Huh. Surprising.

I thought she looked skinnier than usual, also, but I think it's just the dress.

anyone watching "Launch my Line" - I did several double takes when watching the ep because I kept thinking Howie Mandel showed up to participate.

I was sure Ryan was going home, which would have been wrong like a wrong thing, because it would have meant he went home before Ashleigh. I still wish things had gone better for Nathan though.

Does anyone know anything about the tour? They haven't said anything about it this season.

I missed the opening act--I am guessing it's not worth searching it out?

I wouldn't bother, but if you're a completist.

I always enjoy seeing Qwest on my TV, but Snoop's performance was kind of a hot mess. And is the hook something about Obama? Because really, Snoop? Really? I think he's not exactly right for the demographic of this show. Shaking my head at the booty shakers.

Also, I read over on TWOP that it was not Twitch with LXD but Jamile from way back in S1. Awesome. Still loving that group so, so much. And I got to see Harry Shum again on Glee. Dancing and bouncing around on mattresses. Also awesome.

Nathan's solo was gorgeous again and Pretty Wings is one of my favorite cuts off Maxwell's new album. Such a beautiful dancer. It's a shame that he came off as a little snot on the show. I suspect he is not that in real life. I have to say that other than the Tween Terror, I'm really happy with this top 8. Even the Fug Princess has grown on me.

And is the hook something about Obama?

There was a hook?

Honestly, despite wanting to see Quest, I had to fast forward. I should've just turned the sound down.

Given the middle of the season, Jen was lucky to make it this far, so this seems fair. I guess. Meh.

Yeah, she was the most inconsistent throughout, so I think its fair, just a shame.

That guest dance troupe was incredible. While I was watching, I was thinking that Legacy was standing there, figuring out which moves he could use in his next solo.

Legacy has danced with LXD before. I'm told that's him doing the crab walk in this clip. The group is just sick. I'd never seen them before last night, but they have a ton of stuff up on youtube. What I was thinking when I watched this clip was how much I wished that the krumper in the grey and yellow hoodie were Russell. Not that the kid is not good, but Russell is the best krumper I've ever seen. Lil C is apparently also in this crew. Again, I must say awesome.

Yeah, I think that is Legacy, in the blue jacket. You seem him coming down the ramp, and then at the end he's right behind the kid. And that guy wears one pant leg up like Legacy does.

Rickey.org has video of last night if anyone needs it (all 3 group dances).

SYTYCD: In totes agreement. The opening number was awful. And it was the choreo that was the problem, for sure. Go away, Tasty!

LXD was astounding. Not just the moves and tricks, but the precision and how they were able to incorporate everything into a cohesive piece.

I also was happy to see Hok & Dominic, but that whole number came off weird.

I'm glad about the elims, especially because KathrynWTFAmerica? But now that Nathan's out, as well as another 18 year old, I have some minor thinky about the young'uns.

I think this show does them a disservice by wanting to cast so young. At their age, especially Nathan as a guy, they're not even finished growing yet. They just don't have full enough control over their bodies and their self-expression to be successful in this context.

Let me step aside to say that I know full well dance is a young person's game. I know in ballet if you're 14 and not in the full training regime, you're ancient and probably not going to make it. But that's in an environment of training and discipline and growth. (Hopefully. In a good one.)

This is a different thing. And it was so hard to see Nathan getting beat up like that because really, he's just a kid. Of course he thinks he's the best thing ever, and of course he is hurt and disappointed and cries. He's 18! He also thinks that he's immortal and that actions don't have consequences. I'm assuming. He may well be a perfectly mature and well balanced kid, I don't know the guy.

I'm just saying that physically, emotionally, and artistically, it's awfully young to be on such a large national stage, especially without a mentorship role on the show.

That leaves aside the other issue, which I was saving to talk about after Mollee got eliminated, but that may not be forthcoming anytime soon. I know this show is not great on social justice issues. But it's always been skeevy to me to see the judges push sexualization so hard on the young female dancers. I didn't see it happen with Nathan so much, so it's a gender thing.

I know dance and sex are kinda intertwined. And you definitely need to be able to bring the sexy to win this show. But it makes me uncomfortable to watch bubbly teenagers be told that their success as a dancer is based so heavily on their willingness to trade on their sexuality. It may be true. But I don't like it.

Not that teenagers aren't sexual creatures. By the time I was Mollee's age I was married and happily having as much of Teh Sex as possible. It just comes off as, well, off to me to see the way it's presented in the critiques on this show. Does that make sense?