Episode Report Card Kim: C | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Bad Romance
By Kim | Season 14 | Episode 12 | Aired on 04.30.2012
Judges? Len liked the transitions into the lift, but he wanted more tension in the feet. Thank you, LEN! Bruno also liked the lifts, but he agrees that the legs were a little wobbly. They've been that way every week! Why am I the only one who mentioned this? Carrie Ann thought it was great. Shut it, Carrie Ann. His feet were awful. Scores: Carrie Ann 9, Len 8 and Bruno 8. Carrie Ann is on crack.
Donald and Peta take Len's advice and decide that she needs to challenge him more. Donald has the Viennese waltz, and he's competing directly with William and Jaleel, who have the same routine. Peta says she's doing "a professional-grade routine," and Donald wants to nail it. So does he? Well, not quite. His footwork is outstanding for the most part, and his frame is great. But his arms seem like an afterthought and he gets a little ahead of the beat at times.
Judges? Bruno says that he loved the passion. Carrie Ann says that she didn't see a lift, and she loves Donald's intensity and regalness. Len thought it was terrific, and his footwork was spot-on. Scores: Carrie Ann 9, Len 9 and Bruno 9. Donald is happy that he's not going backward.
Derek and Maria will be dancing the paso doble this week. Why are they the only ones with that routine? As they rehearse, Derek tells Maria to "be a female" and she tells him that she is. He says that he hasn't seen it, and wow is he being a dick. It's not even what he said as much as how he said it, like so dismissive and egotistical. I am usually a Derek fan or sometimes neutral, but that really turned me off. Anyway, Derek claims that he wants to let Maria shine and he might not be explaining things well to her. Whatever, Derek.
I did not love that paso doble. It was well done, to be sure. But Maria was a vampire for some reason? And it seemed like it was mostly Maria posing or lying on the floor while Derek did spins and stuff. Maria's a good dancer; let her dance! Derek doesn't need to choreograph around her. And why the vampire? Judges? Carrie Ann thought it was amazing, and she thinks Maria might take the lead from Katherine among the women. Len thought it was sharp, crisp and tense. Bruno wants Maria to bite him right now. Maria is really emotional after getting such praise. Scores: Carrie Ann 10, Len 10 and Bruno 10. Everyone goes NUTS. The first perfect score of the season. It's nice to see the contestants supporting one another -- they are really clapping for Maria and Derek.
Jaleel has the last individual performance. I'm so bored by Jaleel's roll-in package that I can't even remember what he talked about. Something about being a leading man and competing with the other men? Let's hope his Viennese waltz is more compelling. Mmm, I'm not loving his frame or his arm positions. The song's tempo is not helping; it's very fast and I don't know how they would do a great waltz to this one. But I'm not feeling it, regardless.