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| © ABC |
By Kim Krober
Dancing with the Stars didn't seem to have a theme this week, other than each contestant had to dance their usual round followed by a special dance-off with another competitor. I think I was more excited about the Frozen II and The Little Mermaid Live! previews than any of the dances this week, but maybe that was just me. Let's see how your favorites did during this eighth week of competition:
Sean Spicer & Lindsay Arnold, Jazz
I felt bad for Lindsay who couldn't compete this week because her mother-in-law passed away unexpectedly. Jenna was available to fill in for her for a Jazz routine with Sean set to Styx's "Come Sail Away" that was more campy than anything else. Len hit the nail on the head when he remarked how the judges keep trying to throw him out of the boat, but the viewers keep throwing him a life preserver. He made me laugh when he said the mermaid had better footwork than Sean. Bruno said Dory in Finding Nemo has a better sense of direction, while Carrie Ann said what I've been saying for weeks: he looks like he's doing the same dance week after week. However, she complimented him for learning to dance with someone new, and so quickly. He gave it his best ... I think. It was enough to earn two 7's and a 6. Maybe if the judges could refrain from being so snarky, Sean would stop getting sympathy votes. Just a thought, as this train wreck goes on and on and on...
Score: 20
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Lauren and Gleb's Jive to "Hound Dog" by Elvis was everything I could have asked for and more. Her dress was adorable! The Jive suited her bubble gum personality perfectly and came at a pivotal moment for her in the competition. Bruno said it was an authentic performance with a bright, optimistic '50s feel fit for The King ... except for a few mistakes. Carrie Ann noted she looked to be in her power, but she pointed out that she had a major setback. Len said she deserves to stay in this competition and he hoped it won't be a Heartbreak Hotel moment later. Even with a seemingly flawed performance, she still received three 8's. I loved it, but I'm not as picky as the judges.
Score: 24
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Kel and Witney brought the nostalgic factor with a Hip Hop Salsa set to Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It". I can't begin to speculate how many times I used to listen to that song on repeat in the '90s. Kel also took Witney to see the set of the new All That, which he is an executive producer on. Carrie Ann loved watching him as a leading man, calling it "all that and a bag of chips". Len told him he was on a roll with plenty of junk in the trunk, saying he was large and in charge. Bruno complimented him for being the main attraction, which isn't easy to do when you come out with several dancers from the troupe in tow. The first 10 of the season went to Kel (courtesy of Bruno)!
Score: 28
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Ally got to do something not many on DWTS get to do - dance a Paso Doble to her own song "Higher" and give back to her alma mater. I thought the opening with her singing felt a little long, but it was a nice touch to a routine that was on fire. Len said it was a mix of good technique and high performance. Bruno called her "Miss Silver Lightning", saying it was a Paso Doble full of beauty, power, and artistry. Carrie Ann complimented her for being a superstar and for commanding all of the ballroom's attention. It was the first perfect score of the season for Ally. Long overdue?
Score: 30
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| © ABC |
Hannah admitted she has felt disconnected to the dance and herself in a moment of truth before taking Alan back to Sweet Home Alabama to reconnect with her roots. Was her Quickstep to Tom Petty's "American Girl" enough to keep her around in the competition? Bruno said it was a game-changer, admiring her footwork and command of the floor. Carrie Ann hugged Hannah, praising her for letting her true self shine in the "comeback of the season". Len admired the clarity, calling it a fabulous dance. Two 10's and a 9 from the judges? Maybe Hannah will come out of her shell more often now.
Score: 29
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Kate dedicated her fun and fancy-free Jive to Linda Ronstadt's "Heat Wave" to her sister Nancy who passed recently and who was a huge Ronstadt fan. I enjoy watching her progress in this competition. Carrie Ann felt the celebration of her sister's life, saying she was smiling down upon Kate. Len said the two of them are an absolute joy to watch every week, but he admitted it wasn't Kate's best dance. Bruno loved the clever choreography and the playfulness of the steps, though he did notice she was out of step a few times. Kate found herself in the middle of the pack again.
Score: 24
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| © ABC |
Because James and Emma have the highest cumulative score this season, it was revealed they weren't going to participate in the dance-off round (fair). Set to Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'", his Contemporary was absolutely brilliant. Len likened it to a good book with something for everyone to hold their interest from start to finish, saying to expect a happy ending. Bruno admired the emotion driving the motion, saying the fluidity of the lifts was flawless. Carrie Ann also praised the lift that was executed with finesse and beauty, calling it pure artistry in motion. James finally received a well-deserved perfect score (I don't understand how the judges held out this long)!
Score: 30
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| © ABC |
A Jive to Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" seemed to be evenly matched between Kel and Ally, though I was more entertained by Kel. Len thought it was fantastic, calling it a "Jive to survive" with fast, full-on footwork. Bruno said it was almost impossible to call because they both had a lot of content and personality. Carrie Ann said they didn't make their job easy. That was one of the more difficult dance-offs to judge! Carrie Ann and Bruno both picked Kel, while Len was the sole holdout for Ally.
Winner: Kel
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| © ABC |
Sean thinking he could "crush" anybody really gave me a good chuckle. They had their work cut out for them with a Cha-Cha set to "Gonna Make You Sweat" by C + C Music Factory. I think the producers strategically handed an extra two points to keep Kate in this competition after her bottom two scare last week. Bruno said it was very entertaining, noting that someone grabbed his attention and someone noticeably improved. Carrie Ann had respect for one couple doing the Cha-Cha, while she said the other couple had fun faking it. Len thought both couples did a good Cha-Cha with plenty of hip action and movement. It was unanimously Kate!
Winner: Kate
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| © ABC |
"The Battle of the Southern Belles" was another even match. Dancing a Salsa to "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" by Gloria Estefan, I couldn't even proclaim a winner so I didn't envy the judges. Carrie Ann called it a girl fight with the A game brought out, especially amazing considering neither of these couples had danced the Salsa yet. Len said it was fantastic and he wished he could award them both the same points. Bruno had steam coming out of his ears as he praised them both for being sexy. It was unanimously Hannah!
Winner: Hannah
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