Cue that theme music again!
Posted: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 by Travis Cody inBefore we get to the dancing, I just want to wish my dear friend Julie a Happy Birthday. These are for you darlin!
One other piece of business...I didn't get a chance to make complete rounds tonight, so I'll catch up with anyone I missed in the next few days.
Now, last night was so much fun that I think we'll just have to do it again!
The ladies take to the ballroom to dance Cha Cha Cha and Foxtrot.
Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Hough dance Cha Cha Cha. We start immediately with questionable music. She looked a little awkward. There wasn't much hip action. We had a tough time getting past the poor music and focusing on Cha Cha Cha. It did have energy but her technique wasn't very good. It was ok for the first dance. She definitely needs to work on being a little more relaxed. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21. 
Monica Seles and Jonathan Roberts dance Foxtrot. He did a very good job of hiding her awkwardness. Jonathan is a great teacher and an excellent partner. It was smart to go for the slow smooth Foxtrot. She looked beautiful and even though she was clearly nervous, she was able to do the basic steps and perform the story. It was good to start with ballroom and they had wonderful chemistry. Judges say 5's across for a total of 15.
Marissa Jaret Winokur and Tony Dovolani dance Cha Cha Cha. She makes you watch her. She lost the steps several times. It wasn't much of a Cha Cha Cha. She didn't have the hip action but she had the energy and the cheeky quality of it. She's really a performer and she obviously enjoyed herself. But it was a little too wild. Tony tried to choreograph to her personality, but he left out the steps. We like Marissa the performer and we'd like to see her do well because she's just so excited to be on the show. Judges say 6's across for a total of 18. 
Priscilla Presley and Louis van Amstel dance Foxtrot. Louis gave her difficult choreography and guided her through it very well. She was elegant and she looked comfortable with what she was doing. That was the most difficult routine of both nights and she nailed it. She has some technical issues to work out, but it didn't detract from the performance at all. Welcome back Louis! That was really very good. We had no idea what to expect and that was just wonderful. A great American Smooth Foxtrot. Judges say 8's across for a total of 24.
Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark Ballas dance Foxtrot. As a figure skater she understands how to finish every move. Her technique and extension are beautiful. Her posture is elegant and she made the dance look effortless. It looks like she's been doing this her whole life. She performed the character and she had fantastic chemistry with Mark. This is exactly what I expected. That's about as close to a perfect score on the first night as you'll get. Mark's choreography was excellent and they have set the bar very high not only for themselves, but for everyone else. Oh my! Judges say 9's across for a total of 27.
Marlee Matlin and Fabian Sanchez dance Cha Cha Cha. She did terrific. She does have a natural rhythm and Fabian handled the choreography so well. It was inspiring because she's deaf, but she danced so well that she made it a non-issue. She performed the character of the dance. It had energy and it was fun to watch. And Fabian is a great addition to the cast of pros. Judges say 7,7,8 for a total of 22.
Here's how the ladies stack up:
27 Kristi & Mark
24 Priscilla & Louis
22 Marlee & Fabian
21 Shannon & Derek
18 Marissa & Tony
15 Monica & Jonathan
We loved Kristi and Priscilla best, and split our votes between them. We also enjoyed Marlee. In fact, we enjoyed all six ladies. They are all charming and beautiful.
Here's the full leader board after the first performances:
27 Kristi & Mark
24 Priscilla & Louis
24 Mario & Karina
22 Jason & Edyta
22 Marlee & Fabian
21 Cristian & Cheryl
21 Shannon & Derek
18 Steve & Anna
18 Marissa & Tony
16 Penn & Kym
15 Monica & Jonathan
15 Adam & Julianne
They'll all have one more dance next Monday, followed by that nasty double elimination on Tuesday when one of the men and one of the ladies go home. Bummer.
We are so glad to have this show back. It gets our week off to a good start.
Encores!! You need encores from Monday!
How about our favorite performance from the fellas last night? This is the Foxtrot from Jason and Edyta.
And here's the hot Cha Cha Cha from Mario and Karina.
This is for my friend Dana. She didn't get to see Steve, so here is the very charming Foxtrot from Steve and Anna.
There you go!
You really love this stuff, don't ya? Cheers Trav!!