So You Think You Can Dance - Performance Finale

Last Tuesday was the performance finale, and boy, it was jam-packed. Each dancer danced five routines - a group number, one with an all star, a solo, and three with each of the other finalists.

As a result, some of the routines felt rushed and not quite finished, but there was no question that these four deserve to be in the finals.  Each of them bring something different to the table, and although I am rooting for Jasmine and Aaron to win, I wouldn't be upset if Amy and Fik-Shun win.

Most favorite routines

1) Jasmine and Comfort's hip hop from NappyTab.  It was a surprise that contemporary dancer Jasmine chose hip-hop instead for her one chance to pick a style, but it was a risk that paid off.  Jasmine was fierce in this routine and pulled off the attitude and the moves as well as Comfort.  I think it was smart for Jasmine to do something different that will set her apart from Amy.

I am also glad that the show did not emphasize Jasmine's relationship with Cyrus since the beginning of the show.  She deserved to be there on her own merits and not just because she was Cyrus's ex-girlfriend.  It amazed me how SYTYCD can be so sensitive and on the point about stuff like this while American Idol usually pummels you over the head with this kind of story, and yet they shared the same executive producer in Nigel Lythgoe.  Maybe it was Ken Warwick that was the problem on American Idol?

2) Aaron and Melinda's tap from Anthony Morigerato.  It was fun to see something different on the SYTYCD stage like this tap routine.  Both Aaron and Melinda danced well, and Anthony choreographed a great dance to a fun song.  Annie Barrett from EW.com said it best when she said that this routine "really drove home the concept of tap as a conversation between two dancers (and between the tappers and the music) instead of just the necessary maintenance of a beat."

3) Fik Shun and tWitch's hip hop from Luther Brown.  This routine looked like tWitch as the big brother teaching Fik-Shun the little brother.  It was fun, fast-paced, and very well-danced.

Least favorite routines

1) Amy and Fik-Shun's tango/paso doble from Miriam Larici and Leonardo Barrionuevo.  I think it was a mistake to show even that brief moment of Miriam and Leonardo dancing, because nothing Amy and Fik-Shun would do would measure up to that.  Plus I still remember how amazing Leonardo was dancing with Hayley when he had to step in for the injured Curtis earlier in the season.  Amy and Fik-Shun tried, but the routine did not have the snap and the spark it needed.

2) Aaron and Jasmine's samba from Dmitry Chaplin.  This routine was just OK.  The dancers did not look fully comfortable dancing it, and it was their weakest routine of the night.

3) Fik-Shun and Aaron's Broadway from Tyce Diorio.  As far as a Tyce routine go, it wasn't bad.  But it was still overstuffed with too much props and movements.  I think Aaron outdanced Fik-Shun in this one.