“Dancing with the Stars” returned on Tuesday, Sept. 24 with week two of the beloved competition. This week’s theme, Oscars Night, allowed the celebrities to work on their performance as a whole, not just the dance steps. The contestants also learned how to dance in hold, which proved to be difficult, especially for the taller and older members. However, with dancing holds we get new styles of ballroom, including the flirtatious rumba and, my favorite, the intense Paso Doble.
With no elimination last week, contestants had the fear of a double elimination looming over their heads. To make matters worse, the judges were less forgiving than last week, with Derek Hough being particularly stingy with his scores. Last week’s points combined with this week’s to make up half of the contestants’ total scores. As always, fan votes made up the second half.
Here’s a rundown of this week’s episode.
The Bachelorette Jenn Tran and partner Sasha Farber opened the show with “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody” from “The Great Gatsby.” Dancing a tango, the pair could not hear their music at the beginning, yet still managed to put on an exciting performance. With a 19 out of 30 awarded this week, the two had a combined score of 38 out of 60.
Danny Amendola, former NFL wide receiver, and Witney Carson wowed with a jive to “Danger Zone” from “Top Gun.” In their difficult and high-energy routine, the judges saw massive improvements in Amendola’s command of the dance floor. He and Carson received a 21 out of 30 for a total score of 41 out of 60. Personally, I think this should have been higher.
Our favorite criminal-turned-reality-star Anna Delvey returned to the stage with Ezra Sosa, the newest pro-dancer. The “fashionista,” as the show titled her, performed a quickstep to “Suddenly I See” from “The Devil Wears Prada,” a very on-brand pick. Though she had more energy than last week and actually seemed to want to be on the show, the judges wanted more personality and enthusiasm from Delvey. They gave her a 17 out of 30 and a combined score of 35 out of 60.
Show front-runners Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong did not disappoint with a rumba to “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie.” With Derek Hough saying Kinney was born to dance, it is clear that this pair is the one to beat. Each of the judges gave the duo an eight for a score of 24 out of 30 for the week and a total score of 47 out of 60.
Fan favorite Stephen Nedoroscik lived out his Clark Kent persona by dancing a Paso Doble to “Superman — Main Theme” from “Superman.” He and his partner Rylee Arnold charmed the crowd with their straight lines and dramatic energy. The judges said he could improve on his finesse and arm shapes, but gave him a 22 out of 30 for a total score of 43 out of 60.
Tori Spelling and partner Pasha Pashkov danced a rumba to “This is Me” from “The Greatest Showman.” The actress dedicated her dance to her children and brought great energy and personality to the dance, but tripped up on the technicalities of the style. The pair received a 19 out of 30 for a total score of 36 out of 60.
The odds were stacked against NBA player Dwight Howard and pro-dancer Daniella Karagach, who have a one-foot and seven-inch height difference. They performed a Foxtrot to “City of Stars” from “La La Land.” In what proved to be a genius idea, the pair used a modified forearm hold in their dance. The judges were amazed by Howard’s smooth footwork and Karagach’s choreography, giving them a 22 out of 30 for the week and a 44 out of 60 as the total.
Lastly, Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten brought their humor to the floor with a Salsa to “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life” from “Dirty Dancing.” Including the iconic “Dirty Dancing” lift, the pair worked to reshape the conversation about femininity. Both Maher and Bersten flipped each other, and Maher glowed as Bersten lifted her. They scored a 21 out of 30 for a total of 39 out of 60.
So, who went home?
In a dramatic and twist ending, Tori Spelling and partner Pasha Pashkov left the competition. Fans, including myself, were disappointed by this result because Spelling gave herself fully to the contest. Their dance was also by far not the worst one of the night.
Additionally, the most controversial competitor, Anna Delvey, was eliminated from the show. When asked what she would take away from the competition, Delvey responded, “Nothing.” Needless to say, maybe her time on the show had run its course.
There will be no episode next week due to the vice presidential debate. However, the following week we will be graced by two days of “DWTS” on Monday, Oct. 7 and Tuesday, Oct. 8.
