Will Thomas | Pure So You Think You Can Dance

SYTYCD Season 9: Top 20 Routines (Polls)

SYTYCD Season 9: Top 20 Performances – Music and Instant Thoughts!

Here it is! The moment we were all waiting for! The Top 20 Performances… and a glimpse of what is going to happen throughout the remainder of the season.

First we open with a Group routine:

Group Dance: Top 20
Choreographer: Christopher Scott
Song: Kerry Muzzey – Architect of the Mind

Now we are going through the individual introductions of the dancers that are part of the show.

Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Kenny Ortega

According to Nigel, after all the votes are tabulated this week at the end of the episode next week two boys and two girls will be eliminated. Interesting.

Witney Carson & Chehon Wespi-Tschopp
Dance: Samba
Choreographer: Louis van Amstel
Song: The Cube Guys and Luciana – Jump
Thoughts: Considering this is Witney’s genre… this is really her thing, so she totally stole the show. I found moments that I really like watching Chehon, his technique in Samba isn’t all there yet, but there is something there that I can’t help but be drawn to. I have to agree with Mary, if he adjusts his foot placement he may actually excel in this genre more.

Tiffany Maher & George Lawrence
Dance: Contemporary
Choreographer: Sonya Tayeh
Song: Sleeping at Last – Turning Page
Thoughts: Considering that the music is from the Twilight: Breaking Dawn soundtrack, I am not surprised at the whole “star crossed lovers” concept. Sonya? Contemporary? Wuh? But… Oh Em Gee… look at it! That was breathtaking… I am really liking what Sonya came up with, but more importantly I really liked what Tiffany and George did with it when asked to dance. It was just gorgeous.

Janaya French & Brandon Mitchell
Dance: Hip Hop
Choreographer: NappyTabs
Song: Drake & Rihanna – Take Care
Thoughts: For some reason I felt like this was very a much “dance by number” kind of routine with a little bit of emotion mixed in there. Like they were concentrating too much on the choreo and steps and not enough with each other or the audience for that matter.

Alexa Anderson & Daniel Baker
Dance: Jazz
Choreographer: Sean Cheesman
Song: Dennis Ferrer – Hey Hey
Thoughts: I think I was too in awe of the choreography and the dance itself to really pay much attention to anything else.

Amber Jackson & Nick Bloxsom-Carter
Dance: Viennese Waltz
Choreographer: Jason Gilkison
Song: Tina Arena – Nights in White Satin
Thoughts: If I liked Nick before… I love him a lot now. He’s such an overthinker like me, so I can relate to his fear that he might not hit the expectations set on him, but personally I think he expects that much more out of himself as opposed to everyone else. This routine really seemed like it was floating on air a lot.

Amelia Lowe & Will Thomas
Dance: Pop-fusion
Choreographer: NappyTabs
Song: The Cure – The Lovecats
Thoughts: Wow, this is a very good number. NappyTabs have managed to reinvent themselves so that they aren’t entirely hip hop… this is very very interesting. Will and Amelia did a very good job with this piece and to think I was a little bit worried… Silly me. Considering that I didn’t know much about Will before… what is there to know except that he is a fabulous dancer and really a good “balance” with Amelia. They really looked like they were having fun in this dance.

Janelle Issis & Dareian Kujawa
Dance: African Jazz
Choreographer: Sean Cheesman
Song: Hilight Tribe – Jungle
Thoughts: Geez, what is it with Sean Cheesman and his love for technically advanced routines? I mean seriously! But what Daniel and Alexa lacked emotionally earlier today, Janelle and Dareian were able to achieve here… their personalities shown and they have charisma for miles. You can tell they were having fun and enjoying the dance. It was great to see.

Eliana Girard & Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer
Dance: Broadway
Choreographer: Tyce Diorio
Song: Hairspray (Original Braodway Cast) – Run and Tell That
Thoughts: As worried as I was for Cyrus in picking up choreographer I was pleasantly surprised just how well he was able to cope to picking up choreography. Granted one of Cyrus’ best assets is just how much of a performer and entertainer he is, which really works well with Eliana and her performing background as well. Based on this performance alone I would say that they are bound to be around for quite some time if they keep this up.

Audrey Case & Matthew Kazmierczak
Dance: Contemporary
Choreographer: Travis Wall
Song: The Righteous Brothers – Unchained Melody
Thoughts: Can we have a Titanic based dance show that Travis choreographs, because this was awesome. I really really liked it. These two are a really good pair together. I don’t know what else to say about this particular piece.

Lindsay Arnold & Cole Horibe
Dance: Paso Doble
Choerographer: Jason Gilkison
Song: E. S. Posthumus – Unstoppable
Thoughts: Love, Love, Love this routine. Actually if rumors are to be believed, Cole apparently has done some ballroom dancing… then again considering this is the Paso Doble it really does cater a bit to his strengths. I agree with the judges, as long as this couple keeps this up they may be the pair to beat.

Podcast: SYTYCD Season 9 – Vegas Week and Meet the Top 20

Listen to the podcasts

Episode 48: “Vegas Week” direct download

Episode 49: “Meet the Top 20” direct download

Subscribe to podcast on iTunes

Time Stamps for “Vegas Week”
0:00 – Introduction
1:18 – The cuts during Vegas Week
13:36 – The major narratives of Vegas Week – Alexa Anderson and Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer
19:14 – Standouts during Vegas Week
22:34 – MIA dancers during Vegas Week
25:30 – Wrap-up

Episode Length of “Vegas Week”: 28:38

Time Stamps for “Meet the Top 20”
0:00 – Introduction
1:33 – First contemporary routine by Tyce DiOrio: Alexa Anderson, George Lawrence II, Will Thomas, and Amber Jackson
3:57 – Ballroom routine by Jason Gilkinson: Nick Bloxsom-Carter, Witney Carson, and Lindsay Arnold
6:15 – Ballet routine by Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden: Eliana Girard, Daniel Baker, and Chehon Wespi-Tschopp
8:36 – Jazz routine by Sonya Tayeh: Tiffany Maher, Audrey Case, and Janelle Issis (not in routine)
10:18 – Second contemporary routine by Stacey Tookey: Matthew Kamierczak, Dareian Kujawa, Janaya French, and Amelia Lowe
12:19 – “Mixed” routine by Chris Scott: Cole Horibe, Brandon Mitchell, Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer
14:14 – Top 10 girls routine by Travis Wall
15:35 – Top 10 guys routine by Sonya Tayeh
16:59 – Top 20 routine by Mia Michaels
18:36 – Wrap-up

Episode Length of “Meet the Top 20”: 20:07

Wedding planning has consumed a lot of our time, but we’re finally here with our “Vegas Week” and “Meet the Top 20” podcasts! We apologize for the erratic and delayed release schedule, and ask for your patience as we find time to record and edit these.

The “Vegas Week” and “Meet the Top 20” episodes have transitioned us from the audition portion of the show into the live competition. We found ourselves unsatisfied with Vegas Week, as many of our early favorites were cut, most notably Mariah Spears. The insistence of the producers to make a narrative out of the Vegas Week process for Alexa Anderson and Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer also did not sit well with us, as this not only smacked of favoritism, but it also consumed so much television time that we barely saw the full routines for the different genre rounds.

We enjoyed the “Meet the Top 20” episode much more, as the remaining contestants that made it through the Green Mile are the ones we would have selected. The actual routines were quite good, with the routine by Chris Scott being a standout. Already we have some people we are excited for, including Cole Horibe and Witney Carson, and we also worry about the longevity of some contestants, such as Tiffany Maher, Audrey Case, and Janaya French. Finally, we urge the producers and choreographers to take care with how they place and feature Alexa Anderson. Between the Vegas Week episode and the choices in the Travis and Mia Michaels routines, we’re concerned that she will experience a huge backlash from the fanbase, very similar to Ryan from last season. Overall, we’re excited for the final cast of contestants and cannot wait to see the first live show tonight!

Let us know what you think after listening to the podcast! You can leave us a comment here or on our blog, Reflections on Pop Entertainment. You can also follow us on Twitter and tweet with us. You can also visit our Facebook page, like us, and leave a comment there! We love feedback and will respond either with a comment or in our next published show.

SPOILER!!!: Possible Choreographers in Tonight’s Episode

Found this on twitter:

Always good catchin back up @DANCEonFOX choreos. Missed u guys @tycediorio @sonyatayeh @jasongilkison & Sean Cheeseman pic.twitter.com/S7vLhPW7

— Napoleon and Tabitha (@NAPPYTABS) July 11, 2012

So it would appear that the following choreographers are going to be on hand today:
– Jason Gilkison
– NappyTabs
– Travis Wall
– Sonya Tayeh
– Sean Cheesman
– Tyce Diorio
Of course we know about Louis van Amstel

I’m kind of curious to see how many of these spoilers are actually true.

SPOILERS!!! Top 20 Rumored Pairings

So rumors have been running rampant with who was going to be paired up with whom… looking at twitter right now there is at least one confirmation:

Just finished rehearsal on stage w Whitney and Chehon for their Samba wed night 8/7 central on #SYTYCD …yip, I'm very excited!

— Louis van Amstel (@LouisVanAmstel) July 9, 2012

So Witney and Chehon are paired together, not only that but they are doing the Samba as choreographed by Louis van Amstel.

This brings us to another interesting possibility: there has been a lot of talk over at the idolForums of possible pairings. In fact it went so far as to say that according to a series of DancePlug interview videos the couples would appear to be have been paired up.

NOTE: Keep in mind that this is all pure speculation, whether or not this is true remains to be seen.

First the blatantly obvious: Chehon Wespi-Tschopp (Ballet) & Witney Carson (Latin/Ballroom)

SYTYCD Season 9: How will voting work?

The major question that has been on everybody’s mind is: how is voting going to work for Season 9?

In the past seven seasons (excluding Season 1 since that was a one-episode per week season and I don’t remember how that season went)
– performances commenced on Wednesday evenings
– the public call in their votes for an hour or two after the end of the episode
– on Thursday evening we find out who are the Bottom Three couples
– the dancers of the Bottom Three couples are asked to “dance for their solo”
– judges choose who to let go

Since Season 9 is only going to have one episode per week as opposed to two, how is that going to affect the flow of the show. In a previous post I mentioned the possibility that So You Think You Can Dance may run in a similar vein as that of America’s Best Dance Crew.

According to the following interview between Nigel Lythgoe and DancePlug :

So what is going to happen is the following:
On Wednesday, July 11th
1: The Top 20 will have their first partnered performances
2: After the show the public will be allowed vote for the dancers that want to keep on the show. All the dancers will be voted individually as opposed as by pairs

Then on Wednesday, July 18th (in order)
1: The judges will announce who are the bottom three guys and bottom three girls at the top of the episodes
2: The dancers (including all the bottom guys and girls) will dance their partnered routines
3: The judges will decide who will leave the show… if the judges are still unsure they would ask the bottom three guys and/or bottom three girls
4: The voting public will be allowed to phone in their votes for the following episode

Rinse and repeat.

Not exactly confusing, but definitely different from what we are used to. What might be noticeably different is that the dancers do not appear to be dancing solos to prove that they should be considered to be kept on the show. I think a major reason that the “dance for your life” solos are eliminated is that because the bottom three guys and bottom three girls are already announced at the top of the episode they have their partnered routines to prove to the judges that they should stay on the show. To me that kind of makes sense as to why having a solo thereafter would almost be overkill. But that’s my opinion.

SYTYCD Season 9: Reference Pages of the Top 20

So I spent the past few days scouring the web for Twitter accounts, Facebook pages, online contract pages for So You Think You Can Dance Season 9 dancers. I also included the SYTYCD related Twitter and Facebook pages that the Top 20 are required to use throughout the duration of the season. This way if you wish to follow the dancers on Twitter or Facebook you are able to.

Very few dancers have any other pages beyond Twitter and Facebook but those that do I have also included for your reference. If you have any information you wish to contribute, just comment below. 🙂

Will Thomas (Contemporary)
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

George Lawrence II (Contemporary)
– Audition City: Atlanta
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Matthew Kazmierczak (Contemporary)
– Personal Facebook Page
– Personal Twitter
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Dareian Kujawa (Contemporary)
– Audition City: Salt Lake City
– Personal Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Nick Bloxsom-Carter (Latin/Ballroom)
– Personal Twitter
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Daniel Baker (Ballet)
– Audition City: Dallas
– Danced at the San Francisco Ballet
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Chehon Wespi-Tschopp (Ballet)
– Audition City: New York
– Personal Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Cole Horibe (Martial Arts)
– Audition City: Los Angeles
– Staff Member of 24-VII Danceforce
– Personal Twitter
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer (Animator)
– Audition City: Atlanta
– YouTube Channel
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Brandon Mitchell (Stepper)
– Personal Facebook Page
– Personal Twitter
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Alexa Anderson (Contemporary):
– Audition City: Los Angeles
– Personal Facebook Page
– Personal Twitter
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Amber Jackson (Contemporary)
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Janaya French (Contemporary)
– Personal Facebook Page
– Personal LinkedIn Page
– Dancer of Bloc Talent Agency (Facebook Page)
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Amelia Lowe (Contemporary)
– Audition City: New York
– Personal Twitter
– Faculty of The Dance Academy of North Jersey
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Witney Carson (Latin/Ballroom)
– Audition City: Salt Lake City
– Personal Facebook Page
– Personal Twitter
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Lindsay Arnold (Latin/Ballroom)
– Audition City: Salt Lake City
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Eliana Girard (Ballet)
– Audition City: Los Angeles
– Personal LinkedIn Account
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Tiffany Maher (Jazz)
– Personal Twitter
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Audrey Case (Jazz)
– Audition City: Atlanta
– Personal Twitter
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

Janelle Issis (Belly dance)
– Audition City: Atlanta
– Personal Twitter
– Personal Facebook Page
– Teacher/Choreographer at Encore Performance Company
– SYTYCD Season 9 Facebook Page
– SYTYCD Season 9 Twitter

SYTYCD Season 9 Music and Initial Thoughts: Meet the Top 20!!!

Hello all! I am running a little late, so I might miss a song or two from the beginning of the episode. So I would really appreciate your help in finding the music from tonight’s So You Think You Can Dance Season 9 Meet the Top 20 episode. As you know, we’ve been listing all of the SYTYCD music ever since SYTYCD season 2. We hope to do the same this season.

In the comments below please list any and all songs that you happen to pick up, and any songs that you’d like me to specifically find and within twenty-four hours from the show I’ll update this post with the songs that I was able to catch. Please attempt to be as specific as possible as to where the music came from during the episode so I would know not to look for it and move on to the next piece of music.

The more songs that you guys are able to find, the more time I will have in finding the songs that you are unable to find.

Thank you so much for your help!

UPDATE 1: All songs updated with initial thoughts.
UPDATE 2: Updated the Top 20 Dance Style Breakdown and Top 20 Show Trivia pages
UPDATE 3: Added Poll

– Marianya

Wow I love these Meet the Top 20 Dancers routines… I really wished this was brought in for the earlier seasons, but you know what better late than never. First off… here is a poll, choose all the dances that you enjoyed from tonight’s show!

Beyond the break is more information about the dances from today’s show.
Read more..

SYTYCD Season 9: Top 20 Routines (Polls)

SYTYCD Season 9: Top 20 Performances – Music and Instant Thoughts!

Podcast: SYTYCD Season 9 – Vegas Week and Meet the Top 20

SPOILER!!!: Possible Choreographers in Tonight’s Episode

SPOILERS!!! Top 20 Rumored Pairings

SYTYCD Season 9: How will voting work?

SYTYCD Season 9: Reference Pages of the Top 20

SYTYCD Season 9 Music and Initial Thoughts: Meet the Top 20!!!

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