What a Night! Great Solo Dances, Our First Perfect Score, and a Cha Cha Challenge!

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Tonight there is a Cha Cha Challenge. The couples will be split up in to two teams - and I guess they gave them all the same dance this time rather than a Tango and a Paso Doble, which is more fair, I think. They all come down the stairs and my, the ladies look lovely in their gowns! Well - except for Anna, she’s wearing little clothing...but still looks good!

Erin & Maks begin the evening, dancing a Quickstep. After their tongue-lashing from Len last week, Maks says they’re doing a proper Quickstep this week, but maybe he’ll take his pants off at the end. (Fine by me, honey!) It sounds like he’s planning to do so, and tells Erin at rehearsal that after he rips off his pants he’ll tear off her skirt. Erin is worried that it will be perceived as a jab at Len. There’s a little arguing (of course) and Maks says he wishes he never took his shirt off (amidst many bleeps). Maks gets his way, sort of - they both start out with black outfits and end up ripping off the outer layers so they’re dressed in bright pink. Erin rips off Maks’ jacket and turns it inside out to pink. Erin looks like she messes up a little, but for the most part it’s a great dance. They run up the stairs at the end, hopefully Len won’t yell about them “messing about” on the stairs. He gets to start - and tells Maks that since they were dancing to “Dancing Fool” he liked the beginning. “I’d hate to see what you would do with Balls of Fire.” He tells Erin it’s her best dance. Bruno calls her “slick, lightning fast and brighter than Len’s tie.” He says sometimes she’s a little tense on the shoulders but otherwise it was brilliant. Tom mentions that Len looks like he got dressed at Pixar before the show, with a lime green shirt and orangey tie, and Len has to jump in that Bruno (in his black suit) looks like he’s going to a funeral, “dressed in black with pixie lights.” Carrie Ann thought it was gorgeous, they danced well as a couple and her lines were good. Their scores: 9-9-9=27. They high five when they get a 9 from Len.

Next up are Chad & Cheryl “the birthday girl.” Chad wants to grow and aim for 10s. They’re dancing the Viennese Waltz and he’s having trouble learning the dance because every step is a turn. He yells at himself “c’mon, 85, what you doing?” as he collapses on the floor. Cheryl brings Tony in to practice to help, and Tony related it to football, telling him that it’s a new playbook to learn. He has to reach his arms like he’s going for the football that’s not in his numbers. Chad says it helped him understand. I love Cheryl’s dress - it’s almost like a bathing suit with a see through skirt, with lace all over. Not sure about Chad’s see through white shirt, though, it’s not great with his dark skin. He’s not the most flowing, looks a little clunky. Cheryl seems to be happy with his dance at the end, though, whispering in his ear. Bruno begins by saying he can’t believe that Chad can be so graceful and gentle. He maintained his focus but there were a couple things, like his reach ended at his wrists and he had “funny hands.” Carrie Ann says his arms are breathtaking when he’s aware of his arms and does them right. She also says there’s nothing sexier than seeing a man learn how to be tender. Len said “Your arms for me were full of fluidity. I won’t tell you what I think these two (Bruno and Carrie Ann) are full of.” Len said tonight is the night Chad became a contender. In the Celebraquarium, Chad says that his presents to Cheryl are just appreciation for all the work she puts in with him. He bought her the ring, and now Cheryl shows off a beautiful diamond necklace. It’s very pretty, a glass heart filled with little diamonds. Cheryl says now everyone knows how hard she has to work with him. (I’ll work with him! Heck, he’s nice to look at and gives away diamonds!) Their scores are much better: 8-9-8=25.

Nicole & Derek dance a Waltz. Last week Len hated their Samba so Derek says they’ll be doing a proper Waltz, no “hodgepodge.” They’re dancing to “You Light Up My Life” which is her aunt’s favorite song, and her aunt has Downs Syndrome. Nicole wants to learn the steps before she gets the frame, but Derek tells her it’s one package and without the frame the steps won’t work. He tells us he should compliment her more when she does it well - and tells Nicole “if I don’t say anything that means you’re doing it right.” Nicole says “I must be perfect then, because you don’t say anything.” She’s in a very pretty ice blue gown and looks like a princess. At the beginning she isn’t smiling, and looks a little ticked - and here and there through the dance too, she has to remember that this dance is happy and romantic. Nice twirl in the middle and one at the end too! Her aunt is in the audience and has leis for both of them. Carrie Ann says that Nicole is “by far” the best dancer they’ve had on the show. (I don’t know about that - she IS good, but let’s not get carried away here!) She says that in a Waltz “two become one” but it didn’t seem that way with this dance - but it was still gorgeous (Carrie Ann’s word of the night, I guess!) Len loved the routine, the performance, the hold, there were one or two little technical things that “I won’t go into now, if you’ll see me in my trailer I’ll sort it out for you.” Bruno says Nicole is as close to dancing royalty as she can possibly be. Some of the choreography was so difficult that he could see her mistakes but it’s because her standards are so high, it stands out. Sounds like all 10's to me! 9-9-9=27. (I think they were expecting 10s as well, Derek looked a little disappointed!)

Pam & Damien are dancing a Waltz also. I think it’s a little unfair that she has to follow Nicole & Derek with the same dance. This week they get out of the studio and go to the Wildlife Center where they wash up the crates and Damien says “I never thought I’d be washing poo with you.” Pam feels refreshed and ready to practice, but she’s having trouble with her hips so Damien brings a piece of material and ties them together, so they’re “joined at the hips.” She says she felt closer (duh) and felt the rise and fall of their bodies together - “the Waltz is definitely not boring. You don’t want to know what’s going on in my head.” It’s a pretty dance, they’re really together in their movements. He even spins her at the end and she keeps a foot on the floor! Very pretty. Len says we’ve just seen Nicole’s Waltz with “flash bang” and this was more understated - but her upper body needs firming up. (Everyone laughs at that one). Bruno says Pam is demure, and she got the “pure essence of romance” right. She has to get her top line held correctly - “there are other things to get together.” Carrie Ann says there was huge improvement in her legs, and her lines were great. Their scores: 8-8-8=24. My, the judges are generous tonight! (Not that she didn’t deserve decent scores.)

Niecy & Louis are up next and will dance a Quickstep. Last week she got her highest scores from the judges but ended up in the Bottom Two. She says it’s not fun, “and your Mama is in the audience praying....” She says when she first met Louis, he brought her snacks, and the courting phase was nice. Now it’s like they’re a couple who got divorced and still have to tolerate each other for the sake of the kids. Louis is texting someone and Niecy asks who it is, and it’s Kelly (Osbourne). Niecy yells “Kelly, he don’t dance with you no more, Boo! Right now, these feet gotta learn how to dance, Osbourne!” They being the dance doing side-by-side steps and she looks great, but her dress kinda hides her feet. She’s not really bouncy or moving her feet high off the floor, but she looks like she’s having fun! I really like Niecy but I don’t know how much longer she can stick around. Bruno says she’s never looked more gorgeous and her footwork was better than ever. (I also notice she’s not wearing those huge fake eyelashes either, and it looks MUCH better!) He says it’s her best dance today. Carrie Ann agrees it was Niecy’s best dance. She was light on her feet, everything was small and dainty. Len agrees that it was her best dance, and tells her she has to lift her ribcage. Niecy tells him “I’ve got a lot to lift up” and Len tells her that “Louie will help you.” Niecy is really happy and we hear she’s been pacing in the Celebraquarium waiting for her scores, and she’s ecstatic about them: 9-8-8=25. She yells “I can dance!”

Evan & Anna will wrap up the couples’ dancing with an Argentine Tango. He feels like he let Anna down last week. Evan has asked Anna to push him this week, and she’s trying to get his “lyrical” lines and make him more powerful, telling him he can’t submit to the woman in a Tango. Let’s see if she gets his attention. They begin, and so far so good! He’s looking very manly for this one (and I can understand why it’s hard for him, considering what he has to do for skating.) They do a great lift and spin! I really like this dance! Way to go Evan! Tom says they went “all James Bond” on the Tango. The audience gives them a standing ovation. Carrie Ann yells that Evan has “the eye of the tiger!” It was the right combination of power, control, and “grr.” Len says “I know you were nice on ice, but I had doubts you’d be good on wood.” (Wow! Len spent some time working on his quips this week!) He says “I’ve got a paddle in here that I haven’t used yet, and I’m gonna dust it off.” Bruno said Evan danced like a true alpha male and conquered his territory tonight. “Strong, powerful, sexy - everything a girl would want.” Tom thinks we’re going to get our first perfect score! Anna says Evan is a great student because he’s willing to do anything she asks. Evan is a nice guy and a hard worker, but he’s really not that great of an interview, kinda deadpan. Their scores are the best of the season! 10-10-10=30. The first perfect scores!

Time for the Cha Cha Challenge! Team GaGa (dancing to a Lady GaGa song) is first: Pam & Damien, Chad & Cheryl, and Nicole & Derek. Derek says they have 30 seconds together at the beginning and end, and in the middle are their individual dances. They decide Pam will go first, then Chad & Cheryl, and they will finish with their strongest couple. Pam says “I should have done this 20 years ago.” Chad tells everyone “Perfect is what I am on the football field. On the dance floor - “ Cheryl finishes his sentence “not so much.” They have to try to make sure everything is in sync. It starts out pretty good, and wehn Pam gets to her solo, it looks as if she forgets it a bit. Chad looks good, but not too bouncy. Nicole & Derek, of course, light it up pretty good (add strobe lights and that’s why!) It looks pretty good, the sync is good at the end. They put their hands together at the end for a “team gaga!” and as they split up Cheryl catches Chad’s foot and almost falls backward. Len said their dances together at the beginning and end were great, and he can’t wait for Nicole to do a Cha Cha Cha. Bruno said the cannonball (whatever that part was) was incredible. Pamela kept up with Cheryl and Nicole and “that took some doing.” Chad turned up the heat. Carrie Ann says that Chad struggled a bit here and there, but the sexual energy was great in the group. They’re “so grounded, so connected, so in tune with your bodies.” Talking to Brooke, Chad says they’re not worried about Team Madonna because they have “pow, (Pam & Damien) wow, (Nicole & Derek) and bam(he and Cheryl).”
Good scores! 9-9-9=27.

Team Madonna is next. Louie says for the solo dances he wants to have sharp at the beginning and end, “so we will be in the middle.” Niecy says she can be sharp - “have you seen my footwork this week?” and Maks tells her she can be the centerpiece and Niecy likes that. Evan asks Niecy for hlep becasue she's done the Cha Cha and he hasn’t. She tells him he has to “pop” his hips and he tells her there’s nothing to pop. Erin says Maks told her “Woman, just don’t embarrass me” and she’s got his accent down pretty good! We get the innocent Maks face saying he never said that, but we know better! They begin the dance with the three stars coming out and doing a little solo. Evan & Anna go first, and Evan can be a bit more smooth with this one, and it looks like he’s having fun. Niecy and Louis look pretty good too, and on we go to Erin & Maks - will he take clothes off for this one? Their sync at the end isn’t as good as Team GaGa - but the men rip off the girls’ skirts, leaving them in corsets. (Wanna bet that was Maks' idea?) Bruno said it was a Cha Cha with a Samba feel to it. Erin into the groove, Evan with two girls at the same time, and Niecy really shook it. He did mention that they lost sync at the end. Carrie Ann said it was nice to see them having so much fun, although the ripping off the skirts could have come a little earlier - and Maks says “Len would penalize us.” Len protests “I have no problem with Erin taking her clothes off.” Len thought the stars were brave to start the whole thing off on their own. He says for them to learn two dances this week at such a high standard was fantastic. Maks reaches over to Louis and wipes off some lipstick from his chin, and Louis looks at Tom and says “Thanks for telling me.” In the Celebraquarium Erin says she loved working with the other couples but Niecy didn’t bring them any food. Niecy is happy she finally got to show off her jiggly parts. Maks said it was impossible to keep everyone focused on the same thing. Their scores aren’t as good: 8-8-8=24.

So, here are the standings after the judges’ scores:

Nicole & Derek: 27+27=54
Evan & Anna: 30+24=54
Chad & Cheryl: 25+27=52
Erin & Maks: 27+24=51
Pam & Damien: 24+27=51
Niecy & Louis: 25+24=49

Make sure you vote! I’d really hate to see any of these couples go, I love them all, but someone has to go home. Who will it be? Vote and keep your favorites dancing!