S24.E04: Week 4: Most Memorable Year

[OnceSane]

Quote

The fourth week of performances feature songs representing memorable years in the celebrities' lives.

[KungFuBunny]

I agree with Len. Normani has a lot of potential. There wasn't enough "Rumba" content. she didn't elongate/stretch her arms/fingers..too fast

[doLLish]

Val and Maks both have issues when it comes to choreography but a 7? Give me a break Len.

[vavera4ka]

OMG... lol CAI... you try so hard and use a "fancy" word but use it in such a wrong way... >.<

[sinycalone]

I thought they were rough on Nick (somewhat) in the past....but tonight when I thought he performed under par, they were too generous.  Go figure.

I agree that Normani's rumba needed more content...but she still did a decent job.

[doLLish]

I didn't think they would bring out the 10 paddles this early but they were truly deserved. Emma and Rashad were simply beautiful.

[KungFuBunny]

The dance Normani did this week was not her best. In terms of the Rumba which Nick also did...I do think he had the better rumba.

For the most part the judges are being generous with their scores tonight and I think it has more to do with their most memorable moment clip.

I do agree with Rashaad having the best dance and scores tonight

[UGAmp]

So Peta was Corinne during the dance...Nick was all over her entire time and then picked Vanessa at the last second. 

Edited April 11, 2017 by UGAmp

[sinycalone]

I agree -- some of the scores seem to be based on their backstories rather than  for the actual dances.  But I'm OK with that.

Edited April 11, 2017 by sinycalone

[KungFuBunny]

They were extremely generous with Ericka cause that was bad...the girl can gyrate...yet on DWTS she locks up like she's about to have a seizure.

Mr T. while he improved, I think his dance was better than Erika's this week but she had higher scores and so far she has had the suckiest mem moment so far

[Martinigirl]

ITA! The whole thing kinda sucked.

Edited April 11, 2017 by Martinigirl

[Callaphera]

Is CAI bucking for a spin-off or something?

She's the defender of elevated toes. She's the champion of raised heels. And she's dangerous with her 9 paddle. She is Carrie Ann Inaba... Lift Police. A new crime dance extravaganza, this fall on ABC.

[thefog]

I have no problem if TPTB is pushing for Rashad.  It's contestants like him (the non-dancers) who put this show on the map.   Heather and Normadi are obvious ringers - as well as Simone.  Even Nancy's skating background is closer to dancing than Rashad's gridiron.

[mtlchick]

The theme where the "allergies" are blamed for watery eyes...also makes it a bit hard to critical about the dances overall.  I didn't think Rashad's dance was all that fantastic as there was a lot of lifts, flinging, and he almost stumbled out of a turn at one point.  But he went to hug his dad and I started to tear up.  

But they were being WAY too nice towards Ericka because it was so awkward and stilted to one of the best Madonna songs ever.  So of course they get to stay.

Bye Mr. T.  Here's hoping your cancer story encourage others to stay strong and keep fighting (like my daddy.)

Meanwhile where did they find Jonathan (?!) and Heather Mills (?!?!?!) 

[Lady Calypso]

Yay! As soon as I saw Alan back with Heather, I got a big smile on my face. 

Normani and Val- I've never been a fan of Fifth Harmony and have only heard a couple of their songs. I do see a lot about them on my feeds, though, so I'm at least aware of who they are. Well, I guess since Normani's still so young, Fifth Harmony is probably the biggest thing in her life. Can we stop focusing on Fifth Harmony and focus on the dance, please? They kept cutting to her members in the background. I think the dance was good, but I agree with Len that there was not really any rumba. I don't know much about the dance, but I know this felt more like a contemporary dance. Maybe I'm totally wrong about that. Also, it felt more like the show was trying to brag about Fifth Harmony as a band. I guess her scores were alright, though maybe a couple of points too high.

On another note, does Carrie Ann obsess a lot about lifts? I really wanted her to shut up about lifts.

Nick and Peta- I still really want him to do well. I rolled my eyes about his most memorable year being about The Bachelor. Part of me wants to believe that he had other memorable years in mind but the producers pushed this on him. But Nick is charming and he's improving as a dancer. I liked his dance. He really seemed to be working hard to extend his arms and make his moves count. He also seemed to be a little modest at the end of his dance, when people were fawning over the Nick/Vanessa kiss. I agree with the scores. At least they're finally giving him higher scores. Though I still don't know how the judges really feel about Nick.

Nancy and Artem- So, her memorable year really sucks, as it was more like her most memorable decade. I really loved her dance. I thought it was a really beautiful dance. I find that I like it when Bruno isn't going over the top with his theatrics. I think he has some very insightful things to say when he isn't being fed lines or notes to follow. I love that the judges are in awe of Nancy. I feel like that myself when I watch her. I wanted them to get higher scores. Len giving her a 9 was amazing; I think she became his favourite. I really wanted her to get another 9. 

Mr. T and Kym- Cancer stories suck. They always make me sad, no matter what. I think his dance was just lovely. It's still very stiff and I don't think Mr. T's a dancer, but the dance was lovely in its message. I really love to see him give it his all. I agree with the scores. 

Heather and Alan- Man, I love Heather/Alan. Her husband is very cute, and I love that they were unintentional high school sweethearts. As for the dance, it was amazing; I agree with Julianne that it was the cha-cha. I loved Heather's outfit as well. So much better than last week's. I am going to probably hate it when Maks returns. Alan is just so charming and I have to think that he'll become a pro next season because of this great work he's been doing with Heather. But seriously, CAI can stuff it with the lifts. I love the scores that they gave her. One last note: can Maks miss one more week? I can't get enough of Alan!

David and Lindsay- So, now I find that I have more favourites in front of David. However, this guy is so charming that I really do like seeing him on my screen every week. I think he did well this week, though I do agree with the criticisms. Man, though, that audience look less and less enthused every time they are cut to after a dance. Len is very generous with scores this week, while Carrie Ann seems to be a stickler this week.

Rashad and Emma- I think his story is quite sad. And the dance was very beautiful and well done. It might be my favourite of the night. Man, he really proved himself tonight. Very high scores. I think he deserves it, even if their scores are more reflective of the stories.

Erika and Gleb- Meh. I did not like her outfit, but the dance was just....meh. Probably the worst of the night. It felt very rigid and she wasn't really following through with each movement. I didn't agree with the two 8s. I think all 7s would have been fine for me.

Simone and Sasha- I think Simone's story is very touching. The dance was strong, although I think I noticed a couple of missteps halfway through. Man, thanks Len for the constructive criticism. I really think this should have ended the night. Also, I'm critical of Carrie Ann tonight, but she cried at Mr. T and Rashad's dances, but not Simone's? All 9s seemed about right, I guess. Still a bit bitter about Nancy not getting more 9s. 

Bonner and Sharna- So, I do feel for his story. Much like Chris Kattan, he has had to come back from a life threatening injury, which probably does add to his stiff dancing (though not his bland facial expression, let me be clear!) Still feel no chemistry between these two. However, he SMILED during his dance. He actually showed emotion. I think the dance was not one to end on. Definitely his best dance, though. I would have thrown in a 7 in there, though.

Phew, the bottom two are the ones I have had problems with. Thank goodness. I was really worried for a twist with Nick/Peta getting eliminated. I was surprisingly rooting for Erika/Gleb to get eliminated instead, so I am disappointed. 

[vavera4ka]

Where should I send a bill for an eye injury with all the rolling I did. The only ones that I "relaxed" on were Nancy, Simone and Mr. T. Though his faith-faith-faith thing started getting to the point of eye rolling too. #bitchmode

ETA: Add David to the non-eye roll. simply because it' extremely hard to roll eyes when you are smiling, and that's what I'm doing every time he's on my TV. Very charming and positive guy.

Edited April 11, 2017 by vavera4ka

[JeanneH]

David Ross's memorable year got more memorable tonight. The Cubs game was delayed 2 hours due to weather, and as filler for the fan in the stands they showed his dance live on the Jumbotron, along with the comments and scores, and then put his voting phone number up on the screen. Then the team had their banner-raising ceremony. I guess that is block voting on a large scale - 38,000 votes for Mr. Ross.

[truthaboutluv]

Kudos to Nancy for avoiding the obvious and not going with the year of the Olympics, as I'm sure the producers were hoping she would and most viewers expected her to. Her story was heartbreaking and very moving. Also, it always amuses me how much despite being the "tough" judge, Len always makes his bias and favoritism obvious in a season and this season, that favorite is definitely Nancy. And that doesn't surprise me one bit as Artem is giving her classic choreography that sticks to the purity of the dance style, which is exactly how Len likes it.

I think her also being an older woman, as opposed to the young, more hip hop'/Jazz oriented Normani and Heather, helps. Speaking of Normani, I knew as soon as the dance was over that Len was not going to love it. It was too staccato and intense and Len has repeatedly said he likes his rumba fluid and romantic. I do think that is one of Val's weaknesses as a Pro. His slow dances - Waltz, VW, rumbas, etc. - all tend to sometimes veer too on the aggressive and intense side. There's often a lack of different shades - light and dark, slow and fast, etc.

Edited April 11, 2017 by truthaboutluv

[Victura]

My favorites are still Nancy, David, and Simone.

Nancy looked so radiant this week and seems to have improved in her fluidity from her first week, and managed to tell a sad story but make the dance quite uplifting. The partnership between her and Artem continues to just make me smile.

It wasn't David's best dance but nice to see him do an elegant dance, and I just love his presence and charm on the show.

I watched Simone during the Olympics (because who didn't?) but have found her dancing so far to be somewhat stiff and technically perfect but mostly meh, which I found odd. She definitely broke out of the robotic shell tonight and it's just nice to see how well she and her siblings have thrived under her parents' care.

[sinycalone]

2 minutes ago, JeanneH said:

David Ross's memorable year got more memorable tonight. The Cubs game was delayed 2 hours due to weather, and as filler for the fan in the stands they showed his dance live on the Jumbotron, along with the comments and scores, and then put his voting phone number up on the screen. Then the team had their banner-raising ceremony. I guess that is block voting on a large scale - 38,000 votes for Mr. Ross.

And don't forget all the people watching the game on tv -- at home, restaurants and bars in Chicago -- and other cities.

[truthaboutluv]

Speaking of lack of shade, I'm starting to feel like Heather's dancing is manic. Or at least I feel tired watching her dance. Objectively I'm pretty sure she is doing the technique right but something about it just feels, well...manic.

[LexieLily]

The judges said tonight that Heather's technique was on point like it was something to be in awe of. Of course it is on point, Heather is a dancer by trade and that is what she made most of her career on. It would be embarrassing if her technique wasn't on point!

[Uke]

The week I dislike the most...tear-jerker week.

Normani: Killing some dance time by singing, 2nd singer raspy, 3rd singer off tune? Only 4 Harmoniers? Annnnyway, too fast, too hard, a bunch of spins but didn't seem very rumba-ish. At least CAI noticed the lift - so long how could anyone miss it! Bruno, a 9? For what! 7 was right, 8s too high. Scoring is nonsense!

Nick:  Ohhh myyy. Well he handled the beginning pretty well-of course the girls could hide alot, he really only had to hand-off one to the next.  Zero chemistry during the part with Peta, cringey ending with the girlfriend, a "gallant" kiss on the hand would have been classy, but he took it to trashy.  Noticed zero hip action.  Peta did most of the work here.  Scores are ok.  At least it looked rumba-ish.

Nancy:  It's rare any of these dances ever give me chills, but this did. Six miscarriages in eight years then 2 successful invitros.  She doesn't give up, for sure! Noticed even Erin's voice cracked talking about how they discussed this earlier. I just wanted the whole dance to go airborne or run up Rocky's steps or or... something!  (Well, there was a pretty obvious lift no one mentioned.)  Fair scores but I wouldn't have minded one more 9.  Interesting that Len, who usually goes down a point, went up a point for this.  So, all those mocking her for crying whyyy.... ah, well I leave it there.

Mr. T:  His best yet! Frame looked pretty good, elegant and light-ish on his feet.  Actually agreed with CAI, the dance looked complete with his faith and grace.  Good scores. But on his scale of ability, I wouldn't have minded an 8.

Heather:  were her "pedals" showing through her blouse?  It just looked a little odd. But cute choreography - much classier beginning, transitioning from the hubby to Alan.  Of course she danced it well, she's a pro dancer! But why did Alan add the lift?  Scores? Whatev!  I don't think they mentioned that she's a pro dancer this week.

David:  Seriously wonky posture in hold and some rough stepping.  He needs to smooth out and straighten up. But he's enjoyable, working hard and seems to be enjoying himself. Can anyone translate Len's hand signals?  That's cool that the Chicago stadium put the dance on the scoreboard. The audience all sitting there with nothing else to do but dial his number? I suspect he's doing well with votes.  Scores maybe a bit high.

Rashad:  That was just beautiful.  Emma stayed just on the edge of "typical angsty contemporary" dance moves. The lifts were beautiful and I believed Rashad's emotion.  Julianne, just stop, trying to dredge up tears, just stop!  Agree with the scores. Dance of the night IMO.

Erika: Her most memorable year was moving to NYC to become a star? Really? Ok.  Is this a music video or a cha cha? Some outfit! Channeling Cher maybe?  Agreed with Len, as stumbling as his comments were. Stop with all the sexy posing and just DO THE ASSIGNED DANCE! Scores waaay too high. Should have been 6s and maybe one 7.  Gleb, say no to Len at your own peril.  It's frustrating when you feel someone has the ability but she + her pro refused to deliver.

Hey, Jonathan Roberts in the audience behind Ginger Z. He was also on one of Karina's snapchats (or was it on her instagram story). Interesting.  Wonder what he's up to or maybe he's sensing an opening in the male pro roster and wants to put himself into consideration?  I think I would enjoy him more - Alan is still too much of an excited puppy.

Simone:  There was some chemistry at the beginning and then it all dropped off and she was back performing a routine.  I guess that was when the "muscle memory" kicked in.  I didn't really care for the choreography either.  Surprised at the scores. The way they were talking, I was expecting all 10s (1 point more than Rashad) but they did the right thing and gave her 9s.  So far, all her dances have seemed like routines, no real thought or emotion from her.  I wish she would try to connect with Sasha and with the story of the dances.

What's with everyone running to the audience to hug someone?

Bonner:  Ewww. He heard the crunch.  His best dance so far.  He moved smoothly and confidently.  No hint of the fake showmance.   Agree with the scores.

Aww, disagree with the elimination. Would have preferred to keep Mr. T for one more week and lose Erika.

Edited April 11, 2017 by Uke

[smiley13]

Rashad and David continue to shine for me.  I enjoyed both of their performances.  I really wish Erika had gone instead of Mr. T.  I will miss Kym.

[JeanneH]

7 minutes ago, sinycalone said:

And don't forget all the people watching the game on tv -- at home, restaurants and bars in Chicago -- and other cities.

To clarify, ESPN was broadcasting the game and they couldn't broadcast the dance too. But you could see it on the Jumbotron in the background and the announcers made a couple mentions of what was happening. But you are absolutely right about all the other places. And as I type this, the baseball people just mentioned it again, and promised an interview with David right after the commercial. ESPN pushing votes for David Ross? I wonder if Rashad the football player is next?  :)

[friendperidot]

I'm old, I admit it, but why are there only 4 members of 5th Harmony? Where does the 5th come in. I know nothing about them, but I guess I assumed that a group with 5th in the name meant 5 members. I come from days of bands like the Dave Clark 5,  Sir Douglas Quintet, with 5 members. But then there was 3 Dog Night and I think they have 7 members, but also the 3 doesn't necessarily refer to the 3 lead singers that they used to have, if I remember right, it had to do with the temperatures in the outback on cold nights, a 3 dog night meant it was cold enough that you need 3 dogs to stay warm. I have 2 dog nights all year long.

Peta and Nick just remain nothing to me. I didn't catch what the wardrobe malfunction was, but I hated bringing the fiancee on to the dance floor.

I liked Nancy's foxtrot, it was beautiful, it's hard to remember she's not the pro. I may have to open all my voting accounts back up. I think I want her to win.

Mr. T's waltz was beautiful, he's not a great dancer, but it was beautiful. I loved Kim's gown! I do have a love of pleated chiffon. And it sparkled!

Heather's dance was good, the best I've liked her so far. But I still don't feel much connection.

David is a charming man.

Rashad, God I hate when they do that! I cried and cried about his hug with his dad. I miss my own dad so much. But that was beautiful for contemporary.

Erika leaves me cold, but that was probably her best so far.

Simone, she looked beautiful, but I thought it was a bit frantic. She made me cry with her parents.

Bonner, I thought it was his best, pretty good posture, I didn't hate him.

I would have rather seen Erika leave.

[Callaphera]

1 minute ago, friendperidot said:

I'm old, I admit it, but why are there only 4 members of 5th Harmony? Where does the 5th come in. I know nothing about them, but I guess I assumed that a group with 5th in the name meant 5 members. I come from days of bands like the Dave Clark 5,  Sir Douglas Quintet, with 5 members. But then there was 3 Dog Night and I think they have 7 members, but also the 3 doesn't necessarily refer to the 3 lead singers that they used to have, if I remember right, it had to do with the temperatures in the outback on cold nights, a 3 dog night meant it was cold enough that you need 3 dogs to stay warm. I have 2 dog nights all year long.

One of them left to go solo. You'd think they'd rename themselves rather than just look like they don't know how to count.

[PBGamer89]

Maybe i'm the only one who wasn't awestruck by Rashad's dance. I immediately hated how he got Contemporary and the rest have dances with technique and rules. Like I'm not cold hearted and saying he sucked, but I think 10's were a bit unneccasry. I'd go for all 9's personally. It's easy to impress with a bunch of lifts and flailing your arms and rolling around the floor.

Simone should've gotten the 10's. Emotional story with the added actual dancing. I think even Nancy deserved a higher score and once again, Normani got underscored by going first.

They should just allow like one lift per dance to make it more fair so people's dances stop getting docked for Carrie Ann's constant need to feel important.

[Quickbeam]

I loved that Heather wore pants. That just made me smile. I really enjoy watching her, she always seems to project the fun in it. 

[WireWrap]

52 minutes ago, KungFuBunny said:

They were extremely generous with Ericka cause that was bad...the girl can gyrate...yet on DWTS she locks up like she's about to have a seizure.

Mr T. while he improved, I think his dance was better than Erika's this week but she had higher scores and so far she has had the suckiest mem moment so far

I'm not so sure she can "gyrate", on stage during her shows she only prances around patting herself, her backup dancers do all the actual dancing, not Erika.

[wanderingstar]

I always feel some type of way about Most Memorable year, but the dances were pretty good tonight.

Rashad/Emma and Simone/Sasha were my favorite dances of the night.

Mr. T seems lovely, but it was probably time for him to go.

Still not feeling Erica's dances.

Edited April 11, 2017 by Gillian Rosh

[kazza]

16 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

Man, though, that audience look less and less enthused every time they are cut to after a dance. 

Yeah, what was that all about? I get that the dances weren't always (ever?) about happy times, but the audience looked downright angry at times. 

I loved that Nancy's most memorable year wasn't 1994, and we were able to see what her life has been outside of skating. 

Similarly, can't we see something other than The Bachelor for Nick? I get he's a company man, and he's probably contractually obliged to mention The Bachelor at every opportunity, but it's like we've been living this guy's most memorable year for 4 years now. 

No idea who Rashad was before tonight. Ended up rewinding and watching his dance while ugly crying. 

Len was right about Gleb. He does the sexy thing IN EVERY DANCE. It's boring. I want him to get assigned the Chipmunk Christmas song. Or 100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall. Or Mark's gorilla suit. Spinoff (or SNL skit) idea: ridiculous songs with a sexy interpretation by Gleb. 

Not a Cubs fan but can't help but smile at David Ross. What a genuinely nice man. Though that rendition of Forever Young was awful. 

Mr. T and Kym. Class acts. 

[UGAmp]

Wow. I legimately started sobbing when Rashad went to hug his dad. The dance was good but that moment. Whew. 

I thought almost everyone did quite well. But I'm ready for Erika and Bonner to go. I like Sharna but this will not be her year (why couldn't James win, why?!)

I'm pulling for the David+Lindsay pairing or for Emma to finally get a mirrorball. I wish Rashad would show a little more personality/emotion outside of the dancing. He still seems a little monotonous to me (but not Bonner level monotonous). 

It worked producers! The tear-jerker moments made me care more about several contestants. Congratulations, you successfully manipulated me. 

[MsPH]

Standouts:

Rashad - He's just a natural dancer and it's so lovely to watch. I wish he'd win, because he is what this show is supposed to be about. Interesting story as well.

Nancy - Beautiful dance second week in a row. She's very graceful.

Simone - Definitely her best dance so far. I almost forgot I was watching a gymnast.

I also didn't mind Heather this week, but she's far from a fave. Normani danced beautifully, but I agree that it wasn't really a rumba. Way too fast.

Over-scored:

David - He's a nice guy, but seriously?! Wiennese waltz is supposed to be smooth and he was skipping around awkwardly the whole time. No way was that worth 8s. Len and Bruno seem to really love him for some reason.

Bonner - He was better than last week, but boring and I still don't like him. I also feel like he's actively trying not to pay Sharna any attention ever since that hand placement scandal. 

Erika - It's not often you see the male pro literally dancing circles around the female star and that's what happened this week. She is so stiff and seems to have zero warmth or personality. Hope she's gone next week.

Not stellar, but scored fairly:

Nick - It wasn't perfect and his hip action could've been better, but it was his best dance so far and it was nice to see the scores reflect that. Cute ending.

Mr. T - He was as stiff as ever and walking through the dance, but I like him and was a bit sad to see him go. I think he might've been relieved to go home though.

[TroopinFairy]

Nancy's story made me cry because my mother had a string of miscarriages before having me. She told me once how hard it was for her. I'm glad that Len said something about the sexiness to Erika and Gleb. It's getting old fast. It's starting to look like Gleb can't do anything else and that's not good for him in the long run of things.(Like being passed over as a pro next season.) I totally agree that Alan should be in contention to be a pro next season. I feel like through the seasons that he's been on the show, he's proven himself to get the chance at being a pro. I loved Mr. T. He went out there and give it his all even though he knew he wasn't the best at it. I like people who do that. I couldn't get into Normani's dancing because the 5H singing was so bad.(to me) I loved Heather's dance because it was fun and it hit on a lot of different parts of her life. I'm kin-of glad that Simone didn't do the Olympics. It seems like most of the Olympians do it and it was nice to see something different. I might be wrong but to me there's something insincere about Nick and his dance to Vanessa. I don't watch "The Bachelor" but, it just seems too obvious to me. Like he doesn't mean it and was pushed to do it because people want The Fairy Tale. Bonner does do better with Ballroom and a lot of people on the show are like that. 

[Uke]

1 hour ago, Lady Calypso said:

On another note, does Carrie Ann obsess a lot about lifts? I really wanted her to shut up about lifts.

 

Generally yes, and she's the only one. And I'm glad she does because otherwise, the pros would turn the show into a lift-a-palooza because they know the lifts are showy and impress people.  I just wish Carrie Ann would be more consistant and differentiate between an accidental "lift" where a toe comes off the floor 1/4 inch and a careless or choreographed lift.

Edited April 11, 2017 by Uke

[truthaboutluv]

7 minutes ago, MsPH said:

David - He's a nice guy, but seriously?! Wiennese waltz is supposed to be smooth and he was skipping around awkwardly the whole time. No way was that worth 8s. Len and Bruno seem to really love him for some reason.

I agree. I like David. I think he has a great attitude and he and Lindsay are adorable together but I do not see what the judges apparently see in his dancing. I thought his Quickstep in Week 1 was a mess and I think they gave that one an 8 or two. His Jazz last week was also kind of a mess in my opinion and tonight his frame and footwork was sort of all over the place. But none of that seems to matter with the judges so *shrug*

Quote

I might be wrong but to me there's something insincere about Nick and his dance to Vanessa. I don't watch "The Bachelor" but, it just seems too obvious to me. Like he doesn't mean it and was pushed to do it because people want The Fairy Tale. 

Every Bachelor that's done the show, had the year the were the Bachelor and picking their new fiance as the most memorable. So I don't think it has anything to do with Nick's sincerity or lack of and just that well it's an ABC show and that's just kind of a given for what they'll always pick. Of course I'm sure Nick could think of many other years in his life that were memorable. But again, both shows are on ABC so it is what it is.

Edited April 11, 2017 by truthaboutluv

[Morrigan]

It was very sweet to see Maks make a pitch for Alan to have a partner next year. What a contrast to Derek and Henry Byalikov when Derek was injured good lord. Part of me wants to hate Maks - for many reasons - but he can be so supportive of people sometimes - I remember when he left his spot to help Cloris Leachman who was wandering off or something when Corky Ballas couldn't care less. And other times too. Maybe he's not the narcissist I sometimes think he is - I hope not for Peta's sake.

Anyway I love Alan !!! I hope he gets promoted too.  I want to be impressed by Gleb because he's so pretty but... I'm just not.  Though he was hardly gifted with this Erika creature - but I don't think he did that well with Jana last time either.  I can't think who else would go home next week other than Erika ??  She's so cold and off-putting.  Bonner pretty much sucks but with his heart-rending story, going last, and the judges' praise, it looks clear they want him to stay a while, but he sure doesn't have the talent to.  I hope they ditch him before the final and Rashad makes it - he's the best of the guys (and Nick is next.)

[1992austenlover]

1 hour ago, TroopinFairy said:

I might be wrong but to me there's something insincere about Nick and his dance to Vanessa. I don't watch "The Bachelor" but, it just seems too obvious to me. Like he doesn't mean it and was pushed to do it because people want The Fairy Tale.

Actually, I think when it comes to Nick and Vanessa, there are a lot of people out there who are frustrated with them because they don't play into the fairytale. For instance, usually on the reunion episode (After the Final Rose) the couples act like everything is sunshine and rainbows despite the fact that they had spent the last few months hiding their relationship from the rest of the world while the chosen one is forced to watch their new fiance make-out with a bunch of other people on TV. Nick and Vanessa, on the other hand, didn't sugarcoat the challenges that they faced while the show was airing and were very upfront about the fact that they are still getting to know each other and that reliving the whole experience again was less than ideal for their relationship. They've basically said that they love each other, that they're committed to each other but that they're also realistic about the strangeness of their current situation and have therefore decided to take things slow. They're actually probably the most honest couple that the show has ever had...and if you're sensing any insincerity on Nick's part, I can honestly say that I think that he's just guarded when expressing his feelings about his relationship with Vanessa given the insane amount of pressure that they are under from the crazed fandom that is Bachelor Nation to make things work. 

Edited April 11, 2017 by 1992austenlover

[Emily-D]

Simone's story was absolutely beautiful, but I thought she got away with lack of hold and was slightly overscored by a couple of points. Rashad is running away with it and I think the producers want Simone in the final two with him for the Sasha v Emma drama. If Simone got four 9s then Nancy should have as well imo, I thought they were both dead even. Rashad and Mr T we're both amazing, I'd have no problem whatsoever with Rashad winning. I desperately hope Erika goes next, followed by the Bachelor and the Cowboy.

[RedFiat]

42 minutes ago, PBGamer89 said:

Maybe i'm the only one who wasn't awestruck by Rashad's dance. I immediately hated how he got Contemporary and the rest have dances with technique and rules. Like I'm not cold hearted and saying he sucked, but I think 10's were a bit unneccasry. I'd go for all 9's personally. It's easy to impress with a bunch of lifts and flailing your arms and rolling around the floor.

I totally agree that putting contemporary into a week of calling people out for lack of technical ballroom and latin is very unfair.  Plus Rashad is struggling in technique, especially his Samba last week. However, I have to give it up to Rashad. That dance was elegant, seemless, evocative of his relationship with his dad, in short probably the best contemporary dance we have seen on the show.  I did think the scores were a bit high, but I also think he may have been starting to fade under the Chicago Cubs sign at Wrigley Field, and David doesnt have to worry about technique, he will get by on fandom alone.  

[gohawks]

It does not often happen that I support someone who is not dancing with a Chmerkovskiy but I am really hoping Rashad and Emma win this season.

Also, I have a niece I'd like Rashad to meet.

[Ivana Tinkle]

Given how exploitative these producers are, I wouldn't be surprised if they told Nancy: "Hey, are you sure your most memorable year wasn't when you got clubbed in the knee? ARE YOU SURE??"

[RedFiat]

32 minutes ago, Emily-D said:

If Simone got four 9s then Nancy should have as well imo, I thought they were both dead even.

Nancy and Artem had an unintentional lift, but I think the judges decided before she even danced that she would get an 8 so CAI decided that docking her would give her a 7 that she clearly did not deserve. Otherwise, I agree, I think that was 9 worthy.  At Least Len thinks so. Len gave Nancy, Rashad, Heather and Simone the high score of 9 tonight. 

Edited April 11, 2017 by RedFiat

[Beyoncheyyy]

Rashad got me good, made me cry. Best of the night. 

[katha]

1 hour ago, truthaboutluv said:

Speaking of lack of shade, I'm starting to feel like Heather's dancing is manic. Or at least I feel tired watching her dance. Objectively I'm pretty sure she is doing the technique right but something about it just feels, well...manic.

I don't know how to phrase it, and I don't mean to be snarky...but: Heather started out as a background dancer, and IMO sometimes you see that. She doesn't have the charisma of some of the other contestants, for all her technical prowess. And I think she tends to dance "small", which has made all her dances have less impact for me than they should have, considering she's a pro dancer. I also didn't know who she was before the show, so I don't have any kind of goodwill for her stemming from her acting career or when she was on SYTYCD or whatever. And what I see is a proficient dancer who doesn't always move beyond that and create "moments" with performance quality. She seems really nice and dances very well, obviously. But from the way people were talking about her beforehand? I expected more tbh.

[RedFiat]

7 minutes ago, Beyoncheyyy said:

Rashad got me good, made me cry. Best of the night. 

No question best of the night.  Rashad had a moment and I loved the dance.

[Sstt]

2 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Normai and Val- I've never been a fan of Fifth Harmony and have only heard a couple of their songs. I do see a lot about them on my feeds, though, so I'm at least aware of who they are. Well, I guess since Normani's still so young, Fifth Harmony is probably the biggest thing in her life. Can we stop focusing on Fifth Harmony and focus on the dance, please? They kept cutting to her members in the background. I think the dance was good, but I agree with Len that there was not really any rumba. I don't know much about the dance, but I know this felt more like a contemporary dance. Maybe I'm totally wrong about that. Also, it felt more like the show was trying to brag about Fifth Harmony as a band. I guess her scores were alright, though maybe a couple of points too high.

 

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This ! , completely agree .i wished she didn't talk about fifth harmony because she's had so many tragic events happen to her .She could have easily talked about her mom fighting cancer or how she had to relocate from new orlearns because of the huricane or her being a miracle child.The fifth harmony thing is getting boring and predictable.

 

And another note am i the only one angry at val ,because he knew exactly what the judges wouldnt like bu he put a lift and put limited ramba choreo .I liked rashad and nancy dance the most .

Edited April 11, 2017 by Sstt

[Venee]

Rashad : Idk folks I think the hugging and the crying of Rashad and his family got the 10's tonight, certainly not the dance...come on a 10? Maybe if you scored Emma. If you score Rashad you get an 8. The quality of movement is not quite there. Save the 10's for the real dancers. BTW Rashad's brother had a deadpan look. He seemed underwhelmed. I wonder what's up with that.....

Nancy:  uggh been there done that. My oldest is 8 years older than my next baby I was able to carry to term. I now realize why there's such a gap between her children. Hugs to her. It is soooo hard to go though that. Her dance I liked, but I wanted to change the music sooooo bad! Celine Dion has an entire album dedicated to babies and Mom's I would have pulled a song from there (obviously the producers control that)

Normani : someone said Rashad is running away with this thing. NOPE wrong. Normani is, in fact she just busted her lead wide open by them bringing on 5th Harmony tonight. Her fans "The Harmonizers" have zero chill, and they are voting like their lives depend on it. We're talking millions. That's why they can score her any ol kind of way. It's doesn't matter.

Nick   half paid attention, which says a lot. Another one for the fodder pile

Mr.T : a dancer he is not, but a great human being he is. He tried his best and leaves with his head high

Heather:  Nice! Great dance! Demand was high and her execution was spot on! I guess Maks is coming back. I hope he pushes her to the limit! I would like her in the finals, mainly because I want great dancing! Last week I thought her voting might have gotten a shot in the arm, Well see if that carried over this week

David:   nope... but someone said they showed his dance at the Cubs game and told people to vote. He's a nice guy, and tries, but it's not happening. His Cub fame could drive him pretty far, and most likely knock out a far superior dancer, but this show is about voting for your favorite, not the best.

Simone: Beautiful (I wanted to change the music, but that's not her fault) Scores were fine,mainly because she's also getting mega votes (I suspect not as many as Laurie) Her story is incredible. Did anyone watch her Dads face when the scores were given? Me thinks he wanted to have a word with the judges lol

 

Erica:  Pass... just not much to say. She probably could have done a better jazz routine, considering her background.... 

Bonner:  Better than last week... that's all I got

 

At the end of the day, scores don't matter, fan bases that vote do. The next few weeks will be interesting

[UncleChuck]

Quote

On another note, does Carrie Ann obsess a lot about lifts? I really wanted her to shut up about lifts.

I believe that the producers have designated CAI to police the lifts, whether she really wants to or not.  As another poster noted, without some policing, some pros would turn DWTS into Liftapalloza, but many of the traditional dances do not allow lifts, so the show must make some attempt to follow established rules about certain styles.

It would be too punitive, however, if ALL four judges were deducting points for a lift.  Losing one point is not really a huge deal when factored into the total with viewer votes, etc., but four points could really hurt.  So TPTB have just made CAI the  "lift police" to insure that the lift rules are followed but the other three judges can ignore them.  So a lift, even an accidental one, is a one point loss and not four.

I would feel sorry for a team losing a point for an accidental lift, when a foot just comes off the floor, but the pros should have enough control to prevent that.  Any "pro" who has years of experience should be able to spin his partner at a proper speed and angle to prevent such "accidents".

As CAI noted tonight, sometimes the pros ignore the lift rule to enhance their choreography, as they know that an audience-pleasing dance will generate enough extra votes to make CAI's one point drop a risk worth taking.  Because she also is well aware that many lifts are intentional parts of the choreography, she does seem to enjoy holding the pro's feet to the fire on this point.