Season 22 Week 8

Here is the ABC Press Release for DWTS Week 8:


Dancing with the Stars: 2208 (5/9)

‘JUDGES TEAM UP CHALLENGE’ COMES TO ‘DANCING WITH THE STARS,’
MONDAY, MAY 9


and Dance on Their Own for a Portion of Their Routines


Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli




“Episode 2208” – The remaining six couples will take the competition to the next level as “Judges Team Up Challenge” comes to  “Dancing with the Stars,” live, MONDAY, MAY 9 (8:00-10:01 p.m. EDT) on the ABC Television Network. Each of the judges – Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli – will coach two couples, as well as choose their songs, dance styles and overall creative. Then, for the first time this season, the stars in each team will have to step away from their pros and dance by themselves for a portion of their routine.

Judges will be paired with the following couples:

Carrie Ann: Antonio Brown & Sharna Burgess, and Paige VanZant & Mark Ballas

Len Goodman: Wanyá Morris & Lindsay Arnold, and Ginger Zee & Valentin Chmerkovskiy

Bruno Tonioli: Nyle DiMarco & Peta Murgatroyd, and Jodie Sweetin & Keo Motsepe

Each group dance will be judged by the two remaining judges and America. Viewers can score celebrity performances alongside Len, Carrie Ann and Bruno, live, during the broadcast (EDT/CDT).  To be part of the judges’ table, viewers must visit abc.com to score performances. A combined overall viewer score for each performance will be counted alongside the judges’ score. Each viewer may score a performance once, and the scoring window for each couple is open for two minutes and 15 seconds, beginning at the start of each routine.

Each celebrity will perform a Viennese Waltz, Argentine Tango, Jive or Paso Doble. At the end of the night, one couple will face elimination based on last week’s combined judges’ scores and viewer votes.

The couples will dance to the following songs (in alphabetical order):

Antonio Brown & Sharna Burgess – Viennese Waltz – “Love on the Brain” by Rihanna

Ginger Zee & Valentin Chmerkovskiy – Argentine Tango – “Telephone” by Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé

Jodie Sweetin & Keo Motsepe – Jive – “Something’s Got a Hold on Me” by Christina Aguilera

Nyle DiMarco & Peta Murgatroyd – Paso Doble – “Victorious” by Panic! At The Disco

Paige VanZant & Mark Ballas – Viennese Waltz – “Stone Cold” by Demi Lovato

Wanyá Morris & Lindsay Arnold – Jive –”Can You Do This” by Aloe Blacc

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 eight, 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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For the first time, I don't know one single song listed.    Looking forward to seeing Wayna do the jive.  I'm thinking that will suit him well.  I also think Jodie should handle the jive well, too.  Not sure Ginger can handle the intensity of the AT, and not sure Nyle will be able to get the intensity of the paso down correctly either.  I'm sure Paige's waltz will be beautiful.  Antonio is capable of being smooth but I'm not sure if he can be graceful enough.

I think Wayna and Ginger lucked out with getting Len, although I wish Jodie had gotten him.  She perhaps would benefit most from his advice. 

I'm glad they're doing the scoring on abc.com instead of stupid twitter stuff.  I'll have to remember to bring my laptop home tonight to see if I can vote.  Might be fun. 

I accidentally put this on Week 7, so I've moved it here:

What a night.  Everyone looked great to me.  But...I'd rather have seen Wanya go home.  Jody's jive was the most engaging dance of the night.  She was absolutely "in the moment" with that performance. 

I've not been a fan of Antonio, despite living near Pittsburgh.  However, I think he had a great night.  That fluttering lift & spin he did with Paige was fabulous.

Though Nyle has been a favorite, for me, it was his worst night for timing.  Still good, but I've begun to expect perfection, I guess.

It's beginning to look as if Ginger can dance anything.  But I must say, for the last few weeks, I can't take my eyes off Val.  With Derek gone, he's established himself as a master choreographer.  He was adorable in that group Samba.

Of the group dances, I didn't care for Bruno's bisexual dance.  It was just strange.  Len's was a lot of fun and Ginger's hips were really going.  I liked the old-fashioned flair.  But I think Carrie Ann took the prize for drama.

I thought last night's show was excellent, for the most part.  A lot of great dancing and great choreography.

I was hoping Antonio would go home, though.  I didn't care for his VW much.  There's something 'clunky' at times about him.  It was good enough, but except for a couple of dances, I just don't seem to enjoy watching him dance as much as some of the others.

I thought Ginger did a great job with AT.  I wasn't sure she would, but she pulled it off . . . I think anyway.  Between the dark outfits and dark lighting, I couldn't always see what was going on!  < lol >  I did like the lift where she changed leg positions.  That was well done.

I'm definitely sorry to see Jodie go.  I loved her jive.  She just seemed so into it, so relaxed, so happy.  And I love that she didn't throw Keo under the bus when asked if she thought he was holding her back (or something to that effect).  Unlike Antonio, who seemed to blame Sharna for his problems, she was gracious and supportive of Keo.  And he did deliver probably his best choreography ever with that jive.  It probably wasn't 30-worthy, but I'm glad she got to go out on a high note.

The judges obviously liked Nyle's paso a whole lot more than I did.  The beginning of it was just awkward - sloppy and frantic.  He still has posture issues that Peta doesn't seem to be working on.  The silent section was affecting (but didn't have me anywhere near tears . . .  I know, I'm a heartless bitch < lol > ), but the rest of it seemed kind of a mess to me.  I like Nyle, and it is truly impressive what he can do without being able to hear the music, but he just really does not seem to be improving at all, so I'm kind of over him at this point.  It would not disappoint me overly much if he and Antonio were to leave next week in the double elimination (not that I think there's really any chance either of them will go).

And to digress for a second - why oh why, when they have one of their most competitive seasons ever with all good dancers left, did they decide to pare down the finals to 3 couples this season?  The last several seasons they have had four couples in the finals, so why did they think they needed to pare it down to only 3 this season?  That just seems kind of stupid to me.

Paige's VW was just stunning.  I thought Mark's choreo was outstanding, and the whole dance was terrific.  I know it was a bit more staccato in places than you expect in a VW, but it fit the 'theme' of the dance.  I just loved it.

I like Wanya.  I really do.  And I enjoy watching him dance.  He just always seems like he's having fun, and he's very smooth and graceful.  I felt so bad for him in this dance.  Jive is clearly not as well-suited to him as some other dances, but he was handling it decently, and it was fun.  Then he slipped on that rag, and that whole section was a disaster as he struggled to get back into the dance.  Still, I really enjoyed it.  I want to see him in the finals (and I wouldn't mind seeing Lindsay get her first win), but I have a feeling with his having been in jeopardy the last two weeks, that he might be leaving in the double elimination next week.

I originally misunderstood about the judges' dances.  I thought they were coaching them they way they have at the end.  I forgot they did this once before.  Anyway, I really liked all of these dances.  It was great to see them choreograph, dance a bit and come up with the creative side.  I thought Bruno's was perhaps the weakest.  I have no problem with the same-sex dance couples, but I wasn't wowed by the choreography he came up with for them.  Shirtless Artem is always welcome.  ;0  Len's was by far the most fun of them, and I was amazed at how well Len still moves given his age.  It was so nice to see him enjoying himself like that.  Wanya's "six-pack" was cute.  Overall, this was just plain fun.  I was surprised at how much I liked Carrie Anne's piece.  She so often seems like such a ditz that it was great to see what she could do.  I do have to wonder, though, why she had the first bit of Antonio and Paige's dance together obscured by Sharna and Mark.  Makes me think Antonio had trouble getting Paige into that lift, so she hid them until Paige was up and then revealed them.  Or maybe not.  Maybe it was just a creative choice.  But it did make me go hmmmm. 

It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a season as much as this one.  Not a single contestant that I really didn't like - Mischa's attitude was bad but she wasn't someone I disliked - and none a real stinker on the dance floor.  I was shocked to realize we were at week 8 already.  Seems like the season has flown by.

I'm with you on the contestants, mustang, and the enjoyment of this season.  There are so many contenders.

I've been surprised on the board at the negativity toward Ginger and theories that she's the one the show is pushing to win.  I haven't had that sense at all.  Never heard of her before the show - as is the case with the majority of them.  Nyle was the only one I was semi-familiar with.  But I haven't observed any favoritism toward anyone.

The girls seem to have the edge thus far.  If two have to go, I'm thinking Antonio and Wanya.  They're both decent dancers but for me, not as good as the other three.  If they go, the winner will get there through choreography.