SYTYCD: It's the Final Stretch of Auditions

The fourth round of auditions for So You Think You Can Dance brought the show to South Carolina and our nation’s capital where even more hopefuls showed up with dreams of becoming America’s Next Favorite Dancer. With a colorful mix of the amazing, the not-so-amazing and the downright offensive, viewers looked on as the judges laughed, sighed and got really, really angry (at times), as the SYTYCD Las Vegas challenge headed into the final stretch.

In Charleston, S.C., 38 more dancers learned that they too will soon be basking under the hot lights of Las Vegas–while 19 more nabbed their spots in Washington, D.C. –Jed Dreben

Here, the highlights: • Brandon Bryant, now 18, is finally old enough to compete and no longer has to lie about his age (like he did at only 15 in the first season). After waiting three seasons for his chance, Bryant easily nabbed a ticket to Vegas–and quite possibly the title of best dancer so far this season.

• Claire Callaway, 20, made it to Vegas in season two, only to have it cut short after an unfortunate foot injury that would send her home. With a guaranteed ticket back the next season, nature instead had a different plan: she became pregnant, later giving birth to a baby girl. This time around, she gave it all she had, which, after choreography, was just enough for a ticket to ride to Vegas. • Sheila Kaiser, the 18-year-old freshman from the University of Georgia, went against dad’s wishes and cut science and math classes to show off her sassy-sultry moves for the enthusiastic judges.

• Anthony and Antwain Hart, 20-year-old identical twins from Linden, N.C., showed the judges the meaning of brotherly love when one didn’t make the cut while the other did. Given a second chance to show their group routine, these two wowed the judges enough to make it on to the choreography round, where both will have another chance to show how they had what it takes to make it to Vegas.

• BJ Harris, 23, flown out by his friends back in Brooklyn, N.Y., wowed the judges with his magical hip-hop legwork. He impressed the judges enough for a shot in the choreography round… where, sadly, he wouldn’t make the cut.

• Markus Shields, 23, came out to make his mother, who sadly passed away when he was just 12, as proud as a son could as he mixed hip-hop, pop and contemporary dance with a routine that was good enough to get him to the choreography–with just one imperative from Nigel: please smile. Well, this dancer was smiling when he got the news that he was going to Vegas!

And the lowlights: • Derrick “Dancing D” Bradley, the 23-year-old wannabe b-boy (“What it do? What it be? Holla!”) gave new meaning to the white man’s overbite as he fished, golfed and rolled dice in what appeared to be a session of dancing charades, which was actually an improvement from his audition last season. Despite the judges’ comments, he would have much more success at mime school.

• Phuc “Atomic Goofball” Ngyuen (watch his audition clip here), 25, looked more like Bruce Lee with goggles on in his black-and-yellow bumblebee jumpsuit, dancing in honor of all the nerds who have ever been spit on, trash-canned or shoved in a locker, as he wiggled his way into the choreography but sadly not to Vegas.

• Anthony Bryant, 23, was told by Nigel after his season one ribbon dance that he lacked masculinity in his performance. This time Bryant thought a camouflage jumpsuit would bring out his more “manly man” persona. Bryant and his camo jumpsuit were sent home.

• Shamikah Robinson, 28, her red hair highlighted in what one could only describe as hip-hop flop, left the stage in absolute denial (with a capital “D”) of her bad booty shaking. She walked away still believing she’s a star in her own mind.