RECAP: “Dancing With The Stars” Season 33, Episode 7 (Halloween Nightmares)
BY Amy Pilott & Allie Pilott (age 9)
We are down to the last 7 couples and everyone is feeling the pressure learning two spooky dances this week- since they have a dance off number after their individuals routines.
Ilona Maher and Alan (Tango)
We would not want to face Ilona with a baseball bat. She looked fierce! She looked good in a hold, more refined than before, but the judges still think she needs to improve some technique. She received a 24/30.
Dwight Howard and Daniella (Contemporary)
Dwight’s size helped paint the picture of creepy giant in this action-packed dance, where Dwight threw his partner around like a ragdoll! Earning the first 10 of the season from Carrie Ann, the team received a well deserved 28/30.
Danny Amendola and Witney (Argentine Tango)
Channeling my own fears, Danny set out to tame some snakes! Set to wild version of Poison, the couple mastered an athletic and fierce dance. Allie thought it was super cool, amazing, and one of the best yet! Another 10 from Carrie Ann, and another overall 28/30.
Jenn Tran and Sasha (Contemporary)
Though she looked spooky, Jenn isn’t a dancer, nor is she an athlete. But apparently we are the only ones who see the flaws. Rave reviews from the judges and Carrie Ann is 10-happy. They got a 28/30.
Joey Graziadei and Jenna (Argentine Tango)
An incredibly creepy ventriloquist performance, and Joey was super in character. I think he suffered from not being an athlete with the lifts, but his performance was fabulous. They received the highest score of the night so far with a 29/30.
Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee (Contemporary)
The athleticism once again helps this duo. In this dance, Stephen tossed around his partner and his own body flawlessly. Carrie was overwhelmed as his technical ability was finally matched by his performance. They received a 28/30.
Chandler Kinney and Brandon (Viennese Waltz)
Again, dancing to a song from a show she starred in — I think they are giving our Disney gal some unfair advantages. However, she had a sweet dance to turn spooky while others got some more powerful pieces. It was a beautiful performance, though nothing particularly special. Ironically, Carrie Ann did NOT give her a 10 — but the others did — for an overall score of 29/10!
For the second half of the evening, we got dance-off competitions between the couples, plus a fun ode to Disney+’s “Agatha All Along” with dances set to the “Ballad of the Witches Road” between rounds.
Cha-Cha Dance-Off: Dwight & Daniella vs. Ilona & Alan
This was no one’s best outing, but it is always difficult for Dwight in hold. However, the judges disagreed with us, and gave the win to Dwight and Daniella
Salsa Dance-Off: Jenn & Sasha vs. Stephen & Rylee
Allie thinks this match-up should have gone to Stephen, after the salsa-ed circles around Jenn. Stephen oozed energy, but the judges disagreed and gave the win to Jenn and Sasha.
Jive Dance-Off: Danny & Witney vs. Joey & Jenna
Both couples looked great! Joey had the energy and bounce, Danny mastered the jumps and lifts. The judges also seem torn on who should win, but ultimately gave it to Joey and Jenna.
SPOILER:
We were super nervous going into elimination, because Ilona continues to sit firmly at the bottom of the leaderboard. Luckily, we gave her lots of votes to counteract the judges’ scores! Thankfully, they spared us waiting until the end, and Ilona was safe! But we also didn’t want to see Chandler or Stephen go home, so we were OK with seeing Jenn and Sasha eliminated! Bye, Jenn!
We’re off next week due to the election (talk about nightmares…). See you in two weeks, friends.
What did you think of the episode? Leave your takes in the comments!