Dancing with the Stars 22 – Week Four Power List

1287141_1280x720

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

Time for the fourth power list of the season! So, did “Disney Night” do much to change around the ranking this week? Well, it unfortunately dropped one star way down the rankings while a few others were able to move a step up. For the most part, those at the very top stay there. What’s interesting is that while a couple of these pairings could be considered finale bound, we don’t really have one clear cut couple that is so obviously far in front that I can see them raising the trophy in victory. This is a really competitive group, which is fun to see. I have also included my thoughts on the new partnerships as we head into “Switch-Up” week. Let’s take a look at where everyone stands…

9th – Doug & Karina (Previously 10th)
DOUG FLUTIE, KARINA SMIRNOFF
I absolutely believe Doug survived this past week on a combo of good will from his paso on week two and a sympathetic and emotional back-story during week three. He is also an obvious hard worker in rehearsals. But, let’s talk about that mess of a dance from Monday night. I think the fact that he had a jazz routine, which is free from the restrictions of a set dance, really hurt him. He does better when he can practice proper steps. This routine exposed major weaknesses in musicality, staying in-sync with his partner, and completing lifts. It was a glaringly weak routine. As he heads into switch-up week, he could either improve and sneak out yet another survival next week or he could continue the slide and end up being our next boot.

*Switch-Up Prospects – Peta is a good partner for Doug. Remember her work with Tommy Chong? She knows how to take partners who aren’t so great at dance and choreograph them in an entertaining way. She might be exactly what Doug needs to make some kind of comeback.

8th – Jodie & Keo (Previously 5th)
JODIE SWEETIN, KEO MOTSEPE
Ugh, it hurts to place these two so damn low. They were 5th last week. But this is Jodie’s second time in jeopardy (so she is either not getting enough votes and the show is helping her out or she really was in jeopardy twice). On top of that, her dance had an error that ended up throwing her off for the rest of the routine. It never got back to the level it was before, which was quite decent, despite the ridiculous animation. I feel for her. I also feel for Keo, who might just be out of his league on this show. It just didn’t seem like he has the choreography skills to make his celebs shine. Jodie really needs to do well during switch-up night so she can survive through next week.

*Switch-Up Prospects – Teaming with Val is going to either produce Jodie’s best dance of the season or another mediocre performance. Val has been very iffy this season so far with choreography. But he is better than Keo. And Jodie needs this. She needs something to show she is still capable of going deep in the competition.

7th – Von & Witney (Previously 8th)
VON MILLER, WITNEY CARSON
Von definitely moves up a ranking. What a pleasant waltz that was. He indeed looked like Prince Charming and Witney choreographed a really elegant piece. My only complaint was in his pre-dance package. I wasn’t too thrilled with him asking how he could be scored similar to the others at the bottom. Chill out dude. You aren’t good enough to warrant being pissed at the scores. You have been treated pretty damn fair so far. But his waltz was a step in the right direction. Now let’s see how his switch-up works to see if he can carry the momentum he is slowly building.

*Switch-Up Prospects – I have no doubt Lindsay will bring out the best in Von. He could find himself surging past fellow football star Antonio with a solid routine.

6th – Antonio & Sharna (Previously 7th)
ANTONIO BROWN, SHARNA BURGESS
Were the judges given happy pills to start off the show? Those 9’s were crazy. Antonio went from averaging 6’s and 7’s to getting all these 9’s. Yes, he did well. But he did well with a routine that had no real dance specifics. It was a very simplistic jazz routine and even with that, Sharna added in other male pros, which wasn’t necessary. But he was clearly happy to just do his thing for a week and I’m glad he had fun. I’m just weary as to whether this is the start of a new and better Antonio or a simple one week dance that was easy in style and choreographed to be an audience pleaser. We will see how the switch-up treats him.

*Switch-Up Prospects – Karina knows the DWTS game. She has been around forever and she knows how to handle her partners. I expect Antonio to do decently with her. The judges seem to be turning the corner with Antonio, so this could be another solid routine in their eyes before he returns to Sharna.

5th – Kim & Sasha (Previously 6th)
KIM FIELDS, SASHA FARBER
Kim is really surprising me this season. She is becoming the definition of consistent. She delivered another solid routine. It was a proper quickstep and Sasha included a lot of content. Good on her for doing it justice. She is also one of those celebrities you just look forward to watching each week because her joy is infectious. I will really miss her partnership with Sasha this week but it should be interesting to see how she handles a new partner. Unless something drastic goes down, I expect her to do decently and earn safety next week.

*Switch-Up Prospects – I am worried about Keo being Kim’s partner this week. They seem like a mismatch and I think Kim will miss Sasha a whole lot as a partner and choreographer. This will also be really telling for Keo. If Kim, who has been consistently decent so far this season falters, it will be a sign that he really isn’t cutting out as a pro, something many have been saying for a while now.

4th – Paige & Mark (Previously 3rd)
PAIGE VANZANT, MARK BALLAS
Paige loses a point in this ranking and it isn’t even her fault. She actually shares the number three spot for me this week but I had to put someone in fourth and I’ll explain why Ginger ended up in 3rd in a moment. But I really enjoyed what Mark did with the Toy Story routine. I also found her package super endearing. How awesome that Paige feels as though she has found new friends outside of the fighting world by doing this show. For a girl who could kick my ass, she sure does have a vulnerable side that is really charming. I want her to just get through this switch-up and be back with Mark.

*Switch-Up Prospects – Paige and Sasha will make a cute pairing. I just hope he puts together a solid and memorable routine since Paige is on a nice upswing right now and needs the continued momentum.

3rd – Ginger & Val (Previously 4th)
GINGER ZEE, VALENTIN CHMERKOVSKIY
Was Ginger’s dance executed well? Yes. But was it too busy? Hell yes. Fine, you want to put on a show Val but you only have 90 seconds. When you need to show off the skills your partner has learned for a specific dance style, it is too much to have six other people dancing, a fountain to dance on, and so much excess scenery. But what do I know? The judges adored it. Len called it the best dance of the entire season? Hyperbole much? I think so, but if the general audience is enjoying it and seeing her showcased every morning on Good Morning America, Ginger is a strong contender this season. Heck, when GMA announced the dancing switch-up pairs, they devoted the entire segment to Ginger. That’s a hell of a lot of promotion if you ask me.

*Switch-Up Prospects – I think we are about to really see what Ginger is made of. She is going to have Mark coming up with what I am sure is a more content oriented routine as compared to what Val has given her. Can she rise to the occasion? This is one switch-up routine I am really interested in seeing play out.

2nd – Nyle & Peta (No Change)
NYLE DIMARCO, PETA MURGATROYD
Nyle was really fun playing Tarzan. Besides looking like Tarzan, he really took the theme of the dance well. And Peta really worked hard on that routine. I can’t place him ahead of Wanya because similar to last week, Wanya just came together with the whole package a bit better. But Nyle didn’t lose anything this week, least of all the love of a large portion of the audience. But I am totally worried about the switch-up for him. After all the effort he and Peta have put into their rehearsals, Nyle has to basically start from scratch with someone new. That new partner is going to be overwhelmed and Nyle, who is always so positive, is going to be really tested. I hope he can get by with a decent routine because I can definitely see him making the finals barring any shocking dips in quality.

*Switch-Up Prospects – The biggest question mark of the night, for sure. Sharna has worked with partners in the past who have needed extra help, so that’s a plus. And she and Peta are close, so I bet Peta is giving her some pointers on how to rehearse with Nyle. But still, this is brand new territory for Nyle. He must feel a little out of sorts, as if the entire process is starting from scratch. But he could prove that he is as good as people think if he is able to pull off a solid dance with a new partner.

1st – Wanya & Lindsay (No Change)
WANYA MORRIS, LINDSAY ARNOLD
Another week and another trip to the top of the rankings. Wanya just puts it all together. He gets into every dance, he dances them well, and he shows determination but remains humble and charming. He and Lindsay are really a dream team this season. If he knocks it out of the park with a brand new partner, that will really show that he is basically our frontrunner. Even if he doesn’t excel as well as he has up until now, he has so much good will that I don’t think it will matter. He will be back with Lindsay next week and be absolutely safe to dance on.

*Switch-Up Prospects – Witney’s choreography can be hit and miss for me. When she’s on, I dig it. But she has had quite a few misfires in the last few seasons. But this is Wanya, who will no doubt bring a fire to anything she puts together. I expect another strong routine from the frontrunner.

And there you have it. How do you guys feel about this week’s ranking? Do you agree with the top four? Has Jodie really slipped as far as the rankings show? Do you think Doug has squeak out another week of safety? Feel free to agree, disagree, and share any thoughts you may have in the comments. And remember, Dancing with the Stars continues with all new episode this coming Monday, April 18th. Join me as Maks returns to the ballroom to guest judge the “Switch-Up” live @8 Eastern.