So You Think You Can Dance 4: Round of Fourteen
Following my complaints last week regarding how uniform the judges’ commentary has seemed this season, I had my killer line all prepared for this week’s write-up: “And joining the echo chamber at the judges’ table…”
Thankfully, the judges stole my thunder this week when they delivered useful critiques of each couple that showed they were paying close attention to every performance. The breath of fresh air made both of this week’s installments so much more enlightening and entertaining, and I can say without any sarcasm whatsoever that regular judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy were joined by choreography couple Tabitha and Napoleon D’Umo.
The rules changed a bit for the Top 14, too, because each pair was required to dance twice. After the competitors performed, it looks like America and I were on the same wave length since we chose the same Bottom Three:
- Comfort Fedoke and Thayne Jasperson
- Kourtni Lind and Matt Dorame
- Courtney Galiano and Gev Manoukian
At this late stage of the game, it’s no longer really about who did what wrong but rather who didn’t do what as well as all of the other dancers. The couples who found themselves in the Bottom Three this week just didn’t deliver enough during one or both of their numbers.
COUPLE #1
Jessica King & William Wingfield
Dance 1: Jive choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin
Dance 2: Lyrical Jazz choreographed by Mandy Moore
The second routine was definitely the stronger performance since Jessica danced it so much better than she normally does. Nigel commented that the number was the type that would make people pick up the telephone to call and vote for them.
COUPLE #2
Comfort Fedoke & Thayne Jasperson
Dance 1: Broadway choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler
Dance 2: Smooth Waltz choreographed by Edward Simon
As with Jessica and William, the second routine was infinitely better. Comfort and Thayne are also a better matched pair in terms of height and general chemistry while performing.
COUPLE #3
Kourtni Lind & Matt Dorame
Dance 1: Hip-Hop choreographed by Olisa Thompson and Cicely Bradley
Dance 2: Mambo choreographed by Alex Da Silva
Sadly, both performances made it very clear that Kourtni and Matt aren’t on the same level as most of the other dancers at this point in their careers. The hip-hop number in particular gets my vote for the worst performance so far this season, and the Mambo didn’t fare much better. The judges pointed out faults ranging from unevenness to chemistry that wasn’t believable. I, on the other hand, thought the dancing lacked personality and verve.
COUPLE #4
Chelsie Hightower & Mark Kanemura
Dance 1: Jazz choreographed by Mandy Moore
Dance 2: Foxtrot choreographed by Edward Simon
For some reason, I barely noticed these two before the Round of 16, which is awful considering they’re so darn good. Their Foxtrot was especially fantastic and filled with elegance. Based on their comments, I think the judges liked the first routine more, though.
COUPLE #5
Kherington Payne & Stephen “Twitch” Boss
Dance 1: Paso Doble choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin
Dance 2: Contemporary choreographed by Mia Michaels
The two routines on this episode were the first time Kherington demonstrated she can dance without that blinding smile of hers, and it was a very welcome change. This was also the first time I thoroughly enjoyed both partners’ work. They really did an excellent job all around, with each number a standout, and the judges agreed.
COUPLE #6
Katee Shean & Joshua Allen
Dance 1: Contemporary choreographed by Mia Michaels
Dance 2: West Coast Swing choreographed by Benji and Lacey Schwimmer
Believe it or not, the Dynamic Duo finally delivered a performance I wasn’t too fond of, namely the West Coast Swing. Perhaps if I hadn’t already seen Benji and his sister Lacey and their cousin Heidi Groskreutz in action… In any case, Katee and Joshua’s impressive versatility pulled them through and helped them pull the number off well enough for most people watching. The first routine, in contrast, was another typically weird Mia concoction, and they danced it fabulously.
COUPLE #7
Courtney Galiano & Gev Manoukian
Dance 1: Hip-Hop choreographed by Olisa Thompson and Cicely Bradley
Dance 2: Broadway choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler
Without a doubt, the first number is what landed Courtney and Gev in the Bottom Three, simply because Courtney outperformed Gev, although hip-hop is supposed to be his specialty. Nigel’s comment that their Broadway routine was only “good enough” for him but not brilliant probably didn’t help either. I agreed, however.
After the three couples with the lowest total votes from viewers were revealed, the judges opted to end the competition for Kourtni Lind and Matt Dorame, the correct choices. If the remaining two couples who got lucky, along with Jessica King and William Wingfield, don’t step up their game to the level of the top three couples — Chelsie Hightower & Mark Kanemura, Katee Shean & Joshua Allen, and Kherington Payne & Stephen “Twitch” Boss — they’re going to be on the chopping block next. I hope they can meet the challenge, if only to shake things up a bit and keep the rest of the season from being too predictable.
Original Air Dates: July 2, 2008 and July 3, 2008
Photos: Joe Viles/FOX
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Recaps, So You Think You Can Dance
0 opinions for So You Think You Can Dance 4: Round of Fourteen
No one has left a comment yet. You know what this means, right? You could be first!
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: