Happy Halloween! I hope you all had an enjoyable and safe weekend and are ready for another week of Dancing With the Stars! We are now in week seven, crazy how far we’ve come, and it is finally one of the show’s most popular themes: Halloween Night. Couples danced to different horror movies and had to face their biggest fear: guest judge Shirley Ballas. She is a highly acclaimed dancer and judge (also the mother of Mark Ballas) who does not hold back with her critiques or her scores. Halloween Night has never really been a favorite of mine, but there is always a dance or two that blows me away. In that case, here are my thoughts!Â
Julia Stiles was the first one up and danced an Argentine Tango to “The Dogs Attack” by Jerry Goldsmith, Lionel Newman & National Philharmonic Orchestra from the movie The Omen. Now I hate to say this, but this was not her best dance. Her kicks were not strong and powerful, and the dance just felt off to me. She wasn’t sharp and cohesive like the Argentine Tango should be, and I can only assume it was an off week for her. In her pre-dance video, I could see that she is trying her very hardest and wants the dances to be hard so that she can improve. Unfortunately, this did not live up to her desires, and what’s worse is the fact that Shirley Ballas gave her a 4. YES, A FOUR OUT OF TEN. I could see the hurt and disappointment on Julia’s face, but I am so glad she got saved and will dance again. Most people have an off dance this far into the season, and I hope she will rise out of the funk and exceed.Â
There was quite a shift in the ballroom as Harry Shum Jr. was next to dance. He danced a contemporary to “Toxic” by 2WEI, inspired by the Saw movies. I have been WAITING for Harry to not only dance a contemporary, but have a complete breakthrough dance that sends him above and beyond. This dance may have solidified him as my number one right now. His performance was absolutely through the roof, and their perfect score was deserved!! Not only did they receive the first perfect score of the season, but Shirley Ballas complimented them and told them that it was unlike anything she had ever seen before – high praise coming from someone who gave a 4 to the dance right before them. His acting and theater kid skills really shone in this dance, and he was able to let loose while being in sync with Jenna the whole time. He needs to make it to the finale, and I really want him to excel in the standard ballroom and Latin dances just as much as he did in the contemporary. LET’S GO HARRY!!!
Connor Wood’s contemporary to “You Are My Sunshine” by Charles McDonald, inspired by the movie Annabelle, was a surprise to me. Not only was his dancing pretty great, but his acting and performance features were excellent for this dance. I know I haven’t been his biggest fan, but this dance was really good – even though he could fine-tune his moves a bit more. I hope his two 10s give him some momentum for next week when he probably has a ballroom and Latin dance again. Jenna Dewan’s Argentine Tango to “Uninvited” by Damned Anthem & Kendra Dantes inspired by 28 Years Later. She is a superstar and is at such a high level of dancing it’s kind of crazy. She recovered from the costume malfunction – her heel got caught on her dress – so smoothly that Derek Hough didn’t even notice. I honestly don’t feel super connected to her, but I also don’t necessarily need to because she doesn’t have to share everything about her, but there is something about her that I am not fully grasping.Â
All in all, a great Halloween Night that had its usual ups and downs, bangers and let-downs, but great performances overall. There was a double elimination this week with Tyler Cameron and Jackson Olson going home. I knew these two were bound to be eliminated soon, so I am not shocked that it was this week. Jackson has definitely improved each week, but I always forget about him before and after he dances, so he wasn’t on my list of hopefuls for the finale. I am extremely over the moon for next week’s theme because it is one of my favorite themes: Disney Night!! Not only that, but the team dances are making a comeback with Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianna Hugh each joining one of the groups again. Next week will probably have the best guest judge in Dancing With the Stars history because Cynthia Erivo is joining the ballroom! When I tell you I screamed when I found out, I am not lying one bit. Tune in next week to see who brings the Disney magic and who misses the mark. Until next time! Â