Jul 04 2008
So You Think You Can Dance - Independence Day for Two More
Two more dancers were released last night from So You Think You Can Dance. Last week, there were three couples in the bottom three that kept falling there week after week. The four dancers that remained are right back there again, and it’s not surprising that yet another of them was set loose. No matter how great you were at auditions, and no matter how great your solos are, if you can’t be exciting week after week in your competitive dances with your partner, then it’s just not going to work for you.
The first couple to land in the bottom three were Kourtni Lind and Matt Dorame, and of course it wasn’t exactly a surprise. They’d made several appearances there already, and the judges weren’t very pleased with either of their routines. Tabitha is shocked to to keep seeing Kourtni in this spot after the auditions, and Napoleon admits to having the same hopes for Matt. Yet, they’re not connecting, and that’s why they’re in this spot.
New to the bottom three were Courtney Galiano and Gev Manoukian. While they didn’t seem to dance anything “badly” on performance night, they just weren’t as impressive as the top four couples. The judges had thought she was strong on one dance, and he the other. When Nigel Lythgoe was asked why he thought they were making their first appearance in the bottom three couples, he joked maybe America doesn’t like little dancers, keeping that odd, crabby feeling he had from the night before.
The final couple to the bottom three were no strangers to the position, although in all of their previous times, their visits to the bottom three had been with different partners. After Comfort and Thayne Jasperson were voted out last week, it forced them into a new partnership this week that had surprisingly more chemistry than they had with their original partners. However, here they are again. Mary Murphy only wants them to know what huge assets they are to the show. While Comfort has showed huge growth on the show, Thayne is a sure thing and always there 100%. She felt he really stood out in the group number a few mintues before.
As if to prove that being on So You Think You Can Dance has nothing to do with how great of a dancer you are, a special guest to this night’s show was Robert Muraine. He had auditioned this season, and after being crowned the best popper to ever grace their stage, he easily made it to Las Vegas. There, he surprised everyone by voluntarily leaving. After working with the choreographers for the first time, Robert faced the judges and told them he was quitting, thinking he wouldn’t be able to do it. The judges implored him to stay, but his mind was made up.
Muraine took the stage on results night this week, showing us what we’re missing out on from his resignation. Some comments were made back and forth between him, Cat Deeley and Nigel, leaving us with the thought that this guy wants another shot. I have to give the guy credit here for the growth to be able to say I was wrong to leave, and I’d like another chance. Is it possible he thought just by getting to Vegas before he would be seen by enough people that would hire him and his career would take off, but after that didn’t happen he came back with his tail between is legs? Regardless, he deserves something, as he’s just that amazing.
The only solos from the bottom six performers tonight that were amazing were from the two that were new to the spot. Courtney was very impressive, but it really broke down to not much more than spins and leaps. Gev seemed to be pulling off the epitome of “dancing for his life.” The other four should be old pros at it by now, and the only one that stood out some was Thayne, and that’s because you could see the growth in his performance, as it wasn’t just straight contemporary. He seemed to have now stuck a little funk in it, something he seems to have picked up along the way.
Nigel addressed all of the bottom six, telling them that through seven seasons of American Idol and four seasons of this show, the results nights are always tough, but he doesn’t think he ever really cared as much about losing people as he does this season. He has never shirked the responsibility of elimination or been frightened of it, but he’s looking forward to the time in a few weeks when we’ll take over the responsibility from him. While we understand what he’s saying, as overall the talent this season is amazing, it certainly doesn’t seem to flow with his attitude this week so far.
Nigel’s eliminations are swift tonight, and perhaps this is his way of pulling off the bandaid on a difficult season. He tells the three girls it was not a unanimous decision. Courtney has always risen to the occasion, no matter what has been asked of her by choreographers, so she’s staying. They have watched Comfort grow, and while they all thought she did a really good job this week, she didn’t get his vote, but got the others. She is staying, and Kourtni is leaving.
As for the guys, it’s the first time they have seen Gev do his thing, and they were delighted. He’s obviously staying. Matt and Thayne are in this same spot each week, and this time they’re in agreement that while Matt came in at a really high level, he never progressed further. He’s going home.
Regardless, Comfort and Thayne don’t seem destined for many more weeks in the competition. If we keep putting them in the bottom three, once we also decide who will leave each week, I can’t see things improving for them. Courtney and Gev both did really well this week, but in a field that started out very crowded with great dancers that were indistinguishable, there is a divide that seems to be increasing each week. Unfortunately, they’re on the wrong end of it.
Photos Courtesy of fox.com/dance
For more information on So You Think You Can Dance, see SirLinksalot: So You Think You Can Dance , and for a recap of Wednesday night’s performances, see So You Think You Can Dance .
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