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(S08E04) Dancing with the Stars heated up tonight. This is the first night where we got to see the opening, and I'm saddened that the disco ball openings are no more. The kaleidoscope is still there, but now the show attempts to take advantage of the widescreen. Although Tom mentioned that everyone had the same amount of time to practice, you have to think that the four weeks before the show started is an advantage for endurance and teamwork.

There was a three-way tie for first place tonight. If this week is the precursor of who the final three will be, Gilles, Shawn, and Melissa seem to have it in their hands. I can definitely see Lil Kim fight her way in there; her strength is definitely the Latin section. More information and analysis after the jump.


Denise & Maks – Samba – Denise thinks too hard in the practices. Maks tries to remedy this by dressing up as a samba queen. It's funny, but I don't think that Denise got the point. In the dance, she's still quite awkward and thinking about the next step.

Len explains that the samba is hard; she coped, but it lacked the Latin hip action. Bruno called it a waffle: flat and full of holes. Bruno thinks she just had a bad night. So wait, the past two weeks were bad weeks, too? Carrie Ann points out the fear on her face. Her criticism is that they work on their arm flairs. Score: 16 (5, 6, 5)

Chuck & Julianne – Foxtrot – Dear Julianne, did you anger the tanning people? Orange should be a fruit, not a skin-tone. Chuck and Julianne work on their student/teacher relationship, and it pays off. He's lighter on his feet, and his arm extensions have improved. It's nice to see actually.

Bruno liked that Chuck was in the driver's seat; there was actually balance between the two. Carrie Ann thinks that he may be a contender. I think the emphasis is may. He may also become a famous country singer. Len thought there was good posture, but his knees were apart. He also makes a snip that he divorced his wife because he couldn't teach her. Does that make Len a bad teacher or his wife a difficult partner? Score: 23 (8, 7, 8)

Holly & Dmitry – Samba – Holly's bust was causing bad posture, but this week needed her to shake everything. During practices, the two quickly get frustrated. She wonders if Dmitry misses having Jewel as a partner. Don't worry, Holly; she's still glaring in the audience. In the beginning of the dance, Dmitry accidentally lifts her a little too high and her foot lifts from the ground. She still dances robotically. It's like watching a mechanical Barbie.

Carrie Ann thinks it's rough to watch, and she docks a point for the lift. Are lifts allowed in the Quickstep? If not, Chuck threw Julianne in the air and didn't get penalized. Len compares her to a match: hot at the top, wooden at the bottom. Bruno likes her bust, but dislikes the footwork. She has to use the ball of her feet. Score: 17(5, 6, 6)

Steve-O & Lacey – Foxtrot – Steve-O thought last week was a nightmare. The doctors wanted him off his feet for 48 hours, so Lacey lets him slide for the bad posture in the beginning. It's really nice to see a truly concerned Lacey take care of Steve-O. He's cleaned up and now looks dorky/cute. In the middle section of the dance, he messes up the steps and has to count to get himself back in place. I actually give Lacey credit to make it look like a foxtrot. At the end, Lacey & Steve-O hustle over to the stage steps and Steve-O has a klutz attack and slams his ankle into the stair.

Len applauds him for doing a proper dance, but says he was lost in places. Bruno thinks it was clean-cut in the beginning and fell apart quickly. Carrie Ann can see him dancing through the pain and appreciates that he learned from mistakes. Scores: 15 (5, 5, 5)

Lawrence & Edyta – Samba – The practice video is interesting because it follows Lawrence in a time lapsed fashion. He cancels his golf game to practice and by Saturday, the audience could clearly see progression. The dancing is decent, but it's always about watching Edyta's strong lines when Edyta is involved. She can make anyone look good.

Bruno is amazed by how light he is on his feet, and he appreciates the rhythm. He suggests having more fun. Carrie Ann thinks he can handle a harder routine. Len likes the determination. He suggests having more rhythm in his hips and not in his shoulders. Score: 20 (7, 6, 7)

Shawn & Mark – Foxtrot – I always find it funny when logos have to be covered. In this case it was two laptops. Shawn uses a computer to talk to friends via video chat and the girls swoon over Mark. During the practice, Mark makes sure that she's smooth and elegant, and it works. The whole dance is graceful. It's like a believable dance sequence in a teen prom movie. They even walk off into the sunset at the end.

Carrie Ann calls her a beautiful elegant princess; she has no negatives. Len loves the fluidity, but thinks there was a slight hunch in her posture. Bruno thinks she was like a hummingbird on the dance floor. Score: 27 (9, 9, 9)

Gilles & Cheryl – Samba – Gilles continues to point he doesn't have as big of a fan base as everyone else. It's annoying actually. His last two dances helped him gain him fans, clearly more than Belinda. In a really cute sequence, his mother shows up (from France) to watch the two practice. He dedicated the dance to his mother. It was hot. It had the sex and jiggle of the samba. I was in awe how much passion the two brought.

Len points out that he was good at the dance, but he criticizes a lack of rhythm at the beginning. He did, though, make a hard dance look easy. Bruno calls him a red hot poker. Funny, that being the criticism for the naked guy in Sex and the City. Carrie Ann points out that Cheryl hasn't been this enthused for a while (probably since Christian). Carrie Ann also loves that Gilles shakes things that Carrie Ann didn't think men had. I didn't get that statement at all. Score: 27 (9, 9, 9)

David & Kym – Foxtrot – David wants to make sure he's fighting, so Kym decides to showcase David and have him do solo dancing. He continues to make sure his bum doesn't poke out. The dance was good overall, much better than the previous weeks. His solo dancing is equally as strong as his holds. He's a little off in the end sequence, but recovers.

Bruno thinks he channeled Broadway and it was a good transformation. Carrie Ann gives him two snaps up and calls him a Rockette. Len thinks it was his personal best. Score: 24 (8, 8, 8)

Steve & Karina – Samba – Steve wants to make sure his hips were working for the samba. Then he pulled a hamstring. The doctors told him that since he's older, he doesn't recover as quickly. The producers asked him if he wanted to quit and he declined. The whole dance is goofy, but oddly lovable to watch. He also attempts to do the worm at the end, which looks totally wrong.

Carrie Ann thinks it was adorable, but the novelty wore off for her. She thinks his worm was a slug, and compares him to that one drunken uncle at the last wedding you were at. Len thinks it was consistently terrible. Bruno wants Steve on his knees. He then clarifies; he wants him to beg for forgiveness. Score: 10 (4, 3, 3)

Melissa & Tony – Foxtrot – Melissa had to tie up some loose ends. She went to her normal, non-star job, and cleaned her normal, non-star desk. Her normal, non-star co-workers wished her luck. Back at the dance studio, Tony makes sure her head is like an olive in a martini glass. The whole dance had a Broadway undertone, but didn't get really showy like David's foxtrot. The one thing I always appreciate with Melissa's dancing is that it's smooth looking. The dance is graceful and her arms are strong.

Len appreciates the musicality, but she needs to use her heels. Bruno thinks that music plays from her body. Carrie Ann thinks that although she's an excellent dancer, Melissa is lacking something in her performance. It's probably that "star quality" that Simon Cowell always mentions. Score: 27 (9, 9, 9)

Lil Kim & Derek – Samba – She wants to go all out and she lets Derek push her hard. She also wants her to unleash her secret weapon: her booty. My problem with Kim is that she has porn face when she dances (along with the opening sequence). She has the strongest hip/booty work out of all the female celebrities. She loses her place in the middle, but recovers.

Bruno thinks she's like a pocket sized Venus with super sex appeal. Carrie Ann loves how since Kim went for it, it would naturally draw someone in. Len says she has a bionic booty, but Derek didn't implement fundamental samba moves. Score: 25 (8, 8, 9)

Ty & Chelsie – Foxtrot – Chelsie makes sure that he conveys effortlessness and confidence, and that he puts his happy face on. I love her teaching skills. Chelsie trips on her dress, but with the help of Ty he recovers really quickly. After that, the two emphasize their moves, just in case Chelsie trips on her dress again.

Carrie Ann thinks he's most improved, and she appreciates how he helped Chelsie recover. Len thinks it was both fantastic and lacking in musicality. How is that? Bruno loves Chelsie's miracle working. Score: 23 (8, 8, 7)

At the end of the night, I'm not sure if the Woz could dig himself out of his hole. The night that Master P got an 8 in Season 2, he was gone. The difference between the two is that Steve wants to be on the show. Tomorrow, two of my favorite musical acts will be performing: Hall & Oates and Adele.