SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Finale: The Final Four Perform

It’s your final four America – this is SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. Katee, Joshua, Twitch and Courtney compete for the final time. And tomorrow night, in part 2 of the final, America’s Favorite Dancer will be crowned.

But before we get to all of that we have some serious dancing to get to. Tonight the four dancers will be switching it up and dancing with each other in every combination. So for the first time we’ll be seeing Courtney and Katee dance together as well as the pairing of Joshua and Twitch. I can’t wait! And the judges, which included Mary, Nigel and tonight’s special guest choreographer Mandy Moore have a hell of a night ahead of them.

Let’s get to the dancing, shall we?

Courtney & Twitch – Hip Hip by NappyTabs
Once again we’ve got some lyrical Hip Hop coming our way, but this time it’s not longing love, but rather loathing love when Twitch and Courtney battle it out on the dance floor. Twitch is flawless, and even thought that’s to be expected, it’s still incredibly fascinating to watch him do his thing. I thought that Courtney really held her own next to him. Girl can sell it. She always brings a lot of attitude to her dances and it really worked tonight. And please, did you see Twitch spinning Courtney on his head with no hands? What? Damn!

The judges were all feeling the routine. Kudos all around. Hell, we even got a Nigel scream. Way to start off the show.

Cat & Courtney…
In SYTYCD finale tradition, we get to know the contestants a bit more during pre-taped one-on-one’s with Cat Deeley. In the first interview of the night we learned a bit more about Courtney Galiano, and what we learned only made me like her that much more. We got to see a glimpse of her family life back in Long Island, and heard from Courtney herself about why she wanted to be part of this show. She knows she’s not the best dancer in the competition but she never thought it was about that. She also revealed that her favorite performance of the series with the recent Jazz routine by Sonya Tahey that she performed with Mark. Courtney feels that she exceeded even her own expectations, so she’s happy for whatever happens tomorrow night.

And with that, for the final time we get to see Courtney perform her solo. All season long I have felt that Courtney has been the strongest female soloist, and she didn’t disappoint tonight. I am however disappointed that the show doesn’t allow the final four to have more time for their final solos. It’s their last time, and they should have their moment to shine. 1-866-TEMPO-01 to vote for Courtney.

Katee & Joshua – Contemporary/Lyrical by Wade Robson
You lucky ducks…you got a Wade Robson routine. Or should I say lucky us for getting to experience it. And may I just say that Mr. Robson is looking fiiiiine. Tonight’s routine was emotional and so well performed by Katee and Joshua. And you know I’m a big fan of my boy Josh, but I have to say just how absolutely incredible Katee was tonight. Her movements were so sharp and so fluid, depending on what was asked of her. She was so committed to the performance that she was in character and shaking even before the music started. Together these two are unstoppable and they have been more consistent than any other couple all season. And if you think back, as a couple, they really haven’t stumbled yet.

Two of the four dancers ended up in the hospital this week, and it wasn’t revealed who they dancers were, but my guess is that one of them had to be Joshua. Joshua looked so devastatingly exhausted – just dead in the eyes. Poor baby.

Mandy thought is was beautiful and honest. Mary thought it was just fantastic. Nigel loved it and said that Katee and Joshua were two of the best dancers that have ever been on the show.

Katee & Courtney – Broadway by Tyce Diorio
Tyce wanted the girls to have a little fun on the stage tonight as they performed together for the first time. And I think there were elements of fun in the routine, but it seemed really old fashioned to me. And yes, I know it was supposed to be an old fashioned Broadway number, but it just felt really dated. Maybe it was the music or perhaps the distracting costumes that really didn’t fit the routine, but I can’t say this didn’t wow me. But the judges really seemed to dig it, so once again my opinion is worth squat (not that I ever thought anything else).

Cat & Twitch…
Time for a sit down with Cat and Twitch. Growing up in Alabama, our little Twitch got picked on but who’s laughing now. Not wanting to work a 9-5 Twitch was thisclose to joining that Navy and would have been enlisted right now if his second shot at SYTYCD didn’t work out. He let us know just how much he loved dancing with Kherington earlier in the season and just how sad he was to see her go. As for Twitch’s favorite routine, it was the Viennese Waltz that was choreographed by Jean Marc Genereaux and inspired by his daughter. Twitch says that he puts everything into his performances because it’s the least he can do to give back to the art form which has given him so much already.

And for the final time this season, we are going to see Twitch perform one of his amazing solos in hopes of capturing your vote. He went a little more bad ass, a little less fun this time around but it was still all kinds of kick ass. 1-866-TEMPO-02 to vote for Twitch.

Joshua & Twitch – Russian by Youri Nelzine
Oh holy good heavens WHAT WAS THAT?! That was seriously off the charts amazing. A dance battle the likes of which we have never seen on the show. It was like a true street battle with some Russian flavor and a ton of personality. The athleticism that Twitch and Joshua showed was off the charts. Did you see the height that those guys got when they leapt from the ground? It’s a shame that we had to wait until the finale to see these two guys perform together because that was an absolute treat. I’m going to watch it one more time before I listen the judges comments.

..ok even better the second time around. And as for the judges…well they joined the entire studio audience on their feet. And the boys were so happy with themselves they were just radiating energy and couldn’t keep still even through the judges critiques.

Cat & Katee…
It’s time for Katee and Cat to have a little chat. We revisited Katee’s somewhat controversial introduction into the Top 20 – something that she had to battle back from, and almost go above and beyond what was expected of her to win over some viewers that had perhaps written her off. As for her favorite number, her first routine of the season, “No Air” was very special to her because it bonded her and Joshua – a bond that they still have here in the final four.

And with that we see Katee’s last competition solo of the season. Wait, is this the first time we are heading Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek” all season? Wow, we’ve usually had it a few times by now. As for her solo, Katee left everything on the stage in a powerful and well choreographed number. A performance that impressed all the judges. 1-866-TEMPO-03 to vote for Katee.

Katee & Twitch – The Fox Trot by Tony & Melanie
Uh oh, Twitch & ballroom haven’t been friends all season…will they make peace tonight? Woooo…sex-ay! I really loved that routine! I think the choreographer’s really helped out Twitch a lot by not having him stay in traditional poses a lot, but letting him really perform through the interludes. Katee was once again just phenomenal. The two of them were just fantastic! That number definitely deserves a rewatch. My only complaint is that once again I didn’t get to fully experience the piece because of the crappy camera work. Please hire new people next season so we can really enjoy all that the routines have to offer. Please!

Cat & Joshua…
In the last one-on-one of the night, Cat sits down with Joshua Allen, perhaps the contestant that we know the least about. After poking a bit of fun at Josh for his propensity for tears, we learned that Joshua’s favorite routine of the season was the Samba. He thought it was really cool to dance so outside of his element and get the positive response that he did. Josh feels that everything about this competition has been a blessing and that he’d rather be here than anywhere else.

And ladies and gentlemen, in the final solo of the season was Joshua really took off. No really. He opted to take his solo to the judges podium. Love it!! 1-866-TEMPO-04 to vote for Joshua.

Courtney & Joshua – Jive by Jason Gilkison
By the time of the finale these dancers are so physically spent and their bodies so damaged and worn out that I don’t know how they are managing to walk none the less dance. So when a choreographer says this particular routine is one of the most intense dances he’s every choreographed, I can’t help but really feel for these kids. And I think that they exhaustion of this competition did show through a little in this routine. I got the feeling from both Courtney and Joshua that they were just rushing to get to the end. I noticed it a bit more in Joshua who usually has a bit more refinement to his performance. Arms were left dangling, and they were both looking to the other to help them through the dance in the middle. I still enjoyed it and I really can’t blame them. I mean, come on it was still one hell of a routine. And that jump that Joshua did at the end…how does he have any leg muscles left?

Mary, who knows ballroom better than anyone pointed out just how very difficult that routine was and how well they did it. Nigel was more in my camp and a bit more critical of what was missing from the performance. He thought it was tired. But that’s ok because if there was ever a time when the dancers needed a pass it was tonight. Let’s face it, for the most part people have made up their minds. They have their favorites already. Am I wrong?

The Final Four…
Ok, well here we go. The final four are dancing for the last time in the competition, and we are lucky to end the night with a routine by Mia Michaels. What a performance. I’m all kinds of teary, and it’s not because the dance itself was emotional or that it was so flawless (because it wasn’t). But I think what Mandy Moore said really nailed what I’m feeling, which is that what these four did on this stage really transcended the physicality of dance. They are so spent…beyond spent and what was just asked from them in that routine had to take every little last bit of their being to pull off and so it didn’t matter that there were moments out of synch or rushed because what it was was a culmination of an entire season of hard work and dedication to their art form. Ok, now I’ll shut with my nonsensical blabber.

Time to pick up the phone and vote…
And with that…we are done. Well until tomorrow night when we crown America’s Favorite Dancer. Here are the numbers one last time:

1-866-TEMPO-01 – Courtney Galiano
1-866-TEMPO-02 – Twitch
1-866-TEMPO-03 – Katee Shean
1-866-TEMPO-04 – Joshua Allen

I’ll be on the phone voting until the phone lines close…I hope you will be too.

As for the winner…you know, I really don’t know. My heart hasn’t wavered much since the first episode of the season – it’s always been Joshua for me and still is tonight. I just think he has just shown himself all season and really has grown as a dancer and a performer. I think we’ll see it come down to Joshua and Katee with Joshua taking home the title. I think Twitch will come in third and Courtney a fantastic fourth.

Where do you think the votes will land tomorrow? And my God, can you believe the season is already over?