Julia's Introduction and Top 15 Dances of 2015!

Hi everyone! My name is Julia and I am now a contributor to this blog! I have been a fan of Dancing with the Stars for a while now and am excited to be here! (I'm still figuring out how this site works, so please bear with me!)

If you want to hit me up on other sites I am @juliadelbel on twitter and instagram and forevertrueblue on tumblr!

I'll soon start posting my opinions on each of the Season 21 pairings. The first one of those will be up on Saturday, but since today is the last day of 2015 I thought I would share some of my favorite DWTS numbers from this year! So here are my Top 15 routines of 2015:

#15 - Quickstep from Nastia Liukin and Sasha Farber (choreographed by Derek Hough)



#14 - Rumba Duet from Nick Carter, Sharna Burgess, Tamar Braxton, and Valentin Chmerkovskiy



#13 - Freestyle from Riker Lynch and Allison Holker



#12 - Contemporary from Willow Shields and Mark Ballas



#11 - Argentine Tango from Riker Lynch and Allison Holker (featuring Julianne Hough)



#10 - Cha Cha from Bindi Irwin and Valentin Chmerkovskiy



#9 - Viennese Waltz from Nastia Liukin and Derek Hough (featuring Len Goodman)



#8 - Rumba from Rumer Willis and Valentin Chmerkovskiy



#7 - Freestyle from Team Nightmare (Nick Carter, Sharna Burgess, Tamar Braxton, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Andy Grammer, Allison Holker, Hayes Grier, and Emma Slater)



#6 - Freestyle from Team Who You Gonna Call (Bindi Irwin, Derek Hough, Alexa PenaVega, Mark Ballas, Carlos PenaVega, Witney Carson, Alek Skarlatos, and Lindsay Arnold)



#5 - Jazz Trio from Bindi Irwin, Derek Hough, and Mark Ballas



#4 - Quickstep from Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough (Finale)



#3 - Charleston Trio from Carlos PenaVega, Witney Carson, and Karina Smirnoff



#2 - Charleston from Nastia Liukin and Sasha Farber (choreographed by Derek Hough and guest performance by Andy Grammer)



#1 - Foxtrot from Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough



Happy New Year to all of our readers, and can't wait for more fun to come in 2016!

Welcome to the DWTS2016 Community Blog

With a new year quickly approaching, as well as a brand new season of Dancing With the Stars premiering next Spring, I think it is time for a bit of a revamp to my blog and Twitter page.

For the past two seasons of Dancing With the Stars, I have been connecting with so many other fans of the show, discussing the show on a deeper level than ever before.

In March, I started live-tweeting during DWTS, and had a blast talking about season 20. Ever since the premiere, I was talking about the show with everyone online with my Twitter page @DWTS20. And during the entire season, I communicated with other fans with my surprisingly popular (well, popular for a small Twitter page) Question of the Day. And still, to this day, I tweet a DWTS-related question to my page every day just as usual. I even created a blog on Blogger to share my personal thoughts with others on every single dance of the season. The blog spurred up some discussion, which is what I always like to see for my favorite TV shows!

Season 20 eventually came to end. I didn't want to stop communicating with other people who like the same things as me, so I created a separate Twitter account @BBSeason17 for my second favorite reality show, Big Brother. I had fun with talking to others on that page, too, but it just didn't feel the same as my @DWTS20 account. Besides, Big Brother plays one season for three months of the year. Nonetheless, I had a blast over the Summer watching and Tweeting during Big Brother while DWTS was in between seasons.

Fall arrived, so Big Brother ended, and Dancing With the Stars stared back up again with an all new season. I was back on my blog and Twitter, this time as @DWTS2015, and I continued to chat with other people about the show. I gained some more followers, and even started to come up with ideas to change my Twitter and blog.

Of course, like all great shows, that season came to an end, but it did not stop me from having conversations with others about the hit reality show.

Now, I have changed my Twitter name once again, and have become @DWTS2016.

I have love all the feedback and comments I get everyday from various people around the country (even around the globe, in some cases), so I have decided to make my social media even more interactive than ever before! Hopefully I can pull off what I am planning to do!

So, now what?

Well, although I am switching things up, I will keep doing some of the same old I have been doing since the beginning of 2015. I will, from my Twitter friends' opinions, continue to post a Question of the Day everyday relating to DWTS. I will also still live tweet about the show, and interact with other fans online, including still blogging about the show. But this time, I want to do something a little bit different.

I will continue to post on this blog page (now known as dwts2016.blogspot.com) with posts such as:

• My Favorite Dances From Season 21 of DWTS
• Weekly Show Stats and Opinions (When season 22 starts)
• Topics That You Want to Talk About

With that being said, I would like to announce that I am making my blog a community blog! I made a poll on Twitter asking if people would like to post about Dancing With the Stars on my blog (with my permission), and I got some good responses. Some people said they would like to post once or twice, and others said that they would like to blog recurringly. Either way, this is no longer just my blog. This is our blog!

If interested, you can Tweet me on Twitter, send me a Direct Message on Twitter, post a comment on my blog, or E-Mail me if you want to blog about the show. Talk about whatever you want (within reason), and if I approve of your post(s), you will become and author for the DWTS2016 Community Blog!

Let's see if anyone takes me up on this offer!

Make sure you stay tuned to my blog if you want to discuss DWTS with me because more blog posts and updates are coming soon in 2016!!

Twitter: @DWTS2016

G-Mail: thebentleyninja@gmail.com

Dancing With the Stars Season 21- Week 11 (Finale) Review

The Finale of Dancing With the Stars season 21 was jam-packed! The Judges' Choice redo dances were fun to watch, especially because it wasn't just dances that we have already seen before on this show. I loved every single Freestyle this season, but I think Bindi and Derek's was my favorite, despite Carlos and Witney's Freestyle being the most entertaining to me. It was unfortunate to see Carlos go home, but it was expected. I was just glad that he finally got a perfect score (two for that matter)! The second night of the Finale was something that I have never seen before! I was absolutely in love with the holiday-themed set at The Grove, and was bopping my head at Chaka Khan and Andy Grammer singing Baby, It's Cold Outside! I was glad to see everyone back (except Tamar, who couldn't make it because she is still sick, but slowly recovering). And I was exceptionally glad to see Kim and Tony perform that Samba that we never got to see from them! Nick and Sharna's Viennese Waltz was even better the second time, and so was Bindi and Derek's, which gave me shivers! Alexander Jean was a highlight if the guest performances, although I loved every single one of them! The final dances, the Fusion dances, were a great way to end the season while reminiscing about the amazing journey all the celebrities had in the past several weeks. In the end, Alek came in third, Nick came in second, and Bindi came in first. I'm glad Alek made it as far as he did, especially because he is a hero- and who doesn't like a hero?! Both Nick and Bindi deserved the Mirror Ball Trophy in my opinion, but when the chips fell, Bindi had more of the viewers' votes than Nick. Nick and Sharna were always entertaining to watch every single week, and Bindi and Derek brought something special to the show that I have never seen in all twenty-one seasons of this show! I'm going to miss this season, but I am too eager for season 22 with the return of Len Goodman next year!

Night One: Judges' Choice Redo Dances

Each finalist couple was assigned a judge to help them out in the rehearsal studio to perform a dance style that they already did this season decided by the judge depending on what they needed to improve on. Although the couples repeated a dance style, they did their performances to different music with different choreography.

Carlos PenaVega and Witney Carson (#TeamBrownSugar) Eliminated- 4th Place
Foxtrot- The Hills by The Weeknd
Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Score From Night 1: 60/60) Top of the Leaderboard
Judge's Choice Redo: Foxtrot from Week 2, Night 1 (Bruno Tonioli)

Unlike most others, I actually really liked this music to go with a Foxtrot, especially for a dancer like Carlos. With music like this, it's easier to make an elegant form of emotion. Carlos didn't have much to improve on from his Foxtrot during week two, but he definitely did improve. Bruno, of course, did a great job with his feet and shoulders, which is what he usually calls people out on in dances like this. I give Carlos and Witney's Foxtrot a 10. It's about time Carlos got a perfect score!

Video of Carlos and Witney's Finale Foxtrot

Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold (#TeamTakedown)
Rumba- The Pieces Don't Fit Anymore by James Morrison
Score: 9, 9, 9 (27/30) (Final Score From Night 1: 57/60) Bottom of the Leaderboard
Judge's Choice Redo: Rumba from Week 5 (Carrie Ann Inaba)

I was worried that Alek would get a Latin dance for perform, because frankly, that is not his strong point- especially with the Rumba. Nonetheless, there was a little bit of an improvement from his Rumba with Emma. Granted, he did look to be more into it with Emma, so I guess that just further proves that Emma and Alek need to get married. XD Carrie Ann didn't seem to focus on Alek's weak points, which really isn't shocking by this point. I give Alek and Lindsay's Rumba a 9. Alek threw his arms away and had lackluster hip action, but I expected that from looking at his previous Latin dances.

Video of Alek and Lindsay's Finale Rumba

Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess (#TeamSharNick)
Jive- Runaway Baby by Bruno Mars
Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Score From Night 1: 60/60) Top of the Leaderboard
Judge's Choice Redo: Jive from Week 2, Night 1 (Julianne Hough)

DAYUM, Sharna! Both of them were on fire, but Sharna was heated to the core! Nick improved tremendously from his mistake-filled jive during Hometown Glory week. I think the fun dynamic between Julianne and Team SharNick during rehearsals actually helped Nick get a better feel to the routine. I give Nick and Sharna's Jive a 10. This was one of the hottest dances of the season!

Video of Nick and Sharna's Finale Jive

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough (#TeamCrikey)
Quickstep- Dr. Bones by Cherry Poppin' Daddies
Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Score From Night 1: 60/60) Top of the Leaderboard
Judge's Choice Redo: Quickstep from Week 3 (Carrie Ann Inaba)

This might just be my favorite dance of the season (it's a hard choice between this and Nick's Viennese Waltz)! Considering Bindi nailed all of her dances this season, there wasn't much Carrie Ann could choose from for this redo dance. By the way, why out of all judges did Carrie Ann get two couples to go into rehearsals this week?! Anyway, Bindi was perfection in week three, and in this dance, she was beyond that. Derek choreographed the perfect dance for her, and that's what I love about his choreography. I give Bindi and Derek's Quickstep a 10. I love how Derek was able to be creative with the troupe in this routine while still staying in hold!

Video of Bindi and Derek's Finale Quickstep

Night One: Freestyle Performance Round
The Freestyle round gave all of the four finalist couples creative control over what their routines would be. In this round, there aren't any rules. After the Freestyle dances, a couple was eliminated before night-two of the finale.

Carlos PenaVega and Witney Carson (#TeamBrownSugar) Eliminated- 4th Place
Freestyle- WTF (Where They From) by Missy Elliott featuring Pharrell Williams
Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Score From Night 1: 60/60) Top of the Leaderboard

This was the most entertaining Freestyle of the night in my opinion. I thought it was amazingly hilarious to add Paula in the dance (she is my spirit animal, LOL), along with Hayes and Alexa. Carlos was kind of feminine at certain points, but I don't mind because it's a Freestyle, not a ballroom dance. It was expected for Carlos to be eliminated on Monday, but that doesn't mean his dances were not incredible! I give Carlos and Witney's Freestyle a 10. I can't get Missy Elliott's new song out of my head because of this creative performance!

Video of Carlos and Witney's Freestyle

Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold (#TeamTakedown)
Freestyle- Marchin' On by OneRepublic
Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Score From Night 1: 57/60) Bottom of the Leaderboard

This was a Freestyle that I felt like I've never seen before, which made me really respect the choreography of this dance. Alek has had a unique journey on this show, and this dance really showcased that in a type of style that suits him perfectly. I give Alek and Lindsay's Freestyle a 10. Just like Carrie Ann, I will remember this Freestyle when I look back on this season because of this uplifting and powerful military-style Freestyle!

Video of Alek and Lindsay's Freestyle

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough (#TeamCrikey)
Freestyle- Footprints in the Sand by Leona Lewis
Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Score From Night 1: 60/60) Top of the Leaderboard

Not a lot of dances on this show make me emotional, but Bindi's Freestyle was an absolute exception. I have never seen imagery as powerful as the footprints in the sand at the end of the routine, along with the unexpected picture of Bindi and her father on the screen. Sometimes Contemporary performances can have fake and forced emotion, but I can tell that everything about this dance was pure and from the heart. I give Bindi and Derek's Freestyle a 10. Bindi and Derek transferred me into another realm with the explainable beautiful nature of this Freestyle!

Video of Bindi and Derek's Freestyle

Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess (#TeamSharNick)
Freestyle- Larger Than Life by Backstreet Boys
Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Score From NIght 1: 60/60) Top of the Leaderboard

As I have stated before, I have never been a Backstreet Boys fan, but I think this show-stopping performance converted me! His Backstreet Boys Jazz in week four was fun, but this Freestyle trumped over that with an even greater energy and performance value! The background dancers added a high voltage level of entertainment as well. I give Nick and Sharna's Freestyle a 10. Nick's Freestyle was definitely "larger than life"!

Video of Nick and Sharna's Freestyle

Night Two: 24-Hour Fusion Dance Challenge
The final three couples had less than twenty-four hours to create and perform a routine that combined two dance styles that they already performed this season. After this round, third place and second place were announced, as well as revealing the winner of the season twenty-one of Dancing With the Stars with the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy.

Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess (#TeamSharNick) Runner-Up- 2nd Place
Salsa/Tango Fusion- Turn Up the Music by Chris Brown
Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Finale Score: 90/90) Top of the Leaderboard

I know that it is difficult to combine two dance styles in less than twenty-four hours, but I would have like to seen some more Tango in this Fusion dance. Nick did forget his steps for a few seconds, but he had a great recovery. It will still fiery hot, just like his Jive, and made me want to get up on my feet, but it did have it a few tiny flaws. It could have been a tad more precise, but I do realize that it is hard to do that in such a short time frame. I give Nick and Sharna's Salsa/Tango Fusion a 9. Nick had had a steady progression throughout this season, and even though he did not win the Mirror Ball Trophy, I think that Nick will truly appreciate this experience for the rest of his life. Sharna was the perfect partner for him, being able to guide him in both the rehearsal studios and on the dance floor. These two were memorable to season 21, and I hope they know that.

Video of Nick and Sharna's Salsa/Tango Fusion

Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold (#TeamTakedown) 3rd Place
Rumba/Tango Fusion- A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay
Score: 9, 9, 9 (27/30) (Final Finale Score: 84/90) Bottom of the Leaderboard

Surprisingly enough, I actually thought that Alek's Rumba was a lot stronger from his redo dance on Monday, but his Tango was off balance. Alek finally showed off his hips that everyone has been waiting for since week one! I also have to give major props to Lindsay once again for a cohesive and creative blend of two dances in such a short period of time. I hope she stays as a pro for next season! I give Alek and Lindsay's Rumba/Tango Fusion a 9. Just a few months ago, Alek was just an average person living his life like everyone else, when suddenly, he was known to the whole world as a hero along with Spencer Stone and Anthony Sadler. Then, in the next second, he was a celebrity on Dancing With the Stars! He managed to get a feel for the cameras around week eight, and in the end, he became a star! I love the showmance that he and Emma have, even though his partnership with Lindsay was fun to watch as well. Lindsay has proven to be a star choreographer, and with that creative choreography, she made Alek become the eccentric person that he is today.

Video of Alek and Lindsay's Rumba/Tango Fusion

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough (#TeamCrikey) WINNER- FIRST PLACE
Argentine Tango/Cha-Cha-Cha Fusion- All The Way by Timeflies
Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Finale Score: 90/90) Top of the Leaderboard

Just like Riker and Allison's Salsa/Quickstep Fusion last season, I couldn't tell that this Argentine Tango/Cha-Cha-Cha Fusion was done in only twenty-four hours! Her leg action was completely in sync with Derek, and was clearly a crowd-pleaser to everyone in the audience! Bindi's spirits have never been broken even once in this competition, which made it a shoe-in for her to bring the usual high-energy to the dance floor! I give Bindi and Derek's Argentine Tango/Cha-Cha-Cha Fusion a 10. It was a perfect score to end a perfect season. Bindi seems like such a genuine person with her positive attitude that is infectious to everyone around her. She and Derek shined on that dance floor! And although Derek has won seven different Mirror Ball Trophies, I think that he absolutely deserved this one the most, which shows for the very special win that these two have had together. Bindi and Derek deserved to win, especially because I think that they tried the hardest and wanted it the most!

Video of Bindi and Derek's Argentine Tango/Cha-Cha-Cha Fusion









That's it! Season 21 of Dancing With the Stars is over! It was a fun season, but I already can't wait for season 22, which premieres on Monday, March 21, 2016 at 8/7c on ABC! It has been so much fun interacting with all of you this season on Twitter and on my blog! Thank you for reading my blog, sharing your opinions on the show, and updating me with all sorts of DWTS news! I will be back blogging for next season, too! This Winter, I will also be blogging about other things relating to Dancing With the Stars. Suggestions for blog post topics are welcome!

What did you think of the Dancing With the Stars season 21 Finale? What was your favorite Freestyle dance? Who did you predict to win? What did you think of the final results? Who do you want to see next season on DWTS? Next season will feature an all new celebrity cast with returning judge Len Goodman!

Make sure to follow me on Twitter at @DWTS2015 for Dancing With the Stars news, updates, surveys, live tweets, and more!

Dancing With the Stars Season 21- Week 10 (Semifinals) Review

Although the beginning was kind of dragged out, I ended up really enjoying the Semifinals on Dancing With the Stars. Despite Tamar's unfortunate withdrawal from the competition, I was glad to see Val and Jenna's amazing performance halfway through the show! And even better, there was no elimination on Monday. I'm a bit skeptical that Bindi and Nick were actually in jeopardy, though, but who knows? It was interesting to hear about everyone's life stories in round one, even though some of the dances were a tad mellow dramatic. The dance-offs seemed to be just be thrown in (which they kind of were), but they were still fun to watch nonetheless. As for the trios round, I was on the edge of my seat with all of the incredible routines. I would have given everyone tens in that round! Here are my thoughts on the show:

Round One Performances

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough (#TeamCrikey)
Salsa- You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile by Sia
Score: 9, 9, 9 (27/30) (Final Score: 60/63) Top of the Leaderboard

This Salsa was cute- and I like that. I find it really irritating that the judges wanted Bindi to get "down and dirty". She's seventeen years old! Calm down! She had loose, yet controlled, hip action, so I have no clue what the judges wanted from her in that respect. One note that I do have is that, oddly enough, she threw away some of her lines, which she doesn't usually do. But I do have to give her major props for doing both a Samba and Salsa in one week, and pretty much nailing both of them. I give Bindi and Derek's Salsa a 9. It was a fun start to the night, so shame on you for calling it boring, Carrie Ann!

Video of Bindi and Derek's Salsa

Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold (#TeamTakedown)
Waltz- America the Beautiful performed by Ray Chew
Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Score: 57/63)

Touching, beautiful, smooth. . . those words don't even describe how captivated I was by Alek and Lindsay's Waltz. This dance was done at such an appropriate time, which made it even more glorious. Alek is great at ballroom, but I didn't realize that he would become this great at ballroom! I'm a patriotic person myself, so this was easily my favorite dance of the night. Alek lead Lindsay on that dance floor with amazing ease that we've never seen from him, which I did not expect at all. I give Alek and Lindsay's Waltz a 10. This couple, to me, was the standout couple of the night.

Video of Alek and Lindsay's Waltz

Carlos PenaVega and Witney Carson (#TeamBrownSugar)
Contemporary- Drag Me Down by One Direction
Score: 9, 9, 10 (28/30) (Final Score: 60/63) Top of the Leaderboard

This is nothing against Carlos or Witney in any way whatsoever, but when I saw this, I literally said "What the hell?" at more than one point in this routine. Don't get me wrong, Carlos executed this dance with intense passion and emotion, but the whole concept was just, I guess, wrong. And I'm not blaming the choreography, either. I just think that the rope didn't translate well on TV. Maybe if the rope was utilized more, it would have made more sense, but it seemed like it was just a gimmick. As for the dancing quality, it was spot on. I give Carlos and Witney's Contemporary a 9. Unlike Carrie Ann and Julianne, I thought that the expressions on Carlos's face really added to the performance. He became vulnerable in a way that helped him in his overall performance.

Video of Carlos and Witney's Contemporary

Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess (#TeamSharNick)
Tango- Scars by Alesso featuring Ryan Tedder
Score: 8, 8, 8 (24/30) (Final Score: 54/63) Bottom of the Leaderboard

Not even referring to his bad start at the beginning of the routine, Nick was "squatty", rushed his steps, and lost his balance. Sharna's quick pep-talk in the middle routine helped a little bit, but Nick seemed to not match up with Sharna at all. However, besides looking like he was about to pass out, his "oops" face actually did help build the character in his dance. I give Nick and Sharna's Tango a 7. This Tango almost looked like a Paso, but the fierce movements made me forgive that.

Video of Nick and Sharna's Tango

Dance-Offs

Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold versus Carlos PenaVega and Witney Carson
Cha-Cha-Cha- Fun by Pitbull featuring Chris Brown
Votes: Alek, Carlos, Carlos
Winner: Carlos and Witney (+3 Points)

I'm so glad that even though Alek was clearly the less technical dancer in this dance-off, he sure seemed like he was having fun on that dance floor. He is so much fun to watch! Carlos showed off his crisp and sharp Latin technique, which sold it for me. Both couples were hot, hot, hot, even though Carlos and Witney was the clear winner to me. I would have voted for Carlos and Witney to win the Cha-Cha-Cha dance-off. They were both entertaining, so I wasn't disappointed by either performance.

Video of Alek vs Carlos's Cha-Cha-Cha

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough versus Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess
Samba- Lean On by Major Lazer and DJ Snake featuring MØ
Votes: Bindi, Bindi, Bindi
Winner: Bindi and Derek (+3 Points)

Surprisingly, I found both Bindi and Nick to be a bit low-energy in their Sambas on Monday. Bindi had superior hip action, but Nick had stronger leg action. Both couples were on fire (not on a big fire, though), and both celebrities were very technical. At the end of the day, I enjoyed watching Bindi more, but I think that Nick was a hair sharper than Bindi. I would have voted for Nick and Sharna to win the Samba dance-off. I wouldn't have minded either of the couples winning, but it seems like the majority thought that Bindi was the clear winner.

Video of Bindi vs Nick's Samba

Trios Round

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough (#TeamCrikey)
Jazz- Resolve by Nathan Lanier
Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Score: 60/63) Top of the Leaderboard
Trio Partner: Mark Ballas

Bindi and Derek just like to throw surprises at us left and right, don't they?! I don't usually say this, but that Jazz number was a work of art. Bindi has shown so many different sides to herself this season, while never disappointing the audience in the process. I could tell that Derek and Mark both had heavy influences in this routine, which is evident because those two together are unstoppable! I give Bindi, Derek, and Mark's Jazz a 10. This dance is tied for my favorite dance of the night!

Video of Bindi, Derek, and Mark's Jazz

Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold (#TeamTakedown)
Argentine Tango- Ex's and Oh's by Elle King
Score: 9. 9, 9 (27/30) (Final Score: 57/63)
Trio Partner: Emma Slater

I'm not going to lie- I love the fact that Alek chose Emma to dance with him! I don't usually "ship" people together on DWTS, but I honestly think that there could be something between Alek and Emma (we'll see!). This Argentine Tango was super hot in all ways possible without any missteps in the process! I call total BS on the judges saying that Alek "lost steam" at the end. I did not see that at all. It seems to me like they were just looking for something to deduct points on. But then again, nobody ever said that this show was fair. I give Alek, Lindsay, and Emma's Argentine Tango a 10. This is the other dance that was tied for my favorite trio of the night! Clearly, from both his Waltz and his Argentine Tango, Alek and Lindsay was the stand-out couple from the Semifinals to me!

Video of Alek, Lindsay, and Emma's Argentine Tango

Carlos PenaVega and Witney Carson (#TeamBrownSugar)
Charleston- Booty Swing by Parov Stelar
Score: 9, 10, 10 (29/30) (Final Score: 60/63) Top of the Leaderboard
Trio Partner: Karina Smirnoff

I was so excited to see this Charleston after I found out Karina was dancing with Team Brown Sugar this week because I absolutely loved the trio Jazz number from Karina and Witney with Corbin in season 17 in 2013! My favorite part of the dance was the creative and intriguing lift towards the end of the routine; I've never seen a lift like that before! Carlos was on point during the trio round, which was a huge relief after the awkwardness in his first dance of the night. I give Carlos, Witney, and Karina's Charleston a 10. Carlos is doing well when it comes to the scores, but I am wondering if he is getting the votes to allow him to win the Mirror Ball Trophy.

Video of Carlos, Witney, and Karina's Charleston

Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess (#TeamSharNick)
Salsa- No Doubt About It by the Empire cast featuring Jussie Smollett and Pitbull
Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Score: 54/63) Bottom of the Leaderboard
Trio Partner: Peta Murgatroyd

I was so disappointed that Peta couldn't be in this season, so I was beyond ecstatic to see her back on the show (And I bet I'm not the only who was)! Anyway, Nick had a huge comeback from his Tango with his Salsa, nailing both the Latin moves and the Hip Hop moves in this routine. Nick was the perfect center man, and Sharna and Peta were the perfect girls to showcase his true talents! I give Nick, Sharna, and Peta's Salsa a 10. I wonder if this dance saved him from possibly being eliminated on Monday before the part-two finale night on Tuesday.

Video of Nick, Sharna, and Peta's Salsa







So what did you think of the Semifinals on Dancing With the Stars? What was your favorite dance of the night? Which trio dance captivated you the most? Who do you think had the best dance-off routine of the night? Who do you think will be the season 21 champion of Dancing With the Stars, earning them the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy? Next week is the two-night finale! Monday will be the judges'-pick dance choices, along with the Freestyles. Then, after Monday's elimination, the final three will compete in Tuesday with a redo dance along with a Fusion dance for the 24-hour challenge! The whole cast from this season will be back, so make sure you check it out!

Make sure you follow me on Twitter at @DWTS2015 for DWTS news, surveys, updates, live tweets, and more!

Dancing With the Stars Season 21- Week 9 (Showstoppers Night)

Showstoppers Night was quite the eventful episode! From Tamar's illness to Alexa's elimination, people all over social media were taking about Monday's show! I was glad to see some actual dancing in round one, considering there was not a set theme to go overly crazy with the production. However, I loved the showstopper duet dances for the complete opposite reason! The production values were top notch, and all of them had me on the edge of my seat! With both Alexa and Tamar out of the competition, only four couples remain! But before all of that happened, there was jam-packed show of high-energy performances! Here are my thoughts on them:

Round One Dances

Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold (#TeamTakedown)

Salsa- Back It Up by Prince Royce featuring Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull

Score: 8, 8, 8 (24/30) (Final Score: 48/60) Bottom of the Leaderboard

Just from hiss rehearsal packages and comments, I can tell that Alek has really built up his confidence, and has finally gotten use to the cameras and publicity. That is the character that everyone has been wanted to see from him since week one! Alek certainly still stomps all around the dance floor, though. Those lifts he did were the highlights to this performance. for me. I give Alek and Lindsay's Salsa an 8. Alek really needs to work on his hips and feet if he wants to win this competition!

Video of Alek and Lindsay's Salsa

Alexa PenaVega and Mark Ballas (#TeamBAEga) Eliminated- 6th Place

Contemporary- Make It Rain by Ed Sheeran

Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Score: 60/60) Top of the Leaderboard

Mr. Mark Ballas does it once again! Using this dance as a metaphor of Alexa's struggle with bulimia was so powerful, and actually quite genius in a way. There were a whole lot of lifts, and Alexa powered through all of them with such fierce might. And along with her technicality, Alexa gave such a strong message to the audience as well, so I am glad that she ended this show on a high note, especially with her duet dance later in the show. I give Alexa and Mark's Contemporary a 10. There was not one dull moment in this Contemporary piece!

Video of Alexa and Mark's Contemporary

Carlos PenaVega and Witney Carson (#TeamBrownSugar)

Argentine Tango- What Do You Mean? by Justin Bieber

Score: 9, 9, 9 (27/30) (Final Score: 51/60)

This dance made me turn my head in confusion a bit. I wasn't sure what I just saw when I watched it for the first time live. Was it an Argentine Tango? I guess. Did it have a lot of varied Argentine Tango content? Kinda. My issue with this performance is that although it was executed well, there was not much for me to see that really showed Carlos's superior dance abilities. Witney needs to push Carlos more if they want that Mirror Ball Trophy? I give Carlos and Witney's Argentine Tango a 9. Carlos has always done really well framing Witney, but I really want to see him shine now.

Video of Carlos and Witney's Argentine Tango

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough (#TeamCrikey)

Viennese Waltz- Roses and Violets by Alexander Jean

Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Score: 60/60) Top of the Leaderboard

I still never stopped laughing from Carrie Ann's comment to Bindi, saying "watching you is like a sun rise". That is one of the most ridiculous and scripted lines I have ever heard from the judges on this show! What she should have said was about how well Bindi's form is hold. The blindfold was a nice touch, too. Oh, and yes, I listen to "Roses and Violets" on repeat just like everyone else! XD I give Bindi and Derek's Viennese Waltz a 10. I love how in-touch Bindi is with all of these high-emotion contemporary pieces. That is what truly makes her performances so special.

Video of Bindi and Derek's Viennese Waltz

Tamar Braxton and Valentin Chmerkovskiy (#TeamValenTay) Withdrew- 5th Place

Contemporary (rehearsal footage)- Wicked Game by James Vincent McMorrow

Score: 8, 7, 7 (22/30) (Final Score: 49/60)

It is so unfortunate that this dance could not be live due to Tamar's absence, but I am glad that Tamar is taking care of her health. It was very evident that Tamar missed many counts of the dance, so it was easy to tell that she was sick. She was a warrior, though. Props to her for doing that rehearsal, and returning later for her Rumba with Nick. And as everyone knows, it turns out that Tamar's lungs are much worse that she thought, and she could have even died on the dance floor. Of course, she had to withdraw due the blood clots in her lungs, so I hope she has a quick recovery. I give Tamar and Val's Contemporary a 7. Tamar was an underestimated performer, but she proved herself to be hard worker with her determination and power to push through anything that comes her way.

Video of Tamar and Val's Contemporary

Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess (#TeamSharNick)

Quickstep- A Cool Cat in Town by Tape Five

Score: 9, 9, 10 (28/30) (Final Score: 55/60)

There was a whole lot of out-of-hold Jazz and Charleston, but not a whole lot of traditional in-hold Quickstep, which is quite a shame. Nick was great for the most part when doing his solos in front of the troupe, but I wanted to see more, just like with Carlos's Argentine Tango. In hold, he looked really good. It would've been better if Sharna (AKA the Statue of Liberty in her blue dress) showcased his skills in that aspect. I give Nick and Sharna's Quickstep a 9. Nick was a bit off time, but my main issue was the lack of content. It was an amazingly fun routine, though!

Video of Nick and Sharna's Quickstep

Showstopper Duet Dances

Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold with Carlos PenaVega and Witney Carson

Paso Doble- We Will Rock You by Queen

Score: 8, 8, 8 (24/30)

Showstopper Inspiration: We Will Rock You (the musical)

Somehow, Lindsay and Witney always end up doing a Paso Doble together on the show (i.e. Alfonso's trio, Chris Soules's trio)! I don't mind, though, because Witney and Lindsay make a great team! Alek and Carlos really created a high-testosterone rock routine, and I loved every second of it! The solo showed an in-sync match of their strengths, but when they were with their partners, they were both off time. Alek, however, was much more noticeable with his off-beat moments. I give Alek and Lindsay & Carlos and Witney's Paso Doble a 9. I usually don't like the techno-style Paso Dobles, but to me, this was an exception due to the high performance value!

Video of Alek and Carlos's Paso Doble

Alexa PenaVega and Mark Ballas with Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough

Charleston- All That Jazz and Hot Honey Rag by Kander and Ebb

Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30)

Showstopper Inspiration: Chicago on Broadway

What an exciting Charleston number! Bindi and Alexa looked like they could have been on Broadway; they were the stars of the show! Every element implemented into this dance had a signature of Chicago written on it. Alexa and Bindi were dancing as one in their solo part, which made that number truly showstopping! I give Alexa and Mark & Bindi and Derek's Charleston a 10. It was my favorite dance of the night hands down!

Video of Alexa and Bindi's Charleston

Tamar Braxton and Valentin Chmerkovskiy with Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess

Rumba- Hey Jude by The Beatles

Score: 9, 9, 9 (27/30)

Showstopper Inspiration: LOVE by Cirque du Soleil

Apparently, according to many people on set, Tamar could barely stand before dancing this Rumba, so once again, props to her for barely making it on time to be there for her team. Nick deserves some credit as well for guiding Tamar through the performance like a professional, matching her movements under the circumstances. Tamar did miss a few steps with the umbrella, but with the chaotic, yet breathtaking, Cirque du Soleil performers around everyone, it was very well-hidden. Tamar and Nick had a non-permeable team spirit that was required to make it through that routine with such elegance and grace. I give Tamar and Val & Nick and Sharna's Rumba a 9. The theme of this performance made it a superb uplifting finish to the show!

Video of Tamar and Nick's Rumba

So what did you think of Showstoppers Night on Dancing With the Stars? What was your favorite dance of the night? What is your opinion on the showstopper duet dances? What do you think of Alexa and Mark's elimination? What do you think of Tamar and Val's withdrawal from the competition? Next week is the Semifinals, which will feature trio dances and more dance battles!

Make sure you follow me on Twitter at @DWTS2015 for DWTS updates, news, opinions, surveys, live tweets, and more!