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Destination ‘So You Think You Can Dance’: Can’t they all just stay?

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Cory the warm-up guy kicked off the show with guns blazing Friday night. By the time I got to my seat at the ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ studio, he was already orchestrating an elaborate singles game, involving four bachelors and one bachelorette. Cory’s microphone was about three times louder than usual, and he was sporting not one, but two wallet chains with his bright striped T-shirt.

Cat Deeley emerged mopey and low, though gorgeous as ever. ‘I hate Thursdays cause I have to say goodbye to somebody,’ she confessed to nobody in particular. ‘So hang in there with me, OK?’

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The show began with a Mia Michaels-choreographed goth circus extravaganza. Then it was down to business. Chelsea Traille and Thayne Jasperson were revealed to be in the bottom three, and Mary Murphy tried to buoy their spirits. ‘We’re gonna take everything into account,’ she reminded the dancers.

Joshua Allen and Katee Shean -– obviously -– were safe, and they hugged their way off the stage, only to embrace again once they got into the pit. When Chelsie Hightower and Mark Kanemura were revealed to be safe as well, Joshua and Katee were waiting for them on the floor with open arms. There was a closeness among the contestants that far surpassed the mutual respect and admiration we’ve seen from them thus far.

When Courtney Galiano and Gev Manoukian discovered their safety, Joshua and Chelsie’s arms were already outstretched to receive them.

But alas, not every couple could dive into Joshua and Chelsie’s arms. Comfort Fedoke, Chris Jarosz, Kourtni Lind and Matt Dorame were revealed to be in the bottom three, along with Chelsea and Thayne. Nigel Lythgoe seemed to be staring at Comfort with eyes that said, ‘You’d better bring it.’

The stage manager placed the dancers on their marks, but in an instant they were squirming again. Pointing their toes, shaking their legs, stretching their arms and hopping in place. It had all come down to this. And it was scary.

Kourtni blew a kiss to her friends in the safety zone, and Joshua and Gev pantomimed receiving it. Any initial sense of relief from the dancers in the safety zone was gone. They kept their eyes glued to the stage.

Each contestant in the bottom three, as always, was given 30 seconds to display their worth. At the end of her routine, Comfort reached out to the judges with one arm; a gesture of both surrender and defiance. I’ve given you everything, she seemed to say. Comfort’s partner Chris was as passionate as ever, but stuck his tongue out at the end of his routine. He knew it wasn’t up to par. Kourtni danced to Ani DiFranco, which made me love her all the more, but I was distracted by the nagging fear that her top would not contain her. Luckily, it did.

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Nigel eliminated Chelsea quickly, like pulling off a Band-Aid, and soon enough eliminated Chris as well. The end of the show was shocking, but not because of the eliminations. What was shocking was what came next. Hip-hopper/popper Comfort Fedoke, the toughest, grittiest contestant in the competition -– men included -– got a running start and bounded onto the stage. Then she leaped into the air and landed on her recently eliminated partner, Chris, clinging to him like a koala bear. It was such a beautiful moment; so sweet and unexpected. Even while the rest of the group congratulated Chris, Comfort never left his side, and even stroked his back gently while he embraced the others. At one point, she even took his smiling, weeping face in her hands and told him something.

After the studio had emptied, I caught up with Nigel, and asked him the usual questions. ‘Were you surprised by the bottom three, who had the best solo, blah, blah, blah ... ‘ He answered dutifully, but caught me as I was turning off my recorder. Out of all of the seasons of ‘American Idol’ and ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ Nigel confessed, he has never felt this level of attachment. ‘This is the first time that I’ve hated Thursdays.’

-- Stephanie Lysaght

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