PureDWTS Season 23, Week 2 – Power Rankings
I really do have kind of a love-hate relationship with TV weeks – and really, theme weeks in general. They’ve brought us some really good dances, and they’ve brought us some pretty craptastic dances. And a whole lotta awkward sh*t in between – this is what happens, kids, when you try to force a certain song to fit a certain dance, or try to force certain costuming to fit a certain dance, or a certain dance to fit a certain theme, etc. There was definitely some awkwardness last night that I would blame primarily on this week’s theme – I feel like Amber & Maks, Jake & Jenna, and Rob/Vanilla & Witney kinda got played by their assigned themes, while I commend Calvin & Lindsay and Babyface and Allison for making their theme work for them…particularly the latter, which I’ll get into more later. Also a lot of time wasting at the beginning of several of the dances, which seemed to be a pretty across-the-board thing, so I guess I can’t complain too much – although I will say some pros utilized the time wasting more than others.
And while I think the distraction of the protesters last week may have somewhat blurred any potential agenda by the judges, I felt like we really saw that agenda take shape awfully clearly this week: Laurie is the chosen one, and anyone that poses a threat to Laurie needs to be nitpicked, criticized, and underscored to protect her. I think the only other celeb that escaped the judges unscathed besides Laurie was Terra, which is also somewhat problematic, which I will get into later; but why give a dance straight 8’s and then don’t explain ways in which it can be improved upon? If it’s truly perfect and you aren’t going to give any negative feedback, give it 10’s. If you’re not giving it 10’s and you’re not offering up suggestions for improvement…something’s rotten in the state of Denmark.
Not sure if I’ll do another round of power rankings later tonight/early tomorrow or not (for next Monday’s elimination), as I’ve got some other things going on that are going to make the next 24 hours very, very busy for me, but for now…I guess take these as my predictions for who is going home tomorrow night, and I might just do an update tomorrow evening after we boot the first celeb.
1.) Laurie & Val – Anyone else notice that Laurie barely talks on camera? It’s either Val hogging the mic, or the judges gushing about how great she is, or Tom…being Tom, but really, I don’t think we heard more than maybe 15 words out of Laurie’s mouth last night – she mainly just stood there smiling, which I blame more on everyone around her than Laurie herself. But anyway – this was a good jive, but not a GREAT jive. First gripe: choreo. A lot of the usual Val time-wasting and heavy reliance on props, and not as much jive content as I think we need to see that someone is good at jive. The first time I watched, I wasn’t sure if it was those feathery shoe clips or what, but something seriously weird was going on with her feet – and I was not the only one that noticed, judging from my Twitter feed. Upon second viewing, I see exactly what the problem is: she was not pointing her feet, and they were just kinda flopping around on the flicks and kicks. I don’t think I need to tell you guys what would happen if another celeb tried to get away with the same thing – but notice how the judges conveniently missed it. Or just chose not to acknowledge it, whatever. But there was certainly room for improvement in that jive, and the judges gave her no direction. Draw your own conclusions, but I’m pretty sure we got a clear glimpse of the narrative this season last night: the MBT is Val’s – er, I mean Laurie’s. Problem is, Laurie’s got Hinch, Calvin, Marilu, Babyface, and possibly Rob/Vanilla nipping at her heels performance-wise, and I’m not so sure the trophy is gonna just fall into her hands without some serious manipulation from the judges/production…which means it could be a very long season for moi…
2.) Hinch & Sharna – You guys know these two are my favorites, so know that this comes from a place of love: I absolutely HATED their costumes tonight. Least favorite, by far – why, you ask? Because they couldn’t seem to decide whether they were gonna go full-on zombie apocalypse or full-on glam – and ended up with some awkward in-between that just looked like a regular ballroom costume that had been dragged behind a moving vehicle for a couple miles. As I said on Twitter – either go 100% glam or 100% (Rick) Grimes…the in-between is just kinda cheesy. And FFS, get James some pants with some shape! Ok, end of rant. All that being said, this was actually a pretty badass dance, and not just for being a dance they only rehearsed for 2 days. James is good, guys – some of the shaping he was doing was just gorgeous, and he really sold the dance. I will say that he seemed a little stiff from time to time, and that weird little backwards kick Sharna had him doing was kinda odd and off-balanced…but both are things that are easily fixable with time and focus. Which is why I found myself rolling my eyes when the judges decided to launch into a nitpick-fest about…gah, I can’t even remember. Something trivial, as if to justify giving him a full 3 points less than Laurie, who had foot issues that conveniently went unnoticed. If that right there doesn’t tell you what’s up, let me spell it out for you: James probably poses the most legitimate threat to Laurie walking off with the MBT this season, which means they’ve gotta stop him somehow…and the best way to do it right now is lowballing his scores and nitpicking his dances. I’m not sure they’d dare to give him the bad edit treatment…yet…
3.) Marilu & Derek – Glad to see Marilu shaking off her nerves from last week, and nailing every step in her routine without going off-time. She seems to have hit a nice stride with Derek, where they’re very locked-in with each other’s energy, and it’s starting to pay off. Lovely foxtrot, although in the grand scheme of last night, I’m not sure it was super-memorable – plus I don’t remember Taxi as much as, say, The Brady Bunch, but I’m also still kinda young for the main viewing demo of DWTS. Now that she’s shaken off her nerves and general starstruck-ness at being on her favorite show, I’m hoping Derek starts to pull out some flashier choreography that is gonna allow her to really solidify herself as a contender this season – the more celebs that are giving Laurie a run for her money, the harder it’s gonna be for TPTB to engineer a win for her.
4.) Calvin & Lindsay – I thought Calvin was good last week, but he didn’t really stick out in my mind as a contender yet. That changed last night – not only did we get to see Calvin actually dance really, really well, but we got to see Calvin the performer really emerge – and my god, this guy has the best smile ever. I just found myself saying “My god, he’s adorable – and he’s having so much fun!” Also loved Lindsay’s choreography, which continues to improve season to season. I wasn’t convinced after last week, but this week, I think Calvin solidified himself as a contender – like Hinch & Rob/Vanilla, he’s really embracing the experience and seems eager to learn, plus he’s just LIKEABLE. My only caution for him would be to watch that frame in-hold – he & Lindsay have a pretty significant height difference, and while it looked pretty good last night, I did see a few instances where I was like “D’oh! Don’t drop the frame, Megatron, DON’T DROP THE FRAME!” But overall, very pleased with how he’s doing, and eager to see more.
5.) Babyface & Allison – Oddly enough, I think this dance may have slightly overtaken Hinch & Sharna’s as my favorite of the night, just by virtue of the staging – really appreciated how they were able to work in The X-Files theme without the dance being completely overtaken by it, or reaching the point of it either being cheesy (kinda like Hinch & Sharna) or just kinda unclear as to what the theme was supposed to be (like Jana & Gleb). They paid homage to the theme, but the dance still held up well as a legit Argentine tango – in that respect, it reminded me a lot of Shawn & Derek’s Knightrider bhangra. A nice balance. As for the actual dancing – it was actually pretty nice, but I will say that I still find Babyface to be moving a tad small. Would love to see him get a jive or quickstep, where he can really be energetic and let loose. He clearly has musicality and a good grasp of rhythm – now I want to see him be a bit more of a showman.
6.) Rob/Vanilla & Witney – Still struggling with whether to call him Rob or Vanilla, so until something feels right – I’m going with both 😛 I just love how relentlessly POSITIVE he is – he’s happy to be there, he’s grateful for the experience, and he’s supportive of his castmates. That, by itself, can go pretty far – and on top of that, he definitely has some showmanship and dance skill. This foxtrot wasn’t quite as engaging as his cha-cha last week (which I expected it wouldn’t be), but all in all, I actually think it was still halfway decent – a couple thrown-away arms and some weird steps (which I think could be more Witney’s fault than Rob’s), and not sure why Carrie Ann got her panties in a bunch about the lip syncing…I kinda go the impression Witney maybe told him to do it, and it kinda fit the song, in my opinion. But overall, I still enjoyed it – he’s fun to watch, and he seems like he’s having a great time. Can’t fault him for any of that.
7.) Terra & Sasha – *sigh* I’m really having a hard time with this one, because I’m trying to bear in mind that Terra’s got a unique set of circumstances, while still remembering that this is a dance show, and you do actually have certain dance rules you have to follow in order to perform a competent dance, and you do have to have a set of standards in place to compare everyone to. Yes, this turned out better than I imagined it would have – Terra kept up, and it didn’t look completely awkward having Sasha drop his frame down so far. I will giver her major props for performing the same steps that anyone else would have in a quickstep (albeit a bit smaller), and doing them well. But I’m having a really hard time justifying the score – on paper, I would say those same steps performed with the same level of proficiency by a person of regular stature were only marginally better than what Maureen danced, yet Terra scored 5 points better than Maureen did. Not sure if this was a “we have to build in a handicap because Terra is a little person” score, or “crap, Terra is coming in without a huge fanbase, and we don’t want her getting voted off too early!” score, but I thought 31 was a tad excessive…I probably would have gone with 27, maybe 28. Will be interesting to see if the judges continue to coddle her, or do drop the hammer in a few weeks once cannon fodder like Jake, Rick, & Ryan are gone…
8.) Jana & Gleb – Gleb, honey, you’ve got me a tad worried – because so far, you’ve given me basically the same dance 2 weeks in a row, and I fear that you and Jana are coming across a bit one-note. Too much of the “Look how sexy we are! Watch us do tricks to show off how limber we are!” two weeks in a row, and I don’t know that either dance was really a quality dance – this week in particular, that tango felt very trick-laden and busy. And part of me wonders if they scaled back on all the tricks, if that would lessen the chance of Jana getting hurt – just a thought. As for the theme – yeah, “I Don’t Wanna Be” wasn’t ideal for a tango, but I felt like they went completely opposite of the One Tree Hill theme – was not loving those space-age looking tango costumes, and they were probably my second-least-favorite costumes of the night after James & Sharna’s. And the fact that these two danced 2nd – what I would call the “Running Order Position of Doom”, makes me wonder if Jana is not getting as many votes as we thought she might…plus 29 was a pretty kind score for a tango as mediocre as this one. Unless she & Gleb make some big moves in the coming weeks, I think they could be in some trouble.
9.) Maureen & Artem – Definite improvement over last week for Mo – she came across a lot more confident this time around, and actually seemed to be enjoying herself. And last night was the first time that I kinda thought to myself “Huh…that was actually pretty good choreography from Artem.” Not sure if it’s been lackluster partnerships or what, but up until last night, I could take or leave his choreography – but I felt like he really did serve Mo well. She still seemed to have a few wobbly frame issues, especially moving backwards, but she managed to stay on-time this week and really “locked in” with Artem when they were in hold. I definitely preferred this quickstep to The Brady Bunch theme to the awkward tango we saw from Flo Henderson back in season 11, and maybe it’s just me (since everyone else seems to just love her), but can I please have less Flo on my TV moving forward? When she cropped up at the beginning of Mo’s dance, I just found myself rolling my eyes and saying “Christ, not Flo again!” We were mercifully spared her flat rendition of “God Bless America” at the Indy 500 this year, but I haven’t been able to shake her since…
10.) Ryan & Cheryl – Anyone else get the impression last night that the judges were trying to mitigate any sympathy votes he may have gotten last week? Yes, this wasn’t the best quickstep we’ve ever seen (and it doesn’t even come close to Aaron & Karina’s Muppet quickstep back in season 9), but the fact that Julianne seemed to launch a bit too quickly & eagerly into critiquing it (like, before the audience had even finished applauding) just felt…weird. As if someone in the control room was whispering in her earpiece “Ok, he got wayyyy too many votes last week after the protester incident – we need to level the playing field a bit. Attack, Julianne, ATTACK!!!” And then the rest of the judges just followed suit. I’m starting to get the impression that Julianne is trying to be the next Len, but that’s neither here nor there. Yeah, there were a few framing issues, and this dance seemed unusually short, but like Vanilla’s dance, I enjoyed it nonetheless – there’s something to be said for someone that actually looks like they’re having fun out there, even if they’re really struggling with the dance itself. But I have to wonder if the show has decided that Ryan is a bit of a toxic asset, and needs to get unloaded sooner rather than later…
11.) Rick & Emma – Once again, I reiterate: you can absolute SUCK at a certain dance, but if you’re doing it with a smile on your face and seem to be having fun, it can redeem the whole performance. And really, Rick didn’t suck – sure, this may have been the most slow-moving, cautious quickstep we’ve seen since Wendy Williams in season 12, but he managed to stick with it and not go off-time (that I saw), and I thought he & Emma looked adorable as Oliver & Lisa (especially loved Emma’s frilly robe-inspired dress & updo). I feel like we saw the return of season 17 Emma last night – the one that recognizes “Hey, my partner may not be the most skilled one here – but I’m gonna adjust my choreography accordingly, and do my damndest to make sure he shines!” Starting to get really good Bill Engvall-esque vibes from Rick 🙂 He seems to be having a ball, and once again, even if you hate this guy’s politics – he’s coming across as a pretty affable, likeable guy on DWTS. Not too sure how long he’s realistically going to last, but I’m gonna enjoy him while he’s here!
12.) Amber & Maks – It legitimately disappoints me to put these two this low, because I really do like Amber and had high hopes for her this season, but the judges (or TPTB, depending on who you think is pulling the puppet strings on any given day) are playing a dangerous game by scoring her as low as they have been. I think Amber was one of the couples that was most grossly underscored last night – she managed to stay on-time and connect with her partner, and still ended up getting the same score as a guy who couldn’t even manage to stay on-time in his dance (and sorry, Jenna-apologist-on-Twitter-looking-to-start-an-argument, but “clunky steps” and going off-time are not equally-punishable offenses in my book – the former is more of a technique gripe, while the latter is a fundamental dance sin…who the hell cares what your steps look like if you can’t even stick to the basic rhythm of the dance???). And as for said “clunky steps” – I don’t have any solid intel, but part of me thinks that wearing those boots may not have been Amber’s call, and she was as equally frustrated with them as the judges were. Also not thrilled with Maks’ choreography, which just seemed a bit bland and repetitive tonight (as opposed to the usual time-wasting) and didn’t really utilize the stage – but again, I have to wonder if they were forced into a certain type of staging/costuming, which limited their control of the dance. To what end? I’m not sure, but it just kinda further plunges them into an already-precarious situation with votes, in my opinion – Maks is already having to split votes with Baby Bro (and possibly Jenna the cat, and maybe even Fam acolyte Sharna), and Amber really doesn’t fit in with the “conservative middle-aged housewife” demo. I don’t think they’re headed home tonight, but I would not be surprised to see them in the bottom two…just too much funny business going on for me not to worry…
13.) Jake & Jenna – These two really needed to knock this cha-cha outta the park in order to have a hope and a prayer of surviving tonight’s elimination – and unfortunately, I think they only did marginally better than last week, and the dance still kinda fell apart on multiple fronts. Yes, the song wasn’t ideal – probably the most obscure/niche-y of the ones used last night, but it did seem fun and upbeat. If only Jake could have stayed on-time – he went off-time more than once (and on kinda simple steps, if I’m being honest) and there were also a few missed hand passes that were pretty glaringly obvious. Also found the costuming to be pretty distracting – particularly Jenna’s, which had some comically placed beads that seemed to hearken back to Lacey’s infamous “crotch doily” dress from season 11. Then again, I also found Jenna in general to be pretty distracting in the dance, as she was once again outdancing her partner and shifting focus. Which brings me to the biggest problem I have with these two: they just seem to have their signals completely crossed. Jake seems uninterested and detached (even his “I was upset about last week’s scores!” face looked about the same as I would imagine his “Hmmm, I’m kinda hungry” face looks), while Jenna seems intent on hogging the limelight…which really makes me skeptical if she was really & truly ready for a spot as a pro this season. Regardless, I would be very, very shocked if they somehow managed to avoid elimination tonight – I just don’t think they have the scores or the fanbase on their side.
So what did you guys think of last night? Who do you think is headed home tonight? For those who follow me on Twitter, I may be a tad late to the party tonight – but I will be there eventually 😉
Excellent once again, Court. And I’m with you on just about everything.
1. Sharna and James – From the dance, to the theatrical element, the choreo, the costumes, and to all the power and passion, I was completely wowed. STUNNING!
2. Allison and Babyface – I knew I was going to love this dance right in the beginning seconds. Such brilliant choreo by Allison. So powerful, creative, and sexy. And the passion in their expressions….PERrrrfect!
3. Derek and Marilu – Leave it to Derek to come up with a dance that was so smooth and clever even when challenged with choreo for the song. Marilu’s technique was just beautiful. I loved their lines and her carriage. Derek looked so sexy too.
4. Gleb and Jana – You could tell she was hurting as the dance felt shaky and she hesitated a little, but, wow, her legs were just beautiful and they made the best of it. I was gasping at some of the moves and lines she had. I hope and pray she gets better soon.
5. Calvin and Lindsay – I just loved these two again. I love love his smile. They were a ray of light out there. He can dance and I love how he’s proving his sister and former team mates wrong again.
6. Laurie and Val – It was a great dance, but, I wasn’t wowed. I felt like her footwork could have been sharper and they were weird at times like Court commented at twitter. I still don’t think Val is pushing her or himself as much as he could.
7. Sasha and Terra – They just sparkled out there. I loved all their joy and how she just had fun. So entertaining and so cute!
8. Cheryl and Ryan – There were some technical issues, but, I loved all the fun they had with it. I love his sweet attitude and how he keeps going. He’s a fighter for sure.
9. Vanilla and Witney – There was some stiffness, but, hey, he was charming and I love his positive spirit.
10. Maureen and Artem – What an improvement from last week. She got a little lost a few times in her footwork, but, wow she kicked her nerves to the curb. I loved it.
11. Rick and Emma – These two made me smile for the whole dance. They are so entertaining. He needs to loosen up a little, but, I just love how he’s embracing it all and how he got so much into his character.
12. Amber and Maks – This was just a mess. Her leg work was clunky just like Julianne said and wearing the boots didn’t help. I sure hope she starts improving soon because things aren’t looking good for them right now.
13. Jake and Jenna – Once again, I am not impressed. The foot and leg work was so off. He has no expression and she over danced him. I hope it’s these two going home tonight.
Here’s mine (which are pretty close to yours):
1. Laurie and Val: I really like Laurie, but like you said, we never hear her talk. I feel like with Laurie’s personality and the theme, there was the potential for a charming, cute dance that wasn’t fully realized. I think most of the male pros (except maybe Maks) could’ve produced a much better dance. I’m dreaming of the dance Derek would’ve done but also think Sasha’s would’ve been amazing. But they’re here because they’re the ones I would be most surprised if they were eliminated.
2. Hinch and Sharna: He passes the Mom test. My mom knew nothing about him before the show but loves him. That’s a sign to me that he will be a hit with the fans as my mom has a tendency to gravitate towards the fan favorite. I liked the dance given the constraints of the theme and James’s time. I was more wowed by last week’s dance, but this was good.
3. Marilu and Derek: Marilu seemed a lot calmer this week, and I like it. I also love how Derek shied away from the production value a bit and went more for cute and charming. I think between Derek’s and her fanbases and her and his skill they’re in it for the long haul.
4. Calvin and Lindsay: He’s right up there with James for the Mom vote. He’s sweet, has a great personality, and seems to have the perfect attitude for the show.
5. Babyface and Allison: I loved Allison’s choreo this week, and he executed it very well. Also love that he remixed the theme a bit.
6. Vanilla Ice and Witney: I hate the lip synching nit pick. It just isn’t as distracting as Carrie Ann makes it out to be. I really liked this dance. I fear he could be a middle-of-the-pack kind of elimination, but I really like him.
7. Jana and Gleb: Jana and Terra got the same score cumulatively. I think they are pretty close as far as fan base, but I gave Jana the edge because I think she’s more well known. We’ll just have to see if that translates to votes. Like you, I got a bit of a one-trick vibe from these too which is disappointing because whereas last week’s song might’ve called for it, I Don’t Wanna Be certainly didn’t.
8. Terra and Sasha: Agree about the overscoring this week, but I did really enjoy their quickstep and applaud Sasha for good and adaptive choreography.
9. Ryan and Cheryl: Overall, all else being equal, I’d give the edge to Maureen and her fan base over Ryan. BUT…with the events of last week, I feel like this puts Ryan slightly ahead of Maureen. The thing I didn’t like about the judges comments this week is for a lot of other couples with mistakes they would acknowledge the mistake but also spend time highlighting how fun it was to watch. I feel like they didn’t do that as much with Ryan. And I really did find it fun to watch even if not technically perfect (or close to it).
10. Maureen and Artem: I find her energy a bit frenetic at times, but I did truly enjoy this dance.
11. Rick and Emma: I just love him on this show. His attitude is great, and he seems to understand that he has to bring entertainment. I’m not entirely sure how long he’ll stay because if his fans vote like crazy he could oust several people. However, I am pretty confident it’s not him going home this week.
12. Amber and Maks: She just has the bad fortune of not having a traditional DWTS-voting fanbase and not good scores. I do like her, and I like Maks more than I have in many seasons with her. If the scores don’t improve, I don’t think she’ll be here long. That said, I would actually be surprised somewhat if she goes home tonight which tells you something about the next couple.
13. Jake and Jenna: He too doesn’t have a traditional DWTS-voting fanbase or good scores. But along with that, he has a pro who doesn’t bring many votes with her and IMO is not nearly as likable as Amber. I think he should and will be the first to go home and will be somewhat surprised if it’s anyone else.
1.Babyface&Allison-As a huge X-Files fan I loved it. On point choreography, lighting, costumes and dancing.
2. Hinch&Sharna- The danced looked a bit crowded, which probably had something to do with filling some musical time because of the lack of rehearsal time with Hinch’s busy schedule. However, I really loved some of the shaping he did with his body and was confused when some of the judges mentioned bad shaping by him. He has an ease of movement on the dance floor which impresses me greatly.
3. Calvin&Lindsay- I loved how much fun he was having channeling his inner Urkel. What a cute foxtrot.
4. Derek&Marilu- Derek as Jim Ignatowski was a hoot. He’s my favorite character from that show. Marilu showed beautiful, elegant lines.
5. Sasha&Terra- She shows such joy when she dances. Very smart and wonderful choreography by Sasha.
6. Laurie&Val – She’s so wide eyed, enthusiastic and adorable. I want to see Val bring up the level of choreo to match her potential. If you want that Mirrorball, you do a disservice to your partner if you, the pro, coast on your way to it.
7. Ice&Witney- He’s really won me over. I love his genuine happiness at being on the show. As with Rick, that goes a long way with me. He’s got the performing skills and likability, now Witney just has to work on bringing his technique up.
8. Gleb&Jana- Their dance was uncomfortable for me to watch simply because I was wincing in sympathy at some of the moves she had to do.
9. Maureen&Artem – Much improvement over last week.
10- Amber&Maks – This was a dance that got overwhelmed by the costumes, staging and themes. I feel like we haven’t seen the real Amber yet on the dance floor. Hopefully that can happen next week.
11. Ryan&Cheryl- I feel like their QS was a bit of a mess actually. That’s one dance where once you get off time, it’s very difficult to course correct. The costumes were cute.
12- Rick&Emma- Entertaining and fun. Emma looked awesome in Eva Gabor drag.
13. Jenna&Jake- She out danced him and made the dance all about her and her jungle girl posse. I’m not crazy about Jake, but he deserves better.
I could not stop staring at Jenna’s costume! I can’t imagine no one else noticed it before showtime, I’m sure the costume dept could’ve ripped that stuff off or covered it up with a skirt. Wow.
I think Babyface and Allison were my favorites last night. I also loved Marilu and Derek’s foxtrot, from what I saw she hit everything. Also Witney and Ice were awesome! I know people got tired of Mark’s costumes but I missed that last night. The only couples who came close were Amber and Maks and Emma and Rick (which were pretty awesome) 🙂
Yeah, pretty sure Jake and Jenna are going home. He’s awkward as heck, and their partnership is weird too. Cant say I’ll miss him. Bye Jake.
Thanks Coutney for getting the rankings up so quickly. You are always so spot on with your predictions. I agree that Laurie needs to perfect her moves and that the judges are falling all over her with praise. James is very talented and I worry that they could treat him like Ralph Macchio. Jake and Jenna are so young and don’t hold in their reactions to the scores. Jake was shaking his head and smirking when the judges were holding up their paddles. I hope they go home tonight and not Rick. Hoping for some good pro dances tonight from Derek and Cheryl!
This was actually an very interesting night of competition.
1)Terra and Sasha- I really loved this quickstep! I was nervous going in, but after seeing it I was bewitched! (pardon the pun)
2)Laurie and Val- While it was a cute dance, her shoes kind of warped her footwork.
3) Babyface and Allison- This was some of Allison’s best choreo! It wasn’t to hectic and perfect for the night and her partner!
4) Derek and Marilu- It was an adorable foxtrot, but I wasn’t wowed.
5) Calvin and Lindsey- He’s so freaking adorable it’s not even funny!
6) Jana and Gleb- It was a good dance, but I now want to see her with a dance such as the jive to see a different side of her.
7) James and Sharna- Unfortunately, I found this dance forgettable. However, I think next week he’ll come back swinging hard!
8) Maureen and Artem- I love this pairing! This dance was perfectly suited for her. After this week, I really hope she lasts!
9) V.Ice and Witney- I think he’s going to do well, even with his lack of rehearsal time.
10) Ryan and Cheryl- I thought he was better than the judges said he was. I think he and Cheryl really needed this dance.
11) Amber and Maks- I just didn’t like this dance.
12) Rick and Emma- not much to say.
13) Jake and Jenna- These two can’t leave the show soon enough.
Thanks for the power rankings, Court. You’ve given me confidence that we’ll be rid of Jake and Jenna tonight.
If TPTB turn this season into a Val and Laurie coronation, I’ll be turning my full attention to ‘Strictly’ really fast.
Some random thoughts in no particular order.
Hinch & Sharna: Impressed with what Hinch was able to do with just 2 days of rehearsal. He moves and shapes his body very well and commits to the performance. I’m excited to see what he’ll show us now that he can really focus on dancing. I’ll be livid if TPTB sabotage him.
Jana & Gleb: Completely agree with Court. Please Gleb, don’t waste this opportunity. TPTB might be trying to force you into the sexy couple role, but fight it. Hope Jana’s injury doesn’t become a problem. I want these two to succeed, but they better come out with something different next week.
Calvin & Lindsay: The man can dance and his smile lights up the ballroom. Lindsay continues to impress me as a teacher/choreographer. Enjoyed every minute of that performance. Now I’m curious to see how he’ll do with something softer.
Babyface & Allison: Best performance of the night for me. Everything worked — concept, costumes, staging, choreography and execution. Babyface might be reserved, but when it’s time to perform, the man knows what he needs to do, and he makes it happen. I want these two around for a long time.
Marilu & Derek: Solid performance. So glad to see Marilu getting her fangirl under control and finding her stride. Onward and upward for these two.
Maureen & Artem: Relieved and delighted to see the improvement in Maureen. It was nice to see her “present” in the dance and enjoying herself. Fingers crossed TPTB don’t put these two in jeopardy and ruin what little confidence Maureen managed to build up.
Thanks Court!
In general I think almost everyone’s dances where better (more surprising) last week. I did see improvement in Terra, Babyface and Calvin.
I thought the jive steps in Laurie’s dance where not perfect at all. As you say, no pointed toes and the kicks and flicks where missing sharpness and needed to be more precise. Still, she is great and was the best dance of the night. Loved James (my fav) but agree that it was a tad simple (understandable).
I don’t understand why they repeat complete concepts. I get they might repeat a show, but don’t give someone the same show, music, dance style, characters and costumes! Specially with the GOT number I could not stop thinking or Corbin and Karina. Seriously GOT has a lot of characters why go back to Karl Drogo (who btw has been dead a very long time now).
Don’t see anyone other than Jake going home and I’ll be happy with that.
@Laura #2: Hinch also passed my “mom” test and she is someone who knows nothing about dance or the show. 🙂
Excellent post Court.
1) Hinch – a bit too theatrical for me, and I agree the costumes were just off. I think this would have been a much better dance if we had the full dance instead of such a truncated version.
2) Laurie – enjoyable dance. Nothing spectacular. The foot thing – I actually think Val put those on her feet to cover up the toes, and since the judges don’t get to re-watch before they score, perhaps they just couldn’t tell if her toes were pointed or not. IDK. I did see an interview after the show, and the interviewer said something to the effect of “that wasn’t challenging for you, was it?” And Val did not let her talk. He jumped on it right away – and then Laurie caught his drift and talked about how everything is a challenge. I think he interrupts her because he doesn’t want her saying something that gives away how easy this has been for her so far. It’s almost like she looks to Val to see if/how she should answer.
3) Calvin – Just love him. What a fun Erkel. And Lindsay is just killing it. I look forward to seeing them for quite a while. I agree about the frame and the height difference. I hope Lindsay is able to get him to the final.
4) Marilu – this was a tough dance for that song IMO. I thought it was a pleasant, but not memorable dance. I think it was the best they could do in the circumstances, and they do seem to have a great partnership already
5) Babyface – excellent. I’ve enjoyed both dances, am looking forward to more and more of Alysons choreo.
6) Ryan – ehh. I always love Cheryl’s choreo and spunk, but I’m just not connecting. The package of just him – IDK, it’s like his body language and words didn’t match for me. Like he was trying to be the cool guy, but the awkward guy at the same time. And I kind of got that in his dance too. He’ll be here a few more weeks at least, but I think he better find a new way to connect to the audience or he won’t make it past week 7
7) VI (That’s what I’m calling him!) – I really enjoyed this. Of course I liked the show too. Wit’s costume just killed it and I laughed the whole time. Dancing – so,so. But I think the biggest thing that stood out to me – his whole package was about dancing to have fun. And he DOES dance to have fun. And then CAI came in with the “don’t lip sync – its’ distracting”. I kind of think that a persona like VI would not take the comment well. Kind of like putting rules on a free spirit. And yes – there are rules, and that’s where I think this pairing is going to run into trouble. Not sure VI has the discipline/desire to adapt to ballroom rules.
8) Amber – I actually liked Maks interpretation of Drago, but thats about it. I agree about them possibly being in jeopardy in another week or two. I know she is trying, but if we don’t get a lot of improvement quickly, I think she is out by week 5 tops.
9) Jana – Not connecting at all with her. Tend to not like what I see – other than her legs. Gleb needs to expand our view of this partnership. Right now I still get the sexy, serious, intense personas. Would like to see something fun from them, maybe I can judge better then.
10) Terra – She’s doing great – for what she can do. I actually really enjoy Sasha, and the pairing – just not enjoying her dancing really. Sorry, JMO. Hard for me to judge where she will land
11) Maureen – I give her an A+ for effort, but I’m just not connecting. Better than last week tho and def better choreo from Artem.
12) Rick – agree he is very enjoyable to watch, and yes I think emma was the best choice for him. She is so happy and quirky, and knows how to make her partner shine.
13) Jake – I really tried to give Jenna a chance, and while she has improved on her own timing, she has not decreased any of the mugging or over dancing. It looks even worse when she is with a celeb. This is just a terrible pairing And I also question whether she was ready to be a pro given how she did not learn from the mistakes last week – in fact IMO she did the opposite and went full force promoting herself (not her celeb) again with that outfit.
For me – the ones I would like gone are Jake and then probably Maureen. Tough call btwn Maureen and Rick – they both seem to be having so much fun and smile the whole time, but Maureen still seems a bit too anxious. And I agree Court – if Amber doesn’t pick it up real fast, she could be gone as early as week 3.
As I largely agree with Courtney’s comments and rankings, I’ll just list my thoughts roughly based on who I most liked/remembered last night (interestingly, not much separates a lot of these placements and the running order, costumes and theme songs are heavy influences):
Babyface – The music, staging, choreo, costumes…all very befitting of the series and (DWTSionized) dance style. I do think, however, he may be too subdued a personality to stick around longterm.
Calvin – Major Donald Driver vibes and crazy about the smiles and enthusiasm in this team. Nice orchestration by Lindsay and this tough guy’s embracement of the corny theme was endearing.
Terra – I can’t argue that the judges were super generous but I found it a bewitching dance and major props to Sasha.
Hinch – Sharna was more Bride of Chucky looking but I thought he looked quite a bit like Rick and it was a nice switchup up (and quite clever on Sharna’s part to compensate for lack of time) to see the pair work as a unit in a Paso instead of against each other (it was sort of heartbreaking to find she had gotten biten in the end). This dude’s got good pathos and form, yet, I’d rather he’d have gotten such an epic song/dance combo in Halloween week when he had more time and experience to work with.
Laurie – There is indeed a beauty pageant contestant like aura here. I liked her dance but not so much her lack of critique (for instance, her throwaway feet here and in both weeks her legs, while superb in some moments, have some distractingly wonky lines at others).
Rick – Entertaining, likable, Emma Gardner…
Robnilla – Catchy tune, decent effort, and I applaud Witney (or her advisors) for getting the details of a show that predated her existence. The simple theme and dance worked well for them.
Marilu – I think this theme is a bit of a doublet-edged sword. It’s iconicness might lend to making this dance more memorable than it might otherwise have been though Derek did a decent effort jazzing up a rather non dynamic song. Marilu was more settled this week yet I still feel as if she’s holding some energy back from her dancing.
Jana – I agree this was more space-age rockerish than One Tree Hilly and it was sort of choppy and hodgepodge in choreography. No doubt her injury and them getting hosed with song/dance assignments thus far did no favors. There is something I like about her and she has the best lines in the competition, so I hope she is able to recover and deliver some dynamite performances I feel this team is capable of.
Amber – They certainly looked the parts (bootgate aside) but, for wahtever reason, he dance didn’t quite live up to the powerful theme. She seems guarded and I’m finding Maks very vanilla these days.
Ryan – I find him disingenuous and milking this situation yet still enjoyed his dance (despite its flaws).
Maureen – Nothing about her dancing, personality or partnership particularly catches my attention.
Jake – He doesn’t exactly scream ‘dancemaster’ or ‘joy’ needed from one of a lesser (demo) known name from a lesser known show with a lesser known theme song paired with a lesser known pro…
Just adding some thoughts that I didn’t say last night:
I love me some Gleb but he is making them one note. And please, please Jana, point your toes! It was driving me nuts last night because she has such gorgeous legs and lines. Time to shift into next gear Gleb. I’m rooting for you.
Love Maureen. I thought she danced well last night. But she seems so fragile in emotion which really stands out in a cast that is abundant with joy. Whether V.Ice and Rick dance well or get good scores, they’re so darn happy & confident, it makes you want to vote for them more.
Amber and Maks have become non-plus to me. Maks just seems like he’s there to get his check and go home.
Jenna’s all out assault for personal attention & fame, not interested. I don’t know whether her costume in the front was deliberate or not but the back certainly was. It screams, make me a star. ‘My personality and lack of teaching skills ain’t cutting for ya, wanna se my a**?’ They looked last night like Jenna was dancing to showcase herself and mugging to the camera while some dude in a headband was trying to get in her way.
Thanks Court! Here are mine from my fave of the night to least fave
1. Terra & Sasha: Words cannot describe how much I loved this! Her footwork, frame, character and everything came together for me. She also seemed really light on her feet and I loved the choreography. Big props to Sash. Well done
2. Calvin & Lindsay: I smiled through the entire dance. Calvin is so charming and so smiley, I love it. The costumes were perfect and he was so into character. Just needs a lil work on frame. Lindslay Arnold, I freaking love you and your choreography. You made a stud of a football player do a pirouette. Thank you.
3. Hinch & Sharna: This was great. Didn’t like this TV theme and their costumes but I thought they danced great. Especially with only two days. I still want these two to win though. Gave them some of my VPN votes. I am really loving Sharna this season.
4. Rick & Emma: Another routine I smiled throughout. I actually love Rick and I hope he doesn’t go home tonight. They are such a blast to watch and his frame and footwork were not that bad. Loved their costumes too.
5. Laurie & Val: This was pretty cute and I like that we are seeing preppy Val this season as opposed to his intense serious, sexy one noteness. I loved all her spins and turns. Her feet were a bit floppy sometimes.
6.Jana & Gleb: poor Jana. I actually loved this choreography. I loved the leggy section in the middle but she definitely looked like she was holding back. I want them to get something fun next week. Still gave her most my votes cause I love Herr
7. Babyface & Allison: This looked good but I actually found it quite boring. AT is one of my favourite dances and these too didn’t keep me captivated, I’m afraid. He didn’t seem to have great technique though. Also didn’t not like the staging
8. Maureen & Artem: This was pretty fun to watch. Reminded me of Artem and Patti. At the end of the night, I had forgotten it though
9. Marilu & Derek: Unfortunately this dance did nothing for me. Nothing wrong with it, just didn’t enjoy it as much as the others. Also pretty forgettable. She had great lines though
10. Rob & Witney: was good but not great. Has to work on frame and his extensions but great effort
11. Amber & Maks: Really didn’t enjoy it. Amber moves a bit small and some of her steps are unsure. Also ironic that the comments maks makes as the judge is what his dances are lacking. In his words to keo and Kim, “there was literally like half a step of v.waltz in that” and also they didnt use he whole ballroom floor which he said about Witney and Vons Cinderella dance
12 Ryan & Cheryl: I thought it was really sloppy. Loved the costumes though
13. Jake & Jenna: Like last week, cringeworthy. Hated Jennas costume and also didn’t care for the dance.
I love how everyone improved last night, even if it was simply due to the lack of First Night Jitters… Just being able to relax helped all of them tremendously.
I enjoyed Babyface and Allison’s Argentine Tango. I normally HATE when the choreographer chooses all black costuming and black staging and minimal lighting, because I have problems seeing what’s going on. This dance, however, it all worked. It was dark, but lit enough that it could be seen, and the lighting effects further enhanced the mood.
I want to see Calvin and Terra both stay in long enough to be on the same team dance. Preferably one choreographed by Derek. I love the joy that they both bring, and having the tallest and smallest contestants together would be a challenge that he could excel with.
I’m another who didn’t care for Jake’s dance, or Jenna’s costuming. I hate to say that I will miss him after he’s eliminated, but…. I do love how much the cast is embracing the show, and doing their best to relax and enjoy and have fun, and I love seeing and learning another side from the others.
The TV show theme was kinda “meh” for me. My standouts were Babyface/Allison, Terra/Sasha and Maureen/Artem. Allison and Babyface’s AT was my favorite and well-danced. The other two couples were just joyful and surprisingly good – especially for quicksteps.
I also agree with most of Courtney’s comments. With the exception of Jake who seems frustrated and had glaring missteps, I liked the dances. Yet I wasn’t really wowed. And I have to say that as a whole, the male celebrities need to watch their feet. Some of them have really big feet!
Speaking of feet,and as Courtney and CA/Juliann stated, the ladies’ footwear can be a problem. Amber’s feet looked heavy and I think she said she slipped in those boots. Amber needs to dance over her feet more, too. And yes, the pom-poms on Laurie’s shoes made her feet seem heavy too. Coupled with a dress that was too long and voluminous for her tiny body, the costume overwhelmed her.
Somedays, I think my dream job would be to work on the DWTS costume team. Anna Trebunskaya would at times comment on Afterbuzz about how costumes and a whole look either really enhanced or detracted from a dance. Favorite costume from last night was Emma’s Eva Gabor look and I also liked the jumpsuits on Maureen and Marilu. The bright green topcoat didn’t do Ryan any favors however.
Excellent post as always, Courtney! Here’s mine:
1. James and Sharna – I LOVED this dance. I just love this couple, period. Lol. I thought he did amazingly well for having only had a day and a half to rehearse. I keep saying this but if he didn’t have to race and actually had the full week to commit to rehearsal, I bet this would’ve been 10x better than it already was. I did think it could be a little bit more intense, but I loved the concept of the dance. I do hope he does amazing in other Latin dances! He’s such a likeable person and he and Sharna fit well together. Hoping these two work wonders! Oh, and typical Len commenting about how he wants it to look more traditional, blah blah. You’re right though, Court, maybe if they weren’t throwing around all of these theme nights, we could see more of what Len wants!
2. Laurie and Val – No doubt Laurie is a good dancer. Don’t have anything much to say about her jive. It was good. Could’ve been better. I do think Val is a little bit more calm and collected with Laurie this season. I also do not think these two have it in the bag. Obviously it takes more than just being a good dancer to take home the MBT. She, along with many others on the show, also has a likeable personality. I dislike how she’s being pushed as the chosen one by TPTB! When will they ever be fair?!
3. Marilu and Derek – Derek is my absolute FAVORITE male pro on the show. He always has been and he always will be. Marilu moves well, but I found this dance forgettable. Definitely not one of Derek’s stronger foxtrots. Wasn’t very fond of the song. It’s just so blah, but I know how much it meant to him to have it work for Marilu’s sake. Don’t think they’ll be going anywhere soon though.
4. Calvin and Lindsay – This dance was so gosh darn cute. I was smiling from cheek to cheek. He really is proving his sister wrong, lol. I think Calvin moves well. I want to see how he’ll be with say the V. Waltz or even an Argentine Tango. There we’ll really see how refined he can be and how sharp he is, if he has it in him. Lindsay just needs to work on his technique. If he’s as entertaining in the slower dances as he is in the faster ones, watch out people!
5. Terra and Sasha – Another really cute dance. This was actually one of the dances I enjoyed the most last night. Love how Sasha was able to work around Terra’s “special circumstances”. Frame was good, and it just flowed well and looked effortless. Good posture on her part too.
6. Jana and Gleb – Yep, totally agree with the whole one-note deal. Okay we get it, this couple is comprised of two young and hot people who can move well. Enough with the hot part and just show us you can move well. I hope to see a more fun dance from Jana. So far it’s been too much sexiness. I actually think she could be way more refined. She’s not a bad dancer, maybe just not as good as some people are making her out to be. Kudos to her for powering through that injury though.
7. Babyface and Allison – I guess I am in the minority who did NOT like this dance. I did LOVE what he did to the music, but everything else was just…meh. It actually reminded me a lot of Riker’s AT, down to the staging, the lasers, and even Babyface’s costume. If you’re going to go for that mood and staging, at least dress him up another way. Make him stand out. It was so dark that I could barely see his feet, but in the parts I did see, he seemed a bit heavy-footed. Overscored for me.
8. Rob and Witney – A for effort for Mr. Ice here, but man, did this need work. It was too sloppy for my liking. I felt Witney definitely had time to refine that a little bit more. Not saying it needs to be perfect right now, but this week you could really tell how out of his comfort zone he is. Some parts just looked awkward. Close to the end, I actually thought he forgot the steps. I hope Witney continues to whip him into shape because something tells me this dude has it in him.
9. Rick and Emma – Nice effort on Rick’s part. Emma’s just a ball of joy. I think this couple is just trying to have as much fun as possible. His dance was about as good as he can make it, but I like how easy going they both are. Anyone else think that Quickstep looked a bit…slow?
10. Amber and Maks – What was that? She was so heavy on her feet and that was not a smooth V. Waltz at all. The fact that he limited their area to the top of the stage didn’t do them any favors either. Lol, Maks is such a hypocrite. But then again, can I expect any less? He did exactly what he scolded other couples on last season as a guest judge. Bottom line? Didn’t like this dance, and I feel Maks is just whatever about the whole thing.
11. Maureen and Artem – To be honest, I did skip part of this dance but the part I did see didn’t seem too bad. I understand Maureen loves this show, but I feel she is too emotional. Calm down, sweetie. It’s week two. Just have fun. Shake the nerves off.
12. Ryan and Cheryl – Frame wasn’t that great, but A for effort. I do think he has more to offer. How much more? I don’t know. If anyone can whip him into shape, it’ll be Cheryl. I love how protective she is of him though.
13. Jake and Jenna – I actually didn’t notice the costume fiasco, but for me, Jenna is just not impressive so far. Some people are saying cut her slack because she’s a new pro, but it’s not like it’s her first time ever on the show. She’s been on for a few seasons now. I’m sure she has some sort of a feel for how it’s like. Not 100%, because she seems to not take into account that she’s dancing with someone who has no idea how to dance. She needs to cool it. Wouldn’t be surprised if these two go home first.
Great post, Courtney & I agree with most of your comments.
Thanks for pinpointing what I found lacking in Laurie’s jive technique last night. It remains to be seen whether an articulate response (other than simply gushing) will come from any of the judges as to how further improvements could be made with this partnership. I still feel Laurie is mismatched with Val and wish we could have seen her talents showcased with a different pro.
Question: what was Bruno referring to when he asked Marilu if she “had missed a step?”
I saw no evidence of anything other than a smooth routine…was this comment meant to justify a rather lowball score or was he trying to throw shade in front of the judges??
Bruno, if YOU as a JUDGE don’t honestly know if there was a missed step in a routine, why bring it up?!
@Carla, I see what Derek was saying, that song is hard to choreograph anything to, I bet he’s glad he got it out of the way. Can’t wait to see him dance a Tango, Paso and A. Tango with Marilu though. He always choreographs those dances amazingly.
I too hope it’s Jake and Jenna going home tonight. Nothing personal against them, but any of the others going home first would be upsetting for me, even Ryan. He improved from last week and he and Cheryl are a good match. I love Emma and do not want to see her go home first. Unlike Jenna, she always makes the choreo and performance about her partner, she never tries to outdance them and I love that. That’s the very reason why Mark chose her to be in the trio with Sadie after the male pro he wanted was chosen by someone else…
On one side, Jenna has a lot of shipper fans who vote hard & Jake has a few million SM followers. On the other side, Rick Perry probably has a lot of supporters too who are more the key demo of the show, he’s competing for the veterans, I think lots of people will support that cause, and Emma is a far more popular, more likeable pro…
I enjoyed most of the performances last night. Babyface was, again one of my favorites, as well as Calvin and James with the limited time he had to rehearse. Marilu was underscored IMO, as well as Amber, Rick improved and has a great attitude, Maureen improved… I think Jana has immense potential, but I don’t like the choices Gleb has been making for her. It’s like he’s trying to prove something, throwing too much stuff in the routine… Just keep it classic, keep it simple and clean, and stop trying to sexify her every week.
These rankings were my thoughts on most if not all of the dances! Great job!
After the last two performances. I feel like Jake and Jenna have got to go tonight. His week 1 performance was muchhhh better and he’s supposed to progress.
Rick and Emma are surprisingly entertaining to watch and Jenna should have waited till the Spring to be a pro. TPTB should have also waited till the Spring to cast Ryan as well. I think Jake is just a boring celeb as well. He seems like he just needs the show for a pick me upper to get into shape and get out there for some auditions or jobs. I think Jenna doesn’t realize that Allison’s style of choreo only works with her because Allison still teaches well and connects with ther partners. Jenna needs to realize that a technically stuffed dance live in person may not always come across as entertaining or amazing to a viewer back home through a television screen…at least in my opinion. Hope that made sense.
1. Terra and Sasha-I actually agreed with the judges’ score for them and it was surprisingly my favorite dance of the night. To me, up to that point, their quickstep had the best combo of content, performance, incorporation of theme, and execution. I felt Terra did a great job with the technique and was impressed with Sasha for managing the height difference so well.
2. Babyface and Allison-Allison seems to do well with Argentine tango. Another good balance of content, theme, performance, and execution for me, and the dance went quite well with the X-Files music. My only complaint is the dark lighting with dark costuming…I wanted to appreciate the dance more clearly!
3. Calvin and Lindsay-Calvin seems better suited to standard ballroom. Overall, I thought his frame/posture was good and he moved smoothly. They looked like they were having a lot of fun which made it very enjoyable to watch.
Those were the three couples that stood out the most to me last night. As for everyone else:
Marilu-nice and proper foxtrot, but unfortunately, the Taxi theme is very low-key, which makes it hard for the dance to “pop.”
James-I agreed with CA and Julianne that James needed to be more expansive and stretch out his shaping.
Laurie-I agree that her feet could have been pointed more and she could have used a little better precision.
Jana-I was surprised Len gave an 8 because there was a section in the middle that had nothing to do with tango. I am also ready to see something else other than “sexy” from them.
Vanilla Ice-I actually am glad CA told him to not lip-synch as it was bothering me too. I think the foxtrot exposed his weaknesses, but I do appreciate his attitude very much.
Maureen-I feel like Maureen needs to lighten up a little. She’s not going to make dance a second career. I thought she did a respectable job with her quickstep, though the body separation between her and Artem was glaring.
Amber-I don’t understand why Maks did not put any in-hold dancing in the VW. There was a section where they were waltzing with their hands wrapped around each other’s heads/neck…why not just get into frame? Also wish they could have utilized more space. Otherwise, Amber actually has a lot of natural ability, so I hope they can get their scores up.
Ryan-He has technique issues to work on, but the judges seem to critique him with a more negative tone than other contestants who have similar issues, both last week and this week. Glad that he enjoyed himself with the dance and I am rooting for him to do better and last longer.
Rick-He dances like I expect a man of his age to dance, but he is having a great time, so good for him.
Jake-Like everyone else, I expect him to be the first elimination, but I actually don’t mind his personality or his dancing. Jenna also doesn’t bother me either (I think she is sweet and very talented), although I had the same thoughts about her cat costume as many have already pointed out.
can someone explain to me how Maks chastised other pros for not enough content, when he himself is the biggest culprit. I feel he’s not fully tapping into Amber’s potential. He looked great as Khal Drogo though.
Artem impressed the hell out of me with that choreo. So much fun to watch. I think I watched Maureen and Calvin’s dances the most amount of times. Just puts a smile on my face.
As I suspected, ballroom is definitely Marilu’s strength. Can’t wait with see more ballroom from her; and given her grace, I think she’ll also do really well with a traditional rumba.
I agree with most, Jake will probably be the one leaving. I tried rewatching Jake’s dance, but Jenna’s costume was so distracting. Made me cringe. I’m not a Rick Perry fan, but he seems to be having a lot more fun, and it’s always a pleasure to have Emma around.
Awesome Courtney! My rankings based on the dance and my enjoyment:
1 James/Sharna- Again, my overall favorite. The theme, the facial expressions, the leading man posture and flair. I honestly thought the judges were too critical on this. He’s got the entire package (and the pro) to win this whole thing.
2 Calvin/Lindsay- This guy is basically our present for putting up with Antonio. I also thought this was really underscored. Loved the choreography- so many little unique moments. Calvin is so into this, and he just radiates. Their chemistry together is magic.
3 Marilu/Derek- I think they were hurt a little by a song that didn’t have the impact of some of the others. The quality of her dancing was stunning. Her lines, her grace, her partnership with Derek. Ballroom really suits her. Underscored.
4 Babyface/Allison- Everything about this dance just worked for me- the lighting, the choreo, etc. One thing I love about Allison is she knows how to set the stage. This couple kinda came out of nowhere for me and I’m hoping they can keep it up.
5 Laurie/Val- She’s amazing- it’s ranked lower because it was exactly what I expected- it didn’t wow- which could be a problem for them. I will give her props, though, for actually wearing heels. Looked like she was wearing knee tape/brace so I hope she’s ok.
6 Maureen/Artem- most improved IMO. This is one of my favorite dances that Artem has choreographed. Hopefully she continues to improve because I like this couple.
7 Terra/Sasha- I was really impressed with their hold and Sasha’s choreo. She has so much positive energy. I did, however, think this was the most overscored dance.
8 Amber/Maks- Didn’t love it but she definitely improved. I think she and Maks have good chemistry and Maks is a lot more likeable than he’s been in a while. It was better than last week. I love her and I want great things for her so hopefully people vote.
9 Jana/Gleb- She danced what she was given well, esp. considering her injury. Gleb is a disappointment so far for me. He didn’t incorporate the TV theme at all (which was kind of the point) and it was just another strange, intense dance. Overscored IMO
10 Vanilla/Witney- good in places, messy in hold. He’s growing on me. He’s really trying to do the dance right and learn the styles- which I appreciate.
11 Ryan/Cheryl- I swam through college and what Jules said about hunched shoulders and posture is no joke. The dance felt super short and a little disjointed for me but he’s really trying. He and Cheryl seemed to be having a blast, though, and that’s great to see.
12 Rick/Emma- They basically walked the dance, but Emma choreographed it wonderfully. I am continuously amazed how into this competition Rick is. He’s giving it his all, he’s working the camera, and I don’t think he’s going home.
13 Jake/Jenna- What’s even worse than his dancing is his complete lack of personality. Even in the package when he was talking about being disappointed his voice and expression didn’t change. I might be in the minority on this, but I think Jenna’s choreo has been decent. I’ll be surprised if he stays.
Ananya: “As I suspected, ballroom is definitely Marilu’s strength. Can’t wait with see more ballroom from her; and given her grace, I think she’ll also do really well with a traditional rumba.”
I can see those gams slaying an Argentine Tango, especially with Derek as the architect.
Cali: “I don’t understand why Maks did not put any in-hold dancing in the VW…”
I found that odd too especially since he harped on Keo (who at least put some in) for that folly last season. I also agree that both the VW and GoT theme warrant use of the whole floor.
I’m a new fan to this show, so I’m going to try my hand at this power ranking thing-a-majig. Coming purely from an amateur with no dancing experience or knowledge of dance whatsoever, but that’s what I love about the show. You don’t have to understand dance to enjoy it and be genuinely moved by it. So here we go…
1.) Laurie & Val
Laurie appears to be in a league of her own as far as ability goes. It surprised me though that the second half of that dance was not in sync to the music. Nobody else has seemed to notice that though, so maybe it’s just me not seeing things clearly. I rewatched it 3 times to be sure and it definitely looks off to me, which was very distracting. She’s for sure the total package though.
2.) Hinch & Sharna
I think he is so funny and adorable, which really goes a long way for me, but he actually dances very well too. He is the total package as far as likeability goes, and I’m curious to see how well he dances in the jive and quick moving dances.
3.) Marilu & Derek
I’m a huge fan of Derek and his ability to make a dance meaningful and beautiful. And his choreography is just so dog gone good. For me, he’s the total package, but it is about the celebrity too. I hope he can take Marilu far in the competition, and I believe he can. She’s adorable and a good dancer too. The foxtrot was actually my favorite dance of the night, but I think I’m in the minority there which is why I put her 3rd. It is majority rules after all.
4.) Calvin & Lindsay
Speaking of adorable. I agreed with CAI that he is just so darn cute and full of charm. His Erkel dance just made me seriously happy and I thought he danced it very well. He was surprisingly light on his size 15 feet last night.
5.) Terra & Sasha
I was pleasantly surprised by their dance and thought she was great. Their partnership is so cute, and I’m rather falling in love with Sasha as a pro. I would like to see her continue to do well in the competition.
6.) Babyface & Allison
I thought this whole dance was very well done including the costumes and set. I’m a little worried about his comment during the package about him not having to smile. I would love to see him relax and let loose a little more, because he has potential I think. I can’t help but smile when he smiles, so I hope he lets loose and enjoys himself from here on out. If he can’t do that I’m predicting he won’t last too long.
7.) Jana & Gleb
Talk about a beautiful couple. Agree with others here that he needs to stop relying on that and break out some different styles. I thought the costumes were not really fitting for the theme, but they did look great. His last move where he stood her up really quick was brutal to watch, and she seemed frozen there for a second in pain. I felt bad for her, but what a trooper. I see them making it far if Gleb can branch out and be more than a one trick pony.
8.) V.Ice & Witney
I don’t particularly care for this pair, but I do appreciate his attitude. Work hard and stay positive. Props there at least and that can take him far.
9.) Maureen & Artem
I thought she did very well last night to the Brady Bunch theme, and was much more relaxed. She just seems way too fragile for me to the point it’s painful to watch.
10.) Ryan & Cheryl
I was rolling my eyes over all the hubbub with the protest bit. Let the guy dance and let’s move on please. The show is definitely milking the publicity for all it’s worth. Unfortunately, I thought the dance was a bit of a mess. Good effort and attitude though.
11.) Amber & Maks
Ok. His costume scared me. Satan on my t.v. screen was giving me heart palpitations, and not in a good way. I thought the overall set and look was good, but the camera angles were doing her no favors at all. It looked very clumsy and bouncy, but viewing it from a different angle might have helped? Maybe?
12.) Rick & Emma
I thought they looked adorable and he seems very likeable, but that dance was pretty bad. Sorry. ?
13.) Jake & Jenna
She seems so focused on being the star that Jake has no chance to shine even if he wanted to. Not a good impression from these two on any level. If she made this competition about him he might have a fighting chance to at least stay a few more weeks, but I see them going soon. Very soon.
When Jake came on last night I wasn’t really paying attention but then my wife starts screaming “OMG look at the costume this is a family show etc etc”. Wardrobe is usually good to great but last night was definitely not their best effort.
Beyond that I don’t really have anything to add other than I was happy Calvin did a good job and Marilu stepped up her game. I will truly be surprised if it is anyone other than Jake going home tonight.
I saw the first 75 minutes before I had to leave for work but watched the remaining dances on YT.
1. James and Sharna–while I agree with Courtney on the costuming, I thought it was a brilliant routine.
2. V.Ice and Witney.–I love his portrayal of Al. Wit looked hot as Peggy..might’ve been better with a red wig. He sold the dance.
3. Marilu and Derek–they probably had the worst song to work with of everyone. Yet, once again, Derek made it work.
4.Laurie and Val–not a lot of Jive content..was cute. Didn’t like the feather clips on her shoes.
5.BabyFace and Allison–great job…although it was a pretty dark set to see the steps.
6.Terra and Sasha–well done but overscored.
7. Ryan and Cheryl–cute QS good redemption but still room to improve
8.Calvin and Lindsay–pretty good…much room for improvement
9.Maureen and Artem–she’s not selling it right now but the choreo was good.
10.Jana and Gleb–bland, I get she was hurt so not understanding the flips,etc.
11. Rick and Emma–he’s charming and yeah another Bill Engvall in the making
12.Amber and Maks–bad costuming choice on Maks’ part.
13 Jake and Jenna–blah….time to go Diego go!
I pretty much agree with your rankings and comments, Courtney. For me, I must admit to appreciating and admiring the Pros who work hard, analyze the strengths/weaknesses of their partner as well as the music, recognize the requirements of the dance style they have been assigned, create choreography appropriately, and execute! My top pairs so far are:
1. Derek and Marilu
2. Lindsey and Calvin
3. Emma and Rick- they look like they are having a good time together!
4. Sasha and Terra
5. Cheryl and Ryan
6. Sharna and Hinch
thanks for all your information and analysis! Greatly appreciated.
I don’t like waste. Hence, Val and Maks didn’t make the list because my perception is that they aren’t trying too hard with two gifted partners.
7. Allison and Babyface
I was really dissapointed this week. Thank god for Derek, Emma and Artem, those dances kinda felt new to me, the others didn’t.
I’m really missing Mark this week, I think Ducktales would have been great if he had partnerd Laurie, with Val it felt like: first we dance here, then we dance there and then we run over here, I didn’t like it at all.
1) Derek and Marilu
2) Emma and Rick: so much fun!
3) Artem and Maureen: great choreo, good use of the troupe.
4) Val and Laurie: OK
5) Witney and Vanilla: Witney looked great, V. filled the part and it was fun.
6) Sasha and Terra: she danced lovely and I liked Sashas suit.
7) Lindsey and Calvin: Fun but not that great.
8) Sharna and Hinch: I really like him, he has a fun personality and moves nicely but this dance seemed like a ripp of of Marks and Sadies Paso Doble.
9) Cheryl and Ryan: Nice but forgettable, I prefer Karina and Aarons Quickstep.
10) Allison and Babyface: TOTALLY the same dance Sharna did with Andy Grammer last year Switch Up Week, only with green lights. Sorry but I still dont think Allison brings anything new and fresh to the competition.
11) Gleb and Jana: I don’t remember one single step about that routine.
12) Maks and Amber: I used to like Maks but not anymore. Last season he criticized Keo and Karina harshly about not having any ballroom hold and not enough content. Now he is borrowing Karinas and Corbins steps and does not have any ballroom hold at all.
13) Jenna and Jake: Jenna made the dance all about her and her ugly costume. Why can’t they bring back Chelsie, I think she would have done better with Jake.
I feel like the manipulation began last week to be honest. I felt like the producers using Ice Ice Baby was strategic. If Ice makes the finals, they can’t really use it for a freestyle anymore and that could’ve been a freestyle to bring down the house.
I am glad Jake & Jenna are eliminated. She has a long long way to go as a pro. She reminds me of Keo. Talented but unable to choreograph on a level a celeb can handle and too prone to overshadow. I thought Tom’s ‘I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of you as pro’ comment was interesting.
I’m annoyed with Gleb. What part of your partner is hurt does he not grasp? That tango could have been changed to be easier on her & I agree it felt like the same dance. Also did anyone notice how fast he swung her up from the final pose? Dude—GENTLY!!
Does anyone else feel like Maks could care less about Amber & the show? Maybe I’m wrong but he feels off to me.
@artedeco – Sorry, but I’ve called other people out on this before so I feel like I kinda have to do it again here – saying “so-and-so copied [insert couple from previous season here]’s dance!” is kinda moot. With 23 seasons under its belt, there’s rarely going to be a dance on DWTS that is 100% fresh, new, and never-before-seen – and with the producers kinda forcing certain themes/costumes/sets onto the couples, there’s bound to be some overlap. Calling out Maks for using “Corbin & Karina’s steps”? Errr, Viennese waltz steps are kinda universal, and they’re all bound to look alike – plus they were told by TPTB that they HAD to be Daenerys & Drogo, so any resemblance to Corbin & Karina’s dance is not really their fault. And trying to say that Allison copied Sharna’s AT with Andy Grammar? Cheap shot, too – because a laser light does not make a routine a carbon copy of a previous one, and again – they had to nod at the X-Files theme. And again – when Hinch & Sharna are told they have to do a Walking Dead-themed paso, what exactly are you expecting them to do? Have puppies dancing with them onstage? Mark does not own the copyright to zombie extras used in paso dobles. Sorry, but I just find your whole “so-and-so did it first!” argument to be kinda…petty. And uninformed.
Great point, Herbie, about the TPTB cleverly getting Ice’s theme out of the way on the first night and therefore blocking him from relying on it during a freestyle later.
My mister and I were hoping that means Ice can do the “Ninja Rap” if he gets a freestyle, but Warner Bros owns the rights to all that, and not Disney, so it may be unlikely.
I think it’s safe to say that Ice won’t be getting a freestyle, so there’s not really a concern about that.