DWTS 14 – What’s Left to Dance?
Well, we’ve reached the halfway point (sort of…) of the competition. Only 7 of the 12 couples we started with remain, and each couple has 6 dances down and 6 more regular ones to go (not counting team dances, freestyles, etc.) in the 4 weeks left in the competition. Now we get down to the nitty gritty and see what everyone is really made of…because starting next week, they all have to do 2 full-length dances per week. So let’s take a look at what each of the couples has to contend with in the coming weeks, shall we?
First impressions: anyone who still has samba left to do is likely at a bit of a disadvantage, as that’s the dance that really seems to trip a lot of people up. Those who are still waiting to do Argentine tango could have a slight edge, as it seems to be a dance that can really redeem a couple when done later in the competition. I think Donald & William are likely going to struggle a bit with their remaining ballroom dances; Jaleel, Maria, and Katherine are probably going to be a bit challenged by their remaining Latin dances; and Melissa & Roshon are probably going to struggle with just about everything, since they don’t seem to be in the judges’ favor.
Jaleel & Kym – remaining dances: paso doble, waltz, quickstep, Viennese waltz, salsa, Argentine tango
I’d say Jaleel actually has one of the better sets of remaining dances left to do – it’s a good mix of Latin & ballroom, and he still has both of his “extra” dances to burn through. He seems stronger in the ballroom dances than in the Latin, so I don’t see waltz, quickstep, or Viennese waltz being a big problem; and I could see him really doing well in the paso doble, since he seems to have some anger issues he needs to work out :-). He seems to have to intensity necessary for Argentine tango, but I have to say, I’m skeptical about how proficient he’s going to be at the salsa – he’s got the personality, but I’ve noticed that his footwork tends to suffer at the expense of his showmanship…especially on more energetic dances like jive & samba.
Donald & Peta – remaining dances: samba, jive, waltz, tango, Viennese waltz, salsa
I seriously love Donald, but I think he’s got his work cut out for him the next few weeks – he’s still got two of the more difficult Latin dances left to deal with, and since he still seems to be struggling a bit with ballroom posture & frame, I think the waltz, tango, and Viennese waltz are going to be a challenge. I think he’ll have a blast with the salsa, though – I can just see the big ol’ grin on our “hunkey dunkey” football player now 😀 I’m just a bit concerned with the judges – I think they’re warming to Donald, but I don’t think they’re as willing to overlook slight errors with him as they are with Katherine, William, or even Maria. He’s gonna have to be on-point every week if he wants that “10 from Len”.
Maria & Derek – remaining dances: samba, paso doble, jive, waltz, Viennese waltz, Argentine tango
I really wish they had already gotten samba & jive out of the way earlier this season 🙁 Those are two dances I just don’t see Maria having an easy time with – no one really and truly nails the samba (and along with cha-cha, it’s Derek’s LEAST favorite dance to choreograph), and with the exception of Nicole, it seems like really willowy ladies seem to have trouble with the jive, as it takes more time & effort to get those long legs kicking & flicking properly. She might struggle a bit with paso, but Derek is generally pretty good at choreographing paso doble to his partner’s strengths, so I don’t think it will be too problematic; waltz and Viennese waltz shouldn’t be a problem; and the Argentine tango could be their secret weapon – if there’s one dance that might win them the pimp spot, it’s this one, as Derek has choreographed some of the most dramatic Argentine tangos over the years.
Roshon & Chelsie – remaining dances: paso doble, jive, waltz, tango, foxtrot, Argentine tango
First things first: while I still think Roshon is technically the best dancer still left in the competition, the judges (Carrie Ann in particular) have made it pretty clear that they’re VERY eager to point out any mistakes he makes – so he’s going to have to be damn near perfect in every single one of these dances, if he wants to stick around. He’s done pretty well with the ballroom dances he’s had so far, so I think waltz & foxtrot shouldn’t be a problem; he also has a bit of an edge in that he’s already done the jive in the dance duel (and gotten some critiques from the judges on it), so he knows what he needs to work on. The potential problems I see? Paso doble, tango, and Argentine tango – all require a certain degree of maturity and masculinity to really pull of well, and as we saw with the rumba this week…Roshon seems to struggle a bit with being a manly-man. 😛
Katherine & Mark – remaining dances: cha-cha, rumba, tango, quickstep, Viennese waltz, salsa
Well, when you’re a pretty good dancer and the judges seem to fawn over your every move, it doesn’t seem like you’d really struggle with any remaining dances – and to some degree, I get the feeling Katherine’s gonna have it made from here on out. However, I see cha-cha, rumba, and salsa sticking out as potentially weaker dances for her – all require a certain degree of sexiness to pull off successfully, and I still don’t think Katherine is really comfortable with being sexy & sassy. Her samba was ok, but I never got the feeling that she was 100% committed (or comfortable) with it; and while I thought her Argentine tango was great in terms of technique, she seemed to have emotional commitment problems there as well. Can she pull off the sexiness? We’ll see. Given her really good track record with the ballroom dances, I think tango, quickstep, and Viennese waltz should be a cinch – provided that Mark can continue to be “good Mark” and avoid any gimmicks.
William & Cheryl – remaining dances: samba, paso doble, waltz, tango, foxtrot, Viennese waltz
The first thing that jumps out at me here: William has already burned through most of the overtly “sexy” dances. Aside from the tango (and maybe the samba, if he can muddle through the technique), William doesn’t really have much to work with when it comes to wowing the audience with his sex appeal. He’s going to need to be vulnerable and romantic for the waltz & Viennese waltz, classy for the the foxtrot, and aggressive for the paso doble – and I don’t think Cheryl is going to have an easy time choreographing stuff to showcase William as a hot piece of ass in those dances. He’s going to have to legitimately learn technique – and judging from the 2 dances so far that he’s had to do without relying on sex appeal (quickstep & jive), he hasn’t been 100% successful with that. Upon watching his quickstep again, I’m especially wondering about the remainder of the ballroom dances he’s got to contend with – he seems to really struggle when in ballroom hold, and his posture’s iffy. Another thing I’ve noticed: he’s only got true Latin & ballroom dances left to do – no extraneous salsa or A. tango. Why is it significant? Well, I’ve kinda noticed that the judges tend to critique the real ballroom dances more harshly than those extra dances. William’s the only one that has burned through both of his two extra dances so far – it’s gonna be hardcore technique from here on out. I think he might be able to get through the samba with the whole “sex object” act and not much else, but the rest of these dances? Highly doubt it. I think we’re finally going to see what he’s REALLY made of.
Melissa & Maks – remaining dances: samba, rumba, waltz, tango, foxtrot, Argentine tango
The ugly samba strikes again…and I think the rumba could be problematic as well, especially since the only other couple that hasn’t done rumba yet either is Katherine & Mark – and I would not put it past TPTB to give both Katherine & Melissa the rumba in the same week, especially if they’re trying to oust the latter. I feel like it might end up being both ladies’ instant dances. I don’t think waltz, tango, or foxtrot will be a huge problem, but Argentine tango could be problematic due to the lifts – I’m a bit foggy today, so I’m having a hard time remembering, but was Melissa & Maks’ salsa really lifty or no? I just remember the tricks being a bit awkard. I think Melissa’s going to have to work hard in the coming weeks, though, because she does seem to be the weakest dancer still left in the competition – she’s managed to avoid the bottom 2 so far, but with fewer and fewer couples remaining, the odds are good that she will end up there next week or the week after, unless she can really improve her scores.
So what about the team dances? It’s definitely next week, but there’s been no official word yet on who’s on what team or what the dances are – but we do have tweets and pictures that the celebs started sharing on Twitter last night. Judging from a picture Maria tweeted, it looks like she, Katherine, and Roshon are all on a team together, and their dance is tango; Jaleel also tweeted something that Roshon said about his knees and hashtagged it with #teamdancepractice, so we’re guessing that Jaleel’s on their team as well. So that leaves William, Donald, and Melissa on the other team – and we don’t know what their dance is yet. Since it looks like Katherine & William are on different teams, I’m guessing they picked them as team captains based on them having the highest cumulative scores this season, and Katherine got first pick – which explains why she has the team with 4 couples. I’ve got a more in-depth post about the team dances comin’ atcha later-ish, when I have more details 😉
UPDATE: William’s team does indeed have the paso doble, per Cheryl’s Twitter:[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/CherylBurke/status/195237109483843587″][blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/mariamenounos/status/195032185256951808″][blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/jaleelwhite/status/195029394727768066″]
When is the instant dance? Week 8, as always. And it’s always a Latin dance…we just don’t know which one. It could end up being one of each of the couples’ remaining Latin dances (so we end up with a mixed bag), or they might end up doing what they did last season and make everyone do the same dance for their instant dance. Keep in mind, too, that salsa may actually count as an instant Latin dance – especially for couples that only have one Latin dance remaining, like Jaleel & Kym.
Is there going to be a double elimination? Unless TPTB have decided that there’s going to be a 4-couple finale this time, there’s going to have to be a double elimination within the next 3 weeks, as the show is only scheduled for 10 weeks. We had a false alarm this week, but Tom did suggestively tweet that there could be one in the coming weeks: [blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/Tom_Bergeron/status/194880178244169728″]So that leads me to believe that we’ve got one more week of dance dueling and a single elim, and then the double elim will occur in week 8 or week 9.
UPDATE: Apparently Carrie Ann has confirmed that the double elim will occur in week 8:
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/carrieanninaba/status/195009000083963905″]
So hopefully that leaves you guys with a bit of a snapshot of what’s to come in the next few weeks. How do you guys think everything will pan out?
Excellent Court. I love when you do posts like this!!!
This was a great read, Courtney. Thanks!
Woot! Courtney breaking it down! Love it!
Thank for summing up what’s left to dance for us! Really interesting! Gives me something else to watch for each week! So did you actually say who you thought had the best line-up of dances left? 🙂
I know this is posted in the wrong place, but I can’t find John’s article on the Las Vegas show again. I didn’t get a chance to comment after I read it. I just wanted to thank him for doing it. It was really interesting. How lucky to be able to talk with Tom and Conrad and get feedback on puredwts!!! I’m really looking forward to Part 2, John! 😆
I always enjoy your analysis, Courtney, especially the commentary about William (LOL – “and I don’t think Cheryl is going to have an easy time choreographing stuff to showcase William as a hot piece of ass in those dances.”) You know she’s going to try with the paso. Of course, she can’t have William dance shirtless since Donald’s already done that, but she definitely ain’t gonna be portraying no “bull”.
@Meggie – John’s Vegas post is still stuck to the front page, right under Heidi’s numbers post from yesterday…but he will still see the comment here 😉
If I had to pick who had the best set of dances left…I’d actually have to say Jaleel. I only see one dance that has to potential to really trip him up. However, I think Katherine has probably got smooth sailing all the way to the finale from here on out, as the judges seem like they’re unlikely to call out any potential mistakes she’ll make. So I’d say those two, for different reasons.
Thanks for the great layout of the rest of the season!
It’s gonna get interesting..
I’ll be curious as to how the judges treat Roshon and Chelsie this coming week. I was really upset about it Monday night, but after some reflection, I wouldn’t put it past TPTB to have conspired to have two new couples in the bottom two in an attempt to spark interest in the dance duel. I also appreciated your comment that Roshon is “technically the best dancer left in the competition.” I love watching him dance primarily because he really enjoys dancing, but I have no background in ballroom to evaluate his technical skills.
I’m going to take each one individually:
1) Jaleel & Kym – remaining dances: paso doble, waltz, quickstep, Viennese waltz, salsa, Argentine tango: These seem like GREAT dances for him. Kinda excited for that quickstep.
2)Donald & Peta – remaining dances: samba, jive, waltz, tango, Viennese waltz, salsa: I think he will do great with the jive, samba, tango, waltz, and tango. The other two are going to be OK i think but i just don’t see him doing well with those.
3)Maria & Derek – remaining dances: samba, paso doble, jive, waltz, Viennese waltz, Argentine tango: I think she is going to do well with samba, paso, jive, and argentine tango but the waltzes might be rough.
4)Roshon & Chelsie – remaining dances: paso doble, jive, waltz, tango, foxtrot, Argentine tango: He should do well wit hte jive and foxtrot but the others might be rough.
5)Katherine & Mark – remaining dances: cha-cha, rumba, tango, quickstep, Viennese waltz, salsa: Honestly, I thought she would be a terrible jiver, and argetine tango dancer and samba dancer but she aced them so she should be sailing into that finale.
6)William & Cheryl – remaining dances: samba, paso doble, waltz, tango, foxtrot, Viennese waltz: He is going to have a hard time but something tells me the paso and tango are going to be good for him.
7)Melissa & Maks – remaining dances: samba, rumba, waltz, tango, foxtrot, Argentine tango: I think she has the hardest lineup of dances. Not ready for the rumba but she might be good at the rest.
As for team dances: from what I got out of the info above I think that team Jaleel, Kym, Katherine, Mark, Maria, Derek, Roshon, and Chelsie have this in the bag. The other team sounds like a odd team. I’m expecting nothing short of a trainwreck from Melissa and the star of that team being Donald.
6)
Also forgot to add re: Roshon and the judges. In one respect, what the judges did may have helped him because he was one of the most talked about contestants and didn’t get lost in the shuffle as he usually does. I have definitely seen more support expressed for him on internet sites since Monday night. Whether that increase in support actually translates into additional votes is another question, however.
Love this post – thanks, Courtney.
@Iris&Lilies – I just hope that Roshon & Chelsie don’t loose that enjoyment and spark. They haven’t had much to bolster them lately. 🙁 Unless, of course, they read the comments here on PureDWTS. I’m really glad to see they seem to have a lot of fan support on this site.
I also sensed that Donald got lost a bit in the shuffle last week – so BRING IT, Donald! Get the Wellie out! 🙂
Was talking with a friend last night and came up with a theory that the judges purposely “hose” a stronger dancer and really score a weaker dancer low, so it pits a weaker and stronger dancer in the dance duel with the obvious outcome of saving the stronger dancer. Like why would you have 2 weak dancers in the dance duel, say Gladys and Melissa… Gavin & Jaleel last week, no contest. Roshon and Gladys this week?!?! No conest… Dance duel is complete BS! It would be fun to see Melissa and Willy in the dance duel next week … Who do u think the judges are going to save??? =/
Interesting…historicaly doesn’t the one who goes home on team dance night always come from the losing team? If that’s the case, I don’t hold out much hope for Melissa to escape elimination. I can’t believe the judges/producers would all William to leave.
That’s “allow” William to leave, not “all!”
Thanks, Court, this breakdown is very helpful and interesting reading too. 🙂
I think you’re right that the judges will protect Katherine as much as possible. IMO she qualifies for a spot in the finals on technical merit, but I do see your point about her lack of emotional connection in some dances. She’s naturally reserved, and as a classical singer she’s used to expressing emotion almost exclusivley through her voice. I think she’s still struggling to figure out how to express strong emotions with her body. Hope she has an ah-ha moment.
I’m most worried for Roshon. I fear it doesn’t matter how well he dances. After next week’s duel, whatever cushion he had is gone. He seems to have the same problem with both judges and viewers; they like him (for the most part), but won’t support him.
Court – Fantastic as always!!!!! Dang, you’re so good! 🙂 I’ve gotta say – parts of your analysis depress me (like Jaleel having a good path forward), but you ARE speaking the truth. So, I’ll go into a corner for a while, sulk, stamp my feet, and maybe open a bottle of Merlot…It couldn’t hurt, right? 😉
I actually want Katherine to win this competition just to see the face of people who thought that she would be out by week 1 ;). I am so glad to see her do well :)!!!
Other than that ,great post:)
1-Jaleel remanining dances. I think that out of all the remaining couples he has a good draw:). Thats why its better imo to do the dances that you may struggle with early ;).What I like about him is that he is a great performer and he is uninhibited on the dance floor.He might struggle with the salsa though and I dont know if in this season the judges allowed lifts in the salsa?? if yes ,then it will be a good crowd pleasing routine.
2-Wow Donald has a tough draw.In his ballroom dances I noticed that he still has really hunched shoulders when he dances(poor form) and I dont know why Peta hasnt work on that. I think that he may struggle with the all those turns in the VW. And he has the salsa, samba, jive 3 of the toughest dances. However he is determined to work hard so you never know;).
3-Maria
She has a very good posture in ballroom but I still notice a gap when she is in hold(dont know why the judges dont pick on that) especially during her foxtrot this week.Her ballroom is great however she is very stiff in her Latin dances and Derek does a good job of covering that;). She could top the leaderboard this week, Derek does a mean Paso plus they have a good team;I suspect they will be the comeback story next week;).
4-Roshon
The judges are definetely harsh with him.Think he will struggle with the AT,Paso doble and Tango 🙁
5-Katherine
Best dancer in this competition imo but the best dancer doesnt always win.
I dont think there is a dance that she cant do but she needs to improve her performance level;You can be good technically but if you dont draw the audience in then you might not go further.
She should be excellent in the chacha since Mark said that she has naturally straight legs(cant remember which technical term he used).I cant wait to see her rumba either:).
6-William I think that he will be good in all his remaining Latin dances however the ballroom dances might not be up to par.
7-Melissa
Weakest dancer left but seems to have the fanbase.
I think that Katherine &William will be in the final but I still dont know who will be there with them(Jaleel, Donald, Maria???)
If Jaleel is on Team Tango, making it four couples on that team, then TPTB must have picked the teams. Otherwise, Melissa would have been on the team with four couples. I can’t believe William would have picked Melissa over either Jaleel or Roshon based on the scoring of her dances to date. She’s only had one good one, and even in that dance she managed to look a little bit lost at times.
Thanks Courtney this helps alot. Unfortunately Willys dances don’t really count because he doesn’t have to really perform them for his scores.
This helps alot. So William and Donald may have a somewhat tough road, then we shall see who comes out ahead. Umm, we all know the answer to that one. And Melissa, that poor thing, that’s all I am gonna say about her. Please put her out of her misery.
This season started off with so much excitement but now halfway through I am kind of losing my steam in the excitement area. This season should have been called “Dancing with Willy and Katherine and a Bunch of Nobodies”.
@IrisandLillies – I think it’s entirely possible that Jaleel may be a bit of a pariah amongst this season’s cast, and I wouldn’t be too surprised if he was the last one picked. Did you see the look on William’s face when Jaleel (jokingly) threw the marbles on the floor in William’s studio? I don’t think he was particularly amused, and I think it’s possible that Donald (even though he seems like the nicest guy ever) is not exactly fond of Jaleel, either, after the altercation at the studio…ditto for Mark. I don’t think it’s a stretch to wonder if William may have opted to take on the risk of having a weaker team, skill-wise, than have a stronger team with potential personality clashes. Also possibly worth noting: if William’s team has paso doble like I think they do, he picked the only two available couples who have already done paso. As for Roshon – I think he may be viewed as a bit of a toxic asset, as the judges seem to really come down on him harder than any of the other couples. Maybe he seems like someone that could cost the team points if he makes a small mistake. Just some thoughts…
Ditto, Sandy!
Giving it one more week to see Maks again, then I’m out – all my fav pros will be gone, and I’m “meh” about the remaining pros and stars!
For Roshon, I think it helps that he has both Tangos with Team Tango and his A. tango. I hope him and Chelsie aren’t too down about this past week when they had different expectations. Love watching them dance together:)
#21 Iris/Courtney,
It’s also possible that Cheryl preferred to have Maks rather than Kym or Chelsie on the pro side, whether for choreography or dancing purposes.
@Courtney
Good points. After I wrote it my last post, I did think that Roshon could very well have been the last one chosen, given the two dances selected. If William knew that his group was dancing the paso doble, then it would make sense to chose Melissa over Roshon since Melissa comes with Maks and the paso focuses on the male dancer more than the female. It probably also helps to have a male professional on the team.
@Court, how much time do the team captains have to consult with their pros to figure out which couples to pick? Somehow I can’t imagine most celebs having the dance wherewithal to make truly strategic decisions. Would William even remember who already danced Paso?
Wow Courtney. Based on the overscoring Monday and due to the fact that Jaleel has some of the best dances left, have you considered the possibility that your original prediction might have a chance of coming true?
Cheryl just tweeted she and William are Team Paso.
https://twitter.com/#!/CherylBurke/status/195237109483843587
Also…Argentine Tango for Classical Night? Should be interesting.
@Harriett
I really hope Roshon wasn’t the last man standing when it came to team selection because that could be a confidence buster.
I’m looking forward to his Argentine tango because I think it will focus heavily on the footwork. I love the fast and intricate footwork of the AT (it’s the primary reason I love Derek’s ATs the best), but you really never get to see much of it, if any, with the male contestants.
Sorry to be slow on the uptake, but what does TPTB mean? I’ve been trying to figure it out for a while now and it’s just not clicking! I absolutely love this website and all the posts!! I’m hoping Katherine, Donald and Roshon make the finals! =)
Teresa, TPTB = “The powers that be” 😉
@Theresa – Don’t feel bad. I used to think it meant “The Producers of The Bachelor”…. Try fitting that into the DWTS conversation… LOL
@IrisandLilies
I hope Roshon was not picked last either. All of Team Tango has done the Tango or A. Tango sans Roshon who has the tango this week. I think this team Katherine and Maria are buddy-buddy just like Roshon and Jaleel (he’s getting back on my good list after how nice he was to Roshon this week…how he reacted to Roshon’s scoring and the big bear hug he gave Roshon after the dance duel) which makes for a good Team IMO.
I agree about the fast footwork and the A. Tango. I hope chelsie and Roshon take note of the comments the judges made on the previous A. Tangos and use it to their benefit. I watched some really awesome videos with fast footwork that I think Roshon could totally pull off. As far as lifts, I have seen quite a few that I think they couldtry, Chelsie just needs to test some out and be creative about it.
My plan this week is to send them encouraging tweets this week. I hope the dance duel lights a fire in them like Jaleel and Kym and the get the scores they deserve.
Did any one read Carrie Anne’s twitter? She said she was Roshon’s biggest supporter…I would say that of the judges that would be Bruno. I need to get over my animosity towards her.
I thought the AT requires control in the movements? If so, Roshon, who can flail his limbs, might have problems.
Why does everyone hate on Melissa? She has the potential to be really good and is working very hard. The woman suffered a concussion and still kept on going even with the neck brace on!
I like all of the couples that are left and think they are all doing a great job!
@Jo….I don’t think anyone hates Melissa…they just said they don’t think her dancing is on a par with the other celebs. I think she’s doing just fine,however. And she certainly seems to have a solid fanbase. The judges aren’t particularly enamored of her, but that could be because of Maks. Guess we’ll just have to see how next week goes. I’m like you, everyone is entertaining this season. I just wish the new rules had been in place from the start.
What is kind of strange about this season is that the overall quality of dancers from the beginning has been said to be quite high (as in no one really terrible, even the worst have been OK) That’s exactly how I saw it the first couple of weeks, but now half way through it seems to me that on one is actually really outstanding, even Katherine who is very good, is just not a Nicole, or Jennifer or even Mel B. Same for the guys… Is it just me?…
correction:- no one is actually…
JMO, but I believe TPTB told the team captains who to pick for their teams, not the team captains themselves. Just one more thing to manipulate.
Thanks all for the love 🙂 Glad you enjoy!
@Cidra – I don’t know for sure how much time they have, but I have been told that the whole appointing of the team captains and chosing of the teams we see on tv is a bit staged. I’m willing to bet the team captains are given at least a few minutes to confer with their partner (or TPTB, who I always think have at least some hand in picking the teams) and come up with a strategy for picking who they want. I’m willing to bet that Cheryl & Mark did quite a bit of “encouraging” to help guide their partners’ picks. If I had to guess, I’d say Katherine went first and probably picked Maria & Derek; William then picked Donald & Peta; Katherine then picked either Jaleel or Roshon; William picked Melissa; and Katherine took whoever was left (Jaleel or Roshon).
@RJ – I wouldn’t say that Jaleel all of a sudden has a clear path to the MBT…I just think that he has the easiest batch of dances to contend with. Doesn’t mean they will go off with out a hitch 😉 Case in point: I said the same thing about Ralph in season 12 and JR in season 13 – and while JR did go on to win, neither guy had an easy ride the last few weeks of the competition. And Jaleel still needs to be on his best behavior…we’ll see if that happens. Just food for thought.
@Jo – I don’t hate Melissa, but I’m also not going to pretend that I think she’s a fantastic dancer who has a legitimate shot at the MBT up against better dancers (and judges’ pets) like Katherine. As far as I’m concerned, Melissa & Roshon are pretty much just biding their time until they’re eliminated – the way this season has been set up, I don’t think they stand a chance of lasting through the next 2 weeks, let alone making it to the seminfinals or the finals. Hell, I’m not so sure that Maria or Donald have a chance at the finals, either, with how the judges having been blatantly playing favorites. Bottom line: there’s a big difference between being “hateful” and being realistic. I suggest you make that distinction and not automatically label everyone as a “hater”…
I was thinking about the trashing that Roshon took on Monday… yes, this may be way too “conspiracy theory”, so just tell me that my tin-foil hat is too tight… 😉
Perhaps TPTB were setting Roshon up, trying to make sure he was part of the inevitable Dance Duel? The kid can dance, no doubt about it. But forcing him into the bottom 2 pretty much makes sure that whoever was up against him was going home. Sort of makes him the “Dance Duel killer”… 🙁 Makes me wonder if he’ll have to play the same role next week, then have one of those “amazing comebacks” just in time for the semi-finals.
Like I said, just me thinking – and that usually gets me into trouble! 😛
@elsee, you are not alone. I feel the same way about this season and felt that way even with week 1. This just lacked that obvious clunker or train wreck. Some seasons just had more obvious early exits like say Penn and Adam Carolla. This season’s top 3 is still far weaker than Erin, Evan and Nicole. Heck, Katherine and will do not compare to Brandy, Jennifer and Kyle. The show can spin it as a higher level but Melissa on any other season while a hard worker would still be in the middle. It is just the overscoring. Come on judges! You even admitted Nicole was the best dancer and she never got the tens you are throwing out to Katherine. You also said Gilles was the best overall celeb and again he never got the praise at the level William is getting.
Chelsie and Derek won doing team tango together. I thought Maria did a terrific tango and hopefully this time to a better song. Katherine at this point can do no wrong with the judges.
@ Sally
I had those same conspiracy thoughts about Roshon:) Once we find out what dance is used for dance duel we can speculate further I think;). The dance duel will probably be another fast paced dance like salsa or samba.
I would love to see what Roshon does with an instant dance and for some reason I think he would get Jive for that.
If Wiki is correct there will be 4 V Waltzes next week, 1 A Tango, Paso, and Foxtrot. Intersante!!
@Melissa Yeah, I had the same disappointing thought too. I was hoping Katherine would be some sort like Nicole, but at week 6, I don’t think she is at same level of Nicole or Evan. I guess I need to lower my expectation of her from now on.
The other good dancer, Roshon is having trouble with being manly, well can’t blame him, he’s barely a man. That has an effect to the character of certain dance and half of the dances need the man to be ‘manly’. Saying that, I still enjoy the dances this season. On every show I still can find dances that I like, so I can’t complaint (much).
A previous poster wants to ” put Melissa out of her misery”. Personally, I don’t think she is miserable at all. She seems happy to still be in the competition. Why should she just give up because she probably won’t make the semis,let alone the finals? That’s not what this show is all about. You keep going regardless of your score or standing. Lots and lots of people continue to still want her and her partner to be in this. I think they are both enjoying themselves so I say keep on going as long as you can. We all know that one of the “good” dancers will ultimately win at the end. It’s refreshing to see her progress…albeit slowly.
Melissa has proven to be a fighter. She has gone through some tough dances, had an injury, heard negative feedback from the judges and is paired with Maks, who sparred with the judges last season and whom they probably want gone. All this and she is still standing.
I thought her V. Waltz was excellent Monday night. If it had been William or Katherine, we’d seen 9’s and 10’s for the same dance.
No Melissa. I think it was Pam Anderson who was on Derek’s team and went home that week.
It’s not just you, Elsee. This season isn’t quite living up to the hype…gee, I think I predicted exactly this before the show started. 🙂 I also predicted we would be back to bitching and moaning in short order. 😀
This is great, Courtney!
Interesting point about William being pretty much done with the “sexy” dances. Personally, I’m happy about that because maybe, just maybe, he can be looked at for his dancing instead of a piece of meat. I think he has talent and I’m rooting for him to shine as a dancer from this point on.
Also agree about Katherine’s lack of emotional connection. I don’t think it’s her classical background. I’ve seen plenty of operas and those ladies can act the audience into tear puddles. I just think Katherine is a very reserved person in many ways and very self-conscious. Both of these things can cause issues in her upcoming dances.
I’ll be seriously rooting for Donald – I agree that the judges won’t overlook any tiny mistake he makes. But I think he has the potential to win this thing.
Thanks for the update! Interested in the team dances! 🙂
I feel bad for Chelsie, this is the time for her not to have a stiff partner and she seems so inspired. I am afraid that she might start second guessing the judges and start coming up with less-challenging, gimmick-filled routines to please them. CAI watches William through rose-colored glasses, while she watches Roshon with a magnifying glass.
Great post–great analysis–Thx! Gotta say I love the Team Dances so am very much looking forward to next week. I proudly wear the TeamMenough hat (hand-embroidered the team name on a saucy ‘lil cap I wear when dropping my kids off at school). Just love Maria’s spirit which I think will produce even stronger results w/Derek’s amazing choreo gift going forward after their debut in bottom 3. And I just want to chuck Roshon’s adorable cheeks!
However, I see Katherine, Donald, William & (laptop zap me for typing this) Jaleel (Ouch!) in the semis. Katherine is growing on me, though I adore Donald. Can Peta handle Len’s challenge to work Donald harder to bring out the real dancer in him??? I damn sure hope so, because if if “I Can Bare My Chest & Move My Hips But Can’t Stand On My Own Two Feet” William is even 2nd — why, why…well, I’ll just be royally pissed off. And then…NO MORE CUPCAKES SENT TO THE JUDGES & TPTB!
Carrie Ann officially announed that there will be a Double Elimination on week 8! So everyone please make sure to vote for your favorite!!!! Go Maria and Derek!! 🙂
Update on the Team Dances:
Team Tango:
Maria and Derek
Katherine and Mark
Roshon and Chelsie
Jaleel and Kym
Team Paso Doble:
Melissa and Maksim
William and Cheryl
Donald and Peta
P.S. — Maria is the highest scoring celebrity at the moment for the Tango. And also Donald is the highest scoring celebrity of the Paso Doble. But IF I had to choose I’ll say Team Tango will kill it. Better in hold than out of hold in my opinion. Plus Team Paso has the weakest couple (Melissa and Maks)
Hope Team Tango gets a great song!
Yes Adam, we are aware…had you read the post, you would see that 😉
As soon as I heard who comprised team Paso, all I could do was visualize the manly men-ness of it all. It makes sense that Willy would choose Donald and Maks – the girls are the capes, the visual effect of all those broad chests could be impressive.
That said – and as much as I love Donald – I am really hoping that team Tango can just blow them away. 10s and only 10s.
I’m so so tired of Cheryl and the sex this season. In an interview after the show Monday, someone asked her what she thought about Len’s technical critique of their rumba, her response was that Len scored them low because “Len hasn’t had sex in years” I used to respect her as a choreographer, but this season it seems either that she is just riding on the (promised?) tide of TPTB, or she realizes that Will actually can’t dance, and decided to disguise it as much as possible.
That said, I have to admit that I might have liked his humble personality, and Katherine’s sweetness if I didn’t feel that they were rammed down my throat. Because they were, I can’t get behind either of them. kinda back-fired for me, TPTB. All my votes go elsewhere.
I don’t generally watch GMA. So here’s my question: Has any other competing couple this season been on GMA to PERFORM?—Not after they were eliminated–while still in the competition. I honestly don’t know. But KJ sang and performed I’m told on GMA and will also be on Live with Kelly, and I don’t remember hearing of any other couple getting that “platform” while still on the show. Thanks for input.
Don´t know if anyone have said this but is it possible that the producers wanted to have mixed team? I think that Katherine chose Maria first (good friends) and William picked Donald, then Roshon to the girls and Melissa to the boys. Maybe I´m wrong but I think it´s better balance with mixed team instead of three + one.
Ooh, a bit mean of Cheryl about Len. I believe his current (third) wife is some 35 years or so younger than him!
I actually really like the way these teams are comprised, except that I’d prefer to have Jaleel eliminated rather than Melissa, but she or William are my next choices. I’d like to see Roshon, Maria, Katherine and Donald in the semi’s. I think even as harsh as the judges are being, I think the competition is Donald’s to lose right now. He’s probably getting so many votes that putting him on Team Paso is the only way to make it even remotely close.
I would love to see Donald, Marie and Katherine in the finals! Of course, I’d like Derek to win again, but if they can’t do it, then I’m all for Donald to take the MB home. I put Katherine in there as the third in the finals because no one else really appeals to me.
@Harriett
I checked out the ATs that Chelsie has danced before on DWTS and SYTYCD. I thought she did a wonderful job with Ty Murray. She could have taken the easier route with him and choreographed a lot of lifts, given his upper body strength, but she actually gave him a lot of footwork to do. He messed up a little bit here and there, but it was one of the better ATs performed by a male contestant on the show. If Chelsie could work wonders with Ty, she can certainly do so with Roshon.
I also think Roshon has gotten better regarding the “lift” issue. I noticed after their rumba was done, he twirled her around in his arms. I’m not a fan of big lifts in dances because I find they interrupt the flow of the dance both physically and emotionally. So, I would be happy with a small lift here and there.
I know a lot of people have been commenting that Roshon isn’t manly enought to handle some of the dances, but for me that’s not the issue. My appreciation of a dance is predicated on whether there is a connection between the couple and whether they come across as “enjoying” the dance rather than “performing” the dance. Too often I find that the so-called “passionate” or “sexy” dance performances feel forced and lack any naturalness. Chelsie and Roshon have great chemistry, and I have never felt watching them on the dance floor that they did not enjoy being out there. You can tell that just by their exuberant reactions after each dance.
As a follow-up to my prior post, I finally watched Cheryl’s and William’s rumba. It came across to me as a “booty call” dance. There did not seem to be any emotional connection between them at all.
Well William had the people&Mag. cover, what about that??? I dont really get the hate that Katherine gets here!!!!
dwtsfan, I’m really not in the mood for theatrics – NO ONE HERE HATES KATHERINE. If you took the time to read through the comments and see what everyone’s saying, you’ll see that they’re mainly complaining about how they don’t like the way Katherine is being given an unfair advantage – it’s not a personal shot at her, it’s an issue with the cirucmstances surrounding her. MAKE THE DISTINCTION. And don’t you worry about William – we’re not fond of the pimping he gets, either.
I’m half-tempted to hold any comment containing the word “hate” or “hater” in moderation from here on out…I swear some people have some reading comprehension issues…
@IrisandLilies
I love our Roshon and Chelsie discussions:) Chelsie IMO has done a fabulous job with choreographing Tangos and A. Tangos for her previous partners with no dance skills. I can’t wait to see what she and Roshon Tango and A.Tango this week.
With the lifts there are a lot of options. They don’t have to do rotational lifts or straightline-drag lifts either which require a little more muscle. One thing Len said about Donald’s AT is that it needed more content in between the lifts which I think Roshon and Chelsie will have.
He and Chelsie have a fabulous connection and chemistry. I totaly agree about the manly comments. There’s all types of men and just because he does’t have the Hollywood Hunk look right now doesn’t mean we can’t find him attractive and more. I felt more of the sensualness in his Rumba with Chelsie than William and Cheryl (I like William but I feel that Chery’ls “you’re sexy, I’m sexy, we dance sexy” attitude is a turn off”). It’s more of turn on for me to see 2 dancers connecting with each other than just standing there looking sexy. I do like William quite a bit as a person but kinda of wish he had been partnered with some other pro-lady.
I hope they have a good Tango song for Classical Week with a faster pace so we can see some fast footwork. I saw some awesome A. Tangos from the 2007 World Championships that had incredibly fast footwork that really jazzed the audience which I think Roshon could do.
According to her blog on parade.com Katherine and Mark will be performing the Rumba on next Monday’s show.
I’d like to see Katherine at the pimp spot on Monday and William in the beginning for a change! I see William having a hard time with the rest of the dances except the samba and paso. Jaleel has the best set of dances left. The only dance I can see him having a problem with is the quickstep.
Katherine I think might struggle with the rumba based on the judges standards. Donald might struggle with posture with the ballroom dances and hip action with the samba but I see him going through at least to the semis.
@ten:
Actually, whoever gets the “pimp” spot next monday will not be advantaged at all, as, if my memory serves, the team dances happen shortly afterwards, and the sequence may actually be harmful (in terms of stamina) for the celeb who goes last. So, whomever you are rooting for, hope they don’t dance in this position next week. But the weeks after? Well, cross your fingers, then…
We’re at the stage of the show now where the dance order loses most of it’s impact, IMO. By week 7 they start doing two dances and people have likely picked their favorites and are rooting for them. And EL is right….going “last” is not necessarily a benefit this week. the Team dances are last.
Does anyone still think that Jaleel is or could be a frontrunner? And possibly still win the MBT. He was the favorite going in, things got a little rocky for a time, but now all is quiet. Any thoughts?
@Harriett
Sounds like you have some dance experience, background and/or knowledge. I wish I were more knowledgeable about ballroom dancing other than what I’ve picked up from the judges’ comments over the various seasons. I’m kind of curious how good Roshon is from a technical standpoint.
I also agree about what constitutes “sexiness.” To me, it requires subtlety. A pencil skirt is sexy while a micro-mini is crass.
@IrisandLilies
Roshon is a doll & clearly loves to dance but IMHO he is not good technically, yet. (He has great potential.) The reason is that he isn’t in control of his movements which is very important, especially in ballroom. People tend to think that the person who moves the most is the best dancer but the quality of the movement counts as well. Michael Jackson, who is Roshon’s idol, had amazing control. I think Roshon can do it if he’s able to see the problem.
75. #Pat: I don’t think that Roshon can solve the problem yet. He ist still growing. And his arms and legs are a little bit to long for his height. Not a boy anymore but also not already a grown up man. During this times it’s hard for boys and young man to really controll their arms and legs. He maybe needs another year or two for feeling really comfortable in his body. Could be that this show comes a little bit to early for him. But he obviously has rhythm, musicality, and talent.
If the show is still on air in five or six years and they would do an all time favorites/ stars season again it could be interesting to bring him back.
# mokkamilch
I agree!
Well the last dance duel on Tuesday will be Rumba, and Melissa will be the only celeb who has not danced it as a main dance.
Elsee, where did you hear the dance duel would be the Rumba?
Guess it makes sense if they want Melissa or Roshon out this week. Really, really hoping Roshon manages to avoid the B2 this week because if he lands there against anyone else but Melissa I think it won’t even matter how well he dances.
Kat, you can read about the Rumba for the Dance Duel here;
https://www.puredwts.com/2012/04/28/dancing-with-the-stars-14-entertainment-and-dancing-information-for-week-7/
Thank you, Voguerista!
I’m glad this is the last week for the dance duel.
Me too Kat!!
Unfashionably late, but great taking stock post. Here’s my take:
Jaleel – No doubt a hardworker with some dance talent. I think he’s out of the slump and could be proficient at the upcoming dances, some moreso than others (see Courtney’s comments). Still though, his presentation, some bad press and tough competition may be his undoing.
Katherine – There’s not much she can’t do. Undoubtedly the strongest dancer technically and if she can continue to lessen her reserve and step outside her comfort zone, none of these dances will stand between her and the finals.
Donald – I too think Donald has his work cut out for him. But I have no doubt he’ll give it all he’s got. And he’s got all the components to make the finals if he can tackle those dances.
Roshon – His dance talent makes it insane to think he could be leaving sooner than some others. Given his speed, can’t wait to see him take on the Tango and Jive. He surprised in the VW, so the Foxtrot and Waltz could be good dances for him to show his versatility and some improvement. Not sure the Paso’s personality suits him, but he managed other dances much better than I thought he would, so…
Maria – Could see her delivering an exquisite VW, a steamy A. Tango, and an adequate Paso, but the Jive and Samba might not flatter her if she sticks around.
Melissa – I think the character of the Tangos will suit her and the Rumba has potential to display some of her flexibility and lines. OTOH, she doesn’t always have the smoothest transitions and consistent quality of movement which the Rumba could expose and I can see their Samba being frantic. Probably the overall least remarkable dancer remaining, but she’ll probably stay well beyond her time.
William – I think he works hard, has commendable showmanship and moves fairly well for such a big guy with no dance experience and has nice showmanship. That said, he’s got more to show and it’ll be interesting to see other (clothed) sides of him. The height diff of this team hurts in Ballroom, but at least he won’t have to stay in hold all the time like the QS, so he should be able to maintain form in between.