Fresh from Austria, the birthplace of the Viennese Waltz (and its slower offshoot), comes the second season of DWTS, known there as simply "Dancing Stars." Video clips will be made available on the show's official website once the show begins on March 10. A word of warning, however: You do have to sign up for ORF Insider to get to the DWTS:Austria homepage. Membership in ORF Insider is free, but everything is done in German; still, from what I've seen so far, it's worth the effort.

The "Dancing Stars" this season are:

Edi Finger Jr.: Sports reporter for ORF--Vienna. His professional dance partner is Nicole Kuntner.

Barbara Kerlich: Talk-show hostess. Dancing with Alexander Zaglmaier.

Manuel Ortega: Singer/songwriter/composer. His partner is Kelly Kainz, who was, among other things, the 2001 British Open Rising Star champion.

Gregor Bloéb:Television/movie actor. His partner is Michaela Heintzinger, six-time Austrian National champion.

Gerda Rogers: Best-known astrologer in Austria. Her partner is Andy Kainz, multiple Austrian National and British Open champion.

Hans Georg Heinke: News anchor for ZiB-Sendungen in ORF. He is dancing with Elke Gehrsitz.

Nicole Beutler: Austrian television star. Dancing with Balázs Ekker, Latin-American Austrian National champion.

Simone Steltzer: Televison/movie actress. Her partner is Alex Kreissl, 2003/2005 Austrian National Standard champion.

Andreas Goldberger: Multiple world-cup and Olympic medalist in ski-jumping. He retired from competition only two months ago. His dance partner is Julia Kolai.

Ulrike Beimpold:Stage and television actress. Dancing with Manfred Zehender.

Most of the celebs and their pro partners have their own homepages (in German, of course.) Judging from what I saw of the behind-the-scenes preview clips, this could be as entertaining as the US, Belgian, and Dutch versions of DWTS combined!

The video clips from the first night of competition are up, and this show is as good as the US, Dutch, and Belgian versions combined! The music choices are spot-on, and these video clips actually tell you what the couples are dancing to. I can tell you that "Sway," for instance, makes a much better Cha-Cha than a Tango!

Unlike the US version, the dances are not split along gender lines: Two of the male celebs (Gregor and Hans Georg) did the Waltz, and two of the female celebs (Gerda and Nicole) did the Cha-Cha. Starting with the Cha-Chas, we had the following.

Best dance of the evening: Manuel Ortega, easily. His Cha-Cha had rhythm and continual hip action throughout, and his footwork and expression were top-notch. I think he would have considered it a blot on his Latin heritage if he had biffed a Latin dance, so I really think he had to have been pleased--he and Kelly really seemed to enjoy themselves the most out of all the couples.

On the opposite end of the scale was Edi Finger, Jr. His Cha-Cha was flat and uninspired, with zero hip action or expression, and footwork that was all over the floor in comparison to the other male celebs; plus, it really seems that his partner did more of the dancing than he did. I'm really surprised that he wasn't the first one eliminated, rather than Gerda, who was light-years better in her Cha-Cha all the way around. Perhaps the audience just felt that he deserved another chance, or else they just felt that one of the "old men" needed a break.

Now, along with Gerda, whose Cha-Cha really was great, we had Andi and Nicole. They were terrific as well, especially Nicole. Andi needs to do a lot of work on his hip action (it was really almost non-existent, although not as bad as Edi's. At times it seemed a little forced.) His expression was great, though--I'd enjoy seeing him stick around for a bit.

Now, on to the Waltzes: I think this show marks the first time I've ever gotten tingly all over from watching a Waltz, but the four celebs who did Waltzes had just that effect on me. My favorite was easily Hans Georg. I see a lot of natural talent that just needs a little of the confidence-boosting and polish that will come with experience; I could tell that he was extremely nervous, as if he were afraid that he was going to break his partner somehow; even at that, he still had the best expression out of all the celebs doing the Waltz. His technique was superb; lots of heel leads and rise-and-fall action, and a perfect dance frame to boot. I really hope to see him do the Quickstep next week. Once he learns to relax, I think he'll go far--he could even make final two, depending on whether he can handle the Latin dances as easily as the Standard ones.

Gregor and Simone were kind of meh in their Waltzes, as far as I'm concerned. Simone appears to be another one of those long-legged wonders (see: Stacy Keibler and Rachel Hunter) who is better at posing and extensions than she is at dancing, and Gregor's dance frame could have been a lot better--not to mention the expression on his face. I couldn't tell whether he was in pain or just trying to hold back a sneeze!

Someone else besides Hans Georg had a bit of the deer-in-the headlights thing going on. Ulrike had a bit of trouble with hiding her nervousness, and she seemed to lose just a little of her focus at the end. Hopefully she'll get over her nervousness next week, and just learn to enjoy what she's doing.

I really see a lot of potential in these dancers, and it looks like it's going to be a fun two months. Ausgezeichnet!

But poor Edi had to dance to "Sugar, Sugar." We have to give him a break! He'll probably look a lot more comfortable in standard.

What's up with all the throat-clearing by the host (I assume)? Very annoying, not to mention unprofessional. And did anyone else think the dancefloor looked a bit like a skating rink? I wonder if we'll see falls...

I don't usually enjoy watching waltzes all that much, but Hans Georg's was very pleasant and ended up being my favorite dance of the evening. At least he wasn't over the top with his facial expressions, unlike Manuel, Gregor and Simone. Those three have been watching too many professional dancers!

Gerda was all over the place in her chacha. I cringed throughout the whole thing. She probably suffered from the generally higher expectations when it comes to women and dance.

Andreas needs to put on some weight. I imagine ski-jumpers have to be light, but I can't enjoy watching a dancer if I'm worried about his or her health. Also, costumers need to understand that those big stiff upstanding collars do not look attractive on any man. Trust me on this.

So far, I don't see any standouts, à la Drew Lachey who smoked his first dance and never looked back. However, I'm looking forward to the next shows -- who knows what talent will emerge!

And thank you for the link and the roundup of the participants, legaleagle44.

My pleasure, Andreanne!


I went back and watched Gerda's performance, and I see what you mean. Still, I think she was nowhere nearly as bad as Edi was--at least she moved her feet and actually tried incorporate some rhythm and hip action into her dancing, while Edi was channeling both Master P and George Hamilton at the same time!

Also, did you notice how strict the judges are with their scores? I was shocked to see that Hans Georg got 4s and 5s for his Waltz, and Edi actually got 3s. On other versions of the show--*coughUScough*--the judges give out 8s and 9s as if they're going out of style; here, the Austrian judges appear to be actually judging the dancing, which makes for a nice change of pace (incidentally, if you notice, Gerda was scored a little higher than Edi was, so it had to have been the fan vote that got him through. I guess professional astrologers just don't have the fanbase for this sort of thing!) I'll have to ask someone on the Austrian boards what it was that the judges said about Hans's dancing compared to Edi's, since the video clips don't include any comments from the judges.

Quickstep and Rumba should be fun--I'm hoping that Hans Georg gets to do the Quickstep, and that he nails it--I'm not sure I'm ready to see him tackle a Latin dance just yet--and I SO want to see Simone try the Quickstep rather than the Rumba; I had enough of the "step-and-pose" school of dancing with Stacy Keibler this year!

Not a Stacy 42-inch-legs fan, then? I didn't mind her too much (she passed under the radar for me) until she started sitting on the judges' table and holding her chin in her hands. I wanted to kick her then, even though my legs aren't quite as long as hers!

I can't find the scores on the site, legaleagle44. Can you help me out? I can only be glad that the Austrian judges aren't handing out inflated marks, unlike the compliant US judges.

Personally, I thought Gerda was channeling Kenny Mayne, only not quite so "demented." I wonder if she was able to predict her dismissal ahead of time...

Sorry to take so long in responding, Andreanne. The direct link to the judges' scores is here.

Just as a recap, the scoring went like this:

Edi Finger jun. & Nicole Kuntner: 3-3-7-3 = 16

Barbara Karlich & Alexander Zaglmaier: 6-5-8-5 = 24

Manuel Ortega & Kelly Kainz: 5-6-8-6 = 25

Gregor Bloéb & Michaela Heintzinger: 5-6-8-4 = 23

Gerda Rogers & Andy Kainz: 4-4-7-5 = 20

Hans Georg Heinke & Elke Gehrsitz: 6-5-8-5 = 24

Nicole Beutler & Balázs Ekker: 7-7-9-7 = 30

Simone Stelzer & Alexander Kreissl: 6-7-8-7 = 28

Andi Goldberger & Julia Polai: 4-6-8-6 = 24

Ulrike Beimpold & Manfred Zehender: 6-7-9-7 = 29

Now that I look at it, I see that some of the scores really were all over the map, even when it came to scoring the same couple. I really need to find out from someone in the know exactly what the judges thought of each dance; clearly, something's off when Edi gets three 3s and a 7!

I just found out from the official website who's doing which dances on Friday, and what the music choices are:


Somehow, I knew that Simone would get to show off her "step-and-pose" bit in the Rumba, but I also thought that Hans-Georg would be doing the Quickstep. Hopefully, he'll be able to pull off the Rumba--he's one of the ones I'm really rooting for to at least make the semi-finals!

Thanks, legaleagle44! So these would be the rankings:

Nicole Beutler & Balázs Ekker: 7-7-9-7 = 30
Ulrike Beimpold & Manfred Zehender: 6-7-9-7 = 29
Simone Stelzer & Alexander Kreissl: 6-7-8-7 = 28
Manuel Ortega & Kelly Kainz: 5-6-8-6 = 25
Andi Goldberger & Julia Polai: 4-6-8-6 = 24
Barbara Karlich & Alexander Zaglmaier: 6-5-8-5 = 24
Hans Georg Heinke & Elke Gehrsitz: 6-5-8-5 = 24
Gregor Bloéb & Michaela Heintzinger: 5-6-8-4 = 23
Gerda Rogers & Andy Kainz: 4-4-7-5 = 20
Edi Finger jun. & Nicole Kuntner: 3-3-7-3 = 16

I think that's fair enough, although I didn't enjoy Ulrike's performance as much as you and the judges did. Her hesitancy distracted me a little.



The third judge, Harald Serafin, is giving out American-style marks (i.e. inflated), but you'll notice his rankings are generally consistent with the others'. He'll get himself a reputation as the "nice judge," but the overall effect will be the same! The only problem is that he has a bunch of dancers massed in the middle with 8s, which is what happens when you don't use all your paddles. On the other hand, it may be hard to differentiate the dancers after only one dance.

BTW, I think the Germans are starting their season soon, although their show is called Let's Dance:
http://www.rtl.de/tv/tv_913668.php
Your German is going to get quite a workout!

Correct on both counts, Andreanne--although German in Germany isn't quite the challenge for me that German in Austria is--the Austrians have such a heavy drawl that it makes it next to impossible for me to figure out what half of them are saying!

Thanks for the heads-up, by the way--I've already bookmarked the site, and will more than likely be starting a discussion thread for the German DWTS, too, next week, depending on the apparent quality of the available video clips. Who knew that we were in the middle of DWTS season worldwide? :)

Oh, and topic? I think Herr Serafin is asking to be criticized up one side and down the other by the true ballroom aficionados and experts for being too lenient on dancers who clearly suck at what they're doing. He may win points from some for being Austria's answer to Paula Abdul, but he'll earn far more major smackdowns from the majority for consistently (and apparently arbitrarily) breaking ranks with his more serious colleagues--I certainly don't respect him for being "Mr. Nice Guy."

I admit it, legaleagle44, you were right and I was wrong. Edi must go, now. His quickstep was hideous, and it's not because I have high expectations of anyone's quickstep, particularly with an amateur man leading. Edi reminded me of Master P, although I'm sure he's a nicer guy and more hardworking too (not that it's possible to work less than Master P, of course). Videos here.

Anyway, here are the marks, spoilered so I don't ruin anyone's fun:

Nicole Beutler & Balázs Ekker: 32 (Quickstep)
Gregor Bloéb & Michaela Heintzinger: 30 (Rumba)
Barbara Karlich & Alexander Zaglmaier: 29 (Rumba)
Manuel Ortega & Kelly Kainz: 29 (Quickstep)
Simone Stelzer & Alexander Kreissl: 27 (Rumba)
Ulrike Beimpold & Manfred Zehender: 26 (Rumba)
Hans Georg Heinke & Elke Gehrsitz: 23 (Rumba)
Andi Goldberger & Julia Polai: 21 (Quickstep)
Edi Finger jun. & Nicole Kuntner: 21 (Quickstep)


Judge Serafin is still marking higher than the others, but only by about a point. Or maybe he's just dragged the other judges up closer to his level.

I actually preferred Manuel's quickstep to Nicole's, in spite of the ridiculous faces and the unfortunate ending. Nicole's dancing was smoother because of her professional partner, but other than that she didn't make any particular impression on me. As for Simone, she's annoying.

Loved Gregor's rumba; those marks were deserved IMO. He played it straight and he looked good. It's kind of endearing to see guys getting out there and doing their best.

That may be the reason I'm turning into a fan of Hans Georg. He looks so earnest and out of his element that he's cute to watch. I would expect Andi to have a lot of voting fans, but it seems older gentlemen also have their followers. Interesting that the ladies are being kicked off first...

Sorry to be so late this week, but I was in California over the weekend, and only got to see the videos clips a couple of days ago.

I'm glad you agree about Edi, Andreanne. I would definitely put him in the Evander Holyfield/Kenny Mayne class, rather than compare him to Master P, though. His heart and his head are in the right place, but he just doesn't have the ability that the other dancers do. He really needs to go soon.

Ulrike, on the other hand, I was kind of glad to see eliminated this week, even if it meant keeping Edi for another week. There was something about her that just annoyed the heck out of me--I think it was her constant mugging that was getting on my nerves.

It's also interesting that we've both kind of flip-flopped on Simone. I said last week that she looked like another step-and-pose dancer, à la Stacy, but I actually found her somewhat tolerable this week. Still, I want to see her do a faster dance, perhaps the Jive this week rather than the Tango. She really needs to be challenged a bit more.

The same could be said, incidentally, for all the dancers. I have really been somewhat disappointed in the choreography on this version of DWTS; it seems to be so watered-down that it's almost boring to watch, at least in comparison with some of the more challenging choreography that I've seen on the other versions. The Quicksteps especially disappointed me--I thought that there was neither quickness nor stepping in any of the routines. Come on, pros--let's see what your celebs are REALLY made of--give them something that will challenge them!

Oh, and can we PLEASE have Hans-Georg do the Tango? I have a feeling that he'd rock it--he, like John O'Hurley from the US version, really seems to do much better in the Standard dances than in the Latin (although I'll bet he'd do a mean Paso Doble!)

The world is full of dancing celebrities right now. It's hard to keep up with all of them. Anyway, the videos (you need to register as an "ORF Insider", which is free) and marks for the third week are up.

The judges hate Hans Georg, but he makes me smile when he dances even though I'm not particularly into older gentlemen. Thank you, Austrian public.

I loved, loved, loved Manuel and Kelly's tango. For once, he actually looked handsome and his facial tics... uh, expressions didn't annoy me. Those marks are well deserved, IMO. Gregor is still charming, but his jive was boring. Same thing for Nicole's tango, except for the charming part. She looked like she was furiously trying to remember what was coming next. I would have placed Nicole's tango and Simone's jive above both of these couples, although I can see that Nicole and Balázs deserved bonus points for dancing to that ghastly song.

Andi must go. He seems sweet, he's trying hard and he's athletic, but he can't dance. It's not just that he's a beginner and doesn't know how, it's that he hasn't got a clue what the music is for. One thing about Andi, though: he makes Drew's infamous shoulders look pretty good. As for Edi, he didn't do anything and he still scored higher than Hans Georg?

Rankings:

Manuel Ortega & Kelly Kainz, Tango, 34
Gregor Bloéb & Michaela Heintzinger, Jive, 32
Nicole Beutler & Balázs Ekker, Tango, 32
Barbara Karlich & Alexander Zaglmaier, Tango, 29
Simone Stelzer & Alexander Kreissl, Jive, 29
Andi Goldberger & Julia Polai, Jive, 24
Edi Finger jun. & Nicole Kuntner, Tango, 23
Hans Georg Heinke & Elke Gehrsitz, Jive, 22

Go Hans Georg! Don't let the nasty judges get you down.

Oh, and I didn't hear the host cough once.

Well, to be fair, the Jive really wasn't Hans-Georg's best dance. His footwork was flat and there was no real bounce or sharpness to his steps at all. I think part of the problem may be that Elke is not that good of a choreographer; she really doesn't seem to know how to use Hans-Georg's stage presence to full effect. I think what saves Hans-Georg (aside from his fanbase, which must be considerable--he is, after all, Austria's answer to Dan Rather or the late Peter Jennings) is his expression. He makes you believe that he really enjoys what he's doing, even though he knows he's not the best dancer there (he's not the worst, either, but he's not the best, at least not technically), yet he doesn't go over the top with his expression the way certain other dancers do (yes, I'm looking at you, Gregor!) I can also tell that he truly adores Elke; I think he feels worse for her regarding the scoring than he does for himself.

Now, contrast him with Edi. Believe it or not, Edi is actually four years younger than Hans-Georg (Edi just turned 57, and Hans-Georg is 61 this year.) Yet Edi is the one who unquestionably moves like an old man--his Tango was horrible. He had a badly hunched-over posture, flat footwork with not one heel lead, and no emotional expression whatsovever; in addition, he was bouncing throughout, and there is NO bouncing in the Tango at all--the action comes from the waist down, except for the head snaps and oversways. Worst of all, I saw and felt absolutely no connection with his partner. He made me think of Grandpa trying to dance at someone's wedding, rather than someone who's trying to win a dance competition. I'm not at all sorry to see him gone--well done, Austria!

Now, the dancers that I really like, from a technical standpoint, are Gregor and Simone. Gregor is, technically speaking, the best dancer; at least he was this week. But the mugging is really getting to be annoying--I like that you're having fun, Gregor, but take it down a notch or three, please. Simone also impressed me; I really thought she was going to be another Rachel Hunter or Stacy Keibler, but she's actually showing some talent, although I did notice one major bobble where she and her partner got out of sync for a second. She will go far, indeed--and on a more merit-based progression, at that. And, Andreanne, you're right about Andi--he has no sense of timing whatsover. I noticed that he was really off at the beginning of his Jive.

Best Tango? Definitely Manuel. Not only was he technically superb, but he actually showed some consistent emotional expression during the dance--I think his Latin heritage paid off for him again here as it did in the Cha-Cha, to great effect. I have never understood the current fashion of Tango partners to completely ignore each other's existence during the dance; I remember learning the Tango as a dance of seduction, particularly from the man's point of view. The idea is a sexual tug-of-war, a cat-and-mouse game between the man and the woman where you never quite know who is going to be the winner. That means that there needs to be some expression (not the robotic blankness that I see so often), and yes, some actual eye contact. Tia and Maksim were the perfect example of a passionate, sexy, and entertaining Tango on the US version of DWTS, and Manuel and Kelly are the closest example here. I'd love to see them do the Paso Doble next week (and preferably to traditional music!)

Let's also hope that the choreography improves overall; these people deserve to be challenged. Finally, because it can't be said enough: GO, HANS-GEORG AND ELKE! :)

Videos for Week 4 are up. This week, of course, it was Paso Doble (done to horrendous music, naturally, for the most part) and Foxtrot, with Barbara and Alexander being the ones who were eliminated. Scoring was as follows:

Nicole Beutler & Balázs Ekker: 9-9-9-8 = 35
Gregor Bloéb & Michaela Heintzinger: 7-8-9-7 = 31
Manuel Ortega & Kelly Kainz: 8-9-9-9 = 35
Andi Goldberger & Julia Polai: 6-7-8-7 = 28
Simone Stelzer & Alexander Kreissl: 9-8-8-8 = 33
Barbara Karlich & Alexander Zaglmaier: 8-8-9-7 = 32
Hans Georg Heinke & Elke Gehrsitz: 8-7-9-8 = 32

Now, I know I'm beating a dead horse here (or, in the case of the Paso Doble, a dead bull), but why on Earth do the producers of the various and sundry incarnations of DWTS insist upon destroying the character of the one dance that is always best performed to its own traditional music, by foisting such arhythmical, distracting modern music choices upon the dancers and the viewing public? "O Fortuna" ("Carmina Burana") and "It's All About Us" for Paso Dobles? I don't think so, Missy--gah! Only Barbara and Alexander got appropriate music--"Malagueña" is a beautiful traditional Paso Doble (albeit one that is rarely played.) Truly, the music choices on this and the Polish DWTS really killed the Paso Doble for me this time around--and it's one of my favorite dances to watch, and, along with the Quickstep, it's the one I most want to learn someday. Hopefully, the Netherlands, Germany, and Hungary (which starts its version of DWTS sometime this month) will get it right and give us traditional Paso Dobles that will showcase the passion, aggression, and staccato nature of the dance!

OK, rant over. :) The Foxtrots, in contrast to the Paso Dobles, were definitely enjoyable to watch, but I really have a hard time understanding why the male celebs always look as though they're on a forced death march with a stick up their butts, especially Gregor. Andi was the only male celeb who actually looked as though he was having fun and getting into the dance, and even he seemed stiff and frozen for the most part. Hans-Georg, of course, was charming to watch; I wish I could see some of the practice footage, because I really sense a connection with him and Elke. The judges are finally noticing his improvement, too--his scores were the highest I have seen for him yet. I only wish he could learn to relax just a bit more; he has a beautiful smile and a natural presence that draw me in, and I think that's why he's still in this. He could make Final 3, at least, if he just learns to let go a little more.

Among the women, I have to say that Simone has really grown on me. She is clearly having the time of her life out there on the dance floor; her joyful expressions during her Foxtrot really captured the light, fun character of the dance. I am going to go out on a limb and say that, barring a total disaster, she's headed for Final 2, no question about it.

Next week, it will be Samba and group Viennese Waltz. The latter is the dance I have been anticipating the most--Viennese Waltz done in the country of its birth. They're almost certain to use a traditional Strauss waltz (probably "Blue Danube") for the dance music--the Austrians would consider it sacrilege to use anything else!

ETA:
He wasn't coughing--he was gagging from the stench of the gadawful Paso Doble music! ;)

I don't have anything to add about your evaluations of Simone and Hans Georg, who are two of my favorites right now. Nicole's dance partner comes across as so affected and annoying that I can't evaluate her performances.

I'm not a paso doble purist, so I loved Manuel Ortega. He really got into the dance, so much so that he looked a little forced and frantic, but I didn't care -- I've decided to blame that on the awful music. I've also realized he's cute now that his hair is off his face, and that never hurts.

Although Andi is an awful dancer, he's quite charming so I can't wish him off my screen. I think it's now starting to come down to who has the most fans.

And the host is coughing again...

Week 5 videos went up sometime before midnight my time last night, and just a word of advice: Watch the Samba clips before you watch the clip of the group Viennese Waltz--because the Samba looks downright anti-climactic if you watch it after the group Viennese Waltz. Seriously, that group waltz brought the house down; it's the only time I've ever seen the celebs be asked to do--and actually do--an encore at the end of the performance. Then again, we're talking about Viennese Waltz being done in the country (and probably even the city) of its birth, and it's still done as much there today, even by young people, as it was when it first emerged in the 18th Century. (Oh, and in case you're wondering--Hans Georg rocked it--he and Elke did the perfect, textbook Viennese Waltz. Andi, on the other hand, was kind of meh--there was something about his expression and technique during what I think was supposed to be a fleckerl move that somehow didn't quite gel with me--he made me think of Boo-Boo Bear, for some reason.)

Now, the Sambas were a different story. Samba, alas, proved to be Hans Georg's Achilles heel--it was even weaker than his Jive, and it got him the lowest scores of the night. However, to his credit, he ended the dance by executing a splendid lift that really impressed me. However, for the most part, he is simply another one of those "older" male celebs who just has a harder time with the faster Latin dances. Fortunately, he has the dedication and the heart--not to mention the fanbase--to get him to at least Final 4, especially if he does either the Tango or the Quickstep next week. I'm afraid he is in real danger of going next week, though, unless he really pulls out a show-stopping performance then; there are a lot of local viewers who feel that he skated by this week more due to said fanbase vote than due to any real dancing ability, and they REALLY resent him for it and want him out of there!

Manuel, by contrast, nailed the Samba--and he got the highest scores of the night. In a way, it's really been unfair that his Latin heritage seems to have given him such a huge advantage so far with the Latin dances. I can't wait to see how well he fares with the Standard ones; I think he has Foxtrot, Quickstep, Waltz, and Jive left now. Still, I think he's a lock for Final 2, and possibly the emerging favorite to win.

As for the women, their performances tend to blend together to some degree, but I have to give the edge to Simone. She really seems to get into the dances, and I think she did an excellent job with the Samba. I'd like to see her do the Quickstep and the Jive next week, just to see if she really has what it takes to make it past Final 4.

Here are the scores for the Samba (the group Viennese Waltz was, of course, not scored, although I wish I could have heard the judges' comments on it.) Gregor was eliminated this week--and the Austrians are pissed, as many of them think that Hans Georg should have gone out instead!

Simone/Alexander: 7-7-7-6 = 27
Andi/Julia: 6-7-7-7 = 27
Hans Georg/Elke: 5-5-8-6 = 24
Nicole/Balázs: 9-8-8-8 = 33
Manuel/Kainz: 8-8-9-9 = 34
Gregor/Heintzinger: 8-8-8-6 = 30

Probably the most surprising score was the 8 fron Serafin for Hans Georg. To be honest, I thought that his scores were an accurate reflection of quality of his dancing, except for that one. I really have to wonder why Serafin was so generous towards him--and mind you, Hans Georg is one of my favorites!

It's a bit of a shock when the third-placed celeb gets eliminated!

Gregor was downright annoying in this show. His dancing wasn't bad, but his schtick was tiresome. Hans Georg looked thoroughly uncomfortable, but gave it a go, as did Andi. Andi's problem is that he just isn't musical. I do admire these guys' determination, however. As does the audience, obviously... As for Hans Georg's final lift, I was holding my breath hoping he wouldn't let poor Elke crash to the ground. That's the not feeling I want from lifts!

You spotted Manuel as a potential contender earlier than I did, legaleagle44, but IMO it's selling him short to ascribe his dancing abilities simply to his Latin heritage. I think his musical background gives him a big advantage: he just gets the music, he has no problem finding the beat, he's not self-conscious about moving to it and he's able to have fun with the whole thing.

Only two women left! I don't see why Simone's marks were so much lower than Nicole's, but that might be because I find Nicole's partner, Balázs, distracting. I notice ORF is touting him as a favorite with the ladies, but that's not the case as far as I'm concerned.

I liked the fact that they didn't do lifts and other nonsense during the Viennese waltz.

The show took the Easter holiday off (well, Good Friday, actually), so there are no videos this week. There is, however an Easter slide show that was put together by various members of the cast and crew, and it's absolutely adorable, with lots of floppy bunny ears and Peter Cottontail impressions. The Austrians clearly have a great sense of humor!

Week 6 videos are up, and the shocker is who was eliminated: Simone/Alex

This week, just as in other versions of the show, each couple did two dances that they had not previously done. For Simone and Alex, it was first the Paso Doble, then the Quickstep. Of the two, I thought that the Paso Doble was the better dance (the meh Paso Doble music notwithstanding); Simone got out of sync with Alex once during the Quickstep when she anticipated a step, and her dance frame seemed to suffer just a bit as the dance went on. As for the Paso Doble, it was excellent, but I think it would have been better still had it been done to traditional music, instead of "Rock House Jail."

Simone/Alex's scores: 8-7-7-6 = 28 (Paso Doble); 8-8-8-8 = 32 (Quickstep) Total: 60

Manuel and Kelly had the Jive and the Waltz for their dances. Manuel needed to have better footwork in the Jive, at least better toe points in his kicks. He also seems to have picked up a bit of a mugging habit that could have been dialed back just a little. His Waltz was better, but it looked a little rushed to me; he never really seemed to let Kelly finish her lines and extensions the way she should have been able to, and the oversways could have been held longer. Still, a good effort, and one of the best dances of the evening from the men.

Manuel/Kelly's scores: 8-9-10-9 = 36 (Jive); 8-9-9-8 = 34 (Waltz); Total: 34

Andi and Julia did the Rumba and the Tango. In watching both dances, I have to congratulate Andi on his ability to channel George Hamilton, especially during his Tango. The Rumba had music that was too fast for this type of Rumba, and I never got any sense of connection or spark between Andi and Julia. He also attempted to execute a couple of lifts that were nearly disasters--both times, I thought he was going to drop Julia. Small wonder, then, that he went comedic (yes, complete with over-the-top mugging) for the Tango, which was done to the theme from "The Munsters"--albeit thankfully, NOT with them dressed as Herman and Lily! He really can leave any time now.

Andi and Julia's scores: 6-6-6-6 = 24 (Rumba); 8-8-8-8 = 32 (Tango); Total = 56

In watching Hans Georg and Elke dance, I finally realized who they remind me of: John O'Hurley and Charlotte Jorgenson from the first season of DWTS:US. Hans Georg and Elke did the Paso Doble and Quickstep, and their chemistry reminded me a lot of John and Charlotte, especially during the Quickstep. I have to confess to being just a little confused by their Paso Doble; it was very well done (again to horrendous music, but what can you do?), but I really couldn't figure out what story they were trying to tell. Hans Georg came out dressed as an American beat cop (and looking particularly hot, I might add!), and Elke was evidently some sort of prostitute that had caught his eye--at least I think that's what she was supposed to be. YMMV. Again, this is why I am such a purist when it comes to Paso Doble music--at least with traditional Paso Doble music, I know what I'm watching!

The Quickstep is where I really saw the John/Charlotte parallels. After a small bobble at the beginning where he got a bit out of sync, he turned in a solid performance, and it was the first time I've seen him smile during a dance in quite a while. I'm really wouldn't be surprised to see him outlast Andi.

Hans Georg and Elke's scores: 6-5-5-5 = 21 (Paso Doble); 9-7-8-8 = 32 (Quickstep); Total: 53

Now, as for Nicole and Balázs, I can really see why you find Balázs so annoying, Andreanne. I noticed in both the Rumba and the Foxtrot that they did that Balázs almost seemed to be wishing that he were dancing out there all by himself; in other words, he comes across as being so full of himself that he almost treats Nicole like some sort of afterthought, as if to say, "I'm the star of this show, but yeah, I guess she's there too, doing something." I think it's a pity, because Nicole is a good dancer who really seems to enjoy what she's doing; it's just too bad that her pro is so in love with himself that he takes her for granted.

Nicole and Balázs's scores: 10-8-10-8 = 36 (Rumba); 9-8-8-8 = 33 (Foxtrot); Total: 69

So, we now have three men and one lone woman in the Final 4. It should be an interesting semi-final next week!

I don't have much to add to what you said, legaleagle44, except that Andi has grown on me more than he has on you. He's improved so much. However, I admit he's still not that good. And I thought Julia was channeling Herman Munster with her green dress.

As for Hans Georg, all I can say is better a cop than a matador. Now that would have been cringe-worthy.

Oh, and Alex, maybe you could have helped Simone up after her quickstep instead of letting her pick herself up off the floor all by herself. What a corndog!

Manuel's mugging was totally over the top in the jive.

This wasn't a good week for Hans Georg. His tango was nice enough, but he made obvious mistakes and Elke had to struggle to match his steps. His chacha started with a poor concept and contained very little dancing. The judges were way too generous with his marks, IMO.

Andi's waltz was a bit painful to watch. His back and shoulders were poorly aligned and his balance wasn't good either. However, his Phantom paso doble was hugely entertaining, much to my surprise, although I admit it was more Phantom than paso. Again, I give full credit to an athlete for getting out there and really performing. They're at a huge disadvantage compared to singers and actors and such like.

I liked Nicole in the waltz, but not Balázs. For a professional dancer, he never seemed comfortable. I hated their jive and thought it was scored way too high. It was all about Balázs. Nicole got into trouble a couple of times because her "partner" was off doing his own thing, in a silly-looking costume to boot. The choreography was just too fast and complicated for her. The Hungarian DWTS had the same sort of problem with a jive in the first show. Nicole is good, but Balázs sabotaged her. Fortunately, neither Hans Georg nor Andi are a threat when it comes to dancing, but I wouldn't be surprised if Nicole was running behind Manuel and Andi in the popular vote. I sense some propping up on the judges' part.

Manuel and Kelly were the high point of the evening for me. I can't believe they only scored one point higher than Nicole/Balázs overall. Manuel's foxtrot was a little bouncy at first, but then he settled down and moved very smoothly. For once, his expression wasn't over the top. He had a genuine smile -- as opposed to the fake ones usually sported by pros -- and seemed to be enjoying himself. His rumba was terrific, and he paid attention to his partner (hear that, Balázs?). I would have liked a slower rhythm for both the song and the dance.

Elimination: Hans Georg and Elke were voted off. It was time, because he wasn't enjoyable to watch any more.

Well, Andreanne, I can't really add anything to your comments, except that I reluctantly have to agree that it was time for Hans Georg to go--not because I no longer enjoy watching him dance (I thought his Tango was pretty good despite those mistakes that you mentioned), but because he's simply the worst of the remaining dancers and has reached his limit. As sorry as I am to see him go, I imagine that he was actually somewhat relieved to be eliminated; I could tell that he really wasn't enjoying himself during that Cha-Cha--it almost looked painful to watch.

Manuel did a much better job with the Foxtrot than I would have expected, but I still think he needed to tone down his mugging in the Rumba. I'm not at all surprised to see him advance to the semi-finals. Personally, I think that the competition is his to lose, especially if he goes up against Andi, who, like Hans Georg, has just about reached his limit, IMO. Nicole might be a different story, since she's a terrific dancer--but I agree with you that she deserves better than the egomaniac that she's stuck with for a pro partner. I wonder what Balázs's fellow Hungarians think of his "me, me, me" approach to dancing--and I thought he must have gone to the Netherlands and raided Remco's closet for that horrendous Jive outfit. Truly, the two have the same taste in costuming.

Well, we have a winner: Manuel and Kelly, and well deserved too. Nicole and Balázs pulled a Stacy Keibler and ended up third, while Andi and Julia ended up second on the basis of the popular vote.

ORF really put the dancers to work. A waltz, a "favorite dance" and a showdance. I guess the Austrians don't believe in filler.

And a word about the host: At least Tom Bergeron doesn't cough his way through programs -- or sing. Thank you, Tom!

I can't believe poor Manuel had to waltz to "Mr. Bojangles." The guy can dance; give him some decent music! I think he did the best he could, because there's not much to interpret, is there? I rather enjoyed Nicole's waltz and thought the music she danced to summed up the partnership rather well. I wonder if it was a deliberate choice... I can't believe how much Andi has improved. He was so awful at first, and now he's fun to watch. He's obviously not at the level of Manuel and Nicole, but I can see why people are voting for him. That genuine smile of his during the waltz would have wrenched a couple of votes out of me. Kudos to him for carrying off the hopelessly cheesy ending.

Manuel was again stuck with gruesome music for his paso doble; I turned it off, so I can say he and Kelly turned in a good, dramatic dance. Balázs redid his paso well, and I think Nicole was given a few steps to do. I enjoyed Andi's samba the most out of this segment, believe it or not (I'm a sucker for paso dobles), even though it highlighted his lack of musicality and of extension, simply because he puts all he has into his dancing. It's not as much as the others, granted. He's proof that hard work and commitment can make up to a certain extent for limited talent.

Andi's showdance to a Michael Jackson medley was a blast, including the ending. I was afraid ORF had decided to set him on fire! Andi has definitely mastered the paleness, although his moonwalk was a bit hit or miss. Manuel and Kelly's Dirty Dancing segment was terrific. He looked very masculine and at ease, the lines were good (iffy shoulders at times, though), they did the lift, he carried off the spin, and he's a very charismatic performer. I could definitely see this guy in musicals.

I liked the idea of bringing back the eliminated couples one after the other to do a few seconds of a jive. And the ending set to a Viennese waltz was a high; the winner looked overjoyed -- all that hard work finally paying off -- and the other competitors seemed happy to have participated. All in all, a nice show.

When's the next edition?

There isn't much that I can add to your comments, Andreanne. Manuel and Kelly really deserved to win; they easily owned all three of their competitive dances. My favorite had to be the Showdance; one look at Manuel out on the floor, and all I could think was, "Eat your heart out, Patrick Swayze!" Incidentally, I had no problem with the choice of "Mr. Bojangles" for their Viennese Waltz (how fitting that the first competitive dance for everyone in the finals was a Viennese Waltz, since the show was done in Vienna, the dance's birthplace. It also explains why the last dance was also a Viennese Waltz, as well it should have been!) I've seen "Mr. Bojangles" used as a Viennese Waltz before, and it works very well. I loved Manuel and Kelly's reaction during the final Viennese Waltz; they made me think of a couple of kids who had just discovered their attraction for each other at the prom--and his joy at winning was really touching. Incidentally, I love their matching "star" trophies; they look so much better than the disco ball on a stick that DWTS:US uses!

I'm surprised that Andi and Julia finished second over Nicole and Balázs, though. Nicole is technically a much better dancer than Andi is, so I guess Andi's puppy-dog earnestness really counted for something (and before you say anything, I do give him full credit for improving as much as he did; the Michael Jackson Medley that he did for his Showdance really brought the house down, and rightly so--and mind you, I loathe Michael Jackson with the fire of a thousand burning suns!)

As for Nicole and Balázs, you weren't the only one who noticed the irony of their doing the Viennese Waltz to "It's a Man's World"--and true to form, Balázs made the dance all about him, especially right at the beginning. I also think that it's no accident that they (read: HE) chose the Paso Doble for their "recreated" dance; that dance is by nature all about the man, so it gave him an excuse to stand in the spotlight and relegate Nicole to the sidelines. Now, if you really want to see a treat, check out the "Afterparty" videos; there's a clip of them doing the Showdance they would have done if they had advanced to the Final 2 instead of Andi and Julia. It's a really cute "Moulin Rouge"-inspired medley, and for once, Nicole outdances HIM--they even get to do an encore!

Incidentally, I liked the host's singing--in fact, let's see Tom Bergeron even try to pull something like that off (or maybe not--it might be the singing equivalent of the meh Quickstep he did on DWTS: US!)

Finally, the additional footage has a beautiful montage clip set to ABBA's "The Winner Takes It All." It made me sad to realize how quickly the time has gone by on this show, and how much I am going to miss watching these people learn and grow. *sniff* Like you, I can't wait for the third edition to start. Still, we have Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, Spain, and Israel yet to go this spring and summer, so my DWTS withdrawal in relation to DWTS: Austria won't be too bad! :)

Thanks for mentioning the "party" videos. They weren't available when I watched the dances, so I would have missed some of the fun. Nicole's showdance was fun and must have required quite a lot of work. I'm glad she got to do it.

It's time to bring this thread out of mothballs. The start date for the third season of DWTS:Austria (or Dancing Stars, as it is properly called there) has been set for March 9, 2007, with a finale date of May 4, 2007. Casting is going on even as we speak, and the viewers have been asked to nominate celebrities for the competition. Would that I knew more about Austrian celebrities; I'd gladly participate in the nomination process!

Friday, March 9, 2007, that's when. Here's this year's line-up; pics may be found here:

Nina Proll: Actress with her own website: Nina Proll. Her partner is Balázs Ekker. Hopefully she'll be able to break him of his habit of making the dance all about him.

Harry Prünster: Television host. He is dancing with Michaela Heintzinger.

Michael Tschugnall: Singer. His website is found here. His partner is Alice Guschelbauer.

Timna Brauer: Singer. She has Manfred Zehender for her partner.

Stephanie Graf-Zitny: Olympic silver medalist in Track and Field at the 2000 Summer Games (800m). Her website is here, and her partner is Andy Kainz. And yes, I originally thought that she was that Steffi Graf!

Hera Lind: Novelist. Her partner is Alex Kreissl.

Klaus Eberhartinger: From what I can tell, this guy is the Austrian equivalent of Phil Keoghan (but more No Opportunity Wasted Phil than The Amazing Race Phil.) He's dancing with Kelly Kainz, and she may have her hands full keeping up with this athletic, energetic, 56-year-old!

Zabine (aka Alpine Zabine): Singer. Her partner is Alexander Zaglmeier.

Peter L. Eppinger: AM Radio DJ, whose website may be found here. His partner is Julia Polai.

Michael Konsel: Footballer (Soccer pro.) His website may be found here. His partner is Nicki Kuntner.

So, there you have it--lots of athletic, energetic people dancing this year. I think it'll be a good competition, and I am looking forward to seeing it start this Friday. Bis später! :)

The first week's videos are up, and I have to say, it was a night full of surprises in Austria.

Timna was the first one out, which really surprises me, because she wasn't the worst dancer, or even the worst among the women. In fact, I thought that the Waltz that she did with Manfred was excellent; it was very smooth and elegant. I would have picked her to go quite a bit further.

Harry was worse than Timna was; he missed every single heel lead in his Waltz. Of course, I do give him credit for having to waltz to "Unchained Melody"--that song could not have been a worse fit for a slow Waltz. The best male waltzer was Michael K. Good clean lines, lots of rise and fall, and actual heel leads. He should go pretty far.

Another dancer who was worse than Timna was Michael T. His feet were all over the place in the Cha-Cha, and I could tell that Alice was back-leading him at least 60% of the time.

As for the worst female dancer, Steffi gets my vote hands down on account of that nightmare of a Cha-Cha she did. Remember Fiona May from Italy's version of DWTS? Steffi is even worse; she was stiff and uncoordinated, and her legs and feet were everywhere on the dance floor except under her body, where they should have been. Of course, since she's a former Olympian, she may well get a pass right up through the finals.

Hera and Zabine both had the Waltz, but I had a hard time seeing anything from either of them that made them stand out to me. Perhaps once they've gotten into some Latin, I'll have more to comment on regarding them. As for Nina's Cha-Cha, that was different--she was actually one of the best of the night; no way did she let Balázs outdance her. However, my hatred of Balázs continues unabated; he gave himself an emo makeover this year, and it really looks horrible on him. Apparently, since he can't outdance the women this year, he's decided to out-pretty them instead. *gag*

Klaus was another big surprise for me. He rocked his Cha-Cha, and while I'd be shocked if he won (heaven forbid someone over the age of 40 should actually win one of these competitions!), he'll go far indeed, possibly as far as Final 4.

Now, as for the best of the best? That's the biggest surprise of all to me. Peter hit it out of the park with his Cha-Cha. He came onto the dance floor all buttoned up, but as soon as the music started, he undid a couple of buttons on his shirt and really went to town with Julia. He had great form, footwork, and expression, and if he does Standard as well as he did the Cha-Cha, he could be the one to beat.

It's going to be a fun season, indeed! :)

Very good first show indeed! I don't remember the quality being quite this high last time. I don't have much to add to what you've said, legaleagle44, although I could have done without hearing "Edelweiss". Worse performance of the night: the two guest singers, no contest.

Oh, and somebody get Balázs some of that ballroom grease to keep his hair out of his face.

Actually, the guest singers were something of a head-scratcher for me, since I understood that the point of their performance was to give us a sneak preview of the next week's dances, the Rumba and the Quickstep. In other words, those songs were supposed to be accompanied by demos of those two dances. When the singers sang, but no dancers appeared, I wondered if my understanding of the host's German was flawed (Austrians are much harder for me to understand than Germans because of their accent.)

As for the choice of "Edelweiss" for one of the Waltzes, I thought it was rather cute and entirely appropriate. After all, the show is taking place in Austria, which was the native homeland of the Von Trapp family and therefore the setting for "The Sound of Music." The irony is that, IIRC, the Austrians themselves hate that movie!

I don't know what's going on with the Austrians, but they've now taken over from the Poles as the best quicksteppers in the DWTS universe (well, the part of it that's available online anyway). Only Steffi wasn't that great, and even she showed some improvement over last week. In her case, the gimmicks saved the performance as far as I was concerned. Klaus gets the win for wearing a monocle and dancing to the Muppet theme song.

The rumbas weren't at the same level, although still decent. I thought only Michael and Nicole really caught the character of the dance. It probably helps that Michael is rather good-looking. I'll take a wild guess and say he was a goalkeeper during his playing career.

Steffi should have been voted off. However, since it's a popularity contest...

Oh, and the guest singers were awful. Jive and tango next week, I guess.

As usual, Andreanne, your analysis is spot-on. I would give "Best of the Night" to Peter, though. His Quickstep was incredible; did you notice how difficult Julia's choreography was, compared to everyone else's? Peter wasn't just doing running chassés, he was doing running grapevines in his passes, and that's hard to do without tripping over your feet, especially at the speed he and Julia were going! I definitely stick by my prediction last week that he could well be the one to beat.

I also agree with your statement that Vienna seems to have displaced Warsaw in terms of the overall quality of the dancing. Steffi is still the weakest of the female celebs (and possibly of all the remaining dancers), but even she showed some improvement, although she was really stiff and seemed to be struggling to keep up with the very basic choreography that Andy gave her. I have to wonder if people are still confusing her with the other Steffi Graf and voting just based on the name.

I do admit that I was surprised to see that Hera was eliminated over Steffi, but I think I know why after seeing her Rumba with Alexander K. While she was technically very good, I saw no connection at all between them. The Rumba is all about the illusion of passionate, romantic attraction between the partners, and the unchanging, vapid grins that they kept on their faces throughout the entire dance made me think more of two soloists who just happened to be dancing onstage at the same time. In other words, Hera just didn't sell the dance.

Nina and Balázs did quite nicely this week, although I noticed that he still has the habit of making their dances more about him than they should be. I do give him props for combing his hair this week, though; he actually looks much better without it all over his face.

Harry is the weakest of the men, which is saying something considering the overall depth of the male talent this year. He got into his Rumba with Michaela well enough, but I noticed that there was almost no hip action from him. I'm thinking that he could be out next if Steffi doesn't go first. Michael K., on the other hand, gave the best Rumba from the men, and after Peter, had the best dance of the night, in my opinion. His Rumba with Nicole was sexy and steamy, and he actually had very strong hip action. Very well done indeed.

Best female dancer of the night is probably Zabine. She delivered a great Rumba with Alexander Z. that I would put up there after Michael K.'s.

And finally, Klaus. I agree--he's adorable, even more so than Hans-Georg was last year. He gets into the dance, he's energetic, he's technically fantastic, and he really sells it for me. By the way, Australia used the theme from The Mupppet Show a few years ago for one of its Quicksteps, and it turned out to be extremely popular there, so I'm glad to see that it worked so well here. (By the way, can we kidnap the band and singers and bring them over to the US for our version? They are the best combo I have heard on any version of DWTS; but then again, what can you expect from the music capital of Europe?) Klaus, Peter, and Michael K. are definitely my picks for Final 3 at this stage.

Oh, and you're right about the dances next week being Tango and Jive. I'll go out on a limb and give "Best Dance" to Peter, especially if it's the Jive, and I'll be stunned if Harry doesn't go next week (even though she really needs to go first, I'm not expecting Steffi to go before Harry does.)

One more thing, for the curious lurkers who may be afoot: The video clips of which we speak are here.

Thanks for the link legaleagle! Hi Andreanne =) I am so glad they're not making us sign in this season to watch the videos. I've just caught up on all three weeks and I must agree that this cast looks stronger than last season.

Klaus and Kelly: Klaus is so much fun. I love his enthusiasm and I was actually pretty impressed with his jive kicks and flicks. Best jive of the night, although I wasn't too crazy about the song. Kelly is doing a great job with the choreography too, especially that quickstep last week.

Nina and Balázs: I think I preferred Balázs' jive choreography for Nicole last season. The beginning of the dance sort of dragged until they actually started doing jive steps and Nina looked a little under-rehearsed. On the other hand I really liked their cha cha and quickstep. Nina definitely knows how to play up her performance.

Michael T. and Alice: This tango was nicely put together but there is something about Michael's dancing that slightly off. It's too bad because with his height he could create some gorgeous lines in his standard dances. Still, his tango performance has been his best yet.

Steffi and Andy: Oh my. She makes Kelly Monaco from season 1 of the US version look graceful. I was worried she would break a heel from the way she was stomping into the ground.

Harry and Michaela: It was a very "paint-by-numbers" tango. Nice, but kind of bland.

Michael K and Nicole: Hmm, another one that couldn't get the jive bounce going. Michael was kind of stompy and his upper body was looking a bit hunched. I also wonder why the camera man felt the need to do an extended aerial shot of Nicole's behind at the end. That was just odd. Definitely not as good as their waltz and rumba.

Zabine and Alexander: Best tango of the night, right down to Zabine's facial expressions. You know how some couples come out and just set the mood for their dances? They did that. I also loved their rumba last week.

Peter and Julia: Peter has energy and showmanship to spare. I like that not only is he working the steps but he's also making an effort to get the styling down too. As with Klaus, I wasn't crazy about the song.

I had to edit to add that it's too bad Timna was voted out early because her pro Manfred was terrific. THAT is how a man leads a waltz. I know some people find Standard to be "boring" but when it's done well, it is just beautiful.

I couldn't agree with you more, skylighter.

I'm really not at all surprised that Steffi finally went, and, truthfully, it's about time. She was just painful to watch. Although, it's a shame that she never got to do a slower dance--trainwrecks in slow motion are much more satisfying to watch, in my opinion.

Peter is definitely in it to win it, and I easily see him and either Klaus or Zabine as Final 2. Klaus dropped just little bit, in my opinion. I felt his kicks could have been a little sharper, but that's really a minor quibble; he and Peter are the ones I enjoy watching the most, hands-down. I imagine he'll get the Paso Doble next week, but I'd rather see him and Peter both attempt the Foxtrot first; like Steffi, neither of them has yet had the chance to slow things down a bit, and I want to see if they have the control that a slow Foxtrot would require. I have no doubt as to how well they'd handle the Paso Doble.

Harry's Tango was worse than "paint by the numbers." Not only was he hunched over, but his movements were nowhere nearly as sharp as they should have been for the Tango. I think he'll be the next one out now that Steffi's gone.

Oh, and the musical numbers? Blech--especially the one that was supposed to represent the Paso Doble. So far, this show really hasn't done too badly with its choices for dance music each week; for example, with the exception of "Eleanor Rigby" for one of the Tangos, all the Tango music was exactly what I'd hope for the US version when we hit Tango Week in two weeks. The Jive music was pretty good, too. However, if that number that was supposedly representative of what we have to look forward to next week for the Paso Dobles on this version, I just may have to watch without the sound!

Videos for this week are up. What is surprising is that Michael K. was eliminated over Harry, who is still, in my opinion, the weakest of the male dancers left.

Harry and Michaela had the most traditional of the Paso Dobles to dance to, España Caní. Unfortunately, they also gave the most basic, most boring, and blandest Paso Doble performance that I have ever seen. Not an ounce of spark or passion between them; while technically very good, it was even more paint-by-the-numbers than their Tango was last week. I'm honestly shocked that they're still in this, especially since Michael K. did a really nice job and delivered a fun, breezy Foxtrot that was great to watch. Does Harry have a power fan-base vote that I don't know about?

Nina and Balázs: I have to give Balázs credit for at least trying not to out-dance Nina in the Foxtrot. Still, for some reason, I was so distracted by him that I had to watch their dance twice in order to focus on her--perhaps it's because I keep wondering how he's able to see with all that hair in his face. Once I was actually able to focus on her, I was impressed with her performance. She had great posture, lovely, flowing extensions, and I don't think she missed one heel lead. Oh, and whoever does the camera work? Knock it off with the overhead shots--they're really not necessary, and, in fact, they rather ruin the aesthetic of the dance, especially when they come at the end of a dance that ends in a lift the way this Foxtrot did.

It's a toss-up between Nina and Zabine as to who had the best female performance of the night, though. As I said, Nina was both technically and artistically great in the Foxtrot, but Zabine delivered a solid, passionate Paso Doble that was just as entertaining. I'd probably have to give the edge to Zabine, though, because she had a bit of a harder job in that her song, while still more of a Paso Doble than the abomination that Michael T. and Alice got stuck with, was still much harder to dance to than a more traditional melody would have been. Michael T. and Alice's song was so much of a disconnect for me that I had a hard time enjoying their dance; it was probably the most technically difficult Paso Doble of the night, but I had a hard time getting into the emotion of the dance because I was too distracted by the music, whereas I could easily see the passion and emotion of Zabine's dance with Alexander.

Now, naturally, I saved the best for last. Klaus and Peter both got the Foxtrot, as I had hoped, and both were wonderful to watch. I'd give Peter the edge here; Klaus seemed to have some posture problems that Peter didn't have, and Peter's performance seemed just a little smoother and easier than Klaus's did. The best part of both performances was the level of emotion and playfulness in both dances--that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the classic Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers-style Foxtrot is supposed to look. Klaus and Peter had the best dances of the night, hands-down.

The musical performances were kind of 50-50. I loved the song choice for the Samba; it was very well done, and in fact did make me think of Carnaval in Rio. "Kiss from a Rose" for the Viennese Waltz? Not so much--in the town where the Viennese Waltz was born more than 300 years ago, I am hoping that we get something more traditional for the group Viennese Waltz in two weeks.

Yes, you heard right--it will be two weeks until the next group of videos is up. The show traditionally takes Good Friday off, so there won't be any broadcast next Friday, and consequently, no new videos up until April 13. Instead, next week there will be the traditional Easter photo album, with really cute pics of the cast and crew doing their best Peter Cottontail impressions. Also, there are supposed to be some hidden Easter eggs in the photos, which is a surprise guaranteed to give some lucky viewer the chance to win tickets to the finale in Vienna on May 4. Exciting, no?

Wien, Wien, nur du allein...

Vienna, Vienna, you alone...

I don't know about the rest of those who may be watching this version of DWTS, but for me, this show is like a breath of fresh air after watching the disappointing performances on both the US and Polish versions this week. This week, it was Samba and group Viennese Waltz in the city of the latter dance's birth, and it was fun all the way around.

All the Sambas were so good that it's hard for me to pick out a favorite this week, although I would still put Peter and Klaus in the top two, with Zabine to chase them. However, Michael T. really brought it this week with his and Alice's Samba to "Soul Bossa Nova," or, as we in the States would know it, the Austin Powers theme (but played up to proper Samba tempo for a change!) It was fun, engergetic, and, to me, one of the dances (along with Peter and Klause's Sambas) that really made me think of Carnaval in Rio. Oh, and speaking of Klaus, thanks to him for never succumbing to the temptation to rely on schtick to make up for his "advanced" age. I would have no problem seeing him win if Peter didn't.

Nina and Balázs even turned in a solid performance this week. Balázs has really learned to tone down his dancing so as not to overpower Nina, and I think it does wonders to enhance Nina's confidence and look.

Only Harry's Samba wasn't up to snuff, but that's hardly surprising, since he was the weakest dancer left overall. He was constantly behind Michaela throughout the dance, and she had to do a good deal of backleading to keep him even close to being on tempo. Moreover, his feet were way out of control. I wasn't at all sorry to see him as the one eliminated this week (although, as I said, it now makes it that much harder to decide who the weakest remaining dancers are, since everyone else is dancing at such a higher level to begin with!)

Finally, the group Viennese Waltz. Just breathtaking, both in the choice of music (a classical Viennese Waltz, of course) and in the simplicity of the choreography. Everyone was elegant and graceful (with the exception of Harry, who just didn't come across as polished as everyone else was, either in posture or in footwork.) Peter, Klaus, Nina, Michael T., and Zabine all did exceptionally well; if I had to pick a front-runner, it would be Peter (I think Klaus messed up just a tiny bit in one part of the dance.)

I tell you, if the quality of the Sambas on the US version is even half as good as what I saw here, I will be one happy camper indeed!

I finally got caught up on two weeks worth of videos. Still mourning the departure of Michael K. I thought he was pretty good. Michael T. is looking a bit more comfortable dancing on stage. Loved Klaus' foxtrot, so suave, such tidy feet.

All the sambas were great fun to watch, even Harry's. He isn't particularly good, but like all the other participants, he looks like he's enjoying himself. That goes a long way towards making up for technical mistakes.

I have a new theory about women getting eliminated before the men: maybe it's their annoying partners who are getting the boot. Nina wasn't the worst dancer out there, but Balázs started off the tango by mugging for the camera, and I wanted him gone. This was probably Nina's best night too.

For some reason, I really like Alpine Zabine. She and Tschuggi are probably the weakest dancers left, though.

Still not feeling the Peter love. Klaus, on the other hand... I didn't particularly like the waltz music, but he was courtly and graceful. He also danced and acted a great paso doble. The weird thing is that the paso looked like a clip that had had poor music dubbed in (yes, I do know that wasn't the case). Anyway, I had the impression throughout that they had danced to very dramatic, suitable music, and I was frustrated because I was stuck listening to Bon Jovi!

*Waves at Andreanne* Ah, it's nice to have company!

Have you seen the most recent videos yet? Peter's Rumba was a bit of a disappointment, I'll admit, but I blame that on Julia's choreography. She basically made it all about her, dancing all around him, but leaving him almost nothing to do. Very badly done, Julia--Peter deserves better.

I still think we're headed for a Peter/Klaus Final 2--and I'd be completely OK with that!

Congratulations to Klaus and Kelly for a VERY well-deserved win. Their freestyle was the best I've seen on any version of this show. I love that Kelly still incorporated ballroom moves while keeping things fun and fast. She is one of the best choreographers this franchise has seen. I love that she kept giving Klaus a challenge in all their dances and never let things slide just because he was older. Can we have her on the U.S. version? And Klaus. Kudos to him for proving that just because you're older it doesn't mean you have to stand there while your pretty, young partner twirls around you. He is right up there with the best male celebs who have been on any version of this show.

I don't know if Julia just ran out of ideas but the freestyle was disappointing. Peter is such a good dancer and deserved better. It seemed as the weeks went on, Julia was having a hard time coming up with good choreography.

It looks like there was a problem filming Zabine's freestyle? I tried to use one of the online translators to figure out what happened but it didn't help much. Disappointing, as I loved her.

And yes, the samba episode was fantastic. I even liked Harry, although it might have more to do with the song than his actual dancing. The music choices were great.

Honorable mention to Michael T. and Nina, who really kept improving right to the end.

And how sweet was Balázs's proposal to Alice? And they got married on the set? Too cute. I agree that he has a tendency to show off a bit too much but I kind of enjoy his over-the-top-ness (yeah I made that up).

This was a great season, right up there with season 1 of the Dutch and Belgian versions and season 2 of the Polish version.

Agreed, skylighter. Klaus's well-deserved win, by the way, makes him, at age 56, the oldest celeb to win any version of DwtS.

Yes, Julia's choreography really sank Peter, in my opinion. The Rumba was probably the worst of the dances she gave Peter, since he really had nothing to do at all, and he's much more talented than that. Their Paso Doble was much better, although they could have lost the bit with the sword at the start of the dance and I wouldn't have missed it at all.

And did you catch Balázs and Alice's wedding? I admit, I've never warmed up to him as a dancer or as a choreographer (he's certainly no Louis van Amstel or Wim Gevaert, that's for sure), but he was so adorkably cute the way he somewhat nervously proposed to Alice on the air--and he really looked HOT in that Napoleonic-era suit that he wore to the wedding (leave it to him, though, to pretty much out-dress his bride!) Balázs, well done; but if you're back next year, please cut your hair. You look so much better without it obscuring half your face.

Congratulations again to Klaus and Kelly. And see everyone in Germany when that version starts up again on May 14!

Woohoo! From what I can deduce on the official site, the new season starts on February 8th. It looks like there are a whole bunch of new pros, but Kelly and Balázs are both back so I am very happy. I'm also glad to see that they're giving Manfred another chance as he seemed to be an absolutely gorgeous Standard dancer. Plus, it looks like last season's winner Klaus is going to be the new male host? Legaleagle, am I interpreting correctly?

You are indeed correct, skylighter. Excuse me for a moment while I do the happy Snoopy dance! :)

Also, the pro roster isn't entirely new. Alice Guschelbauer (Balazs's wife--they got married at the end of the last season, remember?), Julia Polai, and Andy Kainz are also back, as well as Manfred, Kelly, and Balazs. But how cool is it that Klaus is hosting this year? I get the feeling that he'll be at least as entertaining as New Zealand's Jason Gunn, Germany's Hape Kerkeling, or our own Tom Bergeron.

As much as I enjoy seeing the clips on the official website, I hope that this year, we'll get treated to full episodes as well, as we were in the Netherlands, Italy, and Germany last year. Either that, or else someone brave in Austria will put the show up on you-know-where (I know that there have been clips posted there from the previous season, including clips from the green room.)

Something else to look forward to is the fact that the couples will start off with the Waltz and Cha-Cha-Cha, and the music selections appear to be pretty good, particularly the choices for the Waltz. But then again, what else would you expect from Vienna, the music capital of the world?

Oh, and speaking of music--there is a "Dancing Stars" CD available with music that has been used on the show over the course of its first two seasons. It's 18,11 Euros (which is about $24.00 USD, I think), so it's rather expensive, but if you want to re-live the dancing from this great member of the DWTS family, it might not make a bad investment in the long run.

I'll be back later to post more information on this year's crop of celebrities and pros. Until then, happy dancing! :)

Thank you friend :) I'm happy that Alice is back and very glad to hear that Klaus is indeed hosting. What a fun personality he'll be. And thank you Austria, for being smart and starting both halves of the contestants off on fairly equal ground in terms of the dances. It still bugs me that on the US version, on the first night half the celebs get to do the easiest International Latin dance (Cha Cha Cha) while the the other half has to do the toughest Standard dance (Foxtrot).

Week 1 videos are up, and I have to say, this fourth season looks to be the best one so far. Allow me to walk you through the couples by dance:

Waltz:

First up were singer/actress Elizabeth Engstler and her pro partner, Alexander Zaglemeier. They did an absolutely stunning Waltz to "I Wonder Why", but it's no wonder to me that they were elegant, graceful, and spot-on in both footwork and a strong dance frame.

Next came reigning Miss Austria Christine Reiler, dancing with Manfred Zehender to "Natural Woman." Again, simply beautiful. In Vienna, where the Waltz was born some 200 years ago, I can only imagine the nerves that must have been taking hold of all the celebrities who had to do this dance tonight. You certainly couldn't prove it by me with Christine. Again, the Waltz was beautiful and expressive, and technically spot-on.

Next came hunky comedian/moderator/presenter Dorian Steidl and his pro partner, Nicole Kuntner. Their Waltz, to a 3/4-time version of "And I Will Always Love You" wasn't quite as impressive to me, since I noticed that, while Dorian's posture was excellent, he missed his heel leads. Nicole is really going to want to work with him on that if they have the Quickstep next week.

Then came former journalist Claudia Stöckl. She and her partner Alexander Kreissl did a beautiful Waltz to "What the World Needs Now."

And finally, rounding out the Waltzes were cooking-show host and moderator Peter Tichatscheck and his partner, Michaela Heintzinger. Unfortunately, their Waltz to "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (one of my favorite Waltzes) was the only clip I couldn't play, for some reason.

I'll be back later to give my impressions of the Cha-Cha-Cha couples. I will say at the outset that I liked the music for the Waltzes better; with the exception of one Cha-Cha-Cha, (to "Cha-Cha D'Amour"), none of the music selections came even close to being true Cha-Cha-Cha music. Still, I think this does look to be a very promising season, indeed! :)

Elisabeth and Alexander: Very pretty waltz. On thing I noticed from Elisabeth is that she looked like she was really trying to maintain a good frame while they were in closed position. I appreciate that and combined with the enthusiasm on her face, it makes me think that she really wants do well on the show.

Christine and Manfred: It was nice but Christine didn’t seem as strong in hold as Elisabeth did and since I watched her video right after Elisabeth’s the differences were very noticeable. This dance didn’t do much for me but I love Manfred so I hope the voters keep them in at least another week.

Dorian and Nicole: Lovely choreography and lovely movement around the floor. And good on Dorian for maintaining his posture as well as he did and not slouching down towards Nicole, which we sometimes see with the very tall male celebs and their shorter pros.

Claudia and Alexander: The entire time I was watching them I wanted to yell “Claudia sweetie, watch those shoulders.” They just seemed so high up and made her look very tense.

Peter and Michaela: The video didn’t work =(

Cha Cha Cha

Marc and Kelly: Okay, Kelly is damn good. I say this because Marc is pretty obviously not a natural dancer like Klaus was, but I’ll be damned if she didn’t make him look pretty good. Yes the hip action was awkward and some movements were a tad jerky but I was watching his feet and I could tell that she had really worked to drill the footwork into him and to come up with choreography that would showcase him.

Jeannine and Balazs: Yikes. I’m going to predict that unless Jeannine is very popular, we won’t be seeing her and Balazs much longer. I don’t think I saw one real toe lead from her and she never seemed to really pick up her feet.

Oliver and Julia: Yikes again. Oliver seems to come from the same pool as Jeannine. Not much technique at all and Julia doesn’t seem to have Kelly’s teaching or choreographic skills, which just makes Oliver look even weaker. And those faces he was making. Is he some sort of soap opera actor?

Waterloo and Alice: Well, with a stage name like “Waterloo” I suppose I should have been prepared for anything but I don’t think I was. He is quite a character. The hair combined with the ever so slightly too-tight outfit and hat gave him a bizarre sort of ageing Zorro slash gigolo look. The dancing was okay I guess. Better than Jeannine and Oliver, but that wouldn’t be difficult.

Elke and Andy: Okay, Ms. Elke has me thrown for a loop and I don’t know what to say. On the one hand she was all over the place, some of her movements looked unfinished, and there was just a general messiness to it overall. But on the other hand, she has performance ability for days and some of the most beautiful leg extension I’ve seen in any celeb woman. I am confused. But I want to see more of her. Maybe first night nerves made her push a little too hard and that's what made it look a little uncontrolled?

The Waltzes definitely beat out the Cha Cha Chas tonight. Kelly really impressed because I honestly feel that Marc would have ended up a Kenny Mayne or Tucker Carlson if he hadn't been assigned such a great pro. Julia and Balazs appear to have an uphill battle on their hands, which must be tough after having such great celebs last season.

Elisabeth is my early (very early) favorite, followed closely by Dorian. I'm looking forward to seeing what Kelly will do with Marc. And I am very curious to see what Andy does with Elke.

Total WORD to your analysis of the Cha-Cha-Cha couples, skylighter. Here's my take on them. (Oh, and by the way, the audience apparently agreed with you about Christina's shoulders; she and Alexander were the first ones eliminated.)

Cha Cha Cha

Marc and Kelly: Just to let you know, Marc Pirscher is a musician. I would think that that would give him at least an advantage with regard to timing and musicality, so Kelly may well be able to refine that in him. Still, I don't know that she would be able to pull off a three-peat win this year (she's the undefeated pro champion two years running now), unless things improve fairly quickly.

Jeannine and Balazs: Jeannine Schiller is a charity worker, like Heather Mills. Unfortunately, she also seems to dance like her, only with two legs--and she doesn't have Jonathan Roberts to help her. At least Balazs has finally learned to tone down his choreography so that it isn't all about him (perhaps being married to Alice has finally gotten him to see the woman's point of view)--but I really wish he'd get a haircut. He's really rather a handsome guy, and I hate seeing all that emo-hair all over the place.

Oliver and Julia: When I first hear the name "Oliver" pronounced in German, I immediately think of the wonderful Oliver Seefeld on the German DWTS. Unfortunately, Olympic-volleyball-player-turned-sports-manager Oliver Stamm is no Oliver Seefeld, but I think that a large part of that comes from having Julia as his partner. IIRC, choreography is one of Julia's weakest areas, and it definitely showed in this dance, which basically had Oliver standing still while Julia danced around him. And yes, the mugging really has to stop--but at least it wasn't as cringeworthy as Joey Fatone and Mark Cuban's expressions were.

Waterloo and Alice: Who was the singer on the German DWTS last year with the weird hair who couldn't dance to save his life, except for the Waltz? That's who singer Waterloo (aka Hans Kreuzmayr) reminded me of. He actually is a very handsome man, but the long hair and somewhat grungy look tend to obscure that for me. Honestly, gentlemen--no man over the age of about 30 looks good in shoulder-length hair--in fact, in my opinion, it doesn't look good on men at all. Waterloo, I've seen what you look like cleaned up--how about learning the meaning of "aging gracefully" (see Klaus) and adopting a more age-appropriate look? Oh, and while you're at it, work on your dancing!

Elke and Andy: Elke Winkens is an actress and former talk-show host (Europe really does seem to produce those in droves, doesn't it?) I do have to agree with you about her performance, skylighter. I can only hope that much of the overall messiness in the Cha-Cha-Chas was due to first-performance nerves; otherwise, there's no excuse. She should get the Quickstep next week, so we'll see whether Andy is able to get her to work on her control. If she has the Rumba, then maybe Andy can capitalize on her natural ability to extend her legs. Either way, she definitely needs work, but she could be a contender down the line.

Incidentally, did you notice that Klaus wasn't anywhere to be seen on the dance floor? Mirjam (the hostess) was the one who met the couples on the floor at the end of each dance. Perhaps Klaus is working the green room instead, which would really be a waste, in my opinion.

Legaleagle I too was wondering about Klaus. As you said, it would be a waste if he is just doing the green room.

It's too bad Claudia and Alexander were eliminated as they were definitely miles better than Jeannine and Oliver.

So next week is Quickstep and Rumba? Assuming Marc has the Quickstep, that might actually be a good dance for him. He showed pretty good footwork in the Cha Cha Cha and if he can maintain a strong dance frame, he should do pretty well. Especiallys since we know Kelly can put together a kick-ass Quickstep.

I'm also expecting a nice Rumba from Elisabeth if her presentation in the Waltz is anything to go by. She was really going for it in that dance and I think she'll work hard to sell the Rumba.

Elke and the Quickstep could be very good or very bad depending on whether or not she can harness all that energy.

Week 2 videos are up (I'm really impressed with how quickly Austria and Sweden are both getting their video clips up just hours after their respective programs end, local time!), and for the first time, I felt a little disappointed by the dancing this week.

Quickstep:

Waterloo/Alice: I was right about how much better Waterloo looks with his hair out of his face--but the Pepe LePew stripe really has to go, because I think that it just ages him unnecessarily. I also think he'd look even better if he'd just cut the ponytail off altogether and adopt a more age-appropriate hairstyle.

As for his dancing? He seemed rather stiff and awkward to me, which seemed to be a common affliction shared by most of the Quicksteppers this week, especially the men. The Quickstep is supposed to be a light, fun dance that evokes the flirtatious, cheeky, and even slightly naughty attitude of the Roaring 20s. Waterloo not only didn't roar, he barely squeaked.

Oliver/Julia: This was even worse than Waterloo's dance. In addition to his being stiff and awkward, I could almost hear Oliver counting the steps in his head and praying that he wouldn't mess up. Again, not as loose and fun as he should have been, but Julia's choreography was miles better this week than it was last week.

Jeannine/Balazs: Her problem wasn't stiffness; it was more that she seemed out of it and couldn't connect to either the music or her partner. Oh, and Balazs, I'm going to keep saying it until you actually do it: GET. A. HAIRCUT.

Elke/Andy: Theirs was the only Quickstep I enjoyed, because Elke was the only one who was relaxed and energetic enough that she was fun to watch (and Andy really did find a way for her to channel and focus her energy in such a way that she wasn't all over the place, as she was in the Cha-Cha-Cha last week.) Very well done, and the best dance of the night, in my opinion.

I really hated to see such bad dancing during the Quickstep round, since it's one of my favorite dances, and one of the ones that I'd really like to have a go at learning someday. Hopefully, the dancing will improve the next time the Quickstep comes up.

Rumba:

Peter/Michaela (Eliminated): Very nice Rumba to "Goldeneye." Peter could have been a bit more expressive, however, although his hip action was quite good for a beginning male dancer.

Dorian/Nicole: Dorian definitely takes the "Hottest Male Celeb" award, but his approach to the Rumba seemed just a little off, in terms of his expression. Nicole choreographed a nice number, and she reminded me quite a bit of Cheryl Burke, in fact, but Dorian's expression told me that he was concentrating a bit too hard on dancing, as opposed to simply enjoying the dance and reacting to his partner. He'll probably get the Tango next week, but I'm hoping that he gets the Jive instead, as he really needs a dance that will loosen him up and allow him to be more expressive than he was here.

Christine/Manfred: Worst dance of the night for me. Christine just looks as though she's trying way too hard, and her expression was more one of desperation than passion to me, even though Manfred did a fantastic job with her. I'd be surprised if she wasn't the next one out. Also, the arrangement of "La Vie En Rose" used here threw me somewhat--it's normally used as a slow Foxtrot, and the Rumba arrangement here was far too fast for the slow, sensual International Latin Rumba. It would have worked much better, in my opinion, if it had been played about three-quarter or even half-speed.

Elisabeth/Alexander: These two had the best dance of the night--or they would have had it, if Alexander hadn't screwed up, lost his balance, and dropped Elisabeth at the very end of the routine. The expression and the movement were classic Rumba, but again, the music (which happens to be one of my favorite songs, incidentally) was way too fast for this type of Rumba; it would be a much better fit for the faster American Rhythm Rumba.

So, this week, I was just a bit disappointed, but next week we have Tango and Jive, and those dances are always good on this version. Oh, and one more note to the show's producers--get Klaus out of the green room (or wherever it is you're hiding him) and onto the dance floor where he belongs!

Waterloo and Alice: Well, the song was nice. Waterloo wasn’t any better in the Quickstep than he was last week in the Cha Cha Cha. I was distracted not only by the hair, but by the way he kept dropping his right elbow and totally killing the dance frame. I wonder if that is why Alice choreographed so much open work. Maybe he is not comfortable in hold?

Marc and Kelly: Okay, Marc is definitely not a natural. Like Waterloo, his frame seemed a bit wonky. Or maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about. Legaleagle, can I ask your opinion on that? Anyway, this routine is another example of how good Kelly is as a choreographer. She is putting together routines that are making the most of what Marc can do, even if it’s not much. At the very least, there is an element of entertainment to it. This is especially noticeable since I watched this Quickstep right after Waterloo and Alice, so the difference is striking. Waterloo isn’t very good so far, and Alice’s choreography isn’t helping. Marc isn’t particularly great at this point, but Kelly’s choreography still manages to create a sense of fun.

Oliver and Julia: Poor Oliver looks like he is trying so hard to remember everything that he ends up having this vacant stare with a smile on his face. The whole dance was just kind of heavy and lumbering.

Jeannine and Balázs: Balázs pretty much had to drag Jeannine around the floor and in the few open passes they had, she looked lost. Is she getting enough rehearsal time or is it that she just can’t remember choreography?

Elke and Andy: Elke continues to baffle me and I will tell you why in a moment. This was the best Quickstep of the night, although Elke still had some klunky moments. I liked everything from the song to the choreography to the costume. It was all a lot of fun. What Elke seems to lack, going by these two weeks, is finesse and grace. Now this baffles me because after seeing that absolutely gorgeous arabesque she did at 1:18 into the routine, I am convinced that she has some sort of ballet background. You don’t come by that kind of leg and arm positioning naturally. On top of that she immediately went into a lovely double turn. So, if she has a ballet background as I suspect, why does she look so uncontrolled sometimes? I now wonder if she and Andy are using some strategy here. Instead of coming in and being amazing off the bat, perhaps they are purposely making her look just “messy” enough so that she can’t be accused of being too good too fast. This way she can show improvement as the season goes on then towards the end come out with guns blazing. Or maybe I’m thinking too hard.

Peter and Michaela: This was not bad at all. Any time a male celeb can hold my attention in the Rumba, it is a good thing. And I agree legaleagle, his hip action was very good for this level. The Waltz video from last week was fixed, so I went back and watched it. Peter did a very nice job there too and coupled with tonight, I think it bodes well for future improvement.

Dorian and Nicole: I really liked this dance, although I agree that Dorian’s facial expressions were a bit off. I think he was really trying to sell the sexy aspect of the dance and maybe ended up trying too hard.

Christine and Manfred: A pox on the person that chose this song and arrangement. “La Vie En Rose” is a gorgeous tune, but it just didn’t work for this dance. I give Manfred credit for being able to come up with anything.

Elisabeth and Alexander: Oh, I love Elisabeth. Easily the best dance of the night. She totally got the character of the Waltz last week and then totally got the character of the Rumba this week. Her acting skills and musicality are really being shown off. She is going to kill in the Tango next week.

I went back and watched the men's Quicksteps again, skylighter, and I agree with every one of your comments. I should also note that I had mixed up Marc and Oliver in my own comments; Marc was the one awkwardly counting the steps in his head and lumbering around so stiffly (appropriate that he was dancing to "Putting on the Ritz," since his posture and movement looked like something out of "Young Frankenstein.") And yes, Oliver really needs to work on his dance frame. I think the taller men are afraid of making their pros' job that much harder if they stretch out their frames to natural proportions. What Julia needs to remind Oliver is that, as a pro, she's trained to dance up to his height, rather than have him dance down to hers, and she needs to encourage him to fill out his frame until he does so. And Waterloo needs to learn the same lesson, stat.

As for Peter and Michaela: I'm glad you told me that Peter's Waltz video was working, since it gave me the chance to see one of the most beautiful beginner Waltzes I have ever seen. Peter had a perfect dance frame; his lines were smooth and finished, he was actually leading, his footwork was spot-on (no missed heel leads that I saw), he showed very smooth and consistent rise-and-fall, and his romantic expression was just beautiful. I wish more of that same romantic expression had come through in the Rumba, as I think that yes, he did have the potential to go far, but unfortunately, we'll never know, as he and Michaela were the ones eliminated, and I think that lack of expression in the Rumba may have been what cost him. In any event, after seeing that Waltz, I'm definitely disappointed--in my opinion, Waterloo, Marc, or Jeannine should have been the one sent home this week, not Peter.