'Dancing' recap: Shake it, baby
Ann Oldenburg is on assignment in London.
Romeo took us back to the day he became Romeo: the day he saw Titanic as an 8-year-old. Not surprisingly, he picked Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On for his waltz with Chelsie Hightower. The two were outfitted in Jack-and-Rose finery. Carrie Ann: "Every once in a while in a season, magic happens. That was magical. You get emotionally connected to the dance that I get completely transported." Score: 28 (the highest score for anyone this season).
Chelsea Kane couldn't quite get on board with Mark Ballas' competitive fire. He didn't like her "can't we all get along?" responses so he tested her competitive will with a water fight. It seems to have worked: she proclaimed, "Romeo? Jericho? Don't mess with the Disney kid 'cause I'm not as sweet as I look." The two suited up in nerd gear for their quickstep to Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves. "You recovered nicely from the dress rehearsal injury," Tom told Mark, who twisted his ankle and had been icing it since. Len: "You managed to fuse high energy with control. That's not an easy thing to do." Carrie Ann: "Sometimes magic happens twice!" Score: 28 (tying them with Romeo)
Hines Ward and Kym Johnson were assigned the Viennese Waltz this week, and their song was Boyz II Men's End of the Road, which prompted the Super Bowl winner to admit he'd wanted to be in that band. "Anytime that song comes on, I sing it in the shower until I can't sing it anymore." Hines also stated he'd been practicing at home, drawing football-style plays and "replacing Kym with a pillow." The pink-clad pair began and ended their waltz in a chair swing. Bruno: "As a performer, it was pure pleasure from start to finish. The chemistry you have with Kym -- it really is flawless. You're made for each other, like two birds in love." Carrie Ann wondered whether Hines was thinking too much rather than feeling the dance. Score: 27
Kirstie Alley and Maksim Chmerkovskiy were the first couple of the night, decked out in bronze, dancing a samba to Britney Spears' (Hit Me Baby) One More Time. There was rump shaking. And there was chest shaking, which may have been an unintended birthday present for the chest fruit-obsessed Len Goodman, who led off the judgment. "This season has been a misadventure," which he then proceeded to outline. "One week, you collapsed ... Then your shoe fell off and really, you never fulfilled the potential I saw in Week One ... until today. It had rhythm, great technique, great choreography ... Right up my alley." Bruno: "Your wiggly bum sent shockwaves through the airwaves!" Carrie Ann: "You're back." Score: 26 (their highest score thus far)
Kendra Wilkinson followed Chris Jericho's lead when it came to being honest. When partner Louis van Amstel told her to shake all that God gave her in their samba, she pointed out, "My boobs aren't what God gave me." The two picked Ricky Martin's Livin' La Vida Loca and decked themselves out in yellow. Not only did Kendra shake everything that God and the plastic surgeon gave her, but she did it on the judges' table. Tom Bergeron noted that, "for (Len's) birthday, you almost gave him a heart attack." Bruno: "Ladies and gentlemen, DWTS presents Revenge of the Stripper, Act 1: The Attack of the Killer Boobs!" Tom then took the liberty of showing his own guilty pleasure: The video for Elton John's I'm Still Standing, featuring one scantily clad, gyrating Bruno Tonioli. (See for yourself) Score: 25
Ralph Macchio was eager to climb out from the bottom of the leader board. Karina Smirnoff decided to drop some Karate Kid moves into their paso doble, done to C&C Music Factory's Everybody Dance Now. The dance got off to a rough start when he missed a catch and Karina fell. But they recovered well, and you have to give the nearly 50-year-old Macchio props for sliding across the dance floor on his knees. Carrie Ann: "Ralph-san, Mr. Miyagi would be very proud of you for getting right back up." The pair then braced, expecting harsh words from Len, who instead congratulated Ralph: "You pulled Karina up, got her back on her feet right away and didn't mess about. You got right back into the dance. You had fire and passion. I'm proud of you." Score: 24
Chris Jericho came right out and corrected partner Cheryl Burke when she announced that their guilty-pleasure song would be Journey's Don't Stop Believin'. "It's a guilty pleasure for most. I love this song. The pair leathered up for the tango. Bruno: "It was cold, uneventful and clumsy." Carrie Ann: "You're not having fun this week. It was technically sound, it was tight, it was clean. But it wasn't exciting. It wasn't passionate. It was tango! It was Don't Stop Believin'! You're supposed to live up to the hype and I don't feel like you did that this week." Len begged to differ: "You had good hold, you had good posture. Your footwork was good. It did lack a bit of intensity. Overall, I thought you did an excellent job." Score: 22
See photos of: Dancing with the Stars
Nicole Scherzinger Autumn Reeser Avril Lavigne Miranda Kerr Scarlett Chorvat
