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This was hard! There were a lot of routines that were equally good in my mind, so I had to work hard to limit myself to a Top 10. I gave myself 5 extra routines for group numbers that rocked – we had a lot of amazing group work this season, especially when you factor in the Meet the Top 20 episode. I did not consider “fairness” or equal distribution here. So I think you’ll see a lot of the same dancers, which didn’t surprise me, personally.

Paired Routines

1. “Machine Gun” Ellenore/Legacy Travis Wall

2. “Tore My Heart” Ellenore/Jakob Sonya Tayeh

3. “At This Moment” Kathryn/Jakob Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden

4. “Little Green Bag” Pauline/Peter Wade & Amanda Robson

5. “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead” Ellenore/Ryan Travis Wall

6. “2 Steps Away” Kathryn/Legacy Stacey Tookey

7. “Frog Dance” Noelle/Russell Sean Cheesman

8. “Put Your Hands on Me” Kathryn/Ryan Jason Gilkison

9. “Violentango” Ellenore/Ryan Miriam and Leonardo

10. “Put Your Hands On me” Kathryn/Ryan Jason Gilkison

Honorable Mentions (alllllmooooosssst): Kathryn/Legacy’s paso doble, Noelle/Russell’s “A Case of You” contemporary, Noelle/Ryan “Give It To Me Right” hip hop, Mollee/Jakob’s “Ordinary Day” waltz, Ellenore/Jakob “Gotcha” Broadway, Ashleigh/Jakob “Whatcha Say” hip hop, Ariana/Peter’s “Black and Gold” hip hop, Bianca/Victor’s “Wasted Time” contemporary, Ellenore/Russell paso doble, Kathryn/Russell hip hop (both finale).

Group Routines

1. Top 20 “Comanche” Wade & Amanda Robson

2. Top 12 “What’s a Girl to Do” Nappytabs

3. Top 14 “Aha!” Wade & Amanda Robson

4. Top 16 “Warrior” Dave Scott

5. Ariana, Channing, Jakob and Nathan “Cryin’” contemporary Tyce Diorio

These were my standouts, the routines I’d expect on a tour (with the exception of those who didn’t make the Top 10). What were yours?

I’m sure that people won’t like me talking about this, but when has this ever stopped me before? First, I should make it clear that when I write posts like this I’m mostly disappointed with the producers of SYTYCD and not Russell. However, one of the problems with writing a blog and being so involved in a show like SYTYCD is that you find out all the background story that the producers have chosen not to tell you. A part of me LOVES to know “the rest of the story” and the other part of me feels betrayed by the producers of the show. Either way, it is what it is and I still LOVE watching the dancers on SYTYCD. I think this is likely to never change.

With that preface, I was disappointed to read about all the formal dance training that Russell Ferguson had before going on SYTYCD. Here’s a short section of an interview Russell did with People.com where he talks about the dance training he had before the show:

You’ve often been referred to as a “street dance” diamond in the ruff but you’ve had some dance education, right?
I’ve been doing hip-hop all my life. So, I figured if I was going to take on any big dance projects later in life, I would have to learn other things to be well-rounded in the dance field. I did four years at Boston Arts and I did a good year at The University of the Arts, so I got a good amount of training in.

The judges portrayal of you as this unpolished stone. Was that accurate?
They know I had some form of training. But the thing is, a lot of people that do train, like that is what they do, that is their dance style, that’s their lifestyle. And me, I really did just come from the streets.

5 years of formal training? That’s a little more than just coming from the street. As I think back on some of the comments the judges made about Russell, you can tell that they knew about this information and were trying to maintain the persona that Russell was a “street dancer” without outright lieing. For example, I remember Nigel saying something like, “You’re basically an untrained dancer.” Then, he went on to compare him to Legacy when Nigel said, “You’re like Legacy, but you point your toes.” The interesting part is that I think Legacy actually is an untrained dancer. Russell is not.

Of course, when Russell won I think we all realized where he’d come from was the street. I absolutely adore that he won the show. I also loved how raw and real his reaction was when he won. I know some people didn’t like it too much, but to me it was beautiful. I’m not sure why he took his shirt off, but he was living in a moment that he probably thought he’d never experience. I don’t know all his background, but I bet Russell really does have a story to tell about where he came from and how he made it to an arts college and now as winner of SYTYCD. You could see the story in his face and in the face of his family.

This won’t be the first or the last time the producers don’t tell the whole story about dancers. I remember the outrage about this short post I did about Twitch dancing in Hairspray. No one had an issue that Twitch was in Hairspray. It was that the show acted like he hadn’t done anything like it before. To be honest, I’m amazed that the producers told us that Mollee was the principal dancer on all 3 High School Musicals. I guess they probably figured most people would find that one out anyway.

I don’t think any of this diminishes the quality of the dancing and the entertainment value that their dancing brings to me when I watch the show. All of that is amazing and it’s great that Russell can go out and do a Krump routine and follow it up with some ballroom. Is it just too much for me to wish that the producers didn’t produce the show so much. Probably.

Many, everybody’s been killing me with anticipation today on Twitter, so I have HIGH EXPECTATIONS for tonight’s show, including the music.

Opening song, layered over the Top 6 talking: “Sweet Disposition” -The Temper Trap (thanks Blair!)

Kelly Abby Top 19 Group Routine: “Scared of Me” -Fredde Le Grand ft. Mitch Crown

SPOILERS from here on out.

Lil C’s favorite with Russell, Legacy and Kevin: “Beggin’” -Madcon

Adam’s favorite with Ellenore and Jakob: “Tore My Heart” -OONA and Dave Tweedie

Nigel’s favorite with Peter, Bianca and Phillip: “Take the A Train” -Ella Fitzgerald

Mary’s request for new routine that the DiLillos danced and choreographed themselves: “Straight To…Number 1″ -Touch & Go

Leona Lewis performs the theme from Avatar (who apparently sponsored tonight): “I See You”

The Groovaloos perform to “Groovaloo Street” by Rapier & Burns (not yet on iTunes)

Nigel’s favorite with Kathryn & Jakob: “At This Moment” -Michael Buble

Tyce’s favorite with Mollee & Nathan: “Azeem O Shaan” -AR Rahman from Jodhaa Akbar

Ryan is #6 to “Where It Ends” -16 Frames

Adam Lambert performs “Whataya Want From Me”

Season 6 highlights recap to “Guardian Angel” by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Ashleigh is #5 to “Never Say Never” -The Fray

Adam’s favorite with Ellenore & Legacy: “Machine Gun” -Portishead

Debbie’s favorite with Noelle & Russell (tape): “Frog Dance -Mickey Hart

Ellenore is #4 to “Breathe” -Ryan Star

Lil C’s favorite with Ariana, Channing, Nathan and Jakob: “Cryin’” -kd lang

Mary’s favorite with Kathryn & Russell (tape): “I Can Transform Ya” -Chris Brown

Mary J. Blige performs “I Am”

Nigel’s favorite – the Top 20 group routine: “Comanche” -The Revels

Kathryn (NO!!) is #3 to “Something Beautiful” -Needtobreathe

Jennifer Lopez performs (with SYTYCD girls from Season 6 and seasons past!) Louboutins (not on iTunes yet)

The recap of Russell and Jakob’s journeys was played to “Time of Our Lives” -Paul van Dyk (thanks again, Sokko!)

We had such amazing music on the show this season! Check it all out here.

I just don’t know, y’all. Part of me thinks this is a slam dunk for Jakob (John already proclaimed him the SYTYCD season 6 winner back on the 8th). But part of me thinks Kathryn or Ellenore might still win it. Wishful thinking? Let’s see…

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Hi all! I’m Tabitha and you can usually find me over at Pure Dancing With the Stars  but I have recently become a SYTYCD addict as well. I watch Ellen everyday (thanks to the magic of DVR) and each week I enjoy seeing the voted off dancers from SYTYCD performing on Ellen. So I talked to John about the idea and here I am. For now enjoy Mollee and Legacy and I’ll try to get the others up soon!

I’d like to share a bit of yet another conversation between me and John and see what y’all think.

Emilie: and this season, i’ve felt like a flip flopper.John: you are a flip flopperalthough, i think a lot of people have flip flopped this seasonEmilie: i haven’t flip flopped THAT much this seasoni liked my favorites pretty early the only ones i flip flopped on were ashleigh, legacy and mollee oh, i flip flopped on karen, too.

Yes, I’m aware that I flip flopped on whether or not I was a flip flopper. So, let me be honest with myself and with all of you.

-I liked Mollee and then didn’t. And then did again after she got to the Top 10 and switched partners.

-I liked Karen and didn’t like Ashleigh. And then I liked Ashleigh better and Karen a lot less. And then Karen left and Ashleigh peaked (in my opinion) and I was ready for her to go again.

-I didn’t like Legacy, but then I was impressed by him in a lot of his routines with Kathryn. And then less impressed (or at least less reliably so) when he switched partners.

But it’s not just SYTYCD dancers I flip flopped over this fall season. I disliked most of Louis van Amstel’s work on SYTYCD, but out of curiosity (and John’s peer pressure), I started watching Dancing with the Stars sporadically. Louis’s partnership with Kelly Osbourne on there made me fall for him and his work. I’m excited to see more of it on SYTYCD in the future. Will that happen?

However, I also had a few solid passions this season. Peter. Sigh. Really wish he could be on the tour. Maybe the tappers could be “special guests,” eh Nigel? Loved Ellenore since Vegas and love her more today. Grew to love Noelle and Kathryn quickly into the Top 20. While I admire Jakob and I’ll be satisfied if (if? ha!) he’s the winner, I’m much more passionate about the girls this season, especially Kathryn and Ellenore.

Did anybody else feel like a flip flopper this season? Who made you flip flop? Any of the dancers have your love from day one?

I made my predictions last night and called them the “easy” solution to a hard choice. But in the meantime, I remembered how much Ashleigh’s grown on me and how many phenomenal routines Ryan’s had this season. And then, I wondered how Ryan’s plea for Ashleigh would impact whether they’d continue to the Top 6. And your comments scared me on behalf of Ellenore. I wonder what’s gonna happen tonight.

My thoughts, as the show unfolded…

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It’ll be interesting to see what happens tonight, who goes into next week’s Top 6 Finale. Kris Allen is playing tonight and I’m sure we’ll have some great music, as always.

Sonya Top 8 group routine: “Pon de Floor” -Major Lazer ft. VYBZ Kartel

Asia’s #1 pop group The Wonder Girls performed “Nobody”

Legacy danced his solo to “Flashing Lights”  by the Vitamin String Quartet
Ellenore danced her solo to “Hajnal” by Venetian Snares
Ryan danced his solo to “Din Da Da” by Kevin Aviance
Mollee danced her solo to “You’ll Find a Way” by Santigold (the Switch and Sinden remix)

Kris Allen performed “Live Like We’re Dying”

Mollee is sent home: “Never Say Never” -The Fray

Legacy is sent home: “Where It Ends” -16 Frames

If you’re hot to trot before the show starts, check out all the music from previous episodes here.

I predict an “easy” solution to a very hard choice for next week’s unprecedented Top 6. Maybe I’m all wrong – you’ll have to let me know what you think. But here are my predictions for tomorrow night’s results…

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It’s not that far into the show, but I’m already getting the feeling that the couples I worried about having chemistry aren’t gonna do so badly afterall. My thoughts, as they happened:

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