So You Think You Can Dance - 4 ª Season

The fourth season of "So You Think You Can Dance" kicked off Thursday night with a two-hour audition show from Los Angeles. Host Cat Deeley and regular judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe were joined by Mia Michaels as they came face to face with the best and, of course, the worst that the dancing world had to offer. Dancers got one minute in front of the judges, and those with overwhelming "yes" votes moved on to the next round in Las Vegas, absolute "no" votes went home, and in-between dancers would be brought back at the end for a second chance in a group choreography routine. The first real joker of the evening was the man they call "Sex," who was making his third audition show appearance and, once again, making a fool of himself. Nigel lambasted the guy, telling him he "must just enjoy watching himself look stupid on television." And Nigel refused to call him "Sex" anymore, either. A visually impaired girl named Laura tried her best, but the judges didn't think her choreography was strong enough to remain in the competition. Mia, though, got very emotional and called the girl an inspiration because she had a close friend who lost their eyesight. Best of the best: Twitch, who just missed a spot in the finals last night, got through to Vegas. Aliona and Leonidis, a ballroom dancing couple, sizzled on the dance floor. Partners Ricky Sun and Asuka Kondoh wowed the judges after just three months together, but Nigel wanted to mix them up during the choreography, and they both got through. 18-year-old athlete Kehrington Payne was impressive and got some great feedback from the judges, who said she had the "it" factor. They saved the best for near last with Robert Muraine, a contortionist and popper who performs on the street in Santa Monica, floored the judges with his moves and welcomed him to Vegas without hesitation. Worst of the worst: Overweight Hamilton Moreno insisted that his weight was his niche, but the judges wanted him to get healthy. Rijiy Ames stripped down to his tighty whities had Nigel covering Mary's eyes as he rolled around. The masked Gold Inferno returned to show off his "jump style." That didn't turn out so well. On the bubble: Phillip Chbeeb, another Vegas reject from last season, scaled back slightly on the humor and worked on the dancing to earn a return trip to Vegas. Breakdancer Victor Kim showed some wild moves, including some incredible handstands and headstands. Both were asked to return to the choreography round. Phillip got through. Victor did not.

It was freezing cold outside in Salt Lake City, site of the first set of auditions in Tuesday's two-hour episode of "So You Think You Can Dance?" Would the dancers heat things up inside? Guest judge Mandy Moore (no, not that Mandy Moore) joined judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy for two days in Utah as they came away with 42 dancers who moved on to the Las Vegas audition. As usual, the dancers each had one minute to dance for the judges, after which they'd either get a ticket to Las Vegas for the next round, be sent home, or be asked to join the group choreography routine at the end of the day for a second chance. Best of the best (in Salt Lake City): Chelsea Hightower, whose family had made it through some serious financial hardship, stood out early as a well rounded performer, despite using someone else's partner for her routine. Kelly Baker, daughter of "High School Musical" choreographer Bonnie Story, had a high bar to live up to, but surpassed it was apparent ease as the judges said she was one of the best dancers they'd seen this season. Matt Dorame, in white tube socks and red shorts, mixed ballet with some modern dance and impressed the judges -- in spite of his attire. Nigel asked him never to wear the shorts again in exchange for a ticket to Vegas. Matt agreed. On the bubble: Best friends Kortney Pearson and Michelle Stringham, a couple of 25-year-olds who'd traveled a similar path through marriage and divorce, made it through to the choreography round. Gev Manoukian, who'd undergone more technical dance training after failing to make it to the finals in Season 2, was asked to stay for the group choreography. Ryann Race, a strip club DJ who'd just been dumped by his exotic dancing girlfriend, was a little rough around the edges, but got the judges' second chance. All four of them made it to Vegas. Just for kicks: Brett Banford, who had Down Syndrome, wanted to prove that people with disabilities can live a normal life, and he certainly succeeded with an entertainment hip hop style routine that put a smile on everyone's face. He didn't make it through, but he made his point and left happy. Worst of the worst: Nicole Downer, a stay-at-home mom of four, did a routine that Nigel said you might see in a sitcom or a commercial. Michael Moore (no, not that Michael Moore) said it himself: "Yeah, that was bad." Richard Castaneda wore a "Joseph Smith Is My Homeboy" T-shirt, but no one could save him that day. Deep in the heart of Texas: On to Dallas, where Adam Shankman, director and choreographer of Hairspray (2007), the movie (no, not that Hairspray (1988) movie) served as guest judge. Best of the best: The biggest standout in Dallas was Arielle Coker, who did a partner routine with her friend John Dix. Arielle far outshined her partner and got a ticket to Vegas. John was given a chance to prove himself in the group choreography. He didn't. On the bubble: Dallas beauty queen Paige Jones did a pageant style competitive audition that was mostly a string of movements and lacked any kind of emotion or connection with the music. She got a second chance in the choreography round, as did popper Joshua Allen, who worked some serious body control and height on a wide splits jump. Both of them will get to show some more moves in Vegas. Worst of the worst: Brian Davidson made growling faces and noises at the camera and generally seemed a little unstable. He said he was ready to take his dance wherever the music took him, wherever the vibe took him. It took him home -- quickly. Cassidy Corder, a cheerleader turned self-proclaimed hip hop dancer, gave a pretty bad audition and Nigel said she was one of the worst auditions he'd seen. She said she was nervous and wanted a second chance in the choreography, but she didn't get it. Brianna Gardner squirmed around on the floor for a bit, prompting Nigel to note, "She looks like a very bored stripper."

Host Cat Deeley whisked fans away to Charleston, S.C., for the third two-hour night of auditions on "So You Think You Can Dance?" on Thursday night. Joining judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy in the best mannered city in America was choreographer Tice D'Orio,who's worked with Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Paula Abdul, among others. Best of the best: Sheila Kaiser attended the auditions against her dad's wishes. He didn't even wish her luck. She was awesome, and earned a ticket to Vegas. Courtney Galiano wanted to impress Mary, which she did. Her modern dance routine was plenty good enough to earn a trip to Vegas. On the bubble (in Charleston): Anthony and Antowain Hart, twin brothers, got different responses from the judges after their individual auditions. Antowain got better comments from the judges and somehow convinced them to watch the pair dance together, and that got them both through to the group choreography. Antowain made it, and so did Anthony. BJ Harris, a popper from Brooklyn, got his trip to Charleston paid for by some donated funds from his school and said his principal paid for his ticket. He had some pretty amazing moves that earned him a pass to the choreography round. Claire Callaway, who made it to Vegas in Season 2 before injuring her foot, didn't blow the judges away enough to get back too easily. She went to the choreography round. BJ didn't make it. Claire did. Worst of the worst (in Charleston): Syiddah King wore multi-colored socks, but that choice soon became only the second-worst decision she made that day. She did a little bit of hip hop dancing, but Nigel called her a "mover." Abigail Thurman, a swimming instructor, said she was auditioning to find out if she could dance. The answer was a resounding, "No." She took it well, though, as Nigel explained that she's "not a loser, just a (insert unheard but probably not very complimentary expletive here) dancer." Jason Looney, a cross-dressing dude with a beard, did a horrible routine to Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" that prompted Nigel to wonder why Jason was even there. "Not only are you a disgrace to dancing, you're a disgrace to transvestites." Tice said the audition was disrespectful to the other dancers. On to the Nation's Capital: Dancers were jumping around in front of The White House, and that could only mean that "Dance" was hitting Washington, D.C., for the first time in its four seasons. Choreographer Dan Karaty joined Nigel and Mary on the panel. Best of the best: (in D.C.) Brandon Bryant, who auditioned in Season 1 but lied about his age, put on quite a display of modern dance, which a string of impressive leaps, turns and poses. Nigel called Brandon one of the best he's seen, and Mary gave him a scream. On the bubble (in D.C.): Markus Shields, who was dancing in honor of his mother who died when Markus was 12, was asked to return for the choreography. Markus Smith and Deonna Ball did a tandem routine of what they called "D.C. Swing," a combination of several different styles. They came back for the choreography. Deonna didn't make it, and neither did her partner Markus Smith. Markus Shields was the next one up, and he made his mom proud by moving on to the next round. Phucdat Nyugen wore a black track suit and goggles over his eyes before tearing away the track suit and revealing a yellow jump suit underneath. He made it to the choreography. Anthony Bryant, who failed to impress Nigel in the first season audition, wanted to prove his manliness in fatigues and by putting on a "strong acro-tumble routine." It didn't blow the judges away, but it got him into the choreography. Neither Phucdat or Anthony made it to Vegas.

It's fair to say that when most Americans think "dance" they think ... Milwaukee? Well, that was where "So You Think You Can Dance?" made its final stop in the auditions for the 2008 season before heading to Las Vegas for the second round. Who knows what the famous beer brewing city could produce? "Laverne & Shirley's" Milwaukee-based skipping down the street was pretty catchy... After an opening montage that showed judge Nigel Lythgoe having pretty bizarre reactions to hip hop dancers throughout the audition process, it was time to get down to business. Sort of. It seemed like the producers had a little extra time to kill, so they offered up auditions from previous cities that they hadn't shown before. The first was Michael Kim, who auditioned in Washington, D.C., and popped his way to Vegas, where his fate was sealed in Season 2 after failing to make the mark in the samba. Next up were a couple of roommates in the Los Angeles audition. Katee Shean, the first of the duo, made it to Vegas. Her friend, Natalie Reid, got through, too. In D.C., a salsa dancing couple, Janette Manrara and Romulo Villaverde brought the crowd to its feet with some very impressive dips and lifts. But it was only good enough to get them to the choreography round. Janette faced the judges first, and got a ticket to Vegas. Romulo, not so much. Schlemeel, schlemazel...: Husband and wife choreography team Napoleon and Tabitha, who've worked with Kanye West and Christina Aguilera, among others. Best of the best: Bianca Revels, a tap dancer, made it through to Vegas on her first try with some fancy footwork. Evan Kasprzak floored the judges with his '40s and '50s revival that conjured images of Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, earning him a spot in Las Vegas. Kourtni Lind, an interpretive dancer who Nigel thought looked a bit like Uma Thurman, got through to Vegas. Lizz Plott, the second tap dancer of the night, wowed the judges with her freestyle routine. Worst of the worst: Victor Campos donned a mask, and for good reason. He claimed his dance was about the conflict between individuality and societal pressure, but it looked more like it was about the conflict between having talent and, well, you see where this is going. On the bubble: Susie Garcia, a Chirstina Aguilera looking high school teacher from Miami, made it to the choreography, as did Brice Casimir, a Cameroonian immigrant from Arizona who dances for senior citizens and seemed like a genuinely nice guy. His moves were terrific, but the judges wanted him to connect better with them and the audience. Brice didn't make it, but the judges asked him to come back next season. Susie got through. On the second day, Raymond Love, a minister who said he was having trouble connecting in a sexual way with his dance partner, made it to the choreography, but didn't get to Sin City, and that's probably just as well. Just for kicks: James Davis said he'd been preparing for nearly two years with a team of choreographers, but it wasn't looking pretty as he warmed up. It was, as the judges noted, an homage to movie musicals with signature moves from "Footloose," "Stayin' Alive" and perhaps even "Flashdance." Maybe his team of choreographers were just buddies who work at a video store? Hao Hou wore a Native American-looking get up that included a leopard-print sort of wrap around his package that certainly had some folks at the FCC ready to send Fox a letter. Sad story: Yesenia Gomez, who made it deep into the Vegas auditions last season, lost 50 pounds and wanted to give it another go. Her knee gave out during the audition and she broke down, telling the judges that her experience on the show changed her perspective on life. In the end, Nigel told her to get her knee right and come back next year.

Auditions in six cities brought more than 200 dancers to Las Vegas for the callbacks on "So You Think You Can Dance?" By the end of the two-hour episode, that group would be hacked to the 20 finalists -- 10 guys and 10 girls -- that will compete for the top prize this season. Host Cat Deeley promised the most competitive Vegas week ever, with the dancers being challenged each day in a different types of choreography. The six-judge panel included husband-and-wife choreography team Tabitha and Napoleon, Mia Michaels and Debbie Allen, who joined regular judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. Leaving so soon? The dancers had one hour to learn a hip hop routine choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon. One dancer, Robert, a popper who usually performs solo on the streets of Los Angeles, stood around doing the choreography. He considered quitting before Nigel asked him to do his solo. The judges asked him to stay, but he decided to go home anyway. By the end of the first day, 203 dancers performed and only 129 remained. Some of the favorites from previous auditions who didn't make it included Claire, who's injured her foot in the Vegas round in Season 2 and missed Season 3 because she had a baby; Ryan, the strip club DJ; Rebecca from Milwaukee. Sexy and sassy: The dancers were told to wear something "sexy and sassy" for choreographer Tice D'Orio's Broadway routine. Erica, who's made it to Vegas three times, found that her third time wasn't the charm. She cried as she worried about having disappointed her family. Twin brothers Anthony and Antowain were split up, with Anthony sticking around. By lunchtime on Day 2, the group was down to 93. Parlez-vous, foxtrot? Choreographer Jean-Marc Genereux walked the remaining dancers through the foxtrot after lunch, and hip hop dancer Joshua from Dallas. Joshua cried almost uncontrollably as the judges put him and his partner Comfort through to the next round. Pageant girl Paige from Dallas, and her foxtrot partner Will, were both asked to dance for their lives later because they were both so bad with the ballroom dance. Paige just doesn't show enough grace and elegance in her dance to make it through. Will also didn't make it. At 8 p.m., after starting their day at 7:30 in the morning, Cat told the remaining dancers that Day 2 was not yet over. The dancers would split into groups, which would each randomly select a CD and choreograph a dance to the selected music. Then, they had to practice through the night in order to perform first thing in the morning. Top o' the morning: The group choreography resulted in just four cuts, including single mom Kortney from the Salt Lake City audition. Sleepless in Vegas: Mia Michaels' contemporary choreography was proving to be too much for several dancers after a night without sleep. Tap dancer Lizz were struggling to keep up, but Mia thought she did "a great job." After going on a rant about how tired her body was, though, the judges gave her the boot. She promised to glue her mouth shut next year. Jeremiah, a contemporary dancer, walked off stage during the routine because he couldn't get the choreography and the judges sent him home. By the end of the round, 47 dancers remained, but nine had to dance for the lives to stick around, including an early favorite: hip hop dancer Twitch. Dominic pulled a muscle, but was driven out of the Planet Hollywood Resort in an ambulance. His journey was over. Twitch and three others made it through. One last step: All the dancers were asked to do a final solo that would have a lot of bearing on their future in the competition. Kelly Baker, the daughter of "High School Musical" choreographer Bonnie Story, was the first to go home. Anthony Hart, whose twin brother Antowain were home earlier in the Vegas round, also went home. The Top 20: Gev Manoukian Kourtni Lind Joshua Allen Rayven Armijo Matt Dorame Courtney Galiano William Wingfield Katee Shean Twitch Boss Kherington Payne Jamie Bayard Chelsie Hightower Chris Jarosz Jessica King Mark Kanemura Susie Garcia Marquis Cunningham Chelsea Traille Thayne Jasperson and... Comfort Fedoke