Last night the ten remaining contestants competed in the jive and tango. And since I don’t feel like doing housework right now, I’ll take the time to offer a full recap!
Adam performed the tango, and – as much as I hate to admit it – I liked it. I thought he did a decent job, though his footwork was flat and plodding at points. But just when I think, “hey, this guy’s not so bad”, he opens his mouth and says something that makes me cringe. Stick to the dancing, Adam, and keep your comments for the radio show.
Cristian performed a jive that made me say, “WOW!” His kicks were astonishing and I was amazed at the sheer pace of that dance. The choreography was amazing and he really brought his “A” game. Definitely one of the top performances of the night.
Jason also performed a jive that was well done. The judges commented on his lines and though I’m not a dancer, I agree. He definitely has some natural talent there. And he’s just so fun to watch. A strong performance, though not his best – but certainly enough to keep him in the competition for one more week.
Kristi performed a tango that was strong technically but didn’t bring me into the emotion as much. I think her hair freaked me out a bit. What was up with that? I know she deserves to get through to the next round, and her scores were very strong – but I hope she can up her game in the future.
Mario & Karina. What can I say? They obviously worked hard, but the performance just didn’t work. There were too many mistakes (which must be pretty obvious if I noticed them) and the song…well let’s just say I didn’t much care for the original recording of “Roxanne”, and when you turn it into tango music it’s not any better. This was not his week. I do think he has enough charm, charisma, and good looks to get him into next week.
Marissa performed a jive which told a cute story, but her dancing just wasn’t as sparkly as her personality. It’s obvious she was disappointed and probably a little hurt by the judges’ comments and scores. The jive should be her dance, and it wasn’t tonight. I fear the bottom two for this little firecracker.
Marlee danced an incredible jive. I noticed a slight hesitancy in her steps – understandable since she can’t hear the music – but if we’re judging her equally, I’m being honest. Still, she is a contender who I believe will go deep into the competition. She has amazing ability and her chemistry with Fabian is undeniable. They seem to really have fun together.
In my humble opinion, Priscilla is truly the dark horse to win this competition. She’s definitely not capable of the high energy of Cristian and Shannon, but she does hold her own in head-to-head competition. I loved the emotion and drama of her tango. Her steps were precise and polished, and she really held herself in character throughout. It was a great dance with lots of passion, and I think she’ll give the other top contenders a run for their money!
Shannon has such a tough time with this because she is a tomboy – and you can see it on the dance floor. She doesn’t have that natural grace and elegance that Kristi and Priscilla have. But she managed to pull it out tonight. She danced a jive that was fun and perky and full of energy and life. Despite the moments of poor form, she danced a great dance, and I expect we’ll see her back next week.
The tango. So out of character for a comic actor. But he did it. It wasn’t spectacular, it wasn’t a show-stopper, but it was good. And you gotta love any guy who prepares to take the slop from the judges by putting on goggles and a bowl helmet. I think he has endeared himself to many of the fans…but I fear it’s not enough to keep him out of the bottom two.
So to whom do we bid adieu tonight? My guess is Marissa.