Squeeeeeee! The Suxy was so hot in the cha-cha. Alec was just hot period. No shalacking of gel = super, super sexy Alec -- I think he read the boards :)

Nice slap on the ass Kel!

I think every one was very nervous, just some few wobbles here and there, but still thought what great fun to watch these guys and all the dancing. I kinda had to tune out a lot of the bravado -- speaking to you John, but all in all the dancing was great. I loved, loved the suxy! cha-cha, and thought the quickstep was fun, and I enjoyed John & Charlotte's waltz.

Thought both freestyles were not as cohesive as last time but I really liked Kelly's freestyle over John's freestyle -- I think I just don't get Charlotte's sense of humor so much, some of their moves kinda make me cringe -- like how she stuck her hands, uh, directly under his manly parts, heh.

Being the Suxy fan that I am, I contributed my household share of votes for the love birds! I think Alec alone probably got some calls, way too hot with the sunglasses, heeeeeee!

Yes please! More Suxy! More Suxy! These two need more ways to relieve the tension :)

It's funny, but that's the way I feel about Kelly and Alec. He slings her around like a sack of potatoes, and she wiggles and preens somewhere else.

Their last dance was better than anything they'd done before, but I still had no sense of connection between them.

I liked John and Charlotte's first two dances and I could see where they were going with the third one, but I don't think they got there. Still the elegance and lines of that waltz make up for a great deal in my book.

Count me in. Especially the last moves, the couple in yellow, he turned the girl upside and she spread her legs wide. I thought that was incredibly disgusting for her crotch to be right in his chin.


I guess I was only paying attention when somebody McKnight was singing, because I thought he was good and it seemed to improve the musical quality of the show.

And thus we learn the concept of "Too much of a good thing."

My favorite part of the show was when I first turned it on, and it proclaimed, "LIVE" in the upper right corner and "Recorded earlier" on the bottom of my screen. That made me laugh. From then on, I just sat there yawning.

I did love the professionals' demos, particularly the one Brian McKnight sang to. Spectacular. But you know it's a bad special when the filler is better than the purposeful content. The kid thing was a bit of a ripoff on Mad Hot Ballroom, but it was cute and funny nonetheless. JOH and Kelly were so meh, I felt a little bad for them for bothering.

But, if she loses a role, do we hear her whining to the media about how she was robbed? Does the person who gets the role have to be questioned all the time as to whether she thinks she got the part because of some fix?

While I think Charlotte is a lovely and elegant dancer, I really find it difficult to get into their dances with John's incessant mugging. Has the man never heard of moderation? He just came across, to me, as more interested in hamming it up for the cameras than he was in dancing. K&A were much more appropriate (I guess the word would be) in their facial expressions and interaction. They typically go for sexier dances, and they both clearly know how to smolder.

Did JOH actually try to claim he has kept the weight off? Those profile shots of his body were not kind. And I've already blocked out any and all spandex sightings. It should be illegal to make spandex clothing in anything over a certain size.

Oh, and what did the wardrobe people do to Charlotte? Her last outfit was beyond hideous. I also hated that outfit with the sheer overlay and the leotard bottom that seemed nonexistent from the front.

Ultimately, my guess is K&A will win again. Kelly has a massive fan base and this was promoted heavily during GH, so her fanbase has been prepped. And I think their energy and sexiness just sell to the audience. J&C tried to sex it up some, but it came off as ridiculous. Part of it was JOH's mugging and part of it was you just don't want to try to out-sexy a pair like K&A.

I loved the cha-cha and freestyle of the Suxy! It's just too bad that this will be the last time I will see them dance together. Whatever will us Suxy! fans do now? I agree that Kelly and Alec should do some fitness video or dancing video or whatever. Or maybe have the whole season one come out with a special DVD, complete with unaired footages and bloopers during the practices. I need my Suxy! fix, damnit!

I really liked John and Charlotte's waltz. That was so pretty. But his interview vids totally turned me off. Like, how old are you again, Mr. O'Hurley?

Louis and Ashley were fabulous! Their jive was so much fun. Although Louis still comes off kinda skeevy to me. I think it's his ponytailed-hair. Or maybe his rather ill-proportioned head. It just sticks on his neck there. Huh. The other filler was incredible, as well. I heart Jonathan and Anna. They were just so gorgeous to watch. Please, please let Anna be in the second season.

Well, what else can I say about the dance-off? I think mully said everything I thought about the whole thing best from way back on page 12. This, especially:



Hee. I especially like your #2 suggestion! They were so adorable in the bloopers. Kelly slapping his ass. Alec always causing her "wardrobe malfunctions". Eeeeeee! It's so fun to be 12. I can just imagine Alec going all "somewhere in the middle of all this I fell in love with you" as Kelly is just about to step out onto the ice... er, dance floor. Hehe. Too much Cutting Edge viewing this weekend.

JOH's interviews annoyed me, too, but we have to remember that there is an interviewer who is asking leading questions. And then all the footage gets edited, so we only see whatever the director/producer/whomever wants us to see. There could be tons of interview footage with JOH not mentioning what happened at the finale.

Ditto to jeanne77's comment. After reading about the suit against "Extreme Makeover", it would not surprise me at all if the producers were pushing for JOH's "bittercakes" comments and edited what he said to play up that story. Gotta take his comments with a pretty big grain of salt.

As Heather B says "they can't use it if you don't give it to them". In all of Kelly's talk show appearances, she's never trashed JOH the way he has before the dance-off and last night in the show. The final straw was the "no one deserved 3 10's". Sore. Loser.

The think is that even if Kelly wins tomorrow the controversy still won't be over. The press will go on with their whining and so will JOH.



So much WORD. Brian McKnight was good, but the rest were really sucky, especially "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend". Woman could not hit the low notes.

Oh, and on the Suxy front - did anyone else catch the little kiss on the forehead during the Cha Cha?

Nobody DOES deserve 10's! I didn't enjoy this show as much as the first series. The "jive" exhibition was great, though.

I did, barkley, I did! I've seen you posting on the GH thread before...I had heard rumors that Alec was supposed to play the Andrew role in the DWS storyline, and I so wish he had!

I wish he had played Andrew as well. However, Burton probably put a stop to it because how could he compete with the Suxy?

I couldn't agree more. I couldn't believe the comments that he was making. I am so glad that he thinks he should have won the competition because I sure don't think that. He just needs to let it go. What a baby.

Call me dumb but what does this mean?

Exactly, I think JOH is an actor and he was playing a role, the one TPTB wanted him to play, the one that got them the dance-off and the big bucks in the first place. Now when Kelly wins, as she inevitably will, the media can claim it was due to JOH's sour grapes which turned everyone off to take the attention away from the fact that TPTB knew he could never win the darned thing in the first place. Betcha once she is declared the winner once again, that JOH will be all gracious and congratulatory to finish off his 'story arc'. Based on all the comments here, it looks like he's a better actor than he is given credit for being. Of course, those of us who watched him on Seinfeld knew he could do the preening a** role in his sleep. He's laughing all the way to the bank. He knew he couldn't beat her so he figured he might as well cash in. Good thinking. All those of you who are fans of the 'Suxy' (or 'Sucky' as I like to call it) should be thanking JOH profusely because, without him, it would've never been seen again. He nearly singlehandedly drove this thing to the level it has reached.

I no longer think he was acting in Seinfeld, and I feel like an idiot for having thought him funny and rather charming in the first DWTS.



ITA. He should get a grip. As for blaming the editing, he had to make those comments (over and over and over and over...) before they could be edited in. He should get a life too, while he's at it.

After swearing I wouldn't watch this rematch, I did just that. I watched it. Sigh.

But I tried very hard to watch it objectively, and to simply enjoy it for what it was, and not for the outcome (because I don't think that anyone can possibly walk away from this without yet more controversy & bitternesses & accusations of 'fixing'...no matter WHO 'wins').

So, my opinions regarding last night:
-None of them danced perfectly. They're not pros! They shouldn't be expected to dance perfectly. I think the 'judging' is very subjective, because what are they being scored based on? They scores & judges comments were both entertaining and maddening, but I'm glad that they ultimately don't matter.

-I really didn't care for some of the dances, but I do think that the best dances of the night were danced by John/Charlotte. You could see tons of missteps and mistakes on Kelly's part. And the one dance that Kelly/Alec did that I rather liked? The music was SO horrible that it was distracting. They REALLY need to address that aspect of the show for future seasons.

-I love John. But I have to admit that his "noone wanted/wants this more than I do" was a bit much. Seriously? You just can't fairly say that, John. Every single person in that competition was trying hard, you could see it in the footage, and in their faces. Who's to say who wanted it 'more'? I thought that was irksome of him to say.

-I continue to be irritated by Kelly's little smirking, overly flirty manner & her lack of a wardrobe. Even my 12 year old son said "Wow, mom, she looks really sleazy." !! And he wasn't just talking about her clothes, but the way that she carries herself. I believe that I'd be rooting for her more if she wasn't so over-the-top with that. You don't have to be slutty to be sexy. And I'm beginning to have my own personal definition of 'suxy' when it refers to Kelly.

-Why do the hosts (or, probably more correctly, TPTB) refuse to allow Alec and Charlotte to speak? It's so obnoxious! They're working hard at this right alongside of their partners...but it's all "Kelly's votes are XYZ" and "John's score was ABC". Eh? Did they dance solo? And the constant interrupting of the judges while they're speaking, AFTER they've been asked to offer opinion, is equally obnoxious. I mean, c'mon, dump some of the other fillers & allow people the time to speak more than 2 words at a time!

-The kidlet dance couples? Okay, I don't mean to be cruel, and they DID dance quite well...but those were some seriously fugly kids. I hope they outgrow their awkward phases before they become adult competitors. [/toddling off to hell now]

Interesting comment, because for me, their "fuglyness" was
part of their charm. Three cheers for pudgy kids who
can turn on a dime, and huzzahs for talented plain Joes and Janes
who can get a well-deserved moment of fame.

They may have looked fugly, but they danced their kiddy butts off.
Good for them.

How could you miss that? My neighbors must have thought I was getting murdered since I was yelling so much.

I loved the kids, especially the two older pudgy ones - they were really quite good! I also like the attitudes of the boys when they said they were teased but they didn't care - you go little dudes! You'll be the ones out there dancing with all the hot chicks in high school because none of the other boys want to or can dance.

I didn't like the sexy costumes or the gobs of makeup on them - but I'm THAT mom at the dance studio getting bent about my child doing Britney moves when she's 6.

I was relieved to see, actually, that the kids were really NOT that good. The pudgy ones had the crisp movements, but for the most part, the group did not blow my socks off. Which is a good thing. A child prodigy ballroom dancer would be very squicky to me. No savants here, IMO -- these were just kids doing ballroom adorably.

Didn't like Peterman the first time around, and was surprised to find that I could muster up even more hate for him during this "wahhh I should have won" round. I don't buy that he's playing a character. I think he honestly believes he should have won the first time and is still bitter that America doesn't love him more considering all the effort he put in to make himself look funny and endearing. STFU Peterman.

I am still shocked that after receiving offers for sitcoms, a Broadway show, a talk show, and who else knows what, that John could want to win this THING so much? It's a little fake to me. Both he and Kelly would not have this attention and offers for stuff if it weren't for DwtS and so yes, they are milking it to the max.

As far as the dancing, I thought both couples had some nice moments, but the electricity, fun and energy weren't there like it was during the original series. Maybe it's because instead of a couple of months dancing they only had 3 weeks, but we don't need dance-offs in the future.

The highlights for me were the two pro couples (how wonderful they were) and I thought the kids were cute.

Kelly & Alec: Her dancing was sloppy this time around. Their quickstep should be renamed to the 'slowstep'. And their freestyle dance was okay, nothing special.

John & Charlotte: Their rumba was okay, no sizzle in it for me. Their waltz was divine and totally deserved the three 10's it got from the judges. The freestyle dance was better than their freestyle from the first season. But there was something off and when Charlotte stuck her hands underneath his crotch, I cringed. I know they were going for humor and I chuckled a few times but something was missing. I was impressed by the fact that he actually attempted lifts which can't be easy for him. Charlotte's costumes were a mixed bag this time around. He did sound ungracious in some of his comments and really needs to let this go. I was rather disappointed in him due to this.

I only got through on the phones three times total for John & Charlotte using the land line. And like others here, I was completely unable to vote from my cell phone.

Judges: It was not surprising when Len went off on Kelly & Alec's quickstep. He did the same to Joey & Ashlee. He apparently likes his traditional ballroom dances to be closed and not so open.

the kids: They were so cute. And to the boys, don't worry. In a few years, chicks are going to be all over you.

Ratings news: Zap2It

The two older kids reminded me of Melanie LaPatin and Tony Meredith, especially some of the girl's facial expressions. I also wondered if the one boy with the spikey hair might have been paying his own little tribute to Ryan on SYTYCD. I thought they were all a hoot.

The ratings were nothing to brag about.

I know the ratings are what ABC would call respectable since the show has never faced strong competition. The spin will be in full force. I think this special was a big mistake and they have permanently tarnished their brand, if they had a brand.

(editing out redundant information, I checked the board and didn't see any ratings, by the time I sent this there were other ratings up. TWOP is running slow for me today, I'm sorry)

Just wanted to add that I didn't even attempt to vote by phone, but had no trouble at all voting online at the ABC site.

And, I do totally agree about the kiddie boys...that learning to dance is going to benefit them tremendously in their later years! And I did admire their attitudes. Oh that I'd had that much confidence at their ages...it took me YEARS to attain that. And it's still a work in progress.

I couldn't get through to vote last night either.

I'm sorry, but Kelly just screams "hoochie" to me, and I just can't get past it, thus my dislike of her. Could her outfits BE any smaller? She might as well have been dancing naked. Alec is a great dancer, but it doesn't make up for the fact that he totally carried the team.

I heard her on Howard Stern last week (I know, I know...my husband and I commute together, and he makes me listen!), and she seemed so full of herself. It's all about the sexiness and having guys ogle her. Alec was there with her, and he came on in the last few minutes of her segment, and he seemed cool enough.

John and Charlotte, while they made a few mistakes on the freestyle, seemed so classy out on the floor (his comments notwithstanding), and that to me is what ballroom dancing is supposed to be about.

(rant over)

I firmly believe that both John and Kelly are milking the DWTS for all its worth and I don't blame them. This show gave them a lot more attention (in a positive way) than they could have ever imagined going into it. It gave them lots of career opportunities. I liked them both the first time around but even though I thought John deserved to win, I didn't like his bittercakes antics first time around. I thought it made him look like a bad sport all the way around.

I also don't buy the John just playing a role either because while John is laughing all the way to the bank, if he is simply playing a role of poor sport/blowhard, it will only come back to bite him in the ass once his 15 minutes is over. The problem is that people will take that from this show and associate that behavior with John O'Hurley, not Peterman. It makes John O'Hurley look bad and it only serves to make Kelly look better. I don't think that is John's intention and if it is it is sort of warped.

I would have been all for the dance off if they both came back in fun and good spirits. I would have been all for John winning because I think he deserved it the first time. Now I want him to lose simply out of spite.

What a mistake. From the judges' attitudes, to reminding me how rude Lisa is to Alec and Charlotte, to the friction between the teams, this had a really "no fun at all" feeling to it.

Kelly grates with the smirking. Charlotte should never choreograph freestyle. John's face was thinner, so I know he kept the weight off, but he should stay away from the spandex and ratchet down the "I'm in it to win" bit.

Tom did well, but looked uncomfortable, and I hate Lisa. The way she cut off Alec and then came back to him ("because she'd promised to let him answer"), after she'd been talking with Kelly about something totally different in the meantime, was incredibly condescending, confusing, and rude. Why she treats the pros like worthless garbage she won't deign to talk with, is beyond me. Idiot.

I missed how the charity-part works. I assume ABC is donating for 1st AND for 2nd place. How much did they say the donations would be?

Well, I differ from the majority of TWoPpers on this point. I found JOH endearing, and his attitude towards winning to be appealing and honest. Everytime he said, "I want to WIN!" he did so with a rueful smile on his face. I think he knows the contest is not important in the real world, but he wants to win it anyway! Good for him, I say. I found Kelly's carping to be much more grating.

The words still came out of his mouth. He was being a big old cry baby pee pee pants. I have seen 11 year olds be better loosers.

Who picks the outfits for the dancers? DO they themselves or producers?

Missed it last night - too much on TV! Any have a link to some clips?

OK, I voted the FAIR way. Not that it was easy, given the phone lines.

I voted for the Suxy in the first round, because their cha-cha was much, much better than the Aged Gracefuls limp rhumba.

The Aged ones did kick ass in the waltz. Even though I think the waltz is boring to watch, the overall performance of it WAS better than the Suxy's quickstep. Energy and fun are not excuses for missed steps.

And while NEITHER freestyle had any particular personality to it, I the Suxy got the vote because the Aged Gracefuls were just...pretentious. I'm sorry, Fred and Ginger in a snit? Fred and Ginger were professionals, people, and would NOT have behaved in that showboating fashion. So it was less a for for the Suxy as a vote against the Aged Gracefuls.

One thing I noticed: I had to call up to 20 times to get thru on the Suxy's line to get my vote in.

I didn't have any trouble at all on the other line.

Whether this is an indication that one line had WAY more callers on it than the other or some phone company screwup would be sheer speculation on my part.

But I hope it means the Suxy was winning.

I would go back to watching GH if Alex joined the cast....

My understanding of it was that Disney is going to donate a specific amount per phone call, but none of my friends who work in Burbank had any number to share.

Probably it will turn out to be something along the lines of 50 cents per call; so if the Suxy gets 3.5 million calls, then the hurricane relief fund would get $1,750,000.

JOH as Fred Astaire? Only if Fred had gone on a 10 year Krispy Kreme bender and had a concussion which affected his ability to remember how to dance.

This dance off did nothing to change my opinions from the finale - John is the more graceful dancer and Kelly brings the suxy to compensate with lack of technical ability and grace.

The waltz was absolutely gorgeous. I'm glad John and Charlotte received perfect 10s for it. However, I was totally disappointed with the freestyle. I agree with the TWOPer above me who said that Charlotte should not be allowed to coreograph these; while she is a graceful dancer, she is not a very creative coreographer. They end up being pretty cheesey.

Although it isn't what I want, I'm confident that Kelly will win again. For several reasons but the two that really spring to mind are

1) her charity is much better. I mean, Golfers for Cancer? C'mon John. I swear he lost about 20,000 votes on that alone.
2) the freestyle. neither did a great job but the coreography for John and Charlotte was weak.

Those kids were sooo cute. When I have kids, I want to put them in ballroom dancing classes. Especially if I have boys. I want them to grow up knowing that dancing isn't for wimps and that it is cool and suxy. (The suxy part can come later). I was really surprised at how well those twins danced! They were fantastic.

And that little boy in the sequined velvet? Too, too cute. He was so sassy.

ROTFLMAO Barkley, I heart you. BTW, does your user name have anything to do with Fred and Ginger's last movie, The Barkleys of Broadway, or is it just a happy coincidence?

I am so over this Dance-Off and don't even plan to watch the results show live on Thursday night because I'd rather see the new ep of Reunion. I haven't given up on DWtS though. I'm ready to move on from this controversy nastiness and start fresh with a new group of celebs. I can't wait to find out who the celebs will be in the next round and if all the same dancers will be back. Does anyone have a clue when we might be getting this info? DWtS is due to come back in January, right? If that's the case, then I'd think that they'd be casting celebs right now so that they would have their two months' rehearsal time before the show started in early '06.

happy coincidence. Barkley is my cat.

I finally saw the mystery celebrity in the audience! - I can't say who because that would spoil another show that is currently airing. They must have been taking Suxy notes.

Barkley, can you spoiler-tag the spoiler info? And tell those people who are anti-spoilers not to look at it, as it could pertain to any show?

Ooh, if you mean Artem from So You Think You Can Dance I think I saw him too. And my eagle-eyed friend pointed out that obnoxious ballroom dance judge sitting next to him!

Spoiler info regarding mystery celebrity Artem from SYTYCD was in the audience. He was behind Carrie Ann and everytime the camera showed her - Artem was peeking his head out

I'm annoyed that Bergeron was saying "tonight, you and you alone decides who wins the ultimate dance off." Like, isn't that EXACTLY what happened last time, although ABC etc. were very coy about it working that way?

I also dislike the rhetoric used in the hyping and the reviews...likening it to a great boxing match or even a war. I don't see Kelly's or John's comments as being bitter or self-serving or whatever -- I see them as being part of the hype machine, and calculated to get an emotional rise out of the viewers more than anything else. The fans (remember, it's short for "fanatics") of each dancer are going to see and hear what they want, and this framing of the competitors just adds fuel to the fire.

Lisa Canning's dress looked like she's got some black microphone cord wrapped around her.

So if Kelly hasn't danced at all since the finale, then what's the deal with all those TV appearances, plus the whole thing on GH about her having a second evil twin character that ballroom dances?

At least Kelly admitted in her interview that she can't find the beat in Cha Cha. And then she demonstrated that to us in her dancing too. I noticed the camera angles didn't show much foot or leg action, so it was hard to tell if she was actually dancing the basic movement on time and with proper syncopation. By the way, Latin (particularly Rumba and Cha Cha) is supposed to be danced with straight legs to give a long leg and body line, and Kelly's knees were bent the entire time. No, she didn't suck, but there wasn't a lot of *dancing* on her part in that number, either. I'm a little disgusted that Len was all over her. Carrie-Ann's comments were much closer to the mark, from a dancesport perspective. And no, I'm not comparing Kelly to pros -- I'm comparing her to other beginner-to-intermediate-level competitors. Technique-wise she's really on about the "Bronze" level, which is the lowest level after complete and utter newcomer. Which makes sense, considering how little time she's had to study ballroom dancing. However, someone at the same development level as her when it comes to balance, leg action, and timing would never be allowed to do the tricks that she does on TV. With real training that concentrated on developing her balance, posture, and musicality, she could become a nice dancer, but she's not there yet. I would have given it a 6, to tell you the truth.

People can be as pissed off as they want about John's attitude, but the truth is he doesn't sound different from any other competitor I've ever met, and doesn't sound much different from Kelly, either.

I liked John in the dinner jacket for the rumba. It used to be that that's what all the men wore in competitions, back in the 60's. It's so dashing. Once again, though, the camera angles sucked. John's arm styling was quite stiff, and he was holding his free arm too far back -- it should have been a little in front of the body. His posture could have been better, he was trying to be dramatic but he was really just hunching forward in the upper body. Overall, he could have been more grounded -- Latin is danced as if you were *in* the floor, not skimming over the top. This grounding also helps in the moves that require one partner to counterbalance the other -- you could see this in that split Charlotte does on one foot. He didn't counter her enough, and so she did the split quickly, without the degree of developpe' that was probably intended.

Well, John is no Alec, and that's what made the difference here. I don't find Team Suxy to be very sexy, but it's easier for a team to look good in Latin when the man is a stronger dancer than the woman as opposed to the other way around. John was also looking like a "Bronze" level dancer, but somewhat more grounded in technique than Kelly. I'd still only give him and Charlotte a 6.5, though.

So, overall, gut feeling about the Latin? tie

I'm sorry, but that 2nd dance that Alec & Kelly did was not a Quickstep. Well, except for the two walls of running, those Charleston hops in the corner, and those frightening pivots. Her upper body was stiff and her closed danced frame was pretty clingy, with her head and upper body working inward toward him rather than stretching up from her own base and then working a bit away from him at the top. She also stumbled a few times. The number itself was quite cute, but it was not really demonstrating any dancing skill. It would be considered a "Cabaret" number at a dance competition, not an actual Quickstep. For all the booing, Len was very correct in his evaluation. I'm thinking a 4, simply because it was devoid of Quickstep dancing content. But if you want to blame that on Alec, since he choreographed it, then I'll give Kelly a 5.5, because it was danced with slightly less basic understanding than that Cha Cha was (i.e., not so much at all). Her dress was rather nice, though.

John's outfits went two for two. Their Waltz was beautiful. John's Standard/Smooth is far superior to his Latin. He might be a beginner in Latin, but he definitely looks intermediate in Standard. He had nice posture, great smooth movement from foot to foot, good rise and fall. It was just beautiful (although I thought it got a little off time in parts). The lift was very well executed, too. I'm giving it a 9. I don't think it deserved a 10...I hate seeing perfect marks handed out like candy.

Gut feeling about the Standard/Smooth? John

Kelly's freestyle was full of tricks, but she really doesn't know what to do with her legs. Her lifts looked bowlegged, and it would be good if she pointed her feet in all her moves as nicely she did in that very well done split lift. She also does something odd in her hip crease area (the joint where the legs bend forward just below the pelvis). It's like her butt is dropped back or something and so she's permanently hunched just in that area even though her back is reasonably straight. I guess she just looks a little "squatty" when she's dancing, and that's what really makes me dislike watching her. It's taken me weeks to put a finger on it, but there it is. I agreed with Len and Carrie-Ann's comments, and I'd give the dance a 7.

John's costume for the Freestyle was a travesty. Although he's shaped up a lot from day one, he still shouldn't be in spandex. This Freestyle was sort of a Hustle, I guess. It's difficult to do comedy, and I can't say that I "bought" this number. His leg and foot action was rather awkward...the truth is that Standard/Smooth is John's forte', and the Latin and nightclub dances just don't work on him. (That's true of a lot of people, believe me, everyone has their strengths). I give it a 6.

Freestyle: Kelly

So, to me it's a tie -- their Latin dances were equally bad, John's Standard/Smooth was far superior, and Kelly's Freestyle was more watchable and entertaining. I'm sure Kelly will win it all, even though the most beautiful and well-danced number of the night was John & Charlotte's Waltz. Kelly might be more entertaining, and might have that whole sex appeal thing going with Alec, but I still think John is a better dancer than she is.

I can't wait for the next season -- if for no other reason than for us to have something for us to talk about other than squeeing over Team Suxy.

And now a few comments on the non-competitive portion of last evening's entertainment.

Louis' Jive was an amazing example of clear and articulate use of the feet and ankles in Latin dancing. That's what gives him his spring, his speed, and his sharpness. Compare that to our beginning stars, and you'll see that it's more than just tricks that make one a cool-looking dancer. Also check out Louis' posture, especially how the core (torso) part of his body works as a solid and integral, yet flexible unit. These are some of the kinds of things people look for when they are evaluating dancers. With beginners, you look for a first attempt to understand and integrate these fundamentals, and the higher the level of the competitor, the more perfected you expect to see these elements (compare Louis to Ashly and you'll see she is not up to his level, as cute and spunky as she is). Non-dancers can see these elements -- if you're reacting positively to Louis' speed and crispness and energy, then you're seeing these things even without knowing exactly what you are looking for and how they are produced.

How many singers have covered "Fields of Gold?" There was Sting, then that woman who did the version Michelle Kwan used to skate to, and now Brian McKnight's American-rumba style (and speed) version that John and Anya danced the Foxtrot to. Watch how Anya dances her tricks, like that same body wave that Kelly was attempting. You could see the difference in fluidity and balance. Also look at John & Anya's use of their arms -- they didn't flap around, they were integrated into the movement and were attached to their cores, something that neither of our beginners have developed yet. Anya's spins were balanced and fluid, not a wobble in sight. I must say, I now recognize some elements of Anya's approach in Rachel Hunter's dancing. John did a very good job with teaching Rachel, for all the flack she got here and elsewhere. I still think Rachel was the best of the female Stars. I've heard that Anya was guaranteed a slot on the next DWtS...so if there's a next one, it will be a joy to see her!

Since those kids seemed to be Ashly's students, and since they were talking about winning money, I'm guessing the kids are based in Utah where Ashly teaches (and Louis is/was based, for a while at least). I help to organize a few competitions in California and I didn't recognize any of them. Cutest kid comments: "it's kind of good dancing with him, if he doesn't hurt me." Oh, so true my dear, so true. Faye, that pudgy girl in the plain purple dress, had better balance, leg action, and body action than our Stars. She and her partner Dale showed what I was looking for from the Stars during the course of the show. That's the kind of dancing people strive to achieve when they getting into competitions, before they get too hooked on learning tricks and flashy moves and working the suxy.

I hardly think a handful of 30 second spots, not even in dancing shoes, qualifies as "dancing." It's certainly not training, conditioning, or practicing. As for her "dancing" storyline on GH, it consisted of a scene falling down and faking an ankle injury, then a second scene with several seconds of stumbling before, IIRC, another fall. The whole point of the two scenes was that her character COULDN'T dance.

ziglettospal, I always appreciate your explaining the dance moves to us laypeople. I hope that in the next season of DwtS, we will have good celebs and showcase the pros a little more. Needless to say, like all reality shows, the "casting" of the celebs with stories to tell may grate on jaded viewers, but I'll bear it.

Not only that, but prior to Danza, all her 20-30 second dancing is a rehash of the beginning section of their old freestyle 'Lets Get Loud'... and those were mostly right after the original finale.

By the time publicity for the dance-off came about, her 'Lets Get Loud' dancing actually looked quite rusty -- hence all the Alec 'saves' we've been giggling about. She didn't look confident and comfortable until she did Danza last week were they did a segment of their Cha-cha. So I totally buy that she hasn't been dancing until they started training for the dance-off.

Thanks ziglettospal for the ballroom recap. I'm gonna add, that until their Rumba, I didn't notice John had a lazy arm, heh. I think since the judges harked on her, Kelly has really worked on her arm positions... but John, geez, hold that sucker up!

Do we know when the interviews were taped? Kelly and John were wearing different clothing in some of the interviews so I'm guessing they weren't all taped in the same day. Maybe when she made the "hasn't danced" statement she actually hadn't at the point.

Another favorite clip was when, in the rehearsal footage, Kelly tells Alec he's making things too difficult, and Alec retorts, "Do you think John is talking to Charlotte that way?" His tone was sort of playfully chiding, in the "I get no respect" vein.