Lest you doubt ... yep, they sure can dance

They exploded onto Paramount Theatre's dance floor, bringing a blend of fresh-faced enthusiasm and nonstop action that thrilled the crowd for a solid 2 ½ hours.

The "So You Think You Can Dance Live" tour made its first stop Tuesday night, and Seattle learned a few things — besides the fact that nobody can shake his booty like Benji:

• The dancers you see on TV are humble hard workers with gobs of real talent.

• There's such a hunger for dance in Seattle that two attendants had to direct the women's bathroom line.

• And the producers should have booked a second show for the hordes of fans who couldn't get a seat for the Paramount's one-night stand.

The evening was an inclusive celebration of all things dance — from the dancers and choreographers to dance history and dance styles to dance education and dance supporters.

Whether they appeared barefoot, in their socks, strappy high heels or shiny dress shoes, the dancers excelled at their craft, expertly ignoring bits of costuming that got in the way, for instance.

Review

Paramount Theatre, Tuesday night

The numbers were not only entertaining and engaging, but also showcased the range and specialties of each dancer.

There were too many outstanding performances to name every one, but here are a few of the best:

Benji Schwimmer and Travis Wall got in touch with their inner geek in the hip-hop favorite, set to "Gyrate."

Benji and Donyelle Jones romanced the crowd with their Viennese waltz, then shook it up with "You Can't Stop the Beat" from "Hairspray."

Travis and Heidi Groskreutz's foot-stomping paso doble to "The Plaza of Execution" — lit simply in red — was one of the most dramatic numbers, opening with Travis holding Heidi upside down. Benji and Heidi sparkled in "Black Mambo"; hometown boy Ivan Koumaev's solo was met with a standing ovation; and all the dancers strutted out in black and, with the help of choreographer Wade Robson, brought "SexyBack" (to Justin Timberlake's hit).

These performances, punctuated by video excerpts galore, made us feel like we were part of "So You Think You Can Dance." There was an endearing video tribute to the bottom 10, and lots of footage of highlights — and bloopers — from the tryouts.

Tuesday night's show not only took us into the lives of the dancers, they let the dancers speak for themselves. Each of the top 10 performers got a chance to emcee a portion of the night.

Benji again stood out, with his brief "Zoolander" impersonation, bright smile and that twinkle in his eye.

The engagement was also a success because it not only allowed those who watched to relive the TV moments, but in showing them again, enabled those unfamiliar with the dancers a chance to catch up.

Judy Chia Hui Hsu: 206-464-3315 or jhsu@seattletimes.com