1Season 13

S13.E1 ∙ Round One

Mon, Sep 19, 2011

The trumpets are blaring, the lights are too bright, and Brooke Burke has a new attachment to her last name (Charvet?), which can only mean it's time for another season of "Dancing with the Stars"!Let's meet the cast:NBA champion Ron Artest and partner Peta MurgatroydReality star Rob Kardashian and partner Cheryl BurkeTV star Kristin Cavallari and partner Mark BallasSinger Chynna Phillips and partner Tony DovolaniTV host Nancy Grace and partner Tristan MacManusActor David Arquette and partner Kym JohnsonModel and actress Elisabetta Canalis and Val ChmerkovskiySoccer star Hope Solo and partner Maksim ChmerkovskiyFashion guru Carson Kressley and partner Anna TrebunskayaWar veteran and actor J.R. Martinez and partner Karina SmirnoffTalk show host Ricki Lake and partner Derek HoughAuthor and activist Chaz Bono and partner Lacey SchwimmerHost Tom Bergeron says a lot about the new ballroom.Ron & Peta: Ron says he's moved on from his wild ways and took on the challenge of the show after his 4-year-old daughter survived cancer treatment and inspired him to take on new challenges. Peta is making her "DWTS" debut and says Kym better watch out because "there's another Aussie on board." Ron's dancing the cha cha, but having trouble because he's tall and stiff. It's pretty awkward. Len Goodman says it "lacked cha cha content" and Ron's "footwork was atrocious." Bruno Tonioli says Ron has strength and power and presence, but he has to work on technique. Carrie Ann Inaba says the sexiness worked, but the technique was wrong all around. Scores: 5, 4, 5. Total: 14.Rob & Cheryl: Rob says he wants to do the show to step out of his sisters' shadows. Cheryl says 10 seasons is too far removed from her last mirror-ball win. Rob wants to do better than his sister, Kim, did. They do the Viennese waltz. Rob's quite stiff. Bruno says Rob looked frightened, like he was only trying to obey orders. He says he didn't feel anything coming from Rob at all. Carrie Ann says Rob has to let it flow a little more because it was "all a little rigid." Len says he's "not impressed, but I'm not depressed." He says Rob was too careful. Scores: 6, 5, 5. Total: 16.Kristin & Mark: Kristin says she's "not a bitch," despite her role on "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills." She says she's had a rough year, having her engagement fall apart. Mark tells her she's naturally coordinated. They get the cha cha, and Mark wants it to be "one of those memorable routines." Carrie Ann says she's excited to see Kristin dance more because she has a great quality to her performance. She tells Kristin not to shuffle her feet around when she's dancing on her own. Len says he liked it, but Kristin went into her shell a little compared to the rehearsal footage he saw. Bruno says he likes bad girls, but Kristin has to control her movements more. Scores: 7, 6, 6. Total: 19Chynna & Tony: Chynna says her husband, Billy Baldwin, is the one who suggested she do the show. She gets the Viennese waltz, but has trouble keeping up with all the steps involved. Len says it wasn't the best first-night dance he's ever seen, "but it was close." Bruno says there was great musicality, good character and the talent it there, even though she has to clean it up a little. Carrie Ann says it was "gorgeous," and "everything was perfection," despite a few nervous moments. Carrie Ann says she can't wait to see more. Scores: 8, 7, 7. Total: 22Nancy & Tristan: Nancy says she wants to show her 3-year-old twins that "mommy can dance." She doesn't know anything about the cha cha, but after some tutelage says tonight she'll rest her case and declare herself a ballroom dancer. Bruno says he had "no idea (Nancy) was so lavishly gifted." He tells her she has the moves but she doesn't believe in herself. Carrie Ann says Nancy might be the happiest contestant she's ever seen out there, but she has to work on remembering her choreography. Len says it was a "see-saw" and adds that Nancy has to get balance. He calls it "underwhelming." Scores: 5, 5, 6. Total: 16David & Kym: David says he's from a whole family of entertainers and now he's ready to entertain America on the dance floor. He meets Kym and tells her he's been sober for "almost eight months" and now he's focused on "being present, being connected." He says he's going to go on the floor and do his "best impression of a person doing the Vienesse waltz." He gets big applause from the crowd, which includes his wife Courteney Cox, from whom the Internet tells us he's still separated. Carrie Ann says she "really liked it," saying there's a "beautiful vulnerability" to him. She says all he needs to do is relax a little. Len appreciates that he came straight out into the dance and says he was "very, very impressed." He declares that David is "a dancer." Bruno says he looked the part, then got "all entangled" and didn't know what the hell he was doing. Scores: 6, 6, 6. Total: 18Elisabetta & Val: Elisabetta says most people know her from her "past private life" -- and that's when we see a photo of her with George Clooney. Val says that after 10 seasons, he wants to beat his brother. First, they need to get past their language barrier. Elisabetta vows that they're only going to speak one language: The cha cha. Len says he didn't like the whole beginning, because it's not his "cup of tea." He says he "didn't mind it too much" once it got going, but then it got brittle and Elisabetta lost confidence. Bruno says that because Elisabetta is not a performer, she doesn't have the confidence to hold a performance on her own. Carrie Ann says Elisabetta has to "channel the model" in her to stand stronger on her own. Scores: 5, 5, 5. Total: 15Hope & Max: The World Cup goalie is ready to block all of her competition on the dance floor. She tells Maks she's nervous because she's a stiff and awkward athlete. Their first dance is the Viennese waltz, which Maks says it not ideal for her at all. Bruno tells Hope she has a bright future, with great drive, attack and musicality, but she has to work on her control. He says all the attributes are there. Carrie Ann says the real impressive part was the body contact because that's hard to do, but she tells Hope to be aware of not "muscling" things. Len says there was good posture, hold and lovely movement. Scores: 7, 7, 7. Total: 21Carson & Anna: Carson says he's probably most well known for his "amazing shoes," and his show, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." Carson says he was surprised he wasn't paired with Maks or Mark or Derek, but she's beautiful and talented, so it'll work. He says no one will work harder than he is to compensate for his "lack of talent." They dance the cha cha cha. Carrie Ann says that was her "favorite dance of the night -- by far!" She says, technically speaking, it's not all there, but for performance and entertainment value, "Bam!" Len says there were elements of "Jagger, swagger and stagger." He says Carson gave "such good entertainment." Bruno calls it "two for the price of one." From one angle, Carson is "Mick" and from the other, he's "Bianca" -- making a reference to the song, "Moves Like Jagger," to which Carson performed. Scores: 6, 5, 6. Total: 17J.R. & Karina: J.R. explains how he served and was injured in Iraq, but he overcame the odds and survived, and became an actor. He explains he was driving a truck in Iraq when it hit a landmine. He said he's had 33 surgeries after being burned over 40 percent of his body. "So, there's a reason I'm this cute," he says, pointing to his heavily scarred face. He says, "The Army taught me a lot. But there's one thing it didn't teach me -- the Viennese waltz." Len says he "danced a performance that's right up there with every other of the best performances of the night." Bruno says he's an inspiration and adds that he can't wait to see the Latin dances from J.R., because did well with the waltz. Carrie Ann says she was "absolutely touched" and that it was mind-blowing that he was able to bring that kind of emotional connection to his performance on Day 1. Scores: 8, 7, 7. Total: 22Ricki & Derek: Ricki says she's 42 and she's "here to get (her) slammin' body back." Ricki says she "melted a little bit" when she met Derek. She tells Derek he's going to help her "get rid of all of this," pointing at some extra weight on her back. She says Kirstie Alley inspired her to do the show. They dance the Viennese waltz. Bruno says there was "great chemistry," and adds it was "another great Viennese waltz." Carrie Ann says it was spectacular how they finished each other's moves. Len says he doesn't want to be picky, but says he doesn't know what was going on with her feet, but it was "elegant" with "lovely movement, fluidity," and that overall he loved it very much. Scores: 7, 6, 7. Total: 20Chaz & Lacey: Chaz is the first transgender contestant on "Dancing with the Stars." Lacey says she can be called "weird, wacky, wild," but this year she'll be called a winner. Chaz says Lacey brings out the kid in him, which helps. They dance the cha cha cha. Carrie Ann says people have been waiting all night to Chaz and he did not disappoint. She praises Chaz's footwork and says he lights up the room. Len says Chaz had the right attitude, enjoyed himself, was "right on time," with "good footwork" and a great attitude. Bruno says he had no idea Chaz was so cuddly and cute. Scores: 6, 5, 6. Total: 17 LEADER BOARD:Chynna & Tony: 22J.R. & Karina: 22Hope & Maks: 21Kristin & Mark: 20Ricki & Derek: 20David & Kym: 18Carson & Anna: 17Chaz & Lacey: 17Rob & Cheryl: 16Nancy & Tristan: 16Elisabetta & Val: 15Ron & Peta: 14

2Season 13

S13.E2 ∙ Round One: Meet the Cast

Tue, Sep 20, 2011

The first results show of the 13th season of "Dancing with the Stars" starts with a rousing group routine to Lady Gaga's "Edge of Glory," but one couple is on the edge of elimination -- and they're hanging on only about an hour longer with us.Host Tom Bergeron doesn't waste any time, getting right to some results and calling the first three couples to the stage: Ricki & Derek, Elisabetta & Val, and Rob & Cheryl. To the results: The first couple safe is Ricki & Derek. Also coming back next week is Elisabetta & Val. Rob & Cheryl are in jeopardy.Backstage, Elisabetta is very thankful to have a second chance, and her partner Val is also glad to be back for more than one week in his debut "DWTS" season. Derek admits he was nervous on Monday night in his first night back on the show in about a year. After a long featuette showing us the cast backstage -- Ron Artest wants to hit the clubs with Nancy Grace -- we get to a performance from Harry Connick Jr., who does the title tune from his new Broadway show, "On a Clear Day."Back to the results, Tom calls three more couples to the stage. Hope & Maks, Kristin & Mark and Ron & Peta. Hope & Maks are safe while Ron & Peta are in jeopardy. Kristin & Mark are safe.LMFAO pays a visit to perform its summer hit, "Party Rock Anthem."Tom calls three more couples to the stage: J.R. & Karina, Chynna & Tony, and Chaz & Lacey. The next couple safe for another week is Chynna & Tony.J.R. & Karina are also safe. Chaz & Lacey are safe, as well -- much to Lacey's surprise. Finally, the last three couples hit the stage. David & Kym, Carson & Anna, and Nancy & Tristan. The next couple definitely safe is David & Kym. Nancy & Tristan are still in jeopardy. Carson & Anna are safe.Down to the final three "in jeopardy" couples -- Rob & Cheryl, Ron & Peta and Nancy & Tristan -- are about to learn their fate. Rob & Cheryl are safe.With just two couples left, Len Goodman says he'll be sad to see either couple go after just one dance. The couple leaving after just one week is ... "Metta" & Peta. Which is probably not the worst thing, because it was going to be tough to call Ron Artest "Metta" all season.

3Season 13

S13.E3 ∙ Round One: The Results

Tue, Sep 20, 2011

It's sure to be a fast-paced two hours as the second week of competition on "Dancing with the Stars" challenges the couples to do either a jive or quickstep.We right to the action.Hope & Maks: Hope's week started with a soccer match in Portland, where she was honored for playing her 100th game with the U.S. national team. Maks tries to encourage her to practice hard in rehearsal by telling her they're going to get eliminated in Week 3 if she doesn't. They do a jive with a soccer theme. Head judge Len Goodman says it was crisp, sharp and, unfortunately she lost her timing a little during some intricate kicks and flicks. Bruno Tonioli says that all of Hope's power is lost if she isn't precise and accurate. He tells her to apply herself and take more time to learn the intricacies. Carrie Ann Inaba says it was fun and flirty, but agrees that she does have to work more on the details. Scores: 6, 7, 6. Total: 19Kristin & Mark: After impressing the judges a bit, but not coming out of her shell enough, Kristin is setting out to show some attitude. Her goal is to "hit" every beat and movement. She does an old, Hollywood, Marilyn Monroe-inspired glam performance to "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." Bruno loves it, but notes that she has to hold her frames longer. Carrie Ann says, "Last week, nervous; this week, stunning!" She calls it "gorgeous." Len says Kristin looks fantastic, but "it wasn't as good as you look." He says the footwork could have been cleaner, the hold could've been stronger," and he notes that they broke hold. But says that it was, overall, a great improvement from last week. Scores: 8, 7, 7. Total: 22 David & Kym: David's nerves threw him off last week, but this week's dance, the jive, is a lot like him. He says, "It's a little silly, but it's complicated, as well." He thinks in rehearsal that he nearly got it down, but Kym tells him it was "terrible." Carrie Ann says there was "incredible enthusiasm," but ... he was "a little too loose." She tells him to stop dancing from his shoulders. Len says he's almost speechless and that "any connection that had with the jive was a coincidence -- the technique wasn't there." He liked the enthusiasm, but "it was just a little bit wild and frantic." Bruno says David followed directions after they told him not to hold back. But he says it's good that David's starting to find his persona and gain confidence. Scores: 6, 6, 6. Total: 18Elisabetta & Val: After landing in second-to-last place last week, Val says "there's absolutely no room for error." This statement seems to contradict his choice in eyewear. Elisabetta has trouble picking up the routine, and she and Val fight in rehearsal. They dance a quickstep. Len says, "It's not great, but it was better than last week." Bruno says Elisabetta is "back on track." He tells her to keep working and it's great to see her bounce back. Carrie Ann says she "totally came back" and that the quickstep is her dance. Scores: 7, 7, 7. Total: 21Rob & Cheryl: Rob played it a little too safe, according to the judges, last week. This week, he's "scared as hell" with the jive. He's worried that his "man boobs" and stomach are going to be bouncing around. He gets genuinely self-conscious. His jive gets a roaring ovation. Bruno says Rob is starting to blossom and find his own voice and his timing was excellent. Carrie Ann announces, "It's official! Rob Kardashian is a better dancer than Kim Kardashian!" Len agrees it was a great improvement. Scores: 7, 7, 7. Total: 21Carson & Anna: Carson has to get beyond the personality and great costumes. He's worried that now he really has to show he can dance. He wants to take advantage of a chance to show some fancy footwork with his quickstep. He winds up laying on the judges' table. Carrie Ann says she "saw improvement." She says Carson was "a little wobbly" and she says there's not a great balance of energy in Carson's partnership with Anna. Someone in the crowd shouts something at this. Len says that if he held his knife and fork like Carson held Anna, "I would starve to death." Len laments that the dancers who are the most fun to watch this season are the worst ones. Bruno says it's great entertainment. Scores: 6, 6, 6. Total: 18Ricki & Derek: After an impressive first week, the jive brings a whole new challenge. When Derek explains some of the moves Ricki needs to do, she doesn't think there's any way she'll be able to do them. The crowd goes wild. Len isn't totally sure why he didn't like it. He liked the fun, exuberance and such, but he wanted more jive content. Bruno praises Ricki for being the first performer of the night to do the kicks and flicks correctly. Carrie Ann agrees, calling it the "best jive of the night, so far!" Scores: 8, 7, 8. Total: 23Chaz & Lacey: Chaz is having some knee trouble after a week's worth of dancing, and he's struggling through some rehearsal. He feels bad but the quickstep is having some of the more challenging aspects removed. Bruno says it's cute and "like watching a little Ewok dance with Princess Leia. He says the dance requires faster step than what was there. Carrie Ann agrees and says Chaz handled the pain well but the dance suffered. Len says he admires the grit and determination, but "it's a quickstep, and I move faster through the car wash." He says it needed more speed. Scores: 6, 5, 6. Total: 17Chynna & Tony: Ecstatic after sharing first place last week, Chynna is determined to stay on top. She has a little trouble with the jive steps in rehearsals, she gives in to cursing (using something worthy of a bleep after a series of "fudges" until then). Carrie Ann says she genuinely enjoys watching Chynna dance, but she feels like Chynna played it a little safe. Len says the show is about expectations, and she raised them after last week. "It was good, but it wasn't great, really," he says. He adds that it was a "polite jive." Bruno tells her there's a sexiness that's trying to come out. "Everything was there, but it was a little bit lacking," he says. Scores: 7, 7, 7. Total: 21Nancy & Tristan: The judges dropped the hammer of justice on Nancy a bit last week, and Nancy fully shut down during rehearsal. She simply stopped practicing, so Tristan left. She later tearfully apologized to Tristan, and now she's ready to bring it. Len says, "How refreshing." He praises them for maintaining hold, despite lacking "flash" and "raz-matazz." Bruno says it was "a bit top heavy," but it's great to see her taking over the dance floor. Carrie Ann says she's saw some improvement and even though she likes more raz-matazz," she likes the chemistry they're developing. Scores: 6, 8, 7. Total: 21J.R. & Karina: A Viennese waltz earned J.R. a spot at the top of the leader board, but he thinks he needs to work harder to stick around because he's not as well known as others on the show. The crowd loves it and Bruno says J.R. has a feel for the music that comes from within him. He calls it "the most satisfying overall performance of the night." Carrie Ann is upset because it was great, but there was a lift that she has to penalize them for. Len says that as good as it was, it wasn't a jive. "It was too much Lindy," he says. Scores: 7, 7, 8. Total: 22LEADER BOARD: Ricki & Derek: 23Kristin & Mark: 22J.R. & Karina: 22Elisabetta & Val: 21Rob & Cheryl: 21Chynna & Tony: 21Nancy & Len: 21Hope & Maks: 19David & Kym: 18Carson & Anna: 18Chaz & Lacey: 17

4Season 13

S13.E4 ∙ Round Two

Mon, Sep 26, 2011

The second week of the 13th season of "Dancing with the Stars" is drawing near a close, and that means another star will be sent packing on Tuesday. Host Tom Bergeron wastes no time getting to some results and calls David & Kym and Caron & Anna to the stage. We get a recap that reminds us how much fun the judges seemed to have watching both couples, even though their techniques were totally off. The first couple safe for another week is ... Carson & Anna. David & Kym are in jeopardy.After the first set of results are done, head judge Len Goodman gets to put in his request for an encore ... and it's Ricki & Derek's jive.After a "Cribs"-like feature that gives us a tour of the rehearsal space at "DWTS," The Scripts take the stage to perform "For the First Time" -- for the first time on "Dancing with the Stars."The next set of dancers to get results are Kristin & Mark, J.R. & Karina and Ricki & Derek. Kristin earned good marks from the judges, despite getting a bit of a hard time for her arm movements. J.R. earned mixed praise. Carrie Ann loved it but had to penalize for a lift, while Len thought it was a great dance, but wasn't a jive. Ricki was called out as having the best jive of the night and took first place on the judges' leader board.The next couple definitely coming back next week is Ricki & Derek. Kristin & Mark are also safe. J.R. & Karina ... are also coming back next week, leaving David & Kym as the only couple in jeopardy.The stars tells us what it was like standing on stage last week awaiting results for the first time. Nancy says it's something she'll never forget. They go on to talk about how intense the competition is already getting. The first Macy's Stars of Dance performance is sort of a throwback and tribute to the old Hollywood choreography of Busby Berkeley.After some chit-chat in the skybox thingy, Brooke Burke sends Rob & Cheryl, Nancy & Tristan, and Chaz & Lacey to the stage. The recap reminds us that the judges generally liked Rob and Nancy, and were sad they had to give Chaz low marks because his knees were hurting. The first couple safe is Rob & Cheryl. Chaz & Lacey are in jeopardy, and Nancy & Tristan are safe.Back on the "DWTS" stage is Demi Lovato, performing her song, "Skyscraper."Back to the results, Chynna & Tony, Elisabetta & Val, and Hope & Maks are caled out. The judges thought Chynna played it a little safe, and she vowed to let the siren out next week. Elisabetta was pumped to get decent scores from the judges. Hope got Len to say, "That was booyah-catcha!" The next couple safe is Chynna & Tony. Hope & Maks are also coming back. Elisabetta & Val are in jeopardy.Down to the bottom three, which Tom confirms are indeed the bottom three, the first couple safe is Chaz & Lacey.The couple with the lowest combined total of judges points and votes is ... Elisabetta & Val. This means David & Cheryl, who were one point away from last place on the judges' leader board, are safe for another week.

5Season 13

S13.E5 ∙ Round Two: Encore Performance

Tue, Sep 27, 2011

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6Season 13

S13.E6 ∙ Round Two: The Results

Tue, Sep 27, 2011

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7Season 13

S13.E7 ∙ Round Three

Mon, Oct 3, 2011

The stars are going to offer up performances that tell the stories of their most memorable years, and co-host Brooke Burke suggests keeping a box of tissues handy.Rob & Cheryl: Rob says he was 15 when his father died in 2003, and that's the moment he's going to use, dancing the foxtrot to "Fly Me to the Moon." The song was one of his dad's favorites and he wants the performance to be a celebration of his dad's life. Head judge Len Goodman says Rob "just put the 'dash' in the Kardashian." Bruno Tonioli says he likes the way Rob is starting to play and toy with Cheryl a bit. Carrie Ann Inaba says she likes watching Rob dance and that each week he genuinely makes progress. She calls it a charming and very smooth performance. Scores: 8, 8, 8. Total: 24Chynna & Tony: Chynna last week vowed to give us more after the judges thought she played it too safe. She says the year she's drawing from for this performance is 1990, the year Wilson Phillips' first album, which included the song "Hold On" came out. She says there were many negative influences she exorcised while writing that song, and she still gets emotional when she sings it. She and Tony do a rumba to "Hold On." The Wilsons are in the crowd! Tony says it was beautiful and "always so expressive." She says Chynna belongs in a museum. Carrie Ann says she "definitely gave us more." She says Chynna is "stunning to watch." She says she's never heard that song the way she just heard it. Len draws on the idea of holding on for one more day and says that if she keeps dancing like that, she'll be "holding on for weeks and weeks." Scores: 8, 9, 9. Total: 26Chaz & Lacey: After escaping elimination last week and being compared to an Ewok, Chaz says he's going to dance his rumba this week to a song his dad wrote, called, "Laugh at Me." It's about this year, when he completed his transformation to being a man, and how "if you have a problem with me, that's your problem and not mine." Chaz says the rumba is a tribute to his dad. Carrie Ann says she's always impressed by Chaz's courage every week. But tonight wasn't his best performance and he looked really distracted. She also says it's breaking her heart to criticize, but he didn't dance enough. Len says the opposite and says "that was the best dance I've seen you do." Bruno breaks the tie, saying the rumba is difficult and requires continuous motion. He says at times Chaz looked a little bit lost. Scores: 6, 6, 6. Total: 18Kristin & Mark: After reeling from Len's remarks the week before, Kristin decides that Beyonce's "Crazy in Love" defines her most meaningful year: 2005. She says that was the year she moved to L.A. and had to decide after high school whether she was going to go to college or try for a career in entertainment. They dance a samba. Len is smiling, but didn't like "the Beyonce stuff," the side-by-side moves. He says the other 80 percent was fabulous. Bruno calls her a "fast-moving devil woman," and adds, "Who can say no after that?" Carrie Ann says Beyonce is some"did pretty good." Scores: 8, 8, 8. Total: 24Carson & Anna: Carson says he really felt like a loser last week when Len said he's one of the worst dancers in the competition. He's saying to "It's My Life" by No Doubt, which came out in 2003, the year "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" came out to big success. He says the show allowed him to feel comfortable and proud about who he was. They dance a tango. Bruno goes nuts and says a lot of loud and enthusiastic things that are someone indiscernible. Carrie Ann says she loves Carson, adding that he brought drama, craziness, sexy, and a lot of other stuff. Len tells Carson to listen carefully, and that he doesn't need a kiss. He tells Carson he "put the 'boy' in 'flamboyant.'" He says he enjoyed it very much. Scores: 8, 7, 8. Total: 23J.R. & Karina: J.R.'s jive got decent reviews from the judges last week, and quickly explains that his most memorable year was clearly when he was injured in Iraq after running over a land mine. He thought at the time that he would have been better off had he not survived. He says his mother inspired him to "just fight." He's dancing to Tim McGraw's "If You're Reading This." He says the song is about the soldiers don't make it home, and it's a tribute to them. J.R. is overwhelmed by the standing ovation that seems to last forever. Carrie Ann is already crying when she starts talking about how J.R. "did something extraordinary." She says she could "feel the weight" with which he danced. Len says J.R. is the guy this season who danced to a standard that was unexpected. Bruno calls J.R. a "hero" and "a source of inspiration" to everyone there. Scores: 9, 8, 9. Total: 26Nancy & Tristan: Nancy talks about "Moon River," the song she walked down the aisle to at her wedding. It was also the first lullaby she sang to her twins. She recalls the frightening medical ordeal that left her unsure of whether her daughter Lucy would survive. She wants her children to see something "beautiful and magical, and to know that it was all for them." Len tells Nancy to try to get the "ballroom stretch" and posture. Bruno agrees with Len, and expands on the kinds of arm movements she needs to achieve. Carrie Ann says she was "transported." She says she was lost in a fantasy, "Disney dream." Scores: 7, 7, 7. Total: 21Ricki & Derek: After taking over the top spot on the leader board, Ricki talks about last year, when she went through a bad divorce. She shares the story of her house burning down on top of it all, and feeling like there was no chance she'd feel love again. She dances the rumba to Sara Bareilles' song, "Gravity." Bruno says "every step was as expressive as if they were in a poem." He says "that was the actress, dancer at her best." Carrie Ann declares, "Ricki Lake is on fire!" Len congratulates Derek on a great routine, and congratulates Ricky on dancing it so well. Scores: 9, 9, 9. Total: 27Hope & Maks: An energetic jive that lacked a little coordination. Her most memorable year was 2011, making it to the Women's World Cup and losing. She says she realized it was about the journey. She's dancing to Enrique Iglesias' "Tonight," which was the team's song before games. Carrie Ann says Hope is a "really strong dancer, and that was really sexy and really hot, but..." she wants to work on Hope's walk. Len says parts of the routine were "a little bit provocative" for him. But he thought it was Hope's best dance, so far. Bruno says the "sexy minx is out of the cage." He says it's "all there," but agrees with the notes on her walk. Scores: 8, 8, 8. Total: 24David & Kym: David was shocked to be in the bottom two last week, and when he thought about his most memorable year, he went to "this last year." He talks about how he escaped into alcohol after his marriage fell apart. He says he's grateful for it because he's had to look at himself so he can be there for his daughter. He's dancing to "Ooh, Child," and the voice in the song is him speaking to his daughter, telling her "everything's going to be alright." He's dancing the rumba. Courteney stands and cheers, with tears in her eyes. Len says David "did a great job" and says he's proud of him. Bruno says David brought sensitivity, vulnerability and calls it "wonderful." Carrie Ann calls it a "very nice comeback" after a tough week. She says David's raw emotion coupled with that kind of dance created something magical. Scores: 8, 8, 8. Total: 24LEADER BOARD:Ricki & Derek: 27Chynna & Tony: 26J.R. & Karina: 26Rob & Cheryl: 24Kristin & Mark: 24Hope & Maks: 24David & Kym: 24Carson & Anna: 23Nancy & Tristan: 21

8Season 13

S13.E8 ∙ Round Three: Encore Performance

Tue, Oct 4, 2011

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9Season 13

S13.E9 ∙ Round Three: The Results

Tue, Oct 4, 2011

After a rush of emotions, tears and expectations exceeded, it's time to eliminate one more couple from the competition. Chaz & Lacey landed firmly at the bottom of the leader board and will have some significant ground to make up with America's votes to escape elimination. Mary J. Blige kicks off the night with a performance of her hit single, "Real Love." She returns later to perform her new song, "25/8."To the results: Host Tom Bergeron wastes little time getting to some results and we get a recap of Chaz & Lacey's night, in which Chaz found himself at the bottom despite his best score of the season. We see Ricki & Derek's night, in which they landed at the top. We also saw the beginning of J.R. & Karina's performance, when they both struggled to contain their emotions while the taped footage played in the ballroom. The first couple safe is ... J.R. & Karina. The next couple safe is ... Ricki & Derek. Chaz & Lacey ... are also safe. Lacey is shocked and Chaz is suddenly in the center of a group hug.Play it again...: Head judge Len Goodman says Monday night's performances were "fantastic," and the judges struggled to pick an encore performance. In the end, they selected Chynna & Tony's rumba.Back to the results: Nancy & Tristan's night is recapped, and Nancy was overcome with emotion after seeing her her children watch her dance. Hope & Maks struggled to get the sexy walk down. Carson & Anna was over the moon and kissed Bruno's cheek so hard he was sure he's injured one or the other of them. Rob & Cheryl stirred some uplifting emotions with a tribute to his late father.The next couple safe is ... Rob & Cheryl. Carson & Anna are in jeopardy. Nancy & Tristan are safe. Hope & Maks are in jeopardy.A fun time-filling feature shows how all the members of the cast this season are coincidentally connected, then, in advance of next week's movie songs night, we see a performance by the troupe to "Tera's Theme" from "Gone with the Wind."Estelle and Chubby Checker team up on a performance of "The Twist" and "Let's Twist Again." Chynna was feeling good about scoring a 26 after having given the judges the "more" they had asked for. David was emotional dancing for his daughter and got some congratulatory hugs afterward from his daughter and his wife Courteney Cox. Kristin was nervous dancing in front of her ex-fiance, Jay Cutler. The next couple definitely coming back next week is ... Chynna & Tony. David & Kym ... are also safe. That leaves Kristin & Mark, who are in jeopardy. The first of the three couples in jeopardy to be declared safe is ... Carson & Anna. That leaves Kristin & Mark and Hope & Maks.Brooke reveals that they are "not necessarily the bottom two" this week. Asked for his thoughts, Len says, "This is truly crazy." He said he expected these two couples to fight for the final. "It's madness," he says. "It's just madness."The couple going home is ... Kristin & Mark. They're both stunned and Kristin admits she's "shocked."

10Season 13

S13.E10 ∙ Round Four

Mon, Oct 10, 2011

It's movie night on "Dancing with the Stars," and it starts with a troupe performance to a medley of movie songs. Chynna & Tony: After holding on for at least another week, Chynna & Tony are shocked that Kristin went home and worry about their standing. They're going to dance a tango to "Mission: Impossible." Tony gets a little impatient when Chynna gets in his way repeatedly while he's trying to show her the right steps. She tells him she had an epiphany and is going to let him teach her. She seems to struggle through quite a bit of it. Chynna is visible shaken when she's done. Len Goodman says "it all went up the Swanee River" and it was clear she lost it, "it went wrong" and she didn't know where she was and panicked. He says, "unfortunately there was a lot of mistakes." Bruno Tonioli says she wanted to do it so badly that she lost the thread and couldn't get it back. Carrie Ann Inaba notes that Chynna did not lose her composure. She says she wants to see Chynna come back from this. Scores: 7, 7, 7. Total: 21David & Kym: David made it back into the judges' good graces, as host Tom Bergeron says, with his performance last week. They get the paso doble, which they'll dance to the "Raiders of the Lost Ark" theme. The crowd roars its approval, delaying Bruno's remarks for a moment. Bruno says it was very strong, but warns David to watch his turns because sometimes he's a little unsteady. Carrie Ann says, "David saves the day!" She says he's catapulted to a different level and says she "loved every minutes of it." Len says he liked David's intrigue and attitude, but "after that, for me, it was all 'Temple of Doom.'" The crowd jeers and Bruno and Carrie Ann both jump to David's defense. Len insists he never saw the posture and tight buttocks. [b[Scores: 8, 7, 8. Total: 23Carson & Anna: Carson got a great reception last week for his tango and felt good about surviving based on a good performance. This week, they're dancing a Viennese waltz to "The Curse of the Black Pearl" from "Pirates of the Caribbean." It's kind of a disaster. Carrie Ann says it was Carson's "most butch performance." She says Carson's a conundrum because she looks forward to his performances but his technique is awful. Len says it's "like child birth, terrible while it's happening and enjoy it when it's over." He says there was "no quality of movement, no technique" but adds it was "great fun," and says that if he was at home he'd be "phoning" for Carson. Bruno points out that he lost his steps a few times, but it's fun. Scores: 7, 6, 7. Total: 20Nancy & Tristan: Nancy landed near the bottom of the leader board last week and Tristan shows up at her show to tell her she needs to have that kind of personality and presence when she dances. They dance the paso doble to "Flash Gordon." She seems to stumble on the final step. Len says the dancing is competent, but he can't get excited because "it's not exciting." Bruno tells Nancy she's "got to become a ball breaker out there." He tells her to "just go for it." Carrie Ann says they need to give Nancy more credit because she delivers her routines, but says she does need to connect better with the audience. Scores: 7, 7, 7. Total: 21Hope & Maks: After delivering what Len called her best performance of the season last week, Hope is back with a foxtrot to "You Got a Friend" from "Toy Story." She has trouble learning the routine by focusing too much on specific steps. Bruno says it was "so lovely" and adds that he loved it. Carrie Ann says it made her smile the whole way through. She says it was "so refreshing to see" them having fun. Len says he's frustrated because Hope could go all the way but he says she isn't spending enough time practicing and polishing her routines. Scores: 8, 8, 8. Total: 24Rob & Cheryl: Rob gets a paso doble to the music of "Superman," which Rob says fits him perfectly (humble much?). He opens up to Cheryl about how invested he's become in the dancing and she tells him he should be proud. Carrie Ann says she likes the way Rob moves. She says it's "just the way a man should be in the ballroom." She says it "all worked." Len says he "didn't mind it," but he "can't go into raptures about it." He says the paso is the "most living dance," and says there has to be some intensity. Instead, he says, that when Rob was doing his walks, he looks like a waiter offering hors d'oeuvres. Bruno says Rob has the ability, but has to believe in himself more. Scores: 8, 8, 8. Total: 24Ricki & Derek: After a very personal routine that earned her the top spot, she's getting the tango to the music of the movie, "Psycho." Derek has trouble choreographing a routine to the music, which has some odd time signatures. Ricki is also struggling to get the moves down. Carrie Ann's jaw drops as the routine finishes with Derek dramatically "stabbing" Ricki in the stomach behind a screen that only shows their shadows and turns red. Len says Ricki always delivers, but suggests that she get more shape in her neck. "Top of the leader board," he says, "I think so." Bruno says "it really was an immaculate tribute to the Master of Suspense." Carrie Ann says, "Brilliance in the ballroom. Done." Scores: 10, 9, 10. Total: 29Chaz & Lacey: After surviving elimination despite being at the bottom of the leader board for the second week in a row, Chaz says he's "coming back strong." To help pump him up for his boxing-themed paso doble to the music of "Rocky," Lacey brings in Richard Simmons to whip Chaz into shape. Bruno says that "in the true spirit of 'Rocky,' no matter how many knocks you take, you keep coming back, you keep fighting, and you keep getting stronger." Carrie Ann is trying to figure out why she's crying. She says she loved it, and says he's magical. Len says that like Rocky, Chaz is "getting stronger." He says it was Chaz's best dance to date. Scores: 7, 7, 7. Total: 21J.R. & Karina: After a hugely emotional performance last week, J.R. says he wants to focus on his technique so he can stay in the competition. This week he's dancing the foxtrot to the "Pink Panther" theme. Karina brings in Nick Kosovich, a ballroom champion, to show him how it's done. Carrie Ann says she thought it was "OK," but says the performance felt a little flat. She says they didn't need the humor, which "didn't quite make it." Len doesn't understand Carrie Ann's critique, saying J.R. was the best male dancer of the night. He says it wasn't too much humor, and says "this was fabulous." Bruno says it was "subtle humor" and says J.R. is a dancer of great versatility. Scores: 8, 9, 9. Total: 26LEADER BOARD:Ricki & Derek: 29J.R. & Karina: 26Hope & Maks: 24Rob & Cheryl: 24David & Kym: 23Chynna & Tony: 21Nancy & Tristan: 21Chaz & Lacey: 21Carson & Anna: 20

11Season 13

S13.E11 ∙ Round Four: The Results

Tue, Oct 11, 2011

After a dramatic movie-themed night full of twists and turns, highs and lows, it's time to say goodbye to another couple on "Dancing with the Stars." The "celebration of movie scores" continues with a performance of "Soul Man" from "The Blues Brothers" by guest Raphael Saddiq. Later, Susan Boyle performs "Unchained Melody," which became synonymous with the movie, "Ghost."To the results: We get recaps for Rob & Cheryl, J.R. & Karina and Ricki & Derek, who will learn their fates first. The judges were mixed on Rob & Cheryl, and Carrie Ann was the lone detractor on J.R. & Karina's performance. Ricki & Derek earned the first two 10s of the season. The first couple safe is ... Ricki & Derek. The next couple safe is J.R. & Karina. That leaves Rob & Cheryl, who are in jeopardy. Welcome back, Julianne: Julianne Hough returns to the ballroom to hype her new movie, "Footloose," which comes out Friday. She dances with co-star Kenny Wormald to a medley of new versions of "I Need a Hero" and "Footloose," the latter of which is performed by Blake Shelton. Later, Julianne returns to dance with her brother, Derek.Back to the results: Chynna & Tony, Carson & Anna and Chaz & Lacey are up next. We get an in-depth look at the trainwreck that was Chynna's performance and how Tony tried to keep her going throughout. Carson and Anna were both emotional after a performance that Carson referred to backstage as "Chynna Phllips Part Deux." Chaz was glad he touched Carrie Ann, and even after realizing how that sounded, was still alright with it. The next couple safe is ... Chaz & Lacey. Joining them in safety are Carson & Anna. That leaves Chynna & Tony, who are in jeopardy.Nancy & Tristan's dancing failed to get Len excited. David & Kym were solid, but Len thought it was "all Temple of Doom." Hope & Maks were good, but got called out by Len for not committing enough to their rehearsals. The next couple definitely safe is Hope & Maks. Nancy & Tristan are in jeopardy. David & Kym, then, are safe.Down to the last three couples in jeopardy, Tom Bergeron announces that the next couple safe is Nancy & Tristan.Rob & Cheryl and Chynna & Tony make their way to center stage to find out which of them will be eliminated. After combining the judges' scores and America's vote, the couple with the lowest total is ... Chynna & Tony.

12Season 13

S13.E12 ∙ Round Five

Mon, Oct 17, 2011

It's '80s week on "Dancing with the Stars" and we open with the Bangles -- with Susanna Hoffs on lead vocals -- running through a quick medley of "Eternal Flame" and "Walk Like an Egyptian." Later, The Bangles return to perform "Manic Monday."This week, the judges are giving their take on each couple.Hope & Maks: Carrie Ann Inaba says Hope needs to tap into her "natural sexiness" and that she and Maks needs to work as one unit. They're going to dance a tango, and Hope says it's perfect for her and Maks because it's about a love-hate relationship. Hope is having trouble getting into character in rehearsal, and they dance a tango to Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer." Head judge Len Goodman says there was no strength in Hope. He says she's "too willowy in the body." He liked the "aggression and the attack" she put into it, though. Bruno Tonioli tells her she "got the '80s super-bitch down to a tee." He calls it "strong, sexy and powerful." Carrie Ann says they're both right, and that Hope was strong and in character, but Len is right that Hope's lines got awkward. Scores: 8, 8, 8. Total: 24Carson & Anna: Bruno says "Carson is Mr. Personality," but says he's gotten away with poor technique until now. He says Carson can no longer by sloppy. after landing at the bottom of the leader board and escaping elimination, Carson says he's scared of having a bad week. They dance a jive to Wham's "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go." Bruno says it was "loonier than a Looney Toon." He calls it "a crowning achievement in madness." Carrie Ann says it was definitely fun, but it is Week 5 and she didn't see much technique anywhere and adds that he was out of sync. Len says he's not sure it was good enough. Scores: 6, 6, 7. Total: 19Nancy & Tristan: Len says he loves that Nancy is a hard worker and found it refreshing when Nancy did a textbook quickstep. Nancy and Tristan butt heads a bit in rehearsal, and Nancy wants Tristan to "sex it up" a bit. They dance a rumba to Spandau Ballet's "True." Carrie Ann says it was "nice" and "appropriate," but she wants to see real passion. She's not seeing a connection to the dance, and says Nancy is feeling "a little on the drab side." Len says it was "simple but it was very effective." Bruno says they pitched it "exactly right." He says some things could have been more fluid, but that it was one of Nancy's best performances. Scores: 7, 7, 8. Total: 22J.R. & Karina: J.R. is hoping his Latin heritage will help him with the samba. Karina wants to see more hips and more butt. She takes J.R. to The Conga Room, where he can watch Sheila E. perform and see how the dancers there get their moves into it. They dance a samba to Miami Sound Machine's "Conga." Len says he wasn't sure how J.R. would do with the samba, but in the future if guys ask how they should do the samba, he's going to show them J.R.'s performance. Bruno says J.R. had "so much fire" it was "like a volcano." Carrie Ann calls it "muy caliente!" She says it was amazing and that he's on fire. Scores: 9, 9, 10. Total: 28Rob & Cheryl: Len loves that Rob is growing and getting better scores. He says their "great chemistry" is one of the keys to the rumba. He says Rob can be a contender if he stays on track all the way through. Cheryl tells Rob in rehearsal that she didn't he'd make it to the halfway point. Rob gets a visit from Romeo, who shows him how to be sexy. Rob and Cheryl then dance the rumba to Lionel Richie's "Hello." Bruno says we're starting to see "Rob the heartthrob." He calls it a great performance. Carrie Ann reminds us that she saw potential in Rob from the beginning and says he was "strong, sexy" and sturdy on his feet. Len says this dance is hard for guys, but Rob pulled it off. He says Rob "took command" in a dance when he often sees the celebrity partner being carried around by the pro. Scores: 9, 8, 8. Total: 25Chaz & Lacey: Carrie Ann says Chaz lost his confidence after his knees started bothering him. She says when Chaz gets it right "it's pretty remarkable," and when he gets it wrong, it's really bad. She wants to see more movement from him. With Chaz struggling to let loose and shake his body, Lacey brings in her dad, a champion dancer who's put on some pounds. Chaz sees that Lacey's dad is "a big guy" and can move the way he does, he can give it a shot himself. They dance a samba to Kool and the Gang's "Get Down On It." Carrie Ann says it's the most dancing she's seen Chaz do all season. Len says it was a gallant effort and even if the technique was a little off, he enjoyed that Chaz got into it. Bruno says Chaz did very well and shook his hips quite nicely. Scores: 7, 7, 7. Total: 21David & Kym: Carrie Ann says that if David can find balance in his dancing, "watch out." She says David doesn't think he's sexy, but he is. She says David needs to get into the character of the tango.David's hoping to break out of the middle of the pack. David is worried about breaking hold during the tango, and Kym's happy he's getting involved in all the aspects of the dance, including the choreography. He wants to show the judges and the audience that he can really dance. They do their tango to Soft Cell's "Tainted Love." Len says it had a "great '80s feel," and that from here on in, "you have to show up or shut up." He says David showed up and "it was fantastic." Bruno loved that David took charge. Carrie Ann liked his hold, saying it's improved, but says David has to work on his musicality. She says she sees him coming up to be a contender. Scores: 8, 9, 8. Total: 25Ricki & Derek: Ricki's coming off a pair of 10s and is the frontrunner, having landed at the top of the leader board for three straight weeks. She remembers the '80s fondly, saying she was eating a lot then and her whole career took off when she was "plucked from obscurity" by John Waters for the movie "Hairspray." Mr. Waters pays a visit during rehearsal and serves as a reminder to have fun with it. They do a foxtrot to "Easy Lover," by Phil Collins and Philip Bailey. Bruno says the Roger Rabbit interlude didn't work. Carrie Ann agrees, but says she loves the way Derek and Ricki work as a team. Len seems pretty upset and says it wasn't the mood that he appreciates in the foxtrot. Finally, he tells them it wasn't their best dance, but it wasn't their worst. Scores: 8, 8, 8. Total: 24 LEADER BOARD:J.R. & Karina: 28Rob & Cheryl: 25David & Kym: 25Hope & Maks: 24Ricki & Derek: 24Nancy & Tristan: 22Chaz & Lacey: 21Carson & Anna: 19

13Season 13

S13.E13 ∙ Round Five: The Results

Tue, Oct 18, 2011

After a "Manic Monday," as host Tom Bergeron calls it, '80s week is coming to a close on "Dancing with the Stars" as the results show means another couple is going home. To the results: Ricki & Derek and Hope & Maks are the first two couples called to the stage. They tied with 24 points from the judges. Ricki blew her "Roger Rabbit" portion of the dance, and Hope got emotional after her performance, saying she "got eight seconds of the dance right." Later, she told Maks, "I don't think I can do this anymore."Hope's smiling now, as Tom is about to announce the results. The first couple safe is ... Ricki & Derek. Brooke then tells Hope & Maks they're in jeopardy.Be our guest: After a little feature about how much the partners each mean to each other, Kelly Clarkson performs her new single, "Mr. Know It All." Kelly returns later to perform her hit, "Walk Away."In a new feature, we meet a dancer named Charm LaDonna, who grew up in Compton and whose mother scraped together the money to send her to dance classes, and eventually earned a spot on tour with Madonna. She used the money from the tour to pay her own way through college and now hopes to inspire young dancers.Next, The Band Perry performs its song "If I Die Young."Back to the results: Rob & Cheryl, J.R. & Karina and David & Kym are called out next. Rob impressed the judges and got the 9, which was all he wanted. J.R. got a 10 from Bruno. David was so excited about his results, he spent much of the rest of the night speaking in a British accent. The couple safe is ... J.R. & Karina. David & Kym are in jeopardy, while Rob & Cheryl are safe. Nancy & Tristan, Chaz & Lacey, and Carson & Anna are called to the stage next. Nancy pulled off what Bruno called "one of (her) best performances." Chaz realized after dancing that his fly was open the whole time. Carson was excited, but a bit disappointed in his low scores. The next couple definitely coming back next week is ... Chaz & Lacey. Nancy & Tristan are also safe. That leaves Carson & Anna, who are in jeopardy. Of the three couples in jeopardy, the first to be declared safe is ... David & Kym.Brooke tells us that they're not necessarily the bottom two, but it's now down to Hope & Maks and Carson & Anna. Tom announces that the couple with the lowest combined total of judges' scores and votes is ... Carson & Anna.

14Season 13

S13.E14 ∙ Round Six

Mon, Oct 24, 2011

It's Broadway week on "Dancing with the Stars," ad the night starts with a performance from the cast of "Sister Act." Rob & Cheryl: Rob is coming off of a second-place finish for the first time all season. He's getting the cha-cha to a song from "Jersey Boys." His mom, Kris Jenner, shows up in rehearsal and tells him he's gone "from a boy to a man" on the show and says the family is proud of him. The crowd loves it. Head judge Len Goodman says it was clean, precise and had good timing. He said, though, that "there was no rhythm," adding that "it wasn't oily." Bruno Tonioli says it has to be more intense and "you have to be in charge." He says it didn't have the power it should have at this stage. Carrie Ann Inaba says it wasn't "as great" as last week, but that there was more charisma than she's seen from him. Scores: 8, 7, 7. Total: 22Nancy & Tristan: Nancy's rumba fell a little flat last week and on Broadway week Tristan says they want to go big. They're going to dance a foxtrot to "Always Look on the Bright Side of life" from the musical, "Spamalot." Nancy becomes convinced that Tristan is trying to make the choreography so difficult that she'll definitely screw it up. He doesn't understand why she would think that. Bruno is impressed that they did a foxtrot and kept the spirit of the musical. Carrie Ann says Nancy upped the ante and pulled it off, calling it "a showstopper." Len is all smiles and says "much more personality" came out from Nancy, but the parts of the dance in hold weren't so good. Scores: 9, 7, 8. Total: 24David & Kym: A week after rocking the judges with his tango -- even getting a 9 from Len -- David wants to keep the momentum going with a quickstep to "We Go Together" from "Grease." He's going to have to find the balance between his high energy level and getting the technique down. The crowd goes nuts. Carrie Ann says the performance "completely lived up" to any expectation she had. She says they seemed a bit out of sync, though. Len says it was "a bit rough around the edges," and his enthusiasm got the better of him, "but it was fun." Bruno says David was so charged up that he got off on the wrong foot a bit. Scores: 8, 7, 8. Total: 23Ricki & Derek: After tumbling a bit on the leader board, Ricki wants to get back to the top. She gets a quickstep that exhausts her in rehearsals. Derek is being tough on her because he knows she does best when he pushes her. They do their quickstep to "Luck Be a Lady." Len tells Ricki, "You don't need luck if you've got talent." He says he loved it. Bruno calls it "impeccable style" and says it was "outstanding." He says her interpretation of the music "was just beyond belief." Carrie Ann says "it's beautiful to see such poetry in motion," saying it was so quick, sharp and sophisticated. Scores: 10, 9, 10. Total: 29Chaz & Lacey: Chaz is happy to still be in the competition and is excited to get "The Phantom of the Opera" because he's seen it at least three times because his mom was such a big fan of the musical. Lacey pushes Chaz in rehearsal, saying she can't keep making basic steps and she tells him she can't make him memorize his steps. She says they have to "up the game" and she can't keep talking him through everything. Bruno says the tango has to be menacing, dark and hypnotic. He says some roles fits different characters and some don't, and this one didn't fit. Carrie Ann says she agrees, to a point, but that there was some of the attitude she was looking for. She also agrees that there needs to be more content in the dances. Len says Chaz got through the dance, it's a tough dance "but well done." Scores: 7, 6. 6. Total: 19Hope & Maks: Hope is still reeling from her statement that she didn't think she wanted to do the competition anymore. Maks brings the female dancers from the troupe to show Hope how to be sexy in her rumba. Maks hurts Hope's feelings in rehearsal by telling her that everyone has lost faith in her become an amazing dancer, and he's close to joining them. Carrie Ann says she sees the effort Hope is putting in and says that she saw, for the first time, Hope trusting her natural sexiness. She adds that sometimes Hope forces the move a little too much. Len says he's "at a loss," and says that he's "never lost faith" in her. He says this was her worst dance of the season, and he tells Maks half the fault is his. Len fires back that he's "been in this business for over 50 years," and Maks snaps, "Maybe it's time to get out." Carrie Ann and Bruno both jump to Len's defense, with Carrie Ann telling Maks, "Don't be disrespectful like that!" Maks then goes into a speech about how everybody on the balcony (pointing to the other stars and pros) is putting in effort "only to hear your guys' little judgmental comments." Bruno jumps in to give his critique, saying it's a difficult performance to pull off. He says it didn't quite jell as well as it could have. Scores: 7, 6, 7. Total: 20 After getting their scores, Maks says, "With all due respect, this is my show -- I helped make it what it is -- I love every aspect of it, I love every professional that's ever been here, and I love every celebrity that puts effort into every week. Having said that, I'm a little tired that we're being judged -- some on effort, and some on heel leads. That's all I'm saying."J.R. & Karina: Coming off of a week when he landed at the top of the leader board and earned his first 10, J.R. isn't looking to slow down. He's got the quickstep and is motivated by the fact that he's got Ricki & Derek chasing him. Karina says she wants to prove, beyond a doubt, that J.R. isn't a fluke. She tells him she's giving him what's probably her most ambitious routine on "Dancing with the Stars." Len says J.R. is "truly relentless," then points out Helio Castroneves, who he says did a quickstep he thought no one would ever come close to, and J.R. has "really come up a notch." Bruno says J.R. delivered "a hit." Carrie Ann says that Bob Fosse would have been proud. Scores: 10, 9, 10. Total: 29After a quick performance from Kristin Chenowith, we get to see the rehearsals for the Broadway group routine. Carson Daly is brought in as the "creative director." The judges aren't giving scores, but offering some comments. Len calls out Ricki and Rob, and Bruno echos Len's support for Rob. Carrie Ann loved it and calls out Nancy's handstand and flip as a highlight.LEADER BOARD:Ricki & Derek: 29J.R. & Karina: 29Nancy & Tristan: 24David & Kym: 23Rob & Cheryl: 22Hope & Maks: 20Chaz & Lacey: 19

15Season 13

S13.E15 ∙ Round Six: The Results

Tue, Oct 25, 2011

Head judge Len Goodman kicks off the night by telling host Tom Bergeron that Monday night "was a mix of flights, fights and delights," and calls for J.R. & Karina to give the encore performance.To the results: Conveniently, J.R. & Karina are the first couple to learn their fate. After finishing atop the leader board, they're safe. Be our guest: Kristin Chenowith returns with a performance of her song, "Lessons Learned." Later, Corbin Blue offers up a song-and-dance tribute to Broadway, choreographed by Kenny Ortega. Afterward, Martina McBride takes the stage to perform her new single, "I'm Gonna Love You Through It."Back to the results: Ricki & Derek's night is recapped and we see that Bruno was shouting "10" as the final note of their music rang out. Speaking of scores, we see that after Nancy & Tristan's scores were announced -- when Carrie Ann gave a 9 and Len gave a 7 -- Len turned to Carrie Ann and questioned the score openly. The two couples stand on stage together and learn that the next couple safe is ... Ricki & Derek. Nancy & Tristan are also safe.David & Kym's high energy quickstep was a little rough around the edges, and we see the Bruno noticed David was on the wrong foot at one point. Chaz was particularly upset in backstage footage we didn't see Monday night, saying he's "sick" of Bruno's comments about him looking like a penguin or an Ewok. The next couple coming back next week is David & Kym. Chaz & Lacey are in jeopardy.Rob & Cheryl had Rob's sister, Kim, calling for him to get a 9 and Len telling them to keep dreaming. We also get to see the judges' shocked reactions to Maks' statement, "This is my show." (He apologized for that particular comment just before the highlight reel began).Rob & Cheryl are safe and Hope & Maks are in jeopardy.Down to Hope & Maks and Chaz & Lacey, after a particularly emotional night for both couples, the couple with the lowest combined total and leaving the competition is ... Chaz & Lacey.Chaz says, "I came on this show because I wanted to show America a different kind of man, and I know that if there were somebody like me on TV when I was a kid, my life would have been different. And so I dedicate everything I did to all the people out there like me and especially the kids and teens who are struggling. You know, you can have a wonderful, great life and be successful and happy."

16Season 13

S13.E16 ∙ Round Seven

Mon, Oct 31, 2011

It's Halloween night, and "Dancing with the Stars" is really getting into it. Host Tom Bergeron warns us early on, "It's going to be one of those nights," after the umpteenth Halloween pun in the first two minutes.David & Kym: After getting mixed reviews for his "Grease"-inspired quickstep, David knew he messed some things up. Kym's decided to hypnotize him in preparation for his cha cha. His Halloween theme has him playing the role of a Dracula-esque magician. David tells us that if Kym can get him to swivel his hips, she's the real magician. Head judge Len Goodman says there were "lots of tricks and lots of treats," and says David turned himself into a dancer. Bruno Tonioli tells David he's "a natural at turning tricks." Bruno rambles on a bit before turning it over to Carrie Ann Inaba, who says David's "improvement is phenomenal." She says he could use a little more technique on his holds and more hip action. Scores: 8, 8, 8. Total: 24J.R. & Karina: A quickstep that impressed the judges put J.R. on top of the leader board. This week, they have to dance to "Ghostbusters." The timing is going to be tricky. We see some atypical conflict in rehearsal between J.R. and Karina. They hug it out and they set out to dance a tango. The audience loves it, but Bruno says the timing was very hard and J.R. lost it a couple of times. Carrie Ann agrees but thinks the couple handled the tone of the song just fine. Len says it was "substandard" to what he expects from J.R. He says J.R. has set such a high standard for himself that Len expects more. Scores: 9, 8, 8. Total: 25Nancy & Tristan: Coming off her first 9 of the season, Nancy is still celebrating but Tristan is ready to get to work on the next dance: the jive. Nancy thinks the judges are going to be waiting for her to mess up her footwork. Carrie says there are good days and not-so-good days, and this is one of the latter. She noticed Nancy lost her choreography several times. Len says "certain dances suit you and certain dances don't," and this "wasn't a good dance for you." It says it was a disappointment for him and he'd guess it was for her, too. Bruno says she was "suitably devilish, but the footwork was devilish, as well." Scores: 7, 7, 7. Total: 21Rob & Cheryl: The couple wasn't happy with the scores last week, but intends to turn things around with a tango to the music of "The Addams Family." Rob says it's going to be "so fantastic that it's going to scare the living 10s out of the judges." The crowd gives a huge ovation. Len says they did "a terrific job." He praises the footwork, attack and staccato. Bruno says Rob has never been so "manly and in control," but reminds him to keep his "bum" under him. Cheryl reminds him that Rob has quite a "bum," and Bruno tells her, "There's nothing wrong with a bum, as long as you know what to do with it." Carrie Ann tells Rob this was his "best dance so far." Scores: 9, 8, 8. Total: 25Ricki & Derek: Ricki redeemed herself last week after tumbling to fifth place the week before. This week, they get a paso doble that's giving Ricki a bit of discomfort in her ribs. A doctor says she has an inflamed nerve that needs time and rest to heal. He tells her it will get worse but since she can't stop dancing, she has to just get bandaged up and keep pushing. Bruno says it "was like a blizzard of passion and fear." That probably was a good thing. Carrie Ann praises her shapes are great, but she has to be careful of her shoulders. Len says he loved the shapes Ricki made, calling them "fantastic," and her precise footwork. He says that's what he loves about paso, the whipping and waning. Scores: 9, 9, 9. Total: 27Hope & Maks: Hope's rumba lacked sizzle last week, Tom reminds us, and it set off a firestorm from Maks, who is fed up with the judges going around judging people all the time. Like they're judges. Maks injured himself the previous week, so he's brought Teddy in from the troupe to help Hope. Hope is happy dancing with Teddy, saying she's learned the dance quicker than ever, but Maks shows up to tell them they're both doing everything wrong. They dance a samba. Carrie Ann says Hope's lightness made this better than her "Toy Story" dance, which she loved. Len says the samba "can be the celebrity's graveyard," and gives her a "well done." He then praises the hair and makeup and costume department. Bruno says she had better timing, placement and finish, so she should be proud. Scores: 8, 8, 8. Total: 24Team performances: The six couples are going to be broken into two teams. The team scores will be added to each couple's individual point totals. Team Tango: J.R. & Karina, David & Kym, and Nancy & Tristan make up Team Tango. Len says all their group dancing parts were good, "they were tight and together." He says "each one of the individual performances was a disaster." Bruno agrees, saying that once they took their individual turns, "everybody had a mistake." Carrie Ann says it "started out extremely well," but things fell apart when each couple hit the floor alone. Scores: 8, 7, 8. Total 23Team Paso: The friction between Hope & Maks boils over at one point during the team rehearsal and Maks leaves the room with all the other couples around. Derek takes the moment to give Hope pointers on what Maks was trying to show her before he stormed out. The team pulls it together on the real stage. Bruno says it was "powerful" and had a "fantastic ending." Carrie Ann says everything about it was great, including the guys' individual cape work. Len says their individual parts were fantastic and he praises Rob, in particular, for keeping up with Derek and Maks. Scores: 9, 8, 9. Total: 26LEADER BOARD:Ricki & Derek: 27 + 26 = 53Rob & Cheryl: 25 + 26 = 51Hope & Maks: 24 + 26 = 50J.R. & Karina: 25 + 23 = 48David & Kym: 24 + 23 = 47Nancy & Tristan: 21 + 23 = 44

17Season 13

S13.E17 ∙ Round Seven: The Results

Tue, Nov 1, 2011

Monday was a spooky, scary night of performances on "Dancing with the Stars," but someone's going to get the most frightening news of all with Tuesday's elimination.No segue here, just noting that Justin Bieber kicked off the show with a performance of his single, "Never Say Never." Bieber returns later to perform "Fa La La" with Boyz II Men, from his new Christmas album.Play it again...: Team Paso is called to the dance floor to perform the encore. To the results: Rob & Cheryl and Nancy & Tristan are the first to get their results. We see that after his critiques, Bruno gave Rob some additional pointers on what to do with his "bum." Nancy & Tristan were worried after getting low scores from the judges, with Nancy telling her partner, "You know we're toast, right?"The first couple into the bottom two -- which are being revealed tonight -- is Nancy & Tristan. Rob & Cheryl are safe.Before getting to the next set of results, we meet Victoria, a teenage dancer who suffered a brain tumor that required surgery. She had to relearn how to walk and do many other basic functions. Two months after her surgery, however, Victoria was back on stage dancing. And now, she's dancing to "Arms," performed live by Christina Perri.Derek Hough was inspired to put together a results-show performance with Allison Holker, previously of "So You Think You Can Dance" fame. They perform a pretty intense flamenco.Back to the results: J.R. seemed a bit shaky heading into his performance. and was bummed afterward. Carrie Ann gave him a 9, but, as Bruno noted, she gave Nancy a 9 last week. Ricki seemed to have some pain in her ribs during her performance, and afterward when Derek gave her a bear hug that lifted her off the floor.The next couple definitely safe is Ricki & Derek. J.R. & Karina are also safe. Hope & Maks raised the eyebrows of the judges because Hope actually seemed to be enjoying herself and it made a difference. We also get a glimpse at David's last-minute scramble to find his magic-trick cane before his performance. He never found it, but it didn't shake his enthusiasm. The next couple safe is ... Hope & Maks. That leaves David & Kym in the bottom two with Nancy & Tristan.After much hype, the couple with the lowest combined total of judges points and viewer votes, and therefore leaving the show is ... David & Kym! The crowd boos and even Tristan seems a bit shocked, but David keeps smiling. On his way out, he pokes a little fun at Maks' mini-tirade last week, saying, "There must be some mistake because this is my show!"

18Season 13

S13.E18 ∙ Round Eight

Mon, Nov 7, 2011

Add a plot

19Season 13

S13.E19 ∙ Round Eight: The Results

Tue, Nov 8, 2011

The semifinalists on "Dancing with the Stars" by the end of the night, but first we get treated to a routine from the female pros and troupe members, dancing to "I Am Woman."To the results: We first see Rob & Cheryl's night recapped, and Rob was pleased with his 51 out of 60. He and Cheryl allow themselves a moment to dream about making it to the semifinals. Hope & Maks did so well, Len was thinking of asking Maks for a hug. Len then went in for a kiss on the cheek for Maks after an impressive instant jive. J.R. was fired up after his waltz, which scored a perfect 30. He nailed a second perfect 30 and he and Karina wanted to do it all over again. The first of the three couples into the semifinals is ... J.R. & Karina. Hope & Maks are also in the semifinals. That leaves Rob & Cheryl, who are in jeopardy. 'Dance Center': Kenny Mayne and Jerry Rice join Len for what Kenny thinks is the 12th edition of "Dance Center." The first solid line comes when Kenny says Derek Hough is "a lot like Mark Ballas, except that he's blonde and not nearly as creepy." Kenny harps on the fact that Ricki is old enough to be Derek's mom, and then takes some suggestive comments in rehearsal. Kenny makes a quip about J.R.'s love for musical theater, and Jerry gives a "lips-sealed" gesture to the camera, whispering, "Don't ask, don't tell."Rob's state sheet lists his occupation as "Brother of Kim Kardashian." One of his strengths is "he's a Kardashian," but a weakness is "has that Kardashian ass." They finish the first half by poking some fun at Rob's constant repeating of the fact that he went to USC. "Smart kid," Jerry says.Later, Nancy's stat sheet lists her height as "taller on TV." Referring to Nancy's past life as a high school cheerleader, Jerry Rice says he would never have won three Super Bowls with Nancy on the sidelines -- "I would've been too distracted."Hope Solo is listed as "Han" Solo, of course, and her occupation is "Millennium Falcon Pilot." They air a bit of video from Hope's nude photo shoot for ESPN the Magazine, and then Len shares some of his own video of a nude photo shoot on a suburban street. They end the whole segment with a riff on Maks' "this is my show" by showing the (altered, of course) credits from that night, which are revised to list Maks as the host, executive producer, and everything else, up to and including "Owner of the Whole Show."Be our guest: Andrea Boccelli stops by to perform a song from his new live album, "Concerto: One Night in Central Park." The cast from Cirque du Soleil's tribute to Michael Jackson rocks some iconic moves on the dance floor. Later, Flo Rida performs "Love Can't Handle Me" and his new song, "Good Feeling." Back to the results: We see that Nancy was worried about how she and Tristan were "going to be beat those nines." We also see Tristan trying to coach Nancy through all the steps in her jive. After her performance, Ricki was worried she doesn't have what it takes to perform multiple times on Monday nights, and Derek warns her, "Next week's harder."The next couple safe and into the semifinals is ... Ricki & Derek. That leaves Nancy & Tristan in jeopardy.The final two couples, Rob & Cheryl and Nancy & Tristan, await their fates. We learn that these are not necessarily the bottom two couples, but the couple falling just short of the semifinals is ... Nancy & Tristan.

20Season 13

S13.E20 ∙ Round Nine

Mon, Nov 14, 2011

It's down to the top four on "Dancing with the Stars," and the remaining contestants will have to perform three dances, including two individual rounds. They will all dance an Argentine tango and be allowed to do lifts, and take part in a cha cha relay. Hope & Maks: After racking up her biggest scores of the season, Hope is looking to wow the judges in the Argentine tango. She has serious shoulder issues that are making the dance very painful and her doctors comes to give her what's apparently a cortizone injection. Head judge Len Goodman starts by noting it's amazing to do three dances in one week. He liked her attitude and aggression, but that cost some precision. Bruno Tonioli agrees, saying it lacked artistry and reminds her that "control is as important as energy." Carrie Ann Inaba says she nailed the character, but the grace was missing from the holds. Scores: 7, 7, 7. Total: 21J.R. & Karina: A week after achieving "DWTS" perfection with two 30-point performances, J.R. can only hope to maintain that level. He knows the bar is that much higher. J.R. says he has no prior dance experience, contrary to what some people seem to think, then promptly rolls his ankle in rehearsal. He dances the paso doble. Tom Bergeron confirms with J.R. that he twisted his ankle again during the performance. Bruno says the role play was great, but the posture was not quite there. Carrie Ann credits J.R. for attacking the performance with his hurt ankle, but his posture really suffered and she says there were some "unsure pauses." Len says "this dance didn't suit you at all." He says "it was more zero than Zorro," referring to the costumes and theme. Scores: 8, 7, 8. Total: 23Rob & Cheryl: Rob is making his move at the right time, and Cheryl wants him to do particularly well in the Argentine tango, because she says it is her dance. First up, though, the samba. Carrie Ann's reaction: "Who are you?" She says "it was amazing," and he didn't miss anything. Len says he thought it would be a nightmare when it started, and he was "saying, 'Oh, yes!'" Bruno tells Rob "that's how you turn a handicap into an asset," in praising Rob's hip action on the samba. Scores: 10, 9, 9. Total: 28Ricki & Derek: Ricki won't get a 10 from Len until she nails her footwork, and she'll have three chances tonight. Ricki is anxious about being lifted in the Argentine tango, feeling like she's too heavy and will crush Derek. First, though, she tries her feet at the samba. Len appreciates that there were no props and says it was "fabulous, fabulous, fabulous," and adds that Ricki just took a giant step into the finals. Bruno says it was brilliant from the beginning to the end. Carrie Ann praises Ricki's posture, even poking some fun about how hard she was working to keep her shoulders down and head up. Scores: 10, 10, 10. Total: 30Hope & Maks: Before her second dance, Hope shares a bit about her childhood and a traumatic experience growing up when her father -- after a divorce -- effectively kidnapped her and her brother. He was arrested and imprisoned for a while, and when he got out, he started attending Hope's college soccer games. He died just before the 2007 Women's World Cup and Hope was benched in favor of another goalie -- and kicked off the team for a while after speaking out about the benching to the press. Len thought it was "far, far better than the paso doble." Bruno says it was a full-on display of athleticism. Carrie Ann says there was more fluidity to the movement, but that the movements into and out of the lifts needed to be cleaner. Scores: 8, 8, 8. Total 24J.R. & Karina: J.R. recalls his childhood with a single mother in Louisiana and he enlisted in the Army on Sept. 12, 2002, in an effort to serve the country and get money for college. "I didn't process, exactly, that I could actually be at war at 19 years old," he says. J.R. looks pretty angry after the Argentine tango. Bruno says it was "absolutely beautiful to watch." Carrie Ann says there was a true fire burning between them, and she notes the very difficult lifts he was able to accomplishes. Len says he was "transported to the dark streets of Buenos Aires." Scores: 9, 9, 9. Total: 27Rob & Cheryl: Rob's childhood story was about having his dad as a best pal, and he passed away when Rob was 16. His goal in life was to graduate form USC like his dad did. Once he did that, he was still a bit lost as to where to go next. His mother says that Rob entered this competition as a boy and is now a man. After the Argentine tango, Carrie says "there's no way to fake good dancing," and she says "that was good, strong dancing." Len tells Rob it's not where you start, it's where you finish "and you're finishing strong." Bruno says Rob now looks like a leading man and he's doing great. Scores: 9, 9, 9. Total: 27Ricki & Derek: Ricki shares her story of being molested in her own home and says she turned to food. She landed a dream role in the movie "Hairspray," and hit rock bottom afterward. She was reinvented with her TV talk show and set herself on a new path. And now she's dancing the Argentine tango with Derek. Len calls it a lovely contrast of movement and tells Ricki, "I don't think you know how good that was." Bruno says the mood was spot on and the dancing was "peerless." Carrie Ann says Ricki now has the "pop." Scores: 9, 10, 10. Total: 29Cha cha relay: All four couples are going to dance a relay format of the cha cha, giving the judges and viewers a chance to see them all side by side on the same dance. The couples will be ranked, from best to last, and points will be distributed, 10 for first place, 8 for second, 6 for third and 4 for last. In fourth place are Hope & Maks, getting 4 points.In third place are J.R. & Karina, getting 6 points.The winners are Rob & Cheryl, getting 10 points, meaning Ricki & Derek came in second and got 8 points.LEADER BOARD: Ricki & Derek: 30 + 29 + 8 = 67Rob & Cheryl: 28 + 27 + 10 = 65J.R. & Karina: 23 + 27 + 6 = 56Hope & Maks: 21 + 24 + 4 = 49

21Season 13

S13.E21 ∙ Round Nine: The Results

Tue, Nov 15, 2011

Someone's going home on "Dancing with the Stars," but not before an hour of dazzling entertainment.Things start with head judge Len Goodman calling for an encore performance of a samba by Rob & Cheryl. They were chosen partly because Carrie Ann Inaba wanted to see all the booty shaking, Len says.To the results: The recaps of the previous night start with Rob & Cheryl, and Rob did not expect the 10 he received from Carrie Ann. We also see that Rob had to pee before his Argentine tango. Rob was spreading the love by the end of the night, telling Brooke Burke Charvet that voters should keep him around because he loves to dance, and later telling J.R., for no apparent reason, "I love you."Brooke delivers the news that Rob & Cheryl are safely into the finals. Be our guest: Cobra Starship and Sabi stop by to perform their hit single, "You Make Me Feel." Back to the results: Hope & Maks finished at the bottom of the leader board and we see Hope's less-then-favorable reaction to the judges' scores. She said they could kiss her back side after getting her first set of scores, then later said the judges mean nothing to her. After her Argentine tango, she didn't even want to look at the judges, somehow convinced they have it out for her. Afterward, a baffled Len wondered aloud, "The thing is ... we were nice."Brooke announces that Hope & Maks are still in jeopardy.Design-a-dance: After a season worth of voting and hype, Derek and Anna combine for a paso doble to Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," using moves and costumes voted on by fans of the show online.Back to the results: Ricki & Derek were fired up after their opening routine, and they came just one point short of a perfect on their first two dances. J.R. struggled with pain in his ankle and tweaked it on the last life of their Argentine tango.J.R. & Karina are still in jeopardy, which means Ricki & Derek are going to the finals.Brooke says they're not necessarily the bottom two couples, which almost ensures that Hope & Maks are out. And ... Tom quickly confirms this.

22Season 13

S13.E22 ∙ Round Ten: The Finals

Mon, Nov 21, 2011

The final week is upon us and the remaining three couples are set to battle on the dance floor for one hour on the eve of a champion being crowned on "Dancing with the Stars." The judges will make their seasonal visits to rehearsals to offer some last-minute pointers, and tonight's two performances will include the always-excting freestyle.Ricki & Derek: Ricki is back on a roll at the right time, reaching a perfect 30 last week. Carrie Ann Inaba shows up to help Ricki work on some sexiness in her cha cha. Len Goodman calls it an "action-packed performance" with good timing and rhythm, but says it could've been a little more fluid. Bruno Tonioli says Ricki's "never been hotter, never sexier," but agrees with Len on the "slight lack of fluidity" at times. Carrie Ann says "there's a difference between performing a dance and living a dance, and tonight you were living the dance." Scores: 9, 9, 9. Total: 27Rob & Cheryl: Host Tom Bergeron points out that while Rob got his first 10 last week, he's the only finalist who hasn't received a perfect 30 all season. He's struggling with the waltz, though. Bruno shows up to help show Rob how to walk in the waltz, saying it's one of the most difficult things to do on stage. After the dance, Bruno says Rob was "flowing" and "glowing," but notes that he just messed up the footwork a couple of times. Carrie Ann says Rob looked like a male Cinderella who made it to the ball, but agrees on the couple of stumbles. Len liked it, saying "it was simple, but it was simply beautiful." He also says it got "a little heavy, at times." Scores: 9, 9, 9. Total: 27J.R. & Karina: A week after injuring his ankle but still making his way into the finals, J.R. gets a visit from Len, who helps him work on his hip action for the cha cha cha. By the end of the rehearsal, Len is calling J.R.'s hip action "bionic." Carrie Ann lets J.R. soak in the cheers, but says his musicality was off. She says he didn't work his arms very well, either. Len says it was "brave" that J.R. did a lot of the dance on his own, but gets real and says, "J.R., this wasn't very good." Bruno says he liked the mood J.R. set and that his intensity is "right on the money" when he plays with Karina. Scores: 8, 7, 9. Total: 24Ricki & Derek freestyle: Ricki says she's ready and willing to do anything Derek wants, and immediately goes running away when he starts proposing some crazy stunts. Things get tense in rehearsals at one point when Derek says the way she's doing something is bad. When she protests he tells her, "just shut your face!" Len loves it, saying it was fun and entertaining, even though she lost it a little bit during some of the quickstep portion. Bruno says it was challenging to combine the quickstep and salsa, and she did it great. Carrie Ann loved the combo, too, and paid special attention to the lifts that Ricki pulled off impressively. Scores: 9, 9, 9. Total: 27Rob & Cheryl freestyle: Cheryl tells Rob that his strength has been the slower dances, so they're going to start slow and then kick into some crazy, fast-paced stuff with big lifts. Cheryl is pumped after the performance. Bruno calls it a "brilliant performance" and add that Rob "piqued at the right time!" Carrie Ann says that to get a 10 in the freestyle you have to blow the judges away, then says, "consider me blown away!" Len says Rob has given his all and he and his family should be proud. Scores: 10, 10, 10. Total: 30J.R. & Karina freestyle: The couple is struggling with some tough throws and lifts, and J.R. is thinking they should reconsider some moves for safety's sake. In the rehearsal the morning of the show, Karina struggled to get her parts of some of the lifts right, and she's worried about nailing them live. When the live performance comes, it isn't the smoothest lift you've ever seen, but they make it through. Carrie Ann says, "that's the way to come back" and says those were the "sickest lifts I've ever seen." Len says, "Two things were revealed: Karina's body and your talent." Bruno says it was like a jungle, tribal, hypnotic experience. Scores: 10, 10, 10. Total: 30LEADER BOARD: Rob & Cheryl: 27 + 30 = 57Ricki & Derek: 27 + 27 = 54J.R. & Karina: 24 + 30 = 54

23Season 13

S13.E23 ∙ Round Ten: Final Results

Tue, Nov 22, 2011

The show opens with lengthy intros of our three finalists: Ricki Lake, Rob Kardashian and J.R. Martinez. A large dance number featuring all of the season's voted-off start follows. Tom and Brooke introduce the three finalists. Again. And Tom tell us that the winner will be decided by combining the scores from last night, with two dances from tonight and the viewer voting. Rob is in the lead right now followed by J.R. and Ricki who are tied in second.We see a vignette of last night's competition with some off-camera audio.Lady Antebellum performs.Tom tells us the three couples are each going to perform a dance from earlier in the season. This will help determine which two will make it to the final dance.We see Ricki and Derek discussing which dance they want to pick. Ultimately they go back to the second tango, which earned her a 29 the first time around. The performance seems to go well based on the crowd's (and Tom's) reaction. Len loved it the second time around. Bruno calls is a "grand cinematic extravaganza." Carrie Ann thought it was "beyond perfect."Rob and Cheryl end up deciding the foxtrot is their best option, particularly because it was dedicated to Rob's father the first time. Cheryl tells Rob how proud of him she is. The reaction to the foxtrot is also positive. Bruno talks about how much Rob has improved "beyond expectations." Carrie Ann calls it elegant and Len says Rob might have the best footwork of anybody he's seen on the show.We watch J.R. and Karina decide that the jive was their favorite, even though it earned a 22. They work to remove a lift for which they were penalized the first time around. Carrie Ann mentions J.R. having a "rough time" during the performance and says she missed the lift (zing!). Len talks about the band and Bruno stands up and bangs on the table for some reason.Tom reminds us of the rules and kicks it to Brooke who interviews the finalists. Ricki says she did the best she could do tonight. Rob admits to never thinking he'd still be around at this point. J.R. is confident in their choice of dance.Score time: In third place with 26 points is Rob & Cheryl. J.R. & Karina finish second with 28 points, meaning Ricki & Derek win round 3 with a perfect score of 30. The updated overall scores have Ricki & Derek in first with 84 points, followed by Rob & Cheryl (83) and J.R. & Karina (82).The judges' scores are combined with audience votes and we find out who finishes in third and will miss out on dancing in the final. The couple in third is . . . Ricki & Derek. The crowd groans and they speak with Brooke. Ricki says she loved "every minute of this." We see a vignette of her entire season.The finalists are reintroduced to us for the 15th time, with judges talking about each dancer and his strengths.Brooke reveals that the finalists will be dancing their Instant Samba to Ricky Martin's "Shake Your Bon-Bon." J.R. and Karina will dance first. We see a full season-wrap vignette as the finalists prepare for the dance.We begin taking a look back at the dancers from throughout the season. Ron Artest (er-Metta World Peace) and Peta dance, followed by Elisabetta Canalis and Valentin.After the break we see Kristin Cavallari and Mark, followed by Chynna Phillips and Tony.Following another break we check-in with J.R. and Karina who are practicing backstage. And sweating.Carson Phillips dances to "Vogue" with a half dozen different dancers.We flashback to the movie episode, followed by a dance from Nancy Grace and Tristan.Brooke checks-in backstage with Rob and Cheryl. They both sound confident.Chaz Bono, Lacey, and Lacey's father perform a dance routine. Afterwards Tom noted that Chaz has stuck around the set even after being voted off. Next we see David Arquette, Kym and the show's dance troupe perform.Lady Antebellum sing again, followed by another vignette. Hope Solo and Maksim dance.Finally J.R. & Karina take the stage for their Instant Samba. They leave and Rob & Cheryl follow them for the rest of the song. Rob and J.R. give each other a hug after the dance. Len gives both couples a standing ovation. Bruno said J.R. was "full-out party time" and mentions Rob has "learned how to use his bon-bon." Carrie Ann thinks both men were winners.Tom speaks with a few of the stars from the season sitting in the crowd. Brooke asks the finalists what they'll miss from the season.Time for scores: J.R. & Karina get a 10 from all three judges, giving them a score of 112 for all four rounds. Rob & Cheryl also get a 30, meaning they have a 113 for four rounds. The viewer votes are pretty much going to decide this thing.Three months of dancing comes down to this, the announcement of our champion: The winners are . . . J.R. & Karina! J.R. is happy he was able to get Karina her first win on DWTS. Rob and Cheryl say they will be friends forever.