PureDWTS Season 17, Week 8 – Power Rankings
Did anyone else feel like the dances were a bit…I don’t know, MECHANICAL last night? Almost every dance I saw felt a bit wooden and robotic…like you could practically see the couples counting out the steps as they danced. Once again, I’m going to chalk it up to all the couples feeling stressed and burnt out, which is unfortunate because I feel like several of them are forgetting that this is supposed to be fun. Also mechanical? Cher as a judge, as more often than not she seemed like she was out to lunch and just threw in a generic comment and threw up the “9” paddle when prompted (unless, of course, your name is Bill, in which case she managed to locate her “8” paddle…convenient.) Say what you will about Julianne as a judge – but at least she was coherent in her critiques, and I understood why she gave the scores she did. Cher? Not so much.
Once again, we have a “shocking” elimination that isn’t all that shocking when you really think about it – I’m guessing that Brant’s fanbase, which seemed to be sustaining him sufficiently well since his bottom 2 scare early in the season, just finally gave out this week…with several people left who are likely pulling in a lot of votes, I think anyone with a “young” fanbase is probably in some degree of jeopardy, by comparison. I guess all I can hope for at this point is that someone like Bill can somehow edge out an older fanbase like Leah’s…because that woman has GOT to go.
1/2.) TIE: Corbin & Karina and Amber & Derek – Another not-quite-100% night for both couples, and due to the immunity challenge, there’s some trade-offs that seem to level the playing field between these two. Corbin & Karina’s Argentine tango, while pretty good technically, just left me wanting a bit more emotionally – not sure if it was the strange song or the fact that these two were pressed for rehearsal time this week, but it just felt really cold and obligatory to me. Corbin seemed to be laser-focused on remembering his steps, and seemed to lose a bit of entertainment value as a result. Amber & Derek also had a strange song to contend with, and while I think they actually handled it well, the choreography just felt a little odd to me – like “rumba by numbers”, if you will, with a few sequences of Amber strutting around in a sassy fashion to fill it out. Did the music necessitate it? Maybe. But like Corbin’s Argentine tango, it just kinda left me wanting more, and it wasn’t Amber’s best dance. Now here’s the kicker: while Amber may have gotten the immunity, Corbin actually got the 3 extra points that came with winning his dance-off against Liz. Amber is still the cumulative points leader for the season – but with Corbin a mere 3 points behind her, one off-dance could shift the balance of power: say Corbin gets his first perfect 30 next week and Amber falters a bit a gets a 26. That could mean the difference between picking first and picking second in the next challenge. And as we’ve seen – that can mean the difference between getting a good song vs. a sh*tty song, or a good team vs. a sh*tty team. It all adds up, kids…
3.) Jack & Cheryl – I feel a little odd putting these two so high, but after last night, I think Jack may actually be the dark horse that sneaks his way into the finale over Liz or Leah. His journey this season is reminding me a lot of Rob’s journey in season 13 – kinda flying under the radar for the first half of the season, then slowly creeping his way up the leaderboard in the 2nd half. Jack actually had the strongest routine, both technically and performance-wise, for me last night – he handled his tango well and I enjoyed watching it. Maybe a little bit “deer in the headlights” at a few spots, but still the best overall package last night. I think he may actually have the dual benefit of having both a young and an old fanbase – I’m guessing he’s getting the middle-aged female vote courtesy of mommy Sharon, and getting a portion of the young vote courtesy of young Ozzy fans and those who remember him from The Osbournes. In a season like this where the youngin’s seem to be dropping like flies – I think that could be a big advantage.
4.) Elizabeth & Val – Wow…well, ummm…if Elizabeth set out on a mission to make everyone forget her Showgirls days, I think this jazz routine may have been a bit of a step back for her 🙁 It was the same sort of angsty, flaily, hard-hitting stuff you see her do in the fictional “Goddess” show in that movie. And here’s the kicker – a lot of that choreography was actually more coherent than what we saw from her last night. I don’t know if changing the song at the last minute really threw them or not, but I found this routine kinda hard to follow – like random sections of choreography that got chopped and cleaved back together in a different, illogical order. It was a lot of angst and flail and not a lot of dance…and the fact that the judges didn’t seem to have any qualms with giving her a significantly lower score than she’s been accustomed to these past few weeks seems to indicate that she could be in some danger. My gut says she’s PROBABLY ok next week, as long as she doesn’t completely bomb again…but there’s a nagging voice in the back of my head that thinks she could be toast, much in the same way that Snooki & Brant have been in the past two weeks. And I’m now pretty dubious about her making the finale, too – depends on whether the judges/PTB decide to prop her up or not and keep the finale full of “strong dancers”, or if they opt to let the chips fall where they may and let Jack, *cringe* Leah, or even Bill into the finale.
5.) Leah & Tony – Say what you might about Leah “improving” and “having a good journey on the show” – I just find this woman (and her partner) wholly unpleasant to watch, given their smug sense of entitlement and elitist attitude. Leah proclaiming that “Cher will like us” and “score us well”? Leah opting for a makeup touchup while every other couple was rehearsing for the face-off backstage? Leah & Tony both scowling at the judges when they were handed a more realistic (but still rather kind) score of 25? I’m over it all – we don’t see this kind of behavior out of ANY of the other couples. And given the fact that Leah still moves in itty-bitty steps and never really dances full-out, I don’t really see why she suddenly thinks she deserves stellar scores based on her “artistry”. I don’t even really need to comment on Tony’s choreography, because we know how boring it is, but I will anyway – this Viennese waltz was very kindergarten-y, and the he seemed to conceal the fact that she’s not very good in-hold by putting in a LOT of hokey open work…which she also bungled up at times, along with the footwork. I’m still baffled as to why this woman is still in the competition, but I guess we can thank a combination of the judges coddling her and people buying into her bogus “journey”. And yes, I think the threat of her actually making it into the finale only grows by the week…
6.) Bill & Emma – Prime example of a couple being hip to the fact that “Cher week” is kind of lame and they may as well just have fun with it. Was their disco off-time? Sure. Did Bill struggle with some of the lifts? Sure. But as always, I still found it a joy to watch, and thought it was the most fun routine of the evening. 🙂 Is it any coincidence that the only time Cher set down her omnipresent “9” paddle the entire evening was to give Bill an “8”? I think the judges still clearly want him gone, which is fine – because he’s obviously proven that he’s got the votes on his side. 😉 Will he go home next week? If the judges can do anything to help it, probably – but I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw another shocking elim, perhaps Elizabeth. I think the fact that Bill has made it this far indicates a bit of a shift in attitude amongst the voting viewers – it seems to indicate that some are becoming less concerned about who’s the “best dancer”, and more concerned about who they actually ENJOY watching. If that’s the case – I’m happy about the shift. This show has never been 100% about the dancing – people actually have to LIKE you, too. And in Bill’s case – if they REALLY like you, they can maybe overlook some sub-par dancing. 😉
Thoughts on the Face-Off Rounds:
I think Corbin could have EASILY beaten anyone he picked – but I rather enjoyed the fact that he picked Liz, who probably is the one that would have given him the biggest run for his money, and more or less schooled her on cha-cha. Liz may have gotten a perfect 30 on her individual cha-cha – but Corbin’s 29-scoring individual cha-cha was leaps and bounds better…as was his face-off cha-cha. I think the fact that Corbin’s dancing has a lot more finesse to it than Liz’s is what puts him ahead. Brant vs. Leah in the rumba? Leah winning this one is the biggest load of malarky I’ve seen in quite some time on this show. Everyone gushing about the “emotion” of her performance? The woman had the same smug expression on her face that we see all night, every night. And she barely moved! Clearly the fix was in on this one – which makes me wonder if Leah knew beforehand that she was going to win the dance-off, and that’s why she opted to rest on her laurels and have the makeup staff freshen her up backstage while everyone else was furiously trying to fit in more rehearsal time. Maybe they decided that Brant was disposable at that point – who knows. I thought the Bill vs. Jack face-off was a bit bogus, too, just because they stuck him with disco AGAIN and then were like “Well you’ve already done disco once tonight, you should have owned this one!” I’ll admit that Jack was better, and that Bill probably fared better with disco than he would have with cha-cha or rumba, but really…why even have disco as a choice, anyway? Just to throw in another Cher song? I just think Bill was screwed from the get-go no matter what.
So what did you guys think of last night’s show? And what are your thoughts on Cher as a judge? Any early predictions for who makes it to the finale?
Yeah I agree with the rankings. Yesterday was an off night for many of the couples except probably Jack and Cheryl. It could be the wear of the season, as well as the song choices they were given. In Corbin’s case it was also the distraction of the production problems with the movie. I hope the problems are done and he gets to focus next week though.
I didn’t actually realize how little Leah moved until I really watched the team dances last week. After how she behaved when the judges were critiquing her Contemporary, I had stopped liking her.
As I said in the other thread, I thought it was a class act of Corbin wishing Elizabeth luck before the dance-off and even them standing together in the end.
Hopefully since there is no more one artist for all couples we will get better dances.
It’s hard to say who will be the next one voted off, because this has been a whirlwind of people voting off and others staying.
Good job Court!! First off, I just want to say how much I loved Cher on the show. It felt like an iconic moment in time having her. I loved her performances and she was a class act judge.
As for the couples:
1. Jack and Cheryl – Wow! They blew me away in both the individual dance and their dance off. His techinique was spot on. Cheryl’s choreography was creative and powerful. I love how he is working so hard. He’s in control and relaxed. Loved them!
2. Amber and Derek – I was so nervous before hand as I wasn’t sure how Amber would do with a Rumba and especially with the song they had, but, they brought it. They were smooth as pie and yet stylish and sexy. The choreography… perfect again. I did notice her footwork being a little weak at times…most likely due to her knee injury, but, I loved them. I loved her black leather dress too which fit her perfectly. Just amazing!
3. (I would have put Peta and Brant in this spot if they had made it.) Karina and Corbin – This was a good dance and yet, something was missing. I thought for a Tango, it could have used a little more fire, power, passion and intensity (which might have come if they had more practice time this past week), but, I loved the clever lifts (especially at the end)and their leg extensions. Karina costume was cool too.
4. Elizabeth and Val – Was this really a jazz? It looked more Contemporary? Saying that, I loved the fire and the intensity in this dance which was perfect for the song. However, it was really messy through out and her timing was off. Also, a couple of times, I thought she was going to fall.
5. Emma and Bill – Once again, these two were a pure delight to watch. I love how he just gives it all up and does his own thing. There might have been some technique issues, but, all I see are their smiles, their hearts, and how much they are loving dancing and this show.
6. Leah and Tony – I don’t know what to say? She is still dancing as if it’s only her first week. They danced so slow and too careful. Her legs were heavy and she wasn’t light enough on her feet. They should have went home tonight (again).
I was working last night and am in the midst of watching the show now (comments on Jack’s dance as I type). And all I have to say is, this is one weird MFing season. Nothing that’s going on is making much sense at all.
Oh, the Chelsie clone/Sasha lead-in to commercials after Jack’s dance – THERE’s the Sasha we know and tolerate hahaha I like him better as a pro
Leah bores me with her dancing her big ego and her attitude behind the scenes made me hate her even more last night. I don’t know how or why she is still in the competition but she needs to go. If she gets into the finals I will explode. Tony is full of himself now too. Seriously getting tired of them.
Amber and Derek omg they blew me away with that dance even if it wasnt the best rumba he had, they still nailed it and the song was just not matching that slow romantic feeling of the dance. Its okay the shirt coming off was good enough for everyone right? ;)oh and of course his fly was down I believe. Amber really came out strong and did a great job even with an injured knee.
Corbin and karina did a good job with their dance and loved that they killed it in the dance off against Val and Liz haha that was great.
they got owned really badly.
Jack seems to be stepping his way up, but I still want to see more from him
Bill is so much fun to watch. This is what everyone should be doing, having fun, learning the dance and just doing their best. Loved the disco and hope he stays again next week.
Elizabeth was all over the place, I don’t even have words. Thats what happens when you change a song at the last minute and speaking of which since when was that allowed to happen?
Can’t wait to see what happens next week. Gonna have to hear royal Leah probably say that she is not a dancer and its hard enough to dance with one but now two and walks out. Ugh yeah lol
Sorry i just want her to go so badly.
I honestly don’t know how I feel about the night. I think the season is really bringing me down a bit. I wasn’t a fan of this Cher night. It was too much of an overload with the songs, performances and judging. I was hoping she’d bring a bit more to her critiques, but of course that didn’t happen. She made CAI and Bruno sound sane.
1/2- Tie- Amber & Derek and Corbin & Karina: I didn’t love either dance but they were a hell of a lot better than the rest. Corbin didn’t feel to into it. The first time I watched Amber I couldn’t take my eyes off Derek. I re watched it and it wasn’t Amber’s best dance technically.
3- Jack & Cheryl- They are really growing on me. I also think Court makes great points about him covering all the fan bases.
4- Bill & Emma- As much as they’re not technically the best, I love watching them dance. Dancing is supposed to be about the way it makes you feel and they always make me feel happy
5- Elizabeth & Val- I thought we might have had a chance of them going tonight. I’m glad they didn’t inflate them tonight, but I wonder if it will continue
6- Leah & Tony- I seriously have no idea who is voting for them. Everything seems so small when she dances. She’s not improving that much anymore, she’s given poor choreography, and she has a HORRIBLE attitude. If she makes it to the finals I’m not going to be a happy camper.
I’m sad to see Brant and Peta go. I wasn’t voting for them though so I can’t be that sad. I think I’ll be upset every week if it’s anybody but Leah and Tony or Elizabeth until the finale though.
Yeah last night was kind of a mess overall in my mind. On to the dances!
Corbin & Karina: I was expecting a lot more from their AT. It was still very good but he didn’t look as sharp and clean as I was expecting. He killed that cha-cha though!
Leah & Tony: No comment.
Brant & Peta: I was really starting to enjoy him and even voted for him last week! Sad to see him go when someone like Leah is still around. He was a lot better than I thought he was going to be going into the season.
Elizabeth & Val: I feel like all I do is bash them so I’m going to try and not be so harsh in my critique. I fully expected them to get a 30 and win immunity last night. I have to wonder what would have happened had they performed Val’s original choreography/song. I liked the power behind the dance and the staging/lighting added something but Liz had a hard time controlling her energy. I too expected her to fall at some points. Val can try all he wants but he really can’t convince me anymore that he isn’t feeling Liz this season.
Bill & Emma: God I love this guy. I would literally do anything for the DWTS gods to see him in the finals. Yes, I know he isn’t as good of a dancer as Snooki, Brant, or Christina but, for me, dancing skill isn’t the only factor I look at. When you see someone truly enjoying themselves and working so hard, it’s difficult not to fall in love with that. I take offense to Leah being there still over Bill. His disco could have been cleaner but still so fun!
Jack & Cheryl: My favorite of the night. He did such a great job and I agree with everyone else that he’s making me like Cheryl again! My only fear is that he’s running out of Ballroom dances and will have to get back into Latin dances which isn’t his strong suit. Hope people are voting for him.
Amber & Derek: They still brought it but it wasn’t a favorite of mine. Don’t know if it was the song or just my lack of enthusiasm for rumba’s in general but it was just lacking for me. Still thought it stood out and was probably my second favorite of the night.
I think next week is a make-or-break week for the celebs. They all seem very stressed this season (not sure if that’s a product of the pros being stressed with the new format) and now that they are doing two full individual dances it’s going to get interesting. Between Amber’s injury and Jack’s fatigue they could be feeling it this coming week. Also, I have to wonder how Liz will handle two dances. She seems to get overwhelmed easily.
Don’t know why Leah’s still there.
THE BEST part of the entire night last night, was when Tom threw to Bill to read the teleprompter. First, I LOVED Bill’s reaction, and his and Emma’s surprise and joy, and second, I loved Tom even more for giving Bill and Emma (and us) that moment.
My next favorite moment of the night was during the dance offs. I’m finding myself liking Liz a bit more, but I still can’t let myself like Val, and that moment in the pre dance off package is part of it…. Mentioning that they will pick on the “biggest” threat they can…. And then finding that CORBIN picked them! I think Corbin did more to make us see Liz’s personality before and after their dance-off, than Liz and Val have all season so far!
My least favorite moment was the elimination. All was going well for me, until they announced Leah safe, and my heart sunk and I said to myself, “the wrong person is going home.”
I will miss Brant and Peta. They’re another pair that I don’t think we really saw their real personalities, and he has always felt like he was vanilla pudding. Once the whole “showmance” crap stopped, and Peta stopped giving Maypole stripper choreography, I actually started liking them!
And I’m sorry if this offends my Cher-fan friends on here, but I honestly did not really care for her on the show last night. I thought during the first song, that she was trying to lip-synch badly, and they accidentally left her mic live. I LOVED her second performance though, that one was top notch, and glad that Tony finally found the right replacement for Julianne that he can throw around with some of those awesome lifts they did during pro dances…. But until Tom said Tony and Tyne, I honestly thought it was Witney!
Oh, and her judging….. Didn’t quite make sense of a lot of what she said, but she was almost amusing at times…. Mostly puzzling. And more than once, I asked myself if she was drunk??
And Tom has proved over and over and over this season, and last night moreso, that he IS the BEST reality competition host!
I think last night’s competition was a bit of a step back. With Cher as a guest judge, the couples were probably more nervous to perform in front of a legend like her. Also, a lot of the song choices worked in favor of some of the couples.
1. Amber & Derek: Last night proved that “If I Could Turn Back Time” suits Rumba in an interesting way. Even with an injury, Amber was able to keep up and win immunity at the end of the first round.
2. Corbin & Karina: I had a feeling that they would dance to “Welcome To Burlesque”, and it worked. There were a few unsteady moments, but it was still a dynamic performance.
3. Jack & Cheryl: I’m starting to become impressed with him. His Tango to “The Beat Goes On” was spot on, and I can’t wait to see what they have in store next week.
4. Elizabeth & Val: Talk about a huge step back. “Bang Bang” didn’t work in her favor this week. Liz seemed to be at an unfair advantage with a Jazz routine, considering she has a Jazz background. This wasn’t her best, but it wasn’t her worst.
5. Leah & Tony: I’m flabbergasted that they’re still here. Their Viennese Waltz to “I Got You Babe” was a bit slow, and didn’t seem to flow completely. I have a feeling that she will be the next one to go.
6. Bill & Emma: I’m at bit of a crossroad here. On one hand, I’m glad that they’re still here and danced to “Strong Enough”; on the other hand, I’m wondering if he will be good enough to make the finals.
Dance-Offs: I’m calling BS on this round. Corbin vs. Elizabeth was really the only challenging duel. Brant was stronger than Leah in the Rumba duel, and the judges still favored Leah. Jack vs. Bill was ridiculous.
Elimination: Brant & Peta were unfairly eliminated last night. They were so much stronger than Leah and Bill, who both wound up staying. When the highest scoring couple and lowest scoring couple are saved, that’s when to know something is fishy. The results just seem to be a guessing game at this point.
This season has been very lackluster for me. Not sure if it’s any one thing but I figured it would be Brant or Jack to go after last week and it wound up Brant. He’s a sweetheart but I just didn’t see a voting block for him (or Peta) that would exceed Cheryl/Jack or Bill/Emma and Leah/Tony. And Leah should have been gone by now. And given Brant went home after getting 3 9’s, I’m starting to worry for Liz. Yes, she’s a much better dancer than Brant but I also don’t see where her voting block is coming from.
I am staring to think Jack is the dark horse as well for the final three. I wouldn’t mind.
Now the voting gets interesting for me. With Leah and Bill having audience votes on their side, imo, will they hold out over Liz…or Amber? I can’t imagine. I would pick Leah to go next but I have a nagging feeling Liz may not make it as far as I thought in the beginning just because, like Brant, I don’t feel a large enough fan voting base for her specifically. I do hope she makes it past Leah and Bill though. She’s a great dancer and I like her, although it didn’t help that she kind of looked a bit arrogant, unintentionally, for changing the song/choreography in the 11th hour that had already been completed.
And Cher….what a waste of a guest host spot and performer. I actually would have taken Maks over that.
Something was definitely off last night and this entire season. From the camera work (do they have interns operating the cameras?), to the sweeps month stunt of Cher judging (sorry I have loved this woman since the 1960’s but if you can’t sing live and stand in mile high heels then you should hang it up) to whole atmosphere in general. DWTS is showing its age. Even Annie Barrret’s recaps at ew.com seem phoned in. They are not as cleverly written as they have been in the past. Anyway favorite dance was Jack’s. I do not like Rumba’s in general so I did not really like Amber’s and Corbin needs to focus on the dancing; it showed in the performance; that was extremely rude of him during their rehearsals. I am surprised Karina kept her cool. And Leah just needs to go home.
I am rooting for Bill to make it to the finals…just because.
Finally got through the eppy. Nothing going on here makes any sense.
Corbin & Karina – it wasn’t Corbin’s best dance, and the footwork was EXTREMELY intricate and he did have a lot of crossups. I was afraid they’d stumble, and kind of noticed he had a poker face going on at times. But I don’t know what it was about this dance – it was absolutely mesmerizing.
Amber & Derek – not her best either, but girl better work. Lemme just fangirl for a second – when she ripped Derek’s shirt open, the only thing my mind could think was, “I thought gods didn’t walk the earth?” I don’t usually like shirtless, but I appreciated that you could see how a Latin dancer is SUPPOSED to move.
Brant & Peta – he did really well! It was a delight to watch him dancing the foxtrot and smiling, being all dazzling. Even though Peta really Cher’d it out with the costumes…and the set…
Jack & Cheryl – to be honest, I wasn’t even paying attention. But he’s a fun guy, and it’s hard not to like Cheryl this season. And from what I saw of the dance, he was on point.
Elizabeth & Val – ughhhh put your damn clothes on, Chmerkovskiy. I’m still trying to figure out wth jazz dance is, but it was glaringly evident that she was totally caught up in the drama of the dance. And I have questions about how she was able to change her song. I’ve been watching this show actively for 7 seasons and I’ve only seen that happen one other time.
Leah & Tony – SHE. DOESN’T. MOVE. I want to know what she has on the people that run things because I just don’t understand what she’s still doing here.
Bill & Emma – love of my life. He’s just a party in a blue collar and they’re great together. But I hate how the judges like to cut him down in ways they don’t anyone else.
Dance offs: CORBIN OWNED EVERYONE. Karina was not messing around with that choreo. But what I saw there was that Corbin has an unrivaled sense of sportsmanship. It was wonderful to watch.
The only place I agreed with the judges in the Brant/Leah battle was Brant’s lap of hip action, but how the front door did she beat him? Yes, his hips barely moved, but he was actually leading this dance (I think Peta’s the biggest culprit of backleading on this show)and Leah barely moved, period. Plus, she is so FREAKING rude, I couldn’t believe when she told the judges to continue ripping on Brant.
Jack & Bill – didn’t watch them, actually, because I was still so mad from the previous one.
That elim was BULL.SHIT. Even if it wasn’t necessarily the bottom two, it should NOT have been Jack and Brant, and in no universe should Brant have gone home before most of these dancers. His words were touching, and he was so gracious. He’s a good egg. I really should have thrown votes to him.
I think next week will be interesting. I think it will say a LOT about certain contestants which 2nd pro their partner picks.
Rough night for most of the celebs.
I applaud Corbin for putting an important issue like bullying (his project) before a show for entertainment. Following him, I know how passionate he is about this issue and it is not something to take lightly. Also, I am not surprised that Karina was patient with him. First, she knows about the project; she wore a shirt one day in support of Corbin’s work. Second, she understands how committed he is to this. Corbin and Karina knew each other long before this season started. Four years to be exact. They are friends first.
I believe that is what makes their partnership great. Hopefully, Corbin worked out the kinks in production and he can focus more next week on his dance, but I do not think he was rude at all. Some things in life are more important than “entertaining” the masses.
i didn’t like last night show cher song were blah
i found everything boring
except maybe the dance off
i’m exited for next week and the trio dances i love it
Anna – in the past, the pros could change songs a bit more than they’re allowed to nowadays. But they also used to pick all their own music. I know Derek and Cheryl have both changed songs at least once, but both have been quite a few seasons ago. Derek normally sucks it up these days and he’s been thrown some real crap.
My first post here, though I’ve been enjoying this site for a while. Two thoughts that caused me to finally take the leap and post–
Had the exact same thought last night about starting to see similarities between Jack and Rob. Their steady improvements across their respective seasons say so much about Cheryl’s ability to teach a non-dancer.
Also had a thought I wanted to share about the challenges and why Corbin/Karina and Brant/Peta went against what would seem like the easier/more obvious option of choosing Bill/Emma as their opponents. There may have been some long-range strategy going on there, though like everyone else I totally applaud Corbin for going straight at Elizabeth, who was the next highest scoring celeb available (since Amber was already on the bench with immunity).
But I digress–I think C/K and B/P may have sidestepped Bill because it’s becoming extremely clear he’s got some serious fan vote power going on, and there’s a potential benefit in not offending his fans, because when he’s eliminated, those votes go back into play, and how they distribute could make a big difference in who wins and who loses at the end.
Bill fans aren’t voting for him because he’s the best dancer. They’re voting for him because they like him (and I guess I should say “we” because I give him some votes), so being seen as likeable by these fans will matter as to who gets their votes.
It’s kind of for that same reason that I don’t think he’ll make the finals, because as the weeks go on, three of the celebs already eliminated are in the best or better dancer category, so I don’t think he’s picking up a lot of new votes. If that’s the case there’s going to be a point at which his existing fans can’t keep up with the “better dancer” voters and that’s when he’ll be eliminated.
Well we have our first hint about the trios. Gleb posted on his IG that he’s dancing with Elizabeth and Val. Makes sense because of the height factor.
Cher was pointless as a judge and her singing was horrible. If Len needs his little breaks, get someone that knows ballroom dancing to fill in for him.
Corbin/Karina – I liked it. It probably could have been better if Corbin wasn’t interrupted so much during their rehearsals. Not that it matters, he’s not going anywhere.
Leah/Tony – Please just go away. I’m not saying anything else because I don’t have anything nice to say.
Brant/Peta – That was the second time they ended their dance with a kiss. I don’t understand how they got the score they did. And I don’t understand how he left before Leah.
Elizabeth/Val – If Leah doesn’t go, I hope it’s her. Stop complaining about how little time you have to rehearse to a song when you changed it so late in the week. Since when can you change your song? I thought each couple was given a song and that was it. Didn’t like the dance at all, and hated her outfit.
Bill/Emma – That was fun to watch. He’s having so much fun doing the show. Glad he’s safe.
Jack/Cheryl – I liked their dance a lot. That was my favorite of their dances all season. I agree with others, he could be like Rob Kardashian. I hope he does manage to stay longer than Leah and Elizabeth. He deserves to.
Amber/Derek – If they were trying to hose them with the song, it didn’t work. That was fantastic. I don’t know what it’s going to take for them to get a 30.
I was thrilled when Elizabeth lost her dance off and thoroughly disgusted that Leah won. She was not better than Brant. Are TPTB that desperate to have JLo show up another week? I lost count how many times she was on camera. So disappointing.
oh thank alabama
i want derek to pick henry and not mark
i don’t know who derek will pick
plus amberalready worked with henry so she knows how he dance
I pretty much agree with the power rankings and most of the comments.
I can’t believe that Leah’s dance off was better than Brant’s. My thoughts are “strings” are being pulled. IMO
I hate to say this but was kind of disappointed in the “Cher” night. I love her music and normally her performances.
Something just seemed off to me last night.
well my wish was not granted mark dancing with amber and derek
and henry with leah and tony
A few thoughts:
•I really like Amber and Derek but this choreography just didn’t make sense to me. And while they are my top couple, I don’t think it was worth a ten.
•I actually kinda liked Elizabeth’s routine. What annoyed me was how she started praising Cher for being such an inspiration to women, or whatnot.
•I take back all my comments preseason about him being the obvious joke act. While I think he’s the weakest left and has outlasted a couple better dancers, I think the ‘read the teleprompter’ moment summed up how I’ll remember him this season. He has a delightful relationship with Emma and he’s surprised me in the way that he’s really enjoying this competition.
Also, another batshit crazy conspiracy here – I thought earlier that Leah could actually be getting some of the most votes and is very likely to get perhaps a final spot. Because of this, the judges are over marking her so it looks like she’s earnt it, and so she has a high enough average score for people to think she’s a worthy finalist. Hence why we may even get some lazy Mambo-inspired Freestyle that even Len pulls out his ten for.
Hopefully I’m so, so wrong.
Oops, ‘him’ in my last comment was referring to Bill, haha.
@AnnaR #3 I’m quoting this: “And all I have to say is, this is one weird MFing season. Nothing that’s going on is making much sense at all.” I totally agree with this statement and thank you for putting into words exactly how I feel.
As far as dances go even though Corbin’s footwork was not up to par I totally thought the amazing lifts made up for it. I have seen Corbin be totally on with the footwork and then they pick on the choreography when they can’t find anything else wrong to complain about. I have felt he has been under scored most of the season. I didn’t find him rude in the package at all. I think it was meant to show how passionate he was about his project. I have a feeling all the phone ringing was just an idea by someone who puts together these packages for us to see.
Regarding Amber – No, this wasn’t her best dance, but again she is an amazing dancer and has personality plus, and I believe both her and Corbin both have suffered from being under scored when compared to many of the other dancers this season. I was glad she won and didn’t have to dance that last challenge even if she had to prepare for it. I really worry about her knee.
I really enjoyed Brant and Peta’s Foxtrot last night. I could really see him working hard and improving all the time. I thought he might be the dark horse to begin with. I was happy to see Peta give him good choreography and not stick with the cheesy stuff she has in the past. She knew he could handle it. He did not deserve to go last night.
I thought Jack did well last night, and he may very well be a dark horse, but dance wise I still don’t remember his dances.
I didn’t care for Elizabeth and Val’s Jazz routine at all. I guess I just didn’t get it and she just looked angry to me. That along with Val shirtless didn’t go together with the dance. I guess I was expecting much more since she was so excited about being able to use that song. I also didn’t get what she said to Cher at the end. Thanking her for something – I missed what was being said and wasn’t sure if Cher got it either.
I bring up Leah who has been totally over scored imo this season. CA and Bruno gave her 8s and Corbin 9s. CA gave Amber a 9 and at least Bruno gave her a 10, but how does this make any sense at all? Leah may be a bit more comfortable in her body, but she still is miles away from both Corbin and Amber in dancing. Yet, she is not miles away in scoring by the judges and why I refer back to AnnaR and her description of the season.
Talk about rude – that would be both Leah and Tony this season. I found Leah totally rude last night, and maybe she thinks she is being funny, but I am not finding what she says funny at all. I really think she thinks she is that good now. I just said in another thread that I don’t care for Tony’s choreography and @Courtney I totally agree with what you posted above on the subject.
Emma and Bill as always – no not the best dancer, but always about having a good time and just enjoying himself.
I just have to add that I was a big Sonny and Cher fan and then later Cher, but I think it is time for her to retire. I don’t mean to sound mean, but I did not enjoy her performances or her judging. @Ashley L #11 I agree what a waste of a guest host spot and performer and I would have preferred Max over that as well. @Lori #9 so glad you posted that you had asked yourself if Cher was drunk – I thought the very same thing.
I have no idea who will go next week based on what has happened so far. I know I want it to be Leah, but I am really beginning to doubt that. When the judges had her win over Brant I just wondered what is in the kool aid this season. I thought it would be nice to have the best dancers in the final along with Bill because Bill is all about fun and having a good time. I am now afraid that the best dancers will be gone, and Bill may still be in the finals, but Leah may actually win this thing. It is my nightmare, but she has outlasted better dancers thus far and people have to be voting for her. She constantly brings in the big guns like Jlo and company and the cameras constantly go to her – so in this very weird season nothing will surprise me.
Mark with Amber and Derek? Ughhhh
7) Leah Remini- Dancing the Viennese Waltz to Sonny and Cher’s “I got you Babe”. A cookie cutter routine performed at a turtle’s pace. Leah’s kicks were terribly weak, the timing was off the music, and the holds were awful throughout the dance. Cher is useless and gave her a 9. The other judges gave lower scores and criticism that Leah will surely ignore and hold in spite. Score 25
6) Bill Engvall- It’s disco night for Wild Bill. Dancing to “Strong Enough” by Cher. Bill’s patented move the finger point a key part of the routine. Bill is definitely giving it his all. But it’s clear at this point that Bill is not getting any better each week, strangely though his partner Emma seems to get hotter each week. Excellent costume selection Emma! Strong impressive lifts during the dance though for sure. Score 24
5) Brant Daugherty- Dancing the foxtrot to Cher’s ” It’s in His Kiss” Brant looks more tired this week, and we all know Brant performs better when he’s angry and intense. A little faster paced then I like to see the foxtrot danced. Routine was a bit odd to me and Brant looked a bit less masculine than he should. Looked like it should have been a musical rather danced to this song on this show. Brant had a golden smile the whole time though. Score 27
4) Jack Osbourne- Dancing the tango this week to Cher’s “The Beat Goes On”. Jack tells the audience how he is really starting to love the dancing. Absolutely perfect pace to this dance. Footwork incredible. Jack is growing into a sensational dancer right before our eyes. The kicks and holds were extraordinary, exactly what Leah’s were not. This couple is by far the best at the slower ballroom style dances on the show, a very refined performance. Score 27
3)Elizabeth Berkley- Dancing Jazz with a showgirl-esque wardrobe. Good start. This dance was all over the map though. Elizabeth made one big mistake where she forgot a step. Didn’t look like Jazz to me, wasn’t in sync enough with the music. One of Elizabeth’s weaker efforts. She could be in jeopardy next week with another performance like this. Score 25
2) Corbin- Dancing the challenging Argentine Tango, Corbin turned in a very nice performance. A sensual performance full of strong and dramatic leg kicks. The holds were spot on and the lifts very powerful. Footwork a bit off at times but overall a beautiful display. Score 27
1)Amber Riley- Dancing the rumba to Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time”. Slower dance for Amber than usual. But a great hold throughout the dance. Didn’t look natural doing it but she did it well. Bruno gave it a 10. I still feel she might be too one dimensional when we come down the stretch. Score 28 highest score of the night means she’s automatically safe.
Don’t understand why Derek’s choreo didn’t make sense? Watch their OTRC interview to hear how the producers interfered with their costuming and god knows what else.
saw it heidi
that’s not fair !!!!
i’m pissed
I will say it again, conspiracy theorists – Leah got TWO 8s on her first Dance and Len probably would have been right there with them. Lets wait and seen what next week brings before we start the “overscoring to justify finale” theories – those theories I typically agree with in week 9.
Derek didn’t appear to be all that thrilled either. Give him a crappy rumba song and then dictate what he’s going to wear (and, I assume from what he said, the other sailors).
so they force derek to dance a rumba in a sailor costume
but they let liz change they song last minute
there
First, all I could think of while Amber danced was that torn tendon or ligament in her knee. I tore my meniscus six weeks ago, and the for the first week, I couldn’t put ANY pressure on that knee. I thought Derek did great choreography to be careful of that knee, but if you watch that dance carefully, you will be able to see how little movement she actually had with that knee. Second, I just want to apologize for defending Leah initially. I don’t know but that smug face said to me, “I threw a big fit and now I know my scores won’t be that bad.” Just sayin…wonder if she threatened to walk away totaly. Sorry, just have to wonder.
Based on their OTRC interview. It seems Corbin and Karina have Whitney in their trio dance.
So we know 2 so far.
Elizabeth & Val have Gleb and Corbin and Karina have Whitney
we know for everybody 😉
trio teams:Tony&Leah w/ Henry,Bill&Emma w/ PETA, Derek&Amber w/ Mark, Karina&Corbin w/ Whitney, Cheryl&Jack w/ Sharna
Bill and Emma have Peta for their trio
Jack and Cheryl have Sharna
I have a feeling Amber and Derek will probably choose Mark.
What happened, no one was brave enough to pick a pro that was the same gender as their contestant?
@Anna R – That’s only happened a handful of times: Roshon & Chelsie chose Sasha for their paso trio, William & Cheryl chose Tony for their paso trio, and Apolo & Karina chose Sasha for their jive trio. Each time, it was always a male pro chosen; and each time, it seemed to fit the storyline of the dances. In addition, I think each of these scenarios was one in which the male celeb was actually skilled enough to look good dancing next to a male pro…not sure if anyone other than Corbin could do that this season, and depending on what dance he got for his trio, it might not have made sense to bring in another guy. I don’t think it would make sense for a couple with a female celeb to bring in a female pro for the trio – they would most certainly outshine the celeb, and it would create a LOT of work for the male pro to lead two ladies.
Cher was terrible as a judge, she had nothing interesting or helpful to bring to the table. Julianne was way better and even Paul Abdul was better.
This was one of the least enjoyable shows overall this season. None of the dances were particularly wow worthy.
Corbin & Karina disappointed me, I was so expecting a stellar AT. I was so distracted by his face…..he wasn’t in character at all in this dance. Then they weren’t as tight and good as they usually are either but he got the performance aspect all wrong to me which was really surprising.
Amber & Derek weren’t at their best but it still was the most entertaining number of the night for me. Bad song for a rumba and rumba isn’t one of Derek’s favorites generally anyway but they did what they could to make it stand out. This girl at least gives her all every week in the performance aspect and makes it look great and I’m glad they got immunity except for the point issue it can cause.
I don’t love Liz and Val but I really was expecting to love their jazz routine since it should be right up her alley. I first thought it was kind of rude for her to do that to Val after he had a piece complete. If both people agree to a music change that is one thing. But to lay that on Val was a bit rude, just my opinion. I know it is more about the celeb than the pro in this competition but still. Esp when they already had to worry about prepping for the dance offs, why would you make it that much harder on you both? Then after all that it was so……disappointing. Not clean, not together, lack of control throughout and just not a great piece. I liked some of the jazz pieces so much more last season. I’m glad the judges didn’t gush. Also, when I hear Bang Bang now, my mind immediately goes to Eliana & Alex’s awesome contemporary piece, one of the best of that whole season of SYTYCD. Yes, that piece had a very different vibe due to the arrangement but it was so excellent that as a comparison……this just didn’t hold up at all.
Bill wasn’t great tonight but he’s just so darn likable and so are Emma & Bill together. Loved the reaction to the teleprompter, good for Tom for doing that. They are like the opposite of Liz & Val for me, who often have pleasant or above average dances but the partnership and personalities leave me cold, so I would rather see Bill on my tv than Liz.
Jack was good and Brant was pretty good. Sad he left, he didn’t deserve it, but again, not surprising. Don’t think his fanbase is strong enough in this demographic.
Leah & Tony just need to go, for many of the reasons stated by Courtney and so many others. Their attitudes are just terrible. I’m surprised no one mentioned how rude she was during the dance off critiques. It looked like she was saying she liked hearing Carrie-Ann’s tough criticism of Brant in that dance and then told her to shush so Cher could talk…ugh. If there is a 3 person finale, I would rather it be anyone as the third to Corbin and Amber but her, even Liz. I hope someone can edge her out. I do think 2 full dances each will hurt her so we can only hope.
It was nice to see some interesting dance offs. Loved Corbin’s clear win over Liz. Don’t get me started again on Leah vs Brant. And Jack was definitely better than Bill but I love them both and their attitudes.
Trios next week! Hope we see some great ones.
I agree Courtney – it all depends on the dance. Karina had said they have a sensual song, so it sounds better for them to have a female pro as if it were Corbin and a male pro, the spotlight would more be on Karina than on Corbin for that kind of song.
Last night wasn’t the greatest night. Everything felt so slow and dull. I didn’t get much excitement from it all it.
Amber and Derek – They were good. You can tell they are both working with injuries. Their dance felt too safe and that’s okay because of what they are dealing with. So I hope next week or as they get healthy again that they push for more.
Corbin and Karina – They are doing good too. I think I expect soo much from them because of how good Corbin is that sometimes they tend to bore me. Hopefully they’ll excite me in the coming weeks.
Liz and Val – I said this every week but Liz as good as she’s suppose to be she tends to be sloppy a lot. I don’t know if that’s because she puts too much pressure on herself or if she really is that sloppy. This couple tend to be up and down. I just hope she goes back to her week 2 or 4. I think it was when she brought life into her routine.
Jack and Cheryl – I really surprised by Jack. Every week he seems to improve. He’s starting to think “hey I think I have a chance at winning this” and I love that. You can tell he’s putting his all in this and enjoying it.
Leah and Tony – Leah is just not that good. She continues to get overscored for doing simple routines. All the other celebs are actually being challenged. I really don’t think she is. It always seems like she dancing behind the music half a step. I just hope next week is her last week.
Bill and Emma – As always bless his heart. You can tell he is trying. The audience sure love to root for him and that’s great. When Bill N. left he kinda became the heart of the show. I just love Bill. Do I think he deserves to be in the final? No. But he’s at least trying and I can see why he’s still around and others are not.
Overall the show could’ve been better. I think the music really played a big part in the night be soo out of sync. A lot of the dances were safe and others were complete messes. Hopefully next week is better.
On Brant and Peta front. They didn’t deserves to go home. Just like Nicole and Sasha didn’t.
Ps… What’s the deal with the judges loving 9s this season??? smh
I thought Amber and Derek’s dance was the best of the night followed by Jack and Cheryl and then Corbin and Karina. I could tell Corbin didn’t get enough practice time in when he danced. Amber’s Rumba wasn’t Derek’s best but I think he had to tone it down due to Amber’s knee injury. Wonder what they’ll get for their trio dance with Mark??
I didn’t think Leah’s VW had enough hold in it. I don’t know WHY she’s still there and who is voting for her!
My mom and aunt both LOVE Leah! I just don’t get it. Maybe it is because she is “older” or maybe because they like Tony…who knows. But to me, it shows that maybe a lot of the “viewers of a certain age” like her and are voting for her? When she danced that crap salsa (samba? IDK) last week, I thought my mom was going to cry she loved it so much. I get furious with her over it lol!!
Tristan McManus in a sailor suit. Enjoyed seeing that way more than I should have!
Loved the way Bill found out he was safe.
Cher was completely useless as a judge, as I expected.
A number of performers have had hectic weeks because of their “real jobs”, Bill and Emma were flying to his comedy gigs and practicing on the road, Brant was filming something, Nicole was flying back and forth to home and dealing with a sick kid one week, but Corbin’s suddenly a dick because he also has other obligations he has to fit in between dancing? The constant nitpicking of him is starting to get on my nerves.
Whilst I understand why Brant was eliminated, as soon as I saw the “dance off” I knew it was a “Producer fix to get their way for the final” because while Brant had hip issues with his rumba, Leah did not even dance! Tony did all the dancing and Leah was as stiff as a piece of wood.
I whole heartily agree about Leah, that woman has GOT to go ASAP. She is about as much fun to watch as Master P was way back when in his season(and it was horrible and hard to watch him “dance”). At least Bill, who cannot dance ballroom and Latin well, is having fun and trying. The question that remains is, “who are the producers going to screw over next and who are they trying to get in their final?”
I don’t think Cher knew what she was doing with judging she just gave a 9 to everyone ‘save Bill and gave him an 8 so I’m guessing she was in “A for effort” mode with her scores.
Well, I’m disappointed that Brant left – was so hoping it would be Leah.
Cher was underwhelming as a judge – a nine for everyone, except Bill. If she was giving a nine for effort, then Bill should have gotten one too.
Thoughts on the dances:
Amber/Derek – The best dance of the night. Considering this wasn’t *their* best dance, that says something about the overall dancing this week. Hoping that Amber’s knee gets better – I don’t want that injury to take her out.
Jack/Cheryl – I thought this was possibly Jack’s best dance so far. I was really impressed. I’m liking Cheryl so much more this season – I don’t know what she did, or what happened, but both her attitude and choreography are much better than the last few seasons.
Corbin/Karina – This was a good dance, but felt a little “off”. Something wasn’t connecting here, and I’m not sure if Corbin was just too much in his head, instead of really connecting to the dance, or what. Not my favorite A. tango.
Brant/Peta – I know they’re gone, and I’m sad. I thought he did a really good job with this dance.
Bill/Emma – So much fun! It was nice to see him move up from a 23. I’m hoping that he can pull out a nine for an individual dance – he would be so excited. I don’t think the judges are really acknowledging his improvement (especially compared to their fawning over Leah).
Elizabeth/Val – Meh. The dance was disappointing. I thought that Kelli last season looked more like a trained jazz dancer than Elizabeth did – and Elizabeth’s the one that had training!! But the routine was rather sloppy.
Leah/Tony – It was one of her better dances, which isn’t saying much. She is becoming insufferable – “I know Cher, yadda yadda”. I can’t wait until she leaves. Praying it happens next week.
I think the judges might be over Leah – or at least, they don’t want her to knock any more better dancers out. Perhaps they’ve realized that they can’t get rid of Bill, and so they need to get rid of the next lowest person on the totem pole. However, they did give her the bonus points, which I thought was ridiculous. Brant won that dance-off. Perhaps it wouldn’t have made a difference, and Brant would have gone home anyway.
Great comments from everybody! I just want to say that I really enjoyed Amber & Derek’s Rhumba. Despite the fact that they were battling injuries, the dance was gorgeous for the simplicity, clean lines and inventiveness of her being the dominatrix, as it were. I loved her taking his shirt off and watching the beauty of his moves and, well, his beauty in general. I also really loved her leather skirt: she rocked!
As for Cher, I just didn’t get it. I used to be a fan but she seemed altered because her speech was slowed and there was a lag time before she spoke, and her face was so full of Botox that it barely moved. Really weird. Her performances left me cold as well, and her judging was perplexing. I couldn’t understand the reason for her scores because she didn’t say anything relevant. I wish TPTB would have had Shirley Ballas fill in for Len.
Okay, i know there has been some questioning about Tyne’s ballroom ability, but I was doing some research on her, and she really is an incredible contemporary dancer imo. wowwww watch this! At first i was skeptical about her, but this video showed she really is a top notch contemporary dancer, (much like allison holker).
Check this out
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CHmSwnM-mt4
In my opinion I think her dancing style would be more suitable for a show like so you think you can dance. But either way, i now can see why she danced for mj. She really is good (at contemp).
This is just my opinion though. What do you all think?
In addition to my comment above, Tyne really has great legs i must say, i wonder if she trained in ballroom all her life she might of been a really good ballroom dancer. That just shows that ballroom dancing is very difficult and many professionals have strictly trained all their life 🙂