So You Think You Can Dance Judges Spoil Their Own Double Elimination

Four dancers remain and in two weeks one will be crowned America's favorite

The So You Think You Can Dance judges really should try not to give the eliminations away the night before they send two people home.

But that's pretty much what they did, what with all the talk of mature-beyond-her-years Lauren Froderman and the endlessly affable Kent Boyd facing off in the finale.

So what was there to do when little Lauren ended up in the bottom three for the first time alongside a fast-slipping favorite and the seeming scourge of SYTYCD?

Why, keep her, of course!

Meaning Billy Bell, the best dancer to be shunned five consecutive weeks for no good reason (frilly pink cravats with red pants included), and Jose Ruiz, whose time has been coming, were let go.

Despite a night that included a moving contemporary piece with all-star Ade Obayami and a killer Bollywood number with Robert Roldan (have you ever seen anyone look more horrified to be safe?), the nation's disinterest affair with Billy continued.

Nigel Lythgoe frankly told Billy that perhaps America hasn't been connecting with his "slightly androgynous style," though choreographers and artistic directors all over the country are.

(That's one of the great things about SYTYCD and dance in general. Nigel made a very true statement that said a lot in only a few words.)

So what would have happened if Robert had ended up in the bottom three, as he was last week?

Probably exactly the same thing would have happened, considering the judges talked last night about Jose, whose solo tonight carried a little bit of it-doesn't-matter-what-I-do-I'm-done along with the usual funky sprightliness, having accomplished so much even if it was his last week on the show.

Plus, Billy was back in the bottom by very popular demand and the panel has been raving about Robert's growth. He was in yet another emotional, thematically heavy contemporary piece yesterday, along with the Bollywood, in which he, frankly, outdanced Billy.

We're thinking the judges would have dismissed Adéchiké Torbert, who only seems to win their praise every other week, in a heartbeat—but the fan favorite hasn't been in the bottom three once all season.

Next week, one more dancer will be eliminated based solely on the fans' votes, and after a two-night finale Aug. 4-5, SYTYCD will crown America's favorite dancer, who this season will get the added honor of being featured as Gatorade's first dance athlete in its new G Series ad campaign.

And one more thing: Tickets for the SYTYCD tour go on sale tomorrow!