Entertainment
'SYTYCD' Favorite Ricky Ubeda May Be America's Favorite Dancer By Season 11's End
From the first moment the cameras pointed at Ricky on So You Think You Can Dance in Season 11, nothing seemed more obvious than the contemporary dancer's inevitable climb to the Top 4 dancers and the SYTYCD finale. From shining during the L.A. callbacks to giving great performances in the competition week after week, Ricky has deserved the praises the judges continuously sing about him and his lack of presence in the bottom. Ever. But does he have it in him to win the crown of America's Favorite Dancer? I don't think there's been anyone but him all along.
And in case you're still on the fence, here's a look back at Ricky's best and worst moments. You'll see that he truly deserves the illustrious title.
Image: Brooklin Rosenstock/FOX
Best: Los Angeles Callbacks
SYTYCD didn’t show us much of Ricky’s daily moments during the Vegas callback week but they did give us a big taste of his brilliance and creativity with the final solo he performed for the judges. To say it was fascinating and beautiful would be a bit of an understatement.
Image: Brooklin Rosenstock/FOX
Best: Top 20 Contemporary
In their first number together, Ricky and Valerie tackled a gorgeous contemporary number together which instantly made them one of my favorite couples of the season. Sure Ricky gets flack sometimes for not getting a lot of diversity in the styles of dances he performs from week to week, but that’s a load of hogwash. From Jazz to Hip Hop to Ballroom and pretty much everything in between, Ricky has conquered many many styles of dance on SYTYCD.
Image: Adam Rose/Fox
Worst: Viennese Waltz
There was nothing really wrong with Ricky’s Viennese Waltz, but it just wasn’t nearly as entertaining enough to be in the top routines Ricky and Valerie performed on the show. Still, both dancers were lovely to watch.
Image: Adam Rose/Fox
Best: Top 7 Guys Dance
Ricky has excelled in every single group number the dancers have participated in throughout the season. It’s almost tiring to see Ricky get a standout moment during these numbers, but it’s impossible to deny that he deserves his shining moments. However, the Top 7 guys’ group dance was a different story. Ricky and the guys were seamless together and created a haunting performance choreographed by the one and only Travis Wall.
Image: Adam Rose/Fox
Worst: Bollywood
I know I’m going to get a lot of harsh words from fans for this one, but Ricky and Valerie’s Bollywood routine was not the greatest in their repertoire. Their movement was too high up from the ground and it felt more cheesy than joyful, which is the exact emotion one should convey when dancing some of the most joyful music on the planet.
Image: Adam Rose/Fox
Best: Hip Hop
Who knew a contemporary dancer and a tapper could have so much swag? For their Top 14 routine, Ricky and Valerie performed a Hip Hop number about a broken doll and her evil puppet master (or wizard, or something). The concept might be a bit confusing to explain and the song choice was a bit weird (“Turn Down For What”? Really?) but the dance is undeniably cool.
Image: Adam Rose/Fox
Best: Last Dance With Valerie
Ricky and Valerie were paired up once again for the last time this competition with a sweet Spencer Lift Broadway routine. The number wasn’t necessarily the most technically impressive, but it had so much heart. And it showed fans exactly why they fell in love with Valerie and Ricky in the first place: They’re both great dancers and they have so much soul.
Image: Mike Yarish/Fox
Best: Cha-Cha In The Top 6
For his final number before the Top 4 finale, Ricky was paired with red hot Ballroom siren Anya for a Cha-Cha number. The choreography sizzled and somehow Ricky was able to keep up with Anya and get some great chemistry with her. But the number wasn’t the standout of the night. That title goes to tapper Zack’s Hip Hop number with SYTYCD Season 10 winner Fik Shun. But at this point, is there anyone or any one routine that can really slow down the Ricky train? It doesn’t seem likely, even with this slightly forgettable number.
Image: Mike Yarish/Fox
