‘So You Think You Can Dance’: Your top 20

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If there’s anything negative to be said about ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ it’s that its second night of programming each week (Thursdays) is thus far superfluous. Last night’s episode showed us the top twenty contestants, the ten boys and ten girls who Americans will be casting their votes on, and it could have easily been absorbed into Wednesday night’s episode. We understand, however, that network programming is not necessarily about making the most of its viewers’ time, and compared to, say, ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ it wasn’t a completely heinous extra hour of television. It’s just that SYTYCD has begun its season with such a promising beginning that any slip in tension or talent feels like a disappointment. The main problem with last night’s episode is that it featured no real new dancing or challenges, but did at least continue to promise viewers that sentimental favorites are never safe, as the majority of the remaining human-interest-story contestants were eliminated (so no more ‘dancing for my dying mother’ or ‘I’m doing it to prove that you can have a dream after losing a limb.’) But one of the ways that SYTYCD has again set itself apart from other talent shows is the handful of dancers with ties to prior contestants: we have several siblings and one dancer who assisted a show choreographer last season. What does this mean? That dancing is a small world after all? That it’s a talent passed down in the genes? Or that the producers are hedging their bets and making sure that there will be a little extra drama thrown in just in case the dancers don’t provide it themselves? Regardless, next Wednesday’s show will prove to be exciting. Hopefully, Thursday’s will, as well.

(Photo courtesy Fox)