So You Think You Can Dance Backstage Scoop: Which Solo Was "Horrid"?

Channing Cooke and Kevin Hunte went home despite a disastrous solo by ballroom dancer Karen Hauer

Tonight on So You Think You Can Dance we learned that while a remarkable solo can save a dancer in danger, a totally terrible solo won't necessarily get you sent home if you have already banked enough "star moments" and sex appeal in the minds of the judges.

We've got the scoop from behind the scenes at SYTYCD that reveals why a "very good" dancer went home in place of the dancer with one of the most unchoreographed and random solos in recent memory...

Channing Cooke and Kevin Hunte were eliminated this week, despite a disastrous solo by Karen Hauer and last week's extended lecture from executive producer Nigel Lythgoe on how the performers always need to dance as if their lives depend on it.

So how bad was Karen? When we talked to judge Mary Murphy afterward, she was still reeling in reaction: "Karen's solo was horrid. I'm a ballroom dancer, and she's a ballroom dancer, and after that I shook my head and said, 'I'm not sure what she was doing just now! I didn't even recognize what that was.' " Nonetheless, the judges raved backstage about Karen's previous star work, especially in her hip-hop with Kevin, and they decided to saved her. (Does anyone else suspect that last season's lack of a breakout personality has led the judges to perhaps slightly overemphasize star quality this season? Perhaps the judges' "producer" tendencies are showing a bit more than is strictly smart?)

As for poor Channing, we asked why her fascinating Tyce Diorio-choreographed "blackbird dance" with Victor didn't result in the star moment the judges were looking for, and judge Adam Shankman told us, "I think it was the song. It was too a capella and too alienating. It wasn't emotional in any way—it didn't bring us in, at all." Mary Murphy agreed, saying, "It was just 'very good' for us. It was quirky and never connected with us emotionally...I don't think we ever said anything bad to Channing in this competition. Everything's 'very good.' " Adam also saluted Channing's talent, saying, "I think she's an amazing technician and a lovely person, but the winner of the show has to be more than lovely."

As for the elimination of breaker Kevin, Adam Shankman told us, "Not only did we see that solo last week, we saw that same basic script in Vegas. So...if you're not even growing in your own style, if you're not showing us new tricks, then you're in lot of trouble. [Overall] I thought that he met a lot of challenges, but he never conquered a lot of challenges. It was always just enough." And that just wasn't good enough compared to Victor's sophisticated solo. Mary Murphy spilled, "I think Victor did a fabulous job. He was probably, in my mind, the person that was going to go until he did that solo. For me, that solo did save him."

Next week, sexy Karen and piroutte master Victor will join forces and try to create enough chemistry to send them through to the top 10.