Week 2 of Dancing with the Stars Season 20 was incredible! It was the best second night of competition ever! I was shocked by the amount of improvement I saw in all of the contestants. In general, this season has a wide variety of performers and personalities, each with their own strengths and weaknesses that it’s absolutely certain it’s going to be an exciting race to the finish. I’m going to call this season The Amazing Race! Maybe we will an Emmy!
With that being said, last night’s elimination was hard to swallow. Like a jagged pill, it did not go down smoothly for my tastes. Out of all the performers, I thought Redfoo showed the most improvement. His candid pre-performance video interview was impressive. For the first time, we saw beneath the bold
psychedelic exterior of Redfoo, one-half of the musical duo LMFAO. We saw RedFoo as a man who wanted to do his best.
There was a vulnerability to his words, in his body language and eyes. He was speaking something that always comes across on our show— truth. He wanted to try something new and experience all the growth that comes with it. It felt like such a victory for him to then deliver a #MyJamMonday Super jam, that showcased his joy, his talent, but most importantly, his efforts to improve and deliver his truth in dancing. These are the types of authentic moments that give our show its heart. When he was eliminated based on last week’s performance, it was shocking to everyone. I’ll have to admit, I went to bed a bit sad last night. I know it’s a competition and someone has to go, but that was the most difficult elimination I’ve experienced in a long time.
Last night I woke up at 3 a.m. and opened my iPhone. I love reading inspirational quotes. They just open your mind and give you someone else’s perspective on life, which broadens your own. Here’s a shout out to my iPhone app, +quotes, because this was the quote that appeared.
“The virtue lies in the struggle, not the prize.” —Richard Monckton Milnes. The quote was so true. I was no longer sad for Red Foo. I was happy for his journey because he faced the struggle with courage and an open heart. He gained the true gift of the journey, even if only for such a short time.
As far as the rest of the night goes, it was really fabulous entertainment.
Here are three that I want to highlight:
Willow Shields and Mark Ballas
What a brilliant concept! If love is the thought in Mark’s incredible brain, he’s a genius as far as I’m concerned. The Argentine tango was given a cool context, which suited Willow’s youth and newfound intensity. The visual appeal of the performance highlighted the shapes and movement in the best
way possible! Bravo!
Michael Sam with Peta Murgatroyd
What a difference from last week to this week! Michael was outstanding in the Motown-inspired Foxtrot. I didn’t peg him for a Ballroom guy! But he shines brightly. It was like watching a completely different person perform this week. I’m excited to see what’s next!
Chris Soules and Witney Carson
The Bachelor star has charm, but this week was a setback for him. He didn’t really improve. In fact, he seemed to slip backward a bit. I think he needs to hone in on the details of each dance. These dances are driven by technique. Despite the fact that no one will ever completely master the art of Ballroom and Latin dancing in these few weeks, it is an important part of the growth of the performer. He also was off musically speaking as well. Bad technique, poor movement quality, along with bad musicality can only mean one thing…Lots of room for improvement! So keep your head high Chris and comeback strong!
My fashion credits this week are:
Dress-@badgleymischka
Earrings & ring-@vanessaleu
Bronze/wht diamond ring-@lafonn
Triple band diamond ring-Twitter: @Le_Vian
IG: levian_jewelry
Diamond micro mini bands-@XIVKARATS
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