Season 28, Week 10, Semifinals Bring Redemption and Lots of Tears

 

They call it “Redemptiom,” which is annoying and wrong, but basically it’s people redoing a dance they did earlier in the season, with some help from one of the judges. Lauren and Gleb are up first, with some help from Len. They are redoing their paso doble to “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger.”

Lauren and Gleb, paso doble

Keo, Lauren, Brandon

I loved that paso. Such great shaping and nice choreography.

JUDGES: 27 (out of 30)

Witney and Kel, tango

Those pants though…

Witney and Kel’s Redemption Dance was the tango, with Bruno advising them. They also had some nice shapes and movements. Dancing to “Get Back” from The Temptations was also a wonderful choice.

JUDGES: 27 (out of 30)

Sasha and Ally, Viennese waltz

I just get transported to such a place of joy, watching Sasha and Ally (and specifically Sasha’s choreography). I do think the Viennese waltz is my favorite dance on the show. So beautiful.

They were assisted in this dance by Len.

JUDGES: 29 (out of 30)

Alan and Hannah, rumba

Hannah and Alan get Carrie Ann as their guest judge. (Maybe not the best idea.) Carrie Ann tries to be constructive, but Hannah takes it as a personal attack. Carrie Ann tells her that she chose the rumba so that Hannah can win. But later says that Hannah’s mental battles are what hold her back.

And, to be fair, the rumba is probably the dance where you have to get the most vulnerable. So it was a good choice from Carrie Ann, but a real cross to bear for Hannah.

She executed it well, though, and did seem present, at least in the beginning.

JUDGES: 27 (out of 30)

Emma and James, cha cha

James and Emma get Len as their judge, which James likes because he thinks he can learn something from Len. Len chooses the cha cha as their Redemption dance.

The dance was wonderful, but James seemed a bit off throughout. It’s always fun to see a disco-ish number performed. And the costumes!!!

JUDGES: 24 (out of 30)

(L-R): Keo, Peta, Lindsay, (Brandon behind), Jenna, Emma, Val and James in front.

MICHE’s Redemption Favorites

1. Sasha and Ally, Viennese waltz 

2. Gleb and Lauren, paso doble

3. Emma and James, cha cha

4. Witney and Kel, tango

5. Alan and Hannah, rumba

Gleb and Lauren, Viennese waltz

Lauren and Gleb dance a Viennese waltz to Tim McGraw’s “Humble and Kind.”

It’s a great dance, and Lauren looks stunning. Not sure what happened to Gleb’s tux.

JUDGES: 27 (out of 30)

Witney and Kel, contemporary

For a contemporary dance, it’s really beautiful. They dance to Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” and Kel dedicates it to a friend who died. Tears abound.

JUDGES: 30 (out of 30)

Sasha and Ally, Charleston

Sasha Farber is one of the few people who seems to choose the Charleston as one of his go-to dances. And I love him for that, cause it’s such a fun, entertaining dance (My fave previous Charleston was the one he did with Terra Jolé.) 

But this was fun. Starting at the top of a staircase and consisting mostly of just Ally and Sasha, the end of the dance had the whole troupe coming out (see above). Awesomeness and truly sublime.

JUDGES: 30 (out of 30)

Emma and James, foxtrot

Emma and James dance the foxtrot to “Take Me to Church.” In the package, it was announced that his wife had suffered a miscarriage over the weekend. 

It was so beautiful, and Emma’s choreography, again just stunning. Gorgeous to watch. Costumes on point, too.

JUDGES: 27 (out of 30)

Alan and Hannah, contemporary

There were some pretty cool lifts in this dance, but still, it was contemporary. Ugh.

JUDGES: 27 (out of 30)

MICHE’s Favorites of the Semifinals

1. Sasha and Ally, Charleston

2. Emma and James, foxtrot

3. Gleb and Lauren, Viennese waltz

4. Witney and Kel, contemporary

5. Alan and Hannah, contemporary

So, who goes home? Who are in the Bottom Two?

Oh, my goodness. Somehow, top scorers Ally and Sasha AGAIN end up in the Bottom Two (totally unfairly) and so do Emma and James.

Both Carrie Ann and Bruno chose to save Ally and Sasha, though for both the choice looks gut-wrenching.

Ally offers to give her spot to James. Tom kindly tells her she can’t do that (though it’s very nice). Many tears all around.

(DISCLAIMER: The incompleteness of this column is due to forces beyond my control. I apologize.)

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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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S028 Week 7: Halloween’s Tricks and Treats

 Halloween is always a big event over at Dancing with the Stars, and this week was no exception. We start off with a movie where Len is a chauffeur driver, delivering a coffin. The coffin gets delivered, but along the way we see Tom Bergeron as a quite angry head on a platter, Lindsay and Witney as two very scary sisters, and Val as an elevator operator. Wacky. 

The tableau enters into the DWTS stage, where everyone is fittingly decked out, and we learn that the coffin holds Sean Spicer as (but of course) Frankenstein. Best casting of him so far this season.

Are we having fun yet? I sure hope so.

Witney and Kel, jive

Here’s an example of how often Witney’s choices just don’t work for me. (Compared to Val Chemerkovskiy, who punctuates every word correctly.) Witney has chosen a great song for this jive: “Time Warp” from Rocky Horror Picture Show. But I would bet money that she’s never actually seen the movie, much less the dance in the movie. 

Her concept in this dance is to make them both snakes. Kel asks why, and she says she “just wanted to be weird.” Um… ok. First of all, snakes don’t have feet, and the jive is all about kicks and flicks. #Sigh.

So automatically, this whole concept doesn’t make sense, and “just being weird” isn’t good enough. It’s a lame cop out. To say nothing of how they don’t do the “hands on your hips” part, to say nothing of the “pelvic thrust”—both of which are vital parts of this dance.

Ugh. I just hated this whole lame thing.

Len chastises Tom for “not dressing up” and Tom says he’s a “gray-haired Ryan Seacrest.” (Tom always makes me laugh.)

Len: “I tell you, Kel, you were rocking and I was reeling. It was fast, it was fun, it was fearless. Your feet were right on point, sharp, clear. It was a terrific way to start off the evening.” Bruno: “What a surprising Halloween treat that was.” Carrie Ann: “Everything was so tight, and so clean. 

JUDGES: 27 (out of 30)

Their highest scores of the season.

Emma and James, Viennese waltz

They are dancing this Viennese waltz to “I Put a Spell on You” (he says in the package that it’s the Annie Lennox version, but that doesn’t make any sense, because he’s supposed to bee the one singing it. So I’m going with the original Screaming Jay Hawkins version). So the context  of their story (which actually works, and has thought put into it) is that Emma is in a relationship with Keo, and James is a demon, who tears her away.

Emma’s choreography was just sublime. What an exquisite number! Loved every second, every movement of that. Wow

Bruno: “You are like the Prince of Darkness: mesmerizing, totally in command. It was such a powerful performance.” He mentions a tiny slip up they made. “Until that, it was absolute perfection. It was incredible.” Carrie Ann: “I was dancing with you. It was so flawless, and so powerful.” Len: “Well, James, honestly, you put a spell on me, because I thought the dance was terrific. You had lovely wide elbows, great movement, great footwork. It was a lovely mix of tricks and treats.”  

JUDGES: 27 (out of 30)

Of course, the highlight of any DWTS Halloween show is all the ways that Sasha sneaks around and scares the beejesus out of people. Jenna is the first victim they show. She is NOT happy about it.

Sasha and Ally, tango

Sasha put in lots of content and body contact with our Harley Quinn lunatic. It was a fun tango.

Carrie Ann: “Halloween is on point. Everybody is bringing A game. That was ridiculously good. What I love most about you is the way you dance right on the edge. It makes your performances more visceral. So good.” Len: “Last week, you were nearly dead and buried. And I’m so glad you’ve really come back to life. A terrific tango. I congratulate you, Sasha. Lots of proper dancing. It was so good. What a terrific dance.” Bruno: “Absolutely. That really was a Premiere League tango, with a wicked attitude. The tango was exactly as it should be—full of content, done correctly.”

JUDGES: 27 (out of 30)

Tom: “You have other paddles, right?” LOL

Alan and Hannah, jazz

How perfect is this? Pageant queen gone bad? LOL

In her package, Hannah says: “I’m always gonna be a pageant girl. If you don’t like it, it’s too damn bad.” Here’s my weekly mention of how OVER Hannah Brown I am. All of her schtick bugs the crap out of me. Also, I really hate how Bachelors/Bachelorettes just roll over from one show into another. Haven’t you thought of how SICK OF YOU WE MIGHT BE? UGH. But wait, she doesn’t give a crap. Way to make an audience love you, Hannah.

They are dancing to “Bad Girls,” which, BTW, Hannah Brown will never be. However, I really like how they incorporated the pageant wave into the choreography. LOL And at the end, she puts on her crown, sits on the throne and gives us another pageant wave (as all her competitors are vanquished).

Alan really put together some fun choreography for this dance, and Hannah does strike me as someone who can really do something if she puts her mind to it.

Len: “I think the Bad Girl is a terrific dancer. What I like is that you’ve come out and you’ve performed. You were out there, full on, giving it plenty of welly. I thought you did a terrific job.” Tom echoes: “Plenty  of welly…” Bruno: “Nothing scary about that. It was lively, great performance. Now…you’ve got to be a bit more grounded. Punch it, punch it, punch it, my darling.” Len argues with Bruno: “I thought it was really clear and crisp and on point.” Tom: “Where do you come down, Carrie Ann?” Carrie Ann: “I agree that it was crisp and clear, but I also agree with Bruno. There is something lacking in your performance. You are disconnected from the movements. I need you to give me your heart. You look, and then you look away. You’re not really staying in it. It’s almost like there’s a bit of a shyness in you. You kind of close off to the dance. I want you to stay open. We wanna get to know you through the dance. I want to see layers of you that no one has seen before…” (as she’s saying this, Hannah is closing off…) “I swear, if you let it go raw, we will be here for you.”

(Note the overused word of the night is “terrific.’)

This whole exchange really shows the power of this show, IMHO. And what Carrie Ann is describing is part of what made her so annoying as The Bachelorette. There wasn’t and isn’t really a vulnerability there. Years of forced smiling in pageants does make you close yourself to your own real feelings, IMHO. 

Erin asks Alan what he thought of the comments (about Hannah being “disconnected”). “She has been insecure. But she has no reason to be insecure.” Erin: “I mean, this is free therapy. Enjoy it.”

JUDGES: 25 (out of 30)

Erin asks Hannah how she’s feeling. Hannah: “I told myself that no matter what was said after the performance, to just have fun, and I did have fun.” Erin: “Do you agree at all with what Carrie Ann said?” Hannah: “I think I definitely have more to show and more to give, and I hope I get to do that.” (She says in a really fake, pageant girl way…) 

Jenna and Karamo, paso double

Karamo in his package has a massive pumpkin, compared to Jenna’s tiny one. “Go big, or go home!” says he, “and we are NOT going home this week!” Scary to speak those words on Halloween. You might wanna be careful with that…

I’ll spare you the rest of the lame pumpkin carving exchange… They are dancing to “Survivor” from Destiny’s Child.

As Passos go, this wasn’t one of my favorites, though their makeup is suffifciently Halloween scary. But the shaping was kind of nonexistent, except for a couple poses.

Tom says: “Looking good, Ghoul Brynner.” LOL

Bruno: “No lack of power and purpose in that one. You were really on it. You went wrong once. You should never shorten your shape.” Carrie Ann: “You were like a sonic boom. There’s something about when you release that emotion when you dance, like I was just talking about. You opened up, you let it rip, and it ripped the horns riglht off my head.” Len: “May I just congratulate hair, makeup and wardrobe? They have been fantastic! Plenty of attack, plenty of intensity. It’s the shaping. The shaping in the paso doble has to be a little bit more exaggerated. Having said that, one of the keys to the paso doble is to come out and attack the dance, and that you did.”

Erin: “How do you feel?” Karamo: “I feel like a survivor, who is going to keep climbing to the top.”

JUDGES: 25 (out of 30)

Gleb and Lauren, Argentine tango

Wow. They are dancing “Whatever Lola Want” from Pal Joey. Not what I’d expect from this modest country singer. 

That was really an exquisite Argentine tango. Gleb provided lots of content (and complicated footwork) which Alaina kept up with. Really nice. She did seem to slip once though. :-(  Overall, I seriously think that was one of Glen’s best dances ever.

Carrie Ann: “Can I just say how much I love Halloween? This is incredible. What I see with you is true transformation. You are evolving as a dancer. Every minute, every day. It’s amazing.” Len: “I’m not sure what Lola wants, but I saw plenty of what Lennie wants. You were so full of Argentine characterization. I thought that was wonderful. It was such a spirited performance. I thought the two of you sparked off of each other, and it was a terrific team.” Bruno: “Deadly sexy, irresistible vampire bombshell. The sequence of ganchos you did were exquisite. If Marilyn Monroe was a vampire, doing the Argentine tango, that’s what it would look like, with a little bit of Madonna thrown in.”

Seriously. Drink for every time they say “terrific’ in this show…

Although Carrie Ann mentioned her strong core, Erin discovers that actually Lauren has four “broken” ribs. She said she sprained one the first week of the show, “and I haven’t had the others X-rayed, but they don’t feel great.” 

JUDGES: 27 (out of 30) Well-deserved.

Lindsay and Sean, jive

Man! That is one of the scariest images of the night. And the idea that Frankenstein is going to be doing kicks and flicks scares the crap out of me.

In his package, Sean and Lindsay visit a haunted house and participate in a seance! :-0

Sean: “A guy like Frankenstein and a guy like me both have the same type of natural rhythm and movement.” :-0 (Which is to say… NONE?) He continues: “I don’t know that the spirits can vote for us, but I still want their support.” Um… OK…

Frankenstein dancing to “The Monster Mash,” but of course…

Len: “Well, Halloween is about the supernatural, and this wasn’t super and it wasn’t really natural either. It lacked jive content. You know you’re not the best dancer on the show. But you always come out and you try your hardest and give it your all.” Bruno: “Listen, Sean, the monster part was perfection. The jive was six feet behind. Lindsay, the dance, the production, veery good, very entertaining. Your timing is not your strong suit.” Carrie Ann: “Sadly, that was a dance only your mummies could love. Truthfully, I do feel like you are backsliding a little bit. This was not your best dance. You have done more dances where you were more confident and you didn’t make as many mistakes. I know it’s a lot for someone who’s never performed before, but I do love your spirit. You do come out here, and you never give up.”

JUDGES: 18 (out of 30)

Now, you would THINK that would mean he’s eliminated… #Sigh.

Pasha and Kate, rumba

They do a weird thing in this season, where occasionally they show a detail of how a dance is supposed to go (using pros from the season). Here they show Keo and Daniella (whom Maksim Chmerkovskiy calls the best rumba dancer) doing the rumba. Kate: “Rumba, isn’t that the thing that vacuums?” Pasha: “Exactly, just not as flat.”

Then Kate and Pasha go to an evening Halloween haunt (where they have the same intricately carved pumpkins they showed earlier.

But now, to the dance. So far, Pasha gets the props for best music. They are dancing to “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak. Nice!

Although it’s kinda bizarre cause Red Riding Hood is now doing sexy time with the Wolf, but… OK. At least it’s not snakes doing the Time Warp inexplicably…

For some reason, Kate seems uncomfortable with the body contact that this dance requires. Although there is some nice choreography in here.

Bruno: “That was a beautiful and haunting rumba. I love the way you’re able to tell a story: you drag us with you. In everything you do, you really capture our attention. Sometimes you lost a little bit of fluidity, but your arm-shoulder extension? So much better.” Carrie Ann: “What I love most when I watch a rumba is to see a woman who feels absolutely 1000 percent confident to do every move. And feeling so good with the choreography that you know you can really get into it. You were oozing this kind of confidence that I love, that only comes—I only see it in Latin and ballroom dancing. And it’s happening right here. What you did was beautiful. Kate, you are shining very brightly.” Len: “Kate, excuse me. Pasha, week after week, you give me routines that you know (all these steps)… you stick ’em in, and I’m just blown away with your choreography.” (Soooooo agree. It’s been really stunning all season.) Len: “What you’ve done, since I admire your dancing and choreography so much, you’ve inspired some of the other professionals to give me proper, authentic routines.” (See Glen’s routine today for proof of this.) Len: “Kate, the trouble with the rumba is that it’s like dancing under a microscope, and any little wobble or anything is magnified. As always, a knockout performance from the pair of you.”

Erin: “Pasha, can I give you some love? This is your first season. Every single week, we’ve seen the growth with her. You deserve this. What’s this experience been like for you? We love having you here.” Pasha: “I’m having a blast. Thank you guys, it means so much to me, all these words. Thank you so much for the support.” Erin: “Every single week, Kate, you’re growing and growing. And you look smokin.’ Let’s get your scores.”

JUDGES: 24 (out of 30)

Then, we have more Sasha scares. LOL (You’d think they’d all be used to it by now…)

And, it’s Halloween, so of course we have Team Dances.

First, the entire cast goes to a creepy warehouse, where they are greeted by a coffin with flowers in it, and a TV nearby, which suddenly bursts alive. Len (in costume) talks to them: “I’ll be splitting you up into two groups: Team Trick, Team Treat for a special Halloween team dance, Pick one of the items on the table…” (oh, sorry, it looks like a coffin) “…and that will determine your fate. We’ll start at the bottom of last week’s Leader Board, and Sean goes first.”

Sean: “I’m ready.” 

Let’s just say that all the good dancers end up on Team Trick, who goes first. 

Team Trick’s song is “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell. Seriously. Sasha’s on this team. This is almost a gimme. LOL

Great shaping, in this sufficiently creepy dance. Although, back in the day, each team dance used to require separate solos by each couple. That doesn’t appear to be the rule now.

Team Trick

Len: “It was a lovely mix of paso doble, tango, touch of Viennese waltz. But that was all put together with a fantastic, interesting choreography.” Bruno: “I loved it as well, because it was dramatic, but it was elegant at the same time. You managed to combine the two so well, and that little hip hop break you put in, with the girls taking over… Hannah, that’s what I’m talking about, about bringing out the personality. You did it then. So it is there, within you.” Carrie Ann: “I loved it. I love these kind of dances, when you dance in sync like that, where you match each other’s lines. It was really powerful. And Hannah, I did feel it. Did you feel it?” Hannah: “I’m not a performer. I’m a girl on reality TV, and every time I come out here, I’m trying my hardest.” (She actually sounds like she is tearing up, which is actually good.)

Carrie Ann: “You hang in there, cause that’s what we want, more of that.”

JUDGES: 27 (out of 30)

Back when Derek Hugh was here, both teams always got 10s… #sigh

Team Treat

Team Treat dances to “Sweet Dreams” by Beyoncé. Karamo, who LOVES Beyoncé (and just danced to her in his individual dance is “freaking out” at his luck at getting another one to dance to. 

To my eyes (well, first, the song isn’t as good as Team Trick’s was, IMHO) but the dance seemed more awkward, with not as much finesse in choreography. Although they clearly featured all of the “stars” in a solo, which I’m not clear the other group did. (It used to be one of the rules.) But the other dance was better overall.

Bruno: “That was nightmarishly entertaining. What a concept. I have to say not everyone was always on time. But I really enjoyed the effort.” Carrie Ann: “I loved the concept, but I’m gonna give Most Valuable Player to Kate, because you were dancing and keeping up with some of the best lady dancers in this business, and then you wrangled all the men, and you put ’em in place. And then you led that kickline. It was good.” Len: “I liked the fun of it. Wonderful entertainment. Congratulations.”

JUDGES: 24 (out of 30)

Tradition has it that the person going home is also from the losing Team Dance team…

Who gores home tonight? Who are in the Bottom Two? Well, what do you know? Both are from Team Treat.

MICHE’s Favorites of Halloween Night

1. Emma and James, Viennese waltz

2. Gleb and Lauren, Argentine tango

3. Alan and Hannah, jazz

4. Sasha and Ally, tango

5. Pasha and Kate, rumba

6. Jenna and Karamo, paso doble 

Guess he’s not this week’s survivor after all…

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