PureDWTS Season 20, Week 7 – Power Rankings
Before I start in on everything else, I have to get this off my chest: poor Willow 🙁 Say what you will about “this is what happens when you put a 14-year-old on an adult show!” or “she should have prepared herself!”, but I think back to what a naive, insecure girl I was at 14, and I just cannot help but feel for her – she had done so well and seemed so excited to be there, only to be told “Sorry, not enough people like you enough to vote for you. Bye-bye!” We knew a shocking elim was probably going to come at some point, what with the overlapping fanbases of some of the couples this season…I guess I had just hoped that it wouldn’t be HER. So please, if you have an ounce of compassion in you – please go tweet (or Instagram) some encouraging words to Willow – it’s tough enough to be a teenage girl in this world, let alone one who just got the rug pulled out from under her on national television.
As for the rest of the night – maybe I just got spoiled in previous seasons, with fun decade-themed dances like Nicole’s 50’s paso and Erin’s 80’s rumba (I still giggle at Maks in the Don Johnson costume!), but tonight felt like an “Eras Night” only in name: so many of the songs (and sets, and costumes) didn’t really seem to reflect the era they were meant to, so I guess I kinda said “Why even bother?” to some of it. Oh well – probably yet another hastily-thrown-together theme to cover their asses when plans changed. As for the judges – they’re still doing some fishy sh*t. They’re just taking turns on who gets to play good cop, bad cop each week.
1.) Nastia & Sasha (Derek) – I hereby dub this “modern Charleston” this season’s “accidental Emmy bait” – because the concept ended up being so entertaining and well-staged that I could see Derek getting a nod for this one, even if he didn’t intend for it to come out as cool as it did. It actually felt more like a pro number to me – all of the troupe members blended nicely together in the background while Nastia & Sasha did their thing, and I enjoyed how the dance was choreographed to really use the space of the subway well. Add to that the blurring special effect they added in (but only briefly) and Derek just kinda jamming with Andy Grammar, and I think this could be one of the standout routines of the season. Plus, Nastia just looked like she was having a blast, and Sasha does seem to partner her really well. I’m beyond pleased by how things worked out for this trio tonight 🙂
2.) Riker & Allison – When the pickiest judge on the panel seems to conveniently overlook significant frame issues and connection problems and whip out a “10” paddle – rest assured something is a tad rotten in the state of Denmark. There was just wayyyy too much set-up with this one, what with Riker mentioning it in the package that he wanted “a 10 from Len”, and the way Len just GUSHED in a way that is very uncharacteristic of his usual judging behavior. It was by no means a terrible quickstep – but I also don’t think it was 10-worthy, especially from the pickiest technician on the panel. Riker’s frame seemed wobbly to me at times, and I’m not sure if height was an issue or what, but he and Allison seemed to lose body connection a few times, which resulted in some slack-looking movements while in hold. And once again, ee gad – Allison was doing that awkward thing with her neck. Someone puh-lease enroll her in one of Heather Smith’s masterclasses and she will emerge with the most gorgeous, swan-like carriage to her frame. But overall – not a bad quickstep, but far from perfect, too…they need some work on their ballroom dances, overall.
3.) Noah & Sharna – Ugh…I’m really struggling with what to say here, and I think the judges were last night as well. Let me just put this out there as a preface: I think every dance Noah does is inherently amazing simply because of how he’s still able to get out there and handle it despite his extensive limitations. That being said – I don’t think this jazz (it was a jazz, right?) was as amazing as the judges gushed about it being, and it was kinda overscored. Noah handled it well enough, but I don’t feel like he was really enjoying himself (if I had to guess, I think he probably felt a bit silly), and the choreography got a tad repetitive – can’t really blame Sharna too much, though, as she’s likely trying to make sure Noah can keep up. I think we’ve unfortunately just reached the end of what Noah can safely & effectively do, choreography-wise – and that’s fine. I think we all knew we’d reach this point eventually. If Noah can survive the double elim next week (and I think he can), I will be shocked if he’s not eliminated in week 9 – although with Rumer getting a dubious amount of votes (and the judges’ tinkering possibly failing), I wonder if he really COULD make the finale. These next few elims will definitely be interesting.
4.) Rumer & Val – This was the week that Rumer could have really cut loose and shown us how fun & goofy she can be. And instead? We got a package that focused more on Daddy Willis and drama with her neck than her learning the dance, and we were given one of the most sedate jives I think we’ve ever seen on the show. The music was slower than a normal jive, I’ll admit that – but it was almost as if she and Val had gone out to perform this jive after taking an Ambien or something…it just felt so SLEEPY and safe. There was a bizarre lack of sharpness to her kicks and flicks, and a bizarre abundance of sharpness in her arms – it was as if her upper body was moving with an entirely different spirit within it than her lower body. I was just left kinda going “Huh?” and felt myself emphatically rolling my eyes at Len, who seemed to be grasping at straws to praise this dance. Then there was the fact that Rumer was one of the last two standing up by Willow – now I’m REALLY wondering how many votes she’s actually getting. Willow seemed to fade into the woodwork last week, and now she’s gone – makes me wonder if Rumer could be in for the same fate during next week’s double elim.
5.) Chris & Witney – Clearly I am not hip to the appeal of this guy – because it blows my mind that he is managing to outlast far more talented AND entertaining couples each week. Once again, Chris wasn’t terrible, but he was definitely overpraised and overscored for a dance that was mediocre at best (and definitely not on par with what most of the other couples are doing at this point). The one positive of this dance: Witney looks stunning in yellow. Everything else was “meh” – Chris really didn’t move around the floor a whole lot (again) and his steps looked really squatty to me. He was likely trying to get rise & fall, but was going about the technique the wrong way. And he’s STILL looking hesitant on just about every move he does. Feel like I’m beating a dead Clydesdale here, but why is Chris not gone yet??? At this rate, I’m not even entirely certain he’ll fall in the double elim next week – it could be Rumer & Robert, and Chris lives to dance in the finale – especially if the judges continue to give him cushy scores like this one.
6.) Robert & Kym – Contrary to what the judges may have said (which seemed kinda “meh, it was alright” overall), I actually thought this was Robert’s best dance – I found him believable as a leading man, and unlike Chris, who seemed to shuffle around between lifts during his Argentine tango several weeks ago, Robert actually seemed PRESENT in the dance – he wasn’t just going through the motions, he was living them. Plus I kinda loved that he was a bit of a kid in a candy store with Kym – you can tell that there’s some genuine chemistry there. But I worry the judges’ habit of continuously underscoring Robert (relative to Chris, who often gets overscored) may ultimately be his undoing – I just cannot see him lasting through the double elim next week. But we’re down to the wire, and I think it’s ultimately time for him to go – but it’s also Chris’ time to go, and I’m not as positive that the latter WILL finally go. Grrrr.
Thoughts on the dance-offs:
Riker vs. Willow, salsa: Agreed with the judges 100% on this one – Willow’s simpler, more back-to-basics salsa was the real winner. At times, Riker’s salsa (or rather, Allison’s choreography) was so trick-laden and just generally busy that they seemed to get off-time and it ended up barely resembling a salsa. Perhaps a bit of a subtle “cool it with the flash ‘n’ trash, Allison” cue from the judges with the verdict on this one.
Noah vs. Robert, cha-cha: A conundrum with this one: Noah lacked a ton of content, but stayed on-time and clean; Robert had a ton of content but flubbed the timing and execution of quite a bit of it. So who wins – the one that played it safe or the risk-taker? Just as it probably would in a real ballroom competition – the one that played it safe won. Safe & well-executed trumps daring & sloppy every time…just feel bad for Robert, as he seemed to get a bit of Excited Puppy Syndrome and peed the rug this time.
Rumer vs. Chris, foxtrot: Also kind of a no-brainer – while Chris didn’t suck, Rumer was just a lot cleaner & more confident in her execution.
The moral of the story for the dance-offs? Keep it simple (and clean), stupid. 🙂
What are your thoughts?
Courtney, excellent again.xx
Ok, here’s mine… written last night. I left Mark & Willow because I can’t let go yet. 🙁 :
1. Nastia and Sasha – Derek indeed just made “Lemonade out of a lemon” like Tom said. It was the “best subway ride ever” like Bruno said. This was one of Derek’s best choreographed dances ever Imo! The blurry and slow motion effects were so cool. This is now my favorite dance of the season. Emmy worthy and a total awww moment!!
2. Willow and Mark – This dance was visually just stunning. They totally blew me away with production again!!! And the choreo ,….Mark is at his best with it this season. I can’t get enough.
3. Riker and Allison – What a way to start the show. They were fast and furious. I loved his fast foot work and all the personality and charm. I thought he lost a little steam towards the middle-end and his hands were kind of weird at the end, but, for the most, they were bringing it out there.
4. Noah and Sharna – I had another moment with this dance. This was their best dance of the season in my opinion. They were powerful out there, cool, and so fun. This was top notch choreo by Sharna. His movements were right on. The back up dancers and the slow motion part put that more punch in it.
5. Rumer and Val – Finally (with an exception to the package and her complaining), I really enjoyed on their dance. She could have been a little faster in her footwork, but, I loved how she was into her character and having fun.
6. Chris and Witney- Awww, I loved this dance. He was so relaxed again. I loved his smile through out and all the romance and charm. “He’s turning into a dancer” like Bruno said. Loved their costumes too. Beautiful!
7. Robert and Kym – I thought there were a few messy places with his footwork, but, they were full of the sexy. But, I have to admit….something about it gagged me a little.
The Dance Offs:
Mark and Willow won the first round against Riker and Allison for me. They had more bounce and creative content.
As for Sharna & Noah and Kym & Robert…both seemed so even. They each had their negative sides. Noah and Sharna walked a lot. Robert was stiff. I would tie them.
Rumer & Val won this sound. In fact, they probably had the best dance from all of Dance Off couples. It was fun, charming, and refreshing. Chris and Witney were good too, but, he was a little stiff.
Derek and nastia and sasha- I felt like I was watching a broadway show- so entertaining. Emmy #2 for the hough man haha. That was the first thought that popped into my head after they finished the dance. Also I love how derek phoned andy to perform with them- he made the performance extra special and sweet.
Riker and alli- classic dance but not so entertaining buy great job by these 2
I have to say that if rumour dosent go home in the double elmination next week – then it’s for sure rigged for val. The dance they did last night of what I remeber was boring and just plain bad- val CAN NOT CHOREOGRAPH
Once again u can tell who the real choreographers r (derek- alli- mark etc… ) to the fakes (val)
Rumour for sure should be 1 of the 2 elimated next week and the other r being Noah or chris.
I hope Chris and Robert are eliminated next week. Obviously the weakest dancers left. I agree Val’s choreo is bad, but Rumer deserves to be in the finals (so did Willow). Noah actually blew me away this week. Sharna and jazz: always a winner.
1. Nastia
2. Noah
3. Riker ( that 10 from Len, is he trying to lose his credibility?)
4. Rumer
5. Robert
6. Chris
I wonder how Val felt about taking on the weakest dancer. haha
I am here on out a lot less vested in the outcome of the season because I just felt so shitty after Willow’s elimination. She was a joy to watch and her enthusiasm really endeared her to me. Poor girl. She’ll move on to good things, I hope.
I also feel for Mark; he seems rather vulnerable to that “shocking” elimination more often than anyone else, I think. I think they both have a lot of fans that like them; but perhaps not quite as many that are dedicated to them first and foremost – which probably has at least a little impact on perception of how they’re doing in votes, versus the reality. Anyway, it is what it is and I don’t think I’ll enjoy the rest of the season nearly as much, even with two celebs – Riker/Nastia – that I am also rooting for.
That was such a fun Charleston. The choreography was excellent, and Sasha partnered her very well. Nastia did a wonderful job, but I think I caught a few times where she lost the joy in her face and realized she wasn’t smiling. I agree with their immunity and scores.
Despite the sloppiness of Riker and Allison’s Quickstep – and there was a lot of it – I really enjoyed it, especially the end tap and the unexpected grab of the baseball bat. That was friggen smoooooth. Plus I’m a baseball fanatic, so it totally played into my burning desire for them to have a former player on DWTS; this might have been the closest I’ll ever get.
Noah and Sharna were overscored, but it was pretty cool – but I agree, repetitive. I couldn’t tell if that was Noah’s badass acting face, or concentration, or feeling uncomfortable with the role.
I’m glad I’m not the only one that thought Rumer and Val were in slow-mo. That was pretty unexpected, since Val is usually so fast and sharp – and when he’s dancing a dance that actually calls for it, he completely fails to deliver it. Bizarre. I really do like Rumer and if Val could deliver on the choreography, I wouldn’t mind her winning. But that’s a huge IF. Bruce Willis seemed old as heck to me in that package. I do think she’s at risk for the double elimination, much more so than any of the remaining high-scorers.
Chris & Witney – the only thing I’ll say about it is that I agree that she looked AMAZING in that dress – and I’m not usually a big fan of yellow. But I want it. Even my boyfriend said he looked like he did the same thing in his dance last week as this dance. Just overscored and I want him gone.
Robert & Kym – again, I love her, but I don’t care for him. However, I was actually kind of disappointed in her set design and costumes because there was absolutely nothing 80’s about it. Completely failed on the theme. I also hope he’s gone next week.
Dance offs were all spot on. Riker/Willow was tough, but I agreed with it.
Seriously, how awkward did Nastia look when CAI hugged her and asked her if she had taken her advice? Stop hugging the celebs while at the judging table, Carrie-Ann. It’s just weird.
1) Nastia/Sasha: I wish Sasha would get another shot as pro. I know his height seems to be the issue, but he is just so infectious and game for anything that it’s fun to watch. Nastia was clean, and this was truly the first time I enjoyed her from just a standpoint of things beyond the technical aspect.
2) Noah/Sharna: I think that each dance is so different that I can’t agree with you that he’s reached the max of what he can do, Court. You’re entitled to your opinion of course. This was so much fun to watch and it had the perfect 70’s groove and moves and hey, an actual 70’s song! Thought it was funny that the concept was a tribute to Scarface with them playing Tony & Gina. Sharna did seem a little WTF that this was the dance the judges chose to praise him for during their All Access interview though. But all the locking and arm movements were straight up 70’s. I think it should’ve gotten straight 9’s, so I was okay with the total being the same. Sharna never disappoints with her jazz numbers. All 3 she’s done have been so different, but so on point.
3) Riker/Allison: I liked it. It was definitely better than the hot mess it looked like during the livestream I watched. It wasn’t close to their best though. And I hate how they always have Len give a 10 to whoever begs for it in the footage. I hate the footage in general, actually. LOL.
4) Rumer/Val: It was decent but forgettable to me. That whiplash injury looked frightening.
5&6) Robert/Kym Chris/Whitney: These two have come out even for me. Robert had a strong start and has gone downhill, and Chris has done the opposite though he’s still not that good. I wonder if the fact that they’re both ABC properties has to do with them still being here. I just get that feeling, and it’s not a good one. I said during Week 2 or 3 that I may cry if Chris was still stumbling around in Week 8 a la Sean Lowe, and here were are. Dag Nabbit.
As for the elimination, I kind of expected Willow to be the “shock” half of the double elimination next week, so I’m not overly surprised. Mainly because I saw so many people saying she was their “second favorite” and they were splitting votes between her and whoever, but rarely did I see someone say that they were giving her all their votes. It’s tough, but I think those in her general fan base were voting more for Riker, and some couldn’t let go of her being 14, and some hated that Mark made a big production out of everything. It’s like SYTYCD. They stopped saying “vote for the best dancer” now “vote for your favorite.” The vitriol I’ve seen spewed at Noah, Chris and Robert via social media since last night makes me uncomfortable though.
I thought last night was entertaining, and surprising. I’m really surprised to see Willow & Mark leave, but they left on good note rather than a bad one. Just goes to show that voting is crucial at this point.
1. Riker & Allison: They are really starting to grow on me. I loved this dance very much. I really liked the arrangement of “Wiggle” that they did for the dance, and I thought it was definitely worthy of Len’s first 10. Such a shame he didn’t win immunity.
2. Rumer & Val: I don’t understand why this didn’t earn a higher score. I thought it was cute, bubbly, and vibrant. It is nice to see a brighter side of Rumer. I nearly lost when she was almost eliminated because I think she can win it all.
3. Nastia & Sasha: It was very fun to watch. I liked that they had Derek be a part of the dance without him moving very much. I’m only worried that the small moving around Derek did will agitate the injuries further.
4. Noah & Sharna: I think Carrie Ann was a bit too generous with her score this week. I agree with other judge’s scores. The dance itself didn’t really scream 10, but it was still fun to watch.
5. Robert & Kym: Really? Only 31? Based on the content and the judge’s comments, I really thought they were going to get at least two 9’s. Oh well.
6. Chris & Witney: While I adore Witney and her choreography, I think Chris has overstayed his welcome. Their performance was cute, but it’s time for them to go.
Dance-Offs:
Riker & Allison v. Willow & Mark: It’s kinda funny how Twitter chose Riker as the winner, and the judges chose Willow. Both were thoroughly entertaining. It just doesn’t make sense that Willow won the bonus points and got eliminated later. SMH
Noah & Sharna v. Robert & Kym: I thought Robert had it, but he did have some mistakes that were very noticeable. Even though there was very little content in Noah’s, he was clearly the rightful winner.
Rumer & Val v. Chris & Witney: It’s pretty obvious that Rumer was the winner.
See you all next week for America’s Choice Night!
val probably dumbed down the jive for rumer.
I’m hoping Rumer and Chris leave too. Chris should have been gone already and I’m tired of “Val’s year” being brought up. Like it was said above, Val CANNOT choreograph on the level that’s needed at this point and he’s nowhere near what Derek, Mark or Karina can do. Rumor’s dances have been boring and the same, with her in black every week. They both need to go home.
Ryan L #6 – those two extra points were applied for next week’s elimination, so they didn’t help Willow at all. The only thing that could have saved her was the immunity award, and while I did like Willow’s dance a lot I believe that Nastia won that fairly hands-down.
@Fig Agreed. Willow was adorable, and talented, and adorable, and willing to learn, and adorable, and Mark’s choreography was great, and adorable, and adorable, and I may have lost my train of thought slightly. The season will be sadder without her, and I’m not sure I’m gonna watch any more. I think this IS what happens when you put a 14-year-old on the show, but it’s not her fault. It’s the producers’. On some level they wanted this to happen, or at least didn’t care if it did. Is Rumer really more worth having in the final for Bruce Willis than Willow is?
Mr A#10 – yeah, Willow was seriously adorable and hardworking, earnest and fun. She’s got a great head on her shoulders too – plus she brought out wonderful things in Mark and I loved their partnership.
I will still watch, and I have no qualms with the age thing; but I am definitely looking forward to the coming weeks a little less than before.
Agree with a lot of what has already been said. This is an interesting final six in that there are very clearly three celebs that are better dancers that the other three, yet somehow the good dancers could still be in jeopardy. For me the most telling part of the evening were the dance-offs.
1. Nastia/Derek – She danced it well and she looked like she was having fun, which is something that she had struggled with previously. I would have liked to have seen the Charleston in a more appropriate era, but it’s the dance and era they were assigned and it worked. I feel like she is the only real lock on the finals.
2. Riker/Allison – I was pleasantly surprised by the choreo here and I think they did it better than expected. This couple always puts on a performance, but I think they lack a little bit of refinement and technique. I think it showed more-so in his salsa, where his stance was all over the place and I think Willow rightfully won that.
3. Rumer/Val – I was a bit disappointed that their kicks weren’t faster. I still think the performance was fine, but did blend into the background a bit. However, to me, she was the best of all of the dance-offs and i left that wishing that we got to see a full performance of that foxtrot. I hope she makes it through next week.
4. Noah/Sharna – Sharna does well choreographing him and he does well performing all of the moves. But I agree that the moves were repetitive and there is a bit too much dancing around him at this point in the competition. I very much appreciate all that he has done and i think he is dancing to the best of his abilities, but when you look at that cha-cha in the dance off, his limitations are a bit magnified. I would never say that he doesnt deserve it as much as anybody else, so good for him if he makes it to the finals, but I just dont think the dances will stack up to the three above.
5. Chris/Witney – I was pleasantly surprised with both dances this week. Witney choreographed a lovely piece. And between the last two weeks, it feels like he is enjoying the competition more and the performances are better. His dance-off was a pleasant surprise as well. I think he could have taken Robert or Noah.
6. Robert/Kym – I liked the tango, although there were moments where I was holding my breath for Kym, because there were unsteady points where I was worried we would drop her. He is consistent in his performance. However, I was really underwhelmed with his cha-cha dance off. I agreed that Noah took it. At this point in the competition, I would expect him to be able to execute a basic cha-cha and beat somebody who has severely limited mobility. He’s been consistently missing steps for a few weeks now, while Noah has never had a problem with that and Chris looks to be improving.
I’m probably going to hear about this, but here goes.
I liked Sasha and Nastia’s dance – very cute a creative, but Derek kept pulling my focus. I noticed the camera would stay on him at times when really it should have been on Nastia. I did not like that he sung because it drew attention to him while they were actually dancing. I thought it would have been more appropriate to let Sasha and Nastia have all the attention, and he could have just sat there bopping along and doing some seated movements. I had to watch it 3 times in order to stay with Nastia the whole time.
No one is forgetting that he’s her partner, and it’sunderstandably hard for him, but I felt he was featured a litte too much, or at the wrong moments. Sorry.
Okay, let me have it…..
I honestly laughed out loud at “it was almost as if she and Val had gone out to perform this jive after taking an Ambien or something”
I know very little about ballroom dancing so I usually base my likes/dislikes on how the dance looked and if they stayed in sync. I really liked Noah and Sharna’s dance, I don’t care if it was troop heavy. Sasha/Derek/Nastia’s modern Charleston was pretty awesome! It just kind of broke my heart a little to see Derek sitting there (well except when he stood on the seat and I was like a Mom screaming at him to sit down!). I like the idea of Willow and Mark’s dance I just think the music was too slow..it wasn’t my favorite from them but it wasn’t the snooze fest that was Chris or Rumor. I really wanted to like Rumor’s dance this week but it was just so slow. Robert and Kym made me nervous as well with the lifts and a little uncomfortable with the intense passion. I kinda wanted to yell “get a room”. It was a good dance though just not very 80s.
My thoughts on last night. I didn’t catch all of it but I’ll comment on what I did catch:
Nastia & Derek/Sasha – This dance was the absolute best of the night. This is why Derek is my all-time favorite male pro! He is so creative with his choreography! Yes, you can really tell Nastia was having a blast out there. Good for her! I was getting so tired of people talking about her RBF or whatever kind of crap connection she supposedly had with her partner, which I never saw. And Sasha is the biggest sweetheart. He’s so supportive of N&D and you can tell he is having a good time. I like him way more than Henry! Bring Sasha back as a pro! I hope Derek feels better so they can continue to rock out there!
Riker & Allison – Boy, does Riker really need to work on his frame. Allison looked okay to me, but him, absolutely not. I am still wondering why Len pulled out that 10. We all know he’s the most nitpicky. It was a fun dance, but not 10-worthy. Allison really needs to work on refining those ballroom techniques for herself and for Riker. It bugs me how the judges overlook that every week. He doesn’t have the greatest technique, yet we hear nothing from the judges. They focus so much on the performance value that they bypass everything else. The dance off result between Riker and Willow proves that performance value can only go so far. The dance content matters more, but we all know how wacky the judges are.
Rumer & Val – Yeah, I don’t know what happened. She seemed out of it last night. The dance had the potential to be such a great dance, but I have no idea what came over them. We’ll have to see!
Chris & Witney – I actually really enjoyed watching this dance! Witney is so cute! She is one of my faves. This was one of his better dances for me. I think they’ve been thinking for a while that they’re going to get eliminated. They were genuinely shocked last night to find out they’re still in. I really hope Chris is enjoying his time. From what I saw on his Twitter, he seems to be.
The rest of the couples, I unfortunately have not had a chance to watch…
As far as the dance-off goes, I do see why the judges picked Willow over Riker. Riker’s was too fast and barely had any salsa content. I think Allison was relying on how the judges reacted when they first danced their salsa to kind of carry them through this one and have the judges pick them. Sorry. Didn’t work. Like I said, sometimes the performance value only goes so far. I agree that Willow should have won.
Rumer was the obvious winner for hers. The Robert v. Noah one, I was eager to see who would get picked.
Overall, it was an alright night. Looking forward to the trio dances. I think Nastia deserved every bit of that immunity and the top score of the night.
Jill, here’s my thought on that. I’ve been afraid that many DH fans might not vote for Nastia if Derek is not in the picture. So I was relieved to see him there prominently. It actually benefits Nastia. With double elimination coming up they have to do as much as they can to get as votes as possible. I think Sasha felt responsible as well, which is why he repeatedly tweeted for people to vote for Nastia & Derek. If Nastia gets eliminated people will say it was because Derek wasn’t with her. Better safe than sorry.
I LOVED his involvement. So creative. Definitely Emmy worthy. I felt like it was a tribute to NYC. So like the subway, orange seats and all. Now every time I get on, I’ll think of this dance.
Ananya, I don’t think Derek fans are going to forget about him….it seems the opposite imho.
I didn’t mind him being in the dance at all, but that he pulled focus away from the dancers. He really didn’t need to sing. I almost felt that he was doing a “look at me, I’m here, don’t forget about me” thing. He is so great about letting his partner shine and making them look good, but in this case I felt it was more about him.
It’s gotta be hard for him and I feel for the guy!
Derek/Nastia–loved how he was present the entire time without taking anything away from Nastia & Sasha. FYI: Take that unhumble Henry.
Allison/Riker–she is still too frenetic to me and I think it rolls right into him. So disappointed with most of their dances.
Sharna/Noah–she is doing a good job.
Val/Rumer–Hmm…guess they thought they were a part of the baseball vignette for Riker. SAFE 😉 dancing for sure. Not to mention boring, other than her dress! I loved Val’s sourpuss face during the elim. I like Rumer–but sorry sis–anytime Val exits stage left, I’m a happy camper!
Witney/Chris–Tired of their story line. He danced better, but still….
Kym/Robert–His goal was to beat Mark Cuban’s 5 week stand at DWTS. He’s done that. TPTB goal has probably been skewed since he is still around. Ultimate underdog IMO.
Dance-offs, I hate ’em.
But…Willow won that fair and square. Noah did not. Of course he was well-timed, what did he do? Robert OTH put forth the effort, flubs and all. At this point, the show has made me feel uncomfortable criticizing Noah, but he’s not dancing and they know it. This is a dance show. Noah wants to be treated the same as all others. Please do as he asks. Rumer rocked that dance. Loved the red on her too! I so wish she was dancing with someone other than VAL. She and Mark would have made a great team.
For the double elim: 1 of these 3 for the shocker: Noah, Riker, Rumer
The real double elim: Goodbye Chris, please, please, please.
No, I am not looking forward to trio week. Production numbers are the norm now, not the exception. How about a “singles” week? Just you and your partner on the floor no lights, no gimmicks. Just Dance for gosh sake!
Also, there were several times last night when I felt the judges’ comments were taken straight from the pages of PureDWTS–like Len’s late-in-the-game comment about production numbers and a couple of more I don’t recall at the moment.
Mods–you guys must be work out this season! We need a drinking game for tonight’s show??!!
It’s funny…I didn’t realize Derek actually sang when I first watched the dance. Missed it completely.
I will say that I think people get drawn to watching Derek for a REASON…which is why he was in the dance to begin with. It is still a competition where people vote, after all.
oops. That should say for the SHOCKING part of the double elim: Noah, Riker, or Rumer.
He “pulled the focus” for YOU, Jill. For you. That’s not a fact shared by everyone.
Truth be told PH I had to rewind the dance. I watched Derek first THEN I watched the dance. Loved the whole thing, IMMENSELY. So deserving of IMMUNITY.
FYI: NO bitchin’ on TWITTER from the FAM about that?
PH I did say that # 13, second line…. “Derek kept pulling MY focus”. couldn’t have made it any clearer that is was my opinion. Nor did I say I was speaking for everyone.
If people complain that Derek drew in their attention, that just shows the star power he has.
When I first watched DWTS, I didn’t know anybody. Yet my eyes magnetically just went towards this blond haired boy, and there was no turning back.
I think it’s a compliment to Derek when people say he pulled in too much focus.
Great post as always!
Still devastated that Willow left. She should have been at the finals. Plus Mark would have probably done a great freestyle. But I guess this is what the show is about…
Nastia & Sasha (Derek)- Best dance of the night and AWESOME choreo by Derek. I have to say I loved seeing Sasha. He is such a great dancer and that number suited him so well. He should get a pro spot. Plus in all media he has been so humble always talking about the “team” and not about him and Nastia. Always mentioning Derek. Taking the credit that he deserves but not taking a bit more. He is just such a nice person and in the troupe we do not get to see that. Perfect substitute for D. The dance was great and I though Nastia looked like she enjoyed it all the way.
Rummer and Val- After the package and seeing him so strict and seeing her struggling I thought this was going to be a fast crazy choreography filled jive. Not at all. And her technique was also not perfect. Regardless I liked this new fun side of her, thought it was fun to look at her, and she looked stunning.
Riker and Allison- 10? Really? That was good. Not great, not a 10. When can Allison get a contemporary in this show!???! Everyone has done contemporary except probably the best contemporary dance of our times.
Noah and Sharna- I love Sharna. I wish I could be her. So creative. And Noah is really starting to feel comfortable in the floor. But, was it a jazz? My thing with these dances is that I feel they are all freestyles and I’m left wondering what will the freestyle look like (if they make it). Then again is Sharna and I’ve learned not to underestimate her creativity and talents 🙂 I don’t mind them adding contemporary to the dances but jazz, I feel, is becoming like a freestyle.
Robert and Kym- Improved. I just love him and his super authentic smile. But it might be time to go.
Chris and Whitney- is he still here? Really? all his ballroom dances have looked the same to me. And I just got a little more annoyed with him presence knowing that Willow had to leave before him.
As for the dance offs- I think its a stupid idea. We love watching great numbers on this show. If you make them learn 3 dances neither will be great. I prefer them doing two well done routines. Regardless I think the result was fair.
For me, Nastia’s dance was by far the dance of the night. LOVED it!
I enjoyed most of the rest well enough.
I agree somewhat with you Jill. But at the same time, Derek is technically Nastia’s partner, so I felt it suited for him to still be in the dance. Although this is definitely not the circumstances that I wanted it to be (with derek injured and all 🙁 ), it’s really nice to see Sasha get another chance to display what he’s capable of. Nastia definitely deserved the immunity last night. I was re-watching Val’s choreo last season. It’s weird, like for example his paso, rumba, and freestyle, and contemporary (even jazz) with Janel are WAY better than the stuff he’s choreographed this season. I want Rumer to win, but definitely that should not happen if the choreography doesn’t improve drastically. At this point with what rumer is being given to dance to, riker and nastia are more deserving of the win. Shame, I usually really enjoy Val’s dancing/choreography. I was also SO SAD to see willow go. I would have preferred robert or chris to go. She was actually entertaining to watch dance and was actually talented. Poor girl.
Jill wrote: “I didn’t mind him being in the dance at all, but that he pulled focus away from the dancers.” Ahem.
Rather contradictory sentence too.
Very entertaining night, and as a rule (always exceptions) the judging felt fairer. TPTB still have their plans and plots in place though.
Nastia/Sasha/Derek and Noah/Sharna both stole the night for me. These numbers were so well conceived, choreographed and executed as well as super entertaining! I think Nastia was more into the dancing and out of her head. Noah went to another level with his James Brown bad self. And his timing, shimmies, hips were great.
Riker/Allison and Rumer/Val both fell a bit short for me, although I saw a different, lighter side to Rumer. Beginning to realize what many have said about Val’s choreography. She’s so capable, so give her sharper, sassier steps. She’s opening up more and I like her attitude. Riker is also naturally talented and it was a cute theme to another fast dance.
Robert/Kym – wasn’t exactly the breakthrough I was hoping for, but I agree it was his best dance. And I’m just glad Kym didn’t whack her head on the floor.
Chris/Witney – really liked the idea behind the dance, but it was just okay for me. I don’t understand the voting for him now that we are halfway through the season.
Have to mention Willow/Mark – I thought a surprise elimination was coming and that it was them didn’t shock me. That said, she was delightful and a darn good dancer. And their Art AT is among the most memorable of the season for me – maybe of the whole series. Wish they’d had the same magic with the audience as Mark had with Sadie.
The immunity and dance-off was annoying to me, although IMO Rumer was awesome. I think she deserves to be in the finals, but then I’d like to see Noah there too. It’s likely at least one elimination next week will be more shocking to me.
U no when derek is the real star when his baby boy romie (dog) has an instagram fan account – and I love it – 1 of my fav insta accounts ever ;)))
I guess I have to be more specific. Seeing how that post came AFTER I guess I should have not assumed my meaning would carry over.
Riker and Allison: Can this show be a little less predictable? Quickstep is my least favorite dance, but I know when I see a great one and that wasn’t it. Talking about Len giving a 10 the whole package and then Len magically decides that it was the best dance of the season so far? Bullsh*t. And there was a lift – where were you, Carrie Ann?
Chris and Witney: There were 4 lifts in that routine – where were you, Carrie Ann?! If I remember correctly, you ducked a point from Nastia and Derek for a lift in their foxtrot. Seriously, if I ever hear about Derek being ‘judges favorite’, I’m gonna loose it. I really liked their package, it was really cute, but the dance was a little ‘whatever’ for me.
Rumer and Val: Wow, they really need votes, right? With her dad coming in… What’s it gonna be next week? And they actually got TWO packages? Well, they sure couldn’t miss showing her dad coming in the rehearsals. However, I liked the dancem but it was forgettable. Finally, we got to see a little softer side of Rumer, a little more bubbly. I also liked the choreography, although it bugs me that Val uses the troupe in so many dances. Why? If Rumer is good enought, she doesn’t need ‘help’. But I would give her all 9’s.
Noah and Sharna: Ugh, I’m really sorry, but I hated the song, I didn’t like the production, I didn’t really like the dance… Just not my cup of tea, as Len would say. But he did good with what he was given. The scores? Too high in my opinion, but don’t get me wrong, I’m so happy he got them. You just gotta love Noah.
Robert and Kym: I love Robert, but this is the first time I thought that Kym was the one who danced around him a lot. And some of the lifts didn’t seem very safe to me.
Nastia and Derek: How amazing was that? I mean really, how amazing was that? And leave it to Derek to create a masterpiece like that with a broken toe and hurt ankle. He slays every other pros and it doesn’t matter if he is perfectly healhy or injured. I can’t believe that they didn’t get a perfect score… What does this girl has to do? Can someone please explain it to me, because I really don’t know what it’s lacking. And I love Sasha. What a class act he is and so humble. 🙂
Willow and Mark: Wow! My second favorite dance! I loved it! So creative and they were really in sync. I’m so sad to see her go. Would rather see Rumer leave, than her.
Willow vs. Riker: Okay, Willow won? I thought that Riker is gonna take that one, for sure.
Noah vs. Robert: That was one hard, because Robert made so many mistakes and I felt like Noah didn’t do much dancing. I would give it to Robert and Kym.
Rumer vs. Chris: We all knew how this is going to turn out, right?
There has to be a better way to judge the dancers then by fan clubs, etc.
The best dancers in both of our thoughts are Willow and Riker – they were dismissed last night – unbelievable. Wouldn’t it be better to have the judges make the final decision each week.
I don’t have Twitter of Instagram so Willow (if you’re reading this) you were amazing! I loved your dances & your partnership w/ Mark. I hope you enjoyed your time on DWTS & I expect you will move on to do great things in your life! I really wished you were in the finals.
This is my first time commenting on all the dances, so here goes:
Riker & Allison’s 20’s Quickstep: Hmmm… that 10 from Len came out of nowhere. I didn’t think their dance was that great. It was good, but they looked awkward when they were dancing in hold. I don’t know exactly how I feel about this couple – they’re like a roller coaster to me. One week I like their dances, the next week I don’t. Allison’s over-dancing annoys me, but at the same time I like her & Riker’s chemistry (she’s very energetic but he’s more laid back). IF they make it to the finals & Allison’s choregraphs a great Freestyle, I might vote for them, but I’m not sure how I would feel if they won the competition just b/c they’ve been so up and down for me over the weeks.
Chris & Witney’s 40’s Foxtrot: I think Chris got over-scored & over-praised – again! I wished he could have gone home last night instead of Willow. I wonder if his scores had been lower last week (say all 7s across the board instead of a 31) would Willow have stayed?
Rumer & Val’s 60’s Jive: I’m sorry, but this dance was boring & by the end of the night, I totally forgot about it. I don’t think it was fair they got 2 video packages instead of 1 (just like all the other couples) although I don’t think having Bruce Willis helped them. I mean, he looked so crabby & uncomfortable & the whole interaction b/w them was so awkward for me to watch.
Noah & Sharna’s 70’s Jazz: This was my favorite dance of the night just b/c it was so unexpected. Having said that, I don’t think they deserved to get a 10 because I didn’t feel Noah’s performance was really all there, but i still liked it.
Robert & Kym’s 80’s AT: I really wished they went all out on the 80’s theme w/ the hair, makeup & costumes b/c their dance looked just like a normal AT we usually see. Therefore, their dance was a bit forgettable to me. I also thought their lifts were a bit messy. I loved Tom’s line, “it was a Tango version of… squirrel!” to describe CAI’s critique. He’s the best.
Nastia & Sasha/Derek’s Modern Charleston: I loved the choreo & I hope Derek gets an Emmy nod for this (along w/ his & Bethany’s Freestyle from last season). I’ve read (on this blog as well as other blogs) that people felt Derek took away too much attention from Nastia & Sasha’s dancing, but I only noticed Derek during the parts when it was Nastia, Derek & Sasha dancing on the benches. And those parts were in the beginning & the middle only, so I don’t agree that Derek pulled away too much focus. By the way, Derek isn’t really my type, but I couldn’t help but think how cute he was in that number. 🙂
Dance-offs: I don’t really have much to say about them although I do agree w/ the outcomes. What I don’t understand is why they didn’t give the win to Riker instead of Willow. If TPTB knew Willow was going home, why didn’t they make sure the judges awards the extra 2 points to Riker (to make sure he has a good chance of making the double elimination next week) since I feel like they want him in the finals (w/ Rumer & Nastia)?
Oh, and I have to say this: Henry CREEPS me out. I think it’s his facial hair. But seriously, every time he popped into my screen, it was like I was seeing a werewolf or something.
I just loved Derek’s choreography for Nastia’s dance. The entire routine was so cool!!! When everyone on the subway leaned sideways I found myself doing it too. It was so realistic, it was like they were really moving. Best routine so far this season. Willow should not have left. Her dancing was so much better than Noah, Robert, or Chris. It is beyond time for these three to go home. Riker is still my favorite. You can tell he really wants to be there and is trying very hard to do well. Did anyone else find CAI was getting on their nerves last night, more so than usual? Also at times Tom Bergeron steals the show with his comments–love him!
Something Val never teaches any of his celeb partners is proper extension of arms and back. They all seem to have throw away arms.
It seems like he focuses so much on fast spins, speed and stacato movement that properly extended and retracted arms fall by the wayside.
I especially noticed it last night during their Jive.
I’m stumped why Chris is still there. Is he a particularly popular Bachelor?
I hate it when CAI beckons a contestant over for “I knew you could do it!” talk. It’s condescending and kinda insulting to the celeb. Like they’re toddlers making poo poo for the first time in the big toilet while mom gushes, “See honey! I knew you could do it! Mommy told you so, didn’t I?”.
Nastia had a look on her face like, “Why won’t she stop talking to me? Let go of my hands crazy woman”.
Do you possibly think because Robert and Chris represent TWO ABC shows that they’re supposed to overpraise/ keep them around with the scores? Just a thought…. I also keep thinking that since Chris is having such an awful time that maybe they’re trying to be nice. Who knows…. I just hope Willow is the LAST surprise elimination. I’d like the rest of the season to be predictable thank you very much.
I never know what to make of Noah’s dances (or Amy’s for that matter) because he has a limited ability and its hard to score him the “correct” way. I do think it was a bit easier for Amy because of the knee thing, and so thats why she did much better. I also think she was just a more natural mover. Noah’s jazz was OK but I wouldn’t have busted out the ten.
I really think Rumer needed a dance like Nastia had this week. Because despite EVERYTHING they’ve been through with Derek, they looked unstressed, relaxed, and like they were actually having fun. Rumer’s jive looked like Val was pulling her teeth. I sort of think that Latin just isn’t Rumer’s thing. She does better when she is allowed to be graceful and pretty. That could be the reason why Val keeps going a little over the top with her Latin dances.
I am getting really tired of Allison and I never thought i’d say that. She still seems super awkward, and I almost think that they’re trying to make her happen after how bad last season went. They’re giving her constructive criticism and throwing bones when they typically wouldn’t throw them. Also, giving her RIker as a way to ease her in a little bit better, and make her choreography look better. She still throws the same crap in there. I don’t know with her.
I’ve been a Chmercovskiy fan for so long, but I actually think you guys are converting me to the other side lol. I just wish Val could go back to the good ol days (Kelly’s season, Zendaya’s season, Danica/ Meryl AT Tango) and quit trying to force the win so badly. He needs to freaking chill. He did a jive with Rumer who is a really good dancer and has a better personality then Janel and it was like going to the dentist. CHILL BRO!!!
Allison is the main reasons I hope Riker doesn’t win. I have no problem with her whatsoever and I she’s obviously a lovely girl with a great personality. I would just find it extremely stupid for someone who hasn’t even been trained in ballroom and been on the show for 2 seasons to win the golden mirrorball. Her time will come for the mirrorball I’m sure but on this 10th anniversary season of all seasons I hope the winner will be a pro that has contributed more to the show. For me that person is Derek but I still worry that TPTB won’t let it happen and that they are much more invested in giving it to Rumer and Val. Just watched the 10th anniversary show and as much as I enjoyed it, something was missing. Derek was hardly mentioned and obviously not in the numbers. With all due respect to Sasha it just didn’t appeal to me as much as it would have with Derek. Maybe because it was just an 1 hour show but I was feeling slightly underwhelmed 🙁
@Megan #37 – I do agree that Val’s choreo has been less than impressive lately. I’m not a huge fan of him but I admit in past seasons, he has produced some really amazing choreography. I wasn’t a Meryl and Maks fan but the AT he did with her was insanely good. Go back to those days and stop trying so hard, Val!
And in regards to Allison, I never looked at it that way, but you make total sense! I am not a fan of her at all and the whole time she’s been on the show, I’ve been asking why she was put there. Why couldn’t they just get another pro ballroom dancer? I do think that the judges are letting her get away with not having the right technique and for always looking frenetic and jerky. Every week, I wonder why they never say anything when everyone else sees it!!! You can even see it in Riker! Since she doesn’t really know the dance techniques herself, she can’t teach it properly to Riker! I never liked her style and I do notice that her moves tend to get repetitive. Probably to make up for the fact that she doesn’t really know anything about the dances. It’s too much. Not too polished, just always too much power. She even admitted last season that she needed to workshop it because of her lack of knowledge. This year I guess she leaned in the direction of asking the other pros for help.
Either way, I don’t think she should be on as a pro. I have a feeling she will continue to be though. Why the judges never crack down on her, I will never know. It’s rubbing off on her partner and that’s why they both don’t look refined in some of their dances.
I wonder what the other pros think of her…
@M8 #38 – Agreed. Allison is the reason why I don’t want Riker to win too. Sounds unfair to him but to me it’s unfair that she does lack ballroom training and yet she walks away with the MBT.
M8, I think part of the reason the anniversary show was so underwhelming is because they chose stupid individual dances. I mean really?? Between them Mark and Derek have 7 MBTs and an Emmy and you couldn’t feature ONE of their partners in a solo dance?? SERIOUSLY?? I understand Meryl. I understand Alfonso. After that it was a big WTF?? Kelly and Val?? WHY?? Cuz they’re still trying to make Val happen.
Ummm willow will be just fine. She was on good morning America and was happy at how far she got.
I would hope to see Nastia and Rumer in the final. I love Derek and I absolutely fallen in love with Rumer. I wish they would of been paired off instead. But would love to see them in finals, hopefully Val can put something together to dazzle us. I re-watched Rumer’s jive and it is priceless, she is absolutely adorable, her facial experssions were so fun! I hope to see her and Derek on Broadway someday. It could be a DWTS musical on all the drama!
I hope they do not do the cousins angle wiht Riker in the finals. I agree with M8 on Allison. I heard Tullula asked Gethin on all access about Rikers ballroom training and apparently he said they don’t talk about that. (not sure if that is true, I heard it work)
Noah, Chris and Robert are great, but they are just not my cup of tea this last week.
I’m voting for Derek and Rumer…not Nastia & Val (HA!)
The best part of the anniversary show–the NFL of course. They did great. The pros opening number took up way too much time. Loved seeing Mark’s expression on his first MBT win. I was surprised at those who didn’t show up. Drew and Cheryl for starters. Good to see Karina again. And Ugh–Louis VanAmstel.
When the cast was first announced for this season I asked myself who the hell was Willow Shields? Oh, the little sister Jennifer Lawrence volunteered for. Okay. If you haven’t seen The Hunger Games then you probably had no clue at all.
Well, people know who she is now. It’s a little bizarre that you can place second and still get eliminated while people who didn’t do as well remain. She made it far enough though. I’d be surprised if at least one producer didn’t contact her about a role in the very near future. Absolutely brilliant career move, going on the show. Whatever they’re paying her agent it’s worth every dollar.
My rankings (Sorry if I’m super late with these):
1)Nastia and Sasha and Derek
2)Riker and Allison
3)Noah and Sharna
4)Rumor and Val
5)Robert and Kym
6)Chris and Witney
Well Val posted something on Instagram yesterday or Monday about enjoying the dance off Foxtrot and getting back to basic ballroom and wanting to continue that so I assume he’ll start pulling back on the troupe and all the other crap moving forward. With a Rumba though that’s pretty much a given. I really do normally like his choreography, even with Janel who I hated, but this season has just been a miss I think other than week 1. It’s like Maksyl all over again as far as Maks wasting Meryl’s talents.
Ok so I will preface with please don’t attack me. I do not want anyone to get hurt. This is purely subjective!!
I was just thinking to myself, what if Val was injured like Derek is. Who would they pair with Rumer? How would she do with Keo or Tony or Artem?
If that were the case, I bet she would do better with Artem than Keo (who can’t teach) or Tony.
My thoughts: First, thank you Courtney for another enlightened post, and I fell over laughing with your comment about Robert and “excited Puppy syndrome”.
The shocking elimination of Willow still hasn’t sunk in. I thought Mark did a fantastic job with his choreo and teaching and she stepped up to the plate with enjoyable performances. Well, just reinforces yet again it is not always about only the best dancers winning, unfortunately.
My rankings:
1) Nastia/Sasha/Derek: “Lemonade out of lemons” indeed! Fantastic dance number! The amazing Derek, despite pain and disability, choreographed a fun, inventive, clever dance that had me smiling throughout. Nastia rocked it and Sasha was a dependable and capable partner. I loved it!! I understood #13 Jill L’s comment about the focus being on Derek a bit more than it should have, especially the singing part. There are a couple of ways to look at it, imo: first, Derek is a big star with massive talent & charisma and I suspect he knows that lots of people watch the show just for him. He may have worried that Nastia’s votes would decline if he were not there, so he choreographed this unique number not only to show her off, but also to let the fans know he was still very involved. He succeeded and his personal charisma during the number was incredible. Secondly, he may have wanted to sing just to make himself feel better, to feel like his talent wasn’t all “broken and sprained”, and also to cheer his fans. I agree that it took the focus off Nastia momentarily, but in the end, I don’t think it did her any harm.
2)Riker and Allison: cute dance and I really loved their tapping at the end. Riker’s frame wasn’t erect but I loved his footwork and personality. Allison just seems to me like all sharp, pointy edges and no fluidity or finesse, compared to the likes of Kym, Whitney, Peta and Karina. I don’t enjoy watching her dance.
3)Noah and Sharna: Great choreo by Sharna and fantastic effort by Noah.
4)Rumer and Val: Sorry, but was underwhelmed with this dance. It was OK, but could’ve been more exciting. Val’s choreo fell short. Yet, I basically still enjoyed it. However, I wish she would go home simply because I am sick of Val.
5)Robert and Kym: I thought Robert did a great job, and I always totally enjoy watching the elegance and fluidity of the beautiful Kym.
6)Chris and Witney: Sigh, is he still here?
If Val got injured I’m pretty sure Henry or Artem would step in.
DW- I agree with you regarding Nastia and Derek. I do feel like he was trying to find a balance of staying in the picture both for the fans and his own sanity, while keeping the focus on Nastia. I do think there were a few short moments that it was a little too much on him, but overall it was great and I agree I doubt she suffered from any of it – except by those that don’t like Derek anyway who probably complained about him always needing to be the center of attention (a common gripe I see from the anti-Derek crowd).
PH, #41, do you think there is anything going on BTS to help promote Val? I agree they have put him front and center this yr, do you think they are addressing the choreography problems BTS? Maybe thats why he has used the troupe so much?
The surprising thing about the attempts to make Val “happen” is that if he was going to happen, wouldn’t it have occurred already? He’s been paired with great partners many times. The manipulation is likely to alienate other pros.
Val is fetch. And what did Regina George say about that?
Stop trying to make fetch happen. It’s NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!
Oh, and I don’t want to sound bitchy, but is it possible that Willow’s elimination was rigged? And no, I’m still not over it. 🙁
Nastia and Derek definitely deserved immunity Another masterpiece from Derek, love the fact that Andy was a part of their dance. I don’t know why Len has been so hard on them he has yet to give them a 10 I really hope Derek is well enough to dance next week bc I love his Pasos. Get well soon Derek we miss you
#55 – I highly, highly doubt anything was rigged. There’s legal ramifications to rigging the outcomes – they have to adhere to regulations or get in big trouble. So while it’s absolutely sucky that Willow was eliminated, I don’t think it has anything to do with what TPTB want, but rather that she just had a low-vote week during a time when people were pushing hard to keep Robert and Chris on. Everyone loved Willow, but they probably didn’t think they needed to vote because she was so well-liked. Additionally, she had a dance that didn’t really pop that week, the margins were small, and maybe everyone loved her, but she didn’t instill the number one spot in enough voters. Sucks, but that’s what happens. 🙁
#herbie- Maybe Val could kick a light too and then we would have Artem or Tony..HA!
I actually think Val is trying to develop his choreography more, possibley using the troup.
Because I like Rumer, I hope he can get his creative juices flowing or be like Allison and ask for help when he is lacking 🙂
I usually like Derek, but I think I like Rumer more than Nastia so this will be a tough one. I want to vote for the star and not the dancer. UGH! Let’s Go Val! Make this a real competition! I hope I don’t get chewed up on that statement.
If Val is trying to develop his choreo, he’s going about it all wrong. Derek wasn’t a genius straight out of the box, it required several seasons of seasoning, in addition to sucking it up and working with crap that was handed to him (A Tango to “Pretty Woman”, a 50’s Paso, a futuristic paso…the list goes on).
There’s also the idea that some people are hyper creative and some just aren’t.
So… After a read through of all the comments I do agree on some points… Riker did a couple of ballroom competitions, but he quit and started focusing on music. most likely he did a cha cha or something in that direction…..
As far as Tallula… i think she might me throwing rumours out there to help Rumer win…
just my thought
Because of Bruno’s remark about so much content, my wife and I went back and watched the “Subway Train” dance 5 or 6 times, then in slow motion. There were several Nastia and Sasha up dancing phases alternating with sitting group phases.
The up phases seemed to be jam-packed with 4 beats of one Charleston move, followed by 4 beats of another, etc. I think we counted over 20 different moves over all the up phases!
What absolutely masterful choreography. No wonder Bruno made that comment. I wonder if Len would have said “too many different moves” – hah! But he did give a thumbs up, and at least a 9. I don’t understand Julianne’s 9 after her comments, should have been a 10 also.
One of the best dances we have ever seen, totally Emmy worthy. Wouldn’t it be a hoot if Brittany Cherry and Paul Karmiryan wound up in an Emmy dance as relative newcomers to the show?
Hahaha, I may be totally late to this, but I just realized not only was Nastia and Derek’s routine a call to their NYC time and a way to accommodate Derek’s injury, but Nastia’s also a spokesperson for Subway restaurants.
That Derek.
Anushka #55, I think if TPTB wanted Willow & Mark in the finals they would have done whatever they could to prop her up. But I always felt that during Disney Week when they did that “we saved the best for last” bit towards the end of the show, they want Rumer/Val, Nastia/Derek & Riker/Allison in the finals no matter what.
I am sad that Willow was eliminated but I also feel sad for Chris, Robert, and Noah. The hatred towards them (especially Chris) let me feel very uncomfortable.
At least, all of them works very hard. I can see that.
Maybe they should build some rules that allows the judges to step in, but on the other hand, it might become a tool for TPTB to manipulate the show.
It’s sad to see Willow leave it was fabulous to watch her growth and even more I will miss watching Marks creativity. Sad however not really surprising as what I have seen pointed out on this board many many times is that the young ones don’t necessarily have the voting fan base. I think that is what happened to Willow not some TPTB manipulative plan. Twitter/Facebook followers are not necessarily indicative nor do they equate to votes. Good example was James vs. Cody–Cody had more than double the followers in both arenas and left relatively early in the season. James was relatively unknown and got pretty far so his fan base apparently were voting.
I decided to try a little “back of the envelope” scratching, and I don’t really see how it’s anyone other than Chris and Robert going home come Tuesday. If my calculations are right:
251 points awarded overall, including the Dance-offs.
Nastia: 38 (15.13%)
Noah : 38 (15.13%)
Rumer : 37 (14.74%)
Riker : 37 (14.74%)
Robert: 31 (12.35%)
Chris : 31 (12.35%)
Willow: 39 (15.53%) Eliminated
If my math is right, that makes the spread between Chris/Robert and:
Rumer/Riker : 23,9K votes per million
Noah/Nastia : 27.8K votes per million
Those are some pretty hefty numbers to overcome.
You’d be surprised Sally,Robert has had more votes than the person top of the leaderboard…His fan base is huge…..We’ll see though…..He passed Willows 7 point lead on him last week…That’s a big number…He might go but Noah doesn’t deserve the finals he can only do lifts which isn’t dancing…..
Er, Nastia got three points for the immunity, she should be out in front of everyone.
Sally isn’t there also points awarded on Monday to Tuesday?! Both eliminations happen during the results show so week 7 and 8 would be combined and that would shrink the margins quite a bit
Allyson, you don’t actually understand how the voting works, obviously. You have no way of knowing if his fanbase is “huge” – you only know it was bigger than Willow’s. Maybe Willow didn’t have voters.
As for Noah, we he did better than Robert did dancing Monday night, IMO. I like they guy, but he has timing issues.
I do understand he has been at the bottom and he had more votes than willow and she was 6-7 points up…I’m saying if he could fill that gap he could with rumer,riker or noah as well…
Well, this is all IMO. But I’m really hoping that the double elimination is Chris and Robert. As for Chris, I agree with the “Clydesdale” moniker.
As for Robert… I love Kym to death, but he creeps me out. All they seem to want to do on the dance floor is play that wink-wink-nudge-nudge card. Talk about one-note. I would have figured that a multi-millionaire, high-tech entrepreneur would have the requisite impulse control to avoid mauling his dance partner for a 2-hour span during the broadcast of a national TV program…. but apparently not. For me, it’s gotten old. Time to go, IMO.
the name of this show is dancing with the stars. what some might forget is Derek is a star as well as the pro, at least in social media. His goal is to keep Nastia going further in the competition. I submit a major reason he was visible in the dance was to remind people that the team was still Houghkin to all of his viewers, Internet or not. and keep her in the mirrorball competition. As we saw on Monday fan voting is impotant.
I would also guess because of Derek’s success and popularity there is more pressure on Nastia
to do well than some of the other celebs. It might be possibilty fo her to relax more when with Sasha. I also think being in LA with the other celebs and having more time with Derek is to her benefit.
“Could” Allyson…”could” – not a word you used in your first post, which is why I took issue with it.
@cc (#69) – Oh, yeah… forgot about that. If they’re lumping this coming Monday’s show into the same pot, then forget my mini numbers post. 🙁 Two more dances, a crap-ton of points, completely different margins … that means those numbers I posted are worthless.
I liked Riker & Allison’s Quickstep on Monday, but not my favorite dance of his. I think it says a bunch that his Quickstep was one of his slowest dances so far.
Sally looks like according to the results show press release they are lumping in week 7 and 8, things could get very interesting depending on the quality of the performances on Monday
My personal ranking Week 7
1. Riker: Might not be the best dance of the night but it was my favorite, his samba wasn’t worthy of two 10s last week but imo this weeks score was well deserved.
2. Nastia and Rumer: we got to see a fun and loose side of these intense ladies. I enjoyed Nastia’s dance and Sasha was a very good addition.
This week I liked Rumer’s concept it was cute but I was expecting a little more, she was a bit over shined by Val.
The productions were cool but I just wanted to zoom in the couples.
3. Willow: Not my favorite dance from them but it was Amazing, so sad to see her go before Chris and Robert. I would have given it a higher score.
4. Noah, Robert and Chris: Noah and Sharna are extraordinary there is no doubt of that, and I enjoyed his performance. But sadly I think we’ve seen all there is to see from these gentlemen.
Hopes for the double ellim: Chris (Please, God) and Robert.
When I was thinking about the dance-offs, I hope in the future seasons (if they keep the 4-person judging panel) they rotate the judges so that only 3 of them can judge per dance. The head judge (Len or whoever’s going to replace him next season) can judge all 3 dance-offs & CAI, Julianne & Bruno each get to judge 2 of them. So it would look like this:
Dance-off #1: Len, CAI, Julianne
Dance-off #2: Len, CAI, Bruno
Dance-off #3: Len, Bruno, Julianne
As much as I like the idea of the dance-offs, especially when there’s a strong dancer going up against another strong dancer, the tie-breaker scenario kind of ruins it for me.
Totally off topic….Mark & Derek’s excellent flip is a must see. They are so adorable and funny!!
One thing that I don’t like about the dance-offs and team dances is that I always feel they are scored too high for both the teams. They’ll get scored like a nine or ten, but I think they should be more like eights. You know, they only practice twice, so they aren’t super complicated or as thought out and rehearsed as the individual dances, you know? But I guess it doesn’t actually matter in the long run.
Also, I didn’t know where to put this, but did anyone see the article by people, where they asked a bunch of people from dwts who their crushes were? leeza gibbons said maks and j.r. martinez, marlee maitlin said tony, melissa rycroft said maks if you like height, val if you like overt sexiness, julianne said apolo :D, and sabrina bryan said hines ward, AND….. witney said maks! Ewww! She said she has had a crush on him for forever. EWWWW. I was sad no one said derek cause I think he is so beautiful :(. I think val is sexy too, but maks is so ewww. His personality ruins everything.