<p>I’ve never voted but I think your choices, ellemenope, are good ones, based on last night’s performances.</p>
<p>That was a pretty fun watch last night. I so prefer the fast dancing over the ballroom stuff - which is probably obviously why I don’t normally like DWTS so much!!!</p>
<p>Shawn and Derek were the best to me - she is adorable, but honestly, Derek is just a home run all around - dance, energy, choreography - put the two of them together and it’s practically a win for sure!</p>
<p>I felt bad for Apolo and his partner at the end. He was so sweet to her. :katy: He did outshow her.</p>
<p>You know, they make such a big deal about the pros having to go out of their comfort zone and perform…that’s what the “stars” are doing every week! Especially the non-dancer stars!!! Hoping and praying that Apolo survives the week.</p>
<p>It is SINFUL that those judges give Bristol “8” for her elementary dances. If she gets an 8, what does that say to the other pros who get an 8.5 for 10x the difficulty!!!</p>
<p>And finally, I really, really, enjoyed having Paula there!!! Makes me miss her - the old Paula, not the drugged one!!! She was a great addition.</p>
<p>abasket: I agree! there should be some sort of degree of difficulty factor (like in diving and gymnastics). Bristol getting an 8 versus some of the other scores is just ridiculous. I thought Apolo was great (and kind). Giles, Sabrina, and Shawn too. I agree that Emmit was not his best last night, but I do like him generally. Clearly, the stars and pros are under a lot of pressure. Something about the Kelly/Val pairing is weird to me. Was she method acting with all the brooding before their dance? Or did her toe hurt? And do we really need all that SKIN? I find it distracting and unnecessary. Perhaps, I am showing my age?</p>
<p>I didn’t watch the season that Emmett won. Was he better then?.. because I’ve generally not been impressed with him.</p>
<p>Bristol’s dance was so easy…for about the first time I was thinking, “I could do that here and now.” (Of course, at my age, remembering it would be a problem.)</p>
<p>LOVED Shawn and Derek!</p>
<p>The contemporary…I think that just about every HS dance company girl has done a contemporary to that song, with that choreography.</p>
<p>With respect to hip hop: My D was a drill team girl. Every time drill team does hip hop, there are 2 or 3 girls who have actually studied hip hop…they put them in front. Everyone else does hip hop like a jazz dance - the dance is clean because they work on it, but they don’t have the style right. That was Apollo and his partner last night.</p>
<p>missy, I think Emmitt is another example of someone who’s a good dancer but, when dancing alongside others who are better, suffers by comparison. And he’s just got this great smile and is so likeable so he’ll go further than he should. </p>
<p>I can’t believe the good scores he and Bristol got. Really ridiculous. I think the judges are just swayed by how much better Bristol is this season. That’s true, but she’s still not as good as anyone else left.</p>
<p>I voted four times for Gilles, two for Apolo and two for Kelly. Shawn’s on her own. 
I’m not worried about her getting votes.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what’s going on with Kelly. After last week’s routine and chemistry with Val, I Googled her to see what’s up. In late 2010, she broke up with her HS boyfriend. They’d been together since she was a sophomore in HS, 15 or 16 years! So, I think there was some truth to what she was saying about dancing and having to learn to be vulnerable again, but, boy, they sure were playing it all up before they danced. I thought they weren’t even going to be able to the way she looked so devastated. Very methody, I guess.</p>
<p>I liked Shawn and Derek’s dance, but I didn’t vote for them. Derek could choreograph a mambo in his sleep, and Shawn herself had a level of familiarity with the dance.</p>
<p>I thought Gilles and Peta nailed the Bollywood dance … and neither had anything to fall back on in terms of prior experience with the dance style.</p>
<p>If it’s not Bristol or Kirstie tonight, something is wrong!</p>
<p>I’ll let you know what a geek I am. I used to watch General Hospital, I haven’t in quite some time. However, what I did know was that a few of her costars were REALLY into method acting - the guy who was the lead of the show and the guy who played her partner were both completely into method acting. So it would make sense she is too. </p>
<p>I liked last night. If you ever watch So You Think You Can Dance they do a bollywood number once a season. Gilles didn’t nearly match them at all, but he’s no trained dancer.</p>
<p>It’s really time for Bristol to go.</p>
<p>As usual, Shawn the Designated Winner was served up a softball. Although I have to say that I was actually pleasantly surprised by the fact that she danced part of the time in addition to the tricks.</p>
<p>Gilles rules. I think he was actually better than Peta.</p>
<p>Bristol was grossly overscored. She did almost nothing. Although I love Kirstie and Max, I would not be unhappy to see both her AND Bristol leave this week.</p>
<p>YEA!!! (10 char)</p>
<p>It’s about time!</p>
<p>Yea indeed.</p>
<p>Though I really got the feeling that the other candidate really was hoping to go!!!</p>
<p>But I really wanted Gilles to choose Apollo for the Gangnam (sp?) style dance. I bet he would have been a hoot at it.</p>
<p>Agree, swimcat. I’m surprised that apolo got taken so late.</p>
<p>What was up with Susan Boyle? She looked very nervous or uncomfortable or something when she was starting to sing with Donny Osmond. (oh - I just looked it up - he was her childhood idol/crush so maybe was just nervous to be singing with him?)</p>
<p>The dancing is so phenomenal this year. I wouldn’t know who to vote for. I love Derek and Shawn, Gilles and Peta, Melissa, Kelly, Sabrina, Apolo… I guess the rest can go. Last night was really fun - I can’t believe we get such great entertainment on network tv. (and I’m actually being serious!)</p>
<p>I wondered the same thing about Susan Boyle. She seemed terrified to be on that stage. Or could have been an excuse to hold hands with Donny. :)</p>
<p>I will second that “yea!” After Kirstie, the rest of the group are fairly evenly matched. </p>
<p>Did anyone notice Sabrina and Louie wearing cheetah print belts? Or maybe it was leopard print. What does a cheetah look like anyway?</p>
<p>Whew!!!</p>
<p>Agreed, Apolo would have taken Gangnam to a whole new level!</p>
<p>Bristol–gone; Kirstie’s next…then it gets a whole lot tougher! </p>
<p>I think that Melissa has got to get over comparing herself to Shawn, though…it’s nuts to compare your ability to do tricks to someone with world class gymnastic ability.</p>
<p>Kelly and Val needed to go find a bedroom. Something tells me they may already have done so. I really enjoyed their comtemporary dance. For a moment I thought I was watching So You Think You Can Dance (the ultimate compliment). </p>
<p>I think Derek’s choreography is amazing and Shawn picks up everything Derek throws at her very quickly. She’s an amazing athlete, a fierce competitor, and extremely consistent week to week… but she lacks maturity in her dancing and never seems to connect with her partner on a deeper level. I still get much more enjoyment watching Sabrina each week.</p>
<p>I liked Gilles and Peta’s Bollywood number a lot but was expecting it to be even more amazing after hearing the rave reviews. I was actually pleasantly surprised with Emmitt and Cheryl’s Bolero routine.</p>
<p>Thank goodness Bristol is gone. Kirstie isn’t that good either, but at least she always entertains me and she makes me laugh a lot.</p>
<p>What was Gilles thinking picking Kelly first? He got a really high intense song and he needs people who can move. BTW… I’m all about Gilles, I loved him in his season, thought he was great in Brothers and Sisters - however, he is so intensely competitive I can just see his desperation to win. </p>
<p>I also thought it was unprofessional of Karina to make it all about her. The other pros didn’t know their styles either, and even the contestants know when you fall, get up and keep going. The crying just seemed ridiculous to me. </p>
<p>Anyone know how the teams ended up being split?</p>
<p>I think Gilles and still ticked at Apolo over Apolo choosing one of Gilles dances to “redo” a week or two ago - remember how in the pre-dance interview Gilles was kind of upset about that??? Guy wise, he may see Apolo as his biggest competitor left.</p>