DWTS 11, Week 6 – Who’s Dancing What…And When?
Another week, two more dances – the Paso Doble or the Tango. This is also the week of the marathon dance – what that entails this season I’m not quite sure. It’s rock and roll. I’ve seen some say Lindy, I’ve seen some say jive…I think it was Derek or Maks that mentioned several dance moves. Someone else used the words “free style”. At the end of the day, it should be interesting. Can someone dethrone Derek as the marathon champ? Probably, since Jennifer’s the oldest person still in the competition and they are limited in what lifts they can do. So, who will it be?? I’m tempted to say Brandy or Audrina, but I wonder if one of the guys can sneak in there? I expect they will tap Bristol out first and score her Tango low, in an attempt to eliminate her from the competition – which is fine, since she’s the worst dancer still in the competition.
ETA: Louis is at the show and tweeted at 30 minutes to show time that they are ripping out the black floor. Freaky. Maks and Brandy are going last, which tonight of all nights is not a good spot. And ABC nixed Brooke Burkes rocker chick “boob dress” – Now I’m curious, of course.
Here’s what the couples are dancing – and in some cases, the dance order and/or song:
Kurt/Anna; Paso Doble – Dancing 6th
Bristol/Mark; Tango
Brandy/Maks: Tango – Dancing 7th
Song: Holding out for a Hero, Bonnie Tyler
Jennifer/Derek: Paso Doble
Rick/Cheryl: Tango – Dancing 4th
Kyle/Lacey: Tango
Audrina/Tony: Paso Doble
Song: Another One Bites the Dust, Queen
Many thanks to Karina, who tweeted this very interesting photo of what the dance floor is going to look like – I honestly don’t know how to feel about this.
Kyle and Lacey doing Tango… OH, GOD.
Whoa! I am not sure what to think about that stage either?? 😮
I’m with you. I think Bristol and Mark will be the first to leave in the marathon as well. As for who will win the marathon dance, I think it will be between Jennifer and Brandy. I hope Audrina really steps it up this week. What if and her Tony took the marathon? Now that would be something too.
Wow, I’m loving how stiff this competition is this Season. There is no ringer this time and it’s anyone’s ballgame.
LOL Lola!!!!
Just a question! What are the pros and cons between a hardwood floor and the other one they’ll dance on Monday?
Why so many changes? One or two per season are more than enough IMO. Too many changes was one of reasons DWTS – S9 sucked.
I wouldn’t count Bristol Palin and Mark Ballas out. Bristol’s technique and skills have improved far beyond that of Kyle’s (although he is certainly a very likable cutie). Kyle is a natural showman but Bristol is certainly improving, in that area, too. In addition, the Mark Ballas/Bristol Palin team has great appeal to the vast majority of DWTS viewers and they represent 50%, of the final score. Bristol and Mark are a sexy and beautiful couple and their charisma and respect for each other, is undeniable. The judges may give Team Ballin’ low scores but their fan base is enormous and will easily vote to keep them, in the competition. The viewers love them and are rooting for them. I wish Mark and Bristol great success tomorrow night.
Karen you took the words right outta my mouth. Bristol was given a gift by staying last week and im hoping she will take avantage of it this week. I think she will :D. I doubt Jen and Derek will win the marathon. I like her and all but she barely got through her Jive which only was 1:30, to win the marathon theyll have to dance 4:00 mins! Anythings possible but i cant see that happening.
Isn’t West Coast Swing related to the Lindy Hop? I think Kyle and Lacey could do well in the marathon given her background and his energy. Then again, the judges seem to be really hot and cold with Kyle, so it’s hard to tell.
I think Brandy and Jennifer will also do really well with the marathon. I would love to see Brandy and Maks win it. I don’t necessarily see Bristol as being the first out since the show seems to want to keep her around. I just hope they do a better job filming it this year, since last year it seemed like some couples weren’t really shown.
Well, Karen and Zach, don’t count the judges out either. There are some judges scores that votes just can’t overcome. If there are too many points between Bristol and the next person, there might not be enough votes – you know, other celebs are getting votes too.
Zach – I have to laugh at the implication that Bristol is competition to Jennifer. 🙂 I think Bristol needs to focus on doing well and hoping she can catch Kyle in votes to overcome any differential in judges scores. Bristol got lucky with an 18 last week – in re-watching the dance I don’t know what the hell the judges were thinking. But who knows – she could do better than Kyle because Kyle is only personality and very little technique at this point. Unless he makes great strides in his Tango, he could find himself going out the door while Bristol sticks around.
At this point, I think it’s Bristol Versus Kyle as to who will stay. I also think Audrina really needs a great dance too, because I think she risks getting lost in the shuffle.
My guess is Brandy winning the marathon. Kyle and Bristol are the weakest couples left.
Yeah, John, I think Brandy will win it too – she should, given her younger age. Ah well, Derek’s winning streak had to come to an end at some point. 🙂
Four minutes is a long time in those monkey suits! 🙂
Meggie!! Bwhahaha…well, ya know, Len LOVES monkey suits, so that’s probably a good idea.
I’m reading and reading and then I get to Meggie’s comment on the monkey suits! Thanks, I needed that laugh! So much is off-center this season and now another floor configuration. Like they think we’re incapable of staying on the same idea for a season. Now watch I’m wrong on this, but I’m guessing Bristol will stay yet another week at least. She’s lost on me but seems to be the “it” girl for the producers and her voting block – in spite of Mark putting her in a monkey suit.
People like Brandy, but she sucked on the Jive, and that’s with more filler than technique. She needs to do a lot better to win the marathon.
I don’t see Kyle staying in to the end, because I just don’t think he’s strong enough in the lift/tricks department. I could be wrong, but I don’t think Lacey can chance too much with him.
Lindy is all about the lifts and tricks, and keeping time with the rock steps, so that will determine the winner. If Derek can choreograph clever, then Jen could stay in to the end. Derek has won the last two marathons in a row.
Don’t think Jennifer will win because she might not have the stamina, I think Brandy could win, I think Kyle has loads of energy so he might be awesome. For Rick and Kurt who are really tall I do not know.
Andie well she will of learned by now what she did wrong to correct it. I think the couples that have done the Jive will have an advantage over those couples who have not.
Absolutely the Jivers have the advantage, and pacing will also be part of the marathon. I wouldn’t worry so much about Jennifer’s stammina, she’s moved forward very well week by week, and she’s said she’s not as winded anymore, so she’s building up lung capacity. Brandy’s pigeon toes and awkward legs are an issue, and if it shows up on the Lindy, she won’t win, just like Erin. It’s going to be more about how the tricks work.
Kate last season, Bristol this season…can she please just go away!!! Mark compensates for what she can’t do, but eventually even he runs out of tricks that work, like last week! Get her off the dance floor NOW please? Why more messing with the dance floor? It didn’t work in the round, again this takes room away from what the dancers could do. Stop with this already!
I appreciate your thoughts, I have also done more searching on the DWTS and some of the sites I have come across simply do not favor Bristol,
I for one do not like the way the voting is done by public.
One site I spent time on headed the caption of Bristol Palin on DWTS POTENTIAL BALLOT STUFFING
I am inclinded to agree this is what happened last week on Bristol, the voting totaly appears to be unfair when one person can stuff votes.
I say lets go by Olympics Ice Skating judges,
they cast their votes and that is what place each skater is granted. This voting by stuffing ballots is not fair to the dancers. Yes it works for those who have a large base like Sarah Palin has. sorry but its still political .
Disregard Sarah Palin in this, Bristol simply cannot dance,I disagree that she has imporoved over the weeks. She missed many steps weeks 1 thru 5, has no real life to her dancing. They say she is getting tired, I think she feels she can win no matter what effort she puts forth.
I have never voted for her, not will I support her, Sorry folks, but I have simply gotten disgusted with DWTS Their idea to have Bristol on certainly was a no smart move, Those stuffed ballots do not give a true number of people watching.
I still support the others and wish them all the luck and Each of them have improved and some have missed a beat but at least they give it their best ability and practice. I have not made comments on their dances but I assure you
my focus also has been on them.
I also have stated I WANT THIS TO BE FAIR and not judged on who you are. Its the dance they do that is being judged. Sorry Bristol does not
preform , Mark can dance his legs off and she still a dud. She is not the poor little Bristol she has a choice again it was the money and attention . Sorry that is what I think,regardless my votes will go to the others.
Bristol doing the tango?? I am a little nervous about that one.
Just a question, Isnt next week the Team dances?? If Bristol stays this week, whoever gets stuck with her on their team would be at a huge disadvantage in the group scoring.
I am excited about this Marathon dance though. Cant wait to see it
Andie, if Brandy does just like Erin and gets second, I’ll still be happy. Still, winning the marathon isn’t about having great technique, it’s all being compared to the other couples. If everyone is a bit sloppy (and after several minutes they probably will be) than the winner doesn’t need perfection.
It is dancing and the foot work and able to come thru as one, Its a beautiful site to see dancers or skaters that have worked their ability to the limits.
I for one have a very strong appreciation for Skaters the couples really give everyone a view of talent.
Dancing requires the same practice and ability to preform the different difficult lifts and yes timing and cordination of both as one.
May the top contenders prove how great they can be. Enjoy and its all about dance . Stuffed ballots should be out.
If the outcome is based on who you are and how many stuffet ballots you have then why bother to have the dance competion
just give them the check. I hope this is going to be fair and honest. Judges in any competion are the key to winners.
Am I confused, or are they really messing up the order of the dances this season? Where are the mambos and sambas? Bristol will walk her way through the tango this week and probably pass through for another round.
Rob: I don’t mind the fact that a large fan base can skew the results in favor of a less gifted dancer – that’s part of the show. But that is supposed to be balanced out by fair judging. The problem I have with Bristol is that she has gotten really easy judging. After getting that gimme on her jive last week, she is getting the easier of the two dances this week. It will be interesting to see how she manages on the marathon.
Rob: As frustrating as it is, this is how this show works. I agree it would be lovely to have the “dances” judged on their merits but that is NOT dwts! The show is, in the end, a popularity contest with so many of the best dancers not winning the trophy. It comes down to the “public voters” and they deem in the end who wins, Mario Lopez really should have won his season as an example, he was clearly the best dancer and Mya was the best dancer her season but lost out to Donny Osmond, who was good but not great, and that’s not how it comes to pass 9 times out of 10. I was scared all last season for Nicole because of this fact, she clearly was the best dancer with the most difficult choreo and worked her butt off to give us the best performances she and Derek could muster but honestly it could have gone any way. That’s just the fact of this show. So, take it for what it is and hope the best dancer can also be the “most popular.”
not too sure about the floor. it could be very slipppery if/since its not hardwood(cause dance floors are supposed to be made in a very specific type of hardwood that is less slippery.). Not to sound mean but I pray that bristol goes home, she just well, to be honest, sucks!. master p and kate gosselin are the only other stars that were “that” bad. As for/to kyle i like him. he is trying and is learning(he’s young we have at 19yrs old a limited attention span. yes i’m 19).
Liz, I agree with what you say, I have to wonder, I was checking on other sites in which many really do not think Bristol should even be there. Many express the same feelings I do as its political.
The problem I see after last Tuesday night when they declared Bristol safe, that was the turning point for my thinking, that this is rigged.
I also ran across a post where the heading was that Sarah Palin says Bristol will win the competion. Now this really makes me wonder about this stuffed ballots. I think this is really unfair to the real dancers and the hours and physical endurance with some of them who have had some major medical operations. Jennifer sure has been a wonderful dancer with grace and elgance. Then we have Bristol who shuffles her feet and pretends to go thru the motions, Mark he tries to cover for her. What a side show they make.
What kind of message does this give to the dancers who have earned their scores some were even underscored but the whole issue is Bristol being safe and she has not earned any points, she simply cannot dance or even cares. She thinks she can do what ever and still win.
Is this the message we are getting you can dance and take the money each time you appear and still win? This is a slap in the face to all the dancers who have scored higher then Bristol.
I have to wonder from day one I have thought this is rigged for Bristol.
No skill as a dancer get low scores and still win, again why bother to go thru weeks of dancers when its all ready been decieded.
Just a observation of information received from other sites. I still say judges are not being fair and have shown they can really put dancers down like Hough Bolton, Cho she really got it from Bruno. Florence should be here for week Six and not Bristol.
What do you think at the remark that Sarah Palin says Bristol will win. ???????
I hope she goes Tuesday, otherwise DWTS is nothing but a phoney show. I will not ever support the program. I do not like phoney contenders in any event.
One has to have a lot of grit to stay on the show after Bristol got declared safe, we know the others see the same dances that Bristol done and knowing that their scores were higher then her, etc.Jennifer being declared not safe, Something is going on. I hope someone can see and expose it.
Rob – EVERYONE can vote as much as they want, not just Bristol’s fans. All I can say if you don’t like Bristol and want her gone is: VOTE FOR SOMEONE ELSE. It’s really that simple. All the bitching and moaning about Bristol doesn’t mean jack if you’re not voting for someone else. Period.
The good thing about the Marathon is that it SHOULD tilt the week in favor of the good dancers – that is, everyone left except Kyle and Bristol. You get 2 scores and if, say, Brandy and Jennifer both take 1 and 2 in the marathon and then do respectably well in the regular dance they could be as much as 17 points ahead of Bristol. Kyle will likely be the one in contention with Bristol. Unless some wack crisis happens.
Heide, my dear, I do vote every week for dancers, I DO NOT VOTE FOR BRISTOL
Votes mean nothing if they are stuffed beyond the outer limits, I say that is no way a contest should be run, It should be based on the event, in this case its dancing skills, Bristol does not have any .
You may think I picking on Bristol, but I know one thing I will not white wash her or feel sorry for her, she knows what she is doing.
I have a problem as I have been checking many sites regarding this whole Palin sharade, I am sick of the whole bunch of them.
I still want this to be a fair and votes are counted without the stuffed votes. That makes no sense to even have a contest. If the issue is about who you are what outside influence you have. Bristol has been playing everyone, I not tunnel visioned about her either. I have always been a fair person, but this really takes away from DWTS dance program. Kate was another self centered woe is me, glad she got the boot also.
Heide, thank you for your response,
I do VOTE FOR THE OTHERS EACH WEEK. I GUESS i will have to try stuffing.
If the floor is slippery more so then on the regular dance floor surface, then all of them should be careful about the lifts, and how many leaps and bounds they take.
Jennifer I hope will be ok, that has got to be a worry for her the floor surface. I hope Derek can will be careful.
The tall men also have to be careful, it will be interesting to see.
Rob, I don’t get what you mean by vote stuffing. If you are talking about using multiple phone lines and e-mail accounts, that’s been done for years. If you are talking about fans voting in blocks or strategically, that’s been done too. None of this would be unique to Bristol. I also don’t know how effective any of it is. I tend to think most votes still come from people who watch the show but don’t post online. We never really know why someone gets the votes.
I would guess Bristol will get a lot of votes from people who like her mother and will probably outlast better dancers. I’m not a Bristol fan, I just can’t get worked up about it. Maybe if she outlasts Brandy (my fav) I’ll get mad, but for now I’ve accepted that it’s part of the show for some contestants to survive several weeks based on votes despite thier low scores.
The sad thing is the people who are organized for Bristol and vote like maniacs have no taste. Her dancing sucks large after 5 weeks…but you know Marie Osmond went to top 3. It will be a long season if Bristol keeps getting saved by people who don’t give a damn about dancing.
Andie, they no doubt do not even watch the show,
I have watched shows before, but this one has got to be one of the worst ever. I just wonder how the others feel about their scores and how this going????????
You play the game no matter what, but the end you get shocked into the real world of how money buys the votes.
Control and unfair methods are always used when the stakes are high, In this case its about the Palin family show and tell.
Its a shame but as they say its fair game.
Dancing is something you are either good or bad, it depends on the person and how much you are willing to put in the effort to be prefect your dance skills.
Its not just getting into the competion, its about your inner and outer beauty that you present. I have to say tempers do bly, they get tired and hurt every bone in your body can hurt, blisters, Yes it can be hard on you depending on what kind of dance you do. Florence for her age I believe she did a excellent dances and
I still feel she could have made it thru at least another night.
Bristol and Mark have not done anyone dance that shows any real dance movements, Anyone can hide behind clothes and pretend to be modest and shy, I do not buy that .
Why no lifts or any real dance movements? Will we see any in the future, I think not.
Kyle has shown improvement, his foot work and yes he shows that he enjoys his dancing and is eager. Do not sell him short. Brandy , Adrin they have had their bad nights of dancing, it depends on the dance who shines.
If you have no reactions to music and the footwork will respond and love to dance it will shine thru.
The inner beauty of one reflects how you dance and again how you preform.
If you can load up your baby and take your pick up truck and drive to LA why drive why not fly, she is no way shy . She has the money to fly, Levi also is Hollywood, Sorry all but facts play a big part in this vote process.
I will vote for all the others may they all have a great night. Judges be fair, honest stop the head games.
Rob: I would love to know where you saw the comment from Sarah Palin that Bristol will win!
I do know that on the main support site for Sarah Palin her fans report in on their bulk voting each week. The even had an article up a couple of weeks ago discussing what a successful POLITICAL move it was to have Bristol appear and do well on DWTS. They are keenly aware of that angle.
I think that is just one of the elements of this particular show. There is no way around it. But it would not irritate me nearly as much in this instance if I felt the judges were giving Bristol a fair shake. As others have mentioned, just this season Bolton and Cho got really rough judging, and Bristol seems to be getting velvet gloves.
Last season Kate irritated me to no end, but at least the judges were fairly calling out her abilities. What is leaving me with a sour taste this season is the feeling that the judges are giving Bristol a little boost.
Someone correct me if I am wrong, but the show has never said who is actually in the bottom two at all this season, right? It is possible that Bristol has never been in the bottom two and is actually getting higher combined scores than some of the higher judged dancers.
Usually, in past seasons, it seems that when the judges see that happening they try to correct it with more rigid scoring and critiquing. They looked pretty surprised at Florence getting voted off last week. I will be very interested to hear their comments this week.
Thanks, Andie, for reminding me about Marie Osmond! That was torture! (And I looove Jonathon!)
Eh, Marie Osmond was bad, but not as bad as Bristol.
It will indeed be interesting to see what Bristol gets from the judges this week. If she gets 18 or better, then they obviously aren’t concerned with better dancers going home – unless she actually does a decent tango.
You know, I won’t be upset if Jennifer doesn’t win – she’s doing fantastic for a 50 year old woman with screws in her neck. Hell, she’s doing very well for *anyone*. Doing great. But if she goes home before Bristol does?? I will be one pissed off chickie. Hell, if Brandy goes home before Bristol, I’ll be pissed off. Audrina too, for that matter. I think those three ladies should be final 3 (although I’m worried about Audrina) – if Bristol causes one of them to get the boot?? Grrrrr.
This happens every season because of the fan base of certain celebrities. No one has gone home that wouldn’t have gone home by this Tuesday anyway. It will all work out in the end, and the top 3 or 4 left will be the top 3 or 4 dancers. Someone really bad is not going to be left by then. In the meantime, it keeps us guessing and watching!
Meggie, I wish I was as confident as you – but Jennie Garth was a far superior dancer to Marie Osmond and we know what happened there.
anna said she and kurt will dance 6th
http://twitter.com/#!/atrebunskaya/status/28643864801
Thanks Carlos!
IMO, it’s the Tea Party keeping Bristol in this thing….especially if she makes it any further now. Like Heidi, I’d be ticked of Jennifer went home before Bristol. In fact, I’ll feel that way about her from this time forward with anyone going home before her.
Oh Rob…. I was so heartened when I started reading your second post, and I am sorry to say, it quickly went downhill. You seem like someone who knows more about dancing than me, but your hate for Bristol now has me browsing through your posts. No, I am not voting for Bristol. Yes, I do think she should have gone home. No, I am not really looking forward to her tango. However, I don’t want to dwell on her, like you seem to be. She obviously upsets you, and her being on the show is very upsetting to you, so if you don’t mind, this Ol’ Mom (I have 6 kids at home) would like to give you some advice, and I figure you’ll probably listen as well as my kids (not at all)… DON’T DWELL ON BRISTOL! Stop going to any sight dedicated to Bristol, because all it is going to do is upset you. Don’t watch her dancing. Ignore everything having to do with Bristol. Instead, PLEASE focus on things that are more important to you, and share your wisdom and thoughts about EVERYONE ELSE EXCEPT BRISTOL!!!!!!!!!! You do seem like someone that we can learn from, and I know I would love to learn about what you have to share…. As long as it doesn’t have anything to do with Bristol. I hope you don’t mind me saying, but…. Sometimes, things you post here about Bristol seem to border on cyber bullying her, and I know you don’t want to be part of something so awful….. But me saying that, you must remember, I have 6 kids home, and I seem to have problems with them showing all of their siblings respect, so I don’t know if I should hope that everyone here shows respect toward the people dancing each week on DWTS.
Meggie, I am obviously not going to talk about that issue here, but if you email Heidi, I will give her permission to share my email address on to you. And probably meesh, but no one else, LOL…
Thank you Lori! I appreciate that! So Heidi, how do we do that?
Meggie, you can drop me a line at Heidi@purederekhough.com – I may want in on this conversation though. 😉
Kurt’s going second to last? That seems fair. He is an athlete. I think it is better to go earlier for this week because then you can rest.
Lori, I couldn’t have said it better myself – if you hate Bristol, don’t dwell on her. And certainly don’t waste your time writing painfully long, often incoherent, paranoia-ridden diatribes about how everything is “political” and there’s some sort of conspiracy for Bristol to win. Hate to say it, Rob – but you’re really starting to sound like the proverbial guy in the tinfoil suit waiting for the martians to make first contact. It’s not that deep, dude.
Oy vey…why do they feel the need for yet ANOTHER stage setup? Everytime they change the orientation of the stage, it seems to throw everyone off and forces the choreography to fit the setup. I’m predicting pyrotechnics a-go-go tomorrow night…eee gad.
I do agree that it will likely come down to Bristol & Mark vs. Kyle & Lacey over who will go home this week – or, if we’re getting into “shocking elim” territory, even Audrina could get thrown into the mix. I agree with Heidi – she seems to be getting lost in the shuffle. Decent dancer, but not particularly memorable. As for those who got paso vs. those who got tango – if historical data (from my upcoming “Dance of Death” post – I promise I’m still running numbers for it!) is any indicator, those with the paso are in more danger of getting sent home than those who got tango. Paso seems like the simpler dance – as we’ve seen, you can get away with just walking around the stage with a determined look on your face, and the timing is just the basic march timing – which to me makes it easier to get lost in the shuffle, unless your pro is giving you really good, hard-hitting choreo. Tango seems to lend itself to more intricate, interesting patterns on the floor – which, IMO, makes it easier to be more impressive and memorable.
Who knows about this rock & roll marathon. The only instance of “rock n roll” I can think of on DWTS in the past was the season 5 group dance to “Rockin’ Robin” that Christian Perry choreographed. Seemed loosely based on east coast swing, with some elements of lindy & jive added, some lifts and other cheesey little 50s-esque nuances. I’m actually more interested to see the costumes – are they gonna go the 50s route like this, or the 80s hair band route? I’m hoping for the latter 😉
Meggie, I sent you and Lori an email at the accounts you registered with here. If Meesh wants in, she needs to let me know – she and I have emailed before. 🙂
Heidi, you’re right about Jenny Garth. Marie should have gone home before Jenny, but when it comes right down to the crunch, Mel B. and Helio were far better dancers than Jenny or Marie, so it really didn’t matter who was in 3rd place. And neither Mel B. nor Helio had the initial fan base that Marie had all along. So justice prevailed in the end!
Courtney, does that mean you think Audrina is in the most danger? The Paso is Audrina, Jennifer, and Kurt. Jenn should be safe and football players usually do well at the Paso (even though I would place Kurt among the weaker dancers remaining).
For the Tango no one should get below a 21. Flo got a 21 last week for this dance. Even Bristol is better in hold and should be able to manage a decent score. I don’t see anyone with the Tango bombing, unless Lacey learned nothing from last week, which is entirely possible.
I think overall the marathon is what matters this week.
I think we’re only a week away – maybe not even that – where the dance order doesn’t have as big an impact on whether you get votes or not. We’re down to 7 – if people can’t remember your dance when there are 7 people, it means you aren’t memorable. At all.
Cheryl tweeted that she and Rick are dancing 4th.
I hope that’s near a half hour interval. I’d like them to stick around as long as they can.
I say don’t count out Jenougher! Every week they surprise me. I say to myself “She won’t do it. She can’t do it.” But, I keep forgetting, she has the master of Cherography as her partner. So, people, despite the age, my money is on Jenougher to win the marathon. God, I really hope Audrina steps up her game this week. The problem is Tony. Really. Remember back in Season 6, with Marissa, she did cutesy dances until Carrie Ann scolded him to a point where he stepped up his choreography and gave everyone a run for their money in my opinion. Plus, let’s face it Audrina is not the most interesting, so I fear that if she doesn’t knock it out, she could go home before Bristol. But let’s see how Bristol does. And I’m also concerned for Brandy and the “shocking elimination” of the season. I hope she can rock it out better too, because last week was good, but people are still turned off by her (at least the people i’ve talked to). I’m also wondering how strong Kurt’s fanbase is. Anna needs to step up his work too. They’re getting stuck in the 24 category. Alright, let’s see what goes down!
GO BRANDRINA!!!! [Did you miss me, Heidi? 😉 ]
Heidi i wasnt trying to say Bristol is compitition to Jennifer Grey!! I just said i think Bristol will realize she was given a gift by not being eliminated last week and will give it her all this week, And Jennifer might not have the Stanama to win the dance marathon. Sorry if i phrased it in a way to make it look like I was saying Bristol could dethrone Jennifer for the to spot that most likely aint ever gonna happen……..But heck i can dream! LOL! I agree with u, Heidi bout its Bristol VS Kyle.
Hmmm….Courtney, about the Paso being the dance of death, I think that is HIGHLY dependent on which Pro you have. Look at Derek’s recent Paso Dobles – they generally kick serious ass. Even the one with Lil’ Kim was amazing (and underscored). I suppose that could be said of any of the dances, though.
This time out? The less talented dancers both have Tango. Brandy has Tango and Jennifer has Paso – I think each will win their group, hopefully easily. Tony had better be giving Audrina something seriously kick ass and she better deliver or I am worried about her. I think more than anyone, a lot hinges on her dance.
Amy, I will be surprised if Bristol gets a 21 – this is ballroom tango, not Argentine which is what Florence had, plus we’re in Week 6 and if you don’t kill it the judges are going to kill you. They SHOULD start scoring harder. They are going to be watching Bristol and Kyle’s feet and that will likely spell trouble for both of them.
The season with Marissa? the problem was Marissa, not Tony necessarily. She had absolutely no line to her dancing at all, no flexibility, no core strength. She went much farther than she should have.
That is top spot LOL!
Oh god, Andie’s post just had me wondering if we are having a 2 hour show again. Lord, how are they going to fill the time??
Nathan, you do realize that Brandy and Audrina aren’t on an actual team, right?? 😉 I think Audrina’s “shocking elimination” potential is higher than Brandy’s, but I think everyone should be concerned. This season is crazy.
I just want to mention one thing that all this voting talk hasn’t touched on and I think you have to give it weight. People vote for their favorite PRO dancers as well. They want to see them come back week after week, no matter who they’re partnered with. You can’t just talk about the celebs’ fan bases, you have to factor in their pro’s fanbase as well. It might not be the way the show was intended to go, but it IS the reality.
Idk Heidi….Bristol’s always been good at technique. Dont under estimate these two. Its very likely she could get a 21.
And according to my satellite grid, it IS a two-hour show.
Oh yeah Marie Osmond stunk as badly as Bristol. Marie kept playing the 50 year old card as a by, but of course Jennifer blows that crutch out of the water.
Bristol got the steps for weeks 1-4 but blew chunks on performance, whereas Osmond grinned her way through the performance with bad to horrible to severely modified technique, and mostly camp routines because she couldn’t do the step sequences properly.
Heidi, according to abc’s website, Flo had the Tango, not the Argentine Tango. I think you’re right the judges should start getting tougher on the contestant’s, but when do the judges act rationally? Besides, we’re only talking about a one week difference. Bristol and Kyle are relatively weak, but I haven’t been impressed by Kurt yet either. Kurt’s biggest advantage at this point is Anna.
Except when she forgets all her steps, Zach. 🙂 I don’t think in Week 6 Bristol’s grasp of technique is going to be good enough. Like it or not she’s going to be held to a higher standard at this stage of the competition.
Evaine, of course people vote for the pro – but I don’t think that’s much of a help to Bristol. If it was, Shannon Doherty wouldn’t have gone out first. And oh hell – a 2 hour show?? What are we going to be subjected to this week when we’re one couple down and only have a 6 minute marathon plus package to fill the void. Is it Monday night where they have the “special” to reveal the Top 10 dances (which probably won’t actually be the top 10 dances)?
Yes, Heidi I do realize Brandrina isn’t a real team 😉 . It’s just hard for me to choose. But this is a crazy season but yet somewhat boring. No one has that pizazz that Nicole and Evan had in technique. But I won’t complain. It’s nothing like that horrendous Season 9.
Yea i think this is the monday they will reveal the Top 10 dances but im not sure…..Hey i would get thrown off if i was in a monkey suit too!!! Im still wondering how mush marajana Mark had smoked the day he decided to do that!! :D! GO BRISTOL!!!!!
Honestly, Heidi? I think Shannon Doherty was far more disliked across the board than Bristol is. Even Mark’s considerable fanbase couldn’t help her- – in fact, I think many turned on them. *LOL* Personally, I see growth in Bristol and while I DO think it’s time for her to go, I think it could also be just as easily Kyle or Audrina. I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by Bristol and have really been wishing we could see last week’s dress rehearsal performance where apparently, according to a lot of the other pros, she did a damned fine job.
I was just glad that Karina got the Situation for her partner this year instead of someone I might like because there is no way on God’s green earth that I would ever vote for Karina.
Ok, is that stage for the marathon?? As in there are six little squares for each couple….only that there are 7 couples!! So can’t be that, right? I first thought that because I remember Nicole and Derek saying after their swing dance marathon, that you barely got to see them at all on camera and that there were a ton of lifts, which we didn’t get to see. Soooo, maybe they are trying to film them all at once, instead of panning left and right?? It’s just weird looking!! But if I know somebody talented enough to make this work to their advantage…then it’s Derek!!
There’s no doubt Bristol took about 10 steps backward with that horrible jive. I do agree however, that she could eek out a pedestrian Tango that people will think is brilliant because Mark will be keeping her in hold where she can’t do as much damage. The vacant look on her face won’t be so out of place with this dance. So it’s possible a better, more entertaining dancer could go, but the rock n roll number could be her undoing. We’ll have to see.
Stephie, I’m liking that idea! How fun for them to be in the squares and one couple on the floor and switchin it up. I do like the changing up of the set but not a big fan of all the cutsey themes. We’ll see.
Ya, Heidi, share my email with Lori.
Talk to y’all tomorrow
Yes Amy R, you’re right, West Coast Swing is related to Lindy Hop (at first it was simply lindy hop danced on line), I hope to see some with Lacey but it will depend on the music I suppose.
Love your comment about monkey suits Meggie.
According to their official Facebook page, Heart will be performing on the results show this week. <3333333
BTW, posts like this (68 comments!!?!) are further proof that this site needs a forum. I think it'd be much easier to participate in conversations that way. I believe John once said that they tried it but it didn't get much use. I think the site is popular enough now to warrant one.
Hey I was totally thinking today how much better and more conducive to discussions if there was a forum. I can’t stand the ABC crazies that they have over there, and most of my friends don’t watch DWTS so this is my only outlet to discuss the show (although my bf watches with me now, yay!).
I agree 100% that Bristol is porobably going to be the first one gone from the marathon dance. I think that the final 5 for that are going to be Derek and Jeniffer, Brandy and Maks, Audrina and Tony, and Rick and Cheryl. On a side note, commentone is awesome. Kyle is probably going to be terrible tonight.
Andie says that Bristol “blew chunks?” Sorry but that made me laugh – it’s crude but funny. I don’t know that I can carve out 2 hours tonight. I’ll set it to record and see what happens. My humble observation is that the producers are milking everything right now versus thinking long term ramifications. If they produce two hours of mostly WTF? versus one quality hour they may win this season but will have diminishing returns. And for conspiracy theorists who think Bristol will be voted to a win despite dancing skills, if that happens the show will also lose in the long run. Gad, I’m just pray for some bat sh*t crazy costumes.
@Amy – Let me amend my previous statement that those with the paso are going to be the most likely to go home. In another instance where the dances were a bit more evenly distributed (meaning an equal # of tangos and pasos, with both strong and weak couples getting each dance), I would say those with the paso are in more danger. However, with Bristol being so blatantly far behind everyone else in terms of skill, I still think she’s in the greatest amount of danger, and the judges’ clear disdain for Kyle could also put him on the chopping block. However, I will say this – I’m predicting that the judges will be a bit harder on those who got paso…as in nitpicking a bit more on technique and choreography, and being a bit stingier with points. They tend to do the same thing with those who get foxtrot (another very simple dance, in terms of timing and the basic “walking” movement) – I guess they think “simpler dance = more effort neccessary to get a good score”. I could see the judges being a bit more lenient on those who get tango – with the exception of Bristol (I think they even agree needs to go this week, and will likely score her accordingly) and possibly Kyle (seems like they’re trying to make an example of him as someone who relies too much on performance and neglects technique). Audrina could be in trouble in the paso group…Heidi’s right, Derek’s pasos general kick ass, and she doesn’t have the colossal charm of Kurt. She also seems to fare better with the slow, romantic dances than the fast, aggressive ones (her A. tango was pretty lukewarm…not sure she has the aggression in her necessary for the paso). I get the feeling the judges might be a little hard on her this week, unless she really brings it hardcore. Luckily, I think everything will balance out due to the rock n roll marathon – I don’t see the 3 paso couples getting tapped out super early, while I think the weaker, less resilient couples are doing the tango and they’ll probably be out of the marathon fairly quickly. It will all (hopefully) come out in the wash and Bristol will be the one headed home.
Evaine, I don’t factor in the Pros fanbase in the case of Bristol mainly because I’d say Mark’s down around 5th place or so in popularity right now – and more popular pros are still in the competition with him. Going by Twitter followers, media and just a bunch of annecdotal evidence there are several who are way ahead of him. Of course, his fans are rabid voters, but I think it probably equalizes at this stage – plus the “regular” voters greatly outnumber those voting for the Pro. When you only have about 12 hours to vote, his fans most likely can’t make up the differential caused by greater numbers of voters for other people.
Nathan – word to the wise. Splitting votes is never a good idea, but you go right ahead – that increases Jennifer’s odds of winning. 🙂
Stephie, last season’s marathon was horribly frustrating because you didn’t really see Derek and Nicole for the first 30 seconds of that dance and after that you barely saw them at all. Erin and Chad got a majority of the camera time if I remember correctly. And then some had the nerve to claim that you Nicole wasn’t that good – like they would know, having not seen most of their dance.
Jay, I agree, this game the producers are playing is one of diminishing returns. They better have something good lined up for tonight because that first half hour last week pissed me off big time. What a freakin’ waste of time – and I know I wasn’t alone in that one. People will stop watching the show if they feel like their time is being wasted. EVEN ME. 🙂
Courtney, I don’t think the judges score harder depending on the dance, but I do think they will score harder if you don’t bring it at this point. I think at this stage, regardless of the dance they’re given, Bristol and Kyle are going to be marked down unless they seriously improve their technique. I think the last 2 seasons (or maybe only last season) we’ve seen the judges get tired of the better dancers leaving too soon for the sake of the personalities or fanbases and have realized they are in a position to do something about it. Frankly, I hope they do tonight too. As for Audrina, I’m predicting that she gets a pass as long as she doesn’t screw up.
If you have Jennifer, Brandy and one of the athletes or Audrina in the top 3 spots with, say anything from 24 to 27, then have Brandy, Jennifer and Rick as the top 3 in the marathon – that is scores ranging from 32 to 37. Then consider Bristol out first (4 points) and Kyle out second (5 points) with no improvement over last week in first scores and you have 22 to 25. That’s 7 to 12 points behind the leaders. If Bristol gets a worse score than last week, and the top ladies all do between 26 and 30 – well that’s a point differential that will be hard to overcome. If that happens and she does over come it?? Just put her in the final 4.
As long as Brandy and Audrina are in the finals with jennifer…. I don’t care they way the rest of them go home. I wouldn’t mind Rick on 4th place because of Eliza though. Can we have Eliza Dushku next season? It’s only fair…:P
That’s my final 3 too, Guest – have we ever had an all female final 3?? GIRL POWER!!! 🙂
Eliza has tweeted that she would want to dance with Derek. I can hear the screams of outrage now. 🙂
No, we’ve never had an all female finale, but we have had an all male finale in Season 3.
Guest and Heidi, I would like to see those same three in the Finals as well!
“Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen. – Audrina/Paso
“I’m Holding Out For A Hero” by Bonnie Tyler – Brandy/Tango
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20436659,00.html
http://www.accesshollywood.com/brandy-im-waiting-for-that-special-someone_video_1255877
Guest, those links kept your comment from posting – I had to approve it. It’s not a problem, just FYI so you know if they don’t show up right away that’s why.
And thanks. 🙂
Dang, if correct those two got good songs. I hope Jennifer got a good song. Although I saw an interview that said they were adding an extra move to their Paso which always scares me. I shouldn’t be scared at this point – Derek rarely disappoints. Particularly with a Paso.
Replying again to say that Audrina has been misinformed about the marathon – I don’t think it has anything to do with getting tired or not. But then, has Tony ever made it to the Marathon before?
Re: the top 10 dances, the producers picked out 30 and let viewers vote on those. Someone asked Anna why Evan’s paso wasn’t 1 of the 30, and she said that they couldn’t clear the song for that use. Don’t know why they’d have to clear it again to replay the dance it was originally cleared for, but who knows? Doesn’t seem like a very representative top 10 to me. Would rather have had the judges pick again like they did for seasons 1-5.
mmc, there were two of Evan’s dances that didn’t clear – I was watching Anna’s twitter too, but I can’t remember what the other one was.
The actual Top 10 is very unlikely to be representative at all – not when you can vote as often as your heart desires and some fans feel they have something to prove. For whatever reason. Frankly, Derek’s last two Paso’s should be in there, but will they? I didn’t get the impression that Derek fans were really voting on that. We’ll see.
YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!
whatever makes her sleep at night, u know. I don’t buy that…
Just from experience, Foxtrot is not a simple dance to learn and do well. This isn’t the basic social foxtrot they are doing. In fact it’s probably one of the more difficult dances to master, far more difficult than Quickstep for instance. Quickstep may be an endurance test, but the technical aspects of Foxtrot at a slower pace makes it tougher. They are both formal dances, so kudos to the pros on making it look easy, but it takes a lot of practice and really listening to the inflections of the music to syncronize the footwork and the technical aspects of this particular dance. Often celebrities rush it, the ones with a better grasp of musiciality get it right.
Paso Doble, also from my experience is easier to learn than the Tango. The Tango is technical in the extreme, you must learn a more exacting dance position, contra-body movement, sharp staccato movement and of course, with most Ballroom dances very technical footwork. The best example of a very strong Tango is Nicole Scherzinger from last season. For me, that was a great dance to Pretty Woman, it had all the elements of precision, stacatto, contra-body motion, strong footwork, only a slight bob on the head snaps, which isn’t really noteworthy, however,that dance could fit right into a ballroom showcase. For me the 29 should have been a 30, it was far more technical than Drew Lachey’s or Mario Lopez’s 2nd attempt at the Tango.
The Paso Doble, while technical is more of a theatrical dance, not the same detail in hold, and of course you don’t dance it anywhere but as a ballroom showdance. I’ve always found Paso Doble to be somewhat the cheesy side, it all depends on how much drama and performance you can bring to the dance to make it palatable, because the dancers on this show aren’t performing to the standard, but rather to the audience. We don’t have the technical standard we had last season, so it’s performance that has to put it over.
Audrina could be stiff on this dance, she’s not the type to dance with a fire in her belly, performance ability is not in her dna. Also, Tony’s Pasos, are iffy…
I think the Paso will go Jennifer and Derek #1 Kurt and Anna will pour on the velveeta and be #2 simply because he’s the only celebrity guy being judged on the “man’s” dance and Audrina and Tony #3.
Tango is trickier and I think the scores will be closer. I hope Rick and Cheryl get a good score and redeem themselves from the Argentine Tango which was a disappointment. The good thing is he’ll be moving all the way through, not obviously looking down from his 6 ‘7″ frame to follow and lift his partner. He has excellent Ballroom dance posture and this could help. They are the only ones doing the Tango style again, I thought they would have had a Paso, since some have yet to do either the AT or the Tango.
Maks’ Tangos usually don’t kick ass, I remember a disappointing one he did with his best partner Mel B, so I don’t know if he and Brandy will win it, but she’s working on a 27 and could get another inflated score. I don’t find Maks’ ballroom dances in hold particularly exciting.
Kyle and Lacey are at a disadvantage as well, since he’s yet to get his footwork right. But, he could pull off something decent if Lacey gives him a “disturbia” type of dance that was good for Lance Bass. Often if a kid who is not over his feet like Kyle gets a “marching” type of dance like a Ballroom Tango it helps him out. I suspect some theatrics for Hallow’een.
Bristol will be helped by the fact that she will be completely led on this dance, so she’ll do better than the Jive which required her to dance side by side. How much better remains to be seen
The other one was Argentine tango. Don’t know how the producers came up with their 30 dances but there sure seemed to be some good ones missing (and some odd ones included).
mmc, the pro who created the dance had something to do with it, I think – or how often they won. Derek, Mark, Cheryl all had 4 dances in there. I think Julianne had 2 or 3. Everyone else had 2, if I remember correctly.
Of course I counted. I was also trying to figure out how they picked them so I checked to see if there was a pattern of some sort. 🙂
Guess it makes sense that if you’ve won a couple of times, you probably had a bunch of pretty darn good dances in there.
“Of course I counted.” LOL That is so something that I would do too. 😀
Heidi, Julianne had 4 also… 2 with Apolo, and 2 with Helio. The freestyle with both, the Yellow Quickstep with Helio, and the Tiger Samba with Apolo.
I saw and counted one day, and found that almost half of the 30 that they chose, were a Hough or a Ballas.
Heidi, you’re on! I’ll show you! LOL. 😉 BRANDRINA ALL THE WAY!!! This is too funny. THanks for the advice, Heidi. But, in all honesty, if it ends up being Jennifer/Brandrina in the finals, I’ll be happy for whoever wins. Honestly. Jennifer is kicking serious [fill in blank]! So, she deserves it.
You know, this is the 1st Season that I actually have split my votes this long. Season 10, between Nicole and Pamela, I went the Nicole route…Season 9, Melissa and Mya, I went towards Mya…Season 4 was the ONE season that I split my votes for the final 3 because IMO they all deserved to win. This is going to be hard!!!!!
rob, as if we aren’t’ exposed to enough political garbage on TV right now. Just remember basically all politicians are liars and theives when it comes right down to it. If they aren’t kissing babies they are stealing their lollypops.
so, could we please leave the political hatred out of this? (Of course, it plays right into what the producers were hoping for….high ratings.) The facts are:
This show, Rob, has always been about “ballot stuffing” for whomever someone’s favorite is. You just hate Palin and it tics you off that it might be working for her. But maybe it’s not ballot stuffing at all….maybe she really has that many fans…maybe the one half of the country that is consevative or republican (or whatever you want to label them) is actually voting for her “ballot stuffing” aside. Who cares…..if they are watching and voting. mission accomplished. Apparently the judges are trying to get rid of her. It worked with Bolton….where was his fan base (ballot stuffing or not) to save him? Ha. Kind of humbling huh?
This show has never been about the best dancer winning. Yes, as a dancer, I would like it to be about that…..but the general public knows squat about dancing and they are going to vote (or not vote) based on thier individual biases. You clearly have political biases. Again, who cares. Just vote for your favorite.
The show being rigged? I know someone on the staff that insists that the show isn’t rigged and says legal action could be taken if the producers actually did rig it. That said, I think the judges, with their schizophrenic scoring that nobody seems to be able to legally question or even figure out, can certainly put someone in a position to be eliminated easier ala Kyle and Bristol last week. I personally think Kyle was robbed….no way he deserved a 5. That’s my personal bias. Again, who cares.
This is an entertainment show. Frankly, I watch for the pros (the only people that CAN dance) although I vote for the best celeb dancer because that’s what the show is about for ME. That clearly is Jennifer this season.
I don’t care about growth, improvement, age, prior experience….whatever. Some people are just born with natural ability and talent…she is clearly one of them. She even has a dancer’s frame that one doesn’t get simply from being trained. It’s just a gift. Everyone has their own gift. Some are born with great vocal cords…..whatever.
That said, Bristol isn’t going to win this competition. Her fans know she isn’t the best dancer. The general public (that watches consistently) is starting to recognize what good dancing actually is after all these seasons. I think that is how Nicole won last season….after all how big could her fan base have been? This show (and SYTYCD) is good for the dance community. Hooray!
Those that were watching only to see one particular celeb (for whatever reason) won’t be around at the end to vote at all. So maybe the Bristol fans will tune out once she is gone. And I feel that the judges will do something to make it impossible for her to stay. (Thank God, Florence got to leave before the marathon….or it might have been her first and only.)
Many of my friends (all singers) won’t be watching this week now that Florence is gone. In fact, they admit that they flipped channels during the show and only watched when she was on. Of course, my response…WHAT? How could anyone watch just to see her schlep around the floor every week? Just think about what the NFL and NBA fans must do? Whatever…to each his own.
Again, the producers are appealing to as many demographics as they can. You fell right into the trap of getting the “haters” to watch….AND bitch about unfairness, rigging….yada yada yada. Of course all that does is create free publicity and strengthen the resolve of what you call the “right wing conspiracy”. Get over it. Take your frustration out on Nov 2.
This is an entertaiment show….besides the democrats are running the country…aren’t you happy about that and the great job that they are doing for us all? Why care about who is on dance show? Ask yourself this. What if Palin was actually the best dancer? Would you vote for her then?
Top 10 dances? Absolutely Derek’s last two Paso’s.
The one with Chelsey with Mark on guitar was simply BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could watch it 1,000 times.
The one with Nichole was possbily the best celeb dance ever.
I voted for Derek and Nicole’s Paso,
Gilles and Cheryl’s Argentine Tango, Apolo and Julianne’s Samba, Helio and Julianne’s Quickstep
Am I the only one who missed the memo on when we were supposed to vote for the top 10 dances? 🙁
I was just skimming the abc.com boards (horrible, I know) and I saw where someone mentioned that the top 10 will be revealed on election night. Color me confruzed.
@PrincessHeidi … about Audrina being misinformed about the marathon.
There isn’t exactly any real technique or specific moves for the judges to be looking out for in a R&R marathon, right. it’s more freestyle imo. which means it’s more about energy, endurance and performance than anything else.
@Guest…if this Rock n Roll is a hybird of jive/swing lindy you can’t just flail all over the place and throw in some lifts thinking you’re going to win it. There has to be some technique invovled. Let’s say for an example you’re doing basics and you rock step back and you hyper-extend your arm to the point of almost or actually letting go of your partner’s hand. That should be a deduction because it shows a lack of control. People who Jived before are going to put in jive moves, and they should be an improvement on what they did the last time.
Didn’t Rick and Cheryl just do a tango two weeks ago? Why did they get it again?
I thought that Rick was going to get the Paso and Kurt would have got the Tango, since Rick has already done the AT and Kurt has done no tangos. I don’t get the producer’s reason for that one, unless it’s for Kurt to get a boost with the Paso, since he’s the only male doing the “man”s dance this time.
In a Week 5 post-show interview, Kurt mentioned that he didn’t know which dance they would get yet. He said it depended on who was eliminated. Sounds like they’d already decided what the others (including Rick) would get, and Kurt’s was assigned after the elimination to keep the dances balanced. Perhaps that “swing” role fell to him because he is last alphabetically.
Guest, the way she made it sound was that if she could keep her energy up she would win – that’s not exactly the case. They’ve tapped people after a minute who had plenty of energy left but no good moves or performance. She made it sound like all energy.
From where I sit, they’ve given all the people who are the less skilled dancers (except Brandy) the Tango – which means that Brandy will win that group and at the same time they can score Bristol and Kyle lower. Know what I mean?
@Andie – I too have done the foxtrot, and I agree that the international version is, quite possibly, the most difficult dance of all to learn – the technique is ridiculous, despite how “simple” it looks when its being performed. However, I have noticed that the majority of the pros on the show (with the exception of Maks and maybe Jonathan, who are the only two pros I have ever seen do the feather step that is characteristic to the international style) seem to tend more towards the American smooth foxtrot, which is considerably easier, and also allows for more artistic ad-libbing (such as in Derek & Nicole’s foxtrot last season). It’s also a dance that the stars have been known to “fake” their way through pretty easily – just basically walking through the moves, without a whole lot of attention to footwork – which results in a foxtrot that isn’t necessarily bad, but just rather…bland. Hell, even done correctly, foxtrot can be a little on the bland side, if you don’t find a way to inject some dynamic choreography into it. And if we’ve learned anything, it’s that a boring dance is often in more danger of getting sent home than a blantantly bad (but memorable) one. Hence my suspicions about the foxtrot being one of the “dances of death”…
…and I also agree about the paso – it’s pretty simple dance that requires a whole lot of theatricality to really make it “pop”. And the stars often fail to bring that pop, which results in a rather mechanical, ho-hum paso that’s basically just the couple walking around the floor with a stern expression on their face – Natalie & Alec’s paso in season 9 comes to mind. However, if and when it’s done correctly – I think it’s one of the most impactful dances on the show. I guess I would label the paso the “make it or break it” dance, since you can either knock it out of the park – or fail miserably.
That was Argentine Tango, Blake – this would be a standard Tango. They call it “Ballroom Tango” on Strictly Come Dancing which also had Tango this past weekend.
I would have to say that Derek and Nicole’s Foxtrot is one of my top 5 dances on this show ever. I don’t know when I’ve seen a dance that made me feel so freakin’ happy while it was being danced and then afterward.
The Paso is my favorite dance to watch on the show, but yeah only if it’s done well. I agree it can be boring if not done with the right amount of theatricality and aggression – but Mel and Maks’ Paso is my favorite dance of all time.
Brandy actually was ahead of Jennifer in one set of odds before the season started, and Rick Fox was ahead of both of them: https://www.puredwts.com/tag/dancing-with-the-stars-odds/
I sure wouldn’t pin my hopes on Brandy JUST because the Vegas Odds aren’t in her favor right at this moment. If it were that easy people would get rich in Vegas all the time.
@Courtney, well I guess I have to say if someone on the show attempts some decent Foxtrot technique then I’m really impressed with them. I think there has been some pretty good ones, like Kristi, Brooke, and to a degree Nicole, although I think there was more of a lean to theatre than pure Foxtrot, which is understandable, given that Nicole is from the theatre and can perform the hell out of a dance. For those not knowing what to look for Nicole appeared to be a pro, but for those with dance knowledge her technqiue was basic, but her ability and charisma as a performer was something that a lot of dancers envy.
One of my all time fave Foxtrots is by Luca and Larraine Barrachi, it is just a simple number but the flow and the technique is breathtaking.
Max just tweeted that he and Brandy are the last ones up tonight
And Louis just tweeted that they’re ripping out the black floor 30 minutes to show time. Yikes
Tonight of all nights they give Brandy last??? Right before the marathon?? That’s kinda hosing her, but she’s young and she’s getting votes now so it should be fine.
I should amend my comment and say that going last isn’t a “bad” spot, but it doesn’t have the pimp quality tonight that it would have on most other nights. There’s a good 6 to 8 minutes of “stuff” after they dance “last”.
I wonder if someone took a very bad tumble on it or if it’s just technical issues as to why they are ripping up the floor right before dance time?!
Why are they ripping the floor up?? Kinda weird. I hope Brandy isnt to tired in the marathon dance. I forgot who had that ‘ last’ spot before marathon last year. I think it was Nicole
I bet it was too slick so the ripped it up. Would totally suck if someone fell because of one of their dumbass gimicks.
Top 10 dances?? That 50’s Paso should have been number one. Either that or Cheryl’s Save a Horse routine – if that one doesn’t get number one, some power voters need to be taken out back. 🙂
Top 10
10 Shawn and Marks Freestyle
9 Donny and Kym’s Argentine Tango
8 Apolo and Julianne’s Freestyle
7 Helio and Julianne’s Quickstep
6 Joanna’s and Derek’s Paso
5 Mel B and Maks Paso
4 Nicole and Derek’s Paso
3 Apolo and Julianne’s Samba
2 Gilles and Cheryl’s Argentine Tango
1 Drew and Cheryl’s Freestyle
I love the comments here from dancers. Thank you, all of you, that know the difference between International Style, American Style and “no style’….and make the attempt to explain the difference to those that don’t. (I spend the entire week between shows explaining it all to my non-dancing friends complete with flip charts….ha.)
I love the Argentine Tango, it’s possibly my favorite dance. And I love the West Coast Swing, possibly my second favorite dance BUT neither of them are even considered ballroom dances….they have their own following and their own separate competitions.
I think they should take some time on the show to explain these differences to the general public. They could do a Kenny Mane, Jerry Rice, Len Goodman take off on it and make it funny and entertaining.
Maybe that would help explain what the judges expect from the different routines and perhaps help to stop all the viewer bitching because of confusion. (Although I think Len’s erratic judging can never be explained and he is the ONLY judge qualified to even judge ballroom dancing….go figure.) Carrie Ann and Bruno seem to be getting a better “eye” for it after all these seasons….but I’d challenge both of them to actually attempt a ballroom dance themselves….ha.
But…oh well, it just a TV show certainly not a real competition….by any stretch of the imagination.
But whomever said the International foxtrot is one the hardest dances to master was spot on. Was that you Courtney? The American style foxtrot is also one of the hardest American Smooth style dances to master (at least when in closed position) for the same reason. Eee gads….I used to pray for the open work when I had to do it. Ha.
Anyway, my fav all time dances (I have two….I can’t pick one)….Applo’s Freestyle and Gilles Argentine. And I want Julianne BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They filmed the final dance scene for Footloose last week…maybe that means she’ll be back next season. I hope. (But she and Mark both seem to be more into their music…let’s hope we don’t lose the genius of Derek.) That said, Maks is still my FAV pro….yum.