TVSquad

(S09E09) I didn't notice until the first recap of many that the women outscored most of the men on Dancing with the Stars last night. Apparently, the four new dances provided a bigger challenge for all the people who had to lead the dance.

With the musical guest being Shakira, I was hoping that I could see a live performance of "She Wolf." Alas, she didn't perform the song, so I'm stuck hearing it for every commercial for Desperate Housewives. There was no Macy's Stars of Dance performance, so there was a lot more unnecessary filler than in previous weeks.

Encore - Melissa & Mark - Charleston - Still hate the old film, but I appreciate the fun in the performance without the scoring stress. Do I think it deserved a 28? Maybe a 26, but this will definitely help with Melissa's confidence issues for next week.

Musical Performance - Shakira - "Did It Again" - I like the whole Korean drum dance that Shakira placed in the performance, but I couldn't hear any of the heavy drums on my speakers. It's a shame they didn't mic the drums at all. I loved the end when she joined in and basically bent backwards banging on the drums.

After the score breakdown we start the eliminations. The two couples safe are Mya & Dmitry and Melissa & Mark. The first couple in the bottom two are Aaron & Karina.

Professional Dance - To display next week's dances, the professionals perform a very interesting Argentine Tango followed by a Paso Doble. I love seeing Alec and Edyta dance; that's real chemistry. Unfortunately, neither had as much screen time as Louis, Dmitry, Anna T., and Cheryl. The couples switch over to Paso Doble, and the capes transform into skirts and they spin with passion. I still don't consider teal a passionate color, but Edyta works with what she has. The performance sadly will not be topped next week, but I'll hope that there's even an iota of connection between the couples. We're reminded that there is also a group hustle next week, and Len is hoping to see rhythm and passion in both their performances.
In no particular order, we find out that the remaining women (Kelly & Louis, Natalie & Alec, and Joanna & Derek) are safe. The next two safe are Mark & Lacey and Michael & Anna. Michael gets yet another week of trying hard. There must be a conspiracy for America's professional dancer to stay on TV.

Family Time - We find out that the kids come and visit the celebrities. Mark and Chuck's children come off as really cute as they run to their fathers. Michael's son, Michael Jr. tries to be that cool kid who is embarrassed by his father. Melissa's son Mason was just the cutest and stole the show. When he said "Vote for my mommy," he sold me.

Musical Performance - Shakira - "Hips Don't Lie" - Shakira is one of those fun performers to watch, but I couldn't tell if the other person was actually Wyclef John or just some generic guy because I haven't seen his face since the Fugees. The belly dancers emerge and Shakira starts to display her famous hip action. Then the song sadly ended sooner that I expected.

Stress Factor - I don't see why Mya is worried about anything, but apparently everyone is edited to look stressed. They continue using the words "stressful" and "frustrated" over and over. We'll probably hear the same for the weeks to come. Michael gets quite upset with Anna. Mark tried his best to get Melissa to work at 100%. Aaron throwing his little fits that makes him look like a little punk. After the package, we find that Donny & Kym is safe.

The eliminations continue, and the last couple safe from the bottom two are Louie & Chelsie, meaning that Chuck & Anna join Aaron & Karina. Len has the last word and he believes that Chuck wouldn't be able to cope with two dances next week. After combining America's vote, the couple with the lowest score is Chuck & Anna. The best part of the elimination was when Anna called "my hippo."

Next week the passionate Argentine Tango, the powerful Paso Doble, and the energetic group Hustle. Did you think the right couple went home? Leave comments below and check out SlashControl for full episodes.