Happy Wednesday! After last week’s repeat episode, it’s good to be back with a new episode of So You Think You Can Dance!
On June 29th, the Top 8 were revealed after the “Around The World” performances. Performing “Turn Back Time” paired dances with solos will be Keaton and Essence doing a 70’s-inspired routine, Alexis and Carter doing a 90’s Contemporary routine, Waverly and Anna doing an 80’s Jazz routine and Ralyn and Beau doing a 50’s Jazz routine. After the performances, two will be sent packing and the Top 6 will be revealed!
Cat Deeley explains that the couples will perform the “turn back time” dances, then each contestant will perform a solo routine.
Beau & Ralyn – 50’s-Inspired Jazz
Ralyn says it feels weird to pretend to be in love with Beau during this routine because he’s like her big brother.
Beau always kills large dances like this, especially those solo moments. Ralyn looked like a bonafide Broadway performer!
JoJo says they both have fun personalities, but the ending didn’t have high energy like she expected. tWitch says it was up Beau’s ally, and reminds them to bring their strengths to each pairing. Leah says the storytelling needs to be more consistent.
Waverly’s Solo
We turn back to when Waverly performed as a child, and he says the lesson he learned in dance was to just keep going. He performs one of his signature solos with energetic movements in what looked to be a freestyle or Contemporary style. – VIDEO
Anna’s Solo
Anna says her first performance was at 11 years old and was a Jaz number, and footage compares that performance to ones from today.
Anna performs a solo that goes all over the place (in a good way), showing different strengths of hers, from big steps to slightly sexual movements. – VIDEO
Keaton & Essence – 70’s-Inspired Disco
Keaton says he loves the grooviness of the 70’s, but the lifts are the hardest part. Essence says she’s seeing stars from all the turns in this routine, and feels the pressure.
Keaton looked like someone straight out of the 70’s! I’ll admit I didn’t get very strong Disco vibes from this routine, but these two killed the steps they were given.
tWitch says Essence turned into a human helicopter and Keaton keeps proving himself week after week. Leah says they were the Disco King and Queen despite a few little missteps. JoJo says there were a lot of technical mistakes, and the lifts were a little shaky.
Carter’s Solo
Carter says he remembers feeling like it was where he was supposed to be when he danced as a child.
Carter’s solo is very him, with a lot of Latin flavor. He utilized the entire stage and showed every strength he has, unlike the last two solos. – VIDEO
Alexis’ Solo
Alexis says her first ballroom competition was at 13 years old, and she loves watching the old footage of herself because she’s seeing a girl who loves what she’s doing for the first time.
Alexis’ solo feels like a combination of Latin ballroom with little hints of Jazz. It was very typical of what the female role does in a Latin dance. – VIDEO
Waverly and Anna – 80’s Jazz
Waverly and Anna perform a full-on 80’s workout video for us, and look like they have a lot of chemistry and had a lot of fun in their rehearsals.
Perfect song, perfect outfits, perfect acting, not-so-perfect routine. These two are far too good of dancers to be given such a simple routine, with way too many tricks. The 80’s dances were an obvious and nice added touch though.
Leah says she loves the 80’s and wanted to see more of it in the dance. JoJo says they brought the energy, but the timing and trust were both lacking. tWitch says they need to study the specifics of the steps better.
Beau’s Solo
Beau says he was a diva, and was 4 years old when he first performed. His solo doesn’t get more “Beau.” He really hits every single step in a way that looks effortless. – VIDEO
Ralyn’s Solo
Ralyn says her first performance was an improv at 13 years old. She was the youngest in her group then, and is now the youngest in her group on SYTYCD. Ralyn really flows into every movement, and adds a unique touch of herself to every performance. – VIDEO
Keaton’s Solo
Keaton gets emotional talking about growing up in a family of dancers and says he’s not just doing this for himself, but for them too. Keaton’s always been an impressive dancer, especially as a Contemporary dancer. – VIDEO
Essence’s Solo
Essence says she did not want to perform in her first talent show because she was shy. Then after all the cheering, she realized she wanted to do it for the rest of her life.
Essence dances so fast and uniquely to her. She also always tells a story with her facial expressions, never mind her routines. – VIDEO
Carter & Alexis – 90’s-Inspired Contemporary
Their package opens like a 90’s sitcom. Alexis talks about growing up with Carter, and Carter says the two need to tap into their emotional connection for this dance.
Carter, as usual, manages to use all of his space on stage, and this time does it with Alexis. It was a beautifully done Contemporary to a beautiful song. Alexis managed to elicit more emotion than Carter though.
JoJo says it’s not a coincidence that Alexis has been part of two of the best dances she’s ever seen. tWitch says the chemistry is undeniable and advises them to lock in this feeling and take it with them throughout the competition. Leah says Carter was a leading man and they were connected from beginning to end.
The four dancers in danger are… Waverly, Ralyn, Anna, Beau.
The dancers going home are… Waverly and Anna.
That was the outcome I expected. I also predict Beau will make the final… I’ll be back next Wednesday when the Top 6 perform with returning All-Stars!
