Welcome to week three of season twenty-three of Dancing with the Stars. Tonight, due to the first Presidential Debate, we only have a one-hour performance show. And because we still have twelve couples in the competition, things will be a bit different. Instead of each couple performing as usual, we will see six face-off routines.
In each face-off, two couples will dance the same style to different songs. The judges will score them as usual. The couple with the higher score wins and earns immunity. Each winning couple will be safe from elimination on Tuesday’s result show.
The six losing couples will have their scores combined with viewer votes to determine which pairing will be the second to get the boot this season. I assume, in the event of a tie, though I have a feeling the judges will make sure it doesn’t happen, they will have the final say as to which couple wins. So after tonight, six couples can relax, knowing they are not in danger this week. For everyone else, it will be another stressful result show waiting to find out their fate.
I am not exactly thrilled with this format but I do understand the need for it due to time constraints. I feel the judges have way too much power this week and for some pairings, it will be obvious who the stronger dancers are. Let’s hope the producers matched up the pairings as fairly as possible to give everyone a chance. Folks like Ryan, Maureen, Amber, and Rick are in the most danger this week to not only lose their respective face-off, but to perhaps leave the competition on Tuesday.
After last week’s elimination of Jake & Jenna, will another low scoring couple get the boot? Or will we have some shocking face-off results tonight, leading to a surprise tomorrow? Tonight will go fast and will be packed with dancing from start to finish, so let’s see who rises to the occasion, and who falters under the pressure.
Umm, sound? Hello? I have no sound. Anyone else having this problem? And the sound is back but it sounds like we are hearing the show from the bottom of the ocean. The backstage package sounds good, so let’s hope they fixed the audio for the live portions.
Babyface & Allison Vs. Jana & Gleb – Jive
You can vote for Jana 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 on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 11AM Eastern Tuesday.
You can vote for Babyface 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 on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 11AM Eastern Tuesday.
Babyface is up first. A little lacking in the energy department. A couple of out of sync moments, which are unfortunately very evident in a dance like a jive. I do like seeing Babyface cut loose and the performing itself is fine. The jive steeps though need a bit more work.
Jana is killing this, by comparison. Very high energy, great kicks and flicks, and fun choreography by Gleb. If I had to critique anything, it would be a little too much playing around in the routine where Gleb could have substituted actual dancing. But overall, I think Jana excelled at the actual jive. For me, she wins this face-off. – Watch the Performance VIDEO
For Babyface- Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 6, Julianne- 6, Bruno- 6 for 25/40
For Jana- Carrie Ann- 6, Len- 7, Julianne- 6, Bruno- 7 for 26/40
Jana wins! She does not need votes from the audience tonight. However, Babyface fans will need to vote as they will be one of the six couples in jeopardy.
Tom says audio was messed up for the East Coast. Now back to the competition…
Vanilla Ice & Witney Vs. Rick & Emma – Paso Doble
You can vote for Rick 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 on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 11AM Eastern Tuesday.
You can vote for Vanilla Ice by calling 1-800-868-3413 during the show and for 60 minutes after the broadcast in each time zone. You can also vote online at ABC.COM and/or on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 11AM Eastern Tuesday.
Rick is up first. LOL. Rick is lucky he got a paso. His stiff, almost robotic with no rhythm style dancing works here. No glaring mistakes but this is a very by the numbers paso. There is nothing even remotely difficult about the steps Emma put together here but to her credit, she gave Rick something he could do, and by virtue of not making any mistakes, he passed the test.
Vanilla Ice up next. A much better paso. The issue is, because it had more content, and much better choreography, you can pinpoint a couple of times that Vanilla looked sloppy. However, I really loved the performance here, complete abandon in Vanilla’s steps and that look on his face. And since he and Witney went out to do something different, it worked. I say Vanilla is the winner here. – Watch the Performance VIDEO
For Rick- Carrie Ann- 6, Len- 5, Julianne- 6, Bruno-6 for 23/40
For Vanilla Ice- Carrie Ann- 6, Len- 6, Julianne- 5, Bruno- 6 for 23/40
A tie- Len must break it and Len gives it to Vanilla Ice
Vanilla Ice! He does not need votes from the audience tonight. However, Rick fans will need to vote as they will be one of the six couples in jeopardy.
James & Sharna Vs. Ryan & Cheryl – Cha-Cha-Cha
You can vote for James 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 on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 11AM Eastern Tuesday.
You can vote for Ryan 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 on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 11AM Eastern Tuesday.
James goes first. Good stuff! Lots of hip action, nice moves with Sharna. It was fun and free, and James showed a musicality we haven’t seen before from him. Without question, the most technically on point dance we have seen thus far tonight.
Ryan is up. Oy. The shirt comes undone (which is hot) but the dance itself- is not. I had to go there. It wasn’t over the top bad but a definite lack of musicality was evident. I also saw much less actual cha-cha-cha steps as compared to James and Cheryl did so much of the work here herself. It was almost as though Ryan was just there to occasionally move his hips and sometimes flip her around. James takes this one, easily. – Watch the Performance VIDEO
For James- Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 7, Julianne- 8, Bruno- 7 for 29/40
For Ryan- Carrie Ann- 6, Len- 7, Julianne- 6, Bruno- 6 for 25/40
James wins! He does not need votes from the audience tonight. However, Ryan fans will need to vote as they will be one of the six couples in jeopardy.
Terra & Sasha Vs. Calvin & Lindsay – Viennese Waltz
You can vote for Calvin 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 on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 11AM Eastern Tuesday.
You can vote for Terra 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 on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 11AM Eastern Tuesday.
Terra continues to surprise. A lovely viennese waltz. Lots of gliding around the floor, some nice rise and fall, and a good performance acting-wise from Terra. Of course, some smaller steps than one would expect and a modified frame. But those things didn’t take me out of the dance. I have to judge Terra as I do the rest and in doing so, I can say this was a solid routine.
Calvin is up. Wow! Calvin’s best dance of the competition so far. Some stellar lines he has in this. I love the choreography here. Classic yet enough moments to make you excited and surprised. This is tough. Terra brought it and Calvin just did the same. I’m not sure how the judges are going to score this. I would have to give the edge, by a wee bit, to Calvin. But a win for Terra wouldn’t surprise me. – Watch the Performance VIDEO
For Terra- Carrie Ann- 8, Len- 7, Julianne- 8, Bruno- 7 for 30/40
For Calvin- Carrie Ann- 8, Len- 8, Julianne- 8, Bruno- 8 for 32/40
Calvin wins! He does not need votes from the audience tonight. However, Terra fans will need to vote as they will be one of the six couples in jeopardy.
Maureen & Artem Vs. Amber & Maks – Salsa
You can vote for Maureen 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 on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 11AM Eastern Tuesday.
You can vote for Amber 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 on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 11AM Eastern Tuesday.
Amber is first. Gosh, sometimes I want to shake Amber to give her some energy. This was a solid routine. It had nice salsa steps, an obvious play on Amber’s rear (smart, because boy can she work it) and was fun. I just wish Amber’s energy level was a tad higher. It always feel as though either nervousness or being unsure of herself with the steps keeps her from going full out. But solid routine. Let’s see what Maureen does.
Could Artem have put MORE arm passes in there? I mean, fine. They are part of a salsa routine but come on. Almost half the dance encompassed arm passes. Maureen kept up and with the exception of one out of sync moment with her feet toward the end, she did a good job. Perhaps this will be a matter of preference. This was more of a traditional salsa, while Amber and Maks modernized it. I would give the nod to Amber. – Watch the Performance VIDEO
For Amber- Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 6, Julianne- 6, Bruno- 6 for 25/40
For Maureen- Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 7, Julianne- 7, Bruno- 7 for 28/40
Maureen wins! She does not need votes from the audience tonight. However, Amber fans will need to vote as they will be one of the six couples in jeopardy.
Marilu & Derek Vs. Laurie & Val – Tango
You can vote for Laurie 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 on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 11AM Eastern Tuesday.
You can vote for Marilu 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 on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 11AM Eastern Tuesday.
Laurie is up first. Wow. Fabulous tango. Fast and with power and emotion. Laurie definitely gave a performance here that was not the cute, young Laurie we are used to seeing. Lots of content and executed beautifully. The best dance of the night.
Marilu is up. Smart choreography on Derek’s part here. This was like a mash up of a regular tango and an argentine tango. I love the dark feel of it. Marilu did everything she could in this dance. Without any major hiccups, it came off really well. But I can’t see how that dance surpassed Laurie. Heck, Marilu’s dance easily surpassed other routines tonight but she is up against Laurie. And I think Laurie wins. – Watch the Performance VIDEO
For Laurie- Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 8, Julianne- 8, Bruno- 8 for 31/40 (Carrie Ann deducted a point for a lift)
For Marilu- Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 7, Julianne- 7, Bruno- 7 for 28/40
Laurie wins! She does not need votes from the audience tonight. However, Marilu fans will need to vote as they will be one of the six couples in jeopardy.
The following couples are SAFE tomorrow night
Laurie & Val
Maureen & Artem
James & Sharna
Vanilla Ice & Witney
Calvin & Lindsay
Jana & Gleb
The following couples are IN JEOPARDY tomorrow night
Marilu & Derek
Amber & Maks
Ryan & Cheryl
Rick & Emma
Babyface & Allison
Terra & Sasha
*Note- Tomorrow night, similar to last week, will be a 2-hour result show. But the first hour will be a repeat of tonight’s dances with extra footage. I will be here live starting at 9PM Eastern (the second hour) to live blog the results.
A new POLLS thread will be going up shortly and I hope you guys head on over and vote. And I hope everyone enjoyed tonight’s face-off special. Have a goodnight folks. :D
