If last week’s So You Think You Can Dance show left you feeling drained – fear not, it should be a slower paced show tonight. Although I spoke to Mr Lythgoe yesterday, and he told me that if you want to make it in dance, you’re got to be prepared to work every bit as hard. (Yes, there’s an interview with Lythgoe coming soon!)

The top 14 dancers burst onto the stage and give us a few of their moves. There is, as you can imagine, much backflipping and high-kicking. Hell, even Cat Deeley dances on to the stage!

Judges are introduced – to Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir, just like on X Factor – Nigel in some ropey old footage, Arlene, Louise Redknapp and Sisqo (no, not the one on Big Brother…) Nigel advises the contestants need to move the public to vote for them. Arlene reminds us that the dancers are expected to pick up new moves rapidly and adapt quickly.

Mandy and Alastair

Up first is Mandy – the serial retirer who’s the oldest dancer in the competition, and Alastair, who thinks he’s got the stuff to win this. Mandy’s not so happy to get lumbered with Alastair. Straight out of the gate and Mandy has a horrible stumble. She recovers, of course, but the routine between the two is a little stiff in places, especially the lifts.

Nigel: This is obviously so Broadway, this is our opening night, our opening routine. And what an opening routine it was. You’re wearing the Gene Kelly socks. All this season I’m going to be talking about the three P’s – power, personality and performance, and you guys had it all. Arlene: Broadway has to have impact – you had impact. Louise: I thought that your experience came across tonight – you were sexy, you were sassy, you were strong.

Lizzie and Mark

Next up is Lizzie Gough and dance partner Mark from Milton Keynes. Both specialise in hip-hop and are glad to have been paired together. As luck would have it, both have been given a hip-hop routine tonight. Their coach, Kate, notes that they might have a problem working as a team. They come out with quite a clownish routine, dressed as tramps, dancing to Rihanna’s Take A Bow. Although it’s quite good, we’re not feeling a connection…

Nigel: What you’ve been really lucky in is a choreographer like Kate who gave you such a great routine. Even if it’s been fantastic choreography, it needed great dancing with it, and you provided the great dancing. You were so together, I couldn’t believe it. A very entertaining, well danced routine. Arlene: In the words of the song, you put on quite a show. That was unique. Sisqo: Expectations were high, you guys were heavy!! Amazing. Technically flawless.

Anabel and Drew

Anabel promises much crying due to nerves. She’s partnered with musical theatre dancer Drew. They’re doing a jive this week and are being coached by Ryan Francois. Both are unused to the type of dance and have plenty of injuries from their rehearsals. They kick off with a really fun, energetic routine, they really look like they’re enjoying themselves. The song: Proud Mary by Ike and Tina Turner.

Nigel: I was really looking forward to seeing this. You can’t fail but move when you hear that Tina Turner track. But if I’m being honest, Drew outdanced Anabel in that track. Personality wise and performance wise, I thought it was brilliant. Arlene: This is what the competition is about – they’ve drawn the short straw and they’ve adapted to it. It’s fast, it’s furious and that’s what this show, is about. Louise: The jive is supposed to take us back to the 30′s, and it’s gotta be believeable – it’s gotta be sharp and effortless. I think it was hard for you Anabel because you’re a very poised dancer.

Chloe and Gavin

Chloe and Gavin have been partnered together – possibly a mismatch, but they’re happy to have been paired up. They’re coached by Mark Baldwin in a contemporary routine. Gavin complains that he’s never done this style of contemporary dance before. The song is Annie Lennox’s Why?. Sorry, but I find this contemporary stuff all a little bit inexplicable…

Nigel: I heard that in order to help your chemistry, you both went out for dinner the other night. I think it helped the chemistry. This is the first time you’ve danced with a partner, but it wasn’t bad. Chloe, you have got the most beautiful smile in the world. For the first night, it’s lovely to see what you’ve gained. Arlene: Contemporary dance is a style that’s new to television. There’s storytelling, and Chloe I thought you really were in love. Gavin, it was not bold, it was not expressive and I felt you let your partner down. Louise: You’re both very small, and I think it’s an advantage in contemporary dance to be tall. I felt lots of passion, but I found the routine slightly heavy. Sisqo: Gavin, I felt the routine was a little one-sided. But I do see potential and I hope you stay here to prove that to the judges.

Hayley and Chris

These two, quite a good looking couple, have been allocated a Latin dance tonight. These two are quite a pair to watch onstage. Colourful, sexy and young, they smoulder their way through the routine, helped quite a bit by their costumes…

Nigel: This is one of the styles that Britain’s been used to seeing. I thought you did a good job, I wanted you to melt all the snow tonight, but there’s probably a slow thaw going on. However, you look fantastic as a couple. You’ve got so much chemistry you should open up a chemist shop. Arlene: This is probably the hardest dance anyone has to do tonight. Latin dancers will start learning samba at 3 or 4 years old. Chris, you need to loosen up a bit. Louise: I went to the same school as Hayley and I know what you’ve been trained in. There were parts that were hot and parts that felt naff to me. Sisqo: I don’t know what performance you guys were watching – but that was hot.

Yanet and Robbie

Yanet is breathtaking, a real Cuban hottie. Her very very lucky partner is Stockport’s finest, Robbie White. They’ve been given a foxtrot and are being coached by James Jordan. He’s looking for a good connection between the two, but everybody notes that they’ve got some partnering issues… These two have the height and poise to carry this. Janet is decked out in a flowing white dress. They’re amazing to watch on stage, dancing to a smoky version of Fever.

Nigel: If you look up the word class in the dictionary, there’s a photo of James Jordan – and he’s passed that class on to you tonight. Janet, you were absolutely fabulous tonight. Arlene: You won that fight Robbie. You danced as a couple. Janet, I never thought you could soften as you softened tonight. Louise: Janet, you dance with fire in your belly, you can see that when you dance. And Robbie, you wipe the floor with everyone.

Charlie and Tommy

Charlie Bruce has been partnered with Tommy. She’s the youngest performer in the final. Tommy is an extreme sports enthusiast. They’ve been given a hip-hop routine, which Charlie struggles with and she gets a stern talking to by the choreographer for being so negative. If there were problems in rehearsals, they’re not obvious in a very slick routine all danced to Timbaland’s The Way I Are.

Nigel: What a great fun routine. Charlie, don’t ever ever down yourself. You don’t have to – you came out there, you sold everything beautifully. Tommy, I loved that bit at the end where you stood on your head. One of my favourites of the night. Arlene: You have it all, and you tell a story from the little white shoes to the top of your head. Charlie a lot of those little grins to the camera don’t work for me. Louise: I loved the routine. I think everyone at home will be impressed by the high kicks. Sisqo: The expectation was high, because Tommy being a hip-hop dancer. Tommy, very athletic, those flips were amazing. Charlie, lose the stage school “I’m up on stage and I’m about to do some dancing…”

Nigel gives his seal approval to both hip-hop routines tonight. Louise says Gavin should be worried but that Lizzie danced amazingly. Sisqo was a fan of the foxtrot tonight.

The show’s back on at 9:45 for results – the two couples with the least votes will be involved in a dance-off situation and the judges will choose one girl and one boy to send home at the end of the show. They won’t necessarily be part of the same couple either. See you back at 9:45pm!