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The judges gave Elaine Hendrix and my Pro partner, Alan Bersten, an unstoppable string of eights for their Space Mountain-themed Quickstep during Disney Night on Dancing With The Stars. The couple scored immediate points with the viewers, who considered the performance creative and emotional.
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The couple converted the ballroom space into an outer space ambiance- so to speak, of course, in line with the Disneyland 70th anniversary theme of magic. Danced in an intergalactic theme, the couples performed an absolutely precise and extremely happy-go-lucky Quickstep that left both judges and audiences spellbound. For Elaine Hendrix, most popularly recognized for the role of Meredith Blake in ‘The Parent Trap,’ this marked a personal victory.
There were immediate and plenty of reactions on the internet. One of the viewers stated that the dance was really touching and a “full circle moment” for the actress. The same viewer found the whole dance-bringing-to-life-of-classic-Disney-ride very clever and simply called the whole package, “so cool.”
Another commentator who described it being “IMMACULATE. IMMERSIVE. IMAGINATIVE” also added: “I voted for Elaine all the way.” Comments further described much empowerment running through them, with one person relating Elaine’s storyline on the show “really hitting for me,” and added, “Watching her is so empowering” as she visibly improves week after week.
Even deserving of the highest praise was Alan Bersten’s imaginative choreography. There was a voice that said, “Alan’s choreo has been amazing this season! That was a tough song and they ate down.” The later parts of the conversation were pretty much dominated by the outlandish costume Alan was wearing. Some users admitted that they could barely recognize the professional dancer through the layers of disguise. “I literally don’t believe that was Alan,” one said, followed by, “Alan why are you like this,” underscoring the joy he has brought to the show.
While almost universally admired, one of the voices was a dissenting one among those disputing the judges’ scores. “Totally rigged, as usual,” said one who was countered by another who stated that the dance was liked but did not deserve scores above some other contestant. The lone dissenter was in stark contrast with the vast majority that has gone on record with the Quickstep as being “the best dance of the night” and even “one of my fav dances on the show… ever.”
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The performance marked its way into the towering success of making Elaine Hendrix a strong contender and a crowd favorite for the season. Technical finesse, combined with joy and concept, reached every heart in the room, creating a moment that lingered well beyond the walls of a dance floor. This was a reminder of one of the most memorable and talked-about winning events Disney Night can produce in the competition. The performance also featured a touching fashion tribute and was supported by fellow professional Daniella Karagach. The couple had previously created buzz when they decided to recreate an iconic Parent Trap scene for Disney Week, and Alan later showed his support by celebrating with matching shirts.