SYTYCD 6: Ryan & Ashleigh Di Lello Oh so Sexy; Russell Ferguson Super-charges Show

This week, the judges of So You Think You Can Dance Season 6 took down the number of dance competitors from 77 to 38. The dancers who supercharged tonight's SYTYCD were Russell Ferguson, Kevin Hunte, and couple Ryan & Ashleigh Di Lello. And so did Jonathan 'Legacy' Perez and Billy Bell. On the downside, two female dancers went to the hospital with sprained ankles and hearthrob Nathan Trasoras, 18, who is favored at low odds to make the Top 20, was seen only in rare glimpses but his brilliance was obvious. He could win the whole shebang.

Russell Ferguson, a Krumper with no formal dance training, ironically wowed the SYTYCD judges with his technique. Among his performances, he and four other dancers (all Contemporary) choreographed and danced a Broadway number. Russell's team consisted of Paula Van Oppen, Pauline Mata, Jakob Karr, and Jacki Ford. Hip-Hop man Kevin Hunte impressed the judges with the way he used his feet- precisely with clean shapes and lines, matching the fineness of his dance and physique.

Married Latin Ballroom couple Ryan & Ashleigh Di Lello are still in the contest together despite Ashleigh's proximity to being cut. Judge Nigel Lythgoe said that when she was good, she was very very good but that just wasn't often enough. Yet, Ashleigh has improved greatly and so was not cut. Having yet to perform with his team, Ryan commented that his wife's success may have paved the way for him. But the hunk's way needed no paving.

Ryan performed in a hot pink shirt, tore it off, and spun it about his head as a lasso. The judges- who had grinned jubilantly from ear-to-ear for the entire performance- were ecstatic and unanimously passed him through. From the stands, his grinning wife shouted, "You're such a ham." As Ryan donned his shirt, covering up those well-muscled arms, Nigel said, "So, if you wouldn't mind buttoning just one of those buttons up." Ryan grinningly buttoned the bottom one still leaving his spectacular pectoral muscles and six-pack abdominals exposed. He looks like a gorgeous male model and sports a great sense of humor.

Once offstage, Ryan joined his wife, Ashleigh. He held her in a tight embrace. Then, as they walked, he asked, "Did it turn you on?" She replied, "Me and every other lady here." Raising her left hand, she briefly flashed her wedding ring at the TV camera saying with a grin, "He's mine." Ryan said to her, "I'm just yours." Trés romantique!

B-boy Jonathan 'Legacy' Perez, recently just squeaking by in the competition, made a comeback after performing a piece with his group choreographed by Mia Michaels to Kerli's 'Walking on Air'. In tears, he faced the six judges. Mia asked, "What are you feeling right now?" Barely able to choke out words, Legacy said, "It changed something inside me." After a long pause, he continued, "It's your energy... your movement meant something. And you just made me a better dancer- I think. 'Cause I wanna learn that style more... I've come out of my shell."

As it turned out, Mia with her complicated and powerful choreography had a strong emotional effect on many of the dancers, especially the ones who passed after performing her work. Crying, they said it was 'really difficult' and they couldn't believe they'd made it through- and they felt changed personally and dance-wise.

Billy Bell's performance turned judge Adam Shankman into a teary-eyed moaning mess. But Billy's stunning performance justified the emotionalism. Mollee Gray sprained an ankle during a performance and missed rehearsing with her group for the next one. But upon returning from the hospital, she caught up and performed. Her entire group was passed through. However, Pauline Mata, who also sprained an ankle- during a rehearsal- is waiting to hear her fate. Her sprain forced her to miss a performance.

Two prominent dancers who were cut from this SYTYCD season were World Professional Ten Dance Champion Iveta Lukosiute, a blonde bombshell, and Willem De Vries, a same-sex ballroom dancer. His partner, Jason Jacob, was cut last week. Also cut was another ballroom dancer, Matthew Hauer, whose wife, Karen Hauer, yet remains in the competition. Next week promises to be exciting. The remaining 38 dancers are very talented but 18 must go- leaving the Top 20 . Here's hoping that on-fire Ryan Di Lello is one of the Top 20.

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