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BuzzJack Music Forum _ Television _ Dancing With The Stars

Posted by: Liаm 7th September 2017, 03:21 AM

Season 25's cast has been revealed and I think I might well watch, Sasha Pieterse *.* Also Frankie Muniz seems a surprise signing as I thought he was out of the limelight entirely. Nick Lachey reminds me how Jessica Simpson needs to do reality TV lmao, CBB shock signing plz x

As I'm back into Strictly this year I may as well get into another dancing show, it's fun to watch 2 X Factors simultaneously but English speaking countries have ditched it for The Voice

Victoria Arlen (Paralympic Swimmer)
Niki Bella (WWE)
Barbara Corcoran (Shark Tank)
Derek Fisher (NBA)
Jordan Fisher (actor/singer)
Debbie Gibson (singer)
Nick Lachey (singer, ex-reality star and ex-husband of Jessica Simpson)
Vanessa Lachey (model, Nick's wife)
Frankie Muniz (Malcolm In The Middle)
Terrell Owens (NFL)
Sasha Pieterse (Pretty Little Liars)
Drew Scott (Property Brothers)
Lindsey Stirling (Violinist)

Posted by: Meatball Cody 7th September 2017, 03:58 AM

Gleb's been getting decent partners lately so I'm really hoping that his choreography is up to par this season. It's looking to be exceptionally strong. This is also the third BJSC alum in a row he's gotten (following Jana Kramer & Erika Jayne).

I haven't made a pre-season prediction on Tumblr but considering before this season I'm the only person who seems to care ():
1.) Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas
2.) Jordan Fisher & Lindsay Arnold
3.) Vanessa Lachey & Maks Chmerkovskiy (barring that they don't get screwed over like with Heather)
4.) Nick Lachey & Peta Murgatroyd
5.) Victoria Arlen & Val Chmerkovskiy
6.) Sasha Pieterse & Gleb Savchenko
7.) Nikki Bella & Artem Chigvintsev
8.) Debbie Gibson & Alan Bersten (Alan's got killer choreo and he's a newbie so he'll land midtable at least, Liam forgetting this pairing doesn't give me too much hope though)
9.) Derek Fisher & Sharna Burgess
10.) Drew Scott & Emma Slater
11.) Frankie Muniz & Witney Carson
12.) Terrell Owens & Cheryl Burke
13.) Barbara Corcoran & Keo Motsepe

It's almost a pretty safe bet to predict Keo last as that seems to happen almost every time. Expecting Derek & Sharna to overperform and the Lacheys to underperform. I keep saying "this is Mark's year!!!" but now I mean it; with him taking a break for Jersey Boys (and getting married), he's had time to refill his creative juices. I want Artem to place higher than he has but I don't think that's happening now Pull through, Total Divas fandom!

Posted by: HarryEzra 7th September 2017, 10:23 AM

Omg Lindsey Stirling I really should give the series a go

Posted by: Liаm 7th September 2017, 12:42 PM

QUOTE(Meatball Cody @ Sep 7 2017, 04:58 AM)

8.) Debbie Gibson & Alan Bersten (Alan's got killer choreo and he's a newbie so he'll land midtable at least, Liam forgetting this pairing doesn't give me too much hope though)

I think it was bc I posted this at 4am when I was in that tired but can't sleep phase

Posted by: leewallace 7th September 2017, 01:21 PM

Sasha *.*

Posted by: Cody Lukasiak 13th September 2017, 02:25 AM

Posted by: Liаm 13th September 2017, 02:30 AM

Omg Lost In Your Eyes f***ing TUNE

Posted by: Jonjo 13th September 2017, 11:36 AM

FLEUR EAST GETTING THAT RANDOM US PROMO!!!!!!

Also, Nikki Bella

Posted by: Cody Lukasiak 15th September 2017, 07:15 AM

Edited the Week 1 Dances post with the remaining confirmed dances. I was right in guessing two of them but had no idea for T.O.

Also Julianne Hough isn't returning as a judge (still settling in to getting married?) but guest judges may keep a four-person panel.

Posted by: Cody Lukasiak 19th September 2017, 03:06 AM

OKAY LET'S GO PREMIERE NIGHT

Posted by: Cody Lukasiak 19th September 2017, 05:00 AM

(scores: Carrie Ann | Len | Bruno. Not gonna lie I hate the 30-point system, there doesn't seem to be that much differentiation between the good and the bad.)

https://youtu.be/GSIjbJdSJE0: Not bad but not necessarily stunning, I actually kinda found this forgettable, and that's scary for the first dance of the season. Len pointed out his heel-leading, which apparently is a bad thing. Really think Cheryl needs to step it up for T.O. to succeed.

Scores: 5 | 5 | 5 = 15. Not the best start to the season.

-

https://youtu.be/GLcwpF9s3o4: Honestly, I was expecting her to surprise, and I was delighted to see this. Not bad for Alan's first run through as a pro! Bruno mentions that she needs to stop hunching her shoulders and Len needs more contact. We also find out that Debbie has been battling Lyme disease for the past four years, and knowing what it does to your nervous system, I'm impressed.

Scores: 6 | 5 | 6 = 17. Kinda feeling that Alan is going to go down the Artem route in terms of placement.

-

https://youtu.be/q2Q7x-CL9eE: She grew up in a ballroom family (her parents were professional dancers!), but she herself doesn't have dance experience. She's seeing this as a way for her to get in shape for her wedding. I liked her dance and she was definitely fierce, but I did feel it get a little shaky in places. I do feel that she's a bit nervous. Looks like the judges are eating it up a bit, though Carrie Ann tells her not to get ahead of the music.

Scores: 6 | 6 | 6 = 18. This is naturally where Gleb is in the first week, not entirely worried but gotta vote like crazy. The PLL fandom will be with her for sure.

-

https://youtu.be/5zfdfX-Ip4k: He's getting married soon as well, and he's also applying some martial arts to this. I'm impressed by him! He did mess up in a few places (and Emma messed up on one part), but I had fun during that dance. Definitely invested in him.

Scores: 6 | 5 | 5 = 16. Geez, what is going on this season?

-

https://youtu.be/HxhTOg_1M8c: OMG LORDT SHE'S A COUGAR AND SHE'S CHECKING OUT KEO. I don't wanna deal wth another Robert & Kym situation. Lemme tell you, I don't know what the heck was going on in that dance. It was a bit cringy but extremely entertaining. She can do better with her feet and hips but HOLY HELL HER PERSONALITY IS ON POINT.

Scores: 5 | 4 | 5 = 14. Barbara keeps insinuating that she and Keo will get married, omg what a legend.

-

https://youtu.be/SR1m8RXLtjM: We have our token Disney alum after Jake T. Austin flopped. Currently Lindsay is feeling the pressure of doing consistently better every single time. They're dancing to Shawn Mendes and I get war flashbacks bc this was the climax of Davidgate. We're definitely not getting a repeatt of that, HOLY HELL THANK THE LORD FOR THIS PAIRING. SO FREAKING GOOD.

Scores: 8 | 7 | 7 = 22. FINALLY WE HAVE A CONTENDER.

-

https://youtu.be/OHL3J9cKNyg: Every 90's kid should know 98 Degrees, but that was the boy band that didn't dance. He was a lot better than I expected! Lots of energy, a little clunky but nothing that I didn't expect from the first week. Len wants him to do a little tweaking but he definitely loved it. Lmao @ him initially saying he never wanted to do this show.

Scores: 6 | 6 | 6 = 18. Okay that was a little better than Sasha's. Again, I hate this scoring system.

-

https://youtu.be/hzEwOHGMwDw: Motherhood is really giving her a new sight in life. Her cha cha was on POINT. Electrifying personality and extremely relatable, and I'm impressed with how legit this cha cha is. I love that Maks is getting solid partners this time - Amber Rose was just a blip.

Scores: 7 | 7 | 7 = 21. Round 1 goes to Mama. Maks wants a group hug.

-

https://youtu.be/X_1799xm6oM: Witney is back to getting Codys - this time Agent Cody Banks. THAT IS MY CHILDHOOD. After flopping the last two seasons (and a last place!), I think she's out for blood. Frankie better run.

WHOA. He nailed that foxtrot! Some of the dips could be a bit softer, but he was great in hold and they were graceful and elegant.

Scores: 7 | 6 | 6 = 19. Biggest surprise of the season so far! I don't wanna get too attached this time after Vanilla Ice though.

-

https://youtu.be/tlACd8CquRk: First off, let's take the time let this sink in - SHE'S JOHN CENA'S FIANCÉE. She also body slams Artem in the process but hey, first impressions, am I right? I gotta tell you, I was scared that this tango was gonna tank but they rocked it! Her main critique is for her to stop looking down. She's a WWE Diva. It's a habit.

Scores: 7 | 7 | 6 = 20. I hope that body slam didn't do too much to Artem, we love him!

-

https://youtu.be/d1sfKGZHx_E: Yup, Los Angeles Lakers. That's what I know him from. His parents love the show so much and tell him to watch ha feet - Len watches the feet. The opening was strong but the rest of the routine was a little bit meh. Lifts in Week 1; haven't seen that since Derek Hough. He also looked a bit shaky, but he's much better than Bonner was Week 1. Bruno wants him to work on his technique, and the other two judges agree.

Scores: 6 | 6 | 6 = 18. Looks like 18 is a baseline score this season.

-

https://youtu.be/0PcWsb3bKXQ: She was paralyzed for 10 years, won a gold medal in the Paralympics, and JUST LEARNED HOW TO WALK A YEAR AGO. Damn, now I see how Born Ready did so well in BJSC, such a hype song. She really hyped me up with this dance! She's crying, half of the audience is crying, Carrie Ann is impressed, she's on fire. She explains that she can't feel her legs, and it's helping her to trust Val more.

Scores: 7 | 6 | 6 = 19. Solid performance for the first week.

-

https://youtu.be/J1NN2s2_auQ: Finally, the one pro I've been waiting for this season! They already have so much chemistry I can't That beginning was SO GOOD, and she just kept it up! I'm glad Mark decided to give a legit cha cha this week, there always seems to be more with him.

Scores: 7 | 8 | 7 = 22. I know I keep saying that this is Mark's year... but this is Mark's year.

-

Next week: Two dances, two eliminations. Ballroom Night on Monday, Latin Night (finally!) on Tuesday, one couple eliminated each night.

Dance Ranking:
1.) Lindsey & Mark
2.) Jordan & Lindsay
3.) Victoria & Val
4.) Nikki & Artem
5.) Vanessa & Maks
6.) Frankie & Witney
7.) Nick & Peta
8.) Debbie & Alan
9.) Sasha & Gleb
10.) Derek & Sharna
11.) Drew & Emma
12.) Barbara & Keo
13.) Terrell & Cheryl

Posted by: HarryEzra 19th September 2017, 10:03 PM

I liked Lindsey the best but Jordan was the close second.

Posted by: #CodyDecides 22nd September 2017, 03:05 PM

Posted by: #CodyDecides 26th September 2017, 05:03 AM

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK1f1bOs9XyfjDsV3k94J2ve4Zck21Apw

(scores: Carrie Ann | Len | Bruno)

-

Debbie & Alan: She explains that she's determined to demand more from her body with these next two dances. I'm just so impressed with how she moves and her trusting Alan so much. When she moves into her poses, she lets her body finish and it looks so graceful. Bruno still wants her to improve on her hold.

Scores: 7 | 6 | 7 = 20. YES. Alan is killing it with the choreography!

-

Nikki & Artem: For this dance, she channels her grandmother, whom she describes as naturally classy. It worked and she really brought the elegance. Two problems that I had, though, were that the dance was too short (which can't be controlled bc of time constraints), and I didn't see her change her facial expressions throughout the entire dance.

Scores: 7 | 7 | 7 = 21. Up one from last week, she's really consistent.

-

Lindsey & Mark: The theme for this dance is butterflies. Mark has this idea where they emerge from a cocoon and transform into butterflies. Impressive dance and I'm glad to see Mark's inventive dances back. This is the Mark we all know and love.

Scores: 7 | 7 | 7 = 21. She's also another consistent scorer.

-

Barbara & Keo: She opens up about the struggle of being dyslexic and how she was perceived as "stupid". Well now she's a rich entrepreneur, so she got the last laugh! Her tango was interesting and her ripping Keo's shirt off was hilarious, but I felt that it lacked the personality of last week's salsa.

Scores: 6 | 5 | 6 = 17. A pretty nice improvement, will that save her?

-

Nick & Peta: Nick's rehearsal package includes married people stuff... and that's pretty much it. I found the dance to be nice, but kinda forgettable. At this point I'm trying to figure out where Mark & Elena from BB19 are sitting. PETA suffers a wardrobe malfunction but I don't think the judges noticed.

Scores: 7 | 6 | 6 = 19. Vanessa was in tears during the entire performance and she explains that this is one of Nick's biggest fears.

-

Drew & Emma: Drew pulls a hamstring during camera blocking and they had to stop early. Didn't seem to stop him though, the dance was full of speed and energy. However, I'm not entirely sure he has the coordination to pull it off. I found him almost letting go of Emma at one point and he seemed a little too gawky in places, ESPECIALLY his feet.

Scores: 7 | 6 | 7 = 20. A bit overscored IMO.

-

Vanessa & Maks: She considers Maks similar to her dad; she grew up in a military family, which is interesting. During rehearsals, she pulled the nail in her big toe. Her solo parts were very reminiscent of Normani's foxtrot, and she is a joy to look at. She ends the routine bursting into tears. I'm seriously on the verge of stanning. She's so good!

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. SHE CALLED MAKS DADDY. I'm screaming.

-

Frankie & Witney: He had a previous back injury from a racing accident (James Hinchcliffe teas), and Witney is trying to choreograph around that. Those sharp angles that I saw in his foxtrot were EXACTLY WHAT I EXPECTED for the tango. I found him slipping on one point, but his facial expressions are in point and he nailed everything. Len thought there was too much attack. You're doing a tango to an Imagine Dragons song. That's to be expected.

Scores: 8 | 7 | 8 = 23. We got ourselves a dark horse!

-

Terrell & Cheryl: He's already butting heads with Cheryl, this doesn't look good. The foxtrot was pretty event, but then Cheryl rips his shirt off. OH MY GOD THAT DIVE BOMBER SLIDE WAS SO EXTRA. Len found it too raunchy, and I kinda agree. I'm not entirely sure he's really connecting with me here.

Scores: 7 | 6 | 7 = 20. Definitely overscored.

-

Sasha & Gleb: She admits that her nerves got the best of her, and she gets the advice of her parents, who are trained ballroom professionals. HOLY CRAP WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT. Her movements were more fluid and of course, she KILLED IT on hold like I predicted. You can see that she has more confidence in this dance. Len seems to agree as the slower dances tend to blend into one. Bruno wants her to control her free hand.

To be honest, Gleb has killed it with every waltz he's choreographed on DWTS.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 7 = 23. She notes that the extra criticisms from her parents are helping her.

-

Victoria & Val: She takes her package and draws some motivation from that. I love how she s so positive about everything. JEEZ. She's impressing me more and more with every dance. I can also see Val leading her. Her technique is definitely on point. The judges are of course eating this up.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. She considers this experience very humbling and Val is helping her. As of now, the Chmerkovskiy brothers hold the top spots on the leaderboard.

-

Derek & Sharna: His mother is here and she's super enthusiastic. The dance has an interesting concept; they're playing house. I'm always amazed at Sharna's choreography and how creative she is, but it don't see it connecting when I look at Derek. I don't know. It's very reminiscent of Vanilla Ice to me. The judges want him to embrace the performance more.

Scores: 6 | 6 | 7 = 19. OMG @ Erin taking a picture of them and his mama. She's a definite superfan.

-

Jordan & Lindsay: They're already become really good friends. Those spins are ON POINT. The partner work was ON POINT. Everything was so beautiful and it put a smile to my face! Len found it too sharp (where was this criticism for Frankie's foxtrot?) but he loved it nonetheless. Bruno admired their musicality. They want more stylization for Latin Night.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. They remain on top and currently have the highest total cumulative score.

-

In Jeopardy: Terrell & Cheryl, Barbara & Keo
Eliminated: Barbara & Keo. At this point I really feel bad for him. Last place in half of the six seasons he's been on. At this point production will punish him by putting him in troupe. Tom wants a battle between her and Charo soon.

-

Tomorrow: Latin Night!

Dance Ranking:
9 | 1.) Jordan & Lindsay
8 | 2.) Frankie & Witney
8 | 3.) Victoria & Val
8 | 4.) Sasha & Gleb
8 | 5.) Vanessa & Maks
8 | 6.) Lindsey & Mark
7 | 7.) Nikki & Artem
7 | 8.) Debbie & Alan
6 | 9.) Drew & Emma
6 | 10.) Nick & Peta
6 | 11.) Barbara & Keo
5 | 12.) Derek & Sharna
5 | 13.) Terrell & Cheryl

Posted by: #CodyDecides 27th September 2017, 01:20 AM

Posted by: #CodyDecides 27th September 2017, 04:02 AM

LET'S GET STEAMY

Posted by: #CodyDecides 27th September 2017, 06:04 AM

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK1f1bOs9XyfQs7M2kkHBu_oeoyWpIoM6

(scores: Carrie Ann | Len | Bruno)

-

Nikki & Artem: She's getting all giddy with Artem and nerves are getting to her. It's like this with EVERY SINGLE ONE OF ARTEM'S PARTNERS. It looked cool and she looked BEAUTIFUL, but I'm left a little underwhelmed. Maybe it's because Artem choreographed an AMAZING samba last season. Len wants Nikki to use her feet more, and Carrie Ann wanted her to use more of her body. Of course, they appreciate that this is a legit samba. At this point I'm wondering when Artem will ever snap out of Strictly mode.

Scores: 6 | 6 | 6 = 18. Would have loved to see more of the WWE Nikki in this.

-

Victoria & Val: She's been doing great and now all she has to focus on is emotion and the sexiness of the rumba. The interesting thing about this rumba was that it was pretty fast-moving and at the same time we could feel the sexual tension between them. Bruno wants them to continue the hip action.

Also, Happy Birthday Victoria!.

Scores: 7 | 6 | 7 = 20. It should be worth noting that TAYLOR SWIFT SENT HER FLOWERS.

-

Derek & Sharna: Sharna can't picture Derek as this tough and aggressive guy, and I don't blame her - he's so cuddly. For this dance he dresses up as a matador. Naturally. I found this dance to be much better than his other two dances but I did notice he was late in reconnecting into hold with Sharna. The judges believe that he's improved greatly.

Scores: 7 | 6 | 6 = 19. Another meh score. Expecting Sharna to flop now.

-

Sasha & Gleb: Miss Alison DiLaurentis is the prom queen for this dance. Sasha talks about her struggles with her weight gain and hormone imbalance condition, and this dance is dedicated to feeling confident no matter what you look like. Fair enough. The dance starts with the pair being crowned prom king and Queen, but Sasha doesn't accept the crown. This samba was fun and she's extremely confident. Bruno commends her foot placement. Definitely agree. She has the technique down and now all she needs to do is be a chameleon and deliver all types of emotions through dance.

Scores: 8 | 7 | 7 = 22. She's giving me such Jana teas it's scary.

-

Nick & Peta: Okay, first Argentine Tango of the season. Nick struggles to recall his first date with Vanessa (who of course remembers it). Oy vey. Excellent lift from Nick's part. I've noticed that his feet are getting better and his movements are getting sharper. The girls are going wild. Bruno wants him to feel the music. Len also found this dance lacking.

Scores: 7 | 6 | 6 = 19. I'm hearing boos.

-

Jordan & Lindsay: Apparently Lindsey normally tries to avoid the Samba. Don't fight it, honey. You choreographed amazing sambas before and I'm pretty sure Jordan can kill it. OH MY LORD. I WAS SO RIGHT. That double pirouette. Those samba rolls. IT WAS SO LEGIT. Len wants him to practice more on those Cuban heels.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. WELL FRICK.

-

Drew & Emma: Drew gets spray tanned for the first time and for some reason he reminds me of Phil Lester. The movements are there and I can feel myself connecting more with this quickstep. Those drags were amazing. Bruno loves the flowing movements and Len called it his best dance of the night. Carrie Ann loved that it was expressive. I agree; he's done more facial expressions in this dance than most of the contestants in the entire course of the show.

Scores: 7 | 7 | 7 = 21. Drew's getting reminiscent of some of the nicest moments with his fiancée.

-

Debbie & Alan: Debbie finds this an interesting way to work on their chemistry, and Alan wants her to show a more sensual side of her. I'm liking how technical her AT is and it didn't rely on heavy tricks. It kinda reminds me of Marla's AT with Tony last year. Bruno wants her to keep watching her feet. Len loved the aesthetic of the entire thing.

Scores: 7 | 7 | 7 = 21. She continues to move up the leaderboard.

-

Vanessa & Maks: Vanessa shares that her younger self loved dancing and Maks wants to bring that out. Everything about this dance is everything that I love about her and Maks' choreography. LIKE HOLY FREAKING CRAP. So much energy and so much movement. Carrie Ann loved their synchronicity and their transition into hold.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 7 = 23. She's got the mom crowd with her and they're cheering her on. Maks is definitely in it to win it.

-

Terrell & Cheryl: "Sexily handsome". Oh boy. He even gives out his voting number which is hilarious. We're finally getting into the extremely gimmicky dances, which would work if he wasn't so forgettable. It was pretty iconic though. Bruno wants more bounce in his step. Ugh. I'm honestly tired at this point.

Scores: 6 | 6 | 7 = 19. Decent score, he may have to rely on how much the dance resonates with people.

-

Lindsey & Mark: We go from light and fun to excessive gyration and sexiness, which is a bit out of Lindsey's comfort zone because she was raised more conservatively. Mark commends her work ethic, and she seems to be working it during rehearsal. There's no doubt that she's killing it, but I would like her to hit the accents more. HER BACK KICK THOUGH. This was a way for Mark to showcase Lindsey's flexibility. Bruno loved that she kept the speed of the dance. Carrie Ann loves the way she becomes the music.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. And she's tied for the top.

-

Frankie & Witney: Witney commends his dedication to the show and to the dances. He's doing everything he can to stay in shape, including cryogenic therapy. Geez, the beginning was amazing, but I did see him lose it once he started doing the cha cha steps. For some reason, he's not tiring on me like David Ross had around this time of his season. Bruno LOVED the choreography.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 9 = 25. I'M SHOOK. THEY BEAT JORDAN.

-

In Jeopardy: Nick & Peta, Debbie & Alan. Oh my god we're already getting bad eliminations.
Eliminated: Debbie & Alan. We're continuing whatever bullshit was going on last season. Alan is going in the same direction as Jenna so far.

-

Tomorrow: Latin Night!

Dance Ranking:
9 | 1.) Vanessa & Maks
9 | 2.) Jordan & Lindsay
8 | 3.) Frankie & Witney
8 | 4.) Lindsey & Mark
8 | 5.) Sasha & Gleb
7 | 6.) Victoria & Val
7 | 7.) Debbie & Alan
7 | 8.) Drew & Emma
6 | 9.) Nick & Peta
6 | 10.) Nikki & Artem
6 | 11.) Derek & Sharna
5 | 12.) Terrell & Cheryl

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 1st October 2017, 03:25 AM

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 3rd October 2017, 07:58 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEOGuW7kQS0&list=PLK1f1bOs9XydEHKVrMNG-jBD9tt0OIefV

Before the show, Tom gives an amazing moment of silence for the victims of the Las Vegas attacks. Also, no elimination!

(scores: Carrie Ann | Len | Bruno)

-

Drew & Emma: Drew's guilty pleasure is watching true crime shows, so for this he plays a detective. Interesting to see a table from a previous DWTS extra for this bit. He pulled off the facial expressions, he's less gawky than usual and the lifts were breathtaking. Overall, I'd say he's 10000000% cleaner than the last three routines. Len admired his growth on the show, and I don't see why not.

Scores: 8 | 7 | 8 = 23. Drew is a Vegas native, so he gives a shout out to the victims and their families as well.

-

Derek & Sharna: Derek's guilty pleasure is none other than The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. There's a ton of stuff going on with him doing a Will Smith impression, and Sharna explaining the artistry of it was a bit... interesting. There seems to be way too much going on and they're drowning out the content with the character and the nostalgic feel. I was getting into it but it got a little tiring.

Scores: 7 | 7 | 7 = 21. I'm a bit surprised that they didn't get Alfonso to show up again?

-

Victoria & Val: She's dancing to "Tubthumping" by Chumbawumba and of course Val gets a bit annoyed. She talks about the times she was bullied because she was known as "the big kid in a wheelchair", but it's all about getting knocked down and getting back up again. It's apparent that she's got her groove back and that Val is adding more content. Nice to see him take corrections. Carrie Ann loves their resilience given the situation and how Val was able to choreograph moves for Victoria despite everything. Len wants more body contact.

Scores: 8 | 7 | 7 = 22. Numb legs or not, she's really getting the hang of things.

-

Vanessa & Maks: First thing to note: Maks isn't here! Really hope everything is okay, it must be really serious if neither Val nor Peta got involved. Her guilty pleasure is getting silly with her girl friends on their nights out. I found it interesting but it did lack the spark of last week's performance. Maybe it's because it was a jazz dance rather than strictly ballroom. She was amazing with her lifts, though. Carrie Ann wants her to watch her mounting during lifts, but everything else was positive.

Scores: 7 | 8 | 8 = 23. It's worth noting that over the past two weeks, only Len has consistently given her 8's.

-

Nikki & Artem: Her guilty pleasure is kinky romance novels. Yes, like 50 Shades Of Grey. The bit is absolutely hilarious with Artem looking a bit sheepish when Nikki asks him if he watched the movie. This dance was even sexier than Jana & Gleb's VW, with some hot elevator action and Nikki's dominatrix attitude. I'm getting a little sweaty! Len thought the dance was too aggressive, but Carrie Ann admires that she's adverse to playing it safe and the risk worked for this dance.

Scores: 7 | 7 | 7 = 21. John Cena's comment? He tries to channel Bruno by calling it "spicy".

-

Frankie & Witney: So his guilty pleasure is boy bands, and he goes to fellow boy band alum Nick for advice. Apparently the boy band smolder is a fuse of going #2 and some kind of sexy face. Oy vey. The first couple of seconds don't really have the charm his last dance had, but then HE STARTED LIP SYNCHING, which fits because he was living his dream of being in *NSYNC. The main critique: MORE HIP ACTION.

Erin shows a clip of him performing (kinda awfully) an *NSYNC song.

Scores: 7 | 7 | 7 = 21. Okay. No way was this at the same level as DEREK'S CHA CHA.

-

Lindsey & Mark: It's a pretty emotional week for Lindsey as she goes through a hard break-up from her boyfriend, and Mark shows some empathy. Luckily for her, she's getting a jive to bounce back, and what better way to fit in her guilty pleasure of solo pajama parties? The dance starts off with a few bed coddling partner work, but then the jive moves come out and they're WONDROUS. Mark was always going to deliver with a jive. Len is majorly impressed; he calls it the dance of the season.

Scores: 9 | 9 | 9 = 27. All this "having a family" talk is getting me hyped for a Ballas baby! COME ON MARK AND BC!

-

Sasha & Gleb: Her guilty pleasure is baking, and it's sort of a tribute to her grandmother, who she only sees when she visits South Africa. From what I've heard, Gleb was in a cooking show, so he should know a little bit about it. She's getting a bit lost in the props and once the synced choreo comes on, it feels a bit basic. She got the personality nailed down even if she was acting like it. The judges were confused for the most part.

Scores: 7 | 6 | 6 = 19. Well the PLL fandom really needs to pull through.

-

Nick & Peta: Nick's guilty pleasure is rom-coms, and this routine features a bit of Jazzercise & cheesy aerobics. https://j.gifs.com/yrlOr6.gif The dance is fun but I felt a little lost in the funky colors and overall cheesiness. However, I'm kinda ironically stanning this? Let's just say that Nick + skin-tight tank top = DADDY.

Scores: 7 | 7 | 7 = 21. Even for something enjoyable it feels too high.

-

Terrell & Cheryl: His guilty pleasure is breakdancing, which he demonstrates a bit for Cheryl. She gives him a 3, I give it a -10. The salsa is, of course, fun and gimmicky, just like the last routine. I can feel Cheryl trying her very best, but the salsa content feels a bit drowned out by the production and trying to add in the breakdancing. He was also a bit early in one part of the routine (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T7RnO0c6Dw), which I'm pretty sure Carrie Ann caught.

Scores: 7 | 7 | 7 = 21. Nononononono. This was a hot mess, that didn't deserve a higher score than Sasha.

-

Jordan & Lindsay: His guilty pleasure was comic books and superheroes, which was a bit of a catharsis for him since he was bullied for being the "artsy" kid. Hey, being talented in the arts gets the ladies. The dance itself was delightful and full of character and energy, and the pop art add-ons were a nice touch, but it felt too slow to be a Charleston, which Len agrees with.

Scores: 9 | 7 | 9 = 25. The Strictly teas with those scores.

-

Tomorrow: The contestants dance, paying tribute to their most memorable year!

Dance Ranking:
10 | 1.) Lindsey & Mark
8 | 2.) Victoria & Val
8 | 3.) Jordan & Lindsay
8 | 4.) Frankie & Witney
8 | 5.) Nikki & Artem
7 | 6.) Drew & Emma
7 | 7.) Vanessa & Maks
7 | 8.) Sasha & Gleb
6 | 9.) Nick & Peta
5 | 10.) Derek & Sharna
4 | 11.) Terrell & Cheryl

Posted by: Liаm 3rd October 2017, 12:05 PM

I really thought Sasha would be a frontrunner and slay us all She's not doing brilliantly atm. I need to catch up on the actual show I just caught her on YT oops

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 3rd October 2017, 04:16 PM

QUOTE(Liаm @ Oct 3 2017, 05:05 AM)

I really thought Sasha would be a frontrunner and slay us all

She's not doing brilliantly atm. I need to catch up on the actual show I just caught her on YT oops

Her VW and samba were among the best of the best actually! I think if she can get out of her head for Most Memorable Year she'll be able to pull off a stellar routine. At this point I wouldn't be too worried. As far as the combined leaderboard goes (since there was no elimination this week), four people are below her. Terrell should definitely be worried, as should Derek.

Posted by: Sonia Fowler 3rd October 2017, 10:55 PM

Hmm I watched last nights show and I feel conflicted on some, for example, Jordan's I agree with Len it wasn't really a Charleston it was more quickstep which is a shame as its one of my favourite dances.

Lindsey and Nikki were by far my favourites both excellent dances

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 5th October 2017, 07:27 PM

QUOTE(Sonia Fowler @ Oct 3 2017, 03:55 PM)

The thing is, the quickstep and Charleston have many similar elements so it's easy to add one to the other and vice versatile. It felt more of a jazz dance with Charleston elements. The trick with adding jazz content is to not drown out the given style, something Mark managed to do this week with his jive with Lindsey.

-

WEEK 4 SONGS & STYLES:

Latin Night:
Derek & Sharna | Jazz | Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up
Frankie & Witney | Quickstep | Coldplay - Adventure Of A Lifetime
Jordan & Lindsay | Contemporary | Us The Duo - Take Me Home
Sasha & Gleb | Foxtrot | The Fray - Over My Head (Cable Car)
Vanessa & Maks | Rumba | Nick Lachey - Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)
Nikki & Artem | Contemporary | Rachel Platten - Fight Song
Nick & Peta | Contemporary | Marketa Irglova and Glen Hansard - Falling Slowly
Victoria & Val | Foxtrot | OneRepublic - I Lived
Drew & Emma | Jive | Queen - Don't Stop Me Now
Lindsey & Mark | Viennese Waltz | Mindy Gledhill - Anchor
Terrell & Cheryl | Viennese Waltz | Whitney Houston - I Have Nothing

Sasha has a ballroom dance this time so I'm expecting good things. Also nice to see Artem choreographing a contemporary routine again.

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 10th October 2017, 06:06 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iG4m3CPms8&list=PLK1f1bOs9XydsbwyIwps1JoWts4dOxeeu

It's time to cry you guys!

(scores: Carrie Ann | Len | Bruno)

-

Frankie & Witney: 2017. He decides to dedicate this dance to living in the moment. He's a guy who's done it all: racecar driver, drummer, secret agent... Unfortunately he's gone through a few injuries which occasionally lead to minor memory loss. His girlfriend makes sure to write down pivotal points in his life to help him remember. The dance is cute, but it takes a bit of time to get going. The judges seem to eat it up though.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. There we go, set up a bit of a baseline for the night.

-

Terrell & Cheryl: 2012. The year he lost his grandmother. He recalls that she suffered for dementia for 16 years. And for once, I'm actually not tearing my hair out for this. This is the least gimmicky dance he's done yet. No overcompensating moves, no flashy gimmicks, this is straight from the heart, and it made for a solid dance. Bruno praises his poise and Len calls it his best of the night.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. Iiiiiiinteresting.

-

Nikki & Artem: 2016: She suffered a severe neck injury that threatened her career, but with a ton of perseverance, she made her way back into the ring a few months later. I don't know all the details, but I'm pretty sure Jonjo remembers every minute of it. Artem has once again choreographed a strong contemporary routine with silks and smooth lifts. Carrie Ann definitely noticed the silk section, which she loved. Nikki explained that this was her time to let go and lose that control she was showing during the first three weeks.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. I'm waiting for the dance that actually gets 9's.

-

Nick & Peta: 2011: This week the Lacheys are going through different points in their life, and Nick's is the high: the year he and Vanessa got married. Nick explains how much having a family meant to him. It was nice to see Drew get a confessional. The dance was a bit one and the same, and after seeing contemporary done time and time again... there has to be a certain spark, which this dance didn't have. Len saw some instability within the performance.

Scores: 8 | 7 | 7 = 22. You kinda just miss it in the blink of an eye.

-

Lindsey & Mark: 2016: the year her father died of cancer. Her father was always a cheerleader for her and served as her inspiration throughout the years, and this is a dance dedicated to him. The entire package is full of tears. To put it lightly, cancer sucks. The dance also has Mark wearing some of her dad's clothes, particularly his scarf and hat. The dance is full of emotion and the VW content isn't drowned in it. The shadow bit also worked well. Len tried to restrain himself from critiquing, but he wanted more content. It's not like it matters. He and the others loved the dance and praised Lindsey's uniqueness.

Scores: 9 | 8 | 9 = 26. Lindsey mentions that Mark looks like her dad with the scarf and hat. I almost teared up.
-

Derek & Sharna: 2007: his daughter was diagnosed with a rare eye cancer and he had to make the choice to either save or take out her eye. It was rough for him because he wondered how he was going to live with whatever decision he made. He ended up leaving the Utah Jazz to be with his daughter, and this is a dance about selflessness, sacrifice, and unconditional love. The dance is cute, and I was definitely smiling throughout. Carrie Ann noticed a few beats where they were off-sync.

Scores: 7 | 8 | 8 = 23. I actually agree with Carrie Ann on this one.

-

Jordan & Lindsay: 2005: He takes the Simone route and celebrates his adoption from his grandparents. His mother went through drug and alcohol abuse and he explains that his life would be much more different without this moment. This quote stuck out: "It was nice to have a document stating something you already knew was a fact." The tears started flowing right when the camera panned to him. The emotions were high and there were times where they took a breath and you can see him on the verge of breaking down. The technique was flawless as always. He lets out a good cry with his parents after this. I'm crying, Carrie Ann is a puddle of tears, OH MY LORD.

Did anyone else catch former Ashtonise entrants Us The Duo performing?

Scores: 10 | 9 | 10 = 29. GOD DAMN IT LEN. GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER.

-

Sasha & Gleb: 2016: This signifies three things - the wrap of the PLL series finale (which she's been filming since she was 12!!!), her losing her confidence from her undiagnosed weight gain, and ending with her engagement to Hudson Sheaffer. She described the experience as "one door closing, and another one opening". And that's what Gleb did during the dance. One door closed, showing deep dark tones, and when she opened the next door, light and hope shone through. Yet the entire time, Gleb kept the foxtrot content going. Len loved the quality of the dance, and Bruno felt that her grace embodies the style perfectly.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. There we go! I always said she'd slay at ballroom dances.

-

Vanessa & Maks: 2017: Now we get to cry our eyes out with Vanessa. The Lacheys' low point in their lives was the complications during the premature birth of their son, Phoenix. A couple confessionals from Nick saw him crying because he felt powerless, unable to protect his wife and newborn child from this. His song "Godspeed" was, according to Vanessa, a song that kept the couple going. Vanessa explains that her love for her family came from her mother leaving her and living in a military family. Now THIS is a rumba! Carrie Ann noticed a wobble, but she then adds that it aided the story rather than detracted from it. Len noted that the rumba was the woman's dance and Maks did well to help frame her.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. And we're all crying our eyes out.

-

Drew & Emma: 2007: Apparently the idea of The Property Brothers was a four-year plan in the making because he went off to do some acting in Canada before settling for reality TV. Jonathan's reaction was HILARIOUS. The dance was fast paced but there were a few times where I felt like he wasn't attacking the steps with as much fervor as Emma. Jonathan pops in for the second half and it's glorious. Carrie Ann mentions that he has prong hands that he needs to fix.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. I'm glad we got both of the Property Brothers for this dance.

-

Victoria & Val: 2017: Let's listen to her whole story again. Was attacked by a nerve condition at 11, managed to get her motor and speaking back as a teenager, became a successful Paralympian, and once that was done and out, decided to rehabilitate her legs. The routine starts off in a wheelchair (and it's hella difficult to dance with a wheelchair), but after that it's constant Foxtrot content. Val has finally learned how to balance the jazz/contemporary parts with the given style.

Scores: 9 | 9 | 9 = 27. JESUS CHRIST I LOVED THAT DANCE. It really makes me think what could happen if we did get someone in a wheelchair on DWTS. That would totally change up the teaching strategies.

-

In Jeopardy: Nick & Peta, Derek & Sharna. GOOD. We can't have another woman going at this stage.
Eliminated: Derek & Sharna. SHARNA FLOPPED Her stans are going to be pissed.

-

Tomorrow: DISNEY NIGHT! And I think I speak for everyone here... NO MORE FROZEN DANCES.

Dance Ranking:
10 | 1.) Jordan & Lindsay
9 | 2.) Victoria & Val
9 | 3.) Nikki & Artem
9 | 4.) Lindsey & Mark
8 | 5.) Vanessa & Maks
8 | 6.) Sasha & Gleb
8 | 7.) Drew & Emma
7 | 8.) Frankie & Witney
7 | 9.) Terrell & Cheryl
6 | 10.) Nick & Peta
6 | 11.) Derek & Sharna

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 14th October 2017, 08:46 PM

WEEK 5 SONGS & STYLES:

I'm just guessing on which version they will be dancing to. Jordan's I'm 85% confident in bc he has yet to dance to his own song.

Disney Night:
Frankie & Witney | Argentine Tango | Hans Zimmer & Rodrigo y Gabriela - Angelica (from Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides)
Jordan & Lindsay | Foxtrot | Lin-Manuel Miranda & Jordan Fisher - You're Welcome (from Moana)
Vanessa & Maks | Waltz | Nikki Yanofsky - Un Jour Mon Prince Viendra (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves)
Sasha & Gleb | Rumba | Samuel E. Wright - Kiss The Girl (from The Little Mermaid)
Nikki & Artem | Jazz | Benjamin Bratt & Anthony Gonzalez - Remember Me (from Coco)
Nick & Peta | Quickstep | Bill Murray & Kermit Ruffins - The Bare Necessities (from The Jungle Book)
Victoria & Val | Jazz | Lewis Bertram - Steamboat Willie (from Steamboat Willie)
Drew & Emma | Viennese Waltz | Kermit the Frog - Rainbow Connection (from The Muppet Movie)
Lindsey & Mark | Foxtrot | Cliff Edwards & Disney Studio Choir - When You Wish Upon A Star (from Pinocchio)
Terrell & Cheryl | Quickstep | Jason Weaver, Rowan Atkinson & Laura Williams - I Just Can't Wait To Be King (from The Lion King)

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 17th October 2017, 07:30 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr3QySmKylg&list=PLK1f1bOs9Xyfe6HGaTZc9U3Z4T3h05mnO

Okay, I was at Disneyland over the weekend, so that gives me more than enough spirit to review Disney Night! We have an opening dedicated to It's A Small World, a ride filled with weird animatronics, Easter eggs, and free air conditioning.

(scores: Carrie Ann | Len | Bruno)

-

Victoria & Val: They get Steamboat Willie, which is a classic with Mickey Mouse himself (before he was Mickey!). First off, I like how the audience is silent during this because it totally fits the 1940's mood of the whole thing. It's an interesting dance with a lift and some troupe members, but for some reason it seems to be lacking a certain spark that the other dances had. The judges loved the Charleston elements. I just wish they could have gotten a legit Charleston to this dance.

Scores: 9 | 9 | 9 = 27. Eh... it was a tad bit overscored.

-

Vanessa & Maks: She gets a dance dedicated to the oldest princess movie in Disney history: Snow White & the Seven Dwarves. Maks, of course, gets into his goofy side and does some Seven Dwarves impressions. If I were one of the dwarves, I'd be Doc. This waltz was pretty, but kinda boring. A huge step down from some of the other dances Vanessa has been doing. Carrie Ann thought she stopped dancing for a while, and Bruno said she was falling out of her turns. She better not be stepping down on us now!

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. I mean for a waltz that's decent, but at this point if you're getting only 8's you're in big trouble.

-

Lindsey & Mark: When You Wish Upon A Star. The classic Disney theme. Almost every intro has had this playing. Mark has been known for OTT dances, especially for a theme night as production heavy as Disney Night (see his last Disney foxtrot with Willow Shields, where he played the White Rabbit to Willow's Alice), but this one seemed very mellow, and it's a side of Mark I've never seen in my life. Has marriage mellowed him down? The dance itself was just so classy and elegant and still had a bit of Lindsey magic to it (especially in counts where she's skipping).

Scores: 9 | 10 | 9 = 28. I'm legit crying. FROM LEN, A 10. This is how you get 10's from Len, you guys!

-

Nick & Peta: It's a day in the animal park for him and his kids this week! For this dance he plays an overgrown Mowgli with a cheeky buzzcut. The dance was cool, but at some parts I feel like Peta's doing all the work and their hold isn't the best. He's getting there, if that's any consolation.

Scores: 7 | 8 | 7 = 22. Slick, clean, and just there. If only I had Len's misguided optimism.

-

Drew & Emma: We get the Muppet Movie from them, and there's some bits with them as puppets. Kermit is doing the introduction! Drew is much more fluid than he has been all season! Emma's choreography really shone this week, she seems very apt at doing Viennese Waltzes. I think in terms of Emma's partners, Hayes might be knocked down to third. Carrie Ann praises the fluidity of the dance.

Scores: 9 | 8 | 8 = 25. Thank you Carrie Ann for finally having some sense!

-

Sasha & Gleb: I got a sneak peek of Sasha's IG, and Gleb looked hilarious as a merman. Wonder if he lost a bet with Hudson? She's lost 37 pounds so far. Just about anything dealing with dance can help you shed some weight. It's great cardio. I'm actually proud of Gleb for not overtly sexualizing this routine because the rumba is definitely something that could get oversexualized. Carrie Ann said she had "ooziness". Not sure what that means, but if it has something to do with how smooth her moves were, then we'll take it to go!

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. It was very... inhibited for Gleb's caliber. Also her smile is so charming!

-

Terrell & Cheryl: So the last time I Just Can't Wait To Be King was a song of choice, Cody Simpson got eliminated and I'm still salty over it. There's something about this quickstep that's very... off and it's putting me off watching it. It just feels too polished and a song like this is rough around the edges and more playful; this feels like he's concentrating too much on not messing up. It's not the best quickstep but I did like the production. The judges are praising his improvement and loved that he worked hard to maintain his frame.

Scores: 9 | 8 | 8 = 24. This really didn't deserve a 9.

-

Frankie & Witney: SPEAKING OF WITNEY. This dance is inspired by Pirates Of the Caribbean, and that means flashbacks to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-0Q0XKjI3Y (link added for posterity). Witney wants him to be more sexy. Sorry, no one can be Orlando Bloom or Brenton Thwaites. Though we can all imagine. Everything about this Argentine Tango was just sleek and clean. To no one's surprise, the judges loved it.

Scores: 10 | 9 | 10 = 29. JESUS CHRIST. Go off.

-

Jordan & Lindsay: He finally gets to dance to his own song! (Speaking of Jordan's songs, #BuyMessOniTunes) There are certain accents in the choreography that he hits perfectly and IT MAKES ME SWOON. Also they added some foxtrot elements in the hip hop breakdown! Yep, this dance was just flawless.

Scores: 10 | 10 | 10 = 30. If Mark can't win, LINDSAY HAS TO. She's gotten by into the finale with rather meh people (and Calvin), and she really deserves this after suffering through Davidgate.

-

Nikki & Artem: I'm loving that she gets to showcase and connect with her Mexican heritage with this dance! From further research, they are performing a traditional Mexican dance called the Jarabe Tapatío, and it really fits the vibe of the whole movie. Apparently it's inspired by Dia de los Muertos. She's smiling through the whole thing and I think this is a breakthrough for her. Not a standard Jazz routine, but true to DWTS, anything goes with it, and I'm glad they went with an authentic Mexican dance. Props to Artem. Like I said, he's choreographing smarter now.

Scores: 9 | 9 | 9 = 27. Almost in line with the last Disney night dance he did! However, THIS DESERVED A 10.

-

In Jeopardy: Sasha & Gleb, Frankie & Witney. So we're getting a Season 18-styled Disney night. Either someone I like is getting robbed, or Witney is. And somehow Cheryl stays.
Eliminated: Sasha & Gleb. ROBBED QUEEN. So far three women have been eliminated. DWTS has gotten a lot more misogynistic this season and I'm not here for it.

If this means Jordan is pulling a Charlie White I better unstan before it gets ugly

*meanwhile Liam is hiring snipers to take down the DWTS producers*

-

Tomorrow: It's the return of Movie Night!

Dance Ranking (first place is a shocker):
10 | 1.) Nikki & Artem
10 | 2.) Jordan & Lindsay
9 | 3.) Lindsey & Mark
9 | 4.) Frankie & Witney
9 | 5.) Drew & Emma
8 | 6.) Sasha & Gleb
7 | 7.) Victoria & Val
7 | 8.) Vanessa & Maks
6 | 9.) Terrell & Cheryl
6 | 10.) Nick & Peta

Yes, I know Jordan's was the cleanest I've seen a Disney dance and he's absolutely flawless but COME ON. Nikki's dance was super entertaining and the replay potential is super high. This is the choreography I've been wanting from Artem ever since Season 19!

Posted by: frAddy Crouger 24th October 2017, 01:57 AM

Omg Lindsay Stirling and Mark Ballas slaying their Argentine Tango with Taahino's entry Sevdaliza 'Human'...I was slayed :rip:

Posted by: frAddy Crouger 24th October 2017, 01:57 AM

Cody did you just see that

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 24th October 2017, 02:08 AM

QUOTE(frAddy Crouger @ Oct 23 2017, 06:57 PM)

Cody did you just see that

I'm on the west coast so it hasn't aired yet

Nick & Peta | Samba | Dru Hill, Will Smith and Kool Mo Dee - Wild Wild West (Western)

Terrell & Cheryl | Jive | Portugal. The Man - Feel It Still (Spy)

I've been hyped for the Sevdaliza AT for a while bc that sounds like a song that would be wicked for an AT (Tsar B's Escalate is also another one).

We also get Daehun's legendary first win and a BJFest entry from this year! DON'T LET ME DOWN, ARTEM.

Posted by: Liаm 24th October 2017, 02:56 AM

Omggg INDILA, that sound was made for a tango!

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 24th October 2017, 07:19 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr3QySmKylg&list=PLK1f1bOs9Xyfe6HGaTZc9U3Z4T3h05mnO

Welcome to A Night At The Movies, where the remaining contestants dance based on movie genres and Shania Twain guest judges. Somewhere in the distance, Regina is spontaneously combusting.

Check for her latest song "Soldier" appearing in the upcoming film Thank You For Your Service.

(scores: Carrie Ann | Len | Shania | Bruno)

-

Nikki & Artem: Nikki is feeling the pressure of catching up with the front runners after doing so well last time and opening up is hard. I don't blame her considering she was among the first three performers for about HALF OF THE DANCES SO FAR. But girl, all Artem wants to do is break the top 5, you're fine. The singers butcher the song but the dance was on fire. It wasn't as spectacular as their last dance, though. The judges notice a bit of a stumble which Artem takes the fall for. Still another flawless dance from Nikki.

Scores: 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 = 36. At this point every single point counts so I'm glad that they're at the benchmark.

-

Drew & Emma: Remember two weeks ago when Drew was sharing his frustrations about not breaking into the Canadian movie industry? He's now ready to channel his inner Ryan Reynolds. They're hoping Drew's martial arts skills and Canadian-mess will help him win over the judges. NOPE NOPE NOPE. THIS ONE'S A MESS. The stage fighting is not as polished as it could be and he blatantly butchers a step. The judges noticed and call him out on it.

Scores: 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 = 30. Shania, are you sure you're not holding your 6 paddle upside down?

-

Nick & Peta: Last week, he expected to go home and he's frustrated because he knows he's bad. He says he looks like an idiot trying to dance but he wants to show his son the meaning of perseverance. The dancing came out... and already it's a hot mess. I'm ABSOLUTELY FUMING that Sasha went home so early. The quality of this week has just gone down to an all time low. Of course it doesn't look bad, but Peta's a genius so it's no surprise. The judges somehow love the breakdown. Bet they would have gone in if it was Nikki or Lindsey.

Scores: 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 = 26. I don't wanna be petty but... karma.

-

Victoria & Val: Alan in a zamboni... nice stuff. Remember shirtless Artem in a zamboni? The theme they get is sports, which is very fitting for our fellow former Paralympian. We get to see Val in a speedo (I'm pretty sure Harry loved that one). At this point, the weakest paso he's ever done was the one for Laurie's MMY dance, but this one unfortunately is a close second. The technique was good but it feels too slow and lacked energy. The choreography kinda feels like they were trying to recreate Normani's Paso and it didn't work.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 = 31. OH MY GOD SHANIA.

-

Terrell & Cheryl: I want to interject for a second - Cheryl did AMAZING for her first week on Dance Moms. I'm half expecting this dance to be on the same manner, but instead of protesting against Abby and all this distress in their lives... they're stealing the 10 paddles from Len. I've been waiting for a jive to this song that I'd take just about anything. This somehow manages to exceed my expectations. Terrell has improved so much this week. The judges liked the oiliness of the dance but I don't really think it was that slick.

Scores: 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 = 37. No way was this better than Nikki.

-

Frankie & Witney: Okay they kinda look adorable in the package. Their chemistry is extremely obvious and I'm loving every minute of it. The dance... was a little too juvenile. It's very reminiscent of Chris Kattan's jazz routine and he and Witney were the sloppiest of flops during that season. Frankie seemed to stumble on some moves and a lot of it kinda got drowned out by the production.

Scores: 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 = 31. I thought Len was supposed to be the mean judge.

-

Vanessa & Maks: Their partnership seems to be growing which is such a good sign. She explains that she's having so much fun in rehearsals. She looks amazing and plays her character well, and everything goes well until part of her dress flies off too early. It doesn't matter because she destroyed that dance and handled everything like a pro. Carrie Ann thought that the costume malfunction was more liberating than distracting.

Scores: 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 = 36. There goes those 9's again. Now how do the two front runners fare?

-

Jordan & Lindsay: Apparently he had a few injuries as a result from doing gymnastics when he was younger, and that added to him wanting to top his perfect score add a bit more pressure for him. The rumba was sweet and delicate and I'm just in awe at how amazing Lindsay's choreography has always been. Len didn't get the fidgeting - Lindsay explains that it was part of the "drama" aspect. Makes sense. After all, he was playing a widower.

Scores: 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 = 39. I mean it's not really his best but if I expected there to be a 9 I thought it would have come from Shania.

-

Lindsey & Mark: Mark gets to play a mad scientist and it's a cute little segment where Lindsey explains how he gets into his characters' heads. I have no words. BEST DANCE OF THE SEASON. Even in these kooky outfits and the OTT production, Mark manages to add so much content and it's clear that Lindsey can handle just about anything. She really maintained the android-esque character. Bruno agrees. No surprise there. Here comes that 40.

Scores: 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 = 40. FINALLY. Mark, welcome back, STAY FOREVER.

-

In Jeopardy: Nick & Peta, Terrell & Cheryl, Victoria & Val. PLEASE BE A GUY.
Eliminated: Nick & Peta. First elimination this far into the competition that has made sense. Also PETA FLOPPED AGAIN

-

Next Week: Halloween Night and Team dances! Emma currently having war flashbacks to winning the Halloween team dance and getting the boot with Hayes. Will a similar fate await Drew?

Dance Ranking:
10 | 1.) Lindsey & Mark (voted!)
10 | 2.) Jordan & Lindsay
10 | 3.) Nikki & Artem (voted!)
9 | 4.) Vanessa & Maks
9 | 5.) Terrell & Cheryl
8 | 6.) Victoria & Val
7 | 7.) Frankie & Witney
5 | 8.) Drew & Emma
5 | 9.) Nick & Peta

Posted by: Liаm 26th October 2017, 03:22 PM

SPEECHLESS at Lindsey's tango, f***ing hell

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 28th October 2017, 12:33 AM

QUOTE(Liаm @ Oct 26 2017, 08:22 AM)

SPEECHLESS at Lindsey's tango, f***ing hell

Surely Mark has an Emmy locked up this time?

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 29th October 2017, 09:38 PM

I've been reviewing the scores this week, and right now with Nick gone, I feel like the elimination can go either way at this point. Right now we know that Jordan and Lindsey will be safe, but that leaves the other six.

• Terrell is easily one of the weakest dancers left but he's been getting better, which gives him the Journey angle, and he has Cheryl whose choreography seems to get better every week. At the same time, one 10 can easily stagnate him.
• Nikki got a 36 this week and did pretty well despite some stumbles. She's six points ahead of Drew but as shown during Davidgate, you can be 14 points ahead and still lose to an inferior dancer because they catered more to the audience. However, Nikki also has a huge fanbase in the WWE fandom and with Total Bellas airing the day before, she can get some of that audience's attention.
• Vanessa is a bit of a wildcard. All of Nick Lachey's potential voters will move on to support her, that is if they hadn't already done that. The chemistry with Maks is getting there but it's still a little shaky. She and Maks will have to pull out all the stops if they want to be safe.
• Frankie is one I'm really worried about. While he's among the top scorers overall I haven't seen a good angle to him since Disney night and being one point above Drew can easily get him out.
• Victoria is in the same boat. They have been milking the disability angle almost every single week and Val produced his first mediocre Paso in years. It may be between her and Frankie in votes.
• I wanna say I'm confident in Drew going home if we're basing it on scores alone; his dance was a mess and that 9 from Shania was clearly a fluke. However, that may have sparked a fire under his fanbase's butts to get them to vote for him.

It may be between Drew, Frankie & Victoria, and I can see some massive outrage if one of the latter two get eliminated at this stage, moreso Frankie than Victoria.

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 30th October 2017, 04:50 PM

https://www.aol.com/amp/2017/10/30/dancing-with-the-stars-front-runner-lindsey-stirling-rib-injury/

I feel like God wants this show to end

Posted by: frAddy Crouger 30th October 2017, 05:10 PM

Oh no

This season wont be the same if she has to leave the show because of her injury...i hope nothing serious and she recovers fast.

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 30th October 2017, 06:20 PM

I feel like ratings might tank even more if Lindsey does end up withdrawing. Even more if she ends up not giving 100% and gets bottom of the leaderboard, setting her up as a shock elimination. Ratings this season are already down do much after the mess of last season.

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 31st October 2017, 03:39 AM

https://instagram.com/p/Ba5YxtTHuHh/

QUEEN

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 31st October 2017, 03:52 AM

Well if the misogyny going on this season isn’t blatant enough it should be now.

Write-up coming later. I need to blow off some steam.

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 31st October 2017, 04:14 AM

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 31st October 2017, 05:02 AM

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK1f1bOs9XycAudaOrmABDhtD_fGX8Xro

Welcome to Halloween Night! Will the celebrities monster mash their way to the top? Which stars ended up torn to shreds? And an elimination that will drive you insa-a-a-a-ane! Live from Hollywood, it's Dancing With The Stars!

(scores: Carrie Ann | Len | Bruno)

-

Victoria & Val: So Val kinda trash-talkled Jordan and Lindsey for having dance experience while he has to work 10x harder to choreograph for Victoria bc she wasn't trained in dance. THE GIRL COULDN'T MOVE HER DAMN LEGS UNTIL LAST YEAR. HAVE SOME SYMPATHY. The theme... ghosts. They are a dead couple whose spirits are resurrected for one last dance, which is cute, but once again it kinda blew past me. It was elegant, not laced in gimmicks and exactly what would be expected out of a Viennese Waltz... in a regular week.

Scores: 9 | 9 | 9 = 27. Kind of a benchmark at this point.

-

Jordan & Lindsay: Y'ALL. THEY'RE OUT FOR BLOOD THIS WEEK. SLAIN. Jordan and Lindsay do a Little Red Riding Hood-inspired paso for this, with Jordan playing the werewolf. Fun fact: Jordan had a brief stint on Teen Wolf where he played http://cdn1.clevver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/teen-wolf-noah-jordan-fisher.jpg, a chimera on the run from the Dread Doctors. He joined the cast around Season 5B, opposite his Liv & Maddie co-star Victoria Moroles.

So naturally I loved this. But it wasn't about him being Theo Raeken for 90 seconds. It was those lines. That intensity. The fluidity. That assisted leapfrog lift!!! EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS WAS PERFECT. And Keo/Alan/Artur/Sasha being his pack? AMAZING.

I'm having heart palpitations.

Scores: 10 | 10 | 10 = 30. Because DUH.

-

And after all that here comes my obligatory shameless plug: #VoteWrittenByWolves #VoteCorLupus

-

Nikki & Artem: Hocus Pocus is one of my favorite Halloween movies of all time. And you'd think I'd enjoy this routine a lot more with the allusions to Starbucks. Something about this dance was a little too slow, which kinda threw them off a bit. No matter. Carrie Ann points out the lack of focus and that she didn't hit the accents hard enough.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. YIKES. They could be in trouble.

-

Vanessa & Maks: It's very clear that Vanessa isn't really herself without Nick. Their dance is inspired a bit by The Walking Dead - yeah, good luck beating James & Sharna's Paso. Vanessa is okay, but everything about this dance was a bit rough. Maks seemed too into character and everything seemed drowned out by the production, as Len stated.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. It's such a shame. After their salsa, they've been going downhill.

-

Terrell & Cheryl: After seeing Cheryl cook up a fantastic salsa troupe dance on Dance Moms, I'm excited to see what she's been brewing all week for their tango. There's trick-or-treating and Cheryl dressed up in an Elvira-esque costume, which is cute. I think I'm starting to warm up to them. A lot of it seems a little too stiff for a tango (there needs to be balance between stable form and fluidity), but otherwise I'm happy.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 9 = 25. We also get a good IT scare courtesy of Sasha. I love it, but personally I liked it when he had a partner. Let's bring Terra back for a sec, shall we?

-

Lindsey & Mark: The story of the week. Lindsey suffers a serious rib injury in rehearsal that sends her to the hospital. However, she's persistent and ready for action. The dance is really fast paced and something I expected out of a Mark Paso. I'M SO PROUD OF HER. She's still in a lot of pain after the performance, and I'm scared that this may be serious.

Scores: 9 | 9 | 9 = 27. I mean I can get this score bc of the small lift at the end and the limitations bc of her rib. Nevertheless, she persisted. LEGENDS ONLY.

-

Frankie & Witney: As a fan, I'm always excited to see Frankie and Witney perform. They've really given an edge to this competition. It's very Poltergeist-esque with serial killer elements and I'm all here for it. I'm so impressed with Witney's acting skills - this feels like something out of a Lifetime movie. It's just an amazing dance.

Scores: 10 | 10 | 10 = 30. Frankie has just solidified himself as part of this season's holy trinity.

-

Drew & Emma: The dance is inspired by the kookiness that appears in the middle of Corpse Bride. Yet another movie that I enjoy. I was scared that this was going to be a mess, but they really pulled it off! There was a fall in the middle, which apparently wasn't part of the dance, but they recovered well and with the elements of production, it seemed like part of the dance.

Scores: 9 | 9 | 9 = 27. A tad overscored? Maybe. But definitely a better dance than last time.

-

*reserved for team dances*

-

In Jeopardy: Terrell & Cheryl, Nikki & Artem, Vanessa & Maks, Drew & Emma. PLEASE BE A GUY.
Eliminated: Vanessa & Maks, Nikki & Artem. In a supposedly surprise double elimination. Basically what can only be described as a way for producers to get rid of Artem before he develops a solid fanbase bc he's been getting good partners. This is f*cked up.
Dancing With The Stars is digging its own grave after Heather's elimination, Davidgate, the blatant misogyny going on, and now this "vendetta" against Artem. He and Maks look like they're about done with the show.

-

Next Week: Trio Night with a few familiar faces! Last season's winner Rashad Jennings has already been revealed, who else will join the stars?

Dance Ranking:
10 | 1.) Jordan & Lindsay (they deserve a 20 but I can only give out 10)
10 | 2.) Frankie & Witney
10 | 3.) Lindsey & Mark
9 | 4.) Terrell & Cheryl
9 | 5.) Nikki & Artem
9 | 6.) Drew & Emma
8 | 7.) Victoria & Val
6 | 8.) Vanessa & Maks

God, even the "bad people" have been really good this season.

Posted by: leewallace 31st October 2017, 03:05 PM

Ffs.

Finished with this show

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 31st October 2017, 03:47 PM

OH MY GOD

Looks like he’s probably leaving after this season

Posted by: leewallace 31st October 2017, 04:45 PM

Omfg

Posted by: Sonia Fowler 1st November 2017, 12:13 AM

This is why they need some sort of dance off thing because a straight-up vote to eliminate someone is not accurate at all imo.

Posted by: TheStareCrow-dy 1st November 2017, 01:08 AM

QUOTE(Sonia Fowler @ Oct 31 2017, 05:13 PM)

This is why they need some sort of dance off thing because a straight-up vote to eliminate someone is not accurate at all imo.

You'd still end up with two people in the middle of the scoreboard going straight to the dance-off bc worse performers have bigger fanbases. That's what happened last season too: Bonner had Sharna's fanbase and David had the entire city of Chicago, and that made them outlast the best dancers on the show. Just watch Jordan's package this week; even David Ross himself knew Davidgate was a thing. By that logic, Drew/Frankie/Victoria would have been safe thanks to fanbase support (Victoria relying on Val's), and I'd imagine Nikki would have been too.

The bigger issue here was the fact that the double elimination came up unannounced. Even Tom and Erin didn't know what was going on; apparently it was rehearsed with only one elimination (in this case, Vanessa's). Nikki would have lasted two more dances. It's shit like that and Davidgate that ends up killing the ratings.

This season opened with the lowest ratings in a while; the two seasons before that opened at 2.1 million, this season opened at 1.6, usually where ratings are by Week 8/9. The Lachey spouse battle storyline was wasted bc Nick was a horrible dancer, and Nikki had a huge fanbase to begin with, so I'd imagine ratings going down even more. I'd be surprised if the finale ends up above 1 million if this keeps happening.

Posted by: Jonjo 2nd November 2017, 12:27 PM

Just caught up with Nikki's performances. She slayed! Her "Most Memorable Year" performance was outstanding. So much emotion. Not familiar with the controversy, but that sucks that it seems to be considered as one! You're completely right in regards to her fanbase though. The WWE is one of the most followed and consistently trending topics on social media and Nikki is possibly the most followed Woman in the company tbh.

Posted by: Cody XCII 7th November 2017, 07:06 AM

Posted by: Cody XCII 7th November 2017, 08:21 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpYs9Otj2Q4&list=PLK1f1bOs9XyeV-1xpF3QgsGv8jR7T5eSJ

Last week was an utter shitshow, now let's see how things turn out in the aftermath. We've got returning contestants, including a gymnast, an ice skater, and... Chad Danforth?!?! Live from Hollywood, it's Damage Control Night on Dancing With The Stars!

(scores: Carrie Ann | Len | Bruno)

-

Terrell & Cheryl: Solo - It's a Charleston, so I was expecting this to be a complete disaster. However, given how much he's improved and how great a teacher Cheryl is, it's interesting to watch this dance and see how far he's come. It wasn't completely sloppy, although I did feel that there were parts that were a bit shaky, but it was super enjoyable and a testament to how much he's been growing on me. The judges love the concept. Didn't really get that comment - the concept seemed pretty obvious, no?

Scores: 9 | 9 | 9 = 27. Benchmark right there.

Trio - They get OG winner Kelly Monaco. Apparently she and Cheryl have been friends for over a decade. Terrell tries his moves on Kelly by asking her out on a date if they got a perfect score. This routine was a bit "blink and miss", like most of these routines have been this season. The dance is very sexy, yes, but it feels like Terrell standing there while Kelly and Cheryl play fight for him.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. If they go home then that just proves that the rumba is the kiss of death in DWTS.

-

Drew & Emma: Drew dedicates this dance to his fiancee, and it's as elegant as ever. I do feel myself slipping away from the performance despite how good he seems to be. It's definitely an improvement from the last two weeks of disasters. The judges say that he didn't stay in tempo the entire time.

Scores: 7 | 7 | 8 = 22. Now this? This was the score he should have gotten the last couple of dances.

Trio - They get last season's winner, Rashad, and at this point I really think it's gonna be a disaster. Emma seems to fixated on Rashad to choreograph for Drew, and once the routine started, there were timing issues, stepping issues, and the fact that Drew looked so out of place was apparent.

Scores: 9 | 8 | 8 = 25. Meh. This could have been lower.

-

Victoria & Val: Victoria is happy to get the Argentine Tango because she wants to show off her sexy side, though Val thinks that she seems a bit intimidated. The rehearsal seems a lot better than last week's, where they were very frustrated. Also notable was the spasm that she had during rehearsal but that's fine now so...

VAL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?! That was NOT an Argentine Tango. It took waaaay too long to get started, then once the drop set in, there should have at least been some technique. The routine was a bit too basic without enough content and only one lift. This just seems like sabotage because he didn't have a partner like Normani last season. Carrie Ann notes that she kept dropping her eyes and looking at her feet.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. I'm kinda expecting her to go home at this stage.

Trio - We welcome Laurie back into the fray, which is interesting because they're both Olympians of different circumstances. With Laurie back, it's nice to see Uncle Val because we rarely seem to get that with him normally being so serious and Shai only being a bit less than a year old. The dance shows us reliving Laurie & Val's historic win from last year, and Victoria is transported to that moment, wearing an identical costume. Laurie and Val are wearing the same costumes as their Fusion dance. It's fun and jazzy, but Victoria seems to be slipping into the background. There aren't many flicks for this routine, but considering the circumstances, we can overlook that.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. That's just about right.

-

Lindsey & Mark: The injury kinda set her back but she's taken some time to heal and she's also explained that this week was about getting her spirit back. Mark goes with a circus theme, which is a bit classic Mark. The dance was very fun and colorful, but I found it a little too bouncy and not as fluid as most sambas are. The judges found some parts a bit weak.

Scores: 9 | 8 | 9 = 26. Man, they're really setting her up for the "journey" angle.

Trio - Kristi Yamaguchi has been away from the ballroom the longest (Kelly at least was in All-Stars and that was 5 years ago), and the last time she performed with Mark was during the 10 Year Anniversary Special, so it's a bit of a challenge coming into this. Mark goes for a vintage classy La La Land-esque jazz routine, and they really play off their characters well. I thought Lindsey held her own and their timing is just impeccable. I'm stanning.

Scores: 10 | 9 | 9 = 28. Now that's a score I expect.

-

Frankie & Witney: Witney notes the previous contestants' dance experience, and she says that Frankie should be proud of himself. Instead he's feeling the pressure of being a contender when weeks ago he wasn't even in the picture. Think of Harry getting a contender for BJSC out of the blue. They're going for a more classy look, and it just plays off well. This is obviously my favorite dance from him. Erin reminds him of the time when he promised to take his shirt off around Week 8-9, so... let's see if Agent Cody Banks still has it. Len called it too airy for his liking... THAT'S THE POINT.

Scores: 9 | 8 | 9 = 26. Scores have been unnecessarily harsh this week. This ain't Strictly, people.

Trio - Cody Banks, meet Carlton Banks. Alfonso Ribeiro returns to the dance floor... again. Frankie wants to make sure he can keep up, while Alfonso wants him to believe in himself. The trio was very clean, I thought Frankie kept up, and everyone had their shining moments. There was one point where they alluded to the Carlton dance, but Witney and Frankie stop themselves from progressing even more. This had so much personality. I think Witney finally got her groove back.

Scores: 9 | 9 | 9 = 27

-

Jordan & Lindsay: They know that the pressure is on for that first Mirror Ball, and Jordan wants to help her but it seems like his stamina is running out. The production is insanely psychedelic and the choreography looks very advanced. What lost stamina? It looks like Jordan kept up just fine. Len gives the duo a standing ovation!!!!!! Bruno agrees with the high difficulty and that Jordan easily kept up.

Scores: 10 | 10 | 10 = 30. They have three perfect scores at the moment. Lindsay, you might just get a Mirror Ball yet.

Trio - It was pretty obvious that he was gonna be paired up with Corbin Bleu. They both were in Disney musicals, they both transitioned into Broadway, and they both have released music along the way. "Deal With It" is probably one of my favorite songs of last decade. Corbin was Jordan's inspiration growing up, and he as a biracial kid wanted to give the media that representation. Lindsay is a bit caught up in the splitting image thing. The routine was everything I could have asked for and more.

Scores: 10 | 10 | 10 = 30. Because DUH.

-

In Jeopardy: Terrell & Cheryl, Frankie & Witney. Okay, can we please stop putting Frankie & Witney in this position? It's giving me a heart attack.
Eliminated: Terrell & Cheryl. A bit of a shame, but then again they did have the lowest scores coming in. They've impressed me so much and I'm glad to be wrong in their predictions for this one.

-

Next Week: It's the Semi Finals? Will we get to see two dances again?

Dance Ranking:
10 | 1.) Jordan & Lindsay with Corbin
10 | 2.) Frankie & Witney
10 | 3.) Lindsey & Mark with Kristi
10 | 4.) Jordan & Lindsay
10 | 5.) Frankie & Witney with Alfonso
9 | 6.) Lindsey & Mark
9 | 7.) Terrell & Cheryl
9 | 8.) Drew & Emma
8 | 9.) Victoria & Val with Laurie
8 | 10.) Terrell & Cheryl with Kelly
7 | 11.) Drew & Emma with Rashad
7 | 7.) Victoria & Val

Posted by: aDNAn 14th November 2017, 02:31 AM

I just cried at Jordan and Lindsey IKONEK dance Jive routine to Proud Mary

I just can't handle it

Posted by: Cody XCII 14th November 2017, 07:46 AM

All right let's do this thing, but first the songs and styles for the week

WEEK 9 SONGS & STYLES:

First dance is pro's choice, second dance is an iconic dance from a past DWTS season. This has only been done once before in Season 11.

Frankie & Witney | Salsa | Yin Yang Twins & Pitbull - Shake
original: Apolo Ohno & Julianne Hough (Season 4) | Paso Doble | Dario G - Carnival De Paris

Jordan & Lindsay | Argentine Tango | NEEDTOBREATHE f/Gavin DeGraw - Brother
original: Paige Vanzant & Mark Ballas (Season 22) | Jive | Tina Turner - Proud Mary

Victoria & Val | Contemporary | Cinematic Orchestra f/Patrick Watson - To Build a Home
original: Amber Riley & Derek Hough (Season 17) | Charleston | will.i.am - Bang Bang

Drew & Emma | Tango | The Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
original Corbin Bleu & Karina Smirnoff w/Witney Carson | Jazz | Usher f/Lil Jon and Ludacris - Yeah!

Lindsey & Mark | Contemporary | Alexander Jean - Head High
original: Meryl Davis & Maks Chmerkovskiy | Tango | Calvin Harris - Feel So Close

Meryl & Maks' tango and Paige & Mark's jive are two of my favorite dances of the entire series, so let's see how this goes.

Posted by: Cody XCII 14th November 2017, 08:37 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYygvkXxwCw&list=PLK1f1bOs9Xyf2Mko6Vjv6OKYpKXx94DVA

Five couples left, and another two hour show this week. Next week is the finals, and it's pretty much a two horse race at this point. This also means there are only two weeks left of me extensively blogging this season. Who will DNQ for the final this week? Live from Hollywood, it's the Dancing With The Stars semi-finals!

(scores: Carrie Ann | Len | Bruno)

-

Drew & Emma: So America is getting it's small dose of Strictly. Emma wants to hail Drew's Scottish roots, so they go full on with him wearing a kilt, some jig action going on, and the same song Strictly used for their Remembrance Day opening performance. It looks great, I think Emma did a great job with the choreography, but there were parts where he looked rough, almost like he had a stick up his ass. Len urged him to watch his technique.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. Honestly that's about right for this dance. It wasn't a complete disaster like the last few weeks, but it wasn't his best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGMYX7ihbiA - Their dance is Corbin and Karina's trio dance with Witney, which IMO completely defeats the purpose of this challenge. Why recreate a TRIO with a duet? Either way, Drew looked entertaining and it felt more clean than the tango. However, there is a bit of an issue with the lift. I don't know if this was done by Emma on purpose or if Drew just doesn't have the strength, but it looked scary.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 8 = 24. I have a feeling they're setting him up for fourth if he manages to get through.

-

Victoria & Val: Well, after Val's complete mess of an AT and having to deal with a spasm on her right oblique, she's ready to take on... (reads website) a contemporary piece. Yeah, apparently this was supposed to be a regular Waltz, but I guess Val decided to change the style last minute. Mess. This dance is honoring her parents who have stuck with her through the years and helping her recover and rehabilitate the parts of her body she didn't have control of her entire life. Val enlists the help of IRL bae Jenna Johnson to act as the mom, and it's half Val lifting Victoria and half a trio dance. Carrie Ann loved how it was all subtleties and nothing too big - she thought the story should speak for itself.

Scores: 9 | 9 | 9 = 27. I kinda figured that was going to be it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ctdo8ADmpE - Speaking of Season 17, they're recreating Amber & Derek's Charleston. IMO it wasn't the best Charleston ever created (not when Wanya & Lindsay's exists) but Amber was Derek's fifth win and second in a row so what the heck, let's capture that. The setup is much more different (it's a train setting), but I thought she handled it well, and this was more entertaining than her contemporary piece. The judges eat it up. Honestly, I think this is the best Val has choreographed since Week 4.

Scores: 9 | 10 | 10 = 29. Victoria finally gets her 10's.

-

Jordan & Lindsay: Lindsey choreographs a tribute for Jordan's big brother role - he absolutely adores his younger siblings and it makes him emotional. We also learn the reason why Lindsay's been wearing a knee brace - she had some sort of displacement in her knee while rehearsing for the DWTS Winter Tour showcase. She was upset because she wanted to do this dance with Jordan and stay on his side. This is the first AT that isn't either overtly sexual or EDM - it's more sweet and endearing. That may be just the song choice, which I personally hated. Carrie Ann and Len agree that this wasn't his best.

Scores: 9 | 9 | 10 = 28. The technique is there, it's just the DAMN SONG CHOICE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kMsb0xMz9A - This was a more recent dance; they get Paige & Mark's iconic jive which earned her one of the first perfect scores of the season. Mark sets a benchmark () for jives in the entire series, so this is gonna be a hard step.

HOLY SHIT. Lindsay is really rivaling Mark when it comes down to choreography. UH-MAY-ZING. I might just expect him to win the Mirror Ball (unless Lindsey and Mark come up with something huge). The only thing I wish they kept were the corkscrew spins in unison. Although that's more of a Ballas thing... but that's just me.

Scores: 10 | 10 | 10 = 30. This is their fifth perfect score of the season.

If you don't know what move I'm talking about, just watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nHlTvYHhvM&t=50s. That's obviously not Mark - those are his parents. Speaking of which:

-

Lindsey & Mark: Mark recognizes that Lindsey has been through the ringer and back, from the death of her father, to losing America's Got Talent, to the amount of negativity she receives on the daily because she's a violinist and "she'll never be mainstream". They should talk to her when they have three top 10's in BJSC. They're dancing to an Alexander Jean song, the duo made by Mark himself and his wife BC Jean (also a BJSC alum). This ripped my heart out of my chest. I felt her pain and her struggle, and it just felt very cathartic. The judges praise her fluidity and freedom in the movements.

Scores: 10 | 9 | 10 = 29. At least we got a 10 from Carrie Ann. Normally she's the one who underscores them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbflvDJ7ppM - Meryl & Maks' tango is probably one of the best dances on DWTS ever, which makes me more hyped for this. I'll probably talk about it if and when I end up doing a DWTS rankdown. Mark tells Lindsey that they need to channel their chemistry - a lot of people shipped them during their season (while his wife Peta was shipped with then partner James Maslow - why can't we get more BTR members on the show?) - and it's hard to do that with a married man. It's very evident that Mark's strategy is to amp up the technique. The only criticism I would give to it is that while Meryl and Maks set me on a frenzy, this felt like it was dialed down to a 7.

Scores: 9 | 9 | 10 = 28. She's zooming up that leaderboard quickly.

-

Frankie & Witney: Frankie still doesn't feel as confident as he should be considering he's become one of the top 5 dancers, and Witney wants him to exude that confidence. There's a cool hip hop breakdown and it's the most gimmicky Witney has gone since probably her Chris Kattan dances. And yep, they've been teasing it all season, SHIRTLESS FRANKIE MUNIZ. I'm just surprised they did it. There were a few stumbles (what is with Witney and getting caught in her wardrobe) and I did see that Frankie jumped in the wrong direction in one part.

Scores: 8 | 8 | 9 = 25. Maybe Cody Banks needs to turn up the heat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ph5jfWr4qo - They're digging way deep into the archives for this one. They're recreating Apolo & Julianne's Paso. For anyone who doesn't know Julianne, she's probably honeymooning it up with her boyfriend which explains why we have a three person panel, and if Derek was the Aeroche of DWTS, Julianne is probably the Batidas. Witney (who has been compared to Julianne before) wants to be authentic, so her solution is to just do the same dance. I felt that something went a bit wrong during the first few seconds, but once they got into hold... everything just clicked. It wasn't perfect, but I don't think the judges are giving him enough credit.

Scores: 9 | 8 | 9 = 26. Case in point - Frankie's gonna need them votes.

-

In Jeopardy: Victoria & Val, Frankie & Witney. Surprisingly Drew & Emma are safe. If this becomes Davidgate again I'll scream.
Eliminated: Victoria & Val. Honestly I was predicting this. Val's been going easy on her - he needs to switch up the strategy if he wants to get as high as previous seasons.

Also lmaoooo @ correctly predicting her 5th when I've been extremely off all season.

-

Next Week: We have a two night finale - a redemption dance, a freestyle, and my personal favorite, the 24-hour Fusion Challenge. Will Lindsay get her first Mirror Ball? Has the drought for Mark finally ended? Will Frankie make a dark horse rush to the finish? Or will Emma surprise us all by doing the double and possibly jeopardize the future of this show?

Dance Ranking:
10 | 1.) Jordan & Lindsay (Iconic Dance)
10 | 2.) Lindsey & Mark (Pro's Choice)
10 | 3.) Victoria & Val (Iconic Dance)
9 | 4.) Frankie & Witney (Pro's Choice)
9 | 5.) Lindsey & Mark (Iconic Dance)
9 | 6.) Frankie & Witney (Iconic Dance)
9 | 7.) Jordan & Lindsay (Pro's Choice)
8 | 8.) Victoria & Val (Pro's Choice)
8 | 9.) Drew & Emma (Iconic Dance)
8 | 10.) Drew & Emma (Pro's Choice)

And of course, I voted for my holy trinity. Commiserations to Drew.

Posted by: Agent Cody Banks 21st November 2017, 04:20 AM

Finals week!!!

WEEK 10 SONGS & STYLES:

Drew Scott and Emma Slater

-Redemption Paso Doble: "Get Ready" by Rayelle
-Freestyle: "The Ding-Dong Daddy of the D-Car Line" by Cherry Poppin' Daddies

Frankie Muniz and Witney Carson

-Redemption Foxtrot: "I Won't Dance" by Frank Sinatra
-Freestyle: "Run Boy Run" by Woodkid

Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold

-Redemption Charleston: "Bad Man" by Pitbull featuring Robin Thicke, Joe Perry and Travis Barker
-Freestyle: "Puttin' on the Ritz 2017 (Jazzy Radio Mix)" by Taco featuring tomX

Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas

-Redemption Quickstep: "Barflies at the Beach" by Royal Crown Revue
-Freestyle: "Remember the Name" by Fort Minor featuring Styles of Beyond (covered by Lindsey Stirling) / "Palladio" by Escala (Medley)

LINDSEY PLAYING THE VIOLIN PLZZZZZZ

Posted by: Agent Cody Banks 21st November 2017, 07:21 AM

Review coming tomorrow but I'm gonna have to say that this is the best Final 3 we've had since Season 19

LINDSEY'S FREESTYLE *.* SHE'S STILL PLAYING MID-AIR?! MID-LIFT?!?! My GOD get me a defibrilator *.*

Posted by: Agent Cody Banks 22nd November 2017, 07:06 AM

YAS JORDAN WON. First EVER Teen Wolf alum to win (even if it was only one episode)

Well the winner was very anticlimactic but GOD WE LOVE A GOOD WINNER. Congrats on breaking the all time perfect score record! Commiserations to Mark, starting to become more of a Hendinia if anything.

All-athlete season coming in the spring! Probably not gonna be anything too big with AI also debuting around the same time.