When will this air? I need to set my DVR.

My question is the same as the one archer asks -- is it true that the dancing doesn't matter if you're doomed to go home? My understanding is that they combine *this week's* judges' votes with *last week's* audience votes, so Joey might have saved himself with good enough scores from the judges. Am I crazy? (I mean, about this, rather than generally.)

I find the fact that you get eliminated based on a hodgepodge of partly this week and partly last week to be kind of hard to follow. Am I right or am I goofy that Joey went home because of the judges' opinions of this week's dances and the audience's opinion of last week's dances?

Enigmatics, Thank you sooooo much. I searched and searched last night and couldn't find it.

That seems about right. I think if Joey was able score higher than Kelly last night with the judges, he would have most likely been saved by the audience vote but that's always up to debate as to what the final ranking for that is. I think for the next go around, they simply post the rankings of that vote to take out the some of the guesswork.

This is a totally weird judging panel and that has something to do with it. The Brit producers brought over a UK judge who wasn't trained in, and probably has never judged, much of the American style that we do over here in competitions. (Plus, lots of the Brits look down on that style as not being pure).

Then there are two non-dancesport judges who apparently have wildly different ideas about what consistutes ballroom. Carrie Ann applauded Joey's routine while Bruno dismissed it as not even foxtrot.

So I'm not sure Ashley is to blame. The routine played to Joey's strengths, but there's no clear idea on the show what is acceptable and what's not (apparently samba music is acceptable for paso and rumba for foxtrot, for instance, but Ashley's style of choreography in foxtrot was not.)

I think that if Joey had scored higher than Kelly, John would have been going home for sure.

Did anyone else notice that when it got down to the final two, they did NOT say that the remaining ones were the lowest in total votes like they had every week up until then? Based on that, I think Kelly was the top vote getter, and Joey #2. Therefore, John probably got a 4 overall and the only way to keep him in the competition was for Joey to get a 3.

The finale's dances are the ones that really don't matter. Based on the viewer vote tie breaker, whoever wins the viewer vote this week is the winner regardless of what happens on the floor next Wednesday.

I agree. It's kind of stupid that way, how they combine the two 50/50. So yeah, whoever wins the viewer vote this week wins even if they get blown out in judges' scoring next week.

Unless, of course, they change the rules to ensure that Peterman wins. I have no doubt they want Peterman to win. I can't believe how he gets the best and most traditional music (except for Just the Two of Us last week). There was no other Paso Doble music last night that could have been better for him and his bullfighter persona. All the judges raved that he "told a story". Well, what kind of story can you tell with "Eye of the Tiger" that would still fit within the Paso Doble realm? If Joey had started doing boxing moves and telling the story of Rocky, I am quite sure he would have been docked even more for it.

People have said that it was Ashley's fault for choosing the music, but it's not really her fault if she has craptacular selections to begin with. I'm curious as to why Charlotte always seems to get the best options.

If they really do want Peterman to win, we will hear Tom saying that "for this night only, the judge's scores count double". Or maybe there will be two dances, and each of the two dances is weighted a third and viewer vote is weighted a third.

Whatever happens, I'm sure it will suck. Either because of lack of information, or because of last minute changing of the rules.

If this is the case? Makes me dislike Kelly/Alec even MORE than I did before, and I really didn't think that was even possible!

John/Charlotte always have great music, and gorgeous CLASSY (are you listening, other teams?) outfits. They dance, they don't slink or hop all over the dancefloor. They rely on good skill, not sleaze, to get through their numbers. Love 'em, love 'em, love 'em.

I don't know who chooses music/costumes (I've heard mixed answers on that point)...but, whomever does really must dislike Joey/Ashly! Her outfits are rarely flattering (she looked MUCH better last night in rehearsal, in the all-black, simple outfit w/ less makeup & hair straight), and Joey's are just fugly/distracting. Their music? Horrible!!! "Eye of the Tiger"??? WFT??? It's like it's designed to make them look like clunkers after a John/Charlotte perfecto performance. Not that I'm suggesting anything, you understand.

Kelly and Alec. My son (12 yrs old) was watching the show with me, and at one point he turned to me (while these two were dancing) and said "gee, if I didn't know better, I'd think we were watching a porn channel". And I guess the conclusion I came to is that I don't mind the sexay outfits in (for example) Strictly Ballroom, or most competitions I've seen, because they're so campy that they're over-the-top. But with Kelly/Alec, I feel like I'm having pure sexuality (okay, there's no good way to say this that doesn't sound dirty!) crammed down my throat. And it (for me) distracts from the pure fun of the dancing & camp of the show. I'm not tuning in for a soap opera, I'm tuning in for a dance show.



Oh, and? WORD to this!
And, what the hell is up with Alec? He perpetually looks as though he's about to faint. Also, the greasy hair is just disgusting. I can't even appreciate his great bod, because my eyes focus on the greasy hair, the vacant (almost pained) look on his face...and the pathetic sideshow that I think they are as a team.
[/added-on rant now over]

Yes the show picks out their outfits. They get some say in them but the show does.



I don't think Kelly looks bitchy at all. Hell Rachel literally picked her up last week when she gave her a hug when she got kicked off. She seems to get along with everyone. She should look half-dead with all the hours she puts in to be on this show. I bet she sleeps away a damn week when it is over.



No. She only told Alec about her hearing problems cause she was getting sick from all the spinning he would make her due that caused her to be unbalanced. She even left the spins in cause she wanted to give it her all in the competitons.

As for all these so called soap fans that kept Kelly in this competiton why the hell isn't the same said about Joey or John? Joey was in NKOTB and John was on Seinfield. Both had tons more exposure than Kelly had as some of you have said you have never heard of her before this show. Why isn't there any question about who is keeping them on the show? Sure Kelly is the only one currently on tv right now but why are her fans the only ones being critized for voting for her cause she is just some soap star and they may like her from the show? Couldn't the same thing be said of John and Joey? Like I said in an earlier post Kelly couldn't buy fans last year cause her character was so hated on General Hospital and she is just now becoming popular. GH gets about an audience of 3 million a week. DWTS gets and audience of 16 million. I just don't think all her votes are coming from the soap fans unless soap fans from all the soaps on all three stations are voting for her. Fact is we don't know where any of the contestants votes are coming from. Sure she has her soap fans but I seriously doubt they are the only reason she is still her that is giving them too much power. Maybe people just like her like they like John and Joey.

Fernando: "My work here is done. Someone please to come clean up the woman and the cape from the floor."

Hah.

Regarding the costumes...

To clarify, Alec said

Another question I had, is General Hospital filmed in L.A.? I thought all the ABC soaps were filmed in New York (and all are set in Pennsylvania). They were practicing their dance at the General Hospital set, I thought she said. If she films in New York, that would be quite a lot of back and forth these past few weeks.

Yes GH is filmed in LA. It is the only west-coast soap I think.

General Hospital is the only ABC soap that tapes in California.

Clarification, please? Do the teams have any say over their music? I've read conflicting reports, so I'm hoping there is a definitive answer to this.

If they don't then I totally buy into the idea that the producers let their personal biases reflect the song choices. Neither of Joey and Ashly's songs seemed at all appropriate for the dances they were performing. I kept waiting for Ashly to say something to that effect after she got slammed for the Fox Trot choreography. Kudos for them actually trying to perform a more normal Paso, even though it totally didn't fit the song choice ("Eye of the Tiger" for a Paso?!)

To change the topic slightly, I got the feeling that John and Charlotte kind of got a buy this week due to the voting scandal. I can't imagine what the uproar would have been had they lost this week. Not that I mind since they are my favorite couple to watch.

My greatest hope is that ABC will use the show's ratings as an excuse to start broadcasting some actual ballroom/latin dance competitions!

Kelly may have the soap audience, but I think John has been getting most of the mainstream media attention. I think the two balance out.

However, I think a part of John's audience is like my mother. She adored their dancing last night, but she isn't into the show enough to get on the phone and vote. Younger fans who might skew Kelly and Alec's way are used to the phone voting frenzy of AI and are persistent in making sure their 5 votes go through.

As far as the music, from what I've read here and from Alec's Q&A, they are given a very limited selection of music to choose from - anywhere from 3 to 5 songs per couple.

I think this can easily be attributed to the fact that Charlotte is a lady, and knows how to be a good sport. I think one reason John and Charlotte are doing so well is that they can keep it in perspective. Its like a fluffy, fun, summer romance. Doesn't make anything less real, but its charm is in the evanescence of the moment.

I adore John O'Hurley--I saw a clip about his wedding on E! or VH1 this weekend, and he just seems like an adorable man. He's an expansive guy who's given to grand gestures and hyperbole, which is why I don't see what he does as mugging so much as just being very in the moment, very expressive. He is a stage actor by training, after all. I hope he wins.

WORD! I like Latin but I LOVE traditional ballroom dancing. To me there has not been enough traditional dancing. I love watching the smooth moves of John and Charlotte much more than Kelly shaking her tattas in everything. One seems so much cheaper than the other! I hate that the sexkitten keeps moving on when I felt others had improved, and were better at the "ballroom" part of the dancing (as opposed to the "tattas shaking" part of the dancing). Oh well! Maybe the balance of traditional vs. latin will be different next season (there will be a next season, right?).

I hope John and Charlotte win; it would be pathetic if they don't. If Kelly wins it's due to her great fan base with GH. Yes, John was on Seinfeld (anything else? nana?), which is re-run all the time, but no how does that compare to Kelly's current and loyal group of fans.

I can't believe there's only one episode left--I'm so sad. I want more...

MSNBC article about the show

From the article:



I swear one of the mods (Sars I think?) posted this exact same line a week or two ago in this thread.

Edit:


Ah, that makes sense then.

Isn't it Miss Alli that wrote the article?

Louis was Trista's partner, right? I agree with you 100%. Too much intensity.

And that kiss to the camera at the close of the show! WTF?

I love John & Charlotte (the latter, especially; what a woman!), and I also like Joey & Ashly. I hated that they danced to "Eye of the Tiger" and was sure the judges were going to blast them (pablo nostril?). I think the judges were falsely nice, as they figured Joey would be the one to go. Regarding Joey's foxtrot, though... those kicks! To die for.

I don't particularly like Kelly, and although Alec seems nice enough, his snake eyes are creeping me out. I hear Ralph Fiennes was cast as Voldemort for the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire movie. Warner Brothers? How about a Voldemort that can tango?

Also, to whoever asked for videos... I missed Week 3 and went on the ABC website to find them. It appears that ABC is only releasing the judges' comments online... which is odd, to say the least. They should take a page from the Australians. After all, that's how I saw Tom leaving his hat on. Rrrrroawar.

I have really seen nothing on this show to suggest Kelly as bitchy. I actually felt she took her criticism early on pretty well, as opposed to Joey who looked like he wanted to murder the judges for saying something remotely bad to him. If Kelly were a true bitch I think she would have just taken the criticism at the beginning and said screw you to the judges, not continually worked her ass off to get better. I have also seen no evidence of her not getting along with the others on the show. I did notice Rachel picking Kelly up off the floor when they were hugging last week.

I also don't think you can pin Kelly's popularity just on her "soap fans". Yes, I'm sure her fans are calling in and voting but please, when the show started most of the people I knew were turning in only to see Joey in all his NKOTB glory. Maybe you, know, like John and Joey, people actually like her.

Even if she has fans, what's the big deal? That's the risk you take in having a reality show where the outcome is partly based on audience participation. She is not at any advantage over the other two because of this. I actually think she has struck a cord with some people as a hard worker and at the beginning the "underdog" and that stuck with some people. First impressions last. Maybe others vote for Alec because they think he's hot. I don't know, but I don't see her at an unfair advantage. And I'm not saying this because I am a diehard Kelly fan. In reality, I want John to win and think he deserves it.

On the music, I know they are supposedly given a limited selection to choose from, but do you think maybe Charlotte fights for better music? Meaning, she's a bit more experience then say Ashly and so maybe she puts up a bit more of a fight with the producers when they try to give her shitty material to work with. I'm just saying, I don't how rigid they are with the rules and what not since this is their first time out.

I'm getting really sick of the phrase "[Celebrity] and his/her partner [professional dancer]" Why can't they just say "[celebrity] and [professional]." It's pretty obvious one is the other's partner. We don't need to hear it fifty gazillion times each episode.

I feel that's due to people who don't pay attention to what they're dialing. Unlike American Idol, the numbers haven't changed at all for the contestants here.



For me, I think he only really started to seethe outwardly when Len basically told him "My dear boy" (which I found a bit condescending...he's 32!) "that was awful as all hell." The first two weeks, he was given constructive criticism (the footwork, the posture) and I think he did realize that there was room for improvement. But the last few weeks they just said "That wasn't a foxtrot/waltz at all."

For the next season, there should be a stronger sense of what style of dancing they want, especially in the traditional dances as there seems to be a major difference between American and international.

One more edit: 18.04 million last night. Gadzooks. If anything, this should replace the Bachelor on the fall lineup.

Speaking of Kelly's fans.......has anyone perused the message boards on ABC.com? Flame-o-rama if you have any opinion except glowing of her. I am sorry I wasted my time there looking. TwoP is the best!!!!!

EW's recap is up. Some tidbits:


Amen to that!

Wasn't it Miss Alli who coined the "Dancing" "With" the "Stars"?


I don't think Kelly has any "bitchface" thing. To me, she has a neutral expression on most of the time. She isn't frowning or scowling or sneering. It seems like her face is just at resting position, whatever that is for her. No she isn't a smilin' grinnin' fool but so what? How does that make her a bitch? Her partner and the other stars seem to like her and I don't believe it's just about them being "ladies" and "good sports." Rachel hugged her hard enough to pick her up after she was eliminated while she gave Joey just a brief cool one-armed hug. Sometimes I feel like there's such pressure on women to put on a cheerful bubbly act all the time. I can't stand people who get all up in my face basically commanding me to "smile!" Why? Why do I have to smile? Are we all in a cult? Sorry, this is sort of a personal bugaboo.

Anyway if anyone has a bitchy attitude I think it's Joey with his "You ain't the boss of me" move with Ashly. (Yes, salamanca, I thought so a number of pages back.) And for pete's sake, I realize Ashly's got a major puppy dog crush on the guy but the way she keeps looking at him while he looks anywhere but at her just makes me SO uncomfortable. Have a little dignity, girl.

A question for the ballroom experts: I gotta know, is that rolling on the floor move standard for American fox trot? Because I swear I thought Joey was going to start snake dancing!

Well, I'm going to register to vote for John and Charlotte, just because they seemed to be the only couple who actually danced both a foxtrot and a paso doble. And they danced both really well. While I think that Joey and Ashly did quite well with their routines, their musical selections seriously bugged. The "Hey Big Spender" routine was interesting and danced well, but was a head-scratcher. Admittedly, I'm not completely up on competitive ballroom. Everything I know, I learned from either movies or completely random viewing on TV. But my dominant thought was, "That was a foxtrot?" Kelly and Alec's foxtrot was completely unmemorable and their samba... oops, sorry, paso doble was just not good. And now I've got "Bamboleya" stuck in my head, so they must be punished.

Edited to add: "bitchface" does not equal "bitch" or "bitchy." It's based on a facial expression, not behavior. I like to think of it as the expression that says, "You useless peons are not worthy of my radiance, thus I give you what you deserve: my wretched, superior scowl." Which is not to say that it's the actual thought behind the expression.

So, given the continued popularity of DWTS, why hasn't ABC committed yet to another one?

EVen though I keep reading that it is the highest rated summer debut show since Survivor in 2000, the latest I read from ABC's executive producer, the same woman who turne down the show several times before finally accepting it, is that no definite plans are afoot for a second one.

I thought I had read on the ABC board that they had picked it up for a second season.

Stomps around like an angry barmaid ten minutes before last call.

Heeeeeeeeeeeee! Funniest line on the whole board.

I agree, and I think it's because all Kelly has to offer is "sexay" moves. I don't enjoy watching her at all. She seems a little too into "winning", whereas everyone else (when they are performing, at least!) seems to be having fun! Everytime that Lisa Canning asks her how she think she did she says "We did our best, I worked SOO hard." I am not sure why that bugs me. Yes, Kelly! You work REALLY REALLY HARD! Everyone else does too. I echo the feeling others have posted, she is just not talented in dance.

I was so sorry to see Joey go, he was incredibly fun to watch and seems like he could be a fine dancer someday. I am also glad to hear their foxtrot was not totally inaccurate. Poor Ashly. She seemed to want to win also, like Kelly, but I enjoyed her performances much more. And I can understand the "real" dancers being competitive like that because the win is IN THEIR INDUSTRY. Must've been a shot to the ego that Louis Van Amstel was saddled with Stepford Wife Trista and couldn't make it work!

I think audience vote should equal another judge (in other words be 25% of the total vote). That is the only way to make it fair. Unfortunately I bet Kelly will win, and it sorta pisses me off.

I see it the completely opposite way. I think John has been the overly competitive one with all his comments about being really dissappointed if he didn't make it to the finals. Combined with his comments in TV Guide the other day, it's been a turnoff.

I like Kelly, always have. However, I would like John to win because he's better. I'm funny that way.

Of course, my desire to see one person win over another stops way short of actually voting. Maybe if this were The Apprentice or something, where I can muster up a genuine hate for certain people I might vote. This show? Fun to watch, but I can't see myself ever getting all worked up about who wins. Maybe more of the "celebrities" need to be people I already love or hate.

That shit goes both ways on that board. I perused that board to and non-Kelly fans have been vicious about her. Some have even implied that she is a pole-dancer, stripper and has blown the judges to win this competition. One fan even went so far as to say that Kelly fans have blocked the phone lines to Joey and John so their calls couldn't go through and that Kelly has already set-up a victory party for herself where she is charging her fans to come to. What the moron failed to find in his so called investagation is that Kelly's fan event in July was planned a year in advance way before she was approached to do this damn show and that most of the cast members of GH do this thing called Fan Club Weekend every damn year. Kelly fans must be working for the government given all the shit they have been accussed of getting away with.

DWtS has been so great to watch, and to have "celebrities" who are competitive and are working hard to develop their ballroom skills. I really admire all of them (esp. Evander) because nobody knew if this show was going to be a hit and it's daunting to fall on one's face on a live show and in front of (now) 18 million people!
You could tell that the stars' commitment and attachment to dancing grew by the week.

I couldn't help but notice that Kelly just appeared TIRED. Putting in all the dance hours and working on GH has caught up with her - she is looking a bit more gaunt with the weight loss.

My question is now after doing this show, what's on the horizon for the pros?
Will this exposure jack up the prices they will charge for teaching? I can't imagine someone like Charlotte would need any more clients since she is so famous already.

I definitely agree with you, barkley. I used to really love John, but the things you mentioned have been a turnoff for me, too. I was hoping Joey/Ashly and Kelly/Alec would have made it last night, but oh well. Now, I definitely know I only have to vote for K/A, which I've done a lot of. I'm not cheating the system by using every phone and every email address of my friends/family as well as myself!

Alec has mentioned that he will be opening a studio in LA (his family has a very successful studio in the Bay Area), and it will involve quite a few of the pros from DWTS. He's even mentioned franchising.

From pages back:

Oh goodness me, no, you are not the only one. Last night, during the paso doble, I didn't even notice his dancing (and I think some people mentioned he was shirtless?)...I was too busy marveling at the perfection that is Alec's ass. So, so shallow...I know.


I do think Kelly has a bitchface. Which is not to say that she isn't a nice person but her resting facial expression isn't a pleasant one. Neither is Alec's for that matter so I guess they are well matched.

I find Ashly's crush on Joey to be cute. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

I am absolutely no dance expert, so I'm basing my judgments on the little demo they give each week, but I agree with the others who've mentioned that the judges just appear to have it out for certain dancers (previously Kelly, Joey all along) because it seems like when Rachel's dancing didn't meet whatever standard they were looking for it was fine and she was the most graceful exotic creature ever to walk the earth, but they didn't give that same leeway to other dancers. I was so happy that Ashly talked back to them last night saying that it was open (or American?) style because the judges really don't seem make allowances for the different "flavors" of the same dance. If they don't know all of the different styles, they shouldn't be judging - or, all of the dancers should have to do the style that the judges know. I feel like I'm completely incoherent, but it makes me so mad that they don't seem to have the same judging standards for everybody, or that they don't make their judgments based on there being different styles of the same dance. They all suck, IMO. I mean, unless the dancers are told that if they do the American style (or whatever) they won't be judged as high, why should they be penalized if they are dancing a different style, but still doing the dance correctly (for that style) just because it's not the judges preference?!


Word, AwNutz!

I think they should scrap the professional judges and go with viewers chosen through some lottery or something to act as judges. Each week, while the dancers are learning, the amateur judges could also undergo training as to what to look for, etc. The whole system of judging just makes no sense to me anyway. I also really think that there should be certain steps that all of the teams have to do. IMO, this would make it a more level playing field because (a) you can judge the teams more easily against each other and (b) each team would be learning some of the same moves so the difficulty level of the dances might seem more balanced. It would also make it easier for me as a viewer to know what the heck the judges are judging and looking for. In the demo, the VO says here are some steps "you may see." I saw more of those demo steps in the foxtrot from Joey and Ashly than Kelly and Alec and yet? the judges slam J/A. Whatever. And what was with all of Kelly's grinding?! Can she do anything else? ...Please?

OMG - why do I let this show get to me?!

Well, some of us grabbed our canes & hobbled over to our phones or computers and placed votes for John/Charlotte! [/joking]

Seriously, I don't really believe that the fan-base for these teams is necessarily that easily broken down. I don't know how old your mom is (!) but my husband and I (late 30's) and our sons (12 and 8) all favor John/Charlotte! And anyone I've discussed the show with says the same thing. The ages and 'types' of these fans vary pretty dramatically.

And, for me, it all boils down to this:


Nicely put!

Well, my parents are in their 60s, but no canes yet.

Again, wanting to comment before catching up.

I like Kelly and I don't get the big hate-on or her. I would be neutral just like her. So was Rachel until she was eliminated and even she was struggling not to cry. Some people try not to let others see how hurt or disappointed they are. She seems very gracious and takes this competition seriously. She makes fun of herself and has tried to improve (she took ballet lessons and practiced while at WORK! I think that shows she is committed and trying to be serious as well as give credit to her teacher/dance partner because it is HIS time here). I think she has been happy for herself, others and seems like a very nice person. I am actually proud of her and her attitude on the show. It kills me how other women perceive one another. She has a nice body and they play to that (as well as per petite stature). Why not? Charlotte dresses to compliment her assets and it suits her. The only person I had problems with was Ashly (most of her choices made her look "stocky"). Other women (besides the pros, with exception of Edyta (sp?)) dressed to suit their body types. I put it all down under the category of "presentation". Kelly has NOTHING to add but be the prop within the dance (twirling, dipping, posing and looking sexy/graceful) while Alec is doing most of the work (teaching and leading the dance). So it is all good, IMO.

I knew Joey was leaving and I am really saddened for Ashly more than anything. She seems like a sweet woman who tried her best to teach her partner and give good, solid performances. I enjoyed them (even with the questionable music). But I did find that she allowed Joey to dictate too many things... or should I say suggest. I understand it is a partnership and, sure, the routines should be able to incorporate personality, but it sometimes seems a bit off. I am not a pro, but even *I* felt some things they did was too "young/hip" for what was required of them (compared to the other couples). The fact that Ashly finally told him to shut it was a little too late because the damage was done.

I am always so HAPPY to see John and Charlotte dance. She is an awesome teacher and dancer. And the fact that John is not a pro and is able to keep up with her is a tribute to her skills. I think they are classy and always having a wonderful time. Even his "mugging" I enjoy. Again, he brings the personality and "presentation" while she does the work (even if he is leading). Although I will say he seems to "mug" less this week and I wonder if that is because he was so focused or what the judges said to him. Either way, I always find myself smiling while watching them.

RE: The title
I don't care if they are B-list stars or has-beens, this has been enjoyable. And to be honest, it is more of a showcase opportunity for the dancers than anything. Yes, the stars get publicity, but so do the dancers. And the fact that I got to watch them strut their stuff... sounds like an all-around win to me. I hope they do this again, or it brings more dancing events to tv (PBS, mainly) because it seems there is a market for it.

RE: Viewer votes
I happen to think that the dancers, themselves, have people who vote for them, so maybe that also helps, not just the celebs fan-base.

PS- Yes, the music sucks most of the time, but sometimes there is a suprising selection that fits, IMO. But the winners of the "best music" would be John and Charlotte. Their music seems to be a bit more "classical" for dance competitions, so that may help them- in the end- to win.

ETA:
I believe she also acknowledged her fellow dancers too. She said she worked so hard, we all do... or something like that. But hey, I don't hate her so I found nothing wrong with what she says. Just that they needs to pin her hair up more. *L*

Just my $.02 on last night's episode. First, thanks so much to the competitive ballroom experts who post here because your comments help me "look for things" when the next episode airs. I am a dancer/instructor but of ballet, tap, jazz, etc. so I appreciate knowing some of the technical aspects to look for in ballroom competition.

Charlotte is really, really Good! (duh!) Her choreography and dancing last night during their Paso was glorious. I'd love to see them win just because they are older and John really has worked So Hard to keep up with an amazing partner.

OTOH, as the judges noted, I think Kelly has also worked very hard and has noticeably improved A LOT since week one. She's had a great attitude IMHO and has taken the judges comments to heart in a good way to improve herself for the next round each time. The sexiness in her dancing and outfits doesn't bother me....this is entertainment TV AND audience voting. If you've got it (and she certainly does) then flaunt it. She has a naturally sexy movement style and incorporates it because she isn't a professional ballroom dancer so she's using what she's got.

To me, it's the same thing as Joey using his performance background and theatrics to make up for his lack of technical skills.

As soon as she admitted that I was like "We will get along famously!" though I do agree that Joey did seem to take advantage of that crush a bit too much...or was edited down to make it seem like it.

I'm not going to pick apart the judges and blame them necessarily because they obviously know a lot more about ballroom dance than I do. But, what I do think the show needs for the future is a stricter guideline as to what is acceptable and what isn't. If the show allows open or American style whatever (keep in mind I have no idea what I'm talking about), then they should not have judges who aren't well versed in that type of competition. That is the fault of the shows producers, not the judges. I got the feeling that judges didn't even know that the dances didn't have to be traditional, or at least the two male judges.

They were judging based on how they felt the dances should be performed, and not necessarily with the guidelines of the competition. I mean, how do you compare John/Charlotte's foxtrot to Joey/Ashly's? Even if they are both perfectly within the rules they are so different that they don't even outwardly appear (to the untrained eye) to be the same dance. How do you then judge them on the same scale?

Then again, I don't think the producers knew how big this would turn out to be so I think if and when there is a next season the rules will be much more defined.

Lastly, though it is perfectly within everyone's individual rights to do so, I can't get caught up on hating anyone on this show the way I can with Survivor or Apprentice. Some people are still getting caught up in the Kelly hate or whatever, but for me everyone has been portrayed as perfectly nice and pleasant, all appear to be hard workers that even when somebody is voted off I'm torn because I get no pleasure out of seeing thier disappointment. I wanted Joey voted off yesterday but that doesn't mean I wasn't sad for him and Ashly when I saw their disappointed faces because they seem like truly nice people.

It would all be so much better for me if they were say, competing for a big wad of cash for their selected charity, or something. At least it would MEAN something.

I mean, there's Rachel getting all verklempt about getting cut, or Kelly getting pissy about judge's critiques, and all I can think is -- SO WHAT? Are you kidding me?

They get...a trophy? At least throw some cash to a charity. It's the top summer show for god's sack!

For me, I like it better without the money. I think it means more that the competition means so much to these people and they aren't in it strictly to score a million bucks at the end. I like that they appear to take it seriously if for no other reason, to actually learn to dance and improve. Sure, there's the exposure factor too.

Again, for myself, I don't think I would like the show if it went the typical reality vein and started offering up cash prizes and incentives.

I don't mean $$ for themselves, but for a charity. Like the Celebrity Poker things on Bravo, you know? They're all totally into it, and really want to win, and there's an added bonus of being able to give money to a selected charity. JMHO.

archer1267 wrote:



I think that's a great quote as well - watching those two in the foxtrot you could close your eyes and imagine them starring in an Astaire/Rogers-type of movie. If the judges were ever going to give some "10's" in this thing then that was the time to do it IMO. Really amazing considering that John started this as a complete novice.

If there is any justice then they ought to win the whole shebang.