I've only just noticed from the rehearsal footage that Maks did all the talking this week. He is one of the more popular pro's on the show but yeah it does come down to Mel not having the fanbase. I found Maks' last partner Laila to be a stronger personality and performer than Mel plus her name would have been more recognisable to get them through to the final.

I've just seen on the forums people are complaining about Mark staying. They might go extra on voting for their favourites to keep him out of the comp


Helio will be dancing the next week

Don't forget though - they have a restriction on the number of phone votes viewers can make - they only have as many votes as there are couples in the competition per phoneline........

They can also vote online. Same limited votes per email but they can register as many emails as they want.
DWTS really focuses on the fan vote moreso than SCD.

They also focus on entertainment, more than techniques and proper ballroom rules. Their lift obsession went overboard. Don't know whether they really enforce the no lifts rules or not because there were still lifts all over the place, and that Carrie creature picked on the wrong couple (Jane) for doing a lift? Bleh!

And after viewing ALL the VW, I say RUBBISH, unfortunately.

The paso, however, were good! Sabrina (and Mark?) were good, I would even agree there should be a ten somewhere (not three tens though). Jennie and Derek's paso was good too.

The superman paso wasn't really that impressive, but judging by how average Cameron was dancing previously, I think that was his best attempt.

And to Helio's next dance.

I was really shocked when I read that blog and it was the reprise dance chosen!

I think it's right what's already been said that the US audiences are more about show and gimics rather than actual ballroom/latin technique.

I suggest that Mel and Jane do a themed Rhumba set to the Titanic theme with false iceberg on the floor or a Pirates of the Caribbean Samba complete with eypatch and parrot on the shoulder.

Or for whichever couples doing a rhumba have a pole flown in! Or using a double-bed in there somewhere. The audience will still give the couple a standing ovation no matter...

LOL!

What was sad was that the 2 couples who actually did dance a routine that you could recognize as a VW - M&M and J&T - were marked lower than the other 2 routines that were totally gimmicky! Totally ridiculous!

Jane's VW is rather basic but Mel's has flekrls (sp?) in there that most of the couples didn't dare to do!

Mark blatently did a lift a couple of weeks back but it wasn't mentioned. So I don't know how they apply their rules, it doesn't make much sense. I thought Jane had the best VW of the night and the focus on the lift or no lift took away from that. Carrie-Ann's marking and comments can be dodgy at best of times.

I thought the Superman Paso had the right mood, used the floor really well and what Edyta gave him to do he did well and from what I could see there weren't any glaring faults in his technique.

I do agree, it's just he reminds me of Martin Johnson in the eyes, whose nickname was Darth Vader.

Cam has deep set eyes but he's not that bad looking
Just noticed on the abc site they upload quite a full set of photos each week rather than one per couple, pretty good.

I tend to find some of the American celebs too over the top and "loud" for want of a better word. I know that Mel likes to talk and carry on but I find Cameron too much and Sabrina is overly "smiley" and eager, but this seems to be "the American way".

I was watching some backstage interviews online following the show and I think that Mark is going to use the analogy that he's "the little train that didn't give up" way too much in coming weeks

Just on a different, shallow note, I really enjoyed the pro-dance this week with Maks and Tony *swoon*

The National Enquirer (yes, I know, not an incredible source of evidence!) seems to think that Jonathan Roberts has a problem with Marie Osmond. It says that he thinks she's not working hard enough and taking phone calls during rehearsals, that she's too much of a diva and he's taken to calling her "Miss Priss".

National Enquirer is the equivalent to The Sun and News of the World, isn't it?

She's probably on the phone taking orders for her creepy dolls

LOL! Did you notice she got a plug in for her dolls on the show this week? :sleep:

lol .. I did, and she was dressed like one of them with all that extra hair and the fugly dress

Jane Seymore looked beautiful but the other girls didn't fare too well with the wardrobe department

I wish they didn't make Mel look 10 years older than she is when she's doing ballroom, she should have had her hair down and curly IMO, instead of the synchronised swimmer look (all she was missing was the peg on her nose).

Aw diamond! Your posts really make me chuckle! Thank gawd you came on the SCD Forum, and especially this thread, as you really cheer me up amidst all the crap going on other threads atm.

Thanks La Rhumba, I've watched all the seasons of SCD and got into DWTS last year through some friends in the States, but this is the first year I have posted on the forum.

Whilst I like to get involved in "serious" discussion, I also like to have a bit of fun along the way. I know some threads can get a bit "heavy" and argumentative, but that's just the nature of forums and I try to let it go over my head.

I'm please to find this thread where I can shallowly have the odd "squee" over Maksim's chest - but I will talk about the dancing as well

Incase you missed this article and so called controversy over "cloning" the choreography - at least DWTS is being noticed in the British press.

Here's the dimwit Sara Nathan's Sun article about Vincent & Stephanie's QS and the one on DWTS by Jennie & Derek

I emailed her to tell her what a non-story this was and ask was this journalism? What an insult to Vincent Simone!

You can even watch the videos of both to compare, and it's noticeable how much better and quicker, with more steps J&D's one is...but hey, she's half Stephanie's age innit?

On the video link there's a brief clip of Mel and Maks in full costume from this week's show, outside by the huge trailers...it's hardly a glam location is it?

I'm enjoying the paso's this week especially Jennie's. Don't like Sabrina at all.

Hated the smooth vienesse waltz. How difficult is it to get in hold and stay there. Our celebs manage it.

And since when did DWTS get picky about lifts?

They always have been, always had the same rules about lifts as SCD. Karina and Mario kept getting bollocked for breaking the rules.

I notice three of their Vienesse Waltz this week used songs that were used in SCD last year. No-one's accusing the US stars of copying - mind you the American routines weren't a patch on the British ones!

I much preferred Stephanie's routine although I like Jennie. Mind you Stephanie and Vincent didn't fall on their backsides at the end.

See I though Helio and Julianne had a lift in their jive but nothing was said. And I'm sure the same thing happened last year I think it was Apollo and Julianne but I could be wrong.