“So You Think You Can Dance”: Top 20 Announced

From the Wall Street Journal:

After weeks and weeks of auditions and three weeks of Vegas eliminations, the judges of “So You Think You Can Dance” have selected the Top 20 dancers to compete on season 6.

On the judges’ panel sat Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Debbie Allen, Adam Shankman, Tyce D’Orio, and Mia Michaels. One by one, the judges brought in the nervous dancers and either squashed their dreams or granted their wishes of becoming Top 20 dancers. Amazingly, three tap dancers were put into the Top 20. Not a single tapper had made it all the way through before. Also in the history-making category, Russell Ferguson was put through as the first krumper to ever make it to the Top 20.

A twist was presented when contemporary dancer Paula Van Oppen actually turned down the spot the judges presented to her, paving the way for ballroom dancer Ashleigh Di Lello to join her husband Ryan in the Top 20. Apparently, Van Oppen was offered a movie contract, and chose that path instead.

The show announced last month that TV and movie producer and choreographer Adam Shankman would become a permanent judge in season 6, likely ousting the majority of weekly guest judges the show has had in previous seasons. While this move may potentially make the judges’ table a bit static, it does free up all the choreographers to work up routines weekly. (Choreographers can’t present routines and judge in the same week.)

Speaking of Adam Shankman, it was announced this week that he’s now at the helm of the film adaptation of the wildly successful Broadway production “Rock of Ages.” As if that weren’t enough, Shankman will be producing the Academy Awards. Talk about multi-tasking.

On the flip-side, Emmy Award-winning choreographer Mia Michaels announced via Twitter and Facebook last Friday that she was leaving “So You Think You Can Dance.” Lythgoe said in a statement that Michaels was welcome back on the show this season or next. I guess we’ll have to wait to see what she’s up to.

Also, judge and ballroom expert Mary Murphy came forward this week with her heartbreaking story of domestic abuse, having survived an eight-year marriage to her abuser. She tells her story in Us Weekly and on Ellen.

Whew. After all that, let’s get back to our Top 20 results, shall we?

The Top 20 girls are:

Channing Cooke, 18, contemporary

Ariana Debose, 18, contemporary

Ashleigh Di Lello, 26, ballroom

Mollee Gray, 18, jazz

Karen Hauer, 27, Latin ballroom

Noelle Marsh, 18, contemporary

Pauline Mata, 19, jazz

Kathryn McCormick, 19, contemporary

Bianca Revel, 20, tap

Ellenore Scott, 19, contemporary/jazz

The Top 20 guys are:

Phillip Attmore, 25, tap

Billy Bell, 19, contemporary

Ryan Di Lello, 28, ballroom

Russell Ferguson, 20, hip hop/krump

Kevin Hunte, 23, hip hop

Jakob Karr, 19, contemporary

Legacy Perez, 28, hip hop/b-boy

Peter Sabasino, 22, tap

Victor Smalley, 21, contemporary

Nathan Trasoras, 18, contemporary

The show is mixing it up this season with a meet-the-Top-20 special on Monday, Oct. 26, at 8 PM. Also, Lythgoe tweeted that Paula Abdul fans should tune in to Monday’s show. So plan appropriately on Monday, and come to Speakeasy Tuesday morning to discuss your reactions!