Dancing With the Stars Season 24- Week 3 (Vegas Night) Dance Overviews

The first-ever Vegas Night on Dancing With the Stars brought some party dances that left some people winning with a royal flush, and others folding their cards.

This week, Julia Delbel and Paul Bentley are back to give their thoughts on the third week of dances. And, giving her input on Vegas Night, our guest blogger this week is Alison (@Weird_DWTS on Twitter)!

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Vegas Night Dances

The remaining eleven couples performed dances to various Las Vegas themes before the second elimination of the season.

[Order of the Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Julianne Hough, Bruno Tonioli]

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Opening Number

Bossa Nova Baby (Viva Mix) by Elvis Presley

@Weird_DWTS: This opening number was so much fun! I loved the unique concept they came up with for Vegas Night and I think it really set the tone for the rest of the night. I like how they went big with the production. Go big or go home!

@TheBentleyNinja: I love Bossa Nova Baby! It was the perfect song for a tacky Vegas number, especially when it is more about having fun than actual technical dancing. It’s numbers like these that bring a bit of light-heartedness to all of the feuds and controversies in the Dancing With the Stars fandom. It was everything that everybody loves about Las Vegas in a two-minute party opening!

@juliadelbel: I’m glad they did this number and included all the couples because it was a fun way to start the show and show everyone in a positive- even goofy- light. It was a riot!

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Nick Viall and Peta Murgatroyd

Tango: Poker Face by Lady Gaga

The Judges’ Scores: 7, 6, 7, 6 (26/40)

#TeamBabyGotBach 1(800)868-3409

@Weird_DWTS: Nick had me at kinda eh to be honest. I’m really surprised as to why they had Nick in the first spot of the night. That dance really wasn’t anything special in my eyes. I will say though, before DWTS, I heard that Nick was a douche on the Bachelor. However, I really like Nick’s attitude on DWTS. He really wants this, and I like that.

Alison’s Score: 7

@TheBentleyNinja: The DWTS wardrobe department really nailed the costumes for this dance. They had just the right amount of silliness in them with the poker motifs, but they still had an intense look to them. Nick improved from his Foxtrot last week with more stability this time around, but he came off as almost too stable with his stiffness and robotic movements. His frame was all over the place, and he sort of stomped around the dance floor, but I can tell that he is listening to the judges’ comments closely. I feel like he knows what to do, but his body is just not doing it correctly. The Tango still had tons of passion and lots of content, though. I can see that Peta is challenging Nick, which I appreciate, so I hope Nick is able to continue to progress like I predicted him to in the first week.

Bentley’s Score: 6

@juliadelbel: I’m glad Nick was able to get over his nerves, at least enough to give a decent performance Monday night. Usually it takes celebs nearly the whole season to tackle these sorts of issues (and usually by the time the finally do overcome them it’s too late for them anyway) so I was very impressed. Had they not had an opening number, I think this would have been maybe the second or third dance in the lineup because it wasn’t very impactful to me. Nick’s frame has improved and his steps don’t seem quite as stiff but he still looks pretty “wooden” when he dances. I’d say this would probably send him home but I think being “in jeopardy” at the end of the night probably bought him another week.

Julia’s Score: 7

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Mr. T and Kym Johnson-Herjavec

Foxtrot: Ain’t That a Kick in the Head by Robbie Williams

The Judges’ Scores: 6, 6, 6, 6 (24/40) Lowest Score of the Night

#TeamDancinFools 1(800)868-3407

@Weird_DWTS: I love Mr T. I mean, who doesn’t? This was really Mr T’s best dance. To me, he didn’t miss a single step. True, his technique could use a lot of work, but his attitude makes up for it. Mr T really did so well with that. I sure hope he’s still around for Disney Night and that he can survive Most Memorable Year.

Alison’s Score: 6

@TheBentleyNinja: Have I mentioned that I loved the music from Vegas Night yet? Because I do. Mr. T and Kym did justice to “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” with what I believe is their best dance yet! Mr. T looked good in the white suit, allowing him to truly became the classy character that he needed to be for the dance. I don’t think it needs mentioning that Mr. T isn’t very graceful, and that his entire stature was very static, because frankly, in terms of entertainment, that doesn’t matter to me. I was surprised to Mr. T do as well in the Foxtrot as he actually did, despite him being one of the weakest performers of the night, with all of his pizazz and the look of pure enjoyment on his face. This was the first week that I saw that Mr. T has a sense of rhythm, which proves to show that even with certain limitations, it is always possible to improve!

Bentley’s Score: 6

@juliadelbel: This was the first dance Mr. T did that didn’t have him reprising one of his iconic roles, and I actually think I prefer him trying new things on the show because this felt very refreshing and I agree it was his best performance to date. Of course we all know he wasn’t able to be as smooth as the judges would have liked but it’s not like this issue was a surprise or anything, and I was very impressed by his ability to keep up with Kym fairly well. His joy was what really sold me on this, though.

Julia’s Score: 6

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Bonner Bolton and Sharna Burgess

Charleston: A Little Party Never Killed Nobody by Fergie, GoonRock, and Q-Tip

The Judges’ Scores: 6, 6, 6, 6 (24/40) Lowest Score of the Night

#TeamDenimNDiamonds 1(800)868-3401

@Weird_DWTS: I just can’t stand him, especially the first part of his package where they talked about how Bonner tied with Simone. The technique just flew out the window. I don’t know what happened to him in that dance. His arms and legs were a total mess. I loved Sharna’s choreography, but that’s about all I loved about it. I don’t think Bonner smiled once in that dance and charleston is one of the most fun dances.

Alison’s Score: 6

@TheBentleyNinja: I genuinely enjoyed this dance, mostly because of the style and theme of it, but liked seeing Bonner managing to hold his own center-stage. Bonner was off a lot, and he seemed to not know what to do with his arms half of the time, but this was a refreshing routine to watch after two relatively serious dances. I still don’t see a whole of lot personality shining through his dances, but I think that Sharna is slowly helping him find his place on this show. The fact that this Charleston was a bit slower than a lot of Charleston, in my opinion, seemed to have actually hurt Bonner in the long run, making him have to be more precise and accurate in his movements. The presentation of the dance was on the two-dimensional side, but Bonner and Sharna brought the 1920’s to life, and it was interesting to see how they interpreted the era with a modern twist to it.

Bentley’s Score: 6

@juliadelbel: I was surprised they gave the first of what will probably be only a few Charlestons this season to Bonner of all people, not only because of his inability to execute certain lifts and tricks many viewers have come to expect in this style (though not a required ingredient for a good Charleston) but because he seems to be kind of stone-faced. I was hoping he’d be able to show a different side of himself in this performance, but he seemed so concentrated on getting the steps down that he wasn’t able to focus on the entertainment aspect of it. The steps themselves weren’t that great for the most part, and he seemed to be struggling to keep up with Sharna and the other dancers. Speaking of the extras, I don’t think including the troupe members in this number was a wise choice because their presence mainly served to highlight Bonner’s shortcomings.

Julia’s Score: 6

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Derek Hough and Julianne Hough (Tour Preview)

Unsteady (Erich Lee Gravity Remix) by X Ambassadors

@Weird_DWTS: This dance was gorgeous from beginning to end. I was in tears by the end of it and the story they told through dance was so beautiful. After seeing this dance, I really regret not buying tickets for their tour. I can’t imagine how incredible the tour is going to be if this is just a little snippet.

@TheBentleyNinja: Derek and Julianne always come out with innovative and breath-taking routines, but this one takes the cake of the Contemporary numbers I’ve seen them do together. I love how they showcased with the concepts of children’s interpretations of events and the concept of time, and how it feels like it could stop when things seem to go just a little too fast. The Houghs had really cool technique with choreography that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. This dance was very technical, yet simple, using an artistic medium to describe the effects of their parents’ divorce on them. It was true to them, but relatable to so many people.

@juliadelbel: I agree with what Alison and Bentley said! These two, Derek in particular, tend to go all-out with the unexpected and innovative but this time they took a simpler route that was still just as solid, emotional, and powerful. Kudos to them!

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Heather Morris and Alan Bersten (Maksim Chmerkovskiy)

Tango: Toxic by Britney Spears

The Judges’ Scores: 9, 8, 8, 8 (33/40)

#TeamMaksimumHeat 1(800)868-3406

@Weird_DWTS: I loved how they put a lot of content in this dance. In last week’s dance, I didn’t like how there was a lack of content in the dance. In week 1, I felt like she didn’t have enough emotion. This week, she had content and emotion. I don’t know if a nine was warranted, but it certainly was a good dance. I’m praying that Maks recovers soon so that he can get back out on the dance floor.

Alison’s Score: 8

@TheBentleyNinja: Once again, Heather proved how rhythm just flows throughout her body, allowing her to become part of the music. And for the first time this season, I saw a connection between Heather and her partner. It’s still not as magnified as I would have like to have seen it, but things like that take time. Hopefully that connection can transfer back to Maks when she is done dancing with Alan. While I loved Alan’s choreography, I think that it was too staccato for my taste, which made it seem choppy in the long run. I also saw Heather having to rely more on Alan than on herself, which is another thing that she has to grow out of. But overall, Heather showed both elegance and fierceness in her Tango, and that made for an aura that I usually don’t see on Dancing With the Stars until later in the season!

Bentley’s Score: 8

@juliadelbel: I agree with what Alison and Bentley said and really enjoyed this routine. Heather had a good connection with Alan and nailed the choreo minus a small issue with the splits portion. Also there may have been an uncalled lift in here. My other issue with this number was the lighting. It matched their costumes and made most of the dance look like an orange blur. But I really enjoyed this one and agree that it felt more like a late-season dance.

Julia’s Score: 9

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Charo and Keoikantse Motsepe Eliminated- 11th Place

Foxtrot: Chapel of Love by The Dixie Cups

The Judges’ Scores: 6, 6, 6, 6 (24/40) Lowest Score of the Night

#TeamCuchiCuchi 1(800)868-3402

@Weird_DWTS: Charo did much better with this dance than she did last week which is surprising considering that last week she a had a Paso, which is much more similar to Flamenco. She was gorgeous, too. I’m glad that Keo gave her good choreography for this week, and it kinda sucked that her best dance was also the night she got eliminated. I will say that she was the right one to go home because I was getting tired of her constant outbursts.

Alison’s Score: 6

@TheBentleyNinja: Who doesn’t love a good Vegas elopement?! I liked that we finally saw a more flowy and elegant dance from Charo and Keo this week, although I think the Latin styles suit Charo more. Charo was much more on time this week than she was last week, but that came at the cost of her dancing as though she took a sleeping pill before performing. But besides that, I was really impressed by her hold with Keo, and how she even implemented some sway in her stature. I would have liked to have seen more in hold, because it is some of the best technique she has had on the show, but the in-between sections (and there were a lot of them!) were really good compared to her other dances as well. I thought that Charo was going to last another week, but I can’t say that I’m shocked by her elimination in the slightest. It was fun seeing her unpredictable episodes live on the show, but I guess that that can only take somebody so far!

Bentley’s Score: 6

@juliadelbel: I was a little concerned about Charo’s capabilities with the Standard Ballroom dances but she was actually pretty smooth in this and managed to keep up with Keo pretty well. I’m glad she was calmer this week and that she seemed okay with being eliminated at the end of the night. (I’m pretty sure her outbursts were at least somewhat of an act but clearly that act went too far for most people’s tastes last week.)

Julia’s Score: 6

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Simone Biles and Sasha Farber

Quickstep: Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley

The Judges’ Scores: 7, 8, 9, 8 (32/40)

#TeamGoldenGiggles 1(800)868-3412

@Weird_DWTS: I hate the lift police. What more can I say? It wasn’t even a lift. Heather had a lift in her dance and she wasn’t called out for it. Simone had an assist and she was called out for it. How is that fair? Aside from that mini rant, I must say that I loved this dance. Her technique was pristine and the speed was controlled yet amazing. I loved the choreography and I really think Simone embodied the Elvis character. I will also say though, I feel like Simone hasn’t totally gotten into her stride on the ballroom yet. Hopefully, Most Memorable Year will be the week that she really gets into the competition.

Alison’s Score: 9

@juliadelbel: This was my favorite routine of Simone’s to date and I think it suited her capabilities well. I thought her technique was amazing but there were too many sections out of hold. I know they don’t really mark down for that in Quicksteps anymore but I still notice it. This was one of my favorite routines of the night but amongst everything else it seemed to get a little overlooked, which was disappointing to me.

Julia’s Score: 8

@TheBentleyNinja: Simone doesn’t know who Elvis was? Umm, okay. But even without a class in Presley history, I thought that Simone and Sasha were excellent Elvises (or as Tom would say for the plural of Elvis: Elvi). Simone really showcased how she can be powerful and smooth at the same time, despite a slight lack of control in her hold. The scores were all over the place with this dance, and honestly, I can see why. If I were in one of the judging chairs, I would want to judge each couple based off of their own capabilities, rather than comparing them to others. But that being said, I feel like Simone’s scores so far this season have been kind of inconsistent. So how exactly do the judges compare- in my opinion- such skewed scores for this Quickstep. Don’t get me wrong- the judges got themselves in that mess, but I do have to say that judging live immediately after someone finished their dance must be pretty hard. But I digress. Simone and Sasha continue to bring out fun onto the ballroom floor, even if it might look just the tiniest bit forced. I know that Simone is a gymnast, so performing in such a way like they do on DWTS is quite the change. Nevertheless, I feel like this dance was underrated (just like Nancy’s), and it overall made me feel good.

Bentley’s Score: 9

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Nancy Kerrigan and Artem Chigvintsev

Samba: Shake Your Bon-Bon by Ricky Martin

The Judges’ Scores: 8, 9, 8, 8 (33/40)

#TeamBladesOfGlory 1(800)868-3408

@Weird_DWTS: Damn! Nancy can really move those hips! I loved her lines as always, and I loved how she just went for it. She really didn’t hold back with this dance and I love that. Artem gave her a ton of content and I love that too. I’m so excited for her! Praying that she gets a ballroom dance next week so that she can show off her grace in ballroom.

Alison’s Score: 8

@juliadelbel: Nancy really surprised me this week and this was a great time for her to have a breakout performance. Samba is no joke and she did very well. She still seemed nervous but that didn’t really get in her way. I also love that Artem didn’t hold back on the choreography, which made her nailing the dance even more impressive. This is another couple I fear may be fading into the woodwork but hopefully this performance kept them in people’s minds.

Julia’s Score: 8

@TheBentleyNinja: I second everything that Alison and Julia said about this dance. It is very rare that we see Samba technique this good on the show so early in the season. Sure, Nancy is used to skating on ice, but Latin dancing (let alone the timing and footing of the Samba) is a completely different animal. This dance was fast and slow in all the right places! Nancy genuinely looked like she was having fun without any stress this time around, unlike her Cha-Cha-Cha from the week before. Nancy and Artem played off of each other in the most perfect way, letting the routine just fall into place with a sensual ease. Nancy could improve her extensions a bit and polish her skills in traveling backwards, but it ultimately became the stand out performance of the night to me without much thought. And once again, I feel like Nancy was underscored when looking at the rest of the leaderboard. But that’s all between the judges. Fans of Nancy have to vote!

Bentley’s Score: 9

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David Ross and Lindsay Arnold

Jazz: Candy Shop by 50 Cent

The Judges’ Scores: 8, 7, 8, 8 (31/40)

#TeamLadyAndTheGramp 1(800)868-3404

@Weird_DWTS: David really tried for it and I liked that. I’ll be honest, this isn’t my favorite choreography from Lindsay, but I liked how David went for it. David was much crisper with his technique than I thought he was. Whoever thought it was a good idea to give David Magic Mike needs to be fired though. He’s a forty year old man with three kids, please, have Rashad do this song or something. I’m hoping that David gets a ballroom dance next week for Most Memorable Year because that seems to be his forte.

Alison’s Score: 7

@juliadelbel: I was surprised at how seriously David and Lindsay took this assignment. I thought it was going to be another “joke” performance but they had a nice balance between comedy and really selling it as a serious dance. The choreography did seem kind of simple but David did well with it. There were some moments he seemed a little nervous with the character but overall he did a good job. I do wish Lindsay was in the dance at least a bit more, though.

Julia’s Score: 7

@TheBentleyNinja: I couldn’t stop laughing during this routine (and I could tell that David was having trouble holding in his laughter, too!), but in all honesty, this was better technique-was than his Cha-Cha-Cha. David could have actually turned this Jazz into something sexy without any humor, and I think that it still could have worked out. I really wish that we saw Lindsay more, because all we saw was her getting a lapdance and grinding up on the floor. But I guess some audience members don’t mind that. But the biggest thing missing in this dance was, in fact, the lack of interaction between David and Lindsay. David could have been more powerful in her arms, which became noticeable with him in front of the troupe. David still performed his heart out and held his own just like last time, which is the reason why I agree with the judges’ eights. Apparently a lot of people don’t agree with me on that, but disagreeing like that is what keeps the show interesting, right?

Bentley’s Score: 8

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Erika Jayne and Gleb Savchenko

Jive: Take Me to Heaven by Patina Miller, Debbie Kurup, and Amy Booth-Steel

The Judges’ Scores: 6, 7, 7, 6 (26/40)

#TeamPrettyXXpensive 1(800)868-3405

@Weird_DWTS: I really liked that dance. I liked the choreography that Gleb gave for Erika. I would’ve liked to see some more jive there and I kinda felt like the music was a bit slow for the Jive too. Erika looked gorgeous in the dance though. Once again, I hate the lift police. Overall though, I’m scared that Erika is fading into the woodwork this season. With so many strong contestants this season, I don’t think Erika’s going to be around too much longer.
Alison’s Score: 7

@juliadelbel: I think I enjoyed this number more than most people. The song was pretty slow for a Jive but they made the most of it. I loved the theme and the choreography, though it did get a bit to pose-y at times (again, probably because of the slow song). Erika also lost place a few times but she did SO well as selling a non-sexual character, and I’m hoping to see more of that from her soon. Unfortunately, she’s yet another person I don’t hear much buzz about so she may be leaving as early as next week.

Julia’s Score: 7

@TheBentleyNinja: Where was this technique that Erika has been hiding from us?! Yes, it was a bit slow, but as Julia said, that’s mostly because of the song (which by the way, is usually chosen by the producers). Erika could be more powerful in her legs, but they are much more flexible than I’ve seem in the two other dances she did. I still don’t think that this Jive was necessarily a more memorable routine from Vegas Night, but it had a whole lot more personality than her Foxtrot! Erika and Gleb interact really naturally with each other, but there is still pizazz and shaping that I think is missing from it all. I still think that she is near the bottom in terms of votes, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she has a secret voting base that I don’t know about! And P.S., what was up with Gleb’s outfit? Why couldn’t they just give him two sleeves? That bothered me more than it probably should have.

Bentley’s Score: 7

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Rashad Jennings and Emma Slater

Samba: Swalla by Jason Derulo featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign

The Judges’ Scores: 7, 7, 7, 7 (28/40)

#TeamShadSquad 1(800)868-3411

@Weird_DWTS: Rashad did much better with this dance than the judges gave him credit for. I’m a tad disappointed that they didn’t use the footage of Emma falling into the pool in their package. I wasn’t satisfied with the package in general because I don’t think it showed them in the best light. I loved Emma’s choreography though. I agree that the song choice wasn’t the best, but I think Emma made the most of it.

Alison’s Score: 8

@TheBentleyNinja: Rashad brought back his natural movements for this dance, but they didn’t quite match up with the Samba style. I think Len was on point with his comments about Rashad’s footwork and technique, which was quite off from proper Samba style. Rashad also looked like he couldn’t keep up at a couple points, but that didn’t stop him from bringing in superior hip action and flavor! And just like Erika and Gleb, Rashad and Emma were somewhat screwed over by the song they were given, but the music wasn’t that slow for a Samba if they danced on the faster beat. But hey, this dance was still really good, and I’m not worried about their elimination anytime soon, even with all sevens this week.

Bentley’s Score: 7

@juliadelbel: I thought Rashad made a good attempt at this challenging Samba choreography (he was the only person this week and in the season so far to do a Samba roll) and really managed to get into the character of the dance too. His hip action was awesome as well, and he powered through even when he made a mistake. I agree with the judges that he was flat footed for a good portion of the routine, and that’s an issue I’ve seen in every dance of his so far, but that and the footing mistake didn’t warrant a score that (relatively) low in my opinion. I haven’t seen much buzz about him this week so I hope people have been voting, but I’m sure he’ll be around for awhile since he still stands out as the best male dancer of the season.

Julia’s Score: 8

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Normani Kordei and Valentin Chmerkovskiy

Foxtrot: Big Spender by Shirley Bassey

The Judges’ Scores: 8, 8, 9, 9 (34/40) Highest Score of the Night

#TeamValMani 1(800)868-3410

@Weird_DWTS: I love Normani and Val’s partnership. The package was great. I loved the dance and the choreography. I love Normani’s personality. My only qualm is that I wished there was a bit more of the dance that was in frame. I’m so impressed with the way that Normani is handling the long airplane flights and the jet lag. I’d be totally exhausted if I was in her position.

Alison’s Score: 8

@TheBentleyNinja: While I was impressed with Normani’s technique like I have been since the very start of this show, I was disappointed by everything we could have seen in this Foxtrot, but didn’t. Normani was sensual in all the right ways, and she had good technique all around from the little amount of content I actually saw in this routine. The dance was too stop-and-go, not allowing us to see what she can really do with traveling and sway. I wanted to see more! Normani could maybe contain her energy more, but besides that, she was a showstopper!

Bentley’s Score: 8

@juliadelbel: I loved seeing Normani’s performance ability in this routine! It really suited her well in that regard and she sold the number so well she seemingly made a lot of people not realize the lack of actual Foxtrot content in this dance! And that was really a shame, because had there been more, I may have given this a 10. What little she did do was very smooth and elegant; I just wish we’d gotten to see MORE of that. This is the second of three dances from these two I didn’t see enough content in, which is frustrating. She NAILED the character, though, and what she did do was AMAZING.

Julia’s Score: 9

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Rankings of the Vegas Night Dances

@TheBentleyNinja

1. Nancy & Artem

2. Simone & Sasha

3. Heather & Alan (Maks)

4. Normani & Val

5. David & Lindsay

6. Rashad & Emma

7. Erika & Gleb

8. Bonner & Sharna

9. Nick & Peta

10. Mr. T & Kym

11. Charo & Keo

@Weird_DWTS

1. Simone and Sasha

2. Nancy and Artem

3. Normani and Val

4. Rashad and Emma

5. David and Lindsay

6. Heather and Alan (Maks)

7. Erika and Gleb

8. Nick and Peta

9. Charo and Keo

10. Mr T and Kym

11. Bonner and Sharna

@juliadelbel

1. Heather & Alan (Maks)

2. Normani & Val

3. Simone & Sasha

4. Nancy & Artem

5. Rashad & Emma

6. David & Lindsay

7. Erika & Gleb

8. Nick & Peta

9. Charo & Keo

10. Mr. T & Kym

11. Bonner & Sharna

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Alison’s Final Comments

@Weird_DWTS: Overall, I really loved tonight’s show and it was definitely my favorite week of the show so far. So far, my three clear favorites are Rashad, Simone, and David, and I think Rashad is going to be the champion of this season. I think the finale is going to consist of Rashad, Simone, and either David or Normani. Most Memorable Year is always one of my favorite theme nights and I love hearing contestants open up about their stories. I’m praying that Bonner is eliminated next week, but the logical side of me knows that it’s more likely going to be Mr T or Erika. I’m really excited for Disney Week on week 5 and whatever else the producers throw at us.

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Make sure you read our thoughts on the dances every Wednesday, and additional thoughts and analyses every Friday throughout season 24 of Dancing With the Stars on the DWTS INTERACT blog!

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Playlist of the Vegas Night Dances: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK1f1bOs9XydN7THRRi_I_CTLvp2VSXLp

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Follow us on Twitter!

DWTS Dreams: @24_7dwts

Julia Delbel: @juliadelbel

Paul Bentley: @TheBentleyNinja

Alison: @Weird_DWTS

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