(S07E06) Dominic gets a week off as the first week of competition of 'So You Think You Can Dance' begins. We learn one odd nugget of information about each of the contestants. While some are not unusual (Cristina sings, Alex plays piano), the two that were interesting were that Melinda was on 'As the World Turns' and Alexie was a contestant on 'Star Search' (with Adam Shankman being one of the judges).

We're live for the first time and it almost looks like they didn't do any camera blocking for the opening sequence. Some of the sound was a bit off as well. Luckily, Cat looks stunning and is as upbeat as ever. I hope Nigel is being paid for all his unnecessary advertisements. He made references to 'The Karate Kid' and 'The Last Airbender' nonchalantly. Cat reminds us that the original numbers with "Tempo" are now changed with "Best," so callers be ware.

Billy & Lauren – Broadway (Tyce Diorio) - The performance is an interesting way to start off the season; the routine didn't really follow the frantic beat of the song; Billy danced above the choreography. With an all-star next to him, Billy stood out, but there was no connection between the two.

Nigel noted that the two lacked chemistry. Mia was proud of Billy because he did well with a different genre, but needs to dance like a man. Adam knows that dance is natural for Billy, so he needs to focus on character, find the in-between, and understand the unsaid in choreography.

Cristina & Mark – Jazz (Sonya Tayeh) - Sonya wants sexy and sensual and Cristina's big challenge is being loose. Mark enhanced Cristina's performance as she was lifted several times, but I fear that Mark's performance out-shone Cristina. Mark and Sonya are such a good pair that Cristina holding her own was enough to make the performance look good.

Nigel pointed out how he loved Sonya and Mark together. He thought that Cristina filled the space that the choreography needed. Mia loved that Cristina's technique was great for a salsa dancer. Adam was stunned because he thought it would be a disaster and Cristina was great.

Jose & Comfort – Hip Hop (NappyTabs) - The NappyTabs choreography is about animal-intensity and Jose kept up with the choreography. He is probably one of the best breakers to understand choreography. Jose was the focus with the breaking but the side-by-side choreography could have used more chemistry.

Nigel was happily surprised. Mia suggests that he needs to stay committed. Adam agrees and reminds him about improving leaps and bounds in a few weeks. He reminds Jose to add power to his breaker moves.

Adéchiké & Kathryn – Jazz (Travis Wall) - The story line involves a man's work fantasy. While there were nerves in practice, Adechike succeeds in removing Kathryn's shoes. When the tempo of the music picks up he keeps up with Kathryn. She had most of the cool moments, but Adechike was there the whole time supporting her.

Nigel thought that Kathryn was giving everything she had, but Adechike wasn't. Mia thought there was no sexual chemistry between the two of them; Adechike brought nothing to the stage. Adam thought that he was a good partner for Kathryn, but he didn't go the extra step.

Melinda & Pasha – Jive (Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin) - The dance is all about love. Pasha is amazing and it makes Melinda lack a bit in some of the kick sequences. Her top half was good until she gave Pasha the goofiest of faces during the routine.

Nigel knows that Melinda is vivacious, but her leg motions were wide. Mia agrees, her legs look pigeon-toed. Melinda may be a bit over the top. Adam tells her to watch the playback; she needs to finish her hand motions.

Alex & Allison – Contemporary (Sonya Tayeh) - Sonya wants to make sure the dance is about finding salvation. This is a very good first dance for Alex because he kept getting criticism to open up and this routine was everything he needed. The choreo was beautifully executed and Alex gave it everything he had.

Nigel thought that Alex set a new standard for SYTYCD. He was light years ahead of the dancers. Mia thought it was the best dance performed on any SYTYCD stage. Adam thinks that Alex raised Sonya's bar.

Alexie & Twitch – Hip Hop (NappyTabs) - The dance's storyline is love: after hours. Alexie was smooth throughout the whole performance and had a very cheeky quality that fit the performance perfectly.

Nigel knows that she's a sweet dancer and the dance may be a bit too sweet for hip-hop. Mia thought she danced like a little girl. Adam thought Alexie's charisma was enough to have her survive the performance; she needs to dig deeper to find power.

Lauren & Ade – Pop Jazz (Mandy Moore) - The story of the dance is about going on a first date. While Mandy Moore continues to exhaust the '80s discography, the routine is dynamic. Lauren is too sweet with her movements and doesn't connect with Ade, but the choreography itself is clean.

Nigel thought it was well choreographed, but there was no chemistry. Mia thinks that she also needs to fill in the space both emotionally and character-wise. Adam points out that she's not paying attention to her partner and instead smiling to the audience.

Kent & Anya – Cha-Cha (Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin) - Kent's struggle on the show is about becoming more mature and being paired with Anya, he really has to find his manly quality. Kent definitely had that cheesy face that all ballroom/Latin dancers seem to have. He nailed the choreography except for the occasional moments when he lost all focus.

Nigel knows that Kent enjoyed the performance. He is compared to Paul Newman. Mia loved his commitment to the performance. Adam loves his determination and he powered past his weaknesses; there were moments that he looked like a little boy with a lion.

Ashley & Neil – Contemporary (Tyce Diorio) - The performance is all about finding the connection in love. The performance was heavily passionate and Ashley connected with Neil really well. She had a lot of trust with all the lifts and did a good job keeping up with Neil.

Nigel suggests that Ashley needs to use her emotions in her choreography; she is still a beautiful dancer. Mia felt the emotion, but she didn't know what the emotion was. Ashley's innocence gives very intriguing images. Adam thinks that she's making great pictures, but not being emotional.

Robert & Courtney – African Jazz (Sean Cheesman) - The story is about creatures that get to be human for a day. Since neither dancer have African as their specialty I think both did a good job with the choreography. There were moments of strong passion and the two gave it their all.

Nigel loved the movement and abandonment of the dance. Nigel thinks Robert's going to be the dark horse of the season. Mia loves the quirks and the athleticism, but he needs to dig further. Adam thought the partnership was great because they were supportive of each other. Adam thinks he's going to be going very far in the competition.

If I were Melinda or Adechike, I'd be a bit nervous; when the recap played, I completely forgot about both of their performances. There are five contestants who can survive just off of their high exposure early in the season (Lauren, Kent, Billy, Alex and Jose). Alexie is just plain adorable and Robert did a great job with African Jazz. That leaves either Ashley or Cristina to join Melinda and Adechike in the bottom three.

Who do you think will make the bottom three and go home? Did anyone notice Lance Bass in the background? Leave your comments below.