Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Dancing With the Stars 8: And The Winner Is ...

Hey Y'all! Welcome back! This is the Final Results show for Dancing With the Stars 8 and tonight one of the three remaining couples will take home the Mirror Ball Trophy. Each couple danced once more for the judges and a winner named. That was about 15-20 minutes out of this 2 hour show. That means, yes, you guessed it ... more filler.

Just Dance was sung first by Lady GaGa. I've never heard of this chick, but she's awfully weird looking. Oh, I like this song, didn't know who sang it. You have to see her to believe it. She's just looking bizarre. Her costume has one leg, she has bleached blond hair or wig, short in front, long in back and a variation of the Kiss makeup on her face, it looks like.

If you missed last night's show, or the replay earlier, you can read my recap here. There was only a two point difference in the judges score from last night between all three couples. Tonight's dances were judged, but the viewer votes still count for 50%. Gilles and Melissa both chose dances that they already scored 30 on and Shawn chose a dance that she got a 28 on.

They did a recap on the first three weeks and the first three couples eliminated danced. Belinda/Jonathan did a Salsa, Denise/Maks did the Quickstep, and Holly/Dmitry danced a Samba. Tom announced that Samantha will be starring as Roxi Hart in Chicago on Broadway this summer. That surprised me. Didn't think she had it in her ...

The Woz/Karina were back doing the Quickstep. He's been practicing, lol. More recaps followed ... sigh. David/Kym followed with their Viennese Waltz. After his behavior and interviews when he got bounced, I'm surprised they invited him back. Steve-O/Lacey came next with their Foxtrot. He didn't fall on the step this time, aww. He looked good. Samantha called DAG on his interviews and asked about his experience and he kissed up to the judges. Hmm ...

After a recap of the Pick A Pro competition, Anna was announced as the winner, and guaranteed new pro. She then did an encore of her Quickstep with Maks. Loved it again. They look great together.

LT/Edyta re-danced their Jive. They showed Warren Sapp in the crowd cracking up, it was so funny. Chuck/Julianne did their Samba and yes, he wore his red satin pajamas .

Jeffery Ross was back with another roast. He wasn't funny last season, I don't know why they brought him back. He described the judges as Smokin', croakin' and flamin'. That was the only funny thing he said. He called the finalists The Underaged, The Un Wed, and the Unpronounceable. Like I said, he wasn't funny.

Then they recapped the end of the season. Lil Kim/Derek repeated their Jive with Derek trying to steal the trophy to Jailhouse Rock. And last, but not least, Ty/Chelsie did their Lindy Hop.

Finally, our three finalists were introduced. First up with the final dance is Shawn/Mark doing a Cha Cha. It actually looked like she enjoyed it more this time around. It was really cute, kept a smile on my face. Len said that, like an athlete, the longer Shawn went, the better she got. His problem in the past was her lack of performance, but tonight she brought it. Bruno said she was great. Carrie Ann said that in the last three weeks she's powered her way to the top and she belongs here. Scores: Three 10's for a perfect 30, and a three dance total of 88/90

Melissa/Tony went second with their Samba. Loved their Samba Roll. This was really one of my favorite dances, in part cuz I loved how it fit the music. Ha! At the end Tony kissed Bruno. Bruno said that it was more appetizing the second serving and said that she had a body made for dancing. Carrie Ann called her a muse of dance. Said she brought out the best in Tony. Len said that she had a presence. She mixed style, elegance with performance. Scores: Three 10's for 30 and three dance total of 86/90

Lastly, Gilles/Cheryl reprised their Argentine Tango. This was better than last time. They put a lift in there that I don't remember seeing the first time. Their hooks were clean and the passion was hot. Loved it. Carrie Ann said that he's a very special performer, brings a special artistry. Len said that they were the couple that brought him the most pleasure this season. Took him back 50 yrs with that tango. Bruno called it an Argentine Triumph ... A star is born ... and some other stuff that only Bruno could say. Scores: Three 10's for 30, three dance total of 88/90.

Judges leaderboard looks the same as last night:
Shawn/Mark - 88/90
Gilles/Cheryl - 88/90
Melissa/Tony - 86/90


Love Game performed by Lady GaGa. Now she has on this hot pink number, with a different blonde wig and better makeup. But she had a cane type thing with a mesh bathroom puff on the end. Strange woman. This song is weird, too. She wants to take a ride on your disco stick. Yeah, uh huh.

An hour and fifty minutes into the show and there is a commercial. We still had no clue who would win this thing. The third place couple was announced and it was Melissa/Tony. We just had a commercial and now they are sending us back to another one not 2 minutes later. Sheesh, finally. Tom said that there was less than 1% difference between 1st and 2nd place. The winners of Dancing With the Stars 8 are Shawn and Mark! Mark looks even more shocked than he did last year. Derek did his repeat of lifting Mark on his shoulder and Chuck finally lifted Shawn. On their way out the door, Tom said that they'd be back in September with Dancing With the Stars 9. So I'll catch y'all then.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Dancing With the Stars 8: The Finals

Hey y'all! Welcome back to the first part of the finale of Dancing With the Stars 8. We're down to the three best dancers, how will they do tonight in the Paso Face-Off and their Freestyles? The Freestyle has been known to make and break this thing wide open. After tonight's two performances, the viewers will vote. Tomorrow night they get another set of judges scores. Last year I thought there was an elimination before that last dance, but the way that Tom was talking, I'm not sure.

I'm quite excited. I was so looking forward to this Paso face-off. All three couples are capable of some seriously hot dancing. Melissa was in an Edyta-type costume, Shawn looked cute, but I like Cheryl's costume the least. It is white with orange and red flowery pattern, instead of the black/red or black/white combo. This week each judge visited individual competitors to give them tips. Bruno went to work with Shawn, Carrie Ann with Melissa and Len with Gilles. Bruno seemed to give Shawn some really good tips to help her paso pop. Carrie Ann surprised me and really helped Melissa with her aggression. Len also surprised me. He took off his suit coat and got down and dirty with Gilles to pull out the best in him.

They are doing the Paso to So What? I'm Still a Rock Star ... which seems like an odd song, but it seemed to work okay. It was a little distracting at times, though. Each couple takes a turn at a solo part and they come together at the end. Shawn/Mark were up first and they were really good. Shawn left it out there. She's come such a long way. Melissa and Tony were up next and they were good, too. They were much better than last time. Gilles/Cheryl brought up the rear and I think I liked it the least. I think it's because he seemed to me to be stiffer than the two pros. He had the disadvantage of being the only guy and following Tony and Mark. Don't get me wrong, all three Paso's were really good, and they are definitely all deserving of being here. Len told Shawn that this Paso was much better, he noticed one mistake in Melissa's but better than last time, and he told Gilles that this one was not hectic like he complained about last time. Bruno said each one was splendid. I don't know what else he went on about. He really complimented Melissa with her confidence and called Gilles a leading man. Carrie Ann said that all three were incredible dancers. She said that there wasn't as much of an emotional attachment with Shawn, but she did a great job and complimented the other two.

The scores were as follows:
Shawn/Mark - Two 9's and a from Bruno for 28/30
Melissa/Tony - Two 10's and a 9 from Len for 29/30
Gilles/Cheryl - Three 10's for a perfect 30/30

First up in the Freestyle is Shawn/Mark. Shawn said that they were not going to use excessive gymnastics because last time they got marked down. Apolo Anton Ono visited their practice to give her a pep talk. They are dressed in all black leather, including hoods and white sparkly masks and white gloves. I'm not liking the costumes. They soon stripped off the hoodies and pants and Mark revealed what is becoming his trademark look with the too short sparkly pants, bow tie and jacket. They both had on sparkly Chuck Taylors and she had on suspenders and lime green top to match his lime green sparkly jacket. It was such a cute, fun dance! A nice mix of dance and tricks. I loved that. Bruno said that they were going for the gold, and it was an explosive performance. Marvelous. Carrie Ann said it was youthful, energetic. Len loved the fun, speed, precision. He loved it. Scores: Three 10's for 30

Melissa/Tony are up next. Tony was disappointed the last time he was in the finals, and he's determined to leave everything on the dance floor this time. They are both in all black, he in a muscle shirt and she in sparkly bikini type top. Too much awkward looking hip hop and tricks for me and it didn't jive. It looked like she choreographed this instead of him, using her DCC background. A couple of the lifts were neat, but meh ... I was disappointed. Carrie Ann loved her new attitude, but thought the choreography was disjointed. Len said that she showed her versatility, but it was not his cup of tea. They went for the cheerleader/hip hop instead of the ballet, elegant type dance. Bruno also thought it was disjointed, not as perfect. The dance didn't flow from move to move, but from trick to trick. Scores: Three 9's for 27

The final Freestyle belongs to Gilles/Cheryl. They got the pimp spot, but did they do it proud? He had to call in a pain management specialist for his shoulder because of the lifts and tricks. He's very nervous. Another dance starting on a chair, but this one a la Flashdance. She choreographed a seriously sexy dance, one full of lifts. I was actually laughing at parts of it because it was so corny, though. Len said that it was slick, he loved the slow sexy part. Proved he's a real dancer. Bruno said great performance, but he wanted a bit more actual dancing. Carrie Ann found it an odd choice. Flashdance was for showcasing the female. She expected to see a whole lot more. I have to agree. Scores: Two 9's and a 10 from Len for 28.

The final leaderboard looks like this:
Shawn/Mark 28+30 for 58/60
Cheryl/Gilles 30+28 for 58/60
Melissa/Tony 29+27 for 56/60

What did you think of the night? I thought Shawn totally took the night, especially the Freestyle. I loved the Paso from all three couples, but felt really let down for the Freestyles. I felt robbed, especially by Melissa/Tony. I am a big Gilles fan, but based on tonight, Shawn wins it for me. Who will take the Mirror Ball Trophy as the winner of Dancing With the Stars 8? Comment below or drop me a line at ladytex@tvfunspot.com


Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Dancing With the Stars 8: Week 10 Results Show - Finalists Revealed

Hey y'all, welcome back. Tonight was the Dancing With the Stars 8 Week 10 results show. In addition to another couple being eliminated, Raphael Saadiq sang, the Design A Dance winner was revealed, and our Pick A Pro competition continued. Last night Tom gave a little spoiler when he introduced Maks and Kym in the crowd and said that they would be performing with our two remaining prospective pros. Since Mayo was the only male remaining, the fact that Kym was participating spoiled his selection. Who would join him in the finals, Anna or Afton? The most important question of the night, however, was whether or not Ty's 'Army' would once again save him from elimination.

Tonight's show began with said Rafael Saadiq. He seems like some kind of 60's Motown throwback act. He brought his own dancers, which I always hate, and I wasn't impressed by them at all. Our dancers would have done him proud. This performance was kind of bizarre. I like the music, I grew up with 60's Motown, but the performance was different. The recap followed, if you missed it, read about it here.

They picked Shawn/Mark's Argentine Tango for the encore performance tonight. I enjoyed it more tonight than I did last night to be honest. Then for some reason they thought we'd care what Helio, Brooke Burke, and Drew Lachey thought about this year's final 4. I don't, so I'm not recapping it.

Wow, Afton was eliminated from Pick a Pro. This week, the prospective pros had to choreograph two dances, one latin and one ballroom, and they'd be partnered with one of our pros. Mayo was partnered with Kym, and Anna with Maks. Mayo/Kym were first with a Tango. That was a very sharp tango ... but the music seemed to de-evolve to Lawrence Welk music. Len was very happy with it, Bruno thought it was beautiful and Carrie Ann said that she was very impressed with his choreography, but she wanted to see more of his personality. Watching Anna with Maks in practice was interesting. She handled him well. Anna/Maks did the Quick Step for the ballroom round. Wow, their feet were flying across that dance floor. They looked really good together. I had a smile on my face all the way through that routine, it was fun. Bruno called it magnificent, Carrie Ann payed her a compliment by saying that she may have outshined Maks tonight, and Len waxed effusive, saying she brought the best out in Maurice last week and in Maks this week.

Rebecca Farmer was introduced as the winning costume designer for Design a Dance and the winning dancers were Derek, Julianne, Mark and Lacey. They did the Quick Step to 'It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing'. The dresses were pretty until they took the bottoms off, could have done without that. I'm kind of bummed that Julianne and Derek were chosen again, though. No wonder that there are rumors that the three of them, I'm including Mark, are talking about not being on the show next season as a ploy to get more money. They obviously think that they are the total shiznits, and with good reason it seems. They're good, without a doubt, but none of them are my favorites. Oh well.

Next was the latin round for Pick a Pro. Mayo/Kym did a Cha Cha to 'Shake Your Groove Thing'. This looked like a dance from Saturday Night Fever more than a Cha Cha. I didn't get into that one. Carrie Ann said that Mayo was a wonderful dancer, but wonders if he's versatile enough for the show. Len said that he's a great choreographer, but said the Tango was far superior. Bruno said that Mayo is better in ballroom, but he has to be careful. He'd have done a proper cha cha, instead of disco. Anna/Maks did a Samba for her entry. This dance was sharp as heck. I loved it! Anna blew Mayo out of the water today, I'm thinking. Len said that from week 1 until tonight she's brought it. He predicted a win for her, and that if she's not back next season he'll show his bum in the supermarket. Bruno said that she was a stunner in both ballroom and latin. Carrie Ann said that she wants to see more of her, wants to see her come back.

After a shameless plug for The Bachelorette and introduction of Chris Harrison, they finally got to the elimination at :52 after the hour. The first two couples guaranteed a spot on the Season Finale are Gilles/Cheryl and Shawn/Mark. Before they put us out of our misery, they showed a commercial for Land of the Lost movie, among other things. How many people here remember the Saturday morning show? The movie looks silly, though. Back at :59 after, Samantha made a point of telling us that the 2nd couple in the last two is not necessarily in the bottom 2. Still wasting time by talking to the judges about the two couples remaining, but ran out of time so Carrie Ann didn't get to talk at all. On this tenth week of competition, Ty/Chelsie were eliminated. Good grief, the band sunk to a new low by playing the 'na-na-na goodbye' song for their final dance.

So our final three couples are Gilles/Cheryl, Shawn/Mark and Melissa/Tony. This thing is up for grabs, I'm thinking. Any one of these could win the jeweled ball. That's the way it should be, though. We'll also find out next week, which new pro will be joining the next season. So what do you think? Did the fans get it right? What do you expect for next week on Dancing With the Stars 8? Cheryl's freestyles have been awesome in the past, so I'm expecting big things from her. Comment below or drop me a line at ladytex@tvfunspot.com

Monday, May 11, 2009

Dancing With the Stars 8: It's the Semi-Finals and Lil Kim is Living in Gilles Pants

Hey y'all! It's week 10 of Dancing With the Stars 8 and, as last week showed, this is anyone's ballgame. I don't even know if tonight is necessary. It seems that the fans are gonna vote for whoever they fancy regardless of what they do on the dance floor. I'll try to curb my cynicism as I recap what happens. Tonight's show opened with three couples, Julianne, Dmitry, Karina, someone that looks like Chelsie, Louis, and Alec dancing a medley of dances to 'Should I Stay or Should I Go?'. Very cute and entertaining number. I wish Tom would introduce the dancers and not just the choreographer. Tonight is the semi-finals and our semifinalists were then introduced. Four couples, eight dances and two hours ... that means a lot of filler.

Before they danced, we looked back at the couple's breakthrough latin and ballroom dances. Up first was Melissa and Tony. We got to see basically the whole of their week three Foxtrot and their week nine Samba as they talked us through it. Then they were interviewed by Samantha and Tom. Gilles and Cheryl also picked their Foxtrot from week nine to review and critique and also their week five Paso Doble. Tom asked Gilles about Cheryl's 'crankiness' in their dance instruction and Gilles told him that that was the way he learned. Shawn and Mark chose the Week nine Quick Step and the week nine Paso Doble. Ty and Chelsie picked the week two Quick Step and the week four Lindy Hop. Hmm, I didn't know the Lindy Hop was a latin dance until tonight. Why couldn't this show be 90 minutes this week and skip this part?

Thirty minutes into the show, we finally get to the ballroom round. Melissa/Tony and their Quick Step were first. I wasn't crazy about the pattern of her dress, but they did look very classy in black and white. Their final swing move was very impressive. This dance was very nice. Len thought it had great musicality and her feet were much improved. Gorgeous. Bruno thought it was very good, but it wasn't as crispy and exhilarating as it should have been. Carrie Ann agreed with Bruno that it was very nice and pretty, but she didn't feel the connection. Backstage, Samantha tried to create drama with a stupid question about how they felt when they wanted to repeat last week but had to take the criticism from the judges that they just did. They sidestepped her very well. Scores: Two 9's and a 10 from Len for 28/30.

Gilles/Cheryl got the Waltz for the ballroom round. Cheryl brought Jonathan Roberts in to help Gilles with his sophistication, frame and polish. Her dress was a beautiful white frothy number. This dance was so beautiful and elegant. He was going for sophisticated, but I still saw a broody latin lover. He just can't tone down the sexiness. His carriage looked better and I did see some rise and fall in his movement. Bruno said that that was the way to start his way into the finals. Unbelievable, beautiful, then he went off on one of his ramblings. Carrie Ann said that this dance was breathtaking, complimented Cheryl on choreography and Len said that he was giving them a sitting down standing ovation. Scores: Three 10's for 30/30, their first since week four.

Shawn/Mark performed the Argentine Tango. Okay, the beginning reminded me of their Paso with their characterizations. I didn't like Shawn's costume, it wasn't flattering, but the dance was very cool. Their first lift was wonderful and their hooks look really good. In fact, I loved all of their lifts. Carrie Ann said that she worried that Shawn wouldn't be able to deliver the emotion required, but she didn't need to worry because they delivered. Len said that they showed the maturity and intensity. Honestly their best performance. Bruno called her Catherine Zita Shawn. He was very complimentary. Scores: Three 10's for 30/30, their first of the competition.

Wrapping up the ballroom round was Ty/Chelsie performing the Viennese Waltz. In their practice video, they concentrated on showing Ty's personality as a justification for their being here. Chelsie looked beautiful dancing, even though I really didn't like that white top and belt with that aqua dress. Ty's frame was about perfect, as usual, and they looked very nice. I saw a bobble almost at the end, but I enjoyed the dance very much. Len complimented Ty on his hard work and mentioned the issues of the dance, but overall thought it was fabulous. Bruno wasn't nearly as complimentary (which means that Ty will make the finals because he was mean) and Carrie Ann mentioned how he can generate support, but it was not his best dance and there were some wobbles. The judges really had a three way spat over the comments with Len playing defender. Well the judges once again probably helped mobilize Ty's 'Army' ... sigh. Scores: Two 8's and a 9 for 25/30.

After the ballroom round, the leaderboard looks like this:
Gilles/Cheryl - 30/30
Shawn/Mark - 30/30
Melissa/Tony - 28/30
Ty/Chelsie - 25/30

Before the latin round, we saw hometown background filler on each competitor. I'm not gonna recap that and hopefully it will be over soon. For Melissa they focused on her prior dance experience, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and The Bachelor. Yes, I rolled my eyes when they blathered on about The Bachelor fiasco.

Melissa/Tony did a very cool looking Cha Cha. She did not forget what she learned about shaking her hips and her boobies, though, lol. That last swing was awesome. I loved this dance. Bruno said that at times it was fabulous, but not all the way through. They didn't sustain te energy throughout the entire dance. Carrie Ann thanked her for listening and acting on criticism. The connection was there, but there were some footwork issues. Len liked it, but not as much as he wanted to. At times, it was lackluster. Scores: Three 9's for 27/30 and a 55/60 for the night.

Next we visited Cannes, France to do the background for Gilles. They focused on him getting his work ethic from his dad, then touched on his modeling background to earn money for his family. Gilles/ Cheryl got the Salsa, and dang that man can move his hips. I loved their orchid costumes and their dance. I had a smile on my face all the way through. Carrie Ann gave them a standing ovation with her little fly girl move. Gilles Marini at his best, she said. Len said that he was almost speechless, he wishes he had an 11 paddle. Bruno said that Lil Kim was alive and well and living in Gilles pants. Um, I'm speechless on that one. Both Bruno and Carrie Ann said that he deserved to be in the Finale. Scores: Three 10's for another 30/30 and 60/60 for the night.

Off to Iowa to do the background on Shawn. Of course the focus is on her gymnastics and how it's shaped her. Shawn/Mark's second dance tonight was the Jive. It was adorable, and Mark had on what's becoming his trademark, too short pants, with shiny socks. I smiled all the way through. It was such a fun dance to watch. Len began by complimenting the house band, and thought the dance was fun, but there was too much messing about dancing, not enough jive. Bruno sid he likes it when she goes wild. He saw a lot of Lindy Hop in the Jive though. Carrie Ann said that it seemed like they lost a little steam towards the end, but she liked it. Scores: Two 9's and a 8 from Len for a 26/30 and a total of 56/60. Wow, I definitely didn't see that 8 coming. And I really disagree with her getting an 8 when they gave Ty an 8.

Back to Texas, this time for the background on Ty. In comparison to the glamour and glitz we saw with Melissa, we saw the rodeo this time. Ty/Chelsie's final dance was the samba. Chelsie was her regular bouncy, dshaking self. He was his usual stiff self. I don't think he even attempted to shake except in that one little solo thing he did.. I enjoyed watching her, but not him. Bruno said that he has resilience and determination, he made a great effort. Carrie Ann voted him MVP of season 8, did not comment at all on this dance. Len said that in ballroom he's Arthur Murray, but in latin he's Murray in a hurry. He did compliment Chelsie on what she's been able to accomplish with him. Scores: Two 8's and a 7 from Len for 23/30 and 48/60 for the night. They gave him 8's after either not commenting on the dance, or giving lukewarm compliments on his effort, but gave Shawn an 8 for that fun Jive. Right.

The final leaderboard looks like this:
Gilles/Cheryl - 30+30 for 60/60
Shawn/Mark - 30+26 for 56/60
Melissa/Tony - 28+27 for 55/60
Ty/Chelsie - 25+23 for 48/60


What should happen is that Ty should be eliminated. What will happen? Hey, with his fans, anything can happen. Nothing against Ty, and he's certainly come a long way, but it will truly suck if he makes it to the final. What did you think of Semi-Final night on Dancing With the Stars 8? I mean the dancing, not the hour of filler. Did you agree with the scoring? What do you think tomorrow will bring? Comment below or drop me a line at ladytex@tvfunspot.com



Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Dancing With the Stars 8: Week 9 Results Show and Round 3 of Pick a Pro

Hey y'all! Tonight was the Week 9 results show and Round 3 of the Pick a Pro competition. Would our favorites make the cut or would tonight be another 'shocking' elimination? To start of the evening, Melissa and Tony reprised their perfect 30 Samba. And it was just as good tonight as it was last night. That Samba took them to the top of the leaderboard, but two couples were only one point behind. At this point, they recapped last night's show. If you missed it, read the recap here. I'm excited about tonight. DanceCenter returns! That segment cracks me up.

First performance is of a Frank Sinatra hit, 'I Get a Kick Out of You', by Jamie Cullum. I don't know who these two pros are dancing, but they are good. Looks like a Quick Step, and yep, it's quick, but very glamourous looking. That was a wonderful performance.

DanceCenter time with returns with Jerry Rice, Kenny Mayne, and Len. Both Jerry and Kenny had some kind of sparkly tatoo things on the side of their faces and Jerry was shirtless with a tux collar and tie. First to be dissected was Ty. Kenny says that Ty is 7'8", and he's glad they are celebrating a bad dancer, but Len disagrees. They are talking about how he is fully committed to the show. Lil Kim was next and described as lil. Len said that she was the ultimate performer, but was then cut off. Jerry said that she has one one major ASSet and knows how to use it. Shawn was called lil'er than Lil Kim. Len cut off again when he was trying to analyze her and told that they didn't want to hear his mumbo jumbo. Video footage shows Mark turning into a chipmunk. The last two contestants were to be talked about later. For some reason, this wasn't as funny as it usually is.

Next some results. In no particular order, the first couple moving on to the semifinals is Gilles/Cheryl. He was excited, I think. He jumped straight up and shouted Yes!

Then DanceCenter was back. Melissa was described as pretty. I I thought they were gonna slam Jason talking about her public humiliation, but they were talking about Tony, lol. They showed practice video and showed him laughing when she got hurt. They do some serious video manipulation, lol. They complimented her jive and said that it wins the award for the best use of denim. Gilles was described in French. Kenny totally dissed the French and Len corrected him. Oh Yum, love the video ... called Gilles 'Sex on a Stick'. Back in the studeo after the video clip, hahaha, all three guys shirtless to make fun of Gilles. Kenny needs a tan, and Len ... uh yeah. Now this was DanceCenter!

Macy's Stars of Dance performance ... Largest ever seen. Acrobatic dancers with a large star shaped structure as a centerpiece that they danced on and around. to Coldplay's 'Vida la Vida'. Very cool performance, back to the Macy's Stars of Dance that I love. Unfortunately, they never said the name of the performing group, only the choreographers.

The first couple in our Pick a Pro competition was next. Afton, paired with Cody Lindley, got a Samba. Cody compared Afton to Julianne and they showed how busy he was with Hannah Montana. He hasn't lost his hyper-ness. Once again the house band massacres a song, this time a Shakira song. That Afton can shake her stuff. That was a pretty good performance, very fun to watch. Another royal blue costume, between last night and tonight it was a blue parade. Len complimented Afton on her teaching and choreography. Bruno said that she got Cody to sell himself, and Carrie Ann said that she brought it up a notch.

The next couple going on to the semifinals is Melissa/Tony.

Mayo and Lisa Rinna were next in our Pick a Pro competition. There is a seven inch height difference and Lisa said that she had to get used to it. They did a Quickstep in black and gold. she had on a beautiful gold dress with orange and red. That was pretty good. I thought it suffered because we saw that quickstep pro couple at the beginning. Bruno said that Mayo made the most of Lisa's assets, Carrie Ann complimented him, but said that they got out of control, and Len said that they did a good job. Oh and I did see Omarosa sitting behind Harry Hamlin. I'm thinking that even if Mayo doesn't win, he'll be back because Carrie Ann said that he'd be great for the taller female celebrities.

Anna was up last with Maurice Greene doing a Tango. My Banty Rooster was back! For some reason, Maurice picked a dance that he hadn't done before. He said it was because he wanted to see how good a teacher she really was. This is going to be a challenge. Wow, he looks great doing this, I'm loving it. She did a great job with him. This was my favorite. Carrie Ann loved it, said Afton brought something out in Maurice, wonderful performance. Len said that she got the most out of her celeb. Bruno called her a miracle worker, said that Maurice never looked better. Next week the final two will be paired with a current pro and will have to choreograph both a latin and a ballroom dance.

Now the last three couples will hear their results. Moving on the the semis will be Shawn/Mark, which left Lil Kim/Derek and Ty/Chelsie. Tom made a point of telling them that they were in the bottom two. After five minutes of commercials, tom told Lil Kim/Derek that they were eliminated. Wow. The audience was in shock, very quiet. This was what I was afraid of last night ... Derek was full of praise for her and the looks on the faces of the remaining dancers was very telling. Mark looked devastated. This ending was bad.

Okay, y'all. I know we talked about how this could happen, but were you surprised? What will this mean for next week on Dancing With the Stars 8? Will the rodeo crowd continue to vote on something other than dancing ability? Will the judges make sure that Ty's scores are so low that he cannot win, regardless of his 'Army'? Comment below or drop me a line at ladytex@tvfunspot.com

Monday, May 4, 2009

Dancing With the Stars 8: The Return of the Bionic Booty and the Latin Lover

Hey y'all! I'm back! Didya miss me? Last week we saw what they called the 'shocking' elimination of Chuck/Julianne from Dancing With the Stars 8. And controversy abounds when the subject of Melissa and her injury comes up. All over the web I read pros and cons about her continuing and how unfair it was that she's still there when she didn't dance. Chuck started to say something about it last week on the show, and then the peanut gallery weighed in. Jewel wrote on both her MySpace page and Ty's rodeo blog that she felt that it was unfair and that in rodeo if you didn't ride, you didn't get a score. Hey, Jewel, btw, this isn't the rodeo and even if Melissa was eliminated, I don't think your man would win.

Tonight the stars performed two complete dances and perform a solo during the Latin round. They are all banged up, how would they do? The show opened with Jonathan, Dmitry, Louis, Kym, Lacey and Anna doing a medley of ballroom dances. Now that's the way to start off a show! That was really fun to watch.

Once again we heard Len say that they were going to separate the contenders from the pretenders. In this ballroom round, the judges will key on Melissa's footwork, the balance between emotion and technique from Gilles, the elegance from Lil Kim, posture from Shawn and flair from Ty.

The first couple to take the floor was Shawn/Mark doing the Quick Step. Shawn had a really rough time during their practice video. But their dance was really fun to watch! She was pretty in blue and they looked like they had a blast. They got a standing o from the crowd. Len said it was fun, joyful and carefree, finally got to see her personality. But they broke their hold in the middle of the dance, which is a no-no. Bruno said that Shawn danced like Sporty Spice, was great fun. Carrie Ann said that this was her best dance ever, but she has to take a point off because they broke the rule (the hold, I guess). Scores: Three 9's for 27/30.

Next, Ty/Chelsie were up with their Argentine Tango. They definitely made the most out of being able to do lifts. This was very cool, I really liked it. Bruno said that Ty won't let anyone down with his strength and determination, but the Argentine Tango needs a bit more subltety. Carrie Ann commended Ty for his progress, but said it was a little stiff, saw a mistake on the hooks. Len said that they captured the essence of the dance, it was their best dance. Scores: Two 8's and a 9 from Len for 25/30.

Lil Kim/Derek have the Waltz for the ballroom round. So far they win the worst musical accompaniment . This singer was awful. I wasn't loving this, something was off. I may have been distracted trying to cover my ears though. Carrie Ann gave lots of constructive criticism and saw mistakes, said it wasn't her best. Len said that the Waltz is challenging, he saw some missteps, but he was shocked by the quality of the dance. Bruno said that she was trying to be a lady, but she's better being a tramp. He didn't see her being comfortable with the dance, arm extensions and missteps. Scores: Two 8's and a 9 from Len for 25/30.

Len is on new meds and it's making him very pleasant and less critical, lol. Oops, spoke too soon ...

Gilles/Cheryl danced the Foxtrot. Oh my, he looked very debonaire, very smooth. Haha, he threw Carrie Ann a kiss during the dance. I liked that, he did a good job, got a standing o. Len said that he couldn't help but enjoy the performance, from the music to the dance, but the rise and falls were lacking. He never stretched. Bruno said that it was in a class of its' own as a performance. sophisticated yet elegant. Carrie Ann told Len that he was crazy, performances like this would carry Gilles to the semis. He finished every line, did a great job. Scores: Two 10's and a 9 from Len for 29/30 as a birthday present for Cheryl, I think.

Aww man, I thought we were about halfway through the show, but it's back to 2 hours instead of 90 minutes. And I think the extra 30 minutes will be commercials. There've been enough of them after each dance.

Melissa is back from her injury, she's getting a new treatment and she says that it's manageable. She and Tony have the Viennese Waltz first. She looks absolutely beautiful. The dance was gorgeous, they glided across the dance floor. Bruno said that she was a vision, lighter than air. He called it beautiful and romantic, very balletic. Carrie Ann needed to see more torque in her upper body, but it was beautiful. Len complimented her all out, but said that he's still not a fan of her feet. Scores: Three 9's for 27/30

At the end of the ballroom round, the Leaderboard looks like this:
Gilles/Cheryl - 29
Shawn/Mark and Melissa/Tony - 27
Ty/Chelsie and Lil Kim/Derek - 25

My thoughts were that ballroom would favor Shawn, Ty and Melissa, but I expected Gilles and Lil Kim to shine in their latin dances. Gilles did much better than I expected in ballroom.

Last week Genya Mazo was eliminated from the Pick a Pro competition. This week, each of the remaining pros have to teach a dance to a celeb from a previous season. Afton got Cody Linley, Anna got Maurice Green, and Mayo got Lisa Rinna for their 'Star' partners for this week's test. Tomorrow night we'll see how each prospective pro can bring out the best in their celeb.

Then our pros from earlier were back to demonstrate a medly of Latin dances. I could watch these six for hours. Of course Dmitry couldn't keep his shirt fastened all night, and had to sport an open shirt. They looked great in their royal blue, but I thought the music was kind of different.

In the Latin round, the judges expect a party out of Melissa and sex appeal, they want smooth and less hectic from Gilles, Len is scared to see Ty, Bruno wants hip action. He wants aggression and bold from Shawn, cute doesn't cut it. Len wants to be stung by the queen b, Lil Kim. They are all most excited to see Lil Kim. Basically, they gave her the round and 10's before the round began. Each of the stars are also expected to have a solo of at least 15 seconds in their routines.

Shawn/Mark are up first with their Paso Doble. You go, girl! I liked this much more than I expected to. Very entertaining and fun to watch. Very sharp and well done. The audience loved it. Carrie Ann said that it was a difficult song to do a paso to but she nailed it! Len liked the solo part, it was clean and precise but it wasn't over exciting. Bruno said that Shawn showed them tonight that she had the killer instinct, she scored big. Scores: Two 10's and a 9 from Len for 29/30 for this dance and a total of 56/60 for the night.

Ty/Chelsie are next up with the Rumba. Chelsie is so cute. She made me smile during their practice video. They know that Gilles also has a rumba, so they feel extra pressure. Okay, I was cracking up watching Ty try to swivel his hips. He had the pageant smile pasted on his face, looked very fake. At the end he swiveled his hips and gave a big kiss to his wife. I laughed out loud. Len thought the solo was sweet and had charm and saw hip action, but in his first dance he was a peacock and in this dance he was a feather duster. Bruno said that Ty is one of the most likeable contestants and compared him in this dance to Kenny Mayne, versus Mario Lopez. Carrie Ann said that the dance was a little wooden, but his solo was very creative (the swivel and kiss to his wife). Her comments made it very plain that she didn't think that he should move on. His fans will be dialing their fingers off again this week since both Bruno and Carrie Ann were mean to him. I bet the comments on his blog will be blowing up in a couple of hours. A thousand commercials later, okay so I exaggerated a little bit, they got their scores. Scores: Three 7's for 21/30 for this dance and a total of 46/60. Ty commented that his solo didn't get him great scores from the judges, but he hopes he'll score later, lol.

Lil Kim/Derek danced the salsa. Dang, in their practice video, she looked so trashy doing a solo part. She was so excited to bring back her bionic booty. Imagine me rolling my eyes here. It was fun to watch and had a share of tricks, but personally it wasn't as good as I expected it to be. I'm sorry, but you can be hot with class. Bruno went off on one of his tangents, he said her booty could do no wrong, but he did see a mistake. Carrie Ann said that she's never seen a booty move like that. She said that her solo was out of control. Len called the dance delicious, but also remarked that the solo lost a little bit of control. Scores: Three 9's for 27/30 and 52/60 total.

Gilles/Cheryl are back with a Rumba and Cheryl demanded that he bring back the Latin Lover. Their practice video was hot. That man can move his hips. He started his dance with his solo and other than the hip movement, it was very strange. The dance itself was very hot. I loved it. Oh dang, they rolled on the floor on top of each other at the end. Whew. His wife had a big ole grin on her face. Carrie Ann said that it was very hot, but thought the solo was overindulgent. Len said that it looked fantastic in the studio, but he did make a comment about not liking the solo or the roll on the floor. I don't have a clue what Bruno went on about, actually, but at the end said that it was very good. Scores: Three 9's for 27/30 and 56/60 for the night, tieing him with Shawn for the top of the leaderboard.

The final dance of the night featured Melissa/Tony with their Samba. In practice, she was very nervous about her solo. I thought she did it very well, actually. I love Tony more every week. I had a smile on my face through the entire dance. It was so much fun to watch! Len said that tonight was all about who deserved to move on and she 100% should be here next week. Bruno said that her samba had everything anyone could want, he was happy to be here watching it. Carrie Ann said that she felt that she had to point out the flaws to give them something to work on for next week. Then she said for them to take the week off because the dance was flawless! Scores: Three 10's for a perfect 30/30 and 57/60 for the night to take over the top spot.

This was a long show, but very entertaining beginning to end. The night ended with Melissa/Tony at the top of the leaderboard and Ty/Chelsie bringing up the rear. Only one point seperates Melissa, Gilles and Shawn.

The Leaderboard looks like this:
Melissa/Tony - 57/60
Shawn/Mark - 56/60
Gilles/Cheryl - 56/60
Lil Kim/Derek - 52/60
Ty/Chelsie - 46/60


Who do you think deserves to go home? I really do think Ty does, but will the comments from the judges spur his fans to a frenzy of voting again this week? And if they pull through, who will go home in his place? We'll find out tomorrow night on Dancing With the Stars 8. Comment below or drop me a line at ladytex@tvfunspot.com