Host/Commentator (22:35)
Getting into the very first of the instant dance. Now, let me. Let me say that I. This was a hard call. I probably should have said this at the very start of this episode. But before we move into the instance, this finale was a really hard call for our pros and our celebrities. Three hours, three dances. One of them being an instant dance, which, by the way, that means those four dances that they had on the table, and they didn't know which one they were going to get. They were rehearsing all four of them. Them throughout the week. So they were rehearsing six dances this week to so they could perform three of them. That is. I think that is a different level to what we've ever done on the show. Or at least it sounds more dramatic than I have ever experienced on the show. That, and it's also the 11th week of the season. They've had a really, like, intense few weeks leading up to just. They were exhausted is what I'm trying to say. They are exhausted. I don't know if it was an amazing choice to have this much pressure on them, because I do feel. And as you'll have noticed in my critiques of the dancers previously, I love them all. But things were missing, and that is only because they had less time to work on them. Not because they're not capable of it. Not because these pros weren't trying to do it, not because the celebrities just couldn't get it, but because they had very restricted time on how to. On. On getting all of these things together. Six dances, you guys. They're rehearsing six dances for the one show. I. I don't know if I love it. Look, again, we've got to try things. And the network is like, this show's crushing it. And the network, ABC is probably like. Like, let's do three hours and see how we go. My opinion, lovingly and with respect. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If we were gonna do three hours, you know what I would have loved? I would have loved more. Journey packages and story. Bring on an artist performance to sing song. Like, we had great performances. I do. I do think we had some really fun moments throughout the show with those three hours, But I think we could have done more with it in terms of our journey, packaging and recapping the season for people a little bit more. There could have been more emotional points that we could have hit instead of just exhausting our talent so much. So that's my $0.02 worth, you know? And it's no shade to the show. We absolutely have to try things, and I love that they tried it. And it's because the show is doing so well, and it's absolutely crushing it, and so is everyone on the team. But I don't know if I loved this choice coming from being a pro dancer now. I don't know that I would have loved being in that situation of rehearsing six dances. When you're trying to do your best work, when you're trying to create a freestyle, that is going to be the absolute everything. And also do a red dance that shows how much you've improved. I don't know, guys. I wish they just had more time to get their dances to be on the best level that we've seen the whole season, you know? With that said, let's get into the instant dances. So first up, we had Alex and Val. They picked out the cha cha. Bruno said, from week one to now, the transformation, the feet, the hips, absolutely incredible. Carrie Ann said she is blown away. She rose to the occasion and that it was fantastic. Derek said, shows how much you've learned. The fact that you can go out and just be like, I'm gonna do a cha cha. And said, the fringe pants were a good choice. First thing I said, thank God for the fringe pants. They were hiding her legs. There was a lot of bent leg action on there, and so it gave her more action. Her nose was not over her toes. Her hips were forward over her toes. And then the ending, I wasn't so sure whether it was she was stuck on his sleeve or if she forgot what the underturn was after doing that leg swing. So there were a couple things where I was like, it wasn't an amazing dance from them. Was it good? Yeah, because she's gotten good over the season and they've done great work. And yes, I think it showed improvement, but I don't think it was a spectacular dance from them. So the judges gave it. They thought it was spectacular, and the judges gave it a 10, 10, 10. I, however, landed on a nine for that cha cha. All right, next up, we had Dylan and Danny. For the instant dance, they picked a foxtrot. Carrie Ann said, your improvement is unbelievable. It's so amazing. The heel leads and you are leading like a leading man. And you know what? He really was leading through that. I agree with that. He had some lovely heel leads in it. You could tell they were working on that technique. Very true to what Danny has been working on this season. Derek said, I'm in shock. The control in your legs and the ankles and the knees, the compression, the fluidity. He said he called this out as one of the best male celebrity foxtrots on the show. Ever. I was a bit shook at that statement. Now, that's not to say that Dylan wasn't great or he didn't do a good job. I think there were really good parts in it. But, you know, then we went and had Joey and Jenna come out and do a tango and remind you, like, some of the male celeb contestants that we've had come on the show. You know, James Hinchcliffe, Charlie White. I say those just because they're mine. And I remember them. I know they've been other spectacular male performances on the show before. I thought that was a really, really big statement. But, you know, he was really feeling it. And to be fair, these judges have been right there on the journey with these guys throughout the season in the room, watching them. And so maybe it felt that way to Derek. Totally get it. But for me as a viewer, I was like, I don't think so. I can think of a few off the top of my head. However, agreed. He did have control in the ankles, legs, and knees, and it was very, very smooth. So much of an improvement from the last time that we saw Dylan do the foxtrot. And so I was really, really impressed. And you know what is. I also feel like Danny choreographed to the music. I love that song, by the way, that they had the ordinary song, so there was a lot about it to love. For me, I thought it was really impactful, but I didn't love it as much as what the judges were saying. Bruno said, where did that come from? Len would have absolutely loved it. You were in total control. For me, I was like, okay, frame. His frame started off so much better. Finally, I was seeing that left elbow in the proper position, not pulled forward, and his head was looking more over his hand and not over his shoulder. It didn't look like he had a crick in his neck. You know what I mean? It looked like he was really hitting the right position. Now. We lost that partway through, and his. His head ended up going, you know, old habits die hard. Turning a little too far left. But it did start off better. And then I just said, he's just stuck in between. When he's not in frame, he's stuck in between his feet in second position, which is slightly. Slightly in a plie, but not. So it's kind of in no man's land. And he's not picking one side or the other. He never really mastered that. How to drive through one leg into a deep plie into a second, and to hit the lunge on the other side or to find those pictures, he would sometimes find them, but then the elbow would pull back behind the ribs and it would weaken it. Again, those elbows not being out and wide and giving me that strong, very strong posture. I just. I feel like there was a lot that felt a little bit unfinished in it and fair because again, six dances they were rehearsing. I did, however, think they had lovely glide, which is that ankles, knees power that we had Derek talking about. So I really agree on that point. The judges loved this dance. They gave it 10, 10, 10, you guys. I was in between an 8 and a 9, and I didn't commit because I don't need to, but I was definitely in between 8 and 9. I did not think that this was the strongest of dances. Again, how could it be? It being an instant dance. Did I like watching it? Yeah, because I. I love watching them dance. But if I'm looking at a technical aspect on that judges table, I was in between an 8 and a 9 for sure. Moving right along, we are getting into Elaine and Alan. They did a quick step. Good Lord. An instant quick step. Derek said she's the quick step queen. Hard dance to do. There was a little misstep, but it was sensational. We had Bruno say that it was classy and glam, but there were many foot faults, but she did well in spite of it. And then we had Carrie Ann, who said there was some minor mistakes. So everyone's calling out the little misstep, but love the way that she carried herself and that it's the hardest so far. Like. Like stepping into that quick step was the hardest so far for me. Yes, there was a misstep. There was a misstep in the hops that was pretty significant. But what also had me feeling this way is the frame just looked low and wobbly, which made it look a little bit tired or not strong. And I really do feel like this was just a very hard dance for them to step into. And it overall just gave it a bit of messiness that I don't think we've seen from Elaine in quite some time or maybe ever, to be honest with you. I don't love being so hard on it because I love them and I love watching her dance and seeing her go out there and give it everything, but it was really tough. So we judges gave this a999. I was on an 8 for Elaine, getting into Robert and Whitney with the instant cha cha. So Bruno said, so much cleaner. The foot placement, the placement. Overall, the finish, just better. He is on fire. Carrie Ann said she agrees with Bruno. It's. But it's the partnership, and they did the work together, and this was absolutely wonderful. There is something really special about this partnership and something really special about Whitney in it. You know, I saw this video on Tick Tock the other day, and it was Alfonso's voice, and he was talking about how that loss with Milo really broke something in Whitney and that she had lost a little something in her and she was never really quite the same after that. But he feels like he seeing it come back in her this season, it's so beautiful because I relate to that. You know, first of all, so sorry that it was my win that did that to Whitney, but an end. At the same time, I'm still proud of that win. And at the same time, I relate to that feeling. You know, there were. It was James Hinchcliffe's season where I really truly thought we had it and everyone thought we had it. And that loss broke a little something in me. And it's that feeling of, you have to understand, like that season that Whit had with Milo, some of her best work I've ever seen her do. And it's that feeling of, God, well, what's the point? I can give it absolutely everything and do absolutely everything, and I still have no control and it still wasn't enough. And that's a really hard heartbreak to get over because it's your creativity, it's your heart, it's your soul. It's just part of your identity. And I agree. Take my own personal layer part of that story out. I so agree. And I see that in Whitney and then I see her in this season and it was just so beautiful, the way she speaks with Robert, the way she interacts with him, even the way she said at some point she wanted everything to be wonderful for him. And she has this little brother. A lot of the times we can say these things on the show, but you really feel when it's heartfelt and meant and genuine. And I just have loved this partnership. And I think that's what Carrie Anne was trying to refer to in her moments that she had to speak is that it's the partnership and that together they did this work and that every time they come out on the floor, it is wonderful. Derek said the rotation in his hips, the check forward walks, it was just absolutely so impressive. Now, for me, this was another one where I felt, look, I'm a big Robert and Whitney fan and have been and he's my fellow Aussie and I love, love everything about Their dancing. But this dance was not the one for me. There were mistakes. There were definite mistakes. He was trying to go into the New Yorker a whole bit too early. And you literally saw on camera, Whitney had to stop him and count him in and put him into it. And it all felt a little bit no man's land, like. And again, same with everyone a little bit. Because this was the instant dance challenge. It didn't feel as clean and sharp or still had that performance quality because he is still going to go out and give you all of that. That. But it was still. It was missing some of his crispness. His timing was. He was rushing his timing a lot in this one. He was not sitting in the pocket. That is not something that we see from Robert very often. And so I wasn't a lover of this performance for him. I did say, he's such a performer. But then, of course, all the other notes that I mentioned, now this is where it got, like, interesting for me. There were obvious mistakes in this. Just like there was a. What seems to me an obvious mistake in Elaine's. And they all called it out, but no one called it out in this dance, which I felt was really interesting. And maybe from their angle, because it was Robert's back to them, they just didn't see it. But it was very clear on camera, which was where I was watching from backstage. So the judges gave this a 10. 10. 10. You guys, this is the biggest difference that I had in the judges of the night. I gave this an 8. I gave it an 8 because it was. It was a little messy, that the timing was being rushed and because of the mistakes that were made and not because I wasn't cheering for Robert, absolutely cheering for Robert to win, but I just couldn't. I couldn't go higher on it because of those things. But again, from where the judges are sitting at that desk, you know, maybe they didn't see the mistakes come up and that it was from their point of view, a really great performance because they obviously gave it a perfect score. Getting straight into Jordan and Ezra. They did a tango. This is a really. Someone said it was the best one for them to do. I felt like this was a really tough one for them to draw. Okay. Carrie Ann said, this challenge is so hard. The body contact was tight, the hold was nice and sharp, and the spotting was tight. So her spots in her turns, yes, the body contact was really good. But this is something that they battled against in their frame positions. They did a really good job. Ezra did a really good job. At working around that. That and working with their height difference. Their hold was as nice as it could be, I think, but it wasn't as good as it had been in the last tango. But Carrie Ann felt it was. She felt it was sharp, which definitely it was sharp. Derek said it was strong, it was low. The leans and the pivots, everything was great. He absolutely loved it. And Bruno said, fabulous. A little moment that he has borrowed from my. My fave Mr. Craig Revel Horwood, who that's. He speaks in syllables sometimes and that's what he'll say. Fabulous. For me, you guys, I. The first thing I was like, this is just such a hard dance for them to do with this height. And not only that, but this type of challenge where we're at, we're seeing in my scores consistently. I don't think they all delivered great performances, but I think they were up against it and I think you're really seeing that. Truly, these guys have to work hard to get it where it gets to on a Tuesday night. I think it was just biting off more than they could chew and they had to at some point sacrifice something so they could get other things better. So I felt it was just a little bit rough. The body contact was great. The frame dropped a little bit. It was, yes, it was low. It had nice attack in the knees, but it just overall didn't feel clean. You know, it didn't feel crisp and staccato. It had attack, but it was a bit more of a messy attack, like just really going for it instead of that really controlled staccato action. And so, yeah, I. I felt different to the judges. The judges gave this a 10, 10, 10. I was non committal and landing between an 8 and a 9. Let's get stuck into the freestyles. Everybody's absolute favorite thing. Freestyle was always my favorite. A freestyle for me has to be the perfect ending to the journey that you've had. I want some story in there. I want it to mean something. I want it to be absolutely tailor made for that celebrity to be the perfect piece for them to shine to also show how much they've grown, how much that partnership has come together. And I really feel like some people absolutely crushed that or not. Or you know what? I think all of them did a fantastic job at that. So we started off with Ali, Alex and Val. It was a pasa doble slash. I think tango inspired freestyle. Derek said she is a superstar. It was like an arena tour performance. She has built her confidence week after week and she's he was giving her her flowers and just said, thank you. Thank you for sharing that journey with us. And we really have seen that in Alex, right, that. That girl that came out in week one, that was incredibly timid. And even she said in her package, she didn't go up and hug valuable. You know, there was a definite resistance in her or a shyness or an uncertainty. And now we're seeing her out there, she's just like, give me more, more, more, more, more. She can't get enough of it. She's leaving it all on the floor every single time. And it's been absolutely beautiful watching her blossom and open like that. Bruno called her a shero and said that she is the leader of the pack. Carrie Ann said she's really touched by her and the way that she learned and delivered these exquisite dances. She dances with her heart open. She feels very connected, connected to the journey and told her she's fabulous. I think, you know, as Carrie Anne has referenced before and as I've mentioned of Carrie Anne, Carrie Anne's like, old school dancer, solid gold dancer, which I think even Jordan referenced. But, like, that is. That's from an era that doesn't necessarily exist anymore in dancing where, like, how unbelievably hardcore it was and how hard it was and how you just had to do it, feet bleeding or not. And I think we sort of see that in Alex. And she very much didn't have to be that person. She could have come in, she could have been precious, she could have been all sorts of things. But she 0 of that. No attitude, no resistance, just wants more. Wants to be absolutely true to it and give the respect to not only Val, but the show and the style that she's learning is unbelievable. So I've loved seeing her grow that way, and I feel that that's what Carrion was talking about. I loved this. I thought at first I was like, oh, Paso is a choice. I don't know how I feel about it, but she did it really, really well. She was so clean, so sharp. Her performance quality in it, giving face, which is something she had to grow into over this season. I. I thought it was amazing. I don't know that it's my favorite I've ever seen. I think energetically, I like things that are either emotional or upbeat. Right. But that is a personal preference, but. And no notes. Like, no notes. As far as what she could have done differently or better. It's a stylistic thing, I think. I do think Val created something amazing for her because. Because Alex was really good at the paso and they had a great dance. So he's tailoring it to her. He's doing movement that looks good on her. He framed it really well with everything else. I thought the hot girls moment at the back was like really cool to add that in there. We got to see some sexy from her. Like, there was a lot to love about this. The Judges gave it 10. 10. 10. I also gave it a 10. I don't know what she could have done differently or better. It was a really, really solid freestyle.
