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The seventh season finale had good choreography and great performances, but none really lived up to their dancers' potential. While watching Lauren and Twitch's NappyTab routine, I longed for the western dance they all did together instead. Seeing Lauren and Kent together was wasted in that forgettable Jazz number, especially when the producers kept looking back at their kiss. And Robert drowned in the shadow of his idol, Mark, that I failed to notice any of his moves. So instead of glossing over what seemed like any typical performance episode, let's look back at my seven favorite performances of the season.

1: ALEX & TWITCH, HIP-HOP- I was literally on the edge of my seat watching this performance, as Alex threw away his ballet moves and hit the beat so hard, I actually had to rewind and watch this again.2: LAUREN & TWITCH, HIP-HOP- Coming a close second was this Western-themed Hip-Hop number, with Lauren executing unexpected moves like a pro, making this season Napolean and Tabitha's best one yet.
3: BILLY & ADE, CONTEMPORARY- Billy's most vulnerable and finest performance, with Ade proving to be the most consistent partner ever.
4: ROBERT & ALISON, CONTEMPORARY- I still get teary-eyed rewatching this heartbreaking ode to a son's relationship with his sick mother.
5: ADECHIKE & COMFORT, HIP-HOP- Comfort stole my attention away for so long that I didn't even notice Adechike's gut-wrenching take on the relationship until I watched it again and, of course, cried.
6: BILLY & COMFORT, KRUMP- No one else seemed to enjoy this one, but I loved it, especially since Billy unexpectedly handled the execution so well.
7: KENT & NEIL, CONTEMPORARY & BROADWAY- I couldn't decide which I liked best, his tale of betrayal or his tale of fun, but either way, this partnering was excellent.
Considering that I liked two of Kent's routines the best, maybe he should be the winner, but I am going for Lauren, who was probably the most consisent of the three. She knew how to balance the masculine strength of any dance with a side of vixen femininity. But really, this was a powerful final three, and if any of them win, it will be fine by me!

Who do you think will win season seven? Were there any standout routines from the finale? And if you're in the Los Angeles area today from 2-4pm, go to Bloomingdale's in Century City and meet So You Think You Can Dance alumni Legacy, Noelle, Melissa, Caitlin, Gev and Chelsea!

Well we know who the judges don't want in the finale. Poor Adechike was probably the most critiqued out of the top four and then was given backhanded compliments (subliminal message to viewers: he is perfect for fourth place, so don't vote). Despite never being one of my favorites, this obvious ploy for viewer manipulation makes me hope that he makes the finale, especially since he has never been in the bottom three! As for the rest of the night, I thought Lauren performed best overall and that Robert is most deserving of going home. Here are my rankings of the dancers from favorite to least:

LAUREN: I loved both of her routines; her Argentine Tango was so sultry and she stayed in character throughout, the one misstep being her wobbly leg when trying to achieve her one-leg-wrap around Pasha, while her Jazz was so strong, as she looked like Catwoman dancing around Ade in that jumpsuit and heels.

KENT: His Contemporary was the best of the evening, as he told the story really well with Neil and performed a death-defying leap (pictured), but his Disco, while well-partnered with Courtney, seemed flat.

ADECHIKE: While both of his routines were well performed, he could have been more grounded in his African Jazz routine with Lauren and, somehow, stronger in his Contemporary with Kathryn, who stole the show, even when he was doing a hop into some splits.

ROBERT: His Vienesse Waltz with Anya will not gain him any votes, as with those kinds of dances they end up being forgettable, but his Hip-Hop was fun, mostly thanks to some creatively inspiring choreography from NappyTabs.

What did you think of the evening? Did you want to fast-forward through Tyce's judging parts as much as I did? Did you like his Broadway routine in the beginning of the show? Post away!

Unlike last week when we were served with pretty good performances and two excellent hip-hop ones, this week served us with unmemorable routines, except for two (and for very different reasons): Billy and Ade's Contemporary was outstanding, while Jose and Comfort's Hip-Hop was disappointing. Since everything else was so mediocre, its almost impossible to rank the dancers, so I will just critique the dancers in alphabetical order. But before I do that, I will compliment the solos and say they were finally all great this week!

ADECHIKE: Of the three remaining contestants who have never been in the bottom three, this seems like the week where he might show up there (and get picked off by the judges) based on his forgettable but nicely performed (great legs and jumps!) Jazz routine with Courtney and bland Foxtrot with Lauren that lacked the sexiness that Beyonce was oozing from the speakers.

BILLY: The perennial bottom three dweller may get a free pass this week thanks to the excellent Ade-assisted Contemporary number that he danced with such reckless abandon that he somehow made messy look beautiful, but that Bollywood number was overpraised, with his one fine move happening at the beginning as he crouched down and perfected his lines.

JOSE: As Nigel so bluntly explained, this will most likely be the b-boy's last week, as his Hip-Hop piece with Comfort was atrocious, no thanks to the horrible music and dance choices of the choreographers, and his Broadway routine with Kent was cute, but shouldn't garner him any new fans.

KENT: Aside from his basic Broadway with Jose, he performed some great hip-action on his Cha Cha . . . when he was actually given the chance to dance (!); to no fault of his own, he hardly moved in the piece and just assisted Anya with all of her more difficult moves.

LAUREN: She is usually given a stand-out routine weekly, but not this time, as her Foxtrot was limping to the finish line and her Broadway number with Allison was good, but not great, although she showed more sexiness in this routine than in her last.

ROBERT: His Contemporary with Kathryn was beautiful, yet sloppy on those lifts, and he actually pulled off sexy, if nothing else spectacular, in a Bollywood number performed with Billy, but will these middle-of-the-road performances be enough to keep him out of the bottom three?

What did you think of tonight's performances? Is Ade the best partner anyone could ask for? And why is this season cursed with injuries? Let's hope for a quick recovery for Lauren and post away!

Here's are my thoughts on the contestants, from best to worst:

LAUREN: She absolutely killed it in her Hip-Hop number with Twitch, hitting every beat perfectly and successfully executing every move, plus she outshined Robert in their Samba thanks to her more fluid moves, although her Contemporary solo was the same typical stuff we see each and every week.

ADECHIKE: Had the best solo of the evening, as his Contemporary routine was powerful with beautiful lines, and rewatched his moving Lyrical Hip-Hop with Comfort (who stole my eyes away since she truly, as Mia said, was "Mary J. Blige as a dancer") to grasp his excellent emotional involvement in the piece, but his Paso Doble was seriously lacking in the partnering department, even though he did outperform Jose.

ROBERT: Middle-of-the-road tonight, his Samba steps were quite impressive in solo form but overall lacked the finesse of Lauren, his Contemporary solo was emotional and pretty but could have used longer extensions, and his Jazz routine with Lauren was definitely sexy but really only stayed that way when they were touching, so I think a third trip to the bottom three might be inevitable.

JOSE: His B-Boy solo finally added something a bit different, as his cute pauses went well with the music, but Adam was right when he stated there wasn't much dancing in his Contemporary routine with Allison, which definitely helped hide his technical flaws, and that Paso Doble of his was just not powerful enough, as it looked like he was doing laundry instead of whipping around that cape, which makes me think he will be back in the bottom three and voted out if Billy is able to dance again.

KENT: Seriously overhyped tonight with anecdotes that had nothing to do with his dancing but instead with his inevitable win ("You are the one to beat!" duh), as each of his routines were the worst in all categories, from his boring Contemporary solo to his forgettable Jazz number with Kathryn to his weak Step routine with Twitch, who served the contestant on Steppin' 201 so badly, with Kent never fully committing to the moves as he was trying to catch up so quickly.

BILLY: And the doctor says . . .

What did you think of tonight's performances? Am I being too harsh on Kent? Why did Robert smell his hand then scratch his forehead? And don't you love Cat Deeley? Post away!

After a week away in Puerto Rico, I am back to review the season 7 contestants! And just in the nick of time, when almost all of the performances were near top notch. Luckily, I'll be going to the taping of the elimination episode Thursday, so if there's any behind the scenes scoop, I'll be sure to share with you next week! Until then, here are my rankings of the contestants from best to worst:

ROBERT: It's too bad he didn't end his night of competition with that powerful Contemporary piece about a son and his sick mother that he performed with Alison, full of raw emotion and amazing legs, but it was so strong that it should keep him from making his third appearance in the bottom three even though he left the audience with that passable Disco number that was a tad too fast for him.

KENT: His cheekiness was used to perfection in an inventive baseball-themed Broadway number, in which he showed off his impressive acrobatic skills while sliding to home (even though he looked at his partner Neil a little too much for guidance), but while his Contemporary piece was performed strongly, it was nothing to remember about the next morning. 

JOSE: It was not really fair that he miraculously pulled what might as well have been a "choose your own dance" card, but his B-Boy moves with Dominic never looked so good under the mentorship of NappyTabs, who should just choreograph all of his solos, but as much as I loved the theme of his Broadway piece with Courtney, it's true that his lack of personality and the routine's lack of dancing showcased his lack of dance training, especially when he tried to pull off a mid-air roundabout kick that never went full out. 

LAUREN: This one is a natural star, outshining her partner Billy in their cute, but forgettable, shoe-hogging Jazz routine, but she really showed off her assets in her Tahitian dance with Mark, shaking those hips like she studied the movement all her life, although I wish her upper body showcased more womanly sexiness.

BILLY: Fell into the shadow of partner Lauren in their Jazz routine and was slightly overexaggerated in his Jive number with Anya, but he was lucky to have incorporated so much of his excellent leg work into the routine, which was fast-paced and more fluid than Adechike's ballroom number, although I still think he will end up in the bottom three for a third week in a row, which should have him eliminated if it wasn't for Ashley's broken ribs or the judges dislike of Adechike.

ADECHIKE: A definite good job on his Contemporary number with Kent, but was overpraised on his sloppy Salsa with Anya, as he proved to be a weak partner, lacked fluidity, and kept his body too loose, but to his credit, it was incredibly difficult choreography, harsh enough to place him in the bottom three for the first (and, if Ashley gets better, final?) time.

ASHLEY: Broken ribs might do her in, leaving Lauren the only female amongst the top six.

What did you think of the contestants this week? Did you laugh when the judges cracked up after catching Dominic use a sword as a sexual double entendre? Did your heart melt when seeing Jose's face after his Broadway critiques? And when will Robert learn to stop mugging the camera? Post away!

Cat said it best at the introduction: "Three girls left! Stretch your knees!" I have no idea what that meant, but it was as random as this show gets and I love it. It looks like there will only be two girls (bye, Melinda!) next week, so maybe her quote will be "Two girls left! Point your toes!" Here are my rankings of my favorite dancers this week from best to worst:

ALEX FREAKIN' WONG: When he performs like he did Tuesday night, he deserves the Kent-approved middle name, as he not only performed an inspired and strong best-of-the-night solo, but he took that Hip-Hop number with Twitch and hit every beat, making this the first performance this season I rewound and watched again.

BILLY BELL: His first and last names are peas in a pod and must always be linked; now onto the performances: his solo was amazing, giving me unexpected movements with each sound, but his Contemporary routine with Kathryn was typical (but still good) and lacked the performance aspect that the judges rightfully grilled him on.

ROBERT: On a night when there were too many obvious Contemporary solos, his was the best of the mediocre bunch, as he choreographed to nearly every beat to keep it exciting, while he fully committed to his Jazz number with Courtney, although I couldn't help thinking how much better it would have been with All-Star Mark dancing in his place. 

ASHLEY: Another typical Contemporary solo (with a beautiful backwards flip), but her Contemporary duet with Ade was the runner-up best dance of the night, as she has proved once again that she is the most trusting partner of any contestant this season and was very impressive as she layed suspended in mid-air, knowing that Ade (possibly the series' best partner) grasped onto her tight.

ADECHIKE: He performed a very masculine solo with strong movements and an interesting spin down onto one leg, while his Hip-Hop with Lauren was a hip-flop for me, as I didn't understand the judges overrated compliments to the guy for finally showing a personality despite performing it out of sync with his partner and being too loose, making it look more like a Broadway or Jazz routine, so I am going to guess for the third (and probably incorrect) time that he will be in the bottom three.

JOSE: I am over his solos, which look like any routine from a juvenile street dancer on 3rd Street Promenade, but his Samba with Anya kept my attention despite a lack of hip action, as he almost turned into Rico Suave and performed very well for having no choreography background, but I find it odd that the least trained dancer has been getting the most difficult routines (sabotage, anyone?), making me think he might show up in the bottom three.

LAUREN: Another typical Contemporary solo (with wonderfully light leaps), so thank goodness she had a wardrobe malfunction during her way-too-simple Broadway number with Neil that should help audience members remember her or else I would have guessed she would have made the bottom three.

KENT: Another typical Contemporary solo (with an effortless backwards somersault) that didn't help him gain any new fans, especially after that Jazz routine with Alison that was too cautious and not sexy, but he has enough of a fan base to keep him going all the way to the finals.

MELINDA: While Mia and Adam harshly told her they made a mistake in keeping her over Christina last week, those are the facts, especially after watching her lack of musicality in her solo and stiff upper body in her Pasha-assisted Salsa, so despite an uneven amount of guys and girls, it will become even more polar once she gets eliminated this week.

What did you think of this week's top 9 performances? With two Alicia Keys songs serving as dance music, should the show have an artist-theme night? Why did Adam refer to two male contestants as "honey"? And should Kent grow chest hair to become a man? Post away!

I'm still having trouble watching the newbies, but I need to get over it (or at least watch the dance twice so I can see both- there are just not enough hours in the day, though). Anyway, I loved seeing some of my favorite types of dances on this episode, from Krump to Argentine Tango. So without further Ade ado, here are my rankings from most favorite to least:

BILLY: For some reason, the judges hated his Krump routine with Comfort, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well he strongly hit every beat and was convincing as long as I didn't think of him as "Billy Bell."

ROBERT: I love the Argentine Tango because it is so casually sexy, and Robert really lived up to the dance, although his partnering with Anya could use a little more finesse.

ADECHIKE: Dancing his own Contemporary style with Allison, he came off as positively controlled and masculine, but he is probably the most forgettable of the men and will end up in the bottom three.

KENT: He was very good with the physicality portions of his Jazz routine with Courtney, especially that back-flip onto the table, but he needs to work on his transitions more so they don't appear to be prepared.

JOSE: His Bollywood number with Kathryn was messy but impressive, keeping up on this fast-paced choreography (look at that floor spin!) despite looking to his partner for reminders.

ALEX: While his Broadway routine with Lauren was precise and clean, I just didn't get any true personality from this performance.

LAUREN: Despite the uncontrollable hair and odd outfit, her Lyrical Hip-Hop number with Dominic was touching if a bit overperformed, her aggressive stomping appearing to be a lack of choreography than anything else.

CRISTINA: The Pasha Paso Doble should be sexy and aggressive, but Cristina's transitions needed to be more seamless with Pasha, although there were true moments of amazement, especially when she did that mid-air wrap-around spin.

ASHLEY: Nigel was correct in stating that this Jazz number looked more like Contemporary, which could hurt Ashley considering it's her style yet she came off as unmemorable and started off kind of lazy, which makes me think she will end up in the bottom three and eliminated.

MELINDA: Ade is such a great partner, and he really was there for her during their Contemporary routine, but she just comes off as acting a part instead of feeling it, and that could turn off a lot of viewers to her, which makes me think she will end up in the bottom three.

What did you think of the performances? Was Cat inappropriate when she asked Dominic that question about going deep? And why did Robert make that awkward barfing gag face when his numbers were being read? Post away!

I'm still not as gung-ho as the judges (and many of my Facebook friends) are for the all-star format this season. My problem is that I want to watch the season seven competitors, but when they are performing alongside my favorites Ade, Comfort, Courtney, Kathryn and Pasha, it's hard to notice their dancing. Therefore, I'm not going to rank the 11 contestants just yet, but give a brief overview of what I thought about their performances, in order of appearance.

BILLY: Dancing a Broadway routine with Lauren, Billy had impressive freakin' (oh, Kent) leg kicks, but that is about all that stood out among a performance that just seemed too easy for such a technical dancer as himself, so he needs to kick it up a few notches if he doesn't want to be forgotten.

CRISTINA: The choreography and music were the highlights of this Jazz performance, as Cristina just followed the steps (and seemed to have lazy limbs at times), while Mark (who seems a little arrogant this season) paled in comparison to some of his best work, especially his last routine with Sonya.

JOSE: Lucky to get hip-hop (breaking is a subclass, Nigel) for a second week in a row, Jose lacked the stage presence that his last season counterpart Legacy exhibited, and was outshined by the always bubbly Comfort.

ADECHIKE: Kathryn has grown into a sexy woman these past six months, and that scared the shit out of Adechike, who was a fine partner in this Jazz routine but lacked any connection to her, which makes me think he will be in the bottom three and voted out since there are one too many guys, unless he pulls off an amazing solo again.

MELINDA: I was very impressed with her footwork on that side-by-side shot with Pasha in their quick Jive, but she was also closed off in her torso and didn't know what to do with her extra hand at times, which makes me think she will be in the bottom three and, if Adechike passes his solo test, will be voted out for a tame tap number.

ALEX: It almost didn't seem fair having him compete this Contemporary number with Allison, what with his beautiful lines and extended limbs, but he and Sonya were far too overpraised, as her choreography and his emotions seemed forced and not genuine.

ALEXIE: Instead of Hip-Hop, this was more Hip-Pop, as Alexie smiled her way through this routine with Twitch and lacked any sexiness that she implied in her video package, but she sure did have a nice groove and a winning smile.

LAUREN: Another performance that was led by the music and choreography, the judges correctly noted the empty space that happened onstage, as Lauren lacked any presence during this Ade-partnered Pop Jazz performance.

KENT: I was pleasantly surprised at how well the country boy partnered with Anya on this Cha Cha, as I was expecting him to get slobbered, but he made out pretty well for himself, giving the audience a good, though not great, performance.

ASHLEY: She showed how to trust a partner in her Contemporary piece with Neil, as she leapt through the air like she had no worry in the world, but too bad the producers and/or cameramen don't see a future for this girl, as her solo was the only one not shown (awkwardly focusing on Alex instead when he was done dancing) and her coming-up segment was quickly panned to a wideshot, making me think she will end up in the bottom three and, if Adechike passes his solo test and Melinda shows off her star status, will be voted out for being forgettable. 

ROBERT: His African Jazz routine with Courtney could have been more down and dirty, but he was quick-moving and never stopped for a break, which was impressive, although his goofiness is verging on annoying.

So who do you think will be in the bottom three? Why do NappyTabs love choreographing to Ne-Yo songs? Was Cat Deeley trying out a new pose with her hip heavily popping to the side? And why did the cameraman hate on Ashley so much? Post away!

Better than last week, but very odd song choices as usual for this season. I would love to see a full episode of all duets with every contestant combination left, but don't know how that would happen. Maybe during Idol Gives Back week next year, when they don't eliminate any contestant? Anyway, Jamie Foxx was his typically indulgent self, and now onto the my rankings from best to worst:

CRYSTAL / LEE: Their cover of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova's "Falling Slowly" started just so, but nicely built up into a grand chorus of vocals and emotions with the duo singing different lines over each other, connecting perfectly by the end. A-

MICHAEL LYNCHE: While the judges weren't feeling his Gospel-infused version of Michael Jackson's "Will You Be There," I liked how he incorporated that musical styling into his perfomance with the back-up singers and basically ad-libbed through most of the song, but I still think he will end up in the bottom two. B+

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX: I didn't care for her choice of Kenny Loggins' "I'm Alright," which was a standard Crystal performance (still good!) that will be forgettable in a month's time. B

CASEY / MICHAEL: Their performance of Bryan Adams' "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman" was nice but kind of flat, with no peaks (or valleys) that took us on a journey. C+

LEE DEWYZE: Taking on Seal's "Kiss From a Rose" is so Hollywood week, so it baffled me why he even chose this song that started off with a week verse and showcased Lee continuing to lose his trademark gruff voice. C

CASEY JAMES: Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" was too small of a performance this late in the game, making me think he will be eliminated. C-

What did you think of Movie Week's performances? Was Jamie Foxx an effective mentor (and would he make a good replacement for Simon Cowell like rumors suggest)? And what do you think of an all-duet night? Post away!

Well based on the performances during Frank Sinatra week, this should be an easy bottom two to predict. I didn't feel anyone performed to the level that was seen last week, which is too bad considering I really want to like these contestants. But I even find myself fast forwarding through their intros, interviews and packages now . . . I just don't care about them. Oh well, here are my rankings from best to worst:

MICHAEL LYNCHE: The most comfortable in this musical style, he sang the best of the night on "The Way You Look Tonight" and looked suave doing it, but I felt he lacked the emotional vulnerability of the lyrics, more concerned about hitting his notes than his audiences' hearts. B

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX: I loved the seductive side she showed at the beginning of "Summer Wind," culminating in a bigger bridge at the end, but I didn't agree with Kara that her phrasing was great, pausing so long at times that it looked like she forgot the words. B

LEE DEWYZE: A perfect song choice with "That's Life," as it seems the singer has lived the lyrics, but for some reason he ditched his gritty vocals for some too-clear ones that took the meaning out of the song. B

CASEY JAMES: Completely out of his element, his "Blue Skies" was pitchy throughout and his big notes felt forced, making me think he will be in the bottom two. D+

AARON KELLY: His voice was noticeably shaky on "Fly Me to the Moon" and he pulled out his straddle pose again, which looked even more awkward in his dress-up clothes, plus I didn't agree with Ellen that losing his country voice was the right thing to do, making me think he will be eliminated. D+

What did you think of the performances? Was there that much of a separation between the top three and the bottom two? And did Aaron grow up on a horse? Post away!