Monday, May 28, 2012

Emily Maynard is Season 8's: The Bachelorette

Season eight of The Bachelorette is shaping up to have all the things we expect from the summer guilty pleasure. There are some villains, some nice guys, beautiful backdrops, and an amazing bachelorette. Emily Maynard, 26, thought she had found love with Brad Womack on Season 15 of The Bachelor, but the relationship ended after disagreements and a long distance between the two. Emily is a resilient woman who has already been through so much, she's raising her five year old daughter Ricki after her fiance, race car driver Ricky Hendrick died in a plane crash. The two were high school sweethearts.

I think Emily is back as The Bachelorette because she genuinely wants to find love, Ricky was her love, but I believe people can have more than one soul mate and this is Emily's chance to find hers. I think it would be great for Ricki to have that permanent male figure in her life; Emily had also talked several times about wanting to have more children. I think she's ready to find a partner, someone to share her life with.

From the beginning, something I noticed is that the majority of the bachelors are a lot more mature than in past seasons. There have always been mature men on the show, but this group overall reads as mature. Several men made a good first impression on me:

I liked Chris, his conversation with her, including personalized bobble head dolls, was very sincere.

Jef is so sweet, he has a very laid back vibe, and I think Emily needs someone like that.

Doug and Emily are on mutual ground, both of them having children gave them an immediate connection. Doug actually ended up receiving the first impression rose.

Arie is genuine, he told Emily on that first night that he is a race car driver; he cared enough about her to tell her and see if she was okay with it.

Kalon is someone who did not impress me, he came across as arrogant, it was almost like by showing up in his own private helicopter that he wanted to show up the other guys. To me, he is the one who ended up looking bad.

Following the first cocktail party, six men went home, and 19 remained.

Brent, David, Jackson, Jean-Paul, Lerone, and Randy were all sent packing; guys, we hardly knew you.

The show is based in North Carolina this year to accommodate the fact that Emily wanted to be at home with Ricki.

Ryan, a pro sports trainer from Georgia received the first one on one date with Emily. Their date was very casual, they started it out by baking cookies at Emily's house, and then Emily dropped by Ricki's soccer practice. By night, Ryan and Emily dined at her favorite restaurant in Charlotte. Ryan explained to Emily that he is not here to compete for her; she isn't a prize. He said he is competing in the sense that he wants to put his best foot forward with her. Then one of Emily's favorite bands, Gloriana performed. Something very telling was when Emily mentioned that she is attracted to Ryan, but that he reminds her of Brad. That may not be a good thing, considering that things ended with her and Brad. Nevertheless, Ryan did receive a rose.

The group date of the week was actually a fundraising event for a charity dear to Emily's heart. The guys and Emily had the opportunity to perform with the muppets. The lucky contenders were: Aaron, Alejandro, Alessandro, Charlie, Chris, Jef, John, Kalon, Kyle, Michael, Nate, Stevie, and Tony.

We learn that Charlie had a near death experience after falling 15 stories from a balcony. As a result, Charlie needed to learn how to walk and talk all over again; he has a fear of public speaking. Charlie speaks to Emily about it, and she is able to put him at ease. He goes out there and overcomes his fear; Emily smiles and says she is proud of him.

Following the fundraising event, they have a small party. Emily tells Chris that she likes him because he is super attractive but he doesn't act like it. I have to say I am liking Chris too.

Emily talks to Jef and tells him she has been waiting for him to come up to her so they could talk. There is definitely something about Jef that's intriguing and Emily definitely sees it too. Jef ends up receiving the group date rose.

Emily takes Joe on a one on one date to a beautiful hotel/ resort called The Greenbrier in her home state of West Virginia. This place is absolutely beautiful, and it would seem the perfect backdrop for a one on one where these two could connect. At one point, Emily was even comparing Joe to Matthew McConaughey.  Unfortunately, it turned out to be a disaster. By the end of dinner and putting their wishes in the love clock, Emily realized that she had trouble figuring out how she and Ricki could be a part of his life. She sent him home. This is early in the show, and Emily isn't that attached to these guys. The fact that was crying after sending Joe home could be a problem for her, let's hope that her emotions don't end up clouding her judgement.

Doug and Kalon have a heated confrontation after Kalon claims that Doug put being a father on hold to come and be on the show. Yes, it is absolutely true what Doug said, Emily would be pretty angry if she heard this. Kalon seems to say a lot of awful things without thinking about the consequences; I believe it is going to end up costing him.

At the cocktail party, the knucklehead move of the night goes to Ryan who insisted on spending more time with Emily despite the fact that he already received a rose. Poor Tony went to cut in to reveal to Emily the fact that he had a son, but before he could do that, he had to listen to Emily read a seven page letter that Ryan had written to her. Emily commented that Ryan probably didn't do this at the right time, but why did she have to read it then?

Joe, Aaron, and Kyle were eliminated.

Is your favorite still in the running?

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Reality Show Round-up: How did American Idol and Dancing with the Stars End?

I never knew going into the week that I was in for such surprises as I tuned in to the finales of American Idol and Dancing with the Stars.

At the end of Tuesday's performance show, there was no clear cut winner for American Idol. Jessica Sanchez threw down with spot on powerhouse vocals, but an odd final song. Phillip Phillips, well, he was Phillip Phillips. He turned in two so-so performances, but his final song was stellar. I thought that about evened things out, maybe even gave Jessica Sanchez the edge. At the start of Season 11, the judges had proclaimed that it was the year of the girl, and after listening to the talent, I genuinely believed it to be true. I admit, in these past few years, I've been all about the boys, but I really thought in the back of my mind that Jessica Sanchez was going to take this, even if only by a narrow margin. It's funny, when Ryan Seacrest announced the winner, he didn't even say it was close. Did Phillip Phillips win by a landslide? I don't think young teenage girls were the only ones who called up and voted for Phillip, I bet a lot of grandmas did too. But, did no majority of any female demographic out there pick up the phone and vote for Jessica Sanchez?

This win begs the question, will a young lady ever win American Idol again? The last time a lady won was in 2007 Season 6 of Idol when a young Jordin Sparks beat Blake Lewis in the final (thank goodness!). Out of eleven seasons of the show, only four females have won, Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, and Jordin Sparks. I think we can rightfully say that Jessica Sanchez belongs or belonged in that company of females singers. Her performances of The Prayer, I Will Always Love You, Sweet Dreams, and I Have Nothing were four of the single best performances, not just of this season, but arguably throughout all the seasons of Idol. Let's not forget that the judges said she could complete with the current popular female singers of today, like Beyonce. There's no question; at the age of 16, Sanchez has poise, power vocals, confidence, swagger, and humility, all qualities tough to find in most artists.

I think this is deeper than who called up to vote for who. I think this is a gender war in a way, but not in the way you think. I think women, generally, find it difficult to route for one another. Our first inclinations many times is to compete, to feel jealous, or to envy; I am woman enough to admit it. For the most part, I have no problem admitting that Jessica Sanchez was hands down deserving of this win. I also have no issue saying that Phillip Phillips worked hard, struggled with a bum kidney, and pushed his way to the end.

Jessica said in an interview, following the finale, that she knew Phillip would win, and that he deserved it, that he had worked so hard. I agree, but I would like to make the argument that the majority of the top finalists worked hard. What about Joshua Ledet? He worked the stage every week, like he had been there his entire life; he worked hard. Skylar Laine was a pro, like a young Reba who got up there every week with a fierceness that was impossible to deny; she worked hard. And what about young Jessica Sanchez, at the age of 16, she probably had more to prove than most. She got up there every week, humble, turning in not one bad performance. The judges used their "save" on her and she was shocked! I think the only person who was shocked that Jessica was saved, was Jessica. Jessica worked hard. Maybe at the end there are no winners and losers. If they worked hard, they won, and now they're going on tour. After the tour is over, some contestants will go back to their lives, and some will start new lives. Some will receive recording contracts and some will not. The experience is special, it shapes you, and maybe it's what you do with that experience that makes you a winner. If not, what was all the hard work for?

I was pleasantly surprised with Dancing with the Stars but I have felt that way the entire season. This was, by far, the best cast that they have ever had, and I went into thinking who are these people? They're superstars. The top three was exactly as it should be, William Levy and Cheryl Burke were the second runners up, Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas were the first runners up, and Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd were crowned as Ballroom Champions. Rightfully so, Donald worked his tush off and was underscored for most of the season. He took bigger risks than anyone else, and those risks paid off because they were executed so well. Peta went from being voted off first to winning the entire competition. Kudos to her for listening to her partner, finding out the styles and dances that fit him well, and choreographing to those strengths. Early talk of the upcoming season of the show is that it will be an All Star cast of past contestants. Donald has already said he won't come back, but let's not count out Gilles Marini! Congratulations to all the amazing celebrities and pros from Season 14. A friend of mine who has never watched the show before even became a fan, and that's a huge feat, trust me.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

American Idol Season 11: 3 Is Now 2

I knew one thing for certain, Phillip Phillips would make it to the finals on American Idol. The question was who would be joining him: soulful, gospel throwback Joshua Ledet or young, confident, pop star in the making Jessica Sanchez. All three finalists turned in strong performances on Wednesday night, but by the tail end of Thursday's show we discovered that the finals would be a girl/ boy showdown: Sanchez vs. Phillips for all the marbles. I think Phillip will handily put away the competition. He has a more loyal following who is going to keep picking up the phone, dialing, and voting.

Wednesday's performance show included three rounds: Judge's Pick, Contestant's Choice, and Jimmy Iovine's Choice.

Judge's Choice:

Winners--

Joshua singing I'd Rather Be Blind was brilliant. The song, as Randy said, fit Joshua like a glove.

Phillip sang Beggin' by Madcon; the judges chose it because of the rooted melody, but Phillip changed it anyway proving that originality must always win out in the end.

Losers--

The judges chose My All by Mariah Carey for Jessica. This was not the right song for her, she doesn't have Mariah's range and the song was musically too difficult for her. She definitely struggled.

Contestant's Choice:

Winners--

Joshua chose Imagine by John Lennon, a song he was not familiar with before. He dug deep, he connected with the song emotionally, and the judges all agreed, it's what makes him so special.

Phillip's Disease by Matchbox 20 was smoldering. The judges thought it was just okay, but I thought it was a slow burn with lots of emotion, especially for Phillip.

Hit or Miss--

Jessica chose I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing by Aerosmith. This was a real double edged sword for me, I understand why she chose it, but was it necessarily the right song for her, probably not.

Jimmy's Choice:

Winners--

The absolute winner here was Phillip singing We've Got Tonight by Bob Seger. The judges even stodd up for someone other than Joshua Ledet! Randy thought it was Phillip's best performance on the show ever.

Joshua sang No More Drama by Mary J. Blige and it was a drama filled performance.

Losers--

Jessica's anemic rendition of I'll Be There by The Jackson Five was just okay, according to Randy, who also said the performance lacked, "a moment".

Monday, May 14, 2012

Dancing With The Stars Season 14: Weeks 8 and 9 Recap

Last week (Week 8 of competition) marked the end of the competition for Melissa and Maks and Roshon and Chelsie. It was too bad about Roshon and Chelsie because they had really started to improve by leaps and bounds. Chelsie's choreography for their Foxtrot was fun and really played to Roshon's strengths; he did a beautiful job of executing the steps.

Most Improved Week 8: Roshon and Chelsie, a part of me understands why they had to go last week, but I still find them delightful.

Most Disappointing Week 8: Katherine and Mark; this couple started out fast and furious and last week's performance was full of missteps. The big spin was off, the whole dance was off.

Mr. Smooth Week 8: William! William and Cheryl's Foxtrot was smooth, sexy, and it had tons of flare. I am so happy that Cheryl pushed him to his full potential and hasn't let up.

Most Emotional Week 8: Maria and Derek's Viennese Waltz, this dance was absolutely enchanting, something about the way that they danced said fairytale. Carrie Ann commented on the relationship developing between these two, it's beautiful to see.

Most in Need of the Len "Ten" Week 8: Donald and Peta; I am convinced that before this season is over Donald is going to earn that "ten" from Len. His Tango came pretty close, but it didn't quite satisfy.

Most Forgotten Week 8: Melissa definitely had a loyal fan base, but I suppose that could only take them so far. She and Maks were voted off last week after the judges called her Foxtrot her personal best dance ever.

This week (Week 9 of competition) was wonderful because we got to know more about the remaining four contestants. It was really touching to hear about how far each of them has come, to hear their stories, all the obstacles that they have overcome in their lives.

The Week 9 Highs and Lows--

High-- William and Cheryl's Tango, a 28 out of 30, earned few criticisms.

Low-- Katherine and Mark's Quickstep, although it was a 29 out of 30, I found it sloppy throughout.

High-- Donald and Peta's Waltz was elegant and emotional, but he still has yet to earn a ten from Len. 28 out of 30

High-- Maria and Derek's Argentine Tango was enticing and showed her transformation in this competition beautifully. It earned the only perfect score in round one. 30 out of 30

High-- William and Cheryl's Samba earned a perfect score also. This dance was full of rhythm; William definitely brought it tonight, he was not just a pretty face. 30 out of 30

Low-- Katherine and Mark's Salsa had an odd Egyptian style to it, and Katherine hurt her back. I hope she's okay. 27 out of 30

High/Low-- Donald and Peta's Samba, it was hot, but not hot enough, 29 out of 30.

High-- Maria and Derek's Jive left the judges blown away, they may have won the night. 29 out of 30 

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

American Idol Season 11: The Top 4 Are California Dreamin' and Inspiring Us

Round 1, We all did some California Dreamin'. I think Joshua and Jessica beat Hollie and Phillip by a shade in round 1. Although, I will fully admit that Miss Hollie is peaking at the right time, her performance of Faithfully by Journey sounded good in all the right places. She hit the big notes right on without hesitation.

Phillip Phillips started off the show with Have You Ever Seen the Rain by Creedence Clearwater Revival-- Jen enjoyed the vocal quality of the song. Randy felt it was rough at first, but when he hit the chorus it was good.
Score: 4.5

Hollie Cavanagh sang Faithfully by Journey-- Randy thinks Hollie is peaking at the right time, I completely agree. Jen loved seeing her growth and journey. Steven praised the song choice.
Score: 4.75

Joshua Ledet sang You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban-- Jen said another great performance, really great, keep it consistent til the end. Steven said I love the way you sing, courage is fear. Randy said I can never wait to see what you do. You're an amazing artist with a ginormous career ahead of you. I love how Josh made this into a gospel version of the song, it was a great move for him.
Score: 5

Jessica Sanchez sang Steal Away by Etta James-- Jen said, compared to your would be female contemporaries, you're one of the best, and your vocal quality is amazing. Steven told her she nailed it and Randy said it was amazing again. The soul in this performance was undeniable for me.
Score: 5

Unexpected surprise of the night: Joshua and Phillip singing This Love by Maroon 5

Weird performance of the night: Hollie and Jessica singing Eternal Flame by The Bangles (what were those swings that they were on?)

The Top 4 sang I've Been Waiting For a Girl Like You by Foreigner

Round 2, Songs You Wish You'd Written

I think this was a three way tie between Phillip, Joshua, and Jessica. However, I do want to mention that Jennifer Hudson sang that song on American Idol and she sang it better than Jessica Sanchez.

Phillip Phillips sang Volcano by Damien Rice-- Steven said it was really beautiful and that he has never heard Phillip sing like that before. Jen said very few people could pull that off and it's a testament to who you are as an artist. Randy said it was one of his best performances of the season.
Score: 5

Hollie Cavanagh sang I Can't Make You Love Me by Bonnie Raitt-- Steven thought it fell a bit short. Jen felt her vocal was off and Randy did not think that was the right song for her to sing right now. This was a letdown because Hollie's first performance was so good.
Score: 4

Joshua Ledet sang This Is a Man's Man's Man's World by James Brown-- Steven said I've never heard anything like that in my life. Jen said it had passion and heart. Randy said it was one of the best performances on any singing show ever. You took us to church. Like the judges, I don't know what to say anymore, Joshua just evokes so much emotion when he sings, I feel every note.
Score: nothing but a 5

Jessica Sanchez sang And I Am Telling You by Jennifer Holliday-- Steven said it was another winning performance. Jen predicted that this competition will be a race to the finish with everyone performing at such a high level. Randy said Phillip, Joshua, and Jessica are in it to win it. He called Jessica's performance another phenomenal vocal. As I said, I liked Jessica's performance here, but it was not as good as Jennifer Hudson's performance of this song.
Score: 4.9


Tuesday, May 8, 2012

The Voice: The Final Four

The Four Finalists:

From Team Adam: Tony Lucca
From Team Blake: Jermaine Paul
From Team Cee Lo: Juliet Simms
From Team Christina: Chris Mann

Some thoughts on last night's finale:

Overall, this was a great show, especially if you were a fan of one of the final four. Each contestant sang a final song, a thank you song to their mentor, and a duet with their mentor.

Jermaine started the night by singing I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly for his final performance. This song was the perfect choice for him, and in my opinion, his best performance this season. Christina said he had so much heart, soul, and emotion; she thought the song was made for him. Cee Lo enjoyed the performance. Adam called it elegant and said Jermaine is an incredible singer. Blake said his heart was in his throat and felt it was the best version of that song he has ever heard.

Juliet Simms saluted Cee Lo by performing his song Crazy (from his Gnarls Barkley days).

Christina and Chris Mann sang a rousing rendition of The Prayer by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli. This was one of "the" performances of the night. Both of them sang absolutely beautifully, and they connected so well with one another as artists.

Tony Lucca sang 99 Problems by Jay Z for his final performance. This performance showed yet another side of Tony Lucca. It showed grit and a new degree of commitment by Tony; I loved it. Christina, of course, commented on how the song was derogatory towards women. Cee Lo thought it was hard and he liked it. Adam said the song was not meant to be about women problems but about how life can be a "blank" sometimes. He said the song in this case was meant to be a metaphor.

Chris Mann sang a tribute to mentor Christina Aguilera by singing her hit, The Voice Within.

Juliet Simms and Cee Lo brought out their wild sides with Born to be Wild by Steppenwolf.

Tony Lucca and Adam took on the classic, Yesterday by The Beatles. I love the harmonies they brought out in one another in this song.

Jermaine Paul honored mentor Blake Shelton by performing his hit single, God Gave Me You; awww.... how appropriate.

Chris Mann sang You Raise Me Up for his final performance. If Chris could have picked any song to sing tonight, this was it. It was the right song at the right time, he's given himself the best shot possible at winning this competition. Cee Lo called Chris one of the most incomparable artists he has ever heard. Christina said he got here with true talent and voice alone.

Blake and Jermaine Paul became soul brothers when they took on the duet Soul Man by soul duo Sam & Dave.

Tony Lucca's tribute to his mentor Adam Levine was a performance of Maroon 5's first single Harder to Breathe.

Juliet Simms sang Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd for her final performance. With Juliet being the final female standing, I have a lot of respect for her. She deserves to be here, and she deserves a definite shot at winning this. I don't know that the song was the best for her; I was hoping she would take on Heart or Pat Benatar and just rock out. Adam admired the grit in Juliet's voice. Cee Lo said, with Juliet Simms on my team, I have no problems.



Congratulations to everyone in the final four, and may the best contestant win; I like all of them, so there is no way I can call this one.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

American Idol Season 11: The Top 5 Travel Back to the 60's and Take On a British Invasion

Tonight Steven Van Zandt coaches the contestants with Jimmy Iovine. Round one had the contestants taking a time travel back to the 60s; these are tough classic songs but impressive when sung the right way.

Round two, the contestants sang songs by British Artists, with the recent influx of popular British musicians, the contestants would have a lot to choose from.

Hollie kicked off the show!

Round 1: The 60s

Hollie Cavanagh sang River Deep Mountain High by Tina and Ike Turner-- Steven said it's the first time he has seen her really step out. Randy said, like all the other judges, he liked it too, and that she wore the second verse out. Over these past two weeks, Hollie has really stepped out, and she has grown and gained confidence. She was in great voice tonight.
Score: 5

Phillip Phillips sang The Letter by The Box Tops-- Randy loved it because he made it his own. Jennifer said he is compelling to watch and a dynamic performer. Steven said there is good news and bad news; the bad news is that I couldn't find the melody. The good news is that you got away with it. I agree with the judges, Phillip is so confident in what he is doing on stage and who he is as a musician that an otherwise mediocre performance is seen as great. I also do appreciate his originality.
Score: 4.75

Skylar Laine sang Fortunate Son by Creedance Clearwater Revival-- Jennifer said she attacks every song and it is so natural for her. Steven said Skylar loves music and music loves her. Randy talked about how Skylar is ready to be up on a stage, and he asked her if it's what she loves most, and she said, "yes sir". In all honesty, I've been thinking about what is going to happen when this season is over, and I am thinking that just about everyone who was in the Top 7 is going to score a record deal. Skylar is just one of many whose album I cannot wait to go out and buy. She is such a firecracker.
Score: 5

Joshua Ledet and Phillip Phillips sang You Lost That Loving Feeling by The Righteous Brothers-- The boys nailed this performance, I loved all the passion in it and what each of them brought to it individually and as a duo. Amazing! Steven thought the duet was beautiful. Jen and Randy thought it really came alive as the performance went on.

Jessica Sanchez sang Proud Mary by Tina Turner-- Jen thought it had a lot of soul and she sounded like a combination of Tina Turner and Beyonce. Steven thought it sounded great and she brought the blues out of it. Randy thought it was just okay, and it didn't really sit well with him. I agree with Randy, I didn't see a lot that was special about this performance. For a singer as skilled as Jessica, this sounded a little bit karaoke.
Score: 4

Joshua Ledet sang Ain't Too Proud to Beg by The Temptations-- Steven thinks he is one of the top two idols of all time. I wonder who the other person is, just out of curiosity? Jen said he is like a throwback from another era. Randy said you could make a record like this right now and bring R&B back in a big way.
Score: 5






Round 2: British Invasion

Hollie Cavanagh sang Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis-- Steven loved this and thinks she has a beautiful ballad voice. Jen thought it was breathtaking at parts and felt that Hollie surprised even herself. I think Jessica needs to watch it because in my opinion Hollie has passed her tonight and she may be in trouble tomorrow night in terms of votes.
Score: 4.9

Phillip Phillips sang Time of the Season by The Zombies-- Randy thought it was a nice performance but he wasn't jumping up and down about it. Jen thought the verses suited Phillips' singing style, and the melody of the song was familiar enough that people were drawn in. Steven was pleased that he sang the melody. This may have been a little bit too mellow, could Phillip be in trouble? I think so.
Score: 4.5

Skylar Laine sang You Don't Have To Say You Love Me by Dusty Springfield--  Randy said she is peaking at the right time and getting better at telling a story with the songs she sings and she way she sings them. Jennifer told her that she can win this. I think Skylar is top three maybe even top two material.
Score: 5

Jessica Sanchez sang You Are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker-- Jen felt this was similar to her performance of I Will Always Love You in that she captivated the whole audience. Randy said your talent love is unbelievable, that was so good. I was touched by this performance, but will it be enough to save her from the disaster that was Proud Mary?
Score: 5

Joshua Ledet sang To Love Somebody by The Bee Gees-- The judges gave Joshua another standing ovation. Randy said what you did is what it's all about. You were born to do this. I have been doing this show for eleven seasons, and you're one of the best singers ever on this show. Jen said, forget this show, you're one of the best singers I've heard in the past 50 years. Steven said that he could record that song right now and make it a hit. Joshua deserves every compliment he receives, and I cannot wait to hear him sing his own songs.
Score: 5



Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Dancing With The Stars: Season 14 Two Week Recap

Last week was Motown Week on Dancing With The Stars and Gladys Knight ended up getting voted off after a "dance off" with Roshon. I liked Gladys, but I think it was her time to go. She had great charisma and the effort was there, but she just wasn't improving the way that her fellow contestants have been.

Roshon and Chelsie stood out for me because their Rumba was very adult, it showed that Roshon is capable of that. It was sexy, and that was a positive new direction for them. Score: 23 out of 30

I loved the funk and the bounce in Katherine and Mark's Samba. This lady just consistently delivers, it's pretty amazing. Score: 29 out of 30

Donald and Peta's Foxtrot had everything: pizazz, confidence, power, and fireworks. Donald improves every week, and to be honest, I think he is overlooked by the judges all the time. Score: 27 out of 30

I cannot forget about Jaleel and Kym's Cha Cha; there was so much precision in this dance. It was definitely the return of Jaleel. Score: 29 out of 30

Yes, it's true Cheryl does not use William Levy to the extent of his abilities. It angers me quite a bit because William has so much potential. Their Rumba was amazing in terms of emotion and sex appeal, but it could have used more dancing.  Score: 27 out of 30

Week 7 Classical Week

Katherine is long overdue for a perfect score but her Rumba with Mark this week wasn't it. This lacked passion and chemistry, her lines made up for it a little bit. Score: 27 out of 30

I felt bad for Melisssa and Maks; they made such headway last week. I think that the judges were way too hard on them, particularly Carrie Ann. This Argentine Tango had too many lifts though and unfortunately some of them weren't clean. Score: 21 out of 30

William and Cheryl's Viennese Waltz was absolutely beautiful; there was so much emotion and it was sincere and touching. Bruno said he saw a vulnerability in him that he hasn't seen before. Score: 27 out of 30

I think once again this week Roshon and Chelsie are going to find themselves in the dance off. This was a wonderful improvement for Roshon and Carrie Ann loved it, but for some reason, it didn't hold my attention in terms of how the dance was interpreted. Score: 25 out of 30

Donald and Peta could not be counted out with their Viennese Waltz; it was just enchanting. Carrie Ann loved the intensity and regalness of the dance. Len praised his footwork which I think is pretty impressive for an athlete. Score: 27 out of 30

Maria and Derek's Paso Doble was unexpected to me because Maria has really lacked in the past few weeks. The fact that she nailed this and did it with the intensity the she did just proves that she really wants to move forward in this competition. Did it deserve the first perfect score of the season, I'm not sure, but had it not been the first 30 of the season then this definitely would have been a 30. Score: 30 out of 30

The Viennese Waltz was a tough dance for Jaleel and Kym, the feel was nice but the footwork wasn't tight enough. Bruno said the content was great but it wasn't executed as well as it could have been. Carrie Ann told him not to lose his confidence and that his storytelling quality has improved. I just love Jaleel and how he puts so much heart and soul into every dance. I hope he isn't going home. Score: 24 out of 30

Team Tango – Roshon & Chelsie, Katherine & Mark, Maria & Derek, and Jaleel & Kym Score: 27 out of 30

Team Paso Doble – Donald & Peta, William & Cheryl, and Melissa & Maks Score: 26 out of 30


My prediction for the dance off: Melissa & Maks and Roshon & Chelsie