DWTS 14 Week 10 – Power Rankings for the Finale
For a second there, I was sure this night was a complete wash…and then Donald reaffirmed my faith in humanity with one of the most adorable freestyles I’ve ever seen on the show π
Not a whole lot to say that most of you haven’t already said on Twitter – there was definite overscoring going on (William), and definite underscoring going on (Donald), but in the end, I doubt the scores are going to matter a ton…because this seems like it’s going to be the fanbase battle royale for the MBT.Β And if the response I saw after one couple’s freestyle was any indicator – I think they’re a shoo-in for the MBT π Let’s do things in reverse tonight, starting with who I’m predicting for the 3rd place finisher…
3rd place: Katherine & Mark
Honestly, it were up to me, these two would be a definite 2nd place – but I’ve got a gut feeling that they may have gotten a little lost in the shuffle tonight, in between the judges’ golden boy and the charismatic dark horse.Β I thought her paso was pretty damn good – she definitely danced with more assuredness and confidence than her first paso, and the choreo was clean, proper, and exciting.Β My only complaint: it seemed to highlight Mark more than Kath, but I guess I can’t fault them too much, as paso is really the man’s dance…which just further drives the point home for me that the judges kinda screwed her a bit when they gave her the paso in the first place.Β As for their freestyle – I have to commend Mark for returning to the tried-and-true formula for freestyle success: he picked something that was relevant to his celebrity, he made sure it was high-energy, and he included quiteΒ a bit of actual ballroom steps to please Len.Β I think it would have been a strong competition for Donald, if only Kath hadn’t lost a bit of steam in the middle and gotten a bit stuck in the lifts.Β But I liked the flapper theme, and thought Kath singing at the beginning was a great way to really make the routine relevant to her – I just wish Mark had toned it down a bit, so she could have actually made it all the way through the dance with the same high level of energy.Β Ok, so they’ve got the high score – but it’s only one point more than the other 2, so it may as well be nothing…and I’m sorry, as gorgeous and talented as I think Kath is, I don’t think she can compete with the raging hormones of Willy’s fans or the magnetic personality that Donald’s fans are drawn to.Β Like Ricki last season, who also had the high score after the first night of the finale (and also the first dance of the 2nd night), I think Kath may be relegated to 3rd π However, I would love to be wrong and have her take 2nd…provided it bumps Willy into 3rd π
2nd place: William & Cheryl
I guess hoping that the overscoring would stop in the finale was wishful thinking, as I was not particularly wowed by either of Willy’s dances tonight…and the fault for that lies more with Cheryl than anyone else.Β William didn’t mess up, and what he did in both of his dances was technically good – he even looked liked he was having fun, which was something I had yet to see from him this season.Β But here’s the problem: the level of difficulty for both of his routines was pretty pathetic…and I genuinely feel sorry for the guy, because I think Cheryl really let him down with the choreography tonight.Β Their cha-cha just felt like a recycled version of their first cha-cha, which wasn’t very impressive in terms of choreography – his hip action seemed better this time around, and he seemed more relaxed, but there was nothing particularly impactful or exciting about it.Β He could have handled more – but Cheryl didn’t give it to him.Β And I’m sorry, but if another contestant pulls a Miss Cleo and predicts exactly what you’ll do in your freestyle (Donald knows what’s up), then you’re probably a one-trick pony without much of an edge.Β Sorry, but this freestyle was a cop-out – I’m all for picking something relevant to your partner, but this felt like nothing different than what I’ve been seeing the past 9 weeks: a bunch of gyrations, dips, ass shaking, and vaguely salsa-y moves.Β Even the lifts were pretty elementaryΒ – William’s a muscular guy, and he could have handled more heavy lifting.Β He didn’t mess up, and he seemed to have fun – but the choreography didn’t show me that he was really a great dancer. Overall, at the end of it, I was just kinda left saying “So what else is new?” But I’ve got a feeling that hormones will prevail tomorrow night, and at least carry William into the final two…with his complacent partner, who probably didn’t even bother choreographing anything truly innovative, because she knew they’d be overscored anyway – just like they’ve been all season.
The Winner: Donald & Peta
The last remaining couple untainted by the fishy overscoring of this season – and thankfully, I think they came across as the most likeable, as well π While I SOMEWHAT agreed with Len that their Argentine tango was a tad on the safe side, I still think it was underscored, given that William & Cheryl just regurgitated their first week cha-cha (which is probably the ultimate “safe” move), and the first go-round, Len bitched that their Argentine tango “lacked content”.Β So they gave him more content…and now it’s “too safe?” Poor Donald just can’t win with Len.Β Whatever.Β Len sure couldn’t bitch & moan after that freestyle they did, though – it was EASILY the best of the night, as the energy was through the roof and stayed there the entire routine, and Donald totally pwned those lifts.Β And really – who would have guessed that Donald would pull out the country card and get out there and line dance? That was fresh & unexpected – yet somehow still strangely relevant to Donald, as I think it really showed us how multi-talented he is…and a goofball, at that π I’ve got a good feeling about tomorrow night, that justice will somehow prevail and the grand plans of TPTB will be squashed by a legion of fed-up fans voting for the little Quickie That Could…suck it, Univision merger π
So who do you guys think will walk away with the MBT tomorrow? And how do you think this “24 hour dance challenge” will turn out? If they don’t rank the routines (30, 28, 26), I’m totally predicting they cop-out and give all three of them 30’s, just like instant samba last season.Β But aside from that…which returning stars are you most looking forward to seeing? I’m all about some Jack, Gladys, & Roshon, myself π
So think it should be
#1 Katherine and Mark for overall great dancing through out the season and for a fabulous finale.
#2 Donald and Peta for great dancing this season and some amazing lifts in the finale
#3 William and Cheryl love him but I have to agree with Len, same ole, same ole. Butt shaking and hip grinding.
Donald owned tonight. His dances are the only ones I liked. Katherine peaked weeks ago and that freestyle was too much. I liked the idea but I was left wondering what Derek would have done and how he could have added actual tap and let the routine breathe. It was too much and Mark over danced so much. I also found him so OTT with comments and scores. So much mugging.
I think Will be third. I think people are tired of his act.
They keep saying freestyle matters and Donald really was miles better and he deserves to win. Hope he does. Love he is a fan of the show and took on an underdog pro. He worked out and did not rely just on charisma and earned his judges scores.
I think Katherne has a lot of overseas supporters so I think she will sneak in second. But Donald should win this.
This is an easy one:
3rd place: William and Cheryl. Ok cha cha bad freestyle
2nd: Katherine and Mark: awesome paso ok freestyle.
winner: donald and peta: great dances all night.
I’m with you Courtney, the only dances that got me really excited were Katherine and Donald’s freestyles (especially Donald’s.)
Katherine/Mark- I really liked their paso. It was clean, powerful, crisp, precise, and was much more suitable to Katherine. The freestyle was AWESOME except for her losing a bit of steam and a few mishaps with lifts. I still loved it π Very well done.
William/Cheryl- I somewhat liked his cha cha due to the fact that he was actually having fun and his technique was pretty good. But I think it was still elementary and tentative on the part of the choreography, it made what could’ve been a very nice cha cha just lack that “something.” His freestyle just totally irked me, and NOT at all because of William, he tried his best and executed it well, but Cheryl had a total choreography brain-fart. This was seriously cliche, tacky, overly-sex’d up, and just not exciting IMO. I think it should’ve been a combination of fun & sexiness. That freestyle to me was just a “hotch-potch” (as Len would say) of gyrations and raunch. William did a good job tonight, but Cheryl just didn’t do him justice IMO. Sorry William.
Donald/Peta- I really liked Donald’s AT other than the fact that it was a little safe. Other than that, it was a great dance. Their freestyle was fantastic! Lots of fun, well-executed, unexpected, and suited Donald well. Also, did anyone else think that series of lifts at the end was INSANELY awesome?? π I’d love for Donald to win and I’ve been voting really hard for him. I think he has a great shot too.
My hopes are that Katherine is somehow able to push ahead of William and get 2nd. Of course I hope Donald wins. I will go ahead and say this, I really like William as a person, and do think he can dance. But his partner has just messed things up big time for him, and the judges/tptb played their part as well.
I am REALLY excited to see everyone back tomorrow night, especially Maria, Roshon, and Gladys π
I kinda of feel like the returning eliminated stars will have more interesting and fun dances Tuesday than tonight. I love Donald his free style was the best tonight and was very entertaining, but my eyes were on Peta most of the time. He got my votes still. He and his family are just so stinkin’ cute:)
I was still secretly hoping for something new and inventive but maybe that will come with the All Star season.
Excited to see what Maria-Derek, Sherri, and Roshon-Chelsie dance again and see what they dance to. I’m counting on them to entertain me much more than tonight. Will the Urkel make a dance appearance…I kinda hope so. Looking forward to seeing Gavin but not his dancing as much.
im hoping and praying that katherine and mark can pull out a second place finish- I know Donald will win but I have put all my votes behind Kmark (whose freestyle was awesome and much much better and interesting than I expected) because if William and Queen Bitch of Raging Hormone Island are in the top 2 or God forbid win I will throw shoe at my tv! That was probably the most undeserved 30 for the cha cha of the entire season (and thats coming from someone who thought all of William’s 30s were undeserved!).
On a happier note, I could not be more excited to see Roshon dance tomorrow and hear Gladys sing- so happy for the finale with all the cast returning!
Donald – #1
Katherine – #2
Willy – Should have gone home just before Sherri Shepherd.. π
I will say, though – call me crabby, but I didn’t see a single 30-worthy routine all night. The first round of dances were ho-hum, and the freestyles?
Free Willy – Len called it, but why in the Sam Hill did he wait so long?
Katherine – Looked like she & Mark missed a hold early on, and then she ran outta gas about 2/3 of the way through. The lifts also looked awkward.
Donald – He did a whole lot of standing around in the AT, and he slipped during the freestyle – right next to the judges table.
All in all, Donald for the win, but…. best competitive season on DWTS? No, I don’t think so… π
Didn’t Len say something like Chances win Dances.. Donald and Peta were the showstoppers tonight, Brilliant!!
Katherine and Mark were so unoriginal, nothing out of the box, risky, or unexpected.
Willy and Cheryl… YAWN! Unfortunately she has gotten away with this Shake It dance the entire season, so why would she think tonight would be any different. So predicable.
Very impressed by Donald. Very disappointed with Cheryl’s choreography. Too predictable. But I wonder if she went that route because William doesn’t seem to do well in fast dances that doesn’t include shaking his butt. My choices:
1st: Donald & Peta
2nd: Katherine & Mark
3rd: William & Cheryl
Go Donald and Peta!! I’m so proud of Donald but mostly Peta coming back and delievering some of the best routines ever on the show an d I’m so excited because I think they are gonna win!!! Go Peta and Donald!
First off, tonight was awesome! Congrats to everyone finishing their dances without any problems lol. I really enjoyed watching all three of the couples dance. However, not all three can win so I hope tomorrow ends like this:
#1 Katherine & Mark: There Paso Doble was clean & mean! Definitely worth 30 (Finally Len!) I absolutely loved the concept and execution of their Freestyle. They did great. It was high- energy, theatrical, and risky.
#2 Donald & Peta: I agree with Len about their AT. It was safe and not as exciting as I thought it would be. However, their Freestyle was awesome. Nice job!
#3 William & Cheryl: I don’t really remember their first dance. I think that’s a problem π‘ As for the Ffreestyle I was SO happy to hear Len call them out on performing a predictable routine. It was exactly what I was thinking and what I am sure a lot of other viewers were thinking.
This was an amazing season! I will miss watching the contestants. Not to excited about the All-star season, but since I don’t have a choice I hope Sabrina Bryant is there. I will watch then.
Better get back to voting…
I wasnt going to watch or vote after Maks and Melissa were voted off but came to love Donald and Peta so i tuned in and voted their freestyle was the best of the night its tied for me along side Kirstie and Maks freestyle
I really enjoyed Donald & Peta’s freestyle with Cowboy Troy!! Enjoyed the rest of the routines too.
Looking forward to the opening finale routine by the cast, Sherri & the six male pros, Team Rochee and Team Menough tomorrow night.
I voted for Donald, so hope he wins! I kind of feel sorry for Willy having C U on Tuesday, Cheryl for a partner (kind of). Katherine’s dancing just doesn’t excite me. I think her white shoes and Mark’s spats should live a long life together in the back of a closet! π
Looking for to seeing Maria, Gavin, Gladys and Roshon. Not looking forward to Sherri at all. Her idea of funny gets old real fast!
William was just meh for me. Everything he did tonight was a copy of what he had done the past few weeks. We get it, Cheryl, he’s latino, he can do that kind of stuff..but freestyle is supposed to be in your face and something that makes you go “wow!”. None of that happened for me tonight. I hope he gets 3rd so TPTB will eat their words. And about bloody time that Len called him out on doing the same thing week after week with shaking his bum, but why wait till now?! He’s been doing that every. single. week.
Katherine was good in her paso, but that freestyle…it about made me breathless just watching it. It was too fast and too much for the poor gal, I’m afraid. It was all about Mark, and the only element that was purely Katherine was her singing at the beginning. Other than that, it was the Mark Ballas Show. Sorry Kat.
Donald…well, I will agree that his Argentine Tango was a bit safe and borderline boring, but that freestyle made up for it. Cheryl, take note. THAT’S a freestyle, sweetheart. Major props to Peta and Donald for being creative and thinking completely outside of the box. They definitely did their homework and came up with something memorable and unique that showed off Donald. I hope they win tomorrow night.
I think the finale will be fun too. Tbh, I would love to see what Roshon or Maria would have done. Donald called it. What Katherine and Will danced were expected. I felt like these two coasted on the first couple weeks of grabbing the audiences attention. Donald though kept improving and no judges giving generous tens. I mean, Katherine made a mistake and tens? Several mistakes.
I am nervous though that the oversea votes, if it is that big, can over take Donald. I mean, people have their faves. They say the freestyle wins and Donald won it. Despite giving Katherne tens, it was not that great. Also William was a bit forgotten tonight.
Any word on the 24 hr dance?
I didn’t like Donald’s freestyle because it felt like a Cheryl/Drew freestyle remake, oinly not as good. It looked forced.
I hated William’s freestyle.
Katherine’s wasn’t great, but the best imo. She should take the mirror ball but it’s going to be difficult to beat out a football player.
This season is one big fail.
Grumble, grumble, grumble.
William & Cheryl:
Cha-Cha-Cha – RAGE RAGE RAGE RAGE RAGE RAGE! What the hell?! How on earth was that a Finals worthy Cha-Cha-Cha?! Much less a PERFECT SCORING Cha-Cha-Cha? If that’s the best Len’s seen in 14 seasons, he needs an eye exam? Wh-Really?!
Samba/Salsa – I’m sorry, when did standing around, lifting your partner and sliding across the floor ever constitute a Freestyle? Much less as 10 worthy? That wasn’t a Freestyle, hence my titling of the “Samba/Salsa.” Cheryl was hoping for a 9? I was hoping for a 7.
Katherine & Mark:
Paso Doble – Love, love, LOVE “Espana Cani.” Another knockout by Katherine, but…I didn’t feel any passion of the Paso come out. Yeah, it was good, but not aggressive. It’s the finals and she’s still not that much of a showman.
Freestyle – 1920s + “Sing, Sing, Sing” = Love. Loved the Speakeasy theme they went with. And damn can that woman sing. I think she did flub some of the lifts, I was a little surprised no one mentioned that. But I did love that Freestyle.
Donald & Peta:
Argentine Tango – WHAT does Len have against Donald? I think Carrie Ann -despite it being a Judge’s Pick- was a little confused as to why Donald had the Argentine Tango. I do think there was a little less content, but it was still a killer Tango. Not the best, but still pretty good.
FREESTYLE NOW THAT WAS A FREESTYLE! I had to say I was “shaking in my boots” (PAAAAAH! I’m so punny) when I saw the country get up. And those crazy lifts Peta wanted to do? I was a little scared. When Donald said he wanted to do country and mentioned Drew I was like “Oh please don’t pick his song too…” But he didn’t! My mom and I were like “Oh he just put this competition in the bag. He cinched that Mirror Ball.” Please let us be correct!
If derek comes back for the all-star season, i would like to see him with nicole scherzinger (don’t think that this will happen) or again with maria menounos. If brooke burke comes back to dance with derek, then i hope they would ask maria to take her place.
Wow, where do I begin? At first I was getting a little bored with the night, but, then it ended with a huge COWBOY UP BANG!
My rankings in order:
1. Peta and Donald – My only complaint on these two is the music choice for their Argentine Tango. I also didn’t think they needed to change it in any way from the first time they did it, but, that isn’t their fault. Regardless, both were on point with it and they looked gorgeous in their costumes.
As for their freestyle, both gave it their EVERYTHING!! It was entertaining, fun, powerful, and full of tricks just like Peta said it would it be. It blew me away. Explosive and the dance of the entire night.
1st dance: 30 2nd dance: 30 Total: 60
2. Katherine and Mark – Katherine danced much better tonight. She was the comeback kid. Gone were the nerves and her thinking too much. She relaxed and just had a blast out there tonight. Their freestyle was fast and furious. My only complaint is that their Paso needed a little more oomph and power.
1st dance: 29 2nd dance: 30 Total: 59
3. William and Cheryl – What a lackluster Cha Cha the 2nd time. What’s more, Cheryl’s dress was just hidious. Both were sluggish a couple of times and lost their footage. I couldn’t believe it when the judges gave them 10’s.
They came back for their freestyle and brought it. It was full out sexy, fun, and powerful. Though it wasn’t as good as Peta and Donald’s or Mark and Katherine’s freestyles.
1st dance: 26 2nd dance: 29 Total: 55
Here’s to tomorrow night. Please, Peta and Donald for the win. I can’t wait for Heidi’s numbers post tomorrow which no doubt will be interesting.
Courtney, youre wrong with one statistic. You said Rikki was in 1st in the first and second night. she was only in first in the 2nd night.
Last season, after the FIRST night the scores were-
Rob- 57 “ridiculous”
Jr- 54
Rikki-54
After the third dance in the SECOND night-
Rikki 84
Rob 83
J.R. 82
“Rikki eliminated”
After 4 dance in the second night
Rob 113
J.R. 112
“J.R. wins” (Yes !!!)
Katarina, if you thought that was a Cheryl/Drew retread, you haven’t seen that dance recently. Peta put Cheryl to shame on that dance in that it was a Country Rap and much better executed. Drew and Cheryl’s dance actually doesn’t stand the test of time. There have been many done better since then, including Donald’s.
Donald has a lot of charisma and has shown improvement throughout. Peta has done a great job with all of the choreos.
William is also charismatic & has shown a lot of improvement. Cheryl is the professional dancer. He trusted and relied on her expertise. I fault her, not him for any shortcomings.
As for Katherine, her best dances were ballroom. The shimmies and shakes were stiff throughout the competition, just not her thing. Anything not involving shimmies and shakes showcased her elegance and style.
That being said, I’m not caring much who wins. I just know that, after years of not watching, I will again take a dwts break. Too much negative talk about the dancers & so on & people getting way too emotional about the whole thing.
The winner should be chosen according to the votes of the viewers. After all, that’s why we watch, so we can vote for our favorite. Majority rules & life will go on regardless of whether or not we agree with the outcome.
Congratulations to whomever it turns out to be.
Yup, Drew and Cheryl’s is like the beginner’s version of a country freestyle compared to P and D. Theirs was great for 10 or more seasons ago, but the ante has been “upped” a lot since then.
In the first round, I’m giving it to William. I think that’s the most steps he ever danced and he seemed to enjoy himself. Kat had beautiful lines but like someone said, didn’t have much emotion in it. I thought it was boring. The problem with Donald’s AT was, I was again watching Peta. My idea of great AT is smthng like Gilles/Nicole/Evan/Jennifer, dramatic dancing with timely lifts. Didn’t get it here.
Hands down the second round goes to Donald. He had some show stopping moments, like a good freestyle should. I had high hopes with Kat’s but honestly, there was nothing new to the dancing although her singing was fabulous. Not gonna say anything bout Will that hasn’t been said before.
Looking forward to Roshon, he said he’s going to do some freestyle dancing. And I got the feeling the returning stars dances are going to be more entertaining than the finalists’. π
Fun night! Really enjoyed Donald’s freestyle!! I think he will be the winner with William 2nd and Katherine 3rd place.
Looking forward to seeing Maria & Derek and excited to see what Derek has created for their finale performance. Heck, I’d be happy if they re-did that AMAZING Paso Doble!-fierce & passionate.
Loved Donald and Peta’s Freestyle! Well worth waiting for! π
Carrie Ann- William’s freestyle was what it should be, breaking ground” Yeah, because we havent seen him shake his ass the whole season, right ?
Cant believe he got a 59.
Im not really a Katherine fan, but she killed it with her freestyle.
I know people think i’m crazy – but even though I want Donbald to win, I wasnt that excited by his freestyle,m which EVERBODY seems to love- still hope Donald wins
Donald is the dark horse and hope he wins.
I am tired of hearing how this was the best, most competitive. Blah. It is competitive for me because I have no idea how popular Will and Kat really are. I mean, I know their oversea fans vote a lot and they earned the frontrunner status early. Both were favored by judges. But I do not think Will or Kat are close to being as good as other past celebs. Also for the final 3 no obvious week link like say a Bristol or Marie is in there.
The only freestyle that delivered tonight was Donald. That 30 for Katherine was ridiculous.
Not in my opinion Meggie, but I respect your opinion.
#28 Rick
I guess we are in the minority—-Peta is an awesome dancer but in my opnion she pulled a Mark and totally overdanced Donald. I was having palpitations with that barely there blue dress waiting for a malfunction! TPTB worked all the celebs so hard that at this point I will be happy for anyone of them to take the MBT!!!
Len gives Maria a SEVEN for her samba and William gets a NINE for that freestyle.
“ay yi yi yi…”
Cheryl needs to take a season or 2 off;)
When do we get the “Who Wore it Better” post between Cheryl’s freestyle dress and Anna’s in Season 10? Best part of the offseason on here! π
Go Donald Go!
No matter what happens, in my mind Donald and Peta are the winners this season. They did it the hard way, no brakes from the judges.
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I lovedddddddd Donald & Peta’s freestyle soooo much! I pray that they win tomorrow!
I would LOVE to see Peta win on only her second season, over two 2-time-champions π
I can’t wait to see Roshon & Chelsie return tomorrow <333
I thought Donald’s freestyle was pretty great as well, but I have to also agree with Len about him seeming too cautious. I thought Katherine’s freestyle was outstanding and I got excited and smiled a lot watching Mark. I was a little upset that Cheryl didn’t give us much in the way of choreography in their Freestyle but loved his Cha Cha and how he looked less nervous and happier, and I do feel he’s a better dancer than Donald and he would have benefited from a partner like Karina and shown us even more.
My predictions are the opposite of those above with Katherine in 1st place, William in 2nd and Donald in 3rd, even though I hoped William would really come out there and amaze everyone and win in the end. I’ll be happy either way regarding 1 & 2, but honestly, I think they’re all equally deserving. I do think William has way more fans out there than anyone here thinks, and eventually everyone is going to realize that the Latino demographic in this country is very significant. Mejor de suerte a todos!
I was SO GLAD Donald did such a great freestyle. The rest of the night was just….bleh.
William & Cheryl – Honestly, I really like William and don’t think he’s into the gimmicks they’re pulling much either, and he made it pretty clear in the Team Paso rehearsals that he was over pulling the “sexy” card so all of this definitely falls on Cheryl. All that aside I definitely think he should be in third just on overall dance ability & charisma. His cha cha was NOT the best in 14 seasons, and his freestyle was one of the worst I’ve seen on the show. It’s sad because Cheryl used to be a fan favorite and from what I’ve seen she’s losing a lot of fans this season….including myself. Maybe she needs to take a break?
Katherine & Mark – I love Katherine, she seems like a genuinely sweet person and she’s brought back the Mark we all know and love that we saw with Sabrina, Kristi & Shawn as opposed to the Mark we saw with Bristol & Chelsea. She’s been consistently good but I think that is her problem; nobody has seen much of a growth in her dancing, and we’re all pretty used to her dancing well. Her freestyle was expected. I love that style, but it didn’t seem like anything special or out of the ordinary, however I did love her singing at the beginning. I still think she would have been better with Tristan or even Derek. I think she should come in second, but I’m afraid Miss Courtney might be right here. π
Donald & Peta – Besides me being a huge Green Bay Packers fan, I just love Donald as a person. He’s the only one who hasn’t complained about the exhaustion, aches, time, etc. that goes along with doing DWTS, he’s consistently eager to learn, he has great chemistry with Peta, and he’s such a good dancer.. My idea of a perfect DWTS contestant. π That freestyle was simply amazing. Definitely one of the best I’ve seen in a LONG time on the show, and if you ask me, it put Drew Lachey’s to shame. As for his Argentine Tango, I liked the first one better, but when you compare it to the other two first round dances, he deserved a 30. A lot of Maks & Derek fans are putting their votes towards Donald(including myself) and I think we all know by now that those two pros seem to have the biggest fan bases. Combined with a lot of Tristan fans, and a few other contestants(Gladys I know said she wanted her fans to vote for Donald) as well as the Packer Nation, I think Donald sealed the deal with that freestyle. π
I’m excited to see Melissa, Sherri, & Gladys back. I feel like they’re all contestants I’d like to see every season….just loved them.
I’m even MORE excited that Gladys will be singing. π
How refreshing to have a Hip Hop free Freestyle round! Individually:
William: I’ve liked William’s approach all along. Cheryl’s not so much. The Freestyle was another missed opportunity for her to showcase an unseen dimension of her celeb and, as Len said, it was same ole (intermittently sloppy/frantic/stagnate) hodgepodge of bump, pose, grind, lift, repeat. While his Cha Cha was improved, I also have issue with the overscoring and Len calling it the best in the history of the show.
Katherine: I enjoyed both her routines, though she still looks as if she is hurting a bit to me. The more traditional Paso suited her and displayed her exquisite dance form. The Freestyle coulda used a bit more toned down choreography as there were a few disjointed moments and that energy dip, but I thought she did a dang fine job despite and that it was unique, entertaining and well suited otherwise (save the shoes).
Donald: More oft than not, Peta’s choreography has showcased her more than him in a Gilles v Cheryl Flashdance Freestyle sort of way. We saw this again in their AT where his talent and showmanship don’t get full recognition. Fortunately, they went the route of a much more well received Freestyle that allowed him more freedom to cut loose. A couple of the lifts lacked a bit of control, but overall, what a delight!
I suspect Donald’s crowd pleasin FS and massive fanbase will garner him the win. While Katherine at least deserves second, have a feeling Courtney might be right on William coming in at least second.
If Willy and Cheryl pull off the win tonight with that lackluster freestyle I just might shed a tear or two.
Donald and Peta’s freestyle was alright. I don’t like Cowboy Troy and there was too much of that Packers green (Chicago Bears fan, here). So, it was okay. But there’s no way it tops Drew and Cheryl’s freestyle. To me, that is the best freestyle of all time. I’ve been disappointed in freestyles ever since.
I think Cheryl and Drew’s freestyle needs to be taken down off it’s pedestal. It’s pretty lackluster after some of the great ones we’ve seen since then. And yes, I have watched it several times recently.
Sandy, I’ll send wine over – that will take the pain away. π
I wish I was as confident as everyone else, that Donald will take the MB. If TPTB had left things alone and left it up to the fan votes last night, then I’d be happier. But, the judges get to score one more dance tonight and I wonder how that is going to skew the votes, particularly as Donald has been pretty consistently underscored this season. Meh.
I did not watch last night, but I went back to watch the freestyle because I enjoy those dances most in the finals. I must say that I wasnt really impressed with the dances.
William and Cheryl: Oy! Cheryl take a season off, please we all beg you. Her routines for William have been weak all season. I mean if you even call them routines I find them more of her dancing around on him while he stands there. Was not impressed by this freestyle what so ever.
Katherine and Mark: I loved the beginning with her singing, but then Mark came out and it had to be all about him. I will say I liked his idea of showcasing all the things she was good at, but seriously he needs to tone it down because he isn’t dancing with a professional that can keep up or out shine him. Sometimes I feel when he dances he is competing with his partners especially in the freestyles. It was okay but didn’t get me all getty and saying ‘WOW’.
Donald and Peta: This was definitely the better freestyle of the three, but was not a fan of Cowboy Troy. It just wasn’t necessary to have him there singing live. The lifts and moves were great, but then again it didn’t give me that ‘WOW’ factor like other freestyles have in the past. Definitely the best freestyle of the night.
With all of that being said my mind thought last night of ‘What would have Derek’s routine have been like?’ Even though it would have been similar to his past ones, maybe, it still would have been amazing! I would have rather seen a Freestyle from Maria or Roshon or even Sheri besides Katherine and William.
I think Donald should win. Hopefully America gets it right! I will be watching and looking for my three favorites tonight to return to the floor! Gavin, Roshon, and TEAM MENOUGH!!!!!
Loved Donald’s freestyle, it’s my new fav, knocking Apolo to 2nd and Drew to 3rd (I know but I love the song and it was such a risk at the time)
I was curious about the votes Donald was getting so I tried calling during his package before his first dance and it was busy already.
Willy bored me, and since when is dry humping (my husbands words) part of any dance, even a freestyle.
Never heard Kathrine sing before – WOW – too bad some of the lifts in the freestyle got a little sloppy.
D&P for the Mirror Ball
I was never a fan of Donald and Peta this season, but I do have to give them credit for the lifts they performed in their freestyle — they looked complicated and they were were performed smoothly, without any noticeable breaks in the dancing. Donald’s years of watching this show certainly paid off. Peta’s lucky she was paired with a fan of this show who could give her guidance on how to choreograph a freestyle. I’m not so sure she would have been as successful in her choreography if she had been paired with William, who I don’t think watched the show.
Katherine’s and Mark’s paso doble was definitely an improvement over their first paso doble, but for me the dance was underwhelming because it was danced too much in hold. It actually reminded of the pasos that Derek choreographs for partners who are not up to the physical and mental challenge of dancing apart from him (e.g., Ricki and Maria). Also, Mark again tried to cram too much into his freestyle. Shawn and Kristi at times had trouble keeping up with him in their freestyles — why would he think that Katherine would be any better than they were. Plus, the lifts that Katherine and Mark did were somewhat awkward.
As for William’s and Cheryl’s dances last night, they were totally predictable, a little too raunchy for that T.V. time slot, and a snoozefest.
@Lisa – I tried to call at 8:02 and it was busy and by 10:00 I had only managed to get a total of *2* votes in. Thats it! I voted the rest online.
With their crowd pleasing freestyle if Donald and Peta don’t win, then this show seriously needs an overhaul.
@Heidi – Thanks for the offer, hopefully I won’t need it. π
I think Donald and Peta have the win in the bag. Football players are nice and strong and can usually perform the lifts well. Men have an advantage in that it often seems the female celebrities have to do more dancing…with their feet. The male celebs often get to wiggle their hips, twirl the female pro around, and do the lifts. Football players probably have more fans than say, classical singers, too. π
Having said that, I have loved watching Donald and Peta all season, their routines have been fun and he can do the footwork when it’s in the choreography. Katherine and Mark have been fun to watch as well. I hope she wins, but seriously doubt that it’s possible. Cheryl and William…meh – predictable and boring for me. At least he seemed to have fun last night.
just caught up on the dances my rankings
3rd)William & cheryl – cha cha: it was better much better than the first week…but thats not saying much…he’s had 9+ weeks of dance training and did the EXACT SAME steps…all they did was change the song…it was enjoyable though
freestyle? – cheryl dropped the ball on this one….it wasnt even a freestyle…it was ‘Argentine salsa’…freestyle is suppose to show us something about the contestant weve never seen before, not something weve seen from them Every single week since week 1….absolutely nothing new or exciting about that freestyle, which is a shame because i think william had the charisma and talent to pull off a great freestyle
2nd) katherine & Mark – Paso: technically executed much better than the first time…and i think it was smart for mark to make it more traditional…but it was katherines achilles heel rearing its ugly head again: ‘boring’
Freestyle: when i hear mark and freestyle i usually cringe while neon colors and light up shoes cross my mind…but i give mark major props and an A+++ on this freestyle. he catered his high energy ‘markness’ perfectly to katherine personality and it in turn showcased something ive been missing from katherine: Excitement, personality, spunk, fun…it was great…couple of bobbles here and there but i was impressed!
1st ) donald & Peta Argentine tango; i just watched the dances…not the judges comments, but i didnt think this was boring At all. i liked this one so so so much better than the first one…he was much more contained and it simmered just how i like my A. tangos to. it was the first time i found him sexy
freestyle: I was laughing the entire time….in the BEST WAY POSSIBLE….just loved it
Donald’s freestyle will stand the test of time. To me, it was one of the best – if not the best – freestyle I’ve seen on DWTS’ 14 seasons. It was so out of the box for them both, and I thought taking a chance with it worked beautifully. Their AT was beautiful as well. I don’t get what Len was saying, other than perhaps the judges were “encouraged” to create “drama” going into the freestyle round.
Mark and Katherine did well, but I think their freestyle song was just a tiny bit too fast for her. Her footwork wasn’t as clean, the lifts were a bit sloppy, and I thought if the music had been slowed down maybe even just half a beat, she would have done better.
William and Cheryl – Oy. What is there to say? Their cha-cha was boring and, IMO, not as clean as their week 1 cha-cha. Their so-called “freestyle” was just William shaking his arse while Cheryl danced around and they did a couple of lifts. Okay. Sorry, neither dance measured up to the other two teams at all.
Predicting/Hoping…
1) Donald & Peta
2) Katherine & Mark
3) William and Cheryl
i wasn’t going to vote last night, but Sandy I did it for you! lol …. so I hope you won’t have to “cry in your drink” tonight! Fingers crossed for D & P.
Wow… I’ve never had the amount of trouble voting via phone that I encountered last night. I was using the cell phones during the show; no trouble there. Switched over to the land lines after the show, and it took me 45-50 minutes to get in just 5 votes for Donald.
Princess Heidi – If you’re sending wine, could I please have one, too? π
@Meggie – Aww, Thank you so much! π
C U Cheryl pulled another “Gilles” with this freestyle. (Poor Gilles – Sexy and he could really dance & CUCB had a brain fart! Flashdance – seriously?) All of Free Willy’s dances look the same, down to the pink shirt! Thank goodness Len has no hormones and called them out on being predictable. But, being afraid of TPTBWTHUCA . Len copped out with the score. It should have been an 8 or 7. This is the most important dance of the season, and it should be scored more critically. If Len scored Maria’s V Waltz an 8 because it was American Smooth and not in hold more, and her Ballywood Samba a 7, then Free Willy needed the same treatment. And, did they forget to give CAI and Bruno any of the other paddles? Everything was a 10?
Katharine and Mark’s freestyle was OK, but too hectic for me. It seemed like they just kept throwing stuff in without finishing anything. I agree with Melissa #2 – would have loved to see Derek’s take on this. (So missed Menough last night-can’t wait for tonight)
Donald and Peta absolutely stole the show. The AT was a little too safe. I kept screaming “move your feet more” . But the freestyle was awesome. So much better than CUCB and Drew’s. It might have been great in season 2, but it really does not hold up now. Very slow and easy.
But, I have to say, I think the freestyle has gotten out of hand. It becomes a gymnastic competition, and it’s not always fair to the celebrity (male or female). I think there should be a limit on how many lifts; and after a 10 week course in ballroom dancing, let’s see what they have learned – make them actually dance. Shaking your booty is for the nightclubs. Anyone can do that!
AND please retire the phrase “the best ever in all 14 seasons!” Hiow many times have we heard that this season? Could have been a good drinking game! I guess all three judges have had some head trauma lately or amnesia. If you have run out of things to say, get some script writers. Just ask TPTBWTHUCA. I am sure they could think of something!
I am glad this season is finally over! I hope I have judges amnesia syndrome so I can forget most of it
Whichever one of you knows Cheryl, tell her to buy a dictionary….remember how she dissed Maria/Derek earlier in the competion about their kiss, and how there should be a “suggestion” of it only, and how she keeps things more subtle..??!! I would call that pelvic pounding a lot of things in the middle of that chacha mess…but subtle isn’t one of them. She has sunk to an all-time low this season and has been sliding to that low for a while.
I wasn’t going to watch at all..I kept busy voting for Donald but a friend kept calling and yelling in my ear about “B tch” stealing Derek’s/MM’s death drop and her porno chacha…so I had to take a few minutes and look. Donald was delightful and I hope he sweeps the whole thing. LOVE him. But I am very suspect of this year, more than usual. Just hope I am wrong.
Loved Donald and Peta last night. Didn’t care for Katherine and Mark’s freeystyle, imo it was bland and those shoes, lol. Imo also, I see a Donald or William win and Katherine 3rd.
Last night was what I expected…William and Cheryl made me want to throw things, Katherine and Mark smiled and did a good job, and Donald and Peta blew the top off the joint. I loved their outfits and the energy and the dance (Freestyle). I can not imagine what it must have been like in the ballroom. If there is any justice tonight, it will be:
3rd W&C
2nd: K&M
Winners: Donald and Peta!
I admit, I came into this season not loving Peta. Last season she seemed way too camera hungry for me, but then again, I only got to see her for one dance. This season? She has completely impressed me and turned me around. She now ties Karina as my favorite pro. I hope so much that TPTB switch partners next season for All-Stars so that Peta can participate. And Tristan and Val too! Val is another who I didn’t like his first season, but love him now. He is my favorite male pro by a mile. (I reserve the right to change this opinion next season if he acts skeevy again, LOL) π
Here’s to tonight! This season sure does feel like it has gone by fast!
1st place: Katherine & Mark – Girl Power!! she is the best dancer of this season, IMO.
2nd place or 1st place: Donald & Peta: i love the guy
3rd place: William & Cheryl: hmmmm, he’s not as good as compared to the other celebrity.
OH MY GOD! How freakin hot was Peta? That freestyle was just awesome! I really like her choreo. She’s done a great job with Donald all season. And those lifts! I was holding my breath and cheering. They should get the MBT.
Second I think should be Katherine. She’s been so consistent all season – just lovely to watch and technically superior to William. But William’s fanbase might knock her to third.
Can’t wait to see who wins!
My fav freestyle off all time is still drew and cheryl but wlliam’s freestyle just shows how creatively empty she is now. Take a couple od easons of cheryl. stay in your studio and get inspired then come back to us.
Booze for everyone!!! π
Opa! (Greek for cheers!) π
YEE-HAW!!!! (Texas for “cheers”) π π
@Courtney – Any DWTS finale buzz still going on in the twittersphere? Just wondering. Thanks. π
IMO the only reason Cheryl and Drews freestyle won the top dance of the first 200 shows is because all of us Derek/Julianne fans had so many AMAZING dances to choose from! It was OK but not up to the caliber that those two have shown us! OK. Booze for me too!
At this point, i think everyone knows how I love to see Peta and Donald dance and they deserve to get that trophy hands down. Hopefully, Maks or Tony get somebody really good next season (Mel B, Erin or Kirstie in Mak’s case and Stacey and Melissa in tony’s case) because one of them has to win at some point. I’d feel bad if they ever left the show without winning once.
On a side note, I know all the couples are coming back but is there a chance we will see Derek and Maria’s paso again tonight?
Booze definitely helped last night… The show was pretty boring for me. Donald’s freestyle was the highlight of the evening. Even still it looked to me that he and Peta were not in-synch a few times, but that could’ve been the booze.
I liked Katherine’s Paso better than her first one and her freestyle was certainly energetic until she lost some of that energy. It still seems to me that Mark is outdancing his partner. All in all I wasn’t really wowed.Β
The most entertaining thing about either of Willy and Cheryl’s dances for me was the look on Willy’s face when he got a face full of Cheryl’s fringe a couple of times when he was lifting her. Too bad she wasn’t wearing a loofah dress so he could’ve multi-tasked and exfoliated while dancing. Is it bad that I was actually hoping for another shoe malfunction to make things a little more interesting? That freestyle was so predictable save the fact that most of Willy’s clothes were still intact at the end. It seemed to me that Cheryl choregraphed the routine around seeing how many times she could straddle Willy or mimic dry humping. I think that Donald’s children may be scarred for life… Seriously, I was ticked that Len gave that freestyle a 9, but I’m glad that Len finally said something about the routines being all butt and no substance, which should have been said about 6 shows ago.Β
@Sally: LOL! Are you cheering for Donald or are you from Texas or both? I’m actually from the east coast of Canada and we say,” Soc-iable!” (because we are very sociable!) π
Meggie – LOL!!! π Rooting for Donald, plus spent lots of time in Texas… π
[…] Courtney: predicted Donald as the winner, William as second and Katherine third. […]