Season 5 - So You Think You Can Dance - Top 12 Performance Show! Top 10 Revealed!

Wow, what a show.

The race was on for the Top 10, and, let me tell you it was close. But first, here are our picks for what we thought were the best performances of the night and from the top 12.

The Hot

Melissa and Ade’s disco number! Wow, Ade seems to be in his element here. This was definitely a challenging piece, but they made it look so easy. We were especially enamored with Ade. He truly performed this piece and executed many complicated lifts with ease. Melissa was good, too, but Ade stole the show. We never knew he had it in him. He might not have been born in the ‘70s, but boy, he was born for disco.

Kupono and Kayla wowed the audience with a chill-inducing Mia Michaels contemporary routine. This emotional charged theme of addiction had the potential to be kind of cheesy and melodramatic, but this superstar couple pulled it off. Great form, great technique and it had a great performance quality. There were lots of beautiful captivating moments that stayed with the audience. The audience definitely felt this one. It was a memorable piece with lots of lasting powerful imagery and they’ll get lots of votes for this performance.

Brandon and Janette did a tango piece that was by far one of the top performances of the night. These two are such phenomenal performers. On stage, they both exude star qualities as they bask in the spotlight. Nothing seems too challenging for this pair. As much as we dislike Brandon off the stage, on the stage it’s an entirely different story. He’s an amazing dancer (Mia Michaels, eat your heart out). Their footwork was sharp and fast and the chemistry between them was palpable. They looked like seasoned tango dancers and deserved the standing ovation from the judges and the audience. After the performance, the judges seemed too shocked to say much, apart from some limp comments like, “That was as close to perfection on this stage as we’ve ever seen.” These two definitely are well matched and it will be interesting to see how things pan out after they switch partners next week, because, let’s face it, they will definitely be in the top 10, or top 4 for that matter.

Brandon and Janette can’t do wrong. For their second piece, they treated us to a fun and quirky Wade Robson jazz routine, which was another highlight of the night. Their synchronization was impeccable and their energy well-matched. There was nothing they could improve upon. They were brilliant. Kudos especially to Janette for her versatility. She’s never actually gotten to perform in her own style (salsa) yet, but she seems to make each style she’s given her own; she exhibits that much obvious natural comfort in each. But anyway, hats off to both of them.

Who Danced for their Lives?

Phillip and Jeanine found themselves in the bottom three this week, which, quite frankly, came as a surprise to no one. They performed (and we use that term decidedly loosely) a Russian Folk Dance. They looked more like dolls than dancers. Bella even added that Phillip looked like Alan from “Two and a ½ Men”! It was missing a definite ‘wow factor’ that was probably a result of the limp and boring choreography. Luck of the draw, I guess. Their jive was okay, but Phillip’s performance was nowhere near Jeanine’s level, and it showed.

Jason and Caitlin were also in the bottom three. Their foxtrot and contemporary pieces were both executed with technical precision, but both felt flat on an emotional level. They just didn’t have any chemistry together.

Surprisingly, Melissa and Ade also ended up in the bottom three. We felt that Randi and Evan should have been here instead as Evan was lackluster in both their hip hop and samba routines, but it was probably Melissa and Ade’s waltz that did them in. Sure, Ade was a tad more reserved than usually, but hello, did people not see their disco? And how dare Tyce say that Ade lacked energy?! His solo proved that he deserves to be here more than anyone. Can you tell we are Ade fans?

Who was sent home?

Phillip and Caitlin were sent home this week. As far as we’re concerned, we think the judges made the right decision on both accounts.

Although Phillip is an amazing dancer, it seems to be only in his own style. It’s truly amazing he has gotten this far through the competition given his lack of formal training. Kudos to him for he definitely held his own, but in the end you just have to have the versatility and the ability to hold up outside your comfort zone to make it into the top four.

Caitlin has beautiful lines and extension, but is missing that passion and drive. Her performances, though always beautiful aesthetically, tended to lack an ability to connect emotionally with the audience. Luckily, even though they didn’t make it into the Top 10, Nigel ensured that they both had spots on the tour.

What do you think of the decision and more importantly, who would you like to see paired together when the new partnerships start taking place next week?

Top 10 Revealed!

Top 5 Guys

Top 5 Girls