Top 16 - Results

Whew! I'm finally caught up at TWoP,thanks to having the day off work and being a bum. So having read a lot of other people's opinions, I shall combine them with my recap to hopefully make it a bit more well-rounded.

Shane choreographed this week's group number, and besides the black & red sweatsuits, it was really good (to "Poison" by Bel Biv Devoe). Ivan got the first solo and Travis got the last (though it was just acting, not dancing), but a highlight was the Benji/Travis flip.

Cat has a flattering dress (for once) and hairdo tonight. In the recap one comment toward the end was "Ivan and Allison stole the show" (they did?! which show?). Then there was even more Ivan pimping when he was mentioned as Mary's "standout" performance (when Cat asked judges for different things), and then Nigel brought up a supportive phone call Ivan received from his (formerly not-so-supportive?) father! Enough, already! It'd be one thing if he were an awesome dancer, but he's not....

Results in pairs, by choreographer:

Ivan/Allison - safe
Ryan/Heidi - safe

Ben/Ashlee - in bottom 3
Travis/Martha - safe (they were very relieved!)

Jaymz/Jessica - in bottom 3 (when asked later, Mary said she was surprised & would've chosen Musa instead)
Benji/Donyelle - safe

Musa/Natalie - safe
Dmitri/Aleskandra - in bottom 3

Solos:

Ashlee - good, but not fabulous. She said she was glad America finally got to see how "real popping" is done. (According to rumor, she was not impressed w/Todd as their choreographer and even 'corrected' him on something in their rehearsal.)

Ben (Lifehouse's "Everything") - very good, energetic or frenzied depending on how you look at it. The music was really loud and he didn't have a set ending which looked messy to me, but otherwise it was good.

Jessica ("Fever" by Michael Buble) - just ok for me. She talked about how she thinks people haven't seen her real personality yet, but that she's from Miami, Cuban/Italian, loud, fun, outgoing, etc.

Jaymz - it was good, but mostly just spinning. He ended off the stage; most are saying he fell and I actually haven't rewatched it yet but I wouldn't be surprised. He was very emotional afterward & Cat asked him if he wanted to say anything, and he thanked the judges for the experience, etc. - probably assuming he'd be going home after that mistake.

Aleks - good, and she was smiling this time. Cat asked her why the judges should keep her, and she rambled a bit about how she's trying to "be honest" in every performance & apologized it wasn't coming across that way... sigh. I *really* don't like when contestants apologize for their performance.

Dmitri - um, that was very good, and very reminiscent of Artem (a contestant last year). And very almost-shirtless. And very almost-Chippendales.

The guest singers' performances have less and less dance as the weeks go by. Natasha Bedingfield (a chum of Cat, apparently) sang her new single, called "Single." She had 2 back-ground vocalists who stood at mics, and there was basically no dancing whatsoever. Sigh.

Time for the results; girls up first. Nigel says the judges were in unanimous agreement about them.

Ashlee is called forward and told she seems a "different person" with her bowler hat on (which, in fact, she is, as she goes by the stage name "Lady Shiva" off the show!). They see her improving in her journey on the show and she is safe.

Jessica is labeled as being in a "middle area" and that she doesn't need to talk about her personality, just show it.

Aleks got a Mandisa-Simon moment out of Nigel without even asking: he actually apologized to her for the "Corpse Bride" comment and admitted it was rude of him! He said they were all "delighted" to see that she had a good solo this week and wanted her to know that she wasn't being cut for not having a good solo (though he implied someone else would be later). But, she's still being cut, for her overall performance. So Jessica is safe.

Of the guys, unsurprisingly, Dmitri is brought forward first, given sympathy for repeatedly "losing" partners, told unnecessarily that, as all could tell by the screams, "girls adore you," and complimented as being a "great performer." He is safe.

Ashlee was then brought forward again and asked a question about Ben! Nigel asked her something on the order of was she disappointed w/him as a partner, and she answered very well & said that she thought he did a great job. Next, Ben was asked how much work he put into his solo, to which he answered, "Zero...." Nigel cut him off before he could say more and asked Jaymz the same question. Jaymz said he prepared a little but thought he did a horrible job. Nigel then went on a rampage and gave a lecture to them both, the rest of the dancers, and the audience (who gave a short "aww" in sympathy to Jaymz), about how little respect it showed on their part by not putting any "effort"/preparation into the "dancing for your life" solo. It was a little much, especially given how absolutely nothing negative was said to Allison 2 weeks ago when she admitted to doing exactly the same thing!

So, finally, Nigel calls Ben a "wonderful" dancer and implies that he voted to keep him, but that the other judges felt Jaymz had shown more growth, so Ben was being eliminated. I think he expected it (as did Aleks) but was still obviously disappointed. As was Ashlee, who started to cry! Unfortunately she didn't get to go over to Ben right away & had to stand on the other side of the stage with new partner Dmitri, who gave her a sympathetic hug. They should prove an interesting couple, depending on what style they pull.

I will miss Ben, but he had a bad week and isn't incredibly versatile (or mature). I thought Jaymz was one of the top performers last night but obviously many viewers don't find him very interesting. If he lands in the bottom 6 again I'm afraid it'll be his turn to go.