Jacy Jordan Is An Inspiration On 'SYTYCD'

Dancer Jacy Jordan has an incredible story of perseverance and inspiration but is her talent big enough to send her to the top? That was the biggest question on Monday night's episode of So You Think You Can Dance when 18-year-old Jordan stepped onto the stage. The series started their introduction of Jordan by have her and her mother tell the story of their near-death, life changing car crash. Basically both Jordan and her mother were hit by a car and Jordan, despite wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the car through the window. She landed on the freeway with cars still whizzing past her. When her mother came to in the car, she saw Jordan on street, bleeding out and doctors told Jordan's mother that she wouldn't make it through the night. Fortunately she did but there was another problem: Her leg was destroyed by the accident and she was then told she wouldn't walk again.

Thankfully Jordan and her family wouldn't let that news be the end of her dance career and her life. She had more than 20 surgeries to fix her leg, she started doing physical therapy five times a day and finally she began to walk again, dance again and even compete again. When she stepped out on the stage, I was crossing all of my fingers hoping she was good enough to make it Vegas.

Sure enough, she was a beautiful dancer. But it was easy to spot the moves that she still struggled with despite her beautiful fluidity and emotional performance. All three judges praised her efforts and Nigel Lythgoe pointed out that the fact she was even dancing was "a miracle." Jason Derulo in particular was moved by Jordan as he also had a near-death experience when he broke his neck during a dance practice. But in the end, Jordan got her ticket to Vegas by the skin of her teeth as only Paula Abdul and Derulo voted her through. Lythgoe stated that there were sadly slightly more talented dancers than Jordan so he couldn't send her through for that reason.

The man's got a point, we've already seen some incredible talent on the stage and street sides. But I liked the answer Abdul gave to Jordan when she said yes to send her to Vegas: "I'd like to see you challenge yourself." And challenge it is certainly going to be for Jordan because there's no way choreographers like Travis Wall and Sonia Tayeh are going to let anyone take it easy on the stage team. As sad as it makes me, I don't know if Jordan has the stamina and flexibility yet to pass the many amazing dancers to whom we've already been introduced, but maybe she'll surprise with her determination. I mean, the girl made an amazing recovery after a devastating accident, clearly she can do anything.

Images: Adam Rose/FOX