DWTS 25 Week 2 Part 1 Live Blog and Performance Videos

Last week’s premiere episode was interesting. The judges were pretty tough when it came to scores, and it wasn’t until the very end of the first hour into the second that the show picked up steam with some promising contestants. When all was said and done, it looks like we are seeing two major contenders in Jordan and Lindsey. While a couple of others show promise, these are clearly the two to watch. Considering one has a partner who has never won and the other’s partner is a returning favorite with exceptional choreography skills, this could end up being a real barn burner.

I’m not ready to count out anyone just yet- people like Nikki, Vanessa, and Victoria might surprise. The male celebrities really need to step it up because with the exception of Jordan, the ladies this season are pretty strong in comparison. Let’s take a look at last week’s first ever poll results. For favorite partnership, Jordan & Lindsay are first with 33% of the vote. Lindsey & Mark are a close second with 26%. No other couple is even in double digits. It is the same for favorite routine, with the tango from Jordan & Lindsay taking 34% and Lindsey & Mark’s cha-cha-cha at 33%.

Three couples had double digit percentages in the least favorite routine poll. On top, Barbara & Keo with their salsa at 47%. Then we have Sasha & Gleb’s cha-cha-cha at 14% and Terrell & Cheryl’s cha-cha-cha at 11%. An overwhelming 62% of you feel Barbara & Keo are out first with Sasha & Gleb taking 14%. Finally, more than half of you (51%) graded the premiere as above average. That sounds about right. I also think you guys are on point about the first boot. If Barbara was able to secure enough votes to be safe, Sasha could be toast. She is relatively unknown to this shows demographic and was forgettable last Monday night. Who else could end up in jeopardy? Debbie wouldn’t surprise me. But we shall see.

At the end of tonight’s show, I’ll have the new polls up as quick as possible so you guys can vote. It will be a fast turnaround as we do this all over again tomorrow night. Let’s see which couples are able to conquer the stress and shine and which fail to impress. “Ballroom Night” is up and running…

The pros and their partners come out doing their little cute ballroom dances. And they all look pretty damn good doing so too. No real opening routine tonight. We are probably stuck for time overall tonight (13 dances plus an elimination) so expect this to go fast. I will try and keep up. LOL

Debbie & Alan – Quickstep
Hey! Good start. An improvement over last week for Debbie. One small hiccup in the corner during one of the fast turns but for the most part, this was a proper quickstep and Debbie looked like she was having a lot of fun doing it. Nice fitting choreography from Alan and Debbie kept up with the pace. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO

Len loved the speed. He said the control was a little lacking. But he loved how confident she looked. Bruno enjoyed the chemistry. He wants the footwork to be more exact. Carrie Ann loved the shapes and how Debbie presses open to the movement. She wants her to use that same resistance in hold.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 6
Bruno- 7
You can vote for Debbie by calling 1 800 868 3402 (toll free). You can also vote online at ABC.COM and/or on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method when using the same email). Voting begins right at the start of each performance show on Monday nights. Check ABC.COM for details regarding voting window time and information about registering to cast your vote online.

Nikki & Artem – Waltz
Aww, that was gorgeous. So short though but that’s not the couples fault of course. It was a very basic waltz but executed with so much elegance. Loved Nikki’s lines. She and Artem have good solid chemistry and this was a nice change from the aggression of last week’s dance. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO

Bruno thought it was very ladylike. He is all compliments. Carrie Ann thinks Nikki has learned to trust Artem and that’s good. She calls it stunning. Len compliments that Nikki wasn’t looking down. He wanted a tad more in hold but he thought it was great.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 7
Bruno- 7
You can vote for Nikki by calling 1 800 868 3409 (toll free). You can also vote online at ABC.COM and/or on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method when using the same email). Voting begins right at the start of each performance show on Monday nights. Check ABC.COM for details regarding voting window time and information about registering to cast your vote online.

Lindsey & Mark – Quickstep
Wow. Leave it to Mark to even in a short dance, put together quality choreography that is unique. I loved this. Lindsey is a fantastic dancer. This quickstep was a gem because it not only had content in hold and was fast but was memorable and stood out right out of the gate. Lindsey is quite the actress too, which will only serve her so well as the weeks go on. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO

Carrie Ann has missed the creativity of Mark. She warns her about her neck. Len also loves the choreography. Of course he mentions that they needed to maintain the hold more in a quickstep. Bruno wants her to be careful about her arms- don’t throw them. Otherwise, wonderful, he says.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 7
Bruno- 7
You can vote for Lindsey by calling 1 800 868 3407 (toll free). You can also vote online at ABC.COM and/or on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method when using the same email). Voting begins right at the start of each performance show on Monday nights. Check ABC.COM for details regarding voting window time and information about registering to cast your vote online.

And the judges are once again a bit tough tonight. Probably saving those 8’s for couples going late in the show. Oh- the winners of ABC’s “Boyband” are in the audience. A little in-network promotion I guess.

Barbara & Keo – Tango
Well, I mean this was better than last week. That much is for sure. But of course, this was a very basic tango and Barbara didn’t have the exact fierceness to pull it off. A little sloppy, a little unsteady, and a little bit of a mess in hold. But it was an improvement, so she should take a bit of solace in that. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO

Leo wants a little more exaggerated top line- a little crisper and sharper. He does say it was better than last week. Bruno thinks Barbara’s stock is rising. He wants a little more control. Carrie Ann thinks Barbara was more relaxed and elegant. She wants her to be careful in hold- she’s clenching a bit.
Carrie Ann- 6
Len- 5
Bruno- 6
You can vote for Barbara by calling 1 800 868 3401 (toll free). You can also vote online at ABC.COM and/or on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method when using the same email). Voting begins right at the start of each performance show on Monday nights. Check ABC.COM for details regarding voting window time and information about registering to cast your vote online.

Nick & Peta – Foxtrot
I want to give Peta a high score and Nick a lower one. LOL. For real, that dance was all Peta. And I guess in ballroom, the ladies do stand out more but I am going to need Nick to just shine a bit brighter. He had the steps down, some decent lines and all, but it was a very basic and forgettable routine unless you were solely watching Peta. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO

Bruno mentions an incident with Peta’s dress that resulted in the dance being a little jagged. He said it started well but became restricted. Carrie Ann saw an improvement. She wants him to stretch out more and a little more round in his movements. Len was pleased last week but he felt this was too fragile.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 6
Bruno- 6
You can vote for Nick by calling 1 800 868 3408 (toll free). You can also vote online at ABC.COM and/or on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method when using the same email). Voting begins right at the start of each performance show on Monday nights. Check ABC.COM for details regarding voting window time and information about registering to cast your vote online.

Drew & Emma – Quickstep
So much better than last week. I give Drew credit. Dancing with a hamstring issue is not easy. He kept up very well. And this was a fun quickstep- lots of energy and decent footwork. He is so tall and sometimes that affects his frame and his butt sticks out a bit since he has to reach down to get to Emma. But all in all, he looked more confident here and it was an entertaining routine. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO

Carrie Ann loved the choreography. She feels the movements are sometimes a bit lanky but she felt it was entertaining. Len finds it all too loose. He liked the enthusiasm. Bruno enjoyed it. He found that Drew really sold it. But he agrees a bit with Len than Drew can be a little too loose.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 6
Bruno- 7
You can vote for Drew by calling 1 800 868 3404 (toll free). You can also vote online at ABC.COM and/or on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method when using the same email). Voting begins right at the start of each performance show on Monday nights. Check ABC.COM for details regarding voting window time and information about registering to cast your vote online.

Vanessa & Maks – Foxtrot
Yeah, Vanessa once again wins the husband/wife battle. But this wasn’t as good as last week for me because I saw a lot of Vanessa being unsteady when in hold with Maks. It wasn’t terrible but she needs to work on keeping herself centered so that when she does those turns and they go fast, she isn’t so wobbly. The dance was nice and I enjoyed the old school Hollywood feel to it. If it was cleaner, I would be giving her more props for this one. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO

Len liked it. Bruno enjoyed the sultriness. He thought it was very foxy. Carrie Ann calls her a superstar. She says she is like liquid gold. Very complimentary from all three judges.
Carrie Ann- 8
Len- 8
Bruno- 8
You can vote for Vanessa by calling 1 800 868 3412 (toll free). You can also vote online at ABC.COM and/or on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method when using the same email). Voting begins right at the start of each performance show on Monday nights. Check ABC.COM for details regarding voting window time and information about registering to cast your vote online.

Frankie & Witney – Tango
Solid dance. Better than last week. What I would love to see Frankie work on is now not looking as though he waiting for the next step. He has a tendency on his face to show that he is preparing for what comes next. He pulls it off but you would like to see seem more natural. I did love the choreography here (quite fierce). A nice step up from week one. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO

Bruno calls it intense and precise. He says Frankie didn’t miss one step. Carrie Ann calls it clean and powerful. She enjoys the partnership. Len felt it was a little over aggressive but overall, he found that Frankie did a good job.
Carrie Ann- 8
Len- 7
Bruno- 8
You can vote for Frankie by calling 1 800 868 3405 (toll free). You can also vote online at ABC.COM and/or on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method when using the same email). Voting begins right at the start of each performance show on Monday nights. Check ABC.COM for details regarding voting window time and information about registering to cast your vote online.

Terrell & Cheryl – Foxtrot
Not a cool comment from Terrell in the package. He sort of shaded Barbara and that’s not cool. That was weird. Not enough foxtrot and way too steamy. That was choreography I expect from a rumba. I can’t comment too much about lines and footwork because I wasn’t shown enough. I’m not sure what Cheryl was going for with that. That glide on the floor was unnecessary as well. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO

Carrie Ann found it steamy. She felt he was more expressive. Len found it too raunchy. It was more bedroom than ballroom he says. Bruno called it a sextrot.
Carrie Ann- 7
Len- 6
Bruno- 7
You can vote for Terrell by calling 1 800 868 3411 (toll free). You can also vote online at ABC.COM and/or on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method when using the same email). Voting begins right at the start of each performance show on Monday nights. Check ABC.COM for details regarding voting window time and information about registering to cast your vote online.

Sasha & Gleb – Viennese Waltz
YES. So much better than week one. Sasha looked more confident here. She danced with more ease. That low energy I talked about last week wasn’t evident here. It was a lovely and elegant viennese waltz. She used her acting ability as well to sell the dance. And the lines looked nice. I am impressed at the improvement. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO

Len compliments the hold. But he is getting tired of seeing all the ballroom dances not having enough hold. He doesn’t like the flailing around. Bruno enjoyed it. He does want her free arm to have more fluidity. He doesn’t want her throwing it away like a plank. Carrie Ann disagrees. She found the arms to be lovely. She felt Sasha shown brightly tonight.
Carrie Ann- 8
Len- 8
Bruno- 7
You can vote for Sasha by calling 1 800 868 3410 (toll free). You can also vote online at ABC.COM and/or on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method when using the same email). Voting begins right at the start of each performance show on Monday nights. Check ABC.COM for details regarding voting window time and information about registering to cast your vote online.

Victoria & Val – Tango
Well, Ms. Swift’s song is pretty perfect for a tango. I continue to be so impressed by Victoria. She isn’t perfect and I feel like a little more rehearsal would improve her by so much but she gives it her all. This was a good tango. Not great but good. It had some nice staccato steps throughout and I thought the hold and frame and hold was commendable. Victoria exemplifies this show- hard working with a good story and you want to root for her. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO

Bruno enjoyed how Victoria controlled it. Carrie Ann appreciated the technique. Len enjoyed the drama. He says to watch her head a bit but he found it to be a super duper dance.
Carrie Ann- 8
Len- 8
Bruno- 8
You can vote for Victoria by calling 1 800 868 3413 (toll free). You can also vote online at ABC.COM and/or on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method when using the same email). Voting begins right at the start of each performance show on Monday nights. Check ABC.COM for details regarding voting window time and information about registering to cast your vote online.

Derek & Sharna – Foxtrot
So cute. Great choreography by Sharna. Again, like with so many of the boys tonight, stick that bum in just a bit more. It would help that frame so much. But I really liked that this foxtrot mixed in some new stuff we haven’t seen tonight and told a cute story. It was memorable and I love Derek’s hardworking attitude. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO

Carrie Ann feels Derek has charisma but dances a bit small. He needs to own the floor more. Spread it out she says. Len enjoyed the joy of it. He wants him to work on finesse and technique. Bruno liked it but yes, technique is lacking a little. He thinks he has the quality of a great performer.
Carrie Ann- 6
Len- 6
Bruno- 7
You can vote for Derek by calling 1 800 868 3403 (toll free). You can also vote online at ABC.COM and/or on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method when using the same email). Voting begins right at the start of each performance show on Monday nights. Check ABC.COM for details regarding voting window time and information about registering to cast your vote online.

Jordan & Lindsay – Viennese Waltz
Fabulous dance. Jordan moves with so much control and ease. His turns in this were phenomenal. The lines were great. Again, so much credit to Lindsay for putting together a proper dance when it comes to the style but making it breathtaking to watch. So good. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO

Len liked it. A little too staccato (sharp) on occasions. Bruno says it was a true ballroom sparkler. He loved the attention to detail. Carrie Ann wants to see more ballroom nuances. Burt she says Jordan is amazking.
Carrie Ann- 8
Len- 8
Bruno- 8
You can vote for Jordan by calling 1 800 868 3406 (toll free). You can also vote online at ABC.COM and/or on FACEBOOK (voting is combined via this method when using the same email). Voting begins right at the start of each performance show on Monday nights. Check ABC.COM for details regarding voting window time and information about registering to cast your vote online.

Week Two Leaderboard (Out Of A Possible 30)
Jordan- 24
Vanessa- 24
Victoria- 24
Sasha- 23
Frankie- 23
Lindsey- 21
Nikki- 21
Drew- 20
Terrell- 20
Debbie- 20
Derek- 19
Nick- 19
Barbara- 17

Elimination Time!!!

IN JEOPARDY- Terrell & Cheryl, Barbara & Keo

All others safe!

Going home tonight as the first couple booted on DWTS25 is…

Barbara & Keo

Barbara is going to miss Keo. She says it was an honor and the most exciting thing she has done in her life. They will be on GMA tomorrow morning as they head to the center of the ballroom for their goodbyes. – Click to Watch Elimination VIDEO

And with that, night one of our two night DWTS event concludes. Remember, the show airs an hour later tomorrow, at 9 Eastern. It is “Latin Night” and another couple will be eliminated.

I will have polls up very soon based on tonight. Thanks for watching with me and I hope you all enjoyed. See yah in less than 24 hours! :D