So You Think You Can Dance 5 Episode 1 saved the best for last with the performances of Brandon Bryant and Natalie Reid, who were eliminated at the end of Vegas last season, closing out the night. Additionally, we saw Maksim Kapitannikov, Nobuya Nagahama, Annie Taylor, Igor Zabrodin, Chimezie Nwosu, Kayla Radomski, and Nigel’s homophobia.
Tonight we start off in Miami, where someone will hopefully tell Cat to not try speaking in Spanish any more. Tyce Diorio will be joining Mary and Nigel.
Tony Riendeau is apparently auditioning for an 80s movie. His dance style: Tony style. Nigel appreciates that he fell, picked himself up, dusted himself off, and continued making a fool of himself. Meanwhile, I’m wondering when this Tyce guy will stop talking because he’s starting to sound like a mean Paula Abdul. Still not content with the camera time he’s received thus far, Tony asks for a medic because he’s just that tired.
Priscilla Marrero says that dance is a big part of her culture. Nigel enjoyed every moment of it. Tyce feels so happy to be a dancer after that performance. She will be going to Vegas.
Janette Manrara and Romulo Villaverde danced together last year. Janette made it to Vegas where she was cut, while Romulo was cut immediately. They get a scream from Mary. Because he’s afraid of her, Nigel will be sending them both to Vegas.
Twins Jennifer and Jessica Guadix are hip hop dancers, or at least that’s what they think they are. Nigel says that they’ve never had synchronized dancing on the show before. Mary responds that they still haven’t.
Joseph Smith plans to shwam and/or shwizam the judges. He’s not entirely clear whether that’s a good thing or not, but either way he says it, it sounds stupid. Nigel loved the humor and footwork. Tyce was sort of half impressed. Joseph will be going to choreography, where he is sent through to Vegas.
Wislande Letang is looking to put the hoochie into hoochie mama. Tyce wants to watch but has to divert his eyes. Mary is not sure what she was doing on that stage. Nigel says that she was doing what little girls do when they start dancing. She wants them to teach her how to dance.
Erik “Silky” Moore is a tap dancer who already has a stupid nickname. He hopes to bring tap back because not a lot of people do it any more. Nigel liked that there was everything there but the kitchen sink. Mary calls him one of the best dancers of the day. He’s going to Vegas.
Paris Torres was Miss Washington. Nigel thought her dancing was fabulous. Mary agrees. Tyce, however, thinks she’s focusing too much on her legs and feet and leaving the performance behind. He wants to see her do choreography, but the other two vote her through to Vegas.
Geo Smith is hoping to join the party, feathers and all. Mary was entertained, despite having dug her fingers into Nigel when Geo jumped out into the audience. They will have him do the choreography.
Talia Rickards has not auditioned in two years since her husband of four years died in a motorcycle accident. Nigel is worried about her facial movements and didn’t feel there was enough there for him. Mary liked the potential, despite the lack of substance. Mary and Nigel will let her go to choreography, but Tyce doesn’t think it’s enough.
Geo is going to Vegas, and Talia will be joining him.
The next stop is Memphis. Lil C is the guest judge there.
Marico Flake, a police officer assigned to deal with people who are “having a good time,” does Memphis juking. Nigel enjoyed the style, which has been kept underground for 20 years. Lil C uses some of that in his routines and enjoyed the performance. He will be going to Vegas.
Dustin Dorough is wearing a bandana, which is a bad sign in itself. He says that his cousin is one of the Backstreet Boys. He should leave the dancing to his cousin. Nigel calls him delusional. That was not hip hop. In Dustin’s defense, he just got over the flu (presumably not swine) and bronchitis, and he couldn’t walk upstairs 5 days ago. Did he have hemorrhoids as well? Or perhaps a dead dog?
Chris Carrozzo is obviously here just to waste our time. It would be nice if this were at least funny or in some other way entertaining. Chris says he’s ready to go home before the judging is even halfway done. Good. Go away.
Caitlin Kinney is following in her sister Megan’s footsteps after she got a ticket to Vegas in Miami. She’s superb for 5 years of training and for someone who had hip reconstruction. She’s going to Vegas.
Anna Dunn’s father killed himself last year. She uses dancing as her outlet because she can’t really talk about it (except on national TV). Nigel says that she’s so overchoreographed and needs to calm it down. Mary loved everything except the constant head bouncing. Lil C wants her to connect with her pain. She advances to choreography.
Travis Prokop is from Texico, New Mexico, where his dad coaches high school football. He opted to dance instead, which his father supports. Nigel wants to see him strengthen up his body because he’s so big. Otherwise, he’s got potential. He will stick around for the choreography.
Ryan Kasprzak’s younger brother Evan Kasprzak made it to the last day of Vegas last year before being cut. The judges enjoyed his dancing but are concerned about his potential with other styles. Regardless, he’s obviously going back to Vegas.
Another set of twin sisters Lauren and Lydia Guerra are up next. Nigel thinks that, if the two of them were combined, they’d make a great dancer. One of them is powerful, while the other gives more performance. They will proceed to choreography.
Lastly, Evan’s brother Ryan Kasprzak does a tap dancing routine. When he’s not tapping, he does a bunch of other styles and also choreographed his brother’s routine. Nigel wants to see him do the choreography, but Lil C and Mary will send him to Vegas.
Lauren, the performing twin, will go to Vegas. Anna Dunn will also be going there. Travis has made it as well. Lydia, the more powerful of the two twins, will be joining her sister.
Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of So You Think You Can Dance Season 5 Episode 3, which airs Thursday at 8/7c on Fox.