Tom and Erin enter to what seems like a field of stars. Tom mentions the “British voice” making the announcements, and though I’ve heard it a thousand times, suddenly I’m wondering if it’s a holdover from the early British origins of the show. Why did I never realize that before? Anyway... Gorgeous lighting effects. There is no opening number. Each remaining contestant comes out as images of them are projected onto the massive dance floor. We have six now, we will have four remaining at the end of the night. But which four?
I will take this moment to say, that as I watched this, I fully believed that Juan Pablo and Cheryl were going to win it all. Or maybe Witney and Milo. But let’s see, shall we?
Bobby Bones and Sharna are first up. Bobby dedicates his salsa “to the people who put us here. I’m not here because of my scores, I’m here because of my people. I don’t call them my fans. They are my friends. I’m very lucky to have the biggest country morning show ever, but without anyone listening to it, I would be nothing.” So Sharna surprises him (and I’ve never seen this on any episode ever before) with an edit of messages from their fans. They sit down in a room, and project it on the wall in front of them, and they both seem to get pretty teary-eyed watching it. At the end, Bobby says, “That’s really special.”
And then he says: “I’m gonna work as hard as I can to get to the finale, for you guys.”
They then have a massive number, where lots of fans are crowding around the stage, you can barely see the dancers (and many of the pros and troupe have joined Bobby and Sharna). I’m thinking how much Len must LOVE this... Look for the camera shot of Sharna’s silver ass, shaking. Wonderful.
Bobby comes down and says: “I did every step for the first time EVER!” Sharna is laughing.
Len: “You put the boy into flamboyant. Not the most conventional of salsas, however, you’re not a conventional guy. You come out, you entertain, you give us fun, I enjoyed watching you.” (He hated it.) Bruno: “It was Bobby and the salsa angels. He looks like someone that just gate-crashed a Victoria’s Secret show.” (This makes Bobby laugh.) Bruno then grabs his crotch, and mercifully, whatever he does is off-camera. It does, however, prompt Tom to say, “Careful. Careful now.” Bruno: “I don’t know if it was a salsa, really. But as a show, it was great.” Carrie Ann: “I’m still a bit baffled, because I never thought in a million years, I’d see you dancing to that song. In the semifinals. Bobby, you’ve come such a long way, and it’s so evident that everybody loves you. I love your energy, and you are such a joy to watch.”
Erin asks Bobby about the Angels line, and what he was thinking. Bobby: “I’m thinking this is the craziest thing I’ve ever dreamed, and I’m here still.” Erin says it should be his driver’s license photo.
JUDGES’ SCORES: 21 (out of 30)
Bobby talks for a moment about the fires in California. And gives a number to help.
Tom then takes a moment to honor Veteran’s Day. And Stan Lee, who died the day this aired.
We have now established (last episode) that Alexis and Alan have feelings for each other. So, Alexis dedicates her waltz to Alan, or, as Tom calls him: “this guy.” They show in their package how everyone in the ballroom (and backstage) screamed when they kissed in the package.
Bruno: “Heavenly. Fluidity. Exquisite elegance and poise, but what this girl has is the turns. The way your turns are placed on the axis. It is just brilliantly beautiful.” Carrie Ann: “I agree with Bruno. The turns are spot on, but what’s incredible, there’s something that matured in the way you express yourself. I think that dedicating it to Alan made such a difference, because everything that you did had so much care put into it. This was your best dance. But there was a lift.” Len: “Elegant. Graceful. Continuous movement.” Len is bummed that there wasn’t any waltz content. “The further you go from the roots of the dance, the more you lose.” (That really goes for anyone he’s judging.)
JUDGES’ SCORES: 28 (out of 30)
Joe starts out in his package by saying he wants to dedicate this dance to “the women in my life,” then, as he sees the choreography is pretty sexual/sensual, he takes that back. So I guess it’s just for Kendall, his girlfriend, though he says, “the night is for his mom and grandmom” also.
Jenna is easily one of the best contemporary dancers on this show. That was gorgeous. Her choreography is stunning, starting from the first move, as the camera pans up Joe's body, and she raises up from behind him. Truly artful.
Tom: “I can see why that wasn’t for your mom or grandma.”
Carrie Ann: “I’m impressed. There’s a new fluidity that I’m seeing.” Carrie Ann talks about the importance of foot placement in contemporary, how it can be distracting if it’s wrong. But, she says, there was none (that were wrong). “The transitions were just impeecable.” Len: “You didn’t do much, Joe.” (It’s true. This was an incredible showcase for Jenna.) “But, you didn’t do much very well.” (This makes Tom laugh and laugh.) After all that, he does say he enjoyed it. Bruno: “It was fashionably minimalistic.”
JUDGES’ SCORES: 22 (out of 30)
Juan Pablo is also dedicating this to his mom. This steamy Argentine tango. Um, ok. He says “it reminds me of my mother’s warrior spirit. She inspires me every day.”
In all my years of watching Dancing with the Stars, I have NEVER seen a “star” learn how to do the legs thing in this dance (“ganchos”). Usually, it’s the woman pro doing it, and the star not doing it. But OMG! To see it done, and done right, is just bliss. Absolutely incredible. Blew my mind watching this. Seriously one of the best dances I have ever seen on this show. Stunning.
It was sexy, sultry, seductive. As an Argentine tango is SUPPOSED TO BE.
Standing ovation in the ballroom, including two of the judges (not Len). Prolonged applause.
Tom: “Len, you look like somebody drugged you over there.”
Len takes a long minute, as he’s shaking his head. Then, “I’ve gotta stand up here.” (Which, for the record, he NEVER does.) Len: “It was fantastic. It was a mix of care and flair. Flair in the dance, care in the technique. I will always remember that Argentine tango, because it was truly fabulous.” Whew. Just can’t get higher praise than that. Wow.
Bruno: “Honestly, I can’t catch my breath. It really was extraordinary. It was smoldering, and yet it was the pure essence of an Argentine tango. On top of that... that sequence of ganchos you did at the end building up to that incredible finale, is the best I have seen since the show started.” (I agree.) “We’ve never seen something like that.”
Carrie Ann: “Juan Pablo, you have been our most consistent performer, weekly delivering, but tonight you outdid yourself. There’s no words that I could find that could do that justice. What you just brought out here to me... people that have been watching our show for 27 seasons, I know that they, along with me, were blown away. There was so much artistry, passion. You’re in a class of your own, my friend.”
JUDGES’ SCORES: 30 (out of 30)
Bruno: “It should’ve been an 11.” That was stunning.
Evanna is dedicating her contemporary to one of her director friends who has ALS.
That was beautiful, though for me it was hard to watch after that Argentine tango.
Bruno: “You’ve become like another person in this season. Powerful, strong, heartfelt. In the moment. The storytelling was flawless. Your dancing was brilliant.” Carrie Ann: “You did him justice. You danced as though you were the essence of life. You have become a warrior. It was fierce and it was loud, and I’m proud.” Len: “That was a powerful, polished performance, and I loved it.’
JUDGES’ SCORES: 30 (out of 30)
Keo is crying, after Erin mentions that this is the first time that Keo has made it this far in the competition.
After the break, the bumper is Gleb dancing with Emma, and Artem dancing with Lindsay. Gleb seems to get a bit too sexual (as he does) with Emma. She seems shocked by it. Tom even says: “Emma, you all right?” Damn you, Gleb. We move on.
Milo dedicates his Argentine tango to “his Emmy®-winning mom,” as Tom says.
That was a beautiful Argentine tango as well, but it has pretty big shoes, following the other so perfect one.
Milo goes out and hugs his mom, who is crying in the audience.
Carrie Ann: “It was fascinating, watching you get all emotional before, and turn it into intensity. It was very different than Juan Pablo and Cheryl’s, which I was a little worried, because it was so good. But what I liked was the structural element that you created (pointing to Witney). There were so many beautiful shapes. I thought you had so much presence. You just brought it.” Len: “You came out and stayed true to yourself. Lots of intensity going on. I thoroughly enjoyed it.” Bruno: “Stylish, sharp, strong. All the sequences of lifts you did were very very good. Every time, so clean.”
JUDGES’ SCORES: 27 (out of 30)
Erin talks to Milo about his getting emotional before the dance. Milo talks about how grateful he is for his mom.
Miche’s Favorites of the First SemiFinal Dances
1. Juan Pablo and Cheryl (Argentine tango) (OH MY GOD!)
2. Milo and Witney (Argentine tango)
3. Bobby and Sharna (salsa)
4. Joe and Jenna (contemporary)
5. Alexis and Alan (waltz)
6. Evanna and Keo (contemporary)
These have variously been called the “Redemption dances,” or “Judges’ choice.” In any case, it takes a dance they have previously done, gives them new music and new choreography, and one of the judges helps them with tips. The chosen dance for Bobby and Sharna is the jive, and their mentor is Len. While Bobby watches Len in rehearsal, he says: “Len’s still got moves. Who knew Len would still have the moves?” Then, after he practices a bit, “It was great to get advice from someone so wonderful. Yeah, I said that, Len.”
I loved their first week jive. But I love this one, too. And there is a massive picture of Len on the floor below. hahahaha Bobby lays down on Len’s face and does snow angels. LOL (just as the lyric goes, “gimme some lovin’ ”). At the end, Bobby whips open his button shirt to reveal... well, this:
 |
| Major suck-up action |
Tom marvels about the fact that Sharna didn’t know about it.
Len said he “had so much fun coming to see” them. To quote Lou Reed, “it was a walk on the wild side... But for coming up and selling it, you’re my man, Bobby.” Tom says there is “a lot of welly.” Bruno: “He was jumping around like a golden cricket. But you actually did some kicks and flicks, that were sometimes recognizable.” Carrie Ann: “I was just watching the replay again, and it really was improved, and that’s what we’re looking for: improvement. The kicks were extremely high. It was so much fun.”
Bobby tells Tom that his bar for scores is “three eights. That’s my three 10s. When they did the odds for the show, I was picked to go home first. I literally was the worst person on the show. The fact that I’ve been able to last, and I’ve never danced before...” Tom: “It’s entertainment. That’s what it is.” Bobby tells all of the judges that he appreciates them.
JUDGES’ SCORES: 24 (out of 30)
And with that, Bobby and Sharna get three 8s! (His perfect score.)
Bruno is the mentor for Alexis and Alan. They are again doing the jive. My favorite part of this song is that both Emma and Sasha are dancing in it.
Fun banter between Tom and Alan.
Bruno: “Nothing fuzzy about that one. It was clearly brilliant. Plenty of content, beautifully done.” Carrie Ann: “I remember when you first came out. You had star quality, but it was a little fuzzy, like everyone said. Tonight, you were toned. Everything was perfect. You need a workout video.” Len: “I’m exhausted watching it. The concept I loved. The dancing was fabulous. So clean, so clear. Alan! You see? It was full of content.”
Erin says she “cannot get enough of...” Alan’s gams in this outfit. Then Alan shows us the Band-Aids over his nips. Twice. Erin was so flustered, she forgot to get the scores.
JUDGES’ SCORES: 30 (out of 30)
Carrie Ann is tasked with helping Joe and Jenna with their quickstep. BTW, such great costumes.
Carrie Ann, who no doubt is amazed that Joe is still here in the Semifinals, decided to help them work on “musicality.” She says that “for a non-dancer, the tendency is to rush, get ahead of the beat.”
She tells Joe: “America loves you. Put that into the dance.” But then, to us: “We’ve never had an underdog like Joe.”
I loved that quickstep.
Joe says: “I just wanna say: I couldn’t do any of this without Jenna. She’s an incredible person, and a real friend.” Awwww.
Carrie Ann: “Listen. What a difference. You had the most to gain, of redoing the dance you did Week One. You brought it to the dance floor. Your shoulders were open, your frame was good.” Len: “Your frame was better.” He turns to Carrie Ann and says: “You did good.” Course, she didn’t get a picture on the floor and a T-shirt in her honor, but... Well, Joe comes over to give her a hug. Len: “It was such an improvement.” Bruno: “That was a proper dance. From the beginning to the end, it was a recognizable quickstep. Plenty of content. Much more control. Much more musicality.” Turns to Carrie Ann: “Well done, Carrie Ann.”
JUDGES’ SCORES: 24 (out of 30)
Bruno takes on the task of “helping to sharpen their salsa,” as Tom tells us. And Bruno (not surprisingly) arrives dressed in a see-through shirt. LOL Sparkly, of course. Juan Pablo cracks up.
Juan Pablo tries to talk to the camera about how great it is to have Bruno there. “He’s such a sweetheart, so lovely and so full of life.” Cheryl cuts in: “So full of nipples.” LOL
“On Bruno’s advice, I’m ready to unleash the Latin beast.”
Right in the middle of the dance, I think it was about this part, Juan Pablo unleashes some massive hip action, right in Bruno’s direction... DING! I mean, 10!
Great salsa.
Bruno is blowing kisses at them. Oh my. “I don’t think any salsa could get any hotter or better than this one.” Bruno liked the choreography bit at the beginning, where he caught her head three times. “Sensational!” says Bruno. Carrie Ann (she screams YES! very girlishly): “OK. That was like 50 Shades of Salsa. You had it all. Two authentic, awesome dances today.” Len: “What you’ve had is two dances TO THE CORRECT MUSIC. That salsa was proper salsa music. It wasn’t a form of hiphop with knobs on... If you’re not in the final, I’m going to go home and pickle my walnuts. It was great.”
Erin: “I agree with Carrie Ann: the Yes! and the Yes! and the Yes! So hot. Can I give my girl some props here? The choreography for those last routines was INSANE. Incredible. Cheryl, what was going through your mind as you were just shimmying your little business all around?” Cheryl: “Tonight? I was just having the best time. I cannot be more proud than I am right now. You’re so great to work with, and thank you so much for everything.” Juan Pablo: “And I adore you. She actually makes me a better person. I love this girl.”
JUDGES’ SCORES: 30 (out of 30)
Two mind-blowing landmark dances from Cheryl Burke and Juan Pablo. I’m seeing that Mirror Ball with their name on it right now...
Evanna and Keo get a visit from Len. He suggests they redo their foxtrot (from Week One, which he scored a 5). He describes how Evanna’s gotta get better body contact and a better frame.
Sadly, there is barely any body contact in hold.
Len: “The improvement in the technique, in the movement, in the quality of the dance is amazing.” Bruno: “It’s like watching another girl, from what I saw in Week One. Everything about your performance is so much more focused. You finish the movement. You’ve done a fantastic job.” Carrie Ann: “When I was watching you dance, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Seriously. I started to cry, because sometimes there’s this X factor that happens and it’s magic, like I’m watching a moment of life. You were dancing with so much momentum, and so much freedom. So much confidence in Keo, and the partnership. I was blown away. Thank you for touching my heart tonight.”
JUDGES’ SCORES: 28 (out of 30)
Milo and Witney get advice from Carrie Ann on their cha cha. Carrie Ann talks to Milo about “negative space.”
They do this incredible move at the end. Wow.
Beautiful cha cha.
Carrie Ann: “What I loved is that I saw even more confidence in your upper body. All those things we worked on. It still felt just a bit wild.” Len: “It’s full of youthful exhuberance. There’s a joy about your dancing. I always enjoy watching you.” Bruno: “I liked it. It was a very fresh, individual interpretation of a cha cha cha. It may not be traditional, but it’s very very effective. I thought it was a fantastic dance to finish a fantastic night.”
JUDGES’ SCORES: 28 (out of 30)
Who is going home in this double elimination?
Erin says: “Not happy with this.” Tom says: “The cruelest cut of the season.”
Well, this couple:
And?
The most perfect Argentine tango ever on this show. This couple.
They are leaving to loud BOOs in the ballroom, for whoever made this crazy choice. All three judges are dumbfounded.
Erin: “It’s wrong. Wrong!”
Len says: “There’s no justice here.”
SHOCKER. Big upset.
Tom: “It’s gonna take a little time to digest this one.” Indeed.
Miche’s Favorites of the Second SemiFinal Dances (Redemption/Judges’ Choice)
1. Juan Pablo and Cheryl (salsa)
2. Milo and Witney (cha cha)
3. Bobby and Sharna (jive)
4. Joe and Jenna (quickstep)
5. Evanna and Keo (foxtrot)
6. Alexis and Alan (jive)
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