SYTYCD Season 11 Callbacks and Top 20 Reveal

Oh man, I've said it before and I'll say it again, callback week is the hardest week to recap! I've done my best, but pardon me if it's a bit all over the place! On the judging panel for callbacks are Nigel, Mary, Adam Shankman, Twitch, Tara Lipinski, and Irina Dvorovenko.

As always, callbacks start with everyone doing a solo again for all of the judges, since most of the judges have not actually seen any of them up to this point. They don't give feedback here, but they do get rid of some people right at this stage. Out of 157 people, 36 people get cut.

The first choreography challenge of the week is hip hop, with Chris Scott and Jasmine from season 10 teaching them the moves. They have just an hour to learn the routine in couples. They stop the class at 9pm, but don't actually perform until the next morning. A few people get some special coverage, including Marie Poppins, Jessica Richens, Steven Kador and his partner Malene, a ballroom dancer, Caleb Brauner and Trevor, who they really liked in auditions. After performing for the judges, Marie gets by by the skin of her teeth, Jessica has to dance for her life, the duo make it through although it's pretty rough, Trevor gets cut, and Caleb gets cut as well, even though I thought he did pretty well. After dancing super sexy for her life, Jessica makes it through.

The next round is jazz with Sonya Tayeh, the same day, and only an hour to learn the steps yet again. And they have to perform right away. Getting more special attention this round is Steven Kador, though he seems to really struggle with the routine, and ends up going home. Twelve more dancers get the boot, including b-boy Shafeek and Marie Poppins. Jaja has to dance for her life, and she gets through.

Up next is ballroom with Dmitry and Anya. Someone gets an elbow to the mouth and loses half a tooth! They get the night to practice their routine this time. Valeria Rockey and Zack Everheart, two tappers, and they do it well, making it straight on through. Jaja is joined by Emilio, who made it into the top 20 last year but couldn't go on the show after getting kicked in the nose, so he's back this year. They do pretty well, actually, and make it through.

And for the last round of choreography, we've got contemporary with Travis Wall. Bridget Whitman gets a special call out, but she has a bit of a misstep in her routine, and she must dance for her life. The others all seem to make it through, not a lot of time spent on this round. Bridget's dance for her life results in her barely making it through to the next round.

Of course, here is the best part of callback week - the group routine round. They're down to 29 boys and 21 girls, only 50 of them left. They're in groups of five and then pick a random song and must make a routine from it. This is always when tempers flare, since they are so tired and crazed at this point. It's funny because a good deal of the routines always end up being pretty bad. The first one we see that is actually decent features Zack, Malene and Johnny, so their prospects are looking pretty good.

That leaves 44 dancers left to be whittled down to the top 20 - which leaves them just one last chance to prove themselves to the judges, with their final solo and some words. We see Ricky Ubeda, who we've seen glimpses of throughout callbacks but not much straight focus. I still think he's going to make it on, and you know what? Can I make a bold prediction? I think he may be top four material.

And I guess we are going to the top 20 reveal now? I wasn't sure. Most of these names aren't going to mean a lot quite yet, but there is a winner among them! Do you have any early favorites (apart from Ricky, duh)?

In the top 20:
Ricky is the first one to be called in, and duh, he makes it on the show, obviously. 
Jessica
Jacque
Teddy
Stanley
Carly
Emilio makes it back on the show again, which is nice because he looks really good.
Bridget
Valerie
Zack
Jourdan
Casey
Emily
Nick
Tanisha
Serge
Malene
Marcquet
Brooklyn
Rudy

Some of the noteworthy people who did not make it on... Jaja, the Krump girl, Johnny Waacks, and Erik "Silky" Moore, whose audition I really liked.

And... I'm spent! Until next time!

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