'So You Think You Can Dance' Recap - Audition #3

Tonight So You Think You Can Dance returned with two audition, cities, three guest judges and some of the most unique and emotional auditons so far. Why waste time? Let’s get to the best.

Like I said last week, while I could talk about everyone (and will once we get to the live shows), today I’m just going to talk about my top five auditions from tonight’s show. Because I’m on vacation this week and watched SYTYCD from my hotel room, I was unable to pause and rewind the show like I normally do to write down full names, check spelling and rewatch auditions. Because of this, please ignore any errors in this piece or if my recaps are a hair less detailed than normal. To save some time, I’ve also put my top five in the order they aired.

Casey Askew
Casey’s fantastic contemporary solo was as unique, as big and as memorable as his sky-scraping hairdo. With a brilliant musicality, some very original moves and a vulnerable performance that told a complete story, Casey had one of the best auditions of the night.

Malene Ostergaard & Armen Way
This ballroom duo comprised of Eastern European knockout Malene and SYTYCD veteran Armen (who you might remember from last season as the guy who dropped his partner on her head in Vegas) performed a steamy Latin number. Both are phenomenal dancers, but what really sold this piece was the couple’s sexual chemistry, which just oozed off the screen.

Bridget Whitman
While it was Bridget’s emotional story – her supportive dad died when she was a young – that first got the judges’ attention, it was her amazing dancing that made her a favorite in tonight’s show. Bridget’s a stunningly beautiful dancer who moves with such a childlike simplicity yet emotional depth. She’s the whole package.

Amir Sanders
I always hate when reality show judges say things like “you’re what [insert reality show] is all about” but in the case of Amir, it’s exactly right. SYTYCD is just perfect for a fiercely original yet fiercely talented dancer like Amir who combined ballet with jazz and hip-hop in a fresh, fun and sexy routine. Even though her inventive style and great performance outshined her technique (which even a newbie like me realized needs some fleshing out), it’s crazy the judges sent her to choreography. Thankfully she passed with flying colors.

Stanley Glover
Plain and simple, Stanley gave a brilliant performance. With the commitment of a stage actor, the moves of a top-notch technician and a unique, emotional style, Stanley’s audition was a highlight of the night.

Others who auditioned were: Alla Kocherga & Serge Onik (who both had fancy footwork, yet I must admit to being drawn more to Alla than the Green Mile-dropped Serge); Timothy Green (whose dance, despite having an amazing physicality, was a bit too parkour-y and a bit too frenetic); J-4 (who I just know will be a superstar on SYTYCD season 21); Jourdan Epstein (who just missed this list. Jordan’s dance for her drug addicted brother was on point, quite literally, and incredibly emotionally honest); Johnny Waacks (whose act I found terribly enjoying. I dug Johnny’s music but I didn’t dig his no shirt/leather jacket/skirt outfit); (Jenna Johnson &) Landon Anderson (who proved a far more convincing fiery Latin lover than I’d expected despite the fact that it’s hard to just not stare, let alone drool, at his partner); Shafeek Westbrook (whose attitude has improved since his last audition but whose moves left me wanting more real dancing); and James “Banks” Davis (whose stunning, unique lyrical krump wonderfully conveyed an emotional time in the artist’s life).