S24.E08: Week 8: Trio Night

[LotusFlower]

I was wondering about that (Alan's background).  He's pretty quiet, and I don't think I've ever heard him talk, so I wasn't sure about his ethnicity.

Edited May 9, 2017 by LotusFlower

[Emily-D]

I would be fine with David beating out Simone. I haven't connected with her all season and she's been overscored for many weeks. 

[Callaphera]

Can we have more of TJ, the cameraman? He was pretty cute.

[crossover]

53 minutes ago, marykat71702 said:

I'm sorry, but I'm REALLY not liking Simone right now. I feel bad for Sasha--her attitude tonight is horrible, and added to the things she has said/the way she's treated him in the past, I'm ready for her to go.

They've been shading Simone for a few dances.  And her packages haven't been positive.  It APPEARS they are manipulating the viewers against her.  They never did this to Laurie and I think Laurie was running away with her season from the start.  I think they either don't want back-to-back gymnast winners or they just prefer Normani in the finals.  Afterall, I don't think Normani has more support than David or Rashad.  They need a male winner.

[crossover]

After the second week, I knew Normani would be one of my all time favorites.  She is such an expressive dancer.  I know there are people who don't like her but she's shown that she respects, appreciates and loves dance.  Kristi has always been my favorite female dwts celeb.  Normani is my #2.  She's a more expressive dancer than Kristi but Kristi came out the gate perfect, to me.  

Either Normani is getting loads of votes so tptb is jumping on the bandwagon or she's not getting enough votes to make tptb comfortable that she can make it w/o help.  By them still throwing shade at Simone, I'd go with the latter.  Any of the 4 can win and I'll be ok with it.  To me Normani and Rashad are the better dancers.  Simone and David are probably bringing in more votes.  So they are obvious favorites.

[PBGamer89]

I'd be wary of Normani needing help if the dances she's getting 10's on didn't seem to warrant them, but her last 3 dances (Argentine Tango, Contemporary, and Jive) have been absolutely. If anything, Len seemed to make up something to not give her 3 back to back perfect scores. 

Now if she danced last again and they gushed about dances that didn't feel like 10's, I'd be worried. But I think maybe she is doing well in votes.

My theory of who they wanted to win starts at Week 1. Normani opened the show and got a 27/40 while Simone closed the premiere with the highest score of the night. Eventual winners usually close the show on the premiere (see Rumer, Alfonso, Laurie, etc). I think the show initially wanted Simone to win and once Normani reallt began coming alive in Week 2 and 3, notice how the scores slid for Simone and the critiques got more critical while Normani got better placement in the show, better scores and more "winner" type feedback.

I think maybe Normani was getting lots of votes and Simone wasn't getting the type they expected so around Week 2 and 3 TPTB switched to Normani as their pick. Don't get me wrong I think Simone still gets lots of votes (she's called safe 1st or second and never in jeopardy), and tonight was maybe the beginning of trying to knock her down and bring some space between her and Normani.

[katha]

My feeling (based on nothing...) is that Normani is getting lots of votes and so they're throwing support behind her because the show doesn't want to be on voters' wrong side. Also, she's just packaged so well. I just think Val is doing everything, everything right with her. Tied to that, it's understandable that there's Val fatigue now, just like there used to be Derek fatigue. But IMO it's becoming a similar situation because both pros seemed to really develop a sense for how to work the show to their advantage and how to present all their partners in the most advantageous light.

Normani's contemporary could have gone so wrong, but it was really affecting IMO. The trio was cheese, since the song was cheese, but at least they had fun with it and were committed to the ridiculousness.

Simone and Sasha is sorta the illustration that it's not so easy having a ringer. Yeah, we all roll our eyes when the pros blabber about how much pressure it is. But it is a lot of pressure and it's not easy to get it right. The foxtrot had a lot of content, but it didn't seem that well executed and it came across as generic. The trio was interesting, though. Not a fan of the costumes, but the performance was nice. I suspect they were hard on her to rile people up and get her more votes, it's straight out of the Charlie White/Alexa PenaVega "we're being sadistic to you so you'll survive another week" playbook.

I think Emma's choreography has picked up in the last weeks. I still don't find it spectacular, but it's nice and entertaining now. She's probably not used to having people with as much potential as Rashad, so IMO it was a bit slow going in the first few weeks. It's good now, though.

David was sorta buried with niceness this week. Scores were middling, judges' comments were middling, he wasn't put in jeopardy. I suspect they're trying to get rid of him, at least that's their standard formula. If it will work is the question, of course.

Bonner should have been gone weeks ago, so at least he's gone now.

Edited May 9, 2017 by katha

[Ivana Tinkle]

Damn, Simone looked like she wanted to cut a bitch during her critiques.  (Psst Simone...can you start with Carrie Ann?)

[majormama]

We've all noticed that the judges tend to be extra nice to whoever is going home. So when they were absolutely cruel to Bonner (not undeservedly, but still!) and over the top with Normani, I feared the worst. Glad he went home finally.

I've said before I do not enjoy contemporary, so I did not enjoy Normani's dance. I can, however, appreciate when it's well done. She put everything into that dance emotionally, and was so spent she could barely stay upright once it was done. What she went through with the cyber bullying was horrific, and reliving that had to be hard. And then she recovered to do a fantastic jive. If she wins, I will not be disappointed.

Simone's face when she heard One Direction, bahaha! I feel you, girl!

This may sound strange since the songs are so completely different, but something about the staging of Simone's trio with the lasers and triangles, and even some of the choreography reminded me very strongly of Alfonso/Witney/Lindsay's paso trio to Turn Down for What, one of my top ten favorite dances. Alfonso did it better.

[Nalan]

5 hours ago, marykat71702 said:

I'm sorry, but I'm REALLY not liking Simone right now. I feel bad for Sasha--her attitude tonight is horrible, and added to the things she has said/the way she's treated him in the past, I'm ready for her to go.

Well, I'm not.  Attitude, if she really is showing any (which I doubt), is not the determinant of the winner.  Dancing is, and she can dance.  Very well, at it.

I am very happy for Sasha in getting this far.  This is his first time reaching the F4.  The farthest he's gotten previously was just last season, with Terra.  And honestly, the fact that he's taken everything said to him by Simone in great stride tells me that they aren't doing a damn thing to hurt each other.  Just basing their dynamic on a minute-long package is hardly an indicator of what the celebrity is really like, so I'm not going to base what Simone's so-called attitude must be on that.  I'm just not.  Sorry.

I pretty much liked both of Normani & Val, Simone & Sasha, and Rashad & Emma's dances, but only the first of David & Lindsay's.  Didn't care for either of Bonner & Sharna's (and with him, I did see a terrible attitude), though I liked finally hearing from Britt.  Still tickled pink that there's a black female troupe member now!

Specifically addressing @PhD-Purgatory15, when Simone & Sasha had their trio with Brittany, did you, too, think of Vanessa Ferguson from the current season of The Voice?  That was her Blind Audition song playing to their trio dance!

Bonner & Sharna are gone?  Fine with me.  Nothing against Sharna, but Bonner was clearly the weakest of the F5, so it made sense to get rid of him now.

If the F4 are getting cut down to the F3 next week, and then the F3 has their two-night finale the week after that, what was the point of the double elimination?  Why not have the F6 this week, the F5 next week, and then have the F4 elimination the Monday after that going into the Tuesday finale?

In any case, I'm rooting for Normani, Simone, and Rashad to make that F3.  I love David, but he's so far behind them, it's not even funny.  He should go, by all right, next week.

Edited May 9, 2017 by Nalan

[calipiano81]

6 hours ago, PBGamer89 said:

There was something odd about Simone's critiques tonight; all season they've been kind to her, granted underscoring her mostly but tonight it was like "hammer dropped". Neither dance tonight was perfect but it was a weird time to drop the hammer. Either they are setting up a comeback week for her next week or she's not doing as well as the beginning in votes and are prepping for a 3rd or 4th place finish to make sense to the viewers.

I agree. The timing of the judges' critiques for Simone tonight was very fishy and screams "agenda" to me. Everything they said about her performance ability has been said on this board all season, but they choose to harp on it the week where the finalists get decided? And for a foxtrot? A dance that is supposed to be pretty and smiley and not particularly deep?

And for those who think Simone copped an attitude tonight...the judges gave her a hard time for smiling! You really expect her to smile after that?

The show has practically guaranteed a Simone ouster next week, leading to a predictable final results of 3rd-David, 2nd-Normani, and winner-Rashad. I haven't been a Simone voter (Nancy was my favorite), but it is so predictable, it makes me so mad that the majority of the DWTS viewers won't see it and fall right into the manipulation. Well, at least Emma will get a win.

Edited May 9, 2017 by calipiano81

[calipiano81]

35 minutes ago, Nalan said:

If the F4 are getting cut down to the F3 next week, and then the F3 has their two-night finale the week after that, what was the point of the double elimination?  Why not have the F6 this week, the F5 next week, and then have the F4 elimination the Monday after that going into the Tuesday finale?

In any case, I'm rooting for Normani, Simone, and Rashad to make that F3.  I love David, but he's so far behind them, it's not even funny.  He should go, by all right, next week.

I had the same question, but someone pointed out to me that during finale week, the Monday night DWTS performance show will only be an hour due to The Bachelorette premiere. There wouldn't be enough time for 4 couples to do two dances (including freestyle) each.

The audience votes for their favorites, but the judges are supposed to score based on the dancing. They should not have scored David so high on his first dance. He is now completely in striking distance of making the finale. He scored the same as Rashad and Simone in the first round! Even if it may have been his best dance, he still had posture/frame issues. 8's and maybe one 9 would have been fine.

[calipiano81]

3 hours ago, katha said:

My feeling (based on nothing...) is that Normani is getting lots of votes and so they're throwing support behind her because the show doesn't want to be on voters' wrong side. Also, she's just packaged so well. I just think Val is doing everything, everything right with her. 

...

Simone and Sasha is sorta the illustration that it's not so easy having a ringer. Yeah, we all roll our eyes when the pros blabber about how much pressure it is. But it is a lot of pressure and it's not easy to get it right. 

I feel Val did a much better job with Laurie than he has this season with Normani. The judges feel that Simone/Sasha are playing it safe...I feel like Val's mostly been doing that with Normani and coasting on her dance experience and performance ability. Val used to be such a traditionalist, why not challenge Normani every week with high-level ballroom and Latin routines?

As for Sasha, I feel he has done the opposite with Simone. He's given her challenging routines, but he's waited too late to really hone in on her connecting with the dance and being expressive.

[kazza]

1 hour ago, calipiano81 said:

The show has practically guaranteed a Simone ouster next week, leading to a predictable final results of 3rd-David, 2nd-Normani, and winner-Rashad.

I agree with you, calipiano81. It's going to be Rashad. The judges can try to prop her up with 10s, but (my guess is) Normani isn't bringing in the votes. And even Cubs fans can't really believe David is the best dancer left. 

Simone's an interesting case. She's a relatively well-known name in the collective short term memory of the viewing public (and we love our gold medalists), but somehow she's just not connecting. Despite this, I do hope she still takes DWTS as a learning experience rather than a failure. Sasha seems like a solid, patient mentor, and for all the rolling of eyes we do at CAI, I thought her point to Simone about really feeling an emotion genuinely (vs. plastering a smile) was a good one. (Yeah, Simone was a bit petulant in her vehement non-smiling after the trio, but, eh, we've all had our moments .. and not on national tv!)

Editing to add: Loved Tom stopping the music so CAI could repeat what she said off-camera (pointing out when Simone really showed an emotion genuinely). It was meant to help Simone by providing an positive example as part of feedback. Just shows what a consummate professional host Tom is.  

Edited May 9, 2017 by kazza

[Toonces464]

2 hours ago, majormama said:

This may sound strange since the songs are so completely different, but something about the staging of Simone's trio with the lasers and triangles, and even some of the choreography reminded me very strongly of Alfonso/Witney/Lindsay's paso trio to Turn Down for What, one of my top ten favorite dances. Alfonso did it better.

It doesn't sound strange at all, I thought the same exact thing.

[alexa]

What was Sharna thinking with that trio dance.  It was awful!  I don't love Bonner, but way to send him off in a terrible way Sharna...  The judges were rightly horrifed as well.

Simone hasn't really gotten into this show.  I realize she has been in a gym, but emotion and real life exist as well, and it is not like she has had an easy life.  I guess she is just more immature than what people would guess she would be and it shows a bit.

I really wish they would just play the music by the actual singers...I hate the fake versions.  Especially when you have a song like One Direction...those of us that like it :-) find it a bit awful to hear it sung by DWTS band.  Ugh.

Edited May 9, 2017 by alexa

[nic]

I don't think Simone had a bad attitude at all. It was nice to see something other than robotic peppiness. She has been getting the same comments over and over. It's natural that she's finally sick of it and can't just smile and pretend she's okay.

Normani has set the bar so high, and if the winner was solely based on dancing there would be no doubt in my mind that she'd be the (deserving) winner. That being said, we all know that viewers don't always vote for the best dancer. This is evident by Bonner making it as far as he did, and David still being in the competition. 

Normani, Rashad, and Simone are the finalists that this season deserves, but not the ones I suspect we'll get. David will probably pull an upset and knock one of the stronger dancers out. I hope it isn't Normani, but if I were to guess I'd say it's between her and Simone. 

[Mindthinkr]

Ho hum...yawn. This season hasn't drawn me in as much as I would have liked it to. 

[vibeology]

10 hours ago, LexieLily said:

Simone looked like she was biting her tongue during that entire trio round judging and I can't say I blame her. She's not Laurie, she's not bubbly like Laurie. And that is okay! She has literally been trained her entire life to show little emotion when she performs.

She looked annoyed, which I will say is at least something real off of her. I get it; she has spent her life being taught not to react to judging and scores and not to let her emotion show while she performs. That's a hard habit to break and maybe not a great idea if she still plans to compete in gymnastics down the line. I do think she's a bubbly and pleasant person in the real world. We see her smiling and laughing often in rehearsal but when it's time to perform, getting serious and wearing a mask is how she deals. It makes for cold performances but I get it and I do think there was too much of it tonight from the judges. Last week, Mandy gave her the note but the performances she had this week didn't leave much room for her to demonstrate it so I can imagine getting critiqued for it again when her expressions in the foxtrot did suit the dance was frustrating.

10 hours ago, smiley13 said:

It's about time!  No Mirror Ball for you Sharna!   The producers really need to stop trying to make her happen.  Poor Bonner's trio was a sleaze fest because of her.

I do think Sharna is comfortable going the sexy route, but I very much get the sense Bonner is the sleeze king this year and that dance was Sharna slowing that down. He wanted to smack Sharna and Britt's asses. As for why go sexy at all, I mean, what else can she do? It's not like Bonner can actually dance? And because of his injury he can't spend his jazz number as a forklit. He doesn't strike me as the sort to be willing to go for comedy. He's a jerk but a pretty one so sexy people kind of moving around it is.

8 hours ago, sara416 said:

You know, David Ross is not the best dancer. But he is a good human being and that is what keeps him on this show.He's just an incredibly likable guy with a good heart and a genuine love for whatever he is doing. My favorite thing is that he smiles and/or laughs at the end of pretty much every dance he does and the fact that he is having such a great time while he is on this show is a huge draw. People vote for who they like best, not who necessarily is the best. Never underestimate the power of Cubs fans in large numbers!

I think I've accepted the fact that David is making the finals. I don't think he should but I think he will on the basis of his personality and the fact that Lindsay has done some great choreography that plays up the best things about David. That first dance was perfect. It was sweet and vulnerable and the sort of dance David can connect with and then we as an audience can connect with it.

[truthaboutluv]

10 hours ago, TeeMo said:

I rooting for a Rashad/David/Normani finale.

Admittedly I've mostly checked out of this season (not unlike last season) but I did glance a bit at the show last night and that's the impression I came away with. I think last night's harsh critiques of Simone was setting up her F4 elimination. And I know some think they're over-scoring Normani for the win but if there is some conspiracy and over-scoring, I think it's just to ensure she's in the finale and not necessarily for her to win.

I think with Heather already gone and maybe they knew Simone wouldn't get to the end based on the viewer votes (hard to believe she isn't getting a lot but you never know), they would definitely want someone as technically good as Normani in the end. I honestly don't think the producers care if Rashad wins in the end. It wouldn't be the first time a not as technically perfect but charming and charismatic football player has won this show. 

[boyznkatz]

9 hours ago, tessaforever said:

Wow, they are really giving Simone a hard time. It's one thing to do it for one week so she can come back and wow them the next week with her "growth", but they are just harsh all the time. I really don't get it. Everyone left has strengths and faults but they just keep harping on Simone. 

I remembered what bothered me most during tonight's show! Normani's belt buckle was flapping during her dance (not her fault, obvs), but no one ever fixed it; even in the elimination at the end, it was still undone! Come on wardrobe, get it together! I don't understand why it couldn't have been fixed during the last two dances!!

I'm guessing Simone is so far ahead in votes that they want to create some competition. They do that with the front runners sometimes and it's so predictable. I think she is going to win.

[luvbadtv]

2 hours ago, kazza said:

I agree with you, calipiano81. It's going to be Rashad. The judges can try to prop her up with 10s, but (my guess is) Normani isn't bringing in the votes. And even Cubs fans can't really believe David is the best dancer left. 

We know he's not the the best dancer left, but we don't want to wait 108 years for a winner!

[Primetimer]

Normani and Val are the only remaining couple who have earned solid perfect tens, so are all the others just fighting it out for second place? Or can they peak at the right time?

View the full article

[ladylaw99]

I am not sure what it is about this season but I too have checked out.  

Rashad is still my winner.  I just enjoy watching him and Emma.  The way this season has been going the fact that he puts a smile on my face is good enough for me.

Normani was good.  I enjoyed her first performance, second not so much.  

Simone - I completely tuned out and therefore I can't say anything about either one of her dances.  I don't even remember them.  I don't even remember the judges critiques, that's how tuned out I was.

David - I loved his waltz.  He is such a good person, bad dancer, but good person.It was a beautiful father-daughter moment between them.  That's what I see with Lindsey and David - a daughter teaching her dad how to dance.  Lindsay is under-rated in my opinion.

Bonner - there is nothing to say but see ya and I won't miss ya.  Sharna phoned it in on that last performance.  It was not good and this is coming from someone who likes Sharna.

[truthaboutluv]

Quote

He most certainly said those very words. Pissed off some of the other dancers too.

But you have to admit, for sheer entertainment value, that moment was epic. Between Carrie Ann's, "what now" reaction at the judge's table and Derek's creepily lurking in the background of the shot, also with a, "the hell..." reaction, the whole thing was hilarious. 

Quote

He's pretty quiet, and I don't think I've ever heard him talk

You must have missed his overly enthusiastic post-performance interview with Erin, the first time he subbed for a Pro - it was when Mark hurt his back and Alan danced with Paige. 

So I see the judges picked the trio partners this season - interesting. Well that's good because the Witney/Lindsay fans were having a near meltdown I heard, when it was revealed on social media that Witney was not Lindsay/David's trio partner. Also interesting that aside from Witney, all the trio partners were troupe members.

I wonder if the eliminated Pros just didn't want to or if this is indicative of the show trying to push the troupe as their next Pros because if so, based on what I saw last night, I'd suggest they go find themselves some better ones or at least ones that seem to have something resembling a personality. 

Alan was good but he is of course ballroom trained, even though I do find him incredibly annoying. But Britt and Brittany were both completely lackluster in my opinion and I was particularly surprised at the Brittany because she is ballroom trained. But for all the talk of Simone's lack of connection and performance ability, I found Brittany completely forgettable in the dance. Granted she's not being scored but I'm just saying. Regarding Britt, I am willing to give her a bit of a chance because that could have simply been the choreography being basic, which is obviously not her fault. 

Hayley's technique continues to be basic. Granted she seemed to bring a little more fire than Brittany but I still found her completely average and nothing I see of her personality convinces me she'll be interesting in any way if they make her a Pro. She's also not ballroom trained and we know how that worked with Alison. Also that girl should sue her dentist because those veneers are massive. Every time she smiles I'm distracted by her massive teeth. 

If I compare these women to someone like Witney, dumb as dirt as she may be, Witney is fire on a dance floor. That girl's technique is incredible and she knows how to sell it. I don't find any of the women in that troupe mesmerizing or talented in that way. But it doesn't matter since considering two seasons in a row now I've completely checked out of the season, I think it's safe to say, my relationship with DWTS may be coming to an end. 

[thesupremediva1]

I love and support the Final Five, but Simone really turned me off tonight.

She's never broken out of her gymnastics box. Laurie did and that's how and why she won. Simone is gorgeous but she just doesn't really sell it on the floor.

It was very clear to me that she's not used to criticism of any kind. Simone won everything in sight for most of her senior career. I don't think she's well-versed in dealing with this type of adversity. Many female contestants have been too harshly and unjustly criticized. I rarely remember seeing a scowl that lasted that long. Simone looked furious during her critique for the trio. I don't blame her, but girl, you gotta hide it better. The viewing public never rewards that reaction. I do find it funny that they kept telling her to change up her expression. You wanted to see her without a big cheesy grin? She served it up!

Normani is clearly the best dancer left. By a mile. I can't help but hope she wins and Val takes two in a row. I'd have rooted for Nancy if she was still around, but now Normani is all that's left for truly great dancing. Rashad and Normani for final two.

They HAMMERED Bonner tonight. That was just ugly to watch. And David, nice as he may be, has no business in the finals. 

Tom dancing on tables is the best thing ever. That should be a segment during every show. 

I enjoyed the honest scoring last night. No point in pretending that what is left is a crop of great dancers. You have two very good dancers, two subpar dancers, and one great performer who came in with a rich dance background. In my view, not much to celebrate. That was a big letdown on the way to the finale.

Sharna looked relieved to be sent packing. 

[peachmangosteen]

49 minutes ago, truthaboutluv said:

I wonder if the eliminated Pros just didn't want to or if this is indicative of the show trying to push the troupe as their next Pros ...

I thought the were pushing hard for the troupe members to be Pros next season. I'm fine with it tbh. I'm ready for a change. I'm tired of pretty much all the old pros.

I actually have really enjoyed this season. I like everyone in the F4. I've been down on Simone all season but I liked her tonight. Finally she shows some real personality! I didn't really get her thing about smiling because she actually smiles. Like all the time. That's the problem!

I voted for the first time this season because I really want David in the finale. I don't care I love that guy! And I enjoy watching him dance.

Edited May 9, 2017 by peachmangosteen

[truthaboutluv]

Just now, peachmangosteen said:

I'm fine with it tbh. I'm ready for a change.

I'm fine with new Pros. I would just like some that have an actual personality and are ballroom trained, even if they're trained in other styles. And yes, I get that maybe these people will surprise me when in the actual role of Pro but seeing as my opinion of how Alison would do as a Pro and Keo being average both proved accurate, color me not too hopeful. 

[majormama]

5 minutes ago, thesupremediva1 said:

It was very clear to me that she's not used to criticism of any kind. Simone won everything in sight for most of her senior career. I don't think she's well-versed in dealing with this type of adversity. Many female contestants have been too harshly and unjustly criticized. I rarely remember seeing a scowl that lasted that long. Simone looked furious during her critique for the trio. I don't blame her, but girl, you gotta hide it better. The viewing public never rewards that reaction. I do find it funny that they kept telling her to change up her expression. You wanted to see her without a big cheesy grin? She served it up!

See, I'm not sure if she was really upset or if she was trying not to smile because they told her to stop smiling so much and show something else. How funny would it be if she finally gets rid of the default cheesy grin and discovers resting bitch face underneath!

7 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

I thought the were pushing hard for the troupe members to be Pros next season. I'm fine with it tbh. I'm ready for a change. I'm tired of pretty much all the old pros.

I would be fine with new pros, and also with cycling in some old pros that have been gone for a while, if we got a break from some that have been on too long. And no, Maks' break was not long enough, and neither would Derek's be if he were back next season. 

[crowceilidh]

Quote

Thought it funny that Alan started with a closed shirt, then ripped it open, then Val had to tear off his then Alan had to tear off his. 

I watched this procedure with some amusement because Val looked so odd shirtless at that moment and there was an unmistakeable whiff of something gone wrong.  I think that Val's shirt was supposed to be opened like Alan's but it was threatening to get caught on something so Val ripped it off, then Alan wondered what to do for a bit (because that's not how it happened in rehearsal) and then he ripped his off.  I have no doubt that they intended to end with shirts ripped off, but that it wasn't supposed to happen when it did.

I think Simone is a little madame and has been very rude to Sasha and dismissive of him, throughout (I know that it's the edit monkeys showing us this stuff, but Simone has been around the press all of her life, she knows that the stuff she says that's negative will be reported).  I am betting he doesn't adore her at all, despite appearances to the contrary.  He seems very very stressed, but he knows how to play the game.

Edited May 9, 2017 by crowceilidh

[realdancemom]

4 hours ago, Toonces464 said:

It doesn't sound strange at all, I thought the same exact thing.

I did too.

[NeverLate]

29 minutes ago, majormama said:

See, I'm not sure if she was really upset or if she was trying not to smile because they told her to stop smiling so much and show something else. How funny would it be if she finally gets rid of the default cheesy grin and discovers resting bitch face underneath!

I would be fine with new pros, and also with cycling in some old pros that have been gone for a while, if we got a break from some that have been on too long. And no, Maks' break was not long enough, and neither would Derek's be if he were back next season. 

Derek is busy, he's a judge on Dance world ( can't wait) at the end of this month. He seems to have other work, Maks doesn't.

38 minutes ago, truthaboutluv said:

I'm fine with new Pros. I would just like some that have an actual personality and are ballroom trained, even if they're trained in other styles. And yes, I get that maybe these people will surprise me when in the actual role of Pro but seeing as my opinion of how Alison would do as a Pro and Keo being average both proved accurate, color me not too hopeful. 

I agree, new pros, or good dancers from the troupe, doesn't mean they can choreograph or teach. Keo who I love, was proof of that. 

[realdancemom]

1 hour ago, truthaboutluv said:

I wonder if the eliminated Pros just didn't want to or if this is indicative of the show trying to push the troupe as their next Pros because if so, based on what I saw last night, I'd suggest they go find themselves some better ones or at least ones that seem to have something resembling a personality. 

Alan was good but he is of course ballroom trained, even though I do find him incredibly annoying. But Britt and Brittany were both completely lackluster in my opinion and I was particularly surprised at the Brittany because she is ballroom trained. But for all the talk of Simone's lack of connection and performance ability, I found Brittany completely forgettable in the dance. Granted she's not being scored but I'm just saying. Regarding Britt, I am willing to give her a bit of a chance because that could have simply been the choreography being basic, which is obviously not her fault. 

Hayley's technique continues to be basic. Granted she seemed to bring a little more fire than Brittany but I still found her completely average and nothing I see of her personality convinces me she'll be interesting in any way if they make her a Pro. She's also not ballroom trained and we know how that worked with Alison. Also that girl should sue her dentist because those veneers are massive. Every time she smiles I'm distracted by her massive teeth. 

If I compare these women to someone like Witney, dumb as dirt as she may be, Witney is fire on a dance floor. That girl's technique is incredible and she knows how to sell it. I don't find any of the women in that troupe mesmerizing or talented in that way. But it doesn't matter since considering two seasons in a row now I've completely checked out of the season, I think it's safe to say, my relationship with DWTS may be coming to an end. 

I thought Brittany was toning it down so that Simone wouldn't look as bad.  Simone was the only celebrity that had a pro of the same sex.  It was probably because the other male pros were too tall.  Brittany did a great job with Allison's and Riker's jazz trio.

Since Alan and Brittany are ballroom trained, they are the ones that I want promoted as a pro.  Hayley and Britt are not.  When Brittany and Brandon danced together in one of the troupe dances, it reminded me of when they won as kids during one of the earlier seasons of DWTS.

ETA - However, I don't think the show is that invested in Brittany.  Every season, she's not sure if she's even going to be in the troupe.

Edited May 9, 2017 by realdancemom

[1992austenlover]

Bonner's dances last night made me miss Nick (and Nancy) even more. As cruel as Len was in his comments towards Bonner, the old man did have a point: Bonner should have been out last week and it's a shame that everyone lost a great dancer (Nancy) and a hard-working underdog with a great attitude (Nick) as a result of Bonner somehow getting enough votes to stay. I know that it's the name of the game and that this show is more of a popularity contest than anything else...but it's still a waste. Nick and Nancy deserved better. I'm just glad that Bonner was finally booted out.  

[Quickbeam]

7 minutes ago, 1992austenlover said:

Bonner's dances last night made me miss Nick (and Nancy) even more. As cruel as Len was in his comments towards Bonner, the old man did have a point: Bonner should have been out last week and it's a shame that everyone lost a great dancer (Nancy) and a hard-working underdog with a great attitude (Nick) as a result of Bonner somehow getting enough votes to stay. I know that it's the name of the game and that this show is more of a popularity contest than anything else...but it's still a waste. Nick and Nancy deserved better. I'm just glad that Bonner was finally booted out.  

I'd say the same about Heather. 

[realdancemom]

4 hours ago, vibeology said:

She looked annoyed, which I will say is at least something real off of her. I get it; she has spent her life being taught not to react to judging and scores and not to let her emotion show while she performs. That's a hard habit to break and maybe not a great idea if she still plans to compete in gymnastics down the line. I do think she's a bubbly and pleasant person in the real world. We see her smiling and laughing often in rehearsal but when it's time to perform, getting serious and wearing a mask is how she deals. It makes for cold performances but I get it and I do think there was too much of it tonight from the judges. Last week, Mandy gave her the note but the performances she had this week didn't leave much room for her to demonstrate it so I can imagine getting critiqued for it again when her expressions in the foxtrot did suit the dance was frustrating.

I do think Sharna is comfortable going the sexy route, but I very much get the sense Bonner is the sleeze king this year and that dance was Sharna slowing that down. He wanted to smack Sharna and Britt's asses. As for why go sexy at all, I mean, what else can she do? It's not like Bonner can actually dance? And because of his injury he can't spend his jazz number as a forklit. He doesn't strike me as the sort to be willing to go for comedy. He's a jerk but a pretty one so sexy people kind of moving around it is.

I think I've accepted the fact that David is making the finals. I don't think he should but I think he will on the basis of his personality and the fact that Lindsay has done some great choreography that plays up the best things about David. That first dance was perfect. It was sweet and vulnerable and the sort of dance David can connect with and then we as an audience can connect with it.

I agree with your post.  What makes Simone one of the greatest power gymnasts doesn't work with dance.  She is used to dancing using muscle memory.  This is why she is so consistent and wins gold medals.   It probably is best if she doesn't get too out of habit doing this if she still plans to compete.  Dance is best when the dancer connects with her emotions and the music.  This is why Normani's contemporary was powerful.  The only time when Simone has let herself be vulnerable during a dance was when she danced about her parents.

Yeah, Sharna really can't do much with Bonner.  I remember during the team dance rehearsal, he is the one that took off his shirt first and started doing  stripper moves with the chair.  Bonner is the guy that knows he is good looking and sexy.  That butt smacking comment was sleezy and I'm glad Sharna said something.

It seemed like the judges were setting up David to be in the finals.  His waltz was lovely.  The trio showed why he shouldn't be in the finals.  But the judges gave Simone a difficult time and Len said that David was a great representation of MLB.   After the first dance, CAI threw shade at Rashad during David's critique saying that David did what she wanted Rashad to do.

[NeverLate]

32 minutes ago, realdancemom said:

After the first dance, CAI threw shade at Rashad during David's critique saying that David did what she wanted Rashad to do.

I didnt like that at all, critique the pair dancing, dont bring anyone else into it. I cant stand CA, legend in her own mind

 

Maybe Rashad is stealing votes away from their choice.

[Fliz]

Quote

I watched this procedure with some amusement because Val looked so odd shirtless at that moment and there was an unmistakeable whiff of something gone wrong.  I think that Val's shirt was supposed to be opened like Alan's but it was threatening to get caught on something so Val ripped it off, then Alan wondered what to do for a bit (because that's not how it happened in rehearsal) and then he ripped his off.  I have no doubt that they intended to end with shirts ripped off, but that it wasn't supposed to happen when it did.

Val was holding up what looked like a frayed wire when they came over to Tom after the dance - maybe a mic pack got caught on something?

[bealled]

I am so glad to see Bonner go home. I don't even remember his first dance, but I hated his trio. He wasn't even able to command the character he was playing, and didn't look like he could do simple moves. I mean he looked stiff just sitting there. He definitely needed to go.

Rashad is starting to get boring to me. Same for Simone's dances. I agreed with Julianne's critique that the dance wasn't bad, but she didn't connect with it at all (the first dance at least). However, I think Simone is getting pretty harshly critiqued. I guess her scores are still good, but they are pushing too hard for her to show raw emotion that she may not have in her to show. I know Simone has a sad backstory, but she was fairly young when she was adopted, so most of her life has been pretty good. She doesn't seem like someone to express her emotions a lot. If I was on this show I think I'd be getting the same critique. If her dancing is technically on point I don't think you should withhold giving her a proper score for that. Plus I think sometimes they over score dances that bring out emotions but aren't technically perfect.

Also am I the only one who doesn't think Sasha has been the best partner for her? I think Sasha went into this season thinking he had someone to win the whole show with and has been focusing on that rather than bringing out the best from Simone. I recall one of their early dances where he was really pushing Simone to take on this sexy image she was uncomfortable with, and I remember in the dance their being unnecessary "sexy" moves that could have been cut out and would likely have made Simone more comfortable. Plus he adds her gymnastics moves constantly whereas Val really refrained from that last season with Laurie. Simone reminds me a lot of Shawn Johnson's personality, so I think more could be brought out from her with a different partner.

David is still fun to watch and I don't mind him being this far into the show. I think he may actually make the finals and kick out someone else (possibly Simone?).

Normani is my favorite and I think is clearly the best dancer left by a long shot. I liked her dance about bullying, and found her video package on it very genuine and refreshing. Normani seems like a strong person and able to take her fame in stride. I enjoyed both of her dances a lot. I personally hope Normani wins this season.

[birkenstock]

I'm glad Bonner finally went home last night.  Sharna didn't have much to work with beyond his accident and it was emotionally draining for him to continually relive it.  Plus he was the worst dancer left. The trio dance was a mess.  I'm annoyed that production showed Britt's accident with the desk.  Why did they think it was funny?  All it did was embarrass Britt and show how dangerous the moving props can be for the dancers (they've had wobbly props in the past that looked like they were going to break or fall during the dances).  I'm glad that Sharna changed the focus from "haha, look she broke the desk" to "we're lucky she didn't have a spine injury."

I felt for Simone this week.  It has to be difficult to hear that you're technically perfect but emotionally fake.  Her emotions don't matter, and are probably disregarded, when she's practicing and competing in gymnastics.  I cringed when she sassed Carrie Anne, but don't think that the judges are entitled to smiles from any of the contestants.  I don't think that she is as naturally carefree and outgoing as Laurie and uses the giggly personality as a shield.  Sasha has tried everything to get her out of her shell, I just think she's more comfortable around women than men.  She seemed to have bonded with Brittany quickly and that must hurt Sasha's feelings.  I don't take it that she dislikes him or is purposely trying to cut him down, she's just used to and can relate better with women at this point in her life.

I'd be fine with any of the top four winning for different reasons.  I'm pulling for Rashad because he's been committed to the dances and the whole "process," has a great partnership with Emma, and is no drama.     

[NeverLate]

3 hours ago, ladylaw99 said:

 

I am not sure what it is about this season but I too have checked out.  

 

Yes me too. Its a throwaway season for me..( thumbs down)

[iMonrey]

Quote

Is there a reason the show is trying to break Simone?  I get she's not the greatest dancer ever and I get what the judges are trying to say, but you're not going to break her of what has been ingrained in her over the course of her whole life in 8 weeks.  Especially when they are up Normani's ass even when she's not perfect (her jive) and were up Laurie's ass all last season.  I think the judges basically want her to be Laurie 2.0 instead of her own person.

This x1000. They don't want Simone to win because Laurie won last season, and they don't want a gymnast winning 2 seasons in a row. It's as simple as that. "You dance perfectly, Simone, but you're not "connecting" whatever the hell that means which is entirely subjective, so we're only giving you 9s." Then five minutes later they give David the exact same score even though he can't dance nearly as well as Simone, but because he's a "nice guy." WTF.

I'm so over this season. The propping and the scoring manipulation has reached a new low.

[Toonces464]

3 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

I wonder if the eliminated Pros just didn't want to or if this is indicative of the show trying to push the troupe as their next Pros because if so, based on what I saw last night, I'd suggest they go find themselves some better ones or at least ones that seem to have something resembling a personality. 

This is what I've been saying about this current group of pros compared to the original group. I think that's why they push Val so much --- he's probably most like the original group and of course there's his tie to Maks. No one in the current group is compelling to me or someone I'd go out of my way to see. In fact, there are several I actively dislike.

I think about it this way --- five years ago I could see a casual viewer or someone who hadn't watched in awhile tuning into the finale to see a showdown between Karina, Maks and Cheryl. How many casual/former viewers would tune in for a Lindsay/Sasha/Emma finale?

[Wings]

First of all, I love Tom Bergeron.  ADORE HIM.  

I, like many, have not been all that interested this season.   Normani for the win and Rashad second place!  Don't care who is 3rd. 

I notice Simone's parents don't smile in the audience.  Gymnastics or nurture? doesn't matter.  She does not catch my heart as those who are left do, all in different ways.  

[spanana]

Simone is actually getting a far bit of positive media coverage today for what some may seem as her "sassy" comeback, though I don't know if it will help her with votes.  Which I understand completely. Part of the problem this week was actually Tom.  Though the nice part about Tom Bergeron is when he makes a rare misstep he owns up to it, as he has since done on social media.

IMO it was actually Tom's comment to Simone, when he asked her why she wasn't smiling at the judges compliments, or something like that, that put her over the edge.  As to some extent it should.  While I 100% don't think Tom meant it this way, it is a comment reeking in sexism.  How many women are constantly told to smile, either by strangers on the street or people they know.  Nobody would ever ask Rashad or Bolton why they aren't smiling at the judges so why was it asked of Simone, especially when they had already critiqued her once for smiling and showing fake emotions on said same show.  So Simone sassing back to Tom about why she's not smiling more was totally justifiable.

So rare misstep from Tom, and he has already posted about in on twitter, and in general his support for Simone.

[spanana]

4 minutes ago, Toonces464 said:

I think about it this way --- five years ago I could see a casual viewer or someone who hadn't watched in awhile tuning into the finale to see a showdown between Karina, Maks and Cheryl. How many casual/former viewers would tune in for a Lindsay/Sasha/Emma finale?

I'd argue the pros matter less to ratings than most think.   I really don't think there would be any discernible difference in ratings if Val was in this finale or not.  I can't tell you how many times I've heard "I am not going to watch the show anymore now that X isn't on the show" and then what happens?  The ratings are the exact same the following week when some persons fans boycott.  It's the same way there are no major ratings shifts if Derek is on or off a particular season.  I think the same is true for Val.  I get why the want him for star power, but the show will continue on as it always does.  I do think they need to find some new male pros in particular in order to make long term fans excited about the show again, but I think ratings season to season depend more on the cast of celebs, celeb/pro partnerships, and the overall gelling of a cast.  I don't think it lives or dies by whether or not Val or Derek are in the finale.

Also while Val may be more popular and known than Lindsay, if we want to play that game, David is probably far more known to the DWTS core audience than Normani, so shouldn't he bring in more eyeballs?  Also before anyone argues with me about how known Normani is, I'm mostly speaking from the perspective of the demo this show caters to, which is not Normani's main demo.

[birkenstock]

4 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

So I see the judges picked the trio partners this season - interesting. Well that's good because the Witney/Lindsay fans were having a near meltdown I heard, when it was revealed on social media that Witney was not Lindsay/David's trio partner. Also interesting that aside from Witney, all the trio partners were troupe members.

I wonder if the eliminated Pros just didn't want to or if this is indicative of the show trying to push the troupe as their next Pros because if so, based on what I saw last night, I'd suggest they go find themselves some better ones or at least ones that seem to have something resembling a personality. 

I was disappointed when I first heard that Lindsay and Witney weren't going to be trio partners, but now think that it was the best thing the producers could have done.  It was nice to see Emma and Witney working together and the MenagReshad was a good dance.  I also wasn't wowed by the troupe members though wish that we could get more time with them to know about their personalities/dance styles.

22 minutes ago, spanana said:

Simone is actually getting a far bit of positive media coverage today for what some may seem as her "sassy" comeback, though I don't know if it will help her with votes.  Which I understand completely. Part of the problem this week was actually Tom.  Though the nice part about Tom Bergeron is when he makes a rare misstep he owns up to it, as he has since done on social media.

IMO it was actually Tom's comment to Simone, when he asked her why she wasn't smiling at the judges compliments, or something like that, that put her over the edge.  As to some extent it should.  While I 100% don't think Tom meant it this way, it is a comment reeking in sexism.  How many women are constantly told to smile, either by strangers on the street or people they know.  Nobody would ever ask Rashad or Bolton why they aren't smiling at the judges so why was it asked of Simone, especially when they had already critiqued her once for smiling and showing fake emotions on said same show.  So Simone sassing back to Tom about why she's not smiling more was totally justifiable.

So rare misstep from Tom, and he has already posted about in on twitter, and in general his support for Simone.

 I didn't realize that it was Tom who asked her why she wasn't smiling! I was so annoyed with the judges that I misremembered it as Carrie Ann was needling her for a response.  I do think that Tom tries to build everyone up, but it is just so tone-deaf to try to garner a response that she obviously wasn't feeling. 

Edited May 9, 2017 by birkenstock

[spanana]

17 minutes ago, birkenstock said:

I didn't realize that it was Tom who asked her why she wasn't smiling! I was so annoyed with the judges that I misremembered it as Carrie Ann was needling her for a response.  I do think that Tom tries to build everyone up, but it is just so tone-deaf to try to garner a response that she obviously wasn't feeling. 

It was after Carrie Anne's sort of long backhanded compliment and then her bit about dancing like a metronome.  Simone is standing there fairly expressionless and when CA gets done talking, Tom says "I've got to very quickly ask, I was waiting for you to smile at some of the compliments.  You didn't."  Then he puts the microphone in Simone's face for her to answer.  Simone says her quip about gold medals.  They all react sort of groan like she zinged them and Tom says "okay then" and goes back to Simone's critiques from the judges.

I'm a fan of Tom but it was not his finest moment.

Edited May 9, 2017 by spanana

[NeverLate]

4 minutes ago, spanana said:

It was after Carrie Anne's sort of long backhanded compliment and then her bit about dancing like a metronome.  Simone is standing there fairly expressionless and when CA gets done talking, Tom says "I've got to very quickly ask, I was waiting for you to smile at some of the compliments.  You didn't."  Then he puts the microphone in Simone's face for her to answer.  Simone says her put about gold medals.  They all react and Tom says "okay then" and goes back to Simone's critiques from the judges.

I'm a fan of Tom but it was not his finest moment.

It's not like Tom to be incentive, maybe everyone is over this seasons dreck.

[Wings]

27 minutes ago, spanana said:

It was after Carrie Anne's sort of long backhanded compliment and then her bit about dancing like a metronome.  Simone is standing there fairly expressionless and when CA gets done talking, Tom says "I've got to very quickly ask, I was waiting for you to smile at some of the compliments.  You didn't."  Then he puts the microphone in Simone's face for her to answer.  Simone says her quip about gold medals.  They all react sort of groan like she zinged them and Tom says "okay then" and goes back to Simone's critiques from the judges.

I'm a fan of Tom but it was not his finest moment.

Tom was giving her a chance to save herself.  He did not anticipate her reaction at all.  I think he was looking for her to say she appreciated the compliments and give a big smile.   Her answer was the truth.  She just does not have the personality to engage the audience and judges; that is a huge part of this. 

It came across as rude and dismissive.  She will get asked about this in interviews, for sure.

Edited May 9, 2017 by wings707