DWTS - It's Finals Baby!!

That's right - the final nights of DWTS are here.  I'm a little sad, I won't lie.  First up in the Redemption Dances are Kyle & Lacey doing their Foxtrot.  Len gave them a 5 last time so when he showed up in the studio to offer a few pointers, Kyle was pleased.   As for the dance, I loved it!  I was highly impressed with Kyles technique, footwork & intensity!  Fun fun.  Len said people spend a lifetime not mastering the difficulties of the Foxtrot and he really came out so much better than the first time - he's gone from Messy Massey to Marvelous!  Bruno said he was slick, sharp & slinky...  slinky Bruno?  Mmmkay.  Carrie Ann panned the performance, saying he was listening to Len's voice in his head instead of focusing his performance outward.  Whatever, I barely ever agree with Carrie Ann.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are: 9-9-9
Call 1-800-868-3403 to vote for Kyle & Lacey till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

Next up are Bristol & Mark, getting a re-do on their Jive. If you remeber, the first time Bristol did The Jive, she showed up in a gorilla suit. So this time Bruno showed up in the studio to help break her out of her shell a little. The dance was definitely better - she's definitely come a long way since the first Jive, in both her technique and her performance. She's not quite the shy girl she was in week 1. Bruno was impressed & claimed some credit for bringing something out of her, Carrie Ann said she enjoyed it, then criticized Bristol's toe pointing, and Len said she's gone from a gorilla to a thrilla!
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  9-9-9
Call 1-800-868-3407 to vote for Bristol & Mark till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

That leaves Jenifer & Derek last with their Redemption Dance, which is the Paso Doble.  The Paso was Jennifer's low point and Carrie Ann came to help Jennifer with her frame, motion & movements.  I loved it.  The arm play at the beginning was really fun to watch, Jennifer's footwork was great & her frame & motions were beautiful.  Jennifer's husband daughter, daddy & BFF were all on the front row cheering loudly.  Carrie Ann shouted "This is the meaning of redemption!"  Len tried to say there was a lovely mix of aggression & expression but people were still cheering too loudly!  He mentioned the up & down, then said he rarely does this and gave them a standing ovation!  Bruno got out of his seat to narrate the tale of their paso, Len had to lean away to give him room, as is usual for those two.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are: 10-10-10
Call 1-800-868-3411 to vote for Jennifer & Derek till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

Next up is the freestyle round. Anyone who's watched DWTS for more than a season or two knows just how important the freestyle is!

So again we're back to Kyle & Lacey! And... it was a fun dance but I wasn't blown away. And I think the song Tootsie Roll sucks. Oh well. Len said he's not a great lover of the boogaloo dancing, but it was great fun, great entertainment & he thoroughly enjoyed it. Bruno said it was truly explosive entertainment & amazing charisma - he loved every minute of it. Carrie Ann first scolded Len, telling him it's called "old school hip hop". Then she said this old fly girl was very proud & dubbed Kyle the Fresh Prince of DWTS!
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are: 10-9-10
Call 1-800-868-3403 to vote for Kyle & Lacey till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

Next we'll watch Bristol & Mark's freestyle. Bristol is kind of coming undone from all the criticism, but the thing is, there are no rules on how or why viewers should vote for those they choose, so it's not really as if she's somehow an illegitimate finalist. And to Mark's credit, their dance was great. The Bob Fossey broadway style was very good for Bristol's temperament. I really think going a hip-hop route would've been a total bomb for her. Bruno said it wasn't to the level he would expect. Carrie Ann was shocked to see her dancing in a cage & Len said it was no disaster, it was fantastic!
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are: 8-9-8
Call 1-800-868-3407 to vote for Bristol & Mark till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

Last up are Jennifer & Derek and I'm pretty curious to see what Derek has in store for us! Jennifer can't get crazy with the moves, considering her physical limitations so he'll need to get a little more creative than usual (which shouldn't be too hard for Derek). Yep, I loved it! Carrie Ann said she'd just keep it simple: she thought it was amazing, she thought it was perfect, she thought it was a lift extravaganzaaaaa.... Len said they've been consistent, persistent, an irresistable force - he said they're like a juggernaut, going down the freeway heading for that mirror-ball trophy - fantastic! Bruno said she's a great dancer with great versatility - two dances at opposite ends of the spectrum, and both equally brilliant.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are: 10-10-10
Call 1-800-868-3411 to vote for Jennifer & Derek till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

And after all the grabass tonight, tom said he feels like he's been through airport security! Ha!!

So here's the judges leader board one last time:
Jennifer & Derek: 60
Kyle & Lacey: 56
Bristol & Mark: 52

Week 9 Results and a Few Rants about DWTS

So last night was results & elimination on DWTS and I was pretty disappointed.  Brandy went home and Bristol is moving on to the Finals.  What the...  Okay, yes, I've been progressively more & more impressed with Bristol.  She really came out & proved me wrong several times.  But she's NOT as good a dancer as Brandy.  What a travesty of democracy.  Oh well.
Three things I haven't been brutally honest about while blogging this season: Kyle, Carrie Ann & Brook.

First, I have to say Kyle surprises me & did so again on Monday night with his Samba.  I've been hesitant to say much about the chubby factor but here it is.  He's a chubby guy, I'm always sure the chub will slow him down and honestly sometimes it does.  The thing is that the extra weight can slow him down which keeps him from really hitting those sharp steps the way I expect, it prevents him from really getting the extension he needs, the arching & the lines needed in the ballroom...  but sometimes he just busts out something surprising and I am utterly amazed.  And that's what he did in his Samba Monday night.  That chubby butt shook like nobodies business!

So on to Carrie Ann.  More and more I think she's a hater.  Granted, Bristol is the weakest dancer and didn't deserve any 10's on Monday night in my opinion, but I don't think she deserved the 8 Carrie Ann gave her.  I feel like Carrie Ann plays favorites and doesn't give love to the ones she doesn't like, even when they improve.  She harps on Bristol's emotional disconnect and criticizes it even when I think the emotion & character were far improved.

Last, I have to say Brook needs to go!  I've mentioned it before but holy hell that girl bugs me!  Enough with the "How does that make you feel?" questions!  You're a co-host, not a therapist!  She's kind of an air head, she's not entertaining, her questions suck...  she's really just a pretty face and a hot body dressed up in an endless supply of beautiful evening gowns.  Anyone can do that.  ABC - get Tom a new girl please!

So there you have it.  Next Monday is the final competition night!  Jennifer Gray, Kyle Massey and Bristol Palin will battle it out for the mirror ball and one will take it home on Tuesday!  I'm excited!

It's Semi Finals Time at DWTS!!!

So it's the semi finals and up first are Brandy & Maks.  But before the dancing they had a cute moment of togetherness after Maks's blow up in last weeks judging.  He obviously felt bad about the whole thing and worried that his tiff with carrie Ann would hurt Brandy's chances in the competition.  But Brandy assured him she would have done the same thing for him.
So their first dance was the Paso and I thought it was pretty good.  Her footwork was good, her arm movements were precise, her facial expressions were fierce.  I enjoyed her solo and am pretty impressed with her progress since the beginning of all this..  It wasn't ten material in my opinion but it was really great.  Len overall great dancing.  Bruno said Brandy needed anger management and definitely released all the aggression, but might have lost a little of the finesse.  thought her character was wonderful and her upper body looked glamorous, great job over all.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  9-9-9
Call 1-800-868-3406 to vote for Brandy & Maks till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

 Jennifer & Derek went next with a Cha Cha Cha that rocked the house.  She started out shaking her naughty bits on Lens head, then proceeded to wow us in this crazy frilly white feathery body suit.  The choreography was of course amazing, since Derek is a genius.  Her footwork was awesome.  All three judges loved it and all three judges gave them tens!  Deservedly so.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  10-10-10
Call 1-800-868-3411 to vote for Jennifer & Derek till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

Bristol & Marc are dancing next and I'm still wondering who's voting for this girl.  Thy've got another Paso  Doble and it's definitely not as good as Brandy's but it's not bad.  She got more intensity than usual but it's still not the tight routine I'd expect in the semi-finals.  However, I thought she looked hot in her black leather big hair.  Good for her coming out like that!  Carrie Ann said she was so happy to see her come out & nail it.  Len said Bristol the pistol has fired a few blanks throughout the season but came out with both guns blazing tonight!  Bruno said the little lamb is turning into a tigress and admired her beautiful flamenco lines.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  9-9-9
Call 1-800-868-3407 to vote for Bristol & Mark till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

Last up in the first round was Kyle and Lacey with a Samba.  I thought it was Kyle's best dance since the beginning when he impressed us with what seemed like a bit of a fluke for a bit as the competition progressed.  But tonight was great fun to watch and they should get a ten or two at least!  Len pronounced Kyle's bum bionic tonight!  Bruno said he was a bouncing bundle of fun & Carrie Ann said she's never seen so much pelvic action ever!
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  10-9-10
Call 1-800-868-3403 to vote for Kyle & Lacey till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

On with the second round and it's back to Brandy & Maks.  Their Argentine Tango blew me away.  Her lines were amazing & beautiful and if she doesn't get at least one 10, I'll be surprised.  Len loved that she created great atmosphere - outward expression of her inner emotion.  Bruno loved the emotional depth, full extension of her body, and called her stunning.  Carrie Ann said it was a beautiful & powerful dance.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  10-10-10
Again, to vote call 1-800-868-3406 to vote for Brandy & Maks till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

I have to say I'm not a Brooke Burk fan.  I miss Samantha.  Don't get me wrong, she looks H. O. T. in those evening gowns.  But she can't interview contestants in the celebraquarium to save her damn life!  "Three 9's - how does that make you feel?" ...  "26 out of 20 - how do you feel about that?" ...  "A perfect 30!  How are you feeling right now?"  Ugh!  Get a new schtick Brooke.  Pulease!  I think the producers need to bring in a new co-host - put the hot dresses on some other smokin' hot chick and see if she can do any better.  I'm over this one.

Done ranting!  Next up were Jenifer & Derek with their Waltz.  She just makes it look so easy!  Every step is effortless and graceful and beautiful.  I love it.  Bruno said it was a gem of a waltz, full of style & elegant detail.  He said it was stunning & she is a great dancer.  Carrie Ann said she thinks the body never lies & through dance we can see a persons soul - and she thought this simple waltz was one of the most beautiful things she's seen in her life.  Len said sometimes a whisper speaks louder than a shout & this poignant delicate waltz was fabulous.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  10-10-10
Again, call 1-800-868-3411 to vote for Jennifer & Derek till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

 Bristol & Mark had a Waltz in the second round and I was very impressed.  Carrie Ann said she felt like there were moments when Bristol drifted out of her character & connection, sort of disconnected.  Len disagreed and said it was quite beautiful.  Bruno said it was haunting, there were beautiful lines and then he mentioned the journey she's been on and how happy he is to see her here.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  8-9-9
Call 1-800-868-3407 to vote for Bristol & Mark till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.
As hard as I've been on Bristol, I think they should have had at least one 10.  And honestly I think Carrie Ann can be kind of unusually hard on the female competitors sometimes.

So last was Kyle & Lacey with an Argentine Tango.   I thought it was great but I liked their Samba better.  His steps were clean & his character was fierce.  I have no criticisms, I just thought the other dance was fun & spicy: this one, not so much.  Len said he's never seen so much attack & enthusiasm.  Bruno said whatever happens, Kyle is Season 11 Mr Charisma!  Carrie Ann said he reminds her of Emmit Smith - how he came out of nowhere at the end and killed it in every routine. 
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  10-9-10
Call 1-800-868-3403 to vote for Kyle & Lacey till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

I enjoyed all the dances tonight but I think Bristol should go home tomorrow night.  The finals should be a competition between Kyle, Brandy & Jennifer.

Here's the leaderboard:
Jennifer & Derek: 60
Kyle & Lacey: 58
Brandy & Maks: 57
Bristol & Marc: 53

Instant Dances and Other Fun on Week 8 of DWTS

It's week 8 on Dancing!  This week the couples have been practicing their dances without knowing what their music will be!  They find out right before showtime!  Should be fun.  I've got a bowl of chips and my very favorite dip.  I'm ready for some dancing!  Len points out that in a regular ballroom competition, the dancers go out onto the dance floor with a dance prepared but no knowledge of what music will be played.  In this way, tonight's "Instant Dance" format is much more like a real ballroom competition.  Carrie Ann says what will set one couple apart from others will be the embellishments, how well they can hit the accents in their music, and if they can finish on the final beat.  Bruno says the best strategy will be to trust their partners, and it could be we'll see very low scores...  but we can't know till we see since in 11 seasons they've never done this.

Kyle & Lacey were up first and I have to say at this point in the competition, Kyle needs to do more than show some rhythm to earn a vote from me.  By now he should really be polishing his technique and from this Vienese Waltz, I can't say I think he deserves to keep coming back.
Len said his posture was better and implied he's blooming week after week.  Bruno said we're all charmed by him - the sophisticated, charming young man.  true, he has taken the judges comments and worked on them.  Carrie Ann said her crush on Kyle is back in full force.  She talked about his elegance & said it was like watching a fairy tale.  Eh...  I guess they were more impressed than I was.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  9-9-9
Call 1-800-868-3403 to vote for Kyle & Lacey till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.
Kyle & Lacey drew a CD for their Instant Dance segment in the second half & got Good Golly Miss Molly for The Jive.  So they'll have 45 minutes to practice before they perform live on the air.

Next up were Jennifer & Derek but there's some question she'll dance with all the clips they're playing about her injuries, pain & Dr visits.  But after a visit from Daddy she decided the show must go on.  And I'm so glad she did because I loved their Quickstep!  High energy, great footwork & lots of fun!
Bruno called it a classic Astaire/Rogers Quickstep, and said they're capable of brilliance.  Carrie Ann said they're loved and it was amazing.  Len said the song "Let's Face the Music And Dance" was perfect for the trials they've endured.  
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  9-9-9
Call 1-800-868-3411 to vote for Jennifer & Derek till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.
Then Jennifer got to reach into the mirror ball bowl and drew "Waiting for A Girl Like You" by Foreigner for their Rumba.

Next to dance were Kurt & Anna with The Waltz.  Now I have to say that of the two sports guys, I thought Rick Fox was better than Kurt Warner.  But now that he's gone, Kurt is the only big time sports star left.  He's definitely made great improvements over the weeks but I still miss rick.  Carrie Ann called him a ballroom dancing Ken doll, Len said the overall feeling of the dance was beautiful and Bruno called him dashing.  Len mention his right arm needed to be stronger and Bruno said there are better dancers but he's come a long way.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are: 8-8-8
Call 1-800-868-3408 to vote for Kurt & Anna till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.
Kurt & Anna drew "Hella Good" from No Doubt and then dashed off to practice their second dance a bit.

Bristol and Mark came next with an Argentine Tango that she was a little shy to show her mom at rehearsal!  Lets hope its scandalous!  ...well not so much but it was somewhat fierce.  She looked great in her black lace dress and even impressed me a little with her leg flicks and an awesome lift at the end.  Not bad....  Len thought the lifts were good, it was clean, well placed, well rehearsed but lacked a bit of intensity.  The crowd booed but he's right.  Bruno said she actually made him think she was mad and moody but reminded her she has to be a bad girl all the way through.  Carrie Ann said she thought it was the most intensity we've ever seen from Bristol and she was truly impressed.  She said she needed a little more energy in her legs and her flicks were a little lackluster, but great overall. 
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  8-8-8
Call 1-800-868-3407 to vote for Bristol & Mark till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.
For their Instant Dance song, Bristol drew "Mas Que Nada" for their Samba and no one in the celebraquarium recognizes the title.

Last up in the first round were Brandy & Maks dancing The Waltz.  She nailed the character - her longing was palpable.  Bruno said it was more than a dance - it was an exquisite interpretation of the song.  It was like a symphony or a poem.  Carrie Ann said it was riveting and told her to make sure she relaxed her neck.  Len said a nit-picky person could make a point about her neck but he wasn't going to because he was overwhelmed by her whole performance.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  9-10-10
Call 1-800-868-3406 to vote for Brandy & Maks till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.
Last pick of the Instant Dance songs, Brandy chooses "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry.

So with round 1 complete, we move on to round 2, the Instant Dance portion and first up again are Kyle & Lacey.  Lacey mentioned in rehearsal that Kyle needed to focus intently on the steps in order to not be distracted by the alternate music on show night.  So to help him ignore distractions she brought in her partner from season 8, Steve O!  I love Steve O.  From bubbles to a leaf blower, he did his best to distract Kyle but Kyle kept dancing!  So lets see how he does with Good Golly Miss Molly.  Okay, after his tight Jive, full of personality, I'm going to eat my earlier words and say he should be in the semi finals next week.  Len said it was fun & high energy.  He would've liked a little more finesse in some places, but he really enjoyed it.  Bruno said they didn't miss a beat, the timing was unbelievable and he loved every second of it.  Carrie Ann said it was by far the most fun she's had as a viewer in this whole season.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  10-9-10
Again, call 1-800-868-3403 to vote for Kyle & Lacey till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

The next Instant Dance will be Jennifer & Dereks Rumba.  In Jennifer's own words: without total trust, and good breath mints, it could be a total disaster.  I see shades of Dirty Dancing and of course I love it, but I can't deny that she's not got the hip action I expect to see with The Rumba.  I don't think it was as good as Kyle's Instant Dance but I liked it!  Bruno says this challenge is bringing out the best in people because this was again, breathtaking.  Sensual, sexy, classy, and flawless underarm passes.  Carrie Ann loved it and Len said what he loves about dancing is the variation - soft hard, big small, fast slow - that's what makes great dancing and that's what we've just seen.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  10-10-10 
Call 1-800-868-3411 to vote for Jennifer & Derek till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

We're back around to Kurt & Anna again, this time dancing The Cha Cha Cha for the Instant Dance portion.  I think Bruno was right - this Instant Dance segment is bringing out the best in all the dancers - even Kurt is dancing better than I've seen!  Carrie Ann said "I like Instant Dance!  This is fun!"  She pointed out musicality has never been Kurt's strong suit but tonight he nailed every single beat!  Len said they've coped extremely well.  His theory is that the known music is like a safety net or a track to run on and when they haven't got it they have to fully focus and it turns out well - he may be right.  Bruno said he let it loose, had fun & went for it!  The foot placement wasn't exactly perfect, but the performance was good!
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  8-8-8
Call 1-800-868-3408 to vote for Kurt & Anna till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

Bristol & Mark had their Samba up next for the Instant Dance round and her hip action is pretty fierce.  their timing is a little off but I'm amazed with how much Bristol managed to shake it!   Len said because of the rhythm changes, The Samba is the most difficult Latin dance to get in his opinion.  He thought she coped well, would have liked to see more rhythm in her hips and less in her shoulders but it was lovely.  Bruno shouted how she shook it!  Bruno always loves it when the girls get a little down & dirty.  Carrie Ann said this round is a true test of musicality and unfortunately she didn't think Bristol & Mark were that musically connected.  They had good things to say but they still have criticisms.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  7-8-8
Call 1-800-868-3407 to vote for Bristol & Mark till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

Brandy & Maks have the final Instant Dance of the night - The Cha Cha Cha.  Their routine is pretty tight and they just might top the leader board tonight.  Bruno called it another fabulous performance to end a truly fantastic night!  Carrie Ann said she was shocked that they took 4 8ths to get to their choreography at a time when the whole test of the Instant Dance is to see how fast you get into the musicality and make the song yours.  She wasn't impressed and she and Maks exchanged words right there in the ballroom.  Len said it was full of flair, full of rhythm & full of performance but when asked, he said he did agree with Carrie Ann that they wasted some time at the beginning.
Scores from Carrie Ann, Len & Bruno are:  9-9-10
Call 1-800-868-3406 to vote for Brandy & Maks till 30 minutes after show time, or vote online at abc.com all night.

Jennifer & Derek:  57
Brandy & Maks:  57
Kyle & Lacey:  56
Kurt & Anna:  48
Bristol & Mark:  47

Episode Two Hundred... and One. The DWTS Results.

The nights started out with a repeat performance of Team Apolo's Cha Cha Cha.  Then they got right down to the first set of results with a couple from the top and one from the bottom: Brandy & Maks and Bristol & Mark are up in the spotlights first.  The first couple safe is Brandy & Maks.  They'll definitely be back next Monday night.  Bristol & Mark were left in jeopardy.

In keeping with last night's celebratory theme, Tom announced they would be giving some awards throughout the hour.  In the first awards Segment the award was for the Most Dramatic Moment.
Nominees:
Christian's Arm Injury
Kate & Tony's Fight
Misty May's Achilles Injury
Marie Osmond's Collapse
Kelly's Wardrobe Malfunction
And the award goes to Marie Osmond who fainted after her Samba in season 5.

The Macy's Stars of Dance performance tonight was done by the Broadway cast of Mary Poppins.  First of all I love DWTS.  Second I have loved musicals my entire life.  I'm a sucker for a musical.  And third, Mary Poppins was one of my first favorite musicals growing up!  So I loved it.  Loved loved loved it.  Mary Poppins was great and I absolutely loved her exit out on an umbrella!

I'm not a huge Taylor Swift fan but you have to be living under a rock if you haven't heard Mine.  And I loved the glitter guitar!

The next award given was the Best Worst Dancer award.  The nominees...
Kenny Mayne
Master P
Kate Gosselin
Steve Wozniak
Billy Ray Cyrus
And the award went to Kenny Mayne who really sucked it up for a single episode in the second season.

The elimination continued for the other top scoring couple, Jennifer & Derek as well as Rick & Cheryl.  The next couple safe to dance next week is Jennifer & Derek.  I'm glad for that.  I'm still pulling for Jennifer.  And so Rick & Cheryl were put into jeopardy.

The predictable bunch of celebs wishing DWTS a Happy Birthday made me yawn... then they jumped into another award, the Biggest (male) Dancer Transformation.  The nominees were:
Derek Hough (the perfect blond hair)
Tony Dovilani (the blinding white teeth)
Maksim Chmerkovsky (the mullet)
Mark Ballas (showing off the abs)
Louis VanAmstel (the pony tail)
And the Golden Pony Tail Award goes to Louis VanAmstel!

And then Rod Stewart performed I Get A Kick Out Of You.  What a great song that is!  And I've always enjoyed Rod Stewart - he's a great performer.  He even danced a little.  Obviously the shadowdancers did most of the real dancing but Rod can definitely shake it!

The next award was the Best Judges Moments.  This time, rather than announcing nominees and awarding a winner, they chose several winning moments and edited a montage of moments for first Carey Anne, then Len & Bruno. 

The final pre-elimination segment had Kyle & Lacey up in lights next to Kurt & Anna.  The next couple safe to bicker some more, Kurt & Anna.  Which means Kyle & Lacey were in jeopardy.  So the final elimination round was between Kyle & Lacey, Rick & Cheryl and Bristol & Mark.

So remember how I said I'm not a huge Taylor Swift fan?  Well obviously, because I never heard the next song she did.  But I remember some of the classic clips they played on the screen behind her.  As much as I don't like the boring celebrity Happy Birthday tapes, is how much I do like the best-of packets.  Love'em!

And Oh. My. God.  They're doing an "instant dance" next week, where they know the dance style but won't know the song they're dancing to until they go on the air!  Oh wow.  That is gonna be really fun to watch!

At last, the final elimination.  Of the three couples,  Rick & Cheryl were sent home and I'm pretty shocked!  I'm sad because honestly I think both Bristol & Kyle should have gone home before Rick.  I guess he just didn't have the votes.  So sad.

200 Episodes of Dancing With The Stars!

So tonight, Dancing is 200 episodes old!  I love that they celebrate the milestones with fun extras on the show.  They started out with a big dance number using all the pro's, dancing to the first song ever played on DWTS, Crazy In Love by Beyonce.  And honestly, shiny sequins and sexy silver costumes make any dance number exponentially better!  It really was fun to see so many of the pro dancers I recognize from contestants & seasons past.
Tom did a quick introduction of groups of guests from every season...  except no one from season 6 apparently?  And it seemed like the camera wasn't sure who it was supposed to be on at one point.  But we saw some familiar faces, whatever season they were from!

And now for the teams! 
They introduced Season 6 champ Kristi Yamaguchi and on Team Kristi were Rick & Cheryl, Bristol & Mark and Kyle & Lacey!  Next was Season 4 champ Apolo Anton Ohno and on team Apolo were Kurt & Anna, Brandy & Maks and Jennifer & Derek!
Tonight each of the pairs scores will be added to the other scores of their team mates and the team dance score to determine which team is the winner.  After the teams were announced, we saw tape of the captains picking their teams.  Apolo chose Jennifer & Derek first.  The smart move would be for Kristi to pick Brandy & Maks but since Mark was her partner in Season 6, she went with Bristol & Mark.  Which meant Apolo got Brandy & Maks.  I'm sure you can guess which team I think will take the game tonight.
Team Kristi danced first with a group Cha Cha.  They came out in sparkly black suits & hot pink flapper dresses and I thought it was hot.
Rick & Cheryl danced the first solo and I think that of the two sports men, Rick seems to move better than Kurt.  Call 1-800-868-3404 to vote for Rick & Cheryl for 30 minutes after air-time, or go to abc.com to vote online till the morning after.
Bristol & Mark had the next solo and I have to say I'm proud of Bristol!  She rocked it and even gave us a little attitude!  Call 1-800-868-3407 to vote for Bristol & Mark for 30 minutes after air-time, or go to abc.com to vote online till the morning after.
Kyle & Lacey had the last solo in the dance and I thought Kyle did alright but it wasn't anything to write home about.  Call 1-800-868-3403 to vote for Kyle & Lacey for 30 minutes after air-time, or go to abc.com to vote online till the morning after.
Len said when he saw the team lists he thought this team was the underdog but seeing their dance, these dogs have got some bite.  Bruno pointed out Bristol lost the step a bit but they did a good job.  Carey Anne said the group choreography was great and Rick was on fire!  The judges gave them a score of three 8's!

Apolo's team was up next with their own Cha Cha and their costumes weren't nearly as sexy.  The guys are wearing neckerchiefs and white t-shirts with bedazzle rhinestones all over them...  not so sure about this wardrobe choice.
Kurt & Anna danced the first solo in their group and I totally called it when I saw Rick earlier - Kurt just looks awkward compared.  Call 1-800-868-3408 to vote for Kurt & Anna for 30 minutes after air-time, or go to abc.com to vote online till the morning after.
Brandy  & Maks were sharp and Brandy looked good in the slotted hammer pants the girls had.  Call 1-800-868-3406 to vote for Brandy & Maks for 30 minutes after air-time, or go to abc.com to vote online till the morning after.
Jennifer & Derek looked great aside from one little hop Jennifer had to keep her footing.  Call 1-800-868-3411 to vote for Jennifer & Derek for 30 minutes after air-time, or go to abc.com to vote online till the morning after.
Bruno thought it was hot, Carey Anne thought they were all at their best & Len liked the pattern changes and thought individually everyone upped their game.  The judges gave them a score of three 9's!

In round 2 each pair got to recreate an iconic dance from a past season and was also judged by the star who made it famous.  The six past favorites who returned as guest judges: Helio Castroneves, Kelly Osbourne, Emmit Smith, Drew Lachey, Mel B and Gilles Marini.

The first guest judge was the runner up from season 5, Mel B and Tom Bergeron actually told us that Mel B was the first one to ever grab his cheeks on DWTS - you never forget your first he said.  Mel's famous dance was her Paso Doble to Free Your Mind.  This time Kyle & Lacey took on the Mel B Paso.  Well Kyle is no Maks but he was pretty fierce.  He brought some attitude,, his steps were sharp, I was impressed.  Of course Lacey is a pro so it may not be fair to compare her to Mel B but to be honest, I thought the unruly blond mane took away from the intensity of the original number.  But overall it was great fun.  Len said Kyle needs to up his game but also said it was his best dance.  Mel B thought it was amazing & it blew her away.  Bruno said Kyle had the attack & energy of an untamed young bull.  Then he told him he had to keep his shoulders down.  Carey Anne said it was a difficult original to live up to and Kyle did well by also being in his own power & strength, as she was the first time around.
Scores from Mel B, Carey Anne, Len & Bruno are 10-9-8-8  Call 1-800-868-3403 to vote for Kyle & Lacey for 30 minutes after air-time, or go to abc.com to vote online till the morning after.

The season 3 champ Emmit Smith joined us next to judge a new version of his awesome tango, performed this time by Kurt & Anna.  Kurt just doesn't have the grace that Emmit had!  It was alright but I just wasn't too impressed.  Bruno said he went from Mission Impossible last week to Mission Accomplished this week.  Carey Ann said what made Emmit so great wasn't his footwork but the character & she thought Kurt also brought a character to life.  Emmit said he looked dapper in the suit and thought the technique was great.  Len thought it was sharp and had drama but he needed to learn the difference between flexed knees and bent knees.
Scores from Emmit, Carey Anne, Len & Bruno are 10-8-8-8  Call 1-800-868-3408 to vote for Kurt & Anna for 30 minutes after air-time, or go to abc.com to vote online till the morning after.

The third guest judge was season 9's Kelly Osbourn.  This week Bristol & Mark got to dance her Viennese Waltz again.  I do think it's cute that Bristol did Kelly's dance - especially since both are young girls who weren't great dancers to begin with and had to sort of blossom in the ballroom.  Bristol didn't have quite the frame she should have - not quite what Kelly had - but she was graceful and she's come out of her shell quite a bit since the start.  Carey Anne said she touches our hearts but still seems slightly detached.  Kelly said Bristol stole her heart and did fantastic.  Len said he enjoyed it very much, loved the reverse turns etc.  He said they lack chemistry but had good footwork.  Bruno said she moves so well and it comes naturally to her but she needs to become someone else and connect as that character.
Scores from Kelly, Carey Anne, Len & Bruno are 9-8-8-8  Call 1-800-868-3407 to vote for Bristol & Mark for 30 minutes after air-time, or go to abc.com to vote online till the morning after.

The season 5 champ Helio Castroneves  joined the show next to judge Rick & Cheryl's rendition of his Quickstep.  He told us he'd be looking for Rick to be "smooth up here, fast down here, and of course have fun!"  Rick definitely brought some fun into his dancing but I wonder if it was a little over the top.  The kiss at the end I loved just as much as the original between Helio & Julianne.  Len said sometimes he gets too analytical but when he enjoys himself so do we and tonight it was like that.  Bruno said he did his best performance yet & had more faces than Jim Carey.  Helio loved it and said he couldn't believe Rick stole his kiss!  Carey Anne said that was by far his best dance yet.
Scores from Helio, Carey Anne, Len & Bruno are 10-9-9-9  Call 1-800-868-3404 to vote for Rick & Cheryl for 30 minutes after air-time, or go to abc.com to vote online till the morning after.

Next up was the season 8 runner up Gilles Marini to judge his iconic Foxtrot!  Brandy & Maks will have their go at the Foxtrot and Gille will look for sexiness but also for Brandy to take charge a bit.  Once again I was impressed with Brandy!  Her steps were sharp & she definitely brought some sexy sass to the number!  Bruno thought it sizzled with sex, every step driven by eroticism.  Gilles said he felt goosebumps all over his body and the performance was unreal.  Carey Anne said she liked that Brandy attacked the sensuality but could transform into the elegant hold.  Len said he was surprised the others would be so pedantic about a little misstep (the others mentioned Brandy's small mistake as well as giving her praise) when they've just witnessed the best foxtrot of the season!
Scores from Gilles, Carey Anne, Len & Bruno are 9-9-10-9  Call 1-800-868-3406 to vote for Brandy & Maks for 30 minutes after air-time, or go to abc.com to vote online till the morning after.

The last guest judge was season 2 champ Drew Lachey to judge Jennifer & Derek's rendition of his Tango.  I don't know that Jennifer is going to make it much further if she keeps coming unraveled like she seems to be.  She's kind of coming undone and of course her body is having a hard time keeping up the pace.  Tonight though, she was graceful, controlled & fierce.  And as always, Derek's choreography was awesome.  Carey Anne said on this show there's nothing we love to see more than someone who comes back after a tough week and blows us all away and that's what she did.  Len said she came out with tension, passion & attack -very well done.  Drew said the musicality was amazing & her lines were beautiful.  Bruno said he felt like we were watching a phoenix rising from her own ashes, more splendid than ever. 
Scores from Drew, Carey Anne, Len & Bruno are 10-9-9-9  Call 1-800-868-3411 to vote for Jennifer & Derek for 30 minutes after air-time, or go to abc.com to vote online till the morning after.

Jennifer is damn good but she could lose it emotionally.  Brandy wants it and isn't going to give it up easy so if Jennifer can hold it together, it'll come down to Jen & Brandy at the end!  So tonight with all the scores added, Jennifer & Brandy are tied at the top and Rick & Kurt are tied next, then Kyle and Bristol at the bottom.  Here's tonight's leader board:
Jennifer & Derek:  64
Brandy & Maks:  64
Rick & Cheryl:  61
Kurt & Anna:  61
Kyle & Lacey:  59
Bristol & Mark:  57

DWTS Six Weeks In - Who Goes Home?

Last week I slacked on the results show post so by now everyone knows Florence Henderson went home in Week 5.  She was of course, lovely and gracious upon her elimination.  And as much as I hate to see Mrs. Brady go, it was a decent choice.  I still wonder how Bristol Palin keeps hanging on but truthfully she probably has more potential than Florence, considering their ages and physical states and abilities.
Last nights results though...  I'm not so sure Bristol deserved to stay last night.  I understand that she's no kind of performer so all of this is very foreign to her and getting out there at all is very big for a young girl from Alaska.  However, this is an entertainment program and she's too shy to really throw herself into this competition the way I think she should.  And I don't think she's got as much skill & potential as two of the last three people sent home.  I said before I thought The Situation could show us more and give us more than Bristol.  I also said I was surprised that Bristol could get enough votes to stay, compared to a pop-culture figure that is on an MTV show.  I think it was clear 2 or 3 weeks ago that Bristol's fan base probably includes a lot of her mothers tea-party supporters, voting for her because of their feelings for Sarah.  I find it hard to believe she's got a lot of fans in her own right yet.  Though she is a cute girl, trying hard & doing much better than she was a few weeks ago.
So I said I thought two of the three people sent home deserved to stay over Bristol.  One was The Situation.  And like I said, I thought Florence was a good choice last week.  Which means the second non-deserving dancer to be sent home was last nights competitor...  Audrina Patridge.  It's unfortunate she went home last night since she's clearly got a lot of potential, is young & healthy and has been on top in past weeks.  With 4 points more than Bristol (and more points than 4 other of the couples), she clearly didn't have the votes to keep her in the game.  That's too bad and it makes me bemoan the 'popularity contest' that DWTS tends to be.  true, I'm guilty of voting for my favorites to an extent as well.  However, my favorites are influenced partly by who I liked before the season but also by who is dancing well!  It just blows my mind when viewers vote for a truly bad dancer, as has happened in past seasons.  This is a dancing show - don't they want to see good dancing?!  Already I hear a lot of people complain about the lack of "star" quality of the stars.  But no matter who they get for the show, at least the dances are skilled and entertaining.  If we can't keep dancers with some kind of skill on the show through to the end, what's the point in watching?  Ah well.  I'll keep voting for the good dancers and hopefully the show won't devolve.