 |
| © ABC |
By Kim Krober
It was Semi-Finals Night on Dancing with the Stars. The first round was the Redemption Round, during which each couple was given the chance to redeem a previous dance the judges felt could have benefited from more precision or traditional dance content. The second round was a regular round of competition. Rather than experiencing the usual pang of sadness, I'm almost relieved that the competition will be over next week, as this season has felt exhausting to rally behind at times. Let's see how your favorites did during this tenth week of competition:
 |
| © ABC |
Lauren and Gleb were tasked by Len to redeem their Paso Doble. Set to Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger", their redemption Paso Doble was full of attack. Len felt it had a lovely mix of expression and aggression with improved shaping. Bruno admired the way Lauren handled all of the men in the routine, saying she looked more centered and so much stronger than the last time. Carrie Ann could tell how far she has come, saying she commands the dance floor now. Erin Andrews complimented her for owning her black velvet outfit, to which I would have to agree.
Score: 27
 |
| © ABC |
Kel and Witney were asked by Bruno to redeem their Tango to The Temptations' "Get Ready". I didn't care for the disjarring way Kel kept changing facial expressions between intense and fun-loving Kel. Bruno was proud of him though, saying he delivered on everything he asked, praising him for ejecting his personality into the dance. Carrie Ann admired the way he's become more refined in his movements and how he applies every criticism into making improvements. Len said it had an intensity he liked and he complimented Kel for really attacking the dance.
Score: 27
 |
| © ABC |
Ally and Sasha were asked by Len to improve their turns in the Viennese Waltz. Set to Ed Sheeran's "Perfect", it looked pretty perfect to me. Len thought it was wonderful with a lovely gentleness and better technique, saying she went from a caterpillar to a butterfly. Bruno enjoyed the emotion, saying it was a joy to watch. Carrie Ann commended her ability to convey so much emotion in the dance. It earned her two 10's and a 9 from Len.
Score: 29
 |
| © ABC |
Carrie Ann challenged Hannah and Alan to redeem their Rumba from Week Three, which failed to show enough hip action. I could appreciate how Hannah felt about the judges personally attacking her week after week. At times, their critiques did feel a bit harsh this season. Set to Sam Smith and Normani's "Dancing with a Stranger", it sparkled beyond just their outfits, as Hannah proved she has earned her spot in the Semi-Finals. Carrie Ann appreciated seeing Hannah's journey, saying she was more noticeably open in her movements. Len thought she married the hip and arm actions perfectly. Bruno said it worked for her, praising the serious body motion. It was another trio of 9's.
Score: 27
 |
| © ABC |
Len tasked James and Emma to improve their Cha-Cha from Week Two, which marked his lowest score of the competition. Len told him to cut out the gimmicks and concentrate on the dance moves. Set to "Canned Heat" from Jamiroquai, James' redemption Cha-Cha was a lot of fun with a disco vibe. Len didn't seem to love the routine ... he apparently felt it still had too many gimmicks. Bruno called it a disco Cha-Cha extravaganza, but he noticed James was off the beat. Carrie Ann felt it was entertaining, although she thought his posture was broken during the dance. Why did the judges suddenly throw a trio of 8's at the show's clear front-runner?
Score: 24
Round Two
 |
| © ABC |
Set to "Humble and Kind" by Tim McGraw, Lauren's Viennese Waltz illustrated why she deserves to be in the Semi-Finals. Her pink dress and movements were absolutely gorgeous. Len thought it was elegant and graceful, while Bruno called it classy and sophisticated with a sizzling chemistry. Carrie Ann said they had become one and admired Lauren for growing up and blossoming in this competition.
Score: 27
 |
| © ABC |
Set to Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You", Kel's Contemporary was dedicated to the memory of one of his close childhood friends whose life was cut short by gun violence. Contemporary dances are always full of raw energy and emotion, and Kel did not disappoint. Bruno called it pure art with fluid lifts and a sincerity about it. Carrie Ann was brought to tears by the riveting storytelling. Len did something truly surprising and gave Kel a standing ovation without any words. Unsurprisingly, he earned a perfect score for his Contemporary.
Score: 30
 |
| © ABC |
Set to "Sing, Sing, Sing" by Benny Goodman, Ally and Sasha's Charleston was full of swing. I'll never understand why she's been in the bottom two so many times this season, as she's clearly one of the best dancers on the show. Carrie Ann praised it for being an in-sync show-stopper, while Len said it was fun, fabulous, and joyful with lots of Charleston references. Bruno called it a tonic for the spirit with elements of swing, Lindy Hop, and classic Hollywood musicals. It was another amazing bit of choreography on Sasha's part and another perfect score from the judges.
Score: 30
 |
| © ABC |
I had a feeling James' bad news was going to be that he and his wife, Kimberly, lost the baby they were expecting, but it didn't stop my heart from pouring out tears on his behalf after they confirmed that suspicion in his package. Dancing a Foxtrot to "Take Me to Church" by Hozier, James dedicated his dance to his wife for pushing him out on the dance floor this week, saying, "When there are no words, you dance." Len admired his ability to come out and dance with so much feeling, with Bruno echoing the sentiment and praising his flow and lines. Carrie Ann said she felt silly for talking about his posture after everything he was going through but wanted to compliment him for it anyway. He may not have been at the top of his game, but I still think he has the heart of a champion. He didn't deserve to be at the bottom of the leader board this week.
Score: 27
 |
| © ABC |
Dancing a Contemporary routine to "Lose You to Love Me" by Selena Gomez, Hannah was able to channel a lot of emotion for one of her best dances this season. Bruno liked the wonderful dynamic with the lifts and drops. Carrie Ann loved seeing the trust between Hannah and her partner. Len admitted he doesn't normally like Contemporary dances, but he felt this was a great dance with a real connection between the couple. It was a great end - or maybe a beginning - to her journey.
Score: 27
 |
| © ABC |
Ally earned her spot in the Finals so I'm not upset by the judges' decision, but James also deserved to be there. He may not have had the best week, but he was dealt some of the most heartbreaking news a person can be given and still came out and gave it his all. No disrespect to any of the other couples, but this was the final straw that broke the camel's back. I think I need a break from this show. I'm torn between rooting for Kel & Witney and rooting for Ally & Sasha next week, but in my heart of hearts, James & Emma deserved to be in that third spot duking it out for the Mirror Ball Trophy and you're never going to convince me otherwise. Any win is going to feel a bit empty now.
No comments:
Post a Comment