Even after a night of glamorous costumes and exciting performances, the big story was Billy Ray’s feud with the judges.

BALLROOM ROUND

Ian Ziering & Cheryl Burke — Fox Trot
Song: Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews, "Baby It’s Cold Outside"
Ian looked suave, while still looking like he was having a good time. His charm distracted me from any technical missteps he may have made. But I wasn’t so distracted that I missed Marilu Henner — of Taxi and now America’s Ballroom Challenge fame — seated in the front row.

Len wasn’t impressed, "Smooth is what we want. For me, it was a bit skippy and a bit hoppy." Bruno agreed with Len and said Ian looked "like a jumping goat…jumping around from rock to rock." Carrie Ann focused more on Ian’s top half: "You brought so much exuberance and so much charm to this dance."

Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…8, Len…7, Bruno…7 = 22/30

 

Joey Fatone & Kym Johnson — Waltz
Song: Frank Sinatra, "Always"
Kym’s poofy, pink Disney Princess dress distracted from an otherwise conservative routine. The toned-down Waltz was unexpected from Joey, but it was very pretty.

Bruno didn’t like the new, less flashy Joey: "It looked like a rehearsal. You could be in the final, and this, for me, is not good enough." Carrie Ann agreed: "It was missing the Joey Special." Len — who, last week, asked Joey for less razzle dazzle — was impressed: "You showed us a different side to your character — not just the ‘wham, bam, thank you, ma’am’ type of dancing. Don’t listen to them."

Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…9, Len…9, Bruno…8 = 26/30

Billy Ray Cyrus & Karina Smirnoff — Fox Trot
Song: Tammy Wynette, "Stand By Your Man"
By insisting on making Billy Ray dance to country songs, the producers aren’t allowing him to expand beyond his good-ole-boy boundaries. The performance was okay, but there was nothing special about it.

Carrie Ann, in the night’s most backhanded compliment, said, "I just marvel at the fact that you’re still in the competition." Len said, "You did all the right steps, but unfortunately they were all at the wrong time." Bruno called the performance "deliciously awful," before elaborating: "It was terrible. It was crap!"

Waiting for his scores backstage, Billy Ray said, "I’ve held my tongue the whole time, but I’m gonna go ahead and say it. Bruno callin’ me ‘crap’ is the pot calling the kettle black." And he didn’t look like he was joking.

Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…7, Len…6, Bruno…5 = 18/30

Laila Ali & Maksim Chmerkovskiy — Waltz
Song: Andy Williams, "May Each Day"
Laila looked absolutely stunning in her red dress — and Maks didn’t look so bad either. She performed a lovely spin, and as her dad Muhammad sat in the audience for the first time, she blew a kiss to him. But extended story parts at the beginning and end didn’t leave much time for dancing.

Before the judges offered their comments, Tom Bergeron said, "Every season seems to have a moment, and I think we just saw Season 4’s."

Len said the performance was "poignant," but warned Laila to watch her posture. Bruno told Laila, "You sold it; you did it well." Carrie Ann said, "Tonight, what you brought to the dance floor was emotion. It was true, and it was very profound."

Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…9, Len…9, Bruno…9 = 27/30

Apolo Anton Ohno & Julianne Hough — Tango
Song: Rick Springfield, "Jessie’s Girl"
Just based on the insane song selection, this performance was going to be my favorite. But Apolo & Julianne did the song justice with a slightly faster-than-normal Tango. Julianne’s biggest accomplishment is that she’s managed to make Apolo look like he’s danced before. They always make their dances look effortless.

Bruno enthused, "That is electric. Dynamic. Contemporary. Finally, I am excited!" Carrie Ann told Apolo that he’d overcome the troubles he’s had with his upper body: "Tonight, you were fantastic." Len was not on board with the other judges: "It lacked any passion. It lacked drama." After Bruno and Carrie Ann objected, and Tom hit him with his note card, Len said, "Julianne, trust me, it was far too hectic. It was a cacophony of noise and movement."

Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…10, Len…8, Bruno…10 = 28/30

After the judges held up their paddles, Samantha Harris announced that Carrie Ann had actually entered her score as a nine, and had held up the wrong paddle. When Carrie Ann said she’d meant to give them a 10, Tom said, "I love live television."

After a commercial, Tom clarified that the computer had simply recorded the wrong score, and a 10 was awarded to Apolo. Somebody in the IT department is going to be in big trouble tomorrow.

 

LATIN ROUND

Ian Ziering & Cheryl Burke — Rumba
Song: John Lennon, "Imagine"
"Imagine" isn’t exactly a sexy song, and the routine reflected it. Ian was back to his old self, executing the movements but not feeling the dance like he did in their Fox Trot.

Carrie Ann told Ian, "I felt that you were trying to do the passion, but I didn’t feel like it was generated from any sort of place of authenticity." Len complimented Ian’s lines and poses, but said, "It lacks a sort of naturalness." Bruno was more impressed, and called the performance "a great improvement after the knock you’ve taken."

Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…8, Len…8, Bruno…9 = 25/30

Joey Fatone & Kym Johnson — Mambo
Song: Black Eyed Peas, "Pump It"
Kym’s big hair and glitzy get-up was a little too drag queen for me, but the performance was still very cool with a lot of great underarm turns. Joey is a great partner for Kym, and the two seem to be on the most equal footing of all of the couples.

Len felt the routine was "clever," but said, "You just seem to spend a lot of time between each other’s legs." Bruno shouted, "You pimped the Mambo! And I liked it!" Carrie Ann said, "What I appreciate now is that you have stepped it up."

Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…10, Len…9, Bruno…10 = 29/30

Billy Ray Cyrus & Karina Smirnoff — Mambo
Song: Los Lonely Boys, "My Way"
Billy Ray danced like he’d had a few too many drinks at a wedding reception. There wasn’t enough Mambo to criticize. Bridesmaids, look out.

Bruno told Billy Ray, "You’re like a wild beast that cannot be tamed," and predicted that, if the couple lasts another week, Karina will wind up in the Betty Ford Clinic. Carrie Ann, in the second most backhanded compliment of the evening, said, "You make people think that they can do this, too." Len said, "This is not a competition that you do one, and you get one free. There have to be two dances of equal merit."

As they waited for their second round of scores, Billy Ray had more words for the judges. He said he was upset by their rudeness, and then wrested the mic away from Samantha and said, "Bruno called me a Southern gentleman? He needs to take a lesson on Southern gentlemen." (I’ll make the obvious joke and say that I’m sure Bruno would welcome a lesson on Southern gentlemen.)

Billy Ray does have a point that the judges have stopped offering him constructive criticism — although he has acted on very little of the advice they have given. But, at the very least, their scores should reflect their comments to avoid sending a mixed message.

Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…6, Len…7, Bruno…7 = 20/30

Laila Ali & Maksim Chmerkovskiy — Jive
Song: Jim Croce, "Bad Bad Leroy Brown"
Laila is just plain cool. For a woman who’s nearly six-feet-tall, she executed the Jive’s fast footwork with surprising speed. But, again, the first 10 or so seconds of a short routine were wasted on a cutesy acting bit.

Carrie Ann called it "clever" and "spunky." Len directed his comments at Maks: "You can’t do 12-bar introductions, floatin’ about with a handkerchief and messin’ about. Dance! It’s a dancing competition!" Bruno agreed with Len: "You, Maks, have got Laila. She is everything you could possibly wish for. Why give me an appetizer when you can deliver a great dish?"

Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…9, Len…8, Bruno…9 = 26/30

Apolo Anton Ohno & Julianne Hough — Paso Doble
Song: Dario G, "Carnaval De Paris"
The routine started with Apolo ripping off Julianne’s skirt…and then reattaching it. The performance was exciting, and Julianne looked fierce!

Len cheered, "That is a proper dance!" Bruno said Apolo & Julianne were "going for the kill." Carrie Ann enthused, "I had chills the whole time. That was fabulous!"

Judges’ Scores: Carrie Ann…10, Len…10, Len…10 = 30/30

Leaderboard:
58 — Apolo & Julianne
55 — Joey & Kym
53 — Laila & Maks
47 — Ian & Cheryl
38 — Billy Ray & Karina

Apolo & Julianne and Joey & Kym gave my favorite performances, but I’ll have to throw at least one vote Laila’s way, because she looked so fantastic. It would appear that Billy Ray & Karina will be joined by Ian & Cheryl in the Bottom Two. Let’s hope that Ian has enough fan support to hold off anyone casting votes against the judges’ rudeness on Billy Ray’s behalf

 

 

They Already Lost Me
Lost’s creators announced that the show will conclude after another three seasons. Each season will consist of 16 episodes, aired without the traditional break in between the fall and spring seasons. Executive producer Carlton Cuse said, "By defining the endpoint we can now really map out the rest of the series in confidence."

A self-imposed deadline is good for the show, creatively. Unfortunately, it comes a little too late for me. After watching the first two seasons intently, I became fed up with the characters’ ceaseless bickering, the pointless flashbacks, and the serious lack of answers — so I stopped watching Lost. And I don’t miss it.

DwtS News
Laila’s dad, Muhammad Ali, will be in the audience at tonight’s DwtS Performance Show.

TV Guide features a nice profile of the five pros still competing on Dancing with the Stars.

Oscar de la Hoya tells Extra’s Mario Lopez that he’s planning on doing DwtS as soon as he retires from boxing.

Since I skipped a formal Power Rankings post last week, I’ll say that I’m only sure of the fate of two couples this week: Billy Ray & Karina will be in the Bottom Two, and Apolo & Julianne won’t be. We’ll finally get to see how the voting audience feels about Ian and Joey, and whether there really is some latent anti-female bias that could hurt Laila’s chances for victory.

Amazing Breakup
After receiving their $1 million check on this morning’s Early Show, Eric & Danielle announced that they are no longer a couple. I, for one, am shocked. I really thought this couple was going to make it, what with their obvious chemistry and the frequent sexual innuendos — oh wait, I was thinking of Eric and his previous partner, Jeremy.

One couple that’s still together is The Beauty Queens. Dustin said of her tiff with Kandice, "the blonde bickering we had was nothing," and the two remain BFFs.

The Amazing Race: All-Stars came to an end this week. It’s only too bad the members of the winning team were the pair who least deserved to be called All-Stars in the first place.

Teams made their way from Guam to Honolulu, Hawaii via Tokyo, Japan. Charla & Mirna made the most of their brief layover in Tokyo and found a connection that got them to Honolulu 40 minutes ahead of the other teams.

What could’ve been a commanding lead on the final leg of the race was seriously reduced once they found their next destination. Charla & Mirna were the first team to sign up for a helicopter flight to the island of Lanai, but they were forced to wait almost one hour for their flight to leave.

Since the charter flights left every ten minutes (9:00, 9:10, 9:20), Eric & Danielle and Dustin & Kandice were right behind them.

After landing, Charla & Mirna drove themselves to the season’s final Detour: Under or Over. In Under, teams swam into an underwater cave to retrieve a clue. In Over, each team member stood on a surfboard and paddled toward a buoy to retrieve a clue.

The cousins elected to do Over, and Charla’s low center of gravity proved to be a real asset. She stayed dry, while Mirna toppled into the water. After retrieving their clue, Mirna jokingly asked Charla, "Have you done this before?"

Eric & Danielle arrived shortly after the cousins, and they chose to do Under. Eventually, they figured out how to time their entrance to the cave to avoid the surge pushing in the opposite direction. They got their clue and headed out just as Dustin & Kandice — who did Under as well — arrived.

Charla & Mirna finally lost their meager lead as they ran along Shipwreck Beach to the next clue box. Both of the other teams passed them and started the next task: paddling a kayak to a buoy anchored near a beached World War II-era cargo ship to retrieve a clue.

This was the episode’s one task in which man-power was a real plus. The waves were so choppy that only Eric & Danielle were able to paddle through them without being flipped or getting out of the kayak and walking with it.

Dustin’s insistence that she and Kandice walk (and not paddle) their kayak through the shallows — coupled with the frustrating nature of the task — put Kandice over the edge. When they got back to shore and into the car, she criticized Dustin for being a bad teammate.

The spat was ugly, especially since the Beauty Queens rarely fight, but it was short-lived. Once Dustin said, "The fun in this race for me, Kandice, is doing it with you," the girls apologized, acknowledged that the race can be tough on friendships, and put the tiff behind them.

After kayaking, teams headed back to Honolulu to find the earliest possible flight to Oakland, California. There was only one flight that night, and all of the teams arrived at their destination at the same time, early the next morning.

Teams hopped into taxis and rode into San Francisco to find the Old Mint. Dustin & Kandice and Eric & Danielle arrived at the same time to find an unusual final task.

One team member entered a room and answered four questions about the All-Star teams, while the other member waited outside. The questions were:

• Which other team is the least trustworthy?
• Which other team has the best sense of humor?
• Which other team is the most overrated?
• Which other team is the one you most want to stay in touch with?

The names of the teams were listed with a corresponding number. The four numerical answers to the questions formed the combination to a lock on a safe.

When the combination had been entered and the safe was locked, the waiting team member had to guess the answers given by her partner in order to unlock the safe. If the safe did not open, there was nothing to indicate which number was wrong. This second part of the task was given a ten minute time limit.

As Eric and Dustin entered their respective rooms, Kandice turned to Danielle and asked, "Is this crazy or what?"

"What the hell is going on?" replied Danielle.

Charla & Mirna arrived a couple of minutes later, and Mirna went into her team’s room to answer the questions.

According to the teams’ answers, Rob & Amber were universally regarded as the most overrated team, while everyone wanted to stay in touch with Uchenna & Joyce. That makes the most sense, since Joyce might have been able to nab some cool Star Trek memorabilia during her days as Ensign Gates on the Starship Enterprise.

The first members of the teams emerged from the rooms, and the waiting members went in to try to crack the code. After several minutes, Danielle was able to match her answers to Eric’s and open the safe.

Their final clue instructed them to head to the Pit Stop, which was at the San Francisco Botanical Gardens.

When Dustin had originally answered the questions, she second-guessed herself and picked Joe & Bill (the Guidos) as the least trustworthy team. Had she gone with her first instinct and chosen Rob & Amber, Kandice would’ve been able to open their safe at about the same time as Danielle opened hers.

But Kandice never got the code right, and she used the entire ten minute time period. Charla had just as little luck figuring our Mirna’s answers.

The several minute lead was all that Eric & Danielle needed to reach the Pit Stop in first place and claim their million dollar prize.

While they make a good team and definitely ran the best leg this week, there was still something unsatisfying about giving the prize to a team that was only formed for this season — and wasn’t a pre-existing team, as all of the other All-Star teams were. On their original teams, neither Eric nor Danielle would ever have been cast on this season at all.

That said, I enjoyed being able to see some of my favorite teams again (Oswald & Danny and Dustin & Kandice), and it was nice to have my opinion changed regarding a couple of teams I didn’t think highly of during their original seasons (Teri & Ian and Charla & Mirna). But if they ever decide to do a second edition of TAR: All-Stars, it had better include Ken & Gerard.

Alex’s maneuvering may ultimately wind up being responsible for Yau-Man’s ouster. Unfortunately for Alex, he won’t be around to see it happen.

After returning from the previous Tribal Council, Earl made it known to the members of his alliance that he’d always thought splitting their votes was a bad idea. Mookie had gone home, and the (slightly) more intellectually dangerous Alex was still around.

Earl’s fears were justified. Mere moments later, Stacy was talking to Alex, trying to convince him that they could be pals after the show was over. Earl sent Boo to break up the conversation and bring Stacy back to the others.

The next morning, Alex went into "ninja mode," pretending to sleep while listening to people talk, and gathering as much information as he could — anything that he could use to his advantage.

Out of range of the camp ninja, Earl and Cassandra talked with Yau-Man about the possibility of taking Dreamz to the Final Four. Because of Cassandra’s close friendship with Dreamz (making it a de facto mini-alliance), Yau-Man said he’d prefer to bring Stacy instead.

The three didn’t finalize any plans, but the conversation was a refreshing display of honesty — if not strategically sound. Rather than helping Yau-Man’s cause, it was a reminder to Cassandra that she needed to do what was in her own best interest — not Yau-Man’s, or even Earl’s.

At the Reward Challenge, the castaways used only their teeth to rip pieces of meat off of pork roasts hanging from ropes. They spit the meat they ripped off onto a plate, and the contestant whose plate weighed the most after five minutes, won.

The contest was ugly, as everyone’s heads became covered in tiny flakes of flesh: meat dust. Stacy and Dreamz even took a few swinging roasts to the face. The most successful carnivore was Boo, who shredded 8.9 lbs. of pork from the roast before time ran out. Yau-Man and Dreamz came in second and third.

For their reward, all three got to enjoy some river rafting and a picnic. Boo also got a bag that contained items that would give him an advantage in the Immunity Challenge. He sent Earl to Exile Island with "no hard feelings."

The next day, the three reward winners enjoyed a helicopter ride to a remote river location. Boo wanted to know how much it cost to rent a chopper, because "I wouldn’t mind spending $600-$900 on a really nice date."

Boo continued to jabber away throughout the ride — annoying the heck out of Dreamz and Yau-Man. It took some whitewater rafting and a huge picnic lunch to shut him up, temporarily.

Then, each of the reward winners was given a letter from home. One of Yau-Man’s kids got all "A"s on her report card — except for one "B" in Algebra. "Why can’t you get a ‘B’ in Spanish or something?" asked Yau-Man.

And Boo’s family let him know pretty much nothing, except that they were all "eating well." I guess Boo had to assume that they were all staying hydrated, sleeping at night, and going to the bathroom regularly, too.

Dreamz got emotional as he read a letter from his sister. The chance that he could win $1 million on Survivor has made Dreamz the hope of the family.

Meanwhile, on Exile Island, Earl got a new clue that said that the other Hidden Immunity Idol is hidden in a tree, next to a pile of rocks near camp.

After returning from their reward, Yau-Man and Dreamz told Cassandra, Stacy, and Alex of Boo’s incessant chatter. Alex tried to encourage the "anti-Boo"sentiment, in an effort to save himself. He even asked Dreamz to suggest to the alliance that they eliminate Boo — and Dreamz agreed.

At the Immunity Challenge, Boo revealed the advantage he’d won at the Reward Challenge. He had three paddle-shaped climbing steps, which allowed him to skip the first round of the challenge. Everyone else would have to dig in the sand to find their three climbing steps. The first two to find them would join Boo in the finals.

Dreamz and Alex were the only ones to have any real luck uncovering the steps, and they headed to the final round.

For the finals, the guys used their steps to climb a 12-foot pole and retrieve a flag. The steps could be inserted at any of several different brackets around the pole. Alex ditched his steps and quickly scaled most of the pole, but he couldn’t find a foothold that would allow him to reach the flag. Dreamz seemed to have the same problem.

Boo connected his steps to the brackets on the pole speedily and efficiently, allowing him to grab his flag first. The victory meant that Alex would have to go into desperate strategy mode if he wanted to survive that night’s vote.

Instead of being aggressive, Alex decided to sit near the camp and let people approach him. He would then prey on their own insecurities about their current alliance. Like most of Alex’s previous plans, it sounded dumb. There was no reason for anyone to talk to him, when he was an easy elimination.

But then, Cassandra came over and made Alex look very smart, if only for an episode.

Alex told Cassandra that, if she wanted to get rid of Yau-Man — who was always going to favor Stacy over Cassandra’s pal, Dreamz — this was her only chance to do so. Though Yau-Man had a Hidden Immunity Idol, he probably wouldn’t use it at this next Tribal Council, since he was positive that Alex was next out.

Cassandra brought Earl and Dreamz over for a meeting with Alex, where Alex tried to assure Earl that he wouldn’t stab them in the back. Earl pretended to consider the offer, but winked at Dreamz and Cassandra to convey his true feelings. He later said of Alex, "I’d rather just vote your ass off now, and I’ll risk it."

Dreamz still felt some loyalty to Alex, so he and Cassandra presented Alex’s offer to Stacy. She said that she was "a follower," and would go along with whatever they wanted to do.

Cassandra was in a more precarious position. Earl was not going to budge, so blindsiding Yau-Man would mean blindsiding Earl, too. That would put an end to the alliance that had gotten her this far in the game.

At Tribal Council, Yau-Man said he felt he could trust his alliance, and he thought that Alex would have a hard time convincing three people to flip. He also said that he didn’t feel the need to use his Idol tonight.

Perhaps bluffing that he would use it would’ve been the wiser approach, but it ultimately didn’t matter. Alex was voted out, 6-1, as originally planned. Alex, the world’s most inspirational lawyer, said that he had played for "the kids who feel hopeless," and encouraged them to "never stop dreaming." On behalf of all the hopeless kids who also watch Survivor, thank you Alex.

Next week, Yau-Man senses "bad vibes" from his tribemates, and he tries to make a deal with Jeff Probst at one of the challenges.

The viewing audience agreed with the judges on which couples belonged in the Bottom Two, but disagreed with them on which couple was the worst. Though Billy Ray & Karina got the lowest scores, it was John & Edyta whose dancing days came to an end.

Before announcing which couple would give this evening’s encore performance, Len Goodman had to explain how the judges made their selection. Joey & Kym’s Jive and Laila & Maksim’s Samba both earned perfect scores last night, and since they couldn’t decide on a favorite, the judges tossed a coin to determine the encore.

Laila & Maksim won the coin toss and performed their Samba.

Tonight’s special musical guest was Meat Loaf, and he performed his epic song "Bat Out of Hell" as DwtS pros Alec, Elena, Brian, Kym, Cheryl, and Louis danced. Unfortunately, the song’s frequent tempo changes made the whole performance seem a little disjointed — although I’m always happy to see the pros perform.

After the performance, Samantha caught up with Ian and Joey. Ian teased Joey about his success with the judges, calling him "the golden boy," and said that everyone — even Justin Timberlake — knows that Joey was the "driving force behind ‘N Sync."

The brief interview was followed by what was easily the funniest comedic segment that has ever been done on Dancing with the Stars. Sports anchor and DwtS 2 contestant Kenny Mayne hosted "Dance Center," analyzing each of the six remaining couples. He and his co-host, Jerry Rice, wore sequined shirts, while their color analyst, Len, wore one of his usual suits.

Some of the highlights from "Dance Center":

• Kenny on Ian’s chances: "He’s with Cheryl Burke. Women hate her. They’re voting against her. No shot. Moving on."
• Kenny said that Laila has a "70-inch reach."
• Kenny used a Telestrator to circle Joey’s butt, and wrote "BIG!!" across it.
• Kenny nicknamed John "J-Rat," and said he was "70, 80 years old."
• When Len complimented Billy Ray, Kenny asked, "Why you givin’ him such crappy scores then?"
• Apolo’s "Stat Sheet" included the note, "Born with the goatee."

The next performance was by three young couples, the youngest being a pair of 9-year-olds. Alec Mazo did a nice job helping with their choreography, leaving out some of the sexier moves that can make some Latin performances by kid couples a bit creepy, or at least awkward.

The last (and best) performance of the night was by current U.S. Professional Standard Ballroom Champions Jonathan Wilkins & Katusha Demidova — accompanied by Meat Loaf. Jonathan & Katusha were the winners of this year’s America’s Ballroom Challenge, and they gave another breathtakingly beautiful performance tonight.

When last night’s audience was asked to pick their favorite couple, it was no surprise that former Beverly Hills 90210 cast members Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling chose Ian & Cheryl.

John & Edyta were the first couple to learn they were in the Bottom Two. When Billy Ray & Karina were told they were in the bottom as well, Billy Ray said, "Understandably so."

Billy Ray really seemed to believe that he was on his way out, and he cringed when John’s name was called instead. On behalf of the entire crew, Samantha thanked Edyta for the fine work she’s done on all four seasons of the show.

While the band played Paul Young’s "Everytime You Go Away," John and all of the cast members did the bunny hop.

After ten weeks of training, the DwtS couples were faced with their most demanding night yet. The fight was on to deliver two winning dance routines, one Ballroom and one Latin. And it seemed that the judges were expressing their encouragement (though they label it as appreciation) by being remarkably generous in their scoring. Here’s my take on a night that defined Season 4 of DwtS.

A FEW GOOD MEN (AND ONE GOOD WOMAN)

Laila & Maksim

A winning combination from the boxing superstar and her Maks-nificent coach. Two rounds is all Laila needed to deliver her knockout punch. This regal pair deserves another coronation after Monday’s stellar performances.

Laila’s Quickstep was light, energetic and filled with fast-paced, intricate footwork. Laila looked relaxed but determined as she effortlessly moved around the dance floor. Her mischievous attitude was readily conveyed through her luminous smile and candid facial expressions. Even Maks joined in the fun, playfully shrugging his shoulders and grinning at the audience.

While Laila gazed downwards during some of their routine, had a few minor posture problems, and, about halfway through, made a slight misstep (or had an awkward transition) in their setup up for a quick cross-floor run, overall this duo gave a resoundingly solid performance. Their fabulous routine earned them both well-deserved praise and high scores from the judging panel.

Laila’s Samba was sizzling hot and totally deserving of its perfect score. For once, Laila managed to completely outshine Maks on the dance floor, or at least she totally captured my attention.

While I may not have been a fan of the lime-green costumes (the colour, not the design), this dance was unbelievable! Laila moved like nobody’s business. That girl can swivel and shake her booty as well as any of the pros. Even Maks’ choreography was fun, sensual and managed to seamlessly incorporate the Laila factor. Once again this couple has managed to kick some serious butt and undisputedly regain their leading edge.

Joey & Kym

Two top-notch performances from the Razzle-Dazzle team. Joey continues to nip at the leaders’ heels and confesses to having a game plan that sees him overtaking his competitors on the last leg of the competition. So far, so good!

Joey’s Foxtrot was right on the money. Joyful, entertaining, and even managing to seamlessly incorporate a magic trick. This time, the gimmicks worked for me. This duo’s irreverent routine showed great unison, excellent floor coverage and crisp footwork. It was thoroughly enjoyable, and Kym should be commended for her innovative choreography.

Joey makes dancing look like fun and his innate musicality totally captivates the audience. He exhibits that elusive “it” factor that Ian is desperately seeking. Joey really hit the proverbial nail on the head when he declared that if you take the competition too seriously, you become Ian Ziering (too funny!).

Joey’s Latin number, the Jive, unexpectedly eclipsed his Ballroom routine. The dance was an absolute delight and certainly worthy of its standing ovation. Joey’s snappy footwork, wonderful leg kicks, and electrifying moves are precisely what earned this duo their Razzle-Dazzle nickname. Once again Kym designed an excellent routine that showcased Joey’s fun personality and improved dance skills (not to mention his acrobatic abilities). All I can say is Just keep to the plan Joey, because you’re certainly on a winning track.

Apolo & Julianne

Two solid contributions from the dynamic duo. Apolo continued to battle for his position in the winner’s circle. However, after Monday night’s performances, Apolo had to reluctantly surrender his top spot to a couple of his closest and most dangerous competitors.

Apolo’s Foxtrot was another smile-worthy performance. The routine was dreamlike, extremely well executed, and showed great musicality. Apolo certainly fits the profile of a well-prepared athlete. And his delivery of Julianne’s demanding routine demonstrated wonderful unison with his partner.

I continue to find this pair an impressive team on the dance floor. And you can’t discount the value of their cuteness factor. While I admit that their Foxtrot lacked the sizzle of Week 5’s Samba and the sparkle of Week 6’s Rumba, I still found the dance quite engaging. Unfortunately the judges (particularly Len) seemed to hold Apolo to a higher standard this week and awarded him slightly lower scores than I thought he deserved.

Apolo’s Mambo was full of difficult choreography and innovative moves. Once again, Apolo delivered an energetic, confidant and captivating performance. Apolo brings the full package to every dance – complex footwork, excellent floor coverage, animated facial expressions and great synchronization. For a non-dancer he has progressed at an unbelievable rate.

While this number managed to score better than Apolo’s Ballroom routine, I thought that the pair should have received a combined score that would have placed them higher than Ian and Cheryl. However, I am confident that Apolo’s quest for the gold will turn up another notch by the time he hits the Week 8 starting gate.

Ian & Cheryl

Two noticeably improved efforts from Billy Ray’s latest protégé. Ian managed to insert a little more vitality into this week’s dances — just not enough to categorize them as “break-out” performances.

Ian’s Tango was passionate, technically sound, and efficiently executed. His clipped movements, sharp turns and crisp footwork were all first-rate. However, I could have done without his “mouthwash” step.

Ian seemed marginally more relaxed during this routine, but still not as comfortable on the floor as most of his competitors. He exhibits such determination and intensity in his practice footage that I’m surprised he doesn’t have an ulcer. Still, it was heartwarming to see Ian’s 90210 alumni (Tori, Jason and Jenny) cheering him on from the sidelines.

Ian’s Latin routine, the Mambo, was more energetic and appealing than his first number (even though it received the same score). Ian demonstrated great rhythm, sizzling hip action, terrific shoulder shaking and dynamic footwork. He seemed to have a slight hiccup in his performance at the very end of his routine that the judges completely ignored.

Once again Ian seemed more relaxed than usual, but still not completely uninhibited. It’s quite apparent than Ian is giving it everything he has. I just hope it’s enough to convince voters to place him amongst the top four couples. He is certainly more deserving of that position than either John or Billy Ray.

REMAINS OF THE DAY

John & Edyta

An entertaining but doomed blend of dances from our geriatric representative. Tonight’s two routines will likely epitomize John’s DWTS swan-song, but what an admirable way to go.

John’s Fox Trot was smooth, competent, and showed respectable floor coverage. His infectious enjoyment and actor’s ability to sell a performance continues to make John’s efforts pleasurable for viewers. Rather than play directly to the audience, I noticed how intently John watched Edyta throughout the entire dance, much the way one might expect couples to relate to each other on a dance floor.

Unfortunately, considering the big boys still remaining in the competition, John is now blatantly out of his element. Still I admire his commitment to prepare and present a well-rehearsed number. And I agree with Carrie Ann that the Fox Trot was one of John’s best-performed dances to-date.

Unfortunately, John’s second routine, the Rumba, lacked both passion and hip action. In fact it was rather boring. Once again John exhibited some decent footwork and looked relaxed on the dance floor. But his version of the Rumba was neither seductive nor romantic.

Even the judges could find few praiseworthy elements in John’s routine. Instead they focused on his improvements throughout the competition. In Week 2’s article, I commented that John was the most talented senior to compete on DwtS, and Carrie Ann seconded my opinion on Monday’s show. But the time has come for this participant to retire from the field. The competition (with the exception of Billy Ray) is just getting too tough.

Billy Ray & Karina

Two cringe-worthy performances from our self-proclaimed “Heel-billy.” DwtS’s newest and least qualified choreographer offered up a dance combination that should finally liberate this team from the competition (as long as his fans are willing to set him free).

Billy Ray’s version of the Waltz, like the majority of their routines this season, was designed to showcase Karina. Well, Billy Ray succeeded in his objective. Again this week, Billy Ray was able to resurrect his pole role, requiring him to remain mostly stationary on the dance floor, while Karina basically danced around him. The few steps that Billy Ray executed in this “unconventional” waltz were more reminiscent of walking than dancing.

How the judges can evaluate the routines that Billy Ray performs, at the Week 7 level, as high as they consistently do blows me away! This is a dancing competition, and Billy Ray’s efforts should be judged accordingly, regardless of the charismatic factor that he supposedly brings to the table. Sad, sad, sad!

Billy Ray’s Latin number, The Samba, was marginally better than his Ballroom routine. The dance had slightly more content — meaning that Billy Ray executed a few more steps and covered a little more floor space. On the downside, Billy Ray was stiff, totally lacking in rhythm and missing any recognizable hip action (pelvic thrusts don’t count!)

Personally I see little improvement in Billy Ray’s dancing after ten weeks of training, other than that he no longer counts the dance beats aloud. Billy Ray is one competitor who has coasted along in this competition far enough; it’s time to put his Chevy love mobile on the blocks, permanently!