'So You Think You Can Dance' cuts Caitlin Kinney and Phillip Chbeeb

Caitlin Kinney and Phillip Chbeeb became the next two finalists eliminated from So You Think You Can Dance's fifth season during last night's live results show on Fox.


Caitlin, a 21-year-old contemporary dancer from Annapolis, MD, and Phillip, a 20-year-old popping dancer who currently resides in Los Angeles, CA, found themselves among the bottom three couples based on home viewer votes cast immediately following Wednesday night's performance episode. 

They were then ousted by the show's three judges after the six dancers each performed a solo routine.

"It's been everything I could have hoped for and so much more, which is just wonderful," Caitlin said during a video montage that followed her ouster.

"I hope that if anything I've inspired some people to realize that you don't need money or the option for a studio or all those things -- if you just have passion and creativity you can do anything you want," Phillip told So You Think You Can Dance host Cat Deeley after his elimination.


In addition to Caitlin and Phillip, Caitlin's partner Jason Glover, a 21-year-old lyrical and contemporary dancer from Fresno, CA, Phillip's partner Jeanine Mason, an 18-year-old contemporary dancer who currently resides in Pinecrest, FL, and Melissa Sandvig, a 29-year-old ballet dancer from Los Alamitos, CA, and her partner Ade Obayomi, a 20-year-old contemporary dancer from Chandler, AZ who currently resides in Orange County, CA were the other members of the bottom three couples.

Both judges' decisions were unanimous, according to So You Think You Can Dance lead judge Nigel Lythgoe.

"We are unanimous this evening.  There is no question that we think all six dancers are absolutely brilliant.  We're very sad to lose two of them," Nigel said before he revealed Caitlin and Phillip would be going home. 

"Tonight is going from duets and it's going into the singles.  We want to see everyone in the Top 10 popping, every one of them needs to be a star.  We have based our thoughts on that because a lot of them had not achieved their full potential as stars yet.  They're great dancers and we do believe this is our best Top 20 [ever] in technique, [but] we don't believe that they have become stars yet and they need to start doing that now."

"With the girls, we have done it from a positive point of view and said 'These are the two girls we would like to say with us, we believe in them.' So we haven't done it from a negative point of view because we think the girl that's leaving us tonight is fantastic," he added before announcing Caitlin's ouster.  "Caitlin, congratulations, but tonight Caitlin tonight this is the end of your journey on So You think You Can Dance.  Thank you so much, you've been absolutely wonderful and we love you."


"Phillip, you are without question unique in what you do -- there is no question about that -- however in all the other genres we are and have been a little disappointed... this is the end of your journey on So You Think You Can Dance tonight," Nigel said as he announced Phillip's elimination.

But Nigel -- who also co-created So You Think You Can Dance and executive produces the show -- said he did have some good news for Caitlin and Phillip.

"However, I have secured with the producers, that you and Caitlin will be on the [post-season national] tour," he added.

Now that So You Think You Can Dance's Top 10 fifth-season finalists have been determined the remaining contestants will no longer be performing as pairs and home viewers will begin individually voting for each finalist.

In addition to Jeanine, Melissa, Jason, and Ade, So You Think You Can Dance's Top 10 fifth-season finalists are Kayla Radomski, an 18-year-old jazz and contemporary dancer from Aurora, CO; Kupono Aweau, a 23-year-old lyrical and contemporary dancer who currently resides in Kailua, HI; Randi Evans, a 23-year-old jazz dancer who currently resides in Springville, UT; Evan Kasprzak, a 21-year-old Broadway dancer from West Bloomfield, MI; Janette Manrara, a 25-year-old salsa dancer who currently resides in Hialeah, FL; and Brandon Bryant, a 19-year-old contemporary dancer from Miami, FL who currently resides in Salt Lake City, UT.


So You Think You Can Dance's next episode will air Wednesday, July 15 at 8PM ET/PT on Fox.






About The Author: Steven Rogers