Tonight was the final round for the remaining 50 dancers. Each dancer danced a solo routine of their choice for the four judges. The last dancer to dance was Faina Savich. After her performance, she collapsed off stage. The medics found her to be dehydrated and she admitted she had forgotten to drink water. (This made for some dramatic trailers over the past couple of weeks!)
The judges then reviewed all of the dance tapes and decided who the top 20 dancers would be. There would be 10 girls and 10 boys. At several different points throughout the show, the judges commented that this has been the most difficult year because the dancers were so good. They strongly encouraged several dancers to try again next year.
And if tensions were not running high enough, the judges called up a group of dancers which included Olivia Usey and Kaylin Gray and immediately told them they were not in the top 20. Olivia was not a happy camper saying she would have rather been cut early on than now. (I bet some of those folk that were cut early on would love to have traded places with her! And I was wrong about the producers pimping her to win.)
There were now 34 dancers left; 17 girls and 17 boys. Each dancer was sent one at time to a holding room to gather their thoughts before they faced the judges to find out if they had made it or not. Kevin Hunt was the first dancer to go to the judges. He felt he laid himself out there and had done well. The judges didn't feel it was good enough and he was sent home.
The next several folks were sent home.
Danny Tidwell is the adopted brother of last season's runner up, Travis Wall. The judges were concerned that although Danny was a brilliant dancer, his attitude comes across as cocky and smug. He still made it into the top 20.
Ashlee Langus has always had a plan, but she had come to a point that she wasn't sure what she was going to do with her life. It's a good thing, because she made the top 20 and has a plan now.
Next up was Dominic aka Dtrix. He was told he was very good at what he does and that he better represent all the street dancers because he, too was in the top 20.
Cedric Garner said that this was the most trying time he has ever had. He had great difficulty in the routines, but would always save himself when he "danced for his life" That was enough to get him through to the top 10 boys.
Two more girls made it through, and then it was Janet Bombard's time to face the judges. She had an accident 5 years ago and lost an arm. She amazed the judges everytime she danced and even made Nigel cry at one point. She was judged just like her peers and didn't make the cut.
Ricky Palomino is a strange duck. He even admits that he is odd. But even odd people can dance and he was through to the top 20.
Anya and Pasha had to be the sexiest ballroom couple to compete this year. Anya was told that she was a great dancer and Pasha was told that he was one diminsional, but both made it into the top 20.
Fainia was feeling much better after some much needed water. She was concerned because a female ballroom dancer had already made it. It didn't matter because she was in as well.
Lauren Goittlieb was the dancer who was too young to audition last year, but got to help choreograph one of the routines. She was told that she put the judges in a hard place, because if she made it, it would look like favoritism. So that meant she would have to work harder, because they would be judging her harder in the top 20.
Sara Vaughn was the only B-girl to make it this far. She had done rather well on her routines and that put her into the top 10 girls.
Next we have another snip-it of several people making it into the top 20. Then Heather, who was the star of her group dance, was told she didn't make it and to try again next year.
Jessi, our baby oil/suitcase dancer, told us she is tired of her 40 hour a week office job and wants to dance for a living. The judges asked her if she would come back and she begins to cry and tells them no, that this is it for her. They then asked if she would come back and be in the top 20 this year.
Kaitlyn ws sent through to Vegas because the judges felt she was top 20 material. She fell short in Vegas and the judges felt that this year would not be her year in the top 20, but to try again.
FINALLY, there are two spots and four dancers. The boy's spot was to be between Hok and Twitch, two break dancers. The girl's spot was between Lacey and Kristen. The guys were shocked that it had come down to them. They had become close during all this and Twitch said that no matter who got the position, he would be sad because Hok was such a good friend. Hok felt numb about the whole thing. This was Hok's 3rd time on SYTYCD and the 3rd time was a charm. He was the 10th boy.
Both Lacey and Kristen want to show us more. Lacey is the little sister of last year's winner, Benji Schwimmer, and she will be the one showing us more because she made the 20th dancer in the top 20.
The fun will begin next week when the dancers will compete and we will begin to vote. The top 20 dancers are:
Anya
Cedric
Lauren
Pasha
Jamie
Dominic "Dtrix"
Kameron
Shauna
Hok
Jessi
Sabra
Ricky
Danny
Lacey
Neil
Jimmy
Faina
Jesus
Sara
Ashlee
