(S04E04) We're back for another week of dancing, and the lovely Paulina is no longer with us. Many of the dances were inspired by movies this week; we had Star Wars, Pulp Fiction, and even Goldfinger. Contestants danced either the Jive or the Tango, and the results were very entertaining.
Shandi Finnessey and Brian Fortuna (Jive) - Shandi and Brian's Jive was good, but forgettable after all of the performances were finished. Their performance was fun and spirited, and Shandi wisely showed as much skin as possible. She can't compete with the other contestants' technical skills, but she's doing her best to corner the market on hotness. The judges were impressed with her progress and gave the couple a 21 (7, 7, 7).
John Ratzenberger and Edyta Sliwinska (Tango) - John and Edyta did a convincing job of portraying the intense persona of the tango, and John's acting skills may save him from elimination. I thought that he looked pretty good out there, and he seemed to complete some decent, dramatic moves. It was hilarious when John dragged Edyta to their place in front of the judges' table. The couple's character-driven performance was rewarded with a 20 (7, 6, 7). A fair score, given the level of difficulty.
Clyde Drexler and Elena Grinenko (Jive) - I'm starting to believe that it is impossible to keep Clyde Drexler from smiling. The man was grinning throughout his entire segment, even after receiving the lowest score of the night. His training clips included an appearance by his mother, and I was amazed that a woman her age can still move like that. We should all be so lucky. Clyde and Elena's Jive was entertaining, and Clyde looked more comfortable on his feet this time around. He has a long way to go if he wants to stick around, but he is gradually improving. The couple received a brutal 16 (6, 5, 5) from the judges, which seemed a little harsh. He probably deserved the lowest score, but a 16? Clyde was an incredibly good sport about the scores, though, and his positive attitude could bring in some sympathy votes.
Laila Ali and Maksim Chmerkovskiy (Tango) - Laila and Maksim had trouble coordinating their busy schedules, so Maksim brought in his brother Valentin to help maximize their practice sessions. Is Chmerkovskiy Russian for gorgeous? Valentin was even cuter than Maksim--why isn't he on the show? Laila was no slouch either. She had a beautiful hairdo, and brought her usual sexiness to the Tango. The couple's Bond-themed dance was excellent, but fell a little short of the heat generated during last week's Mambo. The judges agreed, and gave the couple a score of 21 (7, 7, 7). I thought this score was a little low when compared with some of the other contestants' scores (Leeza Gibbons, I'm looking in your direction).
Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough (Jive) - Apolo and Julianne's Pulp Fiction homage was an absolute show-stopper. Their performance featured some challenging moves, and plenty of fast footwork. Apolo and Julianne always deliver crowd-pleasing performances. Perhaps it's their youthful energy. I would have placed this Jive among the top dances of the night, but the judges placed the pair in the middle of the pack with a 23 (7, 8, 8). With all the 24's that were handed out, I cannot believe that Apolo didn't manage to snag one.
Joey Fatone and Kym Johnson (Tango) - Joey was worried about living up to the pressure of being one of the leading dancers, and he brought another fun, lively performance to the dance floor. Kym and Joey did a Star Wars-inspired Tango, complete with Princess Leia slave costume (on Kym, thankfully), lightsabers, and sound effects. The dance seemed more about showmanship than technical difficulty, but no matter. These two are consistently excellent, and are tons of fun to watch. Score: 24 (8, 8, 8), the first of many given out during the evening.
Ian Ziering and Cheryl Burke (Jive) - These two took a lot of criticism for a misstep that I barely noticed. I missed the finale due to some issues with the camera, but this was still one of my favorite performances of the night. Ian got over his anxiety about hip-swiveling and butt-clenching in time to perform a fast, exciting Jive. The judges held Ian and Cheryl to a very high standard and claimed that Ian's misstep cost him a one-point deduction. The couple still got one of the night's highest scores, however: 24 (8, 8, 8).
Leeza Gibbons and Tony Dovolani (Tango) - Leeza was feeling a lot more confident about her dancing this week, which apparently had nothing to do with her partner. Is it just me, or was Tony a little mean to Leeza during the training sequence? Leeza was looser during her Tango, and brought some much-needed trampiness to her performance. She is still relatively slower and less flexible than her opponents, but the intensity of the Tango was definitely there. If Tony can reinforce his pupil's confidence, she may show even more improvement. Score: a surprising 24 (8, 8, 8). I would probably have switched Laila and Leeza's scores. Leeza did deserve some recognition for her progress this week, though.
Heather Mills and Jonathan Roberts (Jive) - Heather may not be a "real" celebrity, but she totally deserves to be in this dance competition. Her Jive had a great sock hop feel to it, and she wore yellow the right way this time. I was going to make fun of her dance "sneakers," but her new leg required a flat shoe to get the necessary bounce. Given the awesomeness of the dance, I'd say it was a fair trade. Carrie Ann noted that Heather doesn't have to include such difficult moves, and the fact that she does them anyway makes her a serious competitor. The couple earned a 24 (8, 8, 8).
Billy Ray Cyrus and Karina Smirnoff (Tango) - Billy Ray deserves credit for learning from his previous mistakes. He took someone's advice and pulled his hair back into a sleek ponytail, a look that suited his Tango. The song choice was confusing, however, and Billy Ray was obviously counting during the dance. The couple's performance did feature a few difficult moves, including a finale that had Billy Ray sliding under Karina's legs. Carrie Ann thought the dance "took balls," and Billy Ray kept his "Most Improved" title from last week. I don't think he's a front runner in terms of technical skill, but those hard-voting country fans might keep him around a while. Score: 21 (7, 7, 7).
Given their scores, Clyde and Shandi are the most likely candidates for elimination. Best of the night is a tough call, but I'm giving this one to Heather (I can't believe it either). Apolo, Heather, Laila, Ian, and Joey received my online votes this week. See you tomorrow for the results show!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
4-02-2007 @ 11:59PM
Tammy said...
Maksim and Laila got those scores because they broke the rules for Tango. If they break the rules again the judges will go even lower like they did with Mario last year. I loved it when Samantha said she wouldn't give Maksim the mike for what he might say.
What the heck did Ian and Cheryl do? We got ceiling here. I got the impression that whatever the mistake was, it caused a wardrobe malfunction and that's why we got the camera to the ceiling. I believe the word "butt" was used so somehow Cheryl flashed the crowd because of some mistake Ian did. At least that is the impression I got.
Ian and Cheryl were the best tonight. Cheryl really does know how to showcase her partner's strength. They did a really cute segment on her for ESPN Sportscenter this weekend about her "three-peat" It was all tongue and cheek with some great quotes from Apollo and Heather. Maybe it will be on You-Tube or on ESPN.com.
Once again, a woman can't win this thing. 1) people tend to watch the female in the pair and having a female professional is an advantage. 2) majority of the voters are female and they will vote for the male contestants. 3) the male pros don't know how to choreograph for their female partners... they want to do tough routines and it makes the female celebs look bad. If Maksim can start to really highlight Laila's strengths, she might win this but none of the other women have a chance.
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4-03-2007 @ 1:29AM
Cat said...
I agree... the judging was all over the place tonight. I don't think either Leeza or Heather deserved their scores and that Clyde's was far too low.
If the pro dancers do the choreography, then Maks is pretty much to blame for the the deductions he and Laila received. He's been on the show before, and should have known that they needed to stay close during the tango. But whatever-- it was still a great dance.
Right now, tho, I'm rooting for Apolo and Julianne. They're just too cute!
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4-03-2007 @ 8:44AM
Maureen said...
I enjoyed Cheryl and Ian's dance the most. Whatever happened at the end, I missed it also.
Leeza and Tony's tango did not have all the extra flash that was present in Joey and Kym's dance and because of that I enjoyed it more. For me, they showed the essence of the dance.
I agree, Apolo and Julieanne are fun to watch. They bring so much energy to their dance.
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4-03-2007 @ 9:39AM
Duane said...
Shandi is almost guaranteed to go home this week on the "you have no fanbase" rule that Paulina pointed out last week. It has nothing to do with how well you dance, it has to do with how much you get the audience behind you. The ones that are tagged as the best dancers will always get support from the most people, just like American Idol will not ultimately fall to the curse of Sanjaya. The sports star will always get some support. But the middle of the pack all has to fight for a piece of the rest of the audience. Leeza's probably getting some "50 and over" vote because of her whole birthday nod last week. Ratzenberger gets the charmismatic older man vote. And so on. What's Shandi got? The hot vote? She's not hot enough with today's audience (compare Stacy Keibler from two seasons ago).
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4-03-2007 @ 10:18AM
sjohnmassoud said...
I don't wanna sound dumb, but seeing as I have never watched this show before, what is the purpose of this show?
Do these guys and gals dance for charity or what? Is this more for fun or kicks or serious stuff?
Since I am about to quit watching American Idol over the Sanjaya junk, and well I need something to carp over after work, if anyone can help me, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Thanks to one and all
JM
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4-03-2007 @ 10:20AM
Pat said...
I still think Heather Mills is a phony, horsefaced, gold digger. Some think she should be considered noble because of her disability, I don't. If you want nobility, go visit Walter Reed Hospital to see nobility & courage under fire. Her performance last night was sloppy & unimaginative & those shoes she wore were clodhoppers. I think the judges are unfairly favoring her because of her disability.
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4-03-2007 @ 10:54AM
Fran said...
I HATE TO PLAY THE RACE CARD (ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I'M WHITE), BUT THE JUDGES ON THIS SHOW ARE SOMEWHAT RACIST. THEY DO NOT SCORE NON WHITE DANCERS AS HIGHLY AS WHITE DANCERS. IF IT WASN'T FOR AMERICA VOTHING LAST YEAR EMMIT WOULD NOT HAVE WON. THEY ARE GIVING HEATHER MUCH MORE CREDIT THAN SHE DESERVES.
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4-03-2007 @ 11:07AM
Jewell said...
This is my first season to watch the show. When I saw the line-up of stars I thought it sounded interesting. It has indeed been interesting and also surprising. Some of the "stars" have talent and it is a joy to watch them. My favorite is Apolo. I thought he and Julianne were the best last night. I was surprised at the score they received, especially from Carrie Ann. She seemed to be "miffed" at them for some reason.
Ian and Cheryl were also wonderful. I'm glad to know that I wasn't the only one that got the ceiling at the end of their dance! Either the cameraperson malfunctioned or the dancers did!
Clyde has the right attitude about this show--it is ALL entertainment!
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4-03-2007 @ 11:04AM
Claire said...
While I agree that Heather is being overscored because of her disability, she is trying very hard considering that she never knows how her weight will distribute on her leg; she could fall at any moment but she still gives it her all. I thought last night during her whole dance that her shoes were horrible and weighed down her legs, but then realized that she could only get that leg in a flat foot.
On another note, did anyone else notice how incredibly HOT Ian was during the stripper sequence??? WOW!!! If I was Cheryl, i would've pulled him right off the stage!
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4-03-2007 @ 11:10AM
Cindy said...
Ian and Cheryl took the show this week. I don't have any ide what happened at the end but I think they should be the top scored couple and not a tie with the rest.
And what is with Heather? What ever it is it is getting tired quick. On the first show the judges said they were giving her no favor over the others and that the leg was a non-enity and would not be menthioned again. Now it is all we hear. They even had the hole special leg thing on the show. NO FAVOR HUH! Humbug!!!!! It is ruining the show for me. I have always enjoyed the show for it's fun, eligance,and watching the stars improve and evolve each week. The focus is different this show. Maybe it is just me but I'll be glad to see Heather gone.
Cindy
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4-03-2007 @ 11:13AM
MitziFaye said...
In my humble opinion for last night-
1- Ian
2- Apolo
3- Heather
4- Joey
5- Laila
6- Leeza
7- Shandi
8- John
9- Billy Ray
10- Clyde
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4-03-2007 @ 11:41AM
MARCIA said...
IAN IS AWSOME AND DID NOT DESERVE THE SCORE HE GOT. HE SHOULD HAVE HAD THE 9'S. I AM SICK AND TIRED OF HEATHER GETTING ALL THIS ATTENTION, IT IS GREAT THAT SHE CAN DO THESE THINGS, HOWEVER, I THINK IT IS ALL FOR THE PUBLICITY FOR HER. THE JUDGES SEEM TO BE ONE SIDED IN HER COURT......SHE IS A NASTY PERSON, LOOK WHAT SHE IS DOING TO PAUL AND DEMANDING SO MUCH MONEY FROM HIM.THAT IS WHAT HER BEING ON THE SHOW IS ALL ABOUT........GET HER OFF
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4-03-2007 @ 11:57AM
praxilla said...
I don't understand the judging particularly well either, and I wish they would explain the rules. That break-during-the-tango thing has come up in previous years, so why did Maksim do it? He should have known better. The judges were unanimous on that, so it must be a genuine rule -- but why not let everyone know in advance what the rules are, including us?
Apolo and Laila are still my favorites. But last night, I thought Ian had the best performance, with Apolo and Laila next. (Cheryl's partner already starting to move up . . .) I don't get the appeal of Joey Fatone at all, but he seems to be the general favorite, so this is clearly just a blind spot for me. (But "Star Wars" as a tango? Weirrrd . . .)
Everyone else on the show is in the more or less OK range, with my opinions influenced more by their personalities than their dancing.
I must say, though, that Heather is a surprise. She has a genuine feel for the music of the dances, so her high scores are not sympathy votes from the judges. She can move! The leg really was a problem in the jive last night, though. She had to get a flat-footed leg in order to perform the dance at all, and it affected the look of her dance because she couldn't point her toes on that foot (obviously) and had to wear sneakers to match on the other foot. So, yeah, she did look clumsy. It interfered with my enjoyment of her dancing. And the judges really had to make allowances for the disability; they couldn't mark her down for not pointing her toes (obviously!)although they did mark other people down for that. They marked her up for having a good feeling for the dance, in spite of its odd look. I think they did right, but it shows that they can't NOT take the disability into account. It does affect their judging.
My wish is for Shandi to leave, for non-dance reasons, but she isn't a good dancer either. Being "hot" is not the same as being a good dancer -- wish guys could get that straight! And this "all-American" thing of hers is obnoxious. She's my pet peeve on the show; I like everyone else.
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4-03-2007 @ 12:00PM
TDM said...
I, unfortunately, haven't been able to watch the show at all this season...I have been keeping up with the recaps and comments. Without seeing too much of the actual dancing, I have to say that Cheryl and any partner that she receives, will most likely take the top spot. She has been fortuante enough to have good "stars" to work with. They are all incredible, but I beleive Ian and Cheryl are going for the gold this year. Heather is giving it her all, and for someone with her disability, that is quite an accomplishment...Although, everyone needs to be judged equally, with no pity points.
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4-03-2007 @ 12:04PM
Dave said...
I couldn't watch the entire program last night (basketball was on) but I'm surprised to see nobody has mentioned Julianne's pants. They made me forget about Kym's Leia costume, which is a pretty big deal!
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4-03-2007 @ 12:25PM
alk said...
I think they should have 2 different competitions...one for male stars and one for female stars. So much of Ballroom dancing is the woman's fancy spinning, etc it hardly seems fair to me that the women have to learn all these difficult fancy moves and then men just have to direct them.
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4-03-2007 @ 12:30PM
JoAnn said...
#7, if the judges are racist, why did Laila come out #1 last week? Anyway, I thought Billy Ray looked really hot with his hair pulled back! He did a great job dancing, and really is improving. I would have to say I hope Shandi leaves - for some reason I just don't like her, and don't think she dances very well. I really like Clyde's attitude and outlook, and think he just had the wrong dance last night. I hope he gets to stay! Loved Apolo, Ian, Laila and Joey!!! I think the judges were overly critical on the couples last night.
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4-03-2007 @ 1:01PM
Shel said...
I would just like to repeat the previous comment: Heather is a phony, horse-faced, gold-digger and absolutely insane for the attention. Be sure to read up more about her in the British press before you think she's all that noble. She can dance up a storm here but still sports a handicapped sticker in her car in London. She would gladly hack off the other leg if it would bring her the kind of "stardom" she so desperately craves!
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4-03-2007 @ 1:52PM
Stormy said...
1. Joey is being scored too high, plus he should not have been selected for the show because he has a lot of dance experience. I thought the idea of the show was that the stars would not have had dance experience so all start pretty even.
2. Clyde was scored way too low. If they want him to extend, then they should have gotten him a partner who was taller. If he extends, he will leave his partner 2 steps behind. Maybe the judges will figure that out, I hope a lot of people voted for him to keep him on.
3. We had the Heather leg thing again. Eventhough the judges said they would not mention it again, that is all we heard. I also believe that they scored her a little higher than she deserved because of her disability. This leg talk and her scores are ruining this show for me this year.
4. Well it seems everyone got the ceiling shot. I am sure some camera picked it up and it shows up on utube soon.
5. Leeza, partner should know the rules by now. He should play by them.
6. Leila was scored too low.
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4-05-2007 @ 9:44AM
Pat Gerlach said...
The music on last nights show was BAD. Most of it had little or nothing to do with the type of dance being performed. In fact, I found it to be so obtuse that I was loosing interest in the actual dancing. PLEASE, PLEASE get some better music with lots less singing. It is way too annoying.
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