S24.E07: Week 7: A Night at the Movies

[NeverLate]

5 minutes ago, gohawks said:

Zendaya did not have an attitude.  She was a sweet, hard-working kid, who could really dance. 

 

She did not say DWTS was not fun.  She said she should have focused more on the fun of the experience.

 

She should have won.

Its just my opinion, I didnt like her, like some people didn't like Bindi. I don't think she should of won, and she didnt! Anyway that's a past season and I'm all about Rashad now.

55 minutes ago, crossover said:

Couldn't Australian fans vote during Bindi's season?

No. Just like Canadian fans can't vote Rashad etc.

[FilmTVGeek80]

11 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

That's very subjective. I don't get any more of a sense of Normani's personality on the dance floor than I do of Simone's. In fact I see more of Simone's personality in the dance because I see more of it in the roll-in package. Normani is unquestionably a good dancer; watching her and Val is pretty much like watching two pros. But I don't feel like I know anything about her. Nothing.

 

It's definitely subjective. But, I'm not saying, I feel like a know Normani based on her dances. I don't. I just feel like she is far less robotic than Simone is when she dances. She has a presence that Simone IMO doesn't have. Simone is very cute and giggly in her packages, but that doesn't translate to her dances where the only sense of joy is the same pasted on smile that she has for almost all of her dances. It reads to me as fake, which makes sense since she said her mind goes blank when she dances. She's just going through the motions which is fine in gymnastics, but not here.

[calipiano81]

2 hours ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

Now that I know how much experience Normani has, I'm kind of over her. It's not as bad as Paige since Paige had experience with ballroom, but it's still not great. 

Paige did not have ballroom experience.

1 hour ago, tessaforever said:

So sorry I wasn't clear. I know many songs have been used more than once on the show. I meant, has any one pro danced to the same song twice - same pro, same song? Like Val dancing to "Perhaps" with Rumer and now Normani. 

Mark choreographed a samba to "Hip Hip Chin Chin" in Season 12 for Chelsea Kane and then choreographed another samba for Paige in Season 22 to the same song.

[Callaphera]

1 hour ago, Fanny Mare said:

No. Just like Canadian fans can't vote Rashad etc.

Not gonna lie, I got very confused for a moment and had to Google Rashad because I was trying to figure out a Canadian connection. Is he from Canada? Did he play for a CFL team? Is there some hidden Canadian connection? For the record, no. And here I was getting ready to send him out his Official Canadian, eh? package of poutine, Quebec maple syrup, Timbits, and a wee Canadian flag.

[NeverLate]

14 minutes ago, Callaphera said:

Not gonna lie, I got very confused for a moment and had to Google Rashad because I was trying to figure out a Canadian connection. Is he from Canada? Did he play for a CFL team? Is there some hidden Canadian connection? For the record, no. And here I was getting ready to send him out his Official Canadian, eh? package of poutine, Quebec maple syrup, Timbits, and a wee Canadian flag.

LOL. That's why I said Rashad etc..I should of said any of them .ABC did allow it, then cut it down to FB only. Now, not at all. I wouldn't mind Rashad sharing my poutine.( grin ) 

29 minutes ago, calipiano81 said:

Paige did not have ballroom experience.

Mark choreographed a samba to "Hip Hip Chin Chin" in Season 12 for Chelsea Kane and then choreographed another samba for Paige in Season 22 to the same song.

I miss Mark.I know, not too many liked him, I sure did.

[truthaboutluv]

2 hours ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

It's definitely subjective. But, I'm not saying, I feel like a know Normani based on her dances. I don't. I just feel like she is far less robotic than Simone is when she dances. She has a presence that Simone IMO doesn't have. Simone is very cute and giggly in her packages, but that doesn't translate to her dances where the only sense of joy is the same pasted on smile that she has for almost all of her dances. It reads to me as fake, which makes sense since she said her mind goes blank when she dances. She's just going through the motions which is fine in gymnastics, but not here.

It's not so much fake for me as it feels very pageanty with Simone. Like I watch her and don't think she's performing the dance, so much as she's just doing steps - flip here, turn here, smile to the camera here, head turn there, etc. And she and Sasha have zero dance chemistry on the dance floor. It really feels like just watching two individuals doing good steps and I've felt that way since the beginning of the season. I kept hoping it would change and it hasn't. 

Normani on the other hand may be closed off in her packages but on the dance floor, she performs the number. She doesn't just do the steps, she performs from selling the character, to how fluid she moves from one step to the other and of course her dance chemistry with Val. Now yes, of course it's because she is a professional performer. But that's the reality of this show and has been from the beginning. Performers get mixed in with people who've never dance in their life or athletes who may have good coordination but aren't necessarily dancers.

So I'm not knocking Simone because the fact is she's a gymnast, not a dancer and I've always had the unpopular opinion that gymnasts were not ringers on this show. More importantly, her career is not performing dance numbers on a stage like Normani, so yeah, Normani is going to be a better performer than her. 

[sinycalone]

This is kind of off-topic, but when Rashad picked David for the dance-off because he was another athlete,  etc. - a question crossed my mind:  Are Rashed and David bonding enough so that Rossy can encourage him to keep trying to get picked up by an NFL team.  David spent 15 years in MLB, and played for several teams...so he no doubt knows how it feels to get bounced around.  

[Callaphera]

1 minute ago, sinycalone said:

This is kind of off-topic, but when Rashad picked David for the dance-off because he was another athlete,  etc. - a question crossed my mind:  Are Rashed and David bonding enough so that Rossy can encourage him to keep trying to get picked up by an NFL team.  David spent 15 years in MLB, and played for several teams...so he no doubt knows how it feels to get bounced around.  

I don't think any of them actually "choose" who they're facing in the dance off. The producers probably chose for them after last week's elimination. 

Hi, grassy knoll. It's been awhile since I came to visit. Nice to see my usual spot is free.

[sinycalone]

Just now, Callaphera said:

I don't think any of them actually "choose" who they're facing in the dance off. The producers probably chose for them after last week's elimination. 

Hi, grassy knoll. It's been awhile since I came to visit. Nice to see my usual spot is free.

Probably true....but still my question stands about David possibly bonding enough with Rashed to encourage him, etc.

[realdancemom]

I think the show chose to show Normani's injury because she really doesn't have drama in her packages.  In that sense, she's like Charlie.  She just shows up and does the work.  However, it's also the reason why we really don't know her except that she's in 5th Harmony.  In the first few weeks, they just showed her traveling.  She had a crazy schedule but we didn't hear her complain.   The audience would have been turned off if she did.

[truthaboutluv]

Quote

but in my opinion, the canon of dances Meryl and Maks produced is the greatest set of dances I've ever seen on the show. They have a ton of rewatch value.

 

Quote

Amber Riley and Osmond were pretty bad, although not Bristol Palin level.

 

Quote

THAT was the season Sharna was robbed - 

Round and around it goes and why the claims of the show being heavily manipulated and biased always amuses me because this show is so subjective because dance, like pretty much all art, is subjective. Because by that token, regarding the quoted, I think Maks and Meryl are probably the most over-hyped and over-rated DWTS pairing. I tried watching all of their dances again sometime last year out of curiosity.

I wondered if maybe some time and distance from it would give me new perspective. Instead, I was bored half way through. I think at best I loved three dances. I still came away with pretty much the same conclusion I had in Season 18. That the majority of their dances included average choreography that was made to seem more impressive by an exceptional ice dancer who was excellent at selling her performances because it's what she did professionally. And add in an over the top fake showmance to boot and you got gold. 

I have no opinion of Donny Osmond because I think I checked out of that season. But I think Amber is one of the many winners who got the "sorry you were paired with Derek so naturally you suck and had no ability at all because all of Derek's wins were fixed". She never got any credit for her abilities and similarly, I have re-watched that season and I still love many of Amber's dances. I don't think anyone would really disagree that Corbin was technically a better dancer but this show is a popularity contest that's won on votes and I don't think there was any fix or manipulation needed for Amber to have had more viewer votes than Corbin. Many people didn't like Corbin for a number of reasons. With Amber, Glee was still on the air and that helped considerably. But she was also a damn good dancer, in my opinion. Others obviously didn't see it that way.

And then there are the claims that Nick was robbed. And again, from where I was watching, I felt like many came in expecting Nick to be amazing because he was the Backstreet Boy. And because that narrative was so ingrained, no matter how many stumbles, poor posture, butt sticking out in the dances, etc. it wouldn't let up and many would insist he was so robbed. And again, me also as a viewer, I was always left thinking, "robbed how?" Which again just proves that this show is really just a popularity crap shoot. 

Edited May 2, 2017 by truthaboutluv

[crossover]

3 hours ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

don't think they do. I, honestly, didn't even hear them say that about last season unless it was in an interview. The only time I remember them bringing up how close the voting  was in Gilles and Shawn's finale and they specifically mentioned how close it was - something like less than a 1% difference (though I could be wrong about the number.)

Thanks.  I just remember this article about the Nyle's season and thought maybe it's like this for most seasons. 

"Episodes 2210 & 2210A" - After weeks of stunning competitive dancing, the final three couples advance to the finals of "Dancing with the Stars," live, MONDAY, MAY 23 (8:00-9:01 p.m. EDT), on the ABC Television Network. It's the closest race ever with some of the best dancing celebrities have ever pulled off."

Edited May 3, 2017 by crossover

[crossover]

3 hours ago, Fanny Mare said:

Its just my opinion, I didnt like her, like some people didn't like Bindi. I don't think she should of won, and she didnt! Anyway that's a past season and I'm all about Rashad now.

No. Just like Canadian fans can't vote Rashad etc.

Thanks.  I guess I read too much into this Australian article. 

"From combined judge's scores and the votes from supporters all over the world, Team Crikey came out on top with a well-deserved victory!

[tessaforever]

50 minutes ago, sinycalone said:

Probably true....but still my question stands about David possibly bonding enough with Rashed to encourage him, etc.

Thank you for mentioning this...Rashad is a great dancer, hard worker, and in fantastic shape, but is 32 a little old to be picked up as a free agent? I don't know anything about his NFL career but I wasn't sure if his prospects were any good. 

[Callaphera]

14 minutes ago, crossover said:

Thanks.  I guess I read too much into this Australian article. 

"From combined judge's scores and the votes from supporters all over the world, Team Crikey came out on top with a well-deserved victory!

VPNs are a godsend if you live in a country that can't vote or subscribe to an American only channel online but you really, really want to. Not that I know anything about that. No siree. 

33 minutes ago, crossover said:

Thanks.  I just remember this article about the Nyle's season and thought maybe it's like this for most seasons. 

"Episodes 2210 & 2210A" - After weeks of stunning competitive dancing, the final three couples advance to the finals of "Dancing with the Stars," live, MONDAY, MAY 23 (8:00-9:01 p.m. EDT), on the ABC Television Network. It's the closest race ever with some of the best dancing celebrities have ever pulled off."

Well, think about it. "After weeks of stunning competitive dancing, the final three couples advance to the finals, etc. It's a big blowout for one contestant but be sure to watch anyway!" Don't think that would do much for ratings.

Edited May 3, 2017 by Callaphera

[NeverLate]

18 minutes ago, crossover said:

Thanks.  I guess I read too much into this Australian article. 

"From combined judge's scores and the votes from supporters all over the world, Team Crikey came out on top with a well-deserved victory!

A friend of ours lives in AU, she and I kept in touch via FB, but she couldn't vote. 

45 minutes ago, truthaboutluv said:

 

 

Round and around it goes and why the claims of the show being heavily manipulated and biased always amuses me because this show is so subjective because dance, like pretty much all art, is subjective. Because by that token, regarding the quoted, I think Maks and Meryl are probably the most over-hyped and over-rated DWTS pairing. I tried watching all of their dances again sometime last year out of curiosity.

I wondered if maybe some time and distance from it would give me new perspective. Instead, I was bored half way through. I think at best I loved three dances. I still came away with pretty much the same conclusion I had in Season 18. That the majority of their dances included average choreography that was made to seem more impressive by an exceptional ice dancer who was excellent at selling her performances because it's what she did professionally. And add in an over the top fake showmance to boot and you got gold. 

I have no opinion of Donny Osmond because I think I checked out of that season. But I think Amber is one of the many winners who got the "sorry you were paired with Derek so naturally you suck and had no ability at all because all of Derek's wins were fixed". She never got any credit for her abilities and similarly, I have re-watched that season and I still love many of Amber's dances. I don't think anyone would really disagree that Corbin was technically a better dancer but this show is a popularity contest that's won on votes and I don't think there was any fix or manipulation needed for Amber to have had more viewer votes than Corbin. Many people didn't like Corbin for a number of reasons. With Amber, Glee was still on the air and that helped considerably. But she was also a damn good dancer, in my opinion. Others obviously didn't see it that way.

And then there are the claims that Nick was robbed. And again, from where I was watching, I felt like many came in expecting Nick to be amazing because he was the Backstreet Boy. And because that narrative was so ingrained, no matter how many stumbles, poor posture, butt sticking out in the dances, etc. it wouldn't let up and many would insist he was so robbed. And again, me also as a viewer, I was always left thinking, "robbed how?" Which again just proves that this show is really just a popularity crap shoot. 

Amber got glee votes, plus she was overweight and had bad knees. She gave it her best, but broke down many times.I was okay with her win, it was a throwaway season for me though, kind of like this one.

[Uke]

Interesting watching DANCINGABC's snapchat.  In the past they always used stand-ins during dress rehearsals (or so they claimed).  This week Len, Mandy and Bruno "played themselves" and the only stand-in was for CAI. So much for the claim that they don't watch the dances until the actual show.

[Jsage]

I've been reading all these posts about how the show is manipulated and it seems to me that if all these conspiracies are actually in play (or even half of them), the results would be so manipulated that they would basically become subjective again. Just think about it all: judges overscoring, judges underscoring, the dancing lineup, real injuries, fake injuries, injuries we see, injuries we don't, the ringers, the pro favorites, the showmances, who's going on tour, who's taking a job at ESPN, who controls the weather over Wrigley Field, and of course, who the hell is voting for Bonner. 

[catrice2]

7 hours ago, boyznkatz said:

I love Nancy's skating and dancing, but she is very awkward in interviews. She was always that way, even in her heyday. I think that's what did her in.

Yes.  There was always something about her.  Not saying it was right,  but I think that is why some people felt sympathy for Tonya Harding.  I don't know if awkward is the only word...unapproachable, just kind of strange.  She is also not classically beautiful.   I guess the best way I can explain it is she is hard to connect with. 

[calipiano81]

2 hours ago, Fanny Mare said:

I miss Mark.I know, not too many liked him, I sure did.

Once upon time, Mark used to get extreme snark and criticism for everything...from his dancing, to his hair, to his shoes. However, I think the tides remarkably turned for him around Season 18 and you'll find a lot more people singing his praises these days.

But to bring it back to this episode, the only person I powervoted for for 9 years straight was Mark. Once he left, I thought my powervoting days were over, so color me surprised when Nancy and Artem motivated me to get my accounts in order. They were a great pairing and I am going to miss seeing the additional beautiful (and proper) dances they could have given us.

[marykat71702]

20 hours ago, Venee said:

Petty me would  like Bonner to win the whole thing, thus cementing the spirit of this show that I keep hearing about everytime I champion a preference for contestants who can dance.

Nope. The spirit of this show is who is a non-dancer and shows improvement, i.e. Rashad and Nick. Bonner is NOT improving. David is the fun underdog that people can root for--he's not great, but he's not absolutely horrible, and he seems to be a pretty nice guy.  Bonner should have left before Nick. I hope Rashad wins.

[Venee]

4 hours ago, boyznkatz said:

I thought he deserved all 6's personally. His dance looked nothing like a paso doble, and that whirling around thing he has going on is seriously annoying.  At least David and Nick attempted to do the dances they were assigned. I'm so pissed Bonner can just stand there and no one calls him out.

I actually never saw him dance last night. He took a total of maybe 4 or 5 steps  after the silent hoe down drama section and then the dance was over..... so 6's would have been generous...

[Callaphera]

8 minutes ago, marykat71702 said:

Nope. The spirit of this show is who is a non-dancer and shows improvement, i.e. Rashad and Nick. Bonner is NOT improving. David is the fun underdog that people can root for--he's not great, but he's not absolutely horrible, and he seems to be a pretty nice guy.  Bonner should have left before Nick. I hope Rashad wins.

If that were true, the commercials and promo material would tell viewers to "vote for the best/most improved". They don't. They say "vote for your favourite". My favourite doesn't have to be the best, the most improved, or the most motivated. My favourite might have blue eyes and because I really like blue eyes, I'll vote for them even though they're the shittiest dancer on the show. 

I mean, there will always be the troll voters (voting for the worst because of the lulz), the bandwagoners (never heard of this person before but they're winning and everyone else likes them), the dance fans (best dancer/most improved), the favourite voters (not the best, not the worst, but damn, I like him/her), the fat finger voters, etc. But really, we've always been encouraged to "vote for our favourite". How you determine your favourite is up to you.

ETA: For the record, I don't vote because Canadian and too cheap to re-up my VPN subscription. But if I could vote, I'd be part of the troll vote as of this week. The Cardboard Cowboy FTW!

Edited May 3, 2017 by Callaphera

[sinycalone]

55 minutes ago, tessaforever said:

Thank you for mentioning this...Rashad is a great dancer, hard worker, and in fantastic shape, but is 32 a little old to be picked up as a free agent? I don't know anything about his NFL career but I wasn't sure if his prospects were any good. 

Hard to say....someone 32 looking for a spot on an MLB  roster would not be considered too old.  However, NFL careers tend to be shorter on average.  Now that the NFL draft is over, there are still quite a few teams who did not get the players they needed....they may be receptive to taking a serious look at Rashed.  I hope so.  

[calipiano81]

14 minutes ago, catrice2 said:

Yes.  There was always something about her.  Not saying it was right,  but I think that is why some people felt sympathy for Tonya Harding.  I don't know if awkward is the only word...unapproachable, just kind of strange.  She is also not classically beautiful.   I guess the best way I can explain it is she is hard to connect with. 

All the "hard to connect with" statements that get made about various female contestants...honestly, I think that any inability to connect falls more on the viewer than the contestant. Viewers can come up with all sorts of reasons not to "connect" with someone. These women are who they are...as long as they are not being rude and unpleasant to others, they shouldn't have to change their personalities just to make people like them.

[PBGamer89]

James Hinchcliffe wasn't boring, but he was severely overrated by the judges. Calling him the best male ever on the show, calling him unstoppable, fanning themselves after a Viennese Waltz super light on content, I could go on.

Knowing now that Laurie won even with James going last on the finals and reminding us again of his sob story, she still won, leading me to believe the show hyped up James to make it look like Laurie had competition. YMMV.

 

Normani and Simone need to make the finals. Losing Heather and Nancy back to back was disheartening and Bonner and David need to go next.

[marykat71702]

I wish they would go back to using lower score paddles at the beginning. If you start the first week giving out 7s and 8s, there's not really a whole lot of room for improvement score-wise.

[Venee]

13 hours ago, Callaphera said:

If that were true, the commercials and promo material would tell viewers to "vote for the best/most improved". They don't. They say "vote for your favourite". My favourite doesn't have to be the best, the most improved, or the most motivated. My favourite might have blue eyes and because I really like blue eyes, I'll vote for them even though they're the shittiest dancer on the show. 

I mean, there will always be the troll voters (voting for the worst because of the lulz), the bandwagoners (never heard of this person before but they're winning and everyone else likes them), the dance fans (best dancer/most improved), the favourite voters (not the best, not the worst, but damn, I like him/her), the fat finger voters, etc. But really, we've always been encouraged to "vote for our favourite". How you determine your favourite is up to you.

ETA: For the record, I don't vote because Canadian and too cheap to re-up my VPN subscription. But if I could vote, I'd be part of the troll vote as of this week. The Cardboard Cowboy FTW!

Yasss to all you said  and particularly yes to the highlighted.... Bonner is a trained bullrider and what do trained bullriders do? They stay on that bull no matter how hard he tries to buck you off, so stay on that DWTS Bull Bonner don't let it buck you off! lol

Edited May 3, 2017 by Venee

[Toonces464]

32 minutes ago, marykat71702 said:

I wish they would go back to using lower score paddles at the beginning. If you start the first week giving out 7s and 8s, there's not really a whole lot of room for improvement score-wise.

This a thousand times over. It makes me nuts to see 8s and even 9s being given out in the first week or two. 

[TiredMe]

Haven't watched it but as soon as I heard that those two shitstains Bonner and David outlasted Nancy, I decided I'm done for the season. Hope everyone enjoys it. 

[marykat71702]

8 hours ago, wings707 said:

How was Meryl a ringer and Nancy wasn't?

The biggest difference is that Meryl was an Ice Dancing (with a partner) champion. Nancy was a soloist.

[FilmTVGeek80]

5 hours ago, boyznkatz said:

I thought he deserved all 6's personally. His dance looked nothing like a paso doble, and that whirling around thing he has going on is seriously annoying.  At least David and Nick attempted to do the dances they were assigned. I'm so pissed Bonner can just stand there and no one calls him out.

 

 

 

I think I was being a little like the judges and taking it easy on him because I agree, that danced deserved 6s at best. Usually, though, at this point of the season, they don't pull out 6s unless you fall on your face.

 

39 minutes ago, PBGamer89 said:

James Hinchcliffe wasn't boring, but he was severely overrated by the judges. Calling him the best male ever on the show, calling him unstoppable, fanning themselves after a Viennese Waltz super light on content, I could go on.

Knowing now that Laurie won even with James going last on the finals and reminding us again of his sob story, she still won, leading me to believe the show hyped up James to make it look like Laurie had competition. YMMV.

1

Only one judge called him the best male dancer on the show. Only one fanned herself after his Viennese Waltz (which was kick-ass and deserved the fanning.) That was Julieanne. Calling him unstoppable is not a big deal. Of course, the show wanted to create competition for Laurie. People were already annoyed she was pre-ordained before the show even started. It's not fun watching a show where the winner is pre-destined and the show acts like it. I think the show hyped up James because they needed competition and they could see from his dancing and the fanbase he was building up that he might have been their best bet. It doesn't mean he didn't get to the final two on his own merit and does not discount his base.

Also, big deal, he danced last. Dancing last in the finale is not some guarantee you're going to win or even that the producers think you will. I think Paige danced last on finale night of her season. Also, James wasn't the only one with a "sob story." I believe Laurie's grandmother died a week or two before the finale. Laurie was always going to win. James gaining popularity and not making it easy just made the season more interesting IMO.

[GracieK]

1 hour ago, calipiano81 said:

All the "hard to connect with" statements that get made about various female contestants...honestly, I think that any inability to connect falls more on the viewer than the contestant. Viewers can come up with all sorts of reasons not to "connect" with someone. These women are who they are...as long as they are not being rude and unpleasant to others, they shouldn't have to change their personalities just to make people like them.

I get what you're saying, but this is the entertainment industry, and typically more charismatic or likeable personalities are going to gain more popularity.  I certainly don't think people should change who they are to please others.. unless you are working in an industry, like entertainment, where that is important.  Even then, I wouldn't call it a change.. it's playing up to the audience.  Lots of actors, comedians, singers, performers, etc are actually kind of introverted in real life.  I'm watching this to be entertained and for me part of that (albeit not the biggest part) is how enjoyable or relatable or funny or *insert other positive quality* the person projects.  And I don't think that just goes for women.  I've seen lots of criticism of Bonner's lack of personality and blank expression.  

That said, I was really enjoying Nancy and I was pulling for her.  And this was after the start of the season when I really wasn't a fan and always found her hard to like even all those years ago in the Olympics.  The package they did on her miscarriages made her much more sympathetic and more relatable and that coupled with her talent, grace and hard working dedication had me in her corner.  I was sad to see her go.

[OnceSane]

Please take the past seasons chatter to the appropriate thread; this thread is for discussing the episode.

[NeverLate]

2 hours ago, calipiano81 said:

All the "hard to connect with" statements that get made about various female contestants...honestly, I think that any inability to connect falls more on the viewer than the contestant. Viewers can come up with all sorts of reasons not to "connect" with someone. These women are who they are...as long as they are not being rude and unpleasant to others, they shouldn't have to change their personalities just to make people like them.

I agree 100%. I'm not asking for them to change. But the very reason imho, people vote for David and Rashad, is they see their enjoyment. I now see a lot of viewers cheering for Rashad , and he's been the same all along, he hasn't changed, at least that's what I mean by connection. It is, after all, an entertainment show, if you don't feel entertained by someone, its not likely you'll vote for them

 

Jmho!

[calipiano81]

3 hours ago, GracieK said:

I get what you're saying, but this is the entertainment industry, and typically more charismatic or likeable personalities are going to gain more popularity.  I certainly don't think people should change who they are to please others.. unless you are working in an industry, like entertainment, where that is important.  Even then, I wouldn't call it a change.. it's playing up to the audience.  Lots of actors, comedians, singers, performers, etc are actually kind of introverted in real life.  I'm watching this to be entertained and for me part of that (albeit not the biggest part) is how enjoyable or relatable or funny or *insert other positive quality* the person projects.  And I don't think that just goes for women.  I've seen lots of criticism of Bonner's lack of personality and blank expression.  

I understand. I just don't agree when a quieter, less-bubbly personality is portrayed as a fault and used as a reason to dismiss someone's good work.

I also understand what you mean about "playing up to the audience," and I absolutely agree that entertainers should do that IN the performance. However, DWTS seems to expect a celeb to be "on" at all times, even off the dance floor.

Edited May 3, 2017 by calipiano81

[luvthepros]

16 hours ago, RedFiat said:

It's obvious the show loves to advance conservative voting blocks despite dancing like crap.  Bonner, Bristol Pallin,  Candace Bure,   Marie Osmond,   Bill Endeval, all sucked.  all got to top 4 or higher.  Master P didn't get past week 4 and he did more Paso Doble dance steps than Bonner ever dreamed of.  'Course Master P gave all glory and thanks to God since he wanted to give attention to the victims of Katrina, many of whom were his friends in Louisiana,  but it wasn't the right one.  The scores are more than interesting given the hugely inflated scores they given ol Bonner. 

Must disagree about Master P. He made my eyes bleed. Those were not Paso steps. Not sure what that was actually.

Edited May 3, 2017 by luvthepros

[Nalan]

I'd like to know what anyone (here or elsewhere) saw in Nick, because I seem to be of the fan contingent who found it a pleasure to see him go.

Nancy I was more disappointed to see take her leave.  I was hoping for Bonner to be the other one gone and am shocked that Sharna's fans more than anything else are keeping him in.

David has the Cubs/Chicago contingent, and probably the Red Sox contingent, so that doesn't surprise me to see him still around.  But he really shouldn't make the finale.

Bonner needs to be gone next.  Plain and simple.  I want Normani, Simone, and Rashad to be the F3.  As a black fan, to see all of my peeps make the finale would be a dream come true, and probably not likely to happen again.

[kazza]

9 hours ago, calipiano81 said:

All the "hard to connect with" statements that get made about various female contestants...honestly, I think that any inability to connect falls more on the viewer than the contestant. Viewers can come up with all sorts of reasons not to "connect" with someone. These women are who they are...as long as they are not being rude and unpleasant to others, they shouldn't have to change their personalities just to make people like them.

Exactly. I think we hold female contestants (and in general) to a higher standard -- they need to be engaging but not too bubbly and emotionally resilient but not robotic and beautiful but still natural .. and still be a great dancer. For the male contestants, I feel we tend to be more tolerant of their quirks. 

As for Nancy, I always found her relatable - well, as much as I can relate with an double Olympic medallist. She works hard, day in day out, seems quite uncomfortable with excessive accolades, and doesn't try to make others like her. She's there to get the job done and IIRC never reacted defensively to the feedback given to her by the judges. [Yes, she called out the last minute swap in boots, but my guess is it must have made a major impact for her to say something.]

[GracieK]

4 hours ago, calipiano81 said:

I understand. I just don't agree when a quieter, less-bubbly personality is portrayed as a fault and used as a reason to dismiss someone's good work.

I also understand what you mean about "playing up to the audience," and I absolutely agree that entertainers should do that IN the performance. However, DWTS seems to expect a celeb to be "on" at all times, even off the dance floor.

That is true.. and in a perfect world they would simply be judged on performance.  But this show sets it up to factor in off the floor personality with the packages they show and the extras that highlight personality. It is way more of a reality show in that way and people just tend to pick their favorites or who they like. If I were a contestant I would definitely try to endear myself to the audience on top of trying to be the best dancer as it seems to factor in. I get why that may not be easy for people like Nancy who is used to only being judged on how well she performs. 

[boyznkatz]

5 hours ago, calipiano81 said:

I understand. I just don't agree when a quieter, less-bubbly personality is portrayed as a fault and used as a reason to dismiss someone's good work.

I also understand what you mean about "playing up to the audience," and I absolutely agree that entertainers should do that IN the performance. However, DWTS seems to expect a celeb to be "on" at all times, even off the dance floor.

I agree, but this is a reality show first and people are going to "judge" what they see. I liked Nancy, but I can see why people might prefer someone else. She shouldn't change her personality to win, but it is what it is.

[GracieK]

I have to think that the pros try to coach up their star about playing up to the audience for this very reason.  That is why the camaraderie and the shenanigans almost seem over the top sometimes.  But I'm sure that isn't easy for everyone, particularly those who aren't actors or the older athletes who aren't used to being advised by a PR person in today's social media climate.   

[boyznkatz]

11 hours ago, sinycalone said:

Hard to say....someone 32 looking for a spot on an MLB  roster would not be considered too old.  However, NFL careers tend to be shorter on average.  Now that the NFL draft is over, there are still quite a few teams who did not get the players they needed....they may be receptive to taking a serious look at Rashed.  I hope so.  

Maybe a more die-hard fan can correct me, but Rashad isn't one of the elite players, is he? I watch football semi-regularly, but I had to google him at the beginning of the season to find out who he was. I still think a young team like the Titans could surely use the leadership of an older player. I hope he finds something anyway. He seems like a good guy.

[GracieK]

1 minute ago, boyznkatz said:

Maybe a more die-hard fan can correct me, but Rashad isn't one of the elite players, is he? I watch football semi-regularly, but I had to google him at the beginning of the season to find out who he was. I still think a young team like the Titans could surely use the leadership of an older player. I hope he finds something anyway. He seems like a good guy.

I am a huge Eagles fan so I know Rashad from the Giants playing the Eagles.. I'm also big into fantasy football so I tend to know the players on all the teams, so it's hard for me to say how recognizable he is to others, however, no he isn't elite.  He was their top rusher, but he has been banged up and he only averages around 3 yards per carry.  I don't think teams looks super favorably on him doing the show over working on off season workouts, and his age is definitely a factor.  He may end up on a roster for a team who has a last minute injury or needs some veteran leadership as you mentioned.. I just don't know that Rashad is that guy.  I think he's likeable too though, despite my disdain for him as a Giant :)

[boyznkatz]

2 minutes ago, GracieK said:

I am a huge Eagles fan so I know Rashad from the Giants playing the Eagles.. I'm also big into fantasy football so I tend to know the players on all the teams, so it's hard for me to say how recognizable he is to others, however, no he isn't elite.  He was their top rusher, but he has been banged up and he only averages around 3 yards per carry.  I don't think teams looks super favorably on him doing the show over working on off season workouts, and his age is definitely a factor.  He may end up on a roster for a team who has a last minute injury or needs some veteran leadership as you mentioned.. I just don't know that Rashad is that guy.  I think he's likeable too though, despite my disdain for him as a Giant :)

Thanks for the information. I'm a Cowboys fan and I do know some of the Eagles players, but not all. I'm still hoping for another Cowboy on dwts :-)

[enthus-pro]

Thoughts on contestants for week 7 (in alphabetical order):

 

Normani & Val - thought the opening set an elegant, sophisticated scene and mood to the dance.  Liked how sensual she looked with her arms/hands and feet at the top, as she brushed the lyrics to showcase her natural affinity and feel of the music; seems as if there's a rich quality to her movement everytime she creates lines.  Nice to see her indecision coming down the stairs, as she pondered throughout with picturesque leaps, fine shades of swiveling ochos and whipping leg actions.   Maybe she could've kept the legs a bit more crisper and to lean in a bit towards Val in hold, as he was inviting her towards him. But in keeping with the style, it was nice to see how she kept everything inside of herself - holding her true feelings towards her potential lover - right until the very end.

Rashad & Emma - resurrected from the dead, it was nice to see how he slowly morphed to show the shaping of his live body; liked how he opened his chest and widened it out to highlight his power and presence throughout.  Thought he took the instructions well from Emma as he was making a real effort to show the arc and curvature in his body.  Maybe in the twists he could've shaped a bit better as they rounded the judges table (seemed a bit forced), and to produce an even better frame so he could lead Emma through the chasse capes afterwards.  Was a bit worried that he may appear blocky prior to the routine, but thought it was good to see that he took the necessary time to undergo the preparation, to produce the relevant shaping needed for his paso doble.

Simone & Sasha - from the flickering black and white screen, funny acting moments, all the way to her wacky facial expressions, thought the Charleston was an erriely satisfying routine, with Simone showing great characterization throughout.   Nice to see how they continued to carry out the deft acrobatics and how effortless it looked live without any hesitating moments.  Wished maybe she could've stayed a bit more on the balls of her feet, to give the routine and movement an even more creative bounce and quirky flair (like Sasha).  Though hoping she can continue to dig deep to fill the studio with her feelings/emotions, it was nice to see how they were in symmetry, and how the stylistic period details in the routine made the dance a visual treat for everyone to watch and enjoy.

 

Best of luck to all the celebs and looking forward to their dances.

[Mocking Bird]

21 hours ago, RedFiat said:

Surprisingly PBR fans are pretty rabid...

Hand to God, I read through the entire thread before it dawned on me that PBR meant Professional Bull Riding and not Pabst Blue Ribbon.  At least the beer would better explain Bonner still being in the competition.

[Mocking Bird]

13 hours ago, calipiano81 said:

Once upon time, Mark used to get extreme snark and criticism for everything...from his dancing, to his hair, to his shoes. However, I think the tides remarkably turned for him around Season 18 and you'll find a lot more people singing his praises these days.

I used to be one of those very haters, but as you said, season 18 was a turning point.  The show was better with him.

[sinkwriter]

Quote

Hand to God, I read through the entire thread before it dawned on me that PBR meant Professional Bull Riding and not Pabst Blue Ribbon.  At least the beer would better explain Bonner still being in the competition.

LOL! I wouldn't even known yet if you hadn't said anything.

I hate excessive use of acronyms. Not everyone is familiar with such terms off the cuff (especially in a thread about dancing, how would I know PBR stands for Professional Bull Riding?), so it's annoying to have to decipher as you read.

[NeverLate]

1 hour ago, Mocking Bird said:

I used to be one of those very haters, but as you said, season 18 was a turning point.  The show was better with him.

Yes,  it was. Hes a very kind person.  I'm glad he is happy and engaged, 

Edited May 3, 2017 by Fanny Mare