Dancing With the Stars Season 21- Week 8 (Icons Night) Review

We have learned a lot from the celebrities with the several themed dance nights on Dancing With the Stars. Icons Night was yet another theme to showcase the celebrities' lives and inspirations. Despite the repetitive theme, I did like to see some the dances that showcased very emotional stories. Oddly enough, for probably the first time ever, I agreed the most with Carrie Ann's comments and scores. As for the Dance-Offs, they were very confusing at first, but I ended up liking them. Here were my thoughts on the jam-packed night:

Icons Dances

Carlos PenaVega and Witney Carson (#TeamBrownSugar)

Salsa- Valió la Pena by Marc Anthony

Score: 9, 9, 9 (27/30) (Final Score: 29/33)

Carlos's Icon: Marc Anthony

I feel like this season has been lacking in Latin heat, so it was very refreshing to watch Carlos's Salsa. It was very traditional, with some complicated steps. Of course, the lift one lift towards the end was messed up a bit (although I felt like that happened a lot on Monday night). Carlos looked relaxed during this routine, but at certain parts, he looked so relaxed that the Salsa was not executed with enough force. I give Carlos and Witney's Salsa a 9. At just a few points, I felt as though Carlos's feet were beneath him, so if he just picked up his feet a tiny bit more, it would be perfect. Although, that is such a small detail in a routine like this.

Video of Carlos and Witney's Salsa

Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold (#TeamTakedown)

Contemporary- Holding Out for a Hero by Ella Mae Bowen

Score: 9, 8, 8 (25/30) (Final Score: 25/33)

Alek's Icon: Chris Kyle ("The American Sniper")

Alek has shown that he executes lifts really well, but it seems as though he and Lindsay depend too much on them. Just like his Jazz routine in week two, this Contemporary piece was very consumed with lifts. One lift, just like Carlos's in his Salsa, had a mishap, but it wasn't his or Allison's fault. I like the lifts, but I would also like to see a variety with side-by-side lines and small "moments" to make a big emotional effect. Alek does have the strength and stability to nail a routine like this, but some of the key factors to this dance needed some polishing to it. I give Alek and Lindsay's Contemporary a 9. This dance was very beautiful. Alek did a superb job of showcasing Lindsay, and Lindsay did a great job of showcasing Alek as well.

Video of Alek and Lindsay's Contemporary

Andy Grammer and Allison Holker (#TeamAndison) Eliminated- 7th Place

Viennese Waltz- Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder

Score: 8, 7, 7 (22/30) (Final Score: 24/33) Bottom of the Leaderboard

Andy's Icon: Stevie Wonder

As I said from Most Memorable Year Night, Andy has such a good outlook on life. That optimism was portrayed beautifully in this Viennese Waltz, despite there being some awkward moments while in hold. His posture continued to be problem, which causes his whole frame to look sloppy. His lines were also just thrown around a bit, but with the fast choreography that Allison gave him, that makes it extremely difficult to do so. Of course, Andy's high spirits will be missed in the ballroom, so I hope that he took something great from his journey on the show, because he did really show the world what an amazing personality he has. I give Andy and Allison's Viennese Waltz a 7. I loved this dance, especially because of the story that Andy told behind it. As Carrie Ann said herself, this performance was uplifting in a special way.

Picture From Andy and Allison's Viennese Waltz

Alexa PenaVega and Mark Ballas (#TeamBAEga)

Argentine Tango- Viva la Vida  by Coldplay

Score: 9. 8. 8 (25/30) (Final Score: 27/33)

Alexa's Icon: David from "Daivid and Goliath"

In all honesty, I was not sure how I felt about Alexa in the beginning of the competition. However, as time went by, she has went from one of the people that I didn't care for very much to one of my favorite celebrities on the show this season! I love her heart, and her new-found fearlessness in her performances. I liked the elements of International Ballroom Tango in this Argentine Tango, and the way it eased its way into the choreography. Since almost everyone was messing up last night, I do have to say that her missteps were, in fact, very noticeable. That didn;'t, however, take away from the cinematic value and intense passion. I give Alexa and Mark's Argentine Tango a 9. The intensity might be very prevalent in Alexa's face, but she also needed to add some of that strong character into her legs for fiercer flicks.

Video of Alexa and Mark's Argentine Tango

Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess (#TeamSharNick)

Contemporary- Can't Help Falling in Love by Haley Reinhart

Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Score: 33/33) Top of the Leaderboard (Immunity)

Nick's Icon: His wife Lauren Kitt Carter

Nick has clearly had a tough time in past year, so I am extremely glad that he and wife are going to have a baby "backstreet" boy! Everything about this Contemporary number gave me chills. From sad to happy, and low to high, the roller coaster of emotions in this performance set such a unique atmosphere that was like no other, just like his Viennese Waltz in week three. I give Nick and Sharna's Contemporary a 10. Nick had such finesse to tell a wonderful story that captivated me into another world through his and Sharna's atmospheric magic.

Video of Nick and Sharna's Contemporary

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough (#TeamCrikey)

Foxtrot- Grace Kelly by MIKA

Score: 10, 9, 9 (28/30) (Final Score: 28/33)

Bindi's Icon: Grace Kelly

A lot of times when an untrained dancer performs the Foxtrot, it could turn out rather boring due to the limitations that many of the celebrities have. But as we all know, Bindi can do anything that Derek throws at her! I couldn't stop smiling from start to finish as Bindi glided her way around the dance floor with her Jazz flair! I know that she messed up in the star formation on the floor, but to me, that did not take away from the Foxtrot at all! Julianne said that Bindi's shoulder was up, but that was such a minor thing that it was insignificant in my eyes! I give Bindi and Derek's Foxtrot a 10. Bindi is definitely a competitor to beat because she is on fire, and she never gets phased by any challenges that far her way!

Video of Bindi and Derek's Foxtrot

Tamar Braxton and Valentin Chmerkovskiy (#TeamValenTay)

Paso Doble- Born This Way by Lady Gaga

Score: 9, 9, 10 (28/30) (Final Score: 28/33)

Tamar's Icon: Her sister Toni Braxton

Tamar puts such incredible effort in her routines, but sometimes that effort does not always show itself in her live performances.Don't get me wrong, Tamar has some of the best Latin lines out of the female celebrities left on the show. As Julianne said, Tamar seems to have two sets of arms. She would execute one line perfectly, but the next would be a tad off. Besides that, Tamar match Val in all types of technique. I give Tamar and Val's Paso Doble a 9. There were only little things that kept this Paso Doble from being perfect, so I would suggest to Tamar to just be more aware of her arms at all times when doing Latin dances.

Video of Tamar and Val's Paso Doble

Dance-Offs

For the Dance-Off challenge, the couples that did not receive the highest score of the night had to compete in the head-to-head competition. Nick and Sharna had the highest score of the night, so they did not have to compete. In addition to that, they won Immunity from elimination, and have gained an additional three points to their final score of the night. If there had been more then one couple to have had the highest score of the night, then the couple with the highest cumulative score of the season would be the pair to win the immunity. The winning couples that compete in the Dance-Off challenge received two additional points for their final overall scores.

In the order of the leaderboard (highest to lowest), the couples chose the couples they would face against, and the couples that were chosen had to pick a dance style out of the remaining options to dance to. This was the decision-making process:

• Bindi and Derek chose to dance against Carlos and Witney.
• Carlos and Wintney chose to dance a Jive against Bindi and Derek.

• Tamar and Val chose to dance against Alexa and Mark.
• Alexa and Mark chose to dance a Cha-Cha-Cha against Tamar and Val.

• Alek and Lindsay chose to dance against Andy and Allison.
• Andy and Allison chose to dance a Samba against Alek and Lindsay.

The dance floor was split in half for the couples to dance side-by-side. The judges, as well as the viewers at home, got to decide on who should win the two additional points in each round of the challenge. In the event of a tie, the public was the tiebreaker vote. Whatever the majority of the public's vote was, that was the determined vote for America's overall vote with the judges.

*Note: The public's vote percentage is after Bruno's vote.

Immunity: Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess (+3 Points)

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough versus Carlos PenaVega and Witney Carson

Jive- Travelin' Band by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Votes: Carlos, Carlos, Carlos, Carlos (64%)

Winner: Carlos and Witney (+2 Points)

This dance-off was very close in terms of both performance and technique.While Bindi did do more basic Jive content than Carlos, Carlos picked his knees up higher, and applied more force to his kicks and flicks. In my opinion, either team deserved the points, which shows how close the competition really is this season. I think that Carlos and Witney should have won the dance-off.

Tamar Braxton and Valentin Chmerkovskiy versus Alexa PenaVega and Mark Ballas

Cha-Cha-Cha- Fun by Pit Bull featuring Chris Brown

Votes: Alexa, Tamar, Tamar, Alexa (76%)

Winner: Alexa and Mark (+2 Points)

Both couples nailed the sexiness factor that is needed for a Cha-Cha-Cha to a song like Fun! Alexa had so much more content than Tamar, but at the same time, Tamar really focused on the little details of the dance while focusing on extending her lines from the core. Once again, I think that both couples deserved to have won the extra points, but I feel like Alexa's effort of the Cha-Cha-Cha really payed off for her this time around. I think that Alexa and Mark should have won the dance off.

Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold versus Andy Grammer and Allison Holker

Samba- Lean On by Major Lazer and DJ Snake featuring MØ

Votes: Andy, Andy, Andy, Andy (54%)

Winner: Andy and Allison (+2 Points)

The two lowest scorers of the night had to compete to a very difficult dance style that neither of them have done on the show before. Before even watching, I knew that the performances would be a bit less technical than the dance-offs before them. Despite the many mistakes both Alek and Andy had, I do have to say that this competition was very entertaining to watch. Andy had some really fun tricks infused into the Samba. On the other hand, Alek and Lindsay did a whole lot more Samba steps than Andy and Allison. Neither couple completely nailed the dance, but I feel as though Alek had more flair and technicality in his performance. I think that Alek and Lindsay should have won the dance-off.

So what did you think of Icons Night of Dancing With the Stars? What is your opinion on the Dance-Offs? What are your thoughts on Andy and Allison's elimination? What was your favorite dance of the night? Next week will be Duet Dances in which two couples pair together to create a performance of a lifetime!

Make sure you follow me on Twitter at @DWTS2015 for DWTS news, updates, live tweets, opinions, and more!

Dancing With the Stars Season 21- Week 7 (Halloween Night) Review

If you couldn't tell from the smoke show on the dance floor, Monday was Halloween Night on Dancing With the Stars! Once again, Leah Remini filled in for Erin Andrews this week, and I think that she was better this week than last week by a long shot! Monday was also the night for team dances, which I always find to be fun. I feel as though Team "Nightmare" did have an advantage over Team "Who You Gonna Call?" based solely off of the fact that Team "Nightmare" had more dynamic music. But in the end, it seemed clear which team was the stronger group. As many of us have predicted, but many people were shocked as well, Hayes and Emma were eliminated. I think that Hayes is the best partner that Emma ever had, and they will definitely be remembered this season! The show was filled with intense Halloween passion, and I loved every second of it! Here are my thoughts on the show:

Couples Dances

Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess (#TeamSharNick)
Argentine Tango- Bring Me to Life by Evanescence featuring Paul McCoy
Score: 8, 8, 8 (24/30) (Final Score: 54/60)

There was so much high energy and eeriness to this Frankenstein-inspired performance that I feel like it almost threw Nick off. I agree with Bruno with the fact that Nick was anticipating every step, which made the dance a bit stop-and-go. Nick had great posture, although it did not compensate for the clumsy lower half of his body. I give Nick and Sharna's Argentine Tango an 8. Nick has a great character, but he gets too shuffled in certain moves that involve turns and lifts.

Video of Nick and Sharna's Argentine Tango

Hayes Grier and Emma Slatter (#TeamSlayes) Eliminated- 8th Place
Waltz- Once Upon a Dream by Lana Del Ray
Score: 8, 9, 9 (26/30) (Final Score: 56/60)

I think that Hayes's inconsistency in his performances, along with his demographic of voters, unfortunately caused him to go home. I can't say I didn't see it coming, but it looked like Hayes was starting to like to be on the show. On Monday, he gave it his all, and delivered a solid performance. He still had some of the same reoccurring mistakes that he has had in some of his previous ballroom dances, but he was improving. I loved the costumes, and I think that Hayes should keep the beard! XD I give Hayes and Emma's Waltz a 9. Hayes has loosened up a bit, but there was still room for improvement, especially with his shoulders and arms.

Video of Hayes and Emma's Waltz

Alexa PenaVega and Mark Ballas (#TeamBAEga)
Paso Doble- Hora Zero by Rodrigo y Gabriela
Score: 9, 9, 9 (27/30) (Final Score: 55/60)

The costumes were so incredible for this Paso Doble that I could not recognize at all in her outfit and wig! Mark dancing with the scissor hands was a big risk, but it all paid off in the long run! Alexa is becoming a much stronger dancer, but I want to see her be able to shift her own weight in a more natural fashion. Besides that, this was one of Alexa's biggest breakthrough dances! I give Alexa and Mark's Paso Doble a 9. She is a bit forward with her traveling in hold, so if that small detail could fixed, it would make her performance quality much better!

Video of Alexa and Mark's Paso Doble

Tamar Braxton and Valentin Chmerkovskiy (#TeamValenTay)
Foxtrot- People Are Strange by The Doors
Score: 8, 8, 8 (24/30) (Final Score: 54/60)

After Tamar's low scores and not-so-good video package, I am worried about her safety in this competition. However, since there is so much great competition, it will be a very close call of who will be eliminated next week. The biggest issue that Tamar has with her dances is that she is not aware of her surroundings. She has to connect not only with Val, but with the audience and cameras as well. I feel as though she was underscored, though, because technically, she has lines of a professional dancer. I just want her to finally have a breakthrough before it is too late! I give Tamar and Val's Foxtrot a 9. There was not a whole lot of hold, but those were her strongest points in this dance.

Video of Tamar and Val's Foxtrot

Andy Grammer and Allison Holker (#TeamAndison)
Paso Doble- The Beautiful People by Marilyn Manson
Score: 9, 9, 8 (26/30) (Final Score: 56/60)

Is it just me, or was everyone on edge this week? I have never seen Allison become so frustrated before, so I know that she is extremely dedicated to trying to get Andy to be the best that he can be! Of course, Lain dances are not Andy's best styles, but this hard-hitting Paso Doble turned out to be his best Latin routine. With the small amount of Paso Doble content that I actually saw, Andy needs to be more fluid with his lines. I give Andy and Allison's Paso Doble an 8. Andy brought a dark side out this week, and was able to control the high energy with stability. He needed, though, to make his movements come from the core, rather than having awkward arm spins.

Video of Andy and Allison's Paso Doble

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough (#TeamCrikey)
Argentine Tango- Cry Little Sister by Gerald McMann
Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) (Final Score: 58/60) Top of the Leaderboard

What I like about Bindi is that with every step she takes, she steps hard. She doesn't cheap out on one move to get the strength of the other. She makes every move seem like the finishing move. The Argentine Tango was filled with content, and Bindi filled every movement with her character. I give Bindi and Derek's Argentine Tango a 10. Bindi nailed being a super sexy vampire!

Video of Bindi and Derek's Argentine Tango

Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold (#TeamTakedown)
Viennese Waltz- Haunted by Beyoncé
Score: 9, 8, 8 (25/30) (Final Score: 53/60) Bottom of the Leaderboard

This dance was a pure Viennese Waltz. There were not any gimmicks to cover Alek's dancing ability. Even with Lindsay entering with the electric board, it did not take away from the performance. I do feel like he has been over scored a few weeks in the past, so I understand him not being so happy in his video package. This week, though, I thought that he was judged fairly. I give Alek and Lindsay's Viennese Waltzs a 9. I think that Artem was able to help Alek with the fact that now Alek is a leading man in the ballroom hold. I didn't, however, see too much intensity in face to match the haunting theme.

Video of Alek and Lindsay's Viennese Waltz

Carlos PenaVega and Witney Carson (#TeamBrownSugar)
Paso Doble- O Fortuna by Carl Orff
Score: 9, 10, 9 (28/30) (Final Score: 56/60)

Carlos has finally redeemed himself after having some inconsistencies throughout the earlier part of this competition. He is in it to win it! It's unfortunate that the dry ice covered a lot of this Paso Doble because Carlos portrayed a type of manliness that he has not yet shown on the dance floor. In my opinion, Carlos deserved a perfect score. I give Carlos and Witney's Paso Doble a 10. Carlos didn't use the cape as a prop, but he used it as an accessory to show to the audience that his technicality is raw and from the core. From beginning to end, Carlos maintained an intensity that filled up the entire room!

Video of Carlos and Witney's Paso Doble


Team Dances


Team "Nightmare" (#TeamNightmare)
Nick and Sharna, Tamar and Val, Andy and Allison, Hayes and Emma
Freestyle- This Is Halloween by Danny Elfman
Score: 10, 10, 10 (30/30) Winning Team

The theatricality of this performance tied together a unity that made this a team dance to remember! The parts of the dance with everyone together were my favorite because the cohesive nature of it put together a store that had an attention-grabbing beginning, middle, and end! Andy and Allison had probably the sexiest Halloween chair dance I have ever seen. XD Hayes and Emma had a very visually appealing approach to the lifts that me want them to dance longer! Nick and Sharna really captured the fun Halloween spirit of the dance. Tamar and Val were very clean and crisp with their lines. All of these factors put together made me in awe from how much I actually enjoyed this team Freestyle! I give Team "Nightmare" a 10.

Video of Team "Nightmare"

Team "Who You Gonna Call?" (#TeamWhoYouGonnaCall)
Bindi and Derek, Alexa and Mark, Carlos and Witney, Alek and Lindsay
Freestyle- Ghostbusters by Ray Parker, Jr.
Score: 9, 10 , 9 (28/30) Losing Team

I absolutely loved the plot to this routine! There were a few parts out of sync, mainly from Alek, and partly from Bindi, but I was too memorized by the dance to even care! Alek and Lindsay pulled off some great tricks that went well with the flourishes in the music. Carlos and Witney rolling in on those electric boards was such a great idea that was executed really well. Alexa and Mark really rocked the house with their refreshing section in hold. Bindi and Derek were on fire with their fat-paced choreography! The team was absolutely amazing, but they could have had more team spirit, by which I meant that they could have worked together to show express their strengths more. Besides that, this team Freestyle was highly entertaining and technical! I give Team "Who You Gonna Call?" a 9.

Video of Team "Who You Gonna Gonna Call?"









So what did you think of Halloween Night on Dancing With the Stars? What was your favorite dance of the night? Which team did you like better? What did you think of Hayes and Emma's elimination this week? Next week is Icons Night about the inspiring people in the contestants' lives along with the Immunity Dance Dance Battle challenge, with America voting for the dances! Make sure you vote for favorite couples, because immunity will only be granted to one couple next week!

Make sure you follow me on Twitter at @DWTS2015 for DWTS news, updates, opinions, live tweets, and more!

Dancing With the Stars Season 21- Week 6 (Famous Dances Night) Review

I loved Famous Dances Night! It's a fresh new idea, and had a lot of great songs that shocked me that they got cleared for the show. I would have rather had all of the performances to be Freestyles, though, because of the dances had a huge departure from the original dance styles. Besides that, Monday night was a show to remember in Dancing With the Stars history! Singer Olivia Newton-John was a guest judge (sitting in between Julianne and Bruno) for the show, and Leah Remini was a guest host on Monday to fill in for Erin Andrews this week. Olivia Newton-John gave consistent scores, but to me, her comments to everyone were pretty much the same, and she was bit too politically correct. Leah did a good job hosting, and had some comical moments, as always. The night was filled with spectacular recreations of iconic performances, so I have song strong opinions about them! Here they are:

Opening Number

Flashdance, Singin' In the Rain, Single Ladies, and Chicago

What an iconic opening number! The fusion of the unlikely matched songs made for an epic opening number! The professional dancers are on point with bother their dancing and their portrayal of certain dances this season!

Hayes Grier and Emma Slater (#TeamSlayes)

Jazz- You're the One That I Want by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

Score: 8, 8, 8, 8 (32/40)

Famous Dance: Grease

From what I can see, Hayes still has a lot to learn. He seems to be slipping lower in the pack not only with his scores, but for his performance value as well. The Jazz number he did was fine, but this is week six. We need to see bigger improvement from the stars. I understand that some of this routine, especially the beginning, but choreographed and staged to be comical, but it did not translate well on the dance floor. It's not that Hayes is doing anything "wrong" per say, but it is the way he hits his lines that makes it feel flat to me. I give Hayes and Emma's Jazz an 8. This scene did justice to the movie Grease, and had quite a few difficult tricks that were performed well. I just need to see Hayes and Emma to raise the bar soon.

Andy Grammer and Allison Holker (#TeamAndison)

Jazz- Good Morning by Debbie Reynolds, Gene Kelly, and Donald O'Connor

Score: 10, 10, 10, 10 (40/40) Top of the Leaderboard

Famous Dance: Singin' In the Rain

In all honesty, I thought that Andy's star performance last week would be the peak of his dance quality that we would quickly see die out, but I am very pleased to be wrong! The entire production from beginning to end was jam-packed with all sorts of content, but not too much content for Andy to lose track of the steps. The stairs part was brilliant, the lifts were executed well, and the theme matched up perfectly to the dance. I give Andy and Allison's Jazz a 10. The entire dance was excellent, and the iconic couch scene at the end made it complete!

Alexa PenaVega and Mark Ballas (#TeamBAEga)

Cha-Cha-Cha- I'm a Slave 4 U by Britney Spears

Score: 8, 7, 7, 8 (30/40) Bottom of the Leaderboard

Famous Dance: Britney Spears at the 2001 VMA

Alexa's Cha-Cha-Cha was probably the most controversial dance of the night. Many fans are saying that Alexa was underscored, but I have to disagree. Her score seemed fair to me. She lost her footing more than once, and it didn't help that she wasn't wearing any type of heel. Her lines were also not as powerful as I have seen them in previous weeks. She did have some strong moments, but most of the performance ended up looking awkward to me. Along with that, the entire set (especially the outfits of Mark and troupe) was a real eye sore to me. I give Alexa and Mark's Cha-Cha-Cha a 7. Alexa handled that snake with fierce determination, but everything before that seemed to be too relaxed for my liking.

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough (#TeamCrikey)

Rumba- (I've Had) The Time of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes

Score: 10, 10, 10, 10 (40/40) Top of the Leaderboard

Famous Dance: Dirty Dancing

The pressure must have been on for Bindi and Derek this week, considering they had to recreate one of the biggest moments in all musical history, and they had to nail such a difficult lift. The lift was executed okay, but I have to give them props since Bindi is not an experienced dancer. I know I have complained about Carrie Ann's inconsistency with calling out lifts many times before, but this time, I somewhat understood her position, especially since the biggest lift is one of the most iconic lifts of all time. Let's just hope she continues her retirement of being the police for the rest of the season! The Rumba had some nice Mambo elements infused into it, even though she stepped a bit too hard for a good majority of the Rumba content. I give Bindi and Derek's Rumba a 9. I only really saw a few minor mistakes, but overall, this girl has star quality for days!

Paula Deen and Louis van Amstel (#TeamButtercup) Eliminated- 9th Place

Jazz- Vogue by Madonna

Score: 6, 6, 6, 6 (24/40) Bottom of the Leaderboard

Famous Dance: Madonna at the 1990 MTV Awards

This dance was very interesting! There was so much going on, I had no clue what to look at! Paula pulled off the feel and character really well for this dance, and even synced up really well with Louis and the troupe for the simple choreography. As always, she brought a bit of her own personality into this performance, which I really appreciate. I can't say her elimination this week was shocking, but I can say that Paula's hilarious comments will be missed very much! Now, the competition is tighter than ever! I give Paula and Louis's Jazz a 6. There was not a lot of floor work, but Paula definitely improved with matching up to the beat since week one.

Carlos PenaVega and Witney Carson (#TeamBrownSugar)

Rumba- Pony by Ginuwine

Score: 10, 9, 9, 10 (38/40)

Famous Dance: Magic Mike XXL

A Magic Mike Rumba? Okay then. For what they were given, Carlos and Witney did really well. There was minimal Rumba content because of the awkward chair dancing, but the Rumba was actually pretty decent. The footwork was very off, but it looks like judges didn't really mind that. I found that when Carlos did his solo parts, there was some timidness that blocks his true potential. If he can do that, I will consider him to be a true competitor in this competition. I give Carlos and Witney's Rumba a  9. Carlos has the hips down, it's just the feet that he needs to focus on for future weeks.

Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess (#TeamSharNick)

Samba- You Should Be Dancing by Bee Gees

Score: 9, 10, 10, 10 (39/40)

Famous Dance: Saturday Night Fever

It was so refreshing to see some actual content in a dance on Monday! Nick and Sharna's Samba was the perfect combination of Samba content and high-level production. Not only that, but Nick stayed true to Saturday Night Fever as well. I saw lots of recognizable content from the movie, which shows how well Nick actually executed it. The fact that Carrie Ann didn't give him a ten is beyond me. But I always say, she is very inconsistent. I give Nick and Sharna's Samba a 10. This was my absolute favorite dance from Famous Dances Night!

Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold (#TeamTakedown)

Jive- Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley

Score: 8, 8, 7, 7 (30/40) Bottom of the Leaderboard

Famous Dance: Elvis Presley Music Video

The Jive might not be Alek's best dance, but I can say that he did not deserve to ripped apart by the judges like he was on Monday night. Sure, he could have been sharper with his lines, but he had such a huge transformation since week one. This was also one of the few routines of the night that actually had a good amount of Ballroom content. He lasted throughout the entire dance, and did it all with great facial expressions that we have never seen from him before! I give Alek and Lindsay's Jive a 9. Alek rushed a few of his steps, but his personality this week saved it for me.

Tamar Braxton and Valentin Chmerkovskiy (#TeamValenTay)

Jazz- Rhythm Nation by Janet Jackson

Score: 10, 10, 10, 10 (40/40) Top of the Leaderboard

Famous Dance: Janet Jackson Music Video

Luckily for Tamar this week, this routine did not require a lot of connection with Val. She owned that Jazz routine, which made me forget all about her being sick this week. She might have lost some rehearsal time from it, but it didn't look like she did on the dance floor. Some of choreography seemed out of place at first, but by the end of the routine, I found the dance to be cohesive and complete. I give Tamar and Val's Jazz a 10. This song was perfect for Tamar! She looked like a professional dancer out there!

So what did you think of Famous Dances Night on Dancing With the Stars? What was the most iconic performance to you? What did you think of Paula and Louis's elimination this week? Next week is Halloween Night, along with some spooky team dance freestyles! The competition is very tight, so make sure you vote for your favorite couples!

Make sure you follow me on Twitter at @DWTS2015 for DWTS updates, news, opinions, live-tweets, and more!

Dancing With the Stars Season 21- Week 5 (Switch Up Challenge) Review

It was very interesting to see how the couples did this week during the Switch-Up Challenge, since scores seemed to have really, well, switched-up from last week. The scores and votes from both last week and this week will be used for next week's elimination, but, looking at the scores, I can tell that the next few weeks of competition will be difficult for the pairs. To me, Maksim Chmerkovskiy (sitting in between Julianne and Bruno) was the most consistent judge of the night. I found myself agreeing with his comments and scores throughout pretty much the entire night on Monday. It was interesting to seem him interacting with the other judges as well since he had many different strong opinions from them. My opinions were scattered across the board this week. So, here they are:

Opening Number

Good Times Roll by GRIZ and Big Gigantic

Dancing With the Stars has not failed to impress me so far this season. I always like when the troupe, the pros still in the competition, and the remaining contestants are all involved in a dance together. The concept with the doors was both fun and refreshing, which proved that simple numbers like this can sometimes be better than the outrageous ones.

Tamar Braxton and Louis van Amstel

Samba- End of Time by Beyoncé

Score: 7, 7, 8, 7 (29/40)

Tamar's Original Partner: Valentin Chmerkovskiy (#TeamValenTay)

I actually found that most of the contestants on Monday to improve from the Switch-Up Challenge this week, but not so much with Tamar. It might have been the fact that Tamar needs more time to connect to her partners, or it could be that there was a whole lot of choreography in a long dance routine, but Tamar seemed off her game. Don't get me wrong, she did well with what she was given. She nailed her hip moves, and filled the space with her movements. That leads me to think that she was underscored by quite a few points for this Samba. I give Tamar and Louis's Samba an 8. She has definitely found a connection with Val, but I don't think she has with Louis. Let's just hope this was an off week for her, and not the beginning of a huge downfall.

Hayes Grier and Allison Holker

Viennese Waltz- Like I'm Gonna Lose You by Meghan Trainor featuring John Legend

Score: 8, 8, 7, 7 (30/40)

Hayes's Original Partner: Emma Slater (#TeamSlayes)

My first thoughts from right before these two started dances, I found the set to be amazing, and I think that both Hayes and Allison looked great. However, from an early part of this Viennese Waltz, I could tell that, like Tamar, he was off of his game as well. In his defense, Allison did put a whole lot of steps in the routine (maybe too many?). For the routine, though, my problem was not with the quantity of moves, but it was with the quality of the moves. To start off, it didn't look like much of a Viennese Waltz, but I could see this being a loose interpretation of one. For the few Viennese Waltz steps Hayes did do, he did so clumsily. He has had a problem with his feet for a while now, so I hope that Emma can address soon. I give Hayes and Allison's Viennese Waltz a 7. His footwork should be his main priority at the moment, but he definitely has to improve his upper body as well.

Paula Deen and Mark Ballas

Jive- Shake by Otis Redding

Score: 7, 7, 6, 6 (26/40)

Paula's Original Partner: Louis van Amstel (#TeamButtercup)

I can never get enough of Mark's crazy concepts! What I really like about what Mark did with Paula this week is that he took what Paula knew, and improved on it without stressing her out on other things. Of course there were absolutely zero kicks and flicks, but I think Mark was smart with having Paula nail simple steps, rather than mess-up on some other steps. And by the way, I am still speechless from Paula flashing mark. XD I give Paula and Mark a 6. I want Paula to be pushed more in next week so we can all see what she brings to the table.

Alek Skarlatos and Emma Slater

Rumba- Let it Go by James Bay

Score: 8, 7, 7, 7 (29/40)

Alek's Original Partner: Lindsay Arnold (#TeamTakedown)

Whether this "showmance" between Alek and Emma is staged or not, I love Alek and Emma's strong connection. Alek's technique has not really improved or worsened since last week, but his stage presence has improved immensely.  He still needs to work on the Latin basics, but he has little moments that are pretty much perfection in each of his routines. Now I want to see those moments more spread out and longer so he can have the same dance quality as other contestants such as Nick and Bindi. I give Alek and Emma's Rumba an 8. Alek has never had as strong of a connection with Lindsay as he has with Emma, so I hope he can transfer that passion from the one to the other.

Bindi Irwin and Valentin Chmerkovskiy

Cha-Cha-Cha- Hold My Hand by Jess Glynne

Score: 9, 9, 10, 9 (37/40)

Bindi's Original Partner: Derek Hough (#TeamCrikey)

Bindi nails yet another dance! The music had a lot of low moments for a Cha-Cha-Cha, but Bindi and Val made it much more energetic with their high-spirit performance. Since week one, I have wondered if Bindi would be as good with Latin dances as she is with Ballroom, and the answer is yes. There is some serious competition in the ballroom, and I have a feeling that Bindi just might leave this season with a Mirror Ball Trophy! I give Bindi and Val's Cha-Cha-Cha a 9. Bindi lost balance at a few points, which is understandable, considering she had less than a week to get used to Val's style of dancing.

Carlos PenaVega and Lindsay Arnold

Quickstep- Bossa Nova Baby by Elvis Presley

Score: 10, 10, 9, 10 (39/40)

Carlos's Original Partner: Witney Carson (#TeamBrownSugar)

For a little while now, I have been worried that Carlos might be stuck in a zone that would not allow him to improve much on his dancing, but both he and Lindsay proved me wrong! This was the breakthrough that I have been waiting to see from Carlos! Lindsay did a great job with focusing on his top half, especially with fixing his shoulders. She is turning out to be a pro to watch out for, because if she makes it to the finale, she might just have a trick up her sleeve! She made Carlos go from great to amazing, which is hard to do in less than a week! I give Carlos and Lindsay's Quickstep a 10. I loved all of the elements of Charleston in this performance, which Carlos nailed, just like every other move in this dance!

Alexa PenaVega and Derek Hough

Tango- Pompeii by Bastille

Score: 10, 10, 10, 10 (40/40)

Alexa's Original Partner: Mark Ballas (#TeamBAEga)

I think that Alexa improved the most out of everyone during the Switch-Up. After last week's disaster, Alexa redeemed her with sharp technique, and much stronger hold. I do have to give some credit to Derek for that, because he showed that Alexa is a true competitor, and not just one of the two spouses of a married couple on this show. I absolutely loved the implement of the troupe in this dance, as well as the entire atmosphere of the stage. Although I personally would not take off points for a lift in a routine, I feel as though Carrie Ann is being very inconsistent with her judging for not taking off a point for the lift in this Tango. She has been doing this for a while now, and that leaves me to ponder why she would blatantly unfairly judge some of the contestants. I give Alexa and Derek's Tango a 10. Carlos and Alexa's scores are close, but at the moment, I think that Alexa has improved more than her husband has.

Andy Grammer and Sharna Burgess

Argentine Tango- Can't Feel My Face by The Weeknd

Score: 9, 9, 9, 9 (36/40)

Andy's Original Partner: Allison Holker (#TeamAndison)

I am so glad that Andy got Sharna as his partner. If there is a male celebrity that is lacking in technique, I know that Sharna is the pro to go to for help! This, to me, was the first time that Andy was not awkward at all on the dance floor. He followed Sharna well, and was the perfect leading man for her. I hope that Andy can keep up what he has learned from Sharna because this is the quality of dance that he needs to survive in the competition. I give Andy and Sharna's Argentine Tango a 9. He was just slightly off time with his legs, but he has improved his timing tremendously from week one.

Nick Carter and Witney Carson

Paso Doble- Don't Look Down by Martin Garrix featuring Usher

Score: 9, 9, 8, 9 (35/40)

Nick's Original Partner: Sharna Burgess (#TeamSharNick)

Sometimes I like a little bit of modernization in a dance style, but Nick and Witney might have gone a bit too far with creativity for this Paso Doble. First of all, I personally found the set to be quite dancing, but besides that, the dancing was less technical than I am used to seeing from Nick. Nick's lines were too jazzy at certain parts, and too robotic at other parts. I'm not quite sure what happened there, but Nick should probably focus on his standard basic technique in order for a great affect on his performance quality. I give Nick and Witney's Paso Doble an 8. Nick was awkward with his arms and core for the first time this season, so I really hope that he sticks to more traditional dancing in the future.

What were your thoughts on the Switch-Up Challenge? What do you think of the pairings that were put together? Next week is Famous Dances night with guest judge Olivia Newton-John, and guest host Leah Remini (filling in for Erin Andrews), celebrating different musical movie scenes and music videos from popular American culture.

Make sure you follow me on Twitter at @DWTS2015 for news, updates, and live tweets on Dancing With the Stars!

Dancing With the Stars Season 21- Week 4 (Most Memorable Year Night) Review

Most Memorable Year night is always an emotional night every season, and this season is no exception. There were a lot of memorable performances to go along with some memorable stories, which created a memorable show for the viewers. As you could probably tell, I found a lot these numbers to be memorable. For the first time ever in Dancing With the Stars history, Tom Bergeron was absent for the episode. So, last-minute guest host Alfonso Ribeiro filled in for him. Tom Bergeron could not make it to the studio because he wanted to be with his sick father. I wish for nothing but good things for Tom, so I hope he get through this tough time. The show still went on, and the night was filled with emotion that really made the audience feel more connected with the contestants than before. Here are my comments on the show:

Opening Number
I Bet My Life by Imagine Dragons

We have seen this type of opening from DWTS before, but I can see where they were going with it. I would have liked some actual dancing in it, but I guess they needed extra time to talk about the contestants' most memorable years, so I will let this one slide. By the way, I loved the song!

Alexa PenaVega and Mark Ballas (#TeamBAEga)
Foxtrot- Mama Said by The Shirelles
Score: 7, 7, 7 (21/30)
Alexa's Most Memorable Year: 2000

The whole concept behind this dance was fun, especially with holding the umbrella while in hold. It was unfortunate that Alexa blacked out a few times, because she does do really well while in hold. She messed up a few bits of choreography, and it was hard for her to get back into the rhythm of the dance, even with Mark's assistance. Even with the mistakes, she still had some great lines. I give Alexa and Mark's Foxtrot a 7. Hopefully Alexa can find her "zone" in her next dances so she does not mess up like she did on Monday again.

Gary Busey and Anna Trebunskaya (#TeamGaryAnna) Eliminated- 10th Place
Jazz- That'll Be the Day by Buddy Holly
Score: 5, 6, 5 (16/30) Bottom of the Leaderboard
Gary's Most Memorable Year: 1979

I have to give Gary a lot of credit- he has been through a lot in his life. He seems like such a kind person, even with his zany personality! His performance brought out his unique personality, as always, but he was a lot less clean with his lines than usual. He was off beat, but, fortunately for him, I don't think anyone could keep their eyes off on Anna! His elimination was not a shock, but I am glad he made it to Most Memorable Year night to tell his story to America. I give Gary and Anna's Jazz a 5. It was hard for Gary to keep up with Anna, but his fun energy took over the dance!

Tamar Braxton and Valentin Chmerkovskiy (#TeamValenTay)
Rumba- King by Tamar Braxton
Score: 9, 9, 9 (27/30)
Tamar's Most Memorable Year: 2012

So far this season, I felt as though Tamar has not completely shown her true abilities. On Monday, she not only brought the emotion to the dance that I have been waiting for from her, but her connection with Val improved quite a bit. The fact that she almost lost her husband, and then had her kid about a year later, really makes an impact to this number. The dance was even more special considering she used her own song, and had her husband play the piano live for the song. I give Tamar and Val's Rumba a 9. She has great extensions, but she needs to complete her lines, and make them come from her core.

Hayes Grier and Emma Slater (#TeamSlayes)
Contemporary- Stitches by Shawn Mendez
Score: 9, 9, 9 (27/30)
Hayes's Most Memorable Year: 2014

Hayes has been back and forth with me from his quality of dances this season. This dance, however, was his best dance. Unlike the previous weeks, Hayes actually listened to the judges, and payed attention to the detail. The lifts, the arm extensions, the spins- everything was a complete movement from start to finish. I liked his story, and I like how he brought that out in his routine. I give Hayes and Emma's Contemporary a 9. The only note that I have for this dance is that some of his body language was a bit too hard-hitting, but that might be hard to control because of the hard-hitting points of the song.

Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold (#TeamTakedown)
Paso Doble- Wake Me Up by Avicii
Score: 8, 8, 8 (24/30)
Alek's Most Memorable Year: 2015

Wow, a lot has happened to Alek this year. It might have been hard for Alek to focus on the Paso Doble, understandably, because of everything that happened this week, which might be the reason why he seemed out of it during the dance. He had a very blank face, but it must be hard to fake anger when actually being very depressed. I give Alek and Lindsay's Paso Doble an 8. A problem that I have seen from week one with Alek is his arm extensions. It needs to be more natural when he does his Spanish lines.

Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess (#TeamSharNick)
Jazz- Everybody (Backstreet's Back) by Backstreet Boys
Score: 9, 9, 9 (27/30)
Nick's Most Memorable Year: 1992

This was the first week that made me see Nick as an actual human being, rather than just a guy who was in a boy band. I never realized that he lived in a poor environment, so I am glad that he was able to become as successful as he is today. I was never a fan of the Backstreet Boys, but I found myself really into this Jazz routine. He has become more fluid than he has been in the past weeks, and he had some Hip Hop moves that were on point. I give Nick and Sharna's Jazz a 9. There were two small sections of the dance that looked awkward to me, but, overall, Nick nailed this dance.

Carlos PenaVega and Witney Carson (#TeamBrownSugar)
Waltz- Amazing Grace performed by Ray Chew
Score: 9, 8, 8 (25/30)
Carlos's Most Memorable Year: 2012

I love the song that Carlos chose for this dance, and I found that the glowing white setting was a nice touch that complimented the music.For the little Waltz content that was in this dance, he executed the lines okay. I saw some instability with one of his dips, and it was very shaky. I give carlos and Witney's Waltz an 8. Carlos needed to loosen up his shoulders a little, but his emotional connection to the dance almost masked that.

Paula Deen and Louis van Amstel (#TeamButtercup)
Cha-Cha-Cha- Respect by Aretha Franklin
Score: 6, 6, 6 (18/30)
Paula's Most Memorable Year: 1989

I'm glad that Paula stays positive no matter what happens in her life. As for her dancing, Paula has not grown much since week one, but there has been some improvement. She does hit her movements with the music, but her arms and legs are not very technical. She was practically stomping at certain parts, which has been an ongoing problem with her. Despite that, I think Louis has worked well with her. I give Paula and Louis's Cha-Cha-Cha a 6. I want Paula to continue building up her confidence since it always looks like she second guesses herself.

Andy Grammer and Allison Holker (#TeamAndison)
Cha-Cha-Cha- Good to Be Alive (Hallelujah) by Andy Grammer
Score: 7, 8, 8 (23/30)
Andy's Most Memorable Year: 2009

Andy telling about how his mother died after only a few days of being diagnosed with breast cancer was truly heartbreaking. The fact that he created such an upbeat song after such a tragedy really shows how positive his spirit is. Even when getting some not-so-positive comments from the judges, he still holds his head up high. He is still awkward when his dances, though. Allison practically drags him around the dance floor sometimes, but Andy himself has admitted that dancing is hard for him. And by the way. . . Allison is four months pregnant?! I mean, congratulations to her, but she could have fooled me. It will be interesting to see if she will still be dancing towards the end of the competition, considering she will be about six months pregnant by week eleven. Anyway, I think that these two had a blast with this performance. I give Andy and Allison's Cha-Cha-Cha a 7. Andy needs to find his center of balance, because a bit all over the place with some of his movements.

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough (#TeamCrikey)
Contemporary- Every Breath You Take by Aaron Krause featuring Liza Anne
Score: 9, 9, 10 (28/30) Top of the Leaderboard
Bindi's Most Memorable Year: 2006

This was by far the most emotional dance of the night. I can tell that Bindi can stay strong through no matter what she goes through, even when tragedy such as her father dying occurs. Unlike some of the other contestants that seemed to have crocodile tears, Bindi had true, raw emotion. The little touches in the performance made added to this Contemporary routine is what made this dance whole. She and Derek did did a great job showcasing how Steve Irwin and Bindi had such a strong relationship and connection. I give Bindi and Derek's Contemporary a 10. Bindi's vulnerability and impeccable dance quality made this heartfelt routine full of emotion, while being flawless with her lines at the same time.

What were your thoughts on Most Memorable Year night? What is your most meorable year? What was your favorite dance of the night? Next week is the Switch-Up Challenge, so the contestants will be dancing with a different pro for the first time ever this season. Along with that, season 18 professional champion Maksim Chmerkovskiy will be a guest judge on the panel! There will not be an elimination next week, but there will be one the week after that!

Make sure to follow me on Twitter at @DWTS2015 for Dancing With the Stars new, updates, live tweets, and more!