S24.E03: Week 3: Vegas Night

[missyb]

Nancy actually looked like she was dancing not just doing steps. She was great and I love that she is totally enjoying herself. One of the best dances I have seen in a long time. Flowed so naturally.

[Beatrice]

7 minutes ago, RedFiat said:

Maybe, but I think it's quite deliberate. Carrie Ann has always been a fan of dancers from other genres on this show, so it's no surprise she would give Heather the high score. 

Len has the technical knowledge so he will give the high score where he sees the best dancing to the standard, so that went to Nancy 

Bruno has always been the lover of the big production so it makes sense he would give the high score to Normanis broadway routine 

Which leaves Julianne who has the technical knowledge like Len, saying that Nancys Samba was the best she has seen in a long time, and yet not scoring it the best. I think Julianne is the one who is the cheerleader for the charismatic younger dancers, so Simone who didn't have the greatest QS is matched  with Normanis Foxtrot which had little Foxtrot to judge but a lot of pizzazz. 

I was actually incredibly shocked it was Carrie Ann that gave Heather the 9 and not Bruno. Usually Carrie Ann favors the men. To be a little fair to the judges, it has to be hard to judge such a wide variety of dance ability. If I recall they judge more on the individual against themselves than against others. At least that has been how I justify scores in my mind that don't make sense. I do think the judges get their favorites just the the audience does.

For this reason I am never bothered by the ringers. They tend to be some of my favorites over the years. James last season though was one that came out of no where for me and is currently my favorite ever. I had no idea who he was before this show.

Edited April 4, 2017 by Beatrice

[RedFiat]

I used to think judges had favourites, now I think the producers assign a role to each judge. 

[Sstt]

56 minutes ago, Uke said:

I wonder though if she is more insulated from all the craziness while on tour.   

She performs with her girl group each night, same show essentially in each city.  The other girls in the group are  probably handling the 5H press, sound checks, all the usual business associated with touring.  Meanwhile, she rehearses with Val at each city, sleeps on the flights to and fro.  I'd assume she's on private jets which may even be configured with a proper bed.  So she's getting plenty of rest.  She's not having to do press every day - I've heard stars saying they rehearse 5-6 hours a day but their day is stretched to 10-12 hours because they are constantly interrupted by interviews set up by production.   She actually may have it a little easier.  Also, she isn't in LA long enough for jet lag.  I'd assume she stays on Hong Kong or whatever time.

 

nope ,shes doing everything the other girls are doing .shes just using her days off to rehearse.5h are not wealthy like most pop stars ,they still ride economy nonetheless have a private jet.

since we on the normani topic,I feel like you guys are Mis underrating what makes her a ringer, shes not a professional dancer but an amateur, she stopped dancing at 12 .shes a former gymnast that stopped at age 4 . Again what makes her a ringer is her dedication and work ethic .this girl has an amazing work ethic.

btw fifth harmony are not professional dancers ..they cant even be in sync and they hardly rehearse.They lazy asf

[JenMcSnark]

I really like Simone's dance.  I thought it was fabulous and fun!  And I also like Nick's and thought he was criminally underscored.  I just don't understand the hatred he gets from people like William Shatner and Len.  Strange. 

[colorbars]

2 hours ago, Callaphera said:

Oh, I don't know. I already liked her but I had a little internal fangirl squee when I heard they were dancing to that song and again when she got the first 9. If I could vote and actually had some sort of motivation, I'd probably be voting for her. 

Yeah, the Glee nostalgia worked in her favor; with the song and especially with Naya Rivera (Heather's onscreen wife from the show) being in the audience for it, I've seen a lot of celebrating about it.

Edited April 4, 2017 by colorbars

[RedFiat]

Isn't this Normani girl 20 or something? If she stopped dancing at 12 that is only 8 years, so it"s not like you forget, in fact compared to some who have never had training that"s not a long time at all. 

[UncleChuck]

2 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

Well thank goodness the Charo mess is finally over.

Can't say that I'll miss her dancing--or her crazy antics.  Actually, I was already tired of her foolishness somewhere about 1975, but who's counting.

What would be entertaining is if TPTB would bring her back to play guitar as background for a pro partner dance.  Charo is goofy as they come but her Spanish guitar is really amazing.

[HappyDancex2]

David's Magic Mike routine was all kinds of hilarious.  Nice to see equal opportunity skimpy underwear hip thrusting from the backup dancers too.  The spirit of the dance was here.

Thought Artem's only mistake was having background dancers.  I found them distracting and Nancy was good enough tonight to capture the dance.

Simone - I'm tired of the ConfuzzySexy angle else I'm tired of gymnasts and the OhNoesElvisWho didn't help my eye rolling. 

Heather versus Normani = backup dancer versus headliner 

[Uke]

1 hour ago, RedFiat said:

Maybe, but I think it's quite deliberate. Carrie Ann has always been a fan of dancers from other genres on this show, so it's no surprise she would give Heather the high score. 

Len has the technical knowledge so he will give the high score where he sees the best dancing to the standard, so that went to Nancy 

Bruno has always been the lover of the big production so it makes sense he would give the high score to Normanis broadway routine 

Which leaves Julianne who has the technical knowledge like Len, saying that Nancys Samba was the best she has seen in a long time, and yet not scoring it the best. I think Julianne is the one who is the cheerleader for the charismatic younger dancers, so Simone who didn't have the greatest QS is matched  with Normanis Foxtrot which had little Foxtrot to judge but a lot of pizzazz. 

Interesting.  I'll have to watch for this next week.

[Uke]

31 minutes ago, UncleChuck said:

Can't say that I'll miss her dancing--or her crazy antics.  Actually, I was already tired of her foolishness somewhere about 1975, but who's counting.

What would be entertaining is if TPTB would bring her back to play guitar as background for a pro partner dance.  Charo is goofy as they come but her Spanish guitar is really amazing.

Definitely on board for this! Though I doubt they'd allow her to play for another couple, especially how she seems to operate on impulse. But I've listened to many of her youtube guitar performances and she is very good. In fact I think I posted here that I'd love pairing her up with Mark for a music performance, as he too is a superior Flamenco guitarist.

[Sstt]

1 hour ago, RedFiat said:

Isn't this Normani girl 20 or something? If she stopped dancing at 12 that is only 8 years, so it"s not like you forget, in fact compared to some who have never had training that"s not a long time at all. 

 

shes going to be 21 next month and you right, one does not forget dancing  but you can get rusty but I get wat u mean ,I am just comparing  her to professional (heather) because I saw a lot of comparison between them  and 5h choreography made her be rusty .i am not making excuses for her but I feel like people don't know how bad that group choreography are .

[crossover]

I enjoyed this show.  Normani has become my favorite.  I hope she has a decent fanbase because the women are fierce this season.  But my favorite routine was Heather's.  She and Alan were so in tune.  I also liked Nancy's samba.  They always say that samba is the hardest latin dance but it fit her perfectly.  She just danced, bounce and hips meant nothing to her.  There was no hesitation in her movement.  I had her 5th last week but it kooks like she doesn't belong there.  Of course I liked Normani.  She is such a strong performer and she finishes and accents her movements better than anyone this season.  I just hate that she has Val because he just won last season.  I keep putting Simone 4th.  That's how good the women are this season because Simone was good.  It's too bad for Sasha.  Any other season and she would be a shoe in.

The men group is less compelling.  But I liked Lindsay's concept for David this week.  It was funny and cute.  I would say Rashad has the best dance ability; Nick probably has the best abc/dwts fanbase; Bonner has looks and a good story; David has the rootable-factor and a good choreographer.  So far, none of them can touch the top 4 women.  And you can rank them anyway depending on your priority.  For me, it's Rashad, David, Nick and Bonner.

MrT and Erika should be the next two out.  MrT tries but as the Republicans say there's no there there.  Erika isn't bad but the women this season are too strong.

[WhosThatGirl]

Bye Charo! Won't miss her. 

Im still rooting for Heather. She's my favorite and I think she was really good tonight.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Blatant scoring shenanigans in the contrast of 6s.  TPTB are out for Nick with the long knives.  Mr. T and Bonner barely could move and got the same score.  

Giving David what was essentially a freestyle (Jazz) this early?  I love the guy, but c'mon!  He (barely) moved from pose to pose and the jidges were beside themselves praising his "dancing."  

Simone's movement is definitely improving.  But, as others have noted, there is little connection to her partner on the floor.

The Houghs' show is coming very near my humble abode soon.  About 1/3 of the house, mostly the cheap seats, is still unsold.  Based on the indulgent mess I saw tonight, I would not go if PTV sponsored a Fund Lonesome's Dance Ticket page!  :)

[WhosThatGirl]

36 minutes ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

Blatant scoring shenanigans in the contrast of 6s.  TPTB are out for Nick with the long knives.  Mr. T and Bonner barely could move and got the same score.  

Giving David what was essentially a freestyle (Jazz) this early?  I love the guy, but c'mon!  He (barely) moved from pose to pose and the jidges were beside themselves praising his "dancing."  

Simone's movement is definitely improving.  But, as others have noted, there is little connection to her partner on the floor.

The Houghs' show is coming very near my humble abode soon.  About 1/3 of the house, mostly the cheap seats, is still unsold.  Based on the indulgent mess I saw tonight, I would not go if PTV sponsored a Fund Lonesome's Dance Ticket page!  :)

It is interesting that Nick is getting such a pushback, they normally love their bachelor contestants on this show! I wonder if it's because they really are lobbing hard for the showmance of Bonner and Sharna and now that Maks is injured and out for the time being there's no cutesy "battle" between Maks and Peta? 

[Mindthinkr]

I wondered that Charo had cooties cooties rather than cuchi cuchi. Keo sure takes a hold pretty far back from her in their dancing posture. 

[katha]

Props to Keo. He had himself a trying partner (though I'm sure she has a different side in rehearsals), but was cheerful and encouraging. He gave her stuff where she could chew scenery and that somewhat camouflaged her weaknesses. I've seen real progress here from him compared to earlier seasons.

[boyznkatz]

Thank goodness Charo is gone. She is a talented lady, but her antics were just too annoying. I really hope Keo gets someone who has a chance next season.

David seems like a nice guy, but that was a horrible dance. Nancy was only two points better? Erika was worse than him? He isn't much better than Mr. T, but TPTB seem to be pushing him for some reason and I can't figure out why.

Bonner and Nick are as boring as watching paint dry. I wouldn't be sad if they went before Mr. T.

That wasn't Rashad's best dance, but he is still the only man whom I would bother to watch in the finals. All the women were great. Even Charo's dance was lovely, annoying as she was.

[bealled]

The standout for me tonight was Nancy! I have not really been that into her prior dances, but she won me over tonight. She killed it!! That was a great routine. Nice to see just a well done dance with not too much other theatrical stuff in the background. I also enjoyed her and Artem's pairing a lot more this week. Artem being so excited to meet Ricky Martin was very endearing.

Second for me is Normani. I think she has become my favorite contestant. I really like her personality and work ethic. Her and Val have a nice partnership that seems like a friendship. Her dancing skills are great! I remember Normani from the X Factor, and expected her to be under the radar based on how she was on that show (she seemed like the more reserved of the 5H girls). Well she is definitely standing out and dominating here. I hope she makes the finals, and I honestly would not mind to see her take the mirrorball.

I also really enjoyed Heather's dance. I did watch some of Glee so loved seeing her be Britney again. I thought it was a great dance. I love Heather, but think she could be a surprise elimination this season. Nancy, Normani, and Heather were the real standouts for me tonight.

I like Simone, but feel she suffers from being more reserved than Laurie who had such a bubbly and outgoing personality. Simone actually reminds me a lot of Shawn Johnson (the first season she was on, not the All Stars season). I feel Sasha may be trying a little too hard with Simone as well because he knows he has a potential winner. He is using too much of her gymnastics moves, and needs to tone those down. I think he needs to focus on the two connecting to each other. Once they have the connection, I think the dancing will improve and have the whole package. Simone may peak later in the season too, so I wouldn't count her out as a potential winner.

My other thoughts:

Nick was underscored. I'm not sure why he is being critiqued so hard, especially in comparison to the other guys like Bonner and David. Nick was definitely better than Mr. T. I thought he was better than Bonner and David too. He suffered from being the first to dance where they seem to give out low scores. I don't get the appeal to Bonner. I realize he has limitations from a neck injury, but I cannot get into his dancing or his personality. I also don't even think he is that hot. I think Nick and Rashad are more attractive men this season. I like David, but wasn't a fan of the Magic Mike routine. I'm sick of them using that on this show. David is a fun guy, but I hope he doesn't outlast better dancers for the finals. Rashad had an off night, but he is still my favorite male dancer and pick for a male in the finale. Mr. T seems to be a great guy, but hopefully is out soon.

I was surprised by Charo tonight. Honestly of the poor dancers (Chris Kattan and Mr. T) she is probably one of the better ones. It was her best dance, and honestly I thought pretty good. I enjoyed her package with Keo too. Erika fades into the background for me. She probably will not last too long, especially since all the remaining women are excellent.

Overall it was a good night, although I didn't care for the Las Vegas theme.

[Primetimer]

On Vegas Night, the leaderboard gets shuffled around, although no one takes much of a gamble on their choreography.

View the full article

[Lady Calypso]

24 minutes ago, bealled said:

Nick was underscored. I'm not sure why he is being critiqued so hard, especially in comparison to the other guys like Bonner and David.

Well, I truly think David's a treat to have, but I definitely don't get the show's Hard On for Bonner over Nick. They're definitely telling their own story, which means that Nick has to be underscored and criticized way more than Bonner, I guess to manipulate the audience for Nick to go before Bonner. Nick seems to try much harder and has dancing potential, but Bonner's lack of chemisty and inability to show any type of emotion during his dancing is not being called out at all. They half call it out, but then they retreat back into their "you're so wonderful with Sharna" spiel. Bonner looks miserable when he's there, while Nick seems to be trying really hard. 

It really is sad because the show's fighting so hard for Bonner to stay over Nick, but I really want Nick to make it further than Bonner. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

From a dancing point of view, Charo is definitely better than several of the remaining celebs (ahem, all the men except Rashad), but I think her elimination was a combination of not having a big enough fanbase, having too much attitude last week with Bruno, and being in the middle of the pack. If you're a great dancer, people will vote for you. If you're a terrible dancer, people will vote for you. But if you're somewhere in the middle, you really have to have a strong fanbase. I wish I had been able to see her feet during the foxtrot. That blue dress was so poofy that I don't know how Keo got close enough to be in hold.

I liked Heather and Alan's tango. She was sharp and crisp and she showed some good lines. It was one of the top dances of this week for me. I get why she was wearing the nude/sparkly dress but I agree that the color kind of blended in with the wooden floor. I'm just glad they got the rights to use the original version of "Toxic." I know people bitch about what a bad singer Britney is, but that is not a song I want to hear the singers butcher.

I didn't understand the point of the Derek/Julianne dance. I mean, I get the message of the dance itself but why are we watching this? Do we really need this kind of filler so early in the season?

Bonner and Sharna's Charleston really highlighted what a bad dancer Bonner is. Lazy feet, sloppy arms, and apparently he's a mouth breather. Having the other dancers only served to highlight the difference between what the choreography was supposed to look like and what Bonner was doing. Just bad. Cute costumes though.

Mr. T and Kym's foxtrot was subpar in choreography but adequate in execution. Look, Mr. T isn't going to magically become an amazing ballroom dancer, but I am just glad that he has a positive attitude, is trying hard, and looks like he's having fun AND that Kym gave him more to do this week than stand there like a flagpole while she danced around him. I wish she would trust her celebs enough to give them more choreography. I loathe when the female pros just have the male celeb stand in the same place for 10-20 seconds at a time while the girls twirls around them. You are not the star so let the celebs actually dance.

Nick and Peta's tango was surprisingly not bad. He's still not a great dancer but he had a lot more content in his routine than Mr. T or Bonner had, and he hit some good lines. He's still a little clunky with his feet and he needs to be careful with his arms, but this was his best dance so far. It's too bad I was distracted by the terrible rendition of "Poker Face."

Simone and Sasha's quickstep was a little lackluster. When I saw her dress, I thought great, I will get to see all of her footwork! Then all the lights started flashing at the bottom of the platform and I couldn't tell what her feet were doing for the first 30 seconds. When she got down on the floor, there were definitely some sections where her footwork looked a little sloppy. I wish that Sasha had choreographed it so that he let go of her hands so that it was a leap, not a "lift." For me, a lift is something that you are unable to do without assistance. Simone can do that leap by herself on a 4" wide balance beam so to me it doesn't matter whether Sasha is touching her while she does it. That's not a lift to me.

Dave and Lindsay's jazz routine was so much better when he was dancing with the guys. As soon as she joined him, it was ME ME ME, LOOK AT ME! Sorry, Lindsay, I am not here to watch you do turns or lifts with your celeb. You are supposed to be highlighting him and letting him shine.

Nancy and Artem's samba was WAY better than I expected. I never thought I would see her looking so confident and sexy. She did not have the most graceful arms as a figure skater (she was always a little stiff overall for me) so I was pleasantly surprised that she was able to get loose here.

Erika and Gleb's jive was the least jive-y jive I can remember seeing. I think there were maybe fifteen seconds of actual jive content in that entire routine. That's all on Gleb. Erika has the ability to learn steps but I don't think she's a very good performer. She had the same open mouthed expression on her face for too much of the routine and her execution of the choreography was lacking. Jive is about bounce and lightness and she was so heavy and clunky.

Rashad and Emma's samba was the best male celeb dance of the evening (not that there's much competition). He was loose and relaxed and having a good time.

Normani and Val's foxtrot had the big production value plus the costumes and theatricality. Loved her dress and she killed the choreography.

[truthaboutluv]

Regarding Bonner's neck injury, I did think of that. However, it is possible to do an awesome Charleston without lifts. The problem wasn't a lack of lifts in the dance in my opinion. The problem was that Bonner went off multiple times and it was glaringly obvious, he had little to no energy in the movements he did do and the whole thing just felt very flat.

The thing is, that has been consistent with him. Bonner has had little to no performance quality from his first dance. The judges just aren't calling him out on it and instead focusing on the producer driven narrative that he and Sharna supposedly have this amazing chemistry. And it's like no, they don't. 

Edited April 4, 2017 by truthaboutluv

[lindsayz18]

i never want to see anything magic mike related ever again and im no prude. that is all.

[katha]

3 minutes ago, truthaboutluv said:

Regarding Bonner's neck injury, I did think of that. However, it is possible to do an awesome Charleston without lifts. The problem wasn't a lack of lifts in the dance in my opinion. The problem was that Bonner went off multiple times and it was glaringly obvious, he had little to no energy in the movements he did do and the whole thing just felt very flat.

The thing is, that has been consistent with him. Bonner has had little to no performance quality from his first dance. The judges just aren't calling him out on it and instead focusing on the producer driven narrative that he and Sharna supposedly have this amazing chemistry. And it's like no, they don't. 

It's so grating, because...basically everyone has better chemistry than them. Like, Charo can be annoying, but you had the impression that she's goofy and fun in rehearsal and makes Keo laugh. Nick isn't some great talent, but at least he seems enthusiastic about being there. Not to mention the couples that actually generate chemistry while dancing: Rashad and Emma, Normani and Val. Yet it's in the script that everyone needs to mention how supposedly steamy Bonner and Sharna are. No. He's not a good performer, he's got no connection with Sharna while dancing because he's too busy remembering his steps and not falling down. Which isn't a big deal, he's not a trained dancer, nobody expects him to be great. But the reality of his performances compared to the narrative they're pushing is annoying.

[Emily-D]

Len is the only one who has realised that Bonner is actually a bad dancer and isn't playing the game the producers want the judges to play. The other three are embarrassing though, salivating over him. If he didn't have Sharna as his partner and this tacky forced showmance going on I think he'd be out the door next week.

[Emily-D]

The judges seem to have their favourites now even though it's only week three. CAI's favourite is Heather, probably because she can relate to her as both used to backup dance for an insanely popular musical artist. Len's favourite is Nancy, the older women who is keeping it traditional dancing lots of routines full of content which he loves. Julianne' favourites are Rashad and Simone, probably because she's good friends with both Sasha and Emma. Bruno's favourite is Normani, the performer and Bruno has always liked the younger female competitors. As I said above all of them bar Len also love Bonner for next to no reason whatsoever.

[Wings]

Talking to Bruno, Charo used the word misconstrue and said,  "Don't miss-con-screw me."  She was going for a laugh and oh 'aren't you so cute' moment.  No one bit on that, thankfully.   And she used the word incorrectly anyway, I think because she just wanted to mispronounce it.  

I agree that Nick was painfully underscored, even below Erika who had almost no jive content in that dance.  I don't get it either.  Seems Len almost showed contempt for him and Bruno was not far behind.   It isn't about not liking contestants from the Bachelor; Melissa Rycroft took 3rd place in season 8.  

I am rooting for Nancy.  I ran hot and cold on her but that changed when that tacky little Oxana took the gold from her.  I became a fan in that moment. 

[Mindthinkr]

6 minutes ago, Emily-D said:

Len is the only one who has realised that Bonner is actually a bad dancer and isn't playing the game the producers want the judges to play. The other three are embarrassing though, salivating over him. If he didn't have Sharna as his partner and this tacky forced showmance going on I think he'd be out the door next week.

I agree that the showmance seems forced and the edit and comments are managed to get people to vote to keep him on. 

Very disappointed with Erika. I had expected so much more from her. She doesn't seem to be putting a lot of effort into her routines. 

[MsPH]

I feel bad for Nick, he was really underscored. I thought the original premise of this show was to take amateurs and turn them into dancers, so you'd think improvement would be rewarded, but I suppose not. What I like about Nick is that he really listens to the criticism and comes back visibly improved in those areas. Like the first week he was criticised for his small arms, so last week his arms and lines were way better even if the rest was awkward. Then last week they mentioned his nervousness and lack of breathing, so this week he seemed way more relaxed and actually performed the routine. They all said he'd improved and then scored him exactly the same apart from Len who still scored him too low. What is the point?

David getting 31 was utterly ridiculous IMO. Good on him for trying his hardest in that embarrassing routine, but there was barely any dancing involved, even for a jazz number. Half of it was standing with his feet apart hip thrusting. Even I would nail that routine. 

Bonner was pretty awful. There was no energy, his feet were a mess and his upper body as stiff as ever, yet he got the same score from the male judges as Nick? That's just plain stupid. At least Mr. T is charming, but he walked through his already simple dance, so there should be a difference there with the scores.

Rashad I enjoy watching even if he's not perfect, because he seems to really enjoy himself on the dancefloor. It's easy to look past small issues when you're able to sell the dance. I hope he makes it to the finals.

Nancy did great! I really enjoyed that and Artem freaking out over Ricky Martin. LOL.

Heather danced fine, but it didn't really resonate with me. Maybe I expect more from her since she's practically a pro herself. Wasn't a fan of the outfit either.

I don't know what it is about Simone, but I just can't remember anything about her dances, except that there's always some gymnastic move in there. I guess she danced well in comparison to most, but it was just meh to me.

Normani was great again. I think she'll win, because she's the best performer IMO. I guess she should be, considering what she does for a living, but she just keeps me engaged unlike Heather and Simone. I was happy she got the highest score.

Charo was better than last week but I'm so glad to see the back of her!

The housewife just bores me. There's something very cold about her and that jive didn't have enough kicks.

[BoogieBurns]

12 hours ago, RedFiat said:

I thought Boner was worse, absolutely no energy.

Huge fan of this typo. 

[mtlchick]

23 minutes ago, MsPH said:

Then last week they mentioned his nervousness and lack of breathing, so this week he seemed way more relaxed and actually performed the routine.

I do think that going first shortly after performing in the opening routine with everyone loosened him up a bit.  I wouldn't say relaxed but he was less stiff then he tends to be.

[surreysmum]

Well done, Nancy! 

Maks should take his time healing (like, to the end of the season, if possible); I thought Alan did a wonderful job with Heather, and found them much easier to watch. But then, I haven't been able to watch Maks with anything other than a shudder ever since I read the relevant chapter in Hope Solo's autobiography.  (Really, even if you have no high opinion of Solo, and I certainly carry no brief for her, you should read that chapter).  Heather has the dance chops to get through to the final without the dubious assistance of a notorious bad-boy pro. I'd love to see her get that chance.

Highlight of the show without a doubt for me was the Hough dance (and the Hough-sandwich hug for Tom).  I also thought Normani danced very well. The rest of the two hours was kind of a meh mush during which my attention kept drifting to the game on my other screen. :)

The chaff is making its usual slow exit, but the signal to noise ratio in this show is always terribly high in the early going. I really should learn to use my recording devices more effectively.

[vavera4ka]

18 minutes ago, BoogieBurns said:

Huge fan of this typo. 

Every time I read his name, smth juvenile in me reacts... LOL

but seriously... how does someone decide to name their kid Bonner?

Edited April 4, 2017 by vavera4ka

[Wings]

9 minutes ago, surreysmum said:

I haven't been able to watch Maks with anything other than a shudder ever since I read the relevant chapter in Hope Solo's autobiography.  (Really, even if you have no high opinion of Solo, and I certainly carry no brief for her, you should read that chapter).  

Can you give a quick Cliff Notes summary here.  PLEASE!  

[dleighg]

Charo's dress cleverly completely hid her legs and feet. Good riddens.

[surreysmum]

11 minutes ago, wings707 said:

Can you give a quick Cliff Notes summary here.  PLEASE!  

The mods will come after me if I continue here, but I'll drop a quote into the Maks thread - in which same thread there's likely a good deal more discussion of Solo's allegations and his denials in earlier posts (her autobiography came out in 2012). 

[Wings]

20 minutes ago, vavera4ka said:

Every time I read his name, smth juvenile in me reacts... LOL

but seriously... how does someone decide to name their kid Bonner?

Ha ha ha ha, I have the same reaction! 

[Mindthinkr]

1 minute ago, surreysmum said:

The mods will come after me if I continue here, but I'll drop a quote into the Maks thread - in which same thread there's likely a good deal more discussion of Solo's allegations and his denials in earlier posts (her autobiography came out in 2012). 

Where is the Maks thread? I looked and saw other threads about ppl but not his. I'm interested in reading what's been said. Thank you. 

[FilmTVGeek80]

18 minutes ago, MsPH said:

They all said he'd improved and then scored him exactly the same apart from Len who still scored him too low. What is the point?

Yeah, that seemed really odd. You know, I get that the judges basically score each contestant against themselves and not the other dancers. So a Mr. T 7 isn't the same, as like, a Normani 7 would be, but I still had to balk at Nick and Mr. T getting the same score. Mr. T is charming and all and there were parts of his dance that weren't so bad, but he was still very stiff a lot of the time.

I think Nick seemed a lot more comfortable than last week and it was an improvement. Maybe they're hard on him because they see the potential, I don't know.

Heather and Simone are good dancers, but I still don't feel anything when they dance.

I don't like the shoving down our throats of the fake showmance between Sharna and Bonner, but I do think they have chemistry. I'm glad though they pointed out that Bonner needs to show a little more personality on the dance floor.

It's not that I dislike Gleb that much, but with both Jana last year and now Erika, I tend to forget most of their dances even while I'm watching them.

My favorites for the night were definitely Nancy, Normani, David, and Rashad.

Whatever was off with Rashad's dance, I didn't really see it. I thought it was fun and I really enjoyed it. Same with David's. Like the judges said, I thought it wasn't just fun but he actually moved really well, both with the guys and when he was with Lindsay.

I don't know if it was listening to some other people talking about Nancy being stiff as a skater or because she's shy or something else, but I assumed that Latin would be her kryptonite, but I was definitely wrong! Her dance was awesome! And her and Artem's partnership (and his reaction to Ricky Martin) is adorable! I'm still glad she's kind of getting some of the faster Latin out of the way because I think dances like Fox Trot and things are really going to be her best dances.

Normani's definitely got it all - showmanship, personality, and great moves! She's not my absolute favorite (probably mostly because I'm not interested in seeing Val win again) but I enjoy their partnership. I also like her more reserved personality. I wasn't expecting that from her.

I don't mind seeing dances like the Hough's, but as soon as they panned away from their "dad" and we saw the thrown papers "frozen" in air I thought, "Ok, so this is basically going to be a replay of their 'Elastic Heart' dance from a few years ago" and there was nothing else throughout the dance that made me stop thinking that. I didn't listen to their interview after the dance and maybe they explained this was a sequel (or prequel) to that dance, but either way it felt like a rip-off and blatant Emmy bait (especially since I think Derek won an Emmy for the Elastic Heart one.) There were gorgeous moves throughout, but it still felt like a retread. And I know your parents' divorce when you're young can be painful - I speak from experience - but still so much of the dance felt so overwrought, especially a lot of Julianne's expressions.

I thought Charo and Keo's dance was sweet and I liked that she was more reserved when hearing the judges' speak (though shut up Carrie Ann, not all dance need "cuchi cuchi"). Her dancing was at least better than Mr. T but, for me, the damage was already done with her attitude last week and the article about her whining about the judges' being unfair and threatening to walk. Was fine with her getting the boot.

[Evenshorter]

37 minutes ago, vavera4ka said:

Every time I read his name, smth juvenile in me reacts... LOL

but seriously... how does someone decide to name their kid Bonner?

Well, his dad's name is Toya and his siblings are Bliss, Brody, Bridger and Brylee, so I think he came out ahead.

[sinkwriter]

Nancy's dance was so fun! She did a fantastic job and looked great.

And somehow I'm thinking Artem's brain is saying the whole time: "YES! FINALLY! I get a partner who doesn't have an attitude, can do the moves and maybe go farther than I usually get. This is SO FUN!!!" He just looked so joyous.

[sinycalone]

I enjoy Rashad and David the most each week....because they have no dance/music/gymnastic backgrounds, yet work hard, have fun....and are entertaining.  While Rashad might have slipped a tiny bit over the previous week....I found the samba fun and decently danced.  David was not only funny -- he was dancing better than the preceding weeks.

Of the women, I found myself enjoying Nancy's samba more than the others....because she brought me into the whole experience....and she was loving it.

[Beyoncheyyy]

Week 3 thoughts:

I thought this was the first week to really show us what the contestants were made of. No major drama or added showmances and over the top reactions from Charo or the rich lady. Thought everyone's flaws were put on display tonight too.

David: was probably the most hilarious dance I've ever witnessed on this show. It was such a feel-good, put a smile on your face, kinda dance. When he ripped his shirt open to the tshirt of abs, I laughed out loud. I thought it was great, and memorable, he's just super charming. I also love his dedication. 

Rashad: he continues to impress me. I appreciate how disciplined he is and the dedication he has to growing each week. He seems natural when he's out there, which is always refreshing. 

Mr. T: he's not exactly a dancer, but I love his personality and how much he enjoys being there and wants to get better. I still think he'll stick around for a bit. 

Nick & Bonner: either one can go home soon. I think Nick shows more promise than Bonner, and Nick seems to have more personality. Still, either one can go home next week and I wouldn't be upset. They're both forgettable for me. 

Normani: she's probably my favorite female right now. The fact that she flies in for the show and never complains, or uses it as an excuse makes me appreciate her so much more. She's a great dancer as well. I enjoyed this dance probably the most out of her previous performances. 

Nancy: I think she was the most surprising of the night, girl can mooooove! 

Simone: I just can't get behind her. I know she'll make it to the finals, but she just doesn't keep my attention during her dances. 

Charo: it's a shame she was acting like such a mess the past two weeks, because I loved her last night. She danced really well, I thought, and I appreciated her more subtle attitude. And also that she made sure to tell the judges she didn't mean to be offensive (or something along those lines). Not sure if she got voted off or the producers were getting too many complaints from everyone that works there. Either way, at least she went out (sorta) with some grace. See ya in the parking lot! 

Heather: lovely dance, but much like Simone, I sorta zone out when she's on the stage. 

Erika: she seemed less look at me I married a 907 year old man and have lots of money now last night, but I still hope she goes home next week. Although Carrie Ann and her lift police is still super annoying to me. 

The Houghs: loved there dance and was once again reminded how much I wish Julianne would go back to being a pro. 

[iMonrey]

Quote

Good for David for having such a good attitude but in no way was that mess 8 worthy.

No it wasn't, especially when they gave Nick sixes. The scoring is ridiculous. David keeps relying on corny "dance club" moves like hip thrusts and gyrating and bumping and grinding instead of doing actual dance steps. It's been that way for three weeks now and the judges keep praising him because he's their first MLB star and, oh, isn't it so precious that this baseball player and 40-year old dad is doing sexy dance moves? Um, no.

I thought Len was going to make more of an issue out of the fact that Normani and Val's Foxtrot had very little Foxtrot in it. They got away with murder on that. Nancy and Artem had the most clearly recognizable dance style out of all the couples, although I still think it was a tad on the slow side for a Samba. They didn't do any Samba rolls either. 

[tvfanatic13]

Erika really does not take criticism well. Gah.

[LadyMustang65]

My 2 cents’ worth (more or less) on last night’s dances:

Simone – I liked this quickstep.  I thought she did a really good job.  I was a bit annoyed with CAI and her ‘lift police’ schtick.  Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, the entire world knows that Simone can do that leap all by herself . . . on a 4” wide piece of wood, no less.  I appreciated that Sasha kept hold of her.  It never once occurred to me (nor should it have) that he was helping her – I liked that he was trying to keep somewhat to the rules of quickstep that once you get into hold, you are not supposed to break out of it in the middle.  By holding her hands while she did the leap, he was keeping them connected.  It also helped keep Simone safe, since, as she pointed out when CAI wanted her to replicate the leap by herself at the judges’ table, they were on a wooden floor and not a cushioned and bouncy gym floor (and she was in heels), and she could have hurt herself on landing.  Anyway, I thought it was great, and CAI was being an idiot.

Bonner – Way too slow for a Charleston, and he was just lifeless.  Did not care for this at all.

Charo – This was a sweet and lovely, albeit simple, dance.  I liked her toned-down persona as well.  She actually moves fairly well for someone who is most likely in her 70s. 

Erika – Too slow and was there much jive content in it?  I love a good jive, so this disappointed on every level.  I just cannot warm up to this person.  I look forward to her leaving.

Rashad – I liked this a lot.  Something seemed a little bit ‘off’ – maybe he wasn’t quite as loose as he usually is, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought he was underscored.  He is still one of my favorites.

Nancy – She was the surprise of the night for me.  I did not expect her to handle the latin dances so well.  This was fun, lively, entertaining, and she looked like she was having a ball.  Good for her!  And Artem meeting Ricky Martin was beyond adorable.  < lol >

Normani – Loved this so much.  Right now, she is my pick to win.  That may change, of course, but right now she seems like the whole package.  She’s pleasant, works hard, doesn’t complain, moves beautifully, has good showmanship, seems to have a good partnership with Val.  Great way to end the show.

Heather – I really liked this dance as well.  I thought she did a beautiful job and seems to be working very well with Alan.  I also like that (unlike some celebs in the past) she is more concerned about Maks getting better than about herself.   I will always like that. 

Mr. T – He’s not a great dancer, but I thought this was really nice.  It looked to me like he was moving smoothly and actually dancing as opposed to stomping around.  And he just seems like a really nice guy.  I’d like him to outlast Erika.

David – I thought this dance was kind of awkward, but I give him props for going out there and having fun with it.  This is the kind of thing where it be easy to get self-conscious and embarrassed and not give it your all, but he did it to the best of his ability and didn’t complain.  He’s another one who just seems like a genuinely nice guy, so I hope he goes deep into the competition.

Nick – I was underwhelmed.  It seemed kind of slow, and he seemed kind of awkward.  Still he’s better than some of the others.

My favorites are Normani, Heather, Simone, Nancy, Rashad and David.  The women definitely seem stronger this season, but I think at least either Rashad or David will make it to the final four at least. 

I have to admit I did not care for the Derek/Julianne dance.  I am not a fan of contemporary in general, and I really hate the overly dramatic, overwrought kind, so this just didn’t do anything for me.  :\

[realdancemom]

I only got to see Normani and elimination.  I did DVR it so I'll watch it later.  Normani has been my favorite since Week 1.  She has star power when she dances and her technique is decent.  I do agree that she needs to look at Val more.  Once she does that and her tour schedule slows down, she will be excellent!!

Glad it was Charo that left.  She was exhausting to watch and I felt bad for Keo.  I can't imagine listening and trying to control her every day.  However, she might only be like that during the show.  Last week, during her pre-package, she was mellow and I loved what she said in it.

[boyznkatz]

It's really too bad Charo was unbearably annoying, because she was actually a decent dancer. I would LOVE to see a senior citizen win. Tommy Chong came the closest and he was very entertaining.