This season of Dancing With The Stars has been full of non-stop shockers and dramatic moments, but none was bigger than tonight’s episode beginning with the announcement that Tommy Chong and Peta were safe. Wait, are we all high? I don’t remember smoking anything, but does that just mean I’m suuuuuper high?
I mean, they’re great and all, and Tommy Chong has been the biggest surprise of the season, but damn Week 9! I did not see that coming. Neither did the floor, which was not ready to catch a fainting Peta.
Onto the show! Tonight, the couples performed one routine together and another with a third pro dancer, meaning it was a night full of threesome jokes that went as far as ABC would allow. Plus, it was ‘America’s Choice’, which meant the style of dance and the costumes were chosen by tweets. Find out who rose to the occasion and who was sent packing in our Dancing With The Stars recap!
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Alfonso and Witney Plus Lindsay
Duo: Alfonso and Witney did the Foxtrot thanks to America’s voting and there’s no couple who could have kicked off the quarter finals better. They are so fun to watch and they look like they are having the best time. Carrie Ann thought the routine was too smooth and thinks Alfonso needs to be challenged more. Can’t we just enjoy seeing someone not mess up?
Alfonso and Witney’s Scores: 9, 9, 9, 10
Alfonso and Witney were joined by Witney’s friend Linsday, who is also only 20 years old. Witney pointed out that the ages of the two girls together still don’t make Alfonso’s 43 years. She’ll regret that comment someday. As much as I love watching Alfonso dance, I think I may love him interacting with the other dancers even more. Well, that’s how I felt until I saw him do the trio Paso Doble with Witney and co. HOLY AMAZING. That was the most entertaining minute in a half all season. If that’s not a Mirror Ball-worthy performance than I don’t know what is.
Alfonso and Witney’s Trio Scores: 10, 10, 10, 10
Tommy and Peta Plus Sharna
I still can’t believe they’re safe. This is amazing. Tommy and Peta’s first dance went well until the end when Tommy tripped over Peta. They did a good save…but I still can’t believe they’re safe. I was a bit distracted by how horrific looking Peta’s dress appeared, until she began spinning in it. Now I want her dress.
Tommy and Peta’s Scores: 7, 8, 7, 7
I saw Tommy dancing with Peta and Sharna in their flight attendant outfits and my first thought was ‘They’re trying to kill Tommy Chong’. Then Tommy asked if they were going to join the mile-high club and I thought, ‘Tommy Chong is fine’. The performance included Tommy sitting, Tommy standing, Tommy missing the timing of the lyrics, and Tommy sitting again, but missing the chair. The judges could barely give comments because they were laughing so hard. Not a good sign, but the scores were still better than anything Michael Waltrip received all season, acting as another reminder that he should have been gone a long time ago and Jonathan Bennett should still be here. #Stillbitter.
Tommy and Peta’s Trio Scores: 7, 7, 7, 7
Lea and Artem Plus Henry
Lea spent rehearsals fighting with Artem about choreography and in the end we were all losers. I can’t exactly place what it is that makes me so uncomfortable watching them together. It could be her lack of upper body movement, or her pigeon toes, or her knee being out-turned, or the fact that she’s really taking the cougar thing to a disturbing level, but all of it combined distracts from a pretty good dance. Plus, every time she tells us she 53 I just think of Molly Shannon and can’t take Lea seriously.
Lea and Artem’s Scores: 8, 9, 8, 9
Aside from the rehearsal footage of Lea talking about having two men on their knees (all of the icks), this routine had the lowest ick factor. It was fierce and the choreography suit Lea’s dance style of courgarness.
Lea and Artem’s Trio Scores: 9, 9, 9, 9
Bethany and Derek Plus Tony
Bethany and Derek said ‘a lot of people’ voted for them to dance as a couple going through a break-up. A lot of people or one person that the producer noticed? Their Viennese Waltz, that one person suggested, was very pretty, but seemed extremely short and included an unnecessary ten second hug. I guess we are in Week 9 and ideas are running low. Um, let’s just hug for the last eight counts. Yeah, that’ll get us some votes!
Bethany and Derek’s Scores: 9, 9, 9, 9
I realize this had nothing to do with the performance, but the ‘wall of chairs’ for Bethany and Derek’s routine with Tony was awesome. There was a lot of power coming from Bethany in this performance, but I was disappointed they didn’t do more with the chairs, or more lifts, since those two things were the focus of the rehearsal footage. I think Bruno described it best when he said it looked like Mad Max choreographed a Samba.
Bethany and Derek’s Trio Scores: 9, 10, 10, 9
Sadie and Mark Plus Emma
For the first time in this competition, Sadie didn’t look like a lock for the top of the leaderboard. Mark focused on the dance instead of theatrics, but that means there was nothing to distract us from Sadie’s inability to keep up with Mark’s choreography. Her height hurt her in the Jive and I think Mark could have done a better job choreographing for her long legs.
Sadie and Mark’s Scores: 8, 9, 8, 8
Sadie forgot the final part of the routine, but it was still their strongest performance of the night. Having Emma as the pro in their trio also helped, since she and Sadie are similar heights. I liked it, but I didn’t see the perfect performance that the judges saw. It also irked me that Carrie Anne constantly takes marks off other couples when they have the tiniest slip-up, but appeared to be giving Sadie preferential scoring even when she forgot steps. I think Carrie Anne may be receiving some Duck dollars on the side.
Sadie and Mark’s Trio Scores: 10, 10, 10, 10
Janel and Val Plus Keo
The Quickstep made Janel cry in rehearsal. Way to go America. Janel and Val were sooooo close to perfection with their performance, but Val’s shoes got stuck together and caused a small stumble. They made up for it with a big kiss, which we’ve all been waiting for. Or just me.
Janel and Val’s Scores: 9, 10, 10, 9
Janel, Val and their trio maker Keo finished off the night with…I don’t know what that was but it was super-hot. There wasn’t a ton of Salsa, but it there were some amazing lifts and weird crotch shots and I loved it all.
Janel and Val’s Trio Scores: 10, 9, 10, 10
With Tommy and Peta safe there was really only one couple that made the most sense to go home this week and it was Lea Thompson and her hot 53 year-old self. She really had no problem keeping up with all the young’ins in this competition, but her cougarness got the best of her.
All Photos Courtesy of ©American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.