So You Think You Can Dance: Ricky’s Solo Changed the Judges Minds

By On 06/24/2011 · 34 Comments · In So You Think You Can Dance

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Ugh. Now I feel even worse. Tonight, on So You Think You Can Dance, Nigel Lythgoe and his fellow judges eliminated a really popular contestant–the charismatic tap dancer, Nick Young.

Backstage, Nigel told reporters, “When I saw who was in the bottom (Ricky and Ryan, Missy and Wadi, and Iveta and Nick)  I was intending in my heart of hearts that we keep Nick and we keep Iveta.”

But, said Nigel, “I couldn’t keep Nick having watched Ricky’s performance tonight. We asked them to dance for their lives and the passion that he danced with this evening was just fantastic. It was hard, but we had to let Nick go.”

So, Nigel changed his vote at the last minute. I still don’t get it. I don’t care how well Ricky danced, it’s what he’s got the potential to bring to the rest of the competition that matters. Nick brought a unique style to the cast. Ricky is a fine dancer, but he’s not that interesting.

Nigel turns around and contradicted himself when he explains why he saved Ryan instead of Iveta or Missy, “With the girls it was more of a question of how well are they going to proceed in the competition. It’s a waste of time keeping them this week if they’re going to be cut next week. So who will grow the most? We had a little discussion and we felt Ryan would grow more.”

When Nick was asked  whether he wished the judges had sent someone home last week, he said, “Yeah. I think a lot of us had that feeling…maybe they saw something, people they didn’t want to cut last week, and they were just waiting for this decision to be made. Maybe they had an easier decision today.”

Bingo. If Nigel had sent dancers home last week, Nick and Iveta would probably have survived this week, although that Bollywood did neither of them any favors.

If Ricky is cut next week I’m calling for y’all to twitter bomb Nigel next week. Ok, not really. But still. Grrr.

 
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  • t2

    Can we just call this show “So You Think Contemporary Dancers Can Dance?”

    p.s. Dear Nigel: Contemporary = Jazz = Lyrical = you’ve got way too many of these dancers and should have kept Nick and Iveta.

    I’d be voting for the clogger if they had one available.

  • lucy

    Not quite getting the dislike for Ryan

    I don’t dislike her, but she is currently the queen of inappropriate smiling. I’m prepared to give amateurs a little time to realize that they need to wipe the I’m-so-happy-to-be-on-this-show grin off their faces during most performances, but if she keeps on doing it longer than another week or so, I’m going to fast forward through her performances, I’m afraid. Really really hate that.

  • Montavilla

    Nick was the best tapper they’ve had (the only one I’ve liked), but I don’t think dancers that are primarily tappers can do well on this show. It’s an outdated style and contemporary just annihilates it.

    I don’t think tap is outdated. I think the problem with it (and ballroom) is that the technique is so demanding that it makes it hard for most dancers to translate it into other genres. You’d think that hip-hop would have the same problem — and it did for the first few seasons. But hip-hop is so popular that there is a large pool of dancers who study classical techniques and also do hip-hop.

    Have they ever assigned a tap routine for competition? I think they could slide tap into a Broadway dance — they did incorporate Nick’s tapping into his and Jess’s introduction dance. But they’d never do that if the dancers weren’t already trained in tap because it’s just too difficult to pick up the technique in a week.

  • MayMirabella

    I can understand why they kept Ricky as his solo was excellent , very good. But keeping Ryan is what I fail to understand. I do not get why they think Ryan has more potential than Iveta or Missy.

  • idolwatcher

    Double negative – cut Nick and keep Ryan. Really?

  • weese

    I thought they got it exactly right last night. Ryan and Ricky should not have been in the bottom three to begin with. Missy’s solo was ugly, Nick’s solo was not his best—he has danced much better, Iveta is somewhat unlikable and her solo was typical–nothing special. I happened to love Wadi’s solo but recognize he was not great in the Wed. night performance. I do believe Ryan will improve. Ricky deserved to stay for both his Wed. and Thurs. night performances.

  • stelladallas

    While Nick’s favorite type of dance may be tap, he is trained in all types of dance. His mom has her own dance studio, where Nick teaches. Their website even says: “Nick Young has been dancing since the age of 4 excelling in ALL forms of dance.” On the SYTYCD site, he says he is trained in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Lyrical, and Contemporary.

    Too bad that Nigel didn’t give us a chance to see Nick’s other abilities. Nigel and the judges could’ve even kept up their script of “Wow, you did so well even though you’re (only) a tap dancer.” (Which I kind of resented those type of comments.) Tap done well is awesome, ya’ll. And damned hard to do. That’s why many dancers don’t attempt it!

  • Tera2

    I think Ricky is one of the best dancers this year. He’s a very good contemporary dancer and he’s one of my favorites along with Tadd, Caitlynn and Chris. Ricky and Ryan’s routine was good. I thought Nick and Iveta’s Bollywood is the worst Bollywood ever on the show. Ricky solo’s was very good, creative, cool and not just jumps. Wadi’s solo was very good, and Iveta was good too, but she doesnt need the show cause she’s already a pro champion. Nick’s tap solo was the worst followed by Ryan’s. I wasnt surprised Nick and Iveta were sent home after their mediocre Bollywood. Maybe they could have sent Ryan home for her solo, but definitely not Ricky. I don’t believe for a minute Nigel was gonna send Ricky home before his solo. Its obvious he’s one of his favorites – the solo is not what changed his mind even if he uses that as an excuse to appease some fans of Iveta and Nick.

    Also I dont care for tapping at all, and I’d rather watch a broadway dancer like Jess over Nick. Nigel is a tapper so he puts them on the show out of solidarity, but he knows most viewers don’t like to watch tapping.

  • Allison

    Also I dont care for tapping at all, and I’d rather watch a broadway dancer like Jess over Nick. Nigel is a tapper so he puts them on the show out of solidarity, but he knows most viewers don’t like to watch tapping.

    Not true for all viewers. I love to watch good tapping, and Nick was good. It’s too bad contestants aren’t forced into a “genre outside their own style” that includes tap.

    But they’d never do that if the dancers weren’t already trained in tap because it’s just too difficult to pick up the technique in a week.

    Unfortunately that seems to preclude tap from the competitive rounds.

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