PureDWTS Season 21, Week 6 – Power Rankings
*slow clap* Great job on a completely un-fishy, totally coherent evening of scores and critiques, judges. No really, you really did well. *eye roll* This had to be one of the most ridiculous, incongruent, completely-out-of-left-field nights the judges have had in a LONG time. I can think of two routines that were grossly overscored, and two or three that were underscored; I also feel like some couples got picked apart with a fine-toothed comb while others just got glossed over with praise and any mistakes completely disregarded. Only explanation I’ve got? Certain “chosen ones” are not getting the votes they need to stick around, and they need a boost; while some of the have-nots that shouldn’t be so popular (in their eyes) are just raking in the votes. Resist the urge to meddle, PTB – karma is a heinous bitch, and as we’ve seen…your actions can often have unintended consequences.
I kinda felt like something was amiss when they made a point of having Carrie Ann spell out what the judges were looking for at the beginning of the show – it was almost as if they had been lurking in the comments here at Pure and saw what issues we had been discussing with regard to “Iconic Dance” week…y’know, the whole “where are they going to draw the line between staying faithful to a dance and actually doing the assigned dance style” issue. *waves* Keep lurkin’, guys – I’ve got so much more to say 😉 Also odd? Leah felt really clunky and awkward tonight – nothing like the smooth, at-ease Leah who cohosted a year ago when Erin had to cover the World Series. She was hilarious then – she was painful tonight. Bring back the Leah that was bopping Derek in the face with a microphone, PLEASE 😀
On a more positive note, I loved the opening number – hard to beat Karina channeling Flashdance, Derek channeling Singin’ in the Rain, and Keo doing his best MC Hammer – dare I say it’s a rather fitting role? Kind of a minor sensation, probably outlived his 15 minutes of fame, ridiculous outfits…
1.) Bindi & Derek – I thought these two and Nick & Sharna were probably the gold standard for how all of the iconic dance routines should have been handled – another great combination of paying homage to the original while still staying true to the style they were assigned. Loved how they fit in that rumba section at the beginning – it felt like it was actually part of the original dance, which takes skill to pull off. Thought Bindi’s legs looked nice, too, even if her feet weren’t perfect. Also impressed with how long they held the lift – I don’t think people truly appreciate how HARD that lift is to pull off. Fun fact: I actually wrote my college kinesiology thesis on how to do the famous lift from Dirty Dancing. It was 25 pages long – yeah, THAT much technique to the lift, and it requires both the lifter and the liftee to have quite a bit of core strength, and the lifter to have some solid upper body strength as well. So when I see some folks poo-poohing the lift, and how “shaky” Derek was? I have to wonder just how well they would fare attempting that lift – and I think they’d probably manage to injure themselves pretty badly. Hell, the bf managed to sprain his neck trying to do this lift with one of his students! They got into the lift, and they held it – that deserves a standing ovation. I think the only pro that probably could have pulled it off any better is Tony – and that guy is built like Rambo. I daresay the pressure was on Bindi & Derek more than any other couple, given that they were saddled with the granddaddy of all “iconic dances” to tackle – and I think they handled it beautifully.
2.) Nick & Sharna – This was one of the routines last night that I felt SHOULD have gotten a perfect score – and unfortunately it got a rather bizarre critique, and a near-perfect score. I actually thought this was Nick’s best dance since his Downton Abbey waltz – he was present, he sold it, and he was on top of every step. Also appreciated how well Sharna was able to fuse actual samba steps with the disco steps and not have it look disjointed (see below). Probably one of the more cohesive routines we saw last night, while still being a great homage to the original. I guess my one complaint is that Nick appeared to get a little winded – at times, I saw more of the effort behind the steps, rather than him effortlessly carrying them off. So yeah, I was kinda gobsmacked at how Carrie Ann kinda ripped into it – and then ended up giving it a 9, while everyone else gushed and threw up the 10 paddles. Not exactly sure what Carrie Ann meant to accomplish by that, but given some of the other routines we saw last night that did get perfect scores – I felt like this should have, as well.
3.) Tamar & Val – I feel for Tamar, because it’s a royal pain in to lose your voice and you generally feel like chicken fried ass, to boot. That being said – I think she should consider herself lucky that she got the iconic dance that she did, and that the judges were feeling generous with her. She did ok-to-decent with “Rhythm Nation”, but I wouldn’t say it was perfect – maybe all 9’s. I think the stone-faced look of the routine fit Tamar well, as she seems to struggle with showing a ton of emotion; but I think back to Janet in that routine, and while she was stone-faced, she still exuded this INTENSITY that implied “I’m one powerful mofo that you do NOT want to mess with” – and I didn’t see that with Tamar. It was more deer-in-the-headlights, don’t-mind-me-I’m-just-trying-to-remember-my-choreo expression. And the thing about the “Rhythm Nation” choreography is that, while it’s simple and sharp, the hard part of it was how cleanly and powerfully it was executed, and how in-sync everyone was. I saw quite a few kinda flaccid lines from Tamar where she threw away some of the moves, and I was just left scratching my head by some of the new choreography that got thrown in – it didn’t seem to fit very well with the original RN choreo. A bit hodgepodge. It was a great effort, given how little time she had to rehearse and how crappy she likely felt – but it was not perfect for me. But it seems like TPTB have decided that they need her around for awhile, so maybe she can genuinely wow me again – I have yet to be as impressed as I was with her back in week 2, doing the Charleston.
4.) Carlos & Witney – I think exactly what Heidi predicted would happen, happened: people had such low expectations for Carlos, just based on the “iconic dance” he got, that even if he did only sorta-ok on it, it was going to seem amazing by comparison. And FWIW, he & Witney did seem to make the best of a kinda craptastic situation – there was a little bit of rumba (even if it was awkwardly spliced into the sections of chair & floor humping), and Carlos had the swagger and physique necessary to carry off the Magic Mike persona. It certainly wasn’t the performance of the night for me, and I still can’t bring myself to really root for Carlos (sorry, but the dude still comes across as kinda fake to me), but I will give them props for doing the best they could with what they had. Wish there had been a way around having Witney disappear and reappear at awkward intervals throughout the routine, but I guess it couldn’t be helped. Still not sure where Carlos stands with regards to votes – at this point, I think he’s doing better than his wife, but now I’m still not convinced that he’s safe in the coming weeks. Time will tell.
5.) Alek & Lindsay – Starting to think that Alek lives in the land of the “perpetually hosed”, as this is the 3rd week in a row that I felt he was underscored by at least 2-3 points. Sorry, but even if you think Alek “doesn’t have a lot of facial expressions”, 7’s were harsh. I actually thought Alek improved quite a bit in the past two weeks in terms of emoting out on the floor – he was grinning at Emma last week, and he was pulling some Elvis faces this week, and actually looked like he was having fun. Was there a lot of actual jive here? Perhaps not a lot of basics, but I did see some other steps, and I thought he handled them well – certainly better than I thought he would. The guy IS improving – noticeably, each week – but he’s just stuck in the “you’re not emoting enough and I’m gonna pretend that you haven’t improved at all” rut with some of the judges. Carrie Ann telling him to go “work with Artem”?! That’s probably the WORST idea she could possibly have, given that Artem isn’t exactly a wealth of emotion when he’s dancing. Send him to Derek. Send him to Mark. Hell, bring in Alfonso to help him with his showmanship. But despite the shower of 7’s Alek seems to be getting recently – I don’t think he’s in any danger next week. Kept getting busy signals on his line for a good 15-20 min after the show wrapped – I think he’s still pulling in a good amount of votes.
6.) Hayes & Emma – At first, I thought Hayes was underscored; but upon second viewing, I think straight 8’s were probably about right – he sold the character well, but he’s still a tad shaky with transition steps between some of the moves. I doubt it helped that Hayes just probably wasn’t very familiar with Grease, and maybe wasn’t quite as invested in the performance as a result. But I’m starting to notice a much bigger problem that Hayes might have: his fans seem more interested in trending on Twitter than voting, and Hayes seems to be encouraging this behavior. This very well could lead to his demise on the show – instead of telling everyone to “go vote” last night, he wanted everyone to tweet that they voted and get #VoteForTeamSlayes trending. Bad move, kid – doesn’t do a whole lotta good to trend if you get sent home. So I’m beginning to wonder if we might see him as a not-so-surprising “surprise” elim sometime in the near future.
7.) Andy & Allison – Another eyebrow-raiser, score-wise. While I think this was Andy’s strongest performance yet and was quite good – I’m dubious about it being deserving of a 40. Saw a few out-of-sync moments on the steps, a bobble with the part with coats, a few blank-faced looks, and some general awkwardness with the extension of his limbs…which, unfortunately, tends to stick out like a sore thumb when you’re dancing next to a jazz/contemporary master like Allison. Andy just looked a tad mechanical to me from time to time, rather than looking as fluid and comfortable as I saw Nick & Carlos in their respective dances. So I guess it begs the question for me: does Andy need help to stick around? He’s been in jeopardy once – is he inching closer to being there again, and needs a bit of a cushion? I’m just not sure – but I do know that the perfect score he received just rang as odd to me, given that there were some pretty noticeable bobbles.
8.) Alexa & Mark – I felt bad for Alexa this week – she was one of the ones that I think got pretty hosed for a routine that I didn’t think was nearly as bad as the judges were making it out to be. Like Carlos, I think she was dealt a bit of a crappy hand: a very sexy routine that wasn’t nearly as “iconic” as what some of the other couples were given, and some pretty lofty expectations that she was going to be some sort of sex kitten out on the floor. Really & truly, even Britney herself wasn’t super sexy in the VMA version of this performance – I always found her to be kinda underwhelming live, and she only ever danced full-out in videos. I actually thought Alexa had some really nice leg action during the cha-cha portions of the dance, and while the bellydancing section got a tad off-time, I thought she actually made a nice effort. Feel sorry for her with regards to the snake – I always felt like it was just a distraction in Britney’s performance, and it was the same here – and why the hell didn’t they have Bindi introduce her to the snake? That girl has a funny way of making terrifying animals seem as cuddly and harmless as a kitten. Instead they brought in this creepy, stone-faced snake handler and built the snake up to be this terrifying thing…and sorry, but that snake looked pretty damn docile in the end. Just seemed like the whole thing, judges critiques about “not selling it” included, seemed like one big mindf*ck for Alexa…no wonder the poor girl just broke down in tears upon being told she was in jeopardy. And the fact that she was in jeopardy, on top of getting the low score this week? Seriously makes me wonder if she’s gonna survive through next week. Which sucks, because I’m warming to her…certainly more than her husband.
So that’s all I really have to say about last night…what say you?
Q – Who or what famous dance was Lindsay representing in the Opening number?
@Courtney- Preach!!! I couldn’t agree more, total lack of consistency and “rules” only applied to some. The judges even made comments about contestants being brave to “take on” certain characters… as if it were their choice. I doubt Alexa wanted to emulate Britney Spears. Plus, to tell someone that they aren’t a contender is crap (CAI- stink eye directed at you!) Those that were in their wheelhouse performed well, and those that weren’t, were criticized for it. The manipulations have officially begun.
But I’m still not understanding why the producers want to tip the scales… What’s so wrong with Alexa, Alek, and Hayes gaining steam? Andy personally bores me to tears but I feel like he’s being pushed on us big time.
I agree with your comments, Courtney. I think Derek and Bindi paid a beautiful tribute to the iconic dance, not only with the lift, and I liked Nick and Sharna, too. I feel frustrated with Alexa’s scores. Couldn’t they have given her another dance to do?
Your prayers have been answered, I think, as Carlos will be working with both Derek and Mark in the team dance. I hope he listens to them because I believe he has potential to do really well if he is humble enough to learn from the pros.
Bindi and Derek: Wow — what a performance. I thought this was a nice take on the iconic dance they were given, and that they both rose to the occasion. Scored correctly, too.
Sharna and Nick: I think their scores were about right — I rewatched the original, and Nick was always going to have a hard time matching Peak Travolta. There was something so sharp, narcissistic, and masterful about Travolta’s performance in that scene that it would be hard to imagine any DWTS celebrity pulling off well — heck, it would challenge many of the pros, quite honestly. Sharna did a great job adding in the samba, but I found Nick a little hoppy in some of the samba parts, and I think Sharna’s quality of movement helped to sell those as much as anything else.
Tamar and Val: I don’t know, I would have maybe given a 9 somewhere in there, since I didn’t find it perfect. I also found the choreo add-ins to be clunky — especially the rotating lift at the end. But I do think that the dance very much suited Tamar’s persona — the sharp movements and the fact that it was danced without needing connection to a partner helped her a lot. She did handle it well, though, so I can’t really fault her in this one.
Carlos and Witney: I actually thought Witney did a good job toning down the raunch to a point where Carlos could capture the essence of the routine but not go further than he was comfortable. Weirdly, I actually agreed with Carrie Ann — the point of Magic Mike is that Channing Tatum is a good dancer, and the dancing in his scenes is part of the point — he’s not just stripping, there is skill to the way he is presenting his act. Also, I really enjoyed watching the backup dudes, especially Artem. Even though he can be abrasive personality-wise, I do think Artem’s presence in the sexy dances really works.
Alek and Lindsay: I don’t know — I wanted to like this more than I did. I think he was better than he had been, but I also think it’s a harder dance to really get into as an iconic dance. Elvis was an icon, and this was one of his well-known performances, but I don’t know that the dance itself was iconic, which made it harder for people to care about particular movements, you know?
Hayes and Emma: I just didn’t feel this one. Not unlike when Bindi and Derek got the Jeffersons, I just felt this was a poor matchup of song and performer. The scores were about right.
Andy and Allison: The first time I saw it, I thought, yeah, 10s were right. After rewatching, I’m less convinced that it was deserving of those scores. This was one where it seemed that the love of the original dance powered the scores — especially where the adaptation was pretty well done. One question — as they keep progressing (if they do), at what point, if any, would Allison have to tone down the jumping from heights and other almost-tricks in the routines? I mean, I know pregnant ladies dance/work out/etc. right up until delivery, but the show’s lawyers might not be down with that. That said, it’s probably a moot point since he’s not likely to last that much longer.
Alexa and Mark: I actually kind of agreed with the scores. Strangely, both she and Carlos got super sexy routines, and he managed to sell his much better than she sold hers. I think it’s mostly the facial expressions from her that made this less effective than it could have been. I also think that Britney, at that time, was coming out of this jailbait-sexy era into one where she could own it more, so there was so much subtext to Britney’s sensuality at that point that it would be hard for anyone to really recreate that moment effectively. Tough hand for Alexa, but I suspect she will do better with a Halloween themed dance anyway.
Bonus: I know Louis and Paula are gone, but seeing that Vogue reminds one of how bold that was for Madonna to do in 1990. In a way, I would have preferred to see the pros do it without Paula, because I know Louis would have owned it even more than he did! And loved Karina and Anna in it too!
OK, two questions:
1. First, I had to work last night, so I didn’t see it live. Would I be better off just watching the dances (and some of the packages) and ignoring the judges’ critiques altogether?
2. @Courtney: Just curious—from the way you describe it, do you think Alek would be capable (with sufficient practice/training, of course) of doing the Dirty Dancing lift?
@Sam –
1.) I didn’t feel the judges’ critiques were all that helpful last night – not very insightful, and tended to make me go “WTF???” more often than not. But who knows…you may enjoy them. Up to you.
2.) I think doing the DD would actually be a piece of cake for Alek – he’s got a lot of upper body strength, a strong core, and he’s pretty sturdy. And judging from how good he was at lifts during his week 2 jazz – he may actually be better at it than someone with a more wirey frame, like Derek.
1. Bindi and derek – I didn’t see derek shake I saw strength (bindi is short so she couldn’t jump high enough either) so derek had to just be that much more powerful to host her in the air. I can’t blame him for being nervous patrick is 1 of his idols just like gene and fred. 5 ☆ from me- definitely transported me back in time
2. Andy and allison – I didn’t see any mistakes I felt like i was watching debbie reynolds (love her) and not quite gene kelly but more like donald instead (who I also love) 5☆
3. Alexa and mark- I don’t no what the judges were talking about I thought she did a better Brittany then brittany herself plus she had hayley by her side and that’s a big feat. For alexa because hayley is a star and u can’t take your eyes off of her. 5☆ I was watching both the girls and mark love his hair
I can’t remember the rest but I do remember thinking how weak tamer was especially these past 3 weeks or so I hope she’s gone next week
The night didn’t went the way I expected it. There were four Jazz routines that provided sufficient freedom to couples to perform whatever they want with an official tag.
Moreover, two Rumbas with almost no content were treated at par with Jazz routines.Though, I agree that they were two difficult performances to deliver but so many 10s were really awkward. Would judges had the same point of view, had it been some other week? I really doubt.
I thought the only two couples that put their best foot forward by meshing up the dance assigned well with the routine were Alek and Alexa. And for that reason, there performances looked kinda lukeworm if compared to the rest. Had they focused more on presentation (and not Cha Cha/ Jive)- they would also have joined the league of so many 10s.
As far the coming week is concerned, I have a strong feel that Alexa and Mark are going to do a smashing PASO DOBLE. Mark is hurt and so is Alexa- and that actually assures something gigantic is on its way. She has a super high probability of getting voted off next week but if that happens: Alexa would go with head held high.
Excellent as always. Court!! Ok, mine go like this….
1. Derek and Bindi – Whoa! Give it up for Derek and Bindi last night. They made me cry just like when I saw the movie that very first time. “Enchanting” described them so well by Olivia. “They made it their own” just like Bruno said. Beautiful lift too! I loved loved loved it so much!!
2. Nick and Sharna – I have no words!! I loved everything about this dance!!! They blew me away. Like Derek and Bindi, I thought they made it their own and what’s more, made it current too. Like Derek and Bindi, I will be watching this dance over and over for a long time to come. One of Sharna’s BEST dances ever!
3. Tamar and Val – Wow, I was floored again. I was expecting this dance to be bad since she was sick, but she nailed it. Just excellent. She did her thing. Her best of the season imo.
4. Andy and Allison – Go Andy!! I don’t think he’s going anywhere quite yet. He was dashing and full of charm. He totally got into the era and the dance. I loved all of his facial expressions (which the others below could take a page from). He “succeeded with honor” just like Bruno said. Well done. Kudos to Allison’s choreo too!
5. Alexa and Mark – I loved this dance and the complete production. Mark looked hilarious. Alexa could have been more powerful out there and put more force and facial expressions into it all, but, I liked it. I thought this dance should have received 8’s.
6. Alek and Lindsay – For someone who has never danced, he gave it up out there. At first, I thought they were going to spoof this routine, so I was pleasantly surprised when they didn’t. He seemed a little overwhelmed with it all and seemed to lose his confidence a bit, but, I don’t blame him. It was a hard dance being it’s so fast. I just hope we really see them pick it up as I’d like to see them make the finals.
7. Carlos and Witney – Well, I wasn’t as impressed as the judges. It was a cool dance and I liked the song and moves, but, he seemed nervous and not as into it as he could have been. I never feel a connection with Witney and him either. It just always seems like it’s about themselves.
8. Emma and Hayes – They were so cute. I wish he had a little more energy and was able to pull the part more, but, I can’t imagine trying to fill John Travolta’s shoes. I am hoping he has a big comeback next week. I’d rather Carlos and Witney be eliminated first.
I’m glad that Carrie Ann didn’t deduct for the lift in Bindi and Derek’ routine, alteast.
Glad last night is over. Enjoyed most of the dances, the judges were a bit wacky.
Bindi & Derek took me back to watching the movie. Their package was awesome. I didn’t enjoy the dance as much as I should have the first time because I was really nervous for the lift. I had to go back and watch to really appreciate the dance completely. I really think the producers forcing ANY pro to do a lift like that with an untrained celeb is crazy. Glad it worked out, and no one was hurt.
Nick & Shara – I thought they looked great. Also took me back to my disco days. lol Only thing, once again I think the small dance floor distracted me a bit.
Poor Alexa I thought she danced well enough to at least get 8’s. Maybe a token 9 from the guest judge. I really feel for her. When the package started and she was so excited about her scores(40 from last week) and Carlos was like “whatever”, I wanted to reach through the TV and smack him. Dude give her some Kudos.
Tamar & Val – Maybe it was just me, but I thought the stage was too dark. I kinda lost Tamar in the crowd. Kinda like I lost track of Willow in the hunger games dance.
Can’t wait for Team Dances. I love when the pros work together.
Here’s my thoughts on last night. Going in the order that the couples danced, not who did the best…
1. Hayes and Emma – I thought this dance was very cute. He performed it well, but at the end, it was a bit forgettable. Going first tends to do that to ya. I can’t recall many times when the couple who went first really caught my attention and I couldn’t stop thinking of the dance throughout the whole show.
2. Andy and Allison – I thought this was one of his better dances, but like a lot of you, I also thought this was NOT 40-worthy. There were a lot of times where they were out of sync and his movements looked awkward. For once, Allison is not going 1000 mph so I think this benefitted Andy though. Had he been given a fast song like for Riker’s jazz last season, it would have been a different story I’m sure. Good dance, but definitely overscored. All 9’s would have made more sense.
3. Alexa and Mark – I absolutely ADORE Alexa, and I say this all the time but it’s true: she is an AMAZING dancer and I know it. Mark, once again, is just not bringing it out of her. I have to say I expected it though. Especially after last week. I love Bindi but I think Alexa would’ve been better off with Derek. He would know how to show her off better. I am so sad that she isn’t getting the praise I know she deserves, and it’s because when I see her dance, I think, “Girl you can do better than that! You have so much more potential!” I wanted to see that in her this week, and unfortunately, I didn’t. I hope she really does get better and saves herself from being in jeopardy in the coming weeks because if she goes, I will truly feel she was a wasted talent. If they ever do all-stars again and decide to bring her back, I would like to see her with a different partner, preferably Derek. I have been wanting her on this show for YEARS and to see her like this, it makes me feel frustrated since I know she can do better and be better than how she is right now.
4. Bindi and Derek – Great homage! I was smiling the whole way through. Bindi is a really great dancer! But yes, I did see Derek shaking when he carried her. Probably his nerves mixed with the fact that Bindi isn’t exactly stick skinny. I am glad they were able to pull it off though. I did feel like I was transported to that very moment in the movie. Well deserved 40’s, and though there was hardly any rumba, the rumba content they did incorporate into the dance looked great.
5. Paula and Louis – Ehh, what do you expect? It’s Paula and we all know she can’t move that well. Louis was the most entertaining part of that dance for me. He was just workin’ it, lol. It was not at all a jazz to me. More of just an arm dance and a bunch of strutting and marching. Overall, I do admire Paula’s positivity and how she just enjoys the dances. This didn’t really do it for me though. Sorry Paula.
6. Carlos and Witney – OMG that dance was HOT. HOT. HOT! I love Magic Mike and I think Carlos is sexy so for me, it was a whole lot of fun watching that dance! Maybe it was also the music because I swear, every time I hear that song, glimpses of Magic Mike pop in my head and it’s enough to make me go Woooo! at all the hot men, lol. Anyway, great dance. I do admire Carlos for speaking up about the raunchiness, but Julianne is right. This is a performance and we are watching a performance. He is just acting. Nothing else. If he let loose a little bit more, it would’ve probably looked hotter.
7. Nick and Sharna – Carrie Ann is an idiot. How she scored this a 9, I will never know, but that woman is crazy in the head, so there you go. This was easily one of the best dances of the night!!! I loved it! I was dancing with him the whole way through! The disco moves, the energy…all amazing. *drinks shot* 😉
Sharna did a great job incorporating Samba into that routine. It flowed seamlessly with the disco moments. And Nick is a natural at disco! This was so much fun to watch!!! He should’ve been at the top right up there with Bindi. The only thing I wish he would do more is be expressive in his face. He always has a serious look on his face and if he were to just pop a smile and keep it, it would make his presence that much better.
8. Alek and Lindsay – This guy seems very sweet, but I gotta say I saw this coming. He was doing great towards the beginning of the season when all of his dances were in hold, but now that he’s crossed most of those off the list and he has these Latin dances that he still hasn’t done, he’s got me worried. He’s just very stiff, and I found his dance a bit forgettable too. Either way, Lindsay has done a great job with him. I am really liking her.
9. Tamar and Val – Some people didn’t like this dance, and some people loved it. I happen to be one of the people who loved it. Tamar can dance her little tush off. I definitely think the whole feel of the dance contributed to why I liked it so much too. The costumes, the black and white. Tamar was gettin’ it! Didn’t feel like a jazz at all but oh well! Never really paid much attention to her before but she caught my attention last night. Way to go, Tamar!
So there ya have it. My thoughts. Faves of the night for me were definitely Bindi, Carlos, and Nick. Nick and Bindi mostly. They just had it going on! So good!
Also, one random thought: I really don’t like the jazz style and don’t understand why they keep using it. It’s so obvious that half, if not most of the couples don’t even throw in any actual jazz moves into their dances. It really is just a freestyle. They need to take this style out and replace it with something else…Mambo or Lindy Hop or something. It’s just a way to give couples a free pass and they all take advantage of it, and since the judges won’t call them out for “not enough jazz moves”, they’ll keep doing it. Only good jazz routines I’ve seen have come from Witney and, well for this season, Allison.
Just some notes:
I was extremely impressed with Bindi’s legs at the beginning of their dance. She has tremendous natural ability, and the best mentor to develop it.
I loved Andy’s dance. I’ve had a soft spot for him since last season when he performed in Nastia’s Subway Charleston, and I’m so happy that he got to do a dance that he really enjoyed and got a perfect score. We’ll never know what could have been with Peta, but last night was a great high point for him, whatever happens.
Alexa absolutely should have gotten 8’s. She’s on a team with her 3 guys, so it should be a great experience for her. Bravo to Mark for being there for her.
Tamar did a great job, especially considering rehearsal time was cut due to illness, but I thought she could have been sharper. Set against a backdrop of pros, she looked a little too loose.
And Carlos — what I noticed about his comment was that he didn’t say that the dancing he would have to do conflicted with his religiosity in any way. It was that he had just talked about finding religion and how it would look. I don’t like this guy.
I pretty much agree with you rankings-wise (though I’d switch Andy and Hayes for this week) so I’ll just give my thoughts in the order they danced last night. I had this whole thing typed out and then it got erased so I’ll just be brief.
Hayes/Emma – I actually think this was overscored. He just didn’t do it for me this week. He doesn’t seem to put a lot of expression into his dances and his movements last night were a bit stuff. The former note could mean trouble for Halloween Week but if fans really are voting and not just trending they’ll probably be fine next week. Hoping they have another ballroom style next week because that’s what Hayes seems to be best at other than contemporary. 7
Andy/Allsion – Great to see Patricia Kelly but would have been even better if it’d been Debbie Reynolds, who was actually in that dance! (Sorry I love her lol.) Nice to see Allison take a break from the kitchen sink choreo but it seemed kind of simple for 10’s and there were a couple of little mistakes. Unfortunately, they’ve now done both jazz and contemporary so that’s about it for Allison’s strong suits. I don’t even know what I hope they have next week and I’m predicting they’ll be leaving Week 8. 9
Alexa/Mark – She really is like a yo-yo, isn’t she? That’s twice now she’s been on top of the leaderboard only to slip right down the next week. Anyway, this was an odd choice for this theme week. They had a good connection in the dance and she did great at managing the snake but she didn’t seem to be that into the dance (my guess is it may have been nerves about the looming snake at the end). My guess is they’re gone next week which especially sucks for Mark after last season’s blindside. I have a feeling he’s gonna leave DWTS pretty soon because this weird crap keeps happening to him. But hopefully they enjoy themselves and go all-out next week with the Halloween theme and the team dances (Alexa and Carlos are on the same team as are Derek and Mark so they’ll at least have that to be happy about). I’m personally hoping they get a contemporary as their individual dance. 8
Bindi/Derek – I was hoping she’d be the one to dance with a snake at some point this season lol. I really enjoyed this dance and seeing Jennifer Grey again! I’m also very glad they got that lift right because we don’t need any more injuries this season! Despite the fact that I LOVED this dance I really don’t think it deserved a perfect score. Bindi was kind of stiff at the beginning and the lift was a bit shaky. Still very good and can’t wait for their Argentine Tango next week! Side note: is this the last season on Derek’s contract or is it next season? People on tumblr say this is it but I thought Derek said t was next season? I mean no guarantees he’ll be back next season anyway, but I’m not looking forward to his departure because once he (and probably Mark too) is gone DWTS is going to become the Chmerkovskiy Kingdom. 9
Paula/Louis – I’m not even sure I’d count this as a dance since she mostly just walked around and posed the whole time. I mean I GUESS they could have given her a 7 because it was obvious she’d be leaving that night anyway but meh. I think it’s good she left before team dances because she probably would have brought whoever would have been on her team down. 6
Carlos/Witney – Well, this wasn’t the disaster I expected. Witney (or whoever did choreo for this number) had a tough job but it turned out pretty well, and Carlos handled that costume mishap like a pro. Ideally I want him out next week but we all know that won’t happen. 9
Nick/Sharna – Nick often slips off my radar (so does Andy tbh) but he’s back on it after last night! I don’t know what to say other than it was incredible! I don’t know if it will be this season, but I definitely see a Mirrorball in Sharna’s future! I can’t wait to see what they have next week. I’m kinda hoping for a quickstep or rumba (did they already do a rumba? I can’t remember). 10
Alek/Lindsay – Latin really doesn’t seem to be Alek’s thing, and I worry for him if/when he gets a salsa or samba. I think the reason Carrie Ann told him to work with Artem was because a lot of the other male dancers that could help are still working with partners right now (though after next week Mark will probably be free). I still think they’ll be safe because as we listed last week they have pretty much EVERYTHING going for them votes-wise. For his sake I hope he gets a waltz or MAYBE a contemporary next week. 7
Tamar/Val – They had the biggest hurdles to overcome tonight and did so exceptionally. She did so well staying in sync (better than some of the pros tbh) especially after having to miss so much rehearsal time. If they’re luck they’ll have contemporary next week because I do think she’s better side-by-side than in hold, which could hurt her in the near future, but she’ll be safe next week. 10
Court, reading over what you said about “the lift” and your studies on it, makes me respect what Derek did last night even more. Amazing!!
Great rankings, Court.
I’m glad you reinforced how incredibly difficult it is to do the Dirty Dancing lift. I definitely saw Derek shaking initially until he and Bindi got the lift stabilized. Derek is beautifully fit, but he doesn’t have a lifter’s build and in addition to being a dance novice, Bindi doesn’t have the sylph-like physique of a lot of female dancers. The way they worked together as a team to steady and then hold that lift for so long just impressed the heck out of me. I agree, I think Alek is made for that lift and would love to see him try it.
Thanks for the insight into the Twitter activity of Hayes’s fans. I was wondering if they were starting to lose the plot. For Hayes and Emma’s sake, I hope somebody reminds them that trending on Twitter doesn’t do squat in terms of keeping their boy on the show.
Alexa’s hosing from the judges and her tears made me sad. I was so sorry for her and angry at the judges, that I threw her some votes. Probably won’t be enough, though. I wonder if TPTB want Alexa out because she’s as good a dancer as Tamar and more likeable? If Alexa could hold onto her mojo, I think she and mark would noticeably out-perform Tamar and Val which would make it harder to keep the Reigning Champ on track for the finals.
Did anybody else notice how Patricia has only given the rights to genes work to only 2 pros aka the best choregraphers derek and alli plus derek being singled our for genes legendary signature dance. It goes to show who the r the best in the biz
Very much in agreement with your rankings. And some dances were more “iconic” than others IMO. It’s about audience demographics too. I’m showing my age now, but with the exception of Alek & Lindsay, I rank the older stuff at the top.
Bindi/Derek – that lift is tough (love the health insurance commercial showing an epic fail) and Derek was gorgeous in all black and shirt sleeves.
Nick/Sharna – this was my era and Nick was fantastic, samba choreography was seamless, and CAI can bite me.
Allison/Andy – this is where I disagree. For me, it was delightful and they finally gelled as a couple with a less frantic Allison.
Carlos/Witney – so I’ve never seen the movie (may have to now), but I definitely enjoyed it. He wasn’t as sharp as last week, but did sell it.
Alexa/Mark – this was better than the scores, even though she wasn’t grounded and her arm movements were odd. It was unfortunate. I felt bad when she cried and Mark hugged her.
Alek/Lindsay – he clicked about halfway through the routine. For as close to almost anyone just off the street as Alek is, he has done fantastic, but I don’t see him going the distance.
Hayes/Emma – wasn’t feeling it either. He’s cute and moves well.I know he’s a kid, but there was no heat.
Tamar/Val – it was okay, but very one-note. I guess that’s the style, but not my taste.
Looking forward to team dances and Halloween week!
Phew! I was starting to think I was off-kilter thinking that Andy was way overscored and that Tamar didn’t really deserve a 40, either. Maaaaybe straight 9s with an errant, but a 40 for both? Ridiculous. No way. As for Alexa, I smh as the judges talked down to her. I’m not sure how it was “fair” to give her THAT when there were such juicy routines in the mix. :/
There’s nothing I can add to what Courtney said. I agree with it all.
My favorites were Bindi, Nick and Hayes. I’m glad Paula (and Louis) are gone. That outfit she had on, and I know that was how the dance was originally done, was distracting, and the shorts Louis had on I could have done without.
I do think Alexa could be in jeopardy again next week and I can see TPTB putting Carlos right there with her.
@Josi – I would put money on it that Derek called in a favor to get that song cleared for Allison – and I think Patricia cleared it as a favor for Derek, rather than it being some sort of commentary on Allison’s skill set as a choreographer. Allison may be a great contemporary dancer, but as far as ballroom goes? She’s quite poor. Not sure I’d pull out “best in the biz” to describe her skills as a choreographer.
I can’t figure you Lindsay’s opening reference either? Anyone????
I thought Leah was particularly stiff last night too.
I’m not sure anyone deserved a perfect score last night. I would have given Derek & Bindi one 9. 10 for effort but it wasn’t as smooth as their best.
Tamar bores me. She mimicked the moves but gave no emotional connection to the dance or Val. I know she was sick, so I’ll give her some slack.
Loved the pre-taped bits for Alek & Nick in character. I think Alek & Lindsay were underscored.
Final thought. I’m totally distracted whenever Sasha is on stage. Love him!
I’m hoping that whatever dance Alexa and Mark get next week, they absolutely kill it. So much so, that the judges praise them and give them good and correct scores.
Honestly, I’ve been kind of meh on Alexa, but seeing her consistently underscored and underpraised has made me a supporter of her.
If the judges feel the need to pick on someone, then they need to make sure that contestant can handle it or roll with it. Alexa is clearly sensitive and emotional about this whole experience. I’m not saying she should be handled with kid gloves, but a little empathy and encouragement would go a long way.
My rankings are pretty much the same except switch out Tamar for Andy and put her in last And Carlos in second to last. I think my major issue with penavegas last night were complete polar opposites. Alexa isn’t going to be Britney Spears overnight and did her best but it still felt like the troupe wasn’t necessary but she was having a blast. Then we have Carlos and the troupe was a plus but he looked like a dancing robot and not happy until it was over. i kinda hope Alexa stays over Carlos.
Mark is always underscored. Alexa killed that cha cha. The judges always have to find something wrong with the dance. There was nothing wrong with that dance. It should have gotten at least 2 10’s and 2 9’s, but yet again the judges proved how much they hate Mark Ballas. They can’t stand him because of his amazing artistic non traditional style and creativity. The judges don’t treat him fairly and now I see why. They would hate to see Mark win his 3rd Mirror Ball Trophy. And I know this is to much but they want Alexa to be eliminated. I hope her or Carlos win. If they do, they deserve it.
Whoa, that’s a boatload of hyperbole there CH.
CH, go eat a Snickers.
I enjoyed “famous” dance night much more than I expected to! I really appreciated that the pros captured the essence of these iconic dances without being slavish to the original, longer dances. And that was really tough including props, inexperienced partners, shorter rehearsal times and doing these live.
I agree that the judges were wonky though! So was the running order, which does effect the scoring/ votes. I realize that my rankings are influenced by how I relate to the originals. Did the judges though? Gene Kelly was my first, biggest and most enduring crush. So probably not surprising that I rank Andy & Allison on top here. I was so touched by both of their reverence for Gene and the seminal number that I would have forgiven them some bobbles. But I thought the choreography was great here (even less busy and frenetic than Gene’s) and they really got the infectious spirit of the original.
Second I’d tie Bindi & Derek plus Nick and Sharna. Great choreography and execution from both teams!
Magic Mike wasn’t as cringe worthy as I feared it would be. Witney had a tough “famous” solo dance to contend with and the need to make it nominally a rumba plus deal with Carlos. Mark too had an awkward original to work with. I just wish he’d realize that the way out there costuming he often chooses for himself distracts from his celebrity and the dance. And booooooooooo to those judges. Why were they in the spirit of the night, 10’s, for some couples and not others?!! I thought they were particularly stingy with Alexa and Paula, whom I expect they knew was going home. At least Paula seemed to have had a fun week and she left with her head high. And what a lovely boy Hayes is. I saw him go to Paula and Louis immediately after the announcement.
I shouldn’t have been shocked but I was so disappointed when Hayes had no idea what Grease is and that he didn’t seem into the iconic nature of what they were trying to pay homage to. But Emma sure did! She made an outstanding Sandy. I loved Alek trying to channel the King! And Lindsay’s costume was adorable! I really, really hope to see them for several more weeks but I can see it will be tough going now. Tamar was given probably the most perfectly fitting dance they could give her and she did well. It’s a shame that she was feeling so poorly this week. But for the first time, I saw her as being perfectly matched with Val when they showed her whining that she can do no right in the eyes of the judges and that she wants to win this, damn it! Honey, have you heard CAI? Frankly, she thinks more of you than either Val or I do!
Did anyone else find it disingenuous of Val to say he felt bad for his partner and his job was to build her confidence back up this week? He is so busy trying to copy Derek with Alexa yet it came off as rather fake after the things he’s said of Tamar on camera up until this week.
Did anyone answer #1’s question on what dance Lindsay was doing for the opening number? I am super curious too!
Pretty much agree with Court on these dances. Derek and Bindi holding that lift was amazing considering her body type and no previous dance experience under that pressure. Kudos to them for pulling it off and doing a memorable dance.
Loved Nick’s dance last night and Sharna did a great job with choreo. Nick really seemed to embrace the disco era. My other fav to watch was Allison and Andy. Their dance just seemed fun to me and played well on tv.
I have enjoyed Alexa but when she was dancing last night I thought to myself, “Oh no, she just seems off for some reason”. Not sure why I felt that way but she just didn’t seem in the dance to me last night. The judges do seem to pick on her a little with the scores and go a little in the other direction for Tamar. Not sure what is up with that except Val and the tour. I do feel that Alexa was underscored last night.
Hayes and Carlos are just sometimes forgettable to me. I really enjoyed Carlos dance last week but this week was just not my fav. I do think he did an ok job with what he was given to work with. Hayes is likeable but some of his moves really seem choppy at times. Alex is so darn nice but I really like him dancing in a hold a lot better than the latin dances.
Overall, I enjoyed everyone last night. I always love Halloween night and am sure this next week will be great. Love that Derek and Mark are on the same team for Halloween and hope they have a great team song since they are both in town this year and can work on concepts together. Should be a great week.
I’m 99% sure Lindsay’s part was The Music and The Mirror from A Chorus Line.
Thankyou to the owners of this blog, you do an amazing job, you make dwts much more interesting. I love your power rankings and agree with most of your comments. You often make me realize – yes exactly, that was the problem with a certain dance.
My random (and unskilled) thoughts:
* Bindi and Derek: They did an amazing job, and the lift was pure courage, so impressive. Anyway: I felt like this dance was a tad overscored. It looked like Bindi was unsteady sometimes, and the dance was not flawless. No matter what: I loved it, but it didn’t deserve four tens (neither did Val and Tamar nor Allison and Andy). Maybe one or two:-)
* Alexa and Mark: The snake was scary and imo disturbing. I loved their dance however. Mark is so creative, even if he sometimes goes too far. He deserves more cred than he normally is given. To me it is impossible to understand the treatment Mark and his partners get from the judges. I also agree with those commenting that there is something strange with the relationship between Alexa and Mark, and unfortunately Mark is not able to hide it.
* Hayes and Emma. Their partnership is my favourite this season followed by Bindi and Derek. Emma is a clever teacher, and Hayes is the perfect student. What an extrordinary 15-year-old. Their tricks were fantastic, but I agree with Bruno’s comment.
* Alek and Lindsay: Not their best dance (and package) this week, I hope for them to come back. Lindsay has a great season.
Since I didn’t see an answer to the question. Lindsay was representing the famous mirror scene from A Chorus Line. Hence the dancers in top hats (One…Singular Sensation) coming out from behind the mirrors.
A Chorus Line is the scene depicted with the mirrors. Loved that movie! Stars Michael Douglas.
Ugh. Chorus Line the Movie is NOT iconic or famous. The Broadway show, on the other hand….
Loved Andy and Allison’s dance so much and it made me so happy to watch! Plus it looked so complicated with all the stairs and was so happy to see Andy dancing his heart out!!
Also loved how Sharna got both of the Travolta love interests in the routine. I thought Nick could’ve used more Travolta pelvic hip action but it was hard to see with his baggy pants.
Not happy seeing Alek getting picked on for silly things. No way he and Alexa deserved those 7’s. I thought they should’ve received all 8’s and Paula could’ve gotten all 7’s since she did all the vogueing that was required of her!
Thanks for the Chorus Line answer! I guess I was thrown off by the Lindsay’s dress!
Sorry, CM, hadn’t refreshed my feed to see you had answered the Lindsay question.
As for the night, Bindi and Derek were my favorites with well-deserved scores. And if I remember right, Patrick Swayze shook when he lifted Jen Grey too!
I really enjoyed Andy’s dance but didn’t think it was worth all 10s. He did improve greatly though.
Nick did well but I’m just not a fan. He seems to be self conscious when he dances and it’s turning me off.
I think Alexa deserved a better song. Not iconic to me. And I would have given her 8s since that’s what was given to Hayes who I think did not sell his dance at all. He just didn’t have energy or charisma in that number.
Carlos did well for a dance he seemed uncomfortable doing. Still don’t connect with him.
Tamar did very well considering she had limited time, but most of that dance was done without any partnering, so there you go.
Alek does need to start showing more facial expression and not just doing the steps he’s learned. He’s done amazing considering he’s a not a performer, but he needs to step it up now that we’re halfway through the season. But agree Derek or Mark are the ones to help him with that, not Artem!
Courtney, I know it sounds like I’m overreacting, but those judges really do hate Mark because he’s more creative and artistic. It’s almost like they would be so mad if he becomes a 3x champion.
Awesome rankings Courtney!
I’m absolutely with you on the opinion of the night. Very manipulative and selectively generous.
Bindi/Derek- These two did such an incredible job in both paying homage to Dirty Dancing (that lift was absolutely spectacular and it was a marvel they pulled it off so well!) and giving it a nice little twist to make it their own. Bindi danced it beautifully. Minor little things I thought it needed (like a little more hip action, little better footwork), but overall it was so great.
Nick/Sharna- I cannot find myself connecting to Nick at all. He’s got an intensity that keeps me from getting immersed. I also feel like his arms were a bit stiff at times, but overall, this was another great routine. Samba’s HARD, and he was able to dance it as well as the disco parts with great skill and good performance power.
Tamar/Val- I honestly don’t see how in the world this got a perfect score. Was it good? Yeah sure. I also commend her for performing like that despite being sick all week. That being said, this dance was just odd and…kinda boring to me. Tamar had a blank expression almost the whole time, was a bit loose on parts she needed to be very sharp and crisp, and the choreography just got bland, repetitive and uninteresting to me at times. It was pretty good for sure, but not even close to perfect score for me. I think she’s not getting the votes either.
Carlos/Witney- I thought they did a good job with the crap they were given, but even then I can’t say I really cared for it a whole lot. The rumba sections and the transitions were awkward, the rumba done was a bit odd looking (not really graceful to me), and I’m not sure how I feel on Carlos as a performer. I really don’t think he deserved two 10s. More like 9s at the most.
Alek/Lindsay- Judges ripped the poor guy apart when I think he actually did a nice job, better than I expected. His energy, facial expressions, and technique are improving each week, and they treat him like he’s downgrading. This is why I don’t like that they gave him ALL ballroom dances at the beginning. Those were far more natural and well-suited for him. Couples should be given mixes and have them spread out. Jive wasn’t Alek’s best, but not his worst either. I would’ve given him all 8s.
Hayes- I enjoyed Hayes’s dance! It was fun, paid homage, and pretty well-executed. I may not have noticed all the mistakes, but I would’ve given it a point or two more than it received. Hayes has grown on me as the weeks go on.
Andy- Andy did a fabulous job! His best yet I agree. However, I wouldn’t have given that a 40 either. He did make some small errors and I agree about his limbs compared to Allison’s. They’re noticeably lacking control. That being said, it was smooth, fun, so great to watch, well-choreographed, and pretty clean! I would’ve given it straight 9s for sure.
Alexa- Judges smashed this poor girl too 🙁 I agree she was given a short end of the stick. Between the snake, sex kitten crap, and just weird dance in and of itself? She had a lot of crap going on that hampered her more than helped her. I thought she did well with what she was given. Her legs and hips did pretty well in the cha cha sections, she animated and performed fairly well, and Mark’s choreo was fairly interesting. She deserved at least all 8s to me. I hope she doesn’t go home, because I don’t think she deserves it.
I agree with the poster who would put Tamar last in the rankings and want Carlos to leave before Alexa.
I don’t blame Mark for being mad for the bum edits, negative judging comments and underscoring. I don’t get it either.
Wow patrick did shake like derek I just watched original but u wouldn’t have caught it since the camera panned or cut away since it is a movie they can do it in several shots
Sorry, CH, you sound like a crazed fangirl. Why on earth would the producers care if Mark wins a 3rd when Derek has FIVE?? Why would they not like him when he is one of the pros most likely to get Emmy nominations once Derek is gone – or even while Derek is still around??
If you’re going to make an argument, use LOGIC. Now, why would the judges want to underscore Alexa last night? I can see no obvious reason, but my guess is that it has something to do with *Alexa* and little to do with Mark. I’ve wracked my brain trying to figure out why they would hose Mark and I can’t come up with a LOGICAL reason. The only thing I can see them wanting to do is to Pimp the pros who will go on tour – but that is NOT the same thing as hosing Mark. Not at all. They can do ONE without having to do the other. Think logically. Every pro gets hosed – Derek more than most, actually. But the reason I think Derek gets hosed (mostly by Len, in the past) is because he’s held to a higher standard. What a 10 dance is for other pros, often seems to be an 8 or 9 dance for Derek. So, could this be the same situation for Mark? Sure. Is it possible that Alexa’s dance with Derek in Week 5 was SO good that last night’s dance suffered by comparison? Very much possible. Even likely. Does this mean they hate Mark?? Of course not. Is it fair?? NO, not at all. But that’s the way it goes sometimes. The judges aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed, as my father would say. Unfortunately, them wising up may come too late for Alexa.
Can’t believe that I have never caught that before and I have seen the movie over a zillion times but hey I was dreaming about derek playing johnny everytime so I never payed close attention
Preach it Court. I just hate the meddling. To have ten points in between Alexa and Alek and Tamar and Andy is BS! They were not that much worse than the 10’s. Really bothers me. I could understand 5-7 points separating the “top” from the “bottom” but 10 points? 7’s for Alexa and Alek? I’m calling BS.
It just sucks because they pretty much narrow it down for next weeks elimination from 8 to 3 just due to the biased out of whack scoring. You gott figure Hayes, Alek, and Alexa are so far behind the rest it has to be one of them next week which sucks because I like all 3 of them far better than Andy or Tamar.
I just watched the original too – and I never realized but the camera is only on them in the lift for 1 or 2 seconds before it cuts to the mom and dad. You do see Patrick shake a bit and by the time the camera pans back to them he’s lowering her to the ground. Theoretically, the amount of time Patrick actually held Jennifer above he head could have been far shorter than what Derek did, considering the cut away.
Perhaps it’s that Alexa is more confident when dancing in hold and she doesn’t have to worry about her arms, especially with the tango and Derek just is masterful when leading. I can’t remember if Alexa danced in hold with Mark. Wasn’t the original Britney Slave dance mainly just looking sexy, writhing and belly dancing? Chances were she wasn’t going to get great scores anyway with the Slave dance. They probably just wanted the married couple to do sexy dances this week. I’m hoping next week will be positive for her.
But I definitely don’t think it’s because tptb don’t want Mark to win another Mirrorball.
I thought it was interesting in the package when Alexa said she did so well with Derek last week because she responds to positive reinforcement and that she hoped Mark would hear that. It makes me wonder if Mark gets frustrated in rehearsal. Just wondering! And before anyone jumps on me, I like Mark. I am just wondering since she made the comment.
I have to say I really like Carlos now. I think he is doing a good job with his dances and I agree with him for the fact that he did not want to do the Magic Mike dance after talking about his faith. when Julianne made the comment about him being committed to this competition all I can think was he can be committed to the competition but he’s also committed to his faith.
As for Alexa I thought she actually did a good job with her dance. I mean she danced with the snake what more did they want from her.
Bindi and Derek did amazing as always. Bindi is doing really good in this competition she gives it her all and she’s so nice I love her personality.
And I thought I was the only one who noticed the out of sync moments in Andy and Allison’s dance.
One interesting aside — note the difference between the Gene Kelly estate and the Fred Astaire estate (which has been notoriously unwilling to license or allow use of Fred’s clips or choreo — even for a tribute to Ginger Rogers when she was still living). It’s fair to say that the popularity of ballroom dancing (and ice dancing) owes the most to Fred Astaire’s choreo in the Astaire/Rogers movies, and yet none of that work got reprised in a meaningful way last night — I don’t count Tony and Anna’s pretty but non-specific tribute to Astaire/Rogers as a reprise, really.
When you say no other pro could pull off that lift Bindi and Derek did, you must be forgetting that Val and Rumor pulled it off quite well and with no shaking in their contemporary ballet routine.
You mean the two second lift that RUMER & Val did vs. the 5+ second one that Bindi & Derek did, JMJ? Of course he didn’t shake – he only held her up there for a few seconds. The shaking is the result of sustained muscle fatigue. Hard to get it when you’re only hoisting your partner up and then almost immediately back down.
And after witnessing Val nearly dropping Julianne twice – he’s nowhere near my list of competent-lifting male pros. Nice try, though.
Yet, Val almost DROPPED Julianne in that number she did with all the male pros during the live show…and didn’t he actually drop her in rehearsals?? Rumer is trained in dance…Bindi is not and because she has Derek as her Pro, she’s a beautiful dancer. Look at what he did with Maria Menounos, Joanna Krupa, Kellie Pickler… Heck, he even made Lil Kim likable. Val has been given celeb after celeb with substantial dance experience and Rumer is one of them, plus the blatant pimping of her and Val all season long?
I agree with your rankings Courtney…I’m so happy that they pulled off that lift. I’m bummed that Nick also didn’t get a perfect score as I loved that number. Alexa was majorly hosed. Should’ve been all 8’s.
It’ll be interesting to see how the remainder of this season pans out.
I agree with the power ranking. My favorite of the night is Nick and Sharna disco/samba combo. Bindi/Derek also did really well. To this date, I still think the top 2 will be Bindi and Nick (with Bindi winning).
Remember Val and Janel freestyle he was struggling there too to lift her up. Doing it with a trained dancer is way different from doing with a non trained dancer who is just learning to dance. Give credit where it is due in fact Derek shaking made it even more real to me on how much effort it takes to pull of a lift like tat.
LOL to Val being a good lifter.
I don’t think anyone here will believe that Val is good with lifts! Haha
I’m still kinda pissed that Carrie Ann said to the viewing audience that Tamar’s routine was the most difficult of the night to boost how incredible Tamar and Val must be!! Pulease!
Saying Val is a great lifter is like saying Donald Trump is humble.?
can we not compare Val to Derek. Derek is a two-time Emmy winning choreographer and has won the mirror ball trophy 5 times with dancers and non dancers. What has Val done other than winning one mirror ball trophy that was pretty much handed to him with a star that has A- list celebrity parents and has been trained in dancing. don’t get me wrong I like Val sometimes but he does not live up to the expectations of what derek has successfully accomplished.
Derek and val will never be listed together becuse derek is on a whole other list that I’d say maybe 10 other dancers in history are on who happen to be legends along with derek
Did you say Val was a good liar…. oh, lifter! Riiight! 😉 Thought we weren’t talking about him anymore!
Derek and Bindi did a fantastic job last night! That lift was unreal! I also enjoyed Nick and Sharna and Andy and Allison.
Love Courtney’s explanation on why some couples are being over scored and some underscored!
I’m really looking forward to Dancing with the Numbers. I’m thinking it’s Andy or Alexa who may be in trouble, but I can see Tamar and Hayes being in trouble too.
Thank to those who answered my Q (#1)
Overall, I enjoyed the show and I liked the theme, although when I think of iconic dances, music videos don’t immediately come to mind. The comments about A Chorus Line made me think about all the iconic movie dances that it would have been great to see included in this kind of theme night. I know that there are always issues with getting clearance for music and choreography, but wouldn’t a jazz or broadway theme, with music from A Chorus Line or some of the Fosse choreographed shows (movies or broadway) be fun? Especially if the guest judge was someone like Kelly Bishop (aka Mrs. Gilmore) or Ann Reinking, who actually danced on Broadway too.
Does Carrie Ann so fixated on making Tamar and her partner happen? She probably have a to-do list of “how to make Tamar (mostly her partner) look extremely good every week”…check…check…Carrie Ann= the only bias judge and it’s obvious from day one. Read her first blog…or maybe you shouldn’t. Are people trying to compare (insert name here) and Derek because the lift Rumer & her partner did last season? Uhm, Rumer had training in aerial while Bindi spend most of her day in the Australian Zoo. Wonder why he dropped Julianne and not Rumer? Anyway, thanks again for this Power Rankings. I didn’t watch all the dances so this gives me some idea.
WARNING! Potentially dazed and confused imagination at work/play here:
Are TPTB adopting a strategy to try and get fans to take great umbrage at the inequities being callously perpetrated on the dear lady Alexa, thus compelling them to start voting for her because they want to keep the marrieds in?
My knight in shining armor was definitely stirred and awoken to the challenge. I was prompted to thrust two thirds of my votes into the heart of the fire breathing beast of DWTS injustice Monday night. And those were the first and only votes I’ve ever given, or even thought of giving Alexa all season. Not even after her triumphant achievement with Sir Derek did I cast a single vote her way, but after the agony on display at the last elim, my ire and thirst for justice were well and truly ignited.
And judging by some of the comments in this thread, I’d say the feeling has spread. Susan2, I’m reading you!
So, in the immortal words of Sir William of Clinton, “I feel your pain.” And dear Lady Alexa, I do! And I will come to your aid with my sheath of voting arrows every week till the vile villainy against you has been vanquished in verity. V for Victory! Or top 3. 🙂
@ Christian W – I love the way that you write. So entertaining to read. 🙂
I felt really bad for Alexa last night. I didn’t care for her dance but her crying got me all teared up. However, I didn’t throw any of my votes to her in the end. I hope she doesn’t go home next week but the ones that I would want to go instead of her got really high scores (Carlos and Tamar to be specific).
I just had a random thought: if Alexa did get a bunch of sympathy votes last night, what if it’s Hayes that gets eliminated instead? He’s only two points higher than her and his voting fanbase is pretty iffy, I think. Alek got the same scores as Alexa but I’m pretty sure he’s safe next week. I don’t know… can’t wait for PH’s numbers post.
Heidi, watch the uncensored version of ‘The Time of My Life’ on Youtube (by Moveclips) in HD where they don’t cut the scene to mom and dad but showed Patrick holding Grey up there all the time! He wasn’t shaking at all. I think Derek barely pulled it off, also Bindi’s posture during the lift was nowhere as amazing as Grey’s. Maybe Bindi was too heavy to lift? I feel they could not do justice to the iconic lift. I was probably expecting too much from them and at the end was not satisfied. 🙁
PDH I think there are few more points to be considered it was a live show with just one take Jennifer and Patrick did not have the same pressure what Derek and Bindi had if things went wrong they cud do it all over again which was not the case with Bindi and Derek. They pulled it off and Derek held her for 5 to 6 sec and yet some are not happy with the way it was done so that itself tells how much pressure there was for them to do it and even expecting a girl who just started dancing to pull of that posture what Jennifer was know for is bit expecting too much. You also answered one of the points Bindi is also not feather light like Jennifer and Jennifer nd Patrick were not exactly dancing before going into the lift like DnB tats cut and edit. So all things considered I wud say they did an excellent job
I just love how many armchair dance critics have come out of the woodwork to nitpick about “the lift”. Gonna hit you with a few pieces of truth, PDS:
*Patrick & Jennifer had several months to perfect the lift. Derek & Bindi had about 5 days. Would you really expect the same quality from the two couples with such a disparity in the amount of time they had to rehearse? That’s like complaining that a bottle of wine that has been aging for a few months doesn’t taste as good as a bottle that has been aging for a few years. In other words – it’s idiotic.
*”Maybe Bindi was too heavy for the lift” is both ignorant and kinda mean. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say this again: lifting has less to do with body WEIGHT and more to do with weight DISTRIBUTION. It is MUCH easier to lift someone that is short and compact than it is to lift someone that is tall & lanky, as it’s easier to balance a shorter person on their center of mass. And Bindi is suddenly “heavy”? If you think she’s heavy, then the Kardashians must be downright obese.
*If you think they couldn’t do justice to that precious “iconic lift”, go bitch about it to the producers – because THEY were the ones pushing Derek to include it.
I can’t imagine what a nightmare that lift is to pull off with a non-dancer and in the limited time they had to perfect it.
You could probably go down a list of forty things that need to be done in the correct sequence for that lift to come off without a hitch.
Simply imagine the momentum needed for Derek to lift his partner overhead, then imagine again the control needed to STOP that forward momentum so as not to have both himself and Bindi pitch backwards.
I could see Bindi fighting like hell to hold her body straight in the air at the top of the lift. She fought like a tiger and she should be very proud of herself.
All this talk about “the lift”, I would LOVE to read the 25 page paper Courtney did on it. I am sure it would be a very interesting read.
Adding tread to her skirt and finally sewing her dress to her underwear seconds before they performed so her dress wouldn’t slide up and throw off the lift added stress too. That they did this live in one take with a non professional after only a week of trying is truely remarkable. The entire dance did retain the essence of the movie, paid a wonderful homage and deserved that 40. Well done.
@Heather B – I actually emailed my old prof yesterday to see if she had a copy 🙂 The computer I had in college crashed about 5 years ago, and of course the PDF of it was on that computer. I could probably rewrite a condensed, more relevant version as it applies to DWTS – my original had a lot of arcane, kinesiology & physics-related jargon in it that had more to do with concentric vs. eccentric muscle contractions, angular momentum, etc.
Oh, Courtney #73, do you think you could? I would love to read it, especially since there seemed to be some disgruntled with how Bindi and Derek did that lift, which was awesome to me, considering the pressure that recreating that iconic dance and that lift LIVE. Thanks in advance. 🙂
I would love to read a more relevant version as it applies to dwts. The physics related jargon might be little over my head -pun intended?
#66 Jane Hayes in possible jeopardy as a result of chivalric or empathetic struggles. Unholy unintended potential results, Batgirl!
Dang, my arms are shaking as hard as Derek’s during that lift as I type this. What to do? what to do?! I’m good at being noble but my degree from Sir Galahad U. hasn’t prepared me for this. Help any and all dancing dragon slayers out there! A call to arms, phone lines and Facebook!
And you know I hope you get your desire for Tamar to go over Carlos, or we’re going to have a whole new go around of tears and soul crushing angst and despair — relatively speaking (pun shamefully intended).
May I also add that Patrick was a trained ballett dancer, thats what male ballett dancers do, lifting. I doubt Derek had that much training in lifting techniques, I also think Bindi does not have the same body tension Jennifer had back then.
Just rewatch Cheryl and Tony Season 2 doing the lift, considering all that I think Derek and Bindi did remarkable.
#7 Josi, I liked your explanation in regards to Derek & Bindi’s lift. Not to mention she’s a novice and respectively not the size of your average ballroom dancer or Jennifer Grey for that matter. You could see the friction in both Patrick S. when he lifted Jennifer & Tony when he lifted Cheryl B. -who by the way was terrified and she’s a pro. 🙂 After this I have even more respect for Derek as a performer, teacher and choreographer. Its evident his main priority is his partner.
ITA with the Power Ranking this week.
Bindi & Derek just took me back to growing up in the 80s. They, IMO had the most pressure put on them because this was not only an Iconic dance, it is probably the most beloved dance film of all times. They delivered it to perfection. When Derek spoke in the beginning I felt like the ballroom stood still. He really did embody the spirit of Patrick S. and character of Johnny Castle for me. Bindi with her sass and fun spirit was Baby through and through. Funny how Jennifer said she is more Baby then she was in the film. Loved the twirling at the end by the male pros. This performance made me smile and cry. Loved it!!!
I also really enjoyed Andy & Allison’s performance made me smile throughout.
Nick & Sharna – Nick was good and he embodied the character but was not a fluid as John in some movements. Still a very good performance.
I felt bad for Alexa and you could see the hurt in Mark’s face. I think I would have given them all 8s. It took nerves to dance with a snake 🙂
Tamar & Val. I knew she would because she performs best when she dances alone. Understandably because she’s a singer and performer so it must be difficult to separate the two. This took me back as well. Great job.
Carlos & Witney: Okay it was sexy-not my favorite performance but my sister went wild for it 🙂 ITA that Chatum is a full out dancer not just a sexy performer. This had a nice blend. Still surprised it was chosen to be performed on DWTS.
Overall, I really enjoyed the show.
I think in some of these dances, the concept, prestige, and expectations all guaranteed that anything resembling a great routine was going to get a perfect score. Patricia Kelly grants the rights to Good Morning, and it’s a pretty darn good routine? Perfect score. Derek and Bindi do a darn good job of emulating a super famous dance and the most renowned lift? Perfect score. The producers get the rights to friggen Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation and Tamar does a pretty good job for a super difficult dance and in the face of being ill? Perfect Score (this one also seems to meet the needs of TPTB, so double the interest in scoring it as high as can be).
So anyway, my point being is that I would have been shocked if those routines didn’t get a perfect score. Same with Derek and Bethany’s Singing in the Rain last year – it was pretty simple choreography, but well done, and I knew it was destined for perfection if there was no super obvious issues.
PDS, Patrick was indeed shaking. Derek DID pull it off. Best learn to deal with it. Jennifer had a lot more rehearsal of that lift in the lake than Bindi did and Bindi has a chest that Jennifer does not. And yet, Derek DID pull it off. Too bad you weren’t satisfied when so many were. Now, how did you feel when Val dropped Julianne TWICE in a much easier lift??
Yes, exactly Figamentation! I agree and have no problems with several of these dances receiving perfect scores. I was hugely entertained by famous dances night, I even feel kindly towards my least favorite numbers/ contestants. I just wish the stooges were more even in the scores they gave out. They really were a bit too stingy to some.
And of course, there is plenty of room to side eye the producers who chose the famous dances for each team. It’s obvious that Time of Your Life from Dirty Dancing had to be included and Alexa or Bindi were the only possible choices for Baby. Tamar is too tall plus we’ve all seen that she has trouble trusting/ connecting with a male partner. But Bindi has the age and personality for Baby. And I don’t know if Mark would have been an appropriate pro to ask to take on that lift in 5 days. He doesn’t rely on lifts much in his routines either and he’s a bit shorter than Derek. Plus, he doesn’t have a Johnny Castle vibe at all.
What interested me about the dances the producers chose was to include videos! To my eyes, a totally different type of famous and a different generation. And it wasn’t like there weren’t other iconic dances from Broadway and films that could have been used. But I’m sure TPTB had reasons.
I really struggle with this whole thing because of Alexa’s routine. It really is a weird and unnecessary added element to give her a big-ass snake which she was slightly scared of. I think that threw her off totally, and she actually seemed scared of getting bitten. It’s a real shame because I thought her Cha-Cha was actually pretty good. Yes the snake is really what made Britney’s performance iconic, if it was at all. I love Britney, especially that era of Britney, but I’m not sure this counts as iconic. If you can’t do without Wriggly Joe, give them another dance. There are thousands. Why that one? It’s just a shitstorm, and unfortunately it’s a shitstorm which means she is almost certainly going home next week.
To each their own, Heidi. You thought they pulled it off brilliantly, i thought they couldn’t. #differentviews
Maybe, my exceptions were too high, and it failed to meet my expectations. So let’s agree to disagree. 🙂
Why are you bringing Val to this discussion? Him dropping Julianne is not even relevant to this discussion. LOL. We were discussing about the iconic Dirty Dancing lift, which you thought D & B pulled off amazingly, i thought they failed to do justice. So let’s keep it at that. 🙂
Of course you want to keep it at that, PDS. But we’re talking lifts – Val dropped Julianne twice, so when you critique Derek for a simple arm shake, one has to wonder how you describe your reaction to actual drops. Ignoring it is very convenient.
Not “iconic” Mr A – *famous*. You can be famous without being iconic…kinda like the kardashians. 🙂 That dance is certainly famous – it’s famous because of the snake, etc. But not iconic. Dirty Dancing is both famous and iconic. I do find it interesting that they chose their word so carefully and that they decided to throw in music videos. I mean, why? Surely there were other movie dances that would clear.
Yeah, I keep getting stuck on famous=/= iconic. Interestingly, Tom used PH’s word, iconic, a lot during the night. Like Pony from Magic Mike definitely isn’t iconic! That number and the decision to include music videos probably stemmed from the ongoing effort to bring in a more youthful audience or at the least, make DWTS look more pop relevant to the advertisers, who pay up for that. And remember the classic axiom, sex sells.
I expect when they first thought of using I’m a Slave 4 U with a live snake, they probably intended Bindi to do that number. But when they actually began figuring out the entire program, they realized that Bindi and Derek had to do Dirty Dancing. If Carlos objected to Magic Mike right away, they should have been able to switch that with another male contestant, probably Andy. Just last season we saw Allison negotiate a bare chest with Riker and ask for a less explicit song for him one week for a non- specified onscreen reason. We know Val has asked for changes. Even on Disney night, another difficult one to put together. From what I’ve seen onscreen of this season’s celebs, they seemed to have done a good job of matching them up with famous dances, even if some weren’t quite as good as others. But couldn’t they have gone for a fake snake? Or, just choose a different song since they weren’t going to have Bindi the snake handler. And who pissed in CAI and company’s cornflakes that they lit into some of the couples while tongue bathing others?!! Alexa and Paula weren’t sexy enough while Tamar had the hardest routine of the night? REALLY?!! Tamar, a trained, experienced performer didn’t have to step out of her comfort zone since she was assigned probably the most perfectly fitting dance possible. She executed it well and I don’t begrudge her the perfect score. I just think the stooges were unnecessarily harsh on others.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think TPTB would have ever had Bindi, who is underage, do the Britney number. It would have really been upsetting to too many viewers, and might have also upset her family. But, there was no requirement to use Britney, Mark and Alexa might have done well to “You’re The One That I Want” — but there was definitely some kind of agenda to have the PenaVegas take on the sexy in their numbers.
You know isn’t true Kathy2. I am a Derek fan but I can see the good in many dances. I don’t nitpick Val or any of the other performers. I look at their dancers as a whole and that is my experience with the mods here. However, some people are not able to set their bias aside at all. That comes from refusing to acknowledge their bias. I say upfront I am a Derek fan because I know I will always think he has an edge and is brilliant. Actually, given the fact that he has won two Emmy’s bears out he is the best. For example, do you think that Val isn’t trying to get Emmy nominations? Do you think he wouldn’t put those lifts in all the time if he could do them? You are defending something that is indefensible and that is why people get so angry. Even with Courtney talking facts that include the anatomy of lifts which is scientific not subjective, you and PDS continue to simply argue about things like that are facts. Derek is a humble person and truthfully said he was nervous. Truth and humility will always endear a person to others as opposed to arrogance. When you have trained people in these areas saying that the lift was excellent and identifying how great it was…then I have to ask myself who am I going to listen to? Bias doesn’t get you anywhere in life or in DWTS. Well unless you are a judge and have an agenda as we have seen in past seasons. And mods if I said too much…feel free to delete. You know me, I take it for so long and then I have to say something…lol.
You guys asked…I answered 🙂 https://www.puredwts.com/2015/10/21/puredwts-season-21-week-6-top-5-complaints-about-the-lift-and-why-theyre-kinda-dumb/