Total Injustice, 'SYTYCD'

Guys, Wednesday night's episode of So You Think You Can Dance almost gave me a heart attack. In the first night of competition for the Top 10 of Season 11, Zack and Emilio were announced as the Bottom 2 guys, with Jacque and Bridget as their female counterparts. And it resulted in one of the most stressful eliminations of the season so far. Zack and Jacque performed a pretty awesome, vampire-themed Paso Doble on last Wednesday's episode which was one of more the interesting routines of the season. And yet, somehow both dancers were in danger. But eventually, Emilio and Bridget were the two dancers who got sent home.

It seemed unlikely that Zack would be going home considering how consistently great he's been over the course of the series, but he has been in danger of leaving the competition once before. Add to that the incredible Hip Hop number Emilio pulled off with all-star Jasmine from Season 10, choreographed by the always awesome Tabatha and Napoleon, and I definitely started to get nervous for Zack's chances to crack the Top 8. Obviously, Emilio was in his comfort zone with Hip Hop but the dance featured so many styles and movements that even the very best dancer could have slipped up. Yet, it proved to be one of the highlights in a night filled with many brilliant performances.

Seriously, how awesome is that? When Zack finally stepped onto the stage, he already knew he was one of the Bottom 2 guys thanks to a weird new way of revealing the dancers who were safe or in danger. And probably due to a passion to perform better than ever mixed with an emotional story behind his contemporary number choreographed by Sonya Tayeh, Zack delivered the best performance of the whole night alongside Season 10 winner Amy Yakima.

Considering how many other contemporary male dancers there are on the show, Zack still knocked this routine out of the park and proved he was on par with the best technicians in the competition. Thankfully Zack was saved (and sadly Emilio was sent home) but he should have never been in danger in the first place.

So far in this competition, Zack has performed brilliant ballroom, contemporary, hip hop and afro jazz routines on the show. How many other dancers can say they are consistently great at all of those styles? Not many, even many of the dancer on this series slip up now and again (just ask Valerie, who had her first slip up Wednesday night). But Zack is proving time and time again that he is the cream of the crop. It's about time America realizes it too.

Images: Fox