Dancing with the Stars, Episode 3: Jive Talkin’

Previously on Dancing with the Stars, the female celebrities did the rumba while the men performed the quickstep. Critiques were given, scores were tallied, and Trista Sutter, who was paired with professional dancer Louis van Amstel, was the first star eliminated from the competition.

Before we jump into tonight’s performances, I want to share some information that I learned during the past week. In my preview article, I said that the individual who wins the competition would only receive a trophy for his or her victory; however, according to an interview with Kelly Monaco at www.tvguide.com, “everyone got a lump sum of money up front” so technically, all of our stars get some type of compensation for their participation.

Now that that is out of the way and my dog is by my side to help me mellow, let’s get started! Our co-hosts Tom Bergeron and Lisa Canning explain that tonight, the dancers will be performing either the tango or the jive. Tom says, “Let the sequined showdown commence!” Our celebrities are introduced and unlike during the previous weeks’ openings, their professional dance partners are also introduced. Their exclusion from the introductions was really bothering me, so I’m happy with this change.

Tom states that the judges are looking for particular actions and emotions in the tango and jive. First, the tango, which was originally a dance performed between a showgirl and a cowboy, must be passionate. It must also include slow and deliberate walks, and sharp head snaps. Next, the jive is energetic and fast paced. It involves leg flicks with pointed toes and fast turns.

Our first couple of the evening is Edyta Sliwinska and Evander Holyfield. In order to prepare for tonight’s performance, the duo visits a jive club. During the course of the evening, one of Evander’s fans asks him for a dance, and being the gentleman that he is, he obliges. He says that last week was a setback, but tonight will be a comeback. For their performance, they will be doing the jive to “Reet Petite.”

I give Evander credit for giving ballroom dancing a shot; however, it seems like a lot of his moves look the same from week to week and dance to dance. Also, his performance this evening isn’t smooth or controlled. He does appear to have fun though and the dance is certainly energetic.

The judges are ready with their critiques. Our first judge Len Goodman says that the jive needs to be crisp like a pickled onion, but Evander’s performance was lumpy instead. It is hard to hear what he says at this point because the audience is booing, but I believe he states that Evander needs to go because he isn’t a dancer. Ouch! Carrie Ann Inaba is next with her evaluation. She says that Evander is too heavy on his feet. Bruno Tonioli finishes by saying that Evander is a cool guy, but his moves weren’t sharp. The judges really don’t have a chance to say much because Tom is moving them along quickly tonight. After moving backstage with Lisa, Evander receives his scores. Carrie gives him a five, while Len and Bruno each give him a four. His total is 13 points out of 30. When asked what he thinks of the judges’ critiques, Evander simply says that he respects their opinions.

The next couple to trip the light fantastic is Rachel Hunter and Jonathan Roberts. After coming in next to last the previous week, Rachel says that she is worried she isn’t getting many votes from the viewers; however, the real issue seems to be with her leading. Jonathan tries many different techniques to break her of this habit. Will she be able to overcome this problem and wow not only the judges, but the viewers at home as well?

We’ll find out as Rachel and Jonathan do the tango to “Toxic.” Their routine opens with Rachel doing a split while Jonathan moves her down a set of steps. Her flexibility and agility amaze me. Their routine is very passionate and Rachel seems to be doing what is required of the dance.

Len critiques the dance by saying that Rachel’s performance was passionate and aggressive, and that the choreography was also beautiful. Carrie states that she loves Rachel’s lines, but that she lost it for a second during the routine. Bruno says that the dance was sexy and agrees that Rachel has great lines. This translates into an eight from Carrie and a nine from both Len and Bruno. Rachel’s total is 26 points out of 30. Backstage, Lisa encourages everyone to vote as Rachel begs for the viewers’ votes.

Kelly Monaco and Alec Mazo are next with their routine. Kelly states that she was prepared for elimination the previous week; since she wasn’t, she feels a lot of pressure not to let people down now. Alec says that it is hard to get ready for the competition in only one week.

Tonight, they will be doing the jive to “Footloose.” During the routine, Kelly and Alec stand side by side as they do some leg flicks. Alec is moving his hands and arms, while Kelly doesn’t seem to know what to do with hers. This makes her moves look too intentional. When they are dancing together as opposed to side by side, however, her moves are smoother. Despite a few missteps, the couple does well. What do the judges think?

Bruno likes that she takes their advice and uses it to improve her dancing. Len feels that the jive suits her and that it was a great routine. Carrie says that Kelly is a firecracker and that this has been her best week so far. On a more negative note, she doesn’t think that Kelly feels the music. The judges are now ready with their scores; Carrie, Len, and Bruno give Kelly a six, seven, and eight respectively. She has a total of 21 points. Lisa asks Kelly what her reaction is to her scores and Kelly says, “We got out of the teens!”

Next are Charlotte Jorgensen and John O’Hurley. John says that the celebrity to watch out for is Joey; he may make a big move at any time. Charlotte threatens John when he makes a mistake, but he is understanding and knows why she is the way she is.