From the swingin days of Charleston and Jitterbug, to the funky disco days of Samba-Hustle in the laundromat - the Dancing with the Stars 23 delivered another fantastic show in every era.
The Dancers: Maureen and Artem The Dance: Tango
Sometimes seeing a mistake can make the audience giddy. Like they found a clue to unravel some mystery. The reality is that there are plenty of mistakes, which is why great dancers appreciate how people recover from dance mistakes. In Maureen and Artem's case, there was a mistake that was visible to anyone watching, but - mistake or not - this routine seemed to have cast the wrong celebrity from the get go.
As great as Bon Jovi is, this leather clad routine seemed forced and overacted. As crazy as it sounds, McCormick did her best when Amber Rose was around. She was the Ying to Rose's bootilicious Yang, and without Rose in the picture - McCormick fell under more focused scrutiny.
Moving Forward
Maureen and Artem were eliminated, but McCormick's dance journey was a special one. Her Most Memorable Year dance was refreshingly candid, and her story and dance tied together beautifully. It is a shame she has to leave, but she definitely proved that she's a capable dancer who could easily turn Ballroom and Latin dancing into a hobby that fulfills things in her life beyond dance steps.
The Dancers: Calvin and Lindsay The Dance: Jive
Would it still be considered "fluff" if the dancers utilized the "fluff" in an expert sort of way? You know, like jumping up on top of the classic car, hitting a pose, jumping over your teacher, and then dancing in the lead position in a formation of backup dancers when this time last year you were catching touchdown passes. Calvin and Lindsay continued to streak towards the DWTS 23 endzone with a Jive that hit all the necessary details, and capitalized on all the unexpected ones. You know, the "fluff".
Plan Moving Forward
Lindsay has done a superb job getting Calvin to dance to his height. That will be a constant focus in the weeks ahead. While Calvin won't ever have to do the splits, but with this pair you'd never know, he will need to show great leg and hip action in the remaining latin dances. Having focal points in the upper and lower body can cause one to have interrupted service, but our guess is that won't stop the great streak they are on.
The Dancers: Jana and Gleb The Dance: Samba
Jana and Gleb have found another way to turn DWTS from a TV-PG family-ish program into a TV-MA, make you a little uncomfortable to watch with your spouse show. Granted, this is a good looking couple, with great on screen chemistry, but it would be a shame if that's the only dimension that is revealed through her season on the show.
Moving Forward
She was in the bottom two, and that isn't so much an indictment on her ability to add sex appeal to anything she does (by the way, this was the sexiest disco themed Samba routine ever), but it seems to be an over-used gimmick at this point. For all the development she's made with her leg lines and footwork, it's a shame that the final impression is of someone who is constantly trying to seduce people into voting for her. What she needs is a week of elegance and class, without feigned love making, groping, or a shower in the middle of the dance floor.
The Dancers: Ryan and Cheryl The Dance: Rumba
Ryan sure has defied logic, embraced the role of embattled underdog, and surpassed the public perception of his DWTS lifespan. Our assessment of Ryan hasn't changed since this quote from "What to Expect from Latin Week on DWTS": 'At this point, every week is like playing with house money.' Dance-wise, this Rumba forced steamy and sultry moments to compensate for Ryan's lack of movement. For someone who is so fluid in water, his body goes through prolonged moments of inactivity, all while Cheryl does her best to distract the viewers with her dancing.
Moving Forward
With guys like Calvin and James to contend with, Ryan's time on the show should be nearing an end. If he's able to continue, the focus will need to revolve around clear and consistent shifting of body weight on each and every step. As a swimmer, Ryan would never have qualified for the Olympics if his arms didn't make contact with the water, and now he needs his feet to do the same thing on the dance floor.
The Dancers: Laurie and Val The Dance: Quickstep
These next few weeks are critical for Laurie and Val. As the clear frontrunners since episode one, Val could choose to play to Laurie's strengths and play it safe, or continue to push the limits like each week is the final episode. Judging by their Quickstep, it seems that Laurie and Val have chosen the second option - which seems to fit the approach they've taken so far.
This Quickstep used a great song, with a cute story line, and solid Quickstep fundamentals to deliver, yet, another showstopper. ABC may start raising their advertising rates for commercials airing just before she performs as it is consistently the highlight of the show.
The Dancers: Marilu and Derek The Dance: Charleston
This Charleston was the perfect prescription for anyone that may have doubted Marilu's longevity in this competition. Combining all the critical ingredients of 20's-40's Charleston, along with movements of Lindy Hop, Shag, and even a little soft shoe - Derek used smart routine construction with a degree of difficulty that didn't replace any of Marilu's character moments.
Moving Forward
It might seem easy to have Derek as a partner. After all, he's a total star, can execute any type of dance movement, and can handle the spotlight in case you need to step away to take a phone call. Marilu will need to continue to commit to the details in her footwork and focal points when dancing opposite this multi-talented star. America knows what he is capable of, and that could start to work against Marilu in the weeks ahead.
The Dancers: James and Sharna The Dance: Jitterbug
James may never drive another race car again if things keep going this way. He's a lock for the traveling DWTS show whenever they need someone, and don't be shocked if he gets contacted with an offer he can't refuse to be on Broadway. This guy is a performer. Don't get distracted by the incredible display of Lindy Hop legit lifts. That would be too easy. Look at the precision work in the card sequence at the beginning, the commitment to his lovable GI character throughout, and, if you need any more evidence at how effective this narrative was - if the kiss on the cheek put a smile on your face at the end, they pulled it off.
Moving Forward
James and Sharna aren't cutting any corners. It's crazy to think that there may be a week in the not-too-distant future where America may need to decide between Calvin and James, and by the looks of it - the future ex-race car driver turned Broadway performer has the edge.
The Dancers: Terra and Sasha The Dance: Foxtrot
In a Foxtrot reminiscent of the grand old days of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Terra and Sasha showed both grace and personality in their vintage-inspired performance. From week to week Terra's transitions are improving and she seems to find areas to add her charm and charisma with less effort than before. She has defied any preconceived limitations associated with her stature, and Sasha has found a way to highlight what she's capable of in a way that doesn't seemed contrived.
Moving Forward
The expectations for the dance performances will rise from week to week, and with that comes more challenging material. The one thing that can keep the choreography demands from breaking this positive streak of routines is balance. It's a ripple effect. The more Terra improves her footwork, the better her balance will become. The better her balance is, the more she can move confidently from foot to foot without depending on Sasha. When this happens, even the basics between the dips will look polished and refined.
It's far easier to make negative assessments on any reality shows. After all, as the viewing audience we are our own judging panel. Yet every single televised step, and even the steps that didn't make the final edits, are their own victories. Regardless of where these final celebrities finish, they have each done their part to show themselves, and the viewing audience, that anyone can learn how to dance, regardless of their background, from politicians to gymnasts.
If there's one takeaway from the show so far it is this: Learning to dance will put a smile on your face, and this era is the era to do it.