I really liked the Broadway, but I guess that was just me.

I finally watched SYTYCD sitting on my couch as the universe intended. And then I barely took notes. But I liked it! I thought the choreographers brought it this week one and all.

Quick and dirty notes:

Top 10 Group Dance/Hip Hop/Jamal Sims/Bang Bang/Ariana Grande-Jessi J-Niki Minaj – Eh. It was cute. Not much of a wow factor for a top 10 dance. Still blown away by how not terrible Ricky is at hip hop. Tanisha is still a spitfire. Valerie is still hidden in the back. Zack still totally transforms from geek guy to hot guy when he dances.

Dance Ins – Ricky really is divine. That’s all I remember. That and Cat’s unfortunate obsession with the Rudy/Jacqui showmance. Let it go, Cat. Nobody cares.

All Stars in the house. Where is my Mark from Hawai’i?

Ugh. Lipinski is back. Well, maybe she’ll tell someone they are dead in the face again. That was fun.

Bridget and Brandon/Bollywood-Disco/Nakul/Disco Khisko/Di Bole Hadippa(Soundtrack) – What the ever loving fuck? I’m not feeling the concept at all. But it’s lovely to see Brandon again. So, I watched him the whole time up to and including when he totally fell on that side aerial. Whoops. I guess what made it disco was all the lifts? His movement was just much crisper and cleaner than Bridget’s. He was down deeper in those plies. But she tried her best to keep up. And she was giving good performance quality. It was a fun way to start the show, but I won’t remember it.

Tanisha and Ryan/Argentine Tango/Miriam and Leonardo/The Gaucho’s Pain/Tango Jointz – That tango was giving me LIFE! Oh my word. That was crazy good. I was living for Tanisha’s feet in that routine. The foot placement, every step was so intentional and perfect. Nigel thinks so, too. And Ryan is just a damn fine looking man and a great partner. That was sexy, hot, everything. I want to watch it again and again. Loved the costuming as well. Shame about the lighting at the beginning. I agree with the judges that it was a great opening, but you could barely see it. I’m all for mood lighting, but can we see the dancers? That’s kind of the point of this show.

Emilio and Jasmine/Hip Hop/NappyTab/Get Low/Dillon Francis and DJ Shake – Jasmine is a beast on that dance floor. I’ll be damned. And that is the best piece of NappyTab choreo I’ve seen in a month of Sundays. Emilio was throwing down his own self. It was hot. It was real hip hop. I kind of don’t know what to say it’s been so long since we’ve seen it on the SYTYCD stage. Back in B2 for Emilio is tough. I think he’s so good and he is growing a ton. Who is voting for Casey over him? Please make it stop.

Valerie and Ade/Jazz/Tasty/Heart’s A Mess/Gotye – So, somebody hates Valerie. Tasty? Really? Sigh. At least it’s not Broadway. Love the dress. Good show, wardrobe hos. Valerie’s feet bug. She doesn’t point all the way and her arch is kind of flat. And her hands are kind of dead and not always connected. I know she’s a tapper, but some of the technical flaws were on front street in this routine. I agree that she got outdanced by Ade, but she got outdanced every week by Ricky and that didn’t seem to be a problem, so…I guess we’ll see if she can stand on her own. The choreo from Tyce was actually quite good. He really tried to work around her flaws and highlight her strengths, except for the whole “be evil” thing which I’m assuming Tasty threw in just to remind people that he is still a tool.

Rudy and Jenna/Cha-Cha/Louis Van Amstel/Maps/Maroon 5 – Where did that ballroom dancer come from? Wow. I thought he was amazing in that routine. I just was not knowing that he had it like that. He must have trained in ballroom. I agree with Nigel that the faces and the pointing and the winking were right on the edge of being egregious, but it suited the dance and it suits the ballroom world…and it suits him. I really do think he is that guy, and I’m OK with it. I will watch that again. And Cat loves him so how can I not love him?

Jacqui and Chehon/Contemporary Ballet/Peanut/Adagio for TRON/Daft (continued...)

( continues...) Punk – Peanut choreographing ballet? Is there anything he can’t do? Seriously, lighting people? Being able to see the line from hip to toe is kind of the whole point of ballet. I cannot understand what the big idea was behind that lighting scheme. I think Jacque was fine but I thought I saw her cheating the steps a couple of times and off her toe box. Then again, it was hard to tell because I couldn’t see her feet. Chehon was gorgeous as always, and the hair is much improved from his time on the show. I’m not surprised Jacque is B2. She’s just been kind of there for a while now.

Ricky and Lauren/Jazz/Mandy Moore/Bossa Nova Baby/Elvis Presley - I am so glad that this is TBC and not Mischa Chan. I was going to have to get loud up in here. Ricky’s been watching this show since he was 8. Damn. I’m old, family. Second pull through splits in second we’ve seen tonight. Let’s hear it for that! Well, it was fun. I always enjoy Ricky. He’s fabulous. I’m not sure this style of movement sat all that well on him. He seemed to be chasing the beat a little. But it was surprising choreo from Mandy. If I hadn’t known it was her, I’d never have guessed. I think our merry band of choreographers are really pushing each other to another level this season and I do like that. New steps. New steps. New steps!

Casey and Kathryn/Spencer Liff/Broadway/Maybe This Time/Liza Minelli – Ugh. Casey has all the maturity of a blueberry scone. Yes the ronde jambe into the double pirouette was technically impressive. He always is. But I never get the sense from him that he understands what he’s dancing. Lipinski was wrong (as usual). I didn’t feel any chemistry between Casey and Kathryn. Who was stunning. I mean…just stop it. That little high talker is just out of this world. Watched her the whole time, including when she was doing what was supposed to have been an assisted back bend and she had a little wobble re-adjusting her weight because her partner wasn’t there to support her head like he should have been. Saw it. Cataloged it. Will add it to my list of “Reasons why Casey is not all that no matter how the show tries to pimp him, and oh, by the way, he’s no Ricky, Nigel, so suck it.”

Jessica and Twitch/Hip Hop/NappyTab/U Got Me Up/Cajmera feat. Dajae - Jessica lost a lot of steam in the last say 16-24 counts of that routine, but prior to that she was in it like whoa! I was surprised by how good she was. The style suited her just perfectly. She was hard hitting. She didn’t overact with her face. She brought it. And that’s the second solid NappyTab routine in a row. The world must be ending.

Zack and Amy/Contemporary/Sonya/Europe After the Rain/Max Richter – Zack is a revelation. That lift where he was crouched down and then picked Amy up on her side was just not a possible thing to do. He pulled of a controlled double turn like a champ. I forgot that he wasn’t a contempo kid. Toe point on this one is divine. I’m mad that Casey is safe while Emilio and Zack are in danger.

I only watched the musical act to see Chehon and Kathryn dance. They were exquisite and it still wasn’t worth all that caterwauling.

Sad to lose Emilio but Zack is a better dancer. Should’ve been Casey. And now there are no hip hop kids left at all, right? No hip hop kids, no black kids. Latinos gotta hold it down for the gente, I guess.

White Tanisha is really the only girl I’m checking for and she’ll be fine, so I’m good with Bridget going home.

Next week, well, I wish it would be Casey, but Zack probably just held off the inevitable for one more week, what with all the Casey pimping, Rudy’s showmance, and Ricky just being the real deal, legit all that. For the girls, again, I think Natalie will go. She was the weakest this week and without Ricky, I think she’ll be exposed.

That tango was giving me LIFE! Oh my word. That was crazy good.

Right? Glorious!

I have very little idea what Bridget did in the Bollywood, but fun to see Brandon.

Has Degree done product placement in every show ever?

Aw, America sucks for not voting for Emilio.

Jenna! It's almost like having Mark by proxy.

I can't speak to the technique but I very much enjoyed the ballet.

Ricky’s been watching this show since he was 8. Damn.

Yeah, I don't know what to do with that.

I don't know, that might be the best I've liked Casey. He can do cad. Although I did see a little bit of fail in his partnering.

Kathryn was SO GOOD. Can she win again this year? Also, I too am amazed at the Zack Transformation (TM) from nerdy guy to hot guy when he dances.

Jessica really surprised me! Kind of love the way she's styled for that, too.

Haven't gotten to the end, yet - I would be fine with either of the bottom two girls going, but the bottom two boys are wrong choices, America!

OK, Sonya, you can keep choreographing. I had been getting tired of her but that was great and Zack was wonderful in it.

Loved seeing some of the all-stars. Amy! Jenna!

Hated the lighting in the ballet--I couldn't see her feet!!!

Loved Katherine's dress, hate Casey. So much.

Love Ricky but didn't feel him this week. Was shocked by how good I thought Rudy was!

Did not ove Nappy Tabs glorifying bus-stop harassment by old men?