Okay, I was in front of the TV but so riveted by TX that I saw almost nothing.

On SYTYCD - do they make up dance genres when they get tired of the standard ones? or are these actual styles that I've been ignorant of?

Which ones did you think were made up (I can't remember the different genres from last night).

I'm thinking specifically of "African Jazz" - but there have been others - "Lyrical Hip-Hop"?

I think African Jazz is actually a thing. But I guess anything can be a style if enough choreographers decide, "Hey, this is what we'll call this."

The African Jazz routine was great. And I love both Jasmines, which will make keeping them straight difficult.

Hailey looks like a little Charisma Carpenter, no?

I was very disappointed by Alexis. She was one of my favorites from the auditions.

Also, Big Brother started tonight!

Hahaha. Kat will insist African jazz is not a thing. I can't comment on lyrical hip hop--I think it's not so much a dance genre as a specific sort of hip hop, y'know? It's not like someone's going to say "oh, I've studied lyrical but not regular" like they would ballet vs modern or something.

Grrr, African Jazz (also sometimes billed as afro jazz) is so not a thing! Boo. Down with made up styles. It's just an excuse for Sean Cheesman to throw in a few moves from actual West African dance (that for the most part these kids can't do) and then the crack hos in wardrobe get to continue to demonstrate their cultural ineptitude by putting the dancers in bondage gear, painting their faces with "tribal" symbols and calling it a day. Oh, and then Nigel can talk about how the kids all did better than he thought they would considering that they weren't brought up in the jungle and who could dance West African style if you weren't born in a jungle and raised by chimps like Tarzan, no? Ummm, jigga what? I refuse!

There may have been some strong opinions expressed in casa kat on Tuesday. I'd had a lot of wine at that point.

Eh, this top 20 show did not really move me. I was disappointed in most of the routines and for the most part, the kids were adequate but not inspiring. I haven't even watched it again, but from my hazy memory, here goes.

Things I liked

1. Amy and Fik Shun/Contemporary - This Sonya piece was the only one that made an impact. I don't know what kind of story they were supposed to be telling but the dancing itself was lovely. Amy continues to be a favorite of mine. She has gorgeous feet and y'all know I love a gorgeous feet. Her technique is also exquisite. Fik Shun was a pleasant surprise. He really stretched here and did some difficult choreography. Sonya didn't dumb this down for him overmuch (unlike Peanut who really let me down this week). Yes, she did throw in some moves that played off of his strengths, but there was lots of partner work in there, too, lots of turns and the quirky body positions Sonya favors. Still, I wouldn't watch it again...but I liked it.

2. Jasmine M. and Alan/Contemporary - The blindfolds were unnecessary and it maybe wasn't Peanut's finest work, but I liked this dance and I thought Jasmine and Alan crushed it. I'm super impressed with Alan (though not with his hair and what is up with the janky hair on these boy children this year?). He seems to have some cross training, which is exciting because it's been a while since we had a really good ballroom boy on the show. They had a good connection here and there were some lovely moves, some really pretty, take a picture moments. Both of them have good centers and nice turns. This dance was a piece of fluff and it's not going in the pantheon, but these two have talent and I want to see more from them.

3. Other Jasmine and Aaron/Jazz - Sonya had a solid night because I liked this one, too. Other Jasmine really surprised me. I was kind of on the fence about her and wondering whether her whole Top 20 placement were just a Cyrus engineered ploy, but she turned it out here. Her legs are so long. Seriously, so long. And she showed great flexibility and musicality. She has a great grounded quality to her dancing. That girl gets down in those plies. Aaron was also a nice surprise. Very solid partnering and he's clearly had training beyond tap. However, he kind of disappeared for me here. That may have been because Sonya kind of defaulted to using him primarily as a forklift for Jasmine (they used to do that with Ade a lot, too). These two had really good chemistry. I think they'll be a great couple. That said, maybe I'm just tired of Sonya's typical dance vocabulary, but I was kind of over this routine. It had a very been there, done that quality. But I liked it.

Things I wanted to like more than I did

4. Hayley and Curtis/Hip Hop - Curtis was killing it. I was pleasantly surprised. Very sharp. Very in the pocket. And Christopher Scott's movement sat very well on him. Christopher Scott's choreography tends to work better for taller, lankier dancers because he himself is a tall drink of water. Discuss. Hayley was...well, she was kind of giving me Hip Hop for White Girls. But she tried. She didn't embarrass herself a la Nico and tap girl, but we'll get there. Anyway, I (continued...)