Dancing With The Stars Recap: Season 18, Episode 4

Dancing With The Stars
Swap-a-roo! New Partners for you!

Finally, The “Switch Up” is here! Who thinks this is going to be great and who thinks this is going to be a disaster? Last week’s show was so amazing, it will be impossible to top. I am interested to see how the stars do with a new pro this week, and will any pros not do their best to better the chances of their original partner? It would be shady, but it would be strategy. No one is going home this week, but this week’s scores will be added to last week’s scores for next week’s elimination.

Julianne Hough is tonight’s guest judge. Her rise to fame has been absolutely meteoric, and it’s great to see her smiling face back in the ballroom. I bet she’ll be tough on her brothers. Those Hough kids are pretty amazing, aren’t they?

Dancing With The StarsCandace Cameron Bure and Tony Dovolani
Dancing the quickstep to “Ballroom Blitz” by The Sweet
Candace said the person she least wanted to get was Tony
Len: “Getting a new partner is a bit like an itchy blanket.  It gets the job done, but it can be a bit uncomfortable at times.”
Julianne: “The body contact was a little too gapped.”
Bruno: “Candice, it was a quickstep performer of the Sex Pistols.”
Carrie Ann: “The truth is, this is your first ballroom dance. I loved the tone and the energy.”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 7, Len: 7, Julianne: 7, Bruno: 7, this week’s total 28 out of 40 added to last week’s scores of 32 out of 40 for a two-week total of 60 out of 80.

Dancing With The StarsJames Maslow and Cheryl Burke
Dancing the Tango to “Dark Horse” by Katy Perry
I’m confused by the styling of this dance.  Cheryl is in a Pocahontas dress and James in a Nehru Jacket.  For real, are James and Peta dating?  Erin just totally asked them.  James promised that there would be no babies because they’re dancing, but c’mon, they’re totally together.
Julianne: “Maybe next week, Peta can help you tuck your pelvis.”
Bruno:  “I have no problems at all with your pelvis! You’ve got to get your butt under control.”
Carrie Ann: “You were just as passionate.”
Len: “Dance is like fire; some should warm, and some should burn. This was burning.”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 9, Len: 8, Julianne: 9, Bruno: 9, total 35 out of 40, added to last week’s 36 out of 40, for a total of 71 out of 80.

Dancing With The StarsDrew Carey and Witney Carson
Dancing the cha-cha-cha to “Sugarfoot” by Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears
Drew, “This is like Dancing with my daughter.” Each week, Drew surprises me.  His footwork was outstanding! He was sliding around on his 55-year old knees without nary a care.  Bravo Drew!
Bruno: “You were a splendid and confident sugar daddy!”
Carrie Ann: “It’s like you became a cha-cha machine overnight!”
Len: “I haven’t had that much fun in a minute and a half since I was a teenager.”
Julianne: “I am a huge fan, I love it!”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 8, Len: 8, Julianne: 9, Bruno: 8, a 33 out of 40, added to last week’s 30 out of 40, for a total score of 63 out of 80.

Derek is the creative director of the Macy’s Stars of Dance. They didn’t SOD on last season of Dancing With The Stars, and Derek missed it. He missed the opportunity to be creative and experimental and show the professional dancers in routines that were challenging and made best use of their talents. This dance features Derek, Sasha, Henry, Ardem (?) Jonathan, with special guest, Katheryn McCormick from the film Step Up Revolution. It is so beautiful to see professional dancers testing the limits of their bodies.  The Latin-inspired dance felt really intimate performed under a huge red parachute. Kathryn was sensual and strong and them men were all shirtless. Yay!

Dancing With The StarsDanica McKellar and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Dancing jive to some song that I’ve never heard before
Danica swapped one Chmerkovskiy brother for another. I also felt like Danica’s costume was something that I’ve seen on this show before.  Anyone else? After the dance, Tom announced that there had been a problem with the music and Danica kept going despite the problem. I didn’t notice the problem, so way to keep your head, Danica.
Carrie Ann: “You are shining and beaming like a bright light.”
Len: “It was high energy. I would have liked a little more Jive.  A lot of goofing off.”
Julianne: “I almost felt that Maks, you phoned it in.”
Bruno: “The jive you did was good.”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 8, Len: 8, Julianne: 8, Bruno: 8, total 32 out of 40, added to last week’s 36 out of 40 for a total of 68 out of 80.

Charlie18-4WebCharlie White and Peta Murgatroyd
Dancing rhumba to “Wildest Moments” by Jessie Ware
Charlie “Is James not allowed to stick his nose in your mouth?” I totally HATE that they’ve slicked down Charlie’s hair. He and Peta look like hair twins. Yuck! I don’t buy Charlie in purple, and I don’t buy him as sexy. I want my puffy-haired, happy Charlie!
Len: “It’s not a rhumba, it’s a contemporary number
Julianne: “I thought it was beautiful and stunning. You are a mother’s dream.”
Bruno: “I love the grand and heroic sweep. If you don’t get the feet right, the hips won’t ignite”
Carrie: “No doubt you are a beautiful dancer, that wasn’t a rhumba ,and there was a lift.”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 7, Len: 8, Julianne: 9, Bruno: 9, total 33 our of 40, added to last week’s 36 out of 40 for a total score of 69 out of 80.

Dancing With The StarsAmy Purdy and Mark Ballas
Dancing the salsa to “Brand New” by Pharrell Williams
Derek has done a wonderful job working with Amy, and at first, Amy felt that she was leading Mark. After a pow-wow with Derek, Mark learns how to hold Amy firmly enough for her to feel confident and safe.  Once she feels safe, her competitive side is revealed…After her dance, I honestly hated it because I thought the music was awful.  Amy was great, Mark was great, but the song was terrible.
Julianne: “From vulnerability comes strength.”
Bruno: “The amount of footwork, that Mark put you through was incredible.”
Carrie Ann: “I am in love with your middle section. “
Len:  “Your bottom is the top!”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 9, Len: 8, Julianne: 8, Bruno: 9, total 34 out of 40 added to last week’s 36 out of 40 for a total of 70 out of 80.

Dancing With The StarsCody Simpson and Sharna Burgess
Dancing foxtrot to “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz
I am over Cody. I might receive a pox cast by a million teen girls, but I don’t get him. He’s a total tool. I love that Sharna took him to task a little and told him to pull up his stupid pants. For real! Even though I kinda despise, Cody, it was sweet that he started his dance by singing a capella.
Bruno: “There’s so much of you that you don’t control it”
Carrie Ann: “Your hold has improved, but you need to work on your arms.”
Len: “In hold you look awkward, out of hold you have a freedom that I like to see”
Julianne: “when you do what you do, you’re brilliant.
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 8, Len: 7, Julianne: 8, Bruno: 8, total 31 out of 40, added to last week’s 35 out of 40 for a total of 66 out of 80.

Dancing With The StarsNeNe Leakes and Derek Hough
Dancing the Jazz to “Grown Woman” by Beyonce Knowles
I think Derek is even tinier than Tony. It’s a shame that people didn’t vote to give her a bigger man to dance with. Like Maksim. NeNe’s sexy African tribal costume is amazing and totally her personality. But again, I HATE the music. It ruins the sexy powerful woman that NeNe is. Derek said that the music was wrong again. Can we have the old band director back?
Carrie Ann: “NeNe is working it. It was great to see you kill it”
Len: “This is a dance that absolutely suits your personality.”
Julianne: Every woman wants to let out her inner Beyonce moment, and you did!
Bruno: Naughty housewife. It’s like being in the presence of the Queen of Sheba!”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 8, Len: 8, Julianne: 8, Bruno: 8, total 32 out of 40, added to last week’s 31 out of 40 for a total of 61 out of 80.

Dancing With The StarsMeryl Davis and Val Chmerkovskiy
Dancing the Argentine Tango to “Too Close” by Alex Clare
Hey, keeping it in the family! Meryl says that Val is more businesslike and a stickler and Maks is goofier. Regardless of which Chmerkovskiy brother Meryl is dancing with, the results are still flawless. Should the other dancers just go home and give the mirror ball trophy to Meryl? Her tango footwork was astounding.
Len: “That was the dance of the night.”
Julianne: “I would love to dance like you.”
Bruno: “Sensuous, powerful and seductive ”
Carrie Ann: “You two are in a class of your own, you are untouchable.”
Judges Scores: Carrie Ann: 10, Len: 9, Julianne: 10, Bruno: 10, total 39 out of 40 added to last week’s 39 out of 40 for a total of 78 out of 80!

Poor sweet Candace, with a score of 60 out of 80, it’s going to be tough for her to stay. She will really need support from her fans. Next week is Disney night! Do you think Meryl and Val will dance a Waltz to “Beauty and the Beast?” Whatever the stars dance to, it will be a magical night of cross-promotion on Dancing With The Stars. Thanks ABC.

4 Comments

  1. What a weird show this week! I like the switch-up, but I’m with Kellie – totally think there may have been some strategy / shady stuff going on (uhmm…Maksim). And watch out everyone – Drew is turning into a dark horse. Never thought that was possible going into this season. Oh, and for next week – can we please hear some music that we recognize?!?!?!?

  2. Amy has more points than Charlie?????? She has barely moved her feet!!!Derek makes her look good by doing all the work. Amy’s points are mostly sympathy points. Just saying. Charlie lost valuable points because his pro broke rules on tango holds, rumba hips, and lifts. NOT FAIR! Something is wrong with this picture.

    • I think the judges are judging Charlie and Meryl on a much harder scale than Amy, but I loathed Charlie’s dance last night. I didn’t love a lot of last night’s dances. Then again, after last week’s amazing dances, anything less than dancers in flight would have been a disappointment!

  3. Time for Candice to go. Even thought I wish she was staying. I didn’t know NeNes song was Beyoncé. I’m not sure if I like it or hate it

Comments are closed.