DWTS Season 17 Finals: The Case for Amber Riley

*DWTS has still not posted pics from the finals. So... we do the best we can...

Amber Riley and Derek Hough, Season 17 champions. Courtesy of ABC/Adam Taylor

When I first heard the announcement about the cast for Season 17 of Dancing with the Stars, the one I most wanted to win was Amber Riley (and Derek Hough). And now, I am most glad that indeed Amber Riley (and Derek Hough) have won the Season 17 Mirror Ball.

But I have such reservations, and I relate to them very personally. That’s what I feel compelled to talk about. Cause this season turned out VERY different than I thought it would.

I don’t know eiher Amber or Derek personally, but I would like to comment on their personalities that they revealed on the show, or at least my interpretation of what I saw.

Here is where I most relate to Amber Riley. I'm a big girl (what Hollywood would call a big girl, anyway). Massive breasts and boobs. I could never dance on DWTS. And maybe some part of her was thinking that too, had severe doubts about herself.

But here’s what I witnessed from the clips. Mostly that she’s a diva in training, who wants the glory and the fame, but not the work so much. And maybe deep down, doesn’t believe that she deserves it all. (I know this because I am like this too.)

Because here’s what I saw over the course of the season.

Someone who, right from the beginning, came out, all decked in crystals, stepping through a crystal curtain, and doing a dance which CLEARLY said, “Amber Riley HAS ARRIVED!” and then, for most of the season after that, stepping back, and going, “Um, no, no she hasn’t.” The judges even commented on it, Carrie Ann at one point saying, “I know there’s more there.” She was right.

The greatest thing holding Amber Riley back in this whole competition was herself. Sure, there were the persistent knee problems (but aren’t physical ailments often a manifestation of our spiritual selves? Interesting too, that Derek had mentioned his back hurting... probably from carrying Amber so much... emotionally, not physically).

What we didn’t see, which we normally do see, is a whole lot of crying and carrying on, that I know happened with this particular girl. It was clear that this whole process was not easy for her emotionally. And it was also clear that when she first walked on that stage, she was the star of this season, all she had to do was own it, and she spent all season shrinking from it.

Instead, we had the People’s Champion (Bill Engvall) sharing his pain up there, and nearly making it to the end, certainly making it MUCH further than he would have in any other season, because the people LOVED him, loved his struggle, loved that he was “old” and “not a dancer.” Just wanted to buoy him up.

And Amber? When she put her mind to it, she blew us away. When it looked, for a hot minute, like Bill Engvall was going to walk away with the championship that was so clearly hers, Amber stepped up (literally) and started doing the dancing she should have been doing all along.

And dudes, let me tell you. When Amber TRIES, get out of the damn way. There is no other. That step dancing freestyle she did with Derek and Mark Ballas and some other guys just completely knocked it out of the park. People will be talking about that one for decades. WOW! Unbelievable stuff.

What then, was all this other angst?

Let’s compare, for example, Miss Amber to last season’s winner (also with Derek), Kellie Pickler. Now I love Miss Amber Riley. She is awesome. Mostly I couldn’t stand looking at Kellie Pickler. But because I love seeing Derek dance, and seeing his choreography, I was glad they won.

But their partnership (Kellie and Derek) was really a partnership. Dancers (as I understand it, anyway) are supposed to be like couples. Two parts of one whole. Derek, after doing this so many seasons, and winning so many Mirror Balls, knows what's going to work. He saw very quickly that the way to the top with this one was to let Miss Amber shine. You could see it even in their early (Week 9) trio with Mark Ballas, where Derek said at one point in rehearsal, “It’s like we are her backup dancers.” Indeed so.

As a strictly literal ballroom show, I don’t think I like that. But Miss Amber Riley is a force of nature. Watch out for her star power. If only she can get out of her own way along the way, she’ll be fine.

And mostly, I am supremely glad that Corbin and Karina didn’t win. If you read the fan comments all around the web, it’s clear. Many felt like I did about Bill Engvall. Many people wanted the guy who couldn’t dance to win MUCH more than the guy who’s been dancing on Broadway already.

Cause this is supposed to be DRAMATIC. There has to be a hurdle to climb. Getting a dancer to win a dance show? Not so much drama there, folks.

A few more notes about Season 17.

I REALLY love the concept of the opening dance with all the pro dancers. It’s been consistently spectacular, and I look forward to it every time.

I also love the segues with the troupe and pros dancing. Fabulous stuff.

I also really love Maksim C. as a judge, and hope he becomes a permanent fixture at that table, if he isn’t one of the regular dancers.

I really love that it’s one night instead of two, and there isn’t so much filler and folderol. No extraneous singers clogging up the place, no running up a flight of stairs. No stupid extra-drawn-out nonsense about who’s going home.

And I really really loved the finale, with the whole red carpet thing. It just seemed like there was a real producer orchestrating this season, with an emphasis on dance, and whoever you are, I thank you for it. Please give us more.

Now if we could just get those costumers to keep those dresses just a BIT shorter (only one noted “tripping over a dress” moment this season, so that is an improvement over last season).

All in all, I liked Season 17, even if it was very different than any season previous.

Pros from Season 17. Courtesy of ABC/Adam Taylor

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DWTS Semi-Finals: Will the People’s Champion Prevail?

The amazing dancers of DWTS. Note Mark Ballas, Tony Dovolani, Valentin Chmerkovskiy and Tristan McManus.

We are down to five contestants. The final five absolutely amaze me. I would not have picked these five in any scenario.

It strikes me that perhaps there was some fraud happening with the phone method of voting, cause taking that out of the mix this season REALLY seems to leave the winners that the voters want, judges be damned. (Just a theory.)

For this semi-finals, they have an interesting concept. The dancers do two dances, both different varieties of dance, but to the same song. One version electric, one acoustic. There were some very wonderful pairings to this concept. Going from my least favorite to my favorite...

First up, in the electric format, we had:

Tony Dovolani and Leah Remini. Courtesy of ABC/Adam Taylor.

And the “People’s Champion,” (as Bruno called him, and it’s true):

Bill Engvall and Emma Slater.

The absolutely on fire (in both of their dances), Jack Osbourne and Cheryl Burke, dancing to The Police’s “Roxanne.”

Jack Osbourne and Cheryl Burke, dancing to the electric “Roxanne.” Courtesy of ABC.

My favorite of all the electric dances, my only remaining couple from my picks at the beginning, are Amber Riley and Derek Hough. Now, she's had a lot of problems with her knee, and she does go out there like a trouper, however, one must also judge those choices accordingly.

The dance subtitled, “The best we could do, under the circumstances.” Amber Riley and Derek Hough.

Now, I know you’re saying, “Michelle, these are only FOUR couples. Where is the fifth?”

Let me say this about that. I have had trouble all along with Corbin Bleu. He’s a professional DANCER. There’s no getting around that. The only way to get around it, in fact, is to not vote for him. So, in the same degree that my passion for Bill Engvall winning this thing has gone up, my passion for Corbin Bleu NOT winning this thing has also gone up.

Yes, his dances with Karina are fine. Sure. But I'm not participating in one moment of hype for him. Other than this.

Karina Smirnoff and Corbin Bleu.

You may remember, when Corbin did his legendary Game of Thrones dance (really quite wonderful), Karina, in the package, made some comment about “is this too revealing?” (And it wasn’t.) This, however... well, look at it.... Let’s just say it was WAY more revealing, and not a peep about it in this package.

Cause there was also this:

Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Bruno Tonioli

Yes, that’s right. Maksim Chmerkovskiy is back. Well, at least for the semi-finals, anyway. And that would be Karina Smirnoff’s former fiance, Maks. So I’m sure that she was wearing next to nothing in her dance had NOTHING to do at all with the fact that Maks was judging. Ahem... And the fact that she, in her next-to-nothingness insisted upon going up to Maks, and giving him a kiss on the cheek. *sigh*

What Maks said that warranted the kiss was that Karina is “among the top five female dancers.” (I think he said in the world, but he might’ve said on DWTS—kinda the same thing anyway). Personally, I think she is easily the BEST female dancer on DWTS. Although, as Maksim showed us when he danced, that does seem to come concurrent with a hefty dose of ego.

Ugh. The less said about those two (Karina and Corbin), the better.

I would like to see a future where we have Maksim, Carrie Ann and Bruno judging (please, God, put Carrie Ann in the middle for that. Bruno’s inappropriate homoeroticness really bugs me during the show.) I hope they don’t bring back Julianne Hough regularly (she was mean). And DEFINITELY NO CHER.

But let’s get back to the acoustic versions of the dances.

Also in order of how I liked them, from least favorite to most favorite, we had:

Leah Remini and Tony Dovolani. (Leah, sadly, ended up being the one sent home on this night.)

Derek Hough and Amber Riley do a stunning Viennese waltz.

And the acoustic version of “Roxanne” this time:

Cheryl Burke and Jack Osbourne do an incredible Argentine tango to “Roxanne.”

And, no joke, my absolute favorite dance of ALL OF THEM of the night, was this one.

Bill Engvall and Emma Slater do an Argentine tango. Courtesy of ABC/Adam Taylor.

Bill Engvall proved in this dance that old guys are actually pretty darn sexy, and could teach the kids a thing or two. Emma proved in this dance, that for a pro who came from nowhere, she’s really holding her own with the choreography of those who’ve been around the block here before. She is the only one left standing who has not yet won a Mirror Ball. My fingers are crossed that that changes next week.

I have to say, going into the Finals, I am really kinda rooting for Bill and Emma to win it all, but, if not them, my only hope is that it’s not Karina and Corbin. In fact, I really hope that Corbin and Karina get bumped on Monday, and it’s the other three left standing. THAT would be an amazing finals.

The People’s Champion, indeed.

Derek Hough (in back), Val Chmerkovskiy, Tony Dovolani and Tristan McManus. Courtesy of ABC.

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DWTS Week Five: The Ballroom Gets Hit with a Shocker

NOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooo. I'm still gobsmacked.

Christina Milian and Mark Ballas dance their way to the first 10 of Season 17.

Mark Ballas is one of my favorite choreographers (and dancers) of Dancing with the Stars. He is one of the ones I always expect to last to the end, because he's so amazingly talented. I root for him no matter who his partner is. (I even rooted for him when he was with the obnoxious Palin daughter. *shudders*)

I was absolutely stunned when the news was read. I still am kind of in shock.

SNOOKI is stil there and Mark Ballas is going home? WTF?

However, this result proves, to anyone who had any doubt, that the public are indeed a part of this process. If you are competing on this show, you've gotta have some story that the public can latch onto. Even Bristol Palin lasted longer than this because although she had her detractors, there were also those who would defend her, and vote for her.

For myself, Christina Milian does nothing for me. I didn't know her really before this show, and she didn't strike me in any way while on this show. The ONLY reason I threw lots of votes in their team's direction each week was because I really love Mark Ballas' dancing.

But, I suppose, the fact that they had been in the Bottom Two previously should have been some kind of warning of her lack of popularity. I think the only reason Valerie Harper (whom people REALLY loved, and who has cancer) was voted out first was because she 100% could not dance.

Everyone else who's left has a story, has some popularity, has something going on. I guess I neglect the fact that that is all part of the mix here.

But Christina Milian leaving in Week Five, when she has an amazing partner like Mark Ballas, and has been dancing really amazingly, proves just that people weren't interested in her. Still, it really shocked me. The ballroom was filled with loud boos when it was announced, so others were shocked and angry too.

Let me try to push past my anger here and get on with the rest of it. :-(

The week was "My Most Memorable Year," which could be good year or bad year. Note to future DWTS contestants: it should be something which moves the audience, and gets them to like you more. Amber Riley picking the "year I was booked on Glee" is only an eye-roller. Yes, we know you're a star, and that we love you on Glee. But do you have any FEELINGS? This is the week to show those.

Jack Osbourne and Cheryl Burke (who just keeps getting more beautiful).

And so, the winners of this week, the ones who actually followed directions, were Jack and Cheryl (Jack who picked the year he got married, had a baby and discovered he has MS); Bill and Emma (Bill was one of the few to pick anything outside the 2000s, with the year he met his wife, 1982); and two spectacular pieces, which I shall detail in a moment.

Bill Engvall and Emma are a joy to watch every week. Courtesy of ABC and Dancing with the Stars.

Let me just say this too. Now that we have the confusion of too many old Bills around dissipated, Bill Engvall (the one who's left) is a real Dancing With the Stars contestant. One you can root for and enjoy every week because they don't have a ton of dance training, but gosh darn it, they are trying! He is really wonderful and I enjoy him more and more every week. 

But we had two dances which spectacularly fit the purpose of this week. We had Elizabeth Berkley, whom many fans were introduced to by her appearance on “Saved By the Bell” many many years ago. (I didn't watch it, so this segment did nothing for me.) But she recreated her “famous” scene of taking too many diet pills or something. It was kinda funny. Must've been very poignant for her.

And then she and Val burst into an amazing jive, dancing, of course, to “I'm So Excited.” It was a woman whom we've known before in at least one other context (two, if you count Showgirls), and it was a reaffirming of exactly where she is now. It was joyous and amazing. Plus, Val Chmerkovskiy's choreography is stunning. Week after week after week, they are the couple I really want to watch most.

Elizabeth Berkley and Val Chmerkovskiy dance to “I'm So Excited.

Did I mention that he’s smiling now? Like REGULARLY! :-0  

I loved (and hated) Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Val’s older brother, whom we got to know first on this show. But I have to say that Val really suits the show better. He works hard with whomever he’s partnered with, and brings amazing choreography always (so did Maks). But he’s smiling and cheerful, not an angry lout. This one looks and acts like he’s part of the DWTS team. And I am so grateful for him, every single week since he’s been a regular pro.

But, to my mind, the one who clearly had a great story to tell in this week of My Most Amazing Year, and had wollops of emotion packed into the dance more than anyone else was Leah Remini. Of course, her story is finally breaking free from the Church of Scientology. She started the dance as a large puppet, being controlled by Tony Dovolani, her master. And the rest of the dance, as she experienced her freedom was really moving and emotional.

Leah Remini and Tony Dovolani.

I don't know what the hell Sasha and Snooki were doing, and I really hope she gets voted out soon. Corbin and Karina just bore me to tears, although she did look very pretty in her fairy princess outfit.

The fire seems to have gone from the Brant-Peta matchup. Not sure why.

One more couple I really am rooting for, even though you can just feel the ego filling the room (hers, not his)... is Derek Hough and Amber Riley. (My scores at right reflect my personal favorites overall.)

Amber Riley and Derek Hough. Courtesy of ABC (Adam Taylor). 

Some production notes: I am so glad that not one single woman has tripped over her dress this season. And we can actually see their feet! YAY.

Also, I'm still hating the cast sitting on the side of the judges thing, but I really like that they don't have to climb a long flight of stairs after dancing their little hearts out.

Most of all, I really love the dance intros and segues they have going. Often now, they are tying them in with songs that have played or are going to play with the contestants’ dances. Really nice. Also nice way to use the troupe regularly. This is a DANCE show, after all. Wish they'd get rid of these guest singer things completely.

But, this week it was all about this:

Len gives the first 10 of Season 17 to Mark Ballas and Christina Milian.

Followed by this:

Christina Milian and Mark Ballas, voted out.

Last week, in one of the packages, someone said, “It's not about the best dancers. The best dancers often go home.” This week, they proved that. Sorry to see you go, Mark. :-(

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Derek and Amber Blow The Walls Off Week One: DWTS Season 17

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. WOW!

That's all I could keep saying as I was watching, and after I watched, the luminous cha cha that emanated from our favorite Derek Hough and his Season 17 partner, Amber Riley (known for her role in "Glee"). Dancing With the Stars had indeed kicked off its new season.

Amber Riley and Derek Hough blew my mind with this dance. Hello Season 17! Courtesy of ABC.

Mind you, Derek Hough is always one of my favorite DWTS dancers. The precision and groundbreaking choreography he brings to his dances in any season is always a highlight of this show. Even so... Even picking them, sight unseen as one of my favorites going in... Even knowing (and loving) Amber's performances as a singer on "Glee" didn't prepare me for this onslaught of perfection blowing at us in Week One.

So, I'm sorry, I must skip all the formalities for now... I'll get to them, don't worry— and just talk about Amber and Derek. She is standing on the stairs like a bejeweled Mata Hari, all sparkly sequins. She walks down slowly. Derek is walking among the crowd, urging them to clap to the rhythm.

All of a sudden, both of them lock into an exquisitely choreographed set of steps. Let me emphasize AGAIN that this is WEEK ONE. The week that is usually lots of people tripping over each other, and just barely getting over their nerves. (Well, OK, we did have a bunch of that, too.)

And usually, the way this goes is that people practice and practice and practice and by the last few weeks, maybe, they are able to do the complicated syncopated steps that some of these dances require.

Here were these two, doing intricate complicated steps in WEEK ONE. Seriously, I am really blown away by this. And so too, were the judges, who gave them unanimous NINES, unheard of in Week One (from one judge, much less ALL THREE). Well deserved though.

Seek out the video of this dance.

Amber Riley and Derek Hough do a mean cha cha.

Another thing about Miss Amber Riley, she has some similarities with the person I really perceived to be last season's winner, that gawky teenager named Zendaya. Both of them have star quality for days which cannot be contained. She is indeed the one to watch this season, as she left everyone behind eating her dust.

I'm on such an adrenaline rush from even thinking about Amber and Derek's first dance that all the other contestants pale in comparison.

But let me try to talk about some of them. The one thing that a lot of others whom I really liked had in common is that many chose to do Contemporary dance in Week One (often considered one of the hardest styles they do). None of them were as take-your-breath-away as Val's first one a couple of seasons ago, but, for Week One, they were pretty awesome.

Such as this one.

Christina Milian and Mark Ballas do Contemporary in Week One.

Mark Ballas is another of my most favorite choreographers on this show. His choreography is heartfelt, often gut-wrenching, and pushing envelopes that others can only dream of. This Contemporary piece with Chistina Milian is one of those. Beautiful, lyrical, gut-wrenching, erotic, dreamy. Wonderful stuff. Can't wait to see more of them this season.

Pushing her own envelope to open Season 17 was Karina Smirnoff, who had never before done Contemporary. Her choreography (often underrated) was beautiful and groundbreaking in its own way.

Karina Smirnoff does her very first Contemporary dance. Amazing and beautiful.

A dancer that I have really come to love for his inventive choreography, and cannot wait for him to have his own first Mirror Ball trophy, is Valentin Chmerkovskiy (Maksim's younger brother). He is paired this season with Elizabeth ("Showgirls") Berkley, who is trying to live down her past by doing this show. She has an excellent partner with Val. They remind us again in this amazing Contemporary dance that she is, indeed, a dancer.

Valentin Chmerkovskiy and Elizabeth Berkley. Courtesy of ABC/Dancing with the Stars.

All of these people created magic in Week One. That wasn't supposed to happen. It was just supposed to be a creaky, let's get to know these people slow churn. Magical poetry is what we got. We are so very very lucky.

We also had our resident hotties who are hot for each other, Peta Murgatroyd and Brant someone.

Peta Murgatroyd and Brant someone. Courtesy of ABC.

And our just plain fun to watch couple: Cheryl Burke and Jack Osbourne.

Jack Osbourne and Cheryl Burke. Courtesy of ABC.

All the others, I pretty much am just waiting for them to be voted off, in any order. All of the ones above I really look forward to watching each week.

OK, now to the mechanics. New season, new set. Well, kinda. Remember how last season, after every exhausting dance, as the dancers are panting and out of breath, they'd have to run up a long flight of stairs to get to the waiting microphone of Brooke Burke-Charvet? Well, no more, my friends.

This season, they have a red velvet mosh pit right next to the judges to just saunter over and collapse in. Very good, I'd say, for the dancers. Not so good for the viewers. Personally, I really kinda hated it. Previously, it seemed like you could watch the dancers above who were interested in watching their competitors. Now, they are all kinda there, whether they like it or not.

Don't they have a backstage area they can just saunter over to? I hope they refine this idea throughout the season, cause it doesn't work right now.

They also, after seasons of having the judges stage right, have decided to have them stage left, maybe having something to do with the red velvet lounge area being there also. It's disconcerting, but not intolerable.

There is also this kind of morbid thing going on in the cast this season. Jack Osbourne has MS, and wanted to do Dancing With the Stars before he couldn't dance anymore. Um... EW.

And there is this.

 Valerie Harper and Tom Bergeron.

Don't get me wrong, I love Valerie Harper. I don't want her to die of cancer either. I appreciate the deference with which Tom Bergeron and the judges treated her. 

But she's 73 and she really can't dance. She's with the luscious Tristan MacManus, who hopefully will last a few more turns around the dance floor than he did with his last dance partner.

But honestly, enough with the dreaded diseases and near death already.

I am really glad of this. About half the cast are these hokey stunt casting things. Bill Nye, the science guy, who, for example, explained to his hot twenty-something dance partner that winning couples have sexual chemistry between them. Um, EW. Gross, dude.

Or lame football player guy, who unfortunately is with the luscious and wonderful Sharna Burgess, who says to her that Australians are "just the same as British... and all that." Says she, tersely, "That is NOT OK, at all." He should be slapped for his ignorance. And she has to dance with this buffoon? I don't care how many Super Bowl rings he has.

We also had some pros who went back into the troupe, and some from the troupe who graduated into "pro" level. Yawn.

Also quite notable this season is the voting process. The way it worked previously is that the judges would vote, then the people would vote and the following week, we'd see the results of who was voted out. That process is reversed this time.

For example, we have already voted on this first week. The judges (alone) get to see another dance next week, and vote (already one presumes knowing how the public has voted). So they can vote up their favorites higher to keep them on the show longer. Should be an interesting season.

Also, in regards to voting, they are letting the public vote via Facebook, via the ABC website or via phone. Completely gone is the texting option. Which, to me, almost totally takes out the incentive to vote, since I have unlimited texts but have to pay for phone calls. Anyone else like this?

Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli, our illustrious judges, who don't change.

Some big changes. Some not so good changes.

But already we have dancers taking risks, wowing us with their choices, taking our breaths away. Methinks it's going to be a fabulous Season 17, all in all.

Karina Smirnoff, mastering her first ever Contemporary dance. Courtesy of ABC.

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