Aired on October 15, Dancing with the Stars season 33 episode 5 featured the theme Dedication Night. For their performance, Kinney and Armstrong chose to dance a contemporary routine to Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance." Kinney dedicated the emotional piece to her mother, adding a personal touch to their choreography.
However, they faced unexpected feedback from the judges panel. Judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, Bruno Tonioli, and guest judge Mark Ballas critiqued Kinney's emotional expression during the routine. This assessment left Kinney perplexed, as she felt her performance authentically conveyed her feelings about the song and its dedication to her mother.
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In an interview with US Magazine, Kinney stated that she felt fully immersed in the dance emotionally, describing her performance as "true and authentic" to her feelings about the song and her relationship with her mother.
Actress Chandler Kinney puzzled by Dancing with the Stars season 33 judges feedback
As they took to the Dancing with the Stars season 33 episode 5 dance floor, Kinney and Armstrong aimed to convey the deep connection between the song's message and Kinney's relationship with her mother. The performance incorporated fluid movements and lifts, designed to capture the essence of the heartfelt lyrics.
As stated earlier, the judging panel critiqued Chandler Kinney’s emotional expressions during dance. The judges felt Kinney didn't convey enough emotion throughout the routine, despite the personal nature of the song choice and its dedication to her mother.
This feedback resulted in a score of 32 out of 40 for Kinney and her partner Brandon Armstrong. The pair acknowledged that the performance wasn't their strongest, admitting they felt nervous about the judges' response.
Despite their reservations, Kinney and Armstrong expressed respect for the judges' opinions while struggling to understand the specific areas needing improvement.
Kinney's perspective on feedback
Following the Dancing with the Stars judges' critique, Chandler Kinney shared her thoughts on the feedback. She expressed feeling confused by the judges' comments regarding her emotional delivery.
Kinney elaborated on her perspective, saying,
"The tricky thing for us was the emotional aspect of it because I felt fully in the dance. It was true and authentic to me and how I feel about the song and how I feel about my mom."
She added that she viewed the performance as "truly a celebration" of her relationship with her mother and further questioned the judges' expectations, stating,
"I don't know what their expectation of me was emotionally tonight."
Kinney emphasized that as someone who holds herself to a very high standard, she believed she had met her own emotional goals for the performance.
Brandon Armstrong's response to critique
Professional dancer Brandon Armstrong also weighed in on the Dancing with the Stars judges' feedback. He approached the critique with a pragmatic attitude, emphasizing the importance of constructive criticism for improvement in the competition. Armstrong stated,
"For me, it's not even a matter of if I agree or disagree. It is what it is. I think that I'm always looking for criticism and critique. That's what makes you better."
However, Armstrong did express some frustration with the lack of specificity in the judges' comments. He described the situation as "shooting at a moving target," indicating the challenge of meeting expectations when the criteria seem to shift. Armstrong explained,
"If there's something that is lacking from us, we want to be able to identify it and develop it. That's where we get a little frustrated — when we feel like we can't even pinpoint what it is."
The professional dancer also drew comparisons to past seasons of Dancing with the Stars, noting that previous contestants have faced similar challenges before going on to improve and succeed in the competition.
As the season progresses, Kinney and Armstrong face the challenge of bridging this gap between their intentions and the judges' expectations. Dancing with the Stars season 33 episode 6 is set to air on October 22, 2024 on ABC network.
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