SYTYCD WTF?!?!

I love So You Think You Can Dance. I love the level of talent that is represented on the show. The dedication, the passion and the commitment of these dancers is so moving to watch. It's always hard to see a favorite from the early auditions get cut before making it to top 20. Having said that...I think the judges made a HUGE mistake this season and I'm really quite upset about it.

Last season, we met Natalie, a beautiful dancer who came to the audition with her roomate/best friend Katie. In the end, there was room for only one of them in the top 20, and Katie moved on to be one of my favorite things about the show. In fact, I think she should have won. Flash forward to this season. I was so excited to see Natalie again. I was thrilled when her solo proved my memory to be right on the money, that I had not built her ability up in my head after all. She's that good. She made Sonya cry. The judges were blown away. Game on.

In Vegas, she breezed through early rounds and then during the Jazz choreography by Sonya, she was singled out by the choreographer who told the other dancers "you wanna see what I like?? Natalie and Brandon, will you come forward and show everyone?". Somehow when performing that EXACT choreography in front of the judges, they were not impressed. Even if she didn't blow them away, I don't think anyone could have argued her ability overall. Then the judges gave her that "we expected more from you" crap. It's not fair to have different standards for different dancers. At that moment, she was eliminated. Just like that, they sent her home. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME???? Everyone was shocked, including Sonya, who did NOTHING to defend Natalie.

Throughout the next hour and a half we watched a lot of dancers stumble and disappoint, and almost ALL of them got a second chance. They were able to perform either the same choreography again or their own solo in order to 'dance for their life'. Good for them, some of them really deserved it. So did Natalie. GRRRRRR.

Anyway, the top 20 looks like an interesting mix this year, including a really cute, young male dancer that I don't remember seeing before they told him he was through to the show. I am really really happy that Evan made it to the top 20 this year because he is a breath of fresh air. I can't wait to see who they pair up together!!!