Happy Spring Everyone!
I don’t know about you guys, but this start to a new season is weird. It is cold and miserable outside, so I am cool with relaxing at home and watching my favorite reality-competition show return for season twenty-two. I hope everyone had a great, happy, and healthy Winter. Thanks to MJ as always for having me back and thanks to each and every reader who is back to take the ride along with me! Dancing with the Stars is officially back!
Tonight, 12 brand new partnerships are introduced with five different dance styles represented. Len Goodman is back as head judge, replacing Julianne Hough. One major pro is gone, while an old favorite has returned. Executive Producer Rob Wade has promised some real fun this season, with some new challenges and interesting backstage happenings. This has the potential to be one of, if not the most competitive seasons of the show. We have many athletes competing, big television personalities, and one star looking to make dancing great again. I had to go there. :) Even though some have expressed that the cast isn’t as newsworthy as previous ones (and that is true), I think the talent and journies we will see will more than make up for it.
Remember the pre-season poll after the cast announcement and photos were revealed? Well, a quick check on it shows that you guys are really looking forward to three couple so far- Jodie & Keo, Nyle & Peta, and Ginger & Val. Everyone else is basically hovering around the same mark with Geraldo & Edyta at the very bottom. It should be interesting to see how this changes once tonight is complete. Remember, no one goes home tonight. Everyone will get the chance to return to dance in one week before the first couple is sent packing. Okay. Enough pre-show talking from me. Let’s get down to business.
Hello big opening number! This was filmed earlier this week on the streets of LA. It is basically everyone dancing mixed in with edited clips of the stars. Jodie in a Full House type room and Nyle modeling for the cameras. You get the drift. And we are live in the ballroom. Naturally, Mandy Moore choreographed that. I’m not sure the show has any other choreographers to do this big numbers. Tom and Erin welcome us back, as well as welcoming Len back to the judges table. – Click to Watch the Opening Number
Kim & Sasha – Cha-Cha-Cha
Kim says she and Sasha really clicked out of the gate. They are funny in rehearsal. Kim says her best case scenario for week one is not to hurt anything. Kim is working it! She is having a lot of fun on the floor and moving quite well. I see definite chemistry with Sasha. All the familiar Cha-Cha-Cha steps are here, though I can say Kim can stand to be a bit more crisp in her movements. But this is week one, so there’s a whole lot of time to get things perfected. The positive is that she can move, can obviously follow choreography, and her smile is contagious. Good job opening the show.
Len liked it. He didn’t like all of it. He wants a bit more pressure in Kim’s feet and to work her hips more. Bruno starts with the sexual analogies right off the bat. He liked it. He mentions the hips and feet as well. He also doesn’t want her tensing her shoulders. Carrie Ann sees a whole lot of fierceness in a tiny little package. She doesn’t want Kim to rush though.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 6
Bruno- 7
Total: 20/30
You can vote for Kim & Sasha by calling 1-800-868-3406 during the show and for 60 minutes after the broadcast in each time zone. You can also vote online at abc.com and/or https://apps.facebook.com/votedwts/ (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 8PM the next day (Eastern). – Click to Watch Kim and Sasha’s Cha Cha
Paige & Mark – Foxtrot
Paige is absolutely ready to go. Mark mentions that he has to soften Paige up. She’s very aggressive in rehearsals but in a very cute way. Wow. This is really strong for a first week foxtrot. Paige is quite elegant in this. I hope Len doesn’t come down hard on Mark’s choreography (maybe not enough foxtrot) because he actually put something together that is different and really pleasant to watch. Paige is definitely going to be a contender in this if she has fans voting because the dancing is pretty darn stellar right off the bat.
Bruno wasn’t expecting Paige to be so light on her feet. He tells her she lacks a little control and work on her timing. Carrie Ann says Paige has so much potential. She disagrees with Bruno. She actually wants Paige to let go more. Len liked the musicality. He wasn’t expecting the correct posture but he was impressed and thought she did a terrific job.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 7
Bruno- 7
Total: 21/30
You can vote for Paige & Mark by calling 1-800-868-3410 during the show and for 60 minutes after the broadcast in each time zone. You can also vote online at abc.com and/or https://apps.facebook.com/votedwts/ (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 8PM the next day (Eastern). – Click to Watch Paige and Mark’s Fox Trot
Doug & Karina – Foxtrot
Doug is at the age where he is trying new things. He doesn’t like if he isn’t good at something. He is very hard on himself in rehearsal. Oh boy. Okay, so the really solid dancing couldn’t go on all night. This is…not so wonderful. Doug is a bit awkward and his timing is off. He is also seemingly having a little difficulty keeping up with Karina. I’ll give him points for being in the dance completely and giving it his best but if I’m being honest- he is going to need a lot of work to even come up to a standard that is passable.
Carrie Ann loves his sense of commitment. She mentions his stumbles and all and could tell it doesn’t come naturally for him. Len says it had sparkle and bling but wasn’t a diamond. He wants him to come back strong next week. Bruno says it had choppy waters and to work on the frame, timing, and musicality.
Carrie Ann- 5
Len- 5
Bruno- 5
Total: 15/30
You can vote for Doug & Karina by calling 1-800-868-3402 during the show and for 60 minutes after the broadcast in each time zone. You can also vote online at abc.com and/or https://apps.facebook.com/votedwts/ (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 8PM the next day (Eastern). – Click to Watch Doug and Karina’s Foxtrot
Jodie & Keo – Tango
LOL @ this Full House opening. Keo says Jodie is a perfectionist. Jodie agrees. She doesn’t want to be so hard on herself. She’s already in tears in rehearsal. She’s 34 and wants people to see what she is like today. Ah! A fierce tango. Really good posture from Jodie. I like the choreography here. I’ve always been on the fence with Keo since his partners always go out early. Is it him or them? Or is he not a good teacher? We will find out the answers this season. He did luck out with Jodie though. She’s a good, solid dancer with lots of personality and acting chops to get into her dances. A really strong tango here and I look forward to seeing what she has to offer as the show progresses.
Len says it had spirit, attack, and attitude. He did say it got a bit hectic and she did some strange things with her head. So he wants her to work on that. Bruno enjoyed it. He loved the purpose but wants her to be careful of the transitions so it doesn’t become shaky. Carrie Ann says it was very impressive. She felt Jodie’s look came off awkward with her face (jaw) so she wants her to work on that.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 6
Bruno- 7
Total: 20/30
You can vote for Jodie & Keo by calling 1-800-868-3405 during the show and for 60 minutes after the broadcast in each time zone. You can also vote online at abc.com and/or https://apps.facebook.com/votedwts/ (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 8PM the next day (Eastern). – Click to Watch Jodie and Keo’s Tango
Geraldo & Edyta – Cha-Cha-Cha
Geraldo comments on the election but jokes that he is the only Puerto Rican who can’t dance. He wants to take life and live it. Oh goodness. Okay. Remember everything I said about Doug? Well, this was worse. Geraldo is basically walking around and just moving his hands. Hardly any musicality here. The Cha-Cha-Cha is just about non-existent. I feel for Edyta. Her first season back and she may leave as soon as next week. Geraldo needs a lot of work. If I have to pull a positive out of this- he was smiling a lot and seemed to be having fun. That’s about it.
Bruno says Geraldo went very minimal. He notes how he didn’t dance much but makes a joke out of it. Carrie Ann thinks Geraldo got distracted. She likes his charisma but she too wants to see dancing. Len says it is a work in progress. He wants him to dance from his feet and work upward.
Carrie Ann- 5
Len- 4
Bruno- 4
Total: 13/30
You can vote for Geraldo & Edyta by calling 1-800-868-3403 during the show and for 60 minutes after the broadcast in each time zone. You can also vote online at abc.com and/or https://apps.facebook.com/votedwts/ (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 8PM the next day (Eastern). – Click to Watch Geraldo and Edyta’s Cha Cha
Marla & Tony – Quickstep
Marla wants people to see what she is like today, as opposed to just being Donald’s ex-wife. For the record, she thinks Donald’s hair is just fine. She wants to do the show because she is over 50 and wants to live life to the fullest. Oh, color me impressed. I didn’t expect Marla to be quite so graceful. She even has some decent posture, which is really important in a quickstep. She is moving around the floor nicely and committing to the routine. I think a little more practice would have made this even better (just a tad more crisp) but all in all, she definitely exceeded my expectations.
Carrie Ann called it fun. She thought Marla was elegant and graceful. She says Marla messed up a few times but she is impressed. Len thought it was full of vigor. He thought it was terrific despite a little mess up and loss of frame. Bruno loves the uptown bombshell. He really enjoyed it.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 7
Bruno- 7
Total: 21/30
You can vote for Marla & Tony by calling 1-800-868-3407 during the show and for 60 minutes after the broadcast in each time zone. You can also vote online at abc.com and/or https://apps.facebook.com/votedwts/ (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 8PM the next day (Eastern). – Click to Watch Marla and Tony’s Quickstep
Wanya & Lindsay – Cha-Cha-Cha
Wanya says he is a big ham when the camera comes on. He has wanted to do the show since Joey Fatone was on. They are dancing to a Boyz 2 Men song. He wants to have a great time. Oh- Wanya can move! A second routine in a row where I totally did not expect the celebrity to do so well. I caution Wanya to be careful as not to let the dance get away from him by being so manic. It works for a Cha-Cha-Cha but he will need to reign that energy in later. But honestly, these steps and his groove are on point. Lindsay continues to shine as a choreographer. I was impressed.
Len liked the start but the rest wasn’t totally his cup of tea. But he thinks Wanya could make it all the way to the end with that quality of dance. Bruno liked the how precise he was. Carrie Ann is up on her feet acting like a lunatic. LOL. But suffice it to say, she loved it. She calls Wanya a twinkle toe in the making.
Carrie Ann- 8
Len- 7
Bruno- 8
Total: 23/30
You can vote for Wanya & Lindsay by calling 1-800-868-3412 during the show and for 60 minutes after the broadcast in each time zone. You can also vote online at abc.com and/or https://apps.facebook.com/votedwts/ (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 8PM the next day (Eastern). – Click to Watch Wanya’s and Lindsay’s Foxtrot
Ginger & Val – Jive
Val says Ginger is not shy at all. She makes a joke about leaking due to breast feeding. LMAO. She brings the baby to rehearsal and Val is so out of his element. Ginger is a firecracker. And of course, that totally fits the jive. I want to see more kicks and flicks. Come on now Val. They are imperative in a jive and she can obviously do them. She has some solid musicality and is totally in the dance. Nice and fast paced. I guess I am just a tad underwhelmed (just a little) because I wanted to see more content. But yes, Ginger did well.
Bruno says the weather forecast is looking good. He wants her to make sure she stretches through the back of the knee. It is a minimal detail to him. Carrie Ann compares Ginger to Bindi Irwin in week one. She thought Ginger was pure joy. Len found it frisky, risky, fast, and furious. He calls her a great dancer.
Carrie Ann- 8
Len- 7
Bruno- 8
Total: 23/30
You can vote for Ginger & Val by calling 1-800-868-3404 during the show and for 60 minutes after the broadcast in each time zone. You can also vote online at abc.com and/or https://apps.facebook.com/votedwts/ (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 8PM the next day (Eastern). – Click to Watch Ginger and Val’s Jive
Mischa & Artem – Tango
Mischa had a tough time at rehearsal. Artem says they are starting from scratch. She is terrified because everyone is doing so great. She got better as it went along. Alright, so Mischa is an interesting case. The tango (and this routine specifically) called for her almost stoic face but I hope she brings more personality to later dances. She has got to let loose a little. That’s the other issue. It looks too much like work. She looks like she knows this is a dancing competition. You have got to have fun with it or else the audience will not go for the ride with you. The tango was fine but very easy. There wasn’t much to really critique. Also, she needs to work on her posture. It was okay. Just okay.
Carrie Ann comments about how hard it is when you aren’t a natural dancer. She says Mischa needs to stay on the journey. Len says it wasn’t a dance, it was walking. He isn’t happy. Bruno says it was haunting and moody but needed more spark. He wants her to work on her core. Otherwise, she will look sedated.
Carrie Ann- 5
Len- 5
Bruno- 6
Total: 16/30
You can vote for Mischa & Artem by calling 1-800-868-3408 during the show and for 60 minutes after the broadcast in each time zone. You can also vote online at abc.com and/or https://apps.facebook.com/votedwts/ (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 8PM the next day (Eastern). – Click to Watch Mischa and Artem’s Tango
Nyle & Peta – Cha-Cha-Cha
Peta has to change her way of teaching for Nyle. Nyle is very positive. He is dreading to hear if he is off time. But he wants to show that deaf people can dance. Wow. And he can. Talk about sexy too! I hope Peta doesn’t over do the sex in every routine It is fine here because the song and routine were a bit raunchy by nature. I really admire how into Nyle was. It can’t be easy dancing when you can’t hear but he obviously memorized the steps well and worked hard on the character. A strong routine for sure.
Len didn’t expect that. He thought it was terrific. He says well done. Bruno asks if Nyle is for real. He goes to touch him. Oh boy. He says Nyle could be America’s next top dancer. Carrie Ann has mixed emotions. She says Nyle was in the pocket. She compliments Peta as well.
Carrie Ann- 8
Len- 7
Bruno- 8
Total: 23/30
You can vote for Nyle & Peta by calling 1-800-868-3409 during the show and for 60 minutes after the broadcast in each time zone. You can also vote online at abc.com and/or https://apps.facebook.com/votedwts/ (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 8PM the next day (Eastern). – Click to Watch Nyle and Peta’s Cha Cha
Antonio & Sharna – Quickstep
Sharna has very quickly learned how good Antonio is at football. Antonio loves his catchphrases. “How’s business?” That’s his thing. A bit cocky but I guess that is his charm. Okay. I am writing this before the judges speak because I want to see if they call this the exact opposite of me. I found it to be… a mess. Way too hectic. I know the quickstep is fast and all but Antonio was manic out there. The hold wasn’t great, the steps were iffy, and Sharna didn’t do him a lot of favors with that choreography. I thought he would be one of my stand out performers tonight but that really underwhelmed me. That said, the dude can obviously dance but he needs to take direction and really improve those things that make a ballroom dancer look like… a ballroom dancer.
Bruno says Antonio has so much talent but he needs to channel it correctly. Work on the frame and be a bit cleaner with the feet. Carrie Ann calls Antonio a beast. She thought he rocked it. Len thought Antonio struggled a bit but he thought he did well. He says it lost control a bit.
Carrie Ann- 8
Len- 6
Bruno- 7
Total: 21/30
You can vote for Antonio & Sharna by calling 1-800-868-3401 during the show and for 60 minutes after the broadcast in each time zone. You can also vote online at abc.com and/or https://apps.facebook.com/votedwts/ (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 8PM the next day (Eastern). – Click to Watch Antonio and Sharna’s Quickstep
Von & Witney – Foxtrot
Von just won the SuperBowl MVP. He and Witney are meeting at a chicken coup. LOL. Witney is very confused. Witney says she looks like Von’s child. Oh. Witney needs to be careful. Choreograph a proper foxtrot! That dance had a lot of non-quickstep moves. In hold, it was good. I saw some decent posture and the size difference wasn’t as awkward as I thought it would be. Von can move for sure and he has some great musicality. He will need Witney though to really choreograph well for him and not try to include too much freestyle steps in every dance. You know Len. He is strict with content so the pros should be as well. But good job.
Carrie Ann says all kinds of good is happening tonight. She loves that Von was soft and silky. Len liked that Von went for it and called it well done. Bruno called it mighty hot. He wants him to work on his bum and arms but he has loads of charisma.
Carrie Ann- 8
Len- 6
Bruno- 7
Total: 21/30
You can vote for Von & Witney by calling 1-800-868-3411 during the show and for 60 minutes after the broadcast in each time zone. You can also vote online at abc.com and/or https://apps.facebook.com/votedwts/ (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 8PM the next day (Eastern). – Click to Watch Von and Witney’s Foxtrot
Judge Leaderboard Following Week 1 Dances (Out of a possible 30)
Nyle & Peta – 23/30
Ginger & Val – 23/30
Wanya & Lindsay – 23/30
Antonio & Sharna – 21/30
Von & Witney – 21/30
Paige & Mark – 21/30
Marla & Tony – 21/30
Kim & Sasha – 20/30
Jodie & Keo – 20/30
Mischa & Artem – 16/30
Doug & Karina – 15/30
Geraldo & Edyta – 13/30
And there you have it. The season premiere has come to a close. I am pleased to say this should be a great season based on the level of dancing we saw tonight. Just a few clunkers but many with so much potential and some exceeded expectations by a lot. They had a few weeks to practice these dances but only one week now to get ready for next week, so let’s see how week 2 pans out. I hope those that looked stellar tonight keep on doing so because nothing is more exciting that a nail-biting season that ends up being anyone’s game. What did you guys think? Who impressed? Who faltered? Any early favorites? Are you glad Len is back? Do you miss Derek? I hope you all enjoyed the premiere with me and will stick around for the season.
Stay tuned because the first POLLS of the season will be up very soon and remember, next week is Latin night and after all 12 couples dance, one will be sent home in the first elimination of the season. Until then, have an awesome week everyone!
