Trav's Thoughts

It's live from Hollywood!



It's group dance night for our 7 remaining pairs! I suspect we're in for a good one with the pairs we have left. And the celebrities designed costumes this week for the individual dances.

Melissa and Tony dance Argentine Tango. The footwork was extremely intricate, but the dance seemed to be missing some passion. The connection didn't seem evident between the two of them. They nailed the footwork, and trust me that it was incredibly difficult. And the lifts were amazing. Just for some reason I wasn't feeling that dance. Ow! Pam just read what I wrote, thumped me on the head, and told me to start paying attention. She said the dance was brilliant. So there you have it. Judges say 10,9,10 for a total of 29.

LT and Edyta dance Waltz. LT did what he threatened...he covered Edyta from head to toe in fabric. Damn the man anyway. Oh now here comes the bare shoulders. Now that I like! And I must say that it's a beautiful gown. This isn't a horrible dance. He's stepping through most of it rather than gliding, and there wasn't much of the up and down smoothness and grace I expect from a Waltz. It was a clunky dance and not terribly romantic. Judges say 7's across for a total of 21.

Lil Kim and Derek dance Rumba. Derek's choreography is once again the star. He made a classic Rumba, more dance than pose, and threw in several difficult spins. He was able to contain Kim's natural sexiness without taming it entirely. That was an outstanding Rumba. Sultry and steamy without being raunchy at all. We thought it was romantic and enticing. The judges were mixed, but we loved it. Judges say 9,8,9 for a total of 26.

Chuck and Julianne dance Samba. They found the connection last week and they are able to carry that through to this week. Chuck is much more relaxed with his hips and he doesn't look nearly as awkward. He looks much more natural and less embarrassed. He didn't seem nearly as worried about his footwork. We actually enjoyed that dance. That was definitely his best dance and they did capture the party flavor of Samba. Pam was most impressed by his hip rolls. She said it was the first time she found him Chuck sexy. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27. That score is well deserved.

Ty and Chelsie dance Waltz. We love the classic box step to begin that dance. He has found his comfort again. He's a strong lead in hold, and he's able to slow down and focus on grace. The dance was elegant and classy, with the rise and fall of a true Waltz. And his posture and technique were solid. He held his frame, and that always makes a Waltz look beautiful. Judges say 8's across for a total of 24.

Shawn and Mark dance Cha Cha Cha. She looks way more confident this week, which is a bit surprising considering the week she described in rehearsal footage. Her facial expressions are right in line with the character of Cha Cha Cha. And the choreography was fun and cheeky. That may have been her best dance. Her footwork was outstanding, her posture was perfect, and her technique was spot on. Mark outdid himself with that dance. It was sharp, crisp, and vibrant. Fantastic! Judges say 9,9,10 for a total of 28. I don't know...that looked pretty perfect to me.

Gilles and Cheryl dance Viennese Waltz. Elegant, classy, sophisticated...a grown up romantic fairy tale. Very well done. Gilles had a little trouble with sliding his feet, but other than that I couldn't spot any technical flaws. The dance had beautiful rise and fall, flowing turns, and Cheryl's choreography was superb. The thing we find most impressive about Gilles is that no matter how much he seems to struggle during rehearsal, he dances with a grace and confidence that few of the other celebrities have. Judges say 9's across for a total of 27.

Here's our leader board:

29 Melissa and Tony
28 Shawn and Mark
27 Gilles and Cheryl
27 Chuck and Julianne
26 Kim and Derek
24 Ty and Chelsie
21 LT and Edyta

The judges don't score the group dance...it's all about the fan vote. The choreography is by Christian Perry, as a tribute to the 1960's.

These dances can be anything...from great to wacky to yikes! This one was a rollicking good time! Throw technique out the window. What I always look for is who picked up the steps, who had the musicality, and who had fun. And they all did! That was definitely one of the top 3 group dances.

What a terrific evening! Eliminations are going to be tough now.

And check it...tonight on results is the beginning of a competition to select a new pro competition to select a new pro for season 9. The competitors are:

Mayo Alanen
Brent Borton
Afton Delgrosso (she's the younger sister of Ashly, a former pro on DWTS)
Anna Demidova
Genya Mazo (brother of former DWTS champion Alec)
Snow Urbin (competed on season 1 of SYTYCD

You can read more about each of them by clicking here. It's not ballroom kids, but this should be cool!

Later babies!