S30.E09: Janet Jackson Night

[madpsych78]

Cody is not as horrible as Bones, but the fact that he has never been in the bottom 2 (or 3) supports the notion that he has a really rabid fan base. That said, I think he's probably the least deserving to be in the finals. Not only for his work up to this point, but also, I just don't see Cheryl being that innovative with him. Cheryl does better with sexy/smoldering guys (Gilles, Juan Pablo, William, etc.) where she plays up the sexual tension and chemistry. She can't or won't use those tricks with Cody. 

Iman's not as great of a technical dancer as some of the other contestants, but he is learning the technique quite well given where he started, and he definitely brings the performance factor. He absolutely slays on non-ballroom dancing (Jazz and Contemporary). Also, given that Daniella is still a pretty new pro, she is likely to have many fresh ideas as far as choreographing the freestyle, which I suspect he will slay as well. Thus, I would be very upset with the show if Iman did not make the finals. Fortunately, he hasn't been in the bottom 2 or 3 either, but I don't mind because he has clearly shown growth as well. 

I think that Jojo has been great and I would be fine with her making the finals as well. I realize that she has lots of dancing experience already, but then I remember that she had to learn how to lift another woman, which is something that is very difficult for women to do in general, and I still get very impressed with that.

Suni's always had the technique, but I believe that the samba was her "breakthrough" performance in terms of personality. I don't know that I would have given it a 40, but maybe a 38 or 39. But I would be fine with her making the finals either way because I think Sasha could choreograph a good freestyle that plays up her gymnastics background. 

Melora and Amanda are interchangeable to me at this point. I would probably give the edge to Melora because at least she is a stronger actress than Amanda and that has strengthened her dances. But Amanda has also never made the bottom 2 or 3.

It's a VERY tough call as to who is going to make the finals. Clearly the bottom 2 or 3 have been different every time and it seems like a very close race.

[Rightside]

1 hour ago, Lindsay Loo Hoo said:

 Cheryl has been phoning it in all season and im pissed.

Has there ever been a season without Cheryl?

 

[thesupremediva1]

Man, I vote for Melora each week, and I'm gonna be MAD if she isn't in the finals. Come on, Artem fans!! 

She's so elegant, so poised, such a fine actress - she really deserves it. I also think Artem has been smart and strategic with choreo so far, but she needs a true "WOW" moment next week. He has to push and go big or literally go home. 

Sad for Olivia, I don't hold her responsible for what her parents did but it was a big pink elephant all season long and it was a mistake for production to ignore it and never let her speak about it. It came across as inauthentic. I'm sure she had some feelings about what her parents did and the legal and media firestorm it caused. She was a great dancer and she and Val had a great partnership - twice the partnership of Jenna and JoJo.

I'm sorry, yes she's a good dancer, but she's  literally a pro dancer and I find her personality utterly grating. It doesn't help that I've never warmed to Jenna either, so that partnership is a total annoyance for me. Also, no disrespect, but did anyone else think Jenna looked exceedingly bony last night? I was honestly distracted during the dance by the fact that JoJo - an incredibly thin and fit girl - looked twice Jenna's size. I was left wondering if Jenna is sick. 

Really sad for Jimmie. He was great all season and that dance deserved 9's, not 8's.

Cody is the worst left, he has no connection with Cheryl , and that dance was not worth 10's. He must be SO far ahead in votes that the producers are just giving him good scores to not look like total fools when he wins. 

Daniella is the best choreographer the show's had since Derek. Iman is such a cool, great guy and he improves each week. I look forward to their dances and would like to see them in the finals.

Amanda is a great dancer, often nitpicked by the judges IMO. She's forgettable but when she nails it she's better than JoJo. She's a Rockette after all. I give her - or maybe the producers - mad props for not trotting out her tragedy week after week. The truth is, I send her votes because she's great but I also can't believe she can even do something like this show so soon after losing her husband. 

Suni is adorable and she was lovely last night, but I wouldn't have given that a 40 either. That said, if Melora can't take this, I'd like to see Sasha get a win.

Tyra was truly awful last night. Even my boyfriend, who had headphones in and was barely paying attention, asked at one point if she ever hosted anything before. She's constantly doing the opposite of what a great host does - calling attention to the fact that it's a live show with time constraints. A good host knows how to hide that and doesn't place the focus on themselves or pass blame to the control room. How does she still have this job?? I'm tired of talking about "mommas" and "grammies" and whatever the hell else she wants to chit chat about while she shushes Len, cuts off Derek, or makes fun of Bruno. 

Ryan Seacrest should boot camp her ass and show her how to handle live TV. Somewhere, Tom Bergeron is cackling. 

Though I will say, last night was the first time she actually looked like the beautiful woman she still is. But if she talked one more time about Janet being her bestie, I was gonna throw something at the TV. 

[Zanzibar]

35 minutes ago, Rightside said:

Has there ever been a season without Cheryl?

 

Yes.  She has been in 24 of the 30 seasons.

Edited November 9, 2021 by Zanzibar

[ams1001]

34 minutes ago, Rightside said:

Has there ever been a season without Cheryl?

According to the list on her wikipedia page, she was not in seaons 1, 20, 21, 22, 24, & 26.

24 minutes ago, thesupremediva1 said:

How does she still have this job??

She bought it, apparently.
 

Edited November 9, 2021 by ams1001

[realdancemom]

I like this season because there were so many decent to good dancers.  It's also interesting that the bottom 2 have been different.  It makes it more suspenseful.

I enjoy Cody's dancing the least out of the remaining but I think he's going to the finals because of his fan base.  With that said, I do think that Cheryl finally looked like she had some energy.  Her choreography is still stale but at least she didn't look tired.  If Cody wins, I don't view it like Bobby Bones unless I read something where he complained about his scores or put other contestants down.  He's also a better dancer than Bones.

The last two weeks, Melora has been annoying with her constant talking.  Last night, she could have just said one single general thank you and not list everyone/group individually.  That was just obnoxious. 

I'll miss Jimmie but I do think that Melora is the better dancer.  Olivia is also a better dancer than Jimmie but I'm fine with her leaving.  She's lucky that she made it this far. I think partnering with Val helped because he taught her well.  Gleb and Olivia wouldn't have lasted as long.  Val and Mel C. would have been awesome though.  

The ones that I would like in the finals because I think they would give the best freestyles are Iman/Daniella, Jojo/Jenna, and Suni/Sasha.  I think Amanda is the better technical dancer but I think Melora is the better performer and a pretty good dancer.  So I would rather the fourth spot would go to one of them but Cody is most likely headed to the finals.

I think Tyra looked awesome in her outfits last night. 

[sd dude]

18 hours ago, Josh371982 said:

Ugh  on a shallow note after seeing Lindsey and Whitneys sexy selves during the opening number im upset they aren't in the competition this season anymore

It is mind-blowing to realize both of these women gave birth not too long ago.

[Fliz]

I'm getting weary of Amanda acting like Alan is so mean in rehearsals. She's worked as a professional dancer; I'm pretty sure Alan is nothing compared to some of the choreographers and directors in NY.

[Rightside]

1 hour ago, sd dude said:

It is mind-blowing to realize both of these women gave birth not too long ago.

Whitney looks like she has really lost weight. She looks thinner now than on any other season.

[scenicbyway]

Unless something weird happens with the voting bases, I think the finals will be Jojo, Iman, and either Cody or Suni.  It's hard to judge Suni's fan base.  She does the steps, even smiles, but as someone mentioned above, it's like this is something she has to endure vs. is enjoying.  I think she's got a great partner in Sasha.  I'm guessing she's done the show for her parents/grandparents to in some way pay them back for the investment they made in her because she didn't do the Simone Biles tour and instead was supposed to head off to college.  I don't know any college students who watch DWTS.

Cheryl has been phoning it in, but I also can't imagine trying to recover from COVID and being asked to dance every week anyway.  Covid should have necessitated their elimination.  I get that Cody had a mild case, but Cheryl seemed really miserable and breathless for several weeks.  Also, the wardrobe department has been phoning it in on Cheryl, she's been wearing the same outfit, with different fringe all season.

I like Jojo, but I feel like she's headed for alot of changes personally now that she's going from child star to the awkward late teenage years into adulthood.  Seeing Jenna so thin, I hope she hasn't felt like she's needed to be smaller than Jojo (who is small) to be able to be lifted.  Jenna is very muscular, but also very thin.

I'm glad the focus on Amanda hasn't been just about losing her husband.  She's trying to make her own identity but I suspect she's an introvert trying to be extroverted.  She's extroverted in dancing, but perhaps not so much in personality?

 

 

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

I've been Team Suni all along and it was so gratifying to see her so happy when she danced and doing such a great job.  Maybe it was the new hairdo. 

Was it just me, or did Amanda's dance look super dated? Not like "fresh update of old choreography" but really old school? 

Daniela has been working with Iman's strengths and challenges and I noticed this week he wasn't all bent over when he danced with her.  I am hoping he will continue on cos if he gets to do a freestyle, it will be smokin'. 

I realized today that JoJo and Suni are the same age.  Suni is off at college and Jojo still sometimes acts like an excitable tween.  It can't be blamed on being sheltered because both of them were training/performing at a high level for most of their lives. 

 

[babyhouseman]

17 hours ago, White Dog said:

Hell Yeah we deserve a great Freestyle not a lunch bag letdown.

Yes, the freestyles haven't been the same since Derek and Mark stopped dancing. They've been so-so the past few years. 

[Josh371982]

2 hours ago, sd dude said:

It is mind-blowing to realize both of these women gave birth not too long ago.

Oh I know. You wouldn't know it just looking at them lol. Hard work and dedication to get back to those hot dancers bods they have lol

2 hours ago, Fliz said:

I'm getting weary of Amanda acting like Alan is so mean in rehearsals. She's worked as a professional dancer; I'm pretty sure Alan is nothing compared to some of the choreographers and directors in NY.

They show you want they want to show you though. Stuff is edited plus Amanda hasn't even said stuff like he's so mean 

Edited November 9, 2021 by Josh371982

[Josh371982]

1 hour ago, scenicbyway said:

Unless something weird happens with the voting bases, I think the finals will be Jojo, Iman, and either Cody or Suni.  It's hard to judge Suni's fan base.  She does the steps, even smiles, but as someone mentioned above, it's like this is something she has to endure vs. is enjoying.  I think she's got a great partner in Sasha.  I'm guessing she's done the show for her parents/grandparents to in some way pay them back for the investment they made in her because she didn't do the Simone Biles tour and instead was supposed to head off to college.  I don't know any college students who watch DWTS.

Cheryl has been phoning it in, but I also can't imagine trying to recover from COVID and being asked to dance every week anyway.  Covid should have necessitated their elimination.  I get that Cody had a mild case, but Cheryl seemed really miserable and breathless for several weeks.  Also, the wardrobe department has been phoning it in on Cheryl, she's been wearing the same outfit, with different fringe all season.

I like Jojo, but I feel like she's headed for alot of changes personally now that she's going from child star to the awkward late teenage years into adulthood.  Seeing Jenna so thin, I hope she hasn't felt like she's needed to be smaller than Jojo (who is small) to be able to be lifted.  Jenna is very muscular, but also very thin.

I'm glad the focus on Amanda hasn't been just about losing her husband.  She's trying to make her own identity but I suspect she's an introvert trying to be extroverted.  She's extroverted in dancing, but perhaps not so much in personality?

 

 

Ugh Jojo and Cody both in F3 would be a nogo for me. I'm hoping for Iman, Suni, Amanda and Melora F4 but I'm sure I won't get that. Cody not even touching the bottom 2 and having that fanbase is worrying. And I'm postive Production and Judges desperately want Jojo to win the whole thing 

[boyznkatz]

36 minutes ago, babyhouseman said:

Yes, the freestyles haven't been the same since Derek and Mark stopped dancing. They've been so-so the past few years. 

I think Daniella's would be good, and maybe Jenna's. I don't expect much from Sasha, Cheryl, Alan or Artem. I really hope Iman makes the finals, because he would definitely have the best freestyle. 

[luvbadtv]

3 hours ago, scenicbyway said:

Cheryl has been phoning it in, but I also can't imagine trying to recover from COVID and being asked to dance every week anyway.  Covid should have necessitated their elimination.  I get that Cody had a mild case, but Cheryl seemed really miserable and breathless for several weeks.  Also, the wardrobe department has been phoning it in on Cheryl, she's been wearing the same outfit, with different fringe all season.

 

 

Could she be pregnant?  It would explain her being tired and the odd choice of one outfit.  I'm not saying she looks pregnant, but could be early stage/not showing.

[DEL901]

21 minutes ago, luvbadtv said:

Could she be pregnant?  It would explain her being tired and the odd choice of one outfit.  I'm not saying she looks pregnant, but could be early stage/not showing.

She has talked in interviews about being sober…maybe there is some residual impact. 

[White Dog]

Cheryl has had a lot to deal with and Covid. She says she’s fine but there could be long haul effects which can be quite intense, especially when her health has been compromised by alcohol. I wish her the best, but this should not be this teams year to win. 

[mbluecpa]

Was this week the first time Olivia explicitly mentioned one of her parents? The tie to her dad’s appearance in the Janet Jackson video was logical, but then led to the whole package being about him - when they ripped that Band-Aid off, they went all in.

I hand-waved all of the clip package drama with Amanda and Melora as we typically get a handful of those per season. Unanimous 10s following those weren’t much of a surprise.

Tyra’s “I’m so nervous that there’s a double elimination” might have had more impact if she’d not read it with zero inflection directly from the cue card. Despite, or perhaps because of, dressing like Janet Jackson she looked a lot less “NOTICE ME” tonight.

Sorry to see Jimmie go, as he really seemed to enjoy it despite having a lot going on in his life.

 

Edited November 10, 2021 by mbluecpa

[ljenkins782]

16 hours ago, scenicbyway said:

Unless something weird happens with the voting bases, I think the finals will be Jojo, Iman, and either Cody or Suni.  It's hard to judge Suni's fan base.  She does the steps, even smiles, but as someone mentioned above, it's like this is something she has to endure vs. is enjoying.  I think she's got a great partner in Sasha.  I'm guessing she's done the show for her parents/grandparents to in some way pay them back for the investment they made in her because she didn't do the Simone Biles tour and instead was supposed to head off to college.  I don't know any college students who watch DWTS.

Cheryl has been phoning it in, but I also can't imagine trying to recover from COVID and being asked to dance every week anyway.  Covid should have necessitated their elimination.  I get that Cody had a mild case, but Cheryl seemed really miserable and breathless for several weeks.  Also, the wardrobe department has been phoning it in on Cheryl, she's been wearing the same outfit, with different fringe all season.

I like Jojo, but I feel like she's headed for alot of changes personally now that she's going from child star to the awkward late teenage years into adulthood.  Seeing Jenna so thin, I hope she hasn't felt like she's needed to be smaller than Jojo (who is small) to be able to be lifted.  Jenna is very muscular, but also very thin.

I'm glad the focus on Amanda hasn't been just about losing her husband.  She's trying to make her own identity but I suspect she's an introvert trying to be extroverted.  She's extroverted in dancing, but perhaps not so much in personality?

God, if I'd only known about the Peloton folks back when Cody and Cheryl got Covid, I would have been praying for a quiet discharge from the competition. I bet the show wishes they'd taken that route too, now that it looks like another Bobby Bones wild card knocking out the favorites. 

Back when they first got sick, there were other duds to contend with and I thought Cody had potential, but this partnership has been a giant flop. If the show is going to give him 10s for subpar dances just to cover for the fact that a bike riding, not necessarily DWTS contingent is flooding the lines, it's going to make the show unwatchable. He slipped at one point in this last dance and it wasn't great overall, but all 10s. Okay then.

I also still want Suni to go even though this was definitely her best week. I think the hair might have functioned as a "costume" for her, it's easier to step outside of yourself when you don't feel like people are looking at the real you. I'd be fine with letting her grow and gain confidence in another season, but this season has so many other people that I want to keep seeing and she's just not one of them.

I'm hoping for Iman to make it to the freestyle, I would love to see what Daniella will come up with. And I love watching him find his path in every single dance, there's always a visible moment where he lets go and just does his thing, it's nice to see someone let go of the steps in their mind and just feel it. 

Sorry to see Jimmie go but I could see it coming.

[TVMovieBuff]

22 hours ago, Rightside said:

Has there ever been a season without Cheryl?

 

Oh gosh yes, several. She has left, and come back, a couple of times. She is the longest-term pro though, now. 

Go on, flame me. I think DWTS was never so magical as when Derek & Mark were pros.

[iMonrey]

Quote

Cody is the worst left, he has no connection with Cheryl , and that dance was not worth 10's. He must be SO far ahead in votes that the producers are just giving him good scores to not look like total fools when he wins. 

I think the way the show has "tweaked" (rigged) the whole process so the judges get to "save" someone is a stop-gap to ensure they don't wind up with someone like Cody winning. There was already so much hanky-panky with the scoring but I think additional measures have been added to prevent a fanbase from being the final say in who wins.

[LexieLily]

41 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I think the way the show has "tweaked" (rigged) the whole process so the judges get to "save" someone is a stop-gap to ensure they don't wind up with someone like Cody winning. There was already so much hanky-panky with the scoring but I think additional measures have been added to prevent a fanbase from being the final say in who wins.

It doesn't work if that person never hits the bottom two. We found that out with Sean Spicer.

[White Dog]

Well Mark and Derek were entertaining to be sure and they had some great moments. Here’s my top 5 all time faves - with a 6th one added this season /the magic for me  from many pros across the seasons 

Top Paso Doble  Mel B and Maks - season 5 -it was just everything - a Dominatrix theme that turned the Man’s dance on its head - Mel’s costume alone could pull focus from one of the sexiest male pros ever. That costume and subsequent idea of the woman taking charge was replicated by other pros for years afterwards.

Top Quickstep  Helio and Julianne -season 5 -a perfect blend of solid QS cartoon character costumes a top box office movie and aSmokin ending! It’s on everyone’s list as one of the most iconic dances ever. 

Top Jive Jordan and Lindsay Proud Mary -Season 25 (inspired by Marks choreography with Page Van Zant) Jordan is the best male dancer who has been on the show. He’s well trained in other styles but made the transition  to traditional ballroom seamlessly.  It was never more evident than doing a Mark dance better than Mark. 
 

Top Argentine Tango Gilles and Cheryl Season 8 This was the first season that Argentine Tango was introduced to the show. The pros weren’t familiar with the dance but they were eager to learn. This dance was minimalist in intricacy but it was smouldering . We totally believed the Frenchman was Argentinian, and that’s what made it so exciting to watch. Cheryl avoided the trap of making it too staccato ballroom Tango so that the circular dancing and Sexy engauchos propelled the tension.
 

Top Viennese Waltz -James and Jenna (Sharna) season 23 -Not only did James capture the essence of evil in the Joker he danced it beautifully.  Hinch totally disappeared in the character and it was glorious. You Don’t Own Me was a perfect dance for a control freak killer and his crazy sadistic girlfriend.  
 

Top Contemporary Iman and Daniella Season 30.  I was one of those who felt Contemporary needs to stay on SYTYCD. But this was not one of those over angst “breast cancer”or “I hate my Dad “kind of dances. This was true suspense right from the music to the movement - the demented smiles and utterly daring and spine tingling lifts. I held my breath until the pay off stare at Len. Genius. 

Edited November 10, 2021 by White Dog

[ljenkins782]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

I think the way the show has "tweaked" (rigged) the whole process so the judges get to "save" someone is a stop-gap to ensure they don't wind up with someone like Cody winning. There was already so much hanky-panky with the scoring but I think additional measures have been added to prevent a fanbase from being the final say in who wins.

Cody got a couple of bonus points in the dance relay last week, so the show must not be too concerned about him possibly winning yet. 

The bonus points are really the only possibility they have of overriding a rabid fanbase and even that won't work if his vote totals are too far ahead. 

I think someone should plant a rumor in the Peloton groups that if Cody wins DWTS, he's quitting Peloton and erasing any existing content (if these things are pre-taped, not sure how it works). Vote for Cody, lose your fave instructor, you decide!!! :p 

[boyznkatz]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I think the way the show has "tweaked" (rigged) the whole process so the judges get to "save" someone is a stop-gap to ensure they don't wind up with someone like Cody winning. There was already so much hanky-panky with the scoring but I think additional measures have been added to prevent a fanbase from being the final say in who wins.

Yes, and I don't like the "judges save" because it gives the judges way too much power, and they can keep their favorites around even if no one else wants them. Cody isn't my favorite, but if people vote for him, then he should win. I couldn't stand Bobby Bones, but TPTB were responsible for him winning, not the fans. They did that massive country music pimpfest later in his season so that he could be the center of attention, and they gave him 8s and 9s when he deserved 6s and 7s at best. They should blame themselves and not Bobby's fans!

By the way, they pimped Cody to high heaven at the beginning of the season, and bent over backwards to let him stay when he got Covid. If he wins, they can blame themselves, not his fans.

Edited November 10, 2021 by boyznkatz

[babyhouseman]

5 hours ago, TVMovieBuff said:

Go on, flame me. I think DWTS was never so magical as when Derek & Mark were pros.

I agree. I tell my mother who feels the same that they were the glory days and with Tom there. There are still some good moments, but it's not the same. 

[Zuleikha]

I watched this late, so I felt let down by Suni/Sasha's samba. I expected something more magical. But I loved their dance off. Suni looked so genuinely happy!

Speaking of dance offs, hello JoJo with the sexy rumba! I did not expect that degree of comfort and smolder. Jenna/JoJo have turned out to be a magical partnership with amazing chemistry. 

Iman did such a great job trusting Danielle and not dancing down in foxtrot. He's made so much progress. Melora, also, has such great grace and, of course, wonderful acting. 

I'm ready for Cody to go even if his fanbase makes it unlikely, but otherwise, I wish everyone could be in the finals. I think I would put JoJo/Jenna, Iman/Danielle, and Melora/Artem in the finals if I got to pick, though.  

[RedbirdNelly]

I enjoyed this episode:

1. love Janet and loved hearing her songs. 

2. Iman survived. He is my favorite. He's so much fun to watch and I really want to see his freestyle. 

3. Tyra is bad but I thought this was one of her less bad episodes and her first outfit esp looked good on her.

[TVMovieBuff]

19 hours ago, White Dog said:

Top Jive Jordan and Lindsay Proud Mary -Season 25 (inspired by Marks choreography with Page Van Zant) Jordan is the best male dancer who has been on the show. He’s well trained in other styles but made the transition  to traditional ballroom seamlessly.  It was never more evident than doing a Mark dance better than Mark. 

Jordan Fisher was fantastic. My favorite male dancer (contestant) ever on the show is Corbin Bleu. Imagine my joy when Corbin joined Jason & Lindsay for a trio Salsa! It was scorching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5MpIyTxsUQ

[White Dog]

I liked Corbin but for me Jordan was able to dance technically better ballroom. When I saw the tour in Windsor Jordan replaced Keo who was sick for a couple of pro dances so he was insanely good.Salsa being more of a social dance was right up Corbins alley in terms of ultimate swag.  As far as Trio dancing goes this is my ultimate favourite as well. 

Edited November 11, 2021 by White Dog

[realdancemom]

54 minutes ago, TVMovieBuff said:

Jordan Fisher was fantastic. My favorite male dancer (contestant) ever on the show is Corbin Bleu. Imagine my joy when Corbin joined Jason & Lindsay for a trio Salsa! It was scorching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5MpIyTxsUQ

I've watched this trio so many times and kept noticing new things each time I watched it.  I loved it!!

[White Dog]

I’m hearing that for next week there’s a Redemption Dance and a New dance 

Amanda has Tango for Redemption and Contemporary 

Cody has Salsa for Redemption and Argentine Tango. 

I don’t know what the others have yet. 

[realdancemom]

20 minutes ago, White Dog said:

I’m hearing that for next week there’s a Redemption Dance and a New dance 

Amanda has Tango for Redemption and Contemporary 

Cody has Salsa for Redemption and Argentine Tango. 

I don’t know what the others have yet. 

Amanda should be good with Contemporary.  Cheryl is really good at choreographing AT so I hope that Code & Cheryl can bring it.  Although, it will require heat and so far, I haven't seen any chemistry between those two.

[realdancemom]

On 11/9/2021 at 4:22 PM, boyznkatz said:

I think Daniella's would be good, and maybe Jenna's. I don't expect much from Sasha, Cheryl, Alan or Artem. I really hope Iman makes the finals, because he would definitely have the best freestyle. 

In my previous post, I mentioned that I wanted Iman, Jojo, and Suni because I want to see their freestyles. Iman and Daniella because it will be creative and have amazing lifts.  Jenna and Jojo because Jojo is not only a great technical dancer but a good performer.  She's one that can actually match Jenna's power and energy in dances.  I think Jenna can either create or hire somebody to create a good routine.  I think Sasha and Suni can do a high energy routine with gymnastics in it.  Normally, Sasha puts too much in a routine that he doesn't give enough time for the routine to breath or it looks messy.  Ally from Fifth Harmony was a victim of that.  Suni has shown that technically she can keep up with faster paced routines.  And if the routine calls for a more cheerleader/gymnastics vibe instead of something sultry, it will make her feel more comfortable too.

[treeofdreams]

I just watched that Jordan/Corbin/Lindsay clip (thanks for posting that!) and it reminded me how good the camera work used to be.  Now it is so much long distance shots where you can hardly see the dancers, and I always feel like I missed half the dance.  I really wish they would go back to the old-school simple camera work where you can actually see and appreciate the whole dance.

[RomanKat]

On 11/9/2021 at 11:29 AM, kitcloudkicker said:

We got a lot of Britt featured in the pro dances this week and it made me think we may have really missed out on a Cody/Britt pairing that could have been great. I think she would have matched his energy a lot better and may have given him more interesting choreography.

Cheryl has looked disinterested in recent seasons. Any other pro likely would have been more invested partnering Cody, imho. Not a fan of Britt being a DWTS pro, but I could see how an experienced commercial dancer like Cody would be her best type of partner, given that her background is in commercial dance.

(FWIW, Daniella's success suggests that this is still primarily a ballroom dancer show.)

ETA: Cody and Amanda's commercial dance backgrounds might be holding them back. Possibly they're used to weeks or months of rehearsals to get the choreography uniform and polished before focusing on personality and performance. The short turnaround time on DWTS, where the focus is on performance and personality even (especially) when the technique or choreography are still rough, may be uncomfortable for them.

Edited November 13, 2021 by RomanKat

[Emily-D]

The only thing I’m confident about next week is that Melora will be in the bottom three. She got a perfect score last week and still landed bottom three, so no way is she getting the votes to beat three other couples even if she gets another perfect score. The question is whether she finishes bottom or lands in the dance off again. 

[Back Atcha]

On 11/9/2021 at 12:05 PM, madpsych78 said:

She can't or won't use those tricks with Cody. 

He "cant or won't" let Cheryl use any tricks because HE KNOWS HIS FAN BASE!  In other words, another "celebrity" who knows better than the professional.  

Edited November 14, 2021 by Back Atcha

[legaleagle53]

45 minutes ago, Back Atcha said:

He "cant or won't" let Cheryl use any tricks because HE KNOWS HIS FAN BASE!  In other words, another "celebrity" who knows better than the professional.  

Those "tricks" would also have to be believable. Remember, this is a gay man who would have requested a male partner if he had known that that was an option. That's why he has no chemistry with Cheryl -- he simply can't fake attraction to a woman. I honestly have to wonder whether he would be doing better with a male partner.

Oh, and speaking of same-sex partnerships, JoJo and Jenna's Rumba in the dance-off? THAT is what I mean by "chemistry." I love that Jenna is willing to take risks like that in playing up the sexual energy, and JoJo has really blossomed into a dynamic, sexy young woman. I'd love to see her and Jenna go head-to-head with John and Johannes, the male couple competing on Strictly this year who have been crushing it there every week. I can't decide which of them would win!

[Back Atcha]

10 hours ago, legaleagle53 said:

Remember, this is a gay man who would have requested a male partner if he had known that that was an option.

And it was probably NOT an option for anyone other than JoJo.  THIS season.  We can look forward to more since JoJo is so successful.  NOW...if we can make another slight change: get a new host and eliminate one (specific) executive producer.

[legaleagle53]

1 hour ago, Back Atcha said:

And it was probably NOT an option for anyone other than JoJo.  THIS season.  We can look forward to more since JoJo is so successful.  NOW...if we can make another slight change: get a new host and eliminate one (specific) executive producer.

According to Cody, the only reason he didn't ask for a male pro is that he didn't know that it WAS an option this season, so it simply never occurred to him to ask for one.

[Back Atcha]

I stand by my original comment...--that it was not an option for anyone but JoJo.  A "wait and see" decision by The Powers That Be.

[jackjill89]

On 11/12/2021 at 5:19 PM, treeofdreams said:

I just watched that Jordan/Corbin/Lindsay clip (thanks for posting that!) and it reminded me how good the camera work used to be.  Now it is so much long distance shots where you can hardly see the dancers, and I always feel like I missed half the dance.  I really wish they would go back to the old-school simple camera work where you can actually see and appreciate the whole dance.

Not only the camera work, but the set and lighting were soooo much better. There is so much going on now the dancers aren't the focal point. I can't stand it. 

[Josh371982]

On 11/11/2021 at 1:18 AM, Zuleikha said:

I watched this late, so I felt let down by Suni/Sasha's samba. I expected something more magical. But I loved their dance off. Suni looked so genuinely happy!

Speaking of dance offs, hello JoJo with the sexy rumba! I did not expect that degree of comfort and smolder. Jenna/JoJo have turned out to be a magical partnership with amazing chemistry. 

Iman did such a great job trusting Danielle and not dancing down in foxtrot. He's made so much progress. Melora, also, has such great grace and, of course, wonderful acting. 

I'm ready for Cody to go even if his fanbase makes it unlikely, but otherwise, I wish everyone could be in the finals. I think I would put JoJo/Jenna, Iman/Danielle, and Melora/Artem in the finals if I got to pick, though.  

 

On 11/11/2021 at 10:13 AM, TVMovieBuff said:

Jordan Fisher was fantastic. My favorite male dancer (contestant) ever on the show is Corbin Bleu. Imagine my joy when Corbin joined Jason & Lindsay for a trio Salsa! It was scorching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5MpIyTxsUQ

It was so awesome. Shallow wise couldn't take my eyes off Lindsay 😍🔥 and Jordan was so awesome her best partner ever Obivously lol. Dance was hot lol