Multiple Personality

It’s a very small group for the opening solo-ettes, and Twitch knocked his outta the park. The other outstanding tidbit was the closing pose of Courtney and Joshua; that girl just threw herself backwards, secure that Muscle Josh was gonna catch her. One-handed. In the small of the back. Yipes and wow.

Cat is wearing a post-apocalypse Flapper dress, with shoes that appear to have tribbles tied to the back.The heels are actually too high to be fuck-me pumps. They are gang-bang-me pumps. Her homosexual stylists have been hard at work. Adam Shankman is the guest jidge. Will he be a lamb of a Shankman or more like mutton?

Courtney and Mark started things off with a Viennese Waltz. It was very beautiful, and I didn’t even mind that the song was an American Idol tie-in. Their lyricism was outstanding, and I enjoyed their lifts very much; the first went up instead of around, which I found surprising, and the second had more of the circular speed I’d been expecting, capped off with a beautifully executed change of direction. Courtney’s line was beautiful but I didn’t feel she was as connected emotionally as Mark, who was pretty flawless.

Chelsie did her solo next, which was basically porno with pirouettes. She ended with a center split to the floor, and I’m sure somebody wanted to install a floor camera for that auspicious moment. I don’t think I like watching 19-year-olds gyrate to the Pussytrash Dolls. Interesting choice. For Cinemax After Dark.

Twitch earned his name tonight in his solo. At first I was ready to come down on him for the stupid use of props (teeth and glasses), but he crammed so much movement into that thing I can’t complain. His body is quite a wondrous thing, and his musicality was its customary awesome.

Cat had, then, what will surely be the moment of the night, when she let herself be goaded into putting in the grill, straight outta Twitch’s mouth. It totally underlines how ridiculous it is that the girl has not been nominated for an Emmy for Reality Show Host. Stupid, stupid Emmy!

Katee and Joshua were next. The scene was set for potential peril: a Contemporary number by Tyce Diorio, to Celine Dion, on a stage completely washed out in hazy blue. Once the haze lifted sufficiently, it was clear that there was EVERYTHING right with this dance. Holy crap! Katee did this leaping jeté entry into a lift that was probably the hardest, most dangerous thing I’ve seen. Her second, fearless leap into his arms looked effortless. And everything in the middle was just fabulous. Props to Tyce. OMG, you guys!

Twitch and Sex Kitten were next, and they had a Mambo to do. It wasn’t so hot. I was about to say that both of them danced too white, but that was Chelsie. Twitch just didn’t have Mambo in him. He was shakin’ and gyratin’ all over the place, but it just didn’t have the Latin-guy whoomph behind it. Though I have to say he looked fiiiine in that shirt and pantalones. Chelsie was really only adequate. There wasn’t chemistry, there wasn’t unabashed Mambo-reckless joy. If this was the deciding factor, then clearly the other four will be in the finale.

Katee did a rock’n'roll Contemporary solo that was very effective. It’s hard to make something memorable in that 30 second package, but I think she did it. Accents were sharp, lines were impressive, and her attitude was all there. She reconfirmed her top-girl status.

Joshua decided he was gonna take no prisoners in his solo. Holy crap again! He did one of those near-horizontal barrel turns that made me so crazy earlier in the season (sorry, can’t remember who did it the first time). Joshua was very crafty, starting off with almost nothing then suddenly bursting into an amazing shower of breaking. It had some hard-core build to it, and the kid did himself proud.

Wow . . . everybody’s dancing twice tonight! They fooled me, with the leisurely pace they started off with. Okay . . . my head will explode a little more than I was expecting.

Courtney and Mark have Sonya from Mohawkia giving them Jazz. This was quite a number. It reminded me a little of Wade Robson’s weird-cabaret number that Jesus and Sara did last year — except this one was nastier. This is the stuff that Mark really gets into, and Courtney was jumping into the bizarreness quite admirably. Except for when Mark hopped a weensy bit in his turn sequence, it was rather impeccable in its particular demented way.

Katee and Joshua had a Paso Doble next. I am really starting to like this Aussie Jason guy. That was a very hot number, and really embodied the spirit of Paso. There were several “holy crap!” moments in this, not the least of which was this frenetic double-time step sequence halfway through. I’m not sure Joshua had the formal goods to carry off the partnering aspects of the Paso, but he sure had the attitude. And Katee was magnif. I completely grooved on this number!

Courtney’s solo was good but not the end-all. She started off without all the center she normally has, but she regained it by a last, impressive turn sequence. It was emotionally connected, but not majestic. But it certainly showed that she belongs in the finale instead of Chelsie. Cat said she did a “fab” job. Cat is my favorite gay guy who’s actually a woman.

Mark’s solo was kinda dumb. I think he could have chosen something much more technically impressive. It had a certain amount of his quirkiness, but it didn’t really add up to much except taking his shirt most-of-the-way off and tweaking his own nipples. I guess if enough tween girls want to do the same, it was smart. But I expected more of him. I hope that his fantastic couples work tonight carries him through.

Chelsie and Twitch did a wildly entertaining Hip Hop number by Tabitha and Samantha and Napoleon and Danishpastry. I have to say that I’m really loving their choreography in direct proportion to how much fun I’m having with their names; they are quite awesome. This was a good, good number, showcasing Twitch a little better than Chelsie, but allowing both of them to show their character chops. I think it was inspired by that Bugs Bunny cartoon where Bugs gets back at that egotistical conductor who poops in his rabbit hole, or something.

So . . . who is going to be in the Final Four? Well, I think that Katee and Joshua have a lock. After the first round, I would’ve said that Mark would make it in over Twitch, but Mark’s solo was underwhelming (and a little annoying, particularly with all his mugging afterward); Twitch’s second partner dance was great but his first was weak, and Mark had two very strong partner dances. I think Mark will edge in past Twitch. The last two girls are a similar story: Courtney had a stronger first half than Chelsie, but Chelsie started to redeem herself at the end. However, this shouldn’t be as photo-finish as the Mark-Twitch decision . . . it should be Courtney.

We’ll see if I’m right. In any event, this was a holy-crap!-terrific hour of dance-stravaganza.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 30th, 2008 at 11:24 pm and is filed under So You Think You Can Dance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.