‘Dancing with the Stars’ Soul Train Night recap: Who gave the best performances, and whose soul trains derailed? [Updating Live Blog]
“Dancing with the Stars” was off the air last Tuesday, October 1, to make way for the vice presidential debate between J.D. Vance and Tim Walz. So that means a double dose of “DWTS” this week, starting Monday, October 7, with “Soul Train Night” and continuing on Tuesday, October 8, with “Hair Metal Night.” So what went down on night one? Scroll down for all our minute-by-minute commentary throughout the evening.
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“90210” actress Tori Spelling and convicted con Anna Delvey were sent home in the last episode’s double elimination, leaving the following couples dancing for the Len Goodman Mirror Ball Trophy: Super Bowl champion Danny Amendola and pro Witney Carson, “The Bachelor” star Joey Graziadei and pro Jenna Johnson, NBA champion Dwight Howard and pro Daniella Karagach, TV star Chandler Kinney and pro Brandon Armstrong, Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher and pro Alan Bersten, model Brooks Nader and pro Gleb Savchenko, Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik and pro Rylee Arnold, reality star Phaedra Parks and pro Val Chmerkovskiy, actor Eric Roberts and pro Britt Stewart, “The Bachelorette” star Jenn Tran and pro Sasha Farber, and actor Reginald VelJohnson and pro Emma Slater.
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In addition to the competitive dances, “DWTS” fans can look forward to an opening number to “T.S.O.P. (The Sound Of Philadelphia)” by MFSB choreographed by Luam and featuring guest dancer Popin Pete of The Electric Boogaloos. There will also be a master class by Derek Hough set to “Get Down On It” by Kool and the Gang in which the six-time Mirror Ball Champion shares his insights and tips. And there will be a special guest judge for the evening: Oscar nominee Rosie Perez. Scores and viewer votes from tonight and tomorrow night will be combined to determine which celebs might be in jeopardy of elimination on October 8.
Jeffrey Kare, 8:04pm — Alright, Rosie. Do the right thing.
Cordell Martin, 8:05pm — Disappointed that Rosie didn’t give us a move or two lol
Phaedra Parks and Val Chmerkovskiy (Quickstep)
Daniel Montgomery, 8:08pm — They improved their scores last week, and I’ve always got my eye on Val as a potential winner. He brings the best out of his partners, and if Rosie wants the boogie, I have a feeling Phaedra can bring the boogie.
JUDGES — Derek thinks Phaedra has soul, she always puts on an amazing performance. But there were free arm and footwork problems. Bruno Tonioli thought she was right on it, but she needs to lift and open up her frame. Carrie Ann Inaba sees smooth and silky when she dances, but her foot got caught at one point. Rosie thinks you can’t teach the boogie, and Phaedra has got the boogie.
DM, 8:12pm — Phaedra was a little rough around the edges, but I thought she did well when she was in hold especially
JK, 8:12pm — Excellent start to this two-evening event.
CM, 8:13pm — I agree a few little mistakes. She made up for it with the personality
SCORES — Carrie Ann (8), Rosie (8), Derek (7), Bruno (7) = 30 out of 40
DM, 8:14pm — I agree with the 7s more than the 8s LOL
CM, 8:14pm — Wow on the 8’s lol
JK, 8:14pm — Not surprised Rosie gave one.
Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten (Foxtrot)
DM, 8:18pm — This is their first dance in frame, which poses a new challenge for her. She needs to avoid being stiff and flow elegantly, while also maintaining proper form.
JUDGES — Bruno loved the glamor, and it was a proper foxtrot, fluid, but something went wrong after the sway. Carrie Ann thinks she has improved so much, she sees the transformation. It was beautiful. Rosie thought she did a wonderful job. Derek loves ballroom on Ilona, it was beautiful, though he agrees with Bruno that there was a mistake.
DM, 8:22pm — Very solid work from Ilona.
JK, 8:22pm — Very energetic!
CM, 8:23pm — Great job Ilona
SCORES — Carrie Ann (8), Rosie (8), Derek (7), Bruno (7) = 30 out of 40
DM, 8:24pm — Those scores were fair I think
CM, 8:24pm — I agree.
JK, 8:25pm — I doubt we’ll see the judges give those exact same scores all night long. Especially to the next contestant.
Eric Roberts and Britt Stewart (Foxtrot)
DM, 8:29pm — Eric admits he has two left feet, but Britt is determined not to see another 4 from the judges. Fingers crossed. I want to see him do his absolute best.
JUDGES — Carrie Ann thought he improved, and his posture was better, but he needs to bend the knees to maintain balance. Rosie is proud of him for coming out in front of the world after suffering an injury. Derek appreciated the clarity and calmness of his intention. Bruno thought he was more at ease, and he was connected. There was also more content and movement even though it wasn’t all well executed.
DM, 8:31pm — Still a little rough and stiff from Eric, but I think it was an improvement from last week. I’m guessing 5s and 6s maybe?
JK, 8:33pm — I agree. It was…not bad actually.
CM, 8:33pm — He let loose a bit this week. Will definitely see a slight bump to his scores.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (7), Rosie (6), Derek (5), Bruno (6) = 24 out of 40
CM, 8:35pm — Now Carrie Ann
JK, 8:35pm — That 7 from Carrie Ann definitely felt generous.
DM, 8:36pm — I agree. That 7 was overly kind. No offense to the guy, but you gotta call it how you see it.
DM, 8:37pm — Even Rosie was like, nah that’s a 6 LOL
Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold (Quickstep)
DM, 8:38pm — Now c’mon Stephen, let’s keep it under control tonight.
JUDGES — Rosie thought it was a little stiff, and his timing was a little off, but he’s so cute. Derek thought it was breezy and light, but from a technical standpoint, he stuck his butt out a little because there wasn’t enough body contact in hold. Bruno thought it had the springy quality of the quickstep, but he needs to work on his timing and musicality. Carrie Ann thinks he gets excited halfway through and gets ahead of the beat.
DM, 8:43pm — He’s still not the most polished, but that was by far his most controlled in terms of his speed and energy.
JK, 8:43pm — I must say, he’s got disco fever.
CM, 8:43pm — That was fun. Great job Rylee in keeping him contained. Maybe all 7s?
SCORES — Carrie Ann (8), Rosie (8), Derek (7), Bruno (7) = 30 out of 40
Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko (Rumba)
DM, 8:49pm — A sexy sex rumba from our showmance couple of the season. But let’s get the technique down, shall we?
JUDGES — “That dance made me pregnant,” says Derek, and it had good leg extension and good leg action, but they wasted a little time up top. Bruno thought the shapes and lines were brilliant, but she needs to work on her balance. Carrie Ann thinks she moves beautifully, but she needs to work on her movements in-between when linking her elements. Rosie tells her to incorporate the entire body in her expression, not just her face.
JK, 8:53pm — Smooth moves
DM, 8:54pm — I’m glad there was actually more focus on technique than pure sexy sex sex.
CM, 8:54pm — Derek’s reaction,…PRICELESS!
SCORES — Carrie Ann (7), Rosie (7), Derek (7), Bruno (7) = 28 out of 40
JK, 8:55pm — Four 7’s should hopefully give her some good luck.
DM, 8:56pm — I think she’s gonna need stronger scores tomorrow. If she’s in the middle of the pack, I’m worried she’ll be out.
Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson (Jive)
DM, 8:59pm — Jive is fast, and Joey wants to add a back flip, which he hasn’t tried since high school, when he was a cheerleader. That explains a lot. Cheerleading experience lends itself to dancing on this show, so it’s no wonder he’s better than other “Bachelors.”
JUDGES — Bruno praises his musicality, totally on it all the time, he never missed a beat. Carrie Ann thought it was sharp and clean with great partnership. Rosie thinks his sex appeal is amazing. Derek thought it had so much content there were more moves than a U-Haul, and he nailed the backflip.
DM, 9:02pm — Excellent from Joey. He’s getting 8s.
JK, 9:03pm — AMAZING!
CM, 9:03pm — Wow Joey! Might be the first bachelor that I root for lol
SCORES — Carrie Ann (9), Rosie (9), Derek (8), Bruno (8) = 34 out of 40
JK, 9:04pm — Whoa! Even better!
DM, 9:05pm — A little early for 9s I think, but he deserves to be on top of the leaderboard right now.
Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach (Cha Cha)
DM, 9:11pm — Daniella is being hard on herself because they made a couple of mistakes during last week’s routine. Now I’m worried because apparently they only had two days to learn the routine.
JUDGES — Carrie Ann thought it was hard to watch, keep the joy but a little more rehearsal was needed. Rosie loves his passion, but he needs to work harder. Derek praises his performance quality and crowd appeal, but he had lots of issues. Bruno needs to work on his technique because he completely lost it at one point where he seemed to be making it up as he went along.
DM, 9:15pm — Dwight’s personality was still there, and they did their thing compared to what Daniella was worried about, but I don’t think it was their strongest work.
CM, 9:15pm — I agree. Not their strongest but entertaining at the least.
JK, 9:16pm — At least it was groovy.
CM, 9:16pm — I think all 6s
SCORES — Carrie Ann (6), Rosie (6), Derek (5), Bruno (6) = 23 out of 40
DM, 9:17pm — Damn, that’s a lower score than Eric got, total disaster compared to his previous two dances.
JK, 9:18pm — Not a good sign.
DM, 9:19pm — I think viewer votes will keep him safe, shouldn’t be a significant problem for him … yet.
CM, 9:19pm — Yeah not good. Hopefully he’s able to fully commit to the schedule
Danny Amendola and Witney Carson (Foxtrot)
DM, 9:22pm — Joey separated himself from the pack tonight, Danny has the potential to do the same. He has high potential.
JUDGES — Rosie thought it could have been better with more confidence. Derek thought he did a great job of handling difficult choreography. Bruno thinks he needs to learn to be more lyrical. Carrie Ann is impressed, his movements were cleaner and sharper.
DM, 9:26pm — I thought Danny’s technique could have been smoother and more polished.
CM, 9:26pm — He was a bit stiff in some places
JK, 9:27pm — It was….fine.
CM, 9:27pm — All 7s?
SCORES — Carrie Ann (8), Rosie (8), Derek (7), Bruno (7) = 30 out of 40
DM, 9:28pm — Whenever we predict the scores it’s always one point higher from Carrie Ann lol
JK, 9:28pm — Back to the consensus scores.
Reginald VelJohnson and Emma Slater (Foxtrot)
DM, 9:33pm — He’s a sweetheart, so I’ll never not root for him, but I’m also going to keep it real if he can’t keep up with the steps. Foxtrot is gonna be tough because he has to keep up with Emma in hold.
JUDGES — Derek’s like, judges gotta judge, but he loved watching him dance as a human being. Bruno thought it was a good semi-trot. Carrie Ann thought it was sweet and innocent, and she wishes she could give him 10s for it. Rosie says, “I love and adore you” and praises him for capturing the audience’s hearts.
DM, 9:36pm — He and Emma have such a sweet partnership, and he’s showing some joy on the dance floor, though, yeah, he mostly just kinda walked through it.
JK, 9:38pm — He’s showing a little more movement, but still not great.
DM, 9:38pm — The judges definitely setting him up as the season’s lovable underdog. I feel like that’s bad news for Eric Roberts.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (6), Rosie (5), Derek (5), Bruno (5) = 21 out of 40
CM, 9:41pm — Oh Reginald, I think he’s going home.
JK, 9:41pm — Unless his fanbase really pulls through for him.
Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber (Viennese Waltz)
DM, 9:43pm — She’s got to work on her frame and her shoulder. She also can’t let a male “Bachelor” show her up, can she?
JUDGES — Bruno thought it was the sexiest Viennese waltz he’s ever see. Carrie Ann thinks they have great chemistry and she was outstanding. Rosie calls it hot, fly, and all that. Derek thought her frame was beautiful, and he loves seeing the work pay off.
DM, 9:46pm — A steamier Viennese waltz than I expected. That was like a Gleb waltz LOL
CM, 9:47pm — Wow Jenn. Her best performance
JK, 9:47pm — That was quite elegant.
SCORES — Carrie Ann (8), Rosie (8), Derek (7), Bruno (8) = 31 out of 40
DM, 9:49pm — I was afraid we were gonna get yet another 8s and 7s package LOL
JK, 9:52pm — Thank you Bruno for giving a bit more variety.
Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong (Cha Cha)
DM, 9:53pm — I didn’t expect anyone to really challenge Chandler tonight — or any night — but Chandler might not be able to top Joey tonight. I never would have expected that. Of course, she could get straight 9s. She’s capable of that.
JUDGES — Carrie Ann thought it was amazing in its partnership. Rosie thought the routine personified the feeling of soul and soul train, she loved it as a hip-hop choreographer, but she needs to let her sexuality explode. Derek credits Brandon for its great choreography, it was so good, and their side-by-side was strong. Bruno thought it had style, content, technique, and star quality. He compared her to previous “DWTS” contestant Zendaya.
DM, 9:56pm — Chandler predictably excellent, but I think it’s gonna be close at the top of the leaderboard. Might not top Joey.
JK, 9:58pm — She just brought the house down!
CM, 9:59pm — And another great performance
DM, 9:59pm — Wow, Zendaya comparison.
JK, 10:00pm — I guess watch Chandler go on to become a two-time Emmy-winning actress.
CM, 10:00pm — Well deserved!!!!
SCORES — Carrie Ann (9), Rosie (9), Derek (9), Bruno (9) = 36 out of 40
JUDGES’ LEADERBOARD
1. Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong (Cha Cha) — 36
2. Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson (Jive) — 34
3. Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber (Viennese Waltz) — 31
4. Danny Amendola and Witney Carson (Foxtrot) — 30
4. Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten (Foxtrot) — 30
4. Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold (Quickstep) — 30
4. Phaedra Parks and Val Chmerkovskiy (Quickstep) — 30
8. Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko (Rumba) — 28
9. Eric Roberts and Britt Stewart (Foxtrot) — 24
10. Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach (Cha Cha) — 23
11. Reginald VelJohnson and Emma Slater (Foxtrot) — 21
JK, 10:01pm — Wow! Well, I’m not surprised to hear about the double elimination.
CM, 10:02pm — Another double!!!! Reginald is definitely going. I think Eric or brooks will join him.
JK, 10:03pm — Very possible
DM, 10:03pm — I think Brooks and Eric will go unless there’s a huge shakeup in the scores
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