[LeslieAGD]

I'm not really digging the fact that they only have a top 11 and are dancing with "all stars," for the following reasons...
1) 11 Dancers (5 female, 6 male) is obviously very few. I feel like the audition rounds were mostly a waste because we kind of knew who was going to make it. Why did we waste so much time caring about the others?
2) While it's nice to see all the dancers from previous seasons return, I feel like they take my attention away from the contestants.
3) Because there are so few people, the contestants don't have time to learn and to build a fan base. When there's 20, there's more "expendable" people that you don't care about losing...and if you get a choreography stinker, you still have a chance to stick around. With 11, you are expected to be amazing from jump street.
and 4) With such expectations, the level of butt kissing and set downs from the judges are even more over the top.

On the plus side:
1) I like that the panel is isn't as loud with Mary gone. I do think she had some great commentary about the ballroom routines, but at other times she was just nutso.
2) I love most of the guys. I think Kent is ADORABLE and sweet. Billy is so talented and humble. Alex is powerful and a joy to watch. Jose reminds me of all the b-boy and hip hoppers I loved in previous seasons, and Robert is a pleasant surprise (since he was barely mentioned in auditions).