PureDWTS Season 22, Week 6 – Power Rankings
I feel as though now is a good time to remind everyone of a very important thing to heed when watching the rehearsal packages: BEWARE THE EDIT. Last night, we saw two packages that very clearly illustrated how the tone of a package can get skewed with the right editing – they made Nyle, the well-loved, down-to-earth frontrunner seem like a self-absorbed egomaniac; and they took Antonio, the lazy narcissist who has only put in an average of 10 hours of rehearsal time for the first 5 weeks of the season, appear to be a hard-working, misunderstood victim of his pro’s apathy. That latter in particular made me wanna toss my cookies, because as we reported (and as it’s been parroted all over Twitter) – Antonio has done nothing but make excuses for his lateness/lack of rehearsal time, and then apparently spent 45 minutes ranting to the confessional camera about how Sharna has checked out of their partnership and he’s “putting her on notice”. He failed to assume any responsibility whatsoever for their partnership failing to “boom”, cast all the blame onto her, and came across as chillingly aggressive – and yet, because of the edit he was given (and the subsequent falling into line that the judges did), he appeared to be the uber-dedicated “comeback kid” this week, and managed to skate by with nary a negative word uttered about a routine that would probably gotten torn to pieces if it had been performed by Nyle, Wanya, Paige, or even Von. On the other side of the coin, I’m fairly certain poor Nyle got baited into one of the many loaded questions production loves to ask the celebs in order to illicit some of the juicier sound bytes we hear in packages – I’m guessing it was something like “Who is your biggest competition this season? Do you think you’re sexier than anyone in the cast? Who do you see yourself beating in a wet t-shirt contest?” Given that I’ve heard nothing but praise for how Nyle was on ANTM (“the nicest guy EVER” is a phrase that gets tossed out a lot), I find it hard to believe that he’d suddenly decide to start seriously throwing shade and bragging about himself. He was JOKING, guys – but because of the edit he was given, it was made to appear serious. I’m guessing Tamar was also somewhat joking last season when she got baited into saying “I’m the best”, and I’m sure Nastia didn’t set out to come across as the icy bitch they painted her as during the infamous bad edit of season 20. Just something to keep in mind when things start feeling…off.
God bless Doug – I do think he really gave it his all this season, and for what it’s worth, I actually found myself really enjoying his Bollywood routine tonight. Karina was smart to keep it simple, and Doug kept up surprisingly well. But I do feel like he had reached a point where he wasn’t really having fun anymore, and the stress was maybe wearing on him – so I didn’t get the impression that he was all that broken up about leaving tonight. He was thankful for the experience – but he seemed ready for the ride to stop. But with Doug gone, that leaves us in an very sticky situation: there are really no more “bad” dancers left – everyone remaining ranges from decent (when he’s trying) to great. Which means the eliminations are gonna get painful from here on out, particularly this double one we’ve got coming up next week. Given who we saw in jeopardy last night, it’s entirely possible we could lose one of the stronger dancers – and that those just skating by may end up outlasting the better dancers, if people don’t start voting. Hope you did! Otherwise things could get pretty heartbreaking, pretty fast…
Can someone please explain to me the strange fixation Val has with being half-naked for no real reason at least once in every show? More often than not, multiple times? Twice last night, we saw him shirtless (once when he was also in his underwear) – and for the life of me, I cannot figure out why and how that fit choreographically with the dances he was doing at the time. I’m all ears if someone has an intelligent explanation…
1.) Antonio & Sharna – I feel the need to remind everyone that the power rankings are not a ranking of who I liked best or who I think did the best – it’s simply a ranking of how likely I think someone is to be eliminated. That being said, after the dog and pony show that was his rehearsal package and dance, I daresay he’s probably statistically more likely to get nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize than he is to get eliminated next week – the average viewer is gonna eat that sh*t right up. I would RELISH being wrong about this, but after the “poor Antonio, he’s just the hardworking victim of a lazy pro – but now our partnership is reinvigorated!” storyline of the package, and a lively dance where he actually seemed to apply himself and put in the effort…by comparison to his previous dances, Antonio is sitting awfully pretty. Note that I said in comparison to his previous dances – I didn’t say compared to OTHER dances this week (hell, even previous dances this season). The problem is this: that dance was a PERSONAL best, but it was far from being the best of the night, or the best of the season. While other couples have been growing in the first 5 weeks of the competition, really polishing up their moves and getting better technique…Antonio’s just been skating by. So even though last night was a personal best for him, he’s still quite a way behind Wanya, Nyle, Paige, & even Jodie, and I think Von is making strides at a much quicker pace, while also coming across as more likeable. Antonio looked really good in some of the solo jive work, and I saw some promise in his kicks & flicks – but then there were other parts that were just a hot mess, and he seemed to just get a little wild. That spin move he did towards the end with Sharna almost ended in disaster – he was all over the place, and they both nearly fell over. I’ll admit he sold the showmanship – but he really needs to hone in on the technique now, and I’m not sure he’s going to be able to get up to speed in time to secure a place in the finals. Or who knows – if the propaganda machine keeps churning along next week, perhaps he’s already been allocated one…
2.) Wanya & Lindsay – Again, full disclosure: I’ve been rooting for Wanya since day 1. And while I acknowledge that Nyle is “a frontrunner” and “very popular”, I actually think last night illustrated for me why I think Wanya is the superior dancer and may end up edging Nyle out: Wanya is always RIGHT ON TOP OF THE MUSIC. And there’s more to that than just staying on-time – Wanya’s musicality is just off-the-charts, and he lives and breathes each beat of the routine, and is in the pocket from count 1. Yes, I know that Nyle “can’t help it”, but I also “can’t help” that I enjoy watching Wanya more because he really becomes one with the dance. Loved that they were loyal to the original dance, while still putting their own spin on it – they could have easily gone the “Backstreet’s Back” route and done “the move” to death, but I kinda love that we only saw the “Bye Bye Bye” move once at the end of Wanya’s routine. To quote someone on Twitter – this routine was everything that Nick’s freestyle last season WANTED to be. And I think from here on out, we may see the judges begin to favor Wanya a bit more than Nyle – have to wonder if it’s getting harder for them to overlook some of the small mistakes Nyle makes because Wanya just hits everything so perfectly by comparison…
3.) Nyle & Peta – I’ve already had my rant about the bad edit, but just to further clarify even further – Nyle apparently said on All Access that he had said he wanted to “look like” Val, not compete with Val…and you can see what kind of twisty, manipulative edit they gave him. Once again, the pattern I mentioned seems to hold: the judges alternate lavishing Nyle with praise and nitpicking him to death, often without any great variation between the quality of the dances they’re judging. Yes, guys, I know that Nyle “went off-time” last night – that’s not what I’m debating, and got tired of repeating this till I was blue in the face on Twitter last night. What I’m trying to say is that he’s gone off-time before, and the judges have conveniently overlooked it. Thus, I reiterate – the pattern holds: they praise Nyle in odd-numbered weeks, and then nitpick him in even-numbered ones. To what end? I’m guessing they don’t want it to appear that Nyle is running away with the MBT this early in the game. And really, after talking with Deep Throat, I think TPTB may have been setting Nyle up for failure this week – apparently neither Peta nor Nyle were particularly keen on the idea of Nyle wearing the actual mask, but production insisted upon it; they also seemed to push them to go more with the Lindy-type dance style seen in the movie, rather than a more traditional quickstep like Peta wanted to do (and which would have been easier for her to guide Nyle in). I heard a lot people kinda ripping into this routine, and I have to wonder if they let themselves be swayed by “arrogant Nyle” in the package – it wasn’t THAT bad, guys. Yes, Nyle went off-time a few times, and his frame could have used some work – but it was still an entertaining dance that he did a great job of selling, the energy was high, and he stayed true to the movie. And he was still better than at least 3 other couples last night…don’t let yourselves get swept up in the propaganda, guys.
4.) Ginger & Val – Well, this was about as “Nasty” as Kirsten Dunst in Bring it On – I was half-expecting Ginger to yell “Ready?! OKAY!” before each move, because this just felt so…cheerleader-y. Very little attitude, a little too much smiling, and none of the moves getting hit very hard. It felt like a leisurely stroll through the routine, and while she didn’t miss any moves, I don’t really think she hit them fully, either. The whining about her schedule in the package also rubbed me the wrong way – you don’t see Wanya whining about having to do a tour while also rehearsing for DWTS, or Paige whining about having to travel and do UFC stuff, or Kim complaining about not being able to balance her family with DWTS…basically, I have no sympathy if someone starts bitching about their schedule: YOU signed up for this, YOU need to suck it up. But hey, it’s Ginger, so of course they want us to feel bad for her and her busy, busy schedule. And I may not have been paying close attention, but did I also hear her bitching about thinking she deserved higher scores last week??? HA. And they’re trying to paint NYLE as the arrogant one??? Ginger’s doing a fine job as coming across as an entitled little brat, all on her own! And again – what choreographic purpose does it serve for Ginger to yank Val’s shirt off at the end? I’m all ears.
5.) Paige & Mark – After Heidi and I heard the story of how these two lost their first song choice, we both agreed it was a tad…hinky. I’m not going to discuss it here, but I’ll just say that I was told the reasoning behind it was less due to legal issues and more to do with appeasing a certain friend of the show – ALLEGEDLY. Admittedly, my first thought upon viewing their rehearsal package was “Are we sure the producers aren’t just feeding Mark a line of bull about legal issues, because they just don’t want Paige & Mark to slay this routine?” And trust me – with Mark’s choreography and Paige’s skills, they would have brought down the house with they dance they had originally. But anyway – they still did a great with the Austin Powers routine. We saw goofy Mark in his element, and we saw Paige groovin’ with ease – LOVED the aerial; wasn’t wild about the basket toss, though, simply because I didn’t think it fit choreographically. But I’m beginning to worry about whether or not Paige is getting the votes, simply because we’re now at the point where there’s no low-hanging fruit left to eliminate – meaning we’re heading into (not really) shocking elim territory. I think TPTB did Paige (and Von) a favor in firing a warning shot last night – I’m not sure she’s in imminent danger of going home, but I think she could be at risk here pretty soon. Hope everyone voted – I think she’s most deserving of the 3rd spot in the finale, next to Nyle and Wanya, but I worry that they may sacrifice her in favor of making room for *shudder* Antonio…
6.) Von & Witney – Von is adorable. I LOVED seeing how excited he was to dance to MJ – that alone kinda made me enjoy his dance last night: he was just thrilled. But I do think I’ve finally figured out what Von’s major issue is: he is not super-comfortable with his height and “moving big”. I’ve found that a lot of the taller guys (and gals!) we’ve had on the show seem to suffer from this same problem: they seem to be so aware of how big they are, that they end up moving small so as to keep from bumping into people, looking awkward, etc. I think Witney needs to work with him on just getting comfortable and aware of his body, and getting used to moving big. Because this routine actually showed a lot of promise – he stayed on-time, didn’t miss a move, and he embodied the right attitude. He’s really becoming quite the showman – he just needs to kick it up a notch. Now where I worry is that, unlike Antonio, TPTB don’t seem to have as strong an interest in keeping Von around – sure, they put him in jeopardy last night, but they sure didn’t give him the “comeback kid” treatment they gave Antonio. I doubt we’re going to see them do a whole lot more than letting him know he’s in jeopardy, in order to keep him around – which means he & Witney are gonna have to hustle on their own in order to get votes. Will they? I think they may avoid elimination next week, but after that? Who knows.
7.) Jodie & Keo – And now we get down to who I think may be disposable in the eyes of TPTB. They gave Jodie a warning shot a couple weeks back – but I’m thinking that was really only to make sure she outlasted Doug. Now that he’s gone – I’m thinking she is probably still kinda in trouble, but the motivation TPTB might have had to keep her may have since waned. We’re getting to the point where SOMEBODY’S gotta go home – and I think they’re beginning to prioritize who they want in their finale, and I unfortunately don’t think that’s Jodie. She did decently well with her dance – but they gave her a dance that was not nearly as well-known or upbeat as most of the others last night, and they also saddled her with a crappy running order position. They complimented her routine, but they didn’t GUSH – and all-in-all, she got a pretty mediocre score. Unfortunately, I think she really got lost in the shuffle last night – and may not have gotten the votes, especially since TPTB may have rallied voters to run and vote for Von & Paige. I wouldn’t mind seeing Jodie stay – but I think her days are numbered.
8.) Kim & Sasha – Like Jodie, I think Kim has unfortunately become kinda disposable in the eyes of TPTB – and the fact that Carrie Ann said what I have been saying for weeks (that Kim is kinda playing it safe and needs to step up her game) makes me think that she may be suffering in the votes department, too. Although I will say that she did better last night than she probably has the past few weeks – it was high-energy, she sold it well, and I was entertained. But she did seem to be babying her feet a bit, so – like Jodie – maybe TPTB see her as damaged goods, and therefore kinda expendable. Don’t get me wrong, I like Kim & Sasha – I always find myself smiling after their dances – but I do think they’ve maybe been middle-of-the-pack for too long, and are probably at the point where they’re not standing out enough. It’s really a shame, cause I would much rather see Antonio go than either of the two I think are actually going to be leaving us next week…
So what are your thoughts?
I think Paige in jeopardy scared people and probably will save her next week, but kind of unsure about Von in that regard. I never really hear much about him. I’m seriously wondering about Ginger though. She hasn’t been in jeopardy yet so either she’s killing it in the votes (seems like kind of a stretch based on what I’ve been seeing around the internet, especially places like Facebook, but I know Val has a lot of fans) or they’ve just decided she’s expendable (also seems like a stretch). Nyle may have lost some voters this week but so has so many people behind him I think he’ll be safe. I’m wondering about possible complacency with Wanya’s fans-and to a lesser extent Antonio’s after last night-but we’ll see. I don’t think most Kim, Von, and Jodie fans are complacent this week based on what I’ve seen so it’ll depend on how many of them there actually are.
I think Kim will be leaving on Monday and the other departure will come down to Ginger, Jodie, and Von.
So I guess my rankings on the same basis as Courtney’s would be:
1. Wanya
2. Antonio
3/4. Paige/Nyle
5/6/7. Von/Ginger/Jodie
8. Kim
Died a little with the “ready okay!” Comment about ginger lmao. At the beginning of this season, I had high hopes for Jodie because I’m a fan but I’m not a fan of keo. I feel he needs to get the treatment Lindsay did and be demoted and come back later when he’s studied a bit more as I remember Lindsey saying she did. Right now my top guy is Wayna because he’s killing it and nyle is a close second in my votes. And I’m kinda liking the guys vs girls team dances for some reason lol.
Thanks for the power rankings.
I totally get your reasoning as far as your ranking of the couples. But my eyes almost bleed looking at Antonio and Sharna in first place. Eek! Make it stop.
Everyone keeps mentioning that Nyle must be running away with the MBT. With the entertainment value and skill of both Wanya and Paige how could this be. I would hope that Nyle’s deafness is not playing a key role in this theory by some. In my opinion there are 3 solid contenders that could easily walk away with the MBT this season.
While I agree with most of your rankings I would move Antonio and Sharna to at least the #3 or #4 spot.
I also worry about Jodie going home People tend to vote for the pro and Keo is not as popular as Mark or Val I think she would go further with Mark or Val as a partner. I’m looking to Jodie and Kim going home I had a hard time believing that Paige was in jeopardy it could have been just to boost votes I can’t see a finale without Mark or Val being in it I know I wouldn’t watch
Thanks, I really needed to read your “edit” warning because as much of a fan of Sharna as I consider myself, I will not vote for Antonio. PERIOD. Hope a lot of voters saw through that shenanigans. And Nyle got the lion’s share of my votes last night. I think he is a bit mischievous as well. Len needs to retire permanently!
I’ve decided I don’t like this “famous or iconic dance” night. Sure, they are cool and entertaining, but very manipulated by the producers. And there’s often no personal connection to the celebrity or dancing couple. Plus, the pro’s creativity is limited by the original. Frankly, Doug and Karina’s Bollywood was the most enjoyable for me. It felt more original and personal. Would have liked to see Mark and Paige’s initial planned dance, too.
One more thought . . . Nyle was not done any favors with the Mask at all. Yet, he went along with it, including the annoying green mask, and still danced well. He must be running away with the votes.
In first I have wanya and Lindsay. I. Second I have nyle and pets. Third goes to Paige and Mark. And all I have to say about them is “keep up the good work 🙂 “. Now this is where i have to get a little critical. In fourth I have Jodie and Keo…who I think nailed the routine. Saying that, it seems like a lot of people have either forgotten about her or just aren’t interested in this pairing and that confused me at first but I guess that’s what happens when choreography isn’t that memorable. Next, I have Kim and Sasha who I loved. Carrie Ann kinda annoyed me though. She stands out for pure happiness and joy. What more do they want? Next there is Von who literally wowed me last night but compared to the others I worry that his dance will be forgotten. In second to last there is Antonio who somehow gets a good edit despite his attitude. He is beyond annoying and narccistic at this point and honestly I regret wanting him on the show. Saying that he pulled out a great jive so yay? In last there is ginger and Val who honestly made me laugh. That was like Barbie does a Janet Jackson dance or a cheerlead does one. “Hehe I’m nasty”…no. It just felt so weird but she had the steps down. If I had to guess on who is going home id want it to be Antonio and ginger. Saying that I doubt that will happen and o think it’s going to be Antonio and Von.
Waited for your Switch-up Postmortem whole week, Courtney! :S
Courtney, you crack me up! Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize! Bwahahahaha! I about spit my drink all over my laptop!
I agree. TPTB seem to be overly invested in Antonio. HIs Jive was ok..his.best routine of the year. My, imagine how good he’d be if he was that into this from the get-go?
I’d place Wanya at 1, #2 to Paige, #3 to Nyle.
I also agree that Kim is likely cannon fodder at this point. They’ve just been ok all season. She’s stayed at the same level, hasn’t improved a whole lot or gotten much better.
Courtney, your Power Rankings are always a highlight. It’s like the episode isn’t really “concluded” until the PR are out. Thanks, as always.
Witney needs to get over her crap about switch-up week and remember that it was her first switch-up, when she was not having a great time with her partner Cody, that she performed a routine with Drew Carey that, at least for me, immediately put her on the choreo/teacher radar.
What they did to Nyle is really despicable. It must be extremely difficult for a signer and an interpreter to communicate sarcasm or irony on the fly. They essentially used that against him. Shame on them. (Not the first time, won’t be the last.)
If Ginger had had the right affect, I think the final pulling the shirt off could have been one more act of defiance/domination. But of course, when a cheerleader does it, she giggles. There’s nothing really specifically objectionable about Ginger, but I think she’s a relatively shallow individual. Maybe it’s just her demeanor, who knows. Val seems very lost. I think he feels like he’s pushing all the right buttons (like he’s always done) but the scores aren’t coming, and he just doesn’t understand it.
The only thing to add about Antonio is … 9’s? Really?
I’m actually glad that it will be boys vs girls because I really like Jodie and Kim and Paige, and I’m glad they will all get to spend time and dance together. Paige and Mark in jeopardy was not fun. Mark’s reaction was just awful to see. It will really be a huge disappointment if they don’t get to the finals.
Can I just say that I always look forward to reading your Power Rankings, Courtney? They are always incredibly well written, very insightful and hold my attention from the first to the last line. I am sure many others would agree. 🙂
Concerning last night’s dances, my favourite dance was actually Von’s and Witney’s jazz, maybe because I love that song :-P.
Thanks Court! Here are mine based on my favorite to least favourite of the night
1.Jodie & Keo: I thought this dance kicked ass. I was so impressed by both of them and when it was over i could not wait to rewatch it. I tend to enjoy the contemporary routines on dwts that are more athletic and raw e.g riker, sadie, alexa and now jodie as opposed to the delicate tearjerker kinds e.g bindi, danica etc. This was definitely a treat for me and I am so proud of her. Hoping she escapes the double elim next week.
2.Paige & Mark: This was a blast! Amazing choreo from mark. I loved the elements of fosse in it and there were also lyrical jazz steps and turns which I appreciated. The stylisation was brilliant and Mark was killing it with his facial expressions. I wish paige did the facials too lol.
3. Wanya & Lindsay: This was badass and a strong performance. Wanya sold the heck out of the routine. I dont have more to say about it. Its was a great performance but I just just drawn to #1 & #2 above more
4. Ginger & Val: The only reason I have these two higher is because of how well rehearsed it looked. She didnt miss a step and her timing was good. She did look awkward in multiple places and she was more cute than nasty but overall I thought it was ok. I kinda notice a pattern with judges with her too. Her quality level has been the same the whole season but scores vary excessively.
5. Antonio & Sharna: It was definitely his best dance but I thought the scores were pretty generous. I thought he should have swapped scores with Jodie. It was a good performance as a whole but his technique still needs work. That jive was way too flatfooted and he went off balance a lot.
6. Nyle & Peta: As I am writing this, I dont remember much about this routine. I thought his frame really needed work. I also thought that last week but the judges overlooked it. I was missing the heel leads and sadly he was out of sync. In the quick parts, he seemed like he was shuffling his feet a lot. He did kill the character though! Good but definitely one of his weaker dances.
7. Kim & Sasha: This was so fun and it was extremely joyful to watch. The choreography was so cute. Although, I prefer Sasha’s style, he does remind me of Derek how he moves sometimes. When she got down to the floor, I thought her energy level went down to low for a jive but still great effort!
8. Von & Witney: This was Okay but it was pretty forgettable to me. MJ is so hard to do and I thought his styling was missing throughout the dance. I also agree with you that he kind of dances small. Hope he comes back stronger next week.
Side notes:
-Bruno was cracking me up talking about the Bollywood steeps: chicken/fish, beating the egg & screwing the lightbulb ??
-I expect Nyle & Ginger to be praised again next week.
-In all, famous dance night was better this season. We actually got content unlike the non-rumbas & sambas we had last season.
Last night was a real mess for me! I’m not crazy about the iconic dances, because I too feel it limits the pros creativity, not to mention I think it’s a good way to give someone a “pass” on a dance that in any other week, done by any other star would get no more than an 8 (looking at you Antonio).
I’m still hoping against hope that even if people bought into Antonio’s redemption package that he didn’t gain voters! I would think this far into the competition most people have their favorites and continue voting for them, fingers crossed! I used to think this was about getting Sharna a MBT, but last night they really threw her under the bus and I’ve seen that people bought into that and are blaming her for the previous under-performing!
I hope Paige in jeopardy rallied the troops in voting as I think she deserves to make the finals (along with Wayna and Nyle) and since Mark and Lindsay seem to be the two pros that are killing it creatively, with the rest lagging behind IMO, I don’t want to lose this partnership.
Nyle’s edit didn’t bother me, just another nice person getting the Nastia treatment, but I fear the average viewer might buy it! I loved Kim’s performance, but I have to agree with CAI (and that hurts to say it), she’s fading away with the other larger than life performances. I feel the same with Jodie, she’s good, but I rarely remember her dances at the end of the night. Ginger did more walking than dancing and I wouldn’t care if she left next week, but with the AMC and GMA pimping, I’ll be surprised it it happens. Oh and I love Von! He may not be the best, but he tries and best of all no fake a&$) grin on his face all the time!
What’s up with the PACKAGE they have started to manipulate people with? They mess it up big time! Gone are the days when the shows centered the content, because drama has seemed to take the center of every reality show. My rankings are based on my favor towards each couple: 😛
1. Paige and Mark: These two are my personal favorites this season. And not only because of their skill, but also their WORK ETHIC. One of the few things I love about Paige is that she is a drama-free and dedicated contestant. She doesn’t play it to impress but just be original. This dance was entertaining, however I would say they now restrict themselves to be flawless in terms of content, and just not let judges nitpick them about it. Because Paige is the ideal fodder for a shocking elimination.
2. Nyle and Peta: Great partnership and great performance. A few hiccups but I think Nyle sells it well. I hated how Len reprimanded him for that Val comment because that was a pretty normal thing to say. Nevertheless, he’s a lock in for finals.
3. Wanya and Lindsay: Wanya is a top-notch performer. I think the only thing I personally find a little bit distracting from him is his body-shape, which makes his moves a little less-liney and un-hitting to the edges, yet he has great showmanship. This week he edged a little ahead, the way Nyle did last week.
4. Von and Witney: Von did GREAT this week. I think the first half was outstanding, and he really looked confident. The second half, I felt became a little more walky and less in dance. I do think he is being underscored badly, though he seems at least 3 ranks higher as a contestant worth staying in comparison to Antonio.
5. Jodie and Keo: It really saddens me how hard Jodie works and yet is not given due credit. I think she really puts in effort, and given a less experienced choreographer, she does pretty well. This was a good performance, could have been great because the song really was different from rest of the line-up.
6. Kim and Sasha: This is the best couple, couple-wise after Paige/Mark. I love Sasha for his attitude and Kim for her effort, but yes the fact stays there that they are losing steam and lack the sword-edge precision in their dances. I would still prefer keeping them in the show then a few busy and lazy contestants.
7. Ginger and Val: I would agree with Emma here, I think this dance was not as bad as it was scored. All the weeks Ginger has been so blatantly overscored that I was expecting this week she would get bathed in praise, with a little improvement too, but to my surprise they didn’t. I am waiting for a Tango from these two, because I think they both will do a good Tango. After that, I don’t really care for contestants who are undeservedly pushed by the judges. Though I do fear she will outlast Paige eventually 😛
8. Antonio and Sharna: Couldn’t somebody just comment that Sharna wants to win every bit and as than Antonio does, because I really thought Sharna’s comment came out as an irony, and because of ANTONIO’S OWN FAULT. Started hating him after all that bullish attitude towards Sharna, and I really felt Sharna should have given a little backlash to his lazy ass ego. The dance was honestly, his best till now, but the package left a really bad taste in my mouth. And what annoys more is that this week confirmed his presence for a few more weeks, which is plain sad, because it has no basis in terms of competence.
I think Jodie/Von and Kim are bait next week, and I would just die from the inside if Paige is thrown in front of the bus to make it “SHOCKING” as this week’s jeopardy wasn’t a good sign for her.
Like you, my ratings are based off of likelihood of who’s going home. And they are as follows.
1) Wanya and Lindsay- All of the other bluster that’s going on with this show doesn’t matter. Wanya continues to be the most consistent, and he absolutely slayed last night. He should’ve closed out the show. He’s not going anywhere.
2) Antonio and Sharna- Listen, I don’t want to put him here. I think he’s a major Delta Bravo, and the show would be much better off if we could switch Antonio for Doug. But, the producers have decided he isn’t going to look bad, so I’m forced to put him here. I will say, though, downplaying Antonio’s jerkiness is one thing, but making Sharna out to be this awful human being and take the blame for everything was pretty low. Compare this to Noah’s season when their fight was shown and all Noah was worried about was how it made Sharna look bad. I’m more than ready for Antonio to go. I just don’t like him.
3) Nyle and Peta- So, Antonio gets the kind edit, and Nyle gets the jerk one. Yeah, that’s logical and not major BS. However, that said, I can acknowledge the dance had problems. I don’t always catch out of sync moments, but I did with this dance. It definitely wasn’t Nyle’s best but still a solid routine. I’m getting major whiplash from the judges’ comments, though.
4) Paige and Mark- I loved this dance. Mark’s choreography was, as usual, on point. And they both sold it well. I thought this dance and Wanya’s were the tops of the night, and it’s no coincidence why. Obviously, they’re both very talented, but it’s also a reflection of their partners. Lindsay and Mark are producing the best choreo this season, and that definitely helps both Wanya and Paige out.
5) Ginger and Val- The moves were good, but there was absolutely NO Janet in the dance. I give her credit for executing the moves, but they did a remake of the video and removed all of the “nasty” attitude. It didn’t work for me. I actually like Ginger and think she has a decent attitude for the show. I’m just sorry she has to be with Val. It squanders her potential both personality and dance-wise IMO. That said, I think she may be one of/if not the only good choice for the producers to put with Val this season. Kim was always going to be Sasha’s partner and same with Marla and Tony. I feel like it would not have been good for Mischa or Jodie to be with him. They’re both fragile (although Mischa WAY more so than Jodie). That leaves Paige. I feel like Val would’ve either tried to push a showmance, or they would’ve majorly butt heads. So in summary, I like Ginger and think I would like her more if she had another partner, but I think she’s the celeb this season who makes Val as tolerable as he could possibly be.
6) Von and Witney- I feel worse and worse for him every week. This was the first week I voted, and it was for Von. I think his edit this week was far kinder than they have been, but still it annoys me how much the producers don’t want him to happen. He’s the reigning Super Bowl MVP, who’s funny and likable, and actually works. Why is it necessary to make Von take a back seat to Antonio? However, I can acknowledge that the scores were fair. His dance was good, but it didn’t have any of the MJ flair. Part of me wishes that Witney brought a little bit of Von’s style to the routine. The whole time it felt like they were trying to do MJ like MJ, which is always bound to fall short. If she had a lot of MJ moves but choreographed/coached some of Von’s style into it, it might not have looked so forced to me.
7) Kim and Sasha- I feel like she’s potentially in danger. She’s consistent, but it seems like her story might be getting lost in the crowd a bit. Her jive was really good though. I thought not only did she do the steps, she sold them pretty well. I hope I’m wrong and that she doesn’t get caught up in the double elimination, but I’m fearful.
8) Jodie and Keo- I’m also fearful for her. She’s been in jeopardy several times, which is worrisome. Also, I think she had the least iconic of the iconic dances by a mile. She did pretty well with it, but I’m not sure how memorable it was.
One final note: I loved Doug’s Bollywood routine. Shout out to Karina for choreographing a really great number. Doug seemed to be really into it, and I thought it was definitely his best dance. I wish one or two judges had thrown an 8 his way. They had to know he was going home, and it would’ve been a nice (and not undeserved) way to go out. On another note, I also am so grateful they used the non-PCD version of the song.
Robbie, I agree with you about Paige. I can’t imagine them leaving cause Mark is having so much fun this season. Jodie was in jeopardy two weeks in a row so I think Paige being in jeopardy is making the fans vote even more now. I know I amped up my voting because they are such a great pair and it’s been awhile since Mark has had this much fun. I feel that once they make the finals I’ll be at ease because no matter what place they finish in, I’ll be happy because they deserve it.
You killed it again, Court!!! Lovessss!
Ok, here are mine….
1. Wanya and Lindsay – OMG I have no words for these two and how they blew it away. The power! The intensity. The moves! Everything. They were ON FIRE!!!!!
2. Antonio and Sharna – I love how raw and emotional Antonio got in their package. I was glad to see that he really cared about dancing. Despite all of their issues for who was wrong or who was right, it was cool seeing them work it out and everything coming together for them finally. What a great dance. His fast foot work was incredible. I hope they have found their pocket now and keep this level of dancing up.
3. Mark and Paige – Right when they came out, they had me sold. They were perfectly into character and so funny. Mark had me cracking up the entire time. Great moves and choreo again!
4. Nyle and Peta – They blew me away again. I loved all the speed and power. I loved all the tricks again. They started and never stopped. “Smokin’ indeed!
5. Jodie and Keo – I wasn’t expecting to like this dance, but, I did. This was their best dance of the season imo. They were strong, powerful, and passionate. It would have been hard to keep going after her accidents, but, she only proved she could step it up that much further. I love fighters like that. (adding: I wouldn’t be surprised though if these two were one of the two going home next week)
6. Ginger and Val – When they first came out, I thought watch out. Instead, it was disappointing. She didn’t seem into it at all. I thought it needed more attitude. She needed more power in her legs and movements. She looked amazing though.
7. Von and Witney – Von seemed a little stiff with this dance, but, I loved all the fun they had and their cool “Bad” costumes.
8. Kim and Sasha – They came out like gang busters. She was losing steam a little at the end, but, wow, what a fun jive with a lot of personality. I always love how Kim is so into it every week no matter what. I love how she wanted Sasha to keep the dance as is even with being injured. Love their warmth and fighting spirit.
Oh, I don’t even want to think about the double elimination next week. I have a feeling I’m going to cry.
Here are my thoughts on last night:
First of all, WANYA ABSOLUTELY KILLED THAT DANCE!!! It was amazing! He moves so well and Lindsay is just such a fantastic choreographer! I cannot wait to see their freestyle if they make the finals. I know they’re going to knock it out of the park. There’s not much to say except that dance was just great. Best of the night for me.
I did think last night was one of Nyle’s weaker nights. His package didn’t really bother me. I could sense his joking manner but don’t know if everyone else did. I do think he had a lot of issues with his frame and he was out of sync. Thought it was all 8’s. The thing with Nyle is that though he is a great dancer, he still needs to fix quite a few things with himself, like his frame and footwork. There’s things that’ll go wrong, like getting out of sync because he can’t hear the music, but I do agree. In recent weeks, he’s had some frame/technique issues and the judges seem to overlook that. His Tarzan samba looked reeeeeally weird to me and yet he still received good comments for that. I do think the judges need to crack down on his frame and footwork more. It makes me cringe every time they keep letting him get away with it.
I think Antonio did pretty well, but the second he started talking about how he felt disrespected by his partner, I yelled at the TV. Seriously?! He is late to rehearsal all the time!!! How dare he get mad at Sharna like that?! She should’ve told him the truth too! She should’ve brought to his attention how he’s always late and doesn’t seem to care about this competition very much. I felt HORRIBLE for Sharna. I really hope people saw past that BS that Antonio was saying. That made me so angry. Almost to the point where I just wish he’d be off the show. I love my Sharna, and she definitely didn’t deserve that.
Paige’s dance was adorable. It made me smile. I really hope she doesn’t get eliminated next week. I would like to see her in the finals. I know she’ll bring it. Mark was hilarious in that get-up! Very creative and cute routine!
Didn’t see the rest of the dances unfortunately.
Doug is such a sweetheart. At least his spirits were up!
Can’t wait for the team dances next week. I know the men will be amazing. With Sharna and Lindsay on their team, oh yeah, they’ve got it good. Amazing choreographers right there.
Antonio has turned me off so much. As much as I want Sharna to win, I just don’t think it’s going to happen. Wanya and to a certain extent, Nyle, is leaps above Antonio. Change your attitude dude. You’re looking like a real douche right now.
My top 3 every week were so again: Wanya, Paige and Nyle, in that order.
I don’t really care for either of the footballers left, though I find Von much more likable. Neither has the personality or charisma of some of the top ones they’ve had like Hines or Emmitt or many others. So though I assume they are getting a lot of votes I’m good for them to go anytime. Disappointed in the show’s treatment of Sharna. The thought of Antonio in the finals is disappointing.
I’ve always worried Paige doesn’t have the fan base to make it to the end even though her dancing deserves it and I love her attitude and partnership with Mark. I hope they get through next week, but I’m not counting on the finals, but hoping despite the poor fanbase odds they make it.
I find Ginger very forgettable and TBH I don’t really get why she’d do this with everything she has on her plate already and a young baby. It’s beyond me why it appealed to her at this time. I’d love Kim to outlast her.
And I like Jodi, but I just can’t with Keo. I just don’t find he has the temperature of how to manage the show and he seems to lack the ability to bond and form a relationship with his partner and teach them well. Plus I find such a lack of connection when they are dancing and his choreo has been just meh to me. For those reasons, I’m fine with Jodi going.
Lastly, I thought Nyle’s dance was fun. He showed great showmanship for a guy who’s not an actor or performer. I thought that should have been praised. Some sloppy technique and off time moments sure, but still a fun routine. I don’t get the every other week critiques when I am truly amazed at what he and Peta accomplish week in and out. The mask I think hurt him because it took away that handsome face so many have become fans of and he was so unrecognizable. They could have mentioned the critiques and marked accordingly without being so negative towards the whole thing which I think was still a great number.
Why does TPTB love Antonio more than Von? You would think someone putting in the work (and also a Superbowl winner/ MVP) would be their priority to keep on longer than someone who doesn’t even want to go to rehearsal
Loved Wanya, Paige, Kim, and Von last night. I adore Nyle but if I never hear that music again it’d be too soon. That edit last night was awfully stinky but I see that some of the general audience bought into it.
I think Ginger had the most forgettable performance of the night. If Val’s fans didn’t rally, I think she might be in trouble alongside Kim and Jodie.
I was thinking about the people that haven’t yet been in jeopardy. Nyle and Wanya because they’re both too good and too popular for it to be believable. I think Kim and Ginger haven’t because TPTB actually DO NOT want to rally their fans and put them on alert. I think both are actually pretty expendable in the eyes of the producers, whereas I think they wanted Jodie to do better because of Keo, Von and Antonio because of the football factor, and now Paige because she’s the best female dancer left with the most creative pro so they want to be sure they don’t fall between the cracks.
My dream elimination for next week would be Antonio and Ginger or Jodie. But I think it’s going to be Kim and Ginger or Jodie, with a remote chance of it being Von. Will have a firmer point of view when PH does the numbers, but all I know is that I hate double eliminations. 🙁
I really don’t really know what to expect next week.
We’ve seen a lot of shocking eliminations through the series, and next week we’re probably having at least one or two.
I think Kim is going home for sure. But I can see Paige getting the boot too.
I mean, we’ve seen that before with Elizabeth and Willow.
When it comes to Jodie, I think she should stay. She is the Lea Thompson or Alexa PenaVega of the season.
I really hope that Kim and Antonio/Von go home.
I thought Ginger ripping her partners shirt was about the time Justin Timberlake ripped Janet Jackson’s shirt. lol?
Thanks for this Courtney! I do so enjoy your well reasoned rankings and the discussions they generate.
Thanks for pointing out how important the edit is. AND your observations about how the judges, led by Len the Company Man, reacted to the packages. Len in particular either really, really bought into the packages where suddenly last week, Antonio was shown as being as being a slacker and then he trumpeted his big comeback this week. When I didn’t see all that much improvement. Especially considering how simple AB’s jive was and all of the camouflage. Or, when comparing it to Kim & Sasha. There are just so many tools in the producers hands for influencing not just the viewers perceptions of the teams but the judges also!
So that’s made me think about the very surprising selection of couples called as in jeopardy yesterday. Of course, everyone expected Doug/Karina and they were the true bottom. But both Von and Paige had outstanding performances in Disney Week. So surely that should have outweighed some issues in the switch up week with the guest from hell. Also, everywhere I look (except in their packages), fans are worried/convinced Kim and Sasha are being eliminated next. Yet, has she been named as in jeopardy yet? It seems to me that TPTB made sure to have fans vote for Paige and Von this week in order to make others especially vulnerable/disposable next week in the double elimination! Jodie/Keo also. They were in danger twice already but 1 good performance from Jodie in the switch up fixed that?!!
I am hoping the double elim marks the exit for Ginger and Antonio.
I don’t think there is a chance in hell it will happen, but that is my wish. I’m bored with Ginger and way over Antonio and his eye flexes.
It will be interesting to see how things play out moving forward.
I’m confident that Wanya will give 200% to every routine. Will he move ahead of the pack? And maybe unstoppable.
Will Nyle crack under pressure of the added stress with more expected out of each contestant almost to their breaking point.
Will Antonio stay on focus and throw himself into the competition?
Will Paige avoid elimination and make the finals?
To all of the above….. I can’t wait to see what happens. 🙂
I’M am sick of cry baby Antonio please go home.
I got myself worked up all over again reading the douchy behavior of Antonio toward Sharna.
Hopefully people will see through all the manipulation on the show’s part and the entitled assyness on Antonio’s part and he’ll be eliminated before final four. Free Sharna!
I have to imagine that people have fallen in love with Wanya and Lindsay. I mean how could you not?
I just love the attitude of Wayna and Lindsay. They work well together and tune out all the nonsense. They are there to dance and to do the best that they can. I find them to be an amazing couple to watch – they bring so much joy to the viewer and they seem to truly respect one another. Antonio and Wayna both getting a 9 from Len made me ill. It is such an enjoyable show until the TPTB and the company line has to be towed by the judges. Just stop the gimmicks and let these people dance. As always, Doug Flutie went out as the gentleman that he is. It was so nice to see the crowd chanting for him. 🙂
I only watch the dances here and there but I always read the Power Rankings. So I watched Ginger salsa from last week and if she thinks she deserved a better score I don’t even know what to say because she looked stiff for a salsa. From watching Jodie at the beginning I say she’s a better dancer than Ginger. Ginger to me is overrated. If she goes to the semi/final, it’s only because she’s ABC family.
As for Val dancing in short or shirtless I only have 1 word for him “desesperado”. For someone who’s “an elite” dancer-per Maks, I don’t find dancing in short, expecting women to scream categorized as “elite”.
Wanya has been my pick all along. Just love he and Lindsey together. She is killing it with the routines and he is killing it in dancing them. He is nice, a hard worker, doesn’t whine or complain, just gets it done. What the show should be about, in my opinion. I would so love for them to take the win. I think Paige is a hard worker and cute as a button, she would be my next pick. Third would be Nyle, although I am confused with him. I personally like Kim. Jodie and Ginger are just forgettable to me. The footballers aren’t outstanding at all, although Vonn seems like a nice guy. Please stop manipulating TPTB.
Awesome power rankings per usual, Courtney!
Paige was my favorite this week, and I’m hoping the jeopardy placing wasn’t a sign that she’s weak with votes. For me, Wanya, Paige, and Nyle would be a dream final. 3 hardworking celebrities and 3 hardworking pros. I was really really hoping Antonio was on his way out, but now I can see him going all the way to the end- which is really unfortunate considering he’s working about 25% as hard as the rest of the competitors.
I like Von, Kim, and Jodie but I think all of them could potentially be in danger. Its a shame because they all seem to be giving it everything, but someone has to go I guess.
As for Ginger I am pretty much indifferent. I don’t like her, I don’t dislike her, I just never remember her dances. She’s basically a non-factor to me and one of the few I wouldn’t mind leaving next week.
I’m also sad to see Doug go. Hearing Sharna (I think?) talk about how his daughter would learn the dances to practice with him and how he would go into the studio on his own to get extra rehearsal time makes me upset that he’s gone and someone like Antonio is still here.
Someone please hand Wanya the trophy. He is head and shoulders above everyone else! I wish Antonio was given a one-way ticket home because I’m done with him. Same with Ginger – she is boring and dull. There’s nothing memorable about her! I’ll never understand why she decided to do this show at this point in her life. In 2nd place I have Paige (and I love those 60’s fashions!), and in 3rd for me is Jodie (I thought they had the most different dance of the evening).
Other thoughts:
– Doug was fantastic! He is so much better out of hold. I’m sorry to see him go but I understand his time is up
– Kim is absolutely beautiful really and she’s a joy to watch. I do think that she’s on the chopping block next week.
– Von is the cutest thing but he just didn’t have MJ’s swagger and crispness but who does?! I do hope that he doesn’t get eliminated next week.
Does anybody know what song/dance Paige and Mark were originally supposed to have?
Love this post week to week! Spot on, as always. I particularly enjoyed the comment about Ginger being cheerleader-y. The entire time she was performing last night, I thought “this looks like something my high school dance team would’ve done.” I’m actually quite a Val fan, but barring the Beauty and the Beast routine, the best part of watching Ginger’s journey has actually been her fun husband. I find her incredibly dull and all routines (in both content and execution) to be meh. Especially when people like Wanya are killing it week to week.
And I’m still so disgusted by the comeback narrative they crafted for Antonio. Especially when the judges started praising him for his dedication and hard work. PUH-LEASE. I really wish I could be privy to TPTB’s reasoning for deciding he’s the one they need to pimp so often. Seriously. Do they just want it to be Sharna’s time for a mirrorball or…?
@Samantha, I feel like Keo needs troupe time too. The past couple of seasons he was voted off too fast and didn’t have time to grow. And even though he’s advanced further this time around, he still seems so painfully green in the way he choreographs.
First, I really appreciate all you folks do for this website.
Nyle: You know, I heard his response to the question of “who is your competition” as a graceful way out of the comments that seemed to be requested. There’s often at least one person asked that, with the edit then showing that person’s “arrogance.” He didn’t mention any of the other contestants, but turned it into a silly question by answering it by naming a pro instead. Who else has found that kind of graceful response to the question? And why not Val, since Nyle himself is associated with the fam by virtue of being paired with Peta? I’ve been very surprised that others have heard this as his claiming to be as good as Val. Nyle has more sense than that. He also has more sense than to get into a specific rivalry with another contestant.
Nyle’s musicality. My own – entirely untested – theory is that given the common combination of mathematical and musical gifts, that Nyle has both and that they manifest in this instance in understanding patterns of rhythm and movement. He’s been great fun to watch, as he has found the balance between having a great time and taking this seriously with a will to win.
Judges. It would be great if they were more generally consistent in focus for the contestants. I think they get caught up in contestants’ stories and showmanship, and who knows what TPTB are asking of them. I was glad that Kim’s edit included her comment that the judges focused on Keo’s choreo rather than anything about her performance in switch up week.
My top two are Wanya and Paige. Nyle’s story and charm will likely take him to the finals too. I’d love to see Kim move up, her showmanship and enthusiasm are a delight and her dances better and better. (I hope the stress fracture is quickly resolved.) Von is increasingly appealing, and I’d be glad to see him stay.
Two double eliminations in a row will be hard. It was bad enough to see Doug go, he looked like he had a blast with the Bollywood dance, who’d’ve guessed that?
Being Team Val always and loving him to death makes me ask myself why would anybody complain about him being half naked and taking his shirt off. But everybody who complains is right. What exactly was the point of him being shorts in the opening number? I was kind of thinking that maybe he would join the girls in their number and be as naked as they were, but no. No purpose. Then he gets his shirt taken off at the end of his dance with Ginger. I would’ve loved to be in that rehearsal or planing stage when he says “and then you rip my “shirt” off. What was everybody’s face like? Did everybody react with the same WHY? as we all did? I would’ve also loved to see him pull this crap with Tamar last year, she would’ve gone with her usual “uh uh, why? NO!”. And to top it all off, Ginger was, as was already mentioned, basically a cheerleader here. The part where she walked to each guy was embarrassingly lame.
Elsewhere, I think Nyle did a good job, the edit was awful, they baited him to the point of him becoming the new Tamar, but he still has enough points on his side for the audience to let this go. I could very much believe he just meant he wanted to be Val or some crap like that. Not the edit that he got. The dance was a mess, but then that’s The Mask, I don’t think it should’ve been any other way. He got the right scores I think.
Wanya and Paige did the best, to me those were perfect dances. Wanya handled a lot of choreography, Paige handled way too much style perfectly, Mark did an amazing job and Lindsay did one of her best routines ever ont his show. They are both doing amazing thanks to the partners they got.
To me the worst dance was the Bad number. I don’t think there was any dancing there at all. It was so bad, that I don’t think Whitney did a good job dancing. That’s right. To me, one of the pros ended up looking like a celebrity. That’s how much I think the dance sucked.
Kim was great, but in the same boat as Ginger. You could 100% see the moments where you wanted to stop the dance, shake her, yell at her “BIGGER! MORE ENERGY!” and then let the dance keep going. Of course Kim did much better than Ginger, as did Sasha compared to Val, but yeah, these girls both had the same issue this week. Maybe Von too.
Bye Doug.
Last night, Ginger came across as very desperate to get 9s and 10s and I fully expected to see her get them. Thankfully, I was wrong and she got the 8s she so despises. I think Val always being shirtless is to try and get more votes. He needs to keep his clothes on. There was no point to his “outfit” in the opening dance and there wasn’t any when Ginger pulled the fake shirt off. Ginger trying to have the attitude needed to pull off that dance is laughable. I couldn’t put my finger on what was wrong with it, but Courtney, you’re right, she was more of a cheerleading trying to act tough. And she needs to stop whining about how busy she is. Stop trying to get the sympathy vote with it. Her and Val are boring. I would love to see them gone Monday, but she’s probably around another week or so. Ugh.
My favorite dance was Wanya and Lindsey. They deserved to close the show with that. Having Antonio was wrong, but he was the big cry baby this week and TPTB probably felt it was necessary to give him the pimp spot to keep him appeased and from crying anymore than what he already has.
Every single person deserves to stay on this show except Antonio. Every single person wants to be there except Antonio. Every single person has put the time in that is necessary to keep getting better every week except Antonio. And every single person is happy to be there except Antonio. And yes, that includes Ginger. She may be boring, she may be whining about her scores and how busy she is, but she is enjoying the experience.
What TPTB see in promoting Antonio and then the judges jumping aboard is beyond my comprehension. He needs to go.
Sorry for the rant.
Love the Power Rankings and look forward to them each week – maybe I look forward to them more than I look forward to the show? Hmmmm.
My favourites this season are Paige, Wanya and Nyle, followed closely by Kim and Von. And I enjoyed Doug too. I am always amazed that Nyle can dance so beautifully without hearing the music. I am always amazed that Von manages to make his dancing look so fun, especially since he is so large in stature. Kim just makes me smile every week. And I love to watch Wanya and Paige move – I also enjoy their pros, and I enjoy their choreography.
I am concerned that Paige might not have that large a fan base since I have no idea how big a UFC fighter’s fan base is to begin with and then how many of those fans would follow her to DWTSs and actually vote. The problem as the mods have already pointed out, is that there are so many enjoyable dancers/personalities on the show this season that Paige may not have picked up as many ‘average viewers’ as she needs to stay in until the finale. In the end, the act of putting Paige in jeopardy last night did indeed have the desired effect since I finally voted last night, for Paige.
I’m just curious what was Paige’s and Marks original song this week?
I gave most of my votes last night to Paige and Wanya. I really hope people are voting for her – she’s a great dancer. Mark was loving that costume and teeth – and he cracked me up with those facial expressions.
The only one I really can’t stand is Antonio. I would love to see him eliminated next week but guess he has a lot of fans out there? He did a good job with Footloose but he’s just too arrogant so he would never get my vote.
Val in his short shorts during the opening number was a little too much for me. Just didn’t understand it at all and just don’t find him the least bit attractive.
Was sorry to see Doug go but I guess it was his time. Glad that he had fun with the Bollywood dance – they did great.
I have a feeling it’s Kim’s turn next – she’s another one that I’ve enjoyed watching this season. Not sure who the 2nd elimination will be but will be happy as long as it’s not Wanya, Paige or Nyle.
Based on the power rankings (which I really enjoy BTW), it does not seem like Antonio is likely to go. But I would LIKE him to be eliminated because he strikes me as a slacker. Sharna’s last-week comment about who is the front-runner may have been unfortunate, but for Antonio to call her on it and not to acknowledge that he has been routinely late to rehearsals etc. is just not right. In my dream world, he would be my “shocking” elimination next week. If he somehow manages to edge out Paige, I’ll be livid.
Ginger is NOT my favorite (Wanya is), but I like her well enough, and I hope she has another week in her. I fear she may be eliminated though. I worry about Kim too, though I like her a lot.
I am legitimately pissed from the show last night. I try not to get mad at the TPTB because this is a reality show, and I try not to let things bother me, but how they treated Sharna has made me crazy angry. I realize the tactic they used will ultimately help her in the end, but they did it by completely DISSING her work ethic and integrity based off a STUPID game. No one dare talk about my Sharna like that… She is creative, and loving, and full of integrity and class and I hate that she got thrown under the bus in favor of that nincompoop!
I love Von and I hate that he’s also getting the “soon to be out” edit in favor or Antonio. I’ve never prayed for an injury to fall on someone but I am getting so close.
I’ve seen a couple people ask why others might think Nyle is killing it (or was, before last night) in votes. OF COURSE, people are counting that he’s deaf. People are people! Not all people, but some percentage of them look at the fact that he’s deaf, that he’s a really good dancer, seems very sweet and is HOT and they’re voting for him. What he’s doing is AMAZING. Last night might have damaged that, but honestly, Nyle has the whole package to be the next MBT winner. I ain’t voting for him, but I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t put that out there.
Spoilers to Nyle winning are, IMO, Wanya and Antonio – as much as it pains me to say it RE: Antonio. I WISH it would be Paige up there, but Antonio is going to have to check back out for Paige to make it. Paige is a great dancer and a very sweet girl – and she’s been getting most of my votes – but the sad fact is that she’s on a season with several really good dancers and some people with powerhouse fanbases.
Anyway, I think those four are the top four. I think Mark is due to have his choreography and loyalty to the show rewarded by them NOT trying to take the damn thing away from him with stupid stunts like switching music on him. Does this happen to anyone other than Mark and Derek? I’m wracking my brain…anyway, in what order those four are going to finish will have to wait until the scores come in. I suspect the judges will tie the thing up and throw it to the viewers this season, unless someone gets in there that they don’t find to be worthy.
Why do the producers love Antonio more than Von?? Steelers fans are fanatics in a much bigger way than Broncos fans PLUS Sharna needs her MBT. It’s her turn. :::rolls eyes:::
Val’s shorts in the opening number was clearly (to me) a send up of “Risky Business” – but you REALLY had to be paying close attention for the very reason I was complaining last night. Without the original music and similar costuming, many of these famous dances were unrecognizable. Then Val blows the slide and suddenly he’s in shorts for no damn reason other than he likes the attention.
You know what they say when you have to explain the punchline of a joke – if you have to explain it, it’s crap (or some such thing) – same thing here. If no one gets it, you did it wrong.
I’m hoping that now as the workload increases, first with the team dance, and then,probably with multiple partner dances, that Antonio will lose the impact of his “Aha” moment and revert to type. I will be sorely disappointed if Paige gets squeezed out for this guy.
Always look forward to Court’s power rankings. The week isn’t over until we have Court’s rankings and PH’s numbers. 😀
The “iconic dances” were fun. As long as I just watch the dancing, I can still (sort of) enjoy DWTS, although it’s a pathetic shadow of the show I used to love. If I had to watch the manipulation, I’d never make it. Just reading about it makes my gut twist.
I thought Doug did a great job (for him) with his Bollywood number. Kudos to him for his commitment and to our delightful, clever, Karina for helping him be his best. I’ll miss them, but it was Doug’s time to bow out.
Paige got all my votes last night and will continue to get them until TPTB succeed in forcing her out in favor of that arrogant slacker from the Steelers. He might be a winner on the football field, but he’s a complete loser in my book.
I hope the lackadasical Broncos fans made an effort to vote for their Superbowl MVP. He deserves it! I would have loved to throw some vote support Von’s way (as I’ve done in the past), but the time for vote-splitting is over.
Kim and Sasha were a joy to watch, as always. Sadly, I don’t see any way they’re likely to survive next week’s double elim. Jodie and Keo will probably be with them.
This season had such promise, but (of course) TPTB couldn’t leave well enough alone. *sigh*
It’s so crazy how Paige and Mark were in jepordy. How is that possible? Please tell me where does it stop? When will one season come where Mark is not a victim of a shocking elimination? When will it come? I just do not get what the deal is when it comes to him. He is so deserving of fairness and not injustice. I know I sound dramatic, but enough is enough. Paige and Mark have some serious work to do just like the rest of the couples now and it’s only gonna get harder from here.
# CH my thoughts exactly! Very frustrating that Mark and his partners are always victims in every season of a shocking elimination or placed in jeopardy. It is totally unfair. The producers need to pick on another pro (like Val, Peta and Sharna).
I’m going to be sad regardless who goes home next week, but would really miss Von and his videos, they are priceless lol. I love that guy and am now a fan. I agree Nyle’s edit was harsh, but if you read his IG from yesterday, I’m not so sure the judges’ interpretation of what he said was that far fetched. He does say it is preferable to compete against professionals. It was Len’s delivery that was appalling, as it has been all season long. I don’t think it hurt Nyle though, I saw a lot of comments asking how could they talk like that, don’t they know he’s deaf? Those Facebook women aren’t the brightest, but I firmly believe they represent the core demographic.
I agree with PH re the top 4, but I think Jodie would easily nudge Paige if their pros were reversed, and still might beat her. I asked my daughter if she knew of anyone on DWTS. Once she finished asking me how I can stand to watch the show, she said she read Jodie was on and if she were a viewer she would root for her. So, I wonder if Jodie is getting more of the younger viewer votes than being assumed.
I think Wanya was by far the best Monday, and all season for that matter, and I think either he or Antonio will finish second overall. I hope they start giving Wanya the recognition he deserves.
I finally got through all the dances. For me Wanya and Lindsay owned the night, but Paige and Mark were also so great. I did like most of the dances.
Now that my team is gone, Wayna and Lindsay are my team, but as long as they make the finals, if Paige or Nyle win I’d be very happy too. I like Kim well enough but I mostly care that she stays in because I love Sasha. I think Jodie is doing well to. I think Von is doing well too. I wouldn’t miss Ginger or Antonio at all.
I think you guys (LeannC and CH) are a bit confused. While the producers certainly manipulate the show to a HUGE degree, I don’t think Mark and his partners have actually been victims of anything other than smaller fanbases than their competitors. And that can’t be helped. It’s not like they’re giving him bad edits on a regular basis, they’re not manipulating the actual votes….the ONLY thing they’ve done to him recently was to switch a song on him. And if it only happens once in a season, it’s rather premature to say he’s being victimized. This season in particular, they’ve been very kind to him in the scores department too – he’s not been hosed and Paige even got a 10 last week.
While I do think they work to trash certain couples at times (Nastia springs to mind), Mark hasn’t been “victimized” to any greater degree than anyone else on this show – especially THIS season. In fact, I would say that *Nyle* is the one who should be complaining this week for his edit and the fact that there seems to be an attempt to hold him back for Antonio’s sake.
I thin you guys misunderstand a bit what technically a “shocking elimination” is. That occurs when a is at the top or near the top of the score leader board and yet is eliminated. The ONLY way that can happen is they aren’t getting enough votes. The producers probably like the drama of it when it happens and the media coverage afterwards but that’s one of the hardest things for them to engineer.
Now as to why this happens to Mark often, IMO
1- Mark doesn’t have the kind of fanatical, VOTING fan base that Maks, Val and Sharna have. And do you note a similarities amongst those who’s fan bases are that strong?
2- Mark has been on DWTS for many seasons and he’s established as a champion and one of the best choreographers. But he was perhaps overshadowed a bit by his BFF, Derek who had the clean cut American look, is fantastically gifted and who asked the producers to be challenged which resulted in a greater variety of partners.
3- Hotness, or what sheeple widely regard as sexiness today, (Val, Sharna, Nyle) garners much excitement, praise and probably votes. Remember the obnoxious “fans” who wished that Mark would continue to choreograph for Paige but that she would dance with Alan. Or, the “fan” who just this week wrote that Wanya’s body type ruins his performances for him/her. Shallow is a good word…………
4- So Mark has been getting partners who should be good, on paper. Young, fit. TPTB want Mark to do well and stick around creating memorable productions. But he’s not one willing to go the showmance route, which can increase votes and please the producers. I’m not hearing that celebs are asking for Mark so he’s perhaps not the first or second name associated with the show. I’d say it’s the bigger names (more votes) who can ask for a specific pro. So Mark’s partners aren’t usually women with large established fan bases either.
Shocking eliminations always come down to not enough votes.
PH. I’ve been thinking about Antonio’s Steeler Nation support and have a question. Assuming (for the sake of argument) that his voting support is overwhelming, how badly can he dance and still win? It’s flipping your numbers post which knows the scores and looks at what’s needed in votes. I hope I’m being clear, and I don’t even know if the question is answerable. I’m just trying to get a sense of how low his scores would have to be before his voting support will no longer carry him through.
No clue, Suzy. It all really hinges on the judges and how low they are willing to score him. If they continue to give him 9’s, he can certainly win. But it’s really unknowable if he’s truly doing better in the vote department than Wanya and Nyle. And to make it even more complicated – the viewership (and, theoretically the voting) goes way up in the last couple weeks, so…
Courtney I just want to say your power rankings are always spot on. I love to read them and it’s really awesome to see that there are other people who don’t think Nyle is an arrogant jerk. The media is really tearing him apart (Yahoo News!). I really really really hope he doesn’t lose fans and votes because of how the producers pitched him tonight. I really do like him.
I also didn’t really like the way they painted Antonio either. I really wish that Sharna would gave Antonio a piece of her mind. His dance wasn’t all that great either.
Von’s Michael Jackson dance was super cute I sent him a few votes.
Paige KILLED it. I loved her Austin Powers dance. Now I’ve been trying to find out what song they had formerly but can’t seem to find it. I was wondering if you guys knew? Or is that secret info we aren’t allowed to know?
I felt so bad for Jodie this week, I actually rolled my ankle once when I was do a gymnastics routine and my god I thought I had broken my foot. I give her so much credit for soldiering on but I could tell she was SUPER nervous about this weeks dance. Was really nice to see Keo bring in outside choreographers I think he needs them.
Ginger is just the cutest thing. But she just doesn’t have the chops to be nasty. i also don’t enjoy watching her dance it always seems like she is marking. Now I do enjoy Val but his whole, “I’m going to take a page out of my brothers book so my clothes will always be off” thing he has going on is nice but its really getting old. Yet I guess when you got it, flaunt it.
Kim is always a joy to watch. Never get tired of her. Love her attitude and love for life on the dance floor. I hope they stay.
Now I’m a die hard NSYNC fan, had the posters on my wall, their CDs, and everything. Had a HUGE crush on JC but it turned into Lance when I got older (for obvious reasons). I am starting to fall in LOVE with Lindsay’s choreography. I mean who knew a few years in the troupe would turn her into “a Junior Julianne Hough”. And Wanya keeps up awesomely.
Love your power rankings thanks for letting all of us get to read them.
@Christopher: It’s not secret info. 🙂 Court said on twitter that Paige & Mark’s original song was “Opposites Attract” by Paula Abdul. She also said that her source told her a different story than the one we got in the video package: The package said legal reasons, but Court’s source said Paula Abdul herself said not to do it. And as a gesture of good will to keep on good terms with Paula, TPTB pulled the song.
Thanks Tony. I’m sorry I don’t have a twitter. I just never felt the need to get one. Opposites Attract? oh they would have KILLED that song. It’s one of my favorites. It’s got a great Cha-Cha beat to it.
That is very peculiar because Paula has done her songs on DWTS and she just had one of her songs done on lip sync battle. Strange how she didn’t want someone performing her song. It’s got me curious. Thanks for the info.
🙂
GMA did a fairly extensive story on UFC this morning. Paige was there, and in one part of it she and another fighter taught some “moves.” Go Paige!!!!!!
Colleen (#51), I think that Mark’s frequent “shocking eliminations” don’t have as much to do with Mark himself as they do with his partners often having small pre-existing fanbases.
Now, why he frequently gets small-fanbase partners could be for the reasons you stated (although I for one consider myself a fanatical Mark voter :P)
On the flip-side, a couple of times, when he had partners that weren’t that great dance-wise, but who had big fanbases (Bristol, Candace), he went a lot further than people expected.
I am looking forward to the season where Mark can once again get a good dancer with a big DWTS-friendly fanbase (Sadie was very close, but she was up against Alfonso).
In Mark’s case, Cristina Millian had a very small fanbase hence being eliminated early that season. Plus she came off as snooty.
Mark hasn’t really been tested either. NOT ONE of his partners has been over the age of 40. Not one. And Paige is only 21. Willow Shields didn’t have much of a fanbase either and last season, I don’t think anyone could’ve beaten Bindi. EVERYONE loved her!
Sometimes, Mark gets carried away with the production of his routines. Like the Alice in Wonderland number or the Zombie one. Willow got lost amongst the Troupe in her Hunger Games dance.
Paige has a small fanbase too. I’d never heard of her until she was announced as a S22 DWTS castmember and I do loosely follow UFC…Ronda Rousey, Meisha Tate, Holly Holm—didnt know Paige VanZant until now. She’s pretty and girl can dance…likely in part to 13 years training at her parents dance studio. Sadly she’s going up against HUGE fanbases of Antonio Brown, Von Miller, and the fanbase of Val.
I think Val likes to take his shirt off because that’s how he wants to be known as…the Pro with the best abs. I have heard it said by DWTS fans on other sites that’s why they like Val…he’s eye candy for them. They apparently don’t care that he’s not all that as a choreographer.
Well Cali, either way it’s gonna have to end. Mark may not be the most likable or the “hottest”, but fans should be able to put all of the things that Colleen mentioned aside and just just allow Paige to go all the way and win. Mark deserves that MBT point blank and should have gotten it several times. I do understand having your favorites, but at the same time there are some that deserve to go far.
I would say Paige’s fanbase is decent, but compared to the stars we have on this season, it seems smaller than most. UFC was campaigning hard to vote for her this week too. I think and hope she makes it through this week but not gonna lie, it’s gonna get scary after this week.
Nah, I’m not so sure about that. I had never heard of Paige before DWTS and she is up against some stiff competition this season. There are at least 3 couples that are capable of taking her spot in the finals. Was being in jeopardy a fluke? Or is Paige’s fanbase really in trouble?
I guess we’ll find out soon enough. But I want Paige to knock Antonio out of the finals.
There is no “deserve” in DWTS. You work hard, you choreograph good dances, you teach your celebrity – IF PEOPLE VOTE FOR YOU, you get the MBT. THAT is how it works. I’m sure you don’t like it when others get pimped to a MBT so it’s quite hypocritical to ask that people just give it to Mark because he “deserves it”. I’m sure by your own criteria, Sharna, Lindsay, Artem and all the rest – including Witney, Peta, Sasha, Keo – “deserve” it as well.
Mark is very fortunate to be on DWTS and have a platform to do what he loves AND become well known enough that he can have a music career as well. He’s got at least one Emmy nomination (and I suspect he will have a co-nomination with Derek this next time around) and two MBTs. He’s not a poor pitiful thing, he’s a successful dancer and musician. He’s got FAR more going on than anyone else currently on DWTS. So give it a rest, CH.
If Val, and his fans, think he’s the pro with the best abs/bod/sexiest, they’d better look again. Granted, I personally don’t find Val attractive. Too John Travolta with the close set eyes and lantern jaw. But I could barely take my eyes off Keo during their contemporary this week! Despite the fact that I believe Keo isn’t working out well as a DWTS pro, I like him more than Val and think he’s both handsome and smokin’ hot! But different strokes and all……………..
Mark and his partners always have way too many issues for them to become winners. Small fanbases is the key problem here as was already mentioned. Personality is another. I don’t think Bindi had any type of fanbase when she came along, but she very quickly gained one thanks to her personality, add it to Derek’s fanbase plus her dancing and you get a pretty easy winner.
But if you take Paige, Alexia, Christina, Sadie, Willow, with no fanbases at all, and in some cases not the best of personalities for television, add a little bit of Mark’s overproduced dances that often push the partners into the background, ask too much of them or get points taken away (with reason sometimes), you get a bunch of “losers”. Of course Sadie and Candace had her religious storylines, so that helped a lot and it’s no coincidence they were the ones that went far. It’s sad because with the obvious Kim/Bristol exception, every Mark partner could’ve gone very far.
I think Paige and Mark are in luck because she can handle his overproduced dances very well, but then you go back to personality (not the best, not even during the dances) and the fanbase. Again, sad, they’re my favorite couple this season.
I think Mark is amazing, I’ve loved the guy from day one, easily the most creative guy on the show, some dances are incredible (LOVED Austin Powers this week) and they become famous everywhere, places he probably doesn’t even think about (have you ever been to a Venezuelan wedding where they do his Super Mario dance? I have), but him winning, I don’t see it happening again. I highly doubt it. There’s too much going against him and his partners every single season.
PS: Loved the “Mark hasn’t been tested”/”He hasn’t had an over 40 partner” comments. I can think of somebody else who also hasn’t been tested like that. He’s had his over 40 partners, sure, but who where they and what was their experience? Yes, thank you.
I think Mark would have EASILY won with Sadie…If Alfonso hadn’t been on that season. That’s the way it goes, though. I think Sadie was a great dancer, had a great personality and I loved all of her dances. She also had a very good fanbase. Nearly any other season, except Bindi’s, she may well have won.
As for not being tested – surely you’re referring to Val, correct? Nope, not tested at all.
Actually, I thought Bindi did have a good fanbase going into the season. I knew exactly who she was when she was the first celeb announced and if she was anything like her dad, I knew people were going to love her.
I thought she was a Mark-type partner, so to be honest, I was disappointed when she went to Derek instead.
Kinda funny, Cali, when most of Mark’s fans were incessantly whining about how he always gets the youngsters. “Why can’t he have a grown woman as a partner?” To which I now say…the grass is always greener, ain’t it?
Well, I wasn’t one of those Mark fans that thought that, so I was disappointed.
While it’s true that Mark has never “been tested” for an entire season, he was paired with Paula in last season’s switch-up, and came up with a fabulous routine for her.
With Derek gone, I had hoped for a season to devote to Mark, and when he got Paige for a partner I was overjoyed. She’s an absolutely perfect partner for him. Because of all the pre-season discussion about shocking eliminations, I have been power voting for them since week 1. Especially if she is edged out by AB, I will be extremely unhappy if they don’t make the finals
BUT …
Life is not a success-only journey. That being the case, whenever I feel that there’s something that should have happened in my life and didn’t, I ask myself what good thing I would be willing to forfeit in order to get that other thing in my life. Now, in addition to all the professional aspects PH enumerated above, Mark’s personal life is somewhere over the rainbow. He is engaged. He has found someone he wants to share his life with, who is also someone with whom he can share his music, and with whom he has launched a (so far successful) musical group. He is clearly loving his partnership with Paige and is choreographing some phenomenal dances. All of this stuff, together, is a lot. I really think if you asked him, he wouldn’t change a thing, of any of it. I will, of course, continue to power vote my heart out for him and Paige — I sooooo want to see their freestyle. But if they leave, they’re both still very blessed.
I feel sorry for Paige. As hard as UFC may try and campaign online and have Dana White in the audience etc, their fans really couldn’t care less as you’ll see by their replies to social media posts on the official UFC page. They aren’t football fans and they simply don’t want to invest themselves on a mid level fighter in a dance competition. If it was one of their top top fighters like Rousey or McGregor then the fans would probably treat it a lot differently, but Paige simply doesn’t have the reputation or popularity within UFC to have a strong fan base voting for her. I think her jeopardy call wasn’t a rouse, she didn’t get brilliant scores with Sasha last week and I could see her struggling with votes considering she’s relying pretty much on Mark’s fans, Derek floating fans, a few die hard UFC fans and the normal demographic to get her through. Compare that to Steeler Nation, and likes of Wanya, Nyle, Jodie and Ginger all fighting for votes within the demographic and it’s hard for her.
I agree, Sadie would have won on the majority of seasons but came up against a wrecking ball in Alfonso. If she ever took part in an All Star season, I’d fancy her chances of winning.
Also regarding Nyle and his package, I have to wonder if he’s killing it so badly in votes, maybe TPTB are having a change of heart about him? I got the feeling before this season that they are desperate to have a new pro win the mirrorball, especially when the cast was announced and the likes of Sharna and Keo had huge contenders. Now obviously it looks like Peta is cruising her way to a 2nd mirrorball trophy. Maybe TPTB want to test out Nyle’s general voters by giving him a dodgy package and seeing if there is anyway he could be caught by the likes of Wanya.
Really agreed with most of your analysis and breakdown!
Any hints on Mark’s original song…lol
I think people confuse knowing who somebody is and having an actual big, real fanbase when the show starts. I think in Bindi’s case she was known, but did people really care?, specially considering the demo of this show. Even pros like Derek, Mark or Val must have had bigger fanbases. Somebody like Paula maybe came in with a bigger fanbase. But of course it quickly grew and we know what happened.
But that might be a bigger discussion and possibly something that has been discussed to death here.
Yeah, I would agree that Bindi didn’t go in with a huge fan base. She had name recognition to people, but to call that a fanbase? Nick’s was certainly many times larger than hers, and I also agree that Paula Deen’s may have been larger as well.
The people with the biggest fanbases going in don’t always win, just like the people with dance training don’t always win. Someone who can dance well and capture the audience’s heart can be a complete unknown and still win the show. Or someone can have dance experience AND a huge fanbase and get beat – like Zendaya. Kellie had no training and a rather small fanbase, comparatively, and came out on top – just like Bindi. Now, you might be tempted to point at Derek in those instances and that’s certainly a factor – but even Derek is not going to get someone a win all on his own fanbase.
While it does seem like some pros have fanbases that are big enough to take them and their celeb fairly far in the competition on a regular basis, what wins a couple the show is their ability to win over the average viewer who has no loyalty to anyone to begin with. A big fanbase is a bonus. If a celebrity has a big fanbase going into the show but doesn’t really connect with the main demographic that does NOT follow them very closely, it’s very had for them to win. The winner is usually someone who dances good and has a fun and endearing personality or something special about the partnership. Last season Bindi’s personality was infectious so she was able to do that easily. So was Kellie, as well as Donald, Hines, and JR, to name a few. This season it seems Nyle has done this, but it will be very telling to see how he is portrayed (and how the audience reacts) for the remainder of the season.
I know the week is almost over but I just can’t seem to let it go… Can someone please explain WHY TPTB would create an unfavorable package on Nyle (a well-liked celeb)? What do TPTB gain when they purposely sabotage a person’s character? Just look at the negative press about Nyle’s eog generated after Monday’s show. I agree with you that they were setting Nyle for failure this week. Nyle is already working against the odds without them messing with him. Was it really just to “create drama”? They can create drama other ways without making him look like a “self-absorbed egomaniac”. I don’t feel he’s getting ahead of the rest, it is a close competition. Besides, there are other ways to “hold him back” without sabotaging his character… (I stopped watching the show couple years ago, maybe stunts like this was why I stopped watching.)
(Nyle and Sharna worked well last week and earn the top scores together, they both were punished in this week’s packages…)
Nyle seems like a good wholesome story that TPTB would want to continue to promote, but instead, they did the opposite. Any insight as to why they would do that to a well-liked celeb beyond just to create some stupid drama? I think there has be something more than that…
JS, sometimes their reasoning is really clear and other times it’s not. This is more of a “not”. My sense, before that package, was that he could win the show. Normally, if he’s getting a ton of votes, is well liked and is dancing great, that would be fine (since he’s not dancing with Derek). But ever since the show started touring it certainly seems important to the producers to spread the MBTs around a bit – and Peta already has one. Sharna and Lindsay don’t have one. Both women tour. But that SHOULD go out the window when you have an amazing guy like Nyle, who is well loved by the cast, crew and audience, who can DANCE and who has to be raking in the votes. The only thing I can think of is that perhaps he’s NOT killing it in votes and it’s much more even between him, Antonio and Wanya. If that’s the case, then they can afford to hose him once and see what happens. I think this is the case because Bindi NEVER got hosed – at all – and she was certainly partnered by someone they would never want to win again. I suspect that she was running away with the competition from Day 1, so there was no upside to pissing off their audience. Did that make sense? Because Nyle isn’t the standalone favorite, they aren’t risking as much audience wrath by hosing him.
@Suzy You’re comment made me emotional. You precisley captured the essence of Ballas fan out there. Thanks for putting that up. Really appreciated.
Correction: It’s your and not you’re.
Wondering why my comments from yesterday didn’t post…
#Moksh You’re welcome.
Mark has always been my favorite male pro, and I am really enjoying reading the comments about his DWTS career, especially the insight by Suzy. Many people, myself included loved his season with Sadie, but my favorite Mark partnership was with Katherine Jenkins. For some reason I loved their dances together and watch them sometimes on You Tube. As for this season, I would love for him to win the MBT with Paige, but I think this is the season for Nyle and Peta, because it is really hard not to be inspired by his attitude. I work with diverse learners and a couple of my female students are big fans and have voted for him.
@Heidi – Thanks for your insight. Both scenarios make sense. But wouldn’t it be ideal for the show to have Lindsay (who is probably the closest pro to measure up to Julianne) win that shiny MBT this season. Her choreography has been through the roof this season.
Sharna may have been in the running for that title, but in my opinion she has kind of fizzled out. Her choreography doesn’t seem to be as awesome as it once was. And in my opinion has never reached the level that Lindsay has achieved.
Oh, yeah, Sandy – makes sense to us. And I think we’ll see in the next week or two if they give up on Antonio. Lindsay would work just as well, which makes it hard to understand why they would work so hard for Sharna…until you remember Steeler Nation.
Oh yeah I forgot the Steeler Nation has been a dedicated and loyal fan of the show since its beginning. Nevermind those of us that have been faithfully watching the show through thick and thin. What was I thinking….
This season Lindsay and Mark have been the best choreographers and design dances to their celebrity’s strengths. I have always been a fan of Mark, and of Lindsay since last season. Lindsay, I believe, was one of Mark’s students in Utah. I don’t think there will be a DWTS tour this summer, so giving the MBT to a pro going on tour is ridiculous. I hope the winner is the most deserving couple this season.
Think long term, LeannC – they’ve already announced there WILL be a winter tour.
“Most deserving” is in the eye of the beholder.