With just one week of competition left, Monday, November 12 was the Semifinals for Dancing With the Stars season 27! The final six couples competed in two rounds of dancing, followed by two eliminations at the end of the night, leaving a third of the remaining cast falling short of this season’s one-night finale.
With thoughts on the performances from the night, here is Paul Bentley, along with scores from The Readers, which were determined through an online poll!
Round One: Dedication Dances
For the first round of dances, the six remaining couples performed a new dance to an unperformed style dedicated to important people in their lives.
[Order of the Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli]
Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess
Salsa
GDFR by Flo Rida
Bobby’s Dedication: His Fans
The Judges’ Scores: 7, 7, 7 (21/30)
The Readers’ Score: 7
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: Bobby is the “funny guy” on this show, which is fine, but I think this time around, he was so dedicated to being silly that the Salsa itself was sort of an afterthought. There have been charming, funny people on this show before like Tommy Chong and David Ross, but they knew when to be serious when they had to be. I just think Bobby’s shtick gets in the way sometimes, but I guess it works for him because he’s made it to the finale. I appreciate the energy Bobby had in this dance, but it was just way too frantic once again, and the technique was sloppy once again. At least Sharna and the other female pros were as hot and fierce as ever!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 7
#TeamBeautyAndTheGeek 1(800)868-3402
Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten
Waltz
Water by Bishop Briggs
Alexis’ Dedication: Her Dance Partner Alan Bersten
The Judges’ Scores: 9, 9, 10 (28/30)
The Readers’ Score: 9
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: I appreciate it when a couple is willing to do an slow ballroom dance in an authentic way without any gimmicks. Dances like this are always heavily criticized as “boring,” but I find them absolutely captivating. No matter what someone might think about Alexis and Alan’s showmance, there is no denying that they have chemistry on the dance floor, and that was especially evident in their Waltz. Alexis has such a beautiful way of carrying herself in ballroom dances. and she is great at being a strong performer while still having soft movements. I loved everything about this routine except those gosh darn flashing lights at the end. Can the producers please chill out with them?
Paul Bentley’s Score: 10
#TeamRenTen 1(800)868-3401
Joe Amabile and Jenna Johnson
Contemporary
Eliminated- Tied for 5th Place
This Year’s Love by David Gray
Joe’s Dedication: His Girlfriend, Mother, and Grandmother
The Judges’ Scores: 8, 7, 7 (22/30)
The Readers’ Score: 7
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: I commend Joe for his containment and athleticism in this Contemporary piece, but man on man, Jenna did most of the work, even though Joe did most of the literal heavy-lifting. It was pretty on its surface, but if you really dissect this dance, it was kind of lackluster on Joe’s part. Carrie Ann said that this was Joe’s best dance yet. Do I agree? I’m not really sure, because how am I supposed to compare his other dances to this dance, where his performance didn’t really have a lot going on? I definitely think he did better than usual, but a lot of that probably has to do with the fact that the nature of the dance doesn’t really follow a steady beat, which makes the timing easier for someone like Joe, who can’t seem to hold onto a beat for the life of him. Oh well. It was nice, so I’ll leave it at that.
Paul Bentley’s Score: 7
#TeamCheckUsOut 1(800)868-3406
Juan Pablo Di Pace and Cheryl Burke
Argentine Tango
Eliminated- Tied for 5th Place
Libertango from Forever Tango
Juan Pablo’s Dedication: His Mother
The Judges’ Scores: 10, 10, 10 (30/30)
The Readers’ Score: 10
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: This has got to be one of my favorite Argentine Tangos ever performed on Dancing With the Stars! I think I’d even go as far as saying that it was on par with Meryl Davis and Maks Chmerkovskiy’s finale Argentine Tango in season 18! This performance had everything that I love about the Argentine Tango—authentic Latin flair, a sultry mix of fast and slow, sharp leg action, and lots and lots of passion! Juan Pablo did his home country of Argentina proud! Before this dance, I was unsure of whether or not I would want to see Juan Pablo and Cheryl be the ones to win the Mirrorball, but after seeing this dance, I came to the conclusion that I would love to see them take that win (along with another couple). But we all know how Monday night turned out...
Paul Bentley’s Score: 10
#TeamChernando 1(800)868-3408
Evanna Lynch and Keo Motsepe
Contemporary
Stand Up for Something by Andra Day
Evanna’s Dedication: Her Late Friend and Director Simon Fitzmaurice
The Judges’ Scores: 10, 10, 10 (30/30)
The Readers’ Score: 10
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: I love how Evanna dedicated this dance to her inspirational friend. He sounds like he was a really inspirational person, and I’m glad that I got to hear about his story. As for the Contemporary, I thought it was such a poetic and fitting tribute to Simon Fitzmaurice. Sometimes Contemporary numbers look similar to other Contemporary dances on this show, but this one stood out on its own. Evanna and Keo were artists with their movement, showcasing a nice variety of content that kept the dance from going stale. It was a lovely piece that truly highlights how far this couple has come to get where they are in the competition!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 10
#TeamKevanna 1(800)868-3405
Milo Manheim and Witney Carson
Argentine Tango
Pray for Me by The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar
Milo’s Dedication: His Mother
The Judges’ Scores: 9, 9, 9 (27/30)
The Readers’ Score: 10
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: Milo and Witney went strictly ballroom with this Argentine Tango, and it really worked with the intensity of the music. Just like how Milo showcased to us in his performances this season, this dance was sharp, fluid, and full of content. There were some impressives lifts in this routine, too, although there was an assist in the middle of that was shut a bit shaky. And unfortunately, I did notice one kick in the beginning where Milo was a fraction of a second late on. But that doesn’t take away from all the great footwork that he had in this routine, which I’d say was pretty much on par with Juan Pablo’s stellar footwork in his Argentine Tango, too.
Paul Bentley’s Score: 9
#TeamWitlo 1(800)868-3410
Round Two: Judges’ Choice Dances
For the second round of competition, each judge was given two couples to help mentor in rehearsals. The judges were able to pick a dance style for their respective couples to perform again to a new song and with new choreography, which ended up being all styles that they performed in week one. After this round of dances, the second double elimination of the season occurred, giving us the final four couples who will be making it to finale night.
[Order of the Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli]
Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess
Jive
Gimme Some Lovin’ by The Spencer Davis Group
Judge Mentor: Len Goodman
The Judges’ Scores: 8, 8, 8 (24/30)
The Readers’ Score: 8
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: Okay. First of all, I actually found the Len elements of this dance pretty amusing, especially for the giant Len face on the dance floor! XD But just like almost every other dance of Bobby’s this season, it was just too hectic. It was so hectic that his footwork ended up looking really bizarre, and his stance was just flat out goofy half the time. There was a valiant effort here with the same old Bobby Bones charisma, but I wouldn’t really say it was an improvement from his Jive in week one. Bobby and Sharna are obviously the weakest couple going into the finals, so I’m hoping that we are going to see a different side to Bobby next week, since the last time I saw a “refreshing” dance from them was in week three for their Contemporary number. Will their fans be able to help them win the Mirror Ball, despite their low scores? I really don’t think so, but maybe I’m underestimating their fanbase.
Paul Bentley’s Score: 7
#TeamBeautyAndTheGeek 1(800)868-3402
Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten
Jive
Yes by Merry Clayton
Judge Mentor: Bruno Tonioli
The Judges’ Scores: 10, 10, 10 (30/30)
The Readers’ Score: 9
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: Third Jive’s the charm! Maybe I’m raving about this Jive more than most, but I thoroughly enjoyed this dance. The theme was fun, the content was actually pretty innovative in a lowkey way, and the overall feel of it was just so much fun! And how about Brandon “coaching” everybody at the beginning? Iconic! :P For what this dance was, I liked that the Jive was a bit softer than the style usually is, which I’m not typically a fan of. But for this, it worked. Alexis and Alan played off of each other pretty well, and Alexis still managed to stand out in a uniform kind of way (I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but I promise it’s not). I genuinely feel like Alexis and Alan are such an underrated couple, but hey, at least they made it to finale night!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 10
#TeamRenTen 1(800)868-3401
Joe Amabile and Jenna Johnson
Quickstep
Eliminated- Tied for 5th Place
Check It Out by Oh the Larceny
Judge Mentor: Carrie Ann Inaba
The Judges’ Scores: 8, 8, 8 (24/30)
The Readers’ Score: 7
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: Where was this improvement from Joe four weeks ago?! This wasn’t a major breakthrough technique-wise, but for Joe, it was a hell of an improvement. If Joe would have gotten this better feel for dancing earlier, I think he would have had a good chance at making to the finale. He had such a better feel for the music than he has ever had before, and he was overall just more “together,” which I would not say about most of his other dances this season. But of course, this was not a perfect routine, and Joe was still stiff and stuttery quite a bit. Joe and Jenna might have lasted longer than most people would have preferred, but I have to hand it to Joe for continuing to work hard and not seem to just give up (unlike some others in past seasons). But alas, this week was definitely their time to go. But don’t worry, Bachelorette fans… they will be back again on the floor next week!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 8
#TeamCheckUsOut 1(800)868-3406
Juan Pablo Di Pace and Cheryl Burke
Salsa
Eliminated- Tied for 5th Place
Tu Sonrisa by Elvis Crespo
Judge Mentor: Bruno Tonioli
The Judges’ Scores: 10, 10, 10 (30/30)
The Readers’ Score: 10
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: Sexy, sexy, sexy! Now this is how a Salsa is done! Cheryl has really hit it out of the park with her Latin choreography this season, which is important when you have a partner with an overflow of Latin heat! Juan Pablo brought everything back from his Samba that made that dance so amazing, which includes loose hips, smooth transitions, and so much “face”! There was just a tiny mishap I saw in the beginning where Juan Pablo missed a hand grab, so unfortunately I can’t give this dance a 10, even though I really want to! It’s a shame that these two fell short of the finals, because they really have been a memorable couple that I would have loved to see a Freestyle from. I think this breakout of a night they had, though, came a week too late. If they were to have had such amazing performances the week before, I think they would have a spot in the final four for sure!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 9
#TeamChernando 1(800)868-3408
Evanna Lynch and Keo Motsepe
Foxtrot
Rewrite the Stars from The Greatest Showman
Judge Mentor: Len Goodman
The Judges’ Scores: 10, 9, 9 (28/30)
The Readers’ Score: 10
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: And Evanna and Keo did it again! I am absolutely in love with this partnership. This Foxtrot was was absolutely stellar. What else is there to say? Evanna was flawless, and Keo’s choreography highlighted all of her amazing strengths, such as her perfect extensions and her strong hold. This couple has worked out such a great dynamic that you can almost forget that there is a significant height difference between them in hold. Evanna is a whole new dancer from what she was at the beginning of the season, but she has kept the same “magic” she’s always had along the way. Way to go, #TeamKevanna!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 10
#TeamKevanna 1(800)868-3405
Milo Manheim and Witney Carson
Cha-Cha-Cha
Good Feeling by Austin French
Judge Mentor: Carrie Ann Inaba
The Judges’ Scores: 9, 9, 10 (28/30)
The Readers’ Score: 10
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: The biggest improvement I saw from Milo in this Cha-Cha-Cha as opposed to the one he did week one is how this time he really got down and dirty with the content, which is what the style is all about. Carrie Ann said that this dance was a bit wild, but I actually think the exact opposite. It was just a tad too tame for me. I wonder if Carrie Ann’s suggestion to calm down a bit actually hindered Milo a bit. Well, nevertheless, Milo was smooth as hell, and he had a certain style to him that was quite charming. Milo and Witney have been a strong duo since the beginning of the season, and I think they have a really good chance at the getting that Mirror Ball Trophy! But there are still two more rounds of dancing to go, so things could still change!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 9
#TeamWitlo 1(800)868-3410
Week 8 Scoreboard
Dancing With the Stars Season 27, Week 8 Scoreboard
| |||
Couple
|
Dance Style
|
Judges’ Scores
|
Overall Score
|
Bobby and Sharna
|
Salsa
|
7, 7, 7 (21/30)
|
45/60
|
Jive
|
8, 8, 8 (24/30)
| ||
Alexis and Alan
|
Waltz
|
9, 9, 10 (28/30)
|
58/60
|
Jive
|
10, 10. 10 (30/30)
| ||
Joe and Jenna
|
Contemporary
|
8, 7, 7 (22/30)
|
46/60
|
Quickstep
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8, 8, 8 (24/30)
| ||
Juan Pablo and Cheryl
|
Argentine Tango
|
10, 10, 10 (30/30)
|
60/60
|
Salsa
|
10, 10, 10 (30/30)
| ||
Evanna and Keo
|
Contemporary
|
10, 10, 10 (30/30)
|
58/60
|
Foxtrot
|
10, 9, 9 (28/30)
| ||
Milo and Witney
|
Argentine Tango
|
9, 9, 9 (27/30)
|
55/60
|
Cha-Cha-Cha
|
9, 9, 10 (28/30)
| ||
Semifinals Awards
Most Entertaining Dance: Juan Pablo and Cheryl’s Argentine Tango
This was an easy one for me to decide. Juan Pablo and Cheryl’s Argentine Tango were clearly the highlight dance of the night for me. I remember Len said that the Argentinian Tango should feel like you are being transported to Argentina, and that’s exactly what this performance did. It might even be the most memorable dance of the season for me!
Best Costumes: Alexis and Alan’s Jive Costumes
Alexis and Alan’s costumes or their Jive were silly, but it was absolutely perfect for the 70’s theme of the routine! Sure, they were sort of ridiculous-looking, but that was part of the charm of it, right?! And besides, the women had some very flattering costumes in the troupe, even though the men just looked kind of goofy. XD
Best Choreography: Evanna and Keo’s Contemporary
Keo has really stepped it up this season, finding his own signature flair which I have come to love. It is very easy to make a Contemporary number come off as “boring,” but that was not the case in his Contemporary with Evanna! It was a really nice dance overall, and it was the perfect way to commemorate Evanna’s friend!
Strongest Couple: Evanna and Keo
Evanna is by far the best partner Keo has ever had, and I am so happy for him because of that! The two of them together is absolutely lovely to watch, and I would say that they haven’t had a single “off” week where I felt underwhelmed by them. And I rarely get that out of a couple. It is super rare that I find a couple that had been so consistent with their growth and performance ability, so this couple has been quite a gem!
Most Improved Celebrity: Juan Pablo Di Pace
Juan Pablo was great from the start, but even he had things to work on, just like the rest of the cast. But now Juan Pablo had become sort of a professional dancer himself, making him one of my favorite partners of Cheryl ever! Throughout the season, he showed how even when he was perfect one week, he would be perfect but in a different way in the week after!
Stand-Out Moment of the Night: Bobby’s Len-Themed Jive
Bobby’s Jive was what I would consider to be the weakest dance of the night, but I have to give props to the entire dedication to Len in the performance. A giant picture on Len on the dance floor?! A T-shirt with Len’s face on it?! I lived for that!
Furthermore
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: This season has been quite a ride! We have had such a different season from normal, with switch-ups in the show format, different types of personalities, and some pretty crazy eliminations! So what do I think the final four rankings will be? Well, I’m no fortune teller, but this is how I think the final four will play out:
- Winners: Milo and Witney
- Runners-Up: Evanna and Keo
- Third Place: Bobby and Sharna
- Fourth Place: Alexis and Alan
I feel as confident as I will ever be with these predictions, although I can realistically see Milo and Evanna switch places, as well as Bobby and Alexis. And who knows? Maybe Alexis can crawl higher in the ranks. I feel pretty certain that either Milo & Witney or Evanna & Keo will win the Mirror Ball, which I would be happy about either way, but if I had to choose, I would say that I want Evanna and Keo to win more. Evanna has had such a great journey to watch on this show, growing through each dance week to week. And not only would I love to see Evanna win that trophy, but I would love for Keo to finally win. Keo is sort of known as the pro that is almost always eliminated first, so seeing he and Evanna so successful puts such a big smile on my face. They both truly deserve this, and they are the couple I am rooting for the most!
Week 9 Show Information
Next week is the live two-hour finale of season 27 of Dancing With the Stars! Alexis & Alan, Bobby & Sharna, Evanna & Keo, and Milo & Witney have all made it to the final four, and one of those couples will be crowned this season’s champions! But first, they have two more rounds of dancing left to do! For the first round of dances, the couples will perform a repeat dance of their favorite dance of theirs from this season. Then, for the second round, it’s the long-awaited Freestyle round, where the couples have the freedom to do whatever they want!
The night will feature various live performances as well as a reunion of this season’s DWTS cast. During the show, there will be exclusive online voting, and anyone in the United States or Puerto Rico will be able to vote live. However, only the eastern and central time zones will be able to watch the finale during voting, since they are the only time zones getting the show live as it happens.
At the end of the night, the judges’ scores and the viewers’ votes will be combined to determine the winners of season 27 of Dancing With the Stars!
According to the DWTS press release, here are the dances the finalists will perform for the first round, which consists of the repeat dances:
- Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten will dance a Repeat Argentine Tango to Swan Lake by Ray Chew Live, originally performed during New York City Night (Week 2, Night 1)
- Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess will dance a Repeat Cha-Cha-Cha to U Can’t Touch This by MC Hammer, originally performed during Trio Night (Week 4)
- Evanna Lynch and Keo Motsepe will dance a Repeat Tango to Disturbia by Rihanna, originally performed during Halloween Night (Week 6)
- Milo Manheim and Witney Carson will dance a Repeat Charleston to Living in New York City with a live performance from Robin Thicke, originally performed during New York City Night (Week 2, Night 1)
And here are the songs that the couples will perform for the Freestyle round:
- Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten will dance Freestyle to Head Above Water with a live performance from Avril Lavigne
- Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess will dance Freestyle to The Greatest Show by Panic! At the Disco
- Evanna Lynch and Keo Motsepe will dance Freestyle to It’s Oh So Quiet by Björk
- Milo Manheim and Witney Carson will dance Freestyle to Ain’t No Sunshine (Lido Remix) by Bill Withers
An elimination will also occur at the end of the night.
Links
What did you think of the Semifinals of season 27 of Dancing With the Stars? What did you think of the dedication dances? Which judges’ choice dance was your favorite? What do you think of Joe and Jenna, and Juan Pablo and Cheryl being eliminated a week before the finale? Which Freestyle dance are looking forward to the most next week? Which couple are you rooting for to win? Who do you think will be the ultimate winners of this season’s Mirror Ball Trophy?
#DWTS #DWTS27
#JudgesChoice #SemiFinals
Thanks for sharing i think this time around, he was so dedicated to being silly that the Salsa itself was sort of an afterthought. There have been charming.
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