Dancing with the Stars – Season 16 – The Semi-Finals!

Welcome to the Semi-Finals (week 9) of season sixteen of Dancing with the Stars. In just one week, we will have our winner! Wow, this season went pretty fast. Last week, we said goodbye to The Bachelor star Sean Lowe and his professional partner, Peta Murgatroyd. Sean was never really able to overcome dancing awkwardly and being stiff on the floor. While he wasn’t the worst this season, he definitely deserved the boot over of any of the remaining stars. At least he learned some dances he can use at his upcoming wedding. Now, let’s turn out attention to Ingo. We know the finale is going to have four stars, as opposed to the usual three. So, is there any possible way that Ingo can sneak into the finals at the expense one of the show’s highest scoring stars? Things seem pretty academic this week but heck, stranger things have happened on this show. As long as Kellie, Zendaya, Aly, and Jacoby bring their best, this should be the end for the General Hospital star. We shall see.

For tonight’s Semi-Finals, the couples will be tasked twice. First, any unlearned dance. Second, the twitter chosen dance. Last week, we found out what America picked for the couples and they will need to perform some pretty difficult dance genres on their way to the finals. All the couples seemingly got the dances they wanted, so we should be in for some good performances. Aly and Zendaya are the only two stars who have never been in the bottom and/or placed in jeopardy. Of course, it needs to be said that this show places people in jeopardy all the time when they might not be. So, both Jacoby and Kellie could have been safe all along. Only Ingo has been a legit celeb in the bottom two. Let’s see how tonight shapes up! :D

Kellie Pickler (Country music singer) & Derek Hough – (Argentine Tango)
Awesome! First they dance in front of this huge red silhouette and it looks so amazing. When they finally get on the ballroom, they are in-sync and having some incredible moments in-hold. I love (absolutely love) argentine tango dances because they have so much passion and intrigue. And this dance had it all. Kellie is absolutely flawless with these steps. Her footwork is impeccable here. Derek again choreographs a marvel and Kellie looks and feels the part from beginning to end. A brilliant way to open the show.

Len says it was a mix of pride and joy. He calls it fantastic and says everything in the past remains there. Bruno welcomes Len to the world of the sublime. Bruno is all compliments. Carrie Ann is amazed at how perfect Kellie was in only nine weeks of competition.
Carrie Ann- 10 Len- 10 Bruno- 10 for a total of 30/30
To vote for Kellie & Derek, call 1800-868-3401. You can also text “VOTE” to 3401. Finally, register at ABC.COM to vote online.

Ingo Rademacher (Soap opera actor) & Kym Johnson – (Samba)
This isn’t half bad. It is definitely a proper samba and thankfully, Kym has choreographed to Ingo’s strengths. For a dance that is highly rhythmic, Ingo is doing a decent job. I will say that he still comes off awkward from time to time and a bit stiff. It is funny to watch Ingo because you can see that he tries so hard to bring the acting out and be sexy in these latin routines but it doesn’t always come off that way. Still, for someone who is on the brink of elimination this week, he gave his fans what they would want to see- a decent samba overall.

Bruno loves Ingo’s determination. But he lost a bit of timing and the bounce wasn’t there. Carrie Ann was impressed with the hip rolls and she wants Ingo to step it up even more. A few sloppy moves here and there. Len thought it was a good job with a difficult dance. He mentions a few things that needed work but is pretty much pleased with what Ingo did.
Carrie Ann- 8 Len- 8 Bruno- 8 for a total of 24/30
To vote for Ingo & Kym, call 1800-868-3403. You can also text “VOTE” to 3403. Finally, register at ABC.COM to vote online.

Aly Raisman (Olympic gold medal gymnast) & Mark Ballas – (Rumba)
Well, I am back to feeling a disconnect with Aly. This is a good rumba technically and Aly has the steps down but I am failing to see much of an emotional connection to the dance or to Mark. The rumba is that passionate and sensual dance and a bit of emotion and acting goes a very long way. I guess I missed it personally. If I was grading the rumba alone, this would be great. But adding in what I know about the dance, I just felt it was a bit lacking. Since I need to speak about the dance mainly, no issues or incidents here. This was your typical rumba done very well.

Carrie Ann believes Aly drew everyone in with that dance. She loved everything about it. Len loved the story and how it was told and believes Aly has grown. Bruno says everyone was enchanted by the dance. He complimented Aly on everything.
Carrie Ann- 10 Len- 10 Bruno- 10 for a total of 30/30
To vote for Aly & Mark, call 1800-868-3408. You can also text “VOTE” to 3408. Finally, register at ABC.COM to vote online.

Wow, I did not think that deserved a perfect score. Perhaps a trio of “9” paddles but not perfection.

Jacoby Jones (NFL wide receiver) & Karina Smirnoff – (Argentine Tango)
Karina had to go the hospital due to a mistake in rehearsal with her jaw. But she is fine to dance tonight. Another strong argentine tango. It wasn’t as good as Kellie’s but very good. It hurts a little that Jacoby is so tall and sometimes, these close in-hold dances can be tricky to pull off and look good. I have to say though, Jacoby looks good doing it. He is definitely bringing the passion and the lifts and footwork are really solid. I also like the choreography Karina has done here because it adds a feeling that a dance like this needs in order to connect with the audience.

Len loved the mood and intensity and the great feel. Len is up out of his seat and loving it. Bruno thought the sexual tension was unbearable. Jacoby’s mother is crying. Bruno is all compliments. Carrie Ann gets a kiss from Jacoby and she is up ridiculously dancing. Yep, she has nothing to add verbally. Just laughing, a kiss, and dancing.
Carrie Ann- 10 Len- 10 Bruno- 10 for a total of 30/30
To vote for Jacoby & Karina, call 1800-868-3412. You can also text “VOTE” to 3412. Finally, register at ABC.COM to vote online.

Interesting so far. Every couple with the exception of Ingo has received a perfect score. Will Zendaya as well?

Zendaya Coleman (Dinsey Channel star) & Valentin Chmerkovskiy – (Quickstep)
They are literally in race cars at the start of the quickstep. Subtle! LOL. Oh…this might be Zendaya’s first ever dance that is lacking a bit. I see some issues here. They are definitely going fast and hitting the steps but Zendaya actually looks to be behind a little as compared to Val. It isn’t that she is losing steam but instead, is losing the technical aspect of the dance in favor or really going at super speed. Yes, the quickstep is supposed to be fast but all the in-hold work is also supposed to be refined. This wasn’t bad (hardly) but compared to what everyone usually expects from Zendaya, a bit of a step down.

Bruno loved the concept. He mentions that she lost her frame and footwork a couple of times. Carrie Ann calls it kind of a mess. She felt like they were dragging one another through the dance. Len thought parts of the dance were fabulous but the speed came in and the style went out.
Carrie Ann- 8 Len- 8 Bruno- 9 for a total of 25/30
To vote for Zendaya & Val, call 1800-868-3406. You can also text “VOTE” to 3406. Finally, register at ABC.COM to vote online.

Round 2 is coming up but this is one of those semi-final nights where you can really see the judges motives, IMO.

All of these second round dances will begin with packages dedicated to the celebs with their family and friends talking about their lives.

Kellie Pickler (Country music singer) & Derek Hough – (Flamenco)
I am completely in the dark when it comes to the flamenco. So, I will just keep this short and say that it looks nice, it sounds nice, and it feels nice. Kellie seems to be totally in-sync with Derek. I hate to say this but Derek is actually the star here and maybe that’s how it works in this type of dance. I just don’t know. What I can say is that Kellie is so determined to be on point with feeling and conviction that it just keeps me glued to the screen. To me, it was very entertaining.

Len says Kellie is small but her talent is huge. He says she just booked her place in the final. Bruno thought Kellie tightened up a few times and that was a problem but he did compliment her. Carrie Ann agrees that Kellie tensed up in the middle of the dance. So, Carrie Ann agrees with Bruno and Len disagrees with both of them.
Carrie Ann- 9 Len- 10 Bruno- 9 for a total of 28/30
To vote for Kellie & Derek, call 1800-868-3401. You can also text “VOTE” to 3401. Finally, register at ABC.COM to vote online.

Ingo Rademacher (Soap opera actor) & Kym Johnson – (Charleston)
The charleston is perfect for Ingo. It is cheesy, fun, and Kym is able to choreograph without tasking Ingo too much. That’s not exactly a complete compliment from me because the dance comes off a bit more comedic than anything. And unfortunately, I think the dances should be serious and technically perfect during the semi-finals. As an actor, Ingo is totally able to make this believable. This is definitely entertaining but I don’t know, I don’t think it is strong enough to propel Ingo above his competitors and make the finale. There is something to be said for entertainment though, and maybe the audience will vote hard for him since everyone else seems to be bringing it so strongly.

Bruno loved the feeling of the roaring 20’s. Carrie Ann agrees even though it had a few mistakes. Len thought it was bubbly and fill of fizz. Len actually calls it Ingo’s best dance and done at the right time.
Carrie Ann- 9 Len- 9 Bruno- 9 for a total of 27/30
To vote for Ingo & Kym, call 1800-868-3403. You can also text “VOTE” to 3403. Finally, register at ABC.COM to vote online.

Aly Raisman (Olympic gold medal gymnast) & Mark Ballas – (Afro-Jazz)
I have seen this style performed on SYTYCD and Aly is doing a fantastic job. The dance is very tribal and takes a lot of practice for both people to be in-sync. Aly is also really showing her personality here, which is great. I am enjoying this dance much more than I did her previous round dance. Mark should be very happy with his choreography here. He isn’t mugging for the camera as I expected but instead, showing off both himself and Aly. This is very entertaining and technically special.

Carrie Ann calls it ridiculous. She loved it. Len loved the feeling of the dance. He wanted a little more connection between the two but he enjoyed it. He says this is just his opinion. Bruno called her queen of the jungle. Bruno says Aly has exceeded all expectations. If Aly doesn’t make it to the finals, Bruno will dance in speedos.
Carrie Ann- 10 Len- 9 Bruno- 10 for a total of 29/30
To vote for Aly & Mark, call 1800-868-3408. You can also text “VOTE” to 3408. Finally, register at ABC.COM to vote online.

Jacoby Jones (NFL wide receiver) & Karina Smirnoff – (Lindy Hop)
See, here’s the difference between what we saw from Ingo and what we are seeing from Jacoby. Both of them had fun and rather cheesy type dances but Jacoby is excelling at mixing the personality of the dance with great technical elements. I am loving his footwork here. This is definitely a feel good throwback routine to earlier decades of dance. Awesome. Some fantastic choreography by Karina. What a fun routine from beginning to end.

Len said that Jacoby got on the wrong foot early but despite that, full on and fabulous. He loved it. Bruno thought he nailed it completely. Carrie Ann says Jacoby is the number one entertainer of season sixteen.
Carrie Ann- 10 Len- 9 Bruno- 10 for a total of 29/30
To vote for Jacoby & Karina, call 1800-868-3412. You can also text “VOTE” to 3412. Finally, register at ABC.COM to vote online.

Zendaya Coleman (Dinsey Channel star) & Valentin Chmerkovskiy – (Hip-Hop)
As expected, Zendaya is great with hip-hop. I expected nothing less than that here. That could be a catch-22 because high expectations could lead to disappointment. But not here. Even Val is stepping up from ballroom expert to a hip-hop dancer with swag. It is too bad this show doesn’t have a younger demo audience because they would eat this up. I am not sure how older viewers will connect to it but Zendaya already has a major fan base and I think this is just what they wanted from her. Good on her for getting to do what she wants and props to Val for keeping up!

Bruno calls it ridiculous and cool. He would give her a record deal to see all her videos. Carrie Ann agrees with Bruno and even compliments Val on stepping up. Len loved that the dance had fun to it and thought it was fantastic.
Carrie Ann- 10 Len- 10 Bruno- 10 for a total of 30/30
To vote for Zendaya & Val, call 1800-868-3406. You can also text “VOTE” to 3406. Finally, register at ABC.COM to vote online.

Final Judges Leaderboard:
Jacoby And Karina- 59/60
Aly And Mark- 59/60
Kellie And Derek- 58/60
Zendaya And Val – 55/60
Ingo And Kym- 51/60

Thanks for watching with me tonight and I hope you guys enjoyed! A new thread will be up shortly with polls! Head on over and give a vote and comment if you want. :D