DWTS9 Week 8 Power Rankings
Oy! Ok, for the first time since I started doing these rankings, I have very few notes written in my handy dandy notebook – because I was actually transfixed for most of tonight’s show! This may have been the most entertained I’ve been all season – tonight was delightfully wacky, yet also refined (anyone catch the Hooters reference? 😉 ) – I found myself enjoying both the ballroom & Latin rounds. Although I must point out that there was some definite music ditto-ing tonight – “You Spin Me Right Round” & “Valerie” have both definitely been used in past seasons for a paso & a quickstep, respectively. Could the “fabulous” Harold Wheeler be running out of stuff to play? Hmmmm…
1.) Donny & Kym – I can’t believe I am about to say what I’m about to say: I actually enjoyed both of Donny’s routines tonight (though definitely not for the same reasons lol!). I must have a soft spot for well-executed, sincere waltzes/Viennese waltzes – because just as Michael Irvin won me over with his charming waltz 2 weeks ago, Donny won me over with his this week. Very understated, calm, clean, and pretty. Actually quite lovely to watch, especially since Donny wasn’t trying to yuk it up like he has in the past – if the Donny skeptics are anything like me, they may warm up to him after that number. His paso had me rolling – it was really a hot mess, with the ridiculous costuming (anyone else think Donny’s pants a little more Napoleon Dynamite than Adam Ant?) and the tacky smoke machine/wind machine/cape interlude in the middle…I LOVED EVERY GAUDY SECOND OF IT. This will not be a routine that is easily forgotten (even if some might want to…), and Donny & Kym had the definite boon of performing in the Money Spot (TM). Who cares if they are tied for the lowest score??? They’ve got the fanbase and shock factor working in their favor…
2.) Derek & Joanna – These two would have likely overtaken Donny & Kym for the top spot on my rankings this week, if it weren’t for that chaotic, messy quickstep in the ballroom round. Ai ai ai…it actually pained me to watch it, because I know that they can (and have) done much better. The two of them were bobbing around out of sync like a whack-a-mole game at Chuck E Cheese. Anymore, the quickstep seems to be becoming the “kiss of death” on DWTS, just like it has on SYTYCD…very hard to really “nail”. But man – Joanna & Derek more than made up for it with the artistry, creativity, and execution of their futuristic paso. Honestly, I think any other couple that drew “futuristic” as their decade would have crashed & burned – Derek is honestly on the cutting edge with his choreography & I would not be surprised if this robot paso garnered him an Emmy nomination for best choreography next year. And Joanna was flawless on this one (dunno why Carrie Ann was yammering on about a “misstep”) – I was surprised she was able to nail the robotic, emotionless feel of the dance after being so emotionally invested in previous weeks. That paso (and Heidi & her posse & their tireless campaign for votes for team DJ!) probably saved them this week, although I think they’re really starting to show they’re contenders for the trophy this season…
3.) Mya & Dmitry – What does it say when a couple gets the first perfect score of the season and I still have a hard time seeing them win the whole competition? Accusations of Derek favoritism aside (ahem), I still am feeling very little connection between these two, although I still stand by my claim that it is more Dmitry’s fault than Mya’s. Empirical evidence: those who DVRed tonight’s show, I challenge you to rewatch their quickstep & count how many times they make eye contact with one another, and for how long, and with how much intensity. They barely looked at each other – each step, while flawlessly executed, was aimed at connecting with the audience rather than each other. Ditto to their samba (which I actually really enjoyed!) – it was as if they could have danced the entire routine alone and we wouldn’t have noticed that they were missing a partner (although the samba rolls were pure butter to watch 😉 ) Add to that the trouble of performing in the Crap Spot (TM), and all I’m left really remembering well is that Dmitry kinda reminds me of Paul Rudd’s character in Anchorman with his ’70s ‘stache. The perfect score likely saved them from the danger zone, but I’m not sure they will be so lucky next week…
4.) Kelly & Louis – Kelly is the weakest dancer left in the competition, I will admit that – but she’s definitely improving, and she and Louis are still totally adorable. Great to see sassy, confident Kelly in her foxtrot – she may not have had the greatest feet or arms or frame, but she was fun to watch and seemed to really nail the slinkiness of the foxtrot & looked fantastic doing it. The jive was a little odd for me – loved seeing her in her element (the ’60s really seem to be her era), but the two of them seemed a bit more wrapped up in doing more ’60s moves than actual jive (and the jive they did was pretty mediocre), and they held onto the prop for a bit too long – and I HATE PROPS. But oddly enough, they weren’t at the bottom of the scoreboard this week, and I cannot bring myself to hate them (just like I actually kinda missed walking Hallmark card Michael this week *sniff*). They will likely be in the bottom 2, but I don’t see them getting sent home over Aaron…
5.) Aaron & Karina – Talk about TMI. I didn’t really need to know that Aaron almost tossed his cookies on national television, and I probably wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t mentioned it. But honestly – that was probably just extra dirt on the coffin for Aaron. These two have been skating on thin ice for weeks now, and I think they only slipped by last week based on Aaron’s jive prowess (if the knockout dance were a popularity contest, Mark would still be around instead of him). His foxtrot felt a little too bouncy to me – as much as it pains me to say it, I agree with Carrie Ann that he does get a bit too “exuberant” and it throws off his technique. Their samba was actually kinda cute (loved the song – I remember groovin’ to Spin Doctors in 4th grade!), but was a bit sloppy at times and isn’t nearly as memorable as any of the other Latin routines for me tonight. They’re the only couple left that’s ever been in danger (and they’ve been in danger MULTIPLE times) and they’re also at the bottom of the scoreboard – oh, and if Twitter is any indicator, the only man in America that may be more hated than Aaron right now is Jon Gosselin. If I were the gambling type, I’d put a decent bet down on Aaron going home tomorrow night, and then take my honey out to Outback with my winnings.
So this has probably been the easiest ranking I’ve done so far – probably because I’m darn near certain that Aaron’s number is up this week. And if it isn’t – well, pigs must be flying on a snowy day in hell. But feel free to argue with me…I will try and be more present in the comments section this week, since I have Wednesday off work. Yay for floating holidays!!! Sound off, everyone…
I don’t think Aaron would have said anything if Samantha haven’t asked him about it.
that was supposed to be wouldnt
that was supposed to be wouldnt and hadn’t…sheesh i cant type tonight
So glad Aaron sealed his fate tonight. (Hopefully). Now if we could only get rid of the terribly boring “D-mya” as they call themselves… I actually enjoyed her second dance tonight, but you said it perfectly… they are showing more for the audience when they should work on feeling it between each other. Yay… Donny was nice to watch tonight and Derek and Joanna deserved a perfect score. I’ve wanted to bop Carriann upside the head a couple of times this season and this counts as one of those times…
ok…i think joanna & Derek rocked with their paso….like bruno said…Derek you’re a genius!!! I also think that Mya is a very good dancer…but she is so boringgggg, that’s why i don’t like her….for me, she doesnt have that little twist that it takes to be the champion…she has the talent, but not the charisma…
forgive me if i am wrong but in the quickstep isn’t that the proper form to have your necks titled that way? So how would Mya and Dmitry look @ one another?
okay yes after watching a few videos of professionals doing a quickstep they are not looking at each other either. So I’m assuming it’s part of the posture involved. Here’s the video I was watching. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvheTTktx4Q
(Edit – careful how many times you hit submit – this exact comment was posted like four times. Heidi)
i loved last night show!! it was very intertaining and fun to watch, i totally agree with mary claude! Mya doesn’t really have what it takes to be a champ! she’s sooooo boring and Dmitry way more!! yeah she can dance, but she doesen’t move u with her dance! i can watch her dance and the next hour forget about it! I didn’t know how Derek would deal with a futuristic paso but it turned to be one of the best dances ever made on the show! the judges said it GENUIS and jo did a great job too! on point toguether! i also love watching donny coz he’s funny and he makes u want to see his performance and he did gd last night! So great show last night! for the ranking i think it’s fair one but i would put mya in 4! but its just me! 😀 thx for the sharing! 🙂
It’s not just about “looking at each other’ it’s about *connection*. I’ve read it in LOTS of places and I agree, that Dmya just don’t have a connection. Joanna and Derek can dance the same dance, not as well, but their connection to each other can be felt. It’s hard to explain, but Mya seems cold, whereas Joanna and Derek seem warm.
I loved Mya samba but her quickstep was boring , Joanna quickstep was a mess but it was more fun than Mya’s.
Joanna and Derek paso was awesome(that was a 30)
Kelly was overscored, her Jive was weird.
This site has become a joke this season! For some reason you hate MYA, we get it! However, you have to give credit where it is due. Joanna’s quickstep was a DISASTER! I know you pray to the shrine of Derek Hough, but seriously. You all need a dose of deprogramming!
I don’t believe anyone on this site has ever said that Mya is a bad technical dancer, but everyone is just stating their opinion on how she just lacks charisma and any type of excitement or personality when she dances. It takes more than just technicality to win this competition. All four of the other dancers are great examples of this, they all have great charisma and excitement, even though they may not be perfect dancers.
Also, its not just this site, you can look at the tvguide power rankings, other dwts blogs, and the abc.com boards and you will find a ton of other people who are sharing the exact same opinions, it seems to be the majority.
Hmmmm….pot meet kettle. 🙂
Seriously though – Mya is the best *dancer* on the show, but so what? That’s only half the battle. She doesn’t entertain me, I can’t remember her dances a half hour after she did them – she’s got no spark!! Hell, if Joanna goes home tonight, I’ll be voting for KELLY…or maybe even Donny. Sure, Mya is a better dancer – but Kelly is more fun and puts on more of a show. And Donny is a million times better than Mya.
Yeah, the Mya fans best not read Television without Pity – they’re saying the same thing there, only meaner. Of course, they’re mean to everyone, but still. 🙂 The general opinion of Mya seen here is certainly not unique.
I will say that I have really come around on Donny (no, John, I haven’t been drinking) – he’s far less annoying than Marie and he’s entertaining, even when dressed as Adam Ant.
Well mya is a gd dancer ( not even technical we saw len and carrie ann pointing that she tries to escape technique by making it showy) but she’s boooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrinnnnnnnnnnnnnng!!!
i think there are a lot of people that really didn’t do well on the show that i remember unlike mya’s last dance!! She really thinks that she’s over all the others!!! and another thing, and by team u don’t see only the star, but also the pro behind her work, by saying that Derek is a waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than Dmitry! OMG he is so boring, no personality nothing he even let mya do the choreography what kind of pro is that! i loooove watching donny he’s hilirious and u can see that he improved and Kym is doing a great job too, Kelly is not bad too and louie is a great choreographer and did a great job with her during the show! if derek and jo go tonight i would say donny to win!!
Wow, this site sucks and I’m running away from it as fast as I can. Joanna’s feet are like bricks and she refuses to point her toes. She always looks like she’s counting steps in her head. There is a reason Mya is the season’s top scorer – becuase she IS better than the other contestants. When ABC starts entertaining with the stars, i’ll vote for Donny. Can somebody please tell me why Kelly Osbourne is still there? SHE IS HORRIBLE!!!! I’ve never heard of Mya before, but she will continue to get all of my votes. She is an absolute joy to watch.
For the record (and I am beginning to feel like a broken record saying this!), I have NEVER said that I hated Mya…in fact, week after week, I have praised her flawless technique & execution. However, I stand by my opinion that she & Dmitry have little to no connection to one another…and if you would actually pay attention to what I’ve been saying the past few weeks especially, I have been putting most of the blame for that on Dmitry and not Mya. With Mya, I at least feel like she’s trying (even if it does feel a bit fake). It’s funny, I’m beginning to think that those two were made for each other – technical & choreographic geniuses, but stone cold when it comes to chemistry & emotion. While couples don’t generally look at one another in closed position dances like the quickstep & waltz, the idea is to maintain and invisible “emotional” connection to one another – a connection that I felt between Donny & Kym during their Viennese waltz, between Kelly & Louis in their foxtrot, and between Joanna & Derek in their quickstep (which, I must also point out, that I did criticize in my ranking this week – I do not “worship at the shrine of Derek Hough”). And when the couples did go into open position, they at least made eye contact – which I barely saw Mya & Dmitry doing. Even their lead-in package is a bit ho-hum for me – neither one seems to really get upset or excited no matter what happens, and I swear Mya’s voice sounds the same to me whether she’s happy, angry, frustrated, or in pain – she’s cool & unflappable, which is actually a quality I wish I had. She seems to remain calm regardless of the situation, which is great – but I feel that it also hinders her when it comes to really emoting on the floor.
And yes, I agree that Mya is the best dancer on the show. But as I’ve said many times before – the best dancer doesn’t always win on DWTS. Honestly, at this point, anyone who thinks the show is based entirely on dance ability is going to be sorely disappointed – it’s also part popularity contest, and part beauty pageant, and part entertainment contest. Yes, Mya’s feet are better than Joanna’s. Yet all the entertainment outlets that cover the show seem to be more interested in what Joanna’s doing than what Mya’s doing. And if you read above, I did say that Kelly was the weakest dancer left in the competition – but people like her, and people like an underdog…obviously there is more factoring into her continued presence on the show than simple dance skills. If the show were based entirely on who was the best dancer, then John O’Hurley would have won season 1, Stacey Keibler would have won season 2, Sabrina Bryan would have gone on to win season 5, and Gilles Marini would have won season 8 – and stinkers like Master P, Steve-O, Cloris Leachman, & Michael Irvin would have gone home a lot sooner than they did.
And echoing Heidi’s sentiments – I feel like I’m being awfully easy on Mya compared to some of the other blogs on the net. If this site bothers you, than you will likely have a heart attack if you read what some of the others are saying about her…
Yeah joanna didn’t do well on the quickstep and it was a dispointement but like courtney said at least you’re attracked to watch theese two dancing! I totally agree with u DWTS is not only about the best dancer, it’s a whole package that people are voting for: personnality, charisma, entertainement, chemistry and determination then the thechnical side. For mya i think she’s doing a great job in the last two ones but the rest not that much! and by the way this SITE is amaaaaazing and great thkx for the people responsable for that, if anyone is sick of it so don’t visit it!
You’re such a Mya hater Courtney. lol I think you’re right. We’ve been pretty generous to Mya compared to many other sites. I know on my Twitter feed this week I said she looked like a Rat. Too bad that didn’t make it into your power rankings. I thought it was funny.
John Gosselin is a womanizer of course, Kate deserves a more loyal and honest man“.
John Gosselin is not deserving to have the love of Kate:-,