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Example of what somebody (a hip hop dancer, the male) with absolutely no contemporary technique can do if they have adequate choreography. It's not just Antonio's fault (I mean Sharna doesn't have good contemporary technique either). It's the choreography. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsxGJIqouOQ

That wasn't contemporary. I wish Sharna would get outside choreographers for when she has to choreograph contemporary.

Btw I don't know if it's been mentioned yet but the two men in this video with Keo and Jodie are RJ Durell and Nick Florez who choreographed the original "Try" performance for Pink (they're also sytycd choreographers).

The pros and celebs can't actually dance or choreograph contemporary musicality, movement, dynamics, etc, and they can't do the other standard 'tricks' like turns, leaps, extensions (some of the females are capable, Jenna from troupe is the most capable contemporary dancer on the show) so they're left with lifts. Lifts lifts lifts. And boring lifts too: pick up the girl and turn slowly in a circle not matching the music in any way lifts. Like there are creative and interesting lifts, lifts that go with the music or the story of the dance, enhance the choreo, make beautiful shapes. But not here lol.

I don't think Antonio was overscored at all. If anyone deserved high scores it was him imo.

I think this is my favorite episode of the show I've seen since I've been watching since season 16. So much great, fun dancing, extremely likable celebs, no cheesy production crap, no pretending a choreography was groundbreaking and amazing. I just had a huge smile on my face the whole time, this episode was great.

I can't believe it's this early in the season and I really like all the contestants. What is going on.

I agree I think that broadway is the non-ballroom style they mess up the least, maybe because it can be so many different things? But in terms of jazz, they are just as bad as they are at contemporary, like what the hell is this https://twitter.com/whipclip/status/717155724204216320 they put a contemporary dancer and a hip hop dancer in a 'jazz' bumper that looks like extremely awkward ballroom freestyle, like this is 100 percent ballroom? how is this jazz?! Also same, I love almost all the contestants this season it's great. Wanya definitely my fave though. I'm not a huge fan of the choreo that Lindsay is giving him but still really like their pairing overall.

Geraldo Rivera is a republican though. Or did you mean you dislike him even though he's conservative? eta: ugh I think that's what you meant, sorry this post (my one) was so unnecessary.

I don't think I was ever taught about kookaburra's, especially when I was 5.

She spent like 10 minutes an episode on it after it happened and said it was the worst treatment of a celeb ever on the show. She was also clearly pretty mad about it.

Well I agree with that, and I agree he could have been saying that as well. I would love to see more sambas with just straight samba content, for your example. I think the show has veered off too far into the hybrid territory where a lot of dances are unrecognizable and it takes away a bit from the point of the show.

If you go back and listen he didn't say one thing about the freestyle other than it's emotional impact. Kristyn never says anything about it either but I know she feels that way about it, she's mentioned it in sytycd after buzzes a few times. It would probably just offend the viewers if they said stuff like that so they don't. The closest I've ever seen on dwts after buzz is when they had Mandy Moore on one time. By the way I agree with them about Bindi's feet haha, they're very nice.

I have to agree with this even though I really like Kristyn. The after buzz panel's hyperbole in regards to Derek and Bindi was super annoying this year. Suri's thing where she pauses for a long time before saying in a shaky voice how a dance changed her life and was pure genius and the best dance ever danced. She did that at least 3 times this season that I remember and I didn't watch every episode. Pls stop.

I totally agree with him that the contemporary on DWTS is not real dancing. Watching the contemporary (and jazz) on this show is actually painful for me as somebody with some experience, so it's probably the same way for him.

I've seen a number of people claim the bald guy is Sharna's boyfriend Paul but he's not, he's Vincent Noiseux (sytycd and abdc). Here's his page: https://www.instagram.com/vincentnoiseux/ There were also a number of pretty well known backup dancers (I noticed some Katy and Britney ones). I was wondering about Jenna too. They seem to be featuring her so much. But with Allison out and Peta back in, that doesn't leave a spot unless Karina isn't interested next season or Anna's busy I guess.

Never meant to imply that Travis invented a lift. That would be a weird thing to say. They are both uncommon and pretty distinct lifts in terms of these dance shows, I don't remember ever seeing them on SYTYCD or DWTS except in the one Travis contemporary and now in these two recent Bindi dances.

That picture of them at the Emmys is too cute. Also cute that he choreographed for Julianne and Jason since Jason was in Travis's first ever duet he choreographed on so you think (Jeanine and Jason). I agree with you that it's inspired by and not stolen, and I didn't see much or any Travis in Bindi's freestyle and viennese waltz other than the two lifts. They just stood out to me. I think they should have outside choreographers. I think anytime the pros have to do something outside their specialty the show should give them an outside choreographer. It's not fair to the contestant and it kind of makes the pro look foolish and I feel bad for them. I feel like that would take some of the emphasis off the pro and give it back to the celeb contestant, too, which would be a good thing in my opinion.

Moving this to here because I think it's a more appropriate place! I wasn't just talking about the lifts. Much of their choreography is reminiscent of other choreographers, especially Mark. I've been noticing that all season. I made comments about that in reference to Mark and Alexa's jazz at the beginning of the season, before the lifts happened. I don't think it's a terrible thing, which I said at the time, because to me it shows that he is trying to learn and really pick up the style, even develop a voice, which I think is admirable. But those were two really distinctive lifts from the same dance that Derek used two weeks in a row. So it's noticeable.

Mark and Derek have ripped Travis off, among other choreographers. There are many ways to choreograph a contemporary, non trained and non skilled people won't be able to choreograph a good one. That's why they have to copy. It is a very complex dance style. It is actually many many times more complex than any ballroom dance because it doesn't come with preset choreography.

Wait is there a reason people are talking like this is Derek's last season? I thought he had one last season on his contract? And despite his contract, I don't personally believe he'll ever leave the show as long as it's running. It is the only thing that keeps his name in the news, that gives him a chance to display his work. I don't think he has any other projects going on? Other than Move tour, which is also pretty dependent on DWTS.

Confused by this comment. There were a number of very long lifts in Bindi's freestyle.

I actually really loved both Carlos and Nick's freestyles, they were entertaining (to me), didn't take themselves too seriously, and it looked like both guys were having a blast. I wish Derek had gone in a different direction for Bindi's freestyle, because we saw pretty much the same thing for her contemporary. Thought Alek's was sweet. I wish he had gone out 4th though.

Why do they keep taking stuff from the same one dance I don't get it.

Agree, he's much more attractive now then he was even 5 years ago. And I feel like he's just going to continue aging well. Again I think it's fine if he tries it but where it gets incredibly annoying is when people act like his work is on the same level as or better than people who are professionals. Reading comments about his contemporary dances calling him a genius and saying things like 'this sets a new bar for contemporary' is to me like if Allison choreographed a waltz that had next to zero waltz content and what there was was danced horribly with incorrect technique, the judges gave it three 10s and declared it the best waltz ever, people called her a genius and said things like 'this sets a new bar for the waltz,' and then it won an emmy. Literally it's that bad for me.