SYTYCD Season 9: Top 20 Performances – Music and Instant Thoughts!

Here it is! The moment we were all waiting for! The Top 20 Performances… and a glimpse of what is going to happen throughout the remainder of the season.

First we open with a Group routine:

Group Dance: Top 20
Choreographer: Christopher Scott
Song: Kerry Muzzey – Architect of the Mind

Now we are going through the individual introductions of the dancers that are part of the show.

Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Kenny Ortega

According to Nigel, after all the votes are tabulated this week at the end of the episode next week two boys and two girls will be eliminated. Interesting.

Witney Carson & Chehon Wespi-Tschopp
Dance: Samba
Choreographer: Louis van Amstel
Song: The Cube Guys and Luciana – Jump
Thoughts: Considering this is Witney’s genre… this is really her thing, so she totally stole the show. I found moments that I really like watching Chehon, his technique in Samba isn’t all there yet, but there is something there that I can’t help but be drawn to. I have to agree with Mary, if he adjusts his foot placement he may actually excel in this genre more.

Tiffany Maher & George Lawrence
Dance: Contemporary
Choreographer: Sonya Tayeh
Song: Sleeping at Last – Turning Page
Thoughts: Considering that the music is from the Twilight: Breaking Dawn soundtrack, I am not surprised at the whole “star crossed lovers” concept. Sonya? Contemporary? Wuh? But… Oh Em Gee… look at it! That was breathtaking… I am really liking what Sonya came up with, but more importantly I really liked what Tiffany and George did with it when asked to dance. It was just gorgeous.

Janaya French & Brandon Mitchell
Dance: Hip Hop
Choreographer: NappyTabs
Song: Drake & Rihanna – Take Care
Thoughts: For some reason I felt like this was very a much “dance by number” kind of routine with a little bit of emotion mixed in there. Like they were concentrating too much on the choreo and steps and not enough with each other or the audience for that matter.

Alexa Anderson & Daniel Baker
Dance: Jazz
Choreographer: Sean Cheesman
Song: Dennis Ferrer – Hey Hey
Thoughts: I think I was too in awe of the choreography and the dance itself to really pay much attention to anything else.

Amber Jackson & Nick Bloxsom-Carter
Dance: Viennese Waltz
Choreographer: Jason Gilkison
Song: Tina Arena – Nights in White Satin
Thoughts: If I liked Nick before… I love him a lot now. He’s such an overthinker like me, so I can relate to his fear that he might not hit the expectations set on him, but personally I think he expects that much more out of himself as opposed to everyone else. This routine really seemed like it was floating on air a lot.

Amelia Lowe & Will Thomas
Dance: Pop-fusion
Choreographer: NappyTabs
Song: The Cure – The Lovecats
Thoughts: Wow, this is a very good number. NappyTabs have managed to reinvent themselves so that they aren’t entirely hip hop… this is very very interesting. Will and Amelia did a very good job with this piece and to think I was a little bit worried… Silly me. Considering that I didn’t know much about Will before… what is there to know except that he is a fabulous dancer and really a good “balance” with Amelia. They really looked like they were having fun in this dance.

Janelle Issis & Dareian Kujawa
Dance: African Jazz
Choreographer: Sean Cheesman
Song: Hilight Tribe – Jungle
Thoughts: Geez, what is it with Sean Cheesman and his love for technically advanced routines? I mean seriously! But what Daniel and Alexa lacked emotionally earlier today, Janelle and Dareian were able to achieve here… their personalities shown and they have charisma for miles. You can tell they were having fun and enjoying the dance. It was great to see.

Eliana Girard & Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer
Dance: Broadway
Choreographer: Tyce Diorio
Song: Hairspray (Original Braodway Cast) – Run and Tell That
Thoughts: As worried as I was for Cyrus in picking up choreographer I was pleasantly surprised just how well he was able to cope to picking up choreography. Granted one of Cyrus’ best assets is just how much of a performer and entertainer he is, which really works well with Eliana and her performing background as well. Based on this performance alone I would say that they are bound to be around for quite some time if they keep this up.

Audrey Case & Matthew Kazmierczak
Dance: Contemporary
Choreographer: Travis Wall
Song: The Righteous Brothers – Unchained Melody
Thoughts: Can we have a Titanic based dance show that Travis choreographs, because this was awesome. I really really liked it. These two are a really good pair together. I don’t know what else to say about this particular piece.

Lindsay Arnold & Cole Horibe
Dance: Paso Doble
Choerographer: Jason Gilkison
Song: E. S. Posthumus – Unstoppable
Thoughts: Love, Love, Love this routine. Actually if rumors are to be believed, Cole apparently has done some ballroom dancing… then again considering this is the Paso Doble it really does cater a bit to his strengths. I agree with the judges, as long as this couple keeps this up they may be the pair to beat.