PureDWTS Season 21, Week 4 – Power Rankings
*looks around* Wow, Alfonso hosted DWTS and the world didn’t end. Right on! Seriously, though, I though the guy did a pretty damn good job – his pacing was good, he didn’t talk too much, and he kept things moving. I’m sure there are some that would disagree, but as for me? I’m just thankful that he stepped in for Tom and seemed to minimize any potential disruption that Tom’s absence caused. But the joke about joining the band? Played out, dude. Pun intended 😛
One rather strange observation about last night’s show? The running order – it struck me as kinda odd, and I wasn’t the only one. Seemed like they actually front-loaded the show with good dances, and relegated some head-scratchers to the end of the show. Seemed…backwards. I would have moved Andy, Paula, and Carlos to the first hour; and probably moved Hayes, Tamar, and Alek to the back. Not much else to add, just that it all seemed kinda out-of-order to me, given the quality of the dances.
Other noteworthy moments? Allison announcing her pregnancy – my god, that child is going to be gorgeous and talented. And it leaves the door open for Lindsay to remain a pro next season, which makes me happy 😀 And who doesn’t love Sasha channeling Bruno circa 1983, in one of his “I’m Still Standing” getups? Guess I’m just thankful that it wasn’t the bizarre black man-leotard thingie… 😎
Did @DancingABC accidentally tip their hand with regards to the switch-up? They tweeted out this eyebrow-raiser right before Alek performed – and it has since been deleted. Someone told me that the phone votes were saying “Thanks for voting for Alek & Sharna!” as well, but it didn’t do it for me. Just a senior moment, or someone inadvertently tweeting about next week’s pairings? You be the judge.
1.) Bindi & Derek – Not going to say a whole lot on this one – feel like it’s all pretty much been said. Gorgeous routine, very heartfelt, lovely execution. Loved the ease with which they did some of those lifts and tricks, and loved a lot of the little “moments”, such as Bindi holding onto Derek’s fingers like a little girl. Thought it was maybe a tad underscored, but with the leaders all bunched up around the 27 point mark? I can’t say I’m terribly surprised. Hope that Bindi gets a partner during switch that’s every bit as nurturing as Derek has been – because she seems to really thrive with him.
2.) Nick & Sharna – I think I may have really built this up in my head too much, as the most awesome dance to ever dance on DWTS, because I found myself a skosh disappointed by what we actually got. I guess one caveat of using a song with a very iconic dance tied to it is that you have to pay homage to it – and I just wasn’t as thrilled at seeing Nick and Sharna doing the dance routine from the chorus of “Everybody” as I was seeing all five Backstreet Boys doing it back in 1998. Speaking of which – why have they only been able to scrounge up one other Backstreet Boy (A.J.) to come watch Nick dance? Last night, of all nights, would have been a perfect one to see all four other Boys coming to support Nick…but instead, we got 1 other Backstreet Boy, 1 member of 98 Degrees (and not even the one that actually did DWTS), Joey Fat One (ugh), and 3 members of O-Town??? That’s like going to restaurant and ordering a Coke, and the waitress saying “Well, we’re actually almost out of Coke – but we do have Dr. Pepper, Orange Crush, and that knockoff root beer they sell at Walmart, and I could just mix that all together with what’s left of the Coke and you won’t even be able to tell a difference!” In other words – kinda weak sauce. And yes, rabid Nick fans, I know they’re part of this movie he’s filming, but still – a tad gauche seeing that hodgepodge boyband instead of the Real McCoy. But I digress – I liked Sharna’s choreography, and the dance was a showstopper (although the camera work, once again, left a lot to be desired), but I was just left wanting a bit more.
3.) Tamar & Val – I think Tamar may be my favorite of all of Val’s partners, and I think she’s just what he needed this season. I think he’s going back to basics with his choreography, and aside from the occasional shirt-doffing or a bit too much time spent walking around, his routines are chock full of content this season. Thought Tamar had some really impressive hip action, and seems to be working on controlling those long arms. Her costume was also my favorite of the evening – she looked stunning in that ice blue color. Her hubby playing piano was a nice touch, and you could tell from her package that she really and truly adores the man. It humanized her for me 🙂 Hope whoever gets her in the switch can handle her, though – I think Val is only just now hitting a groove with her personality. 🙂
4.) Hayes & Emma – Talk about a dramatic recovery from last week – after that rather underwhelming Ninja Turtle jive, the bar was set pretty low for me for this dance – but man, Hayes really delivered! He seems to really be maturing in his dancing, and is staying in step with Emma – he actually impressed the heck out of me with those lifts, given that he’s kind of a wiry guy 😛 The one thing I think he still needs to work on – hands and feet, and really extending them. Loved the choreography, too – not sure if it was Emma’s, but I enjoyed it, and I think it worked well for both of them. Still think Hayes some juice to go far this season.
5.) Alek & Lindsay – First off, I have to commend Alek for actually pulling it together enough to get out there on the floor and knock this paso doble out – he seemed visibly shaken and pretty quiet all night long, particularly after the package (wonder if Lindsay forgot to give him the “Don’t listen to the package!” warning). Given that he likely didn’t get a ton of rehearsal time due to his unplanned trip home to Roseburg, I thought he did a pretty good job – saw a few moments of hesitation, but he seemed to get back on track quickly, and I thought he had some nice shaping with his arms and torso. And one thing I really love about Alek’s dancing: he stays connected to Lindsay the whole way through – there’s never a moment where I don’t feel like he’s completely locked in with her energy. And that’s saying something, considering that I still feel a disconnect among 2-3 partnerships this season. I’m not ready to write him off as being bad at Latin (yet, given the circumstances), so I’m gonna give him a bit of a pass this week. Not his best, but certainly not terrible.
6.) Andy & Allison – To quote one of my Twitter followers, “Allison has one speed, and one speed only – WARP!” And once again, we’re subjected to a jam-packed, hyper-speed routine from Allison, where her partner can barely keep up and she outdances him by a factor of 10. I would agree with the judges that Andy was maybe SLIGHTLY better this week than we’ve seen him in previous weeks – but man, he’s still just struggling to keep up, and I feel like this was a cha-cha only in name. I think Andy might have gotten a slight boost from having a touching memorable year story, and maybe another slight boost from Allison announcing her pregnancy…but I still think that he (along with everyone below him) is a legitimate risk for elimination in the coming weeks.
7.) Carlos & Witney – Hmmmm. Just a lot of hmmmmm, with this one. Thought his most memorable year package turned out very odd…the whole depressed pothead thing just kinda rang false to me. Thought the dance was lovely, but was blinded by those white costumes and the really direct lighting. Not really a waltz, but not really a contemporary – and the judges seemed ambivalent on it. I’m honestly just not sure what to make of Carlos these days…he’s by no means a bad dancer (and he’s definitely better than Andy), but he’s also not impressing me like he did in weeks 1 & 2. Him being in jeopardy likely doesn’t bode incredibly well for him, especially since the next elim will be the scores from two weeks combined – which can often foment a “shocking elim”. I feel like he might actually be safer than Alexa, though, who really seemed to hit a flat note this week.
8.) Alexa & Mark – Whoever told these two that Alexa’s hair and the glasses would be “cute” needs to be slapped. HARD. Both really detracted from her performance for me – the hair seemed to really shorten her neck, so I didn’t see the lengthening that is desirable for the lady in the ballroom dances; and the glasses seemed to enhance the “I’m lost, what are we doing?” look Alexa got in her eyes when she flubbed in the middle of their dance. I also have to mention that her frame was a nightmare – felt like she was just kinda hanging off of Mark’s right arm for most of the dance. Didn’t really connect with the song either (“Marmoset, marmoset!”)…felt like it didn’t reflect her most memorable year story as well as other couples’ did. Wish I had more positive to say about this, but my reactions throughout the dance ranged from “meh” to “ooh, honey, that was not good!” Alexa seemed extra awkward tonight, both in the dance itself and just how she reacted afterward – just a lot of nervous chatter and laughter. And Alexa, I think you missed the point of Alfonso’s comment last week – he didn’t tell you NOT to support Carlos. He told you that you needed to focus more on your own partnership, and I still agree with that. She seems more interested in what Carlos and Witney are up to, than what is going on with Mark. And until that changes – I think she’s going to be in the danger zone. A score of 21 and a dubious fanbase? Yikes.
9.) Paula & Louis – I think this is the best we’ve seen Paula since her week 2 rumba – and it probably could have been identical to her rumba, with as simple and slow as it was. But you know what? Simple and slow is what works for Paula – and she really didn’t look terrible last night. Thought she stayed on-time decently well, had a few impressive hip action moments, and seemed to be having fun. Will it be enough to save her from week 6’s elimination? I doubt it, but stranger things have happened. Will be interested to see what a switch partner could pull out of her – although I think Louis has finally hit a groove with her, and a new partner is likely going to struggle with making her feel comfortable and at ease enough to enjoy herself.
So what are your thoughts on last night’s show? Stay tuned for a switch-up prediction post later today…
I don’t have anything to add to the rankings, but your comment about Allison reminded of something Tony said on AA. I’ll paraphrase, but basically it she needs to choreograph simpler so her partner can actually learn the steps, he thought Andy looked lik he was thinking about the dance, not felling and you can feel it if it’s too complicated,I thought it was just a handful us us non-professionals who thought her dances are too much so it wa s nice to hear a pro say it.
To be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s just the interns on the Twitter accounts making mistakes. I noticed as well with their tweet about Tamar (which I believe is still up?) they said something along the lines of ‘Tamar and Val dance a Rumba to one of Toni’s songs’. Wrong Braxton, guys.
100% agree on the Alexa/Alfonso comment and it kinda put me off a little last night. Sure, she should support Carlos…but she signed up to DWTS knowing that she’d be dancing with a different man and not him. It’s a competition and she can support all she wants but she’s really gotta give her everything with Mark too.
I didn’t see myself thinking this initially but I could really see both Alexa and Carlos out before the final now. I’m thinking we’ll see a final four of Nick, Bindi, Tamar and Alek.
Agree with most of what you said Court – Bindi and Derek were breathtaking and emotional. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
I was underwhelmed with Nick and Sharna, but only because I didn’t think it challenged him whatsoever, and although Sharna did a good amount of side by side work with him, I felt like there was just a bit too much booty slapping – not that it’s crude, just not exciting. He did this well, but big surprise. The camera work was godawful.
I actually loved the choreography and concept for Alexa’s dance – but her flub might cost her big time. I am hoping the switchup week will do right by her and she can get back to Mark with more commitment.
I don’t care about Carlos any more, although his dance was pretty.
I thought Hayes and Emma were the second best of the night – what a great routine. I can really see him outlasting quite a few folks and maybe sneaking into the finals.
Alek was understandably not as crisp or emotive as he has been, but given the circumstances it was a good effort.
Tamar looked gorgeous, although still not loving her facial expressions while dancing – but I realized last night that might be not just a result of performance issues, but she looks a tad over botoxed. Still, great dress and color.
Andy was okay – some cool moves that I really liked, others not so much. But a good story and his charm might keep him around a little bit longer. I do think the judges are overly critical on him, though cause he is taking an undeserved pounding. I wouldn’t say quite Ralphing territory, but certainly does make one wonder at their agenda.
Paula’s dance was actually quite good, but her story was the least compelling to me. I do hope she’s eliminated next, but I agree that Alexa or Andy might be a “shocking” elimination with two weeks of scores and votes.
Alfonso was good and mostly understated, which I think the night called for. Sasha as Bruno was everything and the highlight of my life.
Agree 100% Courtney!
1.Bindi and Derek knocked it out of the park last night and were a bit underscored. I had a discussion with someone on the DWTS FB page who said Bindi needs to get over her dad already and move on because this person is sick of hearing about it week in and week out. I explained that one never truly gets over the loss of someone so important to them and she then told me I was wrong, ignorant stupid and undeducated…alllrighty then :/
2. Nick and Sharna—I thought the routine was on fleek! I could see that Nick wasn’t quite in his head as he’s been in previous weeks. Sharna did a great job with the choreo.
3.Tamar and Val–pretty good Rumba. Love how CAI ‘forgot’ to call the out for their lift in that routine. Seems to me that CAI only imparts that rule on Derek since there were TWO OTHER routines with lifts in them last night and not one of them did CAI mention. I still don’t see much of a connection between her and Val and she still has that zoned out look in her eyes while she’s dancing.
4. Carlos and Witney–I really liked this dance. I thought it was more of a contempowaltz a la Bindi and Derek in Wk 2. Wasn’t perfect and I felt the scores were fair.
5.Hayes and Emma–I could easily see him beating out Tamar and maybe even Nick for a top spot in the finals. was a pretty good routine.
6.Andy and Allison–decent but yeah..Alison is FAR too hyper…maybe pregnancy will slow her down a bit? I guess we’ll see.
7.Alek and Lindsay–he performed pretty well for the week that he had. Paso wasn’t as sharp as it could’ve been but given the limited rehearsal time, I’ll let it go.
8. Alexa and Mark–she definitely took Alfonso’s remark from last week COMPLETELY out of context. Didn’t care for her outfit, glasses and wig..eww! I HOPE Mark didn’t come up with that 😮 Had a slip up towards the end and felt the scores were fair.
9.Paula and Louis–better than last week but still pretty slow for a Cha-Cha…I’m thinking she’ll be toast next week.
Love everything about your comments!
I’m hoping Bindi ends up with Mark since he has experience with younger partners (I loved him with Sadie!) And I hope Bindi can bring some fun/excitement back to Mark, he just seems stressed and unhappy this season.
I really wanted to like Alexa but I can’t seem to connect to her. She totally took Alfonso’s comment last week the wrong way and last night she was just sort of there.
LOL Court, you’re right, Alfonso was not bad last night at all. Great rankings again. Ok, here’s mine…
Derek and Bindi – Wow wow wowwwwww. I have no words for what I just witnessed. Derek and Bindi’s dance was just STUNNING! You could feel every single emotion and feeling in every move. You could feel their hearts. Derek’s choreography blew me way. In fact, I’m going to say this is his best contemporary piece yet. They totally took my breath away. She is a “bright light” indeed. Phenomenal! 10+++++ for me and the best of the night!!
Nick and Sharna – I loved their package. It was so touching. And then they came out there and killed Backstreet’s Back. I still feel like he’s a little too much into his head, but, it was still just fantastic. Loved all the moves.
Hayes and Emma – Up the ladder they come! I swear…this kid surprises me in some way every week. He’s really relaxing out there now and just going for it. He’s broken out of his shell like Julianne said. Watch out, these two could be a dark horse. Keep doing just this, Hayes.
Tamar and Val – They just danced their best dance. Like Julianne, I’ve always felt there was something missing. But, tonight, they were connected. It was beautiful, romantic, and touching. I like how she tells Val like it is too.
Alek and Lindsay – I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to leave Oregon and dance tonight. I felt so sorry for him. With that said, he soldiered through it.
Carlos and Witney – What a gorgeous and passionate dance. The production, the lights, and the costumes were just beautiful. Totally mesmerizing and heaven like. He seemed a little lost at the end and there are some connecting issues, but, still so beautiful.
Andy and Allison – There may have been some awkwardness like Carrie Ann mentioned, but, he was bringing it out there and having fun. Love them!
Mark and Alexa – They weren’t as good as last week sadly. She seemed off and more nervous. They didn’t seem as into it and they felt disconnected again. I also thought it was too slow sometimes too. They took a fall tonight. I hope she will do better next week.
Paula and Louis– I just loved these two again. She stepped it up from last week and had a lot of fun out there. I agree with Bruno, she just needs to keep bringing this side of herself and be confident. I loved her leg wraps around Louis again. They are the best.
With that said, I ‘m hoping Paula won’t get eliminated next week. I’m loving her journey and their partnership. I hope it is Andy, Carlos, or Alexa instead.
My rankings:
1) Bindi & Derek: Beautiful beyond words. There’s really not much to be said other than I thought it was perfection.
2) Hayes & Emma: I am officially on Team Hayes and I never thought I would say that 😛 I really hope this week gives him a little push to continue to improve and to better because he’s got what it takes. I could see him sneak his way into the Finals and I would be very OK with that. Love seeing Emma dance full out with a partner as capable as Hayes.
3) Alek & Lindsay: I’m no dancer, but I actually thought the dance in terms of technique didn’t look all that bad. If I’m honest I was expecting him to do pretty badly but he surprised the hell out of me. He just moves really naturally and it’s incredible considering what he has gone through lately. Here’s hoping he keeps improving cause I am not ready for him to go anywhere yet.
4) Tamar & Val: The first time I watched it, I thought it was beautiful but wasn’t sure about the 9’s. Watching it a second time I kinda think it could have gotten at least one 10 because it really was gorgeous. Really liking her and Val together.. I think their connection is improving and I hope it continues to do so. Great, great dance.
5) Nick & Sharna: “Backstreet’s Back” isn’t ny favorite of their songs (I’m more of a “Larger Than Life” or “The Call” kinda guy myself) but I still think this was a good way to pay tribute to BSB. If I’m honest, I would have liked something bigger and better.. I HATE when they use the built stages instead of the actual floor because I feel like it limits them and doesn’t allow them to perform more. The dance just looked too tight and if they would have been on the main floor, they could have taken more space and do some better stuff. I get the point of the little stage – but I’m not a fan. I feel like this would have been better to do for a Freestyle so I kinda wish he would have saved it. He could have done a Rumba or Contemporary this week to his new song and use “Backstreet’s Back” for a Freestyle but oh well.. I like it but I wanted to like it more.
6) Paula & Louis: I actually thought this was her best dance yet. I would have given her all 7’s because it was pretty darn good. She was moving well, and her hips and legs were very nice. I really don’t wanna see her go yet..
7) Carlos & Witney: Thought the dance was pretty and all but I still just can’t connect with these two. I was a bit moved by the story before the dance but the dance itself didn’t really do it for me. Had this been a Contemporary I think it would have been a lot better but the fact that it was a Waltz had me looking at his posture, frame, arma, feet… and none of them were all that great. Still a nice dance though but I wouldn’t say it was all that memorable.
8) Andy & Allison: Not a whole lot to say about this. I just didn’t care for the dance… Could have been a lot better if he had a more capable pro but sadly Allison’s just not the right pro for him. Very happy for her, though. Baby Boss is gonna be adorbs.
9) Alexa & Mark: I actually have liked her more than Carlos lately, but last night just made me mot care for her at all anymore. She completely missed the point of what Alfonso said and she’s still too worried about her husband than she is about dancing with Mark and it’s just getting annoying. The dance went south the moment they got into hold, in my opinion. I wouldn’t mind seeing her, Carlos or Andy going before Paula, to be honest.
I’ll also add, about the Alexa Vs. Alfonso thing: Carlos seems to be more into the actual competition than she is. I get that she wants to support her husband but I don’t see him as disconnected as she is. Seriously don’t know what the deal with her is.. It’s a competition woman.. COMPETE!
1. bindi and Derek – very moving, the finger holding that triggered a memory made me sob
2. hayes and emma- he looked a lot older out there on the dance floor yesterday, I forgotthat he was a kid
3. andy and alli- I loved their dance, the choregraphy, the costumes and the song, I don’t see the fast thing as a problem, alli is 1 of the most talented women in Hollywood today and I wish her a great pregnancy.
4. alek and linday- he executed to the best he could with what happened this past week. praying for roseberg
5. alexa and mark- I thought it was cute actually loved the choreography,loved how cute she was about the blackc out moment, i think it actually made the dance better
6.nick and sharna- great dance but non original , he does the same dance steps on tour
7.carlos and witney – he looked like he lost his balance a couple of times and that made the dance a struggle
8. tamer and val – i don’t remember the dance other then her arms which reminded me of tree branches
9. paula and Louis- oh my
Pretty much agree with the rankings, although I’d switch Carlos and Alexa. I’ve been on the fence about Carlos, I loved his first dance, but it seems like he’s almost going backwards. But after his comments about weed last night, I jumped off the fence and I won’t be getting back on. I understand that everyone’s dark place is different, but as a recovering coke addict(8 yrs clean!), his comment was like a slap in the face to me, because weed was one of the VERY FEW things that helped me get OUT of my dark place. It helped me get through the withdrawals, the cravings, the suicidal depression, and basically helped give me my life and sanity back. While I’m very glad that he never went to a darker place than that and he feels he’s doing better now, for him to basically make it sound like smoking weed is a bad place…I just can’t get behind him on that. Sorry if this is the wrong place, but I had to get that off my chest.
I, too, agree with your rankings, Courtney.
The only dance I was invested in was Alek’s and Lindsay’s, so that is going to be the focus of my comment. My hope is that Alek and Lindsay make it to the end, TPTB have a redo dance, and Alek and Lindsay get to redo the paso doble using a different song, different costumes, and a different staging.
After the first quarter of the dance which was performed somewhat awkwardly on Alek’s part, I saw such promise in Alek’s dancing. What I liked is that his movements were crisp and controlled. I spent the weekend watching YouTube videos of past paso dobles by the good male contestants on the show (Gilles, Apolo, Alfonso, Donald, Charlie, etc), and what I noticed in many of them is that towards the end of their performances their interactions with their partner became rough and jerky. I didn’t see that with Alek once he had settled into the routine.
I can’t remember which judge told Alek to channel his emotions into his dancing, but I think that would be hard to do for a novice dancer like Alek, given the song he was dancing to. My guess is that Alek was probably feeling both angry and sorrowful, two emotions that don’t jive with a peppy, upbeat song like “Wake Me Up.” If you noticed, the pros danced a cha cha to that song later on in the show.
Up until last night’s show, I liked how Lindsay dressed Alek. Last night’s outfit, however, did Alek no favors. It looked like a bad disco outfit, and his hair reminded me of Noah’s bad Aladdin “hairdo”. (Note to DWTS hair and makeup crew: Please, I beg you, do not style the men’s hair so that it stands up on end. It is not a good look.) I was hoping that Lindsay was going to dress Alek in a matador jacket and pants (and shirt – no bare chest). But perhaps, because of time constraints they couldn’t make one for him, or she decided it would be incongruous with the message of the song.
As an aside, has the waltz this season become code for “let’s get a second bite at contemporary”?
My rankings are the same as your rankings so I’m not gonna spend the time typing it out because you made a lot of the same points I was going to make but I have ages that I want to add. In regards to Andy, I sorta gave up on him winning this thing this week (I had a glimmer of hope he would) but it’s not becuase of him. Allison thinks she has riker again I think and I’m not sure if she knows how quick her routine last night was becuase at points he sold the dance well but at the start I just saw nerves in him. In regards to Carlos I figured out the perfect way to describe what I was trying to say last night: he seems to get the steps but stop short of being himself while on the dance floor for some reason so it’s kinda like a politician dancing out there but as soon as he hits the skybox he is back to normal and is letting personality out.
Didn’t meant to type ages in but autocorrect strikes again lol….not sure how a couple became ages lol.
@KellyK: Ouch that’s brutal re: your Facebook comment. People on Facebook can be so rude, it’s appalling. 🙁
I don’t think I have much to add. Court pretty much summed everything up nicely. Having watched Nick’s dance back, I think I tend to agree that it was good, but nothing really “wow” about it. Sharna could have pushed the choreo just a little bit more, imo.
Hayes continues to shock me and I’m thrilled Emma got to experience her first set of full 9s. Really great dance. I would hope it’s her choreography, but considering the fact that Emma’s not done contemporary before, I would not say it’s out of question to ask if she had some help with it. Still a good effort from them.
The opposite seems to be happening with Carlos, for me: He’s continued to impress me LESS as the week’s go on. There’s something… very intense about him. And what waltz was really nicely dance, if not a bit frantic at times. Witney’s smart not to have him in hold for a good portion of that dance because he looked weird in hold. Or at least, I remember his foxtrot hold being better than that.
I still love Alexa, but Court hit the nail on the head: she came across nervous and awkward last night and the glasses and the hair really detracted from the look of the dance. I thought she could have had at least one 8 in there, but her mistake was pretty noticeable and Mark really had to just kind of push her through the end of the dance. I like her a lot (I was a huge fan of Spy Kids when I was younger) but I worry for her. Hopefully Derek will be able to work his magic on her next week (assuming she does end up with Derek).
I’ll be brief with everyone else, lol.
Bindi was fantastic and I’m so glad she got the first 10 of the season, especially for that dance.
Alek did have a bit of a blank expression on his face, but that’s understandable given the week he had last week.
Tamar looked really gorgeous in that outfit, but still not seeing the connection with Val. And did anyone else feel weird when it was BRUNO saying “thank you for doing a proper rumba?”
Paula continues to just be there for me. I know plain and simple is what’s going to work with her, but I’m just over her. She’s funny, but I don’t care for her much.
As for Andy… I really wish Peta hadn’t gotten hurt. Andy would be doing so much better with her. :/
As for Gary, I’ll just say this: God bless him. He’s been through a lot it seems. More power to him for this accomplishment.
Court, Thanks for pounding out the power rankings so quickly. I’m always on pins and needles until I get your assessment.
I thought Alfonso did a solid job filling in for Tom last night–a tough job on any night but made even harder by the emotions of “Most Memorable Year”.
Sasha!!!!! That is all.
It was unquestionably Bindi’s night. What impresses me most about Bindi is how *unafraid* she is of emotion. She embraces it and expresses it unreservedly. The combination of her story, Derek’s brilliant choreography, and their flawless performance was magical.
This was the most confident I’ve seen Nick dance, but he was pretty much doing what he’s done for years so that’s what you’d expect. I enjoyed the performance, but now that we’ve got the obligatory homage to BSB out of the way, I really want him find a way to translate that confidence to his ballroom and Latin.
Hayes and Emma were great. He really embraced the whole concept of Contemporary and didn’t hold back on the emotional element. That’s very impressive for a 15-year-old guy.
I feel we saw Alek drawing on his soldier’s strength last night–pushing his emotions into a corner so he could get the job done. I don’t blame him one bit, but there was a blankness in his face that hasn’t been there before. Hope he’s able to bounce back emotionally by next Monday.
This is the first time since Week 1 that I’ve liked Tamar’s costume (she looked great), and I also thought she did a lovely rumba.
Andy just keeps getting slammed with too much choreography from Allison and there was precious little ChaCha in there. It bugs the crap out of me that the judges are picking at Andy instead of telling Allison she needs to dial it back a notch or 3.
Carlos didn’t do it for me last night. He performed with a lot of emotion but I just didn’t like the dance.
For me that was Paula’s best dance. It wasn’t much, but she seemed to get most of the steps and didn’t look scared.
I’m definitely ready to be rid of Alexa and Mark. Two things I have no patience for on DWTS are lack of commitment and disinterest. Alexa isn’t committed to her dance partnership and as a result Mark has no interest in this season. For a while I hoped they’d work out a compromise, but I don’t see that happening.
It was one of the better Most Memorable Year nights, but I’m so glad it’s over.
Start off by saying I don’t usually comment. I just enjoy all your content and seeing people’s opinion. I find this a very comprehensive and well done DWTS site. That being said, I think you should be ashamed of yourself. I don’t know boy bands but referring to anyone as “the fat one” is disgusting and childish. Especially when this show focuses on people’s body issues and their feelings of self worth so often. If you don’t like the guy that’s fine but I don’t think you have any right to put him down in that way.
Ahem – Liz, I’ll have you know that costume designer Randall Christensen told us in an interview that Joey himself specifically requested this nickname be written in rhinestones on one of his costumes when he was on the show. He calls HIMSELF “Fat One”. So if you’re looking for an apology from me – you won’t get one.
Liz — his name is Joey Fatone. Fatone = fat one
LOL #15 – it’s a play on Joey Fatone’s name, and everyone calls him that.
@Tony—yes people are brave behind the anonymity of the keyboard. I actually told that woman, that I doubted she’d go up and say to Bindi what she said to me regarding the need for Bindi to ‘get over’ the tragic death of her father when Bindi was 8 years old. I also love when people call you a hater if you’re not blatantly praising Tamar and Val as they are. And I have no right to say anything about the lack of connection between her and Val because I DON’T KNOW HER
I’m sorry I didn’t know that, that was before I started watching. I wasn’t trying to preach, and now that I understand I apologize.
1) Oh Bindi! You sweet little angel. That dance hurt my heart and and my eyes. Honestly, I just watched that dance and package for like the sixth time just now and it still made my cry waterfalls. I remember watching that memorial for Steve and little Bindi’s speech. She was so brave and she delivered it without a hitch that I remember wondering if she completely understood what was happening at that time. And seeing in the package how it took a while for it to sink in and that she’ll forever think that her dad might still come home, it just broke my heart. I guess what makes this dance so special for me is that it made me realize that no one can truly comprehend losing a loved one and that’s because they are never completely gone. A part of them will always be with you and I saw that in the story of this dance. Great dances make people think and feel. This was a great and beautiful dance.
2) I loved Nick and Sharna’s dance! I will admit, however, that I kinda expected just a tad bit more. But the thing is, it was the chorus part that threw me off a bit. It just felt a little too simple, repetitive, and so un-Sharna. I belatedly realized that that whole segment was actually the original choreography for the music video and then it all made sense to me. With the theme, song, and AJ being there, they were kinda obligated to put that whole thing in. So watching it again with that knowledge, I think I was able to appreciate the dance a bit more. That part of the choreo was for the BSB fans and I’m sure they appreciated that more than anything Sharna could have come up with. I’m glad they got the BSB homage out of the way early so that it leaves more room for growth. Overall, it was a smart move for them in my opinion.
Other thoughts: I did like the choreography in Mark and Alexa’s Foxtrot. Wish it was executed a bit better. I’m mad at CAI for being cray cray and calling the other judges cray cray from trying to properly critique a dance. I wanted to comfort and hug Alek. He did well for the week that he’s had.
Congratulations on the Boss baby! I just cannot believe Allison is 4 months pregnant and still has abs. Other than the fact that I love his personality, I kinda want Andy to stay in the competition to see Allison dance with a baby bump. Lol. Here’s hoping that she’ll slow down a bit because of the pregnancy. It could do wonders for Andy.
Bindi and Derek and Carlos and Witney were my fav last night. Each pairing for different reasons on how they danced and brought to there dances. 3rd was Nick and Sharna. Good luck to all next week.
I cannot say enough about how much I enjoyed Bindi and Derek’s dance. I cried during the package and I cried more through the dance. It was the perfect song and Derek’s choreography hit another level of greatness. I’m glad they received the first 10 of the season. It was well deserved.
I also enjoyed Hayes and Emma. Here’s a 15 year old boy who is all gangly arms and legs, and he’s doing what Emma throws at him and keeps up. Last week was a little slip up, but I see him sticking around for awhile.
And, I have to admit, Tamar and Val’s was good also. I have said for a long time that I don’t care for Val at all, but that dance was good. I like that Tamar stands up to him and I think that’s making a difference. Val will never be one of my favorites, but I will acknowledge when he choreographs a good dance for his partner.
I think Paula had her best dance so far, but I don’t see her getting much farther. She’s the weakest of those left, but who knows? Weirder things have happened on this show.
I like Andy and I feel bad for him, because I agree with the others who have said Allison just cannot choreograph a dance without throwing every possible step in it that she can. And Andy struggles to keep up. Alfonso mentioned if they were to make the finals, she would be 6 months pregnant. I’m happy for her, but maybe in the coming weeks it’ll make her slow down a bit if Andy can stay in it. He could go earlier than some people might think.
Nick and Sharna’s dance was entertaining. I remember my daughters playing Everybody over and over in my house so it brought those memories back for me. Sharna is doing a great job with him just like she did with Noah.
I lumping Carlos and Alexa together because neither one of them holds my interest. They’re so busy worrying about how the other is doing, Alexa more than Carlos, that their performance on the dance floor falls short. It won’t bother me at all when they are both gone. Too bad they can’t go on the same night.
Alek has had so much to deal with over the past several months and then has the college he attended have that happen. Going there to see how he could help was something he needed to do not only for those affected, but for himself. You could tell by his facial expression how hard that hit him. My thoughts go out to everyone there. I can’t begin to imagine what that’s like, and I pray that this doesn’t happen again. That said, Alek agreed to do a show he had never seen or knew anything about, but is giving 100% to it like he does with everything else. I think his dance was wonderful. His training helped get him through it. I don’t see him going anywhere soon and I’m happy about that. I want to see what else he has to bring to the dance floor.
Sasha! I love him. I wish he would be a pro permanently, not just a season. He’s so much fun and joy to watch in any dance he’s in.
For the switch up, I would like to see Paula with Val, Bindi with Mark and Hayes with Emma.
I forgot to add that Alfonso did a good job filling in for Tom, but Tom is one of a kind. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
Loved Tamar last night. And I think she unwittingly explained a lot about her connection with Val: If he’s her “little brother” then he’s dealing with a woman innured to a lot of his expectations of being The Sexy Partner.
Hayes & Emma were a delight.
Alek & Lindsay are surprising. She seems more of a rock for Alek than I’d’ve anticipated.
Bindi. Well. What she & Derek are doing together is extraordinary. Love that they each talk about what the other is doing for/bringing out in the other. Isnt everyone in love with Bindi, & this partnership?
I agree with your rankings… IMO the best of the night in this order.
Bindi and Derek: no words… the package, the dance and then she talking about his dad! And hugging every judge! She’s just incredible…
Nick and Sharna: awesome job, I don’t know how much could the judges see them with all the crowd around but the camera angles were horrible. Think the songs are still too short to come out with something better for a BSB tribute. But definitely great. Hope this bring his confidence up.
Hayes and Emma: beautiful that he can do that. So happy for Emma.
Still don’t see Tamar and Val’s connection, want to but can’t see it! We’ll see in the switch up how she work with another pro.
Other couples were ok. But had to add that Alexa foxtrot was so underwhelming. Hope she can recover next week.
I thought Alexa and Mark’s foxtrot was really cute. It’s a shame she had the mistake.
Whenever Alexa doesn’t do as well, it seems like it’s chalked up to her “being too focused on Carlos” (and when she does well, she and Mark are all of a sudden “working as a team”). Maybe when Alexa doesn’t do well it’s because of ALEXA and that’s just her learning process/journey. Her mistakes and flaws are maybe because she is doing something new. Because, other than the first week, I haven’t seen anything since then that makes me think she’s not working hard and trying to do her best for Mark and herself.
And she can’t control the cameras constantly showing her reactions to Carlos’ performances or the producers egging her on to say stuff about him.
To be honest, Alfonso’s comment last week didn’t sit well with me either, not because it wasn’t valid, but because it wasn’t directly relevant to the Breaking Bad performance he just saw, which he thought was awesome and fantastic.
We keep telling Alexa it’s OK for her to support her husband, but unless she completely ignores Carlos on show days, I don’t think people will be convinced.
I thought Nick danced his Jazz well but… I was left feeling underwhelmed by the whole routine. It’s just that I had very high expectations for this number because of the song and Sharna’s track record with Jazz routines on the show (for example, Andy’s Alice in Wonderland and Noah’s 70’s gangster). I didn’t like the concept of the mini-stage and the “fans” surrounding them. I also would have liked to see a cool lift at the end – it actually surprised me that there were no lifts at all in their routine considering it’s one of the styles that allows them. Plus the camera work was horrible.
I didn’t think Alek’s Paso was one of his best dances but considering all that he went through this past week, I thought he did a good job under the circumstances. Also, I thought the song was kind of hard to dance a Paso to and I didn’t like his outfit – the colors looked really weird to me (sorry for being so nitpicky).
I agree with everyone here about Bindi and Derek’s Contemporary. I thought it was beautiful, heartfelt and emotional. I don’t usually cry a lot when I watch the show but I was sobbing after their dance.
Hayes really surprised me last night. He kind of reminds me of the male version of Sadie for some reason. Hope he and Emma go far in the competition – wouldn’t mind if he outlasted a few of the remaining couples.
I’m sorry but I’m ready to see Alexa and Mark go home next. Even though I don’t care for Paula and don’t find Andy memorable, I’d rather see Alexa and Mark get eliminated before them because (to me) neither seems to want to be here. I thought after their Breaking Bad dance last week they made a breakthrough with their connection and commitment to one another but I guess not. I also found it odd that Alexa was standing up on the balcony throughout the whole show – by herself. Where was Mark? Usually the couples stay close to one another before and after their dances but Mark was nowhere to be seen – just seems to me like he is over this season.
I have mixed feelings about the criticism Alexa has been receiving concerning the lack of connection toward Mark. First of all, unless there is something that I am not catching, they seem to get along fine to me, they laugh together, have appeared on entertainment shows, it seems like a good partnership. I heard that Alexa and Carlos have been married for less than a year and if that is true, it is only natural for her to feel very attentive toward him, I would be concerned if she seemed so focused on winning that she was dismissive toward her husband, To be honest, I am sure that the main reason that they appeared on the show is because of increase their visibility and career options that it could lead to, which is the case for many celebrities. Personally I liked that Alexa called Alphonso out on his comment and basically said that while she is enjoying her experience on the show, her marriage comes first, and that is the way it should be. I gave her votes for saying this even though she made a few mistakes at the end of her foxtrot.
The way that Alexa chose to interpret Alphonso’s comment highlights the problem. If, in fact, she sees “competing to win” (not trash talking or any of that crap, just trying her hardest for herself) as fundamentally incompatible with “choosing Carlos,” then why is she here? Before the show yesterday she tweeted about how wonderful Carlos’s dance was. Nothing about hers. Why would anyone want to vote for her if she’s not on her own side? Personally, I am done with both Alexa and Carlos.
I like Nikc and I love Sahrna but I’m jsut not feeling it. GOgin into this season I was rooting for Bindi/Derek and Nck/Sharna but Nick and Sharna have not been as ‘Wow!’ as I expected.
“Weed” is legal in a few states now. Kinda pulls the punch out of Carlos’ story. Might as well have said he smokes cigarettes.
People being awfully nice to Liz when she deserved a good smack upside the head for her “you should be ashamed” BS. Good thing I was on the golf course all day.
Suzy, I agree. Alexa completely misinterpreted Alfonso’s critique from last week but it shows how she’s at odds with the whole “competition” aspect of DWTS as it relates to Carlos. Fully committing to her dance partnership with Mark is entirely separate from her personal life. She’d have been better off sitting in the audience cheering for her hubby. However, my guess is that wasn’t an option–the producers probably said “both of you, or neither of you”. So she’s there going through the motions. Not very professional, if you ask me.
This husband vs. wife gimmick has been a complete failure in my opinion. It might have worked with a couple who’s been married for years, who are confident in each other and have a sense of humor about their relationship. The newlywed Mr. and Mrs. PenaVega take themselves and their love (cue the hearts and flowers) far too seriously. I’m ready to be done with both of them too.
I thought Nick killed it last night! Would’ve been awesome to see all the other guys cheering him on but unfortunately, the others live out of state. Glad to see AJ & the other boyband guys cheering him on though. Once they start recording their new album (yes, they are still a group!), I am sure the others will show up. I am willing to bet he will be dancing to at least 1 other BSB song before the season’s over (perhaps Halloween week).
I definitely think top 2 will be Nick & Bindi. It’s going to be a great season!
1.) Tamar & Val = Finally pleased to see a dance full of content and recognizable steps. A big thanks to Val for choreographing a proper Rumba and no messing around. Tamar danced and looked beautiful. I felt the chemistry between the two for the first time.
2.) Nick & Sharna, Bindi & Derek = Both the dances lacked content. Nick’s Jazz barely looked like a Jazz and more of a Freestyle. It was not as great as i thought it would be. Backstreet Boys song, Nick Carter and it turned out mediocre, i actually blame Sharna’s poor choreography and staging for that. The camerawork ruined it even more, i could barely see what he was doing on the stage. It was nowhere as special as when Alfonso danced the Carlton.
Bindi’s dance was a tearjerker but to me it lacked contemporary content and looked more like a ‘contemporary freestyle’. Still beautiful to watch and best ‘dance’ of the night.
3.) Hayes & Emma =So happy to see him grow as a dancer/performer every week. Love the kid! He is a contender!
4.) Alek & Lindsay =Not his best, but i still liked it. Considering what he been through all week, i give him a pass on this one. Still my favorite couple.
5.) Carlos & Witney =Another ‘contemporary waltz’! Can’t the DWTS pros choreograph a ‘proper Waltz’? Where is the hold? body contact? That dance did not deserve a 9. 7s at best.
6.) Paula-Louis, Alexa & Mark, Andy & Allison =
Paula needs to go, that is all.
I hate the Foxtrots on DWTS. The Ballroom rules have gone down the drain on DWTS. The pros can choreograph whatever they like and never get called out on lack of content. That was not a Foxtrot. It was too theatrical.
Only one thing to say about Andy’s dance -Where was the Cha Cha Cha? It would have gotten 4s on Strictly. Overmarked.
DWTS is in serious need of an expert ballroom judge like Len Goodman who will care about the rules of a particular dance and will call out the pros on lack of content. Lately, DWTS has became the celebrity edition of SYTYCD and no more a ballroom contest it once used to be.
I don’t think that Alexa misinterpreted what Alphonso said, I think that everybody misinterpreted what she said. Alphonso’s comment was out of place in that it happened in a week where she didn’t mention Carlos at all and it was all about breaking bad and every time she messes up we can’t blame it on her not being connected with mark and I think that people are just not getting that she is trying to separate herself but still be balanced as a wife and I don’t think for a minute that she or Carlos should go before Paula
Bindi/Derek – beautifully and heartfully executed, amazing choreography
Tamar/Val – more excellent choreography and well-performed. Her best so far because she showed a vulnerable side. The eyes, though!?
Hayes/Emma – his quality of movement is fantastic. Great partnership!
Nick/Sharna – well-danced as expected, but didn’t push boundaries or expand into ballroom. Sharna is much better than that. Very distracting production, camerawork.
Carlos/Witney – beautiful dance snd production (loved the dark versus white and simple version of amazing grace). He needs to figure out how to dance bigger. Watch Alfonso’s dances maybe?
Alexa/Mark – thought the concept/set-up was delightful. Too much was made of her messing up one pass, but for whatever reasons, she’s not progressing and Mark seems checked out.
Andy/Allison – some wonderful and charming moments, but song had no cha-cha feel. She danced around him a lot. Hoping for a breakthrough week.
Alek/Lindsay – this dance just didn’t work for me, but he gets a pas. Enjoying their partnership and how each is standing out as teacher and pupil.
Paula/Louis – I liked this cha-cha, though slow, I could relate to her accomplishment this week.
Will miss Gary and Anna and his profound musings! Switch-ups should be interesting.
Yeah, Liz, you’re not gonna wanna tell a moderator what to do. Let it go.