It’s BOND night, and we sadly (and predictably) said goodbye to Cheryl Laad and Louis (welcome back, Louis, I hope you’re back next season). This night provided some ups and some surprising downs. Let’s talk about them!
14. Sam Champion and Cheryl Burke-Sam has such an infectious smile and charm, it’s impossible to hate his dancing. But that being said, this was a clunky mess. It was far too disjointed and manic and while his face never showed it, you could tell he was struggling. I love Sam and hope he bounces back AND continues to be the dark horse he’s been, but if next week is like this week, he may just be headed home very soon. My Score: 5
13. Vinny Guadagnino and Koko Iwasaki- Vinny is just so charming on his own, I think he’s winning over viewers every single episode regardless of his dances themselves. That being said, oof, this dance definitely wasn’t up to par. I think the footwork was fine, but it was the arms and the hips that were way off for this rumba. I still think it was slightly better than Sam’s, but I do think it was a step back for Vinny who was riding quite a high from last week. My Score: 5
12. Trevor Donovan and Emma Slater- I hate to say it, but I actually think this was Trevor’s worst dance to date. You can tell there’s a clear connection between Trevor and Emma, but I think his manic energy really worked for the first dance and their steamy connection made the second dance soar. This time, he was way too in his head when he needed to be more commanding and technical. It’s a shame, given they were all the way in my top 3 last week, but I do think he can bounce back from here. My Score: 6
11. Cheryl Laad and Louis Van Amstel- Cheryl definitely bounced back. It’s unfortunate that she just didn’t appeal to the younger voting demographic (I see the people complaining on Facebook that the show is now exclusively on Disney+, and let’s just say, most of them are fairly older in the age demographic), because I do think Cheryl could’ve made a surprising run if she continued at this pace. I do think everyone else is also improving though, so Cheryl may have ended up going home early regardless, but I’ll always wonder. This was solid. I hope Louis comes back next season. My Score: 6
10. Jordin Sparks and Brandon Armstrong- I do think this was Jordin’s best dance thus far, but I still think there’s something missing that Jordin and Brandon still haven’t been able to tap into. Maybe it’s the fluidity between motions and transitioning from one step to the next. She has some great moments individually, but I do think there needs to be more cohesion between them. My Score: 6
9. Jessie James Decker and Alan Bersten- Jessie finally gets higher than a 5 for me! She did a pretty solid job with this rumba. I do think her elegance and connection to Alan was on full display…it was a few of the footwork moments that were still a tad off, as the judges mentioned. Her best dance yet though, as she continues to grow. My Score: 6
8. Joseph Baena and Alexis Warr- Bravo for Alexis for stepping up again and coaching a damn good routine. I’m really impressed with Joseph’s growth in just the matter of a few weeks. His lifts were amazing, and he definitely showed some great precision in the footwork, especially as the dance began. I’m excited for him to get back together with Daniella, but this really was a strong showing for someone who has faced the most obstacles thus far with his partnering. My Score: 007
007. Selma Blair and Sasha Farber- Sasha blindfolding Selma was a very ambitious but hugely intriguing choice, and quite honestly, I expected it to be a detriment. But I was amazingly proved wrong and so surprised that Selma was able to perform as well as she did without being able to see her partner. I do worry that as people continue to improve, Selma will fall to the middle of the pack as the weeks progress, but she is far from the worst right now, and I hope she gets even better. My Score: 007
6. Shangela and Gleb Savchenko- Shangela looked so elegant tonight. She really commanded the stage, as she always does. My only criticism is that it was almost a bit too energized to the point where the smooth nature of the rumba was lost at times, and some moves that could’ve had a tad more glide instead felt a bit disjointed. Very small criticisms for an otherwise confident and solid rumba. My Score: 007
5. Heidi D’Amelio and Artem Chigvinstev- Heidi continues to improve time after time. Artem is really stepping up the choreography and stretching Heidi’s range. I do think there was some solid tango moments throughout here, particularly in the dance’s later moments. A solid routine, her best yet. My Score: 8
4. Daniel Durant and Britt Stewart- Considering Daniel couldn’t feel any beats like the previous dances, I was blown away that he was able to keep up like he was. I definitely think Britt was doing way more than him in this routine, but he still kept up with her so well. He had great posture and physique and was in utter synchronization with Britt. I was amazed. My Score: 8
3. Wayne Brady and Witney Carson- Wayne had so much precision and refinement in this dance. It was slick, smooth, and very technical. I almost thought Witney could’ve made the routine even harder for Wayne, but that’s not to say he didn’t nail what she did give him. My Score: 8
2. Gabby Windey and Val Chmerkovskiy- Given that so many people do cha chas in week one, it was cool to see a week three cha cha when so many dancers have already grown so much. Gabby was definitely one of the best tonight with an absolutely terrific cha cha. There was a sexiness that aided in the Bond theme, but also a real confidence and enthusiasm with every step that gave off a sense of pure joy. Her best dance yet. My Score: 8
1. Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas- Wow! Charli was worried she would be a one-trick pony and wouldn’t be able to commit to the sultry nature of certain styles, but I do think she proved here that she CAN. She brought such a great elegance and mysterious nature to this dance. I loved the actual theme of the dance, with Mark really nailing the Bond aesthetic and committing 100% to the bit. My first 9 of the season! My Score: 9
I think the trend of who has gone home thus far (and Sam landing in the bottom 2 this week) shows that the younger demographic is winning out in voting, which means we may see Sam take his last dance on Disney night. The question is whether or not someone like Vinny (who has been on the bottom twice now) or anyone else has a bad enough day that the judges are forced to send them home. We always see a shocking boot at some point, so don’t be surprised if Disney night brings that…but I’ll go with the safe bet given the trends in voting.
It’s BOND night, and we sadly (and predictably) said goodbye to Cheryl Laad and Louis (welcome back, Louis, I hope you’re back next season). This night provided some ups and some surprising downs. Let’s talk about them!