Dancing with the Stars Season 9 Week 3 Performances Recap

Week 2 found the point spread between the celebrity couples very close. Dancing with the Stars launches week 3 with the rumba and the samba. The stars are starting to develop confidence and their own sense of style. Tonight begins to separate the dancers ferom the wannabes.

Head Judge Len Goodman is back in the middle chair this week after missing last week. Some of the stars were glad of it while others were not. Host Tom Bergeron quipped after one particularly low score given by Goodman that viewers would find the “Bring Back Baz Luhrmann website” on their screens.

Couples Dancing the Rumba

Mark DaCascos and Lacey Schwimmer - All three judges agreed that the pair lacked any real chemistry in spite of the quality of performance being high. It started well but ended somewhat anticlimactic. Score 18

Louie Vito and Chelsie Hightower- In direct opposition to Mark and Lacey, Louie and Chelsie oozed chemistry. Bruno and Carrie Ann were impressed but Len called the dance, wild, lacking finesse and hectic. I disagree and felt it should have scored much higher. And my opinion has little to do with the fact that it was danced to Total Eclipse of the Heart, one of my personal favorites. Score 20

Donny Osmond and Kym Johnson – Carrie Ann said Donny displayed a genuine vulnerability while Len said it was a great job. The fodder for the tabloids came Bruno said it was too airy-fairy and dared Osmond to go for it. At this point Osmond rushed the judges table, took Bruno in an embrace and dipped him, twice. When the ruckus died down, Osmond joked that after that he wouldn’t be allowed to return to Utah. Score 21

Mya and Dmitry Chaplin – Tonight’s leader, this pair danced a mesmerizing rumba that put all of America in the mood for love. Head judge Len Goodman felt differently, complaining that the number relied on trick after trick. In spite of 10’s from his fellow judges, he awarded the pair a 7. Score 27

Natalie Coughlin and Alec Mezo – Ending up second for the evening, these two sizzled in an expressive rumba that exuded chemistry. It was gorgeous, daring and reached stratospheric heights. Score 26

Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff – Carter’s movements were overly exaggerated, making him seem to flail wildly at times. Without the fluidity needed to glide from one movement to the next the performance was not enough to keep the pair at the top of the leader board. Score 21

Couples Dancing the Samba

Melissa Joan Hart and Mark Ballas – Ending with the same score as last week, Melissa showed improvement. She still shows her fear while dancing and lost timing a couple of times.  Score 19

Joanna Krupa and Derek Hough –Full of excitement and lightness, this dance showed Joanna to be fearless. A couple of unsteady moment didn’t keep Len from thinking the number had quality stamped all over it. With such high praise, host Tom Bergeron wondered if Len’s absence last week was due to his attendance at marshmallow camp.  Score 23

Debi Mazar and Maksim Chmerkovskiy – This dance was precisely executed and cute but never ignited as a samba should. Instead of fun and bouncy, it was a tad safe. Score 17

Michael Irvin and Anna Demidova – I thought the number was boring and so did the judges, giving it the lowest score of the night though I didn’t feel t deserved that. Terms used to describe it be the judges were “going in reverse,” and “dance like a tank” from Bruno, From Carrie Ann, for such a big man, “you’re dancing too small.” Len simply called it disappointing. Score 14

Kelly Osbourne and Louis Van Amstel – Technically very good, some wonderful sections but Kelly’s confidence is still a factor. Though much stronger this week, she still struggles to keep focused because of her confidence. I thought it was a great comeback from last week’s train wreck. Score 20

Chuck Liddell and Ann Trebunskaya –The judges struggled to find words to describe the fighter’s dance style. Bruno may have stated it best when he suggested that if Zombieland were made into a musical, this number would be featured. Score 17

Tom DeLay and Cheryl Burke – Tom got big play out of the fact that he now has two stress fractures, one in each foot. They waited till almost the end of the night to announce if he would even continue in the competition against the advice of his doctors and the Dancing with the Stars producers. He danced and judges scored him accordingly. Although he showed great courage, the dance was lacking in excitement and technique. Voters will be the reason he stays if he doesn’t decide to drop out. Score 15

Tomorrow night’s results show will have another The Macy’s Stars of Dance number and the featured guest performer is none other than Queen Latifah. Given the high score, I would bet Mya and Dmitry will be asked to reprise their rumba. Regardless of his low score, Michael Irvin’s fans will keep him on the show as will Tom Delay’s unless he chooses to drop out. As far as who is going home tomorrow night, I’m picking Debbie Mazar.