Dancing with the Stars: Athletes Week 3 Live Blog and Performance Videos

Hey All :)

Welcome to week three of season twenty-six of Dancing with the Stars. This is the semi-finals. Yes, as crazy as that sounds, we are just one week away from crowning new champions. This is quite a blink and you might miss it mini-season. Tonight, we go from six to three and by the end of the show, we will know who our finalists are.

Last week, Kareem & Lindsay, as well as Arike & Gleb were eliminated after two rounds of competition. Tonight, the couples are tasked with performing an unlearned routine plus a ballroom dance battle. Former contestant David Ross is in the house as a guest judge. Let’s quickly review last week’s poll results.

Adam & Jenna are the clear favorite couple for the majority of MJ voters. All the other couples (with the exception of Jennie & Keo) are all huddled together in a dead heat for second. It was a bit closer when it came to your favorite individual routine as Adam & Jenna and Mirai & Alan took the top spots. Team 1970’s football was the big winner in the team dancers, earning eighty percent of the vote. The episode itself was well received by you guys, earning right around a B+.

You guys believe tonight’s eliminations will be Jennie, Tonya, and either Chris or Josh. I agree that Jennie is toast. It was surprising she even made it through last week. With three exits this go around, she doesn’t really stand a chance. But Tonya could actually escape this week, leaving both Chris and Josh in trouble. I don’t think Adam or Mirai have anything to worry about as both seem locks for the finale? Will we have an all figure skater finale or will either Chris or Josh be able to earn that third spot? Let’s all find out…

Our pros and troupe get us started with a fun filled opening routine. Take note contestants- that’s how you do a proper jive. Here come the contestants. And here come this week’s special guest mentors (Von Miller, Nastia Liukin, and Meryl Davis). And welcome back David Ross, our special guest judge. Tom and Erin welcome us to the show. Mandy Moore was of course responsible for the choreography of that opening.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ–DO5QJgs

Mirai Nagasu and Alan – Quickstep
Good dance! Mirai has to be careful in hold sometimes because the body contact gets lost on occasion. I see way too much space between the pair. But the overall posture is good and the quickstep moves were fast, fun, and in-sync. I liked the choreography here even if I could do without so many dancers. Mirai is too good to have the dance muddled by having the entire troupe on the floor. I get Alan’s thematic thinking though and he and Mirai executed a lovely routine.

David calls it impressive. He thought it was awesome. Len liked that they came out all guns blazing. He says Mirai slightly lost her posture as the dance went on. Bruno enjoyed the runs during the dance. He loved the energy and visual impact. He mentions she lost a bit of her top line. Carrie Ann begins speaking Japanese to Mirai’s mother. She agrees with Bruno and wants her to pay attention to what is going on around her when she is dancing in a group.
1-800-868-3409
Vote for Mirai via phone, facebook, and ABC.COM until 5AM eastern (Tuesday) for phone and 10PM Eastern (Tuesday) for online methods.
Carrie Ann- 9
David- 9
Len- 8
Bruno- 9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOU7EPJFQ-Y

Jennie Finch Daigle and Keo – Viennese Waltz
Jennie is much better at the slow ballroom dances than she is at latin routines. So this was better than last week. But I think I finally found what my issue is with her. She doesn’t naturally convey the dance. When I watch her, I feel like she is thinking about the next steps and I am watching a dance lesson on my television. I thought the emotion of the dance (dedicated to her husband) would bring a more organic feel but it was missed on me. I saw some nice lines, fluidity, and flow but I was missing it all coming together into something special. Kudos to Keo though for giving her a proper and beautiful viennese waltz to dance though.

Len enjoyed the soft sweeping movement. He wanted more fluidity through the arms and there was one or two unstable moments. He wanted more in hold too. He does say well done. Bruno feels as though Jennie started to trust her partner. He critiques her arms at how she throws them and tells her to work on her balance. Carrie Ann says Jennie embodies what the show is about. She wishes we had more weeks to watch Jennie grow. David says Jennie’s journey reminds him of his own journey. He is very proud and compliments her frame.

1-800-868-3405
Vote for Jennie via phone, facebook, and ABC.COM until 5AM eastern (Tuesday) for phone and 10PM Eastern (Tuesday) for online methods.
Carrie Ann- 7
David- 8
Len- 7
Bruno- 7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uejcSFexY-g

Chris Mazdzer and Witney – Foxtrot
Chris is so charming. His mom coming in at the end was precious. And Witney was so smart here. She put together a routine that showed Chris off so well. That opening where he was solo was fantastic. It was such a lovely throwback routine and the dancing on the piano was great. Probably my favorite Chris routine of the season thus far. He is making a case here for the finale but we shall see how the night progresses. Really solid job.

Bruno calls Chris dashing. He enjoyed the elements of the dance. He feels it wasn’t perfect but as an interpretation of the dance, it was fantastic. Carrie Ann calls it a showstopper. She feels he was nervous at the beginning but once the curtain went up, he went loose. UH OH. LIFT POLICE. Carrie Ann deducts a point for the lift. David compliments the “catch” and loved the routine. Len thought it was brave for Chris to go alone but he felt it was too wooden. He liked it more as the routine went on.

1-800-868-3403
Vote for Chris via phone, facebook, and ABC.COM until 5AM eastern (Tuesday) for phone and 10PM Eastern (Tuesday) for online methods.
Carrie Ann- 8
David- 9
Len- 7
Bruno- 9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blpr7ALd5iQ

Tonya Harding and Sasha – Rumba
When I watch a rumba, I look for hip action, flow, and connection between the partners. This had that. It wasn’t the most memorable rumba I have ever seen on this show and I don’t even think it was my favorite Tonya routine overall, but it checked the boxes and she did what she had to do. A lovely tribute to her dad and Sasha kept it simple and elegant. A very good job. Again, like Chris, Tonya is making her case for a trip to the finale. This is getting serious.

Carrie Ann feels Tonya danced with her heart open. David mentions how hard it is to watch a package and then dance and he called it awesome. Len enjoyed the light and shade in the dance but wanted more hip action. Bruno loved the lines and musicality. He mentions she tenses still a bit but in his opinion, well done.

1-800-868-3410
Vote for Tonya via phone, facebook, and ABC.COM until 5AM eastern (Tuesday) for phone and 10PM Eastern (Tuesday) for online methods.
Carrie Ann- 8
David- 9
Len- 8
Bruno- 8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8zg7MkFoKw

Adam Rippon and Jenna – Contemporary
That was gorgeous! Contemporary was made for Adam. It doesn’t hurt that Jenna is from So You Think You Can Dance which is the cornerstone show for exceptional contemporary dances. Just beautiful. I always have a tough time doing a critique of contemporary because it is so subjective. It either makes you feel something or it doesn’t. This did and I loved it. Fabulous choreography Jenna.

David calls it beautiful. He calls it his favorite dance of the night. Len loved the emotion. Len isn’t a great fan of dances that are spiky on occasion. He does say it is the best dance he has seen tonight. Bruno calls them two birds of paradise. He calls them the same instrument. He says it was hard to tell who was the pro and who was the contestant. Carrie Ann says the choreography was challenging. She calls it pure perfection.

1-800-868-3401
Vote for Adam via phone, facebook, and ABC.COM until 5AM eastern (Tuesday) for phone and 10PM Eastern (Tuesday) for online methods.
Carrie Ann- 10
David- 10
Len- 9
Bruno- 10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHfudoJ3CIQ

Josh Norman and Sharna – Contemporary
Very pretty! Again, how do you properly critique a contemporary? I didn’t feel as emotionally gut punched as I did with Adam but it was still so strong. Sharna went for the more typical contemporary moves we see on this show, right down to the skipping through the ballroom. Josh lent himself very well to the routine and again, and I realize I am a broken record right now, Josh is another dancer making a case to advance to next week.

Len was concerned after Adam’s but loved the fluidity of the dance. He liked it so much. Bruno calls it strong and confident. He loved how much care Josh took control of Sharna. Carrie Ann agreed with Len. She felt a sense of peace while watching. David calls it smooth. He mentions he almost dropped Lindsay on lifts a few times but not Josh.

1-800-868-3407
Vote for Josh via phone, facebook, and ABC.COM until 5AM eastern (Tuesday) for phone and 10PM Eastern (Tuesday) for online methods.
Carrie Ann- 9
David- 9
Len- 9
Bruno- 9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dck0MCyvhe0

Ballroom Dance Battles

Tonya & Sasha Vs. Jennie & Keo – Cha-Cha-Cha
Hmm. That was hard to watch and try to come to a decision on who won. I think Tonya was cleaner and had more rhythm. I think Jennie was basically duplicating an earlier dance she had this season. Her hands are still weird in these types of dances. Tonya had a few iffy moments but if I had to grade it- I would give it to Tonya.

Len finds it difficult to judge. He feels one had more rhythm. He compliments both. Bruno feels both had the right feel. He felt there was some timing issues. Carrie Ann says both were fantastic and feels it was well matched. David hated when he had to do this and wishes both good luck.
Carrie Ann- TONYA
David- JENNIE
Len- TONYA
Bruno- TONYA
2 MORE POINTS for TONYA but America picked Jennie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-rTz88tut8

Adam & Jenna Vs. Mirai & Alan – Jive
WOW. CLOSE. That was close. I mean, both couples brought it here. Each had moments where I was feeling their respective jives. I wanna say as a whole, Adam had the more beginning, middle, and end routine where it felt like a package. So by a slim margin, I give this one to Adam. But it wouldn’t shock me if the judges split the vote here.

Bruno loved seeing Olympians going for gold. He feels it comes down to taste and personal style. He calls them both excellent. Carrie Ann thought it was ridiculous. She feels it was the hardest choice to make. David compliments them on learning two dances. Len loved the both. He says it is a tough tough decision.
Carrie Ann- ADAM
David- MIRAI
Len- MIRAI
Bruno- ADAM
2 MORE POINTS for ADAM but America picked ADAM.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9TC8wXQHX8

Chris & Witney Vs. Josh & Sharna – Salsa
Well, I feel like Chris had the more cohesive routine from start to finish while Josh had a bit more musicality. It was the battle of the shirts off, so that should please people. LOL. I want to give it to Chris by a smidge but if Josh wins it, it would be well deserved.

Carrie Ann calls it so tight. She yells HELP. David said they brought the heat. Len says it was so difficult. He isn’t a lover of the shirts coming off. Bruno is a lover of shirts coming off and he begins to remove his. And yes he does. Good lord. Len looks nauseous. LMAO. He has no real critique.
Carrie Ann- CHRIS
David- JOSH
Len- JOSH
Bruno- JOSH
2 MORE POINTS for Josh but America picked Chris.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PA0cNQ7CJ0

Eliminations!
GOING TO THE FINALE… ADAM & JENNA, TONYA & SASHA, JOSH & SHARNA

Eliminated- Mirai & Alan, Jennie & Keo, Chris & Witney

Well, Josh spoiled the all figure skater finale. I am a little bummed for Mirai as she was the better dancer than Josh (and Chris and Tonya) but football players always do well on here with votes, so it is what it is. This sets up an interesting dynamic for the finale. These three have two rounds of dancing next week, including the freestyle. I am excited to see how it all shakes out. POLLS will be up very soon. Thanks for watching with me you guys and see y’all in a week’s time. :D