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The second season of So You Think You Can Dance premiered May 25, 2006, with new host Cat Deeley.
On August 16, Benji Schwimmer was announced as the winner of So You Think You Can Dance 2006.
[edit] Auditions
Auditions were held in New York City; Los Angeles, California; Chicago; and Charleston, South Carolina.
116 dancers were invited to Vegas for a week's training. That 116 was eventually whittled down to 41, and finally to 20.
[edit] Top 20 finalists
[edit] Contestants (elimination date)
The song played after each female elimination was Suddenly I See by KT Tunstall, whilst that played after each male elimination was It's the End of the Road by Matt Goss.
[edit] Finals
| Week |
Summary |
| Week 1 |
*Performance Night (June 14, 2006)
-
- Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Dan Karaty
- Couples
- Benji Schwimmer and Donyelle Jones
- Dance: Hip-hop (2 Much Booty (in da Pants) by Soundmaster T);
- Choreographer: Shane Sparks
- Reviews: Judges Nigel, Mary Murphy and Dan Karaty were all extremely impressed.
- Ivan Koumaev and Allison Holker
- Dance: Salsa (El Temblor by La Palabra)
- Choreographer: Alex Da Silva
- Reviews: The judges praised Allison but felt Ivan let her down with a poor performance.
- Jason Williams and Aleksandra Wojda
- Dance: Contemporary (Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield)
- Choreographer: Tyce Dioro
- Reviews: The judges were pleasantly surprised; Mary called Jason a "floodlight from Heaven".
- Jaymz Tuaileva and Jessica Fernandez
- Dance: 70's disco (Disco Inferno by The Trammps)
- Choreographer: Doriana Sanchez
- Reviews: Mary and Dan felt Jessica should have been more "funky", but all were pleased.
- Stanislav Savich and Erin Ellis
- Dance: Paso doble (Malaquena by Manhattan Pops Orchestra)
- Choreographer: Ron Montez
- Reviews: They all praised Stanislav, but felt Erin struggled.
- Dmitry Chaplin and Joy Spears
- Dance: Hip-hop (Hit The Floor by Twista featuring Pitbull)
- Choreographer: Shane Sparks
- Reviews: Nigel felt they paled in comparison to Benji and Donyelle. Mary said they were hot and felt Dmitry was the surprise of the night. Dan said they just "regurgitated" the choreography and added nothing to the routine.
- Ryan Rankine and Heidi Groskreutz
- Dance: Viennese waltz (Caribbean Blue by Enya)
- Choreographer: Ron Montez
- Reviews: The judges liked the performance, but Mary said Ryan's footwork was a problem.
- Ben Susak and Ashlee Nino
- Dance: 80's disco (Flashdance... What a Feeling by Irene Cara)
- Choreographer: Doriana Sanchez
- Reviews: The judges were very negative, and Nigel felt they would be among the bottom 3 couples.
- Travis Wall and Martha Nichols
- Dance: Broadway (Steam Heat by The Pointer Sisters)
- Choreographer: Tyce Dioro
- Reviews: Rave reviews, with Nigel and Mary saying they might be the couple to beat.
- Musa Cooper and Natalie Fotopoulos
- Dance: Mambo (Nina by Joe Cuba Sextet)
- Choreographer: Alex Da Silva
- Reviews: Nigel and Mary were thrilled, but Dan said the chemistry was better than the dancing.
- Results (June 15, 2006)
- Group Dance: (Technologic by Daft Punk), Choreographer: Brian Friedman
- Musical Guests: Nelly Furtado and Timbaland (Promiscuous)
- Bottom 3 Couples: Stanislav and Erin, Ivan and Allison, Jessica and Jaymz (Mary was very surprised, she thought Stanislav and Erin should be in the top 3, not bottom 3.)
- Solos
- Eliminations:
- Female: Erin : The judges thought that it was difficult for Erin and Jessica to capture the hearts of America at this stage, and praised that they were fine dancers. Allison admitted that her dance was an improvisation. However, the judge believed she was a strong dancer, so she should not be penalized for her partner's fault. And instead, Nigel eliminated Erin.
- Male: Stanislav : Jaymz is praised as one of the most versatile dancer, they were shocked that he was in the bottom 3 and brought him safe first. The judges felt Stanislav's solo was not strong enough and he lacked personality. The judges believed Ivan's solo is great, but scolded him for letting his partner down. Instead, the judges eliminated Stanislav.
- New partners: None
|
| Week 2 |
*Performance Night (June 21, 2006)
-
- Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Shane Sparks, Mia Michaels
- Special Guests Hawk (season 2 semifinalist) and performance by Season 1 contestant Ryan Conferido and the Sickstep Crew
- Couples
- Travis Wall and Martha Nichols
- Dance: Krump (Clap Back by Ja Rule)
- Choreographer: Lil C (who was one of the originators of krumping)
- Reviews: Shane was amazed at Travis but disappointed in Martha. Mia praised the dance as "raw" and "ugly" (and therefore excellent). Nigel felt Lil "C" showed how krumping was done and although they did well, they didn't compare to the original.
- Jaymz Tuaileva and Jessica Fernandez
- Dance: Foxtrot (Why Don't You Do Right? by Sinéad O'Connor)
- Choreographer: Mary Murphy (with Artem from season 1 assisting her)
- Reviews: Shane and Mia were impressed. Nigel liked them, but wondered if the performance was exciting enough to get them out of the bottom 3.
- Ivan Koumaev and Allison Holker
- Dance: Hip-hop (Touch It by Busta Rhymes)
- Choreographer: Olisa and Cicely
- Reviews: Shane and Nigel thought they did a good job, especially since Allison's background was not hip-hop. Mia was bored.
- Dmitry Chaplin and Joy Spears
- Dance: Samba (Mas Que Nada by Sergio Mendes featuring The Black Eyed Peas)
- Choreographer: Mark Weiss
- Reviews: Shane thought Dmitry "smashed" it but Joy's permanent smile bothered him. Mia told Joy she was lucky to be beautiful, because she wasn't good in the samba and she wasn't ready for the competition. Nigel said Dmitry was "sensational", but should have done more to support his partner.
- Musa Cooper and Natalie Fotopoulos
- Dance: Contemporary (Closer by Goapele)
- Choreographer: Tovaris Wilson
- Reviews: Shane said Musa was shaky at times, but Natalie held it together. Mia liked the chemistry and was proud of Musa since he was out of his element. Nigel praised them and said this is why they put them together.
- Ryan Rankine and Heidi Groskreutz
- Dance: Pop (Walk Away by Kelly Clarkson)
- Choreographer: Tovaris Wilson
- Reviews: Shane said they were the couple to beat. Mia said it was OK but Heidi needed to get grounded and not be flimsy in her movement; Heidi said she would. Nigel said they didn't compare to Musa and Natalie.
- Ben Susak and Ashlee Nino
- Dance: American jive (Great Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis)
- Choreographer: Mary Murphy
- Reviews: Shane said the performance was like for little kids. Mia and Nigel thought they did a great job, considering they were not trained for jive. Nigel also said they had improved beyond belief from the previous week.
- Jason Williams and Aleksandra Wojda
- Dance: Hip-hop (Wrath of Kane by Big Daddy Kane)
- Choreographer: Olisa and Cicely
- Reviews: Shane thought Aleksandra came a long way, but she "danced like a white girl", and felt Jason did a great job. Mia was very impressed. Nigel said that Aleksandra's "flava" was like tofu.
- Benji Schwimmer and Donyelle Jones
- Dance: Cha Cha (Cuchi-Cuchi by Los Amigos Invisibles)
- Choreographer: Mark Weiss
- Reviews: Shane gave them a standing ovation and said they were the best of the night. Mia said they were fabulous in spite of being an unlikely couple. Nigel said they were the couple to beat and praised Donyelle for showing women in her weight range can still be sexy.
- Results (June 22, 2006)
- Group Dance: (Get Up Offa That Thing by James Brown), Choreographer: Dan Karaty
- Musical Guest: Rihanna (S.O.S.)
- Bottom 3 Couples: Dmitry and Joy, Jason and Aleksandra, Heidi and Ryan.
- Eliminations:
- Female: Joy : The judges were extremely disappointed with Aleksandra's solo, but thought overall in the competition, she had done a better job than Joy. Joy was eliminated.
- Male: Jason : The judges felt Dmitry was amazing in his solo, Ryan didn't know how to connect to the audience, and Jason had been great in the past but did not shine in his solo. As a result, they eliminated Jason.
- New partners: Dmitry and Aleksandra
|
| Week 3 |
*Performance Night (June 28, 2006)
-
- Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Cicely and Olisa
- Behind the Scenes: A camera follows the top 18 around on the day of the elimination show.
- Special Guests: Lindy hop world champions Hop, Swing, and a Jump (Traffic Jam by Bill Elliott)
- Couples
- Ben Susak and Ashlee Nino
- Dance: Hip-hop (Caught Up by Usher)
- Choreographer: Todd Sams
- Reviews: All of the judges felt Ashlee showed why hip-hop is her forte, but felt Ben struggled.
- Ryan Rankine and Heidi Groskreutz
- Dance: Cuban rumba (Rumba del Solar by Angelo Rodriguez)
- Choreographer: Alex Da Silva
- Reviews: All of the judges were very impressed, and Mary felt they were much better than they were last week.
- Dmitry Chaplin and Aleksandra Wojda
- Dance: Waltz (If I Were a Painting by Kenny Rogers)
- Choreographer: Heather Smith
- Reviews: The judges were awed by Dmitry, but disappointed in Aleksandra. Nigel compared her to the Corpse Bride (a comment he apologized for on the results show).
- Ivan Koumaev and Allison Holker
- Dance: Argentine tango (Libertango by Bond)
- Choreographer: Alex Da Silva
- Reviews: Nigel felt Allison gave one of the best performances of the season. Mary said she hadn't felt Ivan deserved to be in the top 20, but he had proved her wrong with this dance.
- Benji Schwimmer and Donyelle Jones
- Dance: Pop jazz (Put the Needle on It by Dannii Minogue)
- Choreographer: Brian Friedman
- Reviews: Mary and Nigel were not crazy about the eye makeup put on Benji, but they all enjoyed the dance. Cicely and Olisa praised Donyelle for being able to transform from week to week.
- Musa Cooper and Natalie Fotopoulos
- Dance: Quickstep (Zoot Suit Riot by Cherry Poppin Daddies)
- Choreographer: Heather Smith
- Reviews: The judges were unhappy, with Musa being singled out for criticism, although Nigel pointed out all the effort Musa had put in since he came back to the show after auditioning last season.
- Jaymz Tuaileva and Jessica Fernandez
- Dance: Contemporary (Let Go by Frou Frou)
- Choreographer: Brian Friedman
- Reviews: All of the judges felt they did a great job and had a strong connection. Nigel said it would be very hard for the audience to choose a bottom 3 this week.
- Travis Wall and Martha Nichols
- Dance: Hip-hop (Just Fine by Chris Brown)
- Choreographer: Todd Sams
- Reviews: Nigel said Travis and Martha had been the couple to beat, but now were falling behind (the audience booed, but Travis told them not to boo). He felt the two were dancing in different routines. Cicely and Olisa liked Martha but thought Travis was dancing the wrong style of hip-hop (Travis pointed out he was not a hip-hop dancer).
- Results (June 29, 2006)
- Group Dance: (Poison by Bell Biv DeVoe), Choreographer: Shane Sparks
- Musical Guest: Natasha Bedingfield (Single)
- Bottom 3 Couples: Ben and Ashlee, Jaymz and Jessica, Dmitry and Aleksandra
- Solos
- Eliminations:
- Female: Aleksandra : Ashlee was declared safe first, with the judges saying they wanted to see her keep growing. Nigel then criticized Jessica for saying she wanted to show personality instead of actually showing it. He apologized to Aleksandra for comparing her to the Corpse Bride, and praised her solo, but eliminated her based on her entire body of work.
- Male: Ben : Nigel told Dmitry the female judges loved him, but he was staying because he was a great performer. He then asked Ashlee if she thought Ben had done well in the hip-hop routine. She said he did. Nigel asked Ben how much preparation he'd done for his solo. Ben said, "Zero." Nigel then interrupted him, and chastised him for not putting more effort into "fighting for his life." Jaymz said he had something planned but his nerves got to him. Nigel said he was "ashamed" of both of them for their solos, finally stating that the other judges felt Jaymz had more potential to grow. And then, Nigel eliminated Ben.
- New partners: Dmitry and Ashlee
|
| Week 4 |
*Performance Night (July 5, 2006)
-
- Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Dan Karaty
- Auditions: Various unseen auditions were aired.
- Special Guests: Lil C and the Neph Squad (Spaz Meter by The J-Squad)
- Couples
- Ryan Rankine and Heidi Groskreutz
- Dance: Hip-hop (Give It All You Got by Afrorican)
- Choreographer: Shane Sparks
- Reviews: Nigel and Mary felt they were much better than they anticipated, but Dan said they were like cheerleaders.
- Travis Wall and Martha Nichols
- Dance: Salsa (Tanga by Machito and His Afro-Cubans)
- Choreographer: Ron Montez
- Reviews: Mary and Nigel had various complaints about footwork and not enough sizzle; Dan was impressed.
- Dmitry Chaplin and Ashlee Nino
- Dance: Contemporary (Dance Dance by Fall Out Boy)
- Choreographer: Brian Friedman
- Reviews: After some joking around from Nigel about Dmitry making his partners disappear, Nigel and Mary said they liked the routine, considering neither of them had any experience with contemporary. Dan didn't think they played their characters and was particularly critical of Ashlee; Ashlee said she tried her best and at least they had fun.
- Musa Cooper and Natalie Fotopoulos
- Dance: Disco (Hot Stuff by Donna Summer)
- Choreographer: Doriana Sanchez
- Reviews: The judges were yet again impressed by Musa's hard work, and praised their sex appeal.
- Benji Schwimmer and Donyelle Jones
- Dance: Viennese waltz (Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman by Bryan Adams)
- Choreographer: Toni Redpath and Michael Mead
- Reviews: The judges were all thrilled, with Nigel pointing out that Donyelle was dancing on a possibly broken toe.
- Ivan Koumaev and Allison Holker
- Dance: West Coast swing (Don't Happen No More by Pat Benatar)
- Choreographer: Ron Montez
- Reviews: The judges again praised Ivan for his improvement, and Mary said Allison would win.
- Jaymz Tuaileva and Jessica Fernandez
- Dance: Hip-hop (I Can Make You Dance by Zapp)
- Choreographer: Shane Sparks
- Reviews: The judges felt they were just doing the steps without feeling the beat. Jaymz pointed out they were not trained hip-hop dancers. Nigel said other dancers that night had gone out of their comfort zones and were "outstanding" (although Nigel had, on a number of occasions, defended dancers by saying they were not in their specialty).
- Results (July 6, 2006)
- Group Dance: Footloose Choreographer: Mary Murphy
- Musical Guest: Ne-Yo
- Bottom 3 Couples: Jaymz and Jessica, Ryan and Heidi, Ivan and Allison
- Solos
- Eliminations:
- Female: Jessica : The judges felt Allison was great. Nigel felt Heidi was too much at times and wished he could use jumper cables to give Jessica some of that personality. Due to her technique, the judges chose to save Heidi, thus eliminating Jessica.
- Male: Jaymz : Nigel did not feel Jaymz brought out his best specialty for his solo. Nigel was impressed by Ivan's solo and said that saved him from elimination. He felt Ryan again did not do enough to engage people, but spared him and eliminated Jaymz.
- New partners: None
|
| Week 5 |
*Performance Night (July 12, 2006)
-
- Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Brian Friedman
- Couples
- Musa Cooper and Natalie Fotopoulos
- Dance: Hip-hop (Promiscuous by Nelly Furtado and Timbaland)
- Choreographer: Dan Karaty
- Reviews: While all the judges were happy to see Musa's hip-hop abilities on display, Mary felt he and Natalie were not in sync and that since this should have been an easy style for them, the performance was a "strikeout".
- Ryan Rankine and Heidi Groskreutz
- Dance: Cha Cha (Sex Bomb by Tom Jones)
- Choreographer: Jean Marc Genereux
- Reviews: Overall, the judges were pleased with Heidi, but Nigel and Brian felt Ryan was disconnected from the routine.
- Note: During Nigel's comments, he pointed out ballroom dance champion Louis Van Amstel (of rival series Dancing with the Stars, who happened to be in the audience that night.
- Ivan Koumaev and Allison Holker
- Dance: Contemporary (Why by Annie Lennox)
- Choreographer: Tyce Dioro
- Reviews: Mary was reduced to tears. Yet again the judges said Allison could win. Nigel marveled at Ivan's progress.
- Dmitry Chaplin and Ashlee Nino
- Dance: Pop (Let Me by Rihanna)
- Choreographer: Dan Karaty
- Reviews: Mary enjoyed the performance and their chemistry, but Nigel felt the performance was forgettable. Brian thought Dmitry was stiff and Ashlee was one-note, but he felt they did what they were given. When Cat asked him what he thought of the choreography itself, Brian said he wasn't going to answer, but Dan did a great job.
- Travis Wall and Martha Nichols
- Dance: Foxtrot (Witchcraft by Steve Tyrell)
- Choreographer: Jean Marc Genereux
- Reviews: Aside from a few minor quibbles, the judges were impressed. Mary said they did Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers proud.
- Benji Schwimmer and Donyelle Jones
- Dance: Broadway (You Can't Stop The Beat by Hairspray (Original Cast))
- Choreographer: Tyce Dioro
- Reviews: Rave reviews, and Nigel said he felt Benji or Donyelle could win. Brian said he didn't want Benji to be in the top 20, but Benji was now his favorite man in the competition.
- Results (July 13, 2006)
- Group Dance: Disco (Born to be Alive by Patrick Hernandez)
- Choreographer: Doriana Sanchez
- Musical Guest: The Pussycat Dolls
- Bottom 3 Couples: Dmitry and Ashlee, Travis and Martha, Musa and Natalie
- Solos
- Eliminations:
- Female: Ashlee : Nigel told Natalie she was a brilliant dancer and would be staying, but she needed to stop resorting to a "French maid" sexy personality. He said Martha had lost some luster over the course of the competition, and that Ashlee was very talented and had a great career ahead of her. However, he felt Martha and Natalie were stronger, so Ashlee was eliminated.
- Male: Musa : Nigel quickly told Travis he was safe and should be proud of himself. He then admonished Dmitry to improve and not just show off his body. Saying this was the hardest decision they'd ever made, Nigel eliminated Musa because although he had coped well, he was not good enough to continue in the competition.
|
| Week 6 |
*Performance Night (July 19, 2006)
-
- Starting this week, each couple was paired randomly, had to dance two dances, and had to dance a solo; couples and solos are listed in order of appearance.
- Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Cicely and Olisa, Jean Marc Genereux
- Couples
- Ivan Koumaev and Martha Nichols
- Dance: Hip-hop (Me and You by Cassie)
- Choreographer: Shane Sparks
- Reviews: The judges felt Martha needed to stand out more, that Ivan shone in the dance, and that they had no chemistry.
- Travis Wall and Heidi Groskreutz
- Dance: Paso doble (Plaze of Execution from The Mask of Zorro soundtrack)
- Choreographer: Mary Murphy
- Reviews: Everyone was very happy with the chemistry and intensity between Travis and Heidi.
- Ryan Rankine and Allison Holker
- Dance: Contemporary (Ethna by Klement Bonelli)
- Choreographer: Mia Michaels
- Reviews: There were some criticisms, but overall they felt Allison and Ryan did a good job.
- Dmitry Chaplin and Donyelle Jones
- Dance: Lindy hop (Sing, Sing, Sing Swing Kids Soundtrack)
- Choreographer: Nick Williams and Kristen Sorci
- Reviews: The judges felt Donyelle adapted very well, but thought Dmitry could have done better.
- Benji Schwimmer and Natalie Fotopoulos
- Dance: Jazz (Wonderful India Arie)
- Choreographer: Tyce Dioro
- Reviews: The judges felt they captured the feel of the music and did well.
- Ivan Koumaev and Martha Nichols
- Dance: Smooth waltz (Sandy's Song by Dolly Parton)
- Choreographer: Toni Redpath and Michael Mead
- Reviews: The judges felt they were OK, and not good enough.
- Ryan Rankine and Allison Holker
- Dance: Broadway (Bye Bye Blackbird Liza Minelli)
- Choreographer: Tyce Dioro
- Reviews: Nigel said he didn't think Ryan "got" the choreography, but liked Allison. The other judges agreed, although Jean Marc did not feel the performance was big enough.
- Dmitry Chaplin and Donyelle Jones
- Dance: Samba (Hey Mama by Black Eyed Peas)
- Choreographer: Mary Murphy (with Artem from season 1 assisting her)
- Reviews: Everyone was impressed, with Donyelle's ability to adapt herself to the dance and Dmitry's partnering ability.
- Travis Wall and Heidi Groskreutz
- Dance: Contemporary (Calling You by Celine Dion)
- Choreographer: Mia Michaels
- Reviews: Nigel felt the choreography was remarkable and touching, and that both Heidi and Travis were brilliant, with Heidi being "sensational" for dancing outside of her style.
- Benji Schwimmer and Natalie Fotopoulos
- Dance: Hip-hop (She's Freaky by Pitbull)
- Choreographer: Shane Sparks
- Reviews: Nigel felt they weren't together and they lacked chemistry, but Jean Marc liked it.
- Solos
- Donyelle: Git It (Bun B feat. Ying Yang Twins)
- Reviews: Nigel said her dancing in her specialty showed how versatile she was, as many of her dances with Benji had been very different from her solo. The other judges were also impressed.
- Dmitry: Pump It (Black Eyed Peas)
- Reviews: The judges blushed when Dmitry ripped his shirt open at the end of the dance, and Nigel jokingly moved to take off his shirt. Dmitry's sex appeal was again praised and they said he did what he did best.
- Martha: What You Waiting For? (Gwen Stefani)
- Reviews: The judges felt she was holding back and her solo was not enough to help her get votes.
- Ivan: This Luv (Donell Jones)
- Reviews: Ivan wore wheels on his shoes - Nigel and Jean Marc said it was fun, but a gimmick, not enough to get votes. Cicely and Olisa wanted to see more personality. Ivan said he was just trying to entertain people.
- Heidi: Dum Diddly by Black Eyed Peas
- Reviews: The judges felt she did a great job, especially since she didn't have a partner.
- Travis: Belief (Stripped version) (Gavin DeGraw)
- Reviews: They said the dance was great and much different in style from the paso doble he'd just performed.
- Natalie: Lamentation Leah Andreone
- Reviews: Nigel pointed out her parents in the audience and said they should be proud of her.
- Benji: Land of 1,000 Dances (Wilson Pickett)
- Reviews: The judges were extremely impressed. Nigel said his not tearing his shirt open or putting wheels on his shoes shows he is into dancing, not gimmicks.
- Allison: We Belong (Pat Benatar)
- Reviews: They were impressed by her dancing, but warned her against not showing more expression in her face.
- Ryan: Canned Heat by (Jamiroquai)
- Reviews: Nigel felt Ryan would have a great solo career. The other judges were very impressed.
(Starting this week, individuals were placed in the bottom group, not couples, and the public vote decided which male and which female left the competition.)
-
- Group Dance: Ramalama (Bang Bang) (Róisín Murphy)
- Choreographer: Wade Robson
- Musical Guest: Chris Brown
- Bottom 4 Contestants: Martha, Ryan, Natalie, Dmitry
- Solos
- Eliminations:
- Female: Martha
- Male: Dmitry
|
| Week 7 |
*Performance Night (July 26, 2006)
-
- Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Dan Karaty
- Couples
- Donyelle Jones and Travis Wall
- Dance: Hip-hop (London Bridge by Fergie)
- Choreographer: Shane Sparks
- Reviews: Mary was very pleased, but Nigel thought the masks they wore were a big distraction. Dan felt the routine could have been better.
- Dance: Quickstep (Dancin Fool by Barry Manilow)
- Choreographer: Glen Weiss
- Reviews: The judges were extremely critical.
- Allison Holker and Ivan Koumaev
- Dance: Argentino tango (La Cumparsita by Orquestra Escuela de Tango)
- Choreographer: Alex da Silva
- Reviews: The judges were impressed, although Nigel felt their first tango was better. Mary was happy with Ivan becoming a man.
- Dance: Hip-hop (Sexy Love by Ne-Yo)
- Choreographer: Shane Sparks
- Reviews: They loved the performance.
- Natalie Fotopoulos and Ryan Rankine
- Dance: Disco (Turn The Beat Around by Vicki Sue Robinson)
- Choreographer: Doriana Sanchez
- Reviews: The judges felt no chemistry and preferred Natalie with former partner Musa.
- Dance: Contemporary (I Will Get There by Boys II Men)
- Choreographer: Tyce Dioro
- Reviews: The judges thought they did a much better job and would have long careers.
- Benji Schwimmer and Heidi Groskreutz
- Dance: Broadway (Fake Your Way To The Top Dreamgirls Original Broadway Cast)
- Choreographer: Tyce Dioro
- Reviews: Rave reviews.
- Dance: Mambo (Black Mambo by Angel & The Mambokats)
- Choreographer: Alex da Silva
- Reviews: More lavish praise.
- Results (July 27, 2006)
- Group Dance: Cell Block Tango (Chicago Original Broadway Cast)
- Choreographer: Tyce Dioro
- Musical Guest: Busta Rhymes
- Bottom 4 Contestants: Natalie, Allison, Ryan, Travis
- Solos
- Eliminations:
- Female: Allison (This Woman's Work Maxwell)
- Male: Ryan (Ain't No Way (You Won't Love Me) Chris Brown)
|
| Week 8 |
*Performance Night (August 2, 2006)
-
- Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Mia Michaels
- Couples
- Ivan Koumaev and Natalie Fotopoulos
- Dance: Jive (Route 66 from Cars soundtrack)
- Choreographer: Ron Montez
- Reviews: The judges felt they were not dancing with each other and for this stage of the competition it was not good enough.
- Benji Schwimmer and Donyelle Jones
- Dance: Broadway (Le Jazz Hot by Julie Andrews from Victor/Victoria soundtrack)
- Choreographer: Tyce Dioro
- Reviews: Nigel thought Benji outdanced Donyelle. Mary was happy with the dance. Mia thought they got by on personality.
- Travis Wall and Heidi Groskreutz
- Dance: Smooth waltz (Flying by Cait Agus Sean)
- Choreographer: Ron Montez
- Reviews: The judges were extremely impressed and felt both Travis and Heidi had come a long way.
- Benji Schwimmer and Donyelle Jones
- Dance: Hip-hop (Hotline by Ciara)
- Choreographer: Shane Sparks
- Reviews: The judges were impressed.
- Ivan Koumaev and Natalie Fotopoulos
- Dance: Contemporary (Everytime We Touch - Yanou's Candlelight Mix by Cascada)
- Choreographer: Tyce Dioro
- Reviews: Nigel felt no chemistry and that Ivan had not learned enough about dances which were not hip-hop. Mary thought it was good but should have been much better at this point. Mia and Nigel criticized Natalie, Mia saying Natalie was an amazing dancer but her facial expressions were contrived.
- Travis Wall and Heidi Groskreutz
- Dance: Pop (W'Happy Mama by Zap Mama)
- Choreographer: Wade Robson
- Reviews: The judges were very positive, with Nigel saying Heidi and Travis that was the best routine of the night and they were the best couple of the night.
- Solos
- Results (August 3, 2006)
- Group Dance: Hide And Seek (Imogen Heap)
- Choreographer: Mia Michaels
- Musical Guest: Omarion
- Solos
- Eliminations:
- Female: Natalie
- Male: Ivan
|
| Week 9 |
*Performance Night (August 9, 2006)
-
- Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Brian Friedman
- Behind the Scenes: The final four attend the movie premiere of Step Up.
- Couples
- Travis Wall and Heidi Groskreutz
- Dance: Disco (Shake Your Groove Thing by Peaches & Herb)
- Choreographer: Doriana Sanchez
- Reviews: Aside from one or two technical quibbles, the judges were extremely impressed.
- Benji Schwimmer and Donyelle Jones
- Dance: Viennese waltz (I'll Be by Edwin McCain)
- Choreographer: Jean Marc Genereux
- Reviews: The judges cited some arm problems and felt the routine was sloppy, and they should have improved on their last Viennese waltz.
- Travis Wall and Benji Schwimmer
- Dance: Hip-hop (Gyrate by Da Muzicianz feat. Mr. Collipark)
- Choreographer: Shane Sparks
- Reviews: Rave reviews. Mary and Brian screamed with delight.
- Donyelle Jones and Heidi Groskreutz
- Dance: Broadway (Big Spender from Sweet Charity Original Broadway Cast)
- Choreographer: Tyce Dioro
- Reviews: The judges were not pleased with the choreography, but Nigel and Brian felt they should have done more. Mary felt they did the best they could with what they had.
- Donyelle Jones and Travis Wall
- Dance: Contemporary (Georgia On My Mind by Ray Charles)
- Choreographer: Mia Michaels
- Reviews: The judges felt they captured the lazy, nostalgic feel of the dance.
- Benji Schwimmer and Heidi Groskreutz
- Dance: Salsa (La Comay by Sonora Carruseles)
- Choreographer: Alex da Silva
- Reviews: Very positive comments. Brian asked them to dance at his next birthday party.
- Solos
- Group Dance: SexyBack by Justin Timberlake
- Choreographer: Wade Robson
- Reviews: The judges praised the group, but singled Travis out for his efforts.
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| Week 10 |
*Results Night (August 16, 2006)
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- Judges: Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Brian Friedman, Shane Sparks, Mia Michaels, Dan Karaty
- Musical Guests: Ciara, and Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas
- Special Guests: Celine Dion (appeared via videotape to congratulate the winner)
- Group Numbers
(featuring top 20)
(featuring top 10)
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- Cell Block Tango from Chicago
- Choreographer: Tyce Diorio
- Dancers' Choice: (each of the final four chose to reprise their favorite routine)
- Benji: Mambo with Heidi
- Heidi: Contemporary with Travis
- Donyelle: Broadway with Benji (Hairspray)
- Travis: Paso doble with Heidi
- Judges' Choice: (four of the judges picked a routine)
- Mary: Latin ballroom with Dmitry and Natalie (Magdalena by Sergio Mendes)
- Mia: Contemporary with Allison and Ivan
- Brian: Broadway with Travis and Martha
- Dan: Hip-hop with Travis and Benji
- Solos:
- Elimination Order
- Heidi - 4th
- Donyelle - 3rd
- Travis - 2nd
- Benji - Winner
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[edit] Live Tour
In 2006, the top 10 contestants will go on tour across the United States and Canada. Tickets went on sale August 12, and were virtually sold out within a few days. The following are the tour dates and locations:
Sep 12, Seattle, WA, Paramount Theatre - Tour Review
Sep 13, Portland, OR, Arlene Schnitzner Hall- Tour Review
Sep 15, Oakland, CA, Paramount Theatre - Tour Review
Sep 16, Universal City, CA, Gibson Amphitheatre - Tour Review
Sep 17, Phoenix, AZ, Dodge Theatre - Tour Review
Sep 19, Denver, CO, Lecture Hall
Sep 21, St. Louis, MO, Fabulous Fox Theatre - Tour Review
(sold out) Sep 22, Chicago, Rosemont Theatre - Tour Review
Sep 23, Milwaukee, WI, Milwaukee Theatre
Sep 24, Minneapolis, MN, The Historic Orpheum Theatre
Sep 26, Detroit, MI, Masonic Temple Theatre
Sep 27, Cincinnati, OH, Proctor & Gamble Hall at the Aronoff Center
Sep 29, Cleveland, OH, State Theatre at the Playhouse Square Center
Sep 30, Buffalo, NY, Shea's Performing Arts Center - Tour Review
Oct 1, Ledyard, CT, Foxwoods Resort Casino
Oct 3, Newark, NJ, New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Oct 4, New York City, The Theater at Madison Square Garden
(sold out within 11 minutes) Oct 6, Philadelphia, PA, Academy of Music - Tour Review
Oct 7, Boston, MA, The Wang Center for the Performing Arts - Tour Review
Oct 8, Albany, NY, Palace Theatre
Oct 10, Washington, DC, DAR Constitution Hall
Oct 11, Charlotte, NC, Ovens Auditorium
Oct 12, Duluth, GA, Arena at Gwinnett Center
Oct 14, Miami, FL, Jackie Gleason Theater
Oct 15 & 16, Tampa, FL, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
Oct 18, Greenville, SC, Timmons Arena
Oct 19, Greensboro, NC, War Memorial Auditorium
Oct 21, Norfolk, VA, Chrysler Hall
Oct 23, Baltimore, MD, Lyric Opera House
Oct 25, Toronto, ON, The Hummingbird Centre
Oct 27, Syracuse, NY, Landmark Theatre
Oct 29, Providence, RI, Providence Performing Arts Center
[edit] See also
[edit] References
