LOS ANGELES — Roy jazz dancer Hailee Payne was voted into the "So You Think You Can Dance" top four Monday night, making her the third Utah dancer to make it so far in the competition in the show's 12-season history.
After an emotional group number to Jasmine Thompson's "Everybody Hurts," the final six contestants broke apart to perform two duets and a solo each before finding out who made the top four.
Payne performed her powerful solo to the song "Elastic Heart" by Sia. She said that her "second mom" and mentor Mandy Shaw helped her choreograph the piece.
Payne's first duet of the night was what she called an "angel of death" jazz number with former contestant Robert Roldan.
Executive producer Nigel Lythgoe said that Payne shone with her technique in the piece, pop icon Paula Abdul called her a "flame" and R&B artist Jason Derulo called her "a force to be reckoned with."
However, Abdul and Lythgoe said that Payne didn’t completely take their breath away. Lythgoe said that he thought Payne lost a bit of her character in the piece and Abdul told her to watch her transitions.
Payne’s last dance of the night was a contemporary duet with fellow contestant Megan "Megz" Alfonso. In the piece, Payne and Alfonso play sisters who are "being torn apart," said choreographer Mandy Moore.
After their performance, the judges had only positive things to say about Payne.
Abdul said she thought the dancers "nailed it" and Lythgoe said Payne "captured (him) right at the very end when (she) collapsed on the stage.”
"I thought it was very, very beautiful," said Lythgoe.
Jim and Megz were voted off the show, leaving street dancers Virgil Gadson and Jana "JaJa" Vankova and stage dancers Gaby Diaz and Payne as the final four contestants to compete for the top spot in next week's finale.
To see Payne perform in the first part of the finale, watch "So You Think You Can Dance" on Fox at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 7.