The favorites - Nastia, Rumer, Riker, and Willow - continued to please the judges, but one was indeed sent packing.
First up, our dark horse: Riker. He did a '20s Quick Step to a Jason DeRulo song and came out on top yet again. Last week's top scorers, Riker and Allison might not have been quite as inventive as theyw ere on Disney Night or Spring Break Night, but Riker still kept up with pro Allison, and that's really what "Dancing" is all about. Going into the routine, the pop star's goal was to get the first 10 of the season from Len, and he got it. Lynch's odds are right where I like them, too, at +225.
Next up - and should have been out - Chris Soules. Here we got what was intended to be a '40's Foxtrot to Sinatra. Here, underdog Chris played a smitten sailor about to head off to war. Partner Witney made for a convincing flapper, which elevated the performance, but the technicality still isn't there for him. They scored a meager 31/40, and Soules' odds remain where they should be, at +2000.
The bloom seems to be off the rose that is Noah Galloway, who continues to plug along. He and partner Sharna Burgess danced '70's jazz, i.e. cool jazz, to some James Brown. Noah tried his hardest to turn on the swagger, but despite his attitude, the wow-factor just wasn’t there: The choreography was lacking, and he spent a lot of the time pointing fingers in the air, walking around, and throwing out faux disco moves. It was awkward, but the guy’s so lovable you just want him to succeed. Uninspired choreography aside, he won the judges’ table over with his attitude and pelvic thrusts. “You may have half the limbs of most guys, but you’re twice the man,” Len told him. His odds don't quite match his fan base, at +2500, so I'd continue to keep my eye on him.
Robert Herjavec continues to dodge the shark tank, this time around doing the '80's Argentine Tango to Korn (no typos; it's true). These two have been all over the place the past few weeks, but they do seem to have chemistry, which can only help. Obviously. They scored a tame 31/40, and he remains plumbing the same depths as galloway: +2500.
Front-runner Nastia did the Modern Charleston to an Andy Grammer hit on the radio now, which was a smart move. There were a lot of those, in fact. That said, after breaking a toe and spraining an ankle in rehearsal, Derek had to bow out of the competition. Luckily for Nastia, replacement Sasha did a good job. Nastia proved just as poised even without her original partner, and proved unflappable despite Grammer actually being there and performing the song live. They got the night’s top score… plus scored immunity. Her +225 odds should dip over the next few days here at BookMaker.
Willow Shields tackled Futuristic Jazz (whatever that is) and the whole thing was a spectacle and lots of fun, even if there wasn’t much choreography. This would ultimately cost the pair. They scored well, a 37/40, and they came out as runners-up.
Then came the dance-off.
Somehow, in a very rushed elimination, Rumer and Val and Willow and Mark found themselves in jeopardy, and Willow was sent home. The entire room was shocked (Riker in particular looked completely floored), and the actress couldn’t hold back her tears, warranting a big hug from Tom, who told her, “Can I not be a TV host for a minute and just be a dad?” This will either make the remaining few step up their game, or lose it.
NASTIA LIUKIN +225
WILLOW SHIELDS +400
RUMER WILLIS +200
ROBERT HERJAVEC +2500
Dancing with the Stars odds for this Monday’s episode on ABC were first released by BookMaker. Cash in on futures odds to win the award-winning reality TV show by opening an account at BookMaker now! Now you can wager live while the episode unfolds with BookMaker's live betting option.
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