Well, I've slowly been coming around on FP. She has been quietly putting in work on the show and doing tons better than she had any right to. Don't get me wrong, I still hate that she made the finale after not dancing a step last week, but I must recognize when it is due. The dance was perhaps not the most technically demanding thing we've seen from Travis, but it was a stretch for two ballroom specialists and required some lovely movement quality and a couple of leaps, spins and lifts especially that were really just solid. After spending a season watching girls get thrown around like sacks of potatoes (Channing and Mollee) because they don't know how to help their partner through a lift, it was sweet relief to see FP, who really knows how to engage her core and hold her center in lifts, just floating through that piece. I would be upset if either of these two won, but yep. I would - nay, I already have, bless Rickey.org - watch that piece again.

ETA: Oh my gosh, I'm sand in the eyes tired. But my latest post on SYTYCD is here. Basically, I thought the finale kicked all kinds of ass.

I'm just really annoyed on principle that last night was one hour and tonight is two -- a showcase is nice, but shouldn't we get more time when it matters?

exactly. especially when fucking NBC had TWO hours for six songs to be sung.

WTF?

what really chaps my hide a bit is that last year (or the year before), they clearly had the previous dances over the season taped and showed the taped dances and perhaps only 1-2 new dances over the two hours. yes, there were musical guests, etc. but it was an edited recap show for all intents and purposes. I couldn't believe it.

Okay, watching in reverse, thank you Rickey:

Russell/Kathryn hip-hop: Kathryn didn't quite keep up but was respectable. And Russell is damned hard to keep up with in this genre.

Ryan/FP Travis piece: This was so sweet. The FP's face towards the end when she was facing away from Ryan and he came up behind her made me cry, and I don't *like* the FP! Also struck by how light they were in their lifts and movements. They really pulled off contemporary.

Jakob/Kathryn pas de deux: Goosebumps! And finally, we get Jakob without a shirt, and he strips veeery nicely too. This was awesome.

Russell/Ellenore flamenco: FINALLY we get to see Russell do hard and sexy, and he nails it. One of my big beefs with Russell this season is everything is so *nice* and *sensitive* and I know he can do hard - that first solo on top 20 week was hard and pissed off. So now he gets to bring it. And Ellenore was lovely - she has very very consistently nailed all the ballroom stuff this season, which is damned hard - that tango with the skirt problem, quickstep - this girl can do it all.

Jakob/Ashleigh foxtrot: This was just okay, but I do love to watch Jakob dance ballroom - such carriage and arms and grace.

Ryan/Ellenore robot dance: That was weird, but danced well by Ellenore. Ryan looked self-conscious and didn't have much to do.

Russell/Ashleigh Sonya piece: Nice wind machine! I say that unironically - it was a nice effect. I liked how, especially at the start, it was like Ashleigh was supporting Russell's moves - like the reverse of the traditional m/f roles.

Jakob/Ellenore broadway: I felt like this didn't do Ellenore any favors - she didn't get much to do, and Jakob got to jump all over the place and look very Joel Grey (which is easy for him.) As an aside, I love that Ellenore kinda has a booty on her.

Ryan/Kathryn samba: Loved this, so glad they got another latin ballroom together. Loved the music and some of the choreo emphasizing the African dance rhythm. Remember when Nigel said Kathryn wasn't sexy? Remember when Noelle tried to shake her money maker and failed so badly (was that a samba?) Now *that* was how to shake it.

Did they do solos? How did they fit this all in 1 hour?

Overall, I'd be happy if any of the power 4 (Russell, Jakob, Kathryn, Ellenore) wins. Myself I'd go with Jakob or Kathryn.

Did they do solos? How did they fit this all in 1 hour?

There were no solos, and not much talking.

kat, I was just reading your recap, and thank you for pointing out the lack of samba rolls in the Ryan/Kathryn piece!! As soon as it finished, I was yelling at the screen about that. But, it was a great number for Ryan, whom I could not stop staring at throughout--now, that is how you shake your hips, all you guys who refuse to move your butts during the ballroom numbers!

I liked that Samba, but it was very content light. A lot of side by side booty shaking. Which is fine because both of those kids can really shake that booty. But other sambas for a ballroom + non-ballroom combo have required more of the kids technically speaking. It's samba. Give me a damn samba roll. ETA: Also, I may have just been salty about the fact that the show had two latin dance specialists and Jason Gilikson, one of the best latin ballroom choreographers going, and they chose to give the two latin specialists . . . contemporary. WTF? I mean, the Travis piece was lovely, but for real?

flea is me wrt the Ryan/FP piece. That Travis Wall is a little bit of magic. He can really make me like just about anything.

I'm very upset at the one hour performance show/two hour finale set up. Not only did we not get group dances, we didn't even get solos. Danny's finale performance show solo to We Are the Champions is one of the great moments in SYTYCD history. And Jeanine's finale solo with the rose in the teeth and the crazy piroutte sequence? I really think that's what ultimately won her the crown over Brandon. I know that this top four could've brought some moments that came close to that. Feh. I guess we needed more time for pointless montage sequences and guest vocal "performances".

Honestly, the top 4 are not, as a group, great soloists this year. Russell buck, when he's not being a corny Santa, yes. Ellenore does her thing, and it's good, but not, like, heartstopping. Kathryn and Jakob are good dancers, but none of their solos have really impressed me.