score: 10 out of 10!

Fifth couple: Amber and Nick, dancing a Jason Gilkison Waltz. 

Gotta say, I'm not real excited about this couple. Kind of glad they are partnered together since I'm not really into either of them. Nick is under a lot of pressure because this is his style. Ballroom is one of my least favorite styles, with Waltz being at the bottom of the ballroom list as well. This poor couple is really starting out in the hole for me. The music is poor as well, so there isn't really anything to make me love this routine. They are dancing it fine, but I'm not blown away. Nick did a good job with the lifts, he made them look really easy.

Judges: Mary said it was dreamy and Nick was phenomenal. Nigel compared Jason to Abby Lee Miller from Dance Moms (who just happened to be in the audience). I definitely wouldn't go that far. He said he expected Amber to do well with this and she did. He said he's crossing his fingers for them because they deserve to go through, but it's up to America.

My Score: 6 out of 10

Sixth couple: Amelia and Will, dancing a Nappy-Tabs “Character Pop” Hip-Hop. 

Another “great” couple for me, because I don't like either of them. They both really bug me. Very interesting and strange dance to a strange song, “Lovecats” by The Cure. I totally did not get the dance at all. They danced it well and had some fun tricks, but it was...um...strange. I didn't think there was a whole lot of content again.

Judges: Nigel said this is a great partnership. Mary said it was purrrfect. She said the routine was well suited for them.

My Score: 6 out of 10

Seventh couple: Janelle and Dareian, dancing an African jazz Sean Cheesman routine. 

(Wow, Dareian does an awesome Donald Duck voice!) Oh my gosh, I don't think I've ever seen someone's leg bend as far as she just did! Ouch! Dareian really looks tribal out there, and this style really seems to suit Janelle as well. Great job! And look--someone who is just as tall as Dareian! I was afraid he would be shorter than any girl they paired him with.

Judges: Nigel said they are both so exciting. He said she was surprised that Janelle was even there with all of her injuries! He said if she can survive rehearsals, she'll do well! Dareian has so much going for him. He thinks the routine was very memorable. Mary absolutely agreed! She said that as a belly dancer she is doing everything they are giving her. She said they will both do well on the show.

My Score: 9 out of 10

Eighth couple: Eliana and Cyrus, dancing a Tyce Diorio Broadway routine. 

Whoa, Tyce getting tough! Ha! Cyrus is sooo out of his element, but you'd never know it! Look at them go! What a fun routine! I wasn't so sure how they would do as partners, because they seem like complete opposites, but I think they are a really good pair! He just always looks like he's having so much fun! Loved them!

Judges: Mary said Tyce had no reason to be worried. She said they brought the house down. Nigel said that Cyrus is great at what he does, but he's not a great dancer yet. He gives 100% and he deserves to be there and he is absolutely entertaining. He said the routine didn't show off just how good she is.

My Score: 10 out 10!

Ninth couple: Audrey and Matthew, dancing a Travis Wall contemporary routine. 

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Travis Wall!!!! (Side note: everyone says that Matthew looks like Ryan Gossling, which he does, but I just realized he also looks a lot like Travis.) A Titanic routine? Brilliant!!! To “Unchained Melody”? OMG!!! I love it and it hasn't even started yet! I just got the biggest goosebumps when she flew off that couch into his arms, exactly to the biggest crescendo in the song! Holy crap on a cracker! They are beautiful dancers and they have an amazing chemistry. They did just an amazing job. Travis...just....Wow! Must...watch...again! Standing ovation!

Judges: Nigel's favorite routine of the night. Mary said they were perfection.

My Score: 10 out of 10!

Tenth couple, Lindsay and Cole, dancing a Jason Gilkison Paso Doble. 

Lindsay lucked out, just as Witney did, getting a ballroom dance. Cole's martial arts should also serve him well with this bull fighting style. Her dress is something else! Who knew the two of them could show so much power! My goodness! Those are some muscles he's got! Another good pairing with these two. They gave the dance exactly what it needed. Very good performance, and a good way to end the first show.

Judges: Mary said it was Jason't best choreography and she thinks they will be unstoppable. It was a beautiful paso doble. Nigel said it was the best paso doble done by any guy on the show. He said they both have a little bit of magic.

My Score: 10 out of 10!

This is going to be so tough to pick my favorites! There are so many good ones!

I have to break it down, if I'm going to pick my favorites, so weeding out the dancers I don't like, that leaves:

Guys that I Like/Love: Daniel, Cyrus, Dareian, Cole, Matthew, Cheon

Girls that I  Like/Love: Janelle, Alexa, Witney, Audrey, Lindsay, Tiffany

OK, so from the beginning, my 2 favorite guys have been Cyrus and Daniel. It's hard for me to pick anyone over them. I think both of them have a lot of good skills and they have the likability factor, so I think they are safe bets.

The girls are a little tougher for me because none of them have really stood out a whole lot more than the others. I think my top 2 would be Alexa and Janelle.

So, I think the 2 I'm going to go with for the win (and I'll probably want to change my vote later in the season, but here we go any way):

Cyrus and Alexa