Dancing with the Stars – Recap & Review – Week 6

photo: abc

Dancing with the Stars
Week 6

Original Air Date: Oct 24, 2011

Annette: Associate Staff Writer
annette@thetwocentscorp.com

It’s Broadway night! It’s also the first time that everyone will have to do two dances. One individual and the dreaded team dance.

Sometimes I wonder if the theme nights are really necessary, but I guess it keeps things from getting too stale – the same week in and week out. This week’s theme is actually kind of fun. I guess it helps that as a former theatre professional I knew each and every one of these numbers. Maybe for others it would be kind of boring. Anyway, on to the performances…

Robert Kardashian & Cheryl Burke – Cha Cha
Jersey Boy
22 (8, 7, 7)
Len said it was clean, precise and had good timing but it had no rhythm. Bruno said he needed to be in charge – it was adequate but didn’t have the impact and power it should have. Carrie Ann said it wasn’t as good as last week but she saw more charisma than she had seen before.
It was too stiff and not enough hip action. Cheryl’s choreography was really cute and great for the song but Rob could not keep up. And could the rest of the Kardashian family be any trashier – I find it rude that they continue to yell out and interrupt the judges. Have some class.

Nancy Grace & Tristan McManus – Foxtrot
Spamalot
24 (9, 7, 8 )
Bruno said they captured the feel of the show and still did a fox trot. Carrie Ann called it a showstopper. Len said he saw much more personality come out but he criticized her posture and footwork in the hold.
She was off in the beginning but she seemed to pull it together as the dance went on. But she barely picks her feet up off the ground and she’s not very energetic. I wanted to love it because it was Spamalot – but it was just ok. I definitely don’t think it was worth a 9.

David Arquette & Kym Johnson – Quick Step
Grease
23 (8, 7, 8 )
Carrie Ann said they lived up to expectations as far as performance – but they got out of sync in the beginning. Len said it was bit rough around the edges but it was high energy, full on and fun. Bruno said you were so charged up you were like a live wire and got off on the wrong foot.
David did get off a few times, but he charged right on through and gave it his all. It was a cute and fun performance.

Ricki Lake & Derek Hough – Quick Step
Guys & Dolls
29 (10, 9, 10)
Len told her she doesn’t need luck if she has talent and this dance proved she had talent. Bruno: impeccable style, outstanding choreography, dazzling showmanship. Carrie Ann said it was exciting to watch – so quick and precise and sharp and sophisticated.
They were incredible. She looked fantastic out there. It was clean and precise and energetic.

Chaz Bono & Lacey Schwimmer – Tango
The Phantom of the Opera
19 (7, 6, 6)
Bruno said it needed to be dark and menacing and this character didn’t fit Chaz. Carrie Ann said this was the most aggressive she’d seen him but she wanted to see more content. Len said the dance didn’t suit his personality but it was well done.
It was a very basic dance and he got all the moves but he’s not very graceful. It looked awkward.

Hope Solo & Maksim Chmerkovskiy – Rumba
Rent
20 (7, 6, 7)
Carrie Ann said she sees the effort she’s putting in to the movement, but she still forces the moves. Len told her he hasn’t lost faith in her but this was her worst dance of the season. Bruno said she tried to tell the story but in a rumba all the movements need to be linked – her movements were staccato.
This dance did not suit her at all. She didn’t look sexy – she lost all the moves she was shown by the girls Maks brought in – though I don’t think her costume was helping. Maks lost his cool and was incredibly disrespectful to Len.

J.R. Martinez & Karina Smirnoff – Quick Step
Chicago
29 (10, 9, 10)
Len called him relentless and compared him to Helio Castroneves’s quick step (which won a 30). Bruno called it a hit. Carrie Ann told him Bob Fosse would be proud.
His footwork is so precise. He was there step for step with Karina and the choreography was great. He really gets into the performance part of the dance, too.

Group Dance
Big Spender & Cabaret
Len thought it was a fitting tribute to Broadway. Bruno apparently thought it was good but I have no idea what he was saying. Carrie Ann said everybody did a great job.
They all did a really cute job. But it was kind of pointless because they judges didn’t score so it didn’t impact the individual scores. I would have rather have skipped this and allow everyone more time to work on their individual dances. They could have been that much better if it was the only thing they had to worry about.

After duking it out for the last few weeks, Ricki and JR are tied at the top of the leader board. They pretty much left everyone else in the dust – Nancy is next but she’s 5 points behind. Bringing up the rear are Chaz with 19 points and Hope with 20.

I’m torn as to the elimination. Chaz really can’t compete with everyone else and I feel like his time has come, but I’m sick of both Nancy and Hope and really wouldn’t mind if one of them were eliminated. Who do you think should go home tomorrow? Leave me your two cents!