DWTS Media Thread

Louis van Amstel's weekly blog. Can he replace CA?

Louis Van Amstel’s ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 14 Dish: Semi-Finals - ABC News

Quote:

---

Even though I appreciate Len’s words tonight about this Jive lacking content yet him loving it anyway, in past weeks when people were entertaining but lacked content he would tear them part. That is not fair. I’ve never said this before but tonight all performances were “9s,” in my opinion. Everyone did a good job tonight, but no “10s” for me tonight.

---

A snippet from his comments on Donald's waltz:

Quote:

---

I just wish Bruno would be consistent in other weeks when it is the Jive against the Foxtrot or the Tango versus the Paso Doble! I like the fact the judges are being nice tonight but they are over-scoring. It wasn’t a “10″ level dance. As diplomatic as I sound, so far I would have given every couple so far “9s,” not a “10.”

---

Quote:

---

In weeks where I feel couples deserve “10s,” they get “8s” and “9s,” but in weeks when the dances lack energy and the performances have mistakes the judges are too liberal with their “10s.” Tonight, no one deserved a “10,” but there were other weeks where couples deserved “10s” but didn’t get them. Sometimes that’s so frustrating for the viewers and the couples.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TIA__MA

Dancing's Maks: I Hope There Are "Major Discussions" in the Off-Season - Celebrity Blogs | TVGuide.com

Well said.

---

:biglove that man!

Quote:

---

Louis van Amstel

---

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas’ Salsa. I agree with Carrie Ann that this is much better than the first round. What a shame that Katherine fell. What I do appreciate about Katherine is that she keeps pushing her personal boundaries. She looks more daring and feisty in her Salsa. I hope Katherine is OK. This was the first score of the night that, in my opinion, was scored correctly, with three “9s.” :up

I simply don't see how they didn't ride Mark for his untraditional choreography. It strayed farther from the required dance than Derek's Bollywood number did, and with Derek at least he had authentic Bollywood moves that flowed with the samba. Mark replaced salsa steps with more of his tired Michael Jackson imitations. IMO it wasn't a seamless dance routine on paper, let alone on the floor.

I think the judges just got thrown off-balance by Katherine's meltdown, and decided not to say anything.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MFWalkoff

I simply don't see how they didn't ride Mark for his untraditional choreography. It strayed farther from the required dance than Derek's Bollywood number did, and with Derek at least he had authentic Bollywood moves that flowed with the samba. Mark replaced salsa steps with more of his tired Michael Jackson imitations. IMO it wasn't a seamless dance routine on paper, let alone on the floor.

I think the judges just got thrown off-balance by Katherine's meltdown, and decided not to say anything.

---

They haven't called Mark out yet, and I don't think they're going to start now. I'm sure the meltdown did factor into the scores and critiques, though. In fact, I almost expected Bruno to give her a 10 out of pity. I got bored one night and decided to watch the ballroom battle videos on ABC, since I felt like ABC turned it into a 'blink and you miss it' piece of filler fluff. Anyway, Mark said in one of his video pieces that he was looking to change ballroom dance from being strictly traditional and being a founder (or something like that), of making it more contemporary. We've seen him do that on the show, except I think it fails. This is where I think Louis had a point about Len critiquing Maria's jive, and how some weeks something upsets the judges and makes them take off points, but weeks later, another couple does something similar and it's fine. They needed to reign Mark in a long time ago. I feel like it's his one man show, and the only reason he doesn't completely outshine Katherine is because her dancing could mirror the pros.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TIA__MA

Dancing's Maks: I Hope There Are "Major Discussions" in the Off-Season - Celebrity Blogs | TVGuide.com

Well said.

---

Maks must be delusional. That the producers of DWTS will discuss with the pros their intentions and plans and get input! They decide and if they ask you to sign on, you get to say yes or no. That's it. Like the CEO's of our places of business informs us of the direction they want to take the company and we have input. You want your job stay, if not, get another job. That's it. unless you are the CEO which Maks is not.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by karalott

They haven't called Mark out yet, and I don't think they're going to start now. I'm sure the meltdown did factor into the scores and critiques, though. In fact, I almost expected Bruno to give her a 10 out of pity. I got bored one night and decided to watch the ballroom battle videos on ABC, since I felt like ABC turned it into a 'blink and you miss it' piece of filler fluff. Anyway, Mark said in one of his video pieces that he was looking to change ballroom dance from being strictly traditional and being a founder (or something like that), of making it more contemporary. We've seen him do that on the show, except I think it fails. This is where I think Louis had a point about Len critiquing Maria's jive, and how some weeks something upsets the judges and makes them take off points, but weeks later, another couple does something similar and it's fine. They needed to reign Mark in a long time ago. I feel like it's his one man show, and the only reason he doesn't completely outshine Katherine is because her dancing could mirror the pros.

---

That's IT.

What you've posted above is EXACTLY the type of crap I referred to in the "What Would You Like to See Changed on the Show" thread.

Another example: Remember when Lacey came on, talking about how she was "The Rebel of the Ballroom" and was going to take ballroom dancing into another dimension, or words to that effect? Remember how every time she did a ballroom routine that was even a little bit out of the ballroom box, they called her out for it during critiques? And remember when Steve-O got hurt when he landed on his mic pack during a dance that she'd choreographed a standing flip for him to do? What happened I think was that he over-rotated in mid air. He smashed onto the floor, on top of the pack, and wound up having to be taken to the hospital for that. Matter of fact, I don't even think he was able to dance the next week (I could be wrong about THAT, but if I am, all corrections are gratefully accepted).

During critique, CA TORE. LACEY. A. NEW. ONE. I mean, she lit Lacey's ass up like a Christmas tree. I still remember that, to this day. Bottom line, among the other things CA said, she basically accused Lacey of sending Steve to the hospital, since she was trying to be the "Rebel of the Ballroom", and told her, essentially, that there was no place in traditional ballroom for what she was trying to do.

I don't recall Lacey moving very much far away from traditional ballroom choreography at ALL during the course of the show, after that (of course, I'm not taking Freestyle into consideration).

Yet, Mark's been pulling much the same kind of mess EVER SINCE HE CAME ON, and frankly, I don't recall him being called out even ONCE for it.

No, they're not going to start now.

Kinda makes one wonder what deals might've been struck behind the scenes, or what money might've changed hands under the tabletop, don't it?

That's the only logical explanation for the kind of disparity in letting certain ones get away with murder, that they show.

TPTB COULD address this and issue an explanation for it happening.

But we ALL know that AIN'T gonna happen.

Not in THIS lifetime, or any other.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ness

Yet, Mark's been pulling much the same kind of mess EVER SINCE HE CAME ON, and frankly, I don't recall him being called out even ONCE for it.

---

He was called out for that Harry Potter dance by Len, but he still scored them pretty high anyways.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JunkieGirl

He was called out for that Harry Potter dance by Len, but he still scored them pretty high anyways.

---

And got the Emmy nod for it.

Bruno and Carrie-Ann must have been on the Emmy committee that year. ;)

(I couldn't stand that routine) :lol