This fall the 34th season of Dancing with the Stars kicked off with a bang, garnering lots of social media attention and raking in new viewers by the thousands. With that there have been changes to the general vibes surrounding the show in both negative and positive ways, and here’s my personal opinions on the week 8 episode as an avid DWTS fan and lifelong competitive dancer!
The Elephant in the Room: The Andy stans and the discourse online. Personally I enjoyed watching Andy the first few episodes! His nods to previous acting jobs and his adorable dedication dance definitely highlighted the joy he gets from being on the show, and that is contagious! However, at this point in the show, if dancing skills are significantly lacking, it’s time to go! We saw that most evidently through the team dances of week 8. Andy’s group, team Kool, was significantly hindered in how advanced their steps could be, and even then the dance was very sloppy. He cannot keep up with the other dancers.
It’s important to point out as well that it’s not about his age. Elaine is only a few years younger than him, and sporting an injury, and is significantly better of a dancer. She puts in work every week, powers through a foot and rib injury, and performs beautifully every week! She’s definitely in my top five of the season which exemplifies the idea that it’s not about age, it’s about talent!
Robert: The People’s Australian prince! Robert Irwin is definitely my top pick for mirrorball this season! His energy is so positive and infectious, he works himself really hard for each dance, and he performs like he’s been dancing all his life. Being able to step into an Argentine Tango and lead a powerhouse like Witney Carson is extremely impressive, and nobody is forgetting that week three dance! Definitely a Top Contender.
Alix Earle: The Underrated Powerhouse! If the mirrorball doesn’t go to Robert, I truly hope it goes to her. Alix is an absolute powerhouse in this competition and she truly has put in the most effort out of everyone. She is clearly a hard worker and her Disney night dance is ingrained in my head. Alix is chronically underscored as well, but honestly I think it pushes her every week and fuels her fire to perform better and better.
Whitney Leavitt: The Controversial Contestant. Whitney is the one facing the most controversy this season, due to her dance skills being combatted by overall negative energy. From a dance perspective, she is a phenomenal dancer. Her lines are clean, and she clearly puts a lot of time and energy into her dances. And a Mark Ballas dance on someone with dance experience is bound to land very well, just like when he was partnered with Charli D’Amelio. The issue with her is not in her dancing, it’s in her energy. Whitney constantly proves to be a rather negative person, most notably when she was smirking at Jen being eliminated from the show. It’s hard to vote for someone when their energy is off, and I feel it may hinder her chances of winning the season.
Jordan Chiles: Underrated Queen. Jordan is definitely the most underrated person on the show. Her dances have improved immensely and her relationship with Ezra is very akin to Alan and Ilona last season. She is definitely on track to be in the final four and I can’t wait to see what she does next!
Lastly, Dylan Efron: Pretty Privilege? Dylan is a pretty face and with that comes a lot of over scoring in my personal opinion. This week he actually danced far more than usual, and with that we saw the flaws peek out. His charisma may be strong, but his lines definitely are not. Daniella definitely knows how to make him look nice however so I do enjoy watching them, and I’m sure he will go far, potentially even making it to finals.