So You Think You Can Dance Canada 2, September 22: Dancing Is A Contact Sport!

In the last elimination episode, partners Natalie and Danny were sent home. You can read my version of events here if you missed out.

After welcoming us to the show, series host Leah Miller gets things underway by introducing the dozen dancers and the four judges for the week. This week, assisting the principal judges Jean Marc Genereux and Tré Armstrong are Mia Michaels and a very hoarse Rex Harrington.

Leah seeks advice to the dancers from all four judges. They all say “bring it hard” in their own unique ways. Leah also informs us that after this week, partners will be re-drawn each subsequent week.

The first couple to dance tonight is Tara-Jean and Everett. Tonight, dancers will use their pre-dance video to reflect on what they will miss most about working together. Tara-Jean says it’s just looking at Everett and knowing, “This is the best moment of our life.” He feels they’ve worked hard to get to the light at the end of the tunnel.

They have drawn the theatre style, with Sean Cheesman. Sean intends to make use of Everett’s tap abilities. The song is “The Joint Is Jumping” by the Broadway cast of Ain’t Misbehaving.

Everett’s skills are undeniable. Brother Kasprzak, take note! Both get a few seconds in a spotlight, and Tara-Jean’s pretty good. In fact, she’s pretty good throughout. They end up dancing right off the stage.

Mia is excited to see tap on a So You Think You Can Dance stage. Mia says she has chills and this couple is the real deal. Rex says Everett reminds him of a young Gene Kelly and Tara-Jean reminds him of Shirley Temple and Ginger Rogers. He admires the energy, the enthusiasm, the partnering, and the lines they displayed.

Tré tells Everett he is “sick” and asks Tara-Jean if she has ever danced tap before. Yes, but just as a kid. Tré assures her she hasn’t lost a step and thinks they have tapped their way into the top ten. Jean Marc admires Everett’s relaxed upper body and feels both set the stage on fire. He also thinks they are not going home soon.

Leah reveals that Luther Brown is choreographing tomorrow night’s group number.

Melanie and Cody now take the stage. Cody tells us he will miss Melanie’s positive energy, and Melanie says they have developed a lot of trust in their partnership. They will dance a jazz routine developed by Melissa Williams. In this dark vampire piece, Cody is a virgin. Insert your own punch line, because everything I can come up with isn’t right for a family website.

The music is “Glory Box,” by Portishead. Melanie blindfolds Cody at one point, and he dances about ten seconds that way. At the end, she bites him on the neck… and the woman is wearing fangs!

Mia tells Melanie, “That was a great performance by you.” She wanted to see more evidence of jazz training from Cody, but she’s still his fan. Rex says Cody is secure in his genre, but needs to show more in other styles. Melanie is “absolutely one of the most beautiful contemporary dancers up there.” He likes her lines and how she gets into the role.

Tré says her high expectations of Melanie’s jazz technique did not disappoint her. Cody showed a sense of vulnerability, if not all the jazz technique she’d hoped for. Jean Marc wanted to see more in the transitions from Cody, but he’s grown (as a dancer). Jean Marc adds that Melanie is “a force of nature,” and, ”the cutest monster on the face of the planet.” He’s sure she is going to be in the top ten.

The third performers of the night are the new-ish couple of Corynne and Austin. Both will miss the laughs they’ve had together. They will dance a Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin-inspired salsa to Pitbull’s “I Know You Want Me.” We are told it’s a flirty piece with a lot of pelvic thrusts.

They bump hips a lot, too. I thought both sell the sexy quite well…. They was a lot of sexy.

Mia disagrees with me. Or, maybe it’s been killing her to keep being nice? She says, “That was the most “forced sexiness” I’ve ever seen in my entire living experience.” She gives Corynne tainted praise for “moving your hips somewhat in the right direction,” though she adds that she has good “length and movement.” However, Mia feels Austin did own it, even if he was a bit uncomfortable.

Rex agrees, saying that Corynne’s presentation seemed forced to him. He feels Austin is “one of the strongest men in the show,” and was impressive as he partnered her in the lifts. Tré tells us that Corynne committed, but it wasn’t her best performance. Austin was “bang-on,” connecting with the salsa style and his partner.

Jean Marc says he was initially afraid for them, but he loves this team. He feels Corynne has matured on the show, but was playing a difficult character. He expounds, “I teach ballroom dancing like a company: the feet are the employees, your hips are your product, and the upper body is how you sell it.” Both sold it, and Jean Marc is sure both will make it to the top ten.

Fourth to perform is the team of Kim and Emanuel. Emanuel says he’ll miss just dancing with her. She is sad this is their last week together. They will dance a hip-hop number from Luther Brown. They have to grab each other… a lot.

The music is Busta Rhymes “Respect My Conglomerate.” Kim sexy in her genre, and Emanuel is game to follow. Not sure if it was actually necessary for Luther to have Kim grab his crotch, though! This used to be a classier show.