Dancing With the Stars Season 22- Week 1 (Premiere) Breakdown [Bentley and Julia]

Monday night was the premiere of season 22 of Dancing With the Stars, and it was jam-packed with high quality dancing! Here are Julia's and Bentley's thoughts on the show!

[Order of the Judges' Scores: Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli]

Actress/Reality TV Star Kim Fields and her partner Sasha Farber

Cha-Cha-Cha: Sax by Fleur East
Judges' Scores: 7, 6, 7 (20/30)
Julia's Score: 7
Bentley's Score: 7
#TeamKimsha 1(800)868-3406

I thought Kim seemed slightly stiff and nervous and first but then she got really good! I really liked Sasha's choreography for this dance! These two also seem to have some of the most natural chemistry this season and I'm looking forward to seeing more from them in the coming weeks. I'm especially interested to see a ballroom routine from Kim, but next week is Latin Night so hopefully she survives the first elimination so she can possibly do one!

What a way to start of the season! The premiere was full of surprises, and Kim's high level of dance skill was a pleasant one! She filled the dance floor with her large movements. I'm glad that Sasha is back after a long hiatus as Kim's partner because he is able to make performances both fun and traditional. Kim needs to extend her lines more as well as polish her footwork, so she does have a little bit to do in order to reach some of the other contestants' levels of technique. I also loved the use of the troupe in the background being able to add some more visuals that were not to invasive of showcasing Kim.

UFC Fighter/Model Paige VanZant and her partner Mark Ballas
Foxtrot: Ain't Got Far To Go by Jess Glynne
Judges' Scores: 7, 7, 7 (21/30)
Julia's Score: 8
Bentley's Score: 8
#PowRightInTheKisser 1(800)868-3410

This was a great routine and Paige seems to be very smooth and light on her feet, which surprised me for some reason. I really like the vibe between these two and thought this was a good dance but I would have liked to see a bit more in hold, though the side-by-side bits really did highlight Paige's abilities as a dancer. Paige is also very animated and had nice facial expressions during her dance, which should help her in her Salsa for Latin Night next week. Hopefully we'll see some routines with her playing a character like Mark often likes to have his partners do because I think she'll nail those.

If this dance were later into the show, I feel like Paige's scores would have been higher; the judges start of low during the beginning of premiere episodes in order to get a feel of what the dancers are like. The type of costumes that Paige and Mark were wearing are usually not exactly my forte, but I actually ended up falling in love with their outfits. Paige is so elegant and smooth that she made every move seem effortless. She does, however, chase the music, especially in hold. That is just nit picking, though. I have to applaud Mark as well for fusing traditional Foxtrot with some Jazz elements without losing the essence of the dance.

NFL Quarterback Doug Flutie and his partner Karina Smirnoff
Foxtrot: Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good) by Neil Diamond
Judges' Scores: 5, 5, 5 (15/30)
Julia's Score: 5
Bentley's Score: 5
#TeamKutie 1(800)8683402

I like the vibe of this couple but the dance was sort of off for me. Doug's upper body and arms seemed very stiff during the dance and as a result it was kind of awkward. He also seemed quite nervous. They have Paso Doble next week so hopefully Doug gains some confidence so he can really sell the routine.

This guy has personality for days! Doug might not be the best dancer, but he seems to genuinely enjoy being on the show, especially with having Karina with him along the way. Is Doug really clumsy? Yes. Did Karina practically dance around him? Of course. But Doug has a truckload of charm, which makes me want to give him a ten just for having fun! These two might not last much longer, but at least he is having a blast, unlike other celebrities that go on and then bash the show!

Actress Jodie Sweetin and her partner Keoikantse Motsepe
Tango: Confident by Demi Lovato
Judges' Scores: 7, 6, 7 (20/30)
Julia's Score: 7
Bentley's Score: 7
#TeamMoSweet 1(800)868-3405

I'm liking this couple so far and thought this was a great routine. The choreography seemed a bit "safe" but that was understandable seeing as this was the very first Week 1 Tango Dancing With the Stars has ever had. I liked that there was a lot of content in this dance and Jodie really nailed it. The only thing I didn't like so much was her facial expression. I get that she wanted to look "fierce" but it just made her look tense and awkward. But I definitely thought this dance was underscored!

Damn, this couple is hotter than Ginger's Summer weather report! Jodie is able to work a camera. No doubt about that! Jodie truly lived up to the high expectations that people set for her weeks before the season even started. Jodie is fierce! She is clearly a natural dancer, and matches Keo really well. The only reason why I would give this performance a seven instead of an eight is because there was too much motion in the hold. Overall, though, this was a solid Tango.

Reporter/Talk Show Host Geraldo Rivera and his partner Edyta Śliwińska
Cha-Cha-Cha: Treasure by Bruno Mars
Judges' Scores: 5, 4, 4 (13/30) Bottom of the Leaderboard
Julia's Score: 3
Bentley's Score: 3
#TeamGeraldEyta 1(800)868-3403

Unfortunately, Geraldo has a big disadvantage in that his body is much older and more run-down than those of the other contestants, so he wasn't able to do much in this routine. It wasn't his fault, but he just wasn't able to live up to everyone else this week. However, I do give credit to him for dancing on a completely numb foot.

To be honest, I think this dance was only slightly better than P. Miller's train wreck Quickstep, and only slightly worse than Kim Zolciak-Biermann's slow-motion Samba. He just did not move. I found the whole "Al Capone's Vault" reference humorous, but everything just went downhill from square one. The little Cha-Cha-Cha content that he did execute was barely recognizable, and was completely off with the troupe behind him. He will probably not last long, but at least Edyta will be able to have fun using the troupe to cover up his lack of dancing ability!

Businesswoman/Actress Marla Maples and her partner Tony Dovolani
Quickstep: Sparkling Diamonds by Nicole Kidman, Jim Broadbent, and Lara Mulcahy
Judges' Scores: 7, 7, 7 (21/30)
Julia's Score: 7
Bentley's Score: 7
#TeamMarTony 1(800)868-3407

I'm enjoying the feeling of ease between Marla and Tony and their Quickstep this week was enjoyable to watch. I really appreciated that Tony did not shy away from putting a lot of content into this routine and Marla did a good job of grasping it. She did make a few mistakes but it was a Week 1 Quickstep so that wasn't exactly unexpected. She definitely did better than I thought she would and I am excited to see more from this couple!

People called me crazy, but I had a strong feeling that Marla was going to do really well...and she did! She has a whole lot of pep in her step; she dances like a thirty-year-old! Marla kept up with Tony emphatically well, even though she was a bit wobbly at some places. Mark my words-I absolutely think that she will be able to make it further than the general audience thinks!And just as a side note, Marla said that Donald Trump's hair isn't that bad...let that sink in.

Boyz II Men Singer Wanyá Morris and his partner Lindsay Arnold
Cha-Cha-Cha: Motownphilly by Boyz II Men
Judges' Scores: 8, 7, 8 (23/30) Top of the Leaderboard
Julia's Score: 8
Bentley's Score: 8
#TeamYayZee 1(800)868-3412

I expected this couple to be popular with viewers but I did not expect them to do this well with the dancing itself, and I was especially surprised to see them at the top of the leaderboard! Wanyá really nailed this. He did very well with the content Lindsay included in the number and he is definitely a great performer!

This, to me, was the biggest pleasant surprise of the night. I had no clue that Wanyá was going to be that entertaining and light on his feet! To be honest, I thought he wasn't going to do that well, but I eat my words now! He is suave, and has tons of swagger on that dance floor. Lindsay really did choreograph a routine that suits Wanyá dance style, and it showcased him like nobody else on the premiere. I do want to see a little more hip action, but I'm sure Lindsay will address that to him. Wanyá is a real competitor for that Mirror Ball Trophy!

Weather Presenter Ginger Zee and her partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy
Jive: Move by Beyoncé Knowles, Anika Noni Rose, and Jennifer Hudson
Judges' Scores: 8, 7, 8 (23/30) Top of the Leaderboard
Julia's Score: 7
Bentley's Score: 8
#TeamGinAndJuice 1(800)868-3404

I think Ginger did very well with the routine she was given. She was quite clean in her technique and animated as a performer. However, I was kind of disappointed in Val's choreography. I would have liked to have seen a lot more Jive content than what we got. Ginger can dance, so the fact that Val didn't include a lot of content makes me wonder if he was trying to hide her dance experience so when she does get a routine with a lot of content people will think she is displaying a lot of improvement when she was really that good the whole time!

Ginger has a fun and weird personality, so that oddly makes me like her more than I thought I would! She nailed those steps she was given, even though I personally would have liked to see a hair more basic Jive content. The thing that really stood out to me, although only slightly noticeable, was Ginger's wide dinosaur stance. That needs to go! Other than that, I think Val is going to be able to showcase Ginger's style to bring her to the end!

Actress Mischa Barton and her partner Artem Chigvintsev

Tango: In the Night by The Weeknd
Judges' Scores: 5, 5, 6 (16/30)
Julia's Score: 6
Bentley's Score: 5
#TeamBlackVelvet 1(800)868-3408

Mischa got one of the most difficult styles of the night, but I think it was probably the style best suited to her personality. She embodied the mood of the dance well but her technique wasn't that great. Artem's choreography was kind of "safe" (and actually, so was Keo's Tango choreo for Jodie to a lesser extent) and this was understandable considering it was a WEEK 1 TANGO and the pro would want their celebrity to sucessfully perform the dance, but this is sort of the reason WHY I don't think having Tango as a style for the first night is a good idea.

I don't know if Mischa is actually this, but Dancing With the Stars made it seem like she has an extreme stand-offish personality...and that is not good for votes! Unfortunately, as for the dance itself, I have to agree with Len's comment that it was very pedestrian, and lacked any sort of variety in content. Mischa was able to get a feel for the intensity of the dance, and she was even very sharp, but she was noticeably unstable in her frame and posture. I think it would have been better for Artem to put more travelling (and not just walking when travelling) to make the dance less frantic, but to each their own. Unless Mischa is able to break out of her shell and show more of a fun side to the audience, she will probably only last another week or two.

Model/Actor Nyle DiMarco and his partner Peta Murgatroyd
Cha-Cha-Cha: Cake by the Ocean by DNCE
Judges' Scores: 8, 7, 8 (23/30) Top of the Leaderboard
Julia's Score: 8
Bentley's Score: 8
#RedefiningDance 1(800)868-3409

This was one of my favorite dances of the night! Nyle and Peta have a great partnership already and both seem determined to do well. Nyle definitely has natural rhythm and great stage presence and somehow managed to have the best musicality out of any contestant last night...despite not being able to hear any music! In my rankings prediction post I guessed that he was going to last for quite awhile in the competition, but now I'm thinking he might go even farther than I ever thought!

Nyle is a triple threat: looks, skill, and inspiration. This hot couple really sold this Cha-Cha-Cha. Peta really showcased Nyle, which can go very wrong on week one, but it went perfectly for this model! It is so incredible to see his impeccable sense of rhythm, even though he chose not to feel the vibrations of the music because it felt "off" to him. This was one of the most technically spectacular performances of the night. He does, however, have this weird thing with just keeping his arms in the air without extending his lines, so that needs to be addressed. It was so heartwarming to see Nyle get the highest score of the night, overcoming not being able to hear his cues. It was even more heartwarming to see some of the audience as well as some of the other couples cheer for him in ASL. This couple is for sure going to be in the finale, even though there is a plenitude of phenomenal dancers this season!

NFL Wide Receiver Antonio Brown and his partner Sharna Burgess

Quickstep: Bad Man by Pitbull featuring Robin Thicke, Joe Perry, and Travis Barker)
Judges' Scores: 8, 6, 7 (21/30)
Julia's Score: 7
Bentley's Score: 8
#TeamBOOMin 1(800)868-3401

This pair was my pre-season guess for the Mirrorball Trophy, but after last night I think they might not end up winning it. Their Quickstep was fine but I see Sharna is already breaking rules with the choreography, which has already resulted in a somewhat low score from Len, and seeing how close on the leaderboard most of the pairs are already, even one or two points could make a big difference as the season goes on. In addition to this, I'm still having trouble connecting with Antonio's personality and I don't think I'm alone in that. I don't recall seeing nearly as much buzz about him after the show as some of the others got. If Steeler Nation rallies behind Antonio, he'll last awhile, but I feel like at some point he could be in trouble once he'll need more than that to get through.

I freakin' love this guy's charm and charisma! His smile is infectious on that dance floor. He was a bit awkward all by himself at first, but that quickly ended when he started dancing with Sharna. Out of all the celebrities this season, I think Antonio has the most potential as a dancer, especially with seeing him dancing on his toes in the Quickstep during week one! I would have preferred for there to be more hold, but what he did was adequate enough for me. Antonio is a tad tense in the shoulders, but that is such a minor criticism. This dance was extremely entertaining to watch, and had me bopping my head from start to finish!

NFL Linebacker Von Miller and his partner Witney Carson
Foxtrot: My House by Flo Rida
Judges' Scores: 8, 6, 7 (21/30)
Julia's Score: 7
Bentley's Score: 6
#TeamBlondeMiller 1(800)868-3411

I liked this dance but I'm getting a similar vibe from Von and Witney as I did from Antonio and Sharna. They're fun I guess but they didn't exactly stand out to me, despite going at the end of the show. I liked the choreography but Von didn't really sell it in my eyes. He was pretty stiff at certain points. Before this season started I was sure we would have one or maybe even two football players in the finale. After last night I wouldn't be surprised if we had zero.

Out of all the phenomenal personalities this season, I think Von's is the most unique. I love his love for chickens! It's too bad that the height difference between he and Witney is so extreme since it did look like it affected his dancing. Von towers over Witney! His arms were a bit too linear, and his feet were a bit all over the place, but I have a feeling he will improve over the weeks. I think Latin dances will be more of his forte, so I am excited to see what he has to offer next week for Latin night. The song for this dance did not match at all for the Foxtrot, but Witney was able to choreograph the routine as best as she could. Personally, this type of Foxtrot is not my cup of tea, but Von's personality overshadowed that!

Julia's Rankings of the Week 1 Performances:
1. Nyle & Peta
2. Wanyá & Lindsay
3. Paige & Mark
4. Jodie & Keo
5. Kim & Sasha
6. Von & Witney
7. Antonio & Sharna
8. Ginger & Val
9. Marla & Tony
10. Mischa & Artem
11. Doug & Karina
12. Geraldo & Edyta

Bentley's Rankings of the Week 1 Performances:
1. Nyle & Peta
2. Paige & Mark
3. Wanyá & Lindsay
4. Antonio & Sharna
5. Jodie & Keo
6. Ginger & Val
7. Marla & Tony
8. Kim & Sasha
9. Von & Witney 
10. Doug & Karina
11. Mischa & Artem
12. Geraldo & Edyta

Some other observations we had Monday night:
- Like last season, I wasn't very happy to see Quickstep as a Week 1 dance, but both contestants who were given that style did well. I wasn't sure whether I'd like Tango as a starting style or not but after last night I can safely say that it's a "no" from me on that front. What's next, Samba as a first dance in Season 23? I'd prefer they stick to Foxtrot and Cha-Cha for the first night like they used to, then introduce styles like Tango, Waltz, and Jive in Week 2, and save the the rest for Week 3 and beyond.

- It might have been the song choices but I noticed we didn't really get any traditional Foxtrots like we usually do in Week 1. I did like most of the ones we saw yesterday but I always look forward to enjoying a nice "big band" old-Hollywood style Foxtrot as part of the season opener.

- Speaking of a "big band" where was Ray Chew Live last night? Or any band at all? It was weird not seeing one in the ballroom.

- I never like it when reality show judges compare current contestants to each other or those of previous seasons, because I believe they should focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the person they are judging only. Thankfully, there was none of the former last night but unfortunately, there was plenty of the latter. A total of four people were compared to previous Dancing With the Stars contestants. FOUR. That's one third of this season's cast. I understood the comparison of Nyle to Marlee, since they are both deaf, but the rest were really annoying and unnecessary. I don't want to see the next Alfonso/Bindi/Emmitt; I want to see the first Wanya/Ginger/Antonio.

-Len is back! I am so glad that is now some harsh, yet fair, balance on the judging panel this season.

-Production was a mess during the premiere. Things kept falling, the cameras kept showing things that they were not supposed to, and the awkward live segments during commercial breaks seemed unprepared and rushed.

-It looks like DWTS is listening to the fans, and are finally putting more of a focus on the actual dancing rather than large productions with less of a focus on ballroom technique (with the exception of Geraldo's Cha-Cha-Cha). The dances on Monday were more basic than they have been in recent seasons, which is my favorite part of season 22 so far. Hopefully this doesn't change later on!

-Next week is Latin night...No Hometown Glory week? No My Jam Monday? I think the producers are aware of the overuse of limited and repetitive themed nights, so they are trying to limit those. I'm really glad to see the show finally listening to the fans this season! Even though it looks like the themed nights are going to be more free this time around, I am elated to know that Disney night is making a return!

- Hometown Glory was similar to Most Memorable Year so I can see why they might have dropped it. And I was told that several of the songs the stars requested for My Jam Monday night didn't clear and since this happened in both seasons which featured that theme night I guess they figured it was pointless.

- Speaking of theme nights, I hear the switch-up is coming back. Not a fan of it happening in 10-week seasons, especially one where there is a lot of travel going on that could make things messy.

-The opening number was good, but not as show-stopping as I thought it would have been. The song was not as high-energy as it should be for a premiere in my opinion, but it was still great to watch this introduction.

[Playlist of the Season 22 Premiere Dances]

What did you think of the season 22 premiere of DWTS? What was your favorite dance of the night? Who are you rooting for this season? Who do you think will be eliminated next week?

Next week is Latin night on Dancing With the Stars!

Follow Julia on Twitter at @juliadelbel, and follow the DWTS 2016 Blog (run by Bentley) on Twitter at @DWTS2016 for more about Dancing With the Stars!

#DWTS #DWTS22

DWTS 22 Pre-Season Rankings

Dance Experience

1. Paige VanZant

2. Ginger Zee

3. Jodie Sweetin
4. Wanya Morris

5. Von Miller

6. Antonio Brown

7. Mischa Barton

8. Marla Maples

9. Doug Flutie

10. Kim Fields

11. Geraldo Rivera

12. Nyle DiMarco

I put Paige at #1 because she has been studying dance for awhile, seemingly up to and including quite recently. It's also worth noting ballet is one of the styles she has been trained in, which translates very well into learning other forms of dance. (Fun fact: Dancing With the Stars pro Peta Murgatroyd was originally a ballet dancer, but sustained an injury that made her unable to continue with that style so she switched to ballroom, and we all know how that turned out!) Ginger and Jodie have similar dance backgrounds in that they are very close in age and both danced when they were younger, but I gave Ginger the slight edge since her last time involved in organized dance was when she was in college and Jodie's seems to be when she was younger than that.

I think there is a fairly large gap in dance experience between the three aforementioned contestants and everyone else. I believe #4 through #8 might have a bit of an edge over the bottom four but the top three are the clear stand-outs when  it comes to previous dance experience.

Recent Media Coverage/Relevancy

1. Jodie Sweetin

2. Von Miller

3. Ginger Zee

4. Antonio Brown

5. Geraldo Rivera

6. Kim Fields

7. Wanya Morris

8. Nyle DiMarco

9. Marla Maples

10. Paige VanZant

11. Doug Flutie

12. Mischa Barton

Jodie, Von, and Ginger are the clear top three here. As a lot of us have noticed, Ginger has been getting a ton of media coverage by ABC, which makes sense since as Good Morning America's meteorologist she is the only Dancing With the Stars Season 22 cast member to regularly appear on the network. However, I put her at #3 because while it is true she has been all over ABC lately, the other two have been all over seemingly EVERYWHERE in the media lately. I think Jodie and Von are basically tied. Von plays for the Denver Broncos, who won this year's Superbowl championship game, which would be enough to get him high up on the list but he was also named the MVP of the game, which puts him in an even bigger spotlight. Jodie is a main cast member on the Full House sequel Fuller House, which just made its debut on Netflix a few weeks ago and has already been renewed for a second season. Since Jodie's media coverage has been more recent, while Von's post-Superbowl media circuit was over a month ago now, I gave Jodie the slight edge but it could very easily tip the other way.

While I think the top three (and possibly Antonio, since while the football season is over, the Pittsburgh Steelers are pretty much always relevant since they are one of the most popular teams in the league) may have an advantage in this category, there is no one in this season I think has a disadvantage in this regard. While most people watching the show might not recognize every single celebrity in the cast, I'd say all twelve of them are pretty well-known (which is more than I can say for recent seasons).

Ability to Gain Favoribility among the Audience (previous fanbases aside)

1. Nyle DiMarco

2. Wanya Morris

3. Ginger Zee

4. Kim Fields

5. Doug Flutie

6. Jodie Sweetin

7. Antonio Brown

8. Paige VanZant

9. Von Miller

10. Marla Maples

11. Geraldo Rivera

12. Mischa Barton

As of right now I can't even see HOW Nyle could be unlikeable so that's why he's on top. Wanya is very charismatic so he's next. The people ranked from #3 to #7 all seem quite likeable and the order is pretty much arbitrary; this is just based on the impression people seem to have of each of them right now. I think Paige and Von could go either way. They could be a lot of fun but as I said in my previous analysis I think Paige could get too wrapped up in winning and lose the ability to connect with the audience as a result (I'm also keeping an eye on Antonio and Jodie in this regard). Von could have the opposite problem. I've heard his partner has started fining him for being late to rehearsals and that may be a sign he is not taking this very seriously and the viewers might not like that. However, not taking it seriously in the sense that he wants to just have fun and be wild could gain him favoribility with the audience. Marla and Geraldo could gain some fans but I have a feeling a lot of people will be rooting against them from the get-go, and so far Mischa seems kind of nervous and quiet which could easily lead to her be forgotten about if that doesn't change quickly.

Teaching/Choreographing Ability and Overall Favoribility of Pros

1. Val Chmerkovskiy

2. Mark Ballas

3. Peta Murgatroyd

4. Sharna Burgess

*5-10*

11. Edyta Sliwinska

12. Keo Motsepe

This list is incomplete because I really didn't want to open up THAT can of worms so I only included pros who I think could provide their partner with a significant advantage or disadvantage. If we were going by statistics alone Mark would be on top. Out of all twelve pros competing in this season, he is the only one with multiple Mirrorball trophys and has made it to the finals more than anyone else. His non-statistical assets include having at least a decent-sized fanbase and also having recently been in the media for things outside Dancing With the Stars. His recently-established musical duo Alexander Jean is about to release its first E.P. and over the hiatus (okay, literally one day after Season 21 ended) he got engaged to the other half of the act, B.C. Jean.

However, I have Mark at #2 because I think Val is going to have an edge over him for several reasons. He clearly has a big fanbase and the show's producers have seemed to love pimping him lately. (I guess they want him to become the new "it boy" of DWTS or something.) He has also been getting even more media coverage than usual lately with the Our Way tour on the horizon, and I think that along with everything else is probably enough for him to edge out Mark advantage-wise.

Peta is third because she has also proven to be a very good coach and choreographer and has experience with challenging partners (remember, she got Tommy Chong to the smi-finals of his season). She doesn't have any special projects going on right now, but she has been getting a lot of press surrounding her lately since getting engaged to former DWTS pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

I also wanted to mention Sharna as an asset because she is the current longest-standing pro without a Mirrorball trophy (other than Edyta but we'll get to why this probably won't matter in her case soon) and will inevitably be pimped into oblivion by the producers and have a lot of fans supporting her in making this happen.

This will be Edyta's eleventh season of DWTS and a lot of people are surprised she is back since she has been known to trash the show in the past. Because of this, despite having gotten as far as second place in the past I'm ranking Edyta at #11 because I'm expecting her to get mixed reception from fans and no special treatment from the producers.

And then at the bottom we have Keo, who has one of if not THE worst track records in the show's history. Because of this, he hasn't really been able to build up much of a fanbase and his teaching skills are questionable at this point. Granted, he has never been given a "ringer" like Jodie before, but his past showings as a pro have been less-than-stellar.

Julia's Predictions for the Final Rankings

12. Geraldo & Edyta

11. Misha & Artem

10. Marla & Tony

9. Doug & Karina

8. Kim & Sasha

7. Von & Witney

6. Paige & Mark

5. Ginger & Val

4. Nyle & Peta

3. Wanya & Lindsay

2. Jodie & Keo

1. Antonio & Sharna

I already gave a big breakdown on everyone in a previous post so I'll keep this short. I have Antonio on top because I think the producers really want to get Sharna a Mirrorball Trophy and after they failed to do so last season I think they might manipulate things more this time. Antonio seems to be a good dancer and we know this couple already have Steeler Nation behind them. If they can get a decent number of additional voters on their side it might not be too hard for them to win.

I have Jodie in second right now but she and Ginger could easily swap places if Ginger gets a lot of focus put onto her on the show (and she just so happens to be the only person dancing a style no one else has on premiere night, while everyone else shares their style with at least one other couples).And we all know the producers are not above giving people bad edits, so if Jodie turns out to be a threat to Ginger I wouldn't be surprised to see her be the next victim of that if the producers want to keep her out of the semi-finals and or the freestyle round.

Wanya seems like he'll be the dark horse of the season if there is one so I have him in third, and since people with big physical/health challenges have tended to go far on this show in recent seasons, I think Nyle has a good chance of going far so I have in in fourth. These two could also be swapped. Same with Von and Paige, honestly.

I feel like everyone else will take up the #12 through #8 places but not sure in which order yet, so I ranked them based on how well I think they'll dance and how likeable they'll be to the audience.


                                                                           * * * *



Bentley here! Julia did an amazing job analyzing this season with her predictions and rankings! I agree with a lot of what she said, but not completely. Here are my two cents.

Although Keo has not necessarily arguably gotten the most famous or most rootable partners on the show (i.e. Lolo Jones, the woman who ate her own words after a complete blackout; Charlotte McKinney, the burger girl that was portrayed as unintelligent: and Chaka Khan, the thirteenth place singer who went on to bash DWTS), but I think because Keo gets the "worst" (in the best meaning of the word "worst") partners for a year and a half now, fans are going to feel bad for him and give him sympathy votes. But once when Jodie proves to be a dance machine, those original sympathy votes are going to turn into This-Couple-Is-Amazing-So-I-Want-Them-To-Win votes. Jodie has a "full house" (pun intended) of people wanting to vote for her, so I do not think that Keo can drag her down in any way, even if he was disliked by the people, even though he is not.

I know there are so many people out there tired of hearing about this, but I have a different view on Marla Maples than most. People are saying that she will be eliminated early, which I do think is very probable, but I don't think she will be out as early as the media says she will be. There is a high number of Republican viewers of the show, which proven by the not-so-natural dancer Bristol Palin, daughter of Republican politician Sarah Palin, reaching third on season eleven of DWTS as well as returning for All-Stars to come in ninth place. There are also a lot of celebrities that make it further than expected because of the strong amount of hate they get, just like Kate Gosselin, who made it to week five despite criticism from all over media. I'm not saying that people will hate Marla, but I can already see people not liking her because of her outdated connection with Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump. I do think she will get a lot hate, but I think all of the Trump supporters' votes will cancel that out. Trump is a lot more popular than many individuals think, and even though I doubt the Trump connection will not overall help Marla on the show, I do think that she will not be hurt by any hate thrown towards her way.

I see so many people saying that Wanya will be in the finals, but personally, I honestly do not think that is the case. Because this season had such potential in terms of both good dancing and votes for the couples, I think that Wanya will fall in the middle of the pack. He seems like a great personality for the show, but I think it appears a bit quixotic for him to make it all the way to week ten. I'm making a snap judgement here, but from common Dancing With the Stars knowledge, DWTS historians know that those over the age of forty tend to only win when they are phenomenal dancers. Will Wanya be able to compete will the other contestants' dances? I'm not too sure about that. I probably come off as a bit truculent, but I have an unpopular opinion about this. Hopefully I am wrong!

I'm just going to be laconic about Geraldo Rivera. It does not look like many people like him at all, and it also looks like Edyta has lost support since last being on the show. Ultimately, I do not see this couple going further than week four unless Geraldo turns into the fun and "older" personality of the season, such as Paula Deen, Gary Busey, Tommy Chong, Bill Engvall, etc. Similar thing goes to Mischa. Many fans, myself included, do not see any type of personality from her yet. In order for her to get past the first couple of weeks, she needs to show her fun and wild side. Unfortunately for her, she has the Tango for week one, so it looks like that if her fun side will be shown, it will be later rather than sooner.

Kim will probably get some votes to get by at first, but in all honesty, I don't think that will be enough for her to make it past week seven. I'm not too sure whether I think she will be out first or sixth, but I have come to the conclusion that she will not make it too far just because of the fact that she is from The Real Housewives of Atlanta. She doesn't seem as eccentric as housewife NeNe Leakes to me, so I feel as though she will out before the tight competition comes into play. I think Kim will be more like housewife Kim Zolciak-Biermann, who only made it to week three of the show. Granted, she did have to drop out due to a medical emergency, but I doubt she would have made it much further anyway. So, Kim's dancing life on the show looks to be quite short. Of course, I could be wrong. Crazier things such as Chris Soules making it to the quarter finals in season twenty has happened!

The hardest thing I have predicting for this season is the placement between the football players, Doug, Von, and Antonio. From the video clips and interviews I have seen, it seems like both Von and Antonio are both technical powerhouses when it comes to dancing, so it seems as though their eliminations will come all down to the votes. And as we have seen in the past, having people with the same fan base on the show in the same season cause for a supposed "shocking" elimination. It might be evident that Doug will be eliminated relatively early in the competition, leaving the NFL votes between Antonio and Von. The hardest thing to predict now is who will be the sacrificial lamb between the two. One day I think one thing will happen, and the next day, I will suspect a different thing to happen. After long contemplation, I feel as though Antonio's personality will beat out Von's, but Von's current popularity will cancel that out. So my prediction is that there will be a "shocking" elimination of a football player midway through the season, with Von and Antonio in the so-called bottom two, and one of them will be booted with a very close vote. From the looks of it now, I think that shocking elimination could be Von. . . But then again, I am always changing my mind about this!

With all the other contestants, I think they are going to do outstanding. Nyle's journey with being deaf and trying to feel the rhythm will melt hearts, Paige will be a fierce and feminine character that has never been seen on the show before, and Ginger will make it far with her apparent natural dancing skills and promotions from ABC.

With that being said, I can make an "educated" guess on who I think will make it far, and who I think will be out right away.

Bentley's Elmination Predictions (Twelfth Place to First Place)
12. Geraldo and Edyta
11. Kim and Sasha
10. Mischa and Artem
9. Doug and Karina
8. Wanya and Lindsay
7. Marla and Tony
6. Von and Witney
5. Paige and Mark
4. Antonio and Sharna
3. Nyle and Peta
2. Ginger and Val
1. Jodie and Keo

There a lot of good potential dancers this season, but there are also a lot of potential flubs as well. This cast has some great personalities, and I don't hate anyone who was casted (yet. . . just kidding)! Once when the expected couples to be eliminated are out, there will be some serious competition between all of the pairs. Who will come out on top? I say Jodie, which seems to be the obvious answer, but I truly think that this is Keo's (as well as Jodie's) season to shine!



Remember to follow me, Bentley, on Twitter on the DWTS 2016 Community Blog page at @DWTS2016 for more about Dancing With the Stars!

The DWTS 22 Cast ~ Pre-Season Reception [Bentley]

Bentley here! There is only about a week until the season 22 premiere of Dancing With the Stars, so there has been a whole bunch of buzz about this season's cast. Since Julia did such a good job talking about the couples in her blog post, I will expand to what I have seen online in reaction to these couples. Will these factors actually matter for the couples' positions on the show in the long run? I'm not sure, but in the past it has!

So here is the reception that couples have gotten in the past few weeks online for this season's cast:

NFL Quaterback Doug Flutie and his partner Karina Smirnoff (#TeamKutie)

Doug is a football legend, so for that fact alone, I think he has a good shot of making it decently far into the competition. There has not been a whole lot of talk about him, which makes me wonder what his position currently is with the Dancing With the Stars fans.

There isn't anything that would make me think he would be out right off the bat, but there is a bit of mystery if Doug's die-hard fans are actually voting for him on the show, especially with two other NFL players in the mix.

The Facts of Life Actress Kim Fields and her partner Sasha Farber (#TeamKimsha)

As a first impression on Good Morning America, Kim seemed to fall in the crowd, not getting much chitter chatter about her. She did come off as nice, but I think most people can say that they might have forgotten about her during the cast reveal.

With both old-school The Facts of Life Fans as well as current The Real Housewives of Atlanta fans, Kim has had positive reception from people who follow her today as well as fans who have not seen Kim's face since the eighties. However, as it always plays out, the older women of the show tend to not make it past week six. Can Kim break that spell? Looking at this cast, I doubt it, but I think she will be able to push for a few weeks. And who knows? Maybe season 18 contestant NeNe Leakes's advice to her will go a long way!

America's Next Top Model Winner Nyle DiMarco and his partner Peta Murgatroyd (#RedefiningDance)

Everybody loves an inspiration, so I am sure Nyle will make it far with his journey through dancing with deafness, as predicted by most others as well. I have not seen one negative thing about this couple, so they are sure to get plenty of votes!

Nyle is not exactly a big "star" (but I'm not sure how popular America's Next Top Model was), so he probably does not have too many pre-DWTS fans. However, with people like Alek Skarlatos on this show, that proves to not always matter. I'm not worried about Nyle's elimination on the show yet at all.

TV Personality Marla Maples and her partner Tony Dovolani (#TeamMartony)

Unlike contestants like Bristol Palin on the show, Marla Maples is not much of a political figure on the show for the fact that Marla is no longer married to Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump. There seems to only be a small percentage of people that actually hate on Marla for being married to Trump, while the rest either don't mind that she was married to him (knowing that she is her own person) or like that she was married to Trump (being a supporter of him). Either way, I don't think Marla is going to be as controversial of a contestant on the show as people on Twitter think.

Another thing about her, though, is that she really isn't majorly famous for anything besides being married to Donald Trump years ago. So, I doubt there are too many die-hard Marla and Tony fans (but hey, maybe I'll be proven wrong).

NFL Broncos Linebacker Von Miller and his partner Witney Carson (#TeamBlondeMiller)

With three football players this season, at least one of them are bound to be a sacrificial lamb on the votes. I doubt it will be Von, so I am left thinking it might be either Antonio or Doug. When I really think about it, though, I feel as though Antonio will be the one with the lowest amount of votes out of the three. Von is a current Superbowl MVP, so I think he is getting the majority of the NFL vote, and I think that Doug might just get a few hundred more votes than Antonio for the fact that Doug is such a football legend.

Von is a shoe-in for votes, especially with him still being fresh in the spotlight. I think the other NFL contestants this season have quite the competition against them!

Sixth Sense Actress Mischa Barton and her partner Artem Chigvintsev

I have seen from various people online that it appears as though Mischa does not have much of a personality. And unfortunately, I have to agree with that. From the Good Morning America reveal and short interviews with her, I am still not able to see what Mischa is all about. I think America will have a hard time connecting with her, which looks like it will be her downfall on the show.

This partnership does not really stand out, but luckily for Mischa, there are lot of  devoted Artem fans that can help them out with votes!

FOX News Reporter Geraldo Rivera and his partner Edyta Śliwińska

Geraldo seems to be one of those people that someone hates or loves without an in-between. And from the looks of it, it actually seems like more people hate him than love him.

Unless Geraldo can show a different side to himself on the show, or present some shockingly show-stopping moves, he will be out early. I doubt he will make it any further than that. He's the Gary Busey of the season!

ABC News Meteorologist Ginger Zee and her partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy (#TeamGinAndJuice)

For some reason, ABC is really forcing Ginger and Val down our throats. But, opposite to what usually happens, people actually seem to react well to the constant promotion of this couple. It might be because she is part of the Good Morning America family, but a lot, and I mean a lot of people love this woman!

Ginger looks like a good dancer, but with the high quality levels of dancers in this season of Dancing With the Stars, good dancing won't cut it on its own. Luckily for Ginger, she has a large fan base to fall on.

NFL Steelers Wide Receiver Antonio Brown and his partner Sharna Burgess (#TeamBoomin)

Antonio is obviously really shy in front of the cameras, but in all honesty, there is something about him that is just so likable. I can tell from all over social media that people love this guy. Nobody knows the exact reason why, but we all just love him!

Out of all of the football players, it seems as though Von is getting more votes than Antonio at the moment. I do think Antonio might dance better than Doug due to his age, so maybe Antonio will be able to complete with Von afterall.

Fuller House Actress Jodie Sweetin and her partner Keoikantse Motsepe (#TeamMoSweet)

Jodie is probably the most famous star on the show this season. Just like Ginger, she has a lot of votes going for as well as a natural ability to dance. I have a very strong feeling that it will be making it far with Ginger!

Keo does not exactly have the biggest fanbase out of all of the DWTS pros, but he does have an overwhelming amount of support more than I have ever seen for him before. This is no doubt the season where Keo gets past week three!

Boyz II Men R&B Singer Wanya Morris and his partner Lindsay Arnold

Wanya is a wild card. He could be the best ballroom dancer we've ever seen, or he could be the Kate Gosselin! My prediction is that he is going to do okay, but fall in the middle of the pact, causing him to be eliminated fairly early. But, hey, DWTS predictions are just a bunch of garbage when it comes down to it anyway!

People seem to be content with Wanya on the show, but not completely overwhelmed. This kind of reminds of people like Redfoo and Tavis Smiley, who ended up eliminated early because of their "just there" positions. But maybe Wanya will shine brighter than I think he will!

UFC Fighter Paige VanZant and her partner Mark Ballas (#PowRightInTheKisser)

Mark has a whole bunch of different fans, and they seem to be some of the best and most devoted fans there are, which really helps Paige with her position on the show! Most predictions I have seen for winning this season had Paige at the top, guessing that she would take the Mirror Ball Trophy.

Although I do think Paige will be at least a semi-finalist, I am not sure if she is able to win when compared with some of the other contestants' fan bases this season. Mark always ends up either getting eliminated way earlier or way later than we expect, so only time can tell for this one!

So how did you react to this season's cast of Dancing With the Stars? Who do you want to win? Who do you think will win?

Make sure to follow me on Twitter at @DWTS2016 for more about DWTS!

Julia's Pre-Season DWTS 22 Analysis

Since the Season 22 cast list became officially public earlier this week I'm going to do an analysis on each couple, explaining what I think their strengths and weaknesses will be and what I think they'll have to do in order to go far in the competition.

Mischa Barton & Artem Chigvintsev



Potential Assets: Mischa is 30 years old and is best known for playing Marissa Cooper on the teen drama The O.C. back in the 2000's. (Fun fact: Mischa's partner, Artem, once made a guest experience on the show, and tried to seduce her character's mother!) Mischa has also acted in various other projects both on screen and stage, and I think having experience performing live in front of an audience might help her be better prepared for dancing live in front of a crowd on this show. Mischa's only known dance experience is taking some ballet classes as a child, but being relatively young and fit should be an asset to her. As for Artem, I think has proven himself as a good dance partner and teacher, both on Dancing With the Stars and Strictly Come Dancing (the latter of which he won a season of).

Potential Weaknesses: This cast has a log of BIG personalities; people who will likely grab the audience's attention very quickly. In contrast, Mischa and Artem seem quiet and reserved in comparison. I know Mischa has had a rough few years (including DUI charges and psychiatric confinement) but with few, if any, exceptions, in order to be successful on Dancing With the Stars, contestants must not be too afraid to be vulnerable, and right now, Mischa seems very shy and.or guarded. Usually there is a bit of leeway for this if you are a good dancer, but in this season I predict eliminations are going to get tough very fast and people will have to get the audience on their side right from the get go if they want to last more than a couple weeks. So it looks like Artem is going to have to Mischa come out of her shell a bit if they want to stick around.

My Thoughts: Right now I'm thinking that this couple will be an early out. They're just sort of forgettable to me in comparison to the majority of the Season 22 lineup. In order to avoid this, they'll either have to look be so good with the dances that everyone else looks terrible in comparison (and with the amount of potential we have this season I just don't see that happening) or Mischa is going to have to open up to the viewers a bit more and show some confidence both in the packages and on the floor.

And as a side note, I believe Mischa & Artem are the only couple this season in which both parties are currently single...anyone else think we might end up having a "showmance" here?

Antonio Brown & Sharna Burgess



Potential Assets: Antonio is a 27-year old NFL wide-receiver. He plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers, a very popular team which has previously produced one Mirrorball Trophy winner: Hines Ward, who won Season 12 of Dancing With the Stars with partner Kym Johnson. This couple will undoubtedly have "Steeler Nation"-aka one of the biggest and most diehard fanbases of any NFL team-backing them, so they will probably get a lot of votes. Antonio's partner is Sharna Burgess, and they seem to get along quite well. Sharna being on this team could also prove to rack up a lot of votes for them since she is the show's current longest-running pro in consecutive recent seasons who has yet to win a season and a lot of viewers seem to be anxiously awaiting her first time as a MBT champion. I'm not sure whether or not Antonio has a big dance background beyond his little victory dances on the football field, but he seems VERY enthusiastic about being on DWTS, and we've seen that attitude take people a long way on this show regardless of their dance ability.

Potential Weaknesses: There are a grand total of THREE people from the NFL competing in this season, which is unprecedented on Dancing With the Stars. I don't think this will be an issue of splitting votes, since these men have not been on the same football team so it's not like they are suddenly being put against each other after working together for so long like some previous contestants have experienced (a prime example being Olympic ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White in Season 18 of the show). But while each of them have very separate fanbases, they all have very PASSIONATE fanbases, so if one of the others turns out to have an even stronger backing than Antonio is expected to, he and Sharna could find themselves in trouble. Another challenge it seems like these two might have to face is frequent travel. I'm not entirely sure where their main rehearsal spot will be, but I know they have spent some time in Pittsburgh lately. If this turns out to be a regular thing, they'll have to deal with travel time potentially eating up some of their precious rehearsal hours, as well as the potential jet lag from crossing several timezones. Apart from all that, at this point these two just aren't standing out to me all that much. I could be alone on this, but based on what we've seen of Antonio in the context of DWTS, I don't feel like I really know anything about him yet. This could very well change once the season begins, but for now this couple hasn't really grabbed my attention like some of the others have.

My Thoughts: A lot of people seem to be behind this couple already, possibly including the Dancing With the Stars producers. Last season they paired Sharna with Nick Carter, a contestant who had a lot of potential as a dancer as well as one of the biggest and most hardcore fanbases out of all the celebrities in that group, and now she's with Antonio, who likely has similar assets. I'm expecting this couple to do very well in the competition, and would not be surprised to see them as finalists or even winners at the end of it all. In order to get there, they will have to train very hard to ensure they deliver top-notch dances for us on Mondays and find a way to stand out from the rest of the cast.

Nyle DiMarco & Peta Murgatroyd



Potential Assets: Nyle is a model and actor, and is best known for winning Cycle 22 of the competitive reality show America's Next Top Model last year, as well as appearing in a recurring role on the show Switched at Birth S. He is also the first contestant in Dancing With the Stars history to be completely deaf. (Fun fact: Back in 2008, actress Maralee Matlin, who was almost completely deaf, competed on the show and came in 7th place. And another fun fact: Former DWTS troupe member and So You Think You Can Dance contestant Brittany Cherry is completely deaf in one ear.) Being deaf will definitely cause this team a lot of challenges on the show, but as we've seen several times in the recent history of the show, if Nyle & Peta manage to thrive in the face of adversity-and based on Peta's ability to adapt well to her partners it seems like there's a good chance they will-it could get them a lot of votes and take them far in the competition. Nyle seems to have a warm and loveable personality and a very positive attitude which will probably also help them in this department, as well as seemingly being the designated "eye candy" out of the male contestants this season. It's probably also worth noting that since Peta got engaged at the end of last year, she has gotten noticeably more media coverage in recent months than she did previously, and the increase of "buzz" surrounding her could also be an asset to this couple in getting people to pay attention to (and potentially vote for) them.

Potential Weaknesses: As previously stated, having a contestant who is completely deaf is uncharted territory for Dancing With the Stars, so it will be up to Nyle & Peta to create a whole new system of learning and performing the dances in order to overcome the challenges that come with this situation, and they will have had only a few short weeks to do so before the season premiere. Also, Nyle is kind of new on the scene, and as such he has not had as much time to gain a following as most of the other contestants this season. As proven before, a large amount of pre-existing support is not always required to go far on Dancing With the Stars, but the lineup for this season in particular has so many people with fanbases that fit right into the core demographic of the show that it might be an uphill battle of sorts for those who don't necessarily have that to gain enough support to stick around for awhile.

My Thoughts: Nyle seems like a very sweet and likeable person, so if he and Peta manage to come up with a way for him to perform at least decently, they'll probably last a decent amount of time. I'd say at worst they'll be a middle-of-the-pack elimination and at best they'll be finalists. With all the big and passionate fanbases being thrown into the mix this season I don't see them winning, but if they manage to stand out and win over the hearts of enough of the audience they could prove me wrong.

Kim Fields & Sasha Farber



Potential Assets: Kim is 46 years old and has appeared on several different television programs, most notably as a regular on the sitcoms The Facts of Life and Living Single and as a cast member on the most recent season of the reality show The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Being known for several different projects should help Kim be recognizable to a good amount of viewers. Kim seems quite fit and energetic for her age which will probably help her with dance ability and stamina. I don't know anything about Kim's dance background or abilities, but she has also had dancers in her family, so it could be possibly that some things like coordination and natural dance talent could run in her family. I also think it might be worth mentioning that out of all the contestants on this season, Kim seems to be the most openly religious. I believe she is a Christian, which is something she seems to have in common with a lot of the core demographic of DWTS. As we've seen on this show several times before, particularly in recent seasons, contestants who make it a priority to share their faith with the viewers tend to get a lot of votes, so if this is something Kim chooses to discuss on the show she could wind up with a whole crop of additional voters behind her. Kim is partnered with Sasha Farber, who is making his return as a pro this season for the first time in awhile, and seems to have a lot of support in this from people associated with the show (former pro Derek Hough recently mentioned his desire to see this happen during an appearance on a talk show, and Season 21 contestant Hayes Grier got a twitter hashtag on the subject trending a couple of months ago). Kim & Sasha seem to have a great relationship so far. In fact, I'm already inclined to label them as one of the most well-matched pairs of Season 22 of Dancing With the Stars, and, as we have seen in the past, having an endearing partnership can take a couple far on this show.

Potential Weaknesses: Kim's family resides in Atlanta, Georgia, so this will be one of several teams that will be travelling back and forth from LA to another part of the country and back again every week they manage to stay in the competition. Time spent travelling can eat up a lot of time that could be spent on rehearsing if the travel was not happening, and crossing time zones can lead to things like jet lag, which can also result in precious rehearsal time being lost. Kim is one of the older contestants on this season of Dancing With the Stars, and while I did mention that she seems pretty fit for her age, she might be at a slight disadvantage in this regard when compared to most of her celebrity competition due to being a bit on the older side. Another thing that is kind of a question mark right now in regards to Kim is her fanbase. There will definitely be fans of her various projects watching the show (and possibly voting for Kim) but the thing is she is one of several "nostalgic figures" (aka people who were best known for a project that peaked in popularity in a previous decade, in Kim's case being prominently featured on sitcoms than ran during the 1980's and 1990's) competing on this season, and unlike the football players who have their own separate fan followings for the most part due to being on different teams, the nostalgic celebrities are much more likely to have a lot of fanbase overlap and their fans are therefore more likely to either spilt their votes between them or choose one to throw all of their support behind, leaving others out in the cold. In terms of the pro on this team, Sasha has been on DWTS for quite awhile now, but his only experience as a pro thus far was during Season 17 when he was partnered with Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, and Season 20 when he acted as a temporary partner and teaching assistant for Nastia Liukin while her original partner, Derek Hough, was injured. So while I know some fans have been waiting for his grand return as a pro for quite some time now, I don't think he has been prominent enough in the eyes of the general audience to build up a fanbase that can tough the likes of certain other pros.

My Thoughts: Based on what I know about Kim & Sasha as well as this season of Dancing With the Stars in general, I'm guessing this couple will last a few weeks, maybe to about the halfway point or so, and then be eliminated. If Kim turns out to be a good dancer and she and/or Sasha has a more passionate fanbase than I am expecting either of them to then they could possibly make it a little further than that.

Doug Flutie & Karina Smirnoff



Potential Assets: Doug is 53 years old and is a retired NFL quarterback who was part of seeveral different teams in the league throughout his career, including the Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, and San Diego Chargers. Despite not currently playing on any of these teams, I've been told he was a popular player and so he could get some support and votes from fans who remember him from when he played. Doug is also an advocate for autism awareness, having a son with the condition. His professional partner is Karina Smirnoff, who he seems to get along well with and if they're compelling enough as a pair, it could garner them a decent number of votes.

Potential Weaknesses: While Doug's fanbase may be widespread amongst various NFL, USFL, and CFL teams, it also might not be as "hardcore" as those of either of the other NFL stars on this season, since they are both currently playing for the league and Doug has retired. He is also the second-oldest celebrity in the Season 22 cast, and as a result may not have as much physical aptitude as some of the younger contestants. However, the main thing that makes me worry for these two is the fact that they are the only pair that I didn't really get an impression from during the Dancing With the Stars cast announcement on Good Morning America. I could be alone in that regard, but I haven't seen a lot of people talking about these two like they have been when it comes to other couples this season.

My Thoughts: I really don't have a clear sense of what Doug & Karina's partnership will be like right now. Unless they manage to make a great impression and stand out in some way when the season begins, I predict they will be one of the first couples eliminated.

Marla Maples & Tony Dovolani



Potential Assets: Marla is a 52-year-old actress, philanthropist, and radio personality, but she is probably best known as the second ex-wife of businessman and current US presidential candidate Donald Trump. Marla seems very fit, especially for someone of her age. She has also appeared on Broadway, which could be an advantage in terms of comfort level when performing in front of a live audience. Marla & Tony have been friends for years and he has apparently been trying to convince her to do Dancing With the Stars for quite awhile now. I think their longtime friendship will help their chemistry on the dance floor, and will also make for a fun, relaxed vibe for their partnership. I think this season is probably a good time for Marla to finally compete on the show, since Trump is one of the most-talked about people in the media right now, this could aid Marla in getting buzz surrounding her, which could translate into more supporters and votes for this couple.

Potential Weaknesses: Marla is the oldest female celebrity on this season of Dancing With the Stars, and the third-oldest overall, so there's a chance that she might not have the same level of stamina/flexibility as some of the others. I also think the fact that she is mainly associated with someone heavily involved in politics could be a detriment. I think a lot of the anti-Trump people will be rooting against her from the get-go, since even though they are divorced they will likely dislike her previous association with him (which is potentially still current as they seem fine with each other and Donald has said he is cool with her being on DWTS). Pro-Trump people who know the two of them are fine with each other might support her, but Marla being his ex-wife might create a negative view of her in the minds of some of his supporters. Marla & Tony are also another couple who will be travelling across the country and back every week (in their case between Los Angeles and New York City). This could cause some stress and aforementioned issues like having less rehearsal time than LA-based pairs and potential jet lag. There's also the issue of Marla seemingly having next to no fanbase compared to several others this season, so she might get lost in the shuffle a bit unless she turns out to be an amazing dancer.

My Thoughts: While I feel like these two are a good match and might be enjoyable to watch, I have a feeling they're not going to last too long in the competition unless Marla has really good moves. They might not be the first couple eliminated but my guess is they'll be an early out or at best make it to somewhere around the halfway point of the season.

Von Miller & Witney Carson



Potential Assets: Von is a 26-year-old NFL outside linebacker, who just won Super Bowl 50 back in February as part of the Denver Broncos. He was subsequently named MVP of the game, which has put him in the spotlight recently. Because of this, it seems likely that he will be the most familiar face out of our three NFL stars to viewers who are not football fans. He also seems to have the most wild and outgoing personality of the three (including a unique fascination with chickens) which I'm sure will help him stand out amongst the cast. Von also seems to be a natural mover. If he manages to get Broncos fans to vote as well as a decent amount of the other viewers on his side, he could very well win the Mirrorball trophy. Von is going to be dancing with Witney Carson, who seems to have garnered quite the following of her own during her time so far on Dancing With the Stars as well as when she was a contestant on Season 9 of the FOX series So You Think You Can Dance, so that should also help them get even more votes this season.

Potential Weaknesses: While I have no doubt Von & Witney will have a lot of Broncos fans behind them all the way, I have no idea how the rest of the viewers will react to Von's wacky personality. I was thinking a lot of them might like it, but then I remembered what happened with Redfoo when he was a contestant on Dancing With the Stars back in Season 20 last spring. I highly doubt that Von will be the first one eliminated like Redfoo was, but if people find him more annoying than endearing he could be-much like Redfoo-out earlier than some people are expecting. I'm also getting the feeling that Von & Witney might be kind of an awkward match, especially compared to a lot of the other partnership of Season 22. Witney doesn't really seem to know how to react to Von, which could be a problem when she has to teach him and keep him in control on the show.

My Thoughts: I think Von & Witney could go all the way on Dancing With the Stars, but in order for that to happen Witney will need to figure out how to play off his personality to make their team dynamic fun for the audience to watch and harness his energy so he can be a top-notch performer on the dance floor. If she doesn't manage to do these things well enough, I can definitely see them being eliminated in the middle of the season.

Wanya Morris & Lindsay Arnold



Potential Assets: Wanya is 42 years old and is a member of the R&B group Boyz II Men, which experienced its peak in popularity back in the 1990's. While the group was never as "big" as the likes of *NSYNC or the Backstreet Boys, they did have a fairly large fanbase of their own, and recently slipped back onto the scene when all three members collectively played the role of "Teen Angel" on FOX's Grease: Live! back in January. It seems that Wanya has always been the most popular member of the group and probably will have at least part of the "nostalgic vote" this season. I think there is also a good chance that he will gain some new fans from the Dancing With the Stars crowd, since I have already gotten the impression that he is a positive and upbeat person who is very enthusiastic about this experience. I'm not sure how well Wanya can dance yet, but he seems like he'll be willing to put in the work in order to do well which should help him in that regard. Wanya is paired with Lindsay Arnold, who has previously held a pro slot on two seasons of DWTS, was a member of the troupe for four others, and competed on Season 9 of So You Think You Can Dance. The biggest thing this two seem to have going for themselves so far is that they both have a lot of charisma. While watching the Season 22 cast reveal on Good Morning America, Wanya & Lindsay stood out to me right away because while most other teams seemed timid and apprehensive at first, this couple was animated from the get-go and I was able to get excited about them immediately. If they continue like this on DWTS itself, I'm sure they will get a good chunk of the show's viewership on their side very quickly.

Potential Weaknesses: One challenge it seems this team may be facing this season is frequent travel. I believe Wanya resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which is on the other side of the country from the Dancing With the Stars studio in Los Angeles, California. If this is the case, they might be looking at some reduced rehearsal time and/or jet lag. It's also worth noting that Wanya is another one of those "nostalgic figures" that I mentioned earlier who will be competing on the show this season, which could lead to things like vote splitting and/or some tough choices for fans. In addition to all of this, as I said before, I'm not sure how strong Wanya's dance abilities will be yet, and if his are not up to par with some of the other contestants it might spell trouble for this team.

My Thoughts: It's kind of hard to predict how Wanya and Lindsay will do right now. I'm guessing they'll last to around the midway point at worst due to their charisma and energy and the Boyz II Men fanbase backing them with votes, but a lot will hinge on how well Wanya does with his dances. As of right now I don't see them winning, but they could get far if Wanya turns out to be a good dancer. And if it turns out he's not the best dancer but is a great entertainer (much like the likes of Kirstie Alley, Bill Engvall, and Tommy Chong) I think he'll be the most likely to become this season's "audience's darling" this season, meaning a person who doesn't usually have particularly high scores but is a hit with the crowd due to being a fun presence on the show and delivering and entertaining performances, even if they are not great on a technical level.

Geraldo Rivera & Edyta Sliwinska



Potential Assets: Geraldo is a 72-year-old reporter and television personality who is best known for his work on FOX News. He likely has some fans in a good number of people who are part of the general demographic of Dancing With the Stars, and seems to be a charismatic and fun presence. Geraldo is paired with Edyta Sliwinska, who competed as a pro on the first 10 seasons of DWTS and is now returning for Season 22 after an 11-season absence, so viewers who have missed seeing her on the show may be inclined to vote for her so she can stick around for awhile. So far, Geraldo & Edyta seem to enjoy being a team, which is an asset for sure because a good dynamic between partners tends to be a key factor in a couple's success on DWTS.

Potential Weaknesses: At 72, Geraldo is the oldest celebrity contestant in the cast this season by almost two full decades, and is likely to have some limitations in movement compared to younger cast members. While I do think his fanbase going into this competition is bigger than those of at least a few of the other celebrities this season, I'm not sure how many people who are not already fans of him he will be able to get support in the form of votes from if his moves are not up to par with those of the other contestants. In addition to this, I'm not really sure how big of a following Edyta has. She hasn't been on the show for awhile, so I think some people will be happy to see her back but others may not remember her or might not have seen her at all if they did not begin watching Dancing With the Stars until sometime after Season 10.

My Thoughts: It seems like this team is at a very big disadvantage, because compared to the other contestants, Geraldo is quite old and might have some trouble precisely hitting the dance moves he will have to do as part of his routines on the show. So unless Geraldo & Edyta manage to make the audience fall in love with their personalities and team dynamic, I think that they will be eliminated very early on in the season.

Jodie Sweetin & Keo Motsepe



Potential Assets: Jodie is 34 years old and is best known for playing Stephanie Tanner on the long-running ABC sitcom Full House and its Netflix-produced sequel series Fuller House. She seems very fit and has previous dance experience, having taken classes when she was a child. She has also stated that she is a fan of Dancing With the Stars and has openly wanted to go on the show for a long time now. (She even wanted to begin rehearsing on the day of her first meeting with her partner, which is apparently an uncommon thing for DWTS couples to do.) Jodie is another "nostalgic figure" competing on DWTS this season, but she may have some advantages over the other people who fall into this category. For one thing, she has been all over the media lately along with the rest of the Full House cast due to the recent release of the first season of Fuller House on Netflix. Also, even before Jodie joined the cast of Season 22 there have already been a few connections between the two sitcoms and DWTS. Jodie's co-star Candace Cameron Bure competed on the 18th season of the show, and finished in third place despite having lower average and cumulative scores than several other contestants that season, including fellow nostalgic figure Danica McKellar, who appeared on the show The Wonder Years, who she managed to surpass in votes and finish three spots above in the end. While that season was two years ago, Full House has likely back in the minds of many Dancing fans lately with the advent of some guest appearances of a few familiar faces in an episode of Fuller House. Former pros Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Tyne Stecklein and current pro Valentin Chmerkovskiy all appeared on the show in an episode that featured a scene in which both Candace and Jodie got to bust some moves on the dance floor. Jodie's dance partner is Keo Motsepe, who will be a pro on DWTS for the fourth time this season. He has been notorious for being eliminated very early, but this could be an extra motivator to do well this season, especially with a partner who has as much potential as Jodie does.

Potential Weaknesses: Jodie is enthusiastic, committed, currently relevant in the media, and know her way around the dance floor. She is basically the ideal contestant for Dancing With the Stars, so most of my concerns lie with Keo. As I previously said, Keo's best finish on the show up until this point has been 11th (out of 12) place. He really doesn't seem to have much of a fanbase right now, and it has been frequently pointed out by viewers that all three of his partners thus far have forgotten their choreography on the first night. And while I doubt something that drastic will happen with Jodie, I do have to question Keo's skills as a teacher until I see more from him to prove otherwise. Other more minor concerns include Jodie possibly losing some of the "nostalgic vote" to other contestants, and she and Keo possibly being overconfident and a little too focused on winning the Mirrorball trophy. I won't get too concerned about the latter possibility until the season actually premieres, but they did sort of come across that way during the cast reveal on Good Morning America. If Jodie & Keo get too wrapped up in the possibility of winning to focus on enjoying the journey, they could wind up not connecting with enough of the viewers to stick around as long as they'd like to.

My Thoughts: On paper, Jodie should probably be expected to wind up as a finalist. However, between the amount of contestants this season that will be going into the competition with large previously-existing fanbases and the fact that I'm still not sure about how well Keo will do as a pro makes me worry a little bit for this couple. I'm sure they'll make it decently far (especially if they make a good impression the first week) but I feel like there's a chance they could be a shock elimination at some point. In order to get far in the game and maybe even win, Jodie & Keo will have to work hard throughout the journey and make it clear to the audience that they are not "cocky" and that they are enjoying their experience together as a team on the show.

Paige VanZant & Mark Ballas



Potential Assets: Paige is a 21-year old strawweight competitor in the UFC. She is the youngest celebrity in the Dancing With the Stars Season 22 cast, and has what seems like a lot of dance experience. (I think she studies ballet and possibly jazz and/or other styles of dance.) Paige could turn out to be able to connect with some of the viewers quite well since she has the whole "girl power" thing going for her. She has Mark Ballas as a partner, who just so happens to be a huge fan of the UFC and is clearly thrilled to be dancing with her. In fact, I believe they have interacted on social media in the past and very well could have known each other and possibly been friends before Paige joined the show. Speaking of Mark, he seems to share a lot of fans with best friend and fellow professional dancer Derek Hough, who is not competing on DWTS this season. I don't know exactly how much pull fans who tend to vote for the same pro(s) every season can potentially have, but if the fan crossover between the two is big enough, it could possibly result in Mark getting a lot more support than he has in the past (and I believe he might have been a fairly popular pro anyway). I think this couple is a very good match and their obvious enthusiasm will probably make them fun to watch.

Potential Weaknesses: While Paige certainly has a sizeable fanbase from the UFC crowd, I'm not sure how many of them are also part of the general audience for Dancing With the Stars, and I don't know if the ones who don't will be interested in consistently watching and voting for her on the show. I'm sure some will, but I'm not sure if her previously-existing fanbase alone can compete with those of the football players or nostalgic figures. To add to that, my impression of her on Good Morning America was that she is a very competitive person and really wants to win the season. Being motivated and having the drive to work as hard as possible are qualities that are key for a contestant's success on this show, but what is also important is to enjoy the journey. Contestants that are very focused on winning and forget to try to connect with the audience and have fun don't tend to get the Mirrorball in the end.

My Thoughts: Paige & Mark will probably kill their dances but whether or not they kill it in votes is still kind of up in the air. I'm sure they'll at least make it to the midway point of the competition and I can see them maybe even going all the way to the trophy but if they don't get the audience on their side they could easily be a "shocking" elimination (which are starting to seem kind of common for Mark and his partners).

Ginger Zee & Val Chmerkovskiy



Potential Assets: Ginger is 35 years old and a meteorologist on the show Good Morning America. Being on TV five days a week not even including Dancing With the Stars should be an asset to her, since she'll get a lot of exposure. It's also worth noting that GMA and DWTS have close ties with one other, as the former is home to things like cast announcements and exit interviews for the latter, so we can probably expect frequent updates on Ginger's Dancing journey on GMA. Having Val as a partner should also help her out, since out of the current pros he has one of the biggest fanbases and seems to be a very good teacher, plus with his summer tour coming up he has had an increase in media coverage lately. So far Ginger & Val seem to be getting along well and like they are having fun, which will probably make them enjoyable for the viewers to watch. As for Ginger's dance background, she was a cheerleader in high school and on a dance team in college, so while she supposedly hasn't been involved with organized dance for awhile, she has some experience with it, and she is still young enough that I don't think we'll have to worry about her body giving out on her. I think Ginger's biggest asset of all will be her ability to connect with the audience. Having just had her first child a few months ago, playing up the "working mom" angle will probably help quite a bit of the audience connect with her, as well as her positive attitude and warm personality. As we've seen with previous winners like Kellie Pickler and Bindi Irwin-neither of whom had as much previous dance experience as Ginger-that connection is KEY in getting votes from the viewers, and Ginger certainly seems like the type of person who will focus on enjoying the journey rather than constantly worrying about scores and potentially winning.

Potential Weaknesses: Dancing With the Stars shoots in Los Angeles, while Good Morning America is filmed in New York City. So yes, Ginger is yet ANOTHER contestant who will be travelling frequently, and in addition to this faces several unique challenges even the other travelling contestants will not, most of which relate to the fact that she just had a baby and has to balance being a new mom with everything else. To be honest I'm not sure why she decided now was a good time to agree to commit to DWTS, Ginger also has narcolepsy, basically meaning she is often tired and can get run-down more easily than most people. Not sure how much that will affect her rehearsals but between that and the frequent changing on time zones via flying back and forth across the country, Ginger might experience a bit more fatigue during her time on the show than some other contestants. The biggest question mark with Ginger is her fanbase. While she does appear on television regularly, I'm not sure how "hardcore" her fans are, or whether or not a lot of people who watch GMA will be inclined to tune into DWTS just to see her on it, let alone vote for her. If this were last season I don't think this would be as big a roadblock since most of the people with fanbases tended to skew to a younger crowd, and it was really about being able to connect with the core audience of DWTS. But this season there are a lot contestants who have big followings, many of which align with the main demographic of the show.

My Thoughts: I think that in a season full of people with big fanbases like this one, Ginger may be at a slight disadvantage in that regard but is likely to be a contestant who will wind up with a lot of the "undecided" vote (aka the people who watch the show regularly but won't have a favorite going into the season). If she takes care of herself and manages to not let the pressure get to her too much, she could go very far in the competition. My prediction is that Ginger & Val will either be a middle-of-the-pack elimination or will make it far-possibly the finals-but not win. I guess based on what people are saying they COULD win but I'm just not seeing it happening right now.

So there are my pre-game thoughts on every couple of Dancing With the Stars Season 22! Tell me who your favorites are and who you think will make it to the end below! And of course I'll be back here soon so see you then!