Reality TV
Semi-finals week on the eighth season of Dancing With The Stars saw the remaining four celebrities performing one unlearned ballroom dance and one unlearned Latin routine from the first six weeks of the competition.
Here's what the judges had to say:
The Ballroom Round:
Melissa Rycroft and Tony- Quick Step
Len: "I thought it had great musicality and I loved the phrasing with the music. Your feet are much improved and I thought the whole thing was a delight. It was just gorgeous." (10)
Bruno: "Well, I'm glad the chiropodist chief is happy! It was good, very, very good, but this is the semi-final and for me it wasn't as exhilarating and crispy and zingy as it could have been. I'm not saying it was bad, but it didn't drag me away and to get to the final, I want that quality." (9)
Carrie-Ann: "I'm going to agree with Bruno - it was very nice and very pretty and you're a beautiful dancer, but I don't think it's connected to your soul. You are doing really beautiful movements, but it doesn't give you joy - I don't see you beaming and it doesn't look fun all the time, and there was a little bit of space in the hold." (9)
Total: 28
Gilles Marini and Cheryl - Waltz
Bruno: "Now, that is how you start a race for the final! You looked like a matinee idol out there - soft of touch, strong pulling power, irresistibly romantic. Unbelievable, beautiful." (10)
Carrie-Ann: "People watch ballroom dancing because it takes them away into a land of fantasy and that was breathtaking and it took us all right in there. Beautiful choreography, subtle, sweet, perfection." (10)
Len: "I'm giving you a sitting down standing ovation." (10)
Total: 30
Shawn Johnson and Mark - Tango
Carrie-Ann: "You are our youngest competitor ever, so sometimes I worry if you will be able to deliver the emotional content - but I'm silly because you delivered! The lifts were incredible, the passion and you're so connected to your movement. The focus is incredible and 'precision' is your middle name, sister!" (10)
Len: "This is the most fantastic semi-final. You came out with maturity I wasn't expecting. It had an intensity about it, I loved the hooks of the legs and honestly, without a doubt, for me it was your best performance." (10)
Bruno: "What we have here is Catherine Zeta Shawn! It was like watching the murderer's tango in Chicago - 'He had it coming! He had it coming!' You have got it coming big time, honey!" (10)
Total: 30
Ty Murray and Chelsie - Viennese Waltz
Len: "I don't think anyone has worked harder, no-one has tried more than you throughout this series to become a dancer. They say the harder you work, the better a dancer you become. I know there were a couple of little issues throughout your performance but overall, I thought it was fabulous." (9)
Bruno: "We like you and I do understand why America loves you, but in the semi-final the Viennese waltz should be smooth and effortless - this wasn't." (8)
Carrie-Ann: "What I love about you is the way you get the whole room generating support for you, but I do have to say that tonight you struggled. It wasn't your best dance, you were kind of wobbling a little bit on the turns." (8)
Total: 25
The Latin Round:
Melissa Rycroft and Tony - Cha Cha Cha
Bruno: "I like my cha cha full thrust and full on, and at moments you were sensational in this routine, but at times you don't sustain that energy. If you manage to sustain that all the way through the dance you could win this. But, you have to keep at that level, not go in and out." (9)
Carrie-Ann: "Thank you for taking my correction from the last dance, that was much more emotional and you were more attached to the dance, but I agree with Bruno. What I saw was a difference in the sizes of your steps - it was like you couldn't find how big you wanted your footwork to be." (9)
Len: "I liked it but not as much as I was hoping to. It was not to the standard of your samba. In places it was a little bit lacklustre. But, I liked it and you can never dance badly whatever you do, because you're just a really good dancer." (9)
Total: 27
Gilles Marini and Cheryl - Salsa
Carrie-Ann: "That was Gilles Marini at his best! That is the dance that we know you could bring to the finals. I want to see you here next week." (10)
Len: "I am almost speechless... I wish I had an 11 paddle." (10)
Bruno: "Ladies and gentlemen, Lil' Kim is alive and well and she is hiding in your pants! Bionic booty number two! Carrie-Ann is absolutely right, you deserve to be in the final." (10)
Total: 30
Shawn Johnson and Mark - Jive
Len: "I thought that was fast, I liked the feel of the dance and it was fun. But, for me there was too much messing about dancing going on. I would have liked to have seen a little bit more traditional jive throughout the performance and a little less slapstick." (8)
Bruno: "I like it when you go wild! You threw it all out and that was a very strong performance. Yes, sometimes it looked a bit more like a lindy hop than a jive, but you sold it 110%" (9)
Carrie-Ann: "You proved you've come so far in your performance skills, but I felt it lost a little steam and it got a little heavier towards the end and a little like almost going through mud, but it was still a really wonderful performance." (9)
Total: 26
Ty Murray and Chelsie - Samba
Bruno: "You have got resilience and determination and you threw everything but the kitchen sink into that samba. At times, you looked like you were dancing on a tightrope and just about to fall off: 'I'm going to get through this if it kills me!' You lost your footing at the corner, but a brave, brave effort." (8)
Carrie-Ann: "I vote you the most valuable player of season 8 and that's because your hard work and determination reminds people that you can go places that you never dreamed." (8)
Len: "In the ballroom dances you are Arthur Murray, but in the Latin dances you are Murray in a hurry! It's all too quick, a bit hectic and you go wrong. I know you have nerves, but I have to say Chelsie, you have done a fantastic job." (7)
Total: 23
Here's what the judges had to say:
The Ballroom Round:
Len: "I thought it had great musicality and I loved the phrasing with the music. Your feet are much improved and I thought the whole thing was a delight. It was just gorgeous." (10)
Bruno: "Well, I'm glad the chiropodist chief is happy! It was good, very, very good, but this is the semi-final and for me it wasn't as exhilarating and crispy and zingy as it could have been. I'm not saying it was bad, but it didn't drag me away and to get to the final, I want that quality." (9)
Carrie-Ann: "I'm going to agree with Bruno - it was very nice and very pretty and you're a beautiful dancer, but I don't think it's connected to your soul. You are doing really beautiful movements, but it doesn't give you joy - I don't see you beaming and it doesn't look fun all the time, and there was a little bit of space in the hold." (9)
Total: 28
Bruno: "Now, that is how you start a race for the final! You looked like a matinee idol out there - soft of touch, strong pulling power, irresistibly romantic. Unbelievable, beautiful." (10)
Carrie-Ann: "People watch ballroom dancing because it takes them away into a land of fantasy and that was breathtaking and it took us all right in there. Beautiful choreography, subtle, sweet, perfection." (10)
Len: "I'm giving you a sitting down standing ovation." (10)
Total: 30
Carrie-Ann: "You are our youngest competitor ever, so sometimes I worry if you will be able to deliver the emotional content - but I'm silly because you delivered! The lifts were incredible, the passion and you're so connected to your movement. The focus is incredible and 'precision' is your middle name, sister!" (10)
Len: "This is the most fantastic semi-final. You came out with maturity I wasn't expecting. It had an intensity about it, I loved the hooks of the legs and honestly, without a doubt, for me it was your best performance." (10)
Bruno: "What we have here is Catherine Zeta Shawn! It was like watching the murderer's tango in Chicago - 'He had it coming! He had it coming!' You have got it coming big time, honey!" (10)
Total: 30
Len: "I don't think anyone has worked harder, no-one has tried more than you throughout this series to become a dancer. They say the harder you work, the better a dancer you become. I know there were a couple of little issues throughout your performance but overall, I thought it was fabulous." (9)
Bruno: "We like you and I do understand why America loves you, but in the semi-final the Viennese waltz should be smooth and effortless - this wasn't." (8)
Carrie-Ann: "What I love about you is the way you get the whole room generating support for you, but I do have to say that tonight you struggled. It wasn't your best dance, you were kind of wobbling a little bit on the turns." (8)
Total: 25
The Latin Round:
Bruno: "I like my cha cha full thrust and full on, and at moments you were sensational in this routine, but at times you don't sustain that energy. If you manage to sustain that all the way through the dance you could win this. But, you have to keep at that level, not go in and out." (9)
Carrie-Ann: "Thank you for taking my correction from the last dance, that was much more emotional and you were more attached to the dance, but I agree with Bruno. What I saw was a difference in the sizes of your steps - it was like you couldn't find how big you wanted your footwork to be." (9)
Len: "I liked it but not as much as I was hoping to. It was not to the standard of your samba. In places it was a little bit lacklustre. But, I liked it and you can never dance badly whatever you do, because you're just a really good dancer." (9)
Total: 27
Carrie-Ann: "That was Gilles Marini at his best! That is the dance that we know you could bring to the finals. I want to see you here next week." (10)
Len: "I am almost speechless... I wish I had an 11 paddle." (10)
Bruno: "Ladies and gentlemen, Lil' Kim is alive and well and she is hiding in your pants! Bionic booty number two! Carrie-Ann is absolutely right, you deserve to be in the final." (10)
Total: 30
Len: "I thought that was fast, I liked the feel of the dance and it was fun. But, for me there was too much messing about dancing going on. I would have liked to have seen a little bit more traditional jive throughout the performance and a little less slapstick." (8)
Bruno: "I like it when you go wild! You threw it all out and that was a very strong performance. Yes, sometimes it looked a bit more like a lindy hop than a jive, but you sold it 110%" (9)
Carrie-Ann: "You proved you've come so far in your performance skills, but I felt it lost a little steam and it got a little heavier towards the end and a little like almost going through mud, but it was still a really wonderful performance." (9)
Total: 26
Bruno: "You have got resilience and determination and you threw everything but the kitchen sink into that samba. At times, you looked like you were dancing on a tightrope and just about to fall off: 'I'm going to get through this if it kills me!' You lost your footing at the corner, but a brave, brave effort." (8)
Carrie-Ann: "I vote you the most valuable player of season 8 and that's because your hard work and determination reminds people that you can go places that you never dreamed." (8)
Len: "In the ballroom dances you are Arthur Murray, but in the Latin dances you are Murray in a hurry! It's all too quick, a bit hectic and you go wrong. I know you have nerves, but I have to say Chelsie, you have done a fantastic job." (7)
Total: 23
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