Love was in the air tonight in the second episode of M-Netโs dazzling new reality competitionย Dancing With The Stars SA. Not only did the second group of six dancing pairs waltz and jive their way into the hearts of viewers, but two of the professional dancers also got engaged, right on the dancefloor!
Towards the end of tonightโs performances Liesl Laurieโs partner, three-time British Show Dance championย Ryan Hammond, surprised his girlfriend of four years, Angelique Allison, aย former professional ballerina and Delron Buckleyโs partner in the competition, when he got down on one knee and popped the question!ย And of course, she said yes!
โYou have set the benchmark so high for guys, I think itโs unfair!โ commented host Chris Jaftha.
It was the perfect end to an episode in which the second group of six celebrities and their professional dancing partners tried to evoke a little love from the showโsย esteemed judging panel of Bryan Watson, Debbie Turner, Tebogo Kgobokoe, and Jason Gilkison. ย
First up, showing off her recently-acquired Tango skills was Mzansi Magic presenter and 1Magic actress Thembisa Mdoda, partnered with 13-time undefeated South African Ballroom Champion Devon Snell.ย โWeโre not going to get โboringโ from you!โ said Jason Gilkison. Tebogo Kgobokoe loved that the performance was โcovered with passionโ, but noted that she would like to see sharper technique from Thembisa. Bryan praised Thembisa for her acting in the dramatic Tango, but encouraged her to also show more passion in her dancing and Debbie said she also loved how Thembisa sold her performance, but cautioned her to watch her posture.
Bryan scored Thembisa 5 points, Debbie and Jason 6 points each, and even Tebogo gave a surprising ย score of 4, bringing Thembisaโs total for her first dance to 21. ย The presenter and actress was a tad disappointed: โWe were expecting more, we worked really hard,โ she said. โBut it can only go up from here.โ
Next up with a romantic Waltz were former Blue Bulls rugby player Thando Manana and his partner, international dancing judge Michelle Oppenshaw. Tebogo thought the performance was lovely but said she would also like Thando to soften up a bit โ โThere was a bit of tensionโ, she commented. Bryan shared his view that dancers have to train like a sportspeople while performing as artists. โThe first part you have down, you just have to continue with performance,โ he said. โTonight you became an artistic athlete!โ Debbie praised, and Jason added that, โThere was a lot to loveโ in their performance.
Thando received 4 points from Bryan for his first dance, 5 each from Debbie and Jason, and 3 from Tebogo, for a total of 17. ย โI think a score is just on the scoreboard,โ the former rugby player commented - like a true athlete. โAnything can change in the second half.โ
Netball star Vanes-Mari du Toit and her partner, undefeated Latin champion Johannes Radebe, tried to impress the judges with a nimble Quickstep. โYou blew that clichรฉ out the window that dynamite comes in small packages!โ Bryan told the tall Protea goal shooter. But he said he would love to see โthat 1-metre right leg make friends with that 1-metre left legโ.ย Debbie complimented Vanes-Mari on โthe character of her upper bodyโ, which is a dance term for posture, and Jason said heโd never seen a couple get across the dancefloor so fast. โYouโre going to be a force to be reckoned with in this competition,โ he predicted. Tebogo said she was quite shocked at how easily Vanes-Mari moved. โIโm pleasantly surprised with your dancing,โ she exclaimed.
When the scores came in, Bryan had given them a 6, Debbie and Jason 7 points each, and Tebogo weighed in with a 6, for a total of 26, causing an excited Vanes-Mari to jump into her partnerโs arms. โTo get a 6 from Tebogo is like getting a 10 in real life!โ she grinned.
The next couple dancing before the judgesโ scrutiny, with another Waltz, was actor and model Eden Classens from the soapย Suidooster, and his partner, Australian-born professional show dancer Ash-Leigh Hunter. Jason thought that Eden made it look effortless. โItโs really tough to be a big guy and be strong and soft at the same time,โ he commented. Tebogo thought it was โintimateโ, which she liked, though found his performance to be a little flat-footed. โItโs such a pleasure for me to be blown away by something so calm, clean and serene,โ said Bryan. Debbie thought the pair really brought romance onto the dancefloor.
Bryan scored Eden 6, he got a 7 each from Debbie and Jason, and Tebogo awarded them a 4, for a total of 24. Eden joked that he had been hoping for a 10 from Tebogo, but โweโre happy, weโre good,โ he said.
The first Cha-Cha of the evening was performed by silver screen actress Juanita de Villiers and her partner, professional Latin and Ballroom dancer Johan Dippenaar. Tebogo was impressed. โYou danced like someone whoโs been dancing for a long time,โ she told Juanita. But added that sheโd love to see a bit more โva-va-voomโ. Bryan said there was โa lot of leopardโ, referring to their costumes. โBut on the outside,โ he said. โNot enough on the inside.โ Debbie said Juanita showed โthe best use of legsโ so far in the competition. Jason thought for the first half of the dance it looked like Juanita was dancing with handbrakes on. โBy the second half you were really starting to get into it,โ he commented. โI can see the dancer inside of you โ let her out,โ he advised.ย
Bryan and Debbie both awarded Juanita and Johan a score of 5, Jason scored them a 6, and Tebogo also a 5, for a total of 21. โFor a first time, Iโm very happy,โ Juanita said.
The final couple on the floor tonight was funnyman Ebenhaezer Dibakwane and dance teacher Nombulelo Hlathi, who lit up the room with a spirited Jive. Bryan commented that, like comedy, dancing is all about timing. He said Ebenhaezerโs timing wasnโt always spot-on, โbut the ones that you hit were great,โ. Debbie told the audience that she found it to be a very romantic Jive and loved it. Jason said Ebenhaezerโs dancing was a bit like riding a rollercoaster without a seatbelt on โ โInvigorating and exciting, but terrifying at the same timeโ. He also noted that Ebenhaezer was rough around the edges - a diamond in the rough. Tebogo thought the energy of the Jive suited Ebenhaezer, but commented that he needs to control the energy.
Bryan scored Ebenhaezerโs energetic performance a 5, Debbie a 6, Jason gave it a 7, and Tebogo a 5, for a total of 23. Ebenhaezer said he was proud, and that the high scores reflected the hard work he had put in.
With the second group of six dancers, Vanes-Mari du Toit and her partner Johannes Radebe were in the lead with a score of 26, followed by Eden Classens and Ash-Leigh Hunter with 24 and Ebenhaezer Dibakwane and Nombulelo Hlathi in third place with their 23 points. Juanita de Villiers and Johan Dippenaar are sharing fourth position with Thembisa Mdoda and Devon Snell, with 21 points, and Thando Manana and Michelle Oppenshaw bring up the rear with 17 points.
This is what the overall leaderboard looks like as the show heads into the viewersโ vote next week:
1.ย ย ย ย Zola Nombona:ย 27
2.ย ย ย ย Vanes-Mari du Toit:ย ย 26
3.ย ย ย ย Connell Cruise:ย 25
4.ย ย ย ย Eden Classens:ย 24
5.ย ย ย ย Ebenhaezer Dibakwane:ย 23
6.ย ย ย ย Thembisa Mdoda:ย 21
7.ย ย ย ย Juanita de Villiers:ย 21
8.ย ย ย ย Liesl Laurie:ย 20
9.ย ย ย ย Frank Opperman:ย ย 20
10.ย Odessa Swarts:ย 20
11.ย Delron Buckley:ย 18
12.ย Thando Manana:ย 17
No-one was sent home tonight, but the judgesโ scores for these six couples, along with their scores for the first six couples last week, will be carried through to the third episodeย ofย Dancing with the Stars SAย on Sunday, 18 February at 17:00 on M-Net channel 101.
Next week will be the first opportunity for viewers who have registered at mnet.tv/dwtssavote to vote for their favourite dancers. Their votes will be combined with the judgesโ scores to determine which two couples with the lowest scores will have to dance for their survival once more in the dreaded Dance-Off!
For the first time ever, M-Net will announce the results of each episode on the same night, in a specialย Dancing with the Stars SA Live Resultsย show at 20:00 every Sunday afterย Carte Blanche. Note that this means the Sunday Night Blockbuster will start at 20:30.
Dancing with the Stars SA airs on M-Net (DStv channel 101) on Sundays at 17:00. Join the conversation on the Dancing with the Stars Facebook page, or on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #DWTSSA.