Okay kids, we’ve reached that point of the competition where I need to bust out a special mathematical DWTS formula to keep track of the leader board. Last week we saw the season’s final dance duel, which turned out to be a fairly effective way of neutralizing rogue audience votes. This week we were introduced to the first ever trio round, in which another professional dancer was added to each couple. We saw the stress and pressure really start to affect the couples in rehearsals. Here’s how it went…
Finishing the evening at the top of the leader board with a total score of 57 were William and Cheryl. Their charismatic fox trot earned a standing ovation from the audience and pleased the judges, who awarded them perfect 10s. William and Cheryl brought in Tony Dovolani to join their paso doble. Carrie Ann is a fan of the trio feature. Len liked the way it all came together. Bruno loved the performance value, but pointed out that they lost sync. Triple 9s totaled 27.
Roshon (thankfully, my iPhone has finally surrendered to this spelling) and Chelsie dedicated their fox trot to his grandmas. So cute. Carrie Ann was proud, and Len gave up another, “Good job, dog.” Scores of 10, 9, 10 gave them a 29, their highest score of the competition. Roshon and Chelsie chose Sasha from the troupe to include in their steamy paso doble trio. Bruno noted that they unfortunately lost sync. Len called the guys “two skinny fries chasing the ketchup” to which Tom responded, “Someone just had a happy meal.” Triple 9s gave them a 27, and a total of 56 for the night.
Donald and Peta kicked off the evening with an intense tango. Carrie Ann declared that Donald was in the zone. The impressed judges awarded them triple 9s for a 27. Karina performed a sexy jive with Donald and Peta. Len thought it was fun, and Carrie Ann loved their three-way. Ahem. Scores of 10, 9, 9 gave them a 28 and a total of 55 for their evening in the ballroom. For what it’s worth (not much, I know), I think Donald and Peta consistently receive lower scores than they deserve.
Katherine and Mark’s swirly Viennese waltz was delightful, except for an awkward spin. Aside from that, Bruno called her technique superb. Carrie Ann was disappointed with the performance, and likened it to Cirque du Soleil. Scores of 8 (ouch, Carrie Ann), 9, 9 equaled 26. Katherine and Mark brought Tristan on board to dance the cha cha with them. Katherine survived a wardrobe malfunction to deliver a slick performance that earned 29 (10, 9, 10) from the judges. They tied with Donald and Peta for the evening with a 55.
Maria and Derek’s Viennese waltz was filled with romance. Bruno called her fluidity heavenly and Carrie Ann praised the special connection between the couple, but Len wanted more dancing in hold. Scores of 10, 8 (Len. Sigh.), 10 totaled 28. Maria and Derek picked Henry from the troupe to be a part of their Bollywood-themed samba. Bruno and Carrie thought it was a great number overall, but Len didn’t see enough samba, which was reflected in their score of 25 (9, 7, 9). Their grand total for the night was 53, quite different from their position on top of the leader board last week.
Melissa and Maks survived a rough week of rehearsals to dance a fox trot. Despite some slip-ups, Carrie Ann called it Melissa’s best dance ever, and Bruno agreed that it was her best presentation to date. Triple 8s gave them a 24. Melissa became the envy of America when Maks made her the middle of a Chmerkovskiy samba sandwich. Melissa seemed to thrive with Val as a part of their trio. Carrie Ann and Len agreed it was Melissa’s best dance of the competition. Triple 9s (27) gave them their highest score of the competition, and brought their total for the night to 51.
Did you guys enjoy the dance trios? I totally did, and think they revitalized the competition. I can’t believe two couples are going home this week. Who will survive double elimination to earn a place in the semi-finals? Will Roshon and Chelsie be in jeopardy again despite their high scores? Will the fans still be able to compensate for Melissa’s low scores? We’ll find out tonight!