As the end of the season approaches, week 8 challenged the couples to dance two more dance, one of which would be alongside a former Dancing With the Stars contestant. And with that, we ended up having a total of 12 dances in the jam-packed night!
As usual, with thoughts and scores for the dances, here are Dwtsdreams, Paul Bentley, and Julia Delbel!
Individual Dances
In the first half of the night, the final six contestants danced a new dance style with their professional partners.
Terrell Owens and Cheryl Burke
Charleston
Eliminated- 6th Place
Bad Boy Good Man by Tape Five featuring Henrik Wager
Dream At the start of the season, I predicted that Terrell would only make it to Week 2, but boy was I wrong! He continuously surprised me! He has improved drastically from Week 1 to now. Terrell always had a natural rhythm, but now Terrell does have some technique under his belt! As a result of Terrell being tall and having long limbs, I felt like he was stiff sometimes and not hitting steps with precision. Throughout the competition, he worked on this, and it showed during this dance.
Bentley This Charleston allowed Terrell to morph his ease of movement seamlessly with his crisp leg action. Just like his Jive, he had the natural rhythm to compliment his style, which was high energy and really fun! The things that I saw that he could have improved on are kind of nitpicky and typical for Charlestons, like how I think he could have been a tad more refined and just a hair more in sync with Cheryl in the side-by-side sections. But with all of that considered, this was still one of my favorite dances of Terrell’s, and it was the closest to perfection that I have seen him perform this season.
Julia This was a very impressive piece from both a choreography and performance standpoint! I agree with pretty much everything Bentley said about it; Terrell had great energy (though could have been a bit more refined) and it was so cool seeing what I believe to be Cheryl’s first DWTS Charleston!
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
|
#TeamGetchaPopcorn 1(800)868-3411
Drew Scott and Emma Slater
Waltz
Both Sides Now (Torch Songs) by Years & Years
Dream Drew is very inconsistent, which makes it challenging to predict how he will do in the coming weeks. When Drew is doing group choreo with the troupe or Emma, he looks good. He has musicality, his shoulders are down, and he has great precision with his leg movement, but when he goes into hold, it's a different story. Drew suddenly gets so stiff when in hold, and he needs to loosen up. His head and neck were all over the place in this dance and he needs to work on the proper placement. With that being said, I can see how hard Drew is working and I love his dedication! Keeping working, Drew!
Bentley There is no doubt that every dance that Drew performs is always executed with the utmost effort, so it’s kind of a shame that sometimes his technique just does not match up with that. Sure, this Waltz was pretty and nice, but something felt missing. It seemed to have just... happened, and when it ended, I was left wanting more. In the nicest way possible, I thought this dance was kind of dry in terms of the whole package. Drew was off on his ballroom game on Monday, and it seemed to have affected the performance quality a bit. Don’t get me wrong-- I still believe that Drew has improved more this season than pretty much every other celebrity (and I think a lot of the credit for that goes to Emma), and while his technique from the beginning to now is like night and day, the technique in this particular dance just didn’t quite meet my standards for a Week 8 routine.
Julia I was surprised this ended up being one of Drew’s weaker performances, since his Viennese Waltz went so well. For some reason, he just seemed very loosey-goosey and kind of just dragging himself around the floor during the sections in hold. The other stuff was nice, but considering how unusually short this dance seemed for Week 8 I would have liked to see more higher-quality in-hold content.
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
7
|
Len
7
|
Bruno
8
|
Total
22/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
7
|
Dwtsdreams
7
|
Julia
7
|
Total
21/30
|
#TeamHotProperty 1(800)868-3404
Victoria Arlen and Val Chmerkovskiy
Argentine Tango
Down by Marian Hill
Dream In terms of technique, this wasn't Victoria's best dance. I feel as though her best technique was in her Week 2 dance, and she has slowly plateaued in technique since. In terms of performance, she is improving so much every week and I am impressed! She is now starting to embody the characters of the dances, and it is starting to elevate her performances! I can't imagine going through the pain that Victoria went through on Monday, and it is very unfortunate. I am so proud of her for sticking to it and continuing to exceed expectations.
Bentley It seems like I watched a completely different performance from everyone else Monday night, because I actually thought that Victoria crushed this dance. Sure, there were a lot of high-quality performances during the night, but I definitely would not consider anything less than a 9 for this Argentine Tango! I might even go as far as saying that this was her best dance of the season. I saw better legwork from her in this dance than any other dance of hers, which is something that I have been wanting her to improve on for weeks. The dance was sultry and classy, plus it did exactly what she and Val were aiming to do-- show us something different. I saw only the slightest wobbles in this dance, and personally, I just don’t understand the 8’s. Victoria’s terrifying injury during rehearsals seemed extremely painful, but it seemed as though the pain only motivated her more to create such a refined and powerful performance!
Julia This was pretty underwhelming for Week 8. It was another routine that felt very short, and there just wasn’t much going on during it. There was quite a bit of Victoria standing there and posing, the lifts were underwhelming, and a lot of the back-and-forth legwork Argentine Tangos are known for was absent (though with her leg issues I sort of understand that aspect being dialed down). I feel as though Victoria isn’t making as much of an impact on the competition as she was early in the season, and that will most likely be her downfall in the near future.
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
8
|
Len
8
|
Bruno
8
|
Total
24/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
9
|
Dwtsdreams
8
|
Julia
8
|
Total
25/30
|
#TeamViVa 1(800)868-3413
Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas
Samba
Morning Drums by Gregor Salto
Dream Mark is a creative genius, and his choreography has been so refreshing and creative like always. I loved this concept, and it really elevated the routine. In terms of technique, I would have liked to have seen a tiny bit more hip action and bounce action, but this was still a very cute dance!
Bentley Do I even need to say how I much I liked the concept? It’s pretty much a given with these two at this point! The Samba itself was pretty good, but it was too rough around the edges. Lindsey seemed to be overcompensating a bit because of her injury, which made her lines too straight and not positioned correctly. Nonetheless, Lindsey was powerful and completely in character, which always make for a great attention-grabber. And I think I have to disagree about there not being enough hip action because I think she had plenty of it-- and her hips were on fire! I love the fact that Mark made Lindsey into a fierce lion for the dance, too, especially with how it showcased how Lindsey was able to take charge of the lion tamer! XD
Julia I was surprised at the “meh” response this routine got, because I thought it was really cool and full of well-executed Samba content. I guess Lindsey has set herself some high expectations to live up to, but I think a lot of people forgot how difficult Samba can be for stars of all dance levels; the bounce is particularly hard to get right, but I thought Lindsey managed it well. There was also some nice hip action and the performance was overall very dynamic and powerful.
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
9
|
Len
8
|
Bruno
9
|
Total
26/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
9
|
Dwtsdreams
8
|
Julia
9
|
Total
26/30
|
#TeamSTARK 1(800)868-3407
Frankie Muniz and Witney Carson
Viennese Waltz
Perfect by Ed Sheeran
Dream With a night full of high energy and upbeat dances, it was very refreshing to watch this mostly elegant dance. This dance was simple and sweet, and most of Frankie’s lines were okay. He needs to work on not being so stiff, though.
Bentley The more I see Frankie and Witney dance together, the more I see their partnership grow, and the more I love the fact that they are still in the competition. I absolutely admire the amount of joy that they radiate with every week, and by the looks of it, that joy is one hundred percent authentic. Their Viennese Waltz exemplified this, and it was just a nice performance to watch and bop my head to. As usual with Frankie’s ballroom dances, though, he was somewhat stuttery and off balance, but at the same, he had some incredible upper body work that I was impressed by. But overall, the mistakes were prevalent all throughout the dance, so I feel obligated to give him an 8 instead of a 9.
Julia I didn’t really notice anything particularly great or terrible about this; it was kind of just there for me. It didn’t grab my attention or stay in my memory for very long. I wish I had more to say about it.
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
9
|
Len
8
|
Bruno
9
|
Total
26/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
8
|
Dwtsdreams
8
|
Julia
8
|
Total
24/30
|
#TeamFranneyPack 1(800)868-3405
Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold
Quickstep
Chuck Berry by Pharrell Williams
Dream This dance was magical and jam-packed with incredible technique! The only thing that I would say is that Jordan should work on is his wrists because sometimes they throw off his lines. With that being said, Jordan has incredible musicality and he blows me away each week.
Bentley I could praise Jordan all day long, which is basically what we have been doing all season long on this blog, so when I see even the slightest imperfection in his dances, I have to call them out because, well, there’s not much else to call out! From what I saw, his body contact was just a little too close to Lindsay, and his frame was just the tiniest bit off. But all of that is microscopic compared to his infectious entertainment value and overall pro-like technique!
Julia Unfortunately, I had trouble watching this routine (because of the visual effects) but I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who saw that there was something just slightly off about this performance (though it was hard to see anything with the distracting spiral effect that was present all throughout the routine). I actually noticed a bit of a lack in body contact in areas, and Jordan seemed to be a little off balance at times, most likely due to the dance’s speed. I think Jordan is a fantastic dancer and a deserving contender for the Mirrorball, but I wish the judges would stop pretending he no longer has things to work on.
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
10
|
Len
10
|
Bruno
10
|
Total
30/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
9
|
Dwtsdreams
10
|
Julia
9
|
Total
28/30
|
#TeamFishUponAStar 1(800)868-3406
Trio Dances With Former Contestants
For the second round of performances, the couples danced a trio dance with the addition of a former celebrity contestant from a previous season. The previous contestants that were featured in them are:
- Actress Kelly Monaco, who won season 1 with Alec Mazo, and came in third place in season 15 (All-Stars) with Val Chmerkovskiy
- NFL Running Back Rashad Jennings, who won season 24 with Emma Slater
- Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez, who won season 23 with Val Chmerkovskiy
- Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, who won season 6 with Mark Ballas
- Actor Alfonso Ribeiro, who won season season 19 with Witney Carson
- Actor Corbin Bleu, who came in second place in season 17 with Karina Smirnoff
After this round, another couple was eliminated from the competition.
Terrell Owens and Cheryl Burke,
Featuring Kelly Monaco
Rumba
Eliminated- 6th Place
Slow Hands by Niall Horan
Dream Props to Cheryl because it is very difficult to create a Rumba with two girls and one guy. This dance just didn't do it for me, though. It was just very discombobulated, and I felt like Terrell just stood there.
Bentley What Cheryl and Kelly were selling to us was a lot, so with two of them and only one of Terrell, it seemed like he just couldn’t keep up with how much sexuality was going on around him :P Terrell was able to be sexy, too, but it wasn’t quite on the level of Cheryl and Kelly. And since the Rumba is usually about the close connection between two people, it had to have been difficult for Terrell to keep that constant connection with them. I would have liked a bit of variety in steps, but with what Terrell was given, he put his heart into it, even though sometimes he forgot about the little details in his movement at times. In terms of Latin dances, this was still an improvement for Terrell, so I’m glad he was able to have noticeable improvement in both of his dances before he got eliminated, even though they originally seemed to be styles that he would be weaker in.
Julia Other than being what I believe was the very first Rumba trio on DWTS, I don’t remember much about this dance. Terrell did a commendable job handling both women and had decent Latin technique, but it ended up being pretty messy (I guess that’s why we don’t really see Rumba trios).
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
8
|
Len
8
|
Bruno
8
|
Total
24/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
8
|
Dwtsdreams
7
|
Julia
8
|
Total
23/30
|
#TeamGetchaPopcorn 1(800)868-3411
Drew Scott and Emma Slater,
Featuring Rashad Jennings
Cha-Cha-Cha
Get Up Offa That Thing by James Brown
Dream This dance was full of moves and groove! Rashad really helped Drew get out of his comfort zone. Drew let loose, and it showed during this dance!
Bentley There’s that Rashad charm that I’ve been missing all season! I know that Rashad was only in rehearsals with Drew for the week, but I really think he taught him something about finding his groove! I love how Drew and Rashad are like “bros,” because their friendship truly enhanced the dance. It was just a blast all around, and it was one of Drew’s best performances yet! It was a great Cha-Cha to watch, especially after Drew’s relatively lackluster Waltz. Of course it wasn’t completely perfect, though, and Drew was a bit jumbled, but can we really be mad about that?
Julia Drew’s first upbeat Latin dance was awesome! I was concerned he wouldn’t have enough time to develop the skills needed to pull off a dance like this on a two routine week but it was amazing! I agree Rashad was a big help in working with Drew to develop the “swag” needed to pull this off, and I appreciated him “dancing down” a bit so as not to outshine Drew. Other than some slightly awkward moves at the beginning, my main problem with this performance was the flashing lights being very distracting and taking away from the dancing.
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
9
|
Len
8
|
Bruno
8
|
Total
25/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
9
|
Dwtsdreams
8
|
Julia
9
|
Total
26/30
|
#TeamHotProperty 1(800)868-3404
Victoria Arlen and Val Chmerkovskiy,
Featuring Laurie Hernandez
Jive
Magic by B.o.B featuring Rivers Cuomo
Dream I adore the bond that Laurie has with Val, and it was so sweet to see them dance together again. With that said, I wasn't a fan of this concept. The dance should have been about Victoria or just all of them together as a team. I didn't quite grasp the concept. I felt as though it was all centered around Laurie with Victoria being the background dancer, and it should have been the other way around.
Bentley Yeah, the concept really just made it where Victoria awed over Laurie and Val, which is kind of weird. It made it seem like Victoria wanted to be Laurie or something, which is such a bizarre theme for a dance, especially when the person who is supposed to be the center of attention is put on the backburner. I did like the twinning between Victoria and Laurie, though. Unfortunately, the great legwork I saw for her Argentine Tango during the first half of the show was not brought back out for the Jive. I know it’s hard for Victoria, but her feet and knees needed a lot of fine tuning and a lot more energy, which kind of made Victoria lose some of her grace throughout the dance. Victoria managed to power through her pain with a smile on her face and groove, though, so that has to count as some sort of triumph!
Julia I was also not a fan of the concept of this performance, and it felt like between that and the choreography Victoria just got swallowed up in it all. They did a good job at trying to hide her shortcomings in Jive, but when I could see her apart from all the fluff at the beginning and parts where Laurie was more of the focus she was clearly struggling. She didn’t point her toes very much (neither did Laurie, actually) and there were a few off-time moments, but even apart from those things her energy was very lackluster (though I know she was injured) and she seemed visibly nervous. I feel bad for saying this but the whole thing was just very awkward and kind of sad (mostly because of the storyline) to watch. :(
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
8
|
Len
8
|
Bruno
8
|
Total
24/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
8
|
Dwtsdreams
8
|
Julia
7
|
Total
23/30
|
#TeamViVa 1(800)868-3413
Lindsey Stirling and Mark Ballas,
Featuring Kristi Yamaguchi
Jazz
Let’s Face the Music and Dance by Seth MacFarlane
Dream We all know that I am very picky when it comes to Jazz! I hate when the show calls just a bunch of walking, mixed with hips, and a couple of lifts “Jazz.” This was true, classic, old-timey Jazz, and I loved it! The costumes, lighting, and choreography all came together to create a picture-perfect routine!
Bentley Once again, Mark’s choreography complemented Lindsey in every way possible! Mark was right when he said that Lindsey danced like Kristi because they mirrored each other perfectly in this Jazz number! I loved the classical feeling of it, which everyone in this dance portrayed with beauty and charm. As opposed to her Samba earlier in the night, Lindsey was smooth with grace in every single movement, and without it, there would be noticeable clunkiness. With a dance like this, it was crucial for Lindsey to fluid and smooth, which she was!
Julia I’m with Dream! It was great to see a true Jazz performance, as we haven’t gotten many of those this season. I loved the old-school and classy vibe of this piece, and Lindsey had good technique and was very graceful throughout the performance.
The Judges’ Scores
|
Carrie Ann
10
|
Len
9
|
Bruno
9
|
Total
28/30
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
Bentley
10
|
Dwtsdreams
9
|
Julia
10
|
Total
29/30
|
#TeamSTARK 1(800)868-3407
Frankie Muniz and Witney Carson,
Featuring Alfonso RIbeiro
Jive
Good Place by Leo Soul
Dream After season 19 ended, I felt like Witney lost her spark/flame in some routines when doing choreography. In season 19, she was so creatively on it, and she is back this season with fun choreography! I adored this trio, especially because of the choreography. “Litney” is back!!!!
Bentley I have to disagree about Witney not having her spark back from season 19 until now because I think that this season with Frankie has been one of her best seasons yet with her creative choreography and notable originality in her routines. Having Alfonso to dance with in a trio dance (especially for a Jive) is quite the challenge, but Frankie matched his energy and practically dominated the content! However, Frankie still wasn’t quite on the same level as Alfonso with the choreography. When they would step, Alfonso would step just a little bit smoother with just a little more power. It was such a slight thing, but being that it’s Week 8, it has to be addressed.
Julia This was probably the most fun dance of the night to watch! The choreography was well suited to both Frankie and Alfonso (though I did notice Alfonso had slightly better technique and ease with it overall). I’m so excited to see what Witney will come up with for Frankie next!
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
|
#TeamFranneyPack 1(800)868-3405
Jordan Fisher and Lindsay Arnold,
Featuring Corbin Bleu
Salsa
Que Viva la Vida by Wisin
Dream HOLY MIRRORBALL. This trio was incredible, innovative, creative, show-stopping and packed with technique. I mean, they even added pirouettes and a breakdown section! Most of the time, Jordan’s technique is one of a professional, and he continues to amaze me. I say this every week, but the choices he makes and the nuances he creates, and the way he balances slow and fast movements are beyond belief. Lindsay is always killing the choreography game, and I am so impressed!
Bentley Every time Que Viva la Vida is used as a song on the show, it is always a party, but these three did justice to this song like I’ve never seen before! There isn’t even the most minor critique I would give this Salsa, and there is absolutely nothing that I would change about it! This was one of those rare routines that if it were to get anything less than a 10, I would be genuinely confused, because no matter who the judge is, there should be absolutely no reason why a single point should be taken off for this! I have loved Jordan and Lindsay from the beginning, but lately his dances have made me love them even more! Corbin was the absolute best addition for this dance, and as one of the trio dancers this week to not have danced with their assigned pro before, he did absolutely phenomenal work. This is by far one of my favorite dances of the season, and it is without a doubt the most fun dance I’ve seen in awhile!
Julia This was the other most fun dance of the night! There’s nothing I can really say about it except go watch it. I’m sure most of our readers have already seen it, but go watch it again. You’re still reading this? Why aren’t you watching it? Here, I’ll even provide a link for you. Now GO!
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
Dance Rankings
Bentley
1. Jordan, Lindsay, & Corbin’s Salsa
2. Lindsey, Mark, & Kristi’s Jazz
3. Jordan & Lindsay’s Quickstep
4. Lindsey & Mark’s Samba
5. Frankie, Witney, & Alfonso’s Jive
6. Drew, Emma, & Rashad’s Cha-Cha-Cha
7. Terrell & Cheryl’s Charleston
8. Victoria & Val’s Argentine Tango
9. Frankie & Witney’s Viennese Waltz
10. Victoria, Val, & Laurie’s Jive
11. Terrell, Cheryl, & Kelly’s Rumba
12. Drew & Emma’s Waltz
Julia
1. Jordan, Lindsay, & Corbin’s Salsa
2. Lindsey, Mark, & Kristi’s Jazz
3. Jordan & Lindsay’s Quickstep
4. Frankie, Witney & Alfonso’s Jive
5. Lindsey & Mark’s Samba
6. Drew, Emma, & Rashad’s Cha-Cha-Cha
7. Terrell & Cheryl’s Charleston
8. Frankie & Witney’s Viennese Waltz
9. Victoria & Val’s Argentine Tango
10. Terrell, Cheryl, & Kelly’s Rumba
11. Victoria, Val & Laurie’s Jive
12. Drew & Emma’s Waltz
Dream
1.Jordan, Lindsay, & Corbin’s Salsa
2. Lindsey, Mark, & Kristi’s Jazz
3. Jordan & Lindsay’s Quickstep
4. Lindsey & Mark’s Samba
5. Frankie, Witney, & Alfonso’s Jive
6. Drew, Emma, & Rashad’s Cha-Cha-Cha
7. Terrell & Cheryl’s Charleston
8. Victoria & Val’s Argentine Tango
9. Frankie & Witney’s Viennese Waltz
10. Victoria, Val, & Laurie’s Jive
11. Drew & Emma’s Waltz
12. Terrell, Cheryl, & Kelly’s Rumba
Bentley The whole challenge of using a past celebrity as a third dancer for the trio dances actually went a lot better than I thought! I ended up really enjoying it, so I hope they manage to bring in past contestants for different challenges in the future!
Julia Yeah! I’d actually love to see Len’s Side-By-Side Challenge with the contestant/pro couples dancing alongside former contestant/pro couples!
Follow DWTS Interact on Twitter at @DWTSInteract, and follow the bloggers at @TheBentleyNinja, @juliadelbel, and @dwtsdreams!
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