SYTYCD - Week 2

I've been out of town this week, which is why this is so horribly late. Vacation recap to come sometime next week. Highlights include some kickass pictures of a jaguar mid-meal, jumping dolphins and a bunch of monkeys. :)

Evan and Randi - Louis van Amstel Jive: It was, wait for it, FUN! ;) In all seriousness, I thought it was good. Upbeat, lots of energy, good choreography. I agree that Evan wasn't quite as sharp and intense as I was expecting him to be, but overall, a good way to start the show.

Ade and Melissa - Sonya Tayeh Jazz: I LOVE this couple. I would never have put them together, but they are perfect with each other. Sonya's choreography is quirky and weird and they performed it with reckless abandon. I also love that Melissa is a) the "grandma" of the show at a whooping 29 (old married hags unite!!) and b) a ballerina that can actually move. One of the best routines of the night.

Jason and Caitlin - Shane Sparks Hip Hop: Oh, this just made me sad. As most of you know, I am a huge Shane Sparks fan. Huge! But, this piece just wasn't good. And it was made worse by the fact that they dancers totally missed the mark. Painful to watch, like I cringed through the whole thing. Ugh. Not good dude. :(

Brandon and Janette - Doriana Sanchez Disco: I should fess up now, I'm not a huge fan of any of the disco routines. They usually seem rushed and frenzied, which I know is disco, but personally, I just don't think it translates well for this show. That being said, I think Brandon and Janette brought a ton of energy to the routine and danced it well. Not memorable, but enough to keep them safe.

Vitolio and Asuka - Louis van Amstel Waltz: This was quite lovely. It was nice to see a bit of personality from both Vitolio and Asuka for a change. Beautiful choreography and they did justice to it. Very nice.

Max and Kayla - Brian Friedman Pop Jazz: So happy Brian Friedman is back! This routine was fun and out there, but I was worried that it might not go over so well with the folks at home. :/ While I think Max did a good job, Kayla was fabulous. Her lines and extension are sick and I really love watching her. Nice.

Jonathan and Karla - Stacy Tookey Contemporary: Love this new choreographer. The routine itself was absolutely breathtaking, but the chemistry between Jonathan and Karla feels fake to me. I would love to have seen Evan and Randi or Melissa and Ade perform this routine instead - I think it would have brought the feelings in the routine to a whole other level. As it was, A+ for choreography, B for performance.

Phillip and Jeanine - Tony Meredith Tango: Well, this was rough, wasn't it? Jeanine looked stunning, but poor Phillip. Not much flow and the undercurrent of terror on his face didn't help matters any. Looks like it could have been a good routine, but there were too many distractions for it to really pop. I like this couple, but this wasn't their week.

Kupono and Ashley - Shane Sparks Hip Hop: Argh! What the hell is going on with Shane Sparks! Seriously, he is breaking my heart. :/ The choreography was just not that good and again, the dancers didn't help matters any. This was just kind of a mess. Not a good night for hip hop. :(

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Let's start off by talking about the group number from Mia Michaels. LOVED IT!!! So awesome. And Ade?!? For me anyways, he totally stole the spotlight when all the boys were dancing together at the beginning. I'm telling you, he is fabulous!

As for the bottom 3, I don't think it was quite right. Much as it pains me to say it, Phillip and Jeanine probably should have been in the bottom instead of Max and Kayla. For the girls, I think sending home Ashley was right. Her solo wasn't strong compared to the other girls and I think overall, she is probably the weakest dancer of last week's bottom 3 girls. Still sad to lose her as she didn't really have a chance to even get started.

As for the boys, I don't get how they sent home Max and not Kupono. Don't get me wrong, I like Kupono, but I think his solo was quite weak and his performance in the hip hop routine wasn't anything to write home about. I didn't agree with the decision, but it is what it is.

Up next, recap of Week 3.