S21.E07: Switch Up Night

[Tara Ariano]

Dancing wth the Stars switch up night is always an exciting evening in the ballroom as the new partnerships can really shake up the competition. Just when Season 21's celebrities were getting in the groove with their current partners, the switch up will not only challenge the stars, but it will potentially have a big effect on where the remaining nine contenders stand on the leaderboard.

 

Each couple will dance to a different style of dance, including the Jive, Cha Cha and Tango. Celebrities will perform one routine with their “switch up” partner and return to their original dance partners the following week. Former DWTS pro and Season 18 champion Maks Chmerkovskiy will return to the ballroom (formerly bathroom! typo!) in Week 5. This time to take a seat at the judge's table alongside Julianne Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli to weigh in on the new pairs.

 

The official switch up partnerships are as follows:

• Bindi Irwin and Val Chmerkovskiy - Cha Cha
• Alexa PenaVega and Derek Hough  - Tango
• Tamar Braxton and Louis van Amstel - Samba
• Paula Deen and Mark Ballas - Jive
• Carlos PenaVega and Lindsay Arnold - Quickstep
• Alek Skarlatos and Emma Slater - Rumba 
• Hayes Grier and Allison Holker - Viennese Waltz
• Andy Grammer and Sharna Burgess - Argentine Tango
• Nick Carter and Witney Carson - Paso Doble

[majormama]

 

 Former DWTS pro and Season 18 champion Maks Chmerkovskiy will return to the bathroom in Week 5. This time to take a seat at the judge's table alongside Julianne Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli to weigh in on the new pairs.

 

 

 

Haha, best typo ever. Yep, I'd say a lot of crap happens at the judges' table.

[Ladyrain]

Paula and Mark?!?!  The Jive?!?!  Must See TV, for sure. 

[Padma]

Glad someone else is looking forward to Paula and Mark! Hope she appreciates the opportunity--can't wait to see what he plans.

Also looking forward to Val and Bindi.  (Good for Louis to get a partner that lets -him- show his abilities for a change.)

 

I think Hayes will struggle the most with Allison'. The rest  of the partnering (and the dances) should be very enjoyable.

[katha]

Heh, I look forward to it as well. I would have liked to have seen him with Tamar as well, that could have been interesting IMO. Tbh Bindi is been there, done that where Mark is concerned, we've seen enough teenager sitting from him... Though giving Paula jive in switch up week? So having her learn what is traditionally a super difficult dance for older celebs with a brand new teacher? Yeah, they're stacking the deck against her here. Getting too many votes?

 

They released a video of Mark and Paula first learning that they're paired together and it's pretty cute LOL:

http://www.people.com/article/paula-deen-mark-ballas-dwts-switch-up-video

 

If she doesn't know Mark that well and only goes by his tattoos, his hair and his concept dances, I can see that she might be a bit apprehensive about how he'll react to an older partner that isn't all that quick with learning and seems a bit neurotic tbh. But he had Bristol Palin. Twice. One week of Paula is a breeze compared to that...They seemed to have gotten on quite well, at least judging by the general cheeriness of Mark's social media. Of course that says nothing about how the dance will look like. I hope it's at least an entertaining trainwreck...or perhaps they defy expectations and it's not a trainwreck at all.

 

Most of the other celebs should do all right with their new partners as well. They gave Derek tango, IMO a clear strength of his, probably in the hopes of getting Alexa's scores up after last week's mistake. I think they'll prop her up a bit this week since I don't know how she does vote-wise...and supposedly with double elim coming...she's in danger zone. I'm not sure they are quite ready for that "marrieds in jeopardy" thing yet, I think they want that a bit later in the season. Hayes could suffer a bit with Allison and a ballroom dance... And big eyeroll that they gave Alek and Emma the rumba.

[Danseur]

Paula is not one of my favorites, but that was a cute video. I hope it's not a trainwreck. I'd love to see her confidence strengthen by working with Mark. He's good at helping to free people up a little.

[jordanpond]

Cute video of Paula and Mark. I hope they do great together. She probably adds more fun to this show for me than any other contestant, so I hope a great dance for her tonight will keep her around a while longer.

[Padma]

Thanks for the video -- Paula's tagline made me laugh. I don't normally like her schtick, but I'm rooting for her to blossom with Mark (love him and his often-underappreciated-by-judges creativity!) Jive is one of the toughest dance they could have given them so I hope they rock it! She's surprisingly got the kind of energy I like on this show--amid an awful lot of "very serious" people! (Smile, everyone, like Bindi and Paula! Laugh a little, even. It's supposed to be fun!)

[Mreid]

Poor Louie got stuck with Tamar I know he cant wait to get rid of her that woman has to be a hand full

[Andie1]

Tamar is the BEST dancer out there.  The rest of them are no where near her standard. It pisses me off they are going first, it's just another way to get rid of her, aside from the edits.

Edited October 13, 2015 by Andie1

[Mreid]

Wow they were a lot harder on Hayes than I thought they would be. I thought he did well with that waltz

[mjstrick]

Except I think it was supposed to be a foxtrot? Or did I dream that?

[Mreid]

Not gonna lie I did vote for Paula and Mark to be paired together because Mark is my least favorite pro dancer and Paula is my least favorite star dancer left

Oh lord Paula no baby no its time for her to go home that was sooooooooooo uncomfortable to watch

Best dance ever??? Carrie Ann is trippin! That was disgusting

[McManda]

Except I think it was supposed to be a foxtrot? Or did I dream that?

 

Pretty sure it was (supposed to be) a Viennese Waltz.

[Mreid]

Im gonna throw some votes for Alek tonight I felt he was underscored 

Bindi I love you honey but I dont play with them snakes! lol

[superdeluxe]

The shippers are losing their minds over Alek and Emma.  I'm glad I missed that segment.  I hate shipping.  With a passion.

[Mreid]

I am very proud of Andy that was his best dance yet!! Everyone is doing so well tonight I dont know who to vote for!

[McManda]

Tamar's face bothers me when she dances. She's very ... blank. Like she's lost and not having very much fun. Either that, or her "sexy" face ... just isn't. She reminds me a lot of Brandy; really great technically but her performance is just off. She could take some lessons from ... Brittany?

 

Wow, Fabio-Louis makes a comeback. Nice to see they're throwing in the pro-audition videos still because I love them.

I think tonight was the first time that I was really aware that Hayes was 15. Like, he just looked super young. Maybe it was because he had his chin so high in the air? I don't know. Something was weird. Based on Bruno's comments though, it shoulds like Allison's lack of ability to teach ballroom dancing is the biggest issue. "Jumpy" and "fast"? That's Allison's MO.

 

I will say, I do like that Mark has mellowed with the seasons. Season 15 Mark would never have danced down to Paula's level, he would have just danced around her and hoped no one noticed. Other than that ... not much else to say.

 

I laughed out loud at the judges not so subtle attempts to encourage this Emma/Alek dating thing. But poor Alek ... he looked so uncomfortable when Erin was teasing him. I do agree with Maks, though: Alek is much better and comfortable with the dances than I would have imagined him being having had no training or performance experience.

 

A 10 for Val from Maks? ... I mean, yeah, it's Bindi, but there's no way people aren't going to side-eye that one.

 

... did Alfonso sing "Bossa Nova Baby" for Carlos's dance? Guess he wasn't kidding when he said this week he'd be with Ray Chew? I'm confused by what they're trying to do with Carlos. By their scores, it seems like maybe he was actually in the bottom two last night? Because that's all I can think of as being the reason for the insanely high scores.

 

I feel like Alexa tried harder for Derek than she does with Mark, despite everything she said in her package about "doing it for Mark". This was the first week where I feel like she connected with the competition. Maybe she had fun with Derek or liked the concept of the dance or ... something. Maybe Derek's just that good. I don't know. It was definitely her best dance, but I'm not sure it was first perfect score worthy. (Unless they're trying for the Alexa redemtion story.)

 

Andy's best dance, for sure. And it makes it worse that he's got Allison for a partner, because Sharna did with him in a week what Allison couldn't fo in 6 weeks. :/ What I like about Sharna's choreography (as opposed to Allison's) is that she doesn't feel the need to rush through things. She doesn't feel the need to fill time with movement, instead she allows the pauses and holds to fit with the music. She did with this Andy's dance tonight, with Nick's Viennese Waltz. Congratulations Allison, you'll get another week, but you definitely owe it to Sharna.

 

I feel like Nick was afraid of this dance. Sharna looked disappointed by the comments. And I really hate the excuse "just not my favorite dance". I mean, I get it but it also feels like a cop out for the judges. (Sorry Maks ... an 8?)

 

Who would have thought that Bruno would be the most helpful judge without Len around?

 

Aww ... Tom's dad. :( I don't know if mentioned it on social media, but I don't think anyone would have realized that he passed if Tom hadn't said anything and dedicated the show to him. Thoughts with Tom and his family.

Edited October 13, 2015 by McManda

[wanderingstar]

Well, Alek got an interesting edit tonight. I also liked his dance.

 

Andy & Sharna's tango was good. I like Andy. He seems very affable.

 

Bindi and Val's dance is the first from this season that I want to re-watch.

 

I liked Derek & Alexa's tango, but she bores me no matter who she's partnered with.

 

I can take or leave Maks, but I enjoyed him as a judge tonight.

[dizzyd]

Just some random thoughts:

Tamar looked pissed.

Alexa was over scored, I didn't think it deserved a perfect score.

Witney made me feel old.

I don't know what the point of the Lie detector test was, but some of it was funny.

Wish there was an elimination this week, going to be a loong season.

I was going to ask how Tom's dad was, but I guess he answered with that last statement. RIP Mr. Bergeron

[truthaboutluv]

Aww poor Tom. Great to have him back but sad about his dad. The tribute at the end was sweet. I thought Maks did a really good job tonight and agreed with a lot of his comments. Nice to see him giving props to one of Len's comments, considering how much drama he had with Len throughout the seasons. There was some shade being thrown around tonight but without question, the funniest for me was Emma's comment that, “If Hayes does better with Alison, I’d be shocked.” I don't care if she wasn't trying to be shady, I think that was hilarious. The lie detector skit was fun. 

 

Tamar/Louis (Samba) – Love the song and am surprised it took this long for it to be used on the show (or maybe I just missed it) but I have to say I didn’t love this. I didn’t love the choreography and thought the troupe was pointless, even though I know Louis was inspired somewhat by Beyonce’s stage choreography for the song. I actually understood what all the judges were saying and liked that Julianne gave her advice on how to correct what they were saying was wrong with the dance rather than just telling her everything she did wrong. But yeah not Tamar’s best and she’s gone early a lot. I wonder if that may hurt her in votes.

 

Hayes/Alison (Viennese Waltz) – Oh a reminder just how young Hayes is - the kid’s voice is still breaking. It was kind of adorable though. The dancing not so much. Oh where to start. It was frantic at points, didn’t see much of the frame and I agreed with Maks and Bruno completely. No idea what Carrie Ann and Julianne were talking about. And I liked Maks saying there wasn’t a lot of VW. Man, thank goodness pregnancy will make Alison sit out next season. Alison is a sweetheart but girl is in over her head as a Pro and it is unfair to the celebrity. And this especially bugs me because based on the actual voting, Hayes shouldn’t have even been with her. He actually should have been with either Lindsay or Witney.

 

Paula/Mark (Jive) – Like every dance she does, it was like the slowest jive ever but bless Mark; he made it fun and cute. I don’t think I will recover from seeing Paula Deen raise her skirt in Mark’s face. And no comment on the after. Please just make it stop. And did Julianne and Carrie Ann really give Paula Deen the same score as Tamar – WTAF? Are they high tonight?

 

Alek/Emma (Rumba) – It was good not great. I didn’t see much hip action and he was a bit stompy at times as Bruno said but the biggest issue with him is definitely what Julianne and Maks pointed out – the face. It’s all becoming a bit one expression and dance is your whole body. He has to start selling it or his dances are going to start seeming robotic.

 

Bindi/Val (Cha Cha) – Okay, putting aside my confusion as to why Bindi looked like Big Bird, this was really good. I’m not surprised though because I feel like Cha Cha fits Bindi’s personality and her abilities, much like what we saw with her Jive. Like it’s fun, bubbly, energetic and she will come out and give it a 100.

 

Carlos/Lindsay (Quickstep) – That was really, really fun and really good. Go Lindsay – she’s killing it with the choreography and teaching this season. And to think they took this long to make the girl a Pro again. Not only was Carlos’ technique amazing but he looked like he was having fun and that probably helped a lot. That said it’s probably a good thing Lindsay is such a good dancer because judging by her lack of knowledge of the Dalai Lama, not much working up there. I’m going to choose to believe she was joking. And wow – holy comeback with the scores. Wonder how Witney feels about Carlos getting those scores with Lindsay.

 

Alexa/Derek (Tango) – Hmm, not sure what it says about Alexa and Carlos both excelling with other partners. See this is the not so good side of Switch-Up – it kind of exposes the couples who aren’t getting along so well and boy did it expose Mark and Alexa. I mean really Mark – telling the girl she’s going home because she messed up one dance, especially considering they came off the week with the Jazz and the first all 9’s. That’s going to be an awkward reunion and then she gets the first perfect score of the season with Derek. Speaking of, hmm, I really, really loved this dance but I don’t know. I hate conspiracies but I almost feel like those were a “protect Alexa from next week’s elimination” scores. That said, I agreed with Maks about Alexa being in her head too much. Alexa was my biggest disappointment so far this season because I felt like she had all the goods but it just didn’t always seem to click on Monday night. But tonight she really did sell and perform the number and owned it.

 

Andy/Sharna (Argentine Tango) – Why is Andy always performing so late in the show? I don’t get it – it’s not because his performances are such show stoppers and yet he’s always very late in the show. Tonight was definitely loads better than he’s ever done. I’m still waiting for a strong frame but definitely better than anything he’s done with Alison which should be a surprise to no one. He captured the mood and performance of the dance very well. 

 

Nick/Witney (Paso Doble) – That was a very weird package. They made Witney seem like a complete airhead who was basically being taught and directed by the celebrity or worse, like Nick stated in the package, she didn’t really care because he’s not her celebrity. This was good but not his best. He definitely attacked it but I thought he was a little hunched at times.

Edited October 13, 2015 by truthaboutluv

[Saylii]

Wow, I really feel bad for Tom. I don't think it had been announced that his dad passed away today until the end of the show.  That's got to be extremely rough for Tom.  I'm glad he got to spend last week with him though.

 

Tamar must shut off part of her personality when she performs.  I thought she'd do better with Louis, since there would be no mistaking any chemistry for sexual desires.  But she was still so wooden.

 

I think Hayes felt old because that choreography felt old.  It showcased Allison, but not Hayes.  It made his arms and legs seem really dangle-y, if that even makes sense.  There were times when I felt he was almost like a puppet.

 

Alek and Emma were pretty vomit inducing.  At first I thought their scores were low, but when I rewatched it I could see what the judges meant.  There were times when Emma was just grinning at him like a damn fool and his mouth barely turned up in the corners.

 

Maks was a horrible judge.  I had hopes for him in the beginning because it seemed like he tried to be constructive for the first few contestants.  Then Bruno started flapping all over him, Val came up and got his free 10, and it all went downhill from there.  I did notice a quick shot of Peta in the audience being supportive for her man though.

 

The votes must not be coming in how the showrunners want.  There was a huge disparity between the first half of the show and the second half.  People must be getting really tired of the married couple.  I still think Bindi and Nick will be F2.

 

The lie detector thing was funny.  The one about Val's underwear had me rolling on the floor.

[mtlchick]

After coming back from not the greatest trip ever today, I teared up big time for Tom's sadness.  He still brought the snark ("Whitney looks SO thrilled") but my heart felt for him. I would have been more than ok if he took another week off.  

 

To the dances: Andy brought it.  Bindi has spunk with pretty much anyone.  Nick's butt did him in.  Maks' hair looked like it spent time in a wind tunnel.  And I remembered how much I HATED Louis in season 1 due to his mane.  I missed some of the others but Paula cannot make up that much ground.

 

Best part was "Are you sexual?" "Well yeah."  (buzzer.)  Me: "You were singing that line when you were 17 years old.  20 years later and it's still creepy." 

Edited October 13, 2015 by mtlchick

[SophiaPehawkins]

Switch up week is good and bad. I like it because it's fun to see what others can do, but I hate that when its great, you know it's only for the one dance. I like Bindi/Val, Derek/Alexa, Lindsey/Carlos, and Emma/Alec. I think it's a disservice to the show to have Allison on as a pro. It seems like she more than any other pro always gets that critique about it not being the dance assigned. That was not a Viennese Waltz, which sucks because it's one of my favorite dances.

Loved what Sharna did with Andy. She made him less erratic and a much cleaner dancer. That lift was awesome too. It was very smooth and seamless. I wish Sharna could dance with Andy and Nick. It sucks to see his potential being shown and knowing it'll probably be a mess by next week.

[PTVjones]

The first 30m-40m of the show was pure WTF'ery I mean how all those contestants got 7's when they were at drastically different performance/dance levels is beyond me. 

 

My condolences to Tom and his family. Tom is the glue to this show and I'm sure being there tonight was quite difficult. 

[Uke]

Yet another Mandy Moore Bump & Grind opener. Can't she try something else for a change?

 

Tamar:
Brave to start with samba rolls, but very awkward looking (what was with her right arm?). She looked off balance for most of the dance, especially when she was in hold.  Disagree with Maks and CAI - she seemed more comfortable with Louis than she ever has with Val. Challenging choreography though. Unfortunately Louis never seems to back down when he knows the star can handle it - even when she's just not getting it.  The 8 was too high. Should be all 7s.

 

Hayes:
Hayes & the spinning top. There is just no elegance in her, is there!  Very jerky and messy looking.  Hayes did ok for what he was given. Again, the problem is Allison. Good thing no one else was standing nearby - those swinging arms would have knocked anyone out!  Maks was right - was Allison listening? Doubt it.  Agree with the scores.

 

Paula:
Ok - I just totally lost it from Mark's strut from the bike to the doors. LOL! I laughed through the whole thing.  So, there wasn't much recognizable jive in there but she seemed to pull off all the steps and didn't appear to forget or get lost.  Scores a bit high but whatev! LOL! I expect she'll be going home next week.

 

Alek:
Alot of blushing going on in the rehearsal package - by both Alek and Emma.  Very pretty dance. Alek showed slight hints that he can move his hips.  He's got a very masculine presence on the dance floor, strong and sturdy.  There were alot of front stances in the choreography. I'm really looking forward to seeing him do one of the party dances (salsa, cha cha, samba) to see if he can go lighter, fun and happy - and to see if he can really move the hips. Scores seemed a little low to me. I thought for sure he'd get all 8s. I guess they're saving the higher scores for someone else. (Erin. Stop it! You're being awkward.)

 

Bindi:
Are we sure Bindi has no prior training?  She seemed more relaxed this week.  She did a great job.  But seriously - who brings a gigantic snake to rehearsals? I'd freak just being in the same building.  I was expecting a few more 10s.  Surprised they held back.

 

Carlos:
I'm getting an uncomfortable vibe with the interactions between Carlos and Witney.  His frame looked mostly pretty good while doing the actual quickstep steps. It's when he does his little swag moves that his shoulders went up to his ears.  Charleston? Is that what he was doing for the inbetween parts?  It all seemed a bit frantic for a dance that's already fast.  Or maybe I just don't like him much anymore.  Scores off the charts too high!

 

Alexa:
Derek's tangos always seem to look alike to me. Anyways, she did very well.  I don't like all the extra people on the dance floor and I certainly don't like them engaging in the dance with the couple. In this case I really didn't think it was necessary.  I didn't think it was perfect 40-worthy. But with Carlos at 39, I guess they had to give her 1 better.

 

What I really think is TPTB realized they had put their first-ever-married-couple-! in real danger of splitting up by severely penalizing Alexa for a fairly minor slipup last week so they're insulating both of them with a bit of overscoring this week.

 

Andy:
Marked improvement in Andy's performance this week. The overall effect was a little spoiled for me seeing Sharna talking him through it.  Talking with Erin, I don't know that I want to hear how the sausage is made - a little TMI but, oh well. A little overscored but I'm okay with it. He finally has actually learned a dance this week, instead of just being Allison's stripper pole/forklift.

 

Nick:
An obvious accidental lift after the choreographed "jump".  Nice job but just didn't excite me.  I think Nick has the same tendency that Carlos has with the forward crunch ("swag") which brings in the shoulders and then the chest collapses. Sorry. Just didn't like this.  Scores were ok. Maybe a point too high.

 

Condolences for Tom and his family. I remember what a mess I was for months after I lost my Dad.  Kudo to Tom for returning so quickly.

Edited October 13, 2015 by Uke

[wanderingstar]

I am very proud of Andy that was his best dance yet!!

Not gonna lie: I thought his and Sharna's tango was sexy!

Edited October 13, 2015 by Gillian Rosh

[TeeMo]

Tonight may have been one of my favorite episodes so far this season - can some of these contestants (Alexa, Paula, Bindi, Andy) keep their switch up partners? Some of the switch up partnerships seemed like much better matches than the actual partnerships. I liked all the ones I listed but will be most sad to see Andy return to Allison. I think he has the perfect personality for this show but he is getting lost in Allison's frantic choreography every week. He was so much better with Sharna. 

 

I think Tamar could be a surprise boot next week if Paula's cookie shaking was enough to get some votes. Her dancing is great but her facial expressions during the dance are so off putting, almost like she is just going through the motions. It is so weird. 

[GreekGeek]

I missed the first half hour and tuned in just in time to see Paula and Mark. She wasn't great but it wasn't the train wreck that people were anticipating. Everyone else seemed really on form--no bad performances. It's always interesting to see what new partners can bring out.

[majormama]

I think Tamar is one of the best technical dancers this season, yet they keep putting her early in the show and underscoring her in relation to everyone else. That said, this wasn't her best dance. But the same scores as Paula? Really?

 

Paula had the slowest Quickstep ever in week 1 and the slowest Jive ever tonight.

 

I find Carlos supremely obnoxious. Lindsey's choreo was amazing, but a bit overscored. 

 

Alexa, also overscored. I thought the extra dancers were distracting, and when they all did high kicks together it just emphasized how much lower Alexa's was than anyone else's. Wish the lighting had been a bit better for her, Andy, and Nick. I felt like I couldn't see any of them well enough.

[howmanywords]

Why do they keep putting Nick all the way at the end? Unless he's really pulling in major votes every single week I feel like he isnt living up to the hype going into this season.

 

Poor Tom. I give him a lot of credit for getting through the show.

[just prin]

No cute choreo from Louis this week, just the troupe. Must have known his partner wasn't the best. What a waste of Louis this season is!

[superdeluxe]

Maks was as useless as a judge as the first time he did it.  Imagine listening to that every week if he had gotten that judging spot instead of Julianne.  Of course he was going to favor Val.  As soon as he gave Tamar that 9, I was like, mm-hmm.  And then he gave his brother that 10.  I was like, that shouldn't count.  Shocked he gave Alexa that 10.  Thought he was only saving those for his brother.

 

Speaking of Alexa and Carlos -- I think those two got little protection bumps with their scores.  Carlos' quickstep was good, but it wasn't that good.  And Alexa's tango wasn't deserving of the first perfect score of the season.  She was better but not that much better.

 

Condolences to Tom.  I give him a ton of credit for getting through the evening so well.

[Saylii]

Maks was as useless as a judge as the first time he did it.  Imagine listening to that every week if he had gotten that judging spot instead of Julianne.  Of course he was going to favor Val.  As soon as he gave Tamar that 9, I was like, mm-hmm.  And then he gave his brother that 10.  I was like, that shouldn't count.  Shocked he gave Alexa that 10.  Thought he was only saving those for his brother.

 

The only reason I think he gave Alexa a 10 was because he didn't for Carlos.  I really think he was shocked that the other judges gave all 10's to Carlos.  So when there was another too close to call performance, he skewed up instead of down.

[smiley13]

Maks was pretty useless IMO.  He did not contribute as constructively as I thought he would.

[magpye29]

I enjoyed Maks being back.  He sure brings the pretty (for me, anyway)!

[katha]

Yikes, I thought they might be okay vote-wise, but apparently not... IMO Alexa and Carlos were both overscored and apparently the planned double elim was also cancelled, they must not be pulling in the votes. Both were good though, just not as good as the scores they got. And they did the second unflattering package on Carlos...hmm. And the switch exposed a bit of strain in the partnerships with Witney and Mark, though of course ramped up for useless drama. And I know they edited it to be harsh and unfavourable, but I thought Mark's reaction to Alexa was on point anyway. Half the time it seems like she's being distracted  for whatever reason...and yes, she's in danger of being eliminated. Her being so overscored this week actually reaffirms his point that she's in danger of being eliminated. Of course they had to edit Derek as the saviour on a white horse coming to the rescue. Eyeroll. Her jazz and salsa were on point as well, she just had not quite so great dances inbetween.

 

They were way harsh on Tamar. Louis gave her too much, but still. But yes, she has problems performing for some reason. Paula was as good as it was going to get with jive, and Mark cracked me up. Alek and Emma were one endless cringe. Nick wasn't so hot IMO. And unsurprisingly Andy did better with a pro not named Allison. Just as Hayes struggled a bit with Allison.

[gryphon]

Still a little weepy for Tom. He has always been one of my most favourite parts of DWTS.  He makes it look so easy....he's a marvel. 

 

I did like Louis and Tamar...but I could watch Louis doing watercolors and I'd be happy. (Now in the ballroom, Bob Ross and Louis Van Amstel with The Colors of Dance.)

 

Still don't like Hayes.  

Edited October 13, 2015 by gryphon

[superdeluxe]

The only reason I think he gave Alexa a 10 was because he didn't for Carlos.  I really think he was shocked that the other judges gave all 10's to Carlos.  So when there was another too close to call performance, he skewed up instead of down.

 

Hell, I was looking like Maks when they were throwing out those 10s to Carlos.  I was like, did we watch the same dance?  But I understand that those scores for Alexa and Carlos is for protection.

[kayma]

The team dances are coming soon, right? I'm guessing they went crazy on Carlos' and Alexa's scores to set up the team dance rivalry.

I like Bindi so much more when the show lets her be her without the pushing and melodrama. That was a very cute cha cha and one of the few dances that the scores made sense to me.

I vacilate on Tamar. She just doesn't put the fun into the dances. I do hope she makes it to the finals because I'm shallow and enjoy watching Val dance.

I really like Alek. He has the right attitude, works hard, is watchable as a dancer, and is having fun. I can't ask for more.

I felt bad for Mark. First, he gets stuck with Paula then his partner seems to prefer Derek. I give him a 10 for that milkman strut, though. He definitely committed to the hand he was dealt this week.

I'm liking Derek a lot this season. He seemed to get Alexa and her issues that he could work on for Mark. I did think the tango was too heavy on production, though.

I hope we get to keep Lindsay next season. Anna, too.

Andy's dance is what I always hope to see from him. It showed how Allison just doesn't fit as a pro. She's a lovely person and seems well-liked, but they need to find a different way to utilize her talents. I actually thought Andy's not a cha cha from last week would have been a good start for a pro opening. She could work on those instead.

I know the lie detectors were fake, but I loved them. And, of course Derek thinks Bruno is the sexiest judge. The only other judges are his sister and CAI.

Maks' hair is awful, and he's looking ragged. I'm not sure if that's the right description and I only know him from Meryl's season, but I thought he was a little more pretty boy then. Surprisingly, I agreed with his comments quite a bit.

[sinkwriter]

The scores were all over the place tonight! Sheesh. Tamar getting the same score as Paula? That's bullshit. Even with her frozen face, she didn't deserve all those 7's. (And I still don't get that facial expression. Is she just concentrating too hard?) Other than the continued face issues, I thought Tamar did well with everything she was given and she partnered better with Louis than with Val. The dance was a bit frantic, though, and that made everything just a tiny bit "off." I would have given her 8's.

 

Bruno and Maks were right about Hayes and that Viennese Waltz. He did a fine job with what he was given, but Allison choreographed it as too fast and abrupt. It was supposed to be smooth, and she made it all jerky and frantic.

 

I liked Alexa's dance with Derek but no way did that deserve all 10's. I felt like she did a great job (and connected better with Derek) but she still looked like she was in her head. I would have given her 9's, not 10's. 

 

Carlos did a great job. Bouncy, fun, and as the judges pointed out, much better posture than usual. I thought he and Lindsey did a terrific job, and his scores were more deserved than his wife's.

 

Bindi and Val were wonderful together. Great energy! They both looked like they were having a lot of fun. Which surprised me, given all the drama talked about here in the forum over the weekend. I expected Val to be a pain in the ass, but he looked like he really enjoyed dancing with Bindi (and vice versa). I thought their scores were very well deserved, including the 10 from Maks.

 

A big yay for Andy for having more room in his schedule and really committing to the dance with Sharna. I didn't really need to know that "behind the scenes" info about what she told him to think about in order to keep his drama face (LOL), but if tips like that help him, go for it because he looked sexy out there for the first time. Too bad he can't keep Sharna every week.

 

That package with Nick and Witney seemed very very weird to me. The whole vibe between them was weird, he seemed to be instructing HER which was very weird, and while they both danced well together, they didn't seem to have a good connection so I think the dance suffered because of it.

 

Paula... I appreciate that you remembered more of your steps and had fun with Mark, but I do not need to see you flash anyone, whether or not you have "bloomers" on. No no no no no. 

Edited October 13, 2015 by sinkwriter

[AdorkableSars]

 

Witney made me feel old.

 

Ugh. Me too. I just turned 30 yesterday, and was already feeling old. But the whole "My mom used to play the Backstreet Boys...I wasn't in that era" thing made it even worse. Too real...

 

 

Scores seemed a little low to me. I thought for sure he'd get all 8s. I guess they're saving the higher scores for someone else. (Erin. Stop it! You're being awkward.)

 

Ugh. I know Erin probably had the producers yelling in her ears to up the showmance, but that was so cringe worthy. Alek seemed embarrassed, Emma seemed embarrassed...I WAS embarrassed, and wasn't even a part of the dance. Just no. However I too thought it was underscored. The judges keep telling him to show more with his face. He shows more than Tamar at least. I was worried they were going to use the whole "Spencer (Alek's best friend, also on the train) getting stabbed" thing, so I was at least glad they didn't go there.

 

 

I find Carlos supremely obnoxious. Lindsey's choreo was amazing, but a bit overscored.

 

Ugh. (I ugh-ed a lot tonight.) I agree. He seems like a total d-bag. However, Lindsay's choreography was incredible tonight. She is probably one of the best pros for sure. The way she plans and teaches routines is fantastic. SO happy that Alek gets her back next week. And Carlos was wonderful dancing this routine tonight. 

 

 

Still a little weepy for Tom. He has always been one of my most favourite parts of DWTS.  He makes it look so easy....he's a marvel.

 

He is amazing so great to have him back tonight. So sorry to hear about his dad. Thoughts and prayers to him and his family for sure.

 

WOW ANDY. I was so excited for him to be able to dance with a new partner, and even happier when I saw he got Sharna. They did not disappoint, That was by far his best dance of the competition so far. I knew he had it in him, So sad he has to go back to Alison next week. (She seems sweet, and I know she's a great dancer...just not a great pro.) He seems like such a great guy, and I love his personality. I want him to stick around for a while. And tonight showed all of the potential he has, being squandered by having Alison as a partner.

 

I'm a little worried about Alek. The low scores tonight, the judges indifference, the annoying showmance edit. I hope he and Lindsay KILL it next week. He's been the surprise of the season so far, and one of my faves, and I want to seen him in it for the long haul. Especially since he performed tonight with (likely) a broken nose. What a trooper.

Edited October 13, 2015 by AdorkableSars

[Packerbrewerbadger]

I actually have positive things to say about tonight's show!

1). Loved that it was all ballroom and Latin dances - no contemporary, jazz, Bollywood etc.

2). Loved the longer dances - they have seemed so short this season,

3) Loved that Maks wanted more content from Allison- she should be told that every week!!

4). Absolutely loved Val with Bindi, wish they were permanent partners!

[gohawks]

Tamar scores were ridiculous. She looked fabulous and danced well with difficult choreography.

Glad Bindi found a foundation garment. I have live in the Puget Sound my entire life and Bindi remnds me of the baristas at Starbuck's. Too much friendly happy for me. It was a nice dance. It was nice to see her scores were based on her dancing.

Regarding the lie detector, I have always believed Derek is gay and will pull a Clay Aiken eventually (JMO), Val needed to chill.

Paula is disgusting.

Edited October 13, 2015 by gohawks

[JenMcSnark]

I just can't deal with Paula. 

 

Bindi and Alek just completely charm me and I enjoy watching them learn and improve.  Which, for me, is what this show is about.  I did think Tamar was underscored and I can't believe she and Paula both got 7s.  SMH

 

And I agree about Tom; he's the best thing about this show and my heart goes out to him. 

[kitcloudkicker]

I don't think I've ever liked a samba on this show unless it got declared "not really a samba" later on, so that was a tough draw for Tamar this week. Thumbs down for sambas. Her blank face was back with a vengeance this week too. And I can't bring myself to care for Louis. If it's a choice between hard and messy or a little easier and clean you have to skew clean on this show. 

 

I wonder how many of Allison's partners have to struggle before she gets called out for her teaching. She seems like a sweet girl, but the lack of finesse and one speed are grating. Agreed with whoever compared her choreography to Sharna's, where Sharna allows for the dance to breathe, where Allison packs it in. 

 

Something about Carlos just grates on me. This encapsulates it for me, he seems like the kind of guy who would trip you, and then make fun of you as "humor," and if you got mad you'd get called out for "not being able to take a joke." I don't know if it's about Alexa doing "better" with Derek so much as it's getting her to focus on "not-Carlos." She was able to do it for the Breaking Bad dance, and Derek got her to snap out of it again this week. (#saveAlexa) That said, I do think it showed Derek's strengths as a teacher, and I really liked Derek and Alexa's tango. I liked the crazy 6 person hold. It was just enough to not be too much. (The perfect score did seem to be a bit of damage control from last week.) 

 

Bindi's got this season for me. Super cute, I'm so glad she got Val, and that's exactly what I wanted. (I think they reused the candy colored heart set styling from Derek/Sadie's Charleston?) I said this last week but it's that she throws herself into every movement for me, nothing about what she's doing feels self conscious, or in her head. 

[DancingD]

I don't think you're alone in thinking Derek is gay, lots of mid schoolers in his life went after him for it. But he's keeping quiet about his private life these days. Though rumor has it that the very beautiful new troupe member Hayley is his SO. So I guess he is keeping secrets, so you're partially right.

[blaase]

Val should have gotten Bindi instead of unlikeable Braxton lady.

[crowceilidh]

 

The team dances are coming soon, right? I'm guessing they went crazy on Carlos' and Alexa's scores to set up the team dance rivalry.

 

Well called, kayma.

[COESpiral]

Bless Tom for showing up tonight when I'm sure he'd rather be elsewhere. Condolences to him and his family for their loss.

Of course Andy did a great job tonight...that's what happens when you have a competent ballroom teacher. Sharna is awesome.

Part of me thinks Bindi is a fictitious character from a movie musical in the 30's. I fully expect Shirley Temple, Mickey Rooney, and/or Judy Garland to come storming the dance floor. "We can do the whole show right here!" (old movie reference)

Alek isn't perfect, but he is so refreshing to watch. No massive ego, solid work ethic, willingness to learn, and some natural talent to boot. I would love it if he could at least make it to the semi-finals.

Tamar disappointed me this week. She was dancing to Beyoncé. How can you not be fierce when dancing to Beyoncé? Her moves were unfinished, she was thinking through everything (though to be fair, I put that on Louis as they've never danced together and only get six days to learn each other's quirks), and she just seemed in over her head. She's being too hesitant.

Paula...well, let's not discuss that. I have to go poke out my mind's eye after the skirt lifting moment. [full body shudder]