Brandon Bryant a Shoo-in for 2009 SYTYCD Final?

The Season 5 premiere of So You Think You Can Dance held the first auditions at the Orpheum in New York. Beautiful, witty, and lovable Cat Deeley returned as the host. Choreographer and dance instructor Sonya Tayeh joined judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy as a guest judge. The show hit pay-dirt with many talented dancers, who were so obviously brilliant even without the contrast of the lesser talented, of whom some simply had two left feet. For those clumsy hopefuls, we can only feel the deepest genuine empathy. But for the talented, we rejoice in their agility, grace, and charisma.

Many of the dancers who had successful auditions that earned them tickets to Las Vegas for the next round were not televised tonight. Out of the televised auditions, a handul of dancers ought to land in the top twenty or at least come close to doing so. They are as follows- Gabi Rojas, Peter Sabasino, Nobuya Magahama (an amazing locker dancer from Japan), Kellen Stancil, Kayla Radomski, and Brandon Bryant who danced to O Fortuna, the movement that opens and closes Carl Orff's cantata Carmina Burana.

Brandon seems to be a shoo-in for the finals and could even win the whole shebang. The nineteen-year-old dancer has looks reminiscent of singer/actor Harry Belafonte, the physique of a super-hot male model, and the genius talent of... dare I say it- Rudolf Nureyev. Okay, perhaps I went too far. But he did make Mary Murphy cry with sheer appreciation. As tears poured down her face, the emotional judge said to Brandon, "If you don't make it into the top twenty- I think I'll just die- this year."

Along with technique and artistry, Brandon has charisma. Could he be the Adam Lambert of So You Think You Can Dance, which means having sheer brilliance above all other competitors? It's too soon to tell but the potential is there. On the other hand, there is an x factor. The judges know Brandon from two other Dance seasons. He performed during season one at the age of fifteen- until his mother prodded him to reveal that he had lied about being eighteen, the minimum age requirement for a dance contestant. He was then booted off the show. Brandon also made it onto season four but did not go all the way. To see this talented hunk and marvel at his almost unbelievable dancing, click here. He just has to make it into the top twenty this year. And he just may have to win!

Time and performance will tell what will happen with Brandon this year in Season 5. As will our seeing the other competitors perform. From what we TV viewers saw tonight, we know the competition is strong. We can expect many surprises along the way of this incredible journey that's just beginning for some remarkable dancers. As the super-talents shine brighter, the less talented will fade out.

It's unfortunate that a certain ballroom couple faded out prematurely. Ballroom couples are rarely sent straight through to Vegas no matter how talented they are (though the judges made an exception for one couple tonight). Usually, a talented ballroom couple is sent to the choreography session to further show his and her abilities. This happened with our faded couple- two innovative young men, Misha Belfer and Mitchel Kibel, gay and straight respectively, partnering as same-sex ballroom dancers.

Dressed in identical dark suits, the male couple danced the samba- alternating the male and female roles rather than each taking a role and staying with it. The duo fell toward the end. The judges found the alternating roles confusing and disliked seeing a same-sex couple dancing the samba. But they saw potential and sent the two males to the choreography session. However, at the session's end, each man was turned down. Disappointment showed in their eyes. But the two men have talent and there's always the next season- which due to the summer show's popularity, will begin this fall.

The bravest contestant was Tiffany Geigel. Although she received a nod to go home, the reason was not due to lack of talent but due to a physical condition that has left her with four missing vertebrae of the usual seven. Her long lovely arms and legs were ill-matched with a shortened back. And so this competition was deemed as not for her by the judges. But Tiffany showed she can dance beautifully. And she reflected inspiration.

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