Given how many other shows I have to track this fall, I don't know if I'll be watching "Dancing With the Stars" obsessively this fall but I did want to give the dancers an extra look to see if . Tonight they danced to favorite songs and new judge Julianne dressed more like a demure prom queen than a Kim Kardashian wannabe she did a year ago.
The dancers in the top tier are Janel Parrish, Lea Thompson, Alfonso Ribiero, Bethany Moto, Jonathan Perrett and Sadie Robertson.
In the middle? Randy Couture, Tommy Chong, Betsey Johnson and Antonio Sabato Jr.
Those who might be gone sooner include Michael Waltrip and Tavis Smiley. I have a feeling Tavis will be the one going home.
Randy Couture (MMA fighter/cha cha/"Satisfaction"): He showed spirit but he was a bit stiff and not all that proficient technically. While the other judges were kind, Carrie Ann Inaba felt it was underwhelming and needed more aggression. I agree. He seems likable and destined for a middle finish (fifth to eighth) He received generous 7's across the board for a 28. Grade: B/B-minus
Janel Parrish (actress/foxtrot/"Call Me Maybe"): Very clean, very precise, quite lovely. Julianne said she needs to plant her feet more. Bruno said it was "almost perfect." Carrie Ann likes her versatility. "You can really dance," Len said. Indeed. And those "Pretty Little Liar" fans are rife. So she may be around awhile, with a possible top 5 finish. She gets 2 8's (Len, Julianne) and two 9's (Carrie Ann, Bruno) for a total of 34. Grade: A-minus
Lea Thompson (actress/jive/"Land of a Thousand Dance") - She said this isn't one of her strong dances. But she brings a ton of energy and determination (if not perfection) to relatively complex choreography by her partner Arden. Bruno: "Incandescent appeal and star quality." Carrie Ann: "You're killing every step!" (She then fell off her chair.) "I got kicked in the lower portion," Len noted, by Carrie Ann. "Nice to have feeling down there again," host Tom Bergeron said. Julianne: "Feisty!" I still see her going into the finals. She takes the lead with three 9s' and an 8 from Len for 35. Grade: A-minus
Michael Waltrip (race car driver/samba/"Girls in Bikinis") - Was his choice of song an effort to get his partner into a bikini? Yes. She wears are a relatively demure one. His hip movements look like something a drunk suburban dad might do by the grill and his outfit does him no favors. Carrie Ann didn't see any samba. Len: "You put the "sin" in "syncopation" but I do like you." Julianne: "Mastered the hip rolls but it's the in between you need some lessons." This will not help him stick around very long. He gets sixes for a 24. Grade: C
Tavis Smiley (author-TV host/cha cha/"Boogie Wonderland") - He is struggling to balance a book tour with rehearsal and actually complains at one point it's too many moves for him to remember. He can be lumbering and flat footed but has passable hip action. It was decent. Len: "It lacked polish." Julianne: "This was your jam." Carrie Ann said he needs more joy. Like Waltrip, I suspect he maybe out relatively early. He gets 7's across the board for a 28. Grade: C-plus/B-minus
Alfonso Ribeiro (actor/samba/"Gettin' Jiggy With It"): He is struggling with this particular style dance after a strong first week. The pressure is on both dancers given the weight of heavy expectations. He may not be quite so agile in the hips but he put together a great performance nonetheless. He can't help himself and his partner Witney definitely upped the ante in terms of the steps. Julianne said he needed more samba-like bounce. Carrie Ann felt he lost his connection a bit partway through. Judges gave him 8's across the board for 32. I don't think this will hurt Alfonso long term although he knew his limitations. Grade: A-minus/B-plus
Bethany Mota (YouTube star/foxtrot/"All About That Bass"): Her right ankle is hurting her and is waking her up at night. Derek did his best to help her out during a decent performance. She has great personality. No wonder she's so popular on YouTube! Bruno: "A Bob Fosse foxtrot." Carrie Ann: "You're starting to tell a story." Len: "That's a great number. Best I've seen tonight!" She gets 8's from everyone but Len, who gives a 9. This is a rare time Len gave a higher score than the others. I am sure she'll survive and could easily end up in the top 6 or 7. She gets a 32. Grade: A-minus/B-plus
Betsey Johnson (fashion designer/foxtrot/"Girls Just Want To Have Fun"): She has the flexibility of someone four decades younger. She is quite astounding and that smile is infectious. Carrie Ann: "Exquisite." Julianne: "Simple and timeless." Bruno: "Glamor queen of the night." She better get votes. Too lovable for words! She received 7s and a 28 total. Grade: B/B-plus
Antonio Sabato Jr. (actor-model/rumba/"Adorn") - After a disappointing cha cha last week, he shows far more confidence and skills this time around. Julianne: "A lot better. It felt natural." Bruno: "That Latin lover is starting to smolder." He gets three 8's and a 7 from Len, for a total of 31. I'm still not sure how long he's going to last. I think he might go earlier than you'd expect. Grade: B-plus
Tommy Chong (comic-actor/salsa/"Higher") - He said he has some salsa experience in the clubs. He clearly has physical limitations given his age but he showed oodles of verve and panache. He even rips open his shirt. Usually one older dancer that can break the top 6 or 7. He might be the one. Julianne: "Fun and fast. Funny. F-ing fabulous." Bruno: "Party like it's 1969!" Carrie Ann: "You dance in the pocket of the music." Len: "Plenty of wiggles, plenty of giggles." He gets 7's and a 28. Grade: B
Jonathan Perrett (actor/cha cha/"Sing") - This guy probably has the smallest fan base of all the dancers but he's awfully spirited. What I like about him is he is really enjoying it out there and that can translate into votes. He is a top 6 candidate on potential skills and charisma alone. Bruno: "Sharp angles are very good" but he said he needs to stop rushing. Carrie Ann: "Brought out a dangerous character but there wasn't enough cha cha." Len: "Jerky." He blames that on Allison, his dance partner for "lacking content." He gets 7s from Carrie Ann and Len and 8s from the Julianne and Bruno. Total: 30 Grade: B-plus
Sadie Robertson (reality star/jazz/"She's Country") - She is almost guaranteed a top 5 spot given the popularity of "Duck Dynasty" and her natural fluidity and acting ability. Mark Ballas had to make a pure Jason Aldean country song into a jazz piece. It doesn't quite work that way but he always bring a lot of fun to the choreography. Carrie Ann: "I thought you killed it." Len: "Jazz and country dancing didn't quite gel for me." Julianne: "You hit it hard." She gets 8s from three and 7's from Len for 31. Grade: B plus/A-minus.
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