This spectacular opening number once again bears the mark of (as Tom calls her) “Emmy-winning choreographer” Mandy Moore. Just a fantastic dance with all the male pros and female pros, and the troupe, to start. Then they introduce the “guest mentors,” Nastia Lukin, Von Miller and Meryl Davis. (in the middle of the dance). And then, a rousing welcome to tonight‘s guest judge, David Ross.
The blue costumes harken back to the old days of DWTS, with the added red shoes (on the women) to modernize it a bit.
They are calling this week, “MVP Week,” a moniker I really hate. Guess it’s tying back into the Athletes/sports theme.
MIRAI’S MVP: Her mom
Mirai and Alan, quickstep
So, it’s funny how a couple weeks ago, Mirai said she had “never seen” Alan on DWTS before. But when they go visit Marai’s mom and dad in the package, her dad says: “OMG, I saw you on TV. A big star!” Alan laughs modestly.
Alan and Mirai are still not in their costumes as we go to break. So Tom stalls for time by introducing David Ross again: “The man with more wardrobe changes than Cher.” (He’s already in his second outfit.) The four judges are all holding the DWTS number-one fingers.
They dance the quickstep to “Boss” from Fifth Harmony, although Mirai doesn’t say that her mom (whom she’s ostensibly dedicating this dance to) is the Boss, just that her mom taught HER how to be the Boss. Um, ok.
It’s all gold, and looks like a big casino. Thank goodness for the troupe. (Lovely Lindsay Arnold joined them.)
David Ross: “You are a boss. That was impressive. I love the quickstep, one of my first favorite dances. You killed that, Alan. Your mom’s love empowered you, and it showed tonight.” Len: “ What I liked was you didn’t mess about. You came out, all guns blazing, full on, attacking the dance.” Bruno: “Bright, light, buzzing. It was like watching a firefly in full flight. I loved the energy. I loved the visual impact.” Carrie Ann tells Mirai‘s mom (in the audience) in Japanese that she did really well. “You did fantastic. You’re on a roll.” She then proceeds to tell her that “when you dance in a group, you were not paying attention to everybody.”
Tom notes that it’s actually the semifinals.
I really hate Mirai’s arrogance, I’ve gotta say. It’s just something that’s not done on #DWTS. Ugh. She’s talking to Erin, and says: “I wanted to start the show off with a bang so that my competitors have somewhere to go.” One thing that Mirai is severely underestimating here is that the vote of America is a large part of one’s score. And America doesn’t like arrogance AT ALL.
I’ve never seen Erin open-mouthed like that. Ugh. Enough of this twit.
JUDGES’ SCORES: 35 (out of 40)
This was actually just a bumper, which gave Meryl big credit, even though the most stunning move was Jenna’s. (Jenna and Alan were dancing with her.)
This move, where Alan flips Jenna around from THE FRONT. Incredible stuff.
JENNIE’S MVP: Her husband
Jennie and Keo, Viennese waltz
Keo always seems so uncomfortable with his partners. Here he is in the package, down in Louisiana, on Jennie‘s farm, telling her some BS about how last week “was awesome,” instead of: it was a train wreck that we barely pulled out, which is the truth.
They show extended perfection pictures of her perfect husband, and gorgeous kids. Her husband calls her an angel. (Gag me.)
They dance a Viennese waltz to a Tim McGraw-Faith Hill song, “The Rest of Our Life.” It’s really beautiful, and I’ll bet that after last week’s meltdown, the producers talked to her about choosing music that more reflects her tastes.
The dance is really beautiful, gorgeous set and costumes. At points in hold, Keo looks miles away from her (not close body contact, as it’s supposed to be). The set is shimmeringly floral, with petals falling. Her husband Casey steps up with a bouquet for her at the end. So sweet.
Len: “I like the soft, sweeping movement of it. It had an elegance about it.” But he also notes that they should’ve danced more in hold. Bruno: “I noticed that you actually start to trust your partner.” (BWHAHAHAHAHA) Carrie Ann: “What I love most about you is you really do embody what this show is about. When you dance, I love the joy. You expressed true joy. That draws us all into what you are doing.” David Ross (baseball player to softball player): “You remind me so much of my journey on this show. It’s very difficult to get outside your comfort zone. I’m super proud of you. I loved that frame you were in. So beautiful.”
JUDGES’ SCORES: 29 (out of 40)
Nastia Lukin comes out, awash in pink, to dance a swing number with Sasha and Keo. Great choreography. At the end, she doesn’t seem to know what to do with her hand. Sasha grabs it and puts it around his neck. Then, she gets the hint, and puts her other one around Keo.
Chris’ MVP: his mom
Chris and Witney, foxtrot
Chris’ mom is “a superfan of the show. She’s always watching Dancing with the Stars. She loves the choreography, she loves the dancers, she loves the costumes. She loves everything about the show.” They show her hobnobbing with Tom Bergeron (the first place I’d go if I were ever backstage there).
They foxtrot to a great classic, “I’ve Got Rhythm.” They have a bit where they dance atop a piano. The troupe helps make this dance. Chris pulls his mom into the dance at the end. Chris tells Tom, “That was the best Mother’s Day ever. How do I top that?” Cut to his mom, swooning in her seat. Tom: “It’s gonna be tough.”
Bruno: “I’ve been razzle-dazzled by that foxtrot.You’re so dashing, you have such verve. There was a little bit of Fosse there, there were elements of Gene Kelly there. As an interpretation of a theme, it was outstanding. The choreography, the way you built up to that fantastic finale, with the hats, was brilliant.” Carrie Ann: “It’s a showstopper. Right, Mom? You were dancing up and down, vertical.” Then, she gets in this thing, and keeps saying, “balls to the walls.” She can’t stop saying it. Tom has to come over and say, “When you’re in a hole, stop digging.” (I swear sometimes I really think Carrie Ann needs medication.) Then she gets a grip on herself and says that she has to count off for the lift, which Chris says was “a catch.” Carrie Ann says it’s a lift because he didn’t put her down immediately. David: “Coming from a baseball player, great catch. I know how scary it is, dancing by yourself. It was a great routine. Props are difficult. Love the hat.” Len: “I’ve gotta say, the tune’s ‘I’ve Got Rhythm,’ but there wasn’t a lot of rhythm. It was a bit wooden. However, once you got into the routine, there was plenty going on. There was elements of quickstep. There was a little bit of foxtrot there. The whole thing was full of entertainment.”
Ouch. The whole dance was supposed to be foxtrot. “A little bit of foxtrot”? (It’s true. It really was more ‘jazz.’)
JUDGES’ SCORES: 33 (out of 40)
After the scores, Witney pulls out the old trope that “we just wanted to entertain. That’s what the show is about.” And yet, some pros do manage to use the steps of the actual dances they are dancing, and “entertain” us. Len’s 7, I thought, was the only accurate score.
Von Miller dances with Sharna and Witney in a quick bumper.
Tonya’s MVP: her dad (“my daddy”)
In their package, Tonya talks about how she lost her dad nine years ago. “He always gave me 100% unconditional love. He loved his little girl. And I loved him. I miss my dad so much.”
I just gotta say it. It’s always weird to me when people do a rumba (sexy dance) to pay tribute to their dad.
Luckily, sometimes they do it in an ethereal, dreamy way, like this one. She walks out, looking at pictures of her dad. The lyrics start with: “when I see you again.” It was beautiful.
Tonya says: “I brought him onto the dance floor to show everybody what real love is. Stop hate.”
Carrie Ann: “There’s no better way to pay tribute to someone you love than to dance with your heart like that. When you dance with your heart open, there’s an authenticity to the way you dance. A gravitas that I love to watch. I think your dad is not alone, when you say he was in your corner? I think we’re all in your corner now.” David: “People don’t know how hard it is to watch that kind of package, and get out here and do what you just did. That was very inspiring, that was very emotional. And I’m very proud of you. That was awesome.” Len: “What I liked? I liked the light and shade. It wasn’t at one level. There was speed, then it went a little bit soft, then into the dance again. You coulda done with a bit more hip action. But the whole package? Full of emotion. Full of lovely dancing.” Bruno: “Very nice flow. Great musicality. Your lines are getting better.”
Erin talks about how emotional the dance was, then asks her what it would feel like to get into the finale. Tonya: “It would mean the world to me. Whether I win or not, doesn’t matter. What matters is that I’m here, and having a wonderful time. And I don’t want to leave.” Erin asks her about the public support. She motions to Sasha. “You feel like it’s your job to take care of her, and to go through this journey with her, which all of you guys do, with all our stars that we have on the show. But (to Tonya) the support from the public, what has that been like for you?” Tonya: “It’s been amazing. Thank you, America, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.”
JUDGES’ SCORES: 33 (out of 40)
Adam’s MVP: his mom
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| Courtesy of Just Jared. And ABC. |
And then there was this.
Adam talks in the package about his mom, a single mom of six kids. Wow. They are dancing to a Coldplay song that Adam skated to.
Anyone who reads this column knows I don’t really like contemporary at all, and really hated the day they brought it to DWTS. However, Jenna’s mind-blowing choreography takes it to a whole new level. She really does contemporary as an artform. The dance was stunningly beautiful, as she and Adam portrayed two birds.
First, they are chicks in a cage, then, they grow up to leave the nest. They fly and they are beautiful birds together, and you just had to see this amazing dance.
Just visual poetry. So beautiful. Landmark DWTS dance. Very powerful. A great tribute to his mom.
As they stand by Tom, Adam and Jenna hug. It’s obviously very emotional for them both.
David: “That was beautiful. Just felt so connected through your dance, whether you were together or apart. That was, by far, my favorite dance of the night.” Len: “Obviously, I liked the emotion of the dance. It had great control, mixed with flair. It was a little bit stop-start on occasion, and spiky. I’m not a great fan, but it’s the best dance I’ve seen tonight.” Bruno: ”Oh, my darlings. You were like two birds of paradise, mesmerizing and enchanting. But what is extraordinary is how in tune you are, with each other, and with the music. You’re like the same instrument, playing simultaneously. It’s impossible to tell who’s the professional.” He compares it to Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, “a masterpiece, and this is a masterpiece of a dance.”
Carrie Ann: “Most impressive is that choreography, as fluid and as easy as you made it look, very challenging. Jenna was wobbling on occasion. That’s how challenging it was. I love that you push yourself that hard. What is amazing is that I just wanted to thank you. This is why artists create: to have moments like this, where it’s just pure perfection.”
Erin talks about watching the dance with everyone (backstage): “There wasn’t a dry eye. It’s gorgeous.” Erin: “That was beautiful. You look gorgeous. Thank you for taking us through that journey. You are clearly emotional right now. I know this is your song from the Olympics. What is going on with your eyes, these tears?”
Adam: “It’s crazy. The only thing I’m thankful for is that I’m a beautiful crier.” Jenna laughs. Adam: “It’s so hard to watch that package before you go out and dance. But I channeled so many things. Like my memories at the Olympics, my mom being here. It’s incredible. And Jenna was able to pull all of that together. I think it shows how amazing she is.” (Agreed!)
JUDGES’ SCORES: 39 (out of 40)
Erin: “Speechless. It was absolutely gorgeous.”
Who gave the one 9? Of course, Len. I think what he was miffed about is that it was much more a So You Think You Can Dance dance than a DWTS dance. But one assimilates the art one knows, and it becomes part of you. And, for better or for worse, it is now part of DWTS. Sorry, Len. Many would argue (and have argued) that Len is part of the old guard, and DWTS needs new blood.
Well, they sure have it with Jenna. She is living proof of why they needed to add contemporary to the dance palette here. To present us with breathtaking artworks like that.
We come back to a steamy bumper with Gleb, Emma, Lindsay and Artem. Whew. (Quite wonderful.)
Josh’s MVP(s): his four brothers
Josh and Sharna, contemporary
Sharna, in the package, says she thinks last week’s 7s were “too harsh.” (Agreed.) Josh talks about his four brothers being his MVP(s). Josh: “I feel like having brothers made me become a better football player.”
They dance contemporary to “Stand by Me.” His brothers are on the sidelines, watching.
It was a beautiful, gorgeous dance. There is an amazing lift right in the middle.
Len: “I was concerned. After Adam’s contemporary, I thought ‘Uh oh, here we go.’ (Len obviously hates contemporary as much as I do... usually...) But I’m gonna say this. It was different to his, but there was a beautiful fluidity about the whole dance. The lifts were seamless. The entries, the exits. I liked it so much.” Bruno: “Strong, assured, confident. But what you did, you took such great care of Sharna. It was loving. And it was reassuring. It’s all very well getting it up, but it’s the dismount that’s hard. Usually what happens, you lose the flow of the dance. You never did. It was all seamless. It was extremely musical.” Carrie Ann: “We don’t normally agree on contemporary dances, but I absolutely agree with everything Len said. There was a sure-footedness about you that made me have peace watching it. You did every movement with so much love and concern for Sharna. And every lift was impeccable. I've never seen that lift before, executed that way. You were on fire. You were in the zone.” David: “One word: smooth. As smooth as you could ask for. That was beautiful. I know how hard those lifts are. I almost dropped Lindsay a couple of times. But that was very smooth and elegant. Nice job.”
JUDGES’ SCORES: 36 (out of 40)
Now they are doing some craziness, called Ballroom Battles. I hate these distractions.
They talk about some kind of Passion Meter, “so you can see how you’re voting in real time.” And by real time, they mean the East Coast and Central time zones. So, whatever, says this Pacific time zone fan.
I’m just gonna go through this quick.
Jennie/Keo vs. Tonya/Sasha
My money’s on Sasha in any battle. Of course, they do more elaborate tricks and moves (IMHO).
POINTS: Tonya/Sasha
Adam/Jenna vs. Mirai/Alan
For my money, Adam/Jenna just steamrollered the competition. Mirai and Alan were fine, but Adam and Jenna just have a special magic this season. They were more in tune with the music, too. I always prefer it when the dancers acknowledge the lyrics in a dance. That was so good.
POINTS: America (ET and CT only) breaks the tie. It’s Adam and Jenna.
Chris/Witney vs. Josh/Sharna
That was tough, but I’d give it to Josh/Sharna by a hair.
POINTS: Another tie, broken by America. No, wait. David held up the wrong paddle. Josh and Sharna win.
OK. Who’s going home?
First, who’s “dancing in the finale”?
Adam and Jenna. (YAY!!!!)
Tonya and Sasha. (Double YAY!!!)
and....
Josh and Sharna.
The rest are going home.
MICHE’S FAVORITE INDIVIDUAL DANCES OF WEEK THREE
1. Adam and Jenna, contemporary
2. Tonya and Sasha, rumba
3. Chris and Witney, foxtrot
4. Mirai and Alan, quickstep
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