Trav's Thoughts

It's live from Hollywood!

We began with 12 and now we're down to 8.  It's 80s week for our remaining pairs.  This could be entertaining or disastrous...we shall see.

Wahooooo!  The Bangles are in the house!  That's a seekrit you may not know...I was and remain a huge fan.  Our Dance Troupe accompanies the medley.  They didn't sound great, but I don't care.  Love me some Bangles.

Hope and Maks dance Tango.  I would have preferred that they not mess with the coat and just work the Tango steps and technique.  I thought her frame and posture were awful.  She didn't seem to have any balance and she looked like this was the first time she ever danced.  I really didn't like that performance.  I thought her movement was too jerky and loose.  She was kind of like a sack that Maks was pulling around the floor.  Maybe she had the attitude for the dance, but I didn't see anything dramatic or sexy in that dance at all.  Judges say 8s across for 24.  I don't agree with that score.  The judges seem to be rewarding something I can't see in Hope's dancing.

Carson and Anna dance Jive.  Again with the costumes peeling off.  I don't like it because it takes the celebrity out of the moment to stop and pull clothes off.  Carson can't afford that break.  As for the dancing, it wasn't great and it wasn't horrible.  His lack of coordination really shows in a dance like the Jive, which requires quick and precise flick kicks.  There wasn't much Jive content, and the content they did put in wasn't performed very well.  I thought the dance was very sloppy and that they were out of sync.  Carson certainly had a good time and the crowd enjoyed it.  But we're starting to get down to cases, and the scores are likely to become more reflective of ability as opposed to entertainment value.  Judges say 6,6,7 for a total of 19.  I think that probably should have been 6s across. 

Nancy and Tristan dance Rumba.  She showed that she can shake her hips during rehearsal when she did her little cheer from high school.  But she didn't carry that through to this Rumba.  I liked the story they told and I enjoyed watching them dance.  It was nice and simple.  With the exception of the missing hip action and some balance issues, I thought she managed the dance very well.  They took the difference in their ages seriously and Tristan designed a routine that didn't make it creepy.  There was a subtle sensuality in Nancy's movement that was very attractive.  And when she smiled through the last third, I could see how much she was enjoying the routine.  Judges say 7,7,8 for a total of 22.  Rumba can intimidate.  It was nice to see that Nancy embraced the style and danced reasonably well.  I agree with that score.

More Bangles!  It's Manic Monday, accompanied by our Dance Troupe.  I must say that there is something so very sexy about girls playing electric guitars while wearing short black dresses and heels.  We likes that, preciouss, we likes that very much.

JR and Karina dance Samba.  He has such a charming and engaging personality that gets me smiling before he even starts dancing.  That was a hot Samba.  That's the way the party dance should be performed.  He had the hip shaking and the full flavor.  I thought he had the perfect mix of controlled abandon throughout the dance.  He held his technique through each of the movements.  And when it was time to let it loose, he let it loose.  Then he pulled it back and remembered that his job was to lead Karina through it.  And he performed nearly flawless Samba rolls and walks.  That was really difficult choreography too.  Outstanding job!  Judges say 9,9,10 for a total of 28.  Well deserved.

Rob and Cheryl dance Rumba.  Whatever your preconceptions were about Rob Kardashian based on his name...throw them out the window.  This was an outstanding Rumba by any standard you can set for a male celebrity.  He kept the movement flowing and smooth for the most part.  He and Cheryl developed a romantic chemistry throughout the dance.  I thought he looked very comfortable and confident.  He led the dance and was a strong partner.  And his technique was wonderful.  There were a few stumbles, but he maintained his masculinity and balanced it with sensitivity.  That was really a terrific performance.  Well done young man.  Judges say 9,8,8 for a total of 25.  Excellent.  I would have thrown at least two 9s for that performance.

Chaz and Lacey dance Samba.  Wow.  That was an unexpectedly credible Samba.  The music was at just the right tempo that he could control the movement and get all the parts moving in the right direction.  I thought he had the party flavor and he danced with confidence.  Lacey put a lot of Samba content into it and Chaz worked hard on getting most of it performed correctly.  There were still some issues with technique and with connecting everything together.  There was less walking through the steps and much more dancing.  And I could really see how much he was enjoying what he was doing.  Chaz embraced the style and that made a difference in the performance.  Judges say 7s across for a total of 21.  Well done.

David and Kym dance Tango.  What a great rehearsal.  Very collaborative.  And he was so concerned about doing the dance correctly and maintaining hold.  He looks so confident with this dance.  He's leading Kym through it.  That was really good.  It didn't have the high level of excitement that a Samba might, but technically it had everything you want in a Tango.  I thought they really captured the the flavor of the dance and the 80s era.  There were a couple of issues with the hold and posture, but I thought his musicality made up for it.  That was a great blend of dance style, music, and choreography.  I enjoyed the performance.  Judges say 8,9,8 for a total of 25.  Excellent score and well deserved!

Ricki and Derek dance Foxtrot.  This is a tough song to work in standard Foxtrot choreography.  It looked a little weird to me.  I just think this was a very unfortunate music selection.  All the Foxtrot bits in hold were outstanding.  But in this case I really have to agree with the judges that the bits that had nothing to do with Foxtrot could have been left out.  I know they were trying to blend with the era and the music, but the dance just didn't need anything that wasn't Foxtrot.  Ricki and Derek have such a terrific partnership that I think they could have stuck with classic Foxtrot and turned the music to their advantage.  I enjoyed the performance, but it didn't build on the momentum of last week's Tango.  Judges say 8s across for a total of 24.  That's a credible score for a credible performance to an unfortunate music selection.

Here's our leader board:

28 JR and Karina
25 David and Kym
25 Rob and Cheryl
24 Ricki and Derek
24 Hope and Maks
22 Nancy and Tristan
21 Chaz and Lacey
18 Carson and Anna

Good show.  We lost a favorite last week when Chynna was eliminated, so my votes went to JR, Ricki, and David.  Pam split three ways between JR, Ricki, and Rob. 

Excellent!  I like it when we have a bit of difference in who we like.

You know the drill.  Tune in tonight for results, and check back here tomorrow for my encores and results recap. 

And next week is Broadway!  Wa-hoooo!



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