PureDWTS Season 18, Week 8 – What We Know About the “Duo Dance” So Far
Admittedly, this came out of left field for me – I was almost certain they were going to be doing the trio dances this coming week. So imagine my surprise when, last night, Tom announced this elusive “duo dance” that will pair up two couples, have them dance on the floor at the same time (with their partners), and then just the celebs dance with each other (without their partners). And in true DWTS style – it seemed like most of the pros had no idea what it all was about, and they probably still don’t. Thanks, Conrad. 🙂 Gotta love these little parting gifts he’s leaving…
So what do we here at Pure know so far? Well we know for sure that these are the duos, per Deep Throat:
Amy & Derek with James & Peta
Charlie & Sharna with Candace & Mark
Meryl & Maks with Danica & Val
ETA #1: Small update; confirmed with Deep Throat that the pairings were, indeed, random – LITERALLY drawn out of a hat immediately after the show, and the couples were told to “draw again if they pull their own name”. Pretty low-tech 😛 We may get to see footage of the picking on Monday. And this duo dance idea was a last-minute decision out of left-field – even the pros didn’t know about it when it was announced. I guess there was a flurry of questions after taping wrapped and many of them were confused about whether they were going to be dancing WITH each other, or against each other (more like the face-off dances). Gotta love TPTB, always keeping the pros on their toes…
ETA #2: For those of you asking if Amy is going to be dancing on Monday or not – we have some info! You can read about it here.
ETA #3: So here are the dances each of the duos are doing…
Amy & James – jive
Charlie & Candace – contemporary
Meryl & Danica – samba
Overall, I think the dances they gave each duo make sense – each duo got a dance that both celebs really did well with. And I’m told that Meryl got to draw her duo partner first (out of a mirrorball, of course, and the partners were written on little mini half-mirrorballs) and she picked Danica & Val on the first try…so it really was the universe that wanted them together 😛 Charlie picked second, and Amy third.
ALLEGEDLY, these pairings were picked randomly out of a hat…although I find it a bit convenient that the Brothers Chmerkovskiy coincidentally ended up together again. Then again, with only 6 couples left, there was a 20% chance of it happening. But I digress…
We don’t yet know for sure what dances they’re doing, but here’s some clues:
*James & Derek were overheard talking about doing lifts in contemporary & salsa…so it could be one of those two dances.
*The producers assured Meryl & Danica that they would NOT have to dance in-hold for the portion of the routine that they dance together – so my best guess is that they have a dance that doesn’t specifically stipulate dancing in-hold (i.e. jazz, contemporary).
*Deep Throat thinks that each duo’s dance is a dance that either BOTH of them have done before, or NEITHER or them have done before.
So based on the assumptions made above (and keep in mind, everyone seems a little wishy-washy on the concrete details of this dance), here’s some possibilities for each duo’s dance style:
Amy/James – salsa, contemporary, jive, or paso doble
Charlie/Candace – cha-cha, rumba, jive, contemporary, salsa, waltz, Viennese waltz, or paso doble
Meryl/Danica – jazz, contemporary, salsa (maybe)
Court’s thoughts: Now that I look at this list, I’m almost sure that all three of these duo dances are going to be “extra” dances (i.e. salsa, contemporary, jazz, etc.) in order to minimize the amount of dancing the celebs have to do in-hold, as most of them are used to following instead of leading. It’s going to be hard enough dancing with someone you’re not used to dancing with – why make it any harder by sticking them with a dance like quickstep where they have to remain in-hold the whole time??? I think Meryl & Danica have an edge right off the bat, since they don’t have to do ANYTHING in hold – so basically, all they have to focus on is synchronization, which should be a walk in the park for Meryl and is likely not gonna be a huge struggle for Danica. Amy & James will probably do fairly well as well – James may have to be a bit careful, as he’s used to throwing Peta around like it’s no big deal and Amy is a bit more delicate; but I assume Derek will probably have some creative stuff up his sleeve to help them successfully partner and hide any of Amy’s weaknesses. The Candace-Charlie pairing worries me a bit, to be honest – Candace JUST got over her nerves when performing, and now they’re throwing a new partner at her. She’s also probably the weakest dancer left, technically-speaking, and the judges seem to have a fondness for raking both of them across the coals…YIKES 😯 I have a hunch we may see some burlesque-type jazz from Meryl & Danica – I’m visualizing corsets, fishnets, top hats, and maybe some props. Very Fosse.
So what are your thoughts on these dance duos so far? We’ll continue to update this post as we find out more! 🙂
I’m hoping jive for James and Amy they both did REALLY well at that and we wouldn’t have to worry about him throwing her around like Peta.
Candance and Charlie really?? are they trying to bury this guy for sure?? I may have to throw him some votes next week. 🙁
Meryl and Danica hopefully without the obnoxious 80’s hair and stupid shorts. I know everyone is talking about what Peta did or didn’t wear last night and what an eye soar it was to watch her but Meryl and Danica’s hair last night really was annoying and hard for me to watch (and I grew up in the 80’s) 😛
On paper, the C-bros pairing seems to be the most stable for slowly inching to the MBT. Even the hat conveniently says so!!!
I can see underscoring x2 again with tongue lashings for both Charlie and Candace even if they manage something good. I just hope they don’t give us the “they are both in jeopardy”. This is getting so predictable.
If Derek manages to choreograph Amy and James, we could see something good, and it won’t be just another creative way to deprive your body of clothing.
Amy/James- Really like this pairing. I wouldn’t say they have an advantage, but they’re the only pairing that doesn’t have to deal with any traveling which I’m glad about as I think Amy picks things up with more time/practice. If they were talking about lifts, I’m hoping it’s some sort of Jazz (I know Jazz wasn’t on the list for them you have above but I don’t think either of them have done it?) My favorites of the pairings as I’m rooting for both of them.
Meryl/Danica- Definitely seems fishy that they’re together as well, but oh well. Being that they’re females and wont have to dance in hold for their part together, I think this section will be popular and get the judges excited. If they’re in sync that is…
Charlie/Candace- Seems like the paid that’s going to struggle. They have shows on Sat/Sun this week and I think him not being there for practice might throw candace off even more than the usual nerves. I’m hoping they have something like contemporary that Candace can feel more confident in and both can shine.
Ah wonderful, another opportunity to pimp the Chmercocky bros and their partners. To make it even more fun, Lord Conrad’s minions pair up the two unlucky buggers who constantly get skewered by the judges. God forbid we actually do the sensible thing and pair Meryl and Charlie which is not only what their fans have wanted to see since the cast announcement, but also would allow them to rehearse their Duo Dance while they’re on the road together.
Pairing Candace with Charlie is the next best thing to having her dance with another pro. Charlie knows how to partner like nobody’s business; it’s his stock in trade. He’s spent the last 17 years mastering the skill. So Candace scored huge!
Charlie, on the other hand, gets the weakest dancer which is a perfect way to ensure he ends up at the bottom of the leaderboard next week. Anyone want to bet on which 2 couples will be “in jeopardy” next week?”
I’m not particularly worried about James and Amy. They’re both solid dancers and I trust James to be careful with her. He might be a typical 23-year-old goof when he’s just chillin’, but he’s a strong and mature young man when he needs to be.
Have I mentioned that I’m really starting to check out of this season?
Epiphany: can we please call Meryl & Danica “Team ‘Merica”? 😛
Should be interesting… on afterbuzz julz said (if I understood it correctly) that the teams would dance together for 20 seconds, then the celebrities would dance 20 seconds together, with the teams finishing the last 20 seconds together again.
I wonder if Derek/Amy or Peta/James were ruled out for Charlie/Sharna or Meryl/Maks right off the bat due to travel requirements that would not be possible because of previous commitments, medical issues (Amy’s back-may need physical therapy?), etc?
Thought that they might do the easy thing by pairing Maks/Meryl and Sharna/Charlie, but that is actually a minefield.
YES PLEASE!!! I will refer to them at Team ‘Merica going forward.
Happy to get to see Derek working with James. I had really wanted them to be on the same team but that dream was a bust but here’s my second chance. I have seen a few video clips and social media exchanges between them which leads me to believe they have a freindly/fun relationship. Then again with the type of guys they are how couldn’t they get along with each other?
Someone on Twitter just reminded me of what Henry said on Afterbuzz last week – that he had been working with Meryl & Maks on something “upcoming”. He does have more of a jazz background than either of the Chmerkovskiy bros…maybe he was helping to choreograph this duo dance? If so, I think these pairings might be a little MORE predetermined, and a little less “random” – especially since James & Peta seemed fairly certain in the press line that they were with Amy & Derek. I almost wonder if they knew the pairings before last night’s show even started…
THE HAT has spoken!
It’s Team ‘Merica for the win next week.
I suppose Henry wasn’t talking about being in Maks and Meryl’s salsa last night?
Yes, Cidra! Lets hope that Candace and Charlie really do well and it backfires on TPTB! That would be karma!
I am really starting to hate the C Bros. I’ve always thought they were cocky and full of themselves and this season confirms it. I resent the producers pushing them down my throat like I can’t decide on my own.
I bet Danica is eliminated Monday night.
Do we know if the duos are going to be scored as a whole or the couples will be scored individually?
I’m guessing as a whole, but don’t think that has been confirmed yet? Idk.
Nothing like the old wishy-washy we don’t really know but gonna make you do it anyway thing!
Thanks, Court (#5) for trying to add a touch of levity to this thread. I’m hoping I’ll find my missing sense of humor sometime tomorrow. Right now it’s still absolutely AWOL.
So Team ‘Merica gets their dance choreographed for them two weeks in advance by Henry, who knows a damn sight more about jazz choreo than the 2 Chmercockys combined. Between the 2 of them Maks and Val have half a brain, but four times the ego of any single human being. They’re obviously willing to do anything this season for a Fam win.
Lydia (#13) from your lips to God’s ears!
If I remember Maks correctly from his and Meryl’s interview with George On The Red Carpet, he seems to think they’ll be scored as a whole; but heaven alone knows if that’s really how it turns out. I’m sure Jimmbboe is right and TPTB haven’t figured it out yet.
I’m running down the line here reading and commenting, so apologies for the consecutive posts.
I got the impression from afterbuzz that the competition is against each other-so it would be who dances the dance better between for example, Derek/Amy and James/Peta, and scored accordingly by the judges. But I could have misunderstood.
Thanks for the inside info Court.
Based on the suggested dances, I assume Meryl/Danica will have to do a style never done before, say jazz, while the other teams will probably go with dances they’ve already done. James/Amy could do a fun jive, while Candace/Charlie could do a cool contemporary.
I guess it could work out well for everyone. Last year’s side by side came out pretty good, with most pairs looking great as far as I remember. Another nice think is that the pros in each pair seem to mesh well together.
When Tom first announced this, I thought the whole point was to have Meryl/Charlie dance together. But I guess that’s too easy. Are the other 2 couples really going to travel next weekend too? The show must have a nice travel budget. 🙂
@Leesa- I haven’t listened to Afterbuzz yet, but from what couples were saying on the red carpet last night they made it sound like they would be getting one score together (similar to team dances)
Regarding Henry’s comments from Afterbuzz – I’d be surprised if M&M found time on Tuesday last week to not only practice for team dance and individual dance but also for a dance 2 weeks in the future. I assume when Henry said upcoming – it was for the Salsa dance – he just didn’t want to dish the details about being in it last week. That is just my take though …
@Jackie-aha! Thanks for the clarification. I must have not understood the idea correctly. In that case, each foursome will have issues then, mainly medical-Amy’s back and Danica’s Rib. Disparity between team abilities might be Charlie/Sharna and Mark/Candace’s issue.
@Leesa (#24), if Charlie and Candace are allowed to dance contemporary, I think they could do something halfway decent. However, my guess is TPTB have other plans for this unlucky twosome. They’ll either give them something neither has danced or if they give them something they have done, it will be rumba, which neither of them had much luck with the first time around.
@Heather (#21), somehow I can’t imagine the other 2 couples will be traveling with Meryl/Maks and Charlie/Sharna. That means they’ll only be able to fit in about the same amount of rehearsal time they got for the team dances this past week. Probably not a big deal for the Chmercocky Clan, but it could make Candace an even bigger nervous wreck than she already is. As for the remaining two-some, with Amy’s injury, it’s hard to imagine they’ll get in much rehearsal time either.
I got the impression from some of the interviews that they got to choose partners (and I’m guessing it’s a little bit too unfair to pair Charlie and Meryl together due to their history), so maybe Meryl picked to dance with Danica instead. I have no insider info, just my impression 🙂
Frankly imo if tptb give Charlie and Candace contemporary, that would be ideal for them. That was probably one of Candace’s best dances, and although Charlie did mostly lifts in his dance with Sharna that he probably can’t do with Candace in this dance, he’s very graceful and light on his feet – contemporary is probably the closest you can get to ice dancing. I feel like they would probably be consistent though – either all new dances or all dances they’ve done before? maybe not though…
Hm I can see a fosse style jazz for Danica and Meryl happening. That could be cool, if Danica and Meryl are in sync. If that’s the case, that’s probably a blessing for Maks because he’s probably not that good at jazz given that he hasn’t done this style very often.
Henry was in Meryl & Maks’ salsa dance, so maybe that’s what he was talking about last week on After Buzz (about doing something w/ the two of them)?
If Meryl & Danica get contemporary or jazz, this could be a good thing for Maks since he can’t choreograph (& dance) either styles & now he won’t have to worry about choreographing a non-ballroom dance until the freestyle. How convenient…
It sucks that there’s no trio dances this season, I always looked forward to them.
I believe Maks tried to say that Meryl picked Danica, but it looked to me like she thought he did. I’m more inclined to believe the latter.
I hope Amy is okay, and I hope for the jive. I look forward to seeing how James works under Derek. Peta has been going a bit astray so this will be really good for James.
Figures that Team Merica will have it the easiest. This keeps getting better, not.
This season seems chaotic. Four judges makes for a different personality a week. The different dance combinations having the group dancers included. It seems to be more show styles and less ballroom. I wish Maks would calm down the dance content. When he does slow it down, he and Meryl are beautiful . Thank goodness NeeNee and Tony are gone.
Amy really has a lot of obstacles to handle. The foot motion or lack of, the back injury, multiple dances and she appears to have struggled with the emotional side of the physicality since the beginning. I think the sports psychologist could help her. Derek has his hands full and as always is compassionate and supportive and guiding.
I like seeing Maks, Val, Derek and Mark work together. Sharna’s good heart shines through in her eyes and actions. James and Peta are cute. I miss Emma and want to see more of her.
Charlie needs to dance alone more. He is too trained at being the supporting partner. He seems to let loose a little when not touching a partner. Sharna has done a beautiful job with their choreography. I keep wanting Sharna to give him about 4 good shots of whiskey before he takes the dance floor and then turn him loose!
Oh for Christ sake, more backhanded compliments. Ugh.
Amy announced on her twitter that she is doing the Argentine Tango.
James & Peta said they’re dancing the Viennese Waltz on Afterbuzz.
Candace & Mark said they’re dancing the Foxtrot on Afterbuzz too.
Meryl & Maksim said they’re dancing the Rumba on Afterbuzz.
Charlie & Sharna are dancing the Quickstep.
Danica & Val are dancing the Tango.
Mary, that’s an interesting point you make. Part of Charlie’s role in his partnership with Meryl is make sure the lifts are pulled off flawlessly, so he is a fantastic partner for sure. We saw that in his contemporary dance with Sharna. But don’t forget that for a little while even after Meryl and Charlie teamed up for ice dance, Charlie was still doing singles skating. Charlie, like you said, can definitely handle some solo choreography imo. That would be cool to see!!
I think that we are looking at this line up for team dances because it was mentioned that the celebs are doing TWO unlearned dances this week. This really narrows down the options of dances that neither celeb in the pairings have done so far…
Meryl/Danica: jazz
Charlie/Candace: waltz or viennese waltz
Amy/James: salsa
So what happens if, God forbid, Amy isn’t cleared to practice this week?
Does this mean that there won’t be trio dances this season? Or will they still do it? Does anyone know?
I really like the idea of these duo dances. It, like the switch, will either work really well or be a train wreck.
Charlie/Candace: He could actually be a really good influence on her! He is just so fun and easygoing, it might help calm her nerves. And they have Sharna, who is an excellent choreographer. I am certainly not counting them out. And both have really good ballroom dances, so maybe we will see a turning of the tables this week. I hope.
Meryl/Danica: Fam, Fam, Fam. I think this will be a good dance – these two have good chemistry – and having Henry choreo a jazz for them would be very helpful. I have high expectations for these two.
James/Amy: This is the biggest wild card. First off, what to do if Amy can’t dance? Would they have another female pro fill in, and have James dance with three pros like in Side-By-Side in S16? Or would they find a way for him to dance with another star? Even if Amy can dance, she will have a very interesting time with James and the two of them learning how to work with her legs. At least Derek will be there to help. I think this is the one dance that could either be awesome, or a total train wreck.
Court, while I do trust the integrity of Deep Throat, are we 100% sure these are the pairings? I mean, DT hasn’t been wrong yet this season, but maybe they were reported wrong and are camouflaging the real partnerships?
You’re about a day late and a buck short, Adam – we already announced that on Heidi’s post.
We also announced it in the Media post with all the Afterbuzz and On The Red Carpet coverage. *sigh*.
I would love a Viennese Waltz for Charlie and Candace as their duo (quartro?) dance. That would be really lovely. I don’t think we’ll get it though.
Team name for Charlie and Candace- Team Candie
Team name for Amy and James- Team Jamey
Candace seemed to say that she still isn’t doing the V Walt and seemed a bit sad about it, because that’s the one she wants to do most in one of her interviews with Mark.
I hate to ask this but do you guys think that Charlie will be eliminated next week? It seems to me that the producers already decided that Meryl will be in the finals(if not winning the MBT)and they do not want anybody who could challenge it(excepting Amy of course).
Cheryl Burke when interviewed after they were eliminated said she was
pretty sure the finals will be between Amy and Meryl. If that is the case I hope Amy wins it.
I’m sorry, but I don’t believe for a second that the pairing of the brothers was coincidental.
I understand TPTB want to try new things and they love throwing new things at the couples when they’re exhausted and just trying to do their best every week. But this new dance shouldn’t be done with a guest judge sitting there. Especially the one that’s going to be there Monday night. It’s not going to be pretty.
Lacey Schwimmer filled in for injured Melissa Rycroft on Team Mambo dance the season Chuck Wicks was on. They didn’t count Lacey in the scoring.
Why am I not surprised that they’re not letting Meryl and Charlie dance together? That’s because if they did, it’d throw a wrench into their viewership for sure. I mean, everyone is going to just turn in to watch them dance together again — then most likely turn the television off right afterward. I know I would. The rest of the show has become a farce!
I can see two possibilities for this if the pairings are as we think:
POSSIBILITY 1: Charlie and Candace will be the ones in jeopardy. Huh. No surprise there, but my heart would ache for poor Charlie, who’s really been trying to stay a class act throughout this whole debacle, even if they’re very clearly throwing him under the bus.
POSSIBILITY 2: They’ll do a surprise ‘couples in jeopardy’ thing, and it’ll be Meryl’s turn to be at the supposed bottom. Then they kick Danica out — she’s injured, after all.
You just gotta love reality TV, huh?
I really doubt they’ll give Candace & Charlie a hardcore ballroom dance for their duo. As I mentioned before, I bet anything that the three dances all end up being “extra” dances – I’m leaning toward jazz for Meryl & Danica, salsa for Amy & James, and contemporary for Charlie & Candace. Kinda makes it more fair for everyone if they all end up with dances that don’t require a ton of in-hold work.
I have been scanning through this morning. Do we know for sure there is no trio this year? That would be a bummer, I always enjoy those.
Any updates on Amy’s injury?
Also for the duo I wonder if they will show Monday how they were chosen. If it was out of a hat I wonder if they show the names being pulled? I noticed some people mentioning that Henry worked with Meryl when he was on afterbuzz. I think that was him commenting on working with her during their salsa that involved the troupe. Does not mean he is not helping with this duo routine, but that was the impression I got when he made that comment last Tuesday.
@Cassie – No, we don’t know for sure that there is no trio, but they’re kind of running out of time to do one…we’re already in week 8.
I’d rather they do an undone dance rather than a re-do one. A re-do dance would be a case of been there done that for me.
So for that reason I’d prefer a Paso for Amy and James, a Jazz for Meryl and Danica and a Jazz for Charlie and Candace.
What an odd season this is. What’s next? The celebs have to partner with dancing bears?
Susan, Charlie has ready done jazz on Disney week, so I guess that wouldn’t count as unlearned/undone. I think it really depends if they are going to make unlearned/learned a factor. I agree though that they probably won’t give a straight up ballroom dance to the celebs.. That could be really bad.
@Susan2 Charlie already did Jazz! 😮 If anything, he and Candace should do Salsa.
And “lol” at the dancing bears! think we should just leave that to Miley Cyrus though. 😛 maybe next season all the celebs have to dance with the judges, and Tom and Erin and even Ray Chew. And the camera guy. Because why not? …..
I think ballroom would be difficult enough if we had three average males and three average females competing. Instead, we have a girl/girl pair, who really can’t do any kind of dance in hold, and Amy and James, where James would have to learn to partner Amy, which I think would be difficult for someone who has never done so before. Amy is an amazing dancer, but she isn’t anything like Peta in movement or ability. So I can’t see them getting ballroom. Which would leave Candace and Charlie, and if only one couple got a ballroom-type dance and the other three didn’t, I would cry foul at TPTB big time.
I personally don’t care whether the dance has or hasn’t been done before. I think that it would be cool either way, because dancing with another star adds a whole new dynamic.
I would have been more suspicious of the TPTB if Meryl & Charlie were paired together than the C-bros.
I’ll miss the trios if they are skipped this year.
Thanks Courtney!! I always enjoyed the trios as well. Always cool to see who each team picks for the extra pro and they always come up with some really unique dances (whether the judges like they or not).
I hope they show how the couples were decided because if they show names out of the hat then I can’t imagine anyone would buy the brothers were paired up by an unrigged hat pick. I don’t mind them together. I think it’s great but don’t play the public for fools. Silly folks, tptb.
Eh even if they show us a hat and picking out of it still doesn’t prove to me anything meh!
Sorry, I’d forgotten about the Mary Poppins Jazz.
I think why I leaned toward Jazz instead of Salsa is because after Latin night, I’m all Salsa’d out at the moment.
Does anyone know if Amy is going to be able to perform? I’m so excited to see James and Amy dancing together!
Although I am not big on conspiracy theories, it is beginning to seem as if Conrad is trying to run this show into the ground before he leaves. I think the most telling of how “not” random these picking were is that both Meryl and Maks seemed to think the other did the picking. Now I didn’t see that interview but am assuming the commenter here is right. I would say too that the After Buzz posting is really great. The show is an hour long but it wasn’t PC and Anna and Chelsie were pretty much spot on. If you have a minute or an hour…lol, watch it.
Amy’s blog was somewhat ominous as she didn’t sound too sure about whether she’ll be able to dance on Monday. She said she has to decide by 2 PM today and I’m assuming that has to do with the duo dances. If she pulls out of the competition they’ll need to give the remaining couples time to rehearse for whatever they replace it with (maybe just a second dance?).
First off, I’m sad it’s not Meryl & Charlie as a Duo. Okay, I’ve shed my tear.
Amy & James – can’t really get excited about these two because even if Amy gets cleared by the doctorsto dance, I have a feeling (or s desire) that one of them will be eliminated this week. If Amy has to withdraw from the show, James will probably get a troupe member as a fill-in and how fair is that?!
Charlie & Candace – I’m probably most excited for this pairing because….just, because.
Merica – meh. I know they’ll kill it, if the brothers don’t kill each other first.
Lynne, I think part of the reason why it was so confusing in the interview whether Maks chose the partner, or Meryl did, or they both did, or tptb chose was that I guess they weren’t supposed to reveal their partners so Maks said they chose a couple to dance with, and I guess Meryl was going to start to say who, and then Maks was like we aren’t supposed to say so Meryl just kind of cut herself off.
Oh no, poor Amy. We will hold our breath until she makes that decision. I wonder what happens if she needs to pull out? Do they change everything?
Also I can get behind the two male/female pairings. The Meryl and Danica just seems weird when the two of them will be “dancing together.” Obviously the male/female pairings can do some of it in hold, while Meryl and Danica will just have to kind of dance around each other. I don’t know…. If I had to choose between this and the trio or even the side by side (with a pro couple) I would not choose this concept.
Since I popped home during lunch, I caught part of Access Hollywood Live. They had Derek and Julianne Hough on to discuss/promote their live dance tour starting at the end of May-The Move On tour, I think it is called. Derek was asked about Amy, and he didn’t look all that positive. Said that they would be finding out today as to her options. Also sounded like they had not done much, if anything for this next week’s competition.
I hope Amy is able to continue, as she and Derek make a really great team, and are fascinating to watch. It would be really, really crappy for her to have to pull out due to injury.
Angela, as fun as it would be to see the C-bros strangling each other, that never happens. They have mock arguments where they threaten to go complain to their mother about each other 🙄 (mama’s boys much?) but The Fam always sticks together (because the world is out to get them, you know).
They also threaten to “tell on” each other to their mom & dad, and call each other “gondola captains”. 😛 God, I wish I could find that clip…
Wait – found it:
#58 Although I am not big on conspiracy theories, it is beginning to seem as if Conrad is trying to run this show into the ground before he leaves
Actually, he has literally dug the hole in the ground and now he’s covering it up with dirt. Lots and lots of dirt.
If he thought exiting this show with 3 Gold Medal Olympians as contestants would be all Mirrors & Glitters, boy was he wrong.
I love Charlie & Meryl the Olympians. I don’t care for Meryl the reality star puppet for Maks. Nor do I care for the way the judges have treated Charlie. It’s not as much about the scores, as it is about the comments.
Wow, the brothers got each other out of a hat pick. Maybe it’s meant to be they both go to the finals. Unless of course Danica gets voted off next week which I’d rather she stay over
James. I loved that clip of the bickering siblings.
So upset for Amy but hope no matter what she does that she is physically going to be alright in the long run. Lovely and amazing example of the resilience of the human spirit.
When will we know if Amy can dance? Because that could really change the face of the competition.
I almost wonder if Meryl and Danica will be split up, and if Danica will dance with James and Meryl with either a troupe member of Charlie, or vice Versa.
Here blog mentioned she needed to make a decision by 2PM, I assume PST. Also I wonder if she can even announce it or they will make her wait until Monday on the live show. Obviously they would have to shuffle things, and I am sure “Deep Throat” would know well before time and Courtney would let us know.
IF Amy doesn’t dance I’m sure they’ll leave the announcement until Monday like they did with Billy Dee.
If she has to pull out (which I really hope doesn’t happen) than I guess Candace and Danica will be fighting it out for the finals.
@Aviva
Amy said by 2 PM today she has to inform the show. See quote below from LA Times
“Tuesday, I went to see a chiropractor in hopes of some relief and he found that a rib had moved a bit. He popped it back in place, which felt a lot better, but pretty quickly it popped out again. He reset it again, which was no fun, and so far it’s held in place. Knock on wood it will stay that way. I am feeling better now, but far from good.
I’m hoping for a good bit of recovery today. I’m told I have to make the call on if I’m dancing or not this week by today at 2 p.m. I’m doing everything I can to help make that happen but there’s only so much I can do. For the most part I just need some time to heal. Unfortunately extra time is not something I have a lot of these days.”
Good Lord, having a rib popped back into place twice. She is a superwoman but I don’t want her to cause permanent damage to herself for a glittery dance show. Many prayers to Amy.
Odds are that we won’t find out until Monday. Even when Billy Dee had to withdraw, he and Emma were still rehearsing all week as if they were planning on staying. A lot of times, only a select few know ahead of time when someone is withdrawing…
My guess is that if by any chance Amy pulls out and cannot dance on Monday night, James would probably join either Meryl and Danica or Charlie and Candace. It sounds odd and it just sounds like another round of Team Dances again but if the whole purpose of this was to see the celebrities dance with one another then this kinda makes sense. Of course it wouldn’t be duos anymore but still. Having James dance with, say, Derek and Lindsay, would just be odd seeing as he would be the only celeb in there. Idk, just my two cents of specularion. I could be totally wrong though. I also have some confidence that Amy will be able to dance on Monday. She’s a trooper. But I also do not want her to be dance in pain and risk a more serious injury. Darn 🙁
And adding to my concern for Amy she would have to do an Argentine Tango. Which would mean sharp movements and potential lifts that could hurt her. Ahh 🙁
Darn. That’s impressive to have it not leak until Monday (Billy Dee and Emma) by having them show up for rehearsal the rest of the week. I’ll just keep praying for Amy all week.
I almost wish, if she has to withdraw, they would switch to the trio dance but they probably won’t change it.
@ Ashley, I agree, change it to trios if Amy is out.
@Courtney wow, I can’t believe they made them pretend to rehearse! I guess a few more people might know this time since James/Peta would be effected with her pulling about.
How does a rib pop in and then out? I don’t understand that. And how has Amy’s injury gone from being a muscle spasm to something so serious that she might have to withdraw? I really hope she is ok and this is not going to stop her.
If Amy is still in enough pain that she would pull out of the competition, would she actually be able to go to the studio to “rehearse”? I figure if she quits, she’s in too much pain to fake it.
I don’t think I can wait until Monday to find out. I need to psych myself for that kind of disappointment now! Like others, I want her to do the right thing for her body, of course.
Seriously, wow. I mean muscle spasm is quite a bit different than broken rib! I want to see Amy continue, but I don’t want her to get hurt over this competition! I think what one pro (I don’t remember now) said is really true: everyone was giving like 200% in the first weeks of competition and now almost everyone except for like James is injured in some way. I guess it’s really a marathon rather than a sprint in the sense that it’s also about who can keep injury free as well as dance well.
@CC, I agree. Argentine tango could make the injury worse especially since ATs usually have lots of lifts and complicated & intricate step sequences! I hope it works out though because Derek choreographs some of the best ATs and it could really be amazing.
If Amy can’t dance, then what? The duo dances make no sense, if that happens.
First time watching the show from the beginning and gotta say; thank you for all the information, I check this site all the time! However, it seems like everyone is so anti Maks. Honestly, even if you hate Maks don’t take it out on poor meryl. Anyway I just came to say that meryl and Charlie’s only SOI shows this week are on Saturday and Sunday so they won’t have to leave until Friday which means that Danica and Val are most likely not traveling with them.
Haley, if you want to continue posting here, the first thing to learn is to not talk about what other people choose to talk about.
Could we please call James & Amy….”Team JaAmy?” PLEASE???
I believe in answered prayer, and I believe she is in the dance show for a reason and TPTB in heaven will see Amy through this amazing journey to give others like her hope for their future.
I also believe that Derek will do everything in his power to help Amy get well and encourage her as I feel they both have a spiritual strength they share. Rest and therapy may be all she needs to get back up on that horse and ride the wind to a successful journey’s end. Best wishes to Amy.
Didn’t Derek put Maria in Cryotherapy tanks two years ago? She seemed far more wounded/injured than any other contestant in the show’s history..broken ribs, broken foot(IIRC) Hopefully, another day of rest, and she can get back to dancing. I’ve said prayers for her recovery and if she can’t dance, well, she had a good run 🙁
@KellyK
I am not familiar with Cryotherapy? Could you enlightened me, please?
Cryotherapy is essentially a good form of injury prevention or treatment where you use low temperature (almost like freezing) to treat benign and malignant lesions. It can decrease inflammation, pain and spasms, and promote vasoconstriction. I think it could be a good idea for Amy to do this, and maybe Danica too since they are injured right now. I know Maks took Meryl to cryotherapy yesterday or something according to the DWTS twitter page.
KellyK, Amber Riley also did cryotherapy on Derek’s recommendation.
A broken rib? Ouch!!!
If Amy is injured that badly, I hope she decides in favor of her health more than anything, reality TV and glitter balls be d*mned.
And if there would no longer be duo dances — eh? Trios then? I can’t imagine what yet another sudden change would do to Candace, poor girl. Or maybe that’s the point … hmmm.
#87…@Leeann
Thank you for explaining that for me, appreciate you all so much.
#88 … @Meggie
I do remember Amber was in therapy a lot with her knees. I don’t remember hearing it called that, but it sure sounds like it would be good for both Danica & Amy if they haven’t already done it.
Maks put a picture of him and Meryl before going into cryotherapy on his twitter…I was confused. Glad to know what it is now. He said its the best for injury prevention. I guess it couldn’t hurt right?
Thanks for the update with Amy. Good to know she’s feeling better.
Thank you for the update on Amy!
😀 :DD O*-)
Go Amy Go, Go Amy Go……….!!!!!!!
So excited. It will be the best show next week no matter how she’s able to perform. I love her spirit, and it’s an Olympic-winning one at that. She gives me such inspiration for any lame challenge I could possibly have in life.
Thank you baby Jesus, Mother Mary, Holy Father
YAY, thanks for the updates ladies. I figured you somehow would get the inside scoop. Glad she is doing well and hopefully she will able to get a little rest and then get some rehearsals in. I am sure she knows her limits being an athlete and would never do anything that could permanently hurt her.
Glad to her Amy is doing better 🙂 Looking forward to seeing her Argentine Tango. I am wondering if Derek will take out lifts in order to not risk any further injuries. Whatever they decide to do or not to do, I am sure her dance will still be a good one. Yay Amy!
Great news that Amy is feeling better. I agree Cassie, While I’m not surprised she’s planning to dance because that’s just the way Olympians roll. I also have confidence that as an elite athlete she knows her body extremely well and woldn’t risk doing anything that could result in long-term damage. Now I just hope Derek doesn’t overcompensate and end up hurting himself. After all, he’s got neck/spine issue. So he needs to be sensible too.
Happy to hear she’s feeling better and praying that she continues to do so! She’s is a fighter! I just have so much respect for her & Derek! Through their massive challenges, they display such strength and grace!!
If she can get through this dance, I think it will be an amazing performance!!
Go Amy & Derek!!
Thanks for the update!!
Hey mods/anyone who has been watching the show for awhile: is there a special way they score people who are injured (badly)? Do they take it into consideration at all? I know Amy will kill it despite her injury, but it’s also understandable to me that because of said injury the dance might not be 100% what it could be if she weren’t injured (ie: dancing more reserved to avoid furthe injury, not so many lifts and stuff because of the injury or whatever modifications that are necessary). Thanks!
I am very glad to hear that she is feeling better, but what happens if her injury gets significantly worse later in the week? What will that do in terms of results? Would she have to withdraw at that point? Mods, what do you know?
Aviva, we’re just passing on what we’ve heard…and we’ve told you everything that WE know. I think common sense dictates that, if Amy’s injury were to worsen, then she might not dance. We’re just saying that, at this point in time, things are looking optimistic for her dancing Monday night.
Thank you… <3 Jesus for always hearing the heart of your faithful. All praise and glory to you. Amen.
You go Amy girl….don't let anything stop you or get in your way. You have the best friend and teacher anyone could be so lucky right their by your side with you on your journey! You and Derek take care of each other and can't wait to see your A. Tango next Monday. Love you both. <3
Thank you for the UPDATE.
#91: I believe Maria Menounos introduced Derek and the others and the others
A virtual practice? Leave it to Derek to figure it out. I would bet ABC is doing everything to help too since she is clearly a favorite this season.
For me personally, I can’t compare Maria or anyone else in the cryotherapy treatment to Amy who has no lower feeling below the knee. The cryotherapy can do so much but only Amy’s mind and spirit can make the bottom half do what it used to.
Amy is unique and a winner.
Rose, I’m sure “a virtual practice” can mean a number of things, but I immediately thought of what Tristan did when Dorothy was unable to rehearse prior to her having to withdraw. I believe one of the female pros rehearsed Dorothy’s part while she watched, and I think they also recorded it. Come to think of it, I believe, last season, Derek gave Amber some video to watch and learn from when she couldn’t practice because of her knees.
No spoiler or insider info, just a guess…
Could meryl/danica have a paso?
Neither did it before and that is a dance that I can see suit two females, they can both do a bit in hold with maks/val, and then I can see it coreographed as a sort of face-off dance-off situation?
…If we are to believe tptb are getting behind meryl this would be again helpful as it would give her a chance to demonstrate two very different sides to her character on one night(her other dance being a gentle rumba) and compliments could/would fly all over the place. Plus I think a paso could be easier on danicas broken ribs as well than all the other options.
It is true that Derek gave Amber videos to watch, however Amber had been taping the rehearsals with her phone all along and she made the comment that she learns better by watching. I remember Derek talking about when her knees were bad she would go home study the videos and come back and know the routine. That is amazing.
@DWTSGossip is reporting that the Duo’s will be dancing dances that both celebrities have danced before. Where does that leave everyone with their options?
@Dominique If that is the case that could mean that James and Amy can dance (excluding ballroom because I don’t think they would go for ballroom dances): Contemporary, Salsa and Jive. (my guess Salsa)
Charlie and Candace: Rumba, Jive, Contemporary, Cha Cha. (my guess Jive)
Danica and Meryl: Salsa, samba and cha cha cha. (I don’t even know…)
charlie+candace : contemporary, jive, cha cha, rumba (quite a few possibilities actually)
amy+james: contemporary, salsa, jive,
meryl+danica: foxtrot, samba, salsa, cha cha.
it looks rather boring to me with these possibilities. especially since its already week 8 and there are so many wonderful dances they havent done so far.
Annie – I agree in that there are a lot of dances I feel like we haven’t seen yet. I still can’t believe we have only seen 1 Paso and there are no planned for next week. Are we going to have like 3 Paso’s week 9?
My ideal selection for each duo:
Amy & James: Jive
Charlie & Candace: Contemporary
Meryl & Danica: I guess Cha-Cha? Doesn’t matter that much to me between Samba/Cha-Cha/Salsa as they each have the same basic vibe.
Salsa between Meryl and Danica could work. Don’t even think they have to touch lol they could just do some side by side choreography for however long they have to dance “with each other”. If they get the Salsa then I can see Amy and James get Jive and Candace and Charlie get Cha-cha (for some reason I don’t think they’ll give them a Contemporary.. just a hunch)
I don’t think Danica and Meryl would do salsa because they just did it this past week…
Hi guys, can you please explain to me what does “virtual practice” mean? & give me the example of how was “virtual practice” had to do with DWTS?
Spoiler alert
Sharna is on blogtalkradio and she said the second number is contemporary.
Guess my hunch was wrong hahaha. Exciting to hear that they have Contemporary though. Theirs was great and Candace’s was just as great. I liked Candace’s better because it was a lot of side-by-side choreo as opposed to Charlie’s and also because did not expect her to be so great during the first week.This Dance Duel should be exciting 🙂
Hm. Contemporary is good for Charlie – and Candace does pretty good lifts as well, so should be a good dance!
According to Sharna, the celebs only have to dance together for 20 seconds and then their respective pros join them.
I hope I heard that right but 20 seconds doesn’t sound like very long at all LOL.
@Kate: It doesn’t sound much, but just go back and look at James & Peta’s jive from week 3. From the point where she pulls off his tie to the end is just 20 seconds.
I know it would be completely unfair in the eyes of the other contestants but I would have LOVED to see Meryl and Charlie paired together for the duo dance. High scores aside, how cool would it have been to see them dance together? I think it would have been so interesting to see how the two dance together on the wood floors versus a rink. I know there would have been such a fuss and call of “rigging” but I’m still sad it didn’t happen. Can they just do it for fun lol? Either way I am interested to see all the duos interact and compete!
Kate (#115) Contemporary. Well that’s the first bit of good news I’ve had on Charlie all week. With just 20 seconds of celeb-only dancing, I hope they don’t try for lifts (or maybe just 1 simple one). They need to play to Candace’s strengths which was the side-by-side stuff. Charlie can do anything and she’ll feel more comfortable.
I want to be excited and positive about this development, but I’ve become so embittered that I’m always looking for how TPTB will strip the silver lining *off* the cloud. So when it’s all over, I wouldn’t put it past the judges to shake their heads in mock sadness and say “gee, what a disappointment. you were both so good in week 1, but this just wasn’t special; we didn’t see anything different and you haven’t improved at all.” and then twist the knife a bit deeper with low-ball scores (again).
@Leonie, most likely, the “virtual practice” was on computer. Since Amy wasn’t able to practice, they lost a couple of very crucial days this week, so Derek probably grabbed another pro female and created the choreography for their dance, filmed it, and sent it to her on the computer. So as she was able, she could watch again and again and learn the choreography before they had their first practice of the week.
🙂
It’s just a way to maximize things. Most of the pairs record their routines at practice anyway, and take them home with them for the celebrity to practice on their own time. Since they have so little time to learn the dances before the next show, it’s one way to teach and learn, so they don’t lose too much practice time. It’ll be easier to get through the routine and fix things that need fixing on a Thursday, when she’s already got the routine memorized.
Any word on how Amy’s doing? Her only tweet about her condition was “Heat, back adjustments, ice, rest, repeat.”
I was kind of looking forward to see how this works until I learned they will all be dancing a style they have already done. I want to see them dance different styles and Im sure the celebs want to learn different styles.
Im guessing they got rid of the trio dance because the troupe members/eliminated pros have been used in so many dances this season that adding one troupe member/eliminated pro in a dance is not that much different.
Hm. Very interested to see how Dania and Meryl do the Samba. I am guessing some side by side shimmy shimmy. Should be fun.. Amy and James doing the Jive sounds amazing. Amy rocked her Jive and James’ was pretty awesome too. Charlie and Candace both will create a great Contemporary routine and I hope to GOD they don’t get hosed by the judges.
I am so glad that Charlie & Candace is doing contemporary. Mark is a great contemporary choreographer and Sharna also has great choreography. Should be a good dance for them both.
Meryl & Danica Samba – they will both do well with Samba – as long as Danica’s ribs are ok.
James & Amy with Jive. They can both be very entertaining with the jive but just worried about how Amy is doing.
Good to know it isn’t all Latin dances. Thanks for the updates.
Two of these three dances make me nervous.
Charlie and Candace’s contemporary has the potential to be really good – this was each of their first dance, so they are both probably still remotely familiar with the concept. Sharna is an amazing choreographer, and Mark did very well with Candace’s choreo last time, so I have high hopes for this number.
Meryl and Danica’s samba could be good, but I’m not sure what they can do for the side-by-side part. I mean, they can’t really be in hold, unless one of them is taller enough in relation to the other that one can “play the male” and the other can be the female.
Amy and James’s jive makes me kinda nervous. Amy has AT as her first dance, and we have said on a few threads that the AT could be dangerous as it is a sharp, lift-heavy dance. That could be dangerous for her ribs. Factor in that James is going to have to get used to how to dance with her – with all due respect to James, I don’t know if he’d be able to adjust from the jive that he already did to dancing jive with someone like Amy. Of all of the dances, this one has the biggest trainwreck potential, IMO.
I’m very happy with the dance assignments as they favor Charlie/Candace and Amy/James , while putting Meryl/Danica at a disadvantage. Not only is samba a hard dance, but to have two females dance it side by side makes it even more challenging.
But I’m soooo ready to see a shuffle in the leaderboard!! This is the time for Charlie to shine, so bring it on!!!
If Meryl + Danica = Team Merica 🙂
Then
Amy + James = Team Jamy. Or Team Ames? :/ Yeah, that 2nd one doesn’t sound too good.
Charlie + Candace = Team Candie? Or Team Candlie? Chace?
Enough levity. I’m pleased Charlie and Candace are doing contemporary. Both did really well with it—I think it’s been Candace’s strongest dance. We just need to make sure they show growth with it, which I think might be hard to show with contemporary. eek! Now I’m scared.
Hmmm… you bring a good point Cidra (#122). Now, I’m not sure what’s better: to dance a style you haven’t made a big splash the first time around (e.g., Meryl) so that you have a chance to show growth? Or to dance a style you already impressed with, and bank again on the joy you created the first time around (e.g., Charlie, Candace)?
Can it be a win-win situation for all? Do the judges know how to play such a happy game?
Anna, I wish it could be a win-win scenario for all. Unfortunately, I don’t think the judges have ever heard of a win-win scenario, and TPTB certainly don’t believe in it. There’s no drama in a win-win. The last couple seasons it seems the only thing that gets their blood pumping is the drama associated with a good hosing.
BTW, I still don’t believe “the fates” paired the C-bros. We’ve all seen how mini mirrorballs magically pop open just before the favored celeb peers into the bowl to make her pick. 😉
You know, as the show has become more difficult to cast as time has gone on, being cruel to the contestants — especially one as sweet and accomplished as Charlie — might not be the smartest way to go.
I have a difficult time believing them too, Cidra. The fair thing in my opinion would have been to do the opposite of what they did for the team dance, that is let the lowest scorer pick a partner first and on up, but that would spoil the agenda.
I believe Charlie and Candace will be just fine and if Amy’s shoulder holds up, I am confident she and James will be too.
I think all 3 sets of pairs will do well with the Duo dance. Candace and Charlie will probably just do a lift or 2 together and that’s it.
Samba will be easy for Merica to do side by side.
James and Amy is the only questionable one now only due to her injuries. If she is healthy, they will be great too.
I’m more concerned about the judges…
i’m a little disappointed that the pairs are doing dances that they already have preformed before, but i do understand how it is necessary that they be familiar with the dance as they will be preforming without their professional partners for part of the routine.
I am interested to see how Maks and Val will choreograph a samba with two girls dancing alone, but I think they will do an amazing job!
Contemporary will be an advantage for Charlie and Candace. She is clearly the weakest contestant left and since contemporary technically has no rules and lifts are allowed Charlie can just carry her around while she poses. Heres to hoping this helps raise Charlie’s scores!
This will be a tough week on Amy with the AT and jive! Hope she is healing well
20 seconds really isn’t THAT long, so I think all three pairs will be fine. James will have to learn how to partner Amy effectively, because he has to be more careful with her than with say Peta, but otherwise this should be nice to see!
I have to say, I think Candace lucked out getting contemporary (and with Charlie, resident expert lifter of the season, no less lol) … she does pretty well with lifts (i.e: her vertical 180 lift in the Team Loca dance was pretty good), and there isn’t as much technique involved or rather there are fewer rules.
Since they are doing dances they have done before, are judges going to be looking for an improvement or whatever? It’ll be interesting to see how these pair dances are scored and whether it’s in terms of team performance vs. each individual dancer’s performance and improvement or a combination of both.
Also .. has it been clarified yet if the teams are dancing together for a single score or are they scored against each other (à la side by side type of challenge)? This new idea seems a little “half-baked” to me tbh haha
I really wish the duos were doing dances neither celeb has done before. What’s the point of seeing repeat dances with only 2 weeks before the finale and they all still have a number of unlearned dance styles?
I would have picked:
Amy/James-paso doble
Candace/Charlie-salsa
Danica/Meryl-jazz
Also, I don’t like that this season has been so light on standard ballroom dances. We are going into Week 8 and the most any couple has done is 3 (with Candace and Charlie each only having done one up to this point!)
Does anyone know if Amy has started rehearsing? I mean, it’s Friday… I’m really worried about her and Derek… With so little time to rehearse, I don’t see a good scores on Monday and I really want to see her in the finals, because she is incredible.
Cidra-134
The mini mirror balls opening to select the C-bros seems extremely fishy. What is this??? The Goblet of Fire?
Leann-139
To me, all the ideas that the TPTB have come up with have been have been half baked. 😀
How does Amy pick when she’s at the hospital? Anyhoodles, Merica gets a Samba? Okay, I guess that sort of fulfills my wish of M&M getting a Samba do-over. I think they could’ve killed it if they didn’t have to deal with the stupid Disney theme. I don’t remember Val & Danica”s samba – I’ll have to look it up. She probably wasn’t on my radar back then.
C&C get Contemporary?? Suddenly, not so excited about them. While they both did excellent the first time around, I’m not so sure about this time.
A&J are doing the Jive? Visions of disasters are in my head!
Well, Angela, she didn’t have to actually pick, because by that time, there was only one possible partner left for her: James. Had she actually been there, she would have picked third by virtue of her cumulative score this season. I didn’t think this would be such a puzzle for people to figure out…
…and I don’t know that you’re going to be as excited about ‘Merica’s samba when you hear the song they have 😯 It’s not what I personally would consider a
“proper” samba song…in fact, I’d rather have “I Wanna Be Like You” over this one…
[…] two, as you all know by now, is three sets of “Duos” dancing together. (:::sigh:::) The Duos […]
Court #144, I have a hunch that ‘Merica’s samba will be the least traditional samba we have ever seen on DWTS. It is a hard and weird dance to do as a duo. So I think not having a “proper samba song” fits this “not a proper samba”.