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‘So You Think You Can Dance’: Two more eliminated (and not much else happens)

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There are some nights when you need to watch nearly every moment of ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ and there are others when you can lean a little heavier on the ol’ DVR fast-forward button. I’m not complaining, though. It feels like so far this season there have been very few episodes that weren’t power-packed, so I didn’t mind having a lighter episode.

To me, there was only one reason to tune in other than the results, and that was the opening dance, a striking performance heavily influenced by Asian culture choreographed by Wade and Amanda Robson. The guys were all dressed in black, with conical straw hats, performing some moves that seemed to be inspired by tai chi and serving as ‘invisible’ set movers for the girls, dressed in red, white and black kimonos with amazing makeup. Melissa Sandvig was arguably the star of the dance, the only girl in a white kimono, dancing en pointe, her face all in white. Catch it again if you can.

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Before revealing the bottom four, Cat Deeley announced that the show had been nominated for four Emmys for choreography, including a dance by former contestant Dmitry Chaplin, so it’s gratifying to see where the dancers can go after their time on the show is up.

The bottom four consisted of Randi Evans and Melissa, neither of whom was a surprise to me because the judges’ enthusiasm for Randi has been flagging slightly, and I think America perhaps wants a girl who can get a little funkier than Melissa. For the guys it was Kupono Aweau, who is no stranger to being in danger, and Ade Obayomi. I was surprised that Ade was down there only because I would have predicted Evan Kasprzak instead (although not by a wide margin). Maybe people just didn’t like Ade’s turn as a hypnotic pimp last night.

The bottom four all re-performed their solos, which was a little boring, although Debbie Allen continued to be a one-woman show. Debbie admitted that she wasn’t a fan of the pasodoble, and when Mary Murphy protested, Debbie said, ‘I’ve had enough of it, honey. I’ve had enough.’

Before the eliminations were announced, the Black Eyed Peas performed. I’m not their biggest fan, although I find their happy party music fairly innocuous -- they just seem to try to find an excuse to have big parties disguised as concerts. What I did take issue with was Fergie’s baton, seemingly made out of poodle fur. I hope she loses it, maybe in airport security or something.

We ended up bidding adieu to Randi and Kupono. Personally I’ll miss Randi a bit more than I will Kupono, but I don’t think the elimination was a travesty by any measure. I will be speaking with them Friday afternoon on a conference call, so if you have any suggestions on what to ask either of them, please leave them in the comments section.

Next week expect a big extravaganza as the show celebrates its 99th and 100th episodes!

— Claire Zulkey

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