Spoiler: Underwhelmed by the top 18 performances

I have to admit, I don't think tonight's performance episode of So You Think You Can Dance was nearly as good as last week's. Last week I was impressed with every performance. This week, few were memorable. Nonetheless, here is a rundown.

1) Randi and Evan; danced the jive choreographed by Louis
As Louis said in the package before they danced, the jive is so much about performance and FUN! That said, I thought these two were going to kill it mostly because both are so energetic and have great personalities. It was a very high energy performance with tons of kicking, turning and moving around. While the judges did not seem too impressed, I enjoyed it. I thought it was a great start to the evening.
2) Melissa and Ade; danced jazz choreographed by Sonya
This was a very physical performance. Ade threw Melissa around consistently. I usually love Sonya's choreography, but this one was nothing special for me. During the performance, I thought they lacked emotion as a couple. I didn't love it.
3) Caitlin and Jason; danced hip hop choreographed by Shane
I thought the performance was good, but the dancing was only OK. They were not hitting hard enough, especially Caitlin (though her solo was pretty good). Overall, I thought it flowed too much for a hip hop routine.
4) Janette and Brandon; danced a disco routine choreographed by Doriana
This was fast, fast, fast, which has come to be expected from a Doriana routine. Also expected was that there would be tons of lifts. The only time they faltered was at the end, which I thought was a bit clunky. But what was special, as Mary pointed out, was that the movements between the lifts also met the expectations set by the powerful lifts. I also agree that Janette recovered really well from her slip up. And, the icing on the cake was that their personality matched the intensity of their performance. They were really into it, which made the viewers enjoy the routine more.
5) Asuka and Vitolio; danced the waltz choreographed by Louis
This was meant to be an emotional dance for Vitolio and it had Mary crying by the end of the performance. Regardless, I didn't think Vitolio's movements flowed enough, which made the dance just OK for me. I wasn't as moved. Plus, Asuka annoys me. That coy, sly look she always gives the camera is so fake. Yuck!
6) Kayla and Max; dance pop jazz choreographed by Brian
They were really hitting it strong the whole dance. Kayla is such a powerhouse and Max feeds off her so they make an awesome pair. I don't really have much to say about this one because I thought it was really good.
7) Karla and Jonathan; danced a contemporary routine choreographed by a new choreographer - Stacey Tookey
I thought this was a very emotional dance. It was a great story and a great performance. Not much more to say, but I do want to point out that these two are pretty forgettable to me. Not that they are bad, they just don't stand out.
8) Janine and Phillip; danced a tango choreographed by Tony
They both have a lack of ballroom knowledge and it showed. While they both looked great - Phillip cleans up well and Janine looked sexy - this wasn't enough to distract me from how awful they were. Phillip looked lost and awkward. I too noticed his bent knees, which were apparently supposed to be, but he was also way too flat footed. But, as the judges pointed out, Phillip has a huge fan base so he shouldn't have anything to worry about. It just isn't fair that another couple will end up in the bottom when they deserve to be.
9) Ashley and Kupono; danced hip hop choreographed by Shane
In the dance she is supposed to be his shadow. It was a stretch for me, but I have to admit that I had far fewer problems with the overall performance than the judges did. While all three judges said they disliked it, I thought it was good. I didn't love it, but it wasn't awful.

In my honest opinion, any couple could be in the bottom three tomorrow. I don't think any of those performances prove that a certain couple deserves to stay in the competition. That said, I love Phillip, Kayla and Evan so would be heartbroken if they are sent home. Everyone else is disposable. What did you think about tonight's performances? Anyone really stand out for you? Who would you send home?