Step It Up & Dance: Perfect Partners (Episode 7)

And then there were 5! Mochi, Miguel, Janelle, Nick, and Cody arrive at the studio to find Elizabeth, wearing so much fringe the likes I've not seen since, well, "Showgirls", dancing up a storm with "Latin Chameleon" Jordi Caballero. Jordi's danced with Jennifer Lopez and Madonna, becoming famous for a special hybrid of Latin dance comprised of flamenco, tango, and salsa. Working in pairs, he teaches the dancers a brief routine that will show who's hot and who's not.

Mochi's pretty confident about the audition, as she's competed in Latin dance competitions (cut to video footage of Mochi dancing in such a competition). Janelle is not so sure, as previous challenges have exposed her lack of partnering experience. The combination is short, but spicy, with the gents performing a few drops for the ladies. As there are more men than women, one of the ladies will have to dance twice, with only their first performance counting for Jordi's approval.

Mochi picked up the routine easily, impressing Jordi with her spirit, so she's confident when she's picked first to dance with Cody. So what happens? She totally blanks, and takes not one but two tries to finish the routine, and it's a hot mess. Cody is gracious, though clearly not pleased. Janelle and Miguel breeze through, and then Mochi dances again, this time with Nick. It's better, but not by much, so there's no surprises when Mochi's rated last, with Nick just ahead of her. 3 is Janelle, 2 is Miguel, and judge favorite Cody is, once again, 1.

The dancers choose new partners for the callback in order of judging, so Mochi is last. This is not a place where she is used to being. Thankfully, she gets a much needed boost of confidence when they are introduced to the dancers from whom they will choose partners -- all of the previously eliminated dancers! Except for Nicole, oddly. It's kinda like how on "Project Runway" when the designers who've made it to fashion week end up having to do a last minute challenge, and they get to choose assistants from previous competition -- hopeful and pathetic but really exciting. But this is "Step It Up" so it's not exciting so much as expected. The pairings are:

• Cody and Tovah -- they're so tall!
• Miguel and Michelle -- surprising, considering the first time they worked together, she freaked out and ran offstage. Amateur!
• Janelle and James -- this could be fun
• Nick and Adriana -- because, well, she was the only lady left
• Mochi and Oscar -- I love Oscar! Yay!

Oh, and did I mention that one of the eliminated dancers will be asked back in addition to the usual elimination? Oooooh.

They get to work learning the callback number. Four and a half hours seems like a lot of time but not with so many people. There's pressure on everybody, like Mochi who is worried she can't keep up with the "new" dancers. Miguel is worried about keeping up with Cody and not dropping Jessica from the split lift. James thinks Janelle needs to realize that she's not a "subtle, feminine girl" (read: she's the fattest girl on the show) and just get over it. James is in it to win it, though Cody and Tovah (with her amazing legs -- too bad her hair looks crazy) look though to beat. I'm kinda "meh" on the dance -- there are lots of capes involved, which I never take to be a good sign. Also not a good sign? Typically cocky Miguel crying to his mom on the phone.

Callback day, and Jessica's too dizzy to dance. She can't dance, and Miguel tells her not to worry. Her health is more important, but of course Miguel is still pissed. This isn't the first time she's left him. Miguel's worried because, as ever, it's all about him, but come on, it's $100,000, people. Jordi's idea is to have them all dance twice, so that Miguel can dance with Mochi. But with only 20 minutes to learn how to dance together, Miguel's defensiveness results in him treating Mochi poorly during their trial run. Everybody can see it, except Miguel, so it's up to Oscar to speak up for that, which helps Mochi to speak up too. In the end, Miguel decides to dance by himself.

The dance looks way less cheesy in callback than in rehearsal, a confluence of Latin dances. Miguel's solo consists of some tango-like posturing, with some pasa doble steps and clapping. He looks almost butch. Of the ladies, it's easy to see Janelle's enthusiasm and her lack of technique. Tovah's balletic training shines through, and the fact that she has legs for days doesn't help. Mochi is, quite, literally on fire, and Oscar is right there with her.

At judging, the eliminated dancers express relief and excitement at being back, but the judges can only have one back. Though Tovah's grace and technique were much admired, it is Oscar who returns to the fold. The five dancers left welcome Oscar back with much excitement, though it's short lived when they have to be judged. Miguel and Mochi are the favorites, with Mochi winning her first challenge. The judges were impressed by her improvement since the audition, and the passion she brought to the callback. Its the absence of passion that has Cody of all people in the bottom two with Janelle who, in her dance, was not able to hide her reliance on partner James to carry them. Oddly, though, neither is eliminated -- both Cody and Janelle are sent backstage, where Jerry is relieved not to have to tell anybody that they must go dance their last dance.