So You Think You Can Dance – The winner of the competition is clear

This is going to be the down and dirty version of a review because, really, we’ve pretty much seen it all on So You Think You Can Dance. Don’t you think?

No?

Well … show me where I’m wrong.

We saw Nigel announce no one was leaving the competition last week, but that two contestants will be ousted this week. A bit of a surprise, but just a bit. Drama.

And it’s rather pointless to critique the solo stints any of the contestants do going forward. They get on stage … commit their 30 seconds in their preferred style … and there you go. It is what it is at this stage of the game.

But I will say this coming after the solo from Lauren Froderman: She is going to win this competition. (She’s just some kind of wonderful. Can I get a witness?)

I really don’t see how she can’t win. She’s an animal on stage, and she puts more passion into a performance time and again than anyone left. (Kent Boyd about matches her, but she’s got the edge over him.)

Oh … there have been better performances than Lauren’s week in and week out. But collectively, throughout the season, we’ve seen her rise to the occasion and do things physically, as well as technically, that blow us away.

Just a few random notes on this episode:

• Kent and all-star Anya’s cha-cha was so severe and thrashing I thought someone was going to get thwacked. Snappy routine to a snappy tune.
• Robert Roldan’s contemporary offering with Kathryn didn’t work. Whereas I’ve come to love contemporary, their performance was a complete disconnect as far as I’m concerned. (I know … you agree with me.)
• Cute little Jose Ruiz does hip-hop? Again? That’s a stretch, I know. Funky as it was put to an Otis Redding classic, it lacked soul and passion. (Jose heads home on the elimination round, by the way.)
• Look! It’s a Broadway routine where the partners are … actually partnered! *faints* What will they think of next? Way to go Lauren! You forced me to like Broadway for a moment!
• And how could I not enjoy a piece mixed up to one of my most favorite and beloved tunes, “Fever,” despite being a gagtastic Beyoncé version?
• Pair-ups for the night consisted of Kent and Jose performing another rarity — a second routine of the evening where contestants actually danced a Broadway number … together! *faints anew*
• Lastly, Billy Bell and Robert. Doing Bollywood. *ugh* Hey … SYTYCD Powers That Be? Do us all a favor and toss this variant dance form out the freakin’ window. It’s got all the charm of a bag of hammers, and makes each and every contestant performing this style look like a bunch of amateurs.

Hmmmmmm … lookee there. I didn’t mention AdéChiké Torbert except for right here. He must not have thrilled me at all this episode, regardless of the fact that I like the cut of his jib.

Oh … and I believe Robert will be joining Jose in leaving us at elimination.

Clacked by Michael Noble
on Jul 29, 2010 @ 12:00 EST5EDT