Dancing With the Stars--Week 3

[TemptressToo]

Previous Dancing With the Stars Discussions
Preshow and Week 1 Discussion (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=9152)
Week 1 Poll (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=9845)
Week 2 Discussion (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=9909)
Week 2 Poll (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=9927)
Week 3 (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=10023)
Week 4 (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=10123)
Week 5 (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=10219)
Finale (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=10312)

Soundtrack (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=9893t=10122)
Judges & Contestants (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=9928)
In the News (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=10054)
Music (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=10036)
Sold Out (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=9883)
Free Tickets (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=9233)





Getting it ready. Looking forward to tonight. Especially the tangos...they are a more complicated dance where you can't really "fake-it" too much with tricks and the sort. It will be interesting to see. :)

[Laura]

I don't know, I think there's lots of ways to make a tango look super dramatic and fabulous to a non-dancing audience without the dancers actually having to do a lot of dancing -- lots of kicks and head shaking, drags and oversways and drops and all that sort of thing.

[standardgirl]

have practice tonight, but I will be watching it on tape tomorrow night.
Let's see if I can actually hold myself and not read this until I watch the show.....

that's going to be hard..... :shock:

[pygmalion]

Just watch it on tape immediately when you get home, whenever that is. Sleep, be darned. :lol: :lol:

[Larinda McRaven]

Evander really looks cute. . even if the judges thought he was bad.. I think he was fun to watch. And he does have rhythm, you can see it oozing from him. He just isn't quite fast and sharp enough. But definately cute.

[Katarzyna]

Finally part 3 :))

Evander was so much fun to watch, but as judges mentioned, it didn't look much like jive... As someone mentioned before, definitely he's dealing with "soul man syndrome" :D

He is really into it, and I think the audience might like it... He looks like a normal person dancing and having fun, rather than a dancer...

[Katarzyna]

But definately cute.

Definitely agree with this :)

[Larinda McRaven]

WHAT???

They said Rachel was EXCELLENT and had good posture :shock: :shock:

Her score was not accurate!!! She wasn't bad, but she was NOT worth 9's.

[Katarzyna]

Ranchel and Jonathan looked like they are doing argentine tango rather than ballroom. Didn't look like tango to me... Not very sharp at all... Don't like the choice of music... I liked Rachel in all the other dances, but not the tango...

Don't agree with the judges marks... There were some nice things, but overall I didn't like the tango performance..

[Katarzyna]

WHAT???

They said Rachel was EXCELLENT and had good posture :shock: :shock:

Her score was not accurate!!! She wasn't bad, but she was NOT worth 9's.

I think judges are just trying to keep her in the show konwing she's one of the better dancers, but she doesn't have the support of the audience...

[pygmalion]

When she was done, I said (out loud, to no one in particular) "some nice poses, and sloppy dancing." That's honestly my first reaction. 8,9,9? Uhhh...

[Katarzyna]

The jive by Alec and Kelly wasn't bad. Some little problems here and there, but I do agree with Alec, it was her best dance so far... A lot better than the waltz and rumba.

[Larinda McRaven]

Wow, good for her, Kelly finally did not look scared!! She had good leg action and this definately was a good dance for her.

Considering her other dances were slow and this one is fast... I guess slow sustained movements are not her "thang".

[Big10]

Don't agree with the judges marks... There were some nice things, but overall I didn't like the tango performance..
As a "regular Joe" with extremely limited Tango experience, I thought the music was inappropriate....but I also thought that Rachel did really well. Honestly, I was surprised she didn't get 9's across the board. :?

[Larinda McRaven]

Once again, great job for John. I wasn't sure who was leading the promenade snaps sometimes though.

[Katarzyna]

I liked John and Charlotta, but I liked them more in quickstep... John had tough time with his shoulders... It was falling apart a bit, but Charlotta was able to make them look like they were staying together....

[Katarzyna]

Don't agree with the judges marks... There were some nice things, but overall I didn't like the tango performance..
As a "regular Joe" with extremely limited Tango experience, I thought the music was inappropriate....but I also thought that Rachel did really well. Honestly, I was surprised she didn't get 9's across the board. :?

I think she danced well, but she didn't dance Tango.... In my opinion...

[Larinda McRaven]

I thought the music was inappropriate....

yes, both tangos were pop songs... which I am sure the producers were assuming would be better for the home audience to appreciate, rather than strict tempo competitve tangos by Ross Mitchell or Tony Evans.

[GalacticDancer44M]

Wow! What a fun show! I'm sorry I missed the last 2 weeks :( I wonder how many hours of practice they do in 1 week? I'd put in 100 if I could!

[Larinda McRaven]

Joey was fun again, but if he had worn tan shoes and socks his bad foot actions would have been more hidden.

[Katarzyna]

The jive by Joey and Ashly was probably one of the most fun performaces tonight... He needs to work on his posture (a lot) ....

I think they have my vote for tonight... (Love Charlotte's dancing, but Tango wasn't as wow as the quickstep)...

[pygmalion]

I think I may vote for Joey and Ashly, too. I enjoyed their performances, even though I didn't understand their costuming. :lol: :lol:

And just a note to all the stars, if they decide to continue dancing. Legs!!!!! Eeek! Joey's wide open legs bothered me the most, even though I know it was probably a low priority for this comp. The legs, not just on Joey, made me shudder. :lol: :lol:

[Katarzyna]

Poor Evander and Edyta. But they were so outclassed.. Rachel was probably saved by the judges today....

[Larinda McRaven]

I think I may vote for Joey and Ashly, too. I enjoyed their performances, even though I didn't understand their costuming.

well he did say jive to him is a period dance... 40's... WWII

[Stiletto One]

Agreed, Rachel's tango was too...twitchy.

Anyway, the look on Kelly's face at the end (when they mention that the dancers have to learn TWO dances) was priceless. You know, the jaw drop and "OMG" look. :p

[mamboqueen]

Now, I wasn't that impressed with John this week. He is starting to look like he's a little "overacting". And I wasn't really that impressed with his dancing....I suppose since I do more latin and rythym, I just am not as knowledgeable about what I'm really looking for in smooth/standard, though. I did like Rachel's performance. Kelly's was *okay*, Joey's was pretty weak, and Evander, well....don't need to say much. Poor guy.

[Larinda McRaven]

Yeah, actually if Evander had been able to stay on I was going to vote for him just to give him some pity points. If it weren't a competition, if we were just able to watch them all get better every week, I would have loved to watch him learn. It is a hard thing and he difinately gave it everything.

[Merrylegs]

I feel so bad for Evander and Edyta! He has achieved so much in such a short amount of time. Uhh, he's been hit in the head an awful lot during his career, it's got to have affected his motor skills. Too bad they didn't have a runner up prize for most personal improvement.... She deserves a prize too! She had it tough.

Joey and Ashly surprised me, they were the wild card tonight. I think they'll be around for a while. They looked like they were having fun tonight and it made a difference. Ashly is an amazing dancer, is she still competing?

Rachel and Jonathan looked really good with the exception of when she just ran out of steam. Rachel's "money" move is the leg extensions which she's done in every dance. I wonder if they'll put them in all the routines???

Charlotte is the ultimate! Yay! She was in full control during the rehearsals, I need to take coaching lessons from that woman!

Kelly is a rag doll being thrown around by Alec. The only things that weighs anything on her body are the implants. The dress they made her wear made her look clumsy and bulky. Ditto for Ashly. Neither woman has a weight problem, it must be the 10 pounds that the tv adds.

What are the dances for next week?

[Big10]

Don't agree with the judges marks... There were some nice things, but overall I didn't like the tango performance..
As a "regular Joe" with extremely limited Tango experience, I thought the music was inappropriate....but I also thought that Rachel did really well. Honestly, I was surprised she didn't get 9's across the board. :?

I think she danced well, but she didn't dance Tango.... In my opinion...
I don't doubt your opinion at all, from a ballroom perspective. Thus far, though, the judges seem to still focus on posture, "lines," and capturing the general mood of the dance. The studio audience is reacting to dramatic poses and "flash." Executing a lot of the basic steps for any particular genre seems to be way down the list. Maybe that will change as the competition gets tighter....I don't know.

I'm sure the professionals are having a difficult time creating the choreography, especially in terms of figuring out where to draw the line between dance purity and "flash" for the audience.

[GalacticDancer44M]

Yeah, actually if Evander had been able to stay on I was going to vote for him just to give him some pity points. If it weren't a competition, if we were just able to watch them all get better every week, I would have loved to watch him learn. It is a hard thing and he difinately gave it everything.

I hope he doesn't get discouraged and gives up dancing. They asked him if he planned to still continue dancing and he said he wasn't sure. Had to be a big blow to him hearing such degrading feedback. I'm sure even a Heavyweight like him has feelings!

[ChaChaMama]

Really, really fun program tonight!

I think the production values are getting better too.
-They had pros demo the dances before the competition started!
-They explained the scoring system!
-The camerawork seems improved and you could see a lot more of the footwork.

My rankings:
1st--John and Charlotte. Very impressive for 1 week.
2nd--Jonathan and Rachel. This was also a very impressive routine for 1 week, but to me it looked like her neck was jutted forward some of the time, out of alignment for tango. [Not relevant to the judging, but whoever did her hair was doing her no favors.]
3rd--Alec and Kelly. This was her best dance by a lot. Yeah, her flicks looked like someone stepping and kicking rather than having a lot of energy zapping out the leg from a strongly pointed toe, but it was a lively, energetic routine, and it caught the mood of swing.
4th--Joey and Ashley. Fun, lively, but wide legs, and floppy feet dangling at the end of those kicks. He's so likeable and has tons of personality, but it was a pretty so-so performance.
5th--Evander and Edyta.

A question: was Joey and Ashley's song quite a bit faster than Evander and Edyta's and Alec and Kelly's? Evander and Edyta looked like they were attempting something more along the lines of American swing, and given what seemed to be the slow tempo of their song, that wasn't surprising to me.

LOVE this show.

:) ChaChaMama

[cornutt]

Joey was fun again, but if he had worn tan shoes and socks his bad foot actions would have been more hidden.

I don't know that much about jive, and even though I thought this was his best effort so far, about half it looked to me more like EC than jive.

[cornutt]

The jive by Alec and Kelly wasn't bad. Some little problems here and there, but I do agree with Alec, it was her best dance so far...

I don't know. In the middle of the routine she was way behind the beat; when they were open, she kept glancing over at Alec's feet to try to pick the beat back up. And it looked to me like she was really sucking air at that point. I think she overcooked the beginning of the routine.

The problem with Rachel's routine was that all the best bits were at the beginning. There seemed to be an awful lot of dead air and repeated moves in the middle. It did take good advantage of her flexibility. And I happened to like the music.

(Which raises a point, though... this event can't really decide if it is an exhibition or a comp. It's being scored, but the dancing is much more like exhibition dancing than comp dancing. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but if you did a comp routine that had as much open work as some of the routines on this show have had, wouldn't you expect to be marked down?)

[TemptressToo]

I had to vote for Kelly. Not because I'm a soap fan (I actually hate them) or for pity points. But I actually thought that Kelly and Alec did the best job with the jive. And Kelly SO sold that performance...you could tell she was really into it. Of jive and tango, jive requires the most out of a person IMO.

Overall, I was pleased with all the performances tonight. Even poor old Evander at least gave it his all.

[zhanshenncsu]

I am not impressed with John this week as much as last week. His tango is not that good. Kelly looks much better this week and Rachel looks the best to me. Although I do agree that Rachel is not doing international Tango.

I hope they will have more sports star next season.

[DanceMentor]

I voted Rachel Hunter and Jonathan Roberts. I thought the choice of choreography was perfect, and made for a great show dance. John and Charlotta were a close second.

[swan]

I liked Rachel & Jon's routine. Extremely sharp. It did capture the atmosphere & feeling of Tango - better than John & Charlotte's, that was a bit disappointing performance from J/C. But boy, Rachel's top line needs work - it's been needing work from week 1. Great legs, but in standard/smooth, the girls must have good toplines, and she doesn't have it (other than the very pretty face). And could someone PLEASE fix Rachel's hair ;)

I actually thought Evander did a great job :) Too bad he had to go - he was so darn cute & entertaining!

Kelly is still very awkward, but MUCH improved & also she smiled a lot, which helped.

Not too impressed w/ Joey & Ashley, looked like hip hop.

[Another Elizabeth]

I also liked Rachel's tango. It was more Argentine than is really fashionable right now, but I thought it was well choreographed, played to her strengths, and stayed in character. I was impressed that she was able to get into her knees - so many people with ballet training have trouble with that.

John was definitely not as strong as he was with his quickstep. I wonder if Charlotte has a little more trouble training stuff in such a short time period. I've always been working on long-term stuff with her.

I liked the rehearsal clips of John and Charlotte. "I cannot accept this!" I've heard that from her before...

[tsb]

maybe it was the angle, but john looked like a duck during a lot of the routine - not brushing the knees & feet at all. but overall i ranked them pretty much as the judges did.

[Adwiz]

I wonder how many hours of practice they do in 1 week? I'd put in 100 if I could!

I think John was quoted as saying 4 hours per day, 7 days a week. I think all of them, including seriously challenged participants like Evander, are doing remarkably well under the circumstances. As I recall, I don't think my Jive looked any better than Evander's after the first few weeks of learning it.

[Laura]

I love Evander. He was great (for him) tonight. He actually moved his feet and used his ankles. I was all set to give him a vote to keep him and the lovely Edyta around another week. But, alas, Evander has been voted out of the studio. He had so much heart, though, you could always see it no matter how cringeworthy his dancing was. Sometimes I'd rather see the heart than perfection, you know? (Not that we got perfection from anyone this week, but we weren't looking for it either.)

As much as I can't stand Kelly Monaco, she is improving from week to week. The jive was her best dance yet.

John is a character, but I agree that he overdid it on the tango. It started looking campy. But wow, that first kick he did showed really nice leg extention. That said, I prefered Rachel & Jon this week, and so will be giving them my vote.

Joey's jive made me cringe. The whole open legged showing socks duck-butted thing just weirded me out. I wonder if he's going home next, or if the tides will shift and Rachel will be booted? Just because we liked her tango here doesn't mean the popularity contest part of this will go her way.

I love this show! It's sooooooo much fun! It makes me want to go out and dance! (Interestingly enough, I have an appointment with my dance partner to do just that tomorrow :) ;) )

[discovery]

I love Evander. He was great (for him) tonight. He actually moved his feet and used his ankles. I was all set to give him a vote to keep him and the lovely Edyta around another week. But, alas, Evander has been voted out of the studio. He had so much heart, though, you could always see it no matter how cringeworthy his dancing was. Sometimes I'd rather see the heart than perfection, you know?


I agree. I was ready to give evander my vote. This was definitely his best dance. It was great to see a good amount of basic figures. It would have been great to see him develop. In contrast, Rachel Hunter is dancing well but somehow the development process just isn't as exciting.

It seems kind of backwards that after Evander's "cringeful" quickstep last week he made the cut and now this week, after a pretty good show with the jive, he is out.

My ranking for week 3 including dance quality, heart, and just want to see again.

1. Rachel & Jonathan (for basic quality)
2. Evander & Edyta (for heart/improvement)
3. Kelly & Alec (for spirit/improvement)
4. John & Charlotte (for not being as good as previous weeks)
5. Joey & Ashly (just doesn't do it for me)

[Laura]

Evander danced the Quickstep last week, and it was the votes based on that Quickstep got him voted out.

I will miss him.

Next week I'm hoping it will be Kelly, am afraid it will be Rachel, and won't be heartbroken if it is Joey.

[tsb]

Evander danced the Quickstep last week, and it was the votes based on that Quickstep got him voted out.

I will miss him.

Next week I'm hoping it will be Kelly, am afraid it will be Rachel, and won't be heartbroken if it is Joey.

that's why i'm voting for rachel.

[Joe]

Once again, great job for John. I wasn't sure who was leading the promenade snaps sometimes though.
Who leads the promenade snaps when you do pro/ams. ;)

[standardgirl]

Just watch it on tape immediately when you get home, whenever that is. Sleep, be darned. :lol: :lol:

:lol: see....it's 7:47 Thursday morning, and I am here reading this...
But, I guess, I will stop NOW before reading the rest of the posts.
I will get the tape tonight....can't wait!
practice went well yesterday! :D so it's worth it!

[Joe]

Re: Kelly, all I can say is...

"Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

;)

[Purr]

I didn't think that John's & Charlotte's tango was as good as their quickstep. It seemed like John had a problem holding his frame/posture at times, and I thought I saw a few missteps. Also, his character was a little over the top (did someone give him a shot of testosterone before the show?). But, I'm still voting online for John & Charlotte, to keep them in the show.

I didn't care that much for Rachel's & Jonathon's tango, it left me kind of cold. Her dancing, the execution of steps, didn't seem to warrant the high marks from the judges. For me, they just don't have good chemistry together.

[pygmalion]

Agreed and agreed. 8)

What was with John's eyebrows during their tango? Did anybody besides me catch that? Uhh yeah. Over the top about says it for me. :lol: And I didn't like something about his posture -- shoulders, maybe? Gotta watch again to be sure.

Rachel and Jonathan's tango didn't do it for me, either. Rachel does have beautiful legs, though. And some of the poses in their choreography really showed off her strength in that area, I think. But I thought their marks were too high.

[mamboqueen]

John's eyebrows during their tango

He does that ALL the time. I think it's a carryover from his J Peterman days! It is fine in some of the dances, but not all of them. To me, there was something about his bent-leg forward steps that seemed a little weird, although I can't really put my finger on it.

I'm not really liking many of the dresses -- those feathers - blech - not my style AT all! And Ashly's dress did make her look a little chunky. As always, Charlotte looked stunning, although I was a little surprised she wore a black gown. She's just a beautiful woman.

[Swingolder]

Wow, it is only 7:30 in the morning and already on page 4.
This was the first show I have seen and I really enjoyed it. Since I am not a ballroom dancer, except for a little socially, I couldn't see the mistakes, but most everyone did look like they were having fun -- though as actors or models, they have experience in looking any way they want. They all seemed more human, not quite as rigid as the serious competitors and were so fun to watch.

[jjohnjjr]

I'm new to the forum, so let me plunge in here...

I liked getting to see the pros demonstrate the dances up front so there was some idea of what is a "good" dance.

I thought Rachel had the steps but not the "snap" of tango. Her head and body turns were more for waltz.

For a while, I thought Joey might be wearing Army boots and their weight was slowing him down. I guess they were actually latin shoes.

Evander's best dances were the latin ones. It seemed hardly fair to his ability to throw the quickstep at him. Heck, I've taken quickstep 3 times and I STILL don't get it! :lol:

IMO and not based on any facts... it's going to take excellent dancing for John, Joey, and Rachel to overcome the fan voting for Kelly.

BTW, both weeks when couples have been eliminated, they've announced the couples staying "in random order", yet we always seem to end up with the bottom two at the end. So is it random or not?

Thank you for listening....
John

[pygmalion]

Hi John. Welcome. :D

[elegance]

My ranking for this week:

1. Rachel and Jonathan - danced really well this week

2. John and Charlotte- looked more "tango-esque" than the above, but didn't dance as well as last week

3. Kelly and Alec- what an improvement! Pretty jive-y

4. Joey and Ashly- all I could think was "he'd better have let her teach him some technique"

I'll miss Evander and Edyta- really enjoyed watching them! It's too bad someone has to leave every week :wink:

[Ithink]

Another really fun show! I am getting seriously addicted!

Evander/Edyta: it was their time to go. He was by far the worst last week and while it was fun to see him try so hard, he is just not a dancer, very heavy and awkward. I'm glad they're gone if only to stop hearing Tom Bergeron mispronounce Edyta's name (the accent is on the Y not the E!!)

Rachel/Jonathon: so incredibly boring! I mean, no fire, no excitement, no chemistry. There is nothing in their dancing. And her frame was terrible. She wouldn't stay to the left, was really square and her shoulders...! Honestly her frame reminded me of Kelly's in week 1 - very uncomfortable, stiff and forced. I don't see what the judges see there, at all. I think they're trying to keep her in the competition but it might backfire on them - the public wants excitement and there is just nothing there... I think that's why she was in the bottom two last week. Her rumba last week saved her from the same fate this week - it was the best rumba and she got rewarded for it.

Alec/Kelly: I have to say that Kelly's dancing shocked me this week. She improved so much!! I mean her jive looked like jive, the only one of three to have the character, the campiness, the joy and most importantly the bounce correct... Even in the clip of their practices I could see she was doing it much better than Evander who had just performed. And kudos to Alec for finally giving her some basics to do (OK, a lot of basics) - I think it really helped her get the idea of the dance. I agree with Bruno - she needs ballet lessons to fix her feet (she's pigeontoed and it looks awkward) and she does seem to have trouble staying with the music but I thought she was the best tonight in terms of getting the sharpness and the character of jive down. To all who are criticizing her - I'd like to what how you would do side-by-side jive kicks after a week of learning the dance!

John/Charlotte: not as good as quickstep but also really good. He is over the top and I think that is his schtick - to be overly animated. He is doing a good impression of Strictly Ballroom satire of ballroom dancing:) He like Kelly, has trouble with the music but Charlotte, the wonder that she is, is doing a great job keeping him with the music most of the time. I'd put them second tonight.

Joey/Ashley: Definitely the most musical contestant! He definitely has no problem staying on beat. His dancing is really messy though. I couldn't understand why Ashley didn't stress to him that he needs to put his feet together in jive - it looked sloppy and really detracted from the really fun and energetic performance. I put them third.

I wouldn't be sad to see Rachel but it might be Joey, sad to say:(

[Larinda McRaven]

Once again, great job for John. I wasn't sure who was leading the promenade snaps sometimes though.
Who leads the promenade snaps when you do pro/ams. ;)

:shock: :lol: :lol:

[Medira]

Yeah, this show is definitely a guilty pleasure for me. It's the only show I've actually watched on tv in years!

After this week's performances, I'd rank the couples like this:

Rachel and Jonathan
John and Charlotte
Kelly and Alec
Joey and Ashly

I put Rachel and Jonathan in front because their performance looked cleaner than John and Charlotte's. Every time they went into a promenade, John had a funky thing going on with his body, almost like he was going through an electric shock. Add in a few little "oops!" moments with his footwork and it just wasn't as impressive as their performance last week. Rachel looked awkward in some places, but for the most part, it only seemed to be from the waist up. She has definitely been the most consistent of the ams.

I was surprised at Kelly's improvement. She pulled off the jive a lot better than I thought she would. Yes, she was having timing problems and yes, she was still looking awkward, but this week, she didn't look like she would rather be anywhere but on that floor dancing.

Joey... *sigh* Joey shouldn't have been allowed to go on the floor like that. Yes, he got out there and performed it, but he looked like he had just come back from riding a horse for too long. I think Kelly had the better jive by far and should have been placed higher than Joey and Ashly.

As for who gets my vote for this week...I'm undecided.

[DancerForLife]

I liked John and Charlotte the best - even if tango was a bit more challenging for him - in my opinion, the best overall package. John seems to be comfortable in his skin, and I could even relate to the facial expressions - he was playing along to the words of his music!

Have y'all noticed how different the levels of steps that the pros are teaching their stars? I was very surprised when I saw Trista's routine the first week - in terms of technique, Louis really pushed her hard, especially when compared with e.g. Rachel. I am sorry for her - she looks like she is about to cry every time the camera is on her - not a great fan of that...

[TemptressToo]

This week the pro's (that didn't already know) seemed to get the point that the judges are looking for more basics in the routines. All the routines seemed to have more dancing and less tricks. It was a very good show. And I think Alec is yummy. ;) (probably gay right, just my luck if I wasn't married...) ;)

[redhead]

John and Charlotte are still my favorites, especially considering how much more difficult tango is for leaders - Rachel was carried around a lot.
What's up with Kelly's hair? Why won't she pull it back?

[Ithink]

Alec is not gay. Edyta is his girlfriend as far as I know. Of course that in and of itself does not mean he's not gay but at least it's an indication:) And he's very yummy!

[Purr]

What's up with Kelly's hair? Why won't she pull it back?

Yes. Her hair would look better if it were a little more off her face.

I was wondering about Charlotte's hair, too. I liked her hair better last week when it was all pulled back in a bun. I'm not so sure I like her hair loose.

[jxntwinkletoes]

Where is the show broadcast from and where are the dancers practicing?I have really enjoyed this show and reading all the comments on it.

[Big10]

Evander/Edyta: it was their time to go. He was by far the worst last week and while it was fun to see him try so hard, he is just not a dancer, very heavy and awkward.
That reminds me -- I was very disappointed to hear one of the judges tell Evander, "You're not a dancer" (or some strong words to that effect). Sure, he's not a professional dancer....but can't everyone dance, at least enjoying the music at his/her own level? After those types of harsh comments, I wasn't surprised that Evander was noncommittal when the host asked him whether he would continue with ballroom.

I agree with the poster who noted what a shame it is that the public has no ability to impact the standings based on the current week's performance. I thought Evander was horrible at quickstep, but I would have given him my vote this week, based on an extremely entertaining performance obviously coming from a lot of hard work over the past week to improve himself.

Finally, by the way, am I the only one who thinks it's a little cruel to make the losing couple do a "last dance" in the middle of the floor? They've just been voted off, and now they're supposed to do something entertaining for us? :roll:

[DanceMentor]

Yea, he said something like: "You are just not an dancer and you're going to have to go." I didn't like that either. Evander should have said: You're not a boxer, but you're going to have to get in the ring with me. :lol:

[peachexploration]

....Finally, by the way, am I the only one who thinks it's a little cruel to make the losing couple do a "last dance" in the middle of the floor? They've just been voted off, and now they're supposed to do something entertaining for us? :roll:Big10, I thought is was quite heartbreaking to watch. :( A lady in my office and I were just speaking about that. I mean, good grief! The band play the awfully sad song "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" :shock: It was almost demeaning. I think they/we should have a chance vote "the band" off the show. :?

[Big10]

The band play the awfully sad song "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" :shock: It was almost demeaning.
Yeah, the choice of the song made it even worse! :evil: However, on a positive note, it was nice to see that when the other couples were supposed to join in the dancing, some of them walked straight up to Evander & Edyta. Nice show of sportsmanship on their part, and I'm sure there's a bit of bonding that happens between the contestants anyway.

[peachexploration]

Nice show of sportsmanship on their part, and I'm sure there's a bit of bonding that happens between the contestants anyway.Yeah, that part was very nice to see. :)

[tsb]

John and Charlotte are still my favorites, especially considering how much more difficult tango is for leaders - Rachel was carried around a lot.
What's up with Kelly's hair? Why won't she pull it back?

i was wondering more why the camera deliberately zoomed away from her chest at... moments of potential interest.

[Laura]

Where is the show broadcast from and where are the dancers practicing?I have really enjoyed this show and reading all the comments on it.

The show is broadcast from the CBS (yes, CBS) studios in Hollywood. The dancers practice in different practices spaces in the area.

[Lightspan]

I didn't enjoy John & Charlotte as much this week, either... I thought his body kept twisting in very strange ways, and wasn't so sure about the promenade snaps... it looked like Charlotte was definitely backleading those! They were still amazing for Charlotte teaching him this dance in a week, though... way better than I could hope to be with a week's time to practice a new dance!

I have liked Joey & Ashly's performances (although the posture makes me cringe), but was I the only one that it just didn't do it for this week? I was looking forward to seeing Ashly's jive because I couldn't wait to see her sharp, clean footwork, I was especially anticipating some awesome kicks! But, I think maybe she shouldn't let Joey have so much control over technique vs. performance next time, because the whole thing just looked so sloppy to me! Kind of like they were flinging their bodies at random into space (and not in a flattering way!)... I think I enjoyed their performance the least out of all of them!

I think Evander & Edyta got cheated this week, I really liked watching him do the jive, he's gotten much lighter on his feet! Hopefully he's not discouraged from taking dance further, since the judges were so harsh with him :(

[LennJS]

Rachel and Jonathan were great! I think they were better then John and Charlotte this week. Even though I voted for Rachel on this thread, I'm gonna vote for Joey on ABC.com. I really didn't like his performance this week though. His legs looked sloppy and the pants he was wearing only accentuated it. I'm still voting for him because I think he could do really great out there and I'm afraid Kelly fans will cause Joey to be voted off.

[Laura]

Reuters article on ratings:
ABC still 'Dancing' with ratings win Wednesday (http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=industryNews&storyID=8814626)

[Stiletto One]

On Kelly:

Would you say that she was too "up in the air" (as opposed to connected to the ground, like you need to be for Jive), or just "off the beat"? I felt like it was more of the former.

[Another Elizabeth]

According to posts on the ABC message board, the dances next week will be Viennese Waltz and Samba. :shock: The Viennese Waltz will be danced as a group (on that little tiny floor!) :shock:

ABC's characterization of the Samba leaves something to be desired:
The Basic step is a Volta (a crossing action in front of the body, where you step across with the bounce). You will see a bouncing action predominantly through the knees.
Look out for the Samba roll – a rolling movement from the waist up. The upper body circles as you create a six-step turning group.
Many Sambas have a move called a Botafogo, which is a traveling walk with a change of direction from left to right or right to left.
There should be lots of outstretched arms.
The samba has a distinctive climax, it ends with throwing of heads back and arms splayed out to side.
There should be a good balance of moving steps and stationary steps.

[SDsalsaguy]

ABC's characterization of the Samba leaves something to be desired:
The Basic step is a Volta (a crossing action in front of the body, where you step across with the bounce). You will see a bouncing action predominantly through the knees.
Look out for the Samba roll – a rolling movement from the waist up. The upper body circles as you create a six-step turning group.
Many Sambas have a move called a Botafogo, which is a traveling walk with a change of direction from left to right or right to left.
There should be lots of outstretched arms.
The samba has a distinctive climax, it ends with throwing of heads back and arms splayed out to side.
There should be a good balance of moving steps and stationary steps.

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

:doh: :doh: :doh:

[pygmalion]

Holy cow! Why didn't they get a dancer to do the write-up? :?

[discovery]

BTW, both weeks when couples have been eliminated, they've announced the couples staying "in random order", yet we always seem to end up with the bottom two at the end. So is it random or not?


I noticed that too, and I don't get it.

Also, it would be nice to see the public vote rank of the couples, but I guess that would compromise the integrity of the voting system.

[DancingMommy]

Before reading the replies, I think Trista was robbed last week... She actually danced a recognizable step.

This week:

Kelly DOES need ballet lessons. She is stiff an totally non-fluid. In the words of the little girl in Strictly Ballroom (while watching the auditions from hell) "A little musicality PLEASE".

Joey needs LESS fluidity. He was a herky-jerky wonder. But cute. Had a little bit of Bing Crosby (on crack) in him.

Rachel's Tango made me quiver. Did the best they could with an ICK song. But the props of the evening go to......

John & Charlotte. Hands down. I've seen worse dancing in a "regular" comp Pro/Am. And he totally rocked with the facial expressions.

My whole family (non-dancers) watch the show and mom says that Kelly is going down next week. Here's hoping....

She also thinks that John/Charlotte are going to sweep it. I think so too. Now off to read the SIX pages of thread....

[DancingMommy]

Joey was fun again, but if he had worn tan shoes and socks his bad foot actions would have been more hidden.

AMEN! I just couldn't keep my eyes off the BLACK SOCKS???? OY! He could've worn OD Green....

[DancingMommy]

maybe it was the angle, but john looked like a duck during a lot of the routine - not brushing the knees & feet at all. but overall i ranked them pretty much as the judges did.

John suffers from the same disease my husband did.... Looking RIGHT instead of LEFT. We had a big laugh over that. It only took Surya what? Three years to fix that?

[DancingMommy]

BTW, both weeks when couples have been eliminated, they've announced the couples staying "in random order", yet we always seem to end up with the bottom two at the end. So is it random or not?


I noticed that too, and I don't get it.

Also, it would be nice to see the public vote rank of the couples, but I guess that would compromise the integrity of the voting system.

Because they were *tied*. They had to resort to the rule of 11 (or something like it) and go with the audience score to break the tie.

[Another Elizabeth]

I noticed that too, and I don't get it.

Also, it would be nice to see the public vote rank of the couples, but I guess that would compromise the integrity of the voting system.

Because they were *tied*. They had to resort to the rule of 11 (or something like it) and go with the audience score to break the tie.
They couldn't have been tied. Joey had a higher score from the judges than Evander, so to be tied, he would have had to have had a lower audience vote, so the tie would have been broken in Evander's favor. (It was Joey at the end, right? Whoever it was, the same analysis applies.)

[bjp22tango]

BTW, both weeks when couples have been eliminated, they've announced the couples staying "in random order", yet we always seem to end up with the bottom two at the end. So is it random or not?


I noticed that too, and I don't get it.

Also, it would be nice to see the public vote rank of the couples, but I guess that would compromise the integrity of the voting system.

I think the "random order" quote is more for the first couples who are called out as staying. Of course they are going to keep the suspense up for the audience until the last, so the last two couples are the lowest scored. But I think they are trying to make it tense for the other couples too by not letting them know who was 1st, 2nd, etc. and possibly as a way to keep us from knowing who we can vote out? If we don't know the actual popular vote for, say, Rachel or Kelly, we can't "rig" the vote for the next week.

[tsb]

They had to resort to the rule of 11 (or something like it)

do you play bridge?

[Joe]

John and Charlotte are still my favorites, especially considering how much more difficult tango is for leaders - Rachel was carried around a lot.
What's up with Kelly's hair? Why won't she pull it back?

i was wondering more why the camera deliberately zoomed away from her chest at... moments of potential interest.
I know I was majorly disappointed in the camerawork. ;)

[Joe]

According to posts on the ABC message board, the dances next week will be Viennese Waltz and Samba. :shock: The Viennese Waltz will be danced as a group (on that little tiny floor!) :shock:

ABC's characterization of the Samba leaves something to be desired:
The Basic step is a Volta (a crossing action in front of the body, where you step across with the bounce). You will see a bouncing action predominantly through the knees.
Look out for the Samba roll – a rolling movement from the waist up. The upper body circles as you create a six-step turning group.
Many Sambas have a move called a Botafogo, which is a traveling walk with a change of direction from left to right or right to left.
There should be lots of outstretched arms.
The samba has a distinctive climax, it ends with throwing of heads back and arms splayed out to side.
There should be a good balance of moving steps and stationary steps.

What--you were expecting Walter Laird? ;)

[DancingMommy]

They had to resort to the rule of 11 (or something like it)

do you play bridge?

Nope. But I do like being sarcastic every once in a while, lol. Guess my :irony: emoticon was not quite functional.

[cornutt]

deliberately zoomed away from her chest at... moments of potential interest.

I'm sure there was concern about the potential for wardrobe malfunction... I know the director called for a few panic cuts. :wink:

[Infosaturated]

I think who will score with the Judges is pretty obvious, Rachel and John in first and second place, not necessarily respectively, and Joey and Kelly in third and fourth place.

Some people think that it is the "fan bases" of the stars that is skewing or driving the public voting, and it may be abit, but I also think that as the general public can't vote based on technical merit, they vote on entertainment value. This week I think Kelly's and Joey's performances will be the crowd pleasers because Rachel and John are getting to feel very repetitive. But, I also think John has a solid following, so probably Rachel will go unless the judges save her with another 6, in which case I think Joey will be voted off.

Nevertheless we will see all 4 couples dance again next week. The Samba individually, and the Waltz all together.

Evaluating them from the perspective of the judges is easy, and I think most knowledgable dancers are clear on which dancers have the better technique for which dances, therefore that is a given at this point. What is not a given is the audience. Most non-dancers can't tell who is leading, or see any detail errors. We will see obvious missteps, moments of extreme bad posture or timing, and facial expressions.

John and Rachel will have to do the Samba, which I understand is a bit faster than what they have done so far. Joey doesn't strike me as having much latin flair but he may just not have had the chance to show us. Kelly's footwork is improving, so I think we may see a nice combination of footwork and sexy moves from her.

The V. Waltz will be danced with all four couples on the floor, and the floor isn't that big. Furthermore, leading will be an important component because they can't choreograph the dance in advance.

I'd like to hear how you think they will do in the dances from the audience perspective given that the audience will not see detail flaws, only major flaws. Will Rachel's size be more of a handicap in the Samba? What about John, can he do a good Samba?

And what I'd really love to hear, is how do you think they will all manage on the dancefloor together? Who will have the advantage and why?

[DancingMommy]

And what I'd really love to hear, is how do you think they will all manage on the dancefloor together? Who will have the advantage and why?

One word = Train-wreck. :twisted: But it's gonna be fun.... I have to tape it though... I'll be at a class to unlock my inner artist....

[Another Elizabeth]

I posted this over on Television Without Pity - I'm afraid that John and Charlotte could be booted next week.

It will be very interesting to see how John and Charlotte handle the Samba. I think it's going to be his weakest dance. Charlotte has not competed in Latin for many years, and the technique has changed in that time. I don't think it's a dance that plays to John's strengths, either. He's better at "across the floor" than "up and down" - part of the reason he looked so good in quickstep is that they minimized the use of the hopping Charleston steps.

Their Viennese should be very nice, if simple.

I hope they don't get cut, but this could be the week for it. I suspect they won't get as much audience vote this week, because their tango was not as good as their quickstep, while all the other competitors were significantly improved over the previous week. If they also turn in a low technical score, it could be all over for them, which would be a real shame.

[Laura]

I think Rachel will be going home, although I'd rather it not be her. I think people see her dancing as one-dimensional (lots of posing and extentions) and they haven't really connected with her and/or Jonathan.

If John & Charlotte get booted it won't be bad thing in a way...I say that because a friend of mine is coached by her and hasn't been able to see her (except on TV) since the show started. My friends want their coach back :)

Another Elizabeth, if you haven't guessed already, I recently got myself a TWoP login after all. It's a nice forum, I love their FAQs.

[BrookeErin]

I will miss Evander.... maybe not the best dancer, but fun to watch.
My untrained opinion was that Rachel's tango was oh so boring. I am just not impressed with her. John and Charlotte are by far my favorites. I'm sure she is backleading at least some, but don't you kind of expect her to in this case? I could really see the "performance" edge in Joey and Ashly's dance, but he was pretty sloppy. His unlocked elbows/ flailing arms were killing me. I like Ashly, so they are probably my second favorite. I think the judges can be harsh...I think especially Bruno wants to be like Simon from American Idol. I'd prefer simply hearing tips for improvement. I also agree that the show is getting better and the demonstrations at the beginning are nice.

[Adwiz]

And what I'd really love to hear, is how do you think they will all manage on the dancefloor together? Who will have the advantage and why?

This is where it will definitely be unfair for the leaders who are not experienced dancers, vs. those leaders who are. Because the leader decides how and when a rotational switch is needed (or moving to a fleckerl if necessary) to get around potential traffic, it will be very hard for guys just learning the dance in a single week to get a feel for that. This will naturally make the couples with the pro lead/celebrity follow look better.

Of course, if there are obvious differences in posture that will mitigate any floorcraft issues. Now that Evander's gone Joey might have a disadvantage here because his posture isn't very good.

[pygmalion]

What I'm finding interesting is that my initial reaction to the routines and the opinions I have now are quite different. Next week, I'm going to watch each routine at least twice before I vote.

That leads me to wonder if the judges would vote the way they have, if the show weren't live, but they were watching a competition video, for example. Also, how much of the voting is based on the feeling in the moment, the studio audience reaction and other intangibles that don't make it out to the TV viewing audience.

I've found Porfirio's and Laura's observations from the live audience to be very enlightening. They've added a unique perspective. So now I'm wondering... 8)

[Infosaturated]

And what I'd really love to hear, is how do you think they will all manage on the dancefloor together? Who will have the advantage and why?

This is where it will definitely be unfair for the leaders who are not experienced dancers, vs. those leaders who are. Because the leader decides how and when a rotational switch is needed (or moving to a fleckerl if necessary) to get around potential traffic, it will be very hard for guys just learning the dance in a single week to get a feel for that. This will naturally make the couples with the pro lead/celebrity follow look better.

Of course, if there are obvious differences in posture that will mitigate any floorcraft issues. Now that Evander's gone Joey might have a disadvantage here because his posture isn't very good.

That's why I am wondering if Kelly and Alec will have the edge in the V. Waltz.

Jonathan has had some trouble leading Rachel. Up to now her 11 years of ballet have benefited her, those awesome legs and graceful poses, but Jon had trouble getting her to let him lead for the tango. There is no lead in ballet even when dancing with a partner one dances to the music. Rachel's size in comparison to Jon (I think) would add to the difficulty of leading a beginner. Plus, with Evander gone, the only person that will look a bit taller than her is John, and not by much.

Kelly may not have the quality of movements that Rachel has, but she's a tiny little thing compared to Alec. His lead can be forceful without looking it to the untrained eye.

Joey can't lead worth beans, I can't dance and even I see that. Big trouble in an unchoreographed program.

John and Charlotte will arguably be the best looking couple on the floor visually, and John does lead, but does he lead well enough for an unchoreographed dance that requires him to maneuver?

So, is my logic sound? Does anyone else think Alec and Kelly may have the edge? If not, who do you think will? John and Charlotte? Will it be possible to backlead during a V. Waltz with other couples on the floor or is that just impossible?

[standardgirl]

anyone knows what happen to the replay?
I thought it's 7-8 EDT Sunday night? but I just checked, and there is nothing about DWTS on ABC right now. ??

[cl5814]

last week, they replayed the episode at 8pm on wednesday, just before the new episode at 9pm. Don't know about this week.

[standardgirl]

last week, they replayed the episode at 8pm on wednesday, just before the new episode at 9pm. Don't know about this week.

oops....that's not convienent....have practice at that time as well....urgh...

[pygmalion]

I didn't see a listing for a rebroadcast of episode three at all, this week. Maybe it's just my local ABC affiliate. :(