DWTS: The Final Results!

And the winner is...  Wait not yet, there's an hour of show to get through!  We've finally arrived at the moment where we find out who takes home the Mirror Ball.  Will it be Katherine, Donald, or William?  Well, first we have to watch a hefty dose of video footage and musical guests!

So let's get started!  The show kicks off with what you think would be a cha cha but ends up being more like ballroom dancers attempting hip hop.  Not my favorite but the parade of kicked off couples was necessary so not a complete waste of time.  Followed up that video footage we were all expecting.

Donald & Peta's freestyle is up for a re-performance.  And the of course, more video footage, expect more!

Wow, actual dancing now!  Sherri is up for a performance with Val, featuring Maks, Tony, and DWTS troupe members to It's Raining Men.  It was an adorable number and the actual cha cha portions were great!  Looks like she worked hard to convince us she left before her time.  Now since we've had some dancing we've got to go back to video footage and commercials for a bit.

More dancing now!  A foxtrot from Martina & Tony reminds us why she was probably right to leave so early and a samba from Jack & Anna reminds us of exactly the opposite.  After some more footage Gavin & Karina's samba was up.  They were right to surround him with ladies and not make him move too much.

Gladys & Tristan's cha cha reminded me how much I enjoyed watching her in the first week.  Her natural movement and groove is just contagious.  Jaleel & Kym's paso to Shaft featuring the DWTS troupe was interesting, not my favorite but he seemed into it.

Melissa's dance was a redo of her trio with Maks and Val which was about as good as the last time.  Roshon & Chelsie finally go the chance to do the freestyle they (and many fans) wanted.  A fun hip hop routine with a bit of cha cha thrown in, it was good to see him do something new that he clearly was loving. 

Time for the first musical performance of the show with Kelly Clarkson singing a medley accompanied by some dancing (which was somewhat lackluster).  Maria & Derek's dance was a redo of their Argentine which was maybe even a little better than last time since she didn't seem so uptight and nervous.

Finally after what seems like hours of needless video footage, we're on to the finalists last dances.  Remember of course they only had a few hours to come up with these numbers and obviously only the judges can vote.  Up first are William & Cheryl with their salsa which is obviously a good choice for them given the time constraints.  I would have loved to see a little bit more partnering and some club style salsa in there to show off his natural moves but even without it the number was great.  Lots of shines and side by side work with a some tricks as well, all well done.  Unsurprisingly the judges loved the dance and gave them a perfect 30.

Katherine & Mark are up next with the jive.  It was cute and entertaining.  It felt a little bit like they were racing to keep up with the music but she kept it together and clean.  The judges once again unsurprisingly loved her as they have all season.  The scores?  Why a perfect 30 of course!

Last up, Donald & Peta with their cha cha which got a standing O from the audience before they even started.  The dance was well done and of course once again Donald was so enjoyable to watch.  He just always sells it and I think its because he's just really enjoying it all that much.  The judges kept with their trend and awarded a perfect 30.  Surprise, surprise!  This means of course as predicted the judges scores were so close it is clearly going to come down to audience votes. 

Gladys is up now singing The Way We Were.  The finalists are forced to stand on stage to watch.  Donald is grooving, Cheryl is watching the video screens (more video?!), and Katherine & Mark are both crying.

Time for an elimination, also known as third place.  Everyone looks nervous with Katherine looking down right nauseous.  And it's William & Cheryl in third place which seems about right to me.

Alright, the moment has come!  Is it Donald or Katherine?  It's Donald and he's rolling on the floor and Peta is screaming and they certainly look like they can't wait to grab that Mirror Ball!

It's been a great season everyone!  See you in the fall for the All Stars Season!  Congratulations to Donald & Peta!

DWTS Week 10 Recap: The Finals!

It's time - the finals!  And we all know the significance of that so let's get right to the dancing!

William Levy & Cheryl Burke
Dance:  Cha Cha
Song:  Raise Your Glass
Judges' Scores:  30 (trip 10's)

The cha cha is up first for William as the judges' pick.  It was all in all an acceptable performance.  I don't think it was as dramatic as some of their other pieces have been but he danced it well.  He moves his hips well for sure although of course it isn't coming from a technically sound base but it would be kind of crazy to expect that.  His feet are still a little sloppy but I appreciate what he did.  And of course I have completely given up watching Cheryl which improves my opinions of him greatly.    

Dance:  Freestyle
Song:  Objection
Judges' Scores:  29 (10's for Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len)

So this was an interesting choice of freestyle, part Argentine Tango, part Samba, and part Salsa with a bunch of lifts thrown in.  It was impossible not to watch Cheryl in this one because he was holding her half the time, which didn't work in his favor.  Usually I like freestyles with ballroom roots but this one felt a little flat.  Maybe just not "free" enough. 

Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas
Dance:  Paso Doble
Song:  Espana Cani
Judges' Scores: 30 (trip 10's)

Woah actual Paso music this week?  Nice!  Paso was Len's pick for Katherine after saying their Rock Week paso was too aggressive.  Well this one was maybe a little under-aggressive for my tastes.  It was danced fine but there was a timid feeling in her face and some awkwardness in her shoulders.  She just didn't seem as comfortable as she has in some of the other dances.  I wouldn't fault it but I also didn't love it.  Looks like there might be a lot of perfect scores tonight.

Dance:  Freestyle
Song: Sing Sing Sing
Judges' Scores:  30 (trip 10's)

Well talk about freestyle, this one started with Katherine singing!  This dance was a mix of Charleston, Lindy, Quickstep, Jazz, and Soft Shoe.  The dance was quite quick so you have to give her credit for that!  It was action packed and while it might not have been perfectly clean it was definitely fun.   

Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd
Dance:  Argentine Tango
Song:  They
Judges' Scores:  29 (10's for Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len) 

Looking for a 10 from Len, Donald is redoing his Argentine.  The dance started with the lift that looked awesome the last time.  I don't know if its because it was up front or what but it looked slightly less awesome this time.  Donald can obviously lift Peta and he can obviously show some passion in his face but the dances was just a little dull.  Like the other two first dances, I was underwhelmed with this performance.  Also I hated the song.   

Dance:  Freestyle
Song:  I Play Chicken with the Train
Judges' Scores:  30 (trip 10's)

Cowboy Troy was actually in the house for this one.  The country style definitely played to Donald's strengths as the most entertaining and lovable performer.  He also got to showcase his more natural moves.  In short, I loved it.  You could tell that Donald put a lot into this dance and it might have been more his choreography than Peta's at many points.  And finally it was good enough to get that 10 from Len Donald has been waiting for.   

Donald's first perfect score! 

Well that's all folks!  There is one more dance left to be seen but that one will only be judged by the judges and if I had to guess it will leave the couples virtually tied other giving the real decision to the audience.  Once again the leader board is tough this week.  Round one I would say was William, Katherine, then Donald (without any of the performances truly being stellar).  Round two I would say went to Donald, then Katherine, then William.  So who should get the top spot for tonight??  Since I didn't love any of the dances from the first round I'm going to give a slight edge to the freestyle.

                Judges' Rankings                                 My Rankings

Place	Couple	Points	Place	Couple
1	Katherine & Mark	60	1	Donald & Peta
2	Donald & Peta	59	2	Katherine & Mark
2	William & Cheryl	59	3	William & Cheryl

Who should win?  If it's based purely on dance ability, probably Katherine but I don't know if she really put her best performances forward the last two weeks.  Most enjoyable to watch definitely goes to Donald in my eyes and I think he might just pull out the victory.  

DWTS Results Show #8

Now this is the results show of results shows!  Time to see who is going to make it to the finals next week!  After Monday night's performances it really is anyone's game, especially since the judges' scores were so close (only 3 points between top and bottom).

The judges decided to reshow William & Cheryl's samba.  I think I might have enjoyed it more the second time around.  I still have to wonder every time I watch him where he'd be if he had gotten a different partner this season.  I do think he still has a lot of untapped potential.

The video footage is going over Katherine's performances from the semi finals leaving us all wondering whether her injury is a bad one.  According to Tom, her injury was fine and she'll be able to continue if she's voted through.  And is she?!  Yup, she's going to the finals and she is very, very excited about it.  Mark is pretty excited too.

Macy's Design a Dance is up next.  Voters selected a Samba to Beyonce with Tristan & Chelslie.  The dance was entertaining.  Cheslie looked like she might be hitting everything a bit too hard to control it and some of the lifts were a bit weird but enjoyable. 

Alanis Morissette is up now with her new song.  She was not by the traditional pseudo ballroom dance but a full on contemporary, lyrical piece.  It was a very nice piece.

Maria & Derek are up for results now.  They got great scores from the judges, ending at the top of the leader board, but their performances left me wanting more.  Maria & Derek are in jeopardy and have to wait it out to see what happens later in the show.

A quick announcement about the next season of DWTS proves interesting.  An all-star season is coming up in the fall with returning winners, fan favorites, etc.  Wonder who it will be?!

A performance from the movie Rock of Ages is up next featuring Julianne Hough.  She didn't get to dance much other than kicks and hair flips but it was good to see her back.

Carrie Underwood is up next performing her new song.  The ballroom accompaniment is back with some cha cha (I think?).  Oh yep there we go it's a cha cha. 

William & Cheryl are up now for their results along with Donald & Peta.  I'm slightly worried cause it seems like Donald & Peta will be headed to jeopardy and as much as I know they aren't always the best dancers their numbers always entertaining.  And I was right to be worried, as Donald & Peta are in danger of going home.

It's the moment of truth, Maria & Derek and Donald & Peta are on stage.  Peta looks like she might be sick while Maria can't stop smiling, they are clearly handling the stress differently.  Maria & Derek are going home despite having the highest scores from the judges.      

Maria's Last Dance

So who brings home the trophy?  We'll find out very soon now!

DWTS Week 9 Recap: The Semifinals!

The final four are up and this week is definitely going to be interesting!  So let's get right to the dancing!

William Levy & Cheryl Burke
Dance:  Tango
Song: Sweet Dreams
Judges' Scores:  28 (9's from Len & CA, a 10 from Bruno)

Once again I thought William did a pretty good job if you didn't watch Cheryl.  The routine wasn't all that interesting and I wish he brought his head back a bit but he was clearly making an effort to maintain a frame and he did actually have to do tango steps this time.  Of course it could have used some more heel leads  and some of his solo work looked a little awkward but what can you do.

Dance:  Samba
Song: Magalenha
Judges' Scores:  30 (trip 10's)

Hmmm.  This one is a tough one.  William did have some of the samba bounce which was nice to see but his footwork was rather sloppy with lots of turned in feet.  There was some salsa thrown in which made me wish they had done more salsa when they actually had the salsa a few weeks back.  Occasionally his hips became a little too locked in the flexed position making the dance look squatty.  Not my favorite.  The judges once again didn't agree.

Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas
Dance:  Quickstep
Song:  Dirty Boogie
Judges' Scores: 29 (10's from Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len)

Overall the number was really enjoyable.  There was lots of quickstep in it with very few breaks which did not make it easy for Katherine.  Her frame was okay, I still don't love her right shoulder but it was better.  I think the footwork could have been a bit cleaner but given the difficulty I thought she did great. 

Dance:  Salsa
Song:  Bananza
Judges' Scores:  27 (trip 9's)
It isn't easy to make Katherine look bad but costume, makeup, and hair really conspired this week.  For a beautiful woman she looked kind of ridiculous.  The dance was just okay.  The salsa basics were alright the body shaking was alright, all in all just alright.  Something happened at the ending which made Katherine almost totally lose it.  As far as I could tell it was just a small mistake, but I think she just wants it so bad she was upset about messing up. They did say a doctor would check her out after the show so it sounds like an injury. 

Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd
Dance:  Watlz
Song:  Kissing You
Judges' Scores:  28 (9's for Len & CA, a 10 from Bruno) 

There's nothing really not to like about Donald.  He gives every dance his absolute all and is a real pleasure to watch.  Speaking technically, there weren't heel leads and he didn't actually lower before each step; the whole dance mostly took place on the balls of his feet.  The costumers should probably not give him such high collars given how muscular he is but they've helped and hurt everyone at this point most likely.  All in all, a very pretty rendition, but not his best.  

Dance:  Samba
Song:  Mr. Big Stuff
Judges' Scores:  29 (10's from Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len)
I just love watching Donald dance.  It wasn't the most traditional samba and he had some similar footwork problems as William.  He just sells everything so well it really makes you not care what the dance technically looks like.  

Maria Menounos & Derek Hough
Dance: Argentine Tango
Song:  La Yumba
Judges' Scores:  30 (trip 10's)

I loved the way the dance started!  Dancing behind the curtain with only their feet showing was very cool and they had great timing and crispness together.  From there, Maria's top line looked a little uncomfortable.  It's unfortunate that this week she didn't get a true standard dance because she does have such a lovely ballroom frame.  She just didn't seem to really attack the dance like she has some of the others.  The judges obviously didn't agree with me but it was certainly not my favorite dance of hers.     

Dance:  Jive
Song:  Tightrope
Judges' Scores:  29 (10's for Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len)

The first thing I noticed about the dance was that Maria seemed to have this inexplicable fish face smirk for most of it.  The dance wasn't much of a jive.  There wasn't much high energy and there just wasn't enough basics or jive content.  The judges didn't seem to care that it wasn't much of a jive but I did.  She didn't get much of a chance to have good footwork but where she did she could have kept her feet a little closer together.  I think maybe the judges were watching a different dance.

Perfect Score Worthy?

 

Oh this week's leader board is the toughest yet for me.  For most of the couples, I enjoyed one dance and disliked the other making it very difficult to compare.  I'm really not tied to my rankings at all since I think at the end of the night I actually enjoyed performances from Katherine and Donald the most.

        Judges' Rankings                                               My Rankings

Place Couple Points Place  Couple 1 Maria & Derek 59 1 William & Cheryl 2 William & Cheryl 58 2 Donald & Peta 3 Donald & Peta 57 3 Maria & Derek 4 Katherine & Mark 56 4 Katherine & Mark

Video Vendredi: Getting excited for Blackpool!

So as you all likely know, Blackpool is coming up in just under two weeks.  In order to mentally prepare for the excitement, this week I've been looking back on last year's videos.  There will definitely be at least a few changes in the finals this year but for now lets look back on last years Pro Latin Cha Cha Final.

DWTS Results Show #7

Double Elimination Night - and it could be crazy with only 6 points separating the top and the bottom of the leader board in the judges' eyes!  The show appropriately kicks off with Donald & Peta & Karina's Jive.  There were a few more mistakes in this version but it was still great and I loved how Donald was able to catch up with the choreography even after the mistakes. 

After the obligatory footage covering everything important from their performances from last night's show, Donald & Peta and Katherine & Mark are up for results.  Donald & Peta are safe and he looks extremely excited.  Katherine & Mark are in jeopardy and she doesn't look too surprised but she does look very upset.

 Kenny Mayne, Jerry Rice, and Len Goodman are now up with Dance Center.  Starting off was their commentary on Katherine which amusingly focused on her obsession with her naughty bits.  There was also inexplicable footage of Len running in a speedo shooting water on himself.  Jerry Rice's eyeshadow also deserved its own segment.

Chris Brown is now performing or more accurately dancing cause there is definitely no singing happening.  Uninteresting filler in my eyes. 

Katherine & Mark are up now talking about their thoughts on being in jeopardy.  Katherine says she is petrified but also offers the standard this has been a great experience speech.  Roshon follows with a similar speech.  William says something similar but he doesn't look as nervous. 

Roshon & Chelsie and William & Cheryl are now up for their results.  One of these couples will be in the bottom two and eliminated immediately so I guess there is not going to be a surprise here.  Roshon & Chelsie are sent home and William & Cheryl don't get a chance to celebrate their semi-final placement as they immediately go in for the hugs.  Of course, Roshon & Chelsie aren't surprised, with no dance duel to save them they were as good as gone before they even danced with the double elimination this week.
 

Roshon's Last Dance

Kenny Mayne is back.  Maria is up first with her uncomfortable Derek kisses and brittle bones.  There's some amusing footage of Maria's laugh coming out of a dolphin.  Also some footage of Donald falling. 

Next up is the Dick Clark tribute in the Macy's Stars of Dance a swing inspired number to Bandstand.  The number was upbeat and cute with a lot of acrobatics.

A performance from DWTS Las Vegas is next.  It's a rumba and would not be what I would pick to sell the show.  It was okay but nothing special.

Maria & Derek and Melissa & Maks are now up for their results.  Maria & Derek are safe leaving Melissa & Maks in jeopardy.

Melissa & Maks and Katherine & Mark are center stage waiting for their fate.  Katherine looks like she might throw up.  Melissa looks like she might swallow her bottom lip.  And it's Melissa & Maks who are going home and everyone seems to be crying.  It is also her birthday, what a present.  But I guess his fans couldn't keep them there forever.

 Melissa's Last (and arguably best) Dance

Well just four couples left folks!  If I had to pick who would go next I'd go with Maria & Derek or Katherine & Mark neither of which deserves to go but at this point who does?      

DWTS Week 8 Recap

Finally a week of just dancing, no themes!  Perhaps we'll actually get decent music choices tonight?  Don't get your hopes up too high just in case.  Tomorrow night is a double elimination so tonight the pressure is on!

Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd
Dance:  Tango
Song:  Higher Ground
Judges' Scores:  27 (trip 9's)

Donald was all about bringing the intensity this week with his tango and he did a pretty good job.  His footwork was a bit sloppy but as always you could tell he is trying his absolute best every second.  I didn't love it as much as some of his other dances because you didn't get to see his personality shine but I appreciated it.  

Trio Dance:  Jive
Song:  Rip It Up
Extra Pro:  Karina
Judges' Scores:  28 (9's from Bruno & Len, a 10 from CA)

I was skeptical of what these trio dances would look like but Donald kicked it off right.  This number was extremely enjoyable and Donald managed to keep up with Peta & Karina.  He had so much energy and charisma, I loved it.  

Maria Menounos & Derek Hough
Dance:  Viennese Waltz
Song:  A Thousand Years
Judges' Scores:  28 (10's from Bruno & CA, an 8 from Len)

Getting the first perfect score of the season last week puts extra pressure on Maria.  So did she live up to it?  I think so!  I've always liked her standard dances better than her Latin and this was no exception.  She really does have a beautiful frame, I'm always impressed at how not-ugly her shoulders look.  This week she also didn't have any awkward faces or fear.  I would have liked a little more VWaltz basics and I agree with Len, if she's got such great frame why not do more in hold?  But I liked the dance.  

Trio Dance:  Samba
Song:  Mama Do the Hump
Extra Pro:  Henry
Judges' Scores:  25 (9's from Bruno & Len, a 7 from Len)

If you are wondering who Henry is, so am I.  But anyway let's talk about the samba or should I say the Bollywood number.  It was an entertaining number, I just have to agree with Len a bit on this one, there wasn't much samba.  Maria looked beautiful and Derek and Henry did some awesome stuff but I think they could have pulled off the Bollywood even with some extra samba in there.  Maria did really great at selling her part unfortunately it was mostly standing still and shaking her body.  The few samba steps that came in, especially those in frame, were the more awkward parts of the dance.  I don't think the dance should have gotten a 7 from Len but I understand the sentiment.  

Melissa Gilbert & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Dance:  Foxtrot
Song:  Maggie May
Judges' Scores:  24 (trip 8's)   

If you thought Derek & Maria's rehearsal footage was rough then you were in for a real shock with M&M.  Lots of fighting, lots of tears, and lots of edited bleeps from Maks.  It clearly didn't really help as the beginning of the dance was trips and bobbles all over the place.  Somehow despite the bottom half Melissa kept it together up top.  She didn't cling with fear, she didn't hunch her shoulders as much, and she didn't have the blank expression of fear.  Neither of them looked especially happy at the end of it but after the rehearsal footage I'm not surprised.  I found her costume a little distracting but their post dance interview went a long way in clearing the air and showing the love.   

Trio Dance:  Samba
Song:  Hard to Handle
Extra Pro:  Val
Judges' Scores:  27 (trip 9's)

No surprise here, Val is their third pro and from the looks of the rehearsal footage they won't have issues of lack of content.  I have to give Melissa credit for this one, she seemed like she was having a great time.  All traces of her fear seem to be gone tonight.  This was definitely her best dance so far in my opinion and it  appears the judges agree.  There were lots of samba steps and Melissa hung in there through it all.  Just maybe all those over-challenging routines Maks gave her in the beginning are starting to pay off although it may be a bit late.  

Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas
Dance:  Viennese Waltz
Song:  Kathleen
Judges' Scores:  26 (9's from Bruno & Len, an 8 from CA)

Once again, absolutely beautiful arms throughout, especially on her turns.  In frame, she still had a bit of trouble with her right shoulder coming forward but it was better than in some of the other standard dances.  I didn't think it was her strongest dance performance wise but it was still very well done.    The judges didn't seem to agree with each other much like Maria & Derek's V-Waltz, but that may just be gearing up to let the audience make the final decisions for the double elimination tomorrow.

Trio Dance:  Cha Cha
Song:  She's a Lady
Extra Pro:  Tristan
Judges' Scores:  29 (10's from Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len)

Well unfortunately the rehearsal footage of this dance went a lot better than the performance.  Partially I think it was a costume malfunction, since part of her pant leg was caught on her foot for the beginning of the dance.  You have to give her credit for dancing through it but she did seem a little thrown.  Some of her spins seemed pretty timid and there were a few slips.  That said she did do a lot of actual cha cha steps with real attempts at good technique.  It certainly wasn't bad but at this point you just have to expect more from her than some of the others, fair or not.  

Roshon Fegan & Chelsie Hightower
Dance:  Foxtrot
Song:  Sweat Pea
Judges' Scores:  29 (10's from Bruno & CA, a 9 from Len)

Roshon brought in his grandmothers to rehearsal perhaps to try and win some of the votes from the older audience members?  Their foxtrot was very cute and was performed well.  Not exactly any heel leads but otherwise he handled very difficult steps.  He still doesn't really have the smooth style that would have been nice for the character in this dance but I liked it.  The judges probably over-scored them a bit but honestly even that probably won't keep them in tomorrow night unfortunately.

Trio Dance:  Paso Doble
Song:  Turn Me On
Extra Pro:  Sasha
Judges' Scores:  27 (trip 9's)

Roshon & Chelsie are the first couple to pick a pro the same sex as the star which might have been smart considering they had the Paso Doble and Roshon has had trouble expressing his masculinity.  I was worried the dance might focus on Chelsie too much because of it but it didn't.  I thought his paso steps were great and his individual spins of course were impressive.  He did get a head of the music a few times but I thought the dance was enough to overcome that.  

William Levy & Cheryl Burke
Dance:  Foxtrot
Song:  Stray Cat Strut
Judges' Scores:  30 (trip 10's)

I found that this week the dance was much easier to watch because I just watched William.  I know it sounds mean, but I do think he is a good dancer and Cheryl's overdancing just distracts from his good qualities.  He had a nice frame and even a few heel leads.  He even pulled off the solo, side-by-side work.  I don't have much else to say other than I liked it.  

Trio Dance:  Paso Doble
Song:  Diablo Rojo
Extra Pro:  Tony
Judges' Scores:  27 (trip 9's)

William & Cheryl also chose a pro lead as their extra which I don't think had the same effect as Roshon & Chelsie's choice.  There was a little too much emphasis on Cheryl and I also thought a little too much emphasis on flamenco (which wasn't done that well) particularly in the beginning in their on-stage dance fight.  The Zoro/bad guy theme was okay.  Not bad but not my favorite.    

Worth the Top of the Leader Board?

Final thoughts, I really enjoyed the Trio Round!  Some of the best dances of the night came out of the triplets and certainly the most entertaining.  Of course, having the extra dance makes ranking the couples even more difficult, but here goes nothing!

Judges' Rankings Pre-Trio Dance

Place	Couple	Points
1	William & Cheryl	30
2	Roshon & Chelsie	29
3	Maria & Derek	28
4	Donald & Peta	27
5	Katherine & Mark	26
6	Melissa & Maks	24

 Judges' Rankings Post-Trio Dance                                      My Rankings

Place	Couple	Points	Place	Couple
1	William & Cheryl	57	1	Donald & Peta
2	Roshon & Chelsie	56	2	Roshon & Chelsie
3	Katherine & Mark	55	3	William & Cheryl
3	Donald & Peta	55	4	Katherine & Mark
5	Maria & Derek	53	5	Maria & Derek
6	Melissa & Maks	51	6	Melissa & Maks

Double elimination?  Really very sad at this point since so many of the dancers are still doing great and improving.  Melissa had her best week yet but she is still the weakest dancer but then again she has the partner with the craziest fan base it seems.  If I had to place bets on who is going home this week, I'd have to say Melissa and Roshon.

DWTS Results Show #6

Once again I know this is delayed but like the other post, this was written real time just posted a little late!

Classical Week was kind of a drag in my opinion so will the Results Show be any better?  Less opportunity for poor music pairings so we should be okay!  The show kicks off with a redo of Maria & Derek's paso with an alternate ending, this time Derek kills the vampire.  I wish they had opted for an alternate beginning and killed the vampire stuff before they started but what can you do?

Up first for results are Donald & Peta, William & Cheryl, and Katherine & Mark.  Unsurprisingly, all three couples are safe.  At least they got that out of the way quickly cause I don't think anyone really thought any of them would be going home.
  
Steelo Vazquez was up next to perform after an amazing video about his story.  After extensive brain injuries and therapy, it is truly remarkable that he is even alive and walking let alone back dancing.  The response of the crowd, including his wife, was so touching, it was a great addition to the show.

Gavin DeGraw is now singing, which leads me to believe we have completely forgotten about this show having anything to do with Classical music and really that's okay.  Louis and Karina do a pseudo Paso which isn't the best dance by either of them but they seem to be enjoying themselves.  
The three winning couples from the online ballroom battle competition are in the studio ready to compete for the final win.  The background footage makes me wish even more that this competition had been happening on the Results Shows all along.  The couples take the stage to compete in a Jive relay starting with Cheryl's couple, Allen Genkin & Alli Kocherga.  He was on fire but she seemed a little out of it, they ended it with a crowd pleasing dip though.  Tony's couple, Phillip Kudryavtsev & Elizabeth Satarov, is up next and they also do a great job but went a little too old school in style to be memorable.  Louis' couple, Ron Garber & Ashley Goldman, are last and unfortunately did more tricks than dancing because I usually love his jive.  The judges, who didn't at all seem prepared to make such a quick decision gave the win to Cheryl's couple, Allen & Alli.  Going in, I would have thought it would be no contest for Ron & Ashley but they didn't dance the best choreography and even if they had, you never know with these judges.  Most confusing of all in this segment was all the partner switching, not sure why they weren't all dancing with their usual partners.

Results now.  Maria & Derek are safe and Roshon & Chelsie are unsurprisingly in the duel.  Melissa & Maks are safe meaning Jaleel will be going against Roshon in the final dance duel.  I can't say I'm surprised by this result but it is a shame that it isn't Melissa in the duel.

I think the dance duel was a clear win for Roshon, even Kym looked a little out of sorts.  All three judges agreed picking to save Roshon & Chelsie.

Jaleel's last dance

So who is next?  I can't see how it could be anyone but Roshon.  Yes, it should be Melissa but Maks' fans are consistently keeping her out of danger.  Unfortunate, that his dance may not even matter next week.

DWTS Week 7 Recap

Yes, I know this review is a little delayed, sorry Dancing fans!  I was experiencing a bit of computer trouble this week but I did write the review on Monday so to keep it authentic I won't even change my predictions knowing what I do now.  

Anyway, this week was Classical Week on DWTS.  Maybe I should quote that because the producers of the show really went with a liberal definition, but you'll see what I mean.  The show did start off with a beautiful performance by violinist Joshua Bell (with somewhat strange accompaniment by the DWTS troupe).

On to the dancing!

Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas
Dance:  Rumba
Song:  Canon D
Judges' Scores: 27 (trip 9's)

Before we begin the costuming needs mentioning.  Classical in this case referred not just to the music style but the Classics Department as Mark went full gladiator, complete with shield, and Katherine went Greek goddess, complete with extremely large braid.  Now for the Rumba.  This one is tough because obviously the song was not the best.  Katherine's dancing was fine, nice footwork and decent hip action.  Of course she was graceful and elegant and even her face didn't have that look of fear she sometimes gets.  It was just a bit boring.  With no real emphasis to take advantage of in the song I don't really blame it on them but it is what it is.  

Melissa Gilbert & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Dance:  Argentine Tango
Song:  Marriage of Figaro
Judges' Scores:  21 (trip 7's)   

Lots going on with them this week!  Maks has an injured ankle so to be safe he brought Val into rehearsal just in case he couldn't perform Monday night.  Maks did end up performing but it didn't really help them.  Now, in their defense again Argentine to Mozart was not the best choice.  Other things also weren't in their favor.  Melissa's costume was atrocious; it emphasized her flaws instead of hiding them and just made her look even more awkward in the hip area.  The dance also began and ended at a fake alter with a dummy groom which was just odd and kind of creepy.  As far as the dance went, the only response is not well.  She seemed to be in an awkward squatting position through much of the dance, especially through the tricks, that just made the whole thing uncomfortable to watch.  There were also a bunch of small stumbles that interrupted the flow.  But the major killer was the music, I think many of their flaws would have been better hidden to more appropriate tango music.

William Levy & Cheryl Burke
Dance:  Viennese Waltz
Song:  Ave Maria
Judges' Scores: 27 (trip 9's)

Well these two got the most appropriate music so far with 12 year old soprano Jackie Evancho accompanying them.  There was a lot of talk by Cheryl in the rehearsal footage about letting in more content.       I suppose she somewhat stuck to that in that she let him actually move this week but it would have been hard to have him stand still in the V Waltz.  They had some help by the fog machine covering up some not so great footwork but even the intense fog couldn't cover up the somewhat strange squat/bent position that William kept throughout the dance.  His frame was okay but not as good as it has been previously.  I thought it was a decent dance and it was entertaining, I just wonder if Cheryl is really going to be able to push William in any meaningful way going forward.

Roshon Fegan & Chelsie Hightower
Dance:  Argentine Tango
Song:  Bad Romance
Judges' Scores:  25 (8's from Bruno & Len, a 9 from CA)

Val made another appearance in rehearsal footage to help Roshon with his masculinity.  Did it help?  I'm not sure but the dance was well done.  I think Roshon would have been most helped if they had used a more relaxed, typical Argentine Tango frame instead of the more formal ballroom frame.  It would have allowed them to get closer and really explore the intensity that they almost had going.  The judges once again showed this couple is not their favorite although I'm still not sure why.  And if you are keeping track, yes, they did dance to Lady Gaga.  When you add violins that means it's classical, right?!   

Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd
Dance:  Viennese Waltz
Song:  La Donna e Mobile
Judges' Scores:  27 (trip 9's)
Vittorio Grigolo accompanied them in a remarkably appropriate and classical song.  Of course, their costumes were didn't help but can you really hope for two for two?!  I enjoyed the dance and I enjoyed Donald's real attention to detail.  You could tell how hard he was working and he did a really great job with the footwork.  I agree with Len, the fleckerl combination was weird and his feet were floppy but I have to give him an A for effort.   

Maria Menounos & Derek Hough
Dance:  Paso Doble
Song:  Montagues and Capulets 
Judges' Scores:  30 (trip 10's)

So since they were dancing to one of my favorite songs I figured how could it go wrong?  Oh, I forgot to consider the possibility that they'd do a vampire bit.  Wait, what?!  Yes, Derek came at Maria with a stake and Maria ended him in the end with a neck bite.  Why, oh why?  Aside from that I didn't mind the dance. I didn't feel like Maria really had to do a lot of Paso steps, there were a lot of side lunges and skirt flicks but Derek did most of the heavy lifting.  It didn't bother me as much since it was the Paso but I don't think it really deserved the first perfect score of the season.  
Jaleel White & Kym Johnson
Dance: Viennese Waltz
Song:  Did I Make the Most of Loving You?
Judges' Scores:  24 (trip 8's)

Jaleel has definitely come pretty far from just phoning in the dances.  He is trying hard, if maybe not as hard as Donald.  The dance wasn't bad, and I do think he had more content to deal with than William, but it wasn't fantastic either.  There was some awkwardness here and there but again nothing too bad.     

Top Scoring Solo Performance of the Night

Next up is the Team Dances but first Jackie Evancho is back with dancing by Tristan and Karina which could have had a little more waltz in it for my tastes.  Team Tango, dressed all in tuxes, is up first for the Team Dance.  I can't help but thinking having a fourth couple is an advantage, especially when none of those four couples include Melissa & Maks, but I guess we'll see (apparently Derek thought so too).  

I'm surprised to say I really liked the tango.  Really liked it!  I thought the choreography was great and I was so excited to see real tango steps out of every single couple.  I thought Roshon was the standout in terms of solos but the others each really got a chance to shine at some point.  The scores?  27 out of 30 with a 10 from CA, an 8 from Len, and a 9 from Bruno.  

Team Paso?  Well, it isn't as though anyone really messed up.  I just wasn't feeling it as much.  The individual solos were okay and the group choreography was fine I just didn't like it as much as the tango.  The judges  marginally agreed with me giving the total score of 26 (9's from CA & Bruno and an 8 from Len).  That said I thought both group dances were very entertaining and I loved watching all the couples dance on the same floor.  Even more surprising, I thought everyone really performed to the best of their abilities and it brought out some good qualities I hadn't really seen before.

Top Scoring Group Number by Team Tango

Time for the leader board!  I am going to include my impressions of the group dance into my rankings but not much.  The less people there are the harder this gets!

Judges' Rankings Pre-Group Dance

Place	Couple	Points
1	Maria & Derek	30
2	Donald & Peta	27
2	William & Cheryl	27
2	Katherine & Mark	27
5	Roshon & Chelsie	25
6	Jaleel & Kym	24
7	Melissa & Maks	21

Judges' Rankings Post-Group Dance                             My Rankings

Place	Couple	Points	Place	Couple
1	Maria & Derek	57	1	Maria & Derek
2	Katherine & Mark	54	2	Katherine & Mark
3	Donald & Peta	53	3	Roshon & Chelsie
3	William & Cheryl	53	4	Donald & Peta
5	Roshon & Chelsie	52	5	William & Cheryl
6	Jaleel & Kym	51	6	Jaleel & Kym
7	Melissa & Maks	47	7	Melissa & Maks

I'm nervous for Roshon this week.  He was a real standout in the team numbers and truly is a good dancer but he just isn't getting the votes.  If Maks' fans keep him out of the bottom two, Roshon could be in trouble.  Still I'm thinking it will be a Melissa or Jaleel exit this week.  

Video Vendredi: Bad, bad blogger

So much dance so little time!  I am behind on posts on so many things, DWTS, Dance Legends, the Ballroom Dancer Movie, and numerous competitions, but I swear they are coming!  In the meantime, enjoy this week's video!  Pure, clean, beautiful foxtrot.