“Pommel horse guy” had a lot on his shoulders during the season premiere of “Dancing with the Stars.” Gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik was the first celebrity contestant announced for the 2014 lineup. He’s also the first male gymnast to appear on the show, following a long line of successful female Olympians, including Mirror Ball Champions Shawn Johnson and Laurie Hernandez. And before even stepping foot on the dance floor he was the front-runner to win the competition based on the combined predictions of “DWTS” fans who placed their bets here in our predictions center. So how did he do after all that anticipation? Watch his jive above.
The answer: he did alright. He wasn’t perfect right out of the gate. The self-described nerd with a degree in electrical engineering said during his clip package that he was counting on his “mathematical brain” to remember his dance moves. “We’re starting from the very bottom,” said pro partner Rylee Arnold about his lack of prior dance experience. But she was able to incorporate some gymnastic elements into the choreography — kicks, flips and splits — which he executed in spite of the fact that his overabundance of energy made him a little inconsistent.
Judge Carrie Ann Inaba called him “fun” and “entertaining,” but urged him to point his toes. Derek Hough also pointed to some problems with technique and a rushed beginning when “the adrenaline was going.” Bruno Tonioli agreed it was “an unstoppable explosion of energy,” but now Nedoroscik needs to work on the details. Those critiques translated to three sevens for a total of 21 out of 30, which tied him for third place on the judges’ leaderboard. But that’s not a bad place to start. He has room to grow, and his boundless enthusiasm will keep his fans invested in his “DWTS” journey. If he can better control that energy and show he can execute something precise like a tango or sensual like a rumba, he may reach the top of the leaderboard in no time.
