The top 18 dancers sashayed straight into competition — and eliminations — on Tuesday’s episode of So You Think You Can Dance.

The two-hour long show was the final round to be decided entirely by the panel of three judges before voting is handed back over to viewers on November 10.

It was a packed show, with all nine couples performing ahead of the same-day elimination.

The night started off with Noelle Marsh, freshly recovered from an injury that kept her out of the competition last week, and partner Russell Ferguson in a tennis-inspired hip-hop battle.

The routine, choreographed by first-time contributor Jamal Sims, was fast-paced, but fell short for all three judges.

“It was just so fast that I think you really didn’t get a hold of it,” said judge Nigel Lythgoe, adding that he found the routine disappointing.

Ashleigh Di Lello and Jakob Carr were up next with a Viennese Waltz that prompted judge Adam Shankman to gush, “I am madly in love with you guys.”

Also evoking rave reviews were fan favorites Mollee Gray and Nathan Trasoras. The show’s youngest couple aced a tough Bollywood number prompting host Cat Deeley to rename the genre “Molleewood.”

Latin dancer Karen Hauer, who was the first contestant this season to board judge Mary Murphy’s Hot Tamale Train, was so spicy in this week’s hip hop routine that Shankman fell out of his chair – literally.

Meanwhile partner Kevin Hunte’s dancing was so “hot, hot, hot” that Murphy invited him to hop on the Tamale Train too.

Contemporary dancer Katheryn McCormick shone in the most “compelling” act of the evening, a Stacey Tookey contemporary number about a woman and her fear — potrayed by partner Legacy Perez, who was praised for his growth in the competition.

“Legacy, you are a different man than I have ever seen before,” said Shankman. “You turned a corner, buddy… you were dancing.”

Also garnering rave reviews were Ryan Di Lello and partner Ellenore Scott — who danced the majority of a challenging Argentine Tango with her dress stuck to the bottom of her shoe.

Falling short this week were Bianca Revels and Victor Smalley, who struggled with their Tyce Diorio Broadway routine.

Meanwhile, Channing Cooke and Philip Attmore were criticized over the lifts in their piece, but praised for their support of one another.

After a brief meeting, the judges decided Revels, Smalley, Attmore and Marsh would have to dance for their lives. After the solos, Lythgoe announced that, in a split decision, tapper Revels was being sent home.

Attmore was also sent home, with Lythgoe adding that it broke his heart to let two tappers go in one night.

Next week, voting is back in your hands.

Are you glad to have the power to vote again? Do you think the judges made the right choices? Was it a good idea to let two tappers go in one night?

(Noelle Marsh (L) and Russell Ferguson (R) perform a Hip Hop routine choreographed by Jamal Sims on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE . ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Michael Becker/FOX)

(Nathan Trasoras (L) and Mollee Gray (R) perform a Bollywood routine choreographed by Nakul Dev Mahajan on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Michael Becker/FOX)

(Ellenore Scott (L) and Ryan Di Lello (R) perform an Argentine Tango choreographed by Miriam Larici and Leonardo Barrionuevo on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Michael Becker/FOX)

Summer staple So You Think You Can Dance has transitioned into fall, with a new title treatment, a new permanent judge and 20 new dancers.

Before facing the ax on Tuesday, dancers showcased their talent in a pre-competition performance episode on Monday. The episode included one of the show’s best ever opening group numbers, a stylish production choreographed by Wade Robson.

Tuesday, however, was off to a rough start with Julliard dancer Billy Bell, one of this season’s most promising contemporary dancers, pulling out of the competition due to illness. SYTYCD choreographers Tabitha and Napoleon wrote on Twitter that he has mono, while his family issued a statement to SYTYCDism saying that “doctors told the show that if he continued to dance on the show before he recovered, he could possibly die.”

He was replaced by hip-hop dancer Brandon Dumlao, who only had a day and a half to prepare a smooth waltz with Pauline Mata.

“I just watched myself get cut last night and now I’m back,” he said in a taped segment.

Meanwhile, Noelle Marsh suffered an injury and had to stay off her feet this week. If she still can’t compete next week, she will be cut.

Her partner, krumper Russell Ferguson, paired up with co-choreographer Melanie LaPatin instead for the foxtrot.

Jakob Karr, who danced a sultry Tyce Diorio broadway routine with partner Ashleigh Di Lello, stood out as one of the dancers to watch.

Ellenore Scott and Ryan Di Lello also received high praise for their Sonya Tayeh jazz number.

Mollee Gray (you may have seen her in all three High School Musical films) and her partner Nathan Trasoras pulled off a challenging Doriana Sanchez disco. New judge Adam Shankman said they’ve already established a very early fan base and praised their youthful energy, saying: “You guys did some very, very sexy lifts and none of it seemed that dirty at all somehow.”

In a change from previous years, judges picked the bottom four dancers to perform a solo and decided at the end of the episode who to send home.

Executive producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe wrote on Twitter, “I’m happy the judges decide, besides we know best at this moment. A couple of weeks more will help the public become better informed.”

The public gets to vote on the top 16 on November 10.

The smooth waltz seldom brings good news to dancers and tonight was no exception for Dumlao, who found himself on the chopping block along with partner Mata.

The crowd booed with surprise when when krumper Ferguson, who has thus far only received glowing praise for his raw talent and musicality, was called out as the second man at risk of going home. But it was an easy and unanimous choice for the judges to make Dumlao’s top 20 stay a very brief one.

Also going home early was contemporary dancer Ariana DeBose, whose lackluster hip hop number with Peter Sabasino was critiqued by judges and stood out among the weaker performances.

Do you like all the new changes to the show? Which dancer would you have sent home? What did you think of the pre-performance episode?

(Top: Top 20 finalist Brandon Dumlao, 21, is a Hip Hop dancer from Concord, CA. Currently Resides: Concord, CA. ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Joe Viles/FOX)

(Bottom: Top 20 finalist Ariana Debose, 18, is a Contemporary dancer from Newbern, NC. Currently Resides: Wake Forest, NC. ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Joe Viles/FOX)

It was a night of celebration and tears at the Kodak Theater as contemporary performer Jeanine Mason was crowned “America’s Favorite Dancer” on season five of Fox’s summer hit  “So You Think You Can Dance.”

“I never ever imagined this,” the 18-year-old said following the announcement, adding she never thought she would be giving an acceptance speech on the same stage that hosts the Academy Awards.

More than 3,000 screaming dance enthusiasts packed inside the iconic Hollywood theater to hear the fate of the final four — Mason, Evan Kasprzak, Kayla Radomski and Brandon Bryant – after what was the largest vote in the show’s history.

Judge Mary Murphy and executive producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe were joined by a full panel of guest judges including film producer Adam Shankman, krump master Lil C and dance legend Debbie Allen.

“I was absolutely delighted and I think it is justly deserved,” Lythgoe said of Mason’s win, which he said he learned of early Thursday afternoon.

But before the confetti and standing ovation, the finale revisited the judges’ favorite performances from this season, including the energetic Bollywood number “Jai Ho,” performed by Jason Glover and Caitlin Kinney, the “Butt Dance,” performed by Randi Evans and Kasprzak, and a Matrix-inspired Paso Doble, performed by Mason and first-runner up Bryant.

Special guests took to the stage, including Talia Fowler — the winner of “So You Think You Can Dance Australia” — and the junior dance troupe Rage Boyz Crew.  The judges themselves couldn’t resist the draw of the bright lights either as they donned white top hats and tails for a surprise appearance at the end of a top-eight performance of “One” from the iconic musical “A Chorus Line.”

“Dark horse” Mason faced a tight race on Wednesday night’s performance show, which was a feast for dance lovers as choreographers Mia Michaels, Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin, Tyce Diorio and Sonya Tayeh challenged the finalists to reach new heights for the $250,000 prize and the coveted title.

Mason and Kasprzak were the first couple to take the stage with a performance inspired by a woman who has fallen out of love. “I never saw Janine coming and you have dominated week after week,” Shankman said, “I so underestimated you and I will never forgive myself.”

Bryant, who began dancing at the age of seven, continued to wow the judges with his power and intensity. “You’re an extreme dancer. You’re like a super athlete,” Shankman said after he performed his final solo of the competition.  “You are athletic, you are dynamic, you defy gravity at times,” Murphy said, adding the 19-year-old was born to dance.

Despite making it to the final four, Kasprzak couldn’t shake the criticism dished out by the judges, who chided him for his natural sweetness and lovable face. “You have the character but it felt like a character,” Shankman said of the “Nasty” number where Kasprzak found himself dueling against Bryant. In retaliation, the entire Kodak Theater erupted in applause and chanted “Evan” in support of the short man who dances large.

Radomski, a darling of the judges from her audition straight through to the finale, continued to inspire a flood of compliments for her work.  Lythgoe compared the statuesque blond to a “thoroughbred” after the Mia Michaels number she performed with Mason. “There have been some of the best dancers I have ever seen of my life on this show, Travis Wall, Will, Danny, and Kayla you just joined them in that little special club,” Shankman said after she performed her final solo.

With tens of millions of votes tallied, do you think America got it right? Itching for more dance and a chance to have your say?  Stayed tuned for Season Six, which begins on Sept. 2.

Captions: (Top Left) Jeanine Mason, 18, is a contemporary dancer from Pinecrest, FL. ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Mike Ruiz/FOX
(Center Right) Judges Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Mike Ruiz/FOX
(Bottom Center) “So You Think You Can Dance” host Cat Deeley ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Mike Ruiz/FOX

The “dreaded quickstep” was once again the kiss of death as ballerina Melissa Sandvig was eliminated on Fox’s fifth season of the popular “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Comments from the judges on Wednesday night were mixed for Sandvig’s challenging ballroom number as Mary Murphy said she was “disappointed” with Melissa and Evan Kasprzak’s performance while Nigel Lythgoe raved, “it’s routines like I just watched now that started me dancing.”

And in what was probably the biggest shock of the season, Ade Obayomi failed to inspire voters to pick up the phone, sending him packing rather than to the finale.  Ade and Jeanine Mason got down and dirty with a well-received Tabitha and Napoleon hip hop number, but their samba failed to impress due to technical shortcomings.

“It started to fall apart for me. Ade, you were hopping around that floor,” Murphy said on Wednesday, adding the routine had a novice feel. The panel agreed the couple physically looked great but it wasn’t enough to keep the critiques at bay. “We were hoping to get an explosion of excellence and it really fell short for me,” crump choreographer and guest judge Lil C said of the performance.

Despite the elimination of two dancers, Thursday’s show managed to retain somewhat of a celebratory feel as past finalists and winners took to the stage to perform Emmy-nominated numbers from last season, including “Bleeding Love,” “Silence” and “A Los Amigos.”

This week’s competition got under way with Wednesday night’s performance show, which was a hotbed of sexy samba, high-flying disco and infidelity-inspired contemporary.

After fielding some scathing critiques for his Tyce Diorio-choreographed Broadway number, Evan managed to inspire the judges during his quickstep routine, prompting Lil C to say,”I’m going to commend you for dancing bigger than you’ve ever danced on the show for me.”

Judge favorites Brandon Bryant and Kayla Radomski continued their ride on the coveted hot tamale train with two first-class tickets doled out by Murphy.  Their “beyond intense” contemporary number, choreographed by Canadian Stacey Tookey, was a technical feast for the eyes. Kayla shone as an abused mistress in the adultery-inspired performance. “You have never taken a wrong step for me Kayla,” Murphy said, “That was perfection up there on the dance floor.”

Lil C continued the compliments saying Kayla, who he described as “a beast,” has a tendency to outdance her partners, but her coupling with Brandon was the first time she was evenly matched.

Kayla and Brandon will join Evan and Jeanine in the final four, competing for a chance to win $250,000 and the title of “America’s Favorite Dancer.”  Did the final four come as a surprise or did the top dancers make the cut?

Captions: (Right) Melissa  Sandvig, 29, is a ballet dancer from Los Alamitos, CA. ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Mike Ruiz/FOX
Ade Obayomi,20, is a contemporary dancer from Chandler, AZ. ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Mike Ruiz/FOX

So Katie Holmes can sing (a little) and dance (a little). But should her “Get Happy” homage to Judy Garland on “So You Think You Can Dance” have been so hyped by the producers for weeks before it was actually screened (pre-taped) on Thursday’s show?

Holmes looked stunning in the black tights, fedora hat and black jacket costume she donned for her song and dance routine intended to publicize the Dizzy Feeet Foundation, which funds dance lessons for kids, and the 100th show milestone for the TV dance series.

But her performance left many reviewers — who had been led to believe it was going to be a showstopper by a celebrity not known for her dancing or singing — a little underwhelmed.

Olivia Smith with the New York Daily News said Katie’s routine was “more like so you think you can strut around the stage and strike a few poses.” Wall Street Journal blogger Tracy Watson called it “quite respectable but nothing spectacular.”

SYTYCD producer Nigel Lythgoe took to Twitter to defend Katie from some of the more barbed comments — particularly the lip-synching and the fact the performance was not live. (Holmes is apparently filming in Australia and shot the routine weeks ago).

“Why hate on Katie? She’s had no dance training and did this for publicity for the charity. Everyone lip synchs when they’re dancing. MJ too”
Lythgoe tweeted. “I’m trying to figure out why Katie is being judged as a dancer. When a star throws out the opening pitch no-one says “ooh crap pitcher!”"

Maybe because SYTYCD IS a dance show and the standards are so high, both in terms of contestants and choreographers, the audience just expected something better.

Is it fair to judge Katie Holmes by those same standards?

It was a night of celebration on Fox’s summer hit “So You Think You Can Dance” as the show marked it’s 100^th episode with special guest appearances and the return of Emmy-winning performances.

Familiar faces from seasons past, including Travis Wall, Heidi Groskreutz, and Hawk, performed award-winning routines such as the zombie-inspired group number Ramalama (Bang Bang) and the contemporary gem “Calling You.”

Thursday’s show also featured a new, and perhaps the most eagerly anticipated addition, as actress Katie Holmes performed a pre-taped tribute to screen legend Judy Garland.

Despite the jovial feel, salsa dancer Janette Manrara and contemporary dancer Jason Glover were sent packing as the top eight was cut down to six.

“Janette, you were my favorite too and I really wanted you to win this year,” said executive producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe. “You bring so much to this.”

Lythgoe added he thought America got it wrong, but ultimately elimination is decided by viewers. So do you agree with Lythgoe? Was Manrara’s elimination as much a shock to you as it was to host Cat Deeley?

Manrara faced stiff competition on Wednesday’s performance show, which was filled with a number of memorable numbers.

Tyce Diorio’s contemporary routine, inspired by a friend’s battle with breast cancer, was hailed as a “perfect portrait” by an emotional judge Mia Michaels. Performed by Melissa Sandvig and Ade Obayomi, Lythgoe said the number prompted an overwhelming audience response, including a personal message from Olivia Newton-John, herself a breast cancer survivor.

“I think television at its best can reach out and unite a country with a shared experience and I think that happened last night with Tyce’s routine,” Lythgoe said on Thursday.

Guest judge Ellen DeGeneres provided some much-needed comic relief on Wednesday’s show as Lythgoe dished out biting criticisms before and after the tears, including his contention this season’s hip hop numbers disappointed.

However, both street-inspired performances blew the judges away. Jeanine Mason and Brandon Bryant hit hard on Wednesday with a Laurie Ann Gibson pop-jazz routine, breaking Lythgoe out of his funk. “This is the flattest night I have ever experienced on ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ up until now,” he said of the routine.

Michaels praised the camouflaged-clad couple saying, “you guys danced in a place that was more than dance, you were inside it.”

Kayla Radomski and Glover’s ghoulish Shane Sparks hip hop routine was one of the few numbers to prompt judge Mary Murphy’s coveted bloodcurdling screams. Michaels described the pair as “disturbingly hot” and noted it was her favorite Sparks number to date.

Was the milestone 100th show bittersweet with the elimination of Manrara and Glover or did you have your cake and eat it too?

Captions: (Top) Janette Manrara , 25, is a salsa/ballroom dancer from Miami, Fl. ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Mike Ruiz/FOX

Jason Glover, 21, is a contemporary/lyrical dancer from Fresno, CA. ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Mike Ruiz/FOX

Judge Mary Murphy hit it on the nail when she said, “This competition is probably the closest competition in ‘So You Think You Can Dance‘ history.”

The race on the fifth season of Fox’s summer hit has been incredibly tight from the beginning and this week’s bottom couples exemplified that.

Despite a good performance choreographed by Jean Marc Genereux, a third time in the bottom was not a charm for Karla Garcia and Vitolio Jeune, who could not escape the curse of the quick-step — a.k.a. the “kiss of death.”

The company they kept at the bottom this week may have made a tough decision easier, as the other two couples performed memorable and distinctive routines praised by the judges.

Phillip Chbeeb and Jeanine Mason, who performed a unique Tabitha & Napoleon hip hop routine that literally chained the dancers together, found themselves in the bottom for the first time. Voters may have agreed with guest judge and choreographer Mia Michaels, who found the chain distracting, despite the unique and difficult routine. It was perhaps a blessing in disguise as their solos reminded judges and viewers why they deserved to be on the show. “I know it’s entirely selfish, but I’m so glad you got to perform your solo,” host Cat Deeley told Chbeeb.

Kupono Aweau and Kayla Radomski’s bottom three placement also came as a surprise. Michaels called their “Twilight”-inspired number by Sonya Tayeh “perfection.” “Everything about it was absolutely tremendous,” she said. “To me, you were the best performance last night.”

This week’s standouts included Brandon Bryant and Janette Manrara, who performed a high-energy Cha Cha choreographed by Genereux that generated over-the-top enthusiasm from the judges. Executive producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe shouted, “It was possibly the best damn Cha Cha I have ever seen on this show!” Murphy punctured a few eardrums screaming out “two first class tickets” onto her coveted “hot tomale train.”

Bryant was moved to tears this week when Michaels finally praised his dancing and talent. During the “green mile” episode where dancers were told whether they made it into the top 20, Michaels sparked a heated scene with other judges when she told Bryant, “I can’t take you. I can’t take what you bring to the floor as an artist. It annoys the *bleep* out of me.”

Audiences also fell in love with Melissa Sandvig and Ade Obayomi’s Romeo and Juliet pas de deux by Thordal Christensen. “You can’t fake classical ballet — that exposes everything — and you were brilliant,” said Michaels.

“Who would have believed that in five seasons, we are now doing classical ballet,” asked Lythgoe, highlighting how the show brings together every genre from hip hop to ballet.

SYTYCD is a week away from finding out who the top 10 dancers will be. The performers have been fairly evenly matched, with favorites changing week to week. With a competition this tight, what will it take for dancers to stand out as the field narrows?

Caption: Mia Michaels (R), choreographer and judge of the reality series “So You Think You Can Dance”, takes part in a panel discussion with show host Cat Deeley at the Fox TV network summer press tour in Beverly Hills, California July 14, 2008. REUTERS/Fred Prouser

Thursday’s elimination show of “So You Think You Can Dance” began on a somber note as executive producer Nigel Lythgoe paid tribute to Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson, all of whom passed away this week.

Nigel paid special recognition to the enormous contribution Jackson made to music and dance.

“We will not see his like again. He changed the face of music and dance in the world — not just in this country.”

He called Jackson’s 1991 “Black or White” music video — which incorporated a number of international dance styles — an inspiration for the show.

“This is a life to celebrate. This is a life that remains inspirational for anybody who listens to music, anybody who wants to dance,” Nigel said, noting that many dancers auditioning for the show over the years cited Jackson as the reason why they started dancing. (Last week, contestant Jason Glover was shown doing an impressive Jackson impression when he was four years old.)

Of Jackson’s iconic 1982 “Thriller” video, directed by John Landis, Nigel said, “After this, there was nothing ever again that would be the same.”

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

After the tribute, the voting results were unveiled. It was not a good night for ballroom dancers as Asuka Kondoh and Jonathan Platero were the unlucky ones sent home by judges Nigel, Mary Murphy and guest Toni Basil.

Asuka, who performed a Mandy Moore thrash-jazz routine with partner Vitolio Jeune, was the first to go home in an unanimous decision. The judges called her a beautiful and “exciting performer,” but it wasn’t good enough. “You give a little something of yourself with everything that you do, but we do feel that you are not growing in the competition,” Nigel said.

The boyish Jonathan was the third male to leave the show. Despite an “outstanding” solo, the judges said his hip-hop performance (choreographed by Dave Scott) was “like a Sunday school picnic outing” despite its “gangsta” theme. “I don’t believe you’ve brought the dancing that is required to be America’s best dancer,” Nigel concluded.

The four contestants who escaped the chopping block were Jonathan’s partner, Karla Garcia (despite what the judges called a “desperate” solo), Vitolio, and Caitlin Kinney and Jason, who performed a paso doble by choreographer Jean Marc Genereaux.

Randi Evans and Evan Kasprzak lived up to the personality and originality of Mia Michael’s charming “butt” routine.

And speaking of butts, Phillip Chbeeb ripped his pants during his Tyce Diorio jazz number with Jeanine Mason, sending Mary into hysterics. Nigel felt Phillip still needed to grow, despite his popularity with voters: “I need more than your ass sticking out of your trousers.”

The only couple to make it onto Mary’s “hot tomale train” this week was Kupono Aweau and his new partner Kayla Radomski with their performance of a waltz by Genereaux. “I never yell for a Viennese waltz,” said Mary, who preceded to give her signature scream. But Nigel, in a particularly crusty and critical mood on Wednesday, said they weren’t going to make anyone stand up and cheer, even though it was beautifully danced. Voters disagreed.

With seven couples left, dancers will face increasing pressure to exceed expectations every week. Who will survive the heat and who will wilt under the glare of the spotlight?