SYD #5

Did Cat get a haircut??? Or is it just somehow fixed up behind her head by a gross of bobby pins?

If’s it’s cut, it’s extreme.

Two dances from everyone tonight, FINALLY, and after this cut we’re down to the top 10. (I'm going to present the dances in order, rather than grouping the dances by dancer. It's easier for me...but I'll make up for the annoyance of this by keeping the report on each couple's second dance short.)

The guest judge this week is Tyce Diorio.


Melissa and Ade – Disco by Doriana to “Move on Up” (which was sampled by Kanye, so it should sound familiar to those who know “I’ma touch the sky.”) It’s fast, and their success in the pas de deux last week is mirrored in the lifts’ gracefulness. Melissa falls on the last hold, though she recovers with spunk.

Nigel compliments their energy and comments on last week’s pas de deux as well.

Mary says “Doriana said you need to pray to the disco god, well can I get an ‘amen?’” [Tyce: “Amen!”]

Tyce’s turn: “That was frickin’ great.”


Kayla and Kupono – contemporary with Mia Michaels, about addiction. Kupono was the addiction, Kayla the addicted.

Nigel says it was very powerful, that Kayla’s hair gets in the way sometimes, and Kupono’s smirk was great.

Mary says it was great and that Kayla was flawless.

Tyce says dancing with Mia’s choreography makes you an actor, and says it’s “an experience.” He says Kayla is “a beast…a phenomenal, beautiful, incredible beast.”


Caitlin and Jason – foxtrot to “Minnie the Moocher” Caitlin is wearing a whole dress, with a silver brocaded top and a big green skirt. It’s nice to see a ballroom dancer clothed for once, though the flips she does leaves little to the imagination.

Nigel compliments Caitlin immediately, saying she looked like Grace Kelly, then says Jason’s footwork was “very, very good indeed. I think someone’s been having a go at you between rehearsal and tonight.”

Mary says the style suits them and solicits cheering from the audience.

Tyce challenges Mary to an impromptu, quick snap-off (like thumb wrestling, I suppose), and wins. He then tells the couple that they “could have glided more,” but that they were good.


Philip and Jeanine – the Russian dance Josh and Twitch did last year. It’s not just a dance-off here, though, as they do some more folk dancing in the middle that involves partnering and synchronization. It was pretty good, though not as high-powered as last year’s finale dance.

Nigel is clapping, but says “I’m just not sure we should have thrown that [at them]”…”this felt a little too folky, and anything like this you need a lot of vodka to go with it, and I didn’t have any I’m afraid.”

Mary says Jeanine’s twirling moves made her believe she was a Russian folk dancer, and says Philip’s dancing on the floor was something no one in the audience could have done.

Tyce says he thinks they did well for the three days they worked on it, saying Jeanine was excellent, and Philip was surprisingly good (though that was due to low expectations).


Randi and Evan – hip hop with Tabitha and Napoleon, in which Randi and Evan fell in love and Randi just found out she’s pregnant. It’s an intricate routine and features a marriage proposal in the middle.

Nigel says they’re one of his fave couples and is glad Tab and Nap didn’t ask them to be “urban.”

Mary says she was expecting “a train wreck,” but said she thought they did a great job.

Tyce compliments the choreographers, says he thinks Evan needs to “find more,” but that he loves Randi.


Brandon and Janette – Tango. Her dress is pretty interesting, actually, short, but covers almost everything it should. The lifts are impressively graceful, and their legs fly around each other. It wasn’t a remarkable routine, but they seemed to do a pretty good job of it.

Nigel is silent for a moment, then stands to applaud. Mary and Tyce stand, too.

Cat asks Brandon and Janette if they’ve got anything to say to their choreographers. Janette says they’re amazing, and amazing dancers.

Nigel says that “for a ballroom routine, that was as close to perfection as I’ve ever seen on this stage, ever…[about Mary’s impending comments] if that train ain’t bloody coming, there’s gonna be trouble.”

Mary goes into her “you’re not disappointing me one ounce up there, no you’re not.” Mary stands up to scream that they’ve got first class tickets, and Nigel yells “woo-woo” like a train was coming.

Tyce says some stuff that doesn’t make sense about juice, and Liz says “I have a really awesome juicer.”

The judges loved it.

Cat announces that starting next week will be the shake-up: new partners every week.


Melissa and Ade do a waltz for their second dance.
Nigel says it was “very beautiful” and mentions the choreographers. Mary shouts about it and to Cat, she says “pipe down, English muffin.” Cat tells Tyce to “hit me with your thing.” (Wow. Uh, that’s what she said, eh?) Tyce gives a somewhat tepid review but says he liked it.

Kayla and Kupono dance Broadway – a “love at first sight” routine. It’s cheesy in all the Broadway ways (and no surprise, since it’s danced to a West Side Story score song).
Nigel says “there was no feeling of true emotion…and getting into character.” Mary liked it better, and Tyce thanked the choreographer, mentioned the score, and agreed with Nigel.

Caitlin and Jason do lyrical jazz with Mandy Moore (boo). It was better than the usual Mandy Moore routine, which Nigel notes (though not as denigratingly as I note it). Mary says “it wasn’t magic tonight.” Tyce thanks Mandy as well and says their lines were “beautiful” but that he felt they played it safe.

Philip and Jeanine do the jive, with Jeanine wearing a bit more than a bikini (but just a few frills away, really). Nigel says it’s the best Philip’s been out of his own style and that the whole shebang in general was great. Mary puts Jeanine on the “Hot Tamale” train and says “you are riding into the top ten, full speed ahead.” Tyce says “I say call 1-888-Fan-Freaking-Tastic.”

Evan and Randi are doing a samba with Pasha (remember him as “Russian ballroom guy from previous season”?) and Anya choreographing. They start with an intricate series of lifts, despite the fact that Randi’s wearing heels that a UN Inspector might consider WMDs. There’s some stuff that doesn’t seem like samba in there, but it seems to make it more interesting (so we’ll give it a pass).

Nigel “hmmmms,” asks “Evan, do I look on you as a hot samba king? [Shakes his head.] Randi, you are hot…but when I think about how Pasha and Anya would look doing it, that wasn’t as hot as them.” Mary says “well, it might not have been hot, but it was a slow sizzle going on up there,” then compliments the choreography. She says they didn’t really commit themselves, particularly Evan. Tyce says Evan should have looked at past sambas on SYD in order to become the character he had to be, and says “Randi, you carried the routine.” Mary interrupts and says “I just need to tell this girl that she is a Hot Tamale, too! [Scream].”

Brandon and Janette will dance Wade Robson jazz. They're two thieves. Nigel says there isn't anything they can throw at this pair that they won't do "brilliantly." He predicts they'll get the biggest vote of the night. Cat asks Mary if they're the strongest couple of the night for her, and Mary responds in screaming: "THE BEST FOR LAST!" Tyce says "you guys have that thing. You have that thing." He compliments Wade and says he's inspired.

And that's all she wrote, folks. Tune in tomorrow night if you want to see who gets voted off the tour.