Twelve Best So You Think You Can Dance Performances of All Time (With Video!)

As we gear up for this year's Top 20, here's my list of the 12 best So You Think You Can Dance performances of all time. Click on any dance to watch the video and see my thoughts on why it made the cut.

And click here to read So You Think You Can Dance Top 20: Bring. It. On.

Viva la dance!

Twelve Best SYTYCD Dances: Travis and Heidi's Contemporary at #1

Twelve Best SYTYCD Dances: Benji and Heidi's Mambo at #2

Twelve Best SYTYCD Dances: Kameron and Lacey's Contemporary at #3

Twelve Best SYTYCD Dances: Ivan and Allison's Contemporary at #4

Twelve Best SYTYCD Dances: Hok and Jaimie's Jazz at #5

Twelve Best SYTYCD Dances: Neil and Sabra's Jazz at #6

Twelve Best SYTYCD Dances: Nick and Melody's Broadway at #7

Twelve Best SYTYCD Dances: Danny and Lacey's Samba at #8

Twelve Best SYTYCD Dances of All Time: Ivan and Allison's Hip Hop at #9

Twelve Best SYTYCD Dances of All Time: Danny and Anya's Viennese Waltz at #10

Twelve Best SYTYCD Dances of All Time: Benji and Donyelle's Broadway at #11

Twelve Best SYTYCD Dances of All Time: Blake and Ashley's Salsa at #12

And The Best SYTYCD Group Dance of All Time Is...

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Reliving the So You Think You Can Dance Tour -- 20 Photos!

Back in October, four friends and I headed out to Long Island, NY to catch the So You Think You Can Dance tour. Danny and Neil and Lacey -- oh my!

While I personally thought this year's concert didn't live up to the sensational show last year's group put on, it was still a treat to see my favorite dances from the season -- Lacey and Kameron's Contemporary, Sabra and Neil's Table Dance, Hok and Jaimie's Bird Dance and much, much more.

My good pal Karen took some amazing photos at the concert, and, due to time constraints, I never got a chance to post them. So, despite the fact that the tour is now over, I thought I'd take this opportunity to post a few of the photos -- they're just too good not to display.

Enjoy!

12 Best SYTYCD Dances: Sabra and Neil's Season 3 Jazz at #6

Ok, I admit it...I miss So You Think You Can Dance. I know, I know, it's been almost three weeks since Sabra Johnson was named this year's champ, but I can't get those kids and their fancy footwork out of my head!

So, to satisfy my SYTYCD cravings, I thought I would take a look over the next week or so at the 12 Best SYTYCD Dances of All Time, including a youtube video when available. Like all best-of lists, these choices are subjective, so please feel free to post comments and let me know what you think.

Time for #6 -- Sabra and Neil's Season 3 Jazz!

Poor Mandy Moore -- she's been in the shadow of Mia Michaels for the past couple of seasons on SYTYCD, but with this intricate and sexy jazz number, she really put herself on the map. And what spectacular dancing from Neil and Sabra! They both totally committed to their "roles," and danced with a passion and strength that was simply breathtaking. Highlights for me were the under-the-table handshake (brilliant!), and Neil's mind-boggling "plange" over the Sabra and the table. He can "plange" over me any time!

Read about #'s 12-7 by clicking for more So You Think You Can Dance

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Hats Off to Sabra Johnson, A Most Deserving SYTYCD Champion

Well, another season of So You Think You Can Dance bites the dust. As I wait for the realization that this season is really over to set in, I have to raise my glass and take my hat off (and any other mixed metaphor I can think of) to Sabra Johnson, a most deserving champion.

Yes, for most of the season I wanted Lacey to win, and in the past couple of weeks my allegiance had switched to Danny, but the truth of the matter is that Sabra personifies what this competition is all about. She wasn't the sibling of one of last year's most memorable contestants; she didn't have a dramatic backstory about a dying mother or a childhood accident; and she wasn't the loudest or flashiest contestant on the show.

Instead, Sabra danced, and she danced beautifully, with every single ounce of her being. She projected joy and passion and enthusiasm that never felt forced or fake. And she was versatile! Consider the styles she tackled: contemporary, cha cha, rumba, jazz, hip hop, quickstep, Broadway, and the list goes on.

So, hats off to ya, Sabra -- wear your title proudly.

Stay tuned for the Ten Best Moments of this Year's Finale

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Now For The Hard Part -- Who Is Going To Win SYTYCD?

Okay...

I've recapped and ranked last night's performances (click here)

I've given my Idol Thoughts endorsement (click here)

So what's next? Oh yeah -- figuring out who is actually going to take home the prize.

After much deliberation, here is how I think it is going to play out...

Fourth Place: Lacey Schwimmer
How could the girl who has never been in the Bottom 2 or 3 finish in only 4th place? Part of the problem may be that Lacey is too good, too consistent -- the audience may have started to take for granted that she was going to deliver excellence almost every performance. The other part of the problem is that Lacey's solos have been borderline terrible, and her final showing, the Lindy Hop, was an amateurish disaster. She would be a deserving winner, but I'm afraid she's going to have to settle for 4th place.

Third Place: Neil Haskell
Like Nigel said, Neil peaked at the right time, and if the screaming girls had their say, Neil would definitely be the champion. He's got a shot, but I think he's going to come up short -- gorgeous and talented as he may be, he doesn't have the technical chops of Danny or the joyful spirit of Sabra, so I'm guessing he's gonna miss out on a Top 2 finish.

Second Place: Sabra Johnson
Sabra is a true joy to watch, and everyone I know who watches this show absolutely adores her. If there is going to be a female winner this year, it will almost undoubtedly be her. However, I think she dropped the ball last night -- her solo and hip-hop were just-ok, and while she was great in both the jazz and cha cha, she didn't seem to sparkle like she has been the last week. Still, don't count the little spitfire out.

First Place: Danny Tidwell
Yes, I may be biased, since I also gave Danny the Idol Thoughts Endorsement, but I think he was so mind-bogglingly spectacular last night that he may just have propelled himself to victory. That solo!! I mean!! We all know the "best dancer" isn't the one who wins, but I think in this case he just might.

What do you think? Who's gonna win this thing?

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Youtube Videos From Last Night's Show

Relive last night before tonight's winner is announced! C'mon, it's fun!

(Later this week I'm going to post youtube videos from memorable dances from the past two seasons -- get psyched!)

The Top 4 Finalists getting their Broadway on:



Danny and Neil showing us how the boys do it:



Danny and Lacey's breathtaking Viennese Waltz:



Lacey and Sabra's wacked out and wonderful Wade Robson routine: