An opening number!!!! *jumps up and down*
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| The four finalists: Kaitlyn and Artem, Jenna and Nev, Sasha and Justina and Daniella and Nelly. |
We have two dances (including the Freestyle), a dance by Derek Hough, and Nelly performing for us. Woo hoo. First, though, they do a “Repeat Dance.” Ugh.
Artem and Kaitlyn, Argentine tango
Derek: “Kaitlyn, what a perfect dance to remind people that you deserve to be here, and you are a perfect contender for that Mirror Ball trophy. We’ve held you to a high standard, and I’m glad we did, because you’ve met it. Beautiful performance.” Bruno: “You took my breath away. It was so intensely sensuous, I’m tingling all over. To add to that, the detail was even better this time around. Absolutely stunning.” Carrie Ann: “I’m so glad you chose to do this dance again, because this is the dance where you went from being an amazing dancer to an unforgettable, exquisite… I can’t even find the words right now. What I love so much about this is you challenged yourself. I know I push you, but it’s really you. You pushed yourself, and that’s what you gave us. And this is now one of my Top Three Dances of All Time.”
JUDGES: 30 (out of 30)
Daniella and Nelly, samba
Bruno: “Let’s party with Nelly and Daniella. What you have is such a spontanaeity, a natural feel to you. You’re so engaging to watch. Watching you is great, is fun. We all want to watch you.” Carrie Ann: “Nelly, your journey has been the most fascinating for me and gives me the most joy, because you remind us that dance is so much more than just technique, just the steps, just executing with perfection, as far as the technicality speaking. You showed us that dance is about the joy of life. The transformation that you’ve made has just been incredible. You started this—I wasn’t sure that you were gonna take the full ride. But you took the full ride with us.” Derek: “To echo what she said, this show isn’t just about technique, steps and dance. It’s about moments. And you’re a moment-maker, Brother. You create moments. You fill this room with such joy. People feel good. When I ask people outside the show, ‘Hey, who you rooting for?’ A lot of people say Nelly. You connect with people at home. You did a fantastic job.”
JUDGES: 27 (Out of 30)
Jenna and Nev, paso doble
Previously, the dance (to Swan Lake) started with her at the beginning. This time, it starts with him. Makes more sense.
Carrie Ann: “That dance was perfection the first time you did it. It was once again perfection. There’s no doubt about it. What I love so much about you, is that when I watch you, I feel like I get to have a treat. Whenever you come out on this dance floor, I know it’s going to be amazing. I know it’s going to be technically amazing. I know it’s also going to be artistic. And I know you’re also going to give us 1000%. Thank you for every performance so far. I’vc loved every performance.” Derek: “I absolutely loved the little change at the beginning, where it was you starting in the spotlight, shedding your light feathers, becoming this dark beast. It was so fantastic. I feel like you kinda catfished us all. Nev Shulmann. You can dance.” Bruno: “How do you improve on perfection? You think about it. You switch the characters, and you created even more dramatic structure. More intensity. It was more thrilling, and you killed it.”
JUDGES: 30 (Out of 30)
Sasha and Justina, cha cha
Go, Justina and Sasha! I’m unabashedly rooting for them.
Derek: “I said it Week One, and I’ll say it again: ‘You are expoloding with charisma.’ You have all season long. You are just sensational to watch. So much fun.” Bruno: “Justina, la diva Latina. You were almost too hot to trot tonight. You brought in the extra spicy sauce.” Carrie Ann: “Girl, you know how to bring it. Every time you hit these hardwood floors, you light them up on fire like nobody else. You have something that is different than everybody because you have fire in a different way. Every single competitor has something so special, and it’s all different. But I love your fire.”
JUDGES: 30 (Out of 30)
Derek dances. Derek Hough’s dances are as gratuitous as Tyra Banks’ dresses.
So back to the show. Onto what we really came here for: the Freestyle dances.
Daniella and Nelly, Freestyle
For me, one of the worst Freestyles I’ve seen in years. Ugh. The less said about it, the better.
Bruno: “The King of Swag and the King of Bling. Great.” Carrie Ann: “If you don’t mind, I’m going to talk a little bit about your partner. This partnership has been outstanding. This dance gives me hope, because it was a hybrid of hip hop and ballroom and Latin. Two worlds that you would not normally put together. You guys brought them together and created something so magical you give me hope for the future.” Derek: “It had everything. The intro was so good. And then the ending. Especially in the Freestyle, it’s so important to start strong and end strong, and that’s what you did.”
JUDGES: 30 (Out of 30)
Artem and Kaitlyn, Freestyle
They danced to “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.” (“Sparkling Diamonds” from Moulin Rouge) It was a very fun number, and the troupe (actually pro dancers) helped. Also, back in the day, the Freestyle used to represent the journey that a person had gone through during the season. And it reflected the person, the star. When I think of Kaitlyn Bristowe, “diamonds” aren’t in the top 100 things I’d think about her. So I’m not sure at all where this choice came from. (She’s also not wearing any “diamonds.”)
Carrie Ann: “That is one of my favorite movies of all time. That number is one of my favorite all-time cinema moments. So I have very high expectations. Thank God, you met them. You’re incredible. That you brought that to life, and so much more. I’m so proud of you.” Derek: “I remember watching you, and Chris Harrison surprising you, telling you you were going to be on Dancing with the Stars. Going from a Zoom call on a couch to a ascending down on this giant swing. Here you are on the Dancing with the Stars final. So close to the trophy. Congratulations.” Bruno: “What I liked about it, you really captured the feel of that Baz Luhrmann extravaganza. But it was so jam-packed with content. It was a showcase of Dancing with the Stars.”
JUDGES: 30 (Out of 30)
Jenna and Nev, Freestyle
OTOH, when I heard they were dancing to “Singin’in the Rain,” I got worried. Derek Hough had memorably recreated this dance, even discussing it with Gene Kelly’s widow. It was serious. He went into meticulous detail with his dance.
Jenna and Nev take another tack. They start out the traditional way, perhaps, but then they get into this.
With, of course, actual water involved.
Luckily, there’s also this:
(Which memorably recreates the costumes of Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor.)
So, at least their Freestyle used the actual movie that their costumes are from. As such, personally, I’d give their Freestyle higher points.
Derek: “Listen, you can’t pull off Gene Kelly or Singin’ in the Rain unless you’re a leading man. Nev, my friend, you are a leading man. You bring the best out in Jenna as well. She has done a sensational job all season long. The two of you! What a way to finish out the season. I loved it.” Bruno: “You were aiming very very high with this one. I have to say, you succeeded. That midsection, reinventing the dynamic between Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse (sic), it was showstopping. It was inspired, it was beautiful. And I was not expecting that.” Carrie Ann: “That was like three routines in one. It was very exciting. Classic, then it got a little raunchy, then the water. So many levels to it. You are an incredible performer. I feel we have said it over and over again, but it’s this partnership that makes it magical. And I just wanna congratulate all of the partners, and the pros, who have done an incredible job this season with all of you.”
JUDGES: 30 (Out of 30)
Sasha and Justina, Freestyle
At least this Freestyle speaks to the person who’s dancing (like it used to be). And isn’t copying some movie from eons ago. (Not that that’s a bad thing.)
She just looks like she’s having a blast in this dance. Parts of it are in Spanish (of course). Fabulous, and very Justina.
Bruno: “Oh my darling. That really was a celebration of the Latin spirit. The warmth, the passion, the joy, the zest for life. It was so uplifting, I actually hit the rafters (*eyeroll*). It was a tonic for your soul.” Carrie Ann: “I loved that dance. What I loved about it was the message. The Freestyle is all about strategy. You used this moment to send out a powerful message. It’s a celebration of you, your strength, your courage and your culture.” Derek: “I couldn’t think of a better Freestyle to finish this entire season. That was so good. The intro was fire. All the different things, you guys just crushed it.”
JUDGES: 30 (Out of 30)
MICHE’s Favorite Freestyles
1. Jenna and Nev
2. Sasha and Justina
3. Artem and Kaitlyn
Then Nelly performs some of his greatest hits. Daniella, of course, dances.
They show clips of everyone’s friends, family and otherwise cheer sections, saying why they deserve the Mirror Ball.
The couple in 4th place is:
Robbed! They were robbed! :-(
Daniella and Nelly, thankfully, took third place.
Either of these couples could win. I think, based on their Freestyles, that Nev and Jenna deserved to win of these two. But here you go.
Artem’s first Mirror Ball. That’s a good thing. Because it’s COVID times, we don’t have everyone lifting Artem up. He’s probably glad about that. Congrats.
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