Cowgirl Melanie. Cute. Bo Peep Melanie. Tragic. Baby Marko looked like one of the Jolie-Pitt kids. He was a terrible dancer when he started. Ha. Keep at it kids. You to can become a beast of dance. Well, probably not, but keep at it anyway.

Melanie and Marko/Lyrical Hip Hop/NappyTab/I Got You – Didn’t they just choreograph last week? Give them a rest. Is he crying? Wow. The two of them are really into this number. Amazing connection from the jump with him sitting on the edge of the stage and just full on owning it even while just moving his torso and arms. Wardrobe hos. On crack. Same as it ever was. These two contempo kids are killing it. Holy moly. Marko is amazing. That little slide across the floor and then he fell back into her arms? Wow. And these two have so much chemistry. Even before the kiss. Is there anything these two kids can’t do? I think not. They are pure fire. The judges lose their minds. That’s how good they were. They caused the collective viewing audience to lose their minds. And credti where it’s due, that choreo from NappyTab was kinda hot. Every once in a while they manage to pull a good one out of their asses.

Baby Ashley was kind of . . . not all that cute. Huh. Goes to show you never can tell. Baby Chris as a pirate. Wow. The Little Rabbit Poem made me laugh out loud. Cutest thing ever.

Chris and Ashley/Jazz/Sonya/Lights Go Down – Look at Chris in rehearsals busting out the double turns. Love this little hip hop kid. Dancing zombies? Very Sonya. Love this song. So so much. They started off killing it. Very solid. I loved their quality of movement. It was herky jerky disjointed but at the same time very organic. And then about halfway through the routine they kind of lost power and intensity. Agreed with Mary that the synchronization with this couple was very, very good and there was a lot of it and they were quite sharp. But I have to give it to Nigel that the character did not get there. Like I said earlier, it lacked intensity. I think they had it in the beginning and then either they got tired or they got intimidated or they got . . . something. But you could see them dancing smaller as the routine went on.

Baby Clarice was kind of forgettable much like Adult Clarice. Baby Jess was annoying just like Adult Jess. Who knew?

Clarice and Jess/Foxtrot/Jean Marc/Fly Me to the Moon – Jess can probably do well with Foxtrot. It’s very theatrical. He can do the Fed Astaire thing. Pretty at the start. They both look gorgeous and very in the mood. Much better lift than last week. Ah, such clever choreo. Rat Pack Foxtrot. I’m kind of loving it. The height idfferenc is a little awkward, but he’s dancing very tall. Very pulled up. And the arms on both of them are phenomenal. Much much better with the lifts this week. That was adorable and lots and lots of fun. And Cheno goes with the arms which, I mean, come on! The arms were insane. That was a great, great routine. I’m just wowed by that. I will definitely be watching that again.

Another night with not a real clunker in the bunch. This group of kids top to bottom may be the best they’ve ever had on the show. Discuss

Baby Ricky was turning it out even as a small child. I hate Ryan so there will be no commentary on her.

Ricky and Ryan/Contemporary/Sonya/With Every Heartbeat – Oh give me a fucking break. Could the pimping be any more obvious? Give it up, Nigel. Everybody hates your girl. Beautiful technique. No feeling from the two of them. And Ryan is still rocking the creepy perma smile. She’s trying to rein it in, but it keeps popping out. Really? What is it with her? I didn’t believe that they were in love. I didn’t believe that they even knew each other. Once again they were dancing on the same stage but not together. Gorgeous, gorgeous technique but no soul. I don’t disagree with anything Mary said from a technical perspective – and seriously, can we take a minute to discuss how much Mary is bringing it with the on point critiques this season? That said, there was no life in it. It was watching robots dance.

Baby Jordan as a Baby Spice Girl? I knew it was Spice Girls before she even said it. The PCD of their time. Baby Tadd also looks like a member of the Joli-Pitt clan. Philipino cultural dance next on deck at SYTYCD?

Jordan and Tadd/Hip Hop/NappyTab/Memories – A bed. Because that worked so well for Twitch and Kherington. Naked Tadd? Oh hell yeah. That was kind of the best part of the routine. It was forgettable. I suppose they danced it well. He, especially, had good attack. As he should have given that this is as b-boy adjacent as it’s gonna get on this show. And she kept up with him for the most part. The bed as prop was used fairly well. The getting in and out of the clothes was one of those things that probably sounded better as a concept than it played out in execution. It was just kind of . . . light. It lacked heft, especially for a pimp slot dance. But more naked Tadd is definitely on order.

Group Routine #2/Contemporary/Dee Casprey – Poison and Wine. Love the cirle. Nice staging. These girls area amazing. They are murdering this dance. And it is no joke. The costumes were very Ramalama.

Top Two Couples:

Jess and Clarice – And who’da thunk it? They were perfect in that Foxtrot. Highly enjoyable.

Melanie and Marko – Can we just reserve a spot up here for them every week? They were heaven yet again.

Bottom Three couples:

Sasha and Alex – Went first in a routine that was more concept than dance and once again she outdanced him and he couldn’t match her intensity and fire. She seems to have a mighty robust fanbase, but should that not be enough and they actually land in the B3, I think the judges will not hesitate to send him home. And I can’t say as they’d be wrong. I think he’s still so, so pretty, but he is failing to catch fire here.

Ashley and Chris – The choreography was more than them. Something just really did not click. They got through it, but they really left no impression.

Ryan and Ricky – There’s no there there.

All the rest:

Caitlyn and Mitchell – I didn’t care for it, but the judges hyped it to high heaven, Jean Marc overall had a good night, and Mitchell is an appealing character on the show and Caitlyn has been spectacular to date so I think they’re safe.

Miranda and Robert – They really shone in one of the rare decent Tyce Broadway routines. That said, they don’t have a very strong fanbase and it was Tyce Broadway, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see them end up in B3 instead of say, Sasha and Alex or even Ricky and Ryan if the egregious pimping manages to save them.

Jordan and Tadd – Got the pimp slot and did OK with a pleasing if slight routine. Tadd took his shirt off, so that oughta do it.

Going Home

If America’s B3 is my B3, I think we’ll see our first couple break up as Alex goes home leaving Sasha to pick up . . . Ricky as a partner. I don’t see how if Ryan hits B3 they justify saving her again. Especially not against Sasha and Ashley, two dancers whom they love. It’ll be interesting if it goes down like that because I’m not sure if Sasha and Ricky will work as a pair any better than Ryan and Ricky did. I’d like to find out, though.

Sadly, I don’t think I’ll get the chance, as I don’t think America’s B3 will be my B3. I’d bet Nigel and Co.’s pimping works and Ryand and Ricky don’t get anywhere near B3. In their place, I expect to see Miranda and Robert. I just don’t think they have the fanbase. Miranda was too unknown and Robert came in with negative energy from all the damn “woo”-ing. In that scenario, I think Alex still goes home but in a shocker, they boot Ashley and not Miranda. They do love a growth arc on this show. Sasha/Chris? I still can’t quite see it, but maybe. If Sasha and Alex manage to escape, too (as I believe the only sure thing B3 couple this week is Chris/Ashley) then it may be Jordan/Tadd down there instead. People have still not quite warmed up to Jordan and they were good not great in the pimp slot. In an Ashley/Chris, Miranda/Robert, Jordan/Tadd B3, I think the judges will (continued...)

( continues...) follow their natural inclination to keep couples together and go ahead with the Miranda Robert boot.

In other words, I have no idea once again who is going home. All these kids are real, real good. Only thing I know is that if Alex winds up in the B3, his ass is toast.

Kat's pretty well summed it up. I liked the Ashley/Chris dance better than most. Someone needs to Have A Talk with the wardrobe people - they put Jordan in (shudder) jeggings.

And Ryan ... sigh ... all I can think is that her parents spent so much on dentists and orthodontists, that she's obliged to show off those big white teeth.

I noticed that she was wearing a lot less makeup for this number. She looked better.

I quite enjoyed last night's!! Melanie and Marko were my favorite, followed by Sasha and Alexander, and I also really liked Jess and Clarice.

What do we all think about Top 10? I'm really hoping it's:

Melanie/Marko Sasha/Alexander Jordan/Tadd Catelynn/Mitchell Clarice/Jess

I hate Jess the way Kat hates Ryan. I sooooo want him to pull hip-hop and look like a fool.

I like: Melanie, Miranda, Sasha; Marko, Ricky, Tadd. I feel like some of the other girls are good, but I can't really distinguish them in my head (Caitlynn, Clarice). Or they can dance but are dumb as a post (Jordan).

I totally thought "uh oh, are we going to get Philippine Folk Dancing next?"

flea,

I hate Jess the way Kat hates Ryan. I sooooo want him to pull hip-hop and look like a fool.

Ryan is absorbing my hate like a black hole, so once she goes, Jess will be my next target. I don't like him, but Ryan needs to GO.

My Top Ten Dancers:

Girls:

Melanie - Favorite girl. I've yet to see her take a wrong step on the show. She can be smooth. She can be sharp. She can soar on leaps and be incredibly centered and grounded on turns and spins. She can do anything, I think.

Sasha - Second favorite girl but she's not behind Melanie by much. You really can't pay attention to other people when she is dancing. She commands attention even just standing still. And her back is a thing of wonder. She is supple and strong and agile and powerful. All the things, she has in her toolkit. She's simply breathtaking and I think she might be in my top spot if she had a better partner.

There's a big drop off here to the rest of my top 5 girls

Jordan - I don't mind the sexpot ditz thing because she's 18 and I remember 18. Oh, dear. And the girl can flat out bring it. She's a firecracker. Great technique and gorgeous feet (love a good foot on a dancer). And she's a very appealing performer as long as she's not speaking.

Caitlyn - She is a lovely dancer, but she doesn't always pop. And she's got a little bit of the competition kid syndrome. She seems to know what to do but not why she's doing it. There's not always a lot of intention behind her movements.

Ashley - See Caitlyn, but for me she's a tick above Clarice who I think may be a better dancer than Ashley but is a total personality void.

Boys:

I know the judges are hyping this season as the year of the girl beasts, but my top boys are beasts in their own rights and I could easily see one of them taking this whole thing.

Marko - He is a bit raw and unfinished, but my word is this creature lovely to watch! So much power and so much fluidity and he just inhabits every dance. He dances all the way through his pinky toes and I love dancers like that.

Tadd - I would not have put him in my second slot for the boys at the beginning of the season, but he has been such a pleasant surprise. Also, shirtless hotitude. He's very versatile and he brings joy to his dancing.

Mitchell - I still think he should've gone home week one for not dancing. Dance or go home! That said, he has proven to be a 10 across the board. Technique and personality and presence and great partnering skills. Love him.

There's a drop off a cliff here to my final two.

Chris - He's not as talented as the other guys in this group. He is limited even in his own style. But he's a try-er and there is something so appealing and honest about his dancing. And he has surprising facility in other styles for a b-boy. He is busting out double turns like nobody's business these days! And he's a cutie patootie. If he makes top 10, I fully expect he'll be the first to go.

Jess - I know. I know. But I'll take him over Robert any day, all day. And as much as it pains me to say, Jess has brought it more over the past three weeks than my flippy jeans boy. Alex is lacking a performance quality that truly great dancers have. Jess is a great technician and he's a showman. An annoying showman, but a showman nonetheless. He makes my top 5 boys.

I wish I could have Nick instead of Jess in Top 5 boys. Of the girls we've lost, I'd sub in Missy for either Ashley or Caitlyn. Thanks again Nigel for the no vote off clusterfuck week.

I want to see Melanie dance with Mark (although I don't think he'll be an all star this season because of Gaga maybe?). I would love to see Melanie dance with Alex Wong so I hope he comes back as an all star rather than try for another season as a contestant. Marko and Kathryn? Umm, yes please. Sasha and Mark would also be groovy. Really Mark and anyone would be groovy. I would like to see Tadd dance with Allison, if she comes back. When are they giving up who the All Stars for the season are?

ETA:

Ryan is absorbing my hate like a black hole, so once she goes, Jess will be my next target. I don't like him, but Ryan needs to GO.

This is me also. I cannot with the creepy perma-smile girl. Until she goes, there's no room at the Haters Inn. Once she goes, I will target Jess, even though I just put him in my top 10, because he bugs the hell out of me.