The Dancers: Calvin and Lindsay The Dance: Waltz
Calvin is showing that he is as smooth on the dance floor as he was on the football field. Maybe he can have a dance off with Jerry Rice and Hines Ward? Lindsay pulled off another masterful approach to this week's routine, and her strategy with Calvin definitely needs more attention than it is getting.
While Calvin did show great movement in his Waltz, he lost some of the tone in his dance frame. This is, by the way, perfectly normal when you are executing dance material that involves rotation, vertical changes (aka "Rise and Fall"), and.... you know, breathing.
Moving Forward
The comparisons to James Hinchcliffe will be natural considering that they are the last two men in the competition. Nevertheless, those two couldn't be more different in skill and body type. At some point one, or both, of those guys is going home - and either should be thrilled at their performance this season.
The Dancers: Jana and Gleb The Dance: Waltz
Elegant Jana and Classy Gleb may be the most dangerous couple left in this competition. This pair have shown a commitment to showcasing their dancing without distracting the viewers with sex appeal, and the restraint is paying off.
Gleb allowed Jana to shine in this Waltz and their choreography was musical, smooth, and they showed great Waltz technique - even through their contra check (not easy). By muting the steaminess, another layer of polish and poise was revealed.
Moving Forward
Despite landing in the bottom two, Jana and Gleb have a great chance of squeezing their way into the Top 3 with their ability to go beyond the easy and obvious chemistry.
The Dancers: Laurie and Val The Dance: Tango
After a less spectacular than normally expected Waltz, Laurie and Val erased any doubt about this young Olympian-turned-ballroom dancing phenom. This Tango (Argentine Tango) featured great attention to detail. It takes a lot of hard work to make any dance look easy, and she made those leg flicks, lifts, and cortes look effortless.
Moving Forward
With only a few weeks left on the season, this Tango performance proved that Laurie and Val aren't letting up or losing steam. Laurie is continuing to evolve as a dancer and any speculation on whether she'll continue to compete when this season is over is well deserved, and spot on.
The Dancers: Marilu and Derek The Dance: Samba
The Samba has one of the highest, if not the highest, degrees of difficulty on the competitive dance floor. The fact that this week featured longer routines didn't make it any easier. Marilu and Derek danced a great Samba, loaded it with all the critical ingredients like Swivels, Copacobanas, and a shirtless Samba roll.
It is said that one minute of Samba is the equivalent of running a mile, and at the "one mile mark" Marilu's legs began to lose some of the tone she had in the first half. Nevertheless, she performed beautifully and continued to show that she's a top notch contestant for any age group.
In what may be the first truly shocking elimination of the season, Marilu and Derek ended their spectacular run on DWTS Season 23.
As the eldest competitor on the show, it would be hard not to look over her shoulder, make unfair dance comparisons, and wonder whether she could outlast some of the young talent.
While some may question why she looked so happy with the final decision, Marilu shared all the genuinely positive things she took from the experience. She was graceful gracious in her exit and she was an inspiration to so many.
The Dancers: James and Jenna The Dance: Jazz
James Hinchcliffe has been a solid Top 3 competitor thus far with his charisma and knack for demonstrating the small details that have a big impact in a dance routine. That being said, this was the first week where he looked to be lacking confidence.
While it would be easy for the masses to point out that he was dancing with Jenna, Sharna's very capable replacement while she is dealing with her injury, and blame her for this. From our point of view, this was a Jazz routine that was facing the audience without a partner for 95% of the time.
Nevertheless, Hinch looked great and Jenna continues to showcase why she was a great choice to be on the show the first, and now second, time.
Moving Forward
While Calvin Johnson has established himself as a solid competitor on the show this season, James is still the man to beat. While this week's performance doesn't have the viral appeal of his Suicide Squad performance of a week ago, we still predict that James will be in the Top 3.
The Dancers: Terra and Sasha The Dance: Charleston
This was fun to watch, and looked fun to dance. This routine, and the hilarious elbow drop move straight out of pro wrestling, added a breath of fresh air - especially considering that the tension is building towards the finale on November 22nd.
Dance-wise, there were some fun moments that really showcased Terra's acting ability. There were not, however, many areas that showcased any new facets in her dance ability. Granted, she has outperformed the majority of her competition, but this week seemed to feature a collection of familiar choreography, with great personality moments to glue it all together.
Moving Forward
If Terra is going to shock the world another week in this competition, she and Sasha will need to add more than just cute, character moments, and demonstrate another rung up the dance development ladder.