Episode Report Card Kim: A- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Do The Hustle
By Kim | Season 9 | Episode 10 | Aired on 10.19.2009
The final couple is Joanna and Maks (subbing for Derek). So Wednesday, Derek was off in rehearsal on, and Joanna noticed. So on Thursday, Derek stayed home and Maks came in to help out. He didn't know at the time if Derek would be back for the performance or not, but by Friday they kind of figured out that Maks would be dancing on Monday. They look good together, though. And I bet the judges will take it easy on them. They start their tango with some business with a lamp post and a jacket, which whatever. Just as I was about to say that things look very smooth, although they're missing some of the flicks and kicks, someone screws up and Maks nearly falls. They both recover nicely and continue, and they look great together, but the choreography seems a bit too easy. It's understandable, though.
Bruno says that it was fantastic up until the stumble. Len thinks they did a great job under the circumstances. Carrie Ann thought they found the chemistry in a week, but Joanna needs to work on her flexibility. Derek is backstage, and he compliments on how well things went. Isn't he still contagious? Joanna admits that she missed her step and caused the stumble. Scores: Carrie Ann 8, Len 8, and Bruno 8.
Group dance! Group dance! Group dance! They're doing the Hustle this week, and as they all arrive, they discover that Corky Ballas is going to be the choreographer, and he's all dressed up in '70s garb. Donny is super excited. I notice that there's no mention in the clip package of the part where Aaron was an hour late and everyone had to wait for him. Just saying. Kelly feels more confidence because when she's dancing with everyone else, she realizes that she's not THAT bad. Louie has the opposite reaction; he can't figure out how everyone else seems to know the dance already. Maybe everyone knows the line dance part because it's very similar to every other line dance -- the Electric Slide most notably? Guess Louie hasn't attended any wedding receptions lately. Then they practice their individual moves, most of which include a lift or a trick.
Time for the routine! The music is REALLY fast. It's like the inverse of "Crazy Train." The dancers come out and quickly get into two lines, like Soul Train. Louie and Chelsie do a move that my dad used to do with me when I was a kid, where he'd grab one leg and one arm and spin me. Mark puts Melissa on his shoulders and then she hangs by her legs. It looks dumb. Kelly apparently hurt her foot so she's barefoot, and since she's about the same size as Louis, they don't do any tricks, but they are cute anyway. Mark D. looks way more into this dance than any other he's done so far, and he does a standing back flip, but then he beats on Lacey's buns like bongos and I didn't like that part as much. Aaron has that looking feminine problem again. Donny has his old '70s wig on, but there's so much smoke being blown in that I can't really see his trick. Maks basically just throws Joanna around and her dress nearly falls off. Maks should star in a remake of Saturday Night Fever. He looks good in those '70s clothes. I don't know what Natalie and Alec are doing and I don't know what Alec has on his head, but neither are good. Mya looks great and totally '70s, and she and Dmitry work it. Michael Irvin is totally into it too, and he practically tosses Anna up over his head. They finish with a group routine and everyone looks like they are having a lot of fun. I think this was my favorite group dance so far, and I bet it will be the encore tomorrow night. I don't know that it will change anyone's ideas about voting, but it was fun to watch.