Season 17 - Week 10

Maks is back!  He's judging this week, but hopefully he'll at least dance a little bit during his intro.  But I'll take Maks any way I can get him.  I think he'll actually make a good judge, and maybe we'll get some of his dry sense of humor as well.  A new twist to the show that I think could actually be interesting - each couple is dancing twice - two different styles but to the same song.  I think there will be different arrangements of the song, but I'm not entirely clear.  Anyway, depending on how they do it, it could be interesting.  So here's the line-up:

Leah and Tony
Paso Doble
Argentine Tango

Corbin and Karina
Tango
Rumba

Jack and Cheryl
Jazz
Argentine Tango

Derek and Amber
Viennese Waltz
Jazz

Bill and Emma
Cha Cha Cha
Argentine Tango

I'm not usually the suspicious kind, but I do have to wonder a bit about these dances.  VW and Jazz generally tend to be not as fast or jerky, so they should be easier for Amber to do.  For some reason I was thinking she'd already done jazz, but maybe not.

All three of our "lesser" couples are doing the Argentine Tango, which is generally one of the more difficult dances.  And I thought Bill had already done the cha cha?  Corbin should knock the tango and rumba out of the park.  I don't really expect Jack to do well with jazz, and I'm not sure about the AT because it's usually got a lot of lifts, and I'm not sure how well he'll be able to pull that off.  The paso and AT should work well for Leah, as she's been improving the last couple of weeks, and both are "character" dances that she tends to do better at.  As I said in last week's thread, I really hope Emma lets Bill do the cha cha and AT "straight" instead of going for comedy, as I think he could acquit himself well, if she did.

Anyway, looking forward to tonight!

Here's hoping the music meshes and Bill dances straight.  I've really been impressed by Leah's progress - but I can't get past Jack's upper body stiffness in order to appreciate his dancing.  The only thing (for me) he looked good in was the tango he did.

As for Amber and Corbin.... The girl can dance but she's been stifled because of the knees.  Corbin?  Just let him dance as the pro he is.  Unless the others have a huge fan base, he'll take the ball.

Corbin and Karina were dramatic and fantastic.  They should actually take this show on the road.  I was even more put off when I heard Debbie Allen talk about training him.  What is he doing on this show???

I thought Amber had a come-back night.  The jazz was quirky and fun, the waltz beautiful.

Had a problem with Jack's stiff movement and "walking" through the jazz.  As usual that stiffness served well for the tango.

When I saw Bill in what looked like the national flag of Tahiti (or some other tropical land), I grimaced.  And the cha-cha lived up to the outfit.  I was ready to vote for Leah.

I thought Leah did well.  I've been more and more impressed with her and the improvement she's shown.  Despite the judge's pick-fest, I thought she looked great in both numbers.  I was intertained.

Just when I thought Bill was a cast-off, he pulled out a straight tango.  And I LOVED the attitude.  Those low-slung shoulders.  The scenario:  He looked like a man who'd been picked up in a bar.  He didn't want to leave his drink but indulged the woman who pulled him away from it.  LOVED it.  Even Carrie Ann mentioned that he'd returned to the kind of dancing he'd done at the beginning.  But WHO'S been giving him the music and dance assignments, if not TPTB?  I hope Emma sticks with this type costuming and dancing.  If he goes out, it'll be on a high note.  He does SO much better with hold dances.

Leah... I was actually hoping she'd stay over Jack.  I still don't understand how he gets such great reviews when I, a non-dancer, see so many flaws in his upper body and hands.   He doesn't have the flowing grace I look for.  He seems like a nice guy, but....  For me, Leah was, hands down, the better dancer.

Bill is the fluke who may just take the ball.  After that tango, I should have resumed voting.  I simply don't want Corbin or Amber to take it.  I'd rather it went to Jack.

Maks was always my fav on the show but I didn't enjoy him in the judge's role.  The whole thing struck me as forced and staged.

Singly - you're right about Maks.  I am not sure he enjoyed the role of judge either.  I'd much rather see him out on the floor dancing.  JMHO.

I thought Amber had a good night, too.  I didn't care for Bill's outfit or Emma's, either - especially the one that was mostly see-through.  I wish they would let him dance a "serious" dance, and wear "serious" clothes.  When the pros show all that skin, it just makes me feel like they want to take away from the stars' lack of ability.  Leah had a good night, too.  I thought for sure that Bill would be a goner.  I enjoyed seeing Max, but he looked very uncomfortable.  He was very positive in his judging.  It was interesting to find out that he and Karina were once engaged.

Honestly, blue, I didn't notice Emma's "transparency" until she was standing with Bill at the very end.  Probably a nude body cloth under the net, no?  The costumes don't bother me unless something is hanging out.  LOL.  And I don't mind the guys being shirtless.  But I DON'T want to see them tearing or ripping things off.  I REALLY don't like the message on that.

I agree that Maks seemed like a fish out of water behind that desk.  I know some are amused by Bruno's antics, but he just seems like a dirty lech - regardless of gender.  Maks should've stopped playing along and just, for once, knocked him out of his chair. 
 

JMHO but if Maks has any hope of ever returning to the DWTS dance floor (if he even wants to - who knows?) he was better off not to react to Bruno.  If Bruno wants to make a fool of himself, let him.  It just shows all of us his poor judgment.

You're right, newto.  They would've deemed it gay-bashing.  Forget about workplace harrassment, right??  LOL