Fan-favorite moments, ‘Pommel Horse Guy’ steals the show
Season 33 of Dancing With the Stars had unparalleled popularity among its pop-culture fans. As the most popular season of the last four years, it is no shock its cult-like fans in Madison showed out to their live tour performance at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday, Feb. 15.
The back-to-back two-hour performances were sold-out, filled with heart-throbbing choreography, a spotlight performance from Olympic medalist Stephen Nedoroscik, “Pommel Horse Guy,” and most importantly, Gleb Savchenko enthusiasts.
The first half of the show kicked off cast introductions to “Rush” by Troye Sivan — followed by pro dancer Brandon Armstrong and his dance partner from season 33, Chandler Kinney, performing their finale redemption Jive to ROSÉ & Bruno Mars’ hit song, “APT.”
Following, there was a range of dance numbers, like Rylee Arnold’s and Nedoroscik’s premiere Jive — also from season 33 — to Savchenko and Daniella Karagach’s duet to “Oops!…I Did It Again” by Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox.
Aside from the dance numbers, which were impressive on their own, I was in awe at the quick costume changes and raw athleticism portrayed on stage. The show not only mastered technical dance excellence but proved that dancing is truly a sport, solidifying why it remains one of television’s most beloved dance competitions.
As much as every performance felt like a highlight, Nedoroscik’s pommel horse routine claimed the crown as king of the night. Serving as both co-host and performer, Nedoroscik delivered an Olympic-merit gymnastics showcase that proved why he was cast onto the show to begin with.
Pro dancer and host Emma Slater killed it with her witty comments, while Pasha Pashkov redefined what it means to be 5’2″ with some attitude through his sassy body language.
Ultimate dance couple Karagach and Pashkov reminded all of us why they are the modern-day mother and father of Latin ballroom dance. Dance captain Britt Stewart maintained high energy throughout the show, while the newest pro dancer to the DWTS team, Ezra Sosa, showed everyone exactly how he fits in with his cheeky and bold personality.
Though fans were excited to see all the pro dancers, nothing compared to the screams for Savchenko, and frankly, it wouldn’t be a proper review without a paragraph dedicated to him.
Fans went wild for him during the performance of “SexyBack” by Justin Timberlake, with shouts of “Take it off” during his spotlight. One lucky fan — adorned in an “I love Gleb” t-shirt and jeans — got picked from the audience to dance on stage with him during the “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” number in the latter half of the show.
Perhaps my favorite performance of the evening was Arnold and Alan Bersten’s duet to “Nobody Gets Me” by SZA. Maybe it was Arnold’s ethereal dress paired with her beaming smile, Bersten’s fluid movements underscoring the romantic mood of the beat or simply because I love this song.
While the latter half of the show may not have been my favorite, I would be doing a disservice to the dancers’ skill and sophistication to merely brush it off. The shift away from popular hits showcased the depth of the dancers’ versatility while highlighting their impressive range and sheer gracefulness that they bring to the stage.
Between the dazzling costumes, electric choreography and buzzing atmosphere of a sold-out crowd, the Dancing With the Stars live tour proved exactly why their shows are selling out across the country.
