Two dances! Two chances! Quick glances! Show-mances?

Ballroom Round

Marissa Jaret Winokur and Tony Dovolani

Dance: Tango

Wardrobe: Finally a dress that looks good on her. About time. The pink underskirt was a little weird, though.

Music: Good

Performance: Good dancing. It’s weird to see bubbly Marissa playing serious, though. I did like this, but I didn’t like it as much as the judges did.

Judges: Len said it was her best dance. Bruno said drama, passion and a hint of disdain. Carrie Ann said it was fantastic.

Judges scores: 9 + 9 + 9 = 27

My score: 8

Cristian de la Fuente and Cheryl Burke

Dance: Viennese Waltz

Wardrobe: Cheryl’s dress is beautiful if a bit skimpy.

Music: Very pretty music.

Performance: A lovely performance. Just exquisite.

Judges: Bruno called him South America’s Clark Gable. Carrie Ann says he was graceful but it lacked a little energy. Len said it lacked content, but it was very nice to watch.

Judges scores: 8 + 8 + 9 = 25

My score: 9

Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark Ballas

Dance: Viennese Waltz

Wardrobe: Kristi was channeling a little Edyta tonight.

Music: It was okay.

Performance: Her lines are just so breathtaking. And this was a beautiful graceful dance. A good dance for her.

Judges: Carrie Ann said it felt emotional and that she took a risk using a prop, but her turns were a hair off. Len said the start was too long and that she attempted a technical move. Bruno said it was like watching a butterfly.

Judges scores: 9 + 8 + 9 = 26

My score: 9

Mario and Karina Smirnoff

Dance: Foxtrot

Wardrobe: Karina’s dress was weird.

Music: The music was simply awful.

Performance: I actually muted the music and the dancing was not too bad. They were not always together in the turns and they missed a hold, but it was not too bad overall.

Judges: Len said he dances with great maturity, but that he’s not elegant. Bruno said he brings youthful vitality to everything he does, but the Foxtrot requires a lot of control and he’s not quite there. Carrie Ann said they do ambitious and difficult routines and he doesn’t miss a step.

Judges scores: 8 + 8 + 8 = 24

My score: 8

Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Hough

Dance: Tango

Wardrobe: They both looked great.

Music: Not horrible, but not great either.

Performance: A very angry Tango. Almost a little more aggressive than I like to see. I like passion, but not red hot anger which is the feeling I was getting. Shannon looked a little awkward at times.

Judges: Bruno said it was fascinating. Carrie Ann said it was her best dance yet. Len said it had aggression and passion. Again, they liked it more than I did.

Judges scores: 9 + 9 + 9 = 27

My score: 8

Jason Taylor and Edyta Sliwinska

Dance: Quickstep

Wardrobe: Edyta looked really pretty even though there was the normal lack of fabric. Jason looked awesome.

Music: The music was fantastic.

Performance: I thought this dance really suited Jason and I loved it. It was fun, lively, energetic, entertaining and quick! My favorite dance of the night so far. I love Kristi and I love Edyta and Jason. I’d love to see the two of them in the final.

Judges: Carrie Ann said it was fantastic. Len said he would be in the final with a performance like that. Bruno said it was the performance of the night and called it quick lightning.

Judges scores: 10 + 9 + 10 = 29

My score: 10

Latin Round

Marissa and Tony

Dance: Rumba

Wardrobe: Wardrobe didn’t do her any favors with this dress. Or Tony with the pseudo-referee shirt.

Music: It might have been better sung by someone else. But it was pretty awful.

Performance: I didn’t really get any sexy from this dance. I thought it was boring and I didn’t see a lot of content in it.

Judges: Bruno said she was a woman in full bloom and that it was romantic and that it need to be a little more dirty. Carrie Ann said it was beautiful and that it gave her goosebumps. Len said she acted the part, but there wasn’t much hip action. Again the judges and I disagree.

Judges scores: 9 + 8 + 8 = 25

My score: 7

Cristian and Cheryl

Dance: Samba

Wardrobe: Love the costumes.

Music: Love the music.

Performance: It was a fun and very good performance with a lot of shaking and hip action, but then Cristian pulled a muscle in his arm and so the end was a little funky. It’s too bad, because it was a really good performance. Not sure how the judges will score that. I think they should score just his performance up to the injury and that’s what I’m doing.

Judges: Len said he was brave to carry on. Bruno said he is a great performer and he hopes he’s coming back.

Judges scores: 7 + 7 + 7 = 21

My score: 8

Kristi and Mark

Dance: Cha Cha

Wardrobe: Adorable

Music: Great music

Performance: Kristi had her game face on. You could tell she didn’t like being bumped out of first place. She is an Olympic gold medalist and she knows how to bring it. And she did.

Judges: Len said he liked the middle section but not so much the rest of it. Bruno said it was fantastic and very inventive. Carrie Ann gave her three snaps.

Judges scores: 10 + 8 + 10 = 28

My score: 10

Mario and Karina

Dance: Mambo

Wardrobe: Bright

Music: Okay, not great

Performance: There was something just a bit weird with his posture for me - maybe it was the cut of the shirt. But his arms were a little funky. I wasn’t really into the choreography all that much.

Judges: Bruno said it was furious and dangerous. Carrie Ann said they set the place on fire. Len said it was wild, wacky and wonderful.

Judges scores: 9 + 9 + 9 = 27

My score: 8

Shannon and Derek

Dance: Mambo

Wardrobe: Can I say she looks like a Spanish harlot? Is that wrong of me?

Music: Awful

Performance: Shannon just doesn’t have the grace the other girls do. She’s a bit gawky. This was just awkward and I didn’t like the choreography all that much and usually I really like Derek’s choreography. And what is with everyone all over the judge’s table tonight.

Judges: Carrie Ann said she didn’t know what to say but some of her lines were awkward. Len said she looks a bit gawky sometimes. Bruno said she was working her tush and that she has a slight gangliness.

Judges scores: 8 + 8 + 8 = 24

My score: 8

Jason and Edyta

Dance: Paso Doble

Wardrobe: It worked for the music

Music: Amusing but not good for the Paso Doble

Performance: He looked like an Olympic bullfighter. She did the best she could with the stupid music she was given. It was inventive but not the kind of Paso Doble I like to see.

Judges: Len said he scared the life out of him but a bit too much posing. Bruno said it was a winner. Carrie Ann said it was unconventional but they sold it.

Judges scores: 9 + 8 + 9 = 26

My score: 9

Judges ranking:
1. Jason and Edyta (29 + 26 = 55)
2. Kristi and Mark (26 + 28 = 54)
3. Marissa and Tony (27 + 25 = 52)
4. Mario and Karina (24 + 27 = 51)
4. Shannon and Derek (27 + 24 = 51)
6. Cristian and Cheryl (25 + 21 = 46)

My ranking:
1. Kristi and Mark (9 + 10 = 19)
2. Jason and Edyta (10 + 9 = 19)
3. Cristian and Cheryl (9 + 8 = 17)
4. Mario and Karina (8 + 8 = 16)
5. Shannon and Derek (8 + 8 = 16)
6. Marissa and Tony (8 + 7 = 15)

I think that Cristian is probably (and unfortunately) in trouble, but Shannon, Mario and Marissa could all be in trouble as well. In fact, it’s to the point in the competition where anyone could go home. But I really would like to see a Kristi/Jason final.