It’s only the second week of Dancing With the Stars: Athletes, yet we already reached the halfway point of the season! Football player and season 24 DWTS winner Rashad Jennings returned to the ballroom, but this time as a guest judge! The couples performed individual dances, as always, and then came together for the sports-themed team dances! Then, the second double elimination of the season occured!
Plus, we asked you, the readers, for what scores you would give the performances this week, just like last week. Your scores are included along with the bloggers’ scores.
So here are Julia Delbel and Paul Bentley with thoughts on the night of dances, along with The Readers’ Scores!
Individual Dances
The couples competed in their second round of individual dances of the season.
[Order of the Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann Inaba, Rashad Jennings, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli]
[Order of the Bloggers’ Scores: Paul Bentley, The Readers, Julia Delbel]
Josh Norman and Sharna Burgess
Paso Doble
The Plaza of Execution by James Horner
Bentley Sharna is one of the best cinematic choreographers on this show, especially when it comes to the Paso Doble. Sometimes, though, adding in those cinematic elements can mean sacrificing some content. The lack of content wasn’t too bad in this performance, but I would have liked to have seen more traditional steps. That being said, I think Josh was a great showman in this routine, but it feel as powerful as their storyline was trying to portray. Josh had steady, clear lines, but I think he focused too much on the polish and not enough on the execution. There were also some thrown away lines, but it could have been worse. Overall, this was a pretty solid performance, although I do have to say that it did not stand out as much as some of the other dances from the night.
Julia I loved the design and atmosphere of this Paso, but the choreography was a bit lacking for me. I think that may have had something to do with the selection of music; the part of the song that was used never “built” up to anything like a Paso song should. As for Josh’s technique, I liked most of what he did with his arms and upper body but his legs and feet didn’t really do it for me (the best way I can describe it was it looked too much like he was walking around). These two should be extremely grateful the scores this season count towards the elimination the same week they are given because if their scores for this week contributed to the triple elimination I’d be very worried for them. Luckily, they don’t, and I suspect next week will be a sort of comeback for them which could give them the push they need to make it to the Finals (and possibly win it all!).
The Judges’ Scores
|
7
|
7
|
8
|
8
|
30/40
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
21/30
| |
#TeamBackThatPassUp 1(800)868-3407
Jennie Finch and Keo Motsepe
Cha-Cha-Cha
Do It Like This by Daphne Willis
Bentley It was quite a risk for Jennie to change her song last minute, and I do think it hurt her in the long run, but I respect her for her decision. She must have been quite adamant about it if she was willing to have to change everything three days before the live show. It’s obvious that this was one of the weakest dances of the night, but I actually enjoyed it. I found it genuinely fun with some nice hip action in there, but boy oh boy were those hands distracting. She might have taken the Latin finger placement a bit too far on this one! XD Jennie’s center of balance was also changing constantly throughout the dance, and there were quite a few stumbles that took her a few seconds to recover from. It was a pretty impressive performance for such a short deadline, but the Cha-Cha-Cha content was off. If I were to give Jennie any advice, I would say that she should try to be aware in her dancing and allow herself to rely on Keo a little more. She has what it takes to have a really show-stopping performance, but she just needs more practice.
Julia I pretty much agree with what Bentley said about the dance itself but what bothers me the most here is that it’s since become pretty clear the reason she wanted to change the song was because the first one had LGBT+ implications (I think bisexuality, to be specific). Very disappointed in her if that was indeed the reason. Anyway, I don’t see these two making it past next week but even though I’m disappointed and annoyed by Jennie right now I hope they can go out on a high note.
The Judges’ Scores
|
6
|
7
|
7
|
6
|
26/40
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
6
|
6
|
6
|
18/30
| |
#TeamPitchPerfect 1(800)868-3405
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lindsay Arnold
Salsa
Eliminated in Second Elimination
La Malanga by Eddie Palmieri
Bentley I liked the package before Kareem’s dance that gave us a glimpse into Kareem’s personal connection to certain types of music and dance. I never knew his father was a Jazz musician! As for Kareem’s Salsa, I absolutely loved it. Not only was Lindsay’s bit with Hayley at the beginning creative and humorous, but it was quite brilliant to execute those underarm passes easier. There was still a lack of movement in Kareem’s upper body like last week, but I saw him get into the groove a little better this time. Kareem and Lindsay’s elimination was expected this week, and I’m sure they knew it, too, but they have been quite the fascinating pair together!
Julia Now THIS was what I expected out of Kareem and Lindsay last week. He seemed so much more comfortable on the dance floor this week, and she threw lots of personality into the performance for both of them to show off! Also shout-out to Hayley for being an amazing bottom-half of a dancer in this routine!
The Judges’ Scores
|
7
|
7
|
6
|
6
|
26/40
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
6
|
6
|
6
|
18/30
| |
#TeamTallAndSmall 1(800)868-3408
Chris Mazdzer and Witney Carson
Viennese Waltz
Next to Me by Imagine Dragons
Bentley This was a beautiful dance and all, but I just feel the need to point out that that harsh drum meter in the background was very distracting and kind of took away from the delicacy of the dance for me. Music aside, Chris had a lot control of himself in this Viennese Waltz, which I thought he was a bit lacking in with his Salsa last week. There was quite a bit of improvement, but it still felt rough around the edges. His arms were a bit too angular, and it looked like his frame was getting tired out towards the end. It was still a lot more technically polished than his performance last week, and it had some nice footwork (that luging paid off!), but it seems like he forgot all about his face. I would have liked to have seen some more acting with his facial expressions to match more with the ease of the dance. Either way, I think Chris is starting to feel out the dance floor, and Witney is keeping him on the right track!
Julia Chris was the opposite of Josh this week: his lower body was great, especially his ability to execute the “rise and fall” of the Viennese Waltz so well this early in the competition, but his upper body was very stiff, with his head never really changing position as it should have and his facial expression staying the same throughout the dance. I would like to see Chris and Witney in the Finale, but now that we know only three couples will make it I have a feeling only one team between them and Josh and Sharna will be there, and I suspect Josh may have the better showing of the two next week.
The Judges’ Scores
|
9
|
8
|
8
|
8
|
33/40
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
7
|
9
|
8
|
24/30
| |
#TeamMoveItOrLugeIt 1(800)868-3403
Tonya Harding and Sasha Farber
Quickstep
Redneck Woman by Gretchen Wilson
Bentley I don’t know what it is about the song Redneck Woman, but I find it really catchy, and I have been wanting for it to be used for a Quickstep for a while now, so I’m glad it was finally used on the show! And when it all comes down to it, I think the song was perfect for Tonya and Sasha, especially because of the fun routine they were able to create out of it. Oh, and shoutout to Brandon in that bear costume! :P Tonya did a respectable job with the Quickstep, although I would have liked for there to have been less breaks in hold. Her quick, sharp footwork stood out to me, and her pacing was excellent. I think she became a bit jumpy, though, with a need for more control in her upper body. Plus, there are a few things that could have been cleaned up here and there. Tonya and Sasha have a good partnership with each other, which helps me feel more engaged to their dancing.
Julia I’ll be honest: I just watched Brandon the entire time. Even when I would go back to take another look and see how Tonya did, I just wanted to watch Brandon run around. XD From what I did see of Tonya, she did pretty well. My biggest issue was already mentioned by Bentley; that it wasn’t quite as clean as I would have liked to see. However, it was impressive that with all the chaos going on during this performance, the dancing itself stayed under control. I feel like this will be one of the dances I revisit a lot when the season is over because Brandon the bear is iconic. He’s the new Sasha the Crab! XD
The Judges’ Scores
|
8
|
9
|
8
|
8
|
33/40
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
8
|
8
|
8
|
24/30
| |
#TeamAxellent 1(800)868-3410
Mirai Nagasu and Alan Bersten
Foxtrot
It’s a Small World by The O'Neill Brothers Group
Bentley I can appreciate a shameless advertising plug every once in a while, but I feel like ABC has gone overboard with their Disney product placements lately. Even in a season with a Disney Night, they manage to fit in a Disney routine! But y’know what? This ended up being my favorite dance of the night! Mirai had absolutely gorgeous movement, and she matched Alan in the Foxtrot content perfectly. Mirai held her own, yet still had a graceful codependent relationship with Alan. Last week, it felt like Mirai fit in with the rest of the couples, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but this week, she was a showstopper. This was a fitting dance for a 10!
Julia I know Mirai had been looking forward to dancing on Disney Night, so I’m glad she got to do this routine despite there not being a week with only Disney numbers this season. I can’t say much else other than this was the highlight of the season so far! (BTW I’m giving it a 9 only because I think it deserved a 10 or two but it wasn’t quite a perfect score in my book Still love it though.)
The Judges’ Scores
|
9
|
10
|
9
|
9
|
37/40
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
10
|
10
|
9
|
29/30
| |
#TeamFireIceAndSpice 1(800)868-3409
Arike Ogunbowale and Gleb Savchenko
Foxtrot
Eliminated in Second Elimination
What About Us by Pink
Bentley It was nice to see Arike taking up the challenge to wear high heels for her Foxtrot, even though I could tell she felt a bit uncomfortable. But the most endearing thing about this performance was the vulnerability that she expressed from being out of her comfort zone. It was quite rigid and stiff throughout, but I appreciate her effort. She exhibited grace, which was a nice contrast to her Salsa from the week before. We only just got to meet Arike on the show, but I’m glad we were able to see how dynamic she is. I ended up liking Arike and Gleb together more than I thought I would; they had a good “aura” around them, if that makes sense. Good thing we get to see them return for the Finale!
Julia Arike really should have been cast on a full season. Her personality is so different from most others we’ve seen on DWTS and I think we would have gotten a very unique journey from her had she gotten to be on the show for more than two weeks. I was impressed on how much we did get from these two weeks, though. I found the choreography for this...odd. Arike was often standing in one place for a lot of the routine, but I imagine Gleb did that because it was her first time dancing in heels (this is why I wish we had more time with her, so we could see her grow!). I agree with Bentley that she exhibited grace and I was glad she managed to get through the routine without any awkward stumbles. Side note: I really liked how this package was presented: minimal editing and minimal drama, just a moment in training when we got to see Arike step out of her comfort zone. It felt like old-school DWTS and I’d like to see more naturally endearing human moments like this than the overly-produced packages with manufactured “storylines”. (I also loved the clip with her mom at the trailers!)
The Judges’ Scores
|
8
|
9
|
8
|
8
|
33/40
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
7
|
8
|
7
|
22/30
| |
#TeamMirrorBallers 1(800)868-3402
Adam Rippon and Jenna Johnson
Quickstep
Make Way by Aloe Blacc
Bentley Adam and Jenna’s Quickstep was fast, fierce, slick, and together— everything you need for a good Quickstep! Carrie Ann was spot on when she said that these two are ridiculous in tune with each other, because their synchronicity was through the roof! However, Carrie Ann was also right in pointing out the slight balancing issue with Adam’s turns. And just as a person preference, I wanted less stops in the dance, and maybe some less Charleston-esque content that can be replaced by more ballroom content. I still hold the stance that Adam and Jenna have impeccable chemistry, and I still feel like they can win it all in the end!
Julia Let me preface this by saying I’m rooting for Adam and Jenna, and will probably be voting for them to win the Mirrorball Trophy at the end of the season (yes, I’m assuming they’ll make it to the Finale). I guess after coming out swinging the first week, it was going to be very hard for this team to top themselves, and in my opinion they didn’t manage to do that this week. Their Quickstep was still good, but the issues with balance and cleanliness were obvious (I think one problem caused the other). I also would have liked to see a little more content in the routine. Again, I still think they’re very good and would like to see them win, but I felt this dance was overscored by a few points.
The Judges’ Scores
|
9
|
9
|
9
|
10
|
37/40
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
9
|
10
|
8
|
27/30
| |
#TeamJustFriends 1(800)868-3401
Team Dances
The remaining eight couples split into two teams of four for the Freestyle team dance round. Each team was assigned a sports theme and an era to portray for their performance. The teams were Team 1950s Tennis and Team 1970s Football.
Team 1950s Tennis
Chris & Witney, Josh & Sharna, Kareem & Lindsay, Tonya & Sasha
...Baby One More Time by The Baseballs
Bentley The team dances weren’t anything too amazing, but they were still very enjoyable. Team Tennis might have been the less technical team, but it made sense to just have fun with the performance rather than worry too much about the technicalities of it. Kareem really didn’t do all that match, but he still managed to steal the show somehow! Josh had more than one timing issue, but he made up for it with personality and style. Chris, as opposed to his Viennese Waltz earlier in the night, was really loose and energetic. The celebrity that stood out to me, though, was Tonya, who had a pretty stellar few seconds in her Jive section. Overall, I found this to be the more entertaining team (but only by a bit), and I found myself wanting to groove along with them to that awesome Baseballs song!
Julia I wish they didn’t have to do this in Week 2; the choreography was so clever that I think on a regular season with team dances being done on Week 6 or 7 the contestants would have enough experience under their belt to really nail this performance. As is, it was definitely sloppy in some parts, and I could tell the Jive steps were rough on some of the celebrities (and contrary to what Bentley said, I thought Tonya was one of them). One thing I liked was that they found a way to have Kareem do something he could manage without having the rest of the team members hold themselves back. Again, this was another aspect of this season that just seemed like wasted potential because of the shortened timeframe.
The Judges’ Scores
|
8
|
9
|
8
|
8
|
33/40
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
9
|
8
|
7
|
24/30
| |
#Team1950sTennis
Team 1970s Football
Adam & Jenna, Arike & Gleb, Jennie & Keo, Mirai & Alan
Instant Replay by Dan Hartman
Bentley I have to hand it to all four pros in this dance that gave their partners challenging yet manageable choreography while still managing to avoid being dull. These pros were sort of the underdogs in the sense that we don’t really get to see them highlighted on DWTS as much as the other pros, but when they came together, it made for what I feel was the superior team dance of the night. I loved Jennie’s enthusiasm despite the fact that her enthusiasm made her moves a bit too wild, but she seemed to be the most energetic and fun of the entire group! Adam also had some high energy, plus he truly embraced his character and went all out to become a discoteque football player. Contrastly, I like how Arike stayed true to herself for her section. I also thought that Mirai was sharp and clean, but still stayed true to the wackiness of the disco theme. The ladies’ section was a tiny mess, but besides that, it seemed very put together. This performance also felt more like a “team”, which, to me, is what matters the most!
Julia I was impressed by this group’s choreography given their lack of experience in this round compared to Team Tennis (two seasons of team dances from the Team Football pros vs. 21 from their opponents). Adam managed to hold his own with the male pros, Arike had timing issues but was able to get back on track and keep up the energy, Mirai was probably the best dancer of all of them, and I was glad Jennie got her groove back after losing some of it in her Cha-Cha earlier in the evening. I definitely agree that the “team” element of a team dance is very important, and this dance had it in spades. Team Football was certainly the team dance I liked better this season!
The Judges’ Scores
|
9
|
10
|
9
|
9
|
37/40
|
The Bloggers’ Scores
|
9
|
10
|
9
|
28/30
| |
#Team1970sFootball
Bentley I really liked Rashad as a guest judge. He was charismatic, charming, informative, and collected. He scored a bit high, but he was consistent, so I approve of the scores he gave. I also loved his positive criticism, even though he didn’t really give a lot of pointers to the couples on where to improve. Sometimes criticism can be constructive even if it is praising what somebody did really well, though, so I had no issue with it.
I am also looking forward to David Ross coming back next week to judge, too. I know that he is going to be nothing but upbeat and respectful, plus he knows a thing or two about dancing just like Rashad, so I expect him to score fairly.
Julia We also have guest mentors next week in Nastia Liukin, Meryl Davis, and Von Miller! I think it’s cool that they’ve been bringing former contestants back in this capacity, so I’m excited to see what these three bring to the table!
Bentley So… the triple elimination. Next week, half of the remaining couples are going to be eliminated. I could go on and on about all of the possibilities of what I think could happen next week, but I am going to predict that Adam, Mirai, and Chris are going to make the finals. But now that I am writing that, I am second guessing myself. I genuinely believe that any of the couples left are able to make it to the finals. And although I believe it is less likely, despite many people discounting it, I believe that Jennie has a slim chance of making it to the finals, too. Jennie comes off as very personable, and even with her flaws in technique, she still puts on a good show. Josh and Tonya are wild cards to me, but I think Josh is more likely to be safe than Tonya. But what do I know? Voting and scoring has been so confusing to me lately, and even after I find out what scores and votes apply to which eliminations, I still end up forgetting how everything works. And with the dance battles coming next week, those few extra points that the couples can win seem like they are going to matter now more than any other dance battles we have had before. Even though we never really get to find out the exact numbers of each elimination result, I think at least two of these three eliminations are going to be close, since people are probably splitting their votes more than they usually would in an effort to keep their favorites safe.
Julia I would really like to see Bentley’s prediction of Adam, Mirai, and Chris in the Finals come true. However, in reality it’s probably going to be Adam, Tonya, and Josh. Adam has tied for the top of the leaderboard twice in a row and seems to be very popular. Tonya has gotten good scores both weeks and also has a lot of support. Jennie is clearly the low-hanging fruit remaining and I would be FLOORED if she were to advance past next week. Mirai is a great dancer but I don’t think she’s beating anyone in votes except Jennie so her scores will have to be top-notch for her to have a shot at Week 4. So the last spot will probably be between Chris and Josh and since it’s going to be Week 2’s votes and Week 3’s scores that determine the Finalists I’m gonna guess they’re close in votes and Josh gets the better scores next week, making him safe over Chris. If this does happen it’ll be interesting; assuming Josh has a comeback and knocks it out of the park next week and the other two continue to dance well, there really would be no clear frontrunner or lag-behinder (yeah I don’t have a real word for that but you know what I mean :P) in an Adam/Tonya/Josh Finale scenario.
Week 2 Dance Rankings
Bentley
1. Mirai & Alan’s Foxtrot
2. Adam & Jenna’s Quickstep
3. Team 1970’s Football
4. Team 1950’s Tennis
5. Tonya & Sasha’s Quickstep
6. Josh & Sharna’s Paso Doble
7. Chris & Witney’s Viennese Waltz
8. Arike & Gleb’s Foxtrot
9. Jennie & Keo’s Cha-Cha-Cha
10. Kareem & Lindsay’s Salsa
Julia
1. Mirai & Alan’s Foxtrot
2. Team 1970’s Football
3. Tonya & Sasha’s Quickstep
4. Adam & Jenna’s Quickstep
5. Chris & Witney’s Viennese Waltz
6. Team 1950’s Tennis
7. Josh & Sharna’s Paso Doble
8. Arike & Gleb’s Foxtrot
9. Jennie & Keo’s Cha-Cha-Cha
10. Kareem & Lindsay’s Salsa
Week 2 M.V.P. Picks
Who did we choose for the Most Valuable Pro this week?!
Bentley Lindsay Arnold was an absolute genius with her choreography this week. Kareem gave his all for his dances, but he was clearly at a disadvantage with his age and height. Lindsay, though, still managed to make their Salsa stand out, especially with that part in the beginning where Lindsay sat on Hayley’s shoulders! It was so original! And as for the team dances, Lindsay and the other pros on the team managed to fit Kareem into the dance in a smart way, allowing him to go at his own pace without dragging the rest of the team down. Monday night is a prime example of how much of a team player Lindsay is!
Julia I am also choosing Lindsay Arnold for MVP this week! Thinking about it, I’m actually surprised that (to my knowledge) we hadn’t seen anyone do the “double-decker dancer” thing on this show prior to Monday night, but I guess that’s because we’ve never had anyone as tall as Kareem compete before! I also appreciate that Lindsay was able to get Kareem moving more this week, and he was noticeably more relaxed and comfortable on the floor as well. I’m glad we got to see this side of Kareem before we was eliminated, and Lindsay deserves major props for helping bring it out!
Week 2 Stats
Dancing With the Stars Season 26, Week 2 Leaderboard
|
Bloggers’ Scores
| |||
Couple
|
Dance Style
|
Judges’ Scores
|
Overall Scores
| |
Josh and Sharna
|
Paso Doble
|
7, 7, 8, 8 (30/40)
|
63/80
|
7, 7, 7 (21/30)
|
Team 1950s Tennis
|
8, 9, 8, 8 (33/40)
|
9, 8, 7 (24/30)
| ||
Jennie and Keo
|
Cha-Cha-Cha
|
6, 7, 7, 6 (26/40)
|
63/80
|
6, 6, 6 (18/30)
|
Team 1970s Football
|
9, 10, 9, 9 (37/40)
|
9, 10, 9 (28/30)
| ||
Kareem and Lindsay
|
Salsa
|
7, 7, 6, 6 (26/40)
|
59/80
|
6, 6, 6 (18/30)
|
Team 1950s Tennis
|
8, 9, 8, 8 (33/40)
|
9, 8, 7 (24/30)
| ||
Chris and Witney
|
Viennese Waltz
|
9, 8, 8, 8 (33/40)
|
66/80
|
7, 9, 8 (24/30)
|
Team 1950s Tennis
|
8, 9, 8, 8 (33/40)
|
9, 8, 7 (24/30)
| ||
Tonya and Sasha
|
Quickstep
|
8, 9, 8, 8 (33/40)
|
66/80
|
8, 8, 8 (24/30)
|
Team 1950s Tennis
|
8, 9, 8, 8 (33/40)
|
9, 8, 7 (24/30)
| ||
Mirai and Alan
|
Foxtrot
|
9, 10, 9, 9 (37/40)
|
74/80
|
10, 10, 9 (29/30)
|
Team 1970s Football
|
9, 10, 9, 9 (37/40)
|
9, 10, 9 (28/30)
| ||
Arike and Gleb
|
Foxtrot
|
8, 9, 8, 8 (33/40)
|
70/80
|
7, 8, 7 (22/30)
|
Team 1970s Football
|
9, 10, 9, 9 (37/40)
|
9, 10, 9 (28/30)
| ||
Adam and Jenna
|
Quickstep
|
9, 9, 9, 10 (37/40)
|
74/80
|
9, 10, 8 (27/30)
|
Team 1970s Football
|
9, 10, 9, 9 (37/40)
|
9, 10, 9 (28/30)
| ||
Next Week…
Next week is the Semi-Finals of Dancing With the Stars Season 26! Season 24 DWTS runner-up and MLB World Series champion will join Carrie Ann, Len, and Bruno at the judges’ table for the night!
The six remaining couples will perform an individual dance that is inspired by the MVPs in their lives. Then, the couples will compete Ballroom Battle dance-offs. For the dance-offs, the couples will compete against one other couple in a particular style, and the judges along with the viewers will vote for who they believe did better with the assignment. The couple with more votes with win the dance-off and earn bonus points to their overall score for the night.
At the end of the night, three couples will be eliminated. The remaining three couples will make it to the two-night finale!
These are the individual dances that will happen on Monday night, according to the DWTS: Athletes press release:
- Adam Rippon and Jenna Johnson will dance Contemporary to O by Coldplay.
- Chris Mazdzer and Witney Carson will dance a Foxtrot to I Got Rhythm by Ray Chew Live
- Jennie Finch Daigle and Keo Motsepe will dance a Viennese Waltz to The Rest of Our Life by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
- Josh Norman and Sharna Burgess will dance Contemporary to Stand By Me by Bootstraps
- Mirai Nagasu and Alan Bersten will dance a Quickstep to Bo$$ by Ray Chew Live
- Tonya Harding and Sharna Burgess will dance a Rumba to See You Again by Tyler Ward
And these are the performances for the Ballroom Battle Dance-Offs:
- Adam & Jenna and Mirai & Alan will dance a Jive to Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry
- Chris & Witney and Josh & Sharna will dance Salsa to WTF (Where They From) by Missy Elliott featuring Pharrell Williams
- Tonya & Sasha and Jennie & Keo will dance a Cha-Cha-Cha to Dance by DNCE
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What did you think of week two of Dancing With the Stars: Athletes? Which individual performance did you like the best? What are your thoughts on the team dances? What do you think of Arike and Gleb, and Kareem and Lindsay being eliminated during the second double elimination of the season? Who do you think will be in danger for the triple elimination next week?
#DWTS #DWTSAthletes
#DWTS26 #Week2
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