SYTYCD - Season 6 Week 2

It's week 2 of season 6 on So You Think You Can Dance. Nigel Lithgoe, Mary Murphy and Mia Michaels head to Phoenix to find dancers who can bring the heat. Some sizzle, some fizzle, and some just confused everyone. On to the review - SYTYCD 2009 - week 2 of season 6.

Burning it Up

Johnathan Legacy Perez is a break dancer. His quote before they showed his audition was "I'm here to share my talent with the world." That he did. He did a fantastic, thrilling routine that was both technically amazing and showed his amazing skill in his genre. The judges handed him a ticket along with a list of compliements on his duck walk with his hands and his personality, and he's headed to Vegas to compete for a spot in the top 20.

Two contemporary dancers got their tickets with their beautiful moves and personality. Katie Muth and Ellie Soto proved to the judges that the Phoenix auditions were well worth the trip.

The up close and personal spot was reserved for Alison Becker. Normally, I hate this part. But this one was one of the most positive stories I've ever heard. Alison was diagnosed with spinal meningitis at 16 months old. The doctors gave her parents the dire news that she would either be deaf, blind or die. Alison is deaf. But you would NEVER guess it based on her dancing. She was amazing - her personality and her love of dancing were just radiating. Her technique wasn't perfect, but it was very good. She can read lips, and talks extremely well. The judges seemed concerned about choreography, but Alison assured them she was going to kill it. She feels the music beats and rhythm, and dances to the vibrations. She nailed the choreography, and got her ticket to Vegas. Any doubts on the part of the judges (or viewers) were squashed at that moment. She is absolutely inspiring, and never showed anything but a fighter mentality - no sobbing, so look at what I've done... Just look at what I'm going to do.

Cold Showers
Brandon and DeMitri - aka Shorty and Biggie somehow made it through to choreography after an entertaining (but technically awful) audition. Biggie dropped out almost immediately, failing to catch on to any of the steps. Brandon was cut after failing to impress during a Latin Ballroom routine. The boys had a long 19 hour drive home to Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Bizarre
After several bizarre (and terrible) auditions, Kelsey White gets her turn. Her audition is fairly well done, but she loses major points when Nigel jokingly asks her if she's ever been abducted by aliens... And she responds (seriously), "Only once." At this point Nigel walks off, goes backstage and finally lets her through to choreography. In the end, they were correct in their assessment that her skills weren't quite good enough, and she goes home empty-handed.

Brandon Gordon and his partner - a punk ballerina - definitely were out of place in a real dance competition. On stage, they wore clothes to stand out - probably because their dancing did not. All in all, weird looking.

Random notables from the Phoenix auditions include leg warmer chicks, hiccup guy and the number of dancers who seriously looked possessed during their routines.

Scary
Jarvis Johnson, possibly the most hyperactive and positive person ever, got through to the choreography after the judges agreed he was "pure sunshine". He danced his shoes off during his hip hop routine, but his moves weren't quite right. During the choreography round, Jarvis collapsed, and was having problems breathing. The medics had him hooked up to oxygen on stage. Although he was sure he was having a heart attack, Jarvis actually suffered an asthma attack. Luckily, he recovered and left on his own two feet - and his big smile was back on his face.