DWTS S022 Finals, Night One: Peta Takes the Mirror Ball

Finalists Ginger Zee and Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Peta Murgatroyd and Nyle DiMarco,
and Paige Van Zant and Mark Ballas face off.

Let me say this about that. Despite the fact that I have friends in reality TV who constantly tell me, "No, seriously, Michelle, reality TV is scripted," I choose to be selectively ignorant. I choose to believe that the reality was not that (allegedly) Caila got bumped as The Bachelorette because she was too prudish, and that JoJo just happened to fall in love with Jordan (not that he asked for her, and wouldn't do the show unless she was the Bachelorette).

I really choose to believe that shows like Survivor and Dancing with the Stars (some of the original reality shows) come at their results fairly. If they say they count millions of votes from across America, sure, I believe them. And while some folks on message boards always moan about how "Derek Hough always wins," I brush it off because it's clear to see how talented and smart (and such a great choreographer!) he is.

In short, I truly truly believe that the results on #DWTS, my favorite reality show, are real. And that winners of Mirror Balls get picked by America because they are the best of the season. One of the reasons I waited so long to write this particular blog post is because I wanted the anger to subside a bit. Because this is the first Mirror Ball that I truly question the veracity of.

And the truth of it gets into all kinds of shady gray areas, which I shall be talking about in this column.

But let's begin our two-night Finals extravaganza (aka time filler), shall we?

What used to be the flimsy concept of "let's do a dance we did earlier in the season and see how much better we do it now" has turned into the "Redemption Dance." Val incorporated elements from various dances they did during the season (which used to be part of what one did in the Freestyle). So we have the bench, the fountain, the mirrors from previous dances. Pretty cool, actually.

It is noted, however, that Ginger's major stumbling block (the lack of ability to do a character) was left out of this whole dance. No tangos or pasos here. Just lots of movement where she can smile, smile, smile. And she did.

Troupe dancers were used here, but mostly to recreate the dance from earlier in the season.

The dance ended with a really nice touch, where they are both looking back at the set pieces from the season.

JUDGES' SCORE: 28

Oh look! Sets and costumes and troupe dancers! :-X

Aside from Nyle's rampant ego and putting his foot in his mouth whenever he was allowed to speak (which really bugs me), I also just don't like his dancing. Of the final five here, Paige and Ginger and Wanya all danced up a storm, turning in perfect steps, perfect movement time after time. Antonio had issues. So, too, does Nyle. (To my eyes.)

They showed the train wreck of the Mask quickstep from earlier in the season before this dance (*shudders*). That is what they are "redeeming" themselves from. To me, it looked like Peta was dragging Nyle all through this dance. There was not the elegance and clean movement that you see from the other dancers. And I've been rewinding and watching this thing again and again.

Plus, to say nothing of the wistful look back (content) that Val just had in his Redemption dance (lacking from this dance). All three judges mention that Nyle was off time and messed up some of the footwork. (So he gets three 9s.)

They said at the beginning of this show that scoring between these three finalists "has never been tighter." And yet, we have one contestant who at this point IS STILL MESSING UP HIS FOOTWORK AND TIMING.

(Wanya's footwork and timing? Spot on. He could knock a quickstep like this right out of the park, without troupe dancers for added dressing.) Yes, I am a little peeved still that he's not a finalist, and Nyle is.

Troupe dancers used here as background to cover up Nyle's missteps.

JUDGES' SCORE: 27

But let's move on. In fact, let's recap.

Val's Redemption Song was really just a look back at their season, not a fix for anything.
Nyle and Peta's Redemption Song was marginally better than their train wreck of a Mask quickstep, yet was STILL plagued by missteps and bad timing. IN THE FINALS.
And Mark and Paige, who have absolutely presented a stellar season, with barely a misstep all season long, had to really reach for what to "redeem." So they came up with the dance where Mark hurt his back, and had to be replaced by Alan.

So we get this Fireball salsa. Stunning. (But, of course.) And, as Bruno noted, Paige not only was using the foot movements of salsa, but also the ARM movements, which most people on this show don't incorporate.

Fantastic. Just fantastic. To my eyes, EASILY the best of the three, even with the troupe dancers at the beginning. Just stunning.

Troupe dancers were used to set the flavor and to cover up the fact that she started with a black dress...

...And ends up with the sparkly red and orange one. Mark and Paige finished the rest of the dance alone, and it was brilliant.

JUDGES' SCORE: 29  (Not perfect because Len didn't think she had enough "hip action." Sigh.)

So, before we talk about the Freestyle round, let's discuss a few things.

My perception (and what the show usually leads you to believe) is that each dance throughout the season is choreographed BY the pro. I've been watching since Season 10, and there have been some questionable ones. Like Keo this season. Like Witney in the season she won with Alfonso. I have at times wondered whether or not they have help. No doubt they have the help of the showrunner and director to polish and finetune their vision. But as far as actual choreographic help, it has been understood, in fact, it's been the rules of the road, that the PRO, and ONLY the pro, choreographs the routines.

Since I've been watching, this has been true. Of course, we have Derek Hough and Mark Ballas and Valentin Chmerkovskiy (and Maksim Chmerkovskiy before him) and Sharna Burgess and Allison Holker: arguably some of the best choreographers in the world right now. They don't NEED help.

But then you have people like Sasha Farber and Keo Motsepe, maybe great dancers, but do they have the vision? Even Witney Carson, I question. Perhaps they DO need help, to get them to the finals. If, for example, Keo had managed to get all the way with someone like Jodie, wouldn't it be more fair to Jodie to bring in help to be as good as Mark Ballas is straight out of the gate? That is a quandry.

That is not what happened this season.

Here's what did happen this season. In at least two instances previously (the "silent" dance and the "blindfolded" dance), Peta had at least the assistance of Maksim Chmerkovskiy. Sure, Maks is and has been a vital part of this show. Sure, he is Peta's husband and Val's brother. Maybe he can work out the male things better than Peta with someone like Nyle. Not sure. But I do know I've never before seen an instance of ANOTHER choreographer being in there, advising on the dances. So that, in and of itself, was questionable to me. And not really fair to the other choreographers who are (ostensibly at least) struggling to create magic on the dance floor all by themselves.

Maybe you do, with one choreographer, get a lot of the same technique and steps. But so what? The "stars" not being able to dance is part of the thing. The choreographers creating their own dances is part of the thing. That is what Dancing with the Stars is.

OK, so let's look at the seminal Freestyle round, the round that makes or breaks whether you win or not.

OF COURSE, when you have a partner named Ginger, you HAVE to do a Fred Astaire type routine at some point. Valentin chose the Freestyle.

And I loved Fred and Ginger's...er, sorry... Val and Ginger's Freestyle. It was fluid and beautiful. The clothes, the sets, the dance, just wonderful.

JUDGES' SCORE: 30

Then, there's this.

First, does that look like ANY #DWTS dance you've ever seen before? No. It does not. And you know why? Because for this dance, Peta brought in an outside choreographer. (Which I believe is against the rules of this competition.) It has never been done before, and isn't fair to the other choreographers.

Peta's excuse in her package was that she "doesn't really have a lot of experience with contemporary." Well, here's a thought. Why not do the dances you ARE familiar with? This whole show is supposed to be a melding of the star who becomes dancer, and the pro who comes up with great visionary choreography. When did it become, oh, let's bring in someone from the outside to blow away everyone else? Just so very very very unfair.

And it's true, Talia's choreography is stunning. And maybe it was beyond Peta's skillset. BUT THAT'S NOT THE SHOW. That's a different show.

And the song they dance to? The Sounds of Silence. Get it? Deaf guy, Sounds of Silence? *eyeroll* It ends with each of them clasping each other's mouth.

The other thing about this dance is that Nyle didn't have to worry about pesky synchopation and keeping the beat and matching steps quickly. He just had to follow Peta's lead.

Oh, and did I mention they have an actual BURNING PIANO behind them? Actual fire.

Only the beginning of the fire.

Artistically, it was beautiful and really made a statement. For this show, though, I HATED every moment of it.

So, hey, I don't know if they lured Peta Murgatroyd back to this show by promising her the Mirror Ball at the outset, but BOY, it sure seemed like it. It sure FELT like there was a lot of manipulation going on with this win.

JUDGES' SCORE: 30

So, let's get back to the real show.

Mark Ballas, THE best actual choreographer on this show this season, gets inspiration the week before from Paige talking about the bullying she experienced, and creates a Freestyle to Somewhere Over the Rainbow (sung by his beautiful fiancee BC Jean, who can't be on this show enough, IMHO). He doesn't bring in outside choreographers. He creates this art HIMSELF.

To me, this is what a Freestyle is supposed to be. This is what WE went through this season, and here we are now. From the tough MMA fighter who was bullied by her classmates, who couldn't look in his eyes and didn't want to be lifted, to this girly girl woman who is now wearing frilly clothes and comfortable in her womanhood who owns this stage. The change is astonishing.

The dance was so beautiful. No burning pianos, but lots of poignancy. So moving, it brought Mark Ballas to tears. Really special. From the heart.

JUDGES' SCORE: 30

(SIDE NOTE: I am writing all this after the season ended. Just before the next season is to begin. I thought at the time, when Mark Ballas burst into tears, that even though he was mumbling something about Paige's journey and blah blah, that the tears weren't really from that. My feeling in that moment was that he wasn't coming back, and that this was his last competitive dance on this show.

And how poignant, as his #DWTS journey was ending, to have his new beginning, his fiancee BC Jean, right there with him. An ending and a beginning, to the tune of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Now, THAT's choreography.

The new cast of #DWTS Season 23 has been announced. Mark Ballas is not among them. He has not, to this moment, spoken about it in the press. I can only hope that he will do what Maks and Cheryl and Derek did, and leave AND COME BACK. To me, he is/was the heart and soul of this show. The loss of him is gut-wrenching.)

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DWTS Season 21 Week 8: Inspire This!

This week on Dancing with the Stars was My Inspirational Hero, or My Favorite Icon, or something. (Lame). Andy chose Stevie Wonder, though he really brought it back around to his mom (even though the tear-jerking parents week was earlier in the season). This dance (to "Isn't She Lovely?") actually had further resonance since Allison had announced earlier that she's pregnant.

They ended up getting voted off this week. So I'm sure she's a superwoman, but nonetheless, I'm glad she could now rest up and not do these strenuous dances every week.

Carlos chose Marc Antony, who taught him salsa (sort of).

Apparently, he has never done a salsa in his life. He made a big deal out of this, saying it over and over again in his package. Which was pretty confusing to me, cause I know he has done about 1000 Viennese waltzes in his life... To say nothing of zipping around, doing Argentine tangos all day long. What you are talking about, man? You've never done ANY of these dances, right?

Dunno. Maybe he meant it because as a Latino, he should have done 1000 salsas. As Marc Antony said to him, "It's in your blood, man!" Once he whipped his shirt off, I believed him.

Also, the lifts Witney had in this were stunning, not the least because it looked like he was damn near dropping her a few times.

Our train hero chose a war hero, Chris Kyle (whom I choose to see as a murdering savage and have no respect for, but to each his own).

Alexa went all Biblical and chose David (of David and Goliath fame) as her hero. Alexa, at this point, is my favorite to win, but she does seem to have a lot of insecurities. But I just love everything about them. I love the grand scope of the execution of his dances. I love his choreography. I love the music he chooses (Mark Ballas always has the best music selections; Coldplay, and we know LA loves Coldplay). I loved the little kiltie thing he was wearing. I love Alexa, fighting through her own demons with every dance.

Yeah, this was my favorite dance of the night. Argentine tango to fight Biblical demons. Rock on, Mark and Alexa!

Nick veered us back into the emotional territory, with another stunning dance, this time picking his wife as his Inspirational Icon, and talking about how they've been trying to have a baby, and now she's pregnant. So Sharna did a fabulously choreographed contemporary dance which illuminated that. (The picture above is how it ends, with him patting her baby bump.)

There was also this emotional moment, after he pulled his wife out of the crowd, and brought her backstage. They learned the sex of their baby. Can you guess what it is?

So which one of these will be the Mirror Ball winner? Any guesses?

I am predicting that it's going to be one of these, but it for damn sure isn't going to be the "best dancer in the competition" (self-proclaimed).

What Ms. Tamar doesn't understand is that this competition is won on two things: 1. the scores of the judges and 2. the voting from the fans. So you can get all 10s consistently from the judges, if WE don't like you, you don't win. That's it. Valentin knows this, painfully, having seen the backlash from his brother Maks saying whatever he felt like it into a microphone seasons ago.

Because what the fans respect the most is what Valentin now oozes (way more than Maks ever did): GRACIOUSNESS. When he won the Mirror Ball finally, his first reaction was to face the camera (and the fans) and say: THANK YOU. Cause he knows.

But it was essential to backpedal this tremendous faux pas. So in their package, Val says something like: "I slept on it, thought about it, and yes, you are the best, cause all of my partners are the best."

But, dear Valentin, the point is: she shouldn't have said it, and once said, you can't take it back. You have to ride that humility train all the way to hoisting the Mirror Ball, or you don't win it. Simple as that.

I will say this. I believe that this season, because of other projects he's doing or whatever, Valentin is surely the best dancer in this competition. He has never been more electrifying to watch. If not for the Tamar meltdown, he could've been hoisting another Mirror Ball (IMHO).

But no, no, no. For me personally (don't know how many other fans), she lost me with that comment. Done.

Her Inspirational Icon was ostensibly her sister, Toni (Braxton), but she didn't really speak to that. The music they chose for their paso doble felt like a giant FU to the fans. Tough. I was born this way. (Lady Gaga's) Fine. You go keep your arrogance that you were born with. GOODBYE.

OK. I'll turn over my cards. Here who I think is actually going to win the Mirror Ball.

Not only because Derek is arguably the best dancer in the competition, but also the most creative with those Freestyle dances. Part of me would like to see Sharna and Nick win (because Sharna has yet to win a Mirror Ball, and she's been doing stunning work all season, and last season, for that matter). But I think Bindi and Derek are going to pull it out because Bindi is so darn cute, she's the world's sweetheart and she also does all these punishing dances that Derek gives her, without missing a beat. She's been consistently amazing.

It's also kind of funny to me, how at the beginning, there may be one who stands out (and certainly Bindi did), but many seem equally good. But then, there are always things which derail people. Their own ego, their body, their schedule, whatever.

Break a leg, Bindi!

Oh, for this particular week, as soon as she said Grace Kelly was her Inspirational Icon, I knew which dance they were going to be dancing to. They did not disappoint.

MICHE'S FAVORITES FOR WEEK 8
1. Mark and Alexa (Argentine tango)
2. Carlos and Witney (salsa)
3. Bindi and Derek (foxtrot)
4. Val and Tamar (paso doble)

MICHE PICKS TO WIN THE MIRROR BALL
1. Bindi and Derek
2. Nick and Sharna
3. Carlos and Witney
4. Alek and Lindsay

So they had this other nonsense on this show. I really hate this crap. Some judges hooha, and you get extra points, blah blah.

This was a "Dance Off." I'll spare you all the boring, time-filler details. The only relevant detail is that the top couple (by judges' points) were given immunity and couldn't be voted off (also didn't have to participate in this lame dance-off thing). That couple was Nick and Sharna, but like last year (when Derek and his partner won it), they weren't in danger of being voted off anyway.

This was the best moment of the Dance Off, when Carlos spontaneously picked up his competitor, Bindi, and all were laughing. That, truly captures to me what Dancing with the Stars really is. Love this picture.

So, goodbye Allison. I love your dancing and choreography. I look forward to the day when you finally win the Mirror Ball. But this was not that time.
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DWTS Season 20, Week 4: Breath-taking and tear-jerking moments for My Favorite Year

The genius of Mark Ballas created this contemporary for Willow Shields. Courtesy of ABC.

The dance above (my own personal highlight of Week 4, Season 20 of Dancing with the Stars) literally took my breath away at the end. Normally, I don't go much for contemporary dances, but wow. It was stunning to watch.

This was, after all, the My Favorite Year week of DWTS, where the celebrities pick whatever was their most momentous year (for whatever reason). And Willow Shields, prior to DWTS, was best known for being Katniss' little sister in The Hunger Games. So guess which year she picked...?

Week after week after week, Mark Ballas is over here, creating these brilliant dances, kind of under everyone else's radar. Well, the joke's on him this week, because he received THREE 10s from the judges (still not from Len). So far, that was a season record.

The dance was just stunning, and to me, everything else this week paled next to that.

So let's go back and start at the beginning.

Most often, the My Favorite Year segment is lackluster and not well executed. This year, thankfully, they started the show with the celebrities handing each other a photograph OF their favorite year/moment/whatever it was they were talking about. Maybe not "favorite" exactly, but most memorable. The soldier chose the year his limbs got blown off to represent.

Normally stoic Robert (the "Shark") got teary eyed (and us with him) talking about how he and his mother used to watch DWTS, and he danced to one of her favorite tunes. Which was really beautiful.

Olympic gymnast Nastia danced to the music which won her a gold medal, which was an interesting twist. She and Derek got the season's FIRST 10 for their efforts.

The judges mentioned the lack of passion between these two dancers (Derek and Nastia) and that it was "all technique." I kinda have to agree, though on technique it did warrant the 10s. But this couple still hasn't lit my fire.

A couple who HAS, and who just keeps bringing it, week after week, are these two. Allison and Riker. First of all, they keep picking the good music (as do Mark and Val, I must say). This week, they danced the tango to "Shut Up and Dance with Me."

Mind you, now, I said TANGO. Most often on this show, couples opt for the Argentine tango, because you can do lifts and there are those snazzy kicks you do. But the TANGO requires couples to stay in hold THE WHOLE TIME (also why people don't usually do that, cause it's HARD). They did it in this song, and it was stunning to watch. In hold even dancing down stairs. This was breath-taking of another kind.

Bachelor Chris hung in there another week, by doing a nice rumba with Witney.

Notice the roses on her gown. (Get it?)

Patti LaBelle did "have more steps" this week, but ugh. Enough already.

And Suzanne Somers did what seemed to be a touching remembrance to her Jack Tripper, the wondrous John Ritter. But the fact that she didn't even mention Joyce DeWitt felt a little grating to me. It was, after all, THREE's Company, not 2. You can't ask us to love and remember a show, but only remember your version of it. Ugh.

Noah and Sharna did a patriotic contemporary. Also my least favorite of their dances so far, but they are still very much contenders.

So, my top three, from week to week are Mark and Willow, Allison and Riker and Val and Rumer. This week was probably my least favorite so far of the presentations by Val and Rumer, but only because the other two favorites blew me away so much.

Oh, and Week 5 is Disney Week again, so there's that to look forward to... Ahem...


MICHE'S FAVORITES OF WEEK 4, MY FAVORITE YEAR

1. Oh my God... MARK and Willow (contemporary)

2. Allison and Riker (tango)

3. Val and Rumer (waltz)

4. Derek and Nastia (Argentine tango)

5. Kym and Robert (waltz)

Kudos to the amazing Costume department, who is consistently doing great work this season (no dresses to be tripped over!), and the set people, specifically James Yarnell, who recreated the Three's Company set.

PLEASE GO, AND NOW

1. Patti LaBelle

2. Suzanne Somers

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