Last night’s elimination was the biggest shocker of the season. I did not see that one coming at all.
I will admit that it completely caught me off guard, and I woke up this morning still a bit disoriented from the results. I just asked my Twitter followers for their thoughts on the matter and I was intrigued by their responses. There really were mixed reactions. A lot of people voiced their shock and disappointment about Elizabeth Berkley’s elimination. However, there were many fans expressing their joy that Bill, Leah, and Jack were still on the show because of their lack of dance experience. There were discussions about how people love an underdog, and then on the flip side, that the voting system must be changed! The tweets were passionate and very diverse and it was exciting and interesting to read. I appreciate everyone’s responses. And now, I may be able to explain why Bill Engvall is still on the show.
I’ m beginning to understand that Bill Engvall is still on our show because there are many viewers and voters who still love the fact that our show takes non-dancers and makes them dancers. This is the heart of the show. This is what the show started off being about and continues to be about. I have to say that it was nice to read that people are still voting with that thought in mind, and that it’s not just that he’s popular, as so many people have stated. So many people want to be on our show. Not a day goes by when I’m not out in public, on a plane, in a store, or at the nail salon and someone doesn’t ask me, “When are you going to have the normal peoples’ version of Dancing With the Stars?” I really believe that out of all our contestants, Bill Engvall embodies that idea. He is your everyday guy and he’s learning to dance. And to top it off, he does it with a wonderful, positive attitude and has fun while do ing it. People like that. He has an “Uncle Bill” kind of familiarity, and I think many of the people who watch our show have bonded with him because they can relate to him. And it seems like a large number of them have chosen to support him through this journey.
I can’t really argue with this.
To represent all sides fairly, there are many people who want the best dancer to win. And they are outraged by this elimination “travesty.” And as for are the judges are concerned, I can say that our job is to judge the performances from a technical and performance standpoint. We judge the dances. America can vote on the dances and the person behind the dance. The audience can vote on any criteria, and if they like someone, they can vote for them to their heart’s content.
I was upset last night NOT because Bill is still in, but because Elizabeth Berkley was eliminated. I was looking forward to seeing what she would have brought to t he semifinals and finals had she made it. I just thought she would make it. She was scoring so high with the judges. I wonder if some people just assumed she would make it to the finals and forgot to vote for her. That can happen. So last night’s elimination reminded everyone that they have to vote if they want their favorites to be in the semifinals. The votes matter more than ever.
So, I feel more settled now that I have some understanding of what is happening. And now, I just want to briefly touch upon the highlights of last night. I know I usually go through every dance, but I’ve spent a lot of time on this “Mystery of Bill Engvall” and there were too many dances last night to go through them one-by-one. So I’m going to choose three highlights from each round.
Round 1
Corbin and Karina’s Waltz was beautiful. So lyrical and smooth, so dreamy and romantic. He’s really feeling good and is continu ing to polish his performances to a nice, shiny finish. His hold has improved greatly throughout the season, and while he lost his center a few times, the performance was strong and mesmerizing to watch.
Jack and Cheryl’s Viennese waltz was impressive. He’s really finding his confidence and growing in leaps and bounds. I’m starting to see him really add his own personal stylings and flourishes to the performances and it’s exciting. His hold is truly unbeatable and he really shines in the ballroom dances.
Leah and Tony’s tango was an improvement. She is dancing with a new refinement. She is more pulled up, and there is growth here as well. There was a nice lift in her carriage and it enhanced her posture and presence in this passionate dance. She is good with the passionate dances. Her acting background helps her excel in this area. But the physical improvements in her posture and technique were quite impressive this week. She still h as to work on her arms a bit, and her extensions. She needs to move past her body and extend beyond what she is doing now. I can’t wait until next week to see if she adds that into her performances.
Round 2
Corbin, Karina, and Witney’s jazz routine. OH.MY. GOD. I loved it. As a huge fan of Bob Fosse, who gets irritated by mediocre renditions of his spectacular work, I was impressed. I do believe that Bob Fosse would have given Corbin a nod. And it was so exciting to see that style done so well. Corbin really showcased his own incredible versatility in this performance. I could see him on Broadway, with a pop album, in an old MGM musical, and pretty much anything with dance. He’s extremely talented and this performance was a fantastic showcase for his incredible and unstoppable talent. This could have been his freestyle — it was so exciting. Now, he has really set the bar high. I wonder what his freestyle will be like if he ma kes it through.
Leah, Tony, and Henry’s interpretation of what it’s like to be a judge was really fun and cute. No one has ever imitated the judges on the show before. Leah is coming out of her shell slowly and surely. I think ever since her salsa, she’s begun to believe she is a contender. She is also one of the underdogs, but she’s now in it to win it and it shows!
Elizabeth, Val, and Gleb’s salsa was fantastic. She was powering through those moves with incredible core strength and her usual sensuality. She was strong and sharp and attacked that salsa with pure joy. That’s one thing about Elizabeth I will certainly miss. She really seemed to love every minute of being on this show. She has a true love of dancing that is sweet and pure. There was an innocence to her that was refreshing to watch. I will miss her performances, but I look forward to seeing her perform again on our finale. It was a good way to go with a perfect score of 30. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.
And now, here are my fashion credits for the week:
I had a pink dress laid out for me, but I decided to wear one of my own personal dresses instead. It was an art deco-inspired dress by Parker. It’s one of my favorites. It’s one of those dresses you can keep forever. I love it.
Jewelry was a lot of fun, too! I love very bold, graphic jewelry, and that’s what it was all about last night!
The earrings were private collection. (Not real, but they had the pop I was looking for.)
Bracelets: Dark gray Swarovski stone bangles- Bijou Tresor -silver clasp bangle & clear pave stone clasp bangle – Lafonn - Pave spiked bracelet & black multi Swarovski stone bangle- both Sharon Lawson Designs Rings- - X-shape pave stone rings both Sharon Lawson Designs - Layered clear pave stones, Sharon Lawson Designs - Wrap feather ring – Pandora - ‘Mercer’ Pave disc ring, Freida Rothman Shoes: Dolce Vita ‘Brenna’ studded pump
Follow Carrie Ann Inaba on Twitter @carrieanninaba and check out The Carrie Ann Inaba Animal Project.
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