PureDWTS Season 23, Week 6 – Power Rankings
DISCLAIMER: As I write this, I am currently under the influence of some new migraine meds that have the unfortunate side effect of making me very, very foggy – if my struggle to find the word “paint can opener” the other day at Sherwin Williams was any indicator, I’m definitely experiencing some aphasia; additionally, the fact that I put a carton of coconut milk in my purse and put my iPhone in the refrigerator while putting away groceries yesterday probably points to some general absentmindedness. So forgive me if the words don’t come as easily today as they usually do – I’m told this passes after about the two week mark, so fingers crossed…
…and perhaps it is the effects of the medication, or perhaps not, but I’m left feeling a bit unsure of what to make of last night’s show. I guess I should have known by about the 20 minute mark that things had already gone completely off the rails – we had Pitbull prematurely scoring (and then being completely late scoring the rest of the night, and having a suspiciously hard time with those paddles), Erin making painfully obvious double entendres about Ryan’s “facials”, and Ryan trying to make black light paint a thing, but having it look more like sunburn art. Then there was that pinata that Erin was curiously insistent that everyone hit, but only appeared to be filled with glitter. Go fig…but perhaps more peculiar was the scoring, which at times left me wondering what exactly the agenda really was. Part of me thinks TPTB may be falling out of love with Laurie (or may at least be seeing that she may not actually be a sure thing for the win), they seem suddenly obsessed with Jana (after appearing to be rather lukewarm about her thus far this season), they seemed to very slightly ease up on their “underscore Calvin at all costs” edict of the past several weeks, they seemed to finally drop the hammer on Terra (after heaping sometimes over-the-top praise on her the first few weeks of the season), and they seem to kick their praise of James into overdrive (which even I, as a James fan, can agree was a bit too much). Are they trying to shape their ideal finale? Or are they even taking it a step further, and shifting gears from gunning for a Laurie win…to gunning for a James win? I think it will be very, very interesting to see how things go once Len is back on the panel next week…when daddy’s away, the other three stooges seem to play; but when he’s back, they seem to get back to business.
Wish I could say I was sad to see Amber leave, but I got the impression that she really wasn’t having much fun anymore, and that she never really got comfortable being on the show – so I don’t think she was all that disappointed to go, either. I think Maks collected his paycheck and is happy to be back to being a stay-at-home-dad-to-be. I didn’t see too many fans outrageously upset, either – Amber’s exit was minimally disruptive. I’ll admit – at one point in the show, I told myself I wouldn’t be terribly disappointed if Jana left instead of Amber, but in the end, I guess I’m partially glad the former stayed, because I think Gleb is more of an asset to Marilu’s team dance than Maks ever would have been. Speaking of which – if you haven’t yet, check out our team dance spoiler post, if for no other reason than to justify my waking up at 2 AM to reveal the teams 😛
1.) James & Sharna – I’ll admit, I totally expected James to get hosed on this one – historical data from this show tells us that if you need to justify low-balling a male celeb, the best way to do it is to give him rumba; because with the exception of powerhouses like Alfonso, most of them are just not able to nail the hip action. Which is why I think Sharna was probably smart to minimize sections of very obvious hip action in her choreography, and focus instead on adding in a lot of lunges, extensions, and other moves to show off James’ real asset, his frame & posture. Oh, and what has become his signature move – the floor slide 😛 I’m still wondering if James may really be limited in his hip rotation due to his injury, and Sharna has just managed to cleverly conceal it so far. As for the less tangible aspects of the performance – James isn’t an actor, so I actually really appreciated his more understated, sincere approach to emoting in the rumba, rather than going for all-out passion and grabby-grabby-I’m-gonna-devour-you facial expressions that some opted to go for last night. Score-wise, I probably would have given it straight 9’s – and yes, guys, even as a huge James fangirl, even I rolled my eyes at Julianne’s “best guy we’ve ever had on the show, ever!” comment. She & Carrie Ann are prone to at least one truly idiotic, hyperbolic statement per season, and you all know that if pressed for who I think is the best male celeb they’ve ever had on the show, I’m gonna say Alfonso every time. I might say James is in the running for “most unexpectedly good male celeb that absolutely nobody saw coming”, though…
2.) Laurie & Val – Anyone else find it curious that, the week after having her 2nd kinda unflattering rehearsal package with Val, they opted to have the bulk of Laurie’s rehearsal package feature her talking to Nastia & Shawn, with Val nowhere in sight? That kinda spoke volumes to me, and after watching their salsa and seeing both of their faces immediately after they finished, I actually felt somewhat sorry for them – because I think I came to the realization that neither of them have any clue what the hell they’re doing, or how to really connect in a meaningful way. I honestly think that has been the root of all their struggles so far: they just don’t know how to communicate, and Val seems totally unsure of how to harness all of her potential and parlay it into good dances. This wasn’t a bad salsa – but it was kind of an odd, non-event salsa, and I think they both kinda knew it after they finished. It also seemed like some of the people in the crowd seemed a little lost, too – clapping out of politeness, but also a bit confused about what they just saw. It seemed like part of the problem was it felt very mechanical – maybe the result of a bit too much “5-6-7-8” individual choreography, like at the beginning, and also Laurie’s tendency to overpunctuate her movements, so they end up lacking flow. Seemed like she may have gotten a little bit stuck on one of the arm wrapping sections as well. And overall, I’m also left thinking she could have handled choreography that had a few more tricks – I was thinking along the lines of Shawn’s all-star mambo. Once again, I’m left thinking Val left a lot of untapped potential on the table when he choreographed this – or is Laurie really & truly not capable of picking up on it, given her schedule? I find it hard to believe, but who knows. But if nothing else, I think I saw a bit of the smugness slide away from Val a bit this week – rather than the “Oh well, we’ll be fine” expression I’ve seen from him the past few weeks, it seemed like he had a bit of a realization: “Crap, we may not have this in the bag after all!” So who knows – maybe this was a bit of a much-needed wake-up call.
3.) Jana & Gleb – Here’s a little DWTS math for you: Jana’s mediocre week 1 Viennese waltz + water + desperation = the Argentine tango that earned them a perfect 40 last night. It was literally the embodiment of every complaint I’ve had about Gleb’s choreography so far this season: it’s just so EXTRA, to the point where it’s hard to really keep up and appreciate it because he’s basically thrown every trick he has in it…which also means there’s very little in the way of solid basics. And I will say this: I’m not 100% sure Gleb was behind every single creative choice made in their dance this week, based on some intel I was given – there may be a little bit of movement behind the curtain at hand here, but my complaint still stands: they went for flash-and-trash instead of solid, respectable basics, and there was a bit of a sleaze factor here that also made the performance not sit quite well with me. Let me be clear: I am not a prude. I appreciate a sensuous, passionate performance as much (if not more) than the average viewer. But I take issue with over-the-top, disingenuous writhing on beds, and I still think you need to take your audience into account and how a theme may be perceived; while they might have been aiming for a “newlyweds-on-a-honeymoon” vibe, the impression I got was more along the lines of “illicit lunchtime tryst between coworkers having an affair and then going home to their respective spouses”. And while I saw many fans on Twitter (and the judges) gushing over the use of the shower, I pose this question: how did it enhance the dance? The choreography? To me, it made it hard to see the dance steps they were doing, and only seemed to be there for the sake of saying “Hey look, we used a shower! Nobody’s used a shower before!” I’ve seen a lot of parallels drawn between this dance and Paige & Mark’s very sexy Argentine tango last season that made good use of furniture, but to me, Mark actually was cognizant of working the furniture into the choreography – they were crawling across the table, doing leg work on the couch, etc. With this routine, it was just like “Crap, here’s this bed and this shower…just…I don’t know, keep doing the same choreography, but on the bed and under the shower stream!” The whole thing just felt like a very desperate, sleazy ploy for votes. Did Jana do the moves well? Sure, I guess…but was it a good representation of Argentine tango? HELL NO. Rest assured if Len were here, he would have ripped that dance up one side and down the other, and probably made an example of it by giving it a 7 or an 8 while all of the other judges whipped out 10’s. And because of that perfect 40, she’s now got a pretty good cushion of insulation to carry her through to week 8, despite not really moving the needle much in weeks 1-6…and now I see people convinced that she’s “every bit as good” as Laurie, James, and Calvin. Ooh wee…someone get the crash mats ready for when these folks fall off their unicorns, because the hammer is going to drop eventually…
4.) Calvin & Lindsay – If these rankings were based on performance alone, these two would be at the top – they won the night for me. This Argentine tango was the gold standard of not relying on props, gimmicks, or other distractions to carry you – they focused solely on technique and performance, went for well-executed and clean footwork (that was impressively intricate, too, mind you) and unique and challenging lifts (that cartwheel one was like nothing we’ve seen on this show before), and opted not to use complex set pieces or cheap gimmicks to grab attention. Both of them were in it 100% – Calvin always seemed like he was in complete control of the lifts, and Lindsay’s choreography is just wowing at every turn this season. I could not have asked for a better dance from either of them – and yet they ended up 3 points shy of Jana & Gleb’s perfect 40, given to a dance which I consider to be of much more inferior quality. Unfortunately, I think this show (and a good chunk of its viewers) have lost touch with what constitutes a truly “good” Argentine tango, and have gotten swept up in the drama, the over-the-top tricks, and the continuous struggle to do something “never before seen”, while drifting further and further away from true Argentine tango: the war of the feet, the interaction of the man and the woman. I tip my hat to Lindsay in particular for bringing us back to the basics, and reminding us that a true Argentine tango can be every bit as entertaining as (if not moreso than) all these flash-and-trash numbers that just go for the lowest common denominator. I just hope the judges rewarding that flash-and-trash, while underscoring the true gems, hasn’t screwed over hard-working couples like Calvin & Lindsay in the long run.
5.) Marilu & Derek – The thing that tickles me about a lot of the cha-chas Derek choreographs for his partners is that he has definite “tics”, and they all have a particular look about them – and you can tell he really drills leg action with them 😛 Which is good, because I don’t think I’ve ever really complained about any of his partners’ legs, and they do tend to look quite nice – and that’s the one thing I really remember well about Marilu’s. Unfortunately, in a night of much splashier dances, Marilu had a very pleasant and well-executed, but also forgettable, one – she did well, but probably could have pushed a bit further and extended a bit more, but I was glad to see the stage fright completely gone again. We’ve heard from some of our sources that Derek’s two least favorite dances to choreograph are cha-cha and samba, so my expectations are usually set pretty low – as long as there’s some decent, well-executed basics and he and his partners look like they’re having fun, I’m pleased 🙂
6.) Ryan & Cheryl – I’m kind of at the point now where I know that Ryan’s dances likely aren’t going to impress me, nor am I going to remember them particularly well at the end of the night, but at the same time, I don’t really hate them, either, and I find myself at least mildly amused by them 😛 I think that sums up well how I felt about his salsa – not really impressed, but not really mad at it, either. I do like that he does seem to have fun out there, even if he seems bewildered about what’s going on. I think the only thing that really stuck out in my head about his dance was the black-light paint, which I originally mistook as sunburn art (yes, this is an actual thing). Oh, and maybe the return of Cheryl’s beloved loofah dresses. Not memorable, not terrible – don’t think he’s headed home just yet. Also think any other guy would have given one of “those looks” to Erin after the comment about “facials”, but it went so far over Ryan’s head, he would have needed binoculars to see that joke. That’s all I’ve got 😛
7.) Maureen & Artem – Y’know, in the back of my mind each week since about week 2, when I’m putting together my rankings, I find myself going “Mo’s number has to be up. She’s really struggling, she has meltdowns in her rehearsal packages, she’s just not really standing out among the other celebs…I don’t see how she wouldn’t be toast this week.” And then somehow I talk myself out of it, and somebody else goes home, and Mo usually doesn’t even end up in jeopardy. So I’m reluctant to say she’s headed home next week, but like with some other couples…I think we’re just running out of low-hanging fruit. I think Amber was probably the last of what I would call the easy cuts, just based on the fact that I don’t think she ever really fit in with the main demographic of the show – but now that she’s gone, we’re headed into eliminations of celebs that probably fit in well with the demographics of the viewers, but are just not cutting it, score-wise. Next week is the week that I think we start seeing her in jeopardy, especially since, like Marilu, she had a very unmemorable dance in a week filled with several memorable ones. That was a very, very cautious samba, that ended up looking suspiciously more like a salsa at times. And I have to wonder if the weekly emotional episodes in rehearsals are wearing on anyone else like they are me – sometimes I just wanna grab Mo by the shoulders, shake her, and go “My god, woman, it’s a reality tv show where the trophy is worth around $40 and will probably fall apart before the winner even leaves the studio. RELAX.” Artem is just kind of a non-event for me this season – I find myself forgetting he’s even a pro.
8.) Terra & Sasha – And unfortunately for Terra, the hammer I had been expecting to drop from the judges kinda did last night 🙁 Here’s the thing about paso doble: it’s a deceptively simple-looking dance. The footwork is based on walking or marching steps, so it’s not terribly difficult. Where it gets tricky is in the shaping – without the shaping, the dance just kinda looks like walking and gesturing. And when you’re a little person with proportions that are different than the average person’s, and your limbs and torso are short – it makes it very, very difficult to achieve that shaping that is characteristic of the paso doble. So unfortunately for Terra, I think it ended up looking like she just wasn’t doing a whole lot in that dance – to no fault of her own, and really, to no fault of Sasha’s, either. I think he did the best he could to give her steps to make the dance look as dynamic as possible, but there was only so much he could do while still making the dance a proper paso doble. Now here’s the unfortunate part: up until now, Terra’s been relatively insulated with some pretty kind scores, and there’s also been worse dancers/more dubious fanbases/combinations of both to send home. As I said before, I think we’re out of low-hanging fruit – and prior to the season starting, Heidi & I did express some doubts about how popular Terra really was going into the show, and how many votes she was realistically going to get. Add to those doubts the fact that Jana is now comfortably insulated by her perfect 40, and that I think Maureen & Ryan still have fanbases more aligned with the main demographic of the show, Terra got saddled with the running order position of doom in a week where running order still kinda-sorta matters, and she’s also tied at the bottom with someone that is probably getting more votes than her. Sorry kids – but I think Terra’s number may be up, come Monday 🙁 I’ve enjoyed watching her dance, and she’s actually impressed the hell out of me – I still think her samba beats most of what we’ve seen from celebs of regular stature. But I just think she & Sasha have run out of steam.
So those are my thoughts…what are yours? And where do you stand in the great Argentine tango debate?
I liked both Argentine Tangos. It’s one of my favorite dances to watch. I’m probably the exception but I liked the sexiness of Jana’s and I liked the lifts in Calvins.
i hope terra and sasha dont go home. they are my favorites but this was not her best dance and thats how the show goes(its all about the fanbase) james for me had the best dance. if terra goes, i will throw my votes to james
Oh lord, why did ya have to mention Shawn And Derek’s Mambo? 🙂 One of my all time favorites and exactly the sort of thing we should be seeing from Laurie.
My rankings are pretty much line yours but switching Calvin and Laurie but I’m definately going with Calvin as the best of the two tangos. Jana was good but there really wasn’t anything wow about it to me. I like gleb and know that he can deliver and last week I think he did but he hasn’t done anything to rival his dances on strictly as of yet in my opinion. I really hope I’m wrong about Terra becuase I think she is great but Mayreeb was more fun to watch this week and I think they are about even this week so I’m torn here.
I’m with you about the Mo’s meltdowns. I find myself fast forwarding through their packages because of it. I’m also ready to see Jana do something other than the sexy siren thing. Over that and ready for a new concept please. Don’t get me wrong, she is gorgeous and they do have chemistry but I don’t want to see that week after week. Laurie. She’s a doll. And a champion. And I really really wish I liked her more on this show but I finish watching her dances and always feel “meh”. That is no fault of hers at all. Just nothing so far of hers has wow’d me. Love love love Calvin and James and Marilu– good lord, I hope I look like her here in about 20 years. And it’s so nice to see her having fun! Whatever Derek is doing differently, keep doing it!
First off, Court, I hope the meds work and the fog disappears soon! Although you still have it, as I chuckled out loud at a couple of things.
Full disclosure, I’m maintaining my resolution to not watch the show live. So, I only watch the dances I want and avoid the stupidity of some of the comments from the judges and the awkwardness of some of the packages. So, I watched James, Calvin, Marilu,, Laurie (just to see if her partner continues to under-utilize her abilities, and of course he did), and then I watched Jana to see what the fuss was about. I should have stuck with watching Calvin’s AT; After watching Jana’s I needed a shower (and not a cold one)! I’m not a prude but that just reeked of desperation to me. (BTW! Did anyone read Kristyn Burtt’s piece on whether or not DWTS wants to remain a “family” show?).
Anyway, of the ones I watched, I loved Calvin the most and again he’s underscored! What is it with he and Lindsay and the judges? I was also impressed with how well James handled the rumba! Marilu did good, but I’m a bit worried as there were others that stood out more and she’s kind of in the middle!
Can we please start a petition to NEVER again have Pitbull on the show, particularly in the judges seat?
And I’m with you PH! Shawn and Derek’s mambo is one of my favorites; I wish there had been a switch up week and Derek could have gotten Laurie; then again I doubt TPTB would have let that happen as it might have shown what great choreography can achieve!
Geez this phone hate all me. Maureen not mayreeb lol.
If Terra goes home this week that puts Marilu in a precarious situation if team future loses team dance.
I am a huge fan of the Argentine Tango, but I find that, on this show, the music has a huge impact on the effect of each AT. A strong beat lends itself more to the “war of the feet” whereas a stronger melodic line leads itself more to the connection generally from my experience. Shawn Johnson’s Allstar AT is a perfect example of this. Michael Jackson’s Bad has a very strong beat, hence the more technique oriented Tango (And boy was it stunning). But then there are others that have better connections than the footwork. If you want overachiever, we can always look at Paige’s AT for one of the best because, not only was their connection fantastic and the footwork was good too, they also included a very sexy strip show for us. Oh, Paige, how did you not get season 22’s MBT?
That said, last night seemed to further show us the MBT of this season may not go to Laurie. Once again, James did better, and Laurie is having visual problems now; her connection with Val. It was palpable last night, and it made her Salsa awkward to me. Did James deserve 10’s? Meh, I would have given it a 9 myself, but a 10 isn’t grossly overscored. I miss 9.5’s lol, just another thing the allstar season did the best.
My rankings overall from last night
1. James
2. Jana (the spectacle probably helped a lot for those unfamiliar with the show)
3. Calvin
4. Laurie
5. Marilu
6. Terra
7. Maureen
8. Ryan
Side Note: Why the heck did James choose both Maureen and Ryan? Did he choose Ryan after Calvin and Lindsay or something, leaving Maureen for the last one picked?? But, that aside, Marilu isnt that good either, Terra is always unpredictable (good with Freestyle/whatever style they get?), and The same for Jana. Not to mention Laurie seems to have fallen into a rut lately.
Well done, Court and I hope you get to feeling better real soon. Hang in there. xxxxx
TIE:
1.James and Sharna – I have no words. This is one of the most beautiful and creative Rumbas I’ve ever seen. So creative, passionate, powerful, and romantic. Just stunningly beautiful! 10
1.Lindsay and Calvin – Omggggg, they were sooo good too. I just loved them in every way. I loved the strong emotion, intensity, power, and such creative choreo by Lindsay. The swirling lifts….wowwww. B-EAUTIFUL!!! 10
2. Gleb and Jana – I would liked more A. Tango moves and more power in her feet, but, as always, her leg work and lines are breathtaking. I loved the stunning ending moves in the water at the end. The emotion and passion was off the hook. 9
3. Val and Laurie – They came out like gang busters and I liked the choreo, but, they were out of sync a lot and it felt really messy in places and rushed. Like last week, this dance could have been so much better if perfected more. 8
4. Derek and Marilu – I was loving the supreme dips. The ending was so beautiful that I want to watch it over and over. She did have some slowness in her leg work and hip action, but, the entertainment factor prevailed. 8
5. Terra and Sasha – I just love how gutsy these two are every week. I wish she would have put more expression in this dance and she didn’t feel as comfortable as in previous weeks. I can see why Sasha said she needed to be more angry with it, but, I loved it regardless. I especially loved when Sasha got on his knees and danced to her level. I loved all the content too and color. 8
6. Cheryl and Ryan – I would have liked more Salsa and hip action from Ryan, but, I loved how into it he was and the costumes and lights were amazing. 7
7. Maureen and Artem – I love Maureen. She has so much heart, but, I’m really worried she might be going now. It lacked the bounce it needed and she was slow through out. 6
I finally watched the show and pretty much agree with you. I continue to be disgusted with the raunchiness this season and Gleb and Jana just continued with that theme. Calvin and Lindsey, Derek and Marilu continue to impress me with solid technique and recognizable steps with a minimum of gimmick, but often assigned bad music- definitely not scored appropriately, multiple times. James is likeable to me, but that wasn’t a great rumba in my eyes. I feel sorry for Laurie as she seems capable but is looking more and more lost- plus, she is stuck with Val. Don’t really care about any of the other couples. I didn’t watch the show last season when Derek was gone, except to watch tapes of Mark, and I am starting to wonder if it will ever hold my interest again. I was so invested in watching Bindi learn and grow with Derek. Just not inspiring creatively anymore and looking so manipulated- even for a reality show.Real tired of the sleaze factor, too.
1.Calvin/Lindsay- That dance was the best of the night IMO. I thought his technique was the best it’s ever been, the choreo was excellent, and those lifts were jaw-dropping. He’s one of the best in the competition and his scores never reflect that- it’s maddening.
2.James/Sharna- His chemistry with Sharna is wonderful, and he handled this dance beautifully. I was a little distracted by that hideous lace top. The comments and the scores were a little generous IMO.
3.Laurie/Val- I liked this a lot, actually. It wasn’t the best of the night, but it was one of my favorite dances they’ve done. They do need to work on their connection with each other.
4.Marilu/Derek- She’s really hitting her stride, and they looked amazing together. Like a lot of Cha Cha Cha’s, it was a little forgettable IMO, but she’s getting better every week.
5.Jana/Gleb- Paige/Mark did a sexy argentine tango-that was just sleazy. The bed, the shower, ugh. Way overscored, and I’m over them in general. I know it won’t happen, but I would love for them to go next. Gleb’s been a disappointment.
6.Terra/Sasha- I liked the choreo, this just wasn’t their dance. I also couldn’t get Master P and Ashly’s horrific Paso to this song out of my mind. With them at the bottom, I’m really curious to see how big their fanbase is. They could be in trouble.
7.Ryan/Cheryl- This wasn’t the trainwreck I thought it would be, but it wasn’t great. He is really giving everything he has to the show and I hope they stick around.
8.Maureen/Artem- I like her, and I like Artem more than I ever have, but that score was too high. That package didn’t help, and I think they might be toast.
I agree with your rankings for the most part. Someone just posted Shawn’s Mambo – so amazing and memorable. Laurie just hasn’t dazzled me or had that fluidity of movement of Shawn. She was afraid to wear that Mambo outfit and just sold it. Finding myself very frustrated with Calvin’s scoring. He’s really doing a great job and the in/out of lifts is so great. Loving Lindsey as a pro and wish she got the limelight given to Whitney. She’s earned the respect. I just don’t like the naked competitiveness I’ve heard from her at times. Her work speaks for itself. I’ve shifted from wanting James to win to Calvin. That cart wheel lift though was first done by Haley and Alan last season in a bumper. Even Tom went “wow” after he saw it. Don’t agree at all with best male celebrity but only thought that applied to Alfonso in the beginning of his season before he got hurt and stopped dancing to his true potential. I too feel Terra is running to an end but so impressed with Sasha all season. Maureen seems done. It is frustrating I’m sure, but also not impressed with how Artem has handled her as a coach, but his choreography and costumes for her are very good. Not my favorite dance for Marilu but thought she handled it well.The VW from last week was a 10 from me. I always love seeing Derek dance. Her wanting control will likely be her downfall when we move into 2 dances a week. She should take a page from Ricki Lake. She has a strong personality in a nice way and surrendered to D for the good of their team knowing, trusting he will find a way for her to be / look great even if she wasn’t feeling it – hence the Psycho Tango. She got it. Derek’s best work comes from feeling energized and positively challenged. He seems to be mentally checking out – doing great work as usual, my fav pro but I’m sensing he isn’t having much fun this season. Reading between the lines, haven’t seen 1 tweet this season from him with phone number asking us to vote. Hairspray will be occupying his mind now, more & more. Happy for him to get that role, and to see he & Marilu dance for a few more weeks.
I hope you feel better Courtney. Thank you for giving us your rankings through the brain fog. You might have stuck your phone in the fridge, but at least you didn’t stick the cat in there.
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Calvin&Lindsay won the night for me. That’s what I want to see in an Argentine Tango. Dynamic push and pull, tension, fast footwork and genuine emotion.
Jana&Gleb’s AT left me cold, which is the opposite of what they were going for. It was just too…….obvious, you know. A big old “of course”.
People can be in precarious situations even without losing the team dance, Stoli.
I’m torn between Maureen and Terra going home. Ryan is also possible but I think he’ll be sticking around. This tends to be the point of the season where fanbases prior to the start of the season start to not matter as much (the hardcore football fans are usually one of the few exceptions). The novelty of “Oh hey! ___ person I used to watch on ___ show is going to be on DWTS!” wears off unless said person is doing really well, which makes me worried for Maureen because of that and the fact that I don’t think she’s doing as well with the general audience as the people below her…but then again Terra had probably the smallest fanbase coming into this and while I do think she’s picked up some votes from people who’ve never heard before it’s hard to tell how many. And then there’s the whole “8th place curse” thing which I know is just a really strange coincidence streak we’ve seen for the last several years but if the trend continues it will be Terra leaving on Monday.
It’s hard to call because most seasons I can get a good read on who’s getting the bulk of the support and who’s getting less. Other than James and maybe Laurie getting a lot of love…not this time.
I’ve gone from wanting James to win slightly over calvin to now wanting Calvin to take the whole thing…At first it was all about Laurie then they started hyping James up and honestly overscoring him a little…THERE IS NO WAY he has been the best dancer in 23 seasons! Julianne should be fired for that! I will say in my opinion technically Calvin IS A BETTER dancer but James has a better personality than they are showing from calvin…From episode one they made James out to be the clown and everyone loves a clown when calvin has a great personality too they don’t really show in his packages like they do with james…James DEFINITELY has the best personality on this show but I think Calvin is a better dancer…AND TBH I think BOTH James and Calvin are better dancers than their beloved Olympian…Seems like they didn’t expect their golden star to be outdanced by a Former Wide Receiver and an IndyCar Driver…Of the 2 women pro’s Lindsay has had an edge over Sharna this season…I didn’t think James Rumba was that great…I would have given it a 36 and Calvin a 40 and Laurie a 35…The others can’t even compare but if I had to rank the dances it would be Calvin
Great rankings and they are pretty much my way of thinking. I only have three favorites and hopes of finalists which are Calvin, James and Marilu. Best Dance of the night was Calvin and Lyndsay. So underscored in favor of that mess of Jana and Gleb’s. To me it seemed way too long under the water. Was she gasping for the appearance of the sexy or was she gasping for air, maybe both!! Don’t even want to think about the sheets. James is second but as much as I enjoy his personality and packages I always find something in his dancing that is awkward. I wish I was an expert so I could intelligently explain if it was footwork or posture etc., but oh well.
I’m thinking that Marilu is still holding back, she’s better but the Cha Cha could have had a little more umph. I mean man her legs were great but she was way to cautious. She is one I want to shake and say let go, you’re terrific, remember all those books you wrote, take some of your own advice!! Am I crazy here but I would like to switch Laurie’s energy for Marilu’s detail. I don’t know JMO.
I agree Court, Maureen is so getting to me. She is so needy…come on woman your sixty, grow up. Poor Artem!! The rest of the dances were not very special for me. But I do appreciate everybody’s efforts and commitment.
Kate, if Derek remembers to tweet asking people to vote it’s a friggin’ miracle. That is not who he has EVER been. Hell, Marilu has only done it twice that I can recall.
As for his ceding control to Marilu – he stated very clearly that that is part of his strategy to defeat her brain, and how she remembers everything. He’s trying to be more organic. And so far it’s working.
I cringed watching Maureen and Artem’s rehearsal package. He seems frustrated, she is too as well as sensitive and I just felt bad for both.
Calvin and Lindsay rocked the house last night! I loved everything about that dance. The mood of the lighting, the palm trees, the Spanish guitar sounds. That double cartwheel thing blew my mind. That dance felt pure but spectacular all in one. I think Len would have loved it. Annoyed they didn’t get all 10’s and all my votes went tho them.
Off topic a bit but with Maks gone next season and probably Derek (for Broadway), I’ll be curious what the male pro lineup will be. If Mark is back, there’ll still be one open spot, if Mark isn’t there’ll be two open spots. Still want more, new, fresh blood.
I might be slightly biased though because I prefer they didn’t pressure the stars on us(meaning great comments and scores when they have GLARING MISTAKES in their dances-terrible footwork) and after they started pimping Laurie and James and started leaving Calvin out when he is JUST AS GOOD,EVEN underscoring him he became my favorite…I feel like when they overscore them the youngers viewers will believe the judges are right that another couple is the best(Laurie,James) and when they underscore it makes it seem like maybe they cant dance because they got a 7-8(Calvin,Jana) and this person got an 9-10 so maybe I should root for the highest scoring person…That’s just how new,younger viewers think…Its SO RIDICULOUS for Jana and Calvin to be 10+ points cumulatively lower than Laurie and James…They are JUST AS GOOD(Especially Calvin!)…The pimpage HAS GOT TO STOP,im so over it.When Lindsay is mentioning it,it’s serious.They did the same thing last season with Wanya…It’s just so frustrating…Also I just want to add that I think Alfonso AND Nyle were better dancers than James…Am I missing something?
My comment posted before I even finished it? Sorry about that,hopefully the unfinished one can be removed to make more sense of the second post.
Thank you for writing this even though you are on new medication. I hope you feel better before long. I think you did an amazing job as always with your comments!
I agree with everything you said. I really like James and Sharna. I have watched Calvin and Lindsay’s tango a few times but I had no desire to watch Jana and Gleb again, so that says how I feel. I thought the bed and shower were kind of weird to be honest.
Calvin has been underscored. That was an amazing tango. He should have received a perfect score for it. The lifts were fantastic. I like his personality too on the show. He seems like a nice person.
These two couples need to be in the finals. Everyone else is trying but not that memorable for me. Although I did enjoy watching the show this week.
I think a lot of people expected the Val and Laurie dynamic to be similar to Val and Zendaya, which I did think had a natural chemistry and brought out the best in Val. Thing is, Zendaya and Laurie are COMPLETELY different 16 year olds — in personality, maturity, and dancing style. As has been said, it’s like Val doesn’t know what to do with Laurie. It’s like he knows the potential is right there but he doesn’t know how to harness it. Now I’m rambling though.
Yep,I like the rankings but I guess time will tell over the next couple weeks. I want everyone to bring their A game. Maureen needs to go then Ryan. I’ve said earlier I liked bother Argentine tangos…calvin was good a little stiff on some area but still good. Jana and gleb were good also…sorry but Laurie bores me.
And yes the Val and zendaya partnership was a bit stronger idk…for some reason I’m just over team val/Laurie
Court, thanks for doing the numbers and I hope you feel better soon! I agree that Maureen is probably toast – that package and her whining didn’t help any. Artem seems frustrated. Anxious to see the Team Dances! Rooting for Calvin – he and Lindsay just come out and dance and blow me away. I hope the judges don’t keep low-balling him – hopefully, fans are seeing this and are voting harder for him to make the finals!!!
Flash and trash. Best comment…ever, 😉 Court. That’s probably how your head feels too!
Shawn was about 20 or 21 when she danced that fabulous mambo. I doubt that she could have danced like that at Laurie’s age. Huge difference in maturity and level of self-confidence that only a very gifted partner/coach could work with successfully.Mark and Derek were great coaches for Shawn. Laurie, unfortunately, drew the short straw. Val hasn’t “connected” with too many of his partners.
@Leigh In regards to what Kristyn Burtt wrote, I just read it, and I tend to agree with her. It seems like DWTS has been moving into raunchier territory lately, and it seems especially bad this season. In addition to some of Jana and Gleb’s stuff (not to mention some of Maks and Amber’s stuff as well) and the butt-shaking, gyrating female pro dances, I also think the commentary from the judges and hosts has gotten much racier this season. Last night was especially racy. Tom made 3 or 4 extremely suggestive remarks in the first half hour or so, Erin had her uncomfortable commentary to Ryan, and then there was Pitbull straight up asking Jana to remove her clothes. Last night I was watching and thinking: “Does this mean we’re going to stop saying ‘This is a family show?’ I feel like family shows don’t make erection jokes…”
Calvin and Lindsay are my team all the way. If Lindsay is robbed of the finale again this season,I will buy a plane ticket to LA, find Rob Wade’s home, and smack him with a flashlight. No, I won’t actually do that, but I will be pissed. The final three deserve to be James, Calvin, and Laurie. If for some reason, TPTB decide it’s a better idea to put Jana there instead of Calvin, then they are even more idiotic then I originally thought.
I loved Jana’s routine. Utilize that sex appeal if you’ve got it. I really hope she can use this as a confidence booster ’cause this competition would be so boring if it was just Laurie vs. James the whole time.
I also loved Calvin’s incredible lifts, so I hope he also gives the two frontrunners some much needed competition.
I won’t give a 10 to a rumba unless I see some serious hip action, even if James has trouble with that. It’s just a standard 9 rumba. It seems too soon for Julianne to call him the best male dancer when he hasn’t yet wowed in the Latin dances.
Laurie’s Salsa was good. It’s fun to rewatch. I just expected a bit more. I hope that Val can do something more amazing and creative these next 5 weeks, otherwise that mirrorball isn’t a guarantee.
I thought Latin night was pretty fun overall and I love Latin music, but some of the song choices seemed weird and out of place. Jana and Gleb’s song in particular had zero Latin flavor and was very obviously designed for adding sexy to Latin night. It seemed so out of place, and the judges going coo-coo over it seems very weird and suspicious to me. Oh well. So much for a family show, right?
My rankings:
1: Calvin and Lindsey
2: James and Sharna
3: Marilu and Derek
4: Laurie and Val
5: Terra and Sasha
6: Jana and Gleb
7: Ryan and Cheryl
8: Maureen and Artem
Here are my rankings based on my faves from that night.
1. Jana & Gleb: While I thought the shower was unnecessary, I liked the use of the bed and the rest of the performance. There was a substantial amount of A.tango which I liked. She got into character and her legs and lines were amazing. I definitely think she deserved the perfect score based on the A. Tango she did alone
2. Calvin & Lindsay: I love them! The first time j watched it, I couldn’t take my eyes of Linds and I was thinking “this better be a perfect score”. On rewatching Calvin, he did have some clunkiness to his footwork but that is so minor and the dance was amazing and those lifts whattt. Lindsay is a genius
3. James & Sharna: He is still my overall fave but the dance wasn’t my favourite. I think this one is more on Sharna. I noticed she and Peta tend to choreograph similar kinds of rumbas where it can feel rushed with too many teller spins and moving around using too much of the ballroom space. I prefer my rumbas delicate with not much travelling like Corbin & Karina, Nastia & Derek or Louis & Sabrina. The build up in the song might have caused it though. He still had amazing lines and extensions though.
4. Ryan & Cheryl: Call me crazy but I actually enjoyed watching this. He looked mad awkward but I was actually smiling throughout and I just loved it. Didn’t like the black light part though
5. Marilu & Derek: I don’t remember much about this except some parts seemed pretty salsa-ry. Probably the song and I’m used to seeing cha-cha to mainstream pop. Her leg work was clean although she did get stuck in some places. Loved their costumes
6. Laurie & Val: Technique was not a problem. I just found it quite boring. Maybe if their costume was more colorful it might looked more interesting. Looked like she did the same step over and over again. Her hip action was also slightly weird. These two might have reached their peak.
7. Terra & Sasha: This just looked awkward. I don’t blame her cause if what you said Court but it was still slightly cringeworthy to me
8. Maureen & Artem: snoozefest. I agree with Bruno. She was forcing the bounce and it just looked awkward. Those scores were pretty kind.
With Laurie and Val, it might be that both parties are bit out of whack. Val might not quite know what to do, but Laurie also might not know what to do because she can’t really decompress and leave gymnast mode. Not only does she have the current tour, but she might be the first gymnast DWTS has had that knows 100% that she has to get ready for the next Olympic cycle.
When Shawn (the first time) and Aly did DWTS, I don’t think either were sure whether they were going to try for the next Olympics. Shawn had a couple injuries, I think, and Aly’s story is pretty well-documented by now. When Nastia did DWTS, she was long retired from the sport.
Laurie knows when DWTS and the tour are over, it’s right back to the gym for her. Having that in her mind could be part of why she’s struggling to connect, since it’s right back to training for Tokyo, barring major injury.
So for me Calvin AT just didn’t have the chemesty that Jana’s has. While the dance was pretty close to Technically perfect, there was just not enough chemesty needed for a AT.
My absolutely favorite dance of the night was Calvin and Lindsay-WOW!!!
I think Amber was the right choice to go. She seems to be a lovely person, but never really showed she was having fun with it. I never stop being amazed about Derek’s brilliant ways to best show his partners. However I somehow am not getting the connection with Marilu. She just appears to think she is already there, when she needs more work. I give it up to anyone who can possibly look like her at her age, but she almost seems to expect that people take that into consideration when scoring her. That is complete my opinion, but I am just trying to figure out why I can’t really get behind a couple I thought I would love. I still think they are great but don’t really feel like that Derek is that invested. He will do her 100% right, but I don’t really think he’s having the best time this season.
Change your tone, Sia, or go elsewhere. Some people don’t get the Laurie raves – learn to deal with it.
And only five year olds use the word “hate” to describe valid criticism.
Well, we’ll never know, will we Joanne? Hard to say what a great choreographer could have gotten out of her.
“Family” shows can make erection jokes – they’re just much more clever about it than DWTS.
I’m about as far from a prude as you can get, but the raunch is just too much. And I don’t mind raunch in general – I think what bothers me is that it’s used in place of talent. Just look at the two argentine tangos the other night – one raunchy and one not. Which one requires more talent and creativity? Lindsay’s non-raunchy one. Which one left you amazed at the difficulty of some of the moves? Lindsay’s non-raunchy one. Really, how much talent and creativity does it take to get “sexiest ever” when all you do is throw in a bed and a shower? I’ve seen some pretty hot dances where it was all based in chemistry and dance – not props.
This is why so many of Mandy’s pro dances bug the crap out of me. These are world class dancers you have at your disposal and the best you can do is hair flipping and gyrating?? COME ON!!! I think this show needs (but can’t afford) Nappytabs. Or a Nappytabs/Derek Hough/Travis Wall combo team – I’ve seen what the three of them can do together.
Voguerista, my head agrees with your rankings, my heart does not.
I still love Maureen and Terra. I hope they stay longer than Ryan.
James and Sharna and then Calvin and Lindsay are my favorites to watch.
If Marilu wasn’t partnered with Derek, I wouldn’t be routing for her at all. Since she is, I want her to make the finals. My heart wants all the people who said Derek can’t work with someone older to have to shut it once and for all. I think he has already proven that he can, but the finals would put the nail in their ugly comment coffins.
Rosa, I agree; they are over scoring James, and if they were being honest he wouldn’t be scoring so high. I must have been watching a different dance because I didn’t see James move his hips at all and the movement was so choppy I almost wish Len was there to give The technique the seven it deserved.
For the record, I would still put him in the top three because his performances are amazing.
molly, that will never happen. People STILL claim that Derek has never had a challenging partner, called Amy a “ringer”, blah blah blah – it will never happen. People just don’t use their brains, they just regurgitate what they hear and a lot of that crap is perpetuated by entertainment media run by the less bright folks who obsess over Kim Kardashian every day. We can say that Derek took a 64 year old woman quite far in the competition and we’ll get a “she was a ringer though. Derek’s never had a ___” They move the goal posts constantly.
PC, I completely agree with you. Derek does not seem to be invested at all this season. Case in point, that Ká paso doble was a missed opportunity, and I don’t think the choreography was all that great. And I feel the same way about all the other dances the season.
Terra is likable, and what she can do with her body is incredible. I agree that unless Terra and Sasha pull out something like what she did with her samba, she probably won’t last much longer. However, I really want Sasha to finally break out of his trend of being seventh. It’s starting to become a more distant memory now, but Sasha and Emma’s engagement might still get him a few votes, especially with Emma on All Access so much. I hope that Maureen is the one to leave. She isn’t up to par with the rest of the dancing, and Artem is too harsh on her.
Julianne was silly to say the Best male dancer ever… that just gets people upset and look for ways to negate her. I agree it was hyperbole and it really does not help the celebrity.
However, for this season, James maybe the best male since he is the only guy so far who has competed by doing all the technical dances, 3 standard and 3 Latin so far. Most of the others have done at least a contemporary, or a social salsa, or a Jazz, Charleston, even an Argentine Tango, although great these dances do not have to adhere to ballroom rules. So when James gets marked down, it is for technical errors more often than choreography choices. Even Cirque night when the rules went out the window, he got dinged for footwork in the Quickstep. So Julianne went over the top in praise, if she had of tempered her remarks and be more specific about this season, it might not have sounded so outlandish.
I might be alone in this, but I think Pitbull did a good job (minus the dress comment to Jana). He’s not a dancer and I believe he kept his comments positive and seemed honest.
I actually loved both AT. The bed in Jana & Gleb’s was completely unnecessary and weird. But one they got dancing I loved the dance and how she performed. Maybe not a perfect score but I’m not mad. Calvin and Lindsey where also great and also deserved 10s! Lindsey is becoming one of the best pros on this show. And Calvin is improving every week.
This might be biased as I admit I’m obsessed with James but I kind of agree he is/might be the best male dancer. I’m just constantly surprised by his extensions and the way he uses his back. But I also agree that Alfonso (and I would add Corbin) where also great. I might just agree with the James comment because is the most resent I’ve seen dance. I still love him and think that rumba was wonderful. And rumba in male stars is hard!
Laurie is great but I’m with many of you, just don’t feel that connection just yet. Sometimes it even feels weird, performed wonderfully, but weird.
I really hope is Maureen going next. I’m in the boat with people who are tired of her crying all the time.
For me, sensuality comes from within. It’s not blatant and has a subtlety that doesn’t hit you over the head with it’s eagerness.
It’s a sultry look of “wait till we get home girl” or quiet but intense movement between dance partners that gives me a lady boner, not faux humping or writhing on a bed or in a shower.
Which is why I preferred Lindsay&Calvin’s AT over Jana&Gleb’s. I also thought the former’s had more actual content.
I don’t agree that Derek is not invested this season. The Viennese Waltz for which he chose the song was great.
I think the rest has been an unfortunate combination of strange/non-fitting songs (having to force the Cha Cha into a total Salsa song; doing the Foxtrot to a tune for which Derek had to arrange a bit of Foxtrot rythm with the band)
Marilu’s age and overactive brain have also posed some challenges and she seems to perform way better in rehearsals than on show night and Derek is still figuring out why. He’s adjusting and adapting and figuring things out along the way and that takes a lot of investment.
I guess I’m in the minority because I find Calvin and Lindsay completely forgettable until they’re actually dancing. Otherwise, it’s oh, yeah, they’re here too which is almost worse than being bad. I think the lifts are cool, but there’s just this sloppiness to his dancing that I don’t enjoy watching. Different strokes and all that.
Which is why I think I enjoy James, to be honest. There’s a cleanliness to his dancing that even if it’s simpler choreo, it still is more enjoyable for me to watch. Though, I think that’s how I’ve always watched this show. Rather have a cleaner dance that gets dinged for content than a packed messy dance. It’s also nice to see Sharna just having fun. I actually think James is her most fun enjoyable to watch partnership since Andy Dick.
Laurie and Val have turned into a non event for me. Which is fine, because they still have a boatload of fans, so they’re not really missing me. Lol.
I think knowing her relationship history makes Jana and Gleb uncomfortable to watch and that dance did what it was supposed to do for the show’s agenda. Choreo wise it was really boring, though.
No one else really impressed or didn’t impress from past weeks.
I don’t think Derek is not invested either…He has been on the show for MANY seasons and sometimes you realize we aren’t going to win but we will have the best time while we are in it.Which is why I appreciated amber,she wasn’t the best dancer and she wasn’t going to win but she was a fan of the show before and wanted to try it…The music is no excuse for Derek an Emmy award winner constantly compared to Gene Kelly.It’s clear he can do nearly ANYTHING…Marilu and Derek are just having fun,it doesn’t mean he isn’t invested in the entire season…I really loved their Taxi and week 1 dances :)…
I can say for sure why I didn’t like Jana and Gleb dance, there was no editing of the choreo, it just didn’t make sense to go from the bed to the dance, what motivated her? If it was that pelvic thrust thing she did with Gleb why bother with the foreplay of dance? You’re already in the bed. That’s why it did not follow the spirit of Argentine Tango
Secondly Gleb does not lift well. Tiny Jana was hoisted like a sack of potatoes, whereas Calvin is effortless, unexpected and impactful in how he approaches lifts.
For me the sexy was the romantic interaction between Calvin and Lindsay, the first time I saw it with them and it looked authentic instead of forced like the other AT
I definitely thought until a couple of weeks ago that Laurie had it in the bag, as set by the producers, no matter who got more votes. But I don’t feel that way anymore and I’m very happy about it. I actually could see Laurie coming in third at the rate Val is going. They don’t have a great chemistry. Val just thought he could show up with her and win & it’s not looking that way anymore. Not with James and Calvin & Sharna & Lindsay as choreographers. Although I think the final two should obviously be James & Calvin, I’m wondering if tptb have screwed Calvin over by all of the underscoring in the first few weeks.
Damn shame really that tptb seem to have deliberately low-balled Wanya last season in favor of pushing the lesser by miles & very mediocre Ginger (Val). And now super charismatic & technically sharp Calvin with Lindsay’s superior choreography is getting short changed in favor of Val (again) and Jana. If they don’t stop there are those who will think DWTS is short-changing the black celebs in favor of obviously lesser, white, dancers. Not that that’s what they are intentionally doing but you know, it doesn’t look good. Wanya vs Ginger and Calvin vs Jana are no brainers, imo.
Maria D,I COMPLETELY AGREE! They lowballed him so bad in the beginning except when the dances were so unexciting the face off week they had NO CHOICE but to give that to him…They have scored him so low and Laurie so high the top 2 contendors are now James and Laurie and now they are trying to even slide Jana as the third leaving calvin 4th! Calvin deserves first or second! NO LOWER! He should never be in the bottom 2 again! ESPCEIALLY BEFORE MAUREEN! James and Calvin are better than Laurie because Lindsay and Sharna are better than Val!
Derek is always invested I think. The problem is that he hasn’t been inspired by the music given to them. He is an artist, it’s bound to happen sometimes.
To be honest, I feel bad for James. Everyone on social media took Julianne’s comment way too seriously and started slamming him.
When it comes to Jana, I find her a little disingenuous. The “it’s hard to be sexy” package had already been done the week one.
I’m always looking forward to Lindsay and Calvin. His height and her choreography are their biggest assets. My only issue with this team, is that her choreography, her looks, her dancing, and her bubbly personality steal the spotlight. I know I shouldn’t, but I feel more invested in Lindsay than Calvin.
I have to disagree that the show isn’t showing Calvin’s personality. Don’t get me wrong, Calvin is lovely, but for the first four weeks the show gave us a pretty serious and focused James. In my opinion it’s not that they aren’t showing Calvin’s personality in favor of James, it’s more that they are finally showing James’.
I feel very badly for both Marilu and Derek, for different reasons. Derek was typically gallant in saying that Marilu’s feeling of not wanting to disappoint him was his fault. However, the difficulties she is having are in reality not about anything that he is doing or not doing. And although the reasoning which led him to cede (some) control to her is understandable, it is actually counter-productive because it gives her mind a new role to play. I think in their VW, Marilu’s love for her mother completely overwhelmed the usual chatter in her head, so she was able to just DANCE, and did so beautifully. Although it may sound extreme, I think Derek should (at least as an experiment) do a rehearsal with Marilu not allowed to speak at all. That is the hook that puts her mind front and center and in charge. In the absence of overwhelming emotion, the best chance of sidelining the chatter is to not allow her to engage in any. Although he’s clearly frustrated, it will be interesting to see what Derek takes away from this experience. Marilu, I think, will have regrets, which makes me very sad.
I really enjoy Terra and Sasha’s partnership. I think she has a great deal of talent. I’m hopeful that the voters will be so busy rescuing Terra and Ryan from the bottom of the leader board that Maureen will be overlooked and not voted for. I’ve heard second from the bottom can be a dangerous position to be in voter-wise. Ryan seems to appeal to more people the longer he stays on the show and Terra has a fierce go get-em attitude. They both also have a better dynamic with their partners than Maureen has with Artem.
I didn’t know how Terra would dance with an average height partner. Week one settled that. Then I worried how on earth she would dance in hold? Week two settled that. After that, my only concern was how she would handle the unique challenges Paso would bring. I thought she did well. Not her best, but well. Sasha has done right by her with the choreo. If she can survive this elimination, the remaining dances for her shouldn’t be as challenging, in my opinion. Jive and Quickstep can be considered the hardest dances cardio-wise. Samba is quite technical. And Paso is uniquely challenging for a little person. She’s got past those, so her performances and scores could improve if she has the fanbase to get through this week. Anyway, I hope she gets a reprieve and Maureen goes home.
All this talk about which couples do and don’t have “chemistry” kinda reminds me of a bit of a Twitter rant I went on towards the end of last season, when I saw a lot of Paige & Mark’s detractors claiming that they lacked “chemistry” – the problem being that many of them were equating “chemistry” with “attraction”, and I don’t think they’re the same thing AT ALL. I think it’s entirely possible for a couple to have a great working chemistry and NOT want to jump in bed together – I think Bill & Emma were a great example of that. I also think it’s possible for a couple to want to jump each other’s bones and have a total lack of working chemistry – I think of Janel & Val in that instance. And sorry, when I think of Jana & Gleb, I actually think their chemistry is rather poor, as I find them to have some rather glaring communication issues that seem pretty apparent when you watch some of their rehearsal packages. I just don’t find that they compliment each other’s work ethic and style of teaching/learning, and I do see that translating to the floor. I think Laurie & Val have a similar problem in that they can’t quite seem to find and common ground, and it results in a kind of mismatched energy out on the floor. On the other side of the coin, I find that both Calvin & Lindsay and James & Sharna have a great working chemistry, and seem to have styles of thinking/communicating that complement one another nicely – there’s SYNERGY there, and it makes everything look that much better on the floor.
Now, if you’re making the mistake of equating “chemistry” with “attraction” (as I think Em is doing above), then I don’t quite know what to tell you – because I don’t think it’s necessary to completely throw yourselves at one another and engage in frottage in order to convey a sense of passion out on the floor. In fact, I think it’s terribly off-putting and desperate, as I think I’ve already said – and I love Susan2’s example of the “wait till we get home, girl!” look as how I prefer heat to be conveyed: it’s the slow burn, the thrill of the chase, the delayed gratification. Basically, the polar opposite of everything Jana & Gleb gave us. I tend to think of the overtly sexual depictions of passion like that as more of the juvenile interpretations of passion – how a teenager seems to view expressions of love. I think as we age, we realize that the real deal is quite a bit more subtle than that – and that those overt displays of passion are more likely just lust, which will fizzle out quickly.
True, Geri. And if Derek wasn’t invested he would have choreographed similar to what Maks did this season – half assed, collecting a paycheck. He’s worked pretty hard to figure out a way to make this work (and be fun for) Marilu. Anyone who thinks he’s not invested in this show doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
I mean come on – Derek doesn’t NEED this show. If he wasn’t still invested in it, he wouldn’t have come back.
@Nia – I also found it funny how some took Helio’s quite-obviously-joking tweet about Julianne betraying him by claiming James to be “the best guy we’ve ever had on the show” as Helio being seriously bitter about the whole thing. Errr, did they watch season 5? Or have they watched Helio at all, on anything, since then? The guy is almost NEVER serious, about anything. The DWTS fandom is full of drama-mongers.
I don’t agree at all, Suzy. Derek hasn’t been frustrated in more than two weeks now. I know the instinct is to take a very mild frustration shown way back in week 3 or 4 and carry it forward, but I don’t see that as being the case at all. As for Marilu – Derek’s technique has worked very well the past two weeks. She’s like a different person when dancing. And since he’s there in the room with her, talking to her and working it out, I think I’ll trust his instincts more than any arm chair quarterbacking we indulge in here. Derek, as a professional, has earned that where others haven’t so much.
And yes, it IS Derek’s fault if something isn’t going right in their partnership. He’s RIGHT to own it because he’s the professional/teacher/etc. He’s been on the show since season 5, he knows how it works, he’s the one that has to adapt. And lord knows he’s the best pro on the show at doing that – by far. This seasons just taking him a bit longer.
Frankly, I think you are perhaps projecting your dislike of Marilu on to them as a couple and Derek in particular, based on previous comments you’ve made about her in the past.
Finally – if this were any other pro having these other, relatively minor issues – we would absolutely be blaming that pro. Take Maks for example. He couldn’t work it out. Derek will/has.
I feel Calvin is getting the “Donald Driver treatment”. The judges were very stingy with scoring him and in the end, he prevailed. I find myself smiling when I see Calvin. He has a very pleasant personality. And man, he can lift! That spinning wheel lift was done last season in a bumper by Hayley and Alan. I played that video several times trying to figure out how they did that! Tom was amazed by it too. Incredible lift, strength and coordination. Those lady pros are fearless. Truly talented and underutilized by Ms Bump&Grind!
As far as the AT debate goes, neither truly where perfect, but one was certainly more likable and proper. Calvin’s. It was more powerful whereas Jana’s just felt inferior.
IMO Calvin needs to work on his posture and footwork before I would call him technically sharp. Calvin is one who hasn’t had to do a lot of technical dances, he has been given Charleston and Jazz and Aregentine Tango, none of those dances have ballroom rules . So, while he gets the flashier dances he hasn’t really been tested like some of the others on the difficult technical work
Why is the show so manufactured? Why can’t they just even the pimping & ringers and let us decide who we want to win? Problem is we all just seem to accept it now as normal. Season 24 final will be Val and partner, Sharna and partner and probably Lindsay and partner. Artem will not get a contender and Emma will get someone older than her grandfather. That’s my power ranking for season 24 because the show is manufactured
Courtney,
You hit it on the nose (so apparently the fog is lifting, LOL)!
I would rather see implied sexuality rather than overt. It kind of reminds me of how I feel about horror movies; what I don’t see is scarier than blood and guts. I’d rather watch Alfred Hitchcock than a Saw movie! So I’d rather use my imagination about what the dance is about than see writhing bodies on a bed or shower!
@James, the show is manufactured in that sense. I will scream with joy the day that Emma gets a contender. Not everyone can have contenders, whether a pro gets contenders or not is based on their fanbase, teaching skills, and choreography. Lindsay has gotten contenders for the past three seasons, season 21 was incredibly lucky for her, and she shows what she could do, which is why TPTBkept her around for season 22. Sharna has gotten ringers for the past two seasons because she showed what she could do with Noah. I find this extremely unfair towards Emma, because she’s shown what she can do by taking Bill to the finals. She’s therefore rewarded by getting partners older than her grandfather basically every season.
Great rankings –
I thought Calvin/James were tied at the top for me.
“Juvenile interpretations of passion” – perfectly said. If Gleb/Jana had the passion connection then that shower bit would have been totally hot. But, I agree their styles don’t mesh, thus the scene is just out of place.
Agree completely that Laurie/Val have working issues as well. And what a great way of showing one of the big diff btwn Derek/Val. Derek owned the problem, adjusted and continues to adjust and think what he can do to help his partner. Val expects Laurie to adjust to him – to his teaching style.
I really hope Ryan and Mo are the next two gone. Not a fan of jana but she certainly is better than those two. And terra has grown on me – so I hope she sticks around a while as well.
But, Casanova, as we all know on this reality TV show…sometimes technique is not the most important thing. He is extremely pleasing to watch and doesn’t make me roll my eyes or groan. 🙂
I have been a fan of Marilu’s for a long time, PH, and nothing would make me happier than for her to have the experience of her dreams on the show.
There are only 13 (I think she said) others who have the same H-SAM as she does. That gives her a very unique brain, and astounding mental ability. Brain functioning in general has long been an avid interest of mine. Overall, I fear that the extraordinary expansiveness of part of her brain is acting as a constraint on other functions. I actually think if I could talk to her about it she’d be interested in trying my suggestion.
Never meant to disparage anyone.
I think you over simplify, Alison. I’m not sure I believe that Lindsay’s performance in S21 meant the producers were driven to give her great partners in the following seasons, nor that Sharna’s work with Noah lead her to get ringers the following two seasons. It’s much more likely that it’s a combination of other factors entirely. A great showing with a celebrity can lead to other celebrities requesting you. Emma clearly works well with the older contestants – so she probably gets them for that reason, or they request her as well. Then there is the personality, height and god knows how many other factors which lead to pairings.
I just don’t think the producers are as invested in the female pros as they are the males – I think it’s impossible to argue that Val hasn’t been treated extremely well…probably better than he deserves, when comparing his choreo to that of Lindsay and Sharna. Their investment in the men is for obvious reasons, I think – this show is WATCHED by women, for the most part. Of course, there is also the factor that most women in the entertainment industry have some small (to large) degree of dance training and/or less FEAR of dancing in public, compared to the average man. That makes it much easier to give Val ringer after ringer while the women are hard pressed to come up with multiple ringers in a given season.
Finally – you don’t audition to be on this show. You’re interviewed, I’m sure, but there’s no audition. Do you honestly think that James Hinchcliffe spoke to the producers for an hour and they just magically KNEW he was going to be a great dancer and said ‘he needs to be with Sharna’? Same goes for Calvin – in fact Calvin was known to have zero moves in the end zone, unlike many other footballers. Unless you can get on the internet and find videos of someone dancing, you just don’t KNOW ahead of time if someone is going to be good or not.
Whereas most of Val’s partners have had video or written evidence of previous experience to some degree, the same generally can’t be said for the men, unless their name is Alfonso, Nick, or people like that. I think that Derek, for example, has gotten partners most of the time who are extremely compatible with his *personality* more than any other trait. I also think that he asked to be challenged as that is what he thrives on. Most of the time, I think they get the pairings right and if all they based it on was choreography, fanbase and teaching skills, the show wouldn’t be nearly as successful.
Agreed, @Heidi that technique is not the most important thing. But I also think to truly show how well these guys dance they should be given a equitable mix of technical and show dances. Up until this coming week James has been all technical, ballroom or latin, whereas Calvin got half a repertoire of show dances that don’t have the same rules. So he can be free and not worry about posture or footwork, the toughest part of learning to dance.
His AT was great, great connection, great choreography, great lifts, but the dancing looked clunky in parts.
Heidi: Well said & beautifully put.
I actually have to disagree with Allison (#68) stating that Lindsay has been given 3 contenders. Alex was the least known “celeb” that season so nobody could have truly predicted they would be that successful of a pairing and get that far into the season. If my memory serves me correctly, I think he was added on down to the wire too? The only person I think fits the definition of contender of her partners was Wanya but then TPTB did everything they could, and might I add were also successful, at not making him a contender they could have Val & Ginger make the finals. This fits exactly what Heidi has said above in that the real interest TPTB carries lies with the men and not the woman. Again, this is just my opinion in how I see it but I absolutely respect that you may see it differently. 🙂
Agreed that the shower wasn’t necessary and if Len were judging they would not have been perfect If he thought Paige and Mark’s ArgentineTango was too hot and spicy and gave a 9 then Jana and Gleb for sure would have been a 9 as well if not an 8 bc there wasn’t much ArgentineTango content at least in Len’s eyes As far as who’s going home I’m a bit worried about the Terra People tend to vote for favorite pro and I think Cheryl is more popular than Sasha and I think Maureen may be getting more votes than her too Seems like there’s always an upset the night of the team dances too.
I’m praying it’s not Terra and Sasha, for his past two seasons, Sasha has always been eliminated on team dances week, and I’d love for him to break that trend with Terra. That being said, it all comes down to whether Terra, Ryan, or Maureen is getting more votes. Ryan is extremely likable without the Rio incident hanging over his head, and I doubt people remember the protestors or Rio at this point. Cheryl is also a very popular old school pro. Terra is probably the best dancer out of the bunch as well as a huge surprise. She’s got a disability, which might draw some sympathy votes. She also seems like a nice person, but not quite as likable as Ryan or Maureen. People still probably remember Sasha’s proposal to Emma which might draw a few votes, but not as many as from week 4 and 5. Emma might help as she’s on All Access so much. Maureen is the weakest dancer, but she’s been over scored more often than not. She’s not being helped by her pro, and she has had some unflattering packages. However, Maureen comes from a very popular and iconic TV show. Yet, so far into the competition, does it even matter anymore? Maureen can come across as a bit desperate to some people (including myself) which is a big turnoff, but also as really nice and likable. So, out of these three, I’m inclined to say Maureen is going home, but I’ll have to wait for Heidi’s numbers post to see the margins between them.
In the great Argentine tango debate:
Jana & Gleb was a dance with some AT moves
Calvin & Lindsay was a smart AT: lot of lifts, lot of flashy AT moves from Lindsay and some quite good moves from Calvin
I like the comparison of Calvin and Donald Driver, both continuously underscored. Calvin might not win but I’ll be furious if he doesn’t make it into the final three. The judges have angered me to the point where I’ve been giving Calvin all my votes and I doubt that I’m alone.
@M8, been giving all of my votes to Calvin since day one, and started power voting for him thanks to the underscoring. You aren’t alone.
I’m finally getting the chance to weigh in on the dances – so here are my thoughts, starting with my favorite dances:
1) Calvin and Lindsay – just fabulous. And underscored, yet again. I think that this has become my overall favorite couple of the season – which I was not expecting to happen. I’ve rewatched this dance I don’t know how many times, and it never gets old.
2) Marilu and Derek – This was my second favorite dance of the night. She was just having so much fun.
3) James and Sharna – I thought James was good, but the dance felt a bit rushed in places, mostly due to the music.
4) Jana and Gleb – while the dance was a bit over the top, and I didn’t particularly care for the beginning on the bed, I thought Jana danced this better than some of her other dances (though I couldn’t help thinking of the AT part of Derek’s pro dance, and how stiff Jana seemed compared to Derek’s partner), and it was certainly memorable. That was one dance that wouldn’t fade into the woodwork.
5)Ryan and Cheryl – What I enjoyed about this one is how much fun Ryan was having, and how committed he was to everything. Plus, the glow in the dark part was cool.
6)Laurie and Val – this was just not memorable to me, and the vibe Laurie and Val are giving off is just awkward. I don’t think Val knows how to relate to her, or how to communicate with her. I also think it would be fascinating to hear her conversations with Shawn, Aly and Nastia when the cameras *aren’t* around.
7) Terra and Sasha – this dance just didn’t suit Terra (though Sasha did a great job creating something that would work for them) and Terra looked not at ease throughout the dance. However, I’m hoping that she sticks around a little longer.
8) Maureen and Artem – I don’t have much to say about this; it was fine? I think I’m ready for Maureen to go.