<p>Elle, another double elimination this week.</p>
<p>Eek, another 2 to go? That is going to hurt!</p>
<p>Bumping for commentary …</p>
<p>Agree with Carrie Ann that Melissa’s tango was better than Shawn’s and am glad she identified for me what bugs me about Shawn, which is a lack of connection with the dance and music.</p>
<p>My favorite couple is Apollo and Melissa. Can’t stand Kelley and Val. They’re just too lovey-dovey, which I find very distracting to watch. Not a fan of Shawn either. Sure she has great moves, but she lacks elegance. I feel almost badly for Emmit, like it’s ostracized somehow. Plus, he always seem to have the same moves for every dance. I miss Gilles.</p>
<p>I love Apolo but thought he was overscored on the last dance where he did a lot of standing and walking. </p>
<p>LOVED Shawn’s first dance. Limabeans, as for lacking elegance…that’s probably why her body type is not the idea body type for a dancer. I think “long and lean” is perceived as more elegant than short and stocky. I also thought the second costume was embarassingly revealing. But still love her.</p>
<p>Yes, Shawn’s second outfit - seemed that one side was held together by a thread!!!</p>
<p>Carrie Ann seemed ornery tonight - something tells me she huffed off that stage afterwards away from her fellow judges (she is not a favorite of mine…)</p>
<p>Apolo being my favorite, I cross fingers for him to make it to the final, but know things could go anyway…if not Apolo, I will root for Melissa - she is the package deal - great attitude, skills, and presentation. Shawn is good no doubt, but her personality and confidence is starting to wear on me.</p>
<p>Oh Shawn’s second outfit–eeek! I think Shawn has made miles of improvement since her first time on the show, when her bounciness and tricks worked magic. The person I’ve become impressed with was Melissa! She was good before, but she seems to have turned on the afterjets about half way through this season.</p>
<p>I found it interesting how affected Shawn was by her “failed comeback.” I also wonder what she is going to do with her life (after DWTS). College? Gymnastic coach? Something completely different?</p>
<p>I thought Shawn’s outfit was too revealing too and I am sick of Val and Kelly’s lovefest. I also agree that Apolo was overscored. I think Emmit and Kelly will go home tonight. I hope Melissa wins. Shawn is really good, but I think Carrie was right about being all technique and not music connection. Apolo and Emmit do a lot of standing while the pros dance incredibly around them. When this show first started, I thought it would never survive the first season. I was so wrong! That Tom Bergeron is a great host.</p>
<p>Tom Bergeron is a definite 10!</p>
<p>I think Carrie Ann is sick of being interrupted and contradicted by Bruno.</p>
<p>The critiques at this stage are interesting. On So You Think You Can Dance, the contestants want to be professional dancers; on American Idol, they want to be professional singers. Thus, one hopes that the judges will make serious critiques that might help the contestants actually improve. But at the semifinals stage of Dancing with the Stars, constructive criticism tends to just sound like justification for a lower score. Apolo and Emett are doubtless already far better dancers than their fellow speedskaters and retired football players…are they really going to internalize the advice?</p>
<p>I also wonder what Shawn is going to do. (By the way, Carly Patterson was recently married. [Celebrity</a> Weddings: Olympic Gymnast Carly Patterson is Married!](<a href=“http://www.celebrityweddingbuzz.com/celebrity_weddings/2012/11/carly-patterson-wedding.html]Celebrity”>http://www.celebrityweddingbuzz.com/celebrity_weddings/2012/11/carly-patterson-wedding.html) At 24, she’s about to finish her associate’s degree at a local community college.)</p>
<p>On a lighter note, I had to chuckle at Apolo’s little “slip” at the beginning of his first dance. We have watched him speed skate live and watched all his races we could on tv - his slip was just like what often happens on the ice - and like on the ice, he didn’t miss a beat!</p>
<p>Good observation, abasket. We all know that the former Olympians have done very well on DWTS. I always thought that work ethic and coordination were the biggest reasons. But yeah, to get as far as they did with their sport, with all eyes on them, they have to have all learned to get up, shake it off and keep going no matter what.</p>
<p>I just voted for Melissa and Tony. Funny … I never voted for Melissa during her previous season but she just seems to stand out now.</p>
<p>I agree about Shawn. She handles every move Derek choreographs - technically perfect yet missing something. In gymnastics judges look for the technically perfect but dance requires somewhat else. (And her costume in the Argentine Tango did not flatter her - distracted from the dance overall.)</p>
<p>I think perhaps Kelly/Val and Emmitt/Cheryl should go tonight.</p>
<p>missy, thanks for the Carly update!</p>
<p>I’m hoping Apolo and Emitt are gone after tonight. I just think they’re the two weakest dancers left.</p>
<p>I voted mostly for Melissa last night and a couple of votes for Kelly. I agree the Kelly/Val lovefest is wearing on me, but I blame Val. He acts like a puppy dog around her and keeps fawning all over her. She’s trying to play it cool. He did look good in his swimsuit last night. 
The reason that I’m such a Kelly fan is that she’s not a trained dancer like Melissa or an Olympic gymnast like Shawn. She’s hung with the best of them.</p>
<p>Melissa has become like a racehorse down the stretch. Peaking at the right time.</p>
<p>Oh Val’s swimsuit–worse than Shawn’s second outfit, lol!</p>
<p>
Good point - I usually take that into consideration. Kelly and Val together though should be taken in smaller doses than usually served up. ;)</p>
<p>I’m not a regular DWTS watcher - just on and off, here and there. </p>
<p>So of the 5 left who in your opinion has the strongest professional with them? (dance wise and choreographer wise) The weakest???</p>
<p>To me it’s apparent that Derek is VERY STRONG both ways.</p>
<p>Cheryl and Derek know how to play to their partners’ strengths. Tony has never had such a strong partner so I think we’re getting to see him in a bit of a new light. I’ve been really impressed with how well Melissa is doing. Same with Val. Karina has been in the semis and finals before. Only recently has she, IMO, not overrelied on her sexuality – and let’s face it, she’s hot. That came about with JR Martinez. Though I thought her hottest moment was with him: At the front of the stage, with the air machine: [J.R</a>. Martinez & Karina - Freestyle (Finals) - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>
<p>Aww…bummer!!! :(</p>
<p>Derek’s contemporary dance was really good! I didn’t recognize the girls dancing with him until Tom said their names at the end. It was a SYTYCD reunion – Melanie, Alison and Kathryn! Didn’t recognize the 4th girl, though. Boy, they really got some use out of that little splash pool thing this week, huh?</p>