DWTS13 Week 8 Power Rankings
Let me just get it off my chest first: the judges are on crack. Plain & simple. And sometimes, I like the kind of crack they’re smoking…other times, I don’t. Tonight was a bit of both.
I don’t think the instant jive really benefited anyone except JR, and even though everyone else really struggled, I don’t think it really & truly screwed anyone except Nancy – but then again, the judges seemed hellbent on screwing her over after scoring her first dance, so I can’t really say I was surprised. Oh well…on with it…
1.) JR & Karina – I’m sure many of you saw me gushing about these two on Twitter, and I have to say – both of their routines were my favorites of the night, as they were both good dances with great entertainment value. In fact, JR’s jive may have overtaken Kyle’s as my favorite instant dance ever. But I’m actually in agreement with a lot of you that they were not exactly worthy of not one, but TWO perfect 30’s. I think I saw a few timing issues in his waltz where his footwork got a bit wonky, and his jive felt a bit disjointed in a few spots – for which I’m actually going to blame Karina’s choreographic strategy, since the whole “choreograph in pieces and then put them together” method runs the risk of there not being enough transitions between sections. However, I will say this: with all of the overscoring going on tonight, is it really all that surprising that someone got a perfect score? I mean, if they’re suddenly giving Hope (who has gotten in the neighborhood of 24’s for most of the season) a 27, it kinda sets the bar high – not to say that it’s right or fair, but it does put them in the sticky situation of having to then go even higher on dances that are better…and I would daresay that JR & Karina were head & shoulders above Hope & Maks in both dances, so I guess 60 just doesn’t feel totally outrageous to me. Aaaaaanywho…since they really seem to have given another couple their walking papers, I think JR & Karina oughta be safe…for now. I’m fulling expecting backlash next week, so I’m warming up my voting finger!
2.) Hope & Maks – This is the portion of my post where I remind everyone that the power rankings are not my opinion of who did the best or who I like the most 😉 , but who I think has the most staying power. And this week, Hope & Maks seem to have quite a bit of staying power, with the scores they got. While her quickstep was a vast improvement from previous weeks (I still say her foxtrot was her best dance, though), I firmly believe that Hope deserved at least 2 points less than Rob, for the simple reason that Rob had the more difficult choreo and I thought he handled it more fluidly and with more skill than Hope did with her routine. I think 25 was probably about right for her jive, and it was a pleasant surprise to see her staying on-time and actually having fun – but man, she still looks like she just muscling her way through it. The catch-22 of jive is that it IS difficult & high-energy, but a well-done jive is supposed to look effortless & kinda “springy”. Hope looked like she was about to go all Bruce Lee on someone, with the force with which she was doing those flicks! Take it with a grain of salt, but compared to a very similar side-by-side section in JR & Karina’s routine, Hope looks amateurish, with the way she’s kicking her legs out with such force. But enough technique for now. I know there’s still quite a bit of buzz about these 2 after last week, so I daresay they’ll live to dance another week.
3.) Ricki & Derek – Ricki did seem to have a little bit of an off-week, and her Achilles’ heel this time around seemed to me like it was continuity – I found sections of both her waltz & her jive where she seemed to just stop for a second before starting back up again. Continuity is especially important in the waltz, so I guess I noticed it a bit more in that dance; it didn’t bother me so much in her jive, because it seemed like a problem that EVERYONE had this week. But with that said – I still think she was a bit underscored in the waltz. I would have given her a point or 2 more. I may have given her a point more in her jive to at least tie her with Hope – I don’t think Hope’s jive was cumulatively any better than Ricki’s, although they both had different strengths & weaknesses. I do think these two deserve to advance, and I do think they belong in the final – so I’m hoping their fans are power-voting right now, since it wasn’t really Ricki’s best week. Again, with the points spread – I think they’re PROBABLY safe, but I wouldn’t chance it. Vote, vote, vote, kids.
4.) Rob & Cheryl – I don’t care what anyone says – I like Rob and I want him in the final. 😛 Loved his quickstep – great energy and a surprisingly good frame and footwork. And Rob looked like he was having FUN!!! That’s always the best part for me – when a couple finally looks like they’re having a blast, even if they aren’t necessarily dancing perfectly. His jive lacked a bit in the energy and technique department, and there were a few minor timing issues- but I still dug it, and it’s not a bad first outing for Cheryl in the instant dance. I really like that Rob is starting to embrace his sillier side – the shaking the ass on the judges’ table, the face-pulling, the wacky pants that make his butt look even more Kardashian-y 😀 But I’m a bit concerned that Rob may be suffering from the same problem this week that David did last week: getting lost in the shuffle. You’ve got a couple who did great (JR & Karina), a couple that had a bit of an off-week (Ricki & Derek), a couple that did pretty poorly (Nancy & Tristan), and a couple that had a “comeback” week (Hope & Maks). Where does Rob fit into the equation? He’s been pretty consistent since week 2, and his progress may not be as marked as Hope’s or Nancy’s; plus he’s not dancing terribly or rocking the boat with controversy anymore, so as to really rally his fans to vote. Can he stick around this week? I’m going to tentatively say yes, just because the points spread has really screwed Nancy over…but I did toss a few votes his way for good measure, and I might be compelled to do it again next week. I want that goofball in the finale 😉
5.) Nancy & Tristan – Oyyyy veeeey. I’m afraid Nancy’s death certificate may have already been signed before she even danced tonight – she got stuck with two very obscure songs to dance to (while everyone else got either recognizable songs or artists), and two dances that she didn’t exactly excel at the first go-round. I could practically see the “7” paddles in the judges’ eyes as they watched her. 😛 Her tango was actually a bit better than I expected – she managed to stay on-time and at least attempt some fancy footwork, but she just seemed so slow and had some alignment issues (anyone else catch Tristan trying & failing to very subtly “adjust” Nancy’s body position? :-P). Her jive was an improvement over last week’s, although not a vast one – she probably stayed on time about 65% of the dance, and moved a little bit more. But the biggest improvement I saw? Nancy looked like she was HAVING A BLAST. I seriously believed her when she said her instant jive was “kinda fun” – she was out there grinning & giving it the ol’ college try, as if she was like “Oh f*ck it, I ain’t gonna win, so I may as well have fun!” Based on how she performed this week and how she was scored, I’d say it’s probably Nancy’s time to go – I doubt she’d be able to handle the fast-pace of next week, which I’ve just been told is going to be 3 dances (yikes). But man, what a ride it’s been with these two bickering spouses – I never would have guessed that Nancy would have been able to make it this far, but I’m so happy she did 🙂 Bon voyage, MacGrace!
So did you guys find the scoring as wonky as I did? Or do you think the judges were spot-on? Who do you think will have the encore, if anyone? And do you think we’re in for a shock elimination tomorrow night? Sound off, troops!
Len basically said it best when he said that Nancy is Cinderella and it’s time for her to go home now from the ball. It’s been one hell of a ride, but I’m very sure that she and Tristan are going home tomorrow.
The scoring was definitely off tonight. I pull for Ricki and Derek, though I do think she had a bit of an off week at least in the jive. I thought the waltz in my opinion was as good, if not better than J.R’s. I think J.R did very well, and I would have maybe, possibly agreed to the perfect 30 in the jive, but by no means for the waltz. I think there have been better dances, done by others, and even himself that would have been more deserving of a 30. Not that the dance was bad..it was very good, but it. didn’t particularly wow me. But I guess, it was just that sort of week..it’s late in the competition, and they probably felt like there needed to be a perfect score at some point, so might as well make it now. Especially when they start by giving Hope a 27, which obviously sets the scoring high for the night with her being one of the weakest dancers. I actually thought Rob was very deserving of the 27, and thought his dance was head and shoulders above Hope’s. Wonky fo sho.
I’m reconciled about the departure of my dancing Irishman and his Cinderella. I wish Len hadn’t put it so bluntly because I felt it was a bit harsh, but Sarah and Courtney are right. They’ve done well for themselves, and Nancy’s endeared herself to me a bit, I’m afraid to say. 😉 Glad Tristan lasted so long for his first season and hope to see him back next season. Honestly, I’m thankful their tango was fairly good (for them). I’d rather them go out on a good dance than that awful jive last week. Well done, MacGrace!
JR was just awesome! Karina is such an amazing choreographer but it’s annoying when she’s copying from other routines that were done in the past. e.g. quickstep from even and anna, samba from the pros to “conga” and jive from lacey and kyle but anyway JR rocks. JR for president! Haha 😀
I must say I’m impressed with Hope! It’s so nice when Maks is nice ;D It’s a pure joy to watch. I think she should go to the semifinals.
Nancy is soo cute with Tristan but she didn’t dance so well. It’s time for her to go home.
Rickiy was also good. I loved her waltz but her jive not so much.
Rob was also impressive. I think he did a better job with the quickstep than Hope, but Hope’s jive was better. But I’m not a dancer so I don’t know the technicality.
Overall it was a fun night 🙂
I was disappointed with judges voting tonight. They mean for JR to win it, and I think he is a great man and a good dancer. But, he is getting his share of the spotlight Rose Parade Grand Marshal, etc., so why not judge fairly and give the others the better scores they deserve and not give scores just to allow JR to win. I’m not sure that Nancy will go home simply because she has most of the nation voting for her!
Wow, tonight was a total freak…in good ways and the bad. It seemed we saw it all.
My rankings:
1. JR and Karina – It seems every season Karina puts forth a dance with choreography that leaves me stunned and tonight was that night. Their first dance was truly magic like Carrie Ann remarked. 10 However, their Jive wasn’t as good. JR seemed a little worn out. He had trouble keeping up his footwork and it was a little messy at times. It was still very entertaining and charming though. 9
2. Maks and Hope – These two were the surprise of the night for me. It was the first time I felt a total connection between them since this season has began. It seemed everything they’ve went through in the good, bad, and the ugly brought them finally to this night. I’m glad that they’ve went through the bad times they have. It turned out to be an awakening and will make them both better and more grounded people in the end. It’s humbled Maks too which he needed. I would have given their first dance a 9 and their Jive a 10. What an improvement and what’s more, a “life” journey! I’m a happy Maks fan again.
3. Ricki and Derek – Their first dance was just phenomenal. It was smooth, beautiful, and elegant. A+++ choreography again from Derek! It was truly magical. 10. However, Ricki struggled through the jive. I think she was totally tuckered out after the first dance. She couldn’t get her legs and body to move. Derek was so cute though. He danced up a storm and is always a pure joy to watch. 8
4. Rob and Cheryl – Rob is turning out to be such a charmer. I love how relaxed he was again. He was so light on his feet which was surprising and he improved once again. He should be so proud. I think his first dance deserved a 9. He was a little stiff at times for the second dance, but, he was still really good. 8
5. Nancy and Tristan – She’s another one who should be so proud of what she’s done on the show. She’s been cheeky and fun no matter what’s been thrown at her. Shame on Len for being so mean. Yes, her legs were stiff and she may not be the best dancer compared to the rest, but, his comments were totally uncalled for. I hate it when the judges demean people. I’d have given both dances an 8. One more thing: I loved Tristan’s dancing and choreography. He reminds me so much of Derek sometimes.
The end. I can’t wait to read everyone else’s thoughts.
If you’ve been blocked before, I WILL block you again. Change your IP all you want, I’ll keep blocking you.
Zack, a warning: calm down or I’ll just start deleting. You don’t get to go apeshit just because I didn’t think Hope was as awesome as you seem to think.
Rick, buh-bye. Being a pretty girl ain’t got a damn thing to do with why I wasn’t a fan of Kendra and why I don’t care for Hope – neither one is a great dancer & neither one entertains me. Vote with your penis if you so desire, but don’t hate on me because I prefer my contestants to have actual dance skills.
My persona for tonight:
JR
Ricki
Rob
Hope
Nancy
No Courtney – no warnings for Zach. He’s been blocked before for bad behavior but knows how to generate a new IP. He’s gone. Again.
Oops, apology for errors, meant “personal ranking”
1. J.R./Karina they were just amazing, I thought they deserved the 60. They are full of energy and he is so funny and I really want Karina to win.
2. Hope/Maks, I am surprised they really improved tonight, it is nice to see her relaxing.
3. Ricki/Derek, yeah they were way off tonight.
4. Rob/Cheryl, after tonight I am not so sure about final 3 for them but it could all depend on who survives tomorrow night and who dances better in final 4 between him or Hope
4. Nancy/Tristan dreadful, their tango was good I guess. They really need to go
I thought we blocked him once before, but with so many trolls that we’ve had to vanquish lately, it’s hard to keep track. They all start to sound the same – desperate for attention & with nothing better to do than make noise.
I for one wasn’t drinking any of that koolaid Maks and Hope were trying to sell. Blatant damage control is all it was. I mean come on…..the freaking dog? And as usual she was overscored. But not unexpected since they obviously don’t want Nancy anywhere near the finals.
I think the dancing overall tonight was pretty good, but the judges messed up everything again with the scores.
JR/Karina- While JR was definitely the best tonight, I would not have given him a 30 for either dance. His Waltz was beautiful and well executed. However, there were a few spots where it just looked like he was losing his fluidity and grace in his feet. His Jive was really good, but I feel he had the same problem Ricki did (to a lesser degree), I felt he stopped and started a few times. Not quite as noticeable, but it was there. When you give Hope a 27 for that Quickstep, I do undersantd the 30s though.
Hope/Maks- These two were a breath of fresh air for me compared to how things have been going beforehand. I was so happy to see Hope having fun and being the most relaxed I’ve seen her since her Foxtrot. The Quickstep turned out to be pretty good, but she did overpower a lot of steps. Her Jive was a great improvement from the last. I was so surprised to see her so energetic and sassy, but stay on time and actually have decent footwork. Two good dances, but I don’t think a 27 was right for her Quickstep. More like 25 or 24 for me. Jive was just right.
Ricki/Derek- Ricki was a mix-bag for me this week. Her Waltz was just absolutely gorgeous. Ricki definitely has the most natural, poetic movements for me this season. She did need some heel leads though, but I think a 28 is about right, maybe a point more since Hope again was overscored a little. Ricki’s jive was fun and cute, but she struggled in this one. I don’t think this came from a lack of skill on Ricki’s part as much as the jive just doesn’t seem to suit Ricki for me. The Quickstep, Waltz, Tango, and Cha-cha-cha all seem to be better suit her style IMO.
Rob/Cheryl- Rob’s Quickstep was fantastic. His best dance I think. He was light-footed, quick, precise, and had a great frame. He’s really impressed me, and like Bruno said, his improvement is just unreal to me. He had more trouble in his jive, but he still managed to do well. Really hope he makes the finals.
Nancy/Tristan-I love Nancy, and I love Tristan, but I’m afraid it’s their time. Nancy’s tango was better than last week’s, but it was too soft and squishy, whereas the tango must be sharp and crisp. Her jive was, again, better than last week, but it had the same problem, not sharp enough. But she defintiely seemed to have a blast while she was dancing.
Well, I thought J.R. was fabulous! He deserves a medal for his performance. I was absolutely taken with the way he danced tonight. He ROCKED IT. Rob came out a little funky with the arms but over all he was great and great! I see him improving every week. He puts it all out there and doesn’t complain ever. I love his ability on how hard he works and can laugh at himself in rehearsals Go Rob! Where has Hope been hiding all these weeks.It’s nice to see Maks in rehearsals being so patient to Hope. Thank You Maks you Rocked tonight! Thank you! Love You Maks! Ricki was off a bit but still fabulous Derek and Ricki glides so smoothly. Love them both! Where does Derek get those moves they are outstanding wow! Nancy, it’s time to go home and I have loved your spunk! Just know in your heart that you did the best. Your effort was great! I would love to be a writer for DWTS!!! If you need a writer let me know.
In my opinion, Rob was the surprise of the night. I believe he has an excellent shot at the finals. I’m trying to think positive, but I fear for Ricki.
Word Donna. Wow. He shoves her and is rough with her (and this isn’t the first time for this behavior) but one decent week and all is sunshine and roses for some fans. Disturbing.
I used my 15 votes for a Kardashian. I can’t believe it, but he really charmed me this week.
Heidi/Donna, ITA. Incredible how Maks is rewarded for his behavior.
Totally agree Donna, that Maks & Hope crap was a joke & all done to help their chances, the judges were on crack tonight, so did NOT deserve those scores for her Quickstep, Maks dragged her along the floor again, terrible posture & legs.
She was WAY OVER scored for one reason, they want Nancy gone, that was all it was & they were afraid her fanbase if they kept her close to Hope would pull her through so they blatantly & disturbingly overscored her again.
Yes Nancy is due to go & is the worst BUT Len can suck with his rude ass comment when all are doing the best they can & Carrie Ann needs to STFU with her come give me a hug garabage, Hope was bad tonight, just not as bad as Nancy lol
Team MacGrace had a great ride, way too go Tristan!!
They should fire whoever sang “Valerie”, WOW that was awful. Hope and Maks seemed really fake and forced this week. Still wish they would get put out of their misery. No way that dance deserved 9’s. The desperation to dig themselves out of their hole is just sad to watch.
JR was great, still gave all of my votes to Ricki and Derek.
Hoping for Rob for third place in the finals. (Never thought I would say that).
Rob & Cheryl – I liked both of their dances tonight. They were fun to watch & Rob’s feet looked better to me in the QS. Really want them in the final!
Hope & Maks – Overscored in the QS. Hope still looks hunched and “wrestly” in hold & wobbly in her turns. Jive seemed about right. Maybe they did find their fun, but it seemed contrived, & it’s too late for me. Their quality of dancing is not any where near Ricki & Derek’s.
Ricki & Derek – Lovely waltz, liked her legs in the jive. I hope they have some angry and motivated fans voting tonight.
Nancy & Tristan – I think this was the most free Nancy has danced this season. Good attitude in the tango. How much will Len’s comment rally fans?
JR & Karina – LOVED the waltz – I didn’t want it to end. I think their jive was the best of the night, but not 30 worthy. Considering how wacky some of the rest of the scoring was, they almost had to give it to him.
Tonight was a weird night, but in a good way. I thought the overall level of dancing (except Nancy) was high. Maybe because we’re finally past theme weeks?
Rob\Cheryl – If Nancy didn’t have such low scores, I almost might believe Rob would be in trouble. He was good, but not super memorable in the Quickstep and the Jive was fine, but no improvement over the first Jive he did earlier in the season. He continues to show a good sense of humor, though, and that should carry him through as much as anything.
Hope\Maks – Most improved by far. I liked her Quickstep more than Rob’s, though I could be influenced by the fact that I love Valerie (even though the show butchered the song per usual). The Jive was great, though. Finally putting her incredible energy and long lines to good use! All I reasonably expected for the instant dance was for one couple to come out and improve their Jive and I was pleaseantly surprised it was Hope and Maks.
The package for them tonight was total damage control, of course. I think Maks hates having to be softer and gentler. Since I am not as forgiving as Hope apparently is, I have to admit to getting a little bit of sadistic pleasure out of seeing Maks so throughly whipped.
Ricki\Derek – The waltz was lovely and I thought was scored reasonably. The Jive was a mess and I’m pleasantly surprised the judges reastrained themselves from handing out 9’s just because it was Derek. Derek was great of course, but I could visibly see Ricki tiring. For once, Derek couldn’t hide her flaws.
I think Ricki needs to learn the lesson that Hope learned this week, which is that she just needs to focus on enjoying herself. She is getting too wrapped up in the scores and judges comments. When you start apologizing to the audience for disappointing them, I think it’s a sign that you’re losing sight of what the competition is about.
Nancy – Not much to say. As happened with Chaz the week he was finally eliminated, I think Nancy was exposed as being far outside the class of the other dancers tonight. However, I think Len was mean for telling her it was time to go. I hate it when the judges say that. (For the record, I do think she will be going home tomorrow.)
JR – Deserved to be on top of the leaderboard. Did he desrve two perfect 30’s? Maybe not for the Waltx, but honestly, I think there were other dances he’s done that deserved perefct 30’s and I feel like they only held off until tonight because they wanted to wait until later in the competition. I loved his Jive. That was about the best you could expect for something put together in 20 minutes. It still burns me he only got a 22 for his first Jive so I’m glad that little injustice was corrected.
Overall, I thought this was one of the best episodes of the season.
I thought the sudden change of attitude for Maks and Hope was something the production cooked up after the last 2 weeks for them. Tonight actually worked out for TPTB, they’ve been pushing this redemption arc since week 3 and so it happened atleast in the eyes of the judges. Nancy had a good run and Im not mad cause she probably the worse dancer left but it felt like they wanted them to leave.
Im happy for JR and Karina for most likely having her first win.
JR and Karina are not as good as anyone in the previous years and I’m tired of them getting a pass on the technique department. You have to be sharp, and he is too loose for me. Big in the enthusiasm department. Hope and Max are getting better, she does look more “girly”, and the judges are brutal on these two. I don’t like the long dresses Ricki wears all the time, I can’t see her leg work and they make her look short and dumpy. (Just because you might be short and dumpy doesn’t mean you have to look that way!) It is strange that year after year the long and lanky women who can actually dance have a heck of a time staying on the show, a la China. Please, no more Chaz’s, okay?
1. JR and Karina, loved both dances!
2. Ricki and Derek, a little off tonight, but better than the rest.
Judges were overtaken for certain teams, like were invaded by body snatchers. They then began giving really high scores
3.Hope/Maksim
4.Rob/Cheryl
5.Nancy/Tristen
Hoping Len, CarrieAnn and Bruno are back next week. They were fading in and out tonight! JMO
Tonight was one of the best episodes of the season to me. if people are going to over talk the Hope/Maks “abuse” they need to talk about the way Nancy has been treating Tristan shoving him around and cutting him down there shouldnt be any double standards for that.
Most pleasing part of the night—JR getting a standing “O” before the dance even ends 🙂
Most stunning was when Maks said to Brooke that he thought Hope deserved it (9s) before tonight…..seriously, Maks?
I thought Len’s comment to Nancy was really nasty. He can’t get her off the show so he’s trumping up Hope’s scores for no reason that I can see. Hope still dances like she is lost in space. In my opinion, she is the least deserving to end up in the finals.
Seriously Len?? That was rude!! Nancy is giving her best & she is not getting the money from it.. She’s dancing for fun & for charity!!
Anyways, safe or not safe tomorrow -for me Team MacGrace is already a winner!! As what Nancy&Tristan said, u don’t have to be the best as long as ur doing ur very best!!
Tristan is THE PRO, buddies. What he achieved with nancy, and never gave up on her. Probably nancy was the new pros hardest partner to handle (MWP was a nice guy and Elisabetta could grow but had no chemestry with Val)
I like JR’s jive, but his foot was a little flat on kicks. and My favourite instant dance is Kyle’s. He should get 30. But we know Len has an issue with Lacey and never gave her a 30.
I just wanna add that this was the best week of this season. Less drama and more dance. Thanks God.
*Len never gave Lacey a 10, I mean
Yeah, sheery, I picked up on Maks (highly unrepentant) comment as well. I think he and Len were sharing a crack pipe.
JR/Karina: Did Great, but I saw some stops and goes in his waltz as well. It wasn’t only Ricki with some mis-steps.
Ricki/Derek: Waltz was beautiful, great choreography as usual. The jive she started to tire a little, but I still think she deserved a 9 or so. Derek more than made up for her stops.
Hope/Maks: She greatly improved. Seemed to be having fun. Did someone give Maks nice pills last night? Good to seem him smiling for a change of pace.
Rob/Cheryl: He did ok, still seems a little stiff.
Nancy/Tristian: I give her all the credit in the world. But I think she has danced her last dance.
Trenta, #25, you are so right about the redemption arc. The judges had to give Hope high marks now that Maks was playing at being nice. The family meal was more damage control, but this time is was more about family redemption. Remember, they own dance studios. They are dance teachers! Mak’s previous behaviour is not very good PR for a dance studio. What a bunch of BS tonight with the scoring! The whole night turned my stomach with the way the scored were so blatantly contrived.
Last night I think was the first time I ever saw Derek dance around someone. The Jive was more Derek than ricki. At time Ricki just sort of stood there while Derek was doing all the work..almost like she blanked out…probably was either tired or thinking too much. give her credit though for getting through it.
I also found myself watching Tristan more than Nancy during both dances so I can’t comment on her…but when he ran his hand up her thigh at the end of the Tango….kinda wishing I was Nancy right then….:-) Hope he is back next season
So glad for no drama last night. The judges were doing the usual picking and choosing of who to nitpick and who to praise, but that isn’t really new.
J.R. & Karina were terrific. Their jive was awesome but I think I would have scored him even with Ricki on the waltz. I think he might of done heel leads, but she did other things better than he did. I thought Ricki & Derek’s waltz was just beautiful, I love the way Derek puts a waltz together and she floated around the floor. The jive was definitely weaker but I think they were too harsh with the scores (or actually it might have been just too generous with other people’s scores in comparison….)
Hope definitely had a better week but I can’t justify tying her scores with Ricki for the night. The judges were just itching to be positive there. And because they overscored Hope, it affected the scoring of the others.
Rob was good but not great to me. And Nancy is the weakest left and the judges made it obvious what they wanted. As much as I like Tristan it is probably their time, though I would not be sorry to see Hope go. At least it would be on a positive note for her. One pretty good/positive week isn’t enough to erase the mediocre dancing of their whole season.
I just hope Ricki doesn’t suffer tonight because Hope/Maks and Nancy/Tristan fans vote like crazy. Ricki was a little off but not enough to justify not continuing, she has been really strong all season!
I thought Rob and Cheryl did a great job and I’m really impressed at how he’s improved over the season. J.R. danced extremely well. He and Karina are a great mix. Ricki did well in the waltz, but I do think she was overscored in the jive as she didn’t have as much oomph and content as some of the other dancers. I would have scored Hope over her because Hope was on fire with the jive. Even though Hope could improve technically, she gave it her all and had fun and there was a lot of content and she stood up to the task and surpassed my expectations.
The clips with Hope and Maks did look like damage control, but whatever their motives or the producers’ motives, it did strike me as genuine. It did look like Maks was trying and Hope did look like she was having fun. I thought they had a connection tonight in both dances that wasn’t there before. I thought she did really well and I would like her to stay another week. The only thing about her first dance was that it reminded me of Maks and Brandi’s “I’ll be there for you” choreography. It seemed like Maks took what worked from their Toy story dance and incorporated ideas from the Friends dance as well, which if memory serves me correct made Brandi and Maks look like a team as well.
I’ll start with my rankings for the first dances:
1) JR: LOVED IT! Karina should get an emmy nod for that one.
2)Ricki and Derek: Awesome Job as well.
3) Hope and Maks: Awesome dane. She really is coming on strong in the final lap of the competition.
4) Nancy and Thistan: I liked it better than Rob and Cheryl’s dance.
5) Rob: The dance was good but not memorable.
Instant Jives:
1) Ricki and Derek: My fav. instant jive of the night.
2) JR and Karina: Also really good but I liked his irst jive better.
3) Hope and Maks: A real surprise. I think she really is one to look out for.
4) Rob and Cheryl: Cute jive but I expected more from the choreography.
5) Nancy: Hated it. I’m sorry to say that the jive she did last night will send her home.
Its official the judges are CRAZEEE!
JR and Karina were fantastic. I couldn’t take my eyes off of them during their waltz, it literally took my breath away. 🙂
Hope and Maks – Its unfortunate, that Maks is being rewarded for his “bullyism” (I know how much you loved that work Heidi, LOL) but I think he has been a disgrace this season, the shoving of Hope last week was the final straw for me. The fact that Maks feels everything is roses now is disturbing. They were overscored tonight.
Ricki and Derek, Ricki just wasn’t herself tonight. She seemed somewhat lost during both dances at times. Just wasnt her best night. I agree with the poster above about Rickis costumes at times seem to be too much, too long, too flowy, is it to cover up flaws? She has lost a lost of weight, be proud, show it off. Sometimes Derek overdances her with splits and fancy moves to take the focus off of her. I wish he wouldn’t do that because he reminds me of Mark…
Rob and Cheryl – Just doesn’t stand out for me, I did enjoy his Adams Family dance last week. I have a feeling that Maks may take his spot in the final 3. Gawd, I hope not though.
Nancy and Tristan – My little Leprechaun may be leaving the dancefloor this week. Nancy has raised a lot of money for her charity and we have seen a sweet and funny side of her. I have enjoy them both on the show… I say Job well done… 🙂
Heidi, do you think the producers likely don’t want Ricki and Derek to make it to the finals because they fear that since Derek has never lost from that position, they threaten JR’s win?
That crazy overscoring of everyone and underscoring especially Ricki’s waltz, seriously puts them in jeopardy what with the Krazee Kardashians followers, Nancys network support etc. So sad for Ricki who hasworked so hard and has really delivered for a partner, that in the beginning, a lot of people thought she shouldn’t even be dancing with.
my rankings
1) JR and Karina- i thought he did an excellent job coping with the latin and ballroom dances EQUALLY well. His personality and good vibes are kinda contagious and i think the whole audience and judges catch it. Honestly though, i didnt think either one of his dances deserved a perfect 30 standing on their own, but when u compare them to the others’ dances and their scores, then i guess i can see why the judges curved him to a perfect score.
2/3) Ricki and Derek- i gotta say imma tad dissapointed. the only reason i have ricki here is that she has the most talent (with maybe exception of JR), so even on her off weeks, its not complete crap…but something started to become glaringly obvious this last week and this week… Derek dances around her ALOT, which maybe for a lower tier dancer i would be more willing to accept, but shes too darn talented for that. Half of the jive it looked like she was doing simple “twist” or standing still and derek was just flying around her…i noticed it also in the waltz a bit. Ive just noticed it these last 2 wks, so maybe derek is just trying to cover up her injury, but its noticeable
2/3) hope and maks: is she still rough around the edges-hell yeah, but what i enjoyed about her dances is she had fun on the dance floor (which i think was a carry over from her samba), and most importantly, she showed a small amount, maybe just an ounce, of rhythm (which she was severely lacking previous weeks). I also thought her jive had the most jive content
4) Rob and Cheryl: i liked both their dances..and i thought his hands really did improve in the jive…but nothing really stood out for me
5) Nancy and Tristan: i actually REALLY enjoyed their tango, and thought they should have gotten close to, if not the same scores as Hope and Rob. that jive was a hot mess though
Well it appears that Nancy is gone although I think Len could have phrased it more tactfully. I agree that the judges we on something last night! As for the final three, I’d rather see Rob there than Hope
[…] a night…the best of the season in many of our opinions (refer to Courtney’s new Power Rankings Post.)!! Less drama and the focus was more on good dancing! George Pennacchio of On The Red Carpet was […]
I also think that the instant jive songs actually were ok. Ironic that for evry jive Hope has done she has had an Avril song lol
Lastly, I think we are going to see Rob stick around to the finals. I was watching the show back and I didn’t realize how popular he is with the studio audience. I felt bad for him though when Tom said “At least one Kardashian is havin a good week.”
I agree that the Hope/Maks package was likely a little over the top, but — without excusing any of his behavior at all — I think that since he apologized for what he did and honestly seemed genuine about it, that you can’t keep beating someone up for a mistake they made, and admitted they made. Bottom line, it was so nice to actually see Hope and Maks having fun, no matter how contrived it may or may not have been. (I lean toward the genuine, though.)
As far as the dances are concerned, even though I’m no dancer, I just can’t see Nancy sticking through another week. Hope and Rob should make it to the semis with JR and Ricki. And from there, it’ll be a tough call between Hope and Rob – I think it will all depend on how well they entertain next week!
What a night! I loved the energy, the excitement, Carrie Ann’s bangs…
1. JR and Karina. Holy crap, they were awesome! I thought the waltz was just beautiful. I have never been a big fan of Karina’s, but I really like her choreography this year. And I absolutely loved their jive. Best of the night, for me. Len was right, JR has the X factor. So, so entertaining.
2. Rob and Cheryl/Hope and Maks. Wow! Rob’s quickstep was so good! He has improved the most out of all of them. I thought his lines were wonderful and most of his steps looked smooth and polished…and I really hope he is in the final 3. He deserves it, I think. Their jive was rough but not the worst of the night.
Hope and Maks. Well, I guess that was the closest Hope will get to a public apology. Sheesh. As for the dancing, overall a marked improvement. And the difference, I think, was enjoyment. The bent legs were still there as was the non-follow through with the arms, but she seemed to have fun last night and that made a world of difference. The jive was high energy and she did an excellent job of keeping up with Maks. If she had been dancing like this for the last few weeks and progressing accordingly, then maybe she would a shoo-in for the final. Unfortunately, I think it’s too little too late.
Ricki and Derek. Something has changed with Ricki. Maybe it’s her injury, maybe she’s putting too much pressure on herself, but something is different and it’s affecting their dancing in a negative way. Before, she seemed to get immersed in the dance and now she seems to stand out in it. Does that make sense? Maybe she’s over-thinking it? I thought the waltz was beautiful, but the jive was really disappointing.
Nancy and Tristan. I know she is not at the same level as the others, but I will miss her if she leaves tonight (and I think she will). Len was right, but couldn’t he have said it more delicately?
I thought that Nancy did well for her never dancing before the GWTS show. I think she takes criticism well. I thought that Lenn was out of line with his comment. That was a cruel remark, especially after some of the votes he gave for some of the other dancers. Just because of that, I hope she doesn’t go home tonight. You can tell the judges are all sucking up to Maks. Was that the deal, after he treated his partner like crap, bordering on abuse. And don’t forget his outburst a couple of weeks ago. I found last nights votes nauseating. I think this will be my last season, if they can’t be honest with the voteing from the judges, and the remarks like, your toes weren’t pointed, your butt was sticking out too far, etc. They can be criticual, without being hurtful and cruel. Besides, some of these people have never danced before. I think that should be the thing in the furture. If your a contestant on the show, you should never have had any dance experience. Some how I don”t think it’s right for some to have experience, and to compare them who have never been on the dance floor. Well, enough said.
I am so upset …i don’t know where to start. maybe by saying that i really, really don’t like when the judges are using two different measurements for the same thing… i understand…they want JR to win and Nancy to go home…their job is to score the dancers and they should do just that without trying to pass their opinion as the only right thing. i also don’t like how at this time in the competition so many people aplaud and praise the improvement…people, for god sake, we are almost in the finals…the time for improvement is gone…now…you can dance or you can’t. simple as that…you don’t overscore a pair because it finally showed a tiny sign of improvemen´t in week 8!! and you don’t underscore a pair because it wasn’t as good as you expected to be compared not to the others couples but to his/her previous performances…it’s week 8 for everybody…do you really think Hope and Ricki (it’s an exemple..they are the ones tied for second place) are at the same level…or do we overscore Hope because she seemed to be dancing this week compared to all the other weeks and underscore Ricki because she had a week off and she wasn’t as goos as last week..and of course we all expected that, right? and Ricki is not lost in the score … or whatever somebody said around here..she is a perfectionist … and the problem with the perfectionsits is that even though their aderage is much better as other one’s best …for them is just not good enough. That was Ricki’s only problem. I still thought that Ricki’s waltz was amazing. and yes…i disliked the instant Jive idea from the start because i knew it would only favor JR. as i said…we didn’t even reach the final..and they are already handing out the MBT …so what’s the use …
Elara:
Don’t worry, the judges pull the BS everytime. I have all the confidence Ricki and Derek will be there next week. I hear he’s also got 4 dances to do. So I think he got the DAD after we all voted our butts off!
It has to be Nancy who goes tonight, she gets all the credit in the world, but I cannot seeing her going into next week!
WOW! God forbid Derek is in the bottom 2 today because everyone here will have a heart attack…lol! Relax people. We all know JR is going to win, it’s been said since before the show started. Once you accept that, everything else will be easy to enjoy. Sorry, but Rickie does not dance better than JR. Week after week, Maks and Hope keep being the talk of the town, whether it’s good or bad. Poor Rob, well, what can I say. He’s just Rob. Oh, and Nancy. wow, please take her out of her misery and send her home.
Amanda, so your point is that JR ‘s winning is already fixed … since before they even started dancing … is that your point?!? Do you have any facts to go along with that?
Why did the instant jive so obviously only favor JR? When they did the jive in week 2 the judges raved about Ricki and she scored better than JR. (Please don’t take this as me slamming Ricki, not at all, I think she’s doing great and I really really want her in the finals) Also, if it’s a stamina thing, Hope had a relative benefit to other contestants given her elite athlete fitness. They all had had the jive before, they all had the chance to improve upon their technique and performance.
I have to say, it makes me nervous and sad and even mad to hear some people say “we all KNOW JR will win and knew it before the show began”. What a way to trivialize all his hard work, Karina’s teaching and choreography, his skill and his performance ability. I just don’t see it as a slam dunk for him even with his high level of performance. I believe that Ricki and Derek could easily really deliver show stopping performances in the final hour (as they’ve already done a few times this season), also, I wouldn’t count out what Cheryl would be able to deliver with Rob in a finals show down.
Still, I”m so glad they’re done with theme weeks and happy to enjoy good performances all around.
Nancy “misery”, Amanda? I’ve never once thought Nancy was or acted miserable on this show and only the exact opposite. She’s had her chin up and wanted to dance no matter what? She’s loved this show and has been promoting it and all the dancers on her show. She may have been tired after rehearsing so much..but, who isn’t and wouldn’t be? I’m still ticked at Len though for what he said to her. Go ahead and critique her, but, please don’t demean them. None of them deserve that. 😡
As for Maks and Hope, I really think they came strides last night. I’m giving credit where it’s due. I loved their dances.
It may not have been Ricki’s dance for the second dance, but, her first dance was the tops. Same with JR imo.
Jess:
I agree with you. It really isn’t a slam dunk for J.R. I still think Ricki and Derek have some show stoppers left in them. It ain’t over dears. I just feel the judges are inconsistent in who they are voting for!
To the point that you want to throw up!
Amanda, it was decided before the show started that JR would win? Do you really believe most people thought Karina had a snowball’s chance in hell of accomplishing what she did with JR? And that “talk of the town” should be thankful the judges felt sorry for Hope. Still SMH at how people reinforce bad behavior.
YES JRS WIN IS FIXED! COMON WE ALL KNOW IT IS!!!! UGH! AND I THINK ROB DID AWESOME!!!! I LOVED HIS DANCE!
We don’t ALL know it. I don’t know it.
I think most people would agree that JR is the best actual dancer. Not necessarily their favorite, but the best dancer. It is very probable he will win since he seems super popular too.
So maybe Ricki isn’t AS good (or as good as Nicole or Jennifer, but please people, they aren’t in this season, its not about comparing her to Derek’s past partners) but she is good and certainly second best and has done very well all season. She deserves a spot in the finals in my opinion and it would be a dull, dull finals without her and Derek. It wouldn’t be interesting at all actually….who do you think is going to win if the finals consist of Hope Rob and JR? How predictable can you get? And if there was an upset there it would be pretty sad….I just don’t think the dancing of Rob or Hope merits a win.
I actually am hoping Ricki and Derek are in the spot of doom (but don’t go home of course). The fans could get scared into voting harder for them to get them into the finals and it would drive them for this coming week!
Alyssa – I don’t think the fix is in for any of the top dancers. JR will probably win, however, it won’t be by sympathy as one person implied earlier, he has proven that he is hard working, he has charisma, is a fantastic dancer, and a crowd pleaser. In my opinion, JR, Ricki, and even Rob have earned their spots in the final. Let the best dancer win!!!
@Meggie (#36) – You just said what I was thinking the whole time about Maks’ behavior. Who would want to pay to have their child taught at his studio using the methods he’s displayed this season? Parents may as well send their kids to that “Dance Moms” teacher. I think Maks may have finally wised up to the fact that even if he wasn’t go to be on DWTS any longer that that kind of PR might have a negative affect on his studios. The package of Maks and Hope talking and going to his family’s place just seemed so contrived and fake to me.
This is the first season I’ve watched this show, so I am in no way a “Maks fan.” However, I’m just curious as to why a lot of you think the package was contrived when both he and Hope have said all week that they are going to “hit the reset button”? They said they were going to tone down the intensity, and all the package looked like to me was evidence that they’re finally concentrating on the fun. Just a thought.
I highly doubt TPTB would have any reason to “rig” a win for JR. As I was telling a coworker earlier, they may be gushing a bit too much over him, but I can’t say I’m really that pissed about it because I still think he’s the best dancer on the show, has a great personality, and is the best showman as well. It’d be different if he was more like, say, Bristol – not a great dancer or showman, and without a very sparkling personality. Then I would be a bit more indignant. But at this point, I already know the scoring is going to be cracktastic, so I can’t say I’m too surprised or upset by how JR was scored last night – he’s been underscored a few times as well, namely in his foxtrot and jive. I guess it all comes out in the wash. Ditto for Ricki – I thought her jive and tango were a bit overscored, and last night she was underscored. Until last week, I thought that Rob had been overscored – but I actually thought his tango deserved at least another point or two; Nancy’s quickstep seemed overscored to me, and last night her tango seemed underscored. Everyone seems to have benefitted from overscoring, and everyone seems to have been disadvantaged by underscoring. I guess it’s just to the point where I’m becoming exhausted with the whole debate…like Maks (can’t believe I just said that), I’m really only concerned with the end result now: JR winning, Ricki getting 2nd, and Rob getting 3rd.
Yes, there are 3 dances next week: their remaining unlearned Latin dance, the A. tango, and a cha-cha relay. So that means (assuming Nancy goes home tonight) Hope will have paso doble and Rob will have samba, and Ricki will have either samba or cha-cha and JR will have either paso doble or cha-cha. Don’t ask me how they’re going to pick which Ricki or JR do – I would say they’d pick samba & paso doble, respectively, but that would make sense, and clearly making sense is not always the objective of TPTB 😉 Thankfully, the cha-cha relay sounds much fairer that that blasted WTA cha-cha from last season – all 4 couples will dance to different parts of the same song, I’m guessing for 30 seconds each. Then they’ll rank the couples from worst to best, and give them 4, 6, 8, or 10 points each. Similar to the scoring of the marathon dance, but without the exhaustion. 😉 I have a feeling it will be pretty similar to the cha-cha relay of season 9 (thanks jimmboe for the link ;-)):
I think last night was a great show. Congrats to all the contestants.
I have to say that I really enjoyed Ricki’s Waltz, it was the best to me or at least equal to Jrs. Jr. did do an excellent job with the Instant Jive. It was hot.
IMHO I think Ricki and Jr. are equally talented. Her ballroom dances are exquisite. As an actress she knows how to embody whatever mood the dance requires! A very passionate performer and Derek’s choreography is superb. Jr. has that latin blood and smooth charisma and he shines in the dances like Samba & Jive. Karina and Derek’s choreography have been outstanding all season. I’m definitely hoping for a Ricki, Jr and maybe Rob finals.
Good Luck to all the couples.
For everyone who thinks JR has the MBT already you are forgetting one VERY important thing…FREESTYLE. That usually decides the winner. Karina has only done one freestyle before and lost to Cheryl. If it is Ricki, Rob & JR in the final, based on the past Rob & JR would have the edge – Derek always does amazing choreo & Cheryl did the best freestyle to date (w/ Drew). That said with JR’s personality Karina could pull out a freestyle that could blow everyone away.
The producers did their utmost to repackage Maks as someone palatable. It didn’t work. A horse is a horse by any other name.
That “apology” was as sincere as a $3.00 bill. I don’t want to see him clogging up my TV on Monday and Tuesday nights anymore.
At least most of the emphasis was on the DANCING last night and not all the other controversies that have dominated the season so far. The reason I watch this show is because I love to watch dancing, I should say good dancing. I have lost respect for Maks. He is not someone I would want to teach me to dance. I notice that every season his partners end up crying all the time and arguing with him a lot. I think he is a talented dancer, just not good at teaching dancing. Derek and Ricki’s waltz was beautiful. Derek is a genius at choreographing. Len and Bruno can be very cruel to people and I don’t like that. They should critique the dancing only, since that is their job, not making mean and bullying comments. I enjoy this site so much. Thanks for all your work keeping it going!
When Maks and Hope danced their quickstep, was anyone else reminded of the quickstep Maks danced with Brandy?
So im guessing Rob will not dance the Slow Waltz and Ricki will not dance either the Samba or Cha Cha? Am I forgetting someone who won’t get to chance a certain dance?
@Lisa C I agree that the Freestyle can decide who wins but Karina didnt lose to Cheryl because of the freestyle since Karina and Mario’s Freestyle got better scores than Cheryl and Emmitt’s. Overall they had the same scores so it all went down to the viewers votes and the viewers liked Emmitt better. So I think Karina can choreograph an amazing Freestyle with JR, now Derek and Ricki’s should be also amazing cause Derek knows how do to an awesome freestyle.
Now I hope they’re in the finals! hopefully with Rob who deserves that 3rd place more than Hope and Nancy imho.
Honestly, Zack, I don’t really know at this point. My best guess is that they’ve 86’d the salsa & those in the final will end up with one dance they’ll never get to do.
Sure, Nancy is not a great dancer…she’s the oldest competitor on the show and probably the least athletic. Yes, she’s probably going home tonight. That being said, this will end my interest in DWTS. The judges have been cruel and biased. The show apparently has an agenda, i.e., basically last week Nancy was told she wasn’t coming back. This week, quite frankly, her dances weren’t good, but I thought she did as well as Rikki on the jive, but got very negative score. If the show predetermines the outcome, no need for my interest. Goodbye DWTS!
Thought Hope did a great job on the jive Instant Dance. Well done, Maks.
A salsa relay might have been more fun than seeing cha-cha again (though thankfully there wasn’t nearly as much “cha-cha-ing” as last season). On balance, though, that would mean learning 3 new styles of dance in a week. Don’t think that they’ve ever done that (?) and perhaps with good reason – that would be a lot of technique to learn!
I have thought that this competition was JR’s to lose since the very beginning because he has such a compelling story, he’s a nice guy, and he dances very well.
I say that and I am a Maks fan all the way. I was thrilled to see he and Hope hit “reset” on their relationship this week. In several video interviews between last week and this week, he admitted he was wrong & too intense with her. That was my main concern when I learned Hope would be his partner. They are too much alike.
That said, I believe their sincerity in resetting things, and I don’t know what more he could have or should have done. He’s human, he’s competitive, passionate & intense. So is Hope. They deserve to be there next week & I sincerely hope they are.
Thanks, Courtney, for the Power Rankings! I know you said right off the bat that your rankings were based on who you thought had the most staying power this week and not who you liked, but that scares me even more. Unless I’m misunderstanding you, you think that Hope has more staying power than Ricki tonight??? There was just one point difference in scores, I believe, deserved or not. Am I missing something here? 🙂
@Courtney – Thanks for the flashback to Season 9 Cha-Cha Relay… Poor Jonathan paired with Macy. He didn’t have a chance. I loved Kelly and Louis together, I think Kelly was supposed to be a stinker partner for Louis, but turned out to be a crowd favorite. I loved how happy Kelly always was after her dances. Definitely one of my favorite routines. 🙂
i THINK IT’S TIME THAT KARINA WON THE TROPHY, I DON’T NECESSARILY LIKE HER AS MUCH AS I LIKE DEREK, BUT REALLY, HE’S ALREADY WON 3 TROPHIES, HOW EXCITING COULD IT BE FOR HIM KNOWING THAT NO MATTER WHICH PARTNER HE GETS, HE’S PROBABLY GOING TO WIN. DOES ANYONE KNOW IF HE HAS EVER COME IN SECOND OR THIRD? I KNOW MARK BALLAS HAS COME IN THIRD SEVERAL TIMES. I REALLY WISH HOPE AND MAKS WOULD GO HOME TONIGHT, I AM REALLY TIRED OF HIS SMIRKS AND HIS UN CALLED FOR COMMENTS. ALSO, I WISH MICHAEL FLATLEY WOULD REPLACE BRUNO, I REALLY CAN’T STAND THAT OBNOXIOUS IDIOT.
Sorry, I was travelling and couldn’t comment till now. I thought Ricki and JR were pretty close last night in their first dances, but Ricki got lost in her jive. They have both been under and over scored so it tends to wash out.
Watc h for Ricki and Derek to make a big “comeback”next week.
While it was nice to see Maks and Hope having some fun, it was so blatantly packaged as to be laughable.
Rob did very well last night, he continues to surprise me.
I hated Len’s comment to Nancy. It was cruel and unnecessary. That said, she’s likely going home tonight, but she had embraced the experience and had a lot of fun, unlike Hope. Nancy this week, and very likely Hope next week.
Is there any hope that the couples who make the finals will then perform their last undanced styled rather than a redemption dance (like in season 9)? I”ll be very disappointed to not get to see Ricki do either the samba or cha-cha and JR the paso or cha-cha. 🙁 They should have let them do one of those this week instead of having everyone do the jive again. -__-
Although a cha-cha relay also seems interesting considering both Ricki and JR haven’t learned that style yet while all the others have.. If they do something like that I wish it would be more balanced but I know this show doesn’t always like to be fair, lol. 🙁
# MARGARET – in a normal world Ricki and Derek must be in the final…this is not a normal world. i did my job and voted my fingers off, so i hope your are right and they will be safe and back with a vengeance 😀
# Amanda – i don’t appreciate your sarcasm… of you don’t like what i have to say …you are invited to skip my posts. I admire Derek and i don’t see why i have to explain myself to you, or anyone else for that matter.
# jess – the instant jive favored only JR it suited him the best – from any points of view: technique, stamina, rhythm, posture. all the other contestants have had a “department” problem.
And…mea culpa for the fact that i said they handed the MBT already (too upset and i forgot to be PC). the trophy is still in game and i know they are all fighters so i hope it will make a nice, entertaining show.
If TPTB wanted one style that all couples had done before, their choices were jive and rumba. And I can kind of see where 5 rumbas in a row might not have made for exciting TV.
I guess I don’t mind the concept in theory. It makes comparing easier, is a more level playing field in terms of style difficulty, and maybe allows better dancing/less stress because everyone knows the basics already. Cha-cha would probably be relatively fair to everyone by Week 8. Or use an easier-technique style that no one has done. But I agree with Elara38 and others that jive isn’t a good choice, since that style itself is very “unlevel” among couples.
@Sandy I believe to begin with Kelly was supposed to with Mark and Melissa was supposed to be with Louis but Kelly didn’t want to take at something happening with Mark since she was engaged. I read that somewhere but Im not entirely sure. Does anybody know that for a fact? Sorry for bad grammar too tired to care tonight.
I always want to say thanks for such a great site: its amazing! My impressions:
1) JR & Karina: JR’s dancing is ok, not great: I feel like he gets by on energetic performances and his “war hero” persona. His dancing actually leaves me cold; I never seem to be able to connect with it emotionally. I do enjoy watching Karina’s dancing: she makes it all look so easy. Didn’t think they warranted 3 “10”s though. Way overscored.
2) Ricki & Derek: Should win & I’m voting my brains out for them, but I doubt the petty producers will allow Derek a 4th MBT even though I think he should get it. Loved their waltz and the emotional connection they portrayed: it was really beautiful. I thought Ricki did better in the instant jive than her first jive of the season, although she had a couple of stalls & glitches. Its always a treat to watch Derek dance. I thought they were definitely underscored.
3) Maks & Hope: Well, last night was the best dancing I saw from them, but that’s not saying much and I thought they were over-scored. I was insulted at the “reset button” attempt to re-package this contentious duo as a loving pro/celebrity partnership. Maks was abusive and nasty to Hope and I hope he leaves the show. He shouldn’t be allowed to get away with that behavior. I’m so done with him.
4) Rob & Cheryl: All I was thinking as he danced was: “Good for him!” He has really improved and I’m starting to enjoy his attempts at dancing. He may make it to the finals.
5) Nancy & Tristan: I’m thoroughly entertained by this funny, bickering and sweet couple: they just crack me up, although I think Tristan is getting a bit weary of her. Its too bad that her instant jive was a train wreck. I suspect its “bye-bye” this week, although I hope cutie-pie Tristan will come back next season. I love his accent: ” Tree eights are bettah dan tree sevens”. He is totally adorable.
This is way late, but – NO, I don’t think the producers actually care who wins the MBT at the end. I think they want to have an exciting show, and I think they want to have good “story arcs” – and I think the judges wanted/expected/hoped that Hope would be this fabulous dancer as one of their arcs. When she wasn’t, they kept waiting and waiting for her to happen (after all the hype) and then when she finally shows a glimmer of promise, they go insane and overscore her (AGAIN) – the redemption story arc AND they make sure Nancy goes home. I don’t think they care if Derek wins again – TPTB win EITHER WAY. Think of the PR they get from one pro getting a fourth mirror ball. Yeah, lots of people will bitch and moan, forget all about all of Maks’ great partners that he couldn’t win with and cry foul…but so what?? All that talk is great for them and the whiners will never change the channel, no matter what they say and Especially if Derek leaves.
LOL – Maks is the talk of the town for throwing a fit and pushing his partner around.
Derek is often the talk of the town for amazing choreography, Emmy nominations and winning three times.
I’ll take door number two, Monty.
They’re well known for contrived packages, Marie, and you can usually tell pretty easily when they are. Shannon and Derek on the beach. Julianne and Helio driving in a convertible…to the beach. The list is long and not very distinguished. This might be the first time that one was contrived for damage control.