I have to say, this was a pretty darn exciting night on Dancing With the Stars–and the Finals are only three weeks away! This week along with their individual dances the stars and their partners had to team up for the “Cha Cha Challenge” and put together group dances to wow the audiences and get an extra possible 30 points to add to their score.

Erin and Maks are up first with a pretty fancy and cute quickstep–in hot pink, no less. Her dress looked pretty dazzling. Oh, and Maks always looks fiiiiine. Their quickstep was fun and engaging, this is never an easy dance to make look great. I just wish in rehearsals they would stop nagging each other, it’s getting old. Len Goodman declares it’s Erin’s best dance to date. Judges’ Scores: 9-9-9

Chad and Cheryl pull out a pretty interesting Waltz this week. Chad gets an extra bonus with Tony Develani coming in to coach him, lucky him! However, they both look like they’re dressed for a Rumba as the music starts. But Chad comes out leading with grace and finesse. This is I think technically his best dance so far, aside from the Tango last week. But the Waltz is a whole other ball game and he really did well. Judges’ Scores: 8-9-8

Nicole and Derek also do a Waltz this week, to the sappiest song in creation, “You Light Up My Life”. But what a Waltz it is, very standard and traditional, with difficult choreography. Derek always knows how to wow. This was so pretty and graceful. The judges were very picky with her, even after Carrie Ann declares that she’s the best dancer they’ve ever had on the show. I guess the better you are the pickier they can be (that’s usually the way it is). Judges’ Scores:9-9-9

Pam and Damien are up next with their Waltz. And I’m super disappointed in this, it’s just unfortunately…boring. I feel like shaking my finger at Damian for not challenging her more, she’s so up to it. Too bad. Judges’ Scores: 8-8-8

Niecy and Louis are next and I have to say that if Niecy doesn’t make it to the finals I am SO going to miss her comic relief and light-heartedness. The show really needs it when the stars tend to take things too seriously (when you’re invested in something that makes you vulnerable it tends to make you serious, folks). This week they do a Quickstep. Mid-rehearsal Louis gets caught texting Kelly Osbourne and Niecy lays claim to her partner, telling him to put down the phone. Niecy is light, quick-footed, smooth and full of mirth in this fantastic dance. Plus she looks absolutely gorgeous (as she always does). Well done to the both of them on her best dance so far. Folks, let’s keep her out of the bottom two! Niecy is so excited about continuing to dance. Judges’ Scores: 9-8-8

Evan and Anna do the only Argentine Tango of the evening, and they are working super hard with him to not “submit” to the woman in this dance. He has to be sharp and not lyrical. Anna is demanding perfection from him and as an Olympic gold medalist, he can deliver. They do their Tango to “Bust Your Windows”, which is a fabulous choice with the tango thump behind it. Anna wears the most awesome dress ever that I am stealing when I do my Tango with my hubby. Love the black/gold sparkles in the stripes on the top into the velvet short, angled skirt and the big flowers at the hip and the side bun. Really stunning! Evan pulls out all the stops and turns in an amazing performance, full of force, passion, power, aggression and sex. Great chemistry between these two and a hot Argentine Tango. Judges’ Scores: 10-10-10!

Next up are the team cha cha cha dances. I have to hand it to the teams, these were really fantastic this year, and measurably conducted more professionally than last year. Plus, they waited to do this until there were 6 couples instead of 7 and have lop-sided teams. Dancing in teams like this is so hard, especially dancing in synch, much like singing in unison is so hard. If you’re off a little bit everyone can see it. You could really tell that the teams enjoyed working together and it also showed in their performances.

First was team GaGa: Nicole and Derek, Pam and Damian and Chad and Cheryl. This is great and for Nicole’s first cha cha, she hits it out of the park. Chad is super good as well. Pam unfortunately looks a tad lost, like she couldn’t remember her steps. Overall, this is a sex-y dance with 6 really sexy people. Judges’ Scores: 9-9-9

Last was team Madonna: Niecy and Louis, Evan and Anna and Erin and Maks. They get to do their cha cha to “Holiday”, which is a party song if there ever was one. And the costumes! I had to laugh out loud at the Madonna circa 1984 look with lace, bustier and bows. Really super fab, and so different on each girl. My pick for the winner is absolutely team Madonna for sheer fun, great moves and even better concept. Well done to them. Judges’ Scores: 8-8-8 (boo)

What an exciting night! Who has to go home tomorrow? I don’t want to see anyone go home… Tune in tomorrow!

Tonight on Dancing With the Stars they are continuing with themes and rolling out “Movie Night”–a theme with great possibilities. We’ve already seen The Mask from Julianne and Helio, and Star Wars from Kym and Joey (seasons 5 & 4), which were absolutely unforgettable. Can we hope for some more unforgettable dances tonight? I really hope so!

So a few dances in and everyone is doing fine, I’m just not very…excited. The scores are a little on the low-end as well. When will I sit up in my seat and my pulse quicken?

Here comes Erin and Maks! They’re doing their ode to Pulp Fiction, Uma Thurman/John Travolta and the Jack Rabbit Slim’s twist contest. Here is some fun, excitement and great dancing. I thought they did really well, even if there is a little too much cute bickering before in the rehearsals (but are they really dating? That’s the rumor…). They are basically saying there’s something going on, but being very coy about it. Judges’ Scores: 8-7-7

And surprise, surprise (for me), Jake and Chelsie’s tribute to Risky Business was also really fun and well done. I think Jake is a real underdog that might last a while more. I was delighted to see that he did the first 8 bars without pants–a true ode to that iconic image of Tom Cruise from the movie. Judge’s Scores: 8-7-8 (big improvement for him)!

Pam and Damien’s Quickstep to “9 to 5″ (from the movie of the same name) was amazingly cute and Pam is improving even more, every week. I felt that the dance itself had odd musicality with the song, but what do I know–pretty much nothing about the Quickstep. Oh, and Len blasted them for waiting to dance for 16 bars (big no-no in Len’s book). Judges’ Scores: 7-6-8

At this point with Kate (SAVE TONY!!), I am fed up and really tired of watching her. I have never felt this negative about a star on Dancing With the Stars before, and it brings me down, man, and I don’t LIKE being negative. The show would feel so much lighter without her (hint hint, America).

Nicole and Derek bring me back up to happiness with a truly amazing (and really really fast) Tango to “Pretty Woman” (from the movie of the same name). Their cute little comedic timing bits fit in really well with the lightning quick movements–and also made the slow moments matter even more. Super work from the two of them. Judges’ Scores: 10-9-10 (woo hoo)!

Finally Evan and Anna’s Rumba to “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” from Armageddon. FINALLY a Rumba costume that I actually like!! Let me tell you, Evan knows how to do lines and arms like nobody’s business. His hips are good, but could use a little more looseness, but I’ll take it. Gawd, I love that dress. Judges’ Scores: 9-9-9

I know I didn’t talk about everyone, but I just want to leave the other dancers be, especially since my favorite, Niecy hasn’t done well for the judges two weeks in a row. If you have a spare vote, she could use it!

Who will be eliminated tomorrow night?  Will Kate survive another week to whine more? Will underdogs Pam and Niecy stay out of the bottom 3? Let’s all tune in to find out tomorrow night on ABC.

Tonight on Dancing With the Stars, the judges submitted a NEW challenge to the stars and their pros: Telling a Story! This is so up my alley I can barely contain myself. Dance as a Story is MY BAG.

Whew! Let’s start the show.

Ooh! We get examples of the Waltz, the Paso Doble and the Quickstep from our beautiful pros, what the stars should aspire to do. And THERE’S Lacey Schwimmer! So fantastic to see her on the DWTS floor.

First up is Evan and Anna, doing the Quickstep to the “Hot Honey Rag” from Chicago. OMG the Quickstep is really a super, super hard dance and Evan did wonderfully. I didn’t see a tremendous story except in the very beginning. The lady kept the man waiting. But then they just danced. Ok, not an A+ in my book, but really great on the dancing! OH, and just to add to that: THEN we find out in the fishtank that Evan has two broken toes. Cripes boy, what a pro! Judges’ scores: 9-8-8

Before we go to commercial, they give us previews of what’s to come in the rehearsal rooms: stress stress stress, drama drama drama, tears tears tears. Looks like we’re in for it, folks!

Next is Buzz Aldrin, who is hangin’ in there and promoting the space program, by gum! They have a story that could really be a tear-jerker; a daughter greeting her father back from war. Ashly his pro is so really sweet to him and just keeps him on the right track. He did a great job and he looked good. The judges try to be as kind as possible, but he knows that he’s not really that great and it’s all good. Judge’s scores: 5-4-4

Jake and Chelsie are up after the break, and they’re doing the Quickstep to “Walk Like an Egyptian”. What? Ok, gotta see if this can work. And there is stress in the rehearsal room. Frustration! Put it into the dance, folks. Seems like the frustration paid off, they do very well. Lots of props, too, which I thought they weren’t supposed to use. Anyway, they are super fast across the floor and the performance and storytelling is good. The judges pick at his frame and legs, which are a bit soft. Judges’ scores: 7-7-7

Nicey and Louis are next and they choose a story that is close to both of them (if I’m not mistaken, Louis is gay), a interracial couple falling in love in the 60′s, a time when in some places it was actually still illegal. This is a different side to Nicey, and very genuine and sweet. It affected her to put herself in the place of the role she was playing. ACTING! BRILLIANT! Louis did a fantastic job on choreography, and her ivory dress with the various panels really brought the most out of it during the spins. I felt that she was very graceful, even in the face of a stumble at the beginning. Their song was a world class duet from Billy Preston and Syreeta (“With You I’m Born Again”) and really added to the story. The judges really love Nicey, but were picky about the stumble and her technique, which she needs to work on. I disagreed with Carrie Ann that the story was confusing, and it didn’t have a happy ending. But that wasn’t the point of the story. I felt Nicey’s intoxication with a love that fills her heart, but the danger of knowing how society will react and possibly retaliate. She was super vulnerable, and Louis, too. This is first-rate dance as a story. Judges’ scores: 7-7-7

Mr. Ochocinco and Cheryl are next with the fiery Paso Doble, set to this fantastic song sung by Antonio Bandaras in the beginning of the movie “Desperado” (love it). Chad does pretty darn well with it (even after the rehearsal drama). Very powerful and dynamic. He really focused on Cheryl and wanted the girl. Great comeback from last week! Judges’ scores: 7-6-7

Miss Pam and Damien are next. They were the surprise in the bottom two last week, since she was such a crowd-pleaser. This week they’re back with the Paso Doble–their story is of a woman and the bull-fighter. She loves him, but she hates what he does as an animal activist (they are very cruel to the bulls in bullfighting). She looked fabulous and did a great job telling the story. She’s not just a blonde bombshell, that’s not all she can do. The routing seemed at times a little sloppy, but I think that was just her passion. She did great. Judges’ scores: 7-7-7 (lots of 21s tonight)

Aiden and Edyta are next and we see that even though he had a comeback last week, he was super nervous and actually vomited backstage (thanks ABC for blurring the gross stuff out). They are doing the Quickstep tonight and things are lighter for the two of them as they celebrate his birthday and his wife and beautiful 7 month old girl come in with cake (Edyta eats cake?). Their dance is pretty good, but I realize that I completely missed what their story was supposed to be. Len says that he was a bit careful, and I didn’t see that, but I did see his shoulders way up by his ears. I’m sure he’s nervous as hell, with a stomach to match. Judges’ scores: 7-6-7

Erin and Maks are next with a Waltz telling a story of trust: Erin has to dance over half of their waltz while BLINDFOLDED. It was pointed out to me by a reader that Erin actually does have prior dance experience, so I’m not looking at her in quite the same way this week, but she really is graceful. I thought it was a really beautifully done by both of them. Judges’ scores: 8-7-8

Kate and Tony are next with a Paso Doble done to “Paparazzi” by Lady Gaga, a song that speaks directly to Kate, because they follow her wherever she goes. Kate can’t seem to connect with Tony for the passion and anger, and he calls in an acting coach. She sees a lot of emotion that is bottled up inside, and it needs to come out. Do we really want Kate Gosselin letting all her emotions out? Hmmm…During the dance she comes at Tony with intention and anger, but she steps around the floor like she has clogs on her feet. Not a lot of grace. Tons better than last week, though. Carrie Ann said it was “odd”. Judges’ scores: 5-5-5

Nicole and Derek have the Quickstep and their story is two sailors slacking off to “Anything Goes”. Nicole freaks out a little at the difficulty of the dance, she’s scared. The dance is A-MA-ZING. Really first rate. And I love that this wasn’t Nicole’s “Pussy Cat Doll” card. It was completely opposite of what she is used to doing. Super cute and technically hard as hell. And…not a Quickstep, according to the judges. Too bad. But true. Loved it. Judges’ scores: 8-6-9

And who will be the surprise elimination this week? Tune in tonight to ABC and find out! (then be like me and watch LOST, because you just can’t get enough suspense) ;o)

The game changes once again on Season 6 of So You Think You Can Dance: America votes and the bottom two dancers go home. No more “dancing for your life” for judges Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and Adam Shankman. That’s it, bye-bye. Kinda sad, considering how hard these kids have worked to be where they are right now. BUT–the show must go on.

Tonight there were sure fire hits and clear misses. There were new partners teamed up, and everyone danced a solo. It was a fast-paced, jam-packed night.  We even learned more about the dancers’ families (always good for a little water in the eyes).

The first hit of the night was Noelle and Ryan’s Hip-Hop number, a clever, flirting-in-the-office scenario. It was cute and sexy, with a lot of great lifts and holds. I felt that Ryan committed to the movement a bit more than Noelle, although she did rather well, too. Overall just a solid piece from the two of them.

The first miss was Ashleigh and Legacy’s Contemporary number, created by Australian choreographer Garry Stewart. This was hard hard hard, and although they worked their butts off, it never quite left the ground. I’ve seen Garry’s company perform before, and this combat-style dance is just not my thing. I saw the potential in the movement, but unfortunately for Ashleigh and Legacy, they couldn’t quite fulfill it. Legacy’s handless headstand at the end rocked, however.

The next hit was Kathryn and Nathan’s Broadway number, which just sang. This was a pretty good pairing, with Kathryn completely shining like a diamond in this style (not a bit of the girlish dancing she got criticized for last time), and Nathan grew up a tad more. They worked well together, very smoothly, even though they could have had more of that “Broadway connection” as Shankman pointed out.

Ellenore and Jakob had a hit with their sweet Quickstep which started a little slow for me but the last quarter picked up immensely and was just lovely. Very good pairing and job well done on this difficult dance.

The surprise hit of the night was Mollee and Russell. Their first number was a Lyrical Jazz. These two really melded well andcomplimented each other.  Russell once again showed his talent for excelling at other dances and Mollee grew more womanly beside her new partner. The dance started off with a lot of holds and lifts but really took off after that, and had a fab move where they linked elbows and he pulled her to spin in the air across him.

Not decided on whether Noelle’s and Ryan’s Smooth Waltz was a hit or miss, as Waltz is just not my favorite, but Ryan sure knows how to waltz across the floor with power and grace. There were great lifts and spins at the end and they were sweet and elegant together.

Very unfortunately for Ashleigh and Legacy, their Hip-Hop was a miss as well. If I could have shook my finger at choreographer Dave Scott I would; how can you POSSIBLY waste Legacy’s talents in a friggin Hip-Hop number?!? And what’s with the cape?  Just weird and disastrous for what could have been a great piece.

Although they get an “A” for huge effort, Kathryn’s and Nathan’s Rumba was a miss for me as well, and simply because they did not connect on a romantic level. Good moments, but a tough one.

The official hit of the night was Ellenore and Jakob’s Sonya Tayeh Contemporary number that was full of power and passion. Their head to head walk across the stage sizzled; here was fantastic chemistry. Plus, their acting chops were really tested as well, and everything was believable. Ellenore and Jakob delivered like no one else. Fabulous!

The last dance of the evening was a hit: Russell and Mollee’s Jive. Super super fun fun from these two. Mollee grew up yet again, and Russell just continued to show his spirit of play as he danced. Strong flicks, fast kicks and a great song choice. How can you go wrong with “Land of 1000 Dances”? Never, I say. Their flirty chemistry was brought to life on stage and this turned out to be a really great pairing.

The solos of note for me were predictable, and…not.

1. Russell: strong precision of movement and personality at the same time. Humor and charm.

2. Kathryn: this girl glows. Beautiful and full of joy. She is now officially on my list from last week.

3. Nathan: surprise for me, but he was so touched and emotional about his family, his dancing and beautiful turns shone. Good Boy.

4. Legacy: great mix of B-Boy moves and feeling. Really awesome.

5. Jakob: probably technically the best dancer here. His joints just are not glued! Wonderful.

I’m on pins and needles. Who will not get enough votes tonight?  I hope you all voted for your favorites!!

(Images courtesy of FOX Television)

This is it!  The final performances before the finale next week on Dancing With the Stars.  The final four couples are really exciting this year: Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson, Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough, Kelly Osbourne and Louis Van Amstel, and Mya and Dmitry Chaplin.

I was super super sad to see Aaron Carter go, I felt he could have really stuck it in there for the long run, but unfortunately his fan base was just not as strong as some others.  But big kudos go out to him for his big heart and enthusiasm, and penchant for tremendous improvement in his dance technique.  He entered the show a boy, and exited a man.

Tonight for the first time in Dancing With the Stars history, the final four couples perform three times for the audience.  They finally get a chance to perform that “last chance dance” they’ve been working on for the past few weeks in the event they landed in the bottom two.  Needless to say, these dances are so short (geeze, I think about 30 seconds), that I don’t really even consider them more than a post script for their other two dances.

Even the coaching from Gilles Marini couldn’t help Donny and Kym’s unfortunate Tango. Not only was the song selection terrible (it just didn’t scream “tango”), the whole dance just never got off the ground, and Donny’s face surely gave away the fact. Safe to say he had nowhere to go but up. Judges’ scores: 7-7-7

Fortunately, he redeemed himself with his fantastic Samba.  Donny’s solo completely smoked when he broke out in moves directly from his Osmond Brothers days on stage.  Plus, he had an absolute ball, which made up for him berating himself after his Tango. I think most people might disagree, but I really love the way that he cheers for himself when he knows he did a good job.  He likes to celebrate when he nails it. I think more artists should do that for themselves.  Judges scores: 8-9-9

Their third dance was the Jitterbug which was short but sweet.  Very energetic and fun. And surprisingly, their best scores of night. Judges scores: 9-9-9

Joanna and Derek’s first dance of the night was a Viennese Waltz.  I have not been a big Joanna fan all these weeks, but this waltz caught me completely off guard.  The beginning was really beautiful and I actually believed her when she acted the romance in the dance.  Except for one odd move where she was posed in a kind of dip with her knees bent, this was super good.  And the song was an excellent match as well.  Judges scores: 9-9-9

Second for Joanna was a Cha Cha Cha, which I was excited to see after her great Viennese Waltz.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t as “cheeky” as it could have been, although it was fun to watch her sing along with the song while she danced.  It shows just how much she enjoys herself when she dances, and that always endears me to a dancer. Judges scores: 9-9-9

Their last dance was the Salsa which was cute, but I was surprised that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted to. Plus Derek stumbled in the hold at the end.  Shame!  Judges scores: 9-9-9

Kelly is my underdog, and I loooooove rooting for the underdog.  She has this magical ability to capture an audience with her joy and enthusiasm.  Plus she has a radiant smile.  Not a bad dancer, either! Her first dance of the night was a Rumba, and although she and Louis didn’t really capture the sensual feeling that is really needed in the Rumba, they did a really great job.  Kelly’s lines were great, and she moved with great precision and control. Judges scores: 8-8-8

Kelly and Louis busted out of the starting gate with their second dance, a Quickstep.  This is Kelly’s real forte and she did not disappoint. Their movements were super quick, super precise and energetic.  Once again she completely lit up the entire room with that smile while she glided across the floor in Louis’ arms.  Plus her dress was fabulous. Judges scores: 9-9-9

The judges onces again continued to praise Kelly for her third dance, the Cha Cha Cha, which was so quick it was really hard to get anything but just a taste. Her technique was excellent and precise, and she really put a finish on all her moves. Judges scores: 9-9-9

Mya also has not been a favorite of mine through this season, for no reason other than I never really got that she enjoyed herself at all on the dance floor. It all looked like work for her to me, and she looked kinda bored at times. However she, like Joanna, pulled it out tonight, and impressed me with her Waltz which had a good measure of feeling in it.  I believed it.  Their moves were very smooth, lines excellent and their romance was very sweet.  The Waltz has always been a ho-hum dance for me, you really have to capture my attention for me to get into it and Mya and Dmitry succeeded. Judges scores: 9-9-10

Mya and Dmitry broke away from the pack again with their Salsa, which was just excellent, excellent, crazy good. Mya did the best solo I’ve ever seen from a star in a Latin dance.  Ok, who cares about her “prior dance experience” when she gives it this good?  Her Salsa had fun, party, speed, precision, everything. Judges scores: 10-10-10

Mya’s third dance was also the Cha Cha Cha, and it was amazingly exciting and dynamic, and was full of content. Not an easy feat for a 30 second (ok, 29) dance. This was absolutely the best last dance of the evening. Judges scores: 9-10-10

SO! The leader board stands like this:

1st: Mya/Dmitry with 87

2nd: Joanna/Derek with 81

3rd: Kelly/Louis with 78

4th: Donny/Kym with 74

The suspense will be over tomorrow night when we find out who makes it to the finals next week.  My picks are Kelly, Donny for sentimental, artistic reasons, and Mya just because she’s good.  Will I be right or wrong?  Tune in and find out!!

Excitement is in the air as it’s now in America’s hands to vote for their favorite dancers on So You Think You Can Dance. So make sure you DO VOTE, or lament as your favorite dancer is sent home.

I love a good Disco routine, and opening the show with Karen and Kevin doing a Hustle to “Come To Me” was just what was needed to kick things off right. Karen and Kevin are finally really gelling as a couple, and it showed in this dance. They had great connection, and Karen (once again, miss hottie) really sparkled, but in the same way that she has the past few weeks, completely overshadowing Kevin. And as I watched Kevin, I thought “wow, this guy does not have lines like a hip-hopper.” His arms were fabulous, his jete popped magnificently, and his double pirouette was excellent. Once or twice there was a shadow of awkwardness, but they were very synchronized as a couple.

My pick as favorite dance of the night was Ashleigh and Jakob, doing a Mandy Moore Jazz routine to Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s ”Relax.” The addition of a cane to the mix did nothing to diminish their dancing, nor distract. Where Noelle and Russell got sidelined a little by their rackets last week, Ashleigh and Jakob integrated their cane directly into their dance, so it became an extension of their movement. There was real relish in their dancing and I thoroughly enjoyed backing up to watch this again. Mandy put together a great piece with super hip movements–and managed to include another Jakob famous leap that blended in well.

Next was Pauline and Peter with the unlukiest draw from the hat, the Quickstep. Fortunately, JT and Thomas created a fantastic routine for them, incorporating great characters and story: an Army GI falls for an island hula girl. This is a great departure from the traditional ballgown/tails, no story Quickstep. Joy, personality and boisterousness erupted from Pauline and Peter as they danced, even if precise technique didn’t. I only spotted one big misstep, and overall they were really fun to watch.

Newcomer choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler created an adorable Broadway number for Kathryn and Legacy. As is the norm for Broadway, big characters and story were at the forefront for Kathryn and Legacy to sink their teeth into. It was a simple tale of the sports loving boyfriend and the put-upon girlfriend.This piece was just so frickin’ cute, I really loved it. They worked great as a couple but Legacy really outdid himself, bending his B-Boy moves seamlessly into the Broadway standard, amazing me with a backwards flip/headstand into an easy chair. This guy is growing in leaps and bounds as a dancer. Judge Adam Shankman wanted more anger from Kathryn, and I found myself agreeing with him, as it would have added a deeper dynamic to the couples relationship that would have cooled the cuteness slightly and made for an even better routine.

New couple Channing and Victor seemed to have gotten the luck of the draw, as they are both Contemporary dancers, pickedConteporary out of the hat, and had Stacey Tookey crafting for them. I really liked this routine that portrayed a toxic relationship and was set to Rachel Yamagata’s “Be Be Your Love” (amazing song). Channing and Victor danced with explosive, emotional movements that were stunning and told the story of two lovers who should save themselves the heartache and call it quits. I saw great connection in their very first dance together with lots of dynamics and sensitivity in their movement. Their emotional roller coaster definitely got to me. Judge Nigel Lythogoe, however, raked them over the coals for not being absolutely brilliant. I can see his point, as they’re both in their element and were able to super-humanly excel. He simply felt they didn’t take it to the next level, and sure told them so. Ouch.

With another big stretch, Ryan and Ellenore took on a Lil’ C Hip-Hop routine where they attempted to find their “swagger.” Swagger they definitely got, and they did pretty good. This was a huge change for Ryan who expanded himself greatly here. Unfortunately this piece just wasn’t a favorite of mine, the choreography fell slightly flat for me, and it lacked excitement. Oh well.

Next we went from flat to disasterous, with Mollee and Nathan’s Salsa. Gustavo Vargas gave them a super cool routine to do, but this was just so far out of both of their scopes that they really struggled with it (and looked like it, too). They were not in synch with each other on many moves, looked awkward on the lifts, and there were several moments where I had to back up the DVR, saying “what just happened there?” This was super tough, and I give kudos to the kids for attacking it with what they had. Mollee rolled those hips fantastically and looked very sexy in her dress.

The evening ended with a bang when Noelle and Russell performed their Sean Cheeseman Afro-Jazz routine. I adore African dance movement, and Noelle and Russell did not dissappoint, throwing their bodies around in the frenetic movement. Sean gave them characters of a princess and a frog, and their story came through as they attacked it and gave their all. I will make no bones about it, Russell is my personal favorite on the show, and I was so happy to see him in something that he could easily excell in (Afro-Jazz is not totally 180 from Krumping). Noelle, as well was able to shine with this movement as her Contemporary style lends itself well to Afro-Jazz. And yes, Russell is still on the Hot Tamale Train. Woo Hoo!

That’s it for this week, please please PLEASE vote for your favorites, or they may not be there next week!

(Images courtesy of FOX and buddytv.com)

The final five pairings: Mya and Dmitry Chaplin, Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff, Joanna Krupa and Derek Huff, Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson and Kelly Osbourne and Louis Van Amstel squared off and did two full dances this week, one Ballroom and one Latin.

This was a good, quality night for everyone, even with the flu still running rampant among the dancers. There was lots of dancing with medical masks and scarves on.

Mya and Dmitry turned in a really solid Quickstep that was super fluid and smooth.  The judges (Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli) loved it with a 9-10-10 score. Their next dance was a 70′s Samba which the judges positively gushed over, giving it the first perfect 30 of the season.  Personally, it fell a little flat for me, as they slowed their song down quite a bit (Donna Summer’s “Bad Girl”) and that just took the party out of the dance. Overall, Mya has a very good chance in the Semi-Finals.

Aaron and Karina, dancing with face masks on to keep germs at bay, first performed their Foxtrot which on the whole was solid, but seemed a bit awkward at times and not as fluid as it could have been.  They did have a pretty cool move in the middle where in hold Karina turned and flipped her leg up and out; very nice. Next for them was a 90′s Samba which matched for Aaron well, as he had his hit single during that time.  They incorporated moves that he did for his song (the cowboy walk was seriously silly) and it turned out really good.  The Samba’s energy is perfect for Aaron and he really had the fierce, party feel during the dance.

Seeing that Aaron and Karina were in the bottom two last week, I really hope that his fans come out and vote for him to keep him safe and on to the Semi-Finals!

Joanna and Derek did a Quickstep for their Ballroom round which I thought was good, but Joanna’s arms and feet got “lazy” at times. Len thought it was not the standard for Quarterfinals. Ouch.  They then pulled a “Futuristic” Paso Doble out of the hat (yikes) and came up with a concept that was pretty sensational.  Cool makeup, lighted silver costumes and “Living on Video” (which ironically is from the 80′s) for the song. Again, Joanna’s arms and legs were a bit limp for my taste, not enough force and strength for the Paso, but the judges gave it a 9-10-10 score.  We’ll see how she fares for getting into the Semi-Finals.

Kelly and Louis were a breath of fresh air in the evening, with Kelly’s return to a traditional Ballroom dance since her first week. Gone are the nerves, she said, and they have turned to excitement. She’s a little girls who’s learned something new and she wants to show off.  Good!  This is what I’ve been waiting for with her! She danced her Foxtrot with Louis wearing that sweet, giddy smile on her face. Their performance was smooth, graceful and elegant, with a hint of naughtiness which is perfect for her personality. Carrie Ann had it exactly right about Kelly when she said” The moment you have a breakthrough the audience goes crazy.” I know I was hopping up and down in my seat watching her at home. Her scores for the Ballroom round: 8-8-9.

Next was a 60′s Jive for Kelly and Louis. They came up with some 60′s style movements that blended in very well with the Jive. Kelly’s flicks were sharp and quick and she turned in a super performance that was reminiscent of an Austin Powers number (which I adore). Plus, she’s whittling away that waistline and looked amazing in her outfit. Her scores improved this round with an 8-9-9. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for her and hope the voting goes her way for the Semifinals.

Donny and Kym did a Viennese Waltz for the first round which started a tiny bit sluggish but quickly gained momentum and excitement with their connection and Donny’s personality. Donny once again gave a first class showmanship performance, and Bruno commented that his Waltz played out like a “Lifetime Movie,” and as silly as Bruno’s comments can get at times, this one definitely hit the mark!

Their second dance for the Latin round was an 80′s Paso Doble. They picked a Dead or Alive song and dressed Donny up like Adam Ant which rocked, but unfortunately didn’t do great things for his lines during the Paso. The whole thing was kind of odd, even though it was pretty good. Once again Bruno’s comment rang true: “It’s like I was watching Donny playing Marie, playing Donny, playing Marie.” Looking at Donny’s makeup, you can see his point.

I think Donny is enough of a crowd favorite he’s secured his spot in the Semi-Finals.

Good luck to them all, tune in tomorrow for the results!

It’s getting down to crunch time on Dancing With the Stars.  Time to see who is really in for the long haul.

Last night each of the remaining stars (Mya, Aaron Carter, Kelly Osbourne, Joanna Krupa, Michael Irvin, Mark Dacascos, Donny Osmond) did one dance and a team dance where they performed with other couples, either the Paso Doble or the Tango.

In the individual dances, I was once again blown away by my “little” Aaron Carter.  Last week it was proclaimed that he became a man. He continued his journey tonight by turning in an amazingly energetic Jive.  As I watched this guy, I said to myself: “he WANTS this.” And I don’t mean just that mirror ball trophy.  I mean he wants DANCE.  He loves it, he loves getting it right then reveling in it and having fun.  Sure, he has his frustration moments, but that’s just because of his drive.  And as Michael Irvin told him early on in the competition when he was being beaten down, “there’s nothing wrong with being real and being serious about winning.” (great locker room pep talk Michael!)

Aaron’s Jive delivered fantastic sharpness and energy (essential in a Jive), plus great chemistry with Karina Smirnoff and the crowd. Their song happened to be “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister, which added a great rebel attitude to their dance. The Jive takes real strength to make all those flicks hit with precision (and not look wimpy), and Aaron’s “young man strength”, coupled with the great precision workout she got him with Elite Athletics trainer Jade Molina gave him that edge.

Bruno Tonioli said he “kicked ass,” Carrie Ann Inaba said he’s a “roadrunner,” and Len Goodman said it was “wild but clean,” (high praise from Len). In fact, he was inspired to “dust off” his 10 paddle and Aaron was given his highest scores to date: 9-10-10!  I said it before and I’ll say it again: this kid has it.

Kelly Osborne finally broke through last night after her initial amazing performances followed by a 5 week slump. As I watched her rehears with Louie Van Amstel and cry and stomp and get frustrated, all I really wanted this girl to do was R-E-L-A-X!! I can’t say what’s going on with her, but what I see is a girl who is letting her nerves and frustration get in her

Kelly and Louie week one (photo courtesy of ABC)

way of letting the natural dancer out (because she is a natural dancer). Her Salsa was refreshing and cheeky, and free from odd faces she makes whenever she stumbles.  The judges were very happy with her performance and said she had mastered her nerves, but NOW needed to bring her technique up a few notches.  I’m looking forward to even better performances from Kelly, as she was an early favorite of mine after her week 1 performances.

Other dances of note were Mya and Dmitry Chaplin’s Foxtrot, which really had old school hollywood style and grace, and Donny and Kym Johnson’s Quickstep, which Donny performed so well, I missed ALL the mistakes the judges say they saw.

Who will be eliminated next?  Watch tonight on ABC to find out!