DTWS S025, Week 7: Halloween Treats Us With Magical Dances

What is the best Dancing with the Stars episode all year long? If you jumped up and said, “The Halloween episode!,” then you are definitely a DWTS viewer. It’s the one we LIVE for all year long.

You can’t go wrong by the pros dancing to “Time Warp” to kick everything off! Such fun.

Victoria and Val kick off the dances with this beautiful Viennese waltz. Just stunning. The music was perfect, the dance was perfect.

Val, in the package: “Victoria survived death. I think she can survive Jordan Fisher and Lindsey Stirling.”

Every single dance they do, I appreciate Val’s choreography, and his dancing, so very much. It was lyrical and just beautiful. (They were portraying ghosts.)

Len: “Lovely amount of rotation. You floated across the floor like a leaf on a stream. Beautiful.” Bruno: “That was so fluidly ethereal, and I have to praise you because you have taken into consideration our comments about arms. That’s how you do it. Simply beautiful.” Carrie Ann: “The hold, the way you guys worked together, is magical. A magical routine.”

JUDGES’ SCORES: 27 (out of 30)

Tom comes back from the break to warn us not to turn Halloween puns into a drinking game: “You will not survive the night.”

Jordan and Lindsay do a Red Riding Hood paso doble. (Can I just say that Sasha does more somersaults on this show than anyone? By far...) The troupe of fellow wolves at the beginning of this paso was kinda scary.

They really could have omitted the “oh, it’s so hard to keep up with the troupe” comments, though. Dude’s a professional dancer. C’mon.

(As you can see, the set makers go all out on Halloween night, too.)

Bruno: “It was the biggest, baddest paso ever! The choreography you manage, Lindsay, is insane. It was insanely good. Absolutely superb.” Carrie Ann: “I felt like this routine was harder for you than routines in the past. I felt you going a little outside your comfort zone. It was really powerful and aggressive. I loved it.” Len: “There was plenty of tricks, and there was plenty of treats. I’m looking for faults. I gotta be honest: you little devil, you dance like an angel.”

JUDGES’ SCORES: 30 (out of 30)

Super great costumes for this jive with Nikki and Artem. Fun dance to “I Put a Spell on You” in a Starbucks (-like coffee shop).

Carrie Ann: “I appreciate that you really try to extend your feet when you’re dancing. But I didn’t feel you connected as much to the music this week.” Len: “The coffee was a decaf, cause it lacked a bit of punch in the whole routine.” Bruno comments on how they messed up and it happens to everyone. “I’m sure you’ll be back next week, and kill it.”

JUDGES’ SCORES: 24 (out of 30)

We have a fun Halloween bumper by Sharna and Keo to come back from commercial. Then Maks argues in the package how everyone is talking (rightly) about Jordan and Lindsey (to win), and that he and Vanessa are still in this. Sorry, Maks, you guys are good, but Jordan and Lindsey are a level above. They just are.

Oh sorry, I just heard Maks call the paso doble he created, “brilliant.” Always love Maks’ modesty.

It’s Halloween. Of course there are a lot of zombies.

There were a lot of troupe zombies here (Sasha notably). And in Maks’ pantheon of pasos, I don’t know that this one was the most brilliant, but it was pretty notable. Also, there was some serious acting going on, not just from Maks, but from Vanessa. So, yeah. Pretty good dance.

(Sad to see Nick cheering her on from the sidelines, though.)

Len bitches about the difference between “production and dance. For me, this was lacking a bit in paso doble choreography.” (He’s right. And Maks knows he’s right, cause he’s looking down.) As Len is talking, the Grim Reaper walks behind the judges’ table with his sythe. Perfect. Bruno talks about how when she gets overexcited with her movements, she doesn’t finish a line. (Also true.) Carrie Ann: “It’s hard, cause I have such high hopes for you, because you are so powerful. You move beautifully.”

JUDGES’ SCORES: 24 (out of 30)

Cheryl and Terrell do a tango to Rick James’ “Super Freak.” Points for a great song. And a fun dance.

Bruno: “Cheryl, how you manage to make him hold frame and posture, considering the difference of height, and he never skipped a beat. He kept gliding, a proper tango.” Carrie Ann: “I agree absolutely. Well done.” Len: “You captured that staccato feel. You stalked the floor. Cheryl, you’re doing a wonderful job.”

JUDGES’ SCORES: 25 (out of 30)

Clown Sasha scares the bejesus out of Cheryl. Fun stuff.

Then, they show all the ways that Sasha scared people all week. Well, except Terrell. He was unphased. PS. He does this every year, and I love seeing it.

BTW, can I just say that Erin Andrews’ jumpsuit is the absolute coolest?

In their package, Lindsey talks about how she hurt her ribs in the dance last week, and doesn’t know if she can dance this week. They show her at Urgent Care on Sunday night (the night before the show). But of course...

The show must go on...

Rib injury? What rib injury?

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the mark of a true professional. Wow. Incredible paso too.

She’s in so much pain, she sits on Mark’s knee while the judges comment and give scores. Tom Bergeron sits on the floor with her.

Carrie Ann: “That was a really difficult routine. I could see the pain you were in the whole time. While I saw it in your face, and sometimes in your back, I did not see it in the movements. You were able to execute those shapes with strength and bravery and conviction. And that was so difficult. That was the fastest paso doble ever. I am so impressed.” Len: “I am a fan of your dancing.  What saved the dance were the twist turns, and that fantastic press line that you put in over there. And the knee walks. Well done.” Bruno: “That was so ambitious. And totally intriguing, because you managed to put a combination of paso doble, Irish dancing and a celebration of the Day of the Dead, but it actually all worked extremely well. Dramatically as construction... the speed of the dance was impossible to do, even if you feel well. And you managed to do it. Great achievement.”

JUDGES’ SCORES: 27 (out of 30)

Great troupe dance bumper to “The Name Game” to promote their live show.

Now, this next dance... Frankie says in the package that usually when people see him, they laugh. They don’t expect him to be a big scary mean guy. But, to the dance... (To a creeped out version of The Police’s “Every Breath You Take (I’ll Be Watching You),” which really is a stalker’s dream song.)

First, I'm not at all a fan of contemporary. It’s the rare contemporary dance which moves me in any way. However, this dance... wow.

Also, I can’t ever remember a #DWTS dance which involved a stalker breaking into someone’s home and trying to rape them. So it was very powerful, too.

Just a couple weeks ago, she was snottily asking him if he could “act sexy.” Guess she had no idea how much he could act, cause this was... just incredible.

Tom, afterward whispers to Frankie: “You do creepy so well.”

Len talks about how he’s not a fan of horror movies.  “That was one and a half minutes of horror. I thought it was fantastic.” Bruno: “You two tonight were truly inspired, and back on top. The storytelling, the interpretation, the dramatic tension, you maintained all the way through. It was spine-tingling good.” Carrie Ann: “I love when I see something that elevates the world of dance. That wasn’t just an incredible routine, you elevated what dance is, the way you interwove the story. You guys were connected by this invisible string of emotion. It was fantastic. It was riveting.”

JUDGES’ SCORES: 30 (out of 30) (The judges this week have cute little ghost paddles for their 10s.)

Oh, who’s next?

Oh, these guys! YAY!

So, all of the audience has glow sticks for this number.

Drew’s package shows him at the bottom of the leader board after last week (course, he’s forgetting how much people LOVE Property Brothers...) Emma gives him a great pep talk.

And they are dancing a Charleston (which is my favorite dance on this show). They whine about his hectic schedule and two dances and “I’m still here.”

But then, the dance...

First, you gotta love how Emma works Sasha into so many of her dances. Also, he is playing a preacher, who is marrying Emma and Drew’s characters (which is funny, because we all know that Sasha and Emma are betrothed).

I’m sorry, but that Charleston kicked ass. So fantastic. Drew’s lankiness really worked for this character.

Bruno: “That was murder on the dance floor at its most delicious. But you still managed to put a lot of jazz, Charleston, even jitterbug into there. You even kept up with the change of tempo, which is very hard when you come out of a lift. What’s happened to you?” Carrie Ann: “You were so in sync. You guys are so different. Every line matched, despite your complete different sizes and shapes. And you kept the energy all the way to the end. I think it’s one of your best dances so far.” Len: “Halloween is a marvelous thing, because last week, you were dead and buried. You’ve come back to life. It was fun, it was joyous, and I loved every minute of it. Well done.”

JUDGES’ SCORES: 27 (out of 30)

Then, since it’s Halloween, of course we have Team dances! YAY! But first, they announce that these three former winners will return next week to dance in the Trio round. Then, they release some results.

Team Monster Mash (above) dances first. We have just learned that Cheryl/Terrell and Nikki/Artem are both in jeopardy. (The other two couples are safe.)

The team also points out that ALL FOUR couples finished on top of the leader board last week.

They plan to dance with a literal maze onstage. Mark mentions how normally it’s “kind of a disaster. This is just a complete disaster.”

It was a pretty fun dance overall. All the moving scenery though. Ugh.

Len called it “a bit messy.” Carrie Ann: “I felt like you all underdanced.”

JUDGES’ SCORES: 24 (out of 30)

Then, we have Team Phantom of the Ballroom. (Dancing to “The Phantom of the Opera.”

We have some standings and two couples are in jeopardy: Drew/Emma and Vanessa/Maks are in jeopardy.

Their costumes for this dance, if you can’t already tell, are stunning. Both sets of teams had to have sequences where the celebs danced alone (without their pro partners) for 30 seconds. This team (I thought) did that more successfully.

Both Carrie Ann and Bruno are giving them standing ovations before they speak.

Bruno: “That was a splendid theatrical extravaganza. The choices of paso doble, tango into a waltz was absolutely genius. It was flawless in construction and it brought the best out of all of you.” Carrie Ann: “Words fail me. That was by far the most exquisite team dance ever.” Len: “Shut the front door and call me Andrew Lloyd Weber, that was the most polished dance I’ve ever seen as a team dance.”

(For the record, I don’t agree with Carrie Ann, though it was pretty darn good.)

JUDGES’ SCORES: 30 (out of 30)

Who goes home?



These were the four in jeopardy at the end. Right before the announcements, the ghastly death figure that had been looming around during the show came to Tom and Erin and handed them black envelopes with their names on them in red. Tom said the result was going to be “a surprise.”



These four couples get narrowed down to only Maks/Vanessa and Nikki/Artem being in jeopardy. As they are nervously waiting for which one is going home, Tom says: “It’s a double elimination. You’re BOTH going home.” :-0

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Miche’s Favorite Halloween Dances
1. Mark and Lindsey (paso doble)
2. Witney and Frankie (contemporary)
3. Val and Victoria (Viennese waltz)
4. Emma and Drew (Charleston)
5. Lindsay and Jordan (paso doble)
6. Maks and Vanessa (paso doble)



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DTWS S025, Week 5: Disney Night Full of Magic and Miracles

Hi! Welcome to Week 5, Season 25 of Dancing with the Stars. I know there’s a theme tonight. I’m just trying to remember what it is...

Some kind of corporate suckup, ABC thing... just can’t place it...

Oh yeah. It's Week 5. It's DISNEY night.

The opening number starts with a beautiful dance with Jenna and Armin to “It’s a Small World (After All),” which kicks into a bigger opening number.

Then, as they introduce all the stars, they also name which movie they are dancing to a song from. Ugh.

Oh, but they have a different spin on it this year. Tom Bergeron informs us that it’s ”Disney Through the Ages,” ”from Mickey's early beginnings, right up through next month.”  (They are performing a song from “Coco,” which at this point had not been released yet, so that was a coup.) Also it’s the halfway point in the DWTS competition.

Wait. Val and Victoria are doing “a jazz dance to ‘Steamboat Willie’ ” (did that have music?).  For that matter, did it have Minnie? (I think not.)

I dunno. This one was a tough sell. If I remember right, this was a silent, and the only character was Mickey himself. The dance was probably longer than the whole short. But it was what it was.

Len, ”Steamboat Willie. 1928. I missed the premiere, but you were there, Tom, weren‘t you?” Oh, that Len. What a cutup. Len saw “Charleston, Lindy Hop, even a little bit of Twerking.” Bruno: “It was effortless, and it was beautiful.” Carrie Ann: “You were in perfect sync the whole time.”

JUDGES’ SCORES: 27 (out of 30)

Val says that Victoria “is Disney. She’s the epitome of magic and miracles.”

Tom does a tease for the next number, Maks and Vanessa dancing to “Snow White.” He says “the Seven Dwarfs... I think only six are there...” They cut to a different shot with an errant dwarf and Maks sitting next to him. Tom continues, ”Oh, there’s Grumpy... and the other dwarf.” (I laughed.)

Then, they show the troupe dressed up as the Mickey Mouse Club. Sasha gets a kiss from Minnie. Very sweet.

This dance (“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” from the 30s) starts with seven tiny Makses (as the dwarfs), the highlight of which was all of them saying “I‘m the show,” (perhaps Maks' most famous #DWTS line). (Made me laugh.)

For some reason, they sing “Someday My Prince Will Come” in French. It’s a nice waltz. The costumes are the best. Bruno notes how she gets out of balance in the fast spins. Carrie Ann mentions that there were moments that it seemed like she stopped breathing. But that she “had many stunning moments in that.” Len loved the “turn and lock.” And the choreography, that it was “a proper waltz.”

JUDGES’ SCORES: 24 (out of 30)

OK. We’re up to the 1940s now, with Lindsay and Mark's ”When You Wish Upon a Star,” from “Pinocchio.” Just a beautiful foxtrot.

At the end of the dance, there was an animated Pinocchio, clapping on the judges’ stand. Beautiful.

Carrie Ann: “What I loved the most is that this week you didn‘t go quirky. I know it took a lot more courage to do this number.” She also mentions that it was “one of the finest holds I‘ve ever seen.” Len: “THAT was delightful. I loved the way that every nuance in the music was transcribed into the movements you used.... I absolutely loved it.” Bruno: ”By the end, I felt like I was bathing in stardust.”

JUDGES’ SCORES: 28 (out of 30) (including a ten from Len)

Then, a wonderful bumper from the (1950s) Mickey Mouse Club (in b and w), where we actually get to learn everyone‘s names. (They never say the troupe names anymore; although pros were mixed in too—Sasha, Sharna, Jenna, Alan.)

Nick and Peta do a quickstep to “Bare Necessities” from (the ’60s) “The Jungle Book.” Peta is such a phenomenal dancer and choreographer, and I think I don’t say that enough. Nick isn’t quite up to her standards, though. The best thing Len can say is, “You came out and enjoyed yourself, and I thought that was commendable.” (Ouch.) Bruno notes that he lost a step a couple of times. Carrie Ann says “you don‘t have to be a perfect dancer.” (Um, yes you do.)

JUDGES’ SCORES: 22 (out of 30)

This was from the ’70s, Kermit the Frog was involved and something about a Rainbow. Whatever it was, I missed this show. But the Viennese waltz that Emma and Drew danced to it was quite beautiful.

Emma does her normal wondrous choreography. Every time I look at her, I see a rainbow anyway, so this song was quite fitting.

Oh Lord. They have Kermit at the judges table. Ugh.

Bruno to Drew: “You‘re getting more and more polished every week. You‘re leading well.”  Carrie Ann: “You two have become one of my favorite couples.” Len: “I liked your footwork a lot.”

JUDGES’ SCORES: 25 (out of 30)

Minnie and the female pros welcome us back with a cute bumper.

Gleb and Sasha are dancing a rumba to ’80s “The Little Mermaid.” “I need you to be very sexy and romantic,” says Gleb to Sasha in the package.

And she tries, but boy, the camera angles are all wacky and unflattering. I found this rumba to be very unsexy, even forced.

(EDITOR’S ASIDE: I apologize. From this point forward, my DVR died, and so I’m going from my notes and the YouTube videos.) :-(

JUDGES’ SCORES: 24 (out of 30)

Terrell and Cheryl do a quickstep to “The Lion King.”

Whew. I really hated this song (the music). The dance was a whole lot of the troupe moving trees around. (Sasha was the best part, frankly.) Ugh. My least favorite. That gold coat was pretty swinging though.

JUDGES’ SCORES: 25 (out of 30)

Witney and Frankie’s package has Witney saying to Frankie: “You can act, sexy, right? Cause you’re not normally sexy.” Deadpan look from Frankie.

Frankie and Witney do an Argentine tango to “Pirates of the Caribbean.” For my money, this was by far the sexiest dance of the night. This was certainly NOT the Frankie Muniz we think we know. He was a fierce, leering pirate. Yeah, he can “act” sexy, all right.

The set (as you can see) was another #DWTS treasure (props to this stage crew), and look at that eerie sea foam lighting. Just great stuff, start to finish.

Such a great dance. Such stunning choreography.

JUDGES’ SCORES: 29 (out of 30)

Jordan and Lindsay then regale us with a foxtrot from “Moana.” (To the song, “You’re Welcome.”)

(I think Jordan is the one singing this song, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda...)

JUDGES’ SCORES: 30 (out of 30) (First perfect score of the season.)

The last two dances (prior to this one) had some pretty spectacular stagecraft. But this one, showcasing the soon-to-be-released “Coco” just blew everything else away.

Artem and Nikki dance jazz to ”Remember Me” (of course) from “Coco.” Look at those incredible costumes. Whirling troupe members. Confetti! A showstopper.

One of the judges (not sure, notes unclear) called Nikki “Coco” (which isn’t exactly accurate, given the movie).

JUDGES’ SCORES: 27 (out of 30)

And who is going home?

Miche’s Favorite Dances of Disney Night
1. Frankie and Witney (Argentine tango)
2. Lindsey and Mark (foxtrot)
3. Jordan and Lindsay (foxtrot)
4. Drew and Emma (Viennese waltz)
5. Nikki and Artem (jazz)
6. Victoria and Val (jazz)

Erin Andrews was really digging Disney night.

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