Mark Ballas kicked off tonight’s episode of Dancing With The Stars with his debut single, “Get My Name.” The song has a catchy Bruno Mars-big band vibe. It was extremely danceable and in addition to singing, Mark danced too! I’m not sure it’ll get radio play, but it was a perfect dance to kick off DWTS.
When she was asked, what she’s looking for tonight, Abby Lee Miller said, “Straight legs, pointed feet, perfect musicality, inspiration, emotional changes. Pretty much everything.”
Right off the bat, Charlie and Sharna were announced as safe and performing first.
Charlie White & Sharna Burgess 1-800-868-3412
Dancing The Quickstep to My Heart Goes Boom by Miss Li
Charlie is still feeling the pressure to be perfect and he’s in his head too much. Charlie’s sweet mom stopped by rehearsal to remind him of his gift of positivity. Charlie and Sharna’s dance was delightful and had not only the fun bouncy steps of the quickstep, it has a little bit of the rise and fall of a waltz and a moment or two of tango. Superb!
Len: “Last week I told you that to get a ten you needed to so something special, I’m still thinking if that was special. I’ll let you know…”
Abby Lee: “I’m just to glad there’s someone else who’s mean….Slick your hair back.”
Bruno: “He was out of the starting block like a thoroughbred from the Kentucky Derby.”
Carrie Ann: “This might be your lucky night.”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 10, Len: 10, Abby Lee: 10, Bruno: 9, total 40 out of 40!!
After the break, Danica and Val and Meryl and Maks were in the hot seat. Meryl and Maks are announced to be safe. But Danica and Val are in jeopardy and up next.
Danica McKellar & Val Chmerkovskiy 1-800-868-3403
Dancing the Tango to Everybody Wants To Rule The World in the style of Lorde.
Danica asked Val, “DO we have a chance to make it to the finals?” This week Val’s focus is appeasing a technical judge like Len. Danica looked fierce in her makeup.
Abby Lee: “Val, amazing concept and I love to see a man down on his knees.”
Bruno: “It was your most majestic and powerful performance. I would be devastated if you left tonight.”
Carrie Ann: “I feel like your mom. Tonight, this was your moment.”
Len: “It took a while to get started…once you got into hold, you got on it like a bonnet.”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 10, Len: 9, Abby Lee: 9, Bruno: 10, total 38 out of 40
Danica and Val will be dancing vs. Meryl and Maks in the Celebrity Dance Duel.
Meryl Davis & Maksim Chmerkovskiy 1-800-868-3406
Dancing the Rhumba to Read All About It by Emeli Sandé
Meryl, “Just because a teddy bear is large, doesn’t mean he’s scary.” The dance was raw and beautiful, but I’m pretty sure it was about domestic violence, which is not a topic that I’m 100% in love with. I think that Pink did a better job dancing to this topic for her video Try.
Bruno: “it was like watching a play without words.”
Carrie Ann: “You had stops and drama, but your eyes were always moving. I would have liked more Rhumba”
Len: “The mood and the feeling of this was fantastic.”
Abby Lee: “I have a lot to say. Maks, I would never hit you. Meryl your feet were sickled.”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 9, Len: 9, Abby: 8, Bruno: 10, total 36 out of 40
Candace Cameron Bure & Mark Ballas 1-800-868-3407
Dancing the Fox Trot to That’s it, I Quit, I’m Moving On by Adele (but a male vampy version)
Candace had lots of facial expressions, the dance was pretty campy and cute. The dance was lots of fun, very Lucille Ball.
Carrie Ann: “You have made a break through in your mind and spirit.”
Len: “It was bright, it was fun, it was frivolous, it was joyful. Loved it.”
Abby Lee: “I loved it too, I used this music too. I would have dropped Candace on the floor.”
Bruno: “Like a 50’s sitcom. I loved the slapstick.”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 9, Len: 9, Abby Lee: 9, Bruno: 9, total 36 out of 40
Candace and Mark are dancing the dance duel with Charlie and Sharna
James Maslow & Peta Murgatroyd 1-800-868-3402
Dancing the Viennese Waltz to 6’2” by Marie Miller
James and Peta were not happy to be in jeopardy last week. James had his Big Time Rush Bandmates visit him this week. And even they asked if James and Peta are dating. Too funny. James is so, so, so, handsome.
Len: “I’m a fan, but straighten your legs.”
Abby Lee: “Peta you were perfection. James, it is the males dancer to make the woman look good, And you did,”
Bruno: “Love is in the air and I could feel it. You need to control your buttocks. If you need help…”
Carrie Ann: “You are a very special should when you dance.”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 8, Len: 9, Ricky: 10, Bruno: 9, total 36 out of 40
Amy Purdy & Derek Hough 1-800-868-3410
Dancing the Argentine Tango to an instrumental song that sounded like magician music.
After last week’s rib injury, Amy is cleared to compete, but Derek let her take rehearsals a little easier by bringing in another dancer so Amy can learn the choreography by watching. Derek is the most amazing choreographer ever. He designed a dance that effectively used a stool in a way I have never seen not imagined. Unfortunately, YouTube will be filled with people trying to do the stool tilt.
Abby Lee: “I had better never head my students say, ‘I’m tired, I’m hungry.’ Look at that woman!”
Bruno: “Amazing Amy. That was totally spellbinding.”
Carrie Ann: “I feel like I stopped breathing three times.”
Len: “If I’m dreaming, don’t wake me up, That was terrific.”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 10, Len: 10, Abby Lee: 10, Bruno: 10, total 40 out of 40!!!
After the break, Erin checked in with some of the girls from Dance Moms.
Erin, “Do you like Miss Abby better as a judge as a teacher?
Maddie, “She is actually being pretty nice, I thought she’d be a little ruder.” FYI- Chloe was not there. Scandal!!!!
Meryl & Maks and Danica & Val are dancing together in the “Dance Duel”
Dancing the Samba to I Luh Ya Papi by Jennifer Lopez.
During this week’s rehearsal, Val and Maks’ little Russian Grandma came to visit. She was totally cute. Who doesn’t love their tiny grandma? During their performance, couples looked like PDiddy threw them a party in a Greek Night Club. It was a fun dance but dancing side-by-side, Meryl is just such a superior dancer.
Len: “I loved the content, there was so much proper samba.”
Abby Lee: “I would have rather seen them in heels.”
Bruno: “It was a sexy samba, but the bounce was off.”
Carrie Ann: “It was about synchronicity, but the turns were off, I loved it as a whole, but it didn’t do justice”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 8, Len: 9, Abby Lee: 8, Bruno: 9, total 34 out of 40
Charlie & Sharna and Candace & Mark are up next in the “Dance Duel.”
Dancing Contemporary to Stay With Me, by Sam Smith
Both Charlie and Candace are great at contemporary. Candace really throws herself into this style, She has such a tight yoga body that she looks very easy to lift. Charlie is awesome at lifting partners, so he decided that for their 20 second solo, Candace’s feet wouldn’t tough the ground and instead, they would so a series of lifts. IT was awesome. My favorite part of their dance’s story was it gave Candace a change to look as professional as three fantastic dancers.
Len: “In tune with your music, in tune with yourselves, in tune together as a whole.”
Abby Lee: “Candace, I was worried about your feet, but you look like an Abby Lee Dance Company member.” And then Abby had another clunker joke, “I just wish I knew what a one night stand was.” Clunk.
Bruno: “Charlie. Candace. Made for each other.”
Carrie Ann: “The lift was flawless, seamless, gorgeous.
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 9, Len: 9, Abby Lee: 10, Bruno: 10, total 38 out of 40
The final “Celebrity Dance Duel” pairing is Amy & Derek and James & Peta
Dancing the Jive to Aint Nothing Wring With That by Robert Randolph and the Family Band
James and Amy took a nasty fall during rehearsal and I didn’t see them try the dance move in the performance. Amy, after a rough week last week emotionally and physically was a wreck, but pulled it together for the performance. After their performance, Erin asked Amy about that, “I guess that’s part of my process,” said Amy.
Bruno: “Amy and Peta, you look like sisters. And sisters are doin’ it for themselves. And you did it beautifully”
Carrie Ann: “My God, that was beautifully rehearsed”
Len: “Everything and more I could have wished to see.
Abby Lee: “I actually wanted to get up and dance, for the first time ever.”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 9, Len: 10, Abby Lee: 10, Bruno: 10, total 39 out of 40.
1-800-868-3403
We knew that tonight’s couples in jeopardy were James & Peta, Candace & Mark and Danica & Val. When Candace and Mark were announced as safe, Candace’s joy was childlike. She really has such a amazing light. Then James and Peta were announced safe (Peta looked so nervous that she looked like she’d puke) so tonight’s eliminated couple was Danica and Val. Danica was a fun dancer to watch, her prior dance training served her well. I hope that we continue to see her on TV.
Like Dancing With The Stars recaps? read more here!
Episode 1: Premiere
Episode 2: Double Elimination
Episode 3: Memorable Year
Episode 4: The Switch Up
Episode 5: Disney Week
Episode 6: Party Anthems
Episode 7: Latin Week
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