S18.E09: Week 9 : The Semi-Finals

[OakGoblinFly]

I think Charlie has enormous "sparkle" himself, maybe not "star-quality" sparkle, but All American sparkle.  Sharna remains somewhat of an enigma.

 

 

I think Charlie has lots of star-quality, charisma, and tons of sparkle.  Out of all the contestants this season, I would love to have lunch with Charlie and Candace and maybe Danica.  

[realdancemom]

But back to Derek and Amy, I saw that comment and to support my point that the viewers are the ones guilty of making it all about Derek rather than him overshadowing Amy and her getting lost, take a look at the last few pages of the General Gabbery thread. It was two - three pages of "DWTS/ABC/the universe is all about Derek, he gets away with everything, none of his celebs dance, he's not actually choreographing the dance, the producers are kissing his ass, etc. etc." So when it feels like one does not know much about Amy it may be because time is spent on boards where the comments focus on her PRO rather than on her.

My first post on this forum but I have posted on TWP.  On this, I see it both ways.  I agree that some people think the show is all about Derek and it's not.  There was footage of Amy;s journey and the things she had to overcome.  There was also the boyfriend thing which I didn't need to see.

 

However, when it comes to the judging, it was either mostly about Derek and his choreography or how Amy is so inspiring.  I agree with both things but I didn't need to hear that every week.  It would have been nice if they got more constructive criticism.

[CED9]

That is why, I wish Amy's packages were more often about how the different prosthetic feet worked for each style of dance. The judges would've then been better equipped to offer constructive criticism. I know there were probably several times that Derek told Amy they would probably be docked points (the waltz, the AT, I think Derek expected to be docked more for their Quickstep for exactly what Len said) and they would've been fine with that. What I take issue with is those who take that out on Amy via her social media accounts, than who they should be taking that out on, the judges.

[galax-arena]

Well, it'd probably help if the judges didn't gush over how he was redefining choreography for the new generation for a dance that really didn't merit that sort of fawning. 

[kitcloudkicker]

Well, it'd probably help if the judges didn't gush over how he was redefining choreography for the new generation for a dance that really didn't merit that sort of fawning. 

 

To be fair, though, that was Kenny Ortega, and I took that as a compliment on Derek's entire body of work, maybe one he had been saving up for a while. (I do, also, find it a little funny that before the show I saw nothing but praise for Kenny Ortega as finally someone well respected for his knowledge about dance - until he compliments Derek, and then - what does he know?!) Whatever you think of Derek, it seems he's earned the respect of a lot of people in the dance world. Should people focus their critiques solely on Amy? Probably, but I don't know how Derek can change that. I get the feeling he's not long for the show anyway, I don't know how the dude keeps up with all the things he does. 

Edited May 16, 2014 by kitcloudkicker

[TeeM]

I think a lot of this angst about Derek vs Maks overtaking the actual competition which is Meryl vs Amy comes down to the fact that the show has been on so long and now the pros are sometimes more well know than the "stars" which can be problematic. I know the producers would never do it, but the only way to get things back to the way the show worked in the first few season would be to basically change out all the pros. Once you get rid of Tony and Maks and Derek and Cheryl, etc and replace them with a bunch of Witneys and Lindseys and Glebs, the focus goes back on the "stars" at least temporarily. Of course, this would likely be a ratings disaster since the pros now have followings of their own but it would sort of even the playing field again. I do wonder how a "star" feels when they walk into rehearsal on the first day to find they've been assigned to a newbie pro. 

[Hybiscus]

But back to Derek and Amy, I saw that comment and to support my point that the viewers are the ones guilty of making it all about Derek rather than him overshadowing Amy and her getting lost, take a look at the last few pages of the General Gabbery thread. It was two - three pages of "DWTS/ABC/the universe is all about Derek, he gets away with everything, none of his celebs dance, he's not actually choreographing the dance, the producers are kissing his ass, etc. etc." So when it feels like one does not know much about Amy it may be because time is spent on boards where the comments focus on her PRO rather than on her.

 

Sorry, maybe I didn't make myself clear.  This is the only season I've watched DWTS and will likely ever watch, so I have absolutely nothing invested in the pros.

 

I didn't mean that "everything is about Derek."  It's more that the judges comment and compliment his choreography when the focus should be on Amy.  Yes, they do complement Amy, and deservedly (to a degree).  But no other pro has been consistently praised for choreography.  Tony was once, Maks maybe a couple times.  Was Sharna ever?  (I don't remember.)  But it seems to have become a weekly thing with Derek, and in a way, it takes away from Amy's accomplishments.  (I still stand by my statement that the MSOD is egotistical beyond words.)

 

I'm curious, have other seasons been as contentious as this one?  It's almost like I'm reading Supernatural thread on "that other board." :0

[Glaadrial]

(I do, also, find it a little funny that before the show I saw nothing but praise for Kenny Ortega as finally someone well respected for his knowledge about dance - until he compliments Derek, and then - what does he know?!) 

I find it perfectly natural to look forward to hearing what a dance professional with a respectable body of work has to offer and then changing my mind when his commentary adds nothing too insightful. The compliment for Derek was somewhat over the top but the more egregious compliment that made me go "huh?" was comparing what Candace and Mark did to Ann Reinking (and to a lesser extent Shirley Maclaine). I've seen Ann Reinking doing Fossesque and what we saw was no where near or even evocative of that. Even professional dancers today cannot move the way they did when they were dancing for Fosse. I'll give KO props, however, for not bringing up Gwen Verdon & Chita Rivera.

[bearcatfan]

I read somewhere that Derek is a producer of the show. Is that true and if so, is he the only pro that is a producer? If it's true and he's the only one, that is an enormous conflict of interest. It may very well be that someone can be a producer and not be shown favoritism but it sure looks bad. It's only a tv show but they can't expect people to believe that the judging is objective.

 

In one of the post show interviews Sharna was talking about how much fun they had during rehearsals. She said they were always joking around and laughing. It seems to me there would have been plenty to show if they went that route.

[truthaboutluv]

I have never heard of Derek being a producer on the show, anywhere but on discussion boards. The only title the show has referenced him as having, is Executive Director for the Macys Stars of Dance.

I'm curious, have other seasons been as contentious as this one? It's almost like I'm reading Supernatural thread on "that other board." :0

Yes. You should have been around the season Bristol Palin was on. Also it has gotten more viscous IMO, the more that Derek has won.

Was Sharna ever? (I don't remember.) But it seems to have become a weekly thing with Derek, and in a way, it takes away from Amy's accomplishments. (I still stand by my statement that the MSOD is egotistical beyond words.)

I'm not sure if your question about other pros being praised is only based on this season or in general but I will say that yes, the pros get praised for their choreography and hard work. Carrie Ann especially tends to tell a pro nice job if she really loved a performance and this season she has seemed to package Meryl and Maks as one in her praise for them.

A lot of the most effusive praise Derek has gotten has only been in the recent weeks and those were by the guest judges. As someone else noted, no matter what some boards feeling is about Derek, he is very popular and well respected in the dance world.

And I'm still not really sure how Amy is being dismissed and it's all about Derek. Bruno has fallen over himself calling her amazing every week, Carrie Ann glows about her and even grouchy Len is all smiles for her and has said how he just loves watching her dance. How is that not making it about her?

As for the MSOD, ymmv but it is no different to me than when the show still had pro numbers when they had a result show ( which I really miss) and the pros came up with numbers that they would be a part of. Once upon a time on this show half the pros had to create numbers for their celebrity and come up with dances for the Result Show night every week. That's why many talked about being exhausted when the season was over and why they'd get burned out with their creativity.

Edited May 17, 2014 by truthaboutluv

[Joystickenvy]

I googled it out of curiosity and found no mention of him being a producer either. The google suggestions for completing the search phrase "is Derek Hough...." were quite entertaining I must say.

[bearcatfan]

That's good although I can see how that rumor gets started when he is the only pro who is constantly praised for his choreography. Maybe they are praising him to make sure he comes back for another season because he is so popular. I've heard many people say that they watch for him, and not just on the message boards.

[Joystickenvy]

Show runners tend to overplay their hand when a character becomes popular and reality shows are no different. SYTYCD took several fan favorites and created a growing anti-fan base by over praising their choreo. Of course they often bafflingly praise some choreographers nobody ever liked, but I digress. Derek still has fans, but his popularity has taken a hit due to over-exposure and over-promotion. I never liked him much to begin with, but it's mostly for shallow reasons. Too short and too blonde and he has a hair lip.

I also think it's a part of the script to some extent. Maks is the bad boy. Mark is the rebellious prodigal son (tho not as much this year) and Derek is the golden boy. At least they are memorable. I don't watch the show every year and I often can't remember if I've seen some of the newer pros before or not.

[truthaboutluv]

Derek still has fans, but his popularity has taken a hit due to over-exposure and over-promotion.

 

 

Is that a fact though? Keep in mind that internet voices - the message boards and all that stuff often represents just a small sample of a show's viewership. There are many people who are casual viewers. The ones who watch the show, maybe even throw a couple of votes but actually don't post on message boards and/or read message boards. And so they're not immersed in all the debates, the grassy knoll theories, drama about what the producers do and don't do, etc. 

[Bitsy]

I told my sister I was watching DWTS for the first time this season.  She has only watched a handful of episodes over the years, and the first thing she said to me was, Derek Hough - which she pronounced "How" - shouldn't win again!  He ALWAYS wins!

 

I don't even know where she got that from, but I think it's a pretty widespread meme.

[crowceilidh]

Finally got a moment to watch the MSOD.  I wish Derek didn't front and centre himself, but it was a good fun dance.  Who were the dancers with the brooms?  Was one of them Will Wingfield?

[tarotx]

Finally got a moment to watch the MSOD.  I wish Derek didn't front and centre himself, but it was a good fun dance.  Who were the dancers with the brooms?  Was one of them Will Wingfield?

Yes :)

 

Stephen tWitch Boss Verified account

‏@official_tWitch

Shout out to @ChrisLXD @derekhough @JKell30 @TheGldnChld @WitneyCarson for last nights #DWTS Macys number

Edited May 17, 2014 by tarotx

[crowceilidh]

Thank you.  Now THERE's a dancer I want to see on my TV all the time. Such a shame I can't really see him clearly on youtube...

[Hybiscus]

Derek still has fans, but his popularity has taken a hit due to over-exposure and over-promotion. I never liked him much to begin with, but it's mostly for shallow reasons. Too short and too blonde and he has a hair lip.

 

Whaaaat?  Do you mean he has hair on his lip?  This is meant to be funny/silly, yes?  I've not noticed a "cleft lip" (the clinical term), and I'm somewhat trained, having been a speech pathology major.  The comment just startled me, and I want to make sure I interpret it correctly.

Edited May 17, 2014 by goinggone

[Bitsy]

My only problem with either of the Houghs is their eyebrows.  Derek's are way too big and tend to give him a creepy look, Julianne's are too big and way too dark.

 

My #1 shallow pro complaint is that Cheryl's mouth is ALWAYS hanging open and it is so annoying.

[radishcake]

Whaaaat?  Do you mean he has hair on his lip?  This is meant to be funny/silly, yes?  I've not noticed a "cleft lip" (the clinical term), and I'm somewhat trained, having been a speech pathology major.  The comment just startled me, and I want to make sure I interpret it correctly.

I think that might be a typo for hairy lip but can you pm me where you found this quote because I missed it somehow.

[Joystickenvy]

I think that might be a typo for hairy lip but can you pm me where you found this quote because I missed it somehow.

I was referring to the scraggly hair on his lip that isn't quite a mustache. I've never heard that term as a synonym for cleft lip and that's not something I would joke about. I had to Google it and that doesn't even make sense, at least not spelled "hair."

[radishcake]

That's what I thought @Joystickenvy, I missed the original comment but spelling it hair indicated "scraggly hair on upper lip not fit to call a mustache" to me.

[Hybiscus]

I was referring to the scraggly hair on his lip that isn't quite a mustache. I've never heard that term as a synonym for cleft lip and that's not something I would joke about. I had to Google it and that doesn't even make sense, at least not spelled "hair."

 

That's what I thought Joystickenvy, I missed the original comment but spelling it hair indicated "scraggly hair on upper lip not fit to call a mustache" to me.

 

HA!  Actually,Joystickenvy, now that I've read some of your other posts (had read some before, obviously) but hadn't put name to post), I now recognize your enjoyable sense of humor.  :-)

[jhlipton]

As with others, my problem is this being the Derek Hough show. Derek is a great choreoghrapher -- he does design amazing dances, But all of them are about putting Derek Hough first, the the Macy's Derek Dances With Other People. He is constantly over-scored, just as he was with the table dance (it might fit the description of "dance", but everyone else actually moves across the floor. If Amy has trouble with any of the dances, then either state flat out that she's going to be judged on what she can do, don't say "we're not going to treat you differently than any one else".

I was truly hoping Amy was the one going home, not because I dislike her, but because I can't stand the preferential treatment given to Derek.