Episode Report Card Kim: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Hazardous To Your Health
By Kim | Season 8 | Episode 2 | Aired on 03.16.2009
Carrie Ann thought it was much better, elegant and strong. Len thought there was great improvement as well, and while there were small errors, they weren't a big deal. Bruno loved the leg action, but he thinks Denise has a good dancer inside somewhere. Denise looks like she's ready to cry but Maks whispers to her and she gooses Tom, keeping up the tradition of the past few seasons. Except she's totally obvious about it and like fondles his buttock and it makes me uncomfortable. Scores: Carrie Ann 7, Len 7 and Bruno 7. Backstage, there's a weird moment where Samantha brings up that Denise was berating herself during the commercial break and Maks says, "For once, I wasn't saying anything negative," like someone accused him of doing so. Also, the body language between him and Denise seems strained. Hmm. I think they don't like each other. I have read reports that she's a diva backstage and all the below-the-line workers hate her. Who knows?
Belinda Carlisle (kind of forgot she was on the show, which isn't good) and Jonathan are up next. Last week, the judges thought her waltz was not great. Belinda thinks the criticism was valid, but she took it personally, and she didn't anticipate how difficult this would be emotionally. Jonathan gives her a pep talk and then convinces her that doing the salsa will be better for her, because she can dance more like she did as lead singer of the Go-Go's. I'm... not sure that's a good thing in the salsa, but we shall see. The routine starts off really high-energy and fun, but it loses something in the middle -- not sure if Belinda missed a step or just ran out of steam. It ends with Belinda doing a handstand, and I get that she may be trying to shake the matronly label she got pegged with last week, but it's a bit much. She also jiggles her boobs at the judges. I love that a woman over thirty can be flirty and sexy, but she seems kind of winded, like when your aunt has a few too many cocktails at a wedding and ends up sweating through her dress shields.
Len loved the exuberance and fun, but thought it lacked hip action. Bruno liked seeing her shake it, but she needs to be sharper on her rhythm. As he demonstrates, he nearly knocks Len out of his chair, and Tom sneaks over and steals his score paddle and pretends to give him a score of one. Carrie Ann tries to gently say that it was a little too free and not graceful. I actually agree with that one. It's what I was trying to say in the previous paragraph but couldn't find the words. Backstage, Belinda says that she had a good time out there, no matter what the judges think. Scores: Carrie Ann 6, Len 6, and Bruno 6. Those 6 paddles are really getting a workout tonight.