I'm writing this midway before the reveal of the top ten, I'll add those thoughts as they happen. I've been watching from the beginning, and I've liked a few people (including the returning Alex Wong and Billy Bell), but one is now head and shoulders above the rest.
KENT BOYD, I LOVE YOU! Not only do I think he's a beautiful, beautiful dancer, but he's so frickin' adorable, I just want to smush him! His speech about dancing next to Alex and Anthony, and him being from a farm, etc. man, I love him so. He's just, oh I love him.
The other four guys I want to make it through based on who we've seen are: Alex Wong, Anthony Burrell, Jose Ruiz and Billy Bell. And I'm even more infuriated with only a top ten as opposed to a top five (even if it means I get to see NEIL! and Mark again), because there are a few other dancers I would like to see there as well. However, we only get five guys and these are them for me.
As for the girls, I ADORE Lauren Froderman's dancing -- she did the "At Last" solo that had most of the judges giving her a standing O -- and I DID adore her personality, until an offensive crack -- that made no sense -- that I thought she said. But no, she said "CURTAINS." Okay, I can still love her.
The other girls I like are Cristina Santana, the latin ballroom girl who did well in contemporary, Melinda Sullivan, the tap dancer, and Alexie (the long-haired Asian), but I don't have a horse in the girls' race at this point.
I didn't really think I'd like the whole going to their homes thing, but I actually did. This is the only change they've made that I actually do like unlike most of the changes they've made in the last two seasons. Oh show, you worked beautifully so well. Overall, the changes are just not necessary. *sigh* If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
The Top Ten
Cristina Santana - Yay, she was one of my faves. (And they played the Gypsy Kings over her. Awesome.)
Lauren Froderman - Yay, my favorite girl made it in. Her dancing is insane, and I've liked her from her first audition.
Ashley Galvan - If we ever really saw her dance, I don't remember. Not a good sign. Or she's a stealth one that got through and we'll find out on the live shows.
Melinda Sullivan - Good. I didn't like her choice to have a ballad behind her tapping, but she appears to have done great in everything else, and I like her attitude that we've seen.
QUICK BREAK! Nigel's in Marysville. I LIVED THERE!!! I've stood there where he was standing. That was the town I lived in when I lived in Ohio. Woohoo!!!
Alexie Agdeppa - Yay! She was my second favorite girl. Love her so much. She's adorable, and a great dancer. Another one where I yelled out "YES!" when she made it. Yay!!!
So, all of the four females I liked did make it. Woohoo! Now, onto the boys.
Jose Ruiz - I know we won't really know until we see him perform on the show, but from what we have seen, he really did seem to pick up the other choreography beautifully, and dangit, I just like him! So yay! I yelled "YAY!" and clapped excitedly when it was announced that he made it.
Alex Wong - I'm so GLAD that he got it, because dude REALLY wants it, look at what he gave up. Damn! And he's so unbelievably amazing. SUCH a beautiful dancer.
Adechike Torbert - I am bummed about Anthony -- I think this would have been his spot -- but this guy IS an amazing dancer, and he was actually number six on my list of faves. Damn you, show, for no top 20. I would have had both Adechike and Anthony. *sigh*
Kent Boyd - OMIGOD!! YES!!!!! GO KENT!!!! WOOHOO!!! Ahem, yeah, me=happy. Even knowing that Nigel was gonna say yes, I still screamed like a banshee when he was told yes. WOOHOO! GO KENT, BABY!!
I think they expect him to be a favorite because they did the slow reveal/commercial break in the first half, and then dragged out Nigel going to see him from almost the top of the 2nd hour to close to the very last minutes. I hope they're right and that I'm not the only one who loves him. Haven't checked out TWoP yet.
ETA: I'm reading TWoP and he does seem pretty much adored at this point. So, yeah, not just me.
Robert Roldan - Well, there's some eye candy!! I have no idea how he is as a dancer, of course, because we barely saw him dance. Another one to see when they go live.
Billy Bell - A sixth guy? Okay. But no sixth girl!? Weird, but with the all-stars it will work, I guess. Yay! He's very good, I liked him plenty much last year and I still like him, but he has fallen a tad bit in favor compared to a few others, but I do still like him. He's just not the favorite he was last year.
Okay, seriously, I did really good. All but one that I wanted there made it. Go me!
As for who didn't make it. Well, I am VERY disappointed about Anthony Burrell, he SO should have made it. And everything they showed us gives no indication why he did NOT make it. Grr.
But really it's all about KENT!!!!
According to westsideuhoh on TWoP:
She competed in NFAA's Arts Week, was a Silver Medal Finalist in Modern Dance, and was thus named a nominee for the Presidential Scholarship in the Arts. The scholarship programs "In The Studio" (for the PS nominees) was scheduled for that weekend of Vegas week, of which Ida had already committed too. She told the producers beforehand that she could not come to Vegas week, however, the producers convinced her to come and promised to "work it out". When she arrived in Vegas week, the producers informed her that nothing had been worked out and she had to stay. Thus, she had to perform poorly in the subsequent rounds so they would kick her off. After hip hop and ballroom, (which were on thursday-the 1st day of vegas week) she withdrew after Broadway, because they would not let her leave. The deal with the producers was that she had to make her statement public in front of all the judges and other dancers.
I would like to note that she is the ONLY female dancer (IN THE NATION!) to be named a Presidential Scholar of the Arts, one of the highest honors a graduating senior can get in the United States. She is performing for the President of the United States at the Kennedy Center at the end of June with the rest of the Presidential Scholars.
Oh, Nigel, how you continue to suck so very much.