Dancing With the Stars 23 Second Elimination
Well... that happened, and that's not a debate reference either.
Yes, the powers at be at Dancing with the Stars had to make some moves of their own on Monday, September 26th with the Presidential Debate, and that (the show) left many people wanting more.
Like, an hour more. And, you know, a regular show. With, maybe, the judges offering some feedback.
Stuff like that.
The Dance Off Results
The Matchup: Amber and Maks VS. Artem and Maureen
The Dance: The Salsa
Had this been a Rumba, we think Amber could have an edge based on slow, sexy movements, and sustained sex appeal. The Salsa is a hot and exciting dance, and as a performance, needs the charisma that Maureen has, and what Amber has yet to show. Prediction: Artem & Maureen
What Happened
It looks like Amber and Maks wanted everyone to know that Rose is a sexy woman, and in the process, possibly offend a large portion of the viewing public. Now, there's nothing wrong with a little/big booty shaking, but when your Salsa routine is more booty than basics - you're going to find yourself on the losing end of the Dance Off.
The Winner: Artem and Maureen
The Matchup: Rick and Emma Vs. Vanilla and Witney
The Dance: Paso Doble
This is an important week for both of these male competitors. For Rick, people saw him as a sure fire elimination, and for Vanilla Ice - Paso Doble isn't the type of dance that you can show a casual commitment to. Prediction: Draw
What Happened
In this battle between Hip Hop and Not that Hip, Vanilla Ice came out on top... but he squeaked by. Had these songs been switched, we may have had a different outcome, but we aren't suggesting that a lack of "guyliner" was the reason for Rick's departure. Overall, Rick and Emma had the better Paso Doble, but Vanilla and Witney had a better "made for television" performance.
The Winner: Vanilla Ice & Witney
The Matchup: Calvin and Lindsay Vs. Terra and Sasha
The Dance: Viennese Waltz
This is the classic version of the Waltz made famous by the galas in Vienna. It is a much faster version of Waltz its main characteristic is sweeping smoothly around the ballroom. Based on sheer volume of dance frame and movement, it would be easy to give the nod to Calvin, but this is a TV show with drama, camera angles, choreography to fit those moments. Look for Terra to utilize her ability to add drama to her dancing to give her a slight edge. Prediction: Terra & Sasha
What Happened
So we can't get them all right, but we did predict this would be close. Sasha has done a great job with Terra building the choreography from an internal place, and consistently speaking to the overarching theme behind Terra's dance journey. Lindsay, on the other hand, has done a fantastic job of utilizing Calvin's height and work ethic. Both of these celebrities have propelled themselves further than many may have originally expected.
The Winner: Calvin and Lindsay
The Matchup: Gleb and Jana Vs. Allsion and Babyface
The Dance: Jive
Jive is a fast moving, knee pumping, carb shredding cardio machine of a dance. These fast moments help make pauses, asides to the audience, and sassy elements stand out like the acapella portions of Jerry Lee Lewis playing "Great Balls of Fire". With all that in mind, this will be a tough task for team Babyface. Prediction: Gleb & Jana
What Happened
For Babyface and Allison, this was the right idea, but the wrong week. Babyface looked great in his costume, but not so great in his leading. Leading without the feet just turns into tugging at the arms. Eventually, he succumbed to the speed of the Jive, took some footwork shortcuts, and left a lot to be desired. If this were a sing-off, it may have been a different story, but this was no contest.
The Winner: Gleb & Jana
The Matchup: James and Sharna Vs. Ryan and Cheryl
The Dance: Cha Cha
James has had a sizable advantage over all the men in the competition thus far. Then again, he hasn't danced anything where Latin Hip motion is important. We feel like that could be the thing that could vault James into title contention, or paint him into a Ballroom typecast. Nevertheless, this is Hinchcliffe's round to lose. Prediction: James & Sharna
What Happened
There's smoke and mirrors, and then there's a backlit stage with silhouette's eating up routine time. Ryan has made improvents in his dancing, but Cheryl needed to take the same approach she had with Ryan's shirt as she did with recognizeable Cha Cha choreography. Ultimately, the Cha Cha failed to reveal itself for Mr. Lochte, but he did survive another week.
The Winners: James and Sharna
The Matchup: Laurie and Val Vs. Derek and Marilu
The Dance: Tango
This will match youth and athleticism versus character and choreography. Were this a Cha-Cha, Salsa, or Samba - Laurie Hernandez takes it without breaking a sweat. Since the Tango is a dance of drama, bold movement, and sophistication - the edge for this week, even by a point or two, goes to Derek and Marilu. Prediction: Derek & Marilu
What Happened
This was the matchup, Presidential debate notwithstanding, that everyone was waiting for. Sure, it was the oldest versus the youngest celebrities, and both have their fair share of adoring fans, and if you didn't know already Carrie Ann has a thing about lifts - this result should leave both sides proud. They both showed a healthy dose of technical improvement, Laurie definitely showed she's capable of producing a convincing look of passion on the dance floor, and Marilu showed that she's a capable runner up to someone four times her junior. We got this one wrong by a few points, but America seems to be rooting for the right pair of celebrities.
The Winners: Laurie and Val
The Second Elimination
We say goodbye to Rick Perry, the Texas Governor, that lasted longer than what most nationwide polls would have shown. Despite the negative public opinion, Rick Perry gave a great effort and showcased consistent improvement with the help of his professional partner, Emma Slater. We think Perry's best dance steps are ahead of him as he takes what he's started back home to his family, and hopefully to a dance studio near him.
Read more about our DWTS Season 23 Predictions
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