Dancing with the Stars -- DWTS -- Spring 2012

[Oy!]

I don't have TV these days, so when the results are posted, could whoever posts the home-goer also post who got the encore (and for what dance)? Thanks, guys.

[Andiethewestie]

Originally Posted by aceplace57

Louis van Amstels blog for Week 2.

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs...c-news-tv.html

I am pretty much in agreement with Louis here. I thought Roshon had some QS issues, he tripped himself up a few times going too fast and missed some steps, also his legs are rather strange, a little bowed maybe, but he is a strong performer.

I totally agree about the Sabrina Bryan thing for Katherine if people don't vote. I think I even mentioned that upthread

[aceplace57]

SPOILER:

No surprises tonight. Martina is the first one out.

I partially blame Tony's dumb idea of having her start behind the judges table. By the time she hugged Len and got out to the dance floor, she was already off the beat. Tony should have walked out in hold with Martina and made certain she got started correctly.

Martina is obviously not a dancer. I thought maybe she'd make it three or four weeks just on her athletic ability.

[Lusus Naturae]

Can't say that it was a surprising or disappointing elimination, as they had a general lack of anything resembling dancing talent to work with. In their field, they're quite skilled, but that field is not the dance floor.

And... Weird. No encore dance.

[aceplace57]

First results show opening dance number with all the pros and troupe. There must be at least 20 dancers on the floor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pQFQ...ature=youtu.be

[Oy!]

Well, it's quite unusual that the absolute worst dancer gets offed first, but I'm pleased to read it. She just looked so miserably uncomfortable to me on the dance floor, poor thing.

[twickster]

Originally Posted by aceplace57

I partially blame Tony's dumb idea of having her start behind the judges table. By the time she hugged Len and got out to the dance floor, she was already off the beat. Tony should have walked out in hold with Martina and made certain she got started correctly.

Good point. That hadn't occurred to me, but you're right -- you shouldn't muck with "business" when someone is still trying to figure out how to dance -- especially with someone who's an athlete, not a performer.

[aceplace57]

We've been spoiled these first two dances. The cast had four weeks to rehearse them.

Next week we get back to Reality (tv) LOL. They'll have the standard five days to rehearse. I expect all the scores will dip. Some people will really struggle with the short rehearsal time.

I think Jack especially will struggle. He's struggled in the rehearsal footage and seems like a perfectionist. This won't be an easy week for him.

[twickster]

Plus it's "do a dance that tells a story of an important moment in your life" week -- blegh.

[Andiethewestie]

Originally Posted by aceplace57

We've been spoiled these first two dances. The cast had four weeks to rehearse them.

Just to note, William started late and has had half the rehearsal time.

Dances for Monday: This is personal story week and the celebrities pick the music/dance style to convey something about their lives:

William Salsa
Katherine Slow Waltz
Gladys Foxtrot
Jack Samba
Rochon Samba
Donald Rumba
Gavin Rumba
Maria Rumba
Sherri Rumba
Melissa ??


Salsa is right in William's wheelhouse and Cheryl does very nice Salsa routines so this should be a big score.

Katherine will most likely dance to a song that has meaning to her professionally as well as personally and should do very well.


I agree that Jack may struggle. A Samba for a man who does needs to loosen up will be a challenge. The bounce action alone can be extremely tough for a beginner.

Rochon is supposed to dance to a hero of his, ..many believe it will be a Michael Jackson song. The temptation to turn a Samba into a series of Jackson iconic moves might hurt him with the judges, but it just might be a calculated risk to get fans voting.

Gladys will have to come back and show she can produce a strong ballroom frame or Len will ding her again. Certainly if she Foxtrotted to one of her hits she'd be safe another week.

Then there's a series of Rumbas, and hopefully these aren't the downer dead mother or coping with disease type of rumbas we've seen in the past. Those were just killers to the audience. The uplifting dances do much better so hopefully what they are trying to convey are more about finding love, coming of age sexuality, etc.

[Andiethewestie]

I missed Jaleel on the list - he has a Rumba.

[amarinth]

Originally Posted by twickster

Plus it's "do a dance that tells a story of an important moment in your life" week -- blegh.

I hate that week.

They keep doing it, so someone, somewhere must like it. But it really ends up with weird, failed dances to the usual questionable music choices.

[Andiethewestie]

VEGAS ODDS FOR APRIL 2

William Levy 2/1

Donald Driver 4/1

Katherine Jenkins 4/1

Jaleel White 9/2

Maria Menounos 8/1
...
Roshon Fegan 8/1

Melissa Gilbert 20/1

Jack Wagner 25/1

Gladys Knight 30/1

Sherri Shepherd 30/1

Gavin DeGraw 50/1

There's been some juggling this week, Jaleel tumbled a bit and Katherine has made a surge. So if you think she's a winner and you're a betting person, it would have been great to get in on the odds when they were posted last week. At this point, week 3, it's safe to say anyone who has the 8/1 odds or higher all have a chance to win. The longshots will be going home sooner than later.

[Long Time First Time]

Originally Posted by amarinth

I hate that week.

They keep doing it, so someone, somewhere must like it. But it really ends up with weird, failed dances to the usual questionable music choices.

I think this week isn't so much about the dancing as all about the intro package. This is where America gets to know all the stars.



I agree that Jack is next to go.

[Andiethewestie]

Maks and Melissa are going to dance the JIVE on Monday.

[aceplace57]

Very ugly story about Jaleel blowing up at Kym and Mark Ballas. Its been reported by several sources. I won't be voting for this a-hole. Kym is one of the sweetest and most patient pros on dwts. I'm glad Mark got in Jaleel's face over this crap.
http://theclicker.today.msnbc.msn.co...the-stars-pros

I thought the judges way, way over scored this week. I just wasn't impressed with this weeks dances. The stars stories were good and I even shed a few tears. But, I can't even say right now which dance was the best. None were memorable to me.

[twickster]

Gladys's was really sweet (and damn I like Tristan) -- and Maria and Derek's was pretty jaw-dropping.

[El_Kabong]

Glurge Week!!!

Originally Posted by aceplace57

Very ugly story about Jaleel blowing up at Kym and Mark Ballas. Its been reported by several sources. I won't be voting for this a-hole. Kym is one of the sweetest and most patient pros on dwts. I'm glad Mark got in Jaleel's face over this crap.

Heh, no idea if it's true or not (if so, he is indeed a bit of a dickhead), but I could easily believe the headline found further down in 'related content':

Originally Posted by US Weekly

'Dancing' pro Tony Dovolani got therapy after Kate Gosselin

I thought the judges way, way over scored this week.

Glad to hear that. I don't pretend to know exactly what I'm supposed to be looking at, but most weeks my scores seem to hit the judge's averages about 80% of the time. This week, I was rating a point or two lower pretty consistently. I liked Maria/Derek's bit, although it seemed a little light on content, and really, Material Girl? I was pleasantly surprised to see that Roshon's MJ tribute had at least some actual ballroom in it, Katherine's waltz seemed a little stiff and didn't evoke tear one from me, and William seems to be getting three extra points per dance for his pecs. Everyone else kind of blended together a bit.

Nothing left for it but to ask the embarrassingly shallow but necessary questions. What was the deal with Jack's daughter again? Did he not know he had one? Did Derek steal a kiss from Maria? How close did William come to tearing Cheryl's head off with that muffed, uh, spin or whatever that was? What is under Gavin's hat (I somehow missed the momentary lifting of the lid)? Enquiring minds want to know.

[JuliaSqueezer]

Probably totally off-base of me, but whenever I see a young man like Gavin wearing a glued-on hat, I just assume premature baldness. And a very dirty head.

[amarinth]

Not sure what I think about Maria & Derek's. That was the weirdest interpretation of Material Girl I've ever seen. But a good dance. I loved William and Cheryl.
Roshon's was weird. He's a good dancer, but he didn't use his hips during the samba part of the dance, just during the Michael Jackson part.

[twickster]

Originally Posted by JuliaSqueezer

Probably totally off-base of me, but whenever I see a young man like Gavin wearing a glued-on hat, I just assume premature baldness. And a very dirty head.

Yeah, me too -- but no, he appeared completely normal underneath. I think it's just an affectation.

So who do y'all think will go home tonight? Worst dancers are Jack, Melissa, Gladys, and Sherry. Gladys I think is good for a few more weeks because Tristan is doing a good job of choreographing to show her off to her best advantage. Sherry's enthusiasm will also carry her for a few more weeks. So I guess it's a matter of which story will resonate more with viewers, unknown daughter or triumph over adversity? (Seriously? Broken back a year ago? That's a hell of a recovery -- makes Jennifer Gray's neck probs look like small potatoes.)

[aceplace57]

louis van amstels' week 3 blog.
http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs...c-news-tv.html

[Andiethewestie]

Loved William and Cheryl, loved the control he had. Cheryl discussed the little miss and and said if he hadn't of been there she would have taken a butt plant. He's got great instincts and great partnering skill.

The rest were just okay for me. I hate sob stories of any kind for a show like this. Vote pandering due to personal tragedy always rubs me the wrong way, and obviously there are some who are more comfortable revealing themselves to the audience than others. And there's also some damn good actors.

[NoClueBoy]

"Fezzes are cool."

Always nice to hear a Doctor Who reference in other shows.

[aceplace57]

So, they're bringing back the judges dance off for the next few weeks. That's really better because at least then its not a pure popularity contest.

SPOILER:

Too bad for Jack & Anna. They had a good dance this week. I think the popularity vote got them.

[Tangent]

Originally Posted by aceplace57

Very ugly story about Jaleel blowing up at Kym and Mark Ballas. Its been reported by several sources. I won't be voting for this a-hole. Kym is one of the sweetest and most patient pros on dwts. I'm glad Mark got in Jaleel's face over this crap.
http://theclicker.today.msnbc.msn.co...the-stars-pros

"Urkel got irked." Heh. You're right--Kym seems like the most affable of the pros. Good on Mark for sticking up for her.

After seeing Melissa Gilbert in that dress last night, I can no longer think of her as "Half Pint." Now, she's at least Two Quarts.

[twickster]

Originally Posted by aceplace57

Very ugly story about Jaleel blowing up at Kym and Mark Ballas. Its been reported by several sources. I won't be voting for this a-hole. Kym is one of the sweetest and most patient pros on dwts. I'm glad Mark got in Jaleel's face over this crap.
http://theclicker.today.msnbc.msn.co...the-stars-pros

Jaleel denies the claims: he says that though he and Kym had had lively discussions, they were more along the lines of her wanting him to do X and him saying no. He denies that Mark had to come in. He claims that the accusations are in the context of his ex coming forward and reviving her accusations of abuse a couple of years ago, which had been about a custody battle.

Okay.

Interesting that neither Kym nor Mark have spoken up, AFAIK.

[aceplace57]

Tony interviewed the dancers after the show. Tony brought up the incident with Mark. Mark didn't deny it. He did say it was blown up out of proportion.

It sounds like PR to me. <shrug> I guess we'll never really know. Tony talks to Mark at 1:00.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3vsL...ature=youtu.be

[Andiethewestie]

Vegas Odds for Monday April 9


William Levy
3/2

Katherine Jenkins
9/4

Donald Driver
9/2

Maria Menounos
7/1

Jaleel White
9/1

Roshon Fegan
15/1

Melissa Gilbert
25/1

Sherri Shepherd
50/1

Gavin DeGraw
75/1

Gladys Knight
75/1

[Long Time First Time]

I'd say Gavin or Gladys is next to go

[twickster]

I'm not really familiar with Gavin -- what kind of music does he do? Who's his fanbase?

[NoClueBoy]

Originally Posted by twickster

I'm not really familiar with Gavin -- what kind of music does he do? Who's his fanbase?

http://www.gavindegraw.com/order

click on the YouTube link for a sample

[twickster]

So -- fan base not among the usual DWTS fans.

[aceplace57]

Results show Spotlight Performance with Anna and Jonathan's Waltz. Incredible dance that all the pros are complimenting on twitter. Mark even suggested, in his blog, it might get a Emmy Nomination.

Hope you enjoy it. It was dedicated to Julia Ivleva. A close friend of Anna and Jonathan. She's a former pro dancer and is battling cancer.

This is only the dance and doesn't include the explanation for it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKjtxIiG9P8

[aceplace57]

I just have to take a moment to talk about the amazing, sexy, smooth, emotional, touching, stunning and captivating Anna Trebunskaya and the piece she danced with her husband, Jonathan Roberts. It was one of the best slow waltzes and pro numbers ever danced on the show. It moved me to tears — her musicality and interpretation were outstanding. I don't know what spirit or angel entered her body, but she was on another level and I was incredibly moved. That pieced screamed "I deserve an Emmy," and I loved it.

Mark's Week 3 blog.

[aceplace57]

Dance junkies TV is a fun bookmark. Hosted by Stuart Brazell and Elena Grinenko.
http://www.grinyatalent.com/6004/dancejunkiestv/

So far they've had Louis, Tony, and Anna commenting on the weekly dances.

[aceplace57]

Marks week 4 blog.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/televis.../1?sf3789041=1

[aceplace57]

What's happened to the judges this season? They are giving sevens and eights for dances that normally got fives and sixes? This is just pathetic.

They gave William two 7's and a 8 for that steaming pile of a mess? He totally screwed up the lifts and that whole dance was a hot mess. Even 6's was almost too high. It's the same thing with Gavin and Maria. They were over-scored by at least a point or two by each judge.

This type of happy judging will ruin the show for me. Why even have judges if they pass out 7's and 8's like peanuts?

All you're doing is lying to the celebrities. Feeding them a load of bullcrap that they are a "great" dancer.

I blame the audience as much as the show. Are they freaking blind? Poor Len tries to give William some honest comments and the audiences boos? For that screwed up mess of a dance? How could they possibly not see that blown lift?

[El_Kabong]

Wow, what a mess tonight was. The best thing was KISS opening the show. Second best was the throwaway homage to "This is Spinal Tap". After that, pretty much everyone seemed to be either falling down in a heap (I'm looking at you, Melissa/Maks, Cheryl/William and Gavin/Karina) or attempting to tango to impossible things like the coda to "Bohemian Rhapsody". Were I a voting man, I'd have given mine only to Roshon/Chelsie and Maria/Derek. IMO Donald got way overscored; apparently, like William last week, based mainly on how he looks with his shirt off. Most everyone else, I think, was fairly judged (by the show's inflated standard, if that makes sense) and the critiques were pretty much on point.

Now on to the shallow end of the pool: Harold Wheeler in KISS makeup cracked me up. How likely is it that Maria can maintain a high preformance level and finish the season nursing a stress fracture? Lastly, I searched in vain for apparent signs of tension between Kym and Jaleel after last week's supposed dust-up in rehearsal. Gotta think either she's the most professional pro of all time, he did some world-class humble pie-eating, or it it got, let's say, exaggerated a bit in the reporting.

[aceplace57]

Roshon did pretty good. I thought he deserved all 8's. That 9 Carrie Ann and Bruno gave wasn't deserved. My issue with Roshon is there's no connection with his partnet. It's all about me, me,me. Is my dance cool and hot? Roshon is supposed to be an actor and he can't create a genuine emotional connection with Chelsie?

[aceplace57]

Sounds like good news. One report I read said she was loaded into the ambulance in her dance costume. They didn't even take time to let her change.

Melissa Gilbert ‏ @MelissaEGilbert

@MaksimC you are my champion. I adore you. @GavinDeGraw bless your heart for carrying me down those stairs!
4m Melissa Gilbert Melissa Gilbert ‏ @MelissaEGilbert

I'm alright. Mild concussion and whiplash. Very soon I will be safely home resting and being taken care of.

[Girl Next Door]

What happened to Melissa? Did she injure herself during the dance?

[aceplace57]

One report I saw said she hit her head. I didn't notice anything when I saw her dance. Tom mentioned at the close of the show that she was taken to the hospital during the live show.

I know quarterbacks suffer nausea and problems with bright lights for days or even a week or two after a concussion. I hope Melissa's next dance isn't a waltz or anything that requires a lot of spinning.

[aceplace57]

Recap of Rock Week. Man, these pics prove there were some butt ugly costumes this week.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...cles-spot.html

[amarinth]

Sherri - didn't look intense, she looked kind of bored for most of her dance. Her facial expression wasn't what she thought it was.
Katherine - Mark is less Mark this year, thank goodness, because he has a good partner.
Jaleel - It didn't work for me, but I liked his spin
Melissa - her shoulders kept creeping up and it didn't have the intensity that it needed.
Donald - wow. That was his dance.
Gladys - I know they don't pick their song, but can they pick what part of the song? Because the opening ("Mama, just killed a man...") I think would have suited a tango for her better than the part of the song they danced to. It looked too busy and fussy and like she couldn't keep up.
William - that was just a disaster
Roshon - their song didn't even look like it belonged with the rest of the songs on the show. If they wanted them to do a waltz, couldn't it have been some other song? Or couldn't they have not waltzed this week and picked a song that fit the theme?
Maria - Bone fractures? That's not going to work. But I did like the dance.
Gavin - I liked this one. Of course, it could be due to my really loving the song "Paint It Black"

[twickster]

Man, Gladys got screwed.

I was so freaked out by that Muzak version of "Satisfaction" that I can't remember who danced to it ... anyone?

[El_Kabong]

Originally Posted by twickster

I was so freaked out by that Muzak version of "Satisfaction" that I can't remember who danced to it ... anyone?

Er, Jaleel? I recall he professed to know nothing about Mick Jagger.

[Girl Next Door]

Originally Posted by El_Kabong

Er, Jaleel? I recall he professed to know nothing about Mick Jagger.

That was weird, right? I mean, the guy is 35 years old and he's been in show business since he was a tot. I think he might be exaggerating.

(Whoa, I just went to look up his age on Wikipedia and it says his first television role was as Flip Wilson and Gladys Knight's son on the CBS series "Charlie and Company"!)

Also, did anyone else not quite notice Maks' fall at first? He fell so "gracefully" that I thought he sat down on purpose. I thought it was part of the routine. I knew at the end that something had gone wrong but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. It wasn't until Len said that he fell that I went back and watched it. My husband said the same thing "He fell? When?"

[twickster]

Originally Posted by El_Kabong

Er, Jaleel? I recall he professed to know nothing about Mick Jagger.

Yup, that was it. George Jefferson, yikes. The whole segment was so horrifying I'd blanked it out.

Yanno, Week 1 I was thinking I might end up rooting for Jaleel this season, but it turns out that was a fluke -- between being mean to Kym (at a bare minimum, I think it was clear he was at least unpleasant, if not outright abusive) and dissin' on Mick -- nope, sorry. Gotta pick a new fave.

[Long Time First Time]

Originally Posted by twickster

Yup, that was it. George Jefferson, yikes. The whole segment was so horrifying I'd blanked it out.

Yanno, Week 1 I was thinking I might end up rooting for Jaleel this season, but it turns out that was a fluke -- between being mean to Kym (at a bare minimum, I think it was clear he was at least unpleasant, if not outright abusive) and dissin' on Mick -- nope, sorry. Gotta pick a new fave.

Everything about Jaleel seems fake to me. I didn't buy his "tearing up" on week 3 either.

Even without the blow-up rumors, he comes off as a real a-hole