S23.E14: Week 11

[peachmangosteen]

10 hours ago, crowceilidh said:

I think I just want Calvin to win.  I have enjoyed watching him the most.  There are moments where his musicality makes him look like he's floating (I know, they're only moments) and that wonderful sense that he's unexpectedly enjoying himself comes through in each dance. 

+1. I like all three of the remaining stars, and I actually voted for James, but I actually really want Calvin to win. He's just been the one to make me smile the most and that's really why I'm watching this show.

I voted for James though because I think it's between him and Laurie and, while I like Laurie, I think James deserves the win more.

[WhosThatGirl]

To be honest though, for the last couple years, the seasons have been really boring and it's been obvious who the final three will be. I haven't been excited for a season winner in a while.

[Sister Havana]

I just loved Calvin and Lindsay's freestyle. So much fun! And Calvin's son is just the cutest. He definitely has his dad's smile.

I liked Laurie's and James's freestyles too. Definitely the right final 3. I still think Laurie takes it, but I'll be fine with any of them winning . 

[sinycalone]

38 minutes ago, suebee12 said:

But if you look at the dance carefully, it wasn't a typical contemporary dance. It had waltz, paso, tango and who knows what other dances in it! After watching a second, third, etc, time, I enjoyed it more and more. Plus I loved the music and downloaded that version so I can continue to listen to it. I have to thank Sharna for introducing me to the Piano Guys! They are amazing.

There were quite a few elements from other dances...so not really a contemporary.  I've watched it a few times...and agree that I enjoy it more each time.

Calvin seems to have so much fun dancing that I can overlook some of his minor flaws.  His freestyle was my second favorite.

Laurie is another one with energy and enthusiasm to burn.  Her freestyle showed all of that...but felt a little "young" for her.

However, all the of the remaining contestants deserve to be there -- the best 3 made it to the end.  I enjoyed the season because it had a minimal amount of forced drama. .. no one put my teeth on edge every time they appeared on my screen.  Yea!

 

 

 

I 

[thesupremediva1]

Wow, were those the lowest scores ever given out for redemption dances? Not complaining, I'm just shocked they even have 8 paddles this week.

Gleb and Jana were ready to go. I liked both their dances, but they weren't clean.

Calvin and Lindsey are fun to watch, but it's all lifts and tricks. For me, it's really between Hinch and Laurie.

I'm predisposed to adore Laurie. I an obsessive gymnastics fan and Val is my absolute favorite. If Laurie was paired with anyone else, I'd be rooting for Hinch. But it's Val, and I want him to get another Mirrorball. I adore the paternal side that Laurie's brought out in him. I loved their redemption dance and their freestyle song was absolute perfection. I do agree that the concept fit a 10-year-old more than a 16-year-old Olympic Gold Medalist, but I'm not going to complain too much because they just as easily could have tried to force sex appeal or relied heavily on gymnastics tricks. I don't think the walkover and jump were egregious touches. Gymnastics is part of Laurie and I like that Val incorporated some of that.

James and Sharna are so lovely together. There was a mistake in the redemption dance, and based on that alone I think it should go to Laurie, but their freestyle was my absolute favorite. Also, can I ask, is there a hint of showmance here? I've never seen Sharna act like this with any partner. They can't stop touching or looking at each other. Watching them almost feels intrusive. I have to wonder if she's pushing it to get the win. It can work (see: Maks and Meryl).

Hinch has been such a welcome surprise and pure ray of sunshine on a show that always tries to push puppies and rainbows down my throat in the form of bubbly teenagers. My heart is with Laurie and Val, but I will be overjoyed for him and Sharna if they pull out the win. He's so adorable. I hope he pursues something in entertainment after this ends.

Edited November 22, 2016 by thesupremediva1

[MortysCleaningLady]

I don't care who among the three wins, but the best two dances last night were James's redemption foxtrot and Calvin's freestyle.   As someone who lasted through two years of ballet and one of tap in my childhood forty years ago, my expertise surely rivals that of Cariann.   And I hated James freestyle almost as much as Jana's.

[Jeffurry]

Apparently Calvin and Lindsay's Freestyle was taking place right below my apartment, but there were two inaccuracies: (1) The A train doesn't stop there and (2) I couldn't hear Billy Eichner screaming from the street above.

[penbrat]

1 hour ago, sinycalone said:

 

 

 

 

I 

Edited November 22, 2016 by penbrat

[LadyMustang65]

40 minutes ago, thesupremediva1 said:

I do agree that the concept fit a 10-year-old more than a 16-year-old Olympic Gold Medalist, but I'm not going to complain too much because they just as easily could have tried to force sex appeal or relied heavily on gymnastics tricks.

Several people have mentioned they thought the freestyle was too "young" for Laurie.  I quoted you because yours was the most recent comment and so easiest to find.  I have to disagree on this one.  My younger son was a competitive gymnast for 13 years.  He trained 6 days/week at the gym with only 3 weeks off every year.  He was good enough that he made it to the Junior Olympics twice and won several state and regional titles.  In his final year he was our state champion on parallel bars.  (Sorry, proud mom kicking in.)  Anyway, whenever the team got a chance to hit a playground, they were all over it.  And we're talking boys in their mid- to late teens.  They would have an absolute blast swinging, sliding, spinning, jumping.  You name it, they would do it.  The girls team was the same.  They said it was just fun, and I think it helped them handle the stress of training all the time.  These kids lose some of their childhood (how much depends on how serious they are) as they dedicate themselves to their sport, and playgrounds just seemed to be a way for them to get some of it back maybe?  I don't know.  I just know they loved a good playground.  And yes, they would do flips and jumps off railings or large rocks and stuff like that.  And usually a trip to a playground would end with them surrounded by kids egging them on to do backflips, which they'd happily do and then they'd spot the little kids to do their own backflips.  It was always joyous.  So to me this was just absolutely pitch perfect.  Laurie getting to be just a regular kid, having fun, carefree, no pressure.  I loved it.  :)

[thefog]

James - because he represented what this competition should really be about.  Someone who was a virtual unknown in the States who came into the competition with zero dance experience and little expectation.  I am also more wow with someone who can entertain.  I also think Sharna is overdue.

Edited November 22, 2016 by escape

[katha]

Laurie has also repeatedly said that she doesn't want the season to be over. Tbh, I might well believe that she isn't just saying that to be nice. Yes, her schedule was hectic with the tour and Val can be demanding. But it's still DWTS, and that's probably one endless party compared to the brutal rigours of gymnastics training (come on, the Karolyis are infamous). So for all the training hours she put in for this show, she got to do some fun dances, she got to dress up, she got to hang out with all sorts of people. And as I understand it, after that she goes back to seriously training for her gymnastics career, she won't take an extended break.

ETA: And the bashing and hatred for Laurie on social media now that she's perceived as a threat has been brutal. So in that sense I'm really grateful to the show for staging that "struggle" for her mid-season. They knew what they were doing. It's bad now, it would have been way worse if they hadn't done that. I still remember how absolutely vicious people got about Zendaya. Yikes.

Edited November 22, 2016 by katha

[Wings]

4 hours ago, Suzysite said:

I think her dad looks pretty chin-y in this picture    middle of page

Yep, that is it. Unfortunate. 

5 hours ago, nutty1 said:

I know style and ability is important, but in a voting show, it really comes down to how the performance makes us, the viewers, feel. Hence the reason many winners were not those whose technique was the best. It was the same on American Idol. 

I have nothing personal against any of these dancers, ever. If the shows touts them as the ringer or focuses on their sob story, it isn't the star's fault. I watch for my own enjoyment. This season, it is James who I enjoyed the most. So my votes went to him. But for once, I really am fine with any of the 3 winning.

That is exactly right. Never thought about it this way. James makes me feel happy when I watch him dance and love his relationship with Calvin.  He is having a good time and it shows.  The lack of drama and any tension is compelling. 

[RedFiat]

7 hours ago, RedheadZombie said:

I'm irrationally enraged when Carrie Anne goes on about her lift nonsense.  My mother challenged me, and I stressed again that CA talks out of her ass.   How she has the nerve to act so righteous when she's sitting next to a real judge, and the table is filled with people who know what they're talking about. 

I ruthlessly stated, "She was a fly girl. She shook her ass on TV."  I actually had to google to convince her.

Len should have been more firm. 

If she were consistent that would be one thing, but she should have deducted for that manic Paso with the lift. There are no lifts in Paso. 

[iMonrey]

Calvin's freestyle was my favorite. That part with the conveyor belt could have gone wrong so many different ways but they pulled it off and it was cute as hell. 

I've never liked "contemporary" and I probably never will, but I was amazed how well James did. Is there nothing he can't do? Still didn't care for the concept but I was engrossed in watching him from start to finish. He's just so damn graceful! 

I thought Laurie and Val got lost in the troupe members during their freestyle and there wasn't enough actual dancing. Also: Laurie does this thing where she sometimes lands short of vertical. Instead of being straight up and down, she's standing at an angle. I've noticed it several times in her dances. 

I loved Tom making fun of Carrie Ann's lift nonsense and loved Len even more for calling bullshit on it. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that Carrie Ann has been placed in the unenviable position of down-scoring some of these couples in order to compensate for the vote totals. Like, they might be under-scoring Jana and Calvin because they don't want either one beating Laurie or James. And James might actually be in trouble, vote-wise, to be put in "jeopardy" with Jana and Gleb. Either that, or Carrie Ann just wants that to be her "thing." Or, it could be both.

Quote

I would have been angry if James had been eliminated over Jana. I got so tired of hearing about her "journey" and her use of the show as therapy. 

I never fully understood what Jana's "story" was about anyway: I know she was in an abusive relationship with her first husband, but she has discarded three other husbands since then. Were they all abusive? Is the fact that she makes bad choices because her parents got a divorce really a compelling story? Compared to what James went through, or an Olympic gymnast? 

But yeah, I'm tired of the sob stories too, and I think they hit that "James almost died" hammer once too often. I'm not sure how I feel about that either because, duh- occupational hazard. 

[RedFiat]

13 hours ago, PBGamer89 said:

That's why I really don't like the "special class" celebs because the dancing becomes second. I always found Nyle to be like James. Good, but not great and not a winner whose dances i'll remember seasons from now.

That is so blatanly unfair to James as this guy improved his dancing every single time he went out there.  Nyle never ever improved his frame, whereas James improved not only his dance position, but his ability to the point of actually taking a lead, not being back led as all the men are on this show.  When he was criticized for not staying on time he worked his tail off to get perfectly on time in that difficult Jive routine. The work ethic was what he was all about all the way through. Nyle was only Nyle, he never embodied any characters, or had the ability to do so. He was a pretty deaf boy and capitalized on that, which is fine you use what you have.  Nobody really knew how buff James was all season long. Most men with a good body show it off.  Noah was half naked for half the season he was on as a reminder that yes he doesn't dance but look what he sacrificed.  But James' open shirt on the FS was more about revealing some scars in a more poetic way,  that although he nearly lost his life he could only remember darkness, not the struggle his body went through when he flatlined.  This is a dance I will remember for a long time.  And his Viennese Waltz that's gone viral and  his Jive and his Argentine Tango and his Paramour QS as risk taking and pretty wonderful. 

Edited November 22, 2016 by RedFiat

[LadyMustang65]

55 minutes ago, RedFiat said:

If she were consistent that would be one thing, but she should have deducted for that manic Paso with the lift. There are no lifts in Paso. 

Maybe she didn't consider it a lift.  She has said in the past that part of what constitutes a lift is that the person being lifted cannot do the action by themselves.  In this case Val didn't "lift" Laurie - she jumped and used him as a brace.  Everyone knows she's perfectly capable of doing that all by herself using a chair or a table or anything else.  Or maybe she decided not to call it because it was so darn gorgeous.  Took my breath away.  As far as I'm concerned, CAI shouldn't have called any lifts last night.  I just thought that was kind of petty.  :)

[RedFiat]

5 minutes ago, LadyMustang65 said:

Maybe she didn't consider it a lift.  She has said in the past that part of what constitutes a lift is that the person being lifted cannot do the action by themselves.  In this case Val didn't "lift" Laurie - she jumped and used him as a brace.  Everyone knows she's perfectly capable of doing that all by herself using a chair or a table or anything else.  Or maybe she decided not to call it because it was so darn gorgeous.  Took my breath away.  As far as I'm concerned, CAI shouldn't have called any lifts last night.  I just thought that was kind of petty.  :)

Except  That was the exact same lift they used on the Tango dance off and they were called out for it.  It's this inconsistent bullshit reserved for the gymnast that just doesn't square.  So that 9 from CAI should have been an 8, because they saw the dance was not good despite the holding their nose for the lift.   

Edited November 22, 2016 by RedFiat

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

Dancing With the Stars Slides Into The Finals

After two more dances (including the freestyle!), another couple is eliminated before the Mirror Ball is awarded in the season finale.

[katha]

Yeah, to be fair to CAI (I can't believe I just typed that LOL), it does seem like they often use her to stir up "controversy" or get people to rant about how "mean" she is to this or that couple.

[boyznkatz]

36 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I never fully understood what Jana's "story" was about anyway: I know she was in an abusive relationship with her first husband, but she has discarded three other husbands since then. Were they all abusive? Is the fact that she makes bad choices because her parents got a divorce really a compelling story? Compared to what James went through, or an Olympic gymnast? 

But yeah, I'm tired of the sob stories too, and I think they hit that "James almost died" hammer once too often. I'm not sure how I feel about that either because, duh- occupational hazard. 

Yeah, like bad choices are the same thing as a real tragedy. Calvin was the only one who didn't seem to rely on drama. I don't know whether the others milked the drama, or the show did, but it was a bit much. Any of them are good enough to win on their own without sob stories.

[jackjill89]

I am glad Jana and Gleb are gone. I thought she was a good dancer, but I really got tired of her "sex faces" when she danced and the overtly sexual tone of their relationship. Whether it was just for the show or real, I would be so ticked if I was his wife. I, too, didn't understand her story. 

I didn't love James' freestyle. It was good, but the best ever? I think he is a wonderful dancer. I like his partnership with Sharna, but I wasn't moved. They've gone to the "I almost died" well before. 

I thought Laurie's freestyle fit her personality -- it was buoyant and joyous. She is a frantic dancer, but she is solid.

Calvin just makes me smile. To me, HE is the one who exemplifies what the show is about. He's come very far, really enjoyed the process and isn't full of angst. 

For the first time, I'd be happy if anyone wins. They are all deserving for different reasons. If Jana were in the finals, I'd feel very differently. It was her time to go.

[vibeology]

52 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I never fully understood what Jana's "story" was about anyway: I know she was in an abusive relationship with her first husband, but she has discarded three other husbands since then. Were they all abusive? Is the fact that she makes bad choices because her parents got a divorce really a compelling story? Compared to what James went through, or an Olympic gymnast? 

To be fair to Jana, I would imagine having your first husband nearly murder you (and go to jail for that attempted murder) would probably mess you up enough in the relationship department that you might not make healthy choices going forward. Jana is free to talk or not talk about it as she sees fit but I do think the general talk of a "journey" and the few vague references we did get during the season (while it's clear the people in the ballroom making those references know the whole story) probably hurt Jana since she seemed like a drama queen rather than the young victim (I think she was 19 or 20 when it happened) of a violent crime who struggles with the aftermath.

I'm still glad she's gone since I found her the least engaging of the dancers remaining but I do feel a great deal for what she's gone through personally.

[katha]

I think the problem is that all the contestants get told by production that they need a "narrative" to interest viewers (and if they don't provide that narrative themselves, the show will do it for them. Ugh.). And this is probably not wrong, since it's a popularity contest and many in the general audience vote for "best story", not "best dancer". The downside of that whole approach is that you then get totally forced, fabricated blurbs about "journeys", since dancing isn't seen as enough. So Paige told everyone how she wanted to be a girly girl, though she probably didn't care about all that nonsense. Hence TPTB creating an artificial "struggle story arc" for Laurie this season, hence everyone going back to tragedy and misfortunes in their lives because they think viewers will "connect" to that.

[iMonrey]

Agreed, katha. Part of the problem with Jana is she never went into specifics and I didn't know about her situation until someone here elaborated. All I kept hearing about were these vague references to how "broken" she was when she started this show and how much it "healed" her. I was like "huh?" the whole time. 

And with James I feel like they had to keep reiterating how he !almost died! to differentiate him from Helio, another race car driver. 

I wish they'd all just dance and shut the hell up about their personal lives.

[realdancemom]

This is my opinions from watching the dances one time each last night and reading the comments on this thread.

Jana and Gleb - I don't remember their redemption dance at all.  Contemporary was the perfect choice for Jana for a freestyle.   However, Gleb is not a good jazz or contemporary choreographer.  Jana did well for what she was given but I didn't like the choreography.  I've also seen this long fabric concept before.   I thought she was very gracious when she left.  I liked that she said that the other three deserved to be in the finals and it was her time.

Calvin and Lindsay - Calvin's ballroom has improved.  Their redemption dance was really nice and flowy.  It didn't feel frantic like his recent ballroom dances.  His freestyle was really fun.  Lindsay is really creative and knows how to use her stars' strength.  She did a really good job with Alek and he wasn't even a good dancer.  I really loved the treadmill section although I was worried during that section.

Laurie and Val - There wasn't a lift in the Paso.  She did a jump which she can easily do.  I did see a lift in their Tango and it wasn't the same move.  In that one, she leaned forward towards Val and cartwheeled her legs.  She probably could still do that on her own but in this case, Val did make it easier for her to do.  I thought her freestyle suited her.  It was fun and joyous.  He also didn't fill it with too much gymnastics. I'm glad Val didn't blow it like he did with Zendaya.  I got the impression that Val had temporary custody over Laurie this season.   That's why he feels so protective of her.

James and Sharna - I still think that James should have had the cha cha cha for his redemption dance.  I'm still not convinced that he is a good fast Latin dancer that requires hip action.  He is good at ballroom and the jive.  James did do better in the Ellen clip than when he performed it on DWTS.  But I think it was more a club dance than a cha cha cha.  As somebody else mentioned, there was a lot of booty shaking. 

I have mixed feelings about his freestyle.  They danced it well and Sharna's choreography was good.  However, I hate manipulative freestyles so the choreography better be excellent.  In Bindi's case, I hated her freestyle since it was Contemporary 101.  Peta used a contemporary choreographer for Nyle's freestyle and I did like his.  Sharna's choreography was better than what Derek did for Bindi.  I did like that she did other dance styles besides contemporary.   The voice over was o.k. at the end but that was such a thing to do about 10 years ago.  Somebody said that his freestyle reminded them of a high school recital.  I can see that since back then, teachers would choreograph numbers for girls around 14 years old that had voice overs.    They were self esteem dances so girls would mention why they were special/unique or things that the overcame, etc.  Also the angel & angel of death theme have been done to death too.  But I guess it matches his story.

I did love the Piano Guys song but I love their songs.  It's also special since Annie Schmidt's memorial is this week.

Like others, I can see any of the three finalists winning for different reasons.

ETA - I've also been saying for years that CAI shouldn't dock for a lift if it wasn't intentional.  So I'm glad Len said it.  I don't think there should have been any points taken off for lifts in any of the dances.

Edited November 22, 2016 by realdancemom

[Padma]

2 hours ago, LadyMustang65 said:

 They said it was just fun, and I think it helped them handle the stress of training all the time.  These kids lose some of their childhood (how much depends on how serious they are) as they dedicate themselves to their sport, and playgrounds just seemed to be a way for them to get some of it back maybe?  I don't know.  I just know they loved a good playground.  And yes, they would do flips and jumps off railings or large rocks and stuff like that.  And usually a trip to a playground would end with them surrounded by kids egging them on to do backflips, which they'd happily do and then they'd spot the little kids to do their own backflips.  It was always joyous.  So to me this was just absolutely pitch perfect.  Laurie getting to be just a regular kid, having fun, carefree, no pressure.  I loved it.  :)

I agree with all of this. It wasn't about being a little kid, it was about finding the joy you have as a little kid, even when you're older. (For a change, I agreed with Carrie anne.)  I also wondered if Val --who loved the youthful innocence of their Willy Wonka dance so much--wanted one last chance to share that innocence with Laurie. I'm sure it felt like fun in doing it--maybe more fun than any other dances they've done--playful and happy and young even though it was the most stressful part of the show.

Does Val have a mean, arrogant side like his brother? He just doesn't seem that much like Maks, but maybe I haven't been watching long enough. He seems like such a great guy.  I'll bet he missed out on a lot of -his- childhood too, not to the extent Laurie did, but still.  Anyway, I loved their freestyle, too.  It's nice to have 3 finalists who all will be great winners.

[RedFiat]

37 minutes ago, realdancemom said:

Laurie and Val - There wasn't a lift in the Paso.  She did a jump which she can easily do.  I did see a lift in their Tango and it wasn't the same move.  In that one, she leaned forward towards Val and cartwheeled her legs.  She probably could still do that on her own but in this case, Val did make it easier for her to do.  I thought her freestyle suited her.  It was fun and joyous.  He also didn't fill it with too much gymnastics. I'm glad Val didn't blow it like he did with nt reasons.

There are no lifts in Paso, and it was hella close to the bs lift they did in the Tango round. it was a Tango lift, in that you need momentum from your partner to swing like a pendulum up, you can't do that on your own. She'd need Val or a monkey bar, take your pick. And what the hell is Argentine Tango doing in a Paso, I saw some engauchos, not done well mind you after that lift.  Not to mention her chaissez steps did not close properly, they were still ramroding through the piece so she looked manic and hectic and off balance at points.  Forward locking steps where where they? All over the place. Shaping was non discript.  But yeah, great dance. For a Gymnast.  Worst Paso I've seen a finalist do. Ever.  As far as the jungle gym routine, it was silly and boring.  IMHO getting Laurie to slide down a slide and ride a merry go round is a cop out.  

Edited November 22, 2016 by RedFiat

[renzii]

1 hour ago, LadyMustang65 said:

Maybe she didn't consider it a lift.  She has said in the past that part of what constitutes a lift is that the person being lifted cannot do the action by themselves.  In this case Val didn't "lift" Laurie - she jumped and used him as a brace.  Everyone knows she's perfectly capable of doing that all by herself using a chair or a table or anything else.  Or maybe she decided not to call it because it was so darn gorgeous.  Took my breath away.  As far as I'm concerned, CAI shouldn't have called any lifts last night.  I just thought that was kind of petty.  :)

This is exactly what I thought all three times she's done it.

[RedheadZombie]

16 hours ago, Marmiarmo said:

Laurie's freestyle was high energy and adorable, and I really enjoyed it.  But she's 16, not 8...16 year olds drive, date, cram for exams...and do other things.  Very few of them skip around playgrounds in little yellow sundresses.  I do really appreciate them not trying to turn "America's sweetheart" into a vamp, but they also don't need to constantly turn her into a little girl.  And I'm sick of Erin fawning all over her like she's a basket of puppies on Christmas morning..."I just can't with you!  You're so cute!!"  Yes, she is.  She's adorable, and sweet, and incredibly talented.  But that sort of OTT praise makes me cringe.

I get what you're saying about Laurie, but I think that child-like happiness is why the show chose her.  I really wish the show wouldn't cast under eighteens.  It makes me uncomfortable, because they typically really push the "sexiness" factor, and I find it so inappropriate.  Laurie has clearly led a very sheltered life, which revolved around gymnastics.   She was home schooled, and spent the majority of her life with a gym filled with other females.  She's giggly around males like a much younger girl, but it makes sense to me.  I vastly prefer Laurie's child-like enthusiasm and her inability to fake passion over the Duck Dynasty virgin whose chastity was guarded by two women (as well as daddy via the phone), in case Mark gave in to his base desires.

I think Willow was remarkably mature for a 14 y/o, and Zendaya was able to act goofy and age-appropriate, yet provide the proper emotion without much drama.  I just find the whole sexualizing of children incredibly creepy, and don't get me started on pre-pubescent siblings performing overtly sexual Latin dances. 

[RedFiat]

Except for the Tango lift to swing you need a brace.  That was Val this time. It could have been a monkey bar on the Freestyle and she could have swung up and hung upside down,  on the FS it's not going to be docked as a lift.  But the same principle, she couldn't do that on her own. 

Edited November 22, 2016 by RedFiat

[boyznkatz]

25 minutes ago, RedheadZombie said:

 I vastly prefer Laurie's child-like enthusiasm and her inability to fake passion over the Duck Dynasty virgin whose chastity was guarded by two women (as well as daddy via the phone), in case Mark gave in to his base desires.

Duck Dynasty Girl didn't seem that innocent to me, and neither did Bindi Irwin. Laurie does seem like a child, and that is why she is so cute. Honestly, she isn't much older than my teenage son and he isn't much more mature. That said, I still don't like children on the show.

Edited November 22, 2016 by boyznkatz

[crowceilidh]

So only two of us are annoyed by the slo mo camera action on Laurie's jump?  I'm surprised.  It left a seriously bad taste in my mouth that they thought it was okay to do that.  One slo mo move for everyone would have been okay, but singling out one contestant that way so that her jump looks supernatural?  Humpf.

[Callaphera]

2 minutes ago, crowceilidh said:

So only two of us are annoyed by the slo mo camera action on Laurie's jump?  I'm surprised.  It left a seriously bad taste in my mouth that they thought it was okay to do that.  One slo mo move for everyone would have been okay, but singling out one contestant that way so that her jump looks supernatural?  Humpf.

I thought it was cheesy as hell but it didn't annoy me itself. What did annoy me was that, with the slowed down time, by the time they got back to the dancers on the stage, they had already moved and set up for the next bit of the dance and I kinda wonder how they transitioned. Was there choreography? Did they all just haul ass to the stage and pose? I don't like it when the camera is away from the dance. It makes me feel like I missed something.

[boyznkatz]

The slo-mo jump was cheesy, but there was a lot of cheese on that show last night.

[rr2911]

. One of the things I don't like about DWTS's finale is all the TENS that are given out like candy. If some of those dances were performed in midseason, they wouldn't be scored as 10's.

. Why is a lift from CAI worth a 2pt. deduction but a stumble is a 1pt. deduction or no points taken at all(Bruno)? James's stumble should've been a 2pt. or more deduction.

. Isn't it strange that a "freestyle dance" is always the deciding dance on a show that's about ballroom dancing? I think freestyle should be in the show. Maybe have this type of dance in midseason.

. Jana is a good dancer. She just didn't do good enough to surpass Laurie. Also, too bad for Gleb's stumble.

. Calvin Johnson should not be in the finals. His free style was fun to look at but that's about it. He moves very stiff, does not flow.

. James or Sharna made a smart move by bringing in his backstory infused with the dance. Knowing that the dance would pull a few heartstrings, now they have the upper hand over Laurie.

. Laurie should win hands down! My gut feeling is that people will either not vote for her thinking she has it in the bag or will be swayed by James's FS dance and will vote for him. It would be a shame because Laurie is the better dancer of the remaining couples and in a real dance competition she would win, but this is a popular contest, where if a couple makes you feel fuzzy and warm inside that couple will get the votes.

. DWTS doesn't need musical guests to perform. Just bring back the other contestants to perform one last time and then on with crowning the champ.

. I hope next year the show goes back to three judges.

. Gut feeling - James wins

. Will be rooting for - Laurie

[iMonrey]

Quote

Lindsay is really creative and knows how to use her stars' strength.

Sometimes. But both times she did a Waltz with Calvin she had to include those moves where he drags her across the floor, and where he spins her around, and both of those moves made him look really clunky and stompy Even if he was performing those moves correctly (which I don't think he quite did), they look ungainly because he's just so damn big. It really broke the fluidity of the dance, so I wish she had just eliminated those elements from their "redemption" dance. They're not required elements in a Waltz.

Quote

So only two of us are annoyed by the slo mo camera action on Laurie's jump?

It sort of took me out of it for a moment because I was like "Wait, what? This is live, how did they do that?" 

You know what else bugged me? The way Val kept playing with Laurie's hair while he was standing behind her getting their scores/critiques. He kept grabbing it in his hands and scrunching it and pulling it. I wanted to yell at him to stop it.

[St. Claire]

15 minutes ago, crowceilidh said:

So only two of us are annoyed by the slo mo camera action on Laurie's jump?  I'm surprised.  It left a seriously bad taste in my mouth that they thought it was okay to do that.  One slo mo move for everyone would have been okay, but singling out one contestant that way so that her jump looks supernatural?  Humpf.

Count me in on the annoyance. I hate the effects for TV and wish they would just stick with us seeing the same thing on screen that the audience can see in person.

Quote

 Why is a lift from CAI worth a 2pt. deduction but a stumble is a 1pt. deduction or no points taken at all(Bruno)? James's stumble should've been a 2pt. or more deduction.

I think the lift is only a point. When CAI gave an 8, it was in contrast to 9s from other judges, so it meant the lift was probably just a single point deduction from what would have been a 9-level dance.

Edited November 22, 2016 by St. Claire

[rr2911]

3 hours ago, RedFiat said:

If she were consistent that would be one thing, but she should have deducted for that manic Paso with the lift. There are no lifts in Paso. 

She should've deducted 2 or more points for the James stumble but didn't. In fact, Bruno gave him a ten.....ridiculous!  

[truthaboutluv]

17 minutes ago, crowceilidh said:

So only two of us are annoyed by the slo mo camera action on Laurie's jump?  I'm surprised.  It left a seriously bad taste in my mouth that they thought it was okay to do that.  One slo mo move for everyone would have been okay, but singling out one contestant that way so that her jump looks supernatural?  Humpf.

In fairness, Val might have requested that. That's the thing about being a good Pro, it's not just about choreographing steps. You have to think about the costuming, staging, etc. So it's very possible, Val thought this would be a cool effect for people watching on their screens, which are the majority of people voting and spoke to the tech people (or whoever handles that stuff) about it. If that's the case, I see nothing wrong with it. Also, I'm pretty sure a similar effect was used in Derek and Nastia's Charleston.

Edited November 22, 2016 by truthaboutluv

[Archery]

4 hours ago, LadyMustang65 said:

These kids lose some of their childhood (how much depends on how serious they are) as they dedicate themselves to their sport, and playgrounds just seemed to be a way for them to get some of it back maybe?  I don't know.  I just know they loved a good playground. 

I think Laurie's freestyle was perfect for her for all of the reasons you describe.  Yes, it felt young, but she's been ultra-focused since she was wee, and really, no 10 year old could have pulled that dance off. 

I thought about why I loved James' freestyle and felt meh about Jana's. It's because James' story isn't manipulative -- I got chills seeing that crash, and I'm not a NASCAR fan.  (I also loved how it was a great fusion of styles, not just leaping and bicycle legs in the air.) The dance pulled it all together into an abstract piece of art.  Jana's felt more like FEEL SOMETHING FOR ME!! when I really had no reason to. 

(Also, in the music for James and Sharna's freestyle, there seemed to be an orchestrated pop song, before it moved into the more classical sound.  I can't think of the title -- did anyone recognize it?)

But Calvin.  I sent up a prayer when I saw that treadmill -- talk about fearless!  Like the recapper, that was my favorite.  Carrie-Ann making fun of herself (here's a lift, Carrie-Ann, and a flip!) cracked me up.  I love Erin's responses -- both her infectious joy when the dance goes right, and her empathy when the dancers are disappointed.  SO much better than ditzy Samantha and Brooke-bot.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Archery

[Mondayeve]

Not for nuthing but Craig the judge on SCD who has no problems pulling out a  3 or 4 paddle when he deems it necessary says he only gives a 10 to a dance that moves him.  Go figure. 

[Hiacios]

18 hours ago, RedFiat said:

As for the other dances  since when does a Paso Doble get a 10 with an Argentine Tango lift, or any lift for that matter?  Lifts are not allowed in Paso Doble. Since the other two got dinged for a unintentional lift, Val gets praise for a deliberate move that wasn't even Paso Doble.  What a crock of shit.  He even uses the same lift that he got dinged for the first time he did it in a ballroom tango. So he was in their face daring them to dock him. 

 

Well, the judges have clearly favored Laurie & Val since week one so it was no surprise me that they didn't ding Val for the lift he did. smh. I just hope that we the fans did enough last night to counter the judge's bias so that James & Sharna get that well deserved MBT.

[Hiacios]

53 minutes ago, rr2911 said:

. One of the things I don't like about DWTS's finale is all the TENS that are given out like candy. If some of those dances were performed in midseason, they wouldn't be scored as 10's.

. Why is a lift from CAI worth a 2pt. deduction but a stumble is a 1pt. deduction or no points taken at all(Bruno)? James's stumble should've been a 2pt. or more deduction.

. Isn't it strange that a "freestyle dance" is always the deciding dance on a show that's about ballroom dancing? I think freestyle should be in the show. Maybe have this type of dance in midseason.

. Jana is a good dancer. She just didn't do good enough to surpass Laurie. Also, too bad for Gleb's stumble.

. Calvin Johnson should not be in the finals. His free style was fun to look at but that's about it. He moves very stiff, does not flow.

. James or Sharna made a smart move by bringing in his backstory infused with the dance. Knowing that the dance would pull a few heartstrings, now they have the upper hand over Laurie.

. Laurie should win hands down! My gut feeling is that people will either not vote for her thinking she has it in the bag or will be swayed by James's FS dance and will vote for him. It would be a shame because Laurie is the better dancer of the remaining couples and in a real dance competition she would win, but this is a popular contest, where if a couple makes you feel fuzzy and warm inside that couple will get the votes.

. DWTS doesn't need musical guests to perform. Just bring back the other contestants to perform one last time and then on with crowning the champ.

. I hope next year the show goes back to three judges.

. Gut feeling - James wins

. Will be rooting for - Laurie

 

James is a far better dancer than Laurie and would smoke her in a real dance competition period. James is just a natural at dancing and the public can see that but Laurie is the adorable Olympic gymnast that people want to win because she won gold for America. I hope that America picks the better dancer in James but the judges are against him in favor of Laurie and that's not good.

[Mondayeve]

No matter who takes it tonight there will be upset.  Who knows, Calvin could take it and wouldn't that be the ultimate upset of the entire series??  Well, except for the Calvin fans.

I know it is part of watching contest reality shows where the public is allowed to vote but when I see James and Val hugging on the balcony,  Laurie and Val cheering James on, James saying Laurie he knows Laurie is an incredible dancer compared to himself and Peta posting both Laurie's and James' numbers for votes it makes me sad that the fans go at it the way they do.   I get the fans are passionate and invested so anything less than a win for your team is devastating.  But it gets ugly every year and it sort of sucks the joy out of it for me.  Maybe I am the only one who feels that way.   It is fun to hash it out, and listen to the different opinions so I need to adjust if I want to keep watching.

I plan on being happy for whoever wins because I think Laurie brings her bubbly youthful energy and athleticism and James brings his storytelling his teachability and grace on the dance floor.  

All 3 couples will have danced every dance and they will all be on GMA and have equal time.  I know a silver medal doesn't have the same impact as the gold...some of the most memorable celebs and dances have not been the winners but they did make finals. 

Edited November 22, 2016 by Mondayeve

[realdancemom]

15 minutes ago, Hiacios said:

Well, the judges have clearly favored Laurie & Val since week one so it was no surprise me that they didn't ding Val for the lift he did. smh. I just hope that we the fans did enough last night to counter the judge's bias so that James & Sharna get that well deserved MBT.

To me, it was obvious that the judges were setting up James to have all 10s in the redemption dance.   They just couldn't do it because there was an obvious stumble.  I think the show would want Sharna to get her first MBT.  To me, Laurie did a jump in the Paso not a lift.  CAI probably saw it that way too.

I see positives and negatives in all three finalists.  I can see all three winning it for various reasons.  It's a popularity contest not a dance competition.  People vote for different reasons.

[LadyMustang65]

1 hour ago, crowceilidh said:

So only two of us are annoyed by the slo mo camera action on Laurie's jump?  I'm surprised.  It left a seriously bad taste in my mouth that they thought it was okay to do that.  One slo mo move for everyone would have been okay, but singling out one contestant that way so that her jump looks supernatural?  Humpf.

Honestly, it didn't bother me because they've done it for the golden boy so many times.  It was quick that you could have missed it if you weren't paying attention.  I liked it.  YMMV.  :)

[realdancemom]

1 minute ago, LadyMustang65 said:

Honestly, it didn't bother me because they've done it for the golden boy so many times.  It was quick that you could have missed it if you weren't paying attention.  I liked it.  YMMV.  :)

I also thought of Derek since he's done it before.  I didn't mind it because it showed that Laurie is such a good leaper and jumper.

[Hiacios]

1 hour ago, crowceilidh said:

So only two of us are annoyed by the slo mo camera action on Laurie's jump?  I'm surprised.  It left a seriously bad taste in my mouth that they thought it was okay to do that.  One slo mo move for everyone would have been okay, but singling out one contestant that way so that her jump looks supernatural?  Humpf.

 

I was annoyed by it and by her dance in general.

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

Quote

Several people have mentioned they thought the freestyle was too "young" for Laurie.  I quoted you because yours was the most recent comment and so easiest to find.  I have to disagree on this one.  My younger son was a competitive gymnast for 13 years

Lady Mustang, I didn't quote your entire post but I def agree with you. My girls were competitive gymnasts for years and so were all their friends, both female and male (some National Team/Olympic level). They would have done this kind of play at a park. In fact, Laurie's dance was almost a feminine/dance version of Parkour (ever see those kids running and jumping off buildings and such?)

Somebody mentioned that Laurie was a little "stiff" up in another post. I think she appears stiff because she has such upper body muscle mass - the girl's shoulders are super-muscley (as gymnasts are, both male and female). In fact her whole body is one big muscle. 

[janerazor]

When Train was singing that song that sounded just like "Heart and Soul," I was really confused. I'm no purist who feels you can "ruin" an original by doing this, but I didn't really feel their new lyrics went with the tune...and it sounded just...strange somehow.

I thought the best redemption dance belonged to Calvin. His performances lately had looked a little sloppy to me, but he seemed to be much cleaner this time.

I loved both James's and Laurie's freestyles. Both were beautifully done and really fit their personalities. I'm pulling for James to win, but Laurie has been awesome this season too, so I won't mind if she takes it. Heck, I wouldn't mind Calvin because he seems like a nice guy, though I think he is the weakest of the three finalists.

Speaking of Calvin being nice, I really thought he was about to tear up when his little boy came out.

The slo-mo bit in Laurie's dance threw me though. Did they do that to give the stage hands extra time to get the playground stuff out and for the dancers to take positions?