Mondayeve

To me that is only fair since the show is broadcast in Canada I feel it should open to voting.

Now that you made that observation it makes me realize the significance of that ending...not just an athletic move but the entire tone of the dance.

I think the blindfold thing was to show that James could lead the dance and remember where he was at all times and not depend on Sharna. So I understand what she was trying to do. But I feel realdancemom has a point in that it may have been better without the blindfold in the sense that they could have had eye contact and connection because I actually loved the simple intimate choreo Sharna did. Do you get the sense because the show has been on for 23 seasons the pros feel they have to up the ante for every dance. Sometimes a well done dance that is true to the structure of the dance that captures the mood is better than all the bells and whistles.

I feel like Val is getting coaching from Maks because to me much of his choreo has the moves from the dances Maks did with Meryl. Big brother knows best. Last week in his blog Maks said that Laurie and Calvin would the final two standing. I am not so sure he is 100% right on everything. I think the final 2 will be Hinch and Laurie and come down to choreography for the freestyle and how well they execute it so I think either one of them could take it. Alfonso R. said it best last night on All Access "it is the way a dancer makes you feel how you vote" and it will come down to that when they are both dancing well and getting similar scores. Then again I could be surprised by Jana or Calvin being one of the two last standing. As someone said they all have their strengths. I just don't know how much fan support they are getting. Laurie will will be one of the two, I just can't see her any other way. The fanbase is too strong and passionate. James also has a strong fanbase that he has earned throughout the season with each and every dance coming in as a virtual unknown and hopefully they are voting strong. To me when the competition is tough it makes the victory sweeter and it is a well earned win whoever takes this.

I loved this from Kristyn Burtt. It made me smile and this is the essence of Hinch. http://thebarretender.tv/blog/2016/11/james-hinchcliffe-dancing-stars-comeback-kid

Laurie was on top again and I feel like she is cementing her place for the win. Flawless. I guess if I voted with my head I would would vote for Laurie and if I vote with my heart it is James because his trust that he is putting in Sharna and dancing with everything he's got even if he is not complete perfection as far as technique. He is the kind of celeb I watch DWTS for. Calvin has slipped for me although I love his personality and attack. Jana is peaking at the right time and I can see her in the finals.

Len is back next week and it will be interesting to see who he wants to win it. I suspect it will be the girls.

I am also a little worried about gimmicky but so far Sharna has been winning with choreo. It is the first time that a pro has been blindfolded I think so it is a bit of a twist. I will just brace for the criticism that is sure to come. Is is just me or does Sharna seem to be absolutely glowing this season? It is like she has a partner that ticks all the boxes and the girl just beams.

Saw an interview with George P. of ABC in LA and Sharna says that she will be blindfolded for the AT. To me this means it will be a Burn the Floor style AT. Ooh la la.

That's what Len always says about the AT and I agree. He says it is an intimate club dance and sets a mood. I always feel the AT is the dance where the man and the woman are alone in the room and responding to each move and gesture guiding the dance. A dance conversation and sexual teasing. I love it. For me that has been the thing that has made James the stand out of the season for me. For a celeb to connect to his partner and capture the mood of every dance the way he has just makes me look forward to every dance. I feel like it is more than just well executed steps and lifts, etc. He brings the light and shade that Len talks about. Then to think that he sits hunched over in a tight little space of a car for his day job. That makes it even more amazing.

I am so happy about an AT. I think James has a chance to be back on top this week because I think this could be sultry, dramatic and powerful. Waiting impatiently to find out what the trio is dance....

I knew the night would belong to Laurie. Just had that feeling especially with an AT and then contemporary with Jana. Well done. The Calvin/James roll in package was the best part of the night for me. I loved the cape work considering the likelihood of them ever using a cape is what zero percent?? Terra and Sasha were so entertaining and I am glad she made it through this week and I loved Calvin's waltz. I hope that James has built enough momentum with the fans that he will not be a surprise elimination because of mess up in the jazz dance and the paso redeemed him. Honestly he seems a little tired and bummed that he is not dancing with Sharna IMO.

http://www.tvguide.com/news/dancing-with-the-stars-derek-hough-blog-week9-marilu-henner/?rss=breakingnews

I am putting this post here so I don't get a noodle lashing from the mods. Did anyone read Derek's response about his bad edit and push-gate. Sigh. I think I am going to stop watching the roll in packages, all access and just the dances themselves without the judging. I can't figure out why this stuff is so important. If Marilu comes out and kills it why would push-gate, etc. matter that much? Or is it because it makes it look like they are not getting along when Derek says they are. If so, I can understand his frustration. On the mother show Strictly Come Dancing they do ridiculous corn-ball little skits instead of rehearsal footage. Maybe they have the right idea. You can't be influenced by chemistry personality or drama in rehearsal footage or lack of it. I will just vote for who I like with my uneducated eye that doesn't know good technique when she sees it. I don't care about a bad edit or producer manipulation since that seems to be the case. My question is this: Do you think the judges are encouraged to give higher or lower scores than they would have if they were left to their own devices? They make the girls work harder for their scores and praise and give the boys a pass? That is also the argument. And the editing packages only capture the tenseness that a couple is having because that makes for good TV? So really Calvin and Lindsay, James and Sharna are going at in the rehearsal room but they are just not showing their tense moments? I honestly can't tell. Of course if I read through this thread I will find all my answers.

Plus there hasn't been a season where there hasn't been outrage over the results starting with season 1 with Kelly winning over John. Again woman winning over a man. How did that happen when it is stacked against the women? I think if Laurie were to have a come back week it will be this week. With an AT she gets to show a different side, a more mature side her technique and chemistry with Val. Age appropriate of course and I do believe Val bring that out in her. James will have lifts with this jazz and if he nails them I will never doubt him again. Calvin has a chance to show grace and finesse in the waltz so could be a great week for him also. I am worried for Terra and especially Marilu.

Well the press release is out and now we know what are they are doing this week. Marilu-samba. Laurie -AT James - Jazz. Calvin-waltz. Terra-charleston. Jana-waltz. Team up challenges. James and Calvin - Paso. Jana and Laurie - contemporary. Marilu and Terra - Jazz.

I agree and that may be his Achilles heel in the freestyle. He is going to have to work hard and eat more chocolate, wheaties, energy bars, etc. whatever. I am hoping James gets an AT in the semifinals and he can do smoldering and ace the lifts. Calvin is effortless with lifts and I am sure Laurie will be great at them so that I say the freestyle is anyone's game.

For me one one of the wins that I was completely shocked by was Shawn over Gilles. I remember all the message boards were abuzz that year with women absolutely swooning over Gilles and I thought man, he is taking this thing. I obviously had pegged that one wrong. I remember thinking so much for the handsome male great dancer celeb a lock for the win. I also felt that way about Mario L., thought sure he had it sewed up.

I am hoping for the Laurie/Calvin/James final. May the best freestyle win because it is always about that freestyle. I am interested to see what the pros cook up for their celebs. I think any of them could win it and that is what will make this final interesting. I think we will see athleticism , technique and performance in spades and have 3 unique and hopefully exciting freestyles. I feel the producers want ratings more than anything and really don't care who wins as long as we tune in.

PBGamer89. You give the TPTB and the judges too much power. People vote for their favorites. And yes a lot of times it is a male celeb especially a male celeb who would never enter a dance studio on his own own power because that generates more fascination than a perky female who you know just loves to dance and is totally comfortable with it. But as you pointed out they also vote for women. I think a lot of voting comes down if you like the couple and how the pro and celeb work together and then it doesn't matter whether the celeb is male or female. They are voting for the couple...their favorite couple - the couple that captures their interest. IMO a good male pro can help a female celeb immensely, look at all the times Derek's partner has won.

Also I saw an interview with Julieanne and she admitted she spoke the wrong words and should have said "one of the best" and not the best. I sensed she was embarrassed by her comment and regretted it. She got tons of backlash and criticism for that comment, rightly so. It is subjective who is the best celeb dancer or even pro dancer because if you asked 10 people you would most likely not get the same answer.

I agree with Suebee. We like who we like and the reasons are not always understood. I came into this season planning to just be a casual viewer like I am most seasons. I have not voted in years. I watch and really am not engaged but happy for whoever wins and the final is always a good watch. This year Laurie looked so good on paper that I thought no one could touch her and she would be a slam dunk. I would be happy for her if she won. She is sweet and talented and dances beautifully. I am not feeling her though and especially not feeling her with Val, hard to explain but there is no spark, nothing that makes me want to dial the number. They could promote Laurie to the heavens and have her go last every week, it wouldn't matter to me if I wasn't feeling it. Having no idea who James when I watched him take his first steps in that beautiful foxtrot I knew I was once again invested in my little dance show. Totally unexpected and such a pleasant surprise. Now I am engaged because I find him engaging and the team magic that he and have Sharna created is enjoyable to watch. You get the feeling that he immerses himself in this whole strange dance experience and part of why his roll in packages are as much fun as the dances themselves. To me James is the journey contestant (along with Calvin) and that is why the show loves them. I don't think it is just because of the pro needing a win. The pro earns the win by getting that celeb to the final generating more interest each passing week. My instincts tell me the producers closely observe who is getting the buzz and the interest and do highlight those celebs the best they can. That may be unfair but it is T.V and ratings and viewer interest dictates. James and Calvin have helped to make it a competition that I honestly did not think would even be there. I am sure it was unfair that James danced last but the producers knew that suicide dance had to close the show. It just had to.

It all depends on how bad the injury is. Even though it is a strain of the MCL you don't want to mess with a strained MCL before it has had a chance to heal because you can end up needing surgery to repair any more damage. It is a ligament and the ligaments are what stabilize your knee. If Sharna damaged it by dancing too soon further resulting in surgery she would need months off for recovery and not be able to do the tour. I guess the MRI will tell the docs what they need to know and can advise her. I hope it is mild and she gets the all clear soon. I am thinking it is mild because she was able to dance Monday unless she was going on pure adrenaline and dancing through a lot of pain. We'll find out tonight I am sure?? I hope James' fans will rally and vote for him and Jenna. I think they will.

How do y'all feel about him dancing with Jenna if it comes to that? It is very vague if Sharna will be ready to dance on Monday. I hope so. But I am okay with him dancing with Jenna. I don't think the other pros were available and I would prefer her over Allison because Jenna has more ballroom experience. It certainly won't be the chemistry or the sparkle he has with Sharna but if fans are voting for him and not the pro it won't matter.

Agree Katha and Spanana. Another thing are the factors of performance and personality. Anytime you are on TV those qualities will come into play. That includes the pros as well. It absolutely counts and I can never get the fans who insist all scoring and voting should be based on dancing only.