Dancing With the Stars: Bye Bye Buzz

Last week the stars were a little testy with their professional partners.  Things are only going to get more intense as the season wears on, and it’s impossible to predict who will go home each week.  Sometimes weak dancers stick around longer than they should.  This week our stars are looking to improve and solidify their place with viewers.

Evan & Anna
First up are Evan and Anna.  Last week Evan danced a great Jive, despite his height.  He is emerging as a tough competitor and there’s nothing to suggest he’ll be slowing down.  He’ll be performing the Quickstep to a song from the musical Chicago, and their characters for the dance are husband and wife.  Their Quickstep has lots of energy and Evan does a great job once again, even though he broke a few toes this week!  I’d like to see him challenged in a Latin dance; I don’t think he’s performed one of those yet.  He’s amazingly light on his feet for someone so tall.  Len said the dance really cheered him up and he enjoyed it; it was a great start to the evening.  Bruno loved it as well but agreed with Len that he should work on his feet.  Carrie Ann thought it was great.  She said it was athletic and energetic.  Carrie Ann: 9 Len: 8  Bruno: 9

Buzz & Ashley
Last week, Buzz’s Foxtrot was less than stellar.  This week he’ll be performing the Waltz.  Their story is of a father coming home from war to his daughter, so this should suit Buzz since it mirrors his own life.  It also makes good use of the age dynamic between the couple.  Buzz looks very regal and handsome in his military dress, and he does a good job.  The Waltz suits stiff dancers, so he did about as well as could be expected.  I though their dance was touching and sincere.  Bruno said it was royal and dignified, but when he started to move it didn’t really “go anywhere.”  Carrie Ann said there was a purity and innocence about it, and his stiffness worked to his advantage.  Len said there was an innocent charm, but that they’re judging a dancing competition and the technique was poor and the routine was over-simplified.  Carrie Ann: 5 Len: 4 Bruno: 4  Ouch!

Jake & Chelsie
The Bachelor hasn’t been half bad so far.  This week he’ll be performing an Egyptian-themed Quickstep.  In rehearsal he complains about the speed of the dance and Chelsie tries to get tough with him.  In response he walks away like a wussy.  Man up, Dude.  She’s not “disrespecting” you, she’s trying to teach you.  Their Quickstep is fun, but I suspect that Len is not going to like the theatrics that opened up the routine.  Once they actually start dancing his Quickstep is decent, but not as good as Evan’s, by way of comparison.  Carrie Ann enjoyed the storytelling and theme.  Len complained about his posture and legwork.  He said it was great entertainment but the dancing was somewhat slack.  Bruno said the production value was incredible but his feet were not precise and he lost his frame at times.  Carrie Ann: 7 Len: 7 Bruno: 7

Niecy & Louis
Niecy had a great performance last week and will be dancing the Waltz this week.  Their characters are an inter-racial couple in the 1950s who share a forbidden love.  They both become very emotional during rehearsals as they tap into their roles.  I thought their Waltz was emotional and very moving.  I also thought her technique was good, but the judges disagreed.  Len said it was brave to create a story with no props, and they pulled it off – but they must work on better technique.  Bruno said she acted it very well but she stumbled in the beginning and she has to work on her feet.  Carrie Ann said it was an important story to tell but she was confused about the way they told it, particularly the ending.  Carrie Ann: 7 Len: 7 Bruno: 7

Chad & Cheryl
Chad totally bombed last week and needs a stronger performance this time around.  He promises to re-dedicate himself and focus a little more.  They will be performing the Paso Doble, and it’s a case of art imitating life.  His character is in love with Cheryl but is rejected.  His Paso was strong, but I thought he looked a little timid.  It was definitely better than last week, but I think he needs to continue to improve.  Bruno said the power and presence were back, but that at times he looked like a crackhead!?  Carrie Ann said he was focused on Cheryl like a laser and he’s miles ahead of last week.  Len agreed and said he should work on his posture.  He came out with determination and dominated the dance.  7s across the board.

Pam & Damian
Pam ended up in the bottom 2 last week, despite being a crowd favorite.  This week she will be dancing the Paso Doble.  Her character is a Gypsy who is in love with a Matador but opposes what he stands for.  She’s an animal activist, so the emotional aspect should shine through.  I’m impressed with Pam and see a lot of potential.  Their Paso was powerful and sexy, and Pam does a good job of conveying the character’s emotion.  Carrie Ann said she has a certain artistry and that her body moves beautifully, but she threw herself off a few times.  Len thought it was intense and focused.  She needs refinement but it was a good job.  Bruno said that there is a good performer beneath the sexy exterior.  7s across the board.

Aiden & Edyta
The backstory of their Quickstep is that he’s painting the woman of his dreams, and then she miraculously appears.  During rehearsal Edyta brings in his family to relax him and celebrate his birthday.  That seemed to rejuvenate him and made his Quickstep a bit quicker.  Their performance was light, airy and fun.  He seemed very relaxed.  I thought it was a little corny when he decided to mouth the words to the song, but otherwise it was ok.  Len said the Quickstep should be carefree but Aiden seemed careFUL.  Bruno thought he looked happy as a clam but he looked like a kid skipping around the meadow.  There is improvement though.  Carrie Ann said he was too light on his feet but his posture was good.  Carrie Ann: 7 Len: 6 Bruno: 7

Erin & Maks
I have to take my hat off to Erin Andrews.  She seems like a nice person that has to put up with a lot of crap.  First a stalker, and now she’s reportedly receiving death threats.  This week she’ll be dancing the Waltz.  She and Maks have great chemistry.  Their prop for the dance is a blindfold, and let me just say it was HOT.  I thought she should have received 10s across the board.  Not only was her technique great, but she did it blindfolded!  A blindfold is a sensual prop, and they conveyed vulnerability and trust with one another.  I felt like a voyeur watching them dance, it was so intimate and the song was emotional and suited the dance perfectly.  The judges weren’t as blown away as I was.  Bruno called Erin a “kinky thing” and said she needs to continue her movements more.  Carrie Ann said it was beautiful storytelling and it was a profound dance.  She loved it.  Len said it was the most boring start he’s ever seen and that it took too long to start.  Carrie Ann: 8 Len: 7 Bruno: 8

Kate & Tony
*sigh* Here comes the worst dancer of the competition.  Maybe she’ll do better this week, since she has some familiarity with the storyline.  For her Paso Doble they will be performing to Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi.”  As regular tabloid fodder, Kate can relate.  Tony still brings in an acting coach during rehearsal to get Kate to tap into her emotion more.  Their Paso is pedestrian and clumsy, which is what I expected.  Kate’s just not a good dancer.  She conveyed the proper emotion, but her technique was non-existent.  Carrie Ann said it was odd and hard to watch.  Len said she got through the dance and overcame her nerves but the whole thing was too pedestrian.  Bruno said she played the character of “super bitch from hell,” but it has to translate into movement.  Carrie Ann: 5 Len: 5 Bruno: 5

Nicole & Derek
The final couple dancing is Nicole and Derek, who will be performing the Quickstep.  She received a perfect score last week and is trying to maintain that level of excellence.  Their characters for the Quickstep are two sailors who are slacking off, having a good time instead of working.  I’m convinced that there’s not much this lady can’t do, and the Quickstep was no exception.  They incorporated a Vaudeville aspect and the performance radiated with personality and energy.  It was fun slapstick, but she didn’t sacrifice technique in the process.  The audience loved it, but will the judges agree?  Hell no.  Len said she broke the rules; there was a lift and she broke the hold.  He said it was not a Quickstep.  Bruno said that as a performance it was incredible, but she should have kept hold.  Carrie Ann said she broke the rules but when they take that act on the road, she wants front-row seats.  Carrie Ann: 8 Len: 6 Bruno: 9

RESULTS SHOW
The judges choose Evan and Anna for the Encore performance, so chances are good that he won’t be going home tonight.  It would be pretty weird for the judges’ opinions to differ so vastly from the voters at home, but stranger things have happened.  Before we find out which couples are safe we’re subjected to a Reba McEntire performance.  Sorry, Country just isn’t my thing and I hate having to sit through filler before getting to the results.  That being said, the Paso Doble between Derek and Chelsie was simply amazing.  Sometimes I like watching the professionals do what they do best.  That rarely happens with their celebrity partners.  Finally they begin to whittle the dancers down, and Niecy and Nicole are safe.  But before we can find out who else is safe, we must endure more Reba. *sigh*  Next we find out that Evan and Chad are safe, followed by Pam - who won’t be sweating it out in the bottom 2 this week.  Somehow Kate escapes elimination YET AGAIN and eventually we learn that Buzz has been eliminated.  He was a sweetie but let’s be honest: this was a fair result.  Maybe Kate will be joining him next week!  I can only hope.

Season 10, Week 3: Round 2 Performances and Results Show (originally aired April 5 and 6, 2010)

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Photographs courtesy of ABC, Adam Larkey