The Top 8 dance tonight. New partners, new dances…the end is drawing near. And then what will we watch? What will we do? Does anyone else have SYTYCD withdrawal after the season is over?

Joining Nigel and Mary tonight is Toni Basil! (Oh Mickey, you’re so fine, you’re so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey!)

Courtney and Will
Samba choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux
I Fell in Love with the DJ: Che’ Nelle

This was a really fun routine. I think Courtney was the stronger Samba dancer though. Will didn’t quite have the shimmy and hip action down as well as she did (or as Joshua has done in the Latin dances). The one thing that was really driving me crazy, however, was the sucky camera work. It’s a partner dance. I prefer to see both dancers all the time and not isolations on just one so much. Nigel said tonight is going to be a great night and that when they were thinking too much about technique it was great. Mary said Will’s technique wasn’t quite there, but the chemistry was there and she screamed for Courtney. Toni had so much fun watching she forgot she was judging, but she thought they brought the life of the Samba to it.

(Their “IV Real” thing is starting to get monotonous, though. Knock it off already.)

Comfort dances to I Got This Down by Simian Mobile Disco.
Comfort’s solos have been looking the same the last few weeks, but she threw some new moves in this one and it was a lot more enjoyable.

Katee and Twitch
Contemporary choreographed by Mia Michaels
Mercy: Duffy

An angry passionate dance with kissing and fighting and angst. A lot more acting than dancing really, but it was interesting. It almost felt more like a hip-hop routine than a comtemporary routine. Actually, I can’t really describe what kind of routine it was, but there were some mighty impressive tricks in it. Not as much dancing as maybe there should have been, though. But, it definitely set a mood and a tone, so they get props for that and it was most definitely intense and entertaining. Nigel said it was hard to critique the dancing, but that the performance was fantastic and he wondered what goes through Mia Michaels head and they danced it brilliantly. Mary said they were two of the best dancers we’ve seen on the stage and she loved it. Toni said Mia infused some funk and the contemporary and funk became seamless and she didn’t take any notes on this one either and loved it.

Will dances to Get Up Offa That Thing by James Brown.
He comes out in a suit and James Brown hair and delivers a fabulous performance. One of my favorite solos ever (and much too short - I could have watched him forever I think).

Comfort and Mark
Hip-hop choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon
Party People: Fergie featuring Nelly

This was angry hip-hop which is not my favorite. In fact, I really didn’t care much for it at all. However, they both danced it well, especially Comfort. And the big trick he did where he picked her up and rolled her over his head to her feet was awesomeness. Don’t have much more to say than that. Nigel says that Comfort dances better when she’s choreographed than when she solos and that she was absolutely incredible and that Mark was really good. Mary said Comfort was hitting it tonight and that Mark nailed it. Toni loved the routine and thought the opening piece was fabulous and that they were rooted in the music and the beat.

Katee dances to Taking Chances by Celine Dion.
Isn’t this the theme song to Biggest Loser? I never knew it was Celine Dion. Anyway, she is a beautiful dancer and I do love to watch her.

Chelsie and Joshua
Argentine Tango choreographed by Dmitry Chaplin
A Los Amigos: Forever Tango (Original Cast)

Wow. Talk about fringe! That is FRINGE! I loved the subtleties in the choreography. I think their chemistry was intense and a bit angry (do they like each other or not?), and I thought Joshua was there for her and I think they both danced it well. Nigel said her legs were great and that Joshua has the biggest bum in the competition. He loved the choreography and it used her legs and his strength and that it was enjoyable. Mary said it translated in just the right way. She thought Joshua set the right mood and committed to it and that Chelsie was sexier in this than the first one. Toni said Argentino Tango should be spontaneous and torrid and that their ending was both of those.

Mark dances to Creator by Santogold featuring Switch & Freq Nasty.
I’d actually like to see Mark do some more tricks one of these days, but he’s still fun to watch.

Courtney and Will
Hip-hop choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha
Like You’ll Never See Me Again: Alicia Keys

Really beautiful hip-hop routine. Very well danced. I think they really found the emotion in the piece and brought it out. Great chemistry between them. The only criticism I have is that I thought Courtney’s outfit was wrong for the piece and that it was distracting from instead of adding to the routine. Nigel said it’s the first season he’s been affected emotionally by hip-hop routines and that they were emotionally together. Mary said they didn’t meet her expectations, they blew them out of the water and it made her feel something. Toni said great art makes you feel something and that it’s taken a long time for the street dances to be accepted as art.

By the way, Toni Basil is 64 years old. She does NOT look 64! Wowza!

Chelsie dances to Damaged by Danity Kane.
It’s hard for ballroom dancers to do solos, but I think she did okay tonight. And I loved her dress! (And today is her 19th birthday!)

Katee and Twitch
Broadway choreographed by Tyce DiOrio
Sweet Georgia Brown: Bubbling Brown Sugar (Original Broadway Cast)

This was such a fun story and fun choreography and it was just a joy to watch them dance it. A lot lighter and different from the first routine. I love Twitch and they were a great couple tonight. Nigel loved the routine and he thinks Twitch is such a wonderful character and that he is the least trained dancer but he’s done a wonderful job. He said Katee hasn’t done a routine that he hasn’t enjoyed her doing. Mary said it was terrific and well-matched in movement, entertainment and energy. Toni thinks Twitch brings more reality to the choreography than Broadway dancers because he dances from the inside out as opposed to the outside in like trained dancers do. She would have liked to have seen a deep, rough style of movement from Katee to match the vocal, but they both did wonderfully.

Joshua dances to Shawty Get Loose by Lil Mama featuring T-Pain & Chris Brown.
Joshua always makes me smile. Love him!

Courtney dances to Where I Stood by Missy Higgins.
Very emotional and lovely.

Twitch dances to Go to Work by Kay L.
Twitch never fails to disappoint. I love to watch him do his thing.

Comfort and Mark
Foxtrot choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux
Lady Luck: The Brian Setzer Orchestra

I was worried about this routine. It wasn’t horrible. It was enjoyable to watch if you ignore all the technical stuff the judges point out. I do think this is the best chemistry I’ve seen Comfort have with a partner. Nigel said it wasn’t good and there was no chemistry (don’t agree) and they were thinking too hard and it was slightly amateurish. Mary said it was tough and it was one of the worst close-holds she’s ever seen. Toni thought Mark’s Jazz lines were good, and that Foxtrot is hard to pull off.

Chelsie and Joshua
Disco choreographed by Doriana Sanchez
Everlasting Love: Gloria Estefan

This was not nearly as smooth as it should have been. It looked to me like Josh fell out of a spin (and tried to cover it) and a missed a few handholds, but he was absolutely and totally there for her on the lifts and I think they got the Disco feel down very well. It just looked like he was thinking really hard during the routine. And I hate saying that because I love him! Nigel was impressed with Joshua’s strength in the lifts and with Chelsie’s courage. Mary said it was really good and that Doriana trusted Joshua to pull off the lifts. She was also impressed with the way Chelsie exited the lifts. Toni thought they really pulled it off and it had the spirit of Disco. I think the judges purposely ignored the mistakes in this routine because they want Joshua to stay and Mark to go. But that’s just my opinion.

My ranking
1. Courtney and Will (Hip-hop)
2. Katee and Twitch (Broadway)
3. Katee and Twitch (Contemporary)
4. Chelsie and Joshua (Disco) (because that was a crazy hard routine)
5. Courtney and Will (Samba)
6. Chelsie and Joshua (Argentine Tango)
7. Comfort and Mark (Hip-hop)
8. Comfort and Mark (Foxtrot)

Solo ranking
1. Will
2. Twitch
3. Joshua
4. Courtney
5. Katee
6. Mark
7. Chelsie
8. Comfort

Unfortunately for Comfort, she’ll continue her residence in the bottom 2. I think Mark will also be there. As for the other girl and the other guy? No idea. It’s definitely time for Comfort to go home and unfortunately, it’s probably time for Mark to go as well. But, I don’t really want any of the boys to go, so I’m sad no matter what.

Sidenote: I caught at least two three mistakes in the graphics tonight. The Celine Dion song was identified as “Taking Changes” when it’s really called “Taking Chances” and Doriana Sanchez’ name was mispelled Dorianna. (Her website says Doriana so I would imagine that’s the correct spelling.) They also misspelled Alicia Keys last name as “Keyes”. That type of thing is really sloppy and should be caught. No excuse for that.