A funny thing happened to "So You Think You Can Dance" on its way from slick and intimate TV series to live concert version performed in a huge arena. The dancers who performed so well this season on the small screen -- the stocky and personable Joshua, who tore through the required list of dance genres from Argentine tango to spirited showtunes with amazing gusto, and the lyrical Katee, whose technique was flawless in all those demanding close-ups -- were overshadowed by several of their cast members.

My favorite dancers from the "SYTYCD" tour, which stopped at the Save Mart Center Sunday night for a sturdy 150-minute-plus show in front of a wildly appreciative audience, were easy to pick:

Twitch and Mark for the guys, and Comfort and Kherington for the gals.

Who were your favorites last night? I'd love to hear from you.

On the jump: Donald's review continues.

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TO BE SURE, Joshua and Katee got their moments in the spotlight: He positively exploded with dance power in his version of the Bollywood style, and she performed the show's famous "door" dance -- at one point flying through the opened prop, practically tackling her partner with a feminine ferocity that suggested a mama bear protecting her cubs -- drove the audience wild. But at times, we lost both of their personalities in that big arena. Their shyness was evident.

(Please note that the producers of the show make sure we're on a first-name basis with these contestants. No last names are even provided, which adds a certain down-home casual feel to the proceedings, but at the same time might take away a little of the "dance legitimacy" of the event.)

To me, the stage really came alive at such moments when Mark and Comfort performed the exhilarating "Detention" hip-hop dance -- he swaggering in his oversize letterman jacket, she strutting with pink bandana. Another highlight was Comfort and Twitch's hip-hop dance when both start out with an almost robotic precision (and eerie red blinking belts, a nice touch), then fling off their obscuring goggles halfway through and switch to wild, gesticulating jumping jacks.

Dance is about communication, and the ability to connect with an audience in an arena setting is a special talent indeed. Sunday's show reminded me that performing dance on TV in a specialized environment -- with all the nifty camera angles, tracking shots and intense close-ups -- can really add a whole new dimension to the art form. I've noticed recently that even large and prestigious "serious" American dance companies, such as American Ballet Theatre, have been trying to market the "personalities" of their lead dancers, and I can see why: Becoming familiar with their stories adds another element of connection with the audience. The truly tricky part for the dancers, it seems, is being able to translate the intimacy of television to the larger and more impersonal space of life performance.

Though most of the show was spent on couples dancing, along with a brief solo shot for each of the dancers, I found myself particularly drawn to the group ensemble numbers (the ecstatic routine to "Money Makes the World Go 'Round," the triumphant encore presentation of "You Can't Stop the Beat"). Again, there are interesting differences between dance on TV and in a live concert venue. TV really can't capture the intensity and exhilaration of a perfectly in-sync ensemble number, but when you're in a big space, the power of the precise group becomes apparent.

As for the show itself, it dawdles just a bit -- there often seemed to be a lag between numbers, and the performers stood too long for their applause -- and the scripted banter can be a little weak. (The talented Gev is cast in the role of comic foil, and while he has a good sense of humor about it, the joke goes on too long.)

Such moments were swept away by the general enthusiasm and slickness of the show. When Mark and Chelsie (pictured at top) performed their "briefcase" dance -- to the pounding sounds of Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love" -- they did so with such thrashing intensity and emotionalism that you almost sense the heat emanating from their bodies. There's no question: All these talented individuals in the show KNOW they can dance. And we do, too.