S028 Week 5: Disney Week

What you want from Disney Night on Dancing with the Stars is big splashy Disneyness. Boy, did we get that with the superb opening number, at Disneyland,  natch. The opening credits showed everyone enjoying themselves, riding rides at Disneyland. Awwwww. Great choreography, too.

Val and Sailor: Viennese waltz

Seriously, Val Chmerkovskiy IS Prince Charming. So this Viennese waltz to “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” from Cinderella is perfect for these two to open Disney night.

Kudos also go to the set decorators and costumers for this delectable sparkly cream puff of a dance.

Sailor’s mom, Christie Brinkley, was in the audience, crying.

Len: “I thought it was light and fluffy, like a soufflé. I would have likeed a tiny bit more in hold, but having said that… there’s no way you’re not back next week.” Bruno: “This girl looks like the ideal Disney princess. You were actually acting it very well. Light, fluid, elegant. I can really see you apply yourself to the dance. The balance in your spins start to be on the axis. Before, you were slightly off, now you’re right on it. You were lovely.”

JUDGES: 24 (out of 30)

Jenna and Karamo, samba

Karamo is dancing this samba to a song from The Lion King. In his package, he looks at a Disneyland mountain, and dedicates the dance to his sons. (Awwww.) 

The sets and costumes couldn’t be more different from the previous number, though there is still plenty of sparkle.

Bruno: “You needed more elasticity. You don’t step a samba, you go through it.” Carrie Ann: “No matter what you do, you radiate terrific.”

JUDGES: 21 (out of 30)

Pasha and Kate, jazz

I LOVE this couple. I truly want them to win. Kate Flannery is awesome and Pasha is such a perfect partner for her. And Mary Poppins? Come on! Perfect. (Especially since Kate comes flying in from the sky, Poppins bag in hand.) 

It really helps to have an actress attempt such a number (“Spoonful of Sugar”), I thought this dance was fantastic.

Carrie Ann: “I love how you started off with qucikstep, because that’s something you really excelled in. But you were so well-rehearsed. You got every line. You guys are so in sync. You’re such a powerful couple. I love watching you dance.” (Mid comment, Carrie Ann falls out of her chair… don’t ask.) They’re getting bonus points now.” Len: “What I liked, there was a nice section of polka. You don’t see that a lot. There was Charleston, there was a bit of quickstep going on. And it was all wrapped up in a sweet and delicious routine. You are back in the game!” Bruno: “It had an olden days musical feel to it. Full of content. And you brought your own personality to it.”

JUDGES: 24 (out of 30)

Lindsay and Sean, quickstep

Sean dedicates this dance to his dad, struggling with cancer. It’s from Toy Story, and Sean is Woody.

The less said about this dance, the better. Yikes.

Len: “I watched it very carefully. You did nice heel leads on the forward step, which I like to see. Your frame was pretty good. There was a lot of stuff in hold. Congratulations.”

JUDGES: 19 (out of 30)

Sasha and Ally, contemporary

 Ally and Sasha performed a contemporary dance to Beauty and the Beast. Halfway through the song, rose petals start falling from the ceiling. It’s beautiful. So is the dance.

Someone seriously needs to tie down Carrie Ann’s chair…

The judges loved this dance, each giving it the first 9s of the season.

JUDGES: 27 (out of 30)

Daniella Karagach, someone who was hired as a pro, but didn’t get a partner, does her own dance to something from Frozen 2 (“Into the Unknown”). The great thing about Disney night is that they really make full use of the dance troupe, not more than in this number. Daniella is fabulous, by the way, even if she ends the dance on the judges’ table (man, I hate when they do that!).

Glen and Lauren, samba

After all the frou frou about her modesty, I think it’s hilarious that Lauren is playing a mermaid, yet she is completely covered up. LOL They dance the samba to “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid.

Carrie Ann: “You had the samba bounce.” Len: “There was a lot of samba content.”

JUDGES: 23 (out of 30)

Witney and Kel, jazz

Man, I just hated everything about this dance. Sometimes Witney and her choreography are sublime. Other times, she relies on quirks which really bug me. This dance was firmly in the latter category. Ugh. Plus, it was to High School Musical the Musical the Series, or whatever the name of that damn show is. Also ugh.

Judges though, loved it. Ugh. Carrie Ann: “That was nonstop, high-octane dancing. Way to go.”

JUDGES: 26 (out of 30)

Alan and Hannah, foxtrot

The sets and costumes on this are amazing. They are dancing to “A Whole New World” from Aladdin. It’s hard to make a magic carpet actually look like one, but it really did. 

The only bad thing was that they cranked out the dry ice, which is great for atmospherics, but makes it damn hard to see the dancers’ feet, which is really important in a dance show.

I still haven’t gotten over my Bachelorette bias, though, and Hannah Brown still really annoys me.

Len thought there were “too many swooshes,” so he gives it a 7. The other two thought it was a 9. Sigh.

JUDGES: 25 (out of 30)

Emma and James, paso doble

Now let me say this about that. Certain songs/dances remain indelible in our memories. This song, from Pirates of the Caribbean, was done earlier (in previous seasons) by Witney and was really spectacular. So the first challenge is getting that one out of one’s mind.

Then the dance starts. The sets and costumes are spectacular. And Emma’s choreography is superb and stunning. It’s hard not to love this dance.

And I really love James and Emma as a couple.

Tom Bergeron thanks the crew for all the setups tonight.

Carrie Ann: “That was insane. This was your dance.” Len: “It was dramatic. A really great routine.” Bruno: “It was powerful. A big hit.”

JUDGES: 26 (out of 30)

And then, the big question. Who are the bottom two?

Silly, it’s DISNEY NIGHT. No one goes home on Disney Night.

(But they lined them all up anyway, and I think that was kinda mean.)

Miche’s Favorites of Disney Night

1. Pasha and Kate, jazz

2. Sasha and Ally, contemporary

3. Val and Sailor, Viennese waltz

4. Emma and James, paso doble

5. Alan and Hannah, foxtrot

6. Jenna and Karamo, samba

7. Gleb and Lauren, samba

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