S19.E12: Week 10: The Semi-Finals

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

Who knew we'd all have a old man crush on Tommy by the end of his run? His last Rumba, while not technically that great, was so sweet. I'm glad he went out looking like a kindly father figure rather that a creepy old dude. 

 

I did hear Val's flat note on his violin!  

 

I'm rooting for Alphonso to get his back better. I felt awful for him after the first dance because the tears were popping out of his eyes involuntarily. He was much better on the last dance but I'm sure it's killing him to not be able to dance full out this close to the finale. 

[skittl3862]

Sadie's QS was her best dance of the year.  Super ambitious at a pace very few have matched in the history of this show.

It was matched and exceeded just last week with Janel and Val. And last season by Danica and Val, and Charlie and Sharna. And none of the others had to resort to random hip-hop dance breaks in the middle.

[emma675]

 

The Janel/Val paso was awesome, but it bugged me that their intro was the same as Maks and Meryl's hand holding dance from last season. It threw my mind into an unnecessary comparison, which took me a second to snap out of, which is unfortunate, because the dance was super strong.

This! I got totally dragged out of the moment for the first few seconds of the dance trying to remember where I had seen that opening before and then realizing it was the exact same Maks/Meryl one from last season. But I did love the dance and Janel's costume. That was my favorite of the night.

[kebarrera]

She's a fabulous performer and a hard worker, and I was really liking her better after her paso until Val opened his big mouth and prattled on about their relationship and dancing for each other or some such nonsense. Was that Maks' advice, Val?? And dude, I like Val, but this partnership has left me cold.

I don't think he meant it in a romantic way. He explained it better in an interview last week. He said he came into this season very confident that he would win. A couple of weeks in, they went off track and lost sight of what they were working towards and were very down in the dumps. They didn't think they would have a chance to win. But then they started focusing on just the dancing and not let anything outside of that affect them (showmance rumors, her breakup, etc.) and started to go full out again. I think, out of all the couples, they feel they have the most to prove because people are focusing on their relationship outside of the show and that takes away from their dancing. So they are trying their hardest to stand out and get people back on their side through amazing choreography and other tricks that other couples won't attempt.

Edited November 18, 2014 by kebarrera

[Julie23]

I see I am in the minority, but I thought Janel and Val's Paso was good, but not Outstanding. I did see that almost dragging move (again), seems like she can't keep up, so they just do lifts to cover that fact that she is tired, or cant do the steps or something. Something about her dancing or the choreography just bugs. Too many lifts or something I just can't seem to pin point. Plus every time I see Val and Janel gazing lovingly into each other eyes I want to puke. So there's that.

 

I liked Sadie and Mark's quick step, but the guitar dance was just awkward and weird.

 

I like Both of Bethany and Derek's dances. I didn't have a problem with the frame because it was contemporary, which props make sense for, and it was well choreographed.

 

Alphonso. He has been my favorite by far all season. I have back spasms too, and I can barely move, let alone dance. I can and do know his pain. But I don't think his dances suffered for it. They were both very good.

 

Tommy - yes you were entertaining,but if you were not gone this week, it would have been all kinds of wrong.

[truthaboutluv]

I see I am in the minority, but I thought Janel and Val's Paso was good, but not Outstanding. I did see that almost dragging move (again), seems like she can't keep up, so they just do lifts to cover that fact that she is tired, or cant do the steps or something. Something about her dancing or the choreography just bugs. Too many lifts or something I just can't seem to pin point.

 

 

Do you mean the Argentine Tango because I may be wrong, but I don't remember there being any lifts in the Paso Doble. I do agree with you that it was very good but not amazing for me either. For me, I felt like her upper body wasn't really as strong and powerful as I would have liked in the first part of the dance. That said, for all around content, technique and performance, I do think they had the best dance in the first round so I wasn't really too bothered by the score.

 

Plus every time I see Val and Janel gazing lovingly into each other eyes I want to puke. So there's that.

 

 

lol...this reminds me of some of the comments about Val and Kelly during the All-Stars season. As many shipper fans as they had, there were many people who found their constant eye sexing and "we want to do each other right now" gazes incredibly creepy and uncomfortable. I think it's hilarious that Val's showmances seem to inspire both "aww's" and "ew, creepy."

Edited November 18, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[LadyMustang65]

I really enjoyed this show, although I was left feeling a bit 'meh' about many of the dances. Maybe because it's so close to the end I was expecting a bit more?

Val/Janel - I thought they were the clear winners for the night. I loved both of their dances, and those lifts in the AT were amazing. I thought they were crisp, clean, exciting . . . very much fun to watch.

Witney/Alfonso - my second favorites of the night. It was clear that Alfonso could not dance full out, but that didn't stop him from trying. Even injured, he dances better than most of the others. And I love this partnership. I'm hoping for a speedy recovery for him so he can dance full-out next week.

Derek/Bethany - I was a bit underwhelmed by them this week. I thought the Samba with Sasha was cute and fun, but it didn't seem overly difficult for this being Week 10. So I enjoyed it immensely but was left wanting more. I think I would have liked the contemporary better without the frame - or if they'd ditched the frame earlier. It felt kind of like it got in the way at times. Bethany was quite graceful and struck some beautiful poses, but again it just felt a bit lacking.

Mark/Sadie - I did not think her Quickstep was good at all, and I was amazed when Len mentioned speed because I thought it was on the slow side. I also didn't care much for the hip hop, Charleston, shimmy stuff in it. Her footwork wasn't really good either. It wasn't bad, but I thought it was overscored. Her AT with the guitar was another one where I felt like maybe they should have gotten rid of the prop earlier. And I thought it was lacking the usual crispness and sharpness we see in the AT. Again, it wasn't bad, but I didn't think it was as good as the judges did. I kind of feel like maybe Sadie peaked a few weeks ago. She certainly deserves to be in the finals, but at this point I would place her 4th. I just don't see the same spark in her any more - maybe because she's putting too much pressure on herself?

Peta/Tommy - the jazz was just not good for me, but I did enjoy the rumba. Very nice choreography on Peta's part. He was fun, but I'm happy he was the one who left this week. If any of the final 4 had been knocked out by him at this point, it would have been a joke.

I am really looking forward to the finale next week and seeing what they come up with for freestyles. Witney has hinted that there might be some tap in Alfonso's freestyle. She has had some training in tap, and we know Alfonso taps, and this would be something we've never seen before. I expect Derek's to be full of gimmicks, but I'm not sure what to expect from Val and Mark other than I expect Val's to be good and I never know what to expect from Mark - it could be good or it could be exceedingly strange and/or tacky (stripper poles anyone?).

When all is said and done, I will be happy if either Alfonso or Janel wins. I would be okay with a Bethany win (although not so much with another Derek win), but I would be disappointed with a Sadie win. She seems like a sweet kid and early on in the season she had a spark to her, but I really think she's the least of the dancers left.

[Julie23]

truthaboutluv - I did mean the AT, but also just most of their dances in general seem to have a lot more lifts than anyone else.

[sinkwriter]

 

This is cute - the full "jam session" (Yay, Alfonso!)

 

That really was sweet. And I liked how the gals jumped in to "help" with their finger-snapping. LOL. Witney's attempt to belt out at the end was hilariously adorable. She sounded good for a second and then it kind of fell apart, and she and Alfonso started laughing. Loved that.

 

 

I did hear Val's flat note on his violin!

 

Oh yeah, me too. In fact, there was more than one flat note. Sorry, Val! As someone who used to play the violin and would be terrified to try and pick it up again (in public on national tv, no less) after all those years, I give you all the props, but yeah... there were some flat notes and some very shaky ones. I'm guessing because he was really nervous to be playing in front of everyone. But I think it's cool that he picked it up again, and I think it would be wonderful if he returned to it for fun. I've often thought about taking lessons again, to see if I can revive the muscle memory and maybe get a little skill back. So he did inspire me, a little.

 

 

Witney/Alfonso - my second favorites of the night. It was clear that Alfonso could not dance full out, but that didn't stop him from trying. Even injured, he dances better than most of the others. And I love this partnership. I'm hoping for a speedy recovery for him so he can dance full-out next week.

 

Me too! And I loved what the judges said about his partnership with Witney, how connected they are to one another. I think that's really true. From week to week, they always seem to have such a terrific connection. They were very well matched as partners. I've enjoyed watching them every week.

[truthaboutluv]

I'm guessing because he was really nervous to be playing in front of everyone.

 

 

I don't really understand why though because Val has played the violin on the show before. He and Mark had this whole "battle" thing some seasons ago where he was playing the violin and Mark was playing the guitar. I'm pretty sure I didn't dream that. I'm not sure if Val was even a Pro yet or he might have just become one but they hyped it up with all the times he and Mark had competed against each other in the ballroom world and it was supposed to be this dueling music/dance thing. 

[sinkwriter]

No idea. All I can say is that his bowing strength was hesitant, and usually I see that in people who are nervous (I've certainly been one of them).

[majormama]

It didn't seem to only be Val, though. I heard a lot of odd notes once he started dancing. The whole song sounded just enough off to completely distract me from the dance.

[sinkwriter]

I would add that it's easier (for me, at least) to play in a duet than it is to play a solo where everything you do is much more exposed. There's safety and comfort in having a partner to jam with. It makes you bolder because you feel more comfortable, so you play more confidently.

 

It didn't seem to only be Val, though. I heard a lot of odd notes once he started dancing. The whole song sounded just enough off to completely distract me from the dance.

 

It might have been that the band playing with him was trying to follow his solo (to accompany him), but since he was hesitant, they were as well.

[ShaNaeNae]

This! I got totally dragged out of the moment for the first few seconds of the dance trying to remember where I had seen that opening before and then realizing it was the exact same Maks/Meryl one from last season. But I did love the dance and Janel's costume. That was my favorite of the night.

I recognized it right away but then I also realized it was the same singer for both songs. M/M did their Tango to "Feels So Close" by Calvin Harris. J/V did their Paso last night to Calvin Harris' Blame.

 

Did anyone know Bethany was bullied? I was surprised to hear, it's not like they've mentioned it before each dance or anything!

Edited November 18, 2014 by ShaNaeNae

[majormama]

The Toxic duel:

 

[sinkwriter]

Very cool, majormama! Thank you for sharing that! (And I barely recognized Mark without all his hair.)

 

Val's definitely got some awesome skills on the violin - I think he just needs time to warm up. The final parts of Toxic were much stronger than the opening strains. And he played stronger when his hand was in first position, so I think it's because of those extra high notes in third or fourth position. It is really challenging to get notes that high to sound smooth (and not screechy). Sadly, I know that from first hand experience. LOL. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Anything above third position (except the harmonic) is too difficult for me to make pretty.

 

Nevertheless, I think it's a very sexy thing when a guy can play a violin (or almost any instrument, really). And for him to go from playing the violin to dancing that fiercely and then back to playing again... HOT.

Edited November 18, 2014 by sinkwriter

[truthaboutluv]

Did anyone know Bethany was bullied? I was surprised to hear, it's not like they've mentioned it before each dance or anything!

 

 

Bethany to my recollection has only spoken about her bullying the week each contestant was sharing their personal stories. I haven't heard about Bethany's being bullied any more than I've heard about Sadie's family and her being a good Christian or Val and Janel's special friendship/feelings they have for each other. 

 

Thanks majormama. I knew I didn't imagine that. 

Edited November 18, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[iMonrey]

When Tommy and Peta were waiting to do their first dance, Tommy kept making the "toking" gesture and the camera kept cutting away from him to the show's title card. LOL. Isn't pot legal in California now?

 

I've felt all along that there was something vaguely off-putting about Janel's personality, and now having seen her clip package I have an idea why that is. Her parents apparently uprooted themselves and moved their whole family to LA just so she could pursue a career in acting, as a teenager. That's . . . bad parenting, in my book. I mean, I guess it all worked out for them but for every kid that makes it in Hollywood there are about a thousand who don't. Clearly she's been indulged her whole life which explains her sense of entitlement.

 

I was also a trifle disturbed by that video of a four-year old Sadie giving little sermons to her family. Clearly they all thought it was cute as hell and were moved by how much she loved God, but on the other hand, clearly she was going to church and seeing people get up on stage and talk about God and seeing how much attention they were getting so she started to mimic them. I think it speaks to her desire for attention more than her spirituality, because how much does a four year old really know what they're talking about?

 

Why no interview from Will Smith in Alfonso's clip package? He had everyone but. Is Will Smith too big for this show or are he and Alfonso no longer close?

[Cirien]

Isn't it because Gotham is on a rival network and he doesn't want distract from his wife's show?

[truthaboutluv]

Is Will Smith too big for this show or are he and Alfonso no longer close?

 

 

Most definitely the former. Will Smith, despite his few box office bombs in the last few years is still very much considered A-List in the industry. And I know he and Alfonso still speak because there's an adorable video of him and Alfonso on this British talk show a year or two ago, re-enacting this silly dance they did on an episode of Fresh Prince. That being said, it's more than possible he was just busy and couldn't film something.

Edited November 18, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[alexa]

I've felt all along that there was something vaguely off-putting about Janel's personality, and now having seen her clip package I have an idea why that is. Her parents apparently uprooted themselves and moved their whole family to LA just so she could pursue a career in acting, as a teenager. That's . . . bad parenting, in my book. I mean, I guess it all worked out for them but for every kid that makes it in Hollywood there are about a thousand who don't. Clearly she's been indulged her whole life which explains her sense of entitlement.

 

I can't fault you for your opinions, but keep in mind a large number of actors had families that did the exact same thing.  It is not unique to her at all.  It is similar to those that move for their child's interest in a sport like skating or gymnastics.  

 

I was also a trifle disturbed by that video of a four-year old Sadie giving little sermons to her family. Clearly they all thought it was cute as hell and were moved by how much she loved God, but on the other hand, clearly she was going to church and seeing people get up on stage and talk about God and seeing how much attention they were getting so she started to mimic them. I think it speaks to her desire for attention more than her spirituality, because how much does a four year old really know what they're talking about?

 

How is this any different than a 4 year old pretending at anything (singing/dancing/acting/role playing)?  That is such a typical thing for a young child to do, and if she is giving sermons to her family who are fellow Christians she is not doing any harm.  I think it just reflects her family's interests, and it would make sense she would role play something she was familiar with.

[Sandiscot]

Pot is only legal in California for medical use.

[BoogieBurns]

That is such a typical thing for a young child to do, and if she is giving sermons to her family who are fellow Christians she is not doing any harm.  I think it just reflects her family's interests, and it would make sense she would role play something she was familiar with.

 

My family always tells a story about me from that age. Any time someone said "I love you" to me (my extended family is very affectionate) I would reply "I love my mommy, my daddy, my Jesus, and that's it." 

 

Strangely, I still feel the exact same way, but I did not go on to lead a church. Maybe 4 year olds are just saying the few things they know.

[Uke]

Maybe it's just me, but the whole show had a down and stressed feeling to it. I realize they're all tired and some are really hurting, but it showed. Anyway, my opinions:

 

Sadie-Quickstep: First, a really horrible song for both quickstep and AT. I didn't get the hairspray thing at the beginning but I thought she did really well. The last 9 seconds out of hold are allowed so I don't know what CAI was babbling about.  I think the judges have gotten into Sadie's head and confused her.  She started the season happy and confident and they've just ground her down.  Scores didn't match the comments. Given the overscoring of others, I'd have given her one or two more 10s.

Sadie-AT: Boy! Mark really trusts Sadie. That guitar was no prop-it's one from Mark's very expensive collection.  I thought it was a beautiful dance and I understood it. The lift was so smooth.  I disagreed with JH about the guitar used as a barrior. I've not seen any resistance from Sadie about getting close to Mark. They were full contact in the QS. It was softer than I usually like for an AT but again, they were having to adapt to the song. Underscored. They gave 40s to Alfonso and Bethany for what they did, then Sadie deserved at least as much.

 

Tommy-Jazz: Entertaining and he did his fair share of the dancing.  He looks dead tired but somehow he keeps moving. Scores? yea, ok.

Tommy-Rumba: Very sweet. He didn't do much but he conveyed a gentleness and caring and I enjoyed it. 9s? Should have been 7s but he's gone tonight anyway. Len: no one his age will ever get this far again - does he mean they'll rig it so it won't happen again. He's there because the fans wanted to keep him.

 

Bethany-Samba: Why is the package all about Derek (again)? Yes, they tried to spin it that Bethany was "the coach" but Derek has seemed a bit on autopilot this season. Anyway, 20 seconds posing on the bench before starting the dance? That was worse than Janel's 17 time-wasting seconds last week. I had to double check that this was supposed to be a samba. Derek sure likes that stand-in-one-place-twisty-move.  If this was week 1 or 2, I'd say good job. Week 10? No.  Waaay overscored. 7s and 8s!

Bethany-Contemporary: I know I've seen this dance before - I recognized it immediately - haven't found it on youtube yet though.  I didn't get this with the angsty face. It felt very closed and confined both in mood and keeping to a tiny area of the floor. I don't know what the judges were raving about. Overscored. 9s would have been plenty. Also I feel like Bethany's wall is going up again. She just seems to be getting more remote and closed like she was in the beginning.

 

Janel-Paso Doble: Maks' big advise is give the people what they want?  Back to the showmance again with all the kissy cuddling stuff.  The dance was pretty good but her frame was horrible - maybe because she was trying to keep her arm around his neck instead of on his shoulder? Not the best I've seen, not the worst, just meh! I'm seeing buzz that Janel will be in the DWTS tour so tptb are pushing her for a win.  Had to wonder what Sadie was thinking in that quick shot. Overscored. 9s would be fine.

Janel-AT: It amazes me that the family would uproot and move to LA for a 6 year old's dreams.  I was put off by Val saying there were other dancers on the show who danced beautifully but put zero soul into it.  The close ups of smiling nose-to-nose were annoying. Agree with CAI that the lifts were ungraceful.  I suspect her lack of core strength is the root of a number of her problems so I'd guess Val is just powering the lifts.  I'd like to like Janel but it all just seems too calculating and so I just can't warm up to her. There just didn't seem to be much to this dance.  Overscored. 8s and 9s.

 

Alfonso-AT:  I've had bad back spasms and I get how disabling they are. I'm really amazed he could move at all.  But it is a dance competition and he was very upright and quite stiff. This was 98% Witney. I think the scores included a toughed-it-out bonus but I'm ok with the 9s.

Alfonso-Contemporary: Surprised he was much more mobile in this than he was in the AT. He did well. Overscored. Solidly 9s with maybe one 10.

 

Between last week and this week, it looks like tptb want to award the mbt to Janel so they can promote "the season winner" for the tour. If so, just hand it to her.  I had thought Alfonso would probably win but with his injuries, I'm thinking maybe not. They seem to love Bethany, not so much Sadie. Hard to say what they're going to do.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Uke

[Fliz]

God, I miss Maks. *ducks*

[SnarkyTart]

Thank you, Tommy Chong for making this a more enjoyable season to watch than it would otherwise have been.   Thank you, Peta, for being such a fabulous partner for Tommy and finding just the right balance of choreography (most of the time anyway) to allow Tommy to have a good time, charm the audience, and even occasionally to dance.  I thought Tommy's intro package tonight lent a huge hand to helping him go out on a very high (pun not entirely unintended) note.  That man's life has certainly been a long and winding road. 

 

I'm so sad for Alfonso.  Looking back to his weeks on the show prior to his injuries, he's clearly one of the best natural dancers ever to have been on DWTS.  This season should have been a lock for him, and we should have seen so many absolutely incredible performances from him.  Witney has been so perfect for Alfonso, and the partnership would have gone down in the annals of DWTS history as one of the most unforgettable, not only for its chemistry, but for its choreography.  Selfishly, I'm sad to have been deprived of all of those 10-worthy performances Alfonso would have given me.   I'm really conflicted about this one now.  My heart still wants Alfonso to win, but my head believes it would be on the basis of a lot of sympathy votes.  An uninjured Alfonso would have cleaned the floor with the rest of the field, leaving no questions.  His win would have been clear and clean, devoid of much (maybe all) of the drama and conflict that almost inevitably accompanies the season winner. Now, pending a miraculous and complete recovery for Alfonso this week, I'll still be happy for him to win, but it will not feel like the honest win that would have been much more satisfying.   

 

Other than that, on the basis of all performances taken collectively over this season, I give Janel a small advantage over the other two girls.  Her burlesque performance was the only one that made me cringe, her other performances have ranged from pretty good to almost great.  Val has done a remarkable job with his choreography this year.

 

For me, Bethany and Sadie ended up tied going into the finals.  They've both done really well, had a visible growth arc, and neither of their partnerships have been obnoxious.  Watching the pair of these girls through the season has been pretty fun and mostly entertaining.  I can't ask for much more than that. 

[howmanywords]

Most definitely the former. Will Smith, despite his few box office bombs in the last few years is still very much considered A-List in the industry. And I know he and Alfonso still speak because there's an adorable video of him and Alfonso on this British talk show a year or two ago, re-enacting this silly dance they did on an episode of Fresh Prince. That being said, it's more than possible he was just busy and couldn't film something.

And it was AWESOME! Its a much-watch if anyone hasnt seen it (check out the insane crowd reaction when Alfonso comes out busting out The Carlton). That said Alfonso did put Will on the phone to wish Witney a happy birthday, and he mentioned several weeks back that Will does watch the show but likely wouldnt be in the audience because DWTS was up against his wife's show on Fox.

[Fliz]

I think the stylists went a little nuts with the braids and the weird hair bumps. Perhaps it wasn't necessary to do so many of them on the same night.

[RemoteControl88]

No idea. All I can say is that his bowing strength was hesitant, and usually I see that in people who are nervous (I've certainly been one of them).

 

Yep he was nervous.  He talks about it at around 1:15.

 

Edited November 18, 2014 by RemoteControl88

[RemoteControl88]

I think the stylists went a little nuts with the braids and the weird hair bumps. Perhaps it wasn't necessary to do so many of them on the same night.

My thoughts exactly.  Julianne, Witney, Janel & Bethany's hair was very suspect.  Somebody in the hair department is trying WAY to hard to be creative.

[nutty1]

I really enjoyed this show, although I was left feeling a bit 'meh' about many of the dances. Maybe because it's so close to the end I was expecting a bit more?

Val/Janel - I thought they were the clear winners for the night. I loved both of their dances, and those lifts in the AT were amazing. I thought they were crisp, clean, exciting . . . very much fun to watch.

Witney/Alfonso - my second favorites of the night. It was clear that Alfonso could not dance full out, but that didn't stop him from trying. Even injured, he dances better than most of the others. And I love this partnership. I'm hoping for a speedy recovery for him so he can dance full-out next week.

Derek/Bethany - I was a bit underwhelmed by them this week. I thought the Samba with Sasha was cute and fun, but it didn't seem overly difficult for this being Week 10. So I enjoyed it immensely but was left wanting more. I think I would have liked the contemporary better without the frame - or if they'd ditched the frame earlier. It felt kind of like it got in the way at times. Bethany was quite graceful and struck some beautiful poses, but again it just felt a bit lacking.

Mark/Sadie - I did not think her Quickstep was good at all, and I was amazed when Len mentioned speed because I thought it was on the slow side. I also didn't care much for the hip hop, Charleston, shimmy stuff in it. Her footwork wasn't really good either. It wasn't bad, but I thought it was overscored. Her AT with the guitar was another one where I felt like maybe they should have gotten rid of the prop earlier. And I thought it was lacking the usual crispness and sharpness we see in the AT. Again, it wasn't bad, but I didn't think it was as good as the judges did. I kind of feel like maybe Sadie peaked a few weeks ago. She certainly deserves to be in the finals, but at this point I would place her 4th. I just don't see the same spark in her any more - maybe because she's putting too much pressure on herself?

Peta/Tommy - the jazz was just not good for me, but I did enjoy the rumba. Very nice choreography on Peta's part. He was fun, but I'm happy he was the one who left this week. If any of the final 4 had been knocked out by him at this point, it would have been a joke.

I am really looking forward to the finale next week and seeing what they come up with for freestyles. Witney has hinted that there might be some tap in Alfonso's freestyle. She has had some training in tap, and we know Alfonso taps, and this would be something we've never seen before. I expect Derek's to be full of gimmicks, but I'm not sure what to expect from Val and Mark other than I expect Val's to be good and I never know what to expect from Mark - it could be good or it could be exceedingly strange and/or tacky (stripper poles anyone?).

When all is said and done, I will be happy if either Alfonso or Janel wins. I would be okay with a Bethany win (although not so much with another Derek win), but I would be disappointed with a Sadie win. She seems like a sweet kid and early on in the season she had a spark to her, but I really think she's the least of the dancers left.

 

 

As far as finales, gimmicks and Derek.....I thought his freestyle with Kelly Pickler was one of the best dances I have seen on this show.

 

I am hoping Alphonso wins....even if he isn't performing at 100%, up until now, he has consistently performed at 110%! I am a bit bummed for me. I was looking so forward to his freestyle. I'll bet there would have been a little of the Carlton in there!

 

I am with those who thought Sadie's QS seemed slow. I guess that is why I am here and the judges are behind that desk, LOL!

[scootypuffjr]

When Alfonso was flat on the floor after he hurt his back, I half expected Witney to ask him if he wanted a snack.

 

Maybe I'm just in a good mood, but I enjoyed the entire show.  I want Alfonso to win, but couldn't really complain if any of the others took home the Coveted Mirror Ball Trophy - they are all good, and an argument could be made that they all deserve to win.  I admit Alfonso is somewhat of a ringer, but I thing a ringer's ringeriness depends somewhat on how much one likes him or her.  I like Alfonso, and hope he can hang on to take it all.

[Princess Sparkle]

I bet it was a blast being their kids.

I felt like such an idiot for not realizing until last night that Rae Dawn Chong is his daughter. Somehow, that connection was just not there for me, even though I know she'd been in the audience on previous nights.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Princess Sparkle

[kitcloudkicker]

Some assorted pro thoughts from this episode:

I found it a little self indulgent for Mark and Val to incorporate their instruments into their dances - and I'm saying that as someone who loves that duel they did a few seasons back. (Val's sexy Romanian thing usually doesn't do it for me but with a violin, suddenly yes.) But that was an exhibition featuring them and for this they should be featuring their star. Watching back it bugged me how long Janel had to stand around before Val came over to start the dance, and the guitar tango was awkward.

Derek. Dude. Take a vacation. As a person in a different creative field, if I don't get away at a decently periodic interval, there's no way I can continue to do my job. Creativity happens when you take outside inspiration and mix it together and it's impossible if you never get away. It's not surprising to me that he's feeling uninspired. (I was listening to some comedian talking about advice he had gotten in his career and it was basically, do things that are not hanging out in comedy clubs, or else you're never going to get new material.)

[MortysCleaningLady]

Relieved that Tommy went home.  He did amazingly well for a 76 year old, but it was time.

 

Did anyone else think Quayle looked hotter than ever?  Just me apparently.  Looking good for 67!  Almost as good as my other childhood crush, Rick Schroeder.  Seriously, I need to become pals with Alfonso. 

[RetailTherapy]

Is it possible for Derek to be phoning it in any more than he has this season?  Last night was the worst yet.  And yeah, I'd like to have seen Tommy outlast Bethany.  There.  I said it.  He isn't the best dancer, but he's also not riding the "woe is me, someone bullied me" train week after week.  I daresay we've all been bullied to some extent in our lives, me included.  So it bugs when people try to turn it into a career.

 

Janel is forgettable.  She is talented and like one of the judges suggested a while back, Broadway might be her real calling.  The AT was shaky at best and those were incredibly awkward lifts.  Her paso looked very been-there, done-that.  It was well done, but nothing overly spectacular.

 

Sadie seems to be a nice girl, but boy is she awkward!  All arms and legs.  She's done ok this season, but there's no smoothness to her dancing at all.  That tango costume, though.  Yeesh.  Was that something that wardrobe made in home-ec class?  It was beyond awful.  Rather creative with the guitar, but that's not really what the AT is all about.

 

Alfonso has been spot on consistent all season long.  He shouldn't be punished for an off week that has nothing to do with his ability or Witney's choreography and everything with an injury.   I caught how sweet he was to Sadie and how he is with Witney week after week.  He just seems to be a genuinely good guy and an amazing dancer. 

 

I'll miss Tommy and Peta.  She never bugged me like she did others - I've found her to be incredibly creative and that she was able to make a 76 year old stoner look good for 9 weeks is pretty darned good. 

[jackjill89]

I really want to like Bethany, but there is something about her that bugs me so much. She really leaves me cold. She has definitely improved throughout the weeks, but I think the over the top comments she received for mediocre dancing in the beginning turned me against her a bit. I'm not wowed. I am, however, wowed by how Derek always manages to choreograph to maximize strengths and hide weaknesses in his partners. He is a master of illusion.

[LadyMustang65]

I felt like such an idiot for not realizing until last night that Rae Dawn Chong is his daughter. Somehow, that connection was just not there for me, even though I know she'd been in the audience on previous nights.

 

Don't feel bad.  I didn't make the connection until last night either. Neither did the DH.  There's probably a lot of us in that same boat.  :)

[truthaboutluv]

It's funny reading the comments about Bethany because it just further proves how this show has never been and never will be about just the dancing, just like American Idol was never just about the singing and same with So You Think You Can Dance. I've always said that any show that in order to win, requires people to get motivated enough to power vote and redial for you, is not going to be solely based on technique. People have to like you as a person. It's why the producers always play up the back stories and create storylines and narratives for the celebrities. 

 

Because while you have some who go on about how cold Bethany is, on the other side are those who say Janel comes across fake and gives off a Rachel Berry vibe and they can't connect with her and I've seen places were a few people think Sadie is annoying and I know there are people who will never vote for her just because of her family and their show. Hell, I've even seen one or two comments about Alfonso being a little annoying. This is also why I've always said this show is won on some ability, a couple of showstopping numbers but more importantly, how much a celebrity connects with the audience. 

 

I will say, with regards to Bethany, while I can understand why some view her as cold and maybe detached, at the least, she never comes across fake in my opinion or like she's ever "on" for the cameras and the show. Also, after watching her tribute package, I think her personality makes even more sense considering this is a person her parents said when she was very young, would whisper to her mother what to say, if someone asked her a question.

 

In a way it actually made me better understand her doing the YouTube thing because I get the feeling that Bethany's natural instinct and personality is one that's introverted and reserved. So she basically puts herself in a position where she's forced to step outside of her comfort zone. By the way, I don't think she's shy. I know often introversion and shyness seem to be considered the same thing but I don't get that with Bethany. I think she is self assured and mature, she's just not a larger than life personality. 

 

This is also why this may be the first season in a long time that I honestly cannot call the winner because I honestly cannot get a sense of who is really getting the lion's share of the viewer votes. Like Meryl's win was a foregone conclusion by mid-season and I knew Amber was going to beat Corbin because I knew she had a much larger voting base. My gut so far says it will be Alfonso and the injury might even help because he may get sympathy votes but I really don't know.

 

Sadie clearly has a lot of people behind her, judging by the number of comments I see so many places online about her being underscored (I disagree for the record. I think Sadie's technique plateaued weeks ago), Janel is a toss up because she and Val clearly have their fans but they also clearly have a lot of detractors and Bethany is a massive wildcard. She clearly has a huge social media/online presence and fanbase yet judging by the comments I saw after glancing at her Instagram, seems like her fans don't give a crap about DWTS and just want her to go back to making videos for them. Seriously, some of them sounded really upset and creepily over-invested in her not being online for a month. 

 

Switching gears, I have to say, I was surprised to find out that Tommy's wife was the same woman he's been married to forever because the few shots of her in the crowd I saw in the last few weeks, I thought she looked way younger than him. So much so that I immediately jumped to the "oh he probably traded up for a younger and hotter blonde woman some years ago..." Sorry dude.

Edited November 19, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[fishcakes]

Most amusing moment of the night: Val giving Tom's butt a squeeze "from Maks." Love that too.

 

I loved how awkward he looked doing it. Maks would usually sneak his arm around his partner and give Tom a quick goose while smiling at the camera, whereas Val almost got on one knee and looked right into Tom's face while sloooowly pinching his butt. Gah, showmances!

 

As a violinist, Val is a good dancer. 

 

Heh. I adore Val, but yes. Also, I didn't know that Derek can play the wooden box.

 

My lower back went into spasm a couple of years ago and I can honestly say it was the most pain I've ever been in in my life. Standing and sitting was excruciating and I pretty much had to lie on the floor for an entire week, doing stretches every few hours to make the muscles relax. If Alfonso's back is anything like mine was, that he got through rehearsal and performance is amazing and the tears wouldn't be a surprise. I would spontaneously start crying just trying to stand up; that's how bad it was. I voted for him and would love to see him win, but not at the expense of his health. I'll be disappointed if he has to drop out next week, but also glad for him. And he can always come back in some future season and do the tap freestyle with Witney that a lot of us have been waiting for.

[RedheadZombie]

I can't believe how much I'm liking Peta in her partnership with Tommy.  I'm reminded that I did like Peta her first season. I think some of the pros really thrive when they don't have partners they might be sexually attracted to.  I thought Witney was an idiot last season because she spent so much time mooning over her partner, but her partnership with Alfonso is lovely.  

 

I think Erin has hit her stride.  For the first time, she didn't irritate me, and she made me laugh a couple of times.  I was particularly irritated last season by her egging on of the Meryl/Maks showmance.  But perhaps that was her way of keeping the focus off the fact that she and Maks were once a thing. She's toned down the manic energy a bit, and gotten better at ad libbing and handling the pros who go off script.

[crowceilidh]

That's funny.  I'm usually an Erin fan, but I thought she was dreadful this week.

[quinn]

I don't think Tommy's wife, the woman they've been panning to in the audience, is anywhere near his age (mid-70s) nor is she the mother of his older children.

[Mbeaker]

I don't think Tommy's wife, the woman they've been panning to in the audience, is anywhere near his age (mid-70s) nor is she the mother of his older children.

Shelby is 66 years old. She's Tommy's second wife (since 1975),and while she isn't the mother of Rae Dawn, Paris Chong is her son (the one they showed in that clip), and they have two more children together.

[quinn]

^ She looks damn good for 66. Maybe misread a previous post, but I thought it stated (or I mistakenly inferred) that Tommy and his wife got together when they were teenagers and I didn't think, and you confirmed, that they were teens at the same time. But again she looks good and their age gap looks like more than 10 years, more due to her looking younger than her age than Tommy looking older.

Edited November 19, 2014 by quinn

[Linderhill]

 

I don't think Tommy's wife, the woman they've been panning to in the audience, is anywhere near his age (mid-70s) nor is she the mother of his older children.

She isn't.  I was curious and googled last night, and Rae Dawn and her sister Robbi's mother is Maxine Sneed who he divorced (or they divorced) in 1970.  He married Shelby in 1975.  There's a 10 year age difference between the two.

[mmpat]

 

I am with those who thought Sadie's QS seemed slow. I guess that is why I am here and the judges are behind that desk, LOL!

 

No, you're not wrong--the judges are being influenced by some other factor, whatever that may be.  It's pretty easy to gauge the speed of the dance by the tempo of the music. By my metronome (because I'm that geeky), Janel/Val were dancing quickstep at about 110-112 beats per minute.  Sadie/Mark danced theirs at 98-100 bpms, which is a noticeably slower tempo.  

 

For that matter, Alfonso danced his Week 3 quickstep at 104-108 bpms.

[Padma]

My family always tells a story about me from that age. Any time someone said "I love you" to me (my extended family is very affectionate) I would reply "I love my mommy, my daddy, my Jesus, and that's it." 

 

Strangely, I still feel the exact same way, but I did not go on to lead a church. Maybe 4 year olds are just saying the few things they know.

If that had been the clip of Sadie, it would have seemed childlike and cute. The one of her preaching (looking so serious and angry as she imitated their own minister apparently) was really off-putting to me. She seems like a nice girl and I've been interested that the show pushes the religious angle more, imo, than she does. Maybe that was a condition of her being on the show--something about Christianity in every appearance.

 

I don't know anything about the Duck D. people, but it did seem odd how her father and grandfather look...nice words? ...old and grizzled...while her mother and grandmother both look young and beautiful, possibly with enough facial work to look like sisters.  No conclusions from this, they just seem like an odd group. I'm really surprised they would let her go onto a show like this--wholesomely provocative at times, but Mark has done very well with her choreo and actually has been so much better as a partner this season--not drawing the attention to himself even with a very capable partner as he has in the past. I always enjoyed his choreography, but I've actually liked his dancing more this season, too.

 

Never cared for Peta, although I think she's one of the better choreographers. But the rumba was lovely and such a tasteful way to close Tommy on the show. Their partnership made me like him (when originally I didn't care) and for the first time, made her seem likable too. 5th place was quite an accomplishment! I liked Len admitting that he couldn't do it--and, oddly, (I believe him. For a championship dancer in his early sixties, he always looks very stiff when he moves, the little we have seen. It always surprises me.)

[majormama]

I went back and played Janel and Val's AT, not watching but just listening to the music. I think even more there was something off about the band. Even after Val stopped playing and started dancing, the song was bad. It sounded more like an orchestra tuning up than a song in the beginning. It got much better once the bass player switched from bowing to plucking, but I think the violin and viola were just a *touch* out of tune from each other, not enough to be completely terrible but enough to distract me.

[jmt111]

A problem with Derek is that he isn't connected with his partner. Bethany seems so superfluous in the packages and at times I feel sorry for her. I'm hoping Alfonso's back spasms recede because a Janel win would not be just.