My apologies for the delayed absence – I just returned from spending a week on Lake Ozark with 70 friends and strangers. 
I had a wonderful time, even though the weather was terrible (40 degrees and rainy one day, 85 and humid two days later?)
Since returning, I’ve caught a cold. Wonderful! Couldn’t be better timing.
How’s everyone else doing? Anyone else have an insanely busy May?
2 comWell, I was right about last week – Aiden and Edyta’s time was up. Poor girl, she must have a curse – she’s been on the show every season and still hasn’t won.
This week is movie night – as if we needed another “special” week. Whatever happened to the group dance? I always thought that was fun!
Niecy & Louis: Jive
She’s feeling a little defensive after being called “boring” and wants to shake her…jiggly bits. *ahem* And she definitely does just that in her dance. Niecy has a hard time keeping up with Louis and gets off with her footing a couple of times. She’s also not quite as sharp as she could be. The dance is cute and fun, ending with the worlds largest lipstick mark on Len’s forehead! Score: 18
Chad & Cheryl: Quickstep
Last week was Chad’s breakthrough week, but Cheryl is getting frustrated that he isn’t making progress under all of the pressure. Girl is a competitor! They’re dancing to Bare Necessities and are decked out in animal prints – cute! His posture is much improved, but the hold isn’t consistent. The dance is cute, but he’s sorta flat footed and doesn’t seem as smooth as usual. Plus, he’s too far away from Cheryl, so he feels really disconnected from her. Bruno calls his frame “terrible” but liked his energy. Carrie Ann comments on the lack of body contact, and calls it uneven. Len, for once, likes it! Score: 18
Erin & Maks: Jive
This week is “maks is the boss” week – and their arguments are hilarious. She hits him with a shoe, he throws a tantrum. We need more Maks on this show! Their doing a Pulp Fiction inspired dance, which for the first 45 seconds Maks spends reading a menu. But then pace picks up and the dance is on! Her kicks and flicks are great and she’s definitely keeping up. There was some tough choreography and the music is fast, but Erin copes just fine. Bruno says she has the Uma magic (?), Carrie Ann thinks she got ahead of the beat, and Len…well, he said something too. Brooke digs around for the dirty details about their showmance, but Erin quips about wanting a ring just like Cheryl’s. Score: 22
Jake & Chelsie: Cha cha
Last week, Jake had a few slip ups and was pretty messy, so he’s trying to work on technique. Jake tries to channel some Tom Cruise in preparation for their Risky Business dance by showing up with no shirt…and later, we see him int he get up with just undies! Ha! Thankfully, he puts some pants on. Their cha cha isn’t really much of one – but when they do actually dance, he keeps up and definitely has the hip action on. A couple of times his steps seem a bit off, but there’s not as many mistakes as he’s made in the past. Jake is totally giving it his all and completely willing to make a fool of himself, and it works – the dance is a lot of fun to watch. Bruno calls him a “cheeky bugger”, Len notices his mistake, but Carrie Ann loves the dance. Score: 23
Pamela & Damien: Quickstep
Pamela is slowly getting better each week. So let’s hope she keeps going this week. She’s channeling Dolly Parton with 9-5, and while the beginning is cute, there’s not much dancing, which means Len won’t like it. Once they start dancing, it’s a tad slow and her feet are kinda shuffling around the dance floor. They dance over the table and chairs, which is fun, but the routine lacks any kind of pizazz. Bruno likes her posture and characterization, Carrie Ann wants to see her on Broadway, and of course, Len hates the beginning. Score: 21
Kate & Tony: Foxtrot
Kate is yawning through practice, and it seems like Tony is just dragging her through rehearsal. She really lacks any kind of motivation or energy. They are dancing to a song from the Breakfest Club, and her dress is definitely channeling 80s frou-frou. Her steps are quite tentative, and her facial expressions are odd. She looks like she’s in a complete daze trying to remember the steps at several points. Honestly, she doesn’t even look like she’s dancing, more like she’s walking around. Carrie Ann compares her to the Charlie Brown muffled voices, which is actually a perfect comparison. Len doesn’t like her walking around, and Bruno feels she’s regressed. Poor Kate. Can we put Tony out of his misery, please! Score: 15
Nicole & Derek: Tango
Nicole wants to have fun this week after getting nervous during last weeks Rumba. They head to Beverly Hills to get in to character for Pretty Woman, which apparently Nicole can relate to. Their tango is sharp and saucy. She’s got the high kicks and the intricate footwork, plus a little bit of fun in the choreography. They end with a fancy kick thing that looks weird, but overall, it’s by far the best dance of the night, and the audience rewards them with a standing ovation. Len calls it the best dance of the season, Bruno get’s REALLY excited and calls it perfection, Carrie Ann calls them “super-stahs”. Score: 29
Evan & Ana: Rumba
After being on top of the judges leader board for 2 weeks, Evan’s got his work cut out for him this week with the lyrical and sensual Rumba. Plus, he’s got Stars on Ice to perform at as well. In their dance, he’s totally got the hips right and looks amazingly lyrical. Overall, he looks great doing this dance, but they’re lacking a bit of the connection to each other. Bruno likes his fluidity, Carrie Ann calls it tender and beautiful, Len loves the musicality. Score: 27
Best Line: On behalf of all the thick girls out there, y’all need to vote for me because I’m tired and starving! – Niecy
Costume Contest: Nicole wins with her Pretty Woman insp
Kinda feel like the judges were a little stiff this week with their scoring. I think Erin & Maks deserved more, and the Nicole was over scored.
Well, the results show already aired – looks like Kate’s time is up. At last! Were you as happy to see her go as me, or were you hoping she could tough it out on behalf of moms everywhere?
Well, last week we said goodbye to Shannen and Mark. I was pretty surprised, especially since her jive was pretty good. Maybe this week the right person will go home – Kate or Buzz. :-p
On with the competition, though. This week, each couple is supposed to “tell a story” without gimmicks or props. This should be interesting. I’m not sure why we get the pro dance at the beginning, but it’s nice to see Jonathan, Lacey, Dmitry, and Anna and a few other pros return for this dance.
Evan & Anna: Quickstep
They’re dancing to All that Jazz from Chicago, which is appropriate since Evan is from Chicago. At times their hold is a bit spacious and his footwork was a little sloppy, but overall, it’s a fun and flirty dance. They get a solid 26.
Buzz & Ashley: Waltz
Their story is about a soldier coming back from war to meet his daughter, and he’s all in uniform. Man, how adorable is this, even if he is still pretty stiff and over thinking every step and she’s mostly twirly around him. They get a standing ovation, if for nothing else than this dance is completely charming. But the judges are pretty straightforward in acknowledging that while Buzz is quite regal, he’s still not really dancing much. They get a 13.
Jake & Chelsea: Quickstep
They have a little spat in rehearsal, but they’re dancing the quickstep, so they have to get to work. It’s a pretty fun and unique dance and Jake seems to be playing the part pretty well. Carrie Ann mention his legs are a bit soft, and Len gives him further critique. Overall, the judges agree that they really like the dance but that Jake needs to work on his technique. Backstage, they definitely an awkward moment with Brooke, but they get a solid 21.
Niecy & Louis: Waltz
They’re doing a cross-racial love story from the 60s, which hits home for both of them. Their dance is quite tender and well-acted. Once they actually get to the waltz part though, she looks a little uneasy on her feet, but it comes together with a beautiful spin near the end. Honestly though, I was a little bothered by the preachiness of their whole “everyone should marry” thing after their dance was finished, because it seemed like they were no longer talking about the actual story they were trying to tell. They get a well-deserved 21 out of 30.
Chad & Cheryl: Paso Doble
Chad is supposed to pursue her, but Cheryl wants none of it. Their dance isn’t quite as amazing as some Cheryl’s previous paso’s, but this is a HUGE improvement from last week. He’s aggressive and intense, though at times a bit mechanical in his steps. The judges love the improvement he’s made and they get a 20.
Pamela & Damien: Paso Doble
Apparently Pamela is an animal activist and is channeling that into the dance as she falls in love with a bull-fighter (Damien) who is stands for everything she is against. Their dance is passionate and effortless, though there’s kind of an odd interlude in the middle with more standing than dancing. She can definitely dance well and I think Damien can give her more to work with. She get’s a solid 21, landing her in the middle of the pack.
Aiden & Edyta: Quickstep
Last week Aiden got a little sea sick (pixelated barf!) after his dance. Weird, no? This week, they’ve got the quickstep and he’s having a tough time keeping up. You’d think for a buff guy like him this would be no problem, but he is seriously huffing and puffing in rehearsal. Their story is Aiden’s dream girl coming to life from a painting. He looks pretty good, though his feet are a bit clunky and his facial expressions are a bit odd for this dance. Edyta throws in her signature lunge/dip-kick for the ending. Honestly, I find her dances rather predictable because she tends to recycle the same 10 moves. They get a 20 out of 30.
Erin & Max: Waltz
She needs to learn how to trust Max, so she’s going to dance blindfolded this week. I’m pretty amazed at how good her movement is when she’s blindfolded – she looks beautiful. Her hold is still a bit tense, but she looks great overall. Len gets his undies in a bundle about them not dancing enough, but honestly, I think he’s the one that’s blind! Get with it, Len! Carrie Ann and Bruno both give her a bit of constructive feedback – at least they give her something to work on. They get a 23 out of 30.
Kate & Tony: Paso Doble
I never watched Jon & Kate Plus 8, but you’d think from what I’ve read that it wouldn’t be hard for her to get angry. The punching bag works…but maybe she should just visualize her ex? Either way, none of it is working and we still have the same awkward stone-faced Kate. It wouldn’t be so terrible if she was actually enjoying herself like Cloris Leachmen or Billy Ray Cyrus – they both got terrible scores in their seasons but were at least mildly entertaining). I think it’s also difficult to watch because the song is soooooo slow, and she’s kind of stomping around the dance floor flat-footed and pained. The judges are right – it was pedestrian and strange. They get a 15 out of 30.
Nicole & Derek: Quickstep
Nicole is fast becoming one of the best dancers this season, and you can tell. Their dance is cute and fun, but not a traditional quickstep. I think it would fit better as a freestyle considering how many times they broke hold and then the lift in the middle as well. It’s such a fun and creative dance, so it’s a shame that they can’t get credit for that. They get a 23 which means they’ve lost their lead for the week.
Best Costume
Erin again tops my list for beautiful gowns in her gray sparkly dress. Very elegant.
Line of the Night
You look like the super-b**** from hell! – Bruno, to Kate (and this was a compliment!)
Overall, it was a fun night of storytelling, but I wasn’t overly impressed by anyone. Choreography was lacking, and then you had the whole fiasco with Nicole & Derek. I’m not sure who will go home this week, but I’m secretly hoping it’s Kate.
I watched the first half of last nights DWTS, but the second half of the episode is on delay because of technical issues on Hulu’s website. Bummer. Sorry folks.
To tie you over, here’s a few pics from last weeks episode.
