sytycd season finale

Cat was certainly dressed (ahem!) for the occasion in a pouffy mini gown, complete with updo accentuated by little butterflies. They broke out the extended judges panel for the finale: Mia, Shane, Wade, Dan, Mary, and Nigel. Everyone was in agreement that this season featured the best top 20 dancers ever. The show kicked off with highlights from season 3: the good, the bad, and the unforgettable. Then, the TOP 20 danced Tyce Diorio's LION KING routine.

MARY'S MEMORABLE MOMENT: Pasha and Lauren dancing Hip Hop to FUEGO by Pitbull. I have to say this is one of the only Shane Sparks routines that I enjoyed this season. Nice choice, Mary!

BRANDON NORRIS, who auditioned in Atlanta, brought some funkalicious clogging to the show, click-clacking to Timbaland's THE WAY I ARE. His feet were flamin' and there ain't no water for miles!!



NIGEL'S MEMORABLE MOMENT: Hok and Jaimie performing as hummingbird and flower to THE CHAIRMAN'S WALTZ from Memoirs of a Geisha. Incredible choreography by Wade Robson. One of my faves of the season as well.

JEAN-MARC'S MEMORABLE MOMENT: Dom and Sabra dancing to MAKE IT WORK by Ne-Yo. This piece certainly accentuated their great chemistry as a couple, but it was just okay for me overall.

ADAM'S MEMORABLE MOMENT: Disco by Neil and Sara to KNOCK ON WOOD by Rachel Stevens. This was fun with a capital "F"!! The dancing was good... Sara rocking the humongous curly bang, not so much.

Next, they showcased the b-boys and b-girls. I absolutely loooved Hok's audition this year, one of the best ever IMHO. BRIAN GAYNOR, also from Atlanta, gave an utterly delightful performance to Christina Aguilera's AIN'T NO OTHER MAN! He rocked the robot moves like no other!!

Whyyyy did they have to feature yet another Shane Sparks routine? This time, it was the Matrix wannabe Top 8 number to GET UP by Ciara. It was not so good then, and it was certainly a downer tonight.

WADE'S MEMORABLE MOMENT: The sexy, rhythmically wonderful, hot samba by DANNY and LACEY to HIP HIP CHIN CHIN by Club Des Belugas. Niiiiice... definitely one of my faves!

Then, Cat dropped the first bomb: LACEY was not America's favorite dancer. I simply cannot believe Neil got more votes than she did! Ridiculous!! And I say that in the true sense of the word, i.e. laughable.

The first musical guest of the night was Nicole Scherzinger, who gained notoriety as lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls. She performed her new single WHATEVER U LIKE. I was impressed that she sang live and was able to perform choreography at the same time. She kept it real.

SHANE'S MEMORABLE MOMENT: Sara and Pasha dancing West Coast Swing to ROCKAFELLER SKANK by Fatboy Slim. Fabulous! I loooved this dance... yet another fave. Thankfully, the humongous curly bang was gone!

TYCE'S MEMORABLE MOMENT: Danya's foxtrot to IT HAD TO BE YOU by Brian Evans. This routine was truly spectacular!

TONY'S MEMORABLE MOMENT: Sara and Jesus performing Wade Robson's Chaplin to CABARET HOOVER from The Tripletts of Belleville Soundtrack. Excellent choice... one of my top 3 routines of the season!

MIA'S MEMORABLE MOMENT: Mandy Moore's table dance by Sabra and Neil to SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS) by Eurythmics. Fantabulous! This routine was both inventive and entertaining.

Next bomb dropping: Neil was not America's Favorite Dancer. Yes!!! America got it right. Sabra or Danny deserved to win, so I was reeeally happy at this point in the show.

After the commercial break, the smile on my face widened from ear to ear as the TOP 10 performed Mia's routine to Imogen Heap's THE MOMENT I SAID IT. My #2 fave routine of the season!!

The spectacle of Cat and Nigel dancing together turned out to be nothing more than a photoshopped Jib Jab production. What silliness! Next, Ryan Cabrera performed the send off song I WILL REMEMBER YOU amidst a montage of video clips from the season.

DAN'S MEMORABLE MOMENT: Lacey and Neil dancing to TIME by Billy Porter. Very memorable, indeed, but where was Kamcey's contemporary routine to DANCING by Elisa??? That was my absolute fave #1 performance of the season. Guess I'll have to settle for watching it on You Tube! Bummer.

The moment of truth, the final bomb: equally classy, equally deserving Sabra and Danny stood next to each other in suspense as Cat read the results... after a record breaking 16 million votes, Sabra came out on top! There you have it, America, your fave dancer!!

MY FAVE DANCER, HOWEVER, IS DANNY TIDWELL. Congrats, Danny, for making it this far! Your future's so bright, you gotta wear shades... good thing you have an affinity for designer sunglasses!!