Episode Report Card Kim: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Exotic and Erotic
By Kim | Season 9 | Episode 8 | Aired on 10.12.2009
Melissa and Mark are mugging it up for the cameras next. Mark has a fake mustache on, and based on Melissa's outfit, they must be dancing the Charleston. Melissa interviews that she really wants to get into the 20s in her scores. Mark admits that he's never done the Charleston before in competition. So then they go to a 1920s club, which kind of just looks like someone's old house more than a club. Their dance starts out in black and white all old-timey, but I think Melissa's dress is way too short to be period appropriate. Frankly, it's too short period. And Melissa is just not graceful. I mean, she is performing the heck out of this dance, but I don't think you can teach someone to be graceful; either she is or she isn't. The routine is a lot of fun, but I can't wait to see the other couples do the Charleston.
Bruno thought he was taken back to the 1920s and Melissa nailed the role. Carrie Ann loved it and thinks they should take it on the road. She calls it a breakthrough. Len thinks they hit all three Es: energy, excitement, and entertainment. So they don't care that Melissa kind of looked like a kludgy elephant out there? Okay. Scores: Carrie Ann 9, Len 9, and Bruno 10. Wow. I so disagree with those scores. I might have been able to get behind some 8s, but those scores were way too high.
Natalie Coughlin and Alec have been kind of the stealth couple this season, putting in good performances each week without getting the attention of some of the other couples. This week, they have the bolero, and Alec promises to really push Natalie and get her to loosen up and hopefully stop holding her breath. They've also decided to make their choreography more difficult to try to launch into the top spot. They argue over whether to take a chance and potentially move up the ranks, or keep it safe. I'm assuming they chose the former, although they don't really say. So Alec did a great job coming up with choreography that shows off Natalie's incredible flexibility and lines. Her arms are graceful. She has very few stumbles where it looks kind of awkward, but they're there. Again, not being familiar with this dance, I'm not really sure what I should be looking for though.
Carrie Ann was impressed with the difficulty, but she could see the struggle in the movements. Len loved the "beautiful, lyrical movement," but would have liked a little more romance and connection. Bruno compares Natalie to Sharon Stone: "beautiful and dangerous," but sometimes Natalie flails her arms around instead of placing them. Scores: Carrie Ann 8, Len 8, and Bruno 8. I thought they deserved at least one 9.