“So You Think You Can Dance” 2012: The Final 4 Revealed!

This season has been more of a whirlwind than usual
(programming issues to blame there), and it feels that way, too. Between
skipping weeks, the new elimination format, and multiple double eliminations,
we’ve got some winners and some definite losers in the Final 6, and ultimately
in the Final 4 – but we’ll get to that in a sec.

Tonight’s show started off with a dark Sonya Tayeh contemporary group number set to “Scream” by Kelis. Each girl and guy was paired up and cloaked in
tattered black ballet-inspired costumes with masks a la Lady Gaga. The cannon
of lifts was stunning, but overall I thought the
routine gained and lost momentum. The psychedelic disco ballet segments popped
in and out of the routine and didn’t add much for me. Still, there were some
great moments – especially when the girls flipped head-first over their
partners’ knees. Overall, inconsistent.

Christina Applegate was back again as a guest judge. Correct
me if I’m wrong, but last time around she seemed like she had knocked back a
few too many cocktails. Seems like they’re struggling to book
solid talent on that panel. I’d rather they bring back choreographers
who actually have relevant critiques or comedians with witty retorts.

Tiffany (who I
feel like I barely know) got paired with S2 winner Benji
for a jive with Jean Mark Genereux. The rehearsal
alone looked like a ton of fun, and the routine somehow managed to top it. Once
these two got going, they never stopped moving. Their kicks were on point,
bouncy, and full of energy They both nailed the tricks
– Tiffany even lifted Benji up for a triple partnered
cartwheel. I definitely remember her now. Nigel was impressed that Tiffany
could keep up with Benji (me too). Tiffany certainly
benefited from having an incredible partner here, but she more than held her
own in the routine. Cat said these two could have powered the electricity in
the entire studio. It was, indeed, an electric way to kick off the show.

Whitney performed
her solo to “Malaguena.” Ballroom solos can be tricky
and don’t always fare well on this show. I think the flowy
cap skirt helped increase the drama, but distracted a bit from her footwork
(not good).

Cole got paired
up with reigning champ Melanie Moore for a Sonya Tayeh
contemporary piece about a man trying to break free (I think). Sonya said she
wanted to help show Cole’s “softer” side, but I’m not sure this routine
accomplished that. The routine, set to “Too Close” by Alex Clare, certainly
showed off Cole’s masterful technique, but I’m not sure it was more docile
emotionally speaking. He and Melanie were throwing somewhat violently at times
and then melting flawlessly into one another between flips. The contrast was
interesting, but didn’t do much for Cole’s vulnerability push. Still, this was
a partnership that really worked and made for a solid routine.

Chehon‘s
solo routine was darker and futuristic (or at least that whackadoo
vest he was wearing was). Boy got insane height on his leaps and spinning
leaps. It made me sit up and say, OK, this kid’s got something.

Eliana got paired with Twitch for a hip-hop routine that ultimately flopped. The
premise was Eliana was in love with her postman
(Twitch), and wrote him a love letter. Christopher Scott’s choreography was
totally disjointed. The number seemed bipolar – switching between cutesy,
almost Broadway-ish moments to half-hearted hip-hop
moves. Eliana was clearly trying, and fared alright
with the footwork, but didn’t hit it. It was more theatrics than swagger. The
judges slammed her pretty hard.

Tiffany‘s solo
had all the usual parts of a contemporary number: spins extensions, etc., but
she managed to light up that stage. Her lines seemed to go on forever and her
smile was full of joy. I could have lived without all the standing and reaching
for the sky stuff though.

Chehon and all-star Kathryn did a Tyce DiOrio routine about how people cope with
tragedy. The two were dancing around a suitcase, which I think was supposed to
represent the pain we carry around with us. I loved this concept, but wasn’t
head over-heels for the routine itself. That said,Chehon and Kathryn absolutely killed it. It was masterfully
danced, full of emotion and had some great moments. When Chehon
flew – and I mean FLEW – across the stage at the suitcase, I actually got
chills. Same when the two silently screamed side-by-side. Very
powerful. But the moments in between were less that spectacular. The
judges gave it a standing ovation. Mary even started to cry during her
critique.

Cole‘s
solo music a wolf howling, while he ticked and seemed to transform into this
beast of martial arts and dance. He has such power when he moves. There
was one moment where he seemed to levitate from the ground to his tippy toes. Incredible. This guy is a masterful dancer and artist.

Whitney got
paired with Marko for a Ray Leeper jazz routine about
a girl who gets second thoughts on her wedding day. I loved the way she pulled
away from him, and then slowly fell away from him moments later, only to be pulled
back in. Whitney has so much control of movement, and each seemed to flow
perfectly into the next – whether that next move was smooth or sharp. Marko
partnered her very well, too, throwing her around his hips like a swing dancer.
Ray Leeper nailed the climax with the music and the
lift. Mary said Whitney had masterful attack and control (agreed).

Eliana‘s
solo was beautifully controlled and effortless at the same time. She went sans
toe shoes this time (interesting choice). You can definitely see the joy and
love of dance radiating from her smile.

Cyrus was last
(suspicious) and he “randomly” picked a dupstep
routine. With Comfort.On the final
week. I call BULLSHIT! I feel like he’s gotten completely babied this
entire season. When he doesn’t get his genre, the judges comment on his
personality and when he does get hip-hop or something like it, they fawn all
over him. Utter crap. That said, this was incredibly
well choreographed by Christopher Scott. Comfort absolutely killed it. The
handwork was insane. They did one sequence that looked like Jacob’s ladder, but
with their hands. Mind-boggling. Cyrus seemed to have
trouble with the wicked fast footwork, but (as expected) nailed the robotics
and hand work. While Comfort was throwing herself completely into the piece,
Cyrus was only halfway there. And the guy got a standing ovation. I just do not
understand. Christina even tried to disguise a critique – that the routine was
“carved out for him” – as praise. Just does not make sense.

PHEW! Okay, then, if those routines weren’t enough, the
final 6 paired up with one another.

Whitney and Chehongot a cha-cha. Chehon
noticeably struggled with the lifts and couldn’t quite get his hips and feet in
order at the same time. He all but botched the first lift. He picked it up
pretty well with the footwork section, but it couldn’t really save him. The
judges slammed him on his technique, particularly his sloppy hips (that’s not
something any guy wants to hear). Whitney, not surprisingly, nailed it. Although the judges barely talked about her. Mary even
accidentally called her “Lindsay” (not a good sign when the judges can’t even
remember the names of the finalists). The judges also picked on the
choreography a bit – saying Jean Marc including more lifts than footwork and
partnering because Chehon’s cha-cha skills just
weren’t up to par.

Cyrus‘s solo was
all ticking and robotics, at which he is no doubt brilliant. Sometimes I wonder
if he’s even human, but it’s all he can do. To me, that’s not what this show is
about. Being absolutely amazingly talented at whatever your given style is, but
also being able to excel at other styles.

Eliana and Cole got a Mia Michaels routine
about fighting, inspired by rams. You could definitely see the inspiration in
the movements. The idea was very much contrasted by the slow, more classical
music. Saying trust was essential to this piece is an absolute understatement. Eliana threw herself at Cole multiple times, and each time
he caught her without breaking a sweat. He was throwing her everywhere. This is
a routine that could have very easily ended with an injury (or two or three),
but thankfully didn’t (*knock on wood*). The couples’ anger built to the end
where they were silently screaming and then collapsed. Nigel compared the
characters’ relationship to Newton’s cradle, in that
they hated each other as much as they loved them and that can make for a
volatile relationship. Mary called it mesmerizing. Christina finally had her
first intelligent critique of the night, saying that Eliana
finishes every move all the way through the tips of her fingers and toes (I
agree).

Tiffany got paired
with Cyrus for a Broadway routine by Spencer Liff.
Described as a 50’s TV show episode that never made air, the two were supposed
to be a pair of horny teens left along to “do homework.” Instead, they got into
some serious hanky panky. The choreography was fun, but not overly complex.
Cyrus mostly stood there. Tiffany really sold it. She leapt and frolicked and
groped Cyrus left, right and center. Cyrus seemed too tight in the hips to
really give any of the moves the full “oomph” they needed. And the judges
fawned all over both of them. At one point, though, it seemed like Mary and
Nigel seemed to be giving Cyrus’s swan song. Their critiques basically said
that no matter what happened, he was an “inspiration.”

I didn’t catch the names of tonight’s guest performers, but
they were absolutely incredible. The routine started with two dancers center stage: one in a regular chair, the other in a
wheel chair. The dancer in the regular chair eventually danced his way to his
feet, but every step of the way, the man in the wheelchair was right along side
him. It was such a powerful piece. It shows that we truly have the power to
anything no matter what our outward limitations appear to be. Once standing,
the man picked the man in the wheelchair up (chair and all), then flipped over
him and finally balanced on the titled wheelchair and the man sitting in it. I
could not take my eyes off this routine so fascinating.

Finally, it was time to find out who was in the finale.
Going into tonight, I thought Tiffany was expendable, but all three of these
ladies really served it tonight. Losing any of them was going to be tough.
Tiffany was the first to make it through, and then Eliana
was named a finalist. Sad to see Whitney go. She is a
killer ballroom dancer, and finalist or not, there’s
no doubt the girl is a star. Perhaps an all-star in the
future (too soon?)

As Cat ran out of time, she hastily made the announcement
that Chehon was also a finalist. But despite the
earlier swan song from the judges, my hopes were dashed when Cole was
ELIMINATED and Cyrus made it through to the finale. WHAT. THE.
FUCK. AMERICA. He’s got a cool trick, but he is a one-trick pony. Cole got
robbed. Effing robbed. Even watching his “Green Mile” piece, I was reminded
that some of my favorite routines were his. I cannot even fathom how Cyrus is
still here. I swear will stop watching this show if he wins.

On quick side note, the finale show will be on Tuesday next
week, not Wednesday. This season seems to be all over the place. I’m hoping for
a little more consistency next season (assuming there is one) and hopefully, a
better set of final contestants.

This article appears in Sep 5-11, 2012.