'So You Think You Can Dance' recap: Getting Better

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Ashleigh and Jakob: I had always been a fan of Jakob's. But, as far as I'm concerned, the insanely talented dancer crossed over into god territory last night. Why? Well, tell me you didn't squeal in pure delight watching the dancer perform 'N Sync's ''Bye Bye Bye'' as a 10-year-old in a talent show. (Seriously, the only way he could top himself in the eyes of this 1990s nostalgic is if he performed She's All That's ''The Rockafeller Skank'' number with butterfly clips attached to some frosted tips.) Luckily, I squealed in delight again over the dancer's strong NapTab hip-hop routine with partner Ashleigh. Whether or not you think Jakob is hindered by his partner, you have to admit that Ashleigh has emerged as a bonafide threat to some of the women in the competition. She may not be as talented as, say, Noelle or Kathryn, but she's certainly giving it her all. Just look at her flip onto Jakob. And her on-stage acting skills. She's truly living up to her Jody Sawyer award, I'll tell you that much! And Jakob — well, let's just say if the contemporary dancer doesn't make it into the top six, it's more criminal than Fiona Apple.

Approaching the danger zone:
Kathryn and Legacy: When it comes to torsos, SYTYCD is always about Ryan, Ryan, Ryan. Well, Legacy's Jan truly served Ryan's Marcia when he graced the stage shirtless for the first time. Honestly, I found myself asking: Ryan who? Because while Ryan has just as much personality as a Saltine, Legacy is brimming with passion, drive, and one heckuva sense of humor. Add to that our b-boy's well-toned midsection, and Legacy gives Ryan a definite run for his money. Of course, the b-boy has his shortcomings — and last night's Tony Meredith-choreographed Paso Doble probably showed them off more than any other dance at this point. Regardless, you have to hand it to Legacy for truly molding himself into his role as an admiral chasing his concubine after a long time at sea. And Kathryn continued to swim into my heart with her sense of elegance that perfectly counter-balanced her partner's sheer power. It was by no means their best performance to date, but the pair's dedication to their dance was enough to make you forgive that final botched lift, and their loss of balance at the end of the routine. But of course, I was ready to hop on board as soon as Legacy split his pants in rehearsal. (Perhaps a Frenchman jumped into my body for a second, but I laughed out loud watching that moment.) That being said, I'm not sure if the Paso Doble is a dance that will convince viewers to pick up their phones. But I certainly hope they do — I'll go on record saying Legacy is probably my favorite underdog to ever grace my TV set. And that includes Underdog. (That was my out-of-touch Nigel impression, by the way.)

Mollee and Nathan: As an early champion of Nathan, it brings me great sadness to say this: I officially cannot stand our cutesy couple. Seriously, the duo had a chance to redeem themselves for their poor dancing and attitudes last week, and they give us what had to be the most obnoxious introduction package ever. What did we learn about the pair? Nathan was a young brat that ''got everything he wanted.'' Mollee was a diva a bit too JonBenét-esque for comfort. Of course, we kind of knew this about the couple anyway — since their ''when we were kids'' home video footage was shot, like, three weeks ago — but the package hardly did them any favors. Nor did their Laurie Ann Gibson hip-hop routine. Though it was certainly better than last week, I didn't feel they were as in sync as Nigel claimed. But kudos to Adam for warning Nathan about his attitude. After all, this is the search for America's favorite dancer. And America typically doesn't warm to cocky little brats that you feel like flicking off the stage like gnats. Yet, there are voters who would dial in support of a devil incarnate, as long as he was cute and tween-y and OMG looked just like Taylor Lautner. Add to that the fact that Nigel & Co., put Mollee and Nathan in the pimp spot again, and I'd say the duo is quite safe from elimination, regardless of whether or not they grace the bottom three.

NEXT: Blackbirds dancing in the dead of night