With Idol being put out of its misery for the season, that means it’s time for So You Think You Can Dance. Mary Murphy is returning after having been benched last season. Lil C joins Mary and Nigel. We start off in Atlanta, GA.
Colombian salsa dancer Bianka Hinklerian starts things off on the right foot and heads to choreography.
Melanie Moore is an art major whose father died at a young age. At that time, she was not good at dance. Nigel is amazed but worried she’ll fall apart in Vegas. Mary is overwhelmed.
Deon Lewsa, Jr. and Damon Bellmon are under the mistaken impression they’re ladies’ men who are going to land Cat or some other female who they view as desperate. They have better odds of just hitting on each other. At least they’re entertaining dancers. They’ll be heading to Vegas. This is the start of a record setting 10 dancers in a row who go straight to Vegas.
Marko Germar was shot in 2009, and the bullet’s still in his shoulder. He said he’d be back and be a beast, so here he is, being a beast. He’s headed to choreography.
Bianka makes it through to Vegas, and Marko will be joining her.
Kimalee Piedad is given compliments across the board and is going to Vegas.
Then we get a Lil C montage. Nobody knows what he’s talking about as usual, even himself.
Uncoordinated white boy John “White Chocolate” Palermo believes he’s a hip hop dancer. I guess it really doesn’t matter what kind of dancing he does because it will look equally bad regardless. Before he leaves, he wants a hug from all of the judges.
Kyre Batiste has a familiar face at the judges’ table, as his grandmother is pulled up from the audience. She turns out to be his toughest critic, one who hits Lil C with her belt. He gets two votes for choreography, if you count his grandma, which they do. That’s as far as he’ll get.
In San Francisco, Tyce Diorio and Toni Redpath join Nigel.
Amber Williams always has people asking if she’s on something, for good reason. Her excess of quirkiness is distracting, but the judges enjoy her dancing and are sending her to Vegas.
Nigel calls Bboy Timothy Joseph stunning but wants to see if he can make it in choregraphy. Toni’s not impressed by anything more than the tricks and votes no, but Tyce gives him the second vote he needs.
Ieshia Moss didn’t know the auditions were coming to town until she turned on her local news. Too bad she had to turn on her local news. She fancies herself a stripper, but at least she’s keeping her clothes on. The booty shaking and missing front tooth are bad enough. She sticks around to encourage Marcos Pieto in his similarly trainwreck performance.
Danielle Ihle has been homeless since her father lost his job, kept it from the family, and then abandoned them. Toni likes the spinning and the dancing, but she lacks the emotional connection. Nigel would rather have seen a happier audition, but he’ll let her go to choreography.
Ashley Nicole Rich wows the judges, who will be sending her to Vegas… and then singing.
D’on-que (if that’s his real name, his parents are mean) Addison warns us of a pending rising of the underdogs. He will not be part of that rising, whether he breaks down crying or not.
Saying he tweaked his knee, Timothy opts to bow out. Danielle heads to Vegas.
Jeffery McCann is another bboy. The critique he gets is “heck yeah,” which apparently is sufficient explanation for his trip to Vegas.
Ryan Ramirez returns after getting cut last season from the top 24.
Levi “I Dummy” Allen brings us turf dancing, which originated in Oakland. He heads to choreography but not to Vegas.
Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live recap of So You Think You Can Dance Season 8 Episode 2, which airs Wednesday at 8/7c on Fox.