This week, it’s the Tango and the Jive.  

Marlee Matlin and Fabian Sanchez

Dance:  Jive

Wardrobe:  Marlee looked hot and so did Fabian.

Music:  I can’t argue with Billy Joel.

Performance:  Marlee is just so much fun to watch that I can’t help but smile when she’s dancing.  She works hard and takes it seriously, yet still manages to have a lot of fun.  It seemed like she didn’t always know what to do with her arms and they seemed a little floppy at times, but overall, it was a very good jive.

Judges:  Len said that Marlee never ceases to amaze him.  

Judges scores:  7 + 7 + 7 = 21

My score:  8

Steve Guttenberg and Anna Trebunskaya

Dance:  Tango

Wardrobe:  Anna’s dress had a bit of a split personality.  I’m not sure I cared for Steve’s outfit either.

Music:  A little too slow and boring for my taste.

Performance:  Anna was sick so Steve got to rehearse with Jonathan (her husband) most of the week.  Overall, the routine was kind of dull and Steve’s posture was not all that great.  And really, it wasn’t the best dance for Steve’s ebullient personality. A bit too serious.  So, not my favorite performance, but he definitely tried.

Judges:  Carrie Ann said it was his best dance so far.  Len said the actor came out in him this time and the footwork was fantastic.

Judges scores:  7 + 7 + 7 = 21

My score:  6

Cristian de la Fuente and Cheryl Burke

Dance:  Jive

Wardrobe:  It was very blue.  Very.  But I think Cristian may have the best arms ever in the history of Dancing with the Stars.  Wowza.

Music:  Utterly and totally ridiculous.  And here I thought they were getting better this season.

Performance:  Dancing with a sea lion seemed to help him have fun with the dance. They got a little too close to the edge at the end and Cristian slid into a spotlight, but overall not bad.  They were out of sync more than once, but it’s a tough dance for week 3.

Judges:  Bruno asked if he was on rocket fuel tonight and said it was his best dance yet.

Judges scores:  8 + 8 + 9 = 25

My score:  8

Mario and Karina Smirnoff

Dance:  Tango

Wardrobe:  Karina looked like the Las Vegas Showgirl version of a dominatrix, but Mario’s costume I loved.

Music:  The Moulin Rouge version of the Police’s Roxanne.  Weird, but it worked.

Performance:  It was actually fun to watch.  It had a little Argentinian Tango flavor which I love, and Mario’s posture looked pretty good to my untrained eye.  I thought this was a decent Tango.

Judges:  Len said it had flair but it was a mess and that he was bitterly disappointed.  

Judges scores:  7 + 6 + 8 = 21

My score:  7

Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Hough

Dance:  Jive

Wardrobe:  Her fringe was really distracting.  Derek was looking good as usual.

Music:  I think it was actually a good song choice, but the speed was a little too slow for me.

Performance:  It was a pretty good performance.  She has impossibly long legs and I had a hard time keeping my eyes off of them.  The legs looked pretty good.  The arms were kind of floppy and the motions were not really all that sharp.  But a good jive.

Judges:  Bruno says she needs to work on her finish and her precision.  Len said he saw a really good jive.

Judges scores:  8 + 8 + 8 = 24

My score:  8

Adam Carolla and Julianne Hough

Dance:  Tango

Wardrobe:  Julianne looked great in the dress, but the wig threw me off when they came out at the beginning of the show - I didn’t know who it was until they introduced her.

Music:  LOVED it.

Performance:  Julianne, for being so very young, is a brilliant choreographer. Seriously, she knows exactly what to do in her routines to highlight her partner’s best attributes.  Adam’s best attribute is his comedy - not his dancing, but this routine was absolutely perfect for him.  And he actually did a pretty good job tonight.  She might make a dancer out of him yet.

Judges:  Carrie Ann said Adam was quite sexy out there.  Bruno sais he is getting better.  Len said choreography can cover a multitude of sins and that Julianne made Adam look like a dancer.

Judges scores:  7 + 7 + 7 = 21

My score:  7

Marissa Jaret Winokur and Tony Dovolani

Dance:  Jive

Wardrobe:  It was okay.

Music:  It worked, but it could have been a little faster I think.

Performance:  This was actually the perfect dance for bubbly Marissa.  It felt a little slow at times like it was slogging through the mud, but I think that was the tempo’s fault, not the dancers.  I thought she did a good job, I think what the judges were saying is that she didn’t go for it as much as she could have.

Judges:  Len said it was a little bit careful.  Carrie Ann thought it was boring.  Bruno thought it looked like a rehearsal.

Judges scores:  6 + 7 + 6 = 19

My score:  7

Priscilla Presley and Louis van Amstel

Dance:  Tango

Wardrobe:  Great costumes!

Music:  Great music!

Performance:  Hot sexy intense fantastic Tango.  My favorite Tango of the night so far. Priscilla is really surprising me with her dancing skills.  

Judges:  Bruno called it the “hot cougar tango”.  Len said it had passion, drama, fire and ice.  Carrie Ann said she was mesmerized.

Judges scores:  8 + 9 + 9 = 26

My score:  9

Jason Taylor and Edyta Sliwinska

Dance:  Jive

Wardrobe:  Edyta was Edyta.  Nuff said.  Jason looked good.

Music:  It worked.

Performance:  I really enjoy watching Jason.  He’s not a performer, yet he’s starting to get the performance part of the dancing down.  I’m not exactly sure why football players seem to be so good on this show - maybe it has something to do with running plays and footwork or maybe it has to do with the training ethic.  Whatever the case, Jason is another football player turned pretty darn good dancer.  And Edyta deserves a really good partner after all these seasons (Joey Lawrence not withstanding).

Judges:  Carrie Ann said his lines make her breathless.  Bruno said he did a cool jive. Len thought the kicks were sloppy.

Judges scores:  8 + 7 + 8 = 23

My score:  8

Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark Ballas

Dance:  Tango

Wardrobe:  Loved that dress and her hair.  Mark’s red suit I’m not so sure about.

Music:  *sputter sputter grrr*  Number one.  Don’t screw with Duran Duran by changing the lyrics.  ”Moving on the dance floor”?  CHEESY.  Number two.  Don’t screw with Duran Duran by attempting to sing it.  Number three.  It did kind of work for the dance, though it’s not really a Tango song.

Performance:  I love Kristi.  She is a naturally reserved person, but she’s throwing herself into the emotion of the dances she is performing.  If she does go on to win the ugly mirror ball, she will deserve it - figure skater or not.  Priscilla’s Tango was hot, but this was passionate and the choreography was interesting.  I loved it.

Judges:  Len says she is a very talented dancer.  Carrie Ann says her technique is amazing, but that she doesn’t feel much when she dances.  Bruno wants more emotional engagement and says she needs to be a “dirty girl”.

Judges scores:  9 + 9 + 9 = 27

My score:  9

Judges ranking:
1. Kristi and Mark (27)
2. Priscilla and Louis (26)
3. Cristian and Cheryl (25)
4. Shannon and Derek (24)
5. Jason and Edyta (23)
6. Marlee and Fabian (21)
6. Mario and Karina (21)
6. Steve and Anna (21)
6. Adam and Julianne (21)
10. Marissa and Tony (19)

My ranking:
1. Kristi and Mark (9)
2. Priscilla and Louis (9)
3. Marlee and Fabian (8)
4. Jason and Edyta (8)
5. Cristian and Cheryl (8)
6. Shannon and Derek (8)
7. Mario and Karina (7)
8. Marissa and Tony (7)
9. Adam and Julianne (7)
10. Steve and Anna (6)