<p>I saw that show, Nrdsb4! It was very touching.</p>
<p>Emmitt “fumbled” tonight, compared to last week. What a difference a week (and a dance out of his comfort zone) makes. Sabrina sure didn’t over dance tonight. She has become my favorite female all-star to watch in just the second week of the competition. Apolo and Gilles were also rock solid and three have partners who compliment them so well.</p>
<p>I was surprised at how well Gilles danced considering his injury.</p>
<p>One of the reasons I like Gilles is because he looks like he is out there just dancing - not putting on a performance, not doing a routine, not trying to remember the next step, not allowing his partner to take the lead, not playing to the judges (well, maybe he does do that). I was impressed with Apollo last night; reminded me of the quickstep in his season. I’ve never been particularly enamored with either Emmitt or Helio. Sabrina is doing a really good job as are Shawn (who is looking less like a fireplug than in her season) and Melissa, but the big question will be fan base. Anyway, it’s a relief not to have total disasters, even if some of the starts have lost a lot of their pep over the years.</p>
<p>Bristol had surgery on her jaw</p>
<p>I agree about Gilles. There’s a joy in his dancing that some of the others used to have, but I haven’t seen it as much this season. Like Helio’s Mask quickstep. I think many of them are so stressed out, they’re losing the “chemistry” that they may have had in the past. </p>
<p>I thought Derek and Shawn really blew it (of course, by “blew it” I mean relative to what else is going on this season). Shawn should be able to do anything that Derek throws at her. No problems with stamina or accuracy. Derek’s partners always have very precise footwork, but there was an inordinately long time that she was just standing there, and she had no jive “bounce.” Gilles’ jive was really the only one that looked like a jive all the way through. </p>
<p>The whole thing is a popularity contest anyway, but by dancing ability Kirstie, Drew and Bristol (and Joey, although he’s now gone) clearly don’t have the same level of ability as the others. </p>
<p>Sabrina’s quickstep was truly exceptional. Apolo’s was a pretty close second. </p>
<p>My teacher says the pros are probably going crazy because they’re having to put in such difficult steps to keep up with the competition.</p>
<p>I wasn’t too disappointed that Bristol was saved by her fan base, because I figured that it would be Bristol and then Joey going home…if it’s Joey then Bristol, then I won’t be too bummed.</p>
<p>But if she lasts next week also…then I will be bummed!</p>
<p>Next week is a double elimination, so it’s a good bet that it will be Bristol and somebody (hopefully Joey or Kirstie).</p>
<p>I’m a little worried about the injury situation so close to the start of the season, but I’m predicting a Gilles/Sabrina/Apolo final.</p>
<p>^^ Sounds good to me!! I have not known/watched Gilles in the past - not quite “getting” all the Gilles love I’m hearing about everywhere!</p>
<p>abasket, try watching a few of his dances from last time he was on. They’re all on Youtube. If you watch the cha cha, quickstep, samba, tango in that order, you’ll see what happened, esp. from the audience’s reaction to him. Considering he was pretty much unknown the first week, by rights he should have been out early, but he was just a huge crowd pleaser. </p>
<p>Gilles, Sabrina, Apolo final sounds good to me. </p>
<p>I think it’ll be Bristol and Drew out next week. I think Kirstie will be the one to stay around longer than warranted, although not until the final this time.</p>
<p>I hope Shawn Johnson stays far into the competition. I love to watch her this season…even more than when she originally danced.</p>
<p>I will hate to see Bristol outlast anyone else there. While she has improved and is coming out of her shell, she’s nowhere near the others. I get that most of these competitors aren’t really A list celebs - but she really isn’t, she’s just someone’s daughter. I have no idea how she’s getting votes, I could get it last time with all the Palin fever in the news, but now? Kirstie is no great mover either, but she’s the closest thing to a real celeb so he has a fan base.</p>
<p>What I don’t like is that they should not have allowed anyone to have their former partner if some didn’t get to have them. </p>
<p>This may very well be more of a contest of the pros and who comes up with the best numbers.</p>
<p>ITA w/eyemamom.</p>
<p>^^ I concur, YDS, eyemamom & ellemenope! </p>
<p>Perhaps the show was trying to capitalize on the political season w/election in Nov. I would not feel right, if I were Bristol, staying when more talented dancers are going home. She never really seems happy to be there anyway.</p>
<p>Some great numbers tonight!</p>
<p>I don’t think Bristol has forgiven Mark yet-she would barely look at him! Awkward…</p>
<p>I’m starting to see that this really will be a popularity contest - the scores are so close - barely anything separating many of the couples.</p>
<p>Not sure why but I am not enjoying this season very much. Seems like all the dances are running together and the only thing really different is the outfits…</p>
<p>This season is not what I hoped it would be. I don’t think any of the repairings of previous partners is generating the same chemistry they had before–that’s really hard to recreate. </p>
<p>The judges votes only ever matter at the end. Since the scoring is % of judges’ votes + % of popular vote, when there are a lot of contestants, the difference between Bristol’s 22 and a 29 is .6% vs. .8%, so it all depends on the popular vote.</p>
<p>When there are only 3-4 contestants left, the judges’ scores matter a bit more, but not as much as you think. With 4 contestants the % difference between a 24 and a 27 is 10% vs 11.25%.</p>
<p>I don’t think the scoring tonight had much to do with the dancing. There were some really good show numbers that didn’t have much content of the dance in question. Shawn and Derek’s dance was a great show piece but there wasn’t much quickstep in it.</p>
<p>I do think the twist of having the contestants pick each other’s dance styles for next week will be interesting. Do you pick something really challenging and then run the risk of having them blow it out of the water? Do you pick something boring? And what are the styles that have “never been done before” on the show? There is no such thing as ballroom Bollywood is there? :)</p>
<p>Shawn remains adorable!!!</p>