Season 22 Week 5 - The Switch Up

Here is ABC's latest Press Release for DWTS and Maks will be back as a guest judge :


The Nine Remaining Celebrities Change Dance Partners and Compete During ‘America’s Switch Up,’ on ABC’s ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ Monday, April 18

MONDAY, APRIL 18




“America’s Switch Up” has really changed up the competition this week, as fan engagement through social media has helped to “switch up” the nine remaining couples, as the celebrities and professional dancers swap partners, on “Dancing with the Stars,” live, MONDAY, APRIL 18 (8:00-10:01 p.m. EDT) on the ABC Television Network. The pressure is on for the pro dancers to choreograph new dances with new partners. Each couple will perform a cha cha, tango, salsa, paso doblé, Viennese waltz, rumba or jive, as chosen by America. The celebrities will perform with their “switch up” partner for this week only.

In addition, season 18 Mirrorball-winner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, will guest judge alongside Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.

Following are the “America’s Switch Up” pairings and the songs they will dance to (in alphabetical order):

Antonio Brown & Karina Smirnoff – Cha Cha – “Son of a Preacher Man” by Dusty Springfield

Doug Flutie & Peta Murgatroyd – Tango – “Black & Gold” by Sam Sparro

Ginger Zee & Mark Ballas – Salsa – “La Malanga” by Eddie Palmieri

Jodie Sweetin & Valentin Chmerkovskiy – Paso Doblé – “Under Control” by Calvin Harris & Alesso

Kim Fields & Keo Motsepe – Viennese Waltz – “These Arms of Mine” by Otis Redding

Nyle DiMarco & Sharna Burgess – Viennese Waltz – “I Get to Love You” by Ruelle

Paige VanZant & Sasha Farber – Rumba – “Perfect” by One Direction

Von Miller & Lindsay Arnold – Jive – “Hips” by Beans & Fatback

Wanyá Morris & Witney Carson – Tango – “Hold Back the River” by James Bay

Hosted by two-time Emmy-winning host Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews (sports host and “Dancing with the Stars” season 10 finalist), “Dancing with the Stars” is the hit series in which celebrities perform choreographed dance routines which are judged by a panel of renowned ballroom experts, including head judge, Len Goodman, dancers/choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.

For week five, viewers may cast their votes for their favorite couples via phone on Monday nights during and up to 60 minutes after the end of the “Dancing with the Stars” broadcast in each time zone. Online voting at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] on Facebook at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] open for 24 hours, beginning from the start of each episode on the East Coast at 8:00 p.m. EDT/5:00 p.m. PDT and closing at 8:00 p.m. EDT/5:00 p.m. PDT on Tuesday evenings.

“Dancing with the Stars” is produced by BBC Worldwide Productions. Rob Wade and Ashley Edens-Shaffer are executive producers. Alex Rudzinski directs. “Dancing with the Stars” is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound. This program carries a TV-PG, L parental guideline.

About BBC Worldwide Productions


BBC Worldwide Productions is a key business division under BBC Worldwide North America – part of BBC Worldwide, the main commercial arm and wholly-owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) – which operates as a studio in the U.S. and Canada.  Based in Los Angeles, BBC Worldwide Productions develops and produces original content as well as scripted and unscripted projects based on BBC formats/brands across all platforms. The studio is responsible for the ratings juggernaut “Dancing with the Stars” (ABC), “Getting On” (HBO), “Top Gear” (History), “You’re Back in the Room” (working title – Fox) and the upcoming limited series, “The Night Of” (HBO).

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Thanks, SLA!  I think I'm most excited to see Jodie with Val.  I've never really been convinced that Keo is the best partner for her, and I'm curious to see if Val can get more out of her.  I'm betting he can and hoping Keo hasn't already sabotaged her, and she ends up leaving tonight.    I'm also curious to see how Peta fares with Doug Flutie.  I think that could be another good pairing.  Sharna will be at a disadvantage with Nyle, but since as far as I know Sharna and Peta are good friends, I'm sure Peta will have given her a lot of tips on how to work with Nyle, and she's done really well with some other challenged partners, so I'm hoping for this to be a good pairing as well.

Looking forward to tonight!  I'm assuming there will be an elimination tonight, but now I'm wondering if that's right.  I can't remember what they did in the past.  Does anyone know if there will be someone going home tonight?

SLA - They'll have to do a double elimination at some point, but it didn't sound like it would be next week.

Val definitely proved in my mind anyway that Jodie's problem is Keo.  He's a terrific dancer, but not so much a terrific teacher.  I liked Kim's dance with him, but I didn't think it felt much like a Viennese Waltz either.  Still it's tough for Kim to be docked for choreography that she has no control over. 

I wasn't terribly impressed with Antonio's dance, and I don't think it had anything to do with Karina.  He just really doesn't put in much effort, does he.  Von and Wanya both did well with their switch-ups.  I thought Peta did well with Doug Flutie - he looked more comfortable this week.  And Sharna did great with Nyle, although I wouldn't have given that dance a 10.

For me I'd like to see Antonio leave next week, but I doubt that will happen.  Pretty sure he's got a huge fanbase.  But he's just not as good as the judges make it sound.  At least I don't think so.  Then probably Doug.  After that I think they're all doing pretty well, and it will be hard to see any of them go.