Get ready, Canada! It's time to pas de bourrée, pirouette and brisé your way through the end of summer. Trying to cash in on the excitement from last week's 'So You Think You Can Dance' finale in the US, CTV launched season three of the hit show Sunday night with a barrage of audition episodes.

When we last left the Canadian show in season two, the entire country was screaming, "We have some of the best dancers in 'SYTYCD' competition history!" Mary Murphy said it, Mia Michaels said it... we all knew it was true.

So I went into this season's first episode -- the Toronto auditions -- with high hopes. I was expecting a lot. I wanted to see our dancers -- my hometown artistes -- rock the stage. Then they started to dance. And I ain't gonna lie, it wasn't pretty; there was nothing but a whole lot of mediocre happening. The boys had their style (hip-hop), the girls their style (general choreography). And then there was Mary Murphy (I love her, but her laugh can be, well, you know). I was starting to worry that Canada's dance pool, much like the housing market, had reached its tipping point.

So thank goodness for Shavar (I apologize, in advance, for not nailing the spelling of everyone's names right off the bat). Representing the hip-hop contingent, not only was he good, he rocked my world with his playful and on-the-mark moves (dude and his partner-in-crime, Rodrigo, took ballet lessons to nail the audition). Then there was the sexy lady latina Patrizia (I'd kill to move my hips the way she does), and urban mover and shaker Andrew. I can see all three of them making the Top 20.

Kickin' It in Calgary

To kick off Monday night's episode of 'SYTYCDC,' we landed in Calgary.

I have to admit it, Cowtown, I was a bit worried about you. I didn't know a charming personality and a smile could get you into the choreography "boot camp" of a national dance competition show. I have a great smile, but you don't see me heating up the dance floor... Even though I so desperately want to.

But then came Kevin (actually from Ottawa, but auditioning in Calgary) who twisted my grimace into a grin. "Silent, but made so much noise," is how Stacey Tookey, the city's guest judge, summed up his routine; I couldn't agree more. He and his newly-sleek physique have a serious shot at going the long haul.

The other stand-out auditions belonged to Eric, doing a traditional native dance (dude nailed it; he's got attitude and skill), and Danielle, who last season wasn't able to finish her routine because of a lung disorder.

Hot in Halifax

From the land of the Stampede to the home of the fiddle, viewers were brought to Halifax, where we were finally treated to some interesting auditions. It all kicked off with Sharon and Julio doing a hot little swing-dance number reminiscent of 'Chicago' (the Zeta-Jones, not the Oprah), Megan, the ballerina from Ontario who lost her suitcase (one doesn't need pointe shoes to dance ballet, Dan Karaty), and Janae, who had a shockingly natural and full-of-talent tap performance.

Next stop for 'SYTYCDC'? Vancouver on Tuesday, Aug. 17, and Montreal on Wednesday, Aug. 18.

Random Thoughts:

-- Tré Armstrong gets prettier every time I see her. Seriously. I. Can't. Stop. Staring. At. Her.
-- Leah Miller: Is it just me or are we seeing a whole lot less of her than we normally do? Not that I'm complaining. (Trust me, I'm not.)
-- What is with the writing on this show? Referencing "huffing and puffing" when talking about Danielle from Calgary's ticket-winning routine (please see above)? Just wrong, guys. WRONG.