S19.E11: Week 9: America's Choice

[Princt1]

Haven't voted yet but intend to vote my butt off for Derek and Bethany until they bite the dust. Altho everybody left can dance, except "the old guy who's nice and having fun, tho about to collapse any day", I don't think Bethany stands a chance, being paired with "the wrong pro." Unless he turns out to be the right pro again, that is! Thought their dance with Tony (my guy!) great, but I also loved Alfonso's and Mark's (he ruled that one!).

Edited November 11, 2014 by campbellcat

[crowceilidh]

I thought Mark was deliberately dancing down to Sadie's level in that jive - those were pretty subdued kicks and flicks for the majority of that dance.

[Uke]

How sad that Sadie has become so accustomed to being nitpicked by the judges, she was already tearing herself apart after that foxtrot.  I didn't see the error-she covered it well.  But she's 2nd to the bottom of the leader board again - only one lower is Tommy.  Yet obvious errors by others are either ignored or noticed with an "I don't care" from the judges.

[sinkwriter]

For a tiny moment I thought maybe the surprise elimination was going to be Sadie and Mark. Given their less than stellar scores for the first dance tonight, and the way they were near the very bottom of the board, and the way the judges seemed less than excited about them in the first half of the show... I thought maybe the showrunners were trying to present it so that people wouldn't be totally shocked.

 

All I can say is, I'm glad it wasn't Alfonso. I'm Team Alfonso all the way. Go, man, go!

[COESpiral]

All my votes from here on out are going to Alfonso.  Full stop.  I don't want Derek to win again, the "showmance" between Val and Janel annoys me so much that she could be the best dancer left and I'd still vote against them because Val really needs to knock it off with this crap (did he learn nothing from Kelly Monaco??), Sadie is good and I wouldn't have a problem with her winning, but her family would shove her out of the spotlight and not let her enjoy something she accomplished all on her own, and Tommy...well...get real. 

 

Vote Team Witfonso!

[truthaboutluv]

Also, I'm just going to say it...that choreography for Janel's trio dance looked shockingly familiar. Right down to the powder clapping at the start of the dance. 

[crowceilidh]

So, truthaboutluv, remind me.  I know I've seen it, but I can't remember where.

[tearbender]

What a shitty, borderline offensive dance for anyone to "copy."

 

Janel does deserve to be in the finals but it's far from the first time judges have propped a contestant into the finals with a fanbse of questionable voting strength.. But at least the judges are propping the celebrity and not their favorite golden haired pro.

[kelnic86]

I'm cheering for Alfonso to win it all! Also, I'm not ashamed to say it, I'm happy Tommy made the semi-finals.

Edited November 11, 2014 by kelnic86

[truthaboutluv]

I forgot to mention, what in the blue hell was that song for Alfonso's trio Paso? I mean Witney, bless her heart worked it out and he did a great job but seriously, Lil' Jon for a Paso Doble. I can only imagine what Witney must have thought getting that song. 

 

So, truthaboutluv, remind me.  I know I've seen it, but I can't remember where.

 

 

The dance was in my opinion, almost an exact replica, save for a few steps, of Derek and Shawn's trio Samba with Mark in the All-Stars season. 

Edited November 11, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[superdeluxe]

This but let's face it, at this point "Derek and favoritism" is like a mantra now no matter what happens on the actual show. Like the fact that in my opinion, Bethany was underscored tonight. I was fine with her 36 for the VW because the dance felt a little short to me but when the judges are throwing around 10's when a couple has an obvious slip, the Pro OWNS up to the mistake, the celebrity's frame is not that great, then it kind of makes no sense that Bethany who had a gorgeous frame and was technically sound throughout her dance only gets 9's. Similarly, I thought Bethany reverted back to being a little tentative with the AT and maybe having the extra Pro overwhelmed her which is why I sort of understood what Carrie Ann was saying, but at least the dance was an AT. J

 

ulianne says there wasn't a lot of content in Janel's trio dance but she doesn't care - like the hell? And I was liking Julianne she wasn't making any sense tonight with her scoring for Janel. I have always said I don't do the Grassy Knoll thing but I'm seriously starting to wonder about Janel's viewer votes and if this is the producers' attempt to ensure Tommy goes home next week because this just made no damn sense. 

 

Meanwhile Lea's elimination was a surprise to no one...well it wasn't a surprise to me. Hell half of the judges' comments to her felt like a "thanks for playing but bye now." Plus I'm kind of glad she's gone because her trying to be sexy rather than just being naturally sexy was getting a wee bit uncomfortable to watch. That shimmy over Artem in the Samba was yeah...

 

I applaud Mark's having to choreograph a Foxtrot with two women and then having to make sure Emma didn't upstage Sadie and the dance was certainly nice but in no freaking way was that a perfect dance and I honestly almost felt like this was a pity 40 because maybe the judges and hell the producers are tired of listening to Mark whinging about his and Sadie's scores. Hell Sadie, liked Val, copped to forgetting the choreography. The biggest thing that drove me crazy about Sadie in that dance were her arms. I guess her legs were so covered up so I couldn't tell what was really going on there but just like the Jive, her arms were just sort of flailing around.

 

There's no Grassy Knoll for me.  Janel is being favored.  Now, is it because she's on an ABC show?  Or is it because she's paired with Val?  Either way, it's ridiculous.  Tonight was just awful.  They weren't even trying to hide the favoritism.

 

Lea's elimination was no surprise.  Even Lea knew.

 

And I totally think that was a pity 40 for Sadie.  Her fans have been complaining about her being underscored for weeks; Mark's been complaining whenever he has a microphone or a camera in front of him since day damn one.  So, that 40 was probably to shut all of them up.

[kitcloudkicker]

So, truthaboutluv, remind me.  I know I've seen it, but I can't remember where.

 

This 'un? 

 

I had forgotten this one started with powder clapping as well. 

Edited November 11, 2014 by kitcloudkicker

[crowceilidh]

It hurts me to say it, but Derek, Mark and Shawn won that dance-off (and I can't stand even ONE of those three).

Edited November 11, 2014 by crowceilidh

[spanana]

At the point I'm at, I really wouldn't mind Bethany coming in second.  I'm still rooting for Alfonso to win, but Bethany has grown on me a lot.   Though I'm fine with either Sadie or Beth as runner up.  

 

I don't think Sadie's foxtrot was really 40 worthy, but I'm a hypocrite and don't care since it was a nice moment for her and the judges were throwing out 10's like candy to everyone else anyway.   FWIW, I think Sadie at this point is also scoring votes on more than just her family and the religion factor.  I also think people have mobilized behind her because she comes off sincere and like a real person.  People can relate to that.  

 

I am worried about Alfonso having to overcome the fanbases of the younger set to win though.  I don't worry he will be in the finals, but I really do want to see him win. 

 

Janel, oh Janel.  I liked parts of her salsa.  That whole bit with her head in Val's crotch just seemed super unnecessary and jarring.  I still have the same issues I've had with her movement all along, outside of her contemporary last week, where I feel like she hits all the right steps but doesn't have much power in her actual movements.  Plus I thought the beginning with just Val and Keo seemed unnecessarily long.  It was a nice routine, short of the parts I mentioned, but not very Salsa-like.

[McManda]

I liked Sadie's trio more than I thought I would. I thought it was appropriate (for Sadie, for the style, for the trio) and well choreographed by Mark. Except Sadie screwed up the end, and there's no way the judges didn't notice. It wouldn't have gotten straight 10s if anyone else had danced it (except maybe Bethany), so I don't think Sadie should have gotten 10s either.

 

Janel's salsa/samba was kind of a mess. It felt raw in an unpolished way.

 

I fast forwarded through Tommy's, so there's that. I started to watch, but then I couldn't keep going. It was awkward.

 

Alfonso wins the night my a slim margin. His trio would have been my favorite had he had different, more appropriate music.

 

Lea danced. That's about all I've got. I'm not really surprised that she went home.

 

I love watching Tony dance, so I liked that he joined Derek. This was the first time I felt compelled to watch one of her dances instead of peaking over the top of my computer.

 

I feel like Julianne's comment to Janel summed up the judges feelings - "it should have been [insert valid critique], but I don't care. TEN!"

[viajero]

Alfonso once again proved he's the best dancer this season, but Bethany keeps improving in leaps and bounds and really isn't that far behind.  I thought both Janel and Sadie benefited from some generous scoring.  Most glaring for me this time was Sadie's first dance, which I thought was a bit of a mess and one of her weakest performances of the season.  Her second dance was much better, but not better than Alfonso or Bethany's trios (all three were very good).

 

For the first dance I would have been happy with the following total scores:

 

Alfonso - 38

Bethany - 36

Janel - 34

Sadie - 30

 

For the trios:

 

Alfonso, Bethany & Sadie - 38

Janel - 36

[judemorrigan]

Hell Sadie, like Val, copped to forgetting the choreography. 

If you mean tonight, Val didn't forget his choreography - he had a wardrobe malfunction.  His shoes literally stuck together.  The standard advice is to rub a thin layer of vaseline onto your shoes where the brush together when passing your feet, but he must have decided not to bother.  Which *usually* isn't a problem.  But what happened tonight is always a possibility with patent leather shoes.

 

Let me add, lest people reasonably conclude that I'm just a complete Val fanboy, that I really kind of hated Janel & company's "salsa".  The split-leg lift.  Ugh.  Also, for the record, I firmly believe that Alfonso *should* win, but kind of expect Bethany's social media presence to be the deciding factor.

[truthaboutluv]

My comment was unclear - what I meant is that Sadie, like Val, copped to a mistake in her dance. In Val's case it was the slip and for Sadie, it was forgetting the choreography. I know Val did not forget the choreography.

[judemorrigan]

Gotcha. Sorry for misreading you!

[Zuleikha]

I think part of Sadie's problem is costuming not hiding her legs. The jive outfit was a bad idea because it emphasized the gangliness. She looked much better in foxtrot, and I think it's because the legs were hidden. I don't think she deserved 10s, though, because she let it show on her face that she messed up. I didn't see the actual mess up, but I did see her reaction. I also think Mark thinks Sadie is better than she is, which is why he's been so vocal about her scores. 

 

Janel and Bethany, by contrast, are generally costumed to hide their weaknesses. Also, something seems to have clicked into place with Janel and she's using her core better. Bethany's committed to selling the performance aspect. I don't think the gap between the two of them and Sadie is large, but I do think they're bother better dancers at this point.

 

Alfonso is still my pick for the ultimate win, though. That paso... how on earth do you make Turn Down for What work as a paso? But he did.

[crocosmia]

Alfonso and Witney's foxtrot was elegant and charming, and Carrie Anne is stooopid for not seeing the pizzazz in that number.   Alfonso's dances always make me smile,  and his pairing with Witney has to be one of the best ever in all of DWTS.  

 

Too bad that Lea went out before Tommy,  but we're nearing the end, and she wasn't going to win anyway.  Lea looks great,  but her dancing always lacks something.     Still, she's a competent dancer, and Tommy is not.    

 

I like Bethany better than I like Janel.  Bethany has become a good dancer during the season, and her personality and demeanor seem more genuine than Janel's.    I am rooting for Alfonso all the way, and I don't particularly want to see Derek win again, but I've grown to enjoy Bethany's efforts.

 

Sometimes Sadie's long limbs get away from her,  but she's adorable and enthusiastic, and  I have to agree with Bruno that she always gets the "spirit" of the dance.   Mark outdanced her in her first number, but it was fast and difficult choreography, and she kept up with it well enough.   I really liked their trio with Emma and didn't notice whatever Sadie's slip-up was.   Whatever she forgot, she made up for with her own moves that fit in well, so I wasn't shocked by her scores. 

 

Loved, loved, loved Alfonso's paso with Witney and Lindsay.  Pure fun.

 

Tommy's trio was awkward and unfunny, and that includes his crude joke about being "hard" at the end.  The 7's seemed way high, considering he hardly danced a step.  

 

Lea's paso was uninspiring, and the hairless, plastic-looking Ken doll chests on the male pros all look alike to me. 

 

I love Tony, who almost always gets eliminated early, so I'm glad Derek picked him.  I'm no expert, but their dance seemed to be long on posing and short on actual dancing.  Cool costumes, though.

 

Did not enjoy that last jungle thing that Val and pretend-sexkitten did.  I didn't like it back when Derek did it with Shawn, either. 

 

Julianne was thoroughly annoying tonight.

 

 

[Glaadrial]

Emma was a terrific choice for Mark. She has the right personality to do the heavy lifting in the dance and allowing Mark to cast the spotlight on Sadie. It was my favorite dance from Sadie to date. I think that Carrie Ann's inane comment that she couldn't tell which was the pro is a testament to Mark's choreography and Emma's generosity as a dancer and comedic actress. Sadie's 10s kind of made Janel's 10s from earlier make more sense. To my eye, hers was the top trio while Janel's was the top pair dance of the night--even with the mistakes in both, for me the dances transcended the errors.

 

At some point the judges are gonna need to take up their content issues with the folks responsible for choosing the music. I won't quibble with the "experts" as far as what constitutes Salsa content, but to my untrained eye the quality of the steps and hip movement in the Salsa trio was sufficient to give the impression that this dance was representative of what I would expect for an Afro-Cuban Salsa to tribal music.

 

I generally like Bethany but I thought that she was a little to "bendy" in many of her AT poses. Tommy is a hoot but I think that two full-out dances may have been too much despite him being such a trouper. I think Peta should have dug deep to find her inner Derek and just flat out created her version of a hand-jive Samba or airline seat version of his table dance. Alas, she probably doesn't rate a hydraulic stage to simulate turbulence. 

Edited November 11, 2014 by Glaadrial

[Padma]

I think Lea's problem really was Artem. Imo, he's just too uptight, too insecure, too competitive and made her so nervous and full of doubt each week, no matter how positive she tried to sound. Doubt and insecurity and pressure to "be as good as Derek and Bethany" don't help performance. I also don't think his choreography was particularly creative or inspired (not as bad as Allison's but still not the level of DWTS). Personally, I think that was the problem, nothing to do with Lea. I hope they'll bring someone else back next time; I won't miss him.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Poor Tommy.  No way to bow out gracefully now.  Had he wanted out due to wear and tear, this was the week to do it.

 

Did we really need to see Waltrip, even for a few seconds in a split window?

 

Foxtrot is my favorite dance.  Alfonso did it proud.  His torso was not always properly aligned, but his overall movement was as smooth and suave as any male star's has ever been.  CAI was just being a stone beyotch.  Nine was correct, though if we had 1/2 paddles, I'd have given a 9.5.  By last week's standard, however, that dance was worth a 12.  Oh, no interview in the balcony?  And....because it can never be said enough - the proper music and arrangement makes alllll the difference.  Awesome Paso, too  A 10 in any season.

 

Lea finally let loose.  So much better.  Yet, girl just can't move her hips.  Given her dance training as a youth, how did that happen?  Great effort and good for her on the night she went out.

 

I really loved seeing Sadie becoming a dancer before our eyes in that Foxtrot.  Her lines were remarkable.  Fabulous.  If the show is about dancers breaking through their cocoon, this was it.  She and Emma were beyond pretty, too.  I love when this show gets it right.  I also completely bought her tears afterwards.  It was a huge moment to digest and it had to be entirely confusing to her that she was receiving such praise despite her self-admitted error.  Sadie also had never looked more in control of her body than tonight in the Jive.  She still can't spin well.  Bruno was absolutely right to praise her for taking on the toughest choreo of the night.  This late in past seasons, that dance got nines across the board.   And yes, I do buy that the cast really likes her.  If she were phony, they'd know.

 

Contrast with Val, who literally had Janel sit on her tush 32 bars longer than customary.  Totally got away with it.  Janel was very good, but not better than Alfonso.   She dang near fell and got two 10s?  Ridiculous.  

 

Tommy deserved fives for that ludicrous Samba.  I really like Sharna as a person.  I hate that just about every dance she choreos is trashy.

 

I have to hand it to Derek and Tony.  I had no clue how a threesome Tango was gonna work.  Great balance/transition.  CAI dinging them for lack of dual chemistry?  Moronic.

 

Overall, the trios were remarkably well done.  Almost shockingly so to me.

 

 

[skittl3862]

 

So, truthaboutluv, remind me.  I know I've seen it, but I can't remember where.

The dance was in my opinion, almost an exact replica, save for a few steps, of Derek and Shawn's trio Samba with Mark in the All-Stars season.

Eh, Derek already ripped himself off last season with Nene's Afro-Jazz, and Mark used it the season before that with Aly Raisman. There's also about 2-3 "1950s couple on the sofa" routines person season. I see that yellow sofa and I cringe. Or the little patio table. Or the dozen cheerleader-themed routines over the years. Lots of similar routines have occured over the years, especially as the producers' push for production value.

 

I'm glad they're "underscoring" Derek this season. I think he deserves it. IMO he's coasting this season. Betheny is fine. But she's not as strong a dancer as his past partners have been at this point. I feel like instead of working with her to improve, or working around her faults as he has always been so great at in the past, she's just a prop in his elaborate productions. It's the semifinals and she still pauses like a deer in the headlights when she's waiting for him to lead her. That should be in check by now.

 

Maybe Derek needs a hit to the ego to rein him in next season. It's called Dancing With the Stars, not Stars Dancing to Win Derek Another Emmy. I want Season 10-15 Derek back. He was my favorite.

 

As soon as they announced Tommy was safe, I knew Lea was gone.

 

I was shocked when I heard the intro to Turn Down for What, but I actually loved it and thought it worked really well with the dance. Most of the time, the show picks creaky old songs from the 1950s, or modern songs that are completely wrong for the style, but this worked really well.

 

 

Contrast with Val, who literally had Janel sit on her tush 32 bars longer than customary.  Totally got away with it.

Have we already forgotten Amy Purdy?

Edited November 11, 2014 by skittl3862

[ramble]

First, shut up Julianne. Ugh I despise her. Second, please America let Tommy go. He looks worn out as he moves slightly while others dance near him. Third, stop it with the face in the crotch move & while you're stopping things the split leg (HMV) move can go too. If you can't come up with something else just sway in place. It works for Tommy.

I love watching Alfonso, truly enjoy Sadie & Bethany, am sick of Janel & Tommy just makes me weary. So I guess I'm team Witfonso. The fact that Witney, minus the h, is on a team I'm cheering for is a surprise to me.

If it couldn't be Tommy, I'm glad Lea went. She has increasingly become grating to me. I can't quite put my finger on why, although her continued playing of the cougar vamp had worn so thin.

[Woodrose]

No opening number, again.  Oh how I wish they would stick with three judges and use the time for more dancing, starting with an opening number by the pros.

 

If I was on Twitter, I'd start a DWTS campaign: The Dances Are Too Damn Short!  Less talking, more dancing.  There were some magnificent dances this evening, well staged and well danced, but they would have been better if they were longer (except Tommy's dances, hee)

 

Kudos to Mark and Derek for creating the impossible:  a trio Foxtrot and trio Argentine Tango.  I enjoyed both routines, but yeah -- they were odd.  The salsa and jive and paso are so much better suited dance styles for the trio round.

 

I wish Carrie Ann would permanently drop the phrase "I couldn't tell who was the professional."  It's always an insult to the real professional dancers on the floor and on the show.  And, Len refuted this idea during his judging of Brooke's Tango -- of course Len could tell she's not a professional, and so could Derek. 

 

Alfonso and Witney for the win.  I'm solidly in their corner; great dances and a charming, sweet partnership. Fingers are crossed that they pull it off, but they don't have a lock on the mirror ball by any means. 

 

I approve of male dancers in man thongs, thank you Henry and Artem.  

 

If there are writers helping Len and Bruno turn their clever, funny phrases, I wish those writers would also assist Carrie Ann and Julianne. IMO, neither of the women judges are entertaining in their comments, and they take up too much time.

 

More dancing, less talking!

 

ETA: Great to see Samantha Harris in the audience.  Best of luck to her that she remains cancer free.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Woodrose

[truthaboutluv]

If I was on Twitter, I'd start a DWTS campaign: The Dances Are Too Damn Short!  Less talking, more dancing.  There were some magnificent dances this evening, well staged and well danced, but they would have been better if they were longer (except Tommy's dances, hee)

 

 

I think that always happens once they get down to the full two dances in the season and it's usually the first round dances that suffer. Last week just had the dance-off along with the individual dance, which didn't take as much time but this week had each celebrity doing two full out dances. And I think the trio numbers were longer than the regular length dances, probably because they had to factor three people moving together, which ate into the time for the first dances. 

 

Eh, Derek already ripped himself off last season with Nene's Afro-Jazz, and Mark used it the season before that with Aly Raisman.

 

 

Mark's dance was an Afro-Jazz which was more similar to many of the Afro-Jazz numbers done on SYTYCD, same as what Derek did with Nene. I don't think they were similar to at all to the All-Stars number but even if they were, in Derek's case, I don't consider reusing one's own choreography to be "ripping off" himself. I might say it's repetitive because I'd seen it before but it's his choreography. Hell on SYTYCD, Sean Cheeseman redid his exact choreography of a dance for two different versions of SYTYCD. 

 

Look I like Val just fine and I've been a fan of his choreography from his first season on the show but that dance was way too similar to that All-Stars dance from the staging, the powder going off at the beginning, the steps and movements, etc. About the only thing that was really new was the whole Janel's va-jay-jay in his face and that move when he and Keo pulled her legs and twisted her like a pretzel. For me, what is most telling is that most people had no clue this was a Salsa trio Val and Janel did and think it was a Samba, right down to some of the reviews this morning. Probably because again it looked so similar to another trio Samba. 

 

I'm glad they're "underscoring" Derek this season. I think he deserves it. IMO he's coasting this season. Betheny is fine. But she's not as strong a dancer as his past partners have been at this point. I feel like instead of working with her to improve, or working around her faults as he has always been so great at in the past, she's just a prop in his elaborate productions. It's the semifinals and she still pauses like a deer in the headlights when she's waiting for him to lead her. That should be in check by now.

 

 

YMMV but in my opinion Bethany has been the most improved celebrity this season, so I disagree that he hasn't worked with Bethany to help her improve. But per the usual with many of Derek's celebrities in recent seasons, she's getting no credit for that and instead people are again using the props excuse against Derek or making claims of overscoring when she does get good scores. In my opinion, I don't think Bethany's being tentative at points (which I only saw in the trio AT) is some huge failing against her ability or failing  against Derek's work with her as her Pro.

 

That is more than likely just a confidence issue and honestly, there are some things a Pro can't teach no matter what they do and that would be one of them. If she's not super confident in a move, very likely she'll get tentative and it may show. Semifinals or not, that happens, especially when dealing with someone who is not a natural performer. And again, I don't agree that she was "deer in the headlights" during her performances. I think she was slightly unsure at times in the Trio which likely had to do with worrying about her timing and movement going back and forth between Derek and Tony. 

 

Yes Bethany isn't as good as some of Derek's other celebrities, but that's not her fault or his. However it's like because she's not shining as brightly as some of those past celebrities, even though I again I think she's improved leaps and bounds, Derek is being accused of coasting. Make no mistake, at the start of the season, I wrote a post stating that I thought Derek was tired and maybe feeling a little uninspired by Bethany but in my opinion, just as she found her inner performer, things came together for him too and I think he's been brilliant with her the last few weeks.

 

The choreography has been strong while giving her as much as she could handle and in my opinion, making her shine very well. But again, his work with her is getting dismissed with "oh more props and she's just a prop" even though again, Derek is one of the Pros who's used the troupe the least. The props consisted of a bass in Week 2, umbrellas for a Jazz to Singing in the Rain that was kind of necessary to the number and four guys playing a drum for her Paso Doble. The whole chair apocalypse thing last night was merely a backdrop to the performance. 

 

Have we already forgotten Amy Purdy?

 

 

Yes and many ranted on about her just "sitting down for the whole season" and getting 10's. That said, I had no issues with start of Janel's dance as I saw it as them playing characters and getting into the story. My issue is her getting two 10's when she very nearly face planted and Val had to drag her along for a second to save it. But more than that, is that I actually don't think Janel's frame and hold was that great throughout the dance. It seemed to come together in the second half of the dance but those first bars after they left the audience, she actually looked awkward and slightly hunched to me. 

Edited November 11, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[smiley13]

 

I really like Sharna as a person.  I hate that just about every dance she choreos is trashy.

Sharna does seem to gravitate to the trashiness in her dancing.  The producers should never have allowed that "routine" (because it was not a dance) with Tommy to be on the air.  The old geezer barely moved.  And his distasteful remark afterwards should have been bleeped.

[ari333]

I've seen Tommy dance better than what the trio samba was. He's never been super fantastic, but he's always enjoyable. I've seen him do better than that though. Even his wiggle and shimmy  go-to moves etc were better previously. His waltz was nice.

 

I don't enjoy Sadie or her dancing. It looks like flailing. I'd have preferred that she and Mark got the boot, but whatever.  It doesn't help that Mark has reverted back to his out-dancing his partner by a mile though.

 

Quotes of the night:

Tommy's, "It was very, very hard" (and Sharna touched her nose, as in "on the nose?" IDK, maybe not.) 

And then there's Tom's, "At least he got a happy ending."

And Len's "Old geezer."

 

Leah looked super hot in that animal costume and she was rocking the black jumpsuit leotard in the rehearsal. Go girl. Her trio was pretty hot too. I wish she didnt' dance so tentatively, but I wish she had stayed over Sadie.

[truthaboutluv]

I've seen Tommy dance better than what the trio samba was. He's never been super fantastic, but he's always enjoyable. I've seen him do better than that though.

 

 

Thing is, physically he may not have been able to do better than that. He apparently has some kind of injury because they reported he went to get it checked out and there were rumors that he might have withdrawn from the competition. On top of that, the man is 76 years old and Tommy was having trouble all season just remembering choreography for one dance so I can't only imagine how hard it is learning two. So my guess Peta focused more on the Waltz which was probably a lot easier for him as it was in hold and just found a way for him to do as little as possible in the Samba. 

 

The thing I most hated about the producers giving Alfonso that god awful song for his Paso is that I felt it forced Witney to once again throw in some "hip-hop lite" moves to complement the song. And I have been saying many comments where some feel many of Alfonso's dances, especially his Latin dances, have basically been a fusion of some ballroom technique and hip hop moves thrown in. So I really wished the damn show had just given them some proper Paso music that Witney could have choreographed to. Again, she did amazing with what they were given and Alfonso performed the hell out of it but I just wished they'd had proper Paso music. 

[katha]

I think Lea's problem really was Artem. Imo, he's just too uptight, too insecure, too competitive and made her so nervous and full of doubt each week, no matter how positive she tried to sound. Doubt and insecurity and pressure to "be as good as Derek and Bethany" don't help performance. I also don't think his choreography was particularly creative or inspired (not as bad as Allison's but still not the level of DWTS). Personally, I think that was the problem, nothing to do with Lea. I hope they'll bring someone else back next time; I won't miss him.

For me the jury's still out on Artem. Agree that he and Lea may have set off each other's worst tendencies to some degree, though. I thought his choreography was sound, but apparently on the UK version things are kept much more conservative. So some of what he did almost came across as "old-fashioned". Even other pros on DWTS that are perhaps perceived as more "traditionalist" (Karina? Val?) have evolved beyond that. If the drift towards SYTYCD is a good thing is a debate in itself LOL, but it is what it is and if he doesn't want to look out of place he'll have to adapt to some degree.

 

I don't know who would have done better with Lea, though. Val's intensity (for lack of a better word) IMO wasn't a perfect match for Elizabeth and Danica, also two women with dance training and a tendency towards overthinking. Derek can get impatient with partners like that as well. Tony is more easygoing, but unfortunately sometimes his partners don't seem to improve enough. Mark did great with Candace and her various freak out issues, but he was also probably already first choice for Sadie as he has a track record of being patient and "non-intimidating" with younger contestants and/or headcases. All baseless speculation anyway LOL.

 

Alfonso killed it. Clearly the class of the field at this point. And his partnership with Witney is adorable. If that's enough to win, who knows, I sure hope so. Tommy is a good sport, but way in over his head now. Hope he goes next week, though I know the show doesn't always work that way. Bethany, Sadie and Janel seem about even to me, I want them to make the final four together with Alfonso. Janel seems a bit overscored in the last two weeks, but it's not like that's her fault so I try not to let that influence my view on her. And I thought Mark and Emma were remarkably generous in their performances with Sadie, taking care not to overpower her (Mark was sharper, cleaner and more precise in the jive than her, obviously, but IMO it was pretty clear he was holding back). And the foxtrot choreo was just gorgeous.

Edited November 11, 2014 by katha

[poeticlicensed]

Does Tommy real have a fanbase or are the producers manipulating the viewer vote? I have a hard time believing that people are rushing to their phones to vote for him. When they start showing hospital shots, it's time to pack it in. 

 

What kind of a dance has the female dancer stick their head in the male dancer's crotch? That was just gross. 

 

And stop with the Val/Janel shomance! No one buys it except maybe 13 year old girls.

[skittl3862]

There's no Grassy Knoll for me.  Janel is being favored.  Now, is it because she's on an ABC show?  Or is it because she's paired with Val?  Either way, it's ridiculous.  Tonight was just awful.  They weren't even trying to hide the favoritism.

Why would being paired with Val equal producer favoritism? He's come in 6th the past 2 seasons. That's hardly a free pass to the finals. And he hasn't been around long enough to "deserve" the MBT like Maks or Tony's wins.

[kayma]

I liked the episode. The only dance I didn't care for was Lea and Artem, but I thought their trio was good. I'm not surprised Lea is gone. She was always so forgettable to me.

 

I thought Janel/Val had the dance of the first half, and Alfonso/Witney had the best trio dance. I agree with the scoring order of the dances again even if I think the scoring was weirdly generous overall compared to a few episodes ago. I think it's still Alfonso's game, but Janel and Bethany are at the top, too. It's like something clicked for them a couple shows ago and they're both improving each week. I'm really enjoying that everyone seems to be evenly matched and doing well.

 

I really liked all the trio dances. Alfonso/Witney/Lindsay killed it. Bethany/Derek/Tony was really entertaining. If she'd had a little more attack, it could have easily been tied for the best of the night. Peta and Sharna looked amazing in their costumes. I usually hate the "tribal" dance but thought Janel/Val/Keo worked even if the face in the crotch moves need to disappear forever.

 

I'm glad Keo got a showcase dance to show what he can do. He got a raw deal with the athlete - I can't even remember her name. I hope he comes back next season and gets a decent partner. 

 

I think that Carrie Ann's inane comment that she couldn't tell which was the pro is a testament to Mark's choreography and Emma's generosity as a dancer and comedic actress.

I agree. I think it's absolutely a compliment to Emma. She did a great job dancing down to Sadie (nothing against Sadie but she's definitely not at Emma's level) and didn't stand out. Sadie was good in the foxtrot, and Mark did a great job of making it work. But I'd have to agree with the poster upthread who said it felt like a pity 40. Even with some of the other perfect scores this season that I thought were odd, I could get that in the moment the dances were something special. This one didn't feel like that for me even though it was done well, and I can look past Sadie's mistake at the end. It's like Sadie's lost that spark she had in the beginning. I think Sadie's best dance was the duck samba. She should have gotten the perfect score on that. I don't think she's lived up to that potential since and don't think she's been all that underscored compared to others. Her jive looked messy and uncontrolled to me. Usually, I'm wowed by the jives because I know how awful I'd look attempting it. Hers looked like she needed another week to work on it.

 

I think Mark is frustrated because he can't seem to find that balance between content and production that the judges seem to want. Val's getting the same kind of comments, too. It's like the judges want lots of content but then nitpick all the technique when the routine has lots of content. If they go light on the content, sometimes the judges don't care and sometimes they really mark down for it. It has to be really frustrating when there are no apparent guidelines. Of course, Mark should stop with the tantrums and complaining because that doesn't help anything.

[thesupremediva1]

That was the most entertaining episode in a long time. 

 

Alfonso is the cream of the crop. It will be a travesty if he doesn't win this season. 

 

I'll express the unpopular opinion - I love Janel and Val. Their dances are always intense and entertaining, showmance notwithstanding. I think Val is a brilliant choreographer, and their dances go by twice as fast as everyone else's for me. 

 

Bethany danced quite well this week and looked beautiful. She must have found someone to kiss up to in hair and makeup, considering how unnecessarily hideous they've made her look the past few weeks. She's got soft, natural beauty, and those horned hairdos weren't doing her any favors. That said, she's got the personality of toast for me. I don't get the gushing.

 

Poor Tommy - I can't dislike him, but that trio should not have gotten higher than a 5. He can't keep up and he might injure himself trying. Cut him loose! Though I will miss Peta - she's looked utterly stunning with him this season, mostly because she's not dressing like a tramp every time she dances.

 

I think Sadie has been underscored and I loved both her dances tonight. Happy to see her get a 40, even if it wasn't all that perfect. Mark was on fire and it was a joy to watch.

 

Lea was clearly the one to go, and that made me sad. I think she had the best body of any woman there, but she lost out to the trio of teens. Boo. She wasn't going to win, but there's no way she should have left before Tommy. I've loved her since Caroline in the City and I hope to see more of her. Both her dances were fabulous tonight, so at least she went out on a high note.

 

Tom is my absolute favorite. He never misses an innuendo or a double entendre. If only Erin could keep up with him.

[Primetimer]

Each couple performs a dance chosen by the audience, and then adds a second pro to form a trio.

Read the story

[Irlandesa]

I think Lea's problem really was Artem. Imo, he's just too uptight, too insecure, too competitive and made her so nervous and full of doubt each week, no matter how positive she tried to sound. Doubt and insecurity and pressure to "be as good as Derek and Bethany" don't help performance. I also don't think his choreography was particularly creative or inspired (not as bad as Allison's but still not the level of DWTS). Personally, I think that was the problem, nothing to do with Lea. I hope they'll bring someone else back next time; I won't miss him.

I don't think Artem was to "blame" per se.  I think they were equally matched in competitiveness/insecurity.  Lea exhibited insecurity as early as her intro package.  She did try to be positive but it always felt forced to me.  That's not to say she isn't a positive person in general, just that I think her doubts dragged her down.  She might have done better with a more light hearted partner who could talk her up but I don't think Artem brought her down.  That said, he might do better with a partner who doesn't have training experience and is in it to have fun.

 

To me, with all her training, I am wondering if heels were her problem.  She always looked a bit unsteady/tentative but did far better once those came off.

[Andiethewestie]

I loved Janel and Val tonight.  Even with that little Val patent shoes mis step, and the docking of two points, she danced incredibly well. They were in very close body contact, often you see people dance QS with so much space between them you could drive a mack truck through. I was nervous for the tempo but they were right on time all the way through the routine, with fast intricate runs.  Loved their topline nice and relaxed.  

 

The Salsa with Keo well his authentic african movement was just so refreshing to watch and yep, Janel is a little boss out there. Wow, she is so impressive. Could there have been more Salsa than the turning sequences they did?  Maybe.. .but it was just too fun I am so stoked for Paso Doble and Argentine Tango next week from this team, Janel proved with that Salsa she could be intense, and I am so excited for Argentine Tango,  this is Val at his best, and with Janel it will be romantic, and that's what I missed from the ArgentineTrio dance last night.    

Edited November 12, 2014 by radishcake

[Julie23]

Team Winfonso all the way! I so love watching him dance and he is so personable and funny. He deserves to win, but it seems the judges have someone else in mind. ...

I was very disappointed to see Tommy, who can't dance at ALL, stay, while Lea goes home. I can't even watch his "dances, I just fast-forward through them.

Janel was so over-scored it's not funny. The judges clearly are favoring her. I can't stand it that EVERY dance is "look how sexy I am". Not a lot of actual dancing in the trio dance either.

Sadie was also over scored on that 40. She should have gotten 9's because of the mistakes and her hunching.

Bethany and Derek were great, and I think the judges are scoring him harshly because he wins so much. But he is by far the best teacher. Bethany has improved so much and I really enjoy watching her dance. I would like to see her and Alfonso in the finals.

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

 

Have to just say that Tom was incredibly sweet with Sadie. He immediately saw she was upset and talked to just her to reassure her.

Kudos to Tom for calming her down. What a nice thing to do and Tom's a class act for doing it. 

 

I thought Sadie did a great job but I was watching Emma "shadow" her (match her movements to Sadie's) to make it look more uniform. Also the longer dress covered up the gangliness of her legs- she has great legs but they tend to flail about a bit. 

 

I'm on Team Whitfonso (Love that name) to win. He's working his butt off and has such a good attitude. 

[Thadeeeyus]

Poor Tommy - I can't dislike him, but that trio should not have gotten higher than a 5. He can't keep up and he might injure himself trying. Cut him loose! Though I will miss Peta - she's looked utterly stunning with him this season, mostly because she's not dressing like a tramp every time she dances.

 

I feel the same way.  I'm still enjoying Tommy immensely, but I would hate for him to stay longer and bump off any of the remaining couples.  That trio should have been scored much lower.

 

   

I think Sadie has been underscored and I loved both her dances tonight. Happy to see her get a 40, even if it wasn't all that perfect. Mark was on fire and it was a joy to watch.

 

I look forward to Sadie's dances every week and her and Alfonso's trios were the best of the night for me.  I loved everything about her foxtrot.  The choreography was classic, the ladies were beautiful and had great lines. Kudos to Mark for that.  I love that Sadie had on the white gloves and Emma the black ones. They weren't doing anything to hide her arms.  This girl is being taught how to sell her dances  Even in the jive, her facial expressions sold the routine and made it enjoyable.  As someone who is firmly on the Grassy Knoll, I think Sadie's 10's were planned, and since her mistake wasn't that noticeable, they stuck to the scripted scores and didn't mention any negatives.  Otherwise, it might have interfered with their plans for next week.

 

Farewell to Lea.  She did a good job but it seemed the time was right for her.  As a balletomane, I'm always excited to see contestants with a strong ballet background, but I'm often disappointed that they don't blow people away with their dances.  Jane Seymore was the same way. 

[Princess Sparkle]

Does Tommy real have a fanbase or are the producers manipulating the viewer vote? I have a hard time believing that people are rushing to their phones to vote for him. When they start showing hospital shots, it's time to pack it in. 

 

 

I don't vote (I'm too freaking lazy), but my parents do and they LOVE Tommy.  I think it's a combo of being fans of his in his hey-day, and to quote my father "Well, at least he's a REAL celebrity this season".  So, there's part of that.  Alfonso is my favorite, but honestly, Tommy Chong is just delightful to me.  I know he's having issues remembering the dances, but I do find it awesome that his wit is still quick and sharp at his age (may we all be so lucky).

 

 

I don't know who would have done better with Lea, though. Val's intensity (for lack of a better word) IMO wasn't a perfect match for Elizabeth and Danica, also two women with dance training and a tendency towards overthinking. Derek can get impatient with partners like that as well. Tony is more easygoing, but unfortunately sometimes his partners don't seem to improve enough. Mark did great with Candace and her various freak out issues, but he was also probably already first choice for Sadie as he has a track record of being patient and "non-intimidating" with younger contestants and/or headcases. All baseless speculation anyway LOL.

 

 

 

I don't know why he's persona non grata at the moment, but I think Tristan would've done a great job. 

 

I have to say, I always, always respect on this show when the pro dancer dances to the level of their partner - love it with Tony does it, and I really appreciated that Emma did it with Sadie.  It shows that you're willing to push aside your own ego of showing the audience that you're an amazing dancer, and do what's best for your partner to look good.  I hope Emma gets an actual contender next season, because she is due for one.  

 

I don't care how good of a dancer she is, I would've been thrilled if Janel had been the "surprise" elimination this week.  Hell, I'll be excited if she's the surprise elimination next week.  There is something so off-putting about her that I actually get frustrated watching her dance.

 

And I don't know how Len sits with those fools on the judging panel every week.  No wonder he took so much time off - he probably needs it so he doesn't smack each of them.  And what's terrible, to me, is when Bruno wants to, he can actually give some great advice, I feel like he's just encouraged not to in favor of doing his schtick.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Princess Sparkle

[Alapaki]

And I totally think that was a pity 40 for Sadie.  Her fans have been complaining about her being underscored for weeks; Mark's been complaining whenever he has a microphone or a camera in front of him since day damn one.  So, that 40 was probably to shut all of them up.

 

 

 

FWIW, I think Sadie at this point is also scoring votes on more than just her family and the religion factor.  I also think people have mobilized behind her because she comes off sincere and like a real person.  People can relate to that.

 

 

Over the years I've gotten less and less Knollish.  I've come to believe that when it comes to shows where the audience decides the winner, TPTB don't tend to have a single "Chosen One" but rather simply try to structure a F4/F3 of contestants whom they could live with as winners (so they enter the finale in a no-lose situation).

 

In that regard last night felt, to me, a lot like making sure Tommy doesn't make the F4.  Announcing him safe so early on may have been calculated to lull his voter and suppress his votes.  And the combination of positive comments with (relatively) low scores is usually meant (I think) to drive a contestant down without riling up their voters.

 

By contrast, I saw a lot last night that I'd characterize as calculated to boost Sadie's votes.  She received negative feedback (which would tend to rile her base up to vote to save her) combined with (relatively) good scores; Tom actually stepped in and tried (thinking he was off-mike) to stop her from melting down; pairing her with another female pro for the trio (I believe) may have been meant to take the attention off of Sadie to some extent; and putting her "in jeopardy" (I can't recall whether Tom said this was a true B2) would similarly tend to motivate her voters.

 

Of course, without knowing the actual vote totals I have no idea how Sadie is doing.  And I doubt we'll know next week because Tommy is such a obvious F5 boot. But my sense is that everything about last night was about goosing Sadie's vote totals.

[spanana]

For all the speculation, I really have zero clue how votes are playing out with Janel, Bethany and Sadie.  I think Alfonso is probably at least good for Top 2 as long as he keeps his momentum and he has a good dance draw next week (AT & Contemp) and he and Witney have already hinted at the fact that they will do some tap if they reach the freestyle.  Plus I think it helps his cause that for the older demos at home, he's probably one of the only "real" celebs that people were familiar with pre-DWTS.  I certainly can't speak to the older demos across the board, and I know the older demos are not what DWTS wants, but my mother for instance stopped watching this season early on because she had no idea who most of these people were.  Beyond that I think it's easier for Alfonso to stand out amongst the gaggle of younger female celebs.  Plus his partnership with Witney is so darn charming and I'm sure Witney has won over a whole new fanbase this season.

 

It felt like Janel was being propped a bit last night and that the show was trying to ensure she would be in the finale over Tommy, but at the same time if her vote totals were actually lower this week I also think part of it might have been due to confusion over the immunity challenge last week as the rules were not explained well.  I'd argue a lot of people probably just assumed her immunity was for this week.  I also agree with somebody else that I think Sadie was put in the B2, not necessarily because she was the real B2, but to generate some support for her and give her that push into the finals.  I guess the show doesn't think Bethany needs a push?  Usually social media gives some indication of how the show will play out at this point, but honestly Alfonso, Janel, Bethany and Sadie all have strong fanbases with a strong social media presence so I have not a clue.

 

Also in rewatching the trio dances, they were all enjoyable, but Alfonso's was the only one IMO that deserved a 40.  His was the only one that really was performed full out with no real obvious pauses or mistakes.  I know the female and the male play different parts in these dances, but he's the only one of the remaining celebs that I feel like really just gets out there and owns it, for better or worse.  Both Janel and Bethany had some hesitations and pauses in all the transitions from partner to partner and at times looked like they were being dragged and Sadie had her mistake at the end.

Edited November 11, 2014 by spanana

[Stella MD]

I'm not sorry to see Lea go. Her perpetually bent knees drove me nuts and distracted me from anything else she might have been doing. Whoever mentioned the heels may have been onto something, as there clearly was some weird tentativeness with her legs that prevented her from ever just straightening them normally. I also agree with the Jane Seymour comparison - both in great shape for their age yet still overly stiff and awkward. Just glad we never saw Jane Seymour in a jungle cat leotard making cougar faces (bleah).

 

At this point, we're more than overdue to cull the herd of Sadie/Bethany/Janel, who are all indistinguishably boring to me. Sadie probably bothers me the least, because she at least brings a bit of spark to her dances. Bethany and Janel both bore me to tears. Yes, they are technically proficient (though not nearly to the extent that the judges want us to believe). Yes, they have great pros. I have yet to see anything from either of them that wowed me enough to warrant straight 10s, and if both of them make it to the finale over someone more interesting, I'll throw something at the TV. I know I definitely won't be watching if all three of these silly young nobodies make it to the final three. Yawnfest.

 

It will be an absolute travesty if Alfonso doesn't win this.

[kebarrera]

I'm all for the judges propping up Janel if that means she gets to the finals. Unpopular opinion but I think she has what it takes to win this entire thing. She has brought it every single week and sells every performance. This week was no exception. There was one little mistake in the quickstep but she recovered well. In the salsa, I was watching her the entire time when you think Val and Keo would've stolen the spotlight. Do I think she'll win? No I don't. But I think she has definitely proved she should be in the finals.

[LadyMustang65]

I was reading through the thread and was intrigued by the comments that Janel's salsa was a rip-off of Shawn's samba. That surprised me because I loved Janel's salsa but disliked Shawn's samba. So I went back and watched first Shawn's trio dance and then Janel's trio dance, and honestly, they are nothing alike in any way that matters. Yes, they both included hand-clapping with dust, but Janel's was staged quite differently from Shawn's, and it's not exactly an exclusive Derek move. Alfonso started off his flamenco with that same hand-clapping/dust stuff. And after that opening, there's just really nothing that's the same except a couple of spots where Janel is in front with the two guys behind and to either side, but they're doing different things and you see that a lot in trio dances. If memory serves, Derek used that same kind of staging in Bethany's trio in places as well. So for what it's worth, while the two dances were somewhat similar in that they used the same kind of music, if you go back and watch them one right after the other, they're not very similar at all. I think it's unfair to say Val "ripped off" Derek's choreography.

[fishcakes]

I miss the days when the show got shorter as the number of contestants decreased. Even so, I enjoyed all of the trios last night, even Tommy's, which was terrible but fun. However, I would say only Alfonso/Witney/Lindsay deserved 10s for the trio. Those three killed it, and everyone else was just sort of pleasantly uncrappy by comparison.

 

As much as I've always loved Alfonso, this is the first time I've seen him as sexy. Maybe because to me he was the cute kid in the Pepsi commercal, the other cute kid on Silver Spoons, and then Carlton, the boy born to wear pleated khakis. But he was all kinds of hot in that Paso, and now I won't be able to watch Fresh Prince reruns without feeling like a creeper.

[Andiethewestie]

Absolutely, I agree Kebarrera, there is a marked difference for me in how Janel attacks the dances. This girl is fearless, the choreography is out there - that Salsa Trio was insane and there is no girl left in the competition who could or would do it.  I'm tired of all the strategically placing of hemlines so we don't see the terrible footwork,  Janel's outfits in ballroom have been at least cocktail length to show all the footwork, most of her costuming leaves little else but Janel there to work her dancing. Her work ethic is solid, she's at practice before Val,  I mean this girl is someone who is honing her skills and getting better each time she goes out there.   Two weeks ago she got a 7 for the Viennese Waltz from Len.  Now she got a 10 for a Quickstep from him.  Next week I am really looking forward to what I think will be culminating dances for Janel's journey, the Paso Doble  and the Argentine Tango.  If Val can do for Janel what he did for Kelly Monaco with the Paso, and for Meryl Davis with the Argentine Tango,  then Janel must be a finalist.  

Edited November 11, 2014 by Andiethewestie