It looks like we don't have any summaries for this title yet. Be the first to contribute.
Learn more- With just six couples left, another wrinkle was thrown into the mix on "Dancing with the Stars." The team dance would put competitors on the same side for the first time this season.
"Bachelor" star Melissa Rycroft was not among the dancers included in the introduction and host Tom Bergeron explained -- or teased -- that she suffered an injury that made her unable to dance tonight. He promised an explanation later of what that would mean for her standing in the competition.
In the team competition, Team Mambo and Team Tango would compete to earn team points, which will be added to their individual scores.
Gilles & Cheryl: Actor Gilles Marini had yet to return to the top of the leader after spending the first several weeks of the season there. A separated shoulder was preventing Gilles from doing some of the tricks called for in their choreography on the Lindy Hop. It was energetic, and Gilles successfully completed a flip of partner Cheryl Burke that gave them trouble in rehearsal. Judge Len Goodman said Gilles could add the Lindy Hop to the things the French are famous for. Bruno Tonioli said "happy days are here again." Carrie Ann Inaba said it was good to see a new side of Gilles, beyond just the slow, romantic stuff. Scores: 9, 9, and 9. Total: 27
Lil' Kim & Derek: Lil' Kim was looking to bounce from slipping to fifth place after having owned the top spot. She and partner Derek Hough promised to bring her personality back into the dance for her paso doble. It was fierce, and earned a deserved standing ovation from the crowd. Bruno stood and shouted, "The bitch is back, and she means business!" Carrie Ann said the paso was a great showcase for Lil' Kim and it showed how much she'd grown. Len said the competition isn't about mastering about the dances that you're good at, it's coping with the dances you're not so good at it. He said he wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. Scores: 9, 9, and 10. Total: 28
Chuck & Julianne: Country singer Chuck Wicks put himself among the leaders last week, so it was time to see whether it was a fluke. His partner Julianne Hough hoped to bring the same flirtatious vibe they had in the samba to their cha cha cha. They earned a standing ovation. Carrie Ann said Chuck was "definitely in the game." She told him to watch his chin. Len said "this is turning into a fantastic competition" because Chuck was getting stronger and stronger. Bruno felt Chuck's arms were thrown away for the cha cha. Scores: Scores: 9, 9, and 8. Total: 26
Shawn & Mark: A week after getting her first 10 of the season, Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson was hungry for another one with the samba. Her partner Mark Ballas brought in his mom, Shirley Ballas, a three-time Latin dance world champion, to come in and give Shawn some tips. Len said Shawn wouldn't ever dance bad, but "good isn't good enough." He said it lacked hip action and said "it was OK but it wasn't your best job." Bruno seemed to agree, but said it was a good samba. Carrie Ann said Shawn nailed every step and got everything technically right, which is what she was looking for. Scores: 10, 8, and 9. Total: 27
Melissa's situation: Tom explained that Melissa suffered aggravated the painful rib injury she hinted at last week. Tom said she was seeing a doctor as the show was being taped, and would be able to continue in the competition, then rolled into Melissa's rehearsal footage with partner Tony Dovolani. They showed the moment when she hurt the rib again and it seemed like she was having difficulty breathing. The doctor said it was likely a hairline fracture of the rib. Tom said Melissa was able to rehearse earlier in the morning, in keeping with the precedent that was set earlier in the season set by Steve-O. Tony stood alone to take the judges' comments. Bruno said it was unfortunate they had to judge on a rehearsal tape, which lacks the performance power. Bruno and Carrie Ann said it was unfortunate that Tony and Melissa were "marking," which means they were essentially going through the motions for camera positions and not going 100 percent because there was no audience. Len said it was like judging a race-car driver on a warm-up lap. Scores: 7, 7, and 7. Total: 21
Ty & Chelsie: Rodeo champ Ty Murray was coming off one of his best weeks, but knew he had to prove he could handle a Latin dance with the salsa. His partner Chelsie Hightower brought in Dmitry Martin to help Ty get the Latin grooves down. Then Ty got a spray tan, saying, "We'd better get at least a 7." Carrie Ann gave whoops of approval. She loved it. Len said that Ty, more than the others, had the biggest ups and downs. He said Ty improved a lot, but said, depending on what happened with the group dance, it was probably time he "hit the trail." Bruno said it was wild, but he enjoyed watching. Scores: 9, 7, and 8. Total: 24
Team Mambo: Pro Lacey Schwimmer filled in for the injured Melissa Rycroft. The team included Lacey & Tony, Shawn & Mark, and Chuck & Julianne. The judges would give their scores solely based on the performances of Chuck & Julianne and Shawn & Mark, and Melissa & Tony would receive the same score as their team. The routine included a funny moment where, after the guys ripped off the skirts of the ladies to reveal short-cut body suits, they went and stood on the judges' table and stripped down to leotards. Len said it was fun and said they did a good job. Bruno pointed out how the guys were brave enough to shop in the women's department and wear it with pride. Carrie Ann said it was all fun, but the ending was a little distracting. She also said the music overpowered the group. Scores: 8, 8 and 9. Total: 25
Team Tango: Lil' Kim & Derek, Ty & Chelsie, and Gilles & Cheryl set out to beat Team Mambo, and kicked it off with a shirtless Ty and Gilles catching Lil' Kim, who let herself fall backward off the judges' table into their arms. Bruno said it was a powerful attack and said the end sequence gave him goose bumps. Carrie Ann said "Team Tango takes it!" She said their unison work at the end was great. Len noted a slip on Lil' Kim's part and said Gilles' footwork was atrocious. Len reminded Ty about what he said earlier, about Ty needing to nail it in the group dance. Then he said Ty nailed it. Scores: 9, 9, and 10. Total: 28
LEADERBOARD (individual + team score = total):
Lil' Kim & Derek: 28 + 28 = 56
Gilles & Cheryl: 27 + 28 = 55
Shawn & Mark: 27 + 25 = 52
Ty & Chelsie: 24 + 28 = 52
Chuck & Julianne: 26 + 25 = 51
Melissa & Tony: 21 + 25 = 46
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content