Riker & Allison - Review of DWTS Season 20, Week 06

DWTS Season 20, Week 06

REVIEW:  Riker & Allison

Riker & Allison:

Riker Lynch and his partner, Allison Holker, topped off the "single couples' " dances for Spring Break Night with their Samba to "Want to Want Me" by Jason Derulo.

Wow!  This dance was nothing less than incredible!!

Woooooo!! You go Riker! 

Riker danced this Samba like a DWTS Pro, and I've never known Allison to dance (or choreograph) better than she has these past six weeks of competition ... I think Riker really brings out the best in her!

Riker & Allison's Samba wk06
Yeah! Let's hear it for Team Rallison!
You guys are crazy good!

I mean to say, Riker absolutely killed it!  His musicality was insanely good and his body seems to have been made to dance!!

Riker & Allison - The Samba
DWTS S20,Wk06 - Spring Break Night
This Samba was amazing!  Pro level !!

Riker & Allison - The Samba 
Allison, Great Choreography! Riker, dude, you were born to dance!
DWTS S20,Wk06 - Spring Break Night

As Carrie Ann Inaba so aptly phrased it, "... You're so on the beat!  What you do when you dance is you make it music on your body and I love listening to you dance, Riker!"

Head judge Len Goodman, aka, Grumpy (sorry, Len!), made his feelings on the subject plain when he said, "... You dance like I cook:  Chuck it all in and hope for the best ... You're moving across the floor like Spiderman.  Some of the time, it was good; I can't say it was great!" ... but Julianne Hough countered, "Well, you must be an excellent chef because I thought that was fantastic! ..." (Well said, Julianne!).

Riker & Allison's Samba was
Fantastically Fun, Exceptionally Entertaining,
Furiously Fast, & Positively Perfect!  <whew!>

An 8, Len, really!?!  This dance desevred all 10's!

It was fast, it was fun, and it was 100% PERFECT !!





See Riker & Allison's dance (below) on Week 06, Spring Break Night, on Dancing With The Stars courtesy of ABC's great DWTS YouTube channel.

Noah & Sharna - Review of DWTS Season 20, Week 06

DWTS Season 20, Week 06

REVIEW: Noah & Sharna

Noah & Sharna:

Noah Galloway and partner, Sharna Burgess, danced the Rumba to "Waves" by Mr. Probz for their Spring Break Special routine.

I loved this dance!

Noah & Sharna's Rumba
DWTS Season 20, Week 06 - Spring Break Night

It was so very soft, graceful, and romantic, and the choreography was positively exquisite (I loved the "... my feet can't touch the ground ..." move, Sharna!) !!

Noah & Sharna Dance The Rumba
This dance was beautiful!
Great Choreography, Sharna!!
DWTS S20, Wk06 - Spring Break Night

In fact, I think I can safely say, that was one of the most beautiful and fluid Rumbas I've ever seen on the show ... so you can easily imagine my feelings on the subject of the major underscoring of this dance!

I think it deserved 9's, not an 8, and most certainly not 7's!!

I mean, I understand that as a judge you cannot give it a 10 because there was that one, teensy-weensy hiccup right at the end (which only got noticed because all of the previous dancing steps were SO fluid, and from which the couple recovered beautifully!); but, c'mon guys,  You should not have denied that dance its proper 9's!

Noah & Sharna's Romantic Rumba
DWTS Season 20, Week 06 - Spring Break Night

It was fantastic!

See Noah & Sharna's dance (below) on Week 06, Spring Break Night, on Dancing With The Stars courtesy of ABC's great DWTS YouTube channel.

Rumer & Val - Review of DWTS Season 20, Week 06

DWTS Season 20, Week 06

REVIEW:  Rumer & Val

Rumer & Val:

Rumer Willis and her professional partner, Valentin Chmerkovskiy performed a Jazz routine to "Bootylicious" by Destiny's Child.

Rumer & Val dance a "Bootylicious" Jazz
DWTS S20, Wk06 - Spring Break Night

Honestly, and as much as it pains me to say it, I agreed with Julianne Hough when she said about this dance, "I was a little underwhelmed ... and there was a lot of walking around ...".

I also thought Rumer was a little heavy-footed at times (perhaps heels would have helped?)!

Rumer & Val dance a "Bootylicious" Jazz
The choreography was fun but,
the flat shoes were a mistake ... sorry Rumer! 
DWTS S20, Wk06 - Spring Break Night

Don't get me wrong, overall I enjoyed the dance (There were those one or two hey-that-was-pretty-cool moves!); 

Rumer & Val dance a "Bootylicious" Jazz
DWTS S20, Wk06 - Spring Break Night

Rumer & Val's "Bootylicious" Jazz
DWTS S20, Wk06 - Spring Break Night

but, it was just more "so-so" than anything else.

About the routine, Len Goodman said, "It's a ballroom, not a bedroom!" (to which the ever-hilarious Tom Bergeron replied, "Len Goodman:  Furniture Expert!").

I don't really think that's a fair judgment, Len, considering the fact that you yourself proclaim that dances like the Tango, Argentine Tango, Samba, Rumba ("The Dance of Love"), etc. all require a certain amount of "passion" and "hip action" to be displayed right on the ballroom floor before it can begin to meet the standards of the dance ...

And what exactly was Val to do when given a Jazz to choreograph to the song, "Bootylicious", as Val so rightfully pointed out to the judges and audience at large when being interviewed by Erin Andrews, before assuring us all, "We'll be back on track!"





See Rumer & Val's dance (below) on Week 06, Spring Break Night, on Dancing With The Stars courtesy of ABC's great DWTS YouTube channel.

Chris & Witney - Review of DWTS Season 20, Week 06

DWTS Season 20, Week 06

REVIEW: Chris & Witney

Chris & Witney:

Chris Soules and his professional dancing partner, Witney Carson, danced a Viennese Waltz Monday night to "Hopelessly Devoted To You" (Love, love, LOVE that song!) by Olivia Newton-John, from the 1978 musical, Grease.

Chris & Witney Dance The Viennese Waltz
DWTS S20, Wk06 - Spring Break Night

Oh!  I'm hoplessly devoted to this next dance!  I found this Waltz to be charmingly sweet, romantic, and beautiful !!

Chris & Witney dance a beautiful Viennese Waltz to
Hopelessly Devoted To You ... "How romantic!"

I absolutely loved it ... It made me feel all mushy inside!

Chris' dancing was so great, gentlman-like, and refined ... "Prince Farming" is officially back in the competition and it's wonderful to see!!

It's official, "Prince Farming" is Back!
Chris, dude, you are killin' it!!

And what about Witney?  Her soft and flowing (and content-filled ... I wonder that none of the judges mentioned that ... ) choreography, without a doubt, made this routine the dancing gem that it was; and Witney herself was sooo very feminine and graceful!

The Beautiful Witney Carson's choreographing genius
lit up the ballroom, once more, with her 
spring break-inspired Viennese Waltz.

This endearing performance naturally received raves from all the judges:  Bruno Tonoili said, "I just couldn't believe it!  He was doing all these lines! ... ", Julianne Hough added, "... You were so musical! ...", and a smiling Carrie Ann Inaba voiced her approval when she said, "... Well done! ...".

Lookin' good, Guys!
This Dance had just the right amount of every element
that should be present in a Waltz, charm, beauty, grace, ...
it was, in a word, lovely.

Well, "all the judges" but one! ... Len Goodman, who seemed determined to be a party pooper Monday night, threw in his two cents, "... The whole feeling was great, it just lacked technique! ...".

Oh, really now, Len!  You know good and well that was Chris' best dance since his Week 03, Latin Night Argentine Tango, and you scored it with a 7!?! ... and when critiquiing the dance, would it have killed you to give credit where it's due and gush just a little bit, instead making it sound like this Viennese Waltz was just another one of Chris' complete dancing failures?  You certainly seemed to have no problem doing it earlier the same evening with lesser performances!

"We did it!" seemed to be the expression that
Chris and Witney wore after dancing their Viennese Waltz.
Yes, you did!  Great job, guys!

See below for ABC's DWTS YouTube video of Chris & Witney's Season 20, Week 06, Viennese Waltz!

Nastia & Derek - Review of DWTS Season 20, Week 06

DWTS Season 20, Week 06

REVIEW:  Nastia & Derek

Nastia & Derek:

Nastia "What-do-you-want-from-this-poor-girl" Liukin and her under-appreciated professional dancing partner, Derek Hough, danced the Tango Monday night to "Summer" by Calvin Harris.

Nastia & Derek Dance The Tango

Len Goodman judged the couple's dance to be riddled with error:  " ... You gotta have the slow! … It was all too fast, it was too much rotation! ... "

I just have to ask ...

What in the world were you looking at, Len Goodman!?!  The ceiling?  Your shoes?  Because it sure as heck wasn't' the ballroom dance floor, whereupon a Tango was being so brilliantly and PERFECTLY executed!

Nastia Liukin & Derek Hough's Tango
was absolutely brilliant! 

An 8?  Seriously, Len!?!

That Tango was excellent and it most certainly included slowdowns (Fantastic choreography, Derek!), and, BTW, did you see the spin-ny thing-y on the floor? ... No, did you??  That was amazing!

Nastia & Derek
 Nastia's spin on the floor was amazing!

Also about the dance Julianne Hough  said, " ...I felt like you didn't connect together as a couple ... " ... You're actually right, Julianne, there was about as much "connection" between Nastia and Derek as there ever is between two Pros dancing a coming-back-from-commercials dance ... very well spotted!

Nastia Liukin & Derek Hough - The Tango
Week 06, Spring Break Night

Carrie Ann Inaba commented that Nastia keeps falling back on her Gymnastics rather than properly executing this other form of art called dance:  " ... You go back to Gymnastics, this is a new art form! ... You have to just allow yourself to dance!"

Okay, what is Carrie Ann even talking about!?!  That's absurd!

I know this may grate some people ... the truth can hurt sometimes ... but, so far, for the competition of Dancing With The Stars Season 20, there's Nastia, Riker, Rumer, Noah, and then there is everyone else ... and I am growing tired of the judges condescendingly acting as though Nastia is doing pretty well for herself ... considering the unfortunate fact that the poor dear is a Gold Medalist, not a dancer.

Nastia & Derek Dancing a Pro-level Tango

Honestly, judges, can y'all please get your acts together!

Nastia & Derek dancing
 an exceptionally explosive extravaganzical  Tango!!

See below for ABC's DWTS YouTube video of Nastia & Derek's Season 20, Week 06, Tango!

Robert & Kym - Review of DWTS Season 20, Week 06

DWTS Season 20, Week 06

REVIEW:  Robert & Kym

Robert & Kym:

Robert Herjavec and his professional dance partner, Kym Johnson, danced what the couple was calling a Jive, Monday night, to "Surfin' Safari" by The Beach Boys (Love that song!).

Robert & Kym's Jive 
DWTS S20, Wk06 - Spring Break Night 

Well, unfortunately folks, Robert merely continued his dancing-downhill-spiral this week, although Carrie Ann Inaba raved, " ... You didn't miss a step! ... ", before explaining to him and the general public what his only problem in the dance was:  Rushing the music.

I'm sorry, Carrie Ann (and Robert!), but with this insanity, I simply cannot agree.

Robert & Kym were in time with the music; and the problems that were exhibited by Robert during the course of the routine were, in fact, several in number, and were as follows:  Robert was heavy-footed, his kicks and flicks were not-at-all sharp, and he even lost his place at one point and fell out of step momentarily!

Robert & Kym, slightly out of step during their
Week 06 Spring Break Jive

Julianne Hough commented to Kym Johnson that she appreciated the fact that Kym avoided dumbing down the choreography for Robert ... Now, I'm all for Pros doing their job (and doing it well!) by adjusting little things here and there, including the choreography, in order to make their amateur, celebrity partner look as good as possible, but let's not call it what it isn't!

In the end, I tend to agree with Len Goodman (I know, finally, right?!) when he said, " ... It's better than last week, so there! ... "

I really, really hope Robert can do better next week, I like him, and you have to give it to him ... he's unflappable (when it comes to the judges' comments and scores), and he always comes out on the ballroom floor and gives the the performance his all!

Robert & Kym catchin' a wave before their Jive. 
DWTS S20, Wk06 - Spring Break Night

Ooo, oooo, and I loved the Thunderbird! Very classy, Robert (That was yours, right?) ! ;)

Robert & Kym end their dance (finally! ... Sorry, Robert!)
atop a lovely Thunderbird.
DWTS S20, Wk06 - Spring Break Night

See Robert & Kym's dance (below) on Week 06, Spring Break Night, on Dancing With The Stars courtesy of ABC's great DWTS YouTube channel.

Patti & Artem - Review of DWTS Season 20, Week 06

DWTS Season 20, Week 06

REVIEW:  Patti & Artem

Patti & Artem:

Patti LaBelle and her professional dancing partner, Artem  Chigvintsev, opened up Spring Break Night with their Quickstep to "Heat Wave" by Martha and the Vandellas.

Patti & Artem Dance The Quickstep

"The show must go on!" seemed to be the motto that Miss Patti danced by Monday night, when she daringly carried on with her performance despite the fact that she was doing it with only one shoe !!!

Patti LaBelle danced the Quickstep
with only one shoe!! 

Things went a little awry for Patti & Artem during the couple's routine, when Patti attempted to kick off both of her heels (a sweet nod to her concert fans who have witnessed the same action many times during Patti's long and very successful singing career); however, she only managed to dislodge her left shoe!  Undaunted, Patti continued on with the dance as though all was going according to plan ... as was noted by Carrie Ann Inaba when she laughingly observed, " ... You made it look like a new fashion statement! ... ".

Okay, so granted, her dancing wasn't the greatest (I thought that Carrie Ann's 8 was a little generous), but it was a decent Quickstep, and the overall dance was very characteristically fun and entertaining!

Patti & Artem's very entertaining Quickstep

In the end, shoe or no shoe, Patti got to leave on what was truly her best dance of the Season ... "What a lovely way to burn!"

Patti & Artem Season 20 Week 06 -
Spring Break Night 

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

DWTS Elimination: Patti & Artem – Season 20, Week 06

Patti & Artem Eliminated

on Dancing With The Stars

Season 20, Week 06 (04-20-15)

Patti LaBelle and professional partner, Artem Chigvintsev, were eliminated tonight from DWTS; thereby, concluding the show’s highly anticipated debut of the Spring Break Special Night.

Patti & Artem - Spring Break Night (Wk 06)

Patti & Artem (Wk 06)

Patti & Artem dance their last (and best) dance
before their elimination (Wk 06).

Well, I knew that it would have to be Patti & Artem who got eliminated next; but, I’m still sorry to see them go as I really have enjoyed them every single week!



See Patti & Artem's last dance (below) before Week 06's Elimination on Dancing With The Stars, followed by their Elimination clip, and then, their Post-Elimination, All Access Interview with Gethin Jones; all from ABC's great DWTS YouTube channel