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

Time for the fifth power list of the season! Even though this past week concentrated on new pairings in the “Switch-Up,” this list will still show the original pairings as very idea of this “twist” is more to challenge the celebrity and to see if they have the talent and determination to overcome. This year’s “Switch-Up” was my least favorite out of all the seasons the show has done it. While a few new pairings surprised and shined, quite a few just didn’t hit the mark and I was left feeling as though it was a rather forgettable week of competition. Len Goodman and guest judge Maks were extra irritable, which only added to an uneasy night overall. However, scores were handed out and those scores (with last week’s), as well as two weeks of audience votes are being added together to determine which original pairing will be leaving us. Let’s take a look at where everyone stands…

9th Place – Doug & Karina (No Change)

I came to the realization Monday night that it doesn’t matter who Doug is paired with or which dance style he gets. He simply doesn’t have the ability to do any better than what we are seeing. He is the weakest dancer left on the show and it is so clearly evident when you watch him. That’s a shame because he is a nice guy with a great work ethic, but that can only take you so far when everyone else is either improving or consistently doing better than you are. I really believe Doug will dance his final routine this Monday and be eliminated. If he somehow ended up staying, it would be the first real “shocker” of the season in terms of eliminations.

8th Place – Von & Witney (Previously 7th)

Von did a nice jive, though it lacked crisp movements it really needed to be outstanding. Lindsay tried her best with a fun country theme and I appreciate Von being in character and having a good time. At the end of the day though, I don’t think anyone will really remember this routine and that’s a problem for Von. He needs to stand out more so he doesn’t get lost in the shuffle of some really solid dancers. I also think Witney may have turned off a few viewers this week even though she wasn’t paired with Von. Her attitude in the rehearsal package with Wanya and the look on her face when being judged was not pleasant. I wonder if any fans opted not to vote for Von based on that. I do think he is safe this week, though a trip to the bottom or being in jeopardy isn’t out of the question.

7th Place – Antonio & Sharna (Previously 6th)

What is up with Antonio being constantly late to rehearsal? That’s not a good look. It makes the audience think he isn’t taking this at all seriously. The judges seem to be taking the same attitude since they basically told him that he isn’t giving this his all. I know this is just a silly dancing show but you agreed to do it dude. If you don’t want to put in the work, you can go. The thing is, Antonio has a lot of football fans who would vote like crazy for him and that is likely to carry him for at least a few more weeks. But unless he improves both on and off the ballroom floor, my pre-season expectation that he would be a lock for the end of the show is totally out the window.

6th Place – Kim & Sasha (Previously 5th)

I’m still cringing at the back and forth between Len, Maks, and Keo from Monday night. I understood both sides of the argument in terms of how Keo choreographed the routine. Could the harsh words earn Kim some votes? I actually hope it does because she doesn’t deserve to be unexpectedly eliminated this week. No, she isn’t the best dancer on the show but she is one of the biggest personalities who can actually dance decently and sell every routine. I’m so glad she is back with Sasha this week (I’m sure she is as well) because they just match so much better. What she needs this coming week is another strong routine to wipe out the memory of her switch-up and get her back on track.

5th Place – Jodie & Keo (Previously 8th)

Jodie makes the biggest jump this week by having her best routine of the competition and finally realizing her potential. She looked confident, didn’t miss a single step, and had a better choreographer give her something strong to work with. I don’t know if Jodie would be so hit and miss as she has been if Val were her partner from day one but I do know that this coming week is a huge test for both her and Keo. Can she continue to build momentum and can Keo help her keep those scores high? I think she did enough to finally escape being in jeopardy this week but she must have another strong performance to solidify the idea that she is on a real comeback.

4th Place – Paige & Mark (No Change)

Paige is another celebrity who I am thrilled is returning to their original partner. I love Sasha but I just think Paige needs Mark. He can come up with more clever routines that show why Paige really is the dark horse of the competition. She performed a lovely rumba and she is getting better at trusting her partners and letting go on the dance floor. My biggest fear is that Paige is that one contestant who gets a shockingly early boot because she either doesn’t have as many fans as others or because people think she will be safe. It happens almost every season where a very talented dancer gets shafted early on. Let’s hope Mark is able to combat that with some stellar choreography that Paige nails.

3rd Place – Ginger & Val (No Change)

Mark gave Ginger her toughest choreography of the season- an entire dance of content from beginning to end. She did it. She did it well, with only a few issues throughout. So the issue is that either Val is nervous to give her more to do because he doesn’t think she can or he is simply lacking in the choreography department as compared to Mark. Is less more in Val’s eyes? Perhaps. But make no mistake. Ginger is a force on this show when it comes to the audience. I’m not thrilled at how much exposure she gets on Good Morning America but at this point, that’s not going to change. She’s going to have entire segments devoted to her and she’s going to continue to be ABC network’s girl. She’s safe and more than than likely a lock for the finale.

2nd Place – Wanya & Lindsay (Previously 1st)

The judges were a tad bit harsh on Wanya this week. I thought his routine was better than they expressed with their critiques. Sure, Witney isn’t as good a choreographer as Lindsay but Wanya sold it as he always does. I don’t think he lost anything with switch-up week. He just didn’t gain anything, which is why he drops just one standing in these rankings. I fully expect him to come back this week and nail a much more favorable routine.

1st Place – Nyle & Peta (Previously 2nd)

In direct opposition to what I just said about Wanya, I think Nyle gained a bit by the switch-up. Not so much because he was paired with Sharna but just because he danced a near flawless viennese waltz. He was my biggest question mark going into the week in terms of how he would work with a new partner. Obviously, he and Sharna were a more than adequate match. But let’s discuss front runner status for a second on reality shows. Many can say this competition is Nyle’s to lose but I wouldn’t put money on that just yet. The tide can still turn. It is really difficult to remain on the top week in and week out and though exceptions to that exist (Bindi Irwin for example), Nyle has had one or two weeks where the judges placed him lower on the leader board. So while I think he is still a solid pick for the finale, I think the trophy itself could go to anyone I have ranked from 4th to 1st at this point.

And there you have it for this week. What do you guys think? Do you agree with the top 3 or think someone else should be in one of those spots? Is Doug dead last and a guaranteed boot this coming Monday? What about Jodie? Did she really deserve to move up three whole places in the rankings? Share any thoughts or feelings you have about the rankings and the couples in the comments if you please. And remember, Dancing with the Stars continues with all new episode this coming Monday, April 25th. It is “Famous Dances” night as we see the couples re-create famous routines from movies and music videos. Join me @8 Eastern live right here at MJ’s.