S32.E03: Motown Night

[Catgyrl68]

25 minutes ago, Andiethewestie said:

 Benji Mraz.

YES x 1000!! I agree with that comparison, and I LOOOOOOVE me some Benji Schwimmer.

[Rightside]

I haven't been watching very closely, just the contestants that I've heard of, but are they dancing in the same order each week?

It seems Barry is always first.

[boyznkatz]

My rankings:

1. Charity and Artem: She is gorgeous and so is her dancing. But sadly, black women aren't treated very kindly on this show so I think she will be their "surprise" elimination.

2. Jason and Daniella: His dancing is "wow," but his singing and faces are annoying. I wish Len were here to call him out on it.

3. Ariana and Pasha: I'm so glad Pasha got a ringer after all the duds he had to work with. 

4. Xochitl and Val: She needs to refine her steps, but she can dance. Val looks like her father though. I think she would have been great with Ezra.

5. Lele and Brandon: She seems too hard on herself, but her performances are exciting. If she has more confidence, she could make the finals.

6. Barry and Peta: The guy can move for his age and he seems so nice. Why do the judges dislike him so much?

7. Mauricio and Emma: He seems like he has potential if he hangs around, and he's nice to look at! I don't think the judges like him either.

8. Mira and Gleb: She isn't bad technically, but her dancing is cringey. Gleb's choreography does nothing for me, either. I don't think he even cares anymore.

9. Adrian and Britt: I love Britt and he isn't the worst dancer, but criminals shouldn't be on the show. I can't believe he keeps getting through.

10. Alyson and Sasha: She can't dance and his choreography isn't good either.

11. Harry and Rylee: Same as Alyson and Sasha but they are a little worse.

12. Judges: All of them sucked yesterday. Michael Strahan was the most consistent one!

Edited October 11, 2023 by boyznkatz

[iMonrey]

16 minutes ago, boyznkatz said:

6. Barry and Peta: The guy can move for his age and he seems so nice. Why do the judges dislike him so much?

I think the judges like him just fine. Saying he can "move for his age" is damning him with faint praise IMO. He looks like the typical stiff, slow older guy the show has every season. I see the judges as struggling to be kind to him.

 

17 minutes ago, boyznkatz said:

10. Alyson and Sasha: She can't dance and his choreography isn't good either.

I think Alyson can dance, especially compared to Adrian, Mauricio or Harry. She's undoubtably the weakest of the female contestants though. But she's one of the few "stars" {cough cough} I've actually heard of before so I'm rooting for her.

 

19 minutes ago, boyznkatz said:

12. Judges: All of them sucked yesterday. Michael Strahan was the most consistent one!

I was skeptical at first of Michael as a guest judge, it seemed so random. But I agree he was consistently constructive and appreciative. 

[ams1001]

13 hours ago, BuckeyeLou said:

It seems like Michael Strahan was just there to give high scores & only positive feedback( I mean, really, what does Michael know about Ballroom dance?!) 

I feel like that's true of most of the "guest" judges. Most of them don't have anything to do with the dance world, IIRC. (Granted, I didn't watch the Disney+ season so it's been a minute since I've seen any of them. I also tend to forget the early eliminations were even on the show by the time they come back for the finale.)

[A.Ham]

2 hours ago, Andiethewestie said:

Benji Mraz

😄 😄 😄

So on the first show I loved Lele and Mira, but both seem to be fizzling out. Lele needs more finesse and to not go so hard 100% of the time, and Mira needs a boatload of confidence. Maybe Mira is better suited to ballroom than to Latin. 

Jason, on the other hand, keeps going up in my estimation. He is just delightful. Also liking Xochitl's progress.

[Jodithgrace]

I have a question. Up in the sky box Julianne asked Val, “Do you have (something that sounds like rice which my closed captions spelled Rhys) and Val said that he did and started limping around comically, and I was totally confused. What did she actually ask him? 

[Catgyrl68]

9 minutes ago, Jodithgrace said:

I have a question. Up in the sky box Julianne asked Val, “Do you have (something that sounds like rice which my closed captions spelled Rhys) and Val said that he did and started limping around comically, and I was totally confused. What did she actually ask him? 

She asked him if he had "riz", referring to the comment he made during rehearsals when he said "Hella Riz", meaning "charisma". He then attempted to strut around like Tyson.

Edited October 11, 2023 by Catgyrl68

[Lindsay Loo Hoo]

I just wanna say how nice is it to be able to see what Pasha can do with a. Contender worthy partner. That quickstep was amazing and his choreo was great. Hopefully they will stop sticking him with duds. 

[SHERMDOG]

14 hours ago, BuckeyeLou said:

I am really enjoying Jason Mraz & Xochitl Gomez...they got my votes this week.  It seems like Michael Strahan was just there to give high scores & only positive feedback( I mean, really, what does Michael know about Ballroom dance?!)  I Love Derek's brooches...so interesting looking!

ABC News interviewed him yesterday morning!! He admitted he knows nothing about dancing. Usually the guest judges don't! Do they? Anyway, I enjoyed his view. 

Lol.

12 hours ago, SHERMDOG said:

Michael was there as  GUEST judge ....I thot he did great! He admitted he knows NOTHING about dancing!!

Not sure why guest is in capital letters. I didn't mean to do that. Geez

[TVbitch]

I am officially over the "woman collapses to the floor and man spins her around and hoists her back up"* move!

*Not the technical name of this spin. 

[Lindsay Loo Hoo]

56 minutes ago, TVbitch said:

I am officially over the "woman collapses to the floor and man spins her around and hoists her back up"* move!

*Not the technical name of this spin. 

That is boggling my mind and also I can’t understand why Jenna had herself laying down with him on top of her in a foxtrot .. lol 

[Lady Calypso]

It was fun to see the hosts get involved in the opening number. I wouldn't hate to see that happen occasionally although, yeah, Julianne's outfit was weird.

As for the judges, they were being really odd tonight with their scoring. Everything felt all over the place with their critiques vs their scoring. Many were not scored appropriately. On the plus side, Michael Strahan was fine as a guest judge. I felt like he was given the cheesy lines but he did fine with the critiques as a non-dancer.

1. Barry and Peta - Underscored. I rewatched the dance and it was decent, with plenty of content and Barry hit the moves fairly well. Besides a couple of mistakes here and there, it definitely deserved a couple of points higher. He's one of the few male celebs this season that can actually move and doesn't look stiff while doing so. I'm not sure why the judges are super harsh on him; the only reason I have for it is ageism. He can't do everything that the younger celebs can, but they're not judging him for what he CAN do. I would have bumped up his score with one more 7, genuinely.
2. Lele and Brandon - She looked so incredibly nervous throughout the entire dance and it clearly impacted it. It was not great, just fine, but lots of little mistakes. She can clearly dance, but Brandon keeps missing out on actually teaching her the easy things, like control and footwork. Scores were fine, maybe one point too high. It was just a very choppy dance; nothing seemed to flow, and I don't know whether it was the pair or the choreography.
3. Mauricio and Emma - I'm glad he had a comeback, as I thought this was such a better dance for him. I am shocked by the judges' scores, though. What a mess and also undeserved to give him two 5s. It was not so bad that it deserved 5s. I would get 6s across the board at minimum, but 5s are ridiculous.
4. Jason and Daniella - Just such a great Jive all around. It had plenty of content, it was basically non-stop movement and Jason hit all the steps extremely well. It was such a fun dance to watch and definitely will be one of the memorable ones this season. They're locked for the finale but also proving why they're the current frontrunners to win the entire season. Daniella is such an impressive pro, the best in the last few seasons, by far. His scores were fair.
5. Alyson and Sasha - I am glad to see her getting better. She finally found a compromise between super goofy and super frozen. She was more relaxed and I'm glad to see some of her technique improving, though her outfit was definitely obscuring her feet, maybe for a reason. The spin on the ground was not necessary, though, it could have lost them points. I think her scores were fair, though.
6. Tyson and Jenna - Well, he tried, and I appreciate his effort, but it seems like he's just unable to break free of his stiff posture when he dances. Especially when Jenna dances so loosely and her movements flow, it's distracting to see him so stiff and unable to extend. And also, Jenna promised no tricks and then did a trick! Scores were fair.
7. Charity and Artem - She is lovely to watch dance. She's always so crisp on her movements and she's so talented. But, man, that Bachelorette Training with the performance smiles and the Find The Camera technique really stop her from reaching her full potential. She acts like she's having fun, but is she really? It's hard to say because there's a disconnect when she dances. If she could break that Bachelorette curse and loosen up and really connect with Artem and forget she's on TV for one dance, it could make a difference. Scores were fair.
8. Mira and Gleb - She's clearly talented and has all the makes for potential but oh man, her and Gleb do not connect at all. I don't know if it's the same behind the scenes, but I watch them dance and it feels awkward. She also seems very much in her head so I think if Gleb could find a way to get her out of her head, maybe she could last a couple of more weeks. But, as it stands, I think she's in danger to be in the bottom two as early as next week. But she has potential to make it halfway, if Gleb would give her more in the choreography. I actually think Mira was slightly overscored.
9. Ariana and Pasha - That was a great dance from both, tons better than last week's. She looked like she was flying across the dance floor at one point. A lot of great content and she delivered it well. Her scores were fair. I'm glad Pasha's having an amazing season.
10. Adrian and Britt - His facial expressions are terribly distracting. Britt looked amazing.
11. Harry and Rylee - So....yeah, he's not gonna get much better than this. Rylee gave him more to do, which is an improvement. And he can move across the dance floor without tripping, which is great! But there are SO many issues with him: his hold, his posture, following through on his movements, his footwork, etc. I will give him credit for trying because he DOES look like he's trying really hard. But you can't teach someone rhythm or musicality, and he clearly doesn't have either. So, alas, similar to Vinny, there's only so much improvement he can make before his pro will have to continue with the Look At Me Not At Him approach. Rylee's so good at dancing that she IS an easy distraction, but she does need to step it up with him, overall. If he's going to be around for the season, I want to see SOME improvement, even just in one area. Scores were WAY too high; he should have had all 5s like Tyson. 
12. Xochitl and Val - She is such a delight to watch. I adored their Foxtrot a lot. Her expressions are great to watch but she delivers in the dance as well. She's the other frontrunner who I NEED to see in the finale. I actually would have given her one 9, I think she did a great job and she was on time with her dance, which a lot of the celebs haven't been. 

I'm mostly ok with the elimination, though sucks that they rushed through it due to lack of time and it made it seem like Harry was also in danger (I think we know it would have been Alyson and Tyson in the bottom two). Tyson going is fine, though I wish it was Adrian. 

[DEL901]

For those saying Michael astrakhan knows nothing about dance….google his name and Magic Mike XXL to see him …. Dance.  

[crowceilidh]

I often find it tedious when others comment about how lacking the music is, but holy geez they murdered some songs.  That version of "Dancing in the Streets" was so not motown to my ears and there were a couple of other songs unjustly handled.

Loved that Alfonso and Julianne joined in, but agree that it should not happen every single show.

I like so many of the dances and dancers that it's hard to narrow down to faves.  This is an awesome dancing cast.  I only know who two of them are, and Barry was way undermarked last night and Alyson needs to work a whole lot harder.

It was a good choice for a style of night - full of energy and nostalgia.  Now on to the hideous Disney night...

[Meowwww]

I’m really liking Barry.  I wish Peta had sped/jazzed up their dance a little bit.  I bet he can do it. 

[Soapy Goddess]

10 hours ago, crowceilidh said:

Loved that Alfonso and Julianne joined in, but agree that it should not happen every single show.

I enjoyed them joining the troupe too. And I'd love to see them do it at the beginning of every show. Why not? It's a dance show after all.

[boyznkatz]

On 10/11/2023 at 7:36 AM, Lindsay Loo Hoo said:

I cannot believe Tyson went over Harry Jowsey. No matter what Harry Jowsey cannot dance. At this rate I’m terrifed of him making the finals. 

He sucks, but he is getting the show attention on social media with the younger crowd, so he isn't going anywhere. My son doesn't really watch the show, but he always seems to show up to watch Harry dance. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he made the finals.

[boyznkatz]

17 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

 

1. Barry and Peta - Underscored. I rewatched the dance and it was decent, with plenty of content and Barry hit the moves fairly well. Besides a couple of mistakes here and there, it definitely deserved a couple of points higher. He's one of the few male celebs this season that can actually move and doesn't look stiff while doing so. I'm not sure why the judges are super harsh on him; the only reason I have for it is ageism. He can't do everything that the younger celebs can, but they're not judging him for what he CAN do. I would have bumped up his score with one more 7, genuinely.

I agree that it's ageism. If they don't want old people on the show, then why get them? I would personally love to see a "Golden" dancing with the stars where they have people like Barry. They could do ballroom dances and use traditional music. I think the traditional fans of this show would eat it up. Surely they don't expect those folks to dance as well as Charity or Jason. They should score them according to their ability.

[Andiethewestie]

It's interesting the reaction to Barry. Fans are very protective of his legacy but he has far more dance experience than many in the show. He worked in musical theatre for a number of years and worked as a dancer. So Im not impressed with his performances given his background.   

[coffeebean]

On 10/11/2023 at 10:14 AM, Rightside said:

I haven't been watching very closely, just the contestants that I've heard of, but are they dancing in the same order each week?

It seems Barry is always first.

I thought so too.

[marykat71702]

My top two are Jason and Xochitl, I think they are both really good and are obviously having fun.

My bottom two are Mira and Harry. I wonder how big a fanbase he has with the reality shows he was in that will possibly keep him in longer than he should be(plus Rylee being Lyndsey's sister), and ugh, showmance.

On 10/11/2023 at 10:18 AM, iMonrey said:

I think Alyson can dance, especially compared to Adrian, Mauricio or Harry. She's undoubtably the weakest of the female contestants

I actually think that Mira holds that title, with Alyson being a close second. Alyson seems to be improving a little each week, and I feel like Mira isn't. Plus, Mira looks miserable and uncomfortable.

I don't know why, but I would really like to see Barry do a Foxtrot. I know he won't get to the finals, obviously, but I would like to see him stick around for a bit. I think he has the potential to improve. I like the idea that someone posted upthread about having a Golden DWTS, I think that would be awesome. 

The people I would like to see leave before others are Adrian, Harry, Mira, and Alyson. I wonder if Alyson might have a big fan base from HIMYM though.

As for the rest, they kind of get lost in the shuffle to me.

They seem to be dressing Julianne from Tyra's closet.

Loving Alfonso, he cracks me up.

 

[chicagofan]

8 minutes ago, marykat71702 said:

I wonder if Alyson might have a big fan base from HIMYM though.

Or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

[coffeebean]

2 hours ago, marykat71702 said:

I don't know why, but I would really like to see Barry do a Foxtrot.

 

 

Barry Williams' Foxtrot

[Andiethewestie]

On 10/11/2023 at 9:55 AM, Catgyrl68 said:

YES x 1000!! I agree with that comparison, and I LOOOOOOVE me some Benji Schwimmer.

Obviously Benji is a master, Jason isn't a pro but he's very rhythmic-and dances around in his videos but as he's says it's "unstructured' so nobody can dance with him, which makes me laugh. how often have we've seen great movement but they are dancing with themselves at weddings or clubs. This is why I'm so impressed that he wants to add structure to his dancing.  I see the comparison to Benji as a look and an aesthetic, the adorable dancing geek instead of the suave leading man. 

Barry by contrast has dance training  not in ballroom but he tells Peta about some moves he does have  that they incorporate. So if his dancing is a pleasant performance but thin on ballroom technique I understand why. 

[realdancemom]

Nothing new to add. I'm just happy the show is back on since I was disappointed that SYTYCD did not come back last summer. My favorites are Jason and Xochiti even though this wasn't her best dance since there was a little mishap. Yes, they both make faces but it just makes them joyful to watch and they match the mood of the dances so well.

Ariana and Charity would be my next two choices. I'm just happy that Pasha got Ariana this season since it's so nice that he can show what he can really do and not have to take it easy and dumb down the dances. Charity is a lovely dancer but there isn't that connection with either Artem or Ezra yet. She did better this week but she still dances like a pageant queen and looks at the camera a lot.

I had a huge crush on Greg Brady growing up. He's a good dancer and I think the judges are judging him appropriately since I wouldn't put him on the same level as the top tier dancers. I'm just glad that they let his hair be natural instead of slicked down like the first show. That just made him look older.

Lele has a lot of energy. She just needs more control but I believe that's easier to do vs. Mira being so self conscious. Mira has beautiful long legs and she has lovely lines. She just needs to let loose and needs more confidence. Otherwise, it makes the sexy dances like the rumba cringey.

I was glad that Alyson was cast and she is improving. However, it could be because the last two shows, her dances have been slower. I guess it's better than Harry who tries really hard and there might be slight improvement but I don't think he's going to get that much better. He seems like a really nice kid though. Too bad that he has such a huge following that he will outlast better dancers. No comment on the other two dancers. They could leave and I wouldn't care. 

I like that Alfonso and Julianne joined in the opening number. That's something that Tyra couldn't do. Julianne is a little loud/exciteable but she's very qualified. I like how she can ask intelligent ballroom questions or give her own opinions on the dances. I think Alfonso found his stride and he's funny. I still miss Tom but Alfonso is a good replacement.

[marykat71702]

On 10/13/2023 at 2:56 AM, coffeebean said:

Barry Williams' Foxtrot

Well, my memory officially sucks 😂