DWTS – Season 17 – The Finals (Night One)

get-attachment

Hiya my dancin’ darlings…

We have arrived folks! This is it. The two night season finale of the 17th go of Dancing with the Stars begins tonight. I’m so excited. Last week, the show continued a season of shocking and arguably, unfair eliminations as Leah Rimini and her partner Tony were booted leaving Bill to survive into the final four! It seems that ever since Valerie Harper left, the show has lost one solid dancer after the other. I guess that is a compliment to the show for having some really decent competitors this season but seeing the likes of Christina, Snooki, Brant, Elizabeth, and Leah booted while Bill and to an extent, Jack continued to dance below average has been tough. Maybe it is a result of how the show’s new voting method is done. Or maybe the demographic of this show mixed with generous scores from the judges created the perfect storm for surprising results. It could also be as simple as, people have voted for who they want and it is what it is. In any case, we have four very different and very distinct dancers left that will battle it out for the championship. At the end of tonight though, four will become three.

So here’s how tonight will work. We are going to have three different rounds of dancing. In the “Judges Pick” round, the judges will assign a previously done routine to the final four, hoping that each respective couple can improve on their original score. The second round is the “Samba Relay” with special guest performers, TLC. The group will sing their classic hit “No Scrubs.” Each couple will dance to a portion of the song, trying to impress the judges and achieve high scores. In the final and most anticipated round, we will see the “Supersized Freestyle Routines.” Special effects, added dancers, and surprise content will be aplenty as each couple tries to wow by giving each routine everything they possibly can when it comes to technique and performance quality. It is this round that has resulted in many couples eventually winning the whole competition, so clever choreography and memorable dancing is key.

At the end of an obviously jam packed night, we will lose one final dancer and have a final three. Tomorrow night, on the actual two-hour finale, the remaining three will compete yet again, but I will save explanations for that for tomorrow’s post. In addition to TLC, last season’s champ Kellie Pickler is on hand tonight (and will open the show) to perform her single, “Little Bit Gypsy.” Some questions to think about tonight. Will it be painfully obvious during the three rounds that this Amber Vs. Corbin is clearly the endgame or will Jack and/or Bill step up and produce something that shocks everyone? Who will be able to totally master a previously done routine? Which couple(s) will shine in the samba relay? And who’s freestyle routine will have everyone talking? As in past seasons, we have four hours of DWTS in this finale week and it all starts right now…

DWTS season 16 champ Kellie Pickler kicks us off singing “Little Bit Gypsy” with the some pros and troupe members assisting her in the dancing department. Another pretty catchy tune from Mrs. Pickler. Henry and Peta choreographed the dance.

Round 1 – “Judges Pick”

billdwts
Bill & Emma (dancing the Viennese Waltz)
Len helps Bill out in rehearsals. Bill got 3 8’s on this routine last time but Len wants him to score even better. Well, this looks pretty identical to the original. I don’t see anything major in terms of improvement. The routine is still sweet and elegant and Bill looks like he into it. Of course, a few issues with the frame, the rise and fall, and the musicality. But really, it isn’t worse than the original so for Bill, that’s a major plus! I know we are supposed to see improvement but to me, you could have replayed the original for me and I wouldn’t have known the difference.

Len saw improvement in the arms but the timing was an issue and the frame work too. Some issues were improved, others remained the same. Bruno loves Bill for his sincerity. He thinks Bill’s timing goes on and off but not everyone is a Rolex. Carrie Ann never thought she would see Bill in the finals but the people have spoken. She mentions that everyone preforms on their own level but Bill does too. In other words, Bill is inferior to the rest but keeps on going.
Carrie Ann-8, Len-8, Bruno-8, for a total of 24/30
To VOTE for Bill & Emma, call 800-868-3409, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.

corbindwts
Corbin & Karina (dancing the Quickstep)
Again, Len is there to help. He gave Corbin an 8 last time while the two other judges gave 9’s. He believes the scores can be better for someone the caliber of Corbin. Again, I’m not really seeing much of a difference. I mean, I enjoyed the dance the first go-around and I am enjoying it again. It is very fast, and Corbin keeps up well. His feet get a bit sloppy at times but I do think while in-hold, he and Karina race around the floor pretty damn well. This is a tough round to watch because you are either going to see major improvement or an unfortunate step down. So far, on the first two dances, everything to me looks the same as it did previously.

Len thought the dance was calmed down this time and had far more control. He mentions an issue with Corbin’s left arm. For him though, an improvement. Bruno says that Corbin was racing around with great control. But he mentions that Corbin went out of sync. Carrie Ann calls the routine challenging and she didn’t see improvement. She goes on to name a few things that were wrong with the dance.
Carrie Ann-9, Len-9, Bruno-9, for a total of 27/30
To VOTE for Corbin & Karina, call 800-868-3406, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.

jackdwts
Jack & Cheryl (dancing the Jive)
Bruno helps out Jack with the jive. I’m noticing a bit of sloppiness with this routine- which is odd for Jack. He might not be the best dancer in the competition but he usually keeps the routines clean. A few moments were either out of sync or just needing refinement. That, or Jack forget things very temporarily. It wasn’t bad but noticeable for me. This is one of those routines where I am actually seeing a routine going down in quality as opposed to the original. The original was more in-sync and definitely a more refined number. The positive points remain that Jack is entertaining to watch and Cheryl’s choreography is always fun to relive.

Bruno says the clicks and flicks were good the timing went out the window. Bruno calls it nerves. He compliments Jack’s transformation. Carrie Ann is heartbroken. She says that wishes the music was turned off while watching. Len says the bad news is that it was lost early on and took a while to get it back but the good news is that Jack has two rounds ahead.
Carrie Ann-8, Len-8, Bruno-8, for a total of 24/30
To VOTE for Jack & Cheryl, call 800-868-3402, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.

amberdwts
Amber & Derek (dancing the Charleston)
Carrie Ann is on hand to help Amber. Now, THIS is an improvement. When they showed the previous dance, you could see when Amber And Derek went out of sync but here, they are completely together. I see a much marked improvement. This is the only dance where I feel like I am watching something brand new. I love the choreography and Amber’s attitude in this dance. Great footwork and some awesome “Amber-isms” in this dance. LOL. I will be trademarking that phrase. It is just what happens when Amber gets to bring herself to a routine. This was fabulous.

Carrie Ann gets up to hug Amber. She is extremely proud. She thought this was a major improvement. Len thinks Amber’s dance was the most improved out of the four routines. Bruno thought it was a big improvement as well. He is all raves.
Carrie Ann-10, Len-10, Bruno-10, for a total of 30/30
To VOTE for Amber & Derek, call 800-868-3407, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.

Kellie gets the opportunity to talk about all four finalists.

Round 2 – “Samba Relay”

TLC (well, two of them and Lil Mama) are out to perform “No Scrubs” for the relay. RIP Lisa. 5 points to be awarded to the winner and down a point for each place with only 2 points going to the person awarded last place.

Cheryl And Jack go first. They are decent enough. Jack still has his awkward moments but the dance was okay. Amber And Derek are out second. They are fantastic. OH, samba rolls! And more than one! And they are actually good. Nice. Bill And Emma are third and so out of place compared to everyone else. He is just doing his usual thing. Not much to rave about when it comes to Bill doing a cha-cha-cha. And finally, Corbin And Karina. Corbin is sexing it up for this. I love the way he and Karina are working it. This and Amber And Derek are terrific here and I wouldn’t want to judge. One couple (Amber And Derek) brought technical cha-cha-cha and the other (Corbin And Karina) brought something different to it.

Len thought it was clean and clear. He goes through how each couple was different, including one who brought it home. He doesn’t name names though. Bruno calls it crazy, sexy, cool (TLC‘s album name), and hot. Carrie Ann was impressed by Corbin’s samba since it was his first time doing it. She also compliments Amber and Jack. And she says it was some of Bill’s best dancing.

Scores…
4th place- Bill And Emma with 2 points.
3rd place- Jack And Cheryl with 3 points.
2nd place- Amber And Derek with 4 points.
1st place- Corbin And Karina with 5 points.

Round 3 – “Supersized Freestyles”

billdwts
Bill & Emma (dancing a supersized Freestyle)
This is an “Indiana Jones” inspired routine. Oh boy. Okay. So, here is what this is. Take almost everyone routine Bill has done all season (especially his paso doble), add in his humor, and a few crazy lifts that are not exactly done effortlessly and you have this routine. It was definitely entertaining. Emma basically gave Bill the opportunity to do everything he could do. Nothing more, nothing less. Bill is what he is. He is never going to be a great (or even very good) dancer but if you like him and you have been voting for him at all this season, you will appreciate this. It was vintage Bill Engvall.

Len says Bill may have lost his arc but not his ability to entertain. He loves that Bill always puts his quirks into it. Bruno says it is beyond dancing and is nutty but insanely good fun. Carrie Ann says that Bill’s dancing is still what it is but he is every man’s hero of dancing.
Carrie Ann-8, Len-9, Bruno-8, for a total of 25/30
To VOTE for Jack & Cheryl, call 800-868-3402, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.


Bill Engvall & Emma – Freestyle – DWTS 17 (Finals) by IdolxMuzic

corbindwts
Corbin & Karina (dancing a supersized Freestyle)
Corbin And Karina have so many risks and epic moments planned for this Michael Jackson-inspired freestyle. Wow. Some incredible stuff. Okay, so Corbin and Karina are basically copying Michael Jackson in parts here but still. Karina manages to throw in some choreography to show this is still a ballroom dancing competition. Some other dancers come in to add to it. They even do the classic MJ gravity stunt and Corbin is able to show off his past dance experience. This is the kind of freestyle that makes the audience want to vote for someone. It is showy, unpredictable, and stays with you. Superb stuff from Corbin and it is going to take one HECK of a freestyle routine to be more memorable than that.

Bruno says Corbin killed it. He loved the combination of iconic MJ moves with ballroom. Carrie Ann thinks Corbin nailed it and she doesn’t really like when people try to imitate MJ. Len gets up to give Corbin a standing ovation.
Carrie Ann-10, Len-10, Bruno-10, for a total of 30/30
To VOTE for Corbin & Karina, call 800-868-3406, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.

jackdwts
Jack & Cheryl (dancing a supersized Freestyle)
Cheryl plans on showcasing Jack’s entire DWTS journey in their freestyle. Aww, this is adorable. Jack should definitely get into tomorrow night’s finale over Bill based on freestyle (and everything else really). This is so much fun to watch. Lots of glitz and glamour (old Hollywood mixed with Jack’s special thing that he brings to the dance floor). You have got to talk about Cheryl’s choreography here. She is matched, for me, only by Derek in terms of knowing how to correctly choreography for her partner. It shows here. All the lifts and tricks and basic dance steps are made for Jack and he does them wonderfully. Was it better than Corbin’s for me? No. But it was special on another level. This one connected better to the audience I think. Perhaps that has a whole lot to do with Jack’s history and all but whatever the reason, there you go. And when freestyles connect emotionally with the audience, that’s when the votes come in.

Carrie Ann called it the best fairy-tale ending of journey. Len says Jack’s family should be so proud of him and he calls it a showstopper. Bruno says hooray for Hollywood and hooray for Jack. Len and Bruno compliment Cheryl.
Carrie Ann-10, Len-10, Bruno-10, for a total of 30/30
To VOTE for Jack & Cheryl, call 800-868-3402, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.

amberdwts
Amber & Derek (dancing a supersized Freestyle)
The theme is country western but no line dance, according to Amber. In fact, expect some stepping. Wow. Another very modern day dance. Last season, Derek had Kellie dancing alone with no special effects doing a contemporary. This season, he brings in many male dancers (including Mark) but surprisingly, my eyes remain on Amber. She is absolutely owning this. I love the stepping. I like the theme because it was unexpected but executed in a very unique way. This is tough because I think Jack wins the freestyle if we are judging it on feel good entertainment while Amber and Corbin tie when it comes to putting entertainment and technique together. Amber is dancing her booty off from start to finish. Always in-sync with the guys and always fierce. I am so torn here on who won the freestyle round and who’s freestyle will get people to vote. At this point, perhaps it just down to the fanbase though I assume if any casual voters are tuning in, they might throw Jack a vote or two.

Len loves that the whole number was just about Amber. Bruno calls Amber a leading lady. He says Amber commanded the performance. Carrie Ann is amazed that Amber never lost a beat during the entire routine. She calls her a diva dancing James Brown.
Carrie Ann-10, Len-10, Bruno-10, for a total of 30/30
To VOTE for Amber & Derek, call 800-868-3407, or use ABC.COM and/or Facebook.


Amber Riley & Derek – Freestyle – DWTS 17 (Finals) by IdolxMuzic

Finals (Night One) Judges’ Leaderboard:
Amber & Derek- 64/65
Corbin & Karina- 62/65
Jack & Cheryl- 57/65
Bill & Emma- 51/65

Results!!!

Remember, one more night of competition (a dance fusion) tomorrow night before the champions are revealed. Time for some strategy in picking the dances.

Bill And Emma pick Quickstep/Samba for Amber And Derek.
Jack And Cheryl pick Cha-cha-cha/Foxtrot for Corbin And Karina.
Corbin And Karina pick the Salsa/Paso for Jack And Cheryl.
That leaves the Jive/Quickstep for Bill And Emma.

However, one couple will NOT be doing the dance picked for them.

The first couple dancing tomorrow night for the trophy is Amber And Derek.
The second couple dancing tomorrow night for the trophy is Corbin And Karina.

And now, the couple leaving us on finale night one, just short of trying to win the competition is…

Bill And Emma.
billdwts

Alright, so we have the correct (at least out of these four) three in the finale. Now it comes down to one more dance tomorrow night and more importantly, the VOTING PUBLIC.

We have the feel good and super underdog story in Jack Vs. The almost always perfect dancing of Corbin Vs. The sassy (and only female) dancing machine that Amber has turned out to be. And because the pros play a huge part in it, we have three of the most popular going against one another as well. I am quite literally (no hyperbole) at a loss as to see what is going to happen with the final three couples tomorrow night.

IMO, in terms of the whole season, combining dancing technique with entertainment value, I would give the championship to Amber. But I could see America making a case for the other two as well. I don’t think Jack would be deserving of defeating either of his competitors but I wouldn’t go screaming riot that it happened. He is a nice guy with a very uplifting story.

If you have a favorite and you have never (or if you have all season) voted, do so now. This could be close. Or heck, it could be a landslide. I haven’t a clue so just vote for the one(s) you love and join me tomorrow night to see how it all concludes.

Well, that does it for night one of the DWTS finals. I hope you guys had as much fun tonight watching as I did blogging, as usual. In a little over 24 hours, new champions will be crowned and we all go into hiding until Spring. LOL. Kidding. But I am excited for the grand finale tomorrow night. For the last time this season, you guys will have some fun POLLS to vote which will go up shortly in a new post. :D