DWTS Season 23 Finals, part 2: It's Val and Laurie!

The Grove shopping center is right next to where Dancing with the Stars films. So it's a natural backdrop for their finale, especially around holiday time. I love it. The holiday finales are some of my favorites of this show. So we open on some of the pros dancing through the sparkling, glittering Grove.

Thankfully, the whole concept of "everyone in the cast gets to do a dance" went away with the previous director, and we only SEE each of the season's cast members. Some of whom you had probably surely forgotten were on this season. (Who's that guy with Jenna again?) What is weird though, is that SOME of them do get to perform "their favorite" dances. Others don't (Amber bails on what she said during the show was her least favorite dance, and we get to see the wondrous Jenna dance it instead.). Others have their partners bail inexplicably (see Marilu at the beginning with Derek; when she dances her dance, with Terra and Sasha inexplicably, Marilu is paired with a troupe dancer, and Derek is nowhere to be found). Just weirdness like that through this whole thing.

Tom does his usual spiel, and says that "for the first time ever, the final three are all athletes." Really? A racecar driver counts as an athlete? Hmmm.

So, the scores, they tell us in a nicely done recap of last night are: THIRD PLACE: Lindsay and Calvin with 75, SECOND PLACE: James and Sharna with 77, and FIRST PLACE: VAL AND LAURIE with 78.

Now, in my experience, it's really not often that the addition of the scores from America changes much at this point. (And, indeed, these end up being the final rankings.) But we have this whole finale to go through. So here we go!

First, a look back at the season that was. Back to the first week, and the whole mess with Ryan Lochte, which sadly overshadows that great opening number at Griffith Park. Week Two, TV Night. Week Three and that crazy Face Off nonsense. Then, we have a song (inexplicably) by Andy Grammar. It is notable only for the dance that goes with it, by the wondrous Allison Holker and Keo Motsepe.

You will remember, of course, that when Andy Grammar competed on the show, Ms. Allison was his partner. Always wonderful to see her dance, so this was beautiful.

Then, they start the recap dances, for no apparent reason.

We have Calvin and Lindsay's beautiful Argentine tango (to "Hotel California"). Then Maureen and Artem do a waltz or something (to "You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman)," surrounded by other men from the season.

Then, the always fun blooper reel from the dress rehearsals.

Then, not clear why, Maks dances with women of the troupe. I just realized that this was the dance that Amber so memorably was bitching about having to dance in heels, down stairs. Maybe this was meant for her to dance? In any case, our lovely Jenna did a fine job, having no problem with said heels, or said stairs.

Then, Maks and Val and Laurie do their Trio from the semis, which was wonderful. They improv with Maks and Val together at the end (instead of with Laurie, which is how it was originally), which is funny.

Erin, now outside at the Grove again, talks about the bond that Vanilla Ice and Rick Perry formed on the show (true story). Ice and Witney do their dance to "Ice, Ice Baby," and Rick Perry joins them at the end.

Then they show a bunch of the celebrities and pros who visited Children's Hospital LA, which they've been doing for eight years now. Very nice moment.

Wisely, they chose to not have Babyface dance again, but do what he does best: sing. His lovely partner, Allison, danced with Alan. Beautiful number.

This number was some fun here. Some (not all) of the men of Season 23 and the male pros and troupe members, having some fun with their jackets open. "Yes, please!" as Erin would (and did) say. Although it's unclear why the number was "24 Carat... something" and they come out in silver jackets instead of gold...?

They recap Week Four, which yes, had a double elimination, but what we will always remember as the night that Sasha proposed to Emma. Then Week Five, and Week Six.

Then, Jana and Gleb do that hokey Argentine tango with the water. I didn't like it the first time around. It certainly (to me) wasn't "the hottest Argentine tango ever." (Remember Mark and Paige's Argentine tango? Just sayin'...) Just the wettest.

Then they run through Week Seven through the Semifinals, all of which includes the Team dances, and Halloween, and Sharna's injury, and Jenna filling in. (Props to those who edited these packages. Really nice stuff.)

And now! It's big, it's fantastical, it's choreographed by Mandy Moore. It's a Macy's ad in the middle.

This was truly magic. Part in camera tricks, part amazing dancing. Really stunning stuff. Reminiscent of those big holiday ballet epics, but with a unique #DWTS spin on it.

Then we had a promo for the big DWTS tour, which follows this show in cities across America.

This great photo of Emma and Alan isn't from that dance, but let's just say it was..

Then, we have a judges' look at the final three competitors. Basically, any of these three can do it.

Then, by way of competition, since we really do have three of the best choreographers on the show, we have a fusion challenge (where they combine two styles of dance in one song). Previously, Derek Hough and Mark Ballas were masters at this. I haven't really seen any choreographer match their level yet, although Sharna and Val do come close.

JAMES AND SHARNA
Fusion Challenge: Foxtrot and Viennese Waltz
Scoring: Perfect score (40 out of 40)

I admit it, I always judge competitors by how they react to the final wall when they do this last dance, because the production staff decorates their regular rehearsal rooms with pictures of them throughout the season. The couples who react the best to those items are the ones I most want to win. In this case, Sharna reacted much more to the photos than James. Course, she knows what it means.

Their fusion dance was beautiful.

CALVIN AND LINDSAY
Fusion Challenge: Jive and Quickstep
Scoring: Perfect score (40 out of 40)

Lindsay seems more wowed by the pictures than Calvin. He notes how he had difficulty in the beginning wearing all the sequins that are standard issue at #DWTS.

LAURIE AND VAL
Fusion Challenge: Foxtrot and Argentine tango
Scoring: Perfect score (40 out of 40)

They have many great pictures, and Laurie makes somewhat of a show about how hard it is to not be working with Val anymore. That is short-lived, however, when Tom announces after they dance that, indeed Laurie is going to be joining the aforementioned DWTS Tour, so she'll still be seeing plenty of Val.

For those keeping score at home, based on Judges' scores, the ranking STILL is:

1. Laurie and Val
2. James and Sharna
3. Calvin and Lindsay

Now, the audience votes have to be factored in. Guess how it turns out?

Well, they shuttled the three finalists over to The Grove. Mind you, when they had that "Winter Wonderland" song (that Babyface was singing), they were pumping out the fake snow for a wintry effect (you know it wasn't snowing here in SoCal). It appears whatever they used was slippery, so dancers were slipping, and right before the big announcement, one of the cameramen went flying. Noble Val jumped to help him out.

So, Tom and Erin announce that Calvin and Lindsay have taken third.

This lovely couple took second place.

Oh, and look who won! Congrats to Laurie Hernandez and Val Chmerkovskiy. Well-deserved.

Season 23, a great season of truly amazing competitors.

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DWTS Season 23 Finals, part 1: And Then There Were Three

It's finals time at Dancing with the Stars. We have four remaining couples at the beginning of the first night of finals (the three above and Jana and Gleb).

First up, Calvin and Lindsay dance a Viennese waltz.

I didn't like Lindsay at first, but season after season, she's grown on me. I really appreciate the professionalism she puts into her numbers, and this Viennese waltz was just packed with content. Plus, her and Calvin dance well together. Of all the people this season, I was really glad that they got into the finals. Her choreography is a main reason why.

Also, by and large, they seem to have a decent choice of music.

Carrie Ann deducts for Lindsay bringing her foot off the floor (no lifts!). (Carrie Ann is the Lift Police.)

Then, they continue the seasons-long trend of surprising Calvin by bringing out his two-year-old son from Atlanta. Very nice moment.

So, Gleb is very sick with flu during this finals week. He and Jana have the tango as their Redemption Dance. (She was in pain the first time they did it, he is in pain now...)

Personally, I really don't like Gleb and Jana, so this dance and its crappy music did nothing for me. But Bruno thought "it could give night sweats to a saint."

This girl, Laurie Hernandez, came into this competition, rolling with her medals from the Olympics, a shy girl of 16, not confident in expressing her womanhood in this crazy world of dance. And Oh My Goodness, look at her now! Their Redemption Dance was the paso doble (from Week 5). She is sure in a different place now.

What an incredible display of dance! This paso doble was amazing, and blew away the previous two competitors.

Then, Cheryl Burke dances with Artem, and Alan and Keo and some other troupe guy to a song by Train. Oh yeah, they perform it. Such beautiful costumes, such a beautiful dance.

Oh, I just love Sharna and James so very much. (See the tape on his glasses?) This foxtrot was just so wonderful. And the choice of music ("It Had to Be You") was also perfect.

And BEST OF ALL, they didn't rip off her sexy schoolmarm outfit during the dance. At the end, they are sitting and laughing and reading "The Hinchcliffe Code" on the bench. Very nice.

It's going to be a sad sad day when James Hinchcliffe is no longer on Dancing with the Stars. He brought so much joy this season.

Just noticed a cut to Florence Henderson in the audience. I do remember she was supporting the show up until the end. :-(

Tom Bergeron says to James: "Give up this racing and become an actor." Although James says, "I don't know about that," Tom knows what he's talking about. He's been around actors, and James SURE has what it takes. He could be a very successful Cary Grant-esque comedian and actor, if he wanted to. He's got such an easy flair for comedy.

Then, we had an amazing paso doble bumper with Keo and Allison, and Emma and Sasha. Wonderful.

MICHE'S FAVORITE FINALS DANCES

1. Val and Laurie's paso doble

2. Sharna and James' foxtrot

3. Lindsay and Calvin's Viennese waltz

Next, the most exciting part of the whole season: The Freestyle Round.

Two things I'm really OVER on this show (well, besides Jana and Gleb) are songs from SIA and contemporary dance. I really really hate it. This was a ballroom show, and somehow all this contemporary has snuck in.

Also, the hokey devices which don't really mean anything (being attached during the dance) do nothing for me. When I watch this dance, I see the same basic thing I saw in their first ever dance, whereas the other three competitors have really (to me, anyway) grown and changed and matured in their dancing.

The Freestyle round is supposed to be spectacular. It's supposed to remind people of your journey during the entire season. Whether that is by using troupe members or just doing your own thing, it's supposed to take our breath away.

Everything about this Freestyle says that Jana and Gleb should be the next to go. It just seems like any old other dance, given on any other day, not a Freestyle.

And, they messed it up (made a mistake during the finals!). They got all 9s from the judges, which was overly charitable. But it's the first time in a LONG LONG LONG while that a finalist didn't get all 10s for a Freestyle.

Lindsay Arnold, OTOH, has been around this rodeo a few times. She knows that you have to pull out ALL STOPS for a Freestyle dance. She's got "jazz, jive, lindy, tricks and lifts." It's big, it's got troupe dancers, it's ASTONISHING.

They are rocking the Motown music for the Detroit guy, it's just wonderful on so many levels. Did I mention working treadmills? This dance could NOT have been more different than the last one. There were breathtaking lifts (ON THE TREADMILLS! while they were MOVING!), there were great costumes, there were amazing troupe dancers. Just an astonishing and memorable Freestyle.

OF COURSE, they get a perfect score from the judges.

Do you remember back in the beginning of the season, when they shot that incredible opening number at Griffith Park? And there were all these dancers, and swirling cameras and it was just an incredible spectacle, a love letter to LA? Well, it turns out that Dancing with the Stars and the almost-Oscar-winning Best Picture La La Land have something in common: its choreographer, Mandy Moore.

Mandy Moore has been creating spectacular dances for Dancing with the Stars for many years now, it's one of the reasons why #DWTS is a must-watch show, frankly. So, that opening number (on the first episode of Season 23) was spectacular and amazing. But we are also graced, in these finals, with an homage to La La Land, using the dancers of #DWTS, plus some others whom I wish were in the troupe regularly. Incredible.

The dancers, the production staff, the costumes, the music from La La Land (with Ryan Gosling singing!) all made this number just incredible to watch.

So let's just take a moment, shall we? to honor and applaud the wondrous force of amazing dance that is Mandy Moore. We are so very thankful for her talents, on La La Land, and most especially, on DWTS.

And remember that with all the stuff that happened this season, this was also the season that began and ended with love, and had an engagement on air in the middle. *swoon*

OK... then, back to the Freestyle as scheduled.

Now, Laurie and Val dance to a fun, energetic song called "Brand New." They have a playground, complete with slide, balance beam, and spinny thing. They jump and twirl and do cartwheels (incorporating a lot of gymnastics, but also dance moves; so skillful is Val's choreography). And the dance, like Lindsay's did with Calvin, incorporates much that is Laurie Hernandez as we know her, and her journey on this show.

But her main asset is that she's young and she can do anything, and this wonderful dance reflected that. Stunning.

Carrie Ann: "You brought tears to my eyes, just because I was so happy."

Not surprisingly, a perfect score from the judges.

James and Sharna take a different approach with their Freestyle.

James Hinchcliffe, a racecar driver, had suffered a horrific accident, which nearly killed him before he was on this show. He speaks in their package of blacking out during the crash, and that it was like a page in the book of his life which was blank. With this dance, they attempt to fill that page.

I have mentioned earlier my disdain for contemporary dance. What saved this somewhat was that it had balletic elements. It was really beautiful. I found James' voiceover at the beginning and end to be a bit hokey, and I much preferred the two previous Freestyles, which just relied upon song lyrics to get their messages across.

However, the judges were all gobsmacked with this one, giving all kinds of rave reviews.

Perfect score for James and Sharna.

Couple exiting tonight (and not a moment too soon for my taste): Jana and Gleb

MICHE'S FAVORITE FREESTYLES

1. Lindsay and Calvin

2. Val and Laurie

3. Sharna and James

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DWTS Season 23, Semifinals: Handstands, Tears and a Sad Goodbye

Ladies and gentlemen: The semifinalists of Season 23 of Dancing with the Stars

When last we left our lovely couples, these are the ones remaining standing at the Semifinal round of Season 23 of Dancing with the Stars: Lindsay and Calvin, Sharna (now back in the lineup after an injury sidelined her) and James, Jana and Gleb, Laurie and Val, and the always wondrous Terra and Sasha (whom I'm still rooting for). The semifinals includes the favorite Trios round.

I'm sure it must've been killing Sharna to see Jenna dancing with James instead of her. So she returns with a vengeance (also, I'm sure knowing that one has to up their game in the Semis to move forward). She dances a delicious Argentine tango blindfolded with James. Stunning. (Let me also note that Peta was acclaimed for performing a blindfolded number a few seasons back with Nile, but she only did it for part of the dance, then removed it. Sharna's was only removed right at the very end. She performed the whole dance with it.)

And just when you're thinking: WOW! Sharna! James does this at the end:

Absolutely incredible.

Judge Julianne says it well: "We've seen a lot of Argentine tango this season. It's been hard, it's been fast--but THIS, this is what an Argentine tango is: Controlled. Sexy."

At this point in the competition, I am rooting with all of my heart and soul for Terra and Sasha to win. There have been many competitors with special obstacles in their lives, and usually much is made of that, as they go on to then win the Mirror Ball. For my money, Terra Jole has, in each and every dance, been an inspiration to everyone that if you want something, go for it. This song, with the lyric, "you're beautiful, just the way you are," encapsulates the message that Team Terra has tried to put forth in every dance.

She and Sasha knock me out each and every time. Even though this was a rumba, and it wasn't the normal sexy rumba, it was very much about owning one's own power, and walking through life with confidence. It was beautiful and fluid, and I loved it. I love them.

Carrie Ann, in tears at the judges' table, says: "Every movement was executed with the utmost perfection and quality and care. The quality of your movement is like the quality of you. It is untouchable."

Julianne: "I, 100%, thought this was going to be a very difficult dance for you. You, 100%, proved me wrong."

PERFECT SCORE for Sasha and Terra.

OTOH, if I had to pick a couple from these five that I would eliminate going forward, it would be this one. I've never liked them all along, and I would easily drop them now. I dislike their song choices, their set, their concepts. Just everything.

So all I'll say about their quickstep is that, boy, aren't these costumes great this episode?

And here we have one of those "fast and hard" tangos they were talking about earlier. But, it's to The White Stripes' "Seven-Nation Army" (as opposed to that wimpy bad song we just heard), so it's OK. I also love Calvin and Lindsay and if you take Jana and Gleb out of the mix, I'd be happy with each of those four couples winning the Mirror Ball, for different reasons. They are truly the creme de la creme.

Sixteen-year-old Laurie has just lost her grandmother. Despite this, she's a trouper, who not only carries on, but does an amazing foxtrot with Val. PERFECT SCORE, of course.

Tom Bergeron, who had his own bout with death in his family not long ago, shares Laurie's pain.

MICHE'S FAVORITES OF SEMIFINALS WEEK
1. James and Sharna's Argentine tango (blindfolded!)
2. Laurie and Val's foxtrot
3. Terra and Sasha's rumba
4. Calvin and Lindsay's tango

And now! It's on to the Trio round.

James starts off the package with: "Welcome to our Threesome," which causes both Sharna and Jenna to laugh. Ah yes, let your mind linger there for a moment... Ahem...

I am pretty convinced that to really excel on this show you have to not only have a great dance, but also great music. Those who understand this distinction go far.

The song is an old Motown classic, "Gimme Some Lovin' " (Spencer Davis Group) but as James jumps out over the actual car in which he had his major accident, and there's Sharna, now recovered from her leg injury, with Jenna who helped them both out, the chorus of "So glad we made it" resonates more than a little. And I love love love watching this Canadian racecar driver dance almost as much as I love watching Sharna and Jenna dance (almost).

Carrie Ann: "The best thing was the unison. Nobody beats you, matching the girls perfectly." (So true.)

Julianne: "That was one hot pit crew."

James just seems in his element, and dancing this jive to a song which his dad used to play for him all the time, you could tell the movement of the music is in his soul. I just can't get enough of this one.

PERFECT SCORE from the judges.

Terra goes into this whole thing in the package about how Sasha is her little brother and Artem is actually sexy, but excuse me, Sasha Farber is plenty sexy. (As he has proven this season.) But either way, after being sent off by a really nice Three's Company homage in the package, this tango is steamy! And I loved it.

Me, I just can't get enough of the star that is Terra Jole. This was just wondrous to watch.

PERFECT SCORE from the judges.

Jana, Gleb and Alan are up next, with a nice tango trio.

Thankfully, the concept they talk about in the package (where the two guys are both policemen) didn't last until the final dance. This arrangement is much better, and serves the song better, to just have them be two dudes. Rather like her being a black widow spider, and they are her prey.

Carrie Ann talks about it being a work of art, but I surely don't think that this came out of the minds of Gleb or Jana (so congrats to the producer who came up with this beauty).

Jana, in comments, is obsessed about "making the finals." OK.

PERFECT SCORE from the judges.

Well, of course, among the crowd of semifinalists, there is always one salsa. And it makes sense that this would be the one, with Witney (Lindsay's BFF) added to the mix. You kinda know all that going in. What you are NOT prepared for are the acrobatics that they perform in this trio.

Cause WOW, they do some crazy acrobatics in this dance.

Erin calls them "Calvin and the Doublemint Twins." Crazy, fun salsa.

PERFECT SCORE from the judges.

I'm a sucker for the dances which harken back to this show's roots, when some of the early competitors actually competed in ballroom dancing competitions. Too bad Len isn't here judging this week.

The concept of this one is that Maks is teaching Val and Laurie how to dance (to compete). It's really wonderful.

Except that, as far as the trios go (this one a samba), all the other ones really had the third person in there and dancing through the whole thing, and Maks only comes in at the beginning and end, compared to the other competitors. But it was ok. It's always fun to watch Val and Laurie dance. And the story was awesome.

PERFECT SCORE from the judges.

I, like the judges, really can't rank these five competitors. They were all fantastic, in their way, and they ALL deserved to be in the finals.

Sadly, one of my favorites to win ended up going home on this night. I am so completely bummed about that, I can't even tell you. Personally, I would've sent home Jana and Gleb. But it is what it is. Thank goodness we had such amazing incredible dances from Terra and Sasha all season long.

What a blessing and a joy your dances were. THANK YOU, Terra Jole and Sasha Farber. Tom Bergeron talked about how when people ask him who his favorite people were on the show, he would mention Terra. I so agree. The combination of Terra and Sasha was really a very special mix that won't soon be forgotten. She may not have won, but she really showed how this TV show can really bring magic sometimes. We shall miss you.

POST-SHOW NOTE: Notice how at the intro, every competitor is holding the Mirror Ball, EXCEPT the person who actually wins it the following week? Hmmm.
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