What the Lift is Going on Here?

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Cameron! Cameron Mathison, Edyta Sliwinska by Carol Kaelson/ABC

Episode Recap: "Week Four"

Did the foot touch the floor? Who cares! I love the lift. Carrie Ann was digging her grave with the audience by calling out Jane Seymour, Jennie Garth and company. I consider a lift to be something over the shoulder... like Dirty Dancing! Let the people lift, I say.

Here is my main problem with the show: of the two dances each performance night, one is always more exciting than the other. How can you expect me to be wowed by a waltz when the Paso Doble is setting the floor on fire? Is it just me? What do my loyal readers think? I think it would probably get boring if everyone did the same dance, though, so I really have no solution to my problem.

Tonight's Best

Our first perfect score went to Sabrina Bryan. I must say it was well-deserved. She set the bar very high for the night and though some came close, Sabrina has shown she is the front-runner in this competition. At this point, I have no idea if anyone can beat her!

Where did Cameron Mathison come from? This was his first stand-out dance, so the Superman theme song was the perfect fit for him. It was good to see someone who hasn't really done much so far come out with guns blazing. Will he keep it together?

Jennie Garth is heating up! What I like about Jennie is, unlike Sabrina, she has to really work for it. Sure, Sabrina continues to amaze me, but Jennie is improving week to week and that is exciting. The latin dances suit her well. She is a long shot for the win, but upsets have been known to happen.

Bad Songs Say So Much

"Piano Man" for the elegant Viennese Waltz? What was Jane Seymour supposed to do with that? Of course she danced it beautifully and her knack for the graceful came in handy, but the song kind of ruined it for me. Why don't they just give them traditional songs? I know they want to make things a bit more mainstream, but it doesn't help.

Not that I cared what song they gave Mark Cuban, but "Mr. Bojangles" was pretty bad. And that little soft shoe bit in the dance should have been more of a rule violation than the lifts. It was a clear violation of the "never ever do that again" rule. It's a real rule, look it up!

No one should be more mad about the songs than Sabrina Bryan! Luckily "You Spin Me Round" didn't take away from the power and passion of her Paso Doble. Again, what's wrong with the traditional songs?

Oh, There Were Other Dancers?

I say that with the utmost respect for my Helio. I was upset he didn't dance the Paso Doble. The Waltz was such a snooze it was hard for me to get into his dance. Of course he did great, but there was no excitement. Not your fault, Helio! Oh, but what was that "wipe the mouth" thing in the dance? Did that make anyone else say, "What the...?"

Marie Osmond's Viennese Waltz was not as boring as the others, but only because her outfit was so wacky that I chuckled through most of it. I couldn't figure out what look they were trying to achieve. Again, not horrible in the technique department, but just blah. I blame the snore-inducing moves yet again!

Mel B had her worst dance of the competition. She scored a 26, and I still thought it was the worst — that's how good she is! I thought she looked tense and uncomfortable. The faster dances are her strong suit, so I hope she gets one of those next week! She has pulled off the fancy dances, but she was meant to shake it Scary Spice style!

Floyd Mayweather did improve tonight, but I still find his dancing very stiff and rigid. It just doesn't look natural for him, and that's sad. It's very evident how badly he wants this, so I am definitely rooting for him, but I'm worried he won't get another chance. That red light is coming for someone!

So Week Four wasn't so great for a lot of dancers. The scores don't reflect it, but I just didn't feel the fun in the ballroom tonight. Are you with me? Let me know what you think, and don't forget the results show. See you then!

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Posted by

Krista Ciallella

Oct 15, 2007 10:32 PM

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I really enjoyed the show tonight. I think most of the dancers have shown great improvement already and it is only week 4. Here is what I thought of the performances tonight.

Mark and Kym: I thought he danced better than he has in the past. He had a couple missteps, but overall a nice routine. I think he will be one of the bottom two tomorrow night.

Sabrina and Mark: One of my favorite routines of the evening. I loved the passion and fire of their routine. I think they are the couple to beat in this competition.

Jane and Tony: I loved their waltz. Jane is absolutely elegant and graceful. I love watching them dance.

Floyd and Karina: Their routine was pretty good, but not one of my favorites. I liked how it started, but it fizzled and sputtered at times. I think he could be a good dancer, but his attitude gets in his way. I think he will be in the bottom two tomorrow.

Mel and Max: I liked their dance, but I did not love it. I did not feel it graceful and elegant enough for a waltz. I have liked her other performances, but this was not their best performance.

Cameron and Edyta: One of my favorite performances. It was definitely their best performance to date. I was worried when I first heard the song for their dance. I hope he keeps improving and is around for awhile.

Marie and Jonathan: I liked their routine. It was nice to see Marie serene for once. I wish they had a little more content to their routine.

Jennie and Derrick: One of my favorite routines of the evening. She continues to surprise me with how much she has improved since the beginning. I think she will around for awhile!

Helio and Juliane: I liked their waltz the best of all of the other waltz routines. I was so hoping he was going to do the Paso Doble. I glad he is back on track. I love watching him dance!

Here's how I rank the routines based on last night routines:

1. Sabrina and Mark
2. Jennie and Derrick
3. Cameron and Edyta
4. Helio and Juliane
5. Jane and Tony
6. Marie and Jonathan
7. Mel and Max
8. Floyd and Karina
9. Mark and Kym

Posted by Lynn

Oct 15, 2007 11:42 PM

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I agree about the music. It's been bugging me ever since I've started watching the series. It's as if the producers don't believe the audience would "get" the music. But if you watch ice dancing, the music always fits the type of dance.
Posted by tv chick Oct 16, 2007 1:30 AM Report Abuse

I don't normally complain too often about the music because the REALLY out-in-left-field numbers have been rare, but I have to say that tonight's show was predominated by bizarre, barely-qualifying song selections. I agree with whomever said it creates an unfair handicap for the dancers because really jarring music causes a significant distraction and disconnect for enjoying and judging that couple's performance.

It sure seemed like Carrie Ann was PMS-ing tonight! I was astonished at her definition of a lift as something being done to a dancer they couldn't do on their own. While scratching my head I tried to figure out how a person can spin themselves around in a lay-out position whether their feet are dragging or contacting the ground or not! Plus, I've seen a great many moves in dances in this and past seasons that took the woman off her feet a great deal more than a few inches.

Krista, I don't mean to channel Carrie Ann, but I was disappointed in your blog tonight. You may find the waltz and slower dances boring, but it didn't even feel like you even really tried to see any value in them and virtually wrote off half the couples. The fact is that the slow, controlled and graceful movements of the waltz are at least as difficult to perform as any others. In fact, the smoothness and graceful lines of the waltz and foxtrot make it more difficult to hide mistakes and weaknesses than in the more peripatetic, snappier dances. And if you had been paying attention to the lyrics of Helio and Juliane's song, you would have realized that the "wiping the mouth" movement coincided with lyrics about "tasting the moment".

As far as the dancers, I've got nothing against boxers (LOVED Laila Ali last season), and I appreciate how hard Floyd Mariweather has been training and working, but he should praise the gods that he drew the paso doble tonight instead of the waltz because his improvements don't completely obscure the fact that he's a boxer in a dancing costume. His shoulders are still mostly hunched and his body is still tense.

I was disappointed in Marie's performance tonight, but understood it after the big hint she dropped casually in the pre-dance piece. If she has an equilibrium problem, possibly due to an eardrum or inner ear problem, the waltz had to have been a significant challenge, with it's continuous circular and spinning motions. I think Jonathan did a good job of nursing her through it and many of the moves involving him holding her head or neck were probably to give her additional stability and support.

My top three tonight:
Helio and Juliane
Jane and Tony
Sabrina and Mark

Sooooooo close, second tier:
Cameron and Edyta
Jennie and Derrick
Mel B and Max

Bottom trio:
Mark and Kym (worst)
Floyd and Karina (second worst)
Marie and Jonathan (just missed 2nd tier)

Posted by NumberFive'sMom

Oct 16, 2007 3:35 AM

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I thought Sabrina did a good job, but Jennie's paso was better. It was far more controlled and had more of the traditional flavor of the dance, plus Jennie nailed the acting part that's required, something Sabrina didn't quite do. Just like Cameron did too much attack in his tango, Sabrina attacked the paso too much, like the way Vivica did a couple seasons back (who also had the wrong song...It's My Life by Bon Jovi...but I think the beat to You Spin Me Round worked better). Jennie did a much better job of transitioning from slow and soft to hard and fast and the dance flowed better.

I cringed at first when I heard the Superman theme for Cameron's dance, but I quickly realized it was very good music for the paso. The orchestral horns provided the necessary drama and flair this dance requires, and Cameron put on his best performance to date.

Helio did great. It's hard to wow anyone with a waltz, especially when contrasted with the power and majesty of the paso doble, but I thought Helio did a marvelous job.

Floyd simply sucked. I'm sorry, but his scores should have been much lower. He was clumsy and oafish and lacked proper form the whole dance, except when he did the flying leap. Karina did her best, and she covered for him as well as she could, but I couldn't stand Floyd's performance. He should go next.

I laughed reading some of that troll's comments about how DWTS is trashy. Say what? This is easily the classiest reality competition program out there. It's helped popularize ballroom dancing in a way like never before.

Posted by FrenchCelt

Oct 16, 2007 3:47 AM

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It seems to me that in the past seasons, the first time a lift was done the contestants were warned not to do it again. Last night was week four and NOW they decide effective immediately there are no lifts allowed? What they were criticizing looked innocent compared to some of the lifts in the previous 3 weeks. Does anyone else think Carrie Ann's crankiness had anything to do with the return of Samantha?

I agree with Kristen that compared to the Paso Doble the Viennese Waltz is a snooze. I thought it would be easier if they paired two slower dances one week and two faster dances the next week but realized that that would make the slow nights terribly boring.

I was disappointed that Helio did not do the Paso Doble but I believe they are told what dance they have to do and the Waltz was picked for him to give the other guys a fighting chance. It's an unfair handicap but it's been that way since the beginning.

Posted by reality junkie

Oct 16, 2007 7:37 AM

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Best waltzes: Jane and Helio (I got the "wipe your mouth" reference, but thought it was just icky, otherwise the dance was elegant and showed a new side of Helio). Best pasos: Jennie (in spite of a terrible song choice) and Cameron. Needs to go: Mark, and unfortunately Floyd soon after, then Marie. I get that Sabrina is great, but last night I didn't think she was that much better than anyone else. Again, I felt Mel B's performance was forgettable - Maks seemed unusually tense during the judges' comments.

I agree that the whole debate over lifts was unnecessary. None of the lifts were flagrant. Carrie Ann just seemed to want to comlpain about something, and Len thought he'd try on the good-guy persona. Whatever. Sometimes the judges seem to think it's all about them.

I have to say Samantha looked fantastic just a few weeks after having a baby, but I miss Drew!

Posted by rushmore

Oct 16, 2007 7:42 AM

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When will we be able to "vote out" the judges? Carrie Ann was so bias and stupid last night that she made me (almost) give up on watching. And what's going on with the 3 judges infatuation with Floyd? He was so bad that it became painful at times to watch his so called improved performance. It's time for him to go home and spend his time preparing for what he is good at, boxing.
Posted by dance4ever Oct 16, 2007 8:13 AM Report Abuse

I have to say I walked away from watching last nights show feeling really cranky about the whole thing. What is normally an enjoyable 90 minutes, wasn't so much last night.

Sabrina's dance once again was technically perfect but I didn't "feel" it. It is also still very apparent that she came into this show on a whole other level and I don't think it's fair. I heard so many people say this last season with Joey Fatone, and with Drew, and with season 1 Joey McIntyre but have not heard it this year with Sabrina.

What was up with the music? Normally I try not to tune it out but last night must have been so bad that it was almost ridiculous!! The American public can "get" ballroom dancing but not the music? I don't buy that.

Samantha Harris was back and UGH!! I'm sure she is a perfectly nice person but I find her grating and she talks to much. She did look amazing. She has her pre-pregnancy body back AND she is back to work only 4 weeks later? ABC is that much of a task master that they wouldn't give her 6 weeks or more? I didn't see many of the scores because I could not tolerate her interviewing portions so once the dances/judging was over, I turned the channel.

Now about the lifts. I don't know if it has ever been told to the viewing audience just what the rules are or aren't. I'm sure however the judges and the dancers have been. I believe Carrie Ann when she says they aren't allowed and if they are done, should be judge accordingly. To *me* a lift is like "Dirty Dancing", over the head, but it sounds like if the feet were off the floor it was a lift. I agree with Carrie Ann being cranky if the rules that were set forth were not being followed.

So now to the good stuff. I loved Jennie's Paso. WOW!! Such feeling and you could tell she really had to work to get to the level she was at. It was so touching to see her hug her husband when it was over.

Helio was sublime in my opinion. His waltz did knock my socks off. I agree it's a lot harder to hide a mistake when the dancer is slower. He looked so graceful and elegant. I just love to watch him dance.

I really liked Mark Cuban's waltz. I think he finally really connected to the music and felt the dance. I see a big improvement over last week. I hope he sticks around another week.

The rest of the dances from there were Ok. I agree Cameron's dance was very good but I found the Superman music too much of a distraction.

For me Marie, Floyd, or Mel B could go and I wouldn't miss them but I think it's more likely to be either Mark or Floyd.

Posted by sarah527

Oct 16, 2007 8:19 AM

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Finally. Thanks dance4ever, for the first realistic appraisal of Floyd's dancing ability. This man was a terrible spectacle last night. When will the judges stop with the pity scores? This is a dance competition, not a self-esteem exercise.
Posted by ko Oct 16, 2007 8:39 AM Report Abuse

Just a few gut reactions: the song selections were more atrocious than they've ever been (and they've been pretty bad in the past)!!! Carrie Ann clearly had some "mood swing" that was jarringly out of place. Mark Cuban and Floyd are both painful to watch...BOTH of them need to go! I enjoyed Jennie's paso more than Sabrina's simply because Jennie is not a professional dancer and Sabrina is. And bravo Cameron...way to step it up!

Posted by steam8

Oct 16, 2007 8:45 AM

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I was so proud of Cameron and Jennie. Great dances.

I think the person(s)who picks the songs should get fired!! "You Spin Me 'Round"? "Mr. Bojangles"? Really??

Carrie Ann was getting on my nerves.

I sure do miss Drew.

I'm getting tired of Floyd's attitude. Did you see him walk out of the after-show interview? I actually felt sorry for Karina, being stuck with him. He gets mad at the judges for the low scores but it seems that it doesn't occur to him that he deserves them b/c he's not a good dancer. He's gotta go tonight.

Posted by zortil

Oct 16, 2007 8:52 AM

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I agree with most of the other posters here - Jennie's Paso was better than Sabrina's, Carrie Ann really needs to get over herself with those "Was that a lift?" comments, and please bring back Drew!

Re the lifts, I'm thinking maybe the dancers were told something different than the judges, cause it'd be one thing if one couple did something they clearly weren't supposed to, but when 4 or 5 of the couples are criticized for doing "lifts," that makes me wonder who explained the rules to them. And I agree with whoever posted earlier talking about C.A.'s explanation of what a lift is: "something you can't do by yourself" - I'm sorry, this is a competition with partners, I didn't think you were supposed to do things "by yourself."

I'm frustrated with how biased the judges seem to be toward Sabrina - I wasn't that wowed by her performance, and certainly didn't think it was worth a 30. No question that she's really good, but I just didn't think it was perfect - especially since they didn't seem to finish in time with the music - did anyone else notice that, or was that just me?

Anywho, here's hoping Mark or Floyd go home tonight, and that the show gets a new musical director (boy some of those songs last night were ridiculous!).

Posted by StarMesa

Oct 16, 2007 9:16 AM

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First of all...Sabrina did NOT deserve her 30. Anyone who remembers the passion and fire that was Mario and Karina's Paso is looking at the judges like...what are you thinking? Jennie's Paso was far better and had the right mood of fast and slow. Plus, Jennie acted the role. All Sabrina does is show power...no character.

Will someone please tell Carrie Ann to be consistant. If she was claiming that theri were lifts this week then there have been lifts every week and have not been called out.

Will someone please get Drew back. It looked like Samantha was showing off her new mommy assets to cover up the fact that she is STILL boring.

Helio and Julianne still light up the screen. I was mesmorized by their waltz. Julianne is one heck of a choreographer.

Cameron..you go Boy! That was your best dance to date and almost as good as Jennie's. I still liked your routine more than Sabrina's.

I do not mean to be a Sabrina hater but it is clear that she has an advantage then the others. It probably looks good to hype her up since since is a Disney Cheetah girl and doesn't Disney own ABC?

Top Pasos:
Jennie Garth
Cameron Mathieson
Sabrina Bryant

Top Waltz:
Helio!
Jane Seymour
Mel B

Posted by jokarwicks

Oct 16, 2007 9:16 AM

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I will continue the theme of not the best show. Let's start with the non-dancers. Isn't Samantha married to one of the producers? I thought she had an in with the show which would explain a lot. I agree with the mommy asset comment. Carrie Ann was very shrewish except for one where she almost cried, was that Cam? If I was Jane I would get the claws out because the heel was on the ground and then to gush over Cameron who slyly said Edyta did all the lifting herself was worse then the Russian judge ever did in an Olympics. Maybe Carrie Ann was a bit jealous she wasn't the only woman out there.
Floyd just looked awkward and the only thing he did decent was the leaping twirl. As he ran to do it there was no grace and any mood he created was lost as the flow stopped so he do the "lifting" finish. I think the judges are afraid he might step over and pop then, hence the nice, but undeserved words.
Jennie's was the best dance in the whole construct of Stars dancing.
After Helio opened so good he seems to me to be treading water. He did step it up, but I thought he wasn't a part of the dance as much as some of you. He is a little like Marie. He has such a big heart and is a happy person he almost seems goofy at times and I felt that during his routine. A bit too much grinning.
Now to Sabrina. If they give points to the old guys I think it is fair to discount points for youthfulness. Her Paso was powerful but for Len to say it was without flaw when they went 2-3 beats past the music's end was a major flaw. Helio got taken to the wood shed in week three for not living up to past performances. We'll have to see if Sabrina is held to the same standard. I cannot help but feel like there is a concerted effort to make sure after three years a man does not win again. Plus, as someone has suggested I wouldn't put it past ABC to 'help encourage' Cheetah Girls with DWTS as a cross promotion. This show is too easy to monkey with when you look at producers picking the dance, the music, who audits the votes, etc. It has been pretty obvious who should go and if Wayne hadn't left last week there may have been a Congressional Inquiry. All in all the show is plodding along.

Posted by inlo1

Oct 16, 2007 10:11 AM

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