Glaadrial

If there have been partners whom he "had to tolerate during rehearsal," with whom he didn't like working and had to suck it up" and bolster himself in order to do his job, then it is what it is and it doesn't make me like or respect him less for saying so. Indeed, his honesty inspires me to like him more. His candor is a big part of what makes him entertaining and more importantly, relevant. It's reasonable to surmise that former partners with whom Maks had a decent working relationship, or even friendship, know that he wasn't talking about them. I don't see a scenario in which they would feel insulted by his praise for Meryl since they know Maks personally. The partners with whom Maks had to force himself to suck it up and tolerate in order to do his job, on the other hand, probably feel about him what he expressed about ALM. It's likely they don't care enough about how he feels about working with them to be insulted by implication as is being described above. Ergo, the statement is not insulting as far as I can tell.

Who's dancing what in the Semi-finals (article contains spoilers).

This is really insightful. I hadn't ever really broken it down quite this way. Now, it seems really obvious that Maks as the hyper-masculine Lothario is being contrasted with Derek as the super-safe dancing Ken Doll. It also brings to mind the early season package where Charlie, arguably with a laid back cool surfer Ken Doll vibe of his own, gets Lothario lessons from Maks but puts his own spin on things. It's also interesting that Maks made a conscious effort to really pull away from his assigned role and Meryl was the perfect partner to help him do just that--and then along comes ALM and the skit to get his grandma on the air. He lamented in one of the red carpet interviews that he'd almost made it through the whole season without bringing out the bad boy. Obviously, the folks running the show know exactly which buttons to push in order to get the story they want to tell.

I don't see how they could redeem the Jungle Book Samba the theme and the music are just not sexy. I had another thought that since they did a switch up dance, I'd really love to see the contestants, especially Meryl, do the switch up dance with their regular partner.

Since it was one of Meryl's lower scoring dances, it will be interesting to see what would happen should she make it to the final and have the Rumba chosen as the redemption dance. I'm a bit fuzzy on whether the redemption dance can be re-coreographed to include more Rumba content if that was the primary fault. If it can't then they might be in trouble. I think that Anna Trebunskaya commented that the only thing she would change about the dance to make more Rumba is put Meryl in heels, which should solve the sickled feet issue, or at least minimize it, so it wouldn't be so bad a choice, maybe. As far as I could tell from the package, I think that the risk Maks was taking was not so much about the content (which he described as "Rumba at it's purest") but rather with the theme which was not the traditional "Dance of Love" approach. In any case, they'd have to get to the finals before it would become an issue and hopefully, the injured toe will have healed sufficiently for Meryl to dance in heels, should she need to.

I suppose if this is what desperation sounds like: then maybe Meryl's media training is rubbing off on him?

I really like your list of suggestions for mandatory dances, except I'd substitute Really Traditional Samba (Louis VA/Karina from 2011) danced to music with an appropriate samba rhythm, over the examples of Salsa that we've been getting. I'd also add Jive and Tango. I do love to watch a good Rumba, but ever since Lacey introduced bare feet with Lance, the more successful ones have leaned toward Contemporary so substituting it with actual Contemporary isn't a big deal.

I wrote elsewhere that I couldn't imagine a situation where the producers would think that a Final that didn't feature both Ice Dancers would be a ratings winner over one that included both Meryl and Charlie, but after reading some of the Facebook lady's tweets and looking at the numbers on the "Vote for your favorite" Facebook page, it doesn't look good for Charlie. It's looking a lot like the lowball score for Meryl may have been intended to justify naming her as being "in jeopardy" next week along with Charlie. Maybe the show runner felt that if he's not pulling in the numbers, that this would be the most dramatic send-off for him. I think that the FB numbers last week indicated that Charlie and Danica were at risk of leaving, so I don't really understand why they would avoid declaring a bottom two (as they have done in prior seasons) with Charlie in it; if, indeed he was. Doing so could have generated a frenzy of voting for him. Percentage-wise, Meryl is so far ahead of the pack on Facebook favorites that even if some of her fans threw votes his way, it shouldn't have impacted her too badly. I mean, it seems like TBTB went out of their way to give him the "successfully chasing a perfect score" arc along with a favorable duel dance to a Contemporary routine (i.e., the only dance duel who could do lifts...and Charlie is great at lifts). I know that he picked Candace out of a mirror-ball, but the dance assignment was not really made clear as far as I could tell. I don't mean that it was nefarious or unfair (I think, on paper, all the dance assignments appear favorable), I just mean that there seemed to be a real effort put into rehabilitating his story-line and I think they succeeded. I'm struggling to find a reason for undoing all that good work, if he was in the bottom two last week. Nevertheless, until it comes to pass, I'll choose to believe that Charlie was not in the bottom two last week and hope that the Facebook numbers were better predictors earlier in the season when there were more horses in the race. There's still hope that partners on the ice will get to have a showdown in the ballroom. ETA: Nifty links as text feature described in the Questions Forum.

OMG! I recently streamed Pink's concert on Netflix and I was thinking that the pas de deux that she choreographed during "Try" would be the perfect inspiration for a M&M freestyle. She was able to incorporate a counter lever-like lift that is reminiscent of some of the lifts done by Ice Dancers. I don't know the video you mentioned, but the song is terrific and it would be quite a coup if DWTS could get Tessanne Chin to sing her version from The Voice (since they air at the same time). LOL, can you tell that I'm a little too invested in this show in general and specifically this team?

Since he was second from the bottom last week in judges' scores and the producers didn't use the opportunity to put him "in jeopardy" if he was really in the bottom two, I think it's a pretty good guess that he's bringing in the numbers to make it into the finals. Unless, of course, the producers want a "surprise" elimination next week where both he and Meryl are the last two "in jeopardy" and one of them goes home just shy of the finals. It's a scenario that would likely guarantee that whoever survives of the the two of them will win the Mirror Ball because they wouldn't be splitting the vote. I just don't see how the producers could conclude that a final without the Ice Dancing partners pitted against each other would be better for ratings than having both present. ETA: I broke up the sentences into individual blocks, because the wall of text may make it difficult to comprehend the entire post.

Another Red Carpet Interview from Meryl & Max: http://www.ontheredcarpet.com/video?id=9528233 For good or for ill, Meryl seems very understanding of Maks' candor both in the rehearsal process and on this particular episode of the show.

I doubt they would say the same if Maks had choreographed the same routine for Meryl. Too talented a contestant? How about if Cheryl had sat BDW down on a barstool and vogued around him and called it an AT? Still a perfect 40? Not aesthetically pleasing enough? I'm pretty sure that NeNe could have managed the exact same content and put tons more personality into the dance had Tony choreographed the number for her. Even she, I don't think could have pulled off a 40 with that content and she managed to match Meryl's score on Disney week. What made Derek's dance special is that Amy was able to execute the gimmicky choreography that Derek produced for her when one considers her situation. I'm fairly certain that Anna Trebunskaya would not have gushed over the choreography if it was performed perfectly by any other couple. Given that the show regularly casts older or less naturally gifted contestants and then practically shames them when fans keep them around longer than couples who are better able to handle the rigorous choreographic demands later in the season, I'm finding what the judges are doing somewhat distasteful. Nevertheless, the current situation is what it is and that's likely not going to change, because, really, how could it? It's just not what the judges said it was going to be.

Online voting is by account so if you can get to the website you should be able to sign in to your account and vote. I live in the Pacific Time Zone but I have a cell phone with and East Coast Area Code and it won't let me vote unless I call during the East Coast voting window. Again, I don't know for sure the answer to your question but my guess is that you should be able to vote using your cell phone or your computer.

What didn't seem natural to me were the reactions of Meryl and Val in the initial part of the conversation. I think that Val, especially, since he was being very sensitive to Danica's injury and very attentive to her needs, was a little too neutral about the unmistakable flair up. It would have been more natural for him to either defend Danica or to distract Maks or find some other way to diffuse the situation. Having fun is the theme that they used for the Maks/Danica package. For me it doesn't seem natural to go from "We don't look like four people ready to have fun" to "Don't be condescending" quite as quickly as he did. Granted, I approach things from an actor's point of view where we have to find the motivation that the author intended; but then more effort goes into plays and scripts than what the story-boarders come up with for Reality TV. Maks sold the individual lines, it's the transitions that were a bit muddled. He gave Danica plenty to work with as an actress who brought in Meryl--and then Grandma shows up at the same rehearsal and makes everything better. But that's just my view of things.

I really loved Meryl's non-traditional Rumba. I agree with Bruno that it was like watching a "play without words." I disagree with Carrie Ann ("I have to be fair by slighting favorite couples of fans who call me out for judging inconsistently") Innaba. This dance was not at all comparable to what Peta("It's so weird that I don't have to teach him anything, he already knows it all." Yeahright!) choreographed for Charlie Rumba. Maybe there was some fusion with some Contemporary content, but there were plenty of Edyta moves in Maks' routine. I think the only one I missed was the standing split where she rests her leg on her partner's shoulder which I don't think really fit the story they chose to portray. Len seemed reluctant to play the "not a Rumba," game; it really sounded like he didn't want to discredit himself by towing the party line (that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it). I'm assuming that Maks took his inspiration from his interpretation of the song (that I don't know well enough to agree or disagree). I'm sure he was aware that the shippers were eager to see a traditionally passionate Rumba--perhaps the assigned song did not inspire him in that direction or maybe Meryl was eager to explore a different kind of high drama at some point in the journey and this song provided an opportunity for such. Since I heard Meryl mention in her red carpet interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG4__QvMlgM&list=UUCcVQKtF8zHVQoTJt8NNMJA that the only thing she would want to do differently is point her toes, I decided to look up what it means to have sickled feet. I found this site which explains what it means: http://ballethub.com/sickling-ballet-what-why-how-to-avoid-it/ One of the most interesting quotes is the summation: This seems to be an issue that is beyond the scope of this show to address. I really hope that Meryl does not take this too much to heart. Thankfully, they'll be dancing which will allow them to focus on more traditional ballroom requirements.

Responding here to this comment from the episode thread: I kind of agree that Maks didn't come off well in this episode at all. I have a sinking suspicion that he was somewhat sabotaged, though. I think he should know better after 10 years on the show. The rehearsal package came off a bit staged for me. Judging from the vibe of their previous collaboration, the "condescending" comment didn't ring true. Regardless of how well Maks sold it, Danica really wasn't being condescending. I know he doesn't have full command of the language, but I'm fairly certain that he could spot condescension when he sees it; without that set up, however, the visit from grandma loses context. This attempt at a cute rehearsal package was guaranteed to fail on the heels of the honest response to an obvious set-up by Erin re:ALM. I predicted the rise of Charlie last week when we learned he was doing a Quickstep. I was dumbfounded at being left with Meryl at the bottom of the leader board on the week that determines who will make it into the finals. Max and Meryl are going to need a great deal of fan support to get through next week, and I just don't see how they can generate the votes. The primary dance was epic and amazing but getting it called "not a Rumba," at this stage is bad. The samba was really good, too, but with being the only female/female duo, they're the only ones who had to deliver on side-by-side synchronization and get dinged for a lack thereof. Add in the Max H8 and we're left with another Mirrorball for Derek? I hope not because I love watching Meryl and Max dance together so I hope there's enough panic from Meryl/Max fans to get them into the finals.

I've read reports that some do date. Maks in particular was previously linked with Erin Andrews which makes the AH interview very interesting when they bring it up briefly. Meryl and Charlie have spent years cultivating chemistry between them on the ice, to the point that Charlie had been mum on his relationship with Tanith Belbin (who I wanted to see as a contestant the year Evan was on...I guess Gold Medal trumps Pewter:sadface) until recently and I think cited the need to sell the on ice relationship with Meryl. My guess, is that these performers are putting on a show and every aspect of their partnership including rehearsal packages is part of the product they are promoting in order to inspire the audience to vote for them to stay on the show. In a previous season, Val and Kelly were able to ride the storyline of a passionate love affair all the way to the finals...the chemistry in their dances was helped by the storyline, I think. Maks has been "tamed" before, I think, with Erin as mentioned above but also in a non-romantic way he's been "matched in passion" on the dance floor by Laila and Mel B; he's been nurturing and attentive with Brandi and Kirstie (also flirty with Kirstie). The storyline with Meryl is either a greatest hits smorgasbord or something more meaningful...it remains to be seen. I can see where the attraction could be genuine because Meryl has been training in the Russian style for many years as an Ice Dancer so I doubt she's put off by his expectations as a teacher which, in turn, is inspirational and exciting for Maks. Also, it's important to remember that she, too, is exploring presenting a different side of herself publicly, as much as Maks is. The process can be exhilarating and I can see where it could lead to something more...or not. In Charlie's package Meryl mentioned that for the first few days, she's Maks' student but then when it comes time to perform, she's his partner. The way it was presented, it was kind of an awkward throwaway comment, but I think it's, in a nutshell, what makes the M&M pairing so compellingly entertaining to watch.

Meryl and Maks interview from Access Hollywood: http://www.accesshollywood.com/meryl-davis-and-maksim-chmerkovskiys-dwts-chemistry_video_2144237 http://www.accesshollywood.com/dwts-meryl-davis-tames-mad-maks_video_2144137 Whether or not they're dating is not my business. That they have great chemistry on the dance floor and in interviews is really fun to watch. Revisiting their incredible Tango is also fun.

I really liked Charlie's intensity in the Paso on Latin Week. It was really cool to see him so committed to the style of the dance. I wish I could disagree with the judges, because that kind of commitment to performance is rare and, I think, a real challenge for him because he really, really exudes affability. He acknowledged a slight bobble in his interview with Erin which I didn't catch, but I can't quite put my finger on the difference between what Sharna is choreographing for Charlie vs. what Maks is coming up with for Meryl. I blame CAI for some of Charlie's struggles with the Latin dances. I think back to the Tango that Charlie did when Sharna brought Maks in for some pointers. I know it's Standard, but it has a Latin sensibility that could have served him well in other dances. Maks gave him character reasons for movements that would highlight his ability to lead his partner around the dance floor. When he's scoping out the room, it has the dual function of making him look like he's leading his partner and it creates the opportunity for his partner to demand/capture his attention which creates a highlight. CAI did him a disservice, I think, when she said basically to ignore Maks' instruction to portray a womanizer, that he has his own charm and his own style that worked for the dance. The content of his subsequent dances has been very good as has his execution; what's been missing, I think, are the "special moments" that make a good dance great. Thankfully, I think he's gone through all or, at least, most of the Latin dances and that the Standard Ballroom dances will highlight his partnering skills and carriage. I read on PureDWTS that he will be dancing next week so his story arc will, hopefully, take a turn for the better. On the whole, I must say that I'm really liking the energy that he (and Meryl) are bringing to the show. I very much enjoy that all the couples seem to really enjoy each other's company. Meryl, especially, seemed heartbroken by the comments the judge's made of Charlie's performance. After the team dance, I found it amusing that his quip about not calling themselves All Stars but instead just doing their best to put on a good dance was really clever. I think it was in reference to Val's comment in the package about great basketball players. I don't think anyone (possibly even himself) thought what I thought, which was that he didn't need to be the Michael Jordan of choreography because he's the Charlie White of Ice Dancing, but you'd have to be a fan of Figure Skating to ever think such a thing. What he and Meryl did in Sochi was unprecedented and pretty awesome. Should they decide to go for another Olympic cycle, I'm thinking that they'd be pretty unbeatable with the technique and insights they're picking up from doing DWTS.

I doubt that if the injured dancer had been on TeamVida that their performance would have been judged better because of the way that they worked the space. I suspect that TeamVida got a boost of energy from the crowd and from performing live. If given a choice, I doubt that they would have elected to submit their "dress rehearsal" over performing live. When it happened before with Melissa, the judges commented that they had to judge what they saw and that since she didn't have the benefit of utilizing the energy that comes from performing live, the performance suffered somewhat. I seem to remember that it was Len's comment that was something to that effect, so I was surprised that he commented as he did tonight. For all intents and purposes, yes, the pressure is off but that's mostly because the "dress rehearsal" doesn't count, so if it's amazing (as I thought that run-through was) then it should be rewarded when the rules and circumstances dictate that the "dress rehearsal" does count. I'm usually,TeamLen all the way because I, generally, agree with his fussiness; but, I found it a bit disrespectful of the work that the uninjured dancers put into the number to say, basically: "I refuse to give you a 10 because it's easier to deliver a performance worthy of a 10 in dress rehearsal." I'd have felt more comfortable with his score if he had said something like: "It's a shame that you weren't able to perform this live because I'm sure that some of the imperfections could have been cleaned up in a live run-through." In the end it doesn't really matter because both guys, likely (hopefully?), will not need the boost next week and all the remaining ladies were on the same team.

Many of Tony's exchanges with CAI through the years, especially after his partnership with Jane Seymour have been more cringe-inducing for me than anything Max has said during the show. Generally, I like Tony but I'd peg him as having the worst temperament of the pros in the group. As for ringers, I think that the pros have come to realize that they don't always win. Stacy (paired with Tony), Mel B (with Maks), Evan (with Anna), Mario (with Karina), etc. The only ones who have been able to overcome a Star being considered a ringer are Derek (on several occasions), Julianne (with Apollo) and Mark (with Kristie and Shawn). To read about NeNe tearing into Max about wanting to go back to his "professional partner" seems silly to me, because every celebrity brings his or her own advantages to the table. Everyone in cast, including NeNe, had a certain advantage over BDW and Diana, for example. As for what remains to be seen this season, I was happier when Meryl/Maks were in it for the fun and not necessarily for the win. Charlie and Meryl bring a split fanbase and Amy's backstory (along with being paired with Derek), I think, will play a large part in the end result. That said, if Maks needs the tension to produce a Tango like what they performed on Party Anthem week, and Meryl can handle his intensity, then we may be in store for some pretty amazing stuff in the coming weeks. I'll have to rely on Meryl for the cue on what she can handle and not on anything the producers choose to highlight in packages.