Beep beep! On Monday evening, Dancing with the stars paid tribute to a groundbreaking variety show that revolutionized music, dance and style for generations: Soul Train.
For more than 35 years Soul Train earned its place as one of the longest-running nationally syndicated TV shows in American history, catapulting R&B, soul and hip-hop into the mainstream.
At its peak, Soul Train was “the beating heart of black culture,” choreographer Randy Connor told Yahoo Entertainment.
“Soul Train provided a deep insight into American pop culture and gave us a realistic understanding of our roots,” said Connor, whose credits include the music videos for Salt n’ Pepa’s 1993 hits “None of Your Business” and “Whatta Man,” featuring En Vogue – as well as Britney Spears’ 1998 debut single “…Baby One More Time.”
Created by Don Cornelius, Soul Train offered a stage where musicians, dancers and choreographers could shine. The iconic “Soul Train” line – packed with popping, locking and grooving – became a cultural sensation at a time when few television shows celebrated Black artistry on a grand scale. Moves like the Funky Chicken, the Bump, the Snake Step and the Roger Rabbit, Connor explained, changed the landscape of American dance.
“At the time, hip-hop was just starting to break into the mainstream,” says Connor. “Soul Train laid the foundation for where we are today in music, whether it be pop, R&B or even Afrobeats.”
The spirit of Soul Train was clearly seen in performances on Dancing with the starswhere the couples paid tribute to his legacy.
One of the standout moments was actress Chandler Kinney and partner Brandon Armstrong’s cha-cha during Run-DMC’s “It’s Tricky,” which earned them the highest score of the night: a stellar 36.
“Your musicality was there, your rhythm was there and your passion was there,” guest judge Rosie Perez said of Kinney’s performance. “The only criticism I want to say to you, young girl, is: explode your sexuality!”
Phaedra Parks and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy started the evening with an energetic quickstep to Aretha Franklin’s ‘Think’, with Perez playing the Real Housewives of Atlanta the talent of the star.
“People can learn to dance, but people can’t learn to boogie, and you know how to boogie,” Perez said.
Meanwhile, Joey Graziadei impressed the judges with a dynamic jive to “Shout” by the Isley Brothers, impressing with a flawless backflip. Perez, particularly impressed with his performance, said, “Your sex appeal is amazing,” as he and partner Jenna Johnson received first straight nines of the season from both her and Carrie Ann Inaba.
Tied for 30th were Olympians Ilona Maher and Stephen Nedoroscik, respectively, who each showed off their athleticism with their routines. Maher’s foxtrot to LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade” with pro Alan Bersten earned praise from Inaba, who exclaimed, “Say goodbye to rugby, girl, ’cause dancing is coming your way!”
Eric Roberts had a particularly heartfelt moment when he dedicated his foxtrot of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” to his wife Eliza, bringing her onstage for a tender kiss at the end of the routine.
“I’m so proud that I’m still here for my wife,” he told the jury.
Sparks flew between model Brooks Nader and pro Gleb Savchenko during their steamy rumba to Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing.” Their chemistry was so hot that judge Derek Hough joked, “That dance got me pregnant,” much to the audience’s delight.
From the Soul Train theme, Connor said the energy of the show was exactly what he expected.
In his heart, Soul Train is “a celebration that frees both body and mind,” he said.
“It all starts with the music,” Connor explained, “and from there comes the freedom to express yourself.”
The spirit of expression was on display in performances from Jenn Tran’s Viennese Waltz to Alicia Keys’ “Fallin'” with partner Sasha Farber. Judge Bruno Tonioli said their rendition was “the raunchiest, sexiest and hottest Viennese waltz I have ever seen.”
However, not all participants performed smoothly.
Former NBA star Dwight Howard and partner Daniella Karagach found themselves in the bottom three after their underrehearsed cha cha to “Let’s Groove” by Earth, Wind & Fire. Inaba didn’t mince words and told them, “That was hard to watch.” Tonioli added: “You have to work on your technique.”
Danny Amendola and partner Witney Carson scored an admirable 30 for their foxtrot to the Jackson 5’s “Dancing Machine,” while Reginald VelJohnson and Emma Slater received the evening’s lowest score of 21 for their foxtrot to Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clear Now .” Despite the low score, Inaba praised VelJohnson’s spirit.
“There’s something so sweet and innocent when you dance,” she told the Die hard actor. “I wish I could give you A’s and A’s just because you went out and showed us that kind of beautiful joy.”
Connor told Yahoo Entertainment that the spirit of dance is about much more than hitting the lines perfectly – it’s about embracing the joy, energy and freedom that Soul Train embodied for generations.
“Dance is not just about mastering the steps,” he explained. “You have to let the music move through you, to celebrate your individuality. Soul Train That taught us, and it’s a legacy that lives on every time someone steps onto the dance floor.”
Dancing with the stars returns for Tuesday’s “Heavy Metal” episode on ABC at 8 p.m. ET., sending two couples home in a double elimination.
How did the stars perform?
Judges: Carrie Ann Inaba, Rosie Perez (guest), Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli
Chandler Kinney and pro Brandon Armstrong
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Dance: Cha Cha
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Song: “It’s Tricky” by Run-DMC
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Scoring: Carrie Ann 9, Rosie 9, Derek 9, Bruno 9
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Total: 36/40
Joey Graziadei and pro Jenna Johnson
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Dance: Jive
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Song: “Shout” by the Isley Brothers
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Score: Carrie Ann 9, Rosie 9, Derek 8, Bruno 8
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Total: 34/40
Jenn Tran and pro Sasha Farber
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Dance: Viennese waltz
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Song: “Fallin’” by Alicia Keys
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Scoring: Carrie Ann 8, Rosie 8, Derek 7, Bruno 8
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Total: 31/40
Ilona Maher and prof Alan Bersten
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Dance: Foxtrot
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Song: “Lady Marmalade” by LaBelle
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Scoring: Carrie Ann 8, Rosie 8, Derek 7, Bruno 7
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Total: 30/40
Danny Amendola and pro Witney Carson
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Dance: Foxtrot
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Song: “Dancing Machine” by Jackson 5
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Scoring: Carrie Ann 8, Rosie 8, Derek 7, Bruno 7
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Total: 30/40
Stephen Nedoroscik and professional Rylee Arnold
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Dance: Quickstep
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Song: Song: ‘Superstition’ by Stevie Wonder
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Score: Carrie Ann 8, Rosie 8, Derek 7, Bruno 7
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Total: 30/40
Phaedra Parks and pro Val Chmerkovskiy
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Dance: Quickstep
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Song: ‘Think’ by Aretha Franklin
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Score: Carrie Ann 8, Rosie 8, Derek 7, Bruno 7
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Total: 30/40
Brooks Nader and pro Gleb Savchenko
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Dance: Rumba
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Song: Song: “Seuxal Healing” by Marvin Gaye
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Scoring: Carrie Ann 7, Rosie 7, Derek 7, Bruno 7
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Total: 28/40
Eric Roberts and pro Britt Stewart
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Dance: Foxtrot
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Song: “Let’s Stick Together” by Al Green
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Scoring: Carrie Ann 7, Rosie 6, Derek 5, Bruno 6
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Total: 24/40
Dwight Howard and pro Daniella Karagach
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Dance: Cha Cha
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Song: “Let’s Groove” by Earth, Wind and Fire
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Scoring: Carrie Ann 6, Rosie 6, Derek 5, Bruno 6
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Total: 23/40
Reginald VelJohnson and Prof Emma Slater
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Dance: Foxtrot
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Song: “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash
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Scoring: Carrie Ann 6, Rosie 5, Derek 5, Bruno 5
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Total: 21/40
