Tonight's one of my least favorite theme nights: "The Most Important Year of My Life." We've already heard all of the sob stories and important events of most of the contestants, so rehashing them isn't all that interesting, and I'd rather they be judged on their dancing than their tragedies. Also, most of them are really young and it makes me feel extra old when they say that the most important year of their lives was, like, 2005.
As Tom and Brooke open the show, they are standing in the audience and there's a woman standing behind them and her head is right in between their heads and it's freaking me out. She's like a giant smiling disembodied head. Anyway, it's time for a musical performance! We haven't had too many of these this season due to the one-night-per-week shows. I haven't missed them. Although this one is Aloe Blacc, accompanied by the pros doing a country-tinged dance, and I enjoy it.
After the couples are introduced, Tom announces that, based on viewer votes, it would be a female star going home tonight. He adds that the judges' scores could change things, but as of now, it's a female star. That is information that really doesn't help anyone, right? I mean, they're basically saying, "If you're female, you need good scores to stay, and if you're male, you need good scores to stay." Which is pretty much true all of the time, anyway.
Christina and Mark are given one second to respond to Julianne's diss from last week in their clip package, but it's irrelevant because Julianne was totally right and it was amazing. Then Christina talks about how 2010 was her most memorable year because she gave birth but she also got divorced. The song she's chosen is "Forget You" by Cee-Lo Green. Sad that they can't use the uncensored version. I have to say that the cha cha is Christina's dance. She's really fantastic, all attitude and flying fringe. Great hip action, great facial expressions, some modern bits thrown in, and overall just fun and enjoyable to watch with good technique.
Judges? Len says that he's glad he came back from London in time to see that performance. Bruno thought she was hot and sultry, and Carrie Ann thinks that Christina has always been good, but that was something special. Scores: Carrie Ann 9, Len 10, Bruno 9. It's the first 10 of the season, and Christina and Mark are so happy that they run around the stage in celebration.
Jack is up , and he says that his most important year was last year, 2012. He got married and moved in with his wife, and then his daughter was born, and only two weeks later, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Jack cries when he talks about how he was worried that his quality of life would deteriorate to where he couldn't care for his child. But his wife and child pulled him out of his own head and he credits his continued positive attitude to them. Jack and Cheryl's waltz is really pretty, and Jack's posture is great. His footwork is about ninety percent spot on too, which is nice to see, and he's graceful. But he's not making it a performance. There's one part where he's pulling Cheryl backwards across the floor and the look on his face is like, "God, I hope I don't trip. Please don't trip." You shouldn't be able to read that on his face. He needs to get out of his own head and just dance.
Judges? Bruno thought Jack's dancing was wonderful, and his footwork was light and musical. Carrie Ann loves who graceful Jack is, and his technique was sure-footed and musical. Len loved that Jack had big, flowing movement and stayed in hold much of the time, but he needs to work on his hands. So I'm the only one who's bothered by his facial expressions. Scores: Carrie Ann 9, Len 9, and Bruno 9. Hmm, I thought that was a bit overscored.
Leah's most important year was this past year, because she left Scientology and it's been a huge challenge, but it's also shown her how strong she can be. She has contemporary, which is not Tony's strength. Leah jokes that they could get Corbin to choreograph it, but then she comes up with the idea of Tony being a puppetmaster, and she's the marionette, but then she breaks free. Leah is great in the dance, all attitude and she actually looks graceful and executes the moves well. But the choreography is seriously terrible. Like, I made up better routines with my classmates for the sixth grade talent show. I don't know what Tony was thinking. I mean, it got Leah's idea across for sure, but it was very literal.
Judges? Carrie Ann loved the concept and the message, but felt that the lifts were a little rough. Len loved the concept and the action between the two of them, even if the lifts were labored. Bruno loved that Leah fought back, because it was a lot to take on, and her performance was very effective. Tony says that he understands the judges' critiques, but he's so proud of Leah for how far she's come. Scores: Carrie Ann 7, Len 7, and Bruno 8. Leah is pissed, but she claims that she's proud that she got through it. I wish Leah were on any other season. She would be a contender.
Corbin has chosen 2011 as his most memorable year, because his younger sister was diagnosed with scoliosis, and she had to wear a brace 24/7. Corbin is really proud of her positive attitude. Anyway, Corbin's foxtrot is…fine. It's not as eclectic as some of his routines and his footwork suffers a little bit when they're not in hold. When they are in hold, it looks beautiful, though.
Judges? Len loved that Corbin got immediately into character, and he looked great in hold. Bruno tells Corbin that he could be the lovechild of Fred Astaire and Ben Vereen. Corbin considers that a huge compliment. Carrie Ann argues that they had a lift in the beginning, although Karina assure her that they didn't. Tom asks if Carrie Ann would give the point back later if they can get a replay and determine that it wasn't a lift. Carrie Ann says that if it's possible, she would be happy to give the point back. Scores: Carrie Ann 9, Len 9, and Bruno 10. So Carrie Ann would have given a 10 if not for the lift she thought she saw. I'm just going to save us all the time because Tom says later that the scores are supposed to be final based on what the judges saw, so they won't go back and look. But I went back and looked and from the angle we saw, it was impossible to tell. It looks like her foot stayed on the floor, but her dress was in the way, so who knows?
Thank God for Bill Engvall, who chose a year before 2000. He chose 1982 because that's the year he got married. His song is "She's Always a Woman" by Billy Joel, because he feels like his wife has made him the man he is today, and he always get the accolades in his career, when they really belong to his wife. They have the Viennese waltz, and Bill is really sweet and tender. And he's a good actor! Not to mention graceful and light on his feet. I really love to watch him dance because he's clearly not a dude who would go in for ballroom dances, but it turns out that he's really good at it. Again, I wish he were on a different season.
Judges? Bruno thought it was heartfelt, but his arms were a little bowling-y. Carrie Ann thinks that he touched their souls even if his timing was a bit off. Len loved the romance and his frame, even if there were a few timing issues. Scores: Carrie Ann 8, Len 8, and Bruno 8.
Snooki's most memorable year was 2010 when she gave birth to her son, because it changed her into a better person. Here's what I don't get: in the clip package hanging out with her son at home, Snooki is wearing a T-shirt, sweats, and stiletto heels. I don't get it. Anyway, they are doing a jazz routine to Britney's "Werk Bitch." I don't know what jazz dancing is, but this seemed like a club dance. It was fun to watch, but it seemed like a routine that two buddies would work up at home and then do in the club for their friends, who would stand in a circle and clap.
Judges? Carrie Ann loved how she hit all of the moves on the beat and in sync with her partner. Len thought it was vibrant with great technique. Bruno calls it an "exhilarating bundle of fun." Scores: Carrie Ann 9, Len 9, and Bruno 9. I guess.
Then there's a segment about whether or not dance experience is a blessing or a curse. They all agree that it can be either one. Tony says that it's a huge challenge as a teacher to get someone who has never danced before. But most of them agree that the best dancer doesn't usually win, because it's more about the journey the person takes, and the audience loves to get behind an underdog. I think the people who get really hurt by the ringers are the mediocre dancers – this season that would be Leah or Bill Engvall. They're good enough to keep around, but they are never going to beat Corbin or Amber on scores alone. In another season, they might be at the top of the leaderboard.
Brant talks about 2009, and how he lost his father to lymphoma that year, but it also kickstarted his acting career because he realized he was halfway as old as his father and didn't have any guarantee of how much time he had left. Brant wants this contemporary routine to be uplifting and not depressing. I really don't get the story of this routine because they are fighting and then dancing together and what does this have to do with a father or death or grief or whatever? Brant moves very well, except when he's doing kicks, and then he doesn't point his toes and looks like he's doing karate kicks. I know it's contemporary, but Peta is pointing her toes so I assume Brant is supposed to as well.
Judges? Len loved the passion and the chemistry. Bruno loved how Brant threw himself into the dance and acted it wonderfully. Carrie Ann thought Brant's movements were really driven by passion. I guess he wasn't supposed to point his toes then. Scores: Carrie Ann 9, Len 9, and Bruno 9.
Amber's most memorable year was 2009, because she was working retail, and she tried out for and was rejected from American Idol. But then she booked Glee, and the rest is history. They have the foxtrot to "Try a Little Tenderness" and here's my problem with this routine: this song is all buildup and they cut out all the buildup except for like eight bars. I understand that they don't have a ton of time, and it would be difficult to dance to those opening bars, because they're so slow. But I think this routine would have been more effective with more buildup. That said, Amber does an amazing job and it's a delight to watch.
Judges? Bruno says that it was sensation and she's a performing powerhouse. Carrie Ann thinks that Amber makes it look easy, and she only had one little slip. Len thinks that Amber lights the place up, but he wanted to see more foxtrot and more in hold, which he did see from the others tonight. Derek says that he prepped Amber for that critique based on his choreography. Scores: Carrie Ann 9, Len 7, and Bruno 10. Wow, that was low from Len. I thought an 8 at least.
Hey, remember in week one when I said that if Elizabeth didn't do a routine to "I'm So Excited" by the Pointer Sisters, I would riot? Riot averted, because she's totally doing the jive to it this week. Anyway, her most memorable year was when her son was born. So she's recreating a scene from a show she was on at 15? Not sure how that works. Anyway, they start with a skit recreating the famous scene, but then the dance doesn't quite work for me for some reason. I can't pinpoint why. It's a little manic? Which fits the scene, but I was expecting more control or something.
Judges? Carrie Ann saw a few small slips but thanks Elizabeth for taking her back. Len thought the kicks were sharp and clean, unlike Carrie Ann. Bruno thought it was really fun, and it took him back to his days doing music videos. Scores: Carrie Ann 8, Len 9, and Bruno 9. I thought it was more 8 than 9, but I can't argue.
Before Elizabeth and Val even leave, Tom tells them that they're in jeopardy. Val immediately says, "Thanks, Carrie Ann." I'm pretty sure he's kidding, since that one point wouldn't make a difference, but it cracked me up.
So here is the leaderboard at this point:
Christina and Mark: 28
Corbin and Karina: 28
Jack and Cheryl: 27
Snooki and Sasha: 27
Brant and Peta: 27
Amber and Derek: 26
Elizabeth and Val: 26
Bill and Emma: 24
Leah and Tony: 22
Once Tom and Brooke deliver the news to everyone, we are left with three couples in jeopardy: Elizabeth and Val, Leah and Tony, and Christina and Mark. But Elizabeth and Val are safe. So now it's down to Leah or Christina. Brooke reminds us that these are not necessarily the bottom two, and then Tom says that Christina and Mark are going home. Wow. She got ZERO audience support. She had the highest score tonight! Leah and Tony are shocked too. That's rough, because it basically means that people didn't like you. It's not that she wasn't a great dancer, and it's not that the judges gave her low scores, so what else is there? I think she should have given a sob story. That might have helped.