So You Think You Can Dance Australia - Top 8 Live Show

After three live shows, you can really start to get a feel for who the favourites are. In terms of dancing ability and likeability of contestants, I think some clear favourites are starting to emerge.
Previous posts about the shows are here
Top 10 Live Show
Top 10 Verdict Show

Top 9 Live Show
Top 9 Verdict Show

Demi and Jack
Demi and Jack opened the show with a fantastic and energetic jazz routine. They were good this week but the routine did lack that extra little bit of spark from Demi. Jack was really good and all his moves were strong. Some of Demi's moves lacked that extra punch. But overall it was still a good routine and they are still so likeable.
Routine: 4/5
Technique: 1.5/2
Likeability: 3/3
Overall: 8.5/10

Vanessa and Henry
I still like Vanessa and Henry but think they haven't really had a breakthrough performance yet. This has affected their likeability in my eyes as they really haven't impressed yet. Their contemporary disco routine was rather strange. I didn't really get it either. I thought Vanessa's dancing was excellent and she shone more than Henry this week.
Routine: 3/5
Technique: 1.5/2
Likeability: 2/3
Overall: 6.5/10

Camilla and Sermsah
Finally, Sermsah has arrived at this competition. Camilla has been dancing well already, but Sermsah matched her this week. Their contemporary routine was excellent. The opening lift and slow drop really caught me. The middle section was good, but since I have watched so many Chinese action flicks, I found the martial arts bit a little weak. The story through the routine was good.
Routine: 4/5
Technique: 1.5/2
Likeability: 2.5/3
Overall: 8/10

Jemma and Rhys
Jemma and Rhys have gone from strength to strength each week. It has helped that they have been given good choreography, but they have been shown themselves to be versatile dancers. Rhys in particular has really impressed. In both their standout performances, Week 1's Waltz, and this weeks Paso Doble, Rhys has shown how well he has adapted to ballroom. Their paso was so powerful and really really had me hooked.
Routine: 5/5
Technique: 1.5/2
Likeability: 3/3
Overall: 9.5/10

Stephanie and Marko
If I had my way, Stephanie would be gone from this competition. I think that dancing wise, she really has shown that she is not that good. Also, I just don't like her. She is constantly giving excuses. And I think I'm not the only one that doesn't like her. In Marko's pre dance interview, he was saying how its really hard to work with the same person and keep pulling them up each week. You would think that working with the same person each week would be a benefit as you start to develop trust and understanding. Again, Marko was good in their krump and Stephanie terrible. The routine itself wasn't great and was rather disjointed.
Routine: 2/5
Technique: 1/2
Likeability: 1/3
Overall: 4/10

Laura and Anthony Their Soul Swing routine this week did nothing for me. I wasn't really laughing or swinging along at any stage. I still like Anthony's enthusiasm in each routine, but he needs to be given more complicated routines as he is capable of so much more. Laura has long limbs but yet her lines are nowhere near as elegant as Kate or Jemma's.
Routine: 2/5
Technique: 1/2
Likeability: 2/3
Overall: 5/10

Rhiannon and JD
Rhiannon and JD's Tango routine started off so great. I really thought they were doing a great job and I was involved. Then I wondered what happened as the routine was really bad in the middle. JD was looking downwards and his shoulders were slumped. I thought that the choreography was awful. It was only when the judges pointed out that they had lost the routine did my untrained ballroom mind finally click. The first half of the routine was strong and showed so much, but the end half undid all that. Rhiannon was still fantastic and her leg work was so strong. JD needs to lift his game or he will be going home soon.
Routine: 2/5
Technique: 1/2
Likeability: 1.5/3
Overall: 4.5/10

Kate and Graeme
I'm really starting to like Kate more and more. Despite her being in the bottom three each week so far, I think she is actually one of the best dancers in the competition. Her Bollywood routine this week with new partner Graeme was very entertaining for me. I was bouncing along with them the whole way. I thought her partnering with Graeme this week has been the best so far from her. Graeme has also increased his likeability from me more.
Routine: 4/5
Technique: 1.5/2
Likeability: 2/3
Overall: 7.5/10

As I wrote in the intro, I think there are now some clear favourites in this competition, well for me anyway, I don't know what the rest of Australia think. I think that Demi and Jack are clear crowd favourites. Their fun personalities and great dancing so far has endeared them to me. A surprise for me has been Jemma and Rhys. I always thought Jemma is a great ballroom dancer with fantastic lines but she has shown she can do other things too. Rhys has surprised me the most as I didn't really rate him highly during the auditions. But he has won me over with his strong dancing. Another crowd favourite is Camilla and Sermsah I think. Sermsah probably had most of the audience during his audition stages with his emotional story. And finally with tonights good performance, he has proven to be a worthy contender.