DWTS12 Week 2 Power Rankings
So ends the last chance our couples have to redeem themselves before the first (and most embarassing!) cut of the season 🙂 On top of that pressure, tonight seemed to take its toll on our couples with the two most physically-demanding dances of the season – the jive and the quickstep. And lucky us, it also marked the return of the bipolar, no-rhyme-nor-reason-for-some-of-it judging/scoring, which left me slack-jawed on more than one occasion…and not in the good way. More often than not, if I hated it, the judges seemed to adore it; if I loved it, the judges tore it to shreds. One of them needs some fiber, one of them needs some quaaludes, and one of them needs a cold shower, in my opinion…I’ll let you figure out which. 😉 ONWARD!
1.) Ralph & Karina – Another strong performance from these two, which seemed to go largely uncredited by the judges. Was their jive perfect? Of course not, but it was pretty damn good for it only being week 2, and I think it was miles ahead of any of the other jives we saw tonight. I think I officially became a member of Team Kamacchio tonight – I just love these two together. Ralph is easily the most likeable guy this season, and I think some of that has rubbed off on Karina – she seems to be a lot more approachable and upbeat this time around. And really – Ralph is, at least to me, the most natural mover this season…nothing he does feels forced or unnatural. Plus, he has fun when he’s dancing and isn’t afraid the let loose – I saw shades of his Karate Kid 2 dance scene tonight in their jive. Such a ham! These two have the highest combined score from last week and this week, plus he’s still got quite a few people buzzing about him, so these two ought to be safe tomorrow night.
2.) Kirstie & Maks – Ok, so maybe a bit of a slip from their dynamite cha-cha last week, but I daresay Kirstie is still the most popular female this season – if not the most popular contestant, period. Their quickstep had great potential – Kirstie kept up pretty well, and managed to keep her footwork pretty clean. I think she got a bit off-time, but it wasn’t horribly noticeable. I think the biggest difference between her performance this week and her performance last week was her confidence – she didn’t seem to be at all self-conscious when she was turning up the sass for her cha-cha, but this week it’s like she all of sudden became very aware of her weight…which is unfortunate, because Kirstie looks FABULOUS and can really move! But it’s understandable, and I hope she can bounce back from it next week. And homegirl has already carved out a niche for herself on the show – the kissing bandit!!! Love it. Kirstie’s still got a lot of people pulling for her (and great scores), so she’s safe in my eyes.
3.) Hines & Kym – This quickstep wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either – Hines kept up and had some really good “moments”, but he seemed to have a hard time staying in step with Kym and was bouncing a bit too much. But what was a bit of an eye-opener for me was the fact that these two danced last – TPTB don’t hand out the coveted “Pimp Spot” to just anyone. They save it for those who are pulling in an impressive amount of viewers, as it gives people incentive to stick around for the entire show. This leads me (and Heidi, who mentioned it on Twitter) to believe that Hines is getting a substantial amount of votes – and on top of that, he’s getting decent scores, too. These two are cute together – he reminds me of a bit more laid-back version of Warren. I look forward to seeing Hines improve – and thankfully, I’m convinced that he’s got the staying power to do so 🙂
4.) Chris & Cheryl – Umm, WOW. Strongest quickstep of the night for me – and it came completely out of left-field! I don’t think anyone was expecting such a clean, pleasant, well-executed performance out of Chris after his awkward cha-cha last week. But apparently something miraculous happened in a week, and Chris delivered a quite pretty quickstep – and seemed to enjoy himself while he was dancing it! I think Cheryl was wise to go with a fairly traditional, no-nonsense, simple routine, rather than an edgy, out-there quickstep like certain other contestants – it seems to please Len, and proved once again that Cheryl knows how to “play the game”. I think he ought to be okay for at least a few weeks, especially if he continues to improve…and if not, well, I’m sure we can count on Carrie Ann the cougar on steroids to overscore him enough to keep him safe anyway.
5.) Romeo & Chelsie – Another vast improvement from last week…I think some of Romeo’s walls definitely came down in the past seven days, as he seemed to really let loose this time and allowed himself to actually get into the character of the dance, even pulling a few faces during his quickstep! As I said on Twittter (and in my preseason power rankings), I think Romeo could be a dark horse this season – he might start out slow, but I think he could gain momentum as the season wears on as he taps into his unrealized potential. I think he does have some moves – but Chelsie may have to smooth them out a bit, as he definitely seems more accustomed to hard-hitting hip-hop than sleek, refined ballroom. And speaking of Chelsie – anyone else think Romeo’s harboring a bit of a crush on her? 😉 Somebody better warn Mark…then again, he may be busy with a crush of his own…
6.) Chelsea & Mark – I was definitely a bit worried when our show insider, Buttercup, mentioned that this jive was not very conventional – because I think we all know by now that in DWTS-Speak, “unconventional” translates into “Len’s head will likely explode”. And explode it did – although I have to say I actually kinda liked this jive. Was definitely unlike any other jive we’ve ever seen on the show – edgy, intriguing, and with a much different theme & costuming than we’re used to from Mark (although he did manage to sneak in his signature jive polka-dots on Chelsea’s spanky pants :-P). I think the judges’ blatant dislike of anything “untraditional” seemed to blind them to the fact that there was actually quite a bit of meat-and-potatoes jive steps in this routine – echoing Mark, I too saw changes of place, back-to-back, fallaway throwaways, and much more. I don’t think I even need to say it, but I will anyway – I think this one was underscored. But luckily for Mark, I think he chose a good time to break the rules – early on in the competition, when there’s still lousy dancers around to get sent home first. These two ought to be ok…this time. But Mark had better stick to more “Len-pleasing” routines for the next few weeks to be sure!
7.) Kendra & Louis – On the other hand, I think the judges were just talking out of their asses when they gushed about how much Kendra had improved this week with her quickstep. I’m calling bull on this one – this was one of the most unremarkable, award dances of the night for me. Everything felt slow & cautious, and for the second week in a row, she looked off-balance and almost fell over. Ok, before everyone tries to label me a heartless bitch, I will say this – I did feel a bit sorry for Kendra during her lead-in. I do feel like she came out with a lot of pressure on her to fulfill the expectations everyone (including her partner) had for his this season as a “frontrunner”. But I’m not gonna lie – she’s been a big disappointment, and I think she’s got a long way to go before she’ll be rubbing elbows with high-scorers like Ralph & Kirstie. Can she make it that far? I’m not positive…like it spoke volumes to me that Hines went last, it speaks volumes to me that Kendra & Louis went second – traditionally, a very crappy running order position usually given to contestants that TPTB don’t seem to see as a big ratings draws. Luckily, I think Louis managed to reign in his mouthiness this week, so they’ve got that working in their favor.
8.) Petra & Dmitry – Ok, Petra actually did better than I expected at the jive – she actually had a few good moments of flicks & kicks. But aside from that…erm. This was another awkward non-event for me. Granted, it was “cute” and “pleasant to watch” – but there wasn’t anything particularly hard-hitting about it, and like their foxtrot last week, it just felt like a leisurely stroll across the floor to me. And Dmitry – tsk, tsk, tsk. I counted not one, not two, but THREE lifts in this routine – which Carrie Ann seemed to conveniently ignore, likely because Dmitry makes her nether-regions feel all tingly. 🙂 I hate to say it, but these two are quickly becoming the most boring couple for me – I keep forgetting them whenever I have to list all of the couples this season. That’s not good…because if there’s anything worse than being a bad dancer on DWTS, it’s being a forgettable one. I think they may have another week or two of juice left in them (due mainly to crappier dancers getting sent home first), but their number may be up sooner than we think.
9.) Wendy & Tony – If it were up to me, these two would be headed home this week, and I feel like neither of them would really care, either – I just get the feeling these two have already checked out of the competition. Last week’s cha-cha was awkward & uninspired; this week’s quickstep was slightly less awkward and uninspired, and easily the weakest quickstep of the evening. Granted, Wendy didn’t mess up; but what was there to mess up? It just seemed like a very slow walk across the floor, with a few ever-so-gentle hops, as if they were afraid that Wendy would shatter like glass if she hit the ground too hard. And no excuses about big boobs getting in the way – Kendra’s got a rack on her too, Wendy, and that didn’t stop her from hopping in her quickstep! These two just don’t seem to have really done anything impactful so far – which I would otherwise say is the kiss of death, except Wendy seems to have a fairly large fanbase rallying to keep her around. I think she may dodge the red lights for this week, but a fanbase can only carry you so far…
10.) Ray & Anna – It makes me very, very nervous that these two went first tonight (typically another spot given to less-popular contestants, votes-wise), and that the judges just seem to LOVE ripping into Ray. Once again, I think Ray was underscored, and the judges are chosing to overlook the obvious joy he brings to the floor in favor of bitching about everything from his footwork to his posture. Am I on crazy pills?! I didn’t think his jive was that bad – on the contrary, I think it was quite cute and certainly more entertaining than “So timid, I may as well be crawling across the floor” Wendy or “I’ve (allegedly) got moves…for a white girl” Kendra. I feel bad, because I feel like Ray does want to work hard and really do well, and I think Anna is more than willing to work with him, but I think these two could be in danger this week…stranger things have certainly happened. Let’s just hope they don’t this time around…
11.) Mike & Lacey – Valiant effort by Mike to redeem himself this week, but I think it may be too little too late for these two – 30/60 is a tough score to overcome with votes, especially when you’re a guy that STILL has people saying “Who?”, and the ones that aren’t just think he’s offensive. I actually felt bad for him this week – he did seem like he was trying, and, like Petra, did have a few really good moments in his jive – but the rest was just rather awkward & chaotic, and he seemed like a lot less of a jokester this week…which I actually found to be a redeeming quality of his. Oh well – if nothing else, I think he had fun this week, and really – Mike came into this knowing he was already at a big disadvantage, and he went out guns blazing. Bon voyage, Team Schwimmerwood – it’s been fun 🙂
Alright all – so we come to our first elimination. Who do you think is headed home tomorrow night? Who do you think will have the encore? And will Chris Brown avoid destroying the set? LET’S CHAT!!! 🙂
Girl, that ain’t no crush (re: Chelsea and Mark), that’s a SHOWMANCE. Boyfriend is workin’ it. 🙂 I saw video today on E! (I believe) of Chelsea with her bf and his name ain’t Mark Ballas – tis’ that other guy people were mentioning in the comments. 🙂
Not only did Mark get the polka dots (his tie too), but he was wearing his signature short pants. 🙂 Someone owes me a drink. Seriously though – great dance, but you KNOW Len don’t like that shit. Never has, unless it comes wrapped in a monkey suit.
Hint – my numbers post tomorrow will imply a 10th place Petra. 😉 I just think that Ray is STILL Sugar Ray Leonard and was rather unfairly ripped into by the judges. So no, I don’t think you were crazy. 🙂
Wow, do we seriously have a competition here or what?!! They all did really well for the most part. I was especially impressed with Romeo, Mike, and Wendy for improving as much as they did. Much much better tonight! If I were to rank the dances tonight, I would put them in this order;
1. Ralph and Karina -I don’t know waht the judges saw, but, I thought he was just as good as last week. Fun, in total character, smooth, and great foot work.
2. Romeo and Chelsea -so much better these two! Romeo made his stand tonight and I don’t think he’s going anywhere anytime soon.
3. Chris and Cheryl -even for a big guy, he kept up with Cheryl until the end. Totally entertaining again and I love that smile.
4. Kirstie and Maks -as always, they sparkle. She had a hard time keeping up at the very end, but, she did it. I love their connection and the big kiss at the end.
5. Chelsea and Mark -Ok, I have to give them credit because her talent was there. The thing working against her right now is Mark. I feel like he’s trying too hard and this was the wrong time to push the envelope and break rules.
6. Hines and Kym -He was a little sluggish in places, but, he still brought it. He’s smooth like butter and always entertaining.
7. Mike and Lacey -Despite what he has said in interviews, this guy can dance. If he keeps working hard and believes in himself, he can stay in this thing.
8. Anna and Sugar – He was a little stiff and had a hard time keeping up. But, I liked some of his own natural moves added.
9. Kendra and Louis -I felt their dance was awkward and a little messy. She missed some steps. But, it was ok. I loved her dress.
10. Wendy and Tony -So much better this week. It was great to see her loosen it up and be more herself. Her footwork was faster too. Very good.
11. Petra and Dimitry -Although I love Petra to death, I thought her technique was weak tonight. The whole dance felt a little uncomfortable for some reason.
So, what will happen when weighing both dances from last week and this week? I don’t want to see any of them go tomorrow night. But, if I had to say who was in the most danger, I think it’s between Mike, Wendy, and Petra. Wendy is still in the most danger I think.
Now onto to read Courtney’s rankings!
Gawd, isn’t that truth on the judges Courtney. They were really hard on them tonight…well, except for Mark.
Excellent rankings once again!
I can’t believe those scores for Mark & Chelsea. They are far from favorites of mine but that dance deserved at least a 21 IMO. And Len gave them a 5?! That’s just insane.
Well, it was the right time for Mark to push the boundaries from a scoring standpoint -little danger she’ll go home. I just think that sort of standing out is better served when you are in danger of fading into the woodwork or when there is some other issue. Derek intentionally did it (I think) in his season with Nicole when they were scoring too high week after week (and the music spoke to him). It was like he didn’t want people to get too confident. I’m not sure what Mark was trying to accomplish unless the music just spoke to him – they did kinda get a crap song from Jive standpoint.
I always enjoy stats class and power rankings. My favorites this week are Hines, Chris, Romeo and Kirstie. IMO, Chelsie and Romeo have a great partnership and she’s having fun again. Mark doesn’t seem discriminatory this season with the showmances (fishing off the company docks with both of them), but there could be some darkhorses there, too.
Wow! I actually agree with you, Courtney, on just about everything! My favorites of the night were Kirstie, Ralph, Chris and Chelsea, but as far as rankings go, I’d have to stick with yours, I think. I DO think that Chelsea and Mark were underscored as were Anna and Ray. And Kendra just left me… blah.
I’m worried about Ray, because I think the judges aren’t giving him a fair shake, compared to how they score some of the others.
Going home tomorrow, though? I’m thinking it’s probably Mike, but could be Wendy or Petra (and my God, didn’t they treat her with kid gloves again tonight?) But who would I LIKE to see go home? Kendra. She’s very blah in her routines and I don’t like how she comes across in interviews and the packages.
Oh, and I’m predicting that Chris will go farther than a lot of people have predicted. He’s cute, he’s charming, he doesn’t take himself seriously and he can do some dancing! I think he just might be a more mature version of Kyle. 🙂
Great show though! Except for poopyhead Len. 😉 And BLESS Tom once again for his great hosting!
Agree about Ray/Anna. Seemed like Kurt/Anna got similar treatment last year sometimes. Any thoughts why?
@mmc
You know, I also thought that about Kurt & Anna but I figured it was because I’m biased and love Anna. But now when she’s getting the beat down again I’m really wondering what’s up.
I managed to watch some of the clips so far. Thumbs up for Ralph, Kirstie, Hines, Chelsea and Chris. I don’t care for Romeo, he doesn’t bring any character to his dancing IMO but he kept up well. Kendra was quite awkward and I didn’t yet see Mike, Wendy, Ray and Petra.
Okay I really didn’t enjoy Petra nor Mike. So I probably agree with Courtney on everything, only I’m not so big on Romeo and still waiting to endorse my girl Anna after someone freakin puts a clip on YT.
I’m impressed by the male contenders, including Mike! Kirstie Alley is the only female star I’m interested in watching. She can dance and keep up for someone her age and I think her partnership with Maks is great. Maks seems to humble himself.
I think Kendra would have been great if she had another pro. Louis choreography isn’t doing her justice. Their partnership so far is disappointing. Louis looked a bit ticked off with the score.
Encore dance will be between Chris and Romeo. If it were up to me, I’d pick Kirstie and Maks to do their cha cha routine from last week.
Lifts aren’t allowed in jive?
My crushes on Ralph and Hines are going to get bigger every week. Love these 2. Definitely hope they’re both there til the end.
I hate to say it, but I think Psycho Mike definitely danced his last dance tonight. Lack of fan base and lack of moves isn’t going to take you far. Sorry, Mike. You were hot though!
I sooo agree about ralph and sugar ray… I really enjoyed both dances a lot and when they were scored I was like wtf? Especially ralph!!
You guys do a fanatastic job with this website – The best fan site I think – constantly updated 🙂 It would be fun to read about hook-up dish too when you have it, or who they are dating outside (like chelsea kane) and which are just showmances… makes the work day go faster, lol.
thanks!
I also thought about Ray and Anna and how it seemed to echo how harsh they were on Kurt and Anna. Do they have it in for her somehow? I know that with Tony and Maks there was Carrie Ann’s past with Tony – but how does that explain how they are with Anna lately? Anyway, I feel for Ray and I hope that they stick around a little longer. That being said, I don’t see him going really far not because of him – but there’s just too many great couples to root for this season.
My favorites of the night were Ralph and Chris, followed by Kirstie and Hines. I also really liked Chelsea and Mark – as I posted elsewhere, that jive got the same scores as Mark did with Bristol’s monkey suits. How wonky. But I think it was a very strategic move for Mark because it keeps them from being a frontrunner too early – and there’s plenty of other couples that will go home before they do. I also liked Romeo and Chelsie but I think there’s still room for improvement from him.
Kendra and Louis, blah. I didn’t like the choreography much, at least not with her abilities. I just don’t think he’s showcasing her well. Poor Petra. I wish she had a different partner than Dmitry. He couldn’t be more dull and she seems so nice. I couldn’t believe that Tony said that Wendy’s choreography was difficult. Come on. I hope they go home – they don’t want to be there and I think Mike is really trying. I don’t think that will be the case though. Even my bf was making fun of Lacey’s hair. He asked me if someone dropped a bucket of black paint on her head, haha. If he is noticing those things you know it’s bad. Anyway, I think it’s going to be Mike going home but I wish it was Wendy. I hope it’s not Ray or Petra. My favorite is still Ralph, but I like pretty much everyone other than Wendy – but I guess I’m most pleased with Ralph, Kirstie, Chris, and Hines with Chelsea and Romeo in there too.
That Jive song was Mark’s choice. And I believe that he went for the unconventional choreography on purpose, to make the audience sit up and take notice and remember them. On a season filled with well known, entertaining and loveable people, you don’t want to be lost in the shuffle. Which is possible even if someone is as talented as Chelsea clearly is.
I’m probably one of the few people that wasn’t surprised by Chris’ performance tonight, just very happy. I’ve loved him and Cheryl since the beginning, they work great together and are so cute. And have you ever seen anyone who can put up with her non-stop criticisms so well? 🙂
That Jive song was Mark’s choice. And I believe that he went for the unconventional choreography on purpose, to make the audience sit up and take notice and remember them. On a season filled with well known, entertaining and loveable people, you don’t want to be lost in the shuffle. Which is possible even if someone is as talented as Chelsea clearly is.
I’m probably one of the few people that wasn’t surprised by Chris’ performance tonight, just very happy. I’ve loved him and Cheryl since the beginning, they work great together and are so cute. And have you ever seen anyone who can put up with her non-stop criticisms so well? 🙂 Hard worker, entertaining, great attitude and nice to look at.
Yeah I like Chris Jericho too – when I was forced to watch wrestling he was one of the ones that stood out and really made me laugh. I have a feeling that if they keep showing his personality and he continues to do well that he will go far.
I did watch Ray and all I gotta say is that Len should have eaten a big plate of lentils, beans and peas sprinkled with bran flakes with a side of whole wheat bread before judging. And I actually googled high fiber foods to write this post.
So pleasantly surprised by Chris, there is just something so endearing about his boyish behavior 🙂 I couldnt get over Ralphs facial expressions during his jive, but it was pretty good. Chelsea and Marks jive was pretty darn interesting, maybe a little clunky for my taste, but I actually love the idea. Please send Wendy home 🙁 fingers crossed….but I love how there are no trailblazers this season, rather the whole ensemble more or less improving as a whole. This is gonna be interesting 😀 😀
I’m not a dancer, but it looked to me like Ray was having problems when trying to kick his left foot – the right seemed much more crisp. I wondered if it’s a “right-footed” versus “left-footed” thing (I’m a lefty, and couldn’t kick my right leg on a bet). I noticed that in Ralph & Karina’s jive, they tended to stay on their left, kicking the right much more. Maybe Anna should think about choreo like that?
I did think Chris’ QS was the best of the night; I hope that’s the encore tomorrow (either that, or please, please, please show us Ralph & Karina’s foxtrot again!).
And Chelsea & Mark? I guess I’m just too old-fashioned.
Great web site. Just found it today. Agree totally with Courtney’s assessments, except … I didn’t really care for either one of Romeo’s dances and can’t really see why he is being fussed over so much and rated so highly. Sex appeal aside, to me, his performances appeared more rigid, choppy, heavy. I VERY MUCH agree that Sugar Ray & Anna are seriously getting the short end of the stick. Whenever the camera panned up to the bubble (couples applauding others who had just finished their routines), I sincerely felt for Ray — because he always had a very worried/sad look on his face. The judges are NOT giving him credit for the personality, showmanship he brings to the dance floor — certainly not in comparison to judging of other pairs in this respect. Kendra can take a hike as far as I’m concerned. Wendy did a little better, so I agree that Mike will probably go.
Does anyone know exactly what was going on tonight between Bruno and the audience? Was there a heckler (over his left shoulder) that he was getting into it with? It appeared that Carrie Ann gave him a high 5 late in the show for something he said or did that involved audience member. Thanks.
By the way, for those that aren’t aware – Mark’s costume is right out of the “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” music video. My daughter saw his costume and was like – I bet they are dancing to that song! She loved it – of course!
I was talking to a friend of mine is doing a sociology doctorate on minorities in the media and we ware talking about DWTS – is this season the most prolific when it comes to minorities? Romeo, Wendy, and Sugar Ray – Hines Ward is half African American half Korean – Mike is half Mexican. I said it was but I may be misremembering or never noticed before. I guess I could find that out easily enough 🙂 Either way, I like the diversity – both racial and personalities! I am going to be sad tomorrow when someone has to leave. : /
I really tried to save Petra tonight. So far, I’ve given her 64 votes. I know it’s not much but I’m trying. I know she wasn’t the best but she is really growing on me. I love Kirstie as well and gave her a handful of votes last week and this one as well. I really voted hard for Petra because I felt she was more in danger (Yes, Sabrina is hanging over my head) but if I had the power to send someone home, it’d be Mike.
LOL at Kirstie’s tweet: “Next week the Rumba…better be hot or I’ll stab myself in the vag”.
This is my power ranking for last night:
11) Mike and Lacey: definately better but still not good. Good to see that Lacey gave him something to do this time around though. once theiy are voted off she can go experiment w more hair colors.
10) Wendy and Tony: i liked it but I don’t see the fire in her. She did ok but if she sticks around she has a long way to go if she wants to be contender.
9)Ray and Anna: It definately was underscored but I think he can do soooo much better.
8) Kendra: I liked it but she really needs to relax a bit.
7) Petra: I really liked it and think she could really be a conteneder if she continues getting better.
6) Romeo: I liked it BUT I didn’t love it.
5) Mark and Chelsea: It was odd but it was fun to watch. She kept up w him every step and if he gives her some choreography that len and the judges like next time she could get better scores.
4) Hines and Kym: I like dit and he had a lot of fun out there. Wasn’t anything special in my opinion though. Still, he will sail through to the next round.
3) Chris Jerhico: Most improved. I loved it. He is the dark horse in my opinion now.
2) Kirstie: Underscored. She did a good job and way better than others.
1) Ralph: I didn’t get what the judges were thinking but he was great. best of the night in my opinion.
Prediction: bottom 2: Wendy and Mike with Mike hitting the road.
On a side note, was it me or were a lot of the songs recycled last night?
Great post – had a lot in it to think about. I know this isn’t an original thought, perhaps Heidi or Courtney? But it was like the judges came out of last season’s post mortem meeting and decided to keep everyone in as close a clump as possible. They may praise while talking but most scores are clumped and fine to low. A couple are too high but that’s to keep the group bunched. IMO. The one boring, predictable thing about the show.
Mark – don’t wear costumes, whatever the reference, that don’t make you look good. Too distracting. Even Tom commented.
Geez, I feel like a crab but the show had some “off” elements in it with the judges.
@Vin yes you’re right, I counted 7 (out of 11) recycled songs
Here’s my ranking, it’s a little biased depending on how much I like the couples.
1. Chris & Cheryl and Ralph & Karina, I can’t choose between those 2, I enjoyed Chris posture and footwork and Ralph performance
3. Hines & Kym, very charming and Kym’s dress was one of my favourite, all seasons considered
4. Kirstie & Maks, she’s such a joy to watch
5. Chelsea & Mark, surely not my favourite choreography, but it was original and quite well danced
6. Romeo & Chelsie, don’t like the boy and didn’t enjoyed the dance
7. Sugar Ray & Anna, a little bit underscored, to my opinion, he’s very sweet but not a very good dancer
8. Kendra & Louis, it could have been worse but it could have been better too, despite her efforts her posture wasn’t good
9. Mike & Lacey, I like the guy and I think he tried his best even though his upper half wasn’t as sharp as his feet
10. Petra & Dmitry, I like them both but it was worse than Mike’s to my opinion
11. Wendy & Tony, I don’t like her and it was slowstep not quickstep.
Okay, question – am I the only one who saw Benji Schwimmer’s tweet about someone using his choreography last night? He said it during Cheryl and Chris, but I can’t imagine that (as entertaining as that was) that Benji would be able to claim any of it. Is he full of crap (as usual)??? And who’s he talking about??
I think the clumping, Jay, is one of their usual patterns – they always try to make it look like more of a horse race than it really is. Or they wimp out and make the audience the deciding factor.
Jay: “Mark – don’t wear costumes, whatever the reference, that don’t make you look good. Too distracting. Even Tom commented.”
I think this is what bothered me too from the get go.
Mark just looked too creepy. Ruined the whole dance in my opinion.
Loved all the rankings…Biggest surprise of the night was Chris Jericho and Romeo just may be the surprise dark horse of this season. I think Ralph has it all and definitely takes top spot for week 2. Best performance of the night.
Thanks, Courtney, I always love the power rankings. I decided to do something different. I decided to do MY power rankings based more on COSTUMES, and less on dance. And it was difficult, because there were a lot of costumes I just loved, but some that I thought missed. So everything in the middle are pretty equal. But, here they are… My costuming rankings, with dance stuff thrown in.
11. MIKE AND LACEY. Yes, Mike is a good looking guy. Yes, Lacey has been known to make some very questionable costuming choices, and this one, I think, wasn’t one of her better choices. It feels like she knows that Mike isn’t going to be around more, so she made a conscious effort to try to “sex it up” with her costume choices. However, I am glad that he did seem to work hard, and did improve since last week.
10. CHELSEA AND MARK. Chelsea does seem to have what it takes to go far in this competition, but right now, it seems to me that she’s being hindered by Mark, who feels like he’s trying too hard. Mark may not be my favorite pro, but he is a good teacher and a good choreographer, and he’s got a good student that can get far in the competition, but his choices for last night just feel too “out there.” Yes, some people GOT what he was trying for, I’m not one of them. I’m thinking that the song isn’t really mainstream, and how many people, like me, DIDN’T get it… He could have done a more “unconventional” jive with mainstream music. And costuming? Last week, she wore a see through dress, and this week a Bone Crusher. Stop trying, and just teach and dance.
9. PETRA AND DMITRY. I did love the costuming in the beginning, and I “got” the whole uptown girl ala Billy Joel feel at the beginning, but once they lost the hat and the skirt, it just stopped working for me. I feel that the costume didn’t enhance her or the dance, and he chose it to show her body.
8. ROMEO AND CHELSIE. I think the biggest problem with the costumes, is that she didn’t have a long skirt. I know, silly reason to rank, but it did bother me. And I saw something strange going on around, in the celebriquarium, happening between her armpits and her halter straps of the costume. I do think he improved…Unfortunately, as I was writing out the couples, so I could organize my rankings, I only had 10, and went through the list twice, and had to look up who I missed. And it was them.
7. CHRIS AND CHERYL. Honestly, I didn’t really remember the costume, which is why it’s ranked here. I do think they both looked nice, and it seemed to fit the dance, and the color was great… And I don’t remember if her skirt was the proper Quickstep length. He did have a lot of improvement, but I do think they were pretty forgettable. I did remember them, just don’t really remember their costume or dance.
6. WENDY AND TONY. I didn’t care for Tony’s costume, because it didn’t seem to really “fit” with hers, but I really loved her costume. The color was terrific on her, and the whole style of it seemed to just BE Wendy. Didn’t care for it with Tony’s. Her personality shone through, and she had a confidence that was missing last week.
5. KIRSTIE AND MAKS. Well dressed, well danced. I loved that he chose the more formal length, LOL…. Sorry, I guess I just like the traditional costuming. Stunning color! I have noticed that Maks seems to have learned a thing or two from Derek, they began the whole thing while the announcer was announcing them, so that when the music began, they were right into it. Loved the kiss at the end.
4. HINES AND KYM. They looked stunning…. Loved the little pop of red on the underside of her skirt. No, it wasn’t the traditional length, but it seemed to have worked better, as a whole look, than the others who chose shorter skirts for quickstep. Another well danced, well dressed pair.
3. RALPH AND KARINA. I love Ralph, he’s one of my 3 favorites. Loved his look, loved the sequins, they seemed to enhance his youthfulness. Didn’t really care for Karina’s bare midrif, but as a whole, everything worked.
2. RAY AND ANNA. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED! the look!!! The colors, the wig, the whole thing.
1. KENDRA AND LOUIS. I must admit, Louis did a FANTASTIC job dressing Kendra last night! She’s securely in the middle of the pack, dance-wise, and I think she’s got a nerves problem from the pre-season pressure she was under. But the costuming was fantastic! I don’t remember Louis, but she was a standout!
Glad I’m not the only one that thought the judges made (Sugar) Ray their whipping boy. I just don’t understand what their issue is with him this season. Or with Anna, for that matter – but if usually quiet, not-gonna-rock-the-boat Anna is talking back to the judges, you know it’s bad. I gave all of my votes to them, just to be safe.
buttercup your saying that Mark picked that song for Jive week? Wow if did. Didn’t much like he should have saved it for his freestyle then. Thanks for telling me that story week is next week.I thought I would like Chelsea and Mark pairing more by now but they annoy me with the weeks coming.Though prob next week the judges will love them and bath them with nice comments and all.
My favorite last night was Hines,Ralph,and Chris. The celeb ladies didn’t do that great compared to the men last night.
Though,felt bad for Sugar Ray judging wise. That was harsh what Len said. Hope Sugar Ray can have a comeback next week and sticks around.
Saw Kristie Alley on twitter say that next she has Rumba if she stays so what is the other dance?
Courtney, I loved Anna talking back to the judges! And Len’s arguing with the audience was funny, did you see him start to get up, and pulled by down by “the 2 8yos” sitting on either side of him?
Ray is so incredibly sweet, and I hope that what usually happens, does… It seems that when the judges are incredibly mean toward someone… Especially if the audience doesn’t agree… The voters get behind them, and vote them through. They need to go through!
@Lori – I loved it too 🙂 Like I said, you know it’s pretty damn bad if even the most PC pro can’t resist calling you out on your bullshit. And the loud (and long) booing from the crowd just added insult to injury – I hope Len (and those other two knuckleheads) felt like a huge ass. And yes, I hope that fans will rally around Ray & keep him in the competition for awhile!
@Heidi – I just went and found that tweet of Benji’s. Weeeeeird. The only thing I can think of is maybe Dmitry “borrowed” some of Benji’s choreo for their jive – the tweet before is complimenting Chris’ quickstep, and then the mysterious “blatantly copying my choreography & concepts” tweet…Petra & Dmitry were the ones right after Chris & Cheryl. I guess it would kinda make sense – Benji & Dmitry were on the same season of SYTYCD, so maybe Dmitry bogarted some of Benji’s moves. Wouldn’t be the first time that one of Dmitry’s routines wasn’t 100% original work. Whatever Benji was referring to, I think it just made him sound kind of…well, bitchy. And like a bit of a diva. All choreographers “borrow” from other dancers at some point – that’s how certain dance moves get spread around.
LOL Lori! I loved the way you ranked them by costumes!!!
There was some speculation (by me and others) that he was talking about Mark, because Mark’s choreo was so much more distinctive than the others last night, but yeah, Dmitry has borrowed from others before in a more blatant way than just a move or two.
BUT, Benji is an idiot. One or two moves doesn’t constitute a dance or the whole of the choreography. A dance is how you string all the moves together with the music and how you execute it. If he doesn’t know that by now…well, that explains a lot, doesn’t it? Guess what Benji – Dmitry is a pro on DWTS and you’re NOT…so perhaps you’re not all that. Just sayin’.
Re-watched in fast forward with various stops while having my oatmeal break (great oatmeal btw). Princess Heidi, yeah oh yeah re your thoughts on the judges. They obviously know that the field must get reduced – why not make the fans be responsible for this section? But from my re-watch, the scoring is so early season versus later. Just asking, do you think they are suppressing a Nicole or a Jennifer? Or is no one standing out that much like season 10 or 11 (when Carrie Ann fawned all over and pretty much ordained the winner)? Another question: Is this gig harder to pull off with the judges for a married pro versus a single pro?
This isn’t the first time that Benji tried to trash one of the pros on the show, does anyone remember Season 4, with Julianne? He got upset with her, because he said she stole a move of his, and wrote a blog or something on…. his myspace? And his mom and Lacey also got in on it? I think one of them, Lacey? deleted her blog, defending her brother. I remember that, because the whole thing was brought up and rehashed when Lacey started on DWTS, people used that incident by Benji to say that Julianne HAS to hate Lacey, because of her brother….
@Lori – I sometimes have to wonder about that whole Schwimmer clan – they seem to get themselves into an awful lot of spats over very minute things, and then feel compelled to blog, Tweet, bitch, and moan to whoever will listen about it. I vaguely remember the Benji vs. Julianne feud (dumb), and I also remember the Lacey vs. Lauren Gottlieb feud during the SYTYCD season 3 tour – another thing that got blown wayyyy out of proportion because Lacey talked about it nonstop on her Myspace. And if I recall, her mom got involved in that one too! Ai ai ai. Sometimes I feel like Lacey & Benji are two peas in a pod – bound & determined to be rebellious, entitled, and often incapable of handling conflict maturely. Maybe it’s the whole “our dad invented the west coast swing and everything we do is unique and original because of it” mentality. I don’t know. But it just kinda gets…annoying. I wish they didn’t feel the need to take to Twitter/Myspace/Facebook/etc. anytime they feel “wronged”.
Nothing wrong with what Mark and Chelsea did-great entertainment. Derek did similar routines with Nicole and they are among DWTS’s most memorable. I think this season we will see again what a great dancer Mark is. Tony and Maks can do the traditional ballroom strides; Mark, like Derek and personality aside, can really dance IMHO.
Which dance of Julianne’s caused issues with Benji last time? I remember there being a “thing” about it but for some reason I can’t remember which dance it was.
What a strange night. I do not have much to say. Judges seem to have an outbreak and, as usual, helped some and hurt others. But that’s how the show is. So I’ll go to my power rankings:
1.Ralph & Karina: This was undoubtedly the best jive of the night. These two are simply wonderful. They are always cheerful, energetic and enjoying the show. I love the fact that Ralph aren’t ashamed of perform. He is very friendly and it just has to encourage him. The Karina’s choreography was perfect, energetic, fun and with all the traditional steps of jive. And Ralph managed to deliver it. What more can I say? Judges must be crazy to criticize him so much. Obviously he still has to improve some things, but all the drama of the judges on him was unnecessary. And seriously, where are the 8 on their score??I saw couples earning better scores and were not as good as them, this is ridiculous. I would give them a 23. But since they have the highest score and Ralph appear to be very popular, I dare say they’re safe tonight. And I think we’ll see them for a long time in the competition.
2.Kirstie & Maks: I really liked their quickstep. It was a good dance, pleasant, cheerful and energetic. Kristie might not have gone as well as last week, but despite this I think I liked her better this week than last week. Perhaps the lack of confidence has muddled her a bit, but I love seeing her joy when she dances. I loved the fact that Maks has not made esay the choreography, he put all the traditional steps. I liked their quickste better than Chris and Cheryl’s quickstep. I’m loving the connection between Maks and Kristie. I think they deserved a 21, but it will not be a problem tonight, they have a good score and a huge popularity. I’d say they are safe.
3.Chelsea & Mark:I think this was the best jive of the night. And I really don’t understand what goes on in the mind of Len and Carrie Ann. I think it’s totally acceptable that they require a traditional dance, but judging a dance “without looking it” just because it seems non-traditional is something ridiculous and unacceptable. Their dance was not just fun and full of entertainment, was full of content and had all the traditional movements of jive, they just added contemporaries steps. For the first time I liked the fact that Mark broken the rules, he knew how to do this without taking away the essence of jive (even if the judges do not realize it). I think I don’t to say that they were underscored. They deserved at least a 21.
4.Hines & Kym: It was a good performance, but was not the best. I enjoyed Hines more last week than this week. But even then he was gracious. He executed the steps well, but he was a little out of tune with Kym. And I thought the choreography could be a little more energetic, but otherwise was a good performance. I would give them a 21, I though tthey were a little oversocred since Ralph and Karina had a better presentation and had received a lower score. I would venture to say that with the good score that they have and their good popularity, they are safe tonight.
5.Romeo & Chelsie: What a beautiful quickstep! These two were wonderfully well last night.Romeo showed a huge improvement, he still needs to drop some more, but he has lost much of his shyness, which is great. He also still needs to refine his footsteps, but anyway it was a great presentation. If he keeps improving like that, I think I can see him going far in the competition. I would give them a 22. And since your score is good I would venture to say that they are safe.
6.Chris & Cheryl: Wow, what a pleasant surprise. Chris has improved a lot. I did not expect his quickstep was so well executed as it was. It was a nice dance. His steps were clean and well executed, and his posture was great. Cheryl did a traditional choreography, but with entertainment. I did not love, but I really enjoyed it. I think Chris can really improve in the coming weeks, and I’m dying to see it. I think I’d give them a 21, maybe a 22. I thought two 8 a bit too much.
7.Ray & Anna: I admit that their jive impressed me. It was full of joy, fun and energy. Ray seems to be having a great time and the joy it brings to the dance floor is incredible. He has been hardworking enough, but it seems that judges are not taking it into account. I think he still needs to improve some steps, but I see a big improvement from last week. I think they deserve an extra point. I would give them an 18.
8. Mike & Lacey: I’m surprised, I did not think he could go so well this week. Not that he’s a great dancer, far from it, but he got much better than it was last week. And he really seems to be struggling. He also seemed to enjoy it enough last night. I liked the choreography, music, and he hit the kicks and flicks, this is very good. Nevertheless, he still seems very robotic, but seeing his effort this week I think he could improve a lot. I would give them a 18. Unfortunately it seems too late for them. They have the worst score and perhaps the worst popularity, which sucks. I would like to continue seeing them for a few more weeks, but I think they are the top candidates for elimination tonight.
9.Petra & Dmitry: Ok, what I have to say about them?? Well, I can say that Petra was better than I expected and I was amazed that she performed well the kicks and flicks, but there was something odd with the rest of her body, something was wrong. The problem is that they are a couple off, totally forgettable and that’s a big problem, especially when they don’t have good scores. And I think they’re a little boring. I like to see that Dmitry is enjoying being in the show again, but he needs to show more energy. For me an 18 was a good score. I think they are in a big trouble tonight. They do not have good scores and not a high popularity and this added to the fact that they are forgettable may lead them to an elimination tonight.
10.Kendra & Louis: To me they were the disappointment of the night. I’d really like to know where the judges took the view that she had improved from last week?? Really? Their Quickstep was nothing impressive, it was too slow and boring. To me it seemed they were just running from one place to another and forget the kicks and … I think the end is not far away from them and even venture to say that they may be in trouble in the elimination today. Let’s see, maybe their score will save them. I think an 18 was good enough for them.
11.Wendy & Tony: For me this was the worst dance of the night. Wendy was a little better this week, but still was very bad. Everything was very slow, it seemed that they spent time walking all dancing on the dance floor. The music was much faster than what they were doing. The choreography was bad, the steps were bad … Tony needs to realize that just putting a few traditional steps will not make the choreography look better. And you know what’s worse? It’s the fact that they do not seem to care to continue the show. This annoys me a lot, because I see people struggling to improve and continue on the show and seems that they are not giving adamn. Plus, they are also completely forgettable.Sometimes I just do not forget them because they were very bad. I really wish they would go out tonight, but I have my doubts. Apparently she is quite popular, but I still have hope that people realize that they do not care whether or not to continue on the show.
Let’s see: Taking into account the score of last week added to this week score and the popularity of participants, I think that the removal will be between Petra, Mike and Wendy. For me they are the most at risk. Petra is at risk because she hasn’t a good score, and people tend to forget her. I wish that Wendy were eliminated tonight and I think she has great chances, but still get the feeling that this is the end of the line for Mike. Anyway, I’m in doubt which one of these three will leave.
Bye for now.
Kisses from Brazil.
All I can say is that if Dmitry purloined moves from Benji, he sure isn’t very good at it. I found his and Petra’s dance very average and routine without much more sparkle than was on their costumes. 😉
I think much of Petra’s problem is that her body just doesn’t want to move the way it needs to move for ballroom dancing. My friend made a comment last night that her hips don’t move well and I figured that if my pelvis had been as damaged as hers was, my hips wouldn’t move AT ALL! So I think that has a lot to do with her lack of ‘snap’ and ‘dazzle’. And she’s just quiet. 🙂 And on the subject, it took time last season for Derek to come to grips with Jennifer’s physical limitations, and I don’t think that Dmitry is anywhere near Derek’s calibre as a choreographer and teacher, so I doubt if he ever will!
Well, Jay, I don’t think there’s anyone to suppress really – Chelsea will be a very good dancer, but Ralph and Kirstie are wonderful from a personality aspect, as is Chris – and Hines will make a run for the trophy. There wouldn’t be much point to intentionally keeping anyone one of them down, but I can see why they want to make the field level and have the fans pick.
Then sometimes I wonder if we give them too much credit for thinking and planning. 🙂 Maybe they just go with their gut on a given day.
Yeah, buttercup, that’s usually a reason to mess with Len – to stand out, to have people take notice. I’m just wondering if he’s doing it too soon – you know if you keep doing that, Len will just get meaner. She’s in no danger of going home, from where I sit and he might need to seriously break rules later in the competition when she’s seriously competing with Hines, Kirstie, Ralph, Chris and other very well known or large personalities. She doesn’t have Petra’s or Kendra’s issues of a blah personality combined with a quiet or annoying pro (well, I find Mark annoying at times, but not nearly as bad as Louis), and she doesn’t have Mike’s or Wendy’s inability to dance.
It’s like having an ace in the hole and playing it too early. You won’t have it later when you need it even more.
On playback, I think Hines did a really good job. He’s got great chemistry with Kym, and his choreography including the backwards ronde de jambe that Bruno mentioned was difficult for a beginner to do, and the footwork was probably the most difficult of the Quicksteps last evening. He is a little messy in spots but the overall dance was well executed.
I love that Kym is not only keeping it traditional, she keeps the “spirit” of the Quickstep intact.
Mark however ambitous with the Wade Robson contemporary piece with Jive thrown in routine lost the spirit of a jive, and therefore the momentum of the dance.
I know everyone has their own view but I personally don’t see DWTS as a place where traditional should be highlighted. That said I loved Kym’s traditional Quickstep but it worked mainly because of their chemistry. Cheryl and Chelsie also went the traditional route with Chelsie adding in the required “young and sexy” moves. I found both routines a bit boring. So I’m thinking it’s better to go the untraditional route unless you have great chemistry to keep people interested. I felt the spirit of Jive in Mark’s choreography.
Yo, Nathan!! Ive been trying to save Petra too!! – high fives –
Heres how id rate the stars!
Ralph and Karina: I though they were underscored this week but 21 is still a good solid score on week 2. They are very likeable and Ralphn has great fanbase so id say they’re very safe.
Kirstie and Maks: GO KIRSTIE!! I thought her Quickstep was good…she did start to wilt in the middle but then she came back and went out with a bang! SAFE
Hines and Kym: Thet danced both weeks and they’ve got Steeler Nation behind them so id say SAFE.
Chris and Cheryl: Whoa! What a suprise with this Quickstep!! If he keeps this could he make the final 5??? SAFE
Romeo and Chelsie: Another suprise! He really let loose and just danced this week and it paid off too!!SAFE
Chelsea and Mark: ther two couples that i felt the judges really used as punching bag tonigh and they are one of them. Mark really went over the top on costuming but what could we expect ( Anyone remember the monkey suits??? ) this was a very diffrent Jive and it IS two early to go all. weird…but there was actually some good REAL Jive in there too. I think they’ll be safe but i bet the producers will make sure shes one of the last standing on the floor just to try to worry us. Pathetic 🙂
Petra and Dmitry: For me this Jive was alot better than i expected. Petra DOES have real potential and I still think shes a saint as Courtney said previously so I actually think when you add in sympathy votes, likeability votes, and guy votes ) like Nathan and I 🙂 ) she’ll be safe this week. I just hope they dont get lost in the shuffle.
Wendy and Tony. Yay!! We finally saw the real Wendy this week and I hope with time she’ll come out even more. This Quickstep should og gotten atleast two points higher even if it could have been bouncier. She seems to have a pretty good solid fanbase from the Wendy show and ya know stuff. 🙂 I think SAFE.
Sugar Ray and Anna: These two really got used as a punching bag. Yes, his kicks and flicks could of been sharper but this Jive did not deserve a 5. Ray has got potential yet untaped in my opinion and a great teacher in Anna BUT I dont know id he’ll last long enough for that potential to come out. 🙁 HOPE SO!!
Kendra and Louis: First ill say this. Its hard when people set a bar for you that is higer than you can meet right off the bat ( including your partner who is just lucky to be on this season because Derek is filming a movie or else he would be sitting at home pouting right now pouting while watching daytime soap opras whose name I will not say – breaths – :). BUT these two are easily the most unlikeable couple, for me anyway and given that she was given the dreaded 2nd to dance loser spot ” Shannen Doherty anyone? ” that aint a good sign for these two. Im gonna go out on a limb here a say these two might just be in the bottom two if not i ” shock ” elimination. With only a 5 pont spread it aint unheard of at all so im very excited to see Heidi’s numbers post 🙂
Mike and Lacey: Hats off to Mike for really trying this week and hair dye bottles open for Lacey. 🙂 Mike actually had a few darn good moments and he did improve over last week but it would be hard to get worse unless your Master P :). Most of this was still very awkward and stiif though and unfortanantly these two i think these two had already dug there grave last week esspecialy when you add in the ” Who the heck is this guy with no pants on factor?? ” the only diffrence is last week he was going out in a wooden casket and maybe now an imatation marble casket. Does that make any sense? 🙂 Love all your thoughts and rankings guys!! Vogue and Lori! Love your posts too. 😀
I agree Mark and Chelsea can’t keep playing the unconventional thing without really pissing off Len. BUT it’s not a bad idea for them to play it once right now near the beginning to make people take notice, and then switch over to more traditional dances. Then if they need to do it later in the season, they can do it again. But not back to back definitely. 🙂
The only thing that threw me off on Mark and Chelsea’s jive were their costumes. It was too much of a distraction along with Mark’s eyeliner.
I really miss Derek! He would have been great with Kendra.
Zach DITTO and I’m loving everyones rankings and thoughts too!! 😉 Marcela from Brazil Welcome!!!
I have no idea who “stole” Benji’s choreography. I can’t think of anything significant Benji has done, that wouldn’t be anything typical of any style of dance. Plus I wouldn’t even call him a ballroom dancer…
I completely agree with these rankings. I’m not sure why the judges were so harsh on Sugar Ray and Anna either. Maybe it was because they went first and the judges were expecting other couples would do better, but I really don’t think they were much worse than anyone else in the end. I’m thinking there are couples who are more likely to be eliminated before them though, so they may have another chance.
Where did Chris come from?!! He wasn’t even on my radar last week, and this week he is my favorite. I loved everything about that dance. And what a huge personality!! So fun!
I just love Hines. His smile, his energy – and the fact that he’s with Kym – I could watch her all day. My close second favorite, although I thought he looked a little to rigid at times.
Ralph: I did not see what the judges were talking about! I thought their jive was fantastic. Isn’t the jive all about frenetic energy? I was lost with the judges’ critiques.
Mike: So hot and funny and making such an effort. I don’t want him to go home. I thought he improved greatly over last week. Bless his heart – he’s just so pigeon-toed! He got all my votes. I’d much rather see Wendy go home than Mike.
I have no opinion on Ray or Romeo. They just don’t stand out for me.
As for the women, I did not have an issue with Mark and Chelsea’s modern jive, I just thought she didn’t do it very well. Her timing seemed off and she was sloppy. I couldn’t stop staring at her legs and feet because of those god-awful tights.
I have nothing new to add about Kirstie. She surprises me with her ability to move so well and I love her humor on the show (I thought she would be really annoying). But I agree with the judges and the other commenters on here regarding her energy levels last night.
I love Petra. I think she is poetry in motion. Her technique is not the best but she is improving and she is so lovely on the dance floor. I had very low expectations for her last night but I thought her dance was good! She was sharp! And I like Dimitry with her. I hope she stays around for a while.
I hope Wendy goes home. I feel no connection to her whatsoever. And Kendra. Send her home too. Although both did improve a bit last night.
Ofcourse i ment to say Hines and Kym danced GREAT both weeks. I really should of gone over that post and done more corrections but it was an incredibly lengthy post. Btw id = if on Ray and Anna’s write up. 🙂
I found a link about the other time the “copy cat” allegation was thrown around: http://www.rickey.org/?p=3420
ck410, THANK YOU for sharing that and clearing up the great “You copied my choreography!” debate of 2006. 🙂 Now it just makes Benji look like an even bigger ass. Bitching & moaning because Julianne borrowed some steps from a routine that Benji himself didn’t even choreograph???! Jeez-ass. Does he think just because he performs a certain step that everyone else subsequently performing that step must pay homage to the fabulous Benji Schwimmer before executing said step? *emphatic eye roll* If anyone had even the slightest reason to be pissed off, it would be Alex Da Silva, the choreographer of that mambo routine – and even then, he’d have a hard time finding a legal leg to stand on (side note: here’s an interesting blog about copyrighting choreography. Sounds like an awful lot of grey area!), since there’s no laws prohibiting a choreographer from borrowing a few steps from someone else’s routine. No matter though, because Alex is currently incarcerated, so I doubt he’s going to be pursuing any legal action against Julianne anytime soon 😛 And I hate to break it to Benji, but people were doing that leg-spin thingie long before he did – I’ve seen it in several salsa clubs. Moral of the story? Benji loves to throw self-important tantrums.
I used to like Benji but after learning about the Julianne one today I’m no longer a fan. He can mess w Dymetry all he wants but Julianne is a 100 times better person and dancer than him. In a side note, iff I had to choose the encore dance it would be chris and cheryl. If ones from last week r options then kirsite and maks.
Thanks, ck410 and Courtney…
Reading those made me remember…. After Benji bashing Julianne’s choreography back in season 4, there was a little “thing” on “sibling day” in season 7…. Remember that? Benji and Lacey danced in the results show, to Brad Paisley, he did Derek’s SLIIIIIIDE…. while claiming that the cartwheel thingy that both Julianne and Derek do was invented by him…. Then Alec and Genya Mazo danced together, and later, Derek and Julianne in the first Design a Dance….
I don’t think I mind it when dancers borrow. Except when they get all P**** about it.
I totally agree with you on the people being underscored (Ralph, Sugar Ray, Chelsea). I think the encore dance will end up being Romeo, but I wish it was Ralph because I thought that jive was excellent, and it would give him a second chance to make things sharper.
@Beth – The general consensus seems to be that either Romeo or Hines will get the encore, but I’m actually leaning towards Chris – the way the judges faces were lighting up when they were critiquing him, I think he’s a shoo-in for it. They seem to love giving encores to contestants that no one expected to do well, but they ended up being good…The Situation’s foxtrot last season & Chuck’s samba in season 9 come to mind. Neither was a particularly high-scoring dance in their respective weeks, but both had been low-scorers and came out with strangely entertaining routines.
Both last week and this week, Mark’s choreography seemed to showcase Mark not his partner. As someone who knows absolutely nothing about Chelsie except what I see on DWTS, I remember Mark but can’t even clearly picture Chelsie’s face or performance. Also both nights, I found myself puzzling, “that’s a foxtrot? or that’s a jive?” So frankly I thought they were over-scored last night. Great routine for SYTYCD but not DWTS.
Ralph, Hines and Kirstie seem to be the ones to beat right now and I thought had the best performances. Chris, Romeo, Mike and Wendy all showed improvement. I felt the first three are reasonably safe, so I gave my votes to the most improved. Both Chris and Romeo seem like they can give the front-runners some competition. I definitely hope they make it through to dance some more. I don’t think either Mike or Wendy will make it too far in the competition but I wouldn’t mind another week or two.
I voted for Petra last week but the performance this week was not as good. She looked uncomfortable after the skirt and hat came off. I also voted for Ray last week and probably should’ve this week as well. I enjoy seeing him dance. I agree with those who think he’s been underscored.
Kendra’s pre-dance packages have left a less than positive impression on me. I wouldn’t miss her if she’s the one that leaves tonight.
My favorite thing of the night — Kym’s costume! Hines’s costume complimented it beautifully. She and Hines together created a memorable, romantic couple. The costumes added a wonderful touch to a lovely dance.