Instagram/@alix_earle
The social media influencer Alix Earle was the star of the night when she showcased the character of Glinda the Good Witch on the highly popular TV show Dancing with the Stars. The night was dedicated to the musical Wicked and Alix, together with her partner Val Chmerkovskiy, performed a jazz routine to the song “What Is This Feeling?” by the musical’s characters. The stunning performance, with its impressive choreography and the full use of theatrics, stirred up a lot of reactions on the internet with many viewers calling it the best dance of the night bringing praise to Earle for her acting through dance.
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Dancing with the Stars’ official account shared a video of the captivating dance performance featuring the jazz dance of Earle and Chmerkovskiy to one of the well-known songs from Wicked. Earle, who donned a beautiful glimmering pink dress that was very alike Glinda’s recognizable style, went deep into the character with her enthusiastic face expressions, strong hair flips, and great technical skills that included a flawless double pirouette. The dance with props and expressing movements made the audience feel as if they were in the Land of Oz.
Chmerkovskiy expressed his gratitude for their collaborative creative and left a comment under the post saying, “A very enjoyable week, Well done Glinda”. His very expressive reply indicated the great skilfulness of the pair in surviving the trial of the week.
Not only the public but also the judges were very generous with their praises and the comments on the performance were that it was both very entertaining and technically executed very well. One of the viewers wrote, “The toss toss is so PERFECT, everything about this is PERFECT,” referring to a very prominent choreographic moment that was specifically focused on. Another praised the performance quality saying, “I really felt like I was watching part of a Broadway production.”
Most of the comments were directed at how Earle became the good witch loved by everyone. “Yes, gals, she is giving GLINDA HONEY,” a user couldn’t help but proclaim, while another one broke it down saying, “I still can’t get over how she channeled Glinda to a T. Every body movement. Not one star was able to get in to character quite like Alix did this week. She STUDIED.” This strong feeling was echoed all over the comments, where Earle’s total character impersonation was deemed the main reason why her performance was so different from others’.
On the other hand, the technical aspects of the performance were given equal admiration. “People that are into dance know how GOOD technically that was,” one expert fan said, while others pointed out specific things like “the hair flip in the beginning, the double pirouette”, and considered those parts of the performance the most Earle’ growing dance ability being exemplified.
It was common among the judges congratulating Earle and Chmerkovskiy on their performance, but some viewers still voiced their outrage over the scores. “They got robbed,” one comment straightforwardly stated, another one added, “This was ridiculous… she has been amazing every week and deserved a ten!” The idea of Earle and Chmerkovskiy being “underscored yet again” was brought up a lot, with one user particularly pointing out that they “should’ve got a 10 for staying in character so well and being so entertaining with all the props.”
However, some of the comments were not entirely positive. One viewer who was critical shared their “hot take,” saying the performance “lacked energy! Like that ‘over the top’ ‘perform for the person in the way back’ energy!” This dissenting voice was overshadowed by the huge amount of praises, yet the commenter did concede the point that Earle’s technical skill on the double pirouette was indeed remarkable.
Wicked was indeed a theme night that grabbed the attention of the Dancing With The Stars audience, and Earle’sGlinda was the main attraction of all the fairy tales. One fan even dared to dream about the future possibilities, saying, “For Alix and Val to walk on Wicked 2 Red Carpet soon,” referring to the upcoming film version of the Broadway musical that has just been mentioned.
In the eyes of the audience, Earle has shown great improvement throughout the competition this season. “I love watching her perform. She is getting better and better, gradually,” one comment stated, highlighting the frequently held opinion that the social media influencer has really developed as a performer over the course of the season. Another fan mentioned that “Alix’s showmanship is increasing with each performance,” implying that her theatrical experience might come in handy during the days that require working on a character, just like in theme weeks.
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The whole show was a clear demonstration of the fantastic way that Dancing With The Stars can transfer Broadway magic to the ballroom floor. Earle’s commitment to the character combined with Chmerkovskiy’s skilled choreography made it a moment that was not only unforgettable but continued to be talked about by the viewers even after the episode was aired. Whether it was the technical aspects, character portrayal, or judging disputes that they were talking about, the discussions around this routine indicated that performance art and audience engagement are the two sides of the same coin in competitive dance entertainment. This performance also reminded many of Carrie Ann Inaba‘s previous critiques. The evening also featured Danielle Fishel performing an Argentine tango. Earlier in the season, Earle had delivered a fiery jive that showcased her growing abilities. Her viral quickstep on TikTok night also gained significant attention from fans.
