‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 17 spotlight: Corbin Bleu and Karina Smirnoff
Now that we know the entire cast for “Dancing with the Stars” 17, it has become time to start up another one of our frequent traditions here at the site: Trying to rank the contenders for the Mirrorball Trophy before the season starts. It can be difficult when you have not even seen them dance, but unlike shows such as “Survivor” that are more strategy-based, it is a little bit easier here to identify who are going to be the strong competitors, and who will probably be gone pretty early.
We will be mapping out the stories here in alphabetical order by last name, which brings us over to Corbin Bleu. That’s right: Disney is still promoting the “High School Musical” actors five years after the last movie came out. Despite only being 24 years old, Corbin looks much older in this photo; he is the second alum from the franchise after Monique Coleman to hit the ballroom, and we expect him to be just as much of a contender as she was.
Professional partner – Karina Smirnoff. Karina’s a tough teacher sometimes, but she has been very successful in the past and will fight to make you the best dancer possible. She’s also got a following already, which helps in the early weeks with the votes.
Strengths – He’s got performance and choreography experience, which goes an incredibly long way in a competition like this. He’s also seemingly in great shape, and there are probably some “High School Musical” fans out there who will vote for him.
Weaknesses – The biggest one is just that this show does skew older, and you have to do something when it comes to your personality in order to win. While many Disney alum before Corbin have gone very far in the competition, there’s a reason why everyone from Monique to Zendaya to Chelsea Kane falls short at the end. Even Kyle Massey, who had a personality the size of the sun, still could not finish higher than 2nd.
Prediction – Corbin will likely make the final four this season, but we just don’t see him winning. Unless you have an emotional story like J.R. Martinez, it’s just really hard to come on this show as someone that few adults are going to know, and then emerge victorious in the finale.
What’s your take on Corbin? Be sure to share in the poll below! Meanwhile, click here if you want to check out some more news related to the upcoming “Dancing with the Stars” season.
Photo: ABC