"So You Think You Can Dance" is back, and luckily it left a majority of the bad auditions behind them. The Season 9 opener was full of amazing talent, some of which (as the cliché goes) we have never seen before. Here is a rundown of the highlights from the New York and Dallas auditions.
Best Actress: Amelia Lowe
Bringing some flapper flair to the proceedings, contemporary dancer Amelia Lowe wowed the audience and the judges with some big moves that would have fit right in during the silent film era. I'm not sure if she's pretending or not, but if she is, she nailed the look and character she was going for. The black and white package may have been a bit extreme, but it was still fun to watch.
The Where Did that Come From Award: Austin Freeman
After coming across as kind of adorkable and quirky, Austin Freeman quickly left on a sour note when he blamed the failure of his signature dance (The Wiggle) on the music. Sorry guy, not even "Born This Way" could have saved it.
Best Surprise: Shafeek Westbrook
Westbrook 22, brought a new twist on the usual b-boy audition by adding some contemporary flair. His moves were exciting, but his artistry was even better.
Most Heartbreaking Story: Leo Reyes
Reyes had a life changing moment after his mother attempted suicide, and decided that he needed to finally put his talent to good use in order to make her proud. With that strong audition, I'm pretty sure he did.
Best Overall: Chehon Wespi -Tschopp
This Swiss born ballet dancer was power personified. His leaps and extensions were gorgeous, but what killed was the incredible stage presence he projected. It will be interesting to see how he does in Vegas.
Best Scene Stealers: The Hafen Kids
No offense to mom Bree, who was terrific in her audition, but her adorable tykes Luke and Stella literally stole the show from everyone; especially Stella, who got up on stage and perfectly mimicked Bree's moves. Not bad for a toddler.
Most Daring: Stepheon Stewart and Hampton Williams
Bringing in two styles (zombie and exorcist, respectively), the two unique dancers wowed the crowd for completely different reasons. Stewart brought the entertainment value, while Williams brought an artistry rarely seen in auditions. Both were worthy of continuing, where they can hopefully pick up other styles in order to stay in the competition.
Biggest Guts Award: Sam Shreffler
We knew Sam wasn't going to make it through, but his bravery and joy of dance were to be commended.
Worst Attitude: Von Kipper
This b-boy did a lot of talking, but most of it was to trash a show that he hates, but yet still wants to be on. Even if his audition had been on par with the others, his attitude would have sucked any joy from the performance.
What was your favorite audition?
