Well, after ten exciting weeks we've come to the end of yet another season.
Tonight's conclusion reunited contestants from past and present season's.
I particularly enjoyed Mark and Chuck showing off their martial arts skills on the dance floor. Very fun. Loved Mark and Melissa's Salsa.
Those two are a great pair.
Could have done without Steve Wozniak, or Cloris Leachman (too much of her shtick can get old real fast).
Louie & Chelsie returned to the dance floor to the tune of Donny Osmand's "Puppy Love" with Donny himself doing the honors.
Those two still are the epitome of cuteness :). Also this has to be said, boy has Louie been working out, the boy has some major guns!.
Aaron & Karina did their Kermit the frog routine (aka the Jive). Still as enjoyable as the first time they did it. I'm glad Aaron got something out of the whole experience.
Hopefully it'll keep him on the straight and narrow.
Next it was time for the top 3 to reprise their best dances. Kelly & Louis did one of my faves the Viennese Waltz.
Kelly looked as graceful and fluid as the first time she performed it, only this time she had a new found confidence as well.
She really has come a long way, and it's been an absolute pleasure watching her transform.
But as we all know in a dance competition confidence can only get you so far.
She finished in 3rd place on the judges leader board. And was ultimately sent home. Congrats on a good run Kelly! :).
Mya & Dmitry reprised the Jive, showing once again why they deserved a spot in the finals. They came in 2nd score-wise.
Donny & Kym on the other hand did the Argentine Tango. Donny put his serious face and showmanship skills into full gear earning 1st place from the judges.
There was also a reprise of the Mumbo competition only with Jerry Springer, Steve Wozniak and Cloris Leachman.
The only season regulars were Derek and Joanna. I gotta admit the whole thing was pretty funny, especially when you add Tom Bergeron's running commentary of each dancer.
And how good was Whitney Houston tonight?. She may not be able to hit the really high notes anymore, but she still sounded great!.
As a long time fan of hers I'm very happy to see her looking healthy and enjoying life again. Her new album "I Look To You" is surprisingly good too.
But back to the results.
As predicted it was indeed a battle of fan bases rather then talent.
Donny's fan base won out over Mya's consistent excellence. Making him the champion in the end. Was anyone surprised?.
And that's all folks. Hope you enjoyed it as much as me.
pop culture, tennis, celebrities, music, news, geek related stuff and anything else I fancy
Showing posts with label Dancing With the Stars 9. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dancing With the Stars 9. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
DWTS 9: Week 10 Finals
Before I get on with tonight's re-cap I just have to say that I was not at all happy with last week's results.
Though I feared that Joanna's fan base may not be as large as Donny and Kelly's I still hoped she would somehow make it through (solely on her dancing skills).
But alas it was not to be.
Kelly & Louis started the night off with an Argentine Tango that made me glad she made it all the way to the end.
It was sharp, and in character through-out, something she has been lacking in most of her routines.
Len loved it, Bruno wanted a little more sizzle and Carrie Ann (who came in to give them pointers during their training) thought it was a really good sophisticated routine.
All of them agreed that Kelly (who unlike the remaining competitors) has no dance training is the most improved one this season.
Have to agree 100%. Being on this show has really made her come out of her shell. It's been really fun watching her become more confident as the show progressed. Her final score was 26/30.
Dmitry & Mya did a Paso Doble the judges thought was worthy of a perfect score. Carrie Ann dubbed her the 'queen of Paso Doble'.
Len (who came in to give the two pointers) thought it equalled Mel B.'s and Max's (of season 5). I have to disagree.
While I did think it had the right intensity and all the right steps, it was no where near Mel and Max's power charged Paso.
Donny & Kym Ok, I'm with Carrie Ann on this one where did the sudden hip movement ability come from Donny?. Kudos!.
You've proved you can Cha Cha with the best of them (Bruno must have given you some very good pointers!). He earned himself 27/30.
Next it was time for something new. A mega mix group dance where all the contestants danced 3 different styles side by side for judges points.
Donny & Kym did the Viennese Waltz earning them 2nd place with 28 points.
Kelly & Luis came in 3rd with 26 points for their Jive.
Unsurprisingly Mya and Dmitry won 1st place and the most points (30) for their Samba.
Then it was time for my favourite part (and the reason I watch this show to the very end), the free-style.
Kelly & Louis were up first with their dance. Kelly had a slight fumble, but covered it well by enjoying the heck out of it.
Which is another positive progress point. Had this happened a few weeks ago I'm sure she would have either completely frozen, or forgotten half the steps.
Instead she recovered and moved right along. Her recovery skills weren't enough to garner her high scores however. She only received 24 for an overall total of 76/90.
Mya & Dmitry's "Hair Spray" inspired free-style disappointed the judges. Which I had a feeling might happen since I read somewhere that many people expect Kelly to be the winner.
Still it didn't prepare me for the lackluster feeling I got from watching their routine.
I think the judges and myself expected something mind blowingly awesome (a little bit more risk with the tricks and flips perhaps).
What we got instead was a complete bore-fest choreography-wise. Which is exactly why I'm still pissed Derek didn't make the finals.
I know he would have come up with something much more worthy of one. I have a feeling it would have been something akin to season 5's Helio Castronevez "Mask" inspired number on the excitement scale.
I think Dmitry is going to regret not going with Mya's choreography idea instead of his.
With all that said they still got 27/30 and an overall total of 87/90 putting them at the top of the leader board. But will it be enough to get them the trophy?.
Donny & Kym's traditional Jazz/Vegas inspired free-style finally got them a perfect score, and nothing but praise from the judges. An overall score of 85/90 put them in second place on the board.
Once again I thought it looked very good but seemed to lack a certain something, and as a result felt kind of blah. Sorry Kim, guess I'm just not gonna get over Derek getting the boot one week shy of the finals.
It's really anyone's guess as to who the winner will be. But I have a feeling it'll come down to who has the biggest fan base rather then who is the better dancer.
Though I feared that Joanna's fan base may not be as large as Donny and Kelly's I still hoped she would somehow make it through (solely on her dancing skills).
But alas it was not to be.
Kelly & Louis started the night off with an Argentine Tango that made me glad she made it all the way to the end.
It was sharp, and in character through-out, something she has been lacking in most of her routines.
Len loved it, Bruno wanted a little more sizzle and Carrie Ann (who came in to give them pointers during their training) thought it was a really good sophisticated routine.
All of them agreed that Kelly (who unlike the remaining competitors) has no dance training is the most improved one this season.
Have to agree 100%. Being on this show has really made her come out of her shell. It's been really fun watching her become more confident as the show progressed. Her final score was 26/30.
Dmitry & Mya did a Paso Doble the judges thought was worthy of a perfect score. Carrie Ann dubbed her the 'queen of Paso Doble'.
Len (who came in to give the two pointers) thought it equalled Mel B.'s and Max's (of season 5). I have to disagree.
While I did think it had the right intensity and all the right steps, it was no where near Mel and Max's power charged Paso.
Donny & Kym Ok, I'm with Carrie Ann on this one where did the sudden hip movement ability come from Donny?. Kudos!.
You've proved you can Cha Cha with the best of them (Bruno must have given you some very good pointers!). He earned himself 27/30.
Next it was time for something new. A mega mix group dance where all the contestants danced 3 different styles side by side for judges points.
Donny & Kym did the Viennese Waltz earning them 2nd place with 28 points.
Kelly & Luis came in 3rd with 26 points for their Jive.
Unsurprisingly Mya and Dmitry won 1st place and the most points (30) for their Samba.
Then it was time for my favourite part (and the reason I watch this show to the very end), the free-style.
Kelly & Louis were up first with their dance. Kelly had a slight fumble, but covered it well by enjoying the heck out of it.
Which is another positive progress point. Had this happened a few weeks ago I'm sure she would have either completely frozen, or forgotten half the steps.
Instead she recovered and moved right along. Her recovery skills weren't enough to garner her high scores however. She only received 24 for an overall total of 76/90.
Mya & Dmitry's "Hair Spray" inspired free-style disappointed the judges. Which I had a feeling might happen since I read somewhere that many people expect Kelly to be the winner.
Still it didn't prepare me for the lackluster feeling I got from watching their routine.
I think the judges and myself expected something mind blowingly awesome (a little bit more risk with the tricks and flips perhaps).
What we got instead was a complete bore-fest choreography-wise. Which is exactly why I'm still pissed Derek didn't make the finals.
I know he would have come up with something much more worthy of one. I have a feeling it would have been something akin to season 5's Helio Castronevez "Mask" inspired number on the excitement scale.
I think Dmitry is going to regret not going with Mya's choreography idea instead of his.
With all that said they still got 27/30 and an overall total of 87/90 putting them at the top of the leader board. But will it be enough to get them the trophy?.
Donny & Kym's traditional Jazz/Vegas inspired free-style finally got them a perfect score, and nothing but praise from the judges. An overall score of 85/90 put them in second place on the board.
Once again I thought it looked very good but seemed to lack a certain something, and as a result felt kind of blah. Sorry Kim, guess I'm just not gonna get over Derek getting the boot one week shy of the finals.
It's really anyone's guess as to who the winner will be. But I have a feeling it'll come down to who has the biggest fan base rather then who is the better dancer.
Monday, November 16, 2009
DWTS 9: Week 9 Semi Finals
The 4 remaining couples duked it out tonight with not 2, but 3 challenging routines.
The first time this has ever been done in all the years of the show.
As I did for season 8 I will recap in order of couples instead of appearances this time. So here we go.
Donny & Kym were first up with a Tango which Donny said he wanted to make people uncomfortable with.
He accomplished just that, it was uncomfortable, but unfortunately not in a good way.
It lacked passion and due to Kym getting tangled in her dress it was rittled with mistakes from the get go.
I think doing 3 dances in one night got a little too much for him. The judges awarded him 21/30.
He redeemed himself with the Samba for which he got a 26/30.
Bruno and Len both thought it was effortless, carefree, and fun. Carrie Ann thought it was better then his first dance, but felt a little sloppy.
For their 3rd knockout dance Donny and Kim chose the Jitterbug.
Which was as Bruno put it full of vigor. It earned them 27/30.
That give them an overall total of 74/90 placing them at the bottom of the judges leader board.
And though I praise Donny immensely for his effort in the past 8 weeks, I don't think what he did tonight was enough to deserve a spot in next weeks final.
Although with his large fan base it may happen anyway.
Derek & Joanna Viennese Waltz was the epitome of fluidity and grace. It was like watching poetry in motion, or as Bruno put it the grace of angels in heaven.
The dress was equally as beautiful. And though the judges were quite pleased it still came short of perfection at 27/30.
The Cha Cha was next Carrie Ann loved Joanna's solo. Len thought it was crisp and clean but could have been more cheeky (I agree).
Bruno praised her achievement of very high standards throughout the competition. She earned a 27/30 for her efforts.
The Salsa was their 3rd dance of choice. Bruno thought it was delicious and flirtatious, Len said it was tasty and full of spice.
Carrie Ann spared us more food metaphors, and instead said she would love to see Joanna in the final. I agree with her. The overall score of 81/90 put them in second place.
I don't know about the rest of America, but I for one would very much like to see what Derek has up his sleeve for the freestyle in the finals. So vote, vote, vote!.
Kelly & Louis started things off with the Rumba. Which Kelly was very excited about. The routine looked very diffucult and though it didn't blow me away I thought she did it justice.
I thought she really came out of her shell for the second dance, the Quickstep.
It was outstanding, and possibly one of her best dances in the competition.
The scores reflected that with her highest score thus far 27/30.
For her final dance Kelly did the Cha Cha. Bruno thought it was a quickie, but effective nonetheless.
Carrie Ann thought she had a great night, and Len said she danced all 3 at an equally high level.
She received 27/30. And their combined overall score was 78/90.
She has really gone through a transformation, and come a long way in the last few weeks and throughout the course of the season.
I hope the American public gives her a chance to battle it out for the mirror ball trophy. She deserves it.
Mya & Dmitry danced the Waltz for their first round which was as smooth and effortless as ever. Len loved it.
Bruno thought it was love set to music. Carrie Ann (ever the party pooper) thought they broke their hold a little. Despite that they still got a total of 28/30.
For round two Mya danced what Bruno called a sansational Salsa. It was everything a Salsa should be so it's no surprise that she received a perfect score.
They ended the night with a Cha Cha that got them 29/30.
Pretty much cementing a place in the final, and in turn setting themselves apart and making sure the other two couples (whoever they will be) will have to work their butts off if they want to win.
With an overall score of 87/90 everyone else has their work cut out for them.
The first time this has ever been done in all the years of the show.
As I did for season 8 I will recap in order of couples instead of appearances this time. So here we go.
Donny & Kym were first up with a Tango which Donny said he wanted to make people uncomfortable with.
He accomplished just that, it was uncomfortable, but unfortunately not in a good way.
It lacked passion and due to Kym getting tangled in her dress it was rittled with mistakes from the get go.
I think doing 3 dances in one night got a little too much for him. The judges awarded him 21/30.
He redeemed himself with the Samba for which he got a 26/30.
Bruno and Len both thought it was effortless, carefree, and fun. Carrie Ann thought it was better then his first dance, but felt a little sloppy.
For their 3rd knockout dance Donny and Kim chose the Jitterbug.
Which was as Bruno put it full of vigor. It earned them 27/30.
That give them an overall total of 74/90 placing them at the bottom of the judges leader board.
And though I praise Donny immensely for his effort in the past 8 weeks, I don't think what he did tonight was enough to deserve a spot in next weeks final.
Although with his large fan base it may happen anyway.
Derek & Joanna Viennese Waltz was the epitome of fluidity and grace. It was like watching poetry in motion, or as Bruno put it the grace of angels in heaven.
The dress was equally as beautiful. And though the judges were quite pleased it still came short of perfection at 27/30.
The Cha Cha was next Carrie Ann loved Joanna's solo. Len thought it was crisp and clean but could have been more cheeky (I agree).
Bruno praised her achievement of very high standards throughout the competition. She earned a 27/30 for her efforts.
The Salsa was their 3rd dance of choice. Bruno thought it was delicious and flirtatious, Len said it was tasty and full of spice.
Carrie Ann spared us more food metaphors, and instead said she would love to see Joanna in the final. I agree with her. The overall score of 81/90 put them in second place.
I don't know about the rest of America, but I for one would very much like to see what Derek has up his sleeve for the freestyle in the finals. So vote, vote, vote!.
Kelly & Louis started things off with the Rumba. Which Kelly was very excited about. The routine looked very diffucult and though it didn't blow me away I thought she did it justice.
I thought she really came out of her shell for the second dance, the Quickstep.
It was outstanding, and possibly one of her best dances in the competition.
The scores reflected that with her highest score thus far 27/30.
For her final dance Kelly did the Cha Cha. Bruno thought it was a quickie, but effective nonetheless.
Carrie Ann thought she had a great night, and Len said she danced all 3 at an equally high level.
She received 27/30. And their combined overall score was 78/90.
She has really gone through a transformation, and come a long way in the last few weeks and throughout the course of the season.
I hope the American public gives her a chance to battle it out for the mirror ball trophy. She deserves it.
Mya & Dmitry danced the Waltz for their first round which was as smooth and effortless as ever. Len loved it.
Bruno thought it was love set to music. Carrie Ann (ever the party pooper) thought they broke their hold a little. Despite that they still got a total of 28/30.
For round two Mya danced what Bruno called a sansational Salsa. It was everything a Salsa should be so it's no surprise that she received a perfect score.
They ended the night with a Cha Cha that got them 29/30.
Pretty much cementing a place in the final, and in turn setting themselves apart and making sure the other two couples (whoever they will be) will have to work their butts off if they want to win.
With an overall score of 87/90 everyone else has their work cut out for them.
Monday, November 09, 2009
DWTS 9: Week 8 Ballroom & Latin Rounds
And then there were 5.
Hard to believe we're nearing the semi-finals already. This season the weeks seem to have flown by at break-neck speed!.
With the competition winding down, and 2 dances each the pressure was on big time.
Ballroom Round
Mya & Dmitry got the night started with a Quick step that the judges thought was perfection. It certainly looked good to me!.
Giving them a near perfect score of 29/30. And putting Mya back on the top of the leader board.
This may be a tad presumptuous of me, but I think she's headed for the finals (in fact I'll be shocked if she doesn't make it).
Aaron & Karina were next on the floor with the Foxtrot. Carrie Ann and Bruno thought it wasn't fluid/smooth enough. Len opted for some encouragement instead.
They got a 23/30 for their efforts (so a real drop from the high of last week)
I have to give huge credit to Karina for continuing to dance (instead of pawning Aaron on to someone else) despite fighting the flu that has been circulating around.
DWTS has become a petri dish of germs.
Germs that are getting to them all one by one. I think it's a real good thing we're nearing the end, so all these guys can go home and get some proper rest and nourishment.
Derek & Joanna's Quick step failed to impress the judges (and me).
It was her weakest performance (her first weak performance really), but thankfully she made up for it in the Latin Round.
Their scores were the same as Aaron's and Karina's.
Kelly & Louis danced the Foxtrot.
Kelly has finally learned to relax and enjoy the experience rather then stress out over perfecting the steps. It's nice to see her looking comfortable out there. It's really helped her dancing in the last couple of weeks.
Their score was one point higher then last week 25/30.
Donny & Kym ended the Ballroom Round with an elegant Viennese Waltz. Carrie Ann and Bruno really liked it (and thought his posture has really improved). I agree.
Len thought the whole thing was too arty farty (whatever that means *lol*). End result?. 26/30. Not bad.
Latin Round
Ok, can I just say the decade theme latin dances is exactly the reason I love this style of dance, and why I continue to watch this show. Absolute fun!. I hope they bring it back next year.
Mya & Dmitry's 70's Samba (complete with 70's wardrobe) made the judges jump for joy. Earning them the first perfect 30 of the season.
I agree with Carrie Ann after this dance Mya has finally proven she actually wants to win this whole thing. Well done!.
Aaron & Karina's 90's Samba allowed him to put all his extra energy to good use. And got him a better score of 27/30 in the process.
Though I really could have done without the "throw up" comment thank you very much.
We know you're sick Aaron no need to over share as Tom Bergeron so aptly put it.
Derek & Joanna redeemed themselves with a futuristic Paso Doble that was literally out of this world (in a good way).
Definitely one of the most unique pieces of choreography I've seen Derek do in all 9 years of the show.
To paraphrase Len and Bruno it was genius. Pure genius. Bravo Mr. Hough!.
Kelly & Louis' 60's Jive was right up their alley. As soon as I saw the doll prop I expected Len to have a conniption fit, but Carrie Ann beat him to it instead.
Well, ok it wasn't quite that bad she just thought the prop was part of the dance for bit longer then necessary.
I'm actually inclined to agree with her, it seemed to detract from the routine. Their scores were fairly good 26/30.
Donny & Kym finished off the evening with one of my favourite dacades the 80's. An 80's Paso Doble to be precise.
The futuristic Paso was unique, this one was creepy verging on scary *lol*. And yet there was still something weirdly enjoyable about it *lol*.
The costumes were spot on. The scores weren't impressive however 24/30.
Landed them on the bottom along with Aaron & Karina and Joanna & Derek.
I'm not going to predict who goes this week, because I like them all too much to choose. Whoever does get the boot I'll be sad to see them go.
Hard to believe we're nearing the semi-finals already. This season the weeks seem to have flown by at break-neck speed!.
With the competition winding down, and 2 dances each the pressure was on big time.
Ballroom Round
Mya & Dmitry got the night started with a Quick step that the judges thought was perfection. It certainly looked good to me!.
Giving them a near perfect score of 29/30. And putting Mya back on the top of the leader board.
This may be a tad presumptuous of me, but I think she's headed for the finals (in fact I'll be shocked if she doesn't make it).
Aaron & Karina were next on the floor with the Foxtrot. Carrie Ann and Bruno thought it wasn't fluid/smooth enough. Len opted for some encouragement instead.
They got a 23/30 for their efforts (so a real drop from the high of last week)
I have to give huge credit to Karina for continuing to dance (instead of pawning Aaron on to someone else) despite fighting the flu that has been circulating around.
DWTS has become a petri dish of germs.
Germs that are getting to them all one by one. I think it's a real good thing we're nearing the end, so all these guys can go home and get some proper rest and nourishment.
Derek & Joanna's Quick step failed to impress the judges (and me).
It was her weakest performance (her first weak performance really), but thankfully she made up for it in the Latin Round.
Their scores were the same as Aaron's and Karina's.
Kelly & Louis danced the Foxtrot.
Kelly has finally learned to relax and enjoy the experience rather then stress out over perfecting the steps. It's nice to see her looking comfortable out there. It's really helped her dancing in the last couple of weeks.
Their score was one point higher then last week 25/30.
Donny & Kym ended the Ballroom Round with an elegant Viennese Waltz. Carrie Ann and Bruno really liked it (and thought his posture has really improved). I agree.
Len thought the whole thing was too arty farty (whatever that means *lol*). End result?. 26/30. Not bad.
Latin Round
Ok, can I just say the decade theme latin dances is exactly the reason I love this style of dance, and why I continue to watch this show. Absolute fun!. I hope they bring it back next year.
Mya & Dmitry's 70's Samba (complete with 70's wardrobe) made the judges jump for joy. Earning them the first perfect 30 of the season.
I agree with Carrie Ann after this dance Mya has finally proven she actually wants to win this whole thing. Well done!.
Aaron & Karina's 90's Samba allowed him to put all his extra energy to good use. And got him a better score of 27/30 in the process.
Though I really could have done without the "throw up" comment thank you very much.
We know you're sick Aaron no need to over share as Tom Bergeron so aptly put it.
Derek & Joanna redeemed themselves with a futuristic Paso Doble that was literally out of this world (in a good way).
Definitely one of the most unique pieces of choreography I've seen Derek do in all 9 years of the show.
To paraphrase Len and Bruno it was genius. Pure genius. Bravo Mr. Hough!.
Kelly & Louis' 60's Jive was right up their alley. As soon as I saw the doll prop I expected Len to have a conniption fit, but Carrie Ann beat him to it instead.
Well, ok it wasn't quite that bad she just thought the prop was part of the dance for bit longer then necessary.
I'm actually inclined to agree with her, it seemed to detract from the routine. Their scores were fairly good 26/30.
Donny & Kym finished off the evening with one of my favourite dacades the 80's. An 80's Paso Doble to be precise.
The futuristic Paso was unique, this one was creepy verging on scary *lol*. And yet there was still something weirdly enjoyable about it *lol*.
The costumes were spot on. The scores weren't impressive however 24/30.
Landed them on the bottom along with Aaron & Karina and Joanna & Derek.
I'm not going to predict who goes this week, because I like them all too much to choose. Whoever does get the boot I'll be sad to see them go.
Monday, November 02, 2009
DWTS 9: Week 7 Foxtrot, Quickstep, Jive, Samba, Rumba & Salsa
With the double elimination looming over everyone's head again this week, and two dance routines it was high pressure for all involved.
Anna & Michael justified the judges save last week with a smooth looking Foxtrot. Alright Michael, you got me.
Who knew you could be light on your feet?. Way to go!. The judges were equally impressed and give him his highest score yet 23/30.
Also huge props on your design skills Michael, the dress Anna wore looked beautiful (which is more then I can say for the rest of the pack).
Apparently the purple theme was inspired by Barnie *lol*.
Barnie will never look as good in a dress :D.
Kym & Donny's Quickstep had a few mishaps, but was covered well by his showmenship and charisma. I actually thought the overall routine was quite good.
Like Michael Donny was very light on his feet. Their score remained same as last week 24/30.
Anna & Mark with Lacey sick this week Anna filled in to help Mark out with his Samba.
Which I thought was entertaining, and very well done given the circumstances.
In fact I really have to give him credit for a guy who was being forced to learn the same routine with 3 different people he handled it very well.
I wish the judges felt the same way, only Len was as sympathetic as me.
The other two were rough on the poor guy. Bruno called it a "Kung-Fu Panda doing the Samba in the Planet of the Apes". WTF?!
I hope the low score of 19/30 doesn't send him home, but with a double elimination it could be a high possiblity.
Dmitry & Mya's contemporary Foxtrot pleased Bruno and Carrie Ann, but didn't have enough classic steps to satisfy Len. Giving them one point higher then last week 25/30.
Karina & Aaron came out firing with a rockin' Jive. It was by far his best dance in the competition. Brilliant.
I keep sayin' that nothing could rival past competitors dances, but this one was right up there with Kristi Yamaguchi's, Helio Castroneves Jives and Mel B.'s Paso Doble.
In fact I'm adding this one to my list of favourites. It was a quick but controlled dance full of entertainment, fun and high energy. A well deserved 29/30. Congrats Aaron for finally garnering two 10's!.
Louis & Kelly thanks to Louis' tougher training Kelly finally let go of her nerves and let loose with her Salsa. She got all the judges on their feet (and Bruno on top of the desk! *lol*).
With such enthusiastic reactions I thought she would get some impressive scores, but alas they were much lower then expected. Only 24/30.
I thought it was deserving of at least one or two 9's. At least that's 4 points higher then last week.
Kelly may not have liked, or agreed with Louis' methods this week, but they clearly paid off.
And if she wants to continue she'll have to put up with more of the same because things are only gonna get tougher from now on.
Derek & Joanna delivered a sultry, sensual Rumba earning all 9's from the happy judges and the second highest score of the night 27/30.
Although I'm not convinced Joanna's fiancee appreciated Derek's fantasy beach montage *lol*. I guess Derek likes living dangerously.
The night ended with another group dance off.
Team Tango (consisting of Joanna/Derek, Kym/Donny, Kelly/Louis) vs. Team Paso Doble (Mark/Anna, Aaron/Karina, Michael/Anna, Mya/Dmitry).
The judges thought Team Paso lost sync a few times. Mya & Dmitry were definite stand-outs in their individual routines. Aaron & Karina weren't too shabby either.
They all got 24/60 added to their total scores from the first dance.
Though I agree with Len that Team Tango's routine seemed a bit easier technically/sync-wise due to the constant hold. It was still far superior to Team Paso Doble.
The scores reflected it with 28/60. Huge kudos to Kelly for redeeming her Tango, and Donny for soldiering on despite a possible flu.
Anna & Michael justified the judges save last week with a smooth looking Foxtrot. Alright Michael, you got me.
Who knew you could be light on your feet?. Way to go!. The judges were equally impressed and give him his highest score yet 23/30.
Also huge props on your design skills Michael, the dress Anna wore looked beautiful (which is more then I can say for the rest of the pack).
Apparently the purple theme was inspired by Barnie *lol*.
Barnie will never look as good in a dress :D.
Kym & Donny's Quickstep had a few mishaps, but was covered well by his showmenship and charisma. I actually thought the overall routine was quite good.
Like Michael Donny was very light on his feet. Their score remained same as last week 24/30.
Anna & Mark with Lacey sick this week Anna filled in to help Mark out with his Samba.
Which I thought was entertaining, and very well done given the circumstances.
In fact I really have to give him credit for a guy who was being forced to learn the same routine with 3 different people he handled it very well.
I wish the judges felt the same way, only Len was as sympathetic as me.
The other two were rough on the poor guy. Bruno called it a "Kung-Fu Panda doing the Samba in the Planet of the Apes". WTF?!
I hope the low score of 19/30 doesn't send him home, but with a double elimination it could be a high possiblity.
Dmitry & Mya's contemporary Foxtrot pleased Bruno and Carrie Ann, but didn't have enough classic steps to satisfy Len. Giving them one point higher then last week 25/30.
Karina & Aaron came out firing with a rockin' Jive. It was by far his best dance in the competition. Brilliant.
I keep sayin' that nothing could rival past competitors dances, but this one was right up there with Kristi Yamaguchi's, Helio Castroneves Jives and Mel B.'s Paso Doble.
In fact I'm adding this one to my list of favourites. It was a quick but controlled dance full of entertainment, fun and high energy. A well deserved 29/30. Congrats Aaron for finally garnering two 10's!.
Louis & Kelly thanks to Louis' tougher training Kelly finally let go of her nerves and let loose with her Salsa. She got all the judges on their feet (and Bruno on top of the desk! *lol*).
With such enthusiastic reactions I thought she would get some impressive scores, but alas they were much lower then expected. Only 24/30.
I thought it was deserving of at least one or two 9's. At least that's 4 points higher then last week.
Kelly may not have liked, or agreed with Louis' methods this week, but they clearly paid off.
And if she wants to continue she'll have to put up with more of the same because things are only gonna get tougher from now on.
Derek & Joanna delivered a sultry, sensual Rumba earning all 9's from the happy judges and the second highest score of the night 27/30.
Although I'm not convinced Joanna's fiancee appreciated Derek's fantasy beach montage *lol*. I guess Derek likes living dangerously.
The night ended with another group dance off.
Team Tango (consisting of Joanna/Derek, Kym/Donny, Kelly/Louis) vs. Team Paso Doble (Mark/Anna, Aaron/Karina, Michael/Anna, Mya/Dmitry).
The judges thought Team Paso lost sync a few times. Mya & Dmitry were definite stand-outs in their individual routines. Aaron & Karina weren't too shabby either.
They all got 24/60 added to their total scores from the first dance.
Though I agree with Len that Team Tango's routine seemed a bit easier technically/sync-wise due to the constant hold. It was still far superior to Team Paso Doble.
The scores reflected it with 28/60. Huge kudos to Kelly for redeeming her Tango, and Donny for soldiering on despite a possible flu.
Monday, October 26, 2009
DWTS 9: Week 6 Waltz & Jitterbug
At the halfway point in the competition the scores were all fairly similar this week, with no couple coming out ahead until the end.
All couples had the added difficulty of learning two dances (and in some cases 3).
One for the possible double elimination dance off, and one for the Mumbo Marathon, but more on that later.
Dmitry & Mya showed off their fun side with the Jitterbug. It was energetic, but again when compared to passed season's it seemed to lack a certain excitement and pace (ala Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark in season 6).
The judges thought along the similar lines and only give them 24/30. I don't think she has to worry about going home though I think people will pull her through to next week.
I have to say everytime I watch those training montages, it still amazes me just how crazy hard all of these guys work to pull off new routines week after week. No wonder so many of them end up with regular injuries.
Mark & Melissa's Waltz failed to impress the judges despite some pointers from Mark's mom (now I know where Mark gets his toughness from lol).
Bruno and Carrie Ann had some harsh comments, where as the usually grumpy Len was in good spirits and thought she did a wonderful job.
I thought it was alright, nothing spectacular. It didn't look as pretty and smooth as it could have been. But then I've never been a real big fan of this particular style.
They got a total of 20/30 (which seemed to be the magic number for most of the night). Hopefully the audience liked her enough to keep her around a bit longer.
Lacey & Mark loosened up with a fun, fast paced Jitterbug. All judges with the exception of Bruno (who thought Mark lost his footing) thoroughfully enjoyed it.
Their total score remained the same as last week 26/30. I think these 2 are safe for another week.
Karina & Aaron looking serious and suave, performed an impressively elegant Waltz.
The judges agreed that it was beautifully done, but pointed out that Aaron also lost his footing.
Slightly effecting his score. But, hey he got 25/30 one point higher then last week. That's progress.
Anna & Michael looked like a real dancer once again with a nicely done Waltz. The judges were in disagreement. Bruno and Carrie Ann weren't impressed. Len loved it. End result?. 20/30.
Louis & Kelly danced the Jitterbug, which once again disappointed the judges.
Despite Kelly's continued shifting confidence she's doing a really good job and I think she deserves to stay I hope the American people do too.
Chelsie & Louie pulled out all the stops in their Jitterbug. This was the perfect dance for Louie.
It allowed him to be as wild and crazy as technically possible with a variety of flips, tricks and jumps.
The judges thought the wildness was a hindrance that took away precision.
Nearly dropping Chelsie twice didn't favour him in the least either. But the scores weren't as horrible as I thought they would be 21/30.
Derek & Joanna reunited in full force (after Derek's bout with the Flu) with a fluidly graceful Waltz.
Bruno and Len loved it, while Carrie Ann thought she lacked confidence.
Nonetheless they got a great score of 26/30. Barring any major screw-ups, or injuries that girl is going to the final.
Kym & Donny (wearing glittery conductor oufits) were the last to hit the floor with a Jitterbug. I thought it was an excellent routine. The judges had mixed reactions again.
What was it with Carrie Ann today?. Everytime Len said something nice she said the opposite.
Same with Bruno. I guess that's what happens when Len takes his happy pills, it makes everyone else go off kilter lol.
Anyway, their final score was a 24/30.
The show ended with the first ever Mumbo Marathon dance off. All couples hit the floor at once side by side.
Whoever danced the longest in a 4 minute routine got the most points (which were then added to their total score in the first dance).
Here is how it went.
Michael & Anna were the first to get the boot earning 2 extra points, and a total of 22/30 for the night. Louis & Chelsie earned 3 additional points and 24/30 total.
Melissa & Mark got 4 extra points also 24/30 total.
Kelly & Louis received 5 more points giving them a total of 25/30. Mark & Lacey got 6 points and 32 total.
Donny & Kym got a total of 31 total with 7 extra points for their effort. Aaron & Karina got 33 points total with 8 additional.
Mya & Dmitry also got 33 total with 9 extra points earned. The winners were Derek and Joanna with 10 points and 34 overall.
Hard to say who will go in tomorrow's double elimination.
If I had to choose I would go with Michael and Louis (even though I still love the guy we are getting down to the wire).
All couples had the added difficulty of learning two dances (and in some cases 3).
One for the possible double elimination dance off, and one for the Mumbo Marathon, but more on that later.
Dmitry & Mya showed off their fun side with the Jitterbug. It was energetic, but again when compared to passed season's it seemed to lack a certain excitement and pace (ala Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark in season 6).
The judges thought along the similar lines and only give them 24/30. I don't think she has to worry about going home though I think people will pull her through to next week.
I have to say everytime I watch those training montages, it still amazes me just how crazy hard all of these guys work to pull off new routines week after week. No wonder so many of them end up with regular injuries.
Mark & Melissa's Waltz failed to impress the judges despite some pointers from Mark's mom (now I know where Mark gets his toughness from lol).
Bruno and Carrie Ann had some harsh comments, where as the usually grumpy Len was in good spirits and thought she did a wonderful job.
I thought it was alright, nothing spectacular. It didn't look as pretty and smooth as it could have been. But then I've never been a real big fan of this particular style.
They got a total of 20/30 (which seemed to be the magic number for most of the night). Hopefully the audience liked her enough to keep her around a bit longer.
Lacey & Mark loosened up with a fun, fast paced Jitterbug. All judges with the exception of Bruno (who thought Mark lost his footing) thoroughfully enjoyed it.
Their total score remained the same as last week 26/30. I think these 2 are safe for another week.
Karina & Aaron looking serious and suave, performed an impressively elegant Waltz.
The judges agreed that it was beautifully done, but pointed out that Aaron also lost his footing.
Slightly effecting his score. But, hey he got 25/30 one point higher then last week. That's progress.
Anna & Michael looked like a real dancer once again with a nicely done Waltz. The judges were in disagreement. Bruno and Carrie Ann weren't impressed. Len loved it. End result?. 20/30.
Louis & Kelly danced the Jitterbug, which once again disappointed the judges.
Despite Kelly's continued shifting confidence she's doing a really good job and I think she deserves to stay I hope the American people do too.
Chelsie & Louie pulled out all the stops in their Jitterbug. This was the perfect dance for Louie.
It allowed him to be as wild and crazy as technically possible with a variety of flips, tricks and jumps.
The judges thought the wildness was a hindrance that took away precision.
Nearly dropping Chelsie twice didn't favour him in the least either. But the scores weren't as horrible as I thought they would be 21/30.
Derek & Joanna reunited in full force (after Derek's bout with the Flu) with a fluidly graceful Waltz.
Bruno and Len loved it, while Carrie Ann thought she lacked confidence.
Nonetheless they got a great score of 26/30. Barring any major screw-ups, or injuries that girl is going to the final.
Kym & Donny (wearing glittery conductor oufits) were the last to hit the floor with a Jitterbug. I thought it was an excellent routine. The judges had mixed reactions again.
What was it with Carrie Ann today?. Everytime Len said something nice she said the opposite.
Same with Bruno. I guess that's what happens when Len takes his happy pills, it makes everyone else go off kilter lol.
Anyway, their final score was a 24/30.
The show ended with the first ever Mumbo Marathon dance off. All couples hit the floor at once side by side.
Whoever danced the longest in a 4 minute routine got the most points (which were then added to their total score in the first dance).
Here is how it went.
Michael & Anna were the first to get the boot earning 2 extra points, and a total of 22/30 for the night. Louis & Chelsie earned 3 additional points and 24/30 total.
Melissa & Mark got 4 extra points also 24/30 total.
Kelly & Louis received 5 more points giving them a total of 25/30. Mark & Lacey got 6 points and 32 total.
Donny & Kym got a total of 31 total with 7 extra points for their effort. Aaron & Karina got 33 points total with 8 additional.
Mya & Dmitry also got 33 total with 9 extra points earned. The winners were Derek and Joanna with 10 points and 34 overall.
Hard to say who will go in tomorrow's double elimination.
If I had to choose I would go with Michael and Louis (even though I still love the guy we are getting down to the wire).
Monday, October 19, 2009
DWTS 9: Week 5 Argentine Tango & Paso Doble
The Paso Doble has always been my favourite dance in the show. And now I know why it's because it seems to bring out the best in all competitors.
Same with the Argentine Tango. Both are the type of dances that can make you, or break you as many couples found out tonight.
The show ended with The Hustle the first group dance of the season. The 70's wardrobe and hair, the flips, kicks, and tricks, so much fun!. But let's talk about the dancing itself.
Alec & Natalie did a modern looking Paso Doble which was good, but like the judges I thought it really lacked the passion and aggression that it's known for. Still 22/30 is a decent score.
Karina & Aaron made a comeback with an assertive, controlled and precise Argentine Tango. Nothing over the top just very basic traditional steps.
The judges enjoyed it, although I honestly thought he deserved higher then 24/30.
Anna & Michael Yay!. He finally looked like a real dancer tonight. And although I have seen crisper movements in past season's Paso Doble's, kudos Michael, kudos for becoming a competitor at last.
Plenty of emotion too. Well done!. However, with a score of 21/30 the lowest of the night.
I'm not sure it'll be enough to put him through to next week. It may be too little too late.
Dmitry & Mya continued to turn it on tonight with a sultry Argentine Tango that earned them the second highest score of 27/30.
I'm starting to think she's going to stick around for the long hull.
Lacey & Mark I have been saying since the start of the season that I wanted him to stay so he could do the Paso Doble, because something told me he would do well with that particular style.
I love being right :). His Paso Doble did not disappoint. Though he didn't receive as high a score as I would have liked 26/30 (what's with the 8 Bruno?).
Still a nice result that put them into third place on the judges leader board.
Side note: Lacey loved your Halloween inspired hairdo! lol.
Kym & Donny Well what do you know?, Donny forged ahead of the pack tonight with an impressive Argentine Tango his best dance to date.
His first 10's of the season, and a total of 29/30 put him in first place. He might just make it as far as his sister.
Providing he stops flirting with Bruno that is. It was fun the first time now it's just getting old.
Chelsie & Louie had a much better week with the Argentine Tango. I agree with the judges his feet still haven't completely found the rhythm yet.
But at least he had the right attitude, and even did a bit of acting for the dance. Nice going, keep it up!. 22/30 isn't great (and might land him in the bottom 2), but I think he'll make it another week.
Mark & Melissa her quality dropped some from last week, she lost her footing several times (according to the judges) during her Argentine Tango, though I can't say I noticed.
Mark having the flu might have been the major contributing factor since it effected rehearsal time.
But I thought she did a great job regardless. After last week she's shown she can compete so I hope she stays. With 23/30 her fans will have to get dialing.
Louis & Kelly did a rock Paso Doble to an Ozzy Osborne tune, which could not having been easy. And while it may not have been perfect in the judges eyes, it still looked pretty awesome nonetheless. And at least she got a point higher then last week.
Maks & Joanna with Derek out with the flu Maks filled in to do the Argentine Tango (is it me or were there more Argentine Tango's then Paso's tonight?).
Props to Joanna for a very sharp dance despite having a new partner. Also props for pulling off great chemistry as well.
She seems to have a natural ability for picking up new choreography very quickly. That could take her all the way to the finish.
Despite a supposed stumble/trip which I again failed to notice, she continues to impress me. And I love watching her training footage. Great sense of humor!.
No guesses on who might go this week, but I'm hoping for Michael again. With 24/30 he may need a few extra votes.
Same with the Argentine Tango. Both are the type of dances that can make you, or break you as many couples found out tonight.
The show ended with The Hustle the first group dance of the season. The 70's wardrobe and hair, the flips, kicks, and tricks, so much fun!. But let's talk about the dancing itself.
Alec & Natalie did a modern looking Paso Doble which was good, but like the judges I thought it really lacked the passion and aggression that it's known for. Still 22/30 is a decent score.
Karina & Aaron made a comeback with an assertive, controlled and precise Argentine Tango. Nothing over the top just very basic traditional steps.
The judges enjoyed it, although I honestly thought he deserved higher then 24/30.
Anna & Michael Yay!. He finally looked like a real dancer tonight. And although I have seen crisper movements in past season's Paso Doble's, kudos Michael, kudos for becoming a competitor at last.
Plenty of emotion too. Well done!. However, with a score of 21/30 the lowest of the night.
I'm not sure it'll be enough to put him through to next week. It may be too little too late.
Dmitry & Mya continued to turn it on tonight with a sultry Argentine Tango that earned them the second highest score of 27/30.
I'm starting to think she's going to stick around for the long hull.
Lacey & Mark I have been saying since the start of the season that I wanted him to stay so he could do the Paso Doble, because something told me he would do well with that particular style.
I love being right :). His Paso Doble did not disappoint. Though he didn't receive as high a score as I would have liked 26/30 (what's with the 8 Bruno?).
Still a nice result that put them into third place on the judges leader board.
Side note: Lacey loved your Halloween inspired hairdo! lol.
Kym & Donny Well what do you know?, Donny forged ahead of the pack tonight with an impressive Argentine Tango his best dance to date.
His first 10's of the season, and a total of 29/30 put him in first place. He might just make it as far as his sister.
Providing he stops flirting with Bruno that is. It was fun the first time now it's just getting old.
Chelsie & Louie had a much better week with the Argentine Tango. I agree with the judges his feet still haven't completely found the rhythm yet.
But at least he had the right attitude, and even did a bit of acting for the dance. Nice going, keep it up!. 22/30 isn't great (and might land him in the bottom 2), but I think he'll make it another week.
Mark & Melissa her quality dropped some from last week, she lost her footing several times (according to the judges) during her Argentine Tango, though I can't say I noticed.
Mark having the flu might have been the major contributing factor since it effected rehearsal time.
But I thought she did a great job regardless. After last week she's shown she can compete so I hope she stays. With 23/30 her fans will have to get dialing.
Louis & Kelly did a rock Paso Doble to an Ozzy Osborne tune, which could not having been easy. And while it may not have been perfect in the judges eyes, it still looked pretty awesome nonetheless. And at least she got a point higher then last week.
Maks & Joanna with Derek out with the flu Maks filled in to do the Argentine Tango (is it me or were there more Argentine Tango's then Paso's tonight?).
Props to Joanna for a very sharp dance despite having a new partner. Also props for pulling off great chemistry as well.
She seems to have a natural ability for picking up new choreography very quickly. That could take her all the way to the finish.
Despite a supposed stumble/trip which I again failed to notice, she continues to impress me. And I love watching her training footage. Great sense of humor!.
No guesses on who might go this week, but I'm hoping for Michael again. With 24/30 he may need a few extra votes.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
DWTS 9: Week 4 Two-Step, Charlston, Bolero & Lambada
This week all the contestants (and their pros) performed 4 brand new dances, and as usual some succeeded more then others.
Anna & Chuck started things off with the Two-Step. This was a perfect fit for Chuck. It was fun entertaining, and energetic. By far his best dance to date.
The scores stayed remarkably the same however 17/30. Hopefully he can get another shot to kick butt next week.
Mark & Melissa boy did she turn it on this week with the Charlston!. Finally she looked like a real dancer with not only great leg work, but theatrics to boot.
Way to jump ahead of the pack Melissa! (I knew you had it in you).
Superb performance, and best scores 28/30 (and she finally got a 10!). Hats off Mark all that tough training is paying off!. Way to rock that mustache too (very Charlie Chaplin).
Alec & Natalie received very mixed comments from the judges, but a very decent score of 24/30.
I thought she did a very elegant Bolero, in fact I was surprised with how graceful it looked.
For someone as tall as she is with such long arms and legs I expected it to look very awkward, but it was just the opposite. It was quite smooth. Nice job.
Karina & Aaron I've said this would happen, and I'll say it again high expectations will get you everytime. Now poor Aaron just can not get it right.
While I agree that maybe he is trying a little too hard at times I think the judges were being too harsh with their comments.
Obviously the guy was trying to make a huge effort to get back on top. With 18/30 for his Lambada Aaron's fans have their work cut out for them.
Lacey & Mark much better effort this week with the Two-Step. No doubt due in large part to Lacey's excellent choreography.
Even their chemistry was back. And they got a higher score then last week too 22/30. So a great improvement all around.
Vote for him people I still wanna see him do the Paso.
Louis & Kelly Nice to finally see some confidence in her dance steps. The Charlston proved just how great of a dancer she is. Too bad the scores didn't reflect it though, what's with the 23/30?.
Derek & Joanna as soon as I heard Derek was doing the Lambada I knew he would not disappoint. He is the king of choreography and raunch.
In fact if that dance was anymore sexy I would need a cold shower!. Btw. thank you to the t.v. gods for shirtless Derek.
I was a bit surprised with the scores though, I thought it deserved a lot higher then 26/30.
Kym & Donny put his showmanship skills into full gear resulting in a highly entertaining Charlston. Props for surprising me yet again. 24/30 ain't too bad.
Anna & Michael Sorry to say but I'm almost certain he'll be in the bottom 2 yet again. That was the worst Bolero of the night.
Perhaps he won't need to worry though since I'm sure Louie will be joining him in the same category.
Chelsie & Louie wow what happened to the choreography in this one?. Poor Louie was left to shuffle his feet while Chelsie did all the leg work. I guess she isn't really a big fan of the 2-Step.
Too bad really he's been making nice progress each week.
Hopefully he'll get a chance to continue on with something that actually suits him.
With both Louie and Michael earning an identical 16/30. It's anyone's guess as to who goes home (personally I'm hoping for Michael).
Dmitry & Mya ended the night on a high. With a jointly choreographed hot Lambada (though I still liked Derek's better).
They earned 28/30 tying them for first place on the judges leader board with Derek and Joanna.
Anna & Chuck started things off with the Two-Step. This was a perfect fit for Chuck. It was fun entertaining, and energetic. By far his best dance to date.
The scores stayed remarkably the same however 17/30. Hopefully he can get another shot to kick butt next week.
Mark & Melissa boy did she turn it on this week with the Charlston!. Finally she looked like a real dancer with not only great leg work, but theatrics to boot.
Way to jump ahead of the pack Melissa! (I knew you had it in you).
Superb performance, and best scores 28/30 (and she finally got a 10!). Hats off Mark all that tough training is paying off!. Way to rock that mustache too (very Charlie Chaplin).
Alec & Natalie received very mixed comments from the judges, but a very decent score of 24/30.
I thought she did a very elegant Bolero, in fact I was surprised with how graceful it looked.
For someone as tall as she is with such long arms and legs I expected it to look very awkward, but it was just the opposite. It was quite smooth. Nice job.
Karina & Aaron I've said this would happen, and I'll say it again high expectations will get you everytime. Now poor Aaron just can not get it right.
While I agree that maybe he is trying a little too hard at times I think the judges were being too harsh with their comments.
Obviously the guy was trying to make a huge effort to get back on top. With 18/30 for his Lambada Aaron's fans have their work cut out for them.
Lacey & Mark much better effort this week with the Two-Step. No doubt due in large part to Lacey's excellent choreography.
Even their chemistry was back. And they got a higher score then last week too 22/30. So a great improvement all around.
Vote for him people I still wanna see him do the Paso.
Louis & Kelly Nice to finally see some confidence in her dance steps. The Charlston proved just how great of a dancer she is. Too bad the scores didn't reflect it though, what's with the 23/30?.
Derek & Joanna as soon as I heard Derek was doing the Lambada I knew he would not disappoint. He is the king of choreography and raunch.
In fact if that dance was anymore sexy I would need a cold shower!. Btw. thank you to the t.v. gods for shirtless Derek.
I was a bit surprised with the scores though, I thought it deserved a lot higher then 26/30.
Kym & Donny put his showmanship skills into full gear resulting in a highly entertaining Charlston. Props for surprising me yet again. 24/30 ain't too bad.
Anna & Michael Sorry to say but I'm almost certain he'll be in the bottom 2 yet again. That was the worst Bolero of the night.
Perhaps he won't need to worry though since I'm sure Louie will be joining him in the same category.
Chelsie & Louie wow what happened to the choreography in this one?. Poor Louie was left to shuffle his feet while Chelsie did all the leg work. I guess she isn't really a big fan of the 2-Step.
Too bad really he's been making nice progress each week.
Hopefully he'll get a chance to continue on with something that actually suits him.
With both Louie and Michael earning an identical 16/30. It's anyone's guess as to who goes home (personally I'm hoping for Michael).
Dmitry & Mya ended the night on a high. With a jointly choreographed hot Lambada (though I still liked Derek's better).
They earned 28/30 tying them for first place on the judges leader board with Derek and Joanna.
Monday, October 05, 2009
DWTS 9: Week 3 Samba & Rumba
Tonight it was time for two of my favourite dance styles. I did find it odd that everyone was being asked to do the most difficult dances so early in the competition.
It worked out better for some, then it did for others.
Lacey & Mark were the first to hit the floor tonight with a somewhat lackluster Rumba, Bruno felt that it lacked romance and couple chemistry, and I have to agree.
I wouldn't exactly call it "uncomfortable" as Carrie Ann said, but I saw more sparks between them in their very first dance then I did in this one.
Since chemistry is an integral part of the Rumba they suffered score wise with only 18/30.
Despite this weeks weak performance I hope they don't get eliminated, because I still enjoy them.
I think Mark could do better in the latin round, and I really want to see him do the Paso Doble.
Joanna & Derek danced to a song that kept repeating the word sexy. That's about how I would describe their Samba, but I would also add sizzling hot!.
And I don't know about the rest of America, but I never get tired of seeing that man in a tight fitting shirt and pants. Plus his hip movement could give Elvis a run for his money!.
The scores didn't seem to reflect my enthusiasm however, and they only received 23/30. Too bad I thought they deserved a little more especially compared to all the other couples Samba's.
With the exception of Mya, Derek and Joanna were the only ones remotely exciting, the rest were mediocre.
Speaking of, Mya & Dmitry performed a very fluid, sensual Rumba that turned out to be the best one of the night. Garnering them the highest score of the night 27/30 (and the first two 10's of the season).
Are we sure that Mya has had no former dance training?, because it certainly isn't looking that way at the moment.
She kinda put everyone else to shame, and confidently forged ahead of the pack.
Mark & Melissa were next with their Samba. Mark finally got a bit tougher with Melissa in training rehearsal this week, and it showed.
She's making some steady progress, but still lacking a lot of free movement (with the legs) at times which unfortuntely is crucial for a Samba.
So the dance once again started out well, but fizzled out by the end. Still a good effort though. With 19/30 the fans might decide to keep her around for another week.
Chelsie & Louie the snow boarder got in touch with his romantic side dancing a very solid Rumba. With plenty of sparks.
Seriously, did anyone else notice the real-life chemistry between the 2 in the training footage?. A future hook-up in the works if you ask me.
The cuteness factor alone made up for any technical missteps in the dance for me. The judges weren't as happy though, they only give them a 20/30. I really hope he stays.
Maks & Debi these 2 remain the only couple with zero chemistry and zero sexyness.
It could have just been the horrible costume she was wearing tonight (seriously ABC wardrobe people what were you thinking with the weird rainbow coloured things hanging off the dress so unnecessary).
The song choice didn't do her any favours either it was more suited for the Rumba then the Samba. I will give her credit for slightly improving her dance moves this week.
With a score of 17/30, she could once again be in the danger of heading home.
Kym & Donny ok Mr. showman you got me again. That was a very soft and pretty looking Rumba. Kudos. And a 21/30, not bad.
Anna & Michael after a major improvement last week, it was back to square one with the Samba.
I think Carrie Ann is right for a big guy he is afraid to make bigger and bolder moves on the dance floor. It's as if he's dancing in a designated invisable box.
So far he's really not up to par with the previous football players on the show. I'm starting to regret my "yay no football players for Edyta" statement in the start of the season.
I think Edyta would be the only one capable of saving him at this point.
The audience might vote for him though just to spite the judges for giving him the lowest score of the night 14/30.
Alec & Natalie's elegant Rumba was a huge improvement over last week. I guess she took all the judges comments to heart. Very well done.
She earned herself the 2nd highest score of the night 26/30.
Anna & Chuck it wasn't the sexiest Samba the show has ever had, but certainly not the worst. At least he's putting in a real effort. With 17/30 however he's gonna need a lot of votes, or he could be sent packing.
I have to admit I'm starting to really warm up to this guy. So I hope he sticks around a bit longer.
Karina & Aaron I said last week that constent high scores were dangerous. And I was right the judges got tough on Aaron dropping him off the leader board with 21/30 for his Rumba.
I do agree with them though the dance lacked fluidity (in terms of his arm movement) and did look very jerky as Bruno put it. So I think that score is fair. He does have beautiful lines though.
I'm sure Aaron will bounce back next week (assuming he makes it of course).
Kelly & Louis speaking of bouncing back. Nice job with the Samba Kelly!. Earning 20/30 (one point higher then last week).
She still has a ways to go in terms of relaxing, and not thinking about perfecting the steps as much. But she did look much less nervous then the week prior.
I do hope she takes it easy on herself in the weeks to come, she needs to do that so she can get her confidence back.
She really is one of the best dancers in the competition she just needs to believe it. Hopefully this week will give her some much needed encouragement.
Chery & Tom I saved this one for last because I honestly don't have much to say about his Rumba. I applaud him for his determination but that's about it.
Even though he only got 15/30 I think the American public will pull him through again.
Though I honstly don't know why. Personally I don't think he's doing himself any favours all he is doing is insuring his own eventual demise.
It worked out better for some, then it did for others.
Lacey & Mark were the first to hit the floor tonight with a somewhat lackluster Rumba, Bruno felt that it lacked romance and couple chemistry, and I have to agree.
I wouldn't exactly call it "uncomfortable" as Carrie Ann said, but I saw more sparks between them in their very first dance then I did in this one.
Since chemistry is an integral part of the Rumba they suffered score wise with only 18/30.
Despite this weeks weak performance I hope they don't get eliminated, because I still enjoy them.
I think Mark could do better in the latin round, and I really want to see him do the Paso Doble.
Joanna & Derek danced to a song that kept repeating the word sexy. That's about how I would describe their Samba, but I would also add sizzling hot!.
And I don't know about the rest of America, but I never get tired of seeing that man in a tight fitting shirt and pants. Plus his hip movement could give Elvis a run for his money!.
The scores didn't seem to reflect my enthusiasm however, and they only received 23/30. Too bad I thought they deserved a little more especially compared to all the other couples Samba's.
With the exception of Mya, Derek and Joanna were the only ones remotely exciting, the rest were mediocre.
Speaking of, Mya & Dmitry performed a very fluid, sensual Rumba that turned out to be the best one of the night. Garnering them the highest score of the night 27/30 (and the first two 10's of the season).
Are we sure that Mya has had no former dance training?, because it certainly isn't looking that way at the moment.
She kinda put everyone else to shame, and confidently forged ahead of the pack.
Mark & Melissa were next with their Samba. Mark finally got a bit tougher with Melissa in training rehearsal this week, and it showed.
She's making some steady progress, but still lacking a lot of free movement (with the legs) at times which unfortuntely is crucial for a Samba.
So the dance once again started out well, but fizzled out by the end. Still a good effort though. With 19/30 the fans might decide to keep her around for another week.
Chelsie & Louie the snow boarder got in touch with his romantic side dancing a very solid Rumba. With plenty of sparks.
Seriously, did anyone else notice the real-life chemistry between the 2 in the training footage?. A future hook-up in the works if you ask me.
The cuteness factor alone made up for any technical missteps in the dance for me. The judges weren't as happy though, they only give them a 20/30. I really hope he stays.
Maks & Debi these 2 remain the only couple with zero chemistry and zero sexyness.
It could have just been the horrible costume she was wearing tonight (seriously ABC wardrobe people what were you thinking with the weird rainbow coloured things hanging off the dress so unnecessary).
The song choice didn't do her any favours either it was more suited for the Rumba then the Samba. I will give her credit for slightly improving her dance moves this week.
With a score of 17/30, she could once again be in the danger of heading home.
Kym & Donny ok Mr. showman you got me again. That was a very soft and pretty looking Rumba. Kudos. And a 21/30, not bad.
Anna & Michael after a major improvement last week, it was back to square one with the Samba.
I think Carrie Ann is right for a big guy he is afraid to make bigger and bolder moves on the dance floor. It's as if he's dancing in a designated invisable box.
So far he's really not up to par with the previous football players on the show. I'm starting to regret my "yay no football players for Edyta" statement in the start of the season.
I think Edyta would be the only one capable of saving him at this point.
The audience might vote for him though just to spite the judges for giving him the lowest score of the night 14/30.
Alec & Natalie's elegant Rumba was a huge improvement over last week. I guess she took all the judges comments to heart. Very well done.
She earned herself the 2nd highest score of the night 26/30.
Anna & Chuck it wasn't the sexiest Samba the show has ever had, but certainly not the worst. At least he's putting in a real effort. With 17/30 however he's gonna need a lot of votes, or he could be sent packing.
I have to admit I'm starting to really warm up to this guy. So I hope he sticks around a bit longer.
Karina & Aaron I said last week that constent high scores were dangerous. And I was right the judges got tough on Aaron dropping him off the leader board with 21/30 for his Rumba.
I do agree with them though the dance lacked fluidity (in terms of his arm movement) and did look very jerky as Bruno put it. So I think that score is fair. He does have beautiful lines though.
I'm sure Aaron will bounce back next week (assuming he makes it of course).
Kelly & Louis speaking of bouncing back. Nice job with the Samba Kelly!. Earning 20/30 (one point higher then last week).
She still has a ways to go in terms of relaxing, and not thinking about perfecting the steps as much. But she did look much less nervous then the week prior.
I do hope she takes it easy on herself in the weeks to come, she needs to do that so she can get her confidence back.
She really is one of the best dancers in the competition she just needs to believe it. Hopefully this week will give her some much needed encouragement.
Chery & Tom I saved this one for last because I honestly don't have much to say about his Rumba. I applaud him for his determination but that's about it.
Even though he only got 15/30 I think the American public will pull him through again.
Though I honstly don't know why. Personally I don't think he's doing himself any favours all he is doing is insuring his own eventual demise.
Monday, September 28, 2009
DWTS 9: Week 2 Tango, Jive & Quick step
Tonight it was the battle of the sexes with both men and women facing off against each other on the same night.
Derek & Joanna started the night off with an energetic Jive. I thought it was very well done, but compared to the Jives of season's past (such as Kristi Yamaguchi's in S6 for example) it kinda fell short.
I should also mention middle judge Len (or as I like to call him grumpy) was missing tonight (he's busy judging the original Dancing with the Stars in England) but will be back next week.
His replacement was pleasant, but I did not agree with his assesment of Derek's and Joanna's lack of relationship/coupleness in the dance.
I don't know what dance he was watching, but those 2 looked as couply as could be. They were given a score of 20/30. So not bad, but not outstanding.
Alec & Natalie were next with a Quickstep that again really didn't wow me. And unlike the Joanna/Derek number lacked chemistry.
The judges reminded her she needs to remember to breathe in between each move (instead of holding her breath as she's used to when swimming).
I would have to agree it made the whole performance look really stiff. I do hope she is given another chance though.
Because I still believe she could get better with more work. Surprisngly they scored one point higher then Joanna and Derek with 21/30.
Anna & Chuck I mentioned last week that I thought the guy had potential and he demonstrated just that tonight with a very agressive/scary Tango.
With this type of intensity I think he's gonna be perfect for the Paso Doble, so I really hope he sticks around for a while yet.
Btw. nice touch topping the dance off with the ripping of the shirt at the end, and showing off your six pack there Chuck.
The dance may have only earned a 19/20 from the judges, but it'll score you a few extra votes with the ladies.
Also count yourself very lucky that Len was away this week, or he might have docked a point for peck envy;).
Mark & Melissa Joan Heart I do love watching this man do the Jive.
Nice to see her finally relax a little bit, now if she works a little harder on the steps she may just turn into a contender. 19/20 seemed to be a popular score for the first half of the night.
Anna & Micheal kudos to both of them for a big improvement over last week.
This time he was given more content with the Quickstep and handled it quite well. Still not a fave of mine, but with a score of 20/30 perhaps all hope is not lost for him yet.
Maks & Debi another major improvement over last week, but still no likeability factor for me. Their tension filled training sessions certainly helped sell a very convincing Tango.
I don't see her going too far in the competition however. They earned a point higher then the couple before them.
Chelsie & Louie I like these 2 together both being the youngest in the show they have wonderful enthusiasm when dancing.
Unlike the judges I quite enjoyed their Jive, I thought it was fun and edgy. This guy definitely has a lot of promise. With 19/30 they are at the bottom of the leader board, but a point above one other couple.
I hope people vote for them, I enjoy his exuberance and would like to see more of it.
Karina & Aaron aka kermit the frog. With a Jive set to the theme from the Muppet Show (complete with a green attire and the muppets themselves) he's slowly becoming the man to beat. With 27/30 he also became a judge favourite.
I'm liking his confidence too, although if he isn't careful the judges will start expecting perfection everytime thus getting picky. Which as many contestants have found out in the past could dramatically lower your score.
Louis & Kelly didn't fair too well with their Tango. Unfortunetly the pressure of expectations and Kelly's own perfectionist tendencies caused her to make a bunch of costly mistakes.
Dropping her score to 19/30. I do hope this small hiccup doesn't discourage her from continuing on the way she has in the first week.
And I hope her fans dial their thumbs off tomorrow, because she deserves to stay. Along with Aaron and Mya, Kelly is one of the best dancers this season. Hang in there Kelly!.
Tony & Kathy poor Tony is not having much luck this season. The Quickstep dropped them to the bottom of the judges leader board with 18/30. They could be in danger of being booted off tomorrow.
Lacey & Mark also did a Quickstep with a slightly better total score of 21/30.
Apparently Mark slipped at one point during the dance, but he did a very good job of covering it, because I didn't even notice. Guess it's a good thing I'm not a judge *lol*.
I find Mark and Lacey highly entertaining, so I'm rooting for him to make it to next week.
Dmitry & Mya along with Aaron had the best Jive of the night, they also received the same score tying them for 1st place on the score board.
Also is it me or did Dmitry steal Mark Ballas's nerdy glasses from S6?. He did look very Clark Kent-like though so I forgive him.
Gotta say I'm impressed with the skills Mya has shown so far. If she continues to do well she could be breaking away from the rest, and putting herself at the top very early.
Cheryl & Tom I hate to admit it, but it was actually a decent looking Tango (well if you don't count him almost dropping Cheryl to the floor at the very end that is).
He does have a surprisingly strong hold and frame. But I hope his low score of 18/30 combined with the slip with Cheryl finally gets him off the show.
He's doing absolutely nothing for me, but on the bright side at least he didn't attempt anymore lame jokes this week.
Kym & Donny well played Donny, well played. You toned down your showmanship and turned out a somewhat youthful Jive.
Speaking of what's the deal with all the age cracks?. 51 is not old!. Look at Ellen. Anyhoo Donny got a score of 25/30 not too shabby.
With so many low scores it'll be interesting to see who gets kicked off (I'm hoping it's either one of the 2 I picked).
Derek & Joanna started the night off with an energetic Jive. I thought it was very well done, but compared to the Jives of season's past (such as Kristi Yamaguchi's in S6 for example) it kinda fell short.
I should also mention middle judge Len (or as I like to call him grumpy) was missing tonight (he's busy judging the original Dancing with the Stars in England) but will be back next week.
His replacement was pleasant, but I did not agree with his assesment of Derek's and Joanna's lack of relationship/coupleness in the dance.
I don't know what dance he was watching, but those 2 looked as couply as could be. They were given a score of 20/30. So not bad, but not outstanding.
Alec & Natalie were next with a Quickstep that again really didn't wow me. And unlike the Joanna/Derek number lacked chemistry.
The judges reminded her she needs to remember to breathe in between each move (instead of holding her breath as she's used to when swimming).
I would have to agree it made the whole performance look really stiff. I do hope she is given another chance though.
Because I still believe she could get better with more work. Surprisngly they scored one point higher then Joanna and Derek with 21/30.
Anna & Chuck I mentioned last week that I thought the guy had potential and he demonstrated just that tonight with a very agressive/scary Tango.
With this type of intensity I think he's gonna be perfect for the Paso Doble, so I really hope he sticks around for a while yet.
Btw. nice touch topping the dance off with the ripping of the shirt at the end, and showing off your six pack there Chuck.
The dance may have only earned a 19/20 from the judges, but it'll score you a few extra votes with the ladies.
Also count yourself very lucky that Len was away this week, or he might have docked a point for peck envy;).
Mark & Melissa Joan Heart I do love watching this man do the Jive.
Nice to see her finally relax a little bit, now if she works a little harder on the steps she may just turn into a contender. 19/20 seemed to be a popular score for the first half of the night.
Anna & Micheal kudos to both of them for a big improvement over last week.
This time he was given more content with the Quickstep and handled it quite well. Still not a fave of mine, but with a score of 20/30 perhaps all hope is not lost for him yet.
Maks & Debi another major improvement over last week, but still no likeability factor for me. Their tension filled training sessions certainly helped sell a very convincing Tango.
I don't see her going too far in the competition however. They earned a point higher then the couple before them.
Chelsie & Louie I like these 2 together both being the youngest in the show they have wonderful enthusiasm when dancing.
Unlike the judges I quite enjoyed their Jive, I thought it was fun and edgy. This guy definitely has a lot of promise. With 19/30 they are at the bottom of the leader board, but a point above one other couple.
I hope people vote for them, I enjoy his exuberance and would like to see more of it.
Karina & Aaron aka kermit the frog. With a Jive set to the theme from the Muppet Show (complete with a green attire and the muppets themselves) he's slowly becoming the man to beat. With 27/30 he also became a judge favourite.
I'm liking his confidence too, although if he isn't careful the judges will start expecting perfection everytime thus getting picky. Which as many contestants have found out in the past could dramatically lower your score.
Louis & Kelly didn't fair too well with their Tango. Unfortunetly the pressure of expectations and Kelly's own perfectionist tendencies caused her to make a bunch of costly mistakes.
Dropping her score to 19/30. I do hope this small hiccup doesn't discourage her from continuing on the way she has in the first week.
And I hope her fans dial their thumbs off tomorrow, because she deserves to stay. Along with Aaron and Mya, Kelly is one of the best dancers this season. Hang in there Kelly!.
Tony & Kathy poor Tony is not having much luck this season. The Quickstep dropped them to the bottom of the judges leader board with 18/30. They could be in danger of being booted off tomorrow.
Lacey & Mark also did a Quickstep with a slightly better total score of 21/30.
Apparently Mark slipped at one point during the dance, but he did a very good job of covering it, because I didn't even notice. Guess it's a good thing I'm not a judge *lol*.
I find Mark and Lacey highly entertaining, so I'm rooting for him to make it to next week.
Dmitry & Mya along with Aaron had the best Jive of the night, they also received the same score tying them for 1st place on the score board.
Also is it me or did Dmitry steal Mark Ballas's nerdy glasses from S6?. He did look very Clark Kent-like though so I forgive him.
Gotta say I'm impressed with the skills Mya has shown so far. If she continues to do well she could be breaking away from the rest, and putting herself at the top very early.
Cheryl & Tom I hate to admit it, but it was actually a decent looking Tango (well if you don't count him almost dropping Cheryl to the floor at the very end that is).
He does have a surprisingly strong hold and frame. But I hope his low score of 18/30 combined with the slip with Cheryl finally gets him off the show.
He's doing absolutely nothing for me, but on the bright side at least he didn't attempt anymore lame jokes this week.
Kym & Donny well played Donny, well played. You toned down your showmanship and turned out a somewhat youthful Jive.
Speaking of what's the deal with all the age cracks?. 51 is not old!. Look at Ellen. Anyhoo Donny got a score of 25/30 not too shabby.
With so many low scores it'll be interesting to see who gets kicked off (I'm hoping it's either one of the 2 I picked).
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
DWTS 9: Week 1 Women's Night Salsa & Viennese Waltz
Well, tonight it was the women's turn to shine. And some shone more brightly then others.
Debi Mazar (actress) & Maksim Chmerkovskiy to the untrained eye she seemed to do quite well with her Salsa, but the judges really weren't impressed.
At the moment I can't seem to find a likeable quality to this celeb. She's kinda blah, and the motor-mouth bit seems to really be getting on Maks's nerves.
I bet he's wishing he could have someone like Mel B. back again. I don't know whether the audience has warmed up to her enough either, I think she might be in danger of going home tomorrow.
Melissa Joan Heart (aka Sabrina the Teenage Witch) & Mark Ballas were next on the dance floor with the Viennese Waltz.
Which I've never been a fan of to be honest I don't find it exciting enough, but when done right it can be elegant.
Unfortunetly very few people get it right (as was the case with this group with the exception of one, but more on that later).
As for Melissa's chances I think she's very lucky to get Mark because he and Derek always have the best choreography routines, so with him to lead her and more time and training she could do well.
And unlike the first contestant she actually is quite likable.
Mya (music artist) & Dmitry Chaplin I have to say much better job on the Viennese Waltz then Melissa. It even got Len and Bruno into the first tiff of the season.
She's definitely got a lot of potential, we'll see how she does down the road (assuming she goes through tomorrow).
Kathy Ireland (supermodel) & Tony Dovolani I thought she did alright nothing exciting, but not tragic either. Showed some promise.
Usually how it goes with people who have no dance experience is they either improve and get really good as the show goes on, or they're a total disaster.
And it's too early for me to determine exactly where Kathy fits in yet. We shall wait and see.
Natalie Coughlin (Olympic swimmer) & Alec Mazo The Salsa really didn't make an impression on me, but she didn't do too horribly either. Athletes have always done well on the show, so she could break out of the competition later on.
Macy Gray (music artist) & Johnathan Roberts eccentric is a good word to describe her, what a character!. I'm not sure how well she resonated with the audience, but they might want to keep her on for entertainment value alone.
Joanna Krupa (model) & Derek Hough Boy, Derek seems to have the magic touch when it comes to models doesn't he?. I always look forward to seeing what Derek has in store and he certainly didn't disappoint.
As Len said that was one hot Salsa! (about time too I kept waiting for one all night, but they all kept coming up short).
I have to say I was very impressed with Joanna, this might be very presumptuous of me but if she continues like this through out she could make it all the way to the end.
Kelly Osbourne & Louis Van Amstel This was the pairing I was most excited about and with good reason.
She really shed her tom-boy persona with a wonderfully graceful Viennese Waltz. By far the best one of the night. I'm rooting for her all the way besides Joanna, Kelly has the most potential to make it really far.
The Relay dances were fun. Cha Cha (Kelly, Mya, Melissa & Macy) vs. Foxtrot (Debi, Kathy, Joanna & Natalie) . I thought team Cha-Cha was much more entertaining.
As for who might be eliminated tomorrow, it's a tough call it could be Michael Irvin or Ashley Hamilton (though I really hope I'm wrong).
I would rather if Tom Delay was the first to go. As for the ladies it's between Kathy Ireland, Macy Gray and Debi Mazar.
Yes I know I didn't re-cap any of the judges scores I find them irrelevant at this point in the competition (I'll start doing them further down the line maybe in the 2nd or 3rd week).
But if you really want to you can check them out here.
Debi Mazar (actress) & Maksim Chmerkovskiy to the untrained eye she seemed to do quite well with her Salsa, but the judges really weren't impressed.
At the moment I can't seem to find a likeable quality to this celeb. She's kinda blah, and the motor-mouth bit seems to really be getting on Maks's nerves.
I bet he's wishing he could have someone like Mel B. back again. I don't know whether the audience has warmed up to her enough either, I think she might be in danger of going home tomorrow.
Melissa Joan Heart (aka Sabrina the Teenage Witch) & Mark Ballas were next on the dance floor with the Viennese Waltz.
Which I've never been a fan of to be honest I don't find it exciting enough, but when done right it can be elegant.
Unfortunetly very few people get it right (as was the case with this group with the exception of one, but more on that later).
As for Melissa's chances I think she's very lucky to get Mark because he and Derek always have the best choreography routines, so with him to lead her and more time and training she could do well.
And unlike the first contestant she actually is quite likable.
Mya (music artist) & Dmitry Chaplin I have to say much better job on the Viennese Waltz then Melissa. It even got Len and Bruno into the first tiff of the season.
She's definitely got a lot of potential, we'll see how she does down the road (assuming she goes through tomorrow).
Kathy Ireland (supermodel) & Tony Dovolani I thought she did alright nothing exciting, but not tragic either. Showed some promise.
Usually how it goes with people who have no dance experience is they either improve and get really good as the show goes on, or they're a total disaster.
And it's too early for me to determine exactly where Kathy fits in yet. We shall wait and see.
Natalie Coughlin (Olympic swimmer) & Alec Mazo The Salsa really didn't make an impression on me, but she didn't do too horribly either. Athletes have always done well on the show, so she could break out of the competition later on.
Macy Gray (music artist) & Johnathan Roberts eccentric is a good word to describe her, what a character!. I'm not sure how well she resonated with the audience, but they might want to keep her on for entertainment value alone.
Joanna Krupa (model) & Derek Hough Boy, Derek seems to have the magic touch when it comes to models doesn't he?. I always look forward to seeing what Derek has in store and he certainly didn't disappoint.
As Len said that was one hot Salsa! (about time too I kept waiting for one all night, but they all kept coming up short).
I have to say I was very impressed with Joanna, this might be very presumptuous of me but if she continues like this through out she could make it all the way to the end.
Kelly Osbourne & Louis Van Amstel This was the pairing I was most excited about and with good reason.
She really shed her tom-boy persona with a wonderfully graceful Viennese Waltz. By far the best one of the night. I'm rooting for her all the way besides Joanna, Kelly has the most potential to make it really far.
The Relay dances were fun. Cha Cha (Kelly, Mya, Melissa & Macy) vs. Foxtrot (Debi, Kathy, Joanna & Natalie) . I thought team Cha-Cha was much more entertaining.
As for who might be eliminated tomorrow, it's a tough call it could be Michael Irvin or Ashley Hamilton (though I really hope I'm wrong).
I would rather if Tom Delay was the first to go. As for the ladies it's between Kathy Ireland, Macy Gray and Debi Mazar.
Yes I know I didn't re-cap any of the judges scores I find them irrelevant at this point in the competition (I'll start doing them further down the line maybe in the 2nd or 3rd week).
But if you really want to you can check them out here.
Monday, September 21, 2009
DWTS 9: Week 1 Men's Night Foxtrot & Cha-Cha
Here we go with the brand new season of Dancing with the Stars. The guys were the first out of the gate, the girls are on tomorrow.
This year we've got 16 competitors instead of the usual 11 (I guess ABC decided it was time to finally take a page from the original British version Strictly Come Dancing).
I have to say when I first heard who the guys were I wasn't too excited. But after watching them dance I do have a few faves already.
At the moment Aaron Carter and Mark Dacascos are the real stand-outs for me.
Well, there's Donny Osmond as well, but I find that he sometimes goes a little over the top with the showmanship. Which detracts from the actual dancing itself.
In the second half of the show all the contestants faced off in a dance relay with the Salsa and Viennese Waltz.
Which was a first usually these types of things are done deep into the competition, so this was a bit surprising but fun nonetheless.
Chuck Liddell (UFC Fighter) & Anna Trebunskaya I thought the Foxtrot was weak, but there was definite potential in the relay Salsa number. With more practice he could go far.
Mark Dacascos (iron chef host/actor) & Lacey Schwimmer these two seem like a good match.
They have definite chemistry. I thought their Kung-Fu Cha-Cha was very inventive and highly entertaining (the costumes certainly helped).
I do agree with Len he does need to be careful not to go over the line too much between Kung-Fu and dance.
The guy has some major muscles which on a dance show could be a real plus (am I right ladies? ;). He's definitely another one with real potential.
Ashley Hamilton & Edyta Sliwinska this guy needs a lot of work, but could turn into a real contender if he sticks around.
He's got one thing going for him that his dad didn't, he's a lot more handsome. There's something about him I really like.
Might be that he's an underdog of sorts (the judges are not big fans of his thus far), or maybe part of me really wants to root for him after hearing his story. But either way I hope he gets more chances in the weeks to come.
Also can I have a yay! for Edyta not being stuck with another football player.
Seriously, who thinks Edyta finally put in a 'no football players' clause in her contract?.
On second thought she does have a talent when it comes to working with big bulky guys (a talent the new professional may not possess). More on that later.
Donny Osmond & Kym Johnson As I mentioned above his showmanship can be a bit much at times, and I didn't think his Foxtrot was all that.
But he did do an awesome job in the Salsa Relay. There are no worries in terms of him getting through since like his sister Marie, he's got a huge fan base.
Louie Vito (snow border) & Chelsie Hightower another unique pair. This guy is definitely not a dancer but could turn into one with more training. I think he'll be interesting to watch.
Michael Irvin (Former NHL Football player) & Anna Demidova nothing special with this guy, he looked slow and clunky on the dance floor (but the fact that he hardly had any content to work with could have something to do with it).
Why is it that the professionals are always afraid to give the footballers more to work with. Edyta Sliwinska has proven that many of them can dance. I'd say the new proffessional dancer has her work cut out for her.
Tom DeLay (politician) & Cheryl Burke even though I admit this guy did have moments of great potential I don't see him going very far.
In fact I think poor Cheryl got the short end of the stick this time (and no it has nothing to do with his age or lack of sex appeal).
Aaron Carter & Karina Smirnoff I've saved the best for last. Out of all the guys I think Aaron has the biggest chance at doing very well in the show.
He used to annoy the hell out of me as a little kid, but has grown on me in recent years. He's definitely got the most talent. I think he'll be a lot of fun to watch.
Looking forward to seeing what the ladies have in store.
This year we've got 16 competitors instead of the usual 11 (I guess ABC decided it was time to finally take a page from the original British version Strictly Come Dancing).
I have to say when I first heard who the guys were I wasn't too excited. But after watching them dance I do have a few faves already.
At the moment Aaron Carter and Mark Dacascos are the real stand-outs for me.
Well, there's Donny Osmond as well, but I find that he sometimes goes a little over the top with the showmanship. Which detracts from the actual dancing itself.
In the second half of the show all the contestants faced off in a dance relay with the Salsa and Viennese Waltz.
Which was a first usually these types of things are done deep into the competition, so this was a bit surprising but fun nonetheless.
Chuck Liddell (UFC Fighter) & Anna Trebunskaya I thought the Foxtrot was weak, but there was definite potential in the relay Salsa number. With more practice he could go far.
Mark Dacascos (iron chef host/actor) & Lacey Schwimmer these two seem like a good match.
They have definite chemistry. I thought their Kung-Fu Cha-Cha was very inventive and highly entertaining (the costumes certainly helped).
I do agree with Len he does need to be careful not to go over the line too much between Kung-Fu and dance.
The guy has some major muscles which on a dance show could be a real plus (am I right ladies? ;). He's definitely another one with real potential.
Ashley Hamilton & Edyta Sliwinska this guy needs a lot of work, but could turn into a real contender if he sticks around.
He's got one thing going for him that his dad didn't, he's a lot more handsome. There's something about him I really like.
Might be that he's an underdog of sorts (the judges are not big fans of his thus far), or maybe part of me really wants to root for him after hearing his story. But either way I hope he gets more chances in the weeks to come.
Also can I have a yay! for Edyta not being stuck with another football player.
Seriously, who thinks Edyta finally put in a 'no football players' clause in her contract?.
On second thought she does have a talent when it comes to working with big bulky guys (a talent the new professional may not possess). More on that later.
Donny Osmond & Kym Johnson As I mentioned above his showmanship can be a bit much at times, and I didn't think his Foxtrot was all that.
But he did do an awesome job in the Salsa Relay. There are no worries in terms of him getting through since like his sister Marie, he's got a huge fan base.
Louie Vito (snow border) & Chelsie Hightower another unique pair. This guy is definitely not a dancer but could turn into one with more training. I think he'll be interesting to watch.
Michael Irvin (Former NHL Football player) & Anna Demidova nothing special with this guy, he looked slow and clunky on the dance floor (but the fact that he hardly had any content to work with could have something to do with it).
Why is it that the professionals are always afraid to give the footballers more to work with. Edyta Sliwinska has proven that many of them can dance. I'd say the new proffessional dancer has her work cut out for her.
Tom DeLay (politician) & Cheryl Burke even though I admit this guy did have moments of great potential I don't see him going very far.
In fact I think poor Cheryl got the short end of the stick this time (and no it has nothing to do with his age or lack of sex appeal).
Aaron Carter & Karina Smirnoff I've saved the best for last. Out of all the guys I think Aaron has the biggest chance at doing very well in the show.
He used to annoy the hell out of me as a little kid, but has grown on me in recent years. He's definitely got the most talent. I think he'll be a lot of fun to watch.
Looking forward to seeing what the ladies have in store.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Dancing with the Stars Season 9 celeb line-up
For the show’s ninth season, the program will start off with a whopping 16 celebrities. This means viewers will see three double-eliminations in the first few weeks.
As usual, ABC has roped in a handful of athletes, some reality stars, a few models and a number of D-listers. But unlike previous rounds, DWTS will now also feature it’s first disgraced politician.
Men
Ladies Dancing with the Stars 9 premieres on Monday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. on ABC. Source: TV Envy Yet another interesting mix. Should be a lot of fun to watch. Here's hoping none of them pull out with injuries before the competition even starts as was the case last season.
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