Another Week of Ballroom Dancing: Dancing With The Stars Week 8 Recap

Another week of ballroom dancing and another couple will be gone.  The dances get better and better as the stakes get higher.

Nyle and Peta began the show with a paso doble.  Nyle had asked for a moment of silence so people could see how a deaf person dances.  The moment of silence certainly grabbed my attention and was followed by clapping then music.  The dance was great and very dramatic and the silence made it unforgettable.  Carrie Ann and Bruno gave them 10’s and Len gave a 9 for a total score of 29.

Antonia and Sharna followed with a Viennese waltz.  Sharna wore a lovely blue sequined costume.  An elegant dance, it was also dramatic and flowing.  Antonio and Sharna have tremendous chemistry.  I really loved the dance and I could see Steeler terrible towels waving in the audience.   Their three 9’s gave them a total of 27.

Jodie and Keo were next with a lively jive.  The setting was an old time revival meeting.  Jodie wore a gorgeous gold sequined dress.  It was a fast and fun dance to toe tapping music.  I really enjoyed it.  So did the judges who rewarded them with 30, a perfect score.

Next up were Paige and Mark with a Viennese waltz to “Stone Cold.”  This was a very different and innovative dance.  They both wore white costumes with white face make-up.  It had a great ending with snow falling on them.  Two 9’s and a 10 gave them a 28 point total.

Ginger and Val did an amazing Argentine tango.  Ginger had a black lace sequined costume and Val had a black lace jacket.  The dance had great lifts and their chemistry was hot.  Carrie Ann said they were dancing as one.  Len said it was one hell of a dance.  They received a perfect score of 30.

Wanya and Lindsay were the final couple with a western style jive to “Can You Do This.”  Wanya said he’s lost 22 pounds since starting DWTS.  It was a fast dance and it looked like they were having fun.  Unfortunately, Wanya tripped once and there were a number of mistakes.  I still enjoyed it.  They got two 8’s and a 9 for a 25.

During a break the judges told each others’ secrets.  Carrie Ann’s a cat lover (she has 25 cats) and takes forever in hair and make-up.  Bruno likes to read the morning newspaper in the nude.  Len’s legs are tanned and his feet are snow white.  I found all this to be strange.  Perhaps it was supposed to endear the judges to the audience.  If so, it failed with me.

The final feature of this episode was the Judge’s Team Up Challenge.

Team Bruno was Nyle and Peta and Jodie and Keo doing an Argentine tango.  Bruno wanted same sex dancing in one part.  It was a very different concept with unique choreography.  Jodie and Peta had on lovely lavender costumes and the guys were shirtless.  Carrie Ann called it a “super sexy version of the Rockettes.”  She and Len gave it 10’s and America gave it a 9 for a 29.

Next up was Team Len with Ginger and Val and Wanya and Lindsay.   Len called his couples a “dream team” doing the samba.  DWTS did not spend a lot of money for the special effects.  Len danced with them at the end in a grass skirt.    Two 10’s from the judges and a 9 from America equaled 29.

Team Carrie Ann consisted of Antonio and Sharna and Paige and Mark.  Carrie Ann said she loved their strength and wanted to create something powerful in their paso doble.  The dance had a dramatic beginning and was very different.  I really liked the choreography.  There were great lifts by Antonio.  It was indeed a powerful dance with the ending in simulated rain.  Their score was the same as the other two teams.

The couple who ended up having to leave was Jodie and Keo which surprised me.  Next week will be the semi-finals and a double elimination.  Which couples will it be?

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