Due to the corona, a celebrity, two dancers and the moderator were missing from “Let’s Dance”, but the jury teased their way through the show. The evening ended disappointingly for Caroline Bosbach and Valentin Lusin: they were eliminated.
By Andrea Zschocher
Daniel Hartwich, Renata Lusin and René Casselly were absent from “Let’s Dance” due to illness, they all tested positive for Corona. This result showed once again that it can get anyone these days. With a view to the current corona policy, a rather sobering field study on a small scale. But of course, an entertainment format shouldn’t be about serious topics, but the distraction from everyday life should be in the foreground.
Although, this thought is still allowed: Isn’t it actually inevitable that more dancers will be canceled in the next few weeks? According to the clip, Renata Lusin had practiced with athlete Mathias Mester until Thursday and then tested positive. Whether he can compete next week or not is also infected remains to be seen. Victoria Swarovski herself said that Jan Köppen, who stepped in at short notice, could perhaps represent her next week if she tests positive. At least Caroline Bosbach and dance partner Valentin Lusin, who is married to Renata, no longer have to tremble. The two were eliminated in the fifth episode of “Let’s Dance”.
Jan Köppen is recommended as Hartwich’s successor
Should Daniel Hartwich not be fit again next week or should his colleague test positive, Jan Köppen could certainly step in again. In the evening, the presenter had a very similar style to Hartwich, led the show easily and was very well prepared. “Mr. González, Ms. Mabuse, Jo…” he greeted the jury and pointed out that he could “leave really scorched earth” after all, he was only there to help out.
When he welcomed the studio guest, sports climber Moritz Hans, the runner-up from 2020, Köppen left the new paths and quickly got to talking about the “Ninja Warrior” time together. Somehow also a nice example of how show participants and candidates for various entertainment formats are always drawn from the same pool.
Llambi and Jorge in reversed roles
The “Let’s Dance” jury has been a well-rehearsed team for years, but the roles in this edition seemed almost reversed. Because while Joachim Llambi is actually more known for pithy sayings and subtle remarks, this time Jorge González almost outperformed him. So he initially judged the Slow Fox by Bastian Bielendorfer and Ekaterina Leonova: “It was so so so so good today”, and then added that this praise was purely for sitting at the table before the actual dance.
Joachim Llambi, on the other hand, was able to acknowledge that the comedian took his dance seriously and wanted to deliver it. “I’m pleasantly surprised,” said the juror. And rewarded this, as Motsi Mabuse said, “charming” use with at least three points. Rarely has “Let’s Dance” been so enthusiastic about at least 13 points and thus a provisional last place. But, the fan base of the two seems large, they had to shake, but in the end they got on. Bielendorfer commented with a “lick me fat” and an apology to the other two wobbly candidates of the evening, Caroline Bosbach and Michelle.
“The best came at the end today”
Both had not delivered a really good show, “eat this man”, Jorge demanded of the singer in relation to dance partner Christian Polanc. Next week Michelle will have another chance to do so, as well as to find her “middle of the body, which the jurors also demanded of her. According to the jury, the best dancer of the evening, Janin Ullmann, seemed to have no problem with that. Her slow waltz looked light-footed and elegant, if not flawless.Even Joachim Llambi let himself be carried away to the friendliest judgment of the evening: “The best came to the end today”.The Thuringian, who danced to the song “Das Beste” by Silbermond, scored 28 points Sister dedicated one, Motsi Mabuse cried for a moment because she was thinking of her sister.
25 points for dancers on “Let’s Dance”
Mike Singer was not only able to get a video message from Matthias Reim for his quick step to “Damn, I love you”, but also praise from Jorge González. “Your best dance”, he judged and the others agreed with this judgement, the singer received 25 points from the jury. Mathias Mester’s Charleston, with Patricija Ionel kindly stepping in for “My little green cactus”, got a lot of smiles. “It was very nice, very funny,” said Jan Köppen, while Joachim Llambi found it “very entertaining” and Motsi is “so happy” that Mester is “part of ‘Let’s Dance'”. He also received 25 points from the jury.
In case you are wondering why these songs all sound so German: “Let’s Dance” had the motto “Made in Germany” and not all songs were equally well heard on the dance floor. The rumba on “Ohne dich” by Michelle and Christian Polanc at Münchener Freiheit was just as painful to the ears as the jive on July’s “Elektroisches Feeling,” which Sarah Mangione and Vadim Garbuzov danced to. A “sexy jive” judged Jorge.
“Fresh meat” and teasing
And speaking of sexy, this installment of the dance show was littered with suggestive innuendos. The jury walked in to “shake your bacon” by Peter Fox, a little later Jorge González greeted Jan Köppen with “Hola Chico” and then was happy about the “fresh meat” that “we’re getting”. He would already look like a bride, he explained in the direction of Köppen. For the rest of the evening, which was quite long because almost every dance had to be followed by an equally long commercial break, the moderator kept pointing out that he was worried about the “verbal cactus” Jorge.
Of course, “Let’s Dance” lives on teasing and Jorge González has been playing with the men who dance or present on the show for years, trying to lure them out of their reserves and show them: I’m gay and that’s a good thing. It is, just like the extraordinary outfits with which he and Motsi Mabuse keep surprising and attracting attention.
It’s important that alongside the more conservative Joachim Llambis of this world, there are also fashion-conscious people who show that we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously. But that might also include the fact that hints about people’s sexiness and fuckability don’t have to be fired up again and again. We are all more than that and the limits are quickly crossed. Isn’t it rather boring for those involved, always having to play the same roles?
Surely the “crunchy Polanc” (quote Jan Köppen) has more to offer than his body, the “sex rocket” Basti & Ekat (quote Joachim Llambi) has nothing to do with it and no man is “fresh meat” (quote Jorge González). At the latest when Frauke Ludowig referred to Patricija Ionel’s “men’s wear” in the moderation of “Let’s Dance” and the moderation of “Exclusive”, because she now had to represent several dance partners due to the corona, switching off was then recommended.
A moment below the belt
A moment that caused irritated faces in Llambi and Köppen was when Jorge González suddenly grabbed Motsi Mabuse’s hand and led it under the jury panel. Seconds earlier, Jorge had wanted to explain that rumba was a dance with feeling and looked at the person sitting next to him. She replied that it was a game “between woman and woman”. Jorge didn’t want to let that sit on him, put his hand under the waistline and declared “between man and woman”. Motsi then hid behind her papers, laughing, Jan Köppen and Joachim Llambi initially seemed confused. She just hadn’t touched his knee for a long time, the dancer tried to save the situation. Of course, the two, who have known each other for years and at least get along well in front of the cameras, can make such jokes with each other, but in the fifth edition of “Let’s Dance” there were perhaps a few too many of them.