Trav's Thoughts

Edit:  Sorry gang!  I thought I saw this posted this morning.  DOH!

It's encores and results, live from Hollywood!

We're almost there, gang.  Next week we've got the performance finale featuring the three couples who survive elimination this week, followed by the announcement of the winner of our Fabulous Mirror Ball Trophy!

Cool beans!

Here's what we liked from Monday's performances.

Despite a bit of a disconnect between Ralph and Karina, we did like their Argentine Tango.  Click here if the video doesn't play.



We liked the Viennese Waltz from Kirstie and Maks.  Click here if the video doesn't play.



We liked the Rumba from Chelsea and Mark.  Click here if the video doesn't play.



Dance of the night honors go to Hines and Kym for their outstanding Salsa.  Click here if the video doesn't play.



Excellent!

It's another super-spectacular-step-over-lip-lock two hour results show.  In our first hour, we are treated to some of the memorable freestyle dances from seasons past.  I'll link to the clips.

But first, let's have our pros with our Dance Troupe.  That was a kick ass Jive!  And they followed it up with an equally outstanding Cha Cha Cha, which seems to be the dance style of Season 12.  Louis choreographed this routine.

DAMN YOU AT&T!!  STOP THAT FREAKING COMMERCIAL!!!  I swear I will never own an AT&T phone or use their service.  I am not kidding.

We have a clip of the freestyle from Warren Sapp and Kym Johnson from Season 7.  He finished second.  I love this freestyle because it was a combination of ballroom and Latin styles that they danced throughout the season.

Donny Osmond won Season 9 with Kym, and his freestyle made utmost use of his theatrical background and performance skill.  Pam gave us a variety of squees every week, because she was that little teenager with her crush on Donny.

Season 4 champion Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough developed a great partnership, which definitely helped with their hip hop freestyle.  They went fun, youthful, and high energy.

YAY!  More dancing from our pros and Dance Troupe.  We've got a little Rumba and a little Disco, with some Salsa and Samba.  Love it!  Tony choreographed the routine.

Season 7 champion Brooke Burke and Derek Hough also made tremendous use of ballroom and Latin elements from the season for their freestyle.  They just took them all to another level.  The lifts, throws, and tricks were phenomenal.  I'm always surprised that this dance isn't voted the best freestyle.  And they were both injured during rehearsals, so the first time they danced it all the way through was on finale night.

But, voters chose Season 2 champion Drew Lachey and Cheryl Burke as the best freestyle.  I can't argue against it, because this dance was full of difficulty and it was performed so well.  Drew was not an early front runner, but he embraced the challenge and developed into a terrific all around ballroom dancer, equally strong in both ballroom and Latin styles.  The freestyle sealed the deal for him and Cheryl.



Alrighty then.  Let's move on to our second hour, shall we?

The judges select the Rumba from Chelsea and Mark as the encore.

First results...Hines and Kym are in the performance finale.

Stevie Nicks is in the ballroom!  I love me some Stevie.  She is accompanied by Dmitry, Damian, Anna, and Peta.  Two of my favorite things...Stevie Nicks and our pros.

So Pitbull and Ne-Yo, with allegedly the hottest dance track in the nation.   Whatever.

Next results...Chelsea and Mark are in the performance finale.

Here's a special performance...a 13 year old dancer, battling primary immune deficiency disease with a 60% chance to make it to age 18.  And she gets to dance with Chelsie and Lacey.  What a little performer she is!  Outstanding!

DAMN AT&T...breathing...breathing...kitties puppies and bunnies...breathing...breathing...kitties puppies and bunnies...DAMN AT&T.

Stevie Nicks returns to perform Landslide, accompanied by Tony and Cheryl.  Thank you Stevie for such an amazing song.

Final results...Kirstie and Maks are in the performance finale.

And that means Ralph and Karina were finally done in by the Latin styles.


You know I don't have a favorite, no matter what combination of our remaining pairs moved through to the performance finale.  But I think the viewers got this one right, and in the end, only one of our couples is going to hoist the Glittering Globe of Glory.

And we'll know who that is, one week from now!

Later gang!