Last week, as you may remember, Cheryl got Covid, and they did their dance from rehearsal tape. This week, her partner Cody got Covid, so they are again dancing remotely. Also, judge Derek Hough is sitting this one out, “in an abundance of caution.”
Alan and Amanda, cha cha
They dance to something called “Circus” that I’ve never heard of. She does have great legs, and uses them to do amazing splits.
Len: “I was intrigued to find out how you would cope with Latin American dances, because you’ve done ballroom dancing up until now. And I must say, you coped very well. There’s a few dances on this show that I almost know what I’m going to get. There’s nothing spontaneous. And with you, it’s always clean, it’s clear, but it doesn’t really excite me. I wanna get excited.” Bruno: “What a show! What a cha cha cha! First Latin, and you have a hit. You ooze star quality. Those legs, I’m telling you, they are a weapon to be reckoned with.” Carrie Ann: “You are stunning. Normally we don’t use that word for a cha cha, but you are stunning. What I loved about it most was that it was clean, it was sharp, it was elegant. You obviously worked on your technique. But what is lacking, I think, is your posture.”
JUDGES: 24 (Out of 30)
Daniella and Iman, tango
Nice choreeography, as usual, by Daniella. They tango to “Piece of Me.” The height thing, man, whoa! But they work around it nicely.
Bruno: “That was a nice, solid piece of tango. I really appreciate the fact that you are really concentrating on getting the right move. You even tried heel leads. You were in control. You tried to keep your frame. You have to try now to make it a little bit smoother. Drive it through smoothly.” Carrie Ann: “Iman, I did not expect that today. No offense. You know I’m a fan. The way you toned down your steps to match Daniella is so impressive. It’s so hard to do. Your height difference is unbelievable. No one would ever put you guys together in the real world of ballroom dance.” Len: “Unlike Amanda, I’m never sure what’s gonna turn up. Sometimes I think WOW, sometimes not so much. I could see you were trying to work your feet, but they weren’t always fantastic. Let me say: your feet are a long way from your heart, and you always come out and give it your all.”
JUDGES: 19 (Out of 30)
Pasha and Christine, paso doble
Pasha and Christine dance to “Stronger.” I really enjoyed this paso. And the costumes!
Carrie Ann: “Christine, yay! I’m so glad we saved you to see you have this moment. You were fighting for that moment. You were fighting for every step. Your shaping is beautiful. You have such flexibility. You have control. You have everything that it takes to win this competition, and tonight you showed us that you are on your way, girl.” Len: “I was so shocked that you were in the Bottom Two last week. I could not understand it. I’m so glad you’ve come back, because you’ve danced a really clean, crisp, plenty of energy paso doble. It was terrific.” Bruno: “I love it, Christine, when you’re tough. You were in charge of the paso doble. Go for it, honey.”
JUDGES: 21 (Out of 30)
Jenna and JoJo, Argentine tango
Wow! This dance to “Hit Me One More Time” was amazing. They are incredible together.
Len: “It was an extremely well-crafted routine. I liked the lifts, because they were part of the flow of the dance. It had a little bit too much staccato. It looked like a ballroom tango in places. It didn’t have that sort of oozing as that you see in the Argentine tango. Having said that, you can’t make a bad performance. You’re always right on point.” Bruno: “JoJo, you know how to hit it. She goes straight for the bullseye every time. The way she pitches the performance is always the right side of sexy. So titillating. She works the camera like no others.” Carrie Ann: “What I love about you is you’re like liquid sunshine. When you dance, there’s something very powerful about you that’s also so approachable. The most impressive thing that I watched is when you lead. You lead with clarity and intention. It’s so easy to watch. The guys should be watching that too.”
JUDGES: 24 (Out of 30)
Brandon and Kennya, tango
Her dress was gorgeous, but what’s up with that jacket of his? Bizarre. They dance to “Womanizer.” I liked this tango a lot.
Bruno: “My love, you’re back on track! What a good tango that was! It was gliding across the floor beautifully. I never felt like you were pushed by Brandon. You were right up with him. Such poise. Such elegance. That was so chic. I loved it.” Carrie Ann: “It was so chic. It was beautiful. You are so giving supermodel vibes tonight. You’re just so refined and elegant and so strong in your center. That was amazing.” Len: “Your hold was a little bit loose at times. You did lack a little bit of body contact. However, you captured the flavor of the dance, and you moved well around the floor.”
JUDGES: 21 (Out of 30)
Sharna and Brian, tango
In their package, he explains to her the extent of the fame of his show, “Beverly Hills 90210.” “Oh, that’s how famous you were,” she intones. LOL Yeah, he was damn famous. Even more famous than she is now. Pretty funny.
I loved this tango. One of the few where you can really feel the passion between the two dancers. The costumes are fire, too.
Carrie Ann: “Whoa, fire. You have finally arrived in the ballroom, my friend. Now you’re serious. That was serious dancing. I’m very appreciative of the hold and the body contact. It was amazing. I’m so proud of you. Fantastic.” Len: “Your frame was overall good. It was nice. Your body contact was there. Your footwork was pretty poor, actually. But I must say, it was a spirited effort.” Bruno: “He’s right. The footwork. You really have to work on that. You can have all the right intentions, but we are getting toward the middle of the season. You really have to perfect that.”
JUDGES: 19 (Out of 30)
Artem and Melora, cha cha
Melora and Artem dance to Britney’s “Crazy,” and it looks like he was driving her crazy in rehearsal. But she’s a trouper. And she’s here to show you that Amanda isn’t the only one with great legs! Love her costume and her hair.
Len: “That’s the Artem I know and love that gives me a full-on cha cha cha. And that had so much more hip action. It was a great performance.” Bruno: “Wow! Melora, what’s going on? Nothing will contain my excitement. It’s like a veil has been lifted. And I’m actually seeing you in full focus for the first time. You got it, honey.” Carrie Ann: “Melora, at this stage of the game, everybody is starting to stand out for different reasons. What’s so special about you is you make this look easy and natural, when you know it’s nothing but. Somehow you’re able to add light and shade, and you’re not so stiff and tense. That is spectacular.”
JUDGES: 23 (Out of 30)
Gleb and Melanie C., tango
So she’s the flight attendant and he’s the friendly skies? LOL
They dance to Britney’s “Toxic.” Have I mentioned that this season they have all the stars and pros on the sidelines, with drinks and stuff, in little tables? I think they also have their friends and families in a special VIP area with drinks.
Bruno: “Very impressive cockpit. You were flying high on that tango. And the service? Come on. First-class all the way.” Carrie Ann: “It was so filled with content. That was a hard piece of choreography to learn, and I’m so impressed. Your legs are great, your lines are great.” Len: “Well, it was a bit stop-start. At the end I liked it much more. It took awhile to get cracking. Once you got into the dance, you get into hold, you do a little bit, then you break hold. So it had a jerkiness. Once you got near the end, it was really good. But the bottom line: you are a terrific dancer.”
JUDGES: 22 (Out of 30)
Emma and Jimmie, salsa
They dance to “Outrageous.” Emma’s choreography is pretty amazing. Lots of lifts, beautifully done.
Carrie Ann: “Well Jimmie, first of all, real men do cry. So don’t worry about that. It just shows you’re sensitive. As far as the dance goes, the lifts were super rough. The last one, you nailed.” Len: “Well, I liked the nice easy action of it. It had rhythm all the time. Sometimes your steps were a little bit big. The last lift I didn’t think was in character with the dance, the other ones were a little bit dodgy.” Bruno: “They must’ve been watching another show. Don’t you worry. Because I saw when you let loose, it all flows beautifully. The rhythm, the hips, it was going brilliantly. So listen to reason. And listen to me, that was good.”
JUDGES: 20 (Out of 30)
Val and Olivia, tango
 |
Len: “Listen! Listen to the noise, Val. That was a proper tango. No messing about at the start. Straight into the dance. Full of staccato, full of attack. You pros: THIS is what I wanna see. Not messing about, I want full-on dancing.” Bruno: “You were on it, like a bonnet. I can’t believe it. What I really love about Dancing with the Stars is moments like this, when you see people transforming, in front of your eyes. And you, Olivia, have become a beautiful dancer.” Carrie Ann: “Olivia, you are truly blossoming. That was so far the best dance of the night, as far as I’m concerned. It was fantastic. You are graceful, you are elegant, and you are strong, and you are passionate. All of it together.”
JUDGES: 24 (Out of 30)
Cheryl and Cody, jazz
This week, Cody has Covid. And they are not performing from rehearsal tape, they are performing live on the show, but remotely from their respective homes. It helps that Cody is a Britney super fan.
As you can see, this time, they both have costumes and makeup.
And given the constraints, I thought it was wonderful.
Bruno: “I really admire the perseverance and the commitment, in spite of it all. I wish you were here. I know you have the ability. It’s very difficult to judge, especially the sync. It’s a very good effort.” Carrie Ann: “Bravo to both of you for dancing with Covid. I know Covid is no joke. So I’m very impressed with both of you. Look, we have to judge it from what we have in this ballroom. And did that compare? Not quite. The truth is, it wasn’t as great as I know you can be. And that’s disappointing. But I’m glad you finally had your Britney moment.” Len: “Well, these are strange times. And they throw out strange scenarios. I wasn’t sure how this would work. I must say: I thought you were clear and tight together. I know it’s difficult, but where you could, you got that little interchange going, with the hat and so on. I thought for the circumstances, you did a terrific job.”
JUDGES: 18 (Out of 30)
Sasha and Suni, foxtrot
They are dancing to “I’m a Slave for You,” and Sasha is the snake. Hahahaha
Carrie Ann: “OK. You’re definitely pushing your boundaries, I can tell you’re going past what’s comfortable with a routine like this. I sense a little bit of discomfort, doing some of the more sensual moves. What I want you to know is that performing like that, you can be innocent and still sensual. And still exude your confidence. And that’s what we’re looking for. I’m very proud of you.” Len: “Not so much for me. You didn’t capture the foxtrot. It’s a romantic dance. This, this was a little bit steamy. First ballroom dance.” Bruno: “Oh, I don’t mind steamy. A bit of moisture makes you glow. I love the fact that you actually started to play with a character. As you let it go, your performance becomes more effective.”
JUDGES: 21 (Out of 30)
Lindsay and Matt, tango
I always think it’s creepy when stars dedicate tangos to their moms. Also creepy is the backdrop of Matt’s abs. Ugh. Didn’t we get enough of that on The Bachelor? Come on.
They are doing a tango to “Let It All Out,” which I guess he was doing in that backdrop. Oh, they also have b/w glamour shots of Lindsay. Ugh.
I didn’t like the song at all, and didn’t like the dance either. His legs were bent through the whole thing.
Len: “I congratulate you that you got on with it, and it was a full-on routine. You had plenty of passion, and plenty of attack.” Bruno: “I’m a bit disappointed. You’re a bit overdressed tonight. (He’s not showing any chest onstage.) I wasn’t expecting that. But I have to say, you did a very good job. The concentration on his face! You really worked very very hard. Lots of content.” Carrie Ann: “I agree with my fellow judges. You did really well. What I like is there was a new refinement in your dancing. I thought your posture was beautiful.”
JUDGES: 20 (Out of 30)
Witney and The Miz, salsa
The Miz says he’s going to “outwork everyone.” Considering that Suni, in her package, whined about going to school and doing gymnastics AND doing DWTS, that’s probably not hard.
They are doing a salsa to “Oops, I Did It Again,” which makes Britney fan Witney so happy she jumps up and down.
Awful lot of flips and spins and lifts in that dance.
Bruno: “When it comes to shirts, less is more. (The Miz has his shirt open. And seriously, Bruno should be taken to HR.) We got the magic. What’s going on? Whatever it is, keep going.” Carrie Ann: “Mike, you’re so much fun to watch. The joy of you. And I see how much attention you put to all the details. The lifts were amazing, some things we’ve never seen before. But I have to tell you, for salsa, I needed to see it more relaxed up here. You were tight.” Len: “Unlike some of our stars, you’ve got absolutely no dance background. And to come out and perform to that level, I thought was fantastic.”
JUDGES: 22 (Out of 30)
So who’s in the Bottom Two? And who’s going home?
The Bottom Two are Brandon and Kenya and Pasha and Christine. :-(
Going home?
Damn. Bummer. I liked them. Oh well.
Miche’s Favorite Dances of Britney Night
1. Val and Olivia, tango
2. Sasha and Suni, foxtrot
3. Jenna and JoJo, Argentine tango
4. Daniella and Iman, tango
5. Sharna and Brian, tango
6. Alan and Amanda, cha cha
7. Pasha and Christine, paso doble
8. Cheryl and Cody, jazz
9. Gleb and Melanie C., tango
10. Emma and Jimmie, salsa
11. Artem and Melora, cha cha
12. Brandon and Kenya, tango
Need to Go Home
1. Matt
2. The Miz
***************************************************
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please leave a comment. I encourage and welcome the dialogue.