I know; I'm behind on my DWTS recaps. But I am skipping ahead to this week, because last night was one of my favorite episodes EVER on Dancing with the Stars. Several of the contestants absolutely nailed their interpretations of iconic dances, thanks in great measure to the fantastic choreography of their professional partners, and the meticulous attention to detail of the show's wardrobe, hair, and make-up departments. From Emma's skintight black pants to Nick's polyester and Sharna's afro, from the apparently exact replica of Alexa's "slave" outfit and everything worn on stage by Paula, Louie, and their team of dancers, the dances were brought to life again, bringing back great memories for viewers of my generation. Absolutely no cheese factor for me this week; everyone brought their "A" game, at least as far as effort was concerned, and there was absolutely no attempt to mock the dances they were given. Every performance was treated with the reverence and respect that these iconic moments in history deserve.
Three of the nine dances received perfect scores. Andy and Allison were the first to hit the jackpot, with a very challenging routine to "Good Morning" from "Singing in the Rain." I was very nervous for the pregnant Allison as she danced up and down stairs with no railings and walked over sofas that moved, but all went exceptionally well. Andy has had two great weeks in a row, and may be moving up from the lower middle of the pack.
The second perfect score of the night was earned by Bindi and Derek, who absolutely wowed the judges, the crowd, me, and themselves with a rumba to "I've Had the Time of the Life" from "Dirty Dancing." The movie is one of my all-time favorites, and this performance was just spectacular, from Derek shaking his hips like Patrick Swayze to the show-stopping lift. Everything about the performance was so reminiscent of the movie; I almost cried. Everything, except Bindi's dress was white instead of pale pink. But I can forgive that minor detail.
The third score of 40 for the evening was awarded to Tamar and Val, who ignited the ballroom with a performance of Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation." Displayed to the home audience in black and white, just like the original video, this dance was almost an exact replica of what people of my generation watched on their televisions in the very late 80's. Tamar was Janet's doppelganger: same military outfit, hat, long ponytail, and she even lip-synched as she danced. She looked like Janet, she danced like Janet, and she more than held her own as she was front and center with a team of professional dancers.
Nick and Sharna were nearly perfect, earning a 39 for their samba-infused, crowd-goes-wild take on "You Should be Dancing" from "Saturday Night Fever". Okay, Nick didn't quite have John Travolta's strut during the beginning sequence, but when he hit the multi-colored dance floor, he gave it everything he had, including breaking into knee Russians! I absolutely loved it.
Carlos and Whitney received a score of 38 for a super hot and sexy rumba to "Pony" from "Magic Mike." Whitney intelligently took a backseat in the performance and let Carlos' gyrating abs and thrusting pelvis take center stage. Bruno was nearly overcome, especially when Carlos handed him the remains of his ripped-off t-shirt. My review: Muy caliente! Te gusto mucho!
Even though the rest of the dancers did not earn high scores, I think they should all be commended for their effort. I actually enjoyed every performance last night.
Hayes and Emma earned four 8's for their take on "You're the One That I Want" from "Grease." This was doubly tough on Hayes, since number one, he hasn't grown up watching the movie dozens of times, and number two, Olivia Newton John was the guest judge! No pressure! I think he did well, and the trick toward the end was really exciting. Hayes is quite good at partnering, especially considering he's only fifteen.
Alexa and Mark and Alek and Lindsey both earned scores of thirty on the night. Alexa was very sexy in her "Slave for U" outfit, and uber kudos to her for dancing with a snake on live television! But Britney Spears is a phenomenal dancer, and Alexa was too halting and tentative. Great effort, though.
Unfortunately for Alek, who we must remember has absolutely no dance experience AND is not in show business, he was given a jive to Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock." Really not fair, but Alek did work hard to exude more personality, and thrust his hips. I think there is a fair chance he would have struggled no matter what dance they gave him, but did they really think he was ready to impersonate the king? How many people on this planet would be prepared for that?
And finally, there was Paula and Louie. Did she do Madonna proud with her performance of "Vogue" from the 1990 Video Music Awards? No. I think Louie could have done much more with her in this. She did some simple vogue moves and glided around the stage; that was it. Paula likes to be naughty, and there were missed opportunities for her. She did pull guys to her bosom, but I also think she could have at least attempted the "bump and grind" moment, and Louie could have crawled up her dress, like he did backstage. She didn't even snap the fan, which would have been cool. But still, "Vogue" was a decent choice for her. And definitely the costumes, wigs, and make-up were spot on.
My only gripe with the episode is that sometimes the original music was used in the performances, sometimes not. I don't know why. Why didn't they use the original "You're the One That I Want," especially since Olivia Newton John was the guest judge?
I also missed Erin, but I do like Leah Remini. Her "lift" with Tom was hilarious, and I enjoyed her grinding with Carlos and Whitney.
There will be no complaining from me this week about the extra dancers. I understand they were needed to complete the iconic dances.
Great job, Dancing with the Stars! I loved the show!
librarianintx
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