This week, the guys are doing the Quick Step, the gals are tackling the Mambo.

Apolo & Julianne (aka Ken & Barbie): They look great together, and their quick step had lots of energy and grace. As the youngest competitors, it’s no surprise that they held their stamina throughout the dance, and did a great job.

Len: You’re gonna stay for weeks and weeks!
Bruno: This was so fresh and uplifting…a dancing tonic
Carrie Ann: They left me nothing to say (then, shut up!). You guys were perfectly in sync, watch the sliding.

8, 9, 9 for a 26 out of 30 Combined score from last week’s show: 47

Shandi & Brian: Miss USA was bossing around her partner in the rehearsal footage, calling him “Banana Boy” and “Girlie Man”….hmmm, that doesn’t bode well for their chemistry. Sure enough. she was stiff and awkward on the floor, and her arms seemed to be flailing with nothing to do at several points during the performance.

Carrie Ann: Well, I think you look beautiful, but I didn’t think there was anything special about it. You lost your spot alot.
Len: I thought your footwork was very good, you had difficult choreography, but you forgot to come out and really sell it.
Bruno: You should forget about Barbie and turn into a Brat. There were good moments, but not quite as good as it could be.

6, 7, 7 for 20 out of 30 Combined score: 39 out of 60

Clyde & Elena: Another giraffe-like contestant. He looked awkward and gangly in the rehearsal footage, and it was just as bad once he got out on the dance floor. He reminds me of Lurch from The Addams Family.

Bruno: David & Goliath rewriting history! (huh) Still a long way to go, but stepping in the right direction.
Carrie Ann: You travel across the floor so well, a real crowd pleaser. Well done.
Len: You’ve got so many problems when you’re so tall and your partner is so short, but you overcame them. Well done. (Ugh…were they watching the same show I was?)

6, 6, 6 for an 18 out of 30 Combined score: 34 out of 60

Leeza & Tony: Leeza Gibbons celebrated her 50th birthday by dancing the mambo at her party, which she said gave her confidence to do it front of a live audience tonight. She looks great in a sexy red dress, but I find her embarrassed smiles and mugging for the camera annoying and distracting.

Len: I hope I look like you when I’m 50. (ha ha…the fossil made a joke!) You broke on the second beat, I thought it was very very good, just a tad careful.
Bruno: You did a proper mambo, but like a debutante on the first date, but you should have been a tramp.
Carrie Ann: Happy Birthday! That was fantastic. I love seeing people laugh while they’re dancing.

7, 7, 7 for a 21 out of 30 Combined score: 36 out of 60

Ian & Cheryl: Ian kept kicking himself in the shins during the quick step rehearsal. Klutzy, no? How adorable was Ian’s Dad, admiring Cheryl being light on her feet but having no comment on Ian’s dancing? Aww, and now he’s talking about his dead mom. He definitely gets the sympathy vote tonight, no matter how his dance turns out. I thought they did great, but I hated Cheryl’s hair extensions…I prefer her cute, sassy & short style.

Carrie Ann: You looked so much more relaxed this week. You still have so much more potential, I’d love to see it come out.
Len: It was a great performance, work on your frame, it was a bit skippy and hoppy, but it was a great performance.
Bruno: Your elbow was a bit low, it was like watching a bunny rabbit–but it was a MINOR thing (ooh, Mr. Tonoli shouting down the booers…he yells like a girl)

7, 8, 7 for a 22 out of 30 Combined score: 43 out of 60

Paulina & Alec: The Czech model is having trouble finding her “inner Latina”, and is petrified of the “death drop” dance move. She survived the move during her live performance, but was awkward and stilted in her moves.

Bruno: All in all, it was quite good. Let it go even more, you’ll get better.
Carrie Ann: You’ve got great extension, beautiful flexibility, so use that. You were looking pretty sexy.
Len: You came out having fun, it was a bit sort of stiff and stodgy (yes, it was, people, STOP BOOING)

7, 7, 7, for a 21 out of 30 Combined score: 40 out of 60

Billy Ray & Karina: They played the “Look, he’s Hannah Montana’s Dad” card big time in the rehearsal footage, but he also gave a solid performance on the dance floor. I thought the laidback Johnny Cash song was off-pace with the quick step.

Len: You came out crazy, but calmed down and the rest of it was perfectly ordinary and very very good.
Bruno: The difference in a week is beyond belief. I’m not sure of the Riverdance at the end, but I’m overlooking that.
Carrie Ann: I vote you the most improved dancer from last week.

7, 7, 7 for a 21 out of 30 Combined score: 43 out of 60

Heather & Jonathan: They’re trying to play up Heather’s charity work to make her more likable, but it’s going to take more than that to win me over. She came out all trampy and glammed up for the mambo, and did a decent job. I was surprised the judges didn’t chastise her for the walkover maneuver, but it was impressive, I’ll give her that.

Carrie Ann: What in the world?! You did a back walk over!! You nailed it and you had fun. That was great.
Len: I was worried about you doing such a fast dance, but it was better than your fox trot. It was great.
Bruno: Beyond any expectations, you were red hot Heather.

8, 8, 8 for a 24 out of 30 Combined score: 42 out of 60

John & Editya: Poor old John found the quick step a challenge, so Editya added in some karate moves to liven things up (he takes karate lessons). His footwork wasn’t half bad, and he managed to keep up pretty well. Editya also “sold it” with her big kicks and flowing green dress.

Bruno: That proved that there is plenty of life in the old wolf. You got the character of the dance spot on. You sold it!
Carrie Ann: You got off to a slow start, but by the end, you pulled it all together and gave it pizazz.
Len: John’s an actor, a thespian, so instead of learning the lines, you learned the steps, you came out and you did it. Well done!

7, 7, 7 for a 21 out of 30 Combined score: TKTKTK

Laila & Maxsim: She’s still my favorite…I love how she has ego-centric Maxsim worried about HIS muscles. This doofus thinks it’s all about him…yeah, right. No one is looking at his arms, especially when Laila vows to show her “Hot, Spicy side”. Boy, did she ever! Her mambo was fantastic, and she had the most self-confidence of any of the dancers out there. It’s her competition to lose, at this point.

Len: It had rhythm, great moves, you really sold it…it was the best mambo we saw tonight
Bruno: The mistress of the art of seduction. Simply irresistble.
Carrie Ann: That was HOT. Hot hot hot hot.

9,9,9 for a 27 out of 30 Combined score: 50 out of 60

Joey & Kym: He claimed to be feeling the pressure of being in first place after last week, but Joey seemed a little cocky and oversure of himself during rehearsal. They kept the pace well, and worked the entire dance floor, but I thought the performance was a little manic.

Carrie Ann: I expect you to give us the complete package, and you did. You guys are a really good team.
Len: It was light, bright, fast-moving. You had a couple of little foot things that happened, but it was a very strong performance.
Bruno: Once you took hold, you took off like a rocket, and you sold it.

8, 8, 8 for a 24 out of 30 Combined score: 48 out of 60