Last night, the judges proved to be tough in enforcing the rules. While it pains me to see them mercilessly ripping apart great dancers like Mario Lopez and Joey Lawrence, I agree that rules have a purpose and must be followed. If we didn’t have them, we probably wouldn’t see many ballroom dances. What a relief it is to know that this show is not just about impressing the audience with daring and graceful moves, but also about emphasizing proper technique and fundamental elements of ballroom dancing, which are key to promoting the art of ballroom dancing.
Still, the best performance of the night was without a doubt the highly charged and dramatic tango performed by Mario López and Karina Smirnoff. Can we just say what amazing chemistry these two have? After seeing such a riveting performance, it’s easy to dismiss the fact that they broke the rules yet again by breaking control of the dance in the middle of their routine.
Joey Lawrence and Edyta Sliwinska also suffered the wrath of the judges because their performance included lifts and a rather unexpected and unpleasant handstand. Last night, I found his performance too emotional and over the top for my liking. However, who can blame them? His near-perfect performance last week was hard to beat.
Monique Coleman continues to impress me considerably. She has clearly become the most improved contestant on the show. Not only is she getting more solid on the dance floor, but she also shows off the most solid and clean footwork among celebrity dancers. At this rate, she’s likely to go deep in this competition and finish in the top four.
The most disappointing performance had to be Sara Evans’ performance of the Jive. She couldn’t bear the sight of those boots on her feet. Sara looks pretty awkward in heels; her boots she looked like she was trotting like a pony. Although she relaxed a bit more, she still lacked enthusiasm and power. Jive is supposed to be a lively, energetic, high powered dance. Instead, Sara danced in a calm and relaxed manner, which might have been appropriate for Country Western dancing, but did not match the true spirit of the Jive.
Who Should Go: Let’s let Nursing Home Jerry finally go home and rest.
Who will end up going: Willa Ford. Her performance was once again underwhelming and that ridiculous pink costume was just begging to be thrown off the plane. Also, the audience at home will want Jerry back so he can learn the waltz for his daughter’s wedding. Awww…