SYTYCD

View Date: 11/17/09

Tonight, the top 14 dancers were up, and we got a special treat by seeing pictures of the judges as children. Cat was looking very nice, but the real standout in the looks department tonight was Mary. She was more covered than usual, but her hair was pulled back and she truly looked lovely.

Ashleigh and Jakob: Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed a hip hop piece for this duo about a couple where the man has cheated on his wife. This couple continues to impress me. Even though this was completely out of their style comfort zones, I thought they did a really good job with the number.

Karen and Kevin: Broadway was their randomly-selected dance tonight, and Spencer Liff provided the choreography. This was probably the least exciting number this couple has done this season. The steps were all there, but the performance wasn't quite there. There were brief moments of crispness and flamboyance, but it just didn't gel tonight.

Noelle and Russell: Eddie Simon designed a Foxtrot for this couple, who had actually chosen it the first week when Noelle was injured and Russell performed with Melanie, the choreographer. I don't quite get this song with a Foxtrot, and it was not a very flattering costume design for her. My eyes were definitely drawn to him, and he also looked more comfortable in the number. Their technique was commended by the judges, and huge improvements were noted in Russell's work.

Channing and Victor: This couple had to perform a Tyce DiOrio jazz routine tonight. The story behind this dance was that they are two jazzy night birds out for a little fun. The couple even used a giant birdcage facade as a prop, which just enhanced this number. It was a fun performance, and quirky enough to be remembered.

Kathryn and Legacy: This couple received a Tony Meredith Paso Doble to perform tonight. Legacy is just FINE shirtless. This was a very strong performance, and Legacy was able to keep the powerful persona throughout. The ending was a bit awkward, but I could not keep my eyes off the rest of the performance.

Ellenore and Ryan: This pair danced a Travis Wall contemporary routine tonight. Travis' routines are always memorable, as was this one. It was a very pretty number, but I thought Ryan was rather weak when it came to the dancing itself. It kind of looked like he was just there to lift Ellenore and carry her around the stage. The judges disagreed with me, but I wasn't a Ryan fan tonight.

Mollee and Nathan: Laurieanne Gibson put together a pop jazz routine for this couple, the youngest of the season. The performance was OK, even with Mollee channelling a 1980's Madonna. Nathan received a similar lecture from Nigel that Victor did, in that they now need to grow, no matter how exceptionally gifted they are.

10 words or less: Legacy and Kathryn on top, who's on the bottom?