ABC Gabby Windey on "Dancing With the Stars," episode 3.
In a navy-blue body suit covered in sparkles and fringe, “The Bachelorette” co-star Gabby Windey went into her third performance on “Dancing With the Stars” harboring mixed feelings. It was James Bond night, and Windey was fired up about taking on the role of a Bond girl. But at the same time, she was feeling insecure about competing against such seasoned performers as Charli D’Amelio and Wayne Brady.
Here’s How the Evening Went
The evening’s James Bond theme gave a heart-pounding ambiance to the set. Everyone was dressed to the nines, including Windey and her partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, who danced the cha-cha to “Die Another Day” by Madonna. But before they took the stage, the two engaged in a heartfelt conversation about how Windey was feeling.
Chmerkovskiy told Windey how great it felt to be at the top of the leaderboards last week. They were in a three-way tie for first place with Wayne Brady and Witney Carson, and Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas on Elvis night. Windey agreed that it was a great feeling but also confessed that she didn’t really feel like she deserved it.
“Charli is a beautifully trained dancer,” Windey said. “And Wayne is a performer. I’m a reality TV person. I feel a little bit of imposter syndrome.” Windey failed to mention that she is also a professionally trained dancer who cheered for the Denver Broncos for five years.
Chmerkovskiy reminded Windey, “You don’t have to be a career-long performer to make an impact on a big stage.”
Windey: ‘There Is a Superpower in My Uterus’
ABCThe deep dip.
The conversation then turned to how excited Windey was for Bond night. “I love the Bond girls!” she declared. “I love being a woman because I think there is a superpower in my uterus.” The quirky comment seemed to stun Chmerkovskiy a bit, but he managed to eke out an awkward half-smile.
Windey said her favorite Bond girl is Halle Berry, and Chmerkovskiy showed her some film clips of how the Jinx portrayer moves. “I’m just going to channel my inner Halle Berry this week,” Windey asserted. “There is power in being a woman and I get to be the leading lady. I can’t wait.”
The performance was different than it was the past two episodes. Instead of being flowy and ethereal, episode three’s cha-cha was more abrupt and mechanical. This caused mixed reactions among the judges. Windey’s fiance, Erich Schwer, was in the audience and seemed thrilled with Windey’s performance, jumping to his feet and clapping profusely.
How It All Turned Out
ABCGabby and Val in full alignment.
Derek Hough was the first judge to comment. “Wow, Gabby. You went for that. … It had power. It had attack. It had strength,” he declared. He did offer a bit of criticism, however: “Be careful because sometimes that power/strength can be misconstrued as rigid or stiff.”
Bruno Tonioli had no problems with the performance at all. “Cha-cha-cha to die for!” he shouted. “The technique. Crisp, clean, clear and smoky hot.”
Carrie Ann Inaba confessed that she was feeling a little “torn.” On the positive side, she told Windey, “You are an amazing dancer.” However, she added, “there’s something a little staccato, that I want you to relax just a little more.”
Len Goodman said, “I thought it was really lovely. It was crisp, like a Pringle. Gabby – see you next week!”
Windey and Chmerkovskiy received a score of 8 from Inaba, Goodman and Hough, and a score of 9 from Tonioli, for a total of 33. Just like last week, they tied for first place with D’Amelio and Brady.
The eliminated team was “Charlie’s Angels” star Cheryl Ladd and her dance pro, Louis van Amstel.
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