PureDWTS DWTS Juniors, Season 1 – Week 7 Live(ish) Blog!!!
It’s “Time Machine” week, which is basically the Juniors equivalent of “decades” week on regular DWTS. Songs and dances here, spoilers here. Sorta-spoiler: this is basically the semifinals, because everyone who makes it through tonight goes to the finale. No elim next week.
Thoughts headed into tonight: I think the right bunch of kids are left, based on their performances so far this season. As little as Kenzie does for me, she’s one of the better dancers. Not sure I agree with preponderance of Dance Moms fans that think she’s a shoo-in to win, though. If the results of this season of regular DWTS are any indicator, there are factors at play beyond dance skill that determine who wins…
Nice little opener from the pros. Cute how they did a segment with each couple that corresponded to their decade. Too bad that song has been grossly overused within the context of this show.
Miles & Rylee up first. Miles actually seems to have a pretty good idea of what the ’50s was like. And he’s probably gonna kill this jive…though he does look a bit winded in rehearsals, bless him. Miles is now rattling off facts about Disney, frozen dinners, etc.
WOWWWWWW. Lindsay did not go easy on them with that choreo, and they nailed EVERY. LAST. STEP. And they made it look easy! Miles is extraordinary. Technique was SPOT ON.
Mandy thinks Miles “is here for the win”. Adam says it’s “down to the wire, and [Miles] seized the moment”. Val says “Miles Brown” funny, and thinks Miles has “soul”. He also praises Rylee for being a strong partner, and says “you can’t teach that soul” re: Miles.
Miles talking about the Lakers being in Minnesota in the ’50s, and color tv being invented. They get 9, 9, 10 – for once, Adam gets it right and the other two judges miss the mark. That was ABSOLUTELY a 30-worthy routine. I’mma be pissed if another, less technically-perfect routine gets higher than that.
Junior troupe appreciation moment: why do these kids seem ten times more charismatic than the current adult troupe? 😛
Still not sure how “Call Me Maybe” fits with an 80’s theme. Something about the way Kenzie talks reminds me of Nan, Jamie Brewer’s character on American Horror Story: Coven. Like she’s got some sort of secret that she’s trying not let slip.
This is taking awhile to get going. And too prop-heavy. Kenzie & Sage are handling it well, but this choreo looks like Gleb went on YouTube and searched “80’s jazz”. Feels a tad formulaic at times.
Adam thinks Kenzie’s “giving it 100%, but isn’t letting go”. I kinda agree – feel like she’s always in performance mode, while the other kids are LIVING their dances. Val thinks she’s “an amazing dancer, period” but implies that Kenzie didn’t seem “inspired” by her performance. Mandy thought it had great jazz content, and makes Val demonstrate a hitch kick, but thought there were a few “bobbles” on the turns.
Sage talking about having to learn how to use a pay phone is maybe the most I’ve heard him talk all season. They get 9, 8, 9 – probably about right.
Mandla & Brightyn up next. Mandla is so sweet & soft-spoken, but lights up on the floor. Wish he got more love from the judges.
Something about wormholes…
That was actually really dramatic, and Mandla had some pretty impressive shaping. Maybe got a tad wishy-washy on some of the sharper arm actions, though.
Val notes the same – some areas where he hit the paso hard, and others where he didn’t so much. Mandy reminding everyone that Mandla has “no previous dance experience”. Which implies that others do 😉 She loved the shaping and thought it was great. Adam thinks what Mandla’s done “with no dance experience” is “absolutely incredible”. Really hard-selling the “no dance experience” angle this week…hmmm…
They get 8, 8, 8 – I probably would have thrown a 9 in there, but probably about right in the grand scheme of things. Funny how the Juniors judges have no qualms scoring tough when a routine doesn’t cut the mustard, but the adult version judges cop out and give 9’s & 10’s when 7’s & 8’s are deserved…
Alanna makes a cameo with the troupe! Jordan and Frankie join in doing the Macarena. Glad she’s such a good sport 🙂
Ariana & Artyon up next. This should be interesting, considering they haven’t done a ballroom dance yet. Ariana tells Artyon he smells like popcorn. And Brandon can’t get them into frame. Ohhh buddy…
Song’s a skosh slow for a quickstep and there’s little to no body contact, but beyond that – it’s actually a very cute dance with a lot of quickstep content. Dare I say that Artyon actually may be a bit better at ballroom than Latin, technique-wise…?
Mandy loved it. Adam knows quickstep can be challenging, but praises them staying on-time. Val says quickstep is tough, Ariana is a star, yadda yadda…might have Frankenstein’d his critique together in post, it seems ramble-y.
Ariana & Artyon’s costumes might be my fave. You can tell they’re feelin’ themselves in their 40’s gear 🙂
They get 9, 9, 9 – and I agree. Not quite as solid as Miles & Rylee, but definitely better than Mandla & Brightyn and Kenzie & Sage.
Sky & JT are closing the show. I have a feeling they’re probably going to slay this…
Love how plucky Sky is: “Our dance is in the 1920’s, so it’s gonna be really cool!” Interviewer: “What do you know about the 1920’s, Sky?” Sky: *blank stare & grin* 😛
It was a fun dance and they sold it well, but not sure there was a ton of actual Charleston in it. Miles & Rylee still the best dance of the night for me.
Adam says Sky should be proud of how she’s become a “role model” on this show. Val believes in Sky and thinks Sky has “it”. Mandy says the Charleston is her favorite, but wants Sky to focus on being ON the beat, rather than in front or behind it. Sky gushing and being thankful and making my house dusty again…need to change the furnace filter…
They get 9, 9, 9 – I would have thrown an 8 in there, because I felt like Ariana & Artyon were better, but otherwise…score’s about right. Elim after the break 🙁
Frankie’s mic cuts out…or they edited out sound. Hmmm…we have no sound.
Leaving us tonight: Mandla & Brightyn 🙁
Still can’t hear Frankie, Jordan, or anyone but the crowd. Poor Mandla doesn’t even get a decent send-off. Sky is bawling, but Mandla seems to be handling it very gracefully.
See you next week for TWO dances from each couple!
Loved the intro!
Loved Miles’ jive. I think Rylee is great, but she overdoes it quite a bit, though and pulls focus.
I think Gleb’s choreography is not helping them. When comparing what he put together versus Lindsay, his seems weaker. Mackenzie just goes through the motions. I don’t connect with her like Sky, Miles and Ariana.
I have a question. Are the two boys in the troupe both ballroom competitors? I know that Reese may have trained in ballroom but would 100% consider herself a hip-hop dancer before she’d consider herself anything else, and I remember you mentioning that Makeila was a last second change.
Could that difference in training help the junior troupe and pros be more comfortable in front of cameras, especially given how hip-hop/contemporary/etc. teachers are now having the performance parts of their classes filmed and put on YouTube?
I saw very little 80s-related dancing in Kenzie’s dance. And I agree they took a long time to get into it. So did Mandla though. And was that Gangsta’s Paradise, or am I imagining things?
@Justin – To my knowledge, all of the troupe members are cross-trained in multiple styles. Daniel from the troupe tried for WOD as a ballroom competitor.
Looked it up – apparently Gangsta’s Paradise is a sample of a Stevie Wonder song (Pastime Paradise). Makes a bit more sense than doing Gangsta’s (or Amish) Paradise.
The dance to Call Me Maybe reminds me of the group freestyle from the all stars season, which I think is the best group dance in history!!!
@Courtney – That makes a lot of sense. It leads me to believe that they’re all quite comfortable performing in front of a camera, which is something I can’t say about all of the troupe or the DWTS pros when they first started.
Loved all the dances so far and would give them all tens….saying that, I loved that Macarena moment the most out of everything this whole episode thus far. More fun like that in the mothership show please. Costumes are kinda not wowing me tonight thus far.
SIdenote: I really think Frankie’s is having the most fun out of all the adults. He is just loving it
I love sky and jt but I kinda feel like they iverscored her by one point. I think I wouldn’t have given her an 8
I love Sky & JT. I really hope they win. Sky is adorable and she is so happy be there with Alan & JT. She is a great dancer and really sells the programs so well. She doesn’t want to let Alan & JT down? 😭
@Vin – Agreed. Frankie is having a blast and it’s adorable 🙂
At this point I know who my two favs are: sky and miles. They are the ones that are wowing me the most in an already incredible group of dancers so I’m cool with any of the other s winning as well. but as for mandla….I wasn’t surprised but at the same time I think he kinda had a feeling he was going home. He didn’t seem surprised like Cheryl seemed.
I like Sky, Miles and Arianna, but I’d kind of like Sky to win. I remember her from Little Big Shots, and she’s a pretty good dancer.
Just a little bonus-Akash posted a video on youtube of the camera blocking of his Time Machine number! Looks like a cha-cha but not 100% sure!
To be honest, I personally liked Mandla’s paso and thought it was underscored- but there were some parts where it could’ve been better. Now that I think about it, I just thought it was funny on how paso dobles are always low-scored.
Sky and Miles have always been my favorites, but I had a feeling Sky would’ve been voted off prior to the semis since her dancing was not quite at the highest level yet. I’m super glad she’s improved so much these past 2 weeks. Honestly she was matching the troupe fairly well and that’s a huge compliment for someone with no prior dance experience.
Honestly at this point, I would be happy if anyone other than Mackenzie wins. MUCH better final group than the adult version this season.
I love Sky just as much as the others, but I agree with you. They overscored her this time around. She killed it with what Alan gave her, and that’s where we have to praise Alan. He ALWAYS makes Sky the star of the dance, and JT does so well of not overshining her. So even the simplest of dances seem great, but she’s doing a good job of catching up too! (and no, this dance was not simple, of course, but compare to quickstep? and Miles’ jive?)
@R2M: It was a 60’s/70’s themed salsa, with some Elvis-styles moves.
I had always been Team Kenzie but Gleb really dropped the ball with this dance so Sky has become my winner pick. I do agree that this is a much better final 4 (heck even final 5) than the normal season, but I don’t see production for the main edition taking any cues from the Juniors.