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Full force, full passion, Elaine Hendrix and her dance partner Alan Bersten brought upright tension into the sharp and dynamic Tango set to the rhythms of “Gnarly” by KATSEYE, in the spotlight of the special TikTok Night episode of Dancing With The Stars. Within minutes of its official airing on the show’s social media, passionate responses became the order of the day-from many vociferous pleas to call it the dance of the night to others fiercely debating the judges’ scoring.
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A few seconds of the clip can give one a good-picture view of the type of magic created by that perfect synchronization. The ominous snap of the face, staccato sharp movements, and astringent chemistry-all hallmark classic Tango moves-were executed to perfection by this team. This blend of the traditional and the contemporary did not go unnoticed, as the audience set the modern pop backdrop of “Gnarly.” As one comment put it, capturing a good deal of the crowd’s feeling, “A TANGO and GNARLY are a duo I would not have ever expected but I’m LIVINGGGG!! They did so good!😍😍🔥🔥🔥.” That is probably the best comment on the risky undertaking of this pairing with the old-school technique backed up by the contemporary sounds.
The audience nearly felt bad for the judges with some even opining that the judges underscored the couple. One very passionate fan stated, “BEST DANCE OF THE NIGHT. I SAID IT. 🔥”, while another plainly said, “This was SUPER underscored! I love it!” Controversies and debates involving scoring are common for DWTS, but the bulk of support behind Hendrix almost confirmed that she had gained a very firm bond with the audience. “Don’t believe she should have been in the bottom 3 in my opinion. Sure the song choice she was given was bad, but she nailed the tango with Alan,” added another. This comment echoes a widely shared fan opinion: that there are times when the biggest detriment to a technically perfect performance is the poor choice of music.
In addition to commentary dealing with scoring, some comments also served as impromptu tributes for Hendrix’s performances with many quick to toast her talents. Another comment reads, “I think she has a lot of talent and charisma! And her turns are well done! 👏🏻🕺🏼💃🏼” while another called her “Meredith Blake (Elaine) the queen that you are 🔥👑,” a nod to her iconic role in the 1998 film, The Parent Trap. The excitement dates back decades: “I’m so excited to see you on DWTS! I remember your dance for the talent portion of the pageant we were in 1989 😆. When it was announced I was all OMG!! She’s a DANCER!” This nostalgic comment adds a layer of depth to her journey, reminding viewers that performance has long been a part of her life.
The fusion of traditional dance with modern music was also met with some less-than-ideal commentary. One commenter was hung up on the visuals: “She did well. I just wish they would have put her in black ballroom shoes instead of those plaid ones 😖.” More brutal on the musical side of things was another: “Love the dance, hated the awful music. It‘s incredible that they were able to dance to that😬🤨🫤😵💫🤯.” Such diametrically opposed views on whether a song is good or bad bring forth the underlying struggle theme nights have: not every single serving of music will sit well with all audience members.
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The online whirlwind over Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten’s Tango epitomizes the phenomenon one performance can create. The act electrified fiercely supportive audiences, created the de facto debating chambers on judging, celebrated production-side choices, and so enthralled viewers with dance skill and star quality. With that, literally on that one night, Elaine Hendrix emerged as the contestant who could own the stage and connect to audiences on a neurological level. Her recent projects and fashion tributes continue to showcase her versatility.
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