Last night's episode of Dancing with the stars lit up the ballroom with his dazzling “Oscar” theme, delivering Hollywood glamour and a series of standing ovations. But the choreographer Brandon Bieber He says the dancers, not the sequins, provided the real drama.
“Dance crosses all language barriers; it is like a celebration of what the human body is capable of doing,” Broadway dancer and co-choreographer of the upcoming Kiss of the Spider Woman starring Jennifer Lopez told Yahoo Entertainment.
The connection between Hollywood and dance is particularly meaningful to Bieber. Having worked as an associate choreographer on a variety of Ryan Murphy projects such as Fosse/Verdon, American Horror Story and Halstonunderstand how movies have played a pivotal role in shaping the dance styles that define pop culture.
“Dances from the 20s, 30s and 40s, a lot of what you see in Dancing with the stars —The cha-cha-chá, the rumba, the mambo, the quickstep— were consolidated in culture through movies,” he said.
That was evident in last night's performances that earned well-deserved standing ovations. Among them were Olympian Ilona Maher and pro Alan Bersten, actress Chandler Kinney and pro Brandon Armstrong, Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik and pro Rylee Arnold and Real Housewives of Atlanta Star Phaedra Parks and pro Val Chmerkovskiy.
Convicted fraudster Anna Delvey and actress Tori Spelling faced the end of the road last night when they were sent home in a double elimination.
Spelling, who performed a heartfelt rumba to the tune of “This Is Me” by The Greatest Showman With pro Pasha Pashkov, she dedicated her routine to her children. “I want my kids to know that they can be whatever they want to be,” she said.
Delvey danced the quickstep to “Suddenly I See” by The devil wears prada Alongside pro Ezra Sosa. Technically under house arrest for her grand larceny conviction, the so-called fake heiress was given special conditions by the court to appear on the show, ankle monitor and all. When Hough asked Delvey what she's taking away from the experience after her elimination, Delvey joked, “Nothing.”
According to Bieber, one of the highlights of this week's Oscars theme was a reminder of how deeply these films are “rooted in us as Americans.” Even more magical, he noted, is that the stars in Dancing with the stars They are not professional dancers, so it is exciting to see them bring iconic movie moments to life.
“In the golden age of Hollywood, there was Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Shirley MacLaine, who were professional dancers. Part of the reason they became great actors was because of their dancing ability,” Bieber said. “It’s exciting to see a celebrity do something unexpected, which is the whole point of this.” Dancing with the stars — seeing people who are known for something and achieve it. That's what we also praise in the movies.”
As the only Oscar nominee in the competition, actor Eric Roberts was visibly emotional during a visit to the Academy Museum in Hollywood, where he and professional Britt Stewart watched a clip from the 1985 Academy Awards, when he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Runaway train.
Reflecting on that moment, Roberts told cameras it was “a dream come true to the nth degree.”
Reginald VelJohnson, loved for his roles in Die Hard and the 90's comedy Family MattersHe also got nostalgic when co-host Alfonso Ribeiro poked fun at the ongoing debate over whether Die Hard It is a “Christmas movie.”
VelJohnson, who was in the bottom three last night, dedicated his performance to his longtime co-star Bruce Willis, who is currently living with dementia.
As for movement, Bieber said dances like tango, rumba and mambo are ideal for beginners because they often rely more on personality than technique, though not always.
“[The tango] It takes character, you act“he told Yahoo Entertainment. “But the line of your legs is equally important, the way you walk and the way you use your feet on the ground.”
Meanwhile, rumba and mambo allow for a bit more freedom. “They’re more spontaneous and we want there to be joy, celebration and social dancing,” Bieber said. “If you move your hips, to me, you’re going to score a lot of points.”
For Bieber, all of last night's performances highlighted not only skill, but also the endurance and resilience of the human spirit.
“Dance is a timeless thing,” she said. “With all the problems and divisions in the world, seeing people come together, in unity, with all the effort that goes into it, is the simplest pleasure.”
Dancing with the stars Airs Tuesdays on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The Oct. 1 episode will not air due to the vice presidential debate, but DWTS will return for back-to-back shows on Monday, October 7 and Tuesday, October 8.
How did the stars perform?
Judges: Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli
Anna Delvey and the professional Ezra Sosa: ELIMINATED
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Dance: quick step
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Song:“Suddenly I See” by KT Tunstall The devil wears prada
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Score:Carrie Ann 6, Derek 5, Bruno 6
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Total:17/30 (Total for both nights: 35)
Tori Spelling and pro Pasha Pashkov: ELIMINATED
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Dance:Rumba
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Song:“This Is Me” by Keala Settle and band The Greatest Showman
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Score:Carrie Ann 7, Derek 6, Bruno 6
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Total:19/30 (Total for both nights: 36)
Jenn Tran and professional Sasha Farber: SURE
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Dance:Tango
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Song“A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)” by Fergie, Q-Tip and GoonRock The Great Gatsby
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Score:Carrie Ann 6, Derek 6, Bruno 7
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Total:19/30 (Total for both nights: 38)
Eric Roberts and pro Britt Stewart: SAFE
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Dance:Waltz
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Song: “The Godfather Waltz” by Nino Rota and Carlo Savina The Godfather
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Score:Carrie Ann 6, Derek 4, Bruno 5
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Total:15/30 (Total for both nights: 30)
Danny Amendola and pro Witney Carson: SAFE
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Dance:Jive
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Song:“Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins The best gun
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Score:Carrie Ann 7, Derek 7, Bruno 7
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Total:21/30 (Total for both nights: 41)
Chandler Kinney and pro Brandon Armstrong: INSURANCE
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Dance:Rumba
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Song:“What was I created for?” by Billie Eilish Barbie
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Score:Carrie Ann 8, Derek 8, Bruno 8
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Total:24/30 (Total for both nights: 47)
Reginald VelJohnson and professional Emma Slater: SURE
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Dance: Double step
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Song:Beethoven's “Ode to Joy” Die Hard
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Score:Carrie Ann 6, Derek 4, Bruno 5
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Total:15/30 (Total for both nights: 31)
Stephen Nedoroscik and pro Rylee Arnold: SAFE
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Dance: Double step
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Song: “Superman — Main Theme” by John Williams from Superman
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Score: Carrie Ann 8, Derek 7, Bruno 7
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Total: 22/30 (Total for both nights: 43)
Joey Graziadei and pro Jenna Johnson: SURE
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Dance:Rumba
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Song:“Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper A star is born
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Score: Carrie Ann 8, Derek 7, Bruno 7
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Total:22/30 (Total for both nights: 43)
Phaedra Parks and Pro Val Chmerkovskiy: SAFE
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Dance: Fox
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Song: “And I’m telling you I’m not going” by Jennifer Hudson Dream Girls
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Score: Carrie Ann 7, Derek 7, Bruno 7
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Total: 21/30 (Total for both nights: 40)
Dwight Howard and pro Daniella Karagach: SAFE
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Dance:Foxtrot
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Song:Ryan Gosling's “City of Stars” La La Land
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Score:Carrie Ann 8, Derek 7, Bruno 7
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Total:22/30 (Total for both nights: 44)
Brooks Nader and pro Gleb Savchenko: SAFE
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Dance: quick step
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Song:“9 to 5” by Dolly Parton From 9 to 5
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Score:Carrie Ann 7, Derek 6, Bruno 7
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Total:20/30 (Total for both nights: 38)
Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten: SAFE
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Dance:Dip
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Song:“(I've had) the time of my life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes from Dirty Dancing
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Score:Carrie Ann 7, Derek 7, Bruno 7
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Total:21/30 (Total for both nights: 39)