KAYLA AND KUPONO TOP MURPHY METER LEADERBOARD

ONE COUPLE WELCOMED ON THE ‘HOT TAMALE TRAIN’

Mary Murphy’s famed ‘Hot Tamale Train’ chugged into the So You Think You Can Dance studio on Wednesday night and boarded passengers Kayla Radomski and Kupono Aweau.


ON THE TRAIN

Kayla, 18, and Kupono, 23, had just completed a lovely Jean-Marc Genereux choreographed Viennese waltz to Jewel’s “Sweet Dreams For You.” Judge Nigel Lythgoe, the first to rate the couple, said, “It was very beautiful. It was elegant.” But he also added that he questioned that it would “make anyone stand up and cheer.”

Not willing to let Lythgoe's remark go unchallenged, fans in the audience immediately jumped to their feet and applauded and cheered.

And Murphy responded with her own very strong opinion, “That was no nightmare. It was elegant, flowing and totally believable. It had a beautiful flow to it. … And you (Kayla), young lady, are just gorgeous to watch.”

Murphy burst into a scream – and enthused that Kayla and Kupono were on her ‘Hot Tamale Train.’ Adding icing to the cake, she explained that she never screams for a waltz, but that this pair deserved it. And, impressive to everyone including host Cat Deeley, was the fact that this was the first time that the couple had danced together -- since their partners has been eliminated from the competition after a solo round last week.


OTHER COUPLES RANKING ON THE MARY MURPHY SCREAM METER

Melissa Sandvig and Ade Obayomi elicited two screams from Murphy after performing an enticing rumba to Destiny’s Child’s “Emotion,” choreographed by Tony Meredith. First Lythgoe complimented the pair on an “absolutely incredible” performance. Then Murphy chimed in, “I am buying it; it was so believable and so in tune. Ade, your technique, you were just grooving. You were with it and with her every step of the way.”

Next on the dance floor, Janette Manrara and Brandon Bryant got totally funky with a Dave Scott choreographed hip-hop routine. “This is good stuff, especially when dancers are out of their element and really working it,” said Lythgoe. Murphy showed her enthusiasm for the performance with two screams for the Scream Meter – saying, “You guys really hit that. … You guys are hitting it every single week.”

And after Randi Evans and Evan Kasprzak seemingly impressed the entire audience with a sexy “butt-focusing” Mia Michaels routine, Nigel applauded the choreography for its simplicity and said that it was “beautifully danced.” Randi blushed as compliments poured in on both her “butt” and her dancing. Lythgoe profusely complimented the pair on their performance to “Koop Island Blues” by Koop , but included with each compliment the word “but” – or “butt.” Murphy lauded the dance as “one of the best,” adding that the choreography and the couple “make us sit here and feel something. Congratulations. It was phenomenal.”

And the final pair drawing Mary Murphy Meter screams was also the last to dance, Jeanine Mason and Phillip Chbeeb. They expertly handled a Tyce Diorio choreographed Broadway routine -- “Moses” from the Singin’ in the Rain soundtrack. Lythgoe said that the number called for “personality” and said that while Jeanine did show personality, Phillip showed that he still needs “to grow.” Murphy agreed that Phillip needs to work hard to stay on the show, but said, “I was not allergic to that routine.” And she absolutely screamed for Jeanine, calling her “fabulous” and explaining that every week she has been “spot on.”


FAILING TO GARNER MARY MURPHY SCREAMS

Three couples failed to garner Mary Murphy screams. Karla Garcia and Jonathan Platero danced a hip-hop number that Murphy said “wasn’t kind of in the right groove.” Asuka Kondoh and Vitolio Jeune performed a Mandy Moore choreographed jazz dance that Murphy termed, “really good, but not at the level (of their performance) last week.” And Caitlin Kinney and Jason Glover actually impressed Murphy with paso doble that Murphy thought was, “a really strong performance” – but the dance simply did not draw a scream.