S028, Week 9: Boy Band and Girl Group Night—We Have a New Theme!

Finally, finallly, in Week 9 of Season 28 of Dancing with the Stars, we have a workable theme! And a theme we’ve never had. Wonderful. And icing on the cake, we have actual Boy Band member (Joey Fatone of ’NSync) and former #DWTS contestant as guest judge.

Girl Group round

Emma and James, jive

Emma and James are doing a jive to the Pointer Sisters. Now, right off the bat, they seem to be stretching the limits of what is technically a “girl group.” 

What a fantastic jive to kick off the show. Emma’s choreography (again, SWOON), so amazing. Just wonderful. It ends with both of them doing the splits. I mean… WOW. And I think that now that Pasha and Kate are gone (*sob*), I’m rooting for Emma and James to win.

Len: “To learn two dances, it’s a tough call. To come out and dance a jive, which has got a lot of steps in it, is a really difficult thing. I liked the speed on the underarm turns. It wasn’t all soft. Plenty of whip going on. The kicks and flicks were sharp and aggressive. You were good.” Joey Fatone: “I’ve been watching. You’re effortless in your dancing. You make it look easy. As someone who’s done this before: It ain’t easy. You make it with a smile. People don’t realize, you’re getting whapped in the face with hair, and you just go on with it. Everything you do is consistent. I’m really proud of you for doing this.” Bruno: “First out and we are on a roll. What a quarter final this is gonna be. What you did, you did very, veery well. Brilliant.” Carrie Ann: “You do, you make it look effortless. There’s such a smoothness and a finesse to you. You did some really cool moves, I’ve got to say. I love watching you dance.”

JUDGES: 36 (out of 40)

Jenna and Sean, Argentine tango

They are dancing to Destiny’s Child song, “Bills, Bills, Bills,” which is an odd choice for an Argentine tango. Personally, I didn’t care for the song at all. And Jenna does an amazing Argentine tango, especially the last move, pictured above, but Sean mostly stands there.

Len commented that the best thing about the dance was that it wasn’t very long. Indeed.

JUDGES: 26 (out of 40)

Alan and Hannah, salsa

They are dancing to “No Scrubs” from TLC. Hannah shows Alan a video she did in 8th grade to this song with a friend of hers. He says he’s not going to incorporate any of those moves (although it is cute).

Bruno: “It’s so good to see your confidence growing, dance after dance. You’re shining brighter with every number. (He mentions how she lost some timing.) Don’t feel discouraged. It doesn’t matter. You are now a star attraction.” Carrie Ann: “Fierce. I love the attitude, I love the turns. Your lifts were a little out of sorts, you barely got through them. (#Facts) Last week, you blew us away. I bet you will on the next dance. This one was good, but it wasn’t amazing.” Len: “I liked the lifts. You did occasionally get ahead of the music. Full of rhythm, full of Latin flavor.” Joey Fatone: “The lifts were a little bit sloppy, because you wanna try to throw so many tricks in there. Overall, fantastic.”

JUDGES: 32 (out of 40)

Sasha and Ally, samba

Ally, for those who don’t remember, used to be in Fifth Harmony (a girl group). And they are now dancing to a Spice Girls song (“Wannabe”). She gushes all over the Spice Girls. 

I forget sometimes how sexy Sasha is. But this final move in their dance: wow! Oh yeah, great choreography throughout, and Ally owns that stage. Loved this dance.

Carrie Ann; “Being in a girl group paid off, cause that was amazing. You guys are part of the Wonder Twins. The way you dance together is so incredible. You are so in sync (Joey laughs). You are so good in your technique, it was flawless.” Len: “There was plenty of recognizable samba. Great technique. It was a fantastic dance.” Joey Fatone: “There was no samba roll. From one boy bander to another girl grouper, amazing job.” Bruno: “I tell you what I want:MORE OF THAT! I know you’ve got girl power, but it wasn’t drowned by the concept. It was a proper, technically absolutely right samba. Perfect.”

JUDGES: 40 (out of 40) Well-deserved.

Gleb and Lauren, quickstep

Lauren and Gleb are dancing a quickstep to a Supremes song (“Can’t Hurry Love”). Mary Wilson, you may remember, was on the show earlier in the season, and is in the audience tonight.

Len: “Gleb, I love that you put in a spin turn…” (Gleb is finally learning that doing what Len likes is an important part of winning this show…) Len: “Once you do things like that, I’m a sucker for it. It was lovely. I liked it.” Joey Fatone: “It’s not easy to do something like that, especially with the quickstep. The energy was great.” He then advises them to get a better frame. Bruno: “You really captured the joy of a timeless classic perfectly. It was a very very complex routine. Very good, though.” Carrie Ann: “I don’t know what you guys are talking about, I thought it was fantastic, it was amazing. You were on point. A lot of content. The hold and the frame, everything about it was great. I love the way that you dance, you give it your full every single time. I loved it.”

JUDGES: 34 (out of 40)

Witney and Kel, paso doble

Kel, who apparently is a minister for the Seventh Day Adventist Church, takes Witney to a service where he is giving a sermon. 

They are dancing a paso doble to En Vogue’s “Free Your Mind.” So many things they could’ve done with that whole concept, but they didn’t. :-(

There was this whole segment with dudes grunting… or something… not sure what that was supposed to be. (And it wasn’t explained.)

Joey Fatone: “Hey Pastor Kel, your knees gotta come up, but overall, fantastic job.” Bruno: “It wasn’t an earthquake, it was the power of the performance, and oh my God, the power! I’m overwhelmed by the power of the performance.” Carrie Ann: “It was really small, and you have to dance big. We are heading into the semifinals. Use that space. Push the space.” Len: “Too many gimmicks, and not enough paso doble in my world.” 

JUDGES: 34 (out of 40) Last time it was Carrie Ann and Len with the 9s, and Joey and Brno with the 8s, this time it was exactly reversed.

MICHE’s Favorites of Week 9: GIRL GROUPS

1. Emma and James, jive (Pointer Sisters)

2. Sasha and Ally, samba (Spice Girls)

3. Alan and Hannah, salsa (TLC)

4. Gleb and Lauren, quickstep (The Supremes)

5. Witney and Kel, paso doble (En Vogue)

Boy Band round

Emma and James, jazz

This boy band consists of: (L-R) Pasha, Brandon, James, Keo, Val

James has known *NSYNC a LONG time. He talks about being 21 (when Justin and Lance weren’t yet), and trying to get into a Prince concert. He is excited to dance to one of their songs (even with Joey sitting there): “Dancing ‘Bye Bye Bye’ in front of Joey is like covering someone’s song who made it famous. It’s gonna be awesome.”

Len: “I know it’s ‘Boy Bands,’ but that was too much boy band for me. I would’ve liked more together dancing. It was a little too much aggression.” Tom; “Joey, do you agree with Len?” Joey: “Um, NO. If I could give a 100, I would. Course, I’m biased by the song. But even with jazz, it’s all about the attitude. Because of the choreography, you know I’m a stickler. Em, you did a great job. Seriously, hands-down awesome.” James is just beaming. Bruno: “There could have been a little bit mor together, a little more attention to your partner.” Carrie Ann: “Um, Hi, Hi, Hi. It was really good. You have this amazing ability to give 300% every time you dance. I have so much respect for you. Every move you do, I can tell you care and you rehearsed it.”

Erin asks James if he was nervous, knowing Joey was right there. James: “We’ve known each other for a long, long time. If you had told me 20 years ago that I’d be here, dancing to his song, I never would’ve believed it.” (Cut to Joey laughing).

JUDGES: 36 (out of 40)  Joey gives him a 10.

Alan and Hannah, tango

Hannah and Alan are dancing a tango to BTS’ “Boys with Love.” It’s pretty good.

Joey: “I have nothing to say wrong. Everything was great. I thought it was fantastic. So far for me, best dance of the night.” Bruno: “I am purring like a kitten that just got cream. That was pure undiluted pleasure. What you did so well, you brought a lot of passion, but at the same time, it was elegant. You were killing it. The lines were splendid. It had old-school Hollywood glamour. Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth.” Carrie Ann: “If you want to win this competition, you have to bring A game every time. Thanks for bringing back your A game.” Len: “It had sharp, staccato movement. Good frame, good posture.”

JUDGES: 39 (out of 40)

Jenna and Sean, foxtrot

Sean says in his package: “Part of being on the show is rehearsing every day. It’s the best cardio workout ever. It’s not just a show, it’s a weight-loss program. I’m down 20 pounds already.” 

They are dancing a foxtrot to One Direction’s “Story of My Life.”

Now, I know no one listens to lyrics, but personally I’d be worried about dancing to a song which says: “I’ll be gone, I’ll be gone tonight.”

Bruno: “Your technique always goes in one direction. Reverse, my darling, “ he says, laughing. “It’s a fluid, effortless dance, and it wasn’t very fluid. It was a bit clumpy.” Carrie Ann; “You’ve been doing really well, you’ve been giving it your all. I love you for coming out here every time, heart open, just bright-eyed, dancing. I know you’re getting a little emotional right now, but stick with it. You’re doing the best you can. We have our standards that you are measuring you up against, nothing personal. I love that you keep coming, you keep trying. It’s really responsible.” Len: “It flowed, then it splattered, then there was a couple of drips. Then, it flowed again, and somewhere in the middle, it stopped completely.” Joey Fantone: “I’ll try to get a little more positivity than these people. You always give 110%. No matter what anyone says, you’re taking a beating sometimes. And you keep going though. And that’s the best thing you can do. Your journey is amazing to me. It’s coming down to the final wire. You need to step up.”

Erin asks Sean what the journey has been like for him. Sean: “It’s been absolutely amazing. I didn’t know entirely what to expect, but I’ve loved being part of the show. Loved meeting the cast, the crew. It’s such a family. I’ve enjoyed it so much, I’ve made a ton of progress, and I get to work with people like Jenna and Lindsay. It’s amazing. I’m so happy I did this.”

Erin (to Jenna): “Good job, Mama, filling in the last couple of weeks.” 

JUDGES: 24 (out of 40)

Gleb and Lauren, rumba

Lauren and Gleb are dancing a rumba to Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way.” Lauren knows them, and is especially close with AJ. She invites him to the rehearsal. He declares her the winner. 

Their rumba is beautiful and lyrical. 

Carrie Ann: “I can’t believe how far you’ve grown. You’ve really come so far since Week 1. The growth is phenomenal. You are so in tune with your body. There’s such a beautiful confidence and sensuality that’s being exposed here. There’s also vulnerability, mixed with the power. It’s really an amazing artistic explosion of a lot of things.” Len: “You’ve had a quickstep and you’ve had a rumba, both ends of the dance spectrum. Really tough call. I liked it very much. Lovely fluid movement, sure-footed.” Joey: “If it was based on the song, no disrespect, I would give it a zero. However, the dance and what you guys did was absolutely amazing.” Bruno: “Smoking. Sultry. Smoldering. If you like your rumba hot, place your orders now, cause Lauren DELIVERS.”  

Lauren mentions to Erin that it’s her birthday week, and that’s why she wanted to do good.

JUDGES: 36 (out of 40)

Witney and Kel, Viennese waltz

I really love Viennese waltzes in general, and this was quite a nice one. Plus, her costume was so beautiful. It’s hard to tell, but it’s actually lavender-colored.

They are doing a Viennese waltz to Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You.” (Vocals actually by CJ Edmond and Travis Garland.)

Len: “I thought it was terrific. Natural turns, reverse turns, you put in the famous fleckl there. A really polished performance.” Joey: “Going from the paso to the Viennese waltz? Amazing. Really great job.” Bruno: “Kel, you dance like a perfect gentleman. He was leading with such a confident and soft touch. You have no idea how hard it is to lead these dances with such flow, rotation. And your musical phrasing! You were taking it right on the right breath. You two were sensational.” Carrie Ann: “I agree with everything that all of these men have said, however, what impressed me the most is that you actually took direction. I gave you a comment in the last round, and you incorporated it into this dance—with the arms. Did you guys see it? The fluidity. I love a man who can take a direction.”

JUDGES: 40 (out of 40)

Sasha and Ally, jazz

Sasha tells Ally that they are dancing to New Kids on the Block’s “Step by Step,” and she bursts into some kind of dance. As Sasha stares at her, she says: “They have that in their video.” Sasha pauses and says: “I will NOT put that in.” LOL Seriously. Trust Sasha to do great choreography, all on his own.

And I don’t know what this move is, but I LOVE this move. Where he ends up next to her on the floor (for like a second)…

Wonderful stuff. The whole number (with Daniella and Pasha as part of the troupe) was just blissful and fun. I loved it so much.

Sasha is so good. 

Joey: “Well done. The energy was absolutely amazing. I love when there’s always a storytelling. Watching you guys do that was so much fun. So many jazz dances in there. I never did a “jazz” cause we didn’t have that back then, cause it was Season 4 and I’m old. Absolutely amazing and what a great way to end the show.” Bruno: “That was pure pop delight. You reminded me of my dear friend Paula Abdul. Compliments don’t get better than this one. Did you base it on Paula?” Sasha says: “She looks exactly like Paula.” Carrie Ann: “Just flawless again. To me, this felt like it was the Finals, and that was your Freestyle. It was amazing. It was just so good. I don’t know what to say. Thank you for making it so much fun. I had a grin on my face the whole time.” Len: “You have such a bubbly personality, and it was reflected in this dance. So much fun. So much going on. Apart, together, it was a whole package.”

Sasha is really worried that they might be in the Bottom Two again. (I don’t think so! They got a perfect score of 80 for both dances.)

JUDGES: 40 (out of 40)

So, who’s going home? And who IS in the Bottom Two?

Well, FINALLY I see the advantage of doing this “judges pick their favorite out of the two” thing that they instituted not long ago. Because when the Bottom Two are Lauren/Gleb and Sean/Jenna, you can FINALLY get rid of Sean Spicer. And as the song said: He’ll be GONE. He’ll be GONE tonight.

Thank God for that.

MICHE’s Favorites of Week 9: BOY BANDS

1. Sasha and Ally, jazz (New Kids on the Block)

2. Alan and Hannah, tango (BTS)

3. Witney and Kel, Viennese waltz (Boyz II Men)

4. Emma and James, jazz (*NSYNC)

5. Gleb and Lauren, rumba (Backstreet Boys)

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