A night of tears and cheers…but not many jeers: Dancing With The Stars has another good week!

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

(I’ve put in 3 rows of “Spoilers” so that the folks who see this linked on Facebook won’t have it ruined for them. 🙂 )

We’ve made it through another week, Boys and Girls! It’s time for Dancing With The Stars…week 3.

It’s Personal Story week, so expect things to get emotional – they always do. It’s too bad that Martina didn’t get a chance to stick around to this week – she said she was really looking forward to doing this dance. I’m 99.9% positive it would have centered on her battle with breast cancer. Thus, it would have been emotional.

There are 11 couples remaining. Here is how they stand after the first two weeks of scores (and their dance style for this week):

Katherine and Mark – 2 week total of 52/60 (Waltz)
William and Cheryl – 2 week total of 49/60 (Salsa)
Roshon and Chelsie – 2 week total of 49/60 (Samba)
Jaleel and Kym – 2 week total of 48/60 (Rumba)
Sherri and Val – 2 week total of 46/60 (Rumba)
Maria and Derek – 2 week total of 46/60 (Rumba)
Donald and Peta – 2 week total of 45/60 (Rumba)
Jack and Anna – 2 week total of 44/60 (Samba)
Gladys and Tristan – 2 week total of 42/60 (Foxtrot)
Gavin and Karina – 2 week total of 41/60 (Rumba)
Melissa and Maks – 2 week total of 40/60 (Jive)

It looks like we’re going to have a lot of Latin dances tonight – it will be interesting. Though, I wonder if Katherine/Mark, Gladys/Tristan, and Melissa/Maks will stand out because they are each doing something different. Time will tell!

My guess is that Melissa and Gavin are going to really need to step it up this week. I mean, really step it up. Gladys is close to the bottom with them, but she has the Foxtrot this week. I just have a feeling that might be a good dance for Gladys. Can Gavin get his hips moving for the Rumba? Does Melissa have the stamina and precision for the Jive? (And will Melissa just let go and have some fun rather than trying so damned hard?)

Let’s see what happens………

Jack and Anna dancing the Samba.

Wow…he’s got a daughter that he didn’t know bout until just last year. Interesting. He’s her birth father – I wonder if he even knew the girl was pregnant.
Okay…why do they insist on putting him in these colors? I was a bit frightened by the hip thrust at the beginning. He seems to be loosening up a bit as it goes on, which means that it’s getting a little better as it goes on. Though, he does tend to strike a pose now and then. Weird.
Len took some happy pills! Yikes! thinks it’s Jack’s best dance.
Bruno likes the timing and rhythm.
Carrie Anne wants to see more of Jack. With Carrie Ann, that could be taken a number of ways.
8 from Carrie Ann; 8 from Len; 8 from Bruno
8+8+8 = 24 Highest score of the competition thus far for these two

Maria and Derek dancing the Rumba.

Dancing for her parents. She was actually a really cute 10-year-old. She’s moving well for someone with broken ribs.
A rumba to Material Girl? Fascinating take on the song. I never would have recognized it.
I don’t know how I feel about the dress. Goodness knows she has the body for it, but I just don’t know if I like it.
Well, they are turning on the sexy, that’s for sure. I actually thought they were making out at one point. Though, it seems like there should have been more actual dancing happening. Mom doesn’t think Len will like it.
Bruno : “I felt it” He loves this one.
Carrie Ann: “Vertical and horizontal expression of the true horizontal desire.” Maturity and sensuality. Fluid movement.
Len: “Mix of the ballroom with a little touch of the bedroom. ” Technique was really good. (Mom was wrong…so was I.)
9 from Carrie Ann; 9 from Len; 9 from Bruno
9+9+9 = 27 The highest scores of the season thus far! Wow!

While waiting for the scores during the commercial, that Target commercial that Mom doesn’t like came on. She let me know that she hates it…again. I wouldn’t doubt if this happens every week.

Gladys and Tristan dancing the Foxtrot.

Tristan really is a cutie.
Gladys has such a great attitude about criticism. She’s chosen 1957 when she first started with Gladys Knight and the Pips because of how much she learned. Empress of Soul is bringing Motown to the Ballroom.
They are really costuming Gladys nicely. I like her dress. I don’t know how I feel about this Foxtrot though. She seems hesitant and perhaps a little stiff. I’m not sure if Tristan choreographed this one all that well. And that door just got in the way. I’m sure Len will have something to say about that.
Carrie Ann saw improvement in her frame.
Len admires her work and dedication. The frame is getting better. He wants to be a Pip. Whoa! I’m really surprised that he didn’t say anything about the door. He usually hates that stuff.
Bruno likes the fluidity of her dance.
8 from Carrie Ann; 8 from Len; 8 from Bruno
8+8+8=24 Personally, I think those scores are a little high. I didn’t think it was all that.

Roshon and Chelsie dancing the Samba.

First time he saw Michael Jackson on stage was in 1996. I’m so old.
Oh, nice…Michael’s choreographer.
I still don’t like Roshon. He still annoys me.
I’m not seeing the samba here…I hope they get it in there. Interesting tribute to Michael Jackson, but I don’t feel that it’s a strong samba. It’s too hip-hop. His samba rolls seemed off and the timing of the end was off.
Of course, this means the judges will love it.
Len likes the exuberance and attitude. He would have liked to see more traditional samba. But he likes that they give 100%.
Bruno thinks Michael Jackson would have loved it.
Carrie Ann thought it was a great tribute to Michael Jackson but agrees that there wasn’t enough samba…and that it wasn’t his best dance. (Thank you!)
8 from Carrie Ann; 8 from Len; 9 from Bruno
8+8+9=25

The judges all took happy pills today. I really think they are giving really high scores. Maria and Derek were really deserving of their scores. But the rest of them, I don’t think they were that good.

Gavin and Karina dancing the Rumba.

And again he has the hat. Billy Joel concert with his family is what made him decide what he wanted to do…and it was his dad who supported him all the way through it. Oh, Gavin choking up just makes me want to cry!
OMG He doesn’t have a hat on in rehearsal! But he does in the performance.
Well, he started to get something going with his hips. Let’s see if he can keep that up. His steps are very precise, but they are also very deliberate – like he’s counting rather than just doing. There’s a lot of running across the stage after a fast-moving Karina as well. I wanted to see more dancing, to be honest. But, it’s better than hes’ been in past weeks. Let’s see what the judges say.
Bruno: “Gavin, you’ve got hips!” He sees improvement.
Carrie Ann: “My heart’s going all fluttery for you, Gavin!” She thinks he’s natural. I don’t really agree, but this was better.
Len: Good hips, more musicality, sees progression.
8 from Carrie Ann; 8 from Len; 8 from Bruno
8+8+8=24 His highest score of the competition

Katherine and Mark dancing the Waltz.

1996 is when she found out that her father had lung cancer. Oh dear…she really lost it there, didn’t she? One of the few times I remember that they didn’t take the camera off the person crying. But, then, it’s one of the few times that the person crying actually just let herself cry and didn’t hold back.
As always, she looks beautiful. The perfect dress.
I’m really trying not to be biased here, but she’s just killing it. Her turns are beautiful with that dress. If the professionals truly are the ones who do the costuming, Mark does a fabulous job!
Carrie Ann calls it magic.
Len doesn’t feel there was enough dancing in ballroom hold and that there should be since Katherine is so good at it. “The bottom line..you are a wonderful dancer.”
Bruno: “You are sensational!”
10 from Carrie Ann; 9 from Len; 10 from Bruno
10+9+10 = 29

Katherine’s response to Brooke reminds me: This cast is so very good about deflecting the focus off themselves and putting it back on the entire group. It’s so selfless. (Except Roshon…it all seems to be about him.)

Sherri and Val dancing the Rumba.

Dancing for her son. Sherri’s feeling the pressure because she is dancing for her son. Aw…he’s a cutie! How nice of Val to bring her son into rehearsal to give her perspective.
(What’s with the commercial placement after the lead in video??)
Oh, I get it…the light matched the heartbeat that we couldn’t hear because of the crowd.
I’m not a fan of Sherri’s facial expressions, but she’s dancing nicely. Her arm movements could be a bit more fluid, I think. But she’s doing decently with the hip movements. There are some moves that she still seems hesitant about – I think because of her weight.
Len appreciated the emotion and thought she did a great job.
Bruno thinks she did a great job.
Carrie Ann says Sherri is true to herself when she dances.
8 from Carrie Ann; 8 from Len; 8 from Bruno
8+8+8=24 (OMG Sherri is so cute whether she’s laughing or crying!)

Melissa and Maks dancing the Jive.

Melissa broke her back in 2010 and thought she wouldn’t walk again. Well, the jive is going to challenge her.
Maks is teasing her about her crying again.
Strange opening for a jive, but considering the story, I guess it makes sense. Ah, here’s the jive. She seems a little flat-footed. Again, I don’t think this is great choreography. I don’t think the judges are going to like it. But they may surprise me. They have before.
Bruno liked the opening with the drops and the shapes. She needs to watch the side to side.
Carrie Ann loves it.
Len says Melissa has come into the competition.
Well, there it is…the judges have surprised me. (Mom just said, “They must be taking happy pills. I’m still not going to vote for her.” LOL)
8 from Carrie Ann; 8 from Len; 8 from Bruno
8+8+8=24 This seems to be the score of the night.

Jaleel and Kym dance the Rumba.

Playing his alter ego in Family Matters was the most memorable. Interesting.
Well, the music works to start the sexy. One thing I’ll say for Jaleel…the man is smooth. I want to see more hip action from him though…this is the Rumba, after all. Is it just me or does it look like Kym’s dress is about to come off? (Not that I’d complain.)
Carrie Ann says he’s back in the game.
Len thought it was a very competent performance and did well with the choreography. Needed to use the arms a bit more.
Bruno agrees with Len about his arms…but thinks he was smooth.
9 from Carrie Ann; 8 from Len; 8 from Bruno
9+8+8=25 (Carrie Ann has her favorites this season, doesn’t she?)

William and Cheryl dancing the Salsa.

He’s chosen the year he came to the United States. His Step father was given political asylum by the US so he was able to come to the United States.
He speaks so darned fast…I can’t understand him. LOL
And the crowd goes wild when the shirt is opened…Of course. He’s dancing a good Salsa. I see some flat-footed dancing at times, but I’m sure the judges will like it. There seemed to be a mistake at the end…either that or Cheryl screwed up that choreography. Overall, it was a good Salsa.
Now if we can get the crowd to shut up…..
Len says William conquered the salsa.
Bruno is such a little slut! LOL “That was amazing!”
Carrie Ann loved it too…there was a bit of an issue at the end…Carrie Ann saw it.
9 from Carrie Ann; 9 from Len; 10 from Bruno (he’s voting with the hormones again)
9+9+10=28 (Bruno’s 10 was too high…they did have an obvious mistake at the end.)

Donald and Peta dancing the Rumba.

His best friend passing away in 2010 is Donald’s most memorable moment. Manly men breaking down and crying makes my mother sob. Something to know about her.
This is a good rumba song. He’s got the right emotions happening and he’s moving his hips. I think his hips have been the best of the night for the rumba. I think he could have done better, but a lot of that might have been the choreography.
Carrie Ann gets all choked up again…as usual.
Len just called Donald a “hunky-dunky football guy.” Ha!
Bruno likes Donald because he pushes himself all the time.
Can Brooke please take some interviewing lessons??
9 from Carrie Ann; 8 from Len; 9 from Bruno
9+8+9=26

Well, this was just a really amazing night of dancing!

What has gotten into these people? They are just stepping up every week. I’ve never seen this many 9s and 10s so early in the season. Not a single score of 7 was given to anyone tonight…they were all 8s, 9s, and 10s. Just incredible.

It will be very difficult to see one of these folks go home tomorrow night. Very difficult indeed.