Dancing With the Stars contestants had a night of being swept off their feet by the high speed of the quickstep and the jive.  We were looking for kicks and flips and got a few plus a whole lot of fun watching them burn up the dance floor. 

We started out with a jive by Hope Solo and Maksim Chmerkovsky.  Their costumes played off the fact that Hope is the USA’s goalie, Maks in a 1980’s style athletic ensemble and Hope in a sparkly purple cropped jersey.  Len Goodman told them that they lost their timing a little bit but announced they were “first out and first class.”  Bruno Tonioli didn’t think they put enough time in to perfect their routine.  Carrie Ann Inaba thought it was a great performance.  Scores: Carrie Ann = 6, Bruno = 6, Len = 7 Total = 19

Kristin Cavallari and partner Mark Ballas did the quickstep in the old Hollywood Marilyn Monroe style thing.  Dancing to “Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend.”  Bruno was “bedazzled by the blonde bomb shell.”  Carrie Ann praised it as stunning and sophisticated.  Len thought it was as good as she looked.  Scores: Carrie Ann = 8, Len = 7, Bruno = 7 Total = 22

David Arquette showed up wearing a gold suit with his partner Kym Johnson.  The did their best on the jive.  Carrie Ann said that Carson has some competition and that David ”let loose.”  Len complained that the technique wasn’t there and Bruno chimed in that he lost his timing.  Scores: Carrie Ann = 6, Len = 6, Bruno = 6 Total = 18

Elisabetta Canalis and Val Chmerkovsky quickstepped their way around the floor with Elisabetta looking beautiful in her blue dress.  At first, there wasn’t much encouragement from Len and Bruno.  They said that she needs to keep working and it wasn’t great but better than last week.  Carrie gave her something to hold onto when she said “You came back and nailed it.”  Scores: Carrie Ann = 7, Len = 7, Bruno = 7 Total = 21

Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke danced the jive to “Surfin Safari”  and Bruno declared that Rob is starting to have his own voice.  Carrie Ann joked that Rob is a better dancer than his sister Kim Kardashian.  Len politely pointed out that it was a proper performance. Scores: Carrie Ann = 7, Len = 7, Bruno = 7 Total = 21

We saw the fun but serious Carson Kressley do the quickstep with his partner Anna Trebunskaya.  Carrie Ann saw improvement but he was “a little wobbly.”  Len said “If I held a knife and fork like you hold Anna I’d starve to death.”  Bruno declared he was “Pee Wee Herman goes to prom.” Scores: Carrie Ann = 6, Len = 6, Bruno = 6 Total = 18

Ricki Lake with Derek Hough did a high speed high impact jive that garnered a huge applause. Len said a couple of steps disturbed him but he liked the fun of it.  Bruno praised their kicks and flips and Carrie Ann declared it the best jive of the evening.  Scores: Carrie Ann = 8. Bruno = 8, Len = 7 total = 23

Chaz Bono and Lacey Schwimmer tackled Chaz’s biggest fear this week, the quickstep.  Bruno remarked that Chaz has a likability factor, but he looked more like an Ewok dancing with Princess Leia,  Carrie Ann saw his pain from a knee injury and remarked the dance wasn’t fast enough.  Len said the bottom line was his quickstep was too slow.  Scores: Carrie Ann = 6, Bruno = 6, Len = 5 Total = 17

Chynna Phillips and Tony Dovolani worked hard on the jive this week and it gave Chynna lots of stress and pressure.  Carrie Ann thought it was genuinely good but that she played it safe. Len said it was good but not great and Bruno encouraged her to let her “sexy siren come out.”  Scores: Carrie Ann = 7, Len = 7, Bruno = 7 Total = 21

Nancy Grace surprised us and probably herself tonight by dancing the quickstep, with partner Tristan MacManus, surprisingly well.  She said the quickstep gave her no time to be nervous and I think that helped her.  Len started out by saying “how refreshing.”  Bruno said it was great to see her taking over the dance floor. Carrie Ann encouraged her by saying she has improved and she loves their team work.  Scores: Carrie Ann = 6, Len = 8, Bruno = 7 Total = 21

JR Martinez and Karina Smirnoff impressed Bruno, who said JR was born to dance.  Carrie thought their jive was fun and fabulous but Len didn’t share the good feelings.  He thought they did more of a lindy hop than a jive. Scores: Carrie Ann = 7, Bruno = 8, Len = 7 Total = 22

Who was the best of the night?

Becky Taimes

It’s week one on season 13’s Dancing with the Stars and someone had to go home.  This is the hardest of all eliminations because someone has to go home first.  I know Ron Artest had the lowest scores because he looked so stiff and tall out on the dance floor.  He is the most deserving of elimination since the show is based on dance ability, but  the clip the producers showed when he was introduced was so sweet.  They showed a picture of his little girl on a hospital bed after going through chemo and Ron was there with her.  She encouraged him to go on DWTS and he told the cameras if she could go through chemo he could go thru this.  For that reason alone I wish he had another week or two on the show.  In fact, I wish no one was sent home the first week.  

Are you happy Ron Artest got eliminated?

Georgia Hester

A petrified tango was the undoing of the most elegant dancer on this season’s Dancing with the Stars.  The judges were generous with Chynna Phillips scores, but it wasn’t enough to save her for at least one more week of go rounds.  Many are outraged that yet another deserving contestant was ousted.  Last week Kristin Cavallari got the boot ahead of lesser talents such as Chez Bono and Nancy Grace.  I’m not as outraged as I am resigned to the fact that this is what we can expect from DWTS.  The show is structured so those contestants with a deep and wide fan base will prevail over those with more talent and more deserving of the mirrorball.  In my opinion, this structure will be the shows ultimate downfall.  Are you upset by Chynna Phillips elimination?

Georgia Hester

I think it’s time for all of us to start backing Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke and send them all the way to the finals of Dancing with the Stars.  I like the couple because they have good energy and this season seems to be the season for lesser talent contestants to forge ahead.  For instances, Chynna Phillips was one of the top contenders and she’s out of there now.  She had so much potential as a dancer, but she did have one really off night.  Almost every week other huge talent has been ousted even minus an off night.   This trend proves we need to start rooting and voting for up and coming dancers like Rob.   I could tell Rob was relieved when he was saved and he should have been.

Cheryl Burke says that this week she and Rob have a great song that is sexy and fun. Tonight all music is from the cheesy 80’s and that might make it hard on all the dancers.  But despite the cheesiness, Cheryl expects a lighthearted trip around the dance floor with Rob.  Good luck to them - they’ve already got my vote!  Will you vote for Rob Kardashian?

Megan Andrews

Dancing with the Stars has had some of the lowest rating of any season and it would come as no surprise if the whacky eliminations are contributing to their demise.  Last week Elisabetta Canalis and Val Chmerkovsky were ousted ahead of some of the much weaker dancers, namely Chaz Bono (he received the lowest scores the last two weeks) and Nancy Grace.  This week was no different.  The two, not so bottom two, couples, Hope Solo and Maksim Chmerkovsky along with Kristin Cavallari and Mark Ballas, received higher scores than many of the "saved for another round" couples.   Kristin had high potential and consistently high scores, last night = 24, but she also had a very weak backstory that lacked the emotion and buzz generating potential of the other dancers. DWTS has become more about emotional connection with the audience than good dancing.  At this rate Chaz Bono may win the mirrorball!  Do you agree with sending Kristin Cavallari home?

Megan Andrews

Chaz Bono and his partner Lacey Schwimmer ended up with the lowest score this week on Dancing with the Stars.  Of course, I was all set to watch them get ousted.  Clearly, the rigors of DWTS practice has gotten to him and his body already needs a break from the work outs, but things don’t always go as planned.  To my surprise Elisabetta Canalis and partner Val Chmerkovskiy become the next castoffs.  I sat stunned wondering why????  

Elisabetta announced, “It was a great adventure so I want to thank everybody.  Val was supportive of her and said,  I’m very proud of you.  I wish I did better for you.”  I think he did well enough for her.  In fact, I think she did well enough, but perhaps her downfall wasn’t her dancing at all.  Maybe it was a communication problem.  She doesn’t have good command over the english language and that times she seems stilted and cold.  That usually means the audience wasn’t able to connect easily with her.  I feel bad for her because it wasn’t her turn to go home.  Do you think it was Elisabetta’s turn to go home?

Megan Andrews

I never thought Ricki Lake would be able to tango into American hearts on this season's Dancing with the Stars. She says she's not a quitter even though rehearsals take a lot out of her.  It's very confusing for me," said Ricki. "I'm not getting it. I want to quit.  But I'm not a quitter."  Obviously she isn't a quitter.  Carrie Ann Inaba got it right when she stated "Brilliance in the ballroom. Done." Scores:10,9,10 = 29

Ellie Fields

It was elimination # 5 night on Dancing with the Stars and finally we had a deserving contestant ousted.  The early exits of Kristin Cavallari and Chynna Phillips made it clear you need fans even more than talent to move on in this competition.  Carson Kressley relied heavily on pizzazz rather than technique and it could only take him so far.  Despite being one of the most beloved contestants he lacked the talent to persevere and most likely less fans than the remaining celeb dancers.  

Carson received a score of 19 for the performance that sunk him.  He and Anna Trebunskaya tried to improve their standing from week 4 by doing a jive to “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”  He and Anna dressed as cheerleaders and used pom poms. Unfortunately, Carson did a cartwheel but very few jive movements.  Carrie Ann told him he lacked content and technique.  

Do you agree that Carson Kressley should be sent home?

Ellie Fields

Dancing with the Stars was down to the last seven lucky couples.  They were all trying to burn up the dance floor with their own choreographed dances and group dance.  Ousted Carson Kressley joined the seven for a brief reunion.  He returned as a creative director for the group dance and joked that the one who can’t dance will teach.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy encouraged the audience to boo at Len Goodman after he declared Hope Solo’s rumba to “Season’s of Love” the “worst dance of the season.  Maks complained that the judges were too judgmental when it comes to Hope’s dancing.  Len Goodman responded by saying he’s been in the business for 50 years.  Maks shot back “Maybe it’s time to get out.”  Carrie Ann Inaba jumped in and told Maks not to be disrespectful.  Hope wound up with a score of 20.

Chaz Bono was only one point lower than Hope - totally 19 for his tango to “The Phantom of the Opera.”  Bruno Tonioli thought the character didn’t fit Chaz and Carrie Ann told him he needed more content.

Len Goodman praised Rob Kardashian’s cha cha deeming it clean and precise with good timing.  The only negative comment was that there was no rhythm.  Rob goes into the elimination round this week with a 22.

According to Carrie Ann, Nancy Grace nailed the foxtrot dancing to“Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”  She did well with a 24 from the judges.

Carrie Ann noted that David Arquette was a little out of sync but the actor turned dancer ended up with a 23.  Len encouraged him by saying his quickstep was “full of enthusiasm.” 

Ricki Lake and J.R.Martinez are in a horse race to finish first this season.  According to Len, Lake did a “fantastic quickstep” and Bruno credited Martinez with a “rip rising hit.”

The top two contenders scored 29 a piece.  

I think the most exciting part of the night came with the exchange between Maks and Len.  Do you think Maks crossed the line?

Georgia Hester