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Or, let me put it this way: Will the right three stars make it to the Finals?
So, sorry I didn't update last week...I lost my notes, and it seemed such a foregone conclusion that Aaron was going to be booted instead of Kelly, that I couldn't find the wherewithal to re-watch online and reconstruct my thoughts. This week, it seems just as clear to me that Kelly should (still) go, and I even feel somewhat optimistic that it will actually happen.
Last night each couple danced two full-length routines, and one "knock-out dance" that each had prepared in case they ever ended up in a dance-off. Let's look at each couple at a time, and their chances of getting into the final (not to mention my opinion of whether they should!):
1. Donny and Kym
Donny and Kym didn't have the greatest night. They started with a Tango that has so many footwork errors I was surprised he didn't end up falling on his butt on the dance floor. While they redeemed themselves with their Samba, their "knock-out" Jitterbug was fun and entertaining, without being all that complex or impressive. What Donny has going for him is charm and energy...and his blinding Osmondness. What he doesn't is that he's sometimes sloppy. And his loud (and occasionally weird) vocal outbursts might be a little off-putting. It's like he has Dancer's Tourette's.
Bottom line: Maybe he's the only one whose dancing actually could send him home instead of Kelly, but his blinding Osmondness makes this a near impossibility.
2. Joanna and Derek
Joanna's dances were very strategic this week: Two Latin dances that let her shimmy and shake, meanwhile showing off her speed and fearlessness, plus one ballroom where she got to wear a long gown which hid her most obvious flaw: weak legs that are never quite straight, toes that are never quite pointed. They kicked off with a Viennese Waltz, which featured her long lines and swan-like neck. Her legs were characteristically weak, but you rarely saw that amidst all the pleats and folds. They followed that with an extremely sharp, quick Cha Cha and closed with their "knock-out" Salsa. That Salsa was cute and sexy, but these knock-out dances were so short they all seemed a little light on content...and this one was marred by a very shaky final pose.
Bottom line: I actually think Joanna and Derek may land in the Bottom 2. Never make a bad last impression!
3. Kelly and Louis
Somehow she has become this season's darling, and the judges are really contributing to that...somewhat mysteriously as far as I'm concerned. They started out with a Rumba that had some really challenging moves, but to my mind lacked all of the fluidity and sensuality a Rumba required. Toss in Kelly's rather impassive, even tense, face, and I was not swept away. A Quick Step followed. Frankly, I feel like I was watching a completely different routine than the judges. I saw missed steps and behind the beat steps galore. I was, apparently, alone in that. Finally their "knock-out" Cha Cha closed it out. This was her best routine of the night, although brief. One of her biggest problems is that even when she's dancing well with her feet and body, her face goes in and out of character. One minute she's looking light and fun and full of enthusiasm, the next she's looking serious and tense/nervous. It takes me out of enjoying her routines and makes me worried.
