Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for Dancing With the Stars Season 33 Episode 3.
AlthoughDancing With the Starswasn’t on last week due to the vice presidential debate, stars and their pro partners followed their schedule as usual, pre-tapping the episode that aired Monday evening. “Soul Train Night” was the first half ofthis week’s double dose of DWTS, and it felt like a trip down memory lane to a period where boogie (a word that came up several times in between performances) was all the rave. Fittingly,Soul TrainalumRosie Perezcame in as a guest judge, providing first-hand feedback on whether a celebrity captured the feel and groove featured in the old-school TV show. With contestants likeIlona MaherandDwight Howardwearing wigs and dressing up in ’80s fashion,the themed episode was vibrantand only somewhat hindered by inconsistent judge scores.
The Stars Put On Wigs and Pump Up the Energy in a Night Honoring ‘Soul Train’
The Real Housewives of AtlantaalumPhaedra Parksand her pro partnerVal Chmerkovskywere the first to show their funky soul on the dancefloor. They performed a satisfactory Quickstep toAretha Franklin’s “Think.” Although there were some clear missteps, the pairing got the stamp of approval from both judgesCarrie Ann Inabaand Perez, with the latter pointing out that Parksdidn’t just know how to dance, but she also knew how to “boogie.“The only other contestant who also got that exact compliment from the guest judge wasTheBachelorSeason 28’sJoey Graziadei, but more on his epic dance number later. Similarly to Parks, Maher andDanny Amendolascored a 30 out of 40 with their takes on the foxtrot. Whereas the rugby player was commended for her continued improvement, the two-time Super Bowl champion had judges gushing over his continued effort to smile more throughout his performance. After being in third for two weeks in a row,Stephen Nedoroscikhad the same outcome as Maher, Parks, and Amendola, ranking lower on the leaderboard due to his struggle with musicality and stiffness.
Speaking of the judges, it is fair to say thatthe scoring felt inconsistent throughout the show. Although Week 2 hadDerek Hough, who was a little harsher on the stars and their pro partners when it came to marks, his scores weren’t the problem. Inaba’s scores had been somewhat inflated in the two previous episodes ofDWTS,but last night, it felt clear that her feedback was constantly out of sync with the rest of the judges (except for Perez). She gave out 8s like candy despite certain routines being more simplistic than others. The hardest score to comprehend was bothBrooks NaderandEric Robertsgetting a ‘7’, even though they weren’t nearly on the same level of dance skill and execution.
Judges' scoring aside, last night explored sexy choreography in two ways, one more effective than the other. Brooks and her pro partnerGleb Savchenkomight’ve caused an online uproar with their showmance in previous weeks, buttheir rumba was far from the most sensual and chemistry-filled performance featured on Soul Train Night. Former BacheloretteJenn Transtripped off her bubbly smile to capture the intensity of the Viennese waltz alongside her pro partnerSasha Farber. The result was attention-grabbing. There was no need for the extra drama of a showmance; meticulous choreography and hard work made it look and feel magnetic. With gorgeous thrills and continued focus on keeping the frame intact, Tran showed she is a contestant to watch, landing in the Top 3 by the end of the episode.
Joey Graziadei and Chandler Kinney Earn First 9’s of the Season With Funky Choreography
The first two spots were occupied by starsChandler Kinneyand Graziadei,who’ve already managed to get the first 9s of the season. The former bachelor continues to surprise us with every routine, but last night’s jive to “Shout” by The Isley Brothers deserves particular praise. He and his pro partnerJenna Johnsonhad one of the most energetic performances of the evening, and not only in terms of overall stage presence. The dance style was all over the choreography, and it left room to be playful (even a backflip thrown into the mix!) If he continues at this rate, Graziadei will be a strong contender for the mirrorball trophy. The only person in his way is Kinney, whose talent has been noticeable since Week 1.ThePretty Little Liars: Summer Schoolalumand her pro partnerBrandon Armstrongembodied the word “cool” with that cha-cha, which also had elements of hip-hop. JudgeBruno Tonioliis right, we might have anotherZendayaon our hands!
Overall, “Soul Train Night” was upbeat and showedsome celebrities slowly making their way up to the top. Although “Hair Metal Night” will air tonight and give a closer look at who will continue in the competition with another double elimination, Monday’s episode already showed mirrorball potential coming from Graziadei and Kinney. With a few inconsistent scores, the judges' feedback was a little harder to crack, but that could still change in the near future.
Dancing with the Stars
Soul Train Night was a boogie-filled tribute with Joey Graziadei and Chandler Kinney pumping up their chances to get to the finals.
U.S. reality show based on the British series “Strictly Come Dancing,” where celebrities partner up with professional dancers and compete against each other in weekly elimination rounds to determine a winner.
Watch on Disney +
