SYTYCD Top 20 Power Ranking
Time to go ahead and do some power rankings of the 10 couples in the So You Think You Can Dance top 20. I was amazed at how hard this would be. I thought for sure it would be pretty easy to find the bottom 3 couples. Instead, I had a difficult time ranking them. Not to mention ranking the top couples. However, here’s the rankings of the strongest couples based on their dancing last night, their popularity (which really matters on SYTYCD) and other factors.
1. Jeanine Mason and Phillip Chbeeb – Phillip already has a really strong fan following. Jeanine turns out to be a great partner for Phillip. Between the popularity and their really nice performance last night, I’m placing them at the top of the power rankings.
2. Randi Evans and Evan Kasprzak – I almost put these two at the top of the power rankings. Evan is wildly popular. Their dance last night was great to watch and well executed. The only reason I didn’t rank them above Jeanine and Phillip was that I don’t think Randi is more popular than Jeanine.
3. Caitlin Kinney and Jason Glover – This couple is a really hard one. I think Caitlin is a pretty polarizing figure with a lot of really big fans and a lot of people that really don’t like her. Jason on the other hand seems to be very popular with a lot of people. Particularly with the ladies and we all know that the ladies vote more than the guys.
4. Melissa Sandvig and Ade Obayomi – The biggest surprise dance of the night. Some people are hating on Melissa for her age, but when you saw them dance you had to be surprised. I know I was and that performance last night probably raised them 2 spots on this power ranking.
5. Kayla Radomski and Max Kapitannikov – Kayla is in a position a bit like Caitlin. A lot of big fans and haters. Max isn’t as sharp as Dmitry or Pasha and that will hurt him. Not to mention the receding hair line won’t get him any votes. A really strong dance last night, but Max was lucky to get his own style. Kayla did a pretty good job keeping up too.
6. Janette Manrara and Brandon Bryant – I think these 2 dropped a few places on this list since they got the kiss of death: the foxtrot. It’s not as bad as the quickstep, but close. I think the judges let Brandon Bryant off easy on his performance. His frame was horrible and if it were any other guy Mary Murphy would have been all over him for it. She just has that little thing with Mia going on. The next dance I expect we’ll see the true Janette and Brandon come on. Now doubt Brandon has some faithful fans.
7. Ashley Valerio and Kupono Aweau – I think Kupono was a little unlucky to have Ashley as a partner. They both lucked out and got Wade Robson’s choreography and so they’re going to last. I think Kupono seems to be quite popular and people love him. For some reason people don’t seem to like Ashley very much. I love her story of trying out 4 times, but others don’t seem to have taken to it as much.
———————Line of Death….Known as the Bottom 3———————————
8. Karla Garcia and Jonathan Platero – This performance fell a little flat to me. Karla has incredible lines and is beautiful, but she didn’t get the cha cha action which makes the dance special. Something in both of their legs was just missing. I think fans will really grow to love Karla over time, but after that performance I see them in the bottom 3.
9. Asuka Kondoh and Vitolio Jeune – Probably the worst performance of the top 20. It was pretty disappointing. No one on the judges panel will say it, but I will. Tyce Diorio’s choreography really let them down. It’s unfortunate because I like both of these dancers. However, they are going to be in the bottom 3 and I think Asuka is likely to be sent home. Paris getting sent home in her place is her only hope I believe.
10. Paris Torres and Tony Bellissimo – This couple is so cliche. Beauty queen. Untrained dancer. Dance ending injury. Degree of improvement. etc etc. There performance was enjoyable, but I think it was more due to Tabitha and Napoleon’s choreography than it was their performance. I’d be ok with both of them go home. Just don’t be surprised if Tony is kept around by the judges for the shock and awe factor.
Nothing really to add…it looks about like what I would think! I think it’s pretty sure that Asuka/Vitolio and Tony/Paris will be in the bottom 3 tonight. I’m just hoping that Kupono/Ashley or Janette/Brandon go with them, as I really want to keep Jonathan around!
I think you’ll get your wish. I don’t see Jonathan going home even if he’s in the bottom 3.
I wholeheartedly agree with your predictions for the bottom 3. There’s something about Paris that I just don’t like, but it’s iffy because of Tony’s obviously irresistable charm and cute face (for both the fans AND the panel).
I really like Kupono but you’re right — Ashley just didn’t win me over in that performance even though it’s not like I don’t like her.
It would be a shame if Asuka goes home first… I think many people are interested in seeing her do something so outside of her element considering what a strong ballroom dancer she is. That Broadway routine just felt like it had no energy and no “wow” moments.
Melissa and Ade’s performance was beautiful. Simply put. It just flowed. It felt like it went by so fast and I did NOT want it to end!
Tony’s irresistible charm doesn’t do anything for me, but that’s probably because I’m a guy.
I agree with Asuka. You described my feelings well. I want to see her do another style.
Tony doesn’t do anything for me, either, John…and I am a girl. 🙂
On the other hand, I DO like Ashley. I think she’s really cute, I love her I-tried-out-four-times story, and I think she totally rocked the crash test dummy dance. Both her and Kupono did (and I was all set to hate him.) Their characters were so different, and yet similar enough to place them both in the same “world.” I was so impressed.
Woot!! I’m so glad that I correctly predicted the bottom 3.
Stephanie,
I’m with you for the most part on Ashley. I really liked her story. I also thought she did well with Kupono. I’m just not sure if I’m going to like her as much when we see her and not the character that she was playing on last night’s episode. We’ll see.
[…] little bragging… I was so happy that my So You Think You Can Dance power rankings were dead on with the bottom 3. I’m going to have to plan on making the rankings every week. […]
wanted kayla radomski to know her dad has been watching the shows along with other family members. she got her talent from him, he loves her and is so proud. single mom and grandparents story getting a little old, but glad she has grandparents do to this for her.
dawn,
Thanks for offering a little perspective to the situation. I think it’s true that we kind of buy in to the story that they produce on the show, but there’s always another side. Kind of reminds me of Jessica Price from America’s Got Talent whose father wasn’t in the picture.
Do Kayla and her father still have a relationship?
Great round-up and I very much agree. I’m an Aussie fan of the show and just saw the Top 20 performance and review shows. I picked the bottom 3 as well… no surprises really.
The biggest surprise of the night for me was Melissa. She seemed somewhat artificial in the snippets I had seen of her but turned out to be really believable, genuine and likeable! Also Kayla, who didn’t impress me before, is impressing me now.
Ashley rubs me the wrong way personality-wise but I was very taken with her dancing.
I really liked Paris and would’ve liked her to stay over either of Karla or Asuka (who *does* rub me the wrong way), but I’m not surprised she went home – her solo wasn’t strong enough.
All in all, amazing start to the season! Go Evan! 🙂