SYTYCD 3, Top 6: Performances

Six great performances from six great dancers on tonight's edition of So You Think You Can Dance.

The incredibly (if not overly) positive Debbie Allen returned to the judges table, joining Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe. Like last time she guested, Debbie loved everyone.

Lacey & Pasha -- Hip-Hop
Choreographer: Dave Scott
Song: Junior Boys, "In the Morning"
Dave Scott is evidently a big fan of the movie Mannequin; Lacey played a mannequin, and Pasha played Andrew McCarthy. So why they didn't dance to Starship's "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now"? Nigel said, "I thought it was danced very well." Mary said Pasha was "crazy good" and Lacey was "terrific as usual."

Sabra's Solo -- Elisa, "Rock Your Soul"
Another quality solo from Sabra.

Lauren & Danny -- Contemporary
Choreographer: Mia Michaels
Song: Celine Dion, "Then You Look At Me"
From mannequins to aliens -- at least according to Mia's instructions. I'm not sure I saw the "alien" in their movements, but I'm guessing that kissing a girl was pretty alien to Danny. Hey-O! The performance was great. "Incredible! Absolutely incredible!" shouted Nigel. "What am I gonna say after that?" wondered Mary, before breaking into one of her patented, "Woo's!"

Pasha's Solo -- Bonnie Tyler, "Total Eclipse of the Heart"
Pasha directed his dancing toward a dress on a mannequin (not a live one, this time), and ended his solo with a roundoff. Cat joked with Pasha, "Maybe one day you'll get the girl," instead of always having to settle for mannequins.

Sabra & Neil -- Jazz
Choreographer: Mandy Moore
Song: Eurythmics, "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"
Mandy described the routine as an "eighties jazz power lunch," complete with a negotiating table. Mandy is my favorite choreographer, because she can make the goofiest concepts look totally cool. Nigel said, "I hope the finale comes up to this standard, because the dancing tonight is fantastic. So many good things going on." Mary was impressed as well, although she didn't scream this time.

Lauren's Solo -- Maria Mena, "Sorry"
She punctuated her sharp, quick movements with some pretty spins.

Lacey & Pasha -- Smooth Waltz
Choreographer: Hunter Johnson
Song: Mick McAuley & Winifred Horan, "A Daisy In December"
This was some of the best dancing we've seen from Pasha and Lacey. Nigel was impressed with their technical achievements, although he was disappointed with Lacey's hands. Mary said the dance was "absolutely dreamlike. It was really sweet and touching."

Neil's Solo -- Dave Matthews Band, "Out of My Hands"
Neil's acrobatic tricks made the girls in the studio audience scream.

Lauren & Danny -- Disco
Choreographer: Doriana Sanchez
Song: The Communards, "Don't Leave Me This Way"
The tricks were great and Lauren & Danny looked really good together, although the routine worked more as a showcase for Lauren than Danny. Nigel liked it, and he pointed out the numerous bruises on Lauren's legs to emphasize the difficulty of the routine. "I thought it was so much FUN!" yelled Mary, and she called Lauren a "seventies goddess."

Lacey's Solo -- Shiny Toy Guns, "Le Disco"
Lacey's solos had lots of Latin moves, but she did them barefoot instead of in heels.

Sabra & Neil -- Paso Doble
Choreographer: Tony Meredith Song: Juan & Gennaro, "Espana Cani"
Neil embraced the chance to be the toughest guy in the room, and he looked pretty macho for a guy wearing a frilly shirt. "Wow. That was absolutely stunning," said Nigel. Mary said, "You guys look hot. You're both back on the Train again! Woo!" Neil corrected Mary that this was actually the first time he'd been invited on her Hot Tamale Train.

Danny's Solo -- Joshua Radin, "The Fear You Won't Fall"
This song was cool. Danny gave a nice smile to the camera that's sure to earn him a few extra votes.

My favorite dances of the night were Lacey & Pasha's Smooth Waltz and Sabra & Neil's Jazz. I'm an unabashed Pasha supporter, and I cast my vote for him.

Since the competition is really between Sabra and Lacey at this point, it seems obvious that Lauren will be the girl to go home. All of the boys seem equally at risk, although my hunch tells me that Neil isn't connecting with the at-home audience as well as the others and will probably be the one to go.

There's no results show this week; the lowest vote getters will be cut in a special results show on Monday night at 8 ET. I'd like to know how the dancers are supposed to pair up and practice their routines for the final performance show, when they don't know who's been cut. I hope they address that on Monday night. It seems a little mean to have everyone practice over the weekend, and then to cut two dancers before their routines.