Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Dancing With the Stars S29E04: Top 13

DWTS' Top 13 Open Up About Special People in Their Lives
by Kim Krober

The 13 remaining contestants on Dancing with the Stars opened up about special people in their lives with many heartfelt dedicated dances this week. The PDA about judge's comments was an "interesting" way to open it in the absence of glitzy opening numbers, but it felt like a filler week to me. The most exciting revelation of the night is that next week's theme is '80s Night! Color me stoked to see what mega-hits they dance to and their fun costumes!

Let's take a look at how your favorites did on this fourth week of competition:

Nelly & Daniella Karagach, Paso Doble


Nelly's Paso Doble to DJ Khaled's "All I Do Is Win" wasn't show-stopping, but I do enjoy watching him move. Derek loved the "poppin' Paso" and seeing him bring his big guns out. Bruno admired his winning attitude, but he told him to continue to refine the artistry. Carrie Ann said it was the breakout performance she was looking for last week, although she noted that he still has room for improvement.

Score: 21

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Chrishell Stause & Gleb Savchenko, Foxtrot


Chrishell opened up about going through a very public divorce and freezing her eggs in the hopes of being a mom someday, which made me like her a little more two weeks in a row. She has peaked at the right time in this competition with a sultry Foxtrot set to "Adore You" by Harry Styles. Bruno said she is almost too hot to trot and it was good to see the role reversal between her and her partner, although he could tell she lost her footwork. Carrie Ann was proud of her for using her acting background to tell a story and said she grows a little more every week. Derek could tell she was more confident and comfortable on the dance floor, calling it her best performance to date.

Score: 22

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Monica Aldama & Val Chmerkovskiy, Samba


Monica opened up about how difficult it has been being the student and Val's need to be more empathetic to her struggles while being coached according to his standards of perfection. The result was the butterflies flying away and a fun, energetic Samba set to Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A." with not-so-subtle shout-outs to fellow contestants Nelly and AJ McLean in the doctored song lyrics. Carrie Ann could tell having "the talk" improved their partnership and chemistry, telling Monica she looked totally in control. Derek applauded Val for the wonderful content and for being open to hearing her feedback about his coaching. Bruno wanted to join their party, calling it a pure Samba with all the required steps. The Chmerkovskiy brothers are notorious for being perfectionists, but I think it's because they're so passionate about the dance.

Score: 24

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Anne Heche & Keo Motsepe, Paso Doble


Anne opened up about the harsh stigmas attached to coming out in Hollywood with Ellen DeGeneres in the 1990s. She came back stronger this week with a proud Paso Doble to Katy Perry's "Rise." I loved her rainbow costume. Derek called it a beautiful rainbow after the storm, noting how much she has progressed week to week. Bruno admired her courage, calling her a "Multi-Color Warrior" with her most focused performance to date. Carrie Ann loves watching her bright light and rooting for her every week. Anne received her highest scores with a trio of 7's.

Score: 21

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Nev Schulman & Jenna Johnson, Rumba


Nev dedicated his Rumba to Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me" to his wife because she's a huge Celine fan and she's also his biggest supporter. Rumbas always open up the contestants and their artistic expression, and it was another bout of perfection from Nev this week. Bruno likened it to a romantic dream set to music and complimented Nev for trimming his chest hair after his advice last week on the subject. Carrie Ann complimented him for adding poetry to the dance, saying the two were a vision together. Derek echoed that sentiment, calling it a beautiful Rumba.

Score: 24

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Justina Machado & Sasha Farber, Salsa


Justina opened up about her family's bravery to come to America from Puerto Rico and how much life has changed just within one generation, noting how many of them have become professors, doctors, and other noble professions. She dedicated her colorful Salsa to her grandmother's memory, which made me tear up. Carrie Ann said this was the first time everyone was on their feet. Derek admired her charisma and energy, saying it's always fun to watch her authenticity on the dance floor. Bruno told her she was on fire and that her hips don't lie - they scream.

Score: 24

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Kaitlyn Bristowe & Artem Chigvintsev, Viennese Waltz


Kaitlyn dedicated her expressive Viennese Waltz to Luke Comb's "Beautiful Crazy" to her boyfriend Jason Tartick, who was a fellow Bachelor/Bachelorette star. Derek complimented her for being so effortless and stunning, but he's looking forward to seeing a different style come out next week because she's only done ballroom dances so far and not any Latin ones. Bruno likened her dancing to a feather on the breeze. Carrie Ann loves love and praised her for the beautiful lyricism of her movements. She earned the first 9 of the season from Carrie Ann.

Score: 25

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Johnny Weir & Britt Stewart, Jive


Johnny dedicated his electric Jive to Elton John's "Crocodile Rock" to his mother, who is his biggest supporter and critic. I could watch him perform every night - it's always so effortless and enjoyable! Bruno said he turned his lights on at full beam, commending him for finally showing his true self. Carrie Ann called it a breakthrough performance, while Derek said it was refreshing to see his personality shine so bright on the dance floor.

Score: 24

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Jeannie Mai & Brandon Armstrong, Tango


The White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" was a perfect Tango choice for Jeannie! The only thing she opened up about was the fact that there's a betting pool of people against her, including her mom. Ouch, but really you didn't have anything more serious to talk about this week? Carrie Ann said she would never bet against Jeannie's fire and passion even though she had some missteps at the end. Derek praised her focus and determination. Bruno admires the way she can switch up her personality depending on the dance.

Score: 21

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Vernon Davis & Peta Murgatroyd, Rumba


Vernon dedicated his emotionally charged Rumba to Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" to his grandmother for saving the day and taking him in as a boy and raising him, along with all of his siblings. Derek said it brought him joy to see him dance a Rumba but cautioned him to watch his hands and arms. Bruno called his charisma natural and effortless, though he needs to use his back more than his shoulders to get the movements right. Carrie Ann said his momentum is magical with take-your-breath-away moments and poetry whenever he dances.

Score: 22

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Jesse Metcalfe & Sharna Burgess, Cha-Cha


"Smooth" by Carlos Santana is not one of my favorites, but it was a good Cha-Cha song choice for Jesse. He opened up about his comfort level behind the wheel of a vintage car, saying he needs some of that to translate to the dance floor. Bruno said he drives him crazy with having the right look and vibe, but he needs to push himself harder. Carrie Ann noted his musicality has improved, but she wants to see more of his natural ease and confidence in his dances. Derek applauded him for improving and cautioned him about staying behind the music rather than ahead of it. I think he looked smokin' in that outfit, although I would agree with the judges that something is still slightly missing from his performance quality.

Score: 21

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Skai Jackson & Alan Bersten, Foxtrot


Skai opened up about the death of fellow Disney Channel alum Cameron Boyce, who was tragically taken at the tender age of 20 last year. John Legend's "Ordinary People" was the perfect Foxtrot choice for Skai's heartfelt tribute to her fallen friend and mentor. Carrie Ann was blown away by the performance, telling her it was sheer perfection. Derek noted it was his favorite dance of the night, calling her a gorgeous ballroom dancer. Bruno said it was the embodiment of grace and elegance, admiring her poise despite her young age. The first 10 of the season and two 9's rightfully went to Skai after such an incredible and unforgettable dance. They should have ended the show on this high note.

Score: 28

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AJ McLean & Cheryl Burke, Cha-Cha


AJ's Cha-Cha was "Larger Than Life" thanks to a virtual performance with his fellow Backstreet Boys. It suddenly made sense why they saved this dance for last. It must be especially hard for an entertainer to be quarantined away from their stage family for so long when they really want to be out performing for their fans. Derek quipped the obvious "Backstreet's back, all right!" Bruno said it was a crowd-pleasing performance, although he lacked some of the Cha-Cha steps. Carrie Ann told him he's a natural entertainer, but she cautioned him about watching his elbows.

Score: 24

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We're getting to the stage where it becomes more difficult to watch contestants get eliminated after weeks of hard work and dedication. In a shocking twist of events, an error on the program told Monica and Val they were safe before calling them back out again to face being in jeopardy with Anne and Keo. In a unanimous decision, the judges saved Monica and Val. Anne went out on a high note and she can hold her head high, though I'm sure it never feels easy being eliminated on live TV. There were a couple of other couples I think she could have beaten, but I think the judges made the right decision in this case. I just want to know how such a big scoring flub occurred - there were three other couples they scared (including a visibly subdued Nelly) before calling out Monica and Val. How did your favorites fare this week? Are you looking forward to seeing another Derek Hough performance in two weeks?

Dancing With the Stars airs Mondays at 8:00 PM on ABC.

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