Trav's Thoughts

It's encores and results!

I enjoyed Classical Night.  I thought the show was well put together and most of the dancing was excellent.  Here are the performances I thought really stood out.

We enjoyed the Team dances.  You can Team Tango here at about 3:50 and Team Paso Doble here at about 2:58.

Katherine and Mark were typically terrific with their Rumba.  Click here if the video doesn't play.


The Viennese Waltz from William and Cheryl was wonderfully romantic.  Click here if the video doesn't play.


The Viennese Waltz from Donald and Peta was full of content and danced just short of perfection.  Click here if the video doesn't play.


One pair caught the first perfect 30 of the season and I have to agree with the score.  Maria and Derek danced an outstanding and thematically creative Paso Doble.  Click here if the video doesn't play.


Great stuff.  Derek's work in that Paso put me in mind of the innovative spin he put to a 1950s style Paso with Nicole Scherzinger in Season 10.  You can see that routine here.

OK.  Here's a reminder of our combined leader board after the individual and team dances from Monday night:

57 Maria and Derek
54 Katherine and Mark
53 William and Cheryl
53 Donald and Peta
52 Roshon and Chelsie
51 Jaleel and Kym
47 Melissa and Maks

And what did Louis van Amstel think of the performances?  Well you can find out if you click here.

The judges select the Paso Doble from Maria and Derek as the encore.

First results...William and Cheryl are safe.  Donald and Peta are safe.  Katherine and Mark are safe.

AT&T Spotlight performance features Richard Steelo Vasquez, a member of the Groovaloos who suffered a brain aneurism last June.  He was unable to speak, move, or walk.  Now he's able to dance.  He can't go all out and do the tricks, but he's dancing after nearly dying less than a year ago.

Gavin DeGraw returns to the ballroom to sing for us.  Excellent!  Louis and Karina provide an able assist.  Nice.

Did you know that our pros have been engaged in a ballroom battle with some young ballroom couples?  The competition has been on the internet.  I haven't watched any of it, but tonight we get to see the final three couples taught by Tony, Louis, and Cheryl.

It's a Jive relay, and our judges will decide the winners.  Team Cheryl, Allen and Alley, gets off to a high energy start.  I can see Cheryl's influence in the choreography and in the way she moves.  Next up is Team Tony, Phil and Elizabeth.  Quick feet and great tricks from those kids.  Now it's Team Louis, Ron and Ashley.  These kids look very polished, contained, and controlled...but still with amazing energy and flare.  Good stuff!

The judges say Team Louis finish third, Team Tony finish second, and Team Cheryl finish first.  Cool, although it seemed to go by a little too fast.  I wouldn't have liked a bit more.

And we're back for results again...Maria and Derek are safe.  Melissa and Maks are safe.

Roshon and Chelsie are in the Dance Duel.  Jaleel and Kym are in the Dance Duel.  This is the last Dance Duel for the season, and it's going to be Rumba.

Jaleel had the comment of the season, saying Len is like the old guy outside the grocery story who won't give a kid money for candy.  Bwahahahahahaaa!

You remember the drill for Dance Duel.  The judges decide only based on this dance, not prior performances.  I thought they were both terrific, so I'd have to choose based on my favorite dancer...that's Jaleel.  Carrie Ann says Roshon and Chelsie.  Len says Roshon and Chelsie.  Bruno says Roshon and Chelsie.

So Roshon and Chelsie are safe.

That means Jaleel and Kym are out.  Dang.


Somebody has to go and the eliminations don't get any easier from here.

Later gang!