SYTYCD - Top 14 - Commentary

So tonight, they are really switching things up on us. The Top 14, in the same pairs as last week other than our new couple, will be performing two routines each. TWO routines...already...wow. This is pretty early in the season for that, and I have no clue how they are going to fit 14 routines, plus pre-packages, and judges comments into 2 hours. More than likely, we will be seeing some very, very short routines. Joining Nigel and Mary on the judging panel are new-comers Tabitha and Napoleon.

Jessica and Will - Jive (Tony and Melanie) - Prepackage clips are going to be extremely short tonight, it seems. Something seems to be missing from this jive...like maybe energy? I'm not sure. They seem tired, and like they are just trying to get through it, so it isn't nearly as energetic or fun as it should be. Some of the tricks are nice, but overall, this jive didn't do much for me. And it will likely will be extremely forgettable by the end of 13 more performances.

Comfort and Thayne - Broadway (Andy Blankenbuehler) - Okay, I LOVE West Side Story. LOVE!!! And it is good to see some Broadway choreography on the show done by someone other than Tyce Diorio for once. Not that I don't love Tyce's choreography - I do - but change can be a good thing. I think that they nailed certain parts of this routine, and other parts fell a bit flat to me. I think that they had pretty decent chemistry between the two of them, which is a bit surprising to me. Overall though, they did a pretty good job, and I really enjoyed the choreography. Nigel was a bit tough on them though. Ouch.

Kourtni and Matt - Hip Hop (Cicily and Olisa) - Another one by the two of them, huh? Ugh. It makes me almost want a Dan Karaty routine, I dislike their choreography so much. Granted, I have to say that this one is far different from anything else I can think of seeing from them before. In a few places, you actually need to have a partner and it isn't just the two of them dancing the exact same thing standing next to each other. So...as far as the dancing is concerned...um...just NO. They weren't hitting very hard, they weren't in sync with each other in a lot of places, and honestly, the entire routine was insanely forgettable. And was it just me, or was it CRAZY short? I felt like it was over before it started. So...Nigel...can we please stop asking these two choreographers back??? Pretty please with a cherry on top?

Chelsie and Mark - Jazz (Mandy Moore) - Really fast, interesting routine here. The chemistry between these two is killer, as usual, and they danced really well. I loved the quirky lifts that they did, and they fully told the story that Mandy gave them to tell. Mary needs to get a new line this season. LOL. We know that you loved it, and you aren't putting a damper on anything. Great job, kiddos!

Kherington and Twitch - Paso Doble (Tony and Melanie) - Twitch's shoulders are up too high, or something. His posture isn't quite right. He looks insanely hot though (did y'all see those abs?!!?!?!?!). They played their parts well, though not quite as well as I would have wanted. I think they did a respectable job with this, though it wasn't the best paso doble I've ever seen. The lifts were unreal though!

Katee and Joshua - Contemporary (Mia Michaels) - I've been waiting to see Joshua do a Mia Michaels routine, with really high hopes. And he is absolutely not disappointing. The running lift thing where he was helping her to run - wow...great connection between the two of them, fabulous choreography. I really didn't want it to end. That was AMAZING. I loved all of the lifts, I loved the way they did the beginning perfectly in sync, it was just perfection. And as good as Joshua has been in all of these routines, Katee has been right there with him. It may surprise people more with him because he is the hip hop guy...but she is fantastic. She needs to get some props for all of that. Dammit Mia, you are starting to make me love contemporary dance.

Courtney and Gev - Hip Hop (Cicily and Olisa) - Ugh. Another routine from them. I guess one tonight wasn't enough. He's a bit too smooth for me in this routine, and she is a bit too bouncy for me. I would prefer if they met somewhere in the middle. Freaking BORING choreography. They did okay with it. I wanted more. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great.

Jessica and Will - Lyrical Jazz (Mandy Moore) - I actually really like how Mandy choreographed the use of this shirt as a prop and integrated it into the dance. I really needed more emotion from Jessica on this one though. She seemed to be just coasting through the routine, and not playing the part that Mandy gave her to play. Will is GORGEOUS! Wow. And the lines he hit were fabulous. I need to see him with a different partner. She had no emotion, no passion...I wasn't feeling it, and I don't think she was either.

Comfort and Thayne - Smooth Waltz (Edward Simon) - Who saw these lines coming from little miss Comfort? Wow. I'm impressed. She was gorgeous in those lifts. And I felt the connection between the two of them again. I think I was wrong about not liking this pairing. They are really, really good together! Was it the best waltz ever? No. But it was really pretty good. I really hope that if they are in the bottom three tomorrow night, that at least she sticks around.

Kourtni and Matt - Mambo (Alex Da Silva) - That spinning lift was insanely slow. It should have been flying, but it dragged ass all over the place. Matt's arms are funky again, and I'm sure Nigel will have something to say about that. I really wish they had better hip action going on, and their footwork feels labored. All in all, this just really didn't work on a lot of levels. Should have been all sorts of down and dirty and sexy, and there was just none of that going on. I have a feeling that they will definitely be in the bottom three again.

Chelsie and Mark - Foxtrot (Edward Simon) - Now this is nice and smooth! I don't know how Mark does it, but he really looks like an old school silver screen gentleman in this one! Can I just say that Bon Jovi should never have been performed like this though? Great chemistry between the two, great (and DIFFICULT) choreography, awesome hold and good footwork...really good! I enjoyed this a lot, aside from the music. Paul Anka doing It's My Life??? *shuddering*

Kherington and Twitch - Contemporary (Mia Michaels) - Again, I've been waiting to see Twitch work with Mia, and see what she pulls out of him. Interesting slanted bed on stage there. Hmmm...I actually really am loving this! They keep tossing themselves on and off of this bed, and the way she interpreted the lyrics of this song is intriguing, even if it is a bit literal. I would have liked to see a bit more use of the stage overall, but it is really cool to see a dance that pulled me in as well as this did, without using more than about a six foot piece of the stage. Very, very cool again, Mia. And can I just say that I love that we're getting to see so many of these guys without shirts on tonight?

Katee and Joshua - West Coast Swing (Benji Schwimmer) - I loved the WCS that Benji did last year for Pasha and Sara, so I'm really hoping to see something just as amazing tonight for Katee and Joshua! Cute dog! It's a lot slower than what I was expecting, but I can definitely see a touch of Benji in several of these moves. I think they did a really good job with it. Adorable ending. Hee! She really stood out and shined in this one, which I think is really good for her.

Courtney and Gev - Broadway (Andy Blankenbuehler) - Hmmm...I'm not so sure about this one. I wanted to really like this, but I felt like he really did a much better job than she did. She tried to do it, but her arms and hands were off, somehow. He really did a great job with playing a character for the show, and she fell pretty flat to me. Again, this choreography was very, very different from what we get from Tyce, but it is a really refreshing change.

My Top 3 Couples: Katee and Joshua, Kherington and Twitch, Chelsie and Mark (I know, I know...huge surprise, huh?)

My Bottom 3 Couples: Jessica and Will, Kourtni and Matt, Courtney and Gev (barely below Comfort and Thayne)