Tatyana Ali is best known for her acting but everyone knows she’s got singing and dancing chops
The former child star is now competing on season 35 of “Dancing with the Stars.”
Week after week, she’s impressed the audience and taken the competition by storm with captivating dances. Last week, Ali dedicated her Viennese waltz to her late TV father from “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” James Avery.
Fans have taken a liking to her so much that they even defended her against one judge who shredded her most recent routine with her partner, Slovenian professional dancer Jan Ravnik.
The live audience booed one judge into oblivion over a low score for their “Sinners”-inspired dance for the show’s Horror Movie Night.
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Despite the fans’ frustration, Ali took the high road while responding to the judge’s commentary and score on Oct. 27.
She told Deadline, “Yeah the scores were tough, but I feel like the scores are always tough.”
Ali and Ravnik performed a paso doble dance with guest judge Shirley Ballas and recurring judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli watching.
While Inaba, Hough, and Tonioli all gave Ali and Ravnik an 8 out of 10, Ballas’ take was more critical. She gave them only a 4.
Ballas, “The Queen of Latin,” is a 10-time United States Latin American champion. She said their dance had “no recognizable paso doble.”
“No twist turns, no chassé capes,” she further explained just before the crowd booed her.
She said, “It didn’t have enough Flamenco style where it was going. So for me I give you all the power on theatrics but as a paso doble goes, it didn’t do it for me.”
Like Ali, Ravnik also responded positively to Ballas’ critiques.
He told Entertainment Weekly on Oct. 28, “The critique that she gave, she gave it for me as a choreographer.”
Regarding the paso doble, he said, “I try my best. Not good enough for her, but big respect for her still. She’s a legend.”
As for the dance as a whole, Ali said she “loved it.”
“I love learning it, I love doing it. In fact, right before the live show I was like ‘Omg this is the last time I’m going to do this dance,’” she said.
Ali’s response to Ballas’ criticism prompted a wave of fan reactions.
One person who sided with Ali said, “The judges were too harsh, they did great.”
A second person who agreed commented, “She is absolute perfection. Protect her and Jan at all costs. I want them going all the way.”
A third person ready to defend Ali said, “We are getting her to the finals. [I swear to God] this woman is an Angel.”
With the 28 points they received from the dance, Ali and Ravnik’s total score for the competition rose to 60 out of 80 points. It put them second-to-last, but they advanced to the next round.
There are eight more couples left in the dance competition this season. The “DWTS” finale is scheduled to air on Nov. 24.
