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‘So You Think You Can Dance’: Your Top 20 (and reason for watching) revealed!

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Yay! This is the part of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ where I’m going to start telling people to watch. I tried getting my parents to watch the show last season, but they lost interest during auditions, which was a shame, but this season I won’t make that mistake. The best part of the show is watching dancers learn and perform new genres and with new partners week to week. It’s seeing professionals being pushed to their limit and performing at their peak -- it’s the particular challenge and mix of personalities that makes it such good TV. Seeing a ballet dancer dance ballet is one thing but seeing a ballet dancer dance hip hop with a Broadway dancer -- that’s awesome.

For now I don’t have too many thoughts on the Top 20 except for a few superficial observations. I’m really glad that Kuponohi’ipoi Aweau chose to go by ‘Kupono,’ for my own selfish typing reasons. I also think it’s funny that after he (wisely) shaved off his floppy mohawk, he’d be revealed to be slightly thinning on top.

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I think judge Mary Murphy was way over the top saying ‘I’m not going to sit and listen to this crap’ after Mia Michaels and Lil C iterated their problems with Brandon Bryant. Mia was extra harsh, sure, but Lil C hadn’t said much more than ‘I’m not that impressed’ before Mary snapped on him in near-tears. Mary’s outburst was especially silly since Brandon did make it into the Top 20. For the record, I fall between Lil C and Mia on Brandon -- his dancing certainly failed to make me weep the way it did Mary, but I can’t honestly say I perceived any attitude from him.

I also wasn’t very surprised that popper/locker Phillip Chbeeb made it to the Top 20 -- not many dancers don’t even have to try out, plus he represents everything the show is about -- a guy obviously connected to one (particularly modern) genre who can excel in others and who can be a bit of a clown onstage.

Finally, was I the only one confused until nearly the last moment about exactly which one of the Kasprzak ‘Broadway’ brothers made it through? A) I was unclear which one was Ryan and which one was Evan and B) Nigel had such nice things to say to Ryan (the bald one who did NOT make the Top 20), including that he shouldn’t cover up his pate all the time, so it was confusing whether he was giving Ryan advice for the show or for the future. I was slightly disappointed with the selection, I think because the show did go with the slightly more telegenic choice, and I always root for the baldy.

Even if Ryan and his whoopee cushion won’t be in the Top 20, it seems like another eclectic group and I’m excited to see it go to work. Tell your friends and family: Next week is the time to tune in to ‘So You Think You Can Dance.’

-- Claire Zulkey

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