Season 1, Episode 4: Meet the Top 16

Well, after a very long hiatus, I am back – and writing about one of the most boring episodes SYTYCD has ever produced. There was zero dramatic tension, since most of the dancers who got air time in previous episodes had already gone home.

So instead of commenting on the episode itself, I thought I’d write about which of the top 16 I think are good enough to make it on to the show now. I’m making the judgment solely on what little dancing I’ve seen them do so far – which in many cases admittedly is just a minute or two. I’m also going to ignore everything I know about how good some of these dancers are now (particularly Nick, who is amazing in a Travis Wall piece set to Rolling in the Deep).

 The Guys:

-         Name: Nick Lazzarini. Genre: Contemporary

o       Nick’s got good technique and great charisma – a combination that’s the first requirement for anyone who hopes to succeed on SYTYCD. He also has some really neat tricks. If he were auditioning today, he’d be a shoe-in for Vegas. I don’t think he’s make it to the top 20, though, especially not on his first year of trying. He can seem a little forgettable, and I haven’t seen much of the competitive fire that makes Vegas auditionees stand out. Season 1’s Hollywood week was no where near as tough as Vegas is now, though, and I have a gut feeling that Nick would have emerged from the crucible of Vegas week at a much higher level then at the end of Hollywood week – which gives him decent odds of at least making it to the Green Mile.

-         Name: Jamile McGee. Genre: Hip-Hop

o       Jamile is really good in his own genre – he hits really hard, and has great stops, although he does pull his face around a lot when he dances. This is even more impressive because (as we find out in this episode) he was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 9 and was told he might never walk again. Between being a good hip-hopper and (it pains me to admit) the inspiring story, I think he’d make it to Vegas. However, his work in other genres seems pretty sub par, and I don’t think he’d last out Vegas week.

-         Name: Blake McGrath. Genre: Contemporary

o       Blake’s a very good dancer, but I don’t think he’s as good as he think he is. His style is very showy, with a lot of big, impressive tricks. He doesn’t seem to dance with a lot of heart (although Mia’s style might be an exception – he cried in her class). Blake’s biggest problem is his ego – not only is it off-putting, it gets in the way of learning. And that’s the thing about SYTYCD – you have to be likeable, and you have to grow as a dancer and as a person, otherwise no one will vote for you. Blake would definitely have made it to Vegas, but he only would have made it to the green mile if he changed his attitude.

-         Name: Artem Chigvintsev. Genre: Latin Ballroom

o       Artem is fantastic at ballroom, but they haven’t shown much of him dancing outside of his comfort zone. He would probably have made it to Vegas, but then who knows? Ballroom male dancers tend to have an advantage if they can make a decent show of even faking their way through other styles

-         Name: Ryan Conferido. Genre: B-boy

o       Ah, Ryan, our first token b-boy. He’s also the first with the standard b-boy story: can dance on his head, and can learn to dance on his feet. He’s only adequate outside of his genre, so I’m not sure how far he’d go – he’d still make it to Vegas, but the rest would depend on the other b-boys who auditioned.

-         Name: Allan Frias. Genre: Hip-Hop

o       Ok, I have to admit – I love Allan, and I’m really glad he was on Season 1. From the moment he smiles, you just want to be his best friend, and he’s a great performer. His dancing, however, just isn’t good enough to get him through. The producers wanted a “Mr. Personality” in this season, but I don’t think he would have made the cut any other year.

-         Name: Craig DeRosa. Genre: Contemporary

o       I think Craig could still make the top 20. He’s competitive and willing to work hard on other genres, and he learns impressively fast. In his own genre, he’s amazing, and you can tell that Mia is just waiting to grab him for one of her dances.

-         Name: Jonathan "Jonnis" Tannis. Genre: Hip-Hop

o       He probably would have made it to Vegas week with a “unique style” pass, but he doesn’t have the technique or versatility to make it any farther. I think he would have been out by the Vegas halfway point.

The Girls:

-         Name: Melody Lacayanga. Genre: Contemporary

o       Definitely a top 20 candidate, but I don’t think she would have made it on her first try. Although she’s a wonderful, versatile dancer, her performance doesn’t always seem to come from the soul, and she sometimes pulls her face around when she’s acting out an emotion.

-         Name: Ashlé Dawson. Genre: Contemporary

o       Her audition was amazing, so she would still be a shoe-in for Vegas. She clearly struggles with the stress of Hollywood week, though, so I’m not sure how she would deal with an even more stressful Vegas week. If she coped with the stress, I think she would have a decent chance of making it to the green mile and ultimately the top 20.

-         Name: Kamilah Barrett. Genre: Hip-Hop

o       She’s great in her style and decent outside her style. She always feels like she’s got a mask on, though, and she would have to learn to drop that if she wanted to make it past the green mile.

-         Name: Melissa Vella. Genre: Contemporary

o       Melissa is a beautiful dancer and I’m sure she could have made it to Vegas. Outside of her genre, however, she struggles just enough that I don’t think she’d make it through the whole week. Her hip hop is especially week – she just doesn’t hit hard enough.

-         Name: Destini Rogers. Genre: Contemporary

o       Destini is a strong dancer, but when I compare her to Sasha, the warrior princess of Season 8 – well, I can’t compare them because Destini isn’t close to being in the same league (confession: Sasha’s one of my all time favorite contestants). Destini would definitely make it to Vegas, but I’m not sure she’d make it much father – especially because the judges tell her she has to control her temper and learn to work well with partners.

-         Name: Snejana "Snow" Urbin. Genre: Latin Ballroom

o       Snow’s distinctive look and style would get her to Vegas, but I suspect she wouldn’t make it past the first day or two. Even Mary, the SYTYCD cheerleader and ballroom advocate, sighs that despite excellent technique Snow has trouble picking up choreography – even in ballroom.

-         Name: Michelle Brooke. Genre: Hip-Hop

o       This is the first time we’ve seen her on screen, so I have no idea what her dancing is like. Really, producers? I know this is the first season, but still!

-         Name: Sandra Colton. Genre: Tap

o       We’ve seen better, more versatile tappers struggle to make it on the show, much to my personal dismay. I don’t think Sandra could possibly do better than Ryan Kasprzak.

Next up, the first ever performance show! Are you ready?