PureDWTS Season 19, Week 10 – Power Rankings
Several things that make me go “hmmmm” this week: the scores very much in a close cluster headed into finale week (74, 75, 76, 78), Sadie back to being low-balled a bit; the sudden repetition of the phrases “momentum”, “going all the way”, and “contender” with reference to Janel; the decision to bring back Maks for a visit; and the fact that Alfonso seems to be in some serious pain. All are things that make me wonder about the finale, in a variety of ways…you’ll see why.
Tommy, Tommy, Tommy – it was great run, buddy, and you very much went out on a high note (no pun intended…ok, maybe a little bit). Thought that the Chonger actually gave two very respectable performances tonight, and his rumba in particular was a lovely illustration of just why I appreciated him so damn much this season: he let us see a softer side of Peta. I don’t think I’ve EVER seen her so emotionally attached to a partner, and it made her a lot more human and relatable for me – plus Tommy was just so daggone charming, and seemed to really embrace the experience of being on DWTS.
1.) Alfonso & Witney – Injury aside, I think we saw something out of Alfonso tonight that we maybe hadn’t noticed as much when he wasn’t injured: heart. I loved seeing the fighting side of Fonz tonight – his technique may not have been as on-point as we’ve seen from him in the past (though by no means was it shoddy – even injured, the guy is still a revelation), but I think it just made it more obvious how hard he was trying and how much he really wants to be here and do well – so I appreciated both of his performances tonight, as well as Witney’s choreography. She has been a revelation this season – really loving how she’s able to showcase her partner. Also worth noting, I think – just how many (and how diverse) a group of celebs showed up in Alfonso’s “flashback” package to wish him well. Rick Schroeder, Emmitt Smith, most of the cast of Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and…Dan Quayle??? I like to think it just illustrates Fonz’s broad-spectrum appeal – and how beloved he is by so many because of both Carlton and Silver Spoons. My only worry? That his injury may prevent his freestyle from being as truly epic as it could be, if his range of motion is limited – but I’m optimistic that he’s still going to wow us, and he’s still got time to heal. He’s still my pick to win 😉
2.) Sadie & Mark – Once again, we’re back to being a bit harder on Sadie than necessary – although at least it’s not by a huge margin of points this time. I actually thought her quickstep was one of the better dances of the evening, and deserved at least one 10 – loved how she just threw caution to the wind and really went for it. Technique was pretty spot-on, too. I liked her Argentine tango, but thought the guitar was a bit of a double-edged sword: it added an element of uniqueness to her routine, but at times, I did find it a bit distracting. Thought her legs were just GORGEOUS, though, and she was extending them beautifully. But the low-balling has me wondering if she is just charming viewers to death and is just running away with votes – hence, the bit of handicapping by the judges. Seems like they can only give her the right scores on odd-numbered weeks, so with any luck, she’ll get the right scores next week…still think she & Alfonso will be the last two standing.
3.) Bethany & Derek – I think Bethany came out of her shell a bit more this week – I saw her more invested and at ease in both of her dances. Thought the concept of her samba was adorable and funny, and she managed to nail the rhythm perfectly – on the flipside, I thought it took a bit too long to actually get started, and she was taking really wide steps with it. But overall, still enjoyable. Also appreciated the uniqueness of her contemporary – the picture frame was kind of a cool touch, and seemed to work a bit better than the guitar in Sadie’s dance, but was also, at times, a bit distracting for me. But I did appreciate her vulnerability – we haven’t really gotten to see too much of that from her this season.
4.) Janel & Val – I actually really enjoyed Janel’s paso – she handled it well, and Val actually did some solid choreography in there. Only complaints? Some of the arm lines seemed a bit wobbly, and she was pulling a few cheerleader faces – a bit to peppy in the face at times, instead of aggressive. I had some issues with her Argentine tango – first of all, it was awfully similar to her paso! Whereas all of the other couples had two dances that were pretty vastly different from one another, I thought Janel’s two dances were a bit too similar…so her A. tango ended up feeling like a recycled version of her paso, I’m afraid. I also agreed with Carrie Ann that the transitions in and out of the lifts could have been smoother – found myself cringing a bit at a few of them. But my biggest complaint is really just that she seems to be getting excessively hyped – when she’s not really any better than anyone else left in the competition. Why push Janel as the hot thing, when she’s not dancing any better than any of the other remaining couples this season? Just makes me nervous….especially since they do it so close to the finale, and decide to bring back last season’s “reigning champion” to give them advice. I still think best she can hope for is 3rd (maybe even 4th), but I think TPTB are going to do whatever they can to give her a helping hand next week.
So what are your thoughts on last night’s show? How does everyone look headed into the finale?
Ha! I forgot about the Dan Quayle sighting. I’m a born and raised Hoosier and when Quayle was VP I used to have to say to people not from Indiana “We’re not all clueless, I swear!”.
Agree on the too wide steps Bethany had in the Samba. I was really impressed by how fluid and graceful she was in the Contemp.
Tommy and Peta stole my heart.
Excellent Court. I always look so forward to these posts! Well done again.
Ok, my rankings…
1. Mark and Sadie and Derek and Bethany- TIE
Mark and Sadie
1st dance – Three words to describe: A TOTAL DELIGHT!! They were so full of joy and beautiful!! A breath of fresh air like Julianne commented. Such great choreo by Mark again.
2nd – I have no words. They took my breath away again. The guitar was so clever. So stunning and powerful. Beautiful!! I can’t get enough of these two.
Derek and Bethany
1st dance – Right in the first few moments, I knew I was sold and knew I was going to love it. Such clever moves and choreo by Derek again. So fun and entertaining. I loved the story line and bench moves. Way to go Sasha Farber too.
2nd dance – What a breathtaking and beautiful dance. Adding the frame was so cool! Such creative and romantic choreography through out. Just absolutely stunning!
2. Alfonso and Witney
1st dance – You could tell he was hurting. He wasn’t as powerful with this dance compared to all of his previous weeks. The content wasn’t as full but, it’s totally understandable being he was hurting. The thing is…we know he can do it.
2nd dance – Much better. He didn’t seem to wince as much and hold back. Beautiful. They killed it.
3. Janel and Val
1st dance – Val has a way of always bringing it for his Paso’s and he did it. So powerful. I loved their faces and the passion. The set lighting was so beautiful too. Except for a few messy turns, Janel finally let loose with it all. Their best dance to date.
2nd dance – Ok, this wasn’t as good as the first dance. Janel seemed tired or something. She didn’t seem as if she was playing the part as much and she was having difficulty concentrating. The lifts were cool though.
Love Sadie and Mark. I have looked forward to all her dances since she first started. Although her faith is her guideline, she never let it steer her from performing a great dance and giving it her all. Since her duck dynasty samba, i love her even more.
I love Derek and his talent, but for this season my heart is torn between Alfonso and Sadie.
For some reason I can’t seem to watch Janel’s dances, maybe because I know how all the judges will be drooling over her good, not great, dances. I feel like they are trying to cram them down our throats and that turns me off.
Alfonso is a force to be reckoned with. His dedication, heart and ‘humbleness’ is heart warming. I LOVE Witney’s choreography, what an amazing, talented dancer. First saw her on SYTYCD and I noticed such a growth. She is amazing.
I do think Janel might have had the performance of the night with the Paso but that’s mostly because I thought Bethany and Sadie got screwed with their first dances in either style or song selection. Both girls did well but it’s hard to compete against a Paso. Even so, DAMN don’t you just root for Alfonso? I agree with Courtney that one thing that we haven’t really seen out of Alfonso yet that we saw last night is how much heart and fight he has in him. I still think it’s his to lose.
The push for Janel into the finals is making me nervous for sure only because a lot of viewers buy into what the judges say and just think whoever has the highest score is the best dancer, especially people that just started tuning in now since it’s the end of the season. The only thing that makes me hopeful is that the overscoring of Janel has been SO blatant that I’ve seen a lot of casual viewers even comment on it so it’s possible the audience has caught on. My gut is she doesn’t get higher than 3rd but I would be lying if I said I still wasn’t concerned.
Love your ratings courtney
Alfonso and witney
Love them i vote for them since the begining im happy they manage to do good routines not their best but they still my fav
Bethany and derek
Okay the samba was alright i didn’t think it was great but the comtempory was gorgeous i loved it the dance of the night
Sadie and mark
I will be honest not their best night the quickstep was okay and
I really disliked the AT i just find weird they danced with a guitare between them
Janel and val
I don’t like her i don’t care for her routines hope she is fourth
Wasn’t a fan of last night show but im pretty pumped for the finale except for the number choregraph by mandy and 7 others pros …
1st Alfonso and Whitney! These two deserve the mirror ball! He is the winner in my heart not just because of what he represents/represented but his dancing he did amazing this season he’s still fighting to win it!! Love the guy and OMG Whitney is doing a great job!
2nd Bethany and Derek! There is no question of how much i love Derek, but this season i was sold out week 1 with Alfonso. Bethany is growing so much this season, her and Sadie were not winners in the begining but they grew personally and so much in the dancing! Always have a smile on my face with her. Derek’s choreo is still so much better than the show itself,lol
3rd Sadie and Mark, This is almost a tie for me with Bethany and Derek! Sadie is surprise for me i never thought i would love her as much as i do.
Last and I really can’t get it Jannel and Val . I hate it when someone is making me love something i don’t get!! they might win but in my book it will be so unfair.
Love Tommy & Peta, the great surprise of the season and I definitely have a new appreciation for Peta. Maybe they should give Val someone like this for once and we might see a new soft side of him too?
As for the finalists:
I feel for Alfonso and his injury and loved his dances last night. Yes, he might not have been at full throttle out there but he is just a wonderful dancer and entertainer. I have loved Witney’s choreo all season too and, for me, they have put more stellar performances out there than any other couple.
Bethany & Derek were great last night. Her growth throughout the season has been one of the most enjoyable things about this season for me. I think she is extremely talented and versatile and the dances last night showed that. I loved the treatment of both dances, the choreo really fit the feel of both versions of the song.
Sadie & Mark are another great partnership and I enjoy them every week. I am so glad she didn’t let the little mental block last week get in her head last night. I loved the quickstep and while I didn’t feel the AT as much, I appreciate that Mark went for something creative that also helped ease some of the more sexual tension of the dance for Sadie.
Janel & Val I really did enjoy the paso, though the identical treatment to M&M’s tango was a little annoying since Val is capable of great stuff without recycling. The AT I did not enjoy, honestly Janel’s big smile throughout was a little distracting and the lifts were more showy (“look at what hard lifts we can do!”) than effective to the dance. Val’s playing also distracted me, because, as a classical musician myself, he was out of tune almost the whole solo. He has played well in the past on the show, since he has done it once of twice in the past, so it’s not a knock on his ability, he can play, but it just wasn’t good last night.
Elimination:
This is one of the first seasons ever that 3 different couples could win and I would be completely happy. I do want it for Alfonso the most, but would be really happy for Sadie or Bethany also. I just don’t want Janel and Val to win. I hate to say that really but it’s true. Their packages bothered me most last night–the Maks cameo (recycled choreo and Maks’ comments), and the talking about winning. None of the other couples are talking about winning like this. Many other pros have been on the show longer than Val before they ever won (Karina, Maks, Tony) and I can’t stand the pushing of the pros who have never won to win anyway. It’s about the individual journey of the celeb and the specific pairing of the celeb and pro to me. No couple deserves to be counted out because of their pro having won before.
This will be one of the most intense Monday finale eliminations ever. I actually really think it could be Janel & Val to go. I do feel the othr 3 are more popular. Also, the shippers and the push for them is still not as intense as it was for M&M. Meryl is also more popular and well-known than Janel and a better dancer. Maks is also still more popular than Val. I really don’t want to see a Tuesday finale built around Val winning (Witney is new but she’s never won either, so it would be very rude to dfocus on Val if they do), and a showmance and all; it would be a very pleasant finale without that angle there. BUT, if someone else goes home Monday, I also think that it will seal the deal for Janel not to win. If Janel goes through, it’s likely either Sadie or Bethany that leaves on Monday and I see their fans switching to voting for the other, not for Janel. So, it seems very unlikely to me Janel will win.
Predictions for now, momentum could change after Monday:
1. Alfonso
2. Sadie
3. Bethany
4. Janel
I agree with your rankings Vogue. To me Beth’s/Derek’s contemporary was the dance of the night (just soft, simple and beautiful). I am assuming TPTB want an Alfonso, Janel final two with all the Janel pimping and then probably Sadie third and Beth fourth as I think Sadie is probably getting more votes given that they keep saying that Beth does not really connect with the general DWTS audience. Janel’s dances were ok for me but I always feel like Val’s choreography is so fast and that Janel is always just trying to keep up. I did like the Paso better than the AT. I still feel that Bethany is the most improved of everyone, she has really grown this season.
I’ll tell you, between Alfonso’s injury, the pimping of Janel and the underscoring of Sadie – I’m no longer sure that Alfonso is going to win. I’m no longer sure that Alfonso and Sadie will be the final two standing.
The ONLY thing that I still feel relatively confident about is that Janel won’t win. And that opinion could change depending on what they do next Monday night.
Glad to see it’s not just me who would be happy whoever wins as long as it’s not janel and val. I really hope the over scoring and excessive praise backfires and puts people off her so they don’t vote.
I think Alfonso and Witney were my favourites for the night. I agree with the comments about the heart that he showed and i also think we saw the dedication he has to the show.
Also loved Sadie and mark. In particular I loved the use of the guitar, I thought it was unique and cleverly used by mark.
Bethany and Derek were also good this week and I did enjoy her samba, it was adorable. However it just seem to take too long to get going for me. The contemporary was beautiful though.
Janel and val I just don’t seem to care for anymore. I’m bored when she dances. What I found particularly off putting last night was that she seemed to be smiling throughout the whole Argentine tango, usually it’s far more serious of a dance and I felt that it detracted from the passion for me.
As for the order I want it to finish in next week:
1. Alfonso and Witney
2. Sadie and mark (just! I am torn between her and Alfonso!)
3. Bethany and Derek
4. Janel and val
Despite being unsure how it’s going to end, I should add that I am definitely in the camp of “Anybody but Janel” for the win. Any of the other three would be great – they’ve all played it straight, no gimmicks, just dancing. The remaining three all have a list of reasons why they should win.
Do we know for certain, how 4th place will be determined. Is 4th place going to be solely determined by last night dance scores and viewers votes? Will next Monday’s dance scores have any effect on 4th place. If i remember James and PETA did a freestyle and won Twitter vote but we’re eliminated?
Another question 4 couples have made it to dance in Final week. If one couple is already been eliminated ( nothing they do can prevent elimination) and there are more dances that must be done on Tuesday can that couple really make the finals. It is hard for me to say a couple made the finals when they did not dance all the dances.
Would love some expert opinions and clarifications.
I just have to say…in the package on Bethany, her parents talked about how painfully shy she was as a child. I am sure, they need to pinch themselves every week when they see her dancing, no less, on national tv. Good for her.
I have grown to like Bethany. I love Derek but I try to always vote for the celeb or the celeb/pro combination, not vote just for the pro. This year, my votes have been going to Alphonso and Sadie. Something about each of them just speaks to me. I would absolutely be pleased if either of them would win. I would be happy if Bethany won although maybe a little surprised.
Janel? So many reasons why this would not please me. I am put off by her personality or at least the personality that we have been shown. Put off by the showmance. Put off by the pimping of Val and Janel. The scoring of this couple by the judges has been oh, so wrong. Frankly, Janel is a talented dancer….her dances should have been pushing her. That I would have appreciated. But there has been none of that.
I am afraid of how this is going to go.
PH, I agree, any of the other three, just not Janel. In saying that though, does that play into Janel actually winning? Since we don’t vote to eliminate but vote to stay, are we all spreading our votes out and so diluting it, not making one person get all the votes versus Janel? I’m not explaining this well but it makes perfect sense in my mind. 🙂
Holy random celebrity fans Batman – Dan Quayle? Did I hear it right that they golf together? Funny.
I really liked Alfonso and Witney’s contemporary – and my boyfriend even noted after that dance that he never realized what a great dancer Witney actually is. Their AT was a little tough for me to watch though, just because he looked so uncomfortable.
I thought Sadie’s Quickstep was ADORABLE and really suited them well. The use of the guitar in the AT was slightly distracting, but also ingenious as well. At this point I hope they win.
Although I LOVED the choreography and concept for Bethany’s Samba, I did think it took a little while to get going and then her legs looked awkward to me. The song blew too, but I just don’t think the Samba was her dance, either. I do think the contemporary was great though and she really sold it well. It’s these kinds of routines that make me so glad they include contemporary and jazz.
I thought Janel’s paso was really good, but her AT did nothing for me and the lifts were just difficult lifts for the sake of being so, rather than fitting the song, and they looked a bit awkward too. I hate to sound like Len, but in my AT’s I want light and shade, power and control, etc, and these really lift heavy AT’s don’t do that. It really looked like one of Maks’s routines.
Bless Peta’s heart, that rumba was one of my favorite dances of the season. So glad that Tommy made it this far.
Add me to the camp of “anyone but Janel” to win. Although Alfonso, Sadie and Bethany all deserve it, I’m pulled between Alfonso and Sadie. I love Derek and would not in any way be upset to see him get another win for his partner, but Alfonso and Sadie stand out to me more. Alfonso is fighting through pain that will hopefully not hold him back. One thing for sure is he won’t be pulling out of the competition at this point unless he was told it would do permanent damage to his body. He will fight through it and will be in the finals.
Sadie is just so adorable and her partnership with Mark has been a good one. Like Tommy with Peta, Sadie brought out a good side of Mark. His choreography has been great, he hasn’t been trying to show off during their dances as if to say “look at me, look at me” like we’ve seen him do in the past. He cares about her and works with her to showcase her in the best light. I would love to see her standing next to Alfonso in the finals.
I love Derek and Bethany, she can dance, she’s come out of her shell and has had a lot of fun. Derek, as usual, has been brilliant. Loved the dance with the picture frame. When he leaves, we lose dances like that, and that will be a shame. I’m going to be selfish for a bit and hope he comes back next season just so we can see more of his great creativity on a weekly basis. I think Bethany would be very happy with third place and feel like the season was a success for her.
Janel, ugh. No, no, no. I will vote as much as possible to add my part in her not winning. She hasn’t been likable to me at all and I just don’t want to imagine the smug look we would see on Val and then have to watch his ego grow more than what it is. Fourth place is a good place for to be and with the couples left, and it’s the right place for her to be.
And as for Tommy, thank you for an enjoyable season! Everyone had you written off the show by week 2 and look what you accomplished! You fun to watch, you made me smile and you showed us a caring side of Peta I hope to see again in the future. Those tears she had after their last dance made me tear up a bit. She knew they were leaving, that it was the last time she would dance with him, and it mattered to her. So Peta, no more relying on sleaze dancing or sleaze costumes. You’ve shown you’re better than that.
I gotta say, Janel’s parents also kind of put me off – is that weird? When her dad said “in America you have to have blonde hair and blue eyes to act?” or whatever (I’m paraphrasing). This isn’t the 50’s. The popularity and demand for young, dark-haired/eyed actresses – especially of a mixed ethnicity – is astounding, at least in Hollywood. That is not to say that he wouldn’t be HISTORICALLY right, but I don’t think it’s applicable to Janel’s situation at all. It just seemed like a weird thing to say.
I agree with everything you say, Courtney. I just want to add that I want to laugh out loud whenever someone say Janel should win because Val has never win before. If that’s the case why giving it to someone like Val, who showed almost nothing of what he’s capable of with Kelly Monaco, Zendaya and Liz Berkley this season, when you could give it to Witney, who is also has yet to win and has been incredible all season long, and this is only her second season? Another laughable reason is that the C-bros fans want Val to win because Tony and Maks did, so this is Val’s time. Lolwut what a fail, especially considering that the trophies given to Tony and Maks are both Lifetime Achievement Trophy. Done @ all those people.
I do think they’re low balling Sadie a bit. Bethany is good enough to be in the top 3. I think the problem with Janel is they’re making her too sexy. Would like to see that toned down a little. Alonzo performance last night got him the winning spot. He’s always been one of the top dancers but last his will and heart to win came shining through
John, I think they will do it whichever way helps the outcome they want. Meaning, if Janel is the low person, I expect them to combine last nights votes and scores with those on next Monday night. Conversely if it’s Sadie who is the low person, I expect they will eliminate her.
Yes, I have gotten very cynical.
I think I answered the second question by answering the first…but not sure.
My thoughts, in an unranked order.
I loved Tommy and Peta this season, it was such a refreshing change of character for her. He definitely brought the best out of Peta, more than any of her prior partners. I hope we get to see this Peta again.
So glad to see Alfonso dance, and I hope he heals enough that he can dance next week relatively pain free, or pain free enough that it doesn’t interfere with his dancing. Loved his contemporary. Wished he’d gotten better scores for his Argentine Tango. I liked theirs a lot more than Janel and Val’s, because Alfonso and Witney’s lifts were part of the dance, not “look what I can do” showy lifts. I know I’m not explaining that too well.
Bethany and Derek’s samba was cute. I do think it was appropriately scored, it just didn’t have that “wow” that usually happens with his mental blocks. It kind of feels like Derek is mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted this season. To me, it just feels like he’s not “on” as much as he normally is (granted, even being “off” is a lot more “on” than other dancers on the show). He needs 2 months off with nothing to do but play with Romie. Their contemporary, on the other hand, was all the genius we all know he is can be!
I’m surprised that Sadie and Mark didn’t get any 10’s for their quickstep, because as they were dancing, I was trying to use my mental checklist to see if I could find anything they would be docked for. They were tight together the whole time, they didn’t have props… Except that one moment where she turned in a circle… while staying tight together, properly spaced! they stayed in hold! I didn’t see anything CAI could use as a lift, kept within the 10 seconds beginning/end of dance, was a proper quickstep. I did like their Argentine Tango, but I think I liked their quickstep better.
Janel and Val….. What was new and different in their Argentine Tango? The only thing I could think of was that he played his violin at the beginning of it. But then, I THOUGHT that either Derek or Mark began one of their prior dances playing an instrument. I wish he had choreographed something for Janel to do while he was playing, instead of simply standing there and waiting. I wish Val had focused more on choreographing for Janel than choreographing moments and making Janel fit into them. Again, I don’t think I’m explain it well.
My HOPES for the Finale:
First…. Each couple get to pick their favorite dance, instead of picking the one TPTB decide is the couples favorites. And if there is a judges redemption dance, that they choose them fairly. I’m looking forward to most of the freestyles.
Cheryl, no I don’t think it plays into Janel winning. I think saying you’d be fine with any of the remaining three winning doesn’t automatically translate into you (universal you) voting for all three. I sure don’t vote for all three. And anyone splitting votes at this point really shouldn’t be – but I don’t think there’s probably enough of that to benefit Janel.
Lori, I agree that Derek seems slightly less “in” or “on” than usual, but I chalk it up to fatigue rather than sentiment, and that even at 80% he’s better than most at 100%. I hope he takes a while to rest and recover.
I also agree that I’d be fine with anyone winning but Janel, but I’m sure no one is surprised by that out of me, haha.
“Blond hair and blue eyes?” Sour grapes. Tell it to the women of Thursday night on ABC – some of my favorite shows. Tell it to Zoe Saldana and Mila Kunis. Tell it to Sandra Bullock. Hell, tell it to Melissa McCarthy.
Amazing analysis Courtney. Seems like a lot of people don’t want Janel to win and yet think it might now be a possibility. It is hard to ignore how little she has been challenged with her dance styles- so many in her wheelhouse showing passion etc. Not much light and shade imo. I was unable to watch because ABC was off the air for some reason so saw the youtube dances only and spared the packages. Now that the producers have manipulated the show to get their favoured four, maybe they will let the chips fall as they may. I guess that is too much to ask for and I really think Janel is pre determined to win. At least bracing myself to that possible outcome. Here’s hoping Alfonso can rally and perform amazingly next week.
Lori, don’t know if you watch the behind the scenes cameras, but last night Derek and Beth were up talking to Dom and Lacey and Derek straight up said he was exhausted and that he was in need of a vacation. He actually babbled about it a bit and since he’s not generally like that, it seems rather serious. I think he’s literally had ONE day off in the last year.
Thank you EPmusic, I thought I heard Val playing out of tune….that sounded awful to me.
I loved Bethany, Sadie, & Alfonso tonight. I really hope they are our final 3. I also agree with everyone that I think Tommy brought out the best in Peta. I loved watching the two of them.
I can’t wait for the freestyle when they pick their own music. I, too, would be ok with Alfonso, Sadie, or Bethany winning. I also agree that our beloved Derek is due for some serious down time, but his 80% is 80% better than anybody else’s (except for Mark’s) 100%! Don’t count out the D-man with the free style yet to come. He blows the competition out of the water on free style, and free style often determines the winner. I fully relate to Heidi’s cynicism, but I also believe in the power of the people! (Rose colored glasses, you know!!) Here’s to the finals – everybody bring their A-game and lets see what shakes out!! (Pun intended)
Lord. Judges choice. Another great way to screw over Bethany and Sadie.
PH, no I didn’t. I have enough trouble concentrating on being able to SEE and HEAR the show in my livingroom with everyone else talking to me over top of it. I can’t add anything else, haha. If you can, could you find and post it over on PDH?
I know he’s been busy. I know that they had scheduled days off during the tour, and that Jule’s bf said that they were SUPPOSED to take the time off and recharge, I think Jules did better at “taking the day off” while on tour than Derek.
Derek’s usual idea of a vacation or day off usually doesn’t seem like “relaxation” and “recharge.”
c’mon I think it’s just so clear this season who’s gonna win. it has benn Alfonson from the beggining to the end. he’s got the highest cummulative score and his fanbase seems to be as big as Sadie’s, who’s scores hasn’t benn that high recently.
I’m rooting for Beth & Derek because for me it’s just too big advantage when someone comes to the show with previous dance experiences, no matter what style he did, as a dancer I can say it always helps a lot.
Despite that, I’ll be happy with all of the three winning. although I don’t like Mark this season, so I would be happier if Whitney wins. I would be really upset if VaJanel wins, but like I said, it’s not gonna happen.
What a semi-finals this turned out to be. I absolutely loved the music and a majority of the performances.
I was really hoping to see Tommy make the finals, but I’m so proud of how far he and Peta made it.
1. Janel & Val: What a night for them. I was crazy in love with their Paso Doble. I was with Carrie Ann on wanting more. Their Argentine Tango may not have gotten a perfect score, but it was perfect in my eyes. Some may hate her, and that’s okay. I think she could be in the Top 3 without a doubt.
2. Alfonso & Witney: Despite his back injury, I thought he did very well. Going into this week, I wasn’t sure how “Love Runs Out” would suit Argentine Tango, but it worked in an interesting way. I thought their Contemporary deserved a perfect score.
3. Sadie & Mark: And were back to low-ball scores. I honestly thought they would get a couple more 10’s for their Quickstep. It was fast, fun, and fantastic. I loved the creativity of their Argentine Tango, and call me crazy, but I liked the unplugged version of “Problem” better than the original.
4. Bethany & Derek: Unfortunately, I was extremely underwhelmed by both of her performances. Samba was a tad too theatrical in the beginning, a lot of parts looked a tad unsteady as well. I wasn’t sold on her Contemporary either. I thought the picture frame was extremely distracting throughout. No offense to any of her supporters, but I think she missed the mark completely this week.
See you guys next week in the finals.
Libby L,
The people were manipulated by showmance, producers agenda, and “pro has never won before” mentality last season. But it isn’t as bad all around this season with J&V, so I am hoping for a different outcome.
The only good thing out of them winning would be the stop in promoting “pros who have never won that need to win” in the coming seasons. Or at least with the ones left that have never won (Sharna, Emma being the longest left to be on without a win), I wouldn’t mind if they got a little boost!
Lori, the producer of All Access has been sending me embed codes for the interviews, but there is a non-official one up on the site right now. Just look for the BTS videos – I think it’s the second post.
A “day off” is no good in Derek land. He needs at least a week, maybe two. He’s going to get hurt if he doesn’t take it right after this season.
Such a great night of dancing. If Tommy stuck around I would have been even happier.
1)Sadie and Mark: So she got underscored for her quickstep and I’m not sure why. Then, her argentine tango was underscored too. Saying that, she was stellar last night. That quickstep was so much fun and that A Tango was moody and age appropriate. The guitar addition was beyond awesome. Mark really outdid himself last night. If she places 4th, which is my worst fear, she can say that she has surpassed everyone’s expectations big time.
2)Alfonso and Whitney: So you might be questioning why I have him in number two and not number one despite loving them last night. The answer is this, despite nailing all the dances and fighting through the pain, I feel like Sadie had a breakout night but more of that in my number one spot. He should sail to the top three easily and most likely win that trophy 🙂
3)Bethany and Derek: She had a underscored samba that was a lot of fun. Sasha in it was even more fun to see (see my post from last night lol). But then there was that amazing contemporary dance that shut down the ballroom. That was the best dance of the season thus far in my opinion.
4)Janel and Val: I really liked her paso. Her second dance….not so much. Saying that, she did herself a world of good last night in my eyes with that video package. That could easily have become a pity party but she came across as “I came to Hollywood and survived and got on a hit show.” That’s exactly what those with acting aspirations need to see. And cool to see Val play the violin too.
Now I’m hoping that the redemption dances are back and Sadie gets the jazz again (but I’m guessing they will give her paso just because she got two 7s on that one), Alfonso gets samba, Janel gets jive, and Bethany gets a jive as well. As far as favorite dance of the season (f they do that again) goes, I think Janel will go quickstep, Bethany will go tango, Sadie will go samba, and Alfonso will either choose jive or salsa.
Maybe he’ll take at least a month….. With Romie.
It is interesting that Val mentioned in his package that he’s been on for 7 seasons now – oh look who wants to play that card now, too. At least it wasn’t beating us over the head with it, but still.
And 5 of those seasons, 6 if you count Sherri Shepherd and her Dance with Me lessons with the Pro SHE CHOSE prior to her season commencing Val has had some pretty big ringers, the biggest being Zendaya and he STILL couldn’t win….so, WHAT does that say about him?
I agree Lori and PH…Derek needs a MONTH off of work, on a deserted island somewhere, just him and his dog 🙂
I hope they give redemption dances with new choreo and more traditional music: Alfonso- Quickstep, Bethany- rumba, Sadie- paso, janel – V. waltz
I really like this final four. I think Janel, Sadie, Alfonso and Bethany have all had excellent dances over the season and they’ve each done something really memorable and fun that have stuck out in my mind.
My favourite is probably Janel – but I’ll just clarify that I hate any showmance/hype pushing, and anything involving voting for kisses puts me off straight away. 😀 However, my worry is kinda Val with the Freestyle – while I think they will probably be 3rd or 4th anyway, I feel like he hasn’t really wowed in that department, when with Kelly and even Zendaya. Derek and Mark are great with Freestyles, and Witney will collaborate on something amazing with Alfonso I’m sure. I hope Val can do something new and dynamic that fits Janel like a glove.
Overall, next week’s gonna be a lot of fun, and I’ll honestly be happy whatever the result. I think that the mirrorball is Alfonso & Witney’s and I’ve thought that since the cast announcement, but he’s wowed me each week and I think that Witney’s done an amazing job as pro in her second season. Would love to see their faces especially if they are handed the MBT.
For me the best last night were Alfonso and Janel. My wish is for one of them to win the MBT. Sadie is cute and I really liked her dances last night, I thought the second one was very innovative dancing with the guitar. Not feeling it with Bethany but her dances were good.
Joanna, good news for you, it appears that Val won’t be choreographing his freestyle any more than he did the paso. If Mandy Moore appearing in his IG photo is any indication, she will do the real work and he will just have to dance it with Janel. I expect another Latch type performance which I believe she or Sharna choreographed last season, or something similar to the opening numbers she has done. Seems like everyone is doing some heavy lifting to carry Val to the finish line, which proves he’s not worthy yet. The other three are doing their own heavy lifting by choreographing and teaching yet super ego of them all, Maks, has the gall to label his brother and janel as the real path to dance couple. What a joke.
Someone on tumblr posted a frame by frame comparison of Zendaya’s Paso and Janel’s Paso and it’s identical. The only thing different really is the staging for Janel’s and the production value. Makes me like the dance less to be honest (admittedly I’m not a Janel fan).
I am interested to see what redemption dances each couple gets. We can obviously check off anything they danced this week (I would assume). Even though he doesn’t need to “redeem” himself at all I would love to see Alfonso do another Jive. That week 1 performance may still be my favorite of the season. I have a feeling he might get saddled with a standard dance though. I could see Sadie getting Paso, Janel maybe the Samba, and Bethany? Hmmm…not sure what they would give her…
DLT, I just watched the two of them and while there are certainly similar elements that’s just going to be the case with a dance like the Paso – I’m no Janel fan, but I wouldn’t say that it’s identical at all, at least in the order of the steps – so probably the frames are shown out of order or something? I don’t know, maybe a rewatch would show more similarities.
I was very nervous for Alfonso last night due to his injury. I didn’t know if he would be able to dance and if he could, I was afraid that he would get hurt even worse. I was so happy to see that although it was obvious he was in pain, he fought through it and delivered two beautiful dances with Witney. He’s been my dream contestant since I started watching DWTS and I really hope that next week, he can win the Mirrorball trophy. I haven’t rooted so much for a celeb to win this show since Shawn Johnson back in Season 15.
With that in mind, I hope my favorite contestant doesn’t lose once again due to producer shenanigans. I like Janel and Val, but I think that the show has been pushing hard to make them seem like the best couple on the show. In my opinion, Val is a great choreographer and Janel is a very good dancer, but I don’t think they’re the best. I would be very disappointed if they ended up winning.
With the ongoing manipulations by TPTB makes me think “who’s going to be this season’s sacrificial lamb, just like Charlie last season?” And correct me if I’m wrong, but remember how Amy was never been in jeopardy until semifinals? Similar this season with Bethany. Is she getting the votes or TPTB just want to keep them so fans of Derek and Bethany will stay tuned till the end? Maybe I’m thinking too much into this but the way the show pushing for Vajanel I won’t be surprised if Janel and Alfonso battle it out at the end. If this happened then TPTB had orchestrated this from the beginning especially if Janel end up winning. Then we know if a pro cries out, begging for a MBT TPTB will give it whether they deserve it or not.
Just to add to my comment above. Why would George Stephanopoulos said “you’re the one to beat?” Without even seeing Janel dance? hmmmm…
Of the four left standing (going by celeb ability only and not taking the pros into consideration) I think the top two are Alfonso and Janel. I think Bethany will be the 3rd finalist. Sadie is good but she seems a little stiff when she is dancing and the way they are being hosed on scores I don’t think she will make it. None of Beth’s dances really stood out for me. I remember more of Alfonso’s and Janel’s than any other. They stood out in my mind. I would love it if Janel won but if not her than Alfonso. That’s my opinion. But sometimes the best dancer doesn’t win. Case in point, Season 10, I thought Evan Lysacek was the better dancer but Nicole won. There have been other seasons where I thought that as well. Mark and Katherine for example. How in the name of God do you get perfect scores on all three finale dances and still lose? I guess TPTB has their own agenda and only time will tell who they have placed as the “chosen one” this year.
You thought Evan was the better dancer??? LOL – one of the few, the proud. He was the bigger ringer, for sure. But better dancer? The only dances of his I remember are the BAD ones.
I will give you Katherine, but I knew she wasn’t going to win from DAY ONE. It was obvious. Even though they were pimping Willy Levy as hard as they are pimping Janel.
Yes I thought Evan was the better dancer. His Paso Doble to Bring Me to Life was one of the best ones I have ever seen. Granted not ALL of his dances were amazing (i.e. Freestyle, which is what I believe screwed him) but I didn’t think Nicole was that amazing either. I remember more of Evan’s dances than I do of Nicole’s. Oh well to each his own. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I am not going to fault you for yours so please don’t fault me for mine.
Sad to see Tommy go, but this is the top 4 it should have been all along. Looks like people are really finding reasons to dislike everything that Janel and Val do. But in all honesty, I think they had the strongest night dance-wise. I dont think she has a shot of winning, as Alfonso plain better than everybody, Sadie is certainly more personable and Bethany is a strong dancer with Derek by her side, who has his own built in fan base. But I think people should be able to acknowledge when both she and Val have done well.
Based on last night:
1. Janel/Val – easily had the strongest night of dancing. She had the attack in the Paso that was missing from some of the other competitors’ ballroom dances last night. I agree that her transitions out of the lifts on the tango could have been smoother and that val should have had her doing something while he was playing violin, but she overall did really well. If Sadie or Bethany had done those lifts, people here would have been losing their minds.
2. Bethany/Derek – Just edge out Whitney and Alfonso. In both cases I thought their contemporaries were the stronger dances, but i really thought that Bethany’s contemp was more focused on her and more interesting. Her samba was a cute performance, but there was a bit too much time on the bench.
3. Whitney/Alfonso – Again, the contemporary was stronger, but my eye was constantly on whitney, as this dance reminded me of how strong and fluid she is in this style. Alfonso certainly held his own though. The Argentine Tango was fine, but you could tell he was pained and it made the dance a bit uncomfortable.
4. Sadie/Mark – They danced well, but I dont think they really had a spectacular moment last night. Sadie had a really great frame during the quickstep, but the overall dance was just missing something to put it over the edge. I feel similarly with the Tango, which I think could have been fantastic had they not had the guitar between them.
Overall though, I’d expect Alfonso and Sadie to get through. Janel’s dances could push her into the top three, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see her eliminated.
@Figamentation – You are right that just looking at the frames side by side isn’t truly accurate since the order could be played around with. I’m not really trying to accuse Val of anything either as it was a good Paso but I just thought it was interesting when I saw it. I would post the links but it takes you to a Valdaya blog and not sure everyone wants to see that hahaha.
#52: While many people may not agree with you and you don’t agree with them, it doesn’t make your opinion right and others opinions wrong. Even who danced the best on a given night is subjective not fact and not everyone will like the best dancer anyway.
If Sadie and Bethany had done J&V’s AT, I wouldn’t have liked it or the lifts either. Maks and Val like to throw in things like lifts that are big but often out of place in the dance. Derek and Mark rarely make those choreo choices and I prefer their style.
You can add me to the club for “anyone to win but Janel.” She just doesn’t connect with me, and that showman or whatever isn’t helping. I don’t like it if someone says, “I think Janelskiy should win because Val’s neve won before.” This isn’t just about Val, and Witney also hasn’t won either. An unpopular I have is that I actually liked Sadie and Mark’s AT. I’d just get rid of the guitar. Like other people have said, I feel like I’ve seen Val’s chore for the Paso before many times, so it didn’t appeal to me too much. I liked Bethany’s samba. It was very entertaining to me. It wasn’t anything new, but I still liked it. I thought at one point it would become a trio because Sasha was in it more than other troupe members are in a dance. I still think Alfonso did great with his dances, even with an injury. His contemporary was one of my favorites of the night to be honest.
Here’s how I want the final placings to be:
1. Alfonso or Sadie
2. Alfonso or Sadie
3. Bethany
4. Janel
Here’s how I THINK it will turn out, and I kinda don’t exactly want it to happen:
1. Alfonso
2. Janel
3. Bethany
4. Sadie
I think Sadie’s getting underscored again, as usual. I really want her to get into the top three, but something is telling me that she’s not getting enough votes. She’s been last to be called safe twice in a row already. I could be wrong though, and I hope I am. I think Alfonso will score 1st, which I would be happy with though 🙂
Word, EP – the need to throw in complicated lifts just because you can is a sign of immaturity as a choreographer. But then he and Maks show a lot of immaturity as men as well, so it carries over. I’m pretty disappointed in Val for that reason, and the fact that he’s not living up to his own potential. He’s adopting Maks’ crutches even though Maks was on the show almost from day 1 and just won this past season. Yeah, you should do everything Maks did because he won last season….and completely ignore the fact that it took him 16 seasons to do it, despite having MANY capable dancers. How on earth does that make sense? And, if you’re really that creative, CREATE something new.
Complicated, hard choreo is only good if the dancer can pull it off – and Janel was sloppy coming out of those lifts. That’s why I was making fun of the person claiming Sadie had harder choreo than Beth, yet made some visible mistakes. Yeah, Hard choreo is only good if you can execute it. Otherwise, you are doing your celeb NO favors at all.
If a lift looks labored either in the transitions into and out of or during, than a pro might want to re-think the lift. An iffy lift can make even the most wonderfully danced routine grind to a screetching halt.
And to be honest with you the whole time during that legs around Val’s head, helicopter propeller lift I was nervous about Janel’s safety. And I say this as someone who’s not a fan of hers.
I think I made most of my comments in last night’s discussions so I’ll keep my rankings brief.
1. Janel/Val – loved both their dances. Val’s improved on his lifting – still needs work tho.
2. Alfonso/Witney – that contemp was everything
3. Sadie/Mark – fun quickstep
4. Bethany/Derek – having trouble remember either of theirs. I’m seeing I Love Lucy still lol.
Someone else choreographing Vanjanel’s freestyle? I can understand getting help, but not having it done for you. Just proves Val can’t choreograph a winning freestyle and doesn’t deserve to win until he can.
Legit fear, Susan, considering that Val dropped Julianne once and nearly dropped her a second time. And Julianne is a pro.
The longer Val is on the show the more he acts like his brother. Maks and Val act like they are just suppose to win just because they have been on the show for a length of time. It is not even suppose to be about the pro, it suppose to be about the celeb. I hope Val never wins. It’s bad enough that Maks was handed a win last season, after how he acted on that show for years. Val and Maks both make me sick.
From watching Beth’s Contemporary VT, did anyone else think her sister looked like a brunette version of Emma?!
My thoughts:
Surprisingly, and somewhat against my will, I enjoyed Vajanel’s dancing. The paso’s beginning that was adopted from Meryl’s tango last year prevented me from really enjoying the rest of the routine, but she danced it well. If it weren’t her dancing that AT, I would have loved it. I thought it was an interesting take on what’s typically an intense, “smoldering” dance. The lifts, though, were definitely awkward. For me, it wasn’t Janel that made them seem ungainly, but Val — he looked like he was a little out of control in the first one. Even though I liked the dance, I really wanted the to be voted off, so disappointed they weren’t.
My favorite dance of the night was Bethany’s contemporary. I can’t believe Derek was having a creative block — IMO, that contemporary was one of the best on the show ever! So cool to watch. And Bethany has grown so very much throughout the season. I can’t believe she’s the person everyone (including myself) was saying they didn’t connect to at the beginning of the season! I thought her samba was cute, but I wonder why Derek chose to have Sasha play such a large part in it. I felt like I was watching another trio. I’m really excited to see Beth’s freestyle — I hope Derek stays away from contemporary and does something energetic and fun.
Alfonso is amazing, and I really hope he wins. I felt so bad for him watching how much pain he was in — I really hope he takes care of himself this week. I really enjoyed both of his dances (though the AT was definitely not his best) and am very excited to see his and Witney’s freestyle.
@Susan..#57
I am not real impressed with Janel, but I was cringing a little with Val’s lifting since he almost dropped Julianne earlier in this season. I think Maks has one over on Val in the lifting department. Val needs to get with his buddy Artem and practice how to do lifts. Artem was fantastic with Janel in the “Switch Up.”
Nothing more fun than a Janel troll who has no grasp whatsoever on grammar.
@PHeidi…
I knew you would catch that remark before long. 🙂
Is Bing predictions accurate?
Ugh, does anyone actually think Janel will win? She is far from the best dancer. Fourth best this season, maybe. Unlike a lot of people on here, I am a big Val fan and I want him to win, but with someone that deserves it. He didn’t deserve to win with Zendaya and he definitely doesn’t deserve to win with someone so aggressively mediocre. NOT ONE of their dances have been memorable. I’m having a hard time remembering the ones from this week.
@Lydia- I don’t think it is. I think it takes into account how someone is being talked about but not much else. I know a week ago it said Tommy was going to go home when Lea ended up being the one eliminated. I personally dont trust it.
A question and a comment (and as always a big thank you to the mods for the articles and the site which is a island of normal in the crazy DWTS fan world).
1. Is DWTS considered a reality show? Don’t the pro’s get paid based on how long they stay in and if they make the finals? If indeed some are getting ‘propped’ via judges scores that are ‘helped’ by the producers, wouldn’t some agent call that out as the celeb is not making the money?
2. If Val wins, then both of the C brothers will have won with an Olympic Gold Medal Winning ice DANCER and a trained DANCER.
Even though I still don’t think Bethany rocks in the personality department, I’d pick her any day to win over Janel. She doesn’t have that grace or fluidity that someone like Meryl has when she dances. With Janel everything seems forced. Everything. Even her niceness seems forced.
My picks – Alfonso, Sadie, Bethany, Janel
If Alfonso’s injury gets in the way….. I am really scared to see how this ends because I don’t want her to win. I especially don’t want val to win with her
I just found out what Alfonso’s judge’s pick was for next Monday (which they chose before he got hurt)… Let’s hope he can pull it off, because it’s going to be tough. If you want to know what it is, it’s on CAI’s blog post.
Really curious to see what the other picks are.
I think the Bing predictions just get lucky a lot of the times. As Kaitlyn said I think they just tally up how much a celeb is being talked about online but I’m not sure if they even differentiate between positive and negative comments. Also, just because someone is being talked about a lot doesn’t necessarily translate into votes. I know last season they bragged about getting every week but one right but I think last season was fairly easy to predict. I could have done it straight through and gotten pretty close to being right each week also.
I love, love, love, Alfonso and want him to win (huge bias showing here!) For me Witney has been amazing! I think her choreo has been so good! What a breath of freshness this sweet 20 year brings to the dance floor! Hope Alfonso is healed for these finale dances – cause I think Witney will choreo some great dances and that Alfonso will kill it and win the MBT!
Other than Alfonso, I don’t really care between the girls who wins – well maybe a bit of a Sadie fan. To me, I find that Sadie is always delightful – and a delight to watch. She looked beautiful in her first dance (Quickstep?) but I didn’t like it. I think she’s too tall for Mark, so I thought she looked a bit hunched with bent legs while in hold (but this is not her fault). I really liked her AT and thought the use of the guitar (and Tom calling it the “Guitar-gentine Tango”) was great.
I thought Janel’s Paso was fab, and was the best of the night. But I thought her other dance (contemp? – can’t even remember) was a mess – hated the lifts – so ugly and out of control. The use of the M&M staging / lighting was disappointing.
Derek was great with the choreo (love how his “creative blocks” result in really creative dances!), but I always watch him – I hardly notice Bethany. Loved both Derek’s dances – again, can’t really comment on Bethany as I watched Derek!
I still think Alfonso will win, but I wouldnt mind if Sadie or Beth take the MBT based on their season journey. For me they should be the final 3.
Sadly I think Sadie will be the “sacrificial lamb” to put Janel on the top 3.
I hope Alfonso’s back is better this week and cant wait to see his freestyle and jive, and to be honest I would love to see the Fam s reaction to a new pro (Witney) winning a MBT before Val.
Thought this was a great semi-final though I miss steamy Argentine Tangos! Anyone can win. My top spot was Bethany and Derek. Their contemporary was my favorite dance of the night. They worked together so beautifully, looked as one and danced seamlessly. The samba was a little weird, but still fun and her legs were gorgeous IMO. Was the kiss at the end a little twist on the other kiss earlier in the season?
Next, Sadie & Mark and Alfonso & Witney are tied for me. Loved Sadie in the quickstep – graceful and fun at the same time. Like others, I liked the guitar prop for the AT, but one section with it would have been enough and I thought it interfered with sharpness of their leg movement.
Alfonso & Witney’s AT was a bit disappointing, but I can’t criticize because he was clearly in pain. The contemporary was much better and I love their chemistry. Even with pain, he moves wonderfully and Witney is certainly a standout this season.
Val & Janel – I can ignore the showmance/shipping/kissing, but they both come off as so entitled. The package was ughhh!! And while their dancing is very good, it was not memorable this week. As CAI said, I too wanted more from the paso, but for different reasons. Felt like Janel was rushing to keep up in the AT and that shot of her behind coming down from the lift was not good! Plus Val needs to stay away from the violin – flat the whole time.
Have to say that I will miss Tommy, though it was his time to go. Their rumba had me in tears too. So sweet and not campy.
#20 Heidi or anyone else that has followed the one-night-only seasons (S17 and S18), has DWTS announced– either on their official website or via Tom Bergeron during the telecast– how they use the scores to determine the final 3 standing? In other words, do they say that they are combining the scores from the week prior to finale + scores during the 1st finale night?
If they have announced, have they done it differently between the seasons?
Let me preface this question by saying that I feel like the person who left the movie theater for a break and returned, only to have missed a pivotal part of the movie. Janel & Val have the momentum of being on top of the leaderboard for the past 3 weeks (Weeks 8, 9, 10), but have the judges commented on the specific breakthroughs or improvements that she has made to get there? What has changed??
Context – I haven’t watched all the judges comments from the past weeks. For this past week, I’m still going through the show on xfinity, and have seen most all of the dance clips. Bethany’s contemporary was the dance piece that moved me the most, but I also loved Sadie and Alfonso’s dances and Bethany’s adorable samba. I would love to see those three (Alfonso, Bethany, and Sadie) on the podium next week.
So for a couple of weeks I have been wondering if Sadie could pull it off and win this entire thing but today when I was at the local mall makes me really think it can happen. A local college student is doing a project on reality tv and do you vote and they were asking what they called the “ideal age group” meaning college students, hs students, and people under thirty Apparantly. They also interviewed other age groups as well. Anyways instead of going in the atore to do shopping with my sister and cousin at old navy I volunteered to watch the bags. When it came to dwts, I saw this kid interview 20 people and in a totally non creepy way kept count when it came to dwts and 18 of twenty said they r voting forbsadie becuase she is normal and genuine. The other two said Alfonso. (I would put what they said about other shows but let’s just say American idol apparantly is no longer that popular lol.)
The kid also asked about if judges influence voting for each show and the general consensus for dwts was no. One lady actually said “I like the old man and the pretty blonde girl but if I voted based on what the judges say the show would be very boring.”
My sense is, 5678dance, is that it is different every season. And it usually isn’t stated until Tom says so at the beginning of the show…maybe in the press release. Not just then one night shows but it seems like it changes a lot in previous seasons as well. But, I’m not in a position to research it right now anyway.
There is little consistency in how they run this show from one season to the next, in any regard. It’s one of the big problems I have with it – they Change or make up the rules as they go along.
Vin, there are a few things wrong with that survey.
First, the “ideal age group” to survey for DWTS is 50+ years old. The age of the average viewer is something like 62. So, a survey of a much younger group will not have a huge bearing on DWTS and will skew the results in a way that doesn’t reflect DWTS. In other words, the younger audience is far from the majority, so if a majority of them picking Sadie does NOT mean she has a majority of the votes.
Secondly, making a sample size of 20 when the show is watched by 13 million people? Sample size is WAY too small and combined with surveying mainly young people means it’s extremely skewed – and probably not the least bit accurate.
All that said, Sadie could absolutely win because the general audience could be voting for her. If she wins, THAT will be the reason why.
@ Princess Heidi: I only saw him interview the 20 people but after I took the survey for him I asked how long he was there so far and he said since the mall opened so I’m guessing he got a lot more. I don’t know what amazes me more the fact that he stood there all day or there is a media relations major at a local college by me lol.
Ha, Vin. It’s a cool thing to do a study on, even with the built in biases and I’d be curious to know if he addresses them in his results in some way.
I had to do something like that for my masters degree but it was about something totally different and involved hr. Personally I am still kinda shocked how quick this season has gone by lol. I have to go back tommorrow for an interview and if I see him again I can send him to the site if you guys want……unless you don’t want me to and I won’t.
I really hope that Vajanel DOESN’T WIN! Seriously! First off, if Mandy Moore is indeed the Performance Producer, she has NO BUSINESS assisting VAjanelsyl with their freestyle AT ALL!! Paleese! AND IF VAL CANNOT CHOREOGRAPH his own freesyle nd WIN, then he is NOT all that. F-that.
Derek can at least choreograph his own Freestyles and WIN on his OWN accord!!!
Just saw that Mark has brought in Misha Gabriel from the Step Up movies and Anze Skrube. Definitely gonna be some hip hop in their freestyle. Can’t wait to see it!
I believe Anze also co choreographed Derek and Amber Rileys freestyle. I’m pretty sure they all get some assistance sometimes.
Anze did not choreograph Ambers whole freestyle, he helped with one unique part if it that Derek had no clue about. Huge difference. It was also shown in the package and he thanked him publically. So, wonder if we’ll be seeing Mandy in Val’s package, or will they twist it and show her in all of them, regardless of whether she had a significant contribution or not.
As I said before, Derek and mark have choreographed many freestyles. They have credibility. Val? Not so much.
If you read what I wrote I did say CO choreographed not that he choreographed the whole thing. If your going to try to correct somebody, make sure you read what was actually written correctly. Sheesh. I wasn’t defending Val in any way. I really dislike he and Janel this season. All I was saying was that yes, they all get help. And as long as everyone gets the same opportunity to bring in help it’s still an even playing field.
There’s a BIG difference in getting help choreographing a PART of a dance, like the stepping part of Amber’s freestyle and using somebody to choreograph the entire dance.
Knowing how TPTB like to spin things, I doubt they’ll publicly acknowledge Mandy’s contributions to Vajanel’s freestyle. Val hasn’t been in the finals since Zendaya and we all know how that went 😮
they also never revealed who choreographed maksyl’s freestyle. notice in the packages they never showed any thought process of how Maks came up with the idea, while with Kellie’s, Amber’s, Amy’s etc, we see how Derek’s mind works and what moves he tires to come up with the routine. And when he does get outside help the person is shown in the packages.
It’s funny that Meryl’s freestyle was mnentioned. My sister swears up and down that Travis Wall had something to do with that dance to this day becuase “it screams Travis” lol.
Try an actual hyphen next time and maybe I’ll actually SEE it, JJ. You know, WRITE IT correctly.
And again, dearie, the dispute isn’t getting help, it’s that some don’t admit it.
I want to know is lacey professionnel in ballroom ? because everytime she critiqued people on all access first she had a LOT to say and stuff that the judges didnt mention or anna T on afterbuzz so i was wondering if she just like to critique or if she didn’t knew what to critique and went off topic
She was especially tough on the girls emma and witney she basically said their choregraphy was not that great especially alfonso freestyle she didn’t like it so i mute her most of the time
Sorry to go off topics but it was something i wonder all season
I don’t even know why i posted that here lol i actually wanted to post it on the finale topic im going crazy sorry guys
I think she’s ballroom trained, mariam, but I don’t remember the specifics. She’s not trained like Derek, Mark, Anna and the rest. She’s probably not even as well trained as Witney or Emmy – which is likely the problem. 🙂 She and her brother both have a really annoying habit of pointing fingers at other people without looking in the mirror.
I think she’s only ballroom trained on the level of someone like Serge – he’s latin only, and I *think* Lacey is a swing dancer, mostly. Courtney is the one who remembers this stuff.
Lacey’s ballroom technique was horrible compared to Anna, Cheryl, Karina, and even Chelsie – but I thought she often made up for it with her choreography, which was usually fun and innovative, although she had some misses with it, too.
Thank you guys because she kept her critiques super long and was tougher on the girls pro
once she said that mark and sadie paso was not a paso and she agreed with len and when mark came up the next week she said she didn’t understand the judges i was like lol