So You Think You Can Dance Recap: The Top 8 Perform

Hey all I'm still bummed by the elimination of Kupono last week but luckily we have a (mostly) strong group of dancers remaining to help cheer me up. Also tonight Ellen DeGeneres serves as a guest judge, and from what I've heard, provides a lot of laughs. I also heard the early routines tonight are subpar but one routine will make everyone in the studio cry. Well I didn't cry at Jason and Jeanine's dance last week like everyone else did but maybe tonight will be different.


Cat is wearing a sleek gold dress, and she looks gorgeous with her hair back in a ponytail.

Evan has awesome nerd glasses on for his early solo. All of the solos are pretty strong tonight, especially Brandon with his fast footwork and Janette with her sexy hips.

Tonight each duo will do two dances. Like last week the bottom girl and bottom guy will be eliminated on Thursday's 100th episode extravaganza.

For some reason I thought Ellen would be replacing Mary this week, but it turns out there will just be four judges. Hopefully they won't run overtime like Idol did this season. Mia is also on the panel this week as the third (now fourth) judge. Ellen gets the loudest cheers of the judges. Nigel is referred to as a "doctor" by Cat after he received his honorary degree last week, and even his name caption says "Dr. Nigel Lythgoe". Congrats!

Nigel thought this show would never work when he first found out about it and is happy to see he was wrong. Ellen learned all her dancing on the street, or actually from a man in her gated community named "Edwardo", who actually taught her something besides dancing- wow. That exchange was just weird. Everyone laughed but I really didn't find it that funny. Anyway Mary thinks the show keeps getting better and better and she has no clue who will win. And she calls Nigel "English Muffin" again! Mia finds it hard trying to outdo herself with each dance she choreographs, but once there is no challenge it is time to quit. That's great advice. She adds the show really pushes her as an artist.

Each performer will also do a group dance and a solo along with their two partner dances. Wow four dances- hope these contestants have a lot of stamina!

Travis was invited back to work with the top 8 on their group number. His dance is supposed to take place at a rave in the year 2300. It is a fusion of styles where each contestant gets a solo in their own style. That sounds kind of cool. Jeanine says the dance is not hard, but very fast.

The song is "Let it Rock" by Kevin Rudolph, which means I'll have that song stuck in my head all night. Some cool hand choreography early on as the contestants put their hands and nothing else on stage. They come out in lit, colorful outfits that make it hard to tell who is who. This is... weird. They are all kind of just standing there doing their own thing and dancing slower than I thought they would be. When they dance in unison it is better but still not really wowing me. It's still slow and the movements don't really match the music. On the plus side, Ade did another backflip and Brandon did some cool jumps at the end.

Nigel enjoyed the routine and compared it to Lady Gaga. He thought they were all terrific. Really? No one stood out as being bad but that's because the routine was so weird it was hard to watch individual dancers. Ellen takes fake credit for the wardrobe and claims she at first wanted Christmas lights but this works better. So I guess she's here more for comic relief than actual judging tonight. Mary thinks the dancing, costumes, and choreography were great, and she can't find anyone to pick on. Mia is proud of how well Travis has done at a young age. She also agrees to wear one of the costumes with Ellen Thursday. That I have to see. I didn't enjoy it as much as the judges did but there was no way they were going to criticize Travis after his great routine last week. I do think that the dancers did well with what they were given though.

Cat then gives us a sneak peak of the 100th episode. We get some highlights from past seasons and a graphic calling it the "Best Dance Show on Television". I think Dancing with the Stars has something to say about that but whatever. All the Emmy winning routines will be re-performed (with Wade appearing as a dancer in his own routine), along with Katie Holmes' Judy Garland tribute.

But first we must get through tonight's performances. The first couple is Evan and Janette. Boo that Janette got the worst male dancer on the show. They are doing a Sonja jazz routine where they are trying to get each other to shut up. The anger intensifies throughout, but Evan is not used to the intensity. Janette says she will pester Evan backstage to annoy him so he really will want to shut her up during the routine. Awesome!

The song is "Move (Metrononomy Remix) by CSS. This routine is kind of weird also. The constant mouth covering is just distracting, and I don't feel the anger between them at all, especially from Evan. At one point they are supposed to move their arms in a circle but Evan looks more like he is drowning with the way he flails his arms. I do see them getting more intense in their faces as the dance goes on but I still don't really believe it from Evan. Janette seemed to do okay with what she was given but this was one of her weaker routines.

Nigel says their personalities are coming out and Janette brought out the best in Evan. Ellen says it was hard-hitting and then start talking about the wine she had beforehand. Mary says it was fun but Evan could have been rougher. Still he was better than she thought he would be. Nigel then covers up Mary's mouth like the two did in the routine. Mary then resumes and says Janette doesn't take a wrong step. Mia thinks Evan took a step in the right direction by changing up his character but she is too cute to do that kind of choreography. She also says they need to hit it harder in the top 8 (I agree!!!!). She concludes by saying Janette is her favorite dancer this season. I'm surprised she came out and said that because now fans might get complacent and not vote for her. I am not surprised, however, by her choice, since Janette is my favorite female dancer and my second favorite overall after Brandon. Anyway I side more with Mia in that the routine was technically good but not hard hitting enough for this stage. Plus the choreography was weird too but of course the judges will never criticize that unless it's a Russian folk routine.

The first solo is Kayla. She dances to "The Moment I Said It" by Imogen Heap. She really seems to get into the music and dances a beautiful routine. The only negative thing is that her big smile doesn't seem to fit the style of the dance. But her extensions are great as always and she does some great jumps as well.

After the break we see our second couple, Brandon and Jeanine. So two of the best on the show are paired together- this routine should be good, though after reading that all the early routines were subpar (which so far, they were), my expectations are low. They are doing a waltz with Hunter Johnson. Jeanine is looking forward to being all flowing and graceful, but Hunter warns they have to be soft and powerful at the same time. Brandon is struggling with all the vocabulary and keeps zoning out during the lessons. Both are out of their comfort zones. Uh oh.

The song is "May it Be" by Hayley Westenra. The routine starts out with Jeanine on Brandon's shoulders, and they look a little awkward coming down from the lift. The dance technically looks okay but is kind of boring at first. It gets better towards the middle though, especially when the execute a cool lift where Jeanine wraps her arms around Brandon's shoulders and he lifts her up in the air without using his hands. They do another cool lift at the end, but overall the dance was decent but not too memorable. I did like it better than the first number though.

Nigel says the routine was tough and the music was so slow it felt like pulling teeth. I totally agree- that's what made the routine kind of dull. But he points out that this is of course not their fault. He adds he didn't get enough control and is disappointed in two of his favorites. Ellen disagrees, going on a weird rant about a German lady in a bathroom and then saying they were fantastic. Mary says the waltz was very slow and any pro would struggle with that speed, but they did a respectable job. She thinks they could have done more with it, and I also agree. Mia says if Brandon hadn't been daydreaming in rehearsal they would have been better. Ouch! She wanted to be taken away to another world but was not. Watching it again I do notice some wobbles but I still enjoyed it more than the weird first routine, especially in the second half of the waltz. I think the judges were too hard on them and not hard enough on Evan in the first dance.

The next solo is Jason, who dances to "Slowdance on the Inside" by Taking Back Sunday. The routine is danced well technically but is too slow for my liking, especially with the rock backing music.

Aw Jason's brother (who looks just like him with shorter hair) is in the audience cheering him on. I wonder if he's a dancer too...

The next couple is Ade and Melissa, being reunited after dancing apart for just one week. They are doing a cha cha with Tony and Melanie. Ade is worried about the speed, while Tony thinks the toughest part is the technique. Melissa too is struggling with all the steps and is a bit overwhelmed.

The song is "Yeah (Como Goza Mi Morena) by Chino Espinoza Y Los Duenos Del Son. Wow way too long of a title. It actually just sounds like a Spanish version of "Yeah" by Usher, which is kinf of distracting since all I keep thinking of is that version of the song and how it does not fit a cha cha at all. As for the dancing, it doesn't seem to have nearly enough spiciness for a Latin dance. I never like cha chas on DWTS, and this one almost seems to be in slow motion at times. Ade moves his hips well and all but overall the dance was kind of weak for me. But then again like I said I never like cha chas.

Nigel says there were good sexy moves but warns Melissa not to purse her lips and to work on her hips. He thinks Ade could have sizzled a bit more but it was well danced. Ellen asks if there are carpenters because they nailed it. Wow corny joke alert- she is fitting right in! The judges seem to like this dance a lot more than I did. Luckily Mary is more critical, saying Ade's butt was up too much which made it not that hard-hitting. So THAT was the problem. She thinks Melissa put too much effort in and lost her sexiness a bit. Mia thinks that was Ade's worst dance of the year since he didn't get down and dirty enough. I don't know if it was his worst dance but I agree he didn't bring enough heat. She realizes it is hard for Melissa to move her hips that much with her ballet training so taking that into account she did a great job. I think this dance was worse than the Evan/Janette dance, and since Ade was in the bottom last week he may really be in trouble tonight.

The next solo is Janette, dancing to "Seduces Me" by Celine Dion. Celine Dion? That's not really salsa kind of music. She moves around the floor very well and really shows emotion but I prefer her spicy salsa solos to this one. She did but some hip shaking action in that was great but the rest was only okay.

The final couple is of course Jason and Kayla, two of the least popular dancers, so they could be in trouble as well. They are doing a Broadway dance with Tyce. Jason is caught up in the music and Kayla is trying to make him focus on her. The routine is jazzy, which fits both of their styles, but it is so smooth they can't make mistakes. Kayla wacks Jason a few times in rehearsal but Tyce still thinks it will go well.

The song is "Mr. Monotony (from Jerome Robbins Broadway)" by Kim Criswell. This routine is by far the best of the night so far. The two of them let their personalities shine, especially Jason, and their movements are smooth and fluid. Jason seems to be channeling a bit of Evan, as he looked just like a taller, darker version of him, and Kayla uses her sex appeal and extensions well. Overall a great end to an otherwise pretty subpar first round of dancing.

Nigel says that style is beautiful to watch and then compliments Jason's feet. He even gets a Gene Kelly comparison. Well I compared him to Evan, who has been compared to Gene Kelly, so I guess that's kind of the same thing. He adds Kayla can do anything that is thrown at her. He thinks the dance was one of the best of the evening at showing off their personal talents. I'd take that a step further- it was THE best of the evening so far. Ellen says she wasn't expecting to judge, she only wanted a good seat to the show! Ha. She then says she'll invite them over afterwards so they can hang some pictures since they are good nailers. Okay that joke was old the first time she said it. Mary thinks the number flowed effortlessly, which it did. She adds Jason was cool and suave while Kayla gets a ticket on the hot tamale train. I actually thought Jason was better but both were very good. Mia loved the fusion of styles and thinks they danced it amazing, but tells Jason to work on his upper body to improve his lines. She thinks Kayla would fit right in on Broadway and win Tonys. Wow that seems like a bold statement after one dance. Mia adds that Kayla's picture would be next to "girl, perfection, and star" in the dictionary. Wow. Now I see why people don't like how much she is being pimped by the judges. I thought Jason was the standout in the dance but all they could talk about was Kayla. Either way those two deserve to be safe this week after clearly winning round one, while Melissa and Ade could be in big trouble.

The next solo is from Ade, dancing to "Hater" by Various Production Artist. Well at least it's not a ballad like last week. But still the dancing does not seem to match the choreography. The dancing itself though, is one of the best so far.

Evan and Janette's second dance is a rumba from Tony and Melanie. Great the other ballroom dance that I never like. Plus the dance is romantic, which will be hard for two new partners. Evan must be masculine in the dance, while Janette must be feminine. She is plenty feminine, but I don't think Evan has mastered the art of masculinity yet. And indeed Janette is doing great, but can't get the sexy Latino out of Evan.

OMG THEY ARE DANCING TO "HEARTLESS" BY KRIS ALLEN!!! Immediate bonus points for song choice (even though I know the dancers have nothing to do with that). I don't know if it's the music but I'm really liking this. Maybe it's that Evan reminds me so much of Kris Allen right in the beginning of the dance.The passion is so great I can feel it through the screen. Evan does much better than I thought he would, though I notice a few slip-ups and awkward moments towards the end. And halfway through his face starts looking weird, like he's crazy or something. But it is still so sexy and emotional that I feel like I'm watching a contemporary routine rather than a ballroom one (which is definitely a good thing). And Janette was great as always, especially getting the sexiness out of her partner. Overall it was one of my favorites of the night.

Nigel says he loves the choreography but it is a hard type of dance to get votes for because it's not a "wow" dance. He thinks that is perfectly Janette's style but that Evan didn't have passion in his face (hence the "crazy" look that I mentioned). Nigel blames Evan's droopy eyelids and says it led to a lack of chemistry. Wow I thought just the opposite. Ellen however loves Evan's eyes and the uniqueness of it. She also loves his essence and how he's not like just another dancer. She also loves Janette. It seems like Ellen is just going to say everyone is good because she doesn't want to criticize- like the guest judges on Idol a few years back. Mary agrees with me and thinks Evan did a very good job especially with a slower rumba. She especially loved the lift. She thinks Janette has the patent on spice and flavor and Tony and Melanie brought it out in her. Mia agrees with Ellen that Evan brings a unique quality to the stage and that he pulled off the sexiness. She doesn't think she has to say anything else about Janette since she said so much before. These two rebounded from an odd start and should both be safe given their huge popularities and this strong second routine.

The next soloist is Melissa, dancing to "Heads Will Roll" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Maybe it's her outfit but this reminds me much more of an exercise routine than a dancing routine. She just some nice moves but it's mostly a bunch of poses that don't seem to fit together. My least favorites solo so far.

Brandon and Jeanine will hope to rebound from their waltz (which I still think was the second best routine of the first round) with a pop jazz routine from new choreographer Laurieann Gibson. Brandon and Jeanine are nervous about how much work the routine is going to be. The dance doesn't have a story, which makes me nervous. Laurieann thinks if she can prepare them they could win the whole show, and she acts like a drill sergeant in rehearsals.

The dance is to "Battlefield" by Jordin Sparks. Yay for another great song choice! And fittingly the two are dressed in sexy camouflage. The routine is pretty much them just standing there dancing, which for me makes it less entertaining than the prior routine, but they absolutely nail the choreography. They hit the moves so hard it almost looks painful, especially Brandon. At one point Jeanine grabs on to Brandon's back and they both reach out like they are trying to escape. Brandon then stands parallel to the floor and leaps over Jeanine. That routine was intense but I still really liked it. My only complaint is that Brandon was hitting it so hard Jeanine seemed a bit weaker in comparison.

Nigel says this is what he was asking for the whole night. He thought this was one of the flattest nights to date (remember he didn't like the rumba either) until now. He adds that Jeanine kept up with Brandon and that Brandon's strength matched the strong choreography. Ellen thinks they made it appealing to join the army with their skimpy costumes and calls it "daaaaaaaancing". Mary calls it strong, powerful, and dynamic and puts them on the hot tamale train. It seemed too powerful for me to be put on the train but dancing-wise they deserved it. She also predicts they will both make the finale, which is probably true, though viewers always hate it when judges say stuff like that. Mia thinks they went inside the dance or something like that. She thinks Brandon is a powerhouse and Jeanine did well keeping up. She calls it a "wow" dance, which it certainly was, though I wasn't as crazy about Jeanine as they were. I still think I liked the rumba better but it is close. These two also are certainly safe this week after that routine and their large popularity. That is bad news for Melissa and Ade, who so far are the only ones without a standout routine.

Next to do his solo is Evan, who dances to "Old Devil Moon" by Jamie Cullum. Is that the same outfit he wore for his solo last week? His routine is just so much fun to watch, especially with his personality shining through. He messes up some of his hat choreography but even so it was one of my favorite solos.

Right after the break we get Jeanine's solo, set to "Let the Drummer Kick" by Citizen Cope. Oh I've heard this song before but never knew who sang it or what it was called. I've never been a fan of her solos but this one was her best to date for me.

Next up are Melissa and Ade doing an emotional contemporary piece choreographed by Tyce. Melissa is playing a women who has breast cancer. I bet this is the one that makes everyone cry. Ade is a friend there for Melissa to lean on. Melissa thinks the hardest part is portraying the emotion and not focusing on just the steps. Ade thinks if they do it right it will be a very powerful piece that people can relate to.

The song is "This Women's Work" by Maxwell. Wow this routine is just as emotional as promised. I didn't cry but it still was moving for me through the screen. Melissa even has a scarf on her head to make it seem like she lost her hair. I don't even know what to write because that routine was so powerful. There were lots of great jumps by both Melissa and Ade, and I could see Melissa's anger and fear on her face. I loved Ade carrying Melissa around on the stage and supporting her. Another one of my favorites tonight. In fact it's probably my favorite.

The audience is in tears, as are the judges. Nigel says that showed him why he loves dancing- it can express so many emotions without words. He would be surprised if that piece is not nominated for an Emmy next year, as would I. He calls it one of the most memorable routines on the show and agrees with Melissa that the routine is more about the emotions not the steps, which it was. He also thinks they were the perfect couple to dance this, which makes sense with Melissa's vulnerability and Ade's strength. He adds Ade's strength allowed Melissa to do the jumps in the dance, and Melissa's maturity helped send the message of the routine. Ellen feels privileged having seen that dance and calls it the most beautiful thing she's ever seen. Mary is crying the most and thinks she'll never forget the dance. She loves their vertical lift and how effortless Ade made it and how well Melissa trusted Ade during the dance. Nigel is turned around in his chair he is crying so much. Mia can't even talk she is crying so much and mentions how this dance shows the journey of the millions who try to beat cancer. She wishes Ade's strength could have been there for her father, who I'm guessing has or had cancer. She thinks Melissa is already there in terms of skills. That routine just saved them from going home and now puts the pressure on Jason and Kayla. They unfortunately have to dance right after this routine, so no matter what it will likely be a letdown. While their first round dance was strong it was not as good as these last three routines, so they will likely be in trouble this week.

The last solo of the night is Brandon, who comes out shirtless (yay!) dancing to "Ain't Nothing Wrong with That" by Robert Rudolph and the Family Band. He dances it well but even this seems like a bit of a letdown after that last routine. I do love the flips at the end though.

Jason and Kayla are doing a hip hop routine with Shane Sparks. Jason is a zombie who turns Kayla into his zombie mistress. This sounds like one of those weird routines you will either love or hate. Shane says they have to stick every move, and Jason thinks they will scare the panel and hope to scare the audience.

The song is "They're Everywhere" by Izza Kizza. The routine is danced well but they don't seem to be hitting the moves hard enough. And like I suspected it feels like a letdown after the last emotional routine. Still it was entertaining in a fun way, and danced very well, but it didn't blow me away like other dances tonight.

Nigel likes the Michael Jackson-inspired part of the routine. He did enjoy the routine and thinks the last few dances have saved tonight's show. Ellen thinks they will have their own talk show someday. Mary thinks Jason got bid by rabies and did what Shane wanted. They did, but that kind of routine just pales in comparison to an emotion one. She gives both of them screams. Mia says it is her favorite piece of Shane's on the show and loved Jason strangling Kayla at the end.

So overall the show ended well after a slow start. My favorite was Melissa and Ade's contemporary, followed by Evan and Janette's rumba and Brandon and Jeanine's jazz. I think Jason and Kayla are in trouble simply because they didn't have a wow number like the others. Their routines were fun, and the last one was memorable, but weren't the type to blow people away. It will be interesting to see who else is in the bottom four though. We could have a "shocker" with Brandon, Janette, Jeanine, or Evan there. Though Evan did have one of my favorite solos along with Kayla so that should help him garner votes as well.

What are your thoughts on tonight's show? Who do you think will be in the bottom four? And what did you think of Ellen as guest judge? Post your comments below.