Episode Report Card Kim: A- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Mambo Italiano
By Kim | Season 9 | Episode 12 | Aired on 10.26.2009
Last week, Joanna danced with Maks when Derek was down and out with the flu. But this week, Derek is back to dance the waltz. Joanna realizes that she has to be slow and controlled. I think that Derek is not quite healthy. He doesn't look good in rehearsals. He's sweaty and kind of pale, and easily frustrated. He works with her on her frame, which is already worlds better than Melissa Joan Hart's. So can she pull it off in their performance? You know what's weird to me? Derek seems a little off this week, more than Joanna. Usually, he's great at ballroom, but I think he might still be sick or something. Either that or he's covering for her mistakes, but there are times when he stutters a bit on his steps. Joanne looks great, although I caught a few points where she could have pointed her toes and extended her legs a little more.
Bruno says it was like "watching a butterfly gently gliding over an Alpine meadow." Carrie Ann thought her lines were graceful, but she saw a lot of hesitation. I think that's what I saw, and I really think it was Derek not leading as strongly as he usually does. Len thought there were some problems with her footwork, but he appreciated that they didn't mess about at the beginning. By the time Len is done talking, Derek has broken out in a serious sweat. That boy is not right. Scores: Carrie Ann 8, Len 9, and Bruno 9.
Donny and Kym are the last to go, and for some reason they are wearing choo choo train outfits. Like I think they might be pitching a children's show. A really disturbing children's show. Last week, they got their highest score ever, so this week Kym has got some crazy moves planned. The problem is that Donny is old and he's having a hard time with all the lifts and tricks. So then Donny and Kym do their volunteering thing, which I'm sure every couple will get around to this season at some point. Their routine starts, and in the beginning Donny loses the plot a bit and his arms are just flailing around, but he quickly regains control and gets the audience really into it. It's high energy, for sure.
Carrie Ann says that it was engaging, but they had some stumbles and got out of sync. Len thought it was entertaining and a great performance, despite the stumbles. Bruno knows that Donny can work a room, but he could tell Donny was having trouble keeping up at times. Scores: Carrie Ann 8, Len 8, and Bruno 8.
So the dance marathon is happening now, and it's the mambo. This whole thing just reminds me of that episode of Happy Days where Fonzie promised Joanie that he would be her partner in a dance marathon, but then his motorcycle broke down and he had to walk like a hundred miles home, but he didn't want to let Shortcake down, so he did the marathon anyway. And they were up against this really obnoxious short blonde girl (played by Charlene Tilton!) and her tall partner, and Fonzie was practically dead on the dance floor, and then the blonde girl decided to do a challenge dance and Fonzie collapsed. Joanie was totally a bitch about it so they finally told her why Fonzie was so tired, and she went and told the Fonz that they could throw in the towel. But then Fonzie remembers that he said he would get a crewcut if Blondie won the marathon and as they are taking him out the door on a stretcher, he grabs the doorjamb and pulls himself back in. He issues his own dance challenge, some crazy Russian dance that my cousin Steve could totally do like a pro, where you squat down and kick your legs out to the side. And Blondie and her partner couldn't do it, so Joanie and Fonzie won! And then Fonzie practically did die, and Richie kept saying "Yowza yowza yowza." Man, I love that show. And I realize the whole thing was a ripoff of They Shoot Horses, Don't They? but it was way better.