Tonight the dancers will perform two dances, one ballroom and one Latin style dance. The Latin dance will have a theme according to the decade they have randomly chosen. The pro dancers review the competitors in terms of Ballroom strengths and weaknesses. Erin needs to trust Maks more, Evan needs to connect with Anna, Chad needs to move around more on the dance floor, and Cheryl says Nicole is one of the best celebrity dancers she’s ever seen on the show. Maks and Louis want Nicole to be careful about being too hard on herself. Niecy needs to refine her technique.
First up tonight is Chad and Cheryl with the Tango. In rehearsal, Cheryl takes note of the many personalities Chad brings into the studio. Chad says he needs to be serious now for the competition’s sake. They dance to “Sweet Dreams”. Len thinks he needs more polish. Bruno thinks there were some footwork problems. Carrie Ann likes it but Chad’s posture was a bit off. They get a 7,7,7 from the judges for total of 21.
Next is Niecy and Louis We get to see her begin her day by waking up at 4:30 in the morning to go to work for The Insider. She arrives at the studio at 11:30 am for dance rehearsal. Louis says she never complains about being tired. They dance the Viennese Waltz to “I Got You Babe”. Bruno says it looked like she was swinging her arms because she was being chased by a swarm of wasps. He gets a lot of boos for that one but I love his metaphorical criticisms. He says it was overall a good performance. Carrie Ann says the transitions were not very good. Len was pleasantly surprised. He confirmed she lifted her carriage much to Niecy’s delight. They get a 7,8,8 from the judges for a total of 23.
Next is Maks and Erin with the Tango. In rehearsal she is very scared to jump onto Maks for a lift which I think is understandable. They dance to “Una Musica Brutal” and the lift comes out great. The crowd goes wild and I even rewound it to see the lift again. I really enjoyed their tango. Carrie Ann for some odd reason kisses Len. She thinks it was truly beautiful and that Erin committed to the character. Len calls Erin a “dirty, dirty girl” and says he absolutely loved it. Bruno compliments her flexibility and says she was on fire. They get a 9,10,9 from the judges for a total of 28.
Next is Evan and Anna. He takes her ice skating and teasers her about her skating, probably really enjoying having the tables turned. For the Viennese Waltz, she wants to show Evan’s warm side because she says sometimes he comes off as cold. He’s really good at listening to her constructive criticism and not taking it personal. They dance to “Open Arms. Len isn’t sure if he liked it or not, but says the posture was good and there was lovely movement on the floor. Bruno says it was very romantic and Evan has great lyrical lines. Carrie Ann was mesmerized by the lines but he’s not losing himself in the moment like he needs to. They get a 9,9,9 from the judges for a total of 27.
Nicole and Derek are next. In rehearsal, Derek says Nicole is still learning. More tears and insecurity from Nicole, and I am sorry but it’s unbecoming. They dance the Foxtrot to “I Just Haven’t Met You Yet”. Bruno says it was a “jewel created by a master”. Carrie Ann says it defied her imagination and Len says it was irresistible even though the lack of body contact in the hold spoiled it a bit. They get a 10,9,10 from the judges for a total of 29.
Gary and Rita Gekhman perform their futuristic number that got them disqualified from a 2006 world championship dance competition. I always think robot future stuff is sort of cheesy but they showed a lot of skill as they glided across the floor ballroom-robot style.
The pro dancers review the competitors in terms of the Latin strengths and weaknesses. Chad needs to move his whole body. Niecy lacks power and needs to focus on footwork. Evan’s movements are sharp but he’s too technical, leaving out emotion. Erin can be sloppy and Nicole is too judgmental about herself. Maks says Nicole needs to show it’s not all about work.
Chad and Cheryl are to dance a jive from the 60s. He’s in a pimp costume dressed in velvet with zebra trim. They dance to “Love Man”. Len says it was high energy and fun, but his kicks were terrible. Bruno says he “pimped that jive” and that Chad looks great when he smiles. Carrie Ann says it was great energy but a little wild at times. They get a 8,8,8 from the judges for a total of 24.
Niecy is next with Louis. They dance the Paso Doble to “Rhythm is a Dancer” and the nineties is their theme. Their costumes, in my opinion, were not complimentary to them or the routine. Bruno tells her the Paso Doble requires power and control and she lacked control, and the Spanish lines weren’t there. Carrie Ann commends her for the ambition of the routine but says they were like bumper cars and the balance of power was off. Len bluntly says the dance doesn’t suit her personality. They get a 7,6,7 from the judges for a total of 20.
Erin and Maks are up with a Rumba from the eighties. She says she has a complex about being so tall. Maks assures her that she looks good. They dance to “Missing You” and Maks is dressed like Don Johnson and Erin is dressed in leggings and in an eighties footloose type top. Maks didn’t incorporate any eighties moves which I felt was uncreative of him especially compared to what is coming up next from Derek. Carrie Ann says Erin doubts herself and she’s beautiful and she needs to enjoy the movements more. Len says she was too jerky in the dance. Bruno liked it very much and says she should be in the final. They get a 8,8,9 from the judges for total of 25.
Evan and Anna are up next with a futuristic Cha Cha Cha. As I wrote earlier, I am not such a fan of futuristic dances but I actually enjoyed Evan and Anna’s dance. It was a fun song with creative choreography and cool costumes. Len is again confused by their dance. He said it lacked the fluidity that he wanted to see. Bruno said it couldn’t be more futuristic and it was creative and inventive. Carrie Ann said Evan was more committed to the character. She says their choice was lucky since the stiff future movements worked well stylistically with Evan. They get a 9,8,9 from the judges for a total of 26.
Last, but not least, is Nicole and Derek with a Paso Doble from the fifties. Derek says he’s going to work in some Elvis into the routine. They dance to “Spanish Guitar” and it was amazing. Find it on the internet if you missed it. Bruno said it was feisty and vibrant and the “flavor of Spain never tasted so good”. Carrie Ann said it matched the fifties with the Paso in a way that was brilliant. Len says it’s not in his nature to be nice about two dances in one night but there was nothing for him to criticize. They get a perfect score of 30.
