For those of us still recovering from Pole Dancing Night on “Dance Your Ass Off,” last night’s episode of “SYTYCD” was refreshing. Don’t get too excited. The performance show was still a whopping 120 minutes, but solo and group numbers revived the formula, as did new partnerships.
The show kicked off with the Top 5 girls doing a Bollywood number. And get this -- the song wasn’t even from “Slumdog Millionaire”! The movements were sharp and the jumping was, well, really jumpy.
Most importantly, though, I feel that someone in power has finally championed my cause. That’s right, Nigel acknowledged what I’ve been paying attention to all along -- the costumes! He even called the divine multicolored garments “fantastic.” Bollywood Costumes: 10! Nigel: 9.
Interspersed between the couples’ performances were 30-second solo numbers. That’s even less time than they get for their gyrations on “DYAO!” While each of these finalists is immensely talented, it just wasn’t as entertaining to watch them on their own.
For one thing, it is amazing that Brandon could even fit that amount of windmill-esque spinning into a mere 30 seconds. Kayla looked like she was doing a gymnastics floor routine. Kupono had a tribal sideways-crab walk going on. And did Ade realize he was doing a fast dance to a slow song?
Backflips are impressive but are they really the best way to interpret a song like “Unchained Melody?”
I have to say that I found Evan to be the most entertaining solo dancer. Maybe it’s because I’m biased towards his Broadway style, but I picked up the phone for only the second time this season (hey, it’s not “Idol”) and voted for him. (Incidentally, I think the first time was for Randi’s and his “butt poodle” dance.) Janette’s swiveling hips also had me mesmerized.
Not so mesmerizing? The solo costumes! Randi looked like she was wearing her bridal lingerie, while Kupono made his costume himself. (It showed.) The only ones to impress in this category (once again) were Evan, who donned a tux with a white jacket, and Janette, who gets extra points for bedazzling her bra. Someone please tell Brandon that a T-shirt and pants does not a costume make.
Kayla & Evan: Of course fate would pair the tallest girl with the shortest guy, breaking up the cutest couple ever (Randi & Evan). Despite her age, Kayla is arguably the best female dancer on the show, and you already know how I feel about Evan. The flowing of the chiffon as Kayla kicked was hypnotic (in a good way). Extra costume points go to Evan for wearing lifts in his shoes. Costumes: 9, Performance: 8.
Janette & Ade: They had the opposite height problem, as she is the shortest girl and he is the tallest guy. For their hip-hop dance, Ade played a Funk doctor (a degree that can be earned through University of Phoenix, I think) assisting Janette with her funk issues (i.e., that she has none).
