It’s New York night! I’m so excited to see an homage to my favorite city and I think this is a great bunch to compete on a great night like this.
12. Danelle Umstead and Artem Chigvinstev- Poor Danelle. I really love her spirit and how she gives so much every time she’s out on the ballroom. For week one, it wasn’t as noticeable that she was struggling to stay in it. This time, it was a bit more obvious and I’m worried people will see her weaknesses more blatantly than before.
11. Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess- I didn’t like Bobby in week one, and I still don’t get it. He has lots of energy, which is good…but I think it was just a bit too sporadic and sloppy. Granted, he had the last performance of the night, so he’s probably safe either way. But I really think Sharna will have to wait some more time for that mirror ball. And that FLOSSING…dumb.
10. Joe Amabile and Jenna Johnson- I think Joe had a step up. He’s still far from a “dancer” as one can be, but he seemed to stay on the tempo this time. He and Jenna had a smoother connection and I’m really happy that he was able to stay with it. I don’t think a 5 was deserved because this was a major improvement on his first dance.
9. Nancy McKeon and Valentin Chmerkovskiy- I think Val is accepting the fact that Nancy really isn’t going to be an incredible dancer, so he’s trying to put as much of his own swagger into it. Unfortunately, I think Val is standing out more than Nancy is, and that’s not great news for Nancy. I think she may be in danger.
8. John Schneider and Emma Slater- I actually really enjoyed this one from John. It wasn’t perfect on footwork, but John just delivers really well on the storytelling and emotional commitment. It was so cheery and made me smile ear to ear.
7. Mary Lou Retton and Sasha Farber- I thought Mary Lou would be in some danger in the competition, but I think this dance put her back in contention. She got to dance to the beautiful music of Carole King and she really danced with such beautiful lines and a lightness that just lit up the stage. I think Mary Lou is underrated and I hope she goes deep.
6. DeMarcus Ware and Lindsay Arnold- DeMarcus was my favorite of the first night. But I think he goes down a peg this round because it just seemed too minuscule in size compared to his other dance. The energy seemed a bit lower, the song was a bit of a drag, and I think he was a little less smooth with his moves. I still think DeMarcus brings a lot to his dancing, but I think he could have been stronger overall.
5. Evanna Lynch and Keo Motsepe- Evanna is so much fun to watch. Keo is so much fun to watch. Now, she just needs to keep stepping it up. Right now, there are lots of big dogs and she’s right there in that 5th spot. She is just an inch away from the top of the leaderboard, and I think she can eventually get there because this was so much fun.
4. Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten- Alexis proved she can do the upbeat fun stuff, and now she’s showing a much more passionate, romantic side of herself. Alexis really is incredible, and she hit all the steps. I thought this was one of the best of the night.
3. Milo Manheim and Witney Carson- Milo just has so much energy, it’s truly infectious. Witney hasn’t won a mirror ball since Alfonzo, but I think Milo has a good shot. He’s just full of a sizzle that shows through every single jump, kick, and step. I think he is going to provide some of the most entertaining routines of the season.
2. Tinashe and Brandon Armstrong- This girl can dance. She just has such energy and strength in every single beat she hits. Brandon is really shaping up to be a terrific pro. The lifts were absolutely perfect and while the lighting made it hard to judge any sort of personality or emotion, the dance moves themselves were spot on.
1. Juan Pablo Di Pace and Cheryl Burke- When the dance started, I almost forgot that Juan Pablo was the star, not the pro. This was the best dance of the night. He reminded me of Helio on the season he won, in the way that his smile is infectious and he can move around the floor like it’s no one’s business. A fantastic routine.
As you can see, I do not like Bobby and may have put him a little lower than most. I think Danelle really stood out as the weakest one of the night, but I do love her and hope people will still vote for her. As for Joe, I think his fan base should keep him around, but he did improve, so yay Joe! It’s a six-way race for the top between Alexis, Tinashe, Milo, Evanna, DeMarcus, and Juan Pablo. Everyone else is just in line waiting to be sent home.
It’s New York night! I’m so excited to see an homage to my favorite city and I think this is a great bunch to compete on a great night like this.
1. Juan Pablo & Cheryl (+3)
2. Tinashe & Brandon --
3. Milo & Witney (+2)
4. Alexis & Alan (-1)
5. Evanna & Keo (+1)
6. DeMarcus & Lindsay (-5)
7. Mary Lou & Sasha (+1)
8. John & Emma (+2)
9. Nancy & Val --
10. Joe & Jenna (+3)
11. Bobby & Sharna --
12. Danelle & Artem (-5)
Biggest Rise: Juan Pablo & Cheryl and Joe & Jenna (+3)
Biggest Drop: DeMarcus & Lindsay and Danelle & Artem (-5)