Dancing with the Stars – Season 22 – Week 8 Power List

Well, it is just a few days away from the quarter-finals of season twenty-two of Dancing with the Stars. With only six couples left, this year’s finale is on the horizon. This was absolutely the toughest ranking I have had to do all season. After Monday’s double elimination, we are left with six celebrities who all have certain pros and cons. And I can honestly see four out of the six as possible winners. But considering the scoring, buzz, dances, and overall trajectory of the season, I have tried my best come up with a fair and common sense based ranking. Let’s see where we stand…

6th – Jodie & Keo (No Change)

Jodie may have surprised a lot of people by surviving the double elimination but I wasn’t all that shocked by it. She had two jeopardy scares, injuries, and a nice contemporary routine to a popular music video that more than likely fired up her fans and some casual voters to pick up the phone or go online. It also helps that out of the six left, she is arguably the biggest “name” left in the competition. But the question now becomes…has she reached the inevitable point of being eliminated? Or could she sneak out another week and make it to the semi-finals? She went first last week (not the best placement) and had a good (but perhaps a tad forgettable by the end of the night) routine. But she did shine in the group dance and I doubt any of her fans are feeling very safe at the moment. For me, it is between her and the person coming in at number 5 as possible boots this Monday night.

5th – Antonio & Sharna (No Change)

Antonio was on a huge upswing in terms of dancing. He was also on a comeback in rehearsals to show he cares and wants to do well. But that’s if you believe the very edited packages the producers put out. At this point, the powers that be clearly like the guy and have made an effort to show him in a positive light. But what about his dancing? After a couple of weeks of strong routines, his tango was a bit of hit and miss. And that translated to rather weak scores from the judges. But similar to Jodie, he did well in the group dance and now that he is the only football player left, I have to think he has a nice chunk of audience support all to himself. Is it enough to overtake Jodie? Maybe. Should it be? Considering week one to now, no. Jodie should make the semi-finals over him. But I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if that doesn’t happen.

4th – Nyle & Peta (Previously 2nd)

I thought the foxtrot was a nice routine with a lot of content- something the judges appreciate. Nyle was a standout in the group dance, something many feared would be his undoing. I haven’t a clue what is up with his scoring and why the errors keep happening. I would be more understanding if it was an issue with more than one person but this is twice now it has happened to Nyle. Odd. Anyways, Nyle had a nice rebound in his package, showing how the reactions to his comments really made him think twice about what to say next. But did the audience believe it? Do they believe, as Peta said, his words were taken out of context and he was genuinely upset people thought he was arrogant or do they believe it was just to save face? That’s up to you guys to decide. But I do think the scoring and memorable dancing of the next three couples in the competition was enough to drop Nyle down to fourth. He can still make the finale but a win is not in the cards. One final thought when it comes to Nyle- if you are searching for a real shocking elimination no one sees coming at some point, look at him. I’m not saying I expect it but I am saying that it has the possibility of happening.

3rd – Ginger & Val (No Change)

I have to give both Ginger and Val credit this week. That was a gorgeous routine and it was Val’s best choreography of the season. The perfect score was deserved. I know folks were saying I was ranking Ginger too high last week but I just can’t help but believe this girl is finale bound. Even without her Good Morning America platform, she has a very charming side that lends itself well to casual voters who enjoy seeing someone on television they can relate to. Val is a popular pro and even though Ginger might not be his fans favorite partner of all time, I do believe they are voting to get him without fighting distance of another trophy.

2nd – Paige & Mark (Previously 4th)

Paige so deserves a spot in the finale. She has everything you could ask for in an amateur dancer on this show- work ethic, a fun personality, good dancing, and a pro who knows how to show her off and make her routines memorable. Her jive was so good this past week. Whether or not you believe she was in jeopardy two weeks ago is still a burning question but since she was safe this week and danced wonderfully, I think she is making an incredible good case to earn that spot as one of our final three. Looking at her journey on the show, you would be hard pressed to name a female celebrity this season who has danced better.

1st – Wanya & Lindsay (No Change)

Lindsay brought the cute to that choreography and Wanya brought the charm. He was also on point during the James Brown group dance. And all of that was accomplished despite missing rehearsal time. I thought he came off really well in the package- especially when he said he wishes DWTS was his only obligation. That showed a determination that you don’t often see when celebrities have a few balls to juggle while they are on the show. Yes, he was placed in jeopardy. No, I don’t believe he actually was. In fact, I would bet this coming week’s package will show him talking about how nervous he was to be in jeopardy and wants to bounce back, followed by a stellar routine, and ending with a perfect score. You could almost write the script to it. And jeopardy or not, I still think we are looking at the eventual winner of the competition.

So, there you have it. What do you guys think? Is it really Jodie and Antonio who are in the most danger this week? Is the competition really Wanya’s to lose? Have I once again ranked our GMA weather girl too high? Do you think a Nyle shock boot has any validity? Feel free to sound off in the comments and give your own unique perspective of our final six.

Dancing with the Stars Spoilers Week 8 Dances and Songs

This Monday night, May 9th, an all-new episode comes our way with two rounds of competition (individual dances and three teams of two, coached by each of the judges) as well as the opportunity for the home viewing audience to be the fourth judge and give their own scores live during the show. It is the quarter-finals and I will be here @8 Eastern to blog all the fun. I hope to see you guys. :)