I am so tired of Evan's sheepish Evan-face. Just ugh.

I can't say anything about Top Chef Masters, because Michelle at Thursday Night Smackdown has said it all: [link]

Wow, I really enjoyed that boys group dance. Evan impressed. He really hung in there. Double tour? Standing back tuck? I did not know he had that in him. Brandon and Ade were lovely, as expected. They all had good power and good technique.

Ade and Jeanine's Samba was a hot mess. Sloppy footwork, sloppy arms. As Mary said, the samba rolls were painful. And WTF on the music? Samba to Lady Gaga? Louis lost his whole entire mind. Yuck.

Poor Evan and Melissa. I thought they danced the routine very well, but Tasty can't choreograph Broadway for shit. I would've rather seen Evan set the piece (or Ryan - even better). Frikkin' Tasty.

Ade's Solo - I think maybe he can't hear. That's the only reason I can think of for why his solos are so supremely un-musical and lacking in all subtlety or softness. Yuck. He's a beautiful dancer, but he needs another side to his movement.

I'm still watching, but I'm just so annoyed that Evan got Broadway again I had to post.

Kayla and Brandon's contemporary was gorgeous. Just amazing lines and technique. That one lift where he was holding her out to the side, her knees bent, and then they kind of popped it and back into that same position was insane. So much core strenght required of the both of them. Wow. I am so enjoying Stacy Tookey. Good pick up from SYTYCD Canada.

Melissa's solo was as it always is, a little naughty, a little saucy, nice technique but I'm bored with it now.

Ade was a beast in that NappyTab hip hop. He blew Jeanine off the stage. I think she did what she could with it, but she totally could not hang with him. I am always glad when NappyTab bring the harder hip hop and not the overly-literal, lyrical hop with the angels and halos and choreographing a move to match every. single. word. That was a good routine. The bit with the boxes on the feet was fun.

I don't even have any words for Brandon's solo. He is breathtaking.

Melissa and Evan's Quickstep was not really a Quickstep. There was a little Jitterbug, lots of Charleston, some Lindy and about a second of Quickstep. It was really cute and they danced it well, but it was a total cheat from Louis in terms of the choreography and I'm glad Mary called that out. Totally not their fault, but still. They both looked adorable, though.

Jeanine got immediate points for using one of Janet Jackson's lesser known recent jams. I love that song. And the control on that quadruple turn was joyous to watch. It's so nice not to see these girls wobbling around like weebles on their turns . . . to see these ladies with nice, strong centers. She has been a lovely suprise this season.

Evan's piece was fun and cute, but he is very much past his sell by date.

Kayla and Brandon's disco was a trick factory, but of course, because it was Doriana. But what the hell, I liked it. I thought it was cute and funky and fun. And I did enjoy the double death drop.

Girls' routine was fun, fun. Those three girls have just ridiculous amounts of technical skill. And Kayla's feet! Toe point of the gods. I thought the routine was demanding and all three girls delivered.

Good show. I'd definitely send Evan home. For the girls, I don't even know. So hard. I actually think I'd let Melissa go, which I wouldn't have thought I'd say three of four weeks ago. Jeanine has really come on these last few weeks and Kayla is just exquisite.

I'm watching now, online, and I notice that when I only watch the dances, and nothing else, I like Kayla best of the girls. She's really a great dancer. I just hate her personality and voice.

The recurring height discussion kind of fascinates me (as a 5'11" woman). My impression is that 5'6" is impossibly tall for a female ballet dancer, and height matters a lot in ballet. Is it as much of an issue in contemporary? How tall are the kids (I wish they'd post heights!)? My only reference point is when they stand next to Kat - so I'm guessing Ade is close to 6 feet, but Brandon maybe 5'6"? How tall is Kayla? Taller than Brandon, at least in her heels!

Wow, I really enjoyed that boys group dance. Evan impressed. He really hung in there. Double tour? Standing back tuck? I did not know he had that in him. Brandon and Ade were lovely, as expected. They all had good power and good technique.

ditto.

And WTF on the music? Samba to Lady Gaga? Louis lost his whole entire mind. Yuck.

I wonder if the music choices don't sometimes make the problem. In trying to do traditional moves to non traditional music, they sometimes get caught, maybe dancing to the lyrics, not the music.

Ade's Solo - I think maybe he can't hear. That's the only reason I can think of for why his solos are so supremely un-musical and lacking in all subtlety or softness. Yuck. He's a beautiful dancer, but he needs another side to his movement.

Might be a choreo thing. He just does what he's comfortable with/good at, so he doesn't appreciate the softness.

Melissa's solo was as it always is, a little naughty, a little saucy, nice technique but I'm bored with it now.

I feel bad for Melissa with the solos. She has to do ballet, and there just isn't much to do by yourself.

She's really a great dancer. I just hate her personality and voice.

this.

I've said it before but, I think SYTYCD is "Dancing With the Stars" with the music. It is annoying and distracting and ill-advised at times.

I think the nadir was the paso doble to "We Will Rock You."

I wonder if the music choices don't sometimes make the problem. In trying to do traditional moves to non traditional music, they sometimes get caught, maybe dancing to the lyrics, not the music.

I don't know, after watching International Standard and International Latin competitions these past two weeks on PBS (where top couples danced to music like "Smells Like Teen Spirit"), I'm a little more forgiving when it comes to songs.