S20.E05: Disney Songs Night

[Rancide]

Suzanne had breast cancer. She wrote two books about it. She's a champion of bio-identical hormones.

 

I consider myself fortunate to have gone this far in life without prior exposure to Suzanne's medical "expertise."  From what I'm seeing on Google, her medical "theories" seem have about as much scientific support as Jenny McCarthy's.  It seems like she personally suffered from debilitating menopause symptoms, which is something that does happen to some women and is, as I understand it, a l medically indicated reason for the use of hormone replacement therapy.  That's a far cry from "hormones for everyone!" including women who have mild or moderate menopause symptoms that are not interfering significantly with their quality of life for whom Suzanne seems to recommend hormones because... pretty skin!  youth forever!  She's even pushing this crap now for women in their 30s (!!!).

 

I'm sorry, I realize it's a live show, and the producers have limited control over the idiocy that comes out of contestants' mouths, but I'm annoyed that Suzanne managed to get her shout-out to hormones in, particularly after being praised for coming on this show as a woman in her late 60s.  I'd hate to see women in their 40s and 50s who don't have any medically indicated reason to be taking hormones increasing their risk for breast cancer, heart attack, & etc. because they think that if only they take hormones, they too can look like Suzanne and be dancing into their late 60s.  This show is not the place to be dispensing medical advice.  

[katha]

Oh, I think this week was also a bit of a showcase how obviously scripted this show is. The marks do roughly correspond to what the dancers put out there, but there are clear narratives they follow. Last week Rumer's waltz "wasn't enough waltz" and she was marked down for it. This week it didn't matter that there wasn't enough samba in the samba, it was her turn to take the lead in the scoring and that was that. It's a bit of a hoot how transparent it all is, to be honest.

 

And I hope Chris goes next. It was time for Suzanne as well, so I was okay with her out this week. But Chris and Witney at this point are just unpleasant to watch. The Bachelor fans are keeping him in, I hope they don't anymore. IMO both Chris and Witney don't make the greatest impression in this partnership and they're obviously both over it.

[anonymiss]

Riker should stay in Jack Sparrow character. He is so much more palatable with that look and attitude--more man than pipsqueak upstart poseur. It wasn't technically great though. It started off impressively and then got sloppy. They give 10s now for what were 8s once upon a time.

 

The way Tony was tuning out and looking in the other direction when CAI was talking just adds to his unlikeability. He's never impressed me and I hate his dismissive arrogant attitude towards not only CAI but also Len when he's been critiqued.

 

Julianne must really have an axe to grind against Witney (actually Mark but she has to spread out the passive aggression or it will be obvious). She was overly harsh in her critique with non-dancer Chris. I agreed with CAI that it was surprisingly improved and decent for an injured non-dancer.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Rumor and Val win. That was flat and all the judges tongue-bathed it.

 

I like Mark's choreography and Willow is perfectly nice. But it's hard for me to be moved by children dancing, especially ones I have no interest in to begin with.

Edited April 14, 2015 by anonymiss

[Mocking Bird]

 

. It reminded me how my feelings about Mark have changed. It's been a couple of seasons now where I felt he was not "overdancing/overshadowing" his partners, but really choreographing with and for them. And I love his boldness and imagination. Bravo!

 

My attitude toward Mark has completely changed as well.  I used to delight in hating on his stupid hair, spats and all the "look at meeeee!" skittering around his partner like a flea on a hot brick.  I've come to admire his genuinely considered partnership with the teens and his ability to craft appropriate, entertaining dances that showcase these young ladies.  His intense need (desperation would be to harsh) to shine is always present, but he no longer makes me seethe with loathing.  I shall now go pull the wings off a few flies to cleanse myself.

[judemorrigan]

I spent a lot of time last week defending Val and Rumer's faux-waltz as only being faux because of the music.  This week though, I have to say that I loved the concept and fact that Rumer's choice of character way more than I did the dance itself. In their defense, the sambas on this show have all been pretty much uniformly terrible.  And she had her moments in the dance.  But overall, I wasn't seeing much samba technique from her.  And allow me to note that I *hate* "Len likes traditional ballroom because he's old snark.

 

A funny counterpoint to last week with Tony and Suzanne's jazz: I kept finding myself watching Tony and thinking to myself "Sheesh there's a lot of smooth foxtrot in this jazz routine".  In fairness, it may be more a case of there being rather a lot of jazz in smooth foxtrot.  I know I've had my own instructor give me homework to spend some time watching Bob Fosse dances to inform the character of my own foxtrot.  Anyways, I'm not going to miss Suzanne at all.  I am, however, going to miss the Tony that's shown up the last couple of weeks.  At least on the dance floor.

 

I keep going back and forth on what disappoints me most about Allison and Riker's partnership: that he could be doing so ridiculously well with a ballroom pro or that they'll do well enough regardless to let TPTB justify keeping her around.  She seems like a lovely person who is just a lousy fit for this show.

 

I have no trouble believing that Chris' injury was real - I kept thinking that he seemed ... heavily medicated when they were talking to him last night.  Just another reason that I really hope he goes home next week.  Particularly over Sharkaroo.  Whose dance (and music, what an awful rendition of Step In Time) had issues that were unfortunate, but fixable.

 

Count me among the people who have really appreciated what working with the younger ladies has done for Mark.  I grew to kind of hate his show persona for a while there, but he's been doing really well.  And while I get people's reaction to the rabbit costume, I personally found myself kind of impressed by his willingness to complete go for it.

[MakeMeLaugh]

I only watched DWTS this season because I wanted to see what Chris's personality was like when he wasn't on The Bachelor. I've discovered he's still 100% personality-free. He couldn't even snap at Witney with any spark, but she managed to cry anyway, so I guess they've filled their drama quotient for the week.

Anyway, I turned the channel after that because of Erin Andrews. She's really a bad host. Her voice is strident, she interrupts people, makes stupid jokes or tries too hard to force the contestants to say something they don't want to say.

Yes on both. And re Erin, one minute she is rushing the couple through to get the scores because because we are running short, and then she keeps the next couple waiting while she talks to a mute Disney character.

I like Disney okay but who do the producers think is watching this show? Three year olds? Really over the top cloying this season.

Sharna was absolutely amazing in her carefully unsympathetic down-to-earth "Buck up, buddy" speech to Noah when he was really having trouble in rehearsal, physically and psychologically; it made me and Mr MML cry and love them both. When Witney tried to help Chris, he instead snapped at her. Chris, you will never be the man Noah is. Grow up.

Edited April 14, 2015 by MakeMeLaugh

[tobysmom]

I adored Mark/Willow's Alice. I don't know how it was as a foxtrot--I didn't recognize the foxtrot but I mostly recognize foxtrot by its jazzy music rather than its moves. As a work of theater, though, I thought it was the standout of the night. Unlike last week where I thought the production overshadowed Willow as a dancer, this time the production complimented her. She looked lovely, light, and mature (but in an age appropriate way). I haven't heard that music before (is it from Tim Burton's?), and now I want to choreograph an aerial routine to it.

I agree - I adored this routine.  I had doubts when I found out she was going to be on and only 14.  But, as one of the judges mentioned earlier, she may be 14 but when she dances you don't see it at all.  She has to be one of the only actors that they have had on this show that really becomes their character.  I also agree that while I really like their dance last week that the production overshadowed Willow; there were times when I had to search for her.  Last night I thought their routine was great; and I guess I'm one of the few who liked Mark's Rabbit.  :)    I was never a fan of Ballas and Hough; but Mark is winning me over.

 

I hope Willow makes it to the finals.

 

I also enjoyed Riker these past couple of weeks. Not that I want him to win; but he will probably be in the finals.

[anony mouse]

My attitude toward Mark has completely changed as well.  I used to delight in hating on his stupid hair, spats and all the "look at meeeee!" skittering around his partner like a flea on a hot brick.  I've come to admire his genuinely considered partnership with the teens and his ability to craft appropriate, entertaining dances that showcase these young ladies.  His intense need (desperation would be to harsh) to shine is always present, but he no longer makes me seethe with loathing.  I shall now go pull the wings off a few flies to cleanse myself.

 

I'm the same way. I used to loathe Mark and was constantly complaining about his look at me schtick. But he's definitely improved a lot, and although there are some misses with his crazy routines, when he's on he's really, really good. And he's able to come up with a lot of ways to showcase his partner that aren't solely focused on sexiness. I really liked his partnerships with Candace and Sadie, and I'm enjoying him with Willow as well. Maybe it's just maturity, but I'm really rooting for him. Color me surprised.

[kayma]

Sharna was absolutely amazing in her carefully unsympathetic down-to-earth "Buck up, buddy" speech to Noah when he was really having trouble in rehearsal, physically and psychologically;

And that's exactly what he needed to hear and exactly how he would have wanted to hear it. It really showed just how much Sharna understands him. I agree with her that if you can't do anything about the knee, work on other aspects. That's why I'm willing to forgive his limitations for his knee and arm - there are enough other things to work on that he could still progress and improve. I do wish there was more in hold foxtrot though. I thought he didn't do a whole lot but that what he did was good.

 

Anyways, I'm not going to miss Suzanne at all.  I am, however, going to miss the Tony that's shown up the last couple of weeks.  At least on the dance floor.

When it was down to the final two, I realized I wouldn't miss Suzanne or Chris. I will miss Tony, and I'll miss Witney when Chris leaves. I do think her partnership with Chris is showing how young and inexperienced she is (something that she can work on but isn't her fault), but it also shows how immature and whiny Chris is (which is his fault). Most of the stars on the show aren't great dancers. He doesn't have to be a great dancer, but he does need to work hard and have fun. I care far more about the star's experience than I do their dancing because I know I couldn't do what the majority of them manage to learn.

 

And, that's why I love Patti. She's in my ideal top 4 - Rumer, Nastia, Patti, Willow/Noah/Riker. I love that she comes out and does some dancing. She puts in the practice time appropriate for someone her age. There's no whining, complaining, or excuses. She's there to have fun and enjoy the experience. I thought her dance was elegant and graceful. Yes, there could have been more, but the scores reflect that so I have no complaints.

 

I thought Robert was underscored and the top 3 overscored. It makes me wonder how people are really voting when TPTB make their final expectations so obvious. I was mostly underwhelmed by everyone aside from Patti.

 

Riker should stay in Jack Sparrow character. He is so much more palatable with that look and attitude--more man than pipsqueak upstart poseur. It wasn't technically great though. It started off impressively and then got sloppy.

This was the most likeable I've ever found Riker. I liked the concept of the dance and the energy, though I wish Allison would let the dance breathe a little. Some nuance would be good. I liked that Riker was committed to it. Something bothered me about his feet the whole time, and I was really worried when they almost flew off into the audience when Allison when to do the swing thing on the floor. I have no idea on technique but was surprised when they pulled out 10s.

 

I only saw Frozen once, so if Nastia's dance was a retread of the dance in the movie I'll give Derek a pass. However, if it wasn't, I was really disappointed in the choreography - the bench, the synchronized arms, the flip thing that she's already done in other dances. It was like a mashup of a couple of Bethany's dances with some acrobatics thrown in. This is only my 3rd season of the show so I think I missed Derek's best choreography and have generally thought other pros were outdoing him, but I was really hopeful I'd get to see the genius I've read so much about with Nastia. Nastia should be blowing everyone away with ability and choreography, and I just don't see it yet. I want to be wowed by Nastia like i have been by some of the others. I wish they'd given Derek someone like Bethany or Janel this season and saved Nastia for when he could focus on her more. On the plus side, I thought Nastia's performance was a huge improvement.

 

I like Rumer. I like her and Val together. I think their dance was probably better in person without some of the odd camera work and the production that seemed to overwhelm on my tv. She looked great as Ursula, and like Riker, I love that she fully commits. I also really like just how much her cheering section loves what she does and supports her. I enjoy the enthusiasm.

[Vixenstud]

 

Loved Rumer and Val tonight what a great concept, from the get go the girl was commanding the stage doing Samba voltas on her own, and then the eel appeared out of the murky water, their dance was so much fun. Good choice to be the villian! Loved the botafogo section with the "character" of Ursala shimmy.  Well deserved score.

 

THIS!  Their performance was outstanding and I agree with Carrie Ann that the dance was sexy; Rumer has a sick body and IMO they should have gotten a perfect score of 40.

 

Co-sign with the cute Disney 10 paddles, I want one!

[Primetimer]

The dancers get their corporate synergy on by choosing Disney themes for their waltzes and foxtrots.

Read the story

[Steph619]

I'm a sucker for all things Disney so I enjoyed the theme of Disney night on DWTS. I think that the animation was a bit distracting at times, but it added a fun element to the performances.

My favorite dance of the night was Rumer and Val's. I agree with others who have said that it wasn't much of a samba, but I thought it was great. However, I wish they would've saved the samba for another night where they could've had a song better suited for that style of dance.

Riker and Allison's paso was good, but at times, very frantic. I thought the judges especially Len would've called them out on that.

For some reason, I can't warm up to Nastia and Derek. I thought their dance was cute, but it was basically a rehash of what the characters did in the movie. The dance seemed to go on for too long.

I think Witney and Chris will probably go next week. I love Alfonso, but it was a bad move on her part to bring him to rehearsal. Alfonso is clearly a much better dancer than Chris and he won with Witney so I don't know how she thought that would benefit Chris. It's like "Look at the great partner I had last season compared to you!"

[crowceilidh]

 

instead of forcing Shark Tank down our throats.

 

So, I've been watching the Sharkaroo thing, wondering if they actually could be romantically interested in each other, but when Robert clearly pandered to the show's story last night and then backed down, I feel I got my answer.  Can't remember what he said to Kim - but he inserted a rather awkward-sounding "Baby" at the end of the sentence and when she asked what he said, he repeated the sentence without it as if to acknowledge its awkwardness.

 

 Apropos of nothing much.  

 

if only they take hormones, they too can look like Suzanne and be dancing into their late 60s

 

I think Suzanne's face is an unpleasant Hollywood rictus.  I wouldn't want to look like her ever - I'd rather have my saggy, wrinkly real face, thanks.

[crowceilidh]

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Rumor and Val win. That was flat and all the judges tongue-bathed it.

I'm behind Rumer ftw, but I thought that was terribly flat and really disappointingly un-sambaish.  I was gobsmacked by the scores.

 

I thought Mark probably wanted to be the Mad Hatter quite badly, but Sharna made that Andy Dick's for eternity. I used to despise him, but I also am liking him more and more (his stint on Afterbuzz really helped this).

 

Riker's feet were hidden at the beginning of that piece AGAIN.  I felt we got a glimpse of why she keeps hiding them as his feet were seriously off during that dance. 

 

I kinda enjoyed the silliness of the lip synch proposal and audience pretending that they were actually wondering if it were real for a moment, it didn't look scripted - afterwards Derek shouting, "She said, 'Yes"" was also funny.  As I don't watch the judges or Erin, I don't know if anyone riffed on this, but it was cute for a moment.

[ljenkins782]

 

Chris looked ridiculous in that skirt and all the hopping around just made it worse. He also makes the stupidest face when he's trying to be happy. At least he did more dancing this week.

Oh man, they did a slo-mo replay of part of his dance last night (maybe when he got injured) and the faces he makes....oof. Stupid yes, but also hilarious. Obviously it's tougher on the non-dancer/performer contestants to manage their faces because they're working so hard on the steps, but he's particularly bad. 

 

And that was a seriously unfortunate choice of costume for the quickstep, a dance which by its very nature makes everyone look like a prancing pony. If you ignored his upper half, he looked like a schoolgirl skipping around the playground in a skirt and knee socks. An awkward, 2-left-footed schoolgirl at that. Just bad all around.

 

 

and then the eel appeared out of the murky water,

 OH!!! Val was the eel, I did not catch that. I was wondering WTF the Incredible Hulk had to do with The Little Mermaid, guess I didn't look beyond his green painted face, heh. 

 

I was not into that dance at all. I'm sure it was technically fine and whatever, but it was bland. I kept waiting for something to kick in, because Rumer's been excellent up to now, but I just was not feeling that. 

 

Did I just imagine it or did he not he nearly fall down at one point, when he went to toss Allison into that spinny move on the ground?

 

I liked Riker's dance a lot, but SOMETHING went slightly wrong on that spinning move. That was definitely the moment I thought Allison was going to go flying, it looked like he got an awkward start lifting her and overcompensated by just throwing her as hard as he could. 

 

I do wish he'd gotten a different pro (though I've liked their stuff well enough) because he has a lot of potential and I'd enjoy him in the finals more than say, Nastia. He's got a more fun energy. I would have liked to see him with Witney because I really enjoy her, but as mentioned, Chris is a total albatross. 

 

I haven't watched the show in a couple of seasons and I am not loving some of the additions they've made, such as the backup dancers. There are times when I literally can't find the celeb/pro pair because there are so many damn people on the stage. (And the animation last night was totally irritating.) 

 

And re Erin, one minute she is rushing the couple through to get the scores because because we are running short, and then she keeps the next couple waiting while she talks to a mute Disney character.

 

That was so incredibly awkward. I guess she was told to feature Minnie Mouse somehow and shoehorned it in in the most ham-fisted way possible?? I generally like Erin, but perhaps that's partially informed by the fact that her predecessors were Samantha Harris and Brooke Burke. Being a "better" host is pretty low-hanging fruit, but she's (usually) a step up. 

[howmanywords]

I think Witney and Chris will probably go next week. I love Alfonso, but it was a bad move on her part to bring him to rehearsal. Alfonso is clearly a much better dancer than Chris and he won with Witney so I don't know how she thought that would benefit Chris. It's like "Look at the great partner I had last season compared to you!"

This whole thing really rubbed me the wrong way, and this is from someone who loved Witney/Alfonso and really dont care too much about Chris but WTF? I said weeks ago that going from Alfonso to someone like Chris would be a struggle for Witney and it was never more apparent last night. I know her and Alfonso are still very tight and she views him as a big brother so I get wanting that feeling of comfort and moral support when you are clearly struggling, but to make it like bringing him in would somehow benefit Chris was beyond stupid. I felt like screaming "Alfonso is NOT your partner anymore, you have a partner who needs the proper help and guidance from YOU"! Someone upthread said she really showed her age and I completely agree.  I dont fault Alfonso because I think he meant well, even the nonsense where he was at the steps..I think he was trying to make Witney feel better. But girl needs to suck it up.

[LizBug]

I had a horrible time with menopause and took hormones for several years.  Resulted in breast cancer and just recently discovered that I'd had a silent heart attack years ago (during the hormone years).  So ... no.  I can't go along with anyone, especially a celebrity, just handing out medical advice.  Very irresponsible.
 

That said:  I did enjoy Disney theme even though I'm not familiar with some of the movies.  Thought Rumer, Willow and Riker were the best.  Nastia is very agile but doesn't have a personality that draws me into her experiences/dance.  Why does Derek keep putting her in long dresses?  Is he trying to distance us from her appearances as a gymnast?  

[OakGoblinFly]

I don't know how the powers-that-be got Foxtrot from that Alice in Wonderland song or Samba from Poor Unfortunate Souls --- once I "forgot" about what the dance was supposed to be and just go with it, I found the dance pieces more enjoyable.  

 

I really like the entire production of Willow and Mark's dance (scary White Hare and all) and thought there was a lot of actual dance content in it.  Mark continues to impress with his wildly imaginative choreography and Willow impresses with her steady improvement.  

 

Rumer was missing the Samba bounce, still it was a lovely number and I give her props for willing to let herself be painted purple.  I'm not a fan of Val's choreography - it always feels too choppy for my taste.

 

I was really annoyed with Riker this week - I would have slapped him nine ways to Sunday for the whole "Captain Jack Sparrow" crap.  I wasn't a fan of the dance, it was too busy, too frantic for me.  I think part of the problem is Allison; she has the same issues that the judges mentioned to Willow and Robert - specifically not finishing the arm movements/not enough flow to the arms (which is odd considering her training as a contemporary dancer).  I did not like his dance at all.

 

How in the world did Noah score higher than Robert?  Sure, Robert missed a few steps and his timing was off in the beginning of the dance, however he actually DANCED (he even danced with the troupe when Kym was "flying" to the stage).  Noah stood still while Sharna danced around him; how long was it before they actually got into dance position?  And there was a whole section where the camera wasn't even on Noah, it was focused on Sharna.

 

I thought Nastia's dance was adorable and it was nice to see something other than "competition face" during a performance.

 

Robert's enthusiasm and joy of dance is delightful and he should stay a bit longer just because of that (and he really is improving weekly (road bump this week and all)).

 

I love Patti's attitude and adore her partnership with Artem - he's wonderful with her.

 

The judges were spot on regarding Chris - he has the ability, he just needs to get out of his own head and back to the fun.

 

Bye Suzanne, I won't miss you or your stank attitude. 

[spanana]

Riker's feet were hidden at the beginning of that piece AGAIN.  I felt we got a glimpse of why she keeps hiding them as his feet were seriously off during that dance. 

 

I don't really get the argument that Allison is trying to hide Riker's feet.  I'm not arguing something isn't off there at times, some of which I think is because he's pigeon toed, but last night his feet were maybe hidden for 5-10 seconds max at the very beginning of the dance before he started dancing with Allison.  The only time you couldn't see his feet was during the bit up on the stage at the very beginning and even then the smoke cleared very quickly.  After that he was all over the dance floor dancing his ass off with feet clearly in view for the entire dance.  I'm not saying people need to enjoy his dancing or think he's doing a good job, but I do think it's a fallacy to pretend that his footwork is being hidden when he's probably doing more footwork in plain view than any of the other male celebs.  I'm not saying he always has the best technique, but dude is moving.  If Allison is covering up anything with props and fog and etc. it's her own choreographic shortcomings.

Edited April 14, 2015 by spanana

[Andiethewestie]

THIS!  Their performance was outstanding and I agree with Carrie Ann that the dance was sexy; Rumer has a sick body and IMO they should have gotten a perfect score of 40.

 

Co-sign with the cute Disney 10 paddles, I want one!

I'm not sure why people are saying there wasn't much Samba, there was a lot in my estimation, even though the tune was difficult for Samba they managed samba walks, voltas, botofogo, samba run and the samba roll.. all done pretty well.  The only miss was perhaps the bachacata at the end. But the performance for me was outstanding by Rumer, she really brought the over the top villan character to life.  

Edited April 14, 2015 by Andiethewestie

[crowceilidh]

 

I'm not saying he always has the best technique, but dude is moving.  If Allison is covering up anything with props and fog and etc. it's her own choreographic shortcomings.

 

Well, yes it may be that.  All I was saying is that it is noticeable that she puts some effort into disguising his/their feet for some portion of every dance and I have been watching to see if it is strange repetitive-choreography-syndrome or purposeful distraction from his feet and last night, it looked like it might indeed be purposeful distraction from his feet.

[spanana]

Well, yes it may be that.  All I was saying is that it is noticeable that she puts some effort into disguising his/their feet for some portion of every dance and I have been watching to see if it is strange repetitive-choreography-syndrome or purposeful distraction from his feet and last night, it looked like it might indeed be purposeful distraction from his feet.

 

But I guess what makes no sense to me is why would it be purposeful to hide his feet for 5-10 seconds when the audience would clearly see his feet for the rest of the dance.  If his feet were bad on the stage then it follows they would be bad throughout the rest of the dance.  So what would covering them up for 5 seconds accomplish?  We're still going to see them for 1:10, or however long the dances are at this point.

[Mbeaker]

Alfonso's presence in Witney and Chris' rehearsal didn't sit well with me either. There is very little realness, however, in reality TV and I found it all very staged by the producers. I don't believe it was Witney's idea to bring him in; she just played her part well. TPTB sure do love them some Alfonso, which is also why the stuck him in the celebriquarium. Which was, IMO, also rude. And this is coming from someone who was rooting for him and Witney last season. But, move on, show!

[truthaboutluv]

This week it didn't matter that there wasn't enough samba in the samba, it was her turn to take the lead in the scoring and that was that. It's a bit of a hoot how transparent it all is, to be honest.

 

 

It is interesting to me all the comments every week about how some aren't connecting to Nastia and how she's lacking something because after this week, I feel if anyone is hitting a wall and becoming predictable, it's Rumer. I think the judges and producers may have jumped the gun too quickly in Week 1 practically declaring this her season and last night's massive overscoring was a way to solidify this claim, whether the dancing was there or not. 

 

In my opinion, I've seen one speed from Rumer since the start of the competition. Her non-Waltz last week was like a retread of her Week 1 Foxtrot, her Cha Cha in Week 2 was more of the same power and intensity but little softness and I remember she was so intense in her moves that her spotting was slightly off at times in the dance. Week 3 was the Salsa that was more disco than Salsa content and now this week with a Samba that in no way had enough Samba content in my opinion. As I noted last night, I saw zero bounce from Rumer and because of that her Samba walks were not very good because her legs were almost military like straight, her hips were not moving the way they should in the Samba and again the only thing truly Samba in the dance was the Samba roll. 

 

On the flipside, Nastia's Samba in Week 3 was loaded with Samba content and what do you know, she had bounce, plenty of it, so her samba walks, turns and rolls were incredible. And she's since done a Foxtrot, Rumba, Argentine Tango and Jazz which has allowed her to show enough range and technique in my opinion. Her rumba was insanely good with her flow, musicality and extensions, same as the Argentine Tango and I do think she performed well enough last night with the Jazz, much as I hated the song. So there's all this "I don't feel her, I don't connect" and don't get me wrong, all valid but at this point in the competition, in my opinion, Nastia is the best dancer this season and it is not that close.

 

The producers clearly want it to be so with the Hough vs. Chmerkovsky, aka Nastia vs. Rumer but Rumer's losing me right now. I want to see something different. Honestly, as cool as it is that she didn't want to go the obvious route of being a princess, at the same time, I felt like her wanting to be a badass villain was itself predictable and exactly what I would expect her to choose and expect her to do. I have always been a fan of Val's choreography but honestly, so far this season, I'm not that impressed. I think Riker, with a better Pro to really clean up his technique, would be leaving Rumer in the dust at this point. I actually think Riker might have done great with Peta and I think Willow is proving the real surprise of the season and could be the big spoiler in the producers very obvious Final 3 agenda. I'm still shaking my head at that "saved the best for last" business - like way to crap on the other pairings. 

 

I'm the same way. I used to loathe Mark and was constantly complaining about his look at me schtick. But he's definitely improved a lot, and although there are some misses with his crazy routines, when he's on he's really, really good. And he's able to come up with a lot of ways to showcase his partner that aren't solely focused on sexiness. I really liked his partnerships with Candace and Sadie, and I'm enjoying him with Willow as well. Maybe it's just maturity, but I'm really rooting for him. Color me surprised.

 

 

 

I have never disliked Mark. I thought he got kind of weird at one point during his time on the show when he started with all the guyliner and was looking like he was pissed off a lot of the time and it was a stark contrast to the guy who first started on the show. Honestly, I just thought Mark was on drugs during this period. That said, my issue with Mark has never been about his showboating or being over the top or any of that stuff. 

 

My issue with Mark and I think he's still guilty of it at times, is that I feel like sometimes he gets too into his concepts and his ideas and does so to the detriment of his celebrity. In other words he gets so excited for his over the top costume, production, performance and doesn't always consider if it's the best fit for showcasing his celebrity. As I said in another post, in my opinion, at the end of the day, this is a competition for the celebrities and the Pro is there to guide, support and teach and help them win.

 

So if they do something that works against showcasing their celebrity to the best of their ability, then in some way it's a failure. That's why I had the unpopular opinion last season of siding with the judges about the infamous Paso Doble with Sadie. The fact is Mark's concept was great but it didn't work for Sadie and he should have realized that and it ended up being a mess. This didn't happen this week with Willow but I do think her technique wasn't as great as it could have been and so while the performance and all the theatrics were great, she didn't actually deliver an amazing Foxtrot.

 

Why does Derek keep putting her in long dresses?

 

 

She was dressed as the character from Frozen. Also, Nastia has worn short skirts, both for her Samba and her Argentine Tango last week.

 

I'm not sure why people are saying there wasn't much Samba, there was a lot in my estimation, even though the tune was difficult for Samba they managed samba walks, voltas, botofogo, samba run and the samba roll.. all done pretty well.

 

 

The issue for me with Rumer is that I didn't feel like she had the bounce and rhythm of the Samba and so even if the steps were in there, they all looked too staccato and stiff which is becoming a thing with her in my opinion. 

Edited April 14, 2015 by truthaboutluv

[Guest]

Last week's 'skinny bright red legs' costume on Riker was all I could look at during his dance.  I don't know why anyone would highlight his legs.  I figured it was the opposite of hiding his weak spots... as in maybe Allison isn't on to those tricks yet?  

[obxgirl]

I love Disney, so Disney week is always my favorite each season. The costumes, the music, the sets...it's all just so fun to watch. Willow was perfect as Alice in Wonderland, and it's obvious that Mark had a lot of fun really flexing his creativity muscle with the choreography. I felt like I was watching a Tim Burton musical version of Alice in Wonderland, if that makes any sense.

 

Rumer was so cute as Ursula! You could just tell that she and Val had a lot of fun with the dance and with getting into character, and I loved that she wasn't afraid to be the villainess. Watching that dance, if I didn't know any better I would have sworn that Rumer was the pro. Girl's got skills! And speaking of getting into character, Riker was hilarious as Jack Sparrow. If his music career doesn't work out, he could totally play Jack Sparrow on stage or at Disney. I think this is the one week where Allison's high octane choreography paid off and actually fit the overall theme, but I'm hoping we some more versatility in the coming weeks.

 

Also, maybe it's just me, but Julianne and Erin were especially annoying last night. They both just talk a lot without really saying anything. Erin says "Umm" almost every other word, and Julianne just rambles without actually contributing anything. This show would be SO much better sans those two clowns.

[Andiethewestie]

The issue for me with Rumer is that I didn't feel like she had the bounce and rhythm of the Samba and so even if the steps were in there, they all looked too staccato and stiff which is becoming a thing with her in my opinion. 

 

 

 

I felt there was good movement and rhythm in the Samba steps, I thought there was precision and control from the contestant, something we don't see often. The song itself was staccato, but the rocking part of the tempo was the most rhythmical, that's where I saw some strong Samba basics, and also Rumer being the centre of the piece and dancing on her own was very well done.. I think what is difficult is the music not lending itself to what we think of when we see Samba, but I was delighted to see the characterization of the movement, being villainanis and light hearted at the same time.   

 

 

 

 

Edited April 14, 2015 by Andiethewestie

[luvthepros]

I'm all for giving Val his due, but he chose the song (he was offered others) and he chose samba.  Their original dance style was tango and Val thought it was too limiting and so he changed it to samba.  This was confirmed on their livestream.

I can understand the producers choosing music that is not appropriate for the dance style but I would never imagine a pro committing that mistake. I find it difficult to believe Val would choose music with absolutely no Samba beat for their Samba. I didn't see any Samba bounce from Rumer and I sort of blame the music I guess. I also am disappointed in Val for not bringing out the Samba bounce in Rumer even if the music was not appropriate. This is the first week all of my votes did not go to Rumer and Val.

[legaleagle53]

That wasn't the only problem I had with the music.  While I love "When You Wish upon a Star,"  it is NOT a Waltz tune because it is written in 4/4 time.  That time signature doesn't work for a Waltz because it has an extra beat per measure that throws the rhythm and timing of the dance (which is danced to a three- or six-count) off.  Waltz REQUIRES music in either a 3/4 or 6/8 time signature.  There are plenty of Disney songs that are slow waltzes that would have been much better selections.

 

And incidentally, "Pirates of the Carribean" isn't a true Paso Doble, either.  It's a fast Viennese Waltz in 6/8 tempo.  No wonder Riker's Paso was so frantic; the music didn't give the dance any space to breathe!

 

Come on, DWTS music monkeys; go back to Music 101 and learn how to read music before you select it!

[saber5055]

The entire show last night was like a big Broadway production, all the costumes were over-the-top, cartoon characters all over the stage to distract viewers, tons of background/extra dancers to distract viewers, then the first one-half of the so-called "dances" were set ups with no dancing at all. There used to be special nights where pros could incorporate props and/or extra dancers; now that's just every week. And every dance starts with so much Len "mucking about." Makes me wonder why the contestants complain about not being able to learn 20 seconds of a dance routine each week.

 

As soon as Suzanne's rehearsal package was shown I knew she would be going home. TPTB don't like complainers on this show.

 

And of the three "stars" throwing a tantrum, only Sharna knew how to handle it. She was fantastic with her "concentrate on what you CAN do" and "I'm suppose to be the princess" lines. Color me impressed.

 

I love Tony but I found myself talking back to the tv when he was trying to make Suzanne feel better. He really made me wonder how he handles arguments with his wife since after one sentence I was arguing back to him from my living room.

 

And Witney ... yeah, Chris overstepped it with his rudeness. But I guess I'm with others here who count her lack of knowing how to handle him to her youth and inexperience.

 

All I could think of with Chris in that Atlas (?) costume was, he is going to be teased WITHOUT MERCY by his farmer buddies when he goes back to the farm. Plus his chest got waxed. So much for his "dancers wax, farmers don't" comment from a couple of weeks ago.

 

I think the ranking on Chris here shows how viewers look at contestants who have dance background and the ones who do not. I cut the guy some slack, I'm 100-percent positive he's never taken a dance lesson in his life. Unlike some others on this show.

 

I couldn't tell what dance styles 90 percent of these people were doing last night. One couple I figured out was doing contemporary ... then they went into hold and started some ballroom dance. Who knew?

 

I still love me some Robert, but I wish someone would tell him to shut his mouth during the performance. His fly catching is starting to bug me.

[legaleagle53]

All I could think of with Chris in that Atlas (?) costume was, he is going to be teased WITHOUT MERCY by his farmer buddies when he goes back to the farm. Plus his chest got waxed. So much for his "dancers wax, farmers don't" comment from a couple of weeks ago.

 

Hercules, not Atlas.  Other than that, yes, he's laid himself wide open!

[luvthepros]

.......I'm sure Chris really enjoyed having Alfonso there to see how bad he was by comparison. Not terribly motivational if you ask me, but I guess it was good for -Witney's- ego. (Oh, and Alfonso there -again- for the performance? And on top of the stairs, behind them? Hamming it up lifting the barbell up and down while Chris tried to stay positive?.......

I was on the Alfonso train last season and was elated he and Whitney won. I do, however, agree with everything you said about how rude Alfonso was hamming it up during Chris' post dance interview with Erin. I was actually....sort of....embarrassed for Chris and believe me, I'm not a Chris fan.

Edited April 14, 2015 by luvthepros

[majormama]

That wasn't the only problem I had with the music.  While I love "When You Wish upon a Star,"  it is NOT a Waltz tune because it is written in 4/4 time.  That time signature doesn't work for a Waltz because it has an extra beat per measure that throws the rhythm and timing of the dance (which is danced to a three- or six-count) off.  Waltz REQUIRES music in either a 3/4 or 6/8 time signature.  There are plenty of Disney songs that are slow waltzes that would have been much better selections.

 

But the band did perform it in 3/4, as opposed to Rumer's "waltz" last week which was definitely in 4/4 time. They held every other word for an extra beat.

 

As for the Poor Unfortunate Samba, it sounds like they chose the song first and then had to figure out what dance would work best for it, tried tango, and went with samba, as opposed to picking the style first and trying to find a song that matched.

Edited April 14, 2015 by majormama

[spanana]

I can forgive big huge production numbers on Disney night because that is why the show does Disney night.  If you're going to do it, that's the night to do it. They want the pros and celebs to go all out and pimp it to high heavens.  However when every week becomes a huge production with troupe members all over the stage it gets a bit much.  I know over the last few seasons DWTS has become increasingly about this, but I kind of miss the days when the couples had to live or die by their own dancing.  Sure there were always props and female pros gyrating around their unmoving partners, but generally when you saw those things it was a red flag that it was because the person couldn't dance.  I miss the days when you could watch an entire partnership over the course of a season without ever once seeing an extra dancer in their numbers (unless it was like trios or something like that).

 

Also while I think Val is normally one of the best choreographers on the show, as much as it pains me to admit it, I'm not feeling his choreography so far this season.  Perhaps it's just because he's trying to choreograph dances to music that doesn't fit?  I'm not entirely sure.  It also really pains me to admit I think his choreography was much stronger last season with Janel.  I couldn't stand Janel's dancing (or Janel in general), but I thought his choreography was strong outside of their weepy freestyles.   I still can't really figure it out though because I like Rumer and think she's a stronger dancer than Janel ever was. 

[skyways]

I don't also know why some keep saying Rumer's Samba was not a samba. It was! Her basics were good and I can only go by the numerous sambas I watch on youtube ( I generally love sambas) . And sambas have various rhythms - some slower than others but that girl was on the beat and did not miss her steps. It was indeed the best dance of the night. I was loving Riker's Paso (he too was on beat, posture wise-footwork and performance ) until Rumer's performance. Both were very good considering that Pasos (and Rumbas) on this show generally kill off the male celebrity and Sambas, the female celebrity but each coped really well.

 

I also do not like them referring to Len as old because he loves to stick to the traditional way of doing things. I very much wish they could go back to the traditional beginnings of the show and drop the super-sized, super-pros, super-productions etctetc

[judemorrigan]

I'm pretty sure the Pirates of the Carribean theme is actually in 12/8. I'll say that I've seen people who know what they're doing choreograph Paso to that piece.

To clarify on Val and Rumer's samba, I didn't really have a problem with the content. I was just singularly underwhelmed by the execution and technique. But again, the stars' samba technique is *always* underwhelming at the best. And I am admittedly holding her and the other contenders to a separate standard. Which may or may not be fair.

[katha]

Also while I think Val is normally one of the best choreographers on the show, as much as it pains me to admit it, I'm not feeling his choreography so far this season.  Perhaps it's just because he's trying to choreograph dances to music that doesn't fit?  I'm not entirely sure.  It also really pains me to admit I think his choreography was much stronger last season with Janel.  I couldn't stand Janel's dancing (or Janel in general), but I thought his choreography was strong outside of their weepy freestyles.   I still can't really figure it out though because I like Rumer and think she's a stronger dancer than Janel ever was. 

Yes. I don't know what it is, though? It's all very...hard? I don't even know how to describe it. Like he thinks there's a certain style that suits Rumer and he has to stick to it. So he thinks she's "edgy" and "fierce", so everything needs to be going in that direction. Or perhaps that's just an outsider's perspective. Perhaps it's also the added pressure because he knows that he's got a great partner and his chances of winning the MBT are very good. At this point Rumer is probably the frontrunner, or at least she's perceived that way, and Len declared it "his season".

[OakGoblinFly]

It is interesting to me all the comments every week about how some aren't connecting to Nastia and how she's lacking something because after this week, I feel if anyone is hitting a wall and becoming predictable, it's Rumer. I think the judges and producers may have jumped the gun too quickly in Week 1 practically declaring this her season and last night's massive overscoring was a way to solidify this claim, whether the dancing was there or not. 

 

<snipped>

 

In my opinion, I've seen one speed from Rumer since the start of the competition. Her non-Waltz last week was like a retread of her Week 1 Foxtrot, her Cha Cha in Week 2 was more of the same power and intensity but little softness and I remember she was so intense in her moves that her spotting was slightly off at times in the dance. Week 3 was the Salsa that was more disco than Salsa content and now this week with a Samba that in no way had enough Samba content in my opinion. As I noted last night, I saw zero bounce from Rumer and because of that her Samba walks were not very good because her legs were almost military like straight, her hips were not moving the way they should in the Samba and again the only thing truly Samba in the dance was the Samba roll. 

 

 

(Emphasis mine)

 

 

I agree with your observations and I blame Val for that.  I think Rumer has the ability to be quite graceful and lyrical in her movements, however Val's choreography style is very hard hitting and staccato and I think that does a disservice to Rumer.  I want to see a totally smooth, soft, flowy dance from Rumer. 

[truthaboutluv]

Julianne just rambles without actually contributing anything. This show would be SO much better sans those two clowns.

 

 

I think Julianne does a great job as a judge largely because she's very specific in her criticisms and in giving advice to the celebrity on how they can get better. Apparently she's not just rambling, as Val was repeating something she said in her critic to Nastia, with Rumer this week. The whole pushing through water that eventually led to the producer motivated pool set up, Julianne said that two weeks ago to Nastia when reviewing her Samba. That she needed to think about pushing through water to get her arms right.

 

This week, I loved when I think it was Chris, she was talking to about working on his musicality and suggested that while listening to the music, something as basic as clapping, he should do, to help. And I thought that sounded so simple but makes a lot of sense. Because it's true, people with very poor musicality, sometimes can't even do something as basic as clapping in time. 

 

To clarify on Val and Rumer's samba, I didn't really have a problem with the content. I was just singularly underwhelmed by the execution and technique.

 

 

This...

Edited April 14, 2015 by truthaboutluv

[sinkwriter]

 

I think Witney and Chris will probably go next week. I love Alfonso, but it was a bad move on her part to bring him to rehearsal. Alfonso is clearly a much better dancer than Chris and he won with Witney so I don't know how she thought that would benefit Chris. It's like "Look at the great partner I had last season compared to you!"

 

I didn't see their behind-the-scenes clip that way. I felt like Alfonso brought some much-needed levity. He became Chris's ally, where they could both joke about Witney as if she was their "pain in the ass teacher" and how she's always pushing their shoulders down or their face in a specific direction, etc. It was like "shared pain," in a way. "I've been there, man. It's hard to learn and force your body into specific positions." I could see how Alfonso could be seen as "look at the great partner I had last season compared to you," but I don't think that's how Chris took it. Instead, Alfonso's presence seemed to lighten Chris's mood which helped him focus again. The end result seemed to be a good thing. He did pretty well, all things considered. And if he listens to the judges (and survives next week's eliminations), he might try to keep finding the fun instead of getting so worked up and stressing himself out.

 

I will say, however, that Alfonso had no reason for being up in the balcony when Chris and Witney got their scores. His antics behind them were pointless and ridiculous. Go sit down in the audience, Alfonso. Your season is over.  ;)

 

I agree with your observations and I blame Val for that.  I think Rumer has the ability to be quite graceful and lyrical in her movements, however Val's choreography style is very hard hitting and staccato and I think that does a disservice to Rumer.  I want to see a totally smooth, soft, flowy dance from Rumer.

 

I agree. In fact, I'd like to hear the judges address that, in the same way they said it to Suzanne a couple weeks ago (how it would be nice to see a different level from Suzanne, instead of all silliness and comedy performances, all the time). With Rumer, it's fast dances that attack, which is great to watch but it's time to see her do something different, something smooth and soft and gentle. Variety is the spice of life, Rumer! Go for it! You can do it!

[anony mouse]

Yes. I don't know what it is, though? It's all very...hard? I don't even know how to describe it. Like he thinks there's a certain style that suits Rumer and he has to stick to it. So he thinks she's "edgy" and "fierce", so everything needs to be going in that direction. Or perhaps that's just an outsider's perspective. Perhaps it's also the added pressure because he knows that he's got a great partner and his chances of winning the MBT are very good. At this point Rumer is probably the frontrunner, or at least she's perceived that way, and Len declared it "his season".

 

It reminds me of when Sabrina was on and Len commented on her lack of "light and shade." Rumer is great - but I want to see some softness from her. Everything it too hard, too much, too staccato. She's very talented, but she's one note right now.

[dwtsgueststars]

Nice show ... "We saved the best for last"

 

To the rest of you "WHY BOTHER???"

 

Since I stoped caring about the dance part, I started to enjoy the show for what it is.

[ferretrick]

I wonder how much the backlash of Suzanne's ridiculous comments on being the star of Three's Company and using John Ritter's memory to gain sympathy came back to bite her in the ass.

It's certainly why I did a little happy dance that she's out. That interview was disgusting.

Did anyone else find Kym's outfit horribly inappropriate for playing Mary Poppins?

[fishcakes]

I felt like Alfonso brought some much-needed levity. He became Chris's ally, where they could both joke about Witney as if she was their "pain in the ass teacher" and how she's always pushing their shoulders down or their face in a specific direction, etc. It was like "shared pain," in a way.

 

I will say, however, that Alfonso had no reason for being up in the balcony when Chris and Witney got their scores. His antics behind them were pointless and ridiculous.

 

That's how I saw it too. Alfonso commiserating with Chris was a way of letting him know that Witney wasn't being hard on Chris because he's crap, she's hard on everyone -- even Alfonso -- because that's what teaching is. But also, yes, Alfonso didn't need to be in the balcony, even though it did make me laugh when they were going into commercial and Chris and Witney are in an eyelock and discussing something, with Alfonso trying to join in and being completely ignored. Aw, poor third wheel. We still love you, Carlton!

 

"I didn't miss a step and I danced as Chrissy Snow, what more could they want?" was sad but annoying. Chrissy Snow is iconic in her own way, but we're still talking about a character from a 40-year-old second-rate sitcom. No one cares about her but Suzanne. Usually I would feel bad for someone who wants to quit because she thinks she's not good enough, but it just felt calculated coming from her. I don't know, maybe I just feel residual bitterness over her gross John Ritter "tribute" from last week.

 

Val seems really sweaty this season. He should probably not use face paint anymore, as after he danced last night, all the green running down his face made him look like he had a particularly gnarly skin condition.

[DancingD]

I want to know what Emma said about Rumer's dance. Probably the same things being said here. As I said, I wasn't in critique mode. I usually do look for things like bounce etc. I liked the dance while they were doing it but immediately forgot it. 

 

I want to be Artem's "Treasure"!

[Padma]

This week, I loved when I think it was Chris, she was talking to about working on his musicality and suggested that while listening to the music, something as basic as clapping, he should do, to help. And I thought that sounded so simple but makes a lot of sense. Because it's true, people with very poor musicality, sometimes can't even do something as basic as clapping in time. 

I thought that was helpful, too. I also thought it was another reminder to Witney to dumb it down a little more for her non-dancer. I really think her win last season went to her head and she's forgotten (1) that she'll never win with someone like Chris so (2) the important thing is to choose choreography that shows him off well, because he can do it.  She has limits on her this time that she didn't last season and she really doesn't seem to like it. I don't think that Chris is the only one who is struggling with a poor attitude. It's not fun for him because it's also no longer any fun for her now that she's not a big hit every week.( And I thought that costume choice was unnecessarily unflattering.)

 

I enjoyed Witney and Alfonso last season and was so glad that they won. But yesterday I just found them both really self-involved and annoying. But I doubt Chris will last two more weeks--probably out next one after they showed his "negativity--so her struggles will soon be over.

 

I'm glad if Suzanne's self-serving talk about her and John and ignoring Joyce DeWitt came back to bite her this week. "I didn't miss a step and did it all as Chrissy Snow, what else do they want?" just shows she really is out of touch with what this show is about. It's a competition. There are better dancers who actually do more than she did and get audience votes and judges scores because of it. 

 

I was surprised how clueless and spoiled she seemed in those clips last night. I think Tony probably will be relieved not to deal with her for another week. She may be more or less the same age as Patti, but attitude-wise, there's apparently no comparison (even though I felt Suzanne's dances have been far more challenging).

Edited April 14, 2015 by Padma

[howmanywords]

But I doubt Chris will last two more weeks--probably out next one after they showed his "negativity--so her struggles will soon be over.

When she started sobbing last night I got flashbacks to last seasons switch and she broke down backstage after getting 5's. Logically I know it probably IS frustrating but Witney needs to have a talk with Emma who seems to get screwed every season when it comes to partners. She's had a cakewalk compared to Emma.

[Fliz]

I thought [Derek & Nastia's] dance was cute, but it was basically a rehash of what the characters did in the movie.

 

Agreed. I love Disney night, but I'd rather not see such a close re-enactment. (I have seen "Frozen" a lot, mostly not by choice.) Derek made an excellent Hans, though.

 

I hope TPTB do something really crazy next week, like limit the dancers on the floor to two at a time. :-)

[Packerbrewerbadger]

Val basically disappeared in he and Rumer's samba last night. Way to showcase your partner! I hate these huge production numbers where you can't even find then"star". Please do away with added dancers!!

[iMonrey]

How can you criticize Noah without sounding mean? I'm not enjoying him at all. Am I allowed to say that? He did next to nothing in that dance. Even the cameras were careful to stay on Sharna. Then he gets straight 7s just for standing there. Robert may have messed up (badly) but he danced around like crazy. And I'm tired of the judges coming up with new ways to say how inspiring he is. The whole thing just seems terribly unfair to me. 

 

And while I love Patti LaBelle to death, she did next to nothing either. She barely moved in that routine. 

 

I understand they had to do big splashy numbers for Disney night but I agree with those who've already said they're sick of all the overly theatrical production numbers with all the backup dancers. It's like every single routine is a freestyle for finale night. Everything is so over the top. I just want to see the pro and the celeb doing the dance, period.

 

 

That was so incredibly awkward. I guess she was told to feature Minnie Mouse somehow and shoehorned it in in the most ham-fisted way possible?? I generally like Erin, but perhaps that's partially informed by the fact that her predecessors were Samantha Harris and Brooke Burke. Being a "better" host is pretty low-hanging fruit, but she's (usually) a step up.

 

I disagree, vehemently. I think Erin is even worse than Samantha or Brooke - and that's saying a lot. She's just so damn spazzed, tongue-tied and awkward. She's really terrible at what she's supposed to be doing. I have no idea how she got this job. Samantha and Brooke may have been air-heads but they were at least poised and self-controlled enough to get their words out.