Lista episodi

The first round of auditions.

Season 7 auditions continue in Los Angeles at the Orpheum theater, with Nigel Lythgoe, Hi-Hat and Adam Shankman critiquing, and then on to Chicago. Stacey Tookey joins Nigel and Shankman in Chicago. Some contestants share their stories.

Auditions end in Dallas and Nashville. Then Las Vegas week begins.

The most drastic final cut in "So You Think You Can Dance" history came together Tuesday night as Las Vegas Week culminated in the final 10 dancers

First, though, Vegas Week continued with a Broadway theme and Ida -- who'd impressed the judges immensely in her audition, but faced some sharp criticism in Vegas -- was thinking about dropping out of the competition.

In the first round of dancers, Adrian and Lauren wowed the judges with their fun take on the routine. Several other dancers seemed to impress the panel, but Ida went up to the stage alone to tell the judges she was withdrawing. Nigel didn't take the news well and said she only wanted to bow out because she was having trouble taking criticism. She insisted that wasn't the case, but Nigel said he'd never believe that.

After Broadway, 47 dancers were still in the competition and they were asked to pick a CD at random in groups. Each group had to choreograph a routine to the music and perform it the following morning.

The first group of dancers amazed the judges and Nigel said each of the five of them were on his "favorite" list.

The second group wasn't so fortunate as they stayed up all night bickering. Tapper Melinda was in the group and was the only dancer who really stood out. Somehow, they all still made it through.

Some 34 dancers were celebrating making it through, but the final group that was full of all-stars, including Billy Bell, were told by the judges that their performance was terrible and lacked heart. Judge Toni Redpath was furious after consulting with the rest of the judges, saying none of them deserved to move on but she'd been "talked in" to keeping them.

The following round was contemporary, which was the specialty of most of the remaining dancers, but salsa dancer Cristina and ballroom dancer Giselle were worried. Cristina, though, made it through while surprising the judges with how well she adapted to the different style. Mary was brought to tears, though, when she had to tell Giselle that she wasn't going to make it to the next round. Another early favorite, Nicole with the big hair, was cut.

Injured Anthony Burrell, Kent Boyd and Alex Wong made up one group in the contemporary round. Alex wasn't incredible, but the judges put him through for another round. Anthony proved himself to be "exquisite," in Nigel's words, and continued for another round. Nigel strung Kent along for a while before telling him he was "one of these people that I can see growing every single routine that you learn." Kent gave a passionate speech about how he didn't really think he could stack up against the other dancers, and Lil C broke down in tears as he told Kent that he certainly was good enough. He moved on in a group of 24 dancers that made it to the end of Vegas Week.

Before they left Vegas, the dancers were treated to a lesson from legendary choreographer Grover Dale.

The dancers had a chance to show the judges their stuff one last time, performing a solo before the final cuts would be made. Lauren Froderman once again wowed them with her routine, bringing more than half of the panel to its feet, as Adam said they were "in heaven" and Lil C called it "awesome."

The 24 dancers left were each set to get a visit or phone call from one of the judges to let them know if they were in or out for the Top 10.

Adrian Lee and Cristina Santana were the first to get visits. Toni teased Cristina through an agonizing wait before finally telling her she was in the Top 10. Mary visited Adrian and told him he didn't make the Top 10, but encouraged him to come back and try again.

Nigel stayed back in Hollywood to deliver bad news over the phone to five more dancers. Nigel paid a visit to Lauren Froderman and told her all the reasons the judges thought they shouldn't choose her for the Top 10, then told her she "knocked them all down" and would be included in the small group of finalists.

Mia Michaels visited Anthony Burrell, who said he needed something "like this" in his life, but she had to tell him he wasn't in the Top 10.

Ashley Galvan waited for Lil C to show up and deliver some news. He told her she was his favorite from Vegas, but strung her along a bit longer before announcing she was in the Top 10.

Nigel landed in Columbus, Ohio, where he first made some phone calls to tell some dancers they were out, and was on his way to Wapakoneta to visit Kent Boyd. Meanwhile, Tyce DiOrio made his way to Jose Ruiz's house in Miami. Jose was in.

Mia went to visit tapper Melinda Sullivan and told her she was in. Alex Wong, meanwhile, awaited word from Tyce about his future on the show. Tyce told him there was concern that he didn't show enough passion and emotion in his performances, but he'll be getting more chances to prove himself because he's in.

While Nigel continued to search for Wapakoneta, Mia paid a visit to Adechike Torbert to tell him he was in the Top 10.

Nigel was pulled over by a cop on his way to Wapakoneta, and Tyce told Jocelyn she wasn't going to continue.

With one spot left for a girl, Mary went to visit Alexie Agdeppa and Lil C went to see Ryan Ramirez. Mary asked Alexie if she'd try out again if she didn't make it. Alexie said she would, but Mary told her she wouldn't have to. Lil C, then, had to tell Ryan she didn't make it.

Nigel finally made it to Kent's house in Wapakoneta, but asked to use the bathroom after his long drive. Nigel dragged out the process, in typical fashion, and told Kent he made it to Hollywood.

Back in New York, Adam Shankman waited until the end of an Alvin Ailey show where Billy Bell and Robert Rolden which of them had earned the 10th spot. The 10th spot went to Robert, but there was a twist. A surprise 11th spot was saved for Billy.

Now that the Top 11 are set, it was time for them to take the stage for real. Each dancer will be paired with a previous "So You Think You Can Dance" finalist, and the opening group dance set the tone quickly. The 11 all-stars came out to start a performance that was finished by the 11 finalists from this season. Then they closed out the routine as one big group.

Host Cat Deeley reminded us that the all-stars were here to help this season, but would not be competing. Then she introduced us to the judging panel for the evening: regular judges Adam Shankman, Mia Michaels and Nigel Lythgoe. Thursday was all about getting to know the dancers and their abilities, and no voting was involved. Next week, viewers will vote on the dancers' performances.

Lauren & Kent: For the first dance of the night, Mark (Season 5) and Kathryn (S6) joined Lauren and Kent in a Jazz number by Travis Wall. Adam heaped praise on everyone -- including Nigel and Mia. He said Travis was getting so good as a choreographer, and then he jumped out of his seat to compliment Lauren and Kent.

Alexie & Melinda: After years of trying out for the show, Alexie told us she was a Laker Girl for two years. Melinda called herself an old soul. Allison (S2) and Lauren (S3) joined Alexie and Melinda for a Broadway routine choreographed by Tyce DiOrio. Nigel paid the best compliment he could give them, saying he couldn't distinguish between the competitors and the all-stars on the stage.

Jose: Jose Ruiz, who touted his humility and confidence, was joined on stage by hip-hop all-stars Twitch and Comfort (S5) and Dominic (S3). Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed a routine that initiated him into the "SYTYCD" hip-hop family. Adam said he was "so glad" Jose was on the show.

Cristina: Salsa dancer Cristina was joined by Season 3 all-stars Anya and Pasha. The three of them put on a dazzling and hot display of salsa choreographed by Jason Gilkison. Nigel enjoyed it and said Cristina had a tough job sharing the stage with what he called two of the best ballroom dancers in the world. He cautioned her to watch her "lazy feet," but otherwise thought she nailed it.

Alex and Billy: The two comeback kids were joined by Ade (S5) in a contemporary routine choreographed by Mia Michaels, who explained that her dance was about "time and the turning of life." Mia said she loved it and it was "an honor" to have them dance her routine. She said Billy was a "freak of nature" and Alex is "a beast." Those were both compliments.

Adechike, Robert &Ashley: Adechike described himself as the underdog of the competition but vowed to represent not only New York, but the entire east coast. Ashley said she loves to shop, watch football and described herself as a "huge nerd." Robert said he used to play baseball. All-stars Courtney (S4) and Neil (S3) joined them for a Sonya Tayeh jazz number. Sonya loved it and told Adechike he isn't an underdog.

After all the auditions and the "introductory" episode, it was time to get down to business in the finals of "So You Think You Can Dance." The Top 11 were paired with all-stars from previous years.

Billy: On a night when the dancers would be telling us something America doesn't already know about them, Billy said he loves to do do-it-yourself projects with his dad, a general contractor. He was paired with Lauren for a Tyce DiOrio Broadway routine to Kenny Loggins' "Footloose." Nigel liked it and said the long movements Tyce chose to use worked for Billy. Mia said she loved seeing Billy handle a dance that's different from what he's used to. Adam gave him some pointers to help him grow throughout the competition, including sticking with his character. Adam said Billy had to focus on what happens in between the dance steps.

Cristina: Salsa dancer Cristina told us she once auditioned for a Spanish-language "American Idol"-style show. She didn't make it. Cristina was paired with Mark for a Sonya Tayeh jazz routine in which the dancers played the role of snakes. Nigel gave Cristina a good compliment by saying he was focused on her more than Mark. He said that the judges know she's good and she was now showing America she's good. Mia said Cristina did an awesome job holding her own on stage with Mark, who she called a genius of darkness in dancing. Adam said he was stunned because he was expecting a disaster when she saw that Cristina was given a Sonya Tayeh routine. He said he saw no trace of the salsa dancer and she "fully inhabited the character."

Jose: The B-boy told us he practices yoga every morning. Jose scored by drawing all-star Comfort for a hip-hop routine by Tabitha and Napoleon. He was supposed to give a mean face while dancing to Ne-Yo's "Beautiful Monster." Nigel pointed out to us that breaking and hip-hop aren't the same thing and Jose proved he can handle different things. He called it outstanding. Mia said there was a little hesitation in Jose's performance of the choreography. Adam agreed with what Mia said and stressed that the show is all about improvement week to week. He told Jose to get to his power moves faster.

Adechike: Adechike told us he went to the "Fame" school, where no less than Al Pacino and Tyce DiOrio attended. He drew a contemporary routine choreographed by Travis Wall and was paired with Kathryn. Nigel said the choreography was wonderful and Kathryn did a lot, but he didn't quite believe the sequence was Adechike's fantasy (the routine was about an office worker dozing off and having his dream lady come seduce him through dance). Mia said there was no sexual chemistry and Adechike "brought nothing but stiffness and strength." Adam said Adechike was a great partner, but he needed to give the extra stuff.

Melinda: Tapper Melinda said the thing we don't know about her is that she's also an actress who worked on "As the World Turns" and she writes her own music. She drew a jive choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin, and was paired with Pasha. Nigel said there was no question Melinda was vivacious, but her legs were a bit wide on some kicks. He said the style didn't suit her and she was in danger of having to dance for her life on Thursday. Mia agreed and said there was a "lack of sexiness" in Melinda's style that she couldn't pinpoint. Adam said Melinda tried to use her acting prowess to cover up for her lack of technique.

Alex: Alex said America didn't know that he loves to sing and play the piano. He was paired with Allison to do a contemporary routine by Sonya Tayeh. The crowd roared and Cat Deeley said the hairs on her arms were standing. Nigel said Alex had just set a new standard for "So You Think You Can Dance." He said that sometimes the focus is too much on the structure of dance rather than the poetry of dance, and Alex showed that both could be done. Mia said it was "the best, hands down, piece of work danced on the 'So You Think You Can Dance' stage in the world, to date." She said Alex was "sheer perfection and sheer genius." She also said Sonya was "sheer genius," as well. Adam said Alex and Allison made Sonya a different choreographer and said he was unbelievable.

Alexie: Alexie said America doesn't know she's been on "Star Search" with a group of dancers called "The Hip-Hop Kids," and was actually judged by Adam Shankman on the show. She was paired with Twitch for a Tabitha & Napoleon sultry hip-hop routine that Alexie said would "hopefully not" be suitable for children. Nigel called Alexie a "cute little dancer" and told her to be careful it isn't too cutesy. Mia said Alexie danced "like a young, adorable girl" and said she had to step it up because "there was no coolness to it." Adam told Alexie to dance with the sensuality of a girl but with the power of a guy.

Lauren: Lauren said she's passionate about working with Kindergartners. She drew a Mandy Moore jazz routine and was paired with Ade. In rehearsals she seemed to struggle with bring sexy. Nigel said it was well choreographed, but he found it sterile and that it lacked chemistry with Ade. Still, he thought she was secure in the competition. Mia said there was unused space "emotionally and character-wise" in her dancing. Adam told Lauren to worry less about presentation and more about her connection with her character and partner.

Kent: The most famous resident Wapakoneta said he was voted homecoming king in his class, which included only 14 guys. He drew a cha cha by Tony and Meredith, and was paired with Anya. Nigel said the overriding factor in the whole routine was that he enjoyed it and said Kent reminded him of a young Paul Newman, but at one point in the routine he did a move that looked like Jessica Rabbit. Mia said Kent committed to everything and looked "kind of like a ballroom boy" but told him to remove that one move (to which Nigel referred) for the rest of his career. Adam said it was good, but looked a bit like a kid who got lost at the zoo and ended up dancing with the lions.

Ashley: Ashley said that something America doesn't know about the goofy voices she does. She was paired with Neil for a Tyce DiOrio contemporary routine about love. Nigel said the dance had to be about transcending the steps and connecting with the emotions. He asked her if she's ever been in love and she said she thinks she is now. Mia said she couldn't tell which emotion was coming from Ashley, but it was there -- even if it wasn't coming across as loudly as she hoped.

Robert: Robert said something America doesn't know about him is that he really wanted to be a professional baseball player, but dance took over. He drew a Sean Cheesman African jazz routine and was paired with Courtney. Nigel said he loved the way Robert dances and said he's a dark horse in the competition. Mia said there were so many things she loved about him, despite it being just the first live competition show of the season. Adam said it was "unbelievable" seeing Robert and Courtney together, and he called Robert one of the best contemporary dancers the show has ever had.

The first results show of the seventh season of "So You Think You Can Dance" got off to a rocking start with a jazz routine choreographed by first-timer Tessandra Chavez.

To the results: Host Cat Deeley called the first four contestants to the stage to their learn fates. She started with Alex, who was safe. Robert was also safe. Lauren and Kent were the two dancers remaining on the stage. After stringing them along a bit, Cat told Kent he was safe. Then she told Lauren she was safe, too.

The next four dancers to get results came to the stage. Melinda was up first and she was in the bottom three, as Nigel predicted she might be. He wasn't happy to have been right, and he said he didn't think the routine helped. He told Melinda to bring some warmth, vulnerability and honesty to her performance.

Billy was next, and he was safe. Ashley and Alexie were paired up next for their results. The second dancer in the bottom three was Alexie, meaning Ashley was safe. Mia said her performance on Wednesday didn't show the amount of work she'd put into the show.

The final group of three dancers came on stage to learn their results. Jose was first, and he was safe, leaving Adechike and Cristina to vie for the final spot in the bottom three. Cristina was in the bottom three, leaving Adechike safe.

That meant the entire bottom three was girls, who made up just five of the Top 11.

Be our guest: While the bottom three prepared for their solos, Tony award nominees Karine Plantadit and Keith Roberts performed a routine from Twyla Tharp's "Come Fly Away" musical.

Later, Usher paid a visit to perform his song, "OMG," and introduced the world premiere of his protege Justin Bieber's "Somebody to Love" music video.

Back to the results: After dancing their solos, Melinda, Cristina and Alexie came together to find out who was going home. Nigel reiterated to Melinda his advice about getting some warmth into her dance, and told her to bring some fire. Next, he told Cristina she brought the fire, but not the steps. She was the one, the judges felt, was dancing for her life.

Finally, Alexie stepped forward and Nigel told her she was "very contained" in her movement. He told her she was "somewhat juvenile" in her dance style even though she was the oldest of the girls. Then he told her she was the first dancer cut this season.

The Top 10 dancers on "So You Think You Can Dance" took to the stage on Wednesday as judges Adam Shankman, Mia Michaels and Nigel Lythgoe took their seats.

After last week's results show, the remaining 10 dancers chose their dance partners and styles for this week. Due to the random draw, Neil and Twitch were left without partners this week, but we might see them next week.

The dancers were asked to share some childhood memories in their intro packages, and we started with Cristina.

Cristina: She told us about a performance as a child when she was dressed as a flower and her outfit ripped and she cried. She drew a paso doble with Pasha, choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux and France. It was dramatic and full of throws and lifts. Nigel said it needed passion, power, fire and control, and Cristina brought it all. He was glad she didn't go home last week because otherwise we would have missed that routine. Mia said it "was everything" and called it "the perfect partnership." Adam jumped aboard the love train, calling it "mucho caliente."

Adechike: He shared with us that his dad was a dancer and the coolest guy he knew, but had very little physical proof of his memories because of a fire that damaged most of his family's pictures. He drew a Mandy Moore contemporary routine with all-star Allison. Nigel said he saw a major improvement in the emotion Adechike brought to the performance. He advised him to make his dance moves second nature so that they wouldn't interrupt the emotional flow. Mia told Adechike to find some joy so that his smiles wouldn't come across as false. Adam agreed that Adechike is "technically so good," but he dances too much from his head and needs to dance more from his heart.

Alex: As a youngster, Alex was a tap dancer and did jazz as a 7 year old. He was forced to include some ballet and said he was bored. He drew a Broadway routine choreographed by Tyce DiOrio in the style of Bob Fosse. He was paired with Lauren. Nigel told Alex to do more research on someone like Fosse when he's confronted with a style he doesn't know well. He said there were some nice things going on, but mostly in the classic dance style. Mia made some noises but said that some of the Fosse style didn't come through. Adam reminded Alex that the competition is not about his ability, but about his versatility and his growth. He said the dance had "a lot of flash and no smolder."

Ashley: She told us about how her mom liked to dress her "girlie-girl" as a child, and she did her first competition when she was 4. She said she was able to do some things then that she can't do now. She drew a jazz routine with Mark, choreographed by Travis Wall. Nigel said he wanted to be careful that there was a separation between contemporary and jazz. He said he wanted to see something different from Ashley, but this performance didn't do that. Mia said Ashley delivered and that she's still her favorite girl. Adam said he wanted to see more from Ashley in the in-between moments that the choreographer didn't give her.

Billy: Growing up, as host Cat Deeley said, "on the mean streets of Palm Beach, Florida," Billy said he was a chubby baby and did dance routines in pleather outfits to the Backstreet Boys music. He drew a crumping routine choreographed by Lil C. He was paired with Comfort, who said Billy was struggling to tap into his mean side. Nigel said he hated the music, but acknowledged that it was probably the toughest "most alien" style Billy could have taken on. He said it's a "warrior" style and Billy didn't quite find the warrior in him. Mia said Billy "knocked on the warrior's door," but didn't walk through. She said it was awkward to watch. Adam called it "a failed experiment" after calling Billy one of the best dancers on the show.

Robert: After telling us he wasn't that cool as a kid, Robert took on the Argentine tango with Anya, choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux and France. Cat said she didn't normally get chills from ballroom, but Robert's dance did. Nigel said that Robert, without question, played his role brilliantly and looked magnificent while doing great choreography. He called it "one of the best routines of the night." Mia said it didn't give her chills at all. She said she felt like Anya devoured Robert rather than the other way around. Adam refused to break the stalemate, saying he had one foot in both camps. He agreed with points that Nigel and Mia both made. He said Robert looked fabulous, but stressed out.

Melinda: The tapper said that as a child she was quirky and different because her parents stressed the arts, music and dance. She recalled her very first performance at the age of 4, which was at the local community college but, to her, "it was Broadway." She drew a contemporary routine by Stacey Tookey that she said was about our relationship with Mother Earth, because we only have one shot. She was joined by Ade. Nigel praised Stacey's idea and he said Melinda was "absolutely tremendous." Mia loved the concept and the story and even though she had reservations about Melinda's costume, her moves were beautiful. Adam had little to add, other than to say she was fabulous.

Jose: Jose talked about growing up playing sports and learning his B Boy style at the age of 13. He drew a Bollywood routine with Nakul Dev Mahajan. They had a long way to go as Jose didn't know anything about Bollywood and Nakul called Jose a "B Bopper." Jose was paired with Kathryn. Nigel remarked on how far out of Jose's comfort zone the dance was. He said he didn't quite get to India, but his performance was tremendous. Mia said Jose was "so wrong, but so right" and appreciated that he was tackling everything with a smile on his face. Adam said Jose would win the prize for "the brightest light" on the show if there was one. He said the dance was totally wrong, but he was "so fantastic" for it.

Lauren: She told us she was really talkative and hyper as a kid, and she was all over the place in her first performance as a child. She drew a hip-hop by new choreographer Tessandra Chavez, with all-star Dominic. The dance was intended to convey a story about domestic abuse. Nigel said he believed the performance, but gave Lauren a technical note to give herself a stronger base. Mia said it worked "so much" for her and that she "felt" Lauren and Dominic so much, but she wanted to feel more of the abuse part. Adam said Lauren was so technically adept that there wasn't much to say on that front. He said he was glad she listened to what he told her last week.

Kent: Kent lamented his huge head when he was a kid and said he always acted pretty wildly on stage. He drew a jazz routine by Tyce DiOrio, and was paired with Courtney in a routine that was supposed to be a sensual romp. He said he struggling in rehearsal with touching Courtney the way the dance demanded, but he was going to try to get used to it. Nigel noted that Kent's journey from Wapokoneta was moving very fast. He said he enjoyed the performance, but didn't think Kent had as much fun with it as he had with the cha cha last week. He said he thought Courtney would eat him alive. Mia said she didn't know how she felt about it, but told Kent he had to transform himself in each of his dances. Adam agreed.

The top 10 contestants dance a group performance choreographed by Sonya Tayeh. Debi Nova performs with six of the All-Stars dancing backup. Bryan Gaynor and his crew "RemoteKontrol" also perform. One dancer is eliminated.

The Top 9 dancers on "So You Think You Can Dance" were asked to reveal their inspirations this week while trying to remain in the competition. Each dancer would also perform a solo to help voters decide who to support.

After last week's results show, the remaining dancers picked their partners and dance styles, the most notable of which was Alex's drawing of Twitch for a hip-hop routine.

Adechike: Desmond Richardson was the dancer who inspired Adechike to become the dancer he wanted to be. He was partners with Lauren for a hip-hop routine choreographed by Dave Scott. Nigel said Dave brought some personality out of Adechike, along with his swagger and funk. "This is a different Adechike than I've seen so far in the competition," Nigel said. Mia called him "Mr. Personality" and said she was "happy to see that there was some sunshine in there." Adam was excited and gave Adechike a standing ovation.

Ashley: Ashley said her inspiration was her dance teacher, who she loves. She drew a contemporary routine choreographed by newcomer Dee Caspary and was partnered with Ade. Nigel said Ashley developed so much with this routine and demonstrated fluidity, which, for him, is the essence of dance. He also praised Dee, saying we'd be seeing more of him if his choreography remained this good. Mia said it was like a purple wind and a hurricane and a summer breeze. Adam said Ashley was "breathtaking" and called it one of the best contemporary performances he's seen by a girl in the show's history.

Robert: Robert said his mother was his biggest inspiration after having gone through a divorce, three miscarriages, two deaths of newborn children and breast cancer. He drew a Sonya Tayeh jazz number and was partnered with Courtney. Nigel said Sonya's choreography suited Robert just like it suited Mark. Mia suggested to Robert that he take ballet, which would take him from "amazing" to "great." She said his performance is not quite as grounded and solid as it could be. Adam said Robert was a great dancer, but gave him a suggestion to not jump down.

Melinda: Melinda took another opportunity to tell us that Harold Cromer was her mentor and inspiration. She drew a salsa dance with Pasha, choreographed by Fabian Sanchez. Melinda escaped a snagged heel in her dress, but Nigel said he didn't feel the fluidity in her movement. He said she tended more step into a step into a step. He questioned whether she was feeling the "flow of music." Mia said Melinda danced as hard as she could, but she seemed at times like she had bricks on her legs and was thrown into a pool and trying to survive. She also said there were moments where she thought they made a mistake last week by letting Cristina go instead of Melinda. Adam said he felt the same way. He said her tenacity and fire could help her, but it might not be enough to get her through.

Lauren: The 18-year-old said her student council advisor was her inspiration. She was paired with Neil for a Broadway routine choreographed by Joey Dowling. Lauren had a bit of a wardrobe malfunction when the strap of her dress fell off, nearly revealing at least one of her assets. Mia said it was a great piece and danced well, but she wanted more slinkiness and "when the dress broke, it all happened." She wanted Lauren to let go a little more. Adam told Lauren to think of herself as dancing through water in order to accomplish what Mia was asking.

Billy: Legacy from Season 6 was one of Billy's biggest inspirations, according to Billy. They met in Season 6. Billy was paired with Kathryn for a Stacey Tookey contemporary piece. Nigel said Billy was such a brilliant dancer and soloist, but he still had to learn how to partner because he "didn't quite believe" the partnership. Mia agreed, saying that Billy sometimes got lost in the lines and perfection of the dance. Adam said Billy would "see it all on the playback," referring to the judges' perceived lack of connection from him.

Jose: Jose revealed that he was inspired by Bruce Lee. He drew a Dmitry Chaplin samba and was partnered with Anya. He dropped her a few times during rehearsals, but she insisted she trusted him. Nigel said it was great to have Dmitry back and said he'd brought out the man in Jose. Nigel said Jose was "not the best dancer in this show," but has magic and charisma beyond most. Mia said she was completely baffled because even though Jose wasn't a great dancer but she didn't care to pick apartment individual sections.

Kent: Kent said his older brother Jerry was his biggest inspiration. He pulled all-star Allison and choreographer Mandy Moore. Nigel decided to be a bit tough on Kent, and told him to hold back on his extras that were taking away from his performance. Still, he said Kent had something that most audience don't have. He said Kent was losing his partner because he was playing it up with the crowd too much. Mia agreed, saying Kent was getting caught up in the personality every Wednesday. Adam said Kent was one of the most hirable dancers on the show, but he has to watch that he doesn't overdo the personality bit.

Alex: Alex said his inspiration was Edward Villella, a boxer turned dancer who made it alright for guys to dance in a masculine way. Alex drew a hip-hop routine with Twitch, choreographed by Tabitha & Napoleon. The routine was a bit of a play on Alex's ballet background and how he'd have to ditch it in order to perform hip-hop. The crowd loved it, the judges all stood in ovation, and the choreographers were going wild. Nigel called it the best routine Tabitha & Napoleon have ever done. He said it was all about Alex, a ballet dancer, doing the "most incredible hip-hop" routine he's seen and he predicted an Emmy nomination. Mia asked, "Who the hell are you?" She said Alex defied everything about the ballet world. She said he held his own alongside Twitch. Adam said, "This is your world and I am just visiting." He said Alex's performance made him proud to be on the show so he could witness that routine.

The top 9 contestants dance a contemporary group performance choreographed by Jamel Gaines. Cirque du Soleil's Viva Elvis perform, as well as Ne-Yo. The dancers with the least viewer votes perform solos.

The top 7 contestants, (Alex Wong was injured), perform twice, once with an All-Star dancer, then with a fellow contestant.

Seven of the contestants, with AllStar Ade Obayomi, perform a Mia Michaels' contemporary piece. The original cast of "In The Heights" and Natasha Bedingfield perform. All Stars Pasha Kovalev & Anya Garnis dance the cha-cha. Alex Wong leaves due to injury.

Top 6 perform. Ashley Galvan sits out due to injury. Alex Wong sends a post-op message from the hospital. First Tahitian and B-boy dance routines are performed.

A group performance choreographed by Tyce Diorio, 2 young dancers from Mary Murphy's Champion Ballroom Academy and 2 dancers from the Alvin Ailey Dance Company perform. Musical guest is Christina Perri. Comfort and tWitch perform.

Top 5 dancers perform with an all-star, another contestant and solo. Billy Bell sits out due to injury. The first stepping routine on the show is performed.

For the third consecutive week, we knew one of the bottom three on Thursday nights So You Think You Can Dance results before it even started. Because he didnt perform due to injury on Wednesday, Billy Bell was automatically in the bottom.

All-stars combined with the top five for the opening number, a smooth jazz piece choreographed by Kelley Abbey. The panel of judges, including guest judge Kenny Ortega, were back.

There was a brief tribute to Denise Jefferson, director at the Alvin Ailey School, who died this week.

To the results: Host Cat Deeley got right to the action, calling all five finalists to the stage. Lauren was the first to hear the news -- or read -- that she was safe. (Rather than announce the verdict, Cat showed her the result on her cue card).

Next was Kent, who was also safe. That left Adechike, Robert and Jose waiting to see which one of them was safe.

Be our guest: Before getting any further into the results, Cat introduced a pair of dancers from the American Ballet Theatre, who performed a piece from Don Quixote.

Later, Cat brought DJ Smart, a Season 7 Top 24 hopeful, to the stage. There was more talk about National Dance Day, including footage of people who sent in videos of themselves performing the hip-hop routine choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon.

This weeks look back to the all-stars beginnings on the show focused on Lauren and Neil from Season 3, who returned to the stage to perform the Wade Robson routine they did that year.

The final guest performance of the night came from Enrique Iglesias, who performed his song, I Like It, with Pitbull.

Back to the results: The three guys remaining finally learned after another commercial break that Adechike was the one of them who was safe. That left Robert and Jose in the bottom three with Billy.

After the solos, Nigel said the judges hadnt made up their minds, but had come to a conclusion.

He asked Robert to step forward, and told him that a couple of the judges dont feel as if youre growing now. He next told Jose that hes also stopped growing, but, at the same time, he really was growing in his own area, but he needs to grow in other areas. He then told Billy that he set a precedent by taking the decision that he didnt want to dance even though the doctors had cleared him.

Nigel then announced that the judges had come to the conclusion that none of them would go home this week, but two people would go home next week.

Top 6 contestants perform with an all-star, another contestant and a solo.

A group performance, of contestants and all-stars, choreographed by Mia Michaels, as well as "Step Up 3D" dancers perform. Musical guests are Allison Iraheta, with Orianthi, and Christian TV. 2 dancers are eliminated from the competition.

The top 4 contestants dance a group performance and with two different all-stars. Clips of their life, before they auditioned for the show, are shown.

All-stars perform a Dee Caspary routine. Musical guests are Janelle Monae and Flo Rida. Desmond Richardson performs a solo. The top 4 dance solos. Clips of the contestants at the premiere and after-party of "Step Up 3D" and at the Gatorade Performance Lab.

It's the finals for the remaining 3 contestants. The 3 finalists dance 4 times: with an all-star, with each of their fellow contestants, and a solo. The 1st Malevos fight routine is performed by Kent and Robert.

The finale show opens with a hip-hop group performance. Encore performances of the judges' favorite routines. Musical guest: Black Gold. Guest performers: Manzari Brothers, Quest Crew, Charlie Bruce, and Lil' C with Russell Ferguson (season 6 winner). Winner announced.