Monday night was the most haunting night of the season-- Halloween Night! We saw eight individual dances for round one, and then it was the team dance battle! But the scariest part of the night might have been the sudden DOUBLE elimination!
And with thoughts on the dances from this week, here are Paul Bentley, Julia Delbel, and Dwtsdreams!
Individual Halloween Dances
The final eight couples performed Halloween-themed dances individually before the team dances.
Victoria Arlen and Val Chmerkovskiy
Viennese Waltz
The Night We Met by Lord Huron
Bentley This was a pretty nice routine, even though the choreography was a bit too jumbled for my taste, especially with the section that just one contra check after another, but nonetheless, I thought that Victoria stepped each step moral control than she’s had before. One problem that I have seen with Victoria’s ballroom styles, though, is that she anticipates the next beat very obviously while in hold, and when she constantly anticipates the next move, she sort of dips herself down a little bit in an almost rigid way (but the choreography didn’t help in that aspect). This Viennese Waltz was quite lovely, but at the same time, it seemed to get lost in the mix on Monday night. Sure, there were some cool added effects to add another dimension to the dance, but Victoria and Val didn’t jump at me this week.
Julia This was nice and technically Victoria’s best routine to date but I’m concerned she has faded into the background. I’ve barely remembered a thing she’s done this season, and the dances of hers that stick out in my mind the most are the very first two she did. Since then she’s hasn’t hit any major low blows but hasn’t reached the high points of any of the other remaining contestants. I’m gonna coin her situation as being “dangerously consistent” as being decent but not improving or standing out very much is often what sends arguably stronger dancers home over weaker ones, and if it wasn’t for her team dance point cushion I’d be seriously worried about her leaving next week.
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
9
|
Len
9
|
Bruno
9
|
Total
27/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
9
|
Dwtsdreams
9
|
Julia
9
|
Total
27/30
|
#TeamViVa 1(800)868-3413
Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold
Paso Doble
Animals by Martin Garrix
Bentley Jordan and Lindsay did it again! Everything about this performance caught the essence of Halloween, and with how good of an actor Jordan is, he was more than convincing with the attitude of his werewolf character! Everything from the build up to the music drop was met with satisfyingly intense power that filled up the space around him, and living up to the energy of the music. All of the Paso Doble content was nailed, and, as always, Jordan and Lindsay made for the perfect pair. And can we just appreciate how epic Lindsay was in this routine?! She danced big, and even with how awesome her dancing was, she still managed to make it so Jordan was the main focus! She created such brilliant choreography!
Julia Incredible! Easily the best of the night, from it’s dark story, to the awesome choreography, and of course the flawless execution! I was concerned the troupe and fog might overpower Jordan and Lindsay but there was no need for me to worry there. The whole thing was just excellent all around!
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
10
|
Len
10
|
Bruno
10
|
Total
30/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
10
|
Dwtsdreams
10
|
Julia
10
|
Total
30/30
|
#TeamFishUponAStar 1(800)868-3406
Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev
Jive
Eliminated- Tied for 7th Place
I Put a Spell on You from Hocus Pocus (1993) by Bette Midler
Bentley Nikki was perfect for the role of the punkish Halloween character. It was obvious that she was really enjoying herself, and she looked sexy while doing it! The judges said that there needed to be more power in her movements, and I couldn’t agree more. While her Jive technique was not bad, it seemed as though Nikki was holding back, which made her footwork not stand out as compared to Artem and the troupe. It seemed as though Nikki was oddly too calm, and I think that that contributed to it as well. It was still a nice, cheesy dance (in a good way), but she has definitely had more spectacular performances than this. I’m bummed that she got eliminated this week, but as we are reaching the end, the better dancers are having to be picked off. It is what it is, but I wish that Nikki weren’t a victim of what I think is an early elimination, especially because of how much potential she had in every single one of her routines!
Julia Nikki was on a roll for a few weeks there, but she unfortunately took a step back on Monday, which was especially sad since it was her last night in the competition. I know she was nervous about tackling the Jive and I think she was overthinking every move while performing it, which may have been the reason for the lack of energy. I wish she’d stuck around longer because I think she would have bounced back from this, having gotten her most dreaded style out of the way.
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
8
|
Len
8
|
Bruno
8
|
Total
24/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
8
|
Dwtsdreams
8
|
Julia
8
|
Total
24/30
|
#TeamSmackdown 1(800)868-3409
Vanessa Lachey and Maks Chmerkovskiy
Paso Doble
Eliminated- Tied for 7th Place
Game of Survival by Ruelle
Bentley That... was really cool! I loved the theme, even if it did get in the way of the dance. Although, I think it would have been cool if Vanessa was a zombie like Maks and the troupe, too. Vanessa was the perfect actress for this performance, which helped me not focus too much her lack of shaping. There just wasn't enough Paso Doble content for me to see everything she can do to her fullest extent, but with what she did execute, she was fierce. I know that she and Maks have had their rough patches, but at least they got eliminated at a point where they can at least tolerate each other!
Julia The concept was neat but it definitely took over the routine. The choreography was quite fluffy and the Paso execution wasn’t that great. I agree her acting was very good, though. I really hate that the reason these two were eliminated was due to the out-of-nowhere perception that the drama happened because Vanessa thought she was too good for the show. Such an incredibly sexist conclusion to jump to that a lot of viewers seemed to. :(
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
8
|
Len
8
|
Bruno
8
|
Total
24/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
8
|
Dwtsdreams
8
|
Julia
8
|
Total
24/30
|
#TeamBabiesAndBallroom 1(800)868-3412
Terrell Owens and Cheryl Burke
Tango
Superfreak by Rick James
Bentley I don’t think that Terrell embodied a character better in a dance than this Tango! He was loring and amazingly monstrous with his vampire persona, using his facial expression to the best of his advantage. He had an impressive frame with Cheryl, too, and kept steady at the beginning, but then it kind of broke a little bit towards the end. After the section with the fireplace, Terrell seemed to have lost his place, but he still kept his posture strong and clean. Even as a Tango, though, I would have liked to have seen Terrell a bit looser, but the most important part- the steady, controlled frame- was predominantly present.
Julia Terrell was another celebrity to take a bit of a step backward this week. His frame and footwork were inconsistent in this Tango, and it just wasn’t memorable on the whole. I think his time will probably be up next week but he’s already made it much further than I expected him to!
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
8
|
Len
8
|
Bruno
9
|
Total
25/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
8
|
Dwtsdreams
8
|
Julia
7
|
Total
23/30
|
#TeamGetchaPopcorn 1(800)868-3411
Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas
Paso Doble
Roundtable Rival by Lindsey Stirling
Bentley Thank goodness Lindsey’s injury wasn’t bad enough to force her out of the competition! She would have definitely been a disappointing loss to the show! This Paso Doble was straight to the point, and I loved that! I love anything that has to do with El DÃa de los Muertos, so the costumes and the concept drew me right in! Lindsey was swift, exact, and full of Paso fire! She and Mark had the perfect fury with each other to make this dance pop, which made it that much more enjoyable to watch. Lindsey was almost perfect; the speed made her move ever so slightly out of place at times, but it is was frequent enough for it to be noticeable. This wasn’t a 10 routine to me, but it came pretty close!
Julia I LOVED the choreography for this and was very impressed by how well Lindsey kept us, especially with those floor slides! I could tell she was in pain while performing but I hope the worst of it has passed and she heals soon so she can dance full-out for the rest of the season!
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
9
|
Len
9
|
Bruno
9
|
Total
27/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
9
|
Dwtsdreams
8
|
Julia
9
|
Total
26/30
|
#TeamSTARK 1(800)868-3407
Frankie Muniz and Witney Carson
Contemporary
Every Breath You Take by Chase Holfelder
Bentley Frankie’s Argentine Tango asserted how fierce of a character he can be, but this Contemporary number took it to a whole other level! He complimented Witney’s superior acting performance this week, and even as the “bad guy” in the dance, he had a great connection with her. I would have liked to have seen more of a delicate feel in some of the choreography to make it feel more like a Contemporary number, but I liked the concept that they had. I did notice some shakiness when he was shifting his weight around with Witney, but he kept himself together for most of the dance. Overall, though, I just wanted a little “more,” but I’m not sure exactly what.
Julia This routine had a great concept, and I think that’s the key with Frankie: he shines the most when given a good concept and character to work with. The choreography he had to do mostly consisted of lifting Witney, which he did well, but I would have liked to see more variety. By this point I believe Frankie has firmly earned himself a place in the top 3, but which one is still up in the air right now.
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
10
|
Len
10
|
Bruno
10
|
Total
30/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
9
|
Dwtsdreams
9
|
Julia
9
|
Total
27/30
|
#TeamFranneyPack 1(800)868-3405
Drew Scott and Emma Slater
Charleston
Remains of the Day by Danny Elfman
Bentley Drew was in his element with this dance! He has been improving just like every other celebrity for a while now, but it looks to me like he now has a good grasp on how his body moves, especially in relation to Emma. Sure, there could have been more attention to detail, but the fact that Drew paid attention to the whole package of the dance is what truly made the difference in his performance. And that tumble?! Just like Carrie Ann, I thought that it was part of the choreography! I never thought that the Charleston would be one of his best dances, but I guess that that's just another part of Drew's surprising journey on this show!
Julia I remember Drew doing a bit of Charleston in a previous routine (which he handled pretty well) so I was excited to see him do a full one! The choreography was well suited to him (so much so that the fall fit right in with the dance) but he was noticeably out of sync from Emma a couple times and some of his movements were just loosey-goosey. Despite those issues, the decent technique and high entertainment value should be enough to keep him safe another week. :) (Also, Sasha just standing in the background for the entire performance after his part at the beginning was over was hilariously awkward. XD)
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
9
|
Len
9
|
Bruno
9
|
Total
27/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
9
|
Dwtsdreams
8
|
Julia
8
|
Total
25/30
|
#TeamHotProperty 1(800)868-3404
Team Halloween Dances
The couples were divided into two teams of four for group Halloween dances. As decided by the show, the captains for each team were determined by whichever two couples had the lowest cumulative scores of the season, which were Drew & Emma and Terrell & Cheryl. Then, an unannounced double elimination took place.
Team Monster Mash
Jordan & Lindsay, Lindsey & Mark, Nikki & Artem, Terrell & Cheryl
Monster Mash by Bobby “Boris” Pickett
Bentley Everything about this dance from the production to the changes in storyline and style made this performance fun to watch, making me eager to find out what was going to happen next! My favorite thing about this team Freestyle was how the celebrities were all over the dance floor, dancing with each other without restriction to just their respective couples. The Jive and Foxtrot sections were nice touches, but more than one couple were off time and were not able to recover in the short time they had in their sections. To me, Lindsey was the glue for all of the fun, and Jordan was the one to tie the technique together during the all-celebrity sections. Nikki embraced her character in an immersive way, too, and Terrell seemed to really feel the spirit of the dance. And while I did fall in love with the production of this dance, it was a bit confusing to watch at times, especially with the lack of communication when they spread out around the props.
Julia This was a routine that probably looked much better to the at-home viewers than the judges, who had to watch it from a pretty awkward angle. I can see how that might have taken away from the routine for them but I still think they were much too harsh. The concept was great, the choreography was dynamic and challenging, and the celebrities managed to keep up pretty well. I only saw a few minor stumbles here and there, and I was impressed by how well they managed to pull this off with all the set pieces.
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
8
|
Len
8
|
Bruno
8
|
Total
24/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
8
|
Dwtsdreams
8
|
Julia
9
|
Total
25/30
|
Team Phantom of the Ballroom
Drew & Emma, Frankie & Witney, Vanessa & Maks, Victoria & Val
Phantom of the Opera by Original London Cast & Michael Reed
Bentley Team Phantom of the Ballroom not only had haunted elegance, but they brought out an interesting dynamic of emotions, too. It was very dynamic, just like how I saw Victoria’s ponderous expressions in contrast to Frankie’s more intense expressions, which all came together in a nice, cohesive way. The choreography was perfect for showcasing the teamwork and cohesivity of the dance, even though there were synchronicity issues scattered throughout. Using Frankie as the main character (but not as too much of a main character) was a good idea, especially with how everyone at some point was their own main character as well as a background character. I thought that Drew was the best at being a background character when he needed to be (which is just as important as the main characters), and I thought that Vanessa stood out in grand ways when she needed to without standing out too much from everyone else. This team dance was really captivating, and even without the imbalances of execution here and there, it was such a cool concept with an aesthetic that caught my attention throughout!
Julia I love traditional Ballroom team dances, especially when all the couples dance together for the majority of the routine. Standard Ballroom was a strength for all the celebrities on this team, so I’m glad they ended up with this song. They all did very well in this performance but I noticed that just about everyone was off-time at one point or another. I also kind of wish they’d gotten into character a bit more; Frankie seemed to be the only one totally immersed in the performance, while I could see nerves in the other three from time to time. Even with those minor detractions, this was still one of the best team dances I’ve seen in awhile. :)
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
10
|
Len
10
|
Bruno
10
|
Total
30/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
9
|
Dwtsdreams
9
|
Julia
9
|
Total
27/30
|
Dance Rankings
Bentley
1. Jordan & Lindsay
2. Team Phantom of the Ballroom
3. Lindsey & Mark
4. Frankie & Witney
5. Drew & Emma
6. Victoria & Val
7. Team Monster Mash
8. Terrell & Cheryl
9. Vanessa & Maks
10. Nikki & Artem
Julia
1. Jordan & Lindsay
2. Team Phantom of the Ballroom
3. Lindsey & Mark
4. Frankie & Witney
5. Team Monster Mash
6. Victoria & Val
7. Drew & Emma
8. Nikki & Artem
9. Vanessa & Maks
10. Terrell & Cheryl
Dream
1. Jordan & Lindsay
2. Team Phantom of the Ballroom
3. Lindsey & Mark
4. Frankie & Witney
5. Victoria & Val
6.Nikki & Artem
7. Drew & Emma
8. Terrell & Cheryl
9. Vanessa & Maks
10. Team Monster Mash
Bentley We didn’t get too much of an opening number, but hey, at least we got Time Warp!
Bentley Sasha’s scares are the best! He really stepped it up this season! My favorite prank of his was when he hid in the hay as a scarecrow-- it was the most effective of all of his scares!
Follow DWTS Interact on its new Twitter at @DWTSInteract, and follow the bloggers at @TheBentleyNinja, @juliadelbel, and @dwtsdreams!
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