DWTS Season 9 – Preliminary Power Rankings
Greetings all! I’m Courtney, and I’m super pumped that I’ll be doing this season’s power rankings. Being that I’ve been an amateur ballroom dancer for the past 6 years, I tend to really get down to the “nitty gritty” of choreography and technique, but I’m also a sucker for an entertaining and likeable contestant, regardless of how good or bad they may have danced. I’m definitely looking forward to see how things pan out this season (16 couples…wow!), and I look forward to seeing what you guys think as well 🙂
Since we now know all of the celebs and all of their pro partners, I thought I would do a preliminary power ranking based solely on each celeb’s previous dance/athletic experience & overall likeability. In addition, I have also taken into account their pro partner’s likeability and fan base, as the pro’s themselves have taken on an almost celeb status through the years, and many of them have almost as big a fan base as the celebs they teach (can you imagine how many teen voters tune into DWTS each week in the hopes that they might catch a glimpse of a bare-chested Mark or Derek?). So without further ado, here they are…I’m curious to see what you guys think, so please, all feedback is appreciated!
1.) Mya & Dmitry Chaplin – Mya has, arguably, the most previous dance experience of any of this season’s celebs. She had ballet & jazz training from the age of 2, and later picked up tap as well, and was good enough to land a spot performing with Savion Glover of the Dance Theater of Harlem (for those of you unfamiliar with him, he is to tap what Clint Eastwood is to Hollywood – a pretty big deal!). She’s also fairly recognizable, as she’s a Grammy-winning recording artist and has had bit parts in a few movies (anyone remember her as Vern’s fiance in Shall We Dance?). And Mya is SEXY…I don’t see her as someone who would be timid on the dance floor. Dmitry also has a following of his own from his SYTYCD days, and now also has an Emmy nomination under his belt for the Argentine tango he choreographed for season 4 of SYTYCD. For me, this is the couple to beat.
2.) Donny Osmond & Kym Johnson – Do I honestly think that Donny will outdance the 14 other couples in this competition? Absolutely not…but I think his fame alone (especially with female baby boomers) will make him a contender this season. Granted, Donny has SOME dance experience from his years performing with The Osmonds, but I’m not sure it’s enough to outshine trained dancers like Debi or Aaron. But think back to season 5, and the juggernaut that was Marie Osmond, who made it to the finals despite mediocre scores from the judges. He also has an advantage in having Kym, who I find to be one of the more consistent & likeable pros on the show. I don’t think these two have the “juice” to win the whole thing, but I definitely think they’ll be around for awhile.
3.) Debi Mazar & Maksim Chmerkovskiy – Little known fact: Debi began her career as a hip-hop B-girl in New York, and has appeared in 4 Madonna videos…so she is no stranger to dance. She’s also appeared in quite a few movies, so she’s a fairly recognizable actress (another fun fact: She appeared in Beethoven’s 2nd with another season 9 celeb – Ashley Hamilton). Debi is known for her roles as feisty, tough women, so that could be an advantage when it comes to aggressive dances like the paso doble & tango – however, it could also hurt her if she butts heads with her equally as feisty partner, Maks. I see Maks as one of the more popular pros on the show (especially with the ladies), so I see this pair having some staying power.
4.) Mark Dacascos & Lacey Schwimmer – Ok, so maybe he isn’t a household name, but once people see him, the lightbulb comes on: “Ohhh, that Iron Chef guy!”. You might also recognize him from martial arts films such as Cradle 2 The Grave, where he squared off with Jet Li. His expertise in martial arts could definitely be a strong advantage for him this season – I think he could be this season’s Gilles Marini, the lesser-known actor with a martial arts background that takes the competition by storm. Did I mention he’s also pretty easy on the eyes? It’s never been a disadvantage in this competition (at least for the men) to be good-looking. And he’s lucked into getting fan-fave Lacey as his partner, who I have found to have an almost cult-like following from both SYTYCD & the past two seasons of DWTS. A hot combo, these two!
5.) Aaron Carter & Karina Smirnoff – About 11 years ago, during my awkward teenage years, I attended a Backstreet Boys concert where Aaron was the opening act. I was amazed with the ease at which this kid was cartwheeling, handspringing, and flipping all over the stage…and he was only 10 at the time! Aaron’s got a background in gymnastics, as well as some hip-hop experience from his years as a pop act. However, he also has a bit of a checkered past: troubles with substance abuse and the demise of several romantic relationships have made several tabloid covers, which may make him a bit less “likeable” to viewers. But I could also see mom’s latching onto him as a sort of son-type figure, a la Cody Linley. I think Karina is also one of the strongest female pros on the show, and has a knack for choreographing to showcase her partner’s strengths while hiding their weaknesses. These two could either be really good or really bad – I’m crossing my fingers it’s the former.
6.) Melissa Joan Hart & Mark Ballas – Could they have picked a more adorable, likeable gal to be on this season of DWTS? I find Melissa to be a prime example of a “girl next door” type – or rather the girl upstairs type, as she played on Clarissa Explains It All. And she “bewitched” (pun intended) audiences for 7 seasons as a lovable teenager with magical powers on Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I don’t know that she has any real dance experience, but, like Donny, I think she’ll be a contender based on star power alone. And I think reigning 2-time champ Mark has the chops (and the female following) to keep this pair going in the competition, regardless of the judge’s scores. These two also have an adorable moniker for their partnership – “Malarky”, which could help them to claim the spot as this season’s “cute” couple, much like Shawn & Mark last season.
7.) Joanna Krupa & Derek Hough – Models have generally not fared so well on the show. And I’m afraid Joanna’s recent obscenity-laden tyrade against Terrell Owens on this summer’s reality show The Superstars could make her look a bit, er, “witchy” in the eyes of female viewers. But the ladies love Derek Hough (ask Heidi!), and they want to keep him in the competition to watch him week after week. Not only that, but I find Derek’s choreography to be very clever and entertaining (think last season’s “Jailhouse Rock” jive with Lil Kim), so this pair could get by on Derek’s skill & popularity alone. They’re also both young & good-looking, which seems to be an advantage in romantic dances like the rumba & waltz.
8.) Kathy Ireland & Tony Dovolani – Echoing my sentiments above, models seem to really struggle on this show (remember first-round cast-offs Josie Maran & Paulina Porizkova?). However, Kathy Ireland seems to be one of the world’s most recognizable supermodels, appearing in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue 13 years in a row, as well as owning a clothing line and writing 5 books. I think her level of fame could keep her around for a little while. Tony is a fairly experienced pro on the show, too, so maybe their collective “fame” will help carry them through week after week. They’re also well matched in stature (she’s 5’10”; he’s over 6′), which actually makes more of a difference (especially in the smooth dances, such as the waltz & foxtrot) than you might think!
9.) Ashley Hamilton & Edyta Sliwinska – I had to really rack my brain to think of a movie that Ashley had been in – and all I came up with was Beethoven’s 2nd (he was Nicholle Tom’s sleazy boyfriend). I did, however, remember his reputation as a bit of a partier, and his infamous 5-month marriage to Shannon Doherty. Oh, and he’s season 2 celeb George Hamilton’s son. I daresay Ashley might have a bit more to prove on the show given his iffy recognizability (on many messages boards I encountered, people thought he was a girl!), but he’s got Edyta, the only pro to be on all 9 seasons of the show, and they both are attractive individuals. If Ashley really works hard, I could see him moving up in the ranks.
10.) Natalie Coughlin & Alec Mazo – Olympic athletes seem to really thrive on the show (think Shawn Johnson & Apolo Ohno), so I think Natalie might have a lot to prove. But she is an athlete, so she may be able to withstand the grueling pace of the show. She has Alec, who, despite having choreography that the judges like, always seems to blend into the background for me. I fear that this pair might get lost in the shuffle, and may get forgotten by America when it comes time to vote.
11.) Michael Irvin & Anna Demidova – I’m a bit indecisive about this couple: on one hand, Michael is a former NFL Hall-of-Famer, and NFL players have generally done well on the show – however, he is also no stranger to controversy, having a few brushes with the law throughout the years. I fear that viewers might not like that, and may not vote as a result, even if he is quite good. But he does have Anna, who proved herself during last year’s pro competition and was voted by America to be part of this season’s cast, so she’s got a following…she also seems to know how to bring out the best in her partner, as evidenced by her tango with Maurice Greene last season. I have my fingers crossed with this pair as well – I would really like to see more of Anna.
12.) Chuck Liddell & Anna Trebunskaya – Not gonna lie – Chuck scares me! He’s a very intimidating guy,but I guess that comes with the territory when you’re a mixed-martial arts champion. So here’s my dilemma: the only precedents we have for professional “fighters” on the show are Evander Holyfield (the 2nd contestant voted out in season 1) and Floyd Mayweather (4th voted out in season 5) – and neither did exceedingly well. I fear that Chuck may fall prey to the problem of being rather “heavy” on his feet – however, he is extremely strong (which helps with lifts & stunts), and is obviously no stranger to grueling training, so he may be able to push through and really improve week after week. Anna has been out of the DWTS game since season 6 (due to the fact that she was one of the top ranked International Latin competitors in the country and was still competing as a pro – not an easy feat!), so she may not have quite as much of a following as some of the other pros…however, I think that at least some of Chucks MMA fans might tune in and vote for him, which could tip the scales in their favor.
13.) Louie Vito & Chelsie Hightower – Some of you are probably very shocked about my placement of this couple – let me explain. I think these two may have a lot of work to do based solely on the fact that not many people outside of the extreme sports venue have heard of Louie Vito (to quote my mother, “Wasn’t he in The Godfather?”). Looking back to previous seasons of DWTS, we can see that decent dancers are often voted out before their time simply because they don’t have the fan base to vote for them (I thought Ted McGinley in season 7 was great – but no one seemed to know who he was!) However, Louie is an athlete, so he is definitely not a stranger to getting physical, and Chelsie has some popularity from both her time on SYTYCD & last season of DWTS. If these two hit the ground running the first week and keep up the good work, they could be around for awhile.
14.) Kelly Osbourne & Louis Van Amstel – Oh Kelly…I sincerely hope your years as a foul-mouthed teen on The Osbournes and stint in rehab have not disgraced you in the eyes of the American public! While I adore Kelly’s quirky, edgy style and multiple tattoos, I don’t know that the rest of America will, and may not vote as a result. However, Kelly has lost quite a bit of weight through diet and exercise in recent years, so she may surprise us all. Louis has also been away from the pro role on DWTS since season 6, but he has definitely not fallen off the radar, performing in group numbers on the show & choreographing for the most recent season of SYTYCD.
15.) Macy Gray & Jonathan Roberts – Macy has been out of the spotlight for a few years now (her last album came out in 2007), and Jonathan has been as well (he returned last season after being absent since season 6, only to be voted out the first round). I worry this could hinder them in votes, as well as the fact that Macy is not an athlete – I think having at least some experience in a sport (or any form of movement) seems to help when learning any kind of dance, so compared to a lot of her competition this season, Macy may be at a disadvantage. She does, however, have an advantage in the fact that she is a mother of 3, which may endear her to the many moms that tune into the show.
16.) Tom DeLay & Cheryl Burke – Poor, poor Cheryl Burke. Someone had to take him on this season, and I guess she drew the short straw. At 62, he is the oldest contestant this season (and a non-athlete), so he may not be able to keep up with young, athletic powerhouses like Louie & Natalie. He’s also a former politician – a disgraced former politician. I think that alone will make him hard for America to rally behind, and may be his undoing in this competition. However, we have no precedents for politicians on the show, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see how the votes fall. I have a feeling that any chance of success this pair has this season will hinge upon Cheryl’s instruction and choreography. She’s a two-time DWTS champ, and is known for her “tough love” approach to teaching, which seems to bring out the best in her partners…so if anyone can keep Tom in the competition, it’s Cheryl!
So there you have it…my initial predictions for this season’s 16 couples. Who will end up on top and who will get stuck at the bottom of the heap? We’ll see!
Hi Courtney!! I agree with the large majority of what you have to say in your power rankings – I don’t know what I would have done differently. Although I do have mad love for Derek, I can’t see him any higher than 6th right now, just based on the strength of the competition. But you know – Derek has defied expectations almost every season. 🙂
I think where I differ is in your placement of Debi (who I adore from Entourage) and Mark D. – the more I think about it, the more I think Mark will be a serious contender. Just from seeing him on some of the entertainment shows. As much as I love Debi, I think she’s gonna have a hard time against some of the other competitors – and I think Maks has burned a lot of his good will and fanbase with some less than politic comments. I think he’s amazing – his choreography of this past winters tour was simply amazing and inspired. Who knows?
As for the rest, I hope you’re right on all of it – of course I want Derek to last longer, but like I tell John…as long as he’s around for a good long time, I can live without him winning. 🙂 Plus, there are always pro dances – he could get ANOTHER Emmy nomination – which you neglected to mention like you did Dmitry’s. 🙂
My apologies Heidi, I did forget to mention Derek’s nomination for he & Julianne’s “Great Balls of Fire” jive last season…and I will say that I think it is a very well-deserved nomination, that was a great routine! Thanks for pointing that out 😉
And I agree about Mark…the more I think about it, the more I realize that he could be the dark horse this season. Good-looking, athletic, strong presence…very “Gille-like”, haha. And he definitely has that indescribable “Hawaiian appeal” – the same type of quiet strength that Mark Kanemura & Kupono Aweau exuded on SYTYCD. I only hope that Lacey doesn’t try to get too “out there” in her choreography…I find her to be very hit or miss: the judges & America either find her very innovative & creative, or they think it was weird and not “ballroom” enough.
And Maks has burned quite a few bridges…plus he’s now off the market, which always seems to take a toll on the popularity of good-looking male celebrities…I still maintain that the marriage of Brian Littrell was the beginning of the decline of the Backstreet Boys 😉 LOL
Nice writeup on each person. I have to admit that I’ll be quite surprised if Cheryl and Tom get voted off first. I think Cheryl’s fans will pull her through at least one week.
I think you might have underestimated the football and Olympic power of Michael and Natalie. Natalie was very popular in the Olympics. If it weren’t for a man named Phelps, she would have been the story of the US swim team.
Maybe I’m off base, but Mya seems ranked high to me. Although, I could be just showing my bias since I didn’t really know who she was which is why DWTS is so great.
Your rankings have been very well thought out. I’m impressed. My predictions vary a little though.
Mya will likely be in for the long haul, but I don’t think she will be able to hold the top spot all season.
Donny in the finals is a good call. Admittedly, not from his dancing prowess.
Debi’s a wild card for me. I wasn’t aware of her B-girl (Whatever that is) status.
I think Mark will be a mid-range contestant. Something tells me that he and Lacey will have difficulty selling their connection.
Aaron. Way over-rated! He’s likely to be gone in the first couple weeks. I don’t think Karina can save him. He’s only shot is to play to the moms.
Melissa has a strong chance of being a semi-finalist. Yep, just a touch higher than 6th.
You’re right to be skeptical about Joanna. Derek will likely do his magic but I feel a break-down in this one after a handful of shows.
Kathy is partnered well with Tony and you’re absolutely right to mention their heights. I grew up a fan (Or admirer) of her, but have a hunch she will be one of the first to go [Models’ curse continues].
Ashley will be kept in it for a while because of Edyta and a few cameos from “Pops.” I see him as maybe one or two spots lower.
Natalie should come in with an Olympic attitude and thrive under the pressure! (Don’t forget Kristina Yamaguchi) Alec has not been in the scene for those outside of the dance community. He did not even create enough recognition to keep his brother in the Pro competition last season. Move ’em up a couple spots for determination.
Now the next two could both be really underrated. The NFL and MMA have huge followings! Remember Jerry Rice beat Stacey Keibler and it certainly was not for his dancing skills. Can you say popularity contest? Michael should go deep into the season and possibly to the finals.
Oh, cute little Chuck… wait Mr. Wicks is gone with his girl too. I’ve seen quite a few UFC fans comment about this inclusion. There will be a new audience watching, or at least voting for Chucky.
Agreed. Louie, Kelly, Macy and Tom will some of the first to go home. Tom might make it to week four or five because of Cheryl, but I doubt she has much personality to work with. The only other Politician was Jerry Springer (That’s right), and he has personality just oozing out of him!
Good luck to all, and to all a good fight!
Dance on.
Sorry! I don’t aggree with you. I think Donny does have what it takes to get to the finals. YOU my dear have no idea what your talking about. Have you seen his show in Vegas? OR other shows he’s been on. Your putting him back in the 70’s again. And the problem with that is he’s left the 70’s and so should YOU. Don’t open that mouth of yours until you know what your talking about as far as Donny is concerned.
lyn,
This list isn’t personal so please don’t make it personal. Plus, this list has Donny ranked number 2. That’s really high and the reality is that anyone in the top 5 could potentially win.
I would have actually ranked him much lower than number 2. I don’t think he’s going to dance very well. I think it’s all going to be a little awkward and he’s not going to score very well with the judges. That said, I think Donny is a very likable individual and should have a great time on the show regardless of how far he makes it.
I didn’t personally attack her. I said what was true. YOU have no Idea what a great talent he is. When was the last time you saw him perform. What makes you think He’l not perform well? Especially since you haven’t seen him perform at all. Go check out youtube links. Like the wierd al tube or The one titled Donny Osmond w/Mosiac on the George Wallace show. Or some of the Miss America shows Check’m out. I think when Donny dances across the DWTS stage, He’s gonna blow everyone’s mind. YOU will be soooo surprised. He’s not the Liittle Donny Osmond of the 70’s any more.
With all his years of experience in the business, Donny has the ability to do anything that is put in front of him and do it with relative ease. If his competitive streak comes out (and it surely will!), they all just better stand back cause he brings it to an even different level then. By the way, he’s got natural rythmn…..and he CAN dance. If he gets to #2 (or higher!) it won’t be just because of his fan base, it will also be because he’s THAT GOOD! 🙂
The author is so wrong about Donny! I know it’s an opinion but she’s still wrong and she clearly has never seen Donny dance. She must be just looking at his age and thought that Marie was terrible so she thinks Donny is going to be the same as Marie and will stay long enough because of his fanbase. His huge fanbase isn’t the only thing that’s going to keep him in through the finals. Check him out on youtube and looking for him at the Miss Beauty Pageant in 1999 and 2000. He was amazing! Check him out at his Vegas shows with Marie. At 51, he dances very well. Many of you have clearly not seen him dance before. His partner, Kym Johnson, blogged in the OK! Magazine that he is doing extremely well and they will make it in the finals and maybe even win. Kym’s been with him and seen him dance so she knows. You guys need to watch him in Vegas or find that Miss Beauty Pageant clip and see how well he does before you say anything. You will be surprised.
Glad to see the Donny fans have come out and are just as passionate as expected.
The fact that Donny is listed number 2 on this list does mean that he can dance and he has a lot of fans. So far no one has made it to the top 3 of DWTS that hasn’t been able to move it.
I’ve actually seen Donny quite a bit and that’s why I rank him lower. I predict he’ll have dances where he really shines and some dances (probably the latin ones) where something’s missing.
As you can see I’m not a Donny hater (like some). I just try to look at it as reasonable as possible as a fan of the show and not necessarily a fan of specific individuals.
Something else Donny fans might want to consider is that it’s quite possible that Donny will experience a backlash from other celebrities fan bases that will vote against Donny. Sad, but it happens regularly.
The best part of all this discussion is that soon we’ll find out how it all works out. That’s what makes DWTS so exciting. We can all have different opinions.
John, I do appreciate what you say. And I am glad you ranked him HigH. But! I predict he’l surprise everyone with what he can do. All those links I told you about don’t really show the scope of him. YOU need to see his Vegas show. I know what you are talking about as far as some dances are concerned. He may let his religion inhibit him. But! HE has said that he wont let anything get in the way. So I hope he can let that slide. HE has been wanting this along time.
Lyn,
I’ve wanted to see him in Las Vegas. I’m hoping his niece who’s my friend/wife’s old roommate will come down to visit some time and we could go with her. Now that he’s on the show, I might try and get some tickets as well and then I can write about it on here.
I personally don’t think his religion will inhibit him really. Mostly since I’m of the same religion. Although, some of the dances just don’t match his clean cut good ole boy image that’s he’s created all these years. So, it will be interesting to see how that will play into those performances as well.
As an aside, Donny fans will be jealous that my wife got to dress him for a pageant he was in in upstate New York. She was doing the costumes and he was the lead role. lol…I just love to tell that story.
Ah! So you have connections. I am not a Mormon. I’m barely a Baptisit. I hope you do take the opportunity to go see him. I think you’l be surprised. As most people that go to the show aren’t fans but are after they have seen it. The tv audience will be too.
It’s so funny, I was talking to John earlier and I said, when it comes to opinion, “there is no WRONG” – there just isn’t. Some people love Donny, some don’t. If he’s a good dancer relative to the rest of the cast remains to be seen. And that’s what it’s about – *relative to the rest of the cast*. John is also right when there is a strong possibilty that people will vote against Donny, for a variety of reasons. And you know what? They might not care if he’s a good dancer or not.
I will also say, Lyn, that you are very fortunate that John is the one who read your comments first. Complaining about a #2 ranking? Boy, are you in for a rude awakening once the show starts. 🙂
Oh, forgot to tell Courtney that I love Kupono, although my love for SYTYCD is no where equal to others who may be reading this board. 🙂
Okay! I don’t know where the comment is that I got in my email is. But I’ll answer anyway. And this will be my last comment. I promise!
First of all I wasn’t complaining about his ranking. I didn’t even pay attention to that. I didnt know he was ranked 2nd. Thats a good thing. But I don’t really care.
I was trying to get across that Donny was more talented than anyone on here realizes. That once the show starts you’l see that talent. But it didn’t come across. And speaking of Rankings. How can you rank someone when you haven’t seen them dance yet? OKie! Dokie! Thats the last of ME. Sorry! if i caused a commotion. When the show starts I will let that do the talking for me.
I have remained quiet so far in regards to the comments about Donny, as I wanted to hear what everyone had to say. But it seems like a lot of what I said in my ranking was misconstrued, so I feel like I still need to clear some things up…
…first of all, I have absolutely no problem with Donny, Marie, or any of the other Osmonds. I respect them as entertainers and think they’re wonderful people. However, I was objective in my analysis of both Donny & Marie’s dancing – I have seen both of them dance (Donny at the 2000 pageant, and Marie on DWTS) and as a dancer myself, I found them not be as strong technically COMPARED TO OTHER CONTESTANTS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE SEASONS. I am not saying either is a bad dancer; I just feel as though there are other competitors who might outshine them in terms of dance skill or technique. Marie’s scores during her season refute this – the judges often scored her much lower than competitors were getting voted off before her.
If anything, both Marie’s success on DWTS (despite her lower scores) and the fact that so many Donny fans showed up to show their support for him on this post serve to illustrate my point that Donny will likely be very successful on the show even if he dances poorly, as he has such a fantastic fanbase! If Donny dances well this season, I will give credit where credit is due. But from what I have seen of him so far, I am not sure that he will wow me…I’m a bit of a tough sell 😉 I am entitled to my opinion, just as all of you are…I hope we can all respectfully disagree with one another, as these rankings are all in good fun and just more fodder for everyone to discuss the show…so enjoy! 🙂
Lyn,
The rankings are just for fun anyway. It’s like when they rank the college football teams. It’s just fodder for discussion. So, please don’t stop commenting. Come back regularly and share opinions that might differ or perspectives we might not have considered. No doubt Donny will be on the show for a lot of weeks.
Heidi is right that you’re lucky I responded first and not her;-)
What? I can be a little blunt, right? 🙂
Courtney, I’m with ya.
Look, I don’t hate the Osmonds – I’m just not a fan. I know that is a difficult distinction for some to make, that there’s a lot of territory between love and hate, especially if they are really passionate fans. My main gripe with them when Marie was on – and it’s occurring again now – is that they very successfully take over the entire show. All the entertainment shows are about them, etc etc (I’ll be proving that again later today or tomorrow) – very good publicists, IMO. It’s not The Osmond show, it’s Dancing with the Stars. I want to see Mark Dacascos – I’m not familiar with the Iron Chef and I want to hear from him. And why haven’t we heard a peep from Macy Gray or Jonathan Roberts? What’s up with that? I’m quite good at finding stuff on Derek and Joanna, so I’m not worried about him 😉 but what about Chelsie and Louie?? I know the paps have tons of footage – why isn’t it showing up on the entertainment shows? What about the 15 other contestants besides Donny? Yeah, they have a huge fanbase, but from where I sit, their publicists will be instrumental in handing him the title too.
Hi John and Courtney
I appreciate what you said in the email I recieved. I know I said I would not post again. But I felt compelled to. I agree with you about Marie. I thought she was good. But I thought there were others that were better. It’s been quite some time. I feel that Helo and Julianne were good. Can’t remember the spice girls name, I think it was Mel. Anyway I liked her. But! I wont say from now on how good Donny is. I will let YOU find out for yourselves.
Ok well if Courtney doesn’t think he’s that great a dancer then I wonder why so many people for over 40 years think that Donny is a great dancer. She said he had “some” dancing experience. 40 years is some?
Well I think he can win this because of his dancing skills, fanbase, fame, his partner who is being tough with him (I’ve seen him and Kym on ET and Insider and he said she was very strict so….). The tougher your teacher is, the better you will be. I remember her being tough with Joey Fatone and Warren Sapp. Remember where they ended up? 😉 From what I hear Donny saying, it sounds like we’re going to see a different Kym in rehearsals and I imagine she is very tough because Donny is an entertainer and a dancer so she and the judges are going to expect A LOT from Donny. I think what will really the judges and the viewers is the improvement. If Donny improves every week, he can win this. Donny is learning the routines very quickly and is working extremely hard and he knows what it takes being in show business for taking so long. I remember Ty Murray from last season. Many people kept saying how he was not so good in the beginning then he improved each week. The first two weeks, I thought he was going to go home. He ended up in 4th place. Not bad, eh?
Just one question… why would people vote against Donny? I don’t get it.
Hi Lyn,
I think we were posting at the same time because I just saw your latest post just now lol.
I think Marie just went downhill a little bit because of personal issues and I think she was dieting or having problems with her weight. Something like that but I know her dad just died and her son was in rehab etc…
Anyway as far as I can tell, Donny is doing well, Vegas shows are going well that they extended their contract til 2012, he’s in good shape and in good health. That’s why I think he’s going to do better than Marie. I know Marie could’ve done better. It was just a bad season for her.
Heidi, you are absolutely right about good publicity being key to success on this show! Donny has really hit the the ground running in terms of publicity – he even appeared on GMA the morning they announced the new cast. Since then, he and Kym have been flooding most entertainment media outlets, which could really bolster votes for him from viewers who many not have voted otherwise, but had seen so much of him that they actually took the initiative to pick up the phone and keep him in the competition.
Which brings me to another point about publicity on the show…someone had mentioned earlier that Kym had been blogging/tweeting/saying in interviews that Donny was “doing really well” and “could win the competition”. Not to sound rude, but what else would you expect her (or any other pro on the show) to say about their partner? On a show like this, where each couples fate week-to-week depends on votes from the viewing public, it’s crucial for each couple to present the best facade to the public; hence, I don’t think any of the pros would admit if their partner was truly doing terribly. So I guess my point is that I find testimonials from couples about their progress to be somewhat subjective and not necessarily a good indicator of their skills or progress.
And to address Liz’s comment about Donny’s 40 years of experience…yes, Donny has been entertaining for over 40 years. But how much of that 40 years has truly been “dance experience”? In most people I’ve encountered, Donny is thought of primarily as a singer and an actor; not necessarily a “dancer”. I will stand by my original statement that YES, Donny has SOME dance experience from his years in the entertainment biz (which I have, in fact, seen)…but I sincerely doubt it is anywhere near the amount of formal training that someone like Mya (who began her career as a dancer) has.
Again, I will be more than happy to eat my words if Donny totally slays his competition during week 1. I have no doubt that he is an extremely hard worker and very competitive, and his legion of fans will keep him in the competition for quite some time. He may, indeed, be quite good. But for me, I just don’t see him edging out classically trained dancers like Mya or athletes like Mark Dacascos in terms of physical skill.
I agree that Donny will be in the finals. I saw his show in Vegas and that 51 year old guy can move. And for those of you who really don’t know Donny or the Osmonds, they weren’t called “one take osmonds” for nothing.
[…] piece of competition. We’ll they aren’t the only ones with high expectations for her. Pure Dancing with the Stars has selected Mya & Dmitry Chaplin as their NUMBER ONE couple to beat in their Preliminary […]
Does anyone know the title of the song played last night (9/21/09) with the lyrics, “let me walk out the door”? Maybe the dancers did a foxtrot to it? Thanks.
Looks like we both did alright (50%) with our week one rankings. I can’t wait to see what happens on tonight’s show (Results – Week 2)!
Cheers