DWTS13 Week 2 Power Rankings
And tonight, ladies & gentlemen, is a prime example of why week 2 is TOO DAMN EARLY TO DO THE JIVE! Ranting post to follow later this week 
Tonight was a disappointment, overall. Disappointing performances, disappointing judging, disappointing scoring – just…meh. Seem like the quicksteps fared SLIGHTLY better than the jives with the judges, but not by much. This cast is “surprising”, no doubt – suprisingly mediocre thus far, minus a few standouts. And you already know it’s gonna be an off-night when the judge that annoys me the LEAST is Bruno 
1.) JR & Karina – It’s nights like tonight that make me wanna kick Carrie Ann in the mouth…and kick Len in that old sausage he was going on about earlier in the night. Could those two have looked like bigger assholes after this jive??? The whole crowd, plus Bruno, is on their feet & cheering – and these two look like someone just commented on their mother’s bedroom prowess. Lighten the f*ck up, ya killjoys. This was the only jive of the night that delivered on both execution & entertainment for me – JR was the only celeb of the night that really kicked and bounced correctly, and managed to look like he was having the time of his life while doing it…and Karina did, too! Carrie Ann’s hung up on the “lift”? Good grief, I’ll swallow a lift or two if it means I actually get to see a decent jive! Len’s pissed that there was “too much Lindy”? Who the hell cares, since there was also some legit, well-executed jive in there, too? Honestly, with some of the truly unremarkable dancing I saw tonight – I’m more than a little pissed that these two got so hung-up on stupid stuff. But thankfully, 22 is still pretty damn good (given that their still tied for 2nd highest score, and the points spread drops down to 17), and JR was given the pimp spot for a reason As long as these damn judges can resist the urge to storyboard, I can still see him easily taking the MBT this season. 
2.) Ricki & Derek – High score of the night, and a fun jive. But the best? Errr…maybe not. It seemed awfully slow to me, and Ricki still seems to be working on getting comfortable out on the floor. I was also a little thrown by how sexual it was – I’m no prude, but I’m also not used to jives being so…saucy. ;-) Content-wise, it may have been a litttle fluffy, but I’m completely disregarding content right now because tonight, content did not necessarily equate greatness. But I will give Ricki props for being bubbly and excited, which is more than I can say for some of the other couples tonight. Not a ton to say here – other than if they keep working hard and improving week after week (and the other couples continue to only do marginally well), they’ll likely make it to the final as well.
3.) Chynna & Tony – This started out strong & had some promise – but Chynna seemed to chicken out a bit and get rather hesistant on her kicks & flicks. If JR KILLED the jive tonight…Chynna was just kicking it in the shins. 
But man – she had attitude to spare! I was honestly pretty impressed by how well she played the vixen in this one…and Tony really seems to play off of her well. Content-wise, there was a good amount of jive, but as I said before, Chynna didn’t really attack it with the energy I expected her to – she can do better. I think they were probably scored about right, but there were other couples with the same score that I thought were much worse. Overall, I think these two have potential, and seem to be trying to make an impact…they just need to try a bit harder
4.) Nancy & Tristan – Do I think this was a good, 21-worthy routine? HELL NO. But I think these two were fortunate in that Len was likely trying to make a point and decided overscore them in order to illustrate his preference for good, in-hold content. Nancy was unusually vulnerable this week – it was nice to see her drop the tough facade once more, but this week seemed a bit over-the-top at times…I honestly felt a bit bad for her, the way she was having to try so hard to keep from crying. It was a very SLOOOOOW quickstep – and both she & Tristan seemed to move through it tentatively, as if they were quickstepping across broken glass. And their height difference was painfully obvious to me this week 
But, they muddled through nonetheless, and they did manage to stay in-hold and do good, basic quickstep figures. I do think Nancy is making an impression on the audience – going 2nd to last isn’t a running order position reserved for couples that TPTB feel lukewarm about, and I’ve heard numerous comments about how Nancy is much more pleasant than everyone expected There’s something to be said for setting the bar low, eh? I think these two probably have another week or two left in them, while there’s still weaker links to weed out…
5.) Hope & Maks - Another couple that I don’t think did particularly well, but I think these two are probably able to get by on fanbase alone at this point in time – although it seems like the dew is wearing off the rose a bit where Hope is concerned. You know a dance is bad when even diehard Maks fans are saying “WTF was that?” and commenting on how Hope really was not doing well at all. She kept losing time, and, like Chynna, she barely seemed to move her legs on the kicks & flicks. I think she also forgot her choreography a couple of times, which forced Maks to change what he was doing to copy her (nice save ). I won’t even comment on the costumes I think Bruno really nailed it when he told her “You really need to devote more time to learning the dances.” Seems like Hope has been travelling an awful lot, so I don’t really think it’s Maks’ fault if she’s not better at this point – I think the lack of focus is on Hope. Kinda stinks for Maks, because he seemed ot have such high hopes going into this season – and Hope seems to have been a bit of a letdown. If I were her, I’d start cancelling appearances to focus more on practicing…because after some of these less popular couples are gone, her number will be up unless she improves vastly.
6.) Kristin & Mark – Ok, Kristin is showing promise with her dancing – she was better than average this week and last. But the poor girl just seems to fade into the wordwork for me – maybe it’s the plastered-on, deer-in-the-headlights stare she gets when she’s dancing, maybe it’s her lack of balance on turns, maybe it’s the fact that Mark can’t seem to resist out -dancing her at least once per routine. I dunno…but her quickstep, while pretty and not the worst of the night, didn’t really leave much of an impression on me. She still seems stiff and very nervous. And running order is not really doing them any favors – they went 3rd last week and 2nd this week. Statisically, not very good positions to be in – which makes me wonder if they’re just not pulling in the votes like some of the other less skilled (but more popular) couples. I’m still waiting for her to really “wow” me with a breakout dance. Mark has actually been pleasantly restrained this season – although I still see shades of Devil Mark whenever he can’t fight the jimmy legs and has to do a backflip or wear some spats If there were a “surprise” elimination anytime soon, I think it could very well be them – so let’s hope Mark helps her find her attitude in the coming weeks…
7.) Carson & Anna – Everyone’s favorite fabulous gay Mick Jagger seemed to lose a bit of his appeal this week, which I’m going to blame more on a dance that didn’t allow him to ham it up quite as much. I think being stuck in-hold hindered his performance value a bit – he had to focus on Anna and the steps, rather than playing to the crowd. Not to say he wasn’t trying – because I do think Carson was genuinely giving that quickstep 110%. Maybe he’s just not a natural quickstepper Anna was smart to keep it very preschool-y and simple – I doubt Carson could have handled much more, step-wise. The costumes were, of couse, FAB , and although it paled in comparison to their cha-cha, I still think he holds quite a bit of appeal with viewers – top of the 2nd hour is likely the 2nd most coveted running order position next to the pimp spot. He should be ok for a few more weeks, but let’s hope next week gives him another dance that he can really play into!
8.) Rob & Cheryl - As much as it pains me to say this – I actually liked Rob’s jive It was cute, it was fun, and dangnabbit, he actually managed to stay on time and do the flicks and kicks with some authority! I like to think Rob “pulled a Romeo” this week – he managed to shed some of the tough-guy facade he had up last week, and really let loose and allow him to have fun. And in turn – he actually manged to connect to the audience, methinks. An audience that, thankfully, did not contain any of the 3 Kardashian Hags-er, sisters I’m still having my qualms about whether Kardashian fans are actually motivated to go vote for him, but I daresay he probably gained a few votes this week from some people who may not have voted forhim otherwise. He likely won’t last a whole lot longer, but if he manages to drop the facade altogether in the next couple weeks and really let himself have fun – he could likely eek out a bit more time than we initially expected.
9.) Chaz & Lacey – *sigh* Poor Chaz. I really wanted him to knock this one out of the park like he did his cha-cha. But alas, injuries happen, and they often happen at inopportune times – and this was one of them. Chaz & Lacey both seemed to move through this quickstep (or rather, a slightly faster foxtrot) so tentatively that it made me nervous – and Chaz’ Achilles’ heel seems to be his dance frame, which alternated between stiff as a board and limp as a noodle. Overall - a very unimpactful dance, and with a pretty “meh” score. Thankfully for these two, though, I think they have quite a following – some people seem very invested in seeing Chaz do well on this show. I’m one of them So this could spur those invested individuals to really vote hard for their guy…so I’m tentatively calling these two safe for next week, despite their low score. Remember: we’re still early in the competition, where the points spread is close and you don’t usually need a deluge of votes to stick around
10.) Elisabetta & Val – Perhaps the most gross overscoring of the night, IMO - seriously, a 21??? Granted, it was better than her cha-cha – but not 6 points better. Maybe 4 or 5, tops. I really felt that Elisabetta was just kinda going through the motions on this one – not a whole lot of connection with either Val or the audience, and she seemed thankful when it was over. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t exciting – it was a pleasant non-event for me. I don’t think the fight in the package beforehand did them any favors either – didn’t paint either one in a very flattering light to me. Seriously – these two cannot afford to have ANY missteps right now. Their fanbase is one big question mark - yes, Elisabetta managed to stick around last week, but that could be due to the fact that Ron was so disliked, rather than Elisabetta getting a ton of votes; and I’m still hearing murmurings about vote splitting…and one thing I’ve noticed about vote splitting is that if they think one of their guys is safe, they won’t throw as many votes their way and will give it to the other guy instead. This could produce a (slightly) shocking elim, if these two go home despite a much better score than last week. We shall see, I guess.
11.) David & Kym – Ooh. If Kym is upset – you know things must be baaaaaad. And while I think this jive was maybe slightly better than Hope’s, it was definitely a bit manic…David seemed like he was madman at times, just flailing about haphazardly. He had the energy, no doubt – but it wasn’t focused energy, it was restless energy. He’s also still seems a bit disjointed and out of it when he’s talking – like he’s having trouble forming a complete thought. It’s not so much endearing for me as it is a bit unsettling. Add to that the 2nd lowest score of the night and a crummy running order position, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster – and I’m not sure it’s a disaster his fanbase can pull him out of. I’m still curious to see how many people will go to bat and vote for David despite his transgressions - seems like a lot of ladies at my office have written him off as a “cheating bastard”. Things could get weird tomorrow night, based on how bizarre they were tonight; so I’m not even totally sure that David is a guaranteed goner. But I have to pick someone, so I’m going with David – hopefully I’ll be proven wrong.
So what did you guys think of tonight’s show? Were you as disappointed as I was, or did you love it? Did you think the judges were on-par or on-crack? Let’s hear your predictions…they can’t be any worse than mine
Agree, judges out of their minds as far as scoring, and as far as their personal actions, they should all be put in time out for the rest of the season!
Great summary! Very disappointing. I can’t find anyone to root for. Even Derek isn’t making me smile. I thought Tony’s choreography hurt them a bit. I feel like Chynna was capable of a little bit more tonight but didn’t have the routine. Very bummed about David. I like him so much. I’m still giving him another week.
WHO WAS THAT GROUP OF STONEFACED PEOPLE THEY KEPT CUTTING AWAY TO WHEN NANCY FINISHED DANCING THAT WERE NOT CLAPPING? DID ANYONE ELSE SEE THAT? WTF? The packages last week and this week are not that flattering for the most part. It’s like they have a new producer who has no sense of what audiences will find appealing. Just weird taste. J.R. definitely got the shaft on the scoring. He was excellent. Boy what a season. The whole thing is just off. I hope somebody steps it up! Soon!
“And you already know it’s gonna be an off-night when the judge that annoys me the LEAST is Bruno” Precisely. Good review, as always. I think Nancy G. is surprisingly charming! And David A. needs to take a chill pill. I like the way Derek stays the course. Ricki will be around for a while, no need to do everything at once. Would like to see Tony last a while, also. Cheryl needs a stronger partner next season. PLEASE.
Courtney, awesome as always!! I agree. The judges scoring was off tonight. I thought JR deserved much higher scores.
Ok, here are how my rankings go down;
Karina and JR ~ They blew the house down and nailed it all the way! Pure perfection! Enough said. 10!!!!
Derek and Ricki – Creative choreography and totally entertaining. I didn’t know what was coming next with some of their body movements?
I was impressed with Ricki’s technique. Kudos to her. She kept up with the best of them. 9-
Tony and Chynna – One of best of the night. She didn’t blow it away like the judges said, but, it was still super. 8+
Mark and Kristin – She showed much improvement from last week. She played the Marilyn Monroe character perfectly. Even though her feet got lost a few times (not as bad as Hope’s though), it was still a pretty strong performance. But, why did Mark have to do a flip at the end? He had to show off taking all the attention away from her. Up until that point, I was smiling. 8+
Maks and Hope – This was a fun, cheeky, high energy performance. It was likable and their costumes were so cute (loved Hope’s hair and her soccer heels). But, it was also a little sloppy and out of sync at times. 7
Val and Elisabetta – Watching their package, I was really getting worried for them. But, wow, the tough practices were worth it. Val, please keep being tough with her. It worked! There were a couple of times, she lost her footing, but, for the most part, it was a beautiful dance. Loved Val in tails! 7
Anna and Carson – I must have seen a different dance from the judges. I didn’t think Carson was as bad as they said. I thought he was much better technically. He brought the entertainment factor again. I liked it. It wasn’t a show stopper like last week, but, still really fun. 7
Cheryl and Rob – Wow, Rob shocked me. He did much better tonight. He was more comfortable out there and having fun. It was great seeing him loosen up. 7
Nancy and Tristan – These two have such a connection and the most chemistry of all the couples.It shows in their packages and in their dances. They really care. The dance was full of heart which made up for any gray areas. 7
David and Kym – It was great seeing him come out full boar like he did. It was totally entertaining, but, at times, I found myself cringing too. It was almost too much. His footwork was slow, goofy, and off several times. 6+
Chaz and Lacey – Chaz doesn’t give himself enough credit. That was a great performance. He did need to be a little quicker, but, it was still good. He is full of charm and the likeable factor. 6+
I don’t know who’s leaving? I don’t want any of them to.
No arguments here. On Ricki’s Ustream tonight JR was there and Ricki straight up told him he had been robbed – and I agree. He deserved another couple points, IMO.
All you ladies who love Tristan, he was on the UStream as well and said he’s ready for a cougar.
Mary: I noticed that too and would love to know what was wrong with them. They looked like they just ate a dill pickle then a lemon, lol.
Frankly, those audience shots were the strangest thing I’ve ever seen on this show and that’s saying something. WTF??? Did they edit in cuts of the audience prior to the show?? What the hell was going on there?
I fully admit to being a Jenhougher fan, but tonight made me realize even more how fabulous that woman was. Her week two jive knocked it out of the park – and only got a 24 (one more than Ricki’s tepid at best jive). Derek had to amp up Jennifer’s jive because with her neck they couldn’t do tricks. What was Ricki’s excuse for no tricks … and no amp? I guess it’s a sliding scale, but really?
This season hasn’t interested me as much – need some good dancing please….
Great synopsis. I pretty much agree with it all. My biggest beef was with the judges. What’s going on with them? Len seemed to have utter DISTAIN for the whole show tonight. What a waste of his time, huh? Did anyone feel Len and Carrie are deeply at odds with Bruno?
Mary, I did see the cut away to the stone faced audience and it was awful! I doubt anyone in the audience wouldn’t applaud for each dance duo- out of courtesy at least! This looked like it was spliced in.
I can’t understand this!
I was an idiot and flicked over to Two and a Half Men at commercial and came back too late to see Ricki dance!! I know! I’m an idiot. I can only hope they get chosen for the encore dance.
JR and Karina did a fantastic job, they blew the others out of the water and didn’t deserve their harsh criticism, the lift should have been overlooked in my opinion but Carrie is too defiant to let it slip, though who would argue with her in this instance?
I hope the judges do their job with more care, offer useful advice and encouragement, judge fairly and leave their moody, teenage attitudes at the door. I love these judges and know they can do better.
Vogue!!! DItto on J.R!!! He was totally screwed the heck over! He deserved at least a 24! Right up there with Jen and Derek’s in season 11. BUT he got the pimp spot, everyone loves him, and that’s still a great score at this point! I think he might be our next champ. I’m fine with that mind you! For me tonight thr stand outs were Chynna, J.R, Ricki, and pick up your jaws from the floor, ROBERT K. Wether you hate the Kardashians or think Rob’s a dunce etc you got to admit. Home boy blew it out of the park tonight and to be honest i’m thrilled for his sake. He had to live in Kim’s shadow ALONG time and if he would of sucked it up tonight on DWTS that would of, I think, WRECKED his confidence. Tonight he had a point to prove and he proved it. He get’s props for that. Chaz as much as i’m starting to really like him was just painfull to watch and im sure it was painfull for him too which sucks, David Arquette just plain annoys me and im sorry but if he goes home tomorrow i’m fine with that. Sooorrryyy.
Nancy = Carming and cute, Hope = preetttyyy, Carson = LOL! etc etc. Overall good dancing and i’m also very impressed with Elisabetta and equally impressed with how fine Kristin looked. 
I think Hope’s jive was a bit out of sync at the beginning but it was good. They deserved higher scores. The other jives seemed too safe and boring. Hope looked like she was having fun.
I’ve watched all of the dances except Nancy’s on ABC’s Youtube channel. I thought they were all adorable. I’m really entertained by this show. JR was by far the best. I’m surprised they picked on him (I haven’t seen those parts yet). I agree that Rob Kardashian was surprisingly appealing. I also really enjoyed David Arquette and his gold suit. Am I the only person who thinks he’s the best looking male celebrity of season 13, and genuinely sexy? I think his spacey voice and manner are also appealing. But no one else around here seems to agree with me!
I found on article on ABC.com from the NY Times about how the pro dancers have more star power than the celebrities now. Have you guys found this or linked to it? I’m surprised not to see it up here.
Ya’ll know I’m a Derek fan and by default a fan of whoever his partner is, but I am also now a JR fan and I do believe he had the best overall dance of the night and should have been the top of the leader board. Second for me was Ricki and Derek’s dance. Third for me would be … ugh, that’s how lackluster the night was for me. I am loving Nancy and her vulnerability and spunkiness. I really want David to do well because he just seems like such a funny guy and I love Kym to death. I also want Carson and Chaz to dance better because I’d like to see them longer on the show. Chynna was another beautiful dancer that got jipped tonight. All the rest were just non-memorable to me… but I did like Hope’s soccer cleat high heels. =)
The judges lost it seasons ago if you ask me. The best jive of the night and all JR and Karina got was a 22??!!
Len was WRONG! There was no lindy hop in that jive, there were some show elements but I didn’t see any lindy. And Carrie likes to pick and choose when she calls foul on lifts. Oh well, can’t I guess I shouldn’t expect the judging to be fair. Thought almost everyone was great last week, this week was lil hard to watch.
Not the biggest Karina fan over here, but her and JR’s jive deserved WAY more than a 22. I fully expected at least 1 9! The judges are simply smoking crack. I found that most of the dances were either overscored or underscored, aside from Carson, Chaz, and David. I have also noticed tonight, on twitter, that the people who may have been doing some vote splitting with the brothers Chmerkovskiy are mostly throwing their votes to big brother tonight. Will that be a factor in tomorrow’s elimination? Maybe.
Week 2 is too early for jive, folks. These people have barely got their feet wet and then you expect them to do a dance which is fast paced and very intricate in the footwork? Yeah, not the best idea there.
My thoughts on who will be eliminated? Hmm..tough call this week. I think with the “vote splitting” that may not be taking place this week..we could see Val and Elisabetta take an exit (and after the way she was acting in the rehearsal footage, goodbye and good riddance!), but my gut is leaning toward Chaz and Lacey. He is very endearing, yes, but if his body is already responding so negatively toward this then it’s not going to be pretty if he stays on much longer. If not one of them, then, gosh, I’m thinking either Carson (though I do love him), Rob, Nancy, or even David. The other couples have strong fanbases that will save them, for now.
I read somewhere that the strange audience shots were actually taped before the dance started. They were inserted in because poor Nancy had a wardrobe malfunction… apparently she fell out of the top of the dress. It was the reason she looked so sheepish when the dance was over.
Beyond that, I was pretty disappointed in a lot of the dances, and all but 1 of the jives. I think the bright individual who said “Hey! I know what we can do! We’ll take half of those poor bastards and make them do the jive week 2!’ should be hunted down, and shot! What an idiot!
JR’s jive ROCKED, Chynna’s was OK, and the rest bothered me with what I thought was lack of jive content. Even Ricki didn’t do much in the way of jive footwork, IMO. All of the pros were doing the best they could to cover for celebs that had been put into an almost impossible position by the schedule… 
All that said, it wouldn’t surprise me if any one of Chaz, PeeWee (David), or Carson go, just based on the scores. I don’t know what kind of fan base Elisabetta has here in the U.S., so I guess she might be a surprise, long-shot to go home.
And once again, I’m tired of the lack of consistency in the judging. Kristin & Mark get thwacked ver breaking hold in the Quickstep, but nothing is said about Carson & Anna doing the exact same thing. And JR getting tagged for a lift??? Didn’t I hear somewhere that lifts were OK in a Jive? I’m pretty sure I did.
If I just had to pick, I’d say it’ll be Chaz – only because the “Howard Stern bots” have promised to line up behind PeeWee, and IIRC, they are part of the army that carried Master P loooooooong past his ballroom expiration date. But all in all, not a good episode
Oh boy – the Cheesecake this week should be especially tart. A frustrating and disappointing evening. And then there were the judges… is there a smiley for banging your head against a wall?
Hope & Maks – I’m a Maks fan but this partnership just isn’t connecting with me.
This jive was not fun to watch.
Kristin & Mark – Improvment from last week but meh.
David & Kym – David seemed to enjoy this dance more but he just annoys me like a younger brother or gnats.
Elizabetta & Val – Improvement but not memorable.
Rob & Cheryl – Gee Rob, when you shut up, listen to Cheryl, & let her do her job instead of resisting her, look what happens. I wasn’t expecting this. I think he needs to have better flow between his transitions though.
Carson & Anna – There is something endearing about Carson’s awkwardness – he reminds me a bit of a foal who hasn’t figured out where to put his legs & feet, but I can see that he is serious about the technical aspects of the dance & that he is putting in the work.
Ricki & Derek – I was expecting more jive content, but Ricki seemed to have the best feet & legs of the female celebs doing the Jive.
Chaz & Lacey – I’ve just got to cheer for this guy for going out there and trying when he hurts so much and is under such scrutiny.
Chynna & Tony – Their Jive was better than I expected & I’m glad to see her personality starting to sparkle some more. Their package had me giggling when Chynna was trying SO hard not to swear.
Nancy & Tristan – Still loving this partnership. It was a rough dance – I don’t think Nancy was expecting this to be so emotional. Like how Tristan just goes with the flow and supports her through it.
JR & Karina –
BEST DANCE OF THE NIGHT and it had better be the encore tomorrow!!! 
Not saying this will skew anything but, Nike’s head of PR tweeted on Hope’s behalf. Her name is Heidi Burgett. I know a lot of folks in sports business follow her but not sure if athletes or folks with large followings do.
I thought the audience shot was strange too. Early storyboarding?
I agree that there were more lackluster dances than outstanding performances for me. So much so that I’ll just run down my thoughts on the night whether it had to do with the dancing or not –
David – I have no beef with David but he was pulling some CRAZY faces tonight. He looked like Molly Shannon on SNL….where she would sniff her armpits then whisper loudly that she was a Superstar. I don’t know what to make of it.
Elisabetta & Val – seeing that tension filled package right before the dance SUCKED! What is with their packages anyway? First they show her dislocating her shoulder then this? Val comes off as an super mean slave driver and Elisabetta comes off as a confused pouty Italian tourist. The dance however was better.
Rob – Nice to see the real him…actually refreshing and it showed in the dance.
Hope- The outfits & hair were super cute. Nice to see her let loose and show a more fun side of herself. Very cheeky. But dear lord your couldn’t ignore the mistakes. I did appreciate that techincally it was full of jive…but too sloppy. She could be amazing but she needs to put the time in. If her schedule doesn’t lighten up I fear for her because the turn around on the dances only gets tighter.
JR- anyone with eyes knows that was the best dance of the night. I’m calling on all lindy hop/jive experts to school me on WTF Len was talking about as far as content. Seriously I have no idea if what he’s talking about is true or was he smoking crack?
Nancy- we are seeing a totally new side of her as well.
Chynna – was good too.
Everyone else was…not super great or super bad…just meh. Some slightly more than others but in retrospect their peformances are blending together and not really standing out.
Judges – I felt like EVERYONE got bi*@h slapped with comments from the judge. Maybe it will be a wake up call to everyone to step it up? Kind of like week 1 everyone got a pass but the honeymoon is over now. Scoring wise they smoke crack…but I am in favor of everyone taking it up a notch (except for JR) because too many of the dances were mediocre.
I too am really disappointed with the scoring and the judges. Barely any constructive criticism only weird fits and fights. Made for awkward ends of awkward dances. No one stood out except JR who got an awkward rip off score.
On the up side, it’s anyone’s mirrorball. Could get fun and interesting if the judges would get it together!
I saw those audience shots after Nancy’s dance too. Was Animal producing the show tonight? I thought those people were either dead or had been hit by a freeze ray. I went back and looked at the shots again. It didn’t even look like anyone was moving, even the folks up in the balcony above. A lot of times they do shoot some crowd shots prior to a taping to be edited in later, but those were horrid. The audience shots, at least on all the tapings I’ve been to, typically involve clapping, not looking like you’re being held at gunpoint.
I agree that I liked Bruno the best judge tonight, but then Carrie Ann has never been my fave. I kind of liken her judging style to Paula Abdul’s when she was on American Idol. I think Len was trying to give some constructive criticism, but it got lost in all that crabbiness.
JR and Karina definitely had the best performance of the night. I thought by far he had the best kicks and moves. I was impressed that Ricki did some of those moves. Not sure I could have bent backwards like that. I think Chynna could have really nailed her dance if she had just had been a little more enthusiastic. Being a singer probably helps her with the beat and the musicality so I think she may hang around for a while. Hope was okay but her missteps distracted me a bit. Those four are definitely safe. I thought Carson’s dance was better than he was given credit for tonight. It was great to see Nancy vulnerable and insecure. I really hope Carson and Nancy stay around for a bit longer because I think they’re funny and entertaining. As much as I didn’t want to, especially after seeing him destroy public property, I actually liked Rob’s dance. I guess I didn’t realize he was so shy. A lot of times shyness and lack of self-confidence comes across as arrogance if you don’t know someone, which is what I thought he was for the most part. I do reserve the right to change my mind as the show progesses though. I wasn’t too impressed with the tempo of Chaz’s dance. I know he has some knee and joint issues, but honestly in the beginning of the dance I kept thinking that it reminded me of something Cloris Leachman would have done. I am still sort of indifferent about Kristin and Elisabetta because I just don’t see a lot of personality. I actually think Elisabetta might go home this week. And David… Maybe he should spend a little less time playing dress-up and more time focusing on what he’s actually there to do. Does anyone think that getting 6-6-6 two weeks in a row might be a bad omen? If he gets those scores for a third week I’m really going to wonder.. As much as I would like to see David go buh bye for his annoying personality and mediocre dancing among other things, I think he’ll be safe this week especially after he used the Stern “Baba Booey” mantra when he and Kym were getting their scores.
Audience held hostage at DWTS taping!
Ok so I re-watched Nancy and Tristans performance. It was a cut away because Nancy fell out of her dress.
I rewatched the show and tonight was not a great night of dancing for most of the couples.
Hope and maks- There wasn’t alot of flicks or kicks and when there was, it wasn’t very good.
Kristin and mark- good but not great.
David and kym- worst of the night by far. Wouldn’t be surprised if they go home tomorrow.
Elizabetta and Val- I actually liked their quickstep. It kind of reminded me of apolo’ quickstep for some reason. Val is becoming a fan of mine, and hopefully they will be around for awhile.
Rob and cheryl- so glad that hes improving. I think they will be around for atleast another 2 weeks or so.
Karson and anna- I love his enthusiasm, his quickstep not so much though.
Ricki and Derek- I was very disappointed by this jive. There wasnt any flicks or kicks and this was the jive I was most looking forward too. so again very disapointed but I voted for them because I freaking love derek.
Chaz and lacey- I felt so bad for him because if it wasnt for the injuries I think they would have done a lot better. But I gotta say if they make it to the jive, chaz will probably die(figuratively).
Chynna and tony- nothing great but I’m glad tony has a partner who has more potiental then some of his past partners.
Nancy and tristan- I liked their dance and I think it was worthy of three 7′s. I didnt realize that shes really short lol.
JR and karina- Best jive of the night by far. They did do 2 lifts at the beginning and obviously carrie ann was going point that out. But overall great dance and performance.
***Someone needs to tell len to bend over and take that stick out of his ass.*** lol.
Yep, Nancy fell out of her dress. That’s why they showed the weird audience shot. I heard Tom say to Nancy something like,” That’s okay, if we were on European TV it would be a non-event”. (paraphrased)
The audience shot really bothered me at first though, as I thought it was a comment on Nancy’s quickstep. Still love these two, but I’m afraid it’s only a matter of time folks!
Loved Ricki and Derek! I agreed with Len (for a change!) that she did do real flicks and kicks unlike
the others. Ricki’s enthusiasm and Derek’s choreography just really stood out for me.
Have to admit that Rob was pretty good! I am so glad those awful sisters were not in the audience.
Hope and Maks were awful in my opinion. I also couldn’t believe how goofy Maks looked in that outfit!
JR and Karina were fantastic! The dance of the night!
The rest were unmemorable for me!
I think it’s Elizabetta going home – of course, I said that last week too!
Now that comment that Tom made when Nancy and Tristan went over for their scores makes sense now. I thought my DVR froze up for a minute. There were also some weird cuts of the judge’s table a couple of times. In one I thought Len was going to get up and walk out. Everything just seemed off during the show. JR was robbed. He should have been on top of the leader board instead of Rickie…
My rankings are a little different:
1) Ricki and Derek: I loved it. She had a blast and the audience had a blast.
2) JR and Karina: same thing I said for Ricki but he was definately underscored.
3) Chyna and Tony: I liked it BUT Tony was his own worst enemy this week since it was very bare bonesish.
4)Nancy: I think she did great! Def better than last week. Can’t wait to see more.
5) Kristin and Mark: I wanted to hate it but ended up liking it. Mark is a little showman but she definately has an entertaining quality to her as well.
6)Maks and Hope: Was it great? No Was it fun? Yes. She had a balst out there.
7) Elisabetta and Val: I liked it a lot but am still on the fence about how long she is going to last (i don’t see a mirror ball trophy in her future but she was good this week but consistancy is what really counts)
8)Rob and Cheryl: He was good can’t deny it.
9) David and Kym: I didn’t love it but it was OK. He had the energy down but was kinda like a kid who drank a couple of frapauccinos and was on a coffee buzz.
10) Carson: He was not good but his entertainment value cannot be denied.
11) Chazz: I feel bad since his legs hurt but like len said he is not fit for the quickstep. I think he is going this week.
Bottom 3: David, Chazz, and Carson
Bottom 2: Chazz Carson
leaving: Chazz
Also, this week proved that jive is definately capable for week two but I think quickstep is better suited for week 3 or 4. Quckstep always looks like the hardest dance besides paso.
I though Derek and Ricki, JR and Karina stood out the most. Great Jives!
I agree whats up with the judges, Len seemed aggrevated most of the evening. The rest of the dances were off and kind of goofy. David Arquette seems to have problem dancing period. Many were out of sync, whats up with that.
If Hope continues to travel alot and not spend more time with Maks rehearsing she’s going to be history as well.
Chaz may go but he’s fans may still have the sympathy vote! Its unpredictable! Once again Derek had great choreography. Remember he works with someone’s strengths and weaknesses and I think Ricki pulled it off.
So loving everyone’s thoughts and rankings. Heidi’s new Numbers post is certainly going to be interesting later.
Poor Nancy her wardrobe malfunction is already posted on the internet….. Thats pathetic!
JR was by far the standalone best dance of the night. He looks like he has been dancing his whole life….
Ricki and Derek, Dereks moves were incredible, the splits and jumping over Ricki, sometimes I thought he overdanced her, ummmm some of the moves were kind of vulgar, I agree.
Chynna and Tony, she played it safe but I see a real dancer emerging.
Nancy and Tristan were a surprise and see did better than I had anticipated, I just can’t take my eyes off of Tristan, and Carrie Ann was right, they have a wonderful partnership.
Kristin and Mark were just okay, nothing about Mark keeps me interested any longer and I agree Kristin gets lost in the cast…
Rob and Cheryl, wow im surprised I actually liked his dance, and was grooving to the music…
Carson and Anna, oh boy, I love him but hes kind of a trainwreck..
Chaz and Lacey I hate to say this but, his knees, his knees, his knees, thats all we hear, maybe its time for him to hang up his dance shoes
Hope and Maks, I was really hoping Maks would have a great partnership with Hope, I’m just not seeing it, shes stiff and kind of bland
David and Kym, I love Kym but that dance was horrible, David looked uncomfortable and it was just a hot mess.
Elisabetta and Val, she looks so unhappy, I don’t think she is happy with Val. Maybe she wants out of her misery. Just not impressed with her.
Overall Len was cranky pants the whole night, Carrie needs to wack the lift patrol out of here… The judges were insane with their scoring… The night was lackluster at best.
JR and Karina were fantastic and all my votes went to them even though I am a big Maks fans. I’m guessing they went with the sports outfits for Hope to feel more comfortable but her pants were way too low and the shoes were really odd. Ricki and Derek were good but I was rather shocked when she jumped on him. Glad Rob did well and hope he sticks around a few more weeks. Enjoyed Kristin and Mark but that flip at the end was strange and weird. I think Chaz will go home and I hope he does for the sake of his physical problems. I liked Elisabetta and Val’s dance and was glad to see her do better than last week. Those audience shots were strange—they looked like stone-faced zombies. I heard Tom’s remark about Europe and figured that Nancy had fallen out of her dress especially when she kept trying to adjust herself afterward.
I know this is a bit off topic but does anybody else find it funny that David Arquette’s wardrobe is the most oddest mix of styles, colors, and pattersn. During the rehersal footage I couldn’t stop laughing at his rehersal outfits and did the same thing last week. I feel like Kym should be his persona lstylisy since he looks better when hse designs the outfits for the dances than he does when he dresses himself lol.
Also, I have a question: did Karina and J.R. have the same song Joey Fatone used for the jive during his season? I remeber someone having that song before with Kym.
[...] dances last night, be sure to do so in the comment section of Courtney’s Power Rankings post HERE. Heidi’s new “Dancing By The Numbers” Post will be coming up shortly too. Stay [...]
Yes, VIn, songs are often recycled.
I feel badly for Maks. He wanted Hope and thought it would work, but a lot of people are connecting to her; feel she’s cocky and not dedicating herself to it
I agree that she does give facial expressions that make her seem “conceited”.
I am soooooo not impressed by Val…and for the love of Pete stop saying, “This is how I was raised…it’s the end result that counts.” If that is how they were raised, I’m surprised CPS were never called lol!! Embarrassing!
JR & Karina=robbed! Karina was right in an interview; SEVERAL times a “lift” or flip is done in the first few seconds or ending few seconds and never called out by CAI.
Looks like Carson, Hope, Nancy, and Chaz are the bottom four.
Sorry, but I don’t think Chaz’ body can take it. Carson just might never be able to be good technically speaking. I need to see more “respect” shown for the journey from Hope, so Nancy will get me votes, as well as JR & Chynna.
wel we know now why nancy was doing the slow slow quick step. the reason for lennt boys score and the audiences stunned faces across my tv for 10 seconds……………….oh dear costume department and our first wordrobe malfunction
@Pam – I had forgotten about Ricki jumping on top of Derek before commercial break… My mouth dropped.. I was embarrassed for her kids.
I don’t think there is any doubt JR and Karina are winning this. The nitpicking by the judges last night was typical for them with a couple that’s so far ahead of everyone else. They just don’t want it to seem like they a running away with it.
I was a bit underwhelmed last night, to be honest. Courtney and some others said it on Twitter: Week 2 is way too early for the jive, and I think nearly all the couples who danced it suffered. That said, JR was robbed like the 7/11 at 2 a.m.! He deserved way more of a point spread than 1 point over the rest of the cast. Hopefully, the judges will work out their issues in group therapy before next week.
I see where Len is coming from on wanting content in the dances. However, the couples have to count on audience entertainment value too. So I think it was incredibly unfair for him to overscore Nancy and Tristan and underscore the rest just because it wasn’t “his cup of tea.” Don’t get me wrong, I loved Nancy’s and Tristan’s dance and thought they deserved good scores, but not an 8. It wasn’t fast enough for an 8.
As to who’s going home, I think Chaz could be in trouble and maybe David. Of course, it’s possible that Elisabetta could still go based on audience vote alone, if they didn’t get many. Was it just me or did she just look PISSED the whole night? I’m not loving her dancing or personality.
Lisa, I really like JR too, but I think Chynna and Ricki still have a shot, as long as they continue to improve. We have to take into account fan bases too. Not sure how big JR’s fan base is. Derek and Ricki’s is probably bigger, although they will have to improve to overcome JR.
Change of pace….. Rank the Judges!!!
Carrie Ann Inaba! 5! Have to stick with a halfway vote, because she only did about half the job.
Len Goodman! 6! He got one point more than Carrie Ann, because he did make a good point, that the ones that are the worst dancers are so CHARMING!
Bruno Tonioli! 7! Almost 8. Just because he was so almost NORMAL!
Other than that….. Underwhelming dances. The theme of the week seemed to be DRAMA! They deliberately dug up all the drama for the packages this week…. At least they were consistent, even though it ended up a little underwhelming, to go with the underwhelming dances.
The only exception was JR and Karina, and I have to say, that when I saw them practicing the lift in the package, my heart sunk, knowing what Carrie Ann was going to do. Although, I was hoping she would have left the Lift Police home for this season, like she did last season.
Oh, JR is in no way running away with this, not at all. Chynna and Ricki still have a shot and one or both benefit from bigger fanbases. JR is not at Nicole or Kristi (or even Evan) level just yet. He just benefits from a mediocre competition.
Magnolia, you’re absolutely right about the pros doing what they have to do to get the entertaiment value in there as well – but I also appreciate Tristan’s content more than Mark’s wack ass behavior at the end of his dance. Never saw head bobs in a quickstep before….
Me thinks we have a few prudes…what was wrong with Ricki jumping on Derek? They were playing around. Also didn’t see anything any more vulgar in that dance than any of a zillion other dances on DWTS. I would imagine if Ricki was a skinny little girl who was 32 instead of 42, a few people wouldn’t be put off by it, eh?
Maks – DO NOT TAKE WARDROBE ADVICE FROM MARK. For the love of God, man…and you’re not going to win this season unless your partner can focus on dancing.
Elisabetta is kind of a bitch, ain’t she? Did not come off well at all last night IMO. Felt bad for Val.
Heidi, I was sitting there through Mark and Kristen’s dance thinking how normal and “plain” it was, and then he did that shizz at the end, and I just went, “Well, there you go.” He just can’t help himself, it seems.
And there have been times when I’ve thought, “Okay, pros, can it please just be about the dancing?” I’ve thought that about nearly all the pros once or twice, but Mark (and Lacey, sometimes) seem to take it to the extreme!
I keep thinking back to Nancy’s comment about Tristan being a dance “purist.” I think that’s great, and it means we’ll likely get quality dances out of them (and keep Len happy to boot!) but Tristan will quickly learn that, to stay in the game, there needs to be some flash and pizzazz…just not taken from the “Mark Ballas Book of Ballroom Dance Shows.”
Good comments all round. This is more of a beginner’s cast. Yes, it was cruel to have both jive and quick-step in Week 2. I think Tony and Derek have a chance to bring their partners along carefully and, of course, JR can dance, so that’s my pick for final 3??
I pretty much agree with everyone, however I think some are a little hard on Hope. I also had high expectations for her and Maks but think that is the problem. The girl really can’t dance and we were expecting that she could. As long as she is working hard( and Maks says she is putting just as much work into her dance practice as in her soccor) then I am satisfied that she will improve. Plus, she has a day job that requires her to be super focused. If someone has such great natural ability at the very beginning (AJ) then they really didn’t have to try as hard as the others. It just comes natural. Remember how we loved Kirstie’s improvement last season or Kyle’s the season before? Give Hope a chance.
Oh… I did have some thoughts and comments…
Elisabetta and Val. I agree, Heidi, about her. While I was watching their package, I just kept thinking that yes, he does look a lot like his brother, he talks a lot like his brother, but he definitely doesn’t act like his brother, and that he need to act more Maks-like…. I don’t know if it’s that this is Val’s first season, or what, but… I don’t know, he’s like Maks-lite, but just lacking… Something.
Kristin and Mark. My first thought was that Pam did Marilyn better. My second thought was that Mark seemed a little bit closer to the old Mark, but with new Mark peeking out….
Hope’s shoes distracted me. Didn’t really notice anything but those shoes.
I noticed Nancy’s face… She started smiling, and while she was dancing, I loved watching genuine JOY come over her, and by the end, she was beaming this incredible HUGE smile, that was shining from her eyes!
Gotta say, on the whole, share the sentiment of lacklustre dancing this season. Here’s my thoughts (in approximate order of week 2 appearances):
Hope: Suffice to say the dancing here is falling far short of expectations. Now that her soccer schedule is dying down for a bit, we’ll see how much rehearsal time is an issue. I suspect it’s more a lack of dance ability on her part but this team’s combined fanbases will keep them around for a while.
Kristin: Better than last week but she’s yet to connect the dots as well as the audience. Middle or upper middle of the pack dancer.
David: Like him, his dancing is all over the map and not always in a pleasing manner.
Elisabetta: Better than last week, but that’s not saying much. And there’s something about her that turns me off. In jeopardy of an early dismissal.
Rob: Seems to have had a bit of a breakthrough and while better, still not good. See him going within the next few weeks.
Carson: Eventually his lack of coordination is gonna catch up to him with the voters, but he’s trying and is just so enjoyable, I hope it’s not for a while yet.
Chynna: Nice but could be WOW if her movement (which technically is very good just small) equaled her expression. Easily could picture her in the finals.
Chaz: Okay but not as entertaining as the other okay dancers. Coupled with his ailments, he may be in jeopardy of an early departure.
Ricki: There were parts I liked and others not so much. All-in-all could see her making this group’s finals.
Nancy: Surprisingly finding myself liking her more than I thought I would. All things considered, she put forth a watchable Quickstep and while certainly not the best dancer of the group, hoping she’s kept around for a while.
JR: This guy looks more like a pro than someone in his 3rd week of dance training (the way he mirrored Karina was extraordinary). The story, the talent, the charm, the ethic, and the ability to go the distance…nothing about this guy doesn’t seem MBT bound. The only thing I can see as possible deterrants are his comparable lack of star power (which his personality and dance skill may overcome), his lack of room for improvement (building momentum goes a long way on this show)
and possibly his partner.
The “she has a day job” excuse really doesn’t work for me AT. ALL. She knew that and Maks knew that coming into the competition, so too bad. She handicapped herself – and I don’t see why she should get slack for that, honestly. And it’s not just Hope – I’ve always wondered a people who want so and so to get a break because they are working another job at the same time. Hey, no one MADE you sign on to do both things at one time. Everyone has real lives here.
I wouldn’t say I’m being a prude about the jive – lord knows I’m usually throwing out some pretty R-rated comments around here
– I just think it was something that was out-of-character for the jive. Jive is supposed to be the carefree, light-hearted, silly Latin dance – it’s not usually one that comes across as sexy or suggestive. That’s the cha-cha & rumba’s job 
Plus the song “Hey Ya” isn’t exactly sexy, so overall, there was just kind of a disconnect for me – at times it almost felt more like Derek & Joanna’s lambada in season 9, including some of the moves he was doing. Not terrible, just…disconnected.
What really gets me about Len’s bitching about “too much Lindy” is that the modern jive really evolved as an amalgamation of several different swing styles, INCLUDING Lindy, jitterbug, Charleston, east coast swing, west coast swing, balboa, shag, etc. If you look at a lot of the basic patterns in jive, they’re pretty similar to the patterns of a lot of these dances…so to bitch about there being Lindy in jive seems a bit…ignorant.
I have to wonder if Len wouldn’t have bitched so much if they had chosen a different theme & costuming – perhaps the 1920′s “Newsies” feel of it brought to mind the Lindy more than, say, modern jive costumes like Tony & Chynna’s and Ricki & Derek’s. Context can be everything.
As much as I think JR & Karina deserve the encore tonight, I think the judges may try to make an example of them and give the encore to someone else instead – they did the same thing to Nicole & Derek after their “rule-breaking” quickstep. I’m almost leaning towards Rob & Cheryl’s jive – they didn’t seem to pick on it as much as some of the other dances, and I think the surprise of Rob actually doing well holds some appeal.
Thanks for the info re: stone-faced audience after Nancy’s dance. I didn’t know they stuck that in there because of her wardrobe malfunction and I was very confused.
Whatever happened to the judges giving some good ol’ constructive criticism and a few seconds of praise for anything the celeb did well on? That’s how I think it should be. Len pissed me off when he was like, “It’s an improvement and that’s all I’m saying” or something.
Also, did anyone else completely miss Kristen’s dance due to technical difficulties? It got all choppy and then this screen came up saying there were technical difficulties… Might’ve been a regional thing, but I was just curious.
Len was cranky because no one except Tristan obeyed his rules of dancing.
I feel bad for Val. Elisbetta seems to be a biatch when it comes to learning how to dance. Hope she goes and end her misery.
JR and Karina had the most entertaining dance of the season. Even if they broke the rules, they’re safe.
Here is Louis Van Amstel’s review of the night:
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2011/09/louis-van-amstels-dancing-with-the-stars-dish-week-2/
I’m with Courtney as far as Hope goes – I’m sorry, I like Maks, but if she’s going to do DWTS, then by golly, DO DWTS! And if she’s not going to commit to it, then please go home. I’d much rather watch people (Carson, Chaz) that aren’t as good at dancing, but have thrown themselves into it heart & soul, as opposed to watching Hope cruise around the floor “in neutral”…
And I also agree with the person that said her pants were cut waaaaaaay too low. Caused a controversy at my house – I was afraid for her; Hubby was rootin’ for them to slip!
Court, I wasn’t talking about you. LOL. I so totally know you aren’t a prude.
I was talking about commenters who felt that Ricki jumping on Derek before the dance was inappropriate, in addition to thinking the moves were “vulgar”….which puts a whole different spin on “sexual” in my book.
I was just talking to someone here about Len being a bit ridiculous about the Lindy and West Coast Swing elements (Derek said straight up that’s the direction he went) and how the dances were all cousins of each other. Considering the songs used, I’m not surprised that different directions were taken.
Such great comments from everyone here! I wish you all were the actual judges…I understand the show has to try to be entertaining, but I think the actual core of the show is entertaining in itself without all this extra drama and all the changes the show makes every season.
Obviously the judges are either told how to skew the numbers, or they have their own agendas, or both. And to have the jive this early? Big mistake! Not only is it demoralizing for the stars, but it leaves the audience feeling largely disappointed. I love to see a star struggling to learn a routine, and then coming out and performing it better than expected…it’s always a fun, sometimes jaw-dropping moment. This week, not much of that for me…not so much fun to see people struggle so hard with not much payoff, and then to be demoralized by the judges…
Len? Seriously, you get PAID for this gig! Stop acting like a spoiled child. Whenever the camera was on Len tonight, he looked like he was completely unhappy. Bruno WAS actually the most sane judge of the night.
And kudos to all the stars who worked their butts off!
….and thanks Pure Dancing With the Stars! Best DWTS site out there. Love the music lists, writing, etc.
I remember someone (Mark, Derek, or even Maks) saying 2-3 seasons ago that “people have to clear their schedule to do dwts—it’s a big commitment and the celebs don’t realize how many hours in a day are needed to commit to the show.” I think it was Mark…not 100%.
And yes, Mark needs to get a lock on his closet because obviously Maks creeped in during the night and borrowed some of his wardrobe lol.
Based on what Louis wrote in his blog, he believes that David, Chaz, and Elisabetta are in danger. Week 1 he was worried for Elisabetta and Ron, and Ron was obviously eliminated. Hm, I have to agree with Louis that 1 of those 3 will probably go home tonight. My gut is still telling me Chaz. As I said earlier, yes he’s endearing, but there’s a point where if your body is not handling it then you have to stop.
As far as Hope is concerned, I’m just going to chalk it up to having a bad night. And if her on a bad night gets a 19 (which really in retrospective isn’t THAT bad. It’s not great, but it’s certainly not horrible). I really saw nothing wrong with her costume, but the fact that she was able to walk in those uber high heels, let alone dance!, gets her MAJOR kudos from me. And, fangirl moment here, but Maks has such strong, powerful legs..he doesn’t need those up-to-the ankle socks. Show them off, boy!
Ugh! Came away from the show with a bad taste in my mouth and almost went looking for a bottle of wine for a bit of a gargle or to hit Len over the head. Couldn’t make up my mind
I think Len’s sour mood infected the whole night. Disappointing except for JR/Karina and Ricki/Derek. Week 2 is definitely way too early for Jive. And none of the Quicksteps sparkled for me either. *sigh*
JR/Karina deserve the encore IMO (great performance), but I think it might go to Ricki/Derek. They had one of the few dances on which the whacked-out “judges” had some consensus and were somewhat positive.
Amazingly, I’m actually willing to have Rob around for another week. Chaz probably ought to home for his health (I’m genuinely afraid for him). Elisabetta should go home for her attitude (sorry Val, I like you, but…) Seems to me Bad Attitude(work ethic) + Bad Packages + Mediocre Dancing – Maks-fan votes = Elimination.
LOL @ sheery’s comment. That means Mark’s doing something right. Maks and Tony both borrowed some of Mark’s wardrobe.
I’m so happy Kristin and Mark did well.
I think Judges were trying to manipulate the results last night. WTF!!!
JR/Karina- Wonderful, wonderful! Best dance of the night
J.R. is clearly the best dancer by far. I think the judges figured that out last week so this week they’re already marking him down. The guy has loads of natural ability and they’re gonna judge him with extra scrutiny. Big expectations there. I hope Karina stays on track with choreography.
Pleasant surprises for me were Kristin, Nancy, Elisabetta and Rob. Kristin needs to show some more personality though and Eli&Val have to stop shooting themselves in the foot with rehearsal packages. Rob lacks some high energy moves but I liked the improvement. Nancy was endearing, I love the genuine quality she brings.
I LOVE Carson but Quickstep is definitely not his dance. The same goes for Chaz. I wouldn’t want to see them go yet.
Chynna was solid but underwhelming in movement as the judges said. Hope in an opposite way had the same end result. Plenty of attack but not enough solidity. We should merge those two them into one dancer if we want to see some great stuff.
Ricky was at times fantastic but at times looked lost. I really didn’t care for Derek’s choreography this time. It didn’t have a Jive feeling to it at all neither did it try to tell a different story. Felt random and slightly confusing.
David was disappointing this week. He seems like a sweet, creative man but with little ability to focus his energy. If I have to pick someone to go tonight, it’s unfortunately him.
Funniest, yet most facepalm moment they did was have that doof cameraman show all those unenthusiastic Asian’s after Nancy’s performance. It seemed rather stand-offish, which personally made it look like she isn’t being voted in exact numbers it has been put as. Maybe she really was in the bottom two last week with Metta, but who knows perhaps it’s just me seeming turned of by those disgruntled Asians.
JR/Karina were absolutely my favorite of the evening!
Tony has a diamond in the rough with Chynna. I hope he can figure out how to bring out the sparkle.
Once again, I noticed both Derek and Maks seem to be able to enhance without overpowering their partners. I think Rickie can make the final three. I’m not sure about Hope. Is her athleticism at odds with dancing?
My husband watched with me last night. When Mark/Kristen finished, I remarked that their feet were in sync but something else seemed way out of sync but I couldn’t put my finger on it. After I commented that I thought Elizabetta’s frame was very nice and maybe that’s what Kristen was missing, my husband mentioned there were several times when Mark and Kristen were leaning in towards each other. I definitely think the arched frame is a hallmark of the Quickstep. So if they were leaning in towards each other, I can see where that would subconsciously bug me. I’ll have to watch them again.
I thought Elizabetta danced well but she didn’t seem to be happy to be there.
Carson, Chazz and Nancy all seem to have embraced the joy of dancing. So they’re fun to watch.
David and Rob were having fun but both seem to have two left feet — particularly David.
Who should go? Both Elizabetta and Hope don’t really seem to have their heart in the competition. I’d rather see the dancers that are pushing themselves to the limit stay even if they’re not the “best” dancers.
@Nico, it’s been mentioned DOZENS of times already that the producers inserted a stock camera shot of the audience because of a wardrobe malfunction on Nancy’s part. That shot of the unenthusiasitc audience members had NOTHING to do with Nancy or her dance. And to be honest, I’m surprised you didn’t already know this given a) how much it’s been discussed here and b) the fact that it’s all over the Internet.
“The guy has loads of natural ability and they’re gonna judge him with extra scrutiny. Big expectations there. I hope Karina stays on track with choreography. ” Isn’t that what happened with Ralph?
Elisabetta, very attractive, but if you don’t want to be there … ?? Leigh, great comments.
It happened to Ralph (and other talented people as well) but to an extent. I think J.R. will prove to be a much more versatile dancer than Ralph was.
Ralph had the misfortune of coming out with a perfect dance, setting the expectations very high and then later struggling with certain Latin moves. But the bar was already set too high and judges probably like all people don’t like to admit that they were wrong in their assessment so they didn’t change their criteria.
I think every time when there’s a big disparity between one celebrity and the rest of the pack (be it that he/she is much better or worse than the rest) the judges try to level the playing field. They don’t do it so much when there are 2 or 3 people in the same approximate ability range.
Excellent points, Sasa. Also, can’t help but think that had JR’s Jive fallen in, say, the 7th week, it would have been a 27 scorer.
Sorry about my “prudish” remarks. I thought everyone was entitled to their own opinion but apparently if your opinion isnt liked by some people it will be disparaged.
:::rolls eyes:::: If you put your opinion out there, others have as much right to disagree. Simple concept that some have trouble with.
Ok, don’t get me wrong I LOVE Derek, but I did not like his choreography at all. At the beginning, he pulled a Mark. He was showing off while Ricki was just standing and walking down the steps. And Derek seemed a too “loosie goosie”. It was in my #3 jive of the night, with JR and Hope. And I want to talk to Carrie Ann and Len about JR’s jive. CA, they didn’t do Amy lifts, just an assisted jump and a flip(which I don’t count as a lift). And Len, I love the Lindy hop. It should be brought back
Heidi, with all due respect to you and the amazing work you do here, you could exercise your right to disagree with Pam and like-minded others without calling them “prudes.” Frankly, I doubt that Derek and Ricki won any new fans, and may have lost some, by their pre-dance jump and overtly sexual moves in the jive – because it was the jive, not the lambada. I agreed with Len – I didn’t like it. It was my least favorite dance of the night, because I expected so much better of Derek.
Know I know thank you @Magnolia
If the worse thing anybody ever calls you is a prude, you’re doing well!
Re Ricki’s jive: I thought the moves were all done so tongue-in-check and with such fun (a jive vibe!) that I wasn’t offended at all.
Well, Shep, what exactly would you call it? Frankly, I think you’re muddling the conversation. Pam didn’t like overtly sexual moves, didn’t like Ricki jumping on Derek. YOU, on the other hand, are modifying the discussion to say you didn’t like those moves in a Jive because they don’t work for a jive AND didn’t like the pre-dance jump. You’re kinda twisting the original comments, I think. Thinking that those moves don’t work in a jive is completely different than just not liking overtly sexual behavior – so which is it? What’s the problem? And would you have this same issue of it had been, say, Nicole jumping on Derek like that? I’m pretty sure she has, and I’m pretty sure there’s been other similar behavior with other pros.
I said on Twitter that I thought Derek was lacking in Jive content. DEREK said that he went the West Coast Swing route. All fine, we all seem to agree on that. Derek had some moves that didn’t work for the Jive. Big deal. What gets me, though, is this problem with sexual moves either in a dance or before a dance – hello? It’s ballroom, there ARE sexual/sexy/sensual moves. I have to wonder what is being projected here because I thought Derek’s dance was sexy, but not overtly sexual. And that jump before the dance? In what universe is that an overtly sexual move?? I’m sorry, but I think the issue is with the viewer here – to each his/her own, but dang – OWN IT. It is what it is. But not everyone thinks like you – not even close. I’ve read dozens of reviews of the other night and I have yet to see one that takes any issue with Derek and Ricki’s “overtly sexual moves”.
Anytime someone gets overly judgmental, they’re going to have to expect a response in kind – especially when you start disparaging her parenting skills like I believe I saw bandied about around here. And it’s not limited to Ricki, but Nancy was taking heat for how she was acting with Tristan. And I gotta tell you, when I see comments like that, it ain’t Nancy and Tristan who disturb me.