So You Think You Can Dance Canada 2, October 25: Finally, The Finale!

Way, way back in the middle of the week, the final performance episode aired. Everett, Jayme Rae, Tara-Jean, and Vincent all danced beautifully. Since they took an extra four days to tally the votes, you may wish to reread my version of events here.

I have been picking Tara-Jean to win, but I reiterate that any of the final six would be worthy winners, so I approach this episode with a completely open mind.

With two hours of material to process, I’m dispensing with other preliminaries to report that the show opens with an African-based group number featuring the whole top twenty. Everyone’s dressed in white, and lighting changes follow the different moods of the number. It’s cleverly done!

Dressed in a tight gold dress, series host Leah Miller welcomes us to the show and tells us three million votes were cast this week. Finally, a decent vote total! The top twenty are then introduced, in order of elimination, ending with the top four. It’s nice seeing some of the old faces. Leah credits choreographer Sean Cheesman for that opening number.

If you didn’t know, Mia Michaels was supposed to be a guest-judge on tonight’s show. However, Leah informs us that Mia seriously injured her back choreographing a dance for the top ten, and is currently watching the show from the Toronto hospital where she spent the night!

Leah now brings out all judges who are not currently hospitalized. With principal judges Jean Marc Genereux and Tré Armstrong and perpetual hangers-on Blake McGrath and Luther Brown, are returning guest judges Rex Harrington of the National Ballet, and from last season, director Kenny Ortega.

Leah reminds us of the prizes. Besides the esteemed title of “Canada’s Favourite Dancer,” the winner will also have to find a use for $100,000 and a 2010 Mazda 3 Sport car. The runner-up “just” gets the same car.

Leah says that, with the competition over and the pressure off, now is the time to let loose and celebrate. The dancers will redo “some of the most memorable routines of the season.”

Leah next asks the judges for their opinions of the series. Jean Marc says these dancers are the greatest, and many have danced through injuries. (More on that later.) He thinks that, this year, it’s anybody’s game to win. Tré points out that, to her knowledge, we are the first version of the show to have a krumper in the top ten, and the first to have a tapper and a ballroom dancer in the top four.

Blake says he’s excited by tonight’s show and he has no idea who will win either. Luther likes the dance diversity of this show, noting that only here are styles such as dancehall, Afro-Brazilian, and house featured. He calls for “mad props” for the choreographers and the dancers for “doing their thing and making us proud.” Rex admires the dancers tenacity and courage.

Before Kenny Ortega speaks, we see a short promo for his new Michael Jackson film. He says he’s proud of the team effort behind it. The movie opens Wednesday. Now, I haven’t seen it of course, but I do recall that Kenny’s responsible for all those wretched “High School Musical” films! Turning back to this show, Kenny says he cannot remember a show ever offering a more consistent creative opportunity for choreographers and dancers to produce cutting-edge, world-class efforts.

Leah calls for the first of the “unforgettable moments,” which are video clips of some of the better solos from the audition rounds. Faces flash by too swiftly to identify here, but it’s a great montage. Clips from the “finals” (the Toronto rounds) and the “top 20” rounds ensue, also well received in these quarters.

But this is a live show and it’s time to have live dancers do what they do best – dance. The rest of the “moments” will be recreated, live. The format is something like this – in turn, Leah will ask a judge what their favourite routine is from this season, and (as long as everyone follows the script), we will have them danced again for us. Leah talks briefly with the performers after the dance is done.

Leah first asks Kenny for his choice, and he selects Sean Cheesman’s theatre piece with a tap duet, performed to the theme from “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” Tara-Jean and Everett are the performers. Tara-Jean says it was fun to dance the number again, and Everett says they’re bringing tap back.

Jean Marc likes jive, so he calls for Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin’s jive interpretation of Chubby Checker’s classic “Pony Time,” with Amy and Vincent dancing. Amy is too out of breath to answer Leah’s questions, while Vincent can only gasp, “It was fast!”

Rex’s choice is next. He selects Jayme Rae and Everett’s mambo, which was under the guidance of Gustavo Vargas in week 7. Leah asks how they remember all the different moves, and Jayme Rae says, “I learned that you have to let the guy lead, so, I don’t have to remember anything!” That’s cute, because earlier in the series they showed her taking over dances in rehearsal.

Leah passes on the news that this show won the 2009 Gemini award (Canada’s Emmy) for “Best Variety Series.” That’s a major kudo!

Next, Leah promotes the Season 3 audition tour. She does this a few times throughout the show. Same for the Top Ten Tour. Check the CTV website for details of both, because I officially stop pimping them now.

The next dance selection comes from Blake. He says that Luther Brown is the best hip-hop choreographer anywhere, and he wants to see something from him. What’s delivered is Kim and Cody’s 90’s hip-hop. It’s a great piece that matches both their genres, and they dance it big. Leah asks them if Luther is tough. Cody says, “He’s a big teddy bear.”

Jean Marc gets another turn. He calls for the rumba from Tara-Jean and Vincent danced to “Hero” by Enrique Iglesias. Eric Caty is the choreographer. No chat, this time.

It’s Tré’s turn. She selects the “Love, Sex, and Magic” piece (from Ciara, with Justin Timberlake), danced by Kim and Emanuel. In this routine, Emanuel licks Kim’s boot, then performs magic to pull a scarf out of her mouth, make her disappear, and effect a wardrobe change that puts her into a saucy red bikini! Leah reminds us that, for this jazz-funk number, Blake was the choreographer. Kim says her mom loved it. “So did mine!” chimes in Emanuel. Personally, I feel this was one of the two most memorable routines of the season!