S25.E08: Week 7: Halloween Night

[crowceilidh]

Quote

I just looked it up and Jenna Johnson doesn't ring a bell at all!  I am not an avid fan of the show but I do watch it. 

I can't imagine how paradisical a world without Jenna Johnson eating my screen seems.  You are lucky -  don't start paying attention to her now.

[perfectstorm]

7 hours ago, Brynnjk said:

I adore Frankie.  His enthusiasm and hard work and sheer entertainment has made this season of DWTS so much fun.  He's the kind of contestant I feel the show should feature (though I know this is hard to find).  I'm thrilled he had a good week.   

I was watching the day after entertainment shows, lots of love for Frankie.  On his Instagram, he thanked Drew for being part of an incredible team. Hopefully, him being lifted at the end of the team dance - is a prelude to what happens when the winner is revealed:)  Looking forward to his pairing next week with Alfonso.   GO FRANKIE GO!!!

[iMonrey]

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Holy shit, the band seems to be worse this season than ever before. 

Man, some of the worst covers I've ever heard on this show, and that' saying a lot. The cover for Monster Mash literally had me cringing and let's not even talk about Super Freak.

[katha]

In the context of this show, Frankie's acting abilities are impressive. This week showed that again. At the same time, he often enough skates by with mediocre dancing because he nails performance. So I can understand the frustration that comes with that. Plus, contemporary is usually ridiculously overscored on this show, so of course he got full points for barely any dancing. OTOH, his performance was the only genuinely creepy one.

The discrepancy in the group scores bugs me because I suspect they're trying to protect someone with that. No way in hell was the one dance six points better. Victoria? Drew? The other side of that might be that someone like Lindsey is a "shocking elimination" through no fault of her own because the producers decided to manipulate the scoring in favour of...someone, some form of desired outcome. Ugh.

[LadyMustang65]

21 hours ago, Andie1 said:

  Oh and don't forget, Frankie choreographed that slop. 

Where did you get the idea he "choreographed" that number?  He gave some creative input, such as that one move needed to be strong, but that's hardly "choreographing" the dance.  And since he is, after all, an actor, and a good one at that, why shouldn't he give some creative input like that?  It seems perfectly appropriate.  If you don't like the choreography, blame Witney.  

21 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Heh, same here. I can't help thinking of his character on that CM episode sometimes when I watch him :p.

Yeah.  I really liked that episode for some reason.  One of my favorites.

[bealled]

One thing I really like about Frankie is he is super self-aware. I loved in his package when he talked about the Trolls dance and was just like "omg it was bad." He didn't even try to hide it. I also really love that they mention his nerves and anxiousness. As a generally shy person like that, it's nice seeing someone else who isn't normally comfortable putting himself out there doing it. He's just very endearing and sweet. I do think his contemporary was overrated this week though. I like more dancing. His Pirates dance was my favorite from him so far.

I really hope Lindsey, Frankie and Jordan are in the finals as otherwise it will be boring. Those 3 are definitely who should make it right now.

[realdancemom]

11 hours ago, Callaphera said:

Yeah but if both parties are fine with it, I don't see the problem. Sex sells. Nikki Bella would be no stranger to it with her WWE career (as family friendly as they've made it, they still want to sell the sex for the male viewers over the age of 12) and Artem has never complained about the segments they've done on his body. Which is fantastic. And is made for licking chocolate sauce off of it. 

Now, if one or both of them came out and complained about the over sexualization of that segment, my answer would be different. Not the chocolate sauce part, that would still be true, but the rest of it would be different.

The best part about that whole segment was how blasé Nikki was about the shirtless Artem experience. Complimentary? Sure. But very been there, done that. Considering she's engaged to John Cena, I don't blame her. 

Nikki was too stiff for my taste for this show.  However, in her silk dance a few weeks ago, I remember thinking that she and Artem looked so physically fit and fine.  And drool and swoon for John Cena!!  So yeah, who can blame her?

As for this week's show, no way was Team Phantom the best team dance ever!!  Just looking at Halloween dances, I remember Hayes and the Nightmare Before Christmas dance.  That dance was amazing.  Team Phantom doesn't even compare.  Their choreography was simple and they tried to make it like a Formation Team with their line formations and synchronization.  They failed with their synchronization and if the judges/production wanted them to win, they could have given 9's and not all tens. 

Love Jordan as usual.  Agree that he gives off a fake humility vibe but he and Lindsay are still my favorites.  Poor Lindsey!!  I can tell that she was in pain during her dance so I do agree with her 9's.  I would love to see the dance when she's better.  However, I do see how the dance could be offensive.  Thanks ElectricBoogaloo for explaining it well.

I also enjoyed Frankie and Witney's dance because Frankie is a good actor.  I don't watch that much TV so I didn't know that he could play creepy so well.  I have to believe that DWTS will help him get more acting roles since this was so different from Malcolm in the Middle.  There wasn't a lot of dancing in it but he did commit to the movements.  Contemporary on this show doesn't really have rules and a lot of times is overscored.   So can't complain about the lack of dancing for that reason.

[Callaphera]

8 minutes ago, realdancemom said:

Nikki was too stiff for my taste for this show.  However, in her silk dance a few weeks ago, I remember thinking that she and Artem looked so physically fit and fine.  And drool and swoon for John Cena!!  So yeah, who can blame her?

Honestly, Nikki danced about as well as she wrestled: passable, stiff but sometimes showing some skill, but even when she was at her best, it still left you kind of "meh" and you forgot about her by the end of the show. And I say this as someone who was rooting for her. 

[Emily-D]

3 hours ago, wings707 said:

I just looked it up and Jenna Johnson doesn't ring a bell at all!  I am not an avid fan of the show but I do watch it.  Oh, is she part of the troupe?  I don't know them at all. 

Don’t worry it’s easy to forget who she is when she got booted out first in her only season as a pro last year.

[Callaphera]

3 hours ago, wings707 said:

I just looked it up and Jenna Johnson doesn't ring a bell at all!  I am not an avid fan of the show but I do watch it.  Oh, is she part of the troupe?  I don't know them at all. 

She's the? (a? isn't there more than one now?) brunette in the troupe who constantly eye fucks the camera the second it's on her. You can practically hear her thinking "Meeee! Look at meeee!" when she's dancing. 

[Emily-D]

10 minutes ago, Callaphera said:

Honestly, Nikki danced about as well as she wrestled: passable, stiff but sometimes showing some skill, but even when she was at her best, it still left you kind of "meh" and you forgot about her by the end of the show. And I say this as someone who was rooting for her. 

Nailed it. She was improving but it was slow progress and she was never going to reach the level of Lindsey/Jordan/Frankie. Combine that with being female and not known to viewers on the show like Drew Scott and the writing was on the wall. The show didn’t help her though, it felt to me like she went in the first hour pretty much every week which left her as forgettable and ultimately got her eliminated. She’d have gone home for sure next week had she survived this week anyway. It was her partnership with Artem that was the best thing about her, her natural confidence and persona brought Artem out of his shell in a way that no other partner has done before.

[smiley13]

5 minutes ago, Callaphera said:

She's the? (a? isn't there more than one now?) brunette in the troupe who constantly eye fucks the camera the second it's on her. You can practically hear her thinking "Meeee! Look at meeee!" when she's dancing. 

That's how I see Sharna, except switch brunette for garish clown hair.

[sinkwriter]

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Well, I really like Jordan. I've had since week 2, and memorable week with his adoption cemented it. He's fun to watch dance. But ugh, I've totally seen a bit of "smooth-talking-trying-to-be-humble-but-really-kinda-slimy" person. He acts really hard to be humble. His adoption storyline made me believe it, but he's not playing well now, imo.

Jordan probably IS a really nice guy. But I think this is something that happens with people who have grown up in the public eye, or were child stars, or athletes... it's like they've been taught what to say to sound professional and polite, so it starts to sound really rehearsed, probably because they've said the same things over and over again and they can't help but sound 'too smooth' now. "We're just happy to be here, doing the best we can... We're working hard to make it to the playoffs... We just want to thank the fans..." I hate that, because while I appreciate people behaving professionally, I also want them to BE REAL. So it's annoying when athletes like the football players on this show or guys like Jordan fall back on the standard line instead of speaking from the heart. I think it's only when they let their guard down - like on Most Memorable Year week - that they show more of who they really are. I think the way he was with his parents and in talking about his life and adoption... that's the real Jordan. The rest is just polished behavior for stage and how he thinks he's supposed to talk. That's how it seems to me. But yes, I wish he'd stop talking like that and be real.

[Callaphera]

4 minutes ago, smiley13 said:

That's how I see Sharna, except switch brunette for garish clown hair.

Aw, man. Don't hate on us unnatural redheads. I actually used a picture of Sharna to show my hairdresser what colour I was aiming for. She nailed it, I rock it. 

 

8 minutes ago, Emily-D said:

Nailed it. She was improving but it was slow progress and she was never going to reach the level of Lindsey/Jordan/Frankie. Combine that with being female and not known to viewers on the show like Drew Scott and the writing was on the wall. The show didn’t help her though, it felt to me like she went in the first hour pretty much every week which left her as forgettable and ultimately got her eliminated. She’d have gone home for sure next week had she survived this week anyway. It was her partnership with Artem that was the best thing about her, her natural confidence and persona brought Artem out of his shell in a way that no other partner has done before.

By strictly numbers in fan bases, I would say Nikki was far and above everyone else on the show this season except the other athletes. Her own fanbase, both from WWE and from Total Divas/Bellas and John Cena's fanbase combined in a large number. The problem is getting them to vote and like I pointed out earlier this season, DWTS is on at the same time as WWE's flagship show, WWE Raw. Also a problem was Nikki's "Fearless" branding which was more directed towards younger girls, not the DWTS target audience or the age range that votes. 

I liked her on this show. She came across as genuine and funny and sweet. Everyone has been pointing out the way Vanessa Lachey turned to her when they were both eliminated but there was also that bit during the team dance package where they showed her talking with (Mark's) Lindsey a few times and it seemed like she got along with everyone else on the cast. 

But I will admit, the strong, confident, self-assured females sometimes seem to get a cold response from the audience. And Nikki came across as that the whole season. 

Oh well. I have the inevitable Total Divas/Bellas episode(s) to look forward to that are going to show her DWTS run. It's funny because before this, I was more of a fan of Brie than Nikki despite the fact that her nickname is cheese but DWTS turned me more into a Nikki fan than I was before. 

[calipiano81]

1 hour ago, katha said:

In the context of this show, Frankie's acting abilities are impressive. This week showed that again. At the same time, he often enough skates by with mediocre dancing because he nails performance. So I can understand the frustration that comes with that. Plus, contemporary is usually ridiculously overscored on this show, so of course he got full points for barely any dancing. OTOH, his performance was the only genuinely creepy one.

It was particularly frustrating to me this week after seeing Lindsey power through in pain to accomplish that demanding paso doble. And for what? A big chunk of the audience doesn't even care...

Jordan and Lindsey are expected to dance well because of their dance experience. Why is Frankie's acting so impressive when he is famous for being an ACTOR?!!

 

30 minutes ago, Emily-D said:

Nailed it. She was improving but it was slow progress and she was never going to reach the level of Lindsey/Jordan/Frankie. 

FRANKIE has yet to reach the level of Lindsey/Jordan/Frankie.

Edited November 1, 2017 by calipiano81

[Wings]

49 minutes ago, Emily-D said:

Don’t worry it’s easy to forget who she is when she got booted out first in her only season as a pro last year.

Ah ha.  Who was her 'star?'

[calipiano81]

39 minutes ago, sinkwriter said:

Jordan probably IS a really nice guy. But I think this is something that happens with people who have grown up in the public eye, or were child stars, or athletes... it's like they've been taught what to say to sound professional and polite, so it starts to sound really rehearsed, probably because they've said the same things over and over again and they can't help but sound 'too smooth' now. "We're just happy to be here, doing the best we can... We're working hard to make it to the playoffs... We just want to thank the fans..." I hate that, because while I appreciate people behaving professionally, I also want them to BE REAL. So it's annoying when athletes like the football players on this show or guys like Jordan fall back on the standard line instead of speaking from the heart. I think it's only when they let their guard down - like on Most Memorable Year week - that they show more of who they really are. I think the way he was with his parents and in talking about his life and adoption... that's the real Jordan. The rest is just polished behavior for stage and how he thinks he's supposed to talk. That's how it seems to me. But yes, I wish he'd stop talking like that and be real.

Ironically, we want celebrities to be real, but the second they say anything even the slightest bit unsavory, we bombard them with criticism. Therefore, I am perfectly fine with them letting their work and actions do the real talking.

Edited November 1, 2017 by calipiano81

[FilmTVGeek80]

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I just looked it up and Jenna Johnson doesn't ring a bell at all!  I am not an avid fan of the show but I do watch it. 

I think she's had only one season as a pro a couple of seasons go with Jake something (starred in some show on the Disney channel, I think.) She also subbed in for Sharna for a couple weeks during her partnership with James and together they actually delivered one of my all-time favorite dances on this show - coincidentally on the Halloween show - a Vienesse waltz while they were dressed up as the Joker and Harley Quinn. A lot of people here don't seem to like her for her mugging when she dances (which she definitely does) but it doesn't really bother me.

 

27 minutes ago, calipiano81 said:

It was particularly frustrating to me this week after seeing Lindsey power through in pain to accomplish that demanding paso doble. And for what? A big chunk of the audience doesn't even care...

Why should people be required to care just because she danced hurt? Lots of performers on this show have danced through the pain. I definitely give her some props for carrying on with the show but it doesn't make me automatically like the dance. Lindsey's one of those dancers that I can tell is technically proficient but just don't move me at all when they dance.

 

29 minutes ago, calipiano81 said:

Why is Frankie's acting so impressive when he is famous for being an ACTOR?!!

It's impressive to me because I haven't seen him in act in ages and I didn't know he had stuff like that performance in him. There have been plenty of actors on this show who weren't all that great at selling performances. Just because someone's an actor doesn't mean that part will translate well on the dance floor.

[Emily-D]

42 minutes ago, Callaphera said:

Aw, man. Don't hate on us unnatural redheads. I actually used a picture of Sharna to show my hairdresser what colour I was aiming for. She nailed it, I rock it. 

 

By strictly numbers in fan bases, I would say Nikki was far and above everyone else on the show this season except the other athletes. Her own fanbase, both from WWE and from Total Divas/Bellas and John Cena's fanbase combined in a large number. The problem is getting them to vote and like I pointed out earlier this season, DWTS is on at the same time as WWE's flagship show, WWE Raw. Also a problem was Nikki's "Fearless" branding which was more directed towards younger girls, not the DWTS target audience or the age range that votes. 

I liked her on this show. She came across as genuine and funny and sweet. Everyone has been pointing out the way Vanessa Lachey turned to her when they were both eliminated but there was also that bit during the team dance package where they showed her talking with (Mark's) Lindsey a few times and it seemed like she got along with everyone else on the cast. 

But I will admit, the strong, confident, self-assured females sometimes seem to get a cold response from the audience. And Nikki came across as that the whole season. 

Oh well. I have the inevitable Total Divas/Bellas episode(s) to look forward to that are going to show her DWTS run. It's funny because before this, I was more of a fan of Brie than Nikki despite the fact that her nickname is cheese but DWTS turned me more into a Nikki fan than I was before. 

Drew Scott’s fanbase is very underrated. Property Brothers is huge, that show aired on the same night as the Total Bellas finale and got 800k more viewers. The difference is as you mentioned the age of viewers. Drew’s fans are 90% made up of over 50s, most of whom probably already watch DWTS and can be trusted to vote in numbers. Plus you’ve got the Canadian vote that goes to him. Nikki’s fanbase is made up of young girls up to the age of around 40 who are historically unreliable when you get towards the latter stages of the show and the only stars left have big fanbases or are top drawer dancers. I was surprised she got this far to be honest with you, I thought she was a goner around week 3 and if it weren’t for the Vegas attacks she may well have been. I’m glad she did though, I knew she was a good person from the charity work she does with her sister but it was nice to see that side of her come out again as the weeks went by. Plus she managed to beat out Chris Jericho so they can’t laugh at her when she returns to WWE haha.

[LadyMustang65]

48 minutes ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

It's impressive to me because I haven't seen him in act in ages and I didn't know he had stuff like that performance in him. There have been plenty of actors on this show who weren't all that great at selling performances. Just because someone's an actor doesn't mean that part will translate well on the dance floor.

He is best known for his work in comedy - Cody Banks movies and Malcolm in the Middle.  Most people who know him strictly from those do not expect him to be able to do creepy so well.  Let's face it -  he is not at all menacing-looking, and he's naturally so bubbly and upbeat that you don't expect him to be able to project that dark side.  

[boyznkatz]

1 hour ago, sinkwriter said:

Jordan probably IS a really nice guy. But I think this is something that happens with people who have grown up in the public eye, or were child stars, or athletes... it's like they've been taught what to say to sound professional and polite, so it starts to sound really rehearsed, probably because they've said the same things over and over again and they can't help but sound 'too smooth' now. "We're just happy to be here, doing the best we can... We're working hard to make it to the playoffs... We just want to thank the fans..." I hate that, because while I appreciate people behaving professionally, I also want them to BE REAL. So it's annoying when athletes like the football players on this show or guys like Jordan fall back on the standard line instead of speaking from the heart. I think it's only when they let their guard down - like on Most Memorable Year week - that they show more of who they really are. I think the way he was with his parents and in talking about his life and adoption... that's the real Jordan. The rest is just polished behavior for stage and how he thinks he's supposed to talk. That's how it seems to me. But yes, I wish he'd stop talking like that and be real.

Bingo. I think he's a nice guy, but he's trying too hard to say what is required to win. He should just be himself and people would relate to him more.

Lindsey, on the other hand would be seriously intolerable if she wasn't such a good dancer. I never liked Mark either. I wouldn't worry about her getting eliminated though. No way did Mark come back for sixth place.

I think TO was thrown under the bus this week. Unless he is going on the tour, he's going next week. 

[realdancemom]

1 hour ago, sinkwriter said:

Jordan probably IS a really nice guy. But I think this is something that happens with people who have grown up in the public eye, or were child stars, or athletes... it's like they've been taught what to say to sound professional and polite, so it starts to sound really rehearsed, probably because they've said the same things over and over again and they can't help but sound 'too smooth' now. "We're just happy to be here, doing the best we can... We're working hard to make it to the playoffs... We just want to thank the fans..." I hate that, because while I appreciate people behaving professionally, I also want them to BE REAL. So it's annoying when athletes like the football players on this show or guys like Jordan fall back on the standard line instead of speaking from the heart. I think it's only when they let their guard down - like on Most Memorable Year week - that they show more of who they really are. I think the way he was with his parents and in talking about his life and adoption... that's the real Jordan. The rest is just polished behavior for stage and how he thinks he's supposed to talk. That's how it seems to me. But yes, I wish he'd stop talking like that and be real.

This is another reason why Jordan reminds me of Corbin.  They have similar backgrounds in terms of Disney, musical theater, and dancing.  Their personalities are also very similar.  To me, they are too polished and rehearsed.  I do think they are nice guys but it's difficult to know the real them.  At least, Jordan had a story for memorable week.  I think Corbin talked about his sister being sick.  That's why memorable week is not fair to individuals that don't have tragic or interesting stories.  And the reason why I think they give off a fake humble persona is because they are "supposed" to act humble.  In reality, they know that they are the best technical dancers during their seasons.  But of course, they can't say that.  I watch this show for dancing so I have nothing against them and as I previously posted, I'm rooting for Jordan and Lindsay to win.

OTOH, you also won't get votes if you're a jerk.  I didn't like TO at first.  In the second show, he said something about being way better than Barbara.  It was true but you don't say that.  He also sounded arrogant.  Now, I can see that he's a hard worker, compliments Cheryl, and has a sense of humor.

[spanana]

4 hours ago, majormama said:

Val is really bugging me this season. The way he talks to and works with Victoria is just off. I can't really point to anything specific, but the feminist-ableist-whateverist in me is pinging. It started with the swim-off a few weeks ago, although I gave that a pass at the time because I assumed it was some dumb producer-driven set up to create a package. But the condescending tone has continued. He usually reaches a point every season where his desire to win sucks all the fun out of it for the celebrity, and then he has to apologize and make it fun again. And it kind of seemed like that, only he doesn't expect to actually win with Victoria and he's condescending as a result, and also not trying to make it fun. (Watch, next week will be the apology and the fun-again dance.)

I'd say this is what happens when he knows he doesn't have a real shot at winning, and where even the finals isn't a certainty, but he had Ginger a few seasons ago and I can't imagine he expected to win there.  Then again the only time Val seems to be okay with not winning is when one of his fam members is likely going to win in his place.  So I'm sure he was okay with losing to Peta, his sis-in-law.  This season all the frontrunners are connected to pros outside of his circle (Lindsay, Mark, Wit, etc.).  Also Ginger had the added boost of TPTB working their asses off with the ABC pimpage to get her there.

I think in general Val is so used to get people with either dance experience or obvious natural ability where he knows a finals is almost guaranteed and while Victoria has been treated nicely by the judges, she's not getting as big of a push of some of the others and he doesn't quite know what to do with it all.  If Victoria makes it to the finals, she's 3rd at best.

Quote

I just looked it up and Jenna Johnson doesn't ring a bell at all!  I am not an avid fan of the show but I do watch it.  Oh, is she part of the troupe?  I don't know them at all. 

Jenna is in the troupe and has been for the most part since S18.  She had one shot as a pro a few seasons ago with Jake Austin and got booted first and then she took a season off last season after getting demoted again.  She's found more success and visibility on SYTYCD so far and tends to be an all-star there.  She's also one of Mandy Moore's pets and assists her all the time, which is why she's usually front and center in pro numbers.  She's been dating Val on and off since she joined the show, but up until recently it was always hush hush and under the radar.  He was hooking up with her since she was all of 19.  Also for me personally, she is a very talented but an in your face and attention starved dancer.  If you look behind the celebs, she's usually the one over emoting and trying to draw attention to herself.  She drew some massive eyerolls last week in an interview where she seemed to be claiming the Suicide Squad number with James from a few seasons ago as her own (when Sharna was injured).  She didn't outright say she choreographed it, but she omitted Sharna from the narrative and implied James was her partner.  So she's fun.

Edited November 1, 2017 by spanana

[calipiano81]

15 minutes ago, boyznkatz said:

Lindsey, on the other hand would be seriously intolerable if she wasn't such a good dancer. I never liked Mark either. I wouldn't worry about her getting eliminated though. No way did Mark come back for sixth place.

Lindsey has been nothing but sweet and kind on the show. Her quirkiness may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I can't fathom what is so "intolerable" about her personality.

[SuprSuprElevated]

Jenna Johnson with Victoria -

[spanana]

6 hours ago, katha said:

In the context of this show, Frankie's acting abilities are impressive. This week showed that again. At the same time, he often enough skates by with mediocre dancing because he nails performance. So I can understand the frustration that comes with that. Plus, contemporary is usually ridiculously overscored on this show, so of course he got full points for barely any dancing. OTOH, his performance was the only genuinely creepy one.

I'm not claiming Frankie is as good of a dancer as Jordan or Lindsey but as I've said many times, I don't expect him to be because I don't expect somebody who hasn't danced a day in their lives to suddenly come in and be able to best someone with ample training in the span of 3 months (Jordan).  That is just insane.  I like Jordan too and would love for him to win so that is not a dig at either side but no celeb with zero dance training is going to be able to catch up to someone with training over the course of 12 weeks and I think expecting them to do so is just as unfair as the opposite of knocking down ringers for no real reason.  You can't just always reward the ringer and score everyone else down unless you never want to see a non-ringer on this show again.

The other argument I want to make to some extent is that acting and performance are a big part of dance.  You can be the best technical dancer in the world, but if you can't sell a performance what good is all the technique.  You need to be both a technician as well as be able to play various roles.  What Frankie is more skilled at than his other competitors is he knows how to act and sell a performance, with the exception of the troll number.  I guess it's expected to some degree since he's an actor by trade, but so is Jordan and I'd actually argue that while obviously Jordan is a more talented dancer, Frankie is better at disappearing into parts/roles.  Both skill sets are necessary so I don't exactly think it's fair to totally write off what Frankie is doing. What Frankie needs is for his technical side to catch up to his performance side, but it's still all a part of dance and self expression. 

ETA: You can usually locate Jenna by finding Val's partner.  She usually attaches herself and becomes besties with them, at least for the season.

Edited November 1, 2017 by spanana

[calipiano81]

1 hour ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

Why should people be required to care just because she danced hurt? Lots of performers on this show have danced through the pain. I definitely give her some props for carrying on with the show but it doesn't make me automatically like the dance. Lindsey's one of those dancers that I can tell is technically proficient but just don't move me at all when they dance.

I never said people are required to care or should automatically like Lindsey's dance. I was just explaining how frustrating it is, as a Lindsey fan, to see all the gushing over someone who didn't do any dancing at all this week. 

I am normally not this negative about Frankie. But I went back and watched his "contemporary" again and to me, it really just a movie action scene with a music track.

Edited November 1, 2017 by calipiano81

[Annber03]

3 hours ago, LadyMustang65 said:

Yeah.  I really liked that episode for some reason.  One of my favorites.

I like it, too :). It's a good episode.

3 hours ago, bealled said:

One thing I really like about Frankie is he is super self-aware. I loved in his package when he talked about the Trolls dance and was just like "omg it was bad." He didn't even try to hide it. I also really love that they mention his nerves and anxiousness. As a generally shy person like that, it's nice seeing someone else who isn't normally comfortable putting himself out there doing it. He's just very endearing and sweet. I do think his contemporary was overrated this week though. I like more dancing. His Pirates dance was my favorite from him so far.

Agreed. I too am a shy sort and I'd be the exact same way. Getting out on stage in general is always a tough thing and can be very nerve-wracking. I imagine even the pros, who've been doing this for years, still get nerves and such before they go out there as well. So yeah, it's good to see that kind of honesty and reflection. And it's clear he cares about wanting to do right by Witney as well. The chemistry and respect between the couples on these shows is just as important as anything else. 

I also like when celebrities can make good-natured jokes about the complicated nature of these dances, too. I remember one guy from a number of years back trying to do some sort of turn or jump or something in a dance, and afterward he was like, "Who the hell came up with that move?" :p. Dancing is a very fun activity, for sure, but as this show's proven, it's not an easy one to learn by a long shot. 

[calipiano81]

37 minutes ago, spanana said:

The other argument I want to make to some extent is that acting and performance are a big part of dance.  You can be the best technical dancer in the world, but if you can't sell a performance what good is all the technique.  You need to be both a technician as well as be able to play various roles.  What Frankie is more skilled at than his other competitors is he knows how to act and sell a performance, with the exception of the troll number.  I guess it's expected to some degree since he's an actor by trade, but so is Jordan and I'd actually argue that while obviously Jordan is a more talented dancer, Frankie is better at disappearing into parts/roles.  Both skill sets are necessary so I don't exactly think it's fair to totally right off what Frankie is doing. What Frankie needs is for his technical side to catch up to his performance side, but it's still all a part of dance and self expression.

I agree that acting and performance are just as important as the actual dancing. However, even if some people find Frankie's acting a standout, IMO Jordan and Lindsey's acting/performance are still better than Frankie's dancing. That makes them, for me, the clear superior complete packages.

If Frankie danced more like Rashad or even James H, that may be a different story...

Edited November 1, 2017 by calipiano81

[Callaphera]

34 minutes ago, calipiano81 said:

Lindsey has been nothing but sweet and kind on the show. Her quirkiness may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I can't fathom what is so "intolerable" about her personality.

You say "quirkiness". I say "annoying affectations".

To-may-to, to-mah-to.

[Toonces464]

32 minutes ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

Jenna Johnson with Victoria -

Is anyone else still baffled about how one goes from Jenna Johnson to Amber Rose back to Jenna Johnson? LOL

[Renee in CA]

On 10/31/2017 at 1:16 PM, McManda said:

I was under the impression that they were going to have new, age appropriate pros for the kids season. Is that not true? (I still hate the idea of a kids season, tbh.)

Gosh, i didn't know it's going to be a kids format. My oops!

[Bridget]

On 10/31/2017 at 9:25 AM, Bliss said:

Lots of posts covering many of my observations...

Loved Mark and Lindsey's paso - it was different and clever! I'd love to see Lindsey and Natalie McMaster do a musical duo someday. Just putting it out there.

 

Natalie MacMaster is busy building a band (and a brand) with her kiddos in Ontario, all of whom (except for the youngest, Sadie) play fiddle and step dance, but I do think an instrumental collaboration would be great to hear one day. Her kids were on one of the 1038436 shows that my man Steve Harvey participates in, "Little Big Shots." 

Forgive the name dropping, but Nat is a cousin and I was shocked (in a good way!) when I saw her name pop on the board. There are tons of other great fiddlers from Cape Breton you should check out if you like her playing. If you'd like a suggestion list, I'd be more than happy to hook you up! Slainte!

Edited November 1, 2017 by Bridget
Added more info

[boyznkatz]

5 minutes ago, Callaphera said:

You say "quirkiness". I say "annoying affectations".

To-may-to, to-mah-to.

Exactly. She seems very childish and acts more like a 12 year old than a grown woman. That is weird to me. She is a lovely dancer, though.

[calipiano81]

7 minutes ago, Callaphera said:

You say "quirkiness". I say "annoying affectations".

To-may-to, to-mah-to.

Still, to say she is "intolerable" is harsh to me.

[Annber03]

Okay, every time I see Jenna Johnson's name here, I keep reading it as Jenna Jameson. Awkward :p. 

1 hour ago, FilmTVGeek80 said:

There have been plenty of actors on this show who weren't all that great at selling performances. Just because someone's an actor doesn't mean that part will translate well on the dance floor.

I remember my mom commenting on this very issue when Susan Lucci was on the show a number of years back. She's an "All My Children" fan, so she was very excited to see Lucci on there, but, yeah, not only was Susan not that great a dancer on the technical side, but she didn't seem to really utilize her acting skills very well to help make up for those issues. She always just seemed to let her nerves get the better of her in general, and as we know, that makes it hard to get into the dance as a whole, be it the technical side or the character/story side.

Re: the discussion about Nikki, I don't follow wrestling, but I remember seeing her and her sister on an episode of "Whose Line" some time back, and they were very entertaining on there. Nikki does seem like a cool person in general :). 

[Bliss]

7 minutes ago, Bridget said:

Natalie MacMaster is busy building a band (and a brand) with her kiddos in Ontario, all of whom play fiddle and step dance, but I do think an instrumental collaboration would be great to hear one day. 

Forgive the name dropping, but Nat is a cousin and I was shocked (in a good way!) when I saw her name pop on the board. There are tons of other great fiddlers from Cape Breton you should check out if you like her playing. If you'd like a suggestion list, I'd be more than happy to hook you up! Slainte!

Slightly off topic... I'm a huge fan of Natalie ever since I saw her in Toronto back in the 90's... and I'm also a fan of Leahy (Nat is married to Donnell, correct?) - they got a lot of attention when they opened for Shania Twain many moons ago - and I simply adore the entire family! Uber-talented! I find it amazing how they sing + dance + play an instrument all at the same time. Unbelievable. Wish they'd have them on DWTS ;)

[boyznkatz]

Do that many people really pay attention to Jenna Johnson? Lol. I remember her being a pro once, but she was pretty forgettable. I don't remember her being particularly offensive, though.

She really doesn't seem like Val's type. Being an attention whore, you would think he would be happier with Amber Rose.

[Bliss]

1 minute ago, boyznkatz said:

Do that many people really pay attention to Jenna Johnson? Lol. I remember her being a pro once, but she was pretty forgettable. I don't remember her being particularly offensive, though.

She really doesn't seem like Val's type. Being an attention whore, you would think he would be happier with Amber Rose.

I saw Jenna on the tour show, and in SWAY, and she's exactly the same in person as she is on the show - very out there. Have to say, though, she and Val danced the best jive I've ever seen... incredibly fast and precise.

[tessaforever]

For sure, the judges had a script and it said one word "HYPERBOLE". There's no way the Phantom dance was as good as Nightmare Before Christmas or Foxing Awesome. 

Still...I think future teams could learn something from the team video package. Team Corn started dancing really early on in rehearsals, while Phantom did not...but Phantom's dance was better. I think more time spent thinking/talking it through in the beginning while not rushing into choreography could actually be a good thing. I feel like I've noticed that before. 

Not sure someone with an ego the size of Maks' would ask to be kicked off the show (although I think he is probably glad that he at least outlasted Peta - he's got a sore spot about her 2 wins to his 1). But I think he handicapped Vanessa with his attitude, taking that one night off, and having them spend 1/3 of each dance apart. People gravitate not only to great dancers and great dances, but great partnerships. It really does make a difference. Drew and TO aren't as good as Vanessa, but they have great partnerships, and that absolutely makes a difference. 

I don't blame Vanessa one bit for grabbing Nikki and waltzing away - honestly, I don't think she wanted to answer any questions from Erin about "how much she learned from this season" etc. She's done a good job hiding her misery but she always looks uncomfortable next to Maks when Tom & Erin are asking questions. 

Nikki wouldn't have gone further than next week anyway, but she did seem like a cool person. Wish her well. 

[Bridget]

Hi Folks. I literally created my account to comment on the Nikki/Vanessa issue. I've been killing myself laughing at so many of the messages on many of these boards, but my red hair is on fire and I've got to say what's in my heart.

1. So glad about Vanessa leaving.

Vanessa Lachey aka "I'm just livin' the normal mommy life when I'm not going to events for publicity and swag bags with my husband" has been auditioning for a job (Erin's) that has and was not available from Day Freakin' One.

Did anyone else notice how she always had something to say when she was within two feet of a microphone, especially before scoring whether it was what she deemed a "witty quip", a retort or a joke about herself and/or the dance? It came off as super obnoxious and in my opinion, she tried WAY too hard to be Erin. It was cringe worthy and awkward. I wanted to yell at her through the screen that she'll never be BFFs with Tom Bergeron (my dream!) and have a natural banter with him. I know many people don't care for Erin, but I love her. (I also want to know why she's not been shown a lot this season. Early stages of pregnancy perhaps? She's been open about her IVF plans, maybe she's taking it easy this season?)

Bruno told Vanessa to work on finishing her lines and she didn't. She also had balance issues as well and I know I've seen her dance in several different lengths of heels, so it can't be the shoes' fault she went home (heehee). If she'd had balance issues in longer length costumes, then she should have requested shorter versions if that would have helped her on her quest for the Mirror Ball.

While I have been anti-Vanessa since Day One, even I thought that Maks was cray-cray last night with his choreography - and not in a good way! Anyone else think he chose to really get into his Frankenstein character with that continual "come near my hands and I will choke you" posture as an excuse not to have to dance with her as much as possible? I just thought it was so damn odd because while he's got his haters (I'm not one of them), he is the King of the Paso Doble. 

Go home to your "Group of Mommy Friends" and continue to show up to the opening of an envelope. Please and thank you.

2. Bummed about Nikki Bella (NOT "the wrestling chick" as some people call her), but she really grew as a dancer in this competition. We saw her become more graceful each week, especially last week (minus the balance issue, of course) and Guilty Pleasures week.

I suspect that people had expectations of her due to her athletic skills, and as a proud fan of hers, even I had high hopes. I knew she wouldn't make it to the semi-finals, but she took what the judges said and used that to improve.  Her kicks n flicks weren't the best last night, but she was a hell of a lot better than she was on Disney Night. 

I began to see early on that she doesn't have some of the basics that can't be taught: musicality and timing. For all of those people who stated her routines were "paint by numbers", I don't disagree, but I think Artem had a challenge on his hand when it came to choreo because he didn't want to highlight her inability to move naturally to music.  When Artem realized (probably early on) that she doesn't bounce/step/hop naturally to music, and those are the nuances that make certain people stand out, he did the best he could with that he had to work with...and he lasted a hell of a lot longer this season than he had before, which speaks to his talent.  

I think Nikki's growth was a hell of a lot better than Frankie's. I just don't see what everyone sees in him or Victoria. During the team dance last night, I know I'm not the only one who saw Victoria lift up her dress and see her count out the steps (and pray to God that she was getting them right). I understand she's beaten the odds. I get it, I do. However, I think she's hit the wall with as far as she can come. If she cannot feel her feet, she's not got the gift of musicality either - and that's what makes a dancer stand out.  She cannot dance without Val and it showed last night.  I have worked closely with the participants of Project Walk (where Victoria did much of her therapy) and have seen the miracles they perform. There is no other word for it. It's mind blowing. What most people don't know is that many of the college age PW patients also attend the nearby community college, continue their studies and take on the world like no one I've ever seen. 

I admit that the Corn Field Crew had a mixed bag of abilities (and Nikki wasn't that great either), but I would have like to have seen Nikki stay at least one more week.

Here come the haters in 3,2,1...

Edited November 2, 2017 by Bridget
spelling and grammar - yikes!

[Bridget]

51 minutes ago, Bliss said:

Slightly off topic... I'm a huge fan of Natalie ever since I saw her in Toronto back in the 90's... and I'm also a fan of Leahy (Nat is married to Donnell, correct?) - they got a lot of attention when they opened for Shania Twain many moons ago - and I simply adore the entire family! Uber-talented! I find it amazing how they sing + dance + play an instrument all at the same time. Unbelievable. Wish they'd have them on DWTS ;)

Yes, Nat is married to Donnell and they've got six kids. They run a fiddle camp in August/Sep in Ontario if you're interested in learning to play.

I'd love to see much more traditional music on mainstream TV, especially having grown up around it. Natalie would be amazing on DWTS - agree!  I pray to God that if that happens, and if there are dancers, they will be traditional Cape Breton Step Dancers and not trying to pass off 300 year old Scottish strathspeys and reels as Irish jigs during St Patrick's Day during the spring season. I know I'm a music snob because I admit it! 

[Andie1]

1 hour ago, calipiano81 said:

I agree that acting and performance are just as important as the actual dancing. However, even if some people find Frankie's acting a standout, IMO Jordan and Lindsey's acting/performance are still better than Frankie's dancing. That makes them, for me, the clear superior complete packages.

If Frankie danced more like Rashad or even James H, that may be a different story...

Thank you.  Frankie can't dance and his acting is boring to laughable.  The massive overscoring of this guy is pathetic.

[Andie1]

2 hours ago, boyznkatz said:

Bingo. I think he's a nice guy, but he's trying too hard to say what is required to win. He should just be himself and people would relate to him more.

I think it's refreshing to hear a Millennial speak proper English and be polite at the same time.   Frankie on the other hand says he can't remember his past. That's convenient. 

Edited November 1, 2017 by Andie1

[Annber03]

10 minutes ago, Bridget said:

I know many people don't care for Erin, but I love her.

I remember thinking she seemed a bit awkward when she first started, but eh, that's to be expected with a new gig, right? I like her, too, though. I think she's got a good rapport with Bergeron, and she seems nice and clearly loves her job. I like the way she can joke around with the contestants, too.

(And your comment in your post about being friends with Bergeron-he would be fun to hang out with, wouldn't he :)? He seems like a really chill, cool, nice guy. I like how he's so levelheaded and calm no matter what craziness is going on on the show.)

Quote

I have worked closely with the participants of Project Walk and have seen the miracles they perform. There is no other word for it. It's mind blowing. What most people don't know is that many of the PW patients attend the local community college as students and take on the world like no one I've ever seen. 

That's really cool. I'm glad you get to work with such a valuable organization, too. I've no doubt it's got to be very rewarding work for all involved, and I'm glad people like you and the organization are there to help those who need it. 

Welcome to the boards! Look forward to reading more of your thoughts :).

[Bridget]

1 minute ago, Andie1 said:

I think it's refreshing to hear a Millennial speak proper English and be polite at the same time.   Frankie on the other hand says he can't remember his past. That's convenient. 

High School English teacher in the house. PREACH!!!!!!!! 

[SuprSuprElevated]

1 hour ago, Toonces464 said:

Is anyone else still baffled about how one goes from Jenna Johnson to Amber Rose back to Jenna Johnson? LOL

Val dated Amber Rose?  Eeks.

[boyznkatz]

13 minutes ago, Andie1 said:

I think it's refreshing to hear a millennial speak proper English and be polite at the same time.   Frankie on the other hand says he can't remember his past. That's convenient. 

I agree, I would just like to know more about him on a personal level. A lot of child actors are guarded when they give interviews.

I don't really know anything about Frankie except what we see on the show. Other than Lindsey and Jordan, there are no other strong dancers. Frankie and TO are at least entertaining, so I would pick them for third and fourth place. Drew is by far the worst dancer. I don't really mind Victoria per se. She is better than Drew, but I really don't want to hear sob story again.

Edited November 1, 2017 by boyznkatz

[Andie1]

4 minutes ago, Bridget said:

High School English teacher in the house. PREACH!!!!!!!! 

It is a sad world when speaking properly is somehow considered not being genuine.  

[Bridget]

2 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

I remember thinking she seemed a bit awkward when she first started, but eh, that's to be expected with a new gig, right? I like her, too, though. I think she's got a good rapport with Bergeron, and she seems nice and clearly loves her job. I like the way she can joke around with the contestants, too.

If Erin can handle Mischa Barton having a temper tantrum on live TV with ease, then Erin is hands down, the bee's knees.

I swear I didn't mean to rhyme!

Erin seems to put everyone at ease with natural humor and always knows just what to say.

(And your comment in your post about being friends with Bergeron-he would be fun to hang out with, wouldn't he :)? He seems like a really chill, cool, nice guy. I like how he's so levelheaded and calm no matter what craziness is going on on the show.)

One of my favorite parts during the season is the Dress Rehearsal Blooper Reels when I know Tommy B and Erin are having the time of their lives. I really do love them together. 

Is it lame that I shed a few tears when Tom went into "Dad Mode" and sat down with Lindsey after her dance? His character is EVERYTHING.

That's really cool. I'm glad you get to work with such a valuable organization, too. I've no doubt it's got to be very rewarding work for all involved, and I'm glad people like you and the organization are there to help those who need it. 

I encourage everyone here to Google their website and watch the videos of what they do there. What many people don't know is that patients move from ALL over the country to a beachside city in San Diego County. Parents (rightfully) uproot their entire families and move here to get the therapy and help needed for their loved one to make as much progress as much as possible.

Welcome to the boards! Look forward to reading more of your thoughts :).

Thank you very much. I look forward to posting my two cents, or Todd Chrisley's Whole Dollar, going forward!