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And the 10's Just Keep On Coming!
I'll admit, after the ballroom round, Marie had me thinking I should be backing her for the third spot in the finals. Then she did her mambo and I remembered why I wasn't. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't as polished as it should be. She still manages to look spastic when she needs to be looking flawless.
Then I saw Jennie's cha-cha and I really knew I was right to want her in the finals with Mel and my Helio. Her technique is superior to Marie's and, despite her lack of confidence at times, she still carries herself better while dancing. I don't know how to explain it, something doesn't look right when Marie tries to do a latin dance. She is the most entertaining, as Len said, but I don't think it's enough to win this competition.
Regardless, I don't think neither Marie nor Jennie can beat Mel or my Helio. Perfect 30's for both of their dances? Unstopable! Right now I kind of want both Jennie and Marie to step aside and let them battle it out! If Perfect 30's don't get them to the finals, then the fans really failed them. Please vote for them...the scores are close enough that no one is really safe.
I really don't know what else to say. We don't have an easy choice to make. The big question is, can you put aside your like or dislike for a certain person and vote solely on skill alone? It's tough to be objective, isn't it? I've read so many negative comments about Mel B. Like it or not, she's a great dancer. One may think she's annoying, but that's not what we're judging here. Likewise, we're not judging Jennie for her beauty or Helio for his hypnotizing smile or Marie for her bubbly personality. Are they cutting it on the floor or aren't they? That's what you have to consider when you cast those votes. Ok, and maybe just a little bias can go into it!
It all comes down to tomorrow night when the most incredible thing will happen: Michael "Lord of the Dance" Flatley will finally take the stage. Yes! Oh, and someone will get the boot. Who's going to the end game? See you tomorrow night after we find out. Now get voting!
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Nov 19, 2007 10:00 PM
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Krista, darlin', I know you probably dashed this out while still flushed with excitement at all the great dancing on the show tonight, but you might want to make sure you use spell-check religiously. ('unstobable' and 'hipnotizing' for unstoppable and hypnotizing?)
Anyway, I still cannot warm up to Jennie. I credit her with great dancing and lots of improvement over the season but, to me, she has exactly the opposite problem that you seem to see in Marie. Better precision, but not enough "life" or "abandon". Something doesn't look right when she does a latin dance because she doesn't communicate heat or passion or emotion.
Other than our difference there, I completely agree that the final two couples should be Helio and Mel, far and away.
I have watched every season of DWTS and I am truly impressed with the level of talent, improvement and quality performance that this year's stars and professional dancers have brought us. Congratulations to every one of them, even the ones that left much earlier.
Bring on an all-star season or a new season SOON!
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Nov 19, 2007 11:20 PM
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I just think that the female celebrities really have it much harder. During the dances, I try and focus on the celebrities and not the professional dancers. The women do all the stunts and the tricks. I like Helio, but I disagree with Len, Helio and Julianne were not the stand out couple. Sorry... Marie did more tricks than Helio.
Did anyone see Julianne/Helio's mistake in the cha cha? Her leg did not completely go through... they covered it up pretty well.
I really liked Jenny's cha cha, she was really smooth, and so relaxed.. finally she let go of whatever was holding her back.
Mel B. is a hoot!! and a great dancer to boot. Those splits... that was an exquisite Viennese Waltz... simply beautiful.
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Nov 20, 2007 12:24 AM
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Umm, why did Helio get a ten on his second dance when he didn't do anything but let his partner take center stage? The judges should be calling the pro's out on grandstanding like that.
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Nov 20, 2007 12:37 AM
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I thought they were all great tonight! That was probably the best all round show at this point of any season so far.
Marie proved she deserves to be there. Her tricks were great, she looked beautiful and wins hands down for performance talent.
Jennie also stepped it way up. Her lack of confidence didn't show in either performance and she aced them both, especially the Cha Cha. I love Derek's choreography.
Mel undoubtably is a fine dancer, I can't argue that. I can't believe she hauled out yet another pair of pants, they are distracting; inappropriate for the type of dance and they are getting old. We also got to hear her bemoan her jam packed schedule - yet again.
Helio does look better, I'm afraid, because Julie Ann is so great. He is fun to watch and there is no question what he does is amazing for someone with no dance experience.
As far as guessing who will be going home, based on amount of fans, I'd say Jennie; based on who I want to go, Mel; based on who deserves to go, I have NO idea.
I personally would LOVE to see the final two be Marie and Jenny!! That would completely level the playing field and, in my opinion, make it more exciting!
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Nov 20, 2007 1:27 AM
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I thought Mel was pretty sharp tonight. Her Viennese waltz was sensational...fast and spinny, just as it should be. Her paso was good...better than the first time, no doubt. She belongs in the finals.
Helio does benefit from having simply the best female professional on the show, Julianne. I'd say that Helio was pretty darn good. He belongs in the finals.
Jennie was at her best yet. The tango was even better than her so-called "comeback" tango and her cha cha cha was terrific. I loved seeing all the fan support at Disneyland, too, giving her the shot of confidence she needed. She belongs in the finals.
Marie's quickstep was simply her best dance yet, but deserving of a 30? Not a chance. A 27, yes. I feel Marie has been vastly overscored all season and it's frustrated me to no end each time she gets a score way above what I think she merits. Her mambo was mediocre at best. She injects a lot of sass into her dance, but that's not good enough for me. She's fun to watch, but so was Jerry Springer's samba. I hope she finally gets eliminated tomorrow night. If she makes it to the finals, I think the freestyle is where we'll finally see Marie lag behind everyone else in a big way, because there is no way Marie can compete against the athletic acrobatics we'll see from all the lifts and complex choreography done by either Mel or Helio or Jennie. Look at the winning freestyles of the past...Apolo and Julianne's spectacular hip-hop with the shoulder lift at the end...Emmitt and Cheryl's tribute to MC Hammer...Drew and Cheryl's cowboy freestyle to Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy by Big and Rich...and I didn't watch season one, so I don't know what Kelly and Alex did...probably wasn't as good as the others I mentioned...anyway, remember Jerry Rice's freestyle? It really wasn't that good. His immense popularity only got him so far and finally his lack of dancing skills led to defeat. I expect that to be Marie's fate as well.
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Nov 20, 2007 2:26 AM
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I haven't been watching this season much (no dig at the show; there are just other things I'd rather be watching). But I wanted to respond to the second-to-last paragraph of this blog entry. Viewers know they are under no obligation to vote objectively. Producers know it, too. If it was genuinely important to them to choose the best dancer, they'd never let votes from viewers have any part in the outcome. In fact, viewers aren't in any position to vote objectively. The show really pays only the slightest lip service to ideal of objectivity--they know it's a popularity contest, with the dance contest as a framework and a moderating force.
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Nov 20, 2007 4:43 AM
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Loved the show last night but got completely frustrated when I tried to vote. I just couldn't get through for Helio or Mel B. Then when I did get through at like 9:55, I got a recording that said the voting for me area was closed. I thought we had 30 minutes after the show ended?? Oh well...guess that's the way it goes..
I think Mel and Maks and Helio and Julianne should definitely be in the finals. Marie is a great entertainer but as she showed in her mambo - her dancing is kind of all over the place. There is no polish to it. In regards to Jennie, I just don't see why everyone is voting for her. She seems really nice but her dances really lack the spark that the other 3 stars are showing. I was totally bored through her Cha cha cha.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that Helio and Mel B will make it through tonight!
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Nov 20, 2007 8:02 AM
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The judges did what they always do at this point: over score everyone. Mel B's paso last night was not better than her first one, and the whip was a clumsy prop. Everyone who yelled about Sabrina's unfair advantage should be screaming bloody murder about Mel B right about now. Max, on the other hand, smokin' hot! Helio's first dance showed some skill on his part, but as others have said, he simply stood around while Julianne did all the work in the second round. SHE got 10s from the judges--an awesome dance--but he twirled her around every once in a while and grinned a lot. He has nowhere near the talent of past male winners like Drew. I think it is HE who will flounder in the freestyle round. I was impressed with Jenny's progress last night, but I don't think she has the fan base to make it to the finals. I actually think Marie will excel in the freestyle round if she makes it to the finals. It should be an exciting night.
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Nov 20, 2007 8:21 AM
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Mel's waltz was breathtaking. That was sheer beauty on the dance floor. She got all my votes and I pray that she has enough support.
I'm sorry - I don't see Helio's dancing skills. I feel like Julianne dances like a dervish around him and he jumps off the stage and holds her hand and occasionally moves his feet.
But Mel dances beautiful, difficult choreography with flair and grace.
Go Mel and Maks!
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Nov 20, 2007 8:40 AM
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Debaloo - same thing happened to me. at 8:55 central I was told that voting for my time zone had closed. Could've sworn I had voted at or after 9:00 p.m. in previous weeks but I could be wrong.
Marie - I'm frustrated b/c when she is actually allowed to dance I think she is great! But apparently the latin dances are not Jonathan's forte as a choreographer. When the judges say "lacking in content" each week, that doesn't mean more tricks and cutesy vamping. Let the girl dance!
Jennie - Continues to improve each week. I was really impressed with some of her technique and wouldn't be broken-hearted if she made the final 2.
Helio - Yes, the guys have it easier - especially when you have a dancer/choreographer like Julianne. But I specifically watched him last night and he has really good technique and is allowed to do much more than some of the other male competitors in this - and other - seasons. If Julianne can have him showcase just a little more like she did Apolo and Cheryl did with Drew Lachey, he could win this, although.....
Mel to me has been the most consistant throughout the season and I would hate to see her lose out because another contestant suddenly ramped it up in the last few shows. The one criticism I do have of M&M is about the endings, and sometimes even the beginnings, of their dances. Yes, this is supposed to be fun, but while the other dancers were putting exclamation marks on their dances with distinctive, and often hard-to-hold, poses, last night M&M just did something goofy and stopped dancing and started laughing. And what the heck was that with Maks just throwing her off of him at the end of paso doble? For a second there I think he thought he had actually hurt her. Just my .2
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Nov 20, 2007 8:59 AM
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Last nights show was a good one! I personally like Jennie and think that she should go to the finals. I think that she has grown a lot over the season and her dances are definitely showing it. I like Marie as an entertainer, she is good at that, I don't think she has what it takes though to win the trophy. I think the only reason Marie is still in the competition is due to 1.) her large family and 2.) too many sympathy votes (please don't get me wrong, I feel bad for her and all that she has endured this season, I just don't feel that she should get votes because of it). She is lacking in the technique. Helio and Julianne are great and I think they could take it home. I personally don't care much for Mel B dancing but I do like Maks. I would love to see Jennie and Helio duke it out for the trophy.
I have learned a lot from this show and find it interesting to be able to spot the flaws in the dancing much like the judges do and because of that I feel that tonight Marie will be going home.
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Nov 20, 2007 9:28 AM
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Marie - Latin dances definitely don't come easy to her. She just can't do the required hip rotations w/o struggle. Her 1st dance, the quickstep, was very good.
Jennie - During her 1st dance, I remember saying out loud "Now that was tight." Her rotations were fabulous. Her 2nd dance was awesome. I was so proud of her. Loved her costume, music and choreography. Derek did a great job.
Helio - His 2nd dance was my fave, along with Jennie's 2nd dance.
Mel - Although her travelling splits were amazing, I didn't think they should've been included in a waltz. But what do I now?! I'm no dance expert. Sometimes, Maks' ego gets on my nerves but OMG, can he move!! That man is so fine!!
It was great seeing Len giving tips to all of the dancers. At this stage of the competition, the details are so important.
I think Marie should be the one to go tonight. Both Marie and Jennie are inconsistent but when they're good, I think Jennie is a bit better. To me, there's no obvious winner b/w Helio and Mel. I think it'll come down to who has the biggest fan base. I tried to vote for Helio last night but couldn't get through. Oh well, guess that means many more people were voting for him.
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Nov 20, 2007 9:38 AM
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Sorry, Grammar Queen comment here: "I don't think neither" is a double negative.
I truly don't have a clear-cut choice for the winner this season. I usually go for a combination of skill, personality and attitude, but no one person has put all three together this season. Whoever wins, I'll be okay with it, but I won't have the sense that yes, the person who truly deserved it won.
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Nov 20, 2007 9:48 AM
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After reading some of the other comments, many of you are right about Marie - technically she really isn't that good in the latin dances, but I guess I'm so happy to see her move for once instead of vamp I guess I overlook it! But she does remind me of the likes of Debby Reynolds and Ann Miller in the ballroom dances.
Someone also mentioned some people still complaining about Mel B's previous experience, and I want to reiterate as so many others have done: you might have experience in one genre of dance but that hardly makes you a pro in all of them. While I'm certainly no expert on the Spice Girls, I don't remember them pulling off anything like some of the elegant, almost ballet-like moves Mel B did in that waltz. And remembering her youthful boisterousness I don't know if Sabrina could have? Yet they both have all this dance "experience." Marie has done profesional tours of stage musicals and danced on her variety show. Jane was a ballerina in her youth. Most of the actors on these show are going to have had dance training at one point or another as part of their training as an actor. The athletes are used to pushing their bodies, etc.........
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Nov 20, 2007 10:01 AM
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