S19.E08: Week 6: Pitbull

[Dancingjaneway]

Bethany was really lucky with the dance she got this week because I think had she had a samba or salsa combined with the small amount of rehearsal time she put in she wouldn't have done as well. Derek was smart to use such a dark setting so that he could hide Bethanys feet. Also there was nothing dramatic about that dance. 

[kelnic86]

I'll be really surprised if Alfonso doesn't win this. Well, I think Sadie can win it too, so I guess I wouldn't be that surprised. But the guy is just so likable, an amazing dancer, and I absolutely adore his partnership with Witney. I felt bad for her when they showed her crying about her scores with Michael in the video package. A bit touched that she cared so much about doing Emma and Michael proud and was disappointed to have let them down.

 

In addition to his NASCAR fanbase, Michael must've gotten a crap tone of sympathy votes last week because the judges were very generous with him tonight. I mean, he barely moved at all in that dance. But at least he was in time with the moves he did make and looked a bit more confident, so that was an improvement for him.

 

I'm so very over Val and Janel's showmance. They were really laying it on thick tonight with the "I don't know how I feel about him/her" with the music playing in the background. It kind of left a bad taste in my mouth too, seeing as how she and her boyfriend just broke up.

 

I was not on board with Artem tonight. I usually like him. But I thought he was very harsh with Lea. I didn't understand why he felt the need to compete with Alfonso. He shouldn't be worrying about what Alfonso is doing and stressing Lea out over it. He needed to just focus on them and do things at their pace.

 

I like Sadie. I thought she danced beautifully but I could tell she looked uncomfortable with the dance. I wish they hadn't given her the Rumba if they knew it was going to be a such a problem. Who am I kidding? That's probably why they gave her the dance. I also thought her family was a bit much dictating what should and should not be in the dance. 

 

I knew this would be Allison and Johnathan's last night when I heard that they had Jazz. It was a nice way to give Allison something in her wheelhouse so Johnathan could go out on high note. I'll be very surprised if they asked her back as a pro next season though.

Edited October 21, 2014 by kelnic86

[howmanywords]

Janel and Val cant get off my screen quick enough.  These two have officially reached past the annoying level.  And am I the only female alive who is sick of Val taking his damn shirt off? Sometimes less is more, but with him I'm so over seeing his chest its not even sexy. 

 

How sad is it Alfonso can move his hips better with a hurt groin than Antonio can any week? And can Alfonso please have a dance next week that isnt so dangerous for a groin injury? That Salso tonight was both amazing and scary to watch.

[Packerbrewerbadger]

I don't think Leah would be a good fit as a permanent host, but I enjoyed her as a one off guest.

 

The closest Zendaya/Val came to a rumba was that they had a dance off that season where the couples had to prepare a jive, rumba and cha cha and then the couples challenged each other in some complicated fashion.  Val challenged Jacoby/Karina and then he basically asked them to not choose rumba.  But they must have rehearsed one anyway because they couldn't rely on the fact that the other couples would be nice enough to honor their wishes.

Thanks. I guess I was thinking of Val and Zendaya"s Argentine Tango which also could be a bit tricky with a teen, but I thought Val was perfect with Zendaya! (Wish they had won....)

[Toonces464]

Janel and Val cant get off my screen quick enough.  These two have officially reached past the annoying level.  And am I the only female alive who is sick of Val taking his damn shirt off? Sometimes less is more, but with him I'm so over seeing his chest its not even sexy.

 

 

I thought tonight was ironic considering Maks got yelled at and docked points for taking his shirt off in his Samba with Erin. But it seems taking their shirts off is almost a requirement for the guys these days.

Edited October 21, 2014 by Toonces464

[truthaboutluv]

And am I the only female alive who is sick of Val taking his damn shirt off?

 

 

No you're not. It's one of the many reasons I enjoyed his partnership with Zendaya. Dancing with a 16 year old forced him to keep his damn shirt on the entire season.

 

I thought tonight was ironic considering Maks got yelled at and docked points for taking his shirt off in his Samba with Erin.

 

 

I think it was just Len who had a problem with the shirt off right? Who knows it might have bugged him if he'd been there this week. 

[superdeluxe]

Janel and Val cant get off my screen quick enough.  These two have officially reached past the annoying level.  And am I the only female alive who is sick of Val taking his damn shirt off? Sometimes less is more, but with him I'm so over seeing his chest its not even sexy.

 

Oh, no.  I rolled my eyes as soon as I saw his shirt open and then it was off.  Val and Artem can keep their shirts on.  We already know what it looks like; we don't need to see it anymore.  It's old.

[CPP83]

What little I've seen of Keo in the pro bumpers, and they've been such teasers, I think his partnering skills are top notch.

 

His height and strength give him such an advantage, especially doing lifts, and the lifts he did tonight were fabulous. The way he lifted Lindsay with the one hand and yet he was steady as a rock, just total confidence there and then the drop out was perfect. Then in the second dance he tossed that girl in the air like a feather, just up and over the head and caught, it's just amazing, no pause, no hesitation, it's just so nice to see it.

 

I would just love to see him get a showcase dance with someone like Karina or Sharna, maybe even Cheryl or Peta, though Karina is my first choice as she is my top pro of them all.

 

I think all of Keo's work on Burn the Floor really shows through with how he handles his female partners and the shapes and positions and poses he's able to create with them because of that experience.

[kelnic86]

I was kinda hoping for Janel/Val to get the boot tonight for a second. I knew that wasn't going to happen. But as they stood there in the "Bottom 2" I was thinking that I wouldn't have been upset if they ended up being a shock elimination tonight. In fact, I probably would've laughed. I know that's so wrong of me. I don't hate Janel/Val btw. 

[LotusFlower]

I give Leah Remini a 10. She was the perfect host. She was funny, but also low-key, and she could ad lib. I hope the World Series runs long so Erin stays away and we get another week with Leah.

[sinkwriter]

 

Finally wow, Janel is not pulling in the votes is she because that was a hell of a scare they threw at her and her fanbase there. I thought for sure they would call her safe first and it would come down to Michael and Jonathan.

 

I thought that, too. When they said Michael was safe, I was so pissed because I just knew that meant Jonathan was going home. Unless they had one hell of a surprise elimination, but I couldn't see Janel going home tonight.

 

Jonathan was such a good sport about it, but I'm still mad. I know he had some rough weeks, but compared to Antonio and Michael, who have little to no rhythm, I wanted to see Jonathan last longer than the two of them. At least the judges admitted they'd been really hard on him. Not that it makes much of a difference at this point. I'm so ticked off that Michael's still in the running over Jonathan. Compare the two guys as dancers! To me, there's no contest. Jonathan's better and should have had the chance to do more than just jazzy fast numbers every week. I wanted to see him do more. To send him home before Michael is BULLSHIT.

[Guest]

I always want to call Jenna Johnson Jenna Jameson, which is ironic because every time she was on screen tonight she was giving off a porn vibe.  She has the muggiest mug since Mark season 1.  

 

I feel bad for Jonathan and Alison but really they were both coming across as trying too hard so it's probably best it end now than get worse.  They are two more people who need to learn a poker face.  They both looked so intense and defensive so often.  

 

I could not care less how Val feels about Janell.  Ugh.  We were dying for her to go home before Michael.  

 

Who was the young man(?) sitting on Paula Abdul's right?  

Edited October 21, 2014 by Guest

[missysays]

So I was watching Lea and Janel's dances and they have the same problem. When the dances get too technically difficult for them their shoulders start to rise and hunch over in their effort to keep up with the steps. They also then start to over-perform in their face to try and compensate when they feel like the dance is getting away from them.

 

Poor Janel- tonight she even looked disoriented especially after her turning pass. she had no idea where she was in space- she usually manages to keep a performance expression on her face but she couldn't do that tonight- she was trying so hard to stay centered. And Lea when she was on her own in the center of the troupe they were waiting for her to get into place so she could execute the kicks that would allow them to react to her and she was slightly behind the beat so it came across as messy and disjointed. I loved the beginning of Lea's number it made me think she and Artem were standing by the Mediterannean Sea feeling this gorgeous ocean breeze but then the music sped up and she was trying so hard to keep with the beat that she lost that ease that was in the opening of the dance.

 

Back to Janel I have re-watched her dance and I think the problem she was having on top of the steps being difficult and fast was that she has no intrinsic samba/latin rhythm in her soul. And this has nothing to do with Val or any showmance nonsense. When he moves to the back and she stands in front and sort of does these gyrating moves in place- that's her money moment when she should be feeling that music and projecting it out- but there's this odd mix of not enough looseness in the upper body and too much desperate action trying to keep her movement going. I felt she was trying so hard but just not relaxing into the music and letting it flow out of her. That Celia Cruz song was awesome fantastic old school samba/ salsa and she wasn't listening to it and enjoying it. I don't know what Bruno was talking about when he was complimenting her on her upper body movement and how she's able to develop her arm movement from her core- it was the worst-in fact that's her problem!

 

I want to like both Lea and Janel more than I do but then I watch their dances and I'm just not transported bc they're not transported. Maybe Artem and Val need to scale back on the technical stuff.

Edited October 21, 2014 by missysays

[missysays]

As for Alfonso, WHEW!!! I had heard about his groin injury so was already worried. When I saw him down on his hands and feet doing those leg kick and flick movements I was amazed! Witney did not take it easy on him in the choreo this week. Is that girl trying to shred his body before the competition is halfway done? Hahaha!!! As for the performance, Alfonso is one of the best this season at embodying the music that he's given. He doesn't do too much with his face or his upper body- just enough to show you that he's feeling it. The rest of the expression comes from his torso and his leg and foot movement. His upper body and face are just relaxed and in the right position to let whatever music he's given ooze out of him.

 

Bethany's tango wasn't bad- it didn't soar but Derek kept that puppy in hold the whole way and except for that one stumble Bethany kept in his hold and for a period of time they looked like they were one unit moving around the dance floor. I didn't care for the music or the styling of her costume but good job with the technical part of the dance.

 

I liked Sadie but felt like she could have done more expressing with her whole body. She actually has a natural fluidity in her movement but bc she's not had enough training her details aren't the best and in this rumba I felt like there were moments when her body shape looked nice on top but the details of expression of feet weren't quite right.

Edited October 21, 2014 by missysays

[Lonesome Rhodes]

I coulda kissed Pitbull for calling out the lack of connection between Janel and Val.  Although all the jidges ignored it, the same was true for Cheryl and Antonio's effort - but what do you expect in a group dance, eh?  Oh, I really, really, really hate the massive side torso tats that so many physically-blessed folks get.  DWTS did everything it could to hide Janel's.  Such a shame.

 

I am especially angry that Chong got away with that "Foxtrot."  After all the legitimate critiques last week for the old guys who were getting by on "charm," where were the "6" paddles for this travesty?  

 

Sadie is such a welcome breath of propriety and appropriate naivete.  We've lost so much sweetness in our crass media.  Sadie is a shining light, for me.  Her dance wasn't all that, as was to be expected, but she sure displayed some gorgeous lines in it.  I am loathe to admit it, but JH was quite correct about Mark being a generous pro to Sadie.  A "10" was too much, but again, Pitbull got it.  The emotion was real.

 

The "music" all night was just abominable.  Good on Jonathan for going out with his best effort.

 

Emma is such a pretty lady, and seemingly super nice.  But, she came dressed for a pole dance, and Michael was the pole.  

Edited October 21, 2014 by Lonesome Rhodes

[sinkwriter]

 

Emma is such a pretty lady, and seemingly super nice.  But, she came dressed for a pole dance, and Michael was the pole.

 

Oh, thank you very much for that horrific image in my head right before I go to bed.  *shudder*

[Donny Ketchum]

Called Jonathan going home as soon as Michael was declared safe.  No way Janel had the least votes.

 

Jonathan was a nice guy, but come on.  He only had the votes of those who remembered him from Mean Girls.  He wasn't gonna win.

[sinkwriter]

 

Jonathan was a nice guy, but come on.  He only had the votes of those who remembered him from Mean Girls.  He wasn't gonna win.

 

I didn't think he'd win, either. But I thought he should stay longer than those who have no rhythm whatsoever. No amount of votes in the world should have allowed MIchael to stay as long as he has, given his lack of movement every week. It's ridiculous.

[crocosmia]

I'm not particularly sad to see Jonathan go, because he's far from the best dancer, but he should have outlasted Michael and Tommy.   I do like Jonathan's positive attitude, and I'm glad he was able to leave after a good performance.  

 

Love Tony and his sense of humor.  That shirt.  Ha.

 

The Val-Janelship is not endearing or charming.  Just dance, please.   I love Val's dancing and generally watch him rather than his partners, but I agree with those of you who have commented on his habit of pulling his shirt off.   It happens so often that now it's just silly.

 

When Pitbull said he doesn't know about dancing but he knows about "passion," I had to laugh.  His whole opening number tried too hard to be seductive, and when you have to try that hard, you just aren't, Mr. Bull.    Does he really think he's sexy?   Good grief, his atrocious grammar alone makes me want to mute the TV every time he starts to speak. 

 

I actually like Erin and thought Leah was kind of overbearing and coarse and not very funny.   Erin gets carried away sometimes, but her enthusiasm seems genuine.  

 

Tommy should go soon.  He's hanging in there, but his drugginess, his age, and the demands of the show are wearing on him.  He looks tired and sometimes forgetful.   I do like that he has a good attitude even when he's criticized.  Peta was actually somewhat  covered tonight, looking almost modest.   Emma's giving her some competition for who can be most naked of the season.

 

Antonio seems like a nice enough man, and he's nice-looking, but I always forget him almost immediately after he dances, and tonight all I remember is that yellow scarf flapping at his crotch. 

 

I love Sadie and hope she's in the finals with Alfonso.  I don't think her religion has "restricted" her at all.   Her dances would be way creepy if they weren't age appropriate.  She's no more "restricted" than Shaun Whatshername was when she was only 16 or 17 and won the trophy   Mark did a great job with Shaun, too,  adapting her dances to her young age.   I agree with Julianne that Mark has been generous with his choreography this season.  He's really making Sadie the focus and letting her shine.  Sadie and Mark's dance tonight was lovely.   Sadie has a natural talent, and her dancing is fluid and musical. 

 

Also, I don't see the show trying to make right-wingers "happen" any more than it's trying to make any other group "happen" -- feisty old folks, people wanting to lose weight, athletes reborn as dancers,  Disney kid energy,  phony showmances,  those with disabilities, or whatever else.  There has been a wide variety of people of different backgrounds and groups on the show, and the candid Christians have numbered fewer than most.   I think it's interesting to see people of different backgrounds interact and compete.  JMO.

 

Artem's choreography for Lea was cheesy, and Lea is definitely not cheesy.   He needs to showcase Lea being Lea.  She's not Alphonso, who has his own style.   She has beautiful lines and looks terrific when the choreography enhances her stronger points.
.

Michael is still there because he came with a built-in fanbase, who probably aren't even watching the show.  I don't dislike him the way some do, but I think it's sad that better dancers will continue to leave while he remains.   On another note, Emma is out-doing Edyta in her choice of distracting costumes.  Who does an Argentine Tango in a bathing suit?

 

I liked Bethany better last week with Mark, who brought out a little more of her personality in her performance.   I thought this tango tonight with Derek was kind of heavy-footed and uninspired.  And she slipped.  But Derek is going to be scored highly, no matter what.   It was revealing that Leah said to Derek, "YOU don't know what it's like to get a 5 or a 7,"  as if his partner's performance doesn't matter at all.  Which it doesn't in many cases.

 

 It would be nice to have a non-Derek final 3 for a change,  but it's probably not going to happen. 

 

Alfonso's dancing is far above anyone else's, and he's just so likable.  Tonight's dance wasn't my favorite of his, partly because  it was a stupid song.    It probably was more hiphop than salsa, but with that song, how could it not be? 

 

Carrie Ann spanking Alfonso?     There would be an uproar if Pitbull had decided to do that to Witney.   Sometimes CA loses her grasp on whatever good judgment she might have.  

Edited October 24, 2014 by crocosmia

[OakGoblinFly]

Oof. I was on team "I don't give a shit whether Janel and Val are faking a relationship or not" but that package was straight out of the Maks and Meryl script book. I think I've been tipped into the annoyed by it group. I'm glad Carrie Anne called her out on being off-balance - the thing that bugs about Janel for me is she's almost so good. That's what so jarring about when she has those moments when she's hauled from one place to another by a partner, or through a messy turn. And cut it with the love story crap! It feels so fake.

 

Do you think they'll keep making the eliminated couple go first? Seems like the, "you're already gone" spot... thinking it might be a swan song for Jonathan. 

 

 

I too am glad that someone finally called Janel out on her balance issues ..... now, if they'd only mention the fact that she doesn't complete her movements (Bruno alluded to it with the "don't throw the arms" comment).  I think that's why Janel's dancing doesn't resonated with me; sure she "acts" the dance but her quality of her movements are lacking.

I'm pretty sure they are just trying to scare Janel and it's her week to sweat it out.  They have already made Sadie and Lea sweat it out and Alfonso isn't believable.  With Antonio safe, I think it's Jonathan.  Probably that jazz was his parting gift.

 

 

I don't think Janel's placement was to scare her as much as it was to rally people to vote for her ..... I still think she is this season's "shocking boot" --- even with balance issues she has oodles of potential .... her personality (which can be grating), the over reliance of sexy in her dances (I would love to see a smooth, nuanced dance for a change) and the nauseating romance story line may be turning people off to her.

Also echoing everyone about Janel/Val. Give it a rest. Love that Pitbull didn't feel the showmance chemistry, though. That made me snicker.

 

 

Me too, especially since the other judges were "chemistry" "sizzle" "so hot" "passion" ....I never saw this "spark" and I when I see the pre-dance package talking about their "relationship" all I thought was fakey fake fakers.

[OakGoblinFly]

Bethany's tango wasn't bad- it didn't soar but Derek kept that puppy in hold the whole way and except for that one stumble Bethany kept in his hold and for a period of time they looked like they were one unit moving around the dance floor. I didn't care for the music or the styling of her costume but good job with the technical part of the dance.

 

I thought (and please correct me if I am wrong) that in Ballroom Tango (which is what they danced) you are not allowed to break hold.  I thought that the Tango had plenty of content, was sharp, good body contact, and that Bethany held her frame pretty well.  I was impressed that the little slip (it looked like she hit a slick spot on the floor) didn't completely rattle her.

 

I ranked her second behind Alfonso.

[kayma]

I liked Bethany better last week with Mark, who brought out a little more of her personality in her performance.   I thought this tango tonight with Derek was kind of heavy-footed and uninspired.  And she slipped.  But Derek is going to be scored highly, no matter what.   It was revealing that Leah said to Derek, "YOU don't know what it's like to get a 5 or a 7,"  as if his partner's performance doesn't matter at all.  Which it doesn't in many cases.

I agreed with the scores tonight if we're counting Michael/Tommy on a different ability rating, but Bethany's threw me. I thought the dance looked slow - like it was being done with an older celeb instead of one who should be able to keep up - and like Derek was basically moving her around. It looked good for what practice they had, but the lack of practice was her choice so it shouldn't be reflected in the scores. I didn't think it was better than Sadie's or Lea's or even Janel's; although, I think all four of them are basically tied any given week.

 

I wish the producers, Janel, and Val would drop the showmance stuff. It takes away from the actual hard work they're putting in and makes everyone seem kind of desperate. I don't think Janel can pull off the fun and flirty. Val had more chemistry and was more fun just talking with Leah after the dance than with Janel dancing.

 

I didn't mind Sadie's rehearsal package with Mark until Grandma showed up. They kind of implied Mark doesn't know what's appropriate for a dance with a 17 year old, which is weird since he seems to be more appropriate with her than her family is going on publicly about how modest she needs to be.

 

I just really like Witney and Alfonso. They light up the room when they dance. I hope Witney's over the scores from last week. The 5s were actually right if they'd been judging fairly all along. They only seem so wrong because the judges can't decide how honest they'll be one week to the next.

[Biosynth]

I may actually have to check out of this show after tonight.  I'm not a fan of Michaels and I'm a little bummed that he stays and Jonathan goes.  Not that Jonathan is a fabulous dancer, but  still, he's so much better than Michael who dances like he has no joints.  I'm getting a little tired of the fan clubs always rewarding people instead of rewarding ones who dance well. 

 

I will check back in to this mess on finale night....maybe.

[MarkHB]

When Pitbull was talking about what he was looking for, he said something like "I'm looking for passion, I'm looking for romance", and I was hoping he'd finish with "...and I'm looking for Carrie Ann to have a wardrobe malfunction in that top!"

 

I always want to call Jenna Johnson Jenna Jameson, which is ironic because every time she was on screen tonight she was giving off a porn vibe.  She has the muggiest mug since Mark season 1.  

 

Who was the young man(?) sitting on Paula Abdul's right?  

Who's Jenna Johnson?  And I'm also wondering who that young man was.

 

I love Erin doing this job (I still remember seeing her taking notes once during the judge's comments last season... actually reporting!), but I did enjoy Leah.  Every time I see her, though, I flash back to her days on "King of Queens" when she would call into the "Don & Mike" radio show regularly.  Once, they had a sex quiz they were giving folks, and the last question was "what is your total number of sexual partners?"  After Leah took it (and I don't remember her answers), they had her assistant get on the line and she took it.  When they got to the last question, the young woman answered, "uh... fifty" and in the background you could hear Leah yelling, "WHAAAAAAAAAAATTT?!"

 

I'm glad we're actually getting to know Witney a little bit this season.  I don't usually watch SYTYCD so I didn't see her there, but now I'm thinking that this show may decide to keep her around since they're giving us more shots showing her personality.  I felt badly for her when she was crying over the 5's, and remembered that she's barely more than a kid herself.

 

Sadie's an excellent dancer; if there was a drawback to her rumba it wasn't that it was chaste, it was that she still hasn't really grown into her 47-foot-long limbs.  I don't know what her school offers for athletics, but she should have been a swimmer.

Edited October 21, 2014 by MarkHB

[Buggin]

All these opening numbers are looking the same to me. I wish they would do more like this fun Step in Time  dance from Strictly Come Dancing. I feel like now it's week after week of Sharna and company trying to look sexier than the week before.

 

Sucks Jonathan went out on a night where he finally did better but we knew that was coming. I think Michael needs to go next, followed by Tommy.

 

The showmance is just ridiculous...I wanted to root for Val to win one but they're just annoying.

 

At this point I think my ideal final 3 would be Alfonso, Sadie, and Lea with Alfonso taking the MBT.

 

Glad Len will be back next week. I'm one who also enjoyed Leah as co-host. I don't see why they couldn't find someone a little more quick-witted or who can feed off of Tom better than Erin, Brooke, etc, can.

[poeticlicensed]

I have always found Jonathan's dancing a bit s******, but even  his worst dance is better than anything that Tommy or Michael have pit out there. Michael must be getting the NASCAR vote and Tommy, not sure, maybe it's a combo of seeing how long people can vote to keep someone around whose dancing is not up to par ( a la Wayne Newton) or maybe old potheads watch the show. IDK. There's something about Michael that gives me the creeps. I can't put my finger on it. 

 

How old is Sadie's grandma? Either she is very young looking or that family has babies very young. I think she is an OK dancer, but she is still in that gawky stage, so her lines look off, like she is all knees or something. 

 

When the season started I thought Lea was great. Now not so much. She dances very stiff. 

 

For a Latin man who made his debut in a music video, Antonio seems to lack rhythm

 

Blah on the Val Janel showmance. Just stop. 

[crowceilidh]

 

I didn't mind Sadie's rehearsal package with Mark until Grandma showed up. They kind of implied Mark doesn't know what's appropriate for a dance with a 17 year old, which is weird since he seems to be more appropriate with her than her family is going on publicly about how modest she needs to be.

 

If Sadie herself was being modest and uncomfortable with her perception of rumba sexuality, I would be a little squicked but not ready to vomit.  When the family shows up, joke or not, I want to hurl. It's bad enough that there's no way for most of us to grow up without being in a kind of family trance/Stockholm syndrome situation, but these people seem to think it's cute that she has to have their approval for every little thing she does or be crushed by their intense public disapproval.  She's not THAT young and it's horrifying to watch.  It makes me feel screamingly claustrophobic on her behalf.

[crowceilidh]

Oh and also.  I usually love Val, but if he's into Janel, he's got very bad taste in women and I don't like him so much.  Janel seems to be without personal moral or ethical anchor.  I don't know her from Adam, but I have not been impressed with anything she's done yet.  I'm trying to describe how she comes across, as if she is blowing whichever way the wind does because all she wants is fame - not like she has talent and a drive to use it, but like she has accidentally fallen into her current position and is desperate to cling onto it because fame is so important to her.  Granted, it's not like we see much of these people, but I am interested in the fact that I have lost respect for Val over so many aspects of this showmance.

[shrewd.buddha]

quoted because I second this opinion :

I feel bad for Jonathan and Alison but really they were both coming across as trying too hard so it's probably best it end now than get worse.  They are two more people who need to learn a poker face.

Also, I am glad they addressed Jonathan's "crazy eyes" expression -- it was weird -- it felt as if he was projecting his anxiety into my living room..

Edited October 21, 2014 by shrewd.buddha

[Shades of Red]

Are there still seats available on the "Val and Janel stop with the showmance" wagon?  If there are, reserve one for me please.   Enough already.   The rehearsal footage was painful to watch and embarrassing.

[Linderhill]

I'm still annoyed that Michael is still there and Jonathan was sent home.  That boy had the double wammy of an inexperienced pro that didnt know ballroom like the rest and being paired with Peta giving him an overly complicated routine in the switch up.  I thought he did great tonight, so yes, he at least got to go out on a high note.  It does emphasize the disadvantage of the one night a week format in that any votes for Jonathan and Allison last night were basically wasted.  I won't miss Allison, (I don't watch SYTYCD so she was a total stranger that had Lacey Schwimmer syndrome) but I will miss Jonathan and his eyes.

 

Leah as co-host, okay but not terrific.  My favorite part was when she asked for everyone to do the Jonathan eyes.  Everyone doing the caught in the headlights, round eyed stare was hysterical.  I did get a kick out of Leah beating on Derek and I love Derek.

 

Pitbull and his awful music and judging can go away to stay.  

[soapfaninnc]

Are there still seats available on the "Val and Janel stop with the showmance" wagon?  If there are, reserve one for me please.   Enough already.   The rehearsal footage was painful to watch and embarrassing.

I actually changed the channel. I love Val - Maks was one of my favorite pros despite his temperament at times - but this showmance crap needs to stop. It's forced. It's making me dislike Janel and Val! And I agreed so much with Pitbull that there was no sizzle between Val and Janel. None. Yes, the Maks/Meryl stuff got thick towards then end but I could see some sizzle between them. I get nothing - I think Val had more chemistry with Danica last season, truly.  And I thought she was going to fall on her butt last night several times. Her footwork is not good.

 

Whitney is becoming my favorite female pro and I love her and Alfonso. I want him to win. Not only is he a fabulous dancer - he's a nice guy.  I like Sadie and Bethany too and thought their scores were good last night. Sadie was not totally into that dance and it showed at times though the whole effect was nice. Bethany did well despite a slip and little practice time. I like Lea but she's - I don't know - something isn't quite right. I think Artem needs to quit worrying about what the others do and focus on Lea. 

 

Somehow they made me feel bad for Michael Waltrip and I didn't think that was possible. He grates in the worst way - I have two boys who are NASCAR fans. I think Peta is doing a great job with Tommy this season. 

[Dancingjaneway]

I laughed so hard last night at Val and Janels rehearsal package. It was like watching Days of Our Lives. I loved Leah pointing out that Val came back for his keys after he "stormed off".

Edited October 21, 2014 by Dancingjaneway

[Primetimer]

Or you'll get a 6.

Read the story

[spanana]

With all due respect to whoever writes the recaps for this site, Janel does not look like a pro dancer out on the floor.  She's not horrible in the sense that she's clearly better than Antonio, Jonathan, Tommy, Michael and etc., but from a technique perspective she's not that great.  She usually puts on a good performance and so she mostly sells whatever she's doing, but if we are making a list of the all time DWTS greats she wouldn't even be a footnote.

 

Though I think the lack of passion in this routine was more because Janel was a bit overwhelmed by the choreography.  I am happy Val actually gave her a lot of content and made her dance, but I think she was so focused on just trying to get through the choreography that she wasn't remotely able to settle in and just perform the number.  There were a couple moments of complete panic on her face during the homestretch of that dance.

[Thadeeeyus]

I am in love with Mark and Sadie's partnership this season, and this is after really disliking Mark for several seasons.  Sadie's gracefulness on the floor came as a surprise and they are just so gosh-darn comfortable with each other.  It's like a breath of fresh air watching them dance.  Considering Sadie's lanky build, she is surprisingly fluid on the floor.  I loved her arms last night.

 

I didn't mind Sadie's rehearsal package with Mark until Grandma showed up. They kind of implied Mark doesn't know what's appropriate for a dance with a 17 year old, which is weird since he seems to be more appropriate with her than her family is going on publicly about how modest she needs to be.

 

Wasn't Grandma there because a chaperone is required at all times?

 

I've loved having Tommy on the show this season but his charm is wearing thin.  I still think he shows surprising gracefulness at times but his inability to remember some very simple steps is starting to grate. That was a very poor foxtrot.   He's had a good run but it's time to go. 

 

The Val and Janel showmance -yuck!  Just dance.  Alfonso was good and I think Lea is better than the production and choreography indicate.  Someone upthread said that Val and Artem should choreograph less technical routines.  I agree, and they should  choreograph something on a level where they partners don't look like spazzes trying to execute it.  Brittany was ok but overscored.  Antonio was ok but I didn't like that is entire package was focused on the pro.  I can't even comment about Michael but I'm very afraid he is going to stick around. 

 

And TPTB - please lose the troupe during the regular routines.  It makes the dances look like a mess. 

 

 

[crowceilidh]

 

Carrie Ann spanking Alfonso?     There would be an uproar if Pitbull had decided to do that to Witney.

 

ITA and that said, can you imagine if Cody Simpson's grandfather had been disapproving of Witney wriggling all over him?  No?  I cannot.

[3jt]

I've been thinking that part of the problem with Sadie looking a bit gawky is because she is not getting the benefit of wearing a little higher heel. You definitely dance differently when you are more on your toe.  She would totally tower over Mark though if she did.  

[BoogieBurns]

The camera work is bad. During Leah's salsa, she was doing some awesome intricate moves, but the camera decided to spin along with her. You couldn't tell that all of her moves were done while spinning. I wish they could go back to the older seasons' stable camera. I want to watch the dance. 

 

Same thing happened during Sadie's dance. They started out laying on the floor, but the camera work made it look like they were sitting up in a weird squatting position. Plus, why was everything so dark? Half of Jonathan's dance was out of the spotlight. 

 

Just let us watch the show. Lifts aren't impressive when the camera is in the ceiling looking down. Just stop!

[truthaboutluv]

Wasn't Grandma there because a chaperone is required at all times?

 

 

That's right. I think the difference is with Zendaya and Shawn, the other underage women that competed, the show never created a storyline around them and their parents so they just weren't focused on. But I know with Zendaya for example, her mom or her dad were always present at her rehearsals. They were just never shown. It is interesting though to find out if that was the same for Cody Simpson  and the other Cody, who were both 17 when they competed and I'm willing to guess probably not.

[iMonrey]

 

I was not on board with Artem tonight. I usually like him. But I thought he was very harsh with Lea. I didn't understand why he felt the need to compete with Alfonso. He shouldn't be worrying about what Alfonso is doing and stressing Lea out over it. He needed to just focus on them and do things at their pace.

 

I'm not sure why he was focused on what Alfonso was doing, specifically, but I think Artem had the right idea, in that Lea is going to have to keep showing improvement and perform more difficult choreography if she's going to stay in the competition. In fact I don't think Alfonso is necessarily the front-runner this season. You always have to take into consideration that whoever is partnered with Derek gets an automatic pass into the finals, so it's going to be tough for Lea to keep up with Bethany, Janel, Sadie and Alfonso. Just because Alfonso was doing the same style of dance that night doesn't mean he's the only one Lea has to worry about.

 

Then again, Artem is new to this show and may have an idealized perception that whoever dances best is going to win.

[legaleagle53]

I thought (and please correct me if I am wrong) that in Ballroom Tango (which is what they danced) you are not allowed to break hold.  I thought that the Tango had plenty of content, was sharp, good body contact, and that Bethany held her frame pretty well.  I was impressed that the little slip (it looked like she hit a slick spot on the floor) didn't completely rattle her.

 

I ranked her second behind Alfonso.

 

You are correct.  In International Standard Tango (which is the style danced on DWTS), couples only have 20 seconds to get into hold and are required to remain in hold throughout the dance until the last few seconds of the routine.  It's supposed to be 80% in hold and 20% open work, with NO lifts allowed (Argentine Tango has its own separate rules, of course).

[BoogieBurns]

Emma's backside makes me want to work out harder at the gym. Squats all day, son! 

[Uke]

My thoughts...sorry for the length-I guess I'm fired up today.

 

Opening: Shortly before the show Kristyn Burtt said that Pitbull demanded no male pros be on the floor while he was performing. That turned me off completely to his performance and the opening dance. He ain't all that.

 

Pitbull is useless as a judge. Leah's ok in limited doses but it's supposed to be about the couples, not her constantly drawing attention to herself.

 

Jonathan: "You're in jeopardy, now dance" is soooo mean. I wish they'd stop doing that.  I understand the Men in Black theme but black against dark blue made him hard to see but at least he was dancing and visible. Agree with CAI, his best dance so far. Sorry to see him go. Scores were a gift.

 

Tony's Shirt: Tony still owns that? Ewww.

 

Janel: The package was annoying. They misssssssed each other. Seriously, they were rehearsing down the hall from each other. Just stop all the relationship crap.  The dance was ok but there's some kind of disjoint that I'm not sure how to describe. Kind of like her shimmy/shakes are more gyrations or the shimmies don't travel all the way up so she cranks her shoulders forward/backward and that breaks up the whole body movement. Also off balance at times. Anyway, I agree with someone above about her skirt and top - they took random scraps and sewed them on her haphazardly. Val, keep your shirt on. Scored too high. The 9s should have been 8s.

 

Tommy: he's quite competent when he's in hold or dancing face-to-face. Unfortunately he forgets when he's facing forward in the side-to-sides. I'd like to see Michael + Antonio go first. Scores were fine.

 

Antonio: My heart breaks for Cheryl. I've had that kind of call and it's beyond horrible.  How she could then resume rehearsal is beyond comprehension. I'm tearing up just typing this. As for Antonio, much improved. He looked less wooden.  Not a fan of troupe in the competition dances, especially the side-to-sides with the males. Scores were fair. What's Pitbull's problem lifting a paddle?

 

Sadie's Grandma & Mom: I think we all know the underage teens have a parent/guardian in rehearsals at all times. But I think this is the first time they've ever shown a parent/guardian intervening. I wonder how often that's happened in the past (especially w/Z's parents and their reputation for micro managing).  Whatever the dance move was, I don't think it was about religion but more about helicopter parenting and attempts to keep Sadie sheltered.  They know Mark well enough by now to know he's sensitive to being age appropriate.

 

Sadie: It was a beautiful dance. Loved that side bend half way through. She has gorgeous lines and I don't see any problems with her legs. Would have like to see more hip action, especially in the sliding doors move but I wonder if Grandma nixed that or if Sadie was made to feel inhibited. This confuses me because clearly Sadie has no problem cuddling up to Mark, hugging, throw her arm around him, etc. The 10 was ok (for emotional expression) but the 8s were too low. All 9s would have been fine.

 

Lea: Artem, play the game FOR Lea, not AGAINST Alfonso. Lea's too in her own head. The beginning on the platform was great. Then Artem rips off his shirt, Lea gets tense and the shoulders hunch over. Perfect example of why they shouldn't bring in the troupe for side-by-side. It wouldn't have looked as messy if the troupe wasn't there for comparison.  Lea's strength is elegant and beautiful, not sassy/sexy. The overeager sex kitten act just doesn't work for her.  Didn't like the choreo, didn't like the performance after the platform part. Disagree w/JH that Lea is the girl to beat. Artem, put your shirt on.  8s were ok, maybe a point too high.

 

Michael: He showed more energy in the introduction at the start of the show than he did in his entire dance.  I had to ask what this dance was supposed to be cuz I couldn't recognize it. Argentine Tango in slo-mo. He was less creepy this week, so that was good.  I was thinking the scores might be a parting gift but I suspect that keeping him on the bottom of the leaderboard is energizing his fans to vote like crazy. So they increased his score  to make the voting ease off.  Massively overscored. 6-6-6-7 would be generous.

 

Bethany: lucky lucky girl - a dance requiring tight hold.  Keep the lighting dark, the skirt full and move fast solves the lack of rehearsal time. To answer someone above, from what I gather she had one 2-hr meet + greet in Sydney on 1 day and a shopping mall appearance on the next day. Derek returned a day earlier than her for his anti-bullying award. I don't understand why she didn't reschedule. Very simplified choreo. It shows how tight the hold was that Derek pulled her out of the slip barely skipping a beat. No fire, no emotion, stressed-looking. Overscored. 8s would have been fair.

 

Alfonso: I like him but I'm just not getting the variety of dancing I want from him. Except for the Paso/Flamenco, his dances are all too similar with him adding his own style.  Once again, I liked the platform part but once he got down on the floor it was same-old same-old again. Did he drop her or just lose his grip on that last move?  That groin pull is going to dog him till the end since he can't take time to let it heal. I watched 4x in a row and finally figured out his knees are not very bendy. I think if Witney could get some flexibility into his knees, it would take the pressure off the inner thighs and give some relief to the groin area. CAI was not amusing. Imagine if Bruno leaned Witney over the table and started spanking her - he'd be justifiably fired! No way was that a 10 dance. A mix of 8s + 9s would be about right.

 

Who goes next week? Should be Michael but probably not yet. I think Tommy's got another week in him.  Janel's fans got a good fire lit under them so she's probably ok. I thinking someone's fanbase is about to fall out from under them for a shocking elimination. I'm thinking either Lea or Bethany.

Edited October 21, 2014 by Uke

[sinkwriter]

Why was Carrie Anne spanking Alfonso? I feel like I looked away from the screen for 2 seconds and suddenly I look back and she's spanking him and I'm like, "What the hell's going on? Is it his birthday?" LOL.

[Donny Ketchum]

Someone mentioned Derek's been in the F3 every season he's been on.  Is that really true?  Or has he had some seasons where he missed the finale?

[Uke]

Someone mentioned Derek's been in the F3 every season he's been on.  Is that really true?  Or has he had some seasons where he missed the finale?

 

Since season 9 he's been 4th place or higher. (he did not participate in season 12)

[Woodrose]

No more dogs at the judges' table, please.  His barking was incomprehensible, and his paw work with the number paddles was so slow it dragged the show down.  Really, show.... I love beagles, but don't want to see one on DWTS.

 

So sad that Alfonso is injured.  I really hope the pain is not too great.  I don't like watching people in agony trying to entertain me.  If it's a painful injury, I support him dropping out, even though I look forward to his dances the most each week.

 

Tommy's pre-dance video was the highlight of the night for me.  Cloris!  Peta's face in the sweatlodge!  LOL funny.

 

Conversely, Janel and Val's video package was the night's lowlight.

 

I'm so glad Jonathan left on a high note.  He wasn't the best dancer, and he got a raw deal from the show with his partner assignment, but I come away from the show thinking Jonathan is a nice, funny, likable guy, maybe wound half a coil too tight.  On DWTS, that's a pretty good verdict.  

 

I enjoyed Leah as co-host, but I can see where she might be polarizing, with some people not liking her at all.  She's pretty in-your-face, for good and bad.

 

Four judges is too many. Having to go to scores before hearing from judge number 4 , repeatedly, should make it clear to the show that 4 judges is a bad idea.

[radishcake]

Actually here's the line up for Derek Hough: 

season five - 4th place
season six - 6th place
season seven - won
season eight - 5th place
season nine - 4th place
season ten - won
season eleven - won
season thirteen - 3rd place
season fourteen - 4th place
season fifteen - 2nd place
season sixteen - won
season seventeen - won
season eighteen - 2nd place

[Corazi]

Last night I noticed that they were putting the name of the dance on the bottom of the screen for most of the dancers which was pretty cool since I've been confused about who's dancing what on certain weeks. Have they been doing that all season and I just missed it?

 

I'm glad they let Jonathan leave the way he did. The judges have been brutal to him so I think it's great that they gave him a dance that his partner could teach him so he could leave on a high note.

 

I was mostly bored during the show this time, which is unusual. I almost changed the channel for Janel and Val. I like Val but I don't really care if he and Janel are lovers or not, just shut up and dance. Part of me wishes they went home so we could be spared their "romance" next week.

 

About Sadie. I wonder if she was uncomfortable about the dance moves and asked her mom and grandmother to intervene for her. If so I wish she could have spoken up about it instead, choosing modesty can be just as empowering as choosing to show off your body and sexuality. Or I could be completely wrong, who knows? I thought she looked really uncomfortable while dancing, her face was blank for the most part except for when she'd smile where her and Mark's faces got really close together.

 

Poor Alfonso! That must hurt so bad. I can't believe he's still moving as well as he is with a groin injury. I hope he gets a chance to recover a bit before next week, but it doesn't look like that will happen.

 

Why were people hitting each other tonight? Carrie Ann with Alfonso was really uncomfortable to watch. Was there a point to that or did she just want people talking about how "wacky" she is today? Definitely inappropriate. Leah telling Derek he doesn't know what 5's feel like was funny, but then she started hitting him with the microphone and that got weird fast. Maybe one light tap with it but she just went on and on, Bethany looked so uncomfortable and awkward after that happened.

 

Maybe making people feel uncomfortable was the theme for the night.