Nastia (Derek) & Sasha - Review of DWTS Season 20, Week 07

DWTS Season 20, Week 07

REVIEW:  Nastia (Derek) & Sasha

Nastia (Derek) & Sasha:

Nastia Liukin, and her "fill-in", Professional partner, Sasha Farber, danced an exciting, modern-style Charleston to "Honey, I'm Good" (love, love, LOVE that song!) by Andy Grammer.

Nastia & Sasha Dance a "Modern" Charleston wk07

I gotta say, when the show announced that Derek Hough was down and out for the count and would not be able to dance with Nastia, I was a little more than panicked, but now in hindsight, it's clear that I had absolutely nothing to worry about!

I simply adored this routine, and Sasha did so wonderfully with stepping in as partner in place of Derek!

Derek:  What are Y'all talkin' about?  I'm totaly fine!

Nastia:  You are?! Really?!
Sasha:  Ooo ... that's not a good idea.
Derek:  I'm fine!  Now c'mon, let's dance!               

Derek:  Whoa!  That kinda hurts!  On second thought ...

Sasha:  Yeah, you better sit down, buddy. 

Derek: Hey!  I know!  You dance with Sasha!
Nastia: You're kidding.
Sasha: I could do that.
Nastia: You are kidding, right?!                   

Derek: < joining Nastia's and Sasha's hands > C'mon, it'll be great! 

Sasha: Swell!

Nastia: Fine!

Derek: Get out there and knock 'em dead!

The fun, zany, and driving choreography was brilliantly placed in a Subway setting, where Derek was free to "dance" along with Nastia and Sasha from a convenient sitting position, and the live, singing performance from Andy Grammer during the dance was the ultimate cherry on top (and I loved watching Derek join in the singing near the end of the number)!

Andy Grammer in the ballroom!
DWTS Season 20, Week 07 - Eras Night

Nastia & Sasha Dance a "Modern" Charleston
DWTS Season 20, Week 07 - Eras Night

Really I enjoyed this routine so much I could just go on and on about how great it was; but, on to the matter of Nastia's dancing of it:  For the first time since her joining the show, I found the judges' scoring of this dance to be - now brace yourselves! - a tad too generous.

It's shocking, I know, but true ... While overall Nastia's dancing was very good and gymnastically athletic, her Charleston was, in fact, (surprisingly) heavy-footed, and the discomfort and uneasiness she felt about dancing with Sasha instead of Derek was there for all to see.

" ... and the discomfort and uneasiness she felt about dancing
 with Sasha instead of Derek was there for all to see."

It greatly pains me to say it, but I think this dance deserved all "9"s, and not any "10"s.

That being said, the routine as a whole (thanks, mostly, to the ever ingenious Derek) was very enjoyable.

<Whew!> We did It!

See below for ABC's DWTS YouTube video of Patti & Artem's Season 20, Week 06, Quickstep!