Team VaLaur, Laurie and Val

Laurie & Val all the way!  I'm gonna vote as much as I can for them.

I like this team. I hope to find a team that I like as much as I loved Nyle and Peta last season.

I'm pulling for them. Hope she can add a little softness and grace to her performances, since its hard for some of the gymnasts on this show.

Laurie is a power gymnast basically.  But she also has what we consider "artistry" in the sport (albeit not the European ballet style artistry which you saw somewhat with nastia), but how that will translate into the kind of dancing she will need to do on DWTS I just do not know.  Yes, she took some dance and ballet classes when she was basically a toddler  -- but she switched to gymnastics at age 5 , so there is really no legitimate dance training.  And what gymnasts call "dance elements" on floor has pretty much nothing to do with DWTS dancing.  So we will see.   am of course rooting only for her - in spite of the fact that she is not my favorite gymnast-

I admit to not actually watching the show last night.  I just had too much going on.  But I did catch up on laurie via Youtube this a.m.  Holy Moly!!!!  She was incredible.  Of all of the recent elite gymnasts, she is actually the one I think has the most general "star" potential.  Great dancer I thought.  But also real stage presence, charm and charisma.  I just loved the way when Tom noted that she did not look nervous she said "I trained 11  years for the Olympics.  This is kind of the congratulations job."  Go Laurie!!!!!  Have a blast girl.  You earned it.

Lesallee wrote:Well damn, I did it again! Got caught up in the amazing Mr Chmerkovskiy's smooth as silk moves. Now I have to watch it on YouTube.

        Haha...that's not hard to do sis!!   I had to watch it over a few times myself. She was very impressive!  

Val seems exceptionally buoyant....i already have them pegged for the Mirror Ball, and though i usually don't vote for the "clear winners"....i couldn't help myself and voted for them anyway

and by the way....is not the voting process SO much easier now.  It was about time DWTS/ABC updated the process....now i can vote for everybody at once and then just submit my votes 

Loved them!  Was worried that she woud be a little stiff like some of the other gymnasts, but I think she has a little more softness to her like Shawn.

When Val said, "I have an American treasure in my hands".......I just melted. I've always liked Val but he made my heart melt when he said that about Laurie. This is the team to beat. Laurie is a ray of sunshine and Val is going to do right by her this season and make her shine. I can just feel it.

I was thrilled to see Laurie do so well on opening night of her "congratulations job" as she called it. Laurie is a great girl.  She is a rock solid gymnast and won an individual Silver medal on Beam in Rio, but she was totally eclipsed by both Simone and Aly.  She was disappointed at not being given a shot to compete AA but she handled that with more grace and maturity than her own coach.  She then went on to be a huge cheerleader for the other girls (unlike Gabby who was clearly not pleased) and is now reaping the rewards of her gymnastics skills and her great personality with endorsements and DWTS which will lead to even more endorsements.  She is a true star.

I really like this young lady and she has the sweetest smile. I like her dancing and her positivity. Go them!