So You Think You Can Dance

Last night's seventh season finale of So You Think You Can Dance was an endurance test - not only for the dancers, but for the fans who sat through the whole two hours.

That wasn't the worst thing ever, though, because there was real suspense. By the end of the finale, we were still unsure who was going to be America’s favorite dancer.

Like last season, we had our favorite (Jeanine Mason) but wished the remaining competitors equally well entering the night. This season's trio was more than deserving.

Modest spoiler alert - Robert Roldan was eliminated first. Sorry Robert. That left Kent Boyd and Lauren Froderman as America's top two, and a serious toss-up for the title.

That shouldn't surprise viewers who have tuned in for much or all of the season. He was definitely the most improved this season, but probably not in the same league.

Would Kent Boyd or Lauren Froderman win So You Think You Can Dance?

After the top three performances the previous night, Robert gave Lauren and Kent a run for his money, but perhaps didn't do quite enough. And then there were two.

Some of the filler last night was actually pretty good. It was fun to watch Alex Wong participate in the opening routine, for example (even if he was confined to a chair).

There was a seven-year-old tap dancing and Ellen DeGeneres of all people making an appearanceand dancing with tWitch. The woman loves to dance, that we know!

And after all that, the fabulous Cat Deeley opened one last card to reveal the winner of Season Seven. What does your gut tell you? Can you even handle the suspense?

Follow the jump to see who it is ...

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Could either Lauren Froderman or Robert Roldan stop So You Think You Can Dance from being a coronation for Kent Boyd? They certainly tried - now it's in America's hands.

America has a tough decision on its hands, too. Kent probably still is the best, but watching the other two rise to his level was marvelous, and this is a popularity contest.

Lauren and Rob had their work but out, but both had strong nights. Let's get right down to the final performances of the season, with a winner crowned to be this evening ...

Kent with Lauren Gottleib (Bollywood): Well, at least Kent's ridiculous faces matched the enthusiasm of the routine in general. Everyone loved it, and for good reason.

Lauren with Twitch Boss (Hip Hop): Nigel called it transfixing. We wouldn't go that far, but Lauren is awesome. She can be so sexy and feminine, yet pull anything off.

Who will it be, Robert, Lauren or Kent?

Robert with Mark Kanemura (Jazz): What a funny, yet precision-based routine that let him show his stuff. If he doesn't win, he's definitely the most improved this year.

In this sense, it may be worth giving the All-Stars props in general. The contestants seem to have evolved more from beginning to end, and the veterans are a factor.

Robert and Lauren (Contemporary): They made great partners and danced it beautifully. Robert may have shined slightly more, even. Just a terrific tandem effort.

Lauren and Kent (Jazz): The judges weren't huge fans of the bit and neither were we. Lauren and Kent did a nice job but it fell short of the night's earlier dancing.

We doubt that will end up hurting Kent, as people's minds are pretty much made up. It's just a question of whether he can solidify himself as the best of the best.

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Lauren Froderman is our pick to win So You Think You Can Dance.

No offense to the three guys left standing, or to the millions of Kent Boyd fans who may bombard us with hate mail, but we've said it from the very beginning.

It was no surprise, and there was no shortage of adulation, when Lauren earned a spot in the SYTYCD finals last night. She'll be in the top three next week!

All summer, she's shown she's got both the skill and personality to compete with Kent, who was obviously advancing to the finals as well. That left one spot.

Robert Roldan or AdéChiké Torbert. Who would it be? Going into the night, and based on the previous night's performances, we could see it going either way.

Read on to see who will join Lauren and Kent ...

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Four dancers remain on So You Think You Can Dance, with America's Favorite Dancer set to be crowned just one week from tonight. Last night, they all made their case.

With the judges entirely powerless now, the voters hold all the cards - and as we've seen throughout the season, that can be a dangerous and unpredictable scenario.

Let's get down to it and see how Lauren Froderman, Kent Boyd, Robert Roldan and Adechike Torbert did in their bid for dance immortality. A breakdown by routine:

Lauren Froderman and Pasha (Tango)

The passion and intensity were there as always, as was Lauren's obvious appeal to any straight male. But it was the control she showed that truly stood out this time.

When Mia described it as "simmering," "mature" and voyeuristic in a good way, we can't think of anything to add. It was art to an expert, and beautiful for a novice.

Adechike Torbert and Lauren (African Jazz)

Would the genre be the kiss of death we expect it to be? Not necessarily. It was a fun routine, although the judges concurred that Adechike didn't execute well enough.

It's never a good sign when a dancer is told he has to dance for his life in future performances ... we'll just leave it at that. Adechike definitely dug himself a hole early.

Robert Roldan and Anya (Viennese Waltz)

We thoroughly enjoyed this romantic routine, even if we'd never admit it in mixed company. Robert did a nice job of going outside his comfort zone at a critical stage.

Despite weekly trips to the bottom three early on, Robert has really progressed and is even earning praise for dancing as well as the All-Star at this point in the game.

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While it was refreshing to see a results show in which dancers who actually competed faced the music, this was predictable from the second the bottom three were announced.

Lauren Froderman in the bottom three? Really, America?

Speaking not just a straight guy, but as an objective observer, she's been one of the best all season. Possibly the only one who can defeat Kent. She's proficient and personable.

Of the three thus battling for the final spot in So You Think You Can Dance's coveted top four, there was simply no way Lauren could lose out to Jose Ruiz or Billy Bell. None.

Jose had been sneaking through for weeks, no doubt benefiting from injuries to other more talented stars. Billy? Perhaps he hurt his own cause by opting out of last week.

Even Jose Ruiz and Billy Bell seemed resigned to their fate.

Doctors cleared him to dance and he performed well this week, but that move could have cost him even if he possesses more talent than Adechike Torbert or Robert Roldan.

Talent alone doesn't win this thing, however.

As she did in the previous night's Top 6 performances, Lauren knocked our socks off even when she wasn't at our best - she handles whatever is thrown her way with poise.

Her effort last night was a cut above the guys fighting her to avoid elimination, and made the judges' obvious call even easier. Jose and Billy, it's time we say our farewells.

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After last week's third consecutive injury debacle, no one was eliminated on So You Think You Can Dance. The two weeks prior to that, an injured dancer was eliminated. So we haven't seen anyone cut who's actually competed on the program since July 8.

They're making up for lost time now, however.

Two dancers will be ousted tomorrow night, leaving the season's final four standing. Let's take a look at how the remaining six did, and who's in jeopardy.

Kent Boyd with Anya Garnis (cha cha): Kent has come so far this season, Nigel Lythgoe said. When he goes for it, it just works. The clear favorite, Kent.

Robert Roldan with Kathryn McCormick (contemporary): In a piece about going off to war, Robert and Kathryn did a gorgeous job, showing serious talent.

Billy Boyd's knee was fine last night. His performances were as well.

Despite his early struggles, Robert has grown throughout the competition, even if he could have let the emotion dictate his performance a little bit more.

AdeChike Torbert with Courtney Galiano (jazz): AdeChike clearly went all in, though some judges (cough, Mia) said he somehow lacked style and finesse.

Jose Ruiz with Comfort Fedoke (hip hip): A hip hop hybrid blending jazz and maybe a little contemporary seemed to show Jose's versatility more than ever.

The judges disagreed on whether they felt the character was believable or whether the routine hit hard enough, or should have been darker and sexier.

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They couldn't do it three straight weeks, right?

After Alex Wong and Ashley Galvan couldn't even perform the last two weeks, rendering the results show effectively moot, Billy Bell was in the same position last night.

Only he could have danced, yet opted not to.

Billy, who didn't perform with the top six Wednesday, was on the block with Robert Roldan and Jose Ruiz. Lauren Froderman, Kent Boyd and Adechike Torbert were safe.

Thursday, Billy sat in the audience and didn’t participate in the group dance routine, assuring us he was following in Alex and Ashley's injured footsteps and going home.

But that's not how it went down this time.

Billy Bell won a surprise reprieve last night.

When it came time to announce the results, Nigel announced that he, Adam and Mia "haven’t made up our minds, but we came to a conclusion." Cryptic and non-committal.

Robert was told they didn’t think he was growing, and Jose informed that he simply isn't improving enough in other genres other than breaking. Not looking good for either.

BUT, then Nigel told Billy he set a precedent on the show for opting not to dance even when the doctors said he could. So he's got to go home out of fairness then, right?

Wrong.

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So You Think You Can Go a Whole Week Without an Injury?!

It's getting ridiculous. For the third consecutive week, an injury meant the field was down a body. Are the dancers perhaps being pushed too hard? Is it bad luck and nothing more?

Will it mean yet another results show with zero tension tonight?

Maybe, maybe not on that last point. Nigel seemed to suggest that Billy Bell, who hurt his knee during rehearsals, should be able to bounce back by next week. Alex Wong and Ashley Galvan were not so fortunate the previous two weeks, though. Who knows.

The five contestants who actually performed did three dances last night, performing with an All-Star, with another contestant, and by themselves. Here's a rundown:

Contestants and All-Stars

Lauren Froderman & Twitch (Hip-Hop): Guest panelist Kenny Ortega told Lauren after the routine, which featured her straddling Twitch, bronco-style, in a Wild West-themed bit, "You have enough energy to power Los Angeles." Certainly no arguments here.

Jose Ruiz & Allison (Contemporary): The concept of the routine, danced on the edge of the stage, also made it hard to critique. The routine was terrific and Jose was alternately praised and criticized. Definitely a hard one to handicap as far as fan perception.

Robert Roldan & Lauren (Jazz): Robert stepped up with this one. Definitely stronger than some of his previous weeks' performances. Maybe enough to keep him around?

Kent Boyd & Kathryn (Jazz): Despite being reprimanded for his goofy face, Kent was told that he is the man to beat and that he's out-danced the All-Stars. 'Nuff said.

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Ashley Galvan's seemingly modest rib injury proved season-ending last night on So You Think You Can Dance, making for the second consecutive week we've said goodbye to a dancer who couldn't even perform or dance for their life - a major drag.

Unlike Alex Wong's exit last week after lacerating his Achilles, Ashley's "rib bruise" seemed innocuous enough to guarantee she'd be moving on to the final six.

Alas, the bruise was worse than expected, and she's now out, leaving Lauren Froderman as the lone female representative of the final six dancers this season.

"It sucks," Ashley said of her elimination, but "I do have something to look forward to, which is the tour. Going on the tour is such an amazing opportunity."

Ashley Galvan's injury bought Billy Bell a reprieve.

In the bottom three with Ashley - not that it mattered in the end - were Billy Bell and Jose Ruiz. Billy, a critical favorite, was in fact spared from the block by default.

Is technically superb Billy, a judges' favorite, really doomed? He's such a strong technical, well-trained dancer, but at the same time America is not voting for him.

"Billy has been one of the most praised soloists growing up, and I think this is very confusing time for him," Adam Shankman said after the Top 7 performances.

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Sigh. One week after Alex Wong tore his Achilles tendon and was declared DFY, not only costing So You Think You Can Dance a fan favorite but rendering that entire week's worth of performances more or less moot, Ashley Galvan was on the shelf with a rib injury.

She did not dance Wednesday and will be in the bottom three.

Unlike Alex, her status is likely to remain questionable through tonight, so if she makes it through but still can't dance, she's out of the show. Who will join her on the block?

Here's our take on last night's SYTYCD performances ...

Lauren Froderman with Mark Kanemura (Tahitian): High energy, but the first Tahitian display on the show can be summed up as such: "I have no idea what to say." - Nigel

You gotta love this feedback, too: Mia Michaels says Lauren looked like a duck in heat, and that's a good thing in Mia-land, and Adam Shankman said she was spectacular.

Lauren Froderman was pretty great, though we prefer her traditional attire.

AdeChike Torbert with Anya Garnis (salsa): AdeChike may have been thinking too hard about the moves, but Nigel and Adam say he pulled it off. Mia gives a more mixed review.

Jose Ruiz with Courtney Galiano (Broadway): Jose didn't have much to do in this forgettable number, and in turn didn't do much with it. He needs to get sharper, and in a hurry.

Robert Roldan with Allison Holker (contemporary): Absolutely beautiful choreography, and presentation on Robert's part, hopefully getting him out of the bottom three for once!

Billy Bell with Anya Garnis (jive): The music took away from it, but Billy worked hard, particularly at partnering, and looked good - connected, committed, and in charge. Nice!

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