DWTS 24 Week 2 Live Blog and Performance Videos

Let’s take a look at last week’s poll results to see where MJ readers stand heading into tonight. Six couples are in double digits for favorite partnership. Simone & Sasha are at the top with 23%. Next up are Rashad & Emma with 16%, Normani & Val with 14%, David & Lindsay with 12%, and Bonner & Sharna and Heather & Maks both with 11%. Those percentages will change as the season progresses but I do think these six couples as of now, have the greatest shot at going deep in the competition for various reasons. Wouldn’t it be something if our readers correctly predicted the final six? It wouldn’t surprise me. You guys do well with predictions when it comes to this show.

Only four couples were able to earn double digit percentages for favorite routine of the night. Rashad & Emma‘s cha-cha-cha with 26% took the top spot. They were followed by Simone & Sasha‘s tango with 25%, Normai & Val‘s quickstep with 14% and David & Lindsay‘s quickstep at 10%. 46% of you voted Chris & Witney‘s cha-cha-cha as your least favorite routine. Mr. T & Kym‘s cha-cha-cha had 18% of that vote and Charo & Keo‘s salsa earned 12%.

The premiere episode itself earned favorable reviews, right at a B+/A-. Now, onto your predictions for tonight’s first elimination. Only three couples are in the most jeopardy according to MJ readers: Chris & Witney, Charo & Keo, and Mr. T & Kym. And Chris is leading the way with a whopping 68% of the vote. Charo has 11% and Mr. T is right behind her with 10%.

I agree with our readers on who will be getting the axe tonight. I can’t see Chris escaping elimination. Between a really poor dance, very low scores even for week one, and a questionable fanbase, he is an easy elimination. If they place anyone in jeopardy, it could be Charo and/or Mr. T. Of course, this show loves to play with who is actually in jeopardy so don’t be surprised if they put someone unexpected there to try and shock the audience or to get extra votes for a couple they want to remain in for a while.

Tonight, the couples are tasked to a perform in a new style, and they range from paso doble to jive. Folks like Charo, Mr. T, Bonner, and Nick will look to improve from so-so scores last week. Simone, Rashad, Nancy, and Normani will try to score high once again. Will someone new break out? Will the “ringers” of the season exceed already high expectations? And most importantly, can anyone subdue Charo? Okay, that last question, though true, is just a joke. With all that said, let’s begin.
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Tom and Erin immediately welcome us to the show and here come the stars…
Heather walks out alone. For those who do not know yet, Maks was injured in rehearsals and will be out for a few weeks. Because of that, Alan will be stepping in. But it is time to begin the competition…

Nancy & Artem – Cha-Cha-Cha
Nancy was happy with last week’s performance. Artem is also excited to have a partner who could go the distance. Nancy feels weird to hear compliments from Artem because she isn’t used to that. Nice opening routine. A couple of moments where Nancy looked a bit unsteady on her feet (toward the beginning and she nearly lost her balance at the very end). But Artem included basic cha-cha-cha moves in there to please the judges and Nancy was having a lot of fun. For the second week in a row though, it was a pretty unspectacular routine and I worry about Nancy getting lost in the shuffle with the bigger names and/or more flashy routines. – Watch the Performance VIDEO

Len says it was a really nice routine even though Nancy lost a little control. Julianne thinks Nancy lost a step at the beginning and it kind of threw her off. She wants her to stretch her arms a bit more. Bruno wanted it to be crispier, especially in the footwork. Carrie Ann thinks Nancy’s nerves got to her but feels like she found herself as the dance progressed.
You can vote for Nancy 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 8PM Eastern the following day.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 7
Julianne- 7
Bruno- 7
28/40

Erika & Gleb – Foxtrot
Erika wants to do better than four 6’s. Gleb doesn’t agree with Len that it was too sexy. Gleb wants to combine the sex with elegance for this foxtrot. I don’t think that rehearsal footage did Erika a world of favors to be honest, from a personality standpoint. Hmm. Okay, I can respect the duo’s idea that they won’t compromise who they are but you need to back that up. This was just an okay dance. Similar to Nancy, some unsteady moments and it wasn’t anything overall to write home about. I hope Erika remembers that part of winning over the audience on this show goes beyond the actual dancing too. – Watch the Performance VIDEO

Julianne calls it the perfect balance of being herself and having foxtrot content. Bruno enjoyed the dance and thought some of the lines were beautiful. Carrie Ann agrees and is impressed because this week, we got to see Erika dance. She wants Erika to breathe more when she gets wobbly. Len says it was full of glitz, glamour, and style. He feels the dance went a bit passed romantic.
You can vote for Erika 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 8PM Eastern the following day.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 7
Julianne- 7
Bruno- 7
28/40

Charo & Keo – Paso Doble
Charo was happy last week. Charo understands the passion of the paso doble. She takes Keo to her house and explains a bit of her past. You can tell that dance meant a lot to Charo. Perhaps a bit too much because she had a little trouble staying in-sync with Keo in parts. But I loved her footwork during this- extremely paso, as in lots of passion. If she was just able to get on the same page with Keo throughout, this would have been aces. – Watch the Performance VIDEO

Bruno attempts to critique Charo but it turns into a back and forth between them with not so much being said at the end of the day. LOL. Carrie Ann loves Charo. She says Charo was definitely one step ahead of Keo throughout. Len said it had fire and flare. He says Charo got overexcited. Julianne says age is but a number and Charo is a great example of living the best life with passion and drama.
You can vote for Charo 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 8PM Eastern the following day.
Carrie Ann- 6
Len- 6
Julianne- 7
Bruno- 6
25/40

Nick & Peta – Foxtrot
Peta wants this week to be much better- he needs to be graceful. Nick feels a lot of pressure trying to make the foxtrot look right. Vanessa (his fiance) is at rehearsal. Peta’s baby arrives at rehearsal as well. What is up with people being unbalanced tonight? Nick nearly lost his balance (and all of his steps) when he was twirling around. And it happened in the rehearsal footage as well so they should have worked hard on that. I actually think he was stronger last week though I do appreciate the commitment to the “acting” of the dance during this. So there’s that. – Watch the Performance VIDEO

Carrie Ann said it had a lot of content. She still says Nick needs to breath when he moves and relax. Len did not like the frame. He called the routine far too hectic. Julianne agrees but does love the partnership. She says less is more. Bruno wants Nick to let it go- this was too skippy.
You can vote for Nick 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 8PM Eastern the following day.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 5
Julianne- 7
Bruno- 6
25/40

Heather & Maks (Alan) – Jive
Heather was so happy having her son there last week. Maks hurt his calf during rehearsal. Heather is worried. Cue dramatic music. Tom tells us Alan is filling in. Interesting choice to include that little section of very hip-hop like dancing with two other girls in the middle. Do they want to remind the audience of Heather’s Beyonce roots? Hmm. As for the jive, nice kicks and flicks and good high energy. Let’s see how long Maks is out and if these two can find the right chemistry when the dance is less fun and requires a different aesthetic. – Watch the Performance VIDEO

Len enjoyed the jive. But he did not want to see the hip-hop stuff. He called that section a waste. Julianne disagrees because she thought the jive was hesitant but the hip-hop was great. Bruno felt the second half of the routine was better. Carrie Ann disagrees with Bruno. She loved the fierceness from step one. She actually felt the second half wasn’t as strong as the first.
You can vote for Heather 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 8PM Eastern the following day.
Carrie Ann- 8
Len- 6
Julianne- 8
Bruno- 8
30/40

Bonner & Sharna – Viennese Waltz
Bonner loved dancing last week. Sharna wants this week’s dance to be more of a love story. Bonner feels this dance is more natural for him. Best routine of the night so far! An elegant and passionate viennese waltz from start to finish. I saw good posture, nice lines, and an overall gliding (without any balance issues). These dances are so darn short and I didn’t want that one to end when it did. – Watch the Performance VIDEO

Julianne loved the simplistic choreography executed beautifully. She is playing up the showmance angle. Bruno wants Bonner to watch not going stiff on the turns. Carrie Ann feels the two brought something special to the dance. She called it poetry in motion. Len loved the frame. However, he felt it was too timid. But he says it was better than last week.
You can vote for Bonner 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 8PM Eastern the following day.
Carrie Ann- 8
Len- 6
Julianne- 8
Bruno- 7
29/40

Simone & Sasha – Cha-Cha-Cha
Sasha says this week will be hard because he wants a sexy and raw cha-cha-cha. She admits it is a little uncomfortable but she is learning. She is doubting herself in rehearsal. Well, Simone definitely committed in that. I am eager to see if Len knocks them for not having enough cha-cha-cha. For the most part, when it comes to this show, you need to not only dance well but do memorable routines that people will feel compelled to vote for. I applaud Sasha for going full out with it, despite what could potentially be a harsh critique. Simone is solid but she is for sure leaving room open in this competition for others. – Watch the Performance VIDEO

Bruno calls it wonderful. Carrie Ann calls Simone a spark plug. She thinks Simone got out of sync at a point. Len agrees with that. She got ahead of Sasha at one point but he enjoyed it very much. Julianne says Simone always looks sexy when she dances but she wants Simone to discover the feeling behind being sexy. She saw it but didn’t exactly feel it.
You can vote for Simone 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 8PM Eastern the following day.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 7
Julianne- 7
Bruno- 8
29/40

Chris & Witney – Jazz
Chris is worried about being too stiff. He broke his neck fourteen years ago. He shows Witney his back X-Ray. He is crying because he misses the way he used to be. Witney is in tears too. Oh goodness. I really hope Chris is eliminated tonight. I just feel horrendous trying to critique him now that I saw that package about his back. I mean, let’s call a spade a spade. This was another “can’t really dance so let’s be funny” routine. And I guess it worked in that respect. But clearly, it will be like this on a weekly basis and it is probably best for Chris to just exit. – Watch the Performance VIDEO

Carrie Ann is very inspired by Chris. She was entertained. Len calls it fun and entertaining. And it was better than last week. Julianne thanks Chris for sharing his story and agrees, it was better than last week. Bruno enjoyed it.
You can vote for Chris 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 8PM Eastern the following day.
Carrie Ann- 6
Len- 5
Julianne- 6
Bruno- 5
22/40

Normani & Val – Cha-Cha-Cha
Normani has had a tough week with traveling for her group. Val loves to travel with her. They actually came back the day of the show. That was an outstanding cha-cha-cha. Did I see a lift that Carrie Ann is going to go all lift police on? I hope not. There was a lot of cha-cha-cha content in that and dare I say, Normani handled it better than Simone did. It was an overall better routine from start to finish. Props to her for that travel schedule and still doing this show. – Watch the Performance VIDEO

Len loved that it was a full routine. He thought it was terrific. Julianne says she felt the dance. She has no real critique. Bruno loved it. Carrie Ann says it was truly dancing with a star.
You can vote for Normani 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 8PM Eastern the following day.
Carrie Ann- 8
Len- 8
Julianne- 8
Bruno- 8
32/40

Rashad & Emma – Viennese Waltz
Rashad was thrilled with the scores last week. He is using a previous breakup as inspiration for this upcoming dance. Nice! Another routine I wish had more time so it could really hit all the marks. Rashad is a solid dancer now both in latin and ballroom, so that is going to be good for the remainder of the competition. I thought he had good frame here- not great but better than what most have in week two. Perhaps last week’s dance was more of a show stopper, but this week was a nice stripped down version of some of the technical things he can do. – Watch the Performance VIDEO

Julianne called it hot. She loves that Rashad is the man in the dance and leading Emma. Bruno loved how steamy it was. He wants him to watch his hands- don’t throw them like shovels. Carrie Ann loved the balance between masculinity but control. Len felt it was a bit flat footed at times but overall, he liked it.
You can vote for Rashad 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 8PM Eastern the following day.
Carrie Ann- 8
Len- 8
Julianne- 8
Bruno- 8
32/40

Mr. T & Kym – Paso Doble
Mr. T says he wasn’t concentrating last week. Kym feels bad that Mr. T is being so hard on himself. He is really giving it his all in rehearsal. So much better than last week! Sure, at times, Kym is still dancing around T but he had a lot more moves this go around. He also puts everything he can into the dance and unlike what we see from Chris, you can tell he wants the dances to be more than just humorous pieces. He wants them to look somewhat decent and appropriate. Nice job! – Watch the Performance VIDEO

Bruno felt it was a little internalized- needed more drive though the entire body. Carrie Ann says Mr. T did not miss a step. She doesn’t want him to do the punching anymore because he is growing. Len feels Mr. T is the spirit of the show. Julianne saw the intensity and focus.
You can vote for Mr. T 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 8PM Eastern the following day.
Carrie Ann- 6
Len- 5
Julianne- 6
Bruno- 5
22/40

David & Lindsay – Cha-Cha-Cha
David loved seeing his teammates and family last week. He is so excited to go back to his high school reunion when the song they are dancing to came out. This is a hysterical rehearsal. Such fun! Perfect mix of humor and technique. Sure, no one is going to say that routine is technically on the same level as a few others we have seen tonight but routines like this result in people wanting to vote. Mix fun with solid dancing and you have a winning combination. – Watch the Performance VIDEO

Carrie Ann is sort of on the fence. She loved the energy but doesn’t think the style was completely on point. Len wants David’s footwork worked on. But he feels as though David is past second base and heading for third. Julianne enjoyed it and feels David has loads of charisma. She wanted to see more cha-cha-cha. Bruno thought it was stylistically perfect and David puts on a show. But work on the feet he notes.
You can vote for David 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 on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method) from the start of the East Coast show till 8PM Eastern the following day.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 6
Julianne- 7
Bruno- 7
27/40
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The first couple in jeopardy is… Chris & Witney.
Also in jeopardy… Charo &Keo

EVERYONE ELSE IS SAFE!

And the first couple eliminated this season on DWTS..Chris & Witney

Chris calls Witney amazing. He wishes his surgeries and all of that was noted before but he had an incredible time. Oh Chris- even if the show did a special 2-hour episode dedicated solely to your back, it wouldn’t have helped the dancing or the votes. This was the right choice. – Watch the Elimination VIDEO

Next week…VEGAS NIGHT.

And there you have it for week two.

One final look at tonight’s leaderboard (scores are out of 40)
Rashad & Emma- 32
Normani & Val- 32
Heather & Maks- 30
Simone & Sasha- 29
Bonner & Sharna- 29
Nancy & Artem- 28
Erika & Gleb- 28
David & Lindsay- 27
Charo & Keo- 25
Nick & Peta- 25
Mr. T & Kym- 22

A brand new POLLS thread is minutes away from going up (be sure to check it out and vote) and I’ll be back with you guys a week from tonight from another new and exciting episode. :)