A Focus on the Finalist Part 01 (of 2) – DWTS, Season 22

A Focus on DWTS, Season 22’s

Fabulous Finalists

Season 22 of Dancing With The Stars saw several unforgettable moments and developments, turning sharply away from the familiar ease of the Program's stereotypical, biannual flow, and essentially rocking long established routines with the conveying of multiple history-making events: the gratifying return of the presumed retired Head Judge, Len Goodman, the Bismal Ballroom Departure of Glitter Dome Greats: Record-winning Pro (A gazillion times over!) and recent Reigning Mirror Ball Champion, Derek Hough, and his Sister, former-Pro-turned-Judge, Julianne Hough, and the elating crowning of DWTS' very first – and astonishingly incredible – Deaf Mirror Ball Champion, Nyle DiMarco, along with his supremely talented Pro Partner, Peta Murgatroyd, who joined the unique rank of only 6 other Professionals who have triumphantly hoisted the Mirror Ball Trophy more than once!
An uncharacteristically and staunchly Competitive 10 Week Atmosphere as well, Season 22 also saw the rapid rise – and eventual fall – of more than its fair share of Promising Mirror Ball Hopefuls, each one having been equipped with their own unique perspective on Dancing Know-how, and each with an equally great, exhilarating shot at winning the show's beloved Trophy, which acknowledgement brings this devoted dwtslover to another exciting and well-deserved installment of A Focus on the Finalists:

Ginger & Val:

Kicking off their topsy-turvy Season with a Fun and Fast Jive that was met with rave reviews from DWTS' Judging Panel, ABC's own high-hoofing Meteorologist, Ginger Zee, and her Professional Dancing Partner, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, were soon the talk of the Tabloids and the Toast of the Ballroom’s sequined Town, 

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 01

following up their successful first Act with a Week 02 Latin Night-inspired Samba, earning the elated Couple a noteworthy, verbal pat-on-the-back from the show's returning Head Judge, Len Goodman, who praised the Routine – and Val specifically – for its fullness of Content, also warning other Pros of the Ballroom to take heed and follow suit.

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 02

A Romantic Contemporary Routine would soon follow for Week 03’s Most Memorable Year Night, artistically telling the tale of Ginger’s Life, Love and eventual Marriage with her Husband,  Ben Aaron.

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 03

Week 04 saw a dramatic change in Judges' scores for the Duo, submitting a Fun yet Elegant, Beauty and the Beast-themed Foxtrot as part of Season 22’s Disney Night, tying the Couple at the head of the evening’s Leader Board with a scoring of all “9”s!

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 04

Disney Night

Switching things around for Week 05’s Switch Up Challenge, Ginger was paired – via Fan Votes – with 2-time Mirror Ball Champion and one of Season 22’s Front Runners,  Mark Ballas, submitting a High-energy, Hip-swiveling Salsa.

Ginger & Mark

DWTS Season 22, Week 05

- Switch-up Week

Reunited once more, TeamGinAndJuice then took on a “Nasty”,  Janet Jackson-inspired Jazz Number for Week 06’s Famous Dances Night, resulting in an unprecedented dip in the Judges' Approval.

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 06

- Famous Dances Night

Undaunted, however, Ginger and Val merely sprang right back again, taking home the Season's first Perfect Scoring of all 10’s from the Judges, duly earned with the dancing of their Beautifully Graceful and Emoting Viennese Waltz for Week 07 of the Competition!

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 07

- Icons Night

The ecstatic Couple then followed up their success with a Beyoncé-inspired, Guys-vs-Gals Team Freestyle!

Team Beyonce

DWTS Season 22, Week 07

- Icons Night - Team Dances

Week 08 saw Ginger and Val's second perfect score of the Season, earned for their immaculate Argentine Tango,

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 08

an indisputable success that was then followed up with their light and kooky, Judges Team Up Samba with Len Goodman and fellow Season 22 competitors, Wanya & Lindsay!

DWTS Season 22, Week 08

- Judges Team Up Challenge Round

Up next for this rapidly rising Duo were Season 22’s Spectacular Semifinals, during which Zee and Chmerkovskiy teamed up with DWTS Pro, Artem Chigvintsev, for a Dramatically-Designed Trio Dessert Paso Doble,

Ginger & Val with Artem

DWTS Season 22, Week 09

- Semifinals - Trio Round

followed up with a Formidably-Framed Firecracker of a Quickstep!

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 09

- Semifinals

Having made it to the Finals at long last, the surprising Team that was Ginger and Val seemed to deem this the best time for a look back over what had almost certainly been an exciting Season, Performing a Nostalgic Contemporary for Week 10’s Redemption Round

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 10

- The Finals, Night 01 - 

Redemption Round

before closing down their first night of DWTS' 2-night Finale with a 1940’s-themed, Fred and Ginger-inspired Freestyle, for which they earned their fourth and final Perfect score of the Season!

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 10

- The Finals, Night 01 - 

Freestyle Round

Submitting their last Performance for Night 02 of Season 22’s Finale, as well as their last Dance of the Competition, Ginger and Val closed down their whirlwind of a Season with the dancing of  a 24-hour Argentine Tango/Foxtrot Fusion!

Ginger & Val
DWTS Season 22, Week 10
- The Finals, Night 02

“… I’m so grateful for Val,” Ginger noted upon Placing 3rd overall for the Ballroom’s Competition, “and I’m so grateful for just the opportunity to be here! … Thank you all so much for having me!”

Ginger & Val, 24-hour Fusion – Review of DWTS Season 22, Week 10

DWTS Season 22, Week 10

REVIEW:  Ginger & Val,

24-hour Fusion

Winding down their Season's Tour of DWTS’ biannual Ballroom Competition to “Just Like Fire” by P!nk, Ginger Zee and her Pro Partner, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, presented their 24-hour Argentine Tango/Foxtrot Fusion.

Ginger & Val
DWTS Season 22, Week 10
- The Finals, Night 02 

And just like that, the Glitter Dome waves its “Byes” to its Dancing Meteorologist.

A stellar Performance overall, this Routine unfortunately suffered from only one minor flaw - in the form of what appeared to be a Forgetting of the Dance's Choreography - but was otherwise a fantastic end for this Forecasting Finalist!

Ginger & Val
DWTS Season 22, Week 10
- The Finals, Night 02

Fierce Frames, Fluid Lines, and Terrific Musicality could all be seen within this last Performance for TeamGinandJuice, enabling it to take its final bow in a most gratifying way!

Ginger & Val
DWTS Season 22, Week 10
- The Finals, Night 02 

“Well, I remember the first 3 Weeks of Dancing With The Stars, this Season,” noted Head Judge, Len Goodman, following the Dance, “ you got 7,7,7, and I thought, ‘ Ginger Zee will have to Grow or Go!’; and, after that, you’ve Grown and you’ve Flown! … Now, you’ve done something tonight - we’re all Dancers and Ex Dancers – [that] everyone has done, just lost the Routine a little bit; but, I tell you what, Ginger, you are a fantastic Dancer!”



See video (below) to watch Ginger & Val's Argentine tango/Foxtrot on Week 10, The Finals of DWTS, courtesy of Dancing With The Stars' great YouTube channel!  

Ginger & Val, Freestyle – Review of DWTS Season 22, Week 10

DWTS Season 22, Week 10

REVIEW:  Ginger & Val,

Freestyle

Performing a Freestyle (?) Dance to “Orange Colored Sky” by Nat King Cole, Ginger Zee and her Pro Partner, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, presented their (in my opinion) Downright Disappointing Dance.

This performance was… Well, it was … hmmm … I’m finding it really hard to say something nice about this next routine… Well!  Surely the nice things will come, let’s move right on to the bad shall we?

Freestyle?!   Freestyle Shmeestyle!  This dance felt, to me, like nothing more than a glorified Foxtrot!  Maybe not the worst, but, definitely one the most boring Freestyles this show has ever seen!

... Sorry, but, it's true!

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 10

- The Finals, Night 01 - 

Freestyle Round

I mean, I get what they were going for (I think) but I feel it must have gotten lost in translation!

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 10

- The Finals, Night 01 - 

Freestyle Round

The choreography fell so short of anything that could be awed at and of what I know a Chmerkovskiy is more than capable of (sorry Val!)!  And Ginger’s dancing of it was, as ever, out-of-sync, heavy-footed,  jerky and even, at some points, just downright sloppy!

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 10

- The Finals, Night 01 - 

Freestyle Round

Now, now, I’m not trying to harp on poor Ginger.  She’s had plenty of decent dances this season … I’m simply saying that this was not one of them.

In the end, for me, this so-called freestyle was upon the whole, underwhelming, overrated and, as I said, boring.

I suppose the one thing that can be said for this dance is, throughout the entire performance, the team of Ginger and Val seemed to maintain a constant air of carefree (to be sure!) happiness and fun that seemed to work in their favor…

In short, even though the dance sucked, Ginger & Val seemed to capture your attention, so that, much like a train wreck, you just couldn't look away!

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 10

- The Finals, Night 01 - 

Freestyle Round

See video (below) to watch Ginger & Val's Freestyle on Week 10, The Finals of DWTS, courtesy of Dancing With The Stars' great YouTube channel!

Ginger & Val, Redemption Round– Review of DWTS Season 22, Week 10

DWTS Season 22, Week 10

REVIEW:  Ginger & Val

Redemption Round

Re-Dancing Contemporary to “Adventure of a Lifetime” by Coldplay, Ginger Zee and her Professional Partner, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, opened up Monday evening's 2-night Finale with their “Redemption Routine”.

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 10

- The Finals, Night 01 - 

Redemption Round

Okay, so, first off– I just have to ask – WHY IN THE WORLD IS THIS ROUND ENTITLED THE "REDEMPTION ROUND", when in fact, NONE OF THE COMPETITORS ACTUALLY REDEEMED ANY ROUTINE???

… I mean, yeah, okay sure, they all Re-Danced a specific Style of Dance … but that is just not the same thing as redeeming an already Performed Number!

(That said …)

What a lovely Dance!

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 10

- The Finals, Night 01 - 

Redemption Round

A no less than charming, graceful trip down Memory Lane, this positively brilliant, fresh take on Contemporary for this Couple (nicely done, Val!) had its delighted Audience reliving some of  TeamGinAndJuice’s greatest hits as it were, up to and including an enchanting look back at their Week 02 Samba, their Week 04 Foxtrot, their Week 07 Viennese Waltz, and their Week 09 Paso Doble!

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 10

- The Finals, Night 01 - 

Redemption Round

Great Lines, Beautiful Footwork, and some truly wonderful Light and Fluid, Feminine Movement unarguably made for one of Ginger’s more dainty Performances that we’ve seen from her throughout the Season, and certainly – within the Art of Contemporary – an amazing improvement!

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 10

- The Finals, Night 01 - 

Redemption Round

Overall, a complete success for GMA’s Dancing Meteorologist, and an effective opening for Season 22’s grand Finale.  Good job, you guys!

Ginger & Val

DWTS Season 22, Week 10

- The Finals, Night 01 - 

Redemption Round

See video (below) to watch Ginger & Val's Contemporary on Week 10 of DWTS, courtesy of Dancing With The Stars' great YouTube channel!