Offering a fluffy West Coast distraction from non-stop East Coast Hurricane Sandy news, Dancing With the Stars kicked off Week Six on Monday with Country Night. (A perfect plug for Thursday's CMA Awards show on ABC.)
Our
eight still-standing all-stars each performed an individual dance, and
they performed together in a group for judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Len
Goodman and Bruno Tonioli.
Hilarity and hijinx – in the form of cowboy hats, a tractor, a bull costume and a stuffed cow – ensued.
And there were tears, as always.
Country group Little Big Town opened the show with a song. Then the stars got down to business:
Sabrina Bryan
and partner Louis Van Amstel wanted their rumba to tell a story. It was
a story "that really happened in my life," said Sabrina, with tears in
her eyes. "I went through a relationship that wasn't even a bad one,
it's that my boyfriend was really addicted to drugs," she said during
rehearsals. Slowly and gracefully, she swept and swooped around the
dance floor, flinging her hair. Louis was fighting back tears when it
ended, and Sabrina wiped some away, too. Bruno called it "wonderful."
Carrie Ann had to run over and hug Sabrina. (Which then prompted Bruno
to hug Len.). "It was breathtaking. I had chills the whole time," said
Carrie Ann. Len said it had "lovely balance to it. ... It was
fantastic." Sabrina added that she was "praying" for friends on the
East Coast. Scores: 10, 10, 10 = 30 + 58.5 = 88.5.
Apolo Anton Ohno
and Karina Smirnoff took on the country Viennese waltz after their
fight (which they blamed for their awkward chemistry) last week. Rascal
Flatt's Sara Beth was the soundtrack to their dance about a sick
girl who feels comfort in her man's arms. If there was any time for Ohno
to emote with his partner, this depressing/uplifting routine was it.
And the judges thought he delivered. Len "loved it" and called the
partners "two people in perfect harmony." Bruno said Ohno's "involvement
with her was the best I've ever seen." Said Carrie Ann, "This was your
breakthrough number." Scores: 10, 10, 10 = 30 + 56.5 = 86.5.
Melissa Rycroft's
neck is still hurting. After six hours in rehearsal one day this past
week she said she was scared and frustrated by it. "Want to drop out?"
her partner Tony Dovolani asked her. "No!" she said. Docs told her to
expect soreness and limited mobility, so she just had to power through
her Viennese waltz. "I feel like I've got my second wind," she said
before hitting the dance floor. With a white outfit that showed off her
toned midriff, she and Tony danced a fluid and flowing waltz by a sweet
campfire scene to Jana Kramer's Why You Wanna. Len stood up and
applauded the couple. "Great technique and wonderful moves. You've got
the wow and the how." Bruno called it "exquisite ... Love in the great
outdoors." Carrie Ann praised Melissa's lines, but said she wasn't
dancing "out" enough. Len and Bruno disagreed. They all bickered. Tony
addressed the camera about Hurricane Sandy, saying, "My kids and my
family are there. Stay safe. Don't be brave, evacuate." Scores: 9.5, 10,
10 = 29.5 + 56.5 = 86.
Shawn Johnson injured her knee
this past week in rehearsals, a flare-up of the injury that took her out
of the Olympics in June. "You need to go sit down and ice it," partner
Derek Hough told her and we saw her crying, sitting on the couch. But
come showtime? Not a problem was in sight. For their country cha cha,
Shawn rode in on a tractor and still managed to kick and twist in a cute
red mini skirt and denim bikini-type top as a stuffed cow looked on,
while Kenny Chesney's She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy played. "That
cow was mesmerized," joked host Tom Bergeron. Said Bruno: "Forget about
the tractor! You are the sexy one." Carrie Ann loved how she articulates
every movement, but quibbled about her solo. Len said the "choreography
was fantastic, the movement was brilliant," but didn't like all the
gimmicks. "I don't want tractors! I don't want cows." Shawn explained
that her knee was "sprained." Scores: 9.5, 8.5, 10 = 28 + 56.5 = 84.5.
Gilles Marini hoofed it with partner Peta Murgatroyd to Shania Twain's I Feel Like A Woman. Marini was busy this week working on his ABC Family show, Switched at Birth,
so he was struggling to learn his country Cha cha. Speaking of
distractions, Gilles' deep v-neck see-through t-shirt and shiny
plastic(?) pants showcased his every hip movement, particularly during
his solo. Did the dance live up to his usual standard? Len cited him for
"giving 100 percent." Bruno loved his "latex" pants, saying, "I don't
know what country that was, but I would like to pay a visit." Both had
small problems with his footwork. Carrie Ann, who tied herself into her
chair with a rope so she wouldn't fall out, said Gilles was doing a
"weird thing" with his hands. Gilles did bring up Hurricane Sandy
wishing : "I just want to wish everybody on the East Coast.. We love
you. Hopefully you have TV and we can entertain you." Scores: 9, 9, 9.5 =
27.5 + 56.5 = 84.
Kelly Monaco, who came into the show with the lowest scores, danced a country tango to Carrie Underwood's Good Girl with
partner Val Chmerkovskiy. Their sharp moves earned them applause from
the crowd and praise from the judges. "Nice comeback," said Carrie Ann.
"Huge shift back to the good side of things." Len thought it was "a
little bit hectic" but overall, she attacked it. Bruno liked her Gone With the Wind vibe. "You're back in the game, big time." Scores: 9, 9, 9 = 27 + 51.5 = 78.5.
Emmitt Smith had the country foxtrot with Cheryl Burke this week. The partners had a good time dancing to Islands in the Stream
by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. A highlight: Smith's solo with a high
karate kick and lasso move (Yeehaw!). Bruno, after imitating the lasso
move, said the performance was "a country fan fair." Carrie Ann called
the team out for being off time, but added "you did redeem yourself on
the solo." Len said the performance "lacked a little finesse, but was
such entertainment." Scores: 8.5, 8.5, 9.5 = 26.5 + 56 = 82.5.
Kirstie Alley, the long shot this week, danced a country rumba to Michael Buble's Home.
After complaining that dancing was "grueling" on her 60-year-old body,
Alley didn't let pain show through her performance, which was complete
with seductive looks at partner Maks Chmerkovskiy. "Tonight, you are the
Queen of Sexy," said Carrie Ann. Len liked Alley's "expressive arms,"
but complained there wasn't enough "hip action." Bruno said the dance
was "the expression of gorgeousness of a real woman," before he got cut
off. Scores: 9.5, 8.5, 9.5 = 27.5 + 52.5 = 80.
One final dance offered two points up for grabs: The freestyle group number to Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.
There were push-ups (by men), lifts (of the women), and plenty of hip
wiggles and kicks. Len "thought the whole thing was fun," especially
Kirstie Alley, who "was good for smacking Maks' bottom." Bruno also
enjoyed the "country extravaganza," picking out Kirstie's smack and
Melissa Rycroft's "lassoo" (meaning lasso) moves. Carrie Ann pointed out
pairs Kelly and Val, and Sabrina and Louis. The couple that earned two
bonus points: Kirstie and Maks. So Kirstie's score moves up to 82.
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