DWTS Season 21 - Week 9

Well, this should be interesting!    I don't know about all the running around they were supposed to do, though.  In another thread they mentioned that two couples were going to New York to see a Broadway play, two more were going to New York to hop on a cruise ship, and two were going to Las Vegas.  Seems kind of a waste of time to me.  They have shows and cruise ships in Los Angeles.  Why fly them all over creation when they have to learn two dances?  Oh well.  We'll see shortly how well that worked out. 

I hear ya, SLA.  For me, though, it doesn't matter how ridiculous and blatant they get with their shenanigans.  I just love the show.  I love watching the celebs learn how to dance; I love watching the interactions between the celebs and pros; I'd watch just to see Tom any day of the week.    No matter how much I might complain about some of the crap they pull, I'll be here to the bitter end.  No use lying about it.  < lol >

What an enjoyable evening!!!  Everyone seemed to dance to full potential.

Alexa's contemporary was definitely deserving a 10.  And for once, I didn't mind Mark and his costume.

I wasn't all that impressed with the VW choreo.  Guess I just don't care for all the twists and loop-de-loops.

Dance of the night for me went to Nick, who shone through as quite the hipster.  That performance made me rewind to watch it a second time.

And Chicago took my vote for the best team number.

It was surprising to see Alexa go.  I know you favor Alek, SLA, but he's the weakest dancer and is staying because he's an American hero, IMO.

Tamar looked rough, appearance-wise.  It appeared she was ready to pass out after the team dance.  If her schedule doesn't change, it doesn't bode well for her health.

This was kind of a strange night, but I enjoyed it very much for the most part.

Alek/Lindsay - Salsa - I like Alek.  He seems like a real nice guy, and this week he seems like he's back to having fun.  But this is just okay.  It's a fun routine, and I have to say that Alek handles the lifts really well.  But there's a whole section where he doesn't move at all - the girls are moving around him.  A lot of the time he's just walking, not really dancing.  Not much hip action to speak of.  I enjoyed the dance, but he is the weakest dancer left.  Sorry SLA.  I know he's your favorite but he is the weakest link.
 
Alexa/Mark - Contemporary - Not a fan of contemporary, but I thought this one was pretty good.  I liked the story of it, and I thought Mark's choreography was fantastic.  Alexa danced it well, but there were a couple of times where it looked  to me like she sort of stopped dancing and prepared herself for the lift that was coming.  It took me momentarily out of the dance briefly.  I wouldn't have given it all 10s, but it was definitely a really good dance for her. 
 
Carlos/Witney - Argentine Tango - I liked the concept of this dance  a lot, and again it was pretty good. But I didn't think Carlos' feet were that good in places.  Where they needed to be sharp, they were kind of flat.  But overall, I thought it was good.
 
Bindi/Derek - Viennese Waltz - I thought this was quite lovely.  Very nice choreography, and I loved the arm work with all the turns and passes.  It's always interesting to me how differently people see things because I know Singly didn't care for those.    Anyway, good job, Bindi!
 
Tamar/Val - Contemporary - ok, in what world does that dance deserve 7s?  Seriously.  Yes, it was clear it was a dress rehearsal, but it was beautiful choreography and incredibly well executed for someone with pneumonia on the verge of going to the hospital.  It wasn't as crisp or as clean as it could have been, but 7s were just insulting given the 8s for Alek.  I feel bad for Val and Tamar both.  I hope this doesn't end up sending her home.  It's going to leave her probably at the bottom of the leader board going into next week.
 
Nick/Sharna - Quickstep - I love the quickstep, but what was that?  I don't get what Sharna was doing with that choreography.  She took way too long to get into hold, and then you're not supposed to break hold during the dance.  And Nick was not good in hold - I don't know what it was, but his frame was not good.  He was kind of slouchy.  I'm definitely conflicted - it was a fun dance, but it was a terrible quickstep.  I wouldn't have given it any higher than an 8.  And a 10 from Bruno is just plain stupid. 
 
Duets:
 
Carlos/Witney/Alek/Lindsay - I'm showing my age - it annoyed me that neither of the guys helped their partners off the stage at the end.  But aside from that, it was fun and interesting.  I didn't think the guys did that great when they were by themselves - not 'enough' of something.  I liked it, but it wasn't great.  Alek is definitely the weakest dancer left.  But they sure looked like they were enjoying themselves on the cruise ship.  8s were fair, I think.
 
Bindi/Derek/Alexa/Mark - this was fun.  Fun, fun, fun.  I thoroughly enjoyed the choreography, and the two girls worked together much better than the two guys.  They were clearly having a ball, and it showed.  I'm not sure it was perfect and how convenient that both couples had completely perfect scores, but whatever.  It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed it enough I'm not going to complain . . . Too much anyway.  < lol >
 
Tamar/Val/Nick/Sharna - Wow.  I give serious props to Tamar for coming back in and dancing.  Good for her.  Really nice routine, and I don't know how she managed to get through that.  She looked like she was ready to pass out at the end.  Good scores for that dance.
 
Alexa was absolutely the wrong one to leave tonight.  As much as I like Alek, I thought he should have been the one to leave.  Again, sorry SLA.  He just seems to have plateau'd for me.  He does great with the lifts but his footwork doesn't seem to be improving at all.  At this stage of the game, I'm usually rooting for the best dancers to make it to the end.  I'm happy that Tamar was safe, but I really hate that Alexa left. 

Tamar had to withdraw from the competition.  She went back to the hospital after the show, and the doctors figured out she didn't have pneumonia - she has something else that is quite serious.  So we have our final 4 now - I'm guessing no elimination next Monday then and business as usual for the finale.  So it's Alek, Carlos, Bindi and Nick left.  I had been hoping for a Nick/Bindi/Tamar final three, but it's not to be. 

It turns out Tamar left the hospital against medical advice, but at the time she left, they were still thinking it was walking pneumonia.  She went back to the hospital after the show, and it was while she was there they figured out what was really going on.

You could be right, but I won't be surprised if Alek ends up in the final 3 along with Nick and Bindi.  I don't think he's been in the bottom once, and America does love its heroes.