PureDWTS Season 18, Week 3 – Power Rankings
I apologize that this is so late – I got caught up figuring out the results of the hashtag tracking yesterday (which was pointless, it turns out) and just got burnt out and didn’t want to bombard everyone with these right after posting them. So here they are now 🙂
“Most Memorable Year” week has never been my favorite, and I think Monday night was the weakest show they’ve had so far this season – just some very odd song choices (which makes me wonder if they were ASSIGNED certain songs, as opposed to actually picking them), some lackluster choreography, and some elimination fishiness. Sad to see Billy Dee go, but if he really did have to withdraw due to injury (more on that in a post coming later tonight…), at least he got to leave on his own terms. Then again, after some murmurings I’ve heard, I’m not so sure he left voluntarily…
1.) Amy & Derek – The bf came over after work to watch the Walking Dead season finale (since he doesn’t have cable), and he ended up rewatching DWTS with me afterward. The only dance he asked to see a second time? This one. 🙂 He was fascinated by Amy’s “swimming legs” and how she was able to stay balanced on them so well, and how realistically they seemed to move. We both loved the move where Derek pulled her through his legs and she did a sort of somersalt, and landed perfectly on her pointed toes – she looked like a ballerina on pointe. Just a gorgeous routine that beautifully highlighted what Amy is capable of – I think she really won the night with this dance. Thought it was underscored, though, and I’m wondering if they deliberately clustered the rest of the scores in order to allow Meryl & Maks to sit at the top, uncontested…makes for a better storyline next week, I guess.
2.) Meryl & Maks – It was a very pretty routine, sure – but it was NOT A FOXTROT. The first problem? That song. I specifically mentioned in the comments of one of the posts last week that “All of Me” is a pain in the ass to choreograph to, just because the tempo really doesn’t perfectly fit any of the dance styles – I know some of you were throwing out suggestions like Viennese waltz, rumba, even bolero, but trust me when I say that there isn’t a dance that fits perfectly with that song. So from the start, it wasn’t very foxtrotty. Second problem? Maks’ choreography. I get that he didn’t have the best song to work with and just did the best he could, but this felt more like a contemporary routine with a few in-hold steps – and then there was the 10 count of just standing in the middle of the floor pretending to almost kiss (gross). Pointless, non-dancing time-wasters have always been my problem with some of Maks’ choreography. And in the end – I’m still not feeling connected to either Meryl or Maks, or them as a partnership. Thought 39 was WAYYYY too high of a score for a dance that could not even be classified as foxtrot – I would have given it a 36, maybe, but I’m guessing they wanted to “shake things up” by having Meryl take the lead this week.
3.) Charlie & Sharna – I don’t know if anyone else noticed this, but this is the first time we’ve seen Sharna choreograph a jive on DWTS – and while it was cute and creative, I think it maybe strayed a bit too far away from the jive syllabus at times and had just a little too much extraneous choreography in there. It was very cute and very fun, but I feel like Charlie could have handled something with a bit more challenge to it. As for his actual technique, it was pretty damn good – only saw one or two counts where he lost time. I guess this is just one more situation where I felt like he could have handled a bit more choreography – hopefully Sharna will continue to adjust her choreography accordingly, because I don’t even think we’ve seen a fraction of what Charlie is really capable of. I preferred this routine to Meryl’s, but obviously the judges decided that this week was Meryl’s week to be the leader. Whatevs – still think he’s gonna win the whole damn thing. 🙂
4.) James & Peta – I think we have our first contender for the title of “dark horse” this season – because I seriously didn’t expect to like this pair as much as I have been the past two weeks. James nailed his salsa last week, and he nailed his jive even more this week – aside from one section of being slightly off-time, I thought this was about as good as it could get. It’s kind of funny when I think about it – Peta was trying to force a showmance with Brant, and it always came across as awkward and tepid; she’s trying NOT to be showmance-y with James, and it’s coming across a lot more genuine and…chemistry-y. 😛 I also think Peta is starting to step up her choreography a bit more, although I still think she needs to avoid the same pitfall she fell into last week: throwing everything but the kitchen sink into the routine. Less is often more 🙂 Overall, though, I think these two are hitting a nice stride and have left themselves some room to grow…and possibly knock one of the better dancers *cough*DANICAWHOISNOTADANCERATALL* out of the finale.
5.) Danica & Val – I’m sorry, I am just having the hardest time getting myself to really like Danica – she can dance fabulously (and she did tonight), and then she can completely ruin it for me by being all fussy and overdramatic in her rehearsal package and while she’s getting critiqued. She just seems like she’s wound SO TIGHT to me – like she might have a meltdown if her foot is one inch out of place on her pique turns or something. I think I’d appreciate her obvious dance skill so much more if she just RELAXED. But anywho – yes, this was a good contemporary routine. She handled the lifts well, she extended her limbs well, it looked good; but it didn’t get me as invested as Amy & Derek’s routine, despite the subject matter. Felt a bit too overwrought with emotion and lost a bit of the honesty that made Amy’s routine so appealing.
6.) Cody & Witney – Cody handled this well, but I expected him to – it was basically a hip-hop routine labeled as jazz, so it was right in his wheelhouse, just as the cha-cha catered well to his hip-hop prowess. Here’s the issue I’m beginning to notice with Cody, and I think it’ll become more obvious as the season wears on: if he can’t make it hip-hoppish, he’s terrible at it. Sorry, but upon watching his tango last week a second time, it really kinda sucked, guys. I’m just waiting until he gets saddled with something like the waltz or quickstep that he can’t make hip-hop at all, and I’m interested to see how he fares then. I’m beginning to think James may end up outlasting him this season, simply because James is more versatile.
7.) Candace & Mark – As I said on Twitter, I’m a little puzzled as to why they saved this routine for last – cause honestly, kids, it wasn’t that good. I was actually a bit surprised that Candace didn’t handle the jive a bit better – seems like a dance that would suit her wholesome, fun-loving attitude well; but she seemed to have trouble picking up her feet and really getting a bounce through her body. She also seemed to fumble a bit on some of the faster footwork sections – then again, I wasn’t terribly fond of the jive choreography Mark gave her, either. I know they were trying to go with the Elvis homage, but I feel like they maybe got a little too caught up in doing Elvis moves and, like Charlie & Sharna, didn’t quite do enough basic jive. Maybe this was just one off-week for them, but I think we’re starting to see the limitations in Candace’s skills. At least she stopped harping on being a “wholesome, not sexy, Christian wife & mother”, though.
8.) Drew & Cheryl – Another couple that had a bit of an off-week – Drew seemed like he was really trying with his waltz, but the whole thing seemed a bit…off. The song was a bit bizarre – seemed better suited to a dance about a romantic relationship than one about his son; he also seemed to really fumble some of the more simple footwork, while handling the difficult stuff with ease. It was pleasant to watch overall, but not his best dance – I have to wonder if he was just assigned that song, because it didn’t seem like it was one he would have picked himself. Lord knows TPTB have got their mits in just about everything these days…
9.) NeNe & Tony – So…NeNe can wear flats for her jive and go barefoot for her rumba, and that’s fine; but Candace MUST wear ballroom shoes for HER rumba? Makes perfect sense. *eye roll* Guess I’m just really getting tired of double standards on this show – I don’t care that NeNe is tall; that doesn’t mean she’s going to be hindered by wearing heels, so allowing her to eschew them while forcing others to wear them is a big ol’ load of POPPYCOCK. Kinda like this rumba, which, like Meryl’s foxtrot, was a rumba only in name – way too much contemporary influence, and Tony flitting around with his shirt off and having NeNe run to him dramatically. I was actually enjoying this couple, until this week – and I have to blame Tony, because I feel like he didn’t really give NeNe as much as she could handle. NeNe does what she’s given with conviction – the problem this week is that she was given a whole lot of nothing. And I’m starting to wonder if the Real Housewife novelty is beginning to wear off – she’s already outlasted the only other Housewife to do the show (Lisa Vanderpump, who lasted till week 3). Then again, who knows how this god-forsaken partner switch is going to work, so maybe she’s got another week or two left in her…
The “Rivalry Scorecard” for the week:
Charlie vs. Meryl – I’ve gotta call this one a tie: Charlie doing an okayish jive is still better than Meryl dancing a really good (but chilly) non-foxtrot, but she seems to be gaining traction with the judges while he’s getting scolded a bit. Running total: Charlie 3, Meryl 1.
James vs. Cody –I’ve got to go with James again, but only by a hair – Cody handled his jazz routine well, but I expected him to; I was not expecting James to own the jive like he did. Running total: James 2, Cody 1.
Danica vs. Candace – Both are starting to get on my nerves for different reasons, but I think Danica wins this one by a hair for masterfully handling her contemporary…but remember, she’s not a dancer, guys. 🙂 Running total: Danica 2, Candace 1.
So what did you guys think of Monday night’s show? Who do you think is in danger heading into switch-up week?
Excellent as always Court. Ok, here are my rankings too…
1. Amy and Derek – I don’t know where to start. I am still utterly speechless. Every week, it seems we are witnessing a new invention and/or moment in time never seen before. They were magical and and a piece of heaven. I feel we are all so blessed and lucky for what they are teaching us and the world on this show. I loved the powerful spins. They put every ounce of emotion into every move. I will never forget this dance and all the messages that came with it emotionally and physically. Thank you Amy and Derek! 10
2. Charlie and Sharna – What a clever intro. They had me on my feet straight up. So fast and bouncy. Charlie was such a natural out there. Excellent choreography by Sharna again. I always love her sense of vision. Too fun and entertaining to the max! I can’t get enough. 10
3. Meryl and Maks – These two were just breathtaking as well. This has to be some of the best choreography Maks has ever came up with. So romantic and passionate. My only compliant is that it felt more contemporary than like a Fox Trot. Otherwise, brilliant. 9.5
4. Cody and Witney – I continue to love these two! I love how they add moves and quirks putting their own spin on each dance. They were youthful, playful, stylish, refreshing, and cool. 8
5. Peta and James – Good for him showing the bullies how it’s done. He came out full of high energy and fun. He was sharper than the first two weeks. He kept up with Peta so well too. It was cute, sassy, full of personality, and sexy. Loved them!! 8
6. Val and Danica – Finally a dance from these two I liked. This dance didn’t feel as fake or put on as the others. She was totally in the moment and feeling it all concentrating more on Val and not the audience. Beautiful dance and with such grace and elegance too. 8
7. Cheryl and Drew – Once again, he and Cheryl make me smile. What a elegant and charming dance. I agree with Robin. He is showing the world he is a beautiful dancer with a beautiful soul. 7.5
8. Mark and Cameron – It pains me to put them this low, but, I thought her feet were messy and slow throughout the dance even though there were good parts too. What I love the most is that she is loving and soaking up this experience. You can feel it in every move. 7
9. Tony and NeNe – When I first saw the bed and Tony without his shirt, I thought eek, but, it ended up being a beautiful dance. I liked it. She still needs a lot of work, but, she glided out there and was lighter on her feet. Very nice. 7-
I agree with you Courtney. Maks is being all romantic and cheesy around Meryl and I just don’t buy it. He seems a little too pushy to me. All this kissing and kissing and kissing… It’s starting to get on my nerves, like he is trying way to hard. I just don’t feel them as a couple, they have absolutely no chemistry for me. And I really have no idea why he choreographed it as a love story. She definetly wasn’t talking about her boyfriend before the dance, so I really didn’t get their story behind the dance.
For me personally, Amy & Derek’s dance was a dance of the night. I think I’ve watched over 20 time yesterday and today and I still get tears in my eyes. One of the most powerful, inspiring, touching and beautiful routine I have ever seen my live. Derek came up with the amazing choreography, as always. I bow down to both of them.
1-2 I’d tie Amy/Derek and Meryl/Maks at the top. Those were the Moments of the night. Perhaps Amy did not move enough on her own to warrant a 10 in the judges opinion, but I was surprised even Robin didn’t give her one.
1-2 The intimate moment in the middle of Meryl/Maks’s dance wasn’t gross — it was gorgeous and romantic, and Meryl sold the hell out of it — I think their connectedness is part of the reason they got the scores they did despite the choreography being less than foxtroty, the rest was how much content there was, even if not all of it was in hold. I’m baffled at how you found this “chilly” but to each their own.
3. Charlie’s performance level in the jive was not good enough, he is capable of a much more naturally joyful performance. Seen some people say perhaps he was overwhelmed by the difficulty of the jive, which makes sense. Something was missing from his performance, though. Meryl clearly won this week for me.
4. Val/Danica. A beautiful and very emotional dance. Good work by Val. Danica is a bit stiff in it at points, though.
5. James/Peta. A surprise, and a nice one. If James has the votes, I could see him making the final if he continues this level of week to week improvement. Really nice to see that. Loved the backflip.
6. Tony and Nene
7. Cody and Witney… I guess? I don’t remember this dance at all tbh.
8. Drew and Cheryl
9. Mark and Cameron. It wasn’t that bad, probably objectively better than Drew’s, but because she went last I expected so much more and it was a huge letdown.
I agree with your rankings Courtney. i thought Amy and Derek’s Contemporary routine was the best dance of the night and severely underscored which furthers my belief that TPTB has an agenda to GIVE Maks the MBT this season. Yet, I don’t feel a connection between them. I’m sure Meryl is a sweet girl but I don’t feel any personality from her whatsoever or any true partnership between her and Maks.
Danica did much better this week…gee, is this the week that we’re like WOW where did THAT come from Ms, I’m not a dancer??
James is a real contender and I see him making the finals 😉
Charlie’s Jive was great! Wish there would’ve been more dancing and less of that fluff stuff at the beginning, which IMHO wasn’t necessary.
NeNe and Tony, Why doesn’t she have to wear the proper shoes for the dances? It’s like Season 16 all over again with Zendaya? Tony, you’re NOT Derek, please just leave your shirt on, k?
Cody doesn’t impress me at all, Candace’s Jive was ok and I think Mark out danced her. Umm, didn’t Julianne tell you about this last season? Love ya Mark but it’s about your Celeb 😉
Danica and Val’s package was so phony. It looked like a scene out of one of her cheesy movies (Love At The Christmas Table, to be exact).
Derek and Amy’s dance was the best dance I’ve ever seen in the history of DWTS. She’s beautiful.
Speaking of beautiful, Courtney, I saw your instagram, and you have the most GORGEOUS hair!
@Carlie – Awww, you’re sweet 🙂 Full disclosure, though: I was wearing extensions for at least part of last weekend, so you might be seeing that 😛
Does anyone know when they are going to announce the “switch up” partners or will it be a surprise. I am waiting for them to update there Facebook so I can vent in the comment section
Y’know, Bethany, you can feel free to express your opinion without throwing in that you’re “baffled” about how I could possibly not agree with you. Kinda fits in with our whole “leave other posters out of it” policy…
@Katy – They said the new pairings would be announced on the next show (Apr. 7). Will be interesting to see whether we see some leaks before then.
Thoughts in no particular order…
James & Peta : I was worried this week that James might not be much of a Jiver and that he might have a slip in terms of scores this week, but wow did he and Peta surprised me! I really really liked his Jive. It was entertaining and very clean. I also liked Peta’s choreo as she seems to be stepping it up this season. These two are contenders alright. They got my votes.
NeNe & Tony: I always say this but it’s the truth, I like NeNe but Tony is just not right for her. He isnt bringing out the best in her imo. That choreography left sort of a bad taste in my mouth. I did like some of NeNe’s movements but I dont think wearing flats helped her at all. Think she would have done a lot better, had she been wearing heels. I will say though, that as weird as it was for Tony to be shirtless, he doesn’t look all that bad for 40….
Cody & Witney: The dance itself was good. But I expected it to be good. It was right up Codys alley and of course he was going to nail it. Like Courtney though, I feel Cody is only good when he is doing his little hip-hop stuff. When it comes to actual ballroom, I think that is when we’ll see him be not so good like in his Tango.
Danica & Val: I found myself liking the dance more than I thought I would. A lot of it was due to the song because i love it, but I didn’t find Danica as annoying this week. However, I am going to agree on something Anna said on Afterbuzz.. Danica needs to show herself more relaxed during the dance. It sometimes looks like she isn’t breathing and is about to pass out.. Overall, I liked it a little. Not as much as I liked Amys though…
Drew & Cheryl: Not much to say about them… I like Drew. He is doing his best. It was an odd waltz but I kinda liked it. I think he is improving and I hope he continues to do so.
Meryl & Maks: Was it a Foxtrot? Erm, sometimes it looked like one, sometimes it didnt.. I like them a lot but I felt it was very overscored. Wish they would have gotten a different song to make it more Foxtrot-y. I did like the mood they set and liked the romantic aspect to it. Meryl also looked very pretty.
Amy & Derek: I teared up during that package. They both are seriously just very inspiring and beautiful. The dance was so lovely also. I do not know how she does it.. While I do think Derek did most of it and it was mostly lifts, I do understand a little the limitations that she had specially with those feet. I still thought it was gorgeous though.
Charlie & Sharna: It was fun, vibrant and happy! Just an overall very good dance. I am actually one of the people who didnt particularly liked the beginning of it. I felt he could have done some actual Jive during that time.. But either way I liked it.
Candace & Mark: Also not much to say about them other than I liked the dance but it wasnt all that great. I did like that she seemed to let loose a little and have some fun but her technique was a bit sloppy. Not sure why they put her last but, oh well..
I have to say im super disappointed with this show right now
But thats for another time.
Amy and Derek hands down the best performance of the night
It was stunning emotionally driven and told the story well through the dance
And i was in tears the whole time it was simply beautiful and very like courtney said underscored! Deserved at least 3 tens or 4!
Maks and Meryl – im actually not liking their dancing it seems like theres no chemistry
And she is the doll and he does whatever he wants
That dance did not deserve those 10’s
Peta and james did good
LOL to the Danica comment.
Charlie i also thought could have done better it wasnt
My favorite so far
Emma did not look happy which could be because he really didnt
Have any problems cant wait for your post on that!
And candace was a bit off her footwork was pretty slow on the
Kicks but i liked some parts like the ending where she was like a guitar
And he strummed her it was alright
Overall it was eh so yeah and now this switch up drama
Whats next?!
Amy & Derek and Meryl & Maks definitely stood out the most for me, both were beautiful dances and the most heartfelt of the night. The other dance that was SUPPOSED to make me emotional probably, Danica’s, being that it was the other contemporary, just didn’t. I don’t know…each week I just struggle to remember her dances by the end of the night.
I’m hoping Drew can stick it out longer than people expect because I would really love to see what Cheryl is able to do with him. I also agree with Courtney that I’m liking James a lot more than I thought I was going to (especially considering he’s with Peta). He really surprised me in the Jive. He has the fan support (on twitter at least) so if he keeps it up he really could be the dark horse of the season.
More than knowing what couples will dance next week I just want to know what dances each celeb will have…usually gives me a good idea of how the night might go.
Amy and Derek were everything everyone has said; I would add that I was incredibly touched when Derek led her to her dad at the end of the dance.
All of Cody’s dances look the same to me and I don’t think that will change without a firmer hand than Witney’s.
With Meryl and Max, I feel like Maks flings her around. I don’t think that Maks is able to change the way he performs with different partners. Meryl weighs nothing and Maks whips her around. In addition he doesn’t give her time (except when they’re in their non-kiss) to finish her moves. She did a leg lift move that Maks took her out of so quickly it reminded me of the scene in a restaurant when the waiter takes the food before the person is finished eating and so leans over and follows the plate with the spoon in hand. Meryl’s dancing is exquisite; Maks’s choreography is lackluster.
NeNe and Tony are ridiculous. Tony referred to NeNe as his “Boo” in their package. Give me a break!
I think the problem with Drew this week was that he was so emotionally invested in the dance. I think that threw him off, also thinking about connecting with his son at the end of the dance. It was too much for him.
Danica — It was the fist time I really enjoyed watching her dance. I thought the song and choreography were a good match. Thought holding her son during critique was a bit much. As for her being tightly wound, remember that this is a person who is systematically memorizing 100 integers of “Pi.” In her spare time. For fun.
*revelation upon reading Susan’s comment* Danica’s character on The Wonder Years was Winnie Cooper. Another tightly-wound mathematical genius from TV? Dr. Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory. Clearly they were separated at birth!!! 😯
My impressions and favourites keep changing this season.
I didn’t think I’d warm to Meryl -but wow, her and Maks are pretty steamy together. I didn’t think the almost kiss was gross – they both acted that beautifully.
Amy is truly an inpiration – Derek’s choreography is amazing as always -but I don’t see any chemistry. Sorry.
Candace and Marks original Contemporary blew me away – but I don’t see any improvement.
Danica’s weepy rehearsal footage drives me crazy. I didn’t like how she and Drew brought their kids into judging.
I’ve never been a fan of Tony’s choreography – but wow, man can take off his shirt anytime – but please send Nene home.
I love Sharna – but I don’t think her choreography is pushing Charlie hard enough. they were over-scored in my opinion.
1) Meryl and Maks- A beautiful contemporary-rumbish-waltzish-foxtrot. I have to give Maks credit for something so beautiful considering the song. I looked the song up after they danced and I don’t think even Fred Astaire could come up with a foxtrot routine for it. Speaking of that song, who the heck came up with that as the foxtrot song? Was it the producers, or Meryl, or some strange combo of them? Either way, cudos to Maks for a beautiful routine even if they were screwed with song choice. As for that pause in the middle, I took it more as a representative/figurative idea to express what Meryl said in the package, that she had been dancing with Charlie since age 10 and at first could not look at him in the eyes due to shyness, that pause was symbolic of her finally coming out of her shell, and seeing what a loving and caring partner she has. *my score- 8.75 due to lack of foxtrot moves and a crappy foxtrot song*
1) Amy and Derek- Lovely dance, though not quite my style( I don’t like contemporary and I don’t think its right to have ballroom/latin dancers choreograph a routine in a style they don’t do often). That said, there were a lot of lifts, and whilst yes allowed in contemporary, I think they over used the lifts. I saw more lifts than I did Amy dance, which i think overshadowed the dance a bit. Where’s the lift police when we want them? *my score- 8.5 due to a beautiful dance, though I don’t like the style and way too many lifts.*
3) Charlie and Sharna- A wonderful Jive, though they lost some jive content at times. It was upbeat, and pleasant, and he seemed to keep the stamina throughout it. *my score- 8 a lovely dance but I think Charlie could do better*
4) James and Peta- WOW! He did awesome with jive. He kept up, he had the stamina, and he seemed to do well with the moves. A bit off time at points in my opinion, but no one’s perfect. I think James is showing he is a real contender at this point. *my score- 7.85- just due to being off time a little bit.*
5) Danica and Val- She did really well with this routine. She is still a little stiff at times, but she is starting to loosen up, and just dance(well dance the routine). Her timing was good, and since a lot are still struggling with timing I’ll give her credit for that. *my score- 7.75 just a bit stiff at times and still needs to loosen up.*
5) Drew and Cheryl- Another star who did rather well with the routine. There were times where he lost his steps and got off time but he still got back into the routine and didn’t let it bother him. And to me, I don’t know it might have been the jacket, but there were times it looked like his shoulders were up when they should have been down. Overall not bad just needs to work on timing. *my score- 7.75 just because of timing issues I have to score down a little.
7) Nene and Tony- not going to lie, I didn’t watch this the first time and had to youtube it. She did well with the Rumba. She needs to loosen her hips up a little more and keep the facial expression but overall not bad. *my score- 7.75 just needs to work on the hip action a bit more*
8) Candace and Mark- too slow for jive. She is trying, and I’ll give her that, but that jive was too slow for a jive. She needs to learn to pick up the pace and keep the stamina in the routine. Not much else to say on this one, and that’s sad because I rather like Candace and would like her to do well in the competition. *my score- 6.75- due to being too slow for a jive*
9)Cody and Witney- Bless her heart for dealing with him. I’m sorry but he has an attitude(or at least it looks it on the tellie). What is it Len said a few seasons ago to some of the stars? Show up, Shut up, and Put up? Can someone relay that message to Cody? As for the dance, it was okay but not as much a Jazz routine as it was hip-hop-jazz combo. They need to stop using the hip-hop in every dance and he needs to learn the technique for the dance itself. *my score- 5 due to too much hip-hop and not enough jazz*
I’m still convinced Tony has naked photos of TPTB – first they keep him on the show despite his attitude and choreography and now they allow NeNe to wear flat or even no shoes for all her dances.
Meryl is being badly let down by Maks’ choreography. The ten seconds of standing still in the middle of their Foxtrot was ridiculous, as was the opening to Charlie’s Jive; I thought Sharna would be better than to make him do that.
I agree with others in that I can’t stand Danica – she comes over as fake and I’m sick of her ignoring the fact that she is a massive ringer.
James did, in my opinion, his best dance so far with the Jive, however Peta had to ruin it by adding a massive kiss at the end like she already does for half her dances.
Derek and Amy, on the other hand, were truly stunning. I would not have begrudged the judges if they had given her a perfect 40 for their dance.
I like all of the contestants left this season, and that is rare this early on.
random thoughts: After the 1st show my finals picks were Amy, James, Meryl, and Candace…still hasn’t changed, but the 4th spot has some wiggle room.
Front Runners:
Amy & Derek= Stunning routine. Derek did a great job of working around her limitations and really highlighting her strengths, and such an inspirational story. Lock for the finals.
Maks & Meryl= I thought this was a beautiful and absolutely romantic routine. I loved that little 10 sec break, sometimes giving routines time to breathe and just letting the emotion build really works, and Meryl OWNED that moment. I like these two together bc I think Meryl masks some of my issues with Maks as a dancer. He has this tendency to sort of stump around like he’s maneuvering a lawnmower across the floor & not a dance partner, but meryl is so smooth, delicate, fluid, & graceful that they weirdly balance eachother out in refreshing way that works. That’s not saying I don’t think Meryl wouldn’t be absolutely ridiculous with someone like Derek or val. Finals bound.
James & Peta= this partnership just works. I thought his jive was super fun, and was surprised by his athleticism. He is charming and has a lot of room to grow, and a good dance facility for peta to work with. Lock for the finals.
Candace & Mark: I really like Candace & Mark together. The jive was fun, but u could start to see the cracks in her technique. I think she unfortunately fell victim to a great contemporary team her first week that set maybe unrealistic expectations for someone with her skill level. Fortunately for her, I think she got some of her more difficult routines out the way, and if she can improve a little bit, can still see her in the finals.
Charlie & Sharna: He has an outside chance of overtaking Candace, but sharna is going to have to step it up. Has she created good & technically difficult routines for him? Yes, but I don’t think she has created moments that really made me stand out for me yet. He has a great personality, but his performance have been like really pretty wallpaper so far this season. I admire them when im looking at it, but forget about it as soon as I leave the room.
Middle of the packers: I honestly don’t know who will leave next out of this group but think its between Drew, Danica, or Nene
Cody & Witney: I like them and thought this routine was fun, but I don’t want him to fall into the trap of being 1 dimensional. He has done Hip Hop in all 3 routines so far.
Nene & Tony: Nene has really surprised me with her skill level, and I enjoyed this routine much more than I thought I would. That said, she has like 1 or 2 latins left, and I am nervous to see what she looks like in standards.
Danica & Val: I really thought this was a lovely routine. Her son is adorable, and I though Val did a great job choreographing a delicate, light, routine that had this sort of child-like innoncence about it. Really well done. This was also the most relaxed I have seen Danica this season. In any other season, I’d see her getting really far, but the competition is just super stiff unfortunately, and I can see her leaving in the next week or two.
Drew & Cheryl: Aside from Amy’s & Danica’s, this was also a routine I got very emotional watching. Very touching story. I thought this routine was charming to watch, and I love drew. He is in the same bout as danica to me, in any other season I could easily see him making it to the halfway point on her personality alone, but this season is loaded.
Honestly i dont see the chem with vanica or maks/meryl but i do like meryl ,charlie and amy. But good luck to them all! And i wish people would stop shippin maks/meryl as a potential hookup…i think its showmance! Tbh
I loved Amy, Charlie, and James. I liked Meryl, for the most part, but I remember thinking in her package how surprised I was she was the one actually talking. I think, for me, the problem with this pair is it has been more about Maks being back and less about Meryl. She is getting lost in the Maks story. It will be interesting with the switch up to see how different Meryl is with another pro. I don’t doubt that she likes Maks, but he is such a big personality and she isn’t. He overpowers her in every way. This is not a criticism, just a personal observation.
James really won me over this week because I’ve been bullied for my weight too, when I was in grade school. It sucks so much, and I know exactly what he was feeling. It wasn’t so bad that I had to move, but I identified with him more than I was expecting too. And yes, I agree with Court on Peta. She’s being pleasantly not annoying this season. Charlie & Sharna are my favorites, but James & Peta probably are my second favorite now.
If I’m honest, I can’t really remember anything about Meryl’s dance other than that weird “Let me put my face really close to yours” moment in the dance. Definitely not worth 10s, I don’t think.
Is it just me, but was this season more enjoyable before it actually started?
I’m with Court on the Meryl/Maks “intimate” moment. I think I threw up in my mouth a little. And that reaction actually surprised me. Then my brain moved on to the fact that, once again, Maks finds ways to waste loooong periods of time in a dance doing no dancing at all.
I also think that Charlie was underscored for the sake of having Meryl/Maks alone at the top. I bet 5 bucks that one of the opening lines next week is “Will Charlie regain the top spot?!?!?!” Was his performance level not high?? I think he made it look very easy, which might give that impression – but I think it’s wrong.
Since some people seem so damn flabbergasted that I *gasp!* found the Meryl/Maks “un-kiss” to be icky, here’s my reasoning:
1.) It wasted too much time. I’m all for light & shade and the contrast between quick & slow movements in routines, but 10 counts of just standing there making googly eyes is wayyyy too long.
2.) I generally hate kissing in routines. And that includes the “almost-kiss” too – I find it to be desperate and it tells me you don’t have enough legit moves to fill out your routine. Most professional ballroom judges find it disdainful as well. I’ve even called Derek out on it before (his rumba & salsa with Maria in season 14).
3.) I found it to be contrived and disingenuous. I still find the chemistry of Meryl & Maks to be more one of mutual respect, rather than one of smoldering passion. The kiss just didn’t fit.
Carry on…
I think marking Meryl so high also had to do with making her and Charlie the high scorers for the team dances. They don’t want those two on the same team.
I seriously love this website. Courtney, Heidi, and Vogue, you make this show so much more fun. Thank you! I love your honesty about all things DWTS.
This week was great. They all actually did good.
1)Meryl and Maks; Goregeous! Foxtrot meets waltzish but it worked really well.
2)James and Peta: This guy is wowing me. Three dances in and he is showing how he has taken to the ballroom like duck to water.
3)Charlie and Sharna: This guy is something. The backstage stuff was great but him and Sharna are elctric together.
4)Danica and Val: Another one that really wowed me. Her son is adorable too.
5)Amy and Derek: I loved it but I am starting to wonder what she cannot do. This truely is Wonder Woman.
6)Cody and Witney: I don’t even know what to make of this but it definately was more hip hop. Saying that, it was danced well and chreographed well. So kudos to Witney. Still, wasn’t nearly as good as they scored it.
7)Drew and Cheryl: They were not the strongest but he made it so much fun. He is this season’s Bill in terms of pure entertainment and joy. I have to say that Cheryl’s choreo didn’t wow me though.
8)Candance and Mark: It was fun but I expected so much more for this dance.
9)Tony and Nene: This was a pleasant surprise. She had a really commendable rumba. Tony deserves credt for not making it too much for her becuase it would have been a trainwreck. He has to know they are on borrowed time.
Sidenote, best costuming was Peta and James by a mile. Peta looked AMAZING.
Worst had to be Nene and Tony. Tony looked good but Nene not so much.
I think they are trying to make sure that Meryl & Charlie are the team captains this year, so they can exploit the storyline of them competing against each other once more,
4)Erin made to darn big a deal out of it
5)Showmances are over-rated
6)Cutting to Charlie right after makes it look more like High School Musical than DWTS
Don’t know about the rest of you but Erin made it feel dirty/tabloidy to me for some reason.
But that just me.
That have GOT to stop cutting to Charlie every time Meryl looks at Maks. It’s ridiculous and stupid. And it probably a BIG reason why he’s talking about Tanith so much. Between the Meryl/Charlie shippers and the Meryl/Maks shippers – I wouldn’t blame Charlie AT ALL for stepping out of that mess and reminding everyone “I’m with her”.
Purely based on whether or not I enjoyed the dances, here are my rankings:
1) Candace
2) James
3) Charlie
4) Cody
5) Meryl
6) Drew
7) Danica
8) Amy
9) Nene
I must be in the minority here but I didn’t care for Amy and Derek’s dance. Yes Amy is a very inspiring person but in none of her three dances so far has she actually done any dancing. So far Derek is the one who’s been making her look good, with him throwing her around and lifting her in the air. I want to see Amy do a style that doesn’t involve lots of lifting and throwing about, like a quickstep or tango.
I agree that Charlie is more then capable of doing a real jive and Sharna should have been a little more traditional, especially since last week they got called out for the break in the hold during their tango. Nevertheless their jive was still fun to watch.
Meryl and Maks were good but not worthy of those 10s. And that near kissing at the end was so unnecessary. Reminds me of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir when they overact in their programs.
My ranking:
1. Charlie & Sharna
2. James & Peta
3. Candace & Mark
4. Meryl & Maks
5. Cody & Witney
6. Danica & Val
7. Amy & Derek
8. Drew & Cheryl
9. Nene & Tony
Erin is getting on my nerves more as each week goes by. Is it too late to get Brooke back?
For the first time in a very long time, I enjoyed a dance by Peta. James did a good job with it and I enjoyed watching it.
Amy and Derek were beautiful. I was crying through the whole thing. Derek is beyond amazing. He tops himself every week. He’s such a gifted dancer/choreographer. I hope whoever has Amy for the switch up treats her the way Derek does if that’s even possible.
Drew and Cheryl made me smile. Cheryl has been great to watch the last season and now this season. I don’t think they’ll get as far as the semis, but I hope they’re here for awhile.
I don’t understand why NeNe can’t wear heels. I don’t need to see Tony shirtless. Would love to see them gone at the next elimination.
Cody is not interesting to me at all. I agree with others, if he can’t do some type of hip hop, he’s going to be in trouble. His tango last week was bad. I don’t see him lasting much longer than halfway even with all the screaming girls and their posters.
Charlie and Sharna also made me smile. I liked the dance a lot.
Meryl and Maks was good too. The eye gazing was awkward. For the switch up, I want to see Meryl with anybody BUT Val or Tony but I’m not holding out much hope.
Can’t get behind Danica at all. Or Val. If NeNe doesn’t go next, I wouldn’t mind it being them.
I thought Candace would do better than she did, but the dance was still good.
From Court: I found it to be contrived and disingenuous. I still find the chemistry of Meryl & Maks to be more one of mutual respect, rather than one of smoldering passion. The kiss just didn’t fit.
DITTO.
I find the chemistry between M & M focused solely on Maksy baby winning the MBT. Quite frankly it looks like to me Meryl shows up for practice, Maks says we’re gonna do this and this, and then he begins throwing her all over the stage and/or standing still.
This season is chock-full of exceptional dancers who have been stuck with crummy choreo. But hey Derek can’t dance with all of them. Actually Mark even seems to be reigning himself in somewhat. If he will build on Candace’s innate abilities she could be the dark-horse into the semis.
I don’t like Cody. Gave the kid a chance, but agree that Witney is too young to get him under control. If he wears those “crotch” pants one more time…UGH. Agree his dances all look the same.
I’m pulling for Cheryl & Drew to stay longer than NeNe or James—just because!
I’m with you Courtney on the Meryl/Max almost-kiss. It was a turn-off for me. I like Meryl / I like Max but I don’t feel any connection between the two of them. My friend, on the other hand, does.
By the same token, I was in tears during Amy & Derek’s dance but I see from comments that others didn’t feel it.
I’m anxiously awaiting to see who is paired up next week. I actually wouldn’t mind seeing Derek with NeNe especially since she called him a little munchkin. I think it would definitely be entertaining. Just hope its not Danica.
Agree – pls stop cutting to Charlie every time Meryl dances and vice versa.
I think someone needs to rewatch the videos of Amy’s dances. Otherwise, I’m marking you down as clueless.
I don’t really have a ranking for this week. I think that Meryl, Charlie, Cody, James, Danica and Candace all have at least some dance ability, Drew is the charmer, NeNe is the personality, and no words can describe Amy. So they all have something different, and yet somewhat the same. It’s like comparing oranges and clementines – similar, but different.
Another thought: Meryl and Charlie will drop in the leaderboard this week. They are both going back to ice skating, so they will lose some technique from ballroom. Plus, with traveling, jet-lag, schedule-juggling…
@Court #14, were you just joking, or were you actually serious?
@PH #29, THE FACT THAT YOU USED THE WORD SHIPPING ON THIS PAGE LITERALLY MADE MY LIFE. Sorry.
Great post Courtney! Always love your insights – and so often I have an “aha” moment over something that I just couldn’t put my finger on…so thanks.
Here’s what is running around in my head…in no particular order.
1. I loved Amy and Derek’s dance. I thought they used her new legs is such a great way…the fact that it was a little hard to balance on tippy toes was such a reflection of how she was doing when she danced for the first time with her Dad and added a vulnerability to it. I think they were underscored. period. So this is the thing that is driving me a bit batty…I appreciate that she has to be “scored like everyone else.” And yet…this show NEVER does that. Someone like Drew is held to one standard and someone like Meryl and Charlie are held to another…their capacities are different – and the judges routinely will give a lower score because they feel like a celebrity can do MORE…and that score is about the same as someone who didn’t even come close to the same standard – but improved so much against themselves that they got a higher score than the last time. I honestly don’t really have a huge problem with that…it’s the nature of the show…there are certainly times I wish there were a scoring rubric so that we could figure out what caused a deduction when there is really none given – but I can live with the inconsistencies so that people who have no dance experience can still take their journey alongside those with dance experience. What I don’t get is the way that it feels like they are setting aside their normal judging MO of randomly applying points/deductions when it comes to Amy. There isn’t a pro on this show that doesn’t at least try to choreograph to their celebrity’s strengths and avoid their weaknesses. For example, regardless of who it is…if the celebrity can’t seem to conquer Samba Rolls…the pro isn’t going to put a Samba roll into the choreography…that would be stupid. But the scoring for Amy seems to not be about what she DOES (which, in my opinion, is creating pretty amazing lines, shapes and musicality) and focuses on what she doesn’t do… Ok…just something that I keep thinking about – with no real understanding of what is really at work here…or frustration with what I think is really at work. *sigh* Loved their dance…beautiful movement, story telling and connection to each other and the dance.
2. Meryl and Max…I thought it was a very pretty dance (with a bit too much standing and gazing – and not a lot of Foxtrot content) – but that isn’t on Meryl…I think she sold the choreography that she was given…and it was very pretty. I do think there is respect for each other…and if anyone has a crush – it is Maks on her…but I’m just kind of ignoring that and enjoying her. I think she is dynamic in her expressions and is enjoying herself.
3. In general…I have come to the conclusion that one of the reasons that Olympic athletes do relatively well in this competition – isn’t as much about them being athletes as it is that inherent in their journey to the Olympics they have come to see their coaches as their ally – not the enemy. They don’t take corrections personally – or struggle with giving over control to their coach. I remember hearing Shawn Johnson say “coach…I’m lost” during a couple of her packages (I’m thinking specifically of the Paso where Mark had to dance with her in place of Derek because of his back)…she clearly perceived both Mark and Derek as her “coach” and was comfortable with them in that role – and set about doing the best that she could do with their coaching. I see that in Meryl, Charlie and Amy this year – but also have felt it was there with most of the other Olympians with perhaps the exception of Hope Solo. Doesn’t really have any pertinence to this weeks routine…but I’m betting that they have an easier time with their Switch Week partners.
4. I really enjoyed Charlie and Sharna’s dance…totally agree with your thoughts Courtney…and would add that I felt like he held back just a bit on the opening…it had to feel a bit weird to be dancing backstage…and when he got out on stage, I felt like he took it up a notch. What feels comfortable on stage (big movements and total commitment to the performance) feels WAY over the top when confined to the backstage area with staff standing around watching. I still loved it…and appreciated his kicks and flicks…better than I would have expected from an ice dancer…since this movement is as new to him as it was to James or Candace.
5. James is my biggest surprise. He is working hard and getting better and better…and I actually like what I am seeing between him and Peta…pretty normal and lighthearted.
6. I think I would have enjoyed Candace’s jive better if it had come before Charlie’s. Those two back to back just made it hard for me to forget what had just happened.
7. I am looking forward to Drew…he isn’t the best – but he is low drama and seems to be genuinely enjoying his journey.
8. I wasn’t thrilled to see the bed and shirtless Tony…but I found myself enjoying her dance (not so much Rumba content) – but a nice dance that she clearly committed herself to and her husband enjoyed it. It occurred to me that perhaps the bed prop was there so that Tony had a “place to sit” while she did that backbend extension from his lap. In their package, he was trying to get her to do that from a standing position – and my guess is that it felt too shaky so he opted to sit rather than pull the ending completely.
9. I don’t think the Sean story is going away. Nor should it! I’m not saying that I felt good about him based on what I know about him from the Hockey world…but I was indignant on his behalf – just on principle – when they included the “sloppy seconds” sound bite in his opening package. Really? Talk about setting someone up for failure. There are few contestants that don’t have SOMETHING in their background that is less than stellar – but in my memory, I can’t think of another time that they have so clearly thrown someone under the bus before they even danced on step on stage! There is more to this story – and I honestly hope that it comes out…just makes me mad.
And I have no words for the frustration I feel (particularly on behalf of you mods who put so much work into it on our behalf) about the switch up. I don’t have a problem with the switch…not my favorite – but it is an interesting challenge…but I just think they broke the viewer’s trust on so many levels that it is appalling…and I can’t help but think it is really only the tip of the ice berg.
Ready to move off of Most Memorable Year week…and just get to some good BALLROOM dancing…or even some somewhat flawed BALLROOM dancing.
Thanks to all of you mods here for the work you do…helps keep my sanity intact!
Princess Heidi – like I said, I find Amy very inspiring. I’m not knocking her at all. I just don’t think she is doing much in the way of dancing. Her disability is very limiting and it is Derek’s choreography that is making her look good. Emotional wise, her performance was very good. But actual dance wise I felt it was lacking.
Uh Lizzie, isn’t that the pro’s job to come up with choreography that makes their celeb look good?
I refuse to criticize Amy for “not using much of the floor”, when I have seen countless male celebs stand still while their partner dances around them.
@Lizzie- Did you see her cha cha and her swing? In reference to your first post about it being only lifts and no actual dancing from her, there is actually a lot of dance content. Particularly in the swing there was a lot of side by side movements that required a great amount of dancing. Neither of those styles had a lot of lifting or throwing about. Meryls swing actually had more lifts than Amys. I don’t mind that you didn’t like it as much…we all have different tastes, but I don’t think saying that there isn’t any content in her dances is true either.
James – Totally growing on me. Heck even Peta is less irritating this season even if her personal costuming choices could still use some improvement.
Nene – I like her more than I thought I would. Her size and lankiness next to Tony make for some awkwardness, but I appreciate her effort and refined persona.
Danica (of Team Much VALium Needed) – Along the lines of what Anna T. said, she’s too upright in her upper body which detracts from her finer dancing points. While emotionally invested in the dance, I’m still not sure if the dance the other night was for the kid, the grandmother, the grandmother never getting to know the kid or..?
Cody – He seems like a nice, honestly trying kid, but I wouldn’t miss this team.
Drew – Despite another off song and some wanky form and feet here and there, this dance was not without merit and I can’t help but feel good when he’s onscreen. Liking Cheryl again this season and, while not a fan of the ‘bring the kids to stagework’ think, his son didn’t fall far from the charm tree.
Meryl – Another one whose story was unclear as to how it related to the dance, especially given the illfitting song/choreo and leergate within. I did appreciate the emotional investment they put into the dance. The same can’t be said for Maks’ over-the-top camera mugging and their utterly unconvincing showmance-maybe business.
Amy – The incredible emotion of this story/dance aside, I kept marveling at how she was able to keep her balance throughout the routine especially on legs she had never worn before this week. Anyone who says she didn’t do much dancing is simply ignorant of the strength and control needed to pull off those maneuvers and lifts even for someone with their whole body intact, let alone someone compensating for missing limbs and muscle groups. That said, if I had one critique it might be for Derek to have choreographed a bit more of her dancing solely under her own power but it was perfectly poignant as it was.
Charlie – I like Sharna as a pro but still wish he’d been paired with Emma. That said, this number was very appealing.
Candace – Surprisingly sluggish stamina and feet. I wonder if she wasn’t feeling well. I still like her more than I thought and think she’s got some good dances in her and probably the most room for improvement.
Jann – I agree with you about Olympic athletes. One of the big things that frustrates Maks is his partners second guessing him, skipping ahead, and doing lots of talking when they should just be listening and doing what he says.
Meryl has a ton of dance experience, but she came into it with the attitude that Maks was her teacher and he would be teaching her from scratch. I’m sure that has a lot to do with how well she’s doing and the lack of conflict between them.
Candace and Mark didn’t have enough basic jive?! I thought their dance was packed with jive content while still interpreting the Elvis song and theme very well. Mark gave Candace plenty of kicks and flicks and a couple of pretty fast, intricate footwork passes. In fact, I was impressed that they didn’t run around the ballroom, but stayed in one spot the whole time and really danced.
Yes, Candace had problems with the technique, but I thought she did an admirable job with Mark’s choreography and I’m proud of her. 8’s to me were fair.
And I LOVED their costumes…they both looked really sharp, especially Mark in his suit (and his hair looked good too!)
Some of Maks fans annoy the crap outta me at times. You treat this guy like he’s a child. Second guessing him? Shut up and do what he says? He’s a teacher not God. Any person with some level of intelligence is going to ask questions. A great partnership is a collaboration. Other pros listen to partners and develop trust. You really think Meryl is doing well because she’s a plastic doll and just does whatever he says? She’s a entertainer and knows how to partner. She’s talented and has natural grace and ability. Maks isn’t creating this. Also, stop shipping this guy with every partner he gets. Makes him look pretty pathetic that the only time he can get a date is when he’s working with them. The way these folks are fawning over this couple is obnoxious and it takes away from the dancing. Just let them perform. The tweets and extra is overkill .
“Maks isn’t creating this.”
Ding, ding, ding. Not only that, he is not fully showcasing it either.
“Also, stop shipping this guy with every partner he gets…”
It doesn’t help when Maks and partner misleadingly allude to it…EVERY DANG SEASON!
#Megan – I think all the stars should regard their pros as teachers and make it their goal to listen and do what they are told. It doesn’t have to do with Maks specifically, although his lack of patience often makes it more of a problem with him.
The stars are not professional dancers or choreographers, therefore they aren’t collaborators, they are students. And respecting your teacher and putting trust in your teacher instead of thinking you already know what you are doing is really important.
And it’s not just Maks who gets frustrated when the star interrupts what they are doing and starts chattering and second guessing themselves. “Oops, I screwed that up again, I need to work on that…” All that does is waste time and interrupt the flow of the lesson.
Students and teachers can have collaboration. Every learning environment I’ve been thrive when a student is allowed input. Especially if people are creative by nature. Entertainers have creativity. That’s why they are in the arts. Dance music acting performing = creativity. Should you question every technical dance move? No. Do you have a thought about why something is happening? Of course. To know why you do something is to understand and convey the action you are trying to portray.
Wynn I can’t stand shipping. It’s the most high school irritating irrational thing ever. If you saw a sexy romantic dance, kudos! They did their job. Great performance. No they are not a cute couple. No one is having babies. People take screen shots and retweet over and over trying to create something that doesn’t exists. Insults my intelligence.
I figured it out you guys. Conrad did this crazy switch-up twitter voting to keep us from starting a drinking game. Who is he the sobriety police?
😉
#24 LIBBY
The stars are not professional dancers or choreographers, therefore they aren’t collaborators, they are students. Most seasons I would agree with this statement across the board. This season not so much. I was excited to see Meryl & Charlie on the show. I have come to the conclusion I prefer them on the ice. Charlie & Meryl have enough dance experience to choreo a dance themselves and/or execute any dance thrown their way with 2 days of practice and probably still get 7s and 8s. I believe Charlie collaborated a great deal on the Contemporary dance and I have a feeling in her own seemingly quiet way, Meryl’s throwing in her own collaborative ideas. I would also venture to guess that Danica has made sure Val is aware of her Latin expertise too.
All in all, everyone wants to be a winner from those with no experience to those with a great deal of experience. Makes you wonder how the non-dancing celebs on this season feel about having Charlie & Meryl in the house.
@Teresa and Lizzie -I am curious if you think Meryl’s Swing dance contained too many acrobatic moves?
Kudos to Derek for creating a spectacular dance that utilized Amy’s strength and grace. She clearly has an abundance of both and unlike Maks choreography of faux overdone emotion Derek’s was raw and pure.
As emotional as Derek was, I’m surprised that, given amy’s story, he wasn’t a bit more emotional, the way he was over Kellie’s freestyle. Granted, this wasn’t THAT difficult, but it was definitely emotional and inspirational.
Too bad that all the actual professionals disagree with you, Lizzie. Not dancing? It astounds me that people can so blithely discount the achievements of this women. And yes, that is what you do when you make that bogus claim.
You also totally missed the actual theme of their dance. As both said, the story of the dance was from when she was learning to walk again, and falling down – and then her father danced with her. It was a much better dance in this respect than Meryl and Maks – I don’t know how her dance related to her story.
Couldn’t have actually said it any better when it comes to the judging of Amy, Jann – I don’t even know if I could have articulated that. And that’s what’s driving me crazy about the judging.
I don’t think Meryl and Charlie have a lot of prior ballroom experience other than to learn what was necessary to translate to their ice dancing. They haven’t spent years in ballroom classes just to learn the different types of dances for the fun of it. They learn what they need to for proper posture and steps in their ice dancing. The majority of their off ice training has been cardio, strength and conditioning.
As for this week, my thoughts:
Peta/James: I like James and he is really good but Peta’s costume was extremely distracting. The high socks were not necessary and she looked like she was tugging at them once or twice.
Danica/Val: This was an ok Contemporary. It didn’t wow me but it wasn’t terrible either.
NeNe/Tony: Reminded me of Maks and Erin’s freestyle in Season 10 which was a Contemporary dance.
Drew/Cheryl: Lovely. And for once Cheryl was the most modestly dressed pro of the night.
Cody/Witney: Again, I thought Witney’s costume was a distraction that took away from the dance. Right now I remember the routine but cannot even remember what type of dance it was. Did not like the song either. Unfortunately, this kid has a large fanbase that will likely carry him at least halfway.
Meryl/Maks: Contempowaltztrot but it was an amazing dance. I do see the chemistry between them. Meryl is a very reserved person in general so she just comes across as not very extroverted. This dance was all about Meryl and Charlie, not Meryl and Maks. I agree that the almost kiss was not necessary though. When I first saw the violinist, I actually thought Charlie would replace her halfway through as he plays as well.
Charlie/Sharna: I do not think he was underscored. The jive was ok but not great. The shoes seemed a bit loose too. He was noticeably off a couple times and I did not like the intro. I still don’t understand when the rules changed to allow extra dancers in these routines? I still think the mentions of Tanith are going to end up hurting Charlie. Yes, the show is playing up the rivalry things between him and Meryl and Candace/Danica but he also looks noticeably unhappy when Maks is kissing or all over Meryl. He and Meryl are often referred to as a “platonic power couple” but they also both admit their relationship is complicated and they can’t full define it. So the grey area leaves people curious and probably hopeful in some cases as well.
On a side note, Charlie and Meryl won the award for Best Team of the Olympic Winter Games tonight in Washington, DC. It was given by the US Olympic Committee but they accepted from Florida. It airs on NBCSN April 7!
Candace/Mark: I was waiting for Jesse and the Rippers to play the Elvis song! I thought it was a good jive but Candace was definitely losing steam. She is pretty athletic and physically fit so that was surpassing to me. Really pretty dress though.
Forgot to mention Amy/Derek: I continue to be amazed by this woman every week. And watching her on the new feet was even more inspiring. I absolutely loved the routine–Derek never ceases to amaze me with his choreography.
I wonder if they might have her put on heels with the swimmer’s feet at some point.
Loved Amy’s dress too. I wonder if Derek is involved with directing Amy’s camera shots too. She is one of the few celebs that has great camera shots every week.
My rankings are:
1.) Amy & Derek – I think everyone can agree that Amy had the best dance of the night. I normally don’t root for Derek and his partners because I like rooting for the underdog couples, but that contemporary was so powerful I just couldn’t stop cheering for them. It came as a shock to me that they didn’t get any 10s though. I wonder if it’s a ploy to keep Derek from winning again. My Score: 10
2.) Charlie & Sharna – I thought the intro was a bit too long, but once they started dancing I couldn’t help but smile. It was just fun, fun, and fun. He’s like the male version of Katherine Jenkins. It’s pretty obvious they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. My Score: 9
3.) James & Peta – I thought it was a cute dance. It was full energy and it was just fun to watch. These two are starting to become real contenders this season. I wonder how James will handle actually meeting a pro for the first time because let’s be honest James and Peta seem more like friends than partners. My Score: 9
4.) Danica & Val – I thought this was going to be a really dramatic and emotional dance, but it wasn’t. This dance was great, but it wasn’t what I expected it to be. I think the song kind of took away some of the emotion. My Score: 9
5.) Candace & Mark – This dance was fun and it was a proper jive and all, but compared to the other jives this dance was weak. I agree with Carrie Ann, Candace has to let her shoulders back. It bothered me just a little. I thought this was going to end with a bang, but it didn’t. Idk why they put her to dance last. My Score: 8
6.) NeNe & Tony – I loved this dance. I loved how it seemed to blend contemporary and rumba together without breaking the lift rule. I was kind of worried that the dance could possibly turn into a porno you know with a half-naked Tony and the bed conveniently placed right next to him. I was pleasantly surprised by how well she handled this dance, but I think she could have worn heels for this dance though My Score: 8
7.) Meryl & Maks – Before you guys chastise me for putting her in this ranking let me just tell you that they didn’t dance foxtrot. It seemed too waltzy. If Len gave Kellie a 7 in season 16 for not doing paso doble moves then Meryl deserved 7s for non-foxtrot dance. If it was a waltz then it would have been placed 2nd or 3rd, but sadly it wasn’t. My Score: 8
8.) Drew & Cheryl – Poor Drew he seemed so worried and stressed out during this dance. Though it was the worst dance of the night I thought it was cute. Drew seems like a mix of Bill Engvall and Andy Dick. I think he still has a week or two left in him. My Score: 7
9.) Cody & Witney – This dance was okay, but it seemed more like a hip-hop number than it did jazz. Cody just doesn’t seem to be entertaining me. I kind of get the vibe that he doesn’t want to be on DWTS, but it could just be me. My Score: 7
Amy and Derek should have gotten 10’s – at least a couple. While Meryl and Maks’ “foxtrot” was good, I don’t think it really deserved any 10’s – but I guess it’s the storyline we’re getting. However, I didn’t really connect with them or the dance at all. I enjoyed both Charlie & Sharna and James & Peta – and I’m happier with Peta’s approach to the competition this season than in some of her past seasons. I don’t think that Drew deserved the lowest score of the night – I think that should have gone to NeNe. I’m not connecting with Cody at all – I sort of liked him the first week, and he’s been going downhill for me. I also didn’t connect with Danica at all – well danced, but I wasn’t feeling it. However, I thought that it was a better contemporary routine from Val than the others we’ve seen from him. Candace and Mark – not fantastic, but not horrible. Pretty fun.
As far as the switch-up – it sounds like it’s a disaster in the making, and I hope TPTB are thoroughly called on the carpet for what they’re trying to pull with the pairings – so go get ’em, Court!
@Rose(52)- I did think that actually with Meryl’s dance, but then again I’m a bit more old-school with choreography for dance competitions. Too many acrobatic moves/lifts take away from the magic of the dance( and it then starts to look too cheerleadingish). But that’s just my opinion on it. Some people like those moves in dances, I don’t. (I almost feel like I’m becoming Len and Carrie Ann with my rankings. No lifts, and it must be technically sound. *insert oh no face here* )
#57 L I wonder if Derek is involved with directing Amy’s camera shots too.
On Ellen (maybe?), after one of his wins, Derek did a tip of the hat to the DWTS camera crew with whom he works while blocking his dances. He said that blocking the dance is critical to the fans appreciation of the overall dance.
I totally agree.
On Drew’s first dance, at one point the shot was focused on their upper torsos when it clearly should have been on their feet. It dawned on the Muppets in the Box the shot was wrong. They tried to adjust and caught the last few seconds of Drew’s footwork!
Simpletons…..
I think Derek directs EVERYTHING and includes everything in his dances when he choreographs them. I’ve heard him talk about it several times and at a Choreographers award thing he was honored at, NappyTabs also complimented Derek on his knowledge of where to have the cameras when doing a televised dance so the audience would catch all the sublties and embellishments that make a dance more meaningful. I think he mentioned it because Derek was being compared to Gene Kelly and that was one of the things he(GK) was hyper about and studied and was always trying to make improvements on from deleloping new cameras to shoot dance movies to the lighting. Derek really is a genius and improving all the time, proven by his ability to pull tog that Emmy-winning box dance in just a few days when Fred Astaire took weeks to do it in a variety of sections
Heather, I agree with everything you said about Meryl and Charlie’s dances. It does appear that the show is continuing to promote the “long time partners are now competitors” angle. They are equally talented so I do like to see the other one’s expressions during the dancing.
From my ice dancing fan’s perspective, I thought Meryl’s dance came from a place where she was saying to Charlie that she truly loves him and had given “All Of Me” to him (the lyrics are their journey). It is a love story that is complicated but very real. Charlie even told the media that he told Meryl after their gold medal free dance “I love you!” during their embrace. The almost kiss is what Charlie and Meryl do, but I found that it was more powerful with Maks. Maybe because Maks is more of an alpha male compared to Charlie, which makes Meryl seem more sensual with Maks?
Maks and Meryl really sold the “love” in their dance with the beautiful musicality and violin and acting. I truly felt the love and emotion of the dance which was probably more powerful on the live show which promoted the 10’s.
And it did seem that Charlie may have been bothered due to his forced facial expressions and his jive didn’t seem as joyful? Something was off with the jive. And poor Charlie can’t win! He mentions Tanith to make her happy, but no one seems to care about her. And Meryl fans were upset that charlie didn’t mention Meryl by name since she was the main factor why he won the gold!
Amy and Derek’s dance was just amazing on so many levels. Yes, it was lift heavy but Amy was still dancing using prosthetic feet and her story pulls at my heart strings. I loved it. Derek deserves all the Emmys he has won.
I bet Meryl and Charlie will not be on top of the leaderboard in the next few weeks because of their stars on ice tour starting today (or tomorrow). Not as much time to practice their dances to make it look as good as usual. Twitter Switch partner rumors show a Val and Peta sighting in Florida where Charlie and Meryl are now.
I agree with Vogue on her ratings and comments, the only one I would give James and Peta a 9, he is doing great. This season reminds me of the All Star Season, when the judges were working so hard to make Melissa and Tony the winners. Here we go again only this time Maks and Meryl….he is trying so hard to get the chemistry going, but I am going with Sharna and Charlie. I love Derek and Amy also, but the competition will get harder.
Vogue….I miss Gleb…how about you?
Late post, but I just got around to watching week 3…
General thing, as a dancer myself, it’s totally normal to spend 10 seconds not doing anything to help generate the emotion of the dance like Meryl and Maks did. I mean, Derek and Amy were just hugging for around 5 seconds too. I don’t know if it’s a fair critique to say that Maks is a bad choreographer for doing that. Some SYTYCD dances that are brilliant have double that amount of time doing nothing.
I thought Amy and Derek’s dance was a touching tribute, and was the best that she could do. However, as a contemporary dancer myself, it didn’t have enough content. It was mostly Derek dancing and lifting Amy. It was beautiful though! I thought it was a fair score, 36. I’m wondering though, are the scores based on the individual’s own trajectory, or based on who is the best dancer? If it is the latter, I’m not sure how far Amy can go because while she is fantastic and inspiring, she just can’t do everything everyone else can.
Meryl and Maks’ dance definitely had foxtrot content in there (“glide sequence”), but it wasn’t full on foxtrot for sure (mix of rumba and contemporary too). There are many different types of foxtrot (international, etc.), and hybrid type dances. DWTS is known to be lax on interpretation of dances, and since it was Most Memorable Year night the judging was very easy too.
Remember, judges only have around a couple minutes tops to score. They are judging based on impression mostly. I think Maks and Meryl got those high scores because the emotion was there, and it was a beautiful dance (foxtrot or not, debatable). I think on AfterBuzz they did somewhat agree that it could be called a foxtrot.
Yeah, Kristine, we’ve actually watched this show before.
The judging has always been based on the individual’s own growth, and not relative to other dancers – and we’ve always bitched about it. That said, I think Amy is really in a category all her own (perhaps the only person in the history of the show for which that is true) and should be judged as such. If it’s been done for years for people who are older or who have other issues, then why not for her? And, similarly, when Derek has a ringer, he routinely gets totally hosed on scores and very harshly critiqued (See Charlie, this season) – I’m waiting for Meryl’s turn on that because even a novice could tell that wasn’t a foxtrot. And 10 seconds of standing around? Maks had way more than that and it’s a crutch he’s used for YEARS. He can’t afford to when he’s up against Charlie and DEREK. That’s the thing. You may think it’s fine…and he may think it’s fine…but he has serious competition who doesn’t use that crutch.
10 seconds on a dance under two minutes, and I think it was probably longer when totalled up, is a long time. I get that in pro competitions that might be ok but it seemed long on this particular show.
I think the dances are under a minute 30 secs still, Judy – which makes it worse. I didn’t actually count, but I think it was a lot more than 10 seconds.