Vegas week arrived on "So You Think You Can Dance," where the search for America's favorite dancer intensified. For some of the hopefuls, the choreography rounds proved to be a bit too much to handle. There were plenty of tears, accidents, and a few bad attitudes to spare. Here's how it all played out.
Solo Round
Vegas week began with each dancer having to perform a solo, which will give the judges a chance to narrow the field. Up first was Hampton Williams, who memorably auditioned under the "exorcist" style. Once again, he brought people to tears with his unusual, yet powerful mix, and was moved on to the next round. Belly dancer Janelle Isis followed, but unfortunately Martial Arts expert Tim Conkel did not, which was a shame, since his audition showed a wonderful personality that could have taken him far.
Hip Hop Round -- Twitch and Comfort
Twitch and Comfort are there to put the contestants through a hard hitting routine, which leaves some fan favorites questioning their skills. The most notable is Hampton, who decides to leave after realizing that his lack of training might be a barrier in the competition. The judges heap deserving praise on him, but understand his reasons and allow him to leave.
That is the trouble with sending some people straight to Vegas. Though they excel in their own unique style, they sometimes do not have the training to allow them to execute other styles of dance. The amazing guys from Dragon House were no exception, with two of the three roommates (Boris and Andre) being sent home after the first choreography round (well, Boris was sent home, Andre quit), leaving Cyrus alone to tackle Broadway.
Broadway Round -- Tyce Diorio
Tyce gives everyone a fun looking routine, but unfortunately not everyone takes advantage of the opportunity to play a character. Alexa Anderson, who nearly made it last year, was the one hit the hardest, especially from Adam Shankman, who told her that she wasn't giving them any light and needs to connect with her partner. Everyone there is talented, and as well as Alexa dances, she really does need to dig deeper if she wants to stay in the competition.
On a side note, though, it seems that Teddy Tedholm was giving off a really rotten attitude after being cut, sometimes such actions are understandable. He's been to Vegas before, at least 3 or 4 times, and has yet to make it. It must be frustrating to go so far and then just get cut, especially when you sometimes see people who have never auditioned before and make it passed you. Still, his choice of words ("See you never") might have been poor.
Jazz Round- Sonya Tayeh
The bad attitudes continue in the Jazz round, with Shafeek Westbrook being the most outspoken. First he complains that there isn't any room to practice, then wants to go home. He does make it to the stage, but messes up a little. Later, Sonya calls him out on his attitude, and the judges send him home. Unlike Teddy, Shafeek's came off a bit sour for some reason. Perhaps it was because his partner Danielle (the bacon girl) tried to encourage him, but with no luck. Speaking of Danielle, the poor thing agrees to help another dancer perform, and gets kicked in the head accidentally during the routine. She seemed okay, but the doctors did not want to take a chance and send her to get checked.
Group Routines
Ah, the group routines; the most drama inducing section of Vegas Week. Year after year, the show groups random dancers together and tasks them to create a routine from scratch. Sometimes they shine, but other times, they fail. This year, the dancers get to pick their own groups, which might help ease the drama (but actually doesn't).
Danielle arrives late and joins a group, which throws off their previous concept. They take to the stage, and the results are not good, and Danielle is sent home. Hopefully she'll come back again and won't have any mishaps to keep her from moving on.
Alexa comes under fire once again, with Tyce declaring that he is over her beauty and finally wants to see something from her. Mary agrees, which seems to make Alexa more determined than ever to prove herself to the judges.
Ballroom - Jason Gilkison
You know what; Alexa comes to life in the ballroom round, finally showing some spice during a wonderful cha cha. Even choreographer Jason Gilkison is impressed, calling her the best of the day. Her determination has paid off, and while Cyrus (the remaining Dragon House member) is giving it his all, he still has to dance for his life in order to stay in the competition. He wows the judges with his brilliant style and gets to move on.
If you ever have any doubts as to how much people want this, look no further than pink haired Aubrey, who came up with a brilliant concept for the group round, only to be cut later. As she sits on the floor crying, Aubrey laments about how she cannot find work and that she is at a loss of what to do. This kind of emotion shows just how high the stakes are, and how hard these dancers are actually pushing themselves.
Contemporary - Travis Wall
Travis Wall has become the new golden boy of choreographers, and it is not hard to see why; the guy is fantastic. Here he gives a difficult routine that once again challenges Cyrus, but he is able to pull enough together to make it through.
Final solos
Some of the guys are cut, but none of the girls, which means Alexa gets to move on to the green mile to see if she will get a shot to be on the show. A side note to the dancers: if you want to try a new trick, make sure it isn't one that might possibly end your time there. Joshua Alexander learned that the hard way, and ended up having to go to the hospital after a trick gone wrong knocked him unconscious.
What did you think of Vegas Week on "So You Think You Can Dance"?
