Videos: Ralph Macchio & Karina Smirnoff Get No Love From The DWTS Judges

On the May 9, 2011 episode of Dancing with the Stars,  Ralph Macchio and Karina Smirnoff danced the Viennese Waltz to Maybe I Maybe You by Scorpions as their first dance. For their second and the insta-dance Cha Cha Cha, they danced to Stuck in the Middle With You by Stealers Wheel.

SEE MORE: KARINA CALLS RALPH HER OWN BENJAMIN BUTTON!

For now, here are the video clips of their performances:


Dancing With The Stars 5/9: Live Scores, Results & Telephone Numbers

Dancing with the Stars May 9, 2011 includes two dances for each couple. One is the usual and the second is an instant choreography performance.

Five couples remain on DWTS.  I will be doing a live blogging of results and scores – see below.

FULL SUMMARY RECAP AND ALL PERFORMANCE VIDEOS COMING AT 1 AM EST.

Below are the call numbers:
Chelsea & Mark – 1-800-868-3401
Hines & Kym – 1-800-868-3403
Romeo & Chelsie – 1-800-868-3405
Ralph & Karina – 1-800-868-3408
Kirstie & Maks – 1-800-868-3411

Below are the live scores (Spoiler alert):


FIRST DANCE:
Chelsea and Mark: 29
Hines & Kym: 28 (Hines proposed to Kym during the dance, for fun)
Romeo & Chelsie: 27
Ralph and Karina: 25. Ralph is in major pain from a ruptured cyst. The doctor cleared him to perform but the pain persists. Len said he will take the pain into consideration of his score.
Kirstie & Maks: 28

SECOND DANCE – INSTADANCE 
Chelsea and Mark: 26

Hines & Kym: 26 
Romeo & Chelsie: 25
Ralph and Karina: 21
Kirstie & Maks: 25
TOTAL SCORE:
Chelsea and Mark: 55
Hines & Kym: 54
Romeo & Chelsie52
Ralph and Karina: 46
Kirstie & Maks: 53 

Video:Ralph Macchio & Karina Smirnoff Back On Top With Playful QuickStep


On May 2nd episode of Dancing with the Stars, Ralph Macchio and partner Karina Smirnoff danced the Quickstep to Paolo Nutini’s Pencil Full of Lead and wanted the Quickstep to be their come-back dance.  Though Ralph seemed to be getting the steps in rehearsal, he called the Quickstep a “torture chamber.” Karina said the QT is brutal and hoped her 49-year old partner’s body does not break down from it. 

Their dance was charming, playful, crisp, sharp, fast, and oh so much fun to watch! They were certainly back in top form. AND, I swear Ralph looked younger than ever, and certainly as young as he did in the first Karate Kid all the sudden. Karina was right when she told me recently, “Ralph is my very own Benjamin Button!” [Click here to read that story!]
Here is what the judges thought:

Donnie (10): “Last week, you were my hero for how you pulled through. Your footwork and the way you articulated your feet in this Quickstep was fabulous this week. I thought you two rocked.”
Len (8): “I liked your energy. You had great movement. Your footwork was very, very good. It was clear and it was crisp. You upper body is a little bit loose and you need to get more stable, but overall you did a great job with a very hard dance and I am very pleased.” [LEN! An 8???? YOU SUCK! JK, but seriously, take it easy big guy!]

Bruno (9): “For me it was more than a Quickstep. It was how to grab a quick one at the Speakeasy… And you got it! That was so vivid, so vibrant. You sell it like no one else can. Really really good.”

Carrie Ann (9): “BOOYAH! You’re back. I’m so proud of you, Ralph. You had some really rough weeks. Full exuberance, passion and fun.”

TOTAL SCORE: 36

Video: Dancing With The Stars Recap: Who Shined And Who Fizzled?



Dancing with the Stars May 2, 2011 (week 7) had the theme of “Ballroom Greats,” meaning all the celebrity dancers received additional help in rehearsal from one more professional dancer:  Either former Latin World Champion Shirley Ballas (Mark’s mom) or Luca Baricchi, former Ballroom World Champ.


The couples performed two numbers each, one a group dance and one the usual duo dance. There was a guest judge tonight in addition to our usual suspects: Donnie Burns, a living legend in the Latin dance world.

I won’t recap the group numbers and the judges’ comments, but I have placed their performance videos below. All you probably need to know is that each team got a total score of 30 out 40 (since four judges were voting) and that score was added to their individual dance scores for the night. Since everyone got a 30 for their group efforts after they danced, the group dance was basically a wash in the results.

There were two group teams. The first one was made up of the younger dancers Romeo, and Chelsea Kane plus the older but certainly not any less vibrant Ralph Macchio who pretty much held his own against the younger two. Of course the trio were accompanied by their partners, Chelsie Hightower, Mark Ballas and Karina Smirnoff They did the Cha-Cha-Cha to Lady GaGa’s Born This Way. Here is their performance:

The second team featured Hines Ward with Kym Johnson, Kirstie Alley with Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett with Louis van Amstel and they also Cha-Cha’d to We R Who We R by Ke$ha. Watch below:


Now, let’s get to the individual dances:
Romeo and Chelsie Hightower stole our hearts last week with their Waltz but struggled in their Samba this week, ending up in a tie for last place. They danced to Say Hey by Michael Franti. In rehearsals, Romeo said he wanted to take the top spot all by himself after having tied for first place with Chelsea Kane last week. Shirley Ballas was their assigned coach. Romeo called her the “best Latin dancer in the world” and said she made him realize the difference between “shaking” and “shaaaaaking!” 
The three of them had a blast in rehearsals and about his performance before he danced, Romeo said, “Tonight I am throwing a Samba party in my shoe, in my pants, I don’t care. Everyone is invited.”  Unfortunately, after getting the judges’ scores, Romeo will not be in any mood to dance and I doubt that any of us are still invited.
Bruno (8): “You can definitely get down and shake it and there is plenty of fire there down below and you can raise the heat. You’ve got to get this bounce… You go side to side. It has to go up and down.”

Carrie Ann (8): “There was a lot of bounce going on but it wasn’t sending the Samba message. It was sending another kind of message, you know what I mean? Which is not a bad thing for a lot of girls out there. You have incredible potential as you showed last week. I think you are phenomenal but if you really want to go all the way, you really need to focus on your technique, and getting the right particulars of a dance.”

Donnie (7): “I’ve watched you Romeo, am really interested because I really admire you and I have watched you grow throughout the season. You started off, you did not think it was cool. You have achieved elegance and grace. But, baby, you may have a party in our pants, but you have an earthquake in your shoes when you hit the floor. Measured about a 6 on the Richter Scale.”

Len (7): “I didn’t like it. You talked the talk but you didn’t dance the dance. We’re at the nitty gritty stage of this competition. Anyone of the couples can win and any one of you can go home. It all depends on the performance Monday night. You’ve got to up your game.”

TOTAL SCORE: 30

Hines Ward and Kym Johnson danced the Tango. Luca Baricchi was their “Ballroom Great” coach. Hines said having a male perspective really helped him a lot. He also said getting a 10 is his next goal. Ex Pittsburgh Steeler Jerome Bettis came to Hines’ rehearsal and Hines worked extra hard to impress him because he said, “If I can impress Jerome, I can impress anybody.” It worked! Hines got his first 10 of the season, from Bruno, but it certainly was not my favorite dance of his this season.
Len (8): “It was a mixture for me. Some of it was full of drama, you were like a tiger stalking its prey coming out there sharp and crisp like a pickle! An then it goes into like a fairy mode and it was all a bit too dainty for me… Overall, I liked it very much. You’re a good dancer… but it could have been more determined.”

Bruno (10): “I like the way you play it. Big. Strong. Masterful. Determined. Yet you manage to maintain the slinky, smooth stealthy action of a (?) on the prowl… That was a killer Tango.”

Carrie Ann (9): “What you do that’s so unique and sets you apart is that you take command of every dance. But tonight you were a bit off balance, trying a new hold.”

Donnie (9): “My old dance teacher used to say to me ‘dance from your heart but use your head’ and I think you do that. You have a winning mentality…Your arms looked like American Airlines, looked like you were going to fly.”

TOTAL SCORE: 36

Ralph Macchio and partner Karina Smirnoff danced the Quickstep to Paolo Nutini’s Pencil Full of Lead and wanted it to be their come-back dance. Luca Baricchi was assigned as their “Ballroom Great” teacher and Karina said he was exactly what they needed. Though Ralph seemed to be getting the steps, he called the Quickstep a “torture chamber.” Karina said the QT is brutal and hoped her 49-year old partner’s body does not break down from it. 
Their dance was charming, playful, crisp, sharp, fast, and oh so much fun to watch! They were certainly back in top form. AND, I swear Ralph looked younger than ever, and certainly as young as he did in the first Karate Kid all the sudden. Karina was right when she told me recently, “Ralph is my very own Benjamin Button!” [Click here to read that story!]
Donnie (10): “Last week, you were my hero for how you pulled through. Your footwork and the way you articulated your feet in this Quickstep was fabulous this week. I thought you two rocked.”
Len (8): “I liked your energy. You had great movement. Your footwork was very, very good. It was clear and it was crisp. You upper body is a little bit loose and you need to get more stable, but overall you did a great job with a very hard dance and I am very pleased.” [LEN! An 8???? YOU SUCK! JK, but seriously, take it easy big guy!]

Bruno (9): “For me it was more than a Quickstep. It was how to grab a quick one at the Speakeasy… And you got it! That was so vivid, so vibrant. You sell it like no one else can. Really really good.”

Carrie Ann (9): “BOOYAH! You’re back. I’m so proud of you, Ralph. You had some really rough weeks. Full exuberance, passion and fun.”

TOTAL SCORE: 36

Kirstie Alley and Maksim Chmerkovskiy danced the Jive to Ritchie Valens’ La Bamba. Shirley Ballas was their “ballroom great” and helped Kirstie hone her skills. Maks looked more like a drill sergeant than a dance instructor, pushing Kirstie to her limits, but Kirstie said, “That’s why I like it.” Well, she liked it until she cried in the rehearsals because she was so frustrated. Of course Maks consoled her with his loving arms. 
During the dance, Kirstie’s feet looked glued to the dance floor at times. Afterwards, she admitted she got caught up in the acting and got lost in the dance. “I just forgot to move my feet.” The judges were all over the board in their scores:

Carrie Ann (7): “I just love you so much because you bring nothing but incredible performances and complete entertainment. But it just wasn’t quite enough of the Jive, when you were side by side, you were not in sync…. You are looking amazing, I wish I had better remarks tonight.”

Donnie (9):
“I really like it. I buy it…They say in piano and music, the real talent is in between the black and the white keys, and in dancing, the talent is in between the steps. Mechanically you may not be the best dancer here, but you have a talent in between the steps and you fill it with your spirit of who you are…Don’t ever forget, you were a star before you even got here.”

Len (6): “It was fun, it was high energy, it was playful. You’re an actress and you act every dance beautifully. However, as a Jive it was most uneventful…I was disappointed. Your kicks were leaden [surprised no other judge but Len saw what I saw] and I could find very little to commend it.”

Bruno (8): “You might have gone wrong but as an entertainer, it was superb. It was so enjoyable to watch. It was hard for you to do the jive, but your musicality and your instinct was right on the money.”

TOTAL SCORE: 30

Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett and Louis van Amstel danced the Tango to Billy Fury’s Jelousy. Kendra said this was the hardest choreography for her to date and Louis even told her at one point during the rehearsals she looked like she was sitting on the toilet she looked so stiff. Luca Barricchi came to the rescue to co-teach the former Playmate and Kendra felt like she had finally nailed the Tango. Kendra did look confident on the dance floor, but I felt that she did not bend her knees at times when she should have.

Bruno (8): “You have never looked more elegant or sexy. You were hanging onto him a little bit too much… You don’t want to smell his armpits. You don’t really want him, let him chase you.”

Carrie Ann (8): “I’m sooo proud of you. That was nothing but sophistication, elegance, confidence. It was the most beautiful expression of sophistication I have seen from you the whole journey.”

Donnie (8): “I watched you last week break off the shackles and come out of your cocoon…The content of the choreography you tried was massively difficult… I thought you did a bloody good job.”

Len (7): “You coped very well with the demanding choreography. I thought the steps were clean and clear…I wanted it more crisp and as much as I hate to admit it, Bruno was right, you tended to cling on. You need to lift up [your chest]. I thought you did an excellent job with a difficult dance.”

TOTAL SCORE: 31

Chelsea Kane and Mark Ballas danced the Paso Doble to Deadmau5 Ghosts N Stuff and Mark wanted her to get into the character of the aggressive bullfighter but knew that would be hard for Chelsea because she is always laughing [IT’S SO TRUE, click here to see pictures of Mark and Chelsea which I took last week, she’s laughing in every single one!]. Mark enlisted the help of his mom, Shirley Ballas, to teach Chelsea how to be a bit more passionate and scary. Their dance was dramatic, intense, techno, modern, and as always, well-choreographed. They got a standing O from the audience but the judges were mixed, and half were left  “confused!”

Len (8): “I get confused. It was too much aggression in my face, it had no refinement to it.”

Bruno (9): “Chelsea, the ball breaker, you came out here and danced with almost violent intensity. It was like a Quentin Tarantino Paso Doble. What you showed is range. The creativity of it was outstanding.”

Carrie Ann (9): “I usually love tradition. Tonight, I’m gonna say ‘Out with the old, in with the new!’ That was the best impression of the Paso Doble. Totally progressive, pushing the boundaries, pushed them wide open. Great job.”

Donnie (8): “You’re very together… I agree with Len, I was a bit confused. Instead of a matador, I got Hell’s Angels, a biker chic.” Bruno got mad, said that was 200 years ago and told him to go back to the time machine. OK BRUNO, you don’t like Donnie, do you?
TOTAL SCORE: 34

Below are the scores and the couples’ telephone numbers, so vote for your favorite!

COUPLE DANCE:

Ralph & Karina (36) – Quickstep- 1-800-868-3408
Hines & Kym (36) – Tango – 1-800-868-3403
Chelsea & Mark (34) – Paso Doble – 1-800-868-3401
Kendra & Louis (31) – Tango – 1-800-868-3407
Romeo & Chelsie (30) – Samba – 1-800-868-3405
Kirstie & Maks (30) – Jive – 1-800-868-3411

TEAM DANCE:

Chelsea & Mark, Ralph & Karina, Romeo & Chelsie (30)
Hines & Kym, Kirstie & Maks, Kendra & Louis (30)

COMBINED SCORE:
66 (36+30): Actor Ralph Macchio and partner Karina Smirnoff
66 (36+30): NFL star Hines Ward with Kym Johnson

64 (34+30): Disney star Chelsea Kane and Mark Ballas
61 (31+30): Former playmate Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett and Louis van Amstel
60 (30+30): Actress Kirstie Alley and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
60 (30+30): Singer Romeo and Chelsie Hightower

Video: Ralph Macchio Saves Karina Smirnoff After She Falls

Ralph Macchio and Karina Smirnoff danced the Paso Doble to Everybody Dance Now by C&C Music Factory on Monday night’s Dancing with the Stars. During rehearsals, Ralph said “Maks comes on the stage, rips his shirt off. That’s not gonna happen here. I will find another way to be sexy.” Karina decided to incorporate the famous wax on, wax off moves Ralph knows from the Karate Kid into their dance to make him feel sexy.

Ralph was all Matrixed out for his outfit. During the dance, Karina slipped on Ralph’s big coat and fell but Ralph did not miss a beat. He gallantly grabbed her hand and they moved on like pros. That move alone should have gotten him a few extra points out of the judges. But the judges continued their pattern of scoring this duo way lower than they deserve and placed him second to last for the night.

Bruno (8): “I started to feel the fire. Furious with throbbing viral intensity. So I am very encouraged by it.”
Carrie Ann (8): “Ralph-San, Mr. Miyagi would be very proud of you for getting right back up and right into the dance. I’m very proud of you. I know Karina got a bit thrown off cause that was a pretty hard fall. It’s really about inspiring people and getting back up. And the way you got up put the rest of the dance to shame.”
Len (8): “I am not going to castigate you. I am gonna congratulate you. You pulled Karina up. You got her back on her feet straight away. You didn’t miss a bit. I am proud of you and you should be proud of yourself. Well done.”
TOTAL SCORE: 24

Video: Ralph Macchio & Karina Smirnoff Paso Rehearsal

Karina Smirnoff and Ralph Macchio will be dancing the Paso Doble on Monday’s Dancing with the Stars.

Karina Tweeted this video clip early Sunday with a Happy Easter message attached. It’s a sneak peek from the duo’s rehearsals, giving us a sneak peek of the dance they will perform April 25.

It’s very short, but sweet…enjoy!

Dancing With The Stars: 4/18 Scores, Recap, Performance Videos

For the first time in three weeks, there were no falls or shoe breaks on Dancing with the Stars. Instead, it was a night of good old fashion great dancing! Well, not so old fashion. But just some amazing dancing.

On Tax Day, it was very appropriate that the April 18 episode was themed “Americana week,” meaning our duos had to dance either Latin or ballroom with an “all-American twist.”


Hines Ward and Kym Johnson finished in second place last week and danced the Rumba to God Bless the USA Monday night. Kym said because of the patriotic nature of the song, she will tone down on the usual sexy raunchy choreography of this type of dance. Hines felt like a caveman in rehearsals because he head-butted his partner twice and dropped her a couple of times as well. 
During the performance Hines was dressed in a white uniform ala Richard Gere style and looked just as dapper I must say. He also did a great job of twirling the sexified Kym every which way but loose. The duo once again floored the judges and ended the night in first place. This is how the judges gushed:
Bruno Tonioli (9):An Officer and a Gentleman. Ease of musicality and just the right amount of sensuality to make all the ladies swoon. Well plaaaayed.”
Carrie Ann Inaba (9): “Hines, you make it look so easy…You have the best hip action I have seen in a looooong time. And it was very romantic. It’s tough to do Proud to Be An American and then do the most sensual dance of the night. Good job.”
Len Goodman (9): “What I like is that it’s not false. It has a naturalness about it. It’s got an ease and an elegance about it which is charming. For me, that’s your best dance so far.”
Total score: 27

Romeo and Chelsie Hightower danced the Foxtrot to New York, New York. Romeo was stoked because he’s already lasted longer than his dad Master P did on the show before he made his exit with a score of an 8. Yes, 8. Romeo wanted to add swagger to the choreography and Chelsie agreed as long as they would do it the ’60s kind of swagger to go with the feel of the song.  Romeo looked sharp in his tuxedo and top hat. I swear I can’t help but smile when I watch these two dance. They melt me…just like the little town blues melt in NY, NY!
Len (9): “The parts in hold had control. And the parts you weren’t together had a lot of flare about it. There’s still bits and pieces that I am not 100% happy with. But I think you are on the right road because you are a very charming chap and you always come out and do a good job.”
Bruno (8): “Yes, you did have swagger, and spank and full of flavor. I’ve never seen a Foxtrot so cheeky and so well-danced because you did all that but maintained the style of the dance. Well done.”
Carrie Ann (9): “I remember week one when you were resisting the ballroom and you did not want to go there saying ‘it’s not cool.’ That was so cool and so sophisticated. You have your own unique style. I have never seen anyone approach the ballroom like you have. Great job. Chelsie, good job.”
Total score: 26
Chelsea Kane and Mark Ballas did the Samba to Miley Cyrus’ Party in the USA. Chelsea wanted to stay on top of the leaderboard and thought she can do so by breaking every single rule for the Samba. Mark, however, desided to keep it straight for once to show off Chelsea’s good technique. Chelsea wanted to prove her first place finish last week was no accident. She accomplished her goal, coming in a close second –then again, it’s a three-way tie for second place–but this dance was by far my fave dance of the night.

Chelsea is such a great dancer and so beautiful to look at, I sometimes forget to also check out Mark’s moves. But I made a point of paying attention to him too Monday night and he just floored me once again. He’s such an amazing talent and is simply mesmerizing to watch–there is a reason he’s coached two of his partners to winning the mirrorball trophy. OK, back to Chelsea. Here is what the judges had to say about her:

Bruno (9): “You had all the go for it, positive energy of America. And the sizzle and excitement of Brazil. The best of both worlds. And you are so clean. Your placement is so good. You are so tight. You are really really such a good dancer darling, you really are.”
Carrie Ann (9): “You guys dance so well together. Your attributes match perfectly. I think this was fantastic, again.”
Len (8): “Yum yum what a bum. Honestly. This was a party and I’m not talking a Tupperware party. This was real good fun….well done!”
Total score: 26

Chris Jericho and Cheryl Burke danced the Viennese Waltz to America The Beautiful and Chris said his mission was to get higher than a 7 from Len –the score he said he’s received 3 weeks in a row. Chris looked oh-so-handsome in his military getup and rocked the ballroom dance, thanks to his stellar posture and form. The duo put on an elegant and effortless number.  Chris then did his best impression of Len and announced he got an 8! Did Chris get a good score out of Len? Here is what went down from the judges panel:

Bruno (9): “Big, yet graceful. Strong, yet delicate of touch. With a sweeping sense of romance. It was absolutely wonderful!”
Carri Ann (9): “In some weird way, I feel like we have underestimated you. You are so good. Your technique is so amazing. You are a contender my friend.”
Len (8): “American week and it’s so nice to see Cheryl showing off the rocky mountains there.” Cheryl chuckles, turns beat read, covers her chest and turns her back and says, “I feel violated!” Len continues, “Let me tell you Chris. Week 1 you got a six [ouch!] And when you deserve an 8, I will give you one. It was a little flatfooted. Your hold and your posture was good. But you will get an 8 when you deserve an 8.”Oh Len…you had us all going! The big grump did make Chris’ day and gave him an 8!
Total Score: 26

Kirstie Alley and Maksim Chmerkovskiy danced the Foxtrot to American Woman. Kirstie said in rehearsals, “Everyone says there is no front runner,” and then continued with a pout, “I want to be the front runner.” Because of the mishaps this duo have experienced on the main stage the last two weeks, Kirstie enlisted the help of a “Dance Doctor,” John Travolta.  
Dr. Travolta was more of a cheerleader than a physician. He told Kirstie to wear tennis shoes and get romantic with Maks because the public can feel the non-romance between the two. He finished his prescription by advising Maks to tell Kirstie he loves her more often. I gotta admit, I kinda like Dr. Travolta’s regimen. Kirstie was dressed all I Dream of Jeannie style during the dance and Maks was his usual shirtless hot self, but clad in black leather pants on the bottom. Well, except he had an American flag painted on his body. There were lots of gyrations and flirtations and a whole lot of sexiness.
Carrie Ann (8): “Now, that was a different take on the Foxtrot. But it absolutely suited you. It was bold. It was ambitious. It was a little borderline crazy. It was magical. I think it was your best dance ever.”
Len (7): “Well it had attitude. There were lots of basic steps which I like to see. But the overall feel of it wasn’t my cup of tea. We are looking for excellence and there was little excellence about it.”
Bruno (8): “Oh the American woman and the Russsssssian gigolo.  The cold war is definitely over. I didn’t know you were so dirty. And I loved it. Yes, both of you. Are you taking direct bookings by the way, or do I have to talk to an agent?” Maks says, “I’m expensive!” Bruno shoots back, “I can afford it! And give me that doctor by the way. Loved it!”
Total score: 23
Kendra Wilkinson and Louis van Amstel danced the Foxtrot to Yankee Doodle Dandy! In rehearsals,

Kendra says she’s not “f—ing afraid of elegance” and that Carrie Ann made her “feel like trash” when Carrie Ann said last week that the Playboy bunny is afraid of her sexy side. Quite frankly, I am tired of Kendra crying and complaining all the time and I don’t find her whining sexy. Then again, I am not a man, so, what do I know.

Louis patiently convinced Kendra that the judges provide harsh critiques because they want her to be at her best and to develop the necessary confidence to advance in the competition. Kendra finally said she saw the light.
These two had the honor of performing the show’s 1,000th dance and with that came a crap load of confetti strewn all over the place. Kendra promised America that she will put her “heart and soul” in the dance since we saved her from elimination last week. For the performance, the two were decked out in more red, white and blue that any two sane people should ever wear at any one given moment (boo hoo on me for sounding unpatriotic possibly). But Kendra did rebound from last week’s fiasco: She was more fun to watch and had more sass and flair, though she still ended up tied for last place anyway.  Here is what the judges said:
Len (7): “Good news. It’s much better than last week. You came out and enjoyed yourself. It was fun and it was entertaining. Well done.”
Bruno (7): “Sweet as apple pie and much more in character. When you perform on stage on camera, you have to be in it…I can still see you thinking it. You have to stop that.”
Carrie Ann (7):  “This is the most confident I’ve ever seen you. I know these comments are hard to hear. But whenever we are commenting, we’re always trying to help you. And look what it did. You were confident. You were a fighter. Most patriotic dance of the night.”
Total Score: 22

Ralph Macchio and Karina Smirnoff: Danced the Samba to Sweet Home Alabama. Ralph chuckled, “I’m a New Yorker. Karina is Russian. We’re dancing the Samba about Alabama. It’s perfect!” Ralph looked cute all Howdy Doody’d up. The judges placed my adorable Daniel-San in the bottom tonight – I never understand why they are so harsh on him. Perhaps they wanted to punish Karina for posing in Playboy earlier this week. Here is what the judges had to say:

Len (7): Called Ralph inconsistent saying he’s great one week and not so much the next. “You got to get hip. You got to get rhythm. It’s not terrible but lacked a lot of the qualities we’d like to see.”
Bruno (7): “Yes, It’s American night. And the line dance and the two-step was very very good. But we’re looking at a Samba. It needs fire down below man [As Bruno looked down at his own crotch]. You have to get these hips going. Get the lines going. You have to get the loins going [As Bruno slaps his own butt].  You do a character really really well. But we need to get a Latin feel. Give me sex man. Give me sex.”
Carri Ann (8): “Excuse me you two [looking at her fellow judges]. It’s Americana week. OK, mixing the Samba element with the celebration of Americana to Sweet Home Alabama is a crazy concoction and it’s a tall order but I think that was a great entertaining performance…It was probably your most vivacious performance ever.”

Total Score: 22

Petra Nemcova and Dmitry Chaplin danced the Quickstep to Elvis’ Viva Las Vegas. Petra admitted she had no idea who Elvis was when she was growing up in Czechoslovakia, under a communist influence. Petra felt like a kangaroo in rehearsals but said with the Quickstep she’d like to thank America for the dreams she’s been able to accomplish here. AW, can she possibly get any sweeter??
Their routine is way too fast for Petra and she has a couple of minor slip-ups. But as usual, she brought her smile, her charm and her unending grace to the dance floor.
Carrie Ann (7): “Petra I love watching you. You have come so far. Your confidence has grown. But tonight I feel like you took a bit of a setback. Only because you had some stumbles. You guys got out of sync. It’s a tough dance.”
Len (7): “It’s a very fast dance and I think you coped very well with the speed of the music. Your head…you have a lovely neck. Your head sometimes gets a bit cranky. Too forward to the left. You just have to refine the dance. But you have quite the potential but you have to work on a few things.”
Bruno (8): “I disagree with the two of them. First, this was very very difficult and very very fast. You were like a golden goddess of speed. You had lines that could rival Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini put together. Obviously the handling was sometimes a bit dodgy…there were a couple of foot faults but the quality was very good.”
Total score: 22

AND, here is the leaderboard:

Hines Ward & Kym Johnson: 27
Chelsea Kane & Mark Ballas: 26
Chris Jericho & Cheryl Burke: 26
Romeo & Chelsie Hightower: 26
Kirstie Alley & Maks: 23
Kendra Wilkinson & Louis van Amstel: 22
Petra Nemcova & Dmitry Chaplin: 22
Ralph Macchio & Karina Smirnoff: 22

Karina Smirnoff Does Playboy

Karina Smirnoff poses for Playboy

Something must be in the air this week because thatsomething is making all the celeb women in Hollywood go naked. In the media.

First, there was Mariah Carey bearing it all in OK magazine, then, Ashley Tisdale, Bridget Moynihan, Keri Hilson and Kaley Cuoco took it all off for Allure. Now we find out our favorite Dancing with the Stars cutie, Karina Smirnoff, took it all off for Playboy.

“As a dancer I’ve always embraced my body. I’m thrilled to show off my strong, toned physique in the pages of Playboy and celebrate my sexiness,” says Smirnoff. Continue reading

Video: Ralph Macchio And Karina Smirnoff Do The Waltz

VIDEO CLIP OF THE DAY.
On classical night of Dancing with the StarsRalph Macchio and Karina Smirnoff exploded back to near the top of the leaderboard with a waltz set to a contemporary Romeo and Juliet by Tchaikovsky.
Ralph wanted to work on his “Dracula” hands that Len has frequently complained of and in the process, he delivered a breathtaking performance.
Here is what the judges had to say about the performance:
Bruno: “Achingly romantic. Totally heartfelt. Brilliant storytelling through dancing. And thank you very much for continuing the lines.”
Carri Anne: “What I love about you is when you dance, you’re so honest. There’s such an honest connection to the emotion so I believe you….normally I might say that was over dramatic. But when you do it, I was swept in. I was carried through the story. I was right there in the tragedy. It wasn’t a tragedy, it was glorious.”

Len: “You’ve been int he wilderness for two week. You’re back!”
Watch the performance of yourself: