DWTS has its first drama of the season during Week Two
by Kim Krober
With the first elimination of the season lurking just around the corner, the celebrities and their pro partners were justifiably starting to feel the pressure. Drama unfolded as it was revealed The Bachelorette star Kaitlyn Bristowe sustained an ankle injury before the show went live and producers were unsure if she would dance (she inevitably did, but it was drawn out to the surprise of no one). Carole Baskin's blubbering was understandable due to the controversy surrounding the commercial that aired during last week's premiere. Derek and Bruno looked pretty in pink, but Tyra failed to impress me again in a hideous sparkly black-and-gold ensemble. However, my interest was piqued when Tyra let it slip that next week is Disney Night. I can't wait to see everyone's costumes!
Let's take a look at how your favorites did on this second week of competition:
Nev Schulman & Jenna Johnson, Cha-Cha
I admire that Nev was able to turn the most embarrassing experience in his life into something rewarding. Equally rewarding was his colorful, dynamite-fueled Cha-Cha. Derek called it a solid performance to open the show. Bruno teased him about his lack of manscaping but admired his nimble footwork and mind-boggling gyrations. Carrie Ann commended him for the placement of his hands and arms. Tyra made things awkward when she said if it wasn't for social distancing guidelines, she'd be touching his manscaping.
Score: 21
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Skai Jackson & Alan Bersten, Samba
Skai channeled her inner strength and outer beauty with a Samba set to Ne-Yo's "Miss Independent". What started out smoothly ended up with several missteps. Bruno told her she's precise with plenty of talent and to pluck up her spirits for next week. Carrie Ann admired her confidence but cautioned her about being too "salutish" with her arms. Derek said a setback only sets you up for a comeback. Hopefully, Skai comes back even stronger next week.
Score: 15
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Johnny Weir & Britt Stewart, Tango
A Johnny Tango set to Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" was not quite as perfect as it sounds, although I loved their costumes and his intensity. Carrie Ann praised him for being so into the dance, but she noted his footwork isn't as polished as it could be. Derek loves Johnny Gaga but cautioned him about his frame. Bruno said he needs to get more staccato in his dance.
Score: 18
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Justina Machado & Sasha Farber, Foxtrot
Justina continued to impress with her stunning Foxtrot set to The Prince of Egypt's "When You Believe." Derek gushed about her natural beauty and fluid movements. Bruno admired her honest quality, saying she dances from the heart and embraces everybody watching. Carrie Ann complimented her for transporting her to a happy place and Sasha for such great choreography. I was a little surprised she ended up with three 7's after so much praise.
Score: 21
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Monica Aldama & Val Chmerkovskiy, Jive
The Jive is a tough dance because of the amount of energy required, but Monica was in good form with a swinging bubble gum Jive set to Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off." Bruno said her cheerleading qualities benefited her this week but noted the timing wasn't quite right. Carrie Ann loved seeing her more relaxed but pointed out a lift that subtracted a point from her score. Derek said he enjoyed it, calling it playful and bubbly. With two 5's and a 6, the judges certainly can't be accused of giving out high scores too early this season.
Score: 16
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AJ McLean & Cheryl Burke, Foxtrot
I know I threw a little N*SYNC shade at AJ last week, but he is one of the stronger competitors this season. I liked his sultry Foxtrot to Dean Martin's "Ain't That a Kick in the Head." He looked very debonair in his ultra-shiny suit. Carrie Ann said he was smooth as silk, while Derek called him a showman bringing so much joy to the stage. Bruno said the Rat Pack would be proud of AJ's pizzazz, although he thought parts of it were a bit choppy.
Score: 19
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Anne Heche & Keo Motsepe, Foxtrot
Anne made me laugh when she talked about not embarrassing her kids live on TV. She may be more than a little odd, but her Foxtrot to OneRepublic's "Counting Stars" was an admirable effort for week two. Derek enjoys the relationship between Anne and Keo but thought the energy up top didn't quite translate to her legs. Bruno was swept away by their connection and content. Carrie Ann loved the trust in Anne's eyes, saying she sees true performance growth.
Score: 18
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Nelly & Daniella Karagach, Cha-Cha
Nelly is 45!? I guess that makes sense, but it makes me feel old. He didn't look it as he Cha-Chaed to Earth, Wind & Fire's "Let's Groove." Bruno complimented his natural musicality, although he said he needed to articulate the Cuban motion through his feet better. Carrie Ann could tell he practiced his routine a lot, but she noted he needs to drop his shoulders more. Derek admired his impeccable timing and attention to detail. I loved that he had custom dance shoes made to look like sneakers after the judge's comments about his footwear last week.
Score: 18
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Chrishell Stause & Gleb Savchenko, Rumba
Chrishell admitted to America that she still has some work to do, but was it enough to keep her around a third week? I absolutely love The Greatest Showman soundtrack, so I enjoyed the song choice of "This Is Me." It was a well-timed Rumba to capture her raw spirit and energy on the ballroom floor. Carrie Ann and Derek commended her for dancing from her heart with passion. Bruno called her a bombshell, saying she had beautiful lines and shapes. I think she had the biggest comeback of the night.
Score: 18
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Charles Oakley & Emma Slater, Cha-Cha
Charles seemed to be more in his element with a soulful Cha-Cha set to Luther Vandross' "Shine" this week. Derek called his jacket fire, saying it was a huge improvement. Bruno thanked him for bringing the chili this week. Carrie Ann told him to watch his focus and perform like he's dancing for everyone in the audience individually. He went from a trio of 4's to 5's, but was it enough improvement to keep him in this competition?
Score: 15
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Jesse Metcalfe & Sharna Burgess, Foxtrot
Dancing an ethereal Foxtrot to Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams," Jesse and Sharna remain one of my favorite couples to watch on the dance floor. That sparkly moon and starry backdrop were stunning. Bruno called him Mr. Dreamy, but told him to watch his posture, bum, and footwork. Carrie Ann said it was smooth and elegant, while Derek just told him good job (joking about being cut off with his critiques nearly every time throughout the night, which did get annoying).
Score: 20
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Jeannie Mai & Brandon Armstrong, Cha-Cha
I don't know why Jeannie's mother was so harsh about her premiere performance, as I thought she was one of the standouts. Her second-week Cha-Cha sizzled. Carrie Ann and Derek both enjoy her charisma, energy, and wildness. Bruno loves that she's starting to play with her partner, admiring how they work off one another so well.
Score: 18
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Carole Baskin & Pasha Pashkov, Viennese Waltz
Carole opened up about the negative media attention stemming from the Tiger King documentary, saying how much it has affected her relationship with her daughter. I maybe could've taken her Viennese Waltz more seriously if it wasn't set to Tom Jones' "What's New Pussycat?" I know that's a producer's decision and not Carole's, but it further perpetuates the spectacle pageantry feel, especially with that over-the-top rose-studded, cat portrait backdrop and their glitzy gold costumes befitting of crazy cat lady royalty. Derek noted it was a big improvement from last week, saying he was impressed. Bruno said her performance was shining, while Carrie Ann said it suited her purr-fectly. It was definitely a better effort than week one, and her scores reflected her perseverance.
Score: 16
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Vernon Davis & Peta Murgatroyd, Paso Doble
Vernon's Paso Doble to Rhianna's "We Found Love" was anything but hopeless, although maybe it wasn't perfect. Bruno loved his power, determination, and strength but warned him about working on the shaping. Derek admired the stoic approach, while Carrie Ann told him to tap into a bigger performance quality.
Score: 18
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Kaitlyn Bristowe & Artem Chigvintsev, Foxtrot
It's always hard to gauge how bad an injury is from home, but Kaitlyn seemed okay during her Foxtrot to Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance." Seriously good pain meds, strong determination, or someone wanting a sympathy vote? Hard to say. Carrie Ann called it an elegant performance. Derek loved to see her reclaiming the dancer from within, saying it was effortless and beautiful. Bruno complimented her on the classical ballerina feel and for being able to fill the space. Injured or not, she topped the leader board this week.
Score: 22
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I was a little confused about how voting works this season. Apparently, it's open during the live show and ends just before the last commercial break (I didn't get to vote because I didn't realize this beforehand, and if you're on the West Coast, you're still out of luck getting your voice heard). The first elimination of the season revealed Carole & Pasha and Charles & Emma were in jeopardy. It was then up to the judges to determine which couple would be going home. Carrie Ann voted to save Carole, while Bruno voted to save Charles. It came down to Derek to quickly break the tie, and he also voted to save Carole. I was sad to see Charles and Emma go home, but I think the right decision was made based on their combined performances from both weeks. How did your favorites fare this week?
Dancing With the Stars airs Mondays at 8:00 PM on ABC.
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