I’ve been sitting here re-watching the dances from So You Think You Can Dance’s final dance show and I’m peeved. I’ll make my disclaimer now: I absolutely adore all four of the finalists. Lacey has been consistently great throughout the whole season, Danny technically AMAZING, Neil just an incredibly beautiful dancer with humor, personality, and acrobatic tricks beyond most others’ abilities, and Sabra a charming and good dancer (no tricks, just dances from the heart).

Of the finalists, I had pegged Lacey and Danny (Dancey, as they’re called) to be in the top two since the week before the finale. I really wanted Neil to win but expected Lacey to take it all. Neil has by far been my favorite right up there with Lacey since week 1 (I’ve just seen something in him as a dancer that I really loved since the Hip Hop routine with Lauren). Although I do like them both, Danny, although a technically gorgeous dancer, has not been my favorite (until the finale — more on that later) because he has always been more technical than emotional, nor has Sabra (she’s good, but there’s something about her that I don’t see that others must). I was sure they would have both been eliminated before the finale (up until maybe the week before the finale when Danny really stepped up his game and Sabra was up against Lauren to be eliminated).

Just thinking about everything, I can actually see why my two favorites did not make top 2 after Wednesday.

There were two dances that completely killed Lacey’s chances of winning so she was pretty much knocked out of the running here (unfair, by the way!) — an overly ridiculous Lindy Hop that just looked awfully painful and hard for Lacey & Neil and an absurdly experimental Wade Robson original that did not in any way showcase Lacey or Sabra’s abilities (I adore Wade’s genius, but timing, man, timing!). Lacey’s solo was great, but she was first solo, so her solo was pretty much out of people’s minds by the end of the show. Lacey performed the entrancingly beautiful Viennese Waltz with Danny perfectly.

Sabra did a fair solo, a good Cha-Cha with Danny, a fair Hip-Hop routine with Neil, and a decent Wade Robson “Foxes” piece with Lacey (the dance that did not showcase either of the girl’s abilities).

Neil’s chances of winning were ruined with the Hip Hop routine with Sabra (I’d almost guess choreography and styling had as much to do with this as the dancing), and did alright on the Lindy Hop (this choreography was way too difficult for this show), and did an amazing Solo which I have now watched literally 20 times — including once in slow motion. Of course, his shining moment was the Princes’ Duel with Danny. (This dance will go down as one of the best of the season, as will many of Neil’s dances, actually.) Once again, Neil was put into a similar situation as Lacey — completely screwed over thanks to the overwhelming choreography of the Lindy Hop. (The choreographers MUST realize there is only so much time to learn these dances, and although challenging the dancers is great, sometimes, there needs to be a line.)

Danny absolutely nailed his solo (I was blown away by his 6 flying split leaps around the stage!), his Cha-Cha with Sabra (fun, amazing flare), the Viennese Waltz with Lacey (grace and elegance), and The Princes’ Duel with Neil (attitude, arrogance, and passion).

So the only thing left for me to ask is how did Sabra win this competition over Danny??? I adore her, I really do, but the only thing I can guess is it’s for the same reason I didn’t like Danny until the last 2 weeks — he was standoffish, technical, closed off. Sabra has always been approachable and danced from the heart. Once Neil and Lacey were pretty much blown out of the running thanks to Wednesday night, who do you pick from? The standoffish Danny who seems arrogant (but isn’t at all, he’s just self-conscious maybe?), or the cute tiny charming Sabra who always has a smile on her face? Well, if I had to pick someone likeable versus someone I’m not sure about, I’m going to pick someone likeable.

And that’s why Sabra was the winner. (All four were really winners in my book. They all encompass something different about dance, and I cannot wait to hopefully get to see the tour!)

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