This week on DWTS, the couples are paying tribute to the show’s twentieth anniversary with both dances and a dance relay, coupled with a past winner of the show. This episode also had another guest judge, the former host Tom Bergeron from the start of the show. Let’s see how the dances went tonight!
Elaine and alan
Tonight, Elaine and Alan danced a Salsa to “It Takes 2” for the first dance of the night. This dance was extremely energetic and featured many impressive lifts, even after an injury. There were a few tiny stumbles, but overall, I hardly noticed them because her performance was so engaging. The judges’ comments were very positive, complimenting her energy and performance quality. Carrie Anne also complimented her resilience in coming back from an injury, and Derek called her “a sizzling salsa queen.” Their scores reflected their positive comments, as Elaine received four nines, which I agree with.
Robert and whitney
Next, Robert and Whitney danced a foxtrot to “Footprints in the Sand,” a song that his sister danced to when she was on the show. This dance has some very beautiful partnering, and Robert actually got emotional at the end of the dance because it was a tribute to his father. His frame looked really good in this dance, and it is very clear that he is improving eachweek. I love how his sister joined him at the end, and this dance was a beautifully fluid tribute dance. The judges’ comments were glowing reviews of this dance, saying how poetic, powerful, and profound this dance was. Robert received four tens, the first perfect score of the season, which I completely agree with. I am very impressed with everything Robert has delivered this season, and I think he deserves the first perfect score.
Andy and emma
Tonight, Andy and Emma are dancing a quickstep to “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” This dance was always going to be a struggle for him, as he clearly can’t do any quick steps. He was moving more than he has in the past, but I don’t think that I would consider that dance a quickstep. The theme was very clever, and I liked the Vegas style, but the timing and steps weren’t great. The judges all complimented his courage and his ability to try so hard eachweek. Derek complimented the fact that he was moving more this week, and Bruno said what we were all thinking, the fact that his dance was not quick at all for a quickstep. Andy received an eight and three sevens, and I also would’ve given him a seven. Thankfully, Andy went home tonight, which is finally a reflection of his dance ability. Although it will be sad to not see his bubbly qualities again in the season, it was long past his time to go.
Dylan and daniella
Next up, Dylan and Daniella danced an Argentine tango to “Ain’t No Sunshine” based on Milo and Whitney’s freestyle from a prior season. The introduction to this dance was very cool, and I liked how complex and impressive this choreography was. In some ways, it might have been a little bit too much; at times, the kicks were out of sync, and it looked like he was thinking a lot. However, I would say this dance was his most impressive yet, and he looked pretty amazing doing it. The judges’ commented on his astonishing growth and complimented his leading man abilities. Derek told Dylan that he thought that this dance was Dylan’s breakthrough dance, which I agree with. Dylan received four tens, and I initially thought I’d give him a nine, but upon rewatching, I agree with the tens.
Jordan and ezra
Jordan and Ezra danced a cha cha to “Get Up,” inspired by Wayne Brady’s freestyle from season thirty-one. Jordan has wanted to learn this dance since she heard she was coming on the show, and that was clear in her performance. This dance started with Jordan in the middle, looking absolutely stunning, and this dance was super sassy and well-thought-out. I really liked their partnering, and I think Ezra’s choreography continues to be impressive. The judges commented on how sexy and hot this dance was, but pointed out that it got a little bit wild at times, and asked her to watch her shoulders when she turns. Jordan received three nines and a ten, and I agree with Derek’s ten, as I thought this performance was great.
Alix and val
Next up, Alix and Val are dancing a foxtrot to “Singin’ in the Rain,” inspired by Nev and Jenna’s freestyle. This dance was classy and timeless, which was their initial goal. Alix’s dancing and acting have improved so much since the start of the show. The judges commented on how classic and smooth this dance was, and also acknowledged that she is starting to let go and enjoy the process. Derek even went so far as to call this dance flawless, which is a great compliment coming from him. Alix received four tens, which I wholeheartedly agree with; this dance was beautiful.
Whitney and mark
Whitney and Mark danced an Argentine tango to “Cell Block Tango,” inspired by Gabby and Val’s freestyle from season thirty-one. Mark challenged Whitney to find her passion this week, which I unfortunately still just don’t feel. I definitely could be biased because I don’t really care for her as a person, although I can still acknowledge that she is unmistakably a very talented dancer. This dance had a lot of amazing, sharp kicks, as well as good acting and splits. The judges mentioned how passionate and precise this dance was, as well as how elegant and controlled it was. Bruno also complimented her leg work and said that she has had the best dance so far tonight. Whitney received four tens, which I agree with. Whitney received immunity last week and won’t be participating in the relay portion of the episode, so this was her last dance of the night.
Relay dance
To end the night, the stars will be taking the stage without their pros and instead dancing with former winners of Dancing With the Stars. This relay round will determine who is getting two extra points from the judges, and also show if the pro is doing all of the work in their dances. Let’s see how they did!
Jordan vs. Elaine
For the dance relay part of the night, Jordan danced with Apolo Ohno, and Elaine danced with Rashad Jennings, and they competed a quickstep to “I Get a Kick Out of You.” Jordan’s dance looked really good, but I felt like there was a lack of chemistry between the two, as well as some sections that were out of sync. Elaine and Rashad’s dance was very smooth and featured musical theater elements, but also had some timing issues similar to Jordan’s. However, I think both dances showed how talented both of these women are, and I am impressed that they danced so well without their pros. The judges complimented how impressive their dance was and how this pairing was pretty equally matched. They also complimented the returning champions because they had to remember all of their former dance training, but they clearly held onto it pretty well. The winner of this relay was Jordan, who won two bonus points added to her score.
Dylan vs. Andy
Next, Andy danced with Kaitlyn Brownstone, and Dylan danced with Rumer Willis, a Viennese Waltz to “Earned It.” Dylan’s dance was sultry and strong, showing that he can have chemistry with whoever he dances with. I was also very impressed with how he led Rumer, and this round really highlighted his leadership ability. Andy slightly looked like he was having a stroke during this dance, although I think it’s funny that he had a fake six-pack shirt on under his open shirt. This did not successfully distract from the fact that he can’t dance, but I like the attempt. The judges’ were very complimentary towards Rumer, who clearly remembered a lot of dance ability, and they also told Andy that if the shirt was meant to distract, it worked. They also mentioned that it looked like Dylan and Rumer had been dancing together for a long time, which is the whole point of this round. The winner of this relay was Dylan, who did quite well in this challenge.
Alix vs. Robert
Last of the night is Robert dancing with Xochitl Gomez, and Alix dancing with Joey Graziadei, a jive to “Dance with Me Tonight.” Xochitl revealed that she has never danced a jive before, although she and Joey were both on the show quite recently. Robert and Xochitl’s dance was high energy, and they were a very cute pair. Xochitl clearly hasn’t missed a beat, because this dance looked almost professional aside from some slight synchronicity issues. Alix and Joey also looked amazing together, with great chemistry and clean dance moves. I like how much acting this pair incorporated into their dance, as well as references to his past season. The trick that Joey and Alix did was crazy, and I’m impressed that they pulled it off despite the nosebleeds during rehearsal. The judges complimented how talented both of these performers were, and how they both executed the dance very well in different ways. They also pointed out that Val trained both of the women involved in these dances, which they thought was funny, and mentioned how hard it was going to be to choose the winner. Ultimately, they ended up choosing Robert and Xochitl, who had a very lively and dynamic dance.
Next week, for the semi-finals, the dancers will be paying tribute to Prince, so come back then to see my thoughts!