Yeah, I watched it. I watched those Top 12 SYTYCD dancers dance their last dances as partners. And, in the case of two of them, their last dances evah.

The thing I loved most about this installment wasn’t even on stage. He was sitting behind the judges panel, being delightful, and witty, and the biggest fanboy of SYTYCD, yes, evah! And if I didn’t already heart Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson–which I totally did–I would love him even more now for his impassioned plea for Cat Deeley to finally get her Emmy Bestest Hostess nod. Which, this morning…they finally got it right, and did!! ABOUT TIME! Congratulations, Cat!! So deserved!!

What, you didn’t know the Emmy nominations were announced this morning? Go here and check them out! It was a weirdly interesting blend of network and cable nods that, with a few exceptions in a few random categories, didn’t excite me a whole lot. But then, I don’t watch Boardwalk Empire or Mad Men, so maybe that’s why. They were everywhere.

Okay, so back to dancing… It’s been an interesting season of new and interesting choreographers and very skilled dancers which has somehow failed to generate the kind of buzzing enthusiasm in me for Wednesday nights that it has in the past. I mean, I watch, I enjoy, but then I forget the dances almost immediately after the show is over. It didn’t used to be like that. Last night was kind of more of the same. Nice dances nicely danced. Some better than others, none horribly, and one or two quite goodly. But the only pair I will miss seeing dance together is Melanie & Marko. They have a clearly sincere bond and are quite fond and respectful of one another, and they dance with an utter joy and abandonment that is honestly compelling.

The other five pairs….eh. Mitchell and Caitlyn come the closest to compelling for me, but the rest I find myself truly enjoying one half of the pair, and the other not so much. The surprise for me this season has been how much I can’t take my eyes off of Jess when he dances, but could happily never see Clarice dance again. I realize I differ greatly with the judges on this, but that’s how it is for me.

So, a rundown…

Tadd and Jordan had a fierce first dance that I enjoyed a great deal, as memorable as they can be, they were. Their second dance, however, was unfulfilling and softly generic. I think Jordan does well when she’s performing, but she isn’t truly grabbing me, despite the fact that she’s one of the better girls up there skill wise. Tadd however, grabs me and never lets go. I cannot wait to see him unfettered by Jordan.

I feel the same about Jess and Clarice. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him in either of their numbers and thought Jess truly brought it to the jive last night, but all Clarice brought was a flashy dress. I thought her very studied and tentative and Jess so easy, smooth, and natural. Clearly the judges watched some other performance entirely. I felt bad that Nigel called out Jess for the imbalance in the picture they make when he lifts Clarice, who is bigger than he is. Not much he can do about that, and should be applauded for how smoothly he manages to do so despite the disparity. A disparity he can’t fix or change. And that the show handed to him in the first place. Seriously, Nigel? I can’t wait to see Jess cut loose from Clarice and will be surprised if she has any real following of her own, despite what the judges seem to think about where the strength is in their partnership.

Ditto for Ricky and Ryan. I like Ryan more than some viewers seem to, but Ricky is a light that needs to shine without his bold, blonde partner overdancing around him. He’s all sinew and grace and needs a partner who can compliment that. Actually, despite my comments just now, matching him with the sinewy Clarice might be interesting…. I think Ryan will suffer and Ricky will soar when they are apart. That said, I enjoyed the Frank Sinatra jazz routine a great deal last night, precisely because it was understated and smooth. I love 50’s movies and this brought that feel to me, so maybe it was the remembered nostalgia that made me smile, but it was one of my more enjoyable times watching them. Ricky nailed, and I mean, nailed the cha cha. Yowza. Ryan did over dance it, but wasn’t as bad as they made her seem. And who knows, maybe she will shine more with an All Star partner. I doubt she’ll go home tonight, so perhaps we’ll find out!

That brings us to Sasha and Alexander. Sasha is a presence on stage, that is true, but if you go back and watch that paso, she didn’t have much energy through her legs and lower body, it was all upper body posturing. I was really surprised the judges didn’t call her out on that. And Alexander did really shine this week, but I can’t wait for him to get separated from Sasha and allowed to shine a bit on his own. Will he? Hard to tell, but I’d like the opportunity to find out. I never felt chemistry from them, which was sadly the case with almost every pairing this season.

Except Melanie/Marko, who danced the daylights out of both performances last night. Marko’s hold in the tango wasn’t great, but the choreography Louis (Louis!!) gave them was so difficult (and so cool and interesting and unique!!) that I was really drawn in throughout the performance. They had execution issues, but they sold it so well, I enjoyed every bit of it. Ditto with their last routine. So evocative and honest. Love love love these two. I know they will shine independently, but hope they get to dance together again as well.

Mitchell and Caitlyn also have great faith in each other, and it shows when they dance. They don’t have the compelling, deep connection Mel and Marko do, but their trust in one another is so complete, that it does carry through on stage. However, I can’t say I’m dying to see them dance together again, though I am very, very interested to see how they do with their All Star partners.

So, that leaves us with who goes home this week…

Bottom Three Girls: I think that’s a really tough call. Of the six remaining girls, for me, it would be Clarice. She simply doesn’t connect with me at all as a dancer and I don’t think she brings anything beyond serviceable to her performances. Also in the bottom three girls would be Ryan and, for me, Jordan. Now, Jordan does bring it, but it’s repetitive and I don’t know that she truly sinks into her character - though that Vulture Dance was powerful. But so was Ryan’s fashion dance last week…and look where that got her. I don’t think it’s about individual performances at this point, but who you truly want to watch. I want to watch Mel, Caitlyn, and Sasha, more than I want to watch Clarice, Ryan, or Jordan. So….there ya go.

Bottom Three Guys: On the men’s side, Marko, Jess, and Tadd are the ones that most compel me. With Mitchell and Ricky being right in there. That leaves Alexander going home for me. I honestly don’t know who will be in the bottom with him. But of the six, he’s the obvious out for me. A shame, he’s wonderful, but not as memorable.

What say you, SYTYCD Blog Babes? Who do you anxiously await to see dance? Are you hoping for an Alex Freaking Wong All Star pop up? What All Stars would you like to see? Who would you pair with Mel? With Marko? I am VERY excited about next week, to get to see some old favorites and find out what they can elicit from our current crop. But first, we find out who goes home.

Tune in tomorrow for my SYTYCD Send Off blog rant, AND the winner of this week’s Free Stuff Friday! See details on how to enter in Tuesdays blog post here…or over on Cakes by the Cup Blog. Yes, you have TWO chances this week to win an advance review copy of UNWRAPPED, Shay’s story and the finale of the Hot Scot trilogy. So what are yo uwaiting for? Go enter…then come back here an DISH!!

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