Contemporary

Johnny Weir (Dancing with the Stars): Contemporary on ’80s Night video

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“I get to be lyrical and elegant. I get to be pretty, so I’m very excited about it,” said Johnny Weir, who was lucky enough to get the season’s first contemporary routine on “Dancing with the Stars.” That emotive, expressive dance style usually earns the celebs a nice big bump in their scores scores, and it’s a style that has a lot in common with figure skating, Weir’s claim to fame. So when Weir had difficulty while learning the dance, his pro partner Britt Stewart brought him to a skating rink to get him back in his element. Did it work? Boy did it ever! Watch his “’80s Night” dance to “Total Eclipse of the Heart” above, and see what the judges had to say below.

Bruno Tonioli: “Connecting, projecting, emoting — what you’re doing now, which is the sign of an artist, you really give dance a meaning. We always know that you have great extension, elevation, you can fill the space, but not just with the moves, with the emotion. I know I’m a picky little thing, but use a little bit of the contraction, a little bit more. Everybody can learn.”

Carrie Ann Inaba: “Johnny, turn around and take a bow because consider that contemporary crushed! I have to tell you, Britt, that choreography was amazing. This is your first season as a pro, and it’s amazing choreography, but Johnny, the way you delivered that, the artistry was incredible.”

Derek Hough: “Johnny, I think with you there has always been a high expectation, and for me tonight, I was watching for a wobble, watching for a little mistake here and there — dude, that was perfect. The texture, the quality of movement — beautiful.”

Contemporary is the gift that keeps on giving because Weir ended up topping the judges’ leaderboard with the highest score of the season so far: 10s from Inaba and Hough and a 9 from Tonioli for a total of 29 out of 30. As Hough pointed out, Weir came into this competition with high expectations (figure skaters, after all, have to master choreography on narrow blades on ice, so the floor should be no problem), but he got off to a slow start. It seems he is fully coming into his own now, though. Is he the celeb to beat for the Mirror Ball Trophy?

Be sure to make your predictions so that the contestants can see how they’re faring in our racetrack odds. You can keep changing your predictions until just before the next episode airs every Monday on ABC. You’ll compete to win a spot on our leaderboard and eternal bragging rights. See our contest rules and sound off with other fans in our reality TV forum. Read more Gold Derby entertainment news.

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