Hey all! We're back for another season of dancing! On April 13, they announced the 10 new couples for the 4-week Athletes Edition of the show, so let's get right to it! Here are Paul Bentley and Julia Delbel with thoughts on the season 26 Dancing With the Stars: Athletes couples!
Note: This season of Dancing With the Stars is exclusive to athletic celebrities. All ten couples feature athletes. This is also a shorter season than normal, lasting only four weeks. The first elimination will take place on the premiere episode, where two couples will be eliminated. The eliminations will be determined by votes that are casted during the live show. Because of this, votes can be changed during the show before the votes are officially counted so those who perform later in the show are not discounted.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lindsay Arnold
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired NBA basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks. He has been named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, NBA Most Valuable Player, and NBA All-Star. At a height of 7’2”, he is one of the tallest people to ever compete on Dancing With the Stars. Outside of basketball, Kareem has been awarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by US President Barack Obama in 2016, and received an honorary degree from the New York Institute of Technology. He has also been recognized for his efforts in raising awareness for cancer research after suffering from leukemia himself from 2009 to 2011. His partner, Lindsay Arnold, is on her seventh season as a pro on the show, and is the current reigning DWTS champion from her season with performer Jordan Fisher in Fall 2017.
Bentley Kareem is a legend. And just for that fact alone, I expect him to be popular with the voters. And with the almighty Lindsay by his side, I think it’s safe to say that these two are going to be an audience favorite. As we can all tell, Kareem is taller than Lindsay. And by taller, I mean 20 inches taller. That is quite a height difference. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think we have ever seen such a staggering difference in height between a couple on the show before. But if there’s anyone who knows how to get create with choreography to have that work in their favor, it’s Lindsay. I can only imagine figuring out how to do a proper frame, though. It cannot be easy.
Julia You are correct that this is the biggest height difference we have ever had on DWTS! Kareem has been involved in things with ABC lately so him popping up on this show was no surprise (he was actually on my shortlist of predictions for last season). I think Lindsay will be good for him since she is very patient in her teaching methods and innovative in her choreography. I also think they will be a hit with voters and could potentially last all four weeks if they manage to stand out.
Jamie Anderson and Artem Chigvintsev
Jamie Anderson is an Olympic snowboarder, winning herself gold medals in the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Jamie only started snowboarding in 2000, and immediately loved it. By 2004, she had already qualified for the Winter X Games. In 2005, she won her first bronze medal. In her career, she has received a total of 11 medals for the X Games, four of which are gold. Throughout her career, she has also given back to the snowboarding community, participating in things such as the High Cascade Snowboard Camp. Her partner, Artem Chigvintsev, won Series 8 of Strictly Come Dancing in the United Kingdom, and has been part of Dancing With the Stars since he was a member of the troupe in season 18.
Julia I like this couple fine enough so far but I’m already concerned for them. I think they’ll get along well and Artem will help Jamie become a good dancer but they’re both so mild-mannered and quiet I’m worried they’ll become forgettable and get eliminated because of that. This seems to be a recurring issue in partnerships with Artem as the pro, and it’s sad because he’s not doing anything wrong per se, he’s just a quieter person who keeps getting paired with quieter people, which often leads to them fading into the woodwork.
Bentley You make a good point, Julia. My first impression of Jamie was that she seems nice and wholesome, but that’s about it. I’m sure there are a whole list of other attributes she has, too, but it does seem like they can be overshadowed if they aren’t bold and in-your-face. I do think Artem is a good match for Jamie, though, since they seem like a couple of people who just want to dance together and have fun. And sometimes that’s refreshing to watch. I’m not saying that Jamie isn’t going to come out and wow us on premiere night, because for all we know she might, but she is definitely a little more low-key. And personally, I kind of like that.
Johnny Damon and Emma Slater
Johnny Damon is a retired MLB baseball player from the Kansas City Royals, the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox, and various other teams. As the son of a staff sergeant in the US Army, Johnny’s childhood consisted of him moving all around the world to different military bases because of his father’s career. Johnny says that he was a quiet child, mostly because of his stutter. But as he participated in baseball throughout his childhood and into his teenage years, he eventually became rated the top high school prospect in America by Baseball America. Johnny is now a father with a wife, kids, and a baby on the way. His partner, Emma Slater, won season 24 of Dancing With the Stars with NFL football player Rashad Jennings.
Julia I don’t know much about Johnny but looking around it seems like his fanbase is fairly large. However, somehow I don’t think it will top the rabidness of the last baseball player’s to do this show (after all, David Ross was just retiring from arguably the most popular team in the league coming off their first World Series win in over a century). But of course, we all know it’s the casual viewers who come into the season without a horse in the race that matter most on DWTS, so will Johnny be able to win them over? Right now, it’s not looking like it, with a lot of people unfamiliar with Johnny calling him “boring” so far. Personally, I think he seemed nice enough and more charismatic than a couple of the other contestants, but he’s going to need some serious dance skills to go with them in order to make it far. Emma has been good at helping contestants stand out in the past - even ones without much dance ability - so I’m interested to see what she does to help Johnny break out from the pack.
Bentley I didn’t really get much of an impression of Johnny from Good Morning America that was good nor bad, especially since it was just a minute or so that he was able to introduce himself. I think he’s a little nervous, but that’s nothing too bad, and in some cases, that can even be endearing. It’s going to be interesting seeing another baseball player on the show, though, because unlike some of the athletes who are already pros at moving their bodies gracefully and feeling a rhythm, baseball is more about the strategy and the precision than it is about the athleticism. But who knows? Maybe some of his baseball skills can translate well to the dancefloor to work for his advantage. And like Julia said, Emma is good with bringing the best out in her partners, so that might just happen with Johnny.
Jennie Finch and Keo Motsepe
Jennie Finch is a former Olympic softball pitcher and first baseman with a gold medal from the 2004 Summer Olympic Games and a silver medal from the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Jennie has been named as the #2 Greatest College Softball Player by the NCAA Division I. In 2011, Jennie wrote a book with Ann Killion called “Throw Like a Girl: How to Dream Big and Believe in Yourself,” which features life lessons that she learned throughout her softball life. Jennie also holds a strong Christian faith and says that she wants to be a role model for young women. Her partner, Keo Motsepe, held the title of South African Latin Dance Champion for eight years in a row. This season will be Keo’s seventh season as a pro on Dancing With the Stars.
Bentley Just like with what I said about Johnny, I wonder how Jennie’s softball skills may transfer to the dance floor. Does her experience with the sport actually help her with her dance ability, or is dancing too different from pitching a ball to transfer the usefulness of the skill? Maybe she’ll have a strong frame. XD Jennie seems like a fun person to be around, and that’s a good quality to have when spending hours upon hours rehearsing for the show. And who is more of a fun-loving person than Keo?! I think these two will enjoy each other’s company together, whether they are frontrunners or not.
Julia I didn’t know who Jennie was prior to finding out that she’d be on DWTS, but she seems to be quite popular; I didn’t realize softball was as big as it apparently is, but I think it’s cool that the show got supposedly the world’s best for the show. In addition to having a seemingly large following, Jennie is a devout Christian, and if she brings that fact up on the show enough, it could be a ticket to the Finale for her. Of course, there is a dancing element to this show, and that aspect of things is pretty big (or so I’ve heard :P). I know tall men have sometimes struggled in certain areas on DWTS, but does it tend to be the same for tall women like Jennie? If so, hopefully Keo can help her with those issues before the live shows start.
Tonya Harding and Sasha Farber
Tonya Harding is a former Olympic figure skater who became the first ever American woman to successfully land a triple axel in competition. In 1994, she became involved in the controversy surrounding the attack of her competitor Nancy Kerrigan. Tonya pleaded guilty to obstructing the prosecution process of the case, and was ultimately banned from the U.S. Figure Skating Association. A few years later, she became a professional boxer. In 2017, a movie about her skating life titled “I, Tonya” was released, which has grossed over $30 million in the United States and won an Oscar. Now, Tonya resides in Washington state and works as a painter and deck builder. Her partner, Sasha Farber, is returning for his fifth season as a professional dancer on Dancing With the Stars.
Bentley Tonya Harding. Everyone has an opinion about her. I’ve written some thoughts about her on The Bentley Blog when I reviewed I, Tonya back in February, and although I could go on for thousands of words talking about my complex feelings towards Tonya, long story short, I actually really like Tonya Harding. And no, that does not mean I condone anything about the attack on Nancy Kerrigan, especially because I like Nancy, too. When I was younger, I knew Tonya not as a figure skater, but as one of the commentators on World’s Dumbest (horrible show, I know, but I found it funny at the time), and I ended up liking her. It was only until a few years after starting to watch World’s Dumbest that I realized that the figure skater Tonya Harding is the same as the commentator Tonya Harding, even though she didn’t “act” like a typical figure skater. So it’s all kind of interesting for me to see her on the show, competing against a bunch of other athletes. It might be hard for her to keep up since she’s been out of the performing business for a while now, but I think she’ll find her groove again. And as for Sasha being her partner, I’m actually quite interested to see what he has in store for her. Tonya and Sasha seem like very different people, so their interactions between each other are going to something I keep an eye out for.
Julia I’m not surprised about Tonya’s casting, but I am disappointed since the show just had Nancy on a year ago and made it seem like it was a space for her to get away from the incident. Now, everyone will be making comparisons between Nancy and Tonya, and I can’t imagine the former is too thrilled with that inevitability. As for Tonya herself, I’d probably be more open to giving her a chance if she actually apologized for being involved with and/or not stopping the incident. I know it was a long time ago, but it’s something that’s defined the careers of both women in the nearly two-and-a-half decades since. I think the show is going to give Tonya a “redemption arc” which, again, I might be somewhat okay with if she’d actually given a real apology for what went down. And I’ve noticed Sasha is already proving to be an excellent pro for her, already celebrating her achievements and encouraging people to give her a chance, so I think they will work well together.
Chris Mazdzer and Witney Carson
Chris Mazdzer is an Olympian luger who recently just won a silver medal in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. He was the first non-European to win a medal in this category. Also, in 2015, Chris won the 2015-16 Luge World Cup Men’s singles event. As he revealed on Good Morning America, Chris has a ritual of jumping into freezing water after he has a bad race. His partner, Witney Carson, is a three-time Dancing With the Stars finalist, including her win with actor Alfonso Ribeiro in season 19.
Bentley I find luging to be such a bizarre sport, but I am quite intrigued by it. It does not look easy by any means, and it actually looks pretty dangerous in some aspects. Chris seems like a personable individual, and that can either be seen as really charming or really boring by the Dancing With the Stars audience. This is the third partner Witney has had on this show named Chris… the first Chris ended up charged with a felony hit-and-run, and the second Chris didn’t even survive the first elimination on the show. So maybe the third Chris is the charm? I don’t currently foresee Chris winning the show, but maybe he can be a finalist.
Julia Chris & Witney are my favorite team of the season so far! They seem to be having so much fun and working very well together. I don’t usually like directly comparing contestants who aren’t on the same season, but right now Chris’s personality is reminding me a lot of James Hinchcliffe’s, which leads to believe he could be a hit with the voting audience. Even if his dance skills turn out to be a bust, there is usually room in the Finale for someone with lesser footwork, so right now I’m expecting to see these two at the end even if it’s just their endearing-ness that gets them there! XD
Mirai Nagasu and Alan Bersten
Mirai Nagasu is an Olympic figure skater who just won a bronze medal in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Mirai became the first American figure skater to land a triple axel at the Olympics. She also holds two bronze and a silver medal medal from the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. Mirai is the second-youngest woman to win the U.S. senior ladies’ title, which she accomplished in 2008. Her partner, Alan Bersten, competed for the first time as an official pro on Dancing With the Stars last season with singer Debbie Gibson.
Bentley Mirai is pretty much the definition of perfection when she is on the ice, so I have some of the highest expectations for how she will do on the show. With high expectations, though, a lot is on the line. But I think it’s safe to assume that Mirai is used to the pressure of high expectations, being a medal-winning Olympian and all. The pressure might be weighing on Alan, though, since he is still a relatively new pro on the show, and now he has one of the best partners he could ask for. Alan is going to have to bring his A-game to be able to give Mirai the best-fitting choreography for her, but I think he can do it.
Julia I’m happy to see Mirai have her dream of being on Dancing With the Stars come true, and even though she doesn’t get to dance with Mark Ballas like she said she wanted to, I think Alan will be a good partner for her. I’m looking forward to seeing some impressive performances from this team, but I worry that being up against her USA Olympic teammate, Adam, will lead to a situation similar to the one Meryl Davis and Charlie White faced when they competed on the same season of DWTS a few years ago. In that season, Meryl won while Charlie was eliminated the week before the Finals, and I worry if these two split votes something similar will happen. In this case, I think Adam has the advantage being more well-known and having a bit more strength when it comes to things like interviews, and maybe even dynamic with his dance partner (more on that below). It’s not that I think Mirai is unlikeable or that her partnership will Alan will be disappointing, I just worry that between the two Pyeongchang figure skating representatives, she’s the one more likely to fall through the cracks and possibly get eliminated before the Finale as a result.
Josh Norman and Sharna Burgess
Josh Norman is an NFL cornerback for the Washington Redskins. He is considered by some to be one of the best cornerbacks in the history of the NFL. He is a Coastal Carolina University graduate, holding a degree with a major in communications and a minor in dramatic arts. In 2017, after the devastation of Hurricane Maria, Josh donated $100,000 to Puerto Rico to aid in the recovery efforts. His partner, Sharna Burgess, is now competing in her eleventh consecutive season as a pro on Dancing With the Stars. She has competed with seven other athletes before, and has made it to the finale three times.
Bentley It’s usually a hit or a miss when it comes to how football players perform on the show, but being that Josh is a cornerback, which is more of an agile position than someone like a linebacker, I think he is going to exemplify more fluid athleticism than someone like Von Miller or Michael Sam. Josh seems kind of lowkey at the moment, but I think there’s a flame inside of him that be brought out of him on the dance floor. Sharna has been partnered with many athletes before, so Josh being with Sharna isn’t anything that he should be worried about.
Julia I am absolutely loving this team so far. When Sharna has a celebrity she really connects with, it shows - you can feel her energy and see the spark in her eyes - and Josh already seems to be one of those partners. Like Bentley, I have a feeling his agility will help him in the competition, and that his flame will come out and set the ballroom on fire! Seriously though, this team is my winner pick for the season because I think they’ll deliver strong performances and appeal to people across various demographics without being controversial.
Arike Ogunbowale and Gleb Savchenko
Arike Ogunbowale is a college basketball player at the University of Notre Dame. She is currently a Junior at the school, and she plans to graduate in 2019. She has received many acknowledgements for her accomplishments in basketball, including the title of NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Performer. Her partner, Gleb Savchenko, has appeared on the Russian, UK, and, Australian versions of Dancing With the Stars, and is currently on his fifth season as a pro in the United States.
Bentley When DWTS announced that this was going to be an all-athletes season, I didn’t think that they would put a college sports student on. It’s pretty cool that they included a younger, amateur sports figure into the mix, especially because they are often forgotten about. Arike seems excited and ready to compete, so I’m looking forward to seeing how she may progress within the four weeks (if she makes it that far). I am also curious about seeing her partnership with Gleb since Gleb has never really had a partner that already has an athletic background until now. On a different note, as I have seen many people discussing, since Arike is still a student at Notre Dame University, she is still under the strict rules of the NCAA, which means that she is not allowed to be paid for her time on the show (except for prize money if she wins), and she is not allowed to be paid for promotional appearances that relate to Dancing With the Stars. Although it’s a shame that Arike is not going to be able to advertise for she and Gleb like the other couples on the show can, I can understand why the NCAA has such strict rules. Arike being able to dance on the show was sort of a loop hole in the the NCAA rules, so I guess being on the show with strict rules is better than not being on the show at all!
Julia Arike is no doubt an excellent athlete, and I’m happy I got my wish for a female basketball player to be on this season, but her not being able to promote her involvement with the show makes me wonder why they would cast her. However, if she really can’t be paid unless she wins, I could see it being production attempting to cut costs (maybe they’ll even try to make sure she doesn’t win). I’m also wondering if Arike was a last-minute replacement for someone who had to drop out, since she and Gleb don’t really seem that suited to one other (except for height purposes, but there were two other pros in this cast she could have been paired with that I think she probably would have had a more exciting dynamic with). So far this partnership seems to be bland and forgettable, and between that and the promotion thing I’m thinking Arike & Gleb will be one of the Week 1 boots. I like Arike, but I’m feeling like it might have been better for production to choose someone from the WNBA, which is currently in its offseason and has athletes who are to promote outside projects.
Adam Rippon and Jenna Johnson
Adam Rippon is an Olympic figure skater who won a bronze medal in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. He also holds gold medals in the Four Continents Championships, World Junior Championships, and Junior Grand Prix Final. Plus, he holds a silver medal from the 2012 World Team Trophy. Adam’s signature move on the ice is called the “Rippon Lutz,” which he performed in the 2018 Olympics. His partner, Jenna Johnson, is back for her second season as a professional dancer on Dancing With the Stars.
Bentley I’ve seen Adam make appearances in the media here and there since the Olympics, and from what I’ve seen, he is really entertaining. He has a good sense of humor, although I wonder if that humor is translated better for the younger demographic than the older demographic. I’ve also seen some clips of Adam skating, too, and he is quite impressive on the ice. He can literally lunge his body across the ice and still look graceful and delicate while doing it. That is something that not many people can do, and takes years of experience to master. I have to say that I think Adam might be the one to beat, considering I expect him to be one of the best dancers in the season, and, as shown by social media, he already has a lot of fans rooting for him. If that is the case, then we are going to be able to see what Jenna really has to offer as a pro on the show. And if she ends up in the finals, I expect to see her come back for the Fall season.
Julia I think Adam and Jenna are a great match, and I’m happy to see Jenna back as a pro, this time with a more enthusiastic partner. However, I do think that his humor and personality might not go over as well with the older, conservative demographic of the show. Adam is on a popularity high right now, and I think his ability to be charming and handle the media well will probably at least somewhat make up for that. I also think Jenna being able to go “full out” with dancing and choreography this season means we’re in for some killer performances from these two, and I’m gonna predict they’ll last all four weeks of the competition.
What do you think of this season’s cast of Dancing With the Stars? Who are you rooting for to win this season? Which two couples do you think will be first ones eliminated during the premiere?
Make sure to read DWTS Interact this season for our thoughts on all of the dances this season as some other commentary on this four-week event!
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