Not Exactly a Vote of Confidence
This week, the celebrities would only have 4 days to learn a new dance, which gave everyone pause, especially the judges. When asked for his expectations for the evening, Len replied that he was “fearing the worse, but hoping for the best.”
It’s a Good Thing He Can Dance
First to perform was Toni Braxton and her partner, Alec Mazo. To demonstrate his commitment to their partnership, Alec decided to do something that made him uncomfortable – sing karaoke. Singing Toni’s smash hit, “Unbreak My Heart,” he was terrible. Even his wife, fellow DWTS pro Edyta Sliwinska, conceded that he “sound[ed] like Arnold Schwarzenegger.” But Toni appreciated his efforts and vowed to do well with her Rumba. She did fairly well, and there were moments when you could feel the passion in the dance. Before the judges’ criticism, host Tom Bergeron, jokingly gave Alec a 2 for his karaoke performance, along with the advice to “never do that again, my friend.” As for Toni’s dancing, Carrie Ann “loved it” but she said Toni did “two lifts [because her] feet came off the ground completely.” Bruno said she “pitched it right” but she needed “a little more basics.” Len was “surprised by how good” she was, and that she had “great chemistry” with Alec. He did, however, want a “tad more basic dancing.” Bruno and Len gave Toni 8’s, while Carrie Ann gave her a 7 for a total of 23.
Unleashing Karate Brooke
Brooke Burke and her partner, Derek Hough, had to dance the Paso Doble and Brooke was having trouble generating the intensity and aggression the dance required. To help her, Derek took her to a karate class so that she could learn how to tap into her inner aggressiveness, and after punching some pads and breaking some boards, Brooke seemed to get it. Her dance was good, with nice, sharp, crisp steps. Carrie Ann said she was “truly mesmerized” but Brooke was “just a hair off balance” in her performance. Bruno liked it and noted that there were moments of “breathtaking artistry.” Len thought she “portrayed aggression very well.” Brooke received 8’s from all the judges for a total of 24.
Didn’t Quite Bring to Boil
Rocco DiSpirito and his partner, Karina Smirnoff looked like they were having lots of fun rehearsing their Rumba. Rocco even cooked for Karina, saying that his “risotto is like the rumba of cooking.” Unfortunately that didn’t translate well onto the dance floor because his dancing was awkward and stiff. Carrie Ann said that “what’s lacking [in his dancing] is musicality” and that he “wasn’t in the sway” of the music. Bruno said “the stallion has run out of juice” and that it “just didn’t happen.” Len noted that “there were more tears than cheers about the whole thing” and that overall, his performance “wasn’t really tasty.” Carrie Ann and Bruno gave Rocco 5’s and Len gave him a 6 for a total of 16.
Not Traditional and Proud of It
Lance Bass and his partner, Lacey Schwimmer, have been criticized by the judges for not sticking to the rules and dancing more “traditional” routines. They debated on whether to dance a typical Paso Doble and in the end, decided to “put our modern twist on it” and entertain the audience. Dancing to Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl,” it was entertaining, and tongue-in-cheek, especially their big kiss at the end. Carrie Ann “loved that [they] go for it” and she thought the dance was “kind of witty.” Bruno said they were “always, always thrilling” but he said they lost their form in the performance. Len was not pleased with them not sticking to the rules, saying it “doesn’t work.” Carrie Ann and Bruno gave Lance 7’s, while Len gave him a 6 for a total of 20.
Trying to Bring Sexy Back
Kim Kardashian was still having trouble coming out of her shell, which was important since she was dancing the Rumba. Her partner, Mark Ballas, noted that she recently performed with the Pussycat Dolls, and told her to tap into that experience. Kim asked Pussycat Dolls founder, Robin Antin for some advice, and vowed that it was “time to bring sexy back.” She didn’t quite succeed, as her performance was stiff and there was no connection between her and Mark. It looked like they were two strangers performing choreographed steps together. Carrie Ann advised her to “watch yourself on tape” to see how her performances weren’t quite hitting the mark. Bruno thought the dance was “colder than Siberia” and that she needs to “grab the character and sell it.” Len said he was “disappointed” because she has “all the gear in the rear” and wasn’t working it. Carrie Ann and Len gave her 6’s, while Bruno gave her a 5 for a total of 17.
Tough Love
Maksim Chermkovskiy was putting his partner, Misty May-Treanor through the paces this week because they had less time to rehearse. He noted that he couldn’t be “Mr. Nice Guy” and be polite about things. Misty seemed to be frustrated by his coaching at times, but she said that she understood, and that sometimes “tough love” from coaches was necessary. Misty’s Paso Doble was okay, but it lacked sharpness and her arms were very haphazard at times. Carrie Ann said that was “the kind of determination I like to see” and that she loved Misty’s “energy and attack.” Bruno thought she “did a great job” and he loved Misty’s energy but that she “forgot the finesse sometimes.” Len said it was a “good attempt” but noted that she got too focused sometimes which made her “lose connection” to Maksim as well as make her look “bewildered.” Misty got 7’s from all the judges for a total of 21.
From Belly Dancing to Rumba
Maurice Greene was struggling with the hip action required by the Rumba, so his partner, Cheryl Burke, took him to see belly dancers in an effort to loosen him up. It didn’t quite work, as his dancing was pretty stiff, and there wasn’t much hip action from what we could see. Carrie Ann thought the “choreography [was] holding him back” and that his performance was “too stiff and too lock[ed] knees.” Bruno said Maurice had “almost robotic hip action” and that a man like him “should know what to do, especially with a girl like that!” Len said Maurice could “talk the talk but couldn’t dance the dance.” Overall, his performance “lacked finesse.” Bruno and Len gave Maurice 6’s, while Carrie Ann gave him a 7 for a total of 19.
