September 19: Illegal Moves
Dancing with the Stars 3, September 19: Illegal Moves by Jill Jones -- 09/20/2006 This week on Dancing with the Stars, at least two couples contemplate putting extra moves into their routines that might be considered outside the normal parameters of the dance. What does Joey Lawrence add from his previous experiences? Last week on Dancing with the Stars, the celebrities and their professional partners performed together for the first time, and Elena Grinenko and Tucker Carlson were done in by the cha cha cha. Tonight, our couples are performing either the mambo or quickstep. We have a lot to do and cover, so let’s get started! According to www.usatoday.com, an average of 20 million people tuned in for the premiere of the show. So far, this is the program’s third largest audience. (Only the finales of the first two seasons pulled in more viewers.) If you are watching, then congratulations on making the show a success. After our standard introductions, Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris welcome us to the program. Tom then explains that the judges expect to see clever arm movements, fast steps, and rhythmic hip action in the mambo. Samantha tells us that in the quickstep, the dancers can perform 100 steps in a minute. She also says that the judges look for the Charleston, the chassé (meaning the feet chase each other), and powerful runs during the dance. Performing first tonight are Willa Ford and Maksim Chmerkovskiy. We’re reminded that Willa was praised by the judges last week, but that she didn’t get a lot of love from the viewing audience. While practicing, she explains that she and Maksim fight. We even see him make her cry. He then says that he doesn’t like having plants in the practice area with him; they tend to get hurt. They are dancing the mambo to “Shake that Thing.” The performance is very sexy and there is indeed a lot of hip shaking. Willa appears to enjoy herself throughout the performance. Did the judges enjoy themselves though? Len Goodman tells Willa that she can mambo. He then says that Maksim’s choreography was great. Bruno Tonioli says that Willa is “almost too hot to handle.” Hey, now! Carrie Ann Inaba states that Willa sometimes got ahead of the music. Willa agrees with the assessment. Carrie Ann gives the couple a seven, while both Len and Bruno give them an eight. Willa and Maksim have 23 points out of 30. We’re off to a good start. Next up are Ashly Delgrosso and Harry Hamlin. Harry explains that he needs to dance tonight with his heart instead of his mind. For that reason, Ashly has a laughing yoga instructor work with Harry. They literally laugh while doing yoga. It seems strange, but apparently, it works for Harry. They’re dancing the quickstep to “Lust for Life.” Instantly, Ashly and Harry’s movements mesmerize me. It is apparent though that Harry is thinking a lot and trying not to trip. I can’t say I blame him though. He does a nice job despite missing a few steps. Hopefully, he’ll be able to stay in the competition another week so that he can continue to dance and improve. Bruno tells Harry that he did well and that he kept his hold the entire time. Len says that keeping the hold is the most difficult thing to do, but that Harry did it well. Carrie Ann tells Harry that he shows he has what it takes. Harry’s wife, the adorable Lisa Rinna who is sitting in the audience, is pleased with the judges’ comments. All three judges give the couple a seven. Ashly and Harry have 21 points. She is proud of him and thrilled with his dedication. The next couple to perform is Monique Coleman and Louis Van Amstel. Louis explains that the judges were right last week when they said that he and Monique lacked chemistry. To help develop some, he takes her on a gondola ride. Monique explains that the ride will help improve their friendship and the friendship will help their chemistry on the dance floor. They have selected “Bop to the Top” for their mambo tonight. The performance is very energetic. Monique and Louis perform a lot of intricate moves and twists. At the end, she does a split. The routine is very satisfying and solid. Look, there are Monique’s co-stars from High School Musical. Woo hoo! Carrie Ann says that Monique and Louis had chemistry tonight. She also says something about being hot, young, and wild. Len say their performance was a knockout. Bruno says that Monique is bringing sexy back. Len gives the performance an eight while Carrie Ann and Bruno each give it a nine. Monique and Louis receive a total of 26 points. I have some very exciting news that I’d like to share with you. In the time-honored tradition of fellow RNO recapper Phil Kural (America’s Next Top Model connoisseur), I’m officially making one of the dancers MY dancer! Yes, you read it here first! The lucky recipient of all this love and affection isn’t the “celebrity” half of a couple though, but rather a professional dancer. With no further ado, I’d like to introduce you to… MY Louis! The first time he appeared on Dancing with the Stars, I didn’t get a good vibe from him. I didn’t like his hair and he troubled me. However, during season two, I noticed the kindness he showed toward his partner Lisa Rinna and it moved me. People take competitions so seriously, yet while Louis did his best throughout the season, he focused on something more important and that was the genuine friendship he was developing with Lisa and her family. It’s also a joy to see someone get something from his art other than a paycheck. He’s inspiring and tender, and for those reasons, he is now MY Louis! Karina Smirnoff and Mario Lopez are ready with their quickstep. We learn that they might be doing an illegal move tonight. This show has it all! Mario gets on Karina’s nerves though; he’s boxing instead of dancing. They go to the gym in order to figure out if boxing and dancing can be combined. She flattens him at one point. Tonight, they are dancing to “Do Your Thing.” The dance starts off very vigorously and early on there is a lift. In past seasons, lifts were illegal until the end of the competition, so perhaps this is the move the couple alluded to in their interview. The performance isn’t bad, but they seem to spend a lot of time apart (at least they do when compared to Ashly and Harry). Bruno tells Mario that it was an impressionistic version of the quickstep. He then tells the crowd to stop booing him and to shut up. Carrie Ann scolds the crowd for criticizing Bruno and says that she agrees with him. Len explains that while the routine was entertaining, it certainly wasn’t a quickstep. Carrie gives Karina and Mario a seven; Len gives them a six; Bruno gives them an eight. They now have a total of 21 points. That’s not a bad score considering the judges basically told them they didn’t do the dance properly. Performing for us next are Shanna Moakler and Jesse DeSoto. She tells us that her partner is a mambo champion; she doesn’t want to let him down. She also says that she doesn’t want to be sexy. (Don’t worry Shanna; I’m sexy when I write, feed the dog, or just kick back. You get used to it after awhile.) Shanna and Jesse are dancing the mambo to “Jump.” The performance is slow and a part of me thinks that it is the music. I have nothing against Kriss Kross except for its spelling, but everything seems to be dragging, including the music. Shanna and Jesse perform the right moves; there is a lot of hip work. I’m just not feeling it, though. Len says the dance was great and that Shanna kept up with Jesse. Bruno says she is blossoming, but she needs more confidence. Carrie Ann states that she liked the routine and is proud of Shanna. Perhaps I need to get my eyes examined, because it didn’t work for me. The couple receives 22 points out of 30 from the judges. They are pleased with their score. Did P. Diddy get to Samantha and convince her that “Vote or Die” pertains to this show too? She is really pushing the voting this season as we are reminded for the 58th time tonight that we can vote via the telephone or PC. Dancing next are Kym Johnson and Jerry Springer. During rehearsals, Kym hurt her knee. She was worried that it might be a career-ending injury, but thankfully, she is fine now. Jerry shows a lot of concern for Kym. Kym and Jerry are performing the quickstep to “Sing, Sing, Sing.” Jerry makes the dance quite enjoyable with his expressions; however, he does miss a few steps. Given his age and the fact that Kym hurt herself, the performance isn’t bad. Kym even gets to kick Jerry square in the nuts during the routine. Bruno says that Jerry compensates for mistakes very well. Carrie Ann states that the teamwork was wonderful. Len tells Kym and Jerry that he doesn’t care about her injury; you have to roll with whatever happens. He then tells Jerry that he’ll never beat the younger celebrities, so he should concentrate on the areas that he can excel at, including technique. Carrie gives the couple a seven. Len and Bruno give it a six. Kym and Jerry now have 19 points. When you watch Jerry on Dancing with the Stars, you forget that he is the same man who brought you transsexual telephone operators who cheated on their significant others with their ministers. He is quite simply a funny, loveable man. I think he should host the show next season. Vivica A. Fox and Nick Kosovich are up next. Vivica states that she is opinionated. We then see her argue with Nick during practice. Eventually, she admits to him that she was wrong. Also, Nick is pushing her to move faster and quicker. I think I lost seven pounds just watching her. They are dancing the mambo this evening to a song I don’t recognize. If anyone can help me out, let me know what the name of the song is. (I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; I wish ABC would post the songs on its web site before the show airs.) In any case, the performance is sexy and fun. It even includes spanking! I like the way these two work together. Yikes, Vivica just did a cartwheel. I’m impressed. They finish a second or two later than the music, but I feel that their performance was executed well overall. Len says that they sold the routine, but then he starts to criticize it. Someone in the audience boos him and he tells that person to shut up. I think he’s channeling Bruno. Speaking of Bruno, he jumps in at that point and says that Vivica knows how to do sexy. Carrie Ann says the beginning was weak, but it all came together. All three judges give Vivica and Nick an eight for a total of 24 points. Vivica is excited because she worked all week long on her cartwheel. Up next are Edyta Sliwinska and Joey Lawrence. Joey says that he needs to train until he can no longer walk. He then compares the quickstep to math – both are hard for him. Edyta wants to put an element of tap into their routine since Joey has experience in that area of dance. Let’s see if it pays off for them. They’re performing to “I Got Rhythm.” The couple covers a lot of area on the dance floor and they do the requisite moves. When they get to the tap portion of the dance, the whole performance comes together. It’s energetic and one of the best-choreographed routines I’ve seen from Edyta. The couple receives a standing ovation from the audience. Tom tells Edyta and Joey, “You done good.” I cringe and Yoko whimpers. Carrie Ann informs the couple that it was boring last week, but that it was terrific this week. She almost swears, too; you can figure out which expletive she was going to use. Len states that this was the performance of the night. Bruno says that the dance was exquisite. Before we get to the couple’s scores, Tom gives Ted Danson a shout out and pimps his new show Help Me Help You on ABC. Len gives Edyta and Joey a nine while Carrie Ann and Bruno each give them a 10. Folks, we have our first goobers of the season. Joey is flabbergasted and Yoko runs for cover; she knows that no good will come from this. Sigh. Our next dancers are Sara Evans and Tony Dovolani. Tony travels to Sara’s home with her and gets an idea of how many people support her. A very blessed woman (if you know what I mean) says that she is going to vote for Sara and Tony all the way. She then shakes her blessings. Tony says that he wants the judges to eat their harsh words from last week. They are performing the mambo to “Papa Loves Mambo.” Sara does a nice job, but she doesn’t seem comfortable with the sexiness of the routine. She also appears to think a lot during the performance. It is a nice routine, but it’s not the best of the evening. Sara should be proud of herself though. Len tells Sara and Tony that they did much better this week. His only concern is that she is too careful. Carrie Ann says that Sara was sexy; however, the dance was a safe mambo. Bruno explains that she kept in character throughout the performance and that he wants her to kill him on the dance floor. Violence is never the answer. Each judge gives the performance a seven; Sara and Tony have a total of 21 points out of 30. Dancing the last dance this evening are Cheryl Burke and Emmitt Smith. Emmitt is worried about holding his position; he is used to running with his shoulders forward. Cheryl says that she needs to break some of these habits, so she puts a bar around his neck. Their song selection for the quickstep is “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.” The dance starts out slowly, but then picks up speed with the music. Despite the constraints of the dance, Emmitt seems to have fun. Once again, Cheryl has choreographed an enjoyable routine. While it remains true to what the quickstep is, she adds just enough fresh moves to make it pleasurable not only for the audience, but for Emmitt as well. Bruno says that Emmitt has charm and charisma, but that he should take a ballet class to help with his technique. Carrie Ann wants to call Emmitt “twinkle toes.” She also says the dance was solid. Len tells Emmitt that the performance wasn’t perfect, but that it was still terrific. Each judge gives Cheryl and Emmitt an eight; they have a total of 24 points. After the performances, the final standings for the evening are revealed: RANKING STAR SCORE 1 Joey 29 2 Monique 26 3 Emmitt 24 3 Vivica 24 5 Willa 23 6 Shanna 22 7 Mario 21 7 Harry 21 7 Sara 21 10 Jerry 19 So that’s a wrap, friends. Tomorrow, we’ll find out which couple’s time in the competition has come to an end.
Dancing with the Stars 3, September 19: Illegal Moves by Jill Jones -- 09/20/2006 This week on Dancing with the Stars, at least two couples contemplate putting extra moves into their routines that might be considered outside the normal parameters of the dance. What does Joey Lawrence add from his previous experiences? Last week on Dancing with the Stars, the celebrities and their professional partners performed together for the first time, and Elena Grinenko and Tucker Carlson were done in by the cha cha cha. Tonight, our couples are performing either the mambo or quickstep. We have a lot to do and cover, so let’s get started! According to www.usatoday.com, an average of 20 million people tuned in for the premiere of the show. So far, this is the program’s third largest audience. (Only the finales of the first two seasons pulled in more viewers.) If you are watching, then congratulations on making the show a success. After our standard introductions, Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris welcome us to the program. Tom then explains that the judges expect to see clever arm movements, fast steps, and rhythmic hip action in the mambo. Samantha tells us that in the quickstep, the dancers can perform 100 steps in a minute. She also says that the judges look for the Charleston, the chassé (meaning the feet chase each other), and powerful runs during the dance. Performing first tonight are Willa Ford and Maksim Chmerkovskiy. We’re reminded that Willa was praised by the judges last week, but that she didn’t get a lot of love from the viewing audience. While practicing, she explains that she and Maksim fight. We even see him make her cry. He then says that he doesn’t like having plants in the practice area with him; they tend to get hurt. They are dancing the mambo to “Shake that Thing.” The performance is very sexy and there is indeed a lot of hip shaking. Willa appears to enjoy herself throughout the performance. Did the judges enjoy themselves though? Len Goodman tells Willa that she can mambo. He then says that Maksim’s choreography was great. Bruno Tonioli says that Willa is “almost too hot to handle.” Hey, now! Carrie Ann Inaba states that Willa sometimes got ahead of the music. Willa agrees with the assessment. Carrie Ann gives the couple a seven, while both Len and Bruno give them an eight. Willa and Maksim have 23 points out of 30. We’re off to a good start. Next up are Ashly Delgrosso and Harry Hamlin. Harry explains that he needs to dance tonight with his heart instead of his mind. For that reason, Ashly has a laughing yoga instructor work with Harry. They literally laugh while doing yoga. It seems strange, but apparently, it works for Harry. They’re dancing the quickstep to “Lust for Life.” Instantly, Ashly and Harry’s movements mesmerize me. It is apparent though that Harry is thinking a lot and trying not to trip. I can’t say I blame him though. He does a nice job despite missing a few steps. Hopefully, he’ll be able to stay in the competition another week so that he can continue to dance and improve. Bruno tells Harry that he did well and that he kept his hold the entire time. Len says that keeping the hold is the most difficult thing to do, but that Harry did it well. Carrie Ann tells Harry that he shows he has what it takes. Harry’s wife, the adorable Lisa Rinna who is sitting in the audience, is pleased with the judges’ comments. All three judges give the couple a seven. Ashly and Harry have 21 points. She is proud of him and thrilled with his dedication. The next couple to perform is Monique Coleman and Louis Van Amstel. Louis explains that the judges were right last week when they said that he and Monique lacked chemistry. To help develop some, he takes her on a gondola ride. Monique explains that the ride will help improve their friendship and the friendship will help their chemistry on the dance floor. They have selected “Bop to the Top” for their mambo tonight. The performance is very energetic. Monique and Louis perform a lot of intricate moves and twists. At the end, she does a split. The routine is very satisfying and solid. Look, there are Monique’s co-stars from High School Musical. Woo hoo! Carrie Ann says that Monique and Louis had chemistry tonight. She also says something about being hot, young, and wild. Len say their performance was a knockout. Bruno says that Monique is bringing sexy back. Len gives the performance an eight while Carrie Ann and Bruno each give it a nine. Monique and Louis receive a total of 26 points. I have some very exciting news that I’d like to share with you. In the time-honored tradition of fellow RNO recapper Phil Kural (America’s Next Top Model connoisseur), I’m officially making one of the dancers MY dancer! Yes, you read it here first! The lucky recipient of all this love and affection isn’t the “celebrity” half of a couple though, but rather a professional dancer. With no further ado, I’d like to introduce you to… MY Louis! The first time he appeared on Dancing with the Stars, I didn’t get a good vibe from him. I didn’t like his hair and he troubled me. However, during season two, I noticed the kindness he showed toward his partner Lisa Rinna and it moved me. People take competitions so seriously, yet while Louis did his best throughout the season, he focused on something more important and that was the genuine friendship he was developing with Lisa and her family. It’s also a joy to see someone get something from his art other than a paycheck. He’s inspiring and tender, and for those reasons, he is now MY Louis! Karina Smirnoff and Mario Lopez are ready with their quickstep. We learn that they might be doing an illegal move tonight. This show has it all! Mario gets on Karina’s nerves though; he’s boxing instead of dancing. They go to the gym in order to figure out if boxing and dancing can be combined. She flattens him at one point. Tonight, they are dancing to “Do Your Thing.” The dance starts off very vigorously and early on there is a lift. In past seasons, lifts were illegal until the end of the competition, so perhaps this is the move the couple alluded to in their interview. The performance isn’t bad, but they seem to spend a lot of time apart (at least they do when compared to Ashly and Harry). Bruno tells Mario that it was an impressionistic version of the quickstep. He then tells the crowd to stop booing him and to shut up. Carrie Ann scolds the crowd for criticizing Bruno and says that she agrees with him. Len explains that while the routine was entertaining, it certainly wasn’t a quickstep. Carrie gives Karina and Mario a seven; Len gives them a six; Bruno gives them an eight. They now have a total of 21 points. That’s not a bad score considering the judges basically told them they didn’t do the dance properly. Performing for us next are Shanna Moakler and Jesse DeSoto. She tells us that her partner is a mambo champion; she doesn’t want to let him down. She also says that she doesn’t want to be sexy. (Don’t worry Shanna; I’m sexy when I write, feed the dog, or just kick back. You get used to it after awhile.) Shanna and Jesse are dancing the mambo to “Jump.” The performance is slow and a part of me thinks that it is the music. I have nothing against Kriss Kross except for its spelling, but everything seems to be dragging, including the music. Shanna and Jesse perform the right moves; there is a lot of hip work. I’m just not feeling it, though. Len says the dance was great and that Shanna kept up with Jesse. Bruno says she is blossoming, but she needs more confidence. Carrie Ann states that she liked the routine and is proud of Shanna. Perhaps I need to get my eyes examined, because it didn’t work for me. The couple receives 22 points out of 30 from the judges. They are pleased with their score. Did P. Diddy get to Samantha and convince her that “Vote or Die” pertains to this show too? She is really pushing the voting this season as we are reminded for the 58th time tonight that we can vote via the telephone or PC. Dancing next are Kym Johnson and Jerry Springer. During rehearsals, Kym hurt her knee. She was worried that it might be a career-ending injury, but thankfully, she is fine now. Jerry shows a lot of concern for Kym. Kym and Jerry are performing the quickstep to “Sing, Sing, Sing.” Jerry makes the dance quite enjoyable with his expressions; however, he does miss a few steps. Given his age and the fact that Kym hurt herself, the performance isn’t bad. Kym even gets to kick Jerry square in the nuts during the routine. Bruno says that Jerry compensates for mistakes very well. Carrie Ann states that the teamwork was wonderful. Len tells Kym and Jerry that he doesn’t care about her injury; you have to roll with whatever happens. He then tells Jerry that he’ll never beat the younger celebrities, so he should concentrate on the areas that he can excel at, including technique. Carrie gives the couple a seven. Len and Bruno give it a six. Kym and Jerry now have 19 points. When you watch Jerry on Dancing with the Stars, you forget that he is the same man who brought you transsexual telephone operators who cheated on their significant others with their ministers. He is quite simply a funny, loveable man. I think he should host the show next season. Vivica A. Fox and Nick Kosovich are up next. Vivica states that she is opinionated. We then see her argue with Nick during practice. Eventually, she admits to him that she was wrong. Also, Nick is pushing her to move faster and quicker. I think I lost seven pounds just watching her. They are dancing the mambo this evening to a song I don’t recognize. If anyone can help me out, let me know what the name of the song is. (I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; I wish ABC would post the songs on its web site before the show airs.) In any case, the performance is sexy and fun. It even includes spanking! I like the way these two work together. Yikes, Vivica just did a cartwheel. I’m impressed. They finish a second or two later than the music, but I feel that their performance was executed well overall. Len says that they sold the routine, but then he starts to criticize it. Someone in the audience boos him and he tells that person to shut up. I think he’s channeling Bruno. Speaking of Bruno, he jumps in at that point and says that Vivica knows how to do sexy. Carrie Ann says the beginning was weak, but it all came together. All three judges give Vivica and Nick an eight for a total of 24 points. Vivica is excited because she worked all week long on her cartwheel. Up next are Edyta Sliwinska and Joey Lawrence. Joey says that he needs to train until he can no longer walk. He then compares the quickstep to math – both are hard for him. Edyta wants to put an element of tap into their routine since Joey has experience in that area of dance. Let’s see if it pays off for them. They’re performing to “I Got Rhythm.” The couple covers a lot of area on the dance floor and they do the requisite moves. When they get to the tap portion of the dance, the whole performance comes together. It’s energetic and one of the best-choreographed routines I’ve seen from Edyta. The couple receives a standing ovation from the audience. Tom tells Edyta and Joey, “You done good.” I cringe and Yoko whimpers. Carrie Ann informs the couple that it was boring last week, but that it was terrific this week. She almost swears, too; you can figure out which expletive she was going to use. Len states that this was the performance of the night. Bruno says that the dance was exquisite. Before we get to the couple’s scores, Tom gives Ted Danson a shout out and pimps his new show Help Me Help You on ABC. Len gives Edyta and Joey a nine while Carrie Ann and Bruno each give them a 10. Folks, we have our first goobers of the season. Joey is flabbergasted and Yoko runs for cover; she knows that no good will come from this. Sigh. Our next dancers are Sara Evans and Tony Dovolani. Tony travels to Sara’s home with her and gets an idea of how many people support her. A very blessed woman (if you know what I mean) says that she is going to vote for Sara and Tony all the way. She then shakes her blessings. Tony says that he wants the judges to eat their harsh words from last week. They are performing the mambo to “Papa Loves Mambo.” Sara does a nice job, but she doesn’t seem comfortable with the sexiness of the routine. She also appears to think a lot during the performance. It is a nice routine, but it’s not the best of the evening. Sara should be proud of herself though. Len tells Sara and Tony that they did much better this week. His only concern is that she is too careful. Carrie Ann says that Sara was sexy; however, the dance was a safe mambo. Bruno explains that she kept in character throughout the performance and that he wants her to kill him on the dance floor. Violence is never the answer. Each judge gives the performance a seven; Sara and Tony have a total of 21 points out of 30. Dancing the last dance this evening are Cheryl Burke and Emmitt Smith. Emmitt is worried about holding his position; he is used to running with his shoulders forward. Cheryl says that she needs to break some of these habits, so she puts a bar around his neck. Their song selection for the quickstep is “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.” The dance starts out slowly, but then picks up speed with the music. Despite the constraints of the dance, Emmitt seems to have fun. Once again, Cheryl has choreographed an enjoyable routine. While it remains true to what the quickstep is, she adds just enough fresh moves to make it pleasurable not only for the audience, but for Emmitt as well. Bruno says that Emmitt has charm and charisma, but that he should take a ballet class to help with his technique. Carrie Ann wants to call Emmitt “twinkle toes.” She also says the dance was solid. Len tells Emmitt that the performance wasn’t perfect, but that it was still terrific. Each judge gives Cheryl and Emmitt an eight; they have a total of 24 points. After the performances, the final standings for the evening are revealed: RANKING STAR SCORE 1 Joey 29 2 Monique 26 3 Emmitt 24 3 Vivica 24 5 Willa 23 6 Shanna 22 7 Mario 21 7 Harry 21 7 Sara 21 10 Jerry 19 So that’s a wrap, friends. Tomorrow, we’ll find out which couple’s time in the competition has come to an end.