It is one of the most anticipated nights of the season, and Disney magic shimmered the ballroom alive! But did it hold up to its expectations? Disney Night was extraordinary, but the scores might have been zip a dee doo da! Here are Julia’s and Bentley’s thoughts on the show, along with the views of our new debut blogger, Angelina!
[Order of the Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Zendaya, Bruno Tonioli]
Antonio Brown and Sharna Burgess
Jazz: Friend Like Me from Aladdin
Judges’ Scores: 9, 8, 9, 9 (35/40)
#TeamBOOMin 1(800)868-3401
I think this was Antonio’s best dance yet. I saw the pre-Broadway tryout of the Aladdin stage musical back in 2014 and this dance definitely reminded me of the “Friend Like Me” scene in that show! Antonio was certainly able to hold his own when dancing with the other guys! However, I guess we can call his pimp costume a visual pun of sorts because I thought this performance was overscored, especially when compared to most of the other dances this week. (Surprising, considering going first usually means you are likely to be underscored. He did the moves right, but a lot of his movements were kind of small and the choreography was pretty simple compared to most of the other Disney routines so I can’t really say he WOWED me. I think it’s been kind of obvious there is something about Antonio that has been frustrating me so far and this week I found out what it is: I’ve been hearing he only had TEN HOURS of rehearsal time this whole week, and only five of them were from before Saturday night. The fact that he doesn’t seem to be putting much effort into the competition when everyone else clearly is really bothers me. In my mind, if a contestant is not putting in the work, they don’t deserve to stay over others who are. However, he has Karina for the Switch-Up and there is no way she will let him slack off, so I’m guessing he will improve further next week.
Can we just take a second to admire how good Sharna looked in those shiny blue pants?! We all remember her infamous gold pants for her Cha-Cha-Cha in season seventeen with Keyshawn Johnson, and then her other blue pants for her Cha-Cha-Cha in season nineteen with Tavis Smiley, but I think these pants take the cake! Like damn! What were we talking about?. . . Anyway, I think this number was the perfect way to start the show with a Jazzy remix to a classic that we know and love! Antonio was so in sync that he was even on par with the animated genie at the beginning! Antonio really caught the essence of a pimpin’ Aladdin, but I want to see a little more dancing with Sharna, rather than just side-by-side with the troupe. He nailed the performance, so now I want him to do more than just nail it. . . I want him to make it his own!
As Julia said, compared to other dances I can’t say Antonio’s dance amazed me or had me sitting with my jaw dropped. It seemed pretty regular and basic. Floating around social media, there had been rumors saying that Antonio hadn’t practiced very much and you could tell. I felt like in some places he was stiff and I saw quite a few bent knees but for week 4, I definitely see improvement. I feel like he could be an amazing dancer if he really pushed himself. I didn’t really see him as the character of Aladdin.And as Bentley said, I didn’t really like the fact that it was side by side. I would’ve felt they could’ve accomplished more if they had danced together. The knees and pointed toes were the things that bothered me in the performance. Overall, I really just wish that Antonio starts bringing his A-game and actually putting in the working and effort so he could shine and show his true talent.
Julia’s Score: 7
Bentley’s Score: 8
Angelina’s Score: 7
Marla Maples and Tony Dovolani Eliminated (10th Place)
Waltz: Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid
Judges’ Scores: 7, 7, 7, 7 (28/40)
#TeamMarTony 1(800)868-3407
Marla embodied the character of Ariel in this performance very well! Her legs were a little stiff in places, and I would have liked to see more steps done in hold in this routine (it also seemed kind of repetitive to me) but Marla had elegance which made this a beautiful Waltz. I was sad to see this couple leave at the end of the night, but I had already predicted it so I was prepared to see them go. In her package she talked about how many of her loved ones had recently passed away, and I think if she had used THAT story for her Most Memorable Year dance she’d have had a good chance of sticking around this week. I felt really bad for she and Tony though. They seemed pretty shocked. Though I did hear Marla is hoping to do a new project with Tony in the future, so let’s hope that happens!
It looks like Marla was a bit stunned during her Waltz, considering she had a frozen smile plastered on her face from phase one, and her frame was just stuck in place. Nonetheless, this was a nice and cute dance. I really thought she was going to make it past week four, but I guess the competition is just too tight this season! In the little time she did have on the show though, Tony made Marla shine. I like how when she got eliminated, though, she did not start with any BS crying (like what a lot of celebrities do when they are eliminated), and actually said some pleasant and respectable things before signing off. She left with class, and shown herself to the world as more than just a woman with a big bank account; she let everyone know about her delightful and down-to-earth personality that we didn’t originally see behind Donald Trump’s shadow.
First I would like to begin with the fact that I am so stunned she got voted off. Although she wasn’t one of my favorite dancers for the season, I thought she would for sure make it past week 4 because of her pretty clean technique and fluidity when dancing. She didn’t really have it in this dance in my opinion. I feel like she watched the package and possibly psyched herself out, which never really works out in favor of the dancer.This show does have a lot of pressure on the contestants sadly, and panic attacks are a horrible thing, I suffer with them, but I wish that she didn’t rewatch it because she could’ve danced so much in character. During this dance, she didn’t really flow, she was more stiff. Her facial expression didn’t really change from the smile, it made it look frozen, and again she wasn’t very fluid. In this dance, with this song, I believe it is okay to be a bit loose with the knees but this night she didn’t really go into the loose and bubbly character of Ariel. I commend her for the way she ended the night and hope to see her back in the ballroom sometime soon.
Julia’s Score: 7
Bentley’s Score: 7
Angelina’s Score: 7
Nyle DiMarco and Peta Murgatroyd
Samba: Trashin’ the Camp from Tarzan
Judges’ Scores: 8, 8, 9, 9 (34/40)
#RedefiningDance 1(800)868-3409
Samba is a dance style that makes me nervous, so I was a little concerned for Nyle this week. But of course I had no need to be, because he and Peta killed it! I especially loved the Samba roll! And I can’t believe he hit the pots and pans right on beat while looking like he could totally hear what was going on! Nyle still needs to refine his technique just a little more, but this was amazing! I’m a little nervous for Nyle in the Switch-Up, because I want him to have a positive experience, but we all know he’s not going anywhere so I guess it doesn’t matter too much. He has Sharna, who is best friends with Peta and has had to “re-define dance” in the past, so he should be okay.
Once again, Nyle nails his dance. I feel like a fun and goofy side to his character was really emitted through his this week, especially with that hilarious video package! I did notice that at one part, Nyle was extremely careful with his footwork, but I think that was just because he was really close to the edge of the stage, and he didn’t want to step on the light or something. I think he is a little small when it comes to the Latin steps, though, which will become more important to work on as the weeks go by. Peta once again created brilliant choreography that pushed Nyle as far she could, and it was all worth it!
To begin, I love the fact his package started with him being proud of receiving the first 9, but not forgetting that he still needs to work hard, and much harder than anyone if he wants to stay on top. I believe he could win this whole competition. I also adored how he made the comparison of how when Jane and Tarzan met they couldn’t understand each other and so that’s how it was with him and Peta. He transformed into the role very easily and he became the character in the dance which I think is very important. It still amazes me how good his musicality and on beat he is! Other than some technique errors such as not putting the feet or knees together at times, or lifting the hips with the bounce action, I would say he knocked it out of the park!
Julia’s Score: 9
Bentley’s Score: 9
Angelina’s Score: 9
Doug Flutie and Karina Smirnoff
Jazz: A Spoonful of Sugar from Mary Poppins
Judges’ Scores: 6, 6, 6, 6 (24/40) Bottom of the Leaderboard
#TeamKutie 1(800)868-3402
Mary Poppins is my favorite Disney movie, so I was very excited for this dance. I thought the trick with the bag was really cool and both Doug and Karina embodied their roles quite well! Unfortunately, Doug was off time for about half of the routine (darn that Mary Poppins curse this show seems to have!) and a lot of his movements were pretty small. He also looked nervous during the dance which took away a bit of the performance value for me. He also got a bad edit which probably didn’t help the matter. As runo said, he picked it up in the second half, but it was still not quite all there for me. Doug is very lucky he has a chance for a comeback next week, because I think he could be in some serious trouble very soon. The fact that he has a Tango next week doesn’t seem too promising...unless things improve for him in the Switch-Up despite this-and they very well might, since he has Peta, who knows how to work well with contestants of various skills and abilities-I’m guessing he might be the next to go.
Well, it looks like Charlie White from season eighteen isn’t the only Mary Poppins “cane killer” now! I absolutely loved the set and camera trickery used for the magic bag, as well as the little cane-work they did do. I wish Doug had some bounce in his movements, because without it, it made him look like an old when twirling his cane around! Doug was able to make Karina look good, even though it usually the pro doing that for the celebrity (not saying that Karina doesn’t look good on her own!). It was probably the least technical dance of the night, but it was no doubt a memorable one!
This dance will definitely never forgotten! I feel like the song was a good choice for this couple, but I don’t feel that Doug played the part as well as I’d hope he would. There were a lot of technical errors. When he would do the kicks his feet were flexed, his beat was off, and just looked like couldn’t catch up to Karina. His feet weren’t together in steps where it was crucial for the image and presentations. He also seemed to forget some steps because I caught him looking at her feet multiple times, which when needed most dancers tend to hide that. Props to acting like losing his hat was part of the dance (Who knows? Maybe it was! To me he seemed a bit worried when it came off though) and with the illusion for when he jumped into the bag!
Julia’s Score: 6
Bentley’s Score: 6
Angelina’s Score: 6
Kim Fields and Sasha Farber
Quickstep: I Wanna Be Like You from The Jungle Book
Judges’ Scores: 8, 8, 8, 8 (32/40)
#TeamKimsha 1(800)868-3406
Quickstep is another dance style that makes me nervous whenever it’s announced someone is going to be doing one. The package didn’t make this one seem too promising (though the skit in the “jungle” was cute) so I was pleasantly surprised that the performance went so well! Kim has very good ballroom technique and matched the upbeat nature of the music. (I must also note that the dance style that was chosen for this song last night was MUCH more fitting than the one that was paired with it on Disney Night two years ago.) Her feet were a little heavy at times, but I think it might have been the boots. (What was up with those, anyway?) I’m loving Kim more and more with each passing week, though I do have to wonder how she will fare with Keo for the Switch-Up. They have Viennese Waltz and the height gap between them is over a foot...yikes. However, Keo seems like someone who will probably be able to be a caring and sensitive presence for Kim, though she and Sasha have the best chemistry out of any couple this season so it will be very hard to top that amazingness!
To be honest, when this season first premiered, I thought that Kim was just another normal celebrity on the show. But now, she is one of my favorite contestants to ever dance on the show! She is just so likeable! Her outfit on the other hand, was horrendous. Overlooking that, the choreography was absolutely perfect for Kim! Just like with Kim, I have underestimated Sasha as well! Sasha has truly grown as a choreographer since Season 17, and now he makes both entertaining and semi-traditional performances for innovative show-stopping routines! Kim has good timing, that unfortunately, that doesn’t matter as much when the footwork isn’t exactly scholar. It is okay at certain parts, but she gets very sloppy at the stationary footwork. But whatever- I will still watch this on YouTube another few times before the Switch-Up!
I found it really impressive that Kim did really well on the quickstep. She has a very energetic personality so I felt this song and choreography fit perfectly. Some parts there were many errors with footwork. I have to give her credit though because it is hard to fix footwork in the quickstep, especially this early in the season.
Julia’s Score: 8
Bentley’s Score: 8
Angelina’s Score: 8
Jodie Sweetin and Keoikantse Motsepe
Cha-Cha-Cha: Try Everything by Shakira from Zootopia
Judges’ Scores: 7, 6, 7, 7 (27/40)
#TeamMoSweet 1(800)868-3405
Ladies and gentlemen, we have another addition to the list of examples of why dancing on the “stage” rather than the ballroom floor is a bad idea! This was the second time this season we got a report of a contestant not being able to hear the music when surrounded by screaming audience members, so I think it would be wise for pros to take note of these comments when staging future routines. I wasn’t really a fan of the theming of this dance either. I love Zootopia so I was really hoping for it to be more of an homage to the movie than it was. The thing that came closest to resembling something from the movie besides the animation was the fact that Keo wore a tie, just like Nick Wilde did in the move. But it wasn’t even the same COLOR! And if they wanted to incorporate Gazelle in the dance, why not have Jodie dress like her instead of putting her in a random purple dress and just have her dance next to the character? Doing it with the animation beside them and the crowd around them resulted in some strange camera angles that I didn’t really like. I don’t care about the animation, I just want to watch the couples dance! Okay I’m done my rant on the concept of this number...while I didn’t particularly like the staging or what they did with the concept I really liked the choreography for this number! It was fresh and fun, though it reminded me more of a Salsa than a Cha-Cha. I thought Jodie did pretty well for the most part; her lines are still the best of any contestant this season, and she and Keo seem to compliment each other well. I noticed one flub the first time I watched the routine but watching it back I did see another one. (The reason I probably missed the first one was the stupid camera blocking since I couldn’t always see Jodie and Keo as well as I would have liked.) I commend her for continuing on as if nothing had happened and was disappointed the judges chose to really only focus on the mistakes and not any of the good points of the dance, because there was some pretty nice stuff in there! But I think she’ll get past the next elimination because she has resident Judges’ Pet Val (who is also the guest judge’s brother) as her Switch-Up partner so no matter what he choreographs it’ll probably get good scores-remember when Maks gave Bindi a 10 last season “because he could”? They have Paso Doble which I think Jodie will be very good at.
I am beyond floored with how underscored Jodie was! Three sevens and a six?! I was thinking at least eights across the board, with maybe a nine or two thrown in there! Yes, we all know she fumbled up for a good six seconds, but isn’t there anything else the judges could talk about?! Even though I did not agree with Len’s six in the slightest, I do think he had the right idea with saying something positive about the dance, instead of just bombarding Jodie with constant comments saying things like, “You messed up, and I will keep saying that, and nothing else, until my time for talking is up!” There was so much amazing content in that routine, but three of the judges decided not to appreciate that in order to state the obvious. Jodie slayed the hip action, and was on the same level as some of the top runners with her Latin lines. But all anyone could talk about was the mess-up, so I don’t think too many people noticed that.
I really didn’t like the animation part because yes it is cute for the troupe dancers and works best because they are pros but I don’t think for the beginners it is beneficial. Does it add an extra flare to their dance? Yes, but the whole dance they are just worrying about whether or not it is working. I don’t feel she deserved a 6, because she said she couldn’t hear the music and she puts in a lot of effort. There were some technical errors and footwork issues but it all ties together to being nervous and not hearing the music.
Julia’s Score: 7
Bentley’s Score: 8
Angelina’s Score: 7
Von Miller and Witney Carson
Viennese Waltz: A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes from Cinderella
Judges’ Scores: 8, 8, 8, 8 (32/40)
#TeamBlondeMiller 1(800)868-3411
We all know I haven’t been particularly impressed with Von up to this point-though I don’t think that’s entirely his fault-but I really liked his dance this week! Both Von and Witney seemed more determined than ever to impress, and their hard work definitely paid off! Von showed grace and elegance we hadn’t seen from him before, and it was a lovely routine. He still seems a little stiff but he’s getting there. I do wish they’d been given a different movie than Cinderella, though, because Witney seemed to be the centerpiece of the number and the celebrity is the one who is supposed to be highlighted! It was like the James/Peta Frozen number from Season 18, but at least Von got to play an actual character from the movie! He has Lindsay for the Switch-Up which is what I voted for so I’m happy. They’ll be dancing a Jive which makes me a little nervous but considering the alternative style was Samba I think they got the better option.
Prince Charming, everybody! This routine was filled with elegant whimsicality, except for that awful light arrangement on Witney’s dress! Way to ruin such a stunning costume! This Viennese Waltz was a good transition from last week’s questionable Contemporary. Von surprised me the most out of everybody on Monday, showing a light and flowy side to him that I have been waiting for, but not yet completely expecting, to see. His feet have improved tremendously since week one, so now it is time for him to focus on polishing his lines. Von seems to be going back and forth with his consistency of performance quality each week this season, so let’s hope that he only goes up from here!
I loved how Von transformed into an elegant man with this. He kept a beautiful posture, feet turned out, wonderful arms and fingers whenever he reached out, and an elegant smile on his face. I felt he should’ve gotten at least one 9 because the fact that he transformed from someone who is loose and goofy to an elegant man is amazing. He really committed to playing the role and can’t wait for what he brings next to the competition.
Julia’s Score: 8
Bentley’s Score: 9
Angelina’s Score: 9
Ginger Zee and Valentin Chmerkovskiy
Foxtrot: Belle from Beauty and the Beast
Judges’ Scores: 9, 9, 9, 9 (36/40) Top of the Leaderboard
#TeamGinAndJuice 1(800)868-3404
I’ve been waiting to see Val as Gaston for I don’t know how long, and my wish finally came true Monday night! Just like how the “Friend Like Me” routine reminded me of the Aladdin stage musical, this number seemed like it came straight out of a production of Beauty and the Beast! This couple had by far the most difficult song to work with this week, but whoever edited it did fairly well and Ginger and Val managed to deliver a nice Foxtrot. I couldn’t believe this was Ginger’s first ballroom dance! She was very smooth and elegant in her moves. And her frame was INCREDIBLE! Wow! However, this dance was almost becoming a Tango by the end of it, and again we saw about ⅓ of the dance being story development without any actual dancing. I’d usually give this a pass because it’s Disney Night and some of the rules tend to go out the window (I also noticed a lift or two but that’s not usually something that is called out on Disney night so those didn’t bother me) but this has been a recurring problem for this couple. For a truly great theatrical routine, the choreographer must be able to incorporate scene setting into the actual dance moves. Ginger is doing a “traditional” Salsa with Mark for the Switch-Up next week and I think they’ll be fun together.
Ginger and Val have been receiving a lot of unnecessary hate, so I’m here to give this Foxtrot a bow and a round of applause! Val is probably the partner you want to have when it comes to theatrical themes, especially when it comes to Disney Night! Ginger has a star quality that makes every movement divine, and her Foxtrot lines are no exception! The most minor, yet most annoying thing to happen with the Foxtrot, though, happened. Her left shoulder was pointed up just enough for me to recognize it, which is really the only flaw that I saw in this routine! The fountain scene was my favorite part of the entire performance, mainly because it was like a Broadway production! This was the most memorable dance of the night to me, and has me smiling every time I watch it!
I love Ginger’s personality. She is so bubbly and great at fitting into the roles of any character she dances as. She did an amazing Belle and held a wonderful frame and had footwork that impressed me. People need to put aside the hate that they are given her and just judge her on what she is currently doing. I am very proud of her and thought she did great. Some technical errors but that is like everyone else.
Julia’s Score: 8
Bentley’s Score: 9
Angelina’s Score: 9
Wanyá Morris and Lindsay Arnold
Samba: Circle of Life from The Lion King
Judges’ Scores: 8, 9, 9, 9 (35/40)
#TeamYayZee 1(800)868-3412
I love Wanyá’s enthusiasm for learning and performing every week, so I was so happy he got to pay tribute to one of his favorite Disney movies, The Lion King, this week! I thought he did a really great job with such a tough dance; his legs were steady and he certainly has rhythm! However, some of his movements seemed to be executed slightly behind time and his arms often look like he’s about to karate chop something instead of what we should be seeing in a ballroom/Latin dance. Once again, Wanyá has proven himself to be a great performer and true contender for the Mirrorball Trophy. He has a Tango with Witney next week and I’m sure he’ll do fine with that.
There’s something about African-inspired dances that just make me fall in love with the performances! Wanyá and Lindsay captured the wild essence of The Lion King, and seamlessly implemented that into more controlled steps. Wanyá makes his routines look effortless with his strong rhythm and amazing connection with Lindsay. Once again, Wanyá can work on his arms, but they have gotten better. Wanyá’s Samba not only made me bop my head for a club-like twist on Disney Night, but it also had me in awe over his ease of movement!
Wanya always amazes me when he dances. He always acts so strong and powerful and that works for him especially in The Lion King! My only issue might have just been his arm fluidity and bounce action which is a key in samba, but the other factors he brought to the floor hid those mistakes. I do have to agree with Carrie Ann, he did begin a bit too strong and I felt like maybe he should’ve just been a little bit softer because it was a bit intense. He is so determined and I love to see that passion in a dancer.
Julia’s Score: 8
Bentley’s Score: 9
Angelina’s Score: 9
Paige VanZant and Mark Ballas
Quickstep: You’ve Got a Friend in Me from Toy Story
Judges’ Scores: 9, 9, 9, 9 (36/40) Top of the Leaderboard
#PowRightInTheKisser 1(800)868-3410
I continue to be filled with joy when watching Paige dance! This was a great Toy Story Quickstep! She was a little bit shaky during some of the portions done while travelling in hold, but she is just so amazing at both the technical and performance aspects of dance! I loved the staging and theme as well; it enhanced the dance instead of getting in the way of it. There was a lot of out-of-hold moments in the choreography but that kind of thing doesn’t seem to matter on Disney Night so it’s whatever I guess. Great job from both Paige and Mark! I’m excited to see Paige’s Switch-Up dance next week because she has a Rumba (which is the style she wanted) and is going to be dancing with Sasha! I’m sure the performance will be incredible, and that package is sure to be a lot of fun!
Paige is just a little ball of sunshine! This Quickstep made me feel transported to the joyful world of Andy’s toybox from Toy Story! I was emphatically impressed with both Paige’s technique and interpretation of her childish character. She has focus on her stability to make the dance feel more put together, especially when doing the flashy tricks. I loved the toy soldiers in the background, and how realistic they looked as shiny pieces of plastic. Mark had a phenomenal concept, as always! The falling down of turning into lifeless dolls at the end of the performance was a nice little touch, adding even the smallest details to the dance. Paige is a force to reckon with, but let’s observe the next few weeks to see what her voting base is like.
For someone who is a UFC fighter, I continue to be amazed by how beautiful and feminine is and how she can bring that out. She is a wonderful dancer and I think she too, can win this competition. Her footwork was pretty flawless and technique was pretty good. Mark always has the best props and ideas to use in dances.Her frame could use some work but other than that I loved it!
Julia’s Score: 9
Bentley’s Score: 9
Angelina’s Score: 9
Julia’s Rankings of the Disney Night Performances:
1. Nyle & Peta
2. Paige & Mark
3. Wanya & Lindsay
4. Ginger & Val
5. Kim & Sasha
6. Von & Witney
7. Jodie & Keo
8. Marla & Tony
9. Antonio & Sharna
10. Doug & Karina
Bentley’s Rankings of the Disney Night Performances:
1. Ginger & Val
2. Paige & Mark
3. Wanyá & Lindsay
4. Nyle & Peta
5. Von & Witney
6. Jodie & Keo
7. Antonio & Sharna
8. Kim & Sasha
9. Marla & Tony
10. Doug & Karina
Angelina’s Rankings of the Disney Night Performances:
1. Ginger & Val
2. Nyle & Peta
3. Paige & Mark
4. Wanya & Lindsay
5. Von & Witney
6. Kim & Sasha
7. Jodie & Keo
8. Antonio & Sharna
9. Marla & Tony
10. Doug & Karina
Some Other Miscellaneous Thoughts We Had This Week
- Oh, how I wish we could give .5 scores. If we could, my range would be a bit wider and we would be able to differentiate which couples we liked just a little bit more with them. I guess the rankings list allows us to do that, but still.
- Agree with you on that!
- How about Val on that violin during the opening number?! I know a lot of people don’t like the singers the show uses for live entertainment, but I love Ray Chew Live! Mandy Moore choreographed the opening sequence, and since I never dislike her choreography, I of course loved this routine!
- To be honest, the only full Disney movies I have seen that were portrayed through the dances on Monday night were Zootopia and Toy Story. I’ve seen bits and pieces of some of the other movies, but nothing too major. Also, as probably being in the minority here, I absolutely love the live animation! My favorite animation, although minor, was the sloth from Zootopia walking across the Switch-Up screen, and barely even making it across. I love the sloths so much in that movie; they are probably the best and most brilliantly made animated characters I have ever seen in a Disney movie! I also laughed at Grumpy the dwarf sitting next to Len at the judges’ table. That’s a funny little animation to slip into there! XD
- Zendaya was an okay guest judge. She didn’t seem too biased, she stayed positive throughout the night, and she gave fair scores. Well done, Zendaya. Well done. Maks will be a guest judge next week, which will be interesting, because when he judged in season seventeen, he agreed a lot with Carrie Ann, but when he judged in season twenty-one, he agreed more with Bruno. I wonder how this will all play out. . .
- I think Zendaya was a good guest judge. Nothing particularly exciting came from her guest appearance, but she was a nice enough presence in the ballroom. However, Maks as a guest judge might be a different story...I didn’t mind him guest judging back in the fall, since the only questionable thing about it was that Val was still in the competition at that point and Julianne judged Derek (and her former ballroom partner Mark) full-time for three seasons. Though I do recall him showing maybe a little bias towards him “because he could”....Anyway, the scenario next week is going to be a little different because Maks will be judging not only his brother, but also his ex-fiancee and current fiancee, the latter of which he has literally spent time in rehearsals with helping her coach her partner. I think we’re borderlining on unfair here (or maybe we’ve already crossed the line) but we’ll see.
- So, America’s Switch-Up is next week. I get why the show changed the name from “Switch-Up” to “America’s Switch-Up”, but that name is very misleading. I know that adding the word “America’s” is supposed to infer that America chooses the dance styles, but is that really a big deal? And besides, when I first heard the new name, I was confused. I was thinking that maybe the Switch-Up was happening in a foreign version of Dancing With the Stars, so they had to differentiate the names, but ultimately, that was not the case. The Switch-Up always either goes really good or really bad, but I have an optimistic feeling that it will be really good this time around!
- I’m in Canada and I voted for the Switch-Up so I guess the whole “America’s” thing slapped on the title really is moot.
- And since next week is the Switch-Up, I doubt there will be an elimination. I do think Doug is in hot water, though, considering every other couple is arguably stronger at dancing than him. But then again, I am awful at predictions, so I could be very far off! But once when we get further into the season, it will be an absolute blood bath to the Mirror Ball Trophy! And dare I say that this season has even higher competition than season eighteen? Well I guess we'll find out when the finale comes!
- I really hope you’re right and there is not an elimination next week. I think it will help everyone relax a bit more.
- I know this is not Ginger’s fault, so I’m not going to blame her for it. But doesn’t ABC realize that they are promoting Ginger Zee way too much? They keep having segments about only Ginger, and not any other celebrities on the show (besides the eliminated couples each week, and Nyle that one time), on Good Morning America, when there are so many different segments that they could do about everyone else! After Most Memorable Year Night, Ginger had her own segment on GMA about her “sob story”, yet even more heart-wrenching stories like Doug’s and Jodie’s were only just briefly mentioned? Could they be any more obvious about these #TeamZee promotions? I know that GMA has a right to do this, considering Ginger Zee is a meteorologist for the show after all, but now it’s just ridiculous. I want to see more of the other couples! I don’t hate Ginger or Val at all. . . I just hate what ABC is trying to turn them into!
- I generally don’t have a problem with people from ABC being on Dancing With the Stars, but having someone from the show that seems to do the bulk of their promotion seems a tad unfair, because there is obviously going to be bias shown towards that person. There are a bunch of reasons I kind of dislike that Ginger is on this season, but I’ll get more into why next week.
- When looking back from the first season, it really annoys me that the “dances” are not even becoming dances anymore. Sometimes it’s walking around the stage and the time per dance is shorter and it is just really bothering because this show is supposed to show the beauty of ballroom dance but sometimes we aren’t even given that.
- They should have a longer troupe dance like maybe in the middle of the two hours like a half time or something. Just to really get into the mood and to add more dancing because as I said before, the dances have gotten shorter and some don’t even include dancing!
- Next week is Switch Up Week! There is no elimination next week because they are not with their regular partners but I am still nervous for quite a few of the couples for switch up week, like Nyle and kind of Doug. We know he isn’t a very strong dancer and I feel like it might be an out of sync dance because I never really see him with anyone else from the cast other than Karina. I am nervous for Nyle because him and Peta are already used to it but not his switch up partner so he may struggle this week. Sending both of them positive energy and hope that they will succeed.
- I agree about Doug maybe having problems, especially with a Tango, but I think Kim might have the toughest row to hoe. She has a ballroom dance spent mostly in hold with a partner who we have never seen choreograph this style before and is over a foot taller than her. One of the show’s professional dancers recently commented on how hard it is for her to dance Waltz with the taller male pros, so I can only imagine how hard it’d be for a celebrity. I’m not worried for Nyle though, because…
- Nyle is going to win this thing, hands down. I’m calling it right here, right now. In fact, I was going to say it after Week 1 but I wanted to be sure. I originally had him pretty high in my pre-season rankings but not as the winner. This was because I was expecting him to be decent with the dancing but not the best one in the competition. However, he has turned out one of the best dancers of the season, so now he has the whole package; inspiring, extremely likeable, chemistry with partner, and a very good dancer. He has fans from before DWTS, of course, but the factors I listed are what brings in in the votes from the general audience, and he has them all in spades. I’ve even seen comments like “I haven’t been watching but I hope Nyle wins”. That right there is very telling. Even if he has an off week he probably has so much of the audience’s loyalty by this point in the game that it probably won’t matter. And I can tell you that if he does screw up during the Switch-Up, he won’t be the one blamed for it, Sharna will (regardless of whose fault it is). The only things that could bump him down at this point would be a bunch of bad performances in a row, an injury or illness that prevents him from dancing, or a package edit so terrible it’d turn most of the viewership off of him. And I really don’t see any of those things happening.
- I think I might have to agree with you there, Julia. Nyle is not only entertaining and natural at dancing, but he is just an amazing person overall! There are virtually no flaws that I can see in his voting whatsoever, and if he keeps this up, he will be tough to beat when it comes to the scores as well!
- It’s interesting to see how we scored the dances this week. As it turns out, I’m not the harsh scorer anymore. . . that’s Julia! XD Things have different turned around since last week! Maybe it’s the Disney laughing gas that got me (which is weird, because I am not much of a Disney fan), but I thought every single dance was beyond phenomenal this week. I thought Angelina scored fairly, and I thought Julia did as well, considering what they were looking for in the dances. The only question now is. . . who is the most consistent? JK LOL!
What did you think of Disney Night on DWTS? What was your favorite dance of the night? What did you think of Marla and Tony’s elimination? Which performance do you think had the most Disney magic? Who do you want paired together next week for the Switch-Up Challenge? Who do you think will be the next one to be voted off this season after switch week?
Next week is the America’s Switch-Up Challenge, with guest judge Maksim Chmerkovskiy! The celebrities will dance with partners that America chose for them, as well as dance styles also chosen by the public!
For more about Dancing With the Stars, follow Julia Delbel on Twitter at @juliadelbel and on Tumblr at forevertrueblue, follow Paul Bentley on Twitter at @DWTS2016, and follow our newest blogger, Angelina Mikheeva, on Twitter at @angelinarose42!
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