"So You Think You Can Dance": An unkind cut?

It felt inevitable that Kourtni Lind and Matt Dorame would go home sooner or later: Although they were a fun couple to watch (especially Kortni), they never grabbed the public's or the judges' attention the way, say, Joshua Allen and Katee Shean or Twitch Boss and Kherington Payne did. Plus, if you're in the bottom three again and again, typically the frequent fliers will get sent home before those new to the bottom three (so Courtney Galiano and Gev Manoukian were safe, although their solos were also impressive, and particularly in Gev's case, entertaining). 

Matt, Chris Jarosz and Thayne Jasperson seemed to perpetually pop up in the bottom three, so it feels like only a matter of time now for Thayne (who, when he plays it right, resembles the actor Guy Pearce, although only when he's not grinning wildly). 

However, Kourtni was not the only familiar female face in the bottom three -- she was up against Comfort Fedoke, who has been there before as well. Why did the judges choose Kourtni over Comfort?  In terms of difficulty and creativity, their dances seemed evenly matched, and both stand out among a tiny crop of contemporary dancers.  What say you, the readers?  Did Kourtni deserve to be sent home before Comfort, or if not, why did Comfort deserve to stay more than Kourtni? 

Note to Kou rtni Lind fans: You will be forced to tune in to the finale of the show, now that judge Nigel Lythgoe challenged Robert Moraine (the popping guy who dropped out of the Vegas round) to a dance-off with prior "SYTYCD" contestant Phillip Chbeeb.  Stay tuned! 

--Claire Zulkey

(Photo courtesy Kelsey McNeal / FOX)

Comments

[kerouac9]

My wife and I both disagreed with cutting Kourtni instead of Comfort. Kourtni probably has had more memorable partner dances this season (though we missed last week); I'm thinking mostly of the "Tainted Love"/Matrix/Jewel Thief number from Week 1.

I think that Kourtni got cut because maybe she was a little shy and standoffish, and (honestly) because the judges did not want to cut both African-American female contestants in successive weeks. Neither of the solos were distinctly memorable. The other thing is I think that Mary Murphy was more impressed with the "growth" that Comfort had displayed through her waltz. I don't think that Kourtni was coming along as quickly.

It doesn't matter. Comfort isn't as good as the other girls, and isn't even that fantastic a hip hop dancer from what we've seen so far. We'll wave goodbye to her next week, and then maybe Jessica. Then it'll really get hard.

[Claire Zulkey]

kerouac, I'm finding that Jessica is like the Kristy Lee Cook of this competition (not really but kinda)

[SafeTinspector]

I think the last two weeks have eliminated exactly the right people, and I'm sure Comfort will be gone pretty soon as well.
I think you might've implied that Comfort was a contemporary dancer, but she is supposedly a "b-girl," or perhaps a hip-hop dancer.
I don't know, but it seems that there's always a big asterisk next to any assessments of her solo work. If you follow it to the bottom of the page it usually ends up reading as the condescending "-for a girl." But on its own merits she just isn't that great.

But on the boys end there's no one left that I think just 'needs to go'. Each year there is much made of which side is stronger, the girls or the boys. This year its pretty obvious that the boys are towering over the girls with a huge lineup of dudes with show-stopping skill, right? None of the girls (except for the young Chelsea, who seems to be as good an actress as she is a dancer if her command of emotive expressions is any judge) have done anything noteworthy beyond making their partners look good. Compare this to earlier years and its a bit sad, and I wonder what went wrong?

I guess, in short, you asked if I think Kourtni should've been kept a week longer than Comfort I think its a moot point since they are likely only a week apart in their departure anyway.

[VirusXXX]

I think the decision was ok. I do think, that either way it went....they would've eventually left the show (the next week)...but not because they're awful dancers. They're both really good, but I think that the show/judges kind of highlight certain couples more than others. I am a professional contemporary dancer;and a lot of the judges negative feedback is bullshit. Its a case of them just picking off till their favorites are left. Look at some of the comments. "Your feet was not in the right place" on some couples, but on others "oh..sometimes it just doesn't matter" (as far as technical issues)....like I said, the judges spit alot of bullshit out.....